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The South Asian Times

e x c e l l e n c e

Vol.7 No. 40 February 7-13, 2015 60 Cents

i n

j o u r n a l i s m

New York Edition

AAP takes BJP to the wire in Delhi polls

New Delhi: As high-decibel campaigning for Delhi state poll ended


Thursday, opinion polls and political pundits were divided on
whether BJP or AAP (Aam Aadmi
Party) will squeak through and
manage a majority to form a government in India capital.
The campaigning to control the
70-member assembly in the Feb 7
voting (results will be out Feb 10)
saw mudslinging and verbal duels
between the BJP and the AAP in
this two-horse race with Congress
relegated to the margins.
The BJP made it a prestige issue,
and the campaigning was led by
party president Amit Shah, chief
ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi,
Prime Minister Modi himself and
many central ministers and MPs.
Perhaps reacting to AAP loud
claims that their party will clinch a
majority, Amit Shah Thursday said

INDIA-CHINA TIES 12

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Chouhan visits US
to find friends and
investment for MP

The two CM candidates for Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi.

the assembly polls were not a "referendum" on the performance of


the government led by Modi.
Addressing a rally, Shah said the
Delhi election was a fight between
two ideologies -- one that makes
and keeps its promises (BJP), and
the other of lying and making false

Jordan promises more strikes on


Islamic State as it ups the ante

Amman: Jordanian Foreign


Minister Nasser Judeh said his
country's strike against Islamic
State in Syria on Thursday was
just the start of its response to the
militant group's immolation of its
captured pilot last month.
"It's actually the beginning of
our retaliation," Judeh said in an
interview with CNN. He said his
country was "upping the ante"
and going after the militants
"with everything that we have."
Jordan also released a slickly
produced video showing its jets
being prepared ahead of airstrikes
on Syria on Thursday.
The footage, which was broadcast on state TV, shows troops
writing Koranic verses and antiISIS messages on plane-mounted
missiles before the fleet of fighter
jets are launched from the base.
The mission - dubbed
Operation Martyr Moaz - was its
latest strike against the country

Follow us on

promises, hinting towards the AAP.


Kejriwal thundered, "The BJP
has all the administrative apparatus
but we have truth and God on our
side," He said people had seen his
Continued on page 4

More Delhi poll stories on page 9.

Indian American
docs weigh in on
vaccination debate

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaking at the Friends of MP


conclave. He also addressed a USIBC event and a group of FIIs.

By Jinal Shah
Relatives of Jordanian air
force pilot Maaz
al-Kassasbeh who was burnt
to death by ISIS last month.
(Photo: AFP)

after it joined the US-led coalition late last year. Jordan's military said it had deployed tens of
fighter jets against Islamic State
in Syria, which included bombing
ammunition depots and training
Continued on page 4

BOLLYWOOD 18

New York: More than 100 people


in 14 states were diagnosed with
measles last month, 95 % of the
cases related to an outbreak that
began before Christmas at
Disneyland in California.
A growing number of parents are
refusing to vaccinate their children,
a trend that has is said to have led
to a resurgence of measles. And
Continued on page 4

New York: Echoing the reception


for Prime Minister Narendra Modi
at MSG, over 3,000 people assembled Super Bowl Sunday morning
here to cheer Madhya Pradesh
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh
Chouhan as he launched the initiative to connect the global passionate citizens who wish to work for
the fast-track development of
Madhya Pradesh and India.
On the second day of his six-day
visit to the tri-state area, CM
Chouhan formally launched the
Friends of Madhya Pradesh initiative (www.friendsofmp.com) at the

Full story on page 25.

LIFESTYLE 26

SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30

Lincoln Center complex in


Manhattan.
With GDP growth of 11.08 %
and 20% rise in agricultural production in last few years, Madhya
Pradesh has become one of the
fastest growing states in India, he
said.
Later, making a pitch for investment in his state while speaking at
an event organized by US India
Business Council (USIBC), he said
The focus of my third term in
government is on industrial development. We are setting up new
Continued on page 4

Detailed stories on pages 15, 16, 17.

excellence in journalism

February 7-13, 2015

TRISTATE COMMUNITY

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FIA holds spectacular Dance Pe Chance


The 2015 edition celebrating Indias 66th R-Day boasted 625 participants,
26 performances, Omi Vaidyas stand up comedy and Daisy Joplings violin recital.

Dance groups exhibited an abundance of talent, innovative choreography and pride in Indianness.

New Brunswick, NJ: The Federation of


Indian Associations (FIA) of the tri-state,
which organizes the mega India Day parade
in new York every year, celebrated Indias
66th Republic Day with its annual show
Dance Pe Chance. This grand program
promoting the 2nd generation of the Indian
diaspora while exposing Indias culture and
heritage was held at the prestigious State
Theater here on Jan 31. Renowned dignitaries and celebrities attended this sold out
show.
The FIAs incoming executive committee
of 2015 who were administered the oath of
office by New Jersey Deputy Speaker
Upendra Chivukula included: Ankur
Vaidya, President; Anand Patel, Executive
Vice President; Srujal Parikh, Vice
President; Suarin Parikh, General
Secretary; Alok Kumar, Treasurer; Sanjay
Amin, immediate Past President and
Chhavi Singh, Joint Secretary. Senator
Cory Booker sent an acknowledgement letter through aide Dinesh Suryavanshi.
Dignitaries in attendance included H.R.
Shah, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Albert Jasani,
Kamlesh Mehta, Andy Bhatia, Paul Parmar,
Kanu Chauhan, Ram Gadhavi, Dipak Patel,
Dinesh Goswami and Yash Paul Soi.
Omi Vaidya, the 3 idiots movie fame
actor, added fun and energy to the show.
Daisy Jopling, a decorated violinist of global fame, gave a spectacular performance.
I am proud of all participants whose performance will inspire our youngsters to
keep alive our culture and tradition, which
is the main goal of FIA in organizing
Dance Pe Chance competition for the last
few years, said by Ankur Vaidya, President
of FIA. He lauded the DPC 2015 team
(Chair: Chhavi Singh) for the show with the
best talent, design and concept.
Uplift Humanity, dedicated to the rehabilitation of juvenile inmates and orphans in
South Asia, was the chosen nonprofit partner for this years event.
The 14 dance schools from four states
who competed in three categories: minor,
junior and senior were: Sonalee Dance
Studio, Natraj Nrityalya, Kalanjali School
of Dance, Narvrang Dance, Arya Dance
Academy, WDC Jadoo, Rhythmic Arts /
Shiva dance, Diwakar Performing Arts

THE TOP PRIZE-WINNERS


Minor Category
Ist prize:- Arya Dance Academy
Choreographer : Arya instructors
2nd prize:-Aum Dance Creations
Choreographer: Rina Shah
3rd prize:- Dancing Shiva
Choreographer: Jeanie Beri
Best Choreography :- Diwakar
Performing Arts
Choreographer: Anil Diwakar

Junior Category
1st prize:- Kavis School of Dance
Choreographer: Kavita Thotakura
2nd prize:- Nritya Creations
Choreographer: Shayoni Nag, Sanjib
Bhattacharya
3rd prize :- Kalanjali School of Dance
Choreographer: Sudha Devulpalli
Best Choreography:- Aum Dance
Creations
Choreographer : Rina Shah

Senior Category
1st prize:- Arya Dance Academy
Choreographer: Arya instructors
2nd prize:- Aum Dance Creations
Choreographer: Rina Shah
3rd prize :- Sonalee Bollywood Dance
Studio
Choreographer: Sonalee Vyas-Jani
Best Choreography:- WDC Jaadu
Choreographer: Reema Kapani

The top performance in all aspects in all 3 categories 'Best of the


Best' : Aum Dance Creations / Reena Shah
Group, AUM Dance Creations, Nritya
Creations, Nimriti School of Dance,
Mayura Dance, Moksha & Kavis School of
Dance. Each dance group exhibited an

FIA President Ankur Vaidya (second from left) with


actor-comic Omi Vaidya and others.

abundance of talent, innovative choreography and unprecedented pride in Indianness.


The colorful costumes, song selection, efficient and attractive stage decoration, professional lighting and sound system
enhanced the visual impact of the entire
show.
Judges included Palvesha Desai, CEO of
Bombino Express; Nimmi Mehta, General
Secretary of RANA; Sonny Chatrath, actor
and travel industry veteran; Pallavi
Degwekar, Kathak dancer in India; and
Aroon Shivdasani, Director of the IAAC.
The event was sponsored by Indus
American Bank and Anil Bansal, Diamond
Essence, Jet Airways, TV Asia, Parikh
Worldwide Media, Royal Alberts Palace,
Sistar Mortgage, Victory International &
Monga Family and Paul Parmar.

Famed violinist Daisy Jopling gave a


spectacular performance.
Photos courtesy: Dipak Ghadhiyali
(Janoo Studio)

NJ Deputy Speaker Upendra Chivukula gave the oath of office to Ankur Vaidya (FIA President) and his team.

TRISTATE COMMUNITY

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Mayor de Blasio goes big on


affordable housing
New York: Mayor Bill de Blasio
unveiled a number of policies in his
State of the City, but argued that
none of them would be possible
unless the city tackled his top priority: affordable housing.
If you can afford to live here,
then everything else becomes possible, de Blasio said during his
speech at Baruch College in midtown. The mayor highlighted his
achievements, he outlined plans for
mass transit and the minimum
wage. But over and over, he
returned to the theme of affordability, presenting the high cost of living
hereespecially rentas a danger
to the citys future.
If we fail to be a city for everyone, we risk losing what makes
New York New York, he said,
explaining that diversitypeople of
different races, different income
levels, new immigrantsis what
has made the city so vibrant.
His administration plans to build
80,000 units of new affordable
housing and preserve another
120,000 units, he said. In addition to
affordable housing, Mr. de Blasio
has called for the construction of

Mayor de Blasio delivering his


second State of the City
address on Feb 3. (AP Photo)

160,000 market rate units as well.


He said his administration would
work at cutting red tape to make it
happen quickly, calling for fundamental reform at the Department of
Buildings.
And he called again for mandatory inclusionary zoningrequiring
developers who want a property
rezoned to commit to building permanently affordable housing as part
of their projects, something previously voluntary. But his speech
failed to cite percentage of units
hed require a developer to keep
affordable.

February 7-13, 2015

Hard work begins now, Obama told me


before leaving India: US envoy Verma

New Delhi: At the end of his visit


to India last week, President
Obamas words to Richard Rahul
Verma, his envoy to New Delhi,
were: Now, the hard work
begins.
We are ready to begin that hard
work, Verma said in his first interview after taking over as US
ambassador to India. Speaking to
Karan Thapar on Headlines Today,
he said he was committed to
working hard to achieve Obamas
vision of making US the best partner India had.
Hard work remains on so many
fronts climate change, education,
health care, and the work we can
do together not only in India but a
whole lot of places around the
world. That is my mission that is
what I have to do on behalf of the
president, he said.
Verma, a second-generation
Indian American, termed Obamas
visit transformative, one that
brought US-India relations to a
new level.
A key area of improvement was
economic and business ties, Verma

Richard Verma (left) and US Congress members (who were in


President Obamas delegation) calling on PM Modi in New Delhi.

said. Currently, US exports to India


account for a mere 2% of its overall exports, while Indian exports to
the US stood at just 1 % of its total
exports. He added there was movement on the nuclear deal, as now
India had committed to the US that
it would send data that would satisfy American law. He said the two
sides would have to work with supplier companies to address any
concerns on the liability issue.
On the US-India strategic vision
for the Indian Ocean and the AsiaPacific region, Verma said this
wasnt to contain China. The

Mindy Kalings 'invisible women' Super


Bowl ad stirs debate

New York: A Super Bowl commercial for Nationwide


Insurance shows Mindy Kaling trying to hail a cab in
New York City. And it's not easy.
"After years of being treated like she was invisible, it
occurred to Mindy Kaling she might actually be invisible," the narrator Julia Roberts says.
Kaling then pretends she is invisible, doing all kinds of
ridiculous things. She steals ice-cream from a store, walks
through a car wash and stretches in a park, naked.
The commercial instantly sparked a debate whether
women, especially those of color, are indeed invisible.
The Twitterati too went abuzz with the debate.
Through the commercial, Nationwide is aiming to let
potential clients know that theyre not invisible. But inadvertently, Kaling, 35, The Mindy Project actress playing the role of someone struggling for attention also
brings to light what women face every day.
Talking to NPR, Kaling said, As a producer and a
writer, whether it was at The Office or at The Mindy
Project, if I make a decision, itll still seem like its up
for debate, she said. And I notice that a little bit at
The Office, with, like, an actor:
If I decided thered be a certain way in the script, it
would still seem open-ended, whereasif I was a man I

A screen shot from the commercial starring the


Indian American actress..

would not have seen that.


Mindy Kalings invisible Indian woman is sadly close
to the truth, writes Wersha Bharadwaj in The Guardian.
In a blog on NPR, Rithu Chatterjee relates to Kaling and
says the ad resonates with minority women in general and
points out what its like to be an Indian woman in
America, sharing their quota of invisibility.

emerging
India-US-JapanAustralia ties in the region was
work in progress. The envoy disagreed that Obamas message on
religious freedom at Siri Fort auditorium was specific to India. The
US President was speaking as
much for American people.
Verma added his ambassadorial
assignment wasnt just a great professional opportunity, but also personal fulfilment for him and his
family. His father had left
Jalandhar in Punjab for New York
50 years ago with nothing more
than $ 24in his pocket, he said.

A force in Delhi polls,


AAP celebrates R-Day in NJ
New Jersey: Despite snow and cold weather, around 50
supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from NY-NJ
gathered on 24th January in New Jersey to celebrate
Republic Day of India. The occasion was marked by a
google hangout with Yogendra Yadav, AAP leader, and
Jarnail Singh, AAP candidate from Tilak Nagar constituency in Delhi.
The volunteers very excited for the forthcoming elections
in Delhi and are confident of AAP's win. They see AAP as
the only hope for a secular, developed and progressive
India.
The volunteers also shared their stories of what motivated
them to support AAP and the ways in which they have been
volunteering for the party for the last two years. Himanshu
Sharma watched the speech of Arvind Kejriwal launching
AAP on Nov 25, 2012, and soon after he and his wife
Kalpana formed AAP ke Mitra NJ group on Facebook and
Google groups.
In the past one year, AAP volunteers from the area have
had interactive sessions with Arvind Kejriwal, Dr Kumar
Vishwas, Meera Sanyal and Prashant Bhushan when they
visited USA. Volunteers have participated in spreading the
message of AAP to Indians in the tristate region.
The meeting concluded with Himanshu Sharma singing
Lokpal bill aur swaraj, dil mein jagaya AAPne amidst
much applause and cheer. This was followed by recital of
the Indian National Anthem.

TURN PAGE

February 7-13, 2015

Investment banking executive dead in Metro North crash

New York: A 41-year-old


Indian-born investment banking executive described as
"extraordinary" by his colleagues has died in a fiery suburban train crash just outside
the city.
Aditya Tomar, a vice president in JP Morgan's asset management division, was among
six people killed Tuesday
evening when the Metro North
train hit an SUV stuck on the
tracks in Valhalla, about 45 km
from here, and the first three
carriages caught fire. JP

Aditya Tomar, from


Danbury, Conn., was
among the six who died
in the crash.

Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon


called Tomars death "a terrible
tragedy and loss".
The IIT graduate was an
expert in program trading and
in using algorithms for stock
trading, according to his
LinkedIn profile. He also had
an advanced degree from
Miami University and had
worked for Barclay Capital and
Morgan Stanley. He lived in
Danbury in Connecticut state
and was returning home from
work. Tomars mother-in-law,
Dee Persaud, described him as

Indian-American pilot's
selfies caused plane crash

Washington: An Indian-American
pilot and/or his passenger in
Colorado were likely taking selfies
when the pilot lost control of the
plane, causing it to crash, and
killing them both last spring,
according to federal investigators.
Pilot Amritpal Singh, 29, and his
passenger were killed instantly
when Singh's Cessna 150K
crashed into a wheat field shortly
after midnight May 31, USA
Today reported. The wreckage was
discovered around 7:30 that morning. A GoPro camera mounted to
the plane's windshield recorded
Singh and several other passengers
taking selfies on their cellphones
during a series of short flights
before the crash, the National
Transportation Safety Board
found.
While the GoPro didn't record
the flight where Singh crashed,
investigators portrayed a pattern of

the pilot taking selfies and possibly texting while giving rides to
passengers above Front Range
Airport, about 30 miles east of
Denver, Colorado, the newspaper
said.
Singh's plane was about 740 feet
above the ground when it descended rapidly and hit the ground.
"It is likely that cellphone use
during the accident flight distracted the pilot and contributed to the
development of special disorientation and subsequent loss of control," the NTSB was quoted as saying.
The evidence suggests that Singh
got distracted, disoriented, stalled
the plane and crashed, NTSB
investigators said as cited by USA
Today.
Singh also lacked certification
for flying at night with instruments
and for carrying passengers at
night.

fun-loving, brilliant, kind and


generous, not just to his wife,
but to everyone around him,
NBC Connecticut TV reported
Thursday. "There is never a
time he is not there for us," she
told the station.
The Danbury News-Times
quoted a family friend, Mina
Patel, as saying that Tomar and
his wife Reshma were known
in the local Indian community
as hard workers who helped
others.
Tomar's body was identified
from his dental records.

Rs. 1,500 crore business


generated at Stonemart in Jaipur
By Prakash Bhandari
Jaipur: The eighth edition of the India Stonemart
2015 generated a business of a whopping Rs. 1,500
crore during the four-day event.
Rajasthan is the biggest producer of dimensional
stones and the STONEMART event draws a large
number of professionals, architects and builders
from all over the country as this is the only event in
which dimensional stones of various kind and variety are displayed.
Principal Secretary, Industries and Chairperson
CDOS (Centre For Development Of Stones), Veenu
Gupta said that the business generated saw a quantum jump of Rs. 300 crore from the last edition of
the Stonemart held in 2013.
Gupta said that there was a distinct feeling of
euphoria with as many as 18,000 business visitors
having come to the Stonemart for interaction, networking and transacting sales. Furthermore, as many
as 500 foreign buyers came from 50 countries and
500 architects attended the first ever Jaipur
Architecture Festival (JAF). In all, there were 425
stalls.
The next edition of the India StoneMart in the year
2017 will be held from 2-5 February.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Chouhan visits US to find ...
Continued from page 1
food processing, textile and other kinds of industrial
units. The factors that favor industrial climate are
abundance of land, low-cost but high-skilled labor,
24/7 power supply, honest and efficient governance,
speedier clearances of applications for setting up
business ventures.
AAP takes BJP to the wire in...
Continued from page 1
party's work in the 49 days when he was chief minister and, therefore, the voters want the same honest
government for five years now.
Pre-poll surveys have suggested a close contest
between the BJP and the AAP -- with the latter said to
have an edge. More recent surveys have given BJP a
majority of seats. The India TV-C-Voter survey gives
BJP 37 seats, 28 seats for AAP and 5 for Congress.
The Week-IMBR survey and pre-poll survey by Data
Mineria, telecast by IBN-7, have also given BJP 36
seats and AAP 27 seats, with 7 to Congress.
Jordan promises more strikes on...
Continued from page 1
camps. The US military said it had deployed aircraft
and troops to northern Iraq to boost its ability to
shorten the response time needed to reach pilots who
end up in territory held by the Islamic State group,
officials said.
American F-16 and F-22 jets provided security to
Jordan's fighter planes on the strike mission while US
refueling tankers and surveillance aircraft provided
additional support, defense officials said.
Indian American docs weigh in ...
Continued from page 1
while leading politicians debate whether it is in the
publics interest to allow parents to decide for themselves, Indian American doctors interviewed by The
South Asian Times weighing in on the issue urge
fewer exemptions and policy change in favor of public health. Dr Ajay K. Lodha, Vice President of
AAPI, says yes to mandatory vaccination by all eligible persons to protect others in the community. Dr
Amisha Malhotra, associate professor of pediatrics at
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says,
Vaccines have helped eliminate many diseases in the
US and are the greatest public health achievement in
history. Unfortunately, their success is also their
downfall, since many individuals have never witnessed the debilitating diseases that vaccines protect
against, allowing a complacent attitude towards
immunization.

New Delhi Bureau


Meenakshi Iyer
Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Art and Design: Vladimir Tomovski


Bhagwati Creations,
Dhiraj Kumar

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February 7-13, 2015

Bhararas new target: New York Dr Monica Bharel appointed


assembly speaker Sheldon Silver Mass. Health Commissioner

New York, NY: Preet Bharara,


the United States attorney for the
Southern District of New York has
netted one more high profile
politician, the New York Times reported.
Sheldon Silver, the speaker of
the New York assembly, exploited
his position as one of the most
powerful politicians in the state to
obtain millions of dollars in bribes
and kickbacks, federal authorities
said on Thursday as they announced his arrest on a sweeping
series of corruption charges.
For years, Silver has earned a lucrative income outside government, asserting that he was a simple personal injury lawyer who
represented ordinary people.
But, federal prosecutors said his
purported law practice was a fiction, one he created to mask about
$4 million in payoffs that he carefully and stealthily engineered for
over a decade. A democrat from
the Lower East Side of Manhattan,
Silver was accused of steering real
estate developers to a law firm that
paid him kickbacks. He was also

accused of funneling state grants


to a doctor who referred asbestos
claims to a second law firm that
employed Silver and paid him for
referring clients.
"For many years, New Yorkers
have asked the question: How
could speaker Silver, one of the
most powerful men in all of New
York, earn millions of dollars in
outside income without deeply
compromising his ability to honestly serve his constituents?"
Bharara, asked at a news conference with FBI officials. "Today,
we provide the answer: He didn't." The arrest of Silver, 70
, immediately upended state government,
throwing
the
capital into convulsions just as this
year's legislative session gets underway.
Bharara was unsparing in his description of Silver's conduct, saying the charges against him "go to
the very core of what ails Albany."
He added that his office was in the
midst of pursuing a number of other public corruption investigations.

New York: In December 2014


Governor-elect Charlie Baker
named Boston Health Care for the
Homeless Programs chief medical officer Dr. Monica Bharel as
leader of the states Department of
Public Health. In this role Dr.
Bharel will oversee programs addressing all areas of public health
from violence prevention to infectious disease control to nutrition, physical activity, and obesity.
She will also manage more than
3,000 employees and a $540 million budget.
The appointment elated health
advocates, who said the 44-yearold Bharel has demonstrated an
unwavering commitment to improving the lives of the states
homeless and most vulnerable,
stretching back two decades to her
days in medical school.
Bharel is also known for her insatiable curiosity and for her quick
grasp of complex issues and ability to translate them to everyday
concepts, advocates said. Monica
has an electric personality, said

Mrs Raji Kuncham elected President of


Telugu Literary Cultural Association

New York: Mrs. Raji Kuncham took


over as the 30th President of Telugu
Literary
Cultural
Association
(TLCA), one of the oldest Indian
American organizations in the country on Jan 31st at the Telugu
Sankranti Festival event held at the
Hindu Temple Auditorium in Flushing, NY. Secretary Srinivas Guduru
described Mrs. Kuncham as an
amazing person, great role model
and a dynamic leader. Her contributions to TLCA for the last decade
have been noteworthy in various
roles, from volunteer to EC member
to Vice President. She has served in
many other organizations too. Her
work in support of soup kitchens,
shelters for the homeless, eye camps
in India and promoting wellness programs are very dear to her.
With a Masters Degree in Computer Science Mrs. Kuncham serves
as a Senior Database Administrator
with a major Fortune 500 company.

President Raji Kuncham unveils


the TLCA vision for 2015

Her husband, Dr Kishore Kuncham


is Superintendent of Freeport Public
Schools. In her acceptance speech,
President Raji Kuncham talked
about enormous strides made by
TLCA in the last 44 years, adding,
We will steadfastly continue on the
path of deepening and expanding the
core mission of our association, in

preserving and promoting the language, culture, and service for Telugu speaking people and strengthening our ties with other organizations
and the community at large. She
also unveiled the TLCA vision for
2015 with a focus on women, children and wellness.
The new TLCA 2015 team includes: Vice President: Mr. Satya
Challapalli, Secretary: Mr. Srinivas
Guduru, Treasurer: Dr. Dharmarao
Thapi, Joint-Secretary: Mr. Ashok
Chintakuntla, Joint-Treasurer: Mr.
Babu Kudaravalli, EC Members.
TLCAs Sankranti event was well
attended and the audience enjoyed
performances by TLCA youth
groups, artists from India, and sumptuous food. The event included recognizing and honoring Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu for receiving the prestigious award Padma Shri in India for
his outstanding services in the medical field.

Dr. Jim OConnell, president of


Health Care for the Homeless.
She is focused, and about as committed and compassionate as anyone you would ever know, and has
a lightning-quick mind.
Marylou Sudders, Bakers pick
to be the next Health and Human
Services secretary, said in a statement Bharels accomplished career in public health will serve her
well in this important position.
Bharel, who is on the faculty at
Harvard Medical School and
Boston University School of Medicine, will lead of one of the states
most troubled agencies.
The health department has been
mired in controversy since 2012,
when a drug analyst with the
agency tampered with evidence
and jeopardized tens of thousands
of criminal convictions. That was
quickly followed by a meningitis
outbreak traced to a compounding
pharmacy regulated by one of the
departments boards, and then the
agency found itself in the cross
hairs again because of the problem-plagued rollout of the states

Dr Monica Bharel
(Photo source: www.
bizjournals.com)

medical marijuana law, the Boston


Globe reported.
She has a deep appreciation of
how tough this job is, but also the
upside of what she can do,
OConnell said. But I dont think
she is going in with rose-colored
glasses at all. She is looking at this
as a truly new challenge.
Bharel received her Masters in
Public Health through the Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health
Policy. Her medical degree is from
Boston University.

UN chief appoints Saraswathi


Menon in peace-building panel
United Nations: Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon has appointed Indian sociologist Saraswathi Menon to a panel
that will review peace building activities.Menon, a former lecturer at
Madras University, has extensive experience in women's and development issue. She has been the director of the
Policy Division of UN-Women, the
UN body for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women, and the director of the UN Development Program's Evaluation Office. Her other
UNDP assignments included postings
in Mongolia and Nepal.She has a doctorate in sociology from Jawaharlal
Saraswathi Menon
Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi.The announcement said, "Menon
brings an extensive experience as a researcher and academician as
well as in the United Nations system."The others on the seven-member panel, formally known as "advisory group on the review of the
peace-building architecture", include a retired Pakistani major general, Anis Bajwa and Charles Petrie of France, who headed an internal
review panel on UN actions in Sri Lanka.
Ban formed the group at the request of the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council.

February 7-13, 2015

NATIONAL COMMUNITY

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

BAPS celebrates 150th birth anniversary of founder Shastriji Maharaj


Joins Clean
India Campaign
Edison, NJ: Celebrations were
held at over 70 BAPS Swaminarayan Mandirs across North
America January 24 in honor of the
150th birth anniversary of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj (Sadhu Yagnapurushdas). Following
the theme of Agna, Upasana, Sadbhav and Paksh, the celebrations
were a culmination of a year of
events and activities held worldwide and focused on Shastriji Maharaj's exemplary life and message.
Speeches and skits enacted by
youths reflected the multitude of
hardships and challenges experienced by him, his sadhus and his
devotees, in laying the foundation
of the BAPS Swaminarayan
Sanstha. They brought to life his
pristine character and the loyalty of
those around him, serving as inspiration for current and future generations.
Shastriji Maharaj, the third spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, led a life based on the
timeless principles of truth, sacrifice, and loyalty. Born as Dungar
Bhakta in Mahelav, Gujarat, his
sharp sense of intellect and character were evident in his actions and
choices and followed through to
his decision to initiate into the Sadhu fold. He devoted himself to the
service of the mandir and its devotees and began to study the scrip-

tures in Sanskrit. He excelled in


spiritual studies and came to be
known as Shastriji Maharaj for his
unparalleled knowledge of Hindu
scriptures. Shastriji Maharaj was
one of few who truly understood
Bhagwan Swaminarayans philosophy and teachings of the Vedic
tradition of dual worship of Akshar
and Purushottam. With such a
strong conviction and amidst
scarce resources and extreme hardships, in 1907, he established the
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.
With a handful of devotees and
Sadhus, he built five traditional
Hindu mandirs in Gujarat, India
and laid the pillars of a spiritual
and social organization to help
propagate the true philosophy of
Akshar-Purushottam to widespread
acceptance. As the Sanstha expanded, he appointed 28-year-old
Sadhu Narayanswarupdas (Pramukh Swami Maharaj) as President of the Sanstha.
The celebrations in North America were part of festivities held
around the globe, all culminating to
a grand celebration held on January
24 in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. On
the occasion a special announcement to join the Clean India Campaign was made as part of the
BAPSs social services to society.
The campaign includes: A
home to home cleanliness awareness drive y 16,000 BAPS volunteers in socially backward villages;
Workshops on cleanliness in 500
schools; Cleanliness awareness

drive through 200 rallies; Cleaning


of 9200 public places in 800 towns
and villages by BAPS volunteers.
Hundreds of thousands of BAPS
volunteers and devotees will offer
their services in the Clean India
Campaign.
After the announcement Prime
Minister of India Narendra Modi
tweeted, My best wishes to the
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha for
their commendable initiative towards a Swachh Bharat.
Snapshots of celebrations across
BAPS North America Mandirs

Gandhi's Song: Documentary on centuries-old bhajan


It will focus on writer of Vaishnav Jan To revered poet Narsinh Mehta
Chicago: A nearly six-centuries-old
song written by Gujarat's most
revered poet-philosopher Narsinh
Mehta and made by Mahatma Gandhi as his life's guiding force is now a
subject of an upcoming documentary.
The documentary titled "Gandhi's
Song", being written and directed by
Chicago-based journalist and writer
Mayank Chhaya, begins production
in the next couple of weeks with location shooting in Junagadh and elsewhere in Gujarat where Mehta spent
his life creating some of the most
popular metaphysical ruminations

addressed to Krishna.
"Generations of Indians since
Gandhi's assassination on this day
sixty seven years ago have grown up
thinking that 'Vaishnav Jan To' was
written by him. This is a remarkable
example of the creation being more
enduring than the creator. This particular bhajan is unique in the sense
that it remains so current in its moral
underpinnings about what constitutes
a civilized human being," Chhaya
told IANS. "Gandhi's Song" will be a
full-length documentary feature with
a clear focus on bringing Mehta and
his profound philosophy about the

universe to the attention of global audiences. Mehta, who by most widely


accepted consensus lived between
1414 and 1481, was in a sense unwitting figure in India's great Bhakti
Movement, which flourished organically throughout the country during
medieval times between 800 and
1700 CE. In the tradition of the figures of the Bhakti Movement of the
time, Mehta was also a pioneering
social reformer who used the power
of his poetry to break down rigid
caste and class barriers. "Vaishnav
Jan To, which is easily among the
most widely sung songs in the world,

was typical of Mehta's deceptively


simple but profound worldview.
Each verse essentially defines what
kind of moral standards should drive
humans. I would argue that the bhajan in many ways shaped Gandhi's
larger socio-cultural view that was at
the heart of the country's freedom
movement. It is any poet's envy that
a creation not only lasts centuries but
continues to retain its modernity,"
Chhaya says.
Although "Gandhi's Song" is
pegged on "Vaishnav Jan To" because of its global recognition, the
documentary will dwell on Mehta as

a poet, reformer and figure who defied constricting social norms and
worked all his life to establish societal equity among people divided by
castes.
"When Prime Minister Narendra
Modi was feted at the Madison
Square Garden, violin maestro L.
Subramaniam and his singer wife
performed a re-composed version of
'Vaishnav Jan To'. No one mentioned
that it was written by Narsinh Mehta.
I want to correct that huge omission
although knowing his philosophy it
wouldn't have mattered to Mehta one
bit," Chhaya says.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

NATIONAL COMMUNITY

February 7-13, 2015

Americans know nothing about Sikhism: Study

Washington, DC: Although more


than half a million Sikhs live in
the US, a majority of Americans
are unaware of what Sikhism is
and some admit wariness when
seeing their Sikh neighbors,
according to new study.
Conducted by Washington-based
Hart Research Associates, the
study released here, shows that
there is enormous potential to
increase awareness and enhance
positive sentiments toward
Sikhism within the broader
American public.
In particular, greater understanding can be achieved by sharing
information that emphasizes
Sikhism's belief in equality
regardless of gender, race, or religion, highlighting the strong parallels between Sikh values and
American values, and explaining
the signicance of the turban, it

said.
The report, "Sikhism in the US:
What Americans know and need
to know," was commissioned by
the National Sikh Campaign
(NSC) to analyze Americans' current view of Sikhism and identify
key messages to increase their
acceptance of Sikh Americans.
The study was developed to provide Sikhs a foundation for awareness-based initiatives that dispel
the misperceptions that have driven the dramatic rise of hate-based
violence against Sikhs since 9/11.
"This landmark study will help
the Sikh community by giving us
the ability to educate Americans in
a way that is both relatable and
effective," said Gurwin Singh
Ahuja, Co-Founder of NSC.
"We want to make sure that we
pave a way for a conducive environment for our future generations

so they don't have to take off their


turban to hide or to feel sorry for
their identity," said Rajwant
Singh, a co-founder of the NSC.
Researchers found that when
survey respondents were given
information about Sikh history
and beliefs, their impressions grew
from "neutral" to "warm."
Groups with the most signicant
change in views included
Republicans, Hispanics and
Americans ages 65 and older.
"When people learn this information, it creates a fundamental
change in the way they think about
Sikhs and it's transformative," said
Geoff Garin, president of Hart
Research Associates.
Conducted in August and
September 2014, the study included information from three focus
groups consisting of white
Americans with mixed levels of

Why chain India to the past with n-energy,


asks Indian-American expert

Washington, DC: Noting that the


US has not set up a new nuclear
installation for decades, an IndianAmerican academic has accused
President Barack Obama of
hypocrisy in pushing India on a technology the US won't even touch.
"Why chain India to the past and
risk another Chernobyl, Fukushima,
or Bhopal when it could be leapfrogging into the future?" asked Vivek
Wadhwa, Director of Research,
CERC, Pratt School of Engineering,
Duke University, in a column in the
Washington Post. The rate at which
solar and other clean technologies
are progressing, by the time the rst
nuclear plant is operational in India,
it will be far more expensive than the
alternatives, he said.
"The White House is claiming victory for a breakthrough in the
impasse with India over nuclear
energy," Wadhwa wrote suggesting
"This is hardly a victory for the
United States or for India.
"It no longer makes sense for any
country to install a technology that
can create a catastrophe such as
Chernobyl or Fukushima - especially
when far better alternatives are available," he wrote. In places such as
Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia

Dr Vivek Wadhwa, Director of


Research, CERC, Pratt School
of Engineering, Duke
University. (Photo source:
bizjournals.com)

and parts of the United States and


India, residential-scale solar production has already reached "grid parity"
with average residential electricity
prices, he wrote. "In other words, it
costs no more in the long term to
install solar panels than to buy electricity from utility companies - without government subsidies," Wadhwa
wrote. In the late 2020s, solar energy
will cost a fraction of what fossil fuel
- and nuclear-based alternatives do,'
he predicted suggesting, "This is the
reality - believe it or not."
Solar, wind, biomass, thermal,
tidal, and waste-breakdown energy,
and a host of newer energy technologies, are becoming increasingly prac-

N-deal is hardly a victory for


the US or for India. It no
longer makes sense for any
country to install a technology that can create a catastrophe such as Chernobyl or
Fukushima - especially when
far better alternatives (clean
energy) are available.
tical to install worldwide, Wadhwa
noted. Obama, he suggested, "should
not be prescribing medicine that he
would not take himself.
Germany is working towards phasing out all of its nuclear plants by
2022 and many other developed
countries are looking to follow its
lead, he said.
"So why subject India and other
developing countries to these dangers?" Wadhwa asked. Instead of trying to chain India to the past with
technologies such as nuclear, Obama
should help the country leapfrog into
the future with clean energy, he
wrote. "This will benet not only
India, but also the world."

KEY FINDINGS:
Most Americans have no knowledge of the religion. Many
Americans have never heard of the religion and only 11 percent of
Americans have a personal acquaintance or friend who is Sikh.
 The majority of Americans (60 percent) admit to knowing nothing
at all about Sikh Americans and knowledge of Sikhism is substantially
lower than for other minority religious groups in the US.
 With unawareness levels so high, many Americans make false
assumptions when they see a Sikh.
 While this lack of knowledge is a challenge, it also represents an
enormous opportunity. Without much knowledge to form attitudes,
most Americans rate their feelings toward Sikh Americans as generally neutral or non-existent.
 Sikhs must tell their American story in familiar and positive terms,
highlighting the value of equality.
 For Millenials and other receptive audiences, explaining the significance of the turban is highly welcomed.
The turban is most commonly associated with Sikh Americans,
however it is also what makes many Americans uneasy around Sikhs.
education. It also covered a
nationwide survey of 1,144 non-

Asian Americans conducted in


August and September 2014.

Indian American woman


found guilty of feticide
Washington, DC: A US court
has found an Indian American
woman guilty on charges of feticide and felony neglect of a
dependent after experiencing a
miscarriage or what prosecutors
claim was actually an illegal
abortion.
After six days of trial and testimony, a jury in South Bend,
Indiana deliberated for less than
ve hours before nding Purvi
Patel guilty Tuesday, according
to ABC News.
Patel faces up to 70 years in
prison. She will be sentenced
March 6.
The testimony began with the
doctor who found the baby in
plastic bags inside a dumpster
outside Moe's Southwest Grill in
Granger, a restaurant Patel's parents owned.
Patel took herself to an emergency room in South Bend in
July 2013 while suffering heavy
vaginal bleeding, according to a
report in RH Reality Check.
Patel, who lives at home in a
conservative Hindu household,
initially denied to doctors that
she had been pregnant.

But after doctors persisted,


Patel acknowledged she had
miscarried, telling them the fetus
was stillborn and that she had
placed it in a bag and placed the
bag in a dumpster.
Police also questioned Patel
and searched her cell phone
while she was in the hospital,
which led them to a series of text
messages the prosecution
claimed made the case for
Patel's illegal abortion and
felony charges.
The prosecution claimed Patel,
in those text messages, admitted
to ordering drugs online to terminate an unexpected pregnancy.
Patel allegedly ordered abortion-inducing drugs from Hong
Kong, which caused her to have
the child on the oor of her bathroom.
After the verdict, the state
asked the judge to revoke Patel's
bond and the judge granted that
request, according to WSBT-TV.
Ofcers put Patel in handcuffs
and took her to the St. Joseph
County jail. She later posted a
$10,000 bail.

February 7-13, 2015

US AFFAIRS

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Obama's $4-trillion budget champions liberal priorities

Washington: President Obama released a


$4-trillion budget Monday with liberal priorities that have little chance of passage but will
serve as an initial foray in negotiations with
the new Republican Congress and help define
the Democratic Party in the run-up to the
2016 presidential race.
The administrations annual federal budget,
like those that will follow from the House
and Senate, is a largely aspirational blueprint,
even more so in Obamas final term. This
budget, ending in September 2016, is the last
one the president will still be in office to fully execute, reported LA Times.
There are several factors working in his favor this year, including a strengthening economy, a falling deficit and rising public approval of the administration.
The presidents budget focuses on bolstering the federal governments role in shaping
opportunities for ordinary Americans, an effort hes dubbed middle-class economics.
With deficits projected to be the lowest since
he took office, Obama proposes reversing
$74 billion in so-called sequestration cuts to
government programs that the White House
and Congress reluctantly agreed to almost
four years ago.
The White House also announced a $478billion public-works program to fund new

A rendering of California's bullet train


that will run from LA to San Fransisco
with speeds of up to 200 miles per
hour. In Obamas budget is a $478
billion public-works program to fund
new roads, bridges and highways.

roads, bridges and highways, paid for by a


one-time tax on corporate profits held overseas. That idea has some bipartisan support.
More broadly, however, the president intends to champion liberal ideas that are designed to narrow the nations income inequality, asking the biggest financial corporations and wealthiest Americans to shoulder
a larger tax burden to help the government
provide basics like universal preschool and

Romney opts out of 2016 race,


boosting Jeb Bush

Washington: Republican Mitt Romney bowed out of the 2016 US presidential race last Friday after considering a third run, telling supporters it was time for the next generation of party leaders to seek the
White House.
Romney's decision helps clarify an
emerging Republican field split between potential establishment candidates like former Florida Governor
Jeb Bush and conservative voices
represented by Texas Senator Ted
Cruz and former Arkansas Governor
Mike Huckabee.
The move will likely boost Bush,
the brother of former President
Mitt Romneys testing the waters for a third
George W. Bush and son of former
run had been mainly mocked by people
President George H.W. Bush, even
including media czar Rupert Murdoch.
though Romney has privately made
"He thinks Jeb would be a perfectly credible
known to aides he is not convinced that Bush
can defeat Hillary Clinton if she becomes the nominee but that there are others who might
be able to hold up that 'new versus old' banner
Democratic presidential nominee.
But Romney's decision also helps other po- a little better," the former adviser said, speaktential candidates such as Florida Senator ing on condition of anonymity.
Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, anMarco Rubio, who was on Romney's vice
presidential short list in 2012; Wisconsin Gov- nounced he would not run in a statement he
ernor Scott Walker and New Jersey Governor read to supporters in a conference call from
Chris Christie, all of whom will have a better New York.
"After putting considerable thought into
chance for money and media attention with
making another run for president, Ive decidRomney on the sidelines.
The former Massachusetts governor felt he ed it is best to give other leaders in the party
would win the Republican presidential pri- the opportunity to become our next nominee,"
mary, a former adviser said. But Romney did Romney said in his statement.
He made clear he felt he would be able to
not think he would present a sufficient "new
versus old" contrast for the battle against Clin- raise enough money for a campaign, rejecting
ton, the former first lady, New York senator a narrative that has grown in recent days as
and secretary of state, who is the early favorite some major 2012 fund-raisers expressed concern about another Romney run.
for the Democratic nomination.

free community college.


Revenue would be raised from new taxes,
including one on the nations 50 largest financial firms and others aimed at inheritance
and trust funds. That would help pay for tax
breaks for middle-class households, including a $500 second-earner tax credit, expansions of both the college tuition credit and the
Earned Income Tax Credit, and additional tax
credits of up to $3,000 per child.
An administration official said 44 million
households would see their taxes cut by an
average of $600 a year.
We believe that this budget shows how we
can implement the presidents vision for middle-class economics and put the good of middle-class families and our economy front and
center, while also continuing progress on
restoring fiscal discipline, the official said.
You dont have to choose between those two
things. You can in fact accomplish both.
Obamas budget details $3.99 trillion in
spending and collects $3.52 trillion in revenue, running a deficit of $474 billion, the official said.
Even before the budgets release, its contours were quickly dismissed by Republicans
in Congress, who see little reason to yield to
the White House after expanding their ranks
in the last election to control both chambers

of Congress.
The president defended his plan in an interview with NBC before the Super Bowl. My
job is to present the right ideas, and if the Republicans think they have better ideas, then
they should present them. But my job is not
to trim my sails, he said.
The Republican preference is for continued
austerity and lower taxes, which will probably be reflected in their own budget plans expected next month. To boost Pentagon spending as defense hawks want, their budgets are
expected to slash more deeply into food
stamps, healthcare and other safety-net programs.
Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the House Budget
Committee chairman, promised Sunday on
Fox News that a Republican budget would
re-imagine Medicare, Medicaid and Social
Security, and will do what the American
people have to do with their homes and in
their businesses every single day and
thats not spend more money than what
comes in. At some point, though, the heady
debates will bump into the practical reality of
governing. Built-in deadlines will force both
sides to the negotiating table this year, or set
the federal government on a trajectory of
shutdown threats that have permeated the last
few years.

6 killed in train accident in New York suburb

New York: At least six persons have been


killed and several others injured when a commuter train hit a car on the tracks in New York
suburb, resulting in a fire that engulfed the
lead car of the train.
A Metro-North train that had departed from
the busy Grand Central Station in Manhattan
at 5.45pm on Tuesday rammed into a car on
the tracks in Valhalla, a suburb of New York
City.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA) said that the gates at the railway
crossing came down on top of the car, which
was stopped on the tracks.
A woman, who was driving the car got out
to look at the rear of the car, came back in and
was struck by the approaching train as she
drove forward.
Among the people dead are the woman
driver as well as five passengers on the train.
Several others have been injured as the lead

car of the train caught fire following the


crash. The MTA said the train shoved the car
about 10 train car lengths. About 800 to 850
people were on the train at the time.
Most people on the train were evacuated
from the rear end of the train and were taken
to a local rock-climbing gym for shelter. The
passengers braved chilly conditions and icy
tracks as they made their way to safety.
A winter storm had dumped several inches
of snow in the New York area last week and
snow on roads and rail tracks is yet to melt.
An investigation into the incident has been
initiated. The incident is the latest in a string
of problems that have plagued Metro-North
in recent years. In December 2013, four persons were killed and over 60 injured when a
Metro-North train from Poughkeepsie bound
for Grand Central in Manhattan derailed
while rounding a bend just north of the
Spuyten Duyvil station.

New NY state speaker vows reform,


but past reflects status quo
Albany, NY: The new speaker
nancial records shows just how
of the New York state Assemloose the rules are. The Bronx
bly says the Legislature needs
Democrat received more than
tighter rules on financial dis$23,000 in travel and accomclosures and more transparenmodation reimbursements for
cy. Carl E. Heastie proposed
legislative business last year -the third-most of any Assemseveral ethical reforms that he
says will help restore the pub- Carl Heastie is bly lawmaker. His campaign
lic's trust in the Legislature af- the first African finance reports show tens of
ter several recent scandals.
American in the thousands of dollars in credit
card payments for unspecified
Heastie is the first African
powerful post.
charges and more than $30,000
American in the powerful post.
He replaces Sheldon Silver, who was spent at one auto repair shop in the
forced to step down after being charged Bronx. Heastie was elected speaker on
with exploiting his office to collect mil- Tuesday. He has defended his campaign
lion s of dollars in payoffs. An analysis spending and says his compensation is
by AP wire service of Heastie's own fi- justified.

INDIA

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

AAP gives BJP nightmares in Delhi


By M.R. Narayan Swamy
New Delhi: For a party that was
written off after its humiliating
rout in the Lok Sabha election, the
Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) has
seen a spectacular renewal ahead
of the Delhi assembly polls.
Irrespective of who actually
wins the February 7 battle, the
AAP is giving sleepless nights to
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
just nine months after the latter
easily won all seven parliamentary seats in the national capital.
BJP leaders admit that the AAP
is giving them a tough ght all
over the city, with some pre-poll
surveys stunningly giving the
AAP more vote share than the
BJP. With the Congress relegated
to an also ran in the election,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
has made former chief minister
Arvind Kejriwal's AAP the prime
target in his speeches.
And in what is being seen as a
sign of nervousness, the BJP has
roped in more than 120 MPs, several cabinet ministers as well as
chief ministers and legislators
from other states to campaign in

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal addresses


during a rally at Rajori Garden in West Delhi.

Delhi. This was not the case when


it fought elections recently in
Maharashtra, Haryana and
Jharkhand where the "Modi
magic" did wonders.
Both for the BJP, which has had
a presence in Delhi for decades,
and the AAP, which was born only
in 2012, this is a do-or-die election.
The BJP needs to win it at all
costs to prove that Modi's magic

will help reverse the hung verdict


of December 2013 that propped
up Kejriwal's AAP into ofce with
Congress backing - for 49 tumultuous days.
When Kejriwal resigned in
February 2014, the BJP derisively
branded him a "bhagoda" (quitter). And when all but four of the
hundreds of AAP candidates were
routed in the Lok Sabha election
last year, he was dubbed a failed

leader with no future.


In a few remarkable months,
Kejriwal and the AAP have
bounced back deftly in a manner
that even RSS mouthpiece
Organiser has cautioned the BJP
not to take the AAP challenge
slightly.
AAP election rallies attract large
crowds. Kejriwal, who poses himself as a messiah of the poor, is at
his aggressive best, targeting
Modi over his Lok Sabha election
promises and some BJP leaders
for making controversial comments.
The other AAP speaker who
holds crowds spellbound is
Bhagwant Mann, an MP from
Sangrur in Punjab.
Several factors seem to have
helped the AAP to grow exponentially in Delhi.
One factor helping it, particularly among the poor, is its 2013
decision to slash power rates and
make water virtually free. Even
AAP critics admit that routine
bribery virtually disappeared
when Kejriwal was the chief minister. Instead of moaning, the AAP
quietly spread its wings all across

Delhi after the Lok Sabha setback,


establishing new cells particularly
in low-income areas and urban
villages.
The AAP also began planning
for the Delhi election months
ahead of both the BJP and the
Congress.
The controversial utterances of
some BJP leaders on religious
issues appears to have pushed
Muslims and Christians to back
the AAP after ditching the
Congress.
Modi's punishing work schedule
has not gone down well with government staff. Many among them
feel the only way to hit back is to
vote for the AAP.
And the move to make Kiran
Bedi, India's rst woman police
ofcer, the BJP's chief ministerial
candidate created unrest in the
party - and seems to have in no
way unnerved the AAP.
After realizing that their own
party is in shambles, many traditional Congress supporters have
decided to back the AAP.
To sum it up, the AAP is a
strong contender for power, giving the BJP a run for its money.

Poll surveys favor AAP,


BJP is bookies favorite

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi Kiran
Bedi and Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay during a rally in New Delhi.

New Delhi: The speculations and predictions


for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections
are running in full speed. Every major survey
puts AAP in the lead but the betting market
(satta bazaar) of Delhi still calls BJP its
favorite.
AAP maintains its stronger hold over economically weaker, weaker sections and
Muslims. Kejriwal marginally pips Kiran Bedi
when it came to who does more tamasha
than working for development in Delhi.
While Delhi has seen feverish campaigning
with top BJP leaders like party chief Amit
Shah to Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding rallies, the surveys reveal that voters still
seem to favour AAP over BJP in the national
capital. This, despite the BJP exuding condence about a win with a clear majority. Shah

in a recent interview had said, In electoral


politics, we never take any election lightly.
Were assured of two-thirds majority in
Delhi.
The India Today-Cicero pre-poll survey on
Headlines Today channel projected a win for
AAP giving it 38-46 seats while BJP has been
projected to secure 19-25 seats. The Congress
has been placed way behind with only 3-7
seats. The vote share, according to the survey,
for the AAP has been placed at 43.5 per cent,
the BJP at 35.5 per cent and Congress at 13
per cent. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has got
44 per cent votes for the CM post while BJPs
Kiran Bedi has got 35 per cent votes. In the
poll of polls on Times Now channel based
on the results of ve polls, AAP gets 34 out of
70, BJP 32 and Congress 4.

Corporate Office: 385 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood NY 11385


718.821.3182, www.AtlanticDialysis.Com

10

February 7-13, 2015

INDIA

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Jayanthi Natarajan was 'propped' against me: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress vice president


Rahul Gandhi vowed to fight for the
poor and tribals till his last breath
and said former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan was pitted
against him over the issue after he
spoke about Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
Addressing a rally at Jahangirpuri
in north Delhi, Gandhi made a slew
of election promises including property rights to people in two years,
ending contractual system of
appointment within a week of the
Congress party assuming office in
Delhi and providing permanent
jobs, reducing power tariff to
Rs.1.50 per unit in six months and
bringing down water tariff.
Gandhi attacked Modi several
times during his nearly 25-minute
speech.
He accused Modi of being prorich, wearing imported clothes and
working for a few "business
friends".
Without naming the Bharatiya
Janata Party, Gandhi said efforts
were being made to polarize voters
before the elections for political
gains.

Jayanthi's charges against Rahul baseless: Digvijaya

Jayanthi Natarajan was virtually forced out of the Congress-led


government and resigned from the party last week.

Gandhi later held a roadshow in


parts of Old Delhi during which he
was enthusiastically greeted by
Congress supporters.
In his speech, Gandhi said he had
said something against Modi a few
days back and the next day,
Natarajan was "propped up" against
him.
"I want to say I have fought the
battle of the poor and tribals. I had
told Jayanthi Natarajan that we
should look into the welfare of the
environment, poor and the tribals,"

Gandhi said.
The Congress vice president said
he was not afraid.
"Till my last breath, I will fight for
the poor. I am not here to do politics
for the rich. I am not here for fourfive industrialists. I am here to do
politics for the poor. I will stand for
them."
This was the first time Gandhi
spoke about Natrajan's outburst that
his office wrote her letters on issues
concerning the environment.
Natarajan was virtually forced out

Goswami quits as home secretary,


Goyal replaces him

New Delhi: Home Secretary Anil


Goswami resigned after he was told
by the government to put in his
papers over his alleged role in trying to stall the arrest of former
Congress minister Matang Sinh in
the multi-crore-rupee Saradha scam.
The government appointed L.C.
Goyal as his replacement a few
hours later.
Official sources said Goswami
handed over his resignation to
Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It
was subsequently accepted by the
Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet (ACC).
"The home secretary has resigned. The government has appointed L.C. Goyal as new
home secretary.
He met the home minister and submitted his resignation," said an official who of Investigation (CBI) officials dealing with
the Saradha chit fund scam case. The sources
did not want to be identified.
Goswami is the third senior official who said there have been top-level consultation in
had to resign or whose services were cur- the government over the issue. Rajnath
tailed by the government over the past few Singh is also learnt to have spoken to CBI
director Anil Sinha.
weeks.
Goswami, an IAS officer of Jammu and
Sujatha Singh was removed as foreign secretary last week while the term of Avinash Kashmir cadre, was appointed home secreChander as chief of the Defence Research tary during the term of the previous United
and Development Organisation (DRDO) was Progressive Alliance government.
There were reports that he had spoken to
curtailed last month.
K. Durga Prasad was apparently removed CBI officers following their decision to
as chief of the Special Protection Group arrest Matang Sinh.
Matang Sinh, who was minister of state in
(SPG) during Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's visit to Nepal and he has now been the P.V. Narasimha Rao government in the
1990s, was arrested Jan 31 by the Central
posted in the Central Reserve Police Force.
Sources said Goswami was summoned by Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata on
Rajnath Singh earlier in the day. He is learnt charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and
to have explained his position following the misappropriation of funds in the Saradha
controversy over his calls to Central Bureau scam.

Bengaluru: Allegations by former central minister Jayanthi Natarajan


that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had interfered in the functioning of the environment ministry were baseless, party general secretary Digvijaya Singh said.
"It's absolutely wrong to say that our president Sonia Gandhi or
Rahul Gandhi ever interfered in the functioning of the UPA government. The ministers were free to take decisions," he told reporters on
the margins of a party meeting here.
Natarajan, who quit the party earlier in the day, had accused Rahul
Gandhi of interfering in her ministry's functioning when she was the
central environment and forests minister in the UPA-2 government.
She levelled the charges in a letter she wrote to Sonia Gandhi recently. Singh however refuted the claim. "One thing I know is that Rahul
will be the last person to interfere in the functioning of any ministry.
Therefore, I think this kind of allegations by someone who got everything in life from Congress is uncalled for," he said after chairing a
meeting of the party's state unit coordination committee.
He also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a veiled
reference to the removal of Natarajan from the ministry in December
2013 and saying he had heard of "Jayanthi tax", referring to allegations against her during her tenure.
"She (Natarajan) has to clarify whether Modi's allegations are correct or not. Rahul Gandhi would have become a minister if he wanted
to involve himself with a ministry," he added.
of the Congress-led government and
resigned from the party last week.
Gandhi targeted Modi over the

'Make in India' campaign and


claimed that not a single youth had
got employment.

INDINOX: A unique show of


art with steel held
Ahmedabad: The
Indian Stainless Steel
Development
Organization (ISDO)
recently organized
INDINOX 2015 in
Ahmedabad showcasing stainless steel
in innovative forms.
The World Stainless
Steel Art Festival
was also held alongside the expo. The
unique art festival
attracted
people
from all around,
exhibiting stainless
steel in a shining new
Kushal Bhansali, Chief Convener of INDINOX 2015,
light.
posing with a beautiful Stainless Steel Sculpture. The
With over 85 partic- unique exhibition showcasing innovative use of glittering
ipants with creative
steel in utensils & art was attended by CM of Gujarat
steel artwork, the fesAnandiben Patel and many dignitaries & industrialists
tival was a big sucfrom across the world.
cess. The exhibition
Says Kushal Bhansali, chief convener
boasted a 17 feet high pendulum celebrating the Indian spirit to a broom art- of INDINOX 2015, When we conceived
work in stainless steel supporting the this exhibition, we had the grit, determiSwacch Bharat campaign. A wide variety nation and artistic skills of Indians in
of sculptures, paintings and more, all in mind. We knew they would hit the right
steel were exhibited. It was probably the chord with the guests and enthusiasts.
first time in the world for a steel art exhi- He added, This was a huge event which
bition. The installations were appreciated brought together architects, builders and
people from the art fraternity. We aim to
by international guests.
Vibhor Sogani, the renowned artists, take this exhibition to the Riverfront and
honored as Indian Artist of the Year in hold it on a larger scale, to put
Singapore, erected a steel artwork named, Ahmedabad on the global map.
INDINOX was sponsored by Ratan
Mahatma and Me, which may be showcased in South Africa where Gandhiji Jindal and Deepika Jindal of Jindal
Stainless Limited.
spent many years.

OP-ED

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

11

Bapu the untold story


By Paul John
r Pranjivan Mehta, the
sturdiest foundation of
Mahatma Gandhi's missions, liked to remain hidden
under the towering achievements
of Bapu. But Bapu hailed him as
his greatest friend. Indeed,
Mehta had a profound impact on
Bapu's life and his Satyagraha
movements in South Africa and
India. Bapu wrote the Hind
Swaraj for Mehta - that was the
extent of affection that Mehta
drew from the Mahatma, with
whom he had attended Alfred
High School in Rajkot. Years later,
when Bapu needed money for his
new ashram in Ahmedabad, Mehta
donated Rs 1.5 lakh between 1915
and 1917. This was the single
largest contribution that any donor
made to Bapus cause in that
phase. Very few know that after
returning to Ahmedabad from
South Africa on February 1, 1915,
and identifying land for his new
ashram, Bapu went to Burma to
meet Mehta on March 17. Mehta,
a leading jeweller in Burma then,
pledged full support.
In 1922, when Bapu wanted to

Dr Pranjivan Mehta was one of the earliest Bapu confidants to


suggest that Bapu meticulously plan and launch a nationwide
campaign against the British Salt Laws.

set up Gujarat Vidyapith, Mehta


donated Rs 2.5 lakh. At that stage,
Mehta had built a bungalow, The
Lal Kothi, in Ahmedabad as he
wanted to be close to the ashram.
After the school era, Mehta met
Bapu at the Victoria Hotel in
London on September 29, 1888,
the day Bapu arrived in the UK to
study law. After Bapu gave up his
legal practice in 1909 in South
Africa, Mehta began to support
him and his large extended family.
Mehta even provided allowances
to the five widows in Bapu's family.From June 1913, Mehta be

From June 1913, Mehta began to


finance all activities at Bapu's
Phoenix Ashram in South Africa.
Unfortunately, few documents of
Mehta have survived.
According to Mehta's own
instructions, Bapu destroyed his
letters after reading them. Mehta
was being watched by the British
CID in Burma. The untold story of
Mehta was first presented by a
retired historian of Himachal
Pradesh University, S R Mehrotra.
Dr Pranjivan Mehta was the hidden pillar of support for Mahatma
Gandhi's crusades. Mehta and

Bapu attended the same school,


Alfred High, in Rajkot. Though
Bapu moved to South Africa in
1893, Mehta like a true friend kept track of Bapu's activities. In
July 1909, Mehta met Bapu in
London once again and they discussed in depth their plans for
India. Mehta rendered for Bapu a
vision in which he suggested that
Bapu should leave South Africa
and return to In dia as early as
possible, preferably by the end of
1911.
Mehta said that the Indian struggle in South Africa should be
handed over to a competent person. He suggested that Bapu
should train at Phoenix Ashram
those Satyagrahis whom he was to
take along to India. Mehta offered
to bear the full cost of this training
program. The extraordinary aspect
of these exchanges is that Bapu
accepted all of Mehta's ideas.
Mehta also decided to print 20,000
copies of Tolstoy's famous Letter
to a Hindoo and distribute them
worldwide.
The entire expenditure was to be
Mehta's responsibility. He also
insisted that Bapu should give up
his legal practice in South Africa,

and promised to pay for the up


keep of Bapu and his family. As a
precautionary measure, Bapu was
to destroy all the letters received
from Mehta, after reading them.
Mehta was not a revolutionary, but
he had contacts with Indian revolutionaries in Europe. He knew
that the British intelligence agencies regarded him as an extremist
and kept a close watch on him.
Mehta was one of the earliest
Bapu confidants to suggest that
Bapu meticulously plan and
launch a nationwide campaign
against the British Salt Laws.
This was almost a decade before
Bapu undertook the Dandi March
in 1930. Letters exchanged
between Bapu and Mehta in 1920
make this clear. Mehta had built a
bungalow for himself in
Ahmedabad called the Lal Kothi
in early 1920s to stay close to
Bapu's ashram. One evening in
late July 1932, Dr Mehta, who had
suffered a paralytic attack, accidentally dropped a table lamp on
his foot. He ignored the wound
and in few days it developed sepsis. His leg had to be amputated.
(Courtesy: The Times of India
(Ahmedabad)

The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.

May & Sept 2015

12

February 7-13, 2015

INDIA-CHINA TIES

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Xi meets Sushma, upbeat about India-China ties

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping met


India's External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj here, and expressed condence in
the growth of bilateral relations during the
year.
Xi met Sushma in the Great Hall of the
People, where the two sides agreed to focus
on a positive bilateral agenda for the year.
Xi observed that bilateral ties had
achieved a turnaround and entered a "new
phase" of partnership after his visit to India
in September last year.
"Since my visit to India, the relations
between our two countries have entered a
new phase. The positive side of China-India
relations has been growing," Xi said.
He also said major steps were being taken
to implement the agreements inked during
his India visit.
"I have full condence on the future of
China and India relations. I believe the
good process will be achieved in the growth
of bilateral relations."
Xi also recalled his visit to Ahmedabad
where he was hosted by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on the Sabarmati riverfront.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj


in the Great Hall of the People.

"I still cherish the fresh memories in my


mind about the gracious hospitality extended to me by the government and people and
particularly I cherish the fond memories of

my trip to Prime Minister Modi's hometown


in Gujarat state," he said.
Xi mentioned in particular the special
gesture shown by Modi in personally

accompanying him to the Sabarmati ashram


and also walking together with him along
the riverfront.
Xi also conveyed his regards and greetings to President Pranab Mukherjee and
Modi.
Swaraj Swaraj conveyed Modi's wishes
on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar Year
of the Sheep, the Chinese New Year.
The external affairs minister's Beijing
visit comes days after the visit of US
President Barack Obama to India that saw
both sides announce a joint strategic vision
for Asia-Pacic and the Indian Ocean.
Sushma Swaraj's visit is also aimed to lay
the ground work for Modi's visit to China,
set to take place in May.
Sushma Swaraj launched the Second
India-China Media Forum.
She also held talks with her Chinese
counterpart Wang Yi on a range of issues
including Modi's upcoming visit.
The minister also appreciated China's
decision to open an additional pilgrimage
route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
through Nathula.

India to ease way for Chinese businesses, Modi visit in May

Beijing: India will make it easier for Chinese


companies to do business in the country as it
seeks to take bilateral economic ties with
China to "a qualitatively new level", External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, adding
that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit
the country in May.
Sushma Swaraj told the media here that the
prime minister will visit China in May before
the BJP-led government completes one year in
ofce. The external affairs minister Sunday
held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang
Yi on a range of issues including Modi's
upcoming visit.
Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin
said the two leaders discussed how to make
the prime minister's visit "an outcome oriented visit".
Sushma Swaraj said her maiden visit to
China was focused on opening the additional
route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
In her address at the launch of the second
India-China Media Forum, Sushma Swaraj
appreciated China's decision to open the additional route through Nathula.
She suggested a six-point template including "action-oriented approach" to boost mutual ties. The Modi government was committed
to exploring an early settlement to the IndiaChina boundary row, she added.
Noting that China was India's largest partner
in trade and goods and the two economies are
moving to invest in each other, she said:
"Serious discussions on enhancing connectivity have been initiated. On that foundation, we
are now seeking to take our economic cooperation to a qualitatively new level."
"Another major thrust is in establishing
industrial parks in two Indian states that
would contribute to the 'Make in India' initiative," she said.
"We will make it easier for Chinese companies to do business in India and expect that
similar encouragement would be given to our
companies to expand their business in China."
Sushma Swaraj said that as both countries

play a larger international role, "our contacts


and dialogues must commensurately grow. As
the two major civilizational powers of Asia,
we should have condence in each other, to
build on our shared interests".
The minister said the media forum was
envisaged as a platform to encourage appreciation and build understanding of each other's
societies in their respective media.
"As our strategic and cooperative relationship deepens in the bilateral domain and
expands in regional and international cooperation, it is vital that or people have a good
understanding of each other's interests and
viewpoints."
She outlined a six-point template for boosting ties including action-oriented approach,
broad-based bilateral engagement, convergence on common regional and global interests, developing new areas of cooperation,
expanding strategic communication and fullling common aspirations to usher an "Asian
Century".
"Our relationship today has reached a level
where we have interactions in elds that could
not have been imagined some years ago.
"We have made considerable progress in
establishing and expanding defence contacts
and exchanges, including across our border.
They contribute to the maintenance of peace
and tranquility there, a pre-requisite for the
further development of our relationship."
The minister underlined that the Modi government had commenced "a number of key
initiatives addressing a wide range of ambitious goals" which "provide new opportunities
for cooperation insofar as our key international partners are concerned".
"Where China is concerned, this is very evident in the frequency of our high-level
exchanges and the widening of our already
substantive bilateral agenda."
"We expect that the momentum that has
been set in the last few months would not only
be kept up but accelerated event further at various levels."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj
with officials in Beijing, China.

Modi invites Chinese to visit India for boosting ties


New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
has said that India and China share age-old
ties and it is necessary for both countries to
boost people-to-people links through
tourism in order to know each other better.
In a video message on the occasion of
launch of the "Visit India Year 2015" in
China, the prime minister said that in 2016,
India will celebrate 'Visit China Year'.
Modi's video message comes as External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is in
Beijing for bilateral talks to lay the groundwork for Modi's visit in May.
Inviting the Chinese to retrace the steps
of ancient Chinese travellers Hiuen Tsang
and and Fa Shien who came to India hundreds of years ago, he asked the Chinese to
visit Buddhist religious sites like
Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Nalanda and
Kushinagar and turn the pages of history.
Modi referred to his own village of
Vadnagar which Hiuen Tsang had visited.

He said that he was happy to learn that


President Xi Jinping's hometown is Xian,
where the Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang
spent his last years after his return from
India.
He said this was not just a historical fact
but a sign of the close ties between both
nations.
Referring to Xi's visit to Ahmedabad last
September and also his own previous visits
to China when he was chief minister of
Gujarat, Modi said both he and Xi had
decided during the September meeting that
both countries will observe 'Visit India Year
2015' in China and the following year 'Visit
China Year' in India.
Sushma Swaraj, addressing the IndiaChina media forum in Beijing, said:
"Tourism is an effective vehicle to promote
people to people understanding and the two
countries agreed that we need to make
stronger efforts in that regard."

OP-ED

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

13

Modi-Obama's bulletproof summit: Was it climate-proof?


By Rajendra Shende
hen President Obama
alighted from his bulletproof car on Rajpath on
Jan 26, he was received by a steady
drizzle before being ushered to a
bulletproof enclosure for viewing
the Republic Day parade. The
colossal and colorful crowd showed
climate-proof enthusiasm, climateproof because the rains were not
able to rein in their fervor.
Historical data of New Delhi's
meteorology department shows that
it rains on an average one or two
days in January and not more than
2 cm in the entire month. It was not
a really 'extreme' weather event but
rain in that morning gave two symbolic messages - first, the inspiring
leadership backed by whole-hearted people can adapt and even surmount the rare climate event.
Second, it was a gentle reminder to
President Obama and Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to reflect
if they needed to do more and faster
than what they pledged on earlier
day to mitigate climate change - the
most formidable challenge of our
times.
The world urgently needs climate-proof economies. If we have
to act on the findings of the 2014
assessment reports of the
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC), we have
to act decisively, out-of-box and

President Obama at the Republic Day parade in Delhi when it


drizzled intermittently

not to harp on the principally stubborn and ever unyielding positions


on historic responsibility. The
world economies - small and big,
developed and developing - have to
stand together to take climate challenge head on. The IPCC report
warns that the world will soon face
'severe, irreversible and pervasive'
impacts.
Questions arise like how can
India and the US meet their mutually agreed investment and trade targets in the midst of such impacts
without urgently acting on climate
change and what would be the fate
of Modi's inspiring campaigns like
Make in India, Skill India and 100
smart cities projects, all aimed at
enhancing job potential and fulfill-

ing aspirations of Indian youth?


The Modi-Obama statement
issued on the eve of R-Day is a rare
example of statesmanship where
leaders are seeking to respond to
such questions yet strategizing to
derive a multitude of benefits for
their respective people by agreeing
to act on climate change. As per the
clean energy and climate package,
the United States will provide support to advance India's capacity to
address climate change and shift to
a low-carbon and climate-resistant
energy economy, while improving
air quality and energy efficiency by
making $1 billion available to
finance renewable energy and new
research and development institutes
for developing clean energies in

India. The US also will help India


improve the efficiency of its air
conditioning sector, which uses 4060 % of India's electricity during
the hot period, often contributing to
blackouts on the grid.
By declaring to make "concrete
progress in the Montreal Protocol
this year" on the phaseout of HFCs,
one of the six GHGs and more than
2,000 times more powerful than
CO2, the two leaders sought to
spark off the public-private partnership with A/C manufacturers to
improve the energy efficiency of
their products to lower cost.
Improving A/C efficiency in India
can save enough electricity to avoid
building 120 medium-sized power
plants by 2030, according to
Lawrence Berkeley energy lab in
California.
The two leaders also recognized
the need to use the institutions and
expertise of the Montreal Protocol
to reduce consumption and production of HFCs, while continuing to
report and account for quantities
reduced under the UNFCCC. Such
approach smartly skirts the need for
renewed negotiations to get early
benefits from the existing and successful treaty of the Montreal
Protocol.
After all, early action on HFCs
with high global warming potential
but shorter atmospheric lifetime
will avoid up to 0.5C of warming
by 2100, as per the UN

Environment Program.
If done quickly, phasing out
HFCs can avoid up to 200 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent. This is
more than 10 % of the climate mitigation needed to stay below the
2C warming above pre-industrial
levels. If the CO2 mitigation from
improved energy efficiency of
HFCs using air conditioners were
added, the world would avoid more
than one degree of temperature rise,
apart from reducing the air pollution. The two leaders in New Delhi
engaged in extraordinary 'start-up'
of their climate-venture. They
could do more considering the climate-proof cheers they received.
The applauds on 'bear-hug' should
not make their venture complacent
and cheers heard from Obama's
'Bollywood' dialogues should not
let the climate pledges drown in the
history. India-US partnership is
sculpted to do much more.
A survey conducted by the New
York Times and Stanford
University shows that a majority of
Americans, including Republicans,
consider climate change a pivotal
issue in the coming presidential
elections. India is on to embracing
energy efficiency and renewable
energy. The Obama-Modi summit
can accelerate a climate-proof
world.
Rajendra Shende is chairman of
the TERRE Policy Centre and former Director of the UNEP.

Counselors build the bridge to college

By First Lady Michelle Obama

rowing up on the South Side


of Chicago, it wasnt exactly a forgone conclusion that
I would go to college. Neither of
my parents and hardly anyone in my
neighborhood had gone beyond high
school, and while my folks were
determined to see me and my brother Craig get a good education, they
werent exactly sure how to make
that happen.
I worked hard and got good
grades, but I didnt have much in the
way of college counseling in high
school. Fortunately, Craig was a
couple of years ahead of me, and he
had managed to get himself into
Princeton University. So in addition
to applying to one school because I
liked the pictures in the brochure
and to another because it was close
to home, I also applied to Princeton,
and my brother helped guide me
through the process.
Many young people in this country arent so lucky, because when it
comes to college counseling in our
nations schools, there are really two
worlds.
Theres the world of high schools
where the question isnt whether
students are going to college, but

where. From the first day of freshman year, students at these schools
are shepherded through the process,
often by school counselors who
ensure they enroll in the right classes; prepare for the SAT and ACT;
meet their application deadlines;
and choose a school that best meets
their needs and get the financial aid
they need to pay for it. Thats one
world.
Then theres the world of the
schools that most of our kids attend
where school counselors are too
often under-valued and overstretched, and they simply dont
have what they need to do their
jobs. While the American School
Counselor Association recommends
no more than 250 students per counselor, the national average is one
counselor for every 471 students.
And often, school counselors are
burdened with all kinds of unrelated
responsibilities such as proctoring
exams, substitute teaching, even
monitoring the lunchroom. Many
school counselors find themselves
doing triage, juggling those duties
while trying to help kids in crisis
and also keep up with the latest college admissions deadlines and
requirements.
As a result, many of our young

people have little, if any, guidance


on how to pursue higher education.
This is a serious loss, not just for
them, but for our country. Today,
workers with a bachelors degree
make an average of $16,000 more
per year than those with just a high
school diploma, and three-quarters
of the fastest-growing occupations
require a college degree. The facts
are very clear: if we want America
to compete in the global marketplace, all of our young people will
need some kind of education
beyond high school, whether thats a
two-year or four-year degree or a
professional certificate.
Our school counselors are the key
to achieving that goal, but only if
we give them the support, recognition and resources they need to do
their jobs. Thats why last year, the
White House issued a challenge to
universities, foundations, school
districts, non-profits and others to
step up and already they have
answered with tens of millions of
dollars of new efforts on behalf of
school counselors and the students
they serve.
Non-profit organizations are
working to improve student to counselor ratios. Universities are creating college and career readiness

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama saying Namaste


on leaving India on Jan. 27, 2015.

courses in their masters degree programs for school counselors. With


the help of the U.S. Department of
Education, over half the states in
this country are giving school counselors new tools to help students fill
out their financial aid forms and college applications. And today, for
the first time in history, we are honoring the National School Counselor
of the Year with a ceremony at the
White House.
This work is all driven by the simple belief that in this country, getting the education you need shouldnt be a matter of luck, or privilege,

The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.

or having a big brother who can


pave the way for you like I did.
Instead, every young person who is
willing to work for it should have a
chance to fulfill his or her boundless
promise. That is the mission that
drives Americas school counselors
every day, and my husband and I
and so many others are doing
everything we can to support them
as they support our kids and serve
our country.
This op-ed by First Lady Michelle
Obama appeared on USAToday.com
and across Gannett platforms.

14

STATE OF INDIAN REPUBLIC

February 7-13, 2015

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

'We are happy Mr.Modi, please get rid of corruption'

Make things easy for investors,

ensure women's safety, make rural


India self-sufficient...some issues he
needs to tackle head on, say our
respondents from India and US
ess than a year in power and the
Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has a lot going on. From overhauling the
systems which had been in place for past several decades to giving a boost to the nations
confidence they have been steering the
course of India with the idea of accelerating
development in all spheres.
As the nation celebrated its 66th Republic
Day on Jan 26, The South Asian Times tried to
determine the mood of the people asking them
if they were happy with what PM Modi has
been able to achieve since he was sworn in.
Are they optimistic about India's future? Real
problems the government needs to focus on
and what they think of PM Modis silence on
controversial issues such as conversions,
rewriting History textbooks, calls to Hindus to
procreate more, among others..

Anil Srivatsa
CEO and Co-founder Radiowalla Network,
Bangalore

t has been a short time and is not fair to


judge anyone's performance this soon.
However, Namo is making the right
moves and is saying the right things. It is now
important to start doing and not allowing a
few crazies including the sensationalizing
media to distract him and his team from getting to work. Unfortunately he does not have a
supportive media to speak of development
with him and are swaying the people with
their TRP gathering editorials rather than
reporting issue based news. Having said this I
am very optimistic that ache din aayenge and
willing to revisit this statement in a year's
time.
There are a number of 'burning' issues in
India and depending on who is looking at
them they will change in order of its priority. I
think the BJP government is still trying to
organize and mobilize itself as an administration to get states into its fold. Once this is
done, it will be in a better space to work on
state/center related subjects more efficiently
in terms of legislation and enforcement. But
from my perspective the burning issues would
be A. Enforcing transparency, single window
clearances, reduction of red tape for the aam
aadmi when conducting business with the var-

ious levels of government agencies both state


and central. This will ease the day to day burden giving room for more confidence and
cooperation in other schemes and social programs the government implements. B.
Enforcing the RULE of LAW for all C. A single minded focus on making rural India more
self-sufficient, sustainable and employment
rich for the local community and this will also
start addressing the climate abuse large populated cities are a breeding ground for. D. The
larger issue of climate change itself where
Laws for environment protection need to be
enforced and new ones legislated to set the
ball rolling on reversing the damage. This
works in tandem with the inculcation of
awareness and consciousness with early education and sustained in the education system
throughout. E. Ensuring the internal security
of the citizens with tough, even if unpopular,
stands on cross border terrorism or home
grown.
Reconversion, rewriting History textbooks
etc are distractions I have alluded to in my
comments above. These are sensationalized
by the TRP seeking media to a point they
begin looking like national issues. If these
self-styled proponents of the Hindu faith want
to say something they should be allowed to
but giving their thought national prominence
and allowing them to hijack the national discourse is purely a product of media irresponsibility. By and large people usually don't think
deeper on issues and using that trait and trying
to sway public opinion on issues for personal
gain by journalists is in my opinion what
plagues our nations development. Simply
ignored, these fringe groups will disappear
and vanish. It is this surety of notoriety via
India's media that encourages this behavior.
Modi is doing right by ignoring this which
also gives the media something to sensationalize. Rewriting history books is not a concern
as who is to authenticate the "facts. History,
unfortunately is written by the winner of the
event and it is always their version that survives in the pages. Now the government is
seeking to modify those "facts" and bring out
new ones to round off the perspective.

Ashwin K Verma
Ad film Maker. MD New York Live Ideas
Corp, Mumbai

f course, I am more than happy with


PM Modis government! He has
restored faith in this country, domestically and internationally. People had resigned
to their fate with the scam ridden government
earlier and we had lost our credibility internationally. He is the why Indian businessmen

and foreign investors are standing in line to


invest in this country.
Swatch Bharat Abhiyaan has become the
youth mantra. The masses and the classes
have both become involved in this initiative.
People were fed up of scams and ineffective
governance and a puppet Prime Minister.
Finally people are optimistic about a leader
who is slowly but surely converting his words
into deeds and taking the country towards
progress.
Female feticide, infanticide and oppression
and safety of women is one of the biggest
burning issues in this country which Prime
Minister Modi is tackling head on with "Ladki
Padhao, Ladki Bachao" initiative.
When conversions were happening from
Hindus to other minority community, by giving incentives and exploiting the helplessness
and needs of the poverty stricken strata, the
then PMs were not expected to comment, so
why is PM Modi now being targeted? Why
every action or so called inaction of his is
given a communal overtone?

already begun. Economic reformation and


growth rate have increased. Steps have been
taken to make agriculture profitable.
Beginning of Make in India would provide
more jobs for the youths in India.
Modi team has worked with a lot of cohesiveness to solve the problems. Significant
accomplishments have been made on the
diplomatic level. The grand felicitation of the
PM in USA, Japan, Australia and President
Obama visiting India have boosted the pride
of Indians and Indian diaspora worldwide.

Prince Agarwal
President, Network of Indian Professionals,
New York

Sunil Modi
President, Association of Indians in
America (NY)

M Modi has done a good job of creating


an image of change. Firing people who
aren't in their offices in the morning was
an excellent public relations move. However,
he needs to demonstrate more cooperation and
buy-in from ministers and state leaders to
actually crackdown on corruption. In the short
time that he has been in office, there is optimism that he truly wants to change things but
considering India's history and the depth of its
corruption, there is of course hesitation until
more meaningful steps are implemented. The
biggest problem in India is corruption. It
threatens lives, investments, economic
growth, and national security. Second issue
crippling India is the ethnic strife. India is
extremely diverse and Mahatma Gandhi's
country was not created for just a particular
person or community. It was created for all.
Modi needs to prove that he will work for all:
Sikhs, Muslims, Jains, and others, in addition
to Hindus.
For PM Modi to be respected as an Indian
and world leader, he needs to emphasize a
very secular stance. The world has seen too
much religious violence and India has seen
more than its share. Considering that Modi
entered office as part of a Hindu party and
with concerns about his ability to be a PM for
all Indians, he needs to do more than average
to prove that he can be a PM for all regardless
of religion, especially in a country that has
world's second largest population of Muslims
in the world. Overall, he has given the country a sense of optimism that it has lacked for
years. It speaks of the ability of the common
man to create a better tomorrow in a way similar to John F Kennedy 50 years prior.
However, he needs to do more to emphasize
religious freedom, tolerance, and protection as
well as work with all parties to end (or at least
reduce) corruption.

rime Minister Modi has built a strong


reputation through his polished skills
and dedication to take India to a new
height. His first six months as PM speak for
itself on his decisions which displayed his
efforts and strengths. I am extremely happy
with what Prime Minister Modi has been able
to achieve in a short time since coming to
power. I am very optimistic about Indias
future.
Investor sentiments are strongly in favor of
India. But the next six months will be the
most crucial in Modi governments tenure
from an investment point of view.
Modi has shown great signs of strength in
tackling multiplicity of problems in our country. His assertiveness and, at times, authoritative way of handling the issues have appeased
many of us. Some of the burning issues facing
the country include inflation, creation of jobs
and top priority to entrepreneurs, abolition of
corruption, bringing black money from abroad
and drastic change in the working of the government machinery. Modi has made a successful handling so far.
Apprehensions in some quarters that PM
Modi is silent on the antics of the Hindutva
brigade are not the real concerns at this time.
PM Modi rightly keeps himself above them as
other burning issues have first to be
addressed.
Providing urban facilities in rural area has

Interviews by Hiral Dholakia-Dave


& Jinal Shah

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

MP CONCLAVE

February 7-13, 2015

15

CM Chouhan launched Friends of MP initiative at Lincoln Center,


cheered by 3,000 community members, and made a pitch for Madhya
Pradesh as an investment destination at a USIBC event.

Speaking in Hindi, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan


mesmerized the audience with his straight
talk but lofty vision.

New York: History was created


when over 3,000 people traveled
to the heart of New York on an
extremely cold Super Bowl
Sunday morning, February 1, to
cheer Madhya Pradesh Chief
Minister Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan when he arrived here to
launch the initiative to connect the
global passionate citizens who
wish to work for the benefit of
Madhya Pradesh and India.
On the second day of his six-day
visit to the tri-state area, Shri
Chouhan formally launched the
Friends of Madhya Pradesh initiative (www.friendsofmp.com) at
the iconic Lincoln Centers Avery
Fisher Hall in Manhattan.
The website is first of its kind
initiative by any state in the country following the suggestion by
Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi that sought the creation of a
global talent pool as a network of
its friends anywhere in the world.
Amid claps of a full house filled
with NRIs, state senators, US congressmen and Congresswomen,
and key business and community

leaders from across New York,


New Jersey, Long Island,
Connecticut and the region, beats
of drums and dholaks, and the
fluttering of the Indian flag, Shri
Chouhan and guests on the dais
formally inaugurated the website
friendsofmp.com by putting hands
on the globe that symoblized the
connected world and with that the
site went live on a giant screen
right above the stage.
In his half-hour speech in Hindi
interspersed by loud applause and
slogans in praise of Bharat Mata
(Mother India), the chief minister
stated that his government for the
last decade has not only been
undertaking welfare measures, but
also useful employment-generating programs that has changed the
landscape of the state.
With GDP growth of 11.08 %
and 20% rise in agricultural production in last few years, the state
has become one of the fastest
growing states in India.
Citing estimates and positive
outlook, he said India would soon
Continued on page 16

Shri Chouhan formally inaugurated the website friendsofmp.com by putting hands on the
globe that symoblized the connected world and with that the site went live on a
giant screen right above the stage.

Packed hall at the iconic Avery Fisher auditorium in the landmark Lincoln Center in
Manhattan. Friends of MP who came from the tristate and surrounding areas repeatedly
applauded the chief minister during his speech.

16

February 7-13, 2015

MP CONCLAVE

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Seeking investment, CM Chouhan


promotes MP tourism with NRIs

Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan received a very warm response from the
Indian community at the Lincoln Center event.

By Ashok Ojha/SA Times


New York: Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the
third-term Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh, mesmerized a largely Indian audience of more than 3,000 people at the
Lincoln Center complex in Manhattan with
his speech Sunday delivered in fluent Hindi
in which he painted a rosy picture of his
state, interspersed with patriotism and spiritual wisdom.
Chouhan launched Friends of MP
(www.friendsofmp.com), an online forum
for sharing ideas and suggestions, which
would be reviewed by state officials for
quick, follow-up actions. Chouhan was
accompanied by Amb. Dnyaneshwar
Mulay, Consul General of India in New
York, which co-organized the MP
Conclave, and a few dignitaries on the
stage.
An official said about Friends of MP, We
aim at building a talent pool of well wishers who would provide original ideas for the
development and welfare of Madhya
Pradesh. We are providing a forum where
Member Friends can share an idea, sponsor a project or undertake volunteer work.
NRIs from Madhya Pradesh in any country
and others too can link with this portal.

The symbolic touching the globe ceremony was followed by a speech by


Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Minister of
Commerce and Industries of Madhya
Pradesh, who praised her Chief Minister for
grooming her to be a politician. I lived for
18 years in New Orleans before heading
home to contribute towards Indian
Dream, she commented. Complimenting
the chief minister for promoting girls education and empowering women, Scindia
credited him for an overall progress of
Madhya Pradesh during his two terms. He
is affectionately called Mama (mothers
brother) by the people of Mahya Pradesh
for his welfare policies that provide incentives to girls from their birth until their marriage, she informed. The family of a new
born girl is required to open a bank account
in which state government contributes
funds growing to one lakh and 18 thousand
rupees.
CM Chouhan began his speech by complimenting some of the prominent IndianAmericans for their accomplishments, such
as Indira Nooyi (CEO, PepsiCo), Satya
Nadella
(CEO,
Microsoft)
and
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who took
the oath of office on Bhagawad Gita.
Comapring Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Continued from page 15


overtake China in economic growth and Madhya Pradesh will play a significant part
in that process. He pointed out that after Shri Modi became PM in May 2014, self-confidence of Indians and NRIs has risen significantly. Now no longer the policy paralysis, the hallmark of the previous government, exists at the Center and in states. He
added that Shri Modi is not just the leader of India, but he is on way to becoming a
world leader. The CM pointed out the existence of 24-hour power supply, availability
of enough water, and calm and peaceful industrial climate in Madhya Pradesh. Around
26,000 hectares of land bank has been created to cater for potential investment and
industrial opportunities. Plan is to recruit 30 % women in police to tackle more efficiently crimes against women. He touched upon several issues including religious harmony, US-India relations, and BJPs determination in providing good governance and
clean administration. Shri Chouhan honored the winners of recent Padma awards on
the occasion, praised their contributions and sought their services to India in general
and the central state in particular.
I bring you the good wishes of 7.5 crore residents of Madhya Pradesh, he exhorted
the audience. You contributed to this society (USA) immensely and now you must do
the same to India, your motherland.

Yashodhara Raje Scindia, MPs Minister of Commerce and Industries said


she had lived for 18 years in New Orleans in USA before heading back home.
She credited CM Chouhan for grooming her as a politician.

to Swami Vivekananda, Chouhan praised


Modi for popularizing yoga, on whose
behest the UN proclaimed June 21 as
International Yoga Day.
Using household expressions in Hindi,
Chouhan quickly connected with the audience. His spirit was patriotic and expression
people friendly. The audience responded
with loud applauds as he spoke about happiness of mind, body and soul, all of which
was reachable in Madhya Pradesh.
Continuing his speech about successfully
implementing a wide range of policies for
the masses, Chouhan highlighted how free
medical treatment was available in the hospitals of MP, while round the clock power
was provided to each village and a kilogram
of food grain was sold to poor for a rupee.
How could he do this? Simple, he
answered his own question; I tax the rich
and distribute among the poor.
Not forgetting the real purpose of his US
visit, which was to attract investors,
Chouhan told the audience that his government maintained 26,000 hectares of land
bank. All you have to do is to point your
finger on the map and we will provide you
the land for setting up an industry, he
declared adding that he would go beyond
the single window clearance by wide
opening the doors of his state for foreign
investment.
Realizing that the audience he was speaking to was not necessarily investor-type,
Chouhan returned to his favorite theme of
visit Madhya Pradesh, and said, Even if
you dont want to invest, just visit Madhya
Pradesh. He spoke about the lifetime
opportunity of pilgrimage to Ujjain during
the forthcoming Simhastha fair, also
known as Kumbh Mela, scheduled to be
held in April-May 2016. Ujjain is considered as one of the holiest places in India,
where a drop of nectar fell from the heaven
after the churning of the ocean, placing it at
par with other holy places, Haridwar,
Allahabad, and Nasik, where Kumbh
Melas are held every 12 years. Chouhan
said that about 50 million people will
descend upon the city during the fair, take a

Consul General Dnyaneshwar


Mulay speaking at the MP Conclave,
which was co- organized by the
New York consulate.

dip in Kshipra river and have darshan of


Mahakalshwar- also known as Shiva,
The speech of Chief Minister was preceded by colorful Bollywood and patriotic
dances by the students of Arya Dance
Academy. The meeting began with an introduction by Consul General Dnyaneshwar
Mulay, who said that a new era emerged in
Indo-US relationship after the visit of
President Obama to India. Mulay invited
the Indian American community to participate in all endeavors of the Consulate,
which were geared towards helping the
community and strengthening friendly relations between India and the US.
A number of elected officials form NJ and
NY Senate and Assembly, as well as US
Congresswomen Carolyn B. Maloney, Nita
M. Lowey and Yvette Clarke spoke on the
occasion. Winners from the tristate of this
years Padma Shri awards, cancer specialist
Dr Nori Dattatreyudu and mathematician
Manjul Bhargava were honored on the
stage. Those in the audience were pleased
to discover that a gift was waiting for them
before they boarded their buses, which
brought them free from neighboring towns
of New York Metro region.

MP CONCLAVE

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

17

MP has transformed,
Chouhan tells USIBC

Chief Minister Chouhan addressing financial institutional investors in New York. (Photo: Shri Kanaskar, Cheshire, CT)

New York: The honorable Chief Minister


of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh
Chouhan, addressed Tuesday a conference
here sponsored by the US-India Business
Council (USIBC) based in Washington,
DC.
NRIs and mainstream American investors
took part in the conference held at the
Marriott East Side hotel in Manhattan.
Shri Chouhan spoke at length on the conference theme of Doing Business in
Madhya Pradesh and Investment
Opportunities.
Highlighting the importance of Prime
Minister Modis visit to the US in
September and of President Obama to India
last month, Shri Chouhan said, If the
greatest and the largest democracies work
together, we will be able to surmount any
difficulties. In this kind of situation, one
might ask why another visit by a state

leader. The purpose of my visit is to further


publicize investment and other opportunities in India, and of course, particularly my
own state of Madhya Pradesh. My visit
comes immediately after the leaders backto-back tours because our government had
decided to strike when the iron is hot.
He continued, India is changing fast
now. It elected a charismatic leader as the
prime minister and now no policy paralysis
exists at the Center; stock market is rising;
I am confident the country will rise furtherin all respects. We now have nuclear
energy cooperation with various countries,
smart cities are being set up across the
country, high-speed train services are to be
introduced to bolster transport services.
When I took over Madhya Pradesh
about a decade ago it was bimaru (ailing
state); there was power only for 2-3 hours a
day. There is now electricity everywhere 24

hours a day. We tripled the area of land that


came under irrigationall this is considered miraculous work. More than 60% our
population depends upon agriculture; we
ensured health cards to farmers; we supplied them with quality seeds. We overtook
Haryana and Punjab in wheat production.
In the overall food grains production, MP
has stood first among the Indian states three
times in a row. Agriculture growth hovers
around 24 percentthis is the first not only
in India but probably in the world itself.
The focus of my third term in government is on industrial development. We are
setting up new food processing, textile and
other kinds of industrial units. The factors
that favor industrial climate are abundance
of land, low-cost but high-skilled labor,
24/7 power supply, honest and efficient
governance, speedier clearances of applications for setting up business ventures, we

now have an open-door policy not just a


single-window system. Dacoity was rampant before I took over and it has gradually
come down since.
Talking about the programs initiated by
the Center, he said, We have implemented
them quickly such as Jan Dhan Yojana
through which every household in the
country has a bank account, Make in India
(as we have Make in Madhya Pradesh)
and Swachch Bharat. There are schemes
such as low-price ration, free education,
roti-kapda-makaan plan and free health
care.
Others who spoke at the event were
Commerce, Industries and Employment
Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Yashodara
Raje Scindia, former US envoy to India
Frank Wisner, Diane Farrell, acting president of the USIBC, and Consul General
Dnyaneshwar Mulay.

MP leads other states in economic growth CM Chouhan


New York: Chief Minister
Shivraj Singh Chauhan met
with business executives and
potential investors at a meeting Feb 3 here at the Pierre
Hotel.
The following are the key
remarks he made at the meeting:
I have come here with
great passion. We now have a
new prime minister. Policy
paralysis is being replaced by
programs
promotion.
National growth is expected
to rise sharply. We in Madhya
Pradesh are experiencing
double-digit
economic
growth, which is currently
11%. In the farm sector, we
have achieved around 25%
growth. We are now putting
our focus on infrastructure,
road-rail network.
We extend loans to farm-

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Industries


Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia at an event organized
by the Overseas Friends of BJP.

ers at rates as low as 0%. Our


state has introduced entrepreneurship awards. We have
separate policies for each sector. For instance, we have the

easiest labor laws in the


country. The state ensures
peaceful investment climate.
Under Public Service
Delivery Act is currently in

place. Government can play


a role; if any delay takes
place on part of a government employee, his salary
will be cut. The UN has recognized this fact, and noted
that this kind of practice is
probably the first time in the
world. We have the best of
labor relationsnot just in
India, but perhaps in the
world.
We want to be No. 1 state
in India in all respects.
Our culture worships
Nature. When you cant give
life to others you should not
take it away. Solar, wind and
hydro energy forms are
increasingly being generated.
2015 is being celebrated as
Tourism Year. We not only
attract domestic tourists but
also like to have international
ones."

The South Asian Times carried a


Special Supplement in our last issue
on Madhya Pradesh in support of the
dynamic Chief
Minister Shivraj
Singh Chouhans
initiative to
launch Friends
of MP at a conclave in New
York on Feb 1.
The supplement
carried an exclusive interview with
Shri Chouhan and profiled the state
which under him has made
tremendous progress while
highlighting tourism in the heritage
rich central Indian state.

18

ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD

February 7-13, 2015

India's
'175 Grams'
wins at
Sundance
film fest

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

allika Sherawat-starrer "The


Dirty Politics", which was
earlier slated to release Feb
13, will now hit the screens March 6,
which happens to be Holi. The reason
behind the delay is to avoid a clash with
other films, and to record one more
song.
The film's director K.C. Bokadia told
IANS: "Earlier my film was supposed to
release on Feb 13, but since my song
'Ghaghra' is doing really well, we have
decided to record one more song for this
film. So, Mallika will be shooting for
this song on Feb 13, 14 and 15."
Bokadia says March 6 gives them a
"good window" due to the festival of
Holi, which also falls on the same day.
"It's better to release your film separately than to have two to three releases
the same day," he said.
The director also clarified that Mallika
will not be shooting an item song for the
movie, and that it will be a situational
number.

Actress Mallika Sherawat during


music launch of film Dirty Politics
in Mumbai.

A scene from the


film '175 Grams'

Washington: 175 Grams, directed


by Bharat Mirle and Aravind Iyer, is
one of the five Short Film Challenge
winning films at the 2015 Sundance
Film Festival.
Sundance Institute Jan 28 premiered
the Sundance Institute Short Film
Challenge, a program of nine international short films, at the 2015
Sundance Film Festival held at Utah.
The program is designed to spark
global conversation about solutions to
challenges like extreme hunger and
poverty. The short films were due to
premiere on a variety of digital platforms.
Apart from 175 Grams, the Short
Film Challenge winning short films
and directors are: Man in the Maze
by Phil Buccellato and Jesse Ash
(US), Dropping In by Willem Van
Den Heever (South Africa), Isabelle's
Garden by Jeffrey Palmer (US), and
A Will of Iron by Seyi Fabunmi and
Mobolaji Adeolu (Nigeria).
Each filmmaker or film team
received a $10,000 grant.
The Short Film Challenge has been
an opportunity for a group of filmmakers from around the world to illuminate under-told stories and raise
awareness about important issues.
"With the support of the Gates
Foundation, we are proud to present
this selection of short films by emerging and more established voices at the
Festival and hope they inspire dialogue and conversation, Keri
Putnam, executive director of
Sundance Institute, said in a statement
shared on sundance.org.

Darbar
arrested for
assaulting
assistant
director
usic composer Ismail
Darbar was placed
under arrest this week
for allegedly assaulting an
assistant director along with his
son and two others. The
Amboli police had arrested
Darbars son and the other two
accused.
According to officials at the
Amboli police, Darbar, his son
Zaid and two of their acquaintances Nishant Singh, 21, and
Mohsin Khan, 29 assaulted
the
victim
Prashamit
Chaudhary, 29. Chaudhary was
working as an assistant director
in an upcoming movie being
directed by Darbar and starring
Ashutosh Rana. Chaudhary
was demanding his delayed
salary, said police.
"We arrested Darbar today
morning. He is being taken to
the metropolitan court," said
Sujit Kumar Gunjkar, assistant

REVIEW

'Khamoshiyan' - full of
moronic mumbo-jumbo

he biggest puzzle in the public domain, besides the question, "Why US President
Obama chose to mouth Shah Rukh
Khans lines from "Dilwale
Dulhania Le Jayenge'?" is, "Why
does a sensible intelligent man like
Vikram Bhatt chose to write such
stupid shiver givers?"
"Khamoshiyan" makes you shiver.
But not in fear. It just makes you
shake in embarrassment for all the
ghosts and spirits who are so royally
snubbed and insulted by such travesties of terror. Maybe the spiritual
world could sue for defamation.
And then there should be an added
penalty for wasting three talented
young hopeful actors looking for a
break. All "Khamoshiyan" gives
them is a pathetic plot where creaky
doors and spooky apparitions get
more playing time than the actors

Music composer
Ismail Darbar

inspector at Amboli police station. In his complaint to the


police, Chaudhary had stated
that the quartet landed at his
apartments on the New Link
Road and assaulted him with
hockey sticks late on Monday.
The police said the incident
took place near the parking
level of the highrise.

A scene from 'Khamoshiyan'

who have to look scared and shattered when they are probably laughing behind the camera wondering
who in this day and age believes in
such moronic mumbo-jumbo. Not
the progressive Mahesh Bhatt for
sure. Why Mr.Bhatt who has made
some of the most pathbreaking films
in recent times would choose to
back something so shrouded in the
raga of the regressive is beyond
comprehension.

ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan to perform in NY


Chicago: Amaan Ali Khan and
Ayaan Ali Khan, the sons of the
sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali
Khan, will give a concert at the
New York's Symphony Space on
Feb 10. They will be accompanied by the renowned violinist
Elmira Darvarova, former concertmaster at the Metropolitan
Opera Orchestra, and the table
virtuoso Salar Nader.
Amaan, the eldest son of Ustad
Amjad Ali Khan, belongs to the
seventh generation in an unbroken chain of the Senia Bangash
School. He was initiated by his
father into the art of sarod playing and gave his first public performance at age of eight. Amaan
has performed at numerous venues in India and around the
world.
In 2005, Amaan composed
music for the film 'American
Daylight' which was directed by
Academy Award winner Rodger
Christian. In the same year, he
also collaborated with the Derek
Trucks Band at the Savannah

Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan with his sons Amaan
Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan at the Indian Parliament.
Music Festival in Georgia and
featured with Ustad Amjad Ali
Khan in Real World Record's
album called 'Moksha'.
Ayaan, the younger son, also
gave his solo debut when he was
eight years old and has been per-

forming concerts in India and


abroad. He has also assisted his
illustrious father at concerts all
over the world. Over the years,
Ayaan has carved out a special
niche for himself in the world of
music.

When Attenborough was scared by rat in Indian toilet


Los
Angeles:
David
Attenborough, one of the world's
most famous naturalists, says he
isn't a fan of rats, especially after
being startled by one on a trip to
India.
The 88-year-old has revealed
that the rodents are one of the
few creatures he hates because
of an unpleasant experience he
had with one while coping with
an upset stomach during a recent
trip, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Speaking at the launch of
"David Attenborough's Natural
Curiosities", he said: "I was in
India recently and I am by and

David Attenborough

large not affected by tropical diseases but I did get a bit of the
belly, you know, and I had to run
to the loo. I was sitting on the
loo and I did what I had to do

and then I looked up and a rat


came out from between my
thighs. That is not endearing."
Despite the nauseating incident, the acclaimed documentary
maker still finds animals just as
fascinating as when he first
began his career.
"I think understanding animals
enriches your pleasure, finding
out how to understand them is
the great pleasure. I never stop
reading books about man and
animals; they're always full of
interesting stuff. I'll turn the
page and my eyes will be popping out, he said.

February 7-13, 2015

19

AIB Roast video


pulled out from
YouTube

The controversial AIB Roast video has been taken down


from video sharing website YouTube.

Mumbai: The controversial


AIB Roast video has been
taken down from video sharing website YouTube two days
after the Maharashtra government initiated a probe into
allegations of "abusive and
filthy" language used by
Bollywood personalities in it.
The video, which went viral
on the online video sharing
platform since being posted
Jan 28, was pulled out this
week. The official Twitter handle of the comic group AIB
posted: "Have taken down AIB
Knockout for now. We will
speak soon."
The Roast, organized by a
group of stand-up comedians
called All India Bakchod
(AIB), poked fun at the roastees -- Bollywood actors
Ranveer Singh and Arjun
Kapoor, and was hosted by
filmmaker Karan Johar.
Following complaints on the
below-the-belt content of the
program, Education and

Culture Minister Vinod


Tawade ordered a probe
Monday evening.
"The Culture Department
officials will examine the
videos' content and if found
vulgar, action would be initiated," Tawade said.
Also, the Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena on Tuesday
demanded an apology from all
the persons involved in the
AIB Roast, and said that it
would not allow Johar, Arjun
and Ranveer's movies to be
screened if they do not apologise. AIB Roast is a charity
event which took place here in
December 2014. A collection
of over Rs.4 million was raised
via the two-hour comic event,
the edited version of which
was posted on AIB's YouTube
page Jan 28.
The AIB Roast also saw
leading female Bollywood
actors like Sonakshi Sinha,
Deepika Padukone and Alia
Bhatt in the audience.

Youth dictates progress of cinema: Big B


New Delhi: In his over four
decade tryst with the Hindi film
industry, Amitabh Bachchan has
witnessed a continuous shift in
the movie-making business, and
he credits most changes to the
"different and unusual" demands
of the youth.
"It has changed a lot and is
changing," the 72-year-old veteran said when asked to define
of the taste of audience nowadays and whether they go for
stars or scripts.
"I think the younger generation
is dictating what it wants. They
want to see something different,
something which is not usual
and that's how cinema is progressing," he added.
The Big B is touring the coun-

try for the promotion of his


forthcoming film "Shamitabh",
where he is sharing screen with
much younger actors like
Dhanush and Akshara Hassan.
He hopes "Shamitabh" turns out
to be a project that adds to the
bundle of new ideas, concepts
and thoughts prevalent today.
"There is huge progression as
far as that thinking is concerned," said the thespian in his
distinct baritone.
He's as impressed by his costars Dhanush and Akshara as
he's with the young audience.
"This younger generation is
wonderful to work with. They do
their role, they come prepared,
and every day is a challenging
moment for all of us," he said,

adding that they work together


as professionals "for the film and
for the product".
"I have great admiration for
Dhanush and Akshara," said the
Big B, and praised the fact that
younger film stars today are very
competitive, but still appreciative towards each other's work.
"They are very focused,
aggressive, determined and wellequipped. They know exactly
what they want to do, how they
want to do it, where they want to
go and that just makes them very
attractive and I am very
impressed by them," he said.
Big B, Dhanush and Akshara's
"Shamitabh", directed by the
acclaimed R. Balakrishnan aka
Balki, releases this week.

Amitabh Bachchan at the


promotion of his
film Shamitabh

20 February 7-13, 2015

DIASPORA

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Indian real estate market a developer's dream: Indo-Canadian billionaire

Chandigarh: Having made his


millions in the Canadian real estate
market, Canada's first Sikh billionaire, Bob Dhillon, feels India's real
estate market has a lot of potential
if the government makes the right
moves.
"The Indian real estate market is
a developer's dream. It is fascinating. It can be the No.1 market for
growth," said Dhillon, who has
charted an amazing success story
for himself by becoming the
biggest landlord in Canada with
nearly 10,000 properties.
"Technology is the key in real
estate. You guys (In India) have
not gone vertical so far. With the
kind of demand and urbanization,
you need to go vertical like
Manhattan, Shanghai or Toronto.
"That requires technology. There
is a lot of catch-up to do," said
Dhillon, who is based in Calgary
and whose assets are pegged at
Canadian dollars 1.2 billion.
Dhillon, who loves to talk about
his success, feels that certain policies, including ownership rights,
land acquisition and others, make
the Indian real estate market
"uncompetitive" for investors from
other countries.
"The policy on acquisition of
land is non-competitive. The nega-

Bob Dhillon

tives here include issues like ownership rights, landlord tenancy


rights, politics of the business,
repatriation of capital, lack of technology...
"Securitization of the real estate
market is also required. The real
estate GDP here is extremely low,"
said Dhillon, the president and
CEO of Mainstreet Equity Corp in
Canada.
Mainstreet Equity, which went
public in Canada in 2000, has been
listed as the highest performing
company on the Toronto Stock
Exchange with overall returns of

1,270 percent over the last 10


years, Dhillon pointed out with a
sense of pride.
Having visited India as part of
the delegation of Canadian Prime
Minister Stephen Harper and others in recent years, Dhillon says
the new Narendra Modi government was making the right moves
but a lot needed to be done.
"India needs trillions of dollars
for infrastructure. Modi is making
all the right moves but unfortunately execution goes at the state
level.
"Sometimes, that is extremely

challenging. If you really bring in


free market, create proper governance and allow repatriation of
capital, the influx of capital will
begin. If you want to have a 'Make
in India' policy, which is a great
strategy, real estate has to play a
key role in this," Dhillon said.
"Black money is making the values artificially high. Real estate
prices in India, based on world
standards, are too high. It is artificial wealth. It's beyond me why
the Indian government won't be
wooing people like us to invest.
Real estate market in India is neither free nor controlled market.
You have to decide either way," he
said.
Dhillon, whose real name is
Navjeet Singh Dhillon, belongs to
Tallewal village near Barnala in
Punjab. Born in Japan in 1965,
where his grandfather had moved
from Punjab to get into shipping
business, Dhillon's family lived in
Hong Kong, Japan and Liberia.
Having lost everything in Liberia's
civil war, the family moved to
Canada in the 1970s to begin from
scratch. "For me, it has been an
unbelievable journey. I never had
an easy break, to be honest. Our
Punjabi DNA is to own real estate.
At least I am in the game. I am 100

Indians in Poland celebrate R-Day with enthusiasm


Warsaw: The Indian community which
over the years has become a force to
reckon with in Polish society, celebrated
the 66th Republic Day with gaiety and
enthusiasm Monday.
Braving the cold and snow, a large
number of people gathered at the new
building of the embassy of India where
they were greeted by newly- appointed
Indian Ambassador Ajay Bisaria and his
wife Bharati Chaturvedi. Bisaria, who till
recently was in charge of the Eurasia
division in India's external affairs min-

istry and had organized Russian


President Vladimir Putin's visit to India
successfully, unfurled the tricolor. Later,
he read President Pranab Mukherjee's
message to the nation. He also briefed
the community about the successful visit
of US President Barack Obama to India.
"If India today has a strong profile in the
comity of nations, part of this credit must
be given to the Indian diaspora. Our
prime minister values the contribution of
the Indian diaspora very much. "You
Indians in Poland have also done a

tremendous job and it is because of your


hard work that Indo-Polish relations have
improved by many notches. Today the
trade between the two countries has
touched $1.5 billion and India as a soft
power has emerged in Poland," Bisaria
told the gathering. "The attraction of
Poland has prompted many Bollywood
producers to shoot their films here. Now
Rani Mukherji is coming for the premiere of her film 'Mardaani'. Ajay Devgn
will start shooting for his home production in May," he added.

Indias 66th Republic Day celebrations at the Embassy of India in Tokyo. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa,
Ambassador of India to Japan reads out President Mukherjees message.

percent selfmade. "I have


believed in diversification. I own
an island in Belize, have a credit
card processing company, merchant process companies and other
businesses. These are pretty
diverse things I do. But I have very
strong roots with Punjab and
India," said Dhillon, who holds a
MBA degree from Richard Ivey
School of Business.
Dhillon started his real estate
journey at age 19 by buying two
old houses. He renovated and sold
them. "I made 17,000 dollars from
these. First thing I did was to go
and buy a Mercedes. The only
game in Calgary was real estate
and manufacturing. Grew up seeing icons like Warren Buffet, Bill
Gates, Donald Trump and Steve
Jobs. "I got into real estate and
became a millionaire very early. I
never had a job in my whole life.
All I did was buy, develop, redevelop every type of real estate
till I took my portfolio public,"
said Dhillon, who studied in
Shimla's Bishop Cotton School
from kindergarten till he was a
teenager. Dhillon, who has business interests in three continents,
has written a book on Belize. "It's
a reference book on how (to) retire
and do business in Belize," he said.

Grace Walia wins Miss India Indonesia 2015 title

Grace Walia (center)

Jakarta: Grace Walia was crowned Miss India


Indonesia 2015, a pageant that seeks to build a bridge
between the Indian and Indonesian communities.
Ambassador of India Gurjit Singh was the chief guest
of the evening. As Miss India Indonesia, Grace will
represent Indonesia in Miss India Worldwide 2015 to
be held in India in summer. The first runner-up went
to Vandana Nanwani and the third spot was bagged by
Gurmichele Kaur, read a statement.
The beauty pageant was held Jan 30 at JW Marriott
here, where 20 contestants competed for the prestigious crown of Miss India Indonesia. It is part of the
prestigious Sahabat India - Festival of India 2015.
This year Miss India Indonesia is once again working
with Yayasan Pulih and pledges to support its cause of
importance of girl education.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

SUBCONTINENT

February 7-13, 2015

21

Ties with India not at cost of China or Pak: US

Washington: Denying suggestions that the US-India partnership


was intended as a counterweight
to China, a senior US ofcial said
its sole intent was "to build India
up" working on common core values.
"I would fundamentally point to
the fact that this is a US-India
effort and it's not necessarily to
counterweight anyone," Phil
Reiner, White House's senior
director for South Asian Affairs,
told foreign media at a round table
Tuesday on Obama's India trip.
"I don't think either the US or
India has an interest in any kind of
confrontation or much less any
sort of intent to contain China" he
said. "That's not the intent,"
Reiner said. "The intent here is to
work together... to work off of the
core values that we have to build
India up."
"And this is something that

Washington discounted a New York Times report that the first


issue that Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed
as soon as they met was China.

we're very much interested in


doing, and it's in both of our interests to do so," he said. "I would

Pakistan to try Lakhvi on


daily basis
Islamabad: Pakistan, under
international pressure to curb
terrorism and terrorist activities
based on its territory, will conduct the trial of Zakiur Rehman
Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind
of the 2008 Mumbai terror
attacks, on day-to-day basis,
local media reported.
The Islamabad High Court,
whose earlier order for conditional release of Lakhvi raised
the hackles of India, said that
the hearing in the trial would be
held on daily basis, the Dawn
reported.
The court's ruling came on a
request from prosecutor
Chaudhry Azhar, who said:
"This case is crucial. The
world's eyes are on this case.
Therefore, it should be heard
daily by IHC.
The hearing in the case will
commence Friday. The trial,
being conducted by Pakistan's
Federal Investigation Agency
(FIA), has seen much ip-op
in recent months.
Last year Dec 29, the
Islamabad High Court ordered
conditional release of Zakiur
Rehman Lakhvi, drawing strong
protests from India, which summoned the Pakistani envoy to
"convey concern" over the
development.
On Dec 30, Lakhvi was sent
by a Pakistani court to two-day
judicial remand in an abduction
case, after India again strongly
raised concerns over his imminent release.

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the


alleged mastermind of the
2008 Mumbai terror attacks

India has relentlessly sought


Lakhvi since the November
2008 attacks killed 166 persons,
including several foreigners, in
Mumbai, causing international
uproar and a diplomatic storm.
Lakhvi was arrested in
February 2009 for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror
attacks that left 166 people dead
and over 300 injured.
He was indicted with six others Nov 25, 2009, on the basis
of the confessional statement of
the lone surviving attacker
Ajmal Kasab, who was caught,
tried and executed in India Nov
21, 2012.
Lakhvi, 54, was reportedly
arrested from the headquarters
of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT) militant group in
Muzaffarabad, soon after the
attacks.

not necessarily put that forward,


though, as a counterweight to
China per se."

Both US and India, Reiner said,


were "very much interested in
working off of those fundamental
values and establishing systems
that basically work off of established rules and norms in the
international sphere to avoid conict, to avoid any situation where
there may be perceived bullying."
Discounting a New York Times
report that the rst issue that
Obama and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi discussed as soon
as they met was China, he said
"there was many things that we
spoke about."
"Coming in the door, I think the
primary thing that was talked
about was the fact that we had just
reached agreement on these two
seminal documents - on the Delhi
declaration and on the joint strategic vision," Reiner said.
China was simply "an element"
in the discussion about the region

and "as we engage in the region


and as countries grow and continue to expand their economic
domain, that this is done within
the rules and international norms
that exist today," he said.
"The China conversation is just
as important as the full spectrum
of conversations that we're having
about East Asia and the Indian
Ocean writ large and the connectivity that remains there," hew
said.
In response to a question about
Pakistan, Reiner said Obama and
Modi "have maintained a consistent dialogue on the region, and of
course, that includes Pakistan, it
includes Afghanistan."
The two he said had "a very
positive conversation about the
small steps" the two countries had
taken "that'll create that space so
that the two can begin to reengage."

Much remains to be done in Sri Lanka: US

Colombo: The US has said there


is a lot of work to be done in Sri
Lanka after a new government
came to power last month.
US Assistant Secretary of State
for South and Central Asian
Affairs Nisha Biswal, who just
concluded a visit to Sri Lanka,
said her government looked forward to partnering with the Sri
Lankan people to address the
challenges and help Sri Lanka
realise its true potential.
"It was a privilege to visit
Colombo to witness for myself
the sense of excitement and optimism that the Sri Lankan people
have ushered in through the historic Jan 8 election. In my meetings with government, civil society, private sector, and political
parties, I heard a consistent message of hope about translating
this promise into a brighter reality for all Sri Lankans," Xinhua
news agency quoted Biswal as
saying in a statement issued at

the conclusion of
her visit.
Biswal said
during her Sri
Lanka visit she
had very productive conversations
with
P r e s i d e n t
Maithripala
Sirisena, Prime
Minister Ranil
Wickremasinghe,
Foreign Minister
M a n g a l a
S a m a r a w e e r a , US Assistant Secretary of State for South and
Finance Minister
Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal
R
a
v
i
Karunanayake,
Urban Lanka relationship grow to the
Development Minister Rauff benet of both our nations. I conHakeem and State Minister for gratulated President Sirisena on
his victory and expressed the
Defence Ruwan Wijewardene.
"I also had a chance to meet United States' willingness to
with other political, civil society, work with the new government
religious and business leaders. In as it pursues a future for Sri
all of these meetings I reiterated Lanka that is peaceful, inclusive
our desire to see the US-Sri and prosperous," she added.

India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh talks on power trade


New Delhi: The joint working
group (JWG) on sub-regional
cooperation between Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India and Nepal have
explored the scope for power
trade and inter-grid connectivity
between the four countries, an
ofcial statement said.
The delegations from the participating countries discussed
potential for closer cooperation at
a sub-regional level in water
resources management, power
and hydro-power as well as in
connectivity and transit.
In the two-day meeting that

concluded Saturday, the four


countries agreed to collaborate in
harnessing water resources,
including hydro-power and
power, from other sources available in the sub-region.
"The JWG reviewed the existing cooperation in this sector and
discussed the scope for power
trade and inter-grid connectivity
between the four countries as
well as potential for closer cooperation in future power projects,"
said the statement.
The representatives also deliberated on the need for trade facil-

itation at land border stations for


effective sub-regional connectivity. Usefulness of sharing trade
infrastructure at land border stations and harmonization of customs procedures were also discussed.
The Indian delegation was led
by Joint Secretary (North) Abhay
Thakur and Joint Secretary
(Bangladesh & Myanmar)
Sripriya Ranganathan from the
ministry of external affairs.
The next meeting of the JWG
would be held in Bangladesh
later this year.

22

INTERNATIONAL

February 7-13, 2015

Jordan executes terrorists after IS


burns alive pilot

Amman/Beirut: Jordanian authorities executed two convicted terrorists, a day after the Islamic State
(IS) released a video showing
Jordanian air force pilot Moaz alKassasbeh being burned alive,
even as the radical Sunni group
justified its dastardly act.
The execution of Sajidah alRishawi and Ziad al-Karbouly,
both convicted terrorists, took
place at Suwaqa prison, 43 miles
south of the Jordanian capital,
Amman, security sources told Efe
news agency.
Al-Rishawi was sentenced to
death for her role in the 2005
bombings of three Jordanian fivestar hotels, resulting in the death of
at least 60 people and injuries to
more than 200.
Her explosives belt failed to detonate and she was arrested after the
bombings in which her husband
took part and was killed when he
detonated the explosives he was
carrying.
Al-Karbouly, a former aide to Al
Qaeda terrorist organisation leader
Abu Musab al-Zarkawi who died
during a US raid in Iraq in 2006,
was sentenced to death on charges
of killing a Jordanian driver in
Iraq.
Jordanian air force pilot alKassasbeh, 26, was captured by the
IS in December when his fighter
plane crashed while taking part in
US-led coalition airstrikes against
the jihadis in Syria.
The pilot's father has demanded a
harsh and swift revenge for his

Jordanian air force pilot Moaz al-Kassasbeh was burnt alive


by IS terrorists.

son's murder from Jordan.


Safi al-Kasasbeh said the execution of two Al Qaeda linked prisoners that followed his son's deaths
was not sufficient, Al Jazeera
reported.
"I demand none of them amongst
us be kept alive. I demand the
revenge be greater than executing
prisoners. I demand the IS organisation be annihilated," Safi alKassasbeh said.
"This murderous organisation,
made up of militants from all the
world countries, is acting in barbaric ways, violating all the international laws, codes of ethics, and
prisoners' conventions. That is why
I strongly demand the government
to swiftly take revenge for the
blood of Moaz and the dignity of
our country."
Meanwhile, according to a report

Unesco condemns
Japanese journalist's
killing
Paris: Unesco director general Irina Bokova condemned
the murder of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto by the
Islamic State militants, urging mediapersons in Syria and
neighbouring Iraq to take precautions for their personal
safety.
"Kenji Goto was a seasoned war journalist, dedicated to
exposing the suffering that conflict imposes on citizens.
His cold-blooded murder was a vile act that I condemn in
the strongest possible terms," Bokova said in a statement.
"I urge the authorities to do everything within their
power to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice."
"I also call on journalists and all media workers covering
events in Iraq and Syria, and in other conflict zones, to take
all necessary measures for enhancing their safety," she
added.
The 47-year-old freelance journalist had travelled to
Syria in late October to secure the release of his compatriot
Haruna Yukaw, who too was killed by the militant group.
Media reports said Goto was beheaded by IS militants,
prompting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to describe
it a despicable terrorist act and vowing to "never forgive"
the radical group.

from Beirut, the IS Wednesday


described its burning alive of alKasasbeh a religiously sanctioned
"eye for an eye" retaliation for the
bombing of its forces.
In a statement dated Jan 20 but
posted Wednesday on a social networking site operated by IS sympathisers, the group claimed the burning was justified under the Islamic
practice of "mumazala", Efe
reported.This practice calls for
revenge employing similar punishment for misdeeds.
According to the note, it was
decided to burn al-Kasasbeh alive
because he had taken part in the
US-led coalition bombing of the IS
in Syria and Iraq which often cause
fires.
The statement was signed by the
group's office for investigation and
fatwas, or religious edicts.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

UNSC to hold open session


to consider new challenges
United Nation: The Security
Council will hold an open ministerial level session to consider the
UN's new challenges as it prepares
to celebrate the 70th anniversary
of its founding, China's
Ambassador Liu Jieyi told
reporters here.
Liu said the Feb 23 meeting
presided over by Chinese Foreign
Minister Wang Yi would be an
opportunity to take stock of the
working of the UN and to look at
"how to address the new challenges we face, new challenges on
the horizon".
UN's 70th anniversary celebrations in September are seen as a
milestone when changes can be
brought about to the working and
structure of the organisation that
has grown from 51 members in
1945 to 193 now.
China, which assumed the rotating presidency of the council for
the month of February, "will work
together with the other council
members to inject greater efficiency in the work of the Council," Liu
said.
Meanwhile in Beijing, a joint
communique issued Monday after
a meeting of External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
and Wang also reaffirmed the need
for a comprehensive reform of the
UN, including the council, to make
it more representative and efficient
to global challenges.
India has stressed those reasons

to make its case for a permanent


seat on an enlarged council as a
part of UN reform. Of the five permanent members of the Council,
only China has not come out in
support of India joining the
Council as a permanent member.
But the joint communique had
an oblique, but significant sentence on New Delhi's quest:
"Foreign ministers of China and
Russia reiterated the importance
they attached to the status of India
in international affairs and supported its aspiration to play a
greater role in the United Nations."
Russia is a strong supporter of
India's permanent membership and
Beijing by joining Moscow in
endorsing New Delhi's international role and its "aspirations" may be
signalling it is becoming open to
India's eventual ascent to a permanent membership.
At the UN, Liu skirted a
reporter's question whether the
council's reform would be considered at the meeting. He said: "The
Security Council reform is not
what is intended for this open
debate." However, he left the door
open for the matter to be raised,
saying that members can raise any
topic they wanted.
India, which has been strenuously campaigning for the expansion
of the council, is very likely to
bring it up as it has on every recent
occasion when the working of the
body or the efficient functioning of
the UN was discussed.

Toll in Taiwan plane crash rises to 31

Taipei/Beijing: Toll in the TransAsia Airways plane crash in


Taiwan has risen to 31, Xinhua news agency has reported.
Flight GE235, which was heading to Kinmen in China
from Taipei with 53 passengers on board, including five
crew members, crashed into the Keelung river in Taipei, ten
minutes after it tookeoff.
The crash also left 15 injured, and 12 missing, according to
updates of local civil aeronautics authority.
Bodies of the captain and two co-pilots have been discovered, and the plane's two black boxes recovered.
According to latest information from Taiwan authorities,
six of the 31 Chinese mainland passengers were confirmed
dead and three others injured.
The rescue work had been suspended since 2 a.m., and had
not resumed until around 6.30 a.m.. The head and several
other segments of the plane have been raised out of the
water.
The plane has been in service since April 2014 and was
subject to a routine safety check last month, according to
Taipei authorities.
The aircraft plunged into the river at 10.55 a.m.
Wednesday after its wing clipped a taxi on an elevated freeway.Taiwan's civil aeronautics authority has decided to conduct safety check on the island's 22 ATR-72 aircraft before
they were allowed to fly.
It was not the first time that the ATR-72 aircraft had
crashed in Taiwan. On July 23, 2014, TransAsia Airways
flight GE222, also an ATR-72 aircraft, crashed on Taiwan's
Penghu islands, killing 48 people.

Combined photos taken by an automobile data


recorder shows an airplane crashes over a bridge in
Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

BUSINESS

My priorities are growth, jobs:


Modi to investors

New Delhi: Prime


Minister Narendra Modi
said his priority was for
India to establish global
benchmarks in areas such
as governance, transparency and taxation.
Interacting over dinner
with participants of the
BlackRock India Investor
Summit, Modi said the
priority of his government was "growth and
jobs".
The prime minister said
there was rising interest
in India, and "we have to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi host the dinner for participants of the
accept that responsibiliBlack Rock India Investor Summit in New Delhi.
ty".
Modi said infrastrucHe said the government was believes in a fair, predictable
ture development was one of the focusing on skill development and consistent tax system, and
best routes to create jobs for the that would full not just the in economic policies that will
youth.
Indian requirement, but also the drive growth, according to an
He said India requires both global requirement. In terms of ofcial statement.
expansion and upgradation of its the education system, he said
Twenty one major global
infrastructure, and that the rail- the best in the world should be investors participated in the
ways could become a growth there in India as well.
India Investor Summit earlier in
engine for the economy.
Modi said he wanted India to the day.
Modi also said the goal of have a skill development proThe list of institutional
affordable housing for all by gramme that focuses on both investors included asset man2022, would in itself, provide a job-creators and job-seekers.
agers, insurers, pension funds,
huge boost for the economy.
The prime minister said he and ofcial institutions.

No change in economy
performance: India Inc

New Delhi: Painting a dismal picture of the economy during the last
six months of 2014, India Inc said not much had changed on the
ground at the industry level during the period falling within the
Narendra Modi-led government's tenure.
The industry chamber's respondents were, however, optimistic that
things will improve a lot in the next as many months, the Associated
Chambers of Commerce of India (Assocham) said in a statement here.
"As many as 54.2 percent of the respondents in the Confidence
measuring survey said not much has really changed at the operating
level in the last six months, but more number of industry leaders
expressed optimism about the shape of things to improve going forward," Assocham said.
"As many 58.3 percent of the respondents expect that during January
to March 2015 their sales volume will increase and 45.8 percent of
them expressed similar outlook for profits," it added.
Typically investment follows improvement in sales and profitability. The latter things - sales and profitability - are falling in place and
there would be a visible change in the next few months following
which investment should follow since there is always a lag,
Assocham secretary general D.S. Rawat said.

February 7-13, 2015

23

RBI holds rates amid rich


nations' loose monetary policies
Mumbai/New Delhi: As unexpectedly on his birthday, as he was with
the unscheduled rate cut in January,
Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Governor Raghuram Rajan kept key
interest rates unchanged in RBI's
sixth bi-monthly policy review.
Fittingly, RBI deputy governor
Urjit Patel described the "important
backdrop" to the RBI's latest move
that left analysts puzzled over
whether it "was "dovish" or "hawkish."
"We are in the midst of the age of
competitive depreciation and of a
beggar-my-neighbour philosophy. It
brings to mind an old African saying that when elephants ght the
grass suffers," Patel said at the press
conference to announce the policy
review regarding the trend of accomodative monetary policies being
adopted by developed economies,"
Patel said.
"While the ECB (European
Central Bank) and the Bank of
Japan are printing money and
devaluing their currencies on one
hand, the US economy is reviving
on the other. Anyone in the middle
is getting crushed," he added.
In an analysis of the unscheduled
rate cut last month by Rajan who, in
2005, had predicted the 2008 nancial meltdown that is still affecting

global economy, IANS had pointed


out that slmost a decade later Rajan
is stronger in his belief that global
markets now are at the risk of a
crash due to the competitive loose
monetary policies being adopted by
developed economies.
"We have maintained the status
quo (on interest rates). We have
taken action on other fronts," RBI
Governor Raghuram Rajan said.
"We will await for more data and
scal developments to come in and
after that we will make judgment,"
Rajan added.
Asked about the lack of a forward
guidance in the policy review, Rajan
said: "The guidance remains what it
was when we cut rates. Further
action will depend on developments
on the scal front and on the disinationary process."
"Monetary policy is a long-term
process. You can't hold me every 15
days saying when are you cutting
rates. We have a budget coming up.
Ination data also is yet to come,"
he added.
The repo rate remains unchanged
at 7.75 percent. The reverse repo
rate, or the interest that the RBI
pays to commercial banks when
they park their surplus short-term
funds with the central bank, has
been maintained at 6.75 percent.

Jack Ma dethroned as Chinas richest man

Beijing: Alibaba founder Jack Ma


has been knocked off his perch as
China's richest man by "new energy king" Li Hejun, according to
the Hurun's 2015 Global Rich
List.
Li, the chairman of China's
largest privately-owned cleanenergy company, Hanergy
Holdings, is now the country's
richest man, with a net worth of
$26 billion. Last year, he held the
third spot. His wealth has ballooned thanks to a surge in shares
of Hanergy Holdings' Hong Kong
listed subsidiary, Hanergy Thin
Film Power Group, which rallied
over 255 percent in 2014. The
rm, however, recently came
under scrutiny for alleged unconventional accounting practices.
Ma, meantime, slipped two
places to take the third place, with
a personal fortune of $24.5 bil-

China's richest man is now energy king Li Hejun.

lion. In the second spot,


unchanged from last year, was
Wang Jianlin, chairman of conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group,
boasting personal wealth of $25
billion.

Globally, Bill Gates held on to


his crown as the world's richest
man with a net worth of $85 billion, ahead of Carlos Slim and
Warren Buffett, who ranked second and third, respectively.

24

SPORTS

February 7-13, 2015

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Paes-Hingis win Australian Open mixed doubles


Melbourne: Indian tennis star Leander
Paes and his Swiss partner Martina Hingis
beat the French-Canadian team of Kristina
Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor in straight
sets to clinch the Australian Open mixed
doubles crown here Sunday.
Paes, contesting his 25th season on the
ATP World Tour, and Hingis defeated
defending champions Mladenovic and
Nestor 6-4, 6-3 in the final that lasted an
hour and two minutes.
Paes has now won 15 Grand Slam championship titles - eight mens doubles and
seven mixed doubles. It was his third
mixed doubles triumph at Melbourne Park,
having also won in 2003 (with Martina
Navratilova) and 2010 (with Cara Black).
It is a great honour to keep coming back
to Australia, said 41-year-old Paes.
There are a few people who got us
together. All you guys back home, who put
us together to win our first Grand Slam,
thank you.

In the first set, Paes and Hingis took a 30 lead, but Nestor and Mladenovics Iformation caused problems and they soon
levelled the scoreline.
At 4-5, a backhand drive volley error by
Mladenovic gave Paes and Hingis a set
point opportunity on Nestors serve. He
struck a double fault to end the 29-minute
first set.
Nestor and Mladenovic broke Hingis for
a 2-1 lead in the second set, but
Mladenovic was broken in the next game.
Net errors by Nestor paved the way to
hand Paes and Hingis a 4-2 lead, but
Nestor regained his rhythm on return of
serve to break Hingis again.
Mladenovic was broken in the eighth
game and Hingis went on to seal victory
with a smash winner.
Paes and Hingis converted five of their
seven break point opportunities, hitting 19
winners and committing just 11 unforced
errors for victory on Rod Laver Arena.

Kohli already a ODI batting


legend: Richards
Mumbai: Caribbean cricket legend Vivian Richards heaped praise on
Indian vice captain Virat Kohli, saying he has already become a One-Day
International (ODI) batting legend. Richards, who was an integral member of the West Indies' World Cup-winning squad in 1975 and 1979, also
listed Kohli in his list of top 10 ODI batsmen.
Richards, considered the most fearsome batsman in the 1980s, put
Sachin Tendulkar at the summit spot, followed by compatriots Brian
Lara, Chris Gayle, Clive Lloyd, Australians Ricky Ponting, Matthew
Hayden, India's Virender Sehwag, Australia's Michael Hussey, SOuth
Afrtica's A.B. de Villiers and current star Kohli.
"The last name on my list, but not the least by any means, is young
Virat Kohli. There might be some surprise regarding this pick because he
is very young and has a lot of cricket to play still. But in my eyes, he is
already legendary," Richards said. Kohli has scored 6232 runs in 150
matches, helping himself to 21 hundreds.

Patriots euphoric after


Super Bowl win
New York: The New England Patriots rallied to beat the Seattle
Seahawks in what will go down as one of the greatest Super Bowls of alltime but who the
real winner is
could well be
debated
for
decades to come.
The buildup to
the Super Bowl
had been dominated by a controversy over deflated
footballs used by
the Patriots in a
blowout win over
The New England Patriots rallied to beat
the Indianapolis
the Seattle Seahawks.
Colts in the AFC
title game that earned them a trip to Arizona. A whiff of scandal continued to hang over Sunday's game even as the Vince Lombardi Trophy was
hoisted and confetti fell from the roof of the University of Phoenix
Stadium still trembling from New England's heart-stopping win.
"We won that (AFC) game 45-7, we won today 28-24," defended a
defiant Patriots owner Robert Kraft through the celebratory din. "Our
people didn't touch the balls. I love our team, I'm proud of our guys.

Leander Paes with his Swiss partner Martina Hingis with the trophy

Dhoni's men can get inspired by Paes

New Delhi: Late last week, three


things kept Indian sport in focus.
The cricket team failed to make
the tri-series final to end a dreadful
tour of Australia, a Dutchman has
been named the new national
hockey coach and Leander Paes
partnered another Martina (Hingis)
to win his seventh Grand Slam title
in mixed doubles to add to his
eight in the men's doubles.
If nothing appears beyond Paes
even at 41, nothing seems to be
going right for the cricket team
with the World Cup less than two
weeks away. The appointment of
Paul van Ass, 54, as chief coach of
the hockey team is a bolt from the
blue with no media leaks or speculation ahead of the appointment.
Paes is so exciting to watch on a
tennis court giving expression to
his passion for the game. He has
yet again proved that he can win a
major with any partner, Hingis this
time in Melbourne. Exactly ten
years ago he had played with the
other Martina, the legendary
Navratilova, who even waited for
him to return to court after a lifethreatening parasitic infection.
Paes played with South African
Raven Klassen at the Australian
Open, his 99th partner in the men's
doubles, and Hingis was the 23rd
in the mixed - an amazing record
for a doubles specialist, who has
been around for over a quarter of a
century, playing over 40 weeks
each year.
The beauty is in the tennis philosophy of Paes and Hingis. He
was confident that he could do
well with her where as the Hingis
thought he would be better off
playing with another circuit regular. Maybe, that made both of them
to put in that extra bit of effort as
there was little doubt about their

MS Dhoni with Virat Kohli.

exceptional skills.
How true is the strengths and
weaknesses theory Paes has spoken of. Only two great exponents
could plan it out so well to win
without losing a set. That itself a
remarkable thing in modern day
doubles.
The Indian cricket team can get
inspired by Paes's zeal and determination. They need not worry too
much about some people writing
their chances of defending the
World Cup off after their disastrous tour Down Under. Mahendra
Singh Dhoni and his players know
that World Cup is a totally different format and they can bounce
back with the rub of the green
going their way.
Though the Indians would have
liked a better preparation for the
big event, they should be confident
enough taking heart from their status as the No.2 team in the rankings
of
the
One-Day
Internationals.

They have a problem with the


top order batting and may not be
sure of their bowling composition
what with the injuries to some of
their key bowlers.
In fact, their in-form opener
Rohit Sharma did not play the last
three games nursing a hamstring.
Likewise pacer Ishant Sharma did
not bowl flat out even in the nets
but stayed with the team for over a
month.
Now it is being said he may not
be fit for the tournament itself.
Ravindra Jadeja is another
bowler who is an iffy, though he
bowled 9.5 overs when the day's
best bowler Stuart Binny bowled
only eight. Obviously Dhoni was
putting Jadeja through the ringer to
test his fitness than worry about
winning the match which they
could have with a little imagination.
Let the team settle their fitness
problems before discussing their
chances of making the semi-finals.

HEALTH

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

25

Doctors recommend stricter immunization regime


Indian American dcotors urge fewer exemptions and policy change in favor of public health even
as debate rages in public and political spheres on the emotive issue of mandatory vaccinations.
By Jinal Shah
s the debate over immunization continues to flare
up, The South Asian
Times asked Indian American
doctors to weigh in on the current
measles outbreak and vaccine
issue. These doctors, some of
whom have seen similar outbreaks in other countries, are
strongly advocating for mandatory vaccination for those who meet
requirements to build herd
immunity.
Dr Bipin Patel, Chairman,
Department of Pediatrics at Saint
Peter's University Hospital and
clinical professor of Pediatrics at
Drexel University College of
Medicine, said, The vaccines
such as measles vaccine has
shown to be a safe vaccine that
has almost eradicated the disease
in the US and so most people do
not know how bad this disease
was before effective vaccination
was available. Thousands of children suffered from serious long
term sequela and almost 500 children died each year in the US.
Particularly young infants under
12 months are at most risk of serious illness and death. In developing world it is still a major killer
of children.
Dr Amisha Malhotra, associate
professor of pediatrics at Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical
School and a pediatric infectious
disease consultant with the
Bristol-Myers Squibb Childrens
Hospital in New Brunswick
echoed Dr Patel, Vaccines have
helped eliminate many diseases
in the US and are the greatest
public health achievement in history. Unfortunately, their success
is also their downfall, since many
individuals have never witnessed
the debilitating diseases that vaccines protect against, allowing a
complacent attitude towards
immunization.
Medicine, morality, misinformation and free will have once
again collided in an emotional
debate that stemmed out of the
current measles outbreak infecting 102 people in 14 states most
of which are now tied to
Disneyland
in
Southern
California. In the spotlight are the
anti-vaxers who decide against
having their children vaccinated.
Dr Malhotra is worried that this
anti-vaccination sentiment is
growing fast and she blames it on
a variety of factors like religious
and philosophical beliefs, freedom and individualism, misinformation about risk, and over per-

Politics of vaccines

eres a rundown of what


leading US politicians
have said about vaccines.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, the
former secretary of State and a
likely Democratic candidate for
2016, tweeted her support for
vaccinations on Monday night,
wading into a debate that moved
to the front of the next presidential campaign with comments
from President Obama and
potential 2016 candidates
Governor Chris Christie and
Senator Rand Paul.
She tweeted, The science is
clear: The earth is round, the sky
is blue, and #vaccineswork. Let's
protect
all
our
kids.
#GrandmothersKnowBest.
Her tweet is viewed as a
rebuke to Gov Christie and Rand
Paul. She also used the hashtag
#vaccineswork, as well as noting
her status as a grandmother.
Earlier Christie, governor of
New Jersey, told reporters the
government should find balance on the issue and that "parents need to have some measure
of choice" when it comes to
immunizations. He later walked

H
Vaccines have helped eliminate many diseases in the US and
are the greatest public health achievement in history.

ception of risk.
Doctors say those who do not
get vaccinated rely on herd
immunity where others in the
community are immunized. But if
more and more people refuse to
immunize and if there is an outbreak like this, not only are they
susceptible but they put to danger
lives of those who cannot be
immunized for medical reasons
infants below 12 months of age
and people whose immune system is not strong enough for them
to be vaccinated.
Many anti vaxers refuse to vaccinate based on debunked theories linking MMR vaccines to
autism which started in 1990s. A
physician named Andrew
Wakefield conducted a study saying the Measles, Mumps, and
Rubella (MMR) vaccine was
associated with autism. However
his theories were disapproved and
the journal it was printed in
retracted the study. The physician
even lost his license. A statement
released by the Center for
Disease Control (CDC) stated
clearly that there is no connection
between the MMR vaccine and
autism however, because celebrities have gotten on board the antivaccine movement and not vaccinating children it become a trend
leaving more children exposed to
the virus.
In fact, US states - including
New Jersey in recent years has
liberalized rules for religious
exemptions even allowing parents
with mere "philosophical" objections to fill personal belief
exemption forms and skip
required childhood vaccinations
before admitting children to
schools. As a result, the number
of exemptions granted in New
Jersey has gone from 1,641 in the
2005-06 school year to 8,977 in
the 2013-2014 year, according to
a November report by NJ.com
which makes New Jersey ripe for

an outbreak.
Both Dr Patel and Dr Malhotra
said the US lawmakers should
rethink their immunization policies and changes to personal
exemptions to vaccinations urging the end of all exemptions
other than medical. This policy
has to be debated in favor of public health and against personal
choice. In US where personal
choice trumps in many issues, in
this case, it would be detrimental.
I believe the community in which
the child lives should be safe so
that a visit to a park, a school or a
social gathering does not result in
a serious preventable disease,
said Dr Patel.
Dr Ajay K Lodha, Vice
President, American Association
of Physicians of Indian Origin
(AAPI) endorsed peoples right to
say no but also urged that vaccination should be taken by all
eligible persons to protect others
in the community. In his view,
South Asians in America usually
do get their children vaccinated
as required by schools. Also, the
percentage of children vaccinated
in urban areas in India compares
well to the percentage in US.

back his comments, issuing a


statement through his office
stressing that he believes vaccines are an important public
health protection and with a disease like measles there is no
question kids should be vaccinated. Paul, a senator from
Kentucky and ophthalmologist,
then said in radio and cable TV
interviews that he believes most
vaccines should be voluntary.
In a heated CNBC interview,
Paul, who said he is not anti-vaccine, stated that he believes "parents should have some input. The
state doesn't own your children
and it is an issue of freedom
and public health.
The Kentucky senator also
added that he had "heard of many
tragic cases of walking, talking
normal children who would up
with profound mental disorders
after vaccines." But he did not
cite specifics.
On his part, President Obama
told parents they should heed the
best scientific advice and get
their children vaccinated. Obama
said the science regarding vaccines is "indisputable."

Free Friday vaccine clinics in Westchester county


he Westchester County Health Department is
offering residents the opportunity this month
to get free flu shots, along with vaccines to
protect against six other diseases at its Yonkers and
White Plains clinics. Getting these vaccines can
help keep you and your family stay healthy this
year, said County Executive Robert P. Astorino.
The health department clinics will offer:
 Free flu vaccines to residents age 19 and up and
Free HPV and meningococcal vaccine for college
students.
Residents who are uninsured or whose insurance
doesnt cover vaccines also may receive:
Zoster vaccines for ages 60 and up to protect

against Shingles
Flu vaccine for children ages six months through
18 years
MMR for residents age 19 and up, which provides protection against measles
Last weeks case of measles in a Bard College student who rode an Amtrak train as well as the multistate measles outbreak that originated at Disneyland
are fresh reminders of the importance of getting
vaccinated, said Commissioner of Health Sherlita
Amler, MD. We have vaccines for children, students, adults and seniors and these vaccines provide safe and effective protection for a number of
diseases.

26

LIFESTYLE

February 7-13, 2015

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Spend Valentine's Day Bollywood style


What to avoid on Valentine's day

ow would you feel if


your cellphone rings at
the table or there's a
long pause when the check
comes during your Valentine's
Day date -- make sure you try
avoiding certain situations when
you take your loved one out.
Good etiquette commands
one's undivided attention to
another person while on a date,
says Sheena Agarwaal, director
of
Urbanista
Image
Consultancy. She has shared tips
on how men and women should
make the day a memorable one.

tain eye contact, but not in


a creepy way, while on the
date. This day is about the
couple expressing the
love and affection they
share.

onveying feelings to your


crush can sometimes be
nerve-racking, but since
Valentine's Day is right around the
corner, bundle up your guts and try
these bold yet magnetic ideas to
express your love, Bollywood style.
Here are some 'dares':
The Big Surprise: Blindfold
your crush or guide them to a
breathtaking spot where you can
break the news. The more elaborate
your plan, the bolder your move.
This is inspired by Ranbir Kapoor's
surprise for Deepika Padukone in
"Bachna Ae Haseeno", which
leaves her stunned and amazed.
The Remote Romance: Ask
your crush out on a date, in public,
for Valentine's Day. Inspired by
Aamir Khan's proposal to Preity
Zinta in a dance club in the film
"Dil Chahta Hai", that's how a bold
and impulsive proposal should be

like.
The Foodie Fiesta: It's a common saying that the way to a man's
heart is through his stomach.
However, that doesn't mean women
wouldn't prefer the same. So try
and treat your date with a delicious
Valentine's Day surprise by putting
your culinary skills to test. Inspired
by Aditya Roy Kapur's sumptuous
delights for Parineeti Chopra in
"Daawat-E-Ishq."
The Radio Romeo: Make sure
your beloved is tuned in when you
call the radio jockey to ask your
crush out live on air. This is
inspired by Saif Ali Khan's proposal to Preity Zinta in "Salaam
Namaste".
The High Flier: Show them
love is in the air with a Valentine's
Day invite attached to a flying
object. Balloons, kites, drones -the choice is yours. Inspired by

Rules for men


Never wait till the last minute
to ask the lady out. Popular or not,
most women are most likely to be
asked out by more than one man
on this night. So make sure you
get this one right. Having said
that, don't make yourself seem too
over the top. Ideally, a week
before the day is a good enough
time frame.
Special and meaningful doesn't have to mean expensive. If on a
tight budget, cook at home. There
is nothing like a home-cooked
Rajkummar Rao's attempts to flirt
with Kangana Ranaut in the movie
"Queen".
* The Dance Dedication: Get a
club's disc jockey to dedicate a

Rules for
women
meal. It also lets you get creative
with the menu and dish out some
of the lady's favorite flavors and
dishes.
Usher the lady out the car,
hold the door for her and seat her
at the table.
If eating out, make sure you
make your reservation well in
time. Also, manage your expenses
well before the big date. Nothing
can ruin the night more than a
credit card that just got declined.
When getting the check offer
to pay unless the lady offers to 'go
Dutch'. Refusing once is a good
practice but not at the cost of getting into a tug of war.
Remember to always mainsong to your crush. Then ask them
out for Valentine's Day in the middle of the dance floor by busting
your moves to that tune. This is
inspired by Hrithik Roshan's rock-

The most important


thing to remember is that
men are different from
women. Give men some space so
they can reflect on what a catch
you are.
Dress to respect all the effort
put in by the man to make this day
extra special for you.
Remember to keep in mind
what your dress says about your
intentions -- people can dress to
reflect their mood subconsciously
for instance a black low-cut neck
means you're interested; a black
nun's habit means anything but.
Nothing sparkles more than
your eye under the candlelight.
Hence you should dazzle them all
the way. Keep your make-up simple yet elegant for a sit-down dinner.
ing dance number in "Kabhi
Khushi Kabhie Gham...", in which
he woos Kareena Kapoor through
his dazzling dance moves in "You
are my Sonia".

Beware! Social media addiction can cause FOMO


f you cannot live without the social
media for even a minute, check out if
you're suffering from FOMO - Fear of
Missing Out. Health experts say the constant urge to be in touch with friends and
happenings via smartphones has left many
youths suffering from this new breed of disorder.
"Absence of social media can lead to
FOMO. One tends to develop uneasiness if
staying away from social media is for too
long," says Delhi clinical psychologist
Ripen Sippy.
According to Ashima Srivastava, consultant, clinical psychologist at Max
Superspeciality Hospital, FOMO is a form
of social anxiety. "It is more of a form of
social anxiety than a phobia. FOMO is a
phenomenon where one feels pressurized to
share everything on social media to show
how much fun one is having," she said.
According to psychologists, FOMO creates a strange fear of remaining isolated
from the crowd.
"In FOMO, one develops the fear of missing out updates and important events; hence
constantly remains preoccupied with checking mobile phones. The first thing one does

is to check one's mobile phone to see if one


has missed something significant," Sippy
added.
The FOMO anxiety arises from being
neglected and isolated on the social media
platform.
Asked what leads to FOMO anxiety,
Sippy said: "The phobia of being disapproved, being unpopular and living ordinary
lives. Insecurities arise in a person related to
his own self-esteem if he/she is not liked by
others on the social media. A person who
becomes insecure about his/her image tries
harder to be liked more and more on a
social platform".
Psychologists also pointed out that socialization was a factor for developing FOMO -

though social media helps one remain in


touch with other people.
"But often socialization brings in comparisons which lead to despair. One starts comparing oneself with others, both psychologically and socially, on where one stands in
society and where the others do. The fear of
missing out from the rest of the world starts
arising," Mumbai-based clinical psychologist Deepak Kashyap said.
People start seeking love and attention
from the virtual world when they don't get
these in real life. "And the moment one
stops getting the attention, FOMO phobia
takes over," Kashyap noted.
Not just FOMO but excessive use of
social media is affecting the social behavior
of an individual. Work performances of
adults, young adults and school children
have also been affected owing to excessive
use of social media.
"One may grow into an introvert and
avoid socializing with others and may also
develop 'social anhedonia', that is the inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable
activities," Srivastava added.
Sippy said: "A tendency grows to remain
in the virtual world. One finds it difficult to

face real life situations which often leads to


imbalance in a relationship. One does not
know how to react in real life situations in a
quick span of time."
Psychologists also added that increased
preoccupation with the social media is also
affecting personal relationships with the
family, friends and relatives.
"One starts ignoring family members and
remains more busy in texting or socializing
via apps on mobile," they pointed out.
The impact also differs with age.
According to psychologists, teenagers tend
to be easily affected and face more problems.
But, don't panic as FOMO phobia can be
controlled.
"Prioritizing personal and social life is
very much important. The best way to overcome the social media phobias is learning to
use it for a limited time," Sippy suggested.
According to Kashyap, one should start
changing the way social media is perceived.
"It should be limited as a part of leisurely
activity. One should remain more involved
in physical activities, read more physical
books and avoid e-books," Kashyap recommended.

SELF HELP

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

27

Five 90-second rules from a success coach


he average American worker puts in
5.2 more hours per week than the average French worker, 4.1 more than the
average German, and 2.6 more than the average Brit, according to a recent study by two
European Economists at the Center for
Economic Policy Research 1.
"We're a nation of strivers," said Jim
Fannin, a success coach who has been coaxing peak performance from blue-chip professional athletes, Olympians, and C-Suite executives from many of America's best-known
companies for more than 35 years. "The great
tragedy is that so many Americans of genuine
ability never ask themselves the single most
important question that would help make
them happier at home and more productive at
work."
Those hungry for success would be wise to
consider what true champions do differently
than their less successful counterparts, he
insists.
"Can you think and work less while producing more at work and home? Absolutely.
That's how the best in the world do it,"
Fannin said.
Five of Fannin's 90-Second Rules have also
been quietly applied by ordinary Americans
to rejuvenate marriages, restore strained rela-

tionships between parents and children, and


create lives of simplicity, balance and abundance.
* The 90-Second Rule After Being
Apart: Whenever you have been away from
someone you care about for more than two
hours, give him or her your focused attention
for the first 90-seconds you are together.
Look into his or her eyes long enough to discern their color. "Ninety seconds given to a

spouse the moment you come through the


door is as powerful as hours spent together
later," Fannin said.
* Breathe Like a Baby: When you need
to clear your mind and slow the game down,
use this technique. Unhinge your jaw. Relax
your shoulders. Place your palm on your
stomach, inhale and exhale deeply. Feel the
tension melt away as you count your breaths
for 90 seconds.

How to keep tabs on whats


happening in your home

gnorance is not always bliss,


as parents, pet owners and
homeowners know all too
well. Whether youre away on
vacation and unsure if you left the
lights on, at work and worried
about the kids, or even sitting on
your couch wondering what mischief the dog is up to in the yard,
knowing whats going on inside
your entire home is crucial for
peace of mind.
Instead of worrying, be proactive. Several strategies, new and
old, can help put your mind at
ease.

Whenever you have been away from someone you care about for more than two
hours, give him or her your focused attention for the first 90-seconds
you are together.

Tried and True


Trusted neighbors can serve as a
second set of eyes when youre
not around. You can even take it
one step further and make them
their own set of keys. If theyre
friendly enough, your neighbors
may even be willing to feed pets
or help you out in other ways.
You can also rely on your kids
for regular status reports (if
theyre old enough). Have them
call you when they get home safely and consider giving them some
responsibilities, such as making
sure the house is in order and your
pets are safe and sound.

Technology
Innovative technologies are providing consumers with new ways
to keep an eye on their homes.
Such products have evolved and
are now easier to use and more

affordable for the average family.


Indeed, brands like Panasonic
are leading the charge. Their new
Home Monitoring System offers
four distinct kits, each of which
bundles different surveillance
products together.
Depending on your budget and
required level of monitoring, you
can outfit your home with tools
like motion sensors, outdoor cameras and indoor cameras to monitor your baby or pet.
Keeping tabs on your home
from near or far is easy, as the
footage can be viewed on your
computer monitor, smartphone or
tablet.In addition to surveillance,
Panasonics technology may prove
particularly advantageous to those
away from home, as it allows for
remote control of home features
like lighting and other appliances.
Monitoring devices can provide peace of mind and minimize
those lingering anxieties about
being away from home, says Lisa
Knierim at Panasonic.

Professional Services
Even when youre home to keep
track of things, its tough to handle
everything on your own. In certain
cases, you may want to use professionals to help keep everything
humming along.
If doors jam and fail to latch or
you notice cracks in your walls or
floors, you may want to call a
structural engineer to assess the
strength of your foundation. Weeds
encroaching on your prized tomato
patch? Hire a gardener to fight off
intruders or invasive species.
A professional heating and cooling service can assess the condition
of your air conditioning and heating systems, including inside vents
and ducts where you cant see. The
health of your home is important,
and sometimes its better to go
with the hired hand.
From trustworthy friends and
cutting edge technology to knowledgeable professionals, the tools at
your disposal can keep your finger
on the pulse of your home.

* Go to Higher Ground: True champions


do not let challenges in one arena of life
affect performance in the other arenas.
"Going to higher ground is a focused, 90-second weekly review of the written goals for
each area of your life so that you have clarity
and keep challenges in perspective," Fannin
said.
* Isolate the Essential Skill: True champions think deeply about their craft so that they
can enter the Zone. "The essential skill for a
hitter in baseball is to hit the ball solidly with
the barrel of the bat so that the ball gets past
the defense before they can field it," Fannin
said. Because they have isolated the key skill,
every baseball player Fannin coaches steps
into the batter's box and uses a simple affirmation. Just ask recent Hall of Fame slugger
Frank Thomas and he'll respond, 'I hit solid.'
* Be the Palm Tree: When seconds count
this tools works. True champions must sometimes absorb negative energy to stay in the
Zone. "In the winds of a hurricane, the palm
tree bends, but it does not break," Fannin
said. "By visualizing a palm tree staying
strong in the rain, a champion can keep harmful emotions in check."
To learn more,
visit www.90secondRule.com.

5 tips to save money and time


in your small business
here are two things most
small business owners have
in common: limited time
and limited finances. If youre an
entrepreneur, finding ways to make
the most of both is crucial for your
sanity and success.
The key to becoming more efficient with these two key resources
is
organization,
says
SmallBizLady
Melinda
Emerson, small business expert
and author of the bestselling book
Become Your Own Boss in 12
Months. She has teamed up with
Sams Club to help small business
owners save time, money and energy as they tackle their day-to-day
tasks. Here are some of her top
tips:
Stop creating never-ending to
do lists. Focus on completing only
five things before 11 a.m. each day.
By selecting your top priorities at
the end of each day, you will
become much more selective and
effective with your time.
Focus on a niche target customer. You have limited time and
resources for your marketing
efforts. It is best if you pick a niche
target customer you can actually
reach; dont just chase any customer
that you think has money.
Remember, if everyone can use
your product or service, no one will.
Look for one-stop shopping
for supplies and services. For
example, a Sams Club Business
Membership not only saves you
money on business and restaurant
supplies, it also provides members-

only savings on a suite of business


services that can save you time.
Services include solutions for
human resources, payroll, payment
processing, and legal needs. Sams
Club has joined forces with such
trusted brands as First Data,
LegalZoom and Execupay to provide members-only savings.
Use a timer when you are on
social media. Facebook and many
other social media sites can be a
huge time suck if you are not
strategic. Focus your efforts on just
one social site to build your online
brand.
Organize your files. You can
waste a lot of time looking for
things on your laptop if youre disorganized. Dont store everything
on your computer desktop. Create
files by category and year, such as
2015 Contracts, to find things
quickly. You should also use a
cloud storage backup system. This
way, you can work from anywhere
and your files will be safe if something happens to your computer.
Running a small business is a full
time job and then some. If you are
your own boss, take easy steps to
maximize your resources and make
certain tasks less time consuming.

28

February 7-13, 2015

HUMOR

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Funny Side by Nury Vittachi

MONDAY MEMO: THE MARRIAGE ADVANTAGE

By Nury Vittachi

I love weddings. This writer was asked to


give inspirational words of wisdom to a
newly married bride. I said: "Now you can eat
ANYTHING you like. Go get them donuts,
girl."
***
Doing some Deep Thinking about marriage
reminded me of the fights that all couples
have in the early years of a relationship.
Arguments are like Paul McCartney concerts:
five minutes of new stuff and then out come
tons of old classics.
***
The good news: eventually you and your
partner spend a whole day arguing about
whether or not you're having an argument.
After that peak, the male goes quiet, and a
miraculously dispute-free relationship ensues
for the rest of your lives.
My wife and I have definitely reached that
stage, unless she says we haven't, in which
case we definitely haven't.
***
These thoughts coincided with the arrival of
a report from a reader about a man in Java
who recently married a fairy. Kodok, aged 63,
wedded Roro Setyowati, ageless, who is
described as a peri, or invisible female spirit.

Kodok and Roro Setyowati had decided to


tie the knot after first meeting five years ago,
the Jakarta Post reported. (The consumption
of liquids may have been involved.)
***
What's the point of having a wife who is
invisible? said the reader who sent me the
link. "Surely the great thing about women is
that they are scenic."
In further exchanges, he saw the advantages
of having an invisible, inaudible wife, causing
me to edit his name out of this text for his
own safety and continued happiness.
***
Westerners think Asians are backwards
because we don't allow same-sex marriages,
but we're more advanced in many ways.
We allow people to marry fairies, statues,
paintings and trees, although they MUST be
opposite sex trees.
REGISTRAR: Are you sure this oak tree
is female? Looks kinda hunky to me.
GROOM: She's been comfort-eating.
***
Why marry a tree? The following true story
is a typical case which explains why: An
Indian woman was told by a fortune-teller
that her first wedding would fail and her second would work. So she married a tree first,
divorced him, and then went for the human

option.
I heard this from the woman's daughter, a
Hong Kong reader named Shrynne, whose
parents have now been married for almost 50
years. (Her mom still thinks wistfully about
the tree from time to time).
***
Those in the West are starting to copy us
with the marrying non-humans thing.
Erika LaBrie married the Eiffel Tower in
Paris in 2007 and changed her name to Erika
Eiffel.
A couple of years ago, CNN did a special
feature on a guy "who was in a romantic rela-

tionship with his car."


Have idiot TV anchors never met a male
before? ALL motor-owning guys are like that.
That's why Top Gear is the world's most popular documentary series. Its the guy equivalent of a love story.
***
Whatever. Still, no one can deny that marriage is an enormously important stage, making a huge transformation in your life.
Married people know what I am talking
about.
He said, as he wrote the last sentence and
headed to the donut store.

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

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma


February 7-13, 2015
ARIES:
This is the week when you will prove
your worth on the professional front.
Hurdles at work will be easily surmounted.
Academically, some of you are likely to fare
much beyond your own expectations!
Money poses no problems and may encourage you to have a beat up with friends. Those
feeling under a strain will be able to get rid
of mental stress. You will need to tread carefully on the home front as a family elder may
not approve of your ways. Keep romance
under wraps this week.
TAURUS:
You will be in control of things on the
professional or academic front.
Financial worries will become a thing of the
past very soon. You are likely to create such
a personality that people at the workplace
will look up to you. If you are experiencing
some problems on the fitness front, consider
them over as you move towards total fitness.
Your sensitive nature and will to help out the
needy will make you popular socially.
Someone can motivate you to think out of
the box.
GEMINI:
A favourable turn of events is likely
to add to your prestige on the professional front. Your expertise will be much
sought after at work. Good advice will help
you choose the most lucrative investment
options. Playing the stocks is likely to earn
you big money. You will take the initiative to
organise a social do just to renew contacts.
Spending time with friends will prove most
fulfilling. Some of you can take up yoga or
meditation to heal your body and mind.
CANCER:
Some of you are likely to join a good
firm or some prestigious service.
Your hard work and dedication is likely to
bring good results on the academic front.
Taking up an issue on the social front cannot
be ruled out for some. You are likely to boost
your potential for earning and add considerably to your wealth. Your physical fitness
and stamina will help you become a member
of a sporting team. You may have to keep
romance on the backburner this week.
LEO:
An active life and a healthy diet will
work like magic in keeping you fit.
Those ailing will be able to recover sooner
than expected. Money comes from an unexpected source to make you financially
stronger. Some new ideas may need to be
employed on the professional front to reach
your target. Distractions threaten to make
you lag behind on the academic front, so
remain focussed.
Spouse may force you into something this
week that you are in no mood of, but you
will play along!
VIRGO:
A slight improvement on the financial
front is envisaged. You will find a
changed routine beneficial for health. Some
of you may be a bundle of nerves and get jittery at the slightest pretext. Bad news on the
professional front may lead some to depression. Those facing interview may lack selfconfidence and may not make the grade.
Worries and tensions may pervade the home
front. Differences on the romantic front
threaten to get serious. Those driving daily
to work should not get complacent on the
road.

LIBRA:
You may find the current line of treatment most beneficial in regaining normal health. Those wanting to come back in
shape will manage to avoid fattening foods.
You will soon get a chance to express your
love for someone you desire. A week out to
someplace away from home will help you
relax and rejuvenate. Some homemakers will
get busy resetting the house. Someone who is
trying to undermine your confidence will not
succeed. A project that you had submitted may
require some reworking.
SCORPIO:
Youngsters are likely to plan something
exciting on the home front. You will be
able to control your moodiness and help make
the domestic front tension-free. Someone
whom you have managed to impress is likely
to get romantic and approach you. Good company in a journey will ease all the discomforts
of travelling. Those planning to sell property
are likely to get a handsome bid. Remaining
regular in your workouts promises excellent
health. Your arrogance may get you into trouble on the professional front.
SAGITTARIUS:
You may find yourself in a dilemma.
The one you dont like may impress
you and the one you do like may begin to fall
from your grace! An attitudinal change is warranted, which will help you in resetting your
personal equations with others. Your expertise
is likely to be used at work this week.
Professionals are likely to earn much as their
reputation grows. Some misunderstanding on
the domestic front may upset you. Romantic
life promises to remains steady as you take
time out to meet lover.
CAPRICORN:
You are likely to come in total control
of things in your sphere of activity.
Academic front may find you brimming with
confidence and ready to take on the competition. Your excellent communication skills will
keep you on the right side of those who matter.
Financial front grows stronger as you come
across big money. You are likely to outdo others in gaining popularity. Love life will
become most happening as passions get ignited. Old health problems are likely to decline
steadily as you strive for perfect health.
AQUARIUS:
Domestic engagements are likely to
keep you busy. Some of you may be
planning an official trip abroad. Prioritising
work to speed up progress at work is the need
of the hour. Some of you may be looking to
hire some suitable candidates for your organisation. Missing out on a family gathering is
likely for some. A family youngster may need
your help in completing a task. Your busy
schedule may leave little time for romance. A
suggestion for gaining total fitness may be
taken up.
PISCES:
Plans for acquiring a new property will
fructify soon. You are likely to find the
work environment to your liking. Completing
the task entrusted to you before the deadline
will leave a lot of spare time on your hands
this week. You will take steps to steady the
financial front by curbing wasteful expenditure. Someone may extend a hand of friendship, so take it just to expand your friends circle. You are likely to derive much mileage on
the romantic front. Your help to the needy
will be appreciated.

February 7-13, 2015

29

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


7th February, 2015
Ruled planet: Neptune Ruled by no: 7
Traits in you: Being number 7, you are an intelligent,
independent and kind hearted person. You know how to
play with words. Using your this quality you will easily impress people around you. Your supportive nature makes you
famous in your group. You love to be a leader in a group and
can easily sense positive and negative energies coming from
the people around you. This year you might go for a foriegn
trip, which would be both pleasureable and rewarding.
Health this year: This year positive attitude and a preventive care would bring immense relief from your ailments.
You might have some teeth problem, but otherwise you will
be enjoying a healthy life.
Finance this year: This year travel will be an important part
of your life. Most of you are likely to travel to distant lands
for business purpose or office work. There is also a
possibility of developing business ties abroad, which will
fetch good financial returns.
Career this year: You will be able to handle difficult situations with ease and authority. You will be able to express
your views with clarity, whenever required. But, you tend to
become a little stubborn at times, and try to impose your
ideas on your colleagues and friends.
Romance this year: Romantic life could face a testing time
this year, when it will be publically known to everyone.
However, Don't get disheartened /discouraged, as you will
have to cement your love bond, so that you can enjoy your
love to the fullest.
Lucky month: May, July, September and January
8th February, 2015
Ruled planet:Saturn Ruled by no: 8
Traits in you: Being number 8, you are a person who loves
challenges in life and always come out as a winner which
ever task you take in hand. You are very practical, systematic and friendly person who is always there to help needy
people. You determination and sincerity at work will fetch
you both good finances and respect in society. Although you
don't like anyone assisting you, but when you do any mistakes, you accept them easily and learn not to repeat it again.
Health this year: This year you have decide to eat well.
This is really nice on your part, but at the same time it would
be better to develop a habit of wanting good nutritious food.
This would make you feel lighter and more energetic, and
you will be away from illnesses.
Finance this year: Financially this year, you will be able to
handle your money matters with ease and with your efficient
planning you will even save some earning for the future.
Career this year: In the coming year, your efficiency and
sincerity, will clearly reflect in your work. Your seniors will
notice this and you will be rewarded for your hard work and
dedication. Your ability to see both sides of a problem, will
be an asset to you, and you will be using this for your and
others benefit.
Romance this year: Your sense of duty towards your loved
ones, will make you do your best for them this year. You can
expect peace and harmony at the domestic front, in the year
ahead of you. Those looking for life partner, will get an
oppurtunity to meet the person of their dreams.
Lucky month: July, September and February
9th February, 2015
Ruled planet: Mars Ruled by no: 9
Traits in you: Being number 9, you are one of the most energetic, courageous and brilliant person, who successfully
completes the work taken in hand. You can be called cleanliness freak person. You always help those who need your
help. You love to be in the company of those people who are
intelligent and sophisticated. You are good at evaluating any
situation and work accordingly. For you emotional happiness is more important than material happiness. Being
focused in life, if you want to climb the ladder of success.
Health this year: By nature you are short tempered and get
easily irritated over small matters, which also affects your
mental and physical health. You will have to learn to control
your temper, otherwise you will find yourself alone, making
you depressed person.
Finance this year: Travel will be an important part of your
life, in the coming year. This will bring more opportunities
for you and also help you to broaden your outlook and
living style. You will be investing some of your savings for
your brighter future.
Career this year: Courage and alertness, will allow you to
face any obstacle without much difficulty this year. You will
be undertaking new ventures in your professional field. You
will finish your project with sincerity and dedication.
Romance this year: If you are unmarried and ready to embrace marriage, then there are chances that by the end of this
year you will find your soul mate. But if you are married or in
a serious relationship, then you need to be little cautious, as
someone might create misunderstanding between two of you.
Lucky month: June, October, December and February
10th February, 2015
Ruled planet: Sun Ruled by no: 1
Traits in you: Being number 1, you are a person who loves
originality in whatever work you do. By nature you are an
authoritative person and so you always take charge of things
which also makes you responsible person. If you take some
task in hand, you are determined to finish it. By nature you
are very soft spoken and kind hearted person.
Health this year: You will enjoy good health this year. Time
is to control your bad eating habits by avoiding junk food.
Keep in mind that this could give rise to many stomach
ailments. Therefore maintain a distance from them for the
sake of a sound health.

Finance this year: Financially, this will be a good year for


you. Some of you are likely to inherit property from your
parents or grandparents. Your sincerity and dedication will
bring prosperity for those who are running any business.
Career this year: Honour, fame and recognition, will be all
for you, in the coming year. With your intelligence and
abundance knowledge, you will be able to impress your seniors. You will be duly rewarded for your work. Promotions,
increments and overall prosperity, is what most of you can
expect from the year ahead of you.
Romance this year: Your magnetic personality, will help
you get closer to someone you lave, but have never shared
your feelings. This year chances are that he/she might
become your partner for life.
Lucky month: October, December and January
11th February, 2015
Ruled planet: Moon Ruled by no: 2
Traits in you: Being number 2, you are a person with high
confidence, imagination and the one who is always ready to
help others. Anyone can trust you blindly as you are very balanced person in nature. Though you are reserved personality,
but when it comes to do some task, you are independent and
complete your work with full determination and honesty.
Health this year: You are likely to fulfil your dream to
attain a sound physique. However to achieve this it is very
essential for you to be a fitness freak. Keep in mind that
besides physical health you must make efforts to enhance
your mental toughness. You should maintain a distance from
negative emotions.
Finance this year: Monetary position is likely to improve
as you get some commission and dividends this year. Proper planning would be utmost important to invest the money
to bring good returns. Remember the phrase 'money attracts
money'. Only thing needed on your part is to use it your
fetching good returns.
Career this year: Your leadership qualities and your high
ideals, will take you to the ladder of success this year. Your
imagination, coupled with hard work, will bring you fame
and recognition in your field. You have the ability to take
quick decisions and give the lead to your colleagues. Your
bosses will notice your this ability, and you will be appreciated for your leadership qualities.
Romance this year: This year beware, as someone might
flatter you in love. Therefore maintain a distance from them.
There are indications that they will try to take advantage of
you. Maintain distance, as far as possible, to avoid them.
Lucky month: July, October, November and January
12th February, 2015
Ruled planet: Jupiter Ruled by no: 3
Traits in you: Being number 3, you are confident, ambitious
and independent person who loves to work with optimistic
attitude. You are a born leader, and you are always appreciated for your work, whether it is at home or work place. Your
efforts are always sincere and thats why you are able to balance your personal and professional life very smoothly.
Health this year: Persons suffering from heart problems
will have to be extra careful this year. Make sure that you
don't take any unnecessary tension, as this might create
problem in your physical health. At the same time avoid fatty, spicy & junk food to live healthy life.
Finance this year: A safely executed investment plan would
be monetary beneficial this year. You just need to look at all
the aspects before executing them. Don't run after lucrative
incentives. Look at the past performance of the company
before investing. Negligence on your part might put
investment in jeopardy.
Career this year: With your creative ideas and hard work,
you will be able to achieve honour and position in the year
ahead of you. People will depend on you to sort out minor
differences between colleagues.
Romance this year: Your pleasing personality will catch the
attraction of the opposite sex this year. Some of you might
take your special relationship to the next level, i.e. marriage.
Lucky month: February, June, September and December
13th February, 2015
Ruled planet: Uranus Ruled by no: 4
Traits in you: Being number 4, you are a person who likes
to take responsibilty and do your work with full dedication
and honesty. You are a very down to earth person with
religious beliefs. This year you might plan to go for a
pilgrimage. Sometimes you become bossy, jealous or
stubborn, which you should avoid to lead a happy life with
smiling people around you.
Health this year: Avoid being anxious, as it might harm
your health. Due to lot of work, your health might face some
pyhsical problem. Just relax and do some meditation. Keep
stress far away as it effects both physically and mentally.
Otherwise there are no major health issues sen this year.
Finance this year: This year you are likely to make a proper utilisation of your money. This would help in bringing
safe returns besides enhancing your reputation in society.
However, before giving a final node, consider all pros &
cons to avoid disappointment later on.
Career this year: The coming year will bring you success
and prosperity in your respective fields. With yor methodical approach to life, you will reach to high positions in your
career. You will not only attain fame and recognition, but
the year ahead, will be full of activities, keeping you busy
professionally.
Romance this year: In matters of love, a very good year for
lovers. They will be having a very happy time as they will
enjoy each other's company most of the year. At the same
time use the opportunity to strengthen the romantic bond.
Lucky month: March, May and July

30

February 7-13, 2015

SPIRITUAL AWARENESS

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Concluding part of the discourse 'God is around us, within us'

Focus on Gods love


surrounding you
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
hen the king reported
what had happened to
the queen, she was so
angered that she wanted to seek
revenge and have Elijah killed.
Elijah fled the kingdom and
sought refuge on a mountain.
There, Elijah prayed to God. He
felt alone and abandoned and
wanted God to take his life. As
Elijah prayed to God, God
responded by sending an angel
to provide him with food and
water. The angel helped Elijah
realize that God was listening to
his prayers. The food and water
were so blessed that it gave
Elijah the strength to journey
for forty days and nights to a
distant mountain, Mt. Horeb,
which is the blessed mountain
where God had once appeared
to Moses and had given him the
Ten Commandments.
When Elijah reached that
mountain, he entered a cave to
rest. Suddenly, he heard the
Voice of God speak to him and
ask him, Elijah, what are you
doing here? Elijah explained
that he had been waiting for the
message of God. He described
how the rest of the people had
disobeyed the laws of God,
were destroying the places of
worship, and murdering the true
prophets. He explained how he
was the only prophet left and
how the queen was trying to
have him killed.
God told him to stand on the
mountain with attention and
wait for God to pass by.
Elijah sat in silence. First, a
strong wind like a hurricane
ripped through the mountains,
and the rocks broke to pieces,
but God was not found in the
strong wind. Next, an earthquake rocked the land, but God
was not found in the
earthquake.
Then, fire blazed, but God
was not found in the fire.
Finally, Elijah heard the Voice
of God in the silence within
him. In the silence, Elijah heard
God again ask what he was
doing there. Elijah again
explained his situation of how
he was being hunted to be killed

and there was no one left to


worship God. God then gave
Elijah inner instructions on the
work God wanted him to do.
God also told Elijah that there
were seven thousand other people left in the same boat as
Elijah, wanting to worship God,
who had not bowed to the false
idol. Elijah felt relieved that he
was not alone and that others
were left who believed as he
did. Elijah returned home with
instructions from God with
renewed faith in Gods existence.
This story shows that when
Elijahs attention was outside on
the storms, the earthquakes, and
the fire, he could not find God.
He had to invert his attention
within to sit in the silence of
meditation to hear God. This is
what happens to us. We are so
focused on the storms, the
earthquakes, and the fires of our
physical life that we do not take
the time to sit in silence. We are
so focused on the storms, earthquakes, and fires in the thoughts
the mind sends us that we cannot sit in silence. We have the
storms of our passing thoughts.
We have the earthquakes of our
emotions that shake us up, and
we have the fires of our anger as
we complain and think hurtful
thoughts about others. All these
thoughts keep us from going
within.
We need to sit in a surrendered state, with no thoughts.
We need to sit with an attitude
in which we leave it to God and
to the Master to provide for our
meditative experiences. We
have no role to play other than
sitting at the door and waiting.
We should focus into the middle
of whatever comes our way.
Whether we see gray, black,
white, yellow, orange, red, blue,
green, violet, or gold Light
within we should gaze into the
middle and that will give way to
other sights. It does not matter if
it is blue, yellow, or red light.
We should continue looking
into the middle. It does not matter if it is the inner sun, moon,
or stars. Similarly, it does not
matter if it is Hazur Baba Sawan
Singh Ji Maharaj, Sant Kirpal
Singh Ji Maharaj, and Sant
Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj

We are so focused on the storms, earthquakes,


and fires in the thoughts the mind sends us that
we cannot sit in silence. We have the storms of
our passing thoughts. We have the earthquakes of
our emotions that shake us up and we have the
fires of our anger as we complain and think hurtful
thoughts about others. All these thoughts keep us
from going within.
appearing to us within. Our job
is to lovingly accept and
embrace whatever or whoever
comes our way. Our job is to
focus into the middle of whatever experience is coming to us.
As we become more absorbed,
we will be pulled further and
further inside.
What does life look like when
we experience Gods love all
around us?
First, our attention is absorbed
in a state of love when we are in
satsang. Satsang no longer
becomes a place to which we go
and sit for an hour and think
about other problems or spend
time criticizing others. It is a
place where we can rest our
weary self and bask in a state of
love. It is like taking a vacation
to sit by the seaside and enjoy
the ocean, free from the cares of
the world. Satsang should be
our vacation from the problems
of life. During that time we
should relax and bask in the
spiritual waves of love lapping

against our soul, like the gentle


ocean waves at the beach. The
love of God is pouring out to us
through the eyes of the Master.
If we could open up, without
any thoughts to distract us, we
would feel that love flow to us.
Any thoughts will block out the
love flowing to us from God.
That hour of satsang would
recharge us with love to help us
stay focused on God through the
rest of the day or week.
Second, our attention should
be absorbed in a state of love
when we meditate. Meditation
is not a dry chore in which we
go through certain steps
mechanically. It is a process of
sitting in silence to bask in the
love within. The silence helps
us receive the love that is innate
in our soul. We can then witness
the Light and Sound of God
within, which is also love. The
current of Light and Sound is
Gods love flowing out from
God. When we see and hear the
Light and Sound Current, we

are connecting our soul with a


river of love that leads us back
to the ocean of all love.
Meditation should be a time in
which we are connected with
love. Any thoughts will put a
wall stopping the love flowing
to us from God. We should stay
open to that love, without any
distracting thoughts. Then,
when we come out of meditation to do our worldly chores
and responsibilities, that love
stays with us. We then radiate
our own love to others.
Third, our attention should be
absorbed in a state of love when
we do selfless service. Selfless
service should be a time of
sweetness in which we are serving the Lord in love.
We can serve the Lord in love
whether we are helping our
brothers and sisters in God,
doing volunteer work for an
organization dedicated to helping people, or taking care of
those in need. If we serve with
an open heart as if serving God,
then we will experience Gods
love flowing through us while
doing the seva. Any thoughts
will block out the love flowing
to us from God. If we catch ourselves having negative thoughts
while doing selfless service, we
should pull them back like we
pull back a wayward dog trying
to run when we want it to walk.
In this way, we can enjoy the
sweet fruits of seva by experiencing the love and Light of
God within.
Fourth, our attention should
be absorbed in a state of love as
we go about our worldly life
and work. We can remember
God while doing our worldly
tasks, experiencing love no matter what job we do. If we are
doing physical work or mental
work, we can stay attuned to the
love within. That will help us
work in a loving, cheerful manner and bring joy to others.
We should sit in meditation
with a still mind and total receptivity to receive the love of God
pouring on us at all times. In
this way, we will not be struggling to find the ocean of God,
but instead will be consciously
bathing in the bliss of full
immersion in Gods ocean of
love.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 7-13, 2015

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