Vol 6 Issue 47 - March 22-28, 2014

The South Asian Times
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Follow us on Vol.6 No. 47 March 22-28, 2014 60 Cents New York Edition TheSouthAsianTimes.info
The South Asian Times

e x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Follow us on Vol.6 No. 47 March 22-28, 2014 60 Cents New York Edition TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Fervor, gaiety mark Holi in India

New Delhi: The Holi festival was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervor across the country with people greeting each other by applying 'gulaal' and sharing sweets. In Delhi, Holi saw usual enthusiasm. The celebrations picked up during the day as the weather grew pleasant and warmer. Young revellers sprayed water from 'pichkaris' & flung water balloons at one another. In Vrindavan & Mathura, the festivities were marked by devotional prayers in temples dotting the region.
Holi Special Section pg 13-25
New York: What was once a Hindu festival, Holi has now become a multi-ethnic, multifaceted and largely global tradition. People all over the world and not just NRIs celebrate the festival of colors, some in their own variation, and not necessarily at the onset of spring. Some of the Holi events organized by Indian groups in America are now thronged by people from all sections of society. The Festival of Colors event organized by the Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, sees more Mormons than Indians! The Color Me Rad 5K Run is held in many US cities that combines color throwing and running. And HoliOne is organized by an enterprising group in London, Dublin, Berlin, Sao Paulo, Cape Town, etc, with artists playing at these venues.
HOLI GOES GLOBAL WITH GLEE
In America, of course, Holi celebrations by the Indian community continue on weekends before and after the actual festival day (March 17 this year)
The Holi event at the Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, sees more Mormon participants than Indians!
Crimea grabbed, Russia wants more 2 weeks on, no sign of Malaysian airliner of Ukraine: White House
Washington: Based on intelligence, Obama administration officials are very concerned the Russians are not being truthful when they say their forces near Ukraine's eastern and southern borders are merely there for training exercises, CNN reports quoting sources. Officials assess that Russia as early as coming days could use any number of pretexts to justify further military incursions into Ukraine. Moscow could express a need to protect Russian-speaking Ukrainians, or to protect transportation lines from Russia to Crimea, or the energy Continued on page 6 Perth: Its been two gut-wrenching, frustrating, mysterious weeks. That's how long it's been since 227 passengers and 12 crew members boarded Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, destined for Beijing. A routine trip, it seemed, to catch up relatives in time for the weekend, start on a work assignment or just get away. Where they got to, still unknown. An exhaustive search -- covering a mind-boggling 2.97 million square miles, which is nearly the size of the continental United States -- has yielded some clues, but no proof of where the Boeing 777 is or definitively what happened to it. The latest, most notable lead revolved Continued on page 6
INTENSE SEARCH OFF AUSTRALIA TURNS UP ZILCH
Russian President Vladimir Putin signs Crimea's accession into law Friday.
Battleground India 9
Fashion 28
Personal Finance 33
Spiritual Awareness 36
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TRISTATE COMMUNITY
March 22-28, 2014
Meera Gandhis Giving Back charity honors 2 at gala

who was acknowledged at the gala told Meeras daughter Kiran on drums and SATimes, More than 90 girls - orphaned, Bina Menons dance troupe from the from broken families or born in prison - Kalashri School performing. are the beneficiaries of the Giving Back Live auction items included a couture foundation. The charity provides lodging, designer outfit by Elizabeth Emanuel; vaboarding and food to girls and boys (from cations at the Taj hotels in India; works by the school) aged 5-14. For the last four artists such as Tarik Currimbhoy, Qadri years they have helped us build the hostel from Sundaram Tagore Gallery; a consulfor girls, school playground, educational tation with interior designer Clodagh; an infrastructure, we had nothing before. exclusive handbag from Samia Kamar of He added that they intend to take help London; jewelry by Jyoti Singhvi and from the foundation to give these children photographs by Anders Corr and Daniel skills to make them independent. Aubry. Some other projects Meeras foundaThe Giving Back Foundations mission tion has undertaken include: providing, is to alleviate poverty, illness and sufferon an annual basis, awards and honorari- ing, and to support the arts through phiums to teenage students at the Eleanor lanthropy. Headquartered in New York, it Roosevelt Leadership Center in Hyde has operations in London, Hong Kong Park, NY; annual grants to South Asia and New Delhi. college students for studying at Baruch College in New York City; and a 5-year commitment to Woodstock Film Festival, which includes providing honorariums and awards annually to filmmakers whose work serves causes of social change. At the event, the cocktail reception and dinner were followed by a live auction and enterMeera Gandhi with Rev. Timothy Shaw of St Michaels tainment with DJ in New Delhi, the school which is a beneficiary Logic, with singer of her foundation. Lara Anderson and
Manju Goel loses Congressional bid from Illinois
Manju Goel lost in the Republican primary to Larry Kaifesh.
Socialite-turned-philanthropist Meera Gandhi at the gala.
By Jinal Shah New York: Meera Gandhi, CEO and founder of the Giving Back Foundation on Wednesday honored Nimesh Kampani, Chairman of the JM Financial Group, and Barbara Tober of the Museum of Arts and Design, at the inaugural Giving Back Foundation gala here. Both Barbara and Nimish represent the true spirit of giving back, said Meera. Investment banker Ajit G. Hutheesing accepted the award on behalf of his friend Kampani. At the event, a short documentary highlighting the work done by Meeras charity in Delhis St Michaels School and hostel was shown. Giving Back Foundation, launched in 2010 as a catalyst to uplift and empower young women and children, adopted the school and provided necessary infrastructure. Rev. Timothy Shaw from St Michaels
Washington: Controversial Indian-American candidate Manju Goel has lost the race for the Republican nomination for US House from Illinois to Larry Kaifesh, a US Marine Corps Reserve colonel. With 95 percent of precincts reporting Goel had garnered 9,338 votes to Kaifesh's 23,295 votes in Tuesday's primary for the State's eighth Congressional district, according to Courier News. The primary race had became contentious with Kaifesh challenging Goel's election petitions and Goel branding the move as racially motivated as Indian and Hispanic names were under scrutiny. Last week, the Kaifesh campaign claimed that Goel supporters were being investigated for trying to buy votes, with complaints filed with the Cook and DuPage County State's Attorneys' offices. The Cook County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Del Mar even asked Goel to withdraw after her opponent accused her campaign of setting up a fake website and social media sites set to look up like his own but with content denigrating his campaign According to the phony site, which resembled Kaifesh's official campaign web site, it was paid for by a PAC called Indian Americans for Freedom, which lists Goel's address, local WLS-TV reported. The PAC was formed by Indian-American businessman Shalli Kumar, a supporter of BJPs PM candidate Narendra Modi.
Connecting India & USA

New York: The Consulate General of India organized March 18 a presentation Connect India & USA in 2014 focusing on the development of business relations between India and the USA. Consul General, Amb. Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay in his opening remarks emphasized not only the need of better connection between India and USA in all respects but also invited young Indian Americans as well as American youths to work together for building cooperative relationships and partnerships between the two countries. Keith Zendler, CEO & Founder of The Cspace, Michigan in his presentation highlighted his efforts to connect India and USA through his innovative idea and technology which will be available free to the users on this web-space "C Space" not only to business organizations but also to NGOs, government organizations, private institutions desirous of getting connected with India. Govind S. Sovale illustrated the technology and how it will work and Shyamala Desai associated with the NGO 'PREM' talked about organizations which have already joined the initiative. Many members of business community from New York and the tristate area attended the event which saw younger and older generations of entrepreneurs coming together to build better connectivity between India and the USA.
Stan Lee launches new superhero in English, Hindi

Washington: Comic book legend Stan Lee, co-creator of some of the world's leading superhero characters like Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, has joined hands with Graphic India to launch a new superhero - "Chakra the Invincible". Created by Lee, Graphic India and POW! Entertainment, the new series of animated shorts is available globally in English and will also be released in Hindi specifically for the Indian market, the two US companies announced Tuesday. Launched on Rovio's ToonsTV, a streaming video platform, Chakra is also available through the Angry Birds game apps, at Toons.TV. "Against the backdrop of Mumbai, we tell the incredible saga Indian boy living in Mumbai. Determined to unlock the secrets of human potential through science, Raju and his mentor, the scientist Dr. Singh, develop a technology suit that activates the mystical chakras of the body. When Raju accidentally activates the suit, he discovers he has superpowers and vows to use his new found abilities to protect the city. "Chakra" was recently launched on Cartoon Network India as an animated film. Founded by media entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman, Graphic India is owned by US comic book Company, Liquid Comics and CA Media LP, the Asian investment arm of The Chernin Group.
Chakra the Invincible is an Indian superhero.
of Chakra, one of my latest and most exciting superhero creations, whose adventures will captivate audiences around the world," said Lee. "Chakra - The Invincible," tells the story of Raju Rai, a young
March 22-28, 2014
TURN PAGE
Crimea grabbed, Russia... Continued from page 3 supply to Crimea from the rest of Ukraine. Russian troops could accomplish this quickly, officials say, and theoretically before any other nation could even raise objections. Officials publicly attribute their skepticism to previous Russian assurances that proved false, and privately say intelligence from the field has bolstered this view of Russias plans. Asked for a candid assessment of White House worries about a possible incursion, a senior administration official told CNN, Were very concerned, but its by no means certain. Separately, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Friday the Russians have said they intend to conduct military exercises. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with his Russian counterpart, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, on Thursday. Shoigu provided assurance that the troops he has arrayed along the border are there to conduct exercises only, that they had no intention of crossing the border into Ukraine, and that they would take no aggressive action, according to a Pentagon read-out of the call. 2 weeks on, no sign of... Continued from page 3 around two large objects detected by satellite Sunday floating on waters over 1,400 miles off of Australia's west coast. The first of several Australian military planes, as well as two long-range commercial jets, resumed their search Saturday morning to find any trace of the objects, amid some skepticism that they or ships in the area ever will and, if they do, that whatever they find will be related to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday defended the decision to announce the find, saying Australia owes it to families of those missing "to give them information as soon as it's to hand." But he didn't make any promises. "It could just be a container that has fallen off a ship," Abbott said during a visit to Papua New Guinea. "We just don't know." On Friday, Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia's interim transportation minister, tried to reset expectations for a quick resolution to the mystery after the satellite discovery. "This is going to be a long haul," he said. After tough weather Thursday, conditions improved Friday to allow flight crews to look with their eyes rather than relying all on radar, said John Young, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's emergency response manager. "That's encouraging," he said. "But we have no sightings yet." The United Kingdom was sending the HMS Echo to aid a growing international flotilla searching the southern Indian Ocean. Australia is sending a ship, the HMAS Success. And Malaysian and Chinese vessels -- including the icebreaker Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, as reported by China's official Xinhua news agency -- are also steaming to join a massive Norwegian cargo ship diverted there Thursday at Australia's request plus a motley collection of merchant ships heading to the search area.
India maintain all-win record against Pak in a World Cup meet

Mirpur (Bangladesh): India, riding on a fine show by its spinners, maintained its all-win record in an ICC meet against Pakistan as they beat the arch-rivals by 7 wickets in the tournament opener of the World Twenty20 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium here Friday. Leggie Amit Mishra picked up two for 22 as Indian spinners put on a fine act to restrict Pakistan to 130 for seven in 20 overs. Mishra was adjudged as the Man of the Match for his miserly act with the ball. While chasing, Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 36 and Suresh Raina on 35 as India romped home safely with seven wickets in hand and nine balls to spare. But the credit must go to the Indian openers Rohit Sharma (24) and Shikhar Dhawan (30) who laid the foundation of the chase with their 54run stand. Rohit finally came back to form with a blistering 21-ball innings that was studded with one four and two sixes. On the other end, Dhawan also kept the runs flowing hitting five fours in his 28ball knock. Spinner Saeed Ajmal (1/18) was the best among the Pakistani bowlers and castled Rohit with a delivery that turned sharply in the eighth over. Two overs later, Ajmal took a good catch in the deep to get rid of Dhawan, who was done in again by a short-pitched delivery from Umar Gul. Umar Akmal was the top scorer with 33 while Ahmed Shehzad (22) and Shoaib Maqsood (21) also made valuable contributions. Dhoni's decision to attack with three spinners did the trick as the trio of Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja (1/18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (0/23) between them gave away just 63 runs from 12 overs.
Delhi Chicago Sister Committee Chair Smita Shah celebrates Holi with Mayor Rahm Emanuel at Jaipur Palace restaurant in Chicago.
Battling election anxiety, Congress faces desertions

New Delhi: The Congress, fighting negative public perception and with a demoralized cadre following a spate of opinion polls predicting a rout for the party in the coming elections, is having a tough time finding winnable candidates with some leaders unwilling to take the plunge and some others deserting the party to join its main rival BJP. Some others want a change of seats. Among the prominent Congress leaders who have joined the BJP in the run up to Lok Sabha elections are Satpal Maharaj, Jagdambika Pal and D. Purandeswari - three MPs who had won the 2009 election as Congress nominees. Party veteran Buta Singh, who was home minister in the government of Rajiv Gandhi, has joined the Samajwadi Party. Congress sources said that union ministers Srikant Jena and Chandresh Kumari and the party's Haryana unit chief Ashok Tanwar were among those who had explored the possibility of changing seats but were finally given tickets for the seats they won in 2009. The party, however, allowed some leaders to change their seats. Cricketer-turned-politician Mohammed Azharuddin has been fielded from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan instead of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, which he won in 2009. Former union minister C.P. Joshi has been shifted to Jaipur rural from Bhilwara. Former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, whose name was being mentioned as a possible Congress candidate against senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley from Amritsar, had expressed his reluctance to contest. The party Friday named him party candidate from Amritsar in a signal that the leadership would not succumb to public statements about reluctance to contest. In states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, some leaders have already made it clear that they are not keen to contest.With Finance Minister P Chidambaram opting out of the contest apparently in keeping with his desire to make way for the younger generation, the Congress has fielded his son Karti from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.
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TRISTATE COMMUNITY
March 22-28, 2014
US 'very hopeful' about future of ties with India

Washington: Seeking to distance itself from US prosecutor Preet Bharara securing a reindictment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, the US state department says it's "very hopeful about what the future holds" for India-US relationship. "Obviously, this is in the hands of the Department of Justice," spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Monday via teleconference when asked about the re-indictment of Khobragade two days after the dismissal of a visa fraud case against her by a New York judge. "In terms of the future of our relationship, as you know, Assistant Secretary (of State Nisha Desai) Biswal was just in India," she said. "She had a productive trip while she was there. She had a range of meetings while she was there." "Our relationship and all of the issues we work together on are far too important," Psaki said. "So we're looking forward, and we're very hopeful about what the future holds." Asked to comment on the
Indian techies in US build online platform for AAP

Silicon Valley, CA: Indian techies in the US have built what they call a "game changer" "Next Generation" technology platform to raise online donations for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for India's upcoming parliamentary elections. Launched on Holi day, the online "my.aamaadmiparty.org" platform raised a record Rs.5.5 million (nearly $90,000) in online donations on the very first day, according to the party's US spokesman, Pran Kurup, himself a Valley-based techie. "The unique one of its kind technology platform is expected to be a game changer this election as it would enable AAP to tap the groundswell of enthusiasm and support that already exists in its favour," he said. Those who want to help the AAP can simply join my.aamadmiparty.org using their Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, or Live accounts, AAP's US unit said. They can donate, reach out and invite their friends and acquaintances to become part of the network. They can also track donations of their personal network, it said. "Today we are using technology to tap into support base and further extend it to leverage people's personal network of friends and acquaintances," said Ravi Sharma, an AAP volunteer and architect of the platform. "The idea is very simple but yet extremely powerful and can have far reaching implications purely because of the network effect it can unleash," he said.
White House stands by Vivek Murthy as 'America's doctor'

Dr Vivek Murthy is opposed by the gun lobby
Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade formerly posted in New York has been re-indicted.
upcoming parliamentary elections in India, Psaki said: "I think we're conveying pretty clearly that we have an important relationship and we work together on economic, strategic, and security issues." Expressing disappointment over Khobragade's second indictment India had Saturday described it as an "unnecessary step" and said "India's government will no longer engage on this case in the US legal system". The Dec 12 arrest and strip search of Khobragade, India's then deputy consul general in New York, had sparked a major diplomatic row between the two countries..
Washington: In the face of strong opposition from the powerful gun lobby, the White House is standing by President Barack Obama's pick for surgeon general, Indian American Vivek Murthy, an ardent supporter of Obama's healthcare law. However, it is "recalibrating our approach" as White House Press Secretary Jay Carney put it, to get Murthy, 36, confirmed as "America's doctor" by the Democratic controlled Senate following the defeat of Debo Adegbile, Obama's nominee for the nation's top civil rights post. If and when confirmed, Murthy would be the first
Indian American and the youngest person to become the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the US. "We expect him to get confirmed ultimately and be one of the country's most powerful messengers on health and wellness," Carney said rejecting media reports that the White House was abandoning Murthy's nomination with some Democrats balking under pressure from the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA). Dr Murthy is a dynamic, entrepreneurial practitioner who had dedicated a lot of time, energy and passion to health and wellness." Carney said.
March 22-28, 2014
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Senate confirms Arun Kumar to key trade job

Washington, DC: The US Senate has confirmed yet another IndianAmerican nominee of President Barack Obama to lead the trade promotion arm of the US Commerce Department charged with helping US companies succeed in markets around the world. Kerala University physics graduate Arun Madhavan Kumar was confirmed to be assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the US and Foreign Commercial Service by a voice vote Wednesday along with Puneet Talwar, a longtime White House national security staffer. As the State Department's new assistant secretary for political-military affairs, Talwar would be serving as a bridge between the State and Defence departments. He becomes the third IndianAmerican in a top position at the State Department after Nisha Desai Biswal, point person for South and Central Asia and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, highest ranking Indian-American in Obama administration. At over two dozen, Oba-
Go home terrorists: Abuse Sikh students face in US

Sikh Coalitions report on bullying released in the Congress
Washington, DC: Sikh children in American schools have been punched, kicked, have had their turbans ripped off by fellow students and called "Bin Laden" or worse. Some have even had to face abuses like "Go Home Terrorist." Their only fault is that they are Sikh students who live in accordance with the tenets of their faith, says a new report on bullying against Sikh American school children. The report was prepared by the Sikh Coalition, an umbrella organization of the Sikh community. "I was in California like seven, six years ago. It was me and my brother, we had jooras (uncut hair tied in a topknot)... just us two were Sikh... For two years, we got bullied, came home crying every day," said L. Singh, one of the bullied children cited in the report. "Mom got tired of it. She went to school. They didn't do anything about it. Teachers were racist out there... I was in 5th grade, and my dad took us to a barber shop and he was like, 'It's today.' My mom was crying, my dad was crying. It was the day we just (took our patka) off and we cut our hair." "We went back to school and we still got bullied. And we had to move out to Indiana just because of the bullies (in California)," he said. "Bullied in California. Bullied in Indiana. Bullied when he maintained his religiously mandated uncut hair. Bullied after he cut it. Left to his own devices to end it. That's the story of L. Singh which captures the experience of young Sikhs across America," according to the report. The bullying of Sikh children is often associated with post-9/11 bias, the report found with epithets such as "terrorist" or "Bin Laden" frequently accompanying verbal and physical abuse. Statistically speaking, more than half of Sikh children in US schools endure bullying with over twothirds of turbaned Sikh children among its worst victims, according to a new national report. Focused on Seattle, Indianapolis, Boston, and Fresno, California metropolitan areas, the report titled "Go Home Terrorist: A Report on Bullying Against Sikh American School Children" was released last week on Capitol Hill, the seat of the US Congress. It is based on surveys and focus groups of over 700 Sikh school children and interviews of over 50 Sikh students in the four metropolitan areas during 2012 and 2013. According to the National Centre for Education Statistics, 32 percent of all students aged 12 to 18 report that they are bullied in school. Turbaned Sikh children therefore likely experience bullying at more than double the national rate, the report said. Consistently, Sikh children have called on educators and administrators to teach more about Sikhs and the Sikh religion in order to build understanding in school, it noted. The report cites lack of federal data on the bullying of Sikh school children as a systematic concern that should be addressed in order to better diagnose and target efforts to solve the issue. In addition, the absence of or negative representation of Sikhs in school textbooks nationwide was cited by the report as an opportunity to better combat or mitigate school bullying.
Arun Madhavan Kumar
ma administration boasts of having the highest number of Indian Americans in key jobs than any previous administrations in US. During his confirmation hearing, Kumar told the Senate Commerce Committee that he would "like to strengthen the focus on the markets offering the biggest opportunities for American products and services, and on orchestrating efforts to increase our market share in those markets". Kumar, who succeeds another Indian American, Secunderabad-born Suresh Kumar, was earlier a partner and member of the Board of Directors at KPMG LLP.
Culinary comedy Jadoo to close 12th film fest of Los Angeles

Highlights include Anurag Kashyaps Ugly, Sundance Festival favorite Liar's Dice, Irrfan Khans Qissa and Mumbai spotlight films Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles: The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) announced its 2014 lineup of narrative and documentary features and short films for this years festival. Celebrating its 12th year, IFFLA will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festivals home since its inception. Jadoo, a delightful and delicious exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers restaurants in England, will screen as the festivals Closing Night Gala. It is written and directed by IFFLA alum Amit Gupta and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. IFFLA will open with Jeffrey D. Browns Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson. IFFLA 2014 presents more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, IFFLA supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
IFFLA opens with 'SOLD'.
A fourth of Indian business graduates land jobs in US

Washington, DC: About one in four business school graduates in India find jobs in America, second only to China, which sends 38 percent of its alumni to the US, according to a new survey. While 64 percent of Indian business graduates stay in their home country, 23 percent go the US and two percent to Canada. In the case of China, 48 percent stay home, while eight percent prefer Hong Kong as their second job destination after the US. The Alumni Perspectives Survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which administers the worldwide Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), is based on a poll of 20,704 alumni from 129 nations, including 984 from India. After India, Mexico (18 percent) sent the most business graduates to the US followed by Japan (16 percent), Germany (15 percent), Canada (15 percent), and Australia (4 percent). As for the US, 97 percent of its business school graduates find jobs at home with only 3 percent going abroad. In terms of salary, business school graduates in India get the lowest starting annual salary of $11,223 while those in Canada get the highest at $75,000. US comes next with $57,000 followed by France at $52,991, Spain at $29,553 and China with $16,413.
Other Key Findings:

Globally, 13 percent of alumni work outside their country of citizenship, a figure that varies widely by world region, from just three percent of US citizens to 37 percent of Central Asian and Middle East/African citizens. As a group, graduate business school alumni most attribute their career success to their personal effort (95 percent), followed by their graduate management degree (80 percent), and years of work experience (74 percent). Graduate business school alumni work in all kinds of industries, although 2 in 5 alumni work in finance and accounting (20 percent) or in the products and services sectors (20 percent). Across all class years surveyed, 11 percent of business school alumni are self-employed, ranging from five percent from the most recent classes of 20102013 to 23 percent of those who graduated before 1990. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of business school alumni give financially to their alma mater, influenced by their belief that their institution provided them with a valuable education.
A still of IFFLA's closing night movie 'Jadoo'
I'm thrilled and proud that IFFLA's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora, said IFFLAs Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyaps latest, Ugly, an intense, psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Directors Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that pre-
miered at this years Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singhs latest feature Qissa: The tale of a lonely ghost starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of NETPAC Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha, an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff, among others.
BATTLEGROUND 2014
March 22-28, 2014
BJP firefighting: Advani to contest from Gandhinagar

New Delhi: Putting an end to a growing controversy, senior BJP leader L.K. Advani Thursday said he has decided to contest from the Gandhinagar constituency, after he was mollified by party leaders, including Rajnath Singh and Narendra Modi, and told he was free to choose between the Gujarat seat and Bhopal. The octogenarian leader had reportedly gone into a sulk after he was told to contest from Gandhinagar and not his choice Bhopal. But a series of meetings with senior party leaders as well as a telephonic talk with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) brought the former deputy prime minister around and he agreed to go with Gandhinagar. "I have decided to contest the 2014 general elections from Gandhinagar itself. I have conveyed my opinion to Rajnath Singh," the 86-year-old Advani said in a statement. Advani said he was approached by Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Modi, who came to his residence "and emphasised that the people of Gujarat are keen that I represent Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha once again". Shivraj Singh Chouhan and has publicly praised his governance over that of Modi. Advani was believed not to be keen to fight from Gandhinagar as a result of his tense relationship with the Gujarat chief minister. He has earlier made known his unhappiness at Modi being made the BJP campaign chief and also the prime ministerial candidate, though he came round later and expressed support for his former protege. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is also believed to have spoken to him and urged him to go with the party parliamentary board's decision of Gandhinagar. But seat choice troubles are not over for the BJP as another senior leader Jaswant Singh Thursday indicated he wanted to be given his constituency of choice. Singh, 75, is reported to be keen to contest from Barmer in Rajasthan. Though he has never represented Barmer in the Lok Sabha, sources said he has conveyed to the party that he wants to contest what is likely to be his last election from the constituency. Singh has won Lok Sabha elections before from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan in 1991 and 1996 and from Darjeeling in West Bengal in 2009.
Chidambaram opts out, son in
Karthi Chidambaram, P. Chidambaram's son
The octogenarian leader had reportedly gone into a sulk after he was told to contest from Gandhinagar and not his choice Bhopal.
He has won the seat five times. Advani said he was informed by party chief Rajnath Singh that the Madhya Pradesh unit had also suggested his name for contesting from Bhopal. He said he was informed that "the choice between the two parliamentary seats should be left to me". Advani said he was "deeply touched by this gesture of my party
colleagues", and also expressed gratitude to BJP members from Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, for proposing his name for the Bhopal seat. The senior leader had expressed his displeasure ever since the party announced his name for Gandhinagar Wednesday as he was keen to fight from Bhopal. Advani is known to be close to
New Delhi: The Congress announced its fourth list, comprising of 50 candidates, for the Lok Sabha elections. The list includes Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mani Shankar Aiyar, and P.Chidambaram's son Karthi Chidambaram. The list is for some constituencies in Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. It includes candidates for two Delhi seats - West and South Delhi.Azad is to contest from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, Chidambaram's son Karthi Chidambaram from Sivaganga and Aiyar from Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu.
Satpal Maharaj quits Congress, joins BJP

Dehradun/New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Satpal Maharaj resigned from the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of its national president Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. The Paudhi Garhwal MP said he was joining the BJP to strengthen the country, which now has a leader in Narendra Modi, the party's prime ministerial candidate. "I want India to grow and outsmart China in development and this is only possible when an able leader like Narendra Modi becomes the prime minister," he said. He said that after the flash floods in Uttarakhand in June last year, the people have been suffering and loyal Congress workers were being sidelined. Rajnath Singh welcomed him in the party fold and said he would be given all the rewards he deserves. The senior leader has been sulking for some time after he was sidelined. Maharaj has a massive following in the hill state and elsewhere because of his religious sermons, and was first angry at being sidestepped and Harish Rawat being appointed the chief minister.
Farmers' suicides a national agony, says Modi

Yavatmal/Wardha (Maharashtra): BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi interacted via video conferencing with around 1,500 farmers from across the country, and said farmers committing suicide after being hit by natural calamities or economic crises was a "national agony". Modi answered a variety of questions posed by farmers from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and other states as part of his "Chai Pe Charcha" initiative. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader said more farmers have died in Maharashtra in the past few years than in all the wars fought by India. "It's a national agony. The NDA shall stand behind all farmers hit by natural calamities like the recent hailstorms, or economic crises. I shall not be able to sleep peacefully till I do something for you," Modi said. The Gujarat chief minister urged the need for a system where farmers are not driven to end their lives, with the infusion of modern technology, providing water resources and making efforts to double agriculture output. Modi said soyabean can become an important weapon in India's fight against malnutrition if it can reach the masses.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader said more farmers have died in Maharashtra in the past few years than in all the wars fought by India.
"Nowadays, a lot of soya products are available, and soya milk is becoming increasingly popular," he said. Modi said it was "irresponsible" on part of the government as to how foodgrains were rotting or are destroyed in floods, even as the country grapples with hunger. "We have no real-time data on agriculture in the country, which can be possible with the latest satellite technology. This will enable movement of foodgrain from one deficit area to another and prevent wastage. Goods trains must have a dedicated department for transporting agri-products
on priority," he said. Modi called for land reforms and surveys every 30 years, the need to invest in agri-technology, and exploiting barren land to improve output. He also spoke about bank loans to farmers and going soft in recoveries during natural crises. In Wardha, Modi proposed a formula for ending farmers' misery. "We want a 5-F formula - farm, fibre, fabric, fashion and foreign (exports) - to help the cotton producing farmers," Modi said at a rally amidst applause from the farming community.
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March 22-28, 2014
INDIA
Khushwant: A born raconteur, a vintage sardar

Khushwant Singh, author, journalist, commentator, wit and raconteur par excellence, died in his 100th year of birth, after having led a life that, in the words of his son, "touched the stars" and left an indelible and acerbic mark on Indian journalism and contemporary writing.
New Delhi: "All that I hope for is that when death comes to me, it comes swiftly, without much pain, like fading away in sound slumber. Till then I'll keep working and living each day as it comes," he wrote in the book "Absolute Khushwant: The Low-Down on Life, Death and Most Things In-Between" in 2010. His wish was realized. Khushwant Singh, who died at age 99, had a long, successful and His last book, "The Good, The Bad and The Ridiculous", was published in October 2013. A household name among English language readers, Khushwant Singh reached out to millions every week with his column, "With Malice Towards One and All" - a post-mortem of current affairs, reviews, critiques, opinions and a punchline. Humour was his trademark and a wicked candour resonant with satire and a sort of cynicism set his writing apart from the rest of his Indian peers. Two events - the partition of the country and the 1984 riots - cast an indelible impression on his writing. The siege of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Indian Army in 1987 prompted him to return the Padma Bhushan which was awarded to him in 1974. The man with words in his blood was born to Sobha Singh, a prominent builder in Lutyen's Delhi Feb 2, 1915. He went to Modern School in the capital and subsequently to the Government College in Lahore and to King's College in London before studying for the bar at Inner Temple. Singh was often labelled as "dirty old man of Indo-Anglian writing" for his brazen references to sexuality and a lewd humour. Beautiful and cerebral women stirred the connoisseur in him like the fine liquor he was fond of sipping through out his life. His sixth and last novel "The Sunset Club" was yet another example of the man, who had initially supported the state of emergency clamped by then prime minister Indira Gandhi, and then became her vocal opponent. In his later years, he was concerned by the growth of fundamentalism in India and wrote out against all forms of extremist and nationalist religion that militated against India's secular ethos.
Khushwant Singh, who died at age 99, had a long, successful and - most colorful - career
- most colorful - career. Bursting on the literary firmament with a collection of short stories, "The Mark of Vishnu and Other Stories" in 1950 and his partition novel, "Train to Pakistan" in
1956. He followed it up with "The Voice of God and Other Stories", "The Sikhs Today", "Ghadar 1915: India's First Armed Revolution", "Delhi: A Novel", and "The Sunset Club".
The man whose obit was written 31 years ago

H
e was known nationally as a celebrated lecher but for the past thirty years at least it was a hot-water-bottle that warmed his bed," author Dhiren Bhagat wrote in a mock obit of Khushwant Singh in 1983, a full 31-years before he died. But the "victim", as it were, had the last laugh! "Contradictions surrounded Khushwant at every stage of his life. He strove to give the impression that he was a drunken slob yet he was one of the most hardworking and punctual men I knew. He professed agnosticism and yet enjoyed kirtan as only few can and do," Bhagat, who died in a road accident in 1988, wrote in The Sunday Observer on Feb 13, 1983. "In '55 he shot to fame when a novel of his won a large cash award set by an American publishing house in order to attract manuscripts. It was a mediocre Partition quickie called 'Mano Majra' (later published as 'Train to Pakistan'). "Years passed. Khushwant kept writing books, on the Jupji, on the Sikhs, on India, stories, translations: many of them provocatively titled and indicative of his deepest desires, 'I Shall Rape the Nightingale', 'I Take This Woman" etc. Some of these attempts were successful. "But success and cosmopolitan living did not spoil the earthiness of the robust Jat. He continued to down his Scotch with a ferocity that made his hosts nervous. He continued to tell stories that revealed his deep obsession with the anal. He had a theory that all anger was a result of an upset stomach and instructed his son to ask his mother if her stomach walls troubled her whenever she scolded him. "In 1969 Khushwant took over the Illustrated Weekly and embarked on the most controversial phase of his career. Sitting in that cross-legged position Khushwant took the ailing magazine from success to success, all along illuminating millions of readers on the more outre aspects of the world's brothels. So great wrote Bhagat's obituary in December 1988. "The score was more than settled in my favour as I, 40 years older than him, am alive: Dhiren had met his end in a car accident a month earlier in November," Khushwant Singh recalled in India Today December 31, 1990 in a review of "The Contemporary Conservative: Selected Writings of Dhiren Bhagat. Edited by Salman Khurshid". "I have yet a score unsettled," he wrote of the Rs.20,000 he had persuaded Penguin India editor David Davidar to give Bhagat as advance royalty for a book on the Punjab - which never got written. "It was the first and the last time we gave an advance to any of our authors. Perhaps the sales of his posthumous collection of articles, short stories and poems may compensate for our loss. But nothing will compensate for the loss that Indian journalism suffered on the death of this bright, erudite, but unpredictable young man in the prime of his life, Khushwant wrote.
Khushwant Singh interacting with trainees from Hindustan Times on July 6, 1983. (Photo: Courtesy, HT)
was our prurience that he became a household name in a short while. Fame he had, honour he sought.... When he had finally given up all hope of lighting the wick he had turned to other pleasures with a vengeance. (Exposing his friends' affairs was a favorite
pleasure: it was envy compounded with righteousness.) It must be remembered that Khushwant's lechery was of the mildest order: he as a voyeur, he could do nothing. Scotch was a palliative, but in the end even that failed to make up the loss, Bhagat concluded. Over to Khushwant Singh. He
INDIA
March 22-28, 2014
11
US court asks Sonia Gandhi to show passport

New York: A US court has asked India's Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi to provide a copy of her passport to show that she was not in the US between September 2 and September 9 last year. Gandhi had filed a motion in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York, seeking dismissal of a human rights violation case against her relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, asserting she had not been served the summons as she was not in the US during that time. However, holding that Sonia Gandhi's January 10 declaration is insufficient to prove her absence from US, Judge Brian M. Cogan of Brooklyn Court Thursday asked her to "provide a copy of her passport, showing her most recent entry and exit stamps into and out of the United States." "This would appear to obviate both the need for any documents from the hospitalresolving defendant's medical privacy concerns - and the need to rely upon a third party government agency like Customs and Border Protection", the order states. "Whatever form this evidence takes, defendant must provide it by April 7, umentary evidence to corroborate her otherwise unsupported declaration stating that she was not in the United States at the time of service", he said. The 1984 human rights violation case against Gandhi hinges on the issue whether she was served on Sep 9 as claimed by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) or she was not present in the US during that time as per her claim. SFJ claims that on Sep 9, it had served the summons and complaint on the hospital and security staff at Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Centre in New York where Sonia Gandhi was believed to be undergoing medical treatment. The Brooklyn court had in Sep 2013 issued summons against Gandhi on the complaint filed by SFJ and some victims of anti-Sikh violence in India in November 1984. The group has sought compensatory and punitive damages against Gandhi for her alleged role in shielding and protecting Congress party leaders including Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler from prosecution for their alleged role in the 1984 violence.
Sonia Gandhi had filed a motion in New York seeking dismissal of a case against her relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots
2014" Cogan ordered. In his March 20 order the Judge said "the court cannot find that a sufficient showing of non-presence has been made
based on the affirmation without plaintiffs having received some discovery to confirm it". "The defendant must provide some doc-
Four get life sentence in Shakti Mills gang-rape case

Mumbai: A Mumbai court awarded life sentence to four of the five accused in the gangrape of a 19-year-old call centre employee July 31, 2013 in the Shakti Mills Complex here. The accused were found guilty by Principal Sessions Judge Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi in one of the two gang-rape cases committed in the same premises. The quantum of punishment was pronounced in a packed courtroom. The quantum of sentence in the Aug 22 gang-rape case of a photo-journalist will be announced later as the prosecution has sought severe punishment for the three who are guilty in both the cases. The matter has been adjourned till March 24.
Ground slipping from under Lalu's feet?

Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad, one of the main players in Bihar's murky politics for over two decades, is facing desertion by his leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Over a dozen party leaders, including legislators and an MP belonging to his traditional social support base, left him for greener pastures. Lalu is also facing their outburst during the ongoing poll campaign. It is being seen as a crack in Lalu's support base, the main strength of his politics. Lalu, however, is putting up a brave face in public, saying he is fighting to stop "communal forces" to give a message that his support base of Muslim-Yadav, known as MY, remains intact. But the ground reality is something else. In the last one month, particularly in the past 10 days, over a dozen RJD leaders belonging to his own Yadav caste and Muslims, considered loyal to him, resigned from the party and joined either the ruling JD-U of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar or the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate against Misa Bharti. RJD legislator Nawal Kishore Yadav also quit Lalu's party and joined the BJP. Two former legislators, Amit Rana, son of R.K. Rana, coaccused with Lalu in the multi-crore fodder scam, and Satnarayan Yadav deserted the RJD chief. Amit joined the JD-U and Satnarayan is contesting the Lok Sabha poll from Karakat as an independent. Nearly half a dozen Muslim leaders, including legislators of RJD, deserted Lalu, ignoring his claim of championing secularism. Prominent Muslims who resigned from RJD in the last two weeks are Ghulam Ghaus, party leader in the state legislative council, party legislator Akhtarul Iman, Jawaid Eqbal Ansari and party leader Abu Qaiser. Ghaus accused Lalu of neglecting the backward Muslims while distributing the tickets. He is contesting the Lok Sabha poll from Madhubani as a JD-U candidate and Akhtarul is contesting from Kishanganj as a JDU candidate. Qaiser is contesting from Bhagalpur as a JD-U candidate.
Indian among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack

Kabul: An Indian was among the nine people killed in a deadly Taliban attack in a popular hotel in Kabul, sources said. Four of the attackers were also killed. Two women from Canada and New Zealand and two men from India and Pakistan were among four foreigners killed in the attack on the Serena Hotel. "Nine people were killed in last night's (Thursday) Taliban attack on the Serena Hotel, besides four gunmen," an Afghan security source said. Earlier reports suggested three people were injured in the firing. Six people were seriously wounded in the attack before the attackers were gunned down. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack. This is the second attack against restaurants frequented by foreigners in Kabul this year. On Jan 17, 21 people, including 13 foreigners, were killed after a suicide bombing and shooting in a Lebanese restaurant.
One time Bihar strongman Lalu Prasad Yadav
(BJP). More than a dozen other RJD leaders, mostly belonging to his traditional support base and Dalits, too left him. They accused Lalu of running the party to promote his family and having a vested interest, including safeguarding interests of the Congress. Lalu received a major setback last week when his trusted senior RJD leader Ram Kirpal Yadav revolted against his decision to field his elder daughter Misa Bharti from the Patliputra constituency. Ram Kirpal Yadav promptly quit the RJD after being denied the party ticket from Patliputra and joined the BJP. He is now contesting as a BJP
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March 22-28, 2014
OP-ED
Where has Malaysian airliner disappeared?

By Vishnu Makhijani s there a pattern emerging between Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 370, American aviator Amelia Earhart and the Bermuda Triangle? For one, all involve disappearances over an ocean. For the other, there has been no trace at all of those that disappeared. Flight MH 370 went missing early morning on March 8. It left Kuala Lumpur at 12.41 a.m. and was to land in Beijing at 6.30 a.m. the same day. Contact with the plane and its radar signal was lost at at 1.40 a.m. when it was flying over the Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control area in Vietnam. It was initially thought that the plane had crashed into the sea off Vietnam and hopes of locating it rose after two oil slicks were reported from the area. It turned out to be a false alarm. Then, there were reports that the plane could have actually turned back and ditched in the Strait of Malacca, almost diametrically opposite to its scheduled flight path. The area was subsequently expanded west into the Andaman Sea and possibly to the Indian coast. Dozens of ships and planes from around 10 countries, including India, are scouring the waters around Flight MH 370's last known location, but no credible clues have been found as to its whereabouts.
Dozens of ships and planes from around 10 countries, including India, are scouring the waters around Flight MH 370's last known location, but no credible clues have been found as to its whereabouts.
How could a plane as large as a Boeing B-777ER with 239 passengers and crew on board just vanish off the face of the earth, particularly in an area that is counted as one of the busiest sea lanes of the world; and particularly when the wreckage of Air France Flight 447 operated by an equally large aircraft -- an Airbus A-330-230 -- was located by the Brzailian Navy five days after it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on
June 1, 2009, while on a flight from Rio de Janerio to Paris, killing all 227 on board? Will Flight MH 370 go the way of Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo for which she was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, who disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to be the first woman to circumnavigate the world solo? There has been no trace of Earhart or her twin-turboprop Lockheed
Electra that is suspected to have gone down in the central Pacific near Howland Island, almost half-way between Hawaii and Australia. Is it just a coincidence that both disappearances occurred within the first 10 days of the month, as did the first in the Bermuda Triangle, formed by Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico at its three ends. On December 5, 1945, five US Navy Avenger torpedo bombers disappeared in the area, killing the 14 crewmen on board. A rescue flight launched with a Mariner flying boat also crashed, killing the 13 crew on board, with investigators saying the pilots could have become disoriented after running out of fuel. Since then, there have been a rash of disappearances in the area and pop culture (Marilyn Cochran-Smith, "Bermuda Triangle: Dichotomy, Mythology and Amnesia"; Journal of Teacher Education2003) has even ascribed this to paranormal activity. Steven Spielberg took this forward in his 1977 classic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" that begins with the discovery of the Avenger bombers in the Sonoran Desert (southwestern US and northwest Mexico) sans their crew. In the climax, a huge spaceship lands and out come the crew and sundry others kidnapped by the aliens over time. So, is anyone out there? The jury is still out on that one!
Modi wave or media hype ? Media must not lose credibility

By Kavita Bajeli-Datt s there a wave for the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi? Certainly yes, if you watch television channels that day-after-day and night-afternight showcase a man who has been projected as decisive and charismatic, with plans to rid the country of corruption and has already drawn a roadmap to take India to higher economic growth. But is this for real or just media hype to create a mirage of a man who, despite being cleared of all involvement by the Supreme Court, would always carry the blot for the 2002 Godhra riots as they happened under his watch. Only May 16 would prove whether Modi will get the coveted seat. But what is disheartening at the moment for many is the way the media, or could I say some sections of the electronic media, are "glorifying" Modi. There is no doubt Modi comes across as a decisive and efficient leader who could change India's economic landscape as he emphasises on the need to focus on development rather than on Hinduism. But it is not a hidden fact that Modi has carefully worked on creating his public profile after the
It is a largely known fact that media is an important tool and could sway the mood of the voters - an estimated 815 million - this time. But is it right if one leader is singled out?
taint of the Godhra riots in which 1,200 people, mostly Muslims, died, as he knew that the road to 7 Race Course Road was not easy? From here on, Brand Modi was created successfully through the new and old media. In the social media, Modi already is a brand. On Twitter, he has over 3.5 million followers, while on Facebook over 11 million people like his profile. It was this US-president-like media blitzkrieg that ensured that he became Bharatiya Janata Party's electoral mascot. But this is old news. What is new is the way the media is going on about Modi. The only threat now to Modi's ascent to the prime ministerial throne seems to be the new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). While the Congress appears to be a sinking ship and even its senior leaders are not keen to test the political waters, no strong leader from the now-defunct Third Front has emerged so far, though there are as many as 10 contenders for the top post. As the AAP has clearly emerged as a threat to the BJP - as indicated by innumerable opinion polls that the NDA will get over 200 seats in the general elections - the media has rightly or wrongly started vilifying its leader, Arvind Kejriwal,
the man who created political history by catapulting his party in the national scene after his spectacular victory in Delhi. He got 28 seats in the Delhi elections and formed a government for just 29 days. It is a largely known fact that media is an important tool and could sway the mood of the voters an estimated 815 million - this time. But is it right if one leader is singled out? I don't agree with Kejriwal when he says that the media should be jailed for promoting Modi. But the point he has raised on media is a pertinent one: Is the media fair? The question has to be answered by the media itself. And it is a tough call. But what influential sections of the media, particularly television, is not realizing is that by its daily "bashing" of Kejriwal they may be eroding their credibility before the masses and it could boomerang not only on them but also on the man they are busy promoting: Modi. Have they forgotten the "India Shining" campaign of 2004 after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government tried to come back to power? The entire campaign turned on the BJP and the Congress and its allies under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
n the Global Village we inhabit, there is a free flow of information, ideas and now festivals. If Christmas and Valentine Day have entered Indian calendar, the country has exported festivals like Holi. What was once a Hindu festival has now become a multi-religious, multifaceted and largely global tradition. People all over the world and not just NRIs are celebrating the colorful festival, some in their own variation on Holi. In India, Holi has come down to us as a festival of colors and amity. People embrace Holi Milan kind of events to profess their love, forget disputes and forgive, create bonds and strengthen ties. Indian mythology is replete with the festivals significance. Scripture and poetry is awash with lore of how Lord Krishna, the much loved God Incarnate from the Hindu pantheon, would Holi with his lady love, Radha.
By Jinal Shah
Shy and insecure of being a blue colored boy, he would often shy away from professing his love to his woman. After much coaxing by his mother, he decided to color Radha instead. He went ahead to smear her with powdered color called gulal in full public view, thus letting the world know of their unison. Their love blossomed and went on to become a beautiful saga of pure love. And a festival was born, now we smear each other with gulal and colored water. The other story about Holi celebrated on the last full moon of the lunar month Phalguna commemorates the miracle that visited Prahlada, a young devotee of the Lord Vishnu. Prahlada survived when his demon father, the evil king Hiranyakashipu and aunt Holika tried to burn him dead. She stepped into a burning pyre and sat down with him on her lap. Lo and behold! Instead of the fire enveloping Prahlada, Holika was burnt to death, marking
the end of evil. Celebrants observe the holiday with bonfires and prayers. The mythological spirit has now taken a new course. People have started celebrating their own form of Holi now in different parts of the world. Holi has been widely accepted by mainstream America. A classical example is the Festival of Colors event at Utah house, the largest Holi party in North America, which is organized by the Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork and sees more Mormon participants than Indians! Spanish Fork, about 10 miles south of Provo and Brigham Young University, has been home to a congregation of Hare Krishna devotees since 1982. They started hosting Holi celebrations in 1989. When festival organizers introduced rock bands into the mix, the thousands of young students up the road began to take notice. The first few festivals had about 300 attendees; a few years later it was 3000, then 10,000.
In recent years, the numbers have been close to 70,000 spread out over two days. Festival organizers have found a niche serving young people who want to have fun but without the alcohol or drug use associated with other kinds of rock concerts or large festivals. An even bigger set up is HoliOne. Drawing a huge inspiration from the traditional Indian festival, an enterprising group came up with a unique idea- The HoliOne color festival. It aims at bringing together the entire human race to celebrate this festival of colors and togetherness. Taking place in a select few cities of the world including Dublin, Berlin, Sao Paulo, London, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Costa Rica, the HoliOne color festival seeks to draw a large crowds. With an amazing line up of artists playing at these venues, the festival surely seems to have grabbed eyeballs. The event is an eco-friendly one and promotes water soluble, safe color powder.
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Holi gains mass international appeal
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It is a strictly for people of age 18 or above and aims to promote the spirit of togetherness among participants. People gather in white clothes and smear each other with vibrant colors. A countdown takes place every hour on the hour when people can release and throw their powder. The event is scheduled to happen over different months of the year at different places, thus boosting tourism in the respective cities. Another offbeat initiative inspired by Holi is by a group of friends in North America who decided to bring some excitement to the sport of running through color, music and a total disregard for the mundane. It is called Color Me Rad.
Color Me Rad is loosely based off of Holi, the official website states, and then promotes itself thus: Color Me Rad 5K is coming to a town near you with a tsunami of color thatll make colored tears of joy run down your cheeks and will renew your will to live.
Now in its third year, the non-competitive, family-friendly, accessible to all, the Run or Dye event has travelled to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Europe, Germany, France, UK,UAE, Mexico and many more countries. In cities all across the US, the Color Me Rad 5K Run is already getting people off their couches, and moving in the streets. Runners start the race with a sparkling white t-shirt. By the time participants cross the finish line, theyll look like a Kindergarten art project gone oh-so-right. Finishers celebrate their accomplishment by throwing their own Color Bomb into the air, creating a final explosion of color. In addition to the run, post-race dance parties, innovations such as color blasters, and a bring your friends atmosphere keep people coming back each year. A portion of the proceeds go to the local charity in the community.
The HoliOne festival in many cities of the world like in London (below) aims to bring together people. It uses safe colors and invites artists to perform, drawing huge crowds.
The Color Me Rad 5K Run is organized in many American cities at different times of the year. Runners start the race with a sparkling white t-shirts. By the time they cross the finish line, theyll look like a Kindergarten art project gone oh-so-right.
The Festival of Colors event organized by the Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah house, is the largest Holi party in North America, and it sees more Mormon participants than Indians!
March 22-28, 2014
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March 22-28, 2014
Children dressed as Radha and Lord Krishna during a programme organized on Holi in Bhubaneswar
BJP president Rajnath Singh celebrates Holi at his residence in New Delhi.
The Holi festival was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervor across the country with people greeting each other by applying 'gulaal' and sharing sweets
New Delhi: As the nation celebrated the festival of colors, the chief ministers of Bihar, Maharashtra and Odisha stayed away from the celebrations, expressing grief over death of people in their states. Many other politicians, however, spent the day with their supporters in view of the Lok Sabha elections. In Delhi, people celebrated Holi with usual enthusiasm. The celebrations picked up during the day as the weather grew pleasant and warmer. Young revellers sprayed water from 'pichkaris' (water guns) and flung water balloons at one another - and even at strangers, in the spirit of the festival. People in some localities gathered at a common compound and applied gulaal (coloured powder) on one another. At some places, celebrations were accompanied by beating of drums and playing of folk and dance numbers. People also visited Krishna temples across the city. "I don't play Holi much but I go to temples and prepare special food for the family," said 32-yearold Nishtha Gupta of east Delhi's Mayur Vihar area. Families gave away sweets to neighbours. The most sought after delicacy was 'gujiya'. In Vrindavan and Mathura, the festivities were marked by devotional prayers in temples dotting the region. People threw gulaal as they greeted one another with the customary Holi hug.
BSF personnel celebrate holi at Indo-Pak international border in Attari, Amritsar
Music director Bappi Lahiri`s Holi celebrations in Mumbai
In parts of western Uttar Pradesh, some candidates placed advertisements in the local media to mark Holi. In the business hub Mumbai and in other parts of Maharashtra, men, women and children gathered in open grounds, clubs, resorts and beaches to celebrate the festival. There was enthusiasm in Mumbai's slums too, and private parties were held at several film studios and bungalows of Bollywood personalities and industrialists. However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan decided against celebrating his birthday and Holi in sympathy with the 28 farmers who died in the recent rain and hailstorms in the state. Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale also refrained from Holi celebrations for the same reason. Many parties halted their Lok Sabha campaign for the day though individual candidates moved around in their localities greeting people. In Odisha, people celebrated Holi with religious fervour and gaiety, but Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik refrained from celebrations in view of the Cyclone Phailin and floods last year that killed about 60 people. In Punjab, lakhs of devotees converged at the Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib to be part of the Hola Mohalla celebrations which coincide with Holi. The gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib, about 85 km from Chandigarh, is the second most important shrine for the Sikhs after Harmandar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It was here in 1699 that the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, baptised five men and founded the Khalsa Panth.
Modi wishes voters Holi via recorded message

New Delhi: A Holi greeting from BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi surprised many as they received calls with recorded message from the Gujarat chief minister. Modi, in his message, appealed to the citizens to change the country's fate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Addressing the citizens as "bhagya vidhata" (one who decides the fate) of India, Modi wished the festival of Holi brings colours in their lives. "The country has been submerged into the colour of elections. Election is the festival of Holi for the democracy. Let's celebrate this festival of democracy to change the fate of India," Modi said in the message, also uploaded on his official website. "Let's take a pledge for India's bright future," Modi appealed. Holi was marked by bonhomie and gaiety in Kolkata amid a focus on use of eco-friendly colours. Hundreds of people gathered in pockets of the city and poetry festivals (hasya kavi sammelan) were organised in various areas. People in Bihar celebrated Holi with fervour but Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also stayed away to express grief over the death of 23 children in July last year after consuming mid-day meal in a school in Saran district. Lalu Prasad also did not play his trademark "kapda phaar" (cloth tearing) Holi, his aides said, adding that the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader was tired following hectic campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.
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Millions converge at Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mohalla
March 22-28, 2014
Vrindavan: In an outburst of freedom and a symbolic revolt against a centuries-old system that reduced Hindu widows to hapless, marginalized and generally ostracized victims, around a thousand women joined Holi festivities, playing with gulal and water colors to the accompaniment of Braj folk songs and music at the 200year-old Meera Sahabhagini Ashram here. The merry occasion in a so far uneventful life of the widows was organised by the Sulabh International which looks after those who were thrown out of their homes and are now living in ashrams in Vrindavan. "What a sight it was to see widows in their 70s and 80s, laughing, dancing and throwing colours at
Widows of Vrindavan celebrate Holi for the first time during a function organized by Sulabh International
Holi frenzy grips Krishna land
everyone," said music maestro Acharya Jaimini. Sulabh International official Madan Jha said: "More than 500 kg of gulal and gallons of coloured water were used." "Vrindavan Holi is an effort to
free widows from the shackles of an age-old pernicious tradition. The widows will not only play Holi but will also participate in cultural programmes," Sulabh International Founder Bindeshwar Pathak added.
Sikh Nihangs display their gatka skills at Anandpur Sahib Gurudwara on Hola Mohalla
Anandpur Sahib (Punjab): Millions of devotees converged at Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib here in Punjab to be part of the Hola Mohalla celebrations which coincide with the Holi festival. People offered prayers and were later part of the Hola Mohalla procession and celebrations at the shrine. Anandpur Sahib is located about 85 km from Chandigarh. The gurdwara here is the second most important shrine of Sikh
religion after Harmandar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, in Amritsar. It was here in 1699 that the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, baptized five men and founded the Khalsa Panth, which is the modern day Sikh religion. Elsewhere in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, Holi was celebrated with great enthusiasm. Youngsters and families applied colours on each other and exchanged sweets.
Vrindavan/Mathura: Holi festivities gripped the Krishna land here Sunday with a riot of colors and devotional prayers in temples dotting the region. In Mathura, the whole stretch from Holi Gate to the Dwarkadheesh temple witnessed Holi fervor. People threw colors and gulal as they greeted one another with the customary three-time Holi hug. From Goverdhan to Barsana, Nand Gaon and Gokul-Mahavan across the river Yamuna, the mood was festive and Holi celebrations were in full flow. With bright sunshine, the mustard fields looked in full bloom, adding to the mood. "Farmers in this belt hit by abrupt rains and hailstorms suffered losses. But now the damage does not seem to be so extensive," said Atar Singh, a farmer. In Agra, foreign tourists watched the Holi revelers with awe and curiosity. Some were bold enough to join the color-throwing contests but most chose to
People play Latth Maar Holi at Barsana town in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
watch from their room windows, said hotelier Sandeep.
Assam's unique Holi a 3-5-day affair

Barpeta (Assam): While Assam celebrates Holi more or less the way northern India does, the festival of colors takes a unique form in one part of the state: Barpeta. In most places in the country, the festival is associated with the story of a devout Prahalad and his arrogant father Hiranyakashyap who schemed to kill his own son with the help of his wicked sister Holika. Holika was burnt to ashes while trying to immolate Prahalad - and Holi became a symbol of victory of faith and devotion over arrogance and evil. In places like Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana, Holi is associated with the legend of Lord Krishna and his soul mate Radha. A variation of Holi is celebrated in Barpeta as the Dol-mahotsav or the great Dol festival. It unfolds as a three-to-five-day event which starts with fireworks. In Assam's Sattriya tradition, Holi is a festival of heaven. In Barpeta, Holi is a celestial celebration played in their own small earthly heaven. Srimanta Sankardev was a 15th century saint-scholar, poet, playwright and social reformer who steered Assamese culture towards a Neo-Vashnavite movement. Present-day Assam's artistic, cultural and literary traditions bear the unmistakable stamp of his influence. Sankardev's Bhakti movement led to large regular congregations of devotees, evolving the institution of Sattras, a kind of monastery. These are today the hub of all Vaishnavite religious and cultural activities. Barpeta Sattra is one of the important institutions of this tradition. It came up in the 15th century. Its founder is credited with having started the present form of Dolmahotsav in Barpeta Sattra. It seems that Srimanta Sankardev, who travelled to far corners of India before returning to Assam to propagate his Bhakti movement, brought back the concept of Holi with him - and it became a part of Assamese culture. On the first day of celebration known as Meshadaha, the beard of a he-goat is burnt in a fire lit in front of the Sattra. This is considered a symbolic ritual to mark the killing of the demon Mahisasur. Festivities in the following days revolve around the story of Krishna and his two wives, Lakshmi and Ghunucha. As the legend goes, Krishna, known here as Kalia Thakur, was already married to Lakshmi when he also promised to marry Ghunucha, the daughter of Indradinna. His secret visit to Ghunucha was discovered by Lakshmi who in her anger wrecked the kingdom of Indradinna and reprimanded Krishna when he returned home after his dalliance with Ghunucha. Krishna sought forgiveness. During the festival at Barpeta, as a symbolic visit of Krishna to Ghunucha, the idols of Mahaprabhu Dol Govinda and Kalia Thakur are taken out in decorated palanquins. People sing and dance to the tune of cymbals and drums. They throw Faku, a pink powder, in the air. Everyone is smeared in colours - and joy. The celebrations continue through the days and nights with singing of devotional songs and dance. On the final day, when Krishna returns to Lakshmi, the celebrations are at its peak. From early morning, people converge at the Sattra complex dancing and singing. By evening, the massive temple complex is filled to capacity with devotees and onlookers. In spite of the huge gathering, there is no rowdiness.
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March 22-28, 2014
Holi In The City

Where: Hudson Terrace, 621 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036 When: Saturday, March 22, 11:30 am Celebrate Holi with over a 1000 young professionals in a brunch party at an unparalleled party destination in New York City, tucked away at the edge of town along the Hudson River. Be ready to be painted in reds, yellows, greens, pinks and grove on peppy Indian music by DJ Sharad and Ravi Bindra. Dont forget to wear white! For Tickets: 1-908-425-1603 By Jinal Shah New York: On Saturday Holi revelers from Richmond Hill in Queens braved the inclement weather to celebrate the 26th annual Phagwah/Holi parade and festival with much fanfare. The boisterous festival, where revelers ambushed one another with brightly colored powder, is touted as the countrys largest Hindu Phagwah-Holi celebration of spring. The parade kicked off at 133rd St. and Liberty Ave. and culminated with a powder-throwing extravaganza at Phil (Scooter) Rizzuto Park. The first parade a quarter century ago had only about 40 revelers and its grown steadily every year since with about 20 floats this year. For 26 years, the Guyanese enclave of Richmond Hill has marked Phagwah with a parade where passers-by fling bright powders and occasionally use water guns full of dyed liquids to color one another reports local media. Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, City Councilmen Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) attended the parade and wished attendees a happy spring. Ulrich said he enjoyed the many traditions immi-
Rimli Roys Holi Hai

Where: Exchange place, Jersey City When: Saturday, March 22 2014 11:00 AM Hosted by Rimli Roy, Surati for performing arts and education, this Holi event will have live multicultural performance, color playing (organic colors), fun workshops. Bhangra and dhol, DJ, dancing, cash bar, food, henna, thandai, family fun and festivities. So come out and playholi by smearing folks with color on the other side of Hudson. Free event
Range De Basanti, a sold out event organized by Masti Squad in New Jersey had cultural shows, dance, DJ and quiz show.
IN Group's Rang Barse in New York City The Holi cruise

WHERE: The Hornblower, Hudson River Park's Pier 40, 353 West St, New York, NY 10014 WHEN: Saturday, MAR 22 2014. 12:00PM Dubbed as Tri state areas biggest holi bash, IN groups Rang Barse is back and in its sixth year. In keeping with the tradition, Rang Barse will once again be held on a ship that will set sail from Pier 40. Your ticket gets you a buffet of Indian food and soft drinks, but you'll have to shell out for booze from the cash bar. Dance to the amazing beats of DJ Ashu Rai and Dholi Mohit Sahni. The blue, pink, red, orange, yellow and green powders will be laid out on the top deck for your throwing pleasure. Prior reservations needed. Phone: 6464503049
grants have brought to the borough. We are a better city because of you. Revelers threw colors, confetti, danced, and waved flags from India, Guyana, Trinidad and other countries where Holi is celebrated with much fanfare. The air was filled with colored powder and the sound of beating drums; floats filled with dancers grooved to a DJs beats. Over the years, the parade has grown to attract revelers of many backgrounds and become a showcase of South Asian and Caribbean cultures. Meanwhile, traditional color playing, lighting the Holi pyre, poojas, bhajans and prayers marked other celebrations in the tri-state area. At several temples across the tristate area, devotees began the celebrations by lighting the Holi bonfire (Holika Dahan). Devotees gathered to perform Holi pooja and played with colors at
various New Jersey and New York temples such as Garfield temple, Wayne Hindu Temple, Vaikunthdham temple and more. Although the cold weather did not seem to deter many, some were shifted indoors and many even had to ditch the colors. Authorities at the hall did not allow colors however we tried to make the event as colorful as possible with quiz shows, singing, henna competition, dance and DJ. It was still a sold out event. The idea was to come to together and celebrate togetherness, said Aparajita Sengupta, one of the organizers from Masti Squad, an entertainment group responsible for Rang De Basanti event in New Jersey. Whereas most of the last weeks events were indoors, some of the other regular annual Holi events held in the tri-state area were postponed to later dates in hope of warmer weather.
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March 22-28, 2014

Austin, TX: It was a beautiful day at Radha Madhav Dham on Saturday March 15 where over 4000 people gathered to celebrate the Indian festival of Holi despite weather forecasts of thunderstorms and tornadoes. Although the day started with showers in the morning, it stopped by 2 PM when the actual festivities began. The festival of Holi marks the onset of spring, and is celebrated in unique Braj style at Radha Madhav Dham every year.
People assembled on the grounds of the Ashram, and enjoyed the tastes, sights and sounds of India as they were greeted by peacocks,deer and singing birds. Throngs of people flocked around the food booths eager to taste the delectable Indian dishes like freshly made dosas, paav bhaji, chhole bhature, chaat, samose mango lassi and hot jalebis, not to mention delicately spiced hot chai for a cold rainy day. Inside the prayer hall, the deities of Radha and Krishn looked stunning in special Holi Shringar (adornments) that included charming hues of Holi powder on their cheeks, beautifully decorated pichkaris placed at their feet, painting a colorful depiction of the festival of Holi that originated in the land of Braj (Vrindavan) in India, 5000 years ago. Programs throughout the day included Swami Nikhilanand jis explanation of the spiritual significance of Braj Style Holi, spectacular enactment of the legendary story of young Prahalads victory over Holika and Hiryanakashipu and a cultural program showcasing childrens performances of folk and classical Indian dances. Around 6 PM, people started gathering at the Maharas Mandal to
play with colors. Loud cries of Ho Ho Ho Ho Holi Hai were heard from the grounds. The atmosphere quickly turned exuberant and joyful colors of spring could be seen flying everywhere creating clouds of pink, purple, blue and red hues in the air. A live band played the saxophone and guitar on ancient Braj tunes and got everyone dancing in excitement and merriment. People from all walks of life, young and old, Indian and Western opened their hearts in sharing the joy and celebrating the human values of compassion, forgiveness and love, that underlies the spirit of Holi.
In the words of a visitor, Holi at Radha Madhav Dham was a magical experience that will be remembered for a long time to come. Thank you for allowing Gabriel and me to be a part of Holi. It was a very magical experience for both of us. Gabriel is still talking about it"Facebook message by Lynn Peach on Radha Madhav Dhams official fan page. For more on this Holi event, check out their facebook page for event photos at www.facebook.com/RadhaMadhav Dham.
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March 22-28, 2014
Villagers in Nandgaon throw red gulal at each other in the Radha temple. Nandgaon is the hometown of Radha, beloved of Lord Krishna in Hindu mythology. Throwing of gulal is said to have originated with the two divine lovers. Young Lord Krishna, who was dark-skinned, asked his mother Yashoda why Radha was so fair. She told him to throw color on Radha's face to make her the same color as him. Famous Jaipur artisan Babbu Khan gives final touches to Gulal Gotas ahead of Holi. A Gulal Gota is a thin layered lac container which is filled with Gulal and when thrown the color oozes out. Earlier royals astride horses would trot through the streets tossing Gulal Gotas on their subjects to mark Holi. Gulgal Gotas are alwyas prepared by Muslim artisans.
People enjoy Khadi Holi of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand during`Holi Milan` in Dehradun. Khadi Holi is celebrated a week before Holi. People wearing traditional white nokdaar topi, churidar pyjama and kurta sing and dance in groups to the tune of ethnic musical instruments like the dhol and hurka.
Some Hindu girls in Lahore, Pakistan prepare color powder as they take part in celebrations for the Holi festival on March 16.
Badshah ki Sawari celebrations in Beawar, Rajasthan. In this fabulous Holi celebrations, full of grandeur, the entire town folk get involved and get color smeared. One of the main markets gets almost 1/4 inch thick carpet of dry colors. It is a century old tradition of harmony, brotherhood and love that transcends caste and religion. (Photo: Via Purnima Lodha)
A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier clocked at Humhama Training Centre in Srinagar March 17.
A child adorned with colored powder celebrates the spring festival in Bhubaneswar on March 16.
March 22-28, 2014
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March 22-28, 2014

s B-town celebrated Holi, actors wished friends, family and fans on the occasion. They took to Twitter to reach out to their loved ones. Here's what they had to say: Hrithik Roshan: Happy Holi, beautiful people. Remember the best colors you can apply on someone are the colours of laughter & love! Sonakshi Sinha: Happy Holi everyone! Paint the town whatever color you want, but be safe. Anupam Kher: Human blood is all of one color. Happy Holi. Madhur Bhandarkar: ...Decorate your life and family with colors of happiness and fun, Happy Holi! Shekhar Kapur: Lessons of Life: Joy innocence and play. The essence of philosophy for today. Happy Holi everyone. Manoj Bajpayee: Have a safe and fantastic Holi guys! May this day be coloured with joy and sprinkled with love. Sridevi: Wishing all of you a very happy and safe Holi. Neha Dhupia: Happy Holi friends. Have a blast, enjoy your day! But most importantly stay safe. Boman Irani: Happy Holi to one and all. Punit Malhotra: Wish you all a very Happy Holi. Love this festival...been years since I've played Holi though! Tempted this time. Arshad Warsi: Happy Jackky Bhagnani: Wishing the 'Youngistaan' Holi, use dry colors and of India a very Happy Holi. have a great day with Nargis Farkhri: Happy Holi everyone! Be safe family and friends. and enjoy. Vishal Dadlani: Holi is Arjun Rampal: Happy Holi everyone. a fun festival to celeEsha Deol: Happy Holi! Be safe and enjoy the brate with friends and colors. family, it's not an excuse Sophie Choudry: Happy Holi everyone! Have to molest women. Make fun, dance, play safe but please don't waste sure you keep it that water and don't take advantage of women. way.
Amitabh Bachchan playing Holi with wife Jaya Bachchan.
ollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan says that this year Holi has coincided with his daughter Shweta Nanda's 40th birthday and he is spending the day with her. "We do not celebrate it (Holi), again. There have been discomforting news for the year, the passing away of relations distant...it would be disrespectful to be immersed in the colours of abandon and joy when some among us mourn," Amitabh posted on his blog. The 71-year-old is spending the day with Shweta. "Tomorrow (Monday) is a day of travel again, to be with Shweta on her 40th...," he wrote. Recalling her childhood days, he wrote: "Dear me...so many years, and we still treat her like that cute cuddly little bundle who would stare at me in wonder every time she would come to pick me up from the airport after a long stint of shooting from out of the country or land." "She would wonder who I was,
and what I meant to her, for absence from her for long days would perplex her...she was just a couple of years old," wrote Big B, who has two children Shweta and Abhishek - with his wife and actress-politician Jaya. The thespian says Shweta, who is married to Delhi-based businessman Nikhil Nanda, "remains our chief executive officer". "When she comes home to Jalsa (Amitabh's Mumbai home), it's never as though she went away and she does not ever allow us to feel that she left... daughters have a way of doing that, and doing that well...She remains our chief executive officer and we turn to her for all the tough decisions that come our way. "Daughters have a sense of the sixth, one that never fails to ring that cliched bell within us...for us it always rings well and loud. We are blessed and proud," he added.b Shweta has two children - daughter Navya Naveli and son Agastya.
Bollywood style Holi with Hrithik
ollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, Sonam Kapoor, Lara Dutta and Kalki Koechlin shared photos celebrating the festival of colours with family friends and fans! Celebs are revelling in the festivities but they did not forget to share their best Holi moments with their fans. Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan did not let a bad year overpower his Holi fun. The 'Krrish' actor was spotted enjoying Holi with his sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan sans estranged wife Sussanne. But joining the boys was Sussanne's sister and designer Farah Khan Ali along with his brother-in-law Zayed Khan in Mumbai. Hrithik, Zayed and Farah enjoying the festivities.
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March 22-28, 2014
Delhi chefs list out some recipes for you

rom bhang pakoras and phul kachoris to tangy kanjis and chilled thandais, a lavish platter of traditional food and drinks, which are easy to make at home, can go a long way in adding more color to the festive fervor this Holi. The traditional delicacies and sweets are a great way to satiate your appetite after a draining session of playing Holi topped with chilled thandai. Here are some of the popular eatables and drinks prepared on the festival of colors, as per top chefs in Delhi: Kanji vada: A light and spicy must have on Holi, feels chef Jodha Ram Choudhary of the Khandani Rajdhani chain of thali restaurants in New Delhi. To make kanji, asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, yellow mustard, salt and black salt is added to cool water and mixed well. It is kept in a sealed container and needs to be stirred daily and on the fourth day, if it tastes tangy and spicy, the drink is ready. Put around five vadas in a glass and top it with kanji. Phul kachori: A crunchy snack with spicy filling which is also easy to make. It can be prepared in 20 minutes flat, said Choudhary. Mix refined flour with ghee and salt and knead into a semi-soft dough using a little water for the outer covering. Divide the dough into equal parts and keep covered with damp muslin. For the filling, cumin seeds and asafoetida should be heated in a pan. When the
Delicious phul kachori
seeds begin to change color, moong dal soaked in water should be added and sauteed. Then add the ginger-green chilli paste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder, gram flour and salt and stir. The filling is prepared and should be covered with the dough prepared earlier. Deep fry the dumplings in oil till golden brown. For those with a sweet tooth, Holi is the perfect excuse for binging on malpuas, especially in places like West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, feels Ashish Joshi, executive chef, Jaypee Siddharth. "This Holi, Malpua is highly recommended as a sweet dish as it clearly reflects the celebratory mood of the occasion by its smoky, crunchy and sweet taste." Malpua: In a bowl, grate and mash khoya, add flour and sooji and mix well. Add milk and water slowly to the mixture and keep stirring till a thick free flow batter is prepared. Then add almonds and pistachios and keep the batter aside for four to six hours. Now take ghee in a flat-bottomed pan and heat. Pour small quantities of batter in the heated oil with a serving spoon. Cook on a slow fire till the edges are crispy. Remove from fire and dip in the sugar syrup for three minutes. Garnish with pista flakes and serve hot. An innovative take on the traditional jalebi is the green apple jalebi specially prepared for Holi by Sanjay Bahl, director
of food and beverage at the Suryaa, Delhi. Green apple jalebi: To make the delicacy, refined flour and urad are whisked together with water to form a thick batter and is then kept in a warm place for an hour. Then cut an apple in rounds and remove the seeds. Heat the oil in a deep pan, coat the apple with batter and fry till golden in color, followed by a dip in sugar syrup for a minute. Garnish with icing sugar and cardamom powder and serve hot. Meanwhile, a variety of cool drinks range from traditional masala buttermilk to mocktails. As per Priti Goenka, chef at FoodCloud.in, a khus cocktail is the perfect cooler for Holi. All you need is to take four water goblets, put equal amounts of khus syrup in each glass, add cocktail fruits and pour Sprite over it. Garnish the drink with fresh cherries and mint leaves. For the health conscious, a drink with lesser calories like buttermilk is the best bet, feels Shubhra WB, owner of Madhuban, a posh Andhra-style restaurant in Gurgaon.Four parts water and one part curd should be mixed with some chopped green chillies, grated ginger, crushed fresh curry leaves, salt and some lemon juice. It can be garnished with coriander leaves and serve chilled. (Some of the ingredients mentioned in the article are in Hindi language. These ingredients are easily available at your nearby Indian grocery stores.)
Yummy Kanji Vada
Refreshing and healthy buttermilk
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March 22-28, 2014
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
New York Indian Film Festival to spotlight Gurinder

New York: The 14th Annual New York Indian Film Festival will put the spotlight on British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of her acclaimed film "Bhaji On The Beach". The six-day festivities at the oldest and most prestigious film festival for Indian cinema in North America from May 5-10 will also include a retrospective of the filmmaker's documentaries, according to the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). After a star-studded opening night red carpet premiere at the Skirball Centre for Performing Arts, festival screenings, centrepiece, retrospective and special events will take place throughout the week at the Village East Cinemas. The closing night selection to be followed by the annual awards ceremony and after-party would be held at Skirball Center for Performing Arts. Final film selections will be announced by early April with tickets going on sale April 15. Chadha of "Bend It Like Beckham" fame will be in attendance. Her acclaimed film "Bhaji On The Beach" is about a group of women of Indian British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha descent taking a trip together from their home in Birmingham, England two being Mira Nair and Deepa Mehta - all to the beach resort of Blackpool. three of whom have been honoured for "Gurinder Chadha is one of three 'Bhanji their talent by NYIFF in years past," said Brigade' (coined by Mira Nair) super star IAAC executive director Aroon diaspora women filmmakers - the other Shivdasani.
Playboy girl Shanti Dynamite
Shanti accuses Le one of

layboy girl Shanti Dynamite, who is in India right now, alleges that adult star Sunny Leone has copied her poster for her song "Babydoll" and that it is very upsetting. The Britain-based adult star of IndianGreek origin, who does adult chat shows, is nurturing dreams of working in Hindi films. "A lot of people contacted me and said you should see the new Sunny Leone
copying her
song 'Babydoll' for the 'Ragini MMS 2' movie, she copied a concept of yours. I saw that and was shocked," Shanti told reporters Saturday. "I was like, 'Oh my god people do such things!' And it was very upsetting for me because for someone to use someone else's concept to gain popularity is not good," she added.
'Bewakoofiyaan': Frothy fun but thought-provoking

ometimes, love just ain't enough. So there we have two people in love. The pampered but not spoilt bureaucrat's daughter Mayera and her lover beau Mohit whose upward mobility is frozen by an employment meltdown in his airline organization (spicy allusion to the Kingfisher crisis, yes?) It's Delhi's noveau riche Gurgaon world bathed in cosmetic conceit. Sonam Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurrana blend into this gleaming kingdom's excesses effortlessly. The two of them are so good as a couple, imagining them apart for even a portion of the bitterness that bites into the narrative during the second-half becomes unbearable. Debutant director Nupur Asthana's lm is a bright scrambled world of wealth, luxury and the yuppy club's unstated desperation to move up the corporate ladder. It is also, by its very denition, a ridiculously self-important delusional world. Miraculously this lm with its gleaming polished surfaces neither gasps nor laughs at the ignobility of upward mobility. There is an interestingly crafted ght scene between the lm's lead pair where Mayera reminds Mohit that she has not bought a new pair of shoes during the last two months because of his job loss. That she doesn't realize how ridiculous she sounds to Mohit is a measure of the underlining irony that the narrative scrapes out of these characters while portraying the exacerbated materialism of the go-getting generation. Ayushmann looks like the guy next-door who wouldn't mind pulling a few strings to oat higher than the level
Haydon: 'Queen' taught me to celebrate my uniqueness

asking in the terrific response to her performance in "Queen", modelturned-actress Lisa Haydon says the success of "Queen" has helped her to enjoy her stay in filmdom. Directed by Vikas Bahl, the film stars Kangana Ranaut in the lead role along with Rajkummar Rao and Lisa. "Kangana and I have spoken about our karmic connection. We both did a film called 'Rascals' two years ago and we both felt like fish out of water. The film was an agonizing experience for both of us. And now we're both feeling a sense of triumph and euphoria after Queen. It's amazing," said Lisa, 27. Lisa, who was also seen in "Aisha", admits she was tempted to call it quits after Rascals. "I realized I was not cut out to be a conventional Bollywood heroine. After 'Rascals', I thought I was not going to last over here." In that hour of despair came a glimmer of hope in the form of Vikas Bahl. "It was god-sent. Vikas came in with the free-spirited Vijay Laxmi's part at a time when I had reached a deadend in my movie career. Doing item numbers in revealing clothes was not what I was cut out to do," she said.
Review
A scene from the film 'Bewakoofiyaan'
allotted to him by fate. He brings a suave arrogance to his role and creates a cohesive graph for his character. He is an actor to watch. "Bewakooyan" has nothing new to say. And that is its greatest virtue. It is "Meet The Parents" where the father and the prospective son-in-law's roles are better played than the original. Yes, Rishi and Ayushmann are better than Robert de Niro and Ben Stiller were in the Hollywood lm about the father of the bride.
Model-turned-actress Lisa Haydon
March 22-28, 2014
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March 22-28, 2014
FASHION
Out-of-the-box thinking at LFW

The Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) summer-resort 2014 was high on style quotient with many designers seen experimenting with flower motifs and bold prints in their collection Mumbai: Creativity was on a high at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) summer-resort 2014 with young designers like Ken Ferns, Tanya Sharma, Sonaakshi Raaj and Subhika Davda giving interesting touches to their collections. Ferns was inspired by unconventional themes in the past and this time, he took inspiration from Golden Age of the Azulejos form of Portuguese art of painted ceramic tiles. Using modern summer colors like blue and white, with touches of turquoise, green, bubble gum pink and lime green, Ferns created a floral fantasy for his garments. Called the "Secret Garden" the silhouettes were utterly feminine with contours that were moulded and crisp giving the outfits a New Age feel. The silhouettes comprises of cropped tops, pleated shorts, floppy sleeves for asymmetric tunics, maxi skirts teamed with blouses for women. Mens wear was a line-up of shorts, printed pants, shirts and muscle sleeved tunics. Actress Gauhar Khan walked the runway for the designer in printed corset worn with a long pencil skirt seductively slit at the back. Describing her clothes as classic with a sense of madness,Sharmas collection at LFW was aptly called Out of the Box. Keeping true to her design philosophy, Tanyas colour story moved from pastels with hints of turquoise onto mens shirt
Actress Kalki Koechlin with designer Kommal Sood during the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/ Resort 2014 (right ) Actor Nargis Fakhri with designer Shehla Khan at Lakme Fashion Week.
stripes and checks. The fabrics that created the base were in very fine silk voile, cotton blends and organza. The prints were restricted to pastel block printed flowers especially created for the ensembles. From sweatshirts and pants, shirts, turtle necks, the collection swayed to bomber jackets, trench coats and windcheaters with a marked sporty silhouette. Raaj brought red carpet glamour on the catwalk at LFW. Titled A Broadway Affair, the design was utterly sexy and totally exotic line. From flouncy formal skirts in pretty pastels teamed with sexy cropped tops with 3D
appliqus to seductive black high waist cigarette pants were figure hugging and looked sensational with an ornate bustier under a black tulle blouse. Pre-stitched draped saris were offered in a variety of options topped with corsets, lacy blouses, cutwork covers, halter gold bustier or cut-out boleros. Ending her show was Bollywood star Prachi Desai in a stately lacy corset and moulded draped sari. Making her debut at LFW, Davda presented her collection called Roar under her label Papa dont Preach. The spotlight was on intricate hand crafted trendy acces-
sories that recreated traditional Indian touches with a twist. Metal, thread work, embroideries and hand beading were the highlights of the collection. Strands of chains were draped over shoulders, neckpieces added to the glitter of halter dresses, glitzy yokes with chains, rustic belts, cross body ornaments, suspenders, rigid armors with tribal necklaces and cummerbunds as well as breast plates attached to shoulders grabbed eyeballs of many.
Sunny Leone scorches ramp at LFW Kareena sets stage on Kangana showstopper fire at LFW finale for Jabong.com at LFW
Mumbai: Actress Sunny Leone, who scorched the ramp in designer Jyotsana Tiwari's peachpink gown at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014, says she was nervous, but enjoyed the comfortable outfit. I was nervous walking the ramp, but the gown is very comfortable. This is a gown that everybody would love to wear. It's a beautiful gown and I am thankful to Jyotsana for this," Sunny told reporters after the show. With minimal makeup, Sunny walked with lan. Jyotsana's collection had gowns with interesting embellishments and embroidery. Talking about her designs, she said: My collection was inspired from summer holidays. My first 10 garments were fun stuff and the rest were for young brides, which is perfect for a beach wedding. Mumbai: Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh's incredible outfits and show stopper Kareena Kapoor combined to take the grand finale of Lakme Fashion Week of Summer/Resort 2014 to a new level. Kareena had a grand entry with fireworks on Kareena the ramp. Donning long Kapoor black dress with silver at the work all around, the grand actress looked stunning finale of with her hair tied, metal- Lakme lic eye shadow and min- Fashion imal make up. Besides Week the outstanding fashion line, a special ramp was set for the designer on the garden lawn. With mirrors and candles on the runway, the show began with models walking in white attire. A collection of contrasts divided into day and night, "Illusion" opened with structured ensembles in very light gossamer fabrics followed by fluid silhouettes. Lot of metallic shadows have been added in Rajesh's fashion line. The traditional frame hand embroidery technique has also been twisted to use metal parts for a modern rendering. Rajesh's garments are a blend of jackets, dresses, skirts, village bundi vest, albiet in a new avatar among others. With fabrics especially created for the collection, the woven experiments feature silver, stainless steel, paper aluminium, hand woven and handspun khadi, silk and linen.
Actress Kangna Ranaut in a blingy gown
Mumbai: Donning a blingy gown, actress Kangna Ranaut was the showstopper for Jabong.com, the popular multi-brand estore, at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014. Kangana - with open hair and minimal make up - donned a silver sequin gown with subtle detailing. With over a thousand international high street brands, the e-store launched the "must have" women's wear collection by British brand Dorothy Perkins. The garments included printed dresses, lacy tops, denim leggings, textured jackets, printed comfy pants, soft cropped jackets, rompers and shimmering cocktail creations.
DIASPORA
March 22-28, 2014
29
Kerala expats to charter flights to vote in Lok Sabha elections

Dubai: A Dubai-based Indian organization plans to charter flights for Kerala voters who wish to vote in the next month's Lok Sabha elections. The Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), which has 50,300 members in the UAE, 20,500 of whom are in Dubai, would be flying Keralites, eligible to vote, on April 7. "It is a one-way ticket on discounted rates to Kozhikode district. We are in talks with a private company as well as Air India and Air India Express to charter the flights. The facility is exclusively for Keralites," Ebrahim Elettil, general secretary of the KMCC, told Gulf News. He said the facility is available not for KMCC members only but also for nonmembers, provided they are from Kerala.The organization was founded by expatriates from Kerala with the aim of extending humanitarian and legal assistance to those in need. The number of chartered flights operating will depend on the number of people who come forward to register for the facility, he said. Elettil, however, said the KMCC will not have any influence on voters who use the charter flight services. "An individual is free to vote for whoever they wish. Our only aim is to make sure that Keralites living here get an opportunity to exercise their voting rights," he said.
Gay NRI kills wife to hide his homosexuality

London: An Indian-origin gay bank worker allegedly strangled his wife and burnt her body months after marrying her to hide his homosexuality, a British court has heard. Jasvir Ram Ginday, 29, attacked Varkha Rani at their home in Walsall in Midlands with a metal pipe from a vacuum cleaner. He burnt her body in a garden incinerator but told a neighbor he had set fire to "general rubbish", Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Ginday admits manslaughter but denies murder. Rani, 24, married Ginday in India in March last year and moved to the UK to live with him in August after being granted a visa, the court heard. But Ginday had told a friend he was attracted to men as early as 2008, according to prosecutor Deborah Gould. About a month before Rani's death on September 12 last year, someone at their home made an internet search for incinerators, she said, adding Ginday initially told police his wife had walked out on him after using him to gain entry to the UK. Gould said: "His ultimate intention, the Crown suggests, was to play the role of victim, safe in the knowledge that he could rely upon
Jasvir Ram Ginday married Varkha Rani in March last year
his married status as a permanent excuse for never having to have another relationship with a woman." Besides manslaughter, Ginday has admitted perverting the course of justice by lying to police, BBC reported.
NRI's education firm launches program to train 250,000 teachers globally

Dubai: Around 250,000 teachers across the world will be trained over the next 10 years by a UAE-based organization and philanthropic arm of an NRI-led international education company here. Under the agreement, the philanthropic arm of GEMS Education, the Varkey GEMS Foundation (VGF), and the UAE-based philanthropic organization, Dubai Cares, will launch a country-based teacher-training intervention that will boost the standard of classroom teaching. The agreement was signed at the Global Education and Skills Forum, the foremost gathering on education and education policy held here from March 15-17. According to UNESCO, around 57 million primary school-aged children are out of school along with more than 71 million lower-secondary school-aged children. And for those children who do attend a school in the developing world, a lack of trained teachers often acts as a barrier to learning. "Through the implementation of integrated, impactful, evidence-based and sustainable primary education programs by forging strategic partnerships such as this, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, said. "We aim to create positive impact in the lives of underprivileged children globally, their families, communities and economies," he said. An estimated 7 million new teachers will be needed over the next two decades to serve the growing global population.
Indian girl wins spelling bee contest in Ghana
60 years of Poland-India diplomatic relations celebrated

Warsaw: Poland is interested in strengthening Poland-India cooperation, and raising it in the future to the level of a strategic partnership, MFA Undersecretary of State Artur Nowak-Far said when inaugurating, together with Warsaw University Rector Professor Marcin Pays and Indian Ambassador Monika Kapil Mohta, a two-day conference titled "India and Poland - 60 years of diplomatic relations: legacy and ways forward" on March 6. The conference had been organized on the occasion of this years 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Poland and India. The participants included opinion makers, scholars, cultural creators and business people from both countries. The event was also attended by representatives of the MFA, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Speaking at the panel "Community of values - 60 years of diplomatic relations between India and Poland, MFA Undersecretary of State Katarzyna Kacperczyk emphasized the special importance of energy cooperation between Poland and India. The deputy minister recalled the Poland-India Energy Summit, which took place this past February. Energy is becoming the basis of our relations, but Poland and India should also cooperate on the international stage, as the two countries are leaders in their regions, underscored the deputy minister. Deputy Minister Nowak-Far said that Poland highly regards Indias economic and political potential. Potential cooperation between our countries is most promising in the mining, energy, IT and defence sectors, he added. The conference, which covered both bilateral and global issues, is one of the highlights of anniversary celebrations. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Polish Institute of International Affairs, and the University of Warsaw (Faculty of Oriental Studies).
Khushi Jeswani
Accra (Ghana): An Indian girl, representing Delhi Public School (Ghana), has won this year's national spelling bee contest and will represent that west African nation in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US later this year. With her victory, Khushi Jeswani has made DPS Ghana the winners for the second time and will accordingly represent Ghana at the 87th Scripps National
Spelling Bee to be held in Washington in the US in May this year, it was reported Wednesday. Last year, another Indian national from DPS Ghana, Rohit Sahijwani, won the national competition and represented Ghana. Khushi beat Vishal Thakwani, another Indian, and Destin Kojo Ellis, a Ghanaian and other students of her school to book her place in the international final.
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March 22-28, 2014
SUBCONTINENT
Protests in Sri Lanka against US resolution

Colombo: Protests were staged in Sri Lanka this week against a resolution sponsored by the US which has been submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. Most shops and stores in Sri Lanka's eastern town of Trincomalee were shut during a general shutdown while public transport came to a standstill as a mark of protest. The general shutdown in Trincomalee was organized by Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim groups in the area and hand bills were distributed calling for support, the police said, adding that security has been tightened in the area to ensure no unruly incidents took place. The police also said that they were investigating an attack on a few passenger buses in the area which had operated at the time of the
Osama hunt:
Doctor's sentence reduced by 10 years

Islamabad: The sentence of a doctor who helped the US track down slain Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was reduced by 10 years and his fine reduced by Pakistani Rs.10 lakh (over $10,000). Munir Azam, the Commissioner of Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), passed the order after reviewing Shakil Afridi's 33-year jail term and Rs.320,000 fine, Dawn Online reported. Shakil's lawyer Samiullah Afridi said that he would further appeal to a tribunal in the Federally Administred Tribal Areas, adding that he did not sought a review of the case but had asked for a fresh trial.
Shakil Afridi
The US resolution on human rights abuses in Sri Lanka will be put to vote next week in Geneva
protest. Meanwhile, in the capital Colombo, a group of people staged a protest march towards the US embassy and handed over a petition to the embassy against the US resolution. Heavy traffic was seen in the area during the protest march organised by a group of people from the northern
Mannar town, which ended peacefully. The US resolution, which will be put to vote next week in Geneva, calls for an investigation into human rights abuses in Sri Lanka both during and after the war between Tamil Tiger rebels and government troops.
Shakil Afridi had allegedly helped the CIA by running a fake vaccination campaign in Abbottabad a month before the US forces' raid on a compound that killed Osama in 2011. Afridi was arrested for his
alleged links with the CIA and also charged with links with the banned Lashkar-e-Islam religious outfit. Afridi was sentenced last May by an assistant political agent of the Khyber Agency tribal region.
Pak government to hold direct talks with Taliban

Islamabad: The Pakistan government has finalized direct talks with the Tehreek-iTaliban Pakistan (TTP) and the venue will be decided in the next 48 hours, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said. A new government committee, comprising Habibullah Khushk, Fawwad Hassan Fawwad, Arbab Arif and Rustam Shah Mohman, met Khan Wednesday to finalise the decision to hold direct talks, the News International reported. The government committee is planning to hold the talks at an easily accessible place. The TTP has objected to the holding the talks in the North Waziristan area while the government wanted the Bannu Airport in Miranshah to be the venue. During the meeting, the TTP will be asked to dissociate itsele from and identify the groups who do not want to maintain peace and order.
Musharraf challenges special court decision

Islamabad: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has challenged the decision of the special court not to transfer his high treason trial case to a military court. The former president filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday through defence lawyers Khalid Ranjha and Faisal Hussain, Dawn online reported Wednesday. A three-member special court, headed by Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court, had Feb 21 rejected Musharraf's plea to transfer his case of imposing emergency in the country Nov 3, 2007, to the military court. The former military ruler, in his petition, contended that he had left for an official visit to Sri Lanka, in October 1999, to represent the Pakistan Army in the 50th anniversary celebrations of that country's army. In the petition, he said that while coming back to Pakistan after performing his state duty, he was deprived of his rank and Gen. Khawaja Ziauddin was appointed in his place as the new chief of the Army staff.
Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf
He also said that then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others also tried to kill him by refusing his plane landing permission at the Karachi International airport. The former military ruler further said that the pilot of his aircraft was compelled either to land the plane in India or crashland because of lack of fuel. In his petition, he said that the military takeover of the country Oct 12, 1999, and all steps thereafter had been ratified by the Supreme Court. The petition also stated that due to certain reasons,
Musharraf had to impose emergency Nov 3, 2007. Musharraf said that after holding elections and handing over power to the newlyelected government, he resigned from the post of president of Pakistan Aug 18, 2008. The petition said that the decision of Nov 3, 2007, had been taken by the government of the day and it was after a lapse of several years that the sitting government had now decided to file a criminal complaint for treason charges against Musharraf in the special court.
INTERNATIONAL
March 22-28, 2014
31
Missing jet: Search may last several days

Canberra/Beijing: Australian maritime authorities said that the search in the southern Indian Ocean for a missing Malaysian airliner may last several days due to bad weather. Andrea Hayward-Maher, media liaison officer of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), said that bad weather continued to affect visibility in the search area to locate debris that might be linked to the missing jet. The AMSA had said that two objects, with the larger one about 24 metres long, had been spotted in the southern Indian Ocean on satellite imagery and that they might be related to the missing airliner. The area where the objects were spotted is approximately 2,500 km southwest of Perth, the capital of Western Australia state. Due to the bad weather condition, Australian aircraft have not the US and New Zealand will continue the hunt Friday, while merchant boats are also heading to the 23,000 square km search zone. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished mysteriously about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur March 8. The Boeing 777-200ER was initially presumed to have crashed off the Vietnamese coast in the South China Sea. The plane was scheduled to land in Beijing at 6.30 a.m. the same day. The 227 passengers on board included five Indians, 154 Chinese and 38 Malaysians. Contact with the plane was lost along with its radar signal at 1.40 a.m. when it was flying over the air traffic control area of Ho Chi Minh City. According to the latest release of the AMSA, five aircraft was supposed to be involved in Friday's search for the missing jet. In addition, a Norwegian ship has arrived in the search zone Friday night and another merchant ship is due to arrive Friday night. But Hayward-Maher said she could not provide details of the second vessel, including its nationality. Due to the distance to and from the search area, the aircraft involved have a "loiter" time of approximately two hours. Air Commodore John McGarry said at a press conference Thursday that it would take four hours for the aircraft to arrive at the area from RAAF Base Pearce near Perth.Meanwhile, China Maritime Search and Rescue Centre has contacted the State Oceanic Administration of China to send a Chinese icebreaker for Antarctic research - Xuelong, or Snow Dragon - now anchored in Perth, to the search area as soon as possible.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished mysteriously about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8.
till now found any object related to the missing plane. "It is a large area and the weather is difficult (to search)," Hayward-Maher said. According to the media, a Royal Australia Air Force(RAFF) P3
Orion plane was unable to locate the debris Thursday, with Flight Lieutenant Chris Birrer telling reporters the weather conditions were so bad that "we were unable to see for very much of the flight". Search planes from Australia,
Time to leave 'black box' for advanced technology

New York: At a time when a massive search is on to find the flight data recorder, or 'black box,' to know what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines, experts believe it is right time to move over the good old 'black box' and adopt latest technology. An advanced technology already exists that would allow the missing flights condition, engine performance, cockpit conversations and other data to be streamed real-time back to the airlines headquarters or manufacturer. Some aviation experts feel it is the right time to put this technology into place. Such a solution is long overdue, considering the state of technology today
Crimea row: EU extends sanctions against Russia

Brussels: Leaders of the European Union (EU) have decided to expand its sanctions against Russia by adding 12 more names on the blacklist with travel ban and assets freeze while canceling the EU-Russia summit, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said. The decision was made by the leaders of the 28 EU member states who gathered in Brussels for the bloc's spring summit, to be focused on economic issues but eclipsed by the Ukraine crisis. The EU did not publish the 12 additional people's name immediately, but Van Rompuy told a post-summit press conference that some of them are high ranking Russian officials. Van Rompuy said if Russia took any further step to destabilise Ukraine, it would have far-reaching consequences. European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters that the EC has been mandated by the member states to prepare targeted measures on Russia and the impact assess-
The US has imposed sanctions against at least seven senior Russian state officials and members of the parliament
Experts believe it is right time to adopt latest technology
and the overriding importance of providing timely data to investigators, Alan Diehl, a former accident investigator, was quoted as saying in a Wall Street Journal report. This technology would help pinpoint what went
wrong more quickly than a months-long search for the black box. Others note that modern aircraft produce terabytes of data that would overwhelm satellite transmission and digital storage devices back home.
ment of further sanctions against the country. "We have been already working on this of course, and we are looking at broader areas that could have far-reaching consequences for the relations between the European Union and Russia," said Barroso. "So, it's a broad range of economic areas where we are in fact preparing possible targeted measures," he added. Van Rompuy said that the EU would assess the situation, including any action and inci-
dent for triggering the targeted measures. Facing sanctions from the West, Russia too a responded by barring a list of US politicians from entering the country. The list came three days after the US imposed sanctions against at least seven senior Russian state officials and members of the parliament over Moscow's recognition of referendum in the Ukrainian autonomous region of Crimea, in which joining Russia received landslide support from the region's people.
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March 22-28, 2014
BUSINESS
Microsoft developing gen-next 'no-touch' screens

Fed chair Janet Yellen
US Fed may raise rates as soon as next spring

New York: The US Federal Reserve will probably end its massive bond-buying programme this fall, and could start raising interest rates around six months later, Fed chair Janet Yellen said in a comment which sent stocks and bonds tumbling. Yellen's remarks at her first news conference as the head of the central bank pointed to a more aggressive path toward higher interest rates than many had anticipated, and bets in financial markets shifted accordingly. The comments came after a two-day meeting in which Fed officials made another reduction in their bond-buying stimulus and decided to jettison a set of guideposts they were using to help the public anticipate when they would finally raise rates. The Fed said the change in its rate hike guidance did not mark a shift in its intentions and that it would wait a "considerable time" after shuttering its asset purchase program before pushing borrowing costs higher.
London: US tech giant Microsoft is working on next generation technology that will enable 'no-touch' phones, tablets and televisions that can be operated from afar, without the need to swipe them. The technology will allow users to control a screen with their fingers even from the other side of the room and put their hands through a screen to 'touch' objects. Microsoft said it is has begun to create machines that move far beyond touchscreens. The company is building an electronic bracelet that can detect movements in a person's fingers, allowing them to imitate the actions of poking and flicking the screen to operate a device. The bracelet would allow people to operate a television despite having their back turned or control a mobile phone with their hands in their pockets.
Toyota India suspends 17 workers

Bangalore: Toughening its stand against agitating employees, Toyota India has suspended 17 workers for misconduct and indiscipline four days after it declared a lockout in its twin factories near here. "The suspended employees are all members of the union. The lockout was declared more because of indiscipline than on wage hike demand though it all began with that," Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd (TKM) spokesperson said. The company's union, however, maintained that the suspension letters were not received by the affected employees, including some working for over a decade in the 16year old firm. Efforts of the state labour office to end the impasse did not yield result as the union and management did not budge from their respective stand. Of the 6,400 employees, about 4,000 of them are union members and the remaining are on contract in both the factories. This is the second time lockout was declared after 2006 over dismissal and suspension of some employees then.
SPORTS
End of political innings for Sidhu?

2004, 2007 Chandigarh: This Cricketer(by-elecweek marked the virturnedtual end of cricketertion) and politician 2009. The turned-politician Navjot BJP offered Navjot Singh Sidhu's Singh Sidhu him the innings on Punjab's political wicket. The high-profile star campaigner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been yanked off the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat and replaced by senWest Delhi and Kurukshetra ior BJP leader Arun Jaitley. Sidhu, the only BJP Lok Sabha MP (Haryana) seats but he refused to confrom Punjab, has been forced to exit test from anywhere but Amritsar. as his differences with top BJP leadKnown for his maverick ways on ers in Punjab and with the Shiromani the cricket and political field, Sidhu Akali Dal leadership hit a new high seemed to have bitten off more than (or low!). what he could chew when he took on While replacing Sidhu, the BJP has Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh not attributed any credible reasons Badal and Deputy Chief Minister why this has been done despite his Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also having thrice won from Amritsar in president of the Akali Dal, last year. He remained at loggerheads with powerful Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Sukhbir Badal's brother-in-law. Sidhu openly accused the Badalled government, which is an alliance of the Akali Dal and BJP, of discrimination against the Amritsar constituency in matters of development and funding. He even accused the government of diverting funds meant for Amritsar to other areas. Though he was the best known face of the BJP in Punjab, Sidhu's run-ins with senior state leaders led to his alienation in the party and the government. The result was that Sidhu found himself politically isolated. Sidhu, who has been BJP's star campaigner in several other states, seems to have ended up on the negative side in Punjab's politics. His political innings in the state seems to have ended - at least for now!
World T20 set to break broadcast records: ICC
Dhoni files defamation case against two TV channels

Chennai: The Madras High Court has restrained two media companies - Zee Media Corporation and News Nation Network - from publishing or broadcasting for two weeks any stories linking Indian cricket team skipper M.S. Dhoni with any betting or spot/match fixing incident. The court, in its interim order, also restrained the media companies from insinuating Dhoni's honesty and integrity in a Rs.100 crore defamation case filed by the cricketer. Dhoni had filed the suit against the media companies and also suspended Tamil Nadu police official G. Sampath Kumar. The Indian captain in his suit had said that since Feb 11 Zee Media Corporation's Zee News Channel, the channel's editor and business head Sudhir Chaudhary colluded with the police official Kumar to telecast false news reports. The reports insinuated that Dhoni was involved in betting and match/spot fixing cricket matches.He said News Nation Network broadcast false information that he was summoned by the Tamil Nadu Police.According to Dhoni, the news reports were about Chennai Super Kings team in the Indian Premier League led by him.
Dubai: Television coverage of the 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh is set to break all previous International Cricket Council (ICC) events' broadcast records, the sport's world governing body claimed. That coverage, produced and distributed by the ICC's global media rights partner and host broadcaster, Star Sports, will have a potential reach of more than 1.8 billion viewers with live pictures shown by 29 broadcasters - both figures the highest ever for an ICC event, the world body said in a statement. And it will be shown in more than
20 languages with pictures going across Europe via Eurosport and as far as Norway, Nepal, Afghanistan and the Pacific Islands. The production will be among the most sophisticated ever too, with 28 cameras, including seven ultra-motion cameras, Spidercam as well as graphics with key analytics, all of which will take the viewer right to the heart of the action. All 35 matches in the men's tournament, plus all four of the warm-up matches in Mirpur, will be covered, as well as both semi-finals and the final of the women's event.
FINANCE
March 22-28, 2014
33
How does home ownership affect your tax

By Kanwal S. Sra CPA 4th article in a series
Selling Your Home

You may exclude from income up to $500,000 of the gain from the sale of your principle residence if you are married filing a joint return; $250,000 is nontaxable if you are a single person. To take the full exclusion, you must have owned and used the property as your principal residence for two of the last five years before the sale. If you move before satisfying the requirement due to a change in place of employment or a change in health, you may be eligible for a reduced exclusion amount. Individuals serving on qualified official extended duty in the military can elect to suspend (for up to ten years) the five-year test period ending on the date of sale of the residence. The exclusion or reduced exclusion can be taken once every two years for an unlimited number of times by a seller of any age if all requirements are satisfied. Losses on the sale of your home are not deductible. The exclusion is also reduced by any business use of the home.
Buying a Home
Thinking of buying a home? How will this affect your tax situation? Most of the expenses incurred when buying a home are not deductible. You can deduct certain expenses of owning a home on your annual tax return. Some of your closing costs when you buy and sell your house can be used to adjust your basis in the home. This is important because when you sell, the basis is needed to calculate any gain or loss. The following expenses may be deductible on your annual tax return. These deductions can help lower your taxes.
You may deduct real estate taxes - they are generally reported on Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement. The amount of mortgage interest you paid on your principal residence (or second home) is deductible.
Improvements add value to your home, such as landscaping, patios, swimming pools, decks, room additions, and roof replacements. These items are additions to your cost basis and are deductible.
Real Estate Taxes

You may deduct real estate taxes in the year paid. They are generally reported on Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement, the annual statement from the financial institution holding your mortgage, or on your county real estate tax assessment statement. You should also deduct any prorated taxes collected from you at closing. These amounts are not always included on Form 1098, but may be itemized on your real estate closing statement.
additions to your cost basis. Repairs such as fixing leaks, repairing roofs, and painting are not deductible and are not basis additions. The cost of your own labor is not deductible.
Repairs & Improvements

The terms repairs and improvements can be confusing as it applies to the value of your home. A repair or maintenance expense is not tax deductible and cannot be added to the basis of your home. An improvement adds to the value of your home and is added to the basis. Adding vinyl siding and installing a security system are examples of improvements.
dalism, or theft, the loss that is not covered by insurance is deductible subject to certain limitations. A deductible casualty or theft loss reduces the cost basis of your home by the amount claimed as a deduction.
Mortgage Interest Credit

The mortgage interest credit helps lowerincome individuals afford home ownership. If you qualify, you can claim the credit each year for part of the home mortgage interest you pay. You may be eligible for the credit if you were issued a mortgage credit certificate (MCC) from your state or local government. You must obtain a MCC from the appropriate government agency before you get a mortgage and buy your home.
First-Time Homebuyer Credit

If you received a First-Time Homebuyer Credit in 2008, you must repay one-fifteenth of the allowed credit annually in years 2010 through 2025. The author is an eminent CPA with over 25 years of experience and having 25 offices in Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties. email:ksra@ksracpaspc.com.
Local Taxes and Assessments

Local taxes are deductible if they are charged uniformly against all property in the jurisdiction and if they are based on the assessed value of your home. Many states and counties also impose local benefit taxes for improvements to property, such as assessments for streets, sidewalks, and sewer lines. These taxes cannot be deducted. You can, however, increase the cost basis of your property by the amount of the assessment. Charges for services such as trash collection are not deductible even if paid to the taxing authority and included on the property tax bill. Homeowners' association fees are not deductible because they are imposed by the association and not the government tax authority.
Real Estate Refinancing Proceeds Used for Home Improvements

When interest rates drop, there is often a rush to refinance home mortgages. Many homeowners assume that they may also deduct their points. If you use the proceeds of your new loan to make home improvements, you generally may deduct the loan points in the year you refinance. If the proceeds of a refinanced mortgage are not used to improve your property, the points paid are deducted over the life of the mortgage. For example, Ling Chow took advantage of lower interest rates and refinanced the mortgage on her main home. She did not make any improvements on her home. Ling's closing settlement statement shows points of $3,300 on her 30-year mortgage. Ling can deduct $110 ($3,300 30 = $110) for points on Schedule A, Line 10 or Line 12 this year and in each of the next 30 years, or she can deduct any balance remaining when the loan is paid off. If only a portion of the loan is used to improve the home, only that portion of points is deductible in the year paid. The remainder must be deducted over the life of the loan. The portion of points paid to refinance a loan not used to substantially improve your main residence is generally deductible in equal amounts over the life of the loan. Any points not deducted by the year the loan is paid off are usually fully deductible in the payoff year. For example, Joseph Blackfeather is refinancing his home mortgage. He remodeled his kitchen and added a swimming pool for a total of $30,000. The closing settlement statement for his refinancing shows $2,700 for loan discount on his 30-year mortgage of $30,000. Joseph can deduct on Schedule A a total of $90 for points ($2,700 30 = $90), the annual portion of the refinancing points that are amortized over the life of the loan.
Mortgage Interest
The amount of mortgage interest you paid on your principal residence (or second home) is deductible. This amount is generally shown on Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement . You can also deduct the points paid to purchase your residence, even though some may have been paid by the seller. Points paid to purchase or improve your main home can usually be deducted in full in the year paid. Otherwise, they must be deducted over the life of the mortgage. Both the points paid by you and those paid by the seller are usually shown on your closing settlement statement. Points may also be called "loan origination fees", "maximum loan charges", "loan discount", or "discount points" on the closing settlement statement. Seller-paid points you claim as an itemized deduction reduce the cost basis of your home. Points paid on a refinanced loan generally must be deducted throughout the life of the mortgage. For example, Alonzo Blanco purchased his first home this year. His closing settlement statement shows loan origination fees of $3,600. Alonzo can deduct $3,600 for points on Schedule A, Line 10 or Line 12. While you own your home, keep a record of the cost of improvements you make that add value to your home, such as landscaping, patios, swimming pools, decks, room additions, and roof replacements. These items are
Casualty or Theft Loss

If your home is damaged from a sudden, unexpected event such as a fire, a storm, van-
34
March 22-28, 2014
HUMOR
Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi
Trust me, you're seeing my mild-mannered secret identity

N
ever believe what people tell you over the internet unless the person is a real-life superhero. Those guys you can usually trust. Such were the thoughts of Ms. Zhang, 48, after swapping messages with Invisible Man, who described himself as an international crime-fighter with the superpower of being able to disappear from sight at will. That sounds legit, thought Ms. Zhang, and agreed to meet him. The superhero turned out to be a bit on the petite side and had no muscles or caped costume. But Invisible Man explained that he was in his secret identity as mild-mannered Mr. Li of the finance ministry. That sounds legit too, thought Ms. Zhang, and invited him to move into her apartment in Beijing. Invisible Man borrowed a small fortune from her and disappeared. Ms. Zhang went to his government department to find him, the Beijing News reported. Her conversation with staff was not recorded, but must have gone something like this: "I'd like to speak to Invisible Man, please." "No one by that name here. What does he look like?" "He's invisible." The good news is that police eventually tracked him down and found the male superhero was actually a 54-year-old female fraudster. That recent news report got me thinking about trust. This columnist has had severe trust issues all his life thanks to a childhood incident involving raisin oatmeal cookies which looked like chocolate chip cookies. The details are still too painful to discuss. The good news is that an innovate attempt to build trust in relationships has just been launched in Japan. A koi to do ke, which means Love Declaration Form, is now available in physical or downloadable form (but only in Japanese) from municipal officials in Nagareyama town, Chiba prefecture. The form requests lots of details, such as when and where you met the love of your life, and asks whether he or she loves you in return, with four possible checkbox answers: "Yes," "No", "I think so" and "I don't know". So when girls ask: "Do you love me," guys can henceforth simply reply: "See Form A62(B), and in particular item seven on page two." As a male, I can totally see the point of this. Fill it in once, and you're done for life.
But I know some women think guys are as shallow as graphene, so I asked the guys at my local rice-box caf to create some deep aphorisms about trust. The top three: 1) A relationship without trust is like a car without wheels, seats, an engine, or a chassis. It goes nowhere but you save money on fuel and parking. 2) Trust is like a piece of paper. If you crumple it up, it can never be perfect again, unless you iron it at 218 degrees Celsius, at which time it will catch fire and burn down
your house. 3) Trust takes years to earn but only seconds to lose and is balanced out by belly fat, which takes seconds to earn but years to lose. I close with the words of top scientist Stephen Hawking: "All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust." No, wait. Maybe that was Peter Pan. You can trust him: He's a superhero. (Vittachi is an Asia-based frequent traveler)
Laughter is the Best Medicine
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.
ASTROLOGY
March 22-28, 2014
35
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

Stars Foretell: March 22-28, 2014
Aries: This week you should cut down your expenses to ease financial constraints. Moneymaking ventures will not be as good as they appear. You are likely to be bothered with too much work and too many family obligations and it will cause mental stress. Try to relax as much as possible and go after recreation and entertainment. Travelling will promote new romance and additional knowledge. Taurus: This is a good week for making important decisions. You should work towards completing your projects and remember to take into confidence all those who are involved with you. You will be able to get along well with your colleagues. The best way to keep yourself happy and relaxed will be to get involved in new hobbies. Opportunities for new and exciting relationship will be yours if you go out and socialize. Be very careful about what you say in public. Gemini: This week financially you will be on a better footing. Investments in stock may not bring in desired results, but real estate matters look promising and can bring you handsome gains. Friends will seek your support and someone will even share a secret with you, make sure you keep it to yourself. Efficiency will be more important than creativity and try not to let any underlying discord ruin your mental peace. Travel will be important for strengthening ties. Cancer: Friends and near ones will provide financial support. However, you may be a bit reluctant and hesitant to accept it. This is the period of compensation and rewards and you will be appreciated for the good deeds you have done in the past. If you go out shopping, you will find it extremely difficult to control yourself from overspending. Driving too fast and getting involved in gossip will put you into trouble with elders in the family. Leo: Sudden speculative gains during this week may not be ruled out. Expenditures on the renovation or beautification of the house or on the other domestic requirements are likely to rise. This is a good period to work on creative hobbies and to purchase art items that will grow in value. Professionally your hard work will pay off, and you will be appreciated for your efforts, but try to keep your professional life completely separate from your personal one. Virgo: Although it will be a hectic and tiring week yet you will be extremely pleased with your achievements. Fresh business deals will bring in good financial gains. Emotionally things might be disturbing and someone close to your heart will disappoint you immensely, but you should follow your conscience and behave exactly the way you normally do. Your friends and coworkers will be grateful to you for the help that you extend to them. You will be generous and enjoy the pleasure of giving.
Libra: Take time off to have fun with family members. You need to remember that life is short and you should enjoy each and every moment of it. You will make some new friends if you go out and socialize. You will have good opportunities to make major changes that will swing you in a position of leadership. Your unique and original ideas will be appreciated. Financial gains are certain, but speculation should be completely avoided. Scorpio: This week you will buy luxurious and exorbitantly expensive items for the spouse or beloved to attract more love and affection. Your income will increase, but so will your expenses. Investments put in the past will fetch returns. Past differences with colleagues if any will get sorted out. By doing what makes you happy, you will attract the right crowd. Everything that happens around you will bring you lot of fun. Opportunity for a new romance seems likely for those unattached. Sagittarius: This is a mixed period of gains and losses. On one side financially things will improve and on the other side some unexpected development on the work front may disturb your mental peace. Sudden romantic encounter will set your head spinning, but you should make sure that this doesnt distract you from your responsibilities. You will be in the mood to overspend, however if you dont control yourself you could have a severe financial constraint in the coming days. Capricorn: Funds may flow in through various sources to ease out your financial constraints. You may spend lavishly on your friends as well as your family members. Concentrate on your pending work. Someone with big plans and ideas will capture your attention but you should not make any financial commitments until you are sure you can keep to it. Business dealing with relatives or friends will definitely not be in your interest. You will enjoy the time you spend with children. Aquarius: This week dont force your opinion on others. Lectures and meeting that you attend will help you in building important professional contacts. Money gains from unexpected sources likely to boost up your spirits. Ignoring your spouse will only bring tensed moments at home. Avoid any arguments or confrontation. Travel and communication will be important but will not go as smoothly as expected. Focus your attention on domestic issues and look after the needs of others. Pisces: This week you should use your extra energy to finish pending jobs. Prevailing projects and plans will carry on in a smooth pace. Children may cause some dissatisfaction as they get distracted from their responsibilities. Be careful of your belongings while travelling. Foreign transactions expected to yield good returns. It would be better to control over your expenses and plan out the budget according to your sources and means. Spiritual gains for some will bring solace and mental peace.
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

22th March, 2014 Ruled planet: Uranus Ruled by no : 4 Traits in you: Your dominating planet Uranus makes you dynamic, friendly, fun loving, reliable, focused and optimistic. Your skills and optimism allows you to crate wonders in everything you do. However, you need to work on your frequent mood swings to obtain expected success in your life. Health this year: Your health will not be very normal this year. You may suffer from some chronic diseases. You should take some precautions before you fall sick badly. Finance this year: Though you will be able to improve your financial status, you may end up spending a lot of money in buying luxury and comfort for yourself and your family. You may put your money in real estate for better returns. Career this year: Your efforts will bear results and you will be appreciated with awards and rewards towards the end of the year. You may get a promotion for your smart work and efficiency. Romance this year: You will be enjoying a better relationship with your partner or beloved. You will get the required emotional support from your partner whenever you seek. Lucky month: May, October and January 23th March, 2014 Ruled planet: Mercury Ruled by no:5 Traits in you: Your ruling planet Mercury makes you realistic, reliable, sincere, and optimistic. You are the master of an excellent memory power and charismatic characteristics. You need not get nervous at tough time as it may create a question mark on your capabilities. Health this year: Though you would not face any major health related issues, you should take extra care of your health. Do not take unwanted risk of putting your health in stake. Go for regular medical checkups. Finance this year: You may get your pending works done, which will yield enough financial benefits for you. You should invest in share market or real estate to get better benefits. You need not borrow or lend money as it may create disturbances in your personal life. Career this year: You need not concentrate on the gossips prevailing in your workspace. You should concentrate on your career goals and try to succeed in every department. You should handle professional issues diplomatically. Romance this year: Your relationship with your spouse or partner will blossom this year. If you are not married, you may have to wait for few more years though you are eligible for marriage. Lucky month: April, August and September 24th March, 2014 Ruled planet: Venus Ruled by no: 6 Traits in you: Your ruling planet Venus makes optimistic, ambitious, caring, aspiring, and determined. You are very social and love to make new friends and get into new relationships. You are a huge follower of intelligence and education. Health this year: This year, your health will remain pretty good despite of the initial minor health issues. You should not ignore any minor health issue this year as it may prove fatal later on. You will enjoy an overall good health if you take proper medication. Finance this year: Your innovative ideas to earn money may not meet your expectations. However, you need to keep trying until you succeed. You will find it tough to make money this year. You may go for investments in various sectors like shares, gold, land and so on. Career this year: You are quite capable of handling critical issues in your professional life. You will succeed in your attempts of performing well in your work. You will get appreciations from your peers, seniors, and the higher management. You should help others to make your presence felt. Romance this year: You will share a good relationship with your spouse. You may decide to turn your relationship into marriage if you are not married yet. However, you need to understand your beloved and provide the required emotional support for the betterment of your relationship. Lucky month: June, September, October and January 25th March, 2014 Ruled planet:7 Ruled by no:Neptune Traits in you: As you are governed by planet Neptune, you are blessed with various positive characters. You are confident, decisive, generous, humorous, honest, modest and optimistic. You are not an admirer of arguments or silly fights. You should work on your nature of being selfish, pessimistic, and arrogant. Health this year: You will enjoy a better health this year as compared to last year. However, the health of an aged family member may deteriorate and that will make you bothered. You may end up spending lot of money for the health issues of your family members. Finance this year: You may go for a property transaction this year and this will bring you a lot of money. You need to be decisive to invest on real estate or gold as there are risks involved. Do not trust any of your new partners as they may cheat you. You may spend enough money on buying a vehicle or renovating your property. Career this year: As far as your professional life is concerned you may find your job a bit monotonous. You need to go for innovative ideas to get better in your profession. Your decision making capacity may make you the favorite to win an award in your professional circuit. Romance this year: The emotional attachment with your spouse or partner may blossom this year with lot of love, care, and concern. If you are not married, then you may go for a romantic relationship. You will enjoy a very blissful time with your beloved. Lucky month: October, January and February 26th March, 2014 Ruled planet:Saturn Ruled by no:8 Traits in you: Your ruling planet Saturn makes you humble, honest, focused, practical, realistic and enthusiastic. You are blessed with enormous talent and imagination. Along with the positive characters in you, there are some negative aspects in your nature. You need to work on your nature of being envious, unreliable, and indiscipline. Health this year: You will enjoy a better health this year as compared to last year. However, the health of an aged family member may deteriorate and that will make you bothered. You may end up spending lot of money for the health issues of your family members. Finance this year: As far as your financial condition is considered, you will enjoy a better status as compared to the last year. You will get enough benefits from your previous investments. You may plan for new investments. You may go for partnerships to start new ventures. Domestic as well as overseas ventures will be successful this year. You need to create new contacts for the growth in your business as it will earn you more projects and money. Career this year: You may get the chance to complete all your previous assignments and this will enhance your respect as a brilliant performer in your professional circuit. If you are into a profession that demands creativity, then you will be very successful this year as far as your career is concerned. Romance this year: Your relationship with your spouse or partner will be good enough despite of minor misunderstandings. You may plan to get engaged with your long time love towards the final months of the year. Lucky month: March, June and August 27th March, 2014 Ruled planet:Mars Ruled by no: 9 Traits in you: Being influenced by Mars, you are believed to be the master of a charismatic personality. You are courteous, courageous, energetic, realistic, modest, and responsive. You follow religion very keenly. However, you have few problems in your attitude and that needs to be worked on for the betterment of your individuality. Health this year: Health wise you will enjoy a great time throughout the year. You may suffer few minor health issues such as cold, headache or body aches. You need to take proper medications to remain physically and mentally fit. Finance this year: Your confidence and hard work will help you earn a lot of money and you will be able to expand your business as well. You may go ahead investing on anything you want as this year is pretty rewarding for you. Your past legal disputes will get resolved this year and give you enough opportunity to make money. Career this year: You will be establishing yourself as a very efficient and important resource in your organization this year. Your performance will influence your peers, seniors and higher management. It is the best time to look out for a new job as it will help you grow both professionally and financially. Romance this year: Your plans to go for holidays with your partner may not work because of huge work pressure and this may create disturbance in your marital life. You need to take care of the emotional requirements of your partner to lead a peaceful life this year. Lucky month: May, July, October and December 28th March, 2014 Ruled planet:Sun Ruled by no: 1 Traits in you: Due to the positive effects of your ruling planet Sun, you will have the characteristics of a good human being. By nature, you are accountable, unique, courageous, committed, competitive, coordinated and intelligent. You should work on your negative personality traits such as selfishness, dependency and pessimism. Health this year: As far your health is concerned, you will be lucky enough to enjoy a good health. However, you need to take proper medication to retain your health. You should leave bad habits of smoking and alcohol to get a good health this year. Finance this year: This year may bring you huge financial benefits. You will enjoy the returns of your investments. If you want to gain financial profits, you have to work hard. You may invest in various profitable businesses. However, you should not start new partnerships or trust new friends. Career this year: You need to focus on your profession and put your cent per cent effort to achieve your expected goals. You will be appreciated by your peers and seniors for your efficient output. You may be assigned extra responsibilities as you are very decisive and capable of performing wonders. Romance this year: If you are yet to be in a committed relationship, you may get into one this year. If you are already committed, then you may plan for marriage towards the end of the year. Lucky month: August, October, December and January
36
March 22-28, 2014
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
Meditation:
Positive changes to our brain and our lives
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
By Louis A. Ritz
As a neuroscientist, the author found the scientific approach to meditation on the inner Light and Sound as taught by Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj provides a firsthand direct inner spiritual experience.
or to our mental patterns. Neuroplasticity means that the brain can be shaped, or sculpted, by our experiences or by our thoughts. Until recent times, neuroscientists had assumed that the mature brain is hard-wired. That is, once neural circuits are established, there is no reorganization regardless of injury, disease, or aging. Yet over the past 20 years or so, a new set of rules has emerged for central nervous sysscape can affect our brain has been demonstrated in several studies demonstrating structural changes in the brain of meditators. These investigators compared the brains of age-matched groups, one group being meditators and the other being non-meditators. Using brain-imaging techniques to measure the thickness of cortical areas of the brain, regions related to sensory, memory, and emotional processing are time-honored scientific method. Whether an individual is using the scientific method to investigate the objective outer world or the subjective inner realms, the technique is equally valid and valuable. Use of the scientific method as a guideline for spiritual exploration has been developed and promoted by the great spiritual scientists of modern times. The spiritual explorers have long considered basic spiriWhere are we going when we leave here and what is our relationship to the Divine? 2) Essential to the process, we need the guidance of a competent mentor. A mentor teaches us the proper techniques, provides us with the best shortcuts for achieving our goals, alerts us to pitfalls we may encounter, and helps us monitor our progress. 3) Science is conducted in a laboratory. The human body is the laboratory for our spiritual experiment. 4) To collect our data, in order to evaluate our spiritual hypothesis, we use the delicate instruments of the inner eye and ear for the experiment in the spiritual laboratory. 5) Medical research requires that the experiments be repeated daily until the techniques are perfected. In a spiritual experiment, there also must be repetition, such as meditating daily. 6) The final step of the scientific process is to communicate our results, which includes service to humankind. As a neuroscientist, I have found the scientific approach to meditation on the inner Light and Sound as taught by H.H. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj (www.sos.org) provides a firsthand direct inner spiritual experience. Trained and experienced as an engineer-scientist, Sant Rajinder Singh appreciates the scientific method of dealing with challenges of the outside world. Trained and experienced as a spiritual scientist, he embodies the scientific process to meditation and the exploration of our true nature. A scientific model of meditation provides a rigorous, reproducible approach to the practice of meditation. The steps involved in meditation allow anyone to prove to themselves the positive benefits of meditation to for changing their brain. It allows anyone to enjoy the physical and psychological benefits of meditation as well as the spiritual benefits of entering a state of bliss, conscious awareness, happiness, and joy within. (Louis A. Ritz, Ph.D. is an Elizabeth Wood Dunlevie Honors Term Professor at the Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine Gainesville, Florida, USA)
editation and spirituality are being increasingly embraced around the world, including the West, as our lives are becoming more complex. Individuals are turning within themselves, instead of the outside world, to find solutions to lifes challenges. Spirituality is gaining popularity for a variety of reasons, e.g., a search for deeper meaning in life, dealing with unbridled emotions or an unruly mind, a fear of death, a fear of life, a loss of a loved one, or a health challenge. At a deeper level, there is a common source of our suffering. As each of us becomes more entangled in the impermanence of the outer world, our level of dissatisfaction and disappointment with everyday life inevitably rises. Instead of identifying with our inner Self, as the great Teachers from all wisdom traditions have implored us, our attention has remained aligned with the illusory self and the transitory outside world. Meditation is considered humanitys panacea in that it allows us to reconnect with the Divine that is within each of us. Over the past 40 years, the scientific interest in meditation has exploded. The research has gone through several phases. Early on, scientists documented the physiological impact of meditation on the body. Meditation, by reducing the fight or flight response mediated by the autonomic nervous system, produces a profound relaxation and a significant stress reduction. More recently, utilizing modern imaging techniques, medical research has revealed that certain regions of the brain are activated during meditation while other areas are inactivated. Our scientific investigations are now beginning to evaluate the potential role of meditation as a therapeutic intervention, for conditions such as chronic pain, depression, and addiction. Central to the influence of meditation on our bodies and our lives is that brain circuits are flexible. That is, the brain is dynamic and can change in response to external stimulation
Over the past 40 years, the scientific interest in meditation has exploded. Early on, scientists documented the physiological impact of meditation on the body. Meditation, by reducing the fight or flight response mediated by the autonomic nervous system, produces a profound relaxation and a significant stress reduction. More recently, utilizing modern imaging techniques, medical research has revealed that certain regions of the brain are activated during meditation while other areas are inactivated. Our scientific investigations are now beginning to evaluate the potential role of meditation as a therapeutic intervention, for conditions such as chronic pain, depression, and addiction.
tem organization and reorganization. It is clear that experiences of the outer world can change the circuits of the brain. For example, improvements in motor skills are accompanied by an increase in size of the brain regions related to the motor skill. Less well appreciated is how inner, spiritual, experiences can alter the brain. One hint of how our inner landlarger in meditators compared to non-meditators. By embracing spirituality and meditation, we can change our thought patterns and our brain circuits. In turn, these changes will lead to improvements in our behaviors and our lives. Spiritual questions, like medical or other scientific questions, can be investigated with rigorous, systematic techniques using the tual questions to be answerable through personal spiritual inquiry; however, unlike objective research questions, they require us to conduct spiritual experiments for ourselves, within ourselves. The scientific approach to meditation requires the following steps. 1) Our spiritual quest typically begins with a question, e.g., who are we? Why are we here?
March 22-28, 2014
FOR MAY 2014

Vol 6 Issue 47 - March 22-28, 2014

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The South Asian Times

The South Asian Times

Fervor, gaiety mark Holi in India

Holi Special Section pg 13-25

HOLI GOES GLOBAL WITH GLEE

INTENSE SEARCH OFF AUSTRALIA TURNS UP ZILCH

March 22-28, 2014

Meera Gandhis Giving Back charity honors 2 at gala

Manju Goel loses Congressional bid from Illinois

Manju Goel lost in the Republican primary to Larry Kaifesh.

Socialite-turned-philanthropist Meera Gandhi at the gala.

Connecting India & USA

Stan Lee launches new superhero in English, Hindi

Chakra the Invincible is an Indian superhero.

March 22-28, 2014

India maintain all-win record against Pak in a World Cup meet

Battling election anxiety, Congress faces desertions

March 22-28, 2014

US 'very hopeful' about future of ties with India

Indian techies in US build online platform for AAP

White House stands by Vivek Murthy as 'America's doctor'

March 22-28, 2014

Senate confirms Arun Kumar to key trade job

Go home terrorists: Abuse Sikh students face in US

Arun Madhavan Kumar

Culinary comedy Jadoo to close 12th film fest of Los Angeles

A fourth of Indian business graduates land jobs in US

Other Key Findings:

A still of IFFLA's closing night movie 'Jadoo'

March 22-28, 2014

BJP firefighting: Advani to contest from Gandhinagar

Chidambaram opts out, son in

Karthi Chidambaram, P. Chidambaram's son

Satpal Maharaj quits Congress, joins BJP

Farmers' suicides a national agony, says Modi

March 22-28, 2014

Khushwant: A born raconteur, a vintage sardar

The man whose obit was written 31 years ago

March 22-28, 2014

US court asks Sonia Gandhi to show passport

Four get life sentence in Shakti Mills gang-rape case

Ground slipping from under Lalu's feet?

Indian among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack

One time Bihar strongman Lalu Prasad Yadav

March 22-28, 2014

Where has Malaysian airliner disappeared?

Modi wave or media hype ? Media must not lose credibility

GLEEFULLY gOINg gLOBAL

GLEEFULLY gOINg gLOBAL

March 22-28, 2014

March 22-28, 2014

BSF personnel celebrate holi at Indo-Pak international border in Attari, Amritsar

Music director Bappi Lahiri`s Holi celebrations in Mumbai

Modi wishes voters Holi via recorded message

Millions converge at Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mohalla

March 22-28, 2014

Holi frenzy grips Krishna land

watch from their room windows, said hotelier Sandeep.

Assam's unique Holi a 3-5-day affair

March 22-28, 2014

Holi In The City

Rimli Roys Holi Hai

IN Group's Rang Barse in New York City The Holi cruise

March 22-28, 2014