14JUN2019 | Vol 11 Issue 13

Better fares
& better paid
drivers.*

Harjinder Singh Mega Celebration of Taapsee Pannu

Indian marathoner aims
to promote healthy
Pg 03 Pg 14 living by running
5th International Day
of Yoga
"I am a happy
Mahatma Gandhi Centre outsider.."
145 New North Rd, Eden Terrace,
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Pg 28
9.30 am to 11.30 am

www.iwk.co.nz /indianweekender /indianweekender

NZ Local Hero
Awards
13 Kiwi-Indians
make the list

INTERNATIONAL
YOGA DAY
ROLL OUT YOUR
MATS AND JOIN THE
CELEBRATIONS THIS
WEEKEND

conditions apply and Patient needs to inform about this voucher at the time of booking
2 NEW ZEALAND Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

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 The Indian Weekender
ROLL OUT YOUR MATS THIS WEEKEND TO
CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA
¡¡ SANDEEP SINGH
A
ucklanders are being urged
to participate in one of the
biggest celebrations of the
5th anniversary of International Yoga
Day at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre,
Eden Terrace at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday,
June 16.
The Consulate of India and all
major Indian Associations have
come together to co-host this event
and give the opportunity to all yoga
enthusiasts to perform yoga as a part
of a large community group.
Meanwhile, the office of the
Indian High Commission is leading
the community in Wellington with
an official event of celebrations of
International Yoga Day at Bharat
Bhawan, on Sunday, June 16, at
10.30 a.m.
In Auckland, Hon Consul of India,
Bhav Dhillon said, “We all know that
yoga is India’s gift to the rest of the
world.
“On Sunday, June 16, we are
coming together along with all major
community organisations to celebrate
the 5th anniversary of International
Yoga Day.
“I encourage everyone to come and
experience a complete nourishment
of one’s body, mind and soul,” Mr
Dhillon said.
For quite some time, the world has
looked towards Yoga as an accepted
Friday, June 14, 2019
form of mental and physical fitness,
however, ever since United Nations
General Assembly adopting a
Resolution on December 11, 2014,
making June 21 as the International
Yoga Day, there has been a
considerable increase in yoga’s
global acceptability.
It is important to note that India’s
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had
started a world movement with a
suggestion during his speech at the
UN General Assembly on September
27, 2014, for an international yoga
day.
Since then, there has been a
remarkable increase in global interest
in yoga – which is an invaluable gift
of India’s ancient tradition to the rest
of the world.
Envisaging a huge turnout at the
event, several community leaders
told The Indian Weekender that they
have made full preparations to host
yoga enthusiasts at Mahatma Gandhi
Centre and give them an electrifying
experience of performing yoga in
large groups.
Narendra Bhana, President
Auckland Indian Association said,
“We have arranged for free light
refreshments after the yoga session
to keep everyone hydrated after what
we are expecting to be a high-power
yoga session.”
Jeet Sachdev of Bhartiya Samaj
Charitable Trust said: “Everyone
agrees with the benefits of yoga;
however performing yoga in large
groups is a special experience in
itself, which should not be missed.”
Expressing similar sentiments,
Nilima Venkat of Shanti Niwas
Charitable Trust said, “This is an
excellent opportunity for nourishing
our mind, body and soul.
Vai Ravindran of Auckland Tamil
Association said, “I am sincerely
looking forward to this event as it
reinforces the need of doing yoga
every day of our lives.
Extending the invites to general
members of public beyond different
community organisations, the
organisers of the event told The
Indian Weekender, “If you are new
to Auckland or have not been a part
of previous International Yoga Day
celebrations then it is a must do thing
for this weekend.”
Meanwhile, the office of the
Indian High Commission is leading
the community with an official event
of celebrations of International Yoga
Day at Bharat Bhawan, on Sunday,
June 16, at 9.30 a.m.
Hindu Council of NZ plans
two week-long nationwide Yoga
celebrations
Meanwhile, the Hindu Council of
New Zealand (HCNZ) is planning
NEW ZEALAND 3
a fourteen-day long nationwide
Yogathon starting on Saturday, June
15, until Friday, June 28.
Yogathon New Zealand, a division
of Hindu Council of New Zealand,
has been organising the nationwide
Yogathon ‘Health for Humanity’
since 2011, with the aim to increase
awareness about the science of yoga,
and its techniques in facilitating
a healthy body, mind and spirit in
balance with each other.
For International Yoga Day (June
21), HCNZ is collaborating with
the Yoga Education in Prisons Trust
to present 108 Surya Namaskara
in Wellington’s Civic Square from
12.30 pm to 1.30 pm.
The participants are aiming
to collectively perform 108,000
repetitions of ‘Surya Namaskar’
(Sun Salutations) over a period of 2
weeks.
The co-hosts of Yogathon 2019
include Kawai Purapura, Yoga in
Daily Life, Anahata Yoga Retreat,
Yoga Education in Prison’s Trust,
Datta Kriya Yoga, The Loft Yoga
Lounge, AbsGym, Minds over
Mats Yoga, Take A Breath Studio
Whangamata,Hamilton Yoga group,
Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh, Hindu
Elders Foundation, Yogi Divine
Society, Bharatiya Mandir, Hanuman
Mandir, and Kawatiri Yoga
Collective Westport, West Coast.
 4 NEW ZEALAND
Global Trade War and its
impact on the Indian Economy
¡¡ RAHUL SEN
T
he current
global trade
war, as we
know it, involves an
escalation of import
taxes or tariffs by US
and China against
each other as well as
a number of other tariff escalations involving
the US and its other trading partners, including
India.
As of June 1 2019, the US has raised tariffs
on $200bn of Chinese imports to 25 per cent
from 10 per cent, threatening to impose tariffs
of up to 25 per cent on all of US $600 billion-
plus worth of imports coming from China.
Likewise, China has already retaliated by
increasing tariffs on mechanical parts, natural
gas and skincare products exported by the US,
from 10 per cent to 25 per cent previously, and
by increasing the same on machinery, wood
and optical instruments from 10 per cent to 20
percent, so far covering US $60 billion worth of
its imports from the US.
As of 2018, the United States has been
India’s largest export destinations, accounting
for US$51.6 billion (16 per cent of total
Indian exports). China accounting for $16.4
billion (5.1 per cent of India’s exports) is its
3rd largest export destination. So India is
naturally “caught in the middle” of two of its
biggest trading partners. Besides, based on a
May 2018 notification to the WTO, India and
the US have also experienced tariff escalations
among themselves recently. Indian exporters
face increased import tariffs in the US since
2018, for metals and metal products including
aluminium, iron and steel, motor vehicles and
parts, machinery electronic equipment and
chemical rubber plastics (CRP). Likewise, US
exporters to India face the same in exports of
vegetables, fruits and nuts, animal products,
as well as also on the manufacturing sector
including iron and steel and CRP sectors.
More recently, as of last week, the US has
also decided to terminate India’s status as
a beneficiary of the Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP). This means that about
US $260 million (equivalent to about 0.5 per
cent) of India’s exports to the US (including
leather articles, imitation jewellery as well as
pharmaceuticals and surgical equipment) that
hitherto enjoyed preferential tariff-free access,
will no longer be tariff-free.
In the above backdrop, how is the global trade
war likely to impact upon the Indian economy,
in terms of growth, trade and employment? A
team of trade economists from the US, New
Zealand and India have been working on this
Friday, June 14, 2019
using a global trade model. Their research
findings so far, suggest that even if “threatened”
tariffs up to May 2019 are considered, India
does not lose from the ongoing trade war. Their
estimates suggest that there could be 0.06 per
cent gain in real GDP for the Indian economy,
with unskilled labour employment and
investment growth likely to increase. However,
a trade war would almost certainly adversely
affect India’s export growth by about 1.03 per
cent, thereby increasing the trade deficit.
Why would India gain in spite of an
ongoing tariff escalation that involves itself
and the US? A key to understanding this is the
dynamics of changes in India’s export prices
and import prices, that ultimately also impact
upon its Terms of Trade, a key indicator of
welfare competitiveness. First, as producers
in the United States and China experience
oversupply (due to blocked markets because
of the trade war), this leads their export prices
to third markets (India in this case) to decline.
This leads to fall in import prices for India,
The Indian Weekender
benefitting both consumers and intermediate
producers there. Second, since exporters in
India are not blocked by increasing tariffs
in China, they experience increases in their
export prices, as they fill in the gaps opened by
the exclusion of United States in that market
(e.g. this could happen with US GSP excluded
exports from India now exported to China). The
combination of these two dynamics leads to
improved terms of trade for India (rising export
prices compared to falling import prices), that
contributes to the overall positive outcome so
far. This is also the likely outcome for New
Zealand (a third-country partner in this trade
war) so far.
An important caveat is in order here. The
situation is constantly evolving, and there is
a real danger that the trade war will spin off
next into the digital economy, as technology
products are next in the firing line of 25 per
cent tariffs from the US if the situation does not
get resolved by end June 2019. This is likely
to include products such as computers, TVs,
game consoles, smartphones and their parts
and components). This, along with any move
to restrict technology transfers, will potentially
disrupt global value chains and could have
far-reaching adverse consequences for India,
New Zealand and the global economy at large,
depending on the extent to which the trade war
escalates, and businesses are able to respond
to. In that sense, the long-term effects of a
prolonged global trade on the Indian economy,
as well as New Zealand remains clearly
uncertain.
Note: The author is Senior Lecturer, School of
Economics, Faculty of Business Economics and
Law, at AUT, Auckland, besides being a Fellow,
New Zealand-India Research Institute (NZIRI).
The views expressed here are personal.
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 NEW ZEALAND 5

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 6 NEW ZEALAND
Transformative change in criminal
justice system: How far are we?
¡¡ SANDEEP SINGH
T
his government’s insistence on being
the harbinger of a transformational
change, in almost every human activity
taking place in this country, has expectedly
raised huge expectations among the experts,
both domestic and global, apart from the
commoners who carry out their day to day life
in this country.
After the recently released Wellbeing Budget,
which sought to unleash a transformative
change, in our approaches to some of the
glaring challenges that we are facing including
mental health crisis and child poverty, some
progress is being made in terms of heralding
a transformative change in the criminal justice
system of this country.
An interim report released recently by an
Advisory Group created earlier by the Minister
of Justice Andrew Little, and tasked with the
responsibility of speaking with New Zealanders
and proposing changes to the current criminal
justice system, if any, is clearly suggesting a
transformative change.
The Safe and Effective Justice Advisory
Group – Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora – appointed
by Justice Minister Andrew Little earlier last
year had on Sunday, June 9, released its first
interim report which shares their reflections
on conversations and submissions received
from New Zealanders about the criminal
justice system.
According to the report, the overwhelming
message from New Zealanders is that regardless
of how they come into contact with the justice
system it is failing them and their families,
and there is a need for transformative and
sustained change.
The Group has been for months engaged
in talking to thousands of people nationwide
about their experiences with the justice system.
Chair of the Advisory Group Chester
Borrows said: “Our advisory group was set up
by the Justice Minister to conduct an honest and
constructive conversation with New Zealanders
on how we can deliver safer and more
effective justice.
“We listened to thousands of New Zealanders
from all over the country at our public events,
through our website and social media, and at
events we attended. We heard from interested
members of the public, as well as those who
have been victimised, prosecuted for offending
or who offer services to communities that have
been affected.
Friday, June 14, 2019
“The overwhelming impression we got from
people who have experienced the criminal
justice system is one of grief. Far too many
New Zealanders feel the system has not dealt
with them fairly, compassionately or with
respect - and in many cases has caused more
harm,” Mr Borrows said.
Experiences of grief resonate
with Ethnic migrant communities
R
esponding to a query by The Indian
Weekender about the experience of
engagement with the ethnic migrant
communities, including the Kiwi-Indian
community with the Advisory Group, Mr
Borrows expressed satisfaction in engagement
with members of ethnic communities.
“Some of the major concerns we heard from
the ethnic migrant communities were of dairy
The Indian Weekender
shop owners and small business owners who
were at the forefront of experiencing robberies
and assaults at their workplace.
“Their experiences of dealing with the
criminal justice system was very much in line
with the majority view of other Kiwis, that of
grief,” Mr Burrows said.
On being probed further about the
prevailing anxieties within a section of Kiwi-
Indian community about current political
narrative of reducing incarceration rates and
keeping communities safe, Mr Burrows said,
“We acknowledge that many of our ethnic
communities have emigrated from countries
with socially conservative justice system and
tends to see harsher punishments as guarantee
for safety, which several modern pieces of
research disagree with.
“However, there is absolutely no denial of the
fact that everyone, including our ethnic migrant
communities, needs to feel safer and have a
better experience of dealing with the criminal
justice system,” Mr Burrows said.
He also assured that the Advisory Group
would be including recommendations to the
Minister for providing more support and respect
to ethnic migrant communities for engaging
with the criminal justice system.
The Advisory Group will now put together
a final report and deliver it to the Government
in August.

FIANZ releases clarification
The Indian Weekender
for Eid announcement ‘error’
¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
T
he Federation of Islamic
Associations of New Zealand
(FIANZ) has released its
report clarifying the moon sighting
error that occurred on Tuesday, June 4.
FIANZ, the umbrella body of the
Muslim community in New Zealand is
responsible for releasing information
and announcements about starting
and ending of Islamic months based
on moon sightings and dealing with
major issues related to the Muslims
community in the country.
To recap the whole issue:an
incorrect memo was released
on FIANZ’s website without its
knowledge on Tuesday, June 4,
evening that announced Eid to be
observed on Wednesday, June 5 –
and five minutes later posted on
social media that the website update
is ‘fake’ and to follow FIANZ’s
Facebook page for correct and
authentic notice.
This created widespread confusion
in the community, followed by
several questions and concerns raised
by the community on the science and
method of announcing a major event
like moon sighting for Eid.
FIANZ released a memo on its
website and social media on Tuesday,
June 11, addressing the concerns and
questions raised by the community
moon sighting error that occurred
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Friday, June 14, 2019
last week.
The most important and vital
question that the community had
was how and why was the ‘incorrect
memo’ stating or declaring the
moon sighting and Eid observance
of Wednesday, June 5 released on
FIANZ’s website.
FIANZ in the three-page circular
stated that as was the practice for
years, two memos are prepared every
year (one confirming moon sighting
and one not confirming) and is kept
offline or hidden on its website.
When the Hilal Committee gives the
decision, the right circular or memo
is then published on the website and
subsequently posted and shared on
social media.
“This preparation [two-memos]
is done ahead of time since even
fiveminutes makes a difference.
When the Hilal Committee gives
the decision, the right circular
is published online,” FIANZ’s
clarification circular said.
Last week, the incorrect memo
was released online, which is now
said to be a technical error, and
the only explanation provided was
‘server-breakdown error’.
‘The technical error was
investigated, and no satisfactory
conclusion was given by the web host
except that it was a server breakdown
error,” FIANZ memo said.
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FIANZ also added that when this
error or fiasco occurred, FIANZ itself
could not access its website which
had then raised a suspicion that its
website could have been hacked.
The trackers placed by the host of
the website later showed that some
hackers were indeed targeting the
FIANZ website.
“A clear response to this question
is that there was a technical server
problem leading to the ‘unintentional’
publication of the wrong message
and in the future even if takes an
extra five minutes, the circular will
be prepared only after confirmation
by the Hilal Committee,”
FIANZ said.
The second query from the
community was why it took so much
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time (four minutes) for FIANZ to
clarify the error. FIANZ responded
that the delay was caused as they
were not able to log into its website
and they took the social media route
to reach out to the community with
the correct information then.
‘The delay was due to several
unsuccessful attempts to log into the
FIANZ website to clarify or remove
the incorrect memo, but the website
had crashed.
“It should also be noted that
the web host in the USA took 45
minutes to respond to our request for
clarification,” FIANZ memo added.
The displeasure in the people
especially on social media questioned
the Hilal System to change or
improve in the future so that such
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7
confusions are mitigated or do not
occur in the first place, to which
FIANZ responded that its Hilal
Committee will convey its internal
meeting on June 22 and will come
out with a resolve for such issues.
“The Hilal Committee will
be meeting this month in which
scientific experts will also be invited.
It will allow us to discuss widely
and attempt to resolve some of the
main issues and clarify many key
questions.
“The Hilal Committee shall have
this ready within two months and then
advise the community and endeavour
to visit all centres to explain to the
community,” FIANZ said.
FIANZ through the release
apologised for the confusion caused
last week and asked the community
to contact them if they have any
suggestions for improvements,
technical in nature or otherwise that
the Hilal Committee will address and
follow up on.
“We humbly request the
community members to forgive our
shortcomings and move forward,”
FIANZ added.
The Muslim community in New
Zealand observed Eid on Thursday,
June 6, completing their 30 days
of fasting.
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 8 NEW ZEALAND Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

Interactive musical ‘Jungle Radha Krishna Temple

Jambo’ coming for children celebrates the tradition
of ‘Patotsav’
¡¡ IWK BUREAU

J
ungle Jambo is an exciting new
interactive musical stage show
for kids, where the audience
can become the stage, participate in
the show and integrate fully with the
show and the storyline.
What makes this show unique is
that everyone in the audience (the
tribe) is given an African styled hand
drum irrespective of the number of
people in the audience.
Jungle Jambo is a story about a
little monkey named Jambo who
takes on the challenge to gather a
¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD

tribe and teach his music to save the
jungle from a railway being built
through it. Jambo encounters certain
obstacles, and the question arises
whether he will succeed or not.
The audience becomes Jambo’s
tribe, and soon he realises that
together as one, he can achieve
so much more. The tribe becomes
part of Jambo’s journey to stop the
railway destroying the jungle.
The show carries inspiring themes
such as “you can do it,”“actions speak
louder than words” and “together as
one”, which is as one can imagine the
entire theatre playing music together.
Produced and directed by John
Boone from Rhythm Interactive, the
director has performed interactive
drum shows throughout New Zealand
since 2003 and has presented at three
TEDx events.
In 2018 John Boone joined forces
with Arnav Taode, and together they
produced the Jungle Jambo theatre
experience for kids. Arnav graduated
with a Bachelor of Design in 2008,
and as an Art Director, he will cast
his creative magic to the Jungle
Jambo stage.
“Jungle Jambo is about building
tribes (communities) and bringing
positive change to the world we live
in,” John Boone said.
The tickets are priced at $30 for
a child, $40 for an adult, and $120
for a family of four of which every
ticket sold, $1 will be donated to the
Orangutan Foundation, to help in the
conservation of wild orangutans.
Jungle Jambo is a brilliant family
entertainment and is perfect for kids
aged 5 to 12 to be held at Herald
Theatre in Aotea Centre, Auckland
from July 16 to July 20.
Tickets can be brought from www.
ticketmaster.co.nz or call 0800 111
999 and visit www.junglejambo.com
for more information.
S
hri Radha Krishna Temple
located in Eden Terrace hosted
a five-day celebration with the
community called ‘Patotsav’, a ritual
that celebrates the anniversary of the
first consecration of the idols.
Temple and idol worship are
the fundamental parts of Sanatan
Dharma.
Radha Krishna Temple had its
idols’ consecration 18 years ago
by Rameshbhai Oza and Swami
Chidanand Sarawatiji from India.
“The day is still fresh in the
minds and hearts of our devotees.
We relive those memories every
year with devotees and members
coming together with undiminished
enthusiasm and energy of 18 years
ago to celebrate the patotsav,” a
spokesperson from the temple said.
“It was a sure sign of God’s
blessing after a beautiful sunny
day dawned following a ferocious
winter’s day to celebrate our patotsav
in such a grand way. It seemed
like the gods had come down to
celebrate with us and it was a divine
experience,” President of Auckland
Indian Association Narendra Bhana
said.
The celebrations were spread over
five days, starting with Deh Shuddhi
(purifying the idol) on Wednesday,
June 5 and stretched till Saturday,
June 8 night, followed by Bhajan
Sandhya by Jalaram Samithi.
Sunday, June 9 was an important
and the last day of the celebrations
which started with the pooja,
havan, Bhajans and Dhaja Ropan,
concluding it with the Aarti and
Maha Prasad.
Acharya Shri Dr.Devrambhai
Raval made a lot of effort into
decorating sthapna which had its
significance. The temple Chairman
Shri Ramesh Bhagwan and the team
made sure everything required for
the five-day puja was in place.
“The catering committee is the
first to arrive and last to leave on any
events. We are fortunate to have very
dedicated volunteers on the catering
committee,” Narendra Bhana added.
Pandit Sunil Sharma from the
Hanuman Mandir and Chairman of
Bhartiya Mandir, Hemant Prashar
were also present at the event.
••

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 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019
Islamic education in NZ gets boost with new school
¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
T
he new premises of Iqra Elementary
School will provide some respite to
the increasing demand for Islamic
education in New Zealand.
Iqra Islamic School opened in 2016 with 15
students and two teachers in a small space in Mt
Roskill but has grown manifold with over 100
students in three years leading it to move to a
much bigger area to meet the demand.
The principal of the school, Fatima Zahid
affirmed that the demand for Islamic education
has grown with more families inclined towards
providing both traditional schooling and
Islamic teachings simultaneously that Iqra
Elementary provides.
The population of the Muslim community in
New Zealand is 46,000 as per 2013 census and
few schools to cater to the demand of Islamic
education parallel to regular primary school
education in the country.
The new premises now houses 130 students,
ten staff members (seven teachers) and students
enrolled from the age of five or in Year 1 until
Year 5. The school aims to increase the number
by 20 by the end of 2019 and also start Year 6
class in 2020.
Speaking at the inauguration of its new
premises in New Lynn on Wednesday, June
12, principal of the school Fatima Zahid
said that there is a massive gap in demand
and supply of Islamic education for children
in New Zealand and Iqra Elementary
intends to contribute its part in bridging
that gap.
“We have 130 students from 32 countries who
study here, and we still have more applications
that we are aiming to accommodate currently,”
Ms Zahid told The Indian Weekender.
The school aims to integrate the students
with the regular subjects such as Maths,
English, and Science etc. like it is taught in any
primary school and add Islamic studies, Arabic
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The unveiling of the plaque
marking the opening of the school
language and Quran studies as a part of the
curriculum.
“We aim for our students to become active
learners, contributors and participants in
the Muslim community, New Zealand and
the world.
“The values we want to inculcate through
our education is respect for oneself and
one another, others’ cultures, responsibility,
confidence, acceptance, academic excellence
Dame Patsy with staff
and Trustees of
Iqra Elementary School
and care for the world and the environment,”
Principal Zahid added.
Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy
inaugurated the new premises, which was also
attended by dignitaries such as the Ambassador
of UAE, parliamentarians, community leaders,
parents of the students, teachers and trustees of
the school.
The inauguration ceremony also featured a
NEW ZEALAND 9
We aim for our students
to become active
learners, contributors
and participants in the
Muslim community, New
Zealand and the world..
haka, Māori waiata and also an Arabic song -
Assalamu Alayka by the students of the school.
“Congratulations to all the people who have
worked so hard to bring their vision of the
school to reality, and we wish Principal Fatima
Zaheed and her staff all the very best in the
years ahead,” Dame Patsy said.
The cost for each student is $9000 to $10,000
for a year- but students only pay $1000 each for
a year and the trustees through donations and
fundraising cover the rest.
Most of the students studying in the school
come from a family with single income and
while a significant number of students come
from families whose total earnings are still
below national median.
“Our clientele that come from the wider
Muslim community who would not go to
private school and come from a household
of income that is below national median,”
Principal Fatima added.
Iqra Elementary is currently a private school,
but it has started the procedure of applying to
be integrated into the state system which in the
future will allow the school to receive more
support from the government to grow and help
Muslim children to learn more about their faith
and persevere to become better New Zealand
citizens without having to struggle while
making this choice.
 10 NEW ZEALAND Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

Auckland Council declares

US bulk-buy club climate emergency
Costco coming to ¡¡ IWK BUREAU

New Zealand M
embers of Auckland Council’s
Environment and Community
Committee on Tuesday, June 11,
voted to join a growing community of cities
¡¡ IWK BUREAU around the world who have formally and

T
he launch of US bulk-buy
club Costco in New Zealand shows
the country has reached the population
density needed to support the arrival of mega-
retailers according to an industry expert.
Costco is a multinational retailer which
operates a chain of more than 700 membership-
only warehouse clubs. Customers pay an annual
subscription fee to shop there.
Vinod Kumar managing director of Nido,
a furniture and homewares store which will
be the country’s largest retailer when it opens
this spring, has welcomed the announcement
that Costco will enter the Auckland market.
He says retailing in New Zealand has reached
its next evolutionary stage with the rise of
mega-retailers; which can only exist once the
local population reaches a critical mass.
Kumar who helped develop the Mitre 10
Mega concept and has been named Retailer
of the Year says while the ‘club’ model will
be unfamiliar to most Kiwis, the concept will
catch on quickly.
“What we can expect to see from the arrival
of other large scale retail operators such
as  Costco  is significantly more competition
in the market, particularly when it comes to
FMCG products.
“Globally Costco has an almost unparalleled
buying power and a formidable reputation
for leveraging this to drive down prices, even
amongst dominant suppliers.
“For consumers, this is going to mean more
choice and better prices, but it is also going
to mean a change in the way we think about
shopping.
“Large-scale retailers have inherent
advantages for price conscious customers and
so what this might mean is a trend towards the
intermittent, bulk-buying of non-perishable
staples such as tinned goods - which will reduce
the average grocery bill over the course of the
year,” he says,
Kumar says other West Auckland businesses
are also set to benefit as mega-retailers become
destination stores - bringing more potential
customers from around the region.
“It is likely that we will see more visitors
come to the area, particularly outside of peak
traffic hours and over the weekend when they
have more time to spend in store - which may
provide opportunities for neighbouring firms as
well,” he says.
Construction on the more than 31,000
square metre Nido site at 158 Central Park
Dr, Henderson began in October 2018 and
is expected to be completed around spring of
this year.
publicly recognised the urgency for action
on climate change by declaring a climate
emergency.
“By unanimously voting to declare a climate
emergency we are signalling the council’s
intention to put climate change at the front and
centre of our decision making,” says Mayor
Phil Goff
“Our declaration further elevates the
importance of an immediate national and global
response to address our changing climate,” said
Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of the committee.
“We want to be a part of the global community
calling for change. We have listened and
are listening to people; to Aucklanders who
supported targeted rates to improve the health
of our environment and water, to the students
who went on strike and demanded action on
climate, to groups like Extinction Rebellion
who came to the council and pleaded with us
to take more action including declaring this
climate emergency. To these groups and to the
many others who have made their voices heard,
I say thank you,” says Councillor Hulse.
Mayor Goff says, “Our obligation is to avoid
our children and grandchildren inheriting a
world devastated by global heating. Scientists
tell us that if we don’t take action, the
effects of heating will be catastrophic, both
environmentally and economically.
“In declaring an emergency, we are
signalling the urgency of action needed to
mitigate and adapt to the impact of rising world
temperatures and extreme weather events.
The  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change says we have only around 12 years
to reduce global carbon emissions to limit
temperature rises to 1.5 degrees.
“While international and national actions are
critical, at a local and personal level we need to
play our role in achieving that target.”
What does this mean for Aucklanders?
By declaring a climate emergency, the
council is committing to:
• continue to robustly and visibly incorporate
climate change considerations into work
programmes and decisions
• continue to provide strong local government
leadership in the face of climate change,
including working with local and central
government partners to ensure a collaborative
response
• continue to advocate strongly for greater
central government leadership and action on
climate change
• continue to increase the visibility of our
climate change work
• continue to lead by example in monitoring
and reducing the council’s greenhouse gas
emissions
• include climate change impact statements on
all council committee reports.

Revolution

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 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 NEW ZEALAND 11

Budget 2019 – the Botched Budget left Kiwis wondering

about definition of wellbeing
Wellbeing Budget – promises in its wake. There’s no a regional tax, this is hitting the

is historic
money for Independent Midwives, entire country.
no free healthcare for seniors, The economy is sharply
Kanwaljit no new cancer drugs and no fee declining and the Government
Singh Bakshi reductions for GP visits. is doing nothing to encourage
We also recognise that nobody wants
National Party List MP DHBs will have to start the growth. Surpluses over the next
to live in a country where, despite a
Priyanca new financial year scrimping and five years are $9 billion below
strong economy, families are homeless,

T
he ‘wellbeing’ Budget saving because this Budget doesn’t where they were at six months ago
Radhakrishnan people with mental health issues do
has been more style than give them enough to get ahead, and meanwhile the Government
Labour List MP based not receive the support they need, and
in Maungakiekie substance, and for a so- when they’re already heading for has already racked up $20 billion
where we have shocking levels of
called ‘transformational’ Budget, it deficits by the end of June. more in debt. That’s a clear sign

T
he Budget 2019 – the
Wellbeing Budget – is historic.
It is increasingly garnering
international recognition for being a
world-first in its approach to place
wellbeing at its core. I’m proud that
the coalition government, with the Rt
Hon. Jacinda Ardern at the helm, is
taking a bold approach to tackling New
Zealand’s long-term challenges.
As our Finance Minister Hon. Grant
Robertson often says, the importance
of a strong economy is undeniable. We
cannot fix the housing crisis, invest
in health and education and more
broadly, improve the wellbeing of New
Zealanders if we don’t have strong
economic growth.
Since this Government took office
70,000 more New Zealanders are in
work and they’re getting paid more for
it. We’ve lowered unemployment to
4.2% - a sure sign the Government’s
economic plan is working. In addition,
wages are growing faster than house
prices and housing affordability is
improving.
family violence and child poverty.
The Budget tackles these long-term
challenges by focusing on taking mental
health seriously; improving child
wellbeing; supporting Maori & Pasifika
aspirations; building a productive nation
and transforming the economy.
Through this Budget, the Government
has made the largest ever investment in
mental health – that includes a plan to
roll out free mental health, addiction and
wellbeing support in every community
over the next five years. We believe that
no matter where you are, help should be
on hand if it’s needed.
The government also announced
the largest ever single investment in
addressing family and sexual violence.
The $320 million package sits across
eight portfolios and represents an
integrated approach to reducing
family and sexual violence, which is
widely acknowledged as a driver of
poverty, criminal offending and has
links with drug and alcohol addiction.
A government that is truly focused on
improving wellbeing must address
family and sexual violence and this
Government is.
has left a lot of people disappointed.
Instead this Botched Budget has
offered nothing but more taxes
for hardworking Kiwis who are
struggling to keep up with the
rising cost of living.
The Government has shown its
true colours and it’s clear NZ First
once again holds the purse strings.
They’ve got a billion dollars for
rail and more funding for forestry.
That’s on top of Shane Jones’ slush
fund and the $900 million for
foreign diplomats.
It’s left New Zealanders
wondering about the Government’s
definition of wellbeing.
The day before the Government
Botched its Budget teachers
marched to Parliament demanding
a pay rise. They got so little in the
budget they announced further
strikes that same day. There’s
funding for classrooms, but what
good are classrooms if there are no
teachers to work in them?
The Government made huge
promises for the Health portfolio,
but it’s leaving a litany of broken
Instead, under this Government
there are fewer jobs, more people
on a benefit and needing hardship
assistance, huge increases in the
numbers of people without housing
and more people are missing out
on elective surgeries.  That’s not
wellbeing, its New Zealanders
going backwards on the metrics
that matter.
The first piece of legislation
passed after the so-called wellbeing
Budget has been to legislate for
more fuel taxes, placing a huge
additional burden on Kiwi families.
Prices ar the pump are already at
some of the highest we’ve seen in
years.
What’s more galling is the
fact motorists are getting less
for all the extra taxes they are
paying. The Labour, Greens, NZ
First Government has cancelled,
delayed or gutted a dozen major
transport projects.
The Government kept quiet on
this in the Budget, but it’s hitting
Kiwis in the back pocket once
again, and this time it’s not just
the Government is struggling to
manage the books while it oversees
a weakening economy.
A strong economy is the best way
to improve the living standards of
New Zealanders.
For National, a real wellbeing
Budget would prioritise front line
services in Health and Education,
Infrastructure and take steps to
help address the rising cost of
living for Kiwis. More taxes on
middle New Zealanders does not
increase wellbeing, all it does is
make it harder for families to get
ahead.
The Government has promised
up large and raised expectations.
But all it’s done is leave Kiwis
disappointed. In its self-proclaimed
year of delivery, there’s not a lot of
delivering going on.
The Botched Budget is
style over substance. It’s not
transformational and has left New
Zealanders questioning, while the
Government’s talking wellbeing,
why are things getting tougher
for us?

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi

National List MP based
in Manukau East

1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland

09 278 9302
bakshi.mp@parliament.govt.nz
bakshiks
bakshi.co.nz

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Rahul Chopra on 09 278 9302

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 12 NEW ZEALAND Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

Kiwi consumers set to benefit

from arrival of mega-retailers
T
he launch of US bulk-buy club Costco
in New Zealand shows the country
has reached the population density
needed to support the arrival of mega-retailers
mega-retailers; which can only exist once the “For consumers, this is going to mean more
local population reaches a critical mass. choice and better prices, but it is also going
Kumar who helped develop the Mitre 10 to mean a change in the way we think about
Mega concept and has been named Retailer shopping. Vinod Kumar

according to an industry expert.Costco is a
multinational retailer which operates a chain
of more than 700 membership-only warehouse
clubs. Customers pay an annual subscription
fee to shop there.
Vinod Kumar managing director of Nido, a
furniture and homewares store which will be
the country’s largest retailer when it opens this
spring, has welcomed the announcement that
Costco will enter the Auckland market.
He says retailing in New Zealand has reached
its next evolutionary stage with the rise of
of the Year says while the ‘club’ model will
be unfamiliar to most Kiwis, the concept will
catch on quickly.
“What we can expect to see from the arrival
of other large scale retail operators such as
Costco is significantly more competition in the
market, particularly when it comes to FMCG
products.
“Globally Costco has an almost unparalleled
buying power and a formidable reputation
for leveraging this to drive down prices, even
amongst dominant suppliers.
“Large-scale retailers have inherent
advantages for price conscious customers and
so what this might mean is a trend towards the
intermittent, bulk-buying of non-perishable
staples such as tinned goods - which will reduce
the average grocery bill over the course of the
year,” he says,
Kumar says other West Auckland businesses
are also set to benefit as mega-retailers become
destination stores - bringing more potential
customers from around the region.
“It is likely that we will see more visitors
come to the area, particularly outside of peak
traffic hours and over the weekend when they
have more time to spend in store - which may
provide opportunities for neighbouring firms as
well,” he says.
Construction on the more than 31,000
square metre Nido site at 158 Central Park
Dr, Henderson began in October 2018 and is
expected to be completed around spring of this
year.

Easter boosts visitor arrivals in April

T
otal overseas visitor arrivals
were 307,400 in April 2019,
up 23,500 compared with the
same month last year, Stats NZ said
today.
The change in the timing of Easter
boosted April 2019 arrivals, notably
from Australia. (Good Friday was 19
April in 2019, 30 March in 2018, and
14 April in 2017.)
Both total and Australian visitor
numbers were similar to 2017, when
Easter also occurred in April. There
were 130,800 visitor arrivals from
Australia in April 2019, up 21,000
from April 2018. Other increases
were:
• United Kingdom up 3,500
• Hong Kong, up 2,000
• United States, up 1,600.
For the year ended April 2019,
there were 3.89 million visitor
arrivals, up 99,400 from the year
ended April 2018.
“Trans-Tasman travel was lifted by
the timing of Easter this year, which
fell in the school holidays and close
to Anzac Day,” population indicators
manager Tehseen Islam said.
“This made it an attractive option
for many holidaymakers, but
particularly those visiting family and
friends.”
Of visitor arrivals, 87,500 were
to visit family and friends in April
2019, up 11,700 from April 2018.
The timing of Easter definitely
affected international travel patterns
in March–April 2019 compared with
2018. There was no clear evidence
that the Christchurch mosque attacks
affected visitor arrivals.
Trips to Australia increase
There were 243,300 New Zealand-
resident travellers who arrived back
from an overseas trip in April 2019,
up 7,400 from the same month last
year. This number was also lifted by
the timing of Easter this year.
Trips to Australia led the increase
in resident traveller arrivals, up 6,300
compared with the same month last
year. Other major changes were:
• United States (down 1,800)
• Indonesia (up 1,300)
• Japan (up 1,100).
The total number of New Zealand-
resident traveller arrivals for the year
ended April 2019 was 3.06 million,
up 168,000 from the year ended
April 2018.
The Government Statistician
authorises all statistics and data we
publish.

Trust Saffron Finance for

expert Mortgage/ Insurance
Dunedin quarterly
advice backed by years economic figures
of experience
underscore confidence
A
Mortgages: Risk Insurances:
combination
• Home loans • Life & Trauma
of steady
• Commercial Property loans • Key Person Cover
• Business Loans • Medical / Health growth in
• Top up & Debt consolidation • TPD and Income Protection Dunedin’s GDP,
• Re-Finance and Refixing • Mortgage Repayment cover employment numbers,
• Investment Property loans • New to Business & population and
• Restructuring of loan • Business Continuity Cover building activity,
• Construction & Renovation • Redundancy Cover provide a continuing
platform for
confidence in the city’s
economic future.
The Quarterly
Economic Monitor
released by
Infometrics today
Contact for show figures to the
free assessment year ended March
2019 which indicate Dunedin had GDP growth
Nimish Parikh 18B Kirby Street, Glendene, of 2%pa. DCC Enterprise Dunedin Director, John
national trend). This suggests that employers have
Registered Financial Adviser Auckland 0602 the confidence to invest in their enterprise by taking
Christie, says that this rate, while being below the
M. 021 236 7070 P O Box - 69263 , Glendene, on new staff. It is good to see gains for those that
Auckland 0645 national 2.5% GDP rate, sits well with Dunedin as
nimish@saffronfinance.co.nz may have been left out of improvements in the
it prepares for major infrastructure projects about
economy until now.”
www.saffronfinance.co.nz to get underway and works to address housing
demand.
Regarding the tourism sector, Infometrics
Mr Christie says, “The non-residential building data shows a diverging trend in visitor spend

STOP WASTING consents grew by 17.5% over the year, which is a

forward-looking indicator in that what is consented
YOUR ADVERTISING DOLLARS.
now underpins activity in the future. The consents
ADVERTISE WITH issued will create a solid workload for contractors
THE LEADER before the hospital redevelopment gets underway.
“The figures also show a decrease in
AND WATCH YOUR unemployment from 7.1% in March 2018 to 6.1%
BUSINESS GROW a year later, and a 0.5%, decrease in those drawing
Jobseeker Support benefit (in contrast to the rising
(up 2.7%) and guest nights (down 1.6%). While
Infometrics suggests this widening gap may be
attributed to a greater spend per tourist and an
increase in unrecorded Airbnb activity, Enterprise
Dunedin considers it may also be partially due to
an increase in cruise ship passenger numbers. In
the 2017/18 season there were 254,750 cruise ship
visitors (including crew); this increased to 352,148
passengers and crew last summer.
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 NEW ZEALAND 13

A recipe for success

Masters of Modern Indian cuisine from India team up at Sidart
¡¡ SUPPLIED CONTENT canapés and a six-course tasting
This once in a lifetime chef

F
ans of Sidart are in for a very special treat menu for $250 per person, with
this July thanks to a chef collaboration collaboration is part of the a glass of Louis Roederer or a
which will see India’s most acclaimed non-alcoholic Seedlip cocktail on
and awarded top Chef Manish Mehrotra of
Elemental AKL presented arrival. Wine matching is available
for an additional $100 per person.
Indian Accent Restaurants visiting Auckland by Auckland Tourism and Sid and Manish will each be
to join forces with award-winning chef and
restaurateur Sid Sahrawat. Economic Development and responsible for three canapés and
With more than 20 years of culinary three main dishes. Some dietary
is also a feature of Ponsonby’s requirements will be catered for –
experience, Chef Manish is widely regarded
as the most exciting modern Indian chef in the Eat Drink Love Ponsonby. diners need to contact the restaurant
world today. He is set to join Sahrawat in the to check before booking.
kitchen for two nights only, on July 17-18. ••
This once in a lifetime chef collaboration
is part of the Elemental AKL presented by
Auckland Tourism and Economic Development
and is also a feature of Ponsonby’s Eat Drink
Love Ponsonby. Elemental AKL is a new
region-wide festival illuminating Tāmaki
Makaurau during winter from 1-31 July 2019.
Hailed as one of the top chefs in India – and
globally – Manish Mehrotra and Indian Accent
have helped put modern Indian food on the
gastronomic map, showcasing inventive Indian
cuisine by complementing the flavours and
traditions of India with global ingredients and
techniques.
Opening in 2009 in New Delhi to significant
acclaim for its ground-breaking approach
to contemporary Indian food, Indian Accent
New Delhi has won several awards and global
recognition, including being the only restaurant
from India on the World’s 100 Best list since
2015. It has been awarded the Best Restaurant
in India by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (Asia’s
50 Best Restaurants 2019), every year since
2015 and is one of Time Magazine’s, 100 Great
Destinations in the World.
Indian Accent subsequently opened in New
York in 2016 and in London in 2017 to critical
and popular acclaim. 
Sid Sahrawat and wife Chand met Manish
and dined at Indian Accent in New Delhi when
they were in India last December. It was after
this meeting that the couple decided to invite
Manish to Auckland and offer Sidart diners a
first-hand opportunity to sample his culinary
creations.
Sahrawat says it is an honour to have Manish
and his team agree to come to Auckland to
collaborate with the Sidart crew.
“Our dinner at Indian Accent in December
was by far the standout experience for us
during our two-week trip in India and I’m really
looking forward to working in the kitchen with
a chef who I have huge admiration for. It’s
going to be a dining experience like no other.
“Chand and I are so proud of Auckland
and we can’t wait to show Manish around our
stunning city and introduce him to the many
incredible food offerings we have here in
Tāmaki Makaurau that makes us such a diverse
culinary destination.”
Chef Manish describes his cooking style as
“inventive Indian cuisine” and says he can’t
wait to create Indian food with an international
accent in Auckland.
Chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent
says, “We are excited to present Indian Accent
food for the first time in New Zealand and are
looking forward to working with Sid and Chand
during the pop-up at Sidart. I hope diners will
enjoy the food and the experience.”
Manish adds, “I am also looking forward to
trying local cuisine, exploring the ingredients
and learning something from it all.”
The chef collaboration takes place over
two nights, on July 17-18. It comprises of six
 14 NEW ZEALAND
Auckland Transport must
restore Mt Roskill bus services
Dr Parmjeet Parmar
• National Party List MP based
in Mt Roskill
• Spokesperson for Research,
Science and Innovation
• Associate Spokesperson for
Economic Development
• Chair, Education and
workforce Select Committee
T
oday I am giving notice of a petition I’m
launching to restore the bus services
cut due to the Labour government’s
changes to employment laws, National List MP
based in Mt Roskill Dr Parmjeet Parmar says.
“The Mt Roskill electorate suffered a
disproportionate cut in services from 6 May. Of
the 41 cuts across Auckland there are seven that
are occurring within the boundaries of the Mt
Roskill electorate.
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facilities and a wide range of catering options available for all occasions.
FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES
CONTACT US ON
“The Labour Government’s changes
to employment law has created a
situation resulting in a shortage of bus
drivers. On one side we are promoting
public transport but on the other people
are experiencing cuts to such services.
“Given the projected population
growth, housing developments in
the area and the four major arterial
routes (Sandringham Rd, Mt Eden
Rd, Dominion Rd, Manukau Rd) that
run through most of the Mt Roskill
electorate, it is important there are
The MP’s petition will be both on her website
adequate bus services available.
– parmjeetparmar.co.nz and available to sign at
“I’m starting the petition to restore services
her Stoddard Road electorate office.
and ensure no other future cuts are planned”
Tel: (09) 357 0665 or (09) 377 2424
Email: office@aiai.org.nz
Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender
Indian marathoner
aims to promote
healthy living by
running
¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
A
n Indian farm worker is on the mission
••
to practice and promote healthy
living by running and participating in
marathon events.
Harjinder Singh Chander, a farm manager
and full-time worker living with his wife in
Dunedin runs at least 100 km every week- with
10 km every day and over 30 km during the
weekend.
“I started running in 2015 and participated
in the Marathon in Queenstown that I finished
in 4 hours and 9 minutes,” Harjinder said in a
conversation with The Indian Weekender.
Harjinder then took a year and a half gap
from making long runs but kept his fitness level
up to the mark, maintaining a steady run and
diet regime.
Harjinder earlier in 2018 restarted his passion
for running with full seriousness and discipline
and has not stopped ever since.
He participated in the 1000 km in 100 days
challenge in March 2018 and completed 1200
km in 125 days.
Harjinder then participated in another
marathon in 2018 and completed the run in 3
hours and 12 minutes, followed by 50 km hill
run called Naseby Ultra that he finished in 5
hours and 40 minutes and ranked 12.
Two weeks later Harjinder finished Dunedin
Marathon in 3 hours and 17 mins that brought
him in the top 13 and fourth rank in his age
category (18-30 yrs).
Earlier in June this year, he finished the
Christchurch Marathon in 3 hours and 42
seconds, his personal best yet.
“I do not go to the gym, I just run, and it’s
therapeutic and like a meditation for me,”
Harjinder added.
Harjinder is preparing for The Great Naseby
Water Race, which is an annual ultramarathon
event from Friday, 23 August to Saturday, 24
August 2019 with multiple laps around a 10km
course.
The runners will have to complete 100 miles
or 160 km in 20 hours, and they are allowed to
take breaks.
“Besides following my passion, I intend
to promote running, which is the most basic
form of exercise or fitness regime anyone can
follow. Running keeps you sharp, removes a lot
of health problems, and it keeps you fresh and
agile mentally.
“I go for a run anytime that I am free, morning
at 6 a.m. or after work in the arly evening- I
always carry my shoes with me and ready to
make the run whenever I get time,” Harjinder
added.
Harjinder recently joined Leith Harrier,
and Athletic Club gets regular training and
mentorship from his coach Chris Sole.
Harjinder also stressed on having the right
shoes for running, which is a vital part of this
exercise.
“Every foot is different, and one should
get the right shoes that fit and suits the foot,”
Harjinder advises.
Harjinder aims to participate in the Alps to
Ocean Ultra run. This starts from Mt Cook peak
to Oamaru ocean, which is a 323 km run to be
completed in six days passing by lakes, valleys,
Website: www.aiai.org.nz rivers and diverse terrain which is a mental
challenge as much as it is physical.
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 FIJI 15

If you decide to bring drugs E-passport to be equipped

to Fiji, be prepared to stay with added security features
T
he Government is now

here indefinitely: Fiji PM

working on the transition
from paper-based passport

P
rime Minister Voreqe
Bainimarama has strongly
stated that anyone who
decides to bring drugs into Fiji
will end up in prison. He made this
comment while commissioning the
latest non-intrusive inspection x-ray
technology at the Suva Wharf.
Bainimarama says they are also
adding an x-ray machine for mobile
containers and vehicles, a pallet
x-ray machine and four sets of CT
x-rays along with spare parts and
seven technicians to help run this
equipment all donated by the Chinese
Government. The Prime Minister
says that with this technology they
will be able to quickly scan loads of
cargo containers or pallets without
having to open them up making
clearance more accurate by reducing
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Political Councillor & Deputy Chief Mission
of Chinese Embassy in Fiji Huang Xuehu
human error and more efficient by
allowing for faster clearance.
Bainimarama adds that it is
good news for law abiding Fijian
to e-passport with added security
features.
Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-
Khaiyum says the e-passport will
make it difficult for people to enter
the country illegally, making Fiji
more secure.
Sayed-Khaiyum adds Fijians
travelling overseas will also be able
to use the e-passport gates to speed
through the airport immigration
queues.
“We are not only making Fiji safer
but also setting up Fiji for wider visa-
free status access around the world.
We will progressively issue the
new e-passport throughout the next
financial year.”
businesses as their transit time for
The Minister also revealed the
imports will be decreasing.
government will implement a
He has also warned businesses
number of reforms on immigration
who are engaged in illegal activities.
citizenship laws.
“These include the introduction of
an expedite procedure for processing
work permit applications. We will
also revise our laws to enable foreign
spouses of Fijian citizen to be able
to able to not only enter and reside
in Fiji but also to be able to work in
Fiji”
Stringent measures will also be
introduced in relation to citizenship
applications including requirements
that an applicant must obtain a
permanent residency visa in Fiji first,
before being eligible to apply for
Fijian citizenship.

The Bainimarama Boom explained in Fiji to increase direct

foreign investment

budget 2019-2020
through tnternational
arbitration sign up

T F
he Bainimarama Boom
effect is being touted as the
economic platform.
This has allowed Fiji to hit a
decade of consecutive growth
enabling the 2019-2020 budget
to hit the tri-factor of economic
maturity.
When pressed about the Boom,
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama
will tell you it’s nothing new, simply
a legacy in line with sound financial
management that’s led to a more
resilient Fiji.
“Well we’ve done that from the
beginning, we’ve come out of 2006
and previous to that nd we’ve gone
on 2007 forward, that’s a boom,
boom boom!”
In another nutshell, the Economy
Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
explains that the Bainimarama
iji, being the first in the Pacific
boom ushers in a new era that’s
Islands to accede to the New
more than a one off catch phrase.
York Convention 2017, has
“An age of historic economic
the potential to attract more direct
achievement in this unbroken foreign investment.
decade has been rightly dubbed by This in turn creates a level playing
some as the Bainimarama Boom field amongst private sectors in the
for our economy, not a bump, not a implementation of Arbitration Laws.
bubble, an economic boom that has This was highlighted by Barrister
carried our economy through ten and Asian Development Bank
years of expansion.” International Arbitration Consultant,
Under the B-Boom, strong job Daniel Meltz, during an International
creation performance is being Commercial Arbitration Seminar.
recognized with more than a The seminar was attended by
hundred thousand Fijians finding private and public enterprises at
employment and creating the lowest Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel yesterday.
unemployment rate in Fiji on record. Mr Meltz said since the
This is in addition to ensuring commencement of the new
all Fijians have access to services International Arbitration Act last
on a level playing field bridging year, Fiji was able to have its first
the divide from Doctors to Dalo case in court.
Farmers and Teachers to Taxi “Fiji has become the pioneer in the
Drivers to name a few. South Pacific and to implement laws
which includes court processes for

Fiji born executive hits new heights at dairy giant Fonterra

arbitration,” Mr Meltz said.
“Fiji will benefit hopefully from
attracting more foreign direct
“If something comes into your mind and you are really curious about it whether, investment to Fiji by creating a level
its how the last global financial crises happened or whether why are some playing field.
economies are not doing as well as other economies or whatever it may be. Law firms would benefit by

A
t 29-years -old, Fijian born Priya Singh  is
helping lead the world’s largest exporter of
dairy products, Fonterra.
A world class speaker, Ms Singh is the general
manager, Enterprise Data and Financial Excellence
at Fonterra.
Ms Singh, who resides in Auckland, New
Zealand, was the guest speaker at the Fiji Institute
of Accountants (FIA) organised Women in
Leadership series at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hote.
She spoke about her key to success during the
BSP Life sponsored event which was attended by
more than 150 delegates.
KEY TO SUCCESS:
“My secret to success, I think is having relentless
curiosity. I think a lot of people think that if you
work hard you will be successful, but I genuinely
think what you really need is relentless curiosity.
“If something comes into your mind and you
are really curious about it whether, its how the last
global financial crises happened or whether why
are some economies are not doing as well as other
economies or whatever it may be.
“If  something has captured your interest and
its a question you want to answer, don’t just
think about it and go  yeah! Just be relentlessly
curious, because what you will find once you latch
on to something is what you will make and you
follow through.
"My secret to success, I think is
having relentless curiosity. I think a
lot of people think that if you work
hard you will be successful, but I
genuinely think what you really need
is relentless curiosity."
“Learn about it, figure  out what you want to do
about it, talk to other people about it, you will end
up doing something about it and that’s been my
secret to success.
"I have always needed something to be done
about an idea or a thought or a niggling thing that
comes in to my mind because I have been relentless
curiosity about it instead of just saying oh that was
a nice thought and forget about it.”
Priya Singh, General Manager Data, Process &
Advanced Analytics at Fonterra.
She has been recognised internationally for
her social impact leadership through Karma
Collective and Mentor me Fiji Foundation, two
organisations of which she is the founder and chief
executive officer.
advising their clients on the benefits
of arbitration and this this should
be a win for their businesses as
well because they will be readily
enforcing judgement around the
world.”
He added: “The New Act just
commenced last year in December
and already Fiji has had its first case
before the courts.
“It was a good experience and the
outcome was consistent with best
global practice and we would expect
the volume of cases to increase in
Fiji.”
Speaking on the workshop,
Mr Meltz stated the importance
of understanding the benefits of
arbitration for local business.
“Arbitration offers something that
is quick and dispute resolution and a
mechanism whereby businesses can
make sure their judgement are able to
be enforced in 159 countries around
the world.” he said.
 Thought of the week
"Crave for a thing, you will get it.
Renounce the craving, the object will
follow you by itself. "
–Swami Sivananda
Editorial Auckland Weather forecast for the week
Decoding Congress June 14 – June 20, 2019
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu
failure in the 2019
general election
T
he recently held general election was different from any other held in India in the sense A.M Variable Parlty to Clouds and More Windy: a A passing
that for this election, the ruling party as well as the opposition were in serious election showers; cloudness mostly sun sunshine touch of pm A.M shower
mode for almost four years before it was held. On the ruling party side, the BJP knew well mostly showers sunny than rain or two
that its 2014 victory was more a mandate against the incumbent UPA government, and this factor cloudy clouds
would not be there in 2019. 17° 13° 14° 16° 17° 15° 16°
So, from 2014 itself, it was preparing for the 2019 election. On the other side, the Congress 11° 9° 7° 12° 13° 10° 11°
party, which had its worst-ever performance in 2014, knew that the sentiment in the country was
against it, and it had to fix many a thing to be able to pose a challenge to the BJP in 2019.
It must be noted here that till 2019, the Congress was never out of power for two complete
consecutive terms, and this had ensured that no non-Congress party or alliance got to establish
This week in New Zealand’s history
itself as a serious option in national politics.
The message which the Congress party always passed on was that it was the Congress party 15 June 1959
alone which could govern the country. Chinese gooseberry becomes kiwifruit
T
In 2019, the Congress didn't want to lose this psychological supremacy in Indian democracy.
he prominent produce company Turners and Growers announced that it would from now on
And for that it was willing to share power with or support regional parties for the 2019 general
export Chinese gooseberries as ‘kiwifruit’. Introduced to this country in 1904, kiwifruit are
election. There was similar realization by regional parties as well, who were worried about losing
now cultivated worldwide, with New Zealand-grown fruit marketed as ‘Zespri’.
political ground to the BJP in their respective states.
Therefore "Modi Hatao" became the common single point agenda for the whole opposition and
the same was the uniting force for the opposition parties.
16 June 1923
With such clarity on both the sides', years before the general election, it was expected to be one Baby-farmer Daniel Cooper hanged
of the closest contests in India's parliamentary history, but the results say it was actually one sided.
So, where did the grand old party fail in its strategy? Let's look back and try to understand it.
In the 2014 general election, Narendra Modi had emerged as the most popular leader in
A generation after the hanging of the infamous Minnie Dean (see 12 August), the murder trial
of Daniel and Martha Cooper revealed that ‘baby farming’ and illegal abortion were still
regarded as solutions to the problem of unwanted children in New Zealand.
the country, and his popularity had stayed intact later on. Very soon it was clear that the BJP
would contest the next general election in the name of Narendra Modi and would push for a 17 June 1843
scenario where the election would be centred on him. So, it's important to understand what the
major political credentials were for Narendra Modi -- it was his image of an honest and a Hindu
The Wairau incident
nationalist leader.
Sensing the BJP's strategy, the Congress party decided to attack Narendra Modi on these two F our Māori and 22 Europeans were killed in the first violent clash between Māori and Pākehā
since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
credentials, and its strategy was centred on this. If we look at the statements of Congress President
Rahul Gandhi in the last two years, it will be evident that the Congress had a strategy to target 20 June 1987
the honest image of Narendra Modi by alleging corruption charges against him, and adopt a soft All Blacks win the first World Cup
W
Hindutva policy to minimize the impact of his Hindu Nationalist image. ith Michael Jones, John Kirwan and David Kirk scoring tries, the All Blacks defeated
Gandhi levelled multiple corruption charges against Narendra Modi ranging from the Vijay France 29–9 at Eden Park, Auckland. Kirk became the first captain to lift the Webb
Mallya and Nirav Modi fraud cases to demonetization and the Rafale deal. As the 2019 general Ellis Cup.
election approached, the Congress party sharpened its attack on Narendra Modi and it got more
and more personal. 21 June 1964
Gandhi coined the slogan "Chowkidar Chor Hai" and voiced it in every election rally. On the
other hand, he made it a point to visit temples wherever he went for rallies as per the Congress The Beatles land in New Zealand
party's soft Hindutva policy.
Over time, the "Chowkidar Chor Hai" campaign got bitter and personal, but it could not create B eatlemania hit New Zealand when 7000 hysterical fans greeted the Fab Four in Wellington
during their ‘Far East’ tour. After concerts in the United States, Europe, Hong Kong and
Australia, the lads from Liverpool finally touched down in New Zealand.
the impact the Congress party had expected. Rather the "Main Bhi Chowkidar" campaign launched
by the BJP to counter it, became a bigger success, and this explains that the crucial strategy of the
Congress party to attack the honest image of Narendra Modi failed to work, in fact the personal Indian Weekender : Volume 11 Issue 13
attacks created sympathy for Modi.
Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited
Just before the election, the Indian Air force conducted air strikes across the border to avenge
Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz
the terrorist attack in Pulwama. This was a last minute change in the political scenario in the
country, and the Congress which had been working on the strategy to minimize the impact of Chief Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz
Hindu nationalist image of Narendra Modi, got little uneasy with this changed scenario and was Chief Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz
quick to question the authenticity of the strikes. This was not taken well by the voters, rather it Sr Graphics and Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz
backfired for the Congress. Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz
The soft Hindutva policy adopted by the Congress party was also attributed to the BJP - the Accounts and Admin.: 09-2173623 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz
BJP made it a point to tell the country that it was the BJP which forced the Congress and other Media Sales Manager.: Leena Pal: 021 952 216 | leena@indianweekender.co.nz
opposition party leaders to show respect for Hinduism and its traditions. Overall, it looked like Sales and Distribution: 021 952218 | sales@indianweekender.co.nz
the Congress party fell into the trap of Amit Shah and fought the 2019 general election the way
Shah wanted it to. Generally, the general election was centred on Narendra Modi and Hindu Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher
nationalism. is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication
This pulled the electoral battle to the BJP's home turf. Obviously, the BJP dominated on its
home turf, and the Congress party failed in its strategy and performed badly in the election. Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent
Now that the 2019 general election is over, the Congress party is once again at the very same the views of the team at the Indian Weekender
point where it was after losing the 2014 general election. At this point of time, it looks like it is in Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland.
serious reality check mode.
Provided it takes lessons from its mistakes for 2019, and returns afresh with a positive Printed at Horton Media, Auckland
mindset for 2024, picks issues which are relevant, speaks up for the common man, plays the role Copyright 2017. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.
of a constructive opposition in Parliament and leads the common man on such issues outside
Parliament, it will not only help the Congress party re-establish itself, but will be a positive sign
for the parliamentary democracy in the country.
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 OPINION/EDITORIAL 17

Political hat on a diplomatic head

DEV NADKARNI Asia – and the other resulting from insecurity,
fear and despondency, as in the case of several
New Indian Foreign Minister’s western nations including the United States.
successful diplomatic experience One could see India as belonging to the
should serve him well as politician first category, going by the economic growth

S
peaking at one of his early public outings
since taking over as Minister of External
Affairs in the new Modi government,
former senior diplomat Subrahmanyam
Jaishankar made some astute observations on a
number of trends that are sweeping the world
and how India might deal with these in the
coming years.
Mr Jaishankar was a surprise inclusion in
the Modi 2.0 cabinet – and a clear indication
that his actions in the previous government
on a number of important matters particularly
concerning China and the United States, which
he had successfully dealt with among others,
had impressed Mr Modi enough to make this
unprecedented move.
As a diplomat of many years’ standing in
some of the world’s biggest nations, he has had a
ringside view of the geopolitical developments
in recent years that have shaped the world and is
eminently suited to guide India’s rising star on
the international firmament toward the zenith.
He said many of the givens that shaped
political and business decisions in decades
past were no longer so. “Globalisation is under
stress,” he said.
“Many of the assumptions of globalisation
like global supply chains, mobility of talent and
market access are no longer assumptions we
can make to the same extent of confidence [as
before],” cautioning that he wasn’t meaning to
raise alarm on it.
His observation quite obviously comes from
the strong headwinds that world trade has
been facing, following the ongoing standoff
between the United States and China and the
former’s hardening stance on a number of other
countries such as Iran, that is already affecting
other countries including India.
As for mobility of talent, his comment stems
from the short shrift that Indian professionals
already resident in the United States for work
or intending to live and work there in the future
have received from the Trump Administration
in recent years.
Its flip-flop on H1B policy, among a slew
of changes to other immigration policies, has
heightened insecurity not only among talented
Indians who have grown to become a vital part
of the American tech industry but also the entire
industry itself, threatening the availability of
suitably qualified talent for its own business
growth.
Mr Jaishankar has his work cut out on that
front in dealing with the United States on those
matters and his ample diplomatic experience,
his connections and his nous will hopefully
stand him and India in good stead in negotiating
the choppy waters of trade and talent mobility.
Given his diplomatic background and these
quite unprecedentedly testing times, he is
probably the best man for the job, as Mr Modi
might have rightly determined.
He also referred to the growth of nationalism
around the world in recent years, with elections
in several democracies pitchforking either far
right or right wing-flavoured political parties
into national governments. The recent Indian
elections in which the Bharatiya Janata Party
led National Democratic Alliance won a
whopping victory is the latest and a rather
emphatic case in point.
Interestingly, Mr Jaishankar pointed out that
there seemed to be two kinds of nationalism
– positive and negative, as it were. One was
driven by pride and confidence from a sense of
achievement on the back of recent economic
success and growth, as in many countries in
and progress the country has made on the
human development front in the past five
years, particularly in the fields of hygiene,
infrastructure, delivery of government services
and essentials like power and energy supplies
and the improvement in the ease of doing
business among many other improvements.
Critics might very well argue that this
positivity has been tinged with shades of
insecurity fuelled by fears of the perception
of growing terrorism and sectarianism seen
by majoritarian religious groups as coming at
a cost to it. And they would certainly have a
point.
However, looking at the situation
dispassionately, while this can possibly be
argued to be the case to an extent, the truth
probably lies somewhere in the middle – but
clearly tending toward the positive side of the
scale: a sense of nationalism born out of17 the
perception of a rapidly emerging India as a
strong global player.
Having swapped his well-worn diplomatic
hat for a brand new political one, Mr Jaishankar
makes it clear that the results of the election are
ample indication that people’s aspirations have
been met in the past five years and voters have
endorsed the leadership to take the country
ahead on the same tack.
But standing at the helm of the world’s largest
democracy’s foreign affairs ship, he is under no
illusion about navigating it in this constantly
changing world:he acknowledges that he sees
that as challenge.

Patriotism: End of a season; Khans: End of an Era!

VINOD MIRANI In Bharat, the same story of a father back from the Second World

I
n an earlier column, NDA 2.0:
Time filmmakers branched
out, dated May 26, 2019, I had
suggested that the industry rode
on the prevailing nationalism and
patriotic fervour under NDA rule.
Most of the time, it worked. That was
the time to tell the stories about our
heroes in various fields like sports,
army and so on.
Films on war or, otherwise, the
stories based on social issues. Like
Padman, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha,
aptly supported by star power, found
takers.
The films which worked so far
on patriotism aka nationalism in the
past few years have mainly been
inspired based on real life events
such as Pokhran nuclear tests, Raazi,
the Uri surgical strikes etc. Some,
like Madras Café, Tiger Zinda Hai,
Sultan and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, were
even made from concocted stories.
But, then, the scripts were so woven
that most of the time they were either
as inspiring as or even more than the
real life stories they were based on.
One, to deserve a special mention
was Aamir Khan’s Dangal, which
touched the chords of the viewer
due to a touch of genius as Khan,
closeted in a room away from the
wrestling arena, learns of his ward’s
victory when the Indian national
anthem plays!
He is an actor and his surge of
emotions was there on the screen for
all to see. But, the way it touched the
hearts of the audience reflected on the
box office when the film went on to
collect Rs 390 crore in the domestic
theatrical market.
Coming back to why the
filmmakers should change tack now,
the reason is obvious.
Lacking a real hero’s story to tell,
yet the makers took it as a trend that
was working. Even producers with
better sense like Rakeysh Omprakash
Mehra made an irrelevant film like
My Dear Prime Minister.
As if such a title was a guarantee
for footfalls! Patriotism was forcibly
injected into a script.
Now, patriotism is something that
can’t be artificial. Bharat, the latest
Salman Khan film, is the prime
example of why forced patriotism
can’t and won’t work.
To start with, Bharat is a strong
title and just the mention brings back
the memories of Manoj Kumar who
played the patriotic lead character
of Bharat in Upkar (1967) and went
on to immortalize it with films that
followed, Purab Aur Pachhim, Roti
Kapada Aur Makaan, Kranti (1970,
1974, 1981, respectively) all major
hits; and finally put Bharat to bed
with a disastrous film, Clerk (1989).
However, the legacy of Manoj
Kumar’s Bharat still lives. Too big
for any star or even a superstar to
break into.
The other major mistake is that
the makers have picked an original
Korean film, Ode To My Father
(2014), about a father and son
separated during a war between
North and South Korea and the son
is saddled by the responsibility of his
two kin till his father joins them.
The story spans 1950 onwards. In
Korea, the theme still bears relevance
since, despite differing political
ideologies, both the countries share
the same culture, language and other
beliefs and still hope that the two
parts of the same country will unite.
father, Jackie Shroff, handing over
the responsibility of his children
to the older son, Salman Khan,
during India Pakistan partition,
himself staying back to look for a
lost daughter before he can join the
family in India, does not bear the
same relevance.
Now, you can’t pick a foreign film
and wrap Indian patriotism around
it! And, where is the patriotism? In
the bursting out into the National
Anthem? For, this is a film what we
called a family social.
As in Ode To My Father, so in
Bharat, the son is merely asked to
look after the kin.
Nothing to do with the nation or, to
one day, aspire to unfurl the National
Flag from the ramparts of the Red
Fort!
Neither Indians nor their
counterpart Pakistanis are known
to nurse any dreams of both the
countries reuniting. Generally, the
people from both sides are free
to visit relatives. So, what is this
hackneyed recycling Korean idea of
patriotism?
This year, on Eid, Salman Khan
completes a hat trick of disappointing
his fans.
The year before, Eid 2018, Salman
Khan came up with Race 3 and, a
year earlier, on Eid 2017, he tried
to pack another convoluted foreign
film in the name of patriotism in
Tubelight.
The film was a lift from the 1915
Hollywood film, Little Boy, about
a young lad who wills to bring his
War on the strength of his faith.
Now, Salman can’t be a little boy!
So, what does he do? He plays an
imbecile who is determined to bring
his brother back from the 1962 Indo
China War!!
One thing that our filmmakers
need to know for sure is that neither
the Indo China War nor the India
Pakistan partition ignites patriotism
of any kind among Indians. They are
irrelevant.
So what is the new trend in
patriotism?
An aam aadmi living through
his life bearing witness to all that
happens around him in this vast
country, Bharat? And, remains an
aam aadmi all his life? What is so
inspiring or heroic about it!
Aamir Khan’s next, Lal Singh
Chaddha, is reported to be the remake
of the 1994 Hollywood classic, Tom
Hank’s Forrest Gump. Too early to
speculate on that for Aamir Khan is
known to spring surprises.
Talking of calling it the end of the
road for the nationalistic and patriotic
themes, the present indicators also
seem to suggest the end of the much
touted Khan Era.
Shah Rukh Khan has been
delivering flop after another flop
with Fan, Dear Zindagi, Raees, Jab
Harry Met Sejal and Zero over the
last four years sans a single hit.
And, Salman Khan has decided to
count on Sanjay Leela Bhansali and
the youth favourite, Alia Bhatt, to
deliver a hit with Inshaallah, come
Eid 2020!
 18 INDIA Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

Modi asks ministers to reach office on time, avoid working from home
I
n his first meeting with the new Council of
Ministers on Wednesday, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi instructed all the ministers
to reach office on time every morning and avoid
working from home.
He also asked the cabinet ministers to involve
their deputy ministers (Ministers of State) in all
important decisions of the ministeries. He said
the deputy ministers should be given adequate
responsibilties. He further added that Members
of Parliament and party workers should be
given time for meeting, suggesting that their
grievances should be heard.
Ahead of the Council of Ministers meeting,
the Prime Minister met his Cabinet and outlined
the road-map and action plan of his government
for the next five years. He took several decisions
including triple talaq Bill among others.
This was first-ever meeting of the new
Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister.
Sources said he spelled out his priorities for
Mission 2022 and asked them to present a
report card every three months. Sources said
the Prime Minister told his colleagues that he
would review the task done by them and would
monitor the ‘high priority’ schemes being
implemented by the various ministries.
Sources said the Prime Minister was more
concerned about the schemes and projects such
as ‘housing for all’ related with Mission 2022,
the year when the country celebrates its 75th
year of Independence.
He spelled out his priorities related to
ministries dealing with the social sector. For
Rural Development and the newly-constituted
Jal Shakti Ministry, Modi outlined specific
tasks, the sources said.
At present water crisis, particularly in rural
areas, is posing a grave threat for the agriculture
sector in the wake of apprehensions of a drought
in the western region.
Modi has already asked the ministries to
furnish an action plan for their respective
departments for the first 100 days.

PM MODI:
Government ratifies convention on tax
treaty related changes against BEPS

T
he Union cabinet has approved the ratification of an international

Indian democracy convention which enables the implementation of tax treaty related
changes to achieve anti-abuse “Base Erosion and Profit Shifting

strengthened by (BEPS)”.
Accordingly, the Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

poll verdict
approved the ratification of the “Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax
Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting”.

I
“The Convention will modify India’s treaties in order to curb revenue loss
ndian democracy has been strengthened
through treaty abuse and base erosion and profit shifting strategies by ensuring
by the sweeping mandate in the general
that profits are taxed where substantive economic activities generating the
elections, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi said on Sunday, adding that democracy profits are carried out and where value is created,” an official communique
is a part of Indian culture. said.
"The results of the Lok Sabha elections The Convention enables countries to implement the tax treaty related
are a matter of study for the world as to how changes to achieve anti-abuse BEPS outcomes through the multilateral route
mature Indian democracy is. We have seen without the need to bilaterally re-negotiate each such agreement which is
people's respect for democracy and their burdensome and time consuming.
commitment to it," Modi told the Indian
community in Sri Lanka gathered at the Government to introduce SEZ
India House.
amendment bill in Parliament

T
He said that although the Indian elections
saw a lot of attacks and counter-attacks he Central government will introduce the Special Economic Zones
among the rivals, Indians became one "from (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the ensuing session of the Parliament.
Kashmir to Kanyakumari" once the vote Accordingly, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
count was over, triggering applause in the Modi, on Wednesday gave its approval to introduce the Bill which will replace
crowd. the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019. 
Stating that women voters turned out in “After the amendment of sub-section (v) of section 2 of the Special Economic
record numbers, Modi said: "The message of Zones Act, 2005, a trust or any entity notified by the Central government will
this election is that as a democracy we have be eligible to be considered for grant of permission to set up a unit in Special
matured. Democracy is our tradition and Economic Zones,” an official communique said.
there is democracy in our culture."
The Prime Minister also appealed to the
diaspora to contribute to India's development. Cabinet approves agreement with
"We have to take the country forward Kyrgyzstan

T
together. We have to increase the pace of
development. We will try to fulfil the dreams he Union Cabinet chaired
of every Indian. You also contribute to by Prime Minister Narendra
India's development." Modi on Wednesday
India's image, he said, had changed a lot in approved a memorandum of
the last few years. understanding (MoU) in the field of The benefits will also include
"I have been travelling around the "Today legal metrology between India and exchange of officials, experts and
globe and have never come across India's image professionals for mutual cooperation
Kyrgyzstan.
any complaint about Indians in the world is
getting stronger. A large The MoU will be signed on in the area of legal metrology,
residing in various countries. the sidelines of the Shanghai establishment of requirements for
part of credit for this goes
This is due to Indian culture and to the Indian diaspora. Cooperation Organisation (SCO) pre-packaged goods and carrying out
tradition. Wherever I go, I am told the state metrological supervision of
summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, later
"Today India's image in the about the successes and
this week. pre-packaged goods.
world is getting stronger. A accomplishments of the
large part of credit for this goes Indian diaspora" Exchange of information There will be a review of the
to the Indian diaspora. Wherever I and documents relating to legal status of the rules and regulations
go, I am told about the successes and metrology, development of training on pre-packaged goods and sharing
accomplishments of the Indian diaspora," programme for officials and non- of experience in carrying out
Modi said. officials dealing with the subject metrological supervision in mutual
The Prime Minister later shook hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Indian Community in Colombo, of legal metrology are among the settlements between producers and
many members of the Indian community. Sri Lanka on June 9, 2019
benefits. consumers.

Cabinet approves Aadhaar Bill; claims it is people friendly

T
he Cabinet has approved the Aadhaar his identity unless it is so provided by a law cancel it on attaining adult-age. In a major
and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, made by Parliament”, said a statement by the improvement, the Bill will permit the entities
2019, which establishes that no government. to perform authentication only when they are
individual can be compelled to provide proof The Bill will help public, in opening bank compliant with the standards of privacy and
of Aadhaar number unless provided by law, and accounts, to use of Aadhaar number for security specified by the Authority, and the
the Aadhaar number on voluntary basis shall be authentication on voluntary basis as acceptable authentication is permitted under any law made
accepted as KYC document. KYC document. by Parliament.
The Bill replaces Aadhaar and Other Laws The amendment will allow voluntary use of “Prevents denial of services for refusing to,
(Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, and it will be Aadhaar number in physical or electronic form or being unable to, undergo authentication;
introduced in the scheduled Parliament session by authentication or offline verification with the Provides for establishment of Unique
in June.  consent of Aadhaar number holder. And, it also Identification Authority of India Fund; and
Claiming the Bill people-friendly and citizen- allows the use of twelve-digit Aadhaar number provides for civil penalties, its adjudication,
centric, the government said it will enable “Subsequent to this amendment, no and its alternative virtual identity to conceal the appeal thereof in regard to violations of
UIDAI to have a more robust mechanism individual shall be compelled to provide proof actual Aadhaar number of an individual. Aadhaar Act and provisions by entities in the
to serve public interest and act as a deterrent of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo The Bill provides option to children, Aadhaar ecosystem”, said the statement by the
against the misuse of Aadhaar.  authentication for the purpose of establishing who are Aadhaar number holders, to government.
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 INDIA 19

Rahul is, will be Congress NEWS in BRIEF

chief, says Surjewala
M
embers of the erstwhile India to launch second moon mission on July 15

I
core group committee of ndia will launch its
the Congress met here on second moon mission
Wednesday and discussed the party’s Chandrayaan-2 on July 15
preparations for the forthcoming from Sriharikota spaceport
Assembly polls in Haryana, in Andhra Pradesh and
Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu
land its rover on the lunar
and Kashmir. The meeting was
surface on September
headed by senior Congress leader
6, a top official said on
A.K. Antony.
Wednesday.
Talking to reporters after the
meeting, party spokesperson “The 3,890kg Chandrayaan-2 mission will be launched on board a heavy
Randeep Singh Surjewala said: rocket from our spaceport at Sriharikota on July 15 at 02.15 a.m., with an
“Rahul Gandhi was, is and will be orbiter, a lander and a rover,” state-run Indian Space Research Organisation
the Congress party chief and none of (ISRO) Chairman K. Sivan told reporters here.
us have any doubt about it.” Sriharikota is a barrier island off the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh and
He was asked about Rahul about 80km northeast of Chennai.
Gandhi’s insistence to step down as The ambitious mission will make India the fourth nation after then Soviet
party chief. At the Congress Working Union (Russia), the US and China to land and ride on the moon to conduct
Committee (CWC) meeting last various experiments in its orbit, surface, around (atmosphere) and beneath.
month, Gandhi had offered to step
down taking responsibility for the
India-Marshall Islands tax data pact notified
party’s poor performance in the
Lok Sabha polls. The offer was
rejected by the CWC. 
"Contrary T he government has notified an agreement with Marshall Islands, a
country comprising a chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in the
Pacific Ocean, for the exchange of banking and company information for tax
to speculation,
Surjewala told reporters there is no core purposes. It will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance.
that there was no core group. The members of Called tax information exchange agreement (TIEA), it will allow mutual
group of the party at erstwhile core group met co-operation between the two countries by providing an effective framework
present “as the term of all informally and discussed for exchange of information in tax matters.
the panels formed ahead preparations for the
The agreement (India-Marshall Islands TIEA) between the Indian
Assembly
of the Lok Sabha polls had secretary in-charge session. The nine-member core government and the government of Marshall Islands was signed on March
polls."
ended with the conclusion of of organisation group committee was formed in 18, 2016 at Majuro, the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
the polls”.  K.C. Venugopal would August last year as part of Congress’ "The India-Marshall Islands TIEA has been notified in the Gazette of India
“Contrary to speculation, there convene a meeting of its general preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.  (Extraordinary) on 21st May, 2019," a Finance Ministry statement said.
is no core group. The members of secretaries “to prepare for the Besides Antony, Venugopal and The bilateral agreement is based on international standards of tax
erstwhile core group met informally Assembly polls. Surjewala, it members included transparency and exchange of information and enables sharing of information
and discussed preparations for the Surjewala said UPA Chairperson Ghulam Nabi Azad, P. Chidambaram, on request. The agreement also provides for representatives of one country to
Assembly polls,” he said.  Sonia Gandhi would take a decision Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge,
undertake tax examinations in the other country.
He said Congress general on it before the start of Parliament Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh.
Punjab decides to set Sustainable Development Goals
Peaceful
Amarnath Yatra T he Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, here on
Thursday gave in-principle approval to a four-year strategic action
plan (2019-2023) and annual action plan (2019-2020) to set Sustainable
may decide poll Development Goals (SDGs).

dates in Jammu The action plan will set key performance parameters for government
officials for their integration into the development process. It was also
and Kashmir decided to approve their integration into the state budgetary process.

A
successful completion of the
Amarnath Yatra beginning
July 1 will be crucial in
deciding if Jammu and Kashmir can
vote in November to elect a new
assembly, two people familiar with
the matter said on Wednesday.
The state was put under President’s
rule on December 19 last year after
none of the political parties had
staked claim to form government,
and it is likely to be extended for
another six months.
Prior to this, Governor’s rule was
imposed and the assembly was put
under suspended animation after the
Bharatiya Janata Party pulled out of
the People’s Democratic Party-led
coalition government in June 2018.
“The home ministry has told the
Election Commission it can provide
necessary support for election in
November,” one of the two people
cited above said. “But, the successful
completion of Amarnath Yatra will
be crucial. Any untoward incident
may be a spoiler.”
Last week, the Election
Commission said it would take a call
on announcing assembly elections in
Jammu and Kashmir after assessing
the situation following the Amarnath
Yatra. In March, the EC decided not
to hold polls for the assembly and
Lok Sabha simultaneously in the
states, citing security concerns. The
second person dismissed reports
about the Centre’s plan to carry
out delimitation exercise in the
state to bring more assembly seats
under Jammu region, where it has a
foothold.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti
and National Conference vice-
president Omar Abdullah, red-
flagged such a move.
“First, there is no such move
to redraw boundaries of assembly
segments,” the second leader said.
“Second, it is wrong to suggest that
redrawing boundaries would mean
more seats for Jammu. An assembly
constituency is redrawn on the basis
of 8 points, and not just population.”
The government is, however,
expecting that the Supreme Court
will take a decision on Article 35A,
and it will help restore the rights of
the non-residents and the refugees
from western Pakistan who do not
enjoy right to property and are
denied voting rights in assembly and
local bodies despite living in the state
for more than 70 years.
An official spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said these key
parameters were in line with the UN 2030 development agenda, which
contained 17 SDGs, comprehensively covering social, economic and
environmental dimensions.
Focussed on goals, targets and performance assessment of each department,
these would be reflected in the annual performance appraisal reports (APAR)
of key personnel as per targets assigned to them.
Employment in rural area to stop migration: Harsimrat
U nion Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat
Kaur Badal said that employment will be created in
rural areas so children of farmers would need not to migrate
for work. "For the next five years employment generation
is going to my focus, especially in rural areas, so that
children of farmers do not have to look for employment
elsewhere. Farmers should turn into job creators from
being job seekers," she said after taking charge of the ministry.
Harsimrat Kaur also said the the ministry was working on the Gram
Samriddhi Yojana, which will focus on micro enterprises with capitalisation
of less than Rs 10 lakh, with the World Bank, which was going to be launched
soon. "The aim is to target small farmers and the ministry will aim to facilitate
creation of 60-70,000 such units within a short time. The pilot project will be
done in four states and initiative will be expanded subsequently," she said.

International Yoga Day 2019: PM Narendra Modi to lead main event in Ranchi
I
nternational Yoga Day 2019: Over 30,000
people are expected to participate in the
event, led by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, which is to be held at the Prabhat Tara
ground in Jharkhand’s Ranchi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a
Yoga class in Ranchi, Jharkhand on June 21 on
the occasion of International Yoga Day 2019.
Over 30,000 people are expected to participate
in the event which is to be held at the Prabhat
Tara ground. Ahead of Yoga day, PM Modi has
been tweeting tutorials. He has demonstrated
three asanas so far — Trikonasana (triangle
posture), Tadasana (palm tree posture),
Vrikshasana (tree posture) — while urging
people to make Yoga an integral part of their
daily lives as “tremendous” benefits are
associated with the practice.
Ranchi was among four cities that were
shortlisted to host the event this year. The
others were Delhi, Shimla and Mysore. Last
year, the event was organised at the Forest
Research Institute in Dehradun. It was held
in Chandigarh and Lucknow in 2016 and 2017
respectively.
Yoga has gained global popularity ever
since the United Nations declared June 21 as
the International Yoga Day in 2015. It was PM
Modi who suggested the date in his UN address,
as June 21 marks the longest day of the year in
the Northern Hemisphere.
A special ministry, the Ministry of
AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha
and Homeopathy), oversees the annual Yoga
day celebrations and has been responsible for
organising numerous programmes related to
Yoga since 2015.
The first International Yoga Day in 2015
was celebrated with much fervour at Rajpath
in New Delhi. Two world records were created
that year, one for the world’s largest Yoga
class with 35,985 people participating, and the
other for maximum number of participating
nationalities – 84.
 20 INDIA ABROAD Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

Pramila Jayapal is 1st South Asian 2 Indian research teams

win AWS Cloud grants

American woman to chair US House T

wo teams from India made
it to 21 winning projects
that will be awarded $1.5

P
ramila Jayapal, a Democrat Congresswoman also shared a clip our nation’s history and to hold the million worth of cloud services,
from Washington DC, has of Tuesday’s session where she was gavel today,” Jayapal tweeted. grants and technical support through
become the first South Asian seen presiding over the House as a The 116th Congress broke the Earth Observation Cloud Credits
American woman to preside over the temporary Speaker. records with women and lawmakers Programme, Amazon Web Services
US House of Representatives. House Democrats rotate for the crossing racial and religious barriers, (AWS) has announced.
Jayapal, who was first elected ceremonial position of presiding over including an all time high for Asian The Centre of Studies in Resources
to the Congress in 2016, tweeted the chamber.  American lawmakers.  Engineering (CSRE) at Indian
she was “beyond proud” to preside “Today, I became the first A record number of 17 Asian Institute of Technology-Bombay
over the House and serve in the South Asian American woman Americans serve in Congress, with won the grant for its project titled
most diverse Congress in the to preside over the US House of 14 in the House and three in the “Crop inventory mapping from SAR
nation’s history.  Representatives. Beyond proud to Senate. 
data on cloud computing platform”.
The Indian American serve in the most diverse Congress in
Bengaluru-based Indian Institute
for Human Settlements won the grant
Jaishankar follows Sushma in Twitter response to Indians in problems for the project titled “Integrating

I
n his second day in office,
External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar on Sunday began
continuing his predecessor Sushma
Swaraj›s practice of being active on
Twitter to address the problems of
Indians abroad.
Sushma Swaraj, during her tenure,
was known for her instant response
on any request for Indians posted on
her Twitter handle, especially from
those in distress in foreign lands.
Jaishankar, who took charge on
Friday, had then tweeted that he was
“proud to follow the footsteps” of
Sushma Swaraj.  support sustainable environmental
“My first tweet. Thank you all
for the best wishes! Honoured to
be given this responsibility. Proud
to follow on the footsteps of @
SushmaSwaraj ji.
“We at Team @MEAIndia
continue to be at your service 24x7.
Happy to be leading the effort with
my colleague MoS Muraleedharan ji
to help. As a woman on family trip
to Germany and Italy reported her
family members’ passports have
been stolen, Jaishankar replied the
Indian missions.  Jaishankar served as Foreign
To Vineet Nair who stated that
he and others have been trapped
in Oman, Jaishankar replied: “Our
Secretary from 2015 to 2018 before
succeeding Sushma Swaraj in the
second Narendra Modi government.
Earth Observation Data with
Censuses and Sample Surveys to
Estimate Development Indicators for
India”.
The Group on Earth Observations
(GEO) and AWS in December
announced the programme, a joint
collaboration to offer research
organizations access to AWS Cloud
services.
Under the Amazon Sustainability
Data Initiative (ASDI), this
programme will enable Earth
observations and applications to
development including the United
Nations Sustainable Development
Goals, the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction, and the
Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Kashmiri Pandits leave for
Kheer Bhawani pilgrimage

S
@VMBJP,” he had posted. Indian Embassy in Rome and the Embassy in Oman is trying to resolve Considered to be an expert on China ix buses carrying about
As Indians abroad raised their Consul-General in Munich will this. Please continue to stay in touch and US, his appointment is expected 240 Kashmiri Pandits left
problems, Jaishankar asked the extend their full support to the with them @IndEmb_Muscat.” to bring into play his vast experience for Kashmir from here this
nearest Indian mission concerned family, and marked the respective A 1977-batch IFS officer, in managing foreign affairs. morning on an annual pilgrimage
to Kheer Bhawani temple, whose
logistics is being taken care of by the
Date Venue Time Address City Jammu and Kashmir government.
15-Jun Bharatiya Mandir Community Hall 10.00 am – 12.00 pm 258 Balmoral Road, Mt Albert, Auckland The pilgrims will be provided
15-Jun Hanuman Mandir, North Shore 9:30 am – 10:30 am 14 Bay Park Pl, Beach Haven security by the state government
for the part of journey from Jammu
15-Jun AbsGym, Glenfield 10:00 am – 11:00 am 552 Glenfield Rd, Glenfield, Auckland to Tulla Mulla village in Kashmir’s
15-Jun Pakuranga Intermediate School, 4:30 pm – 6.00 pm 43-49 Reeves Road, Pakuranga, Auckland Ganderbal district, according to
16-Jun The Loft Yoga Lounge 8:30 am – 9:30 am Level 1, 103 Beach Road,Auckland Central sources.
The convoy was flagged off from
16-Jun Mahatma Gandhi Center 9:30 am - 11.30 am 145 New North Road, Eden Terrace,
Kashmir House here at 6 a.m. by
16-Jun Kawai Purapura 8:00 am – 9:30 am 14 Mills Lane Albany Auckland Prerna Raina, Additional Secretary in
16-Jun Yogi Divine Society 9:30 am onwards Freemans Bay hall, 52 Hepburn St the Resident Commission of Jammu
and Kashmir government in New
21-Jun Kawai Purapura 6:45am – 8:00 am 14 Mills Lane Albany Auc kland
Delhi.
22-Jun Minds over Mats Yoga, Waitakere 7:00 am – 8:30 am Waitakere Domain Hall, 13 Bethells Road, “It is a (Jammu and Kashmir)
23-Jun Bharatiya Mandir Community Hall 9.00 am – 10.30 am 258 Balmoral Road, Mt Albert, Auckland government initiative,” she said
about provision of buses to the
28-Jun Kawai Purapura (also 5.30 pm - 7.00 pm)
pilgrims.
6:45am – 8:00 am 14 Mills Lane Albany Auckland "The annual pilgrimage to one
CLOSING PROGRAM IN AUCKLAND of the holiest shrines of Kashmiri
Pandits takes place on Zyestha
29-Jun Hanuman Mandir, North Shore 9:30 am – 10:30 am 14 Bay Park Pl, Beach Haven,
Ashtami, which falls on June 10.
29-Jun Bharatiya Mandir Community Hall 10.00 am – 12.00 pm 258 Balmoral Road, Mt Albert, Auckland There was provision for 252
15-Jun Take a Breath studio 7.00am – 8.00 am Shop 4, The Plaza, 606 Port Road, passengers but some of those who
had registered, did not turn up, the
Whangamata
sources said.
23-Jun Hamilton Western Community Center 3:00 pm – 5.00 pm 46 Hyde Avenue, Newton, Hamilton According to sources, besides the
15-Jun Yoga in Daily Life (New Zealand) 4:00 pm – 6.00 pm 23 Jessie Street,TeAro,Wellington 6011 six-day to and fro travel, the state
government is providing boarding
21-Jun Yoga Education in Prisons Trust 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm Wellington’s Civic Square, Wellington
and lodging facilities for the pilgrims
22-Jun Fiji Indian Association Hall 12.00 pm – 1.00 pm Halford Place, Wellington, Wellington for free.
CLOSING PROGRAM IN WELLINGTON It is the second year in a row that
the Jammu and Kashmir government
29-Jun Yoga in Daily Life (New Zealand) 4:00 pm – 5.00 pm 23 Jessie Street,TeAro, Wellington 6011
has taken such an initiative, said
15-Jun Anahata Yoga Retreat Golden Bay 3:30 pm – 4.30 pm 727 Bird Rd, Takaka, Nelson Ravinder Pandita of All Party
21-Jun Anahata Yoga Retreat, Golden Bay 4:00 pm – 6.00 pm 727 Bird Rd, Takaka, Nelson Migrant Coordination Committee
(APMCC), which is involved in the
process.
 The Indian Weekender
Record 2,500 register for
International Yoga Day event
at Washington monument
T
he iconic Washington
Monument is set to witness
a record of sorts on Sunday
when more than 2,500 people will
gather in the US capital to meditate
and celebrate the fifth International
Day of Yoga by flexing their body in
multiple complex postures.
For the third time, the Washington
Monument – that faces the National
Mall overlooking the US Congress
– would host the International Yoga
Day celebrations. This would be
possibly the largest gathering of a
free yoga event in Washington, given
the enthusiasm of health-conscious
people. So far, more than 2,500
people have registered for the event
on June 16.
Following a proposal moved by
India on December 11, 2014, the
United Nations General Assembly
declared June 21 as the International
Day of Yoga. “We are seeing a robust
response to our call for participation
at the fifth International Day of
Yoga at the iconic Washington
Monument on Sunday, June 16.
The event has already received
over 2,500 registrations,” the Indian
Ambassador to the US, Harsh
Vardhan Shringla, told PTI.
The event is being organised by the
Indian Embassy in association with
more than 20 organisations. And as
an added incentive, Shringla said, the
embassy has scheduled a vegetarian
food festival immediately after the
yoga event as part the 150th birth
anniversary celebrations of Mahatma
Gandhi.
Since his arrival in January 2019,
Shringla has been spearheading
efforts for successfully organising the
Three Indian-origin women among America’s
richest self-made women: Forbes
T
hree Indian-origin women
have been named by Forbes
among America’s 80 richest
self-made women, the “ceiling
crashers” and “overachievers”
blazing their own trails as they create
new businesses and amass fortunes.
President and CEO of computer
networking firm Arista Networks
Jayshree Ullal, co-founder of IT
consulting and outsourcing firm
Syntel Neerja Sethi and CTO and co-
founder of streaming data technology
company Confluent Neha Narkhede
are in the Forbes list of ‘America’s
Richest Self-Made Women 2019.
The list has been topped by
Diane Hendricks, who chairs ABC
Supply, one of the largest wholesale
distributors of roofing, siding and
windows in America.
The 72-year old has a net worth of
USD 7 billion.
Ullal, who has been ranked 18th in
the list, has a net worth of USD 1.4
billion. The 58-year old owns about
5 per cent of Arista’s stock.
“Born in London and raised in
India, she is now one of America’s
wealthiest female executives,”
Forbes said.
Sethi, ranked 23rd, cofounded
Syntel with her husband Bharat Desai
Friday, June 14, 2019
yoga day, which in five years has
become a sought-after event in
Washington. He has chaired a
preparatory meeting of embassy
officers and representatives of the
partner organisations.
All ambassadors and
representatives of UN organisations
have been invited to the event.
Representatives from various
wings of the US government and
the Congress are also likely to
attend it. “Over the last few years,
the popularity of yoga has increased
manifold in the US. I am told there
are now about 36 million yoga
practitioners in the country. And this
is good news!” Shringla said.
To quote Prime Minister Narendra
in 1980 in their apartment in Troy,
Michigan with an initial investment
of just USD 2,000.
Her current net worth is one billion
dollars. French IT firm Atos SE
bought Syntel for USD 3.4 billion in
October 2018 and Sethi, 64, got an
estimated USD 510 million for her
stake.
Narkhede is ranked 60th on the list
with a networth of USD 360 million.
Confluent, which is currently valued
at USD 2.5 billion, counts Goldman
Sachs, Netflix and Uber as customers.
As a LinkedIn software engineer,
Narkhede, 34, helped develop
Apache Kafka to handle the
networking site’s huge influx of data
and in 2014, she and two LinkedIn
colleagues founded Confluent to
build tools for companies using
Modi, “Yoga has evolved as a
way to achieve healthy living and
combines physical, mental and
spiritual pursuits to achieve harmony
of the body and mind. Its appeal
today has truly transcended cultural
and linguistic boundaries and it has
become a global phenomenon,” he
said.
The proposal to declare the
International Day of Yoga was
first moved by Modi in his maiden
address to the UN General Assembly
on September 27, 2014. Then
permanent representative of India to
the UN Ashok Mukherji introduced
the draft resolution in the UNGA
on December 11, 2014. It was co-
sponsored by a record 177 countries.
For the event this year, the Indian
embassy has mounted an active
promotion campaign through its
social media channels and website.
It has been running a Facebook ad
campaign targeting individuals within
25 miles of DC, and individuals with
interest in meditation, LuLulemon,
yoga and yoga-related activities. The
advertisement is expected to reach
around a million people by June 15.
Apache Kafka, which became open
source in 2011, Forbes said.
The list also includes media
mogul Oprah Winfrey ranked 10,
Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer
(12), reality TV star Kylie Jenner
(23), fashion designer Tory Burch
(29), pop stars Rihanna (37) and
Madonna (39), singer Beyonce (51),
author Danielle Steel (56), TV show
Ellen DeGeneres (63) and tennis star
Serena Williams on the 80th spot.
Forbes said more women are
creating new businesses and
amassing fortunes than ever before,
leading it to expand its ranking of the
nation’s wealthiest self-made women
to 80 ceiling crashers, one third more
than a year ago.
“Each of these overachievers has
blazed her own trail,” it said.
WORLD 21
NEWS in BRIEF
NASA twin satellites to study signal disruption
from space
N
ASA is preparing to launch twin satellites this month that focus on how
radio signals that pass through the Earth's upper atmosphere can be
distorted by structured bubbles in this region called the ionosphere.
The twin E-TBEx CubeSats -- short for Enhanced Tandem Beacon
Experiment - will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASAs
Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the US space agency said on Monday.
Especially problematic over the equator, the radio signal distortions can
interfere with military and airline communications as well as GPS signals.
Right now, scientists cannot predict when these bubbles will form or how
they will change over time.
"These bubbles are difficult to study from the ground," said Rick Doe,
payload programme manager for the E-TBEx mission at SRI International, a
non-profit research institute in Menlo Park, California.
SpaceX targets late June for Falcon Heavy launch
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will take to the skies for the third time to
launch the US Department of Defense's Space Test Program-2 (STP-
2) mission in late June, according to a release of NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL). Several exciting, one-of-a-kind NASA technology and
science payloads are among the two dozen spacecraft aboard.
The 27 engines of the Falcon Heavy rocket generate thrust at liftoff equal
to that of approximately 18 airplanes, and it can lift over 140,000 pounds
(about 63,503 kg), according to the JPL, Xinhua news agency reported.
Managed by the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, STP-2 is
the first government-contracted Falcon Heavy launch.
It will reuse the two side boosters recovered after the April flight. SpaceX
described it as one of the most challenging launches in the company's history.
Mozilla to bring paid subscription to Firefox
M
ozilla, the maker of Open Source browser Firefox, is planning to offer
a subscription service within Firefox that
would offer users access to "premium" features like
a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service and Cloud
storage.
In an interview, Chris Beard, CEO, Mozilla
mentioned that the company intends to begin
offering the subscriptions starting October, The
Verge reported. As of now, it remains unclear if this
would be a single subscription service offering multiple features, or if these
will be separate subscription services. With this plan, Mozilla aims to develop
"diverse sources of revenue" to avoid being heavily reliant on capital that
comes from search companies that pay to be featured in the Firefox browser.
The company said it would not charge for any existing Firefox features as
part of its shift to offering subscription services.
Mystery illness kills 12 in Malaysia, probe underway
M
alaysian authorities are trying to find the cause of death of a dozen
indigenous people in an isolated village in the Kelantan state.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said on Monday authorities
were trying to locate the graves of 12 of the 14 indigenous people of the Batek
tribe who had died past month. Of these, two deaths were due to pneumonia.
He said exhuming bodies for post-mortem was vital to determine the actual
cause of death and whether the mystery illness had infected others in the
village as well, state news agency Bernama reported.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P. Waytha Moorthy on
Sunday confirmed 14 deaths. A total of 83 inhabitants of the village were
being treated, with 46 of them in hospitals, he added.
Reports of the deaths had surfaced last week, when the head of the village,
where the indigenous tribe lived, claimed that mining had contaminated the
water source, which were leading to illness and death. Deputy Prime Minister
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in a statement warned that the government would
punish the company, found to had contaminated the source of drinking water
used by the indigenous people.
Will accept dirt on 2020 opponent from Russia, China:
Trump
U S President Donald Trump gas said that he would accept damaging
information provided by foreign actors such as China or Russia on his
Democratic opponent in the 2020 presidential elections.
In a TV interview on Wednesday, Trump said that he would listen to that
information on his rival in a hypothetical scenario in which another country
offered it and denied that this would constitute foreign electoral interference,
reports Efe news.
"There's nothing wrong with listening," Trump said. "If somebody called
from a country - Norway - 'We have information on your opponent'. Oh,
I think I'd want to hear it." It's not interference," he added. "They have
information; I think I'd take it."
He compared the situation to "oppo research" - a common term in political
jargon referring to the compilation of information that may cast an opponent
in a negative light - and said about members of Congress: "they all do it".
When asked if he would alert the Federal Bureau of Investigation (fbi)
when made such an overture, the President said: "I don't think in my whole
life I've ever called the FBI... Give me a break. Life doesn't work that way."
 22 SPORTS Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

SHOWDOWN
IN ENGLAND
Finch relieved post Australia's
nervy win over Pakistan
A
ustralian skipper Aaron Finch was a relieved
man after his team managed to survive
and win a nervy World Cup fixture against
Pakistan in Taunton. Wednesday's gripping match
at the Cooper Associates County Ground saw the
defending champions put a formidable total of 307
before bowling out Pakistan for 266.
Going by the scoreline, one can predict it to be a
rather comfortable win for the Aussies. However, it
was not the case as the match was in firm balance until
the late stages of the game.
Pakistan lived up to their "unpredictable" tag and
were all but out of the contest at 6-160 during their
chase. However, it was a different story at 7-264 after
Hasan Ali (32 off 15), Wahab Riaz (45 off 39) and
captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (40 off 48) led a big-hitting
rearguard action. It was only when Mitchell Starc kept
his cool and bowled brilliantly in his ninth over and
picked up two wickets which allowed Australia to win
the match. After the match, Finch admitted they were
put under pressure by Pakistan's lower order.
"They certainly did. It's always tough when you've
got guys like Hasan and Wahab coming out and
swinging," he said at the post-match presentation
ceremony.
"When they start to get on a roll it can be tough to
stop. We just had to bowl our best ball, whether that
was a length ball or whether it was a yorker. You had
to commit to that ball 100 per cent. We saw that if your
execution is slightly off on a small ground like
this you go for six," he added. Earlier, after put
into bat, Australia made a commanding start as
both Finch and David Warner added 146 runs for
the opening wicket. Warner went to score
his first 100 of the ongoing tournament.
However, once Warner got out, Australia
lost wickets in a heap and were eventually
bundled out for 307 in 49 overs.
"We didn't bat out 50 overs, which
was really disappointing. When
you go in with the extra batter
you stack the batters to do
that job," said Finch while
ruing the fact his team didn't
play full quota of 50 overs.
"We probably tried to go
a little bit too hard too early and
ended up probably 20-30 runs short," he added.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz expressed
disappointment and said his top four batsmen
need to score runs if they want to win. He also
said that Pakistan bowlers came back well after
disappointing opening spells allowed Australia
to have a flying start.
Pakistan will next face India in what is
expected to be a high-octane encounter
between the arch-rivals in Manchester on
Sunday.

TEAMS
NEW ZEALAND
PLAYED
3
WIN
3
LOSS
0
TIED
0
NR
0
POINTS
6
NRR
+2.163 Yuvraj would have broken all
AUSTRALIA
ENGLAND
4
3
3
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
6
4
+0.570
+1.307 records if not for an injury: Father
H
INDIA 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.539 ad it not been for a knee injury he
SRI LANKA 4 1 1 0 2 4 -1.517 picked up while playing kho-kho,
WEST INDIES 3 1 1 0 1 3 +2.054 Yuvraj Singh would have shattered
all records in white ball cricket, feels his
BANGLADESH 4 1 2 0 1 3 -0.714
father Yograj Singh.
PAKISTAN 4 1 2 0 1 3 -1.796
India's 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj
SOUTH AFRICA 4 0 3 0 1 1 -0.952
announced his retirement from all forms of
AFGHANISTAN 3 0 3 0 0 0 -1.493
the game on Monday, drawing curtains to
a career which has seen him being rated as
India to begin Windies Tour from August 3 one of the best one-day players India have

I
ndia will begin its ICC World Test Championship
campaign with the two-Test series to be played
in the West Indies in late August.
The two Tests will be played at the Vivian Richards
Cricket Ground in Antigua (August 22-26) and at
Sabina Park in Jamaica (August 30-September 3).
Before that, both the teams will play three T20I
and three ODIs. The tour kicks off with two T20Is
at the Broward County Stadium in Florida, US -
played on August 3 and 4. They will then travel to
Guyana to play the final T20I on August 6 at the
Guyana National Stadium.
After that, both the teams play the first ODI of the
three-match series at the same ground in Guyana on
August 8, followed by the remaining two 50-over
matches to be played at the Queen's Park Oval in
Trinidad on August 11 and 14.
And after a week's gap, the teams will play their
first ever World Test Championship match.
The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) will
be played over the next two years in which nine of
the 12 Test-playing nations will play a Test series
against six of the other eight teams.
Each series will consist of between two and five
matches, so although all teams will play six series
(three at home and three away), they will not play
the same number of Tests.
Each team will be able to score a maximum of
120 points from each series and the two teams with
the most points at the end of the league stage will
contest the final in June 2021 in England to crown
the first ever World Test champion.
Some of the nine WTC teams will play additional
Test matches during this period which are not part
of the championship. They are, however, part of
the ICC Future Tours Programme for 2018 to 2023
and are designed mainly to give matches to the
three Test-playing sides - Afghanistan, Ireland and
Zimbabwe - not taking part in this competition.
ever produced.
"Had it not been for the knee injury he
suffered while playing kho-kho when Greg
Chappell was the coach, Yuvraj could have
broken all the ODI and T20 international
records," Yograj was quoted as saying by
the Indian Express.
"The Indian team during the Chappel
era played indigenous games for warm-
up before net sessions. I cannot forgive
Chappell for that," said Yograj, who played
one Test and six ODIs for India in the early
'80s.
Yuvraj is known to have shared a frosty
relationship with his father over the years,
and Yograj echoed his son in saying that
the two spent quality time in Chandigarh
recently to bury all the differences.
Yuvraj had said that he had a chat with his
father which killed all the "demons" inside
him during his formative years, when he
used to consider Yograj a "dragon".
"Last week, we spent two days in
Chandigarh together and those were my
best two days since Yuvraj started playing.
We talked about those things, which we
could not talk earlier. He tried to understand
me. Today, when he thanked me for making
him a man, I felt the proudest," said Yograj.
"It has been 40 years since I was dropped
from the Indian team and I have lived with
this pain through out my life," said Yograj.
"Yuvraj's story began at that time. He
was one-and-half-years old when I got him
his first cricket bat and ball. My mother
Gurnam Kaur bowled the first ball to him.
We still have that picture.
"Growing up, he would skate and play
tennis but I would break his skates and
tennis racquets. He would cry and call
our Sector 11 house a jail. He would call
me 'Dragon Singh'. But then as a father
I had the right to ask my son to get back
my honour and make me walk with pride
again," Yograj said.
"Yuvraj was six when I took him to the
Sector 16 Stadium, where I used to train.
There used to be a pace academy and
I would tell Yuvraj to practice without
helmet.
"He would run for more than one-and-a-
half hours in the stadium daily. I remember
once my mother was on her death bed and
she told me that I was spoiling Yuvraj's life
with such a harsh training. That was the
only time I regretted being harsh on my
son.
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 24 FEATURES Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

Pesto pasta salad

F
or those of you who just can’t get
over their love for pasta salads, here
is a refreshing recipe of Pesto Pasra
Salad which is loaded with the goodness
of fresh basil leaves. The salad comes
together to form an exquisite blend of
yellow, green and white colours, giving it
a light and soothing appearance, that makes

Mix vegetable risotto

you want to savour every bite of it.
Ingredients

M
ix Vegetable Risotto is • 100 gm pasta fusili
a cheesy and luscious • 1 cup basil
• black pepper as required
Italian recipe loved by
• 1/2 cup grape tomato
people of all age groups. It is a
• 1/2 clove
delicious main dish recipe packed
• 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
with some lip-smacking flavors. This
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
vegetarian recipe is quiet easy to • kosher salt as required
prepare at home as it uses ingredients • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rinds • Combine
like arboria rice, onions, frozen • 1/2 cup yellow tomato a l l the
mixed vegetables, garlic cloves, • 4 tablespoon mozzarella other ingredients in a grinder, apart
peppercorns, vegetable broth, ricotta
Method from tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, to
cheese and parmesan cheese which form a smooth paste out of it.
are easily available in the market. • Take a deep bottomed pan, pour water in it and
sprinkle some salt. Boil pasta in this pan on medium • Now take this paste and add it to the boiled pasta, along
Ingredients flame. Once done, drain the water and transfer the with halved tomatoes, mozzarella and grated parmesan
• 2 cup Arborio rice pasta in a big bowl. cheese. Toss well and serve.
• 2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 tablespoon virgin olive oil
• 4 cup vegetable broth
Paprika Chicken with Chickpeas
P
• 3 tablespoon ricotta cheese aprika Chicken with properly. Keep aside in order to
• salt as required Chickpeas is an extremely let the chicken absorb the spices
• 2 onion easy-to-make recipe and does well.
• 2 cloves garlic not compromise with the flavors at • Take a oven casserole dish and
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns any cost. place a layer of thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoon butter onions, sprinkling 2 tsp of virgin
same pan add rice and stir well. Ingredients olive oil. Your next step would
• parmesan cheese as required
• After sometime, stir in the warm • 2 tablespoon lemon juice be to add drained and rinsed
• For Garnishing
vegetable stock in the same pan. • 1 teaspoon garlic powder chickpeas, lemon juice, cherry
• thyme as required
• Now, add the frozen vegetables • 2 kilograms chicken thighs tomatoes, lime zest along with the
• red chilli as required
along with thyme, chopped red • 4 tablespoon paprika remaining olive oil in the spice-
Method
chilies, butter, peppercorns, • 2 medium thinly sliced onion coated chicken.
• Place a pan over medium flame • 4 tablespoon virgin olive oil • Next, transfer the chicken,
ricotta cheese and parmesan
and warm the vegetable stock. • 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper chickpea and cherry tomato
cheese in the same pan. Cover the
Side by side, place another pan • 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano • To begin with, preheat oven to mixture in the casserole dish
pan using a lid and simmer for
over medium flame and heat oil • 300 gm cherry tomatoes 175 degree Celsius. Meantime, nicely. Bake for about 30-40
next 10 minutes.
in it. • salt as required take a large bowl and put paprika, minutes or at least until the
• Remove the lid after 10 minutes
• Once the oil is hot enough add • 400 gm rinsed,drained chick peas salt, garlic powder, black pepper, ingredients are well cooked and
and cook on the medium flame for
chopped garlic cloves along with • 2 teaspoon lime zest ground oregano and mix well. the chicken is slightly golden
2 minutes. Turn off the gas knob
onion slices in it. Saute till the Then, add chicken thighs and rub brown. Once done, take out and
and your Mix Vegetable Risotto is Method
onion turns translucent. In the the mixture over each of them serve hot.
now ready to be served.

Awadhi Vegetable Biryani with Burani Raita

B
iryani is a favourite of non-vegetarian food lovers and batches until they turn golden brown in colour. Once done,
is a dish that is prepared using different spices and remove with a slotted spoon. After this, drain the fried onions
condiments in different regions. This is one of the most on an absorbent paper.
ideal dish for a special occasion and can be savoured with friends • Saute half of the black cumin seeds till they begin to sizzle.
and family. Add cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and peppercorns and saute
them.
Ingredients • Add ginger and garlic paste and saute for a minute. Now add
400 gm basmati rice salt, pepper, yoghurt and vegetables and saute them over a
• 2 onion low flame until vegetables turn tender.
• 8 clove • Meanwhile, in a separate large pan, bring 8 cups of water to a
• mace as required boil with 2 teaspoons of salt in it.
• 3 tablespoon ginger paste • Tie the remaining cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, black
• 100 gm shelled peas cardamoms and green cardamoms in a piece of muslin cloth
• 100 gm cauliflower to make a small bundle and add to the water with bay leaves.
• 100 gm carrot • Cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes to allow the spices to
• 4 black cardamom infuse the water with their flavour.
• 1/2 mint leaves • Drain the extra water of rice and add the rice in the pan. Let
• wheat dough as required the rice cook until tender and remove from the flame and
• 8 cup water reserve the strained water.
• 7 tablespoon ghee • Stir the remaining ghee into the rice and set aside.To assemble
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds the biryani, spread half of the fried onions at the base of a
• 2 inch cinnamon stick deep heavy-bottomed heatproof casserole.
• 1/4 tablespoon nutmeg • 2 bay leaf
• rose water as required • Spread half the rice over onions. Then spread a layer of the
• 3 tablespoon garlic paste vegetables and the chopped mint over the rice. For garnishing,
• 100 gm potato • 1 tablespoon powdered black pepper
• kewra as required sprinkle rose water and kewra water over the rice.
• 100 gm bean • Dot the rice with unsalted butter. Pour in a cup of the strained
• 400 gm yoghurt (curd) • 1/2 tablespoon chilli flakes
water. Cover with a lid and seal it with the wheat dough.
• 4 green cardamom Method • Place on a hot tawa or griddle and cook on a low flame till
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter • For the perfect Awadhi Vegetable Biryani, wash the basmati steam begins to escape.
• 6 cloves garlic rice and soak it in water for half an hour. • Remove from heat and let it stand for 2 minutes. Remove the
• For Garnishing • Slice the onions and carrot in a bowl. Heat the pan with 4 dough seal and fluff up the rice with a fork. Serve hot along
• salt as required tablespoons of ghee in it and add the sliced onions and fry in with burrani!
 The biggest
gala night of
the Indian community
The biggest
is gala night
backbiggest
The againof!
the Indian community
gala night of
is backcommunity
the Indian again !
is back again !

Friday, August 9, 2019

CORDIS, Auckland
Friday, August 9, 2019
CORDIS, Auckland
Friday, August 9, 2019
CORDIS, Auckland

proudly supported by

proudly supported by

proudly supported by
 26 TIME OUT Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

CROSSWORD NO: 23 ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S QUESTIONS

SUDOKU NO: 23

HITORI NO: 23 QUIZ QUESTIONS NO: 23

Hitori – a logic puzzle with very simple rules and challenging solutions. Can you eliminate
numbers until there are no duplicates in any row or column? Objective / Rules. Eliminate
numbers until there are no duplicates in any row or column. Eliminate numbers
by marking them in Black. You are not allowed to have two Black squares touching
horizontally or vertically (diagonally is ok). Any White square can be reached from any
other (i.e. they are connected).
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE NO: 23
See how many differences you can find in the right or left photo.
1. Which American actress was born Margaret Mary
Emily Anne Hyra? Meg Ryan
2. Only 1 British Prime Minister has been assassinated.
Who was it? Spencer Perceval
3. Andrea, Caroline, Sharon and Jim make up which
band? The Corrs
4. How many bones are there in a shark’s body? None
(A shark’s skeleton is made up entirely of cartilage)
5. Which beer markets itself as “The King of Beers”?
Budweiser
6. Which countryside animal would the French refer to as
‘un hérisson’? A hedgehog
7. In which country would you find Zavratnica Bay?
Croatia
8. Which author created the character Paddington Bear?
Michael Bond
9. In which sport could you win the Davis Cup? Tennis
10. 10. Which artist painted “Lobster Telephone” in 1936?
Salvador Dali
11. How many golden stars feature on the flag of the
European Union? Twelve
12. In which world city would you find Maracanã Stadium?
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13. Which word can come after ‘dream’, ‘steam’ and ‘life’
to form other words? Boat
14. How many times did Pete Sampras win the Wimbledon
Men’s Singles title? Seven (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997,
1998, 1999 and 2000)
15. “I think I’m gonna be sad, I think it’s today…” These
are the opening lyrics to which 1965 hit? Ticket to
Ride – Beatles
16. Emerald is the traditional birthstone associated with
which month of the year? May
17. Of which US state is Harrisburg the capital?
Pennsylvania
18. In which ‘James Bond’ film did Daniel Craig first play
the starring role? Casino Royale (2006)
19. Which author wrote the original ‘Poldark’ series of
books? Winston Graham
20. How many miles long is the River Nile: a) 2,258 miles
(3,634 km), b) 3,258 miles (5,243 km) or c) 4,258
miles (6,853 km) long? c) 4,258 miles long (6,853 km)
21. When referring to a cash machine, what does ‘ATM’
stand for? Automated Teller Machine
22. In which group were England in the 2018 FIFA World
Cup? Group G (alongside Belgium, Tunisia and
Panama)
23. In which decade was Donald Trump born? 1940s
(born 14th June 1946)
24. Who was the 2018 Wimbledon Women’s Singles
champion? Angelique Kerber
25. How many sides has a pentacontagon? 50 (A fifty-
sided polygon)
26. In which country was Amal Clooney born? Lebanon
27. What was the first name of the character played by
Alison Steadman in the hit sitcom ‘Gavin and Stacey’?
Pam
28. 8. Who was the first ever winner of ‘Britain’s Got
Talent’? Paul Potts
29. Which word can come before ‘lion’, ‘bike’ and
‘warehouse’ to make names for other things?
Mountain
30. 10. Which was the first product to be launched by Henry
J Heinz and L Clarence Noble in 1869? Horseradish

Send us stories, drawings, poems and other contributions by your little ones along with their
photographs for this page. E-mail us at reporter@indianweekender.co.nz
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019
Easy ways to achieve skin
that is clear as a GLASS
#
GlassSkin is a real thing and definitely
achievable. Here are the simple steps of
achieving the skin of your dreams!
The most important part of K-beauty is to use
products made for your skin. To get the most
out of your glass skin routine, you need to use
products that are highly hydrating, lightweight,
filled with antioxidants, and loaded with high-
quality ingredients. Maintaining the pH level
of your skin can help you achieve skin literally
clear as glass.
Double Cleanse:
Yes, you read it right. Double cleansing is
something that the K-beauty industry has taught
us and honestly, nothing has been the same
ever since. (all hail double cleansing!!).  This
method involves removing your makeup with
an oil-based cleanser and washing your face
with a water-based face wash. Make sure you
use products that do not dry out your skin.
Exfoliate:
We cannot talk about clear skin without
exfoliation. Using exfoliators that are gentle
and only remove the dead cells are the best
ones. Don’t overdo it, though. Two to three
times weekly is ideal to avoid irritations,
especially if you have sensitive skin.
Toning:
This is the step that everyone forgets very
often. Cleansing opens up your pores and
leaves them open if you do not follow it up
with a toner. However, traditional toners are
often ignored because some find them to be
too drying, use toners that are alcohol-free and
hydrates your skin. Toner closes your pores,
softens your skin, restores its pH balance, and
in the end results in soft, plump skin.
Essence:
Essence is a liquid like serum that is
lightweight and easy to absorb. You can
essentially call them a cross between toners
and serums. According to Dermstore, “
They’re formulated to address skin concerns
Manisha Koushik is a practicing astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, vastu and fengshui
consultant based in India with a global presence through the online channels. She is available for
consultations online as well. E-mail her at support@askmanisha.com or contact
at +91-11-26449898 Mobile/Whatsapp: +91-9716145644 • www.askmanisha.com
like pigmentation and redness but with the
added purpose of delivering mega moisture
and hydration.
Serum:
This is the step when your skin care routine
is taken to another level (do you hear the gods
singing in the background?). Stylecraze says,
“A serum does more than hydrating your skin
– it evens out your skin tone, plumps up your
skin, reduces fine lines, and maintains the
moisture balance in your skin throughout the
day.”
Moisturize (A lot!):
Moisturizing is a no-brainer in any skin
care routine, but when you’re aiming for that
luminescent look, you’ll want to reach for
one that is lightweight yet packs maximum
moisture. You need to use a moisturizer that
is meant for your skin type, does not cause
breakouts, and has a calming and brightening
effect.
Eye cream:
You cannot achieve glass-like skin if you
have literal dark patches and bags hanging
under your eyes. Make sure to use a serum or
eye cream that to nourish the fragile eye area
that tends to be drier than the rest of your face.
Seal it in with a sheet mask:
K-beauty has given us some of the best skin
care tips and tricks, but masks are arguably
the ones the beauty world is most obsessed
with. Hydrating masks are essential to lock
everything in and an easy way to soothe tired
skin, repair the damage done throughout the
day.
K-beauty has given us everything but
achievable glass skin has been our personal
favourite. It’s important to remember that
there is no shortcut to achieving flawless,
ethereal-looking skin and LITERALLY, the
#glassskin photos on our feed can come true
with consistency and commitment to the right
skin care regimen.
FEATURES 27
14 June – 20 June | By Manisha Koushik
ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 20)
This is the best time to plan for a break and visit someplace exotic. Your love interest
is likely to spring a surprise that will warm the cockles of your heart. Steer clear of
mistakes at work that you may absentmindedly commit at work. Not remembering to
bring something you had been told to by spouse may put you on the firing line. Working
out to stay fit will keep you in top physical condition. Lucky Number 9 / Lucky Colour:
Dark Red
TAURUS (Apr 21-May 20)
If you get the right opportunity, don’t delay in cashing in on it. You will need to rejuvenate
your love life, so do something before boredom sets in. A changed lifestyle may be a
step in the right direction. Financial security will bring happiness on the domestic front.
Chance to display your talents is round the corner and is certain to impress those who
matter. An alternative therapy is likely to prove more effective than a conventional one.
Lucky Number:15 / Lucky Colour: Peach
GEMINI (May 21-Jun 21)
Keep all your options open regarding a personal matter. A property matter gets resolved
amicably. Your good intentions and mild manners will help you in taking a special place
in someone’s heart. Enhancement in profits is foreseen for retailers and businesspersons.
You may feel upbeat about an easy assignment on the academic front, but give it your best
shot to thwart competition. A short trip to relatives proves enjoyable. You will manage to
adopt some tips for self-improvement. Lucky Number:3 / Lucky Colour: Brown
CANCER (Jun 22-Jul 20)
You may need to limit someone’s junk food intake in order to see him or healthy. Those
seeking leave will get lucky. Promise of better salary and perks may motivate some
to switch to another job. An interesting neighbourhood incident may keep you happily
engrossed this week. Finding time to meet lover seems difficult, but you will manage
somehow. A shopping spree is on the cards for some. A business trip will help some to
bag a lucrative deal. Lucky Number: 22 / Lucky Colour: Dark Blue
LEO (JuL21-Aug 20)
Plan in advance whatever you have in mind to avoid hassles. Good company promises to
make this a special week. A lot of travelling is in store for you to add to your excitement.
Good news is expected on the marriage front for the eligible. Current performance may
get some students celebratory mood on the academic front. A pat on the back at work is
in store for some. Health wise, you remain fit and fine. Lucky Number:5 / Lucky Colour:
Olive Green
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 23)
A change of scene is indicated and you may be back in your familiar surroundings. You
get to achieve comfort and joy within your family circle. It is the best time to complete
pending work, as nothing much is happening at work. This is the right time to ask for
a salary raise. Those preparing for a presentation or lecture will need to be thorough.
Over exertion may cause problems, so take adequate periods of rest in between. Lucky
Number:18 / Lucky Colour: Peach
LIBRA (Sep 24-Oct 23)
Getting holiday reservations done may be topmost on your mind. Those in risk-prone
jobs need to exercise caution at work. Medical check up becomes important for those
reaching middle age. Equally lucrative investment options may get you all confused.
Take your time to choose the best one. A favourable week for an outing with the one you
love is foreseen. You may spend a bit more than essential this week. Health needs care
for those with a lifestyle disease. Lucky Number: / Lucky Colour: Magenta
SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov 22)
You are likely to get all the support you need to win an election or get a prestigious
position. Your tryst with lover promises to make the week exciting. Enjoying the fruits
of labour on the academic front is indicated for some. Domestic harmony prevails and
helps you keep a positive outlook. Property you had been contributing to may finally be
yours. Buying a luxury item or a new vehicle is on the cards. Health remains excellent.
Lucky Number:2 / Lucky Colour: White
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec 21)
A suitable opening may materialise for those looking for a job. Reposing blind faith in
associates is not advised, as there is a possibility of some unfavourable consequences.
Neglecting to renew a contract may put you in a spot. Your foresight will help you plan
the right moves on the career front. Your good intentions are likely to endear you to a
member of the opposite gender. A food you are allergic to may pose problems, so avoid
it. Lucky Number:3 / Lucky Colour: Rose
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 21)
You are likely to take long strides on the professional front. Acing a competition promises
to open many avenues for you on the academic front. A big celebration is on the cards
for something that you have achieved. Your positivity will help you in making your life
more harmonious. You are likely to become a proud owner of a prime property. Efforts
to get back in shape will be successful. You are set to experience a windfall. Lucky
Number: 6 / Lucky Colour: Bottle Green
AQUARIUS (Jan 22-Feb 19)
You may need to be quick in gaining the initiative, if you want things to turn favourable
for you. Family life will prove satisfying as great bonhomie amongst family members
prevails. Support from someone close will make you excel on the academic front. Words
of praise from a superior or teacher will make you feel good from inside for the rest of
the week. Wooing lover may seem an uphill task at this juncture, but persistence will
pay! Lucky Number: 3/ Lucky Colour: Brown
PISCES (Feb 20-Mar 20)
If you have the time, look up someone who desperately wants of meet you. Your wait
for loan approval may get over sooner than you expect. A surprise check by senior may
find you at the right place, doing the right thing! So, expect to get into the good books of
your superiors. Spouse will be in a romantic mood this week, so organise a candlelight
dinner or get a couple of movie tickets! Health remains satisfactory. Lucky Number: 7 /
Lucky Colour: Pink
 28 ENTERTAINMENT Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender

JAVED AKHTAR: A
Tiger calls film with Hrithik
‘correct permutation’
ctor Tiger

Capital punishment
Shroff,
who is all
excited to share

no deterrent to crime
screen space with
actor Hrithik
Roshan, says it

C
"
apital punishment does not deter crime, veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar said after six people were is very rare to
convicted for the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua last year. find the correct
A Special Court in Pathankot on Monday convicted six people in the case and awarded life imprisonment permutation and combination and the
running to 25 years to three – temple priest and mastermind Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria right script that allow you to express
and Parvesh Kumar. Akhtar spoke about it at the launch of author Sonal Sonkavde's book your potential.
titled "So What" . So, I Talking about sharing screen space
"I heard it on television that those people who are responsible for that hope with another actor in a film, Tiger
inhuman and barbaric act have been given life sentence. I also heard life imprisonment said: “... It depends on the script
that some people were disappointed with the verdict because
is good enough whether I want to do a solo (film) or
but they shouldn't
they thought that these people deserve capital punishment. be having these team up with a hero. A film, like what
But honestly speaking, I don't have clear cut ideas about privileges where the I am doing with Hrithik (Roshan) sir
capital punishment and whether it is right or wrong." He same person will be is definitely something that could not
said the debate over capital punishment is going on all walking out freely have been made without one another. 
over the world. after two or three “It is very rare that you find the
"One thing I am sure about is that capital punishment years correct permutation and combination
is not a deterrent of crime because where people have and the right script that allows us to
banned capital punishment, the crime has not increased and in countries where express our potential in our respective
provision of capital punishment is there, the crime hasn't reduced. So, it is not a ways,” he added. 
deterrent." Akhtar, however, said the accused shouldn't walk out free after two The project, directed by Siddharth
or three years after being sentenced to life imprisonment. Anand, is touted as an action thriller
"I have no idea whether they should have been given capital punishment or and will feature a dance off between
life imprisonment is good enough, but at the same time, I must express my the actors.
apprehension that we have seen many times in our society that somebody “I feel it is great and if the script is
who has committed a heinous crime gets life imprisonment and after two right then why not we all combine our
or three years, you realise the person has been released on one ground forces every now and then?” he added.
or the other and then he or she lives happily ever after. Tiger was last seen on-screen in
"So, I hope life imprisonment is good enough but they shouldn't Punit Malhotra’s directorial Student
be having these privileges where the same person will be walking Of The Year 2, which also stars Tara
out freely after two or three years." Sutaria and Ananya Panday.

I’m a happy outsider: Taapsee What went behind Sridevi’s

‘Kaante nahin...’
T
aapsee Pannu started her Directed by Ashwin Saravanan, Taapsee said, “Look, you are talking

journey from the south
Indian film industry, and has
cemented her space in the Hindi film
industry with multiple releases and
commercial success. The actress
considers it her strength that she is an
“outsider” in the industry.
Asked how she deals with the
‘outsider’ tag, Taapsee said: “Yes, I
am an outsider and I don’t see it as
a bad thing. I am a happy outsider.
I am not popular among the creme
of our fraternity, and when I am not
shooting, I travel and observe people
who have a regular life, out of the
film world.
“I think it is my strength that I am
an outsider who can bring a lot of real
elements in the performance because
of a normal life. Also, I go to bed
early and wake up early, so partying
late night does not suit my lifestyle...
I am in a happy space, really.”
Last year, Taapsee had four
Bollywood releases including Mulk,
Manmarziyaan and one Telugu film
Neevevaro. This year, after Game
Over, she has Mission Mangal and
Saand Ki Aankh.
How does she look at the success?
“It was on my bucket list that I
want my own car, an apartment
and a steady career by the time I
am 30 years old. So thankfully
I have managed to fulfil all of it.
Now, I have a bigger milestone
to achieve in which producers
will not stop themselves to invest
money in my films thinking it is
an ‘unconventional’ and ‘female-
centric’ film,” shared the Pink actor.
“I know it is a success-driven
industry but I also know that if I
keep delivering content-driven
films that are commercially
successful, change is bound to
happen... it will happen and I
can see it,” Taapsee asserted.
Game Over is releasing on June 14
in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.
Explaining the need to release the
film in multiple languages, Taapsee
said: “If we look at the story, it is
a journey of a girl who is a rape
victim... It is a universal story and
that incident can happen to anyone, in
any part of the world. So the makers
thought that the film deserved to be
shown nationwide. Of course, it was
my wish too.” Taapsee’s last release
Badla had done well commercially,
but it did not have enough buzz on
social media, especially among the
film fraternity. It is also something
that megastar
A m i t a b h
Bachchan had
pointed out.
Asked if watching Salman Khan because of his
such things
affect her, Khan and romance... Any young girl
"I
think it is my
strength that I am
an outsider who can
bring a lot
of real elements in
the performance
because of a
normal life"
I
about the Twitter buzz from the n a list of top songs of Sridevi,
verified account. The fact of the it would be hard to miss Kaante
matter is, they are not the people who nahin kat te. Getting her to wear
will make my film earn money at the a chiffon sari and a breeze adding
box office. If a film is running in the to the drama was all a part of trying
theatre for weeks, that means people to make her look her most sensuous
are watching it and word of mouth ever on-screen, says Mr India
works as the best buzz. Then why producer Boney Kapoor.
should I complain? Kapoor, who backed
“I want appreciation from the the 1987 film and is
audience and by making the film now eyeing a reboot,
survive in the theatre for weeks, they recounted the making
have given me validation. It was a of the song, which
silent success.” was picturised on his entertainer which had a
Is working with Bollywood’s brother Anil and late common man using an
Khans on her wish-list? wife Sridevi. invisibility bracelet to fight
“As an actress, I would love to “We had initially thought of a evil in the society, has stood
do so... As a kid, I have grown up set model for the song, but then we the test of time with its simple and
watching their films, but I cannot improvised... I provoked Shekhar entertaining story. Its songs by
choose one favourite. I loved (director Shekhar Kapur) that she Laxmikant-Pyarelal, continue to be
(Sridevi) should look more sensuous popular. Kapoor says a part of the
larger than life persona, Shah Rukh than what anyone has looked before iconic Hawaa hawaai song happened
on-screen. She was quite sensuous because he had loved a song from
would dream to have a boyfriend like in a song in Janbaaz (Har kisi ko Jewel Thief.
Rahul. I love watching Aamir Khan nahi milta), so he took it up as a “It had an extension of 8 to 10
because he is a very interesting challenge,” Kapoor said. beats... I urged Laxmikant-Pyarelalji
actor. “After the prodding, he (Shekhar) to extend the dance portion towards
“Initially I waited for long
got this blue chiffon sari, and we the end, and they readily obliged.
to get an offer opposite any used a big fan to create the breezy So, you see the end portion of
one of them, but since I did
environment... Her hair was flying the song has Sri doing vigorous
not get a chance, I explored the and the sari was clinging to the body. dance movement. Saroj Khan had
opportunities that came my way
There was not an iota of skin choreographed it, and she had
so that I can make my space here
show in it. Still, it remains a sensual played a huge role in creating these
in the film industry.”
song,” he added. Mr. India, a sci-fi iconic songs.”
Art suffers at the hands of fear: Dia Mirza
A
ctress Dia Mirza, who plays a Pakistani woman us, not just take us away from our neighbours, it takes us
in the web series “Kaafir”, says art suffers at the away from ourselves. And when we deny ourselves the
hands of fear. opportunity to communicate and exchange... we are only
At the show’s launch here, Dia was asked about her expressing to the world how fearful we are.”
opinion on Pakistani artistes being barred from working Directed by Sonam Nair and written by Bhavani Iyer,
in India by the All India Cine Workers Association the story of “Kaafir” is set in Kashmir. It is about a
(AICWA) after an attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Pakistani woman and her child who are held as prisoners
Kashmir, in February in which 40 CRPF personnel were and how a journalist tries to get justice for them. Dia
killed. She said: “Art always suffers at the hands of fear... plays the prisoner named Kainaaz Akhtar.
but also art is also reunited and refuelled because of fear. As her role was very intense, the actress said she still
I believe that these prejudices that have been imposed on carries the hangover of the character in her mind.
 The Indian Weekender Friday, June 14, 2019 ENTERTAINMENT 29

Sudhir Mishra wants to work HOLLYWOOD

with Tisca Chopra again The biggest movie

N releases of 2019
ational Award-winning filmmaker
Sudhir Mishra enjoyed working with
actress Tisca Chopra on web series

Hostages, and says he would love to collaborate
with her again.
Directed by Mishra, the ten-episode web
series tells the tale of a doctor, essayed by
Chopra, whose family is taken hostage and
she has to make a tough decision – to kill an
innocent man or to save her loved ones. The
Hotstar web series also marks the digital debut
of the Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi maker. 
“It was a wonderful experience (working
with Tisca). First, it is a great character
of a stubborn, strong, bold woman.
When you hear the word bold, you
always think of the sexuality, but
the bold here is someone who is
independent, a professional and
at the top of her game, she also
happens to be a mother and a wife,”
Mishra said.  and flips it, is I think great. It was
“I have rarely come across a female
character like this, so to play such a strong
character you need an actor like that. We found
Tisca and she is brilliant. The way she explores
obvious, tries to understand
fun working with her and I would
definitely like to work with her again,”
he added.  It: Chapter Two – releasing 6th
The show also features Ronit Roy, Parvin
T
he Lion King, Toy Story 4, and Star sees the duo form an unlikely alliance.
Wars are all set to rule the roost in Starring: Vanessa Kirby, The Rock, Jason
2019 – but what else is being released Statham
in cinemas?
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood –
Men In Black: International: releasing 14th August 2019
releasing 14th June 2019 (TBC)
T essa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth
lead this rebooted Men in Black movie,
stepping into the suits of Will Smith and
Tommy Lee Jones
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Chris
Q uentin Tarantino’s latest film will see
him delve into the Manson murders,
with the help of a typically stellar cast.
Hemsworth and Emma Thompson Starring: Margot Robbie, Leonardo
DiCaprio, Brad Pitt
Toy Story 4: releasing 21st June 2019
September 2019

T
the character, performs, doesn’t go for the Dabas and Dalip Tahil. he second part of Stephen King’s story

Ayushmann Khurana:
finds the Losers Club 27 years after the
events of the first film, and Pennywise is back
to haunt them again…

My son will be proud

Starring: Jessica Chastain, James
McAvoy, Bill Hader

P repare to cry your weight in tears once

of my films in future
Downton Abbey movie – releasing
again as Buzz, Woody and the gang date 13th September 2019
return for another tale. But what exactly is

F
weird new toy Forky?
rom his debut in 2012 till now, Ayushmann Khurrana has bent the rules of the game as a Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Tony
Bollywood actor. As a young father of two children, he says parenthood does not come in Hale
between his choice of movies, and he hopes that in future his son would feel proud of his
filmography. Spider-Man: Far From Home:
Asked if he is conscious of his film choices considering he has a son and a daughter, releasing 2nd July 2019
Ayushmann said: “As an actor, it is really momentary for me when I am telling a story. Of
course, I want to leave a legacy that resonates with the society but as an actor, I am ready to
do any character that a story requires. When it comes to my son, since he is just a seven years
old boy, for him, it is all about fantastical heroes and that is why he likes Varun Dhawan and
P roduction has reportedly wrapped on
the film, which is set to star Downton
favourites Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery
Tiger Shroff.” and Hugh Bonneville.
“He does not understand my story space. But maybe one day, he will be Starring: Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville,
proud of me, my choice of films... When he grows up, not now. I think Michelle Dockery
if the story is progressive and compelling, I go for it, and that way, I

T
would have made these choices even if I was single,” he added with Joker: releasing 4th October 2019
om Holland is back in the new Spider-
a smile. Sperm donation, erectile dysfunction or an unexpected Man movie. Guess all that Thanos
pregnancy of a middle-aged woman – Ayushmann’s films Vicky Donor, kerfuffle will have resolved itself come July?
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan and Badhaai Ho, have dealt with myriad Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton,
subjects. These days, he is quite occupied shooting Shubh Mangal
Jon Favreau
Zyada Saavdhan and Bala. But he is also gearing up for the release
of Anubhav Sinha’s directorial venture Article 15. It’s his first-time The Lion King: releasing 19 July 2019
collaboration with the Ra.One and Mulk director.
“After watching ‘Mulk’ I was blown away. I have never
seen a film in the mainstream that talks on the communal
issue with such a balanced view.
"He understands the complexity of our country and
C an Joaquin Phoenix give Joker as much
gusto in this origin film as Heath Ledger
did in The Dark Knight? Time will tell…
that is why perhaps all his views are balanced. Having Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert
said that, when I went to meet him, he actually offered DeNiro, Zazie Beetz

W
me a rom-com. hatever your thoughts on sequel
“I told him that I want to do something hard-hitting The Goldfinch: releasing 11th
and reboot culture, you’ll be hard October 2019
like Mulk. Then he shared two more stories but when pushed to convince anyone that Beyoncé and
I heard a one-liner of Article 15, I took no time to
Donald Glover leading this CGI re-telling of
say ‘yes’ to the film. This is the first time that a
the Disney classic is not a good idea. Hakuna
mainstream Bollywood film openly takes names of
Matata.
all the castes and unveils a story of discrimination,”
Starring: Donald Glover, Beyoncé, James
he added.
Ayushmann said that as a street theatre artiste who Earl Jones
has travelled in rural India where the caste system Hobbs and Shaw: releasing 2nd
is one of the burning issues, he always wanted to do August 2019
“something” about it.
“I live in the junction of Chandigarh and Panchkula,

A
so it is the cusp of urban and small-town India. During daptation of Donna Tartt’s bestselling
my college days, I have seen how many communities novel of the same name, which follows
who belong to a lower caste socially get discriminated. the story of a young boy after his mother
However, I got a larger picture while shooting for the film.” is killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan
The actor believes that the film Article 15 will trigger Museum of Art.
a much-needed conversation around the caste system Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ansel Elgort,

T
and would enlighten the young urban crowd that may he Rock and Jason Statham lead this Sarah Paulson
have never faced such issues in cities like Delhi, Mumbai Fast and the Furious spin-off, which l Continues next week
and Bengaluru.
30 FEATURES Friday, June 14, 2019 The Indian Weekender
 24 SUPPORT
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