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Spiritual Awareness 30

NEW YORK EDITION
Vol.5 No. 3 May 5-11, 2012 60 Cents
85% Indian Americans want Obama again Assam ferry tragedy: toll 270 India, Page 13

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First Jain Diksha ceremony in U.S

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New book spotlights Indian moteliers Interview, Page 20

Religion, Page 15

Released documents show Osama stayed fixated on hitting US

India concludes Shoorveer war games near Pak border
H a n u m a n g a r h (Rajasthan): The Indian Army carried out battle drills in synergy with the Air Force to finetune war fighting concepts as Army Chief General V K Singh witnessed the final stages of war exercise 'Shoorveer' in the desert area here on May 3. Singh and other senior Army and Air Force officers witnessed the mechanized predominant battle maneuvers in which T-90 tanks, infantry combat vehicles, long range artillery gun, air defense weapon system,

Obama's campaign to spend $780,000 on 'anti-India ad'

Osama bin Laden Washington, DC: In letters from his last hideout, Osama bin Laden fretted about dysfunction in his terrorist network and crumbling trust from Muslims he wished to incite against their governments and the West. A selection of documents seized in last year's raid on bin Laden's Pakistan house was posted online Thursday by the US Army's anti-terror arm. They reveal that until the end, bin Laden remained focused on attacking Americans and coming up with plots, however improbable, to kill US leaders. He wished especially to target airplanes carrying Gen. David Petraeus and even President Obama, reasoning that an assassination would elevate an "utterly unprepared'' Vice President Joe Biden into the presidency and plunge the US into crisis. In effect, documents show dark days for al-Qaida and its hunkered-down leader after years of attacks by the US and what bin Laden saw as bumbling within his own organization and its terrorist allies. "I plan to release a statement that we are starting a new phase to correct (the mistakes) we made,'' bin Laden wrote in 2010. "In doing so, we shall reclaim, God willing, the trust of a large segment of those who lost their trust in the jihadis.''. But a US analysts' assessment describes him as upset over the inability of spinoff terrorist groups to win public support for their cause, their unsuccessful media campaigns and poorly planned plots that, in bin Laden's view, killed too many innocent Muslims.

A view from the gunner's cockpit of an Mi-35 attack helicopter during the Shoorveer military exercise in Rajasthan near India-Pak border on May 3 electronic warfare system and surveillance equipment carried out battle drills. Continued on page 4

The ad is to run in battleground states of Virginia, Ohio and Iowa

Massive money laundering lapses alleged at HSBC in US
New York: From 2005, HSBC’s US unit violated the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering laws on a massive scale. The London based bank did so by not adequately reviewing hundreds of billions of dollars in transactions for any that might have links to drug trafficking, terrorist financing and other criminal activity. This is alleged in confidential documents reviewed by Reuters that originate from investigations of HSBC's US operations by two US attorneys' offices. In 2003, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and New York state bank regulators cracked the whip on HSBC Bank USA, ordering it to police itself better for suspicious money flows. But, prosecutors allege that HSBC created an operation that was a "systemically flawed sham paper-product designed solely to make it appear that the Bank has complied" with the Bank Secrecy Act and is able to detect money laundering, wrote William J. Ihlenfeld II, US Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, in a draft of a 2010 letter addressed to Justice Department officials. The allegations laid out in the Ihlenfeld letter and other documents couldn't be confirmed. It is possible that subsequent inquiries have led investigators to alter their views of what went on inside HSBC's compliance operation. Continued on page 4

Washington, DC: In a new ad, the Obama campaign has accused presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney of outsourcing jobs to India when he was the Massachusetts Governor. "What about Mitt Romney? As a corporate CEO, he shipped American jobs to places like Mexico and China. As governor, he outsourced state jobs to a call center in India. He's still pushing tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas," said the ad which will run in the key states of Virginia, Ohio and Iowa at a cost of about $780,000. "It's just what you'd expect from a guy who had a Swiss Bank account," says the advertisement approved by President Barack Obama seeking his reelection this November. The Indian IT software and services companies get about 60 per cent of their revenue from the US market, as American firms outsource their back office jobs to India and other countries to cut cost.

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May 5-11, 2012

Mangano to open AW Mobile’s 24th store in Bethpage
By Vikas Girdhar Hicksville, NY: AW Mobile, the exclusive dealer of T-Mobile in New York since 2003, is set to cut the ribbon in celebration of its Bethpage stote grand-opening on May 6. Jerry Kohli, founder and chief of AW Mobile since 1996, is proud to welcome Nassau County Executive and Bethpage resident Ed Mangano at the ceremony. The Bethpage store will be Kohli’s 24th, with the opening of another store in Queens set to follow. AW Mobile, headquartered in Hicksville and employing about 100 people, boasts several honors and awards from T-Mobile. Speaking to the SATimes, Kohli expressed his enthusiasm for the May 6 event.

Pakistan condemns Quran burning in US
Islamabad: Pakistan has condemned the April 28 burning of copies of the Quran by US pastor Terry Jones in Florida. "Pakistan strongly condemns the burning of the holy Quran by Pastor Terry Jones, head of the Dove world Qutreach Center in Florida recently," Xinhua quoted the foreign ministry as saying Wednesday. "We feel that such senseless acts would only inspire hatred and violence in the world," a statement said. The ministry statement said it was the collective responsibility of all governments and institutions to work closely on promoting harmony, peace and unity among people of all faiths. Jones burned the Quran to protest the imprisonment in Iran of 32-year-old Christian pastor

The Bethpage store of AW Mobile. “This is very exciting news and Bethpage is a great town,” said Kohli. “County Executive Mangano is coming specially to inaugurate our store in his hometown. [That speaks of] AW Mobile as a fast-growing company.” Kohli went on to say that the TMobile-ATT merger that fell through last year was good. “Business is better now,” he said. “People didn’t have the confidence before but now we’ve had a lot of people come back for TMobile as their exclusive provider. We at AW Mobile are dedicated to customer service.”

Pastor Terry Jones burned the Quran to protest the imprisonment in Iran of Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Youcef Nadarkhani. Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 and was sentenced to death in connection with his conversion. His death sentence was overturned by the Iranian Supreme Court in February. The Pentagon has asked Jones to refrain from burning the Quran out of concern for the safety of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Melodious ‘East Meets West’ at Indian Consulate
New York: The Consul General of India and Mrs. Chandini Dayal, in association with Salon de Virtuosi and Citibank NRI Business, organized a concert “East Meets West” on April 24 at the Consulate Ball Room. The first part of the concert, representing the West, featured the Amphion String Quartet (ASQ) artistes of prominence – Katie Hyun and David Southorn on Violin, Wei-Yang Lin on Viola and Mihai Marica on Cello. Their performance drew instant applause from the audience for the vigour and immaculate coordination. The East was represented by Anirban Dasgupta on Sarod, with Dibyarka Chatterjee on Tabla, who mesmerized and enthralled the audience with their melodious Hindustani Ragas. The concert came to an end

Indian govt. pension scheme for Indians abroad
Kochi: The Indian government is promoting a new Pension and Life Insurance Fund (PILF) scheme to provide financial security to poor Indians working abroad. Indian embassies have been told to help those wanting to subscribe to PILF, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said here while launching the pilot scheme Tuesday. NRI organizations have been urged to promote the scheme. PILF is for Indian workers aged between 18 and 50 who have a work permit or employment contract and whose passports carry the 'Emigration Clearance Required' stamp. The worker has to pay Rs.5,000 to become a member. The government will contribute Rs.2,000. If the person is a domestic help, the amount would be Rs. 3,000. "The pension will commence after age 60. This is a life insurance scheme. It will help people save for old age and save for resettlement," said Ravi. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who spoke at the launch, said most of the poor working abroad generally returned minus savings. There were 2.28 million people from Kerala working abroad in 2011, according to the Centre for Development Studies in New Delhi. Nearly 40 percent of Kerala's diaspora lives in the UAE and 25 percent in Saudi Arabia.

Anirban Dasgupta on Sarod with Dibyarka Chatterjee on Tabla.

The Amphion String Quartet’s Katie Hyun and David Southorn on Violin, Wei-Yang Lin on Viola and Mihai Marica on Cello.

with a scintillating performance of Kathak dance by Brinda Anonya Guha, who has been learning dance from Kalamandir of NJ Dance School under the guidance of her mother Malabika Guha. Her performance invigorated the atmosphere and delighted the entire audience.

Some prominent members of the Indian community of Long Island organized a Meet and Greet for Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano on May 2 at Antun’s, Hicksville. Contributors for the evening included Dr Jagga Rao Alliri, Dr Bhavani Srinivsan, and Kawaljit Chandi. Organisers included Bina Sabapathy, Aruna Saxena and Prasad Kambhampaty. Besides Hon. Mangano who addressed the gathering, Nassau County’s Department of Social Services Commissioner Dr. John E. Imhof attended the dinner event.

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May 5-11, 2012

Clinton, Yunus honor Hult Global Case Challenge winners
New York: Three groups of business students were awarded a combined $1 million to implement their social business plans meant to impact the world’s poorest. This year ’s Hult Global Case Challenge on April 26, hosted by the Hult International Muhammad Yunus with the winning team from Business School NYU Abu Dhabi that included students from India and Pakistan. (Hult IBS)had cases submitted by over Ashkar, is hoping to usher in a new 350 of the world’s business schools world where “social entrepreneurin 3 categories: education, housing ship” is an outdated term. and energy. The respective winners More and more students are were Carnegie Mellon, The Hult expecting to make a positive IBS (Boston campus), and NYU impact on the world with their Abu Dhabi. The solutions dealt MBA, says the Hult’s president, with replacing kerosene lamps with Stephen Hodges. solar lamps, streamlining laptop The challenge seems to have deployment and further democra- struck a nerve, says Philip Hult, the tizing how Habitat for Humanity business school’s chairman. “It’s builds houses. Attending the 3rd the positive side of Occupy Wall annual Hult challenge were Street,” he says. “Occupy has a President Bill Clinton and Nobel legitimate complaint, but what can Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. we do about it? The challenge The challenge’s founder, Ahmad offers solutions.” India concludes war game story Continued from page 1 Fighter aircraft of the IAF, including Sukhoi-30 and Jaguars along with attack helicopters Mi-25, Mi-17, Unmanned Air Vehicles also participated in the exercise which was based on the integrated theater battle concept. The Army Chief also witnessed major innovations carried out by formations of Sapta Shakti Command (South Western Command) to enhance combat potential and appreciated the efforts and dedication of the formation. During the exercise which began on March 1, the Army and the IAF tested new battle fighting concepts and doctrines with real time

Kutcher's Bollywoodskewering ad pulled

New York: The new Popchips ad which showed brown faced Ashton Kutcher sending up a Bollywood producer, was briefly yanked Wednesday following a public uproar over its alleged racist overtones, putting the snack's manufacturer on the defensive. In the ad, Kutcher plays a number of characters looking for love on a dating service. Popchips apologized, saying the ad “was never intended to stereotype or offend anyone.”

Washington: “The sexual Secret diaries of an warmth is definitely Australian woman there — but the rest who was one of of it has sharp edges young Barack and I’m finding it all Obama’s girlunsettling and findfriends, show the ing myself wanting warmth and trust of to withdraw from it the future president all,” Cook wrote. in love, but also The account by hint at his reserve Maraniss shows the and “coolness.” young Obama trying Accounts of the to make sense of the 1980s romance different cultural A young Obama and between Genevieve and racial strands of Genevieve Cook Cook and a 20-somehis life, as the son of thing Obama in New York were a white American woman and a excerpted in Vanity Fair magazine Kenyan father who spent boyhood from a new book called ‘Barack years in Indonesia. He comes across Obama: The Story’ by Pulitzer Prize as cerebral, searching, perhaps prewinning journalist David Maraniss. tentious, brooding but earnest, and as Cook, daughter of an Australian an outsider — traits, in one degree or diplomat, remembered how “on another which another marked his Sundays Obama would lounge lightning rise to the top of US poliaround, drinking coffee and solving tics two decades later. Cook, who the New York Times crossword puz- met Obama at a Christmas Party in zle, bare-chested, wearing a blue and New York in 1983, had not previouswhite sarong,” Maraniss wrote. ly revealed the diaries. The book also includes accounts The account of their time together, from Cook’s diaries, which show while Obama was in his formative how the romance grew and then years working in New York, shows cooled when the couple moved in the couple poring through books together, according to the excerpts. together — or cooking.

Obama’s ex-girlfriend reveals intimate secrets

pictures of the battle zone provided to a centralized command and control center from fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and attack helicopters, waging war in network centric environment and massed tank drills backed by long range artillery guns. More than 300 combat vehicles including main battle tank T-90, T-72, long range 150mm artillery guns, multi barrel rockets and about 60000 troops have taken part in this massive exercise in Rajasthan. Integrated air-land war-fighting machinery and the synergy between Army and IAF was the major highlight of the exercise, said Defense Spokesperson S D Goswami.

Money laundering story Continued from page 1 As they are, the documents reviewed by Reuters, combined with regulatory filings, court documents and interviews with current and former HSBC employees, paint a damning portrait of a bank allegedly unable, and unwilling, to police itself or its clients. The revelations come as HSBC confronts multiple investigations into its internal policing abilities. The Justice Department, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Manhattan district attorney, the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Consultant - Media Alliances Bhrigu Pankaj Prashar C: 516.303.4002 [email protected]

Investigations are scrutinizing client activities such as cross-border movements of bulk cash, and transactions linked to Iran and other parties under US economic sanctions, the bank said in a February regulatory filing. A successful case against HSBC could result in an onerous fine and represent one of the most significant money laundering cases ever brought against an international bank. It also would draw unaccustomed attention to the challenges governments -- and financial institutions -- face in monitoring the trillions of dollars flowing through banks' back-office operations, flows essential to the daily functioning of the global financial system. 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 [email protected] [email protected] Advertisements [email protected] P : 516.390.7847 F : 516.465.1343

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

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May 5-11, 2012

Public service messages by young adults to target bias, bullying

Dharun Ravi seeks webcam spy case dismissal
New York: Lawyers of Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers state university student found guilty of bias crimes for spying with a webcam on his roommate having an intimate encounter with another man have sought dismissal of his conviction and a new trial. In 32-page motion filed Tuesday before a New Jersey state Superior Court, the lawyers asked that the invasion of privacy counts should be overturned. Among the reasons were that the state failed to show Ravi knew he wasn't permitted to view his webcam when he did - a key element of the count, attorneys Steven Altman and Philip Nettl argued. "On the contrary, all reasonable inferences suggest that he thought he was entitled to view his own room," the lawyers wrote. They also said prosecutors had not proven Ravi attempted to view his own webcam on Sep 21. Altman and Nettl challenged the bias intimidation convictions - where the jury concluded in some cases that Ravi had purposely and knowingly intimidated his roommate Tyler Clementi, while in others that Clementi believed he was being targeted because he was gay. Specifically, the attorneys said there was no evidence shown that Ravi's actions were intended to threaten Clementi. They also said Ravi was not biased toward Clementi because of his sexual orientation and that Clementi had not feared Ravi. If the request is denied and Ravi is sentenced to prison, his lawyers are seeking bail for Ravi as he appeals the verdict.Ravi is expected to be sentenced May 21 after being found guilty of each of the 15 counts leveled against him, including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation - a hate crime. He faces up to 10 years in prison and could also be deported to his native India based on the conviction.

Nanubhai Education Foundation raises a record $55,000 at annual gala
NYC Human Rights Commission and The LAMP showcased the PSAs
New York : NYC Human Rights Commissioner/Chair Patricia L. Gatling and The LAMP (learning about multimedia project) CoFounder/Executive Director DC Vito showcased three Public Service Announcements (PSAs) produced by young adults. The event took place at the Queens Public Library in Flushing. The PSAs, created from a youth perspective, focus on discrimination, cyber bullying and the NYC Human Rights Law, one of the strongest civil rights laws in the nation. This youth video project taught the teenagers about the media’s influence in shaping perceptions and provided them with a vehicle to express themselves about issues relevant to their lives such as bias, stereotypes, cyberbullying, and other forms of discrimination. The PSAs will reach a large, diverse audience with a strong antidiscrimination message via the internet, local cable stations, social networking and the hundreds of Commission presentations in classrooms and community settings that occur each year. Joining Commissioner Gatling and Mr. Vito was Reenbow Media President Renee Lobo who is also one of a group of Mayoral appointed Human Rights Commissioners serving in a non-salaried position. The students (listed below), who also doubled as actors in the PSAs, range in age from 13 to 17. Logan Blascovich, Issa Carbonell, Kuwar Raj Chopra, Yuvraj Chopra, Divya Dayal, Ansh Jain, Anubhav Jain, Nimisha Jain, Abieraamy Jeganathan, Kabilan Jeganathan, Sophia Jing,Hemant Jagadhesh Kumar and Amanda Pathmanathan. Funding assistance for the videos was provided by: the State Bank of India, Innovative Operations Solutions, GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin), H and R Realty, and the Law Firm of Ravi Batra. Vornado Realty Trust donated the meeting space. Food donors include: Heritage of India Restaurant, Haveli Restaurant, Harish Thakkar, and Renee Lobo. New York, NY: The Nanubhai Education Foundation hosted their Fourth Annual Gala on Friday, April 27th at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for Contemporary Art in New York City with over 400 guests and notable celebrities. Spokesman for Nanubhai Education Foundation, 90210 actor Manish Dayal, along with Heroes Actor Sendhil Ramamurthy, Nurse Jackie actor Arjun Gupta, actors Samrat Chakrabarti, Pooja Kumar, Sheetal Sheth, Ami Sheth, Manu Narayan, CNBC reporter Seema Mody, celebrity photographer and star of Bravo TV’s Double Exposure Indrani, former Canadian Cricket Team Captain Ashish Bagai and Philanthropist Karen Koeningsberg attended in support of raising funds for the progress of education in rural India. "Nanubhai’s 4th Annual Gala was a definite success. We exceeded our goals and all funds raised will be put directly to our mission of reforming rural education in India. I would like to personally thank all the awesome people who attended the event and look forward to many more successful years,” says spokesman

Host of celebrities at the gala
Manish Dayal. The gala event which raised a record high of $55,000 from ticket sales, a live auction and raffle prizes is the primary source to fund the Foundation’s fellowship program that partners experienced American educators with rural Indian high schools to mentor and inspire local teachers to become excellent educators. “Thanks to the hard work of our Nanubhai team and our generous supporters, our 4th annual gala was a tremendous success! Over 400 guests helped celebrate our accomplishments and more importantly paved the way towards greater impact on the lives of students in India,” says Mr. Raj Shah, Founder and President of the Nanubhai Education Foundation. The annual gala was produced by NEF team members Anita Patel of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and Sameepa Doshi of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Entertainment was provided by DJ Insomnia, AATMA Performing Arts and Singer Jeffrey Iqbal.

AIF New York Spring Awards Gala to showcase Clinton Fellowship
New York : At its upcoming Annual Spring Awards Gala, the American India Foundation (AIF) will celebrate its success as one of the leading Indian diaspora philanthropies by honoring Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director & CEO of ICICI Bank, from India and John B. Veihmeyer, Chairman and CEO of KPMG LLP from the United States. These internationally renowned business leaders will be honored for their continued corporate and philanthropic leadership and their outstanding efforts in supporting solutions for persistent social issues the world over. The Gala, to take place on Thursday, May 10th 2012 at the Sheraton New York, will be chaired by Frits Van Paaschen, CEO of Starwood Hotels; Sribala Subramanian and Arvind Raghunathan, CEO of Roc Capital Management LP. This incredible evening will feature the talents of Mathew Furman, World Renowned Magician to the Stars, and the live auction will be led by Sandhya Jain Patel, Specialist on Indian and Southeast Asian Art at Christie’s. Seema Mody, CNBC Reporter/Anchor, will act as Mistress of Ceremonies. As a special highlight, visionary high fashion designer Soigne Kothari and AIF will present a fashion show featuring exclusive items from Soigne K’s exquisite collection. This year’s Spring Awards Gala will showcase AIF’s William J. Clinton’s Fellowship for Service in India, which aims to create a community of socially engaged, global citizens who represent the leaders of tomorrow.

Dr. Narendra Hadpawat, an eminent cardiologist and community leader in Long Island with Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi during his recent visit to India.

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May 5-11, 2012

Pakistani bomb-maker scoured New York for targets
New York: A Pakistani bombmaker, who was involved in a foiled 2009 plot against New York city's subways, has revealed how he and an Al Qaeda handler in Pakistan considered everything from the subway to movie theatres as targets. "We started the conversation on such targets as Walmart, the New York Stock Exchange, Times Square, subways, movie theatres, I believe buses were mentioned too," Najibullah Zazi said in court Tuesday at the trial of an alleged coconspirator, Adis Medunjanin. Zazi, an immigrant from Pakistan and the third man in the group, Zerein Ahmedzay, an immigrant from Afghanistan, have already pleaded guilty. Medunjanin, a Bosnian immigrant who travelled with the two friends to Pakistan where they allegedly sought terrorist training, is among those accused of devising the scheme. Zazi testified Tuesday that Medunjanin had provided him with audio recordings of terrorist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki promoting jihad. He testified that he wanted to enlist in the Taliban "before they win and America leaves, I should go and be a part of it". "My understanding was they wanted me to carry out a martyrdom operation," Zazi testified. The three initially resisted, he said. "We talked amongst ourselves, looked at each other and said no," he said, only to later begin their planning. Prosecutors allege Medunjanin and the two others eventually hatched a plan to rig backpacks with explosives and blow them up on New York subway stations. Angry at the presence of US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, the three went to Pakistan's tribal belt "the centre of Al Qaeda activity against the United States" - to join the terrorist group, according to prosecutors. Once there, they said, the men were given "special treatment" and "private training by Al Qaeda" because of their coveted status as US citizens. A year after the foiled 2009 plot against New York city's subways, another bombing attempt took place in 2010. Pakistan-born American Faisal Shahzad has pleaded guilty to trying to detonate a car bomb in New

Najibullah Zazi in 2009 York's Times Square May 1 while working with the Taliban in Pakistan. He has been sentenced to life in prison. Shahzad admitted he drove a Nissan Pathfinder into the crowded Manhattan intersection laden with improvised explosives. He fled when they failed to go off and was arrested May 3 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after boarding a flight to Dubai.

IN BRIEF

Bhavan celebrates 30 years with a dance recital

Queens to provide Bengali, Hindi and Punjabi language help in polls
fter the United States Census Bureau required Queens County to provide language assistance to Indian voters in "Asian Indian" under the Voting Rights Act last fall, the New York City Board of Elections has now selected the specific languages for which various levels of assistance will be provided as Bengali, Hindi, and Punjabi. "Now that Bengali, Hindi, and Punjabi have been chosen, many more South Asian voters will be able to engage in the political process," said Chi-Ser Tran, Voting Rights Coordinator at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF). AALDEF has been actively involved in assisting the Board of Elections in choosing the specific Indian languages that would benefit the greatest number of voters in Queens County's growing South Asian population. AALDEF submitted recommendations to the Board of Elections after extensively consulting with South Asian community organizations in Queens, linguistic experts, and Census population data. AALDEF furthermore incorporated its own exit poll data on Asian American voters collected over its decades of monitoring local and national elections. The New York City Board of Elections announced this month that it will designate Bengali and Hindi as the languages for oral assistance, and, to the extent possible, will recruit Hindi interpreters who also speak Punjabi, and provide signs. In addition, the Board has adopted Bengali as the language for written assistance. The Board of Elections aims to begin providing assistance in time for the

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dance recital was organized in honor of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s completion of thirty years of service to the community – both Indian and non-Indian. Bhavan USA, through its various cultural and educational endeavors as well as through its numerous publications and periodicals, has created a strong impact on the community and is sought out by individuals and community organizations for guidance in promotion of Indian culture, education and the arts. The Bharatanatyam recital ‘Bhakti Nrityam’ by Smt. Padmini Radhakrishnan of Soundarya Natya Kalalaya (Mumbai) was jointly organized by the Bhavan and Shri Vari Foundation. The evening started with Dr. Rashmi Mehta and Bharatanatyam guru Gayatri Devi welcoming Smt. Padmini Radhakrishnan. Dr. Navin Mehta presented a plaque to Smt. Radhakrish-

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Performers at Bhavan’s celebration received a standing ovation
nan. The recital started with prayers to Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva, and Pushpanjali, invoking the blessings of the Lord, the guru and the audience. Nritya (dance), sangeet (music) and bhakti (devotion) created ecstasy. Combination of different ragas like Revathi, Yaman Kalyan, and Durbari Kaanada depicted Indian philosophy immersed in devotion and love.

next primaries on June 26. "Our goal has been to assist the Board of Elections in providing language assistance that will have the greatest impact, and to ensure that the assistance will be provided as soon as possible during this important election year," said Glenn D. Magpantay, Director of the Democracy Program at AALDEF. AALDEF will now focus on making sure that local election officials fully comply with the law. In the past, poll sites have mistranslated ballots by listing Democrats as Republicans and vice versa, or by incorrectly assigning interpreters. Vigorous enforcement of the language assistance will be required.

Meet for seniors on June 1

Embassy Residence welcomes CPHS

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ational Indo-American Association for Senior Citizens Inc. (NIAASC) in collaboration with The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center will hold 23rd conference on Seniors on June 1, 2012 from 10 am to 3 pm at the Marina Fair Grounds, Flushing, near LaGuardia airport. The conference will focus on topic 'Aging in place' and the subtopics for panel discussion will be: De-cluttering; minor and major modifications to make home elder friendly; costs involved; health and security including identity theft. The speaker will be Edward O'Connor, chairman, Long Island Chapter of National Aging in Place Council. Registration fees is $20.00 per person and includes breakfast and lunch.

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n April 30, 2012, Ambassador Anupama Rao opened the doors of the Embassy Residence to welcome members of the Cleveland Park Historical Society (CPHS). Around seventy members of CPHS gathered on the lawns of the Embassy Residence to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Cleveland Park Historic District that has the Residence listed as one of its grand estates. (The Residence, also known as “The Homestead”, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987). Ambassador informed that the building, originally built in 1914 and then renovated in the 1930s by the Schoellkopf family, was acquired by the Government of India as the Embassy Residence in 1945.

The Czech photographer Jiri Makovec has combined 58 of his favorite shots taken while living in New York into a collection, “From the Island.” This one of a Sikh Day Parade was published in The New York Times.

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May 5-11, 2012

Vikram Singh appointed to key Pentagon post
Washington, DC: Indian American Vikram J. Singh has been appointed to a key Pentagon position to take care of South and Southeast Asia, it was announced here. Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced the Department of Defense Senior Executive Service appointments and reassignments. Singh was appointed to the Senior Executive Service and was assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy). He previously served as special assistant, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy).

Vikram J Singh

Sikh group's mobile app to combat racial profiling
Washington, DC: The Sikh Coalition has launched FlyRights, an innovative mobile application that allows users to report instances of airport profiling in real time. Reports filed through the FlyRights app will be considered official, actionable complaints by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the group said. "FlyRights creates a novel marriage between technology and civil rights activism. It is the first and only mobile application created to combat racial profiling at airports," the coalition said. The application became available for download April 30 in the Apple App Store and the Android market. Asking its supporters to download FlyRights on their phones and start filing reports of unfair treatment at airports, the group said: "Policy will not change unless you make your voice heard." "This application is easy to use and will ensure that your voice will officially be heard by the TSA and DHS," it added.

Washington, DC: India's Ambassador Nirupama Rao has asked American students to be alert to the "stifling effects" of protectionism as it is retrogressive and hinders economic growth and development in the age of globalization. "Borders between nations are becoming increasingly porous and in time they will be increasingly irrelevant, as people are allowed to move freely to transact trade and commerce and to travel without hindrance," Rao said delivering the commencement address at University of Florida, Gainesville, Friday. "Protectionism in such a situation becomes a hindrance to economic growth and development because it seeks to cap the flow of people, of goods and services, of ideas and technologies. It builds walls and is thus retrogressive," Rao said. "We must be alert to its stifling effects," she said, noting: "Globalization integrates the world today in many ways. But it has also unleashed its discontents." Asking the students to use their education to "make the world a better place", she hoped they would become the "builders of an even better and high yielding partnership between our two democracies, India and the United States." "Just as we see many Indian students coming to study in universities in this coun-

Avoid protectionism, Indian envoy tells US

Ambassador Nirupama Rao delivering Commencement Address at University of Florida, Gainesville on April 27, 2012. try, I hope I see many more young Americans drawn to India and the study of India in a serious and comprehensive way," Rao said. More than 1,100 Indian students are currently enrolled at the University of Florida. "Through its linkages and partnership with several Indian academic institutions, the university is performing yeoman service in the promotion of greater understanding between the Indian and American peoples," Rao said. Recently, a University of Florida-led research team has been selected to participate in a five-year, $125 million project on the development of clean energy technologies involving research institutions, universities and industry from India and the US, she noted.

Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs join hands for first-ever White House conference
Washington, DC: On April 20, 2012, Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) along with The White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Agencies and the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships hosted a historic conference, Community Building in the 21st Century with Strengthened Dharmic Faith-Based Institutions for the Dharmic (defined as ,Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh) Religious Leaders. HASC partnered with many organizations, including the Council of Hindu Temples, Federation of Jain Associations of North America, Soka Gakkai International-USA Buddhist Association and others to create a coalition that can deliver collaborative solutions and services to benefit the communities around us while promoting better understanding of our beliefs, cultures and values. In his opening remarks, Paul Monteiro, Associate Director, White House Office of Public Engagement observed that the Dharmic-American community is interested in all the same issues that everyone is interested in - healthcare, security, education, etc. "In America, our collective faith infrastructures (temples, ashrams, and meditation and yoga studios) are in early stages of development. The Dharmic Americans, mostly post 1964 immigrants, are just becoming part of the mosaic of the pluralistic landscape of America. ...As we see it, in America, the seva movement is a tool for social justice, a way to deal with community issues. The eastern Dharmic traditions share many commonalities and have infrastructure gaps. We are trying to understand how can we engage with each other collectively, what are our issues? How can more of us engage with the administration?" said Anju Bhargava of HASC, lead organizer of the event. An event ‘Celebrating Padma Desai & Her New Book: "Breaking Out: An Indian Woman's American Journey"’ was held at Pulitzer World Room, Columbia Journalism School, New York, NY on Tuesday, April 24, 2012. The event was hosted by Jagdish & Anu Bhagwati and Sree Sreenivasan & Roopa Unnikrishnan. After a lifetime of scholarly work demystifying Russia, India and America for the world, legendary Columbia professor Padma Desai has finally turned the lens on her own story. Her memoirs have just been published by Penguin Books India.

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National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

Hindi-Urdu teachers resolve to unite under one umbrella
By Ashok Ojha/SATimes Madison, WI: Hungry for a place to raise their voice, South Asian language teachers, majority of whom teach Hindi or Urdu and are employed at Ivy League and other major universities in the US, recently agreed to activate their organization known as South Asian Language Teachers Association (SALTA) at a conference in Madison, Wisconsin. More than a dozen Hindi and Urdu language teachers, who assembled at the annual conference of National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, discussed ways to improve their teaching techniques and related issues. The conference ended in the Annual General Body meeting of SALTA, raising hopes for a strong forum capable of raising their voice on various academic and tenure issues. Papers ranging from how to teach a culturally correct Hindi, to using traditional folk and mythological stories, to dangers of right wing movements for claiming Hindi and Urdu on religious lines, were presented at the three day conference held with a grant from the parent orphrases used by native speakers in India. Kamran pointed out the marginalization of Urdu in its birthplace, India, and that Pakistan’s adoption of Urdu as national language harmed its wider acceptance. “Hindi and Urdu can’t be compartmentalized”, commented Gyanam Mahajan, from University of California at LA. Calling what he teaches Hind-Urdu, Mahajan said she has been able to enroll more students in her classes by modifying her courses to include essential ingredients of both languages. “We can’t promote Hindi if we try to separate it from Urdu. Both languages are culturally and linguistically related closely”, she pointed out. Mahajan also refrains from teaching outmoded customs of Indian society in US classrooms. “Why should I teach my students that the Indian wife always waits on her husband at dinner and why should I teach the male superiority in my class when I know that these things are obstacles in the progress of the society”, she said. Sai Bhatwadekar of University of Hawaii teaches Hindi courses built on themes from Bollywood films. Her students mimic funny scenes from popular movies such as ‘Sholay’ and reenact them in modern context. “This is my way of preparing students to think critically about the target culture and acquire language by comparing with today’s life”, said Sai, who learned Urdu in USA that she now teaches. Premlata Vishwanath form Duke University demonstrated how mythological stories can be used to teach Hindi. She advised teachers to take advantage of vast resources of traditional stories including that of Akbar and Birbal and mythological characters like Hanumaan to make Hindi learning interesting for US students. Babu Suthar of University of Pennsylvania questioned the wisdom of teaching traditions which were fragmented in innumerable ways. “How can you teach American students to greet in Hindi or Gujarati when our greeting methods are so varied and often lead to misunderstanding and even violent conflict among social and religious groups”, he asked. ----Ashok Ojha, is a member of SALTA

South Asian Hindi-Urdu teachers assembled in Madison, WI where they reorganized themselves under one forum. In the foreground on right is SALTA’s president Gautami Shah of University of Texas. (Photo by Ashok Ojha). ganization, NCLCTL. SALTA meeting. Agreeing to continGautami Shah, who teaches Hindi ue as SALTA’s president, Gautami at University of Texas at Austin and Shah promised to work for developserved at several Ivy League univer- ing the organization into a potent sities, represented SALTA on the movement for promotion of teaching board of NCLCTL. “It is a matter of South Asian languages. pride for us that Gautami represents Three visiting Hindi scholars from our voice at the national level. We India also presented their papers. support her and want her to continue Fulbright scholar Nishpriha from as SALTA president for another Surat and Kamran from Aligarh preterm”, said Seema Khurana of Yale sented refreshing ideas about includUniversity, moving a motion at the ing Hindi proverbs and common

IN BRIEF

California author Kalra promotes Yoga, releases book

'Won't run as Romney's vice presidential candidate'
fter Nikki Haley, the second IndianAmerican Governor Bobby Jindal has said he won't be running for US Vice presidency as a running mate of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Jindal has just been elected to a second term as Governor of Louisiana and said he isn't interested in running as Mitt Romney's vice presidential candidate. But, he said he would put in all efforts behind the Romney campaign to get him elected. "I've got the job that I want," said Jindal, noting that he is just beginning to tackle retirement reform in his state and has other

“

Yoga Beyond Asana,” by You will learn about Action/KarSatya Kalra, made its debut ma Yoga, Love/Bhakti Yoga, Janna/Knowledge Yoga, and eight on March 1, 2012 at the International Yoga Festival on the steps of Raja Yoga, meditation and Samadhi. banks of Ganga at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh (India). Kalra is a The colorfully designed with ilCalifornia-based author and lustrations pocket book helps you to raise your level of consciousfounder of Path to Anandam, a non-profit organization. Path to ness, overcome old, self-defeating Anandam is the road that takes behaviors and limiting beliefs, atCover of “Yoga one to the hidden treasure of eter- Beyond Asana…” tain good health and peace of mind, reach your unlimited energy nal happiness and peace by unshackling from all emotional attachments and and potential, and find the beautiful person negativities through a spiritual journey of self- within. “I earnestly hope that this Anandam transformation. guide helps you as much it has helped me to “Yoga Beyond Asana….” is based upon the understand the ultimate meaning and purpose teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali's of the Yoga and also practicing in daily life,” Yoga Sutra and Satya’s personal experiences. says Kalra.

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goals to accomplish. Though opting to stay out of the race, Jindal, a Republican, made a sharp attack on President Barack Obama, charging him with leading America toward a European socialist-type government. He warned that America's energy sector would see "continued hostility" if President Barack Obama is re-elected. "You already see it in the first term," Jindal said. Jindal said that the Obama administration has brought America high unemployment and high deficits, and "you've got a president who is leading us toward a European socialist-type government."

Maryland governor celebrates Vaisakhi

Indian American wins White House scribes journalism award
ndian American journalist "I landed the first interview with Manu Raju was among the the Wisconsin student who White House Correspondents streaked the field in the nude - the journalism award winners for 2012 moment after Ron Dayne broke honored at the association's tradithe all-time NCAA rushing record tional annual dinner with President before a crowd of some 80,000 Barack Obama. screaming fans at Camp Randall Raju, 32, along with colleagues Stadium," Raju wrote in an email. Manu Raju Glenn Thrush, Carrie Budoff "Conveniently, the streaker is Brown and John Bresnahan at Politco, an in- one of my buddies, so he granted me the first fluential Washington news site focusing on interview just as he became a campus legend." presidential politics, was named the winner of After graduating, Raju briefly worked in the Merriman Smith Award for Excellence in broadcasting at the NBC affiliate in Madison, Presidential Coverage under pressure in the Wisconsin, on the assignment desk. print category. Judges called their report on He has been a reporter in Washington for 10 the deal to raise the debt ceiling "a compre- years, and wrote for The Hill, Congressional hensive, inside look at how the deal was made Quarterly and Inside Washington Publishers - and almost fell apart." before joining Politico. Raju and his wife, Raju's first big scoop came in 1999 when a Archana, live in upper Northwest Washingstreaker dashed across the University of Wis- ton. A Chicago-area native, Raju is "a dieconsin's football stadium, Politico said. hard" Cubs, Bears and Bulls fan.

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aryland state governor Martin O'Malley, who last November led the largest state trade delegation to India, opened his house to celebrate Vaisakhi to recognize the Sikh community's growing influence in the state. Over 150 Indian and Sikh community leaders gathered at O'Malley's residence for the celebrations Monday in Annapolis, capital of the state that bounds Washington on three sides. This governor, who had opened his house to the Sikh community for the second time, issued a proclamation to mark the holiday and announced the formation of a new commission of South East Asia headed by Jasdip "Jesse" Singh. Dr. Rajan Natarajan, who has been appointed as Maryland's deputy

secretary of state, external affairs, was also present. "Vaisakhi is not only a Sikh or Punjabi holiday but now it has become an American holiday," said Maryland state delegate Aruna Miller.Asking the Indian community to be involved in the political system, Maryland delegate Sam Arora thanked the governor for making Maryland the sister state to Indian States like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab. Noting that O'Malley is the first governor to start Vaisakhi celebration at his residence, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown said: "This certainly reminds us of our goal to have One Maryland recognizing its own diversity." Sikh community leaders presented a 'dhal' with two 'kirpans' as a memento to O'Malley along with a book about Sikh religion.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

9

May 5-11, 2012

Numbers of Muslims, Mormons rising sharply in U.S.: report
Washington, DC: The number of Muslim adherents rose to 2.6 million in 2010 from 1 million in 2000, fueled by immigration and conversions, said Dale Jones, a researcher who worked on the study by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. "Christians are the largest group in every state, but some of the things we found interesting was the growth of the Mormons, who reported the largest numerical gain in 26 states," said Jones, who presented the report to a conference in Chicago. The number of Mormons, whose Utah-based church's formal name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, grew by 45 percent to 6.1 million in 2010, according to the census, which asked 236 religions to count their own adherents. Family members of adherents were generally included in the numbers. Roughly 55 percent of Americans attend services with enough regularity to be counted, according to the data. By comparison, most surveys estimate roughly 85 percent of Americans profess religious faith, though they may not attend services. Some 158 million Americans were classified as "unclaimed" by any religion in the survey. Among major religions, the census found the number of Catholics, the largest single faith, declined 5 percent to 58.9 million during the decade. "Catholics had the largest numeric decline," including big losses in Maine where a priest abuse scandal came to light, Jones said. In the New England region, Catholic funerals are outnumbering baptisms, he added. Among the other largest U.S. faiths, adherents to the Southern Baptist Convention held steady at 19.9 million over the decade, the United Methodist Church lost 4 percent to 9.9 million adherents, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lost 18 percent to 4.2 million, and the Episcopal Church lost 15 percent of its adherents to 1.95 million. Evangelical protestant congregations continued to grow, though slowly, to 50 million adherents. Most of the growth, surprisingly, was in urban areas and the vast

American Muslims grew in number over the past decade, outnumbering Jews for the first time in most of the Midwest and part of the South majority of expanding congregations have fewer than 100 members and are not large mega churches, Jones said. Jones said Buddhists made strong gains in the Rocky Mountain states, where the number of temples and congregations increased markedly. The total number of Buddhist adherents in the United States was nearly 1 million. There was no estimate in 2000. "Based on some of the temple names, I think some of the upscale yuppie types are looking for something different than the church they grew up in," Jones said.

85% Indian-Americans want Indian-Americans caught in $450 mn Medicare fraud second term for Obama
Washington, DC: A new survey, results of which were released on Tuesday, showed that 85% IndianAmericans had a favorable impression of President Obama. And 56% of them thought poorly of Romney. Asked who they would vote for if elections were held today — Indian Americans were totally for Obama over Romney (76 to 8%), over Santorum (72-8) or any other Republican candidate. Of the Asian-American communities surveyed, Indian-Americans were the most pro-Democrats and most anti-Republicans. Asian-Americans are the fastest growing ethnic community in the US, according to the 2010 census, grown by 46% since 2000. They are expected to be 9% of the population by 2050. Chinese (4 million), Korean, Filipino, Japanese and Vietnamese are other nationalities that, with Indians (3.23 million), comprise the growing community. The survey — the first of Asian Americans yet — was conducted by Lake Research Partners, a DCbased political consultancy firm, with APIA Vote, Asian American Institute and Asian American Justice Center. An Indian-American running for US House of Representative from a district in Texas said he wasn’t in the least bit surprised by
Washington, DC: Several Indian-Americans are among 107 people charged in Medicare fraud schemes involving $450 million in false billings uncovered in an operation across seven cities in the largest US bust in recent history. Top US law enforcement officials announced the charges were filed in seven metropolitan areas, capping an investigation of several months into efforts to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs for senior citizens. At least 91 of the defendants in the case have been taken into custody following an early morning roundup and the execution of 20 search warrants, the officials said. In Miami, 59 people were charged. Seven defendants were charged in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, nine were charged in Houston, eight were charged in Los Angeles, 22 were charged in Detroit, one was charged in Chicago and one in

President Obama scores over Mitt Romney for Indian-Americans the findings of the survey. “Most Indian-Americans would identify themselves as Democrats, though a few, who have made a lot of money, might become Republicans,” he said, not wanting to be identified. Difficult to explain, therefore, the two Indian American governors in the US — Nikky Haley and Bobby Jindal — are both from the Republican Party. But Lal Motwani, president of the National Federation of IndianAmerican Federations, pointed to the large number of Indian-Americans in the Obama administration. USAID chief Rajiv Shah is the highest ranking Indian-American in the Obama administration. Aneesh Chopra was Obama’s IT czar till he left earlier in the year. It’s Indian-Americans again who said Obama has done an excellent/good job as president — 66% — when the larger AsianAmerican community was split 49-49. And the Democrats could do no wrong: they were better than Republicans on health care, creating jobs, foreign policy, national security, taxes and immigration. Everything. Asian-Americans are politically important but they are not courted either by Democrats or Republicans, barring a few noticeable exceptions. “Presidential candidates and political parties ignore Asian-American voters at their own peril,” said pollster Celinda Lake. The Obama administration, to its credit, hasn’t. It reaches out to this community on the Obama-Biden homepage seeking to engage it, and perhaps, get it to write a few checks. Indian Americans, for instance, have donated generously to the Obama campaign, with a few heavy-hitters raising upwards of $500,000. There aren’t many of them among Romney donors.

Tampa. At least four Indian Americans figured among those charged in Detroit. While Sachin Sharma, 36, and Dana Sharma, 29, of Michigan and two others were charged for their roles in a $23 million scheme to defraud Medicare, Madhur Thawani, 27 and Ankit Patel, 27, also of Michigan and three others were charged in another $13.8 million scheme to defraud Medicare. Those arrested include nurses, therapists, social workers and a pharmacist. Charges against ambulance companies for billing to cover unnecessary rides represented a new wrinkle in fraud enforcement, officials said. FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce told a press conference here to announce the charges that the FBI is currently investigating more than 2,600 cases of health care fraud. In 2011, the FBI charged more than 1,600 individuals, and helped secure more than 700 convictions, he said.

Indian industry meets US Congressmen and Senators
Washington, DC: On 25 April, 2012, the CIIIndia Business Forum and the Embassy of India partnered to organize an event at the U.S. Capitol Hill at which top representatives of Indian companies in the United States met with U.S. Congressmen. It was a star-studded event attended by over twenty Members of Congress including US Senators Mr. John Cornyn; Mr. Mark Warner; Ms. Jeanne Shaheen; Mr. Michael Bennet; Mr. Robert Menendez; Mr. John Boozman; and US House RepresentativesMr. Ed Royce; Mr. Steve Chabot; Mr. Silvestre Reyes; Mr. Ted Deutch; Mr. Leonard Lance; Mr. Alan Nunnelee; Mr. Tim Griffin; Mr. Bill Pascrell; Mr. Hansen Clarke; Mr. Michael Turner; Mr. Rush Holt; Mr. Jim Costa; Ms. Jean Schmidt; Ms. Sheila Jackson Lee; and Ms. Jan Schakowsky, who also spoke at the function. In addition, senior officials of the US Administration, members of the US and Indian media and senior staffers from the US House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate also attended the interaction. The Members of the US Congress were unanimous in their support for a strong India-U.S. Strategic Partnership, in particular on issues of global concern including counterterrorism and security, and the rapidly growing bilateral trade and investment linkages. They highly appreciated the role of the Indian companies and Indian investments in the United States. They also recognized the opportunities that India’s growth offered for the U.S. businesses. Senator John Cornyn called it a “special relationship” and said that “Strategic Partnership is one of the greatest achievement” for our two countries. He also supported discussions on Bilateral Investment Treaty. Senator Warner called India – U.S. ties as “the most defining relationship of the 21st century”. He said that the relationship was now maturing and it was time to convert friendship into partnerships. Senator Bennet said that he wanted “nothing more than a close relationship” between the two countries. He supported open immigration for movement of professionals between the two countries. Senator Menendez emphasized the importance of India – U.S. economic relationship. He said that it was a “twoway street with partnerships in innovation and entrepreneurships benefiting the people on the ground”. He also favored a liberal visa regime for highly skilled applicants. “India as a democracy stands with the United States on international issues, including those relating to security that goes beyond trade and economic issues”, said Senator Menendez. Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee praised India’s important role and partnership with the U.S. on international security and stability.

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National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

‘Homdoor’ bringing authentic Indian flavor to your backyard
By Vikas Girdhar he name Ron Levy will probably not ring a bell for anyone, no matter how interested in Indian cuisine. But he has shaped the way you view and consume some of the most integral parts of Indian cuisine at its finest. That’s because the product Levy developed can be found in Indian restaurants of every US state and overseas too—and now in any backyard as well. Homdoor, pronounced “home-door”, is the tandoor oven designed specifically for home use and available for purchase through the Levy’s own brand, established in 2010. While Homdoor came about recently, Levy began the art of perfecting the tandoor’s shape and optimizing its performance three decades ago. In 1980 while living in New York, Levy sold his first tandoors to restaurants. Since then, he has sold over 3,000, designing them himself using the same elements he learned as a ceramic artist—but incorporated one simple formula. Each tandoor oven had to be a large pot with a tapered mouth and

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without any bottom or glaze. Homdoor epitomizes the concept of all tandoors: vertical barbequing. It creates intense heat (700850 degrees F) that quickly sears food, while keeping it moist, tender and infused with the flavors of the grill and marinades. It is a healthy, low-fat cooking method for meats, poultry, seafood, and the naan, which is slapped on the inside wall and baked in 90 seconds. It’s also the perfect grill for vegetarians, offering a variety of ways to easily prepare meatless dishes. The Homdoor is available in a charcoal, propane or gas version. Homdoor is not even limited to Indian food. “Though most associate the tandoor with Indian food, the Homdoor is also uniquely suited to American-style barbecue – steaks, chicken, hot dogs, even corn on the cob,” says Levy. “It’s uncomplicated, fast, tasty, exotic, and with just a little attention, almost foolproof. Plus it’s plain fun.” Homdoor, available in a charcoal, propane or gas version, has been received well by restaurant owners and chefs for its simplicity

Designed by Ron Levy (left) and made in Ohio, Homdoor is a tandoor meant for home use and ability to offer tastes rivaling the richest reputations from back in the motherland. "I’ve been using Ron Levy's restaurant grade tandoors for catering, fairs and special events,” said Manoj Bhatti, owner of Imlee, the No. 1 rated Indian restaurant in Miami, Florida. His tandoors cook naan to perfection and tandoori items such as shrimp, vegetables and fish come out of the tandoor moist, succulent and delicious. Recently, I used the Homdoor and it cooks with the same perfection as his commercial tandoors. The Homdoor is perfect for family meals and social gatherings up to 40 people." Made in Ohio, USA, Homdoor is distinguished from other home tandoors because it has been pre-fired to 2,000 degrees F making the clay strong and durable. It is more sanitary and the insulation is cast and bonded on to the tandoor, giving it structural strength. It is placed inside a stainless steel jacket on 10 inch wheels. Beth Kaminstein, head of Homdoor Marketing and Sales, told the SATimes, “You can do almost anything in Homdoor that you can do in a regular barbeque. Vertical barbequing is really a healthy way to cook and a key thing is having a way to cook the bread. Indian food is exciting to the American public now. People are genuinely interested in the cuisine, more so than 30 years ago. For the second generation Indian Americans, there’s a certain nostalgia. The Indian community, for sure, is ready for it.” While the authentic carryingover of native flavors from India was once overlooked immediately upon mention, Homdoor has made possible the experience of that same, rich tandoori taste—anywhere.

US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info

11

May 5-11 2012

Romney’s ‘Swiss bank account’ draws fire from Obamaa
Washington: President Obama's re-election campaign on Tuesday unveiled a new TV ad, set to run in the battleground states of Virginia, Ohio and Iowa, accusing Mitt Romney of sending jobs overseas. "It's just what you'd expect from a guy who had a Swiss bank account," the narrator says, as the screen flashes a photograph of Romney and the news headline "Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income." The 30-second ad continues an Obama campaign strategy of picking what seem to be personal fights with the former Massachusetts governor. Shortly after the video's release, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt piled on, tweeting: "There are only 2 reasons to have a Swiss bank account: hedging against the dollar or avoiding paying fair share in taxes." (Not included: "being Swiss.") The ad also takes aim at Romney's core message: that his business success makes him better qualified to pump up the fragile economy and create jobs. "As a corporate CEO, he shipped American jobs to places like Mexico and China," the narrator says. "As governor, he outsourced state jobs to a call center in India." The ad condemns conservative super PAC ads assailing Obama for backing loans to green-energy firms that failed or shipped jobs overseas, pointing to findings by independent fact-checking organizations that those criticisms are misleading.

Obama signs cooperation pact with Afghanistan

President Obama with his counterpart Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan Kabul: President Barack Obama signed a cooperation agreement with Afghanistan as he paid an unannounced visit to the war-torn country Tuesday on the first anniversary of the killing of Al Qaeda's ex-chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. "Afghanistan has a friend and a partner in the United States," said Obama before he and Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement outlining cooperation between their countries once the US-led international force withdraws in 2014, CNN reported. Obama, on his third trip to Afghanistan since taking office, also addressed troops at Bagram Air Field. During he signing ceremony, he said neither country asked for the war which began over a decade earlier, but now they would work in partnership for a peaceful future. Talking about the concern in Afghanistan that the US would abandon the country once its troops leave, Obama said, "With this agreement, I am confident that the Afghan people will understand that the United States will stand by them." The US "did not come here to claim resources or to claim territory, he said, adding "We came here with a very clear mission to destroy Al Qaeda." At present, there are over 90,000 US troops in Afghanistan and the US is expected to draw down that number to 65,000 by the end of 2012 and to less than 20,000 by the end of 2014.

Occupy's May Day brings arrests, violence
Washington: Thousands of Occupy Wall Street activists took part in May Day demonstrations across the country Tuesday, as organizers looked to recapture the national attention that has largely deserted the movement in recent months. For the most part, the events were much smaller than many of those that took place last year when the anti-Wall Street protests were in full swing. Still, a full slate of activities led to many of the same outcomes as then, including arrests, tear gas and general mayhem, albeit on a smaller scale. The Seattle Times reports that about 75 blackclad anarchists smashed windows and set off sound bombs in Seattle, and also set a small fire at the U.S. Court of Appeals there. Eight arrests were made. In Oakland, police used tear gas and flashbang smoke against protesters after they say some in the crowd began throwing objects at officers, the Associated Press reports. At least 25 arrests were made there. Reuters reports an estimated crowd in the thousands gathered at New York City's Union Square for an afternoon rally with labor organizers. Police say they arrested roughly 40 protesters for various violations.

"Freedom Tower" has become New York's tallest building

Osama dead but not terrorism, say US experts
Washington: Terrorism was not dead and Pakistan remains its hotbed, said American analysts amid a political row over the alleged politicization of the dramatic raid that killed Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden a year ago. While President Barack Obama and his Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney traded barbs Monday over his handling of the first anniversary of the May 2 raid on bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan, analysts also highlighted the terrorist group's growth in North Africa and the Middle East. Rejecting criticism that he was politicizing the anniversary, Obama referred to a difference between what Romney said about going after bin Laden during his 2008 presidential campaign as opposed to now. Asked about Romney's comments earlier in the day that the decision to go after bin Laden was a clear one and that "even Jimmy Carter would" have made the call, he said at the White House: "I assume that people meant what they said when they said it." "That's been at least my practice. I said that I'd go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did. If there are others who said one thing and now suggest they'd do something else, I'd go ahead and let them explain." Romney's spokesperson, Andrea Saul, responded in a statement that Obama was using the anniversary of bin Laden's death as "a cheap political ploy" that she said distorted Romney's policies on fighting terrorism. Meanwhile, Richard N. Haass, president, Council on Foreign Relations said the killing of Osama bin Laden constitutes a significant victory over global terrorism, but any celebration needs to be tempered by two reali-

Obama and Romney traded barbs over the President’s handling of the 1st anniversary of Osama killing. ties. First, terrorism is a decentralized phenomenon - in its funding, planning, and execution. Second, Pakistan, home of some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world, is decidedly less than a full partner in the war against terror, he said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer now at the Brookings Institution, agreed that bin Laden's death "was a setback to Al Qaeda, but the Islamic terror organization remains a potent threat around the world". It's on the defensive, but it's far from defeated, he added. Another former CIA official, Reuel Marc Gerecht, now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, said, "I don't think his death fundamentally affects the future of jihadist groups in Pakistan and

New York: Freedom Tower, or One World Trade Center, overtook the Empire State Building, after a steel column was lifted into place on the 100th floor. Work on the building began in April 2006 and when it's finished it will have 104 floors. When an antenna is added as the finishing touch, it will be

the tallest building in the US. The tower stands on the site where terrorist attacks destroyed the World Trade Center's twin towers on 11 September 2001. One construction worker told a BBC reporter "It's a beautiful thing that we're up there but it's a horrible reason to have to put it up."

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India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

'Pranab or Ansari set to be Indian President'
tain the damage from the "unilateral" declaration to oppose any Congress candidate and party chief Nitin Gadkari announced that he would soon call a meeting of the NDA to hash out a common posture, the opposition appears to have lost the initiative to Congress. For one, there were doubts that Gadkari's fence mending endeavor would appease the anger of JD(U) which on Tuesday had reacted angrily to Sushma Swaraj's statement virtually declaring that it would now act independently of the BJP. JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said that the party would prefer widest possible consensus on the next President: a position contrary to the "no Congress nominee, please" that Swaraj articulated. The reaction from JD(U)'s powerhouse of Bihar was even strident, with indications suggesting that CM Nitish Kumar could very well tilt towards Ansari even if BJP sticks to its position not to support a Congress candidate.

Patil took up to 11 relatives on 18 trips in a year!
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil traveling to Seychelles and South Africa with two grandchildren is hardly an exception. RTI records show that Patil has been accompanied by at least three to as many as 11 family members in 14 domestic trips and four foreign trips in the space of a year. Between January 2009 and September 2010, Patil was accompanied on state visits by her husband Devisingh Shekhawat, son Rajendrasingh Shekhawat, daughter-in-law Manjari Shekhawat, daughter Jyoti Rathore, son-in-law Jayesh Rathore, grandchildren Surabhi Shekhawat, Prithvisingh Shekhawat, Dhruvesh Rathore, Divya Rathore besides other relatives and friends who were treated as presidential guests. Details of travel accessed by activist S C Agrawal through RTI show that the President travelled to West Bengal (Kolkata) and Odisha (Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri) between December 6-10, 2009 accompanied by her husband and

The BJP-led opposition may not be able to put up a credible fight in the polls to determine who should replace Pratibha Patil New Delhi: A Congress nominee, either finance minister Pranab Mukherjee or Vice-President Hamid Ansari, seems set to be elected President, with all indications suggesting that the BJP-led opposition may not be able to put up a credible fight in the polls to determine who should replace Pratibha Patil. Although BJP scrambled to con-

The disclosure came when the government tried to downplay the controversy by saying family members accompanying the President was a "normal diplomatic practice" relatives D S Rathore, Mrs D S UK, Cyprus and China between Rathore and A G Patil, This was April 2009 and May 2010, the followed by a trip to Mumbai, President was accompanied by at Lakshadweep (Agatti, Kavaratti, least two relatives including her Bangaram Islands) and Kerala grandchildren on each trip. (Kochi) between December 23-28, Incidentally, the disclosure came 2009 where she was accompanied on a day when the government by 10 relatives including her chil- tried to downplay the controversy dren, their spouses and grandchil- by saying family members accomdren. In her travel to countries like panying the President was a "norPoland, Spain, Russia, Tajikistan, mal diplomatic practice".

Baba Ramdev remark angers MPs
New Delhi: As Ramdev stoked a controversy calling MPs "dacoits and murderers", RJD chief Lalu Prasad termed these as the utterings of a frustrated man while Congress member Jagdambika Pal and Samajwadi Party legislator Shailendra Kumar said they will move a breach of privilege motion against the yoga guru in the Lok Sabha. "Baba Ramdev is frustrated. Whosoever speaks like this, is frustrated. He is a mental case," Lalu Prasad said. Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, SP leader Shailendra Kumar demanded action against those making derogatory remarks against MPs. "The dignity of parliament is being lowered at public rallies," he said but did not submit a privilege notice, according to sources. Congress MP Jagdambika Pal also said he had served a breach of privilege notice against Ramdev. P.C. Chacko, who was in the chair, said breach of privilege notices were under consideration of the Speaker. "Please wait for a decision," he said.

Rekha right behind, so Jaya to swap seat?
New Delhi: Actress-MP Jaya Bachchan has sought to change her seating arrangement in the Rajya Sabha after her one-time co-star Rekha was allotted a seat right behind her, an official source said. Bachchan, a Samajwadi Party MP, occupies seat number 91 and the seat allotted to Rekha is 99 - right behind her. Rekha has been newly nominated to the upper house. Bachchan requested for a seat change apparently to avoid proximity to the actress, the source said. However, since the procedure to change one's seat takes long, Bachchan may swap her seat with another member from her party, said the source. Officially, however, Bachchan said she wanted to change her seat because of the demise of party colleague Brij Bhushan Tiwari, as he was sitting next to her. Tiwari died last week shortly after being re-

Baba Ramdev
Ramdev, addressing the media while launching his month-long yatra in Chhattisgarh's Durg area, said, MPs "are those people who don't care, don't love the farmers, the laborers or the people of this country. "They are friends and slaves of money. They are illiterate, dacoits and murderers. They are devils in the form of humans, who we have elected to those posts," Ramdev said. The yoga guru also said there were good people among the parliamentarians and he respected them.

Actress-MP Jaya Bachchan and her one-time co-star Rekha elected to the upper house. Meanwhile, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been allotted seat number 103. Both Rekha and Tendulkar along with industrialist and social worker Anu Aga have been nominated to the upper house by the president.

American 'tastes' democracy at Akhilesh Darshan
Lucknow: For this 25-something US national, the sweltering heat in the state capital was not deterring enough to wait under a harsh sun, 'slug it out' with teeming thousands as she waited for her turn to meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Joy Javer, who has been in Varanasi for seven months, said that she was trying to meet the "young chief minister" to work out a possible joint venture with the state government to improve the lot of rickshaw pullers. She hopes to provide, through a private company, cycle rickshaws and vocational support to rickshaw drivers and cart operators all over India. While she did not manage to meet the 38-year-old Akhilesh Yadav due to the large crowds at the 5, Kalidas Marg official residence of the chief minister, she was not overtly upset. "Well, I can understand he is awfully busy. But am sure my petition would reach him," she said, adding that Lucknow district magistrate Anuraag Yadav had taken her papers and assured her all help. A native of St Antonio, Texas, the young woman said she was awe struck by this concept of "Janta Darshan" and found it "massive" as gatherings in the were "not so big". "This is just mind-boggling," she exclaimed, and said she was happy to witness the faith people had in their leaders in India. "It is indeed heartening but am sure this man has a long way to go," she added, referring to Akhilesh Yadav, who spearheaded the Samajwadi Party to a fascile electoral win in March.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav

India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

13

May 5-11, 2012

Assam ferry mishap: toll feared at 270
Guwahati: Although Assam authorities have put the death toll in the ferry tragedy at 63 but furious locals insisted that not less than 200 perished in the Brahmaputra. Aloke Singh, commander of the 1st battalion of the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF), meanwhile said that fishermen had spotted some bodies in Bangladesh's rivulets. "We are cooperating with the forces along the Indo-Bangla border. We are told some bodies have been spotted there. We are expecting they would hand over them to us soon," he said. A crowded ferry carrying -- by some accounts -- around 300 people capsized at Madattari in lower Assam's Dhubri district when it was hit by a storm. The first reports put the death toll at 270. The NDRF and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have been continuing to search for the missing, amid waning hopes that there could be any more survivors. Amid conflicting claims over the number of dead, the Dhubri district administration said the Monday ferry tragedy killed 63 and that the search operations would continue Thursday as well. Locals said the causality would

From translation screens to ACs, gurdwaras go hi-tech
Chandigarh/Amritsar: The afternoon heat outside bothers none. As the gathering of the devout listens to hymns in air-conditioned comfort, the English translation of the lyrics appears on two screens placed on either side of Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book. The screens are linked to a laptop and a projector. The scene unfolds at an upscale gurdwara in Chandigarh's Sector 8, a place frequented by many - from commoners to VIPs to the superrich in their luxury sedans. Catering to the needs of the 21st century, gurdwaras in Chandigarh and Punjab are changing to include an element of comfort. Laptops, screens, projectors and wireless microphones are also being used in some of the shrines. Even though religious traditions are strictly followed at these gurdwaras, the facilities, which used to be basic just a decade ago, have now turned swank. "Many gurdwaras across Chandigarh are going hi-tech with the purpose of spreading the message of the gurus to a wider population," Sarabjit Singh, a granthi (Sikh priest) at a gurdwara here, said. In Chandigarh, the gurdwaras in Sector 8 and Sector 34, two of the "We have the software that keeps translating everything that the Granthi reads from the holy book and is projected on the screens. Many youths don't know Punjabi," he said. The Sector 34 gurdwara also had the translation system in place until some time ago. "When the system was in place, many students living as paying guests would come and attend the prayers. The number has gone down significantly," Gurdyal Singh, a volunteer at the gurdwara, admitted. The shrine now has an LCD screen installed at the entrance of the main hall which displays a daily message from the holy book. In some gurdwaras, the traditional 'langar' (community kitchen) has also undergone a change. "Earlier, people used to sit down on jute mats on the floor to partake langar. Now, the organizers prefer buffetstyle langar where vegetarian food is served by a caterer like at a wedding or social occasion," gurdwara volunteer Gurpreet Singh said. For the comfort of the elderly and those with knee problems, most gurdwaras have put up chairs and sofas in the main shrine hall.

A crowded ferry (in the picture) carrying around 300 people capsized at Madattari in lower Assam's Dhubri district. not be less than 200 and that most bodies had been washed away downstream due to strong undercurrents. "So far we have recovered 21 bodies and we have 42 missing reports. So the death toll comes to 63 till Wednesday," Dhubri Deputy Commissioner Kumud Kalita said. "There may have been over 300 people in the boat but we cannot say that until we recover the bodies. Our inquiry is still on," he said. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi cut short his Amethi visit to reach the disaster site to express solidarity with the families of the victims. Gandhi was accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and state Congress president Bhubneswar Kalita.

In Chandigarh, the gurdwaras in Sector 8 and Sector 34, two of the biggest ones in the city, have taken the lead by installing ACs for summer and heaters and blowers for the winter.
biggest ones in the city that get the maximum number of devotees, have taken the lead by installing air-conditioners (ACs) for summer and heaters and blowers for the winter. In the Sector 8 gurdwara, a special projector screen shows everything a granthi is reading from the Sikh holy book. With the help of a laptop, the Gurmukhi text is translated into English for people of non-Sikh origin and those who do not understand the language, especially youth. Sikander Singh, the person who translates and projects the text, said: "One of our regular devotees got the idea during a trip abroad where screens were being used to translate the holy book and hymns."

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India TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

'Hillary, Mamata meet significant'
Kolkata: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's proposed meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, coming soon after the latter was named one of the world's most influential people by the prestigious Time magazine, may help in removing the adverse feelings that exist in the state about American policies, say analysts. It may also result in increased American investment. Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, the second largest partner in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) central government, has blocked quite a few economic reform initiatives, especially the FDI in multi-brand retail. In that respect, the Clinton-Banerjee dialogue is of utmost significance. Clinton, who will visit Bangladesh, will stop over in Kolkata next week and the proposed talks with Banerjee are scheduled for May 7. "FDI has to be on the agenda during the meet and with the American economy going through a bad phase, economic reforms carried by India are likely to impact the global economy especially America's," said political analyst Sabyasachi Roychowdhury.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (left), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Economist Bipul Malakar feels increase in potential American This certainly would be good much this city and Eastern India the visit will provide Clinton an investment in the state. opportunity to discuss potential have transformed and what a opportunity to clear certain mis"She (Clinton) is expected to be investment in the state in fields bright future lies ahead," she said conceptions people have about accompanied by a business like information technology or after the meet. America and its policies. entourage. She would not only be biotech where the land requireAt the national level, the strate"To a large extent that too inex- meeting policy makers or politi- ment is comparatively lesser," he gic importance of Cinton's tour plicably, people of the state have cians but also people from the said. was not lost on experts. an adverse feeling towards industry. US Ambassador to India Nancy "Clinton's India visit carries America and its policies. This visit Some pacts or collaborations are J Powell who Monday met strategic importance as it comes surely provides an opportunity to bound to happen," regional direc- Banerjee said she (Powell) was weeks before the US-India Clinton to address the peculiar tor of Indo-American Chamber of looking forward to Clinton's visit. Strategic Dialogue in Washington issue and ally all fears. The visit is Commerce, Madhusree Daityari "I am looking forward to wel- co-chaired by her and External likely to yield not only political said. Roychowdhury agreed. "The coming Secretary of State Hillary Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna as but also economical benefits," he visit may lead to increase in Clinton to Kolkata next week. I also the Barack Obama adminissaid. potential American investment at think this visit will be an opportu- tration is on its way out and facing Some feel the visit may lead to least it can spruce up the stocks. nity for her to see firsthand how elections," Roychowdhury said.

Woman MP cries in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: A tribal woman MP from Gujarat broke down in Lok Sabha alleging rough treatment by state police, triggering an outpouring of solidarity and demand for action from members across party lines. Dahod MP Prabha Kishore Taviad sat quietly as Congress leader Girija Vyas stood up to recount her tale, saying the hurt MP was not in a position to talk. Prabha was stopped by Gujarat police from attending the Gujarat Divas celebrations on Tuesday. Vyas said policemen pulled Prabha by her hair and dragged her before bundling her into a jeep. She was allegedly taken 400 km away and dropped only after she told the police that she had go to Delhi to attend Parliament. "She was treated like a dacoit," Vyas said, adding that the plight concerned a member of a House which had women as the Speaker, the leader of opposition and the chairperson of the ruling alliance. "Will the Draupadi episode be repeated?" she said rhetorically, as Taviad showed bruises on her arms. Vyas said Gujarat government, which was praised all around, behaved like in 2002 when women were ripped open to kill the womb. Leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj called the issue serious and said she would talk to chief minister Narendra Modi and get back to the House. The comment led to protests. MPs were on their feet when parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal proposed that the issue be referred to the privileges committee. RJD chief Lalu Prasad said the incident could not be brushed under the carpet by referring it to the privileges panel. Samajwadi MP Reoti Raman Singh too opposed Bansal's proposal. They were joined by BSP, Trinamool Congress and AIADMK in seeking swift action. Presiding officer P C Chacko said the issue would be decided by Speaker Meira Kumar.

Maoists to release abducted collector
Raipur: A Chhattisgarh government chopper left Raipur for Tarmetla, where Maoist guerillas are expected to release kidnapped Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, state government sources said. The chopper is carrying mediators G. Hargopal and B.D. Sharma, who are scheduled to receive Menon in Tarmetla, around 500 km from Raipur. Menon was expected to be released on Thursday. In a message to media organisations, the rebels said Menon, in their captivity since April 21, would be handed over to Hargopal and Sharma in the presence of a gathering at Tarmetla. Tarmetla in Sukma is where the Maoists had killed 76 paramilitary personnel in April 2010.

Indian's tweet wins him $36,000 MBA seat in US
Mumbai: In the age of Twitter, where 140 characters can earn you millions of followers, a 25year-old Noida-based engineer won something rather more substantial. Rahul Rathi (@Rathirahul86), a technical associate with Tech Mahindra, got himself an MBA seat valued at $36,400 in a US-based college after he participated in an 'International Tweet Competition' organized by the University of Iowa's Tippie School of Management (TSM). The question he had to answer was: "What makes you an exceptional Tippie full-time MBA candidate and future MBA hire?" Rathi's tweet was, "In an age where packaging is as imp as content, I present me in a manner that makes me stand out from the crowd." The link provided was to his The youngster's creativity impressed the panel of judges, which comprised TSM staff and current students. "He chose to keep it simple while communicating his points effectively. We appreciated that," said one judge. Rathi, who applied to over 10 colleges in the last year, is now set to study at TSM this fall. He is the only international winner of the contest, which was announced last year and encouraged the use of links in tweets that could lead the admissions committee to a personal blog, a YouTube video or a webpage they had designed. Interestingly, though applications to the university could also be sent in traditional essay-type formats, 30 per cent of the international candidates applied using the tweet-style format.

Rahul Rathi blog, which had a tetrapack (the 'packaging' referred to in his tweet) on which the 'ingredients' list included leadership, decisionmaking, problem solving and team-playing skills.

Religion TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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May 5-11, 2012

First Jain Diksha ceremony in USA
Badi Diksha of Sadhvi Sanghamitraji (Mangalam) took place in Milpitas, SFO on April 8th
adhvi Sanghamitraji, prior known as Mangalamji is associated with Veerayatn, Bihar, India, since her childhood. At the young age of 6 years, she memorized Bhaktamar, Kalyan Mandir and Tatwartha Sutra and other Jain Stotras. She has been blessed with the opportunity of studying scriptures and ancient languages such as Sanskrit and Prakrit under the divine and scholarly guidance of Param Pujya Gurudev Amar Muniji Maharaj and Acharya Shri Chandanaji Maharaj. She is also blessed with an enchanting melodious voice which has mesmerized and touched the hearts of thousands of

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people around the world. Along with Jain scriptures, she also studied Hindu and Buddhist texts with very good communicating skills in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. Along with her studies, she also held an administrative post at Veerayatan Rajgir for a few years. For the past 17 years, she has been living in the United States where she was married and has a beautiful 12 year old daughter, Ruhani. Even though she was living in the USA for so many years, her heart was with Veerayatan all the while. During her stay in the USA, she continued her religious studies and worked and supported

various volunteer activities of Veerayatan. Mangalam had a long desire to take vows of Jain ascetic (Diksha) and live a complete spiritual life. Jain Diksha (initiation) occurs in two phases. The initial Diksha and within 6 months, the final (Badi) Diksha. Mangalam's initial Diksha took place under Acharya Shri Chandanaji at Veerayatan, Rajgir, Bihar, India on December 20th 2011. During the initiation process she was given a new name Sadhvi Sanghamitra. The Badi Diksha took place at the Jain Center of Northern California, Milpitas (San Francisco) California on April 8, 2012. This was an historic event for

the entire Jain Community of USA and of North America since it was the very first Diksha ceremony in the country and continent. Acharya Shri Chandanaji performed the Badi Diksha ceremony. The Veerayatan principle mission of Seva (help other human beings and animals), Siksha (Educate other human beings), and Sadhana (along with Seva, and Siksha continue your spiritual progress) is very conducive to uplift the morality and spirituality of children born and raised in North America. In the past many of Jain youth have worked voluntarily at Veerayatan hospital and Kutch Education center. Jaina Education Committee took an active part in the Badi Diksha ceremony function of Sadhvi Sanghamitraji. The Diksha Ceremony book was compiled and published by the committee. In addition to Diksha ceremony vidhi, the book contains a brief information of Veerayatan mission, Acharya Shri Chandanji's message, Sadhvi Shri Sanghamitraji's life, Veerayatan Palitana project, and some pictures of initial Diksha ceremony. Diksha ceremony book was to every attendees (more than 1200) of the function. The Diksha vidhi sutras were taken from the Jain Agams - Nandi Sutra and Dasvaikalik Sutra. The sutras were recited by Sadhivi Shree Sanghamitraji and the entire audience joined in the recitation with Sadhviji. Acharya Shri Chandanaji and Sadhvi Shri Subhamji explained the meaning.

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Ultimate Bollywood TheSouthAsianTimes.info TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Ultimate Bollywood

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May 5-11, 2012

May 5-11, 2012

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chala Sachdev, best remembered for playing the screen wife of Balraj Sahni in B.R. Chopra’s 'Waqt,' died of respiratory failure in Pune this week. Born in Peshawar in 1920, Achala made her film debut with Fashionable Wife (1938), and acted in over 130 films. She shifted to Pune after marrying Clifford Douglas Peters, who had a factory in Bhosari. Achala gained immense popularity for playing the roles of mother and grandmother in Hindi films. The song O meri Zohra Jabeen from Waqt was picturised on Sahni and her and most people referred to her as Zohra Jabeen ever since. Achala was a favourite with Yash Chopra and was seen in his first production venture Daag: The Poem Of Love. She also played memorable roles in Yash Raj Films’ Chandni and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, in which she played Kajol’s grandmother. Her

Achala Sachdev, original Zohra Watch Rajesh Khanna 'Tezz': a slick action film with engaging thrills again, in a TV ad! Jabeen, is dead 'The Avengers' smash 'Tezz!' W
ollywood's first superstar Rajesh Khanna, who recently had a health scare, is back in action with his first television ad and says he is "delighted to reconnect with fans once again". The actor will be seen in the new Havell's fan ad campaign called Havells Fans Forever. The TVC, directed by R. Balki, shows

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and I am delighted to reconnect with my fans once again. Shooting after a gap of so many years has definitely brought back fond memories and I feel that not a lot has changed at all. It's good to be back," Rajesh Khanna said in a statement. In the ad, he goes down memory lane, remembering how his fans used to follow him everywhere when he was a

VARIOUS MOODS: Achala Sachdev with Balraj Sahni in 'Waqt.' other memorable films include Mera Naam Joker, Julie, Haqeeqat and Himalay Ki God Main. She also was a part of English films such asNine Hours to Rama and Merchant Ivory film The Householder. Her last film was the Hrithik Roshan-Esha Deol starrer Na Tum Jaano Na Hum. Rajesh Khanna in Havell's fan ad. the iconic superstar talking about his fans and giving the viewers a sense that he still enjoys a huge fan following. "To be approached after so many years is indeed a great honour for me superstar. Balki, also the chairman and chief creative officer of Lowe Lintas, said Rajesh Khanna was an apt choice as he still commands a lot of respect.

hat do you do when a country, a culture and their purveyors wrong you irreparably? You plant a bomb in a speeding train and hold the establishment to ransom. Taking a cue from Hollywood's most watched bomb-maro-bomb rush-hour excursions into plunderland "Tezz" springs forward a nicely-packaged expertly-cut hedunnit. And that's a very different genre from the whodunit. Here we know Ajay Devgn is the closet terrorist. But since his fans won't like it, Devgn is, with due respect to Mira Nair, a reluctant terrorist... how reluctant, we won't reveal fully. Devgn has a back story with screen wife Kangna Ranaut, who in keeping with her character's British domicile, sports blonde hair. No, this is not a joke.

his week, a Hollywood superhero sci-fi flick has streaked past a star-studded Bollywood biggie at the box-office. The Avengers netted in around Rs. 15 crore over the weekend in India, while the Anil Kapoor-Ajay Devgn Tezz managed only Rs. 11.25 crore says trade analyst Komal Nahta, adding, “Tezz is a non-starter and given that summer vacations are on and there’s no strong Bollywood re-

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lease this week, The Avengers is likely to keep going strong.” According to UTV Motion Pictures that’s distributing the film in India, The Avengers collected Rs. 4.01 crore on Friday, Rs. 4.67 crore on Saturday and Rs. 5.32 crore on Sunday. The studio claims that it is the third biggest Hollywood weekend after Avatar (2009) and Mission Impossible 1V: Ghost Protocol (2011).

Ajay Devgn and Anil Kapoor in a scene from Tezz. Luckily, Priyadarshan's plot has a lot more going for itself than its leading lady's hair-to-stay problems. The director creates a taut cat-andmouse game between 'terrorist' Devgn and cop Anil Kapoor who in

true Hollywood style, is on the verge of retirement from service when duty beckons. There are enough men on duty on both sides of the law here to fill up one section of Tihar jail. The narration allows elbow-room for an army of actors laden with

anxious motivations and tense expressions to match, all hurling like the speeding train towards an uncertain nemesis. Luckily, the plot finds itself a convincing finale. And we can go home feeling all is not lost for the slick action genre in Bollywood.

Fakhri's Hindi lessons yielding results

Fatboy Slim in India, promises 'The Avengers' ups the bar for superhero phenomenal evening

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Actor Nargis Fakhri

merican model-turned-actress Nargis Fakhri, whose voice in her debut film "Rockstar" was dubbed due to her poor Hindi diction, is busy working on the language and reveals that finally she can read and write a bit of Hindi. "Everything takes time, it doesn't happen like this. I was plucked out of the sky and put here. So, it's taking time but it's going well," she said Monday at the launch of the Gaja Store. "I am really happy, I am reading and writing, which is great. So at least when I can read I am like, 'Yes, I can read'," she added. The 32-year-old has one film in hand, "Khiladi 786" opposite Akshay Kumar. The film also stars Paresh Rawal. Meanwhile, she is reading scripts and may zero in on something soon.

Kardashian tweets picture with Obama
ocialite Kim Kardashian tweeted a picture of her dining with US President Barack Obama at the White House. Kardashian was accompanied by her mother Kris Jenner for the Correspondents' Association Dinner Saturday, reports dailystar.co.uk. She also shared her pictures with actress Sofia Vergara and lifestyle guru Martha Stewart. Other Hollywood stars Charlize Theron, Lindsay Lohan, George Clooney, Kate Hudson and Reese Witherspoon also attended the annual White House event.

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ritish Musician Norman Quentin Cook, known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, is all set to enthrall Indian music lovers for the very first time with his performances. He says India has always been a dream destination. He has two shows lined up - he will first perform May 5 in Gurgaon and the next day in Bangalore. The 48-year-old created magic at global festivals like Glastonbury Festival, Big Beach Boutique, O2 Wireless Festival and Rockness Festival. "Great crowds is what an artist craves for and India promises all that and more. India has always been a dream destination for me and it will

franchisee
n a multi-hero film, it is tough to do justice to each character. Imagine a multi-superhero film? Yet to the delight of movie lovers, second-time feature director Joss Whedon proves himself to be a superhero as he pulls the impossible with fun, humor and unbelievable panache in "The Avengers". 'Shield' director Nick Fury (Jackson) manages to assemble six superheroes when Loki (Hiddleston) threatens to destroy the Earth. Sadly, strong personalities don't make a good team and our superheroes fight with one another. It is only when everything seems lost, that our superheroes realize that alone they might be lost, confused souls, but together they become something they never thought they could be - the invincible avengers. The film is so engaging that de-

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British Musician Norman Quentin Cook. be a euphoric feeling to see the crowds going insane with eclectic mixes at a phenomenal evening. I am looking forward to it," he said in a statement. His most notable tracks include "Weapon of Choice", "Praise You", "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Right Here Right Now". The performances will also include opening acts by Arjun Vagale, DJ Ivan and DJ Mash.

Kim Kardashian.

Action, comedy, drama - a summer bonanza is here

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ovie aficianados are in for a summer delight! From Hollywood treats like "The Avengers" and "Madagascar 3" to Bollywood potboilers like "Jannat 2" and "Rowdy Rathore", a heady mix of romance, drama, action and comedy await movie-goers this holiday season. "We have got two of the most eagerly awaited releases lined up. We are bringing Oscar winning film 'Hugo 3D' on popular demand to India in May and 'Madagascar 3' in June. We are expecting great response for our releases in the holiday season," Vikram Malhotra, COO of Viacom18 Motion Pictures, told IANS. While "Hugo 3D" releases May 4, "Madagascar 3" (3D) will hit the screens June 8. Set in 1930s Paris, the Oscar winning film "Hugo" tells the

A scene from Madagascar 3. tale of an orphan who lives within the and Melman the giraffe, who fight to walls of a train station and is wrapped get home to their beloved New York. in a mystery involving his late father "'Madagascar 3' is one of the most and an automaton, while "Madagacar loved franchises. The previous two 3" narrates the story of Alex the lion, films of this franchise have received Marty the zebra, Gloria the hippo, tremendous response from people

across all ages and we are expecting the third one to be equally successful," Malhotra said. "'Hugo 3D' will have limited but loyal audience. There is a lot of curiosity among people for this film," he added. "The Avengers" is another big Hollywood release this summer. Distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, the film is going to hit 800 Indian screens, a record number of screens for any Hollywood film in India so far. It is also dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The film starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth, has been directed by Joss Whedon. "'The Avengers' is a superhero film and we are expecting a really good response after its release, more so as it is releasing first in India than in the

US," said Gaurav Verma, vice president, distribution, India, UTV Motion Pictures. "We expect a good viewership as the film is releasing in four different languages, which in turn expands the reach too. Other Hollywood films lined up for release this summer are 'Spider Man' and 'Batman'," he added. Apart from "Hugo" and "Madagascar 3", other Hollywood treats are "Cindrella 3D", "Men in Black 3", "Brave (3D)" and "Chimpanzee (documentary)". Bollywood is not far behind. The month of May will see films like "Jannat 2", "The Forest", "Dangerous Ishhq", "Ishaqzaade" and "Department" hitting the screens, June will see films like "Rowdy Rathore", "Shanghai", "Ferrari Ki Sawaari", "Gangs of Wasseypur" and "Teri Meri Kahaani" entertaining the audience.

'The Dark Knight Rises' Big B open final trailer goes viral to working with Rekha again

spite some flaws, you choose to ignore these. It is witty, smart and funny, with enough comic-book humor and elements of delight for everyone from a five-year-old to an 85-year-old. So, everything you can imagine in a film with multiple superheroes - great action, good costume, witty writing, good subplots and most of all, the superheroes fighting one another - is there in the film. It's been designed for success and this design works like a charm. Not one character has been given extra attention while giving enough time to establish the characters of the two who don't have a separate film yet - Black Widow and Hawk Eye. "The Avengers" thus become a surprising example of too much being put in one film, yet it working out in the end.

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A poster of 'The Dark Knight Rises.' he latest and final trailer of 'The Dark Knight Rises' has hit the web and taken it by storm. The trailer that debuted on screens with 'The Avengers,' features much more dialogue along with a clearer and more sinister plot. Warner Bros. released the new teaser online, following a day of viral marketing that saw an ambitious Batman fan

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create a .GIF of the trailer using "leaked" frames from the official Dark Knight Rises website, reported Huffington Post. The trailer ominously begins with Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) saying, "There's a storm coming..." Though she referred to the storm called Bane (Tom Hardy), little did she know that even before that there would be a storm on Twitter.

n all time popular on screen couple, Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha might have parted ways over decades but Big B doesn't rule out the possibility of reuniting with her again on the silver screen. "If there is a good story and like it then I don't mind working with her," the megastar said at a function here Saturday. The two have earlier worked together in films like "Silsila", "Mr Narwarlal", "Muqaddar Ka Sikandar" among others.

A scene from The Avengers.

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Travel TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

London tops holiday destinations
ravelers have named 2012 Olympics host London as the world's best holiday destination. The UK capital beat cultural hotspots New York, Paris and Rome plus a string of beach paradises to claim the number one spot. London came top of three lists -- best in Britain, best in Europe and best in the world -- in a survey of millions of people. In the world list, New York was second, Rome third and Paris fourth. Rome was second and Paris third in the best European destination list, with Dublin in ninth place and Edinburgh 13th. In the list of best UK destinations, Edinburgh was second, Liverpool third and Torquay, Devon, fourth.

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"To be crowned the world's best destination in the Olympic year by millions of travelers is a tremendous honor for London," the Sun quoted Emma Shaw, spokeswoman for TripAdvisor, who polled travelers worldwide as saying. "It's fantastic to see the capital recognized and rewarded by those that have really experienced the city -- travelers themselves," she said.

The top ten holiday destinations are:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. London New York City Rome Paris San Francisco Marrakech, Morocco Istanbul Barcelona Siem Reap, Cambodia Berlin

Backdropped by the historic Tower Bridge, a giant Olympic Rings floats on the River Thames in London in the run-up to the Olympic Games.

Campaign to 'rekindle the world's love affair' with America

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he United States has unveiled its first national destination commercials, in an attempt to lure more tourists from around the world. The new ads were shown for the first time April 21 and have been put together by Brand USA, the organization established by President Barack Obama to increase interest in the US among the world's travelers. Brand USA CEO Jim Evans said that the aim of the campaign was "nothing short of rekindling the world's love affair with the USA -- the place, the spirit and the dream." Surprisingly, it's the first time the US has run a campaign for the entire country, with previous efforts generally promoting individual states, such as Visit California's popular Misconceptions ads. However, now tourists from around the world will be seeing the inspirational new spots from next month, with the UK, Canada and Japan first, followed by nations such as Brazil and South Korea.

Rosanne Cash sings "Land of Dreams" for the promotional ad. The new strapline for the campaign, "discover this land, like never before," is designed to tackle what tourism chiefs believe is negative perception about the US as a travel destination, with market research suggesting some potential visitors believed Americans were arrogant and not particularly welcoming. As such, the full 60-second video, which features Johnny Cash's daughter Rosanne Cash, delivers a diverse, upbeat message without any patriotic or nationalistic overtones. The song has been made available to download at DiscoverAmerica.com, a trip planning website that has also been redesigned as part of the marketing effort. In an interview with travel trade publication Travel Weekly, Brand USA's chief marketing officer said that the message is designed to be "very welcoming and would speak of possibilities and experience."

America has irresistible tourist attractions like the Grand Canyon with its vertigo inducing Skywalk. In some good news for travelers, the official also noted that his organization was working closely with the US's notoriously unfriendly Transportation Security Agency to improve the welcome visitors receive at airports.

Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info

19 May 5-11, 2012

Bofors saga: a new twist and a story retold
By Mayank Chhaya callow prime minister, a global superstar, shadowy international arms dealers, crafty middlemen and nosy journalists were the dramatis personae of a real life political thriller that played out in New Delhi, Stockholm, London and New York over a quarter century ago.

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the freedom of speech and the press under the First Amendment of the US constitution, widely written about and supported in the Supreme Court of New York by mainstream American media as amici curiae that included the New York Times, Associated Press, Time Warner, CBS, Association of American Publishers, Reader's Digest, etc. The cause of the libel suit against the publication and the wire service was the fact that the latter picked up and distributed the story originally appearing in the Dagens Nyheter, claiming that the Bachchans were the custodians of some of the bribe money. Although the Swedish newspaper settled the claim, India Abroad chose not to settle. It did report the Dagens Nyheter apology and settlement. However, Raju, a gutsy Indian American publisher, decided to fight the case on the basic contention that publications and wire services do routinely pick up and transmit news stories in good faith and cannot, by the virtue of just that action, be held liable on the ground of malice. While the British court granted the Bachchans a victory in the libel suit and awarded them 40,000 pounds in damages, Raju cited the newspaper company's New York location to invoke the First Amendment protection

against the enforcement of a British judgment on an America publication. A New York court ruled in favor of Raju and in the process set up a frequently cited legal precedent in America. There was a perception in America's legal community at the time of the lawsuit being an instance of "libel tourism" where those with means file libel lawsuits in countries where the libel laws are weighed against the media. While the Bachchans have emerged unscathed, albeit after such a long time, for Gandhi's family, Sten Lindstrom's comments are equivocal. "There was no evidence that he (Gandhi) had received any bribe. But he watched the massive cover-up in India and Sweden and did nothing," he has been quoted as saying. Of course, Lindstrom's disclosures are not seen as particularly remarkable because a lot of what he says has been claimed in some form or the other over the years, including that Gandhi himself did not benefit. For the Bachchans, its importance comes from the fact that for the first time there is an authoritative face other than their own behind the assertion of their innocence. It may have been too long in coming but it does offer them a much-deserved closure.

Of all the names crowding India's biggest and most notorious arms purchase scandal at that time, the most incongruous ones were those of actor Amitabh Bachchan and his younger brother Ajitabh. Through a series of complicated innuendoes and stage whispers it was let known to obliging journalists that the Bachchans, particularly Ajitabh, were among the recipients of the Rs.640 million (about $53 million at the mid-1980s exchange rate of Rs. 12 to a dollar) Bofors gun bribery payoff. The actor himself, stung stiff by the sheer absurdity of the campaign against him and his brother, reacted with ferocious contempt and went to remarkable lengths to clear his and his family's name. On Jan 31, 1990, the Dagens Nyheter, a Swedish daily newspaper, reported that Swiss authorities had frozen an account

Of all the names crowding India's biggest and most notorious arms purchase scandal at that time, the most incongruous ones were those of actor Amitabh Bachchan and his younger brother Ajitabh.

belonging to Ajitabh Bachchan into which Bofors commissions were transferred from a coded account. That story was vigorously denied and challenged by the Bachchans, eventually compelling the paper to retract, apologize and settle saying they had been misled by Indian government sources. With former police chief of Sweden, Sten Lindstrom, asserting in an interview with the media watchdog website The Hoot that the Bachchans' names were "planted" by Indian investigators, a can of worms has been reopened on how the actor and his family were victimized in a vicious political game. Despite Lindstrom's revelations, India is none the wiser about the real

motivations behind dragging the actor's name into it. At the time the most educated guess, which endures until today, was that prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was being attacked politically via the soft target of the Bachchans. The Bachchans' efforts to clear their name included a libel lawsuit against the former avatar of this wire service, India Abroad News Service, and its New Yorkbased parent India Abroad Publications. The suit by the Bachchans was filed and won in a British high court, enforcing its award on the New York-based India Abroad Publications and its owner, the late Gopal Raju. It became one of America's most cited cases of

Planners slammed over ‘2020 poverty joke’
By Subhash Chopra ndia’s Planning Commission has scored yet another self goal by claiming that poverty in the country will be eliminated by 2020. The new claim follows the gaffe it made a few days ago when it said that poverty had declined by 7.4 per cent from 37.2 per cent to 29.8 per cent between 2004-5 and 2009-10. For its earlier gaffe, based on the Tendulkar committee definition of BPL (below poverty level), it was reprimanded by one and all, forcing the government to announce the setting up

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of a new technical committee to re-examine the issue. The commission’s new 2020 claim has been questioned by parliament’s standing committee on finance. The committee has not only questioned the very basis of the new target of ending poverty by 2020 or the end of 13th Five Year Plan (2021-22), it has also asked the government to appoint an expert group to evaluate the performance of the commission itself and even to redefine its role. Surprised at the commission’s sudden burst of optimism, committee chairman

Yashwant Sinha of the BJP gasped: “The committee is at a loss to understand as to how the target for poverty elimination at 2020 can be achieved on a re-computed estimate.” He advised the commission to go back to the desk and make more rigorous efforts to arrive at some realistic targets. In a damage control exercise the UPA government thought it necessary the very next day to say the it could not “guarantee” such an achievement. An embarrassed Minister of State for Planning, Ashwani Kumar, told MPs in the Lok Sabha the

government would strive to meet the target but could not “guarantee” the same. “ We are moving towards the target , we have hoped that if we factor the net effect of some of the government programs for empowering the poor , we will be able to move in that direction.” An angry Samajwadi Party MP Shailender Kumar said the Planning commission “has failed to make a realistic assessment,” while Sharad Yadav of the Janta Dal (United) called the commission’s numbers as a “joke” on India’s poverty ridden people.

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

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Interview TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

New book spotlights Indian American motel owners
By Hiral Dholakia-Dave

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uthor, Professor and Smithsonian Institute Curator Pawan Dhingra’s new book, "Life Behind the Lobby: Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream" takes a close look at and chronicles the story of how Indian Americans have come to own almost half the United States' motels. It’s a full-length book on this phenomenon with vivid stories and analysis of these immigrants' complicated role in this quintessential American industry, according to Dhingra. “The book has profound implications on how we see a group of entrepreneurs and their families when it comes to embodying the American dream,” he says. Despite their dominance in the motel industry, Indian American moteliers are concentrated in lower- and mid-budget markets, with many living in their motels. The book explains Indian Americans' simultaneous accomplishments and marginalization and takes a close look at how their own actions maintain such a place in society. “The idea came from recognizing the remarkable achievements of the Indian and realizing that there was probably more to their story than had been written already. In particular, relatively little scholarly attention has been paid to them, which is surprising,” says Dhingra, who is Associate Professor of Sociology and Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College. From 2011-2012 he is a Museum Curator at the Smithsonian Institution, heading its initiative, HomeSpun: The Indian American Heritage Project. Dhingra received his Ph.D. in sociology from Cornell University in 2002. His first book, Managing Multicultural Lives: Asian American Professionals and the Challenge of Multiple Identities(Stanford University Press, 2007), won Honorable Mention for the Best Book in the Social Sciences from the Association of Asian American Studies. He has received other awards for his teaching and research, including the Early Career Award from the American Sociological Association in 2009. The award is given to, “a scholar in the

early stage of her/his career (no more than 10 years post Ph.D. award date) and who is conducting exemplary research on the sociology of Asia or Asian American communities.” In an interview with the SATimes Dhingra spoke about the interesting aspects he came across while working on the book What were the challenges faced while working on this book? I collected a lot of information, so the main challenge is always writing it up and finding the time to do so. How did you overcome them?

The challenges used to be in attaining insurance or a loan, and AAHOA has helped in those problems earlier on. Today, the challenges come from many directions, including the current recession, expectations from franchises, customers who may hold a bias, government authorities, trying to form an enjoyable domestic life while living in the motel, and the like. Also, with more and more people entering the business, competition is getting more intense, including between Indian Americans. Owners are coping with it in the best ways they can. AAHOA works with franchises and the government, and it helps individual owners when facing

Pawan Dhingra, Associate Professor of Sociology at Oberlin College Photo credit: Jennifer Manna

"I have a deep appreciation of what motel owners and their families have done and how important it is for not only the motel industry but for the country at large. I hope readers of the book will take away the same appreciation."

This is why a book takes years to write - you collect a lot of wonderful information from the research and you have to take much time to parse through it and organize it. What was the most enjoyable experience for you as a researcher and author? The most enjoyable experiences were hearing owners tell me how they came with little and worked their way up to a steady business. I've populated the book with lots of stories, both of this and other topics. Which are the challenges faced by the motel-hotel owners nowadays? How do you think are they coping with it?

extreme challenges. As a result, franchise-franchisee relations seem to be improving. Individual owners have found many ways to avoid problems before they happen, whether through whom they hire in their motels, strategies to cut costs, having husbands and wives divide their roles, and the like. Such strategies do not take away the hardships, but owners do the best they can within their circumstances, and are having a meaningful effect. How's the second generation participating in growing the businesses....are they in the first place...your insights? Many in the second genera-

tion who grow up in motels have no intention of running motels as adults. But, many return to the business because the white collar workplace does not offer the opportunities they want. And, others in the second (and now even third) generation want to pursue business and so focus on motels even during college. All in all, the second and third generations are intent on growing their businesses and taking their parents' accomplishments to the next level. The later generations see motels more as a business to navigate, while the older generation more often sees their motels as something to be protected and held onto. Each generation is learning from the other and becoming better owners in the process. Indians, mostly Gujaratis, some 90 per cent of them own at least 40% motels/hotels in the US. What do you think leads them to get into this business in such a big way and also succeed? Many Gujaratis, whether they came from Gujarat or Africa or UK, do not like working for someone else, for back in Gujarat they have worked just for themselves as farmers. They are motivated to own their own business, especially one like motels that allows for ownership of land. Patels also help one another out financially very generously, knowing that the person they are lending to will do whatever they can to pay back the money. This is essential to starting a business, as is the influx of family who immigrate and assist in running motels before starting their own. AAHOA has made it easier for owners to negotiate with vendors and eased ownership challenges. And, the opportunities for motels grew in the 1970s and 1980s, and since then people have built motels. How did you go about researching for this book? I met owners at their motels, spent time at their homes and leisure events, attended Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) conventions (both national and regional), learned much from leaders of AAHOA, and assisted in motels. I interviewed immigrant owners (both men and women), the children of owners

Cover page of Dhingra’s new book ‘Life Behind the Lobby’ Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream

who now run their own motels, staff and more. During the research, any interesting aspect that really surprised you? I did not know the history of Indians running hotels dated back to the 1940s. That is a remarkable fact. So much of the attention to Indian Americans either attends to Punjabi immigrants in the early 1900s or to Indians who came after 1965. The 1940s and 1950s are not discussed much. But, this is the time when Gujaratis first entered the hotel industry and set the stage for the achievements that followed. I also learned quite a bit about how owners run motels efficiently, the challenges they face, the clever ways they handle them, the history of AAHOA, the ways they enjoy living in the motels, and more. I have a deep appreciation of what owners and their families have done and how important it is for not only the motel industry but for the country at large. I hope readers of the book will take away the same appreciation. What impressed you the most? I am very taken by how Patels help one another in entering and achieving in the motel industry. One could imagine that competition between owners would not allow for a sense of community. And it is true that competition does influence relationships. But owners still come together and help one another and the Patel community has a proud history of helping relatives and friends financially with just a handshake!

Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info

21

May 5-11, 2012

Indian family of four found dead in Australia
Melbourne: A young Indian family, including two children aged five and three, was found dead Tuesday in their home in this Australian city. The bodies of accountant Nilesh Sharma (36), his wife Pritika (32) and children Divesh (5) and Divya (3) were found Tuesday morning in their home in a leafy Melbourne suburb Glen Waverley. The investigating agencies are not reported to be looking for any suspect at this stage. The police made the shocking discovery after they received a call from a concerned relative asking for a 'welfare check' on the young family. According to media reports, Nilesh Sharma was found dead in the hallway while the other bodies lay in their bedrooms. Abhay Singh, a family relative, has been quoted as saying that the couple did not have marital problems. "It's a mystery," he said."The kids were very amicable, well mannered, polite and well presented." "We are all devastated. Very shaken - a whole family is destroyed." The family had moved to Australia from Fiji a decade back. The postmortem report was awaited while this news was filed.

‘Asian Lite’ wins top British media award
London: Asian Lite, a fortnightly focusing on British Asian events and issues and edited by Indianorigin journalist Anasudhin Azeez, has won the prestigious How-Do newspaper of the year award for 2012. A judging panel comprising BBC veteran Jim Hancock and Google's Andy Barke selected Asian Lite as the Newspaper of the Year 2012 from the short-list of eight leading British titles, including Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corporations' The Times; Newsquest's The Bolton News and Johnston Press Group's Lancaster Guardian. Asian Lite was the only British ethnic media title shortlisted in the 18 award categories. The award ceremony was held at the prestigious Lancashire County Cricket Club and attended by several media personalities and industry leaders, a statement said. The award committee said Asian Lite, published by New Asian Media Ltd, bucked the current British trends in declining sales and circulation in publishing and derived innovative solutions to identify new models and revenue streams. Azeez hails from Palakkad district in Kerala.

NRI woman in Sweden claims son being held in foster care
Kolkata: With the custody row with Norway over two NRI children settled, an Indian mother in Sweden has sought the Indian government’s intervention for custody of her 11-year-old son allegedly being held by the Swedish authorities. Kolkata-based NGO India’s Smile, which had claimed to have brought to light the custody row over the two NRI children in Norway, told PTI that the mother, Annie Johansson, informed them that she was inspired by the role played by them in bringing back the two children Abhigyan and Aishwarya to India. The mother who had settled at Visby in Sweden in April, 2000 contacted them with a plea to the Indian government for custody of her son who was in the care of Swedish Gotland Municipal Annie, whose earlier name was Nirmalkumar Bharos, a resident of Pune, married Christer Johansson in India on April 24, 2000. After their marriage, they continued to reside in India. Annie was pregnant with Domenic when there was a devastating earthquake in the spring of 2001 and the Johanssons family lost everything and decided to migrate back to Sweden. Domenic was born on Swedish soil on September 9, 2001. The NGO has forwarded Annie’s prayer to the National Human Rights Commission chairman, with copies to the President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Home minister. Copies of her plea were also sent to the embassies of Latvia and Sweden.

Annie Johansson (right) with son Domenic (center) Social Welfare Committee. the ground that the parents were The NGO said that the authori- not taking proper care of him. ties of Gotland Municipal Social The mother alleged that the Welfare Committee had allegedly Swedish authority which had no taken away Annie’s son, Domenic idea of Indian culture and tradiJohansson in 2009 and placed him tion, held that Domenic was not in an emergency foster home on being reared suitably.

23 Indians committed suicide in Oman till mid-April this year
Dubai: In a worrying sign, an Indian living in Oman has been found to commit suicide every sixth day, owing to financial stress or personal issues, official data shows. 23 Indians had committed suicide in different parts of the Sultanate till mid-April this year. In January and February, eight Indians committed suicide in each month, while four ended their life in March. Three people had committed suicide till midApril, Times of Oman reported, quoting data available with Indian embassy in Muscat. Last week, an Indian mother of three was found hanging from the ceiling at her flat in Ruwi region. 50 Indians committed suicide in Oman in the year 2010, while another 54 in 2011, the report said. Psychologists and social workers in Oman call this an alarming phenomenon. “Even though the number of suicides was slightly low in March and April, it was quite high in January and February,” an Indian lawyer told the paper. The reasons behind the suicides, psychologists say, are either financial stress or personal issues such as low self-esteem, depression and interpersonal conflict. Several Indian social and spiritual groups are working in Oman to pre-

Court clerk caught watching porn during trial in UK
London: A 54-year-old Indian-origin court clerk in Britain was caught watching porn by a judge during a rape trial. The man said he did so as the case was "boring." Debasish Majumder viewed the explicit material while a sex attack victim gave evidence at the Inner London Crown Court, the Daily Mail reported. He will now be supervised for 18 months and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. His computer usage will also be monitored. Majumder, a resident of Haringey, north London had been working for the court service for 27 years. He confessed he routinely watches internet porn when he was bored. "I only looked at porn because the case was boring and did so once or twice a week since December 2009," he told police. The man was spotted by Judge Nigel Seed and he subsequently reported the incident. Detectives then found indecent images of children and extreme porn on his home

An Indian is found to commit suicide every sixth day vent the rising number of suicides. “The reason for the high number of suicides could be the lack of someone to confide in,” P M Jabir, Indian Social Club Welfare Secretary, said. “Many of the victims are people who are living away from their families and relatives, which lead to loneliness and stress. Also, most of these people might be undergoing tremendous financial crisis in fulfilling the family obligations back home.” “To overcome all that, they seek easy methods like taking loans from private money lenders, which later turns into a death trap,” he said. A senior Indian embassy official said the mission is ready to provide help to Indians who are under stress. “A dedicated Community Welfare Wing, headed by a senior Indiabased officer, caters exclusively to the needs of distressed Indian workers,” A P S Chauhan, Second Secretary (Community Welfare, Culture and HOC) at the Indian Embassy, said.

Debashish Majumder computer. The court sentenced Majumder to seven months in prison, suspended for two years.

S R Nathan conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award
New Delhi: Former Singapore President S R Nathan has been conferred the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award in recognition of his contribution in building closer links with India. The award, considered as the highest honor conferred by the government on foreign nationals of Indian origin, was presented to Nathan by Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi at a function in Singapore on April 28th. The function was attended by officials of Singapore Government, a large number of prominent Indian nationals and Indian origin people in Singapore. The Pravasi Bhartiya Samman is generally presented at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas — the annual event organized to connect with the diaspora community. Nathan could not travel to Jaipur where the event was organized in January this year.

Former Singapore President S R Nathan

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Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

A year on, Pak keeps Osama mystery alive
Abbottabad: One year since US commandos flew into this Pakistani army town and killed Osama bin Laden, Islamabad has failed to answer tough questions over whether its security forces were protecting the world's most wanted terrorist. Partly as a result, fallout from the raid still poisons relations between Washington and Islamabad, where anti-US sentiment, support for Islamist extremism and anger at the violation of sovereignty in the operation can be summed up by a Twitter hashtag doing the rounds: 02MayBlackDay. The Pakistani government initially welcomed the raid that killed bin Laden in his three-storey compound, but within hours the mood changed as it became clear that Pakistan's army was cut out of the operation. Any discussions over how bin Laden managed to stay undetected in Pakistan were drowned out in anger at what the army portrayed as a treacherous act by a supposed ally. That bin Laden was living with his family near Pakistan's version of West Point - not in a cave in the publicly. "We're disappointed," said a US official about the probe. "They promised to do it, but they haven't yet." The public line of the Obama administration is that no evidence has emerged to suggest bin Laden had high-level help inside Pakistan. Pakistan's ISI agency said bin Laden's long and comfortable existence in the country was an "intelligence failure". But suspicions have increased following recent disclosures by one of bin Laden's wives in a police interrogation report that the al-Qaida leader lived in five houses while on the run and fathered four children, two of whom were born in Pakistani government hospitals. "I just find the idea that he lived in a place like Abbottabad without the ISI's knowledge strains credibility," said Shawn Gregory, director of the Pakistan Security Research Unit at Bradford University in the UK. "It is ridiculous that he wasn't being protected." Since the raid, Pakistan has tried to close one of the most notorious chapters in its history.

11 die in Kabul attack after Obama trip
Kabul: Taliban militants carried out an audacious attack in Kabul only hours after US President Barack Obama visited the city, leaving 11 people including all five attackers dead. A tense calm prevailed in the Afghan capital as authorities the end of the deadly Taliban strike, on the first anniversary of the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. The attack was mounted after Obama left Kabul following a previously unannounced visit. The quick trip saw him signing a strategic partnership agreement with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, media reports said.

Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad almost a year ago, on May 2. mountains as many had guessed raised eyebrows in the West. The %Pakistani army was already accused of playing both sides in the campaign against militancy, providing some support against al-Qaida but keeping the Afghan Taliban as strategic allies. A week after the raid, President Barack Obama said bin Laden had a "support network" in Pakistan and the country must investigate how he evaded capture. Pakistan responded by announcing the formation of a committee to investigate bin Laden's presence in Pakistan as well as the circumstances surrounding the US raid. Soon after it began its work, the head of the committee said he was sure that security forces were not hiding bin Laden. Other statements since then have also suggested the report will be more of a whitewash than a genuine probe. Last week, committee spokesman retired Col Mohammad Irfan Naziri said its findings were being written up but they might not be released

Demining: US official in Sri Lanka Suu Kyi heralds new era,
Colombo: A US official has ended a week-long visit during which he meet NGOs in Sri Lanka's north and discussed the progress in de-mining activities. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Plans, Programmes and Operations Walter D. Givhan was in Sri Lanka from April 26 to May 2. Givhan held meetings in Colombo and visited Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, two of the northern districts that were the war theatre until the Sri Lankan military crushed the Tamil Tigers in May 2009. In the north, he met NGOs to discuss the progress of de-mining in the region. The US has provided $34.5 million to aid Sri Lanka's de-mining activities since 1993.

joins parliament

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Parliament. Myanmar: Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in to Myanmar's military-backed Parliament, taking public office for the first time since launching her struggle against authoritarian rule nearly a quarter century ago. The opposition leader's entry into the legislature heralds a new political era in Myanmar, cementing a risky detente between her party and the reformist government of President Thein Sein, which inherited power from the army last year. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party will occupy too few seats to have any real power in the ruling-party dominated assembly, however, and there are fears the presence of the opposition lawmakers could simply legitimize the regime without any change. But the new lawmakers are also likely to bring a level of public debate to the legislative body that has never been seen as they prepare for the next general election in 2015. The solemn swearing-in ceremony took place in the capital, Naypyitaw, which was built by the former army junta. With white roses in her hair, Suu Kyi stood along with several dozen of her party's lawmakers as the speaker the lower house asked them to read the oath. Speaking briefly to a mob of reporters afterward, Suu Kyi said her focus will be "to carry out our duties within the parliament as we have been carrying out our duties outside the parliament for the last 20 or so years." Suu Kyi's ascent marks an astonishing reversal of fortune for a woman who became one of the world's most prominent prisoners of conscience, held under house arrest for much of the last two decades. When the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner was finally released in late 2010, just after a vote her party boycotted that was deemed neither free nor fair, few could have imagined she would make the leap from democracy advocate to elected official in less than 18 months.

US official Walter D. Givhan meets Sri Lankan Navy commander Dissanayake to discuss de-mining in the country's north.

Dhaka hopeful of inking Teesta accord with India
Kolkata: Stressing that people of Bangladesh wanted the Teesta water sharing accord signed with India, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni hoped the pact will be inked, saying the two countries were continuing discussions on the issue. "We are hopeful that the Teesta water sharing accord will be signed. The two countries have continued the bilateral relation and communication that is needed for the accord to see the light of the day," Moni told media persons on the sidelines of a program here. The visiting foreign minister said there exists a deep bond between the two neighbors, to queries whether the failure to sign the Teesta accord would adversely hit bilateral ties. The Teesta treaty was proposed to be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to Dhaka last year. However, the singing was scrapped following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's last minute opposition to the quantum of water to be shared with Bangladesh.

International TheSouthAsianTimes.info

23

May 5-11, 2012

‘Rupert Murdoch not fit to lead News Corp’
London: In a severe indictment of media baron Rupert Murdoch, a British parliamentary committee report said he is unfit to be the chairman of News Corporation, the $60bn New York-based conglomerate. The House of Commons select committee said Murdoch "is not fit to exercise the stewardship of a major international company" in its report, 'News International and phonehacking'. News International is News Corp's British subsidiary. The 11-member committee has left it to the House of Commons to decide whether News International committed contempt of parliament and, if so, what punishment should be imposed on the organization. "The behavior of News International and certain witnesses in this (phone-hacking) demonstrated contempt for that (select committee) system in the most blatant fashion," said the report. News Corp is the biggest media concern in the United Kingdom with vast interests in print and telculture, we consider, permeated from the top throughout the organization and speaks volumes about the lack of effective corporate governance at News Corporation and News International." News Corp, which controls companies and TV channels under the Star banner in India, began as a solitary daily in Adelaide, from where Murdoch navigated a spectacular growth. His staggering success now appears to be in a shambles. On Rupert's son James, who was in-charge of News International until he resigned earlier this year, the MPs were less scathing. But they neither accepted nor rejected his claim that he came to know about phone-hacking at NoTW only towards the end of 2010, as opposed to the middle of 2008, as is suspected in some quarters. The committee said, "News Corporation's strategy has been to lay the blame on certain individuals.. whilst striving to protect more senior figures, notably James Murdoch."

US puts India, China, Pak on IPR watch list
Washington: The United States has put India, China, Pakistan and ten other countries on a priority watch list for allegedly providing insufficient protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights or limited market access. These thirteen countries will be the subject of particularly intense bilateral engagement during the coming year, the US Trade Representative (USTR), Ron Kirk said releasing the annual IPR report here Tuesday. The other ten on the priority watch list are: Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Israel, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela.Suggesting that "India had made limited progress on IPR protection and enforcement in 2011, and its legal framework and enforcement system remain weak", the report said the US will continue to work with New Delhi to address its concerns. The US, it said, "continues to encourage India to promote a stable and predictable patent system that can nurture domestic innovation, including by resolving concerns with respect to the prohibition on patents for certain chemical forms absent a showing of increased efficacy." Recognizing "India's recent efforts to address its patent application backlog," it urged India "to continue to work to streamline its patent opposition proceedings" and said the US will "closely monitor developments concerning compulsory licensing of patents in India." The report "notes some improvements with respect to IPR enforcement, including reports of good cooperation of enforcement officials with some in the copyright industry, and increased use of judicial orders that have strengthened enforcement against pirated movies and music online." It encourages "India to take additional steps to improve coordination with enforcement officials of certain state governments" as also "to address its judicial inefficiencies and to strengthen criminal enforcement efforts." The report does commend "India's recognition of the importance of innovation as part of its efforts to promote domestic manufacturing, and urges India to resist imposing discriminatory policies or other counterproductive measures in pursuit of that objective, and at the expense of adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights."

A British parliamentary committee report said Rupert Murdoch is unfit to be the chairman of News Corporation, the $60bn New York-based conglomerate. evision. The 81-year-old Murdoch gave evidence to the British parliament's media committee last July in the wake of one of his newspapers, the now-defunct News of the World, illegally hacking into people's mobile phones in the guise of newsgathering. The committee said, "On the basis of the facts and evidence before the committee, we conclude that, if at all times Rupert Murdoch did not take steps to become fully informed about phone-hacking, he turned a blind eye and exhibited willful blindness to what was going on in his companies and publications. This

Clinton in Beijing for strategic dialogue

Terror plots in porn video 'pure gold': US
Washington: More than 100 Al-Qaida documents have been found embedded in a pornographic movie seized from a terrorist returning from Pakistan. Terrorist training manuals in PDF format in German, English and Arabic were among the documents found, according to intelligence sources cited by CNN. Claiming the documents uncovered were "pure gold", the sources called it the most important haul of al-Qaida materials in the past year, besides those found when US navy SEALs raided Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a year ago and killed the al-Qaida leader. The future plots included seizing cruise ships besides sending European militants to carry out 26/11-style attacks in Europe. 'Future Works', US intelligence officials believe, came from al-Qaida's inner core. It may have been the work of Younis al-Mauretani, a senior Qaida operative until his capture by Pakistani police in 2011. While it does not include dates or places, nor specific plans, it appears to be a brainstorming exercise to reinstate al-Qaida on front pages around the world. Lodin and a man called Yusuf Ocak, who allegedly travelled back to Europe with him, are now on trial in Berlin where they are pleading not guilty. Ocak was detained in Vienna two weeks after Lodin's arrest. Prosecutors believe that Lodin and Ocak met at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's tribal areas and were sent back to Europe to recruit a network of suicide bombers.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arriving in Beijing. Beijing: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Beijing this week for the fourth round of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue. The top US diplomat and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, special representatives of US President Barack Obama, will join Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, special representatives of Chinese President Hu Jintao, to cochair the annual meeting ThursdayFriday, Xinhua reported. The dialogue, initiated in 2009, aims to advance the construction of the China-US bilateral cooperative partnership, deepen communication and coordination on macroeconomic policies and major issues in the world economy, boost economic and trade cooperation and enhance communication on international and regional affairs. During her stay in Beijing, Clinton will also co-chair with Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong the third US-China HighLevel Consultation on People-toPeople Exchange.

24

Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

Adidas India to take a hit of Rs 1,350cr

Exports contract, industry stares at tough times
New Delhi: Indian industry is bracing for tough days ahead. Exports contracted for the first time since 2009 due to poor demand from Europe and raised concerns of an industrial slowdown on the back of an only 2% rise in output in the eight core sectors. Latest data released by the commerce department estimated that exports fell 5.8% to $28.7 billion, although the annual target of $300 billion was exceeded. With oil prices pushing up the import bill by 32% to $488.6 billion in 2011-12, the trade deficit widened to nearly $185 billion from $118.6 billion in the previous year. While policymakers and economists have been worrying about the implications on current account deficit, the industry is more worried about dealing with a prolonged period of industrial slowdown. All core sectors, barring coal, showed little or no growth. Given that the eight industry segments - cement, coal, steel, electricity, fertilizer, oil, gas and refined petroleum products -

The German giant has already booked a negative impact of 125 million euros.

Mumbai: Adidas, the world's second largest sports goods maker, may take a Rs 1,350 crore hit after unearthing a massive commercial fraud in its Indian unit. The German giant has already booked a negative impact of 125 million euros and warned it could take a further 70 million euros hit barely a month after replacing the local leadership team in India. The 13 billion euros group had replaced the top management in India with Claus Heckerott taking charge as MD and Frederic Serrant

assuming the role of sales director. "We discovered commercial irregularities at our Reebok business in India. These irregularities will likely affect the prior-year consolidated financial statements of the Adidas Group. In total, we are talking about a negative impact of up to a pre-tax amount of 125 million euros. Additional one-time charges in the remaining quarters of 2012 is an estimated amount of up to 70 million euros could also occur," said Herbert Hainer CEO of Adidas group.

All Indian core sectors, barring coal, showed little or no growth. have a near 40% weight, econo- arising from there is much smallmists are predicting that industri- er. But if the situation continues al production will grow around like this, then this sector will also 2% in March, although it has a be affected and the situation will tendency to surprise given the get worse," said Samiran data volatility. Chakraborty, regional economist The commerce ministry is pre- at Standard Chartered Bank. dicting a tough year ahead for "Although March core sector exports, especially with the US numbers are exaggerating the economy slowing down. Further, pace of slowdown a little, we the poor increments are expected expect sub-par growth in manuto affect consumer sentiment and facturing to continue in the first may impact domestic demand. half," said Anurag Jha, econo"The consumer driven sectors are mist at ICICI Securities Primary doing okay although the capex Dealership.

2G: Process for selection of auctioneer approved
New Delhi: In a rush to meet the August 31 deadline set by the Supreme Court for auctioning 2G spectrum, an empowered group of ministers (EGoM) approved the process to select an auctioneer and said that bids from stakeholders should be invited soon, a senior Department of Telecom (DoT) official said. "EGoM has approved initiation for the process of selection of auctioneer," DoT Secretary R. Chandrasekhar told reporters after the EGoM meeting called to discuss the telecom regulator's recommendations for the auction as mandated by the Supreme Court. At the meeting, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman J.S. Sarma gave a presentation on its recommendations which have been criticized by almost all the telecom players. Among other things, the TRAI last month proposed an auction starting price that is 1013 fold increase over what the operators had paid in 2008 and selling just 5 megahertz spectrum per zone. TRAI was asked to give its recommendations as mandated by the Supreme Court which Feb 2 had ordered cancellation of 122 licenses issued in 2008 and asked the government to re-distribute the licenses through auction.

Telenor writes down remaining Indian assets

Anthelio eyes Indian healthcare market
Hyderabad: Anthelio, the USheadquartered IT solutions and business process services company for the healthcare industry, plans to enter the Indian market next year and is already in talks with a few hospitals. The firm, which has its facility in Hyderabad, is currently engaged in research to figure out the best solutions for healthcare providers in India. "It may take six to eight months for us to figure out the best solutions. We are expecting something for the Indian market in 2013," Vish Sivaswamy, head, Global Practices, Anthelio Business Technologies, said. The company is already in talks with a few hospitals, including a 1,000-bed hospital. They want economically good solutions. We have to find out what they are, he said. Anthelio, which is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has over 2,000 employees in the US and in India, is also looking at the European market. It recognises the fact that the requirements for both Indian and European markets are different from the US market, which it is currently serving.

The Norwegian firm has been worst affected by the Supreme Court's decision. Oslo: Norwegian telecom giant ordered cancellation of 122 Telenor said it has written down its licences, including 22 licences of remaining assets in India worth Uninor, a joint venture between $680 million owing to the India's Unitech and Telenor. The "increased uncertainty" in the apex court also asked the governcountry's telecom sector. ment to re-distribute the licences "Following the Supreme Court's through auction process. ruling in February to cancel The Telecom Regulatory Uninor's licenses and the recent Authority of India (TRAI) in its recommendation from the TRAI recommendation for auction has regarding the 2G license re-auc- now proposed a reserve price of tion, the uncertainty has increased Rs.3,622 crore per megahertz of significantly," the company said in spectrum at the pan-India level. a statement. This is around 10 times higher than "As a precautionary measure, the price for 2G licences in 2008. The firm, which has been worst Telenor ASA has decided to write down the remaining fixed and affected by the Supreme Court's intangible assets in India amount- decision, has also said it would ing to NOK 3.9 billion (NOK 2.6 have to shut down its India busibillion after non-controlling inter- ness if the telecom regulator's recommendation is approved by the ests)," it added. The Supreme Court on Feb 2 government.

Asian gold off two-week high on upbeat US data
Singapore: Gold held above $1,660 an ounce this week, off a two-week high hit in the previous session after upbeat US manufacturing data soothed worries about the economy and dampened hopes on more monetary easing. Fundamentals * Spot gold was little changed at $1,661.79 an ounce by 0030 GMT, after rising to $1,671.20. * US gold traded nearly flat at $1,662.70. * After a recent run of weak data, the Institute for Supply Management said that US manufacturing grew in April at the fastest pace in 10 months, easing concerns the economy had lost momentum at the start of the second quarter. * Investors will closely watch the European Central Bank rate decision, US non-farm payrolls data on Friday and weekend elections in France and Greece. * SPDR Gold Trust, the world's biggest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.33% on the day to a three-month low of 1,274.09 tonnes by May 1. * US auto sales rose 2.3% in April, helped by strong gains at Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> and Chrysler Group LLC, as American shoppers looked to replace their ageing cars and trucks and the broader US economy showed signs of strength.

Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info

25

May 5-11, 2012

Honor ok but cricket is priority: Sachin
that he was honored for his outstanding contribution to cricket and said he will try his best to improve the standard of all sports in the country. "I would definitely like to contribute in the field of sports because that is my expertise and I will need your (fans) help." "I believe President (Pratibha Patil) has chosen me after recognizing what I have done for over 22 years," he said referring to greats in other fields like singer Lata Mangeshkar and actor Prithviraj Kapoor. The batting legend's entry into Rajya Sabha has evoked mixed reactions with some raising concerns whether Tendulkar will be able to give time to the high-profile job while playing for India. Tendulkar, who was also given the honorary rank of Group Captain in the Indian Air Force in 2010, was nominated by the government for a seat in the upper house of parliament last week alongside actress Rekha and industrialist Anu Aga. Asked what keeps him going despite two-decades in international cricket, Tendulkar said: "I am passionate about cricket. Cricket is my life. Keep praying for me so that I can derive strength from it."

‘LONDON OLYMPICS 2012’

Missiles to be deployed at six London sites
London: The British ministry of defense (MOD) has identified six sites in the east of London for deployment of ground-to-air missile batteries to protect the Olympic and Paralympic Games scheduled for July-August. The deployment will be part of the plans for a major exercise this week to test Olympic security called Olympic Guardian, Xinhua reports. The exercise runs until May 10, and the MOD said in a statement that it would result in a visible presence of armed forces personnel, ships and aircraft. The drill will include the highprofile appearance of the Royal Navy's flagship and largest vessel HMS Ocean at Greenwich, which is the venue for the Olympic equestrian events and is only a couple of

London's main stadium that will host the 2012 Olympic Games. kilometers from the Olympic Park in the Stratford district of east London. HMS Ocean is a helicopter carrier and floating command center while naval helicopters will also be used. Naval early warning helicopters and Royal Air Force helicopters will be deployed at an army base in Ilford, several kilometers to the east of the Olympic Park and RAF Typhoon jet fighters will fly across the London skies as part of the exercise.

The batting legend's entry into Rajya Sabha (Upper House) had evoked mixed reactions with some raising concerns. Pune: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar broke his silence over his Rajya Sabha nomination, saying he was honoured by the Indian government's offer but he would always remain a sportsman and not a politician. "It is an honor when the President nominates your name. I was excited to be nominated," Tendulkar said at a ceremony here where he was felicitated for making 100 international hundreds. The 39-year-old acknowledged

Olympic hockey test: India lose to Oz
London: India suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of world champions Australia to start their campaign on a losing note at the fournation hockey test event for the upcoming London Olympics. Overall, the Indians played attacking hockey against the world champions but what put paid to their hopes was a weak defense. If not for a brilliant P R Sreejesh, the margin of defeat could have been higher as the Indian custodian made as many as six saves under the goal. Australia were by far the dominant side on display and it showed in their game when they surged ahead in the 23rd minute through a field goal from Ford. That was what both the sides managed in the first half as Australia went into the breather with a 1-0 lead. India will play Great Britain in their second match of the tournament at the pink and blue turf of the River Bank Arena.

Knicks' Chandler is NBA Defensive Player of Year
Greenburgh: Tyson Chandler, the catalyst for the New York Knicks' defensive improvement, was voted the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year. Chandler beat out Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka and three-time champion Dwight Howard of Orlando to become the first Knicks player to win the award. The Knicks ranked in the NBA's top 11 teams in both opponents' field goal percentage and points allowed. They gave up an average of 94.7 points, an improvement of 11 per game from the 105.7 they surrendered in 2010-11, when they tied for 27th in the league. "To me it's really a team

‘We have to adapt to changing styles of wrestling’
New Delhi: India's Beijing Games bronze medal-winning wrestler Sushil Kumar, who has booked his London Olympics berth, feels every fighter is on the lookout for an "element of surprise" in the fighting style as every wrestler is studying every other potential rival going through the tapes of bouts. The 28-year-old Delhi wrestler, who won gold in the 66kg event in the World Qualifying Tournament in China, said his brief training stint at the US Olympic Center in Colorado Springs in January helped him a lot and he is ready for London. "Every wrestler has to change his style and technique regularly. It helps to keep the opponent guessing. Change was badly needed. My opponents are watching my videos everyday and they can easily analyse my fighting technique. It is important to change style regularly. It was a tactical decision and I hope it will work at the Olympics," Sushil said. Sushil tested his new style at the Dave

Wrestler Sushil Kumar. Schultz Memorial International Wrestling Tournament in Colorado Springs, where he won the gold medal. But he struggled in the first Olympic qualifier at Astana last month. Sushil, however, was in sublime form at the World Qualifier in China last week. He defeated Georgian Otar Tushishvilli, also a Beijing Games bronze medalist, in the final to book his ticket to London.

Tyson Chandler (right) being felicitated. thing. I know I'm here to accept as an individual but it's definitely a team award," Chandler said at a press conference at the Knicks' training facility. Chandler received 311 points, including 45 firstplace votes, from a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the US and Canada. Ibaka, the league leader with 3.65 blocked shots per game, had 41 first-place votes and 294 points.

IPL: Punjab beat Bangalore by 4 wickets
Bangalore: What should have been a one-sided affair at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, turned into a cliffhanger. Still, it was the visiting team, not for the first time this season, that finally emerged on top. Needing 159 to win, Punjab, cruising for the most part, nearly made a hash of it, but then with two runs needed off the final two deliveries, found their man in Piyush Chawla, who slammed a six off Vinay Kumar to dash Bangalore's hopes. It should never have come to that. Not after Praveen Kumar had come up with figures of 4-0-8-0 after stand-in skipper David Hussey had won the toss and asked Bangalore to bat. Nor should it have come so close after Punjab, eventually needing 159 for a win -- thanks to that man Chris Gayle again -were 146 for 2 from 16 overs.

IPL-V: Points Table
Teams Delhi Daredevils Kolkata Knight Riders Mumbai Indians Kings XI Punjab Chennai Super Kings Royal Challengers Bangalore Rajasthan Royals Pune Warriors Deccan Chargers Mat 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 9 Won 8 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 2 Lost 2 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 Tied 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/R 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 Pts 16 13 10 10 9 9 8 8 5

26

Health TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

Honey, cinnamon your best friend ever!

H

oney and Cinnamon, when mixed , cure most diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects; when taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. According to Weekly World News, a Canadabased magazine, following diseases can be cured by using honey and cinnamon: ARTHRITIS Arthritis patients may take daily (morning and night) one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain. BLADDER INFECTIONS Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm

COLD Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses. IMMUNE SYSTEM Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases. INFLUENZA A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu. PIMPLES : Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm

water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root. SKIN INFECTIONS Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections. WEIGHT LOSS Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet. CANCER Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.. HEART DISEASES Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, when they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries

and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins. CHOLESTEROL Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

Lifestyle TheSouthAsianTimes.info

27

May 5-11, 2012

'Indian women should try messy look'
By Amit K. Lal

T

he clean cut is not fashionable, says well-known French hairstylist Laurent Decreton, who believes older Indian women should not shy away from trying a messy or classic look. He also suggests that brides be more adventurous by adopting trendy hairstyles for their D-day. Decreton, who himself sports very short hair, said: "I think women should try new fashionable styles and experiment with hairdos. Hairstyles in India are very formal. It should not be that formal. I feel it's only young girls who are playing with hair in India." The celebrity stylist, known for his modern-day cuts and styling, has a wide range of experience be it working on top models and celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Emmanuelle Beart and footballer Robert Pires or collaborating with fashion shows by Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Decreton, who has been frequently traveling to India in the past 12 years, said: "It's not necessary to have a clean hairdo. I think people here (India) don't try the messy or classic look, especially mature females. "I've been observing Indian faces and their hairstyle for a very long time. One thing that is really missing is that Indian women don't focus on the sides of the head while making hairstyles. "The front will look nice if you tighten the sides, which most Indians don't do. Also, they should be careful for the side hair for finishing and to make it

classic," he added. Decreton is the creative brand ambassador of L'Oreal Professionnel and a member of the Haute Coiffure Francaise creative team. He was here to unveil seven bridal looks (hairstyles) under the theme - Royal Wedding Collection of L'Oreal Professionnel. The brand has come out with its fresh fashionable hairdos to cater to the demands of modern Indian brides. It collaborated with some of the best Indian hairstylists like Dhruv Abhichandani, Sachin Dakoji, Sumit Israni, Raman Bhardwaj and Vipul Chudasama, and Decreton to create the looks. Decreton suggests that "Indian weddings and the hairstyles are very formal. But Indian women should change this habit and try new, trendy hairstyles for wedding. That is the reason we picked wedding as the theme for

the same. Weddings are all about happiness, trying something new gives confidence and happiness to the bride." He started his career at a young age of 19 and has 30 years of experience in hairstyling. Decreton never had a mentor and his creations are the outcome of his imagination. "It's been more than 30 years that I'm into this profession. I started my career at the age of 19 and learned hairdressing from a local master in France," he said. "I participated in many competitions like Opera, theaters and luxury fashion shows from the beginning of my career which gave me opportunities to learn things while working on these kinds of projects. Most of my ideas and themes come from my dreams," added the 49-year-old, who is currently working on his portfolio in Mumbai. Though Indian women are not

so adventurous in trying new hairdos, Decreton says the salon business has boomed here. "In the last 12 years, I've seen a rapid and massive growth in the Indian hairstyle business. I think the growth in real estate and change in the lifestyle of people are making it big here," he said. Asked about some of the

spring hair trends and hair color for Indians, he suggested: "Hair colors like honey, chocolate and red would look stunning on the Indian skin tone. But, yes, it should be balanced, not very light. I think it's nice to play with the roots and the end should be left lighter with color."

Though Indian women are not so adventurous in trying new hairdos, French hairstylist Laurent Decreton says the salon business has boomed here.

Power is as addictive as cocaine: expert
ore than a hundred years after noted British historian Baron John Acton coined the phrase "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", a scientist has said power really does corrupt as it is as addictive as cocaine. According to the Daily Mail, the feeling of power has been found to have a similar effect on the brain like cocaine as it increases the levels of testosterone and its by-product 3-androstanediol in both men and women. This in turn leads to raised levels of dopamine in the brain's nucleus accumbens, which can be very addictive. A report by Ian Robertson -- professor of psychology at Trinity College, Dublin -- said

M

cocaine works in a similar way, which can have varied effects from increasing alertness, confidence, energy, feelings of well-being and euphoria, but also anxiety, paranoia and restlessness. He has also written a book, "The Winner Effect: How Power Affects Your Brain". Power has almost identical effects to cocaine and too much of it can produce too much dopamine, leading to more negative effects such as arrogance and impatience. "Baboons low down in the dominance hierarchy have lower levels of dopamine in key brain areas, but if they get 'promoted' to a higher position, then dopamine rises accordingly. This makes them more aggressive and sexually active, and in humans sim-

ilar changes happen when people are given power," Robertson wrote in the Telegraph. "Conversely, demotion in a hierarchy decreases dopamine levels, increases stress and reduces cognitive function," he said. He said power has also been found to make people smarter because dopamine improves the functioning of the brain's frontal lobes. Submissiveness and dominance also give similar effects through the same reward circuits of the brain as power and cocaine. The feeling of power has been found to have a similar effect on the brain like cocaine as it increases the levels of testosterone.

28

Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info

May 5-11, 2012

Humor with Melvin Durai

Sixty years and counting for the queen

Q

ueen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, receiving congratulatory messages from all over the world for her great achievement of spending 60 years on the throne. It’s a tough job -– living in that cramped old palace with a staff of only 250 to take care of your needs, sometimes having to butter your crumpets all by yourself. Most people would have quit by now. It’s no wonder that the Diamond Jubilee is being celebrated throughout the British Commonwealth, particularly in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica and a dozen other sovereign states where the Queen is still considered Head of State, with the constitutional authority to make important decisions, such as whether to allow Justin Bieber to sing within 1,000 miles of her. In just four years, when she’s 89, she’ll pass Queen Victoria for the longest reign of a British monarch –- and if she lives to be 108, she’ll pass King Sobhuza II of Swaziland for the longest verifiable reign in history. And her eldest son, Prince Charles, will set a record for the longest wait in history. The current record of 75 years is held by David Neevadock, who’s been waiting to see a doctor at Toronto General Hospital. If you haven’t followed the Queen’s reign

closely, here are some facts that may surprise you: —She married Prince Philip on Nov. 20, 1947 –not long after World War II. She had fallen in love with him when she was 13 and he was 18. The tabloids promptly dubbed them “Philizabeth.” —She took her vows as Queen on June 2, 1953. A televised recording of her coronation was watched by 100 million people in North America. Soon after that, the remote control was invented. —In 1945, she received training as a driver and mechanic after joining the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service. Her knowledge came in handy in 1949 when her car broke down and poor Philip looked in the trunk for the carburetor. —In 2010, Forbes magazine estimated her net worth to be $450 million. But that was before she invested heavily in the web-

site MarryPrinceHarry.com. —It’s customary to address her initially as “Your Majesty” and thereafter as “Ma’am.” Calling her “girl” or “babe” is acceptable only if you don’t mind having a handbag print on your forehead. —The Queen travels freely around the world without a passport. Only one airport security officer has ever tried to frisk her. God rest his soul. —She has bestowed almost 400,000 titles and awards during her reign. She has conferred a knighthood on acclaimed author Salman Rushdie, appointed singer Kylie Minogue as an officer in the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and honored President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe with an IBE: “Idiot of the British Empire.”

—The Queen has donned more than 5,000 hats over the decades. Her hat closet is so large, someone once got lost in there. Thankfully, a crack squad from London Police Service, using GPS devices and a pair of sniffer dogs, was able to locate Prince Philip. —After completing 250 official visits to 129 countries, the Queen gained a spot in the Guinness World Records for the “Most Traveled Monarch” –- the only human in Guinness history to ever displace a butterfly. —The Queen speaks both English and French fluently. Her knowledge of Hindi is limited to the phrase “topi mere saiz ka milegaa?” (Do you have this hat in my size?)

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

Your card details could be stolen by radiowave
London: Millions of credit and debit card users could be "robbed by radiowave" because of a new contactless technology, the Daily Mail reported. Almost 20 million shoppers are now able to buy goods by simply waving their card in front of a reader at the tills, even if it is still in a wallet or a purse. But industry experts have warned that the information emitted by the cards can be stolen by fraudsters using handheld receptors that cost as little as seven pounds on the internet. It means cardholders - most of whom are given a contactless card automatically when their old one expires - can unknowingly surrender their personal bank details to a thief by simply walking past them in the street. The technology in the card, known as radio frequency identification ( RFID), transmits bank details via its own radio signal, and is accepted in many High Street chains, including Co-op, Boots and Pret-a-Manger, according to the newspaper Sunday.It does away with the need for a customer inputting their PIN when buying goods, and was designed to reduce queues at the checkout.

Astrology
TheSouthAsianTimes.info

29

May 5-11, 2012
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 [email protected]; www.premastrologer.com

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
Stars Foretell: May 5-11, 2012
Aries: This week others will take up much of your time. Try not to be so generous and flexible to their demands that you might regret later on. Your time will probably be better spent if you do some social work or get involved in organizations that really need your help. Your confidence will grow and advancement in career is certain. Financial gains seem eminent for businessmen, but they need to be careful while extending credit. Highly beneficial time for career women and those involved in overseas projects. Taurus: This week when it comes to business you need to depend more on your brain than your heart. Professionals with large organizations can expect unexpected work. Although you will please your seniors and win their appreciation, but any immediate monetary gains seem unlikely. New romance will flourish for some, but any intimate relationship with a co-worker will lead to gossip and damage your reputation. New ventures will be alluring but consult your experts to make sure you are making no mistake. Not a good period for speculation. Gemini: This week you can expect some problems with the ones you love. You will have tremendous confidence in your capabilities, but the problems at home will severely disturb your mind. You need not push yourself too hard. Clarity of thought and a will to resolve issues will be important to maintain harmony at home. Stress related ailments like backache, headache, sleeplessness cannot be ruled out. After some rest and relaxation, you will feel much better. Cancer: This week your views and efforts will face resistance from others. People might not be very pleased with your way of doing things. You need to win their confidence by setting yourself a deadline and focussing entirely on your job. You need not rush over your plans but seek help from others if needed. Love and romance alone will not succeed in cheering you up, rather you will like to seek some commitment from your beloved. Try an outing or a short trip to cheer yourself up and lift your spirits. Meditation and yoga will be ideal for relaxation. Leo: This week your talents will shine at work, but above all you will be highly appreciated for being a major support to a colleague or a friend. You will enjoy the time that you spend with others and your confidence will also rise. Though a hectic and stressful week but it will prove to be beneficial and rewarding in the long run. This period is also good for signing major contracts. Highly memorable time for those taking a distant vacation as they will find themselves getting attracted into a romantic alliance. Virgo: Trouble is brewing up for you this week, if you do not spend sufficient time with your family members. Professionally and financially things look much brighter and you will be required to complete many important projects in hand, but whatever the emergency do not shirk from your responsibilities towards your home. An old friend will make an unscheduled but pleasant visit, sharing with you lots of delightful and memorable moments. If you feel like taking a break from your hectic schedule then visit to the beach or the mountains will help you stay in good mood. Libra: This week you should implement new ideas into your projects for instant gains. Seniors, colleagues and subordinates will be very helpful. Plan your days carefully as efforts put during this period will have long lasting rewards. Money gains are certain but losses due to speculation are also foreseen. You will gain valuable information if you listen to those who are older and experienced. Go out and have some fun with friends later in the week. Scorpio: This week you need to listen to your instincts when it comes to financial matters. It will be important for you to invest, but it will be equally important to consult financial experts and books on investments. Stay away from investments that seem risky and on the advice of others. Only people with experience will give you sound advice. All those preparing to tie a knot can look forward to a happy relationship. Sagittarius: This week don’t get depressed, but put your time and efforts on important projects. Although finances will not be managed easily, but you will receive immense recognition and appreciation for your efforts. Your analytical skills will help you get everything done on time and eventually success will be yours. It is a brilliant week to straighten up things around the house. Home front will be pleasurable, but children and youngsters will behave little spendthrift. Capricorn: This week brings happiness and prosperity. Your creative ability will flourish during this period and your determination will defeat your opponents. You need to attend seminars and functions that will bring you in contact with important individuals. Real estate investments during this period will bring big dividends. Lovebirds will have a fabulous time and some will commit themselves to a matrimonial alliance. Overall a good week but make sure to keep an eye on your health. Aquarius: This week you should help children with projects, which are proving to be difficult for them. People will find you very charming, witty and enjoy your company. You will be putting in a lot of hours at work or on projects that are important for your career. You will acquire a lot of knowledge if you observe others. A wonderful week to look into courses and hobbies that interest you. A small vacation or a pleasure jaunt will lift your spirits. Pisces: This coming week you need to go into small details on projects, which are very important. You need to lead and observe, but you should avoid being too critical of the opinion of others. Businessmen will explore new and more profitable avenues. New partnerships and contacts will prove to be beneficial. Health needs proper care and you should avoid sweets and junk food. You should visit a gym or go for a walk in the evenings.

Annual Predictions: For those born in this week
May 05: Well connected with everyone by number 5 and planet Mercury. People learn the importance of being pragmatic, emotional, amiable, political and positive in life by you. Your mind runs with the speed of light, your body totally supports you in any activity and you have spotless lineament. You tend to work in your as well as other credit. Just because of this noble thought everyone turns to you for divine guidance. Stop behaving cavalier, fearful or diffident. Your forte will get momentum and will be appreciated by all. Trading of property will lead fruitful results. Without exploration of the domain do not jump in it as it may lead you to deep pit. Doors for settling the official troubles will be opened. The fake manuscripts will be unfurled creating troubles for the originator and finally benefiting you. Initiate the plan of journey with children so as to make moments memorable. Keep check of the medical bills which might take toll on you. Months of June, August, December and May will be thumping in nature. May 06: You are directed by the planet Venus and the number 6 will command you. You are enthusiastic, live life on your principles, aspirational and pleasing personality. You love to be connected with those people who are having an illustrious reputation, possess sound knowledge and are well qualified. You are generous and amiable by nature. Thus you have a good friend circle. Sometime you behave in a morose and unsociable manner. So avoid this part of your nature to get success. There are some golden opportunities approaching you, you should try to grasp them before they will slip from your hands. You will get good returns from the investments you made earlier. This is a correct time when you will feel happy in doing the work which gives you satisfaction. It might be possible that you will go on a trip to some pleasant place or to some sacred place. This is a period when you will be relaxed from your health problems but the health of some senior member in your family will be a subject to worry. Your contacts with some new persons will prove valuable to you. The months of July, September, November, January and March will reap fruits for you. May 07: You are headed by the planet Neptune and the numeral 7. You are autonomous, magnificent, swift, surefooted and favorable person. Your travesty has world-wide fans plus a very happy and nice nature. You always believe in transparency and debate free environment but you should also have to operate your envious, conservative and mean remarks. Health and monetary gains will be in plenty in the approaching 12 months. You need to dig out the well and take the advantage of all the options hidden inside it. Pierce the dense fog and keep check on every move of share trading to escape from unnecessary bearing. Pull out the trekking bags as time will take you to some adventurous place for business as well as for enjoyment too. Struggle for students in their studies is predicted. Do not violate any norm to be in fit and fine condition. Keep first aid kit and other equipments for exercising in the car as you may need them at any point of time. Months of June, August, September, November and February will be eye catching. May 08: Number 8 and planet Saturn will look after you. You are self-assured, upbeat, positive, dominative and excited fellow. You are blesses with some incredible blessings like spellbound creativity and jack of all the trades. Your speed of life is always in your control but you need to check your fickle-minded, dissembler and thankless behavior. Preliminary signals of the good time would be reflected by the new avenues and openings for you. Your diligency and destiny will be lined up for the major benefits. Improved show will make you rise and shine by your innovative ideas. New hopes will be generated by the fashionable people comes in your contact. You need to make a resolution for not involving into any type of gambling. Passage of time will be great by the efforts of your children. Months of May, July and December will be revolutionary. May 09: Number 9 and planet Mars will shine you everywhere and make you active, bold, industrious, kind and spiritual personality. Music and literature will be the context of the current time. You have thumping charm and strong will power but should curb your acrimonious, lousy and mercurial traits. You will head towards the place where you will get royal treatment and quality products all around you. You are no longer a bachelor this year as someone might approach to you to tie the nuptial knots. Excitement of moving on the quest for finding the inner peace will be fulfilled now. Gains and minor losses will go hand in hand. Time will be of mixed feelings for you. It could be a sight of making big gains now. Months of October, January, March and April will lit the new hopes. May 10: Number 1 and the Sun will acknowledge you about the good or not so good events. You are pilot, creditworthy, loyal and childlike person. The time will lit up new possibilities of touching the skyline but you should develop the habit of atoning for all your mistakes. You will create new records in the upcoming time. The far-fetched things will fall in your basket and brings name and fame to you. Selling and buying of land will click for you now. Love affair is about to start for you. New entrant in your life will be high on your cards. Expectations will be far exceeded by some counts at office and your determination will make you live up to everybody’s expectations. Some news from the kin’s will help you to establish new ventures. Be ready to travel long way for fun and frolic. Months of June, August and November will be prestigious for you. May 11: Act upon by the Moon and number 2. The prediction polls reveal that because of your rapidly acting and chicness you tend to look for the most anticipated aspiration and becomes restless until you reach to it. The taxonomical and creditworthy approach will help to bind the kin’s around you provided you stop pressing for your adamant and sic behavior. You will top the list of the employees who are about to get additional promotion. This is the result of the measurement of your bosses for which they are eyeing on you for past so many years. This year seems to be cut out for you because of your creative mind. Your better half will ring the gong of some special news some time now. Just wait for the forthcoming quest which will take you to some peaceful and prosperous place. Months of July, August, October and December will be highly sacred.

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, don’t feel shy. It’s 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

May 5-11, 2012

We need to still our mind to meditate
Master gives us five Charged Names to repeat which help us withdraw our attention from the world outside, from our body, senses, and thoughts so we can focus on the Light and Sound within. That Light and Sound is a current that leads us from this physical world to the merger of our soul with God in the highest spiritual realm. This can only happen when our mind is still. This means we need to be like the tree, without letting the winds of our thought distract us. If we can be like the calm and stable tree, we can soar from consciousness of this world to reunite our soul with God. work. We may lose money when we do not work. We are heading down a spiral of suffering. peace to others. We will contribute to our own concentration as well as to the peacefulness of others. We not only experience immediate pain from this stress, but we are also creating more karma for ourselves. When we react in a way that hurts others, it comes back to haunt us. We have to receive back whatever we give out. Thus, if we have caused If we lead our lives like the calm and stable tree, we will benefit more from the seva or selfless service we do. We think that the act of going through physical motions of serving is what is benefiting us. But those

Concluding part of the discourse 'The lesson of the tree'

By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj he main benefit to being steady like the tree is to be able to progress spiritually in our meditation. Spiritual progress rests on us stilling the body and stilling the mind. We cannot move from consciousness of this physical world to consciousness of the spiritual realms if our physical body is moving. Physical movement relies upon our attention focusing on our brain, which sends signals to our muscles to keep us in motion. For us to walk, our sensory currents have to be spread out in the body. Our body is not just a robotic machine. It is our will that is moving our body. Our will is our attention focusing on moving that body. If our body is to move, our sensory currents will be spread out through our head down to our toes. This means we cannot withdraw our attention to the seat of the soul between and behind the two eyebrows while we are walking. We can multitask and think of other things while walking, and can even walk and chew gum at the same time—or at least many people can—but part of our attention is still in the physical body. For us to withdraw, we need to keep the body still.

T

Master, and simran. In this way, we are engaged in actions that are not creating karma for us. We are like vessels or pipes in which water can flow. As we do seva, grace is flowing. But if we jam up that pipe with thoughts, the water gets backed up and cannot flow out. How can grace come to us when our thoughts are mired in criticism of others or hurting others? For us to benefit from seva, we need to keep our focus on God, the Master, and simran. We need to do our physical or intellectual seva but keep our attention focused on God. If we are like the stable tree, we do our job of giving fruit and shade, but are calm and collected. Finally, if we are like the tree we will benefit from the grace of the Master we receive in satsang or from the darshan of the Master. The Master is pouring out love and grace to us. If our mind is still, we can drink from that fountain of love and intoxication. We can sit in the satsang and imbibe those waves of grace radiating from his charged presence and his divine glances. But if we are buffeted about by the ups and downs of our thoughts, we are blocking that grace. It is coming at us, but like a rock in a stream, the waters of his love are flowing around us rather than within us. If we can sit in satsang with the stable calmness of the tree, we can drink in his words, his charged presence, and loving glances. Then, nothing can interfere with the love he is pouring out to us. That love will charge us and uplift us. It will lift us from this physical consciousness and bring our attention to the still point within. From there, we will rise into the current of Light and Sound and soar on its divine wings back to God. Let us be like the tree and remain calm and stable no matter what is happening in life. If we can still our mind no matter what is going on in our lives, we will find quick progress in meditation and soar at godspeed on our spiritual journey back to God. 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.

Next, we need to still the mind. If the mind is engaged in thoughts, it is not focused at a point known as the single or third eye, between and behind the two eyebrows. The mind that is not stilled is blind to the inner spiritual realms but alive to this physical world. To meditate, we need to switch our focus to shutting off sensory input from the physical world so we can become alive to what we experience in the inner realms. For this, we need to still our mind. At the time of initiation, the

The next benefit of being like the tree is the calmness it adds to our daily life. No one enjoys living life on an emotional rollercoaster. Think of all the stress and anxiety it causes to go from the heights of elation to the depths of despair from one moment to the next. We reach a state in which even when we are happy we are sad because we worry about something happening to upset our happiness. We begin to feel that the moments of sorrow far outweigh the moments of joy. If we get a moment of joy, it appears shortlived. The next moment, we are back again in the sorrows of life. We live in a state in which we are so caught up in the changes of every moment that we cannot enjoy our happiness because when thrust back into sorrow, those happy moments are forgotten. Similarly, when we are in periods of pain, and suddenly have a moment of happiness, we forget the pain and think that happiness will last forever. Then, we are disappointed when the moments of happiness are short and fleeting. So, we are always in a state of anxiety, stress, and disappointment. This rollercoaster ride keeps us off balance and we begin to head into a tailspin. Our thoughts begin to ruminate over these ups and downs of life. We become tense and stressed. We start getting into tussles with those around us. Then, others react to us and the relationship spirals into fights and arguments. The atmosphere becomes poisoned. We know that tension causes stress-related ailments. The body begins to suffer the effects of stressful thoughts. Our health breaks down. We start feeling ill. When we are ill, we cannot

The next benefit of being like the tree is the calmness it adds to our daily life. No one enjoys living life on an emotional roller-coaster. Think of all the stress and anxiety it causes to go from the heights of elation to the depths of despair from one moment to the next. We reach a state in which even when we are happy we are sad because we worry about something happening to upset our happiness. We begin to feel that the moments of sorrow far outweigh the moments of joy. If we get a moment of joy, it appears short-lived. The next moment, we are back again in the sorrows of life.
pain to others, we will receive pain in return. Our life becomes one of more misery rather than more happiness. If we lead life like the stable tree, we can avoid creating more karma. If we do not create more karma, we will not suffer in the future for what we did today. Our life will become more calm and peaceful. We will radiate actions, without the stillness of mind, do not bring the richest fruits. Seva means selflessness. To benefit from seva, we need to do it with stillness of mind so we are receptive to receive the grace of God and the Master. For that, we cannot be engaging in thoughts that create a reaction or karma. We may have to use our mind and body to do seva, but our attention is on God, the