Vol.7 Issue 45 March 14-20, 2015

The South Asian Times
e x c e l l e n c e
Vol.7 No. 45 March 14-20, 2015 60 Cents
i n
j o u r n a l i s m
New York Edition
Follow us on
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Mangano presents 6th State of the County

Focus on jobs & affordable housing and sports-entertainment
complexes to keep youths in Nassau
Mineola: Delivering his sixth State
of the County address Wednesday
from the ice rink at Eisenhower
Park in East Meadow, NY, Nassau
County Executive Edward P.
Mangano touched on many issues
including keeping younger residents from moving away by bringing high paying jobs to the county
and providing affordable housing.
He highlighted the upcoming
renovation of Nassau Coliseum
into a state-of-the-art sports and
entertainment complex. The project is expected to create 2,700 jobs
and bring an estimated $10 billion
in revenue for the county.
We are also growing healthcare
and hi-tech jobs by providing assis-
Mineola. Last week, we welcomed

Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of
Medicine, which will serve as a
building block to attract healthcare
related R&D, the county executive said.
Mangano also announced that the
county will sell 5 acres on the
southwest side of the Nassau
Coliseum to Memorial Sloan
Kettering. The cancer center plans
to build a $140 million outpatient
treatment and research facility at
the Uniondale site. Sloan
Kettering will bring 250 jobs with
an average salary of $150,000 a
year, he said. Overall, he took
credit for creating and retaining
Continued on page 4
A sting against
Arvind Kejriwal has
deepened the crisis
in the party.
Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav

said they came under attack
because they opposed power
grab by Kejriwal last year.
AAP now
stands for
Mufti govts release All Ashamed
Weaker Euro against of Kashmiri separatist
dollar creating rumbles creates furor Party
New York: The falling euro and

easy-money policies are boosting optimism in Europe that the
long-struggling region might
finally see a recovery begin.
But Europes good fortune is a
headache for American companies that will become less competitive on overseas sales from
the rising dollar.
As of Wednesday, the euro
had fallen to a 12-year low of
$1.05, down from as much as
$1.39 just last year. Analysts
project that the two major currencies of the world will be at
par by the end of the year.
It remains unclear whether the
weak euro, monetary stimulus
and cheap energy prices will be
enough to lift the eurozone
Europes common-currency
area out of its prolonged growth
malaise, commented the Wall St
Journal. Europe and Japan saw
Nassau County Executive

Ed Mangano
tance to entities like Winthrop

University Hospital, which is
building a new lab space in
Disappointed by the ouster of 2 leaders from the

partys top body, Aam Aadmi Party volunteers in
US want Kejriwal to straighten things out.
By Parveen Chopra
It is historic, dollar will soon
find parity with the euro.
Masrat Alams release

embarrassed BJP, which is a
coalition partner in J&K.
scant lasting impact on growth

when their currencies swooned
in the 1990s. And a lower currency doesnt immediately
translate into lower export
prices. In the U.S., import
prices from the European Union
are down just 2.7% over the
past year, despite the euros
sharp decline.
American corporations with
major foreign revenues, meanwhile, are finding it harder to
Continued on page 4
New Delhi: Home Minister

Rajnath Singh on Thursday said
the Jammu & Kashmir government
has been told to keep "close surveillance" on separatist leader
Masrat Alam, whose release from
jail had sparked a political furor.
Besides, the state has also been
asked to vigorously pursue all 27
criminal cases against him and take
steps to challenge the bail granted
to him. "Close surveillance must be
Continued on page 4
Detailed story on pg 11
CONTROVERSY 15
HOLI 16
ICC WORLD CUP 24
New York: The Aam Aadmi Party

had arrived as a ray of hope in
India that it was possible to clean
up politics. Anti-establishment and
claiming high moral ground, it was
rewarded with a landslide victory
in Delhi elections. But within a
month of forming government, it
seems to be imploding - witness
high drama of conspiracies, betrayals, back-stabbing, and ugly war
among top leaders. The crisis has
deepened after a sting operation
against Arvind Kejriwal, face of
the party and Delhi chief minister,
where he is purported to be seeking
to lure 6 Congress MLAs to prop
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30
up an AAP government last year.

Two senior party leaders
Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra
Yadav, now ousted from AAPs
Political Affairs Committee, have
said that they had opposed
Kejriwal trying to form a government then. They have written an
open letter to party volunteers,
denying the allegations of "antiparty activities" hurled at them by
Kejriwal loyalists and insisted that
they came under attack simply
because they demanded inner-party
democracy and political honesty.
The South Asian Times sought
reaction from AAP activists in the
tristate area to the murky goings on
Continued on page 4
excellence in journalism
March 14-20, 2015
India names Arun Kumar

Singh as envoy to US
Arun Kumar Singh, currently Indias Ambassador to France,

had earlier served as deputy chief of mission in Washington.
New Delhi: Arun Kumar Singh,

India's ambassador to France,
has been appointed as the new
ambassador to the US, succeeding S. Jaishankar, who has taken
over as Foreign Secretary, the
External Affairs Ministry
announced on Sunday.
Singh, a 1979-batch IFS officer, is expected to take up his
new job after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's proposed visit
to France next month.
Arun Kumar Singh, 59, has
been the joint secretary in charge

of
Pakistan,
Iran
and
Afghanistan division in MEA.
He has also served as deputy
chief of mission in Washington
for nearly five years and is seen
as an expert on Indo-US strategic ties.
New agencies report that
Indias ambassador to Bahrain G
Mohan Kumar is slated to
replace Singh in Paris as he was
deputy chief of mission in the
same embassy in the past.
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
March 14-20, 2015
India Fair in NJ to promote Modis Make in India message

By Ashok Ojha/
The SATimes
co-organizer, who heads

the NRI Federation
formed to help Indians
Edison, NJ: Popular
settled abroad, said,
Bollywood
music
India Fair is about fosdirector Bappi Lahiri,
tering friendship among
who ran unsuccessfuly
different communities
for a Lok Sabha seat
and promoting various
from West Bengal on a
businesses, understandBJP ticket, has agreed
ing and appreciation of
to be the Brand
Indias rich culture, craft
Ambassador for the
and culinary arts with
forthcoming India Fair,
our American friends. It
a mix match bazaar of
will provide a forum for
cultural and promopromoting import and
tional event for manuexport between India
factured products.
and the US, said
The event is schedKavadia. He added that
uled for April 18-19 at
Home Minister Rajnath
Raritan Center Expo
Singh and Maharashtra
Hall here, where Lahiri
CM Devendra Fadnavis
Music director Bappi Lahiri with Rajesh
and Arun Anand of India Fair at a
will launch his new
have been invited to the
kick off meet. (Photo: Ashok Ojha)
song to promote Make
event. The organizers
in India, an initiative
cite India Fair to be the
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. in India program .
biggest platform for exhibitors to
Sitting next to Lahiri were promote their products in the East
At a kick-off meet for India
Rajesh
Anand and Arun Anand, Coast of USA. The event aims to
Fair, he sang a few lines of the
who have promoted India Fair promote diversity and bring variMake in India song.
Lahiri said that he was on a mis- for 9 years. Rajesh Anand said ous businesses under one roof.
sion to connect with NRIs and that his team will celebrate
Many dance schools will take
help them with their problems in Modis vision through the promo- part in a dance competition as
India. I bring a message that BJP tion of Make in India slogan. well as Indian cuisine and fashion
was willing to help NRIs in We will showcase Indian arts shows by leading designers of the
America. He is also visiting and handicrafts, costume jewelry, region will be added attractions at
California and other states before traditional dresses, Indian cuisine, the show.
the India Fair. He appealed to and Indian classical and
NRIs to join hands with NRI Bollywood songs and dances.
There is an entry fee of $3. For
Accordingto Deepak Kavadia, details go to: www.indiafair.org
Federation and support the Make
Ex-White House advisor named Dean of Engineering at UPenn
Kumar Barve to run for US Congress in 2016
Philadelphia, PA: Professor

programs at the university
Vijay Kumar, recognized
when he was deputy dean for
around the world for his
education from 2008-12. He
groundbreaking work on the
has held several high positions
development of autonomous
at the university including as
robots and on biologically
director of General Robotics,
inspired algorithms, was
Automation, Sensing and
named dean of the University
Perception, or GRASP,
of Pennsylvania School of
Laboratory, a multidiscipliEngineering and Applied
nary robotics and perception
Science March 3.
lab.
Kumar recently left the
Vijays superb academic
White House after serving for
judgment, compelling vision
Prof Vijay Kumar
two years as assistant director
for the future of engineering
for robotics and cyber physiand applied science, and
cal systems in President Obamas Office of proven track record as a leader and adminisScience and Technology Policy. He takes trator make him the perfect choice to lead
over his new position at UPenn July 1.
Penn Engineering, the universitys President
Kumar joined the Penn Engineering faculty Amy Gutmann said in a press release.
in 1987 and currently serves as UPS
Kumar said, Technology will play a key
Foundation Professor with appointments in role in addressing global challenges in the
the departments of Mechanical Engineering coming decade, from health care to security
and Applied Mechanics, Computer and to sustainability and beyond. He has
Information Science and Electrical and authored more than 400 refereed articles and
Systems Engineering. He is credited with papers and more than 20 books and book
creating several innovative masters degree chapters.
Washington: Kumar P. Barve,

hard and playing by the rules
the first Indian-American to be
means being able to provide
elected to a state legislature,
for your family," he claimed. If
has decided to run for US
elected Barve would join felCongress in the 2016 elections.
low Democrat Ami Bera from
The 56-year-old Democrat
California, currently the only
plans to be in fray for the US
Indian-American in the US
House of Representatives seat
Congress, and would be the
being vacated by Congressman
fourth from the community to
Chris Van Hollen. "I'm running
be elected to the House. "My
for the open 8th Congressional
family, like so many others,
Kumar Barve
District of Maryland to help
came to America for freedom
rebuild our middle class, restore hope in the and opportunity. As they left India and travAmerican dream, and grow our economy so elled across the Atlantic they knew they
that everyone has an opportunity to thrive would face hardships but they were hopeful
and the freedom to live as they wish," he that they would succeed," he said. Barve
said Monday.
said, for 25 years as a legislator, "I have
Born in Schenectady, NY, Barve in 1990 worked to earn your trust." "As a Majority
made history at the age of 32, when he was Leader in the Maryland House of Delegates,
elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. I helped lead the effort to build the best pubThe legislator, who is currently chairman of lic school system in America. I worked to
the House Environment and Transportation foster economic growth through investments
Committee, said his vision was restoring the in biotechnology and information technoloAmerican dream. "Now, that dream is in gy. I also fought to raise the minimum wage,
jeopardy for millions of American families. expand health care to working families and
There is no longer confidence that working keep college tuitions low," he said.
TURN PAGE
March 14-20, 2015
Mai Dhai,
Rajasthani singer
from Pakistan, performed with her
ensemble at the
Live@365 series at
the Elebash Recital
Hall, The Graduate
Center, NYC, on
March 12. The concert was curated
and produced by
Isabel Soffer of
Live Sounds along
with promotional
/media partner
Sunny Thakkar.
BCNA celebrates expansion to Queens

Jackson Heights, NY: The Business
Center for New Americans (BCNA) celebrated the expansion of their Jackson
Heights office on March 6, with remarks
from community leaders followed by a
ribbon cutting ceremony.
Special guest speakers included New
York State Assembly Member Michael
DenDekker; Eileen Auld, Regional
Director, Citi Community Development;
Mirna Velasquez, Director of
Immigration Affairs for Congressman
Joseph Crowley;
and Vinnie
Maniscalco, Chief of Staff to New York
City Council Member Daniel Dromm.
A group of over 30 guests included
representatives of partner organizations
and supporters such as Chhaya
Community Development Corporation,
Street Vendor Project, New York City
Business Solutions, Queens Public
Librarys New American program,
Museum of Food and Drink, 82nd Street
Partnership, M&T Bank, Wells Fargo,
and Citi Community Development.
BCNA provides business loans that
range from $500 to $50,000 to help start
or expand a small business, as well as a
special matched savings program for
refugees and those with asylee status.
BCNA offers over 30 training work-
Guests at the ribbon

cutting ceremony
shops a year on small business management, technology, and social media.

BCNA opened the Jackson Heights
office, located at 78-27 37th Avenue, in
2012. Since then, BCNA has served
more than 250 Queens-based business
owners. With the new expansion, the
office has doubled in size, allowing
BCNA to serve more clients and offer
additional training workshops.
BCNAs Jackson Heights office staff
members-- Mr. Vish Dasma, Senior
Loan Officer; Ms. Maria Paulino, Loan
Officer; Ms. Dong Tran, Senior Loan
Officer-- are experienced small business
lenders and speak several languages
including Hindi, Spanish, and Mandarin.
Contact: vdasma@nybcna.org.
AAP now stands for All Ashamed Party..

Continued from page 1
in Delhi. An AAP volunteer reflected the general
feeling thus : The NRI supporters want AAP to
stay true to the basic principles on which it was
founded, i.e., swaraj, anti-corruption, and transparency and have expressed strong opposition to
the ouster of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant
Bhushan. Most NRIs joined AAP because they supported what it stood for. At this time of crisis, they
want to stand with the party and restore inner party
democracy and have a united AAP.
Aman Bhatia, founder of Top10Reviews.com,
said that AAP supporters like him find the ouster of
Yadav and Bhushan not done in a transparent manner. The group has made their thinking known to
the party in Delhi and was told to wait for Kejriwal
to return to Delhi from Bangalore. A national
convention in USA we had planned for April has
been put on hold, he added. He agreed that the
image of the party has been affected, the volunteers
here are disappointed but they will keep doing the
good work. He does not foresee a split in the party
either.
An AAP activist Priya James wrote in a blog for
NDTV.com that the onus is now on Kejriwal to
straighten things out in the party.
George Abraham, Chairman, INOC, USA, commented that after promising the world to Delhi voters, AAP was acting churlish and the leadership
behaving irresponsibly. It seems that the party can
only function in an 'agitation mode' whether dealing with political issues or differing voices from
within.
It is only fair to state at this point that the
achievements of Sheila Dikshit administration that
transformed Delhi over a decade were soon forgotten by the voters for amateurism and expediency.
The results speak for itself.
Ashok Vyas, Program Director of ITV, had this to
say: "AAP came to power with unprecedented
majority in Delhi Vidhan Sabha. They can't afford
this party to fail them, so one would pray for good
sense to prevail among AAP leaders so that they
would stop washing their dirty laundry in public."
Mangano presents 6th State of...
more than 20,000 jobs and employment opportunities in the county since taking over.
Acknowledging that a challenge the county faces
is convincing Millennials - young adults ages 20
to 35 to call Nassau their home, Mangano said
another way to keep professionals from leaving
Long Island with high living cost is by increasing
affordable housing. More than 3,500 new apartments have opened or are under construction in our
county with more than 1,000 units being constructed through our initiative to convert vacant office
space into apartments near transit centers.
He also underlined that this was the 6th straight
year in which county households earning under
$500,000 annually will not pay a net dime more
than they did in 2010. .
On the countys fiscal health, Mangano said, We
have improved Nassaus finances by 60%, reduced
recurring expenses and increased recurring revenue
through contract concessions and smart public-private partnerships.
In his speech, Mangano said crime was down 25
percent in Nassau since he took office, making it
the safest large suburban county in America. I
intend to keep it that way! he said.
Prominent among the audience were Presiding
Officer Norma Gonsalves, Minority Leader Kevan
Abrahams and Comptroller George Maragos, Clerk
Maureen OConnell, Acting District Attorney
Madeline Singas, and many judges. The
Republican leader was first elected as County
Executive in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 in a landslide.
Weaker Euro against $ creating ...
compete in export markets, and some worry the
euros slide is far from over.
And it's not just the euro that's falling against the
dollar -- almost every other currency in the world,
too with Turkey and South Africa's falling more
than most on Tuesday.
Why is the dollar up so much? Well, the simple
story is that the stronger your economy, the
stronger your currency. The slightly more complicated version, though, is that currencies go up when
monetary policy is relatively tight, and down when
it's relatively loose.
Mufti govts release of Kashmiri ...
ensured on activities of Masrat Alam and his associates which are detrimental to public order,"
Rajnath Singh said.
Masrat Alam is a hardline separatist leader who
had evaded arrest for long till 2010.
J&K Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed
on Tuesday assured Rajnath Singh that no separatist would be released in future without taking
their ally in the state, the BJP into confidence.
New Delhi Bureau

Meenakshi Iyer
Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Art and Design: Vladimir Tomovski

Bhagwati Creations,
Dhiraj Kumar
Printed Every Saturday by

Forsythe Media Group, LLC
ISSN 1941-9333
76 N Broadway, Suite 2004,
Hicksville, NY 11801 P: 516.390.7847
Website: TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Updated Daily
Managing Editor: Parveen Chopra

C : 516.710.0508
Editor@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Strategy and Marketing

Jinal Shah
P: 315-436-1142
jinal.shah85@gmail.com
Web Editor: B.B.Chopra
Associate Editors
Jinal Shah, Hiral Dholakia-Dave,
Meenakshi Iyer
Marketing & PR (Washington DC)

Chander Gambhir, P: 703.717.1667
IANS Washington Bureau

Arun Kumar
arun.kumar@ians,in
Chairman and Co-Founder

Kamlesh C. Mehta
Contributing Editors: Melvin Durai,

Dr Prem Kumar Sharma,
Harry Aurora, Ashok Vyas,
Dr Akshat Jain, Nupur Joshi
Co-Founder: Saroosh Gull

(Editor@DesiClub.com)
President: Arjit Mehta
Board Advisors (Honorary)
Ajay Lodha, MD,
Lakhpat B. Mehta, Esq.
Rajasthan High Court & Supreme Court
Contributing Editors (Youth):

Rhea Gupta, Shweta Lodha, Sidharth Goyal
West Coast Correspondent
Pooja Jain,
Pooja@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Jaipur (India) Bureau

Prakash Bhandari
Prakash@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Photographs: Gunjesh Desai/
masalajunction.com.
Xitij Joshi/xitijphoto.com
Photo Journalist: Sandeep Ganatra
Cartoonist: Mahendra Shah
News Service: HT Media Ltd.

IANS Newswire Services
Printing: Five Star Printing, NY

Contacts
Editor@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Subscribe@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Advertisements
Advertise@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
P : 516.390.7847, F : 516.465.1343
Website:
www.TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Notice: The South Asian Times is published weekly by The Forsythe Media Group, LLC. POSTMASTER: Send all address notices, subscription orders/payments and other inquiries to The South Asian
Times, 76 N Broadway, Suite 2004, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA. Copyright and all other rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be reprinted without the consent of the publisher. The
views expressed on the opinion pages and in the letters to the editor pages are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of The South Asian Times. The editor/publisher does not warrant accuracy
and cannot be held responsible for the content of the advertisements placed in the publication and/or inaccurate claims, if any, made by the advertisers. Advertisements of business or facilities included in this
publication do not imply connection or endorsement of these businesses. All rights reserved.
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Rajat Gupta files fresh plea seeking

overturn of conviction
New York: Former Goldman Sachs
director Rajat Gupta, currently serving a two-year jail term on insider
trading charges, has filed a fresh
plea in a U.S. court seeking his conviction to be overturned as prosecutors failed to show he received personal benefits for passing information. The Indian American IIT and
Harvard-educated 66-year-old former McKinsey head has asked the
Manhattan federal court here for an
order "vacating his sentence, setting
aside the judgment against him, and
discharging him from prison."
In the plea, Gupta has argued that
the government did not provide evidence to prove he received personal
benefits in exchange for passing
confidential Goldman Sachs information to hedge fund founder and
billionaire friend Raj Rajaratnam.
Convicted in 2012, Gupta began
serving a two-year prison term on
insider trading charges in June,

2014.
His petition for a certiorari in the
criminal case is pending before the
Supreme Court.
In the 21-page memorandum,
Gupta's lawyer Gary Naftalis said
the trial jury was not properly instructed regarding insider trading
tips and the benefit accrued to Gupta. The "erroneous jury instructions"
permitted the jury to convict Gupta
"without finding that his tips were
part of an agreed upon exchange of
tips for consequential benefits, resulting in his conviction for conduct
that is not a crime," Naftalis said
March 5. The government has time
till April to file its response to the
defense motion.
Naftalis said the proposition that
Gupta gained nothing in exchange
for the alleged tips provided critical
support for the argument that he was
utterly without motive to participate

willfully in an insider trading
scheme.
"Following a long and successful
professional career of the utmost
probity, at the pinnacle of the business world, with no shortage of lucrative post-McKinsey business opportunities and in the absence of
anything resembling financial need,
Gupta lacked any such motivation,"
he said.
Naftalis said there was total absence of an agreement to pay cash
for tips, to share trading profits or to
trade tips for other tips.
"Indeed, there was no direct evidence of any quid pro quo at all. Nor
was there any evidence showing that
Gupta even knew what Goldman
Sachs trades Rajaratnam directed,
the size or dollar amount of those
trades, or how much money Rajaratnam made," the memorandum said.
March 14-20, 2015
Salman Rushdie to join

NYU journalism faculty
ball rolling Suketu.
Washington, DC: InLook where it's ended
dian author Salman
Rushdie, who won the
up! Thank you!"
An announcement
Booker Prize for his
emailed to NYU staff
1981 novel "Midnight's
and faculty by Perri
Children", will teach
Klass, professor of
and advise journalism
students at New York
Journalism and Pediatrics at NYU, and
University as Distinmedical director of
guished Writer in ResiReach Out and Read,
dence.
described Rushdie as a
Rushdie will serve
Salman Rushdie
brilliant writer and
on the faculty of the
University's Arthur L. Carter Jour- prominent public intellectual.
nalism Institute for five years,
"Mr. Rushdie exemplifies the
Suketu Mehta, associate professor mission of the Journalism Institute of Journalism at NYU, announced a center for research and teaching in
the cultural hub and media capital
in a twitter post last week.
"Celebrated author Salman that is New York City - and he will
Rushdie is joining NYU's journal- join our ranks of incredibly talented
ism faculty. I'm really delighted!" writers, reporters, producers, and
he wrote.
critics, to engage and inform our loRushdie in turn posted a tweet cal community in journalism and
thanking Mehta. "You started this beyond," the announcement said.
SAPAC invites nominations for Leaders of Tomorrow Professor Singh to lead NYUs
New York: South Asian American
Political Action Committee
(SAPAC)s Annual Breakfast has
been organized on April 26th, at
9:30 AM at the Mint Restaurant.
This year, the theme of the breakfast will be honoring the Leaders
of Tomorrow. The mission is to
encourage community to participate in civic, community and political activities. This year it will be
recognizing the young leaders of
Long Island in the age group of
14-21 years.
The organization has sought
nomination from the readers of
The South Asian Times. If you

know a young leader from the age
of 14 to 21, who is involved in any
extracurricular activities, and
would like to nominate them for
recognition in this event submit
their bio and resume at SAPACLI@aol.com before April 5th.
Sapra siblings win $15 m in

damages from NY club
The brother-sister duo was harassed and assaulted there in 2005
New York: On March 9 the
Supreme
Court
awarded
$8,280,145 and $643,998 in compensatory and punitive damages to
Anuj and Arti Sapra respectively in
a case against NYCs Club 9 .
Anuj and Arti, brother and sister,
while attending an event at the
NYC club in 2005 were harassed
and assaulted by drunk underage patrons, who were illegally
served liquor, resulting in Anuj
being beaten with a metal baseball
bat into a coma, and his sister hurt

while defending her brother from
the onslaught.
We are proud to have secured a
full measure of justice for our
clients, even if it took a long time,
and we had to traverse many a
legal hurdle to get to this point. We
will now start the post-judgment
proceedings, itself, yet another
odyssey - but justice will be done
in full measure. This case represents the serious fallout of New
York clubs regularly serving

under-age children excessive
amounts of liquor, and such drunken state coupled with immature
judgment, becoming a violent trigger for serious injury, or worse,
near-death. Finally, this case represents why American justice is the
worlds finest - with the police,
criminal justice and civil justice
working harmoniously together to
fashion merit-based justice, said
their attorney Ravi Batra.
Prison Education Initiative

New York: A New
tion once they are out
York University initiaof prison.
tive to provide higher
By expanding aceducation to prison incess to a university edmates will be led by
ucation to incarcerated
an Indian-American
students, the NYU
professor. The Prison
Prison Education ProEducation Program
gram aims to help reannounced March 2,
dress inequities that
will bring college eduresult from the fact
cation to jailed inthat the United States
mates at the Wallkill
incarcerates more peoNikhil Pal Singh
Correctional Facility,
ple than any other naa medium-security prison in New tion in the worldover two milYork States Ulster County. Asso- lionthe great majority of whom
ciate Professor Nikhil Pal Singh is are poor, African American, and
the faculty director of the Prison Latino, Singh, an associate proEducation Program PEP, which is fessor in NYUs Department of Sofunded by a $500,000 grant from cial and Cultural Analysis, said in
the Ford Foundation. The educa- the release.
tion program is being coordinated
Beginning in the Spring 2015 sewith the New York State Depart- mester, 36 men will take one of
ment of Corrections and Commu- two NYU classes taught at the
nity Supervision and overseen by a Wallkill facility, with up to three
steering committee composed of additional courses offered during
faculty from several NYU Schools. the summer of 2015. Classes will
Students who take the PEP be taught by NYU faculty and ofcourses can earn an Associate of fer both intensive liberal arts study
Arts degree from the university and introductory courses from
and they can continue their educa- NYUs professional schools.
March 14-20, 2015
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
IN BRIEF
Sothebys to present iconic Amrita Sher-Gil

self-portrait on March 18 in NY
Telugu Literary & Cultural Association

holds rst womens forum
or the first
time, TLCA
Womens Forum was initiated by
President Raji Kuncham when she took
office in February
2015. To realize the
vision
Kuncham
created
the
Womens
Forum
team: Dr. Jyoti Jasti
& Vijaya Nyayapathi
(CoChairs),
Nirmala Shastry (
(R to L) Dr. Tulasi Polavarapu, Dr. Shalini Patcha, Dr.
Sridevi Bhumi & Dr. Sailaja Kalva. President Raji
Advisor),
Sirisha
Kuncham welcomes all to Womens Health Initiative.
Tunuguntla, Rama
Vanama, and Uma
Reddy. Just a month into inception of cer, understanding and living with osnew team, the TLCA Women's Forum teoarthritis , ergonomics to avoid repetirolled out its very first event, "Women's tive strain, and the importance of wellHealth Initiative" on March 1st. The pro- ness visits. Following the talk, there was
gram centered on educating women in an interactive Q&A session where conrecognizing a variety of critical health cerns of the audience were answered by
matters - symptoms of common pelvic, the experts. The next major TLCA event
gastrointestinal,musculoskeletal
and is the celebration of the Telugu New
neurological diseases and how they can Year, Ugadi on March 28th at the Hindu
be prevented, current screening guide- Temple Auditorium in Flushing from
lines in preventing breast and colon can- 3.00 pm-11.30 pm.
DIA holds gala to support needy children

edicated Indians of
America
(DIA),
founded in 2010 by
Priya Navani, is a charitable
foundation that educates the
under privileged children
globally. It held its 6th annual
gala on March 6th at Rockleigh Country Club in Rockleigh NJ attended by over 200
people with assemblyman
Robert Auth and singer-comBoard of directors & youth officers of DIA.
poser Manish Israni as guest
speakers. DIAs latest project is to support social platform for youth as well as sow
charter school based in New York. Last seeds of kindness by giving to the less
year it supported an inner city school in fortunate. It is run by a core group of diDetroit. DIA serves as a bridge to create a rectors along with elected youth officers.
n March 18 the
coming back to India to
Modern & Conforge a new style of painttemporary South
ing. I am deeply moved to
Asian Art sale at Sothebe the auctioneer for this
bys New York will inrare and historic Self-Porclude the most important
trait which I will look
work by Amrita Sher-Gil
back on as one of the highto appear at auction. Sherlights of my career.
Gil is often referred to as
Yamini Mehta, Internathe Indian Frida Kahlo
tional Head of Departas both artists were of the
ment, Modern & Contemsame generation, both
porary South Asian Art,
were of part Hungarian
notes, This is the rarest of
heritage and both worked
opportunities to acquire a
in developing societies
work by an artist who has
where they have been deso few available in the
The self-portrait is
fined by and have defined
marketplace. It is the ultiexpected to fetch
their respective countries
mate trophy work as there
$ 1.2-1.8 m
art histories. Painted in
are very few collections
1932, Untitled (Self-Porboth within India and intrait) is estimated to fetch $1.2/1.8 million. ternationally that can boast having even
Priyanka Mathew, Head of Sales, Mod- one work by this artist who is so critical to
ern & Contemporary South Asian Art, the formation of Modern Indian art. We are
commented: Amrita Sher Gil is an icon - so proud to be offering this incredible Selfa trailblazer and a heroic figure in Indian Portrait and hope our audience responds
history. I have been inspired by her as an with a new record that reflects its rarity.
artist and as a woman living on her own This is a once in a generation auction
terms capturing the zeitgeist in Europe and event.
Delhi Art Gallery brings iconic exhibition

India Modern to NYC
ndias Delhi Art Gallery announced its first international
venture: an impressive, 7000
square foot gallery space in the historic Fuller Building (41 E 57th
St.) on New Yorks Madison Avenue. Its first exhibition, India
Modern: Narratives from 20th century Indian Art, will open to the
public on March 18 and will be on
view until June 6. The exhibition
includes rare early works by some
of the forty-two artists on view, inWorks of 42 modernist painters will
cluding close to a hundred pieces
be displayed
by Indias most prominent modernists such as F.N. Souza, M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamsee, Avinash
S.H. Raza, Manjit Bawa, S.K. Bakre, Chandra, G.R. Santosh and many others.
450+ benet from Love and Cares

Queens chapter food drive
ove and Care, a global non-profit organization, has been inspiring compassionate support of local communities, through it's 10-care program, encompassing Humanitarian Care, Community
Care, Environmental Care, Educational
Care, Health Care, etc. The 25 US chapters
of Love and Care (www.srloveandcare.org)
are conducting a month-long Food and
Clothing drive across the country during
March-2015. As part of this month-long
drive, the Queens chapter of Love and Care
prepared and offered food to over 450 resi-
dents at the Long Island Women's Empowerment Network (LIWEN). LIWEN helps
deprived, abused, disadvantaged, and disabled women and their families to become
self sufficient and independent. These include approx 110 families, with over 300
children, displaced from their homes for
various reasons. An inspired group of 23
volunteers got together to prepare over 600
sandwiches with peanut butter, jelly, cheese,
and packed along with juice, fruits and
desserts. On March 1st, they visited the
Shelter to offer the sandwich bags.
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Jindal jumps into letter war with Obama over Iran

Washington, DC: Louisiana's
Indian-American governor Bobby
Jindal has jumped into a war of
words between the White House
and Senate Republicans over a letter to the government of Iran on a
potential deal over its nuclear program.
Jindal, who is testing the waters
for a 2016 presidential run, issued a
call on Tuesday for "all potential
presidential candidates" to sign on
the letter signed by 47 Republican
senators.
These include four who are considered potential candidates in the
2016 presidential race: Ted Cruz
(Texas), Lindsey O. Graham
(South Carolina), Rand Paul
(Kentucky) and Marco Rubio
(Florida).
The letter, organized by Senator
Tom Cotton, warned Iran that if
Congress did not formally approve
a nuclear agreement, it could then
be disregarded or modied under a
future president.
Jindal, in a statement released on
Tuesday, said that others who
might get into the race should sign
on, too, according to the
Washington Post.
"Every single person thinking
about running for president, on
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is testing waters

for 2016 presidential run
both sides, should sign on to this

letter to make clear to Iran that they
are negotiating with a lame duck
president," Jindal said in a statement issued through an outside
group he leads, America Next.
"Make no mistake - any Iran deal
that President Obama makes is not
binding on a future president," he
was quoted as saying.
The Post cited a spokesperson for
Jindal as saying he had "signed on"
to the letter on Tuesday morning by
sending an e-mail to Cotton's
ofce, and Cotton's ofce released
Anu Aiyenger appointed co-head of

JP Morgan's North America M&A
Anu Aiyengar
New York: Financial giant JP

Morgan Chase has elevated Indiaborn Anu Aiyengar as co-head of
mergers and acquisitions for
North America, a media report
said on Thursday.
Aiyengar
and
Henry
Gosebruch, both 42 years old,
will soon assume the newly created roles. Aiyengar has worked on
several of JP Morgan's biggest
assignments in recent years,

focusing on consumer, retail and
nancial institution deals, the
New York Times reported.
Gosebruch, a German citizen,
specialized in health care and
biotech deals and among his
recent mandates were advising
Forest Laboratories' merger with
Actavis and Merck's acquisition
of Cubist Pharmaceuticals.
a statement later in the day saying

that Jindal is now considered a signatory to the letter.
In his statement on Tuesday,
Jindal also renewed his criticisms
that Obama was not willing to confront - or even admit - the true
scope of the threat from Islamist
groups and Iran.
Jindal also said that Vice
President Biden - who had criticized the letter as "beneath the dignity" of the Senate - should apologize to Cotton, who served in the
army before running for ofce.
March 14-20, 2015
Hedge fund mogul David

Ganek sues Preet Bharara
New York: Indian
ant told FBI agents and
American prosecutor
prosecutors that Ganek
Preet Bharara has been
knew about alleged
sued by hedge fund
insider trading at Level
mogul David Ganek,
Global. "Defendants
USA Today reported
had no probable cause
Feb. 27. Ganek also
to believe Mr. Ganek
sued several members
had engaged in any
of the Manhattan U.S.
wrongdoing," the lawAttorneys staff and a
suit said, according to
US Attorney Preet
slew of FBI agents Bharara for once is Reuters. The complaint
over the 2010 raid of on the receiving end does not seek a specic
his $4 billion hedge
amount of damages but
of legal woes
fund, Level Global.
said that eight months
The lawsuit, led Feb. 26 in before the raid, Level Global was
Manhattan federal court, accuses valued at $400 million, added
Bharara, the prosecutors and the FBI Reuters.
agents of "prosecutorial misconLevel Global was forced to shut
duct" in conducting the raid, which down by February of 2011. A
took place at the pinnacle of the spokesman for Bharara declined to
government's crackdown on insider comment. Anthony Chiasson,
trading. According to USA Today, Ganek's partner at Level Global,
the government "fabricated informa- was arrested two years after the raid,
tion" to gain court approval to con- was later convicted of insider tradduct the search, which resulted in ing but that conviction was recently
the rm's closing its doors several overturned by a New York federal
months later, the lawsuit said.
appeals court, which said there was
Ganek said the search was "based a lack of evidence that his trades fell
on a fabricated claim" that a former- within the legal denition of insider
analyst-turned-government inform- trading.
Three Indian-Americans win medals at Intel science competition

Washington, DC: Three IndianAmericans who won medals in the
Intel Science Talent Search 2015,
America's oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and math
competition, met President Barack
Obama at the White House with
other nalists.
They were among the 40 high
school seniors, 13 of them of Indian
origin, who were in Washington for
the nals of the contest to nd the
most promising young US innovators creating the technologies and
solutions that will make people's
lives better. Indian-American
Saranesh
(Saran)
Thanika
Prembabu, 17, of San Ramon,
California, won the Second Place
Medal of Distinction for Innovation.
Saran studied how varying the layers of lead titanate and strontium
ruthenate in nanocrystal superlattices can affect their electrical and
magnetic properties, which could be
harnessed for a variety of electrical
and computing applications.
Shashwat Kishore, 18, of West
Chester, Pennsylvania, won the
Third Place Medal of Distinction for
Saranesh (Saran) Thanika Prembabu, Anvita Gupta and

Shaswat Kishore were among 40 finalists who met
President Obama at the White House.
Basic Research. Kishore's math

project focused on representing
abstract algebras using matrices. His
work developed a new relationship
between these matrices and topology. Anvita Gupta, 17, of Scottsdale,
Arizona, also won the Third Place
Medal of Distinction for Global
Good. Gupta used machine learning
to "teach" a computer to identify
potential drugs for cancer, tuberculosis and Ebola. Preclinical trials are
already underway in China on the
tuberculosis drugs that she identied. The nalists took home awards
totalling more than $1 million with
Noah Golowich, Andrew Jin and
Michael Hofmann Winer each
receiving rst-place awards of
$150,000 in the competition run by
Society for Science and the Public.
In addition to the top awards, three
second-place winners received
awards of $75,000 and three thirdplace winners received awards of
$35,000.
March 14-20, 2015
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Dr Sanjay Khurana among first to

help injured Harrison Ford
Los Angeles: Indian-AmeriSo, it was obvious," Khurana
can spine surgeon Sanjay
told ABC News.
Khurana was playing golf
Khurana, who was interThursday when a single-enviewed by numerous TV
gine plane crashed on the
channels in Los Angeles, said
course. The pilot was none
aside from worrying about
other than famous HollyFord's injuries from the imwood actor Harrison Ford.
pact, he saw fuel leaking out
Khurana was among the
of the World War II-era plane.
first to pull out the injured
He and other golfers pulled
star from the wreckage.
Ford from the wreckage. OthWhen Khurana saw the
ers threw dirt on the fuel so it
plane crash on the course,
wouldn't catch fire.
next to Santa Monica Airport,
"We wanted to get him out
he followed his first instinct
safely and with the fuel leakto rush to the plane to ensure
ing out, I motioned to some of
the pilot was safe.
the other folks at the golf
Dr Khurana was golfing at the course
At the time, Khurana was
course to put dirt on the fuel
where Fords single-engine
golfing on the 7th hole of the
so it wouldn't combust. I just
plane crashed
Penmar Golf Course. He saw
wanted to get him out safely
Ford's plane hit a tree before
so that the situation wouldn't
said. "He was moaning and in
nose-diving to the ground. He pain." Khurana says he quickly erupt into a fire," Khurana told
dropped his clubs and ran to the recognized the famous pilot.
channels. Khurana said though
crash site, seeing "a passenger in
"It was obvious by his face, it bleeding heavily, Ford was able to
the rear seat slumped over in dis- was Harrison Ford. I'm old speak and move despite his intress belted in."
enough, or young enough, to have juries. Ford is expected to make a
"He was stunned a bit," Khurana watched all his 'Star Wars' films. full recovery.
LA chair Vandana Tilak joins

Akshaya Patra USA board
Stoneham, MA: Vandana Tilak, LA Chapter Chair, Ayurveda practitioner and longtime supporter of Akshaya Patra has joined
the 2015 Akshaya Patra USA Advisory
Board. In this role, Tilak will continue her
crucial work of spreading and growing
awareness about the work of Akshaya Patra,
and building on the organizations expansion via new kitchens and the number of
children served. Akshaya Patra runs one of
the worlds largest school meal programs,
serving 1.4 million children daily in 10
states in India. Its goal is to serve 5 million
children by the year 2020.
Commenting on her new role, Tilak stated, It is an honor and a privilege to serve
Indias children and I uphold it with the utmost love and caring. She is the Chair of
Akshaya Patra USAs Los Angeles Chapter,
which recently held two very successful
events in October 2014 and January this
year. The Chapter will continue to build on
the momentum gained during the 2015 year,
increasing awareness and raising funds for
new kitchens in Gujarat, Karnataka and other States.
Indian-American Heritage Night

celebrated in Philadelphia
Washington, DC: A
top US-based professional basketball franchise has celebrated
Indian-American Heritage Night, recognizing the immense contribution of the community.
The first-of-its-kind
event in Philadelphia,
the fifth largest US city, was
marked by a scintillating Bollywood dance performance during
one of its high-profile NBA games
on Saturday, organizing a Beyond
Bollywood exhibition reflecting
on the communitys rich contribution.
Philadelphia 76ers, an American
professional basketball franchise,
honored two trailblazers in Indian
American communityH R Shah,
CEO and chairman of T V Asia and
Ajay Raju, the CEO and executive
chairman of one of Philadelphias
most profitable white shoe power-
house law firms Dilwoth Paxson.

Today is a great
day for Indian Americans. Celebration of
Indian American Heritage Night by 76ers is
recognition of the contribution of Indian
Americans in the past
several decades in the
development of the US in every
sphere of, Shah said.
As part of the festivities the
Smithsonian Institute presented
their exhibit on Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the
Nation.
The exhibition chronicles and
captures over 150 years of the Indian American Experience.
The goal of Indian American
Heritage night was to educate,
highlight and celebrate the vast diversity and success of Indian Americans, said Ganga Mukavalli, chairman of Heritage promotions.
IFFLA announces lm line up for 13th annual event

Highlights include world premiere of British comedy One crazy thing, A R Rahmans
documentary Jai Ho, Cannes entry Titli and LA premiere of Miss India America
Los Angeles: The Indian Film Festival of
Los Angeles (IFFLA) has announced its
2015 lineup of narrative and documentary
features and short films for this years
festival. The impressive program reflects the
rich diversity of Indian cinema, as well as the
future of Indian filmmaking, with cuttingedge filmmakers bringing their acclaimed
films to Los Angeles.
Celebrating its 13th year, IFFLA will run
April 8-12 at ArcLight Hollywood in LA, the
festivals home since its inception.
IFFLA 2015 presents 25 films, including
four world premieres, seven North American
premieres, two U.S. premieres, and 10 Los
Angeles premieres. The films hail from six
different countries, including India, United
States, United Kingdom, France, Germany,
and Cuba, in 10 different languages, from
Hindi and Tamil to English, Spanish, and
German.
Highlights include: the centerpiece and
world premiere screening of One Crazy

Thing, directed by IFFLA alum Amit Gupta
and featuring BAFTA Breakthrough Brit
winner Ray Panthaki and Daisy Bevanin a
comedic story about a man who meets the
girl of his dreams, but struggles to find a way
to tell her how he became an internet sensation and the Los Angeles premiere of Academy Award-winner Danis Tanovi's latest feature film Tigers, starring Bollywood actor
Emraan Hashmi in a political thriller based
on the true story of a salesman who took on
a multinational pharmaceutical corporation
guilty of marketing a baby formula that
caused hundreds of infant deaths.
Additional highlights include: Jai Ho, a
documentary feature on one of the most prolific composers in the world A.R. Rahman directed by Umesh Aggarwal; following a
world premiere at Cannes in 2014, Kanu
Behls Titli is shot on Super 16 and stars gifted newcomer, Shashank Arora, in a coming
of age story set against Dehlis dark side

where perpetual cruelty and violence prevail;
and Miss India America, directed by IFFLA
alum Ravi Kapoor and starring Tiya Sircar
and Hannah Simone, is the story of a
woman's plan to win the crown after her
boyfriend runs off with the former Miss India America.
The Opening and Closing night red-carpet
galas were announced last week: Shlok Sharmas debut feature film Haraamkhor, starring
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and produced by
Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga will
open the festival with its world premiere.
Nagesh Kukunoors Dhanak (rainbow) will
have its U.S. premiere as the Closing Night
film, fresh from 2015 Berlinale where it won
Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for best feature-length film.
The 2015 lineup also includes titles from
the diverse regional language cinemas of
India.
US AFFAIRS
Wikimedia files lawsuit challenging NSA mass surveillance

Bengaluru: The American
Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
said on Tuesday it had filed a
lawsuit on behalf of organizations including the Wikimedia
Foundation and the conservative Rutherford Institute
against the National Security
Agency and the Department of
Justice challenging the government's mass surveillance program. The lawsuit alleges that the NSA's
mass surveillance of internet traffic, often
called "upstream" surveillance, violates the
First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,
which protects freedom of speech and association, and the Fourth Amendment, which
protects against unreasonable search and
seizure.
The NSA's upstream surveillance program
captures communications with "non-U.S.
persons" in order to acquire foreign intelligence information.
"This kind of dragnet surveillance constitutes a massive invasion of privacy, and it
undermines the freedoms of expression and
inquiry as well," ACLU Staff Attorney
Patrick Toomey said in a statement.
Organizations party to the lawsuit also
include Amnesty International USA, PEN
American Center, the Nation magazine,
Oklahoma students
expelled over
racist video
Orman, Oklahoma: The
University of Oklahoma's
president expelled two students Tuesday after he said
they were identified as leaders
of a racist chant captured on
video during a fraternity
event.
University President David
Boren said in a statement the
two students were dismissed
for creating a "hostile learning
environment for others." Their
names were not released.
The video posted online
shows several people on a bus
participating in a chant that
included a racial slur, referenced lynching and indicated
black students would never be
admitted to the university's
chapter of Sigma Alpha
Epsilon. A fraternity is an
organization of male college
students in the US.
Human Rights Watch, the

National Association of
Criminal Defense Lawyers,
Global Fund for Women, and
Washington Office on Latin
America.
"By tapping the backbone of
the internet, the NSA is straining the backbone of democracy," Lila Tretikov, executive
director of the Wikimedia
Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, wrote in
a blog post. The lawsuit follows the ACLU's
failed attempt in 2013 to challenge the
NSA's warrantless wiretapping program,
which was shot down by the U.S. Supreme
Court on grounds that the plaintiffs could not
prove that they had been spied on.
The NSA's current practices exceed the
authority granted by the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act that Congress amended in
2008, Wikimedia said.
"We are asking the court to order an end to
the NSA's dragnet surveillance of internet
traffic," Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales
wrote in an opinion piece in the New York
Times. Major U.S. technology companies
suffering from the fallout of the NSA's mass
surveillance programs are also uniting to
shore up their defenses against government
intrusion.
1 Black Hawk crashed in

Florida fog, killing 11;
second turned back
March 14-20, 2015
Private email broke no

rules: Hillary Clinton
New York: Hillary Clinton acknowledged
Tuesday that it "would have been better" to
use a government email address along with
the personal one she used while secretary of
state at her rst press conference since the
controversy erupted earlier this month.
But the likely 2016 presidential frontrunner
insisted she did not violate any federal regulation and never risked exposing sensitive
information by using her personal email server. Clinton said she used a private account so
that she could carry just one device rather
than both a personal and government-issued
phone. She said her email use fully complied
with State Department regulations and she has
since taken "unprecedented" steps to turn over
her work emails to the State Department for
review.
She also said she never emailed classied
material.
"I trust the American people to make their
decisions about political and public matters
and I feel that I've taken unprecedented steps
to provide these work-related emails," Clinton
said.
Moments before Clinton addressed the
media, a spokesperson for the State
Department said the 55,000 pages of emails in
question will be released publicly on a web-
Hillary Clinton used one personal-cumofficial email for convenience. Official

emails will be made public, she said.
site after a government review. The process

will take months and some information will
be redacted.
The former rst lady, however, said about
half of the 60,000 emails she and her teamed
reviewed were personal and were not submitted to the State Department.
Her ofce also said the server is at her
home, which is protected by the Secret
Service, and was set up by former President
Bill Clinton's team. There has never been any
evidence of a security breach, her ofce said.
Clinton held the press conference at the
United Nations after addressing a conference
on women.
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.: Searchers struggled

Wednesday to find the seven Marines and four soldiers
killed when a helicopter crashed, hampered by the same
fog that plagued a nighttime training mission.
A second helicopter turned back safely shortly before
the wreck, which left debris washing ashore along the
Florida coast, officials said.
Military officials haven't said what caused the crash of
the UH-60 Black Hawk, but the weather was bad
enough for the other crew to return to land, said Maj.
Gen. Glenn H. Curtis, adjutant general of the Louisiana
National Guard.
The helicopter that crashed had a veteran crew from
Hammond, Louisiana, that served multiple tours in Iraq
and helped humanitarian missions after Gulf Coast hurricanes and the BP oil spill.
They were carrying unconventional warriors from the
Marines Special Operations Command. Like the Army's
Green Berets and the Navy's SEALs, they were highly
trained to endure grueling conditions and sensitive
assignments on land and at sea, from seizing ships to
special reconnaissance missions and direct action inside
hostile territory.
Tuesday night's training involved practicing "insertion
and extraction missions," using small boats and helicopters to get troops into and out of a target site, said Capt.
Barry Morris, spokesman for the Marine Corps Special
Operations Command at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Ferguson police chief resigns following justice deptt report

Ferguson, MO: Embattled Ferguson Police
Chief Thomas Jackson resigned Wednesday,
a Ferguson City Hall source said. The resignation comes one week after a scathing
Department of Justice report exposed problems in the city's policing tactics. Ferguson
City Manager John Shaw stepped down
Tuesday following the release of the critical
report that mentioned both men by name.
The Justice Department's report faulted
Ferguson's officers for seeing residents as

"sources of revenue," a practice that disproportionately targeted African-Americans.
The investigators also found evidence of
racist jokes being sent around by Ferguson
police and court officials.
Two police officers resigned last week and
the city's top court clerk was fired in connection with racist emails, city spokesman Jeff
Small said last Friday.
Corporate Office: 385 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood NY 11385

718.821.3182, www.AtlanticDialysis.Com
10
INDIA
March 14-20, 2015
Crisis deepens in AAP after sting on Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi's ruling crisis-hit
AAP faced further shocks this week
as senior leader Anjali Damania quit
the party after a sting on Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal while two
other senior leaders ousted from its
top body reiterated their calls for
inner-party democracy.
But Prashant Bhushan and
Yogendra Yadav, in the same breath,
pleaded for an end to an unprecedented internecine war which has
rocked the party even as some AAP
legislators in Delhi sought their
expulsion. Kejriwal, meanwhile,
remained in near seclusion in a hospital in Bengaluru, where doctors
said he was responding well to the
naturopathy treatment for his persistent cough and high blood sugar
levels. The biggest jolt to the AAP -which took power in Delhi only in
February -- came when Damania, a
senior leader from Maharashtra, quit
in a huff, accusing Kejriwal of
betraying the principles on which
the party was founded in 2012.
She said on Twitter: "I quit... I
have not come into AAP for this
nonsense."
Her remarks came after a former
AAP legislator in Delhi released a
telephonic conversation in which a
person said to be Kejriwal is heard
Kejriwal doesn't read newspapers in hospital
Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader from Maharashtra,

Anjali Damania, quit the party.
saying -- after he quit as chief minister in February last year -- that he

would not mind taking Congress
support again to form a government.
"I believed him. I backed Arvind
for principles, not horse-trading,"
said Damania, who had left the AAP
in June 2014 too but then rejoined
it. In other tweets, she added: "AAP
is not a political party. It was a ray
of hope for this country. Thousands
of (volunteers) slogged for it. Just
Harvard top world

university, no Indian
varsity in list
New Delhi: Harvard University of the US has
remained number one in a global ranking of 100
most prestigious education institutions, followed
by Britain's Cambridge and Oxford universities.
No Indian university featured in the list.
According to the Times Higher Education
World Reputation Rankings 2015, the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology of the US
was pushed to the fourth spot by the University
of Oxford, and Stanford University was pushed
to the fifth spot by the University of Cambridge.
Japan's University of Tokyo led Asia's charge at
the 12th spot.
London and Paris were the two cities with the
maximum number of the top universities, with
five universities each featuring in the list.
As far as countries were concerned, the US
confirmed its supremacy, taking eight of the top
10 positions and 43 of the top 100 places -down from 46 last year followed by Britain,
which has 12 such universities -- up from 10 last
year and nine in 2013.
While most of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India,
China) nations made their mark, Indian universities failed to make it to the rankings, the study
said.
"It is really a matter of concern that a country
of India's great intellectual history and its huge
and growing economic power does not have a
single university that is regarded by academics
globally as being among the world's most prestigious," said Phil Baty, editor of Times Higher
Education Rankings.
no one can play with the 'siddhant'

(principles)."
In the audio tape, Kejriwal is
heard asking then party legislator
Rajesh Garg to "break" the
Congress and get at least six of its
eight legislators to prop up an AAP
government.
AAP's Ashish Khetan, a Kejriwal
loyalist, said Kejriwal's comments
did not mean that he believed in
horse-trading. As the sting-cum-
Bengaluru: An all-out war may be raging in his AAP but doctors

treating Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here say he does not
appear to read newspapers. "We have not seen him using landline,
watching television or reading newspapers when he is in the room,"
Jindal Naturecure Institute medical director Babaina Nandakumar
said.
Kejriwal has been undergoing naturopathy treatment at the hospital
since March 6. Nandakumar said the treatment regime was continuous, from morning to evening, with 30-minute gap each for breakfast,
lunch, afternoon rest and supper.
Kejriwal's parents Gobind Ram and Gita Devi, who are staying with
him, however, have mobile telephones. It is not known if he uses them
to keep himself abreast of the developments in the Aam Aadmi Party.
The 44-year-old diabetic is being treated for chronic cough and high
blood sugar. Asked if Kejrwal gets calls from his party colleagues or
ministers from Delhi, Nandakumar said no incoming calls were
allowed during the day as he was busy with the treatment regime. He
retires to bed by 9 p.m.
Damania fire erupted, Bhushan and
Yadav, ousted from the Political
Affairs Committee (PAC) on March
4, wrote an open letter to party volunteers, saying the allegations of
"anti-party activities" hurled at them
were "laughable".
The two denied they were hankering after any party post and insisted
that they had come under attack
from Kejriwal loyalists simply
because they demanded inner-party
democracy and political honesty.

In a five-page letter in Hindi, they
said: "We raised some institutional
issues but were charged with fictitious allegations. We worked for the
soul and unity of the party but were
accused of sabotaging the party."
The letter also said that Kejriwal
wanted the Congress support to
form a government in Delhi but
Yadav and Bhushan, among others,
opposed the move.
Lok Sabha okays land bill amid opposition's protest

The bill will replace an
ordinance promulgated by the
government in December last
year which amended the
earlier law passed by the
Congress-led UPA in 2013.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha has passed
the contentious land acquisition bill
amid a walkout by opposition parties
even as the government moved nine
amendments to address concerns raised
by farmers.
Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya
Janata Party, abstained during the voting.
The proposed legislation removes the
need for obtaining consent of land-owners and carrying out social impact
assessment (SIA) for acquiring land
under certain categories -- precisely the
provisions which had raised the heckles
of critics.
Rural Development Minister Birender
Singh, who took potshots at the
Congress, his former party, moved nine
official amendments, which were adopted.
With opposition members repeatedly
insisting on division to register their disagreement, it took more than an hour for
the bill to be passed after the minister's
reply to nearly eight-hour debate.
The Right to Fair Compensation,
Rehabilitation and Transparency in Land
Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement Bill, 2015 faces a tough
Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, abstained during the voting.
call in the Rajya Sabha where the government is in minority.

Opposition leaders in the upper house
have already hinted that they would try
and send the bill to a Standing or Select
Committee.
The Congress, which had moved a
number of amendments in the Lok
Sabha -- all were negated -- demanded
that the bill be sent to the Standing
Committee.
"They have not accepted even a single
amendment proposed by us. This bill is
anti-farmer. So we are walking out,"
said Congress leader of the house
Mallikarjun Kharge.
The CPI-M, CPI, AAP, RJD, JD-S and
Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress
members did the same.
The government has an option of calling a joint session of both houses to pass
the bill, which the opposition says,
favors corporates at the cost of farmers
whose land will be taken away for business and infrastructure projects.
The bill will replace an ordinance
promulgated by the government in
December last year which amended the
earlier law passed by the Congress-led
UPA in 2013.
Keep close surveillance on

Masrat, Centre asks Sayeed
New Delhi: Home
agencies in larger
Minister Rajnath Singh
interest of peace,
said the Jammu and
public order and
Kashmir government
normalcy in Jammu
has been told to keep
and
Kashmir,"
"close surveillance" on
Rajnath
Singh
separatist leader Masrat
added.
Alam, whose release
The minister said
from jail had sparked a
he had earlier
political furore.
informed the house
Making a statement
that the government
in the Lok Sabha,
was not satised
Separatist leader
Rajnath Singh said the
with the state govMasrat Alam.
home ministry has
ernment's report on
issued an advisory to the state ask- Alam's release.
ing it to vigorously pursue all 27
Jammu and Kashmir Chief
criminal cases against him.
Minister Mufti Muhammad
He said the central government Sayeed on Tuesday assured
has also asked the state govern- Rajnath Singh that no separatist
ment to take steps to challenge the would be released in future withbail granted to him.
out taking their ally in the state, the
"Close surveillance must be BJP into condence.
ensured on activities of Masrat
A serious crisis had developed
Alam and his associates which are between Sayeed's Peoples
detrimental to public order," Democratic Party (PDP) and the
Rajnath Singh said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - who
He said anything adverse noticed are in power in Jammu and
by authorities should be reviewed Kashmir - after Sayeed ordered the
in the light of the public safety act. release of Alam without taking the
"The state (government) will BJP on board. Opposition parties
ensure that surveillance of activi- in parliament had strongly critities of Masrat Alam is done in cized the decision and had sought
close tandem with the central gov- a statement from Prime Minister
ernment, security and intelligence Narendra Modi.
INDIA
March 14-20, 2015
11
Court refuses to lift ban on BBC documentary

New Delhi: The Delhi High
Court has declined to immediately revoke the ban on the telecast
of controversial BBC documentary "India's Daughter" on the
December 16, 2012, gang rape.
A division bench of Justice
B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev
Sachdeva posted the two public
interest litigations (PILs) for revocation of the ban on the documentary's telecast for March 18
before the bench headed by Chief
Justice G. Rohini.
The bench refused to pass any
interim order in the case, saying
let the case come before the
roaster bench of the Delhi High
Court chief justice.
During the hearing, the bench
said it has "no problem" about
airing the documentary but the
case (appeals of convicts against
death sentence) is pending before
the Supreme Court.
"Prima facie, we are not
opposed to airing the documentary, but the matter is pending in
the Supreme Court. Let the
Supreme Court decide the matter
rst," bench remarked.
In its order, the bench posted
the pleas for March 18. It said:
"Show us how this documentary
would not be interfering with
judicial system. We are not roaster bench. Let the matter come
People stage a demonstration against 'India's Daughter' - a BBC

documentary - at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
before chief justice, we are not

giving any interim order."
The documentary is about the
gang rape of a 23-year-old trainee
physiotherapist, who was brutally
assaulted on December 16, 2012,
in a moving bus in Delhi. It
kicked up a storm after one of the
convicts Mukesh Singh was
interviewed in Delhi's Tihar Jail.
The documentary also has comments from the convicts' counsel
A.P. Singh and M.L. Sharma,
who allegedly made derogatory
remarks against women. The documentary caused an uproar
among a section of people in
India after the government
banned its telecast in all formats.

During the hearing, the government opposed the pleas saying
the "documentary not suitable for
unrestricted public view".
In the documentary, derogatory
comments about the victim and
women were made, government
counsel added.
The trial court had on March 4
banned until further orders the
broadcast of the documentary.
The pleas also sought direction
for the Supreme Court registry to
constitute a three-judge special
bench to hear the appeals of the
four death row convicts, pending
since August 25, 2014.
OSAP Loans NOW available to Ontario applicants !!!
May & Sept 2015
12
March 14-20, 2015
INDIA
Coal case: Manmohan summoned, Congress backs him

New Delhi: In a show of support, Congress president Sonia
Gandhi led a march expressing solidarity with former prime
minister Manmohan Singh, and said he was a man of "integrity" and had the "unstinting support" of the party.
The BJP on the other hand said not just an individual but the
entire Congress party should take responsibility for the coal
block allocation case in which Manmohan Singh has been summoned by a special court here.
Singh said he was "upset" by a court here summoning him in
a case relating to the allocation of coal blocks, but was "sure
truth will prevail."
Sonia Gandhi led members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya
Sabha and members of the Congress Working Committee in the
march from the Congress party headquarters to Singh's house.
"We are outraged at the news of summons being served to
former prime minister Manmohan Singh... He is known for his
integrity and probity not only in the country but across the
world. We are here to offer our unstinting support to
Manmohan ji," she told reporters here.
A special court conducting the coal block allocation case here
summoned Singh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary P.C. Parakh, terming the case a "criminal
conspiracy" with the objective to "do an illegal act".
Senior party leader and former minister in the UPA-II government, Anand Sharma said that nobody could question the transparency and honesty of Singh and the truth shall prevail.
"The Congress party is with Manmohan Singh ji and the party
is not going to bow to any situation... We have full faith that in
this case too the truth will prevail," Sharma said.
Another party leader and former defense minister, A.K.
Antony, who was part of the march, said they were sure that
Singh will come out clean.
A special court has summoned former PM
Manmohan Singh, industrialist KM Birla and
former coal secretary P.C. Parakh in a
coal block allocation case.
On the role of Birla in the case, the court said he, being
the chairman of a leading industrial house of the country,
played an "active role by tapping his bureaucratic and
political channels" along with Bhattacharya and Amitabh
in order to secure allocation of Talabira-II.
Mauritius nurtured Hindi

with love, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his

Mauritian counterpart Sir Anerood Jugnauth
during a meeting.
Port Louis: Prime

Minister Narendra Modi
said Mauritius has over
the years nurtured the
Hindi language with great
love and care as he officially launched the construction of the World
Hindi Secretariat building
in Port Louis on March
12.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said the launch
of construction of the
building would make
Hindi lovers very happy
across the world.
He said the Hindi language "has got a lot of
love, care and nourishment in Mauritius",
adding that it would probably be more than the care
the language has received
in some places in India.
The Hindi literature in

Mauritius is "written by
the sweat" of the Indian
indentured labourers, he
said.
He also commented on
the use of Hindi words in
many languages, and
noted that the word 'juggernaut' in the English
dictionary is drawn from
the word Jagannath, as in
Lord Jagannath whose
wooden chariot is pulled
by devotees during the
rath yatra in Odisha.
Mauritian
Prime
Minister
Anerood
Jugnauth was seated on
the dais.
Modi said the launch of
the building construction
is a special moment and
also greeted Mauritius on
its National Day.
OP-ED
March 14-20, 2015
13
Kashmir challenge: Modi could write history or blot it

By Saeed Naqvi
principal reason for Narendra
Modi being swept to power in
May was disgust with Sonia
Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan
Singh - indecisive, short on ideas, bereft of
charisma and supervising a government of
scams. In a house of 543, the Congress had
209 seats. The shortfall of 63 was made up
of coalition partners.
Manmohan Singh was a fine finance
minister but, as prime minister, had a problem of being deferential to the Gandhis to
the point of being obsequious. He looked
more ineffective than he was. This collective anti-incumbency was harvested by
Modi.
Big business along with their multinational linkages mounted a media campaign
larger than any in electoral history; by
some estimates even bigger than the
Obama campaign. This campaign too
found the adage apt: with opponents like
the Congress, who needs friends? For the
first time in decades, a single party government came to power. Without any alteration that same defunct Congress is being
sought to be resurrected.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is
committed to Hindu nationalism. This
does strike a chord with a majority of
Hindus. But the storm troopers who helped
bring BJP to power were from ultra
Hindutva groups like the RSS and the
VHP. These extremist groups read the
mandate which brought Modi to power
according to their exclusive lights. They
went on a rampage demanding ghar
wapsi or reconversion of Muslims and
Christians to Hinduism. Hindu women
must produce five children to boost popu-
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed

has assured that no separatist would be henceforth released
without taking the BJP into confidence.
lation; they must resist an inexplicable

quantity called Love Jehad. They went
to absurd lengths crediting ancient India
with every conceivable scientific invention. Elephant God Ganesha was a result
of plastic surgery. They provoked communal riots; barged into parties admonishing
youngsters against dancing and drinking
beer. Modi waited and watched from an
ambiguous distance.
By their excesses, they ended up embarrassing the majority of Hindus along with
other Indians. This when that very helpful
tailwind, the anti incumbency against
Sonia, Rahul and Manmohan Singh had

disappeared. The international talent
Corporate India had mobilized for one full
year buying up every square inch of media
space to build up Modi as the development
messiah, was no longer available. And,
above all, prices of food had risen sky
high.
Came a series of by elections in UP,
Bihar, Jharkhand. The Modi magic
appeared not to be working. Then came
the elections to the Delhi State Assembly.
On a platform against corruption and for
social justice the Aam Admi Party
trounced the BJP. Of the 70 seats, AAP

won 67, making Arvind Kejriwal the
David to Modis Goliath.
After this experience last month, there
was general nervousness among big industry and their multinational partners: what
kind of budget will Modi and his bright
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley produce?
They have produced a market friendly
budget focused on massive infrastructure
projects, putting out allurements to invite
Foreign Direct Investment. After the electoral debacle in Delhi, the fear was that the
government would fall back on populism,
increasing public spending to enhance the
social security net. But Modi surprised
everybody. The Corporates were overjoyed.
The riveting development the one that
will define Modis innings, has been the
power sharing government in Kashmir.
This has opened up the possibility of
improved relations with Pakistan which in
turn will bring down the communal temperature, an enabling precondition for
accelerated economic growth.
The chief minister of Jammu and
Kashmir is the most astute leader of the
Peoples Democratic Party, Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed. He has vast experience of Delhi too where he has served as
the union home minister. He is familiar
with all the caverns of intrigue on the
Delhi, Srinagar, Islamabad axis.
That the BJP and the PDP have joined
hands in Kashmir against the backdrop is
laden with possibilities. Summer is round
the corner. A bumper season to boost
tourism in the most magnificent parts of
the state right upto the Gurez valley is possible in conditions of peace. It will open
up hearts and minds.
Vinod Mehta -- an editor people loved to hate

By Shudip Talukdar
inod Mehta ventured into
areas where lesser mortals
might have feared to tread
-- either for fear of taking on the
establishment or simply because it
went against the normal credo.
He staked his reputation by
declaring Narendra Modi as the
next prime minister, despite being
highly critical of the man. At that
time, every journalist worth his
salt argued passionately that it
would never happen, given the
countrys complexity, size and
identity politics.
One of the most acerbic and
irreverent of mainstream scribes,
he never minced words about
politicians or fellow journalists or
even spared himself.
"I am a very verbose kind of person," he had once told an interviewer, with an unflattering candor. The self-depreciating Mehta
also said that some people have
even labeled him a "Congress
chamcha". He also had a dog
named Editor.
Mehta shared a love-hate rela-
Obituary
tionship with news channels, dubbing half of their content as a joke.
"I speak rubbish on TV debates,"
he quipped, "yet I'm called again,"
he told a popular daily.
Controversial as he might have
been, Mehta never compromised
with his values, no matter what
happened. During his stewardship
of Outlook weekly magazine, he
went ahead with his shocking revelations on the Radia tapes in the
telecom scam.
In spite of knowing that the
expose would damage the credibility of individuals and organizations, besides antagonizing large
sections of his fraternity, he stood
his ground, unaffected by pressures or the barrage of criticism.
He believed that those who had
an ethical and social responsibility
towards society should not be
compromising their values for the
sake of self aggrandizement. But
then the aftermath hit his empire
like a tsunami.
A reputed corporate entity black-
Controversial as he might have been, Vinod Mehta never

compromised with his values, no matter what happened.
listed the magazine. Prominent

journalists boycotted Mehta. A
news channel banned him from its
programs, though it must be said
that he had published their version.
Two years after the disclosure of
Radia tapes, Mehta found himself
reassigned to a ceremonial role, as
the editorial chairman, after helm-
ing the group for 17 years.

Controversy continued to dog
Mehtas footsteps, often described
as brutally honest and frank.
Indian Express slapped him with
a Rs.100 crore defamation suit,
after he hinted darkly in an interview with Open magazine, that the
story on the movement of the two
army columns and the alleged
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
coup attempt was planted.

The government of the day
refuted the news, coming in the
wake of tensions generated by
then Army chief Gen. V.K. Singhs
date of birth.
An unfazed Mehta coolly told
the Mumbai Mirror: What's the
fuss, he (Shekhar Gupta) is perfectly entitled to sue me if he
wishes to.
Although Mehta went through a
very tumultuous phase between
2010 and 2012, towards the fag
end of his career, they formed a
small part of his illustrious career.
He had penned a succession of
books over the years, beginning
with Bombay: A Private View"
(1971), followed by "Meena
Kumari" (1972), "Mr Editor, How
Close Are You to The PM" (1999),
"Lucknow Boy: A Memoir"
(2010), "The Sanjay Story" (2012)
and "Editor Unplugged: Media,
Magnates, Netas and Me" (2014).
"Editor Unplugged", a sequel to
the "Lucknow Boy", has been
described as an honest, lively and
irreverent book, both illuminating and entertaining.
14
March 14-20, 2015
OP-ED
World's most powerful women:

Memoirs of 3 US secretaries of state
By Vikas Datta
f the US president is the
world's most powerful leader,
his secretary of state is a close
second though maybe not as wellknown. Of the 68 secretaries
since 1790, six, right from the
very first (Thomas Jefferson),
went on to become presidents
themselves. Only three have been
women, but they happened to be
in office at critical and challenging times, held their own in highlevel diplomacy and have penned
absorbing accounts of their
experiences.
]It may have taken the US more
than 200 years to have a woman
as its chief diplomat, but then
three held the post after 1996
(one more Susan Rice - was in
contention in 2013 but withdrew).
The memoirs of the three
women add considerable insight
on responses to a wide array of
key challenges faced by not only

USA but also the world at large in
recent years - of ethnic cleansing
and genocide , Islamist terrorism,
the rise of China - while giving an
invaluable but sobering account
of how some conflicts (Middle
East) defy even the best efforts of
superpowers to resolve.
Madeleine K. Albright (1937-)
was earlier appointed by
President Bill Clinton as envoy to
the UN in 1993 - a time when its
credibility declined as it withdrew
posthaste from a chaotic Somalia,
failed to stop massacres in an
unraveling Yugoslavia and
seemed unable to gauge the scale
of killings in Rwanda. In "Madam
Secretary: A Memoir" (2003), she
does not shy away from discussing these matters and taking
responsibility but also bringing
out the limitations - and the disunity - of great powers and others
on the UNSC in responding to
these events.
As secretary of state (19972001), Albright describes her
determination not to let Kosovo
become another Bosnia and the
vigorous diplomacy needed to
this end, of her frustration in
nudging the Israelis and the
Palestinians towards talks, of
attending the UN conference on
women in Beijing, of experiencing the surrealistic atmosphere of
North Korea, and the US' first
experience of Al Qaeda through
the 1998 bombing of embassies in
Kenya and Tanzania.
Condoleezza Rice (1954-), who
held the post 2005-09 in George
W. Bush's second term, was his
national security advisor (also
being the first woman in this
post) 2001-05 when 9/11 and the
second Iraq war took place. In
"No Higher Honor: A Memoir of
My Years in Washington" (2011),
she begins with the turbulent days
in September 2001 and of fashioning the response against Al

Qaeda and Taliban. While
acknowledging the intelligence
about WMDs in Saddam
Hussains Iraq proved wrong, she
remains steadfast that the US
intervention for regime change
was justified.
Rice also deals with the issues
where progress faces frequent
reversals or roadblocks - the
Middle East, the Korean peninsula and so on -- as well as other
high-level diplomacy which saw
her log 1.06 million air miles in
visits to 83 countries (a record
beaten by her successor, with 112
countries though only 956,733 air
miles).
A former first lady, a two-term
US senator and one who came
close to winning her party's nomination for president in 2008,
Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-)
had no lack of experience for the
post, where the initial priorities
were repairing fractured alliances
and ending two wars. And soon
there was the Arab Spring while
unresolved conflicts continued to

fester. In "Hard Choices" (2014),
Clinton (secretary of state 200913) focuses on responses to these
and other challenges as well as
her fresh initiatives - championing "smart power" diplomacy,
use of social media and reaching
out to common people and civil
society in countries she visited.
Of key interest is the account of
the May 2011 raid to settle scores
with Osama bin Laden, military
intervention in Libya, dealing
with Pakistan, and facilitating an
end to Myanmar's diplomatic isolation (and meeting Aung San
Suu Kyi).
Indian readers might not be
pleased at the country's lack of
detailed mention except in Rice's
account, but the authors hold they
were forced to leave out several
issues to keep their books to manageable levels - though they still
range between 600 and 800
pages! But for anyone interested
in understanding the responsibilities and limitations of US power,
they are essential reading.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of

The South Asian Times.
Rahul Gandhi likely to return

around March 20
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi appears to
have extended his "leave of
absence" with party functionaries
saying that he was likely to return
near the end of first half of budget session that concludes March
20.A party leader, who did not
want to be named, said Gandhi
may not attend the first half of
budget session due to his leave,
adding: "He is likely to return
around March 20."
Congress
spokesperson
Randeep Surjewala had said at
the start of budget session Feb 23
that "Gandhi has gone on two
weeks" leave, leading to speculation that he will return around
March 10.
A party functionary said that
some appointments of party
chiefs in states could be made in

the next few days and Gandhi
will return after that.
The party had said that Gandhi
had requested for "some time to
reflect on recent events and the
future course for the party".
Since the party's drubbing in
the Lok Sabha elections last year
and its defeat in subsequent
assembly polls, Gandhi has held
wide interactions with party leaders.
There is speculation in the party
that Gandhi could be made the
party chief during the AICC session likely to be held in the middle of April.
Congress sources said that
direction that the party adopts at
the upcoming session will be of
crucial significance to the party.
CONTROVERSY
March 14-20, 2015
15
South Asian womens groups in the US

criticize Indias Daughter and its ban
All informed critique lost in cacophony raised by supporters and detractors, says Manavi.
By Jinal Shah
rape documentary banned
from airing in India
received its US premiere at
a star-studded event that included
film stars Meryl Streep and Freida
Pinto.
The screening of Indias
Daughter at Baruch College in
NYC on Monday was attended by a
packed audience of 650 people.
Oscar-winner Ms. Streep lit a dozen
candles honoring the Indian student
who died after being gang-raped on
a Delhi bus in 2012.
Tonight we light these candles to
honor the value and the work of the
(victim)s short, promising life,
Ms. Streep said. She was Indias
daughter. Tonight shes our daughter too.
Ultimately, this is a film that
needs to go out, said Ms. Pinto,
the Indian actor known for her role
in Slumdog Millionaire. This is
not a shame-India documentary.
The films US premiere followed
a week of controversy in India.
Indias Daughter is a BBC documentary based on the 23-year-old
physiotherapy student who was
gang-raped and beaten so savagely
in December 2012 that she died
later. The documentary by Leslee
Udwin, herself a rape victim, was
scheduled to be broadcast on the
Indian news channel NDTV on
March 8, International Womens
Day, but was stopped by a court
order. Authorities claimed the documentary might make it difficult to
maintain public law and order. The
minister of parliamentary affairs,
Venkaiah Naidu, condemned it as
an international conspiracy to
defame India.
The ban prompted NDTV to
mount a protest black out of all programming for an hour on Sunday.
To beat the restraining order, a
BBC channel last week aired the
film in Britain ahead of its worldwide premiere in New York. The
In the documentary, Mukesh

Singh, one of the rapists
given death sentence in the
case, blames the rape victims for the assaults.
Also known as Nirbhaya and Damini, the brutal rape victim Jyoti
Singh Pandey and (left) when she was struggling for life
in hospital. Her story inspired the film Indias Daughter.
film was made available for viewing on YouTube before government

forced to take it down in India.
Since then the discussion around
India's Daughter has primarily
focused on the ban.
South Asian womens rights
organizations in the US working on
issues ranging from sexual assault
and marital rape to womens
empowerment join the growing
number of feminists in India in criticizing the inadequacies of the film
itself, but recognize that banning
was not a good idea.
Sakhi for South Asian Women on
Wednesday posted online that the
conversation has effectively shifted
away from the contents of Udwin's
film with voices falling into two
camps divided on the issue of free
speech. And that missing from
India's Daughter is a contextualization of violence against women
in India, an understanding of violence as structural, and the voices
and decades-long efforts of grassroots activists in India. The resulting documentary makes reductive
conclusions, harmful because they
are the foundation of a globallyfunded campaign.
In a statement issued to The
SATimes, Manavi, another
womens rights group, echoed
Sakhi stating, All informed critique of the film has become lost in
the opposing cacophony raised by
its supporters and detractors. At the
same time, Indian Governments
repressive decision to ban the film
has many serious critics of the film
come out to support its right to be
screened.
Drawing parallels to Ross
Kaufman and Zana Briskis 2004
documentary, Born into Brothels,
womens rights activists at Manavi
opined that Indias Daughter is both
reductionist (the practice of simplifying a complex idea especially to
the point of minimizing, obscuring,
or distorting it), and individualistic,

overshadowing the work by
activists on ground to end violence
against girls and women.
In 1972, Mathura, a young Dalit
girl was raped by two police officers. Seven years and multiple
courts later, the police officers were
acquitted by the Supreme Court. In
response to this injustice, protesters
took to the streets, women mobilized, created women's rights
groups that still exist today, and the
consent clause in India's rape law
was amended. This case is considered a turning point for the
women's movement in India.
Leslee Udwin, however, frames the
demonstrations in the aftermath of
the Jyoti Singh case as the first of
their kind -- something spontaneous, as though void of history,
stated Sakhi.
Sakhi critiqued that Udwins documentary is deliberate in its characterization of Indian men as
exceptionally brutish. The films
narrow focus made it appear that
Indias rape epidemic and abhorrent
misogyny only exist among the
poorest and uneducated strata of
society whereas violent acts cross
lines of class, intention, education,
power and privilege. For a documentary meant to be a platform for
a campaign to eliminate violence
against women, it must acknowledge that violence is a product of
and perpetuated by intersecting systems of power, such as consumerism, globalization, and privilege, it stated.
Also missing from the documentary is the violence against women
at the hands of relatives and friends
and often within the protected
confines of home. According to
National Crime Records Bureau of
India, of the 38,144 rape cases
pending investigation in 2012, only
1.8 percent were committed by
people unknown to the victims
Oscar winning actress Meryl Streep and 'India's Daughter'

producer Leslee Udwin with others at the premiere of the
BBC documentary in New York.
'India's Daughter' documentary producer Leslee Udwin flanked

by actors Freida Pinto and Farhan Akhtar.
attesting to the fact that the overwhelming majority of sexual

assaults on women and girls are
perpetrated by men they know and
trust victims acquaintances and
relatives. These numbers make up
only the tip of the iceberg of sexual
abuse. Sakhi goes on to explain
why they oppose the film: We take
issue with India's Daughter not
because it sheds light on the pervasiveness of violence against women
in India, but because its fundamentally flawed understanding of the
issue is the basis for a globallyfunded campaign. Further, viewers
are manipulated into seeing Indian
culture as inferior, Indian people as
in need of global saviors. As for
laypeople, they oppose banning the
film. Priya Sahani Sood, an insurance agent, had mixed reactions
after watching India's Daughter.

The positive message is that education and changing of a mindset is
integral to stopping the rape epidemic in India. One may feel that
the filmmaker was showing the
rapists point of view and possibly
giving a justification, but it can be
viewed in many ways. It is through
films like this that Indians will
become aware of the issue.
Therefore it is important not to 'ban'
educational media. Whether the
way things are portrayed in the film
is correct is another conversation,
but however the sentiment is
important.
Indu Jaiswal, a community
leader, concurs. This documentary
should not be banned. It is the way
of thinking that must be changed
towards respecting women.
16
FESTIVAL
March 14-20, 2015
New Delhi/Mathura: Colors ruled the

streets March 6 as people of all ages celebrated Holi across the country and joined
the revelry applying 'gulal' on each other,
gorging on sweets and singing and dancing to songs and drum beats.
Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime
Minister Narendra Modi greeted people
on the eve of Holi, saying the festival
symbolizes the unity in diversity of the
country.
The Prime Minister took to Twitter to
greet people : Holi ki subhkamnayen!
Happy Holi to everyone. May this festival
of colors fill your lives with lots of joy.
Holi was celebrated with lots of fun and
fervor in the Shri Krishna temples of Braj
mandal. Over a lakh pilgrims visited
Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan and
Dwarkadheesh temple in Mathura. Colors
were in the air in Gokul and Goverdhan
too.
In Mathura, 'bhang' and 'thandai' were in
great demand.
On the full moon night Holi bonfires are
lit all over Braj mandal and the celebrations begin early the next day.
In Delhi, the festival was celebrated
with traditional zeal and zest as people
smeared 'gulal', splashed color balloons
on each other and exchanged sweets as a
mark of bonhomie.
As arterial roads wore a deserted look,
public places, housing colonies and special venues witnessed a riot of color with
both young and old taking part in the revelry.
People also visited friends and relatives,
gifted 'gujia', besides smearing gulal on
each other's faces.
Several five-star hotels, clubs and
restaurants in the city also lured patrons
as they organised rain dance parties and
with Holi snacks and buffets, attracting
big crowds.
Children enjoyed the day most as they
sprayed colored water using water guns
and hurled water-filled balloons on people
from their rooftops.
Delhi Police made elaborate arrangements to ensure a safe and joyous Holi.
Police personnel were deployed across the
city. Police had issued warning against
hooliganism in the guise of revelry and
drunken driving.
Ahmedababd : No, no, it is not Tomatino festival in Spain,

but Holi in Ahmedabad where some people play with tomato pulp.
Nandgaon: A child throws colors on visiting
pilgrims at Nandgaon temple on Holi day.
New Delhi : Union

Home Minister
Rajnath Singh
celebrated Holi in
New Delhi
March 6.
Jaipur : Maharaj Narendra Singh of
Jaipur smearing gulal on Princess
Diya Kumari at the City Palace
during Holi celebrations.
Lahore: A group of
Pakistani Hindus
celebrated the
festival in Lahore
on March 5.
Ahmedabad: A teacher distributed colored powder among children

celebrating Holi at a school in Ahmedabad on March 5.
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu

celebrates Holi in Hyderabad, on March 6.
FESTIVAL
March 14-20, 2015
17
Extended Holi fun in USA till May

New York: Unlike in India, Holi
celebrations in the US cities and
college campuses will continue
through the spring, drawing thousands of Indians and increasingly
others too. The traditional playing
with colors has been retained here,
but the Indian community has also
added its unique event combing
music, dancing, and parades, often
with stars and celebs.
Besides the several events on the
East Coast, the West Coast also has
many events lined up. A couple of
thousand people are expected to
attend the Holi festival March 14
in Milpitas, Santa Clara County,
CA, organized by the Rajasthan
Association of North America. FIA
is holding a Holi Hungama
The biggest Holi event in America is actually attended mostly
March 15 in LA.
by non-Indians at Spanish Fork in Utah. This year it is schedSome students enjoying after playing Holi at Yale University.
uled for March 28-29 with kirtan, yoga and of course, colors.
The largest Holi festival in this
part of the world attracts about
50,000 people is of course held in Spanish draws mostly non-Indians. Indian students including the University of California at University, Georgia Southern University in
Fork, Utah. Organized by the Sri Radha associations at college campuses in many Santa Cruz, Indiana University-Purdue Statesboro, Georgia, and the University of
Krishna Temple, this Festival of Colors cities also celebrate Holi with much gusto, University of Indianapolis, Texas A&M Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.
Page3Parties Holi, Some pictures from the event held at Dorrian's

in Jersey City on March 7 with music and DJ.
New Jersey
Holi In The City,

New York
An estimated 2000 people attended this celebration on March

7 at Stage 48, NYC. The Encore Edition will be on April 4.
18
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
March 14-20, 2015
Aamir, Amitabh
to launch 'Broken
Horses' trailer
egastar Amitabh Bachchan
and superstar Aamir Khan
will share the stage to
launch the much anticipated trailer of
Vidhu Vinod Chopra's maiden
Hollywood
v e n t u r e
B r o k e n
Horses.
It is the first
Hollywood
film that has
been written,
directed and
produced by an
Indian. The
trailer will be
released on
Tuesday.
"I am grateful
to
Amitabh
Filmmaker Vidhu Bachchan and
Vinod Chopra
Aamir Khan
who
have
agreed to launch the trailer of my first
Hollywood film Broken Horses. It
is a very special film for me and special people launching the trailer will
make the moment even more memorable, Chopra said in a statement.
Set in the shadows of US-Mexico
border gang wars, Broken Horses
is an epic thriller about bonds of
brotherhood, laws of loyalty and
futility of violence. Distributed and
marketed by Fox Star Studios in
India, Broken Horses will hit the
theatres on April 10.
e
b
d
l
u
o
h
Nothing s
n
o
a
k
h
s
u
n
A
:
d
e
n
ban
'
r
e
t
h
g
u
a
D
s
'
a
i
d
'In
ndias decision to ban the telecast of
Leslee Udwins documentary on the
2012 Delhi gang rape has met with a
varied response in the country. Actress and
producer Anushka Sharma too believes that
the concept of a ban of any kind must be
scrapped as people are mature enough to
take their own call.
I have not seen the documentary and I
can't comment on various things that people are talking about. But I can tell you
broadly as someone who represents the
film industry, you should leave to the public discretion, Anushka, who was in the
capital for the promotion of her forthcoming film NH10, told reporters in New
Delhi.
People are intelligent enough to make
that decision for themselves. We are old
enough to deal with those emotions. By
telling that people are not ready to see this,
I think they are judging their evolution.
There is a feeling that they can't watch it. I
believe that 'let people decide for themselves', she added.
Directed by Navdeep Singh, "NH10" is a
thriller, co-produced by Phantom Films
and Eros International. This is Anushka's
debut production
venture and it also
stars
Neil
Bhoopalam.
It would be nice
to just have a rating
system for a film,
and not cutting
things out. It should
be left to every individual to decide
whether they want to
see a film or not.
They always have
options to walk out of
exit doors if they
dont like the film,
she said.
Restrictions hamper
creativity, said the
actress, who has delivAnushka Sharma during the promotion
ered impressive perof her film 'NH10.'
formances in films like
"Band Baaja Baaraat"
and "PK". Her film "NH10" has been given whose road trip goes awry after an
an 'A' certificate, making it suitable for an encounter with a group of violent crimiadults only audience. It is based on a young nals. Darshan Kumar of Mary Kom will
couple, played by Anushka and Neil, be seen in a negative role.
isitBritain, the country's national

tourism agency, has announced actor
Saif Ali Khan as the spokesperson for
the 'Bollywood Britain' tourism campaign in
India. He says he shares a deep connect with
the country.
With over 50 Hindi movies filmed in Britain,
mostly themed around romance, the destination
provides a perfect setting for couples to celebrate
love and romance whilst on holiday, and this is
the focus of the 'Bollywood Britain' campaign.
Aimed at honeymooners and couples seeking
a romantic getaway, the campaign highlights
different movie locations featured in some of
the most popular Bollywood blockbusters,
starring actors such as Saif in films like
"Cocktail" and "Love Aaj Kal".
"My family and I have a deep connection
with Britain that spans everything from cricket to culture and education. A number of family holidays across Britain, watching my father
and grandfather play cricket at famous cricketing grounds like the Lords, and of course
studying there, has created a bond for me with the place that
is unlike my relationship with any other country.
"I think there is so much that Britain has to offer a visitor from breathtaking countryside, to shared history; the finest in
culture thats so interwoven with our own in many ways, food
to thrill any gourmet, theatre, museums, music, festivals and
more. This is why Bollywood has so favoured Britain as a destination and the itinerary that takes visitors on a route of
Bollywoods location favorites is sure to delight, Saif said in
a statement.
Richa
heading
to New
York for
research
work
Saif to
promote
'Bollywood
Britain'
in India
Richa Chadda seen

with Bomen Irani
New York soon

be traveling to
ill
w
a
dh
aving done
ha
C
ctress Richa
m Cabaret. H
fil
g
in
m
co
up
r
r he
a huge fan of
to do research fo
umbai, Richa is
M
to
g
in
ov
m
re
ay. She will
theater here befo
ter and Broadw
ea
th
of
re
ltu
cu
ts of being a
thriving
the many elemen
g
New York for its
in
nd
ta
rs
de
un
there
ge audience.
spend two weeks
g in front of a hu
in
m
or
rf
m-leisure trip.
pe
er
live danc
pril for work-cu
A
in
ying
rk
Yo
ew
N
will be seen essa
I am going to
l, Richa, who
el
in the
w
er
es
nc
go
da
t
ch
re
ar
sional caba
es
of
Hoping the rese
pr
a
of
le
ro
ooting in May.
and sensual
ha will begin sh
ic
R
the glamorous
t.
en
em
at
st
said in a
upcoming film,
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
March 14-20, 2015
19
Shot in Rajasthan film opens at No 3 in US

By Prakash Bhandari
Hollywood comedy which was shot
entirely in Jaipur and Udaipur has
done good business after its release
in US and UK. The Second Best Exotic
Marigold Hotel is a sequel to The Best
Exotic Marigold Hotel that too was shot
there. This film produced by Fox
Searchlight and directed by John Madden
stars Dev Patel, Tina Desai, Judi Dench,
Liliette Dubey. It introduces Richard Gere
as a US visitor who may or may not be a
hotel inspector who can help the Dev Patel
character get approval from investors to
open a second hotel in town..
The film is about British retirees who
travel to India to live in what they believe is
a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than
advertised, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless
slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways.
The sequel has received mixed to positive
reviews from critics. The review aggrega-
Dev Patel, Richard Gere and others in the Bollywood dance sequence in the film
tor Rotten Tomatoes reported a 64%

approval rating, based on 125 reviews, with
an average rating of 6/10. Not that the original was a great piece of cinemait, too,
was hokey and safe, but at least it had the

benefit of novelty on its side when its seven
British pensioners traveled to what they
thought was a glamorous and luxurious
resort in Udaipur, to enjoy their retirement

years. The original Best Exotic Marigold
Hotel made nearly $137 million worldwide
and was considered a sleeper hit. The
sequel opened strong at No 3 at the US box
office with an $8.6 million in its first weekend of release. India-themed films rarely
climb this high on the US box office charts.
Even "Life of Pi", "The Hundred Foot
Journey", and "Million Dollar Arm" never
made it to the top three during their runs
despite playing in more theatres than
Marigold. Overall, Marigold sequel has
already grossed $29.6 million against a
budget of $10 million.
Udaipur is increasingly getting big international exposure through the Hollywood
movies shot here, among them Million
Dollar Arm. Octopussy, the James Bond
film, first brought the lake city into attention. The Second Best Exotic Marigold
Hotel was largely shot at Ravla Khempur,
55 km from the city.
'US filmmakers look at Bollywood

Will 'Detective Byomkesh
with amused curiosity'
Bakshy!' become franchise?
irector Dibakar Banerjee, who is gearing up for
the release of "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" -the big screen adaptation of a fictional book
character, says he's ready to make it a franchise if it gels
with the audience.
"We would love to (make it a franchise), but we are
waiting for the first film to do well. This is because -fortunately or unfortunately -- a film like this has not yet
been made," Dibakar said.
"If the audiences' hunger and thirst for such films
increases and our first Byomkesh story catches on, then
our franchise is ready and we would love this franchise
to go forward," he added.
He further admits that films based on spying were
made in 1950s, but "with 'Detective Byomkesh
Bakshy!', the attempt is to bring newness to this genre".
"Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" is based on fictional
detective Byomkesh Bakshy created by the Bengali
ctor Abhay Deol, who is

stepping into Hollywood
with his international film
The Lovers, says American filmmakers slot Bollywood as a
"genre", marked by colors, music,
pretty women and well built men.
Filmmakers in the US see
Bollywood with an amused curiosity. For them, musicals traditionally
are rare in Hollywood, so that automatically puts all of Bollywood
into one genre. "The word brings
up images of bright colors, music,
beautiful women and muscular
men. Funnily enough most of them
haven't seen any Bollywood film
but the name is something they are
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput and filmmaker

Dibakar Banerjee at the trailer launch of
'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' in Mumbai.
writer Saradindu Bandyopadhyay.

Featuring actor Sushant Singh Rajput in the title role,
the movie is slated to release on April 3.
aware of, Abhay said.

Directed by Roland Joffe, The
Lovers" also features Alice Englert,
Josh Hartnett, Bipasha Basu and
Tamsin Egerton. It was earlier
titled "Singularity".
'Hey Bro': Written for Ganesh's self-satisfaction

hink David Dhawan's
"Judwaa". Think Milan
Luthria's
"Kachche
Dhaage". Think "Main Khiladi
Tu Anari". Wish in this aborted
comedy, rudely ripped off from
the above sources, somebody had
given some thought to creating
humour out of a plot that seems
to have been written only to
accommodate choreographer
Ganesh Acharya's ample frame.
What do you do with a size
extra-large choreographer who
wants to play the lead? Simple!
You write a comedy about a fat
man and juxtapose his avoirdupois against an extra-fit man,
preferably a close kin.
So brothers, they are. Twins so
unlike each other the laughter
should flow automatically.
Or so the troubled brains
REVIEW
Choreographer and actor Ganesh Acharya during the

promotion of film Hey Bro in Mumbai.
behind this dimwitted comedy

must have thought. If the truth
about laughter be told, it flows

effortlessly only when the
humour is integral to the plot and

the actors believe in the material
they are given.
The role must come first. The
laughter would follow.
"Hey Bro" takes the opposite
route and expectantly loses its
way to reach a dead-end. It tries
to generate laughter out of a plot
written for the choreographer's
self-satisfaction.
The plot about non-identical
twins hinges on two unlikely
brothers thrown together for a
series of adventures. It would
have worked if the two unlikely
siblings possessed the charm and
screen presence of Akshay
Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in
"Main Khiladi Tu Anari".

Given the woeful lack of genuine intelligence and basic common sense, the entire farcical edifice crumbles to the ground.
Not one performance in this
work of ouch-art is anything but
cringe-worthy. The direction is
strictly about placing the camera
at an angle where Fat Bro
(Ganesh) can be pitched against
Thin Bro (Maninder) in a way so
that they look like they're posing
for an ad propagating a crash-diet
plan.
Alas, the plan crashes with
every passing moment. With each
episode you get the sinking feeling that the actors are going to
embarrass themselves even more.
And they don't disappoint.
Choreographers are better left
behind the camera.
20 March 14-20, 2015
DIASPORA
Bengaluru woman techie stabbed Indian superhero, gangster

drama by Dev Patel in offing
to death in Sydney park
Sydney: Police on probing the
attack and murder of an Indian IT
consultant who was returning from
work to her home in Sydneys
Westmead suburb Saturday night
9.30 pm.
On Monday the police released
CCTV footage of Prabha Arun
Kumar, 41 year old employee of
Bengaluru based tech firm Mind
Tree minutes before she was
stabbed to death in a park, just
meters away from her home.
The footage show Prabha, on
phone on a well-lit concourse near
Parramatta railway station before
she took a shortcut through a nearby dimly-lit park where she was
attacked and killed, The Sydney
Morning Herald reported, adding
that police could not find anyone
following her or acting suspicious-
Prabha was on
way home from
work, police
probing past
sexual assault
cases in the area
Prabha Arun Kumar, 41 was

speaking to her husband
when she was attacked
ly nearby. "We are at a loss at this

point in time," Detective
Superintendent Michael Willing
was quoted as saying. He, however,
added that there was no reason to
suggest it was a race-related attack.

Chillingly, the husband heard her
tell him that a suspicious-looking
man was following her before she
started pleading with her attacker
not to harm her. "I think I've been
stabbed", she told her husband as
she collapsed in a pool of blood.
The phone line then went dead. "It
was a terrible call to receive,"
Willing said. Prabha has a nineyear-old daughter.
he trailing into
New Delhi: After
with the projects?
garnering kudos
for his acting
"I will be producing and acting in
prowess, British
the
projects,"
actor of Indian
added the 24-yeardescent Dev Patel
old actor, who catais ready to take the
next step in the
pulted to global
recognition with
world of filmmakthe Oscar winning
ing. He's working
" S l u m d o g
on his own projects
Millionaire."
to narrate stories
After "Slumdog
revolving around
Millionaire", in
India and even has
plans to introduce
which he traced the
Dev Patel
life of a Mumbai
an Indian superhero to the world with his movie. slum dweller, Dev went on to do
"One of them is a gangster film projects like "The Best Exotic
based in Mumbai. Another one is Marigold Hotel" and "The Last
basically like kind of a super- Airbender." His latest release in
hero film with a very unlikely the US is "Chappie", a film
hero in it. The hero will be an about a robot that can feel and
think. The film will hit Indian
Indian," Dev says.
What aspect of filmmaking is screens on March 13.
Blood-stained glasses relate story of 'Jon

Sen', first Bengali to be killed in WW1
London-based expert Santanu Das unearths forgotten history
Kolkata: A pair of broken and
blood-stained glasses tucked away
inside a museum in West Bengal
serves as a poignant reminder to the
horrors of war and helped frame the
incredible story of Jogendra Nath
Sen, the only non-white who fought
in the 15th West Yorkshire
Regiment and the first known
Bengali to be killed in World War I.
Discovered by London-based
India-born Santanu Das, an expert
on India's involvement in the war,
the shattered pair of glasses and
other memorabilia form the narrative of a documentary by Shahid
Hussain, just featured in the Inside
Out segment on BBC One
(Yorkshire).
Sen,
who
hailed
from
Chandernagore (the former French
Colony in Bengal now christened
Chandannagar), arrived in England
in 1910 to study at Leeds University
in West Yorkshire. When the war
broke out, Sen was employed as an
assistant engineer at Leeds
Das found in the glasses at

French Institute in
Chandernagore
Corporation Electric Lighting

Station. In September 1914, he was
among the first to sign up for the
15th West Yorkshire Regiment, also
known as the Leeds Pals Battalion.
"It was in 2005 I discovered the
broken and blood-stained glasses of
Jogendra Sen in the French Institute
in Chandernagore," says Das.
"In the Chandernagore display
cabinet, the caption said that
Jogendra Sen was part of the West
Yorkshire Regiment, a citizen of
Chandernagore and the first Bengali
to be killed in the 1914-1918 war,
on May 22, 1916," Das, a reader in
English literature at London's

King's College, said. Private Sen
was killed in action near the Somme
in France, aged 28. His name is
etched on the university's war
memorial, said Das.
Around 70,000 Indian soldiers
lost their lives in the war. Some
150,000 Indian soldiers were
deployed in Europe from September
1914. Sen's story was unique
because he went to war as part of a
British and not an Indian battalion.
Despite being one of the most welleducated men in the battalion, his
attempts to join up as officer were
prevented. He was known as 'Jon
Sen' or 'John Sen' by his army pals
and was immensely respected by
them, Das informed. Sen is buried
in the Colincamps cemetery in
northern France. The documentary
'From Bombay to the Western
Front:Indians in the First World
War' will be launched in Britain on
Tuesday and will be available
online.
Indian community celebrates a heart-warming Holi in Caracas.

It was an international gathering with Indian food and drinks,
holi songs and playing with colors and water. Holi T-shirts
were specially made for the occasion. Venezuelans and even
guests from China enjoyed the festivities.
SUBCONTINENT
Pakistan has more nukes than

India: Infographic
Washington: Pakistan had about 120 atomic
weapons, 10 more than India, in its nuclear
arsenal last year, according to a new interactive infographic unveiled by the Bulletin of
the Atomic Scientists.
Designed by the Bulletin, founded in 1945
by University of Chicago scientists who had
helped develop the rst atomic weapons in the
Manhattan Project, the infographic tracks the
number and history of nuclear weapons in the
nine nuclear weapon states.
The Nuclear Notebook Interactive
Infographic provides a visual representation
of the Bulletin's famed Nuclear Notebook,
which since 1987 has tracked the number and
type of the world's nuclear arsenals.
Having reached a peak of over 65,000 in the
late 1980s, the number of nuclear warheads
has dropped signicantly to a little over
10,000, but more countries now possess them,
it shows. According to the infographic, the
United States and Russia both have about
5,000 weapons each.
France has 300, China 250, the United
Kingdom 225 and Israel 80. North Korea has
only conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009
and 2013.
"I don't think people truly understand just
how many of these weapons there are in the
world," said Rachel Bronson, executive director of the Bulletin.
"The Interactive is a way to see, immediately, who has nuclear weapons and when they
got them, and how those numbers relate to
Pakistan had about 120 atomic

weapons, 10 more than India.
each other. It is a startling experience, looking

at those comparisons."
The authors of the Nuclear Notebook are
Hans M. Kristensen and Robert S. Norris,
both with the Federation of American
Scientists.
In the most recent edition of the Nuclear
Notebook, the authors discuss the Notebook's
28 year history and describe how sometimes
host countries learned of foreign nuclear
weapons on their soil from the Nuclear
Notebook.
Over 28 years of weapons analysis, the
Nuclear Notebook column has revealed surprise nuclear activity and spot-on arsenal estimates while becoming a daily resource for
scholars, activists and journalists. "We wanted
a way to communicate those numbers visually, because the world we live may be datadriven, it's also visual," said John Mecklin,
editor of the Bulletin.
"The new infographic makes this vital information even more accessible."
March 14-20, 2015
Modi will certainly visit Pak

next year: Sartaj Aziz
Islamabad: Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi will "certainly visit" Pakistan next
year, the country's top foreign affairs adviser
Sartaj Aziz said.
Pakistan will host the summit of the South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) in 2016, of which India is a member along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka.
"We are fully hopeful that the Indian prime
minister will come to Pakistan for the
SAARC summit," Sartaj Aziz said in
Islamabad, according to Xinhua.
India last year suspended planned talks
with Pakistan in August after the Pakistani
ambassador met Kashmiri separatist leaders
in New Delhi.
India's Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar visited Pakistan last week as part of his trip to
the SAARC member states, and the visit has
raised hopes for the resumption of the ofcial bilateral talks. That was the rst high
level diplomatic contact between the two
countries in seven months.
Sartaj Aziz said that although the visit of
the Indian foreign secretary was in the reference of the SAARC countries, both sides
used the opportunity to discuss bilateral
issues.
Pakistan's foreign affairs adviser

Sartaj Aziz.
Pakistan's foreign secretary would visit

India for more talks if the Indian government
extends invitation, he told reporters after a
conference of the Muslim Think Tanks
Forum of Islamic Countries.
"Our foreign secretary would visit India
whenever they invite us," he said and
emphasised that there should be progress
and both sides should explore ways to make
progress on condence building measures
(CBMs).
Sartaj Aziz viewed the lack of trust
between Pakistan and India as a major issue
and said there would be progress on other
issues if trust is gradually restored.
Bangladesh, Myanmar have role to play in South Asia: US

Kolkata: While stressing India's key position, a US ofcial said Bangladesh with its
geographical advantages and a politically
opening Myanmar provided greater opportunities to enhance regional cooperation in
South Asia. Addressing a two-day seminar
on "Building Pan Asian Connectivity", US
Department of State Regional Affairs'
deputy director Neil Kromash also assured
his country's support in restoring democracy in Sri Lanka.
"Bangladesh sometimes is overlooked in
the discussions about regional connectivity.
Strategically situated at the intersection of
China, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the
Indian Ocean, Bangladesh enjoys advantageous geography that makes it an ideal hub
for connectivity," said Kromash.
Notwithstanding the political turmoil in
Bangladesh, Kromash said the US would
continue to engage with the country to
strengthen bilateral ties with regional economic cooperation being a high priority.
"Since its political transition got under-
US Department of State Regional

Affairs' deputy director Neil Kromash
(centre) with Helen LaFave, US Consul
General in Kolkata.
way in 2011, Myanmar has steadily been an

area of signicant opportunity," he said.
"So many challenges remain, but as the
undeniable conduit between South and
Southeast Asia, Myanmar and its improving economic climate has a big role to play
in the region's future capacity to ensure free
ow of goods and services across borders,"
said Kromash.
US to help Sri Lanka heal ethnic tensions

Kolkata: The US will help Sri Lanka's new
government to restore democracy and heal
"fragile ethnic tensions", a senior American
ofcial said.
Addressing a two-day seminar here, US
Department of State Regional Affairs' deputy
director Neil Kromash said: "Positive developments have taken place in Sri Lanka where
the January elections brought a new government, overthrowing a longstanding autocratic
regime.
"The US will do all it can to support the new

government in restoring democracy and heal
fragile ethnic tensions," he said.
Maithripala Sirisena became Sri Lanka's
new president in January after defeating
Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had been ruling the
island nation since 2005. The Rajapaksa
regime has been accused of killing thousands
of innocent Tamils during the end stages of
the ethnic conict that ended in 2009 when
the military crushed the Tamil Tigers.
21
Media Partner
22
INTERNATIONAL
March 14-20, 2015
Iran dismisses US senators'

warning on n-deal
Tehran: Iran has dismissed the warning by
US Republican senators that an agreement
on Iran's nuclear program not approved by
the US Congress would lapse, according to
media reports this week. "In our view, this
letter (by the US Republican senators) has
no legal value and is mostly a propaganda
ploy," said Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad-Javad Zarif, adding
that it seemed the signatories of
the letter did not understand
international law.
"The world is not the United
States. The conduct of interstate relations is governed by
international law, and not by
US domestic law," Zarif said.
Almost 50 Republican senators
warned Iran in a letter made public on Monday that an agreement on its nuclear program that
is not approved by the US
Congress could lapse as soon
as President Barack Obama
left the White House in less
than two years. "We will consider any

agreement regarding your nuclear weapons
program that is not approved by the
Congress as nothing more than an executive
agreement between President Obama and
Ayatollah Khamenei," said the senators in
the missive.
The Iranian foreign minister said that
change of administration did not, in any
way, relieve the next administration
from international obligations
undertaken by its predecessor
regarding a possible agreement
on Iran's "peaceful" nuclear
program.
Many members of the US
Congress are concerned, however, that the Obama administration will agree to a deal that
is not strict enough, or that
simply delays Iran's ability to
get a nuclear weapon.
BBC suspends anti-Indian jibes'

host for punching producer
New York: The
B r i t i s h
Broadcasting
Corporation,
which supported
a TV host who
made racist antiIndian jibes, has
now suspended
him over a fight
he had with a
producer. BBC
announced that
Jeremy Clarkson,
Jeremy Clarkson, host of the Top
the host of Top
Gear program.
Gear program,
was suspended following a drove around slums where
he took off his pants in pubfracas with a producer.
The terse statement said lic, claiming to show
no one else has been sus- Indians how to press pants
pended and that Top Gear, with a device that he said he
a show about motoring, will used to make chapatis.
The Indian program used
not be aired Sunday. BBC
gave no further details but railway carriages in a segthe Guardian reported that ment to display obscenities.
Clarkson threw a punch at A banner reading, Eat
a male producer during a English Muffins, was
strung across the carriages
filming last week.
Besides racist taunts in a such a way that when
against Indians, Clarkson's the carriages separated an
history includes using ugly obscenity showed up. The
The
United
terms for people of African other,
promotes
descent and for Southeast Kingdom
Asians. He also made BRITISH IT FOR YOUR
offensive jokes about COMPANY turned into a
Mexicans and Chinese jibe about excreta.
The Daily Mail reported
drowning-victims on BBC
broadcasts. All along, BBC that Indian diplomats had
had not taken any action agreed to making the program in India after its proagainst him for racist slur.
In a show broadcast in duces wrote to them that it
2011, he installed a toilet in would be a light-hearted
the trunk of a Jaguar and road trip.
Ali Khamenei: Iran's

Supreme leader
Argentina crash:
Three French sports stars die
Buenos Aires: Three
French sports personalities are among 10 people
killed in a helicopter
crash in Argentina, the
French presidential office
has confirmed.
Eight French nationals
and their two Argentine
pilots died when two helicopters collided in La
Rioja province in the
country's north-west.
Yachtswoman Florence
Arthaud, Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat and
Olympic boxer Alexis
Yachtswoman Florence Arthaud,
Vastine all perished.
Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat and Olympic
Both helicopters were
boxer Alexis Vastine died in the crash.
involved in the filming of
TV survival show Dropped. The show, on als is a cause of immense sadness," said a
channel TF1, flies celebrities into rough statement from French President Francois
terrain by helicopter and films their Hollande.
The cause of the crash is as yet unclear
attempts to find food and shelter. "The
sudden death of our fellow French nation- and investigations are under way.
Cuba dees US, offers unconditional support for Venezuela

Havana: Cuba has given its "unconditional support" to Venezuela following Washington's declaration of a
"national emergency" due to the
"extraordinary risk" that the situation
in Venezuela signifies for the security of the US.
"No one has the right to intervene
in the internal affairs of a sovereign
state nor to declare it, without any
basis, a threat to its national security," the government said in a statement posted on the web page of
Communist Party daily Granma.
Raul
Castro's
government
described as "arbitrary and aggressive" the order issued by US
President Barack Obama, which he
considers a "reprisal for the measures
adopted (by Venezuela) in defence of
its sovereignty against the interference of government authorities and
of the United States Congress."
President Nicolas Maduro asked
Venezuelan President Nicolas

Maduro.
Venezuela's parliament for special

powers to defend "the integrity" of
the nation as a result of the US statement, which has also imposed new
sanctions on high-ranking government officials for alleged human

rights violations.
"How does Venezuela threaten the
United States? At a distance of thousands of kilometers, without strategic
weapons and without using resources
or staff to conspire against the constitutional order of the United States,
the statement does not sound very
believable and exposes the purpose
of those who make it," the note said.
Separately, retired Cuban leader
Fidel Castro congratulated Maduro
for his "brilliant and courageous"
speech against the "brutal plans" of
the US against his country.
Dear Nicolas Maduro, president
of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela: I congratulate you for
your brilliant and courageous speech
against the brutal plans of the United
States government," the 88-year-old
Fidel said in a note.
Second Bangladeshi identified among IS hostages

Dhaka: A second Bangladeshi
national has been identified among
the nine foreigners abducted by the
Islamic State (IS) militant group from
an oil field in Libya, according to
media reports. The Bangladeshi foreign ministry said that Mohammad
Anowar Hossain, who was earlier
believed to be a Sudanese national,

was in fact a Bangladeshi, according
to a bdnews24.com report.
The foreign ministry said Helal
Uddin, of Jamalpur district, was the
only Bangladeshi taken hostage on
Friday when IS gunmen invaded the
Al-Ghani oil field south of the Libyan
city of Sirte. The second Bangladeshi

hostage, Hossain, reportedly hailed
from the Noakhali district and his
identity was confirmed by a compatriot working in a neighboring oil field.
IS militants killed 11 guards, several
of whom were beheaded, when they
invaded the oilfield.
BUSINESS
March 14-20, 2015
Modi visit: India, Seychelles ink four agreements

Victoria (Seychelles): India
and the Indian Ocean island of
Seychelles strengthened their
ties as Prime Minister
Narendra Modi arrived here
for a brief visit, the rst by an
Indian prime minister in 34
years that saw the inking of
four pacts, including one on
boosting maritime security.
Modi was warmly greeted at
the airport by Seychelles
President James Michel, Vice
President Danny Faure and
members of the Indian community.
Addressing the media after
holding talks with President
Michel, the Indian prime minister said their bilateral ties is
"nurtured by a common purpose - progress of our people
and peace and prosperity in
the Indian Ocean Region".
"Our security partnership is
strong.
It has enabled us to fulll
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of Seychelles

James Michel at State House, in Mahe.
our shared responsibility to

advance maritime security in
the region," said Modi as he

announced another Dornier
aircraft for Seychelles and also

a Coastal Surveillance Radar
Project as a symbol of bilateral
cooperation.
Modi said the steps will help
Seychelles secure its islands
and the vast expanse of waters
around them.
Earlier, Michel said Modi's
visit was a "symbol of the
excellent ties between our two
peoples" and that India is a
close friend of the Seychelles.
The two sides inked four
agreements, including on
cooperation in hydrography,
renewable energy, infrastructure development and sale of
navigation charts and electronic navigational charts.
Modi
also
thanked
Seychelles for supporting
India in international fora,
including endorsing India's
permanent membership of an
expanded UN Security
Council.
23
Spectrum bidding:
Fall in net bid price
New Delhi: The Rs.1,800 crore drop in the
total value of highest provisional bids on the
seventh day of e-auction of spectrum for
telecom services was the result of a shift in
the preferred band away from 900 MHz due
to aggressive bidding, ofcial data showed.
In the 900 MHz band, there were two
excess bids in terms of the blocks on offer at
the end of Day One. But by the end of Day
Seven, there was a shortfall of bids to the
extent of 298 blocks.
In the Bihar circle, for example, at the end
of the rst day and some six rounds of bidding, the highest provision bid was Rs.42.24
crore per block for the 900 MHz band,
which almost doubled to to Rs.Rs.80.56
crore per block by the end of the seventh
day.
As a result, where there were bids for all
the 31 blocks on offer for the Bihar circle at
the end of the rst, the seventh day saw six
blocks going vacant, with offers for 25
blocks -- a shift away from 25 blocks.
India emerging leader in inclusive

economic growth: US envoy
Apple unveils smart watch,

new lighter MacBook
Kolkata: Hailing India's

emergence as a leader in
inclusive economic growth,
US ambassador Richard
Verma said that it can play a
leadership role in bolstering
connectivity in South Asia.
"It's worth noting that
India is emerging as a
regional leader in creating
policies to encourage inclusive economic growth.
During his recent visit here,
President (Barack) Obama
commended Prime Minister
(Narendra) Modi's "Jan
Dhan" Financial Inclusion
initiative," Verma said at a
seminar here on South
Asian connectivity. Verma
said inclusive policies at the
US ambassador to India Richard Verma
institutional level can
directly affect economic growth rates and small local shing village outside Mumbai.
Verma said the US Agency for
improve nancial stability and institutional
International Development (USAID)and the
integrity.
"We got to see what it meant to the men Modi government were nalising an agreeand women there to have access to a modern ment to establish a public-private partnerbiometric identication card," said Verma ship with key US, Indian and international
about his last month visit to an Aadhaar organisations to create an inclusive digital
Unique Identication Enrolment Centre in a economy.
Washington: Apple has unveiled its

much awaited Apple Watch that lets
one make calls, read emails, control
music and keep up with one's workout regimen all from one's wrist.
Unveiling the watch at an event in
San Francisco, CEO Tim Cook talked
about the watch's time capabilities,
choices of finish and watch faces and
a series of features called "glances".
The watch will notify a wearer with
a "tap" when a new email arrives.
Apple tapped supermodel Christy
Turlington Burns to try out the Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the
Watch with a video showing her runApple Watch in San Francisco.
ning a half marathon wearing the
(nearly one kg). Apple marketing execuwatch.
Fitness features include reminders to tive, Phil Schiller, described it as the
start moving when you have been sitting thinnest and lightest laptop Apple has produced.
for too long.
It promises all-day battery life, with nine
A new workout app will offer weekly
summaries and goal suggestions for the hours of wireless web use, or 10 hours of
upcoming week. Cook described it as video playbook, Schiller said.
It also has a redesigned keyboard and
"having a coach on your wrist".
Cook also showed off a new MacBook, trackpad. It will be the first MacBook
without a fan and first available in the gold
which he said "reinvents the notebook".
"We took everything we learned from color that has been popular on iPhones and
creating the iPhone and iPad to make iPads.
Cook also announced that Apple TV's
something amazing and bold," he said. The
new MacBook is thinner than the price will be lowered from $99 to $69
MacBook Air and weighs only two pounds (about Rs 6,200 to Rs 4,326).
24 March 14-20, 2015
India crush Ireland, on top in Pool B

New Delhi: Where does one put
ones finger on for India staying
unbeaten, winning all their five
Pool B matches in the World Cup?
For once, answers are easy.
The major achievement is that
the Indians bowled the opposition
out in all matches with all-round
performances.
The batsmen gave enough for the
bowlers to buy their wickets with
their craft and when asked to bowl
first the bowlers made it easy for
batsmen. They complemented each
other so wonderfully well.
Their winning streak goes back
to the 2011 World Cup when they
won the last four matches to win it
and adding the five now Mahendra
Singh Dhoni has overtaken Saurav
Ganguly as the most successful
captain. Ganguly had a marvelous
run of eight straight victories in the
2003 edition in South Africa
before losing the final against
Australia.
Just before this World Cup, even
the most ardent Indian fan was
unwilling to wager on his country
making the semifinals, let alone
winning it.
It all changed so quickly. Just as
well, India played the two toughest
sides in the first two matches and
beat both Pakistan and South
Africa unexpectedly by big margins. From then on no looking
back, the fight the West Indies put
up was not even a hiccup, a mere
pinprick.
All of a sudden, Dhoni looks
invincible, even to those who were
Our bowlers have really stepped up: Dhoni
Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his century against Ireland at the

Seddon Park in Hamilton, New Zealand.
baying for his blood not long ago.

His critics now say that he is a
master limited-overs captain even
if he is no longer the Captain Cool
in Tests. He was hounded out of
Test arena. Just as well, perhaps, a
lot of burden is off his back and he
seems to be enjoying the shorter
versions of the game.
When most teams are still trying
to get the right mix, trying out the
bench strength, the Indians stuck
to their winning combination.
They did not tinker with the batting order, not even against Ireland
after Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit
Sharma put on a 174-run opening
partnership. When the top order
failed to come good against the
West Indies, Dhoni put his hand up
nursing lower-order Ravichandran

Ashwin to win the game by four
wickets.
Ironically, Irelands 259 is the
highest score by a team scored
against India. Big guns Pakistan,
South Africa and the West Indies
struggled to negotiate the pace as
well as spin of the Indians. Still,
India won with plenty to spare,
both wickets and overs.
Bowlers are rarely given credit
for their performance; cricket is all
batsmen flaying about.
Seldom do the Indian fast
bowlers look so lethal and the
spinners tantalisingly mesmeric
together. And to back them up,
outcricket has been so excellent,
with fielders diving left, right and
Hamilton: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that it has

been a remarkable difference how the Indian bowlers have stepped on
the gas in the cricket World Cup as they bowled out a team for the
fifth consecutive time in as many matches in the ongoing tournament.
After a disastrous Test and tri-series against Australia and England,
the bowlers faced a lot of criticism as they failed to pick up wickets
regularly. But they turned the tide in the quadrennial event. On March
10 in a Pool B match, Ireland were bowled out for
259 in 49 overs. "One of the coaches was telling
me (about India taking 50 wickets in last five
matches). It's a good stat to have. It means
the bowlers are really doing the job for us.
It's a remarkable difference, they've really
stepped up," Dhoni said at the post-match
presentation ceremony. "Not just the three fast
bowlers, the spinners as well, and whenever
we've had to use part-timers they've done a
good job."
centre to reach half chances and to

cut off runs. Notwithstanding a
couple of catches being grassed or
bubbled here and there in their
eagerness.
Umesh Yadav and Mohammed
Shami are metred among the best
at 145 plus kmph and third seamer
Mohit Sharmas deceptive pace
and his back of the hand slower
one made life difficult for batsmen. Remarkably, all three pacemen are proving they not only
have safe hands but also a good
arm, effecting run-outs from the
deep. The three bowled and fielded
so well against Pakistan and South
Africa, the Indian think-tank must
have felt like finding a goldmine in

the very first dig. They did not
have to think of fiddling with the
eleven thereafter.
India have to play Zimbabwe in
their last pool game at Auckland
on March 14. Ireland and
Zimbabwe have done enough to
rattle the mighty. It is to be seen
whether the Indians will at least
rest a couple of key fast bowlers so
that they can be fresh for the
knockout rounds or carry on with
the same eleven.
Now everyone is talking about
India and the others as challengers.
What a transformation from almost
nobody to somebody!
Unbelievably disappointing to be knocked out: England

Adelaide: A dejected England
skipper Eoin Morgan said it is
unbelievably disappointing
that they crashed out of the
World Cup after losing to
Bangladesh in their fifth World
Cup Pool A game at the Adelaide
Oval.
Needing a win to stay alive in
the contest, England began well
with both bat and ball but lost the
game by a mere 15-run margin.
Pretty poor to be knocked out
this early from a World Cup.
Unbelievably disappointing. We
bowled reasonably well, but we
couldn't quite match it up with
the bat. I can't pick where it went
wrong. I am gutted at the
moment, said Morgan who once
again failed to get off the mark.
Chasing a formidable total of
275 for seven, England were
bowled out in the penultimate
over of the match as Bangladesh
medium pacer Rubel Hossain
(4/53) clean bowled tail-ender
James Anderson with a yorker.

The skipper said his team tried
addressing the problems but
could not rectify them. He added
he don't know what is in store for
the future but they will definitely
look back at the performances
and ponder on what went wrong.
It ultimately comes down to
the performance, and some of
them did, but not all of us as a
unit. We have tried to address the
problem, but obviously it hasn't
worked. Our expectations were
higher than the way we performed, so it is obviously disappointing," he said.
No idea what will happen
from here. Again, there will be an
inquest over the next few weeks
to see what went wrong, and then
we will go from there, he added.
In their last inconsequential
group game England will face
minnows Afghanistan at the
Sydney Cricket Ground on
March 13.
Fans cheer as Bangladesh defeated England to knock it out of the World Cup.
March 14-20, 2015 25
Sangakkara creates
history, Sri Lanka win big
Perth: Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara has registered three One-Day International
(ODI) cricket world records -- two
with the bat and one with the gloves
as Sri Lanka hammered Scotland by
148 runs in a World Cup Pool A
match at the Bellerive Oval here.
Continuing his good form,
Sangakkara, 37, once again showed
his master class with a 95-ball 124.
With this he became the first batsman to record four consecutive hundreds and registered his 25th ODI
ton. In the process, he also became
the first batsman to score four centuries in a World Cup and in an ODI
tournament.
Seasoned opener Tilakaratne
Dilshan (104) stroked to his 22nd
ODI century and combined with
Sangakkara to forge a 195-run partnership for the second wicket. It
helped them post an imposing 363/9
in 50 overs.
In reply, Scotland were bowled
out for 215 in 43.1 overs and
slumped to their fifth consecutive

loss. Skipper Preston Mommsen
(60) and Freddie Coleman (70)
shared a 118-run stand for the third
wicket to put up some resistance but
it was not enough.
Seamers Nuwan Kulasekara
(3/20), Dushmantha Chameera
(3/51) and Lasith Malinga (2/29)
were all over Scotland. Thisara
Perera and Dilshan picked a wicket
each.
Not content with run-scoring
records, Sangakkara also became
the first man to effect 500 ODI dismissals. Coming into the match, he
had 400 catches. He took two catches of Matthew Cross and Michael
Leask. He now has 402 catches and
99 stumpings to his credit.
He also passed Adam Gilchrist's
record of 52 World Cup dismissals
by taking the catch off a faint edge
from Leask. By the end of the
match, he had taken 41 catches and
made 13 stumpings in World Cups.
Gilchrist made 45 catches and
seven stumpings in 31 World Cup

matches while Sangakkara was
playing his 36th.
"Sometimes things just fall in
place. Everything clicks. No matter
how hard you try to find that one
thing, it becomes difficult,"
Sangakkara said after being
adjudged Man-of-the-Match.
"I am not sure what that one thing
is, but it is definitely working for
me at the moment, so hopefully I
can keep onto it."
With this win, Sri Lanka jumped
to second spot in Pool A on the back
of four wins in six matches. New
Zealand are on top with 10 points
from five matches, while Australia
have seven points from five matches. But they will face Scotland and
are expected to finish second. If that
happens, Sri Lanka will drop to
third place and will hope that New
Zealand beat Bangladesh that will
result in the Tigers finishing fourth
and face Pool B table toppers India
in the quarter-finals.
Kumar Sangakkara registered three one-day

cricket world records in one match.
We are three games away 'New Zealand favorites but India fantastic'
from winning WC: De Villiers
We l l i n g t o n :
can chase down
Even after losing
any total, We've
their last cricket
done it in the last
World Cup Pool
year a few times
B game against
under pressure.
Pakistan, South
We didn't get it
African skipper
right the last couAB de Villiers
ple of chases and
said they are only
that's alright."
three
games
"I am still confiaway from lifting
dent in the batting
the elusive trounit. I believe
phy.
there are a few
"I 100 percent
guys due for big
AB de Villiers
believe we are
runs and it's going
the best team in the tournament to happen soon at the right time,"
here. Those two losses in the he said.
group stage did hurt us a bit but
South Africa's immediate
we are past that now. We know focus, though, is the balance of
we are very close... three games the team. Their preference for
away from taking that World seven specialist batsmen has left
Cup home," de Villiers was quot- them making up a fifth bowler
ed
as
saying
by from part-timers but playing five
espncricinfo.com.
front-line bowlers will leave a
"The most important game is batsman short which again can
tomorrow but we know we are be a cause for concern.
not far off so it's important to be
"That's the difficult decision
positive and still believe we are most teams have to make at this
the best."
World Cup - an extra batter or an
The skipper said he was sure extra bowler," the 31-year-old
his side can chase down any pointed out.
score and he was quite confident
"The last few games we have
of the batting line-up which has gone for the extra batter, against
not quite fired in the last two India we went for the extra
matches.
bowler. Both times we lost. So
"It's not an issue. I believe we it's a difficult one."
Melbourne: Australian swashbuckling opener David Warner said

co-hosts New Zealands new ball
bowlers and consistent batting unit
makes them the favorites but feels
the defending champions India are
never behind as they are playing
some fantastic cricket.
"The team to beat at the moment
would have to be New Zealand but
India has been playing fantastic
cricket as well both with bat and
bowl," Warner was quoted as saying by news.com.au.
The 28-year-old feels New
Zealand
skipper
Brendon
McCullums explosive batting at
the top of the order with the bat
David Warner
and his ability to put opposition

teams on the backfoot early in the
innings is a big plus for the Black

Caps.
"When a player like McCullum
gets going, it sometimes becomes
very difficult for opposition to
stop. When the ball is swinging,
their quicks have full potential to
take early wickets and bring a
check on the scoring," the left-hander said.
The hard-hitting opening batsman also praised Indias all-round
performance.
"India has won all their five
matches and is chasing their third
World Cup title. Their performance
with both bat and ball has been the
talking point," feels Warner.
Dhawan most popular Indian cricketer on Twitter

Hamilton: Prolific lefthanded opener Shikhar
Dhawan was once again
the most talked about
Indian cricketer on Twitter,
as his ton helped the
defending champions beat
Ireland in a World Cup
Pool B encounter at the
Seddon Park.
India chased down
Irelands total of 259 runs
with eight wickets and 79
balls to spare courtesy
knocks from Dhawan
(100) and Rohit Sharma
(64). Right-hander Rohit
was the second most popular man-in-blue on the

social networking site, followed
by
skipper
Mahendra Singh Dhoni,
according to a report from
Twitter. The game saw a
Tweet Live Impression of
25.1 million users.
For Ireland it was their
charismatic middle orderbat Niall OBrien who was
at the helm of the Twitter
conversations, followed by
their captain William
Porterfield and power-hitting opener Paul Sterling.
Shikhar Dhawan
26
March 14-20, 2015
SELF HELP
Dont get tripped up by

lifes stumbling blocks
5 tips to avoid common dieting pitfalls

eight loss goals are easier to
make than to achieve. Life can
often seem at odds with your
health and wellness goals. Luckily, there
are plenty of ways to avoid common pitfalls.
Snack and drink smart: When youre
one-the-go, easy protein-packed snacks
will help you stay on track. Try beef jerky,
low-fat string cheese, or 100 calorie packs
of almonds. Fiber-rich whole-grains, fruits
and vegetables can also help keep hunger at
bay.
Calories from drinks add up fast. Stick
with dry wines, as they often have fewer
calories than sweeter varieties. Light beers,
with approximately 100 calories for every
12 ounce serving, are also a good choice. If
you prefer cocktails, use calorie-free mixers, such as seltzer with 1.5 oz. of spirits.
Make it easy: Dieting should be easy.
Most people often complain they fail at
diets because they need to constantly count
calories, or weigh and measure foods.
Eat out, right: Eating out is sometimes unavoidable. Just be sure to check
out a restaurants nutrition information
online before you go, so you can make
wise choices.
Make substitutions like salad, with dressing on the side, instead of fries and dont be
afraid to ask if a menu item can be modified. Also, be mindful of portion sizes.
hile obstacles can get in the way of

pursuing your intended goals, if
youre resourceful, they can also
present an opportunity to forge a new path.
For Lani Hall Alpert, Grammy Award-winning vocalist-turned-author, this sentiment
hits close to home. At the peak of her success
in the mid-'80s, Alpert contracted a debilitating case of Chronic fatigue syndrome, also
known as the Epstein-Barr virus, forcing the
singer to take a reprieve from performing. In
spite of losing the physical energy required to
sing and perform onstage, Alpert turned to
writing to express herself artistically.
In Alperts new audiobook, Emotional
Memoirs & Short Stories, she deals with this
debilitating period of her life, as well as
themes like depression, adultery and selfpreservation, in stories both fictional and
autobiographical. The book is set to a score
that includes music by her husband, music
legend Herb Alpert. Alpert is now focusing on
sharing her story, which she hopes will inspire
others. Everyone's stumbling blocks are
unique, but here are three positive changes
that Alpert made in her own life to improve
her situation.
Accept change: Life is about changes.
Sometimes they will affect your interpersonal
relationships, and sometimes they will affect
your health or finances. Defining those
Take half your meal home and enjoy it for

tomorrows lunch.
Facing the scale: Weight fluctuates
throughout the day. Weigh yourself at the
same time of day in similar weight clothing
to get the most accurate readings.
Remember though, the number on the scale
wont always reflect your hard work. Focus
instead on healthy, positive changes and
how you feel.
Aim for 30: Squeeze 30 minutes of
activity into your day. Walk during lunch,
jump rope during your favorite nightly TV
show or turn on music and dance around
the house.
Making dinnertime a priority for your family

o you have dinner with your kids?
Its become almost a luxury
today, with our crammed schedules. And yet, numerous studies show that
no other hour in your childrens day will
deliver as many emotional and psychological benefits as the one spent unwinding and connecting over food and conversation.
A nightly commitment to family dinners can be transformative, says Anne K.
Fishel, Ph.D., therapist, cofounder of
Family Dinner Project, and author of
Home for Dinner, Mixing Food, Fun,
and Conversation for a Happier Family
and Healthier Kids, (AMACOM).
Amongst finicky eaters, defiant teens
and the lure of fast food, how can home
cooking and family dinner be your households priority?
In her new book, Fishel shares strategies for busy parents to overcome family
dinnertime hurdles. Here she shares a few
parenting insights:
Meaningful Conversation
A family meal is an excellent opportunity to connect with your children. Foster
dinner conversation by making the family
table a technology-free zone. You may
find that parents have a harder time than
kids turning off their gadgets.
Throughout your day, collect stories
that might amuse your children, such as
something mischievous the dog did.
Starting by telling as story yourself can
get the conversation rolling.
Ask questions that demonstrate youve
been paying attention. For example, I
know that today was your first art class.
What was it like?
changes, speaking about them, and being true

to them are the keys to being happy in the
face of change.
Find your therapy: If youre going
through a hard time, figure out what will help
you to self-actualize. For some it may be to
create art, for others its to achieve physical
fitness or acquire knowledge. Everyone has
his or her own healing mechanism, and if
youre lucky, it will choose you.
When I couldnt sing, writing helped
empty myself of the worry and fear that I was
experiencing, says Alpert. I have always
used creativity to find my own truth.
Be skeptical: When you are most vulnerable, it can be easy to place your complete
trust in a therapist or other person, practice or
institution that is meant to be beneficial. But
not all such relationships or resources are
healthy. Be skeptical until you know you are
in good hands.
Teach a healthy
bedtime routine to kids
stablishing a consistent bedtime routine is a
prelude to a great nights sleep, which is
critical for young bodies and brains.
Here are some great ways to create healthy bedtime habits for you and your family.
Screen-Free Down Time
Our electronic devices are an integral part of
our lives. Even young children may spend a portion of time each day using tablets, mobile phones
and e-readers. However, the light emitted from
these devices can hinder sleep, so make sure you
incorporate some screen-free down time before
bed.
Great substitutes for these electronics are good
old-fashioned books, storytelling time, board
games and puzzles.
Brush Up
Children and parents should learn more about
preventive dental care and the importance of a
healthy oral care routine. They can also give back
and help other children in the community who
may not have access to dental care.
Set a Schedule
Sticking to a set bedtime for kids may be difficult at first for both you and your children. But
once everyone adjusts to the schedule, the benefits will be made clear.
A consistent bedtime policy will be easier to
enforce, and kids internal clocks will likely
adjust to the schedule over time. To determine an
appropriate bedtime for your school-age kids, factor in the Mayo Clinic recommendation of nine to
11 hours of sleep per night.
For better sleep and healthy smiles, create bedtime routines for you and your family that are
easy to follow.
(StatePoint)
To deepen conversation, turn to daily

media content. For example, elections can
prompt discussions about how democracy
works. Scandals can provide fodder for
talk about truth-telling.
Trying New Things
Dont underestimate your childs taste
buds. The idea that young children and
adults must eat different foods might be a
myth created by food manufacturers and
marketers. Your child might like chicken
piccata as much as chicken fingers.
Entice picky eaters by modeling adventurous eating. Eat the new food with
gusto, and then ask, Would you like to
taste it? Can you describe the taste? This
focuses your childs attention on the food,
rather than on rejecting it.
Avoid letting food become a power
struggle. If your child refuses a particular
meal, stay calm and offer an alternative

such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
-- nothing that makes much extra work
for you.
Have Fun
Ask kids to help with meal preparation.
Spinning salad greens and setting the
timer are some of the many things young
children can do. For older kids, do a role
reversal one night a week and have them
do the cooking.
It can be fun to re-create meals kids
have seen advertised on TV or eaten in
restaurants. For example, most supermarkets offer ready-made pizza dough.
Combined with tomato sauce from a jar,
its simple to make pizza at home.
Let teens choose music to listen to during dinner. On other nights, play music
you listened to as a teenager.
LIFESTYLE
Selfless behavior key to get

ahead at workplace
Toronto: Going the extra mile with the company's benefit at heart may bring you more
rewards than working harder to advance your
own personal ambition, says a study.
Good supervisors are not easily duped by
the motives of people who go the extra mile they know when an employee is sucking up
to them because of personal ambition, or
when such actions truly have what is best for
the organization, the findings showed.
"Supervisors are able to accurately identify
the motives behind their subordinates' organizational citizenship behavior, and they are not
fooled by good actors," said Magda Donia
from the University of Ottawa in Canada.
The researchers tested whether supervisors
can indeed successfully spot a "good actor"
from a "good soldier."
Whereas the soldiers' actions are selflessly
motivated and help the organization, actors
are more self-serving and focused on furthering their ends. The study was conducted in 21
branches of an English-speaking multination-
Companys benefit should

top your priority
al bank in Pakistan. It involved 197 bank

tellers and cashiers, and their 47 immediate
supervisors. They found that supervisors
know with relative accuracy when employees'
organizational citizenship behavior is selflessly or selfishly motivated.
It might therefore be more effective and
meaningful for their long-term advancement
in a company if employees selflessly work
within an organizational setting, Donia said.
The study appeared in the Journal of Business
and Psychology.
Say yes to lower

sugar food items
London: A sugarheavy diet can have
a dramatic impact
on our health and
well being. So, swap
food items of high
sugar content with
lower ones.
To help reduce
your sugar intake,
Sally
Norton,
weight loss consultant at Spire The
Glen
Hospital
Bristol
and
founder
of
Vavista.com, offers a list of lower
sugar food swaps, reports femalefirst.co.uk:
Fresh fruit instead of fruit
juice: Fruit juice is very high on
sugar and provides little nutritional
value. A fresh apple contains
around 2.6 teaspoons of sugar and
around 50 calories whereas a 250
ml glass of apple juice contains
around 6 teaspoons of sugar and
123 calories. The whole fruit contains fiber too which fills you up
and is good for you in many other
ways.
Homemade soup instead of
tinned: A can of soup bought from
a shop contains the equivalent of
four teaspoons of sugar and 171
calories, whereas if you make it
yourself using fresh vegetables it
will be far lower in sugar and
higher in nutrients. You can also
avoid adding much salt which is a
leading cause of heart disease.
Fruit flavored yogurt for
plain yoghurt and berries: Fruit
yogurts can contain a huge amount
of sugar so it's important that you
read the Nutrition Facts panel.

Don't be fooled into thinking that
low-fat varieties are healthy either
as they are often higher in sugar.
You are best off with plain yoghurt
and some lower sugar fruit such as
raspberries and blueberries.
Swap a hot chocolate for a
cup of tea: A hot chocolate contains around 4.5 teaspoons of
sugar and 200 calories even before
you add cream and marshmallows,
whereas a cup of tea contains very
little sugar and around 20 calories
if you drink it with milk.
Swap an ice cream for a
frozen banana: One scoop of ice
cream contains around three teaspoons of sugar and around 180
calories, whereas a banana contains fewer calories and the sugar
is bound up with fiber and nutrients.
Choose cherries over chocolate: If you fancy something sweet,
try swapping a milk chocolate (260
calories and six teaspoons of
sugar) for a bowl of cherries which
contains just 50 calories and two
teaspoons of sugar.
March 14-20, 2015
27
Work-family conflict could

make you abusive
New York: People whose family life regularly interferes with their job are more likely to become emotionally exhausted and, in
turn, verbally abusive, says a study.
Having a supportive boss could, however,
curtail this harmful spiral.
"It appears that having a supervisor who
is aware and supportive of work-family balance may not only reduce the work-family
conflict itself but also weaken its downstream effect on verbal aggression," said
study co-author Chu-Hsiang Chang of
Michigan State University.
For the study, Chang, associate professor
of psychology, and colleagues surveyed 125
employees at five information-technology
companies four times each week for three
consecutive weeks. "We wanted to see if
people who experience work-family conflict are less able to suppress their dark tendencies and more apt to act out on their
aggressive impulses," Chang said. Indeed,
when family life interfered with work (such

as having to miss an important meeting
because of a sick child), participants reported higher emotional exhaustion, which led
them to be ruder or verbally abusive
towards supervisors, co-workers and family
members. Because supportive supervisors
had a positive effect, Chang recommends
companies make it a higher priority to
select and train managers, who can provide
family support for employees. "Supportive
managers should model the right behavior in other words, don't send your employees
emails at 11 p.m. and expect them to
respond, for example," Chang added.
Employees can also engage in emotional
and physical recovery activities both at
work and at home, such as a lunch break
away from the office or stretching exercises
for relaxation, Chang said. The study was
published online in the Journal of Applied
Psychology.
Has smartphone made you a lazy thinker?

Toronto: Frequent smartphone use
has turned us into lazy thinkers,
researchers report, adding that the
convenience at our fingertips is
making it easy for us to avoid
thinking for ourselves.
Smartphone users who are intuitive thinkers - more prone to relying on gut feelings and instincts
when making decisions - frequently use their device's search engine
rather than their own brainpower,
they added. "They may look up
information that they actually
know or could easily learn, but are
unwilling to make the effort to
actually think about it," said
Gordon Pennycook, from department of psychology at the
University of Waterloo. In contrast,
analytical thinkers second-guess
themselves and analyze a problem
in a more logical sort of way.
Highly intelligent people are
more analytical and less intuitive
when solving problems.
"Humans are eager to avoid
expending effort when problemsolving and it seems likely that

people will increasingly use their
smartphones as an extended mind,"
added lead author Nathaniel Barr.
In three studies involving 660
participants, the researchers examined various measures including
cognitive style ranging from intuitive to analytical, plus verbal and
numeracy skills. Then they looked
at the participants' smartphone
habits. Participants in the study
who demonstrated stronger cognitive skills and a greater willingness
to think in an analytical way spent
less time using their smartphones'

search engine function.
The research provides support
for an association between heavy
smartphone use and lowered intelligence. Avoiding using our own
minds to problem-solve might
have adverse consequences for
aging. "Our reliance on smartphones and other devices (is likely)
to rise. It is important to understand how smartphones affect and
relate to human psychology before
these technologies are so fully
ingrained that it's hard to recall
what life was like without them,"
cautioned Barr. Whether smartphones actually decrease intelligence is still an open question that
requires
future
research,
Pennycook added. The results also
indicate that use of social media
and entertainment applications
generally did not correlate to higher or lower cognitive abilities. The
study was published in the journal
Computers in Human Behavior.
Kicking the butt leads to improved metabolic effects

Washington, DC: People who quit
smoking have improved metabolic
effects, shows a new study.
The results were presented at the
annual meeting of the Endocrine
Society in San Diego.
"In general, people think that
when they stop smoking, they are
going to gain weight and their diabetes and insulin resistance are
going to get worse, but we didn't
find that," said principal investigator
Theodore C. Friedman of the
Charles R. Drew University of
Medicine and Science in Los
Angeles. "Our study showed that

insulin resistance was basically the
same and some of the fat redistribution seemed to be better. Initially fat
might have gone into the abdomen,
but later, it went back to the thigh,
which is more benign," Friedman
added. For the study, half-to-two
pack-per-day smokers were enrolled
into an eight-week quit smoking
program of behavioral counseling
plus oral bupropion (antidepressant
drug). This was followed by a 16week maintenance period without
counseling where the smokers either
remained abstinent or naturally

resumed/increased smoking.
Smoking cessation over 8 weeks
was linked with worsening of central fat distribution, followed by a
larger, favorable reversal over subsequent months. "Smoking cessation appears to have complex but
generally favorable metabolic
effects and they should be encouraged. Cessation also seems to lead
to beneficial effects in terms of
where the fat is and what happens
with hepatic glucose release from
the liver," Friedman said.
28
March 14-20, 2015
HUMOR
Funny Side by Nury Vittachi
Racism in children's books and a new story prize

S
OME TIME AGO, I realized with horror that the storybooks at my childrens
school had all been written by Adolf
Hitler using a range of pen names! This had to
be so, because their main theme was The
Triumph of the Master Race.
The first clue was when my daughter
brought home a book called: The Three
Brothers. Plot: Two black-haired brothers are
brutish but are defeated by their clever blond
Aryan brother.
The next day we read: The Swan Princess.
Plot: Once upon a time, there was a blond,
fair-skinned princess, but an evil black-haired
stepmother turned her face BROWN so the
horrified king threw her out.
The third day we read Naima, Daughter of
the Desert. Plot: All the children in a family
had dark eyes except one who had blue eyes.
Everyone loved Naima Her parents loved
her much more than her three older sisters
who had black eyes.
The dark-eyed children turn out to be evil
and cast the blue-eyed girl into the desert. She
gets picked up by nomads (yes, with dark
eyes) who treat her as a slave until she is rescued by someone with green eyes. A handsome prince then marries her after noticing
her big blue eyes.
See what I mean? Its Nazi eugenics for tod-
dlers.
***
I found my colleagues at the Asia-Pacific
writers association grumbling about the
EXACT SAME THING in books for adults.
The worst offender was international sci-fi
books, which are tales of the colonisation of
the universe, not by humans, but by
Westerners.
***
Eventually I met my friend Isagani Cruz, a
writer from Manila, in a coffee shop to sketch
out a cunning plan to fight back. We decided
to create a prize for writers called the World
Readers Award.
I phoned a reporter and the conversation
went like this.
ME: The prize will be given to the best
book which is recognizably set on a certain
planet. On this planet, the average height of
the inhabitants is 5 ft 4 inches, or 164 cm.
HER: Wow, a planet of pygmies!
ME: And 90 per cent have black or brown
hair.
HER: Wow, like India or China.
ME: And the average bust sizes for women
are A and B.
HER: (Giggle.) So whats the planet
called?
Reader, you may have guessed.

The planet is Earth. Those are the statistical
mean figures for humanity on this planet.
The mean height of homo sapiens is 5 ft 4
ins tall.
More than 90% of humans have dark hair.
Blonds and redheads are rare.
And the average bust size for women is
NOT C to D but A to B.
The vast, vast majority of human beings are
tiny, slim, dark-haired creatures, the sort of
people you find in Indonesia or China or India
or Sri Lanka or Vietnam, etc.
But youd never think of it from the books
and movies you see, full of 6 ft. 2 in. fairhaired men romping around the galaxy holding massive guns and speaking fluent
American.
***
The idea started as a bit of a laugh, but people loved the idea of creating stories of the
world as it actually is, and the prize is now
real.
(Look up the newly launched World
Readers Award on the internet, here:

http://www.worldreadersaward.com.)
***
The writer of the best book with a global
perspective will be given fame, fortune, and a
golden egg trophy in a ceremony held inside
the giant golden egg (a massive thing which
seats 300) at the Hong Kong Science Park in
November.
Start writing. Make me happy, make yourself famous and lets give our kids something
to read.
***
One evening, I spent half an hour going
through my childrens storybook shelf with a
thick black marker pen.
One of my daughters arrived home from
school and asked: What are you doing? I
told her: Im giving all the princesses black
hair and black eyes.
She peered at the revised illustrations. Now
everyone looks like bad guys, she complained.
***
Laughter is the Best Medicine
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and
humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the
immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat,
he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
ASTROLOGY
March 14-20, 2015
29
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874

Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
March 14-20, 2015

ARIES: An improved lifestyle is set
to give rich dividends on the health
front. Choose your words carefully
before uttering them, especially in front of
higher ups. The one you secretly admire is
aware of it, but may not give you the
opportunity you seek! You will have to
stand by your commitment that you had
previously made. Travelling long distance
may not be too comfortable. Fatigue can
take its toll on some.
TAURUS: A showdown with parents or siblings cannot be ruled out.
You can upset lover by your indifferent attitude. Professional front holds a
lot of promises for some. Monetary situation changes for the better. This is the time
for you to become health conscious and
shake a leg. An out of town official trip
will come as a respite for some. Someone
close will help you out from an
unfavourable situation.
GEMINI: Some of you are likely to
procure a luxury item. You will need
to stem rising expenditure if you
want to maintain your quality of life. Avoid
loose talk, especially about a senior, as it
can cost you dearly. If you like someone,
go ahead and express yourself, the week
seems favourable. You can be counted
upon to ferry close relations around, so
keep a happy demeanour. Be careful of
what you eat.
CANCER: You will be able to get

what you were after on the professional front. Those in tourism and
hospitality sectors will find new opportunities knocking at their door. Good wishes
and blessings of well wishers will lead you
on the path of success. Love blossoming
on the work front cannot be ruled out for
some. Dont trust even your close ones in
property matters, use your own judgement.
LIBRA: You are likely to burn

your fingers in a financial deal.
Some of you can remain mentally
stressed throughout the week. Family will
be supportive and do much to keep you
entertained. A promotion or an increment
is on the cards for some. Romantic front
may not turn out to be as rosy as expected.
You will need to plan a trip well to make it
enjoyable. Health remains satisfactory.
LEO: A short vacation is on the

cards and will help in complete rejuvenation. Your style of working will
come in for praise by higher ups. Financial
scene is likely to stabilise once you review
your investment options. A visitor is likely
to lighten the domestic atmosphere and
make the week enjoyable. Some of you
will be able to contain a lifestyle disease
by strict self-discipline. Love rocks for
some this week!
SCORPIO: Your hard work is

going to speak for you on the professional front. Some of you can
become the blue-eyed of those who matter.
Expect an exciting time in a family function or a get-together. Those trying to
achieve something personal will have luck
on their side.
Some of you will manage to enhance your
wealth. A change of diet will take you on
the path to perfect health.
VIRGO: Those in the fields of science and medicine are likely to

achieve a breakthrough. Some of
you can be recognised or even awarded for
your good work. Fortunes are set to rise for
people with innovative ideas. Young couples will feel love growing between them.
Those looking for romance can get linked
soon.
Love and care will improve the condition
of those ailing. Appreciation is in store for
some homemakers.
SAGITTARIUS: Total enjoyment

will be the driving force for some
this week.
Spouse or someone close can surprise you
with a treat or gift. Your popularity is set to
rise on the professional front. Those with
romantic aspirations will find the week
most fulfilling.
Students can expect to excel in academics
or sports. Those ailing can feel neglected,
but this may not be so. A long drive will do
you good.
CAPRICORN: You will need to

overcome all odds in putting an
idea into action. Your attempts to
bring some changes on the domestic front
will be welcomed. Exercise caution in putting your money in a scheme or fund.
Boredom threatens to set-in in your romantic life. You may feel your hard work is not
recognised, but this may not be so. Take
medical advice before starting an exercise
regime.
AQUARIUS : A monotonous
week is in store for those planning
to stay at home. An outing with
friends can get cancelled at the last minute.
Some of you may not have much option,
but to take up a low paying job. Steady
income is assured for some, but increasing
earnings can pose a challenge. You may
not be able to do much about a wayward
person. If you can, do without health supplements.
PISCES: Someone close will not
allow you to mend fences with a
sibling or friend. You stand to lose a
lot of money in speculation or betting.
Your performance at work can come into
question. Those out to gain popularity can
find the week unfavourable. Jobs remain at
a premium for the unemployed. Emotional
support of lover will help in making you
forget your worries. A home remedy is best
left untouched.
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

14th March, 2015
Ruled planet: Sun Ruled by no: 5
Traits in you: Being number 5, you are very strong headed person with friendly nature and practical thoughts. You
inspire others to do their work with full dedication and
perfection. You have an ability to make many friends and
the best is that you are known as a very loyal friend to all
your friends.
Health this year: A very promising year to achieve mental peace by making yoga a part of life. Keep in mind that
it helps in raising your energy levels and improves blood
circulation, digestive system and respiratory functions. It
is good for both - soul and mind.
Finance this year: Sudden unexpected expenses could
force to take a loan this year. You need to borrow the
money according to your paying capacity. If possible,
look for activities that are not very expensive yet highly
entertaining to keep yourself busy.
Career this year: Those of you in business, will attain
success in your new projects and plans, which you will
undertake, this year. You will find the cooperation of your
colleagues in finishing your task on time.
Romance this year: Your charming personality, will draw
many friends towards you. You will be the centre of attraction at many social gatherings. In matters of love, you will
have to be careful, while choosing the right life partner.
Lucky month: July, September, November and March
15th March, 2015
Ruled planet: Venus Ruled by no: 6
Traits in you: Being number 6, you are lover of simplicity and originality. You are always there to help others.
You are an ambitious person, who always climb the stairs
of success in whatever work you take in hand. You are
very out-spoken in nature and good at solving other's
problem. The best quality in you is that you have an ability to laugh at yourself and make others smile.
Health this year: If possible, pay a little attention to follow the path of spirituality. As this will help in handling
stress and emotional wellbeing of yourself and others. At
the same time a peaceful mind would bring a different
kind of enjoyment to you, which is a need of a hour.
Finance this year: Lucrative incentives offered by reputed companies for investment would attract you many
times this year. However you need to invest only after
checking all the details. Don't run after incentives only
look at the flip side to make your capital safe.
Career this year: Your intelligence and sharp memory,
will bring you success in your professional pursuits, in the
year ahead of you. You will gain high positions and earn
lots of money too.
Romance this year: Your family will be of utmost importance to you, in the coming year. You can expect to receive love and affection from them. In love, make some
serious efforts to keep love fresh like precious things. Romantic evening with partner for a candlelight dinner
would make a perfect beginning.

Lucky month: July, September and November
16th March, 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. justice. 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 foreign trip, which would be both
pleasurable and rewarding.
Health this year: You tend to get depressed, when you
get too engrossed in one subject. So, try to keep yourself
busy, with various activities, instead of concentrating on
one subject or work. A very successful year for persons
suffering from digestive problem. There are indications
that you will find a remedy for your ailment.
Finance this year: Chances of earning handsome monetary returns are high this year, as you utilise your parttime to open a link associate of a good concern. Your parttime work will help you devote your full time as you begin to reap rich dividends.
Career this year: You will be cautious and alert in taking decisions. In the coming year, you will be able to take
wise decisions, both in your professional as well as your
domestic front.
Romance this year: Your good-humoured nature, will
draw many friends towards you, and you will have a good
social life in the year ahead of you. The world would appear beautiful and a place to live as you experience falling
in love this year.
Lucky month: June, September, December and March
17th March, 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: You are likely to notice an improvement in health this year, as you get rid from negative
thinking. At the same time you must unnecessarily refuse
to worry about your health. This would not help you anyways, but even stop you from enjoying your good health
to the fullest.
Finance this year: An improved financial position will
make it convenient for you to make important purchases
this year. However avoid taking crucial decision regard-
ing investment in the first half of the year. Later in the

year you will see good returns through your investments.
Career this year: Coupled with your organizing capacity, you will be able to achieve success in your professional field, in the coming year. Your inborn urge for
knowledge, will allow you to go deep into the study of
different subjects. You will leave no stone unturned to
achieve success in whatever project you undertake. You
are likely to get support from an influential person in professional matters.
Romance this year: This year you are likely to give someone else more importance than yourself, as you will experience falling in love. This would begin your romantic
journey as you prepare yourself to bathe in the sea of love.
Lucky month: August, December and February
18th March, 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, you climb the ladder of success.
Health this year: Keeping a positive outlook towards life
will give much-needed relief to your health this year. At
the same time it would be in your interest to get rid of
your negative emotions to bring a permanent growth in
your health.
Finance this year: In this year, you are likely to inherit
property from ancestors, especially from your fathers
side. Your technical skills and marketing knowledge would
help you in earning good money. You are likely to generate a new source of income to reap handsome returns.
Career this year: Hard work and the ability to take right
decisions, will bring success to you in the coming year.
For those, who are into business, it will be a good year.
You might sign and negotiate big deals.
Romance this year: This year you are likely to be
touched by a wonderful emotion that can make you a giving person. As first time in the life you will find happiness
in other's happiness. There is nothing to worry, as you
might simply fall in love this year.
Lucky month: October, December and February
19th March, 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.
You are very soft spoken and kind hearted person.
Health this year: This year you will have to be little careful while travelling. As you will be travelling a lot this
year, just keep in mind that careless driving could harm
you. So, be extra careful while driving especially on turnings. Health wise a good year ahead.
Finance this year: You need to apply your thinking power to make quick decisions regarding investing the money in right place this year. You yourself would invite financial losses if you invest carelessly. You need to save
yourself from investing in dubious financial schemes.
Career this year: Happiness, prosperity and fame, is
what most of you can expect in the coming year. Your methodical approach to work, coupled with your sincerity,
will take you to newer heights in your professional career.
Your quest for knowledge and research will help you immensely in your field of work to achieve success.
Romance this year: This year you are likely to develop
a sudden acquaintance with a stranger who will share
your thoughts- fulfil dreams and love without end. This
will not only bring an everlasting fragrance of true love
but also sink you slowly in the sea of love. Those who are
already in a relationship will enjoy the love and affection
of their loved ones.
Lucky month: July, September and January
20th March, 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: This year you will have to be extra cautious about your diet and also make them others understand the value of eating healthy food. It would be in your
interest to avoid junk food and as far as possible, restrain
yourself from taking fried and spicy food.
Finance this year: This year taking loan from bank for
short-term investment will be useful. If possible, invest
the money in reputed firm to yield good returns. Carelessness on your part could cost dearly, so read all the papers carefully before signing them.
Career this year: Those of you, who are in the field of
journalism or teaching, can expect to reach newer heights
of excellence, in the year ahead of you. If possible, take
the help of like-minded friends in work. Their timely help
would be crucial and beneficial for you.
Romance this year: For those of you, who are going to
be married, can expect success and prosperity in their
married life. If possible, take sometime out for your love
life. You must keep your promise even after a tight schedule otherwise it would create some strain in your relationship.
Lucky month: July, November and February
30
March 14-20, 2015
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
This article has been selected and reprinted from Sant Rajinder Singh Ji
Maharajs book, Spiritual Pearls for Enlightened Living (Radiance Publishers)
an inspirational collection of stories from the worlds great wisdom traditions.
The Strongest Enemy

By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
uring the time of Guru
Gobind Singh, there was a
great rishi who gave up
everything to go to a forest to meditate. There was also a king who
had already conquered many other
territories and their people. One
day, the king set his ambition on
conquering the rishi to make him
obey his commands. People
thought it was strange that the king
would focus on conquering a rishi
who had no property, kingdom, or
wealth. But it turned out that the
rishi had previously been a king
before giving up his kingdom for
the spiritual life. This made the
present king have an obsession
with wanting to conquer the rishi.
So the king gathered his entire
army to prepare for battle.
The army marched into the deep

forest. The army finally reached
the rishi, who was sitting in the
woods, deep in meditation.
The king waited for the rishi to
come out of meditation, but he
kept on sitting there. Finally, the
king became restless and shook the
rishi out of meditation.
The king shouted, Prepare for a
fight. I have come to do battle with
you.
The rishi surveyed the scene
calmly. He saw the great army and
said, Fight! I ran away from my
worldly life for fear of my one
great enemy. I came here to hide in
the woods from this enemy. My

soul shudders in fear when I hear
the sound of my enemys name.
Just to think of this enemys name
causes my heart to quiver.
The king listened carefully as the
rishi continued to describe his
feared enemy. Finally, the king
became angry and shouted, Is
your enemy stronger than me?
The rishi replied, Even the
thought of this enemy destroys my
soul. I left everything to escape
from this enemy.
The king said, Tell me the name
of this enemy of yours.
The rishi said, There is no use
in telling you who it is. You will
never be able to conquer him.
The king replied, If I cannot
conquer him, I will consider
myself a failure.
The rishi then told him, This
great enemy of whom I am speaking is the mind.
From that day on, the king tried
everything to overcome the mind.
He tried all kinds of techniques to
gain control over his own mind.
Years passed and still he could not
conquer the mind. Finally, the king
had to admit that he had failed and
that the mind is truly the strongest
enemy.
The mind is powerful and will
try every means possible to gain
control over our soul. Many yogis
and rishis have tried to gain control over their minds but failed. If
such is the fate of those who have
given up the world to conquer their
own mind, then what is the fate of
the rest of us who are immersed in
the world?
The mind is the obstacle our soul
must deal with to return to God.
We are searching for happiness all over the world.Little do we realize that the true wealth,true happiness,and true love are waiting
within us.We think that happiness is outside ourselves.We think it
lies in wealth,name and fame,possessions and relationships.
The mind is the obstacle

our soul must deal with to
return to God. The mind is
like a soccer goalie,
guarding the goal. It will
try everything to keep the
ball from reaching the
goal. If even devoted
rishis had trouble
overcoming the mind,
how can we do it?
The mind is like a soccer goalie,
guarding the goal. It will try everything to keep the ball from reaching the goal. If even devoted rishis
had trouble overcoming the mind,
how can we do it?
The fact is that we cannot conquer the mind on our own. The
only way to conquer the mind and
still it is through the help of someone who has conquered the mind.
Such enlightened beings give us a
lift to contact the Light and Sound
within us. The Light and Sound
help uplift our soul beyond the
realm of mind.
The rishi found that doing spiritual practices alone in the jungle
did not help him overcome the
mind. The mind still tempted him
with the countless desires of the
world.
The mind knows that contact
with the soul will render it harmless. Thus, the mind will find all
kinds of excuses to keep us from
meditation. It will make us think of
the past. It will make us think of
the future. It will make us wiggle
around instead of sitting still. It
will make us feel sleepy just when
we sit to meditate. It will make us
feel hungry. It will make us feel
jealous. It will make us feel
depressed. It will make us feel like
doing work instead of meditating.
It will find a million excuses.
How do we overcome the
minds tendencies to distract us?
We must use the tendency of the
mind to form positive habits. The
mind likes habits. If we tell our
mind that we need to sit for meditation each day at the same time
and place, a habit will form. Soon
we will find ourselves compelled
to sit for meditation at that time

each day. If will miss meditation,
we will start to feel like something
is amiss. Soon we will find ourselves meditating regularly.
When we learn to concentrate
fully, wholly, and solely into the
Light and Sound, we will experience bliss, peace, and joy. We will
want to repeat meditation again
and again because of the wonderful experience we receive.
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
is an internationally recognized
spiritual leader and Master of
Jyoti Meditation who affirms the
transcendent oneness at the heart
of all religions and mystic traditions, emphasizing ethical living
and meditation as building blocks
for achieving inner and outer
peace. www.sos.org.
Finding fulfillment in this world

By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
ost people are trying to
fulfill their desires. We
might have a desire to
buy a car; we might have a desire
to buy a house; we might have a
desire to study history or the sciences, or we might desire any
objects of this world. Our emphasis is on being able to fulfill those
desires.
Life goes on in a way in which
we are always trying to fulfill one
desire after another after another.
What happens is that desires do
not end. When one is fulfilled,
then we have another desire. As
we try to fulfill that one, then we
have another desire, then another.

Life just keeps on passing by.
We are searching for happiness all
over the world.Little do we realize
that the true wealth,true
happiness,and true love are
waiting within us.We think that
happiness is outside ourselves.We
think it lies in wealth,name and
fame,possessions and relationships.
Since our human system is set
up to focus on fulfilling our
desires, what is needed is the right
kind of desire. First, we need to
choose a goal. And the right goal
is to choose God, to have the
merger of our soul in the
Lord.God lies within us.God's
love is within.There is nothing
in the outer world that can compare to that. We spend our precious life breaths pursuing the fulfillment of our every wish in the
worldly sphere.
In the end we find that none of
those wishes brings us the happiness, love, and contentment we
really want.Instead of seeking the
true treasures outside ourselves
,we should sit in meditation and
find the true wealth within. If we
would stick to
being conscious of our true self,
as soul, we would find more love
and happiness than we can have
from the fulfillment of any desire
in the world. Then we will find
our lives filled with love,bliss,and
eternal peace and happiness.
March 14-20, 2015
RAJASTHAN ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA
PRESENTS
Rajasthan Mahotsav
Festival of Festivals
CELEBRATING HOLI, TEEJ, GANGAUR

& OTHER REGIONAL FESTIVALS
SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2015

11.30 AM ONWARDS
SUNY COLLEGE AT OLD WESTBURY
OLD WESTBURY, LONG ISLAND, NY 11568
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
SHAILESH LODHA
U>`*>>`i i>]i]
>iE V
>
U/>`>V]E-i>,iV>
U,>>>]>>]*>L]"i
>E `>Vi*iv>Vi
Uq
>
iU>>>->i>`Vi
PRESIDENT
Naveen C Shah, CPA
(516) 364 2940
VICE-PRESIDENT
Kanak Golia
(516) 365 8410
SECRETARY
Nimmi Mehta
(516) 812 9089
Anu Jain
(516) 728 4186
Dashrath Dugar
(516) 294 1968
Animesh Goenka
(516) 624 2460
Ravi Lashkery
(516) 294 2651
Ajay K Jain
(516) 801 4540
Beena Kothari
(631) 988 1280
Rajesh Shah
(516) 484 9205
Narendra Hadpawat, MD
(516) 286 1774
Ajey Jain, MD
(516) 902 9211
Ravi Jargad
(718) 268 6951
Vinod Sancheti, MD
(732) 240 4000
Mahesh Maheshwari
(718) 224 7579
Vinod Jain
(845) 480 5580
Shashi S Shah, MD
(516) 578 2140
Sneha Shah
(516) 395 5821
Sudhir Sachdev
(516) 286 2630
TREASURER
Neelima Goyal
(516) 621 1725
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PAST PRESIDENTS
Icon Imaging, Inc. 516.476.8960
Anand Nahar
(201) 527 0353
Krishna K Mehta
(516) 663 5990
Ajay K Lodha MD
(347) 865 7906
Haridas Kotahawala
(917) 842 3201
Narendra Hadpawat, MD
(516) 286 1774
Rajeev Garg
(212) 325 3140
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US AT

Rajasthan Association of North America | 6 Bridle Path Court, Glenhead, NY 11545
(516) 364 2940 | info@ranausa.org | www.ranausa.org
TICKETS
Regular Tickets $ 20.00 each

Includes Lunch, Parade and Dinner.
CONTACT
Executive Committee or
Board of Directors for Tickets
Trade Booths available.
Contact: Flora Parekh: 631-875-4612
vendorranausa@gmail.com
CORPORATE SPONSORS
3H Hotels Group
Accounting & Tax Associates LLC
Ballon Stoll Bader & Nadler PC
Bank of America
Coakley & Wiliams Hotel Management
HAB Bank (Habib American Bank)
Insurance Ofce of America
K K Mehta CPA
Kamlesh Shah CPA
Maya Overseas Foods Inc
Navika Group of Companies
OConnor Davies
Portables Unlimited
The South Asian Times
Sun Group of Companies
Takat Gems
Xavier University School of Medicine
YM Hospitality Group

Vol.7 Issue 45 March 14-20, 2015

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Vol.7 Issue 45 March 14-20, 2015

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

The South Asian Times

Vol.7 No. 45 March 14-20, 2015 60 Cents

New York Edition

Mangano presents 6th State of the County

Mineola. Last week, we welcomed

Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav

New York: The falling euro and

Nassau County Executive

tance to entities like Winthrop

Disappointed by the ouster of 2 leaders from the

Masrat Alams release

scant lasting impact on growth

New Delhi: Home Minister

ICC WORLD CUP 24

New York: The Aam Aadmi Party

up an AAP government last year.

March 14-20, 2015

India names Arun Kumar

Arun Kumar Singh, currently Indias Ambassador to France,

New Delhi: Arun Kumar Singh,

been the joint secretary in charge

March 14-20, 2015

India Fair in NJ to promote Modis Make in India message

co-organizer, who heads

Ex-White House advisor named Dean of Engineering at UPenn

Kumar Barve to run for US Congress in 2016

Philadelphia, PA: Professor

Washington: Kumar P. Barve,

March 14-20, 2015

BCNA celebrates expansion to Queens

Guests at the ribbon

shops a year on small business management, technology, and social media.

AAP now stands for All Ashamed Party..

New Delhi Bureau

Art and Design: Vladimir Tomovski

Printed Every Saturday by

Managing Editor: Parveen Chopra

Strategy and Marketing

Web Editor: B.B.Chopra

Marketing & PR (Washington DC)

IANS Washington Bureau

Chairman and Co-Founder

Contributing Editors: Melvin Durai,

Co-Founder: Saroosh Gull

Contributing Editors (Youth):

Jaipur (India) Bureau

News Service: HT Media Ltd.

Printing: Five Star Printing, NY

Rajat Gupta files fresh plea seeking

insider trading charges in June,

utterly without motive to participate

March 14-20, 2015

Salman Rushdie to join

The South Asian Times. If you

Sapra siblings win $15 m in

bat into a coma, and his sister hurt

York clubs regularly serving

Prison Education Initiative

March 14-20, 2015

Sothebys to present iconic Amrita Sher-Gil

Telugu Literary & Cultural Association

DIA holds gala to support needy children

Delhi Art Gallery brings iconic exhibition

450+ benet from Love and Cares