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Vol.4 No.42 February 11-17, 2012 60 Cents
US NRIs create Congress wave in Punjab Time for Sheriff of Wall St Preet Bharara National Community, Page 7

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Love in the time of mega mall Valentines Day, Page 18

Relief for a million homeowners in $26B foreclosure deal

Washington DC: Around a million American homeowners will receive help with their mortgages, thanks to a $26 billion dollar settlement agreed by five of the nations biggest lenders. The deal requires five of the largest banks Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial to reduce loans for about a million households at risk of foreclosure. Homeowners who are behind on their payments and owe more than their homes are worth will benefit from the reductions in their debt. Around 750,000 more former home owners are to get compensation averaging $1,500 to $2,000, if they improperly lost

Maldives' ousted president seeks global intervention

New Delhi: The Maldives' ousted president Mohamed Nasheed Thursday appealed to the world community to help restore democracy in his country, claiming that he was toppled by a small group of police officers and that police and the military were brutally suppressing people. Nasheed resigned Tuesday amid protests over detention of a top judge and was replaced by Vice President Mohamed Waheed. Talking to Times Now news channel from an undisclosed location, Nasheed said he now feared for his life and safety of his family, who have fled to Sri Lanka. "They want to arrest me and the situation is turning worse," he said. To a question on possible resistance, Nasheed said he had never fought against law. Nasheed also said that police have so

Maldives President Md. Nasheed, surrounded by soldiers, shortly before resigning. far arrested around 250 supporters of his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and appealed to his supporters to remain calm. "They changed the government and now they want to arrest me...I don't think it's Continued on page 4

US Attorney General Eric Holder announcing the deal. their homes to foreclosure from 2008 to the end of 2011. Continued on page 4

Modi a PM candidate for BJP: Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari Thursday said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was one of the party's contenders for prime minister. On a day when the special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2002 Gujarat riots filed a report on the carnage, Gadkari in an interview to CNN-IBN TV news channel also said the party would decide on its prime ministerial candidate later. "Already I have cleared it that the BJP has got a lot of potential leadership who are capable of becoming the "There are five to six leaders, and at the right time the party will decide who will be the prime ministerial candidate for 2014," he said. Asked about Modi missing from the Uttar Pradesh poll campaign, Gadkari said it was for the Gujarat chief minister to answer and not him. "First of all, from the national party we have already made a request to Narendraji that he should give some time to Uttar Pradesh and other states for elections. Now, he has to find the dates for that," he said.

US approves first nuclear reactors in 40 years

Atlanta: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given the nod for the nation's first nuclear power plant in a generation on Thursday, clearing the way for Atlanta-based Southern Co. to build two reactors at its Plant Vogtle site near Augusta. The commission approved a license on a 4-1 vote over the objections of environmentalists and the NRC's own chairman, Gregory Jaczko. It's the first approval since 1978, the year before the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania. Jaczko wanted a commitment from Southern that it would make safety changes prompted by the March 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan. Southern President and CEO Thomas Fanning said the approval was "a monu-

Narendra Modi: 2014 may see Modi-vs-Rahul Gandhi contest prime minister. Now, Modi is also one of the leaders... he has also got the potential for that," Gadkari said.

The site near Atlanta for the two new reactors. mental accomplishment" for the company, its partners and the nuclear industry. "We are committed to bringing these units online to deliver clean, safe and reliable energy to our customers," he said. Continued on page 4

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February 11-17, 2012

Marwari horses and Rajasthani dances to represent India at Windsor castle

To be first of the five official events marking Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the throne
By Shikha Jaipur: Contingent of Marwari horses and traditional dancers from Rajasthan will represent India at Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor castle in London this May. This is first of the five official events marking the queen Elizabeths sixty year on throne on May10, 11 and 13th which will be attended by Queen herself, members of royal family of England and dignitaries from all across the globe. We will be performing with 12 marwari horses coming from USA, UK, Spain and Oman. As the export of Marwari horses from India is banned for no logical reasons we have not been able to take horses from India for this show. But to include more representation from different parts of the country, riders from Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat will be riding at the show.Francesca Kelly the founder member of Indigenous horse society of India (IHSI) labo and her troupe with other dancers and performers, Francesca Kelly said. The Indian participation in the show is an individual effort to show breed of Marwari horse and its growing popularity in continents across the world. IHSI had been invited through Francesca Kelly for the show. But we are trying to make it a more representative show by inviting riders from different parts of the country. We are also looking toward Indian corporate to be part of our efforts which have been a personal affair so far, Raghuvendra Singh Dundlod the secretary general of IHSI said.The breed deteriorated in the 1930s, when poor management practices resulted in a reduction of the breeding stock. But now it is gaining its popularity back having fans across all continents. But Indian government does not allow its export to UK and USA while export to Sri Lanka and Middle East is not restricted.

What is Marwari Horse

Dilraj the famous Marwari stallion with Francesca Kelly and Raghuvendra Singh Dundlod. tan of Oman. said in Jaipur. Dilraj the famous Marwari stallion Queen Elizabeth is the only British in London is already under training Monarch in history after Queen Vicfor the show and he will be soon toria who has reigned for 60 years or joined by two Marwari horses of more. The cultural show going Francesca Kelly from USA, Five along with horse dance will be coorfrom Spain owned by Mario dinated by Tripti Pandey. We have Calcagno and four other sent by Sul- already roped in famous dancer Gu-

he Marwari is a rare breed of horse from the Marwar region of Rajasthan. Known for its inward-turning ear tips, it is known for its hardiness and long safaris. The Rathores, traditional rulers of the Marwar region of western India, were the first to breed the Marwari in the 12th century. They espoused strict breeding that promoted purity and hardiness.

Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba open house in Hicksville on Feb 18

New York: The Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba (XUSOM) will hold an open house at 82 North Broadway, Hicksville Long Island at 11 AM on Feb 18th, 2012. It is currently accepting applications for May and September 2012. It also offers new scholarships for basic sciences. It offers 4 and 5-1/2 years programs for motivated students with payment plan options available. The University is a prime choice for foreign students to pursue their medical education overseas in the Caribbean. The medical school offers studies in the Caribbean with, guaranteed clinical rotations in the United States. Best of all, there are no MCAT required for admission. XUSOM's campus is conveniently located on one of the most accessible Caribbean Islands. With over 14 flights daily from the United States and all customs and immigration being processed locally, travel between Aruba and the US is extremely easy. Aruba is part of the "ABC" islands in the Dutch Caribbean. XUSOM was chartered in the Caribbean in December 2004 by the Ministry of Education of Aruba. The Medical School is now directed by a group of premier doctors from the United States - all of whom are experts in their specialties. The Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba was founded to train students in the art of medicine using a US based curriculum. The entire focus of our program is to ensure students receive the knowledge they need to successfully enter residencies in the United States as competent physicians. The biggest challenge medical students' face in medical school is passing their United States Medical Licensure Examinations, (USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2). These exams must be successfully completed before applying to residency. Its basic science curriculum is USMLE-based. The Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba has numerous ACGME clinical clerkships sites; all of which take place in the United States. For more info email: info@xusom.com or visit http://www.xusom.com. Toll free number 866-XUSOM-01.

Rotary Clubs Hicksville South and Jericho Sunrise jointly donated $5,000 to US Marine Toys for Tots program. Seen in the photo, members of both clubs presenting the check to US Marine, Chairman of Toys for Tots at Garden City Hotel, Long Island on Feb 6, 2012. (Photo: Courtesy: Jyoti Babu Reddy)

Global South Asia Conference at NYU

New York: The New York Universitys South Asian Studies Program Initiative (SASPI) has organized the Global South Asia Conference on Feb 11 at NYU. This is the fourth year of the conference and this year the theme is Investing in the Future: Identity, Justice and Progress. The speakers range from academics at different universities to professionals such as keynote speaker Meenakshi Ganguly: The South Asia Director for the Human Rights Watch. For the first time, the day long event will be wrapping up with a live performance of Indian Classical Jazz music. The conference will be held this Saturday at 40 West 4th Street in New York. It is free and lunch will be served.

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February 11-17, 2012

Temple celebrates Republic Day

New York: The Hindu Temple Society of North America (Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam) celebrated the 63rd Indian Republic Day at 3 PM on January 28, 2012. The program started with a prayer by temple priest and was followed by singing American national anthem by Temple Fine Arts School students and patriotic songs by students of Mukthambar Fine Arts. Dr. Gaddam Dasaratharama Reddy, Temple Chairman Dr. Gaddam Dasaratharama Reddy, had the honor of hoisting the Indian national flag and Mr. Temple Chairman hoisted the Indian Champak Parikh ably assist- national flag and Champak Parikh ably assisted him in this honor. ed him in this honor. Temple Fine Arts School students enter- resenting Assembly woman Grace tained the invitees with an enjoy- Meng graced the occasion. Food packet and sweets were distribable cultural program of dances. Peter Koo, City Councilman, uted to more than 300 invitees District 20 and Don Capalbi rep- who attended the function. Relief for home owners Story Continued from page 1 The settlement, which took more than a year to finalize, was announced by Attorney General Eric Holder Thursday. The debt relief has to be extended by the mortgage providers within three years or they must pay the rest of the settlement in cash. The reduction ends a painful chapter that emerged from the financial crisis, when home values sank and millions edged toward foreclosure. Plummeting house prices have put many homeowners under water, where the house is worth less than what the owner paid for it, since the collapse of house prices. Many companies processed foreclosures without verifying documents. Some employees signed papers they hadn't read

Raj Sharma opens NCPs South East America chapter

Atlanta (GA): The Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) is growing in America. After recently starting California and Washington state chapters, NCPs South East chapter was opened here in the presence of Raj Sharma, North America President. Sharad Pawar, NCP Supremo, appointed Mihir Desai to head the South East region. Desai, hailing from Mumbai, runs a wholesale general merchandise business.

Raj Sharma (second from left), North America President of NCP, and Mihir Desai, new President of the South East region.

US changing visa rules to attract the highly-skilled

Washington: To make America more attractive to highly-skilled foreign students and workers, the United States has announced a series of reforms, including changes in the F-1 and H-1B visa rules, that may benefit professionals from India. The interim measures are aimed at improving the competitiveness of US companies in the world market and stimulating US job creation before comprehensive immigration reforms for "fixing our broken immigration system," the Department of Homeland Security announced. The proposed changes include providing work authorization for spouses of certain H-1B holders and allowing outstanding professors and researchers to present a broader scope of evidence of academic achievement. Also proposed is expanding eligibility for 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for F-1 international students to include students with a prior degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The changes would also allow for additional part-time study for spouses of F-1 students and expand the number of Designated School Officials (DSOs) at schools certified by DHS to enrol international students. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will launch Feb 22 its Entrepreneurs in Residence initiative with an Information Summit in Silicon Valley, California to discuss how to maximize current immigration laws' potential to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent.

or used fake signatures to speed foreclosures - an action known as robo-signing. The banks and U.S. state attorneys general agreed to the deal late Wednesday after 16 months of contentious negotiations. New York and California came on board only Wednesday. California has more than 2 million 'underwater' borrowers, whose homes are worth less than their mortgages. New York has some 118,000 homeowners who are underwater. Maldives president Story Continued from page 1 going to help the process in the Maldives. It is going to lead everything to deteriorate and I hope the international community and our friends will take note of it. We would like to see the Maldives saved." Nasheed said he wanted the international

community to "impose restraint on the present illegal government" in his country. Nasheed alleged that he was beaten up badly by the plotters. "Initially, they beat me up and they were trying to drag me and as I came out, there was a crowd outside and there were some scuffles there and I was able to slip away," he said, adding that his close associates were taken away and beaten badly. Asked if people close to the previous regime were behind the coup, he said: "Well, I am sure anyone who has ruled with an iron fist for 30 years will have his own strings to pull. Without a proper investigation, it would be improper for me to pronounce a judgment." Maldivian police said Thursday that they had received a court order to arrest Nasheed. It was issued following a string of Communications & Operations Bhrigu Pankaj Prashar C: 516.303.4002 Bhrigu@TheSouthAsianTimes.info

arson attacks on police stations and court houses by supporters of his party Wednesday. US nuclear reactor Story Continued from page 1 rating the new units in 2016-17. They cost more than $14 billion. It says the project will generate 4,000 to 5,000 construction jobs. Some residents of the communities near Plant Vogtle, who maintain that some cancers have increased since 1987 when Southern Co. opened the first of two existing reactors, were dismayed. Nine environmental groups plan a challenge in federal court in Washington. The groups say the approval process was rushed, and that regulators failed to incorporate lessons from Japan's accident. Photographs: Gunjesh Desai/ masalajunction.com. Xitij Joshi/xitijphoto.com Photo Journalist: Parveen/Bhanu Seth Chief Cartoonist: Mahendra P. Shah Art and Design: Vladimir Tomovski Bhagwati Multimedia, Rahul Sahota Web Editor: B.B.Chopra News Service: HT Media Ltd. IANS Newswire Services Printing: Five Star Printing, NY Richner Publications Contacts Editor@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Subscribe@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Advertisements Advertise@TheSouthAsianTimes.info P : 516.390.7847 F : 516.465.1343

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February 11-17, 2012

NRIs from USA create a wave for Congress in Punjab poll

The Chalo Punjab group from USA at the Chelmsford Club Delhi reception hosted by Dr Karan Singh, head of the Foreign Affairs Deptt, AICC. By Parveen Chopra New York: The Chalo Punjab group of NRIs has returned from campaigning for Congress in the last week of January. They claim that they were able to create a wave for the party just before the January 30 poll, and that the party will win a majority of seats the margin of victory not certain yet--and go on to form a government under the chief ministership of Captain Amarinder Singh, former Maharaja of Patiala. Yes, our main achievement was to help create this wave in favor of Congress in the last five days before the election. In fact, the party will win 6-7 extra seats in the Doaba region because of our efforts, says Shudh Prakash Singh, Chief Coordinator of Punjab Election Campaign Committee (PECC), USA, and National Vice President of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC), USA. The Chalo Punjab campaign was Shudh Singhs brainchild and due to his initiative lauded by Congress bigwigs in India--over a thousand NRIs from countries including US, Canada, UK, Italy and Germany traveled to Punjab on their own expense in the run up to the polls. It was for the first time that NRIs went to India to campaign for any party, said Shudh, who supports Republicans here and may contest a legislative seat in India in the near future. He and others who returned from campaigning in Punjab, spoke to SATimes. The other factor which will see Congress return to power in Punjab, Shudh said, was the announcement by party general secretary Rahul Gandhi in Taran Taran that Captain Amarinder Singh will be the Congress candidate for Chief Minister in the state. The group of about 100 NRIs that Shudh led was given a warm welcome at the AICC headquarters in Delhi and their kafila in three buses was flagged off

Shudh Prakash Singh organized a meeting of NRI families in Samana, from where Raninder Singh, son of Maharaja Patiala, is contesting. The meeting was addressed by Maharani Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs, as well as Shudh, standing next to her.

for the Punjab trip by Karan Singh, head of the Foreign Affairs Deptt, AICC. When they reached Chandigarh, Captain Amarinder Singh received them very warmly at the Congress Bhawan. They addressed the media from the press club. From Chandigarh the group fanned out in the state for canvassing in individual constituencies. Phuman Singh, President, East Coast PECC, USA, traveled to Hoshiarpur district and met area leaders to canvas for votes in favor of better candidates. The wave for Congress was equally strong in cities as well as villages, he said. He noticed increased prosperity in the state and decreasing craze for migrating abroad. Kanwal Sra, who runs a CPA company in the Tristate area and spent about 10 days in Punjab, canShudh Prakash Singh presenting Chalo Punjab memento to I&B vassed in the assembly constituencies of a couple of Minister Ambika Soni at the reception hosted by Capt Amarinder Singh his friends including Jassi Khangura (Dakha), and (standing next to the minister), Congress nominee for chief minister, Karan Brar (Muktsar). He went with local people at Congress Bhawan, Chandigarh. daily to tell voters to support Congress because this is the party that did good for the state when in power last time. Voters are aware of their needs and looking for party and candidates to help meet those needs, he said, adding that many were convinced only in the last few days before the polling that Congress was the party of good governance. The awareness created by NRIs was a factor in the huge voter turnout in Punjab polls, he believes. Lukhbir Singh, who is involved in agriculture in California and was part of the Chalo Punjab campaign, feels concerned about the once booming agrarian state . In Punjab, land holdings are getting small, water table receding, and farmers getting impoverished, living on sale of land, some even committing suicide, he points out. He suggests developing food processing indusShudh Prakash Singh, accompanied by Chalo Punjab group, tryas done ably by Gujarat--in the state to tide presenting a siropa to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. over the crisis.

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IN BRIEF

Poonam Alaigh named Perminova advisor

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu contest winners celebrate with Imran Khan

ndian-American Dr. Poonam Alaigh has been appointed to the board of advisors in Perminova, a developer of web-based software for leading cardiology centers of US. A board-certified internist with a vascular medicine specialty, Dr. Alaigh also has a comprehensive knowledge of health policy, healthcare reform, cost-effective care and quality outcomes, along with expertise in organizational and corporate management. She was Commissioner of Health and Senior Services for the State of New Jersey, where she led an executive-level state agency with a $3.8 billion budget and 1,700 employees and answered directly to the Governor. Her key responsibilities included state and national healthcare

Poonam Alaigh was NJ Commissioner of Health and Senior Services

policy, public health, senior care and quality and regulatory oversight of healthcare institutions in New Jersey. Perminova is fortunate to have on its Board of Advisors an MD with Dr. Alaighs tremendous expertise in healthcare policy, along with organizational and corporate management, said Craig K. Collins, Perminova President and CEO. In this fastchanging era for healthcare, her knowledge will be extremely beneficial to our high-growth health technology company. Dr. Alaigh received her medical degree from Lady Hardinge Medical College at Delhi University in India and later an MS in Health Care Policy and Management at SUNY at Stony Brook in New York.

The winners of the Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Contest Tasneem Masqati and Anita Mehrotra with friends pose with Imran Khan. harat Matrimony, UTV, and Star India Plus joined together recently for the Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Contest. The contest, named after the upcoming Hindi romantic comedy film of the same name, offered winners the chance to have dinner with Bollywood actor and the movies male lead Imran Khan. Winners were selected and came to New York City on January 30th to celebrate and have dinner with the films star. Viewers on Star India Plus were invited via an on-air campaign to participate in the Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Contest. The online contest was hosted on www.bharatmatrimony.com, and featured questions that contestants had to answer. Contestants had to name the lead pair in the upcoming

GetHired.com raises $1.75M in Seed Funding

Launches first video-based social recruiting platform
GetHired.com, a comprehensive video-based social recruiting platform and job board, has announced that it has raised $1.75 million in an oversubscribed round of seed funding. GetHired.com is a free service that empowers job seekers to differentiate themselves in the hiring process by creating video and audio profiles to accompany their resume while assisting potential employers with applicant discovery and management. Job seekers who invest time and energy in completing more thorough job applications have an increased likelihood of getting interviews and getting hired, said Chris Morrow, vice president of business development at Boston Medical Group. GetHired.com provides a unique insight into applicants that has helped us to get a better sense of which job seekers have the skills best suited for our open positions. As a result, we have been able to hire candidates at a fraction of the time, and have saved tens of thousands of dollars in the process. GetHired.com also provides job seekers with real-time updates on the status of each application that they have submitted. Candidates are alerted when an employer has shown interest in their profile, and can track their progress in the hiring process until a position is closed.

movie (Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor) and also had to explain how their relationship with their own partner is important to them. Lokesh Dhar, Senior VP of UTV Motion Pictures spoke positively of the joint venture saying, "We are glad to partner with Bharat Matrimony and Star India Plus for Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, which happens to be a perfect fit for this highly anticipated film". Says Farook Shamsudeen, International Business Head of BharatMatrimony.com, We, being the leading matrimony site for Indians worldwide, are the starting point of many a beautiful relationship, and we are happy to have cohosted this contest that inspired people to think about the essence of their partner in their lives.

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to UN celebrates 64th Independence Day in NY

he Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations celebrated Sri Lankas 64th anniversary of Independence in Staten Island, New York along with the Sri Lankans in the Tri-State area. Over 850 Sri Lankan expatriates and friends attended the event. The attendees were treated to a memorable evening by the distinguished musical maestro, Prof. Sanath Nandasiri and his wife Malkanthi Nandasiri. In addition, music and dance performances were provided by the Sri Lankan communities in New York, the state of New Jersey and Connecticut. The Permanent Representative Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona was assisted by Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva, the Deputy Permanent Representative in hoisting of the national flag. The national anthem was sung by the

gathering, which was followed by the jayamangala gatha. President Mahinda Rajapaksas Independence Day address was broadcasted following the traditional observances. Addressing the gathering Dr. Palitha Kohona, stated that Those Sri Lankans who live overseas have a seminal contribution to make as the nation forges ahead. We will be judged by the world not for highlighting our differences but for emphasizing our unity. Internationally we must stand united as we build bridges and foster understanding. Furthermore, The United States has contributed much to Sri Lankas development since independence and all of us must work at strengthening the people to people bonds between our states further. As Sri Lankans we must stand together and face the world as a united nation.

Dr Palitha Kohona addresses the gathering Following blessings by the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Islamic religious dignitaries, the cultural event which lasted over 90 minutes began with a traditional kothuvam dance. The other items in the cultural repertoire included dances and songs in

The Permanent Representative Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona and Ambassador Major General Shavendra Silva hoist the national flag. Sinhala, and English. Professor Sanath Nadasiri and Malkanthi Nandasiri brought nostalgic comfort to the Sri Lankan audience living in New York by singing such classics as Mag Ratata and Bo maluwe.

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February 11-17, 2012

Indian-American student triggers Harvard probe

Washington, DC: A complaint from an Indian-American student who was near the top of his high school class but was rejected by both Harvard and Princeton universities has triggered an investigation by the US Education Department. The unnamed Indian-American student in California complained that the two universities discriminate against Asian-Americans in undergraduate admissions, according to a media Bloomberg report. According to the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights the complaint was received Aug 22 and the allegations "accepted for investigation" Jan 11. The complaint alleges "discrimination against Asian-Americans on the basis of race/national origin with respect to the university's admissions process." A Harvard spokesman was cited as saying the institution does not discriminate. AsianAmericans make up 16 percent of Harvard undergraduates. But Bloomberg said there's plenty of research to suggest that Asian-American applicants must bring higher test scores and GPAs than whites, Hispanics or Blacks to gain entry. The report cites a 2011 study of admissions at Duke: Asian-American enrolees scored 1457 on the reading and math sections of the SAT, compared to 1416 for whites, 1347 for Hispanics and 1275 for Blacks. Princeton in New Jersey also asserted that it doesn't discriminate on the basis of race or national origin and and will provide the government with the requested information. The proportion of Asian-Americans among Princeton undergraduates increased to 17.7 percent this year from 14.1 percent in 2007- 2008, a spokesman was quoted as saying. The rise reflects the tendency of incoming classes to "fluctuate based on the assessment of individual applications" rather than the impact of the federal review, he said. There are 14.7 million Americans of Asian descent only, plus 2.6 million who are multiracial including Asian, according to the 2010 US census.

Wall Street Sheriff Preet Bharara on Time cover

Washington, DC: IndianAmerican population. He American attorney Preet graduated from the prestiBharara, nicknamed the gious Harvard College in Sheriff of Wall Street for 1990. prosecuting the likes of Bharara's picture appeared Rajat Gupta, the poster boy in the latest edition of Time, a of Indian business in day after he announced to America, has made it to the have taken action against one cover of Time magazine. of the oldest Swiss banks for "This man is busting Wall having evaded American Street" screams the cover of taxes and helping in flight of the magazine hitting the US money. stands Friday detailing Giving an overview of Ferozepur-born Bharara's Bharara's insider-trading anti-corruption crusade as US Attorney Preet Bharara probe to date, it begins with the US Attorney for the Southern District of an anecdote of the conference call at hedge New York. fund Level Global Investors Nov 4, 2009 "US Attorney Preet Bharara has already that kicked the investigation into high gear. taken down some of the financial world's Unknown to the participants, Bharara was most prominent figures. He's just getting recording the conversation. He had obtained started," notes the cover story written by a secret court order to join the conference Bill Saporito and Massimo Calabresi. call after a confidential informant told his After successfully winning the conviction office that the party line was being used illeof Sri Lankan American hedge fund tycoon gally to trade inside information. Raj Rajaratnam for insider trading, he is Sworn in on August 13, 2009, Bharara now prosecuting Gupta, former McKinsey oversees hundreds of criminal and civil head and a former Goldman Sachs director, cases, involving international terrorism, for allegedly giving tips to Rajaratnam. financial fraud, insider trading, public corBorn to a Sikh father and a Hindu mother, ruption, and gang violence, as well as the 43-year-old Bharara grew in New Jersey, a resolution of alleged civil rights violations State which has a significant Indian- at various public venues.

NBC, NFL apologize for M.I.A. rude gesture at Super Bowl

New York: Television network NBC and the NFL apologized for a rude gesture flipped by British hip hop star M.I.A during her halftime performance at Sunday's Super Bowl but the Parents Television Council called for further action according to a Reuter report. The 36-year-old rapper joined Madonna on stage with U.S. rapper Nicki Minaj and was performing the cheerleader themed "Give Me All Your Luvin'," off Madonna's latest album when M.I.A. extended her middle finger in a fleeting obscene gesture while facing the camera. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement that NBC was to blame for a technical failure. "There was a failure in

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam better known by her stage name M.I.A. is a British rapper, of Sri Lankan Tamil descent NBC's delay system. The gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans," he said. NBC sports spokesman Christopher McCloskey shifted more of the blame back to the NFL, saying, "The NFL hired the talent and produced the halftime show. Our system was late to obscure the inappropriate gesture and we apologize to our viewers."

Washington, DC: An under construction Gurdwara in Michigan has been vandalized and defaced with anti-Muslim graffiti, the police and community leaders have said. The vandalism of the Gurdwara, coming up in Sterling Heights city of Michigan, happened on February 5, members of its management committee said. The graffiti included vulgar language, racial epithets, the use of what appears to be a cross, a large drawing of a gun, and references to the 9/11 attacks, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund said, urging the local and federal authorities to initiate a hate crime investigation into it.

Gurdwara vandalized in Michigan with anti-Muslim graffiti

The vandalism has been condemned by the Michigan chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the American Jewish Committee. "We condemn the vandalism of the Sikh house of worship in Sterling Heights and call on local and federal law enforcement to use their full resources to apprehend the perpetrators of this hate crime," said Dawud Walid, executive director of the Muslim council. "The attack on any house of worship in our community is despicable, and we are pained to see the Sikh community targeted," said Kari Alterman of the Jewish committee.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

IN BRIEF

India to US: Don't set back IT success story, ease visas

Indian American to groom US Muslims for public service

Mysore-born Indian Over the last 18 years, a few felAmerican public lows of the program have gone on affairs specialist has to make a name in public service. been charged with revitalizing The most prominent is Rashad the Muslim Public Service Hussain, son of a mining engineer Network that grooms young from Bihar, who was named by American Muslims for public President Barack Obama as US service and to take on civic Special Envoy to the Organization leadership positions. of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). "I believe that MPSN needs "The American Muslim commuto form strong alliances with nity is among the richest, best eduSabith Khan organizations in the US, while cated communities there is, and working to stabilize its flagship Summer has been consistently giving back to the Fellowship program," said Sabith Khan, the country," Khan said. "But one area where it new executive director about his task of lacks substantial contribution is in the area revitalizing the organization founded in of Public policy." 1994. "With my understanding of public policy "I believe we need to also engage our and civic engagement, I believe I can make stake-holders and community in a creative a deep impact on the organization and help way, so they come together and give back it move forward; and grow in size and also and re-learn the meaning of community partnerships/ alliances," said Khan, who development," Khan, who "lived in has a Masters in Public Administration Bangalore for most of my life" before com- from the Maxwell School of Syracuse ing to the US told. University.

oicing concern over protectionism, India has asked the US to address issues faced by Indian IT professionals, who pay $15 billion in taxes, and reminded Washington that this "success story" should not be set back by stringent visa regulations. "We do hope the current economic challenges in the US would not lead to protectionism and that concerns of Indian IT industry will be addressed quickly," Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said Monday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US think tank. Mathai, who is on his first visit to the US as foreign secretary, was speaking on "Building on Convergences: Deepening India-U.S. Strategic Partnership." Reminding Washington of the contribution of the Indian IT industry and its role in building robust India-US relations, Mathai said the Indians industry employs over 100,000 in the US, up from 20,000 six years ago. "It supports 200,000 other jobs, including indirect ones, apart from enhancing the competitiveness of some US industries. Most Indian companies are setting up development centers. Indian IT industry contributed $15 billion in taxes over the last 5 years," he said.

"This success story should not be set back by stringent visa regulations which act as a non-tariff barrier," he stressed. Alluding to over $200 million paid by Indian IT professionals going to the US in visa fees, Mathai said: "Perhaps $30-$50 million has been taken from young aspiring Indians working in businesses whose US visas were rejected. The pink slip has become a greenback!" "It needs reiteration that the targets of these discriminatory actions are precisely those who have contributed intellectually to the climate of reform in India, and who have been votaries of strong India-US relations," he said. Calling for deepening of economic ties between India and the US, Mathai said the two countries should not only focus on expanding trade and investment, but also "use the power of innovation to make our economies global leaders in the 21st century." India and the US can and must strengthen their economic partnership, he said. The flow of trade in goods and services, and investments in both directions has grown several times in the past two decades increasing to $40 billion of US imports, both goods and services.

Thieves target Indian-American homes for gold jewelry

Albany: After a recent string of break-ins some local Indian-American families in Watervliet say thieves are targeting their homes for gold jewelry. These families say they are living in fear. Many of the victims did not want to be identified but one woman is speaking out. She says she does not want this to happen to other families. "When I leave from work I say all kinds of prayers that nothing else is stolen from the house." This victim returned from work last Monday to find her Watervliet home ransacked. "Most of the things they took were from the master bedroom and it took me a few minutes to realize that only the gold was missing." "They had at least 5-10 ounces of gold which is a big amount today, easily $10,000$20,000" says Vishvesh Obla. "Three generations of antique jewelry that I was planning to hand over to my daughter." Colonie detectives who are now investigating this case say they've heard of similar break-ins downstate. "We are aware that not only in this area but further south in the state, New Jersey, Connecticut. They're also having similar burglaries where other Indian or Asian families are being targeted for jewelry in their residences" says Lt. Robert Winn, Colonie Police Department. In most of the cases thieves forced their way in through back doors during the day. Local police say they don't know if these break-ins are connected to the other cases in New Jersey and Connecticut but they're working with those agencies.

Starting a new trend Ashley Judd series premieres in India before its US release
ollywood star Ashley the completion of at least one Judd's new TV series, season. Missing, will be A reason cited for the launch launched in India four days of the show so soon in India is before it starts airing in the US. that several websites, including This is the first time an YouTube, are known to upload American soap will air in India latest episodes of foreign serials before it hits the US small no sooner they are aired in the screen. U.S. and this in turn affects subMissing, which stars Sean sequent viewership in India. Bean, Cliff Curtis and Laura Judd, 43, is popular in India Donnelly along with Judd, will for spreading HIV awareness Ashley Judd be aired in India March 11 and also for her docu-drama onwards on Star One, while it premieres in India's Hidden Plague. The actress, a sociothe U.S. on March 15. political activist who has campaigned for The ABC-produced show will be a trend- President Barack Obama, was in India in setter of sorts, considering most foreign 2007 to shoot the documentary dealing with shows premiere on Indian television after the menace of AIDS in the country.

Building the next generation of South Asian American leaders

Washington, DC: Sam Arora is a Maryland state Delegate, Aaron "Ronnie" Chatterji served on President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) and Hari Kondabalu is a rising comedy star just back from an India tour to spread religious harmony. The three Indian Americans could not be more different from each other. Yet they have one thing in common. They are alumni of the Washington Leadership Program (WLP) dedicated to building the next generation of Indian and South Asian American leaders. The organization was founded in August 2008 in memory of pioneering Indian American publisher and philanthropist Gopal Raju, who sponsored a program that placed over 170 students in eight-week summer Congressional internships over 15 years through his Indian American Centre for Political Awareness. opportunity to government agencies." For the first time last year, WLP placed student interns in the departments of commerce, labor and transportation. Arora, "one of a handful Desi elected officials in the country", who worked on three of thenSenator Hillary Clinton's campaigns and also volunteered for Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign, had a "really eye opening experience" as a 2002 alum as he "had not considered what it meant to be an Indian American in public service." "The most valuable part of WLP was the mentorship because in politics you really need to cultivate mentors to succeed," said Arora, who was a member of Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's recent trade mission to India. "I think, I relate better with the Indian American community now. I represent all people my constituency, but I also feel a duty to be looking out for the greater Indian American community that is part of the great Indian diaspora," he said. The program made three get-toknow trips to India from 2003 to 2005 with six students each "to connect young leaders of Indian origin with political leaders there," said Contractor who was on the original trip to India that was organized in association with the Society for Policy Studies in New Delhi. "It was interesting to see after my summer in DC, the contrast, the political style and the government style between the two of the oldest and largest democracies," he said. Expansion of the program from only Washington to New York, Chicago, Atlanta, California is also on the cards to give students opportunities to intern with local members.

Looking to grow in the next five years, WLP now has plans to raise the number of interns to 20 as also making it year round program. Over a hundred students who program. have applied for the program this "We actually just used to do summer would be whittled down to exclusively Capitol Hill," he said, about ten after a three stage "very "but with the influx of South intense" selection process, says Asians being appointed to the Harin Contractor, a 2003 alum who administration, who have been serves on the board of the program knocking at our doors for quality now run by the alumni of Raju's interns, we have extended the

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Pak-American pleads guilty of funding terror groups in J&K

Chicago: A PakistaniAmerican, charged with sending money to the nowbelieved-to-be-dead alQaida leader Ilyas Kashmiri, has pleaded guilty before a court here for providing money for terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Raja Lahrasib Khan, a Chicago taxi driver and native of Pakistan who became a naturalized US citizen in 1988, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, resolving charges that have been pending since he was arrested in March 2010. Khan, 58, is currently in jail and his sentencing is scheduled for May 30. Born and raised in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Khan faces a met with Ilyas Kashmiri, who was also involved in separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir, in Pakistan in the early to mid-2000s and again in 2008. At the time of the second meeting, Khan knew or had reason to believe that Kashmiri was working with al-Qaida, in addition to leading attacks against the Indian government in Kashmir, the Justice Department said. During their 2008 meeting, Kashmiri told Khan that Osama bin Laden was alive, healthy and giving orders, and Khan gave Kashmiri approximately 20,000 Pakistani rupees (approximately USD 200 to USD 250), which he intended Kashmiri to use to support attacks against India.

'Death of Indian due to hunger-strike a tragedy'

Washington, DC: Indian American Lyvita Gomes's death due to hunger-strike against her "unjustified detention" in a Chicago prison last month is a "tragedy", the US police has said, as it ordered a review of the policies related to self-starvation. "We recognize Ms Gomes death is a tragedy; a tragedy felt in equal measure by everyone who had contact with her during her incarceration," Lake County, Illinois, Sheriff Mark Curran, said yesterday as he released a detailed blow-by-blow account of 52-year-old Gomes's self-starvation, which resulted in her death. Gomes, a former airline trainer for Delta Airlines died on January 3, after 15 days of hunger strike to which she underwent in protest against what she said was her "unjustified detention." She was arrested by local police authorities on December 12, 2011 after she did not respond to jury summons by a local court, which then issued an arrest warrant for her to come and explain why she did not turn up. As a foreign national she was ineligible for jury duty so she ignored the jury summons. Gomes was charged with one count of Resisting Arrest during the encounter with Deputy Dunn. The same day she was put on suicide watch. A few days later she went on hunger strike in protest, which was ultimately responsible for her death, according to reports. "All policies concerning self-starvation cases are being reviewed in an attempt to insure that we are doing everything humanly possible to prevent an outcome such as this," the Sherriff's office said in a press statement. It claimed that the sheriff's office attempted contact with Ms Gomes' family, corresponded with a family friend, met with religious and community activist groups and responded to every media request for information on this case. Gomes who passed away while in the care of Vista east Hospital has created outrage in the Indian-American community and the family members who have questioned the circumstances of her arrest and care while incarcerated in mid-December, when it became apparent that she had stopped eating and drinking. The Sherriff's statement came a day after her funeral in Chicago in which hundreds of Indian Americans turned up.

Raja Lahrasib Khan maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. He immigrated to the US in 1970s. His plea agreement calls for an agreed sentence of between five and eight years in prison, and it requires Khan to cooperate with the government in any matter in which he is called upon to assist through the termination of his sentence and any period of supervised release, the Justice Department said. Khan admitted that he

Asia Society to open new buildings in Hong Kong and Houston

New York: Asia Society is opening new multimillion-dollar buildings in Hong Kong and Houston. The new buildings each of which cost about $50 million will catapult the annual operating costs of each location to $4.5 million from about $1 million, but Asia Society says it is confident about the investment. By the year 2050, more than 50 percent of the worlds gross domestic product will come from India and China, Vishakha N. Desai, president of the society, told The New York Times in a recent interview. More than 60 percent of the population will live in Asia then, she said. Were going from Pax Americana to possibly Pax Pacifica, she added. This is a century when America will be a very important player, but not the player. There is a different balance of power in the world. Desai said she realized that it would not be easy to support these new branches, given the state of philanthropic giving. Asia Society, which has a $38 million annual operating budget, had a 25 percent drop in its endowment in 2009 and was forced to cut its staff by about 11 percent. The Hong Kong project is planning for deficits in its first few years. In 2010 Asia Society also had to cope with the abrupt death of its high-profile chairman and cheerleader, Richard C. Holbrooke, the Obama administrations special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. But Desai said she was optimistic about the prospects for financial support. International corporations are interested in Asia Societys work, she said. And she added that she hoped to increase the size of the board beyond 50 members, which will broaden the slate of committed inside donors.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee unveiled the Swami Vivekananda Plaque at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago on January 28, 2012. Also seen in the picture are Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Douglas Durick, President of the Art Institute of Chicago. (Photo:-Jay Mandal/On Assignment)

Yoga powers New York Giants for Super Bowl win

New York: The New York Giants seem to have really benefitted from season-long yoga sessions. Gwen Lawrence, celebrity yoga coach and spokesperson for Gaiam TV, has been teaching yoga for 22 years and working with the New York Giants for 11 years. The Giants were my first professional team, Lawrence said, who specializes in different forms of yoga, including Iyengar, Hatha, and Ashtanga Vinyasa, to engage the entire body and mind. Lawrence, who also works with the New York Knicks, Rangers and members of the Yankees, said she worked with the Giants twice a week during pre-season to get the players in shape and prepare their bodies for the upcoming year talking to Fox News. These are pretty active, high intensity classes, Lawrence said. We do a lot of long, deep holds, some vinyasa. Vinyasa yoga, or power yoga, focuses on the alignment of movement and breath. Each of the yoga poses are connected in flowing movements from one to the next. During the season, however, Lawrence said, her approach with the team changes. In-season, I come in on Mondays and do post-game restorative work with the players, she said. I cant just go in there and kick their butts and expect full-body participation. The routine can change week-toweek, according to Lawrence, depending on how the players felt and which areas such as their legs or their backs gave them problems. Among these moves, Lawrences post-game favorites include pigeon poses, frog poses and hero poses. But physical toughness isnt the only important benefit the players derive from yoga training, according to Lawrence. Were working on mental toughness, too, she said. Sometimes you have players with pre-game anxiety, and the breathing techniques they learn in yoga can help them cope.

The Giants drew mental and physical toughness from Yoga

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US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Santorum sweep shows GOP unease with Romney

Washington: Rick Santorums surprise sweep in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota Tuesday has scrambled the dynamics of the Republican race even as many in the partys establishment were urging committed activists to fall in line behind Mitt Romney, considered a shoo-in GOP nominee for President. Clearly, it is a a sign that conservative elements of the Republican Partys base are uneasy with Mr. Romney, whom Santorum considers no different from Barack Obama. Santorums success on Tuesday awarded him no delegates from the contests, and his campaign has none Romneys rivals. Aides to Romney said they were preparing to quickly expand their attacks on Santorums record as they try to define him, aggressively and negatively, for voters who still see Santorum largely as a blank slate. The advisers said Romney would most likely take part in the attacks on Santorum, much as he did in Florida against Mr. Gingrich. Hes a limited guy, hes been in Washington all his whole life, voted for the Bridge to Nowhere, voted against right to work, Stuart Stevens, a top aide to Mr. Romney, said of Mr. Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania, on Tuesday night. Hes cut tons and tons of deals; lost his own state by 18 points. Ironically, Santorum had endorsed Romney four years ago, when he lost to John McCain. Santorum's appeal has been his social conservatism prolife, antisame sex marriage, big play on faith and family values. He is a hawk on Iran, Syria (abolish post of US ambassador there). The former senator from Pennsylvania sells himself as the only true conservative among the four candidates remaining in the presidential race. With four states in his bag Santorum will get a fresh look from Republicans.

A triumphant Santorum called Romney no different from Obama. of the organizational or financial advantages of Romneys campaign. He also has the support of a wellfinanced super PAC, which has demonstrated a willingness to spend heavily on advertising critical of

Senate resolution would rule out containing nuclear Iran

Washington: A bipartisan group of senators--Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Lindsey Graham (RSouth Carolina) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.)--are circulating a draft resolution that would rule out the United States adopting a strategy of containment should Iran acquire nuclear weapons. The measure, called a "Sense of the Senate" resolution, is not technically binding. But it would put additional pressure on the administration to limit diplomatic efforts to resolve concerns about Iran's nuclear program, without recourse to another war. "The attached bi-partisan resolution will put the Senate on record as ruling out a strategy of containment for a nuclear-armed Iran in the strongest and clearest terms, detailing why the consequences cannot be 'contained' like the threat of the Soviet Union," Senators Casey, Lieberman and Graham wrote in a note introducing the draft resolution, obtained by Yahoo News. It "will send a clear message to Iran's rulers that the United States is absolutely determined to stop them from getting nuclear weapons." Notably, one provision of the draft resolution seemingly rejects a negotiated agreement with Iran permitting any sort of nuclear enrichment, including for energy programs--a right Iran has insisted it should be permitted as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iranian leaders have periodically expressed willingness to stop 20 percent enrichment activities--but not lower level 3.5 percent uranium enrichment they say Iran is pursuing for peaceful nuclear energy purposes. The resolution comes after President Obama said Sunday that while the United States is prepared to take military action should that become necessary, he still hopes to resolve the Iran nuclear crisis through diplomacy and tough new economic sanctions on Iran that the United States and Europe have recently passed.

Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning holds aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a float of New York Giants heads up the Canyon of Heroes during a ticker-tape parade, Feb. 7 in New York. Also seen are Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Giants co-captain Justin Tuck and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Giants defeated the New England Patriots Sunday in the Super Bowl.

US immigration agency to have an ombudsman

Washington: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Tuesday designated Andrew Lorenzen-Strait to be the agency's first public advocate as part of "ongoing detention reform and other enforcement-related initiatives". Lorenzen-Strait will act as a "point of contact" for the public, including people who are subjected to immigration proceedings, NGOs and other community groups who want to express a concern or raise an issue with ICE. "As our first public advocate, Andrew Lorenzen-Strait will work to expand and enhance our dialogue with the stakeholder community," ICE Director John Morton said. "We want the public to know that they have a representative at this agency whose sole duty is to ensure their voice is heard and their interests are recognized." The creation of the post is one of the many reforms put into place in recent months by the Department of Homeland Security to devote federal resources to matters affecting public safety, border monitoring and the immigration system. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said on numerous occasions that the deportations conducted by ICE in recent months have focused on people with criminal records.

Boost for same sex marriage in 2 states

Los Angeles: A federal appeals court panel on Tuesday threw out a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage passed in 2008, upholding a lower courts ruling that the ban, known as Proposition 8, violated the constitutional rights of gay men and lesbians in California. And the neighboring Washington state was poised to become the seventh state in the country to allow same-sex couples to marry after the State House gave final passage to such a bill. But it is not likely to take immediate effect. Under state law, if opponents gather 120,000 signatures, the measure will be put to a public referendum before it can be enacted. The Washington vote precedes several other votes expected across the country that could keep the issue in the spotlight throughout this vail, regardless of the conflicting developments that have defined the issue for several years. Washington embodies the conflicts. It is among more than 30 states that have passed laws defining marriage as being between a man and a woman, but it has steadily expanded rights for gay couples since 2006, the year it approved a wide-ranging gay rights bill. In 2007, it approved rights for domestic partners. In 2009 it passed a so-called everything-butmarriage bill. The California ruling was issued by a threejudge panel. They found that Proposition 8 passed by a vote of 52 percent to 48 percent violated the equal protection rights of two same-sex couples who brought the suit. The proposition placed a specific prohibition in the State Constitution against marriage between two people of the same sex. The two judges on Tuesday stated explicitly that they were not deciding whether there was a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry, instead ruling that the disparate treatment of married couples and domestic partners since the passage of Proposition 8 violated the Constitutions Equal Protection Clause. Mitt Romney denounced the decision as an attack by unelected judges on traditional marriage and predicted that the Supreme Court would decide the issue. That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values, he said.

election year. Some will take place in legislative chambers, including in Maryland and New Hampshire, and some at the ballot box, including in Minnesota, North Carolina. Advocates on both sides said Wednesday that, over the long term, their side would pre-

India-State Elections TheSouthAsianTimes.info

11

February 11-17, 2012

'Rahul not to lead Congress in UP'

Peaceful start to UP elections, 62 pc turnout

Lucknow: The crucial Uttar Pradesh elections, which will have a bearing on the national political arena, kicked off Wednesday with the first of seven phases seeing millions peacefully exercising their franchise on a day that had started off cold and damp but warmed up later. At close of day 5 p.m., officials said an estimated 62 percent of the 1.7 crore had voted in 55 of 403 assembly constituencies in the sprawling state, also India's most populous, where Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is bidding for a second consecutive term. The Samajwadi Party (SP) is looking to stymie her chances and the Congress-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are hoping to make a considerable electoral dent. Election day dawned cold and damp with many voters preferring to stay indoors. But voting picked up pace as the sun shone and the temperature rose. By afternoon, long queues were seen outside polling booths in constituencies in the state's eastern part. As the day drew to a close, more and more people came out of their homes. The overall turnout was 62 per-

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi in a UP village. New Delhi: The Congress has not projected any chief minister in the hotly contested Uttar Pradesh elections and "youth icon" Rahul Gandhi is not a candidate, says a senior leader. "Our focus is on the campaign now. When it comes to selecting a legislature party leader, we will cross the bridge when we come to it," Mohan Prakash, chief of the state's election screening committee, said when questioned who the leader of the Congress-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance would be after the polls. "Rahulji has been leading our campaign. The youth icon has given new substance and style to our campaign. But he is not a candidate or an aspirant for the chief minister post," Prakash said. "His (Rahul's) vision for a resurgent and progressive Uttar Pradesh has energised the Congress campaign," said Prakash, who is also a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee and in-charge of the crucial states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. Prakash, 61, said confidently that the lack of a chief ministerial candidate would not affect the Congress' prospects in the state where it has not been in power since 1989. The Congress usually does not announce its chief minister's candidate in advance, he said.

The overall turnout in the first phase was 62 percent, considerably higher than the 2007 first round tally of 46.7 percent. cent, considerably higher than the 2007 first round tally of 46.7 percent. "Apart from a large number of first time voters, both boys and girls, there was a large turnout of women, including those belonging to the minorities," Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said. The day proceeded on a peaceful note. No untoward incident was reported from any of the 18,083 polling booths or outside. About 55,000 paramilitary troopers and about 10,000 men of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) as well as police personnel kept vigil. In sensitive booths in Ayodhya, officials did not even honor passes to the media given by the Election Commission, leading to some journalists lodging a protest. With 862 candidates in the firstphase fray, Barabanki had the maximum number at 26 and Mahmoodabad the least with eight. The candidates included 796 men and 65 women.

Temple not on people's agenda in Ayodhya

Ayodhya: The Ram temple was clearly not on the agenda of those who voted in this Hindu pilgrim town in the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections. Ordinary men and women showed much more interest in development issues than the temple, which has ceased to be a talking point even among the saffron-clad sadhus here. For many, the makeshift temple hurriedly built after the razing of the Babri mosque Dec 6, 1992 is enough -- for now. "A temple is very much in place. I am sure one day we will also have a grand structure. What we need is better roads, cleaner streets, brighter lighting and improved civic amenities in this town," said 30-year-old Vishambhar Das, a Hindu holy the wealth that successive leaders have amassed in the name of Ayodhya," he said. "That is the reason I chose to vote for the candidate who was least corrupt," he added, while refusing to divulge which party he considered the lesser evil. Ayodhya, about 700 km east of New Delhi, was one of the 55 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh where polling took place Wednesday. After six more rounds of balloting, the votes will be counted March 6. Seconding Das, a priest, Mukesh Shastri, said: "Times have changed, people's perceptions have changed. We have had enough of rhetoric but what the people of Ayodhya are looking up to is comprehensive development."

UP politics still 'caste' in stone

New Delhi: In a tired replay, the campaign for the Uttar Pradesh elections stood out most for its narrow emotional appeals by all political parties to caste, ethnic and religious identity of the voter, clouding any debate on development of India's most populous state. As voters queued up outside polling booths in the first round of the seven-phase balloting in the state, widely seen as having been a victim of governance deficit for decades, political observers were one in their dejection that the agenda showed no signs of change. "I am disappointed... as usual in the state no real issue has come up," veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar said. Observing that the election had been marred by the absence of any real issue as religion and caste politics took the front seat, Nayar added: "The Uttar Pradesh polls are once again based in caste and sub-caste politics. "The BJP as usual has tried to bring back the religion issue; on the other hand, the Gandhi family is dominating with now the son-in-law (Robert Vadra) joining the camp as well." The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), known to practise caste and identity politics, were, of course, no better than the national parties. "The Uttar Pradesh elections are being fought as if everyone has a personal 'jaydad' (property), whether it is the SP or the BSP or the national parties," the veteran columnist said. Commentator N. Bhaskara Rao was equally scathing, describing the Feb 8-March 3 elections as one of "doleouts rather than development".

Ayodhya was one of the 55 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh where polling took place in the first phase. man who was barely a teenager when the 16th century Babri mosque was pulled down by Hindu mobs. "Except for lip service, the people of Ayodhya have not got anything concrete all these years. The only thing visible is

Team Anna begins anti-graft campaign in UP

New Delhi: After touring Uttrakhand and Punjab, Team Anna has begun its campaign in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh for educating voters on the anti-graft Jan Lokpal bill, a statement said. Team Anna's campaign in the state began Feb 5 in Ghazipur and Balia districts. "Members of Team Anna have been asking people to take a vow that they will not back candidates making false promises but support those who are answerable to them in future," said the statement.According to Team Anna's campaign schedule shared with reporters, volunteers of India Against Corruption have so far addressed five big public meetings in areas including former prime minister Chandrashekhar's Balia constituency. They have also covered constituencies of Basti, Gonda, Faizabad and Barabanki in the first phase. While a public rally is scheduled be held in Azamgarh Feb 8, Team Anna will campaign in Chanduali and Varansi on Feb 9. Manish Sisodia, Kiran Bedi, Kumar Vishwas and other members of India Against Corruption will campaign in the state. Team Anna will address a rally on Feb 10 in Allahabad where as it will reach Rai Bareli Feb 13. The team will visit Kanauj Feb 14 and proceed to Farrukhabad on the same day to address people.

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India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Sleazegate scalps three Karnataka ministers

Bangalore: Three Bharatiya Janata Party ministers in Karnataka quit over viewing porn in the assembly and were barred from house proceedings till cleared, but demands mounted across the state for their expulsion from the legislature. The three -- Laxman Savadi, C.C. Patil and J. Krishna Palemar - escaped immediate expulsion from the assembly apparently because the state BJP is a divided house and the central leaders did not want to give a potent weapon in the hands of opponents to hammer it in the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly elections now under way. As groups of people hit the streets at several places in the state, burning effigies of the three ministers and demanding resignation of the BJP government, opposition Congress and Janata Dal-Secular forced repeated adjournments of the legislature in Bangalore seeking the expulsion of the three from the assembly. Speaker K.G. Bopaiah relied on the Lok Sabha speaker's ruling in the cash-for-vote scam involving state's budget. Savadi, the cooperation minister, and Patil, women and child development minister, were Tuesday caught watching the porn clip on the cell phone of Palemar, the environment and ports minister. They quit claiming they had done no wrong and asserting a probe will prove their innocence. "We have resigned to avoid embarrassment to our party and not give the opposition a flimsy excuse to disrupt the assembly proceedings," a rattled Savadi told reporters at the party office here. "We are ready to face an enquiry by the speaker as we did no wrong by watching a video clip of some rave incident in a foreign country to know what a rave party is," he said. They resigned to avoid embarrassing the government and the party, Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, his predecessor scam-hit B.S. Yeddyurappa and state BJP chief K.S. Eshwarappa told reporters at separate press meets in Bangalore. In Allahabad, BJP president Nitin Gadkari acknolwedged the incident had embarrassed the party. The Congress seized the opportunity to take a dig at the BJP. "There are all kinds of entertainment, sometime political entertainment and sometime other kinds of entertainment. I would not like to use harsh words against them," said Communications Minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi. In New Delhi, party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy assured of strict action against the three, if proved guilty. The state BJP legislature party met during one of the two adjournments of the assembly and decided against immediately expelling the three from the house. "The view was that there should be a probe and only then drastic action can be taken," a party spokesperson said. The state unit is divided into various factions, prominent being pro and anti-Yeddyurappa. Savadi and Patil are known to be Yeddyurappa loyalists openly backing his bid for early re-instatement as the chief minister.

Three Bharatiya Janata Party ministers in Karnataka quit over viewing porn on mobile-phone in the assembly. BJP members and ruled that he was He said he will set up a six-membarring the three former ministers ber house committee which will from participating in the house pro- hear the three ministers and give its ceedings till a panel he is setting up findings by March 12. Till then, the gives its findings. three will not take part in the house Amidst a roar of protests from proceedings, Bopaiah said and the Congress and JD-S members, adjourned the assembly sine die, Bopaiah announced he was giving two days ahead of schedule. time till Feb 13 to the three to The assembly is to meet only in explain their conduct. March for presentation of the

Gujarat High Court raps Modi government

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court criticized the Narendra Modi government in the state for "inaction and negligence" during the 2002 post-Godhra riots that led to large-scale destruction of religious structures. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J.B. Pardiwala made the observation while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat (IRCG). The court said the state government had failed, showed inaction and was negligent, due to which the riots happened and, consequently, religious structures were destroyed. The court also said that the government was responsible for the repair of and compensation to such places. It argued that if the government could compensate for life, it could do the same for property. The court also ordered that principal judges of 26 districts of the state will receive the applications for compensation of religious structures in their respective districts and decide on them. They have been asked to send their decisions to the high court within six months.

Karnataka set to select new Lokayukta

Bangalore: The Karnataka government initiated the process of selecting another retired judge for the state Lokayukta (ombudsman) post, a day after Governor H.R. Bhardwaj rejected its recommendation to appoint Justice (retired) S.R. Bannurmath. "I have initiated discussions with the concerned to select another retired judge for the Lokayukta post and recommend to the governor for appointment at the earliest," Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda told reporters hours after Bannurmath slammed Bhardwaj for leveling charges against him to deny the quasi-judicial post. According to the rules, the state government will have to short list three candidates for the post and select one of them in ing the Lokayukta for unavoidable reasons. With governor rejecting Bannurmath, who also wrote to me Monday opting out of the race for the post, we are earnest on getting a new ombudsman soon," Gowda said. Earlier in the day, Bannurmath denied all charges leveled against him by the governor and in a section of the media on owning an additional housing site in the city against norms. "I would like to state that no adverse strictures have been passed by the Supreme Court in any of the cases decided on me. Basic principles of natural justice and fairness require the basis on which these allegations are made known to me, to enable me to meet them fairly," an anguished Bannurmath said.

Karnataka Governor H.R. Bhardwaj. consultations with Karnataka legislature -- Siddaramaiah and High Court Chief Justice Motamma of the Congress. Vikramajit Sen and the two "I am aware that there has been opposition leaders in the state a considerable delay in appoint-

PM, Chidambaram should quit: Shanti Bhushan

Mumbai: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram should quit after the Supreme Court cancelled all 122 2G licenses, former law minister and Team Anna core committee member Shanti Bhushan said. "The Supreme Court judgment quashing the grant of all 122 2G licences has recorded the finding that this grant at 2001 prices has caused a huge loss quantified by the CAG up to Rs.1,76,000 crore is enough ground for the nation to ask for the resignation of not only Chidambaram but also the prime minister," Bhushan said in a statement. Chidambaram was the finance minister in 2008 when the licenses were given. "It is clear that the prime minister came to know of the facts and could have prevented the grant of licenses at 2001 prices. He could have dropped Raja from the government. His defense that the constraints of coalition politics did not permit him to intervene is no defense at all. This only implies that if he had intervened, his government might have fallen," he added. Bhushan said the special CBI judge held that the then finance minister's (Chidambaram) act of granting permission to licensees to transfer their equity in favor of other companies at a very high price, even if contrary to the terms of the license, did not per se make him a party to a criminal conspiracy with Raja.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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February 11-17, 2012

Gujarat: Fresh pleas filed in Zakia Jafri case

Ahmedabad: A magisterial court has issued notices to Supreme Courtappointed SIT after social activists Teesta Setalvad and Mukul Sinha filed two separate applications seeking the copies of the SIT report filed in the Zakia Jafri case. The court of metropolitan magistrate M S Bhatt issued notices to the SIT and posted the hearing to Feb 13. The SIT on Wednesday filed a closure report in the sealed cover on the complaint of Jafri, wife of ex-Congress MP Eshan Jaffery. Jafri in her complaint had sought prosecution of Modi, along with 57 others, for aiding and abetting communal riots. Ehsan Jafri was among the 69 persons killed in the Gulberg Housing society riots. Around 1,200 people were killed in the communal riots. On September 12 last year, the Supreme Court had refused to pass any order on Modi's alleged inaction in containing riots in 2002 and left it to the concerned magistrate's court to decide the course of action against him on the basis of the SIT report. In the petition, Zakia had alleged that Modi and 62 top government officials deliberately refused to take action to contain the state-wide riots,

India upgrades its military with China in mind

New Delhi: India has decided to buy 126 fighter jets from France, taken delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine from Russia and prepared for its first aircraft carrier in recent weeks as it modernizes its military to match China's. India and China have had tensions since a 1962 border war, and New Delhi has watched with dismay in recent years as Beijing has increased its influence in the Indian Ocean. China has financed the development of ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and its recent effort to get access in the Seychelles prodded New Delhi to renew its own sees as aggressive incursions into a region India has long dominated. "The Indian military is strengthening its forces in preparation to fight a limited conflict along the disputed border, and is working to balance Chinese power projection in the Indian Ocean," James Clapper, the U.S. director of national intelligence, told a Senate committee last week. India has created new infantry mountain divisions and plans to raise a strike corps aimed at countering aggression by China. Their border still has not been set despite 15 rounds of talks, and patrols frequently face off on the ground.

Ehsan Jafri was among the 69 persons killed in the Gulberg Housing society riots in Gujarat.
triggered by the February 27, 2002 Godhra train carnage. The SC had further said that in case the magistrate decides to drop proceedings against Modi and others, he has to hear the plea of Zakia, who had filed a complaint against the chief minister and others. Jafri had told the apex court that a proper probe should be carried out by the SIT, headed by former CBI chief R K Raghavan, into her allegations of inaction and various acts of omission and commission by Modi and others during the riots. The apex court in 2009 had earlier handed over the task of probing the case to SIT which submitted its report in 2011.

India has created new infantry mountain divisions and plans to raise a strike corps aimed at countering aggression by China.

outreach to the Indian Ocean island state off western India. With its recent purchases, running into tens of billions of dollars, India is finally working to counter what it

Northeast women's panels want 33 pc quota

Shillong: Saying there is gender discrimination in the northeast when it comes to politics, women's commissions in the states of the region have pressed for 33 percent reservation for women in assemblies and parliament. The representation of women in the region - which has a population of around 38.5 million (2001 census) - is a mere 4.5 percent, with only 21 women legislators in the seven legislative assemblies that have a total strength of 466. "There is gender discrimination when it comes to women in politics. We had tried our best to convince our men to allow women to take part in the electoral battle, but all in vain," Mizoram State Women's Commission chairperson Lalnipuii said. There is no representation of the fairer sex in the Mizoram and Nagaland assemblies. "This (no women's representation) is very discouraging even though women are good, if not better, than men," she said. "To see more women in the assemblies and parliament, I think we need to come together as the state women's commissions and ask for the implementation of 33 percent reservation," Lalnipuii added.

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14

Books TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

First Rushdie, now Taslima end of cultural tolerance?

The seventh volume of Nasreen's book "Nirbasan" (Exile), which deals with her life after exile from Kolkata in 2007 and which almost nobody had read before the release, saw religious fundamentalists protesting against the launch. This was nothing new for the Bangladesh-born author, a doctor by profession in the early 80s, who was forced to leave her country in 1994 after there was widespread agitation against her novel "Lajja", which a section of people saw as an assault on Islam. Hours before the release function, the organizers telephoned the publishers, People's Book Society, asking them to cancel the program due to "logistical problems". But later it transpired that some Islamic groups had approached the authorities and the city police against the book release. A top official of the organizing body, Publishers' and Book Sellers' Guild, confirmed the development and stoutly defended its decision to stop the launch. "We cannot allow any such thing to happen inside the Book Fair premises which can hurt the interest of the common people coming to the fair. We cannot allow anything that may hurt the religious sentiments of any community." Be it Jaipur or Kolkata, political parties remained mum or played it safe, ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls where Muslims will constitute a key vote segment. Since 1994, Taslima had been living in exile in various parts of Europe and America and was granted Swedish citizenship. She was later granted a renewable temporary residential permit by the Indian government and moved in 2004 to Kolkata, which, according to Taslima, is her adopted home as it shares a common tradition and language with Bangladesh. But the author had to face the ire of Muslim clerics here who issued a fatwa against her and announced a reward for anybody who "blackened the author's face". The state government, under immense pressure from the cultural fraternity, provided her police protection. She was finally forced to leave Kolkata in 2007, after Muslim groups revived their fatwa against her and led a widespread unrest across the city with the demand of her exile from the country. Faced with a riot-like situation, the then Left Front government called on the army to control the situation but openly advocated her exile from the state, where Muslims constitute 27 percent of the electorate. Ironically, it was the same Left Front government which had offered to provide shelter and rehabilitate Qutubuddin Ansari, one of the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots. But still Taslima and the publishers may have the last laugh as the controversy saw the book getting a huge response. "One thousand copies of the first print were sold out within a day. We had to order another reprint," said Shibani Mukherjee of the Peoples' Book Society.

Supporters and friends of controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin (inset) protest the decision taken by the organizers of the Kolkata Book Fair to cancel the release of her latest book. By Pradipta Tapadar Kolkata: The cancellation of the release of controversial author Taslima Nasreen's autobiography at the famed Kolkata Book Fair has thrown the spotlight on the destructive clout of religious fanatics in a city once known for savoring cultural pluralism. Last week's incident, coupled with the Salman Rushdie controversy - when the Booker awardee had to call off his visit and then his much-anticipated video address at the Jaipur Literature Festival following security threats triggered by some Islamic groups' protest - would go down as another instance of Indian authorities and parties kowtowing before religious rabblerousers. While the Rushdie episode saw the political parties and the government, in the words of novelist Vikram Seth, "knuckling under" an "enforced disgrace because of power and politics", the only difference here was that publishers went ahead with the launch of the book at the fair, despite the hostile attitude of organizers.

India celebrates - and debates - relevance of Charles Dickens

By Quaid Najmi and Madhusree Chatterjee New Delhi: He gave us Uriah Heep in "David Copperfield", the Artful Dodger in "Oliver Twist", Ebenezer Scrooge in "The Christmas Carol"...characters who live on not just in books but also in the English language itself. As the world celebrates 200 years of Charles Dickens, so does India despite the intense debate on the relevance of Dickensian pedagogy in the 21st century. The pictures he painted of Victorian England were often bleak, his characters an unfashionable black or white in their evil or goodness and his books sometimes dismissed as too long. But Dickens, born Feb 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England, is the prolific author whose contribution has seeped into the contemporary -- Uriah Heep, for instance, is the byword for insincerity, Scrooge for miserliness and these are just a few. Dickens' lasting contribution to modern English literature was a depiction of grim social reality in details, a style many Indo-Anglian writers have emulated in their contemporary, post-colonial and diaspora canvas of the day. To promote the Dickensian style, the British Council in collaboration with Penguin-India is hosting an all-India creative writing competition, "After Dickens", to encourage young writers between 16-21 years to write a "small creative treatise on Dickens in either poetry, prose, short stories and reportage". The brood of emerging celebrity writers are also on the radar. The council has invited contemporary Indian writers in English "especially those whose writing dwells around cities and urban landscapes" - to contribute pieces on what they feel Dickens would have been writing today. Some who have agreed to contribute include novelists Amit Chaudhuri, Neel Mukherjee and Anita Nair. There are other programs planned, including a film program in major cities offering cinematic milestones like "Great Expectations", "Pickwick Papers", "Nicholas Nickleby" and "Oliver Twist", as well as a series of talks by author Craig Taylor discussing creative ways of teaching Dickens. According to Mitra MukherjeeParikh, head of the university department of English, SNDT Women's University in Mumbai, "Dickens had a fascination for the new idea of the city". Dickens as a classical literary legacy lives on the Indian campus. "Dickens remains important to us. The orphan figure and the figures of childhood move every reader. He deals with England getting industrialized and how man gets caught in it the trap which is not of his making. His books marks a shift into the urban world with its unemployment, poverty and wronged women who lose property," Sherina Joshi, associate professor in Delhi University's Deshbandhu College, said.

The immortal characters created by Dickens: untrustworthy Artful Dodger, overly humble Uriah Heep and miserly Scrooge

Charles Dickens Delhi University teaches Dickens' sonally, though he concedes "Hard Times" in its undergraduate Dickens' "power of story-telling". module. "We have moved on... we would But the legacy could be waning. rather read a novel that speaks of "We regularly have one or two immediate reality - in the Indian texts on Dickens. Currently, we milieu," a post-graduate student at have one, which is part of the com- the Jamia Millia said while Alka pulsory course. However, students Bansal, a senior librarian at the are getting more attracted to con- Tagore International School in temporary literature," Coomi Delhi said she "virtually forces Vevaina, head of the Department of Dickens on the children, bred on English at the University of fast-paced Twilght-kind of mass Mumbai, said. fictions". Simi Malhotra, as associate proBut for writer-politician Shashi fessor of English at the Jamia Tharoor, who played the leader of Millia Islamia, added that the the gang of child thieves in a stage "Indian understanding of novel production of "Oliver Twist" in writing has changed in the last 10 1968, "the Artful Dodger" remains years with post-colonial novels and his favorite character. feminist novels. Students are interTill five years ago, Dickens' ested in contemporary novels - let's books were in demand at all major say Amitav Ghosh has more rele- book shops in the metros. vance here than Dickens. In last 10 "Children read classics then. But years, the volume of research on with the arrival of the mass fiction, Dickens has declined sharply." no one wants to read Dickens anyDickens does not inspire publish- more," a spokesperson for the er Shobit Arya of Wisdom Tree per- Midland book shop said.

Spiritual Poetry TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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February 11-17, 2012

Poetry Symposium celebrates life and work of India's greatest Mystic Poet

Hasnain Raza, Qaid Jabalpuri, Tarlook Singh, Qaseem Ibne Naseem Amrohi, Allama Rehan Naqvi, Johri Kohli, and Azhar Zehdi on the mushaira stage. Amityville, NY: Science of first Human Unity Conference tory weekend, programs in English Spirituality Meditation Center in (then called Unity of Man were also held. On Saturday Amityville, NY, held a Ruhani Conference) and is known as the evening, after the conclusion of the Mushaira, spiritual poetry sympo- father of Human Unity. cultural program, a delicious vegesium, on Saturday, February 4, The symposium was presided tarian buffet followed. 2012. The Ruhani Mushaira was over by world-renowned Urdu poet The highlight of the evening was organized to create a platform to and scholar, Qaseem Ibne Naseem the remembrances and mystic poetpromote harmony and oneness Amrohi, a 6th generation poet and ry recited by renowned poets with among people from different cul- scholar of the Amrohi Family. the most respectable literary lineage tures and traditions, celebrating the Tarlook Singh, who was close to and accomplished body of work. oneness of all humanity. Over 300 Sant Darshan Singh and began his By bringing together people from people from around the Tri-State spiritual quest under the guidance all walks of life, the evening proregion attended. This special of Sant Kirpal Singh, was the Chief moted the vision of Love, Peace evening was organized to celebrate Guest. Allama Rehan Naqvi, PhD, and Unity, espoused the teachings the life, work and spiritual poetry of Islamic Center of Suffolk of Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, of Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj. County, Brentwood, was a special and celebrated the life of Sant The Mushaira honored the legacy guest. His speech on Human Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj. of Sant Darshan Singh (1921- Progression Through Spirituality Science of Spirituality/SKRM is 1989), who was a Master of Surat and Equality was well received. A a nonprofit, multi-faith organization Shabd Yoga and the founder of local poet Qaid Jabalpuri paid trib- that provides a forum for people to Science of Spirituality/Sawan ute to Sant Darshan Singh in his learn meditation, experience perKirpal Ruhani Mission. Sant melodious voice. A very famous sonal transformation, and bring Darshan Singh was acclaimed as poet, Hasnain Raza, presented his about inner and outer peace and Indias greatest mystic poet. He impressive poetry in honor of Sant human unity. It is currently under won four Urdu Academy Awards Darshan Singh. Other poets includ- the direction of H.H. Sant Rajinder for poetry and spread the universal ed Mahmood Rizvi, Abbas Ali Singh Ji Maharaj, who is internamessage of Positive Mysticism. Naqvi, Azhar Zaidi, Baldave tionally recognized for his work The program took place on a week- Thapar and Qaid Jabalpuri. Simrat toward inner and outer peace end celebrating the birth anniver- Kaur and Master Niaz also shared through spirituality. sary of Sant Kirpal Singh Ji their poetic work. Azhar Zaidi preMaharaj (1894-1974), founder- sented poetry of Hasnain Raza in For more information regarding president of the World Fellowship honor of Sant Darshan Singh. events offered at the Science of of Religions, who presided over Master of Ceremonies Jerry Kohli Spirituality Meditation Center, four World Religions Conferences. also sang a ghazal written by Sant contact: 631.822.7979; Sant Kirpal Singh Ji convened the Darshan Singh. During this celebra- NYinfo@sos.org, www.sos.org.

Master of Ceremonies Johri Kohli at the tostrum in front of a picture of Sant Darshan Singh ji Maharaj

Qaseem Ibne Naseem Amrohi, Allama Rehan Naqvi and Johri Kohli.

Hasnain Raza, Qaid Jabalpuri, Tarlook Singh, Qaseem Ibne Naseem Amrohi, Allama Rehan Naqvi, Johri Kohli, Azhar Zehdi taking part in the poetry symposium.

Hasnain Raza, Johri Kohli, Sardar Rehan Naqvi, Mahmood Rizvi and Abbas Ali Naqvi posing for a picture.

16

Ultimate Bollywood TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

The British accent is hard to miss: Amy Jackson

INTERVIEW
ritish actress Amy Jackson is all set to make her Bollywood debut opposite popular young heartthrob Prateik Babbar in A.R. Rahman's new musical romance EK DEEWANA THA, which hits theaters on February 17. Having already starred in a successful Tamil film, the former Miss Teen World winner won a modeling contract in the U.S. which led to her being discovered by the Indian film industry at the remarkable age of only 17. In an interview with Gitesh Pandya, Jackson talks about her new film which features the latest hit song Hosanna. Can you tell us about your character Jessie in Ek Deewana Tha? I play a Malayali Christian girl in Ek Deewana Tha. We have shot the movie in New York, India, Kerala and Chennai over a period of five months. It was a great experience working with such a young and talented actor like Prateik. And Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman did the music! How is the change from Britain to Bollywood? I was new to acting before my

Amy plays a Malayali Christian girl in the 'Ek Deewana Tha' with Prateik Babbar. role in Madrasapattinam (Amys Tamil debut movie). Though I was familiar with Bollywood since there are many in Britain who watch Hindi movies, I hadnt watched any of these films before I came to Chennai. I have been away from home since I was 17. I went to the US to start my modeling career at a very young age. So, venturing into films and handling the pressure wasnt a big task. I feel more comfortable in saris than gowns. Unlike Madrasapattinam where I wear gowns, in Ek Deewana Tha, I wear saris and kurtas. I had never worn one before I started shooting for the film and believe its the most elegant outfit for a woman. Was it hard to memorize Hindi for your part? The British accent is hard to miss. Ever since I decided to shift base to India and made Mumbai my home, I have made an effort to learn Hindi and even take diction classes. I couldn't understand a word of Hindi earlier. Though my voice will be dubbed in the movie, it was easier to memorize Hindi than Tamil. Before takes, I used to practice my lines for almost an hour to get it right. Prateik did help me with the Hindi. How have your friends in the UK responded to your international movie career? I had no prior training in acting. Once Madrasapattinam released, we had a premiere in Liverpool for my friends and family. They were surprised to see me on screen! Even today, many of my friends who are in university back in England find it tough to believe that I am part of Indian cinema. Some of them think I am crazy. For me, this has been a dream come true! Did you enjoy working with Ek Deewana Tha director Gautham Vasudev Menon? A couple of weeks before we began shooting, we did a workshop to understand the personalities of the characters we were playing. Gautham gave me a lot of freedom. He is such a calm and collected director who gives his actors the freedom to experiment. It was nice to be able to give my opinion. What are your plans for the future? I will be starting work in a Tamil film opposite Vikram in March.

Karan Johar has no film for Priyanka

Depp, Paradis split because of Jolie

ohnny Depp has reportedly split from long-time girlfriend Vanessa Paradis as she was "absolutely convinced" the actor slept with Angelina Jolie. Paradis believes Depp cheated with her with Jolie during the making of "The Tourist", and that was what tore their 14-year-relationship apart, reports contactmusic.com. "It's no coincidence that things began to unravel for Johnny and Vanessa when he started working with Angelina on 'The Tourist' last February," said a source. "Vanessa was absolutely convinced that Johnny slept with Angelina, and her jealousy and suspicions ended up destroying them.

'Players' failure costs Abhishek his next film

pparently Abhishek Bachchan has been dropped from the Tips film being directed by Mohit Suri following the Players debacle. Director Mohit Suri was to make his first film outside the Bhatt banner with Tips and the film was supposed to star Abhishek Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in lead roles. However things seem to have changed in recent times. Buzz is that after the poor performance of the mega-budget multistarrer Players, the makers were wary of casting Abhishek Bachchan. An industry insider reveals, "Amongst the star-studded cast of Players, Abhishek Bachchan clearly was the lead. The dismal performance of the film has largely affected his standing. Soon after the box-office fate of Players was out, Tips were against the idea of having Abhishek Bachchan play the lead in their film". The makers however would want to maintain that Abhishek was only considered and never finalized for the film. Abhishek Bachchan's last few films including Game, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and Raavan were box-office disasters. It's time he 'gets idea' of the situation and plays his cards well.

riyanka Chopra has been hinting that she is in talks with another film with Karan Johar. And KJo who is friends with Gauri Khan isn't taking this too kindly. PC is banned from that clique and he is quite clear that she won't be doing another Dharma film. Says a source from Dharma, "Priyanka has been telling people that she's signed another film produced by Karan's banner and that has upset the mild-tempered filmmaker. Karan has told his close friends categorically that she is not part of any of his next home productions and not likely to be for the next couple of years at least!" The source adds that Agneepath director Karan Malhotra's next film will also be produced by Johar but it's too soon to talk about it as even the script is not complete. So what film is PC talking about here?

Paradis believes Depp cheated with her with Jolie during the making of "The Tourist". Vanessa was against Johnny working with Angelina in the first place. Angelina drove a wedge between them," the source added.

Pattinson not at all spoilt brat: Witherspoon

ctress Reese Witherspoon says people assume that her "Water For Elephants" co-star Robert Pattinson was a "spoiled rotten brat" but he proved everyone wrong with his gracious behavior. "I think everybody was looking at him expecting to see, 'Urgh, this guy is some spoiled-rotten brat' and he wasn't. He was incredibly gracious, smart and actually shy and intro-

verted. He is a very grateful person," contactmusic.com quoted the 35-year-old actress as saying. Witherspoon was particularly impressed by the actor's devotion to his fans. "At the London premiere, people slept out in sleeping bags and they were crying and sobbing, but he takes the time to say hello to everybody and sign autographs," she told Britain's Glamour magazine.

Reese Witherspoon was particularly impressed by the actor's devotion to his fans.

Ultimate Bollywood Thesouthasiantimes.info

17

February 11-17, 2012

Ek Main... Aur Ekk Tu

Will Imran-Kareena's chemistry work at BO?

Ayesha, Mallya at loggerheads

The Bollywood actress and son of an airline scion were caught in an online war. Going by the promos, the film seems to be targeted towards younger audiences. aran Johar is returning this week to woo the box office with a romantic comedy which coincides with the Valentine's Day revelries. He has teamed up with the fresh pair of Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor to attract the audiences. Directed by debutant Shakun Batra, the film's cast has Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah and Ram Kapoor and it will be released on 1,200 screens worldwide. It is made at an approximate budget of Rs 2530 crore. In "Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na", Ratna had played Imran's mother, but her character in the new film is a complete contrast. In the film, Rahul Kapoor (Imran), an architect in Vegas, loses his job, but doesn't share the bad

news with his parents and secretly starts the job hunt. His life takes a turn when Riana Braganza (Kareena), a quick-witted hairstylist, enters his life. They meet and after a fun-filled night of debauchery, Rahul and Ria wake up to discover they've got married. They decide to annul their marriage, but in the course of next 10 days they stay together, fight, laugh and end up developing an unlikely friendship which eventually turns into love.There were reports that the film's story is similar to that of Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher-starrer "What Happens In Vegas", but the producer denies this contending that the fact that they get married in Vegas is only an aspect of the movie and not the entire movie. The story is different.

ctress Ayesha Takia is upset after a ground staff member of Kingfisher Airlines misbehaved with her younger sister Natasha at the airport. The worst airline, kingfisher!!! shockingly baddddddddddd airport staff behavior at the Delhi airport with my sister. This disgustingly behaved kingfisher staff called Vinay Podwal just tore my sister's boarding pass n misbehaved with her!!!!," an angry Ayesha wrote on her Twitter page. "Can't believe thisssss!!! I'm in mumbai n I wish I was there rite now 2! soooo angry!! How can this happen!!! how dare this vinay podwal misbehave with a passenger and tear her boarding pass. My heart is beating so fast

with anger that a girl at an airport gets treated this way by airport staff! he is at the kingfisher counter. "Vinay Podwal at Delhi airport, kingfisher staff just threatened and yelled at my sister saying he can throw anyone out n TORE her boarding pass!" she posted. However, the Twitter rant against Kingfisher didn't go down well with its heir Sidhartha Mallya. "Been getting retweets about Ayesha Takia and KFA. not too sure who she is, an actor of some sorts?? But it seems something has upset her!!" he posted. "Don't know why Ayesha Takia is tweeting so much when she wasn't even present. There are

always two sides to a story. Pipe down love," he added. To which Ayesha replied: "Well any Indian citizen can stand up for their rites if treated badly, and I don't have to be anyone you know sidharth mallya!!!! You weren't there either so don't be condescending and defend your freaking staff, first find out what happened! You clearly are unaware of ALOT Sidhartha Mallya!!" "My sister is a normal Indian girl travelling economy so of course you won't give a shit, I know the whole story because it happened to my sister. Therefore I will rant siddharth mallaya, what will you DO!!!! This is your way of dealing with a hospitality business!!! Wow!! Learn manners and respect!!!

Deepika replaces Katrina in Rajini's film

Kareena to go to bed for Heroine!

areena Kapoor had refrained from enacting intimate scenes on the big screen. Unless of course, it was with her real life beau Saif Ali Khan in Kurbaan. So, when Madhur Bhandarkar and UTV asked her to perform some real steamy scenes with co-star Arjun Rampal in Heroine, Kareena had categorically refused to do so. But now, the actress seems to have decided against being so rigid with her on-screen lovers. On March 20, Bebo will be going to bed with Rampal for a scene in the film.

While this was confirmed by director Bhandarkar, he refused to elaborate saying, "All I can say is that Kareena is an extremely professional and committed actress." However, a source close to the film revealed, "A suburban five-star will be booked for the sequence, in which, Kareena starts off with smoking and drinking and ends up in bed with Rampal." It has been learnt that the actress has been discussing every little detail of the scene with Bhandarkar, who has assured her that he will shoot the scene very aesthetically.

Kat was apparently aggressively campaigning to bag Soundarya Rajinikanth's film Kochadaiyaan.

eepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif are star crossed in reel and real life. From being ex to current in Ranbir Kapoor's life to their movies, they both found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at the right place at the right time depending from where you

are view it. Kat was apparently aggressively campaigning to bag Soundarya Rajinikanth's Kochadaiyaan. However, Deepika has bagged the coveted role opposite the legend - Rajinikanth. One knows that Deepika was already on the sets romancing Rajini for his Rana when the Tamil

superstar took ill in April 2011. Since Rana has been put on the backburner, Soundarya decided to go ahead with Kochadaiyaan. And very soon all the big Bollywood beauties were sending out feelers. Soundarya's team was in talks with Kat. However, we learnt from our sources that despite best efforts Kat couldn't match the dates.

Director Madhur Bhandarkar has assured Kareena that he will shoot the scene very aesthetically.

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Valentine's Day TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

The commercialization of Valentines Day has blurred the distinction between I love you and this is why and I love you and since this cost me a fortune, it should do a good job of showing you how much.

Love in the time of mega mall

By Vikas Girdhar/SATimes

isit any local mall, pharmacy or even a gas station and you will know exactly what time of the year it is. The first week of February has had shoppers, shop owners, clerksjust about everyoneseeing red, pink and white. Hearts, cards, flowers, roses, and chocolates dominate the marketplace right now. Valentines Day is around the corner and it brings along with it a myriad of issues and emotions. February 14 presents itself as a chance for people to make of it what they wish and will. Couples see it as a chance to express love for one another. Heartbroken individuals see it as a chance to vent about their exes and shattered emotions. Shops and marketers see it as a chance to capitalize on one of the most commercialized holidays. Restaurant reservations and special orders for flowers skyrocket because most women like to be pampered on a day when everyone else is doing the same thing. Women often talk among themselves and compare all the extraordinary things their boyfriends or husbands did or bought for them for the V-Day. Most men, while assuredly have their hearts in the right place and dont mind going out of their way to treat their ladies right, cannot help but feel the pressure from them to want to go above and beyond. And because there is an inherent expectation from women to men, men also expect that there will be something special done on behalf of their girlfriends or wives parts. Where did this expectation arise? Was it society that spurred the blurring of a holiday not meant to commemorate the overspending on overpriced goods? There are many who feel that love should not be expressed as such on simply one day of the year. Why designate one day out of an entire year to show the one you love how much you love them? Should that not be the case everyday? Does how much one person spend on another person dictate how they feel about that person? Does one rose mean less than two dozen? These are questions that cloud societal interpretations of the special holidayand thats not even in question. Its the same reason why we see nearly every industry trying to exploit the true meaning of Valentines Day. Gone are the days when

ads h a v ing a valentine simply meant acknowledging either your love, affection, crush or fling with some sweet expressed thoughts. The commercialization of Valentines Day blurred the distinction between I love you and this is why and I love you and since this cost me a fortune, it should do a good job of showing you how much. There are certain industries that obviously bank on a major annual event to boom sales. For example, Staples and Office Max stay open later during the first week in September to take advantage of back to school week. Similarly, Valentines Day serves as a huge payoff for companies like Hallmark and 1-800-FLOWERS. This is all understandable, for these brands help satisfy the basic expectations that arise from Valentines Day. Somewhere along the line, however, nearly every industry started tapping into the mania. For example, cellphone companies are now more aggressively selling white phones and claiming that since white is a color of loveit should be bought for your loved one. This is how extreme its become. Car companies, jewelry stores, clothing shopseach one is trying as hard as the next to try and take advantage of this time of the year. Pauline Wallin, Ph.D., writes in her Valentines Day is Over-Rated article for the Mental Health section of About.com, Isn't there enough pressure in relationships without having to live up to some romantic ideal on Valentine's Day? TV and magazine depict models with perfect bodies and perfect teeth giving each other chocolates, jewelry and back rubs. The message is: Your love is measured by what you buy." The messages that Valentines Day has been giving off have completely lost sight of reality. Modern relationships are difficult enough without having to stage a major performance on a designated day, says Wallin. Men agonize over the greeting card racks, hoping that they can choose a card that is not too funny, not too mushy. And the gift: How will she interpret it? they ponder. If I buy her chocolates will she think I want her to get fat? If I don't buy her chocolates will she think I assume she is fat? Is the gift too extravagant? Is it too impersonal? Are roses too predictable?" But how did it come to this point? Where did Valentines Day get its start and what are the purest ideals of the dayapart from any commercial influences or societal slants? Legends While there are many theories and stories regarding the emergence of Valentine's Day, these are the most popular ones. Legend has it that St. Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome under the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Claudius II thought that single men made better soldiers than married men so he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military base. However,

St. Valentine decided this decree was unfair and chose to marry young couples secretly. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentines actions he had him put to death. Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor's daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first 'valentine' himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it 'Your Valentine', words still used on cards today. The true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine maybe shrouded in mystery but this much is for sure: February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentine's Day ranks second only to Christmas in the number of greeting cards sent. A gentleman who appears everywhere during Valentine's Day and often referred to as the messenger of love is Cupid. The word Cupid is derived from the Latin word cupido meaning "desire". In Roman mythology Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love. His counterpart in Greek mythology is Eros, goddess of love. Cupid is often said to be a mischievous boy who goes around wounding both gods and humans with his arrows, causing them to fall in love.

Valentines Day in India

The Times of India is reporting that Valentines Day is spurring many females to enhance their looks by getting cosmetic packages to put their best face forward. IANS writes "A huge range of non-surgical beautification treatments like lip augmentation, eyebrow-lift, cheek augmentation, liposuction and nose job are being offered and girls go for them to look glamorous and sensual," says Mumbai-based cosmetologist Jamuna Pai, adding that botox and juvederm are also on the list. The growing trend of cosmetic packages, especially this Valentines Day, has seen more and more women open to improving their looks. This is most certainly a shift from traditional times, when either such tampering was frowned upon or not scientifically exposed. Treatments and packages typically cost between Rs 15,000-60,000.

Somebody who appears everywhere during Valentine's Day and often referred to as the messenger of love is Cupid.

The true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine maybe shrouded in mystery but February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating back to the Middle Ages.

In recent years Valentines Day has pervaded India too and, expectedly, commercially exploited by marketers.

Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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February 11-17, 2012

India needs to rebuild its telecom narrative

By Rohit Bansal/Manoj Kumar elecom sits on the top of the incredible India story. But the mess, evident in the award of second generation (2G) licences, shows how at least six principal characters worked overtime to deface it. To borrow from the cricketing cliche, and but for the Supreme Court (SC), this team of public functionaries snatched defeat from the jaws of global telecom sweepstakes. They are guilty of blinding by the glint of nickels and a varying spectrum of complicity. The team includes: - A. Raja, the former communications minister enjoined with public responsibility to allot the spectrum without making it a conduit for his party and person. - The Department of Telecom (DoT), which isn't supposed to be a backroom den for crony capitalism, but reduced itself to dhobi marking a rapacious minister's decisions. - The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) which has made amnesia a habit, forgetting that it has the mandate to confront the DoT and behave less and less like an organ of the executive. - The Prime Minister's Office and the finance ministry who had a Kiplingesque duty to keep their head when all about them are losing theirs. - The raft of applicants, licensees, traders (those who replaced the original licensees), lawyers, and lenders. - One could include here another actor, the Competition Commission of India, which in its wisdom neither intervened nor was asked to. It is sad therefore that these honourable men and institutions had to be castigated like children by the apex court, the reluctant mahout of our story. It is sadder still that there seemed no alternative to all the 122 licences being cancelled, leaving open the primary question of mixing the wheat with the chaff, and consequent injustice to those who invested their money (and their bankers!) into India. Let us also not forget the sad fate of consumers who subscribed to these new licensees in the hope of better service and lower rates and are now being seduced by irritating advertisements from incumbent players promising portability, the dubious nirvana. This avoidable situation has led to predictable split. The cheer leaders for good governance are rejoicing, as they should. But more nuanced commentaries are right in pointing to the publicity nightmare that con-

A weakened Congress to face UP elections

By Amulya Ganguli ince the Manmohan Singh government is at the receiving end of the Supreme Court's stinging indictment of its role in the spectrum scam, it is the Congress which will suffer the most during the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh and Goa. The party would be grateful that the verdict of the voters in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur was sealed in the ballot boxes before the apex court's judgment. Otherwise, the impact of its suspected indulgence in "crony Of the two factors - caste and corruption - which are crucial capitalism", as the in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi's focus has been Bharatiya Janata Party mainly on the latter. (BJP) has alleged, might Congress to a large extent. It isn't only that have been considerable. But the Congress' main worry will be on the allocation of a precious natural the popular reaction in UP, not only resource was "stage-managed", as the because it is the biggest state which is seen court has said, but the prime minister and to indicate who will rule in Delhi but also the finance minister acted apparently like because the party's heir-apparent, Rahul helpless spectators as their rogue cabinet Gandhi, has invested so much of his own colleague ran amok. Where UP is concerned, the BSP will be and his party's political capital on achievmost pleased because the judgment will ing success in the state. If the party falters, it cannot but under- take some of the heat of its own follies mine Rahul's chances of rising further up which made Mayawati sack 21 of her ministers and spend millions of rupees on the the political ladder. Of the two factors - caste and corruption construction of her own statues and of her - which are crucial in UP, Rahul's focus party's election symbol, the elephant, has been mainly on the latter although the which have been a constant target of Rahul fact that he is not averse to playing the Gandhi's jibes. Now, with the Congress caste card was evident when he reminded running for cover, she can breathe easy. Of the audience that Sam Pitroda, chairman the others, the Samajwadi Party will gloat of the National Knowledge Commission, in silence because the discomfiture of a prospective ally with whom it can form a was born in a carpenter's family. The Congress has also been trying to government will place it in a stronger wean away the Most Backward Castes position... However, more than the corruption (MBCs) - Koeris, Lohars, Nishads, Mallahs and so on - from the Yadav-domi- charges that have battered the government nated Other Backward Castes (OBCs) to for more than a year and were seen to undercut Mulayam Singh Yadav, and the infect many sectors apart from the telecom ati-Dalits (where 'ati' stands for extreme) department - the Commonwealth Games, like Passis, Koris, Doms and others from Adarsh housing society etc - what the latthe Jatav or Chamar-dominated Bahujan est judicial indictment has done is to hugeSamaj Party (BSP) of Chief Minister ly diminish the prime minister's stature. Even if he has been personally "exoneratMayawati. But since the corruption charges against ed", as Subramanian Swamy has noted, her government have been the focal point the electoral impact of the disclosure that of the Congress' campaign, the Supreme he held the wheels of the government with Court's verdict cannot but deflate the a limp hand cannot but hurt the Congress.

There is no denying that the image of the government has suffered both within and outside. There is time, not much though, to effect a course-correction. fronts India regarding predictability of our investment environment. Can the Indian sovereign be trusted? The "mahout" has done his bit, which is to put a stop to a patent wrong-doing and then leaving it to the sectoral sherpa to draw a fresh auction within four months. This is a laudable deadline. The world will expect India to clean up years of mess within that timeframe. The telecom regulator is already busy dropping hints it will need more time. Surely, it needs to build things from scratch. This includes rebuilding its own organization! But rather than whine, the regulator must see this as a god-sent opportunity to redeem itself. This comment points them to draw inspiration from an unlikely candidate, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and its chief rebuilder Robert Mueller. He had taken over as then president George W. Bush's man for FBI just seven days before Sept 11, 2001. On 9/11, his agency found itself staring at perhaps the biggest conceivable systemic failure in US history. But Mueller re-built, indeed redefined his agency, brick by brick. He redefined the FBI from a guns (remember J. Edgar Hoover!) to geeks organization, where the enemy could be in a Somalia or Tora Bora. One of us sat over several hours in Mueller's Harvard class, and the celebrated business case that has documented the rebuilding of FBI. Surely, the TRAI, the DoT, the finance ministry and the PMO don't face a bigger disaster than FBI and the Americans did. India Inc., including the financial institutions and our legal eagles, has an equal responsibility in co-creating a public consultation on the telecom charter. Rather than sit on the sidelines and then lobby for their interests, all the blind men open the third eye within. The world expects no less. At stake is whether India can rebuild its telecom narrative.

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

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Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Why Israel should tone down its threats of war on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahus repeated threats to Iran only make a difficult settlement more unreachable. Pipe down the threats and give economic sanctions time to work, argues the author.
over the next year. Let them bite more. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Israel are both underlining to Tehran that all options are on the table. (Thats not a trivial phrase from a great power.) Israeli threats wont reinforce the pressure from the sanctions; theyll harden Irans heart. And well all be heading for an incredibly dangerous war. Now look at both American and Israeli intelligence judgments: First, we both estimate that Irans leaders wont surrender to Israels threats. Second, we both reckon that either you reverse your rhetoric or you go to war. Third, your attacks probably will destroy most of Irans nuclear facilities, but these can readily be reconstructed in one to two yearsdeeper and less vulnerable to future attacks. (Startling, last week, your Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the chief of Israeli military intelligence, stated publicly that Iran already had enough fissile material to build four nuclear bombs in one year. If true, thats already enough to destroy Israel. So whats to be gained by your attack?) U.S. officials are not blind to your tactics to circumvent these joint judgments of reality. One tactic is to convince us the costs of war wont be so great. Just the other day your defense minister, Ehud Barak, tried to minimize the aftershocks: There will not be 100,000 dead or 10,000 dead or 1,000 dead. The state of Israel will not be destroyed. He should not be so certain or so cavalier. Another is that youre trying to scare us about Irans future capabilities against America. According to Moshe Yaalon, your deputy prime minister, Iran is getting ready to produce a missile with a range of 10,000 kilometers. I think thats news to us. Indeed, maybe someday they will, but theyre not close now. Your final gambit has been the Chico Marx lineWho you gonna believe, me or your own eyes? Youre trying to convince us that your threats arent working because the White House isnt backing you up fully. Thus, Yaalon also argued: The Iranians understand the West has capabilities, but as long as the Iranians dont think that the West has the political stomach and determination to use it, they will not stop. Currently they dont think the world is determined. What in heavens name do you propose that the West (read: the White House) do to prove its stomach to use military force? Shall we shake our fists as you have? That hasnt proved successful for you. If the United States does it and Iran still resists, the loss of American credibility truly would damage world security. The U.S. position is that all options are on the table. Thats the right stance for usand for you. Israelis are quite right to look on the dark side of things and to worry that its getting too late. Last week, International Atomic Energy inspectors visited Iran only to be denied access to key Iranian nuclear facilities. The inspectors will return shortly, but cant be expected to fare much better. But it is not now or soon too late. And we should not permit ourselves to think weve run out of time and choices. There can be no doubt that the sanctions are causing ever deeper pain, and no doubt that background military threats reinforce the message. But whats really needed to round out a plausible policy is a comprehensive U.S. and Israeli proposal that gives Tehran some incentive to compromise and protects Israels and Americas vital interests. This is precisely the point made by Gen. Eitan Ben Eliahu, former chief of the Israeli Air Force. He recently said pressure and military threats were necessary, but that without a third critical leg, diplomacy, were stuck on todays collision course with Iran. Leslie H. Gelb, a former New York Times columnist and senior government official, is author of Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy (HarperCollins, 2009), a book that shows how to think about and use power in the 21st century. He is President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The USS John C. Stennis passed through the Straits of Hormuz in November. By Leslie H. Gelb President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations might? Has Kim Jong-un bowed before his Western master? None capitulated even to the American superpower. Thus, its hard to believe that you truly calculate that Ayatollah Khamenei will cry uncle. And if it is to be war, it wont be only Israels war. Yes, Israel will bear the greatest risks in a war now or a war if Iran has nukes. But even if Israel attacks by itself, Tehran also can be expected to strike at America, Europe, and elsewhere. And Tehran likely will unleash terrorists worldwide, possibly with chemical and biological weapons, plus hits on oil pipelines. So the decision to go to war cannot be Israels alone. Both U.S. and Israeli officials tell me that the Obama administration is urging you to be cautious. In an interview Sunday, President Obama expressed solidarity with Israel and also said that diplomacy remains the preferred solution. But you know, Bibi, that most times this White House is too nice about saying hard things to you. And maybe you wont get the message. Let me spell out what I think President Obama is saying to you: the unprecedented economic sanctions against Iran are already hurting and will hurt a lot more

ibi, Israel, curb your overthe-top war rhetoric toward Iran. I urge this as one who cherishes Israel and values military power. But youve got to understand that your constant threats to attack Iran to stop its nuclear program arent working. Unending military threats unite Iranians and fire up their resistance. Economic sanctions weaken and divide themand often produce constituencies for compromise. Give sanctions time to play out. You cannot actually believe Iran will prostrate itself in the face of your threats. As Amos Yadlin, a retired Air Force general and former head of Israeli military intelligence, said Sunday: These statements have reached the point where they have crossed the line from bringing benefit and are beginning to cause damage. Your warnings will ignite war and will not foster Irans abandoning its nuclear program. Did Saddam Hussein kneel before George W. Bushs threats? Did the Taliban handcuff itself when faced with Americas military

China, India earn high marks in trust-in-government survey

By Rebecca Chao hat countries trust their governments the most? According to a recently released survey by global PR firm Edelman, many of them are in Asia: China ranks first, with Singapore, India and Indonesia taking third, fourth, and fifth places, respectively. While the survey showed these countries experienced minimal increases in the number of people who say they trust their government, they received boosts in the rankings because countries everywhere else were in decline. The United States, for what it's worth, ranked No. 14 on the list of 23 countries, earning the "distrusters" label. This survey may be useful in stimulating debate on overall global trends in public faith in government and business," said Laura Chang of Asia Society's Center on

The United States, for what it's worth, ranked No. 14 on the list of 23 countries, earning the "distrusters" label.
U.S.-China Relations. "But, I think one would do well to approach the results with a cautious eye. The survey is conducted online and includes only collegeeducated citizens in the top quarter income bracket. This is hardly a representative sampling of Chinese public opin-

ion, and excludes those constituencies arguably least served by their government." The Pew Research Center released a similar report in 2011 that showed an increase, over four years, in the Chinese peoples satisfaction with their countrys direction. This data explains that trust can also be viewed in a nationalist sense many Chinese who may not be personally happy also believe that their country is making economic progress. Even though 63 percent of those in China rank their life today in the medium category, 74 percent are optimistic that there will be progress in China in the next five years. Reporters Without Borders also recently released their press freedom rankings. It's interesting to see where some of the countries that rank highest in trust fall on the press freedom scale. Courtesy: Asia Society

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

Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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February 11-17, 2012 Gold rush: Burglars target NRI homes in Britain
London: Burglars armed with metal detectors and intimate knowledge of the purity of gold have been targeting houses belonging to people with origins in the Indian sub-continent, who traditionally preserve gold jewelry in the family for generations. Reports of many houses belonging to the Asian community being burgled have prompted the police and local councillors to launch special awareness campaign in various towns across Britain, such as Birmingham, Slough, Ealing, Leicester, Reading and Bradford. The rising price of gold is a major reason for the spurt in burglaries for the yellow metal. Despite tighter security, stolen jewelry finds its way into the flourishing resale market. Besides houses, hundreds of jewelry shops have also been targeted often in Leicester, Birmingham and Manchester. The price of gold is currently 1,100 pounds for an ounce. In Leicester, Belgrave Road, better known as 'Little India' and 'Golden Mile' due to the large number of jewelry shops there, has witnessed several burglaries in the recent past, leading to major losses and upgraded security by the business community and the police.

Booklets provide guidance to women dumped by NRI spouses

New Delhi: As part of efforts to help women deserted by their nonresident Indian (NRI) husbands, the Indian government has brought out booklets and pamphlets on safeguards, legal remedies and whom to approach for redressal of grievances. Besides the booklet "Marriages to Overseas Indians", the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has brought out a pamphlet titled "Thinking of the marriage of your daughter with an NRI?" to highlight precautions to be taken before entering into a marriage with an NRI man. In addition, the National Commission for Women (NCW) the coordinating agency for dealing with the issues pertaining to NRI marriages - has brought out a pamphlet titled "Problems Relating to NRI Marriages - Dos and Don'ts". The NCW has also brought out a report on problems relating to NRI marriages, titled "The 'Nowhere' Brides". According to an official press release, a scheme was launched in 2007 to provide through the Indian missions legal or financial assistance to Indian women deserted or divorced overseas. The scheme was subsequently revised. The release said the scheme would be available to Indian women who have been deserted by their overseas Indian or foreign husbands or were facing divorce proceedings in a foreign country, subject to the following conditions: The marriage of the woman has been solemnized in India or overseas with an overseas Indian or a foreigner; The woman is deserted in India or overseas within fifteen years of the marriage; or Divorce proceedings are initiated within fifteen years of marriage by her overseas Indian or foreign husband; or An ex-parte divorce has been obtained by the overseas Indian or foreign husband within twenty years of marriage and a case for maintenance and alimony is to be filed by her; The release said the scheme would not be available to a woman having a criminal case against her, provided that a criminal charge of parental child abduction shall not be a bar if the custody of the child has not yet been adjudicated upon. It said that assistance will be limited to $3,000 per case in developed countries and $2,000 per case in developing.

NRI kids case: Uncle to leave for Norway to get custody

New Delhi: India Wednesday stepped up pressure on Oslo as the uncle of two Indian children, who were taken away by Norwegian Child Welfare Services on grounds of emotional disconnect, heads for Norway to present his "statement of intent" before the authorities to seek their custody. In separate meetings, Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan and M. Ganapathi, secretary (west) in the external affairs ministry, met their Norwegian counterparts and reinforced the urgent need to expedite the solution to the case which has become an ordeal for the parents and an issue in bilateral ties. The meetings come after External An agreement was struck between India and Norway last week under which the parents (Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya) named Anurup's brother Arunabhash Bhattacharya as the primary caretaker of the two children, Abhigyan (3) and Aishwarya (1). The agreement was struck between the Indian government through its mission in Norway, the municipality concerned of Norway, the Norwegian Childcare Services, and the parents. Arunabhash will leave for Norway later Wednesday and will be in that country Thursday to meet the Norwegian authorities to discuss the procedures of taking charge of children.

Abhigyan (3) and Aishwarya (1) Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna underlined the need for children to spoke to his Norwegian counterpart be brought up in familiar cultural regarding the case last month and surroundings.

Indians held in British sham marriage

London: A sham double wedding collapsed when one of the bogus brides was unable to identify the Indian man she was due to marry, Daily Mail reported Wednesday. The registrar had become suspicious when he was asked to marry two Lithuanian women to two Indian men. All involved in the crime were given prison sentences. His initial fears were confirmed when the couples turned up at the register office and were unable to communicate with their betrothed. Immigration officers were called and the whole wedding party was arrested, together with the organizer who had set them up.On Tuesday, a court was told that Indian-born Manpreet Singh, 27, and Jasbir Singh, 21, had arranged to marry Lithuanian girls Oskana Alexsandraviciute, 27, and Sandra Beleckaite, 21, at Wrexham register office. By marrying two European residents, the Indian men would have been allowed to remain in Britain. As the couples waited for the ceremony, it became clear that neither bride nor groom spoke the same language and could not understand each other. Tipped off by the register office, immigration officials swooped and asked one of the Lithuanian 'brides' to point out her husbandto-be. When she identified the wrong man, the whole group was arrested on the spot, the Mail said. Manpreet Singh and Jasbir Singh were jailed for 12 months and 11 months, respectively, while their two 'brides', Alexsandraviciute and Beleckaite, all from Wolverhampton, were jailed for 304 days each - meaning they walked free due to time spent on remand. Organiser Jaspal Sahota, 51, a respected community elder, was jailed for two years and two months. The Indian men will be deported when they have served their sentences.

Indian footprint growing in Art Dubai

New Delhi: Art Dubai, one of the biggest art showcases in the Gulf, is seeking to position itself as a crucial international platform for Middle Eastern and South Asian art, with a strong Indian presence at its annual display-cum-trade exposition next month. "It is an easy hop for the local NRI families in the region - to and fro," said Antonia Carver, director of the fair that will be held from March 21 to 24. Pointing to an emerging trend in the buying pattern among Indian expatriates in the Gulf, Carver said "the first-time galleries like Seven Arts and Galerie Mirchandani were trying to give the Indian communities overseas something new...something fresh". The generation gap has a lot to do with the diverse selection of art work from India, Carver explained. "While the older parents in big families are highly supportive of Indian modernists, the children look for contemporary artists. The new generation of potential Indian buyers who have grown up in Dubai has one foot in India, one in Dubai and one in the world," Carver said.

The fair will host around 75 galleries "But they want to keep their conCarver, an arts writer and adminnection with India," she said. istrator who has been in Dubai for Four leading Indian galleries, the last eight years, said "the visiincluding Chemould Presscott tors' profile of the fair has changed Road (Mumbai), Experimenter in the last few years with more and (Kolkata), Galerie Mirchandani + more participation of non-resident Steinruecke (Mumbai) and Seven Indian collectors - even from Art Limited (New Delhi), will London and New York". present a medley of old and new The director of Art Dubai said Indian art at Art Dubai. "the fair will display art works by "The fair is well-supported by nearly 600 artists". major Indian business families in "It will exhibit more than 1,000 the United Arab Emirates," Carver sculptures and lots of video," said. Carver said.

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Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Maldives new president Manmohan pledges support to form coalition govt to new Maldivian president
ing president of MDP," he added. After three weeks of continuous protests, later joined by police in the Republic square in Male, Mohamed Nasheed resigned from the post of president. Waheed, who was vice president in Nasheed's administration, is to continue as president till the next presidential election in 2013. The new president said that by the end of the day he would be able to get an idea how many parties are going to join him to form the government of National Unity and their suggestion for nominations will be sent to the People's Majlis, the country's parliament. In the meantime, the government will continues with the support of independent civil servants in the country's respective institutions, Waheed said.

Newly-appointed Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed. Male: Newly-appointed Xinhua. Maldivian President "I will work with the spirit Mohamed Waheed of coalition with various announced he would form a partners of the country. coalition government with Together with them, we will the participation of all polit- be able to build a stable ical parties, including for- democratic country that mer president Mohamed respects individual freedom Nasheed's Maldivian foremost (and) respects and upholds (the) constitution Democratic Party (MDP). Waheed, appearing before that guarantees the bill of media for the first time at rights for our people," said the President's House since Waheed. assuming office, said dis"I am in consultation with cussions were underway to all the major political parform a National Unity ties. I have had several Government, reported meetings with them, includ-

Outgoing Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed. New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has written to new Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed assuring him of India's continued support after the dramatic regime change in the archipelago. India was committed to working with the Maldives for the "security and prosperity" of both the countries, Manmohan Singh said in his felicitation letter to Waheed. "I take this opportunity to extend my warm felicitations to you on your assumption of office as president of the Maldives,"

Manmohan Singh wrote in the letter, the text of which was released to the media Wednesday. He said India as a close and friendly neighbor would continue to support the Maldivian people's efforts to build a "stable, peaceful and prosperous country". Stating that the countries shared a common destiny with common security interests, the prime minister said: "India is committed to working with you and the government in Maldives to further enhance our close, bilateral cooperation to mutual benefit and for the continued security, progress and prosperity of our two countries." Maldives is strategically located along the major sea lanes in Indian Ocean. India and Maldives share close ties. In 1988, India had responded to a call by then president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to help quell an externally-induced coup attempt by rebels from Sri Lanka. Waheed, vice president of Maldives, was sworn in as president of the Indian Ocean archipelago after Mohammed Nasheed was compelled to resign following widespread protests against him. Nasheed's was the island's first democratically elected government. Waheed has pledged to form a national unity government until polls in 2013.

Pak doesn't want war with India on Kashmir: Gilani

Islamabad: Pakistan and India have fought four wars on the Kashmir issue but can't afford any more in "this 21st century", Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said while calling for resolving issues through dialogue, diplomacy, prudent policy and national consensus. Gilani said with four wars already fought on Kashmir issue, the region still was a flashpoint. "But in this 21st century, we cannot afford wars", Associated Press of Pakistan quoted him as saying. Pakistan and India have had armed conflicts in 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999. "We want to resolve the issues through dialogue, diplomacy, prudent policy and national consensus," the prime minister said. Gilani said Kashmir issue remained the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy. "We are committed to continue with the moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris. The whole nation including all the political parties are united on the cause of Kashmir," Gilani said while addressing the Kashmir Convention held here. The prime minister added that since Pakistan is a responsible country as well as a responsible nuclear power, it has to make responsible policies. "We want to resolve the issues through dialogue, diplomacy, prudent policy and national consensus," he remarked. Gilani said the country's policies should be made with national consensus and by the chosen representatives of masses and not by individuals. He cited the example of Pakistan-China friendship and said the whole nation was united on it and wanted to take this friendship forward. On Afghanistan, the prime minister said after the Nov 26, 2011 attack on Pakistani border posts, the whole nation under the democratic government stood united and solid and "we halted NATO supply line, got the Shamsi airbase vacated and boycotted the Bonn Conference". The Shamsi airbase was used by the Americans to launch drone attacks while the Bonn conference was focussed on the future of Afghanistan. "Gone are the days, when the foreign policy was made by individuals. Now, the policies would be made by the chosen representatives and through the parliament," he said. The prime minister referred to his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Maldives and said the two sides agreed to discuss all the core issues including Kashmir. Regarding Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, Gilani said it was approved by the

Two top US officials visit South Asia

Colombo: Under Secretary of State Maria Otero and Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake are visiting South Asia to meet government leaders, rights activists and civil society representatives. Otero, who looks after Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and Blake, who is in charge of South and Central Asian Affairs, will first fly to Sri Lanka, a US embassy statement said Tuesday. It will be Otero's inaugural trip to the region since she assumed her new duties. Otero and Blake will meet Sri Lankan government officials, civil society representatives, youth groups and political leaders. Otero will proceed to New Delhi Feb 14-15 to meet officials and civil society leaders. She will engage on a range of issues including trafficking in persons, refugees, and regional security. Otero will later go to Nepal to meet government and civil society leaders to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including the peace process. Blake will depart Colombo for Bangladesh, where he will stay Feb 14-16 and participate in a series of education and university events. Blake will also meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. cabinet with a consensus decision. He clarified that MFN was not a special status as generally thought, rather it was non-discrimination in trade like with other 100 countries of the world. The decision was meant to hold trade talks, but the government would never compromise on national interests, he said. He also mentioned that the cross LoC (Line of Control) trade since 2008 had reached around Rs.15 billion. "But the cross LoC trade does not mean that we will back out from the issue of Kashmir."

International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Moscow: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will declare a date in the near future for a referendum on a new constitution for his country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said following talks with the Syrian leader in Damascus. "President Assad said that in the next few days, he will meet with a commission which has prepared a new constitution project. This work is complete, now a time will be announced for the referendum for this document which is so important to Syria," Lavrov said. Al-Assad is ready for dialogue with all political forces in the country, and also ready to make talks happen, Lavrov said. "It's clear that effort to stop use of force must coincide with a declaration of dialoge between all political forces. Today (Tuesday) we have received confirmation of the Syrian President's readiness to work toward this task," he added. Lavrov's visit, together with Russian Foreign Intelligence Service chief Mikhail Fradkov, came three days after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security

23

February 11-17, 2012

Syrian president ready for constitutional referendum

Council resolution condemning the violent crackdown in Syria. Lavrov had not previously revealed the purpose of his mission, telling a news conference in Moscow Monday that it would be "unveiled only to the addressee". Ahead of the visit, he said the UN Security Council was too "hasty" in bringing the resolution to a vote and described Western condemnation of Moscow's veto as "hysterical". Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the Russian and Chinese vetoes as a "fiasco" and said his country was preparing a new initiative. "We will start a new initiative with those countries who stand by the Syrian people, not the regime," Erdogan said at a meeting of his ruling AK Party in Ankara. Human rights groups say more than 7,000 people have died in Syria since the uprising began in March last year. The government

India backs democracy transition in Syria

New York: India has voted for an Arab and Western-backed UN resolution denouncing the violent crackdown in Syria and calling for a democratic transition, but Russia and China vetoed it, saying it amounted to advocating a regime change. India and 12 other members of the Security Council, including the US, Britain and Pakistan, voted in favour of the resolution condemning Syria's suppression of dragging protests against the Bashar Assad regime. In a change from its earlier stand, India came out in support of the resolution which calls for a "transition to a democratic, plural political system", withdrawal of Syrian military and armed forces from cities and towns, and release of those "detained arbitrarily". India explained why it was for the UN move. "Our support for the resolution is in accordance with our support for the efforts by the Arab League for a peaceful resolution of the crisis through a Syrian-led inclusive political process," India's Permanent Representative Hardeep Singh Puri told the Council in New York. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. says around 2,000 members of its security forces have been killed in the unrest. EU foreign police chief Catherine Ashton said Tuesday EU foreign ministers would meet in two weeks to discuss ways to stop violence in Syria. UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon has said the violence in Syria was "totally unacceptable before humanity".

Ahmadinejad wants pope to visit Iran: Envoy

far not accepted. The Vatican has criticized Ahmadinejad for calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. The pontiff has repeatedly encouraged dialogue to resolve differences over Iran's disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at making nuclear bombs. Tehran denies that. Meanwhile, India's continued engagement with Iran in the face of American pathology against Tehran and New Delhi's insistence on putting safety before commerce in nuclear energy trade surfaced as wrinkles in an otherwise smooth and upbeat assessment of USIndia ties during the confirmation hearing of Nancy Powell, the US ambassador-nominee to India. US Senators gushed about the growing closeness between Washington and New Delhi, a proposition supported by Ms Powell, but on a day India's foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai met Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other state department mandarins to present New Delhi's perspective on these and other issues, lawmakers did not hold back from expressing annoyance at the Indian stance on Iran and stalled nuclear trade with US.

India committed to N-deal: Mathai to Clinton

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rome: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would like Pope Benedict to visit Iran, Teheran's ambassador to the Vatican said. "If the pope decides to come, we will welcome him in an excellent way, and, as far as the government is concerned, we will welcome him with enthusiasm," Ali Akbar Naseri told reporters. Benedict has a standing invitation to visit the Islamic Republic but has so

Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai. Washington: India underlined its commitment to implementing the landmark civil nuclear deal when Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and held a series of meetings here. Clinton dropped by at a meeting between Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Mathai, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said. Clinton's meeting with Mathai was to "make clear that we support these consultations on the full range of issues", said Nuland. Clinton is looking forward to the US-India Strategic Dialogue later this year, Nuland said. In his meetings with senior US diplomats, Mathai is understood to have conveyed India's stand on a wide range of regional and global issues, including Iran, the situation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and the situation in West Asia. Mathai held wide-ranging discussions with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Windy Sherman and top officials from the State Department, including Assistant Secretary of State for PoliticalMilitary Affairs Andrew Shapiro, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake, and Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Maria Otero. The talks have set the stage for the third round of India-US Strategic Dialogue for which External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will visit Washington later this year. In his meetings, Mathai reinforced India's commitment to implementing the India-US nuclear deal and assured a level playing field for American nuclear companies. "We are committed to translating the success of our diplomatic partnership in changing the global nuclear order into an equally productive commercial cooperation in civil nuclear energy," Mathai said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a leading US think tank.

Krishna opens $10 mn Indian embassy in Beijing

Beijing: Pitching for stronger India-China relations, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna formally inaugurated the Indian embassy's new $10 million complex here which has been built with sandstone. "A modern and expansive chancery clearly reflects our expectations of ties with China," Krishna, who is on a three-day visit to China, said at the inauguration ceremony. Spread over 13,500 sq metres, the new building complex brings all the offices of the Indian embassy under one roof and is made of sandstone Raj Rewal, the building also houses a cultural complex and a 100-seater auditorium. The embassy complex has also been bolstered with new security features after an extensive review by Indian security officials. In separate meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, State Councillor Dai Bingguo, who is also China's Special Representative for boundary talks with India, and Zhou Yongkang, a powerful member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, Krishna stressed the need for building stronger India-China relations.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in Beijing. and other materials imported from India. Designed by Indian architect

24

Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Indian economy to grow at 6.9 pc this fiscal

New Delhi: The government said the Indian economy is expected to expand by 6.9 percent in the current fiscal -- the slowest in three years as high interest rates, fragile global economic conditions and the government's inability to push through key reforms stifled growth. "The growth in gross domestic product (GDP) during 2011-12 is estimated at 6.9 percent as compared to the growth rate of 8.4 percent in 2010-11," said the advanced estimates of national income released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation here. In the financial year 2009-10, the economy grew by 7.4 percent. The Reserve Bank of India's hawkish stance on interest rates has resulted in capital investments drying up, adding to the country's woes amid sluggishness in the global economy. Gross Fixed Capital Formation, an indicator of investments toward the 7 percent growth shown in the previous fiscal. Trade, hotels, transport and communication sectors are expected to grow by 11.2 percent, while financing, insurance, real estate and business services could grow by 9.1 percent. The chairman of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Economic Advisory Council, C. Rangarajan, however, said the final number for the country's GDP growth for the fiscal year ending March is likely to be slightly higher than 7 percent. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia too agreed that economic growth could be around 7 percent once the final numbers come in. "The 6.9 percent is consistent with what we have been saying. We said 7 percent for the year as whole. With 7.3 percent in the first half and 6.9 in the third quarter, 7 percent is possible," said Ahluwalia.

In Brief

Indian federal budget on March 16

New Delhi: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will present the annual budget for 2012/13 on March 16, while the railways budget will be presented on March 14, Pawan Kumar Bansal said. The budget session of parliament will start on March 12, Pawan Kumar Bansal, the minister of parliament affairs, told reporters. The government will present on March 15 the Economic Survey for 2011/12, a document on the state of economy prepared by the economic division in the ministry of finance, he said.

In the financial year 2009-10, the economy grew by 7.4 percent. creating assets, grew at a slower rate to Rs.26,09,963 crore in 201112 as against Rs.23,31,382 crore in the previous financial year. Any weakening in this indicator signifies that the economy is slowing. Among key sectors that slowed down in the year, ending March, are manufacturing, which is expected to expand by just 3.9 percent, while mining sector will see a negative growth of -2.2 percent. According to the latest estimates available on the index of industrial production, the index of manufacturing registered growth rates of 4.1 percent during April-November of the current fiscal. Agriculture too rose at a tardy pace of 2.5 percent, compared to

Indias stable rating faces risk: S&P

New Delhi: India's stable rating outlook faces some challenges due to high inflation, weak fiscal position and slower economic growth, a report by global ratings agency Standard & Poor's cautioned on Monday. The warning came in a report titled 'Several Factors could weigh on India's Current Stable Rating in 2012'. S&P has an investment grade BBB- rating for India. "Standard & Poor's Ratings Services doesn't expect to revise the rating outlook on India in the near future. However, if the Indian government fails to address the structural problems in the economy and growth prospects decline significantly in the medium term (several years), the sovereign rating could come under pressure," the report said. It said India, like many countries, was facing some challenges on a few fronts, and the balance of risk factors for the sovereign credit rating may be shifting slightly towards the negative. "High inflation, a weak government fiscal position, and slower economic growth have hurt investor confidence in the rupee, triggered a capital outflow, and weighed on the stable sovereign outlook on India in 2012," the report said.

Govt approves direct jet fuel import

New Delhi: An empowered group of ministers (EGoM) led by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee allowed domestic airlines to directly import fuel and approved Air India's debt restructuring plan. "The EGoM has allowed the airlines to import jet fuel directly," Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters here. The Indian aviation sector been reeling under rising aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices caused by high sales tax and other levies. The move will enable airlines to directly import jet fuel, as an end user, thereby saving sales tax, which ranges between 20-35 percent and is levied by state governments. As a result there could be significant savings in operating costs. Jet fuel now comprises of about 50 percent of the total operating cost of airlines in India. ATF is currently sold at Rs.71,155.22 per kiloliter (kl), at Rs.67,702.21 per kl in Chennai, at Rs.63,864.31 per kl in Mumbai and Rs.62,907.82 per kl in New Delhi. The average fuel price in cities like Kuala Lumpur is around Rs.41,000 per kilo litre, followed by Singapore at Rs.42,000 and Dubai at Rs.43,000. Domestic airlines are estimated to have lost around Rs.3,000 crore in the first six months of this fiscal.

ArcelorMittal loss widens to $1 bn

Domestic airlines are estimated to have lost around Rs. 3,000 crore in the first six months of this fiscal.

'49 pct FDI in aviation soon'

New Delhi: India's aviation ministry will soon move a note to the cabinet to allow foreign airlines to buy stakes of up to 49 percent in Indian carriers, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said on Tuesday. India currently bars foreign airlines from buying into Indian carriers, although foreign investors are allowed to hold a cumulative 49 percent.

Airlines, on the other hand, have not yet come out with any logistics plan for storing and importing the fuel. This was one of the arguments by the three oil marketing companies Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum, who were opposing the move. The minister also said that the EGoM has approved the debt restructuring plan of the national carrier Air India and that it will go to the union cabinet for a final nod. The national carrier will be allowed to raise Rs.7,400 crore via bonds, backed by a sovereign guarantee, said Singh.

Luxembourg: The world's largest steel maker ArcelorMittal's loss widened to $1 billion in OctoberDecember 2011 due to subdued European demand and an $1.3 billion outgo on deferred tax, impairments and restructuring charges. "The progressive recovery that we have been experiencing was impacted in the second half of the year by the growing uncertainty over the economic situation in Europe, which particularly affected sentiment and performance in the fourth quarter," ArcelorMittal Chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal said. The company, which had reported $780 million loss in October-December quarter of 2010, partly attributed the loss during the fourth quarter to $1.3 billion non-cash charges, which deferred tax, asset impairments and restructuring.

Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info

25

February 11-17, 2012

Facebook going public; users discretion no longer confidential

By Vikas Girdhar/SATimes y now, we have all become familiar with the types of staggering numbers associated with Facebook. The ones that, while no longer surprises, still manage to leave many of our mouths gaping open: revenue and worth of almost $4 billion, up from nearly $2 billion just one year ago; 845 million users worldwide. And now? Facebook has filed their S1 document with the Security and Exchange Commission as of February 1. This means that Facebook, which has now officially filed for a $5 billion IPO (Initial Public Offering, or first sale of stock to the public) that will value the brand at $75-$100 billion. Of course, for a society now embedded in the realms and depths of the Facebook world, this will have a major impact. People all over have their fair share of opinions and have been voicing them. The conflict apparent here is one that Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, has already addressed. It is one that is also delved into by Esha Chhabra of The Christian Science Monitor. She wonders if Facebook can in fact pursue a social mission and go public at the same time?

These are serious issues affecting not just the Facebook world and stockholders, but determinants of socially acceptable and ethical values. Will the IPO interfere with the modest values that the brand is based upon? It seems like just yesterday when the privatebased Facebook trademark prided itself on merely serving as a culture-changing element to broaden the scope of social media and connecting the world. Zuckerberg maintains that these values can coexist with making moneyhe has told both the public and large mass of potential investors this. Facebook was not originally founded to be a company, says Zuckerberg. Weve always cared primarily about our social mission, the services were building and the people who use them. This is a different approach for a public company to take. I think it works. Skepticism has met Zuckerbergs claims. Danny Sullivan, an expert on the industry and editor of the web site Search Engine Land, told the New York Times that I would suspect that Mark Zuckerberg could say whatever he wants, but hes probably still going to find that Wall Street is going to influence how he runs his company. Chhabra included another critics harsh assessment of Zuckerbergs language. Tom

Foremski, a former journalist and blogger, referred to Zuckerbergs social mission as vague. He went on to say that That's about as far as he gets. He spends many paragraphs saying pretty much not much at all, wishywashy phrases, said in different ways: how Facebook enables people to share, that sharing is good, that open government is good, and that sharing helps people's relationships; and how it's good to connect people, and to give people voice. At times he makes Facebook sound like a phone company. Reach out and share with someone it makes the world a better place. There are strong sentiments abound about not only matters of compatibility between the two seemingly opposite sides of the spectrum, but also if Zuckerbergs words hold water. Is he saying what the general public would like to hear or is there financial motivation behind ultimately upholding the core values of Facebooks foundationand more importantly, is the latter even a priority? Time will tell. In the meantime, consider what Lori Andrews has to say in her opinion piece, Facebook is Using You, in The New York Times. Facebook makes money by selling ad space to companies that want to reach us, says Andrews, a professor of law at

Chicago-Kent College of Law. If you indicate that you like cupcakes, live in a certain neighborhood and have invited friends over, expect an ad from a nearby bakery to appear on your page. The magnitude of online information Facebook has available about each of us for targeted marketing is stunning. In Europe, laws give people the right to know what data companies have about them, but that is not the case in the United States. Andrews brings to light a very serious issue here. There is a very obvious lack of accountability for companies aggregation of our personal information and subsequent direct advertisement to us. Facebooks IPO will likely rank the company among the worlds largest. Zuckerberg forecasts that Facebook will double in size every year. Alas, this public venture and rapid-growth plan promises to only increase such occurrences and highlight the issues facing us.

New Delhi: For a generation that has learnt to articulate thoughts in 140 characters and knows its smartphones and tabs, e-textbooks are only the next step. But some infrastructure bottlenecks need to be taken care of before that education revolution takes place in India, experts say. Technology giant Apple recently launched an app for digital textbooks that saw an astronomical 350,000 downloads globally in the first three days. Educationists agree that digitized textbooks are a key to the future of education. "E-textbooks do hold the key to the future as the coming generation is tech-savvy. It is the era of computers, trees will be saved and children wouldn't need to carry heavy bags," says Madhulika Singh, principal of Delhi's Tagore International School. But she also expressed worry over the availability of sufficient resources. "There are shortcomings at present which will take a long time to overcome. For reaping the real benefits of e-textbooks, we have to presume that every child has access to a computer and internet... a lot of structural reform is needed," she adds. But there's a lot of enthusiasm over the easy availability and other features of a digitized textbook. "My eight-year-old daughter spends so much time on the computer that it is difficult to make her read books. But, at the same time, reading online is something she does willingly," says Neelam Tripathi, a software professional working in Gurgaon. "An e-textbook, I think, is nothing less than a boon; it can motivate children to study," she says. E-textbooks are the very basis for e-classrooms. Its advantage over traditional methods of teaching includes animations and illustrations which are not possible in ordinary textbooks. Apart from the ability to carry an entire year's syllabus in one's palm, e-textbooks offer the opportunity to learn in multiple mediums -- text, video and audio. Even as India's market for digital textbooks remains limited, booksellers see it as the future. "E-textbooks are a natural follow-on to the current

E-textbooks knocking at Indian Indo-US trade to cross classroom doors $100 bn this year
Washington: The bilateral goods and services trade between India and the US is expected to cross a record $100 billion in 2012, the US Ambassadordesignate to India Nancy Powell has said. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Powell, who will be the first woman US ambassador to India, said that the export to India is well on its mark to achieve the goal of the US President Barack Obama to double in five years. "We have made unprecedented progress in expanding our economic relations with India. Our bilateral goods and services trade will top $100 billion in 2012. "This represents an astounding quadrupling of trade since 2000, moving India up from our 25th largest trading partner to our 12th," Powell said. She said that bolstering trade and investment would be one of her top priorities while she is in New Delhi as the top American diplomat. "I look forward to working with a wide inter-agency team and with our Indian counterparts to reduce barriers, including through negotiation of a Bilateral Investment Treaty, and to expand the areas where we do business," she said. "I am eager to support the efforts to ensure full implementation of the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, including ensuring a level playing field for American companies in the commercial

Unlike most current e-books, which are flat texts with no interactive elements (largely built to cater to novels and fiction), educational books have text, images, tables and references trend of digital education being introduced in classrooms across India which is making students familiar with the digital medium," says Soumya Banerjee, founder of Attano, a software. "Educational e-books also have evaluation features as tests and assessments are built into the book which gives an immediate indication of a student's performance," he says. Founded in 2009, Attano introduced e-textbooks in India, converting the plain textbooks into interactive books with corresponding diagrams and pictures. It makes available e-texbooks from the primary level to Class 12. "The books are highly user-friendly; even a six-year-old can use it," he says. "We are focusing on individual buyers; just like parents go to shops and buy the hard copy of a text book, they can buy it online." "The digitiszd books elaborate the concepts; for example, if the chapter has to explain the heart and its functioning, the diagram will be digitized, which will make it easy for children to understand. "Currently most e-books are flat texts with no interactive elements (largely built to cater to novels and fiction). Educational books are different in that they have text, images, tables and references. We're pushing the boundaries to make them more interactive - integrating audio, video, tests and knowledge sources like dictionaries and wikipedia."

Nancy Powell, the US Ambassadordesignate to India applications of nuclear energy," she said in her remarks. Powell said the US Mission in India actively seeks opportunities to keep and create jobs in America. "In response to the President's National Export Initiative, the US Mission promotes the export of US products, services and technologies, supporting tens of thousands of jobs in the United States," she said. India, with its 1.2 billion population and large and balanced consumer economy, represents a huge, fast growing market for US manufactured goods, and our exports are growing at over 17% a year. "At this rate, exports from the United States to India are expected to nearly double in the five years from 2009 to 2014," Powell said. The Ambassador-designate said that if she is confirmed for the coveted post, she would also work on expanding defence co-operation with India.

26

Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Yuvi got cancer, govt extends help

New Delhi: India's Sports Minister Ajay Maken has assured help for star cricket all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who is undergoing chemotherapy in the US for a malignant lung tumor. Maken said he had directed officials in the sports ministry to check the nature of help that Yuvraj needs. "Wish Yuvraj a speedy recovery! Asking officials to find the quantum and nature of help required. Government should & will help him," Maken tweeted. Yuvraj, who was Man of the Tournament in the 2011 World at the Cancer Research Institute in Boston. The 30-year-old southpaw was diagnosed with malignant lung tumor in October though his family had maintained that it was non-malignant. Yuvraj's physiotherapist Jatin Chaudhary assured that the ailment is curable and the batsman would be fit to resume cricket in May. "This tumor is rare and is cancerous but nothing to fear about because it is 100 percent curable. The best part is that tumor has been detected in stage one," said Chaudhary. Chaudhary said Yuvraj, who was earlier undergoing ayurvedic treatment, had to undergo chemotherapy immediately since the tumor is located just above his heart. "Doctors had to decide whether to continue medication or go for chemotherapy but since parts of the tumour are just above the artery of his heart, there was a danger that while running it could burst. But it is 100 percent curable," Chaudhary said. Yuvraj is seeking inspiration from legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong, who survived testicular cancer to win the Tour de France a record seven times.

Yuvraj will fight it out, says father

Chandigarh: India's star cricketer Yuvraj Singh's father Yograj said his son, who is undergoing chemotherapy in the US for a malignant lung tumor, will come back strongly as a champion player. Yograj also said that Yuvraj had not taken his ailment seriously initially when the first signs were visible. Yograj, a former international cricketer, thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for supporting his son. He said doctors treating Yuvraj at the Cancer Research Institute in Boston have assured him that his son will come back as a champion. "Yuvraj had chemotherapy and now he is on medicines. Doctors are trying to end it permanently. Doctors are telling Yuvi will come back as a champion. I am thankful to BCCI. Like a father they have treated Yuvraj. If they wouldn't have helped him then it would have been a different story," Yograj said while trying to hold back tears at his residence near here. "He is a fighter. He is a sher (Lion). He will fight this out and will be back on the cricket field very soon," Yograj said.

Yuvraj Singh left for the US last month and is undergoing chemotherapy at the Cancer Research Institute in Boston. Cup, left for the US last month and is undergoing chemotherapy

Open for talks on IPL, no sponsorship deal: Sahara chief

New Delhi: Sahara India chairman Subroto Roy said he will continue to support Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but ruled about sponsoring the Indian cricket team. Sahara chairman Subrata Roy addressed a news conference in Mumbai after his corporate first announced it was withdrawing the sponsorship of Team India and then also that Pune Warriors were pulling out of the IPL. The group's grouse is that the BCCI did not show the respect a commercial partner should be shown by ignoring some of their genuine concerns with regard to the Pune Warriors. Sahara signed a fresh sponsorship contract with the BCCI July 1, 2010, and it runs till Dec 31, 2013. According to the Rs.532-crore contract, Sahara will pay Rs.3.34 crore per Test match, one-day international and Twenty20 international under the new terms. Sahara bought the IPL franchise Pune Warriors for Rs.1,702 crore, making it the most expensive franchise in the Twenty20 league. In all, the BCCI stands to lose around Rs.2,234 crore. Roy said he will continue supporting Pune Warriors because he doesn't want his players to suffer and miss the fifth edition of the IPL. Roy said cricket is immensely

Sahara chief Subroto Roy withdrew the sponsorship of Team India and also pulled out of the IPL. popular in India and Sahara's pullout won't affect the coffers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) since there are several corporate majors willing to sponsor the cricket team. "Ten years back sponsorship was difficult in cricket. But now cricket is very rich and there are many people who are interested to be sponsor. So I don't think there is any problem. But I have promised them I am not going to walk out till they get a sponsor," said Roy. Roy said his main concern is about Pune Warriors. Sahara bought Pune Warriors for a whopping Rs.1,700 crore making it the most expensive IPL franchise. "My first concern is that our players should not be deprived of playing in the IPL this year. It will be really bad for them. It is important that they should play. I have already requested the BCCI to get them in any organization fast so that they can play in this IPL also. So we will sit and discuss all this. I don't want that BCCI and our team (Pune Warriors) should be in problem in any manner. I am sure when we will sit we will come out with good solutions," said Roy.

Sahara supports Hockey India

New Delhi: After severing its ties with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sahara India renewed its sponsorship deal with Hockey India (HI) with a 170 percent hike. The new sponsorship deal for five years is valued at around Rs.8 crore per year, a substantial hike from the Rs.3 crore per year, and will cover both the men and the women's team in the senior and junior categories. The teams will be seen sporting the Sahara logo during the 2012 London Olympic qualifiers to be held here February 18-26. Sahara India chairman Subrata Roy said hockey, the national sport, deserves support.

India win first ODI overseas in 7 months

Perth: Virat Kohli struck a match-winning 77 as India finally tasted their first ODI win overseas in seven months, beating Sri Lanka by four wickets in the second game of the triseries at the WACA Ground. Riding on Kohli's brilliant knock and Sachin Tendulkar's 48, India achieved the target of 234 in 46.4 overs in what was the first clash between the two sides since the 2011 World Cup final last year in Mumbai. For Sri Lanka, their poor run in the ODIs continued, with just two one-day international wins in 16 matches. Ravindra Jadeja, cricket's new million-dollar man, and Ravichandran Ashwin remained

IPL windfall for Jadeja, Vinay Kumar

Bangalore: Ravindra Jadeja, R. Vinay Kumar and Mahela Jayawardene attracted millions from the Indian Premier League franchisees on a day the players' auction was overshadowed by Sahara India's pullout from the cash-rich event. Jadeja, who had a base price of $100,000, was bagged in a tie-breaker between Super Kings and Deccan Chargers. The $2 million budget cap for the auction meant the Super Kings have spent all their money on a single player. Chargers spent $650,000 on Indian wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, whose base price was $200,000. Chargers went aggressively after Patel, who attracted bids from Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan

Virat Kohli in action against Sri Lanka at Perth. unbeaten on 24 and 30 to take the team home safely. Ashwin, who picked up three for 32, was also adjudged the Man of the Match.

Ravindra Jadeja, cricket's new million-dollar man. Royals. Fast bowlers Shantakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap Singh and spinner Ramesh Powar were bought by Royals, Mumbai Indians and Kings XI respectively for $400,000, $600,000 and $160,000.

Lifestyle TheSouthAsianTimes.info

27

February 11-17, 2012

Aircraft fuselage decor for Indian takeaway

London: A teenage curry house owner has spent 5,000 pounds on a second-hand aircraft fuselage used in the movie "The Da Vinci Code" to display in the reception of his eatery, Daily Mail reported Wednesday. But 18-year-old Aleem Gaffer's plan to spruce up his restaurant backfired when he realised he could not get it inside. He had to remove the front of the shop and, with six friends, slide the two tonne Hawker jet flight deck into the Indian takeaway in Filton, Bristol.Aleem wants to decorate the fuselage and use it as a seating area for customers to wait in while their food is prepared.The young businessman bought the jet as a gift for his aircraft-loving father and to grab the attention of staff at the nearby Airbus factory. He said: "Airbus employs thousands of staff nearby and many of them have to pass my takeaway each day so I thought (I would) attract more business."Aleem, who has worked in the Bristol takeaway since he was 12, took over the business from his father, Bangladesh-born Abdul, 38, last year. The plane is a Hawker 800XP.

Culinary journey of Hindoostan on the canvas of Raj era

New Delhi: Indian cuisine is drawing global celebrities, its latest aficionado being Arnold Schwarzenegger who was reported missing his appointments to gorge on king-size naans and tandoori prawns at Bukhara at ITC Maurya. The unique journey of Indian cuisine, on show at The Imperial, actually began being chronicled when two famous British landscape artists, Thomas and William Daniell, set about experiencing the rich culture and the culinary traditions of India's landmark locations in 1786. The 18th century artists, an uncle-nephew duo, started work in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in the east and moved north towards Garhwal. As they travelled along the Ganges visiting Kanpur and the Mughal cities of Agra and Delhi, they captured the spirit and food traditions of these places on the canvas. They also stopped at Lucknow, then Madras (now Chennai) and Mysore and touched Bombay (now Mumbai) before returning to England in 1794. Some 150 works of art, aptly titled Oriental Scenery, resulted from this fascinating journey of the Daniells, like the lithograph of Jantar Mantar that was painted from the exact spot where Daniell's Tavern at The Imperial is located today. The restaurant recreates this epic journey of Thomas and William across the length and breath of India, capturing some of the finest regional favorites from all those places that left an everlasting impression on their minds. The new avtar of Daniell's Tavern traces some of the finest regional fares from the epic journey. These include the East India Soup (Jehangiri Shorba) or Mulligatawny Soup (for the vegetarians), which are excellent orders before the actual 'Journey Begins'. The "First Tour" includes Nawab of Oudh's Pride (bhune murgh ke parche), Shamiana Prawns (sunheri jhinga) and Benaras Special (tandoori phool). Clive's Order (kasundi paneer tikka), Viceroy's Favourite (chicken Chettinad) and Chingri Malai Curry (Bengali prawn curry) are other favourites. Other similar delights are the Angrezi Sahib's Choice (kosha mangsho), Burra Memsahab's Favourite (pepper mutton) and Barrackpore's Favourite (mochar ghonto). The Shahi Tudka, the dessert with roots, perhaps, in kitchens of the Nizam of Hyderabad, is an absolute must!

Sutradhar "narrator" Praan at Daniell's Tavern in the Imperial in New Delhi, who takes guests through the collection of 18th Century art chronicled when two famous British landscape artists, Thomas and William Daniell.

Ritu Kumar to popularise hand-woven textiles

New Delhi: She is known for her ethnic Indian designs and now celebrated designer Ritu Kumar wants to popularise hand-woven textiles in vogue through her Panchvastra collection. She says this will clear the notion that people have lost interest in such fabrics. She unveiled the collection Thursday at a show also called Panchvastra, which revolved around five main characters -- Ganga, Draupadi, Kunti, Amba and Gandhari -- who represent five different moods. "The whole idea was conceptualised by my son Amrish Kumar and Vidyun Singh. The main idea was to recreate vintage clothing with a modern twist to keep alive the essence of the hand-weaving technique," said Kumar. Portrayed through the central characters of the Ramayana, the show mixed textiles, theatre and shades. The use of mirror work, along with gota and zardosi embroidery lent a regal look to the ensemble." Kumar presented five moods in different colours -- purity in hues of white and peach; seduction with bold and rich colours; illusion by the exquisite use of Swarovski crystals, embellishments as well as extravagant garments; exile through a melange of colour -- orange, gold and fuschia; and darkness by beautiful dramatic pieces in black, gold and indigo. Though Kumar is known for her fascination for hand-woven textiles, she says other designers do not use it by choice. "I think it's a very personal choice that designers don't want to go for hand-woven textiles. For them, synthetic is very important to cater to the modern world but my ideologies are different and I never promote such fabrics," she explained.

Foreign skiers crowd Manali slopes

Ritu Kumar film to bring alive how they are relevant across ages and cultures," she added. Dancer Anita Ratnam represented Ganga, Dia walked the ramp as Draupadi, Kirron Kher was Kunti, Seema Biswas was Amba and Sushmita Sen portrayed Gandhari. The collection was a mix of lehangas, kurtis, suits and saris in chanderi, cotton and tie & dye. "It was delicate and feminine, with a vibrant colour palate comprising strong hues and bright, bold

Luxury car makers target India's small-town boom

Bhopal: Car manufacturers are setting their eyes on smaller Indian cities and towns as markets boom for their products, particularly sale of luxury vehicles. And one such city is the Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal where an Auto Expo is going on. At least 14 major manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, BMW, Jaguar, Renault, and Mahindra and Mahindra, are participating in the four-day trade fair. The car manufacturers say markets like Bhopal are booming like never before. Industry experts say the preferred choice of the affluent and young are helping the market grow. "Our target to begin with is to sell 20 cars, but if the current trend is anything to follow, we will exceed expectations (in 2012)," said BMW Sales Consultant Nilesh Tiwari.BMW plans to have its very own service centre in Madhya Pradesh by the end of the next quarter. Jaguar Land Rover is in the process of selecting a dealer in the state. "Preliminary research indicated that customers from Madhya Pradesh purchase their luxury vehicles from other states. We are looking to fill this gap by creating a niche for our two brands, Jaguar and Land Rover," said Sales Manager Sameer Ahsan. On display at the fair is a Jagaur that costs a cool Rs.96 lakh on road. The Land Rover, whose price tag begins at Rs.41 Lakh, has already sold a couple of its models in the state, with a booking order for another dozen before the launch of its showroom in Indore. An all-time favourite, Mitsubishi Pajero, is said to be selling more in Bhopal than across the state and even Nagpur."We sell on an average eight Pajeros per month in Bhopal, which ranks higher than sales in Nagpur," S.M. Sheikh, assistant manager, sales, said. "The market for SUVs and Pajeros has picked up significantly," he added. Mitsubishi is gearing up to enter the Bhopal market with its luxury sedan Lancer Evolution X (also known as Evo 10). Cost almost Rs.50 lakh. "I've got a car already, it's a Civic. But I'm looking for something a little bigger, because it's a bit cramped if you go away for the night," said Ramesh Sharma, looking at a brochure of BMW X-series, whose price range starts from Rs.26 lakh.

Manali: "What a nice ski slope," remarked Canadian skier John Lee. Lee and his friends are skiing on the Solang slopes near this picturesque tourist resort and are among the 336 participants gathered here for a four-day Alpine Premier League that began Monday. "It's really not so crowded (like the slopes in Europe), we are here for the first time," remarked Aiden, another skier. According to event organisers, the participants included 12 foreigners from Canada, Switzerland, Finland, Norway and France. The competitions to be held are slalom, giant slalom, snow-board giant slalom, snow-board crosscountry 5-km race for men and women and giant slalom both for junior boys and girls, and men's veteran (40 years and above). The championship is organised by a private firm, Ski Himalayas Ropeway Pvt Ltd, in association with local ski clubs and the state tourism department. The state-run Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports

is providing technical assistance to the event. The Solang slopes have more than three-and-a-half foot snow, Randhir Singh Salhuria, director of mountaineering institute, told. "In the past two days, the slopes piled up around two feet snow. This time the snow is plentiful. It will stay here till end of the next month," he added. Amitabh Sharma, the skiing event organiser, said teams from the Indian Army's High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg, the Indian Air force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and various clubs from Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and the host state will participate in the championship. After a gap of seven years, the Winter Games Federation of India allowed the Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association in 2010 to hold the National Senior Alpine Skiing Championship at Solang. The Solang slopes offer a challenging run to both beginners and advanced skiers and are of international standards, said Salhuria.

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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Humor with Melvin Durai

hy do some people seem to have all the luck in the world while others have no luck whatsoever? Delma Kinney, 51, of Atlanta is one of the lucky ones. He won $1 million in an instant lottery game in 2008, then did it again recently. Yes, two lottery wins in three years! As Kinney told the Atlanta JournalConstitution, he stopped at a convenience store to pick up some cold medicine, decided to buy an instant lottery ticket and won another million bucks. It must be nice: one moment, you have a cold; the next moment, youre blowing your nose on $100 bills. The last time I stopped at a convenience store to buy cold medicine, I thought it was my lucky day too: the doughnuts were on sale. That just goes to show you, of course, that whether you feel lucky or not depends on your expectations. I feel lucky when I wake up in the morning, look out the window and see that no one has stolen our car. I feel lucky when my wife prepares a healthful dinner for us and gives most of the vegetables to the kids. I feel lucky when I switch channels on my TV and dont see a single Kardashian. I feel lucky when my wife exchanges more words with me on any given day than with her Facebook friends.

No lottery wins, but still feeling lucky

and asks, Take it where, Daddy? I feel lucky when I can file my taxes less often than Billy Bob Thornton files for divorce. I feel lucky when I visit the hairdresser and he doesnt cut off more than a small section of my ear. I feel lucky when I can go to the beach and do some reading - all those words on well-

tanned bodies. I feel lucky when its a Friday night, the kids have gone to bed, and my wife whispers into my ear, Do you feel lucky? Yes, honey, I say. I do feel lucky. She smiles, pulls me closer and gives me a kiss. Then she sends me to the convenience store to buy lottery tickets.

I feel lucky when I go for my annual physical and the doctor spends less time examining me than the guy at airport security. I feel lucky when Im standing in line at the grocery store and can catch up on Jennifer Anistons love life. I feel lucky when I watch music videos with my children and the artists are wearing more than just their musical instruments. I feel lucky when I can get a loan to buy a car and the loan officer at the bank doesnt ask me if I can afford gas. I feel lucky when the guy at the pawn shop doesnt ask me whose earrings those are. I feel lucky when everything works in my house: the dishwasher, the washing machine, the Alpha Male Plus pills. I feel lucky when I tell my children to take a bath and at least one of them gets off the couch

Laughter is the Best Medicine

by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Tech Life

Why online dating is not so hot

Chicago: Combing dating websites for that perfect love match can be very frustrating, and a group of US psychology professors released a report on Monday explaining why there is no substitute for meeting face-to-face. "Online dating is a terrific addition for singles to meet. That said, there are two problems," report author Eli Finkel, an associate professor of psychology at Northwestern University, said in an interview. First, poring over seemingly endless lists of profiles of people one does not know, as on Match.com, does not reveal much about them. Second, it "overloads people and they end up shutting down," Finkel said. He compared it to shopping at "supermarkets of love" and said psychological research shows people presented with too many choices tend to make lazy and often poor decisions. The study's authors also questioned the algorithms employed by sites such as eHarmony.com to match people based on their interests or personality - comparing it to having a real estate agent of love. While the algorithm may reduce the number of potential partners from thousands to a few, they have never met and may be as incompatible as two people meeting at random, Finkel said, adding the odds are no better than finding a relationship by strolling into any bar. "Eighty years of relationship science has reliably shown you can't predict whether a relationship succeeds based on information about people who are unaware of each other," he said. The algorithms are proprietary and were not shared with the researchers. "The assumption is they work. We reviewed the literature and feel safe to conclude they do not," he said. He dismissed the dating websites' own studies on their success as unscientific, and said there are as yet no objective, data-driven studies of online dating. The researchers reviewed the literature on online dating and compared it to previous research. Finkel said he and four psychology professors from other schools were enlisted by the Association for Psychological Science to write about the online dating industry, and the report was being published in the organization's journal, Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Perhaps solving what Finkel termed the "original sins" of online dating are mobile dating websites such as Badoo.com and Zoosk.com. The sites offer some information about other members but more importantly allow participants visiting a museum, say, to ask others logged on nearby to meet up. "There's no better way to figure out whether you're compatible with somebody than talking to them over a cup of coffee or a pint of beer," Finkel said.

Astrology
TheSouthAsianTimes.info

29

February 11-17, 2012

Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

Stars Foretell: February 11-17, 2012
Aries: Take advantage of your stars and seek favours from important people. Efficiency will be the key to success, so finish pending correspondence on priority basis. In a business environment, your creative ability will flourish, and you will be able to convey your new ideas in a simple way. Those planning a trip abroad will have a pleasant and a memorable journey. Pleasant news towards the weekend uplifts the spirit of the entire family. Spiritual gains for some provide mental peace and comfort. Taurus: This week you need to be highly cautious while doing business. Watch out for individuals who might think that you could be easily tricked. This week is definitely not good for taking any risky chances, especially with money. Your charisma will no doubt attract lot of attention. Time spent with old friends will leave you with happy memories. Travel will be on your mind, but you need to be extra careful of your belongings. Gemini: Opportunities to make financial gains will develop through connections that you have recently made. You will get inspiration from your large circle of friends and acquaintances. Important message from a distant place, later in the week, will boost your moral and spirits. Your financial position will improve from unexpected gains, but your health however will need extra care, therefore take preventive medicines if necessary. Cancer: You need to stop other activities and finish off pending correspondence that you have neglected recently. Investment connected with arts and antiques will be profitable. A visit to a spiritual person or a holy shrine later in the week will bring mental peace and happiness. Your health will show remarkable improvement, but there would be little activity on the professional front. Avoid people who like to pry into your affairs. Leo: This week you will spend much more than required on your home and entertainment. You'll have a chance to earn extra money through the strength of your personality and wonderful contacts. You will feel that destiny is playing a favorable role in your life and things are moving according to your plans. Travelling will be beneficial and educating. Children may bring in some thrilling news towards the weekend. Virgo: You should disassociate with colleagues who are fond of gossip and spreading rumours. Work should be on your top priority. Your accomplishment will bring you good results in the long run. Dealing with land and property matters will ensure gains. Time spent at home will improve your understanding about the family needs and bring you enormous love and affection. Your income will definitely improve but there will be a rise in expenses as well. Libra: This week you will have tremendous mental pressure trying to cope up with your professional as well as personal responsibilities. Refrain from any actions or statements that will make you regret later in life. Your financial status seems to get better with new opportunities and ventures in the offing. Sportsmen and athletes can look forward to some benefits and fame. Spiritually you will be gaining a lot. Scorpio: Positive thinking will have a good impact upon you, as you integrate more practical methods into your work and decisions. You will be more skillful in handling your clients and negotiations will work to your benefit, but you need to keep your secrets to your self and avoid overspending. Sports and physical fitness programs will be highly beneficial. Those connected with arts will finally be rewarded for their efforts. Sagittarius: Your accomplishments will exceed your expectation if you concentrate on your jobs. Special honor and recognition will come your way if you help your colleagues and coworkers. This is also a very good period for matters relating to the heart, as a casual partnership will turn into more serious commitment. Meddling in the affairs of others should be avoided. Legal problems will cause a state of nervousness and tension. Capricorn: Put your creative ideas to good use. Taking immediate decisions will be crucial for your career and your goals, therefore do not waste your time. Financial front looks bright as gains from speculation are also foreseen. Romantic pleasures are assured as spouse or beloved will be in a loving and caring mood. Cultural activities will be entertaining. Journey would yield returns. Some good news expected during the end of the week. Aquarius: This week simplicity will be one of your greatest strengths and your determination will become your greatest asset. A close friend or colleague will help you complete pending jobs on time. Opportunity to meet new lovers will evolve through your involvement in functions and ceremonies. It would be wise to do a safety check on water taps, door and electrical equipment, before going on a vacation. Unexpected guest makes surprise, but pleasant visit later in the week. Pisces: This week you will gain approval from seniors if you present your ideas well. Refrain from arguments and avoid being too outspoken and critical about others. Property related investment will be highly beneficial. Lectures and seminars that you attend will be highly interesting and educating. Financial losses are likely if you get involved in new ventures or risky investments. Get involved in creative hobbies in order to relax.

Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

February: 11 Your Ruling Influences : No. 2 and the Moon. You are also dominated by Mercury Your Traits : Hard working by nature, you are also sincere and honest to your work. You will not compromise on sincerely or honesty. You Should Guard Against : The tendency to be selfish at times since it would make you unpopular among your friends. Fretting over trivial matters, which only disturbs the peace of mind of yourself and those around you. Profession and Finances :Any job, undertaken by you will be done to perfection, in the year ahead of you. This will bring you fame and recognition. You will be able to make the right decisions in important matters. Those of you in the writing field will reach newer heights of success, in the year ahead of you. Significant months : March, June, December February: 12 Your Ruling Influences : No. 3 and the planet Jupiter Your Traits : You are firm in your words and deeds. An introvert by nature, you do not exhibit your feelings easily. In fact, you try to maintain a distance from those who talk too much. You Should Guard Against : The tendency to lose your cool over trivial things and finding fault with others.. Profession and Finances: Financially, it will be a good year for you. And will find you leading a luxurious life. Domestic Front :Those of you, who are to be married this year, can expect to achieve success and happiness in your married life. Significant months : January, April and August February: 13 Your Ruling Influences : No. 4 and the planet Uranus. You are also governed by Mercury Your Traits : Your ambitious nature, coupled with your good luck, will take you to newer heights of success, in the year ahead of you Profession and Finances : Money matters will be of no worry to you. Financially, this would be a good year for most of you. You will overcome obstacles in professional life very easily. You will not allow any trivial matters to upset you or come in your way of success. Your strong memory will also be an asset for you. You will be able to impress your seniors with your determination and a sharp memory. You will be moving in an intellectual crowd, in the year ahead of you. This will help you both in your professional career, and also allow you to enjoy a good social life Significant months : July, September and November February: 14 Your Ruling Influences : No. 5 and the planet Mercury Your Traits : You are cooperative by nature and will go all out to maintain peace and harmony at work, as well as the domestic front. Since you do not like to annoy anyone, and are always adjusting to others demands, you have a lot of friends around you. You are a reserved by nature and tend to keep your emotions to yourself. This will be an added asset to you You Should Guard Against : Temptation to play for high stakes in gambling Profession and Finances: Your keen power of observation and your sharp mind will bring success to you in your business pursuits, in the year ahead of you Domestic Front : Those of you, who are single, can expect to find their life partner, in the year ahead of you. Also, marriage will bring you happiness as well as prosperity Significant months : January, May and September February: 15 Your Ruling Influences : No. 6 and the planet Venus. You are also dominated by the planet Mercury Your Traits : You are born with intelligence and communication skills. Most of you do well as lawyers, because you have the ability to put forward your arguments You Should Guard Against Taking hasty decisions Profession and Finances : Honour, prestige and dignity, will be all yours, in the year ahead of you. You will enjoy your work and go to the depth of any project that you undertake. You will be drawn towards research and studies, in the coming year. Domestic Front : You are assured of happiness and peace. You will have well wishers and family around you and they will be ever ready to help you, when and if the need arises Significant months : June, October and December February: 16 Your Ruling Influences : No. 7 and the planet Neptune. You are also governed by the planet Mercury Your Traits : You are humble and modest by nature and do not like to exert your authority. But, at the same time, you do not like people interfering in your personal life. You like to be left alone and enjoy privacy. Your love for reading and your search for knowledge will be your assets, in the coming year. Your sharp power of observation will allow you to notice minute happenings around you, and make the best of these. Your humble and modest nature will draw the attention of your friends, who will flock to you for advice and help You Should Guard Against : Tendency to be restless at times and, in the bargain, taking hasty decisionsleading to avoidable unpleasantness Domestic Front : Your children will do you proud Significant months : July, September and November February: 17 Your Ruling Influences : No. 8 and the planet Saturn. You are also dominated by the planet Mercury Your Traits : You are ambitious by nature and will always aim to reach the top. You will not accept traditional customs and conventions, and keep away from those who have orthodox views in life. Although a believer of religion, you will not follow the beaten track. Your pleasing personality and your deep knowledge of various issues, will make you the centre of attraction at social gatherings. But you will be cold towards sentiments and emotions of others. You are not led away by tears or emotions Profession and Finances : You desire to achieve the best and nothing but the best, for yourself in life. Your creative ideas and hard work will bring success to you, in your professional front, in the year ahead of you. You can expect to see plans and projects, being fulfilled to perfection Significant months : February, June and September

Before you consult...

i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date, Time and Place of birth is accurate. ii) Careful: Did you check background of the astrologer before disclosing your secrets. iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, dont feel shy. Its his business. iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the outcome is not as desired, never give up. v) Consult: Take second opinion before spending thousands on cure/remedies.

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Spiritual Awareness TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 11-17, 2012

Master shares everyones pain

Part two of Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharajs keynote address at the 26th International Human Unity Conference held in Mexico City, Mexico, in November 2008.
her smile. Finally, one young man came from a humble family. When he came before her, she liked his kind face, his humility, and his simple clothes. He asked her if he could sing for her and she agreed. He then sang a song with the most beautiful voice she had ever heard. The voice was enchanting and lifted her spirits. She smiled for the first time. The princess asked her father, the king, if she could have the young man stay for dinner. During the feast, the young man asked her to marry him. The princess said, "You have a beautiful voice, but the sweetest sound I ever heard was the singing birds. If you can sing like the birds, I will marry you." So the young man set off to stay among the birds and learn the secrets of their song. He tried and tried for four months, but could not quite sing like them. He became discouraged and was about to give up. Tears fell from his eyes as he thought his chances of marrying the princess were were enchanted by its sound. The young man returned to play the wind instrument for the princess. The sound was so enchanting that it lifted her spirits high. Her soul was lifted high into an inner realm from where she could see that all the people who had been suffering and dying in this world were alive and joyous in the land beyond. The sound had made her soul soar within to see that this life was temporary. Even though people have a physical end in this life, she saw that their soul lived on in beautiful realms beyond this world. This knowledge that the suffering of this world is temporary and that we live beyond this life made her smile and filled her with joy. This tale holds the secret to overcoming violence and suffering. The princess represents the soul that is living in ignorance and fear. It believes that this world is its true home. It thinks that its true existence is the body and fears the end of the physical body. The young man is the saint body and the emotional and physical struggles that come with serious or terminal illness and our ultimate end of life. We wonder how we can find calm and joy when faced with these great challenges of life. Personal challenges face us at the level of our body, our mind, and our soul. Saints and Masters have been coming to this world to show us a way of living in which we can find calm and joyphysically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. No matter how comfortable we can make the physical body and how comfortable we can make our mind, we cannot find peace until we attain comfort of the soul. Within each of us there is a deep-seated fear that cannot be soothed by physical and mental comfort. In the back of our mind, there is always the lingering fear that one day we will die. Each time this thought surfaces, we feel fear within our soul. As long as we experience that fear we cannot find peace of the soul. ing to us that this life is not the end of our existence. Masters of Sant Mat or Science of Spirituality feel compassion for the suffering humanity. They see people living in fear due to ignorance of the immortality of the soul that awaits each in the Beyond. In this connection, there is a verse by the great saint and mystic poet, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, which says: In this world, each is consumed with his own afflictions, Only Darshan shares the sorrows of his fellow man. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj is expressing the heart of a spiritual Master. Most people are in turmoil due to their own sorrows. A Master is one who shares these sorrows of all humanity, but they do more than just share in everyones pain. Masters want to solve that pain. They do so by putting people in touch with a heavenly current of Light and Sound within so each soul can enter inner spiritual realms and find God. Masters teach a method of meditation on inner Light and Sound that brings peace to the soul by putting us in touch with the enchanting Music of God and the divine Light of God to help us soar into spiritual realms beyond and reunite our soul with God. The main purpose of meditation on the inner Light and Sound is to help people go within themselves to find inner spiritual regions. Its purpose is to give each person firsthand proof that there is a Beyond, that we are soul, and we will live beyond the demise of our body. Its goal is to give a firsthand experience of the Beyond to each person. It is a nondenominational technique that has been practiced by people of all religions and faiths, cultures, and backgrounds, as a science. One need not convert to any special religion to learn and practice it. It is open to one and all, and has been offered as a free gift by the spiritual Masters who have come throughout the ages. It is up to us whether we wish to merely read about the realms Beyond, or experience them. To be continued... Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is an internationally recognized spiritual leader and Master of Jyoti Meditation who affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions and mystic traditions, emphasizing ethical living and meditation as building blocks for achieving inner and outer peace. www.sos.org.

By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

f we live in a world used to violence, how can we learn to be nonviolent? There is a beautiful tale from Latin America that gives us clues on how to attain peace, nonviolence, and happiness. Thousands of years ago, there was a Mayan king who had a daughter. His daughter was a princess who had everything in life. She was beautiful and had all the wealth of her fathers kingdom. Having everything that any person would dream of, she was still not happy. As she looked around her, she saw that although she had everything in life, all the other people in the kingdom were suffering. Whenever she made friends with anyone they would tell her about this person who was sick in the family and that person who had died. She would see people and even animals suffering and dying and it made her sad. She, too, became haunted by the fear that she, too, could also become sick and could die. The king did not understand why his daughter was so sad. He tried many ways to cheer her up. He bought her the most beautiful diamond, gold, and silver jewelry to cheer her up. He had expensive clothes made for her. He had entertainers come to try to make her laugh. But nothing could make her smile. He thought maybe she was unhappy because she had not yet found a husband. Being of marriageable age, he ordered all the available young men of the kingdom to try for her hand in marriage. The king announced, "The one who can make my daughter happy can marry her." The king wanted to see which one would make his daughter happy enough to be a fit husband for her. One by one, each young man came to show his strength, his intelligence, his good looks, or his wealth. None of them could make

No matter how comfortable we can make the physical body and how comfortable we can make our mind, we cannot find peace until we attain comfort of the soul.
fading. The tears attracted the heart of the spirit of the forest. The spirit asked him why he was crying. He told him that he wanted to learn to sing like the birds so he could keep the princess happy. The spirit of the forest said, "Here is the secret to singing like the birds and making not only the princess happy, but everyone happy." He then instructed him to take a branch from a tree, cut out the inside to make it hollow, and make holes on one of the sides. He told him to blow into one end and place his fingers over the different holes in different combinations of movements so that different sweet sounds would come out. The young man did, and beautiful sounds came out of this piece of wood. He had made the first wind instrument, like a flute or oboe. When the young man played the instrument, all the birds and animals were attracted to him. They or Master who comes to make the soul happy. The Master knows the secrets of life and the enchanting Sound that can lift the soul above the violence, pain, and sorrow of this world to experience immortality and eternal happiness in the Beyond. The wind instrument represents the current of Light and Sound that comes from beyond to lift us from this world of pain and violence to experience nonviolence, peace, and love in the spiritual realms beyond. There we find regions of love, joy, and happiness, free from all pain. One of the greatest threats to our peace and happiness is fear. We may fear financial problems, relationship problems, and emotional problems. Yet, the greatest fears people face are fear of illness, fear of death, and fear of the unknown, such as what happens to us after this life ends. We are afraid of the deterioration of our We worry about when we are going to die, what happens to us at the time of death, and where we will go after death? Scriptures tell us that we have a soul that does not die, but we wonder whether it is actually true. In this scientific age, we have doubt unless we can see for ourselves the truths we read in the various scriptures. Greater than comfort of the body and mind is the comfort we gain from having peace within the soul. This can only come when we get some experience that proves to us that there is something beyond this world, and that there is no death. Masters and saints come with a technique that provides a way to experience that proof for ourselves. When we have proof that there is something beyond this world, our fear subsides. Since death causes us the greatest fear, saints give us a way to conquer fear of death by prov-