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Vol. 6 | No. 36 | January 4-10, 2014 | 60 Cents
i n
j o u r n a l i s m
Bill de Blasio came from behind to win the election for New York City Mayor with a landslide. His progressive agenda encapsulated in his Dickensian catchphrase A Tale of two cities is now reverberating nationally. Inaugurated Jan 1 by President Clinton, the new mayor reiterated his resolve to close the widening gap between the citys haves and have-nots.
www.thesouthasiantimes.info
Detailed stories & exclusive interview with the Mayor on pages 4-14 Bill de Blasio taking the oath of office as New York Citys 109th Mayor from President Clinton January 1 on the steps of City Hall.
New York: Bill de Blasios public inauguration as New York Citys 109th Mayor on the steps of the imposing City Hall here on January 1 was witnessed by thousands of people who braved a chilly morning Jan. 1. In his inaugural speech, de Blasio, who became the first Democratic mayor in 20 years, touched on the key themes of his pre-
cision campaign that portrayed itself as the progressive alternative to the 12-year reign of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose policies de Blasio had criticized for favoring the rich. He had famously harkened to the inequitable Dickensian times by using the catchphrase "tale of two cities." Continued on page 10 "When I said
United Colors of
New York: With fireworks, dancing and late-night reverie, millions around the world welcomed 2014, gathering for huge displays of jubilation and unity as the new year arrived across 24 time zones. In New York, massive crowds gathered in Times Square for the New Year's Eve street party and the dropping of a 11,875-pound, crystalencrusted ball to mark the start of 2014. In San Francisco, one of the last places in the world to see the clock strike midnight, about 200,000 people gathered on the waterfront for a fireworks display illuminating the city's world famous Golden Gate Bridge. In Australia, Brazil and the UAE, fireworks lit the sky. In Japan and South Korea, Buddhists gathered for prayers and in India, it was ushering into a year with hope for a clean, corruption-free government as the nation is geared up for general elections in 2014. An estimated 1.5 million people lined Sydney Harbour for the firework spectacular night when seven tonnes of fireworks were ignited on the Harbour Bridge during a 12-minute show. China planned light shows at part of the Great Continued on page 10
A million people gathered in Times Square in New York to ring in the New Year.
50 Coolest Desis 22
Bollywood 60
Spiritual Awareness 74
excellence in journalism
By Parveen Chopra
New York: Before his public inauguration as New York Citys 109th Mayor and taking the oath of office from President Bill Clinton on the steps of the imposing City Hall in New York on January 1, Bill de Blasio had another, more intimate swearing in an old tradition- at his Park Slope, Brooklyn home, the oath administered at midnight by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in the presence of the First Family. In his inaugural speech from City Hall, listened to by thousands of people gathered on a chilly morning, de Blasio -- true to form touched on the key themes of a campaign that portrayed itself as the progressive alternative to the 12-year reign of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose policies de Blasio had criticized for favoring the rich. He had famously harkened to the inequitable Dickensian times by using the catchphrase "tale of two cities." "When I said we would take dead aim at the tale of two cities, I meant it," he said Wednesday. "And we will do it. I will honor the faith and trust you have placed in me. And we will give life to the hope of so many in our city. We will succeed as one city. We know this won't be easy. It will require all that we can muster." The imposingly tall (six feet five) Mayor outlined a sweeping progressive agenda for his administration, including higher taxes for those earning more than $500,000 a year to fund universal pre-K and after-school programs for middle school students. "Big dreams are not a luxury reserved for a privileged few," he said, "but the animating force behind every community, in every borough." Speaking on the occasion, President Clinton seemed to endorse the de Blasio agenda. "This inequality problem bedevils the entire country," he said. "But it is not just a moral outrage, it is a horrible constraint on economic growth and on giving people the security they need to tackle problems like climate change." De Blasio took a moment to praise Bloomberg who held the helm of the city through the recession, and is credited with making or at least keeping New York safer (after Mayor Giuliani cleaned it up) and more livable. "To say the least, you led our city through some extremely difficult times," de Blasio said of the Mayor he replaced. "And for that, we are all grateful. Your passion on issues such as environmental protection and public health has built a noble legacy." Before de Blasio ran for mayor, he was a virtual unknown nationally with his critics asking whether his experience as a city councilman from Brooklyn and, later as NYC Public Advocate sufficiently prepared him to run the Big Apple. Incidentally, he had also man-
aged Hillary Clinton's first US Senate campaign in year 2000. (An aside -- the presence of the Clintons at the inauguration started the talk that Hillary would certainly depend on this popular leaders support in New York when she runs in 2016 for the White House.) De Blasios very visible biracial family during the mayoral campaign resonated with people in a city coping with a 21% poverty rate and increasing racial divisiveness brought on by the controversial stop-and-frisk policy allowing police to search people in high-crime areas. "We will reform a broken stop-and-frisk policy, both to protect the dignity and rights of young men of color, and to give our brave police officers the partnership they need to continue their success in driving down crime," de Blasio said Wednesday. Also sworn in Wednesday along with de Blasio was Scott Stringer for NYC Comptrol-
ler and Letitia Tish James, who as Public Advocate became the first African American to hold citywide office in NYC. Incidentally, Indian American Reshma Saujani also ran for the same office in November but lost. The City Hall event was called by de Blasios campaign office as an Inauguration for all New Yorkers. The ceremonies featured an unprecedented level of access for the people of New York. Tickets to the swearing-in were made available to the general public for one of the first times in recent memory. Mayor and First Lady Chirlane McCray greeted attendees at City Hall after the swearing-in ceremony. They also planned an open house at Gracie Mansion, Mayors official residence, for several hours on January 5th, which will be open to the general public. Yes, the de Blasio family is moving to Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, relocating from their modest Brooklyn residence of many years. Mayor
Michael Bloomberg never used it, opting to remain in his own townhouse and renovating and turning Gracie Mansion into Peoples House.
Thousands of people braved the chilly morning on New year Day to witness de Blasio inaugurated as the first Democrat Mayor in 20 years.
We cant be afraid of big, bold ideas. The people expect them, and as leaders, its up to us to bring them to the people and work together to achieve them.
communication between government and the people. SATimes: What do you expect to be your biggest challenge as you start your term as Mayor? Mayor BdB: One of our greatest and most immediate tasks will be developing a progressive and fiscally-responsible budget. There are enormous fiscal challenges in the coming years budget. But Im confident in our new Budget Director Dean Fuleihans ability to deliver on this as our next budget director. He will ensure our priorities live up to both our responsibilities and our values. SATimes: Running as mayor, you were not considered a heavyweight (no political pedigree or godfather). Do you think your landslide victory has wiped out that disadvantage? Mayor BdB: We built a campaign of ideas, grounded in the grassroots. Thats where the real power is. SATimes: What support you have enjoyed and expect from President Obama and the Clintons? Mayor BdB: Our president and the Clinton family have been tremendously supportive of the progressive agenda Ive laid out during my campaign for which I remain deeply humbled and appreciative. I look forward to working with them in the years to come, as well as continuing to solicit their counsel on various public issues and policies. SATimes: Dante figured prominently in you campaign and campaign ads, are Dante and Chiara inclined towards a political career? Mayor BdB: Chirlane and I support them in any choices they make!
January 4-10, 2014 thesouthasiantimes.info
US Senator Chuck Schumer, Diana Taylor, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sandra Lee and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo watch during de Blasio's public inauguration for the Mayor.
success story. Lovely A. Warren won election as mayor of Rochester, NY in November with a campaign lamenting what she called the two Rochesters, challenged by crime and poverty, but also boasting prosperous neighborhoods. In Albany, a group of left-leaning state lawmakers are bemoaning what they are calling a tale of two New Yorks, as they seek to gather suburban and rural support for an urban agenda after years of frustrated efforts to win tuition assistance for illegal immigrants, a minimum wage tied to inflation, etc. De Blasios candidacy excited liberals with the way his relentless critique of economic inequality in New York seemed to resonate with voters, who elected him in a landslide. His victory has emboldened liberal elected officials, who are proudly pushing policy positions that had become less fashionable as Democrats moved toward the center under President Clinton and New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. What about Obama? While calling him a progressive, de Blasio told this newspaper in an interview, that the President is regrettably obstructed by a Republican Congress determined to block progressive policies that would help the American people. Obama seems to have a good opinion of de Blasio whom he endorsed for Mayor. De Blasio was given a starring role as he joined 15 other mayors and mayors-elect at a meeting in White House last month. De Blasio was seated directly across Obama during the hourlong sit-down. And when the meeting ended, it was de Blasio who led his peers outside and then spoke first to the reporters and cameras waiting on the White House driveway. The atmospherics signaled that de Blasio, like other New York City mayors before him, intends to use his position as a bully pulpit in his case, to advocate for a progressive policy agenda nationwide. De Blasio said much of the discussion, which included Vice President Biden, focused on one of his centerpiece campaign issues the need to address the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. A lot of us ran in our elections on a message of addressing inequality, and it was extraordinarily gratifying to hear the passion with which the President and the Vice President spoke about this challenge that our country faces, and their desire to be active partners with us in addressing it, he was reported as saying. Meanwhile, voters who elected de Blasio are extremely hopeful. A poll from The Wall Street Journal-NBC 4 New York-Marist showed days before his inauguration that about two-thirds of registered voters, or 66%, are hopeful about de Blasio's mayoralty, and nearly six in 10, or 58%, say Continued on page 6
he will make the city better. "Coming off of a landslide victory, it's out with the old and in with the new," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, which conducted the poll. "There's a sense of optimism surrounding the administration." During the transition, the Mayor Elect took De Blasio his time to look for was sworn in right people for the the 109th right jobs in his Mayor of administration. New York Some of the apCity by New pointments he York State made indicatAttorney ed that hed General Eric continue Schneiderbuilding, as man outside his Park promised, a Slope house progressive, in Brooklyn. diverse and effective government. In naming heads of the citys Economic Development Corporation, Department of Homeless Services, Department of Transportation and Office of Labor Relations, the MayorElect reiterated his commitment to a broad slate of reforms, including investing in small businesses, making streets safer, developing alternative programs for homeless families and individuals, and negotiating in good faith the New York Citys workforce contracts.
Bill de Blasio with Presidient Obama during his visit to White House in Washington in December.
Even though South Asians are known to be predominantly Democrat, according to the results of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund's (AALDEF) exit poll, South Asians voted for Democrat candidates in staggeringly high numbers. In New York, 91% of them favored de Blasio for mayor, compared to 79% of Asian Americans overall. "The high numbers of first-time South Asian voters show that the community is increasingly coming to the polls and voting for Democrat candidates at astoundingly high rates," said Glenn D. Magpantay, Director of AALDEF's Democracy Program. "In New York, South Asian American voters supported de Blasio at rates comparable to African American voters (95%). The South Asian American community should be recognized as a political force." With such widespread support no wonder de Blasio defeated Joseph J. Lhota, a former chairman of MTA, by a margin of about 49 percentage points, and garnering a record 75 percent vote to become the first Democrat occupant of Gracie Mansion in two decades. Talk of coming from behind! De Blasios challenge was not so much Lhota as rivals in his own party. In the Democratic primaries earlier last year, the favorites were
Anthony Weiner first and then Christine Quinn, a Bloomberg surrogate, who topped opinion polls at different times.
The First Family waving to crowds after the Dec 31 midnight swearing in at their Brooklyn house.
16 mayors and mayors-elect met with President Barack Obama in Washington DC in December, where the then Mayor Elect Bill de Blasio was seated across the table from the President and played a key role.
De Blasio gained media attention in July 2013 when he along with a few others were arrested while protesting the closing of Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn. They were released a few hours later.
Bill de Blasio received a rock star reception at his victory rally November 6 in Park Slope Armory in Brooklyn.
Mission accomplished and Bill de Blasio resting backstage with his family after the victory rally. (The New York Times photo).
Bill de Blasio was endorsed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He had managed her campaign for US Senate in 2000.
Bill de Blasio reads Where the Wild Things Are to pre-kindergarteners. He had made taxing the very rich to fund universal pre-K programs and after school programs a campaign issue.
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Bill de Blasio's progressive agenda going national Continued from page 3 we would take dead aim at the tale of two cities, I meant it," he said Wednesday. "And we will do it." The new Mayor outlined a sweeping progressive agenda for his administration, including higher taxes for those earning more than $500,000 a year to fund universal pre-K and afterschool programs for middle school students. Formerly NYC Public Advocate, De Blasio had defeated his Republican rival Joseph J. Lhota, a former chairman of MTA, by a margin of 49 percentage points, and garnering a record 75 percent vote in the mayoral election last November. De Blasios progressive and inclusive agenda has brought him into the national limelight, with other politicians wanting to emulate his success story. In Rochester, NY, the new mayor had built her campaign around two Rochesters. In Albany, a group of left-leaning state lawmakers are bemoaning what they are calling a tale of two New Yorks. Liberals noticed the way his relentless critique of economic inequality in New York seemed to resonate with voters, who elected him in a landslide. His victory has emboldened liberal elected officials, who are proudly pushing policy positions that had become less fashionable as Democrats moved toward the center under President Clinton and Governor Andrew Cuomo. Ed Mangano starts second innings on a stronger wicket Continued from page 3 which translated into the Republican defeating Democrat Thomas Suozzi, a two-time county executive, by 18 percentage points in November last. Mangano said the next four years would be "full of challenges and opportunities" including the redevelopment of the Nassau Coliseum, transforming the shuttered Social Services building in Garden City into a new Family Court, and construction of a new crime lab. The elegant, nearly 3-hour-long ceremony saw speaker after speaker praise Mangano for holding the line on property taxes, attracting new businesses to the region and in particular for his deft handling of Superstorm Sandys aftermath. Democrat Gov. Cuomo dubbed Mangano a "superb county executive" who demonstrated "extraordinary" leadership after Sandy. LIPA, he said, no longer is running Long Island's electrical grid, in part because of Mangano's persistent complaints about the utility's service in Sandys aftermath. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Mangano a "good man, a caring man and a man who just gets the job done." A true friend of the South Asian community, Mangano always puts people first, people over politics. United Colors of 2014 Continued from page 3 Wall near Beijing and at the Bund waterfront in Shanghai. The city of Wuhan in central Hubei province called off its fireworks show and banned fireworks downtown to avoid worsening its smog. Britain celebrated the start of the New Year in style - with the firework displays held in London and Edinburgh the pick of the bunch. Pope Francis in the Vatican City used his year-end prayer service of thanksgiving to urge people to ask themselves: Did they spend 2013 to further their own interests or to help others?
New Delhi: The Indian government will organize a day-long interactive session in Kerala later this month to create awareness among people about overseas citizenship of India as well as citizenship to foreign nationals. The interactive session and public hearing will be held at Vadakara in Kozhikode district
Washington DC: A global retirement crisis is bearing down on workers of all ages. Spawned years before the Great Recession and the 2008 financial meltdown, the crisis was significantly worsened by those twin traumas. It will play out for decades, and its consequences will be far-reaching. Many people will be forced to work well past the traditional retirement age of 65. Living standards will fall and poverty rates will rise for the elderly in wealthy countries that built safety nets for senior citizens after World War II. In developing countries, people's rising expectations will be frustrated if governments can't afford retirement systems to replace the tradition of children caring for aging parents. The problems are emerging as the generation born after World War II moves into retirement. The first wave of underprepared workers is going to try to go into retirement and will find they can't afford to do so, said Norman Dreger, a retirement specialist with the consulting firm Mercer in Frankfurt, Germany. The crisis is a convergence of three factors: Countries are slashing retire-
ment benefits and raising the age to start collecting them. These countries are awash in debt since the recession hit. And they face a demographics disaster as retirees live longer and falling birth rates mean there will be fewer workers to support them. Companies have eliminated traditional pension plans that guaranteed employees a monthly check in retirement. Individuals spent freely and failed to save before the recession and saw much of their wealth disappear once it hit. Those factors have been documented individually. What is less appreciated is their combined ferocity and global scope. Most countries are not ready to meet what is sure to be one of the defining challenges of the 21st century, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington concluded.
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DE BLASIO
ogether with his wife Chirlane McCray, Bill de Blasio is the proud parent of Chiara, a college sophomore, and Dante, a high school junior. Having raised their children in Brooklyn and sent them to New York City public schools, they understand firsthand the fundamental role parents and teachers share in educating the next generation - and of the importance of providing equal educational opportunities in all neighborhoods. After graduating from NYU, Bill studied at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He began his career in public service as a junior staffer for NYC's first African-American mayor, David N. Dinkins, and later became an assistant for community affairs at City Hall. In 1997, Bill moved to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, working as Regional Director under thenHousing Secretary Andrew Cuomo, as New York and New Jersey's highest-ranking official in the department. At HUD, he crisscrossed the Tri-State region, gaining a critical understanding of the diverse communities that make up the New York metropolitan area. In 2000, Hillary Clinton asked Bill to manage her historic campaign for US Senate. Working at the head of a vast grassroots operation, he helped re-introduce Mrs.
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Bill de Blasio last Halloween at the familys Park Slope home in Brooklyn.
Clinton to New Yorkers and deliver her message about prioritizing children and families, securing her a decisive victory in a highly competitive campaign. Two years later, Bill started his service on the New York City Council, representing some diverse Brooklyn neighborhoods. In his eight years on the City Council, he fo-
cused on improving public education, engaging parents, expanding affordable housing, and protecting New York's middleclass and working poor. In 2010, Bill was sworn in as New York City Public Advocate, the second-highest citywide elected office. As Public Advocate, he launched the "NYC Worst Land-
lords Watchlist" to publicly identify landlords who took advantage of everyday New Yorkers, pressing them to improve building maintenance and upkeep. He made his voice heard across our city as a forceful advocate for stronger representation and services for the millions of workers who are the foundation of the city's economy. As mayor, Bill is committed to making sure every child gets a great education, protecting our streets and our communities, and building a city where New Yorkers from all five boroughs can start businesses, raise their families, and afford to live in their own neighborhoods.
C
Poet-activist Chirlane McCray
hirlane McCraywriter, poet, activist, and longtime partner of Public Advocate (now Mayor) Bill de Blasiohas worked in a wide range of fields over her 30-year career, including politics, publishing and healthcare. In capacities both professional and personal, Chirlane believes in the power of an individual to make a difference. And she has always brought her progressive values to any endeavor she takes on. As a parent, she encourages her children, Dante and Chiara, to be involved in their community and with making the world a better place. Alongside her husband Bill, she works purposefully to help make New York City an even better place to raise a family. Chirlane began writing at a young age. In high school she discovered ways to use writing as a tool for activism. While studying at Wellesley College and the famed Radcliffe Publishing Course, Chirlane be-
came a member of the Combahee River Collective, a pioneering black feminist collective, which inspired her to write groundbreaking prose and poetry. After moving to New York, Chirlane spent nearly a decade in magazine publishing, working as a writer, editor and marketing research analyst, in addition to freelance writing for Essence magazine and performing spoken word poetry. In her writing career, she worked as a speechwriter for Mayor David N. Dinkins, State Comptroller Carl McCall, and City Comptroller Bill Thompson. She also served as a political appointee during the Clinton Administration at the New York Foreign Press Center. In 2005, Chirlane began work at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, where she spent nearly five years immersed in the challenge of developing culturally sensitive messages in a hospital environment.
hiara, the teenage daughter of Mayor Bill de Blasio, released a video on Christmas eve in which she courageously shared the story of her battle with depression and substance abuse with the hope of helping others. Chiara was diagA photograb from Chiaras YouTube video nosed with clinical depression in her adoleser people who are struggling with drug adcence. She ended up abusing alcohol and dictions giving confidence to those who marijuana until she reached out for help. In think they cant kick the habit. She herself the YouTube video she expresses her diffi- feels so much better now after freeing herculties of fitting in with the crowd. She ini- self from drugs and inspiring others to do tially thought that drinking and doing the same. Recovered, she could help out drugs would do it. When she went away her dad in his mayoral campaign. She is from the city to join college, she hoped her even doing better in college and doesnt problems would end. But she did not do feel the compulsion to just party all the well in studies either. She tricked herself time. into thinking, Oh, I wont drink and then She says that people dont want to acgoing and doing marijuana, or I wont do knowledge the fact that alcoholism and marijuana and then going to alcohol. drug addiction are a disease that can be Her insecurity issues continued at col- cured. Three million people in America lege. So she consulted a therapist who rec- need treatment, and 28% of people drink ommended her to an outpatient treatment to the level where they are susceptible to center in New York. It was right one for getting addicted. Chiara also stresses that her as she wanted to work with people of it should be easier for people to get help her age. Her parents really supported her they shouldnt get ostracized in the all the way, but Bill was mainly busy in his process. She advices more frank and open public life. talk about the issue to fix the problem in Chiaras coming out now is to help oth- society.
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Pam Kwatra
Chair, South Asians for de Blasio
Prominent Indian Americans at a fundraiser for Bill de Blasio at Waters Edge, Long Island City.
Eric Kumar
Co-chair, South Asians for de Blasio
met Bill de Blasio over 3 years ago, and thank Pam Kwatra for introducing me to such a fine politician. From the first meeting we could see his very clear vision for NYC and its residents. He often said that he saw the income inequality growing under the Bloomberg administration. Recent surveys from US Census show that NYC has been home to over 400,000 millionaires; in contrast 48% of the NYC residents are below the state poverty line. The rich have became richer and middle class has dropped below their standard of living and the low income class has suffered badly. The entire world looks at NYC as the gateway to America. But the wide income inequality gap is a failure of the policies in place for over a decade. Hon. de Blasio's vision is to empower the low to moderate income families while closing that gap. He also plans to build a financially stronger NYC.
Aron Govil
Member, Mayor de Blasio Inauguration Committee Chairman & CEO, Ducon Technologies Inc.
Harendra Singh
Founder, Singh Hospitality Group
y son, Neal Kwatra, first told me about Bill de Blasio after his election as NYC Public Advocate in 2009. Neal told me and my husband Lall Kwatra that that Bill would be Mayor one day because of his focus on the most vulnerable and the most disenfranchised among us. After we met Bill and got to know him and his remarkable wife Chirlane, we were instantly committed to helping Bill and his vision of bridging the "Tale of Two Cities" in New York City. As immigrants ourselves, we were inspired by Bill's focus on inequality and his vision of bringing all our communities together as One New York. When he talks about universal Pre-K for all of New York's kids, that is the kind of practical and concrete change that is inspiring to our community and will make the kind of long-term investment our city needs in its future. Bill De Blasio and his wonderful family are a shining example of the best New York has to offer.
Harendra Singh and his family greet Bill de Blasio at an event. Aron Govil with Mayor Bill de Blasio, Hillary Clinton and Chirlane McCray.
was truly humbled by Mayor Elect Bill de Blasio including my name in the inauguration committee along with distinguished New York personalities. I fully share in Bills vision to give the city back to its people. He is the first mayor in a long time that I'm excited about, and excited about his ideas to unite the city and move it forward. Bill is a family man and he doesnt do anything without his family. He is experienced, quick-witted with a great sense of humor. And humble. I strongly believe that he will improve the lives of average New Yorkers.
decided to support the campaign of Bill de Blasio from its beginning after I met him personally and he really impressed with his well defined strategies to build a more progressive New York, focusing on job creation, affordable housing and making the city an easier place to do business in. Mayor de Blasio has a strong commitment to break the tale of two cities -the rich-poor polarization -- and I truly think this is very important to create a more inclusive city. I strongly believe that he has the leadership qualities and effective approach to manage New York City of the 21st century.
Sushil Goyal
Owner, Liberty Gems, Inc
Raja Sajjid
Vice Chair, Pakistani Community South Asians for de Blasio
met Hon. Bill de Blasio at the prelaunch of Pakistani Day Parade last August, thanks to Pam Kwatra and Eric Kumar. The very first day, we saw his leadership qualities when we told him that how City Hall sat on the permit for the Parade for 8 weeks, and the parade date was 4 days away. De Blasio and his office pro-actively got the community the permit within 24 hours. We knew then that de Blasio as mayor would unite all communities and so we decided to support him.
hen I met Mr. Bill de Blasio at one of the first fund raisers for him at Waters Edge two years ago, I felt connected to him in a way Ive never been with any other politician in my life. His ideas about bridging the gap between the very rich and poor and reform on Wall Street caught my attention and I got involved with his campaign. It is good to see him in the Mayor's office and hope those ideas will be coming to life.
first met Bill de Blasio when he was a relatively unknown Public Advocate hoping to be the next city Mayor. He spent two hours with me discussing his vision of where hed like to take the greatest city in the world under his leadership. I was impressed by his passion for helping those who cannot help themselves, early childhood education, affordable housing, and health care. His philosophy resonated well with my own background in post-Independence India, which invested heavily in education and provided an opportunity for people like me to be what I am today.
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Malini Shah
Chair, Advisory Council, South Asians for de Blasio
he only fundraiser Ive organized was for Bill de Blasios mayor campaign, because I liked what he stands for an equally prosperous & safer city for each & every New Yorker, regardless of their race, religion and fortune. I am confident, he will fulfill his campaign promises and that he meets the next level of success in his spectacular political career dedicated to serving his constituents & humanity. I am proud of being one of his supporters.
Ravi Batra
Eminent attorney
Kamlesh Mehta
Chairman, The South Asian Times
Ravi Bhooplapur
President, Xavier University School of Medicine (XUSOM)
Malini Shah with her husband Nilesh Shah, de Blasios and Pam Kwatra.
always knew that Bill de Blasio had a winning campaign for the next Mayor of New York City. After my friend Pam Kwatra broke the news to me of de Blasio running, I said, Pam, I am with you and I am supporting him all the way. I later became Chair, Advisory Council, South Asians for de Blasio. It was wonderful to know that so many people and families out there that I came across during the campaign trusted and counted on de Blasios vision to change this city so that it works for every New Yorker, no matter what neighborhood they live in and that they needed a mayor who will tax the wealthy to fund a preK seat for every child and after-school programs that keep our kids safe. A Mayor who will make affordable housing a priority, and keep hospitals out of the hands of big developers and open for care. Bill de Blasio was very focused and he knew exactly what he wanted for all New Yorkers -- to build one city, where we all rise together. And we are all very excited for him. Our Women's Committee played a key role in helping organize the campaign's biggest Get Out the Vote which was led by Emma Wolf. I also admired the energy of Bills lovely wife Chirlane McCray, the passion and time Eric Kumar and Pam Kwatra put into the campaign. It was an honor that de Blasio visited Queens Museum, of which I am an Advisory Board member, and with Chirlane visited my residence to meet and greet the Queens community and the Indian American community. I had the immense joy of contributing my best for his campaign and to see him succeed is nothing short of well-deserved satisfaction, as he has bought to the table a multitude of plans
ayor Bill de Blasio is a rare politician who practices principled politics. I was struck by his open and willing honesty when he was running for NYC Council in a crowded field. I arranged for him an endorsement by the retired policemens association. Id assured all in the political world as well as the community that Bill would be the next mayor. I believe that the most legitimate use of power is to help the powerless, and this is what Mayor de Blasio's "a tale of two cities" was all about. The rich and powerful always have a seat at the table. Bill was expanding the table, as well as agreeing to be a fiduciary of the powerless. His progressive agenda caught the electorate by storm, and soon thereafter the nation. His White House meeting with President Obama with other mayor-elects is telling. His views have gone national - watch the 2014 elections, local, state and federal getting de Blasio-ized. Ranju and I, along with our son and daughter, await with pregnant hope for a better New York for all with Mayor de Blasio: changing "Stop & Frisk," a better welcome for the world's diplomats, better educated New Yorkers, more well off New Yorkers from the bottom 99% rank, continued low crime, and greater social and racial harmony than ever imagined. Now, that's what the Greatest City in the World ought to be - a mission every one ought to support.
t my first meeting with Bill in Feb 2011, I started addressing him as the Mayor. He indeed impressed me with his simplicity and progressive vision, and it did not take long before my "Tan, Man, and Dhan" (all resources) was committed only to him for the mayoral election in November. I always believed that Bill was the most appropriate and winning contender. I continue believing in him, and confident that his tenure will be monumentally effective. New York will be a much more safe, affordable, prosperous and a better place to live and raise the family. Congratulations for being The South Asian Times - Person of the Year 2013. Good luck, Mayor Bill!
ill de Blasio, then NYC Public Advocate, was gracious enough to speak at Xavier University School of Medicines 2012 graduation ceremony at Queens College. I knew he was destined for his new office even then. He has always been a strong advocate of small businesses and better local jobs, tenants rights and quality education as well as an opponent of unfair labor practices and excessive corporate influence on elections. I always thought of him as a good man deserving of a higher office.
Dev Ratnam
Scientist, entrepreneur, humanitarian
on. Mayor Bill de Blasio, I am extremely thrilled that you have a great mandate with a liberal and progressive agenda to make the city even more livable to all New Yorkers. I was an admirer of Mayor John Lindsay (1965-1973). You both are very handsome and liberal. Lindsay had some bad luck started off with 12 day transit workers strike, giving 15% pay raise nearly bankrupting the city. He had similar problems with teachers in 1968. But, he was remembered for Ghetto Walks that calmed race riots and improved race relations. He finished his term with low popularity though he championed progressive agenda.
ill de Blasio was the best qualified candidate to become New York City mayor. As an attorney representing business clients, I know that as Public Advocate he listened to people and the business owners of New York. He understands their struggles to survive in an over regulated past administration and wants to give a fair opportunity to small businesses competing with big businesses. He has given hope and new energy that is desperately needed to many South Asian business owners in New York.
I N T E R N AT I O N A L T O P 5
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President Obama and his Russian counterpart look like the odd couple, but the two played a key role in America deciding against surgical strikes in Syria.
Supertyphoon Haiyan
he deadliest storm to hit the Philippines since at least Typhoon Tehlma in 1991, Haiyan smashed into the archipelago with wind speeds as high as 170 mph (more than 20 mph faster than Hurricane Katrinas worst gusts) and surging sea levels up to 20 feet. Despite preparations, including the evacuation of nearly 800,000 people, more than 5,000 people were killed as the storm wreaked havoc in central Philippines and leveled entire parts of the coastal city of Tacloban. Nearly 2 million people were left homeless. Money and supplies streamed in from the international community in a show of goodwilland diplomacy. The Chinese, on unfriendly terms over disputed maritime territories, were criticized for offering, at first, a paltry $100,000, or one-seventeenth of what New Zealand was giving. Meanwhile the U.S. seized on an opportunity to put its geopolitical Asia pivot into action, promising $37 million in aid over the following days and dispatching an aircraft carrier to support relief efforts.
n the morning of Aug. 21, reports emerged from a Damascus suburb of a sarin gas attack, a grim event in a civil war that had already cost the lives of 100,000 people and spurred the largest refugee crisis in a generation. Chilling videos of women and children, some twitching, others lifeless, brought out the strongest reactions yet from an international community that has sat on the sidelines for much of the countrys grinding twoyear-long civil war. Ten days later, after releasing to the public an intelligence report determining that Syrian President Bashar Assad fired the weapons and killed at least 1,429 people, President Obama announced that he was going to ask Congress for authorization to strike Syrian chemical weapons installations. While Assad and his allies dismissed these allegations, the rebels
seeking his overthrow appeared poised for a major breakthrough. And then it never happened. US public opinion was dead set against another intervention in the Middle East. Russia, one of Assads closest backers, managed to convince Damascus to cede its chemical weapons stockpile to a UN Security Council mandate. The Assad regime has reportedly been cooperating with UN inspectors as it goes about now eradicating its stockpile. All the while, the civil war rages, hollowing out cities and scattering communities. The rebels a loose coalition of militias at the best of times have grown more fragmented, with rival Islamist and secularleaning factions even clashing with each other. Peace talks set for Geneva early next year could not come sooner, but few are optimist of what they will achieve.
agreement with the U.S. and other global powers to curtail its nuclear program in exchange for waiving billions of dollars worth of sanctions. Skeptics abound Israel is at the head of the pack but the deal could also jumpstart a new era of rapprochement with the Islamic Republic that will have repercussions across the region.
A progressive Pope
hite smoke rose to announce the new pope on March 13habemus papam!ending one saga and setting off a new era for the Vatican. A month earlier Pope Benedict XVI resigned from the office due to his old age, becoming the first pontiff in nearly 600 years to cede his post. In his place the papal conclave voted for the Argentine cleric Jorge Bergoglio, who from the outset has fashioned himself a reformer of the Church and an advocate for the poor. He selected his namethe first Francis in the history of the papacyafter the champion of the poor Saint Fran-
cis of Assisi, and has since shaken things up, spearheading financial reform within the Vatican, challenging traditional Church views on homosexuality and women, and denouncing the rapacious nature of Western capitalism.
North Korean supremo Kim Jong-Un rings in New Year with mention of his uncle and erstwhile advisers execution as removal of filth.
Women carrying children run for safety as armed police hunt gunmen who went on a shooting spree in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sept. 21. At least 67 people were confirmed dead, with several hundred believed missing
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
USA TOP 5
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n his year-end news conference, the president deflected reporters stung by the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance scandal and focused on his hopes for 2014 as a year of action for the White House and Congress. But the fact remains that 2013 was probably the worst year of his presidency more than NSA snooping, shoddy healthcare law rollout and rollbacks dented his credibility. He admitted as much, asked his biggest mistake, like most presidents, he appeared stumped, then
retreated into what is by now an old standby: the health-care rollout. The fights over government shutdown and debt ceiling pushed down his popularity numbers as much as of the Congress. But towards the end of the year, things were on the mend as some kind of bipartisan deal was struck on budget. Healthcares
bad press also tapered as the website in question behaved. Over the past summer, the countrys economy grew at 4.1% -- its strongest pace in almost two years.Obama is expected to describe his 2014 agenda in his State of the Union address on Jan. 28. But he has already indicated that he will be pushing hard for some long-standing priorities, such as overhauling the immigration laws to give millions of people who entered the US illegally the chance to gain legal residency or citizenship.
he White House had hoped the Oct. 1 launch of open enrollment would be a showcase for the upside of Obamas muchdebated overhaul. Instead, the website became a symbol of dysfunction, providing Republicans and late-night comics with ammunition, and worrying the presidents Democratic allies. The site gradually improved, but a wave of cancellation notices from insurers undercut Obamas oft-repeated promise that people who liked their existing coverage could keep it. Last heard, a total 2.1 million Americans have enrolled to get insurance coverage this year. On January 1, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (to give its full name) came into effect. It is a set of health reforms which allow millions of Americans to get health insurance cover for the first time. The Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, makes it compulsory for people to have health cover - either provided for by their employer or by buying one of the private health plans now on offer. Those who cannot afford it will get help, but those without any insurance will be fined. Under Obamacare, health insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, it added. The website HealthCare.gov, the federal online marketplace serving consumers in 36 states, is key to President Barack Obama's signature healthcare overhaul aiming to get more uninsured Americans the coverage. The remaining 14 states and the district of Columbia have built their own websites. A new survey finds that nearly six in 10 uninsured Americans who have visited a health insurance exchange website under healthcare overhaul in December say their experience was negative, according to a Gallup poll. The poll found that 39 per cent of uninsured Americans reported their experience with the new Obamacare health exchanges in December positive, 6 per cent points up from October and November, while 59 percent reported their experience negative, Xinhua reported.
et doesn't include everything that everyone wanted -- but the economy will grow a little faster, be a little fairer for middle-class families, and create more jobs because of it. A guiding principle for President Obama in 2014 will be using unilateral actions and executive orders to bypass congressional Republicans who have blocked much of his agenda, Democratic advisers say.
dward Snowden, observing the havoc wreaked on the American government's surveillance programs, believes he's done what he set out to do. For me, in terms of personal satisfaction, the missions already accomplished. I already won," he said in his first in-person on a New Year eve interview since arriving in Moscow. "As soon as the journalists were able to work, everything that I had been trying to do was validated. Since the former government contractor's revelations leaked this past spring, the NSA has been under intense scrutiny and criticism from not just the American public, but also heads of state across the globe. I am not trying to bring down the NSA, I am working to improve the NSA,
Snowden said. I am still working for the NSA right now. They are the only ones who dont realize it. Though the Obama administration said they had struck the right balance between intelligence gathering and privacy concerns. Obama, however, now agrees, there may be other ways of skinning the cat. He said one possible fix is to have the private phone companies keep the records rather than the government.
Business
S stocks on Tuesday closed 2013 at records, with the S&P 500 posting its largest annual jump in 16 years and the Dow its biggest gain in 18, after positive reports on consumer confidence and housing boosted sentiment on the final trading day of the year. Up 26.5 percent for the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the year at another closing high, its 52nd for 2013. It rose 72.37 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,576.66. Tallying its fourth monthly advance, and up 29.6 percent for the year, the S&P 500 also advanced to an all-time finish, with energy the best performing and telecommunications the hardest hit among its 10 major sectors. It gained 7.29 points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,848.36.
For the year, consumer discretionary gained the most, followed by health care, with telecommunications and utilities performing most poorly. The Nasdaq rose 22.39 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,176.59, a yearly advance of 38.2 percent, and its best year since 2009. For every stock falling, nearly two gained on the New York Stock Exchange, where 568 million shares traded. Composite volume surpassed 2.3 billion. The 10-year Treasury note yield used in determining mortgage rates and other consumer loans rose 6 basis points to 3.036 percent, its highest of the year and since July 2011. The dollar edged higher against the currencies of major U.S. trading partners.
wo pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 marathon in Boston in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Authorities say brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, ethnic Chechens from Russia who emigrated to the United States as children, planned and carried out the bombings in retaliation for U.S. involvement in Muslim countries. The throngs of spectators lining the streets at a storied big-city
marathon were once a wholesome scene of civic pride and friendly support. April 15's attack came as a haunting reminder that the crowds at a high-profile event are also a vulnerable target. Bag searches and metal detectors were a common sight at games the rest of the year. As victims persevere on prosthetic limbs, the 118th edition of the world's oldest marathon is set for the spring, with security undoubtedly heightened but runners determined to take part. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died following a shootout with police, Dzhokhar, 19 has pleaded not guilty.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
EDITORS CHOICE
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Britain's Prince William carries his son, the Prince of Cambridge into a car outside St. Mary's Hospital's exclusive Lindo Wing in London, on July 23, where his wife, Duchess Kate, gave birth a day before.
isasters natural or manmade - make headlines and monopolize the images we see garnishing the news. But better photographers are able to capture the human emotions and drama even in otherwise dehumanizing scenes. And a master can find something ennobling and elevating even in a tragedy like the factory collapse in Bangladesh. If you look, there is much to cheer, as in this family that survived a wildfire while hanging on for good life. Or a prince carrying his infant child in a car seat like any other commoner. Or the Pope posing for a selfie. A personal favorite is of President Obama who attended the memorial service for Mandela the silhouette speaking volumes about color and race politics and the progress made since the South African helped end apartheid.
A man holds on to a woman in the debris of Rana Plaza garment factory in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh on April 25. The eight-story building collapse claimed more than a thousand lives and hundreds of victims remain unidentified.
Tammy Holmes, second from left, and her grandchildren take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia, on Jan. 4. The family credits God for saving them from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in Dunalley.
Kyle Larson (No. 32) goes into the catch fence as he collides with Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2), Parker Klingerman (77) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race, Feb. 23, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla
Pope Francis obligingly posed for a "selfie" with a group of young people visiting the Vatican on Aug. 28. South Africans cheer as President Barack Obama waits in a tunnel at the soccer stadium before taking the stage to speak at Nelson Mandela's memorial service, Dec. 10, 2013. A building burned in the Ain Tarma neighborhood after a Syrian Air Force strike.
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TOP 50 COOLESt DESIS OF 2013
In Our Lives & the World
by Hiral Dholakia-Dave
2013 is ending on a somber note with the loss of a great revolutionary changemaker - Nelson Mandela. He fought against apartheid and rose much above color politics. Global leaders like him are a huge inspiration for generations to come. We at Desiclub have always been proud of our do-gooders who are effecting change. Compiling this years list, we came across several such remarkable individuals who chose love and compassion and are doing all in their power to empower others - as far as in the Indian subcontinent and as near as their immediate neighborhood. And so we have Reshma Saujani and Shelly Kapoor Collins who are crusading to get American girls and women into technology as a career while Varli Singh is reaching out to needy children miles across in India through her Diya Foundation.
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ere it is guys and gals, our annual mega Top 50 list. This year is especially cool because it is our 10 Year Anniversary recognizing the great achievements of wonderful people. Creating and publishing this list each year has been a pleasure. To acknowledge community leaders, actors and actresses, business visionaries and political aspirants for breaking into the mainstream has been the foundation of our list. For our 10th anniversary edition of the Top 50 Coolest Desis list, we were looking for individuals who continued to break the mold and bridge the gap between their cultural community and the mainstream and we realized todays reality - Desis ARE mainstream! They are as American as apple pie and after recognizing our talents and successes over the last ten years it would be entirely lost to continue acknowledging individuals who really are a part of the mainstream and have in fact, publicly left their Desi community attachments far behind. As individuals and privately, Desis continue to be culturally sound and maintain their strong and beautiful heritage. Publicly, however, we have assimilated quite nicely into the Western mold and that is a wonderful thing. Publishing this list and now seeing other organizations acknowledging Desis for their achievements as Desis in the American landscape seems needless and perhaps unwanted, especially when these individuals are getting the mainstream honors and recognition they so crave. Lets be honest, all of these individuals are not successful because they are Desi - they are successful because they have chosen a path and followed it through with talent and brute tenacity - and in most instances, without the Desi communitys involvement. To honor and acknowledge them from a Desi standpoint was very much needed and sought after ten years ago, but seems obsolete and irrelevant today. We believe the Desis on our list much rather prefer, and seek, recognition for their achievements from a TIME magazine than a Desi media organization. The former is their preference, the latter is a thats great sentiment. Its a good place to be for successful South Asians in the west, no doubt. It is just a bad place to be for any Desi media organization serving this market. It marks the end of South Asian media in the US, or at least the viable demand for it. There will be a special announcement regarding this in 2014. With all that shared and out there for thought, let us focus on the year that was and the individuals that helped shape the future in their own little way.
Joya Dass is helping women entrepreneurs network while Saru Jayaraman is fighting against exploitation of restaurant workers. Not to forget Kshama Sawant, the first socialist elected to Seattle City Council, who is campaigning for an increase in the minimum wage. As always, women dominate our list and we have a gutsy bunch on board who are playing whistle blowers (Amrit Singh) and peacemakers (Nisha Desai Biswal). Blazing new paths are Morgan Stanley financial advisor turned cake designer Parul Patel, VC Jalak Jobanputra and PR queen Neerja Patel. After proving our might in medicine, hotel industry and engineering, we are now gaining a foothold in hitherto uncharted territories. Vivek Ranadive is revitalizing the Sacramento Kings and Simranpreet Lamba is now a corporal in the US Army. Tech giants such as Twitter and Microsoft are tapping our talent - Vipul Ved Prakash & Rishab resignation for making racially charged remarks. Talking to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart correspondent Aasif, Don Yelton hit out at African Americans calling them lazy black people that want the government to give them everything. He admitted he had been accused of being a bigot before. He went on to add that even though Aasif looks different, he treated him the same as anyone else. You realize we can hear you? Mandvi asked Yelton during the interview. Mandvis interview was focused on new voting restrictions put in place after the Supreme Court defeated a challenge to ID cards required for voting. Soon after the interview the Republican Party released a statement discrediting Yeltons remarks.
Aiyer sold their venture Topsy Labs to Twitter and Paul Allen hired Parag Garg as his top tech advisor - all while President Obama increases his team of trusted Indian Americans with Puneet Talwar as his go to man for Iran and Sri Srinivasan being appointed judge of the second most powerful court of America. Desis in the entertainment industry raise the bar for themselves each year. So we have Russell Peters and Aziz Ansari on Netflix Comedy Specials and Mindy Kaling continuing her spectacular run on the small screen as a big star. However, the coveted honor of No. 1 in our list this year goes to Nina Davuluri for scripting history! This Miss America 2014 is the ultimate embodiment of Desi success in the US. Breaking the barriers of color and race, she went on to prove that no dream is impossible to achieve. So here goes the Top 50 list. Whats Next: Highlighting the roles of the 10 million people, many immigrants, many people of color, who bring their passion, tenacity, and vision to the American dining experience, Saru has set out a bold agenda to raise the living standards of the nations second-largest private sector workforce and ensure that dining out is a positive experience on both sides of the kitchen door. Cool Fun Fact: Saru Jayaraman is the CoFounder and Co-Director of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United) and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley. After 9/11, together with displaced World Trade Center workers, she co-founded ROC in New York, which has organized restaurant workers to win workplace justice campaigns, conduct research and policy work, partner with responsible restaurants, and launch cooperatively-owned restaurants. ROC now has 10,000 members in 19 cities nationwide.
Nina Davuluri
Location: NY Who is She: Miss America 2014
Why is She Cool: She broke the long existing image of the conventional American girl next door. A dusky beauty with a beautiful mind of her own, who takes great pride in her Americanness as much as she respects her roots. Nina got her name etched in history as the first woman of Indian descent to be crowned Miss America and prior to that, Miss New York. We honor Nina because she is the embodiment of what it is to be an American of Desi heritage - we are all a reflection of Ninas accomplishment and in our own way, we are all now and forever, Mister and Miss America.
Whats Next: Aasif has been cast in The Brink, HBOs comedy pilot. It is a dark comedy focusing on a geopolitical crisis. Aasif will play Rafiq Massoud, a young Pakistani employed by the U.S. embassy whose love of America runs as deep as his resentment. He will also be seen next in Disneys Million Whats Next: Ninas platform for her year Dollar Arm based on the true story of Baseas Miss America is Celebrating Diversity ball pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel. Through Cultural Competency. As a part of her agenda, she has launched a new social Cool Fun Fact: Aasif is an accomplished media campaign to encourage constructive stage actor. Disgraced, his most recent enand civil dialogue on diversity issues. deavor, won the Pulitzer prize for drama. Cool Fun Fact: Nina took to pageants to fund her college fees! She won Miss Michigans Outstanding Teen 2006 and stood first runner up at Miss Americas Outstanding Teen 2007, in turn receiving a $25,000 scholarship that enabled her to graduate debt-free from the University of Michigan. She returned to the pageants five years later, this time to raise money for her medical school.
Mindy Kaling
Location: LA Who is She: Actor, Director, Producer, Writer and Author
Saru Jayaraman
Location: CA Who is She: Activist working for rights of low-wage workers
Aasif Mandvi
Location: NYC Who is He: Actor, Comedian, The Daily Show correspondent
Why is He Cool: His interview with a Republican Party official in North Carolina led to the latters
Why is She Cool: She authored Behind the Kitchen Door, a groundbreaking exploration of the political, economic, and moral implications of dining out in America. Blending personal narrative and investigative journalism, Saru shows us that the quality of the food that arrives at restaurant tables depends not only on the sourcing of the ingredients. The meals benefit from the attention and skill of the people who chop, grill, saut, and serve and that the grave concerns of these oft exploited lowwage workers need immediate attention.
Why is She Cool: In 2013, Kaling was recognized by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her show, The Mindy Project was nominated for the NAACP Image Award, TCA Awards, Teen Choice Awards and won the Gracie Award in New Series category. The Association of South Asians in Media, Marketing & Entertainment (SAMMA) also awarded her with a Trailblazer award for being the first South Asian-American woman to be the headliner of her own network television show. Whats Next: Though shes regularly seen on the small screen with her hit Fox series (and in reruns of The Office), the 34-year-old actresss voice will soon be heard on the big screen. In the upcoming animated flick, Inside Out, Mindy portrays Disgust, just one of the many emotions inside the mind of a little girl.
Vivek Ranadive
Location: CA Who is He: Techpreneur and NBA Team Owner
organized for 27 girls in Islamabad. She stood by Malalas family in UK, helping them receive all the support that came from all over while providing them the muchneeded privacy during that critical time.
Cool Fun Fact: Valarie is greatly inspired by her maternal grandpa Captain Gurdial Singh Gill, who lived with them during their entire childhood.
Kunal Nayyar
Location: LA Who is He: Actor
Nivedita Chandrappa
Location: NYC Who is She: Executive Director, Wishwas
Why is He Cool: He became the first India-born majority owner of an NBA franchise, the Sacramento Kings when the National Basketball Association (NBA) Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the team in May this year. Bringing his business and technical prowess to sports, Vivek is changing the way the team and its fans connect. From developing an app to reach out to fans to having talked about on major media networks, in a few months the Kings have become a relatively hot topic - giving a much needed morale boost to the team while it improves its on-court performance. Whats Next: A big plan for the team is to develop the India market while expanding its brand; the team launched the first Hindibased NBA site and hosted a viewing party in Mumbai. The initiative was such a success, 15 more Kings games were picked up for broadcast in the country. Cool Fun Fact: Vivek is credited with introducing real-time concept digitizing information for clients around the globe - including the Wall Street trading floors, banks, airlines, telecom companies - with software that gives instant updates and analysis. He founded TIBCO, which specializes in big data, the art of storing and massaging billions of bits of electronic information, in 1997. It has grown into a billion-dollar-ayear enterprise with about 3,700 employees and offices in 31 countries.
Why is He Cool: This sitcom star turned producer with a documentary Beyond All Boundaries on cricket craze in India, finished shooting for Dr Cabbie, a film produced by Bollywood actor Salman Khan, is writing a book on his story so far - all this apart from playing Raj Koothrappali on TVs most watched comedy The Big Bang Theory, which is currently in its seventh season. Whats Next: His book is a tell all about experiencing the two very different worlds growing up in India and working in the US. Cool Fun Fact: Born in England, Kunal grew up in New Delhi. His family moved there when he was four years old. He came to the US in 1999 to study business at University of Portland. He started acting in plays as a way of meeting new friends. He took acting classes as well. After getting his business degree he went on to get a Masters in Fine Arts from Temple University in Philadelphia. He did some Shakespeare for the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, UK. He then landed his breakthrough role in The Big Bang Theory in 2007, just a year after graduating.
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Why is She Cool: A television Producer at Queens Public Television and an activist, she has a great deal of concern for the women who are first generation immigrants in this city. Through volunteering in various womens organizations she identified the lack of economic support system available to the low-income women if they are in difficult situations. Nivedita then set up her nonprofit organization Wishwas to reach out to them. It focuses on two initiatives; empowering low-income immigrant women and helping them assimilate within society and train them in vocational skills to make them financially self-sufficient. The organization expands opportunity for low-income communities through leadership development, personal finance management, business/ entrepreneurship training, community building and micro-credit/micro-finance loans. Whats Next: Wishwas is seeking donations for sewing machines, materials, embellishments, craft materials and funds to pay instructors. We wish them good luck in their noble endeavor. Cool Fun Fact: The nonprofit has drawn support from enthusiastic women like Reema Rasool and celebrities like jewelry designer Ranjana Khan, who is also Board Chair of Wishwas. In fact, along with her husband, fashion designer Naeem Khan, the latter hosted a cocktail soire at their studio in Manhattan. The evening raised over $18,000 for the charity.
wrote, My hope is that our family continues to be a part of this neighborhood, from visiting parks and playgrounds to building relationships through our work. I believe this will bring about positive change that strengthens us through our diversity. Cool Fun Fact: Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund honored him with a Youth Leadership Award at its national gala.
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Amrit Singh
Location: NYC Who is She: Legal and human rights activist
Shiza Shahid
Location: NYC Who is She: Consultant, McKinsey
Valarie Kaur
Location: CA Who is She: Interfaith leader and filmmaker
Why is She Cool: Singh blew the whistle on 54 nations that helped the US detention program. Her groundbreaking report Globalizing Torture: CIA Secret Torture and Extraordinary Rendition, published by the Open Society Justice Initiative, received widespread attention in the international media for its close look at the global torture network, after its release in February. The report says 54 countries including Pakistan, assisted the US in its war against al-Qaida by hosting CIA prisons in their territories and detaining, interrogating and torturing terror suspects. Whats Next: It requires helluva grit, determination and chutzpah to work on issues - violation of human rights here - which doesnt spare even the most powerful of nations and persons. And our ladys on the job. Cool Fun Fact: Singh, who is the youngest of Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs three daughters, was a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberty Unions Immigrants Rights Project before she joined the National Security and Counterterrorism program at New Yorkbased Open Society Justice Initiative last year.
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Prabhjot Singh
Location: NYC
Why is She Cool: Shiza was chosen in Time magazines list of 30 people under 30 changing the world. She is the CEO of the Malala Fund, New York City-based nonprofit devoted to getting access to education for girls all over the world and which she co-founded with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen activist who was shot in the head during an assassination attempt by the Taliban because of her outspoken campaign for girls education rights. The 24-year-old has been referred to as Yousafzais mentor and right hand.
Why is She Cool: Valarie makes her way into our list for the second time. This year Asian Americans Advancing Justice awarded 2013 American Courage Award to Valarie for her steadfast commitment to racial and religious justice and equality. She was also listed by the Center for American Progresss Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative among 13 progressive faith leaders to watch. She was included in Audrey Magazines list of influential Asian American women, alongside Grace Lee Boggs and Somaly Mam, won a Person of the Year award by India Abroad, delivered the Whats Next: After three months helping Baccalaureate address for Stanford UniversiMalala and her family, Shiza transitioned back ty and spoke at the White Houses commemto McKinsey. She plans to continue to sup- oration of Guru Nanaks birth anniversary. port Malala - shes currently helping the family negotiate the idea of developing a movie. Whats Next: Valarie continues to promote racial and religious pluralism through her speakCool Fun Fact: Shahid first made con- ing, writing, and advocacy. A dynamic speaker tact with Yousafzai when she heard about she promotes interracial and interfaith dialogue, the teens blogging and education cam- delivers keynote speeches, workshops, and paign and wanted to help. Upon her return lectures at universities, high schools, corporato Pakistan during a break from Stanford, tions, community organizations, educational Shahid invited Yousafazi and several of her associations, and religious and interfaith cenclassmates to a week-long retreat Shahid ters across the country and around the world.
Who is He: An assistant professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University and a practicing doctor who was the victim of a mob beating in a hate crime in upper Manhattan. Why is He Cool: Despite being subjected to and having survived the attack this proud turban wearing Sikh chose the route of compassion, love and understanding and offered to educate the attackers, if caught, about Sikh religion and generate a national conversation around Who looks American? What does it mean to be American? Whats Next: He hasnt let the attack ruin the love he has for Harlem, a place where hes lived for some years and intends to raise his child in. He has chosen to be thankful for his life rather than be bitter about the attack. In his various press columns he
12
Kshama Sawant
Location: Seattle Who is She: Activist, academic
Why is She Cool: Pune-born immigrant, Kshama was elected to the Seattle City Council, making her the first socialist to be voted to an elected office in 97 years. She trumped 16-year Democratic incumbent by a narrow victory and went on to prove Continues on page 24
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Russell Peters
Location: LA Who is He: Stand up star
Continued from page 23 that its possible to succeed in a grassroots campaign with an openly socialist campaign not taking money from big business. Whats Next: Her priority is a $15 minimum-wage ordinance for Seattle. In her victory speech Kshama said she will introduce the legislation first thing then plan a mass rally to support it. Cool Fun Fact: Her platform includes a millionaires tax, ending corporate welfare, unionizing service workers, stopping the coal trains, GMO labeling, and rent control.
15
Gargee Ghosh
Location: Seattle Who is She: Director of policy analysis and financing at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
13
Falu Shah
Location: NYC Who is She: Singer
Why is She Cool: Her latest album Foras Road was up for two Grammy nominations this year. Foras Road drew inspiration from thumri, a genre of Indian courtesans on that road in Mumbai. Falu sings in 7 South Asian languages in the album blending Indian classical and folk music with her original compositions and instruments ranging from the shehnai to the dobro guitar. The albums received good press and opened to sold out shows in Manhattans meatpacking district. Whats Next: Having performed for the likes of the Obamas, Oprah and Dalai Lama, blending and bringing Indian classical music to the American mainstream - its been an eventful journey for this Mumbai girl. Cool Fun Fact: Through her Indian Mommy and Me age customized fun and interactive music classes shes helping kids learn, appreciate and experience Indian music, language and culture. As Carnegie Halls music ambassador shes taken music to hospitals, shelters, youth and senior centers. Even to the Sing Sing maximum security prison!
Why is She Cool: President Obama appointed her to the Presidents Global Development Council in November. Gargee has held the position at the Gates Foundation since 2012. The policy analysis department focuses on priorities, trends and innovations in international development financing. She has been involved in development policy and financing from a range of perspectives including as program manager at the Centre for Global Development. She has worked in Global Health on innovative finance, helping to launch significant efforts in immunization financing and in impact investing.
Whats Next: With talent, experience and opportunity on her side we are sure this bright and dynamic desi is all set to bring about pos- Cool Fun Fact: Karsh was invited to peritive long lasting impact on the lives of many. form at the White House in May this year. President Obama acknowledged the visionCool Fun Fact: Previously, she was se- ary artist in his speech saying, Weve got nior expert in international development performers like Karsh Kale, who fuses the at McKinsey & Company and also worked best of East and West, mixing eclectic beats as principal of charitable giving at Google. with sounds of his heritage, and creating muShe is a member of the advisory board of sic thats distinctly his own -- thats a trait, the University of California, San Francis- obviously, thats distinctly American. cos Global Health Group.
Whats Next: Peters will take a lead role in Three for the Road, a raunchy buddy comedy/road movie from writer-director Location: NY Brian Herzlinger (My Date With Drew). It will be the first starring film vehicle Who is He: Musician, producer, for Peters. Up till now, the comedian has only appeared in bit roles, though he will composer be one of the voices in Chuck Powers upcoming animated feature Ribbit alongside Why is He Cool: Performing for the Tim Curry and Sean Astin. US President to gigs lined up across metros in India, jamming with Cool Fun Fact: Peters has long reigned the best of Indian and global talents - it has been near the top of Forbes annual list of the a very busy year for this master artist who has worlds most successful comedians (ranked been blending Indian classical and folk with third this year). Russell also received a electronica, rock, pop and ambient music. trailblazer award in 2013 by SAMMA for his success in the mainstream. Not to be Whats Next: Along with his band he cre- confused with the SAMA award Desiclub. ated a Collective in 2012 and hopes to do com gave him back in 2005 for the same more with these artists in terms of writing, achievement (http://desiclub.com/awards). recording live and performing. An album is on the way as well.
17
Karsh Kale
Why is He Cool: Peters new stand up special, Notorious World Tour as well as the accompanying behind-the-scenes documentary Russell Peters vs. the World became the first Netflix original stand-up comedy special to air and marked Netflixs first foray into live comedy.
20
Aziz Ansari
Location: LA Who is He: Actor and comedian Why is He Cool: His comedy special Buried Alive was exclusively released by Netflix, the entertainment dynamo which is changing the rules of the game. Aziz had the privilege of being the second comedian to have distribution through Netflix for their original stand-up. Whats Next: He is writing his fourth stand-up special on modern romance. Also a book, which will be a companion to the fourth hour. Cool Fun Fact: Aziz has starred as aspiring ladies man Tom Haverford on the sitcom Parks and Recreation since it started in 2009. He was the first person cast for Parks. Continues on page 26
16
Raj Mukherji
Location: NJ Who is He: Assemblyman-elect
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Simranpreet Lamba
Location: Washington, DC Who is He: Combat medic
14
Joya Dass
Location: NYC Who is She: TV anchor and now founder of a ladies business networking forum
Why is She Cool: Shes been a popular South Asian face on business channels for many years now.
Why is He Cool: Raj, 28, won the election to the 33rd Legislative District in the New Jersey State Legislature, becoming one of the youngest people to do so. A first-time Democratic nominee, he is a former Jersey City Deputy Mayor and would now represent Hoboken, Union City, Weehawken and parts of Jersey City.
Why is He Cool: As the Armys only enlisted Sikh soldier, Lamba, 29, was promoted to corporal, making him the first Sikh to earn that rank in more than 30 years. His enlistment in 2009 triggered a 10-month review in which Army officials considered whether he could serve while sporting the articles of his faith - a turban, uncut hair and a beard.
Sabrina Siddiqui
25
Neerja Patel
Location: NY Who is She: PR Firm Maestra
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23
Shama Kabani
Location: Dallas Who is She: Social media whiz
Washington, DC
21
Sri Srinivasan
Location: Washington, DC Who is He: Federal Circuit Court Judge
Why is He Cool: Sri was sworn in as judge of the second most powerful court of the United States, making him the first Indian American to be on the bench of the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit. After President Obama nominated him, the Senate confirmed his appointment by a vote of 97-0. His appointment is a testimony to his credibility and caliber as a brilliant legal luminary of the US. Whats Next: Given his exceptional track record we hope to see him appointed to the Supreme Court, someday. Cool Fun Fact: He was a basketball star at his Kansas high school. Always aiming high!
Why is She Cool: Her digital marketing and PR company - The Marketing Zen Group received Empact100 Award for second year in a row (presented at the White House and the UN headquarters. She was also listed in Inc magazines Top 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs in America in 2013. Whats Next: Web and TV personality, bestselling author, international speaker, award winning CEO - Shama is all in one. Focused, committed and driven, she is going places. Cool Fun Fact: When she stepped out of college the corporate world didnt seem to
Why is She Cool: A brilliant writer with a natural gift for producing content that appeals to both, the uber-intellectual and us common folk. Sabrina has been covering politics for the Huffington Post while also being a popular commentator and now a fixture on MSNBC. Her quick witted writing for HuffPo and punditry on the small screen has gotten her quite a following. Whats Next: NeerjaPR is in a strategic partnership to handle clients in North AmerWhats Next: Prior to HuffPo, Sabrina ica for India-based fashion and lifestyle firm covered the White House for Bloomberg MyPeepul and also has an agenda planned News. We see an even brighter future for for NJPAC for 2014. this young lady, she is very well situated and capable of serving her journalistic en- Cool Fun Fact: Neerja put her acting skills deavours through an executive role. to good use in Lufthansas commercials for their Chai Time campaign. (A first for this Cool Fun Fact: Sabrina got her writing start list: Neerjas cousin is Parag Garg, number right here on Desiclub.com! While attending 43. Talk about good genes in thet family!
Why is She Cool: Neerja carved out a niche for herself in the highly competitive PR space in NYC and in a short span of a year landed big clients like Lufthansa, BharatMatrimony, Nanubhai Education Foundation and NJPAC. Her personal touch to each marketing push is just the edge her clients cannot do without. She makes PR look easy and well say sky is the limit for this PR goddess.
26 Saumil Bandyopadhyay
Location: Cambridge, MA. Who is He: MIT Freshman.
42 Puneet Talwar
Who is He: Asst. Secy of State for Political Military Affairs.
22
Shelly Collins
Location: San Francisco Who is She: Tech Entrepreneur and advocate of tech careers for women and girls
27 Priyanka Chopra
Location: Mumbai. Who is She: Actress and Pop Artist.
43 Parag Garg
Location: Seattle. Who is He: Product architect, strategist.
35 Obaid Kadwani
Location: NYC. Who is He: Actor, model and TV host.
28 Fauja Singh
Location: England. Who is He: Worlds oldest runner.
44 Bharat Desai
Location: Michigan. Who is He: Chairman & Co-founder, Syntel.
36 Prita Chhabra
Location: Orlando Who is She: Recording artist, songwriter.
29 Parul Patel
Location: New Jersey. Who is He: Financial advisor turned fulltime cake designer.
45 Vijay Iyer
Location: NYC. Who is He: Jazz pianist, composer.
Why is She Cool: IIn April 2013, Shelly was appointed as Vice Chair of Hillary Clintons Women in Public Service Project 50x50 Leadership Circle to help carry out the Secretary of States vision of 50% women in public service by 2050. In July, she was appointed to the Obama Administrations National Womens Business Council (NWBC) in the SBA and will serve a 3-year term. In June, she was named to the Forbes 2013 list of 40 Women to Watch Over Forty for her work in innovation and disruption. Candidates were measured on three criteria: having created growth in a given field and shown future potential, having gone beyond traditional mentoring to create new pathways, and having reinvented themselves after 40. Shelly and another fellow winner were the only two women of Indian origin in thes list, selected from over 1000 nominees. Whats Next: Shellys goal as part of the NWBC will be to work with the SBA to increase access to capital for women entrepreneurs. She is in the midst of creating several roundtables to show women how to get an SBA loan. She hopes to attract high-profile names - such as Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer - to promote events on women creating
30 Varli Singh
Location: New York, NY. Who is She: Publisher-Editor, Varli Magazine and founder chairman Diya Foundation.
46 Poorna Jagannathan
Location: Mumbai. Who is She: Actress & co-producer.
38 Samata Narra
Location: LA. Who is She: Vice President, Comedy Development, FOX Broadcasting.
39 Jalak Jobanputra
Location: New York, NY. Who is She: Venture Capitalist.
48 Emily Shah
Location: Edison, NJ. Who is She: Aspiring actress.
32 Raje Shwari
Location: New York, NY. Who is She: Singer.
49 Bobby Sharma
Who is He: Sr VP, Global Basketball & Strategic In. IMG
33 Aroon Shivdasani
Location: NYC. Who is She: Executive Director, Indo American Arts Council.
41 Reshma Saujani
Location: NYC. Who is She: Founder, Girls Who Code & the former Deputy Public Advocate of New York City.
50 Dinni Jain
Location: NYC. Who is He: Cable Industry Veteran.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
T R I S TAT E C O M M U N I T Y T O P 5
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against Khobragade will not be dropped, US sources here said, "The strength of the fraud in the case is very strong." "The case will be there against her, it will not be dropped. The charges will remain," the sources said, adding, if the 39-year-old diplomat gets full diplomatic immunity, she
can travel outside the country. However, if she were to return to the US later on a visit and if she then does not have the immunity, she could face arrest on the charges against her and be prosecuted. On the allegation made by Khobargade's lawyer that the $4,500 amount written in the visa application was Khobragade's salary and not the amount promised to be paid to the domestic worker Sangeeta Richard, sources have said that Khobragade did not understand the form correctly. "No federal agent goofed up in reading the form," sources said, rubbishing allegations made by Khobragade's lawyer Dan Arshack. "It is clear that the salary details required on the visa application form are that of the employee and not the employer," they said.
or the first time in history, Indian New Year was celebrated at Times Square on September 22. This landmark event showcased the rich culture, heritage and diversity of India through various cultural shows. The excitement continued with Light Up Times Square, a concert showcasing performances by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry including current heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor, Pallavi Sharda, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor.
anhattan's IndianAmerican attorney Preet Bharara, also known as the "Sheriff of Wall Street" charged 49 Russian diplomats and their spouses with scamming Medicaid out of $1.5 million over a decade, sent off arrest orders of Consul General Devyani Khobragade and brought down yet another insider trader with a former Indian internet analyst Sandeep Aggarwal pleading guilty. Aggarwal, who admit-
ted to providing inside information about a pending deal between Microsoft and Yahoo to a portfolio manager at SAC Capital, would be the 76th person convicted in Bharara's fouryear insider trading crackdown. Other prominent convictions obtained by Bharara include those of India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta and his Sri Lankan hedge fund billionaire friend Raj Rajaratnam.
s part of a growing trend of political empowerment for the three millionstrong Indian American community, five Indian-American candidates scored victories in polls this year with three of them becoming legislators in two states and two winning elections to local bodies. The most significant gains for the Indian American community came in New Jersey where Kolkata-born Raj Mukherji scored a victory in the 33rd district to join fellow Democrat Upendra Chivukula, who retained his 17th district seat, in the state assembly. While Mukherji, 29, a former Jersey City deputy mayor and current chairman of the Jersey City Housing Authority, is entering the state legislature for the first time, Nellore, India-born Chivukula, 63, has been a member of the New Jersey assembly since 2002.
In another notable victory by an IndianAmerican, Democrat Latha Mangipudi upset Pete Silva with an 18-point margin to become New Hampshire's state representative from Ward 8. In the local elections, Democrat Sapana
Shah won a berth on the Edison Municipal Council in New Jersey, while Steve Rao retained his seat on the Morrisville, North Carolina City Council, remaining as the only Indian-American on the Council. There were Indian-American losers too. They included Republican Sudhir Deshmukh seeking a New Jersey state assembly seat from the 5th District and Reshma Saujani running for New York City Public Advocate. Three other Indian-Americans -- Rao Bondalapati, Vinnie Goel, and Narendra Singh - lost their respective bids for seats on the Morrisville city council. Independent Sudhanshu Prasad, running to be the Mayor of Edison, also lost his race. So did Krupal Shukla, a Republican running for one of three seats on the Edison Municipal Council.
DIPLOMACY
his is an OMG moment - for two friendly nations with a joint and mutually beneficial destiny to have left their warm embrace, bilaterally created over one or more generations, for calculated reciprocity due to a colossal and obvious error of verifiable fact, and not just opinion-based-judgment is tragic, and the errorcausing person or persons must be made to retire as a minimum price for this needless rift between 1.5 billion people. It is a Greek tragedy, at its worst. To say that I am shocked is an understatement, and not in a "Rick's Cafe in Casablanca," for how could it take this long to know and assert this simple fact - seems like someone took "a slow boat to China." If Devyani Khobragade was in fact a UNcredentialed "Advisor" to PMI, with a UN issued-Blue Card with a red "D" on it, since August 2013 for the 2013 UNGA in addition to being DCG, then she had full immunity from arrest and can file a plausible federal case of an unconstitutional false arrest against the United States and not only collect money damages but through discovery, find out who is the "dumb" or "dumber" person or persons responsible for this bination migraine headache.
It is ironic, as we are successfully representing Krittika Biswas in a federal case against New York City and various other defendant-employees of either New York Police Department or Department of Education for the false arrest, with constitutional malice, of an actually innocent Krittika - who happened to be the daughter of an Indian Vice Consul in New York and was denied all VCCR-rights. ** The removal of concrete barriers around US Embassy by Delhi police was one act that seemed to exceed retaliatory reciprocity, especially since the Devyani affair will lead, in Devyani Khobragade, time, to stronger and more respectful triggering a row between two nations US-India ties. Additionally, both nations are joined at the hip to defeat terror United States and India. ** even as they help the rule of law of each The impressive Mission Impossible-like nation find a new and respectful co-exisclockwork in the removal of the Richards tence. After Benghazi, security of American family, two days prior to the public arrest of diplomats is of the highest priority, and barrier-reinstallation is necessary for India's DCG Devyani Khobragade, albeit, with continued right to complain and seek maxi- warm coffee and courtesies extended, mum relief for Devyani. Other restrictions leaves one scratching ones head while sufare sufficient, and have gotten needed fering a legal headache caused by a attention between friends. A "Chai "Gordian" tumor - competing sovereignty Summit," like the "Beer Summit," is need- and competing legal actions. After all, no one has cited the existence of ed to restore the best relations between
an empowering or enabling prior-judicial determination in the US adjudicating Sangeeta Richards as a "human trafficking victim," and an issuance of a court judgment granting her a "T" visa - such a determination would at a bare minimum, given our cherished adversarial system of justice, have required Devyani, given her physical and VCCR-availability, to be notified and given an opportunity to be heard in such a civil or administrative court proceeding. To further grant, as reported, Sangeetas husband, Philips, and their children, Jannifar and Jatin, also a "T" visa, human trafficking victims, while they were all physically in their homeland, on foreign soil and a territory of a foreign sovereign, let alone a friendly one, seems to do unneeded violence to the rule of law and the comity of nations, and is perhaps the most durable injustice that must not be allowed to become a precedent - if merit-based legal sovereignty is to survive in our world of 194 countries. The author is New York based eminent attorney.
he US Justice Department has taken tough a stand against visa fraud in recent years. Monetary compensation and penalties have been sufficient to resolve them, punishment, such as imprisonment, has been rare. As the court system takes its own course, the State Department is worried about fall-out of its carefully crafted relationships with foreign nations. Commercial interest is top priority for any government, indeed this determines longterm foreign policy of the US. Washington DC was not expecting a slew of retaliatory responses from the Indian government for the arrest and humiliating searches of the New York based diplomat, Devyani Khobragade. She allegedly submitted false information in the visa application for her maid. While US disallows diplomatic immunity as defense in such cases, it has been forced to negotiate with New Delhi this time for restoring privileges withdrawn by India for its own personnel there. One hasnt forgotten the way America evacuated from Pakistan a CIA operative charged with double murder after paying blood money but first having claimed diplomatic immunity for him. US courts tough stance on abuse by foreign diplomats is a result of vigorous campaigning by human/civil rights organizations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says consular officials usually
escape responsibility for violation of laws, such as human trafficking and workers protection because of immunity laws. In case of Khobragade, she has already been moved to a UN post to give her full immunity from future legal action and exemption from appearing in court. Many diplomats and consular officials in the US have been accused of abusing their privileges of immunity. In some cases women were lured to the US on false promises. Once in the US, their passports were taken away and they were forced to work for long hours with little or no pay. Some women reported physical and sexual abuses by their keepers. Even when victims have been able to
escape their abusers and seek restitution, immunity laws are often misused to prohibit courts from so much as considering their claims. Absent a waiver of immunity, diplomats and consular officials enjoy total impunity for the mistreatment of their employees at least until they leave their posts. According to the Department of State, an estimated 18,000-20,000 people are trafficked into this country each year. However, where traffickers have diplomatic immunity, the victims have no avenue for redress or compensation for the abuse and exploitation they suffered. Domestic workers are extremely vulnerable to exploitation for a variety of reasons including unfamiliarity with their domestic and international rights, cultural and language barriers, and in many cases long work hours in isolation from their peers. The civil rights groups have demanded compensation for victims from the officials home countries. Such an approach would be an important step towards ending abuse of domestic workers by diplomats. Punishment like imprisonment may not be the desired goal of human rights campaigns. In 2005 ACLU represented three Indian women, Kumari Sabbithi, Joaquina Quadros and Tina Fernandes, who were employed as domestic workers by Major Waleed Al Saleh and his wife Maysaa Al Omar of McLean, Virginia. The women
were brought to the US under false pretexts, and were subjected to physical and psychological abuse by the Al Saleh family and forced to work against their will. In the winter of that year, fearing for their lives, each of the women individually fled the household. The Kuwaiti government agreed to a confidential settlement with the women in February 2012. The successful settlement of this case demonstrates that diplomatic immunity does not deny victims of human trafficking and human rights abuses from obtaining justice. The rights groups, Safe Horizon, which represented Sangeeta Richard, the complainant against Khobragade, has called for a fair trial and compensation for Richard. Even Infosys had agreed for a $34 million settlement in visa issues with the U.S. Departments of State, Immigration and Homeland Security. It was the largest ever visa fine imposed by the US government. It was alleged that Infosys illegally placed workers with its American customers on short stay B-1 visas usually meant for business visitors. The Justice Department also probed IBM for violating anti-discrimination rules by stating visa preferences in job ads. India is the biggest source of guest workers hired through H-1Bs. So, it is incumbent on Indian companies and outposts to observe local laws to not disturb the apple cart.
N AT I O N A L C O M M U N I T Y T O P 5
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Arvind Mahankali
hen Nisha Desai Biswal officially became Washington's first Indian-American pointperson for South and Central Asia in November she joined the long list of Indian American appointees to President Obamas administration. Days in her new job, Biswal in her own words "stole" another Indian-American Atul Keshap, who had done a stint at the US embassy in New Delhi 20052008, from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Bureau, to be her new deputy. Just six months after his inauguration, Obama named Vinai Thummalapally as the US ambassador to Belize. Son of a retired scientist who worked for Andhra Pradesh Forensic Sciences Laboratory, he is the first Indian Amer-
ican ambassador in US history. In September, Obama nominated Puneet Talwar, a noted IndianAmerican Middle East policy specialist to a key diplomatic post as the assistant secretary of state for political military affairs. In the Pentagon, the highest
ranking Indian American is Vikram J. Singh, deputy assistant secretary of defence for South and Southeast Asia. He serves as the principal advisor on development and implementation of defence strategies and plans for the region, including India. Obama, who has more IndianAmericans serving in his administration than any of his predecessors, has appointed at least ten from the community since his reelection last November. In September, Chandigarh-born legal luminary Sri Srinivasan made history as he became the first Indian American judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is often called the second most powerful court in the US. Earlier this month, Obama
nominated Dr. Vivek Hallegere Murthy, the Indian-American head of a doctors group that promotes his signature healthcare law, to be the next US surgeon general, also known as "America's doctor". In October Obama tapped Kerala University physics graduate Arun M. Kumar to lead the trade promotion arm of the Commerce Department, charged with helping American companies succeed in markets around the world. Other recent nominees include Gargee Ghosh, director of policy analysis and financing (PAF) at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as a member of his Global Development Council, and actor Kal Penn of "The Namesake" fame to his Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
hirteen-year-old Indian American Arvind Mahankali won the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling knaidel, a German-origin word meaning a type of dumpling. Even as Arvind, of Bayside Hills, New York, continued the tradition of Indian Americans winning the annual event, he also became the first boy since 2008 to win the title. Another 13-year-old Indian American, Pranav Sivakumar, of Chicago, came second after he was felled by the word cyanophycean.In all, 281 contestants featured in the final stage of the bee. Eight-yearold Indian American Tara Singh was the youngest contestant in this year's edition. Champion Arvind took home $30,000 and the Scripps National Spelling Bee engraved trophy. Sathwik Karnik, 12, won the prestigious National Geographic Bee contest after getting all five questions right as the children of community members continue to dominate the geography bee and the spelling bee competitions in the U.S.To clinch the title, Karnik correctly named Chimborazo as the mountain in Ecuador that represents the farthest point from the Earths center.The national competition this time round turned out to be dominated by the Indian-Americans even as in the finals held in Washington, eight of the 10 finalists, who competed among the four million participants for the competition, were Indian-Americans.
but then withdrew suddenly after receiving a complaint from an online based anti-Hindu group. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) coordinated a letter requesting the CPWR to change course as local organizers worked towards reaching a compromise with CPWR, but the Parliament rejected the final requests, prompting the only two Hindu members of the Parliament Board of Trustees to resign in protest.
White House aide, 40-year-old Jofi Joseph involved in nuclear negotiations with Iran was sacked after it emerged he was behind an anonymous Twitter account insulting Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and other government figures. He was fired after being unmasked as @natsecwonk, a Twitter user
who hurled online abuse at members of Washington's foreign policy establishment for more than two years. Mixing vitriol with snippets of gossip that could only come from within the White House, his tweets enraged officials who finally identified him after a long-running internet probe.
Nina Davuluri
Syracuse resident Davuluri, who was also the first IndianAmerican to serve as Miss New York, sashayed off with the tiara and the $50,000 scholarship cash that she intends to use to pursue her medical studies by showing off her talent with a Classical Bollywood Fusion" dance. However moments after making history Davuluri faced a barrage of racist tweets on the Internet.
Just a month later 18-year-old Emily Shah won the Miss New Jersey USA 2014 title. Shah, a resident of Edison, will represent New Jersey at the Miss USA Pageant in 2014. She was first runner-up at the 2013 Miss New Jersey Teen USA Pageant and first runnerup for Miss Teen World 2012. If Shah is crowned Miss USA, she will become the first New Jersey titleholder to wear the US national crown.
MEDICAL EDUCTION
32
In a milestone year 2013, Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba (XUSOM) received provisional accreditation from a Caribbean authority and was on course to become the most sought after school outside the US for American students aspiring to become doctors.
hroughout the past year, Xavier University School of Medicine (XUSOM), Aruba, with an admissions office in Woodbury, NY, has accomplished great successes under the leadership of Ravishankar Bhooplapur, President of XUSOM.
Caribbean nod: A major milestone for XUSOM came in October when the university was granted a Provisional Accreditation from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and the Health Professions (CAAM-HP). CAAM-HP is the constituted legal organization that establishes and prescribes standards and accredits programs of medical, dental, veterinary and other health profession educational institutions. Student exchange: In an effort to promote international experiences for students, XUSOM was selected to take part in Brazils Science without Borders Program (SwB). The SwB program aims to send up to 100,000 Brazilian students to study abroad and return to Brazil upon completion of the program to finish out their degree. XUSOM has partnered with many top universities in Brazil to support the exchange of graduate students. These partners are the Catholic University of Brasilia (UCB), Faculdade LS, and the United Metropolitan Colleges- FMU. XUSOM is expecting to welcome 100 new students to campus, who will start classes in September 2014. Graduating 59 doctors: On June 15, XUSOMs Annual Commencement Ceremony was held at the Long Island University C.W. Post Campus in Brookville, NY. The graduating class was made up of 59 students. Special recognition was awarded to Priyam Patel, MD, the valedictorian, for her exceptional academic achievement. The keynote speaker was Dr. Kanti R. Rai, MD, Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Rai was given an honorary doctorate for his innovative research into Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Two new faculty: XUSOM was proud
Two new great additions to Xaviers team in 2013: Dr. Burton L. Herz (left) and Dr. Richard W. McCallum. .
XUSOMs Chancellor J. Ganesh Bhat honors valedictorian Priyam Patel of the class of 2013, joined in by (from right) Chairman Edwin Casey, President Ravishankar Bhooplapur, and keynote speaker Dr Kanti Rai.
to welcome two new faculty members to the university. Dr. Burton L. Herz, MD, FACS, FACG, was appointed as the Dean of Clinical Sciences. Dr. Herz graduated from the State University of New York, School of Medicine in Buffalo, New York. He is a former Associate Dean at New York Medical College and a former Director of Medical Education and Professor of Surgery at St. Georges University School of Medicine. Dr. Herz currently serves as an Attending Surgeon at Maimonides Medical Center, Consultant in Surgery at the Mount Vernon Hospital, and an Instructor in Surgery at the New York Medical College. He is also the Secretary of the American College of Surgeons and is on the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Richard W. McCallum, MD, FACP, FRACP (Aust), FACG, was appointed as Chief Academic Officer. He earned his M.B., B.S. from the University of Queensland and the Queensland Medical School in Brisbane, Australia. His most recent appointment was at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, where he was a Professor of Medicine and the Chairman of the Department of Internal Med-
icine. Throughout his career, Dr. McCallum has mentored over 30 future academic researchers and faulty members. He has also trained and educated more than 50 GI Fellows over 18 years as Chief and Program Director of two divisions. Aruba campus expansion: XUSOM has acquired another 20 acres of land in Aruba that will expand the current campus. As part of the expansion, on-campus dormitories and recreational facilities will be built.
Based on the successes that were achieved in 2013, XUSOM is looking forward to continuing to attain new accreditations and partnerships throughout the New Year. Contact: Xavier Admissions Aruba, LLC, Ph: 516-333-2224; website: xusom.com.
XUSOM students serve at a health fair for the community held by XUSOM.
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In his second inaugural address, Ed Mangano thanked the people for giving him another opportunity to serve the county. He also promised to hold the line on property taxes, work to redevelop Nassau Coliseum and bring more private-sector jobs to the county.
he takeaway from Ed Manganos second inauguration ceremonies on January 2 was that riding on his shining track record in the first term, the Nassau County Executive is now well-entrenched in the job. All the stalwart leaders like Governor Andrew Cuomo, US Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressmen Peter King who spoke at the inauguration, heaped fulsome praise on Mangano, particularly for his deft handling of the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. He was also called a good man, who puts people above politics, and who is courageous in taking bold decisions like replacing the MTA bus
service. After taking the oath of office on an iPad with the Bible pulled up when a printed copy could not be located, he was in his element while addressing the packed auditorium of Bethpage High School, his alma mater. He thanked people of the country, his Republican Party colleagues, and various trade unions and organizations. A Republican who defeated Democrat Thomas Suozzi by 18 percentage points in November last, Mangano said the next four years would be "full of challenges and opportunities" including the redevelopment of the Nassau Coliseum,
transforming the shuttered Social Services building in Garden City into a new Family Court, and construction of a new crime lab. The elegant, nearly 3-hour-long ceremony saw many current and former elected officials who praised Mangano for holding the line on property taxes, attracting new businesses to the region and so on. Gov. Cuomo dubbed Mangano a "superb county executive" who demonstrated "extraordinary" leadership after Sandy. LIPA, he said, no longer is running Long Island's electrical grid, in part because of Mangano's persistent complaints about the utility's service in Sandys
aftermath. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Mangano a "good man, a caring man and a man who just gets the job done."
And while we set forth on a path to hold the line on taxes, cut wasteful spending and create jobs and opportunities for our residents, we were met with quite a few additional challenges along the way. Let's just say that there were a number of curve balls thrown in our direction and we were ready, willing and able to knock them out of the ballpark with the help of my talented and dedicated County team. Our goalour priority is to make Nassau County the best it can be and to make you proud of your homeour home. And today in Nassau County we certainly have much to be proud of.
The Democrat State Governor Andrew Cuomo (standing next to Mangano) in his address at the ceremonies heaped fulsome praise on Manganos leadership of the county.
There was some mirth as a Bible could not be found, so Ed Mangano was sworn in as Nassau County Executive for a second term using an iPad with the Bible pulled up. Its a first, he quipped.
Exclusive Interview
here, increase tourism and youth athletic activities here in the county. SATimes: Can you give us a gist of your January 2nd inauguration speech? CE Magnano: Well be really focused on thanking those who had provided me this wonderful opportunity to serve as county executive for another four years. SATimes: What legacy would you like to leave in the county? CE Magnano: Well, we are not leaving yet, but were creating a financially stronger Nassau county, were creating a county with more opportunities for more people and we are improving our physical infrastructure, with the coliseum, family court, crime lab and other green projects that we will be advancing. Weve improved our park system and promoted tourism, as well as established the film industry here in Nassau county as a major industry SATimes: Any major changes in the administration team? CE Mangano: We have some changes in the team, some joining us, some leaving us as we move forward with our 2014 administration, but largely those in leadership positions are staying. SATimes: The South Asians in leadership positions are staying too CE Mangano: Yes, we have Kamlesh Mehta here, our Director of Economic Development, Shila Shah, Commissioner of Public Works and Satish Sood in Planning and Sunita Manjrekar, in Social Services and many more SATimes: This question youll keep getting asked during your second term -- will there be a third term? CE Mangano: Well make that announcement a couple of years from now. Well be looking, so that decision comes about midterm. I love my job, looking forward to the second term. SATimes: You are Republican, the state governor is Democrat, so is the President and now even the New York City mayor is a democrat. Does that bother you? CE Mangano: Governmentally, I enjoy a put Nassau County on a diet! Today Nassau County continues to deliver important services through a dedicated workforce. Our right-sized government works harder and does more with less. We have slashed the payroll, cut our energy costs with cooperative purchasing and green energy initiatives, reduced the vehicle fleet. We have become more efficient, which is why I would like to take a moment to thank my team for their hard work and success: First, my Commissioner of Public Works, Shila Shah-Gavnoudias for administering several cost saving programs. She and our team have successfully converted all traffic lights to LED and instituted a state of the art
wonderful working relationship with Governor Cuomo and certainly I know Bill de Blasio and I wish him well and I expect we will have a wonderful working relationship as well. And the President, I had the opportunity to speak with him a couple of times during Hurricane Sandy and the federal government has been extremely cooperative. SATimes: Governor Cuomo was hesitant in endorsing the other candidate, right? CE Mangano: I dont know. SATimes: Have you had a chance to meet the two Indian-American governors -- Nikki Hailey and Bobby Jindal? CE Mangano: I meet Nikki, attended a function with her in Woodbury, NY. I have great respect for her, she does a wonderful job in South Carolina. I havent met Bobby, but his speeches have been very inspirational and I look forward to meeting him. SATimes: Who do you predict will be the next President in 2016? CE Mangano: Im reserving my judgment right now, we have to look at the candidates. SATimes: Who do you think in 2014 will do better in the Congressional elections, Democrats or Republicans? CE Mangano: This is something that obviously we are looking at and monitoring as we have concerns on the federal level. We havent made our endorsements yet. SATimes: The media keeps talking about the gridlock in Washington. Do you think ti is on the mend? CE Mangano: It appears that there is some movement to move away from the gridlock, which is something that I support. SATimes: And in your county legislature, do you face problems from the Democrats? CE Mangano: Ive spoken to Kevan Abrahams, who has advised me that theyd like to work with us. Im very optimistic the new term will bring more cooperation on behalf of the people of Nassau county. SATimes: In Long Island there is a large Hispanic population. Do you support the path to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants? CE Mangano: Clearly the present immigration policy has failed to be effective. SATimes: Any idea what percentage of the South Asians supported you in the November election? CE Mangano: I believe that we enjoyed an overwhelming support from the South Asian community, who have partnered with me here in Nassau county, both governmentally and culturally. Its impossible to give numbers, but we know that we enjoyed support from many leaders, many organizations. So you have to assume that that translated into the vote. snow plow monitoring system that provides real-time data showing the location and speed of the plow, and whether the sander is on or off, and if the plow is up or down. We have met every snow storm with the best possible service. I thank Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Craft for his superior emergency management --best demonstrated by Nassau County's response to Hurricane Sandy. Our Nassau County response was impressive and because of that effort and the efforts of our first responders, no lives were lost during that powerful storm. In fact I am proud Nassau County received the prestigious National Weather Service Award for being storm
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ready. I also thank Social Services Commissioner John Imhoff for his outstanding delivery of social services while establishing our team of Fraud investigators who recovered and prevented $15.3 million dollars in Medicaid fraud for Nassau residents. Nassau County has declared war on domestic violence, prescription drug abuse and the heroin epidemic facing too many families. We continue to dedicate ourselves to education, prevention and programs such as our free NARCAN training program which is saving lives and keeping families whole. Thank you to Sheriff Michael Sposato for leading the County in efficiencies and cost cutting initiatives. From launching a public private partnership that created inmate health care in the jail, resulting in a 7 million dollar a year savings by eliminating costly travel to area hospitals to successfully completing a comprehensive energy savings initiative, Sheriff Sposato has a proven record. I also commend Commissioner Ed Eisenstein for his successful launch of efficient technology including our smart application called Nassau Now. For those of you who haven't downloaded this app, please do. In an effort to prepare our educational centers, we launched an aggressive Active Shooter training course, provided an opportunity for schools to participate in our closed circuit monitoring program, and provided all schools with two way GPS equipped panic communicators. In addition, working with District Attorney Kathleen Rice, our Nassau Gun buyback program took 3,000 illegal guns off the streets. Thanks and gratitude is given to our dedicated Nassau County Police force who keep our residents and neighborhoods safe. With respect to reforming Nassau's assessment system and within the jurisdiction bestowed on us by New York State, it is critical that we avoid the creation of new debt. To accomplish this goal, we have departed from Nassau's past practices of forcing residents to overpay property taxes and then seek a refund. Instead, we work with homeowners to settle challenges before demanding payment of their taxes. This plan has saved all taxpayers money - to the tune of 58 million dollars over the past two years! THAT money remains in YOUR pockets and not ours! I would also like to thank them for their efforts in working with Governor Cuomo, Senator Schumer and myself in launching a damaged property tax assessment rebate program to insure no Sandy-affected individuals suffers financial property tax harm and no unaffected property owner is made to pay more for losses in Sandy-damaged neighborhoods. Former Parks Commissioner, and now County Attorney, Carnell Foskey...thank you for expanding athletic and family entertainment options, such as our fabulous FREE Continued on page 36
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summer concert series, Oktoberfest, Barkfest, the Long Island Fair at Old Bethpage Village Restoration and our Annual Cruise to the Show Car Show - just to name a few. Nassau County residents are using and enjoying their wonderful parks againas they should be! I also commend my Economic Development Team lead by Joseph Kearney, which has created thousands of jobs and launched my successful transit oriented workforce rental housing program, which transforms vacant run down buildings into apartments. To date, over 1,000 apartments have been launched. We have hosted several extremely successful job fairs...and launched the Nassau County smart phone app called Nassau Works that lists tens of thousands of jobs available for our residents. All on your smartphone and at the touch of a screen. Collectively, our efforts have resulted in Nassau County having the lowest unemployment rate and the largest growth in sales tax revenue in the region. What that means is that people are finding more jobs and opportunities in Nassau than anywhere else and residents are showing consumer confidence in this County. And that my friends is promising news for a brighter future. And of course, a priority of mine was to launch the Film and TV industry in Nassau County. I am proud to say that production is flourishing. In fact, Nassau County is quickly becoming the Hollywood East of the movie and television industry. Collectively, television and movie filming generated 144 million dollars in economic benefit to the area in 2012 and employed nearly 2,000 people. Most recently, Carrie Underwood performed a live television broadcast of the Sound of Music on NBC from Grumman Stu-
dios. And the most expensive motion picture in history The Amazing Spiderman 2 - was recently filmed in Bethpage as well and will be released next year. I commend Commissioner Lisa Murphy, for successfully overseeing the merger of 6 departments resulting in a new Department of Human Services which includes the departments of Mental Health, Chemical Dependency, Developmental Disabilities, Senior Citizen Affairs, the Office of the Physically Challenged and the Nassau County Youth Board. I also wish to recognize Deputy County Executive for Finance Tim Sullivan for his steady and conservative approach to finances and to NIFA Chairman Jon Kaiman for instilling a collegiate, cooperative approach to addressing two decades of poor fiscal policies. Last, but not least, I thank my Chief Deputy Rob Walker for his constant oversight and unwavering commitment to provide efficient and effective services for the people of Nassau County. Rob, thank you for working with me to launch Nassau's landmark public private part-
nerships, including the 100 percent privately financed publicly owned Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, NICE bus, Cosmos practice field and twin indoor ice skating rinks. What a team! Collectively their efforts have resulted in Nassau County receiving Governor Cuomo's NYS Government Efficiency Award-Government and Efficiencynow those are two words you don't see very often in the same sentence. Nassau's relationship with New York State is a shining example of bipartisan cooperation on behalf of all our residents and truly exemplifies what government is supposed to be: RESIDENTS FIRST and PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS! I want also to thank my colleagues in the Nassau County Legislature, who work tirelessly in supporting cost saving initiatives and endorsements of public private partnerships. I look forward to working with you for 4 more years. I must say, I love my job serving as County Executive, and am so grateful that you have provided me the opportunity of a second term.
"The future is bright and we here in Nassau County have so much to look forward to! We want to make this place your home and your children's home for years to come."
-Ed Mangnao
From a Janitor to a County Executivewho could have ever imagined? WOW. America and especially Nassau County, is the best place on earth. In the words of Abraham Lincoln: I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end. The future is bright and we here in Nassau County have so much to look forward to! We want to make this place your home and your children's home for years to come.
Ed and Linda Mangano with their two sons, Salvatore and Alexander and the two family dogs.
Shila Shah Gavnoudias, Commissioner Public Works,among top leadership positions in Manganos administration.
CELEB
SCANDALS
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and shared some really raunchy pictures on social media. For what it's worth, the 21-yearold star recently explained her signature facial pose, sticking out her tongue, in a Rolling Stone interview. "I just stick my tongue out because I hate smiling in pictures," Cyrus said. "It's so awkward. It looks so cheesy. Now people expect it -- like, 'Put your tongue out!' It's just easier that way. Taking pictures is so embarrassing." To think Miley was the sweetie pie Hanna Montana not long ago.
Simon Cowell
arlier this year 54-year-old X-Factor judge Simon Cowell created quite a stir when news of his affair with estranged wife of his best friend Andrew Silverman, the 37-year-old girlfriend Lauren Silverman surfaced. Lauren and Andrew were married for a decade and divorced with Cowell as co-respondent. Lauren received $2 million from the divorce. The couple are expecting their baby boy in February 2014.
ack home Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaifs relationship was finally confirmed when their Ibiza holiday pictures made a splash across the tabloids and social media. Apparently clicked by a passerby the photos made to the media in no time. The couple was seen in swimsuits at one of the beach spots. It led to Katrina issuing a press statement urging public and media to respect her personal space. All in all the scandal did confirm a
he Indian export to Hollywood hit some headlines by stripping for Bruno Mars video. The Slumdog Millionaire star was seen in bare minimum, engaged in some sultry pole dance and last but not the least making out with Bruno himself. So?
x New York State governor Eliot Spitzer finally was divorced by his long-suffering wife Silda after a 26-year marriage that was on the rocks since the 2008 hooker scandal that forced Spitzer from office. The announcement in end December was probably triggered by the revelation that Spitzer, 54, was shacking up with Mayor Elect Bill de Blasios former campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith, 31. Lis Smith had earlier worked
on Spitzer's failed Comptroller campaign. Indications were that de Blasios transition team was looking for her replacement, but did not seem scandalized.
eyonce's stirring performance of the national anthem at President Obama's second inauguration on January 21 was mired in controversy when it was learned later that she had lip synched on a prerecorded vocal track. Apparently it was an 11th hour decision to go for it but it sure disappointed millions of her countrymen.
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The entire world erupted with joy, bidding goodbye to 2013. From the United States to India, a wave of happiness emerged, sweeping young, old and children alike, as revelry began on a high note. A few glimpses of celebrations.
Fireworks explode as part of New Year celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia Fireworks illuminate the sky above Edinburgh during the Scottish New Year celebration.
Tourists walk past a Christmas tree during Christmas celebration in Nazareth, Israel.
Citizens and travelers take part in celebrations at the Triumphal arch in Paris, France Fireworks light up the sky above Times Square in New York
INDIA
Kejriwal:
Behind soft exterior a man of steel
By M.R. Narayan Swamy New Delhi: For years he championed the cause of the marginalized and fought for the rights of the voiceless, as he took up issues from transparency to corruption, but was not much known to the people of India. Arvind Kejriwal, whose fluent articulation of the cause and his motivated attitude catapulted him to fame when Anna Hazare fasted here for 12 days in 2011, became Delhi's seventh - and youngest - chief minister. Governing Delhi at the head of a one-yearold party lacking a majority of its own in the 70-member Delhi assembly will tax Kejriwal to the limits. But Kejriwal, his friends say, has always been a fighter. He was born Aug 16, 1968 into a middle class family in a Siwan village in Haryana, where he had his early education in Englishmedium missionary schools. The eldest of three children grew up with a Hindu religious mindset until religion faded away in college. Kejriwal initially wanted to be a doctor. But he rebelled against the family to enter the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur, where he opted to study mechanical engineering. He went on to join the Indian Revenue Service, and became an officer in the income tax department notorious for corruption. Kejriwal did what few would have dared to -- he sought to clean up the system within. A chastened income tax department was forced to implement his reforms to make itNEW YEAR SPECIAL
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Delhi's new chief minister Arvind Kejriwal taking charge at his new office
self more transparent and less capricious. While on leave, Kejriwal unleashed a "Don't Pay Bribes" campaign at the electricity department. He asked visitors not to pay bribes and offered to facilitate their dealings for free. By then, he had founded an NGO, Parivartan (Change), which put to use the Delhi Right to Information Act of 2001 to expose mind-boggling swindling of money by corrupt officers and contractors at Sundernagari, a slum area. His dedication fetched him the Ramon Magsaysay award in 2006 -- for "emergent leadership".
But it was his decision to join forces with Gandhian Anna Hazare that made Kejriwal a household name in Delhi in 2011. A first protest early that year at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi was followed by a 12day fast by Hazare at Ramlila Maidan demanding a Jan Lokpal bill to fight corruption in high places. As hundreds of thousands packed the sprawling ground in support, and solidarity protests erupted across the country, the government was forced to accept Hazare's demands. While Hazare went back to his village in Maharashtra, Kejriwal kept up the tempo,
branching off from the India Against Corruption (IAC) outfit to form the AAP in November 2012. In the last two years, Kejriwal and the AAP steadily expanded their influence in Delhi as they took up one public issue after another, slowly undercutting the support base of all major political parties.Having got the election symbol of "broom" only some months before the December election, few believed his claims that the AAP, despite the visible growing support both in Delhi and beyond, was destined to win. In the eventuality, the AAP didn't win but created a political sensation as it helped decimate the Congress. Kejriwal defeated Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by over 25,000 votes. The AAP ended up with 28 seats in the 70member assembly, far ahead of a humiliated Congress (8) and just behind the BJP (31). His friends describe Kejriwal as a simple and sincere man. "He takes along everybody," senior party member Gopal Rai said. "His dedication influences his supporters," added friend Pankaj Gupta. Kejriwal's wife Sunita is an Indian Revenue Service officer. They have two children, Harshita and Pulkit.
verely eroded as public conversation revolved around the effete leadership of the prime minister and despair about the future of the nation. With Indian media tapping into the mood of negativism with gusto, the fraternity of Indosceptics abroad even proclaimed that the country was fast headed towards joining the ranks of "failed" nations. It is at this time that an unpretentious young man -- young at least by Indian political standards -- began challenging the system and vowing to "sweep" the Augean stables of entrenched corruption with a promise to deliver the harried citizens from the stranglehold of a venal politician-bureaucrat nexus. Initially, few took him seriously and dismissed him as yet another tall-talking political wannabe. His choice of the ugly broom as his party's election symbol, publicised cleverly at the back of the ubiquitous auto-rickshaws -- whose unions, fed up with Delhi Police's tyranny and venality, were the first to repose faith in him -- was looked upon with sneering disdain by much of the chattering class. The commentariat were indulgent, but skeptical towards him and his claims, because few expected his
rookie party to get even into double digits in their attention-grabbing debut. How could they shake off the political hold of the two established parties who had not only dismissed him as a quixotic wonder but even mocked his somewhat iconoclastic vision? The election results stunned one and all, but not perhaps the 'aam admi' who voted for him. Pointers were there, but many of us failed to read the tea leaves. My housemaid of 25 years, staunch Congress voter for decades, switched loyalties for the first time because the 'jharu' people promised to improve their quality of life in the dingy and deprived slum neighborhoods where they lived without basic civic facilities, where water was a premium commodity, power was erratic, drains were always choked and streets never cleaned. What was a revelation was they were influenced in their thinking by their college-going son who said the party had captured the imagination of the young in Delhi and promised "change". The neighborhood 'presswallah', who came from Sangam Vihar, a settlement of working class people like him who mainly lived outside the pale of civic attention, also voted for
If Arvind Kejriwal managed to infuse into the national discourse a politics of hope that supersedes the politics of cynicism, it would be a good start to the new year.
the 'jharu', believing, after years of being cynical about political promises, that this was perhaps a man who, by his simplicity, plain-speaking on burning issues and his total identification with the everyday travails of the citizen, could be trusted. His first three months will be the acid test of governance for a trained mechanical engineer-turned-tax collector-turned activist for open governance. People are ready to give him time, as long as he shows he is sincere and means what he says. His first moves at forswearing security and shunning the trappings of power have been well received by the people who are watching his every move -- not just in the capital but round the country and perhaps even
across the world for his novel experiments in participative democracy. People are seeing AAP across social media as "inspirational", an "agent of change", and a "phenomenon... a turning point in the history of India and the world". "In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?" asked Barack Obama, before his re-election last year. If Kejriwal has managed to infuse into the national discourse a politics of hope that supersedes the politics of cynicism, it would be a good start to the new year. Tarun Basu is the chief editor of IANS. The views expressed are personal.
INDIA TOP 10
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2013 saw history being made - in Aam Admi party's thumping victory in Delhi assembly elections - that has altered the very course of the Indian politics. This is soon going to be reflected on the national spectrum. In 2013, BJP won three key states and its PM candidate Narendra Modi saw an electrifying support in his favor across India. Here we present top 10 Indians who changed the destiny for themselves, and the nation
ndeniably, the 45year-old former IRS officer's public conduct has altered the very idea of what a politician and a political party should be. At a time when red beacons typify the vulgarity of power and when Z-security is seen as a status symbol, he has refused both. The Aam Aadmi Party, which he leads, has set benchmarks for participative democracy, making common people feel valued. Kejriwal's political ambitions led him to form Aam Aadmi Party which tapped the anger against the
Congress party and gave it 28 seats out of 70 in the Delhi Assembly.Thus, respecting this message, AAP has decided to form the government. There is no looking back now.
t a time when the business community in India and abroad started writing the epitaph of the Indian Economy in 2013, the Harvard-educated corporate lawyer-turned-politician chose to ignore the naysayers. Despite Indian economy rolling down from 8 per cent growth rate to barely 4 per cent and besieged with problems of high inflation, high interest rates deterring investment and
high twin deficits fiscal and current account Chidambaram through his innovative policy interventions helped lower the current account deficit from a whopping $100 billion to $70 billion now.
e was anointed the BJPs prime ministerial face for 2014 in spite of severe opposition from party patriarch LK Advani and his followers. His subsequent rallies have generated immense crowds as he traverses state after state challenging the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi. He has been able to quell all opposition within the party for now with the help of powerful backers including those in the RSS. Despite the 2002 riots, many senior Muslim clerics are endorsing his campaign. He has turned development into a political catchphrase being adopted by other leaders. His aggressive style and combative public speeches are polarizing the agenda.
he Union minister who played the role of sheet anchor during times of slowdown. Be it his successful negotiations at the Bali Ministerial Conference of WTO where he protected Indias legitimate concerns on Food Security, or drafting the new Foreign Direct Investment policy to attract overseas investments to put Indian economy back on growth trajectory or dispelling half truths being spread by international institutions, Sharma dealt with them with the finesse of a surgeon.
ndias only commando who became Army chief, the soldier who saw action in the Bangladesh War took on AAP at an Anna Hazare event, showing that power was not the only motive in public life. The smear campaign against him by Army top brass, alleging he paid off Kashmir ministers and used intelligence outfits to discredit opponents, went unproved. Shared a platform with Narendra Modi at a huge rally in Rewari and is expected to join active politics. If Singh caused some heartache by taking on AAP, he also won hearts by offering unqualified apology for his remarks following the Supreme Courts verdict in the age row with the Centre.
t was a hat trick for chawal wale baba of Chhattisgarh. It was a vote for Chief minister Raman Singh and not the BJP or his government, because many top ministers lost while newcomers won. Though the former Ayurvedic doctor praised Modis help in BJPs victory, he had campaigned tirelessly and won 49 of 90 seats, just one less than in 2008 in spite of anti incumbency predictions.
he Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab has further improved on the Badal name to entrench himself as the states most powerful politician. Last years Assembly poll victory, this years massive win in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections where he had campaigned extensively by shifting camp to the Capital has established him as Shiromani Akali Dals (SAD) undisputed chieftain. Known as a swift decision maker, he is wooing industry in a big way to boost the states fortunes.
t was a watershed year for Siddaramaiah. His dreams came true when Congress won a clear majority in the state after 14 years. He became Chief Minister in May this year, after being the deputy chief minister twice to J H Patel and Dharam Singh. He is now scripting a comfortable victory. Nurturing his ambitions to make a mark in the state politics for a long time, he first chose an anti-Congress platform and emerged as one of the prominent OBC leaders in the state but unfortunately narrowly missed heading a government, until he joined the Congress.
INDIA TOP 10
e was respected as the founder of popular investigative weekly Tehelka and as its former editor-in-chief. But a sexual harassment case against him proved unfortunate for him and for the magazine. Tehelka's former Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury, who resigned after being condemned about how she handled the allegations against Tejpal said, "This has been a damaging time for all associated with Tehelka". The Tehelka journalist accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her during its Think fest that took
place in Goa on two dates - 7 and 8 November. The rape allegations against Tejpal made headlines in international papers. UKbased Guardian said, "The image on the newsstands is brutally simple. A single face. A single word: "Disgrace." Underneath nine words: "A fabled media star falls over allegations of rape.'
Court, when Lalu was represented by famous lawyer Ram Jethmalani in the Supreme Court, the apex court agreed to listen to his appeal. He was granted bail by the SC on 13 December.
Bharat's Ratna
hintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao, also known as C.N.R. Rao, is an Indian chemist who has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry. On November 16, 2013, the government of India conferred him Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, making him the fourth scientist after C.V. Raman, Visvesvaraya and A. P. J. Abdul Kalam to get the award. He currently serves as the Head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India. Rao has honorary doctorates from 60 universities from around the world.
Ratan Tata:
Sanjay Dutt:
e gave back generously to his alma mater, Harvard Business School. Tata Hall, an expansive seven-story, glass-andlimestone building that will provide residential and learning space for almost 9,000 students has been recommended for LEED Platinum certification the US Green Building Councils highest rating for its unique aesthetic utilitarianism. A trained architect, its a signature thats evident in all the offices and houses Ratan has quietly constructed in his lifetime, whether it was a house for his mother or his own beach bungalow in Alibaug.
he backdrop for the wedding of industrialist Pramod Mittals daughter Srishti to investment banker Gulraj Behl was the whole of Barcelona an estimated Rs500 crore was spent on the three day celebrations. The wedding also marked a revival of warmth with his estranged brother, steel king Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, who also spent close a million euro to host a lavish reception for his niece. The sheer extravagance made international headlines, putting Srishtis wedding right up there with cousin Vanishas which had been billed as the second most expensive in history. Blame it on family tradition.
Justice Ganguly:
Anand Mahindra:
Ness Wadia:
Nirav Modi:
es one of Indias most astute corporate captains, his amiable manner and steady game plan hiding a steely will that has caught many a competitor unawares. Those whove interacted with Anand Mahindra will tell you that hes not genetically engineered to play second fiddle to anyone the solitary exception being the love of his life, Anuradha. Despite their hectic professional lives and endless public engagements, the charming couple dont forget to keep the romance alive in their marriage.
law intern had accused former Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly of making unwelcome advances while she assisted him on a case in December 2012. The CJI had, taking cognizance of her complaint, appointed an inquiry panel of three Supreme Court judges to look into the charges. Ganguly will be given a due opportunity to defend himself during the course of the Supreme Court probe. The Union Cabinet has approved a presidential reference to the Supreme Court for a statutory inquiry into charges of sexual misconduct levelled by a law intern against retired Supreme Court judge and currently West Bengal human rights commission (WBHRC) chairman Ganguly.
PERSONAL
GROWTH
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By Pam Gupta
ne, two, three hundred and sixty five, the days it takes to complete a year, is also the time it takes me, myself and I to reflect on how to make the next 365 days meaningful. Planning for the year begins early and continues till the end of December when, if we are lucky, all the resolutions are kept and expectations met. Wisdom dictates that we make realistic resolutions that are easy to keep and hard to break. Still, if we have to make promises, why not pick the ones that benefit society as a whole? How about making a promise to volunteer our time at the local food bank or hospital? Perhaps visit an ailing friend or shovel snow from a neighbors driveway? Making promises is easy but keeping them hard. I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to keeping my promise to my friends and relatives. What with the fast and stressful life of today, work and deadlines, I never get
We can offer to others our time, endless empathy, prayers and good wishes. When we give unconditionally of ourselves we become the receiver too, for in the giving is the receiving.
may feel that you are yourself on the receiving end since you have nothing to offer, but everyone has something to offer. We can offer our time, endless empathy, prayers and good wishes. When we offer unconditionally of ourselves we become the receiver too, for in the giving is the receiving. Let me quote from a poem by St. Francis of Assisi where he requests God to make him an instrument of his peace and prays: O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive. It is in the pardoning that we are pardoned and in the dying that we are born to eternal life. By reaching out we discover the purpose OF life and the purpose IN life. We are all connected and if we are true to ourselves, in the words of the Bard, It follows like night to day that we cannot be false to any man. By lending a helping hand we strengthen our very own existence. By helping others we help ourselves and by trying to make a difference there is only one life we change forever and that is our very own!!! The author is a real estate broker and a freelance writer living in Toronto. Email: p_gup57@hotmail.com.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Somy Ali
Former actress and social activist t would be next to impossible to sepa- meal), the woman called us for rate myself from my activism. Thus, help. She is now safe and going my reflections on 2013 focus on my to school in order to make a betwork with my nonprofit organization, No ter future for herself. This year I also expanded my More Tears, founded in 2006 after I received a knock at my door by a mission to begin working with Bangladeshi woman who was bleeding immigrant families who have profusely from her forehead due to abuse children with disabilities as well by her husband and his family. I did my as help those who are struggling best to help her, but knew more was need- to obtain an education. The inspiration came from a 4ed. No More Tears has since rescued a thou- year-old boy, Hassan. He has sand victims adults and children. Work- cerebral palsy and received little ing with them has taught me a lot about hu- care in Pakistan. His parents travman beings. I have seen and understood hu- eled to the US to get help. The first student No More manity at its worst and also at its best. In 2013, we rescued a woman brought to Tears has helped will now be able the US from a village in India via an to re-enroll at a university to arranged marriage. After suffering daily study social work. beatings (the last involved being burned for My New Year resolution is to not putting enough salt in her husbands save more lives than I did in 2013.
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Somy Ali with Hassan, a boy with cerebral palsy she is helping.
Zeal Doshi
Student, County Prep High School, Jersey City
Suma Varughese
Editor, Life Positive magazine, Mumbai believe in New Year resolutions. For me they signify a renewed faith in oneself and a commitment to ones own self-improvement. It does not matter if I have not kept these resolutions in the years gone by. A New Year is one more opportunity to achieve the goals and dreams that you hold dear. Since I am committed to ongoing personal growth, I do find that with each year, my capacity to keep my resolutions has become better. I have more confidence in myself, am able to cut myself some slack when I do not achieve all that I want to and my intention is stronger too. Most of all, my passion to achieve my goals is significantly higher. This, I believe, is the deal maker. If you dont really care to keep your resolution, you will not. A workshop I recently attended suggested four other measures: 1. Physical: Take action at the physical level to achieve your goals. If the goal is to go for a morning walk, set an alarm, buy yourself a pair of walking shoes and so on. 2. Mental: Use your power of imagination to see yourself walking. Visualize yourself enjoying your morning walk. Use affirmations to strengthen the message. 3. Social: Tell your peers about it. Write it on Facebook. 4. Financial: Commit to giving away a certain sum of money to the political party you hate if you do not keep the resolution! As for me, I am committed to becoming more comfortable with technology, treating myself with great love, by caring for my health, and buying myself quality clothes, and to breaking some of the fears that bind me.
enerally a year of many conflicts and unsolved controversies, 2013 has been fruitful for me. Besides good grades in school, it brought surprises for me. First off, the year started with wonderful phone calls and messages from friends about the New Year, signifying that my bonds with my friends are growing. After New Year celebration came various birthday parties which included my very own sweet sixteen one! Along with friendships and fun field trips from school, I also had a change of perspective. Not only am I growing older, I also realized that I am maturing
in many ways, which Ill have to learn to accept and become more responsible. In 2013, I also volunteered with a non-profit for seniors and helped serve a Thanksgiving dinner to the elderly. On the flip side, this year has not been financially promising. Bad news continued on national news, including the government shutdown and stuttering economic recovery. As a high school student, I worry about my diminishing scholarship opportunities and increasing college tuition. My one resolution for the year 2014 is to work hard in order to create a successful future in my young adult years.
Tirlok Malik
Actor and filmmaker 2013 was another year with all its ups and downs as life always is. There are events which happen in the world. And then there are events which happen in one's life. Sometimes it seems they are both connected. And sometimes they are not. For me 2013 was no different: some good, some bad and some learning. But I feel I have a lot to be grateful to the Universe for. My New Year resolution always has been the same: "Welcome the New Year as life will unfold. Be positive. Take care of your
health. Live like a good human being. May the world be peaceful and a healthy place for everybody."
013 was yet another year when South Asian community in the US continued to flourish and make great strides in achieving remarkable success in all walks of life. From entrepreneurial endeavors to academic excellence, our community has made its mark in the US. During the last decade, South Asian community as a whole grew 81%. As we embark upon our journey into 2014, we, as one of the largest South Asian community banks in the US, continue to be optimistic about the future of our community. Over 30 years ago, we established HAB with the sole purpose of serving our community residing and doing
business in and around the Tristate and greater Los Angeles areas. We firmly believe that our growth as an institution is tied to successes of our community. In 2013, we earnestly tried to expand our product line and launched a branding campaign aimed at re-introducing our bank to the community. In the last few years we have seen a sea change in the financial landscape. The great recession that started in 2007 fundamentally altered the banking industry. HAB withstood the shocks that accompanied the fi-
nancial collapse. We credit our resilience to two important factors: sound and prudent banking practices that we have cultivated since the beginning, and unwavering support of our community. During 2014 and beyond, we will continue to build on your trust and commit ourselves to provide our valued customers the best banking experience. We will do our best in meeting your banking needs whether you are a small business or individual looking for best CD rates in town. We will remain engaged and proactive with our community in meeting their expectations and, above all, continue to work towards Building Rela-
tionships. I wish all our community members a very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year. Saleem Iqbal President & CEO, HAB Bank
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
WORLD RELIGION
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By Arvind Vora any of us of South Asian origin have heard of Parliament of Worlds Religions (POWR), thanks to the very first POWR held in Chicago in 1893 where Swami Vivekananda and Virchand Raghavji Gandhi made impactful presentations for Hinduism and Jainism respectively. Unfortunately for the next 100 years no impactful activities happened on this much needed work for peace under the banner of POWR. Two world wars with immense loss of lives and destruction took place in early and mid-twentieth century, and many small conflicts among nations until the symbolic 100th Anniversary of POWR. Fortunately, massive liberation from colonial rules and immigration reforms in the USA during the 1960s provided needed impetus to resurrect an element of FAITH. Humankind has witnessed, before the big wars (WW I and WWII) and colonization, many wars of comparable consequences because of religions and faith or ones belief. Hence the second POWR was held again in Chicago in 1993. Since 1993 many POWR events have been held in South Africa (1999), Spain (2004), Australia (2009) and next one in Europe, now expected to be in 2015 instead of last or this year. Usually anywhere from 6000 to 8000 people attend in this open worldwide events as long as you register before the deadline with registration fee and take care of your expenses with the exception of high profile invited guest speakers. A different model with different approach came into existence with the name of the organization as World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) in early 1960s and took root with the First Assembly held in Kyoto, Japan in 1970. The second World Assembly was held in Leuven, Belgium in 1974, the third in Princeton, NJ, United States, the fourth in Nairobi, Kenya in 1984, the fifth in Melbourne, Australia in 1989, the sixth in Riva del Garda, Italy in 1994, the seventh in Amman, Jordan in 1999, the eighth in Kyoto, Japan in 2006 and the ninth one and most recent World Assembly was held in Vienna, Austria in 2013. The name of the WCRP was changed to Religions for Peace (RfP) International, with suffix for regional, national and local affiliates; e.g. RfP Latin America, RfP- USA. In all, RfP has more than 80 chapters throughout the world. In the world assembly, participation is by invitation only. At the Vienna Assembly even with the onset of cold weather in November, more than 5000 people showed interest while capacity was limited to 600-700 people. The affiliates at the Regional and Local level work very hard and are very eager to draw the attention of their affiliates spread out in every continent. In the last ten years, expansion has taken place in the form of adding Womens Forum and Youth Forum, with a central belief that promotion of peace is very crucial with the involvement of women having natural bond with
A Strong Delegation of 30+ from North America at the 9th World Assembly of RfP at Vienna, Austria. In the center in the top row(red turban) is Dr. Tarunjit S. Butalia, Moderator of RfP , USA; below him is Arvind Vora, Secretary of RfP, USA; front row extreme left in white with black hat is Homi Gandhi, Treasurer of RfP, USA; extreme right on the top is Rev. Bud Heckman, Executive Director of RfP, USA; and in a second row extreme left in a gray suite is Nikhil Bumb, Jain Youth representative at RfP, USA.
children and youth as a torch bearer to carry forward the work done for peace by the generation ahead of them. As a result for the first time special assemblies of women and youth were held prior to the general assembly at Vienna. Our planet has been classified innumerable ways and religion element is one of them. Broadly speaking there is a group called Abrahamic Faiths, consisting mainly of Christian, Jewish, and Islam traditions, while Dharmic Traditions are defined as believers of Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. While three major faiths by population of billion plus each; Christian, Hindu and Islam are found in every country in every continent: the wealth power is still dominated by Abrahamic Faiths. The imbalance, inter and intra are consider causes of peace disturbances leading to conflicts and wars. Therefore cooperation among faiths is paramount for peace. In fact, our nation built on separation of churches and governments and currently the
only world power and ability to dictate or impose its wishes had to rethink the role of religions in our society here and in the rest of the world, more specifically after 9-11 tragedy. Even though not as much publicized here in USA, for the first time the President of USA, gave a major policy speech linking religion and secular entity of our nation. President Obama gave this major foreign policy speech at Cairo, Egypt in June 2009 U. S. - Muslim Relations which, many believed was the most important reason for being farsighted to win Nobel Peace Prize in October 2009. One of the first initiatives was to launch Interfaith Cooperation between Indonesia and USA in January 2010, where yours truly represented Jainism.Most of the global peace movements understandably have been undertaken by Christians and Christianity having seen firsthand the deaths and destructions caused by violence. Muslim and Islam are taking needed actions for the same reasons among their people in Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan. One such
he 9th Religions for Peace World Assembly was held from November 20th-22nd in Vienna, Austria. In attendance were over 600 religious leaders and people of faith as well as representatives of the UN, UNICEF and numerous world governments. Ervad Poruz Khambatta and Homi D. Gandhi from Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) and Jehangir Sarosh, Executive Director of Religions for Peace UK Chapter represented the worldwide Zoroastrian community. Ervad Poruz also represented the young Zoroastrians at the International Interfaith Youth Network Assembly. Ervad Poruz commented "Before the Assembly began, the North American Youth Delegation met with the other youth delegates from around the world at the Youth Pre-Assembly. At this event, we shared our experiences and
aspirations as young people representing a diverse assortment of religious traditions from every corner of the globe. It was inspiring to meet such driven, accomplished young people and brainstorm with them ways we could create a more just and harmonious society through youth-led, grassroots initiatives." Jehangir Sarosh and Homi D. Gandhi were elected as Co-President and Honorary President respectively to the World Council, representing the Zoroastrian community. They will be serving on behalf of the world Zoroastrian community for a period of 5 years till the next World Assembly. Ervad Poruz summarized "I came away from the Religions for Peace World Assembly with a changed perspective. The theme of the Assembly, 'Welcoming the Other,' was envisioned through a multiplicity of lenses by a multitude of speakers. Ultimately, it made me realize that despite their diversities and differences, all of the
worlds religions are more similar than they may seem. We are connected in our desire to achieve sustainable Peace. Our own religion captures this sentiment beautifully through a phrase priests recite as they clasp hands during prayers. Hamazor hama asho bad. Let us be united in righteousness." Homi Gandhi is a retired chartered Accounant, a graduate of Bombay University and London School of Economics. He has represented his faith at many local, national and international organizations. He is currently Treasurer of RFP- USA.
WORLD RELIGION
including the African Union, UNESCO, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the World Scouts Foundation and the University of Montreal. We welcome these agreements, which empower our organizations to work together in interreligious and intercultural dialogue and education. We also announced a first-of-itskind Global Policy Network of experts and governmental focal points from Ministries of Education, Religious Affairs and Integration around the world. The Policy Network was
an initiative requested at each of the four regional conferences, and may enable sustained dialogue on the issues and recommendations raised this year. Ministers representing diverse world regions affirmed their commitment to education as a means of advancing both mutual understanding and universally shared values. This multilateral endorsement reinforces our network, and provides a point of orientation for our future efforts. The conference was followed by the World
Assembly of Religions for Peace, based on the theme: Welcoming the Other. Together, the dual events have helped to raise the prominence of The Image of the Other in education to global visibility and concern. Representatives of seminaries training future religious leaders of five faiths discussed their mutual interest in collaboration and the possibility of developing education and exchange programs together. Please visit http://www.kaiciid.org/ en/events/kaiciid-global-forum-2013/globalforum.html to view a full collection of postings on the results of the Conference. KAICIID intends to move towards our work on methods and theory of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, as the Centre progresses towards establishing a formal infrastructure for dialogue training and interventions. Faisal bin Muaammar is Secretary General, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue
eligions for Peace (RfP) convened its 9th World Assembly from 20-22 November 2013 in Vienna, Austria, under the theme "Welcoming the Other: Action for Human Dignity, Citizenship and Shared Wellbeing." Among important outcomes of the 9th World Assembly was the adoption by consensus of The Vienna Declaration: Welcoming the Other-A Multi-religious Vision of Peace. This Declaration builds on previous Assembly Declarations by identifying rising social hostility as a threat to Peace and "welcoming the other" as a shared positive dimension of Peace. Previous Assemblies had identified other dimensions of a shared positive vision of Peace as well as common threats to Peace. The Declaration will provide a framework for the development of a Strategic Plan to guide the program activities of Religions for Peace International as well as serve as a key planning resource for the regional and national affiliates of Religions for Peace (RfP). One of the central duties of the Assembly was to elect the Co-Presidents, Treasurer and Secretary General who collectively populate the World Council. The Assembly also received the nominations of the International Youth Coordinating and the International
Women's Coordinating Committees for their representation on the World Council. Immediately after the conclusion of the Assembly, the newly elected World Council convened in Vienna to elect its Executive Committee. This was an important election due to the fact that the International Standing Rules assign significant duties to the Executive Committee on behalf of the World Council. Importantly, the Coordinators of the International Youth Committee and the International Women's Coordinating Committees are ex officio members of the International Executive Committee. In addition, the World Council-following a similar decision of the previous World Council-formally seconded into the Executive Committee the Moderators of the RfP Regional Councils. In addition to electing its Executive Committee, the World Council also elected its Moderators. Impressively, the World Council chose to elect four Co-Moderators. They are: Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Rev. Kosho Niwano; and Dr. Vinu Aram. This means that two men and two women from four world religions will together provide the leadership of moderation within the World Council.
The adoption of the Declaration and the election of the World Council were major achievements of the Assembly. The World Council's election of the Executive Committee and its Moderators has equipped RfP to move into action after the important Assembly. For more info visit: http://www.rfp.org/visionhistory/world-assembly/world-assembly-resources#overlay-context Dr. William F. Vendley is Secretary General, Religions for Peace
Ila Vora (USA) , Ela Gandhi, (south Africa), and newly elected Co-Moderator Dr. Vinu Aram (Hindu, India)
ncluded among the participants were 5 Jains delegates Consul General Lokmanya Golchha (Kathmandu, Nepal); Gaurav Jain (New Delhi, India); Arvind Vora, Interfatih Chair of JAINA and Secretary of RfP-USA (Long Island, NY, USA); Ila Vora (Long Island, NY, USA); and Nikhil Bumb, member of the RfP North American Interfaith Youth Network (New Haven, CT, USA). On Tuesday, November 19, 2013, Nikhil Bumb led the opening of the Youth Pre-Assembly with a recitation of the Namokar Mahamantra, most important daily recitation by JAIN. Nikhil Bumb is a post graduate student at Yale University. He completed his undergraduate from Princeton magna cum laude. He has travelled 25 countries across four continents. He is a contributor to Huffington Post, Religion Section and has represented ANUVIBHA at UN DPI- NGO as a Jain youth delegates, and in charge of YJA Convention in 2009-10.
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imposed Emergency in November 2007. Legal experts say the charges carry death penalty or life imprisonment. The 69-year-old former army chief currently lives in his farmhouse in Islamabad after he got bail in three high-profile cases, including the 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
ri Lanka, that hosted the controversial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November, insisted that the Commonwealth cannot sit in judgement on its members and rejected British Prime Minister David Cameron's warning of an international probe into its human rights record. Sri Lanka's Leader of the House of Parliament Nimal Siripala de Silva emphasized that his country is a sovereign state and will resist any international investigation.
The UNHRC has already passed two resolutions on Sri Lanka in 2012 and 2013 with
the country now facing fresh scrutiny in March 2014. Prime Minister Stephen Harp-
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
BUSINESS TOP 5
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Falling rupee, spiraling prices, policy paralysis and an uncertainty over investment scenario took the sheen off the growth India had witnessed in last couple of years. There is a silver lining though, in RBI's new governor R. Raghuraman and the Indian IT bouncing back later in the year.
the weak domestic economy and speculation over scaling back of stimulus, or extra printing of notes, by the US. The rupee lost 27 percent of its value between June and August largely due to a pullout of money by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) after the US Federal Reserve said it will consider reducing its $85 billion monthly bond-buying program, introduced after the 2008 global economic crisis to pump prime the economy. The rupee hit a record low of 68.85 against a dollar Aug 28, just over three months after the US Federal Reserve's announcement of possible scaling down on the stimulus program. FIIs also pulled out $3.7 billion from the Indian equities markets between June and August leading to over 10 percent slide in the benchmark sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
declining by 4.56 per cent in the previous month year-on-year. The good show continued and the growth surged to a two-year high of 13.47 per cent in October. A sharp depreciation in the value of the rupee during that time helped in growth in shipments, which helped the sluggish economy.
bank, the biggest in the country, to serve the customer is a natural expectation. That winds of change - with her employee-friendly approach and transformative communication will be felt within days of the change of guard was a surprise. For the new chief, energizing the workforce and growing collaboration seem to be the top priority. Since Bhattacharya has a collaborative leadership style, it would help spawn positive energy at workplace
NR Narayana Murthy
T T
he $1.8-trillion Indian economy suffered its worst slowdown in over a decade with growth below 5 percent for four straight quarters, amid threats of a ratings downgrade, even as policymakers and analysts now feel the worst may be over and the country will steadily move towards a higher rate of expansion. In the first three quarters of the year for which official data is available, India's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at below 5 percent -- by 4.8 percent, 4.4 percent and 4.8 percent respectively in the first three quarters of the calendar year. It had grown by 4.7 percent in October-December 2012 quarter. Thus, the average growth for first three quarters of 2013 stands at 4.6 percent, the slowest since 2002. The average growth for this year, thus far, is also sharply lower than the comparative figure of 5.36 percent in the corresponding three quarters of 2012 and almost half of the average annual growth of 8.2 percent recorded in the preceding eight years.
he resilient $270-billion plus Indian IT industry returned to the higher growth trajectory in 2013 and is hoping to gain momentum in the ensuing year for a greater share of the global multi-billion dollar outsourcing market. Putting behind a turbulent 2012, the industry consolidated its presence in the software services sector, with its top four IT bellwethers - TCS, Infosys, Wipro and HCL posting better results to register a healthy 1214 percent growth thus far as against 10 percent last fiscal (2012-13). The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) is expecting the industry to clock export revenues of $8487 billion this fiscal (FY 2014) as against $76 billion last fiscal (FY2013).
The former IMF (International Monetary Fund) chief economist who took charge of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September amid the rupee storm- which was the worst performing Asian currency thenstayed in the news ever since he took over, not just for turning around the rupee's fortunes but also for his suave demeanour and gift of the gab.
P Chidambaram
The Infosys co-founder came out of retirement to lead the company he co-founded in 1981. Mr Murthy, who served as Infosys' chief executive from 1981 to 2002, and was the company's chairman from 2002 to 2011, was appointed as executive chairman in June. Ever since Mr Murthy took back control, there have been eight top level exits from Infosys.
Jignesh Shah
The founder and vice chairman of Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), resigned from the board of the exchange he built from a start-up in 2003 into India's biggest commodities bourse. Mr Shah at the time of stepping down had said he wanted to avoid any harm to shareholder and investor interests from the "mud-slinging" over allegations concerning National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL), which along with MCX are promoted by his Financial Technologies (India) Ltd.
he Indian rupee was among the worst performing currencies this year, hitting a record low of 68.85 against the dollar due to
ndian shipments logged double-digit growth in the second half of 2013, lowering substantially the current account deficit (CAD), a big worry for the policymakers, and boosted hopes of revival in the economy. Due to sluggishness in the global economy, notably Europe and the US, India's merchandise exports growth was mostly in the negative zone in The first half the year. However, since July it has seen a significant turnaround and registered a healthy double-digit growth, except in November, when the shipments were affected by strikes at ports. In July, exports jumped 11.64 per cent after
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
R E A L E S TAT E
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By Abdul Rehman
t is normal for people to sit down mid to late December and reflect on the past year and look ahead to the upcoming one. Now, I have always considered myself one of those people who are a bit ahead of the curve; so, I am already trying to plan for the Spring real estate and mortgage market. And, unfortunately, because the view is so confused and murky, I feel compelled to stand on a mountaintop and scream. I have never felt stronger that TODAY is the best day to buy or sell (or even refinance) your property, and that waiting until the Spring could be catastrophic. So, you see, I couldnt wait another month before I shared my perspective. I need you to ACT NOW and not wait. Lets begin with projections by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA). They see mortgage volumes dropping from $1.7 trillion to a shade over $1 trillion next year. Thats a more than 40% drop. Its not just the MBAs position. As an industry, we have cut nearly 20,000, non-sales, mortgage jobs in the last six months, largely led by the big lenders (Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc). Why when real estate is appreciating and sales numbers are fairly good would the mortgage bigwigs be trimming staff? 1. Rising rates are on the way. We know that when the Fed begins their tapering of Mortgage Backed Securities, rates will jump. Heck, just the mention of tapering this past May (without actually doing it) resulted in rates going up a full 1%! So, everyone from the MBA to the National Association of Realtors is forecasting mortgage rates between 5% and 5.4% this Spring. I think they may even be higher. 2. Higher rates will practically shut the faucet on refinancing which obviously hurts mortgage volumes. So, if $700 billion of outgoing years $1.7 trillion is refinance business, expect that number to be cut by $400 billion in 2014. 3. Another result of higher rates is that potential home buyers qualify for less money which means they offer less to home sellers which forces home prices down. Lower loan amounts bring down mortgage volumes too. If rates go up 1%, borrowing power is reduced by 10%. So, even if the $1 trillion of purchase mortgage volume (of the $1.7 trillion) all are willing to buy next year, we will lose another $100 billion in volume. 4. Another consideration that goes with increasing rates is psychological. As rates start rising, buyers move to the sidelines, thinking they will wait for rates to come back down. It creates pent up buyer demand, but reduces sales for a time period. And since rates arent likely to come back down this time (and much more likely to climb towards the 6+% range), eventually buyers will get the message and start making lower offers. 5. Then, seller psychology kicks in. Be-
cause the media reports on data that is six months old, sellers will read good numbers in the papers and refuse to adjust their asking prices quick enough and there will be a slow few months, as everyone searches for a new normal. I think this could reduce purchase volumes another 10% (or $100 billion). 6. Another factor to consider is the tightening mortgage guidelines that surround the Qualified Mortgage (QM) and the Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM). The sheer uncertainty of what the actual definitions of things coupled with the uber-conservative approach investors are likely to take in this litigious world has all the signals of loans being harder to get approved and closed. I believe it will take a couple of months for the industry to get comfortable in what is or isnt a QM/QRM. Studies focused on how many loans will no longer be approved have ranged from a 5-12%! When you factor in the initial feeling out period, a 10% hit to annual purchase volume is fair (another $100 billion). So, there are the reasons for a projected 4045% drop in mortgage volumes. Higher rates,
With Fed stimulus tapering, interest rates will go up after spring, buyers will move to the sidelines, pushing down home prices.
tighter guidelines, and an uninformed public relying on outdated information. People wishing they knew this information sooner. Well, now you know. Today is the highest price you will get if you want to sell because higher rates and tighter guidelines will reduce the number of people who could buy your home. Less demand, lower prices. Today is the best time to buy a home because rates are awesome and lenders are able to be more aggressive. Easier access to capital, more loans.
The author is Senior Lending Officer with Quontic Bank in Astoria. email: arehman@quonticbank.com.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Happy Holidays
SPORTS TOP 5
The year 2013 was a mixed bag for Indian sports. At a time when Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid bid adieu to the game of cricket, the positives saw the rise of a new star in PV Sindhu who would finish with a bronze medal at the world championships. Then spot-fixing and the International Olympic Committee suspending the Indian Olympic Association were the gloomy sides of the year gone by.
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ricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer and perhaps the most popular player in the sports history, retired in November. He played his last match against the West Indies in his hometown, Mumbai, making 74 runs in his final innings. Tendulkar, who made his international debut in 1989, finished his Test career with 15,921 runs. The 40-year-old is also the top scorer in ODIs, with 18,426 runs. Moments after the curtain drew on his career, Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, Indias highest civilian honor.
n May, the Delhi Police opened an investigation into allegations of spotfixing, or illegal betting, against three Indian cricketers: National bowler S. Sreesanth and domestic players Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila. The scandal, which resulted in the arrest of all three, fueled protests calling for the resignation of N. Srinivasan, the head of Indias cricket governing body, and put a question mark over the future of the sport in a cricket-crazy country. Sreesanth was banned for life.
he end to 2013 Iron Bowl, the rivalry game between the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn University Tigers was a dramatic one. With the score tied at 28-28, Alabama, who had possession of the ball, fought with officials to convince them that they had one second remaining in regulation. Rather than going for a Hail Mary pass, Alabama head coach Nick Saban decided to go for a 57-yard field goal. Freshman kicker Cade Foster missed the attempt which fell into the arms of Auburn's Chris Davis who returned it from 109 yards for the game winning touchdown. Auburn had defeated Alabama, somehow, 34-28.
I R
ahul Dravid, who captained the Indian cricket team from 2005 to 2007, bowed out from the sport in October. The 40-year-olds retirement news came after a T20 match against the Mumbai Indians. Nicknamed The Wall, Dravid scored more than 13,000 runs in Tests, second on the all-time scoring list behind Sachin Tendulkar. He also accumulated 10,889 runs in ODIs.
ndias top-ranked tennis player, Leander Paes, won the U.S. Open mens doubles in September. Paes, 40, teamed up with Czech Republics Radek Stepanek to beat Austrias Alexander Peya and Brazils Bruno Soares 6-1, 6-3.
t was almost unbelievable when, just minutes into the second half of Super Bowl XLVII, the game was delayed for more than 30 minutes for something as mundane as an electrical failure. When the game finally resumed, the 49ers, down 28-6 when the lights went out, mounted an impressive near-comeback, which only ended when the Baltimore Ravens held on to a 3431 lead by making a fourth-down stop to prevent San Francisco from scoring a game-winning touchdown.
usarla Venkata Sindhu became the first ever Indian woman to win a medal in singles at the World Championships (India's first singles medal since Prakash Padukone won bronze in 1983). She broke into the top 20 in the Badminton World Federation rankings which were released in September 2012. She is also ranked 3 in the BWF Junior Rankings.
orways Magnus Carlsen, 22, defeated five-time world champion, Viswanathan Anand, to claim the world chess title by a margin of three wins to none with two games to spare. The 44-year-old Indian was defeated in his hometown, Chennai, in November.
he San Antonio Spurs, leading the Miami Heat 94-86 and the series 3-2, were 30 seconds away from clinching the NBA championship. Miami fans were exiting American Airlines Arena, the yellow rope was already up, and b'ball fans thought they were about to witness the San Antonio Spurs win their fifth NBA Championship by knocking out a Miami Heat team that was almost unbeatable during the regular season.
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he centenary year of the over $2 billion world of Indian cinema saw several high points - whether it was "Dhoom 3" becoming the fastest to mint Rs.100 crore ($22 million) in just three days, "Chennai Express" collecting a whopping Rs.216 crore or megastar Amitabh Bachchan making his initial foray into Hollywood. This year, only five films "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani", "Chennai Express", "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", "Krrish 3" and "Ram-Leela" managed to surpass the Rs.100 crore collection mark. Depending on the box office collection of the films, here are the top five hit films of Bollywood:
A major hit at the box office. The superhero fantasy film manages to show off the rugged good looks of Hrithik Roshan quite nicely while Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut adds the chemistry.
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Generated considerable interest due to the chemistry between Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika. Tthe film easily crossed Rs 100 crore mark and became one of the highest grossing films.
Ram Leela
Still going strong and has crossed Rs 100 crore mark. Ranvir Singh and Deepika have acted well and the gorgeous settings have attracted more audience.
Chennai Express
One of the highest grossing films of 2013. With Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone sharing screen space, this did not come as a very great surprise.
Dhoom 3
Aamir Khan-starrer film is set to break all records, going very strong at the box-office. ****
Krrish 3
1. Salman Khan remains consistently on the top of the list even without having any major releases in the last year. This is because the gross domestic box office collection of his last five films remains unsurpassed at Rs 762 crore. 2. Shah Rukh Khan is still going strong in Bollywood with hits like Jab Tak hain jaan, Ra.one and Chennai Express which his fans loved. His last five films grossed Rs 641 crore.
3.Ranbir Kapoor too had a very good run this year. However, the pitiful performance of Besharam dragged down his ratings to some extent. 4. Aamir Khan has his own fan following and whatever he touches turns to gold. Released at the end of the year, Dhoom 3 saw him as an antagonist in a double role, and he carried the film to super duper success. 5. Hrithik Roshan is back in the list of top 5 actors of Bollywood in the current year.
1. Deepika Padukone: The fabulous actress has given four back-to-back hits in 2013. 2. Priyanka Chopra: Priyanka Chopra lost her father this year, but the actress has shown great spirit at work, proving to be even stronger than before. 3. Katrina Kaif: Katrina Kaif too had no releases in this year, yet has taken the headlines through her much-awaited action thriller Dhoom 3 alongside Aamir Khan. The actress has made sizzling avatar and thrilling stunts in the film. Her bikini-clad pic-
tures with rumoured beau Ranbir Kapoor in Spain grabbed a lot of attention. 4. Kangana Ranaut: In 2013, Kangana Ranaut has appeared three successful films Shootout at Wadala,' 'Krrish 3 and Rajjo.' 5. Sonakshi Sinha: Sonakshi Sinha has given five movies this year some hits and a few misses. The romantic period film Lootera, Sonakshi played the character Pakhi that received acclaim from both critics and fans.
U LT I M A T E B O L L Y W O O D
High on content and performances, acclaimed films like 'Ship Of Theseus' and 'The Lunchbox' not only exhibited the zest and zeal of filmmakers, but also showed their fearlessness in trying new genres and unique treatments. Here are 10 such refreshing small wonders from 2013
ABCD: AnyBody Can Dance
The 3D dance film "ABCD" not only introduced the Indian audiences to a new genre but also gave budding choreographers a platform to display their skills. Directed by choreographer Remo D'Souza, it starred a host of choreographers including big names like Prabhudheva and Ganesh Acharya along with upcoming ones.
The Lunchbox
After being appreciated at various international film festivals, "The Lunchbox" proved its mettle on the domestic front too. The viewers and critics were overwhelmed by Irrfan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Nimrat Kaur's performances in the medium budget movie.
the third friend. Not only the film, a big screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's "The 3 Mistakes of My Life", was loved by many, it helped freshers in getting good projects.
Madras Cafe
It was not a typical entertainer. Set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, the film was a mix of fact and fiction. It's not easy to involve movie lovers in such a serious drama, but Shoojit Sircar nailed it with "Madras Cafe".
Fukrey
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's small budget production "Fukrey" proved that hero-heroine-based love stories are not the only ones that click at the box office.
Rao released it in select few cities, but the film enjoyed a satisfactory run in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata.
Shahid
Based on the life of slain human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi, Hansal Mehta-directed critically acclaimed "Shahid", starring Rajkumar Rao in the title role, received ample support from the film industry and also enjoyed a good run at the box office.
Aashiqui 2
Sequels are a gamble as they often fail to match up to the original, but "Aashiqui 2" turned out to be an exception. The love story featured Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor and directed by Mohit Suri. The film's music was a big hit as well.
Kai Po Che
Based on friendship, "Kai Po Che" won many hearts. The Abhishek Kapoor-directorial saw the big screen debut of TV actors Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh as best friends. Rajkumar Rao also featured as
Ship Of Theseus
Debutant director Anand Gandhi struck the right chord with his thought-provoking "Ship Of Theseus", made on a shoestring budget of Rs.2.5 crore. Filmmaker Kiran
SELF HELP
By Lori D
re you having a hard time coming up with New Years resolutions? CreditDonkey.com has done the tough work for you by putting together a list of easy steps that will give you the foundation for strong financial footing in the months ahead.
your existing health and life insurance policies already cover you in the event of an accident. Track your spending Resolve to finally find out where your money goes each month by tracking your monthly bills and expenses. Make a list of each and every bill that comes due on a monthly basis, and keep your receipts. You may find there are places where you are spending a lot more than you thought. Use this information to come up with some shortterm and long-term savings goals for the new year. For instance, cutting back on your cable television channels may give you more money to put away for a future vacation. Ask for a lower rate Once you have reviewed your monthly bills, take action. Call up your phone and cable provider and see if they can give you a better rate. Do not be afraid to ask about questionable fees as well. Sometimes they may be able to suggest new deals. Also see if your credit card companies will lower your interest rate. While your service providers may not be willing to meet all your requests, you will likely get some type of break perhaps temporary if you are good customer.
Review your insurance policies Some of your life situations or your properties may have changed since the last time you looked over your insurance policies. You may be spending too much money on a policy every month or not enough. A perfect example is your car insurance. If you have an older model car, collision and comprehensive coverage may no longer make sense. Even if you decide to keep such policies, you may get by with raising your deductible, thereby lowering your monthly premium. You can do the same thing with your homeowners policy. Raising your deductible can be a bit of a gamble, but it is a quick and simple way to save you money in the near term. Also look for places where your other insurance policies may overlap, like your personal injury protection coverage. In some cases, both
Automate your monthly bills You may win some points by signing up for auto-pay. If you can keep tabs on when your service providers will pull money to make sure you have enough cash to cover it, this is an excellent way to stay on top of all your bills and avoid needlessly paying interest or late fees. Auto-pay is great for people who have a hard time keeping their finances organized. Remind yourself to keep looking at the bills every month so that you are not overcharged for anything and to always stay aware of your many expenses. Check your credit report This is one of the easiest and its free. Under federal law, you can get a free credit report once every 12 months from all three of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. To get one, just go to www.annualcreditreport.com. You can also request the report by phone or by mail. Make sure its accurate and consider what you can do differently to improve your credit.Kickstart a strong 2014 with these five easy steps. Get these tasks out of the way at the beginning of the year, and you can spend the rest of the year spending and saving wisely.
f your scale is your worst enemy, it may be time to adopt a workable weight management strategy. A New Year is the perfect time to recommit oneself to health, wellness and shedding those extra pounds. Experts say that fast results can help you stay motivated and see through your bigger weight loss goals. Early weight loss is a strong predictor of long-term weight loss, says Dr. Anthony Fabricatore, Vice President of R&D at Nutrisystem. Seeing immediate results can do wonders for self-efficacy. Here are some tips for losing those crucial first five pounds quickly, so youll be motivated to keep it up: Commit Yourself. Be mentally ready. Make a commitment to meet goals and eliminate temptations right from the start by getting rid of junk food in your pantry. Convenience Counts. Life can get in the way of dieting if convenient options arent readily available. Have healthful ready-to-go meals and snacks on hand, particularly during dangerous times of day when cravings kick in. Stop guessing. Individuals make more than 200 food and beverage decisions daily, according to researchers at a leading university. Eliminate guesswork by opting for portioned, prepared meals. For example, the new Nutrisystem My Way program, features meals free of trans fat, partially hydrogenated oils, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and saccharine which can be combined with fresh grocery choices like salad, fruit, smart proteins, low-fat yogurt and unlimited non-starchy vegetables. After providing answers to some questions, My Way also helps determine grocery items and exercise plans built for your metabolism. For a quick start, consider the new one-week Fast 5 kit, promising a five-pound
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N AT I O N A L C O M M U N I T Y
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Vince Chhabria
Mobile mammography unit 'MOM Express'; and ( left) Rotarian Ravishankar Bhooplapur who spearheaded the project.
surance for employees or pay a fee to the city to treat them at hospitals and clinics. Republican opponents also cited his work in a case where Catholic groups accused San Francisco supervisors of hostility to religion in a 2006 resolution criticizing the Vatican for prohibiting Catholic Charities from placing adoptive children with same-sex couples, the Chronicle reported.
By Ashok Ojha Washington DC: Overseas Volunteer for Better India (OVBI), inspired by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will launch an online campaign to register new voters in India. The campaign known as Vote for a Better India was unveiled through an android app web, to reach out to college students for registering 30 million new voters. Presiding over the event organized at College Park, Maryland, Sri Sri called upon people of Indian origin to get united on the strength of
spirituality. The event titled Big Ideas for a Better India was attended by professionals from various parts of the US. Other speakers at the event included author Rajiv Malhotra and entrepreneur Naveen Jain, who emphasized the importance of tapping new ideas and developing entrepreneurship in society. OVBI also called upon NRIs to register themselves to vote and travel to India for a fortnight to contribute to voter education drive as well as encourage family and friends to vote for a better India.
Romola Ratnam
BREAKING NEWS
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New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met his poll promises of cheap power and water in just a week
Ahmedabad court has dismissed a plea in a case relating to the communal riots
engagement from the Gaza Strip enclave in 2005. But in December of the same year, he suffered a minor stroke, while presiding as Israel's Prime Minister.
while skiing off-piste in the resort of Meribel in the French Alps. He was reportedly travelling at 60 mph when he fell and struck his head against a rock. He is thought to have been saved by his helmet which split on impact.
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The Governor of Rajasthan, Margaret Alva launching the Jaipur Jewellery Show poster along with the Executive Members of the JJS in Jaipur.
By Prakash Bhandari Jaipur: The Jaipur Jewelry Show (JJS) has become not only a trend setter but also Indias largest event of its kind. Over 30,000 visitors came here for the 11th edition from December 2023. The biggest B to C event showcases the latest in fashion for traditional, heavy gold ornaments to small jewelry items. Also in demand in this JJS edition in mid-December was fashionable accessories and stone studded jewelry. Both yellow and white gold ornaments were in demand as were ornaments with traditional and oriental look with fancy cut gemstones. The Kundan Meena jewelry was an attraction this year as well. This time the de-
signers used innovative, light weight color stones to create affordable items.
Melas said in ancient India even men used to wear jewelry and they still wear it. He urged the young designers in attendance to create unisex designs, going beyond cufflinks, buttons, bracelets and rings for men. Kasliwal, who has launched the retail AnanTaya, believes that objects are messages in physical form. He said Rajasthan, with its colors, music, folklore, monuments and landscape, can be biggest inspiration for any designer.
ehuda Kassif, 65, practices what he preaches. A striking presence at the JJS, he was seen wearing large rings with studded stones as well as a few pendants, all designed by him. You also noticed a silver ornament dangling from his wellknotted beard. Kassif is the Director of the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum in Tel Aviv, Isreal, he was invited by the JJS as an adviser and a guide on jewelry trends. Said Kassif, Jewelry should not be confined to women only as men have equal claim on it. In India, men from maharajas to poor farmers used to wear jewelry. You may find men wearing a kada, earrings and silver or golden buttons, cuff links, bracelets, broach, tie pins. Kassif was working as MD of the Israeli Diamond Bourse when he was invited by late Rashmikant Durlabhji, the founder of JSS, to the International Colour Stone fiesta at Jaipur a decade ago. There, Kassif impressed every one with his ideas on gemstones and jewelry. Kassif feels that creativity in design makes all the difference. All jewelry pieces should have a story to tell as he recounts, I was wandering in Jaipur's Johari Bazar a few years ago when I saw someone selling a large size quartz shinning like a diamond. We picked it up. I took a typical Rajasthani turban as my concept. Thus a pendent looking like a turban was designed in silver and the quartz studded in the hollow bottom. It turned out to be a designer piece appreciated by all. He said playing with colors and design of a jewelry piece could give it the painting effect. The designer can thus create beads, flowers, fish, spiders, snail or crocodiles. What is sold? he asks. It is both design and creativity that is sold with the jewelry. Kassif is happy that Jaipur will soon have its own Gem Bourse. He wants the Bourse to have a museum that should show Jaipur as not only the Pink City, but a Gem City also.
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The successful launch of India's first inter-planetary Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), the sending up of India's first navigation satellite, the launch of the Indo-French satellite SARAL, and signing up a couple of satellite launch contracts - all these put India amongst the select group of space-faring nations on couple of counts
ndias Mars Orbiter, on course to Red Planet, would catapult the country to become the first Asian nation and fourth in the world once it begins orbiting Mars in 2014. As you begin reading this, Mangalyaan as we call Indias first Mars Mission cruising at 32-km per second is now in the Suns orbit on its way towards the Red Planet after leaving earths gravity in December. If all goes well, Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) dream Orbiter would reach the Red Planets orbit by September 24, 2014, after an over 10-month voyage. Then, the tri-colour camera onboard Mars Orbiter would begin sending images and information about the Martian surface once the craft reaches its designated elliptical orbit around Mars. If Mangalyaan is successful, it will make India the first Asian nation to conquer the Red Planet, after China and Japans effort failed to achieve their goals. And the whole world will be closely watching.
the Indo-French satellite SARAL, the world's first smart phone-operated nano satellite, a space telescope satellite and four other foreign satellites. In July, ISRO launched the first of the seven satellites planned under the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) - a regional navigational system developed by India designed to provide accurate position information service to users within the country and up to 1,500 km from the nation's boundary line. July saw the launch of weather satellite INSAT-3D by Ariane-5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. In September, ISRO launched the country's first "military"/communication satellite GSAT-7 by Ariance-5 rocket to improve maritime communications among the Indian Navy's warships.
ed, paving way for its deployment by the navy after sea trials. The 82.5 MW nuclear reactor for submarine has been designed at Kalpakkam by PRP Centre - PRP originally stood for Plutonium Reprocessing Project - under the BARC. The reactor attained "criticality" after months of testing at the navy's submarine facility at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
SRO began its rocket-satellite launches in February placing in orbit seven satellites -
ndia took a major step towards attaining its long-awaited nuclear weapons triad as a reactor on board the country's first indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant was activat-
aving way for its induction into the Indian Air Force, indigenously-designed fighter Tejas got initial operational clearance for flying by air force pilots and will join the fleet after the final operational clearance likely next year to replace the ageing Russianmade MiG jets. As the fourth generation aircraft, Tejas can fly at 1,350km per hour and is comparable to the world's best fighters such as the French Mirage 2000, the American F-16 and the Swedish Gripen.
he Air shows us what 2013 was mostly about: improvements. If Apple's new iPhones were totally underwhelming, it made up with the iPad Air. This is an overhauled iPad that looks like a big iPad Mini. It's the lightest 10inch tablet around. It's super-thin, though at 7.5 mm it's beaten by the FTV-modellike Sony Xperia Tablet Z (6.9 mm).
earables" in the form of smartwatches were the rage in tech shows. The crowd-funded PEBBLE was first off the mark, backed by 69,000 people pledging $10 million. It sold about 100,000 smartwatches. And then Samsung launched the GALAXY GEAR. This watch runs apps, handles voice calls and text messages, and takes pictures and videos, working as a companion to a few Galaxy smartphones.
prove that it isn't about megapixels, the HTC One has a great 4 Mp, low-light camera. The big leap forward was the Nokia Lumia 1020. Its whopping 41 Mp camera could have set off another megapixel rat race, but it isn't about the megapixels behind that Carl Zeiss lens, but how well they're used. Even with low-resolution everyday photos.
free software: Pages, Numbers and Keynote, included. No Microsoft Office required. It's fast, and uses solid-state storage. The MacBook Air is the benchmark other notebook vendors will still be looking to in 2014.
GOOGLE GLASS
T A
martphone cameras have gotten very good over the past two years. There are impressive cameras in the iPhone 5 (8 Mp) and Samsung Galaxy S4 (13 Mp). To pple's 2012 Air was already the sexiest notebook around. What the 2013 Air did was to take this stunning device and double its battery life to 12 hours for the 13-inch model, with higher performance and a lower price. Inside it, Intel's thrifty new Haswell chip helped a lot. At about Rs.62,000, the 11-inch Air is now great value. Especially with all the
THE SMARTWATCH
his is the converged future: eyewear meets personal computing, Mission Impossible meets real life. You wear it like spectacles, and see a smartphone-like display in front of your eye. You can speak to it, telling it to do things. Next year, it should be integrated with regular glasses and sunglasses. It's a product from Google X, the search giant's mystery division that's worked on other future tech such as driver-less cars.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
PASSAGES
in all but one of the six action blockbusters, beginning with the first film in 2001. The blond-haired, blue-eyed Los Angeles-native brought California surfer good-looks and an easy, warm charm to the popular street-racing series. In the sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Walker moved to center stage with Vin Diesel temporarily dropping out. Rituparno Ghosh, 50 Known for his masterly storytelling and sensitive portrayal of human relationships, Rituparno Ghosh died in his sleep from a massive cardiac arrest. Ghosh, award winning Bengali director, was equally known for the bold flamboyance with which he celebrated his alternate sexuality and gender choice, be it in the way he dressed, or, of late, the stories he told in his films and even the characters he portrayed in a handful of films in which he appeared as an actor. His Chokher Bali (2003) starred Aishwarya Rai, and The Last Lear (2007) in English, starred Amitabh Bachchan. Ghoshs last was a crime thriller Satyanweshi. Jiah Khan, 25 Jiah Khans suicide kept Bollywood mired in controversy for a long time. It sent shock waves in the film fraternity. The sensuous actress, best known for her roles opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Nishabd and with Aamir Khan in Ghajini, was found hanging at her flat in suburban Mumbai in June. Her suicide note included mention of a recent abortion. Actor Aditya Pancholis son, Suraj Pancholi, who was allegedly in a live-in relationship with Jiah, was taken into custody in connection with her suicide, but was let out on bail later. Tarla Dalal, 77 She revolutionized everyday traditional cooking both on television and in the books. In a way, she taught Indians how to cook from the book. Started to cook as a housewife, Tarla Dalal went on to become a celebrity chef and a prolific cook book writer before she succumbed to heart attack on November 6 leaving behind a legacy of over 17,000 recipes created by her. But the Padma Shri awardee was also an entrepreneur - the original creator of the Indian cookbook industry. Chinua Achebe, 83 The award-winning author Chinua Achebe, sometimes described as the grandfather of modern African literature, died in Boston after a brief illness. Achebe, the Nigerian author whose internationally acclaimed fiction helped to
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Nelson Mandela, 95 Never before in history was one human being so universally acknowledged in his lifetime as the embodiment of nobility and reconciliation as Nelson Mandela was. Perhaps the most important leader of our times, he was the mold-breaking head of state in South Africa who not only reshaped his own country but the world. World leaders flew in to pay their final homage to Mandela when he died in December after a long hospitalization. The architect of South Africas transformation from racial despotism to liberal democracy, he saved his country from civil war and became its first black president. This singular triumph crowned a tempestuous life, filled with hardship and struggle. Mandela endured 27 years behind bars, and more than a decade before that as a hardened enemy of the white supremacist regime, serving variously as street activist, guerrilla leader and township lawyer. His defiance of white minority rule and long incarceration for fighting against segregation focused the world's attention on apartheid, the legalized racial segregation enforced by the South African government until 1994. Manna Dey, 94 Prabodh Chandra Dey, known by his stage name Manna Dey, was a famous Indian playback singer. He debuted in the film Tamanna in 1942 and went on to record more than 4,000 songs from 1942 to 2013. Some of his more popular songs are: Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hai (fdilm Seema), Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli (Anand), and Aye Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo (Mera Naam Joker). Paul Walker, 40 Hollywood actor Paul Walker, who rose to fame for his roles in the Fast & Furious movie franchise, died in a car crash in southern California in December. He was in the area to attend a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide and was riding as a passenger in a friends car. Walker, 40, rode the Fast & Furious franchise to stardom, starring
revive African literature, rewrote the story of a continent that had long been told by Western voices. He caught the worlds attention with his first novel, Things Fall Apart published in 1958. The book would become a classic of world literature and required reading for students, selling more than 10 million copies in 45 languages. The story, a brisk 215 pages, was inspired by the history of his own family, part of the Ibo nation of southeastern Nigeria, a people victimized by the racism of British colonial administrators and then by the brutality of military dictators from other Nigerian ethnic groups. Though Achebe spent his later decades teaching at American universities, his writings -- novels, stories, poems, essays and memoirs were almost invariably rooted in the countryside and cities of his native Nigeria. His most memorable fictional characters were buffeted and bewildered by the competing pulls of traditional African culture and invasive Western values. Peter O Toole, 81 The British-Irish actor who shot to fame in David Lean's 1962 masterpiece as Lawrence of Arabia and received eight Oscar nominations died in a hospital in London following a long illness. Early in his career O'Toole became emblematic of a new breed of hard-drinking Hollywood hellraiser. He received an honorary Oscar in 2003, having initially turned it down. In a letter the actor asked the Academy to delay it until he was 80, saying he was "still in the game and might win the bugger outright". But when he finally clasped his statuette, he said: "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, my foot." Eiji Toyoda, 100 Eiji Toyoda, who spearheaded Toyota Motor Corp.s expansion in the United States as the automakers longest-serving president (15 years), died five days after he celebrated his 100th birthday. During the 69 years he worked at the company, based in central Japans Toyota City, it rose from assembling its cars out of parts made by GM to being 16 times more valuable than the Detroit-based automaker. Eiji Toyoda pushed his company to learn from Ford and GM about mass production of automobiles. Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, 60 He lived like a Maharaja although he was not one technically or legally and inherited palaces but sans a kingdom. That was exprince Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, arguably one of the richest scions
of a royal family in the country. Wodeyar died in December. The last descendant of the Wodeyar dynasty, he also wore many hats: he was a fashion designer, a businessman, cricket administrator, a politician, hotelier and an investor. Margaret Thatcher, 87 Known as the Iron Lady of British politics, Margaret Thatcher as Britains only female prime minister showed an unshakable faith in the free market, leaving behind a leaner government and more prosperous nation. While she had fierce critics, praise for her leadership came in from around the world when she died in April at 87. Ruling for 11 years, she set her country on a rightward economic course, led it to victory in the Falklands war and helped guide the United States and the Soviet Union through the cold wars difficult last years. Addressing the media on May 4, 1979, the day she became prime minister, Thatcher said, I came to office with one deliberate intent, to change Britain from a dependent to a self-reliant society, from a give-it-to-me to a do-it-yourself nation.Hard-driving and hardheaded, she led her Conservative Party to three straight election wins and held office from 1979 to 1990 longer than any other British politician in the 20th century. Abroad, she won new esteem for a country that had been in decline since its costly victory in World War II. Reshma, 66 Born in Bikaner in Rajasthan to a Banjara family around 1947, Reshma had migrated to Pakistan. The renowned Pakistani folk singer died in Lahore from throat cancer. When she was just 12, a TV and radio producer spotted her singing at Shahbaz Qalander's shrine. The producer arranged for her to record "Laal Meri" on Pakistan radio. She became an instant hit. Some of her songs include "Dama Dam Mast Kalandar", "Hai O Rabba nahion lagda dil mera", "Sun charkhe di mithi mithi kook mahiya meinu yaad aunda" and "Lambi Judai". Farooque Sheikh, 65 The versatile and sensitive actor died in late December following cardiac arrest in Dubai. The late actor was known for his roles in movies like "Umrao Jaan", "Chashme Buddoor" and "Noorie", and as a popular TV presenter in Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai.
Compiled by Jinal Shah
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HUMOR
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he World Sikh Awards were held recently at Londons Hilton Hotel, recognizing achievements by Sikhs in a variety of fields all over the world. Khushwant Singh of New Delhi took the prize for Outstanding Sikh Writer, Harminder Singh Dua of Nottingham, England, took the prize for Outstanding Sikh Doctor and Ravinder Singh Atwal of Yuba City, California, took the prize for Outstanding Sikh Stay-at-Home Dad. I accept this award on behalf of all Sikh stay-at-home dads, Atwal said in his acceptance speech. This ones for you, guys. All those years of diaper-changing and bottlefeeding have not been in vain. To qualify for a World Sikh Award, Atwal had to first win a Yuba City Sikh Award, then a California Sikh Award, and finally a United States Sikh Award. The tough part was winning the Yuba City Sikh Award, Atwal said. Do you have any idea how many Sikhs there are in Yuba City?
minutes of that announcement, a businessman in Israel announced that in October 2015 he will organize the World Jewish Awards. It will be bigger than the World Muslim Awards, said Yitzhak Rubinstein. Thats why we are having it a month later, so we can see how big theirs is first. The World Hindu Awards were scheduled to take place in June 2014, but disagreements within the organizing committee about eligibility criteria have caused the award show to be broken up into several separate events, including the World Brahmin Awards, World Vaishya Awards and World Dalit Awards.
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
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Saints and mystics throughout the ages have told us everything in this world is perishable. Only our soul is eternal. The contemporary saint, His Holiness Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, in his 2014 New Year's Message urges us to consider this when making our first-of-the-year resolutions.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
t this time of year, most people have two major decisions to make. The first is what holiday gifts we want to receive. The second is what New Years resolutions we want to make. The question of holiday gifts often focuses on a material gift we want for ourselves or to give our loved ones. From childhood, many children are told to make a list of what they want as a holiday gift and most focus on toys and games. As adults, we focus on gadgets, necessities, or something fun and entertaining. Most involve items that are perishable, as they will either break, become lost, or we will lose interest in them. Few holiday gifts are lasting and meaningful. New Years resolutions usually do not focus on physical gifts, but on making new habits to improve our physical body and mind. For the body, some popular resolutions focus on our weight, fitness, health, appearance, or bodily goals. For the mind, we may want to improve our emotional wellness, our relationships, or our skills. We may want to take a course to improve our mind or develop a new ability. Often we want to eliminate habits that are not helpful to us. Masters give a different perspective on life. They point out that any gifts or resolutions related to this physical world, our body, and our mind are not lasting. They are perishable as anything made of matter will one day be destroyed. Material gifts we receive or give have a limited shelf life. Resolutions that affect our physical body and mind are also only going to last as long as we reside in this physical body. What, then, are decisions we can make for holiday gifts and New Years resolutions that are lasting? Saints advise that the gifts that are lasting are those of a spiritual nature that benefit our soul. Our soul is eternal and anything we receive to help our soul or any choices we make to improve our spiritual development will last beyond our physical life. Such spiritual gifts go with us beyond this life and stay with us for eternity. The most lasting gift we can give ourselves and our loved ones is learning how to meditate on the inner Light and Sound. Through meditation, we connect with an eternal source of all happiness, love, and Light that does not perish. This inner connection fulfills us with more joy and bliss than any material gifts of this world. The best resolution we can make is to meditate daily and avail of the spiritual riches God wants to bestow on usunion with God. Of all the resolutions we can make for our body and mind, the one with the most lasting benefit is meditation as that enriches our soul. Fulfillment of our soul provides far greater joy and ecstasy than any gains for our body and mind. This year, we can benefit the most by placing meditation on the inner Light and Sound at the top of our gift wish list. If we already know how to meditate, then let us pray for the regularity, devotion, commitment, and passion to keep it a priority in our life. For our New Years resolution, by placing a minimum of two and a half hours daily meditation at the top of our list, we can enjoy a gift that never perishes and is always a source of joy, love, and blissunion of our soul with God.
H.H. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is head of Science of Spirituality, an international, multi-faith organization dedicated to personal transformation through meditation. To learn more about Science of Spirituality and Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, visit: www.sos.org.
ASTROLOGY
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874; Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899; psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week (January 4-10, 2014)
4th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 4, you are a person who likes to take responsibilty and do your work with full dedication and honesty.For the coming year, we would advice that try to take all precautions while signing any legal documents. If you are planning to sign a partnership, you will have to weigh all the pros and cons, before getting into any legal matters. Health this year: You can enjoy a sound health only by keeping yourself stress-free. This is a year for you to realise that even short intense periods of stress may have long term consequences on the functioning of the brain. Therefore better to make it a habit to remain tension-free to enjoy the life to the fullest. Finance this year: This year your financial position will improve, as you might get some unexpected monetary gains either from foreign transaction or major government contract. At the same time if you are planning to go for some investments, invest after a careful thinking. Career this year: The coming year will bring changes, which will be beneficial to you. A change in job is likely for some. This year your hard work will bring you success and recognition. Partnership in business will be fruitful. Romance this year: This whole year you will be enjoying your personal life, as you and your partner will share some most cherishing moments of your life. To enjoy your romance, understand each other's requirement and try to fulfill them. You can plan to go on a vacation too. Lucky month: May, October, December and March Lucky colors: Electric blue and grey. 5th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 5, you are very strong headed person with friendly nature and practical thoughts. You inspire others to do their work with full dedication and perfection. You have an ability to make many friends and the best is that you are known as a very loyal friend to all your friends. This year keep control over your moody nature, which can put you in trouble. You strongly believe in destiny and have strong concentration power. This year you will feel more inclined towards religious activities. Health this year: There is this phrase- 'Donate blood to reap happiness'. Its true that when we donate our blood, it brings unlimited happpiness to you. This year make this a habit to donate blood every two-three months. Overall your health will be fine. Finance this year: Travel will bring you both prosperity and pleasure. You will travel to distant lands in the coming year. This will allow you to make the most of newer opportunities and will also be a source of good income, relaxation and enjoyment. Career this year: Your planning and methodical approach to work, will catch the attention of your seniors. You will be handsomely rewarded for you efficient and honest approach to your professional career. The ability to judge the weaknesses of your opponents, will be an asset to you, and you will be able to use this to your advantage. Romance this year: Though it will be short-lived but this year you will have a happy romance. The relationship would give you sweet memories, which you can cherish for the whole of your life. Keep in mind that we should enjoy the life as it comes to us. Lucky month: April, August, November and February Lucky colors:Light grey, pearl grey, turquoise & white 6th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 6, you are lover of simplicity and originality. You have the ability to inspire those around your. Your mere presence, makes people happy and full of enthusiasm. This year too your attractive personality and helping nature will bring happiness in other's life. Health this year: Health will generally remain normal. You will enjoy a sound physical health on imbibing positive thinking in your life. However, it will be in your interest to continue physical exercises to keep diseases a bay. Finance this year: You will earn a lot of money in the coming year, but on the other hand you will also spend it all on buying expensive clothes, jewelry and luxuries of life. Remember that you should save some money for your future too. Career this year: You have an special attachment towards art and music. Those of you who are in the profession of dance and poetry, will do exceeding well in your professional career, in the year ahead of you. Others will be able to impress their counterparts in the workplace. Romance this year: Your warmth and attractive personality will draw many friends towards you. You will always be a centre of attraction amongst friends and relatives, but this year you will be bowled by someone special. You might fall in love. Lucky month: July, November and March Lucky colors: All shades of blue and pink. 7th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 7, you are an intelligent, independent and kind hearted person. You know how to play with words. Using your this quality you will easily impress people around you. Your supportive nature makes you famous in your group. You love to be a leader in a group and can easily sense positive and negative energies coming from the people around you. This year you might go for a foriegn trip, which would be both pleasureable and rewarding. Health this year: This year positive attitude and a preventive care would bring immense relief from your ailments. You might have some teeth problem, but otherwise you will be enjoying a healthy life. Finance this year: This year travel will be an important part of your life. Most of you are likely to travel to distant lands for business purpose or office work. There is also a possibility of developing business ties abroad, which will fetch good financial returns. Career this year: You will be able to handle difficult situations with ease and authority. You will be able to express your views with clarity, whenever required. But, you tend to become a little stubborn at times, and try to impose your ideas on your colleagues and friends. Romance this year: Romantic life could face a testing time this year, when it will be publically known to everyone. However, Don't get disheartened /discouraged, as you will have to cement your love bond, so that you can enjoy your love to the fullest. Lucky month: August, November, December and April Lucky colors: All shades of green, white and yellow. 8th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 8, you are a person who loves challenges in life and always come out as a winner which ever task you take in hand. You are very practical, systematic and friendly person who is always there to help needy people. You determination and sincerity at work will fetch you both good finances and respect in society. Although you don't like anyone assisting you, but when you do any mistakes, you accept them easily and learn not to repeat it again. Health this year: This year you have decide to eat well. This is really nice on your part, but at the same time it would be better to develop a habit of wanting good nutritious food. This would make you feel lighter and more energetic, and you will be away from illnesses. Finance this year: Financially this year, you will be able to handle your money matters with ease and with your efficient planning you will even save some earning for the future. Career this year: In the coming year, your efficiency and sincerity, will clearly reflect in your work. Your seniors will notice this and you will be rewarded for your hard work and dedication. Your ability to see both sides of a problem, will be an asset to you, and you will be using this for your and others benefit. Romance this year: Your sense of duty towards your loved ones, will make you do your best for them this year. You can expect peace and harmony at the domestic front, in the year ahead of you. Those looking for life partner, will get an oppurtunity to meet the person of their dreams. Lucky month: July, September and February Lucky colors: Black, dark blue and purple. 9th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 9, you are one of the most energetic, courageous and brilliant person, who successfully completes the work taken in hand. You can be called cleanliness freak person. You always help those who need your help. You love to be in the company of those people who are intellignet and sophisticated. You are good at evaluating any situation and work accordingly. For you emotional happiness is more important than material happiness. Being focused in life, if you want to climb the ladder of success. Health this year: By nature you are short tempered and get easilly irritated over small matters, which also affects your mental and physical health. You will have to learn to control your temper, otherwise you will find yourself alone, making you depressed person. Finance this year: Travel will be an important part of your life, in the coming year. This will bring more opportunities for you and also help you to broaden your outlook and living style. You
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will be investing some of your savings for your brighter future. Career this year: Courage and alertness, will allow you to face any obstacle without much difficulty this year. You will be undertaking new ventures in your professional field. You will finish your project with sincerity and dedication. Romance this year: If you are unmarried and ready to embrace marriage, then there are chances that by the end of this year you will find your soul mate. But if you are married or in a serious relationship, then you need to be little cautious, as someone might create misunderstanding between two of you. Lucky month: June, September, December and March Lucky colors: All shades of reds, Crimson, maroon. 10th January, 2014 Traits in you: Being number 1, you are a person who loves originality in whatever work you do. By nature you are an authoritative person and so you always take charge of things which also makes you responsible person. If you take some task in hand, you are determined to finish it. By nature you are very soft spoken and kind hearted person. Health this year: You will enjoy good health this year. Time is to control your bad eating habits by avoiding junk food. Keep in mind that this could give rise to many stomach ailments. Therefore maintain a distance from them for the sake of a sound health. Finance this year: Financially, this will be a good year for you. Some of you, are likely to inherit property from your parents or grand parents. Your sincerity and dedication, will bring prosperity for those who are running any business. Career this year: Honour, fame and recognition, will be all for you, in the coming year. With your intelligence and abundance knowledge, you will be able to impress your seniors. You will be duly rewarded for your work. Promotions, increments and overall prosperity, is what most of you can expect from the year ahead of you. Romance this year: Your magnetic personality, will help you get closer to someone you lave, but have never shared your feelings. This year chances are that he/she might become your partner for life. Lucky month: May, August, November and February Lucky colors: Orange,yellow, copper, bronze & brown
Gemini: Hard work put-in the past will yield handsome rewards in business. Good advice from family members brings gains. Speculations are likely to bring monetary profits. Someones timely help would enable visualizing succeeding in love. Charity work undertaken will bring mental peace & comfort. A leisure trip will prove to be a premium time for you. Value the property at right price to attract buyers for it. Legal battle is likely to prove fruitful.
Libra: Your greatest gains will come through your creative ideas at professional front. Believe it or not someone in the family is watching you closely & considers you a role model. An auspicious week to invest money on items that would grow in value. Attending a social event/family function brings a romantic encounter. You will be successful in getting rid from tensions. Business or vacation traveling is what you needed right now. Banks love to finance those, who invest in properties which are underdevelopment. You find developing an interest in charity & social servicing. Aquarius: Your creativity will amaze people around you besides enhancing career prospects. Enjoying the company of close relatives will brighten your evening. A very successful week as far as monetary position is concerned. Romantic partner would try innovative methods to catch your attention. Pleasure trip would help in maintaining sound health in this week. Travel plans for ambitions are in full bloom. A deal regarding residential property can start moving on its right path. Timely help to needy friends help in solving personal problems.
Cancer: Business partners behave supportive on executing strategies to sort out pending problems. The company of family friends will keep you in a happy & relaxed mood. Monetary position is likely to improve later in the week. Romantic imagination would keep you in a jovial & cheerful mood. Meditation and self-realization prove beneficial. You might get a chance for business trip, which will help you in new connections. It always is exciting to begin looking at homes for sale in your area. Timely help to someone greatly helps in distress. Scorpio:Success is certain provided you work as a team. An important development at personal front brings jubilation for entire family. Investment on longterm plans would pave the way for earning financial gains. Your physical charm would catch the attraction of opposite sex. A sparkling laughter filled week when most things proceed, as you desire. Your travel plans are smooth, but the toughest part is that your partner doesnt have time. A good deal on commercial property might occur. Risk taking ability impresses the people closely monitoring you.
Virgo: Service people, artists and those in creative field will get several new opportunities. A week when misunderstandings at family front are sorted out with ease. You succeed in making some extra cash on playing your cards well. Sudden romantic encounter will lift your spirits. Sound physical health will enable to participate in outdoor activities. Travel plans for better communication will be helpful for new horizons. Investing in property business sounds very appealing. Revealing personal & confidential information would act as a blessing in disguise. Capricorn: Lack of confidence could slip promising career enhancement opportunities from your hands. A happy time in the company of friends and relatives as they do many favours to you. Successful execution of brilliant ideas would help in earning financial profits. A romantic encounter is likely to add spice to life. A very healthy week filled with happiness & vitality. Implementation of new ideas to travel will be beneficiary for you on work front. You might deal in some ancestral property or any other parental property. You find things moving the way you want them.
Pisces: New job opportunities for some will be better than expected. Shopping with family members will be highly pleasurable and exciting. Indications of earning financial profits through commissions, dividends or royalties. Initiatives in love bring positive results as you catch the desired attention. Yoga and meditation would help in keeping in shape and mentally agile. A beckon destination sounds tempting to you. Discussing property matters with parents can help for better innovations. Avoid wasting time in finding fault with others.
ASTROLOGY
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874; Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899; psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
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Aries: In the area of health year 2014 will be quite moderate for you, as no serious alignment will be affecting you. Few small health problems like headache, stomach infections might rise, but overall a good year ahead for you. Financially you will see good growth this year, as you will invest your hard earned money in such schemes who will give enormous benefits to you, making your position strong. If you are thinking of a job change, then we would suggest not to do so this year, as your decision might backfire, leaving you divested. Try to be clam at workplace, as you might get into trouble because of your stubborn nature. You will have full support of your family in whatever task you take in hand. You will be fulfilling their dreams, which will make them happy. Children will be the source of inspiration and happiness to you. You will enjoy your love life to the fullest this year, as your partner will be there to support you with all their love and affection. Those who are single and looking for love to enter their domain, this year have lots of hope for you. You might meet a person o your dreams. Traveling for official work will be fruitful. You might plan some family tour this year. If you are planning to buy some property then go ahead, as this year stars are favoring you. You might get some ancestral property too. Overall, year 2014 will be not too happening for you, we would suggest you to keep low this year and avoid taking any big decisions. Lucky Number: 18 Lucky Colour: Maroon Taurus: Year 2014 will give you full liberty to enjoy your health as you are ready to take control of your eating and sleeping habits. Try to make yoga or exercise a part of your life, as it will enhance your inner self. Financially this year will be moderate. Dont expect any big gains, but your financial status will fulfill your wishes. If possible invest your money in some mutual fund schemes to recur good interests. Those of you who are working can see a good increment in salary with position hike too. Some of you can also look for a change. Your efforts will be appreciated by both your peers and seniors. If you are a businessman then you will see new heights with enormous growth. This year try to make balance between your professional and personal life, as your work commitments can hamper your family life. A bad health of some family member can be a reason to worry. Romance is in the air for you. If you are single, then this year you can meet your love. Those who are already in relationship will enjoy this beautiful feeling all over year. This year you will be traveling a lot, and be assured these journeys will bring success to you. You will buy something for your house, which you are planning for a long time. On the whole, year 2014 will fulfill your wishes, but on your part we would suggest that dont over spend and save for your better future. Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Maroon Gemini: Year 2014 you will have to be more careful about your health. Eat good food and drink lots of water to keep your metabolism working in good condition. Try to avoid taking unnecessary physical and mental baggage, as it would only harm you. This year your finances will be just OK. The year will not bring tension related to money, so spend when it is needed. Professionally you will be rocking as your work will make your company proud of you. You will be given new responsibilities at work. If you run your own business, then you can get a chance to work with an esteemed client. Family life will be enjoyable, as excellence of your kid in academics or some cultural activity will bring joy in a family. There are chances of some celebrations in the house. You might think of doing some interior of your house. Festive atmosphere at home will be encouraging. This year you might face difficult situations at love front, as you are not able to give your 100 percent to your relationship. Try to keep calm while meeting your love, as chances of getting into an argument are very high. Travel plans this year will be encouraging, as you might travel long distance for some project. You can go for vacation with friends or family members. You can buy a property this year, which will bring good fortune to you.
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info