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Vol 5 Issue 48 - March 22-29, 2013
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Geneva/New Delhi: India voted
for the US-sponsored resolution
against Sri Lanka at the United
Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) here calling on
Colombo to conduct an "indepen-
dent and credible" probe into alle-
gations of human rights violations.
The resolution was adopted 25-
13 Thursday. Pakistan was among
the 13 countries that voted against
the resolution.
India's envoy Dilip Sinha said
strongly: "We note with concern
the inadequate progress by Sri
Lanka in fulfilling its commitment
to this Council in 2009. Further, we
call on Sri Lanka to move forward
on its public commitments, includ-
ing on the devolution of political
authority through full implementa-
tion of the 13th Amendment and
building upon it.
"We reiterate our call for an inde-
pendent and credible investigation
New Delhi: In a move to strengthen bilateral ties,
India and Egypt Tuesday signed seven key pacts after
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Egyptian
President Mohamed Morsi held wide-ranging talks
here, exploring ways to promote ties to the level of
"strategic partnership".
The two leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation
in defense and in international forums like the UN.
Morsi, who stressed on deeper economic ties, also
pitched for increased Indian investment in Egypt's
ambitious Suez Canal project.
"President Morsi and I have just concluded exten-
sive and productive discussions... We agreed that his
visit, at an important juncture for Egypt, offers us a
great opportunity to renew our relationship and take it
to a different level of engagement and cooperation,"
New Delhi/Mumbai: Twenty years after the 1993
serial bombings in Mumbai, the Supreme Court
Thursday upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul
Razak Memon as well as the conviction of Bollywood
star Sanjay Dutt under the Arms Act, but reduced his
sentence from six to five years.
While confirming Yakub Memon's death sentence,
the bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and B.S. Chauhan
said his "deeds can't be viewed distinct from the act of
Tiger Memon, hence, both owe an equivalent respon-
sibility for the blasts". The 13 blasts in India's finan-
cial capital on March 12, 1993, claimed 257 lives and
left 713 injured.
Sanjay Dutt, the most high profile of the accused,
By Arjit Mehta
New York: The latest European Union member facing
an economic crisis is the sleepy island nation of
Cyprus. Located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea,
Cyprus is in the unenviable position of needing
money. Currently, the Cypriot banks need $21 billion
to remain solvent. Normally, the central government
would intervene and attempt to settle this matter
domestically; however, the assets in Cypriot banks are
8 times the size of Cyprus’ GDP. Their banks are quite
literally, too big to save. As many of the other belea-
guered peripheral countries in Europe have done in
this situation, they have reached out to Germany for a
Morsi visit: India, Egypt ink seven pacts
Supreme Court upholds jail term for Sanjay Dutt
The Cypriot bailout: No, thank you
DMK dumps UPA govt for dissing Tamils, not taking tough stand
Death for Yakub in 1993 Mumbai blasts; 100 crore riding on Dutt films
Union Ministers AK Antony and P Chidambaram called on DMKsupremo Karunanidhi on Monday in a failed bid to persuade him
to not withdraw support to the UPA government.
Families of people who disappeared during Sri Lanka’s brutal waragainst Tamil Tigers presented a petition to a UN office in
Colombo, calling on the international community to intervene.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi shakes handswith President Pranab Mukherjee during a recep-tion for the visiting dignitary at the Rashtrapati
Bhavan in Delhi on March 19.
Sanjay Dutt has to surrender in 4 weeks but prom-ises to complete his upcoming films like ‘MunnaBhai 3’, the ‘Zanjeer’ remake and ‘Policegiri’.
Cypriots have started withdrawing money at a breakneck speed though their parliament
voted against a plan to seize a part of depositors' bank savings.
The South Asian Timese x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Vol.5 No. 48 March 23-29, 2013 60 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Fashion 15 News in Pix 18 Spiritual Awareness 30US Affairs 9 excellence in journalism
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 4
India votes for UNresolution against
Sri Lanka
March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info
3March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
One in 50 US school kids has autismAtlanta, GA: According to the lat-
est estimates from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), as many as 1 in 50 children
in US schools have autism. That's a
number higher than last year's esti-
mate of one in 88 schoolchildren.
The statistic includes all disorders
on the autism spectrum, including
Asperger's Syndrome.
The study, which compared diag-
noses in 2007 (at 1 in 86, according
to their study) to those in 2011-'12,
attributes "much" of the increase in
prevalence to "diagnoses of children
with previously unrecognized autism
spectrum disorder." Those diagnosed
after 2008 were more likely to have
a less severe form of autism, accord-
ing to researchers. Increases in
prevalence were statistically signifi-
cant for all age groups, and for boys,
but not for girls. Boys were four
times as likely to have an autism dis-
order than girls were.
The study relied on parents to
report diagnosis, severity, and the
approximate date of diagnosis them-
selves, instead of relying on medical
records.
Arun Singh appointed Ambassador to France Washington DC: Arun K. Singh,
Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy
of India here, is moving to Paris as
Ambassador to France. Amb Singh
assumed his current assignment in
Washington DC in October 2008 and
was well respected in diplomatic cir-
cles and in the Indian community. US-
India Business Council has organized
a reception to bid him farewell on
March 26 at the US Chamber of
Commerce in Washington. Arun Singh
joined the Indian Foreign Service in
1979. After stints abroad, he served in
the Ministry of External Affairs in
Delhi as Deputy Secretary / Director
dealing with East Asia and Pakistan
Divisions (1988-91). From 1991-
1993, he headed the Offices of the
Foreign Secretary and the External
Affairs Minister.
Ambassador Singh served at the
Permanent Mission of India to the UN
Office, New York from 1993-1997 as
Counsellor and handled multilateral
social and economic negotiations. He
served in the Indian Mission at
Moscow as Counsellor / Minister
from 1997-2000. Back in Delhi from
2000-2005, he served as Joint
Secretary dealing first with the UN
policy and then Pakistan, Afghanistan
and Iran divisions at the MEA. He
served as Ambassador to Israel from
2005-08.
John Liu too enters NYC mayor raceNew York: NYC Comptroller John C. Liu,
joined by his family and hundreds of voters
from throughout the five boroughs, officially
announced his candidacy Sunday for Mayor,
a week after City Council Speaker Christine
Quinn, another Democrat, launched her cam-
paign for the coveted position.
While John’s mayoral bid illuminates the
political rise of the Big Apple’s Asian-
American population, he has been shadowed
by a fundraising-conspiracy case against two
former aides.
About three-term Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, he said, "the rich keep getting
filthy rich" while other New Yorkers are
struggling just to survive. "I'll be a mayor not
of the 1 percent but of the 100 percent," he
promised supporters standing behind him on
the City Hall steps as he announced his long-
anticipated candidacy amid a daylong slate of
appearances around the city.
John said he'll fight to bring back "the
sacred promise of New York City."
"Come here, work hard, dream big, and
work even harder, and if you do all that, you
have a chance to make good," he said.
Born in Taiwan, he came to the city at age
5. He grew up and still lives in the Flushing
section of Queens, a vibrant hub of immi-
grants from China, Korea and other Asian and
Latin American countries.
Meanwhile, John has come under scrutiny
himself over his campaign's practices. The
campaign’s former treasurer and a former
fundraiser are facing federal charges of con-
spiring to break campaign finance laws to
boost his campaign coffers. They could go to
trial as soon as next month, potentially dam-
aging his campaign even as it gets into
high gear.
Prosecutors say the ex-staffers used straw
donors — essentially, channeled money from
one backer through another — to skirt contri-
bution limits. They have pleaded not guilty.
John has not been charged with any wrong-
doing, and his lawyer has said the case will
show he has always sought to run an honor-
able campaign.
A press release from his office said his cam-
paign has raised just about the maximum
spending limit for the September 10 Primary.
Since November 2010, the Campaign account
has received $3,229,794 from 5,192 donors.
With $568,515 in total matchable contribu-
tions claimed to-date, the Campaign can
apply for an additional $3,411,090 in public
funds under the NYC Campaign Finance
Program.
In 2009, John won the historic race to
become the 43rd Comptroller of the City of
New York. Earlier he was a member of the
New York City Council from 2001 to 2009,
representing District 20 in Queens.
NYC Comptroller John C. Liuannounced his bid for Mayor from the
steps of City hall.
Nitin Parikh and Vikas Singh receive Business Awards from Nassau County Mineola, NY: Nassau County
Executive Ed Magnano honored
two noted Indian American entre-
preneurs among others at Business
Awards Breakfast Wednesday at
the Executive and Legislative
Building here. The two honorees
Nitin C. Parikh and Vikas Singh
are well known in the community.
Vikas Singh has partnered with
Biz2Credit to help small to medi-
um businesses in the cellular
phone and other industries secure
the financing they need for growth.
Founded in 2007, Biz2Credit is a
leading credit marketplace con-
necting small- and medium-sized
businesses with lenders, service
providers, and complementary
business tools. The company
matches borrowers to financial
institutions based on each busi-
ness’s unique profile-- completed
in less than fourminutes -- in a
safe, efficient, price transparent
environment.
Biz2Credit’s network consists of
1.6 million users, 1,100+ lenders,
credit rating agencies such as
D&B and Equifax, and small busi-
ness service providers including
CPAs an lawyers.
Having arranged $800 million in
funding throughout the U.S.,
Biz2Credit is widely recognized as
the #1 online credit resource for
small business loans, lines of cred-
it, equipment loans, working capi-
tal and other funding options.
Mr Parikh is the founder and
CEO of North Shore Office
Supplies Inc. based in New Hyde
Park in Nassau County. It is among
the fastest growing small business-
es in Long Island.
North Shore Office Supplies no
has a national footprint with 52
distribution centers nationwide.
Mr Parikh is also the founder and
managing trustee of Tattvamasi
Foundation, that supports over 500
students in rural India. He is also a
major sponsor of the Martin
Luther King Scholarship Fund for
Economic Opportunity
Commission in Nassau County. He
lives in Manhasset Hills with his
wife Sangita, daughter Dr.
Tattvamasi and son Meghav.
Amb. Arun K. Singh, DeputyChief of Mission at Embassy of
India in Washington DC
Nitin C Parikh is joined by his wife Sangita and daughterTattvamasi as he receives the citation from
County Executive Ed Mangano.
Vikas Singh receiving thecitation from County
Executive Ed Mangano.
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4 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoTURN PAGE
India votes for UN resolution against Sri LankaContinued from page 1into allegations of human rights violations and
loss of civilian lives. We urge Sri Lanka to
take forward measures to ensure accountabili-
ty. We expect these measures to be to the satis-
faction of the international community."
Sri Lanka has repeatedly denied killing
Tamil civilians during its military campaign
against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi termed the
UNHRC resolution as "useless" and said India
did not bother about the Tamils in the island
nation. "The resolution has been watered
down to the extent that it has turned out to be
useless," he said. External Affairs Minister
Salman Khurshid clarified that India's amend-
ments to make the resolution tougher could
not be incorporated due to lack of consensus.
Karunanidhi said the DMK's decision to pull
out of the government was inevitable given
that the party's demands were not met-- the
party wanted declaration to the effect that
attacks on Tamils by the Sri Lankan military
were "war crimes" and "genocide" and a time
bound probe be held by an international com-
mission on the happenings in Sri Lanka.
Morsi visit storyContinued from page 1Singh said after concluding talks with Morsi
in the Indian capital.
Expressing admiration for the courage and
sacrifices of the people of Egypt in ushering
in a new era of democracy, Singh said India
has offered to share its experience as Morsi
"ably leads his nation in building strong insti-
tutions and frameworks for democracy, social
justice and inclusive economic development".
Jail term for Sanjay Dutt storyContinued from page 1was asked to surrender in four weeks.
As he has already undergone 18 months
imprisonment, he will be in jail effectively for
three and half years.
Reacting to the verdict, Dutt said he was
"shattered" but will complete all his pending
films. An estimated Rs.100 crore is riding on
Sanjay Dutt, 53, who has films like the
"Zanjeer" remake, "Policegiri", "Munna Bhai
3" and "P.K.” in the works.
Many people have expressed sympathy for
Dutt. Press Council of India chief Markandey
Katju has appealed to Maharashtra Governor
to pardon the actor arguing that he had not
been found guilty of having played a role in
the 1993 blasts (only of possessing arms with-
out license) and had already suffered a lot
The Cpyriot bailout storyContinued from page 1bailout. This is where the fun starts.
Before we get to the bailout request, it is
important to understand the banking industry
in Cyprus. Firstly, where did it get all this
money from? In short, Russia. Cyprus has
become a tax haven and many Russian oli-
garchs have stashed their capital in Cypriot
banks to avoid taxes in their home country. By
some estimates, approximately 37% of the
$88 billion deposited in Cypriot banks came
from abroad. This percentage is significantly
higher for bank accounts that have over
€100,000, and are therefore uninsured. The
major Cypriot banks used these excess funds
to lend to Greece. They purchased billions in
Greek government bonds and lent out even
more to Greek corporations. Ostensibly, this
was a pragmatic decision as Greece’s GDP
was over 11x the size of Cyprus’. However,
after having to take major write downs on
these bad loans, these banks were extended
emergency loans from European Central
Bank. Now that they need more money, they
are looking to Germany for help.
This happens to be an election year for
Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. There
is growing disapproval amongst the German
population for Germany’s front-and-center
participation in the bailouts throughout
Europe. Furthermore, Merkel does not want to
be seen bailing out the questionable Russians
whose assets are tied up in Cypriot banks.
While refusing to give all $21 billion that is
currently needed, Germany has offered $13
billion while demanding that Cyprus levy a
one-time tax on all bank deposits to recoup
the remaining $7.5 billion that they need. In
effect, Germany wants the Cypriot govern-
ment to tax all bank accounts with less than
€100,000 by 6.75% and all accounts with over
€100,000 by 9.90%. Imagine waking up
tomorrow and realizing that 6.75% of your
savings account had vanished. Suffice it to
say, this did not go over well with the public
in Cyprus and on Tuesday, March 19th, the
Parliament rejected a bill that would impose
this one-time tax.
With that option out of the picture, Plan B
calls for state pension funds to pay up a little
over $5 billion, with the remaining $2+ billion
coming from Russia. Seeing that Russian
companies and citizens have over $32 billion
in Cypriot banks, the government believes
that it can convince Russia that their $2+ bil-
lion loan would prevent the 9.90% loss that
their bank accounts would be forced to take
with the one-time tax. However, if the EU
and IMF balk at deductions from the state
pension funds, Cyprus will have to find some
other way to raise that $5 billion.
In the grand scale of the world economy,
this is actually a non-event. This is evidenced
by the relative flatness of the world stock mar-
kets. This is primarily the case because
Cyprus only accounts for 0.2% of the GDP of
the EU. It’s too small to make a big differ-
ence. The interesting thing, though, is to see
whether any of the other peripheries, namely
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain,
facing economic troubles consider the one-
time tax on bank deposits to steady the ship.
The Cypriot public has already started with-
drawing cash from Cypriot banks at break-
neck pace and corporations will surely move
their assets to other, more stable, regimes.
Long Island pizza owner nabbed for tax evasionMineola, NY: An Indian
American who owned six
Papa John’s franchises was
charged last week with steal-
ing more than $800,000 in
state sales tax revenue,
according to Nassau County
District Attorney Kathleen
Rice.
Ajay Choudhary, 38, was
charged with second-degree
grand larceny, three counts of criminal tax
fraud in the second degree and
19 counts of first-degree
offering a false instrument for
filing. He faces up to 15 years
in prison if convicted.
He failed to report sales
taxes between 2005 and
2012, Rice said. Choudhary
runs locations in Hicksville,
Valley Stream, Uniondale,
Freeport and Inwood, and is the
former owner of a location in Farmingdale.
Ajay Choudhary
Florida college student commitssuicide, planned larger attack
Orlando, FL: A college student whose name
suggests he is of South Asian descent, with two
guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a
backpack filled with explosives pulled a dorm
fire alarm Mar. 18 in an apparent attempt to
force other students out into the open so that he
could slaughter them, authorities said. But he in-
stead put a bullet in his head as police closed in.
James Oliver Seevakumaran, 30, was found
dead in his dorm room at the 51,000-student
Orlando campus of the University of Central
Florida. No one else was hurt."His timeline got
off," university Police Chief Richard Beary
said. "We think the rapid response of law en-
forcement may have changed his ability to
think quickly on his feet."
Some 500 students were evacuated from the
building in the middle of the night, unaware
how narrowly they had escaped what could
have been another Virginia Tech-style blood-
bath.
Peary told the Orlando Sentinel that “there
was a planned attack” on Tower 1 residence
hall, the dorm where Seevakumaran lived.
"It could have been a very bad day here for
everybody. All things considered, I think we
were very blessed here," Beary said. "Anybody
armed with this type of weapon and ammuni-
tion could have hurt a lot of people here, par-
ticularly in a crowded area as people were
evacuating."
Beary also stated that while police did indeed
discover four improvised explosives in See-
vakumaran’s room, the bombs were not “in fi-
nal completed stages” and would not have had
the necessary power to bring down a dorm
building as Seevakumaran may have intended.
Police shed no light on a motive, but univer-
sity spokesman Grant Heston said that before
the episode, the school was in the process of re-
moving Seevakumaran from the dormitory be-
cause he hadn't enrolled for the current semes-
ter. He had never been seen by university coun-
selors and had no disciplinary problems with
other students, Heston said.
Detectives found notes and other writings
that indicated Seevakumaran had carefully
planned an attack and “laid out a timeline of
where he was going to be and what he was go-
ing to do," Beary said.
Making of an inspirationaltalk show: Andaaz
By Parveen Chopra
New York: Sarika Batra is thrilled that her
inspirational talk show ‘Andaaz’ on Sony
network is now in its fourth season. “An-
daaz is a feel good show that empowers
you,” she told The South Asian Times. “It is
different from the usual South Asian fare in
America which is either escapist Bollywood
mix or news.”
Airing three times a week, the show has be-
come so popular now that it reaches out to
over 20 million people worldwide and will
soon be seen on a major TV channel in India.
The celebrities Sarika has interviewed for
her show include Deepak Chopra, Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar, Priyanka Chopra, Vinod
Khosla, Naeem Khan and Zakir Hussain.
“We tell their stories of how they overcame
obstacles to achieve success,” she
elaborates.
Based in the Bay Area, Sarika’s own story
is inspiring. She studied film at Northwest-
ern University and wanted to create inspira-
tional content for the South Asian commu-
nity. Not disheartened by having no contacts
in the media, she tried to meet the decision
maker at Sony for six months and kept get-
ting ignored. Finally, running into him at an
event, she pitched her idea and he liked it,
and Andaaz was launched. Of course, to
take it off the ground and make it successful
has tested her own entrepreneurship skills.
The message she wants to give to young
people is to not give up on their dreams, to
give their best shot with self-belief and be
assured of success.
Talking about the highlights of her show
this season, Sarika says, “This season we are
getting people to expand their minds. Our
community tends to focus on what they
know. We’re sort of stretching people’s
mind. We’re doing a lot on artificial intelli-
gence, faith, innovation, and talking to as-
tronauts. It’s to show people what you can
do in this world and how it’s going to impact
us in the future.”
Sarika Batra has also been featured in the
book ‘Roshni: The light of South Asia”’
about notable Indian Americans.
James Oliver Seevakumaran's namesuggests he is of South Asian descent
Sarika Batra: creator and host of 'Andaaz'
Indian art totals $6.7 million at Sotheby’s sales New York, NY: The Amaya Collection, the
first international Evening Sale of Indian Art
and the first single-owner sale in this catego-
ry to be held at Sotheby’s in more than a
decade, brought a strong total of $6,694,875,
just shy of its pre-sale high estimate of $7
million. The 43 works on offer were assem-
bled by esteemed collector and author Amri-
ta Jhaveri, and were highlighted by Untitled
from Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, one of India’s
most important modern abstract painters,
which sold for $965,000, above a high esti-
mate of $800,000. Strong prices were
achieved for Sayed Haider Raza’s Ra-
jasthan I from 1983, which brought $809,000, while multiple
bidders drove Francis Newton Souza’s The Crucifixion to
achieve $557,000 (est. $200/300,000). Additional highlights in-
cluded Manjit Bawa’s The Black Devi, which sold for
$389,000, and Bhupen Khakhar’s 1988 Satsang, which fetched
$341,000 – both above their pre-sale high estimates.
Yamini Mehta, Senior Director, Sotheby’s International Head
of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, London and
New York, said: “It has been a privilege for Sotheby’s to han-
dle this offering of works from The Amaya Collection.
Tonight’s strong results, which reached the high estimate, are a
testament to Amrita’s well-honed eye and decades of experi-
ence in the field of modern and contemporary Indian art. And
with 60% of the lots achieving prices above
their high estimates, there is no question that
collectors are committed to pursuing works of
the highest quality. I am delighted to have
been a part of this landmark sale which was
my first at Sotheby’s.”
Priyanka Mathew, Head of Sales, Modern
& Contemporary South Asian Art, comment-
ed: “We have been especially pleased and en-
couraged to see a number of new buyers enter
the market this season. Tonight, their presence
contributed to strong prices for works by
both the modern and contemporary artists in
The Amaya Collection. The resurgence of
interest in contemporary works is particularly exciting for this
market, with records set tonight for artists including Banerjee
and Joshi. Bidding was truly global, with equal participation
coming from Asia, North America and Europe, demonstrating
strength in the Indian market.” During this sale, Sotheby’s set
four artist records at auction including ones for: K.G. Subra-
manyan, whose Mask, Icon, Mount, Mascot sold for $185,000,
well above the previous record for the artist at auction (right);
Anant Joshi, whose mixed media piece, May Look Closer Than
They Appear – 3, fetched $60,000; Ranbir Singh Kaleka,
whose Untitled (Twisted Rope) achieved $32,500, above its es-
timate; and Rina Banerjee, whose The Strain of Fruit Eaten
Twice Produced More and More brought $27,500.
5March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Indian community to protest Wharton’sModi snub outside Penn Museum
New York: Americans for Free
Speech (AFS) is conducting a demon-
stration at the University of Pennsyl-
vania campus on Saturday March 23
from 12 PM to 2:30 PM EST on the
occasion of Wharton India Economic
Forum meeting. The venue is in front
of Penn Museum (on South Street be-
tween 33rd and 32nd streets). The
demonstration is against the Wharton
India Economic Forum (WIEF) sum-
mary dis-invitation of Mr. Narendra
Modi after having extended him a for-
mal invitation to be the keynote speak-
er due to Mr. Modi’s alleged human
rights violations by only three profes-
sors, none of whom are from the busi-
ness school.
Buses are being arranged from Edi-
son, NJ, Jersey City, NJ and Queens,
NY. US Congressmen, American Civ-
il Rights Groups, and distinguished
members of Indian American Commu-
nity will be speaking at the meeting.
AFS is an organization formed in re-
sponse to this unprecedented and un-
democratic action by the University of
Pennsylvania under pressure from a
minority of students. “This action
makes a travesty of the norms of aca-
demic debate in a civilized society.
The protest represents the outrage of
the Indian American Community,
Wharton and UPenn alumni, UPenn
faculty, civil rights groups and other
supporters. We feel that Wharton has
done grave injustice to its own princi-
ples of Freedom of Speech, to the prin-
ciples on which our great country is
built,” AFS said in a press release.
“After extensive investigations, the
highly respected Supreme Court of In-
dia completely exonerated Narendra
Modi from charges by ideologues, for
whom, sadly, truth does not seem to be
the highest virtue. The émigré Indian
community is distressed that a few
malafide activists at the University of
Pennsylvania are engaging in blatantly
false propaganda.
Vasudeo Gaitonde’s untitledthat sold for $965,000
6 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoTRISTATE COMMUNITY
IN BRIEF
Bhangra at the Bell 2013: First Bhangra competition in Philly
Punjab’s Bhangra, glamour, vivacity
and passion were recreated at the
Irvine Auditorium in Philadelphia on
Saturday March 2, 2013 as energetic col-
lege students from ten universities/private
dance teams from the USA went head to
head to prove their mettle at the first
Bhangra Competition of its kind in the city
of brotherly love “Bhangra at the Bell “
hosted by MNK event services.
About 200 dancers from the following
teams participated including Anakh E
Gabroo from New York, NY; Bruin
Bhangra from Los Angeles, CA; Carnegie
Mellon University (CMU) Bhangra, Pitts-
burgh, PA; Cornell Bhangra from Ithaca,
NY; DC Bhangra Crew (DCBC) from Dis-
trict of Columbia, USA; Drexel University
Bhangra, Philadelphia, PA; F*A*U*J,
Boston, MA; Joshiley Jawan, Clifton, VA;
Shaan Mutiyaaran di (SMD), New York,
NY; University of North Carolina (UNC)
Bhangra Elite, Chappell Hill, North Caroli-
na; Mesmerizing exhibition dance by
USciences (USP) “Dhadkan: from
Philadelphia; Promotional classical sense
of dance from TCNJ Jiva (The college of
NJ); Special performance by Ricky Jatt and
his crew from Washington D.C. The pro-
gram began with American National An-
them followed by Indian National Anthem
sung by Annjela John and then was fol-
lowed by 13 performances portraying the
beauty of Bhangra dance and culture. An
enthusiastic young crowd of over 1,000 at-
tended the sold out event.The event master
of ceremonies was DJ Gaurav.
The judges for the event included Benny
Singh from Virginia, Jagdeep Tooray from
Los Angeles, Sumjit Bajwa from Michigan
& Waleed Mahmood from Washington
D.C.
The Bhangra competition provided a plat-
form for Indian-American dancers and cho-
reographers to showcase their talent and
demonstrate a connection between modern
techniques and traditional forms. The wide
array of bhangra performed brought the
magic of Punjabi culture, colors and energy
on stage.
The first place was bagged by FAUJ
Bhangra from Boston, second place- CMU
Bhangra from Pittsburgh and third place-
Joshiley Jawan from Virgina.
FIAF presents Fashion Talks 2013 with Naeem Khan
The French Institute Alliance Fran-
caise (FIAF) has organized Fashion
Talks 2013 on March 27 at 7 pm at
Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street
with acclaimed designer Naeem Khan.
The talk will be in English and moderat-
ed by Pamela Golbin, Chief Curator of
Fashion and Textiles at Les Arts Décorat-
ifs in Paris.
More info on fiaf.org.
Indian Health Camp of NJ to hold annual health fair on April 28
On Sunday, April 28, 2012, from
8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a health
screening and disease awareness
and prevention fair will be held at 36
Meridian Road, Behind Unity Bank, off
Oak Tree Road in Edison, NJ.
The health fair will be organized by the
Indian Health Camp of New Jersey and
supported by the Indo-American Council
of Seniors of Edison, NJ. The health fair
will be open to all pre-registered partici-
pants between the ages of 45 and 64 with-
out any medical insurance.
The health screening will include blood
test, EKG, vision screening for glaucoma
and diabetic retinopathy, physical exami-
nation, cardiology and physical therapy
counseling, various types of cancer
screening and prevention education,
chronic disease self management via ask
your doctor, dietary and diabetes counsel-
ing and pharmacy counseling.
Approximately 25-30 physicians and
other allied health care professionals from
various specialties of internal medicine,
cardiology, ophthalmology, gynecology,
urology, physical therapy, dietary and nu-
trition, pharmacist, phlebotomists, EKG
techs, medical assistants, nurses, social
workers and medical students will
provide their services on this day to
screen and educate patients on diabetes,
hypertension, cardiac diseases, high cho-
lesterol, various types of cancer and other
chronic debilitating diseases specifically
targeted to the South Asian community.
The blood test reports will be reviewed by
the physicians and mailed it to all partici-
pants with a counseling note, if any ab-
normalities are detected in the test. The
dedicated team from the State of New
Jersey Commission for the blind will
provide thorough eye screening to
qualified patients on this day to promote
their noble cause of preventing blindness
in the community.
Indian Health Camp of NJ and
their dedicated committee members and
volunteers will provide their self-less and
dedicated service to support the health
fair activities on this day.
All pre-registered participants are
requested to arrive no later than 8:30 a.m.
on the day of the screening and recom-
mended to be fasting from mid-night.
The participants can continue to take their
regularly prescribed medications and can
drink water even in the morning of the
blood test.
The breakfast after the blood test and
lunch will be provided to all participants
and volunteers on this day.
The registration form to participate in
this health fair is available on organiza-
tion web site at www.IHCNJ.ORG or
Gujarat Darpan and Tiranga. The dead-
line to receive the completed form to
IHCNJ, P.O. Box 5686, Hillsborough, NJ
08844 is by April 12, 2013.
Hindus laud offer of free yoga, meditation for female veterans in Pennsylvania
Hindus have commended Mont-
gomery County Community College
(MCCC) and the Montgomery
County Veterans Center in Pennsylvania for
offering free yoga and meditation for female
veterans.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement
in Nevada called it a “step in the right direc-
tion” and urged the community colleges all
over USA to offer similar free yoga and med-
itation programs for both female and male
veterans in collaboration with US Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs.
Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although
introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was
a world heritage and liberation powerhouse
to be utilized by all.
No prior yoga experience is needed but
documentation of military service is required
for this program called “Warrior Yoga”,
which is starting April one in Blue Bell cam-
pus of MCCC. “Studies have shown that
yoga has several health benefits, including
improved sleep, better management of stress
and anxiety, improved focus and increased
fitness”, its announcement says.
Winner of the Bhangra at the Bell 2013
Texas-based Firm indicted for misuse of H1B Visa
Washington, DC: An Indian
American company based in Texas
has been indicted by federal authori-
ties on charges of fraud in the H-1B
visa category and using it to create a
low-cost workforce in the United
States. The multi-count indictment
filed last month against top officials
of the Dibon Solutions of Texas—
Atul Nanda, Jiten 'Jay' Nanda, Siva
Sugavanam, Vivek Sharma, Rohit
Mehra and Mohammad Khan—
alleges that the company paid H-1B
visa-holding employees only when
there was work.
According to the 15-page indict-
ment filed last month and unsealed
this month, the Nanda brothers, the
owners of the company, along with
others named in the court conspired
to defraud the H-1B system.
The indictment alleges that Dibon
hired foreign workers on H-1B visas
and instead of paying them, used
them to work for a third company
and gave them the salary only when
they worked for the third company.
The company "sponsored the
workers on H-1B visas with the stat-
ed purpose of working at Dibon
headquarters in Carrollton, Texas,
but, in fact, required the workers to
provide consulting services to third-
party companies located elsewhere,"
the indictment alleges.
"Contrary to the representations
made by the conspirators to the
workers (and the government), the
conspirators paid the workers only
when the conspirators placed the
workers at a third-party company
and only if the third-party company
actually paid Dibon first for the
workers' services," it said.
Additionally, in Dibon's visa
paperwork, it falsely represented
that the foreign workers had full-
time positions and were paid an
annual salary, as required by regula-
tion to secure the visas, the indict-
ment alleges.
'Midnight's Children' to kick offNew York Indian Film Festival
New York: The 13th Annual New
York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF)
will kick off April 10 with an exclu-
sive screening of acclaimed director
Deepa Mehta's "Midnight's
Children" based on award-winning
writer Salman Rushdie's novel.
Mehta and Rushdie, who also
adapted the screenplay, producer
David Hamilton, cast members
Sarita Choudhury and Samrat
Chakrabarti, too would be in atten-
dance, according to festival organiz-
ers, the Indo-American Arts Council
(IAAC).
Paladin and 108 Media will be
officially releasing "Midnight's
Children" in major US cities starting
in New York City on April 26.
Mehta, who returns to NYIFF
after her Oscar-nominated film
"Water" opened the film festival in
2005, said: "We have had a very
long and creatively fruitful relation-
ship with NYIFF. 'Fire', the very
first film in the elemental Trilogy
was shown there and almost every
film I have made since."
"It is enormously pleasing for me
to be once again collaborating with
NYIFF and bringing to their
extremely discerning audience
"Midnight's Children", a film that I
have been dreaming of doing since I
first read the book over 30 years
ago," she said.
India-US economic ties to growstronger: Nirupama Rao
Washington, DC: Indian
ambassador Nirupama Rao
has expressed her "firm
view" that India-US eco-
nomic relationship would
only become stronger over
time despite concerns of
businesses on both sides.
"Just as US businesses
have some concerns, Indian
industry has also highlight-
ed its concerns," she said
Friday at the Center for
Strategic and International
Studies' (CSIS) Statesmen's
Forum - "US- India
Economic Agenda in 2013".
The Indian IT industry
which employs over
100,000 in the US, and sup-
ports another 200,000 jobs
including indirect ones,
faces regulatory challenges
in the US, Rao said citing a
report by Nasscom, the pre-
mier organization repre-
senting Indian software
industry.
India "was also unable to
even begin a dialogue with
the US on a bilateral
'Totalization Agreement'" to
eliminate dual Social
Security taxation and facili-
tate return of Indian work-
ers' contributions once they
go back to India, she said.
Hoping for an early meet-
ing of the Ministerial Trade
Policy Forum to address
bilateral policy and regula-
tory concerns, Rao said "it
is through regular dialogue
that we can build common
ground and address con-
cerns in a well-reasoned,
rational way."
"Going forward, and in
order to negotiate the global
economic terrain better,
India and the US perhaps
also need to explore new
trade and economic cooper-
ation arrangements," Rao
said.
"This is where we need to
move consciously and with
momentum on the Bilateral
Investment Treaty, as also
train our sights on the
exploration of the advan-
tages, or otherwise, of any
future bilateral economic
partnership arrangements,"
she said.
Noting that President
Barack Obama had termed
the India-US partnership as
"a defining partnership of
the 21st century," Rao said:
"We need to remain com-
mitted and engaged at all
levels, continuously and
without pause, overcoming
any challenges, that may
exist."
"I am very optimistic
about the future, and of the
firm view that the economic
relationship between our
two democracies can only
become stronger with the
passage of time," she said.
The Indian economy has
grown at an average of 8
per cent per annum over the
last five years and India
hoped to achieve a growth
rate of over 8 per cent per
annum over the next five
years, Rao said.
Recent months have wit-
nessed a flurry of measures
designed to further open the
economy, with FDI reforms
having taken place in single
and multi-brand retail, civil
aviation and power
exchanges, she said.
"India's receptivity and
openness to foreign invest-
ment is only expected to go
up," she said referring to a
slew of proposals outlined
in this year's budget which
are "aimed at improving the
investment climate, re-
invigorating growth and
promoting inclusive devel-
opment."
"This is a scenario in
which there is immense
potential for increasing US
investments into India, con-
sidering that the US is the
world's leading investor,
holding 14.8 percent of
total global FDI stock in
2010," Rao said.
7March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Washington, DC: Asserting that South
Asian Americans contribute to American
society in numerous capacities, socially,
culturally, and economically, a coalition of
community organization has sought holis-
tic and comprehensive immigration
reforms.
"Our community members fill the gaps
in low and high skilled jobs, start their
own businesses, provide support to their
loved ones, and desire an education and
opportunity like any other American,"
Deepa Iyer, Executive Director South
Asian Americans Leading Together
(SAALT) told a House panel Thursday.
Suggesting that the current immigration
system "makes it increasingly difficult for
South Asian Americans as well as many
other immigrants to successfully con-
tribute to our country and therefore,
impinge upon our progress as a nation,"
SAALT proposed a nine point reform
agenda.
This includes creation of accessible and
affordable pathways to legalization and
citizenship for all undocumented individu-
als and keeping families together, elimi-
nating visa backlogs, and increasing caps
for family and employment visas.
Rejecting enforcement-only approaches
to immigration, the coalition of 41 com-
munity groups sought termination of
racial and religious profiling and avenues
and protections for immigrant workers
and their families.
The coalition also sought access to serv-
ices and benefits, including health care,
regardless of immigration status; and pro-
motion of support for integration pro-
grams, including English as a Second
Language, and naturalization.
"It is only with this holistic approach to
immigration reform that South Asian
Americans and all other immigrants will
be able to effectively contribute to our
society in a way that allows our nation to
flourish, prosper, and succeed," Iyer said.
South Asian Americans are the fastest
growing major ethnic group in the United
States, increasing by 81 percent from
2000 to 2010 to approximately 3.4 million
people.
South Asian Americans seekholistic immigration reforms
Bobby Ghosh named editor ofTime International
Washington, DC: Noted journalist
Aparisim 'Bobby' Ghosh, an Indian nation-
al, has been named the editor of Time
International.
"Bobby, quite simply, is a magnificent
journalist who has done the highest level of
work that one can aspire to in our
profession," the Time Inc.
Editor-in-Chief Martha
Nelson and Time Managing
Editor Rick Stengel told
staffers in an announce-
ment Friday.
Currently Time's Deputy
International Editor, Ghosh
takes over from Jim
Frederick, who is vacating
the position "to move on
to other challenges,"
the memo said.
"The breadth of
his interests and the
depth of his expert-
ise is reflected in a sampling of his recent
international covers, from soccer star Leo
Messi to Bollywood icon Aamir Khan to a
profile of Egyptian president Mohamad
Morsi," it said.
The first non-American to be named
World Editor in Time's more than 80 year
history, Ghosh started his career at the
Deccan Chronicle, in Visakhapatnam; then
went to work in Business Standard in
Kolkata and BusinessWorld in Mumbai and
Delhi.
His recent India stories for Time have
included profiles of cricket god Sachin
Tendulkar, Bollywood star Aamir Khan and
world chess champ Vishy Anand.
During his five years as Time
Baghdad bureau chief through-
out the worst of the Iraq war,
Ghosh "wrote two of our most
unforgettable cover stories:
Life in Hell, and Sunnis vs.
Shi'ites," the memo read.
"He was not only fearless in
his work in Iraq but he was
the guardian of all who
worked for us in
Baghdad."
Ghosh joined
Time in 1998 after
ten years as a jour-
nalist in India and
two on the staff of the Far Eastern
Economic Review in Hong Kong. He
became a senior editor at Time Asia, where
he wrote a weekly Time.com column called
Subcontinental Drift.
Ghosh then moved to London to become
a senior editor at Europe and in 2007, he
became the first non-American World edi-
tor in Time 's history, the memo noted.
Washington, DC: Indians have
lost their popularity with the
Americans somewhat, with their
favorability ratings going down
notably over the last one year, but
still remaining on the higher end
historically, according to a new
poll. Americans' positive percep-
tions of India fell seven percentage
points over the past year to 68 per-
cent, according to a Gallup poll
released Friday.
This follows the unusually high
favorability - 75 percent - toward
India in 2012, the public opinion
firm noted.
The current rating is similar to
what Gallup found between 2006
and 2010. The broader trend is one
of improving favorability toward
India since 2000, when Americans
were closely divided in how they
viewed it giving it a 47 percent
favorable rating.
While Americans' favorable rat-
ings of most countries stayed the
same or fell slightly this year, rat-
ings of Egypt, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Iraq, Libya and Israel also
saw notable declines.
Americans' views of Iran, North
Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and
the Palestinian Authority are also
broadly negative, similar to the bal-
ance of views toward Iraq and
Libya.
All five have unfavorable ratings
of 77 percent or higher and these
have been consistently high in
recent years. Pakistan's unfavor-
able rating remains unchanged at
81 percent, with its favorability
dipping to 14 percent.
The images of six countries -
Canada, Great Britain, Germany,
Japan, and France - have been
solidly positive in recent years,
although Americans have rated
several of these more negatively at
previous times.
Gallup poll results are based on
telephone interviews conducted
Feb 7-10 with a random sample of
1,015 adults across America with a
sampling error of 4 percentage
points.
Indians' popularity with Americansdips from historic highs
Chicago: An autopsy on the exhumed body of
an Indian American lottery winner in the U.S.
who was poisoned with cyanide yielded no
significant new clues about his death, a med-
ical examiner said Mar. 1.
No cyanide was found in Urooj Khan’s body
tissue, but that was most likely because cyanide
breaks down quickly, Cook County medical
examiner Stephen Cina said. He said nothing
significant was found in Khan’s stomach.
Cina says Khan’s death is still considered a
homicide because tests on fluids drawn from
his body before he was buried revealed he had
been poisoned.
Authorities have not publicly identified any-
one as a suspect in Khan’s July 20 death,
which happened just days before the 46-year-
old was to collect $425,000 in lottery win-
nings. Authorities initially ruled that he died
of natural causes, but his brother raised suspi-
cions, leading to the further tests.
Authorities exhumed Khan’s body in
January to gather more evidence in case
charges are filed.
Khan moved to the U.S. from Hyderabad,
India, in 1989, and over the years, he set up
several dry-cleaning businesses. Despite hav-
ing foresworn gambling after making the pil-
grimage to Mecca in 2010, Khan bought a lot-
tery ticket in June. He said winning the lottery
meant everything to him and that he planned
to use his winnings to pay off mortgages,
expand his business and donate to a children’s
hospital. The night before he died, Khan ate
dinner with his wife, daughter and father-in-
law at their house. Sometime that night, Khan
awoke feeling ill. He died the next morning at
a hospital. Khan died without a will, opening
the door to a court battle. His widow and sib-
lings fought for months over his estate, includ-
ing the lottery check. Khan’s wife, Shabana
Ansari, and other relatives have denied any
role in his death and expressed a desire to
learn the truth. Authorities remain quiet about
whom they may suspect.
Indian American lotto winner’s autopsy results unclear
8 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoNATIONAL COMMUNITY
2 Indian-Americans among Intel ScienceTalent Search winners
Washington, DC: Honoring high school sen-
iors with exceptional promise in math and sci-
ence, Intel Corporation and Society for Sci-
ence & the Public (SSP) recognized the win-
ners of the Intel Science Talent Search in
Washington, D.C., March 12.
Though no Indian-American student was
the among the top three winners, Sahana Va-
sudevan of Palo Alto, Calif., and Akshay Pad-
manabha of Collierville, Tenn., were declared
ninth and tenth place winners respectively.
Padmanabha received a $20,000 award for
his development of an algorithm that detects
oncoming epileptic seizures, the SSP website
said, while Vasudevan won the $20,000 award
for her math research that proved a new, gen-
eralized way to minimize an important function
of arithmetic.
Last year, Nithin Tumma, 17, of Fort Gratiot,
Mich., won the top award of $100,000 for his research,
which could lead to more direct, targeted, effective and
less toxic breast cancer treatments.
He analyzed the molecular mechanisms in cancer cells
and found that by inhibiting certain proteins, we may be
able to slow the growth of cancer cells and decrease their
malignancy. Every year the foundation awarded $1.25
million for the Intel Science Talent, the website said. This
year’s finalists hail from 20 states and represent 40
schools. Of the 1,712 high school seniors who entered the
Intel Science Talent Search 2013, 300 were announced as
semifinalists in January. Of those, 40 were chosen as fi-
nalists and invited to Washington, D.C. to compete for
the top 10 awards.
Sahana Vasudevan (first from left, below row)and Akshay Padmanabha (first from right, top row)
were declared ninth and tenth place winners
Urooj Khan
San Jose: The Art of Living Foundation is
initiating a Bay Area-wide campaign for a
“Stress Free and Violence Free Community,”
which will be launched at 4 p.m. March 24 at
the San Jose Convention Center.
The campaign aims to create a stress-free
and violence-free society by strengthening
each individual member of the society. This
initiative promotes peace, human values and
cultural unity in diversity.
The AOLF has conducted several educa-
tional and practical workshops that have
brought a positive change in the lives of a
number of citizens in the community. Its pro-
grams provide an education of non-violence
and practical tools for emotional well-being,
which are key ingredients to building a stress
free and strong community, according to a
press release. Some of the key initiatives
include strengthening family values, empow-
ering youth, fostering a feeling of community,
and building happier and safer communities.
On March 24, prominent Indian American
community leaders, government officials,
nonprofits, educators, reformers, activists,
media and other citizens are expected to come
together in honoring a commitment to a
stress-free, violence-free society. AOLF
founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will deliver the
keynote address.
A number of pre-
launch events have
already taken place
in advance of the
event. In Fremont on
March 9 there was a
conference for a
“Safe and Peaceful
Fremont,” which was
attended by many local officials who agreed
that authorities alone cannot create a safer
environment; it has to be done by a collabora-
tion of all citizens of the city. On Feb. 10 at
San Jose’s Overfelt High School, campaign
partners IAHV and Carry the Vision organ-
ized a symposium, “Ending Violence in Our
Schools - Can We Take Responsibility,”
which was attended by school teachers, stu-
dents and parents.
And on Feb. 14, the Santa Clara and Dublin
Centers of AOLF hosted a “One Billion
Rising to End Violence,” a dance party along
with a guided meditation that was attended by
over 50 people of all ages and races to stand
in solidarity, in one voice, to put an end to
violence among women and children. The
Santa Clara event was co-hosted by another
campaign partner, Maitri.
Art of Living Foundation launches new campaign in Bay Area
Art of Livingfounder Sri Sri RaviShankar will deliver
keynote address
9March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info US AFFAIRS
Washington: Chiding his own
Republican Party's "obsession with
zeroes", Louisiana's Governor
Bobby Jindal said the conserva-
tives were falling into "the
sideshow trap" of a balanced feder-
al budget.
"Today's conservatism is in love
with zeroes," he told the
Conservative Political Action
Conference, being held near
Washington, last Friday referring
to his party's tendency to place bal-
ancing the federal budget over all
other issues.
"We seem to have an obsession
with government bookkeeping. I'm
here to tell you it's a rigged game.
It's the wrong game for us to be
playing," said Jindal.
Jindal, who has emerged as a
prominent voice for change within
the Republican party since its loss
in the November election, said
Republicans should focus on how
best to grow the economy. "We
must not become the party of aus-
terity. We must become the party of
growth," he said.
"The reality is these are govern-
ment sideshows in Washington that
we have let take centre stage,"
Jindal said of recent battles over
increasing the federal debt ceiling
and avoiding the so-called fiscal
cliff. Another Indian-American
governor, South Carolina's Nikki
Haley took the stage to introduce
party's 2012 losing presidential
contender Mitt Romney.
Haley, who wasn't originally
scheduled to speak at the conserva-
tive meet, took shots at the Obama
Administration, specifically over
its decision to fight the Boeing plan
to cut hundreds of workers at its
North Charleston plant and its
opposition to her state's law man-
dating voter identification at polls.
Bobby Jindal chides Republicans' 'obsession with zeroes'
Washington: In what GOP leaders called the
“most comprehensive post-election review”
ever undertaken, the Republican National
Committee has unveiled a 100-page report
with a series of diagnoses about what ails the
party and quite a few prescriptions to resus-
citate it in the wake of a painful White House
loss last year. “Our message was weak; our
ground game was insufficient; we weren’t
inclusive; we were behind in both data and
digital; our primary and debate process need-
ed improvement,” RNC Chairman Reince
Priebus said of Mitt Romney and the GOP’s
2012 loss.
The GOP report, called the ”Growth and
Opportunity Project,” lays out a plan that
included more extensive outreach to women,
African-American, Asian, Hispanic and gay
voters, notes ABC’s Shushannah Walshe.
Among the plans: hiring paid outreach
staffers across the country in a $10 million
push that begins right away; backing “com-
prehensive immigration reform”; abbreviat-
ing the presidential primary process with
fewer debates, specifically saying the party
would like roughly half of the 20 that took
place during the 2012 cycle; and moving the
party’s nominating convention to June or
July. Chairman Priebus noted that the party’s
policies are fundamentally sound but require
a softer tone and broader outreach, include a
stronger push for African-American, Latino,
Asian, women and gay voters.
GOP: Self-diagnosis and prescriptionThe Republican party has laid out a plan that includes more extensive outreach
to women, African-American, Asian, Hispanic and even gay voters.
By Arun Kumar
Washington: Amid a contentious debate
over comprehensive immigration reforms, a
top Republican senator has introduced a bill
to eliminate what he calls "fraud and abuse"
from H-1B visa program coveted by Indian
techies.
Introducing a bill to bring "much needed
reform" to the H-1B and L visa programs
for skilled workers and corporate transfers
respectively, Chuck Grassley, top
Republican on the Senate Judiciary
Committee, said it would help ensure that
Americans are given top consideration
when applying for jobs.
The legislation makes reforms to increase
enforcement, modify wage requirements
and ensure protection for visa holders and
American workers, he said.
The bill, he said, would provide a good
basis for H-1B reform in the comprehen-
sive immigration bill being put together by
a bipartisan group of senators to put
America's 11 million illegal immigrants,
including some 250,000 Indians, on a path
to citizenship.
"The legislation will benefit the American
worker, while still ensuring that US compa-
nies get the specialized workers they need,"
Grassley said
The senator cited a 2008 US Citizenship
and Immigration Service suggesting a more
than a 20 percent violation rate by those
who use the H-1B visa program.
He also cited recent data from fiscal 2012
revealing that the top 10 companies that use
the program are offshoring firms that take
up nearly 50 percent of the visas available.
Key points of the legislation include:
requiring all companies to make a good
faith effort to hire Americans first; prohibit-
ing employers from advertising only to H-
1B visa holders; and prohibiting companies
from outsourcing visa holders to other com-
panies.
It also requires that an H-1B application
filed by an employer that employs 50 or
more US workers will not be accepted
unless the employer attests that less than 50
percent of the employer's workforce are H-
1B and L visa holders.
It also increases administrative fines per
violation from $1000 to $2000 and from
$5000 to $10,000 for willful misrepresenta-
tion and restricts the ability of these compa-
nies to Indian technology companies
bagged almost one third of the H-1B work
visas granted in 2012, according to new
data from the USCIS.
According to the data, of the top 12 com-
panies which bagged more than 40,000 of
the 134,740 H-1B visas approved in 2012
all had a strong India presence.
They included Cognizant, in first place
with 9,281 visas, followed by Tata (7,469),
Infosys (5,600), Wipro (4,304), Accenture
(4,037), HCL America (2,070), Mahindra
and Satyam (1,963). Indian professionals
also took the largest one-third piece of the
H1B visa pie in 2009 making up the second
largest group of people making the US their
temporary home.
Accounting for one-tenth of non-immi-
grant residents in the US, 364,757 Indians
were only second to the Mexicans who
made up 11.7 percent at 403,793, but
123,002 H1B visa holders from India gave
them the largest 36.3 percent share among
professionals.
US law to check H-1B visa fraud
Louisiana's Governor BobbyJindal addressed Conservative
Political Action Conference.
Washington: A ban on assault weapons won't be included
in major gun legislation set to take shape this week -- all
but guaranteeing it won't pass Congress.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a one-
time ally of the National Rifle Association, informed
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Monday that the pro-
posal to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines
won't be included in a broad package of new gun laws
that's taking shape this week and will be considered on the
Senate floor in April.
"People say well, are you disappointed? Obviously I'm
disappointed," Feinstein told reporters Tuesday. She has
worked on gun violence issues for decades.
The move waters down President Obama and Vice
President Joe Biden’s push for broad new gun control in the
wake of the shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary
school that killed 20 schoolchildren and six adults.
The Senate still plans to vote on the ban, but only as an
amendment to the larger gun bill. Feinstein also asked for a
second vote on a measure that would just ban high capacity
magazines for assault weapons; that's likely to garner more
support.
Why is the ban being dropped? According to Democratic
leaders, it has no chance of passing -- and if it were includ-
ed, Democrats wouldn't even be able to bring it up on the
Senate floor for debate.
Just bringing a bill up for consideration requires all sena-
tors to agree, and if just one objects, then it takes 60 votes
to keep the process moving forward.
Putting an assault weapons bill into a broad package of
gun laws -- instead of insisting that Feinstein offer it as an
amendment -- could have helped it earn more votes. But
the ban is so controversial, including it would have likely
doomed other gun restrictions that have some bipartisan
support.
The NRA has been outspoken in opposing the ban,
instead spending the months since Newtown calling for
armed guards in schools.
Meanwhile, three months after the "massacre of the inno-
cents" at the Sandy Hook elementary school in
Connecticut, public support for major restrictions on guns
may be fading, a new national poll suggests.
A majority of Americans favored major restrictions on
guns or an outright ban in the wake of the shootings in
Newtown, Connecticut, when a heavily armed gunman
killed 20 children and six adults. But that support has tum-
bled to just 43 percent, as more time has passed since that
December tragedy, according to a new CNN/ORC
International survey released Monday
"Support for stricter gun control has fallen dramatically
among two groups - older Americans and people who live
in rural areas," said CNN Polling Director Keating
Holland. Among younger Americans, however, the change
is only three points.
Assault weapons ban dropped from bill in Democrat controlled Senate
Sen. Dianne Feinstein arrives at a SenateJudiciary Committee hearing on the assaultweapons ban in Washington on Feb. 27 andposes with a pic of the victims of the Sandy
Hook elementary school shooting.
10 Marc 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoINDIA
Chennai/New Delhi: The DMK
quit the UPA voicing regret over
India's stand on Sri Lanka at the
UNHRC but government leaders
insisted there was no threat to the
ruling coalition.
DMK chief M. Karunanidhi
announced that his party was leav-
ing both the multi-party coalition
and Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's government after New
Delhi's failure to take a hard line
against Sri Lanka.
"Continuing in this government
will be an injustice to the Sri
Lankan Tamils," the former Tamil
Nadu chief minister said in Chennai,
and charged Colombo with commit-
ting atrocities on its Tamil popula-
tion.
The 88-year-old politician accused
both India and the UN of "betray-
ing" the Sri Lankan Tamils.
The DMK has 18 members in the
Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya
Sabha. It has five members in
Manmohan Singh's council of min-
isters. Senior DMK leader
T.R.Baalu submitted to President
Pranab Mukherjee the party's letter
withdrawing support to the UPA.
Baalu, who flew into Delhi from
Chennai carrying the letter of the
withdrawal of support from
Karunanidhi, met party MPs before
going to Rashtrapati Bhavan to hand
over the letter for the president.
The five DMK ministers would be
meeting the prime minister
Wednesday to submit their resigna-
tions, party sources said.
The DMK's departure still leaves
the Congress-led UPA with a simple
majority in the 545-seat Lok Sabha
but makes it more vulnerable vis-a-
vis other allies and an aggressive
opposition.
But Karunanidhi made it clear that
if the government accepted his two
demands - charge Sri Lanka with
"genocide" of Tamils and demand a
credible investigation into alleged
war crimes -- he could reverse his
stand. Karunanidhi said the UPA
government had not only refused to
consider the DMK's views on the
US-sponsored resolution against Sri
Lanka at the UNHRC session in
Geneva but had quietly watered it
down.
He ruled out extending outside
legislative support to the UPA, in
which the DMK was the largest con-
stituent after the Congress.
Just before Karunanidhi made the
announcement, sparking celebra-
tions by DMK cadres, Congress
president Sonia Gandhi used unusu-
ally strong language in New Delhi
to denounce Sri Lanka.
Addressing party MPs, she alleged
that "unspeakable atrocities" had
been committed on Tamils in Sri
Lanka and that their plight was
"very close" to Indian hearts.
Soon after the DMK announce-
ment, top Congress leaders held a
crisis meeting. Chidambaram, one
of the three Congress leaders who
called on Karunanidhi, tried to pla-
cate him by saying that he was a
senior political leader who
"deserves all respect".
Asked if the DMK will reconsider
its decision, Chidambaram said:
"The DMK president has said he
will review its decision if a resolu-
tion is brought before parliament.
We take note of that statement."
DMK dumps UPA over Sri Lanka
DMK leader TR Baalu with party leaders outside Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP)
chief Mulayam Singh Yadav,
whose support to the UPA govern-
ment has become crucial after the
DMK's exit from the coalition,
appears to be striking a hard bar-
gain with the ruling Congress.
Though the Congress said the
"ego war" between Beni Prasad
Verma and Mulayam Singh Yadav
was almost over with the steel min-
ister expressing regret over his
remarks, the SP chief refused to
say the issue had been resolved.
"The SP parliamentary party will
met Thursday morning to decide
on Verma's regret," SP MP
Shailendra Kumar told reporters.
Yadav has been demanding
Verma's sack, indicating that the
issue might not be resolved soon.
Verma's resignation was sought
after he publicly rebuked Yadav.
SP members alleged that Verma
said Yadav received "commission"
for supporting the central govern-
ment. Earlier at a rally in his con-
stituency in Uttar Pradesh, Verma
reportedly said Yadav had links
with terrorists.
The SP chief, known to be a
tough bargainer, also met NCP
chief and Agriculture Minister
Sharad Pawar as part of his plans
to forge a coalition of regional par-
ties in the event of a fragmented
Lok Sabha after the 2014 general
election results. The SP, with 22
members in the Lok Sabha, is cru-
cial for the survival of the
Congress-led United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) government, espe-
cially after the DMK, which has 18
MPs, quit Tuesday over the issue
of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Mulayam plays hardball with Congress Both Houses disruptedover Lanka issue
New Delhi: Both houses of par-
liament were disrupted as the
DMK and the AIADMK took
up the issue of the killing of
Tamil civilians by the Sri
Lankan government during the
war against the LTTE.
As soon as the Lok Sabha
assembled for the day, DMK
members gathered near the
speaker's podium to protest the
issue and also raise the matter
of the CBI raids at DMK chief
M. Karunanidhi's son M.K.
Stalin's residence in Chennai.
Trinamool Congress members
were also seen demanding a
special package for West
Bengal.
Some Congress MPs from
Telangana were protesting from
their seats. Finally, the house
was adjourned.
When the lower house
reassembled at 12 noon, the
same issues were raised again,
forcing Congress MP P.C.
Chacko, who was in the chair,
to adjourn the house till 2 p.m.
Similar scenes were witnessed
in the Rajya Sabha, where
Chairman Hamid Ansari was
forced to adjourn the house till
12 noon after DMK and
AIADMK members vociferous-
ly took up the Sri Lanka issue.
India will send 'resolute message' on Sri LankaNew Delhi: The government said it will
move amendments to the resolution on Sri
Lanka at the UNHRC by sending a "res-
olute message" and denied New Delhi
diluted the US-sponsored motion
denouncing Sri Lanka over alleged rights
abuses.
"As far as the government is concerned,
our position is that we intend to move
amendments to the draft resolution before
the UNHRC," Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram told a packed press confer-
ence.
"We will also continue to consult politi-
cal parties on bringing a resolution to be
adopted by parliament," said
Chidambaram, who was flanked by his
cabinet colleagues, Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Kamal Nath and Information and
Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari.
Chidambaram said India's position was
that the UNHRC should adopt a strong
resolution to send a "resolute message" on
Colombo's human rights violations and to
make Sri Lanka accept an independent
and credible investigation into charges of
"war crimes".
Colombo has repeatedly denied killing
Tamil civilians during its military cam-
paign against the Tamil Tigers four
years ago.
'Indian role in US resolution forced our exit'Chennai: DMK president M.
Karunanidhi said that his
party quit the UPA after India
helped in watering down the
US resolution against Sri
Lanka at the UNHRC in
Geneva.
"The party has clearly stat-
ed that the Indian government
has assisted in watering down
the US resolution (against Sri
Lanka)," he said.
"Further, the amendments
to the US resolution suggest-
ed by the party were not con-
sidered by the central govern-
ment. And at this stage, there
is no possibility of amending
the resolution," he told
reporters here.
In these circumstances, the
party decided to pull out of
the Congress-led United
Progressive Alliance and the
central government, the
DMK chief said.
He said the DMK wanted
two changes in the US resolu-
tion introduced in the 47-
member UN Human Rights
Council.
It wanted attacks on Tamils
by the Sri Lankan military to
be treated as "war crimes"
and "genocide" during the
final stages of the war that
destroyed the Tamil Tigers in
2009.
Karunanidhi said as per the
information reaching him, the
US resolution amended four
times did not contain any
strong words against the
island nation's government.
Beni Prasad Verma (right) and Mulayam Singh Yadav were close friends till 2009
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram
DMK president M. Karunanidhi
New Delhi: The Supreme Court
upheld the death sentence of
Yakub Abdul Razak Memon in
the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and
commuted the death sentence of
10 others. The apex court also
upheld the conviction of
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt
under the Arms Act in the terror
attack and sent him to five years
in prison.
While confirming the death sen-
tence of Yakub Memon, the bench
of Justices P. Sathasivam and B.S.
Chauhan said he and other mem-
bers of the Memon family had
played a predominant role in the
execution of the conspiracy that
led to 13 serial bomb blasts in
Mumbai on March 12, 1993,
claiming 257 lives and leaving
713 injured.
While commuting the death
sentence of the 10 other convicts
to life imprisonment, the court
said that they were mere sub-
servients in the execution of the
conspiracy.
The humble and underprivi-
leged background of these 10
accused, who were mere instru-
ments in the hands of "principal
perpetrators", were counted as
mitigating circumstances by the
court.
The court said that if Memons
were the archers of the conspiracy
these 10 were just arrows. The
judges also slammed Pakistan for
aiding and abetting the acts of ter-
rorism in infringement of interna-
tional obligation as a member of
United Nations.
Dutt was asked to surrender in
four weeks. The actor, who was
convicted under the Arms Act for
illegally possessing weapons, had
been awarded six years imprison-
ment by the TADA (Terrorists and
Disruptive Activities (Prevention)
Act) court.
However, the apex court
reduced the sentence from six
years to five years. This effective-
ly means that Dutt will be in jail
for three years and six months as
he has already undergone 18
months imprisonment.
The court also came down
heavily on Mumbai police and
customs officers at all levels. But
for their wrong actions the 1993
bombings could have been avoid-
ed.
A TADA court had in 1993
awarded death sentence to 12
people, including Memon. One of
them has passed away. The court
had also sentenced 20 to life
imprisonment and 46 others,
including Sanjay Dutt, were given
varying terms of imprisonment.
The Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) had faced flak
for not challenging the TADA
court verdict acquitting Sanjay
Dutt of charges under the TADA
but convicting him under the
Arms Act and sentencing him to
six years imprisonment.
However, in the course of the
hearing of his appeal, the CBI had
opposed the actor's plea challeng-
ing his conviction and sentencing.
A series of 13 car bomb blasts
had ripped through Mumbai on
March 12, 1993.
The locations that were targeted
included landmarks such as fish-
erman's colony in Mahim
Causeway, Zaveri Bazaar, Sahar
Airport, Air India building, Hotel
Juhu Centaur, the Bombay Stock
Exchange Building and the
Passport Office.
The TADA court trial court of
Justice P.D. Kode had com-
menced the trial Nov 4, 1993, and
pronounced its 4,230 page verdict
on July 31, 2007.
SC upholds death for Yakub, Dutt's conviction
Sanjay Dutt was asked to surrender in four weeks. (Inset) Yakub Abdul Razak Memon
11March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA
Can't imagine 'Munna Bhai' without Dutt: Director
Mumbai: The third film in the
"Munna Bhai" series is unimag-
inable without Sanjay Dutt, says
director Subhash Kapoor, follow-
ing the actor's conviction by the
Supreme Court in the 1993
Mumbai blasts case.
"I can't imagine 'Munna Bhai'
series without Sanjay Dutt. But
unfortunately, things are not in
our hands. I feel it a very harsh
punishment. I am surprised as
much as you all are surprised
with this news," Kapoor said.
The first two films -
"Munnabhai M.B.B.S" and "Lage
Raho Munna Bhai" - were direct-
ed by Rajkumar Hirani, and there
is still to be a definite word on
who will direct the third film -
Kapoor or Hirani.
However, now with Sanjay's
conviction, progress on the film
is yet to be decided upon.
"I will have to speak to the pro-
ducer Vidhu Vinod Chopra about
it. I can't take a call on that. In the
next two days, we will have a
chat and discuss what needs to be
done." "Our film has not yet gone
on floors, but just imagine about
other producers and directors,
who have done films half-way
with Sanjay," he added.
12 March 23-29,2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoINDIA
Chennai/New Delhi: The CBI
raided the residence of DMK
leader M.K. Stalin, two days after
the party's decision to pull out of
the ruling UPA. The early morn-
ing search triggered a storm with
union Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram expressing his
"strong" disapproval while DMK
chief M. Karunanidhi said enig-
matically that it "may or may not
be political vendetta".
Chidambaram spoke out in New
Delhi, declaring in no uncertain
terms that he strongly disap-
proved of the CBI raid, leading to
reports that it had been called off.
However, a state intelligence offi-
cial said in Chennai that the
search had "got over and was not
called off".
"Normally I do not comment on
the working of another depart-
ment (home ministry), but in this
case I have to say that I strongly
disapprove of the CBI's action. It
is bound to be misunderstood,"
Chidambaram said.
An angry Stalin told reporters
that it was mere political vendetta
and he would face all the legal
issues.
However, his father
Karunanidhi said: "Generally
actions of political vendetta sur-
round DMK party and this (the
CBI raid) may or may not be one
of that."
He added that he subscribes to
the views of several leaders who
have voiced their opposition to
the raids. Actions of political
vendetta, he said, were not only
carried out by the center but also
in Tamil Nadu.
The CBI was tightlipped about
the raid, which was carried out in
connection with the import of a
Hummer car used by Stalin's son
Udyanidhi, the official said.
The raid, which began around 6
a.m., came two days after the
DMK announced its decision to
pull out of the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) over the central govern-
ment's stand on supporting a US-
sponsored resolution censuring
the Sri Lankan government on
attrocities against Tamils during
the civil war against the LTTE.
It is reliably learnt that the CBI
registered the case in New Delhi
and the raids were in connection
with the import of cars and pay-
ment of customs duties.
The CBI also raided Stalin's
friend Raja Shankar's house here
and houses of over dozen busi-
nesspersons in Tamil Nadu in
connection with the import of for-
eign cars and avoiding import
duties.
The investigating agency's
move gave the opposition
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
more ammunition against the
Congress-led UPA.
"This is a signal to all friendly
parties that what happened in
Chennai can happen to you as
well. The Congress is known for
misusing the CBI, which is the
Congress Bureau of
Investigation," senior BJP leader
M. Venkaiah Naidu said outside
parliament.
"It is a proven fact that the gov-
ernment (UPA), to stay in power,
has been using the CBI to contin-
ue their strength in the govern-
ment," his colleague Rajiv Pratap
Rudy told Times Now.
"When the alliance partners are
leaving them, they are using their
authority against them. It is a
sharp message to the Samajwadi
Party and the Bahujan Samaj
Party that if you leave the
Congress party, you will meet the
same fate. So, it is a veiled
threat," he added.
CBI raids Stalin, Karuna plays it cool
Congress misusing CBI tothreaten allies: BJP
New Delhi: The Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) accused the
Congress-led UPA of misusing
the CBI to threaten its allies into
forcibly supporting it.
"This is a signal to all friendly
parties that what happened in
Chennai (raid on M.K. Stalin's
residence) can happen to you as
well. The Congress is known for
misusing the CBI, which is the
Congress Bureau of
Investigation," senior BJP leader
M. Venkaiah Naidu told IANS
outside parliament.
BJP spokesperson Ravi
Shankar Prasad said the "govern-
ment was surviving in power
using the CBI and the
Enforcement Directorate as
crutches".
"It is a proven fact that the gov-
ernment (UPA), to stay in power,
has been using the CBI to contin-
ue their strength in the govern-
ment," BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy
told news channel Times Now.
"When the alliance partners are
leaving them, they are using
their authority against them. It is
a sharp message to the
Samajwadi Party and the
Bahujan Samaj Party that if you
leave the Congress party, you
will meet the same fate. So, it a
veiled threat," he added.
Italy's defiance on marinesunacceptable: Sonia
New Delhi: Italy's refusal to send
back the two marines charged
with killing two Indian fishermen
is "outright unacceptable",
Congress president Sonia Gandhi
said.
"No country can, should or will
be allowed to take India for
granted," she told Congress MPs
at a meeting in parliament house
here.
"All means must be pursued to
ensure that the commitment made
by the Italian government to our
Supreme Court is honored," she
said.
"The defiance by the Italian
government on the question of
the two marines and its betrayal
of a commitment to our Supreme
Court is outright unacceptable,"
the Italy-born added.
The Supreme Court said that
Italian ambassador Daniele
Mancini will not leave India fol-
lowing Rome's refusal to send
back marines Massimiliano
Latorre and Salvatore Girone to
face trial for killing the fishermen
off Kerala Feb 15, 2012.
5 Maharashtra MLAs suspended for thrashing copMumbai: The Maharashtra legisla-
ture suspended five of its members,
including one each from the BJP,
Shiv Sena and MNS, for assaulting
a police officer within the legisla-
ture premises.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister
Harshwardhan Patil announced the
suspension of the five legislators
from the house till the end of the
year.
The five are independent legisla-
tors Kshitij Thakur and Pradeep
Jaiswal, Shiv Sena's Rajan Salvi,
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's
(MNS) Ram Kadam, and the
Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP)
Jaykumar Rawal.
They have been booked by police
for thrashing Assistant Police
Inspector Sachin Suryawanshi on
the first floor of Maharashtra
Vidhan Bhavan Tuesday afternoon.
The provocation for the attack was
an incident Monday when
Suryawanshi allegedly stopped the
vehicle of independent legislator
Kshitij Thakur and fined him for
violating the speed limit on the
Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli Sea
Link.
Suryawanshi slapped a fine of
Rs.700 on Thakur, which resulted in
a heated argument between them.
The independent legislator from
Nala Sopara (Thane) constituency
alleged that Suryawanshi misbe-
haved with him.
Thakur recounted the incident in
the house Tuesday and moved a
breach of privilege notice against
the police official, who was in the
visitors' gallery to answer the
charges against him.
After Thakur's detailed account,
several legislators cutting across
party lines demanded Suryawanshi's
suspension for high-handed misbe-
havior with a law-maker.
Just then, some legislators saw
Suryawanshi, who was allegedly
gesticulating at the members below
from the visitors' gallery.
Thakur recognized him and along
with some other legislators, rushed
outside to chase and catch
Suryawanshi on the first floor.
There, they assaulted him, slapped,
punched and kicked him. Not taking
the incident lying down, several top
IPS officers of Maharasthra, includ-
ing city Police Commissioner
Satyapal Singh, called on Chief
Minsiter Prithviraj Chavan and
demanded action in the matter.
"This is a deplorable and repre-
hensible act. Something like this has
never happened before in the history
of the legislature. We are investigat-
ing the entire matter, checking out
the CCTV records and also mobile
records of the incident and will take
necessary action by tomorrow,"
Chavan told media-persons later.
Condemning the assault, Chavan
said there were legislative reme-
dies available for tackling any kind
of issues and the incident should
not have taken place in a democrat-
ic set-up.
DMK leaders M.K. Stalin (right) and Karunanidhi
Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini
They have been booked by police for thrashing Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Suryawanshi
OP-ED
By Amulya Ganguli
The Bharatiya Janata Party's
preparations for next year's
general election have been
hit by several snags - all of them
predictable.
First, its reverses in the
Karnataka local body elections
could have been foreseen because
of the internal tremors caused by
former chief minister B.S.
Yeddyurappa's revolt. The party
can, therefore, be said to have lost
the semifinals in the state, as the
polls were called, before the assem-
bly elections later this year.
Secondly, reports about L.K.
Advani's exclusion from a core
group at the behest of the Rashtriya
Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) may
signify a decision to emerge from
the period when the party was dom-
inated by Advani and Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, the duo who took the
BJP from the sidelines of politics to
the centre stage.
At the same time, the RSS hasn't
been an admirer of either of them
because it felt that the BJP did not
push too hard to implement the
Hindutva agenda, especially the
construction of the Ram temple,
when it was in power. The RSS also
orchestrated Advani's removal from
the post of party chief after his
praise of Mohammed Ali Jinnah
during a visit to Pakistan.
Although BJP president Rajnath
Singh has insisted that Advani
remains the party's "guide", there is
little doubt about the growing
uneasiness in the BJP about
Advani's contrarian views.
While it is undeniable that
Advani's position remains higher
than that of the others, the reports
about his marginalization are a sign
that the BJP may be entering a new,
post-Advani phase. In this context,
the RSS is said to be backing
Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi,
Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and
Nitin Gadkari.
Modi may be the most prominent
among the five because of the larg-
er-than-life image created - even
via three-dimensional video presen-
tations - by his own personal cam-
paign to project himself as a prime
ministerial candidate.
Of the others, Sushma Swaraj and
Jaitley can be said to have merited
automatic selection because of their
position as leaders of the party in
the Lok Sabha and the Rajya
Sabha, respectively. It is however
no secret that the RSS purposefully
kept out these two Delhi-based
leaders from the BJP's president's
post because it apparently believed
their long sojourn in the national
capital might have made them less
mindful of the highly conservative
fetishes of the Nagpur patriarchs.
While such personal flaws and
angularities may be part and parcel
of politics, the chances of the new
group functioning smoothly do not
seem all that bright. It has to be
remembered that till now, the BJP
had the dominant personalities of,
first, Vajpayee and, then, Advani to
iron out the internal wrinkles. Now,
for the first time, the party is enter-
ing the post-Vajpayee, post-Advani
period. Hence the uncertainties.
BJP's bumpy entry into post-Advani phase
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
13March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info
For the first time, the party is entering the post-Vajpayee, post-Advani period. Hence the uncertainties.
By Sitaram Yechury
Without much ado, the UPA
2 government is system-
atically undoing the inde-
pendent character of India’s foreign
policy.
Unfortunately, the hallmark for-
eign policy is undergoing a meta-
morphosis. Our international posi-
tioning, say on Iran, Syria or the
downgrading of support to the
Palestinian struggle etc, is increas-
ingly becoming one of toeing the
US line, thus, making our foreign
policy subservient to US global
strategic interests.
The latest such instance is the
Italian government’s refusal to
return two marines, prime accused
in the killing of Indian fishermen
from Kerala on February 15, 2012,
to continue their trial in the Indian
courts.
These marines were permitted by
the Supreme Court to proceed to
cast their votes in Italian elections
and were to return to India’s judicial
custody for the continuation of their
trial.
However, the Italian government
has now reneged on the solemn
assurances given by its ambassador
to India to the Supreme Court.
The prime minister was forced to
make a statement in Parliament say-
ing “actions of government of Italy
are not acceptable” and if Italy does
“not keep their word there will be
consequences for our relations”.
Undertrials in India are not
allowed by law to cast their vote in
an election. Then, how can these
Italian marines charged with murder
in Indian waters and facing trial
under Indian law be treated differ-
ently?
Further, these marines were
already allowed once to proceed to
Italy to celebrate Christmas with
their families.
Will the inmates of, say, Delhi’s
Tihar jail be allowed to celebrate the
forthcoming Holi festival with their
families? Clearly, a different set of
rules seem to be followed to appease
the G-7 countries.
This is not an isolated instance.
Way back in 1984, when poisonous
toxic gas leaked from Bhopal’s
Union Carbide factory, the chairman
of the corporation, Warren
Anderson, who came to India four
days later from the US was arrested.
He, however, managed to escape
within a few hours, allegedly using
the state government’s plane.
Later in 1995, a huge cache of
arms and ammunition was air-
dropped in West Bengal’s Purulia
district. The main accused, Kim
Davy, a Danish citizen whose real
name is Niels Holck, was allowed to
escape when the plane that they
used to drop the arms landed at
Bombay Airport.
His escape was allegedly facilitat-
ed by a then Member of Parliament,
Pappu Yadav (currently in custody
facing trial as the prime accused in
the murder of Bihar CPI(M)’s
Purnea MLA Ajit Sarkar).
His associate Peter Bleach admit-
ted that these arms were meant to
help anti-CPI(M) led Left Front
government forces create violent
anarchy and chaos, which could be
used as a pretext to impose
President’s rule in West Bengal.
Bleach was granted a presidential
pardon on January 30, 2004, under
the BJP-led NDA government with
the Trinamool Congress as a coali-
tion partner.
David Headley, the mastermind
who surveyed the targets that were
hit by terrorists in Mumbai 26/11
attack was similarly allowed to
escape before facing trial under
Indian law.
India had initially insisted that
Headley had to face trial in the
Indian courts as it was conclusively
proved that he had played a key role
in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The most famous of such
instances is that of Ottavio
Quattrocchi. Following the exposure
of the Bofors scam in the 1986 $15
billion deal, Quattrocchi left India in
1993 to avoid being arrested.
His London bank accounts were
frozen but were then mysteriously
unfrozen. In 2011, a Delhi court
allowed the CBI to close its criminal
case against Quattrocchi.
Such an undermining of India’s
sovereignty, particularly with regard
to foreign nationals who violate
Indian law with impunity reflects
upon the (in)capability of the Indian
State in ensuring the sanctity of our
sovereignty.
The eagerness to attract foreign
investments, virtually succumbing
to the dictates of international
finance capital, is leading India to
be increasingly seen as a State that
vacillates to firmly uphold our polit-
ical sovereignty and the rule of law.
Such an appeasement to foreign
capital at the expense of our
sovereignty undermines the vital
essence and character of the Indian
nation.
Italy marine row: Business as unusual
An appeasement to foreign capital at the expense of our sovereignty undermines the vital essence and character
of the Indian nation.
14 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoOP-ED
By Juned Qazi
Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi’s much
hyped video address to
Indian diaspora recently reflected
a narrow vision of a small time
politician surrounded by equally
small-minded people who don’t
understand the national character
of India.
Modi began his speech that was
telecast live in USA and India
reminding the listeners that he
was speaking on the auspicious
occasion of Mahashivratri, the
great Hindu festival when people
revered Lord Shiva. Then he
picked up a progressive topic of
global warming expressing his
concern over the deterioration of
the environment we live in. He
said that Hindu deities were asso-
ciated with a plant or an animal.
At this point the listeners got
very confused. What was the
message Modi wanted to give?
Will he build one temple for each
of 84 crore gods and goddesses to
reduce pollution? Does he under-
stand that development of renew-
able energy was the only viable
way to reduce global warming?
Modi didn’t delve into the issue,
may be because he is too busy
allowing big industry to open fac-
tories and plants in his state with-
out any oversight. No wonder
one industrial house, which
might have been favored by him,
withdrew their support to
Wharton India Economic Forum
because WIEF withdrew invita-
tion to Modi as a keynote speak-
er.
Modi was jubilant about win-
ning fourth term as chief minis-
ter. “After a few years doing the
same job, one gets used to it”, he
commented in his address, then
quickly diverted to claiming that
his heart bleeds when he sees a
poor man and he feels depressed
when a girl child is deprived of
education in rural Gujarat. Then
he pointed out that development
was the only answer to all prob-
lems. Modi is hooked to the word
‘development’ so much that he
forgot to add another word, ‘sus-
tainable’. Someone should ask
him if raising high-rise buildings
was the proof of real develop-
ment? Or handing over govern-
ment land to big industrialists at
throwaway prices or keeping the
labor cost cheap in the state? One
recalls him saying that he ensured
that manufacturing plants contin-
ued to produce during recession.
He made it possible by making
sure that workers’ wages didn’t
rise. In fact ‘Development at a
social cost’ is the Modi mantra.
He is the guardian of the rich
who pays lip service to the poor.
Modi picked up the provision
of Rs 1,000 crore in the union
budget of India for skill develop-
ment for the youth and tried to
prove that the Congress led gov-
ernment didn’t care about the
younger Indians who made the
bulk of India’s population. To
prove his point, he said that he
had earmarked Rs 800 crore for
the same purpose in the state of
Gujarat. Modi can’t fool the
world about a variety of provi-
sions for the youth and women in
the union budget presented by
India’s finance minister, R.
Chidambaram. Some of which
are as follows:
* In addition to allocating Rs.
1,000 crore for training youth to
boost their employability and
productivity, the National Skill
Development Corporation will be
asked to set the curriculum and
standards for training different
skills. Trained youths who pass a
test at the end of training will get
a monetary reward of Rs.10,000
on an average. This initiative is
likely to motivate 10 lakh youths.
* To provide greater support to
Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs), the refi-
nancing capability of SIDBI is
proposed to be enhanced from
Rs. 5,000 crore to Rs. 10,000
crore per year. SIDBI will also be
provided a corpus of Rs 500
crore to set up a Credit Guarantee
Fund for factoring.
* A proposal to set up India’s
first Women’s Bank as a public
sector bank.
Other than reiterating his devel-
opment mantra, all that Modi
could do was to ask for ‘forgive-
ness for his mistakes’. He said,
“People are very forgiving. If you
do good work they will forget
your mistakes.” What mistakes
he was referring to? We don’t
wish to go into his past, which is
well known. He should realize
that some scars are not erased by
plastic surgery. Modi seems to
believe that he was the unchal-
lenged leader of tomorrow. Well,
he is yet to be accepted by the
hawks of his own party.
Secondly, he needs to look out-
side his shell and see the diversi-
ty of the huge nation called India.
Modi paid tribute to leaders like
Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma
Gandhi and Sardar Patel, appar-
ently wishing to gain wider popu-
larity. He talked about ‘Nation
First’ but he is not able to devel-
op his vision beyond Gujarat. He
forgets that Gandhi toured the
entire nation before plunging into
politics and Patel travelled to far-
flung states to unite India. It is
not comprehensible for Modi to
understand the democratic and
complex nature of India, which is
a kaleidoscope of diverse ethnici-
ties and cultures.
The author is INOC (I)’sMadhya Pradesh ChapterPresident.
Modi: Small time pol who lacksvision to be national leader
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
Modi is hooked to the word ‘development’ so much that he forgets toadd another word, ‘sustainable’ to it.
By Ravi Batra
St. Francis of Assisi's rele-
vance is at an all time high
in our "me" world.
The new Pope's personal,
proven and life-long humility and
simplicity will attract the unbe-
lievers and retain the faithful as
we re-enter the Great Gatsby era
anew as 2020 approaches.
I'm blessed, for I learned first
hand from my late great Hindu
parents the core connector
amongst great religions: to do
good, to take the hard road, to
honor our elders and obligations,
and inter alia, walk humbly with
thy God. My Dad always used to
paraphrase Rudyard Kipling's
"If": "walk with Kings, but never
lose the common touch." The
Jesuits' teachings, including, at
Fordham Law School, great
Judiac scholars and Islam's poet-
ry, and Buddha's serenity, all
helped too. Mahatma Gandhi's
personal religious confidence, a
necessary element to be able to
genuinely honor others' religious
beliefs, by having his home's
windows open to all faiths with-
out being blown away, but rather
enhanced to find common pur-
pose - help the powerless, the
hurt, and the hungry. Also
instructive was power's repeated
breach of fiduciary duty, so well
recorded in history, that History
has earned a "D" grade. The dis-
tilled lesson I have learned, till
now, is to have a Monk's horse-
hair habit around one's soul while
immersed in the roller coaster of
life's ups and downs - be it busi-
ness lunching at Le Cirque or
having simple "dal," lentils, and
finding the latter more satisfying
at times but always "grounding."
It is akin to being a generational
escrow agent in the relay race of
life itself, one generation to the
next.
Someday, religions, one to the
other, science, and sovereignty
will have to find a "sweet spot" of
harmonious coexistence but only
when they are dedicated to help-
ing humanity, whom each serves
and why each exists, and not
human "opinion," even as it mas-
querades as the "ultimate truth."
Until then, let patriotism, which
can be so easily mis-calibrated,
be married to the twin parents of
American exceptionalism.
Patriotism is well defined by
Nathaniel Hale's bemoaning that
he had but one life to give for his
country. The twin parents are:
Patrick Henry, when he protect-
ed, to his death, a right of another
to disagree with him - and as a
result fathered the First
Amendment and consequentially,
"Freedoms" generally; and
Separated Powers regime in the
United States' Constitution as a
recipe to harness self-enlightened
interests of power, break it apart
on purpose, and force a rejoinder,
on an ad hoc basis, so as to obtain
the highest possible public good.
Holy Father, Pope Francis, is
God-sent to restore to Mother
Church its stain-free mission to
help all, especially the young and
vulnerable, and find the "sweet
spot" between dogma, science,
and sovereignty. Mother Teresa, I
know is already a die-hard fan of
the new Holy Father, as am I.
The author is eminent attorneyin New York.
I love the new Pope, Pope Francis
Holy Father, Pope Francis, is God-sent to restore to Mother Churchits stain-free mission to help all, especially the young and vulnerable,and find the "sweet spot" between dogma, science, and sovereignty.
WILLS LIFESTYLE INDIA FASHION WEEK 2013 15March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Themes, colors, drapes, fab-
rics and even collection
titles - the just-concluded
edition of the Wills Lifestyle India
Fashion Week (WIFW) here, was
all about India and its rich, colorful
tradition and heritage. Not surpris-
ingly, the ratio of national and
international buyers was uneven.
Several designers claimed the
business was good, but the pres-
ence of domestic buyers surpassed
those from abroad, even though
one spotted representatives of fash-
ion houses and stores from places
like the US, Britain, Middle East,
Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
"The turnout is more for national
buyers. We have got queries from
Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and
Hyderabad. International buyers
are lesser and the ones who came
are not new. We can see same faces
who came in last seasons,"
Meghna Agarwal of the brand
Myoho, said. It is her third time at
the event.
Designer Puja Arya, who has
been a regular in the fashion indus-
try, said: "The business has been
pretty good. The domestic buyers
are more and international buyers
are less then past editions." Arya
said she doesn't cater to Kuwait or
Middle East buyers.
Even young designer Vaishali
Shadangule managed good
business.
"I have got orders from across all
big stores from India including
Fuel, Ogaan, Atosa and others.
Also orders have come in from
buyers from Kuwait, Dubai,
Singapore and stores from Chennai
and Hyderabad," said Shadangule.
This autumn-winter edition saw
as many as 128 designers present-
ing their creations, on the ramp
and racks, at the five-day fashion
extravaganza, which concluded
Sunday. It is organised by the
country's apex fashion body,
Fashion Design Council of India
(FDCI).
Young designer Masaba Gupta's
first line for brand Satya Paul kick-
started the 21st edition of WIFW,
and the grand finale was staged by
ace designer Manish Arora. The
buzz was equally good for both the
shows, and they didn't fail to
impress the fashionistas.
Post Arora's finale, Masaba
tweeted: "When I grow up. I want
to be Manish Arora. Mother bee of
finales."
Among other designers who daz-
zled the ramp with their creations
included Tarun Tahiliani,
Shantanu-Nikhil, Vineet Bahl,
Nikasha Tawadey, Namrata
Joshipura, Abraham & Thakore,
Anju Modi, Manish Malhotra,
Rajesh Pratap Singh and Nida
Mahmood.
Several designers did choose to
go the global way with their lines,
with gowns, dresses, tunics, skirts
and pants, while there were design-
ers who chose to stick to desi roots
and present its culture, embroidery,
techniques and textiles with a con-
temporary twist.
Nikasha Tawadey's Raat Ki Rani,
Anupamaa Dayal's Ishq-e-dilli,
Tarun Tahiliani's Kumbhback and
Samant Chauhan's Rajputana
Bikers were some such shows.
Lauding the creativity quotient at
the event, Hiba, a buyer from
Kuwait, told IANS: "Though I
have been part of FDCI for long,
this edition was good, when it
comes to using the rich traditional
designs of India. Vineet Bahl and
Tarun Tahiliani are some of the
designers who took my breath
away."
Japanese buyer Keiko was also
stunned to see a few designs.
"This is my second edition here
and I really liked the ambience
which was full of colours. My
favourite designers are Pankaj &
Nidhi and Ranna Gill," she said.
Ace designer Manish Malhotra opted
for young actors including Sidharth
Malhotra, Esha Gupta and
Jacqueline Fernandez who sashayed down
the runway to showcase a collection titled
'Threads of Emotions' at the Wills Lifestyle
India Fashion Week (WIFW).
All three grabbed the limelight when they
walked in the best of attire designed by
Malhotra. Sidharth received maximum
cheers from the audience, especially girls
who hooted his name from every corner.
"Esha, Jacqueline and Sidhartha are
young, energetic and spirited and my col-
lection is about these three things," said
Malhotra after the show when asked about
why he opted for these three faces.
The designer paid an ode to Phulkari
embroidery from Punjab through his collec-
tion.
"Last two years I promoted Kashmir
thread and zari work and chikankari from
Mijan, a small village in Uttar Pradesh.
WIFW is just the beginning. The idea is to
focus on craftsmanship and showcase it to
various fashion weeks by roping in celebri-
ties, thus making it more popular," he said.
The collection consisted of saris,
anarkalis, floor-length anarkalis and
angarakhas. For men, there were band-
hgalas and structured clothes. The fabrics
used were georgette, net and raw silk.
It was India shining at WIFW
Bollywood brigade in Manish Malhotra show
Designer Rina Dhaka's love for
Indian textiles continued at the
ongoing Wills Lifestyle India
Fashion Week as she chose to showcase a
collection that was the reminiscent of the
1990s with widespread usage of the fabric.
"My autumn winter 2013 collection
delved into ancestral Indian textiles mixed
with digital prints on the clothes," said
Dhaka, who showcased her collection on
the penultimate day of the five-day fashion
extravaganza that started here Wednesday.
"The designs are very upfront, edgy and
modern with the 90's vibe. The contempo-
rary dresses with a puff organza sleeves is
truly a reminiscent of the 90s," she added.
The ensembles featured straight shifts
and drop waist silhouettes, A-line dresses
with black as the reigning color along with
blends of gray, maroon and white.
The fabrics varied from chiffons, geor-
gettes, organzas with prints of monochrome
paisley, red and yellow ikat, tweed and
honeycomb.
Dhaka's collection reminiscent of 1990's style
Sonam Dubal's show at WIFW
Actor Esha Gupta in ManishMalhotra's creation
Models in creations by designer Rina Dhaka
Paras and Shalini's show at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi
16 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
Bollywood stars have no time for me: NairI
nternationally acclaimed filmmaker
Mira Nair says she would love
to work with Bollywood's
star actors, but says they don't
have time for her films.
"I would love to work with
the stars here, but they
don't have much time for
me. They don't have the
dates I want," the 55-
year-old said here
Saturday at the re-release
of her 1988-film "Salaam
Bombay!".
However, she said that
she only believes in
the power of an
actor.
"I've worked
with Irrfan,
Shabana Azmi,
Om Puri, we
worked with
Nana Patekar and we made him a star. So I don't
look at actors as stars, they just have to be
extremely powerful," Mira said.
"Look at Tabu in 'The Namesake', it's
extraordinary performance. So for me it's
the power of an actor and we have so
many powerful actors here. I am com-
ing back to make a film," she added.
The filmmaker's latest venture is
"The Reluctant Fundamentalist", a
film based on an eponymous
novel by Mohsin Hamid. The
film is slated to release in India
May 10. In the meantime, Nair's
1988 film "Salaam
Bombay!", which was
even nominated for an
Oscar, is re-releasing
March 22.
It's not often that a film manages
to hit us in the solar plexus with
a statement on an epidemic
social disease, and yet succeeds in
telling a story so engaging you want
to jump out of your seat and applaud
the enterprising spirit that surges
through the veins of this engrossing
saga of the judge, the judged and the
damned.
What ails the legal system in our
country? We could go on and on
about that one, and still not be any-
where close to solving the conun-
drum of legalese.
Subhash Kapoor's brilliantly
scripted film seeks to examine the
loopholes in the legal system
through which the rich and the priv-
ileged manage to go scot-free after
committing terrible crimes.
In this case, it's a young tycoon
mowing down six pavement
dwellers in his fancy car in the dead
of the night.
Sounds familiar? "Jolly LLB"
grabs the headlines about a rich
spoilt kid from a privileged family
involved in a hit and run case, and
turns it into a rollercoaster ride that
takes us into the courtroom to wit-
ness the young struggling lawyer
from Meerut, Jolly (Arshad Warsi)
take on the mighty attorney Jaipal
(Boman Irani).
It is the classic David & Goliath
tale with so many enticing twists
and turns that by the end of it you
want to kiss the hand that wrote this
script. "Jolly LLB" is a film of myri-
ad virtues. Legal proceedings would
never be the same again. This is the
kinkiest, craziest, most artful and
thought provoking courtroom come-
dy-drama in years with impeccable
performances by the ever-depend-
able Boman, Saurav and the grossly
underrated Arshad.
A scene from 'Jolly LLB'
'Jolly LLB': Engaging courtroom drama
Ahealthy mix of Bollywood,
southern, Marathi and
Bengali cinema took away
the accolades at the 60th National
Film Awards, announced here
Monday. Movies with offbeat
themes and unconventional treat-
ment shone the brightest.
Tigmanshu Dhulia's "Paan Singh
Tomar", about an athlete-turned-
dacoit, won the best film. The
much-versatile Irrfan was named
the best actor for the same film,
and he shared the title with actor
Vikram Gokhale, who was hon-
oured for the performance in
Marathi film "Anumati".
Actress Usha Jadhav won the
best actress title for playing a rus-
tic housewife in Marathi film
"Dhag", which won the best direc-
tor's gong for Shivaji Lotan Patil.
The award for the best female
playback singer was conferred on
Samhita for the song "Palakein naa
moon don" from the Marathi film
"Aarti Anklekartikekar".
In the feature film category, a
total of 38 films from 14 lan-
guages have been selected for the
awards.
One could say Bollywood was
shining, courtesy unique films like
"Kahaani", "Vicky Donor", "Paan
Singh Tomar", "OMG: Oh My
God!" and "Dekh Indian Circus",
which won multiple awards.
However, it was surprising how
"Barfi!", which was India's entry
for the Oscars this year, didn't find
a single mention.
Sujoy Ghosh won the best
screenplay writer (original) for
"Kahaani", which won Namrata
Rao a best edition National Award,
and even a special mention for
actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The
actor also made a mark for himself
with other films like "Gangs Of
Wasseypur", "Talaash" and "Dekh
Indian Circus".
"Vicky Donor", a film on a
youngster who plays a sperm
donor, won three gongs - best film
providing wholesome entertain-
ment (jointly with Malayalam film
'Vicky Donor'), best supporting
actor for Anu Kapoor and best
supporting actress with Dolly
Ahluwalia.
Actress Parineeti Chopra won a
special mention for "Ishaqzaade".
Bollywood shine at National Awards
'Paan Singh Tomar' won the best film while 'Vicky Donor' won three awards
Manoj Kumar takes legal action against 'OSO'V
eteran actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar is in
no mood to forgive the makers of Om Shanti
Om this time around. Media had recently
reported on how Kumar was on tenterhooks since the
film was released in Japan.
Kumar was hoping that the producers and distribu-
tors would keep their word and delete his scenes
from the film. He has just found out that his scenes
are very much a part of the film. "I am disappoint-
ed," said Kumar. "My solicitors are looking into this
now. They feel I am too lenient and have told me that
they will handle the matter now," he said.
It all started six years ago during the release of the
film, when the actor got upset with the spoof on him.
Later, he even got a court order asking for the objec-
tionable scenes to be deleted before the satellite
screening.
Internationallyacclaimed filmmakerMira Nair
Review
Veteran actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD 17March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Akshay Kumar in the role
of a fake CBI officer, car-
rying out mock-raids
across the country in "Special 26",
has gone down well with the audi-
ence. Now, the film's production
company, Viacom 18 Motion
Pictures, is keen to carry the heist
tale forward into not only a
sequel, but an ongoing franchise.
The one who is most relieved
and happy is director Neeraj
Pandey, who had his fingers
crossed about the success of his
second feature film. His first was
the critically acclaimed "A
Wednesday".
Both of Pandey's films so far
have adapted the thriller format.
But he now intends to change
tracks.
"I actually wanted to start my
career with a love story. But then
'A Wednesday' happened, and now
'Special 26'. I may go back to love
now. I haven't decided," he said.
But as of now, a sequel to
'Special 26', is being given an
added push. Viacom 18 Motion
Pictures is keen to start the sequel
at the earliest, and Akshay too is
reportedly willing to dole out
the dates.
Versatility at its best for Akshay
Actor Ajay Devgn, who
plays the male lead in the
remake of the 1983
movie "Himmatwala", says if the
film was a "classic" like
"Mughal-e-Azam", the new team
would have never touched it.
"We would never try to attempt
a 'Mughal-e-Azam', because we
could never try to beat a
'Mughal-e-Azam'. We can only
do films which we have got the
ingredients for and feel that we
can better," Ajay told reporters
here.
"Otherwise, what is the point of
making a film. So you should
never touch Classics," he added.
The comment came as a reac-
tion to Sridevi's past comment
that "'Himmatwala' was no
'Mughal-e-Azam'. Sridevi had
played the lead heroine in the
original, opposite Jeetendra.
The remake, releasing March
29, is directed by Sajid Khan,
and features southern actress
Tammannah.
'Himmatwala' not 'Mughal-e-Azam': Ajay
Akshya Kumar in 'Special 26'
At a time when most other
production houses are lining
up their projects for 2015
(their schedule for 2014 is already
full) and busy putting together their
"slate" for the year, employees of
Aamir Khan's production house are
twiddling their thumbs.
Aamir, who takes the final call on
all projects, has not green-lighted
any project since Talaash, which
was announced in 2010. This makes
it the only A-list production house
with no film on the floors. It is also
unlikely that any film will go on the
floors this year.
According to reports, Aamir's
team has carefully evaluated around
200 scripts in the last 12 months.
There are 15 submissions every
month, and Aamir has declined to
put his money into any one of them.
So what is Aamir looking for?
"An original idea... if he gets the
hint that the script borrows even as
much as a phrase from somewhere,
he will reject it," a source said.
Aamir Khan
I'm not running a prostitution racket: Deepti
Veteran actors Deepti
Naval and Farooq
Shaikh, who had formed
a very successful romantic team
in the eighties with classics like
'Saath Saath', 'Katha' and
'Chashme Buddoor' among oth-
ers, were harassed and hounded
out of Deepti's apartment by
members of her housing society.
Deepti and Farooq were speak-
ing to a prominent TV journalists
about the remake of Chashme
Buddoor at the actress's spacious
terrace apartment where she has
been living since the last 30
years. The two actors were in the
midst of the interview when
office bearers of the society in
the building 'Oceanic 1' at Seven
Bungalows, barged into her
apartment and took strong objec-
tions to her conducting work in
her residential space. "I was the
first occupant of the building
when no one dared to buy an
apartment here.
I have had many parties and the
press has always found it very
pleasant to meet me in my house.
This is the first time that I was
made to feel as if I was running a
prostitution den.
I have never felt so humiliated
in my entire life,” Deepti was
quoted as saying.
Aamir Khan rejects 200 scripts in 12 months
Chetan Bhagat is never at a
loss for words. But for
once, the voluble author
and purveyor of all things contro-
versial, was stumped by a man of
few, but very effective words.
Bhagat, who is trying his hand at
screen-writing with Sajid
Nadiadwala's Kick, has been hard
at work, to put together a script
that would win Sallu's approval.
"It is an honor and I am anxious
as well..." the author had admitted
to this newspaper earlier, about
his Bollywood challenge. Though
both his books have had success-
ful film adaptations, this time
Chetan was starting from scratch.
"It is Salman Khan, it is as big as
it gets," he had said, with a gleam
in his eyes.
Unfortunately for the irrepress-
ible author, it is Salman who has
taken the wind out of his sail. A
source was quoted as saying,
"Chetan, after putting together the
first draft of the script went to
meet Salman along with Sajid.
The whole idea was to appraise
Salman about the progress on the
script. Salman read it as both
Chetan and Sajid sat before him
anxiously."
Sallu flipped the pages one by
one and the more he read, the
more it was evident that he was
far from pleased with the script.
Added the source, "After a
while, he kept the script aside and
told Chetan very politely, that he
has failed to capture the essence
of the film which is being adapted
from a Telugu hit.
'Make it more commercial' is
what the bestselling author was
told.
Sajid and Chetan had no choice
but nod in approval.
Salman Khan
Salman rejects ChetanBhagat’s script
Ajay Devgn in a poster of 'Himmatwala'
Veteran actors Deepti Naval and Farooq Shaikh
18 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoNEWS IN PIX
The Week in Pictures
Lightest solid: Showing off the newly developedultra light solid material carbon aerogel at
Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. Madeof freeze-dried carbon nanotubes and grapheneoxide, the material weighs only 0.16 mg per cc.
Saying it with drums: Andhra Pradesh party workers celebrate in Hyderabad Sonia
Gandhi’s completion of 15 years as Congress president.
Slimmer and prettier: Model Ishika at thelaunch of Sony Xperia mobile phone in
Kolkata March 12. The more familiar face isof film star Katrina Kaif in the poster.
Prayer for the Pope: A lady offers flowers during a specialprayer for Pope Francis at a church in Kolkata March 17.
The Big Gulp: FormerAlaska Governor Sarah
Palin criticized PresidentObama and Republican
analysts during heraddress to Conservative
Political ActionConference (CPAC) in
Maryland. She also tooka swipe at the Bloomberg
proposed ban on largesugary drinks in New
York, echoing Republicanopposition to govern-
ment curbs on freedom.
10-headed but funny: Bollywood actorAyushmann Khurana at the music launch of his
upcoming 'Nautanki Saala' in Mumbai early his week. In the backdrop is
a poster from the movie.
O Boy!:Madonna
dresses asBoy Scout to
tell theorganizationto lift ban on
gays. Thesinger wason hand to
give the VitoRusso Award
to CNNanchor
AndersonCooper at theGLAAD Media
Awards inNew York
March 16..
Early Holi for freed sailor: Saurabh Kumar of Meerut, India, returned home after a year in the custody of Somalian
pirates who had hijacked the Royal Grace ship on whichSaurabh was a training officer. The family celebrated the
happy occasion with colors.
There was no sign in the room
saying "Welcome to the nude
club". So, when I walked in
the buff, as instructed, into a well-
heeled drawing room with eight men
and women equally naked, I should-
n't have been surprised as the heated
glares simmered through the carnival
masks and face masks which they
wore.
Inviting a journalist for a sneak
peek into the goings on at a nude
club in Goa's upwardly mobile socie-
ty had seemed like a good idea to a
few members until Sunday (March
10) morning. But a pen and a
notepad, the only appendage on me
that time, apart from a borrowed
face-mask of course, had put what is
perhaps Goa's only or one of the very
few nude clubs on alert.
"You have to understand we are
doing nothing against the law. And we
don't want to be projected as a pervert-
ed set who like orgies. It is just a bare
lifestyle thing. We only think social
nudity is not just nice, it's fun," said the
buck of the pack, a young broad-tor-
soed man in his late 20s.
Around the room, were seven oth-
ers. None of them were addressed by
name. Each had a nom de plume.
The woman by the mock-leather sofa
wearing nothing but a purple feath-
ered mask was Robin, while the man
who opened the conversation with
me was called Tiger.
"We meet every once in a way. Not
all of us live in Goa. Some of us are
working professionals, businessmen
and women. These get-togethers are
often over-nighters and are great
stress busters," Tiger told the IANS
correspondent.
"And you don't have to have a
great body to flaunt it. It's more
about an attitude thing," said Tiger,
the only one with a toned ribbed
body.
The air-conditioned drawing room,
the only place in the apartment I was
allowed into, was not very dramatic.
A bookshelf, a largish LCD screen, a
sofa set, a dated India Today and
paintings on the walls. The dulled,
yellow lights, though, added to the
layer of intrigue.
"We keep them like that on pur-
pose. It tends to get harsh and some-
times, the new members tend to get
self-conscious. Some days the older
members do not even use masks. The
newcomers prefer to," Robin said,
sipping her beer on a day when the
temperature outside hovered around
38 degrees Celsius.
Started two years ago, the mem-
bers, Robin said, comprised local
Goans as well as regular visitors to
Goa. She did not drop any names or
hint at who any of the existing mem-
bers could be or any of them foreign-
ers.
Nearly all the members are below 50
and entry to the unnamed club is on
recommendation only.
"Recommendations made by the mem-
bers have to be vetted and okayed by
three-fourths of the existing members.
A single veto can reject a case. We
need to be sure about who we are get-
ting in. No one wants nasty surprises,"
Robin said, adding that keeping the
identity of the members' secret was top
priority.
"That is why we debated heavily
over allowing a journalist to view
our activities from up close," Tiger
said. And if you thought a nude club
was all about orgies, grapes and vain
food binges, think again. Robin said
it was just another hangout, only the
shedding of clothes made it "weird"
for some.
"We watch movies, cook food,
read, play games and if someone
wants to cozy up, they can do that
too," Robin said, as three of the
group's members watched Ben
Affleck's Oscar-winning film "Argo"
on DVD.
On the way out, I was put through
a drill similar to the one when I
walked in. And executed in almost
sleuth-like fashion.
The blindfold around my eyes was
a Virgin Atlantic sleep mask.
I was ushered into a car, parked in
what could have been a basement.
And the drive back to Panaji was an
uneventful 15 minutes.
Norwegian Cruise Line has
been named the best bang
for your buck when it
comes to traveling the high seas.
According to travel experts at
discount travel site Hotwire.com,
the international cruise liner con-
tinues to “step up its game” with
value add-ons such as onboard
credits and gratuities.
Flash sales are also frequent,
says Hotwire, with promotional
sales that will see sudden drops in
pricing or tack-on freebies.
Currently, travelers who booked
between March 6 and 8, for
instance, received an on-board
credit of $200 to use on select 7-
day Alaska cruises, while those
booked on the 14-day journeys
will receive $400. Credit can be
used on retail purchases on-board,
spa treatments, dining, as well as
shore excursions.
Bargain hunters looking to book
a cruise might also want to con-
sider a transatlantic crossing, sug-
gests Hotwire, given that many
companies are currently looking
to reposition their fleets to differ-
ent ports this year. The result?
Some crossings are going for as
low as $37 a night.
Experts give fair warning, how-
ever, that these one-way crossings
aren’t for novice cruisers as they
may suffer from cabin fever from
spending most of the time
onboard a ship.
If you’re looking for a cruise
with multiple ports of call, mean-
while, experts recommend taking
a European cruise. With ships
leaving ports with empty cabins
due to a lackluster season, cruise
lines are trying to attract con-
sumers with low prices and added
incentives such as up to $1,000 in
air fare, points out Hotwire.
Meanwhile, earlier this week
Cruise Critic, an offshoot of
TripAdvisor, named the newest
addition to Disney’s fleet of luxu-
ry liners Disney Fantasy the
world’s best cruise ship based on
the reviews submitted by readers
in 2012.
The Disney Fantasy was voted
Best Overall Ship, Best Cabins,
Best Entertainment, Best Public
Rooms and Best Service, while
the Celebrity Eclipse was named
Best Value for Money.
How to book a cruise trip on a budget
Nothing lewd about this: Jottings about a Goa nude club
Disney Fantasy was chosen the world’s best cruise ship based on reviews submitted by readers in 2012.
TRAVEL 19March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info
MY MOST COLORFUL HOLIReaders are invited to send up to 400-word, first-person write-ups on the most enjoyable and eventful Holi festival they have
had -- in India or here in America. Also talk about how you plan to celebrate Holi this year (that falls on March 27, Wednesday).
You can also send related Holi pictures/drawings from your albums. Please give your name, email address and city you live in,
and email everything to [email protected] by the deadline: March 26.
Your contributions will be prominently published in our special, all-color, Holi issue dated March 30, 2013. As you must be
aware, the e-paper of our every issue also goes up on our website, thesouthasiantimes.info.Managing Editor,
The South Asian [email protected]
The South Asian Timese x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Google Maps adds view from Mt. Everest
Google on Monday added
views from some of the
world's tallest mountains
to scenes woven into its popular
online map service.
Arm chair explorers were invit-
ed to take virtual adventures with
members of Google's Street View
team to Aconcagua in South
America; Kilimanjaro in Africa,
Mount Elbrus in Europe, and Mt.
Everest base camp in Nepal.
"Whether you're scoping out the
mountain for your next big adven-
ture or exploring it from the com-
fort and warmth of your home, we
hope you enjoy these views from
the top of the world," Google
adventurer Dan Fredinburg said
in a blog post.
"With Google Maps, you can
instantly transport yourself to the
top of these peaks and enjoy the
sights without all the avalanches,
rock slides, crevasses, and dan-
gers from altitude and weather
that mountaineers face."
The mountains climbed by the
Street View team were among
peaks referred to as the 'Seven
Summits;' the highest peaks on
the Earth's continents.
'Googlers' who made the
ascents took the pictures with tri-
pod-mounted digital camera
equipped with a fisheye lens to
capture 360-degree views.
Street View teams have cycled,
driven and walked through cities
and towns around the globe cap-
turing images to add to online
maps, letting people see what it
might be like to stand at a spot
they are curious about.
Google has added images from
a Nunavut community in the
Canadian Arctic and a portion of
the Amazon in Brazil.
Attention
Readers!
Punjab drugs haul: Indian origin Briton, ex-cop held
20 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoDIASPORA
Hindi writers, journalists honored in UKLondon: In connection with World Hindi Day 2013, the
following Hindi writers, journalists and organizations
were honored at a ceremony hosted by the High
Commission of India, London on March 19, 2013.
• John Gilchrist UK Hindi Shikshan Samman: Sri
Mahendra Kishore Verma (York University);
Dr.Harivansh Rai Bachhan UK. Hindi literary award:
Dr.Krishna Kumar; Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi
Award for journalism: Smt. Kavita Vachaknavi; •
Frederick Pincott UK award for dedication to Hindi
propagation: Kavya Rang, Nottingham.
On this occasion, the High Commissioner of India Dr.
J. Bhagwati gave away cash prizes, shields, shawls and
citations to the awardees.
In addition, under Dr. Laxmi Mal Singhvi Anudaan
Sahayta Yojna, cash grants were also given for publica-
tion of Hindi books to Mrs. Usha Verma for her book
'Sim Card tatha anya kahaniyan' and Dr.Krishna
Kanhaiya for his book 'Kitaab Jindagi ki'.
Prominent Hindi writers, journalists, and members of
the Indian origin community from the fields of arts and
literature were present at the ceremony.
Manslaughter conviction overturned for Dr.Jayant Patel
Brisbane: An American surgeon
previously convicted of the
manslaughter of three patients in
Australia was found not guilty of
one of the deaths Wednesday after
Australia's highest court ordered
prosecutors to retry the case.
Jayant Patel, an Indian-born U.S.
citizen, was sentenced to seven
years in prison in 2010 after being
convicted of the manslaughter of
three patients and causing grievous
bodily harm to another. The accusa-
tions related to his work as chief
surgeon at a public hospital in
Queensland state between 2003 and
2005.
Australia's highest court threw out
the conviction last year after deter-
mining prosecutors had inappropri-
ately changed the direction of their
case late in the trial. Separate retri-
als were ordered for the charges
related to each patient.
The first retrial involved the 2003
death of 75-year-old Mervyn
Morris, who prosecutors said died
after Patel wrongly removed part of
his colon. Patel's defense argued that
the operation was necessary to
address Morris' rectal bleeding.
Patel's competency as a surgeon
has been under scrutiny in both the
U.S. and Australia for more than 25
years. When his patients and col-
leagues at the hospital in
Bundaberg, Queensland, began to
complain about his work, he left
Australia and returned to the U.S.
The FBI arrested him in Portland,
Oregon, in 2008 and he was extra-
dited to Australia.
An Australian government inquiry
initially found that Patel may have
directly contributed to 13 deaths at
the Bundaberg hospital, but prose-
cutors narrowed the case to three
counts of manslaughter for the
deaths of Morris, James Edward
Phillips and Gerry Kemps, and one
count of grievous bodily harm for
his treatment of Ian Rodney Vowles.
Prosecutors argued in his original
trial that Patel misdiagnosed
patients and used sloppy, out-of-date
surgical techniques.
Prosecutor David Meredith told
the Queensland Supreme Court on
Wednesday that the prosecution
would proceed with the other trials,
despite the acquittal on the first
charge.
Outside court, Patel's lawyer Ken
Fleming said his client believed
"justice has been done."
C h a n d i g a r h :
Hours before he
was planning to fly
out of India, a
British national of
Indian origin was
arrested for his role
in the multi-million
dollar drugs racket
spanning Europe, Canada and the
US, Punjab Police said Tuesday.
Kulwant Singh, a British national
who originally hails from Phagwara
town in Punjab, was among the three
people arrested in the drugs racket
busted recently, police said.
Kulwant Singh was arrested from a
hotel in Mahipalpur area of Delhi
Tuesday, police said.
Co-accused Kirpal Singh, a retired
deputy superintendent of police
(DSP) of Uttar Pradesh Police, was
arrested from Meerut in Uttar
Pradesh and conduit Harpreet Singh
was taken into custody from Patiala,
a police
spokesman said
here.
"Punjab Police
today arrested
three more persons
in the Fatehgarh
Sahib drug recov-
ery case, in which
Anoop Singh Kahlon (a Canadian
national) had been earlier arrested
and 28.6 kg heroin had been recov-
ered. About 30 kg raw material for
production of 'Ice' drug has also been
recovered," the spokesman said.
"Kulwant Singh was planning to fly
out of the country tomorrow. His
ticket has been seized," the
spokesman said, adding that Kulwant
was the organizer of the drugs distri-
bution network in Europe and
Canada, where the gang used to send
the drugs. Two people arrested earli-
er - Anoop Singh Kahlon and Mani
Gill - are Canadian citizens, he said.
Gurdwaras in Pakistan observeSikh Environment Day
Washington,DC: For the first
time, 35 gurdwaras in Pakistan
mainly in Sindh and Balochistan,
and in Nankana Sahib, the birth-
place of Guru Nanak, joined Sikh
institutions in India and abroad in
observing Sikh Environment Day,
according to information received
here.
Tens of thousands of Sikhs
across the world celebrated the
Day Thursday, according to
Washington based Sikh organiza-
tion, EcoSikh which had appealed
to all Sikh groups to observe the
day with environmental action
programs.
The day when Guru Har Rai,
known for his deep love and sen-
sitivity towards nature and its
preservation, became the seventh
Sikh Guru in 1644, is observed by
the community as Sikh
Environment Day to garner sup-
port from various faith communi-
ties and officials.
EcoSikh president Rajwant
Singh, said: "It is amazing to see
so much enthusiasm among the
Sikh communities all around the
world, and we believe that this is
the largest direct action by the
Sikhs for the environment in the
history of Sikhism."
Ravneet Singh, Program
Manager of Ecosikh in India, said
some 1,550 Sikh gurdwaras,
organizations and institutions
from India and abroad had held
special Gurbani recitals on the
theme of nature and organized
herbal plants and flower shows.
"For the first time, Sikhs in the
British Army are also organizing
their special observances on envi-
ronment." he added.
Gurdwaras across Punjab and
other parts of the world also
pledged to reduce the use of
Styrofoam and disposables at gur-
dwaras and religious ceremonies.
"Many gurdwaras have begun
projects on implementing solar
panels, composting systems, and
steel utensils during langar (free
community meal in the Sikh tradi-
tion) for more comprehensive
environmental sustainability," said
Paramjeet Kaur, EcoSikh program
administrator in North America.
Dr Jayant Patel
High Commissioner Dr J Bhagwati presenting theDr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan UK Hindi Literary
Award to Dr Krishna Kumar at U.K Hindi Sammanfunction at India House on March 19, 2013.
Special fund proposed for Kerala diasporaThiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister K.M.
Mani, presenting the state budget for 2013-14 in the
assembly Friday, proposed a special fund to help the dias-
pora returning to the state.
"There are close to three million Keralites working
abroad. Of late, the job scenario in Middle East is chang-
ing and forcing our people to return. To help such people,
we are starting a scheme in which the diaspora can con-
tribute," Mani said.
"Once they come back for good, an amount equal to
that in their account would be given as a loan at three per-
cent interest rate to help them start a viable business. The
state-owned Kerala State Financial Enterprise will run
this program," the minister added.
Deposits made by the diaspora in commercial banks in
Kerala rose to Rs.55,000 crore as in June last year, up
from Rs.38,000 the previous year. Another proposal relat-
ed to the diaspora in the state budget was to set up
'Malayalam Missions' in countries like Bahrain, Japan,
Ireland, Singapore, Dubai and Malaysia to help the sec-
ond and third generation Malayalees to connect with the
Malayalam language and culture.
21March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info SUBCONTINENT
Colombo: The Sri Lankan govern-
ment decided to reject the final
draft of a US resolution submitted
at the UN Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) and seek a vote among
members, the external affairs min-
istry said.
In letters addressed to foreign
ministers of UNHRC member
countries, External Affairs
Minister G.L. Peiris said Sri Lanka
believes that drawing dispropor-
tionate attention to Sri Lanka's sit-
uation and introducing resolution
that seeks to discredit, single out
the country are unhelpful and
counterproductive to Sri Lanka's
current reconciliation process.
The minister noted that the bene-
ficiaries of such action would be
none other than the divisive forces
that seek to destabilize the hard
won peace in the country.
Moreover, he said the precedent
created by intrusive, biased and
politicized actions such as the US
sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka
would pose danger for all nations.
"Just as the government of Sri
Lanka did not recognize the last
HRC resolution, it rejects the new
resolution. Sri Lanka seeks the
understanding and the support of
HRC member states at the vote on
this resolution," the minister said
in his letter.
The US tabled the final version
of the resolution at the 22nd ses-
sion of the UNHRC in Geneva,
with co-sponsors including
Austria, Canada, Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Norway and Britain.
In a toned down document as
compared to the previous drafts,
the resolution, among other points,
requests the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights
to present an oral update on the
progress in Sri Lanka at the 24th
session of the Council.
Sri Lanka rejects US resolution
NATO terms Karzai'saccusation as 'ridiculous'
Brussels: NATO Secretary General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said it is
"absolutely ridiculous" for Afghanistan
President Hamid Karzai to accuse the US
of colluding with the Taliban.
"I reject the idea that was publicly
launched by President Karzai that one
way or the other there is a so-called collu-
sion between NATO, ISAF, US and the
Taliban. It's an absolutely ridiculous
idea," reported Xinhua citing Rasmussen
as saying Monday at his monthly press
conference in Brussels.
On March 10, Karzai accused the US of
conspiring with the Taliban to keep for-
eign troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014,
when NATO is going to end its combat
mission. "We fully respect the sovereign-
ty of Afghanistan. But we would also
expect acknowledgment from the Afghan
side that we have actually invested a lot
in blood and treasure in helping President
Karzai's country to move forward."
The NATO chief said Karzai had
changed some of statements and stressed
the remarks were meant to "help reform,
not destroy, the relationship".
'Nepal reducing poverty faster than India'London: Nepal and Bangladesh
are reducing poverty faster com-
pared to India, according to a new
study based on the multidimen-
sional poverty index developed at
the University of Oxford and used
by the UN Development
Programme (UNDP) in its Human
Development Reports.
India also made significant
progress in reducing poverty
between 1999 and 2006, but at a
rate that was less than one-third of
the speed of its poorer neighbors,
with a reduction in poverty rates of
1.2 percentage points per year
[instead of 4.1% (Nepal) or 3.2%
(Bangladesh)], the study found.
However, multidimensional
poverty was reduced least in the
poorest states - such as Bihar,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal - and
among the poorest social groups,
such as Scheduled Tribes,
Muslims, female-headed house-
holds and larger households.
According to the study, even
India's best-performing states -
Kerala and Andhra Pradesh - pro-
gressed little more than half as fast
as Nepal or Bangladesh in reducing
multidimensional poverty, a release
from the Oxford Poverty and
Human development Initiative
(OPHI), which conducted the
study, said.
"The success of Nepal and
Bangladesh in reducing poverty
despite their relatively low income
highlights the effectiveness of
social policy investments com-
bined with active civil society
engagement," said Sabina Alkire,
director of OPHI.
The poverty measure used by
OPHI, the global Multidimensional
Poverty Index (MPI), is said to be
unique in capturing the simultane-
ous disadvantages experienced by
poor people, such as malnutrition,
education and sanitation, providing
a high-resolution lens on their lives.
According to researcher Suman
Seth, "From 1999-2006 India did
very well in certain aspects of
poverty reduction; for example,
MPI among the scheduled caste
groups showed a strong reduction,
and poverty among the most desti-
tute went down faster than the
average."
He added: "However, it's still the
case that the benefits of national
poverty reduction have been
enjoyed least by some of the poorer
groups and regions."
The study found that were 'star
performers': the percentage of poor
people in Nepal dropped from
64.7% to 44.2% between 2006 and
2011, 4.1 percentage points per
year, while in Bangladesh poverty
rates decreased by 3.2 percentage
points per year between 2004
and 2007.
The Sri Lankan government seeks a vote among UN memberson human rights violation reports in the country
Pak to hold general elections on May 11
Islamabad: Pakistani
President Asif Ali Zardari
announced that general elec-
tions would be held on May
11, in what will mark the first
democratic transition of power
in the country's history.
"The president received a
summary from the government
asking him to announce a suit-
able date for the election, so
the president announced today
that general elections to the
national assembly will be held
on May 11," spokesman
Farhatullah Babar said.
Parliament made history last
week by becoming the first
under a civilian leader to com-
plete a full five-year term, but
Taliban attacks and record lev-
els of violence against Shiite
Muslims have raised fears
about security for the polls.
The election will mark the
first time that an elected civil-
ian government hands over to
another in the nuclear-armed
country of 180 million, which
has seen three military coups
and four military rulers.
The electoral race will be
dominated by the ruling
Pakistan People's Party and the
opposition Pakistan Muslim
League-N led by former prime
minister Nawaz Sharif.
Elections will also be held
for assemblies in Pakistan's
four provinces, but Babar told
AFP there was no decision yet
on whether those polls will
also be held on May 11.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari
Dhaka: Bangladesh President
Zillur Rahman died at a hospi-
tal in Singapore on March 20,
said a media report. He was
83.
Rahman died at Mount
Elizabeth Hospital of
Singapore where he was
undergoing treatment for res-
piratory problems and some
other complications since
March 11, reported thedai-
lystar.net.
Before being flown to
Singapore, Zillur was admitted
to the Combined Military
Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka
March 10 with respiratory
problems.
He had fever since March 9.
The president was on respira-
tory support while boarding
the aircraft for Singapore, the
media report quoted
Bangabhaban official sources
as saying.
Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina, Leader of Opposition
in parliament Khaleda Zia and
Speaker Abdul Hamid
expressed deep condolence at
his death.
BangladeshPresident ZillurRahman is dead
Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman
22 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoINTERNATIONAL
Obama in Israel for first trip as president
China willing to help Korea reconciliation: Jinping
US denies plotting to kill Venezuelan leaderWashington: The Obama adminis-
tration rejected accusations of any
US involvement in a plot to assassi-
nate a Venezuelan opposition leader.
"Let me say it here extremely
clearly, looking right at you, the
United States categorically rejects
allegations of any U.S. government
involvement in any plot to destabi-
lize the Venezuelan government or to
harm anyone in Venezuela," State
Department spokeswoman Victoria
Nuland said at a regular press
briefing.
The allegations were leveled a day earlier by
Venezuelan acting President Nicolas Maduro, who
accused former American diplomats
Roger Noriega and Otto Reich as well
as the Pentagon and the CIA of being
behind a plot to assassinate Henrique
Capriles, his rival in the presidential
election set for April 14.
Maduro told a private channel that
he had reliable information to show
that the US plot aimed to "blame the
government" for the attack and "cre-
ate chaos in Venezuela."
Since president Hugo Chavez's
death of cancer earlier this month,
the Venezuelan government has
accused Washington of trying to destabilize the South
American nation.
Tel Aviv: President Barack Obama
plunged into the turbulent Middle
East on a mission aimed primarily at
assuring America's top ally in the
region and its friends back home
that it will not be forsaken amid bit-
ter domestic political squabbles and
budget crises in Washington.
Obama arrived in Israel for his
first visit to the country and only his
second to the Middle East, outside
of a quick jaunt to Iraq, since taking
office. He will also be making his
first trips as president to the
Palestinian Authority and Jordan
this week. But on an itinerary laden
more with symbolism than sub-
stance, an Israel that is increasingly
wary of developments in Syria and
Iran is Obama's main focus.
Air Force One touched down in
Tel Aviv early Wednesday afternoon
after an overnight flight from
Washington. Among those there to
greet him were President Shimon
Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu.
Obama arrived to face an Israeli
leadership and public anxious to
hear the president affirm America's
commitment to the security of the
Jewish state while standing on their
soil.
Obama sparred frequently with
Netanyahu over the Palestinian
peace process during his first term.
And despite public assurances from
both sides that relations otherwise
remained solid, the president
endured four years of criticism from
pro-Israel advocates and conserva-
tives in the US and numerous com-
mentators in Israel for not doing
enough to back the Mideast's only
stable democracy in the face of
growing threats to its existence.
So even though U.S. officials have
set expectations low and previewed
no significant policy announce-
ments, there is a clear metric to
measure the success of Obama's
three-day stay in Israel and the West
Bank: how much he is able to
reverse the perception that his
administration is not fully commit-
ted to Israel's security.
Beijing: Chinese President Xi
Jinping told his South Korean
counterpart Beijing is willing to
help "reconciliation" between
Seoul and Pyongyang, China's
foreign ministry said on its web-
site.
"China is willing to provide
the necessary assistance to
advance South-North reconcilia-
tion and cooperation," Xi told
Park Geun-Hye in a phone call,
according to the ministry state-
ment. China is the North's sole
major ally.
Al Qaida says French hostage killed in MaliNouakchott: A French hostage has been executed in
Mali, a man claiming to be a spokesman for al-Qaida in
North Africa told Mauritania's ANI news agency.
A French foreign office spokesman said Paris was try-
ing to verify the report of the killing of Philippe Verdon,
who was kidnapped in November 2011, adding that "we
don't know at the moment" whether it was reliable.
The private Mauritanian news agency reported that
someone calling himself Al-Qairawani and claiming to
be a spokesman for al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb
(AQIM) group told them that the "spy" Verdon had been
executed "on March 10 in response to France's interven-
tion in Northern Mali."
"The French President (Francois) Hollande is responsi-
ble for the lives of the other French hostages," he warned.
In all 15 French nationals, including Verdon, are being
held captive in Africa, with AQIM claiming responsibil-
ity for six of the kidnappings.
Verdon was seized on the night of November 24, 2011
along with Serge Lazarevic. According to their families
the two men had been on a business trip and were kid-
napped from their hotel in Hombori, northeast Mali.
The families denied that the two men were mercenar-
ies or secret service agents.
AQIM swiftly claimed responsibility for the kidnap-
pings and in August last year a video showing Verdon
describing the "difficult living conditions" was released
on a Mauritanian website. The hostages' families have in
recent weeks expressed growing fears for their loved
ones in the light of France's military actions in Mali.
Venezuelan opposition leaderHenrique Capriles
Malala joins school in UK
London: Pakistani teenager
Malala Yousafzai returned to
school for the first time since
October when she was shot in the
head by the Taliban for cam-
paigning for girls' education.
The 15-year-old said she had
"achieved her dream" and was
looking forward to meeting new
friends at the independent
Edgbaston High School for Girls
in Birmingham, central England,
where she is now living.
Malala was flown to Britain
after the attack for surgery for her
head injuries and underwent sev-
eral operations as recently as last
month.
"I am excited that today I have
achieved my dream of going back
to school," she said in a state-
ment. "I want all girls in the
world to have this basic
opportunity."
She added: "I miss my class-
mates from Pakistan very much
but I am looking forward to meet-
ing my teachers and making new
friends here in Birmingham."
She will be studying a full cur-
riculum in preparation for select-
ing subjects for GCSEs, the stan-
dard exams that English school-
children typically sit at 16.
Malala was shot at point-blank
range by a Taliban gunman as her
school bus travelled through
northwest Pakistan's Swat Valley
on October 9, in an attack that
drew worldwide condemnation.
Malala Yousafzai
Pray for me: Pope Francis sends first tweet
Vatican City: Pope Francis post-
ed his first tweet to engage with
over three million followers on
his personal Twitter account, with
a message: "Pray for me."
"Dear friends, I thank you from
my heart and ask you to continue
to pray for me," the pope tweeted
from the @Pontifex account,
which was previously used by
Benedict XVI.
The 76-year-old Pope Francis's
first tweet had over 13,000
retweets within the first hours of
posting.
After Pope Benedict officially
resigned, all tweets were erased
from the feed and the @Pontifex
account holder's name was
changed to "Sede Vacante" to sig-
nify the papacy was vacant.
Shortly after Pope Francis was
elected, the Vatican used the
papal Twitter account to tweet
"Habemus Papam Franciscum"
(We have a pope named Francis).
The tweet came three months
after the Vatican launched the
first ever personal Twitter
account for the Pope, with tweets
going out in nine languages.
The Pope's English account has
nearly 1.6 million followers.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
of Buenos Aires was elected the
266th pope by the conclave of
cardinals March 13, becoming
the first Latin American to lead
the Catholic Church.
The inauguration of the new
leader of the world's 1.2 billion
Catholics was held on March 19.
The Pope's English account has nearly 1.6 million followers
Obama arrived in Israel for his first visit to the country and only his second to the Middle East
Govt to continue with reformsagenda: Chidambaram
New Delhi: Undeterred by adverse
political developments, Union
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram
said there will be no let up in the
government’s efforts to continue
with the economic reforms and he
will go ahead with his meetings
with foreign investors to persuade
them to invest in India.
“I don’t see us any weaker today
(than) what we were yesterday.
Yes, it is true one ally has with-
drawn support. The government
enjoys a majority, the government
will continue to do its duty.
“The government will continue
to take executive action and the
government will continue to push
legislation in Parliament”, he told a
press conference.
Chidambaram was responding to
questions on fate of economic
reforms in the aftermath of with-
drawal of support to the UPA by
the DMK.
The Minister further said that he
would meet investors to persuade
them to invest in India and also the
government will not waiver in its
commitment to bring down the fis-
cal deficit to 4.8 per cent in 2013-
14 from 5.2 per cent estimated in
the current financial year.
Mr. Chidambaram is scheduled
to meet foreign investors in major
financial hubs in Japan, UAE,
Canada and the United States in the
coming weeks.
“We are in government. We have
a duty to steer the ship even if there
is mild storm in the sea. We have
our hands firmly on the wheels. We
will continue to push for legisla-
tion,” he said.
23March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info BUSINESS
H1B visas could double in the USWashington: In a major victory
for the tech industry, US visas for
high-skilled foreign workers,
including those from India, could
double under a bipartisan Senate
immigration plan, according to
the Washington Post.
The proposal would also give
permanent legal status to an
unlimited number of students who
earn graduate degrees from US
universities in science, technolo-
gy, engineering or math, the influ-
ential US daily reported citing
people familiar with the negotia-
tions.
The number of H1Bs visas for
highly skilled workers would
approximately double from the
current limit of 65,000 per year
under the plan of eight senators
working on a deal between the
Congress and the White House to
overhaul the immigration system,
it said.
Critics suggest that H1B pro-
gram has become a way for out-
sourcing firms to bring lower-paid
employees to the US. Most of the
top 10 employers of H1B visa
holders, for instance, are India-
based technology consultancies
with large US operations,
Those firms often train workers
in the United States before send-
ing them back home to do the
same jobs for considerably less
money, according to critics cited
by the Post.
The Post cited these critics as
saying that companies commonly
use the visa to bring employees
from India to work in the US for
up to three years, train them and
then return them to India to con-
tinue the same work, often for a
US company buying the services
from a contractor.
But advocates for tech compa-
nies welcomed the developments,
describing the still-evolving
immigration plan as a potential
watershed moment.
"We're encouraged," Scott
Corley, executive director of
Compete America, a coalition of
companies that includes Intel,
Google, IBM and other tech
giants, was quoted as saying by
the Post.
The foreign-worker piece of the
immigration debate has been one
of the thorniest for the eight sena-
tors, who are trying to reach a full
agreement among themselves by
Friday, the daily said. Staffers will
then take the next two weeks to
draft a bill.
The Post citing familiar with the
talks said the senators group has
agreed to a citizenship plan that
would immediately legalize mil-
lions of undocumented immi-
grants, including about 250,000
Indians, but would require certain
expenditures on border security
and internal enforcement before
allowing people to gain a path to
citizenship.
New Delhi: A Delhi court
summoned Bharti Airtel
chairman Sunil Mittal and
Essar Group promoter
Ravi Ruia in a case relat-
ing to alleged irregularities
in allocation of excess
spectrum during the
National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) regime.
Also summoned were
former telecom secretary
Shyamal Ghosh and Asim
Ghose, formerly with
Hutchison Max Telecom,
now known as Vodafone India.
Special Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) judge O.P. Saini issued summons for
April 11 after taking cognizance of the charge
sheet filed against mobile firms Bharti Airtel,
Vodafone and Sterling Cellular for the alleged
irregularities.
On Dec 21 last year, the CBI named
Shyamal Ghosh and the three telecom firms as
accused in the 57-page charge sheet for crimi-
nal conspiracy as also under the provisions of
the Prevention of Corruption Act for causing a
loss of about Rs.846 crore to the exchequer.
The agency told the court that additional
spectrum was allotted July 17, 2002, to Bharti
Cellular (now Bharti Airtel) and Sterling
Cellular (now Vodafone
Mobile Service) for the
Delhi metro area, and
Hutchison Max (now
Vodafone India) for
Mumbai metro area.
The late Bharatiya Janata
Party leader Pramod
Mahajan was the telecom
minister then.
The judge said Sunil
Mittal was chairman-cum-
managing director of
Bharti, Asim Ghosh was
managing director of
Hutchison Max and Ruia a director in Sterling
Cellular - and they were all prima facie in con-
trol of affairs of the respective companies.
"As such they represent the directing mind
and will of each company and their state of
mind is the state of mind of the companies.
"They are/were the 'alter-ego' of their respec-
tive companies," judge Saini said.
"In this fact/situation, the acts of the compa-
nies are to be attributed and imputed to them.
Consequently, I find enough material on
record to proceed against them."
Regarding Shyamal Ghosh, the CBI alleged
that he had abused his position, entered into a
criminal conspiracy with minister Mahajan
and had caused a loss to the exchequer.
Mumbai: Various policy
measures initiated by the
government for the civil
aviation sector have begun
to yield results and the air-
line industry in India is
witnessing a revival, union
Civil Aviation Minister
Ajit Singh said.
On account of these poli-
cies, the general aviation
business would emerge as
a key driver of regional
connectivity and economic
development, he said.
He cited the recent
examples of the Tata-Air
Asia proposal to float a
joint venture private air-
line and the interest
evinced by Etihaad as
examples of the growing
business confidence in the
Indian civil aviation sec-
tor.
Addressing the 11th
Routes Asia Conference
which has attracted 160
delegates from 88 airlines
around the world, Ajit
Singh asserted that the 49
percent FDI in aviation
was "the single most
important policy decision"
which will transform the
country's civil aviation
scenario.
In order to boost interna-
tional air travel, the gov-
ernment has liberalised
grant of traffic rights to
Indian carriers.
"The new traffic rights
have opened up several
new international sectors
and increased the traffic
entitlements of our carriers
by approximately 60 per-
cent," the minister said.
Ajit Singh called upon
all the stakeholders in the
aviation sector to engage
in jointly promoting
"Brand India".
At present, India is the
9th largest aviation market
in the world handling 121
million domestic and 41
million international pas-
sengers annually, said Ajit
Singh.
Chidambaram was speaking in the aftermath of withdrawal of support to the UPA by the DMK.
Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal At present, India is the 9th largest aviation
market in the world
Airtel chairman summoned in 2G case Indian aviation sector is reviving: Ajit Singh
Citigroup Inc has agreed to pay $730 million to
settle a class action lawsuit on behalf of
investors who said they were misled by the
company’s disclosures.
Purchasers of the bank’s debt and preferred stock
between 2006 and 2008 claimed there were misstate-
ments and omissions in the disclosures, Citigroup
said in a statement announcing the proposed settle-
ment. The investors accused the bank of bank under-
stating loss reserves for its high-risk residential mort-
gage loans and falsely stating risky assets were of
high credit quality, according to Bernstein Litowitz
Berger & Grossman, a law firm that represented pen-
sion funds and other investors in the case.
The bank denied the allegations and said it was
entering into the settlement to end the litigation.
“This settlement is another significant step toward
resolving our exposure to claims arising from the
financial crisis,” the bank said in its statement.
The class action was filed on behalf of purchasers
of 48 offerings of preferred stock and bonds, the law
firm said.
Citigroup to pay $730 mn to settle case
24 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoSPORTS
India eye whitewash against OzMohali: India took an unassailable
3-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar
cricket series beating Australia by
six wickets in a thrilling finish on
the final day of the third Test at the
Punjab Cricket Association (PCA)
Stadium. The victory was all the
more creditable as it came in four
days after rain washed out the open-
ing day's play without a ball being
bowled. Debutant Shikhar Dhawan
was judged Man of the Match for
his whirlwind 187.
On the final day, there were stages
when Australia looked like saving
the Test, particularly when the last
two wickets added 80 runs to stretch
their second innings score to 223.
That, however, left India to get only
a meagre 132 runs for victory in a
minimum of 33.3 overs. Australia
made 408 in the first innings and
India replied with 499.
There was some artificial excite-
ment in the last hour when India
made heavy weather of the target.
Eventually, skipper Mahendra Singh
Dhoni (18 not out) took the team
home, hitting three consecutive
fours with 2.3 overs left.
India started with Murali Vijay
(26) and Cheteshwar Pujara (28) as
first-innings century-maker Shikhar
Dhawan injured his finger while
fielding and did not come out to bat.
The duo added 42 runs for the first
wicket before VIjay was stumped by
Brad Haddin off left-arm spinner
Xavier Doherty.
Then Pujara and Virat Kohli (34)
added 28 runs for the second-wicket
before Nathan Lyon trapped Pujara
leg-before. Kohli hit some crisp
fours, but run-making was not easy
as fast bowlers Peter Siddle and
Mitchell Starc kept a tight line,
using reverse swing to good effect.
Siddle got rid of the well-set Kohli,
whose mistimed flick ended up in
the hands of a diving Phil Hughes at
short mid-wicket.
With 17 required off the last four
overs, Sachin Tendulkar (21) was
run out after a brilliant effort from
David Warner. Ravindra Jadeja (8
not out) hit two fours in the same
over to ease the pressure and left it
to Dhoni to finish off in style.
Earlier, Jadeja (3/35) and Pragyan
Ojha's left-arm spin (2/26) ran
through the Australian middle order
with offie Ravichandran Ashwin
chipping in with two, including the
wicket of top scorer Phil Jacques,
who struck form with a gritty 69.
Ojha and Jadeja bowled in tandem
as Australia lost five wickets for 54
runs. Ojha was the first to strike to
get rid of night-watchman Nathan
Lyon (18), caught behind by Dhoni.
Lankan officials worried overplayers' safety
Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket
(SLC) officials raised concerns
over the safety of its national
players who are to take part in
the Indian Premier League (IPL)
T20 tournament next month fol-
lowing the recent spate of
attacks against Sri Lankans in
Tamil Nadu.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Players'
Association (SLCPA) has writ-
ten to its parent organisation, the
Federation of International
Cricketers' Association (FICA),
to assess the safety of its players
during the IPL, starting April 3,
and to determine a course of
action that will ensure the crick-
eters' safety, Xinhua reports.
The IPL matches will be
played in several key Indian
cities, including Chennai, where
tensions against Sri Lankans
have risen after two Buddhist
monks and several Sri Lankan
tourists were assaulted by Tamil
groups. Ten IPL matches are
scheduled to be played in
Chennai. SLCPA chairman Ken
de Alwis said that the associa-
tion was awaiting a response
from FICA. Following a rise in
the number of incidents of vio-
lent assaults against Sri Lankans
in Tamil Nadu, the Sri Lankan
government Tuesday requested
all its nationals to exercise cau-
tion when undertaking visits to
Tamil Nadu.
Dhawan out of Delhi TestMumbai: Man of the match in the
third Test, Shikhar Dhawan, was
ruled out of the fourth Test against
Australia, scheduled to be played
in New Delhi between March 22-
26, after he sustained a fracture in
the left hand.
Dhawan, who hit a record break-
ing 187 in his maiden Test innings
in Mohali, will be out of action for
six weeks, announced a Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
statement late Tuesday.
BCCI's All India Senior
Selection Committee had replaced
Dhawan with Gautam Gambhir
and brought in Suresh Raina to the
squad for the fourth Test. However,
Gambhir was diagnosed with jaun-
dice after undergoing a blood test
earlier Tuesday. He will not take
part in the fourth match.
"The official announcement of
the team was delayed as the board
was waiting for the copy of the
report," said the BCCI statement.
Clarke may skip Delhi Test Boxer Vijender's controversyunfortunate: Bindra
New Delhi: Speculation is rife in
the Australian camp that Michael
Clarke may not like to risk his
dodgy back in a dead rubber and
leave it to his deputy Shane
Watson to lead the team in the
fourth and the final Test against
India.
The chances of Watson leading
Australia for the first time in a
Test increased after Clarke
skipped the nets at the Feroze
Shah Kotla here Wednesday.
Clarke was clearly struggling
with a recurring back pain during
the Mohali Test which India won
to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in
the series.
Clarke did not train and spent
his time chatting with head coach
Mickey Arthur and selector Rod
Marsh, though he did have a clos-
er look at the wicket.
Watson appeared visibly happy
and could barely wipe the smile
off his face following the birth of
his son Will.
It also appears that Watson has
patched up with Cricket
Australia's (CA) high-perform-
ance chief Pat Howard, who had
called Watson as only "sometimes
a team player". Howard moved
around the ground with the phone
glued to his ear.
An out-of-form Watson has
been at the centre of a controversy
after he was sidelined from the
third Test in Mohali along with
three others over a breach of team
discipline last week.
Watson was angry and left for
home to be with his wife Lee,
who delivered baby boy Will last
Thursday. Watson, who left India
contemplating retirement, howev-
er, returned in time to be with the
team for the fourth Test.
Gurgaon: India's only individual
Olympic gold medalist Abhinav
Bindra said it was unfortunate and
sad that Olympic bronze medalist
boxer Vijender Singh's name
emerged in a drug bust.
Abhinav Bindra, the World and
Olympic champion in 10-metre
Air Rifle shooting and co-owner
of Pizza Vito in India, was here to
attend a private function in a mall
on Sohna road.
On the alleged affiliation of
Vijender and his fellow boxer
Ram Singh with Canada-based
Indian Anup Singh Kahlon,
Abhinav said that he didn't have
much to say and would not like to
be part of a debate on this sensi-
tive issue.
However, he said the whole
episode was unfortunate.
"Vijender Singh is an Olympic
medallist and recipient of Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna award - the
highest sporting honour in the
country. It is very sad and unfortu-
nate that his name has emerged in
such a way," Bindra said.
Anup Singh Kahlon and his
associate Kulwinder Singh, who
were arrested in connection with
the drug bust March 3, named the
boxers and said they had supplied
them with drugs.
Heroin from a flat in Zirakpur
(Mohali), worth an estimated
Rs.130 crore, was recovered by
Punjab Police.
A car registered in the name of
Vijender's wife was found parked
at the alleged dealer's home.
India has taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar cricket series
Olympic bronze medalist boxer Vijender Singh
Michael Clarke
25March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info SELF HELP
Top 5 home improvement projects to increase value of your houseS
elling a home in today’s
aggressive marketplace
can be challenging. The
good news is there are a few
tweaks that can give homeown-
ers a serious leg up on the com-
petition.
With the warmer months
being the most active time of
year to buy and sell real estate,
it’s important to ensure your
home is seen in the best light
possible.
“Despite the influx of homes
for sale this season, the process
of buying and selling a home
can be simple, efficient and
enjoyable,” says Wendy
Froehlich of Homes.com, one
of the nation’s top online real
estate listing and lifestyle
resources.
According to Homes.com, the
top five projects that improve
home equity are:
Bathrooms
If adding an additional bath-
room isn`t an option, upgrade
existing ones.
Adding a dual vanity to a
master or secondary bath
improves functionality, allow-
ing multiple people to use the
space. Change out fixtures like
faucets and shower doors to
increase aesthetic appeal. If
you’re on a budget, replace
light fixtures or switch plates to
help refresh the space.
When working with a small
space, highlight storage options
with shelving and update or
remove wall decor, paint or
wallpaper.
Kitchen
Kitchen renovations can cost
anywhere from $20,000 to
$40,000 and more. If that’s not
in your budget, upgrading cabi-
netry and paint does wonders to
liven up even the most outdated
spaces.
Add crown or decorative
molding to “shape out” the
kitchen cabinets and modernize
the space. Repaint cabinets, or
add new hardware to add visual
interest and brighten dark
spaces.
Outdoor Spaces
Curb appeal adds immediate
interest to any home’s exterior.
According to Remodeling
Magazine, improving outdoor
spaces can increase a home’s
resale value dollar-for-dollar.
Frame the front walkway with
items that add visual interest,
like flowers, potted plants, large
rocks of various sizes and solar-
powered lights. If yard space is
scarce, hanging plants are
another great, low-cost option.
Extend outdoor projects to the
backyard -- power-wash decks
or patios and clean screened-in
areas.
Basement
Basement improvements can
optimize livable space and pro-
tect the home from extreme
weather, mold, moisture dam-
age and mites. Whether transi-
tioning the basement to a home
gym, office or family room, the
basics remain the same: insulate
well and waterproof.
Maximize space by including
shelving and storage units. If
the opportunity exists, make the
space feel open and inviting by
creating an open stairwell, a
trick that visually connects the
upper part of the house with the
lower, and filters natural light
into the space.
Mudroom
Mudrooms ensure families
stay clutter-free and have a ded-
icated space to drop stuff as
they come through the door.
They can also make potential
homeowners feel welcome
upon entry.
While knocking out a wall to
create a mudroom is expensive
and labor-intensive, you can
make a “drop zone` by simply
anchoring a bench to an empty
wall and hanging labeled stor-
age units.
For many years, the average 50-some-
thing American looked forward to a
leisure-based retirement. But as
Americans are living longer and feeling
younger, many are finding it necessary to
remain professionally active beyond tradition-
al retirement age -- forging new paths that
supply both money and meaning.
“Boomers are opting to stay in the game, or
better, change the game by leaving a mark and
making a difference,” says Marci Alboher,
vice president of Encore.org, an organization
helping people transition to the nonprofit
world and public sector.
While moving into a new kind of work is
not always quick or easy, some experts say
that middle-aged Americans are well-equipped
to handle it.
“With midlife comes a newfound capacity to
tap into your accumulated experience and wis-
dom to accomplish new things you may have
been unable to do earlier,” says Alboher,
whose new book “The Encore Career
Handbook,” is a comprehensive guide for any-
one looking to make such a shift.
Whether you’re looking to jump right in ormake a plan first, here are some tips andthings to consider:� Your new work may involve a trade-off.
You may trade money for meaning and flexi-
bility. You may trade power and influence for
the chance to work more closely with people
you can help.
� Transitions will take longer than youthink, so be patient.
� Be prepared to face age discrimination.You can counter employer prejudices by
ensuring your skills are up to snuff, especially
when it comes to technology. Show you
understand the job market today by having a
great LinkedIn profile. Consider tailoring your
resume to show your strengths as an adviser
and mentor.
� Don’t be discouraged by today’s tightjob market. The nonprofit sector has added
jobs over the past decade and our govern-
ment’s need for highly skilled employees in a
variety of sectors continues to grow. Between
now and 2018, experts say that there may be
as many as 1.7 million jobs available at all
levels of government.
� Instead of jobs, think about projects.Instead of thinking about what you want to do
forever, think about what you want to work on
for a year or two. Think about a series of
engaging commitments with periodic gaps for
a personal break, retraining or travel in
between.
� Rarely can you find and craft the jobopportunity you want, simply by applying to
job postings. Create your role through net-
working, volunteering and retooling for a new
kind of work. Consider going solo as a free-
lancer, consultant or entrepreneur.
Don’t approach your mid-life and beyond
with trepidation. With skills, experience and
care, you can launch a successful new career
that combines your passion with a paycheck.
Many boomers turning their passions into new careers
New York, NY: Spring is right
around the corner, and while you
may be dreaming of warmer weather,
your feet may secretly be dreading it.
The beloved flip-flop - which is a
staple in footwear for spring and
summer - may actually be causing
you more long-term harm than cur-
rent comfort.
“While fashionable and fun, flip-
flops can actually lead to weakened
and fallen foot arches - and that’s just
the beginning,” says Dr. Dawn Sears,
a New York doctor of podiatric medi-
cine and surgery with offices in
Manhattan and Queens. “The danger
with flip-flops is that they cause both
short-term and long-term harm to
your feet.”
Sears explains that short term
effects of flip-flop wear may include
blistering, and falling injuries caused
from the bend-and-fold. Supporting
this claim is a recent study by the
National Health Service in the
United Kingdom, which estimates
that $62 million is spent annually
treating over 200,000 flip-flop relat-
ed injuries.
Other serious injuries from flip-
flops may include Plantar Fascitis,
Achilles tendon injury and stress
fractures. They also can cause Staph
infections because they are open and
attract a lot of dirt. Many flip-flops
actually test positive for the
Staphylococcus Bacteria, which
causes the infection if the skin is bro-
ken. Long term wear of flip-flops
may actually cause hammertoes and
bunions from toes buckling and
pulling. “Because you’re working to
keep the shoe on, your foot instinc-
tively goes forward, causing a grip
like pull on the toes,” said Sears.
“Wear them long enough over a peri-
od of time, and this may cause long
term pain and visibly unattractive
feet.”
So what’s the solution? First, there
are few things to consider when
wearing flip-flops. If you are of large
build, you may be at a greater risk of
ankle damage and stress fractures
because of lack of support. Older
people might also want to avoid the
shoe. As you age, your feet change,
certain muscles tighten up, they dete-
riorate, and with clawing toes, this
causes unnecessary stress on the feet.
Flip-flops are not made for a lot of
walking and definitely not support-
ive. Sears, a Harvard undergrad and
graduate of the New York College of
Podiatric Medicine, recommends
they be used only for short distance
activities including walking a pool
deck and/or in a gym shower, or on
the beach.
“There are some great alternatives
to flip-flops that can still allow you
to be fashionable, yet functional this
spring and summer,” she explained.
“I encourage my patients to look into
purchasing a great wedge sandal that
provides support of the arch and pro-
tection from outside elements.”
The flip flop failWhy rethinking footwear choice may benefit your long term health
Focus on eye care needed in India, says Rotary International
Kolkata: Lauding Rotary
India's efforts in attempt-
ing to eradicate polio,
Rotary International presi-
dent Sakuji Tanaka
Tuesday said specialized
eye care is the need of the
hour for India.
"There are a lot of issues
related to ophthalmology
that are emerging and need
to be looked at.
Specialized eye care is the
need of the hour. There are
huge incidences of cardiac
diseases too in the coun-
try," Tanaka said at a
media conference here.
Tanaka, who heads an
organization spread over
215 countries with a global
membership of 1.2 million,
said India's contribution to con-
trol the polio menace is "a great
achievement."
"It is a great achievement by
Indian Rotarians. We don't know
when polio will be eradicated
completely but there has been a
significant improvement in the
situation. It is a great effort that
India has not seen any polio
cases in the last two years," he
said.
Highlighting his theme for
Rotary year 2012-2013 'Peace
through Service', Tanaka said
there should be a focused effort
to eradicate polio.
The last polio case was seen in
West Bengal January 13, 2011.
If there are no reports of the dis-
ease in the next three years (till
January 2014), then India will be
declared polio free.
26 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoHEALTH
Rotary International president Sakuji Tanaka
Wearing flip-flops may not be thewisest thing to do to your feet
27March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info LIFESTYLE
Stress can lead to Alzheimer's!Impotence emerging as majorcause of divorce in India: Study
London: Sustained stress
can cause Alzheimer's
disease in advanced
years.
A research on mice has
indicated there is an
increased risk of demen-
tia in case one remains
constantly stressed. Sara
Bengtsson, a PhD student
from Umea University, in
Sweden, tested her theory
on mice and found that
mice with higher levels of
the hormone in their
brains suffered impaired
learning and memory, Daily Mail reported.
They also had increased brain levels of
beta-amyloids -- the proteins that form
plaque deposits in the brains of Alzheimer's
sufferers.
Alzheimer is the most common form of
dementia, a general term for memory loss
and other intellectual abilities serious
enough to interfere with daily life.
The study has found that stress hormones,
which are elevated in the brain when a per-
son is harassed, inhibit brain activity. If the
hormone levels are chronically elevated,
this can lead to the development of
Alzheimer's disease.
Bengtsson believes that the effect of
stress hormones on the brain could mean
the difference between living independently
and needing to be put into care.
However, Simon Ridley, head of
Research at Alzheimer's Research UK,
said: "It's important to remember this
research was not carried out in people.”
Some research has already highlighted a
possible link between chronic stress, cogni-
tive decline and the development of
Alzheimer's, and further study in people is
needed to fully investigate these links.
The latest research comes just after
another study which suggested disrupted
sleep could be one of the first signs of
Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Washington University
found sleep was disrupted in people who
had early Alzheimer's disease but did not
yet have the memory loss or other cognitive
problems characteristic of the full-blown
disease.
New Delhi: Impotence is emerging as a
major cause of divorce in India, says a recent
study, adding that around 20-30 percent mar-
riages in India are breaking up for want of
satisfaction in sexual life.
The study, conducted by Alpha One
Andrology Group, an association of doctors
dealing in sex-related problems in men, took
into account nearly 2,500 Indian men suffer-
ing from erectile dysfunction or impotence.
The study found that erectile dysfunction
affects 50 percent of men over the age of 40
and 10 percent of men below 40.
"The analysis revealed that of the 2,500
men suffering from erectile dysfunction, one
in five were divorced while the marriages of
one in 10 were on the verge of breaking over
their physical health," says Anup Dhir, a
reconstruction surgeon and andrologist.
Impotence is the most poorly understood
and mismanaged of all medical disorders and
results in marriages breaking up, the study
found. "Maintaining a healthy marriage
requires time, effort and compromise from
both spouses. When one or both spouses find
a marriage to be unsatisfactory, it is likely
because of problems that arise due to issues
with communication, expectations or sexual
dissatisfaction," said Dhir.
The study found that a married couple on
an average has sex 58 times per year, or
slightly more than once a week.
"If the number lacks, it means there is a
problem with partner. Sexual impotence is
becoming a common problem among cou-
ples in major cities due to sedentary lifestyle,
hypertension and busy schedule," he said.
Diabetes emerged as the leading cause of
erectile dysfunction followed by hyperten-
sion. "As many as 48 percent of patients
above the age of 40 were diabetic while 45
percent with hypertension have severe erec-
tile dysfunction. Men who have diabetes are
found to develop erectile dysfunction nearly
10 to 15 years earlier than men who do not
suffer from the disease," the study highlight-
ed.
Furthermore, people with diabetes fre-
quently take medication to lower blood pres-
sure.
Common prescriptions for blood pressure
like some diuretics and beta blockers are
known to cause erectile dysfunction.
According to C.M. Batra, an endocrinolo-
gist with Apollo Hospital, other primary
causes of erectile dysfunction include
lifestyle issues like smoking, drinking alco-
hol, being overweight and exercising too lit-
tle, among others.
Dhir said that taking medical help for erec-
tile dysfunction continues to remain a stigma
among Indian men as they are not ready to
accept the fact until it comes to the breaking
up of their marriages. "Men have an ego
problem in accepting the fact and most of
them remain secretive about their sexual
health, which leads to delayed treatment," he
said.
Tokyo: Scientists say green tea and coffee,
if made a regular part of the diet, could
benefit the heart, according to research
conducted in Japan and published in
the US.
Green tea and coffee may help lower
your risk of having a stroke, especially
when both are a regular part of your diet,
according to research published in Stroke:
Journal of the American Heart
Association.
"This is the first large-scale study to
examine the combined effects of both
green tea and coffee on stroke risks," said
Yoshihiro Kokubo, lead author of the
study at Japan's National Cerebral and
Cardiovascular Centre.
"You may make a small but positive
lifestyle change to help lower the risk of
stroke by adding daily green tea to your
diet."
They found that the more green tea or
coffee people drink, the lower their stroke
risks, reports Science Daily.
"The regular action of drinking tea and
coffee, largely benefits cardiovascular
health because it partly keeps blood clots
from forming," Kokubo said.
Tea and coffee are the most popular
drinks in the world after water, suggesting
that these results may apply in other coun-
tries too.
It's unclear how green tea affects stroke
risks. A compound group known as cate-
chins may provide some protection.
Catechins have an antioxidant anti-inflam-
matory effect, increasing plasma antioxi-
dant capacity and anti-thrombogenic (anti-
clotting) effects.
Some chemicals in coffee include
chlorogenic acid, thus cutting stroke risks
by lowering the chances of developing
type 2 diabetes.
Further research could clarify how the
interaction between coffee and green tea
might help further lower stroke risks,
Kokubo said.
Sip green tea, coffee to protect your heart
Buying meatballs from a furniture
store may seem as ridiculous as
buying furniture from a restau-
rant. But for millions of people who visit
IKEA’s gigantic furniture stores every
year, the meatballs help make the trip
worthwhile. Not only are they tasty, they
come with a nice guarantee: “Less likely
to break apart than our furniture.”
IKEA is a Swedish company and meat-
balls are extremely popular in Sweden.
Most people don’t know this but the
1977 hit song “Thank you for the
music,” by legendary pop group ABBA,
was originally released in Sweden as
“Thank you for the meatballs.” It’s one
of the reasons why the group broke
apart: Anni-Frid turned vegetarian, but
her boyfriend, Benny, couldn’t stop eat-
ing meatballs. (He would later produce a
song called “No thank you for the veg-
gieballs.”)
IKEA sells 150 million meatballs a
year at its stores worldwide – and anoth-
er 10 million are shipped directly to
George Foreman’s house. Many cus-
tomers buy frozen meatballs to take
home but if you can’t wait to taste them,
the store cafeteria is worth visiting and
it’s pretty easy to find. Just follow the
bright signs hanging from the ceiling,
which will take you several times
around the second floor in a maze of
concentric circles before bringing you,
finally, to a sign that says, “The cafeteria
is on the third floor.” This sign is usually
on the opposite end of the store from the
elevators. Once you get to the third
floor, you will have to go through the
baby furniture section, the toddler furni-
ture section, and the pre-teen furniture
section, before arriving, finally, at the
restrooms. This is okay, because this is
where you are likely to find someone
who has just been to the cafeteria and
can give you directions.
By the time you get to the cafeteria,
you will be so hungry that you could eat
a horse. And that’s a good thing because
you might actually find yourself doing
that.
Not intentionally, of course. IKEA
does not have horsemeat on its menu
and takes great precautions to ensure
that its meatballs are made only from
pork and beef.
Nevertheless, authorities in the Czech
Republic recently found traces of horse-
meat in one batch of IKEA’s frozen
meatballs, prompting the company to
recall meatballs from almost all its
European stores and release a statement
emphasizing that it takes the matter seri-
ously and will require all meat-produc-
tion workers to take an advanced educa-
tion course called “How to spot a horse
among a group of cows.”
IKEA isn’t the only company whose
European meat products have been taint-
ed with horsemeat. Britain’s Food
Standards Agency (FSA), for example,
found horse DNA in four products,
including Birds Eye’s Traditional
Spaghetti Bolognese, Brakes’ Spicy
Beef Skewer and Farm Fresh’s Assorted
Horse D’oeuvres.
Horsemeat is somehow being substi-
tuted for beef in Europe’s meat-process-
ing plants and you don’t have to be a
genius to figure out who’s probably
behind this: cows.
“Cows look innocent, but it’s all a
question of survival,” said FSA investi-
gator Ned Dunsmore. “We’ve received
several reports of cows whispering into
horses’ ears on livestock farms, perhaps
telling them that the long white truck is
headed to the carrot-processing plant.”
Eating horsemeat isn’t a big deal for
some people, of course. After all, 4.7
million horses are consumed annually
worldwide, about half of them in China
and Mexico. People in America prefer to
ride and race horses, not eat them. They
also love to bet on horses. That might
explain some of the conversations
they’re having.
“I bet there’s no horsemeat in this
meatball!”
“I bet there is!”
“You’re on, buddy. Five bucks.”
“How will we find out?”
“We’ll ask that Chinese guy over there.
He should know. Hey buddy, do you
think there’s any horsemeat in this meat-
ball?”
“Which meatball – the one on the plate
or the one talking to me?”
Humor with Melvin Durai
28 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoHUMOR
Someone’s horsing around with our meatballs
by Mahendra ShahMahendra 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 thepast many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
March 23:
Governed by number 5 and the planet Mercury. You
are intelligent, sharp, sensible, business oriented,
dignified, original and dashing person. People per-
ceive you as a very warm and friendly person, but
you need to check your tendency to behave restless
and impatient at times. Financially a very favorable
period starts this year, but you should avoid getting
involved in conflict with loved ones. You would
make financial gains through sale of property, ac-
crual of rent, dividends or interests. This is also a
good time to invest in long-term investments and
speculations. Children would be a source of im-
mense happiness and win laurels in their fields. Pil-
grimage or a distant journey will be high on your
cards. The months of March, April, November and
February will be highly significant.
March 24:
Ruled by number 6 and the planet Venus. You have
a pleasant personality, sharp memory and you are
very fond of worldly pleasures. You are very me-
thodical, emotional and helpful person. You make
your plans and stick to it, but you need to control
your tendency to behave moody, timid and spend-
thrift at times. This year businessmen would expand
their ventures into new and more profitable av-
enues. You would do extremely well if you deal in
real estate, but expect some opposition to arise from
partners. New romance for some, so make the best
of it. Meditation and Yoga should be practiced for
spiritual as well as physical gains. Some exhilarat-
ing news from your children will bring happiness
later in the year. The months of June, July, August,
October and November will be highly eventful.
March 25:
Dominated by number 7 and the planet Neptune,
you are highly creative, affectionate, trustworthy,
original, energetic and emotional person. You never
run away from difficult task. What might appear im-
possible to others would look like a challenge to
you. You have great talents, but you need to control
your tendency to behave arrogant and dominating at
times. This coming period is good for starting new
ventures. Projects that have been slow till now
would gain momentum. Disputes if any would get
sorted out and bring a sense of relief to your mind.
Romantic encounters with colleagues might devel-
op, though it would be very short lived. Your com-
petitive nature would make you stay ahead of others
and also make you popular amongst your peers.
Friends will be helpful but demanding. The months
of March, May, July, August and September will
prove to be significant.
March 26:
Influenced by number 8 and the planet Saturn. You
are ambitious, authoritative,
systematic, sober and simple person. You have great
potential to influence large group of people. You
possess modern, revolutionary views which keep
you in the limelight, but you need to control your
tendency to behave stubborn and jealous at times.
This year you would have abundance of energy,
which if properly used would bring you over-
whelming results. Financially it seems to be a good
period to invest in stocks and property, but all in-
vestments should be made for a long-term basis. A
distant journey seems likely later in the year, most
probably for attending some auspicious occasion.
Friends and relatives will not be very helpful and
should not be depended upon. The months of May,
June, October, December and January will prove to
be beneficial.
March 27:
Ruled by number 9 and the planet Mars. You are ac-
tive, energetic, trustworthy, systematic and quick in
taking decisions. You always welcome new ideas
and are fond of reading to increase your knowledge
and discover new and unknown things, but you need
to control your tendency to behave shy, arrogant and
moody at times. The coming year improves finan-
cial status of many and some even inherit ancestral
property. Business will flourish and financial gains
will lift your confidence. Legal matters that have
been haunting your mind will settle to your satis-
faction. Promotions and increments are likely for
some. Romance however will not be pleasant as fre-
quent arguments and disagreements will keep on
bothering your mind. Students will perform re-
markably well in academics and sports. Those suf-
fering from blood pressure and piles need to take ex-
tra care of their health. The months of April, June,
August, October and January will be highly signifi-
cant.
March 28:
Influenced by number 1 and the Sun, you are active,
energetic, determined, responsible and original.
You are creative and highly result oriented person,
but you need to curb your tendency to behave reck-
less, spendthrift and stubborn at times. New jobs
and assignments will be the highlight of the coming
year. Promotions and transfers for some employees.
Investment in property will yield good returns in the
long run. Frequent and fruitful journeys will be un-
dertaken bringing monetary gains and help you
build up long lasting relationships. Relations with
someone of the opposite sex will strengthen giving
a refreshing and interesting twist to your life. Some
exciting news from children will lift your spirits.
Rise in your medical bills as health of your parents
could cause tension and anxiety. The months of
March, July, September, October and January seem
to be highly eventful.
March 29:
Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are highly
creative, practical, emotional, friendly, simple and
generous person. You enjoy enormous respect at
your workplace, but at the same time you need to
check your tendency to behave introvert, selfish and
jealous at times. This year will be highly beneficial
for those who are willing to take investment and
business risks. Speculation in property and stocks
will bring in handsome results. This year will be
highly significant for working and professional
women, as they will prosper in their respective
fields.
New romance will be exciting but short-lived.
Journey or pilgrimage will provide comfort and
peace. Be extra careful of your jewelry and expen-
sive items. Chances of overseas education for few
students who are looking for a better career. The
months of June, August, October, December and
January will be important.
By Dr Prem Kumar SharmaChandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 [email protected]; www.premastrologer.com
Stars Foretell: March 23-29, 2013 Annual Predictions: For those born in this week
Learn about the fair value ofdiamonds & precious stones.
from a Gems Expert For appointment, please call 516-390-7847
or email [email protected] special offer for the readers of
The South Asian Times
Free Consultation
29
ARIES: Female colleagues lend a helping hand
in completing important assignments. You are
likely to plan a short trip with family. A promising week
to earn profits in real estate and financial transactions.
Romance is likely to intensify through recreational
activities & entertainment. A cheerful state of mind
would allow enjoying the perfect health. Planning a trip
for your love will embrace you and your spouse.
Buying cheap property in the right location can provide
you triple gain annually. Performing some ritual cere-
mony will highly benefit you.
TAURUS: This week you might have to take
the help of smart & motivated people at pro-
fessional front. If people approach you with problems
better to ignore them for the sake of family life. Put
your extra money at a safer place promising to return
you on time. Maintain a distance from people trying to
pry into your romantic affair. Try to keep yourself busy
because an empty brain is a devils workshop. Enjoy
your holiday with love of your life. Investing in proper-
ty business sounds very appealing. You are likely to
hear some good news in later half of the week when
your struggle & legal battle is likely to end.
GEMINI: You are likely to fail in achieving
set targets due to wrong assessment of team
members. Domestic work will be tiring and could even
vitiate peace. An improvement in monetary position
makes it convenient to purchase essential items. Love
companion could spoil the romance on making unnec-
essary demands. Suffering from body pains is high on
the cards. Therefore better to avoid any physical exer-
tion to prevent the aggravation. Your travel plans could
not workout as you will be visiting a beastly place.
Mortgaging your plot is not right for you, crisis may
arise. Chances that somebody close could be hiding
something important from you.
CANCER: At work you will be a part of
something big, bringing appreciation &
rewards. Unexpected visit by old friend could give you
a pleasant surprise. Long-term investment would enable
to make substantial gains. Romantic opportunity comes
your way as your sparkling sunshine smile injures a
lively & tender heart. Divine knowledge from a saintly
person provides solace & comfort. Romantic destina-
tions seems appealing to you. Banks love to finance
those, who invest in properties which are underdevelop-
ment. A possibility of an enhancement in your religious
thinking.
LEO: This week you are likely to be criticised
for atrocious handwriting at professional front.
Take your parents into confidence regarding your new
projects and plans. Investing money in stock market
would fail to bring expected gains. Spending time with
your beloved/lover is very necessary for you this week.
Some unavoidable circumstances could give you
uneasiness. It is important to delve into your desires
before you plan to travel. Older properties tend to suffer
more than the new ones. If possible, don’t force opinion
on others no matter what the situation is.
VIRGO: Little steps towards improving inter-
personal skills would go a long way. Good time
to get involved into activities that include children.
Control your expenses and avoid being too lavish in
your spending. Romance touches new heights, as part-
ner positively responds. Meditation and yoga prove
beneficial for spiritual as well as physical gains. Travel
for fun and pleasure is what you demand. A good deal
on commercial property might occur. You are likely to
plan a trip to pilgrimage.
LIBRA: You are likely to establish yourself a
good manager on managing people and situa-
tion without any problem. Good advice from family
members will help in reducing mental tension/pressure.
Financial hassles will be eased out with the help of your
friends. Time now to prepare yourself for the magic
moment on falling in love. Don’t forget to use your
energy to help someone in distress to benefit both.
Small journey with your office colleagues will be inter-
esting. Shopping for a commercial real estate loan can
be tricky. You find yourself tempted towards materialis-
tic things in later half of the week.
SCORPIO: You will be successful in realising
your targets at professional front. Disclosing
family secrets to casual acquaintances would offend
other members. Certain important plans will be execut-
ed, bringing fresh financial gains. Mood swings of part-
ner could deprive from enjoying romance during this
week. Too much worry & stress could affect health.
Therefore avoid them to enjoy a sound health. Be aware
of the hazards holidays are not full of happy times only.
Purchasing home loan is not the right decision for you.
It would be in your interest not to annoy anybody.
SAGITTARIUS :You will be highly benefited
by fitting yourself within a team. Looking after
the needs of children would be essential. Explore new
investment opportunities that comes your way, commit
only after considering the viability of the projects.
Romance is just round the corner. Better to prepare
yourself to grab it. A very healthy week when your
cheerfulness gives the desired tonic and confidence.
When preparing to travel with a family be humble and
patient. Your plan for a personal loan might not work
out. High time to improve contacts especially with
influential persons.
CAPRICORN : Professional success depends
on how well you can negotiate. You must
restraint yourself from nagging the child to save
him/her. You need to control your spending by purchas-
ing only essential items. You are likely to find someone
with whom you will enjoy the ecstasies of love. You are
likely to maintain good health that would also give you
success. If you’re planning a vacation, be sure to con-
sider your work does not effect. Their might be a
chance of acquiring a plot from your closed relative.
Inner opposition would pave the way for a new devel-
opment in you.
AQUARIUS : With your high confidence you
will be able to cross all hurdles at professional
front. Sudden good news in the evening will bring
cheers for the entire family. Speculations are likely to
bring monetary profits. Romance takes a beating as
minor differences erupt. Unexpected travel could be tir-
ing, putting some of you in a frenzy state. Therefore not
to forget to massage the body to give relief to tired mus-
cles. Traveling alone could be depressing for you.
Reduce your property loans otherwise you will be in
great trouble. You find going a little tough in friend
circle.
PISCES: Timely help of associates will not
only pass difficult times at work but also help
in regaining professional edge. Your efforts
bring success & happiness at family front. Monetary
position is likely to improve later in the week. Love
comes your way as friendship turns into romance. A
continuous positive thinking gets rewarded as you suc-
ceed in whatever you do during this week. Your boss
may ask you for your company to a friend’s party. You
might deal in some ancestral property or any other
parental property. Time to exploit active, pioneering
and exploring nature to your benefit.
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 out-
come is not as desired, never give up.
v) Consult: Take second opinion before
spending thousands on cure/remedies.
Before you consult...
March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY
If we are in the body of a
teenager, we are bound to go to
school and are pressured by
our friends to do what they do. We
may want to go off and meditate or
be in the company of a saint, but
our friends consider us crazy. Their
life is even crazier with their fasci-
nation with experimenting with
drugs and alcohol which make us
less conscious, but they want us to
be like them. They do not want us
using our own natural method of
meditation to get intoxicated—
they want us to use the unnatural
and dangerous means that they
use. They pressure us to engage in
worldly pleasures and if we do not
comply, we become the laughing-
stock of our neighborhood and
school. People make fun of us and
call us names. We feel torn
between finding joy in our spiritual
life and being accepted by others
who have no spiritual interests.
The soul is tormented by the world
around it and knows not what to
do.
If we are in the body of an adult,
we are bound by the responsibili-
ties of our job or of raising a fami-
ly and doing our duties in society.
Our soul wants to be lost in ecstasy
in the arms of the Lord, but our
attention is being pressured to
attend to the worldly pursuits. We
have to put in many hours on a job
to get paid to keep our body fed
and housed. We have to take care
of our spouses, our children, or our
parents. We have to pay our taxes,
pay our mortgage, pay the expens-
es of a car, pay annual licenses,
and take care of all sorts of paper-
work that each citizen of every
country has to do. Time is the
enemy of the soul, for it takes
away from the soul’s yearning to
be lost in ecstasy within.
Even if we are on a spiritual
path, the soul has some problems.
Those souls who have awakened to
their true nature are only happy
when in the presence of the Master
physically or inwardly in medita-
tion. They want to focus totally on
the Master when in his presence.
When not in his presence, they are
restless for the next chance to be
with him. They are filled with
anguish and torture when kept
away from him.
Those on the spiritual path are at
different stages. Some are at a
stage where they have not yet iden-
tified with their soul and are still
enticed by the world. They have
some pull towards the Master and
meditation, but they are still func-
tioning at the level of the mind and
the world. They act responsibly.
They look at the Master more as a
physical being. They consider
meditation a chore, and do not like
to do it. They intellectually under-
stand the path, but their soul has
not yet fully tasted the bliss within
and they are content to come and
go at the regularly scheduled times
of programs.
Then, we reach a stage in which
we awaken to our spiritual nature.
We identify with the soul. When
we do so, then the soul is not
happy with things of this world. It
finds its enjoyment in being in the
spiritually-charged radiation of the
Master and sitting in meditation. It
enjoys the bliss of seva because
during those times it is receptive to
the Master power within and flow-
ing through it as seva is done. It
finds attending to the world to be
drudgery. It wants to spend as
much time as possible in the
Master’s presence.
When such souls cannot be in the
Master’s presence, they have a dif-
ficult time. Their soul is in agony
and torture when away from the
Master. It is a real, living pain that
stabs at their heart. Their heart
feels like it is being stabbed over
and over again without stop. Their
whole being feels as if it is on fire.
They feel as if they are in torture.
Outwardly, they may look like
they are calm, cool, and collected,
but inside they are being burned
alive in the fire of separation. We
know what it is like to get a paper
cut. The thin cut goes right down
to the nerve. Now picture a soul in
separation from the Master—it is
like tens of thousands of paper cuts
are slicing the disciple at once.
Knives are stabbing at their hearts
every second of every day. Now,
picture a soul in such agony, and
then asking it to behave normally.
Ask such a soul to smile when
tears are flooding behind its eyes.
Ask such a soul to be cheerful,
when the soul cannot take the pain
anymore. Ask such a soul to do
any work, when its whole being is
filled with pain. But the worst of it
is that it cannot escape the pain
and must bear all this torture sec-
ond by second. It knows that
escaping the pain is not an option.
So, the soul just has to bear this
torture of separation.
The soul then pleads to the
Master to be gracious. It cries out
with every ounce of its being to the
Master to end the separation. It
prays that the Master is merciful in
ending its period of distance so it
can enjoy that loving, captivating
company again.
Then, if the Beloved does not
respond, the torture intensifies
because the soul feels the Master
has forgotten him or her. The soul
feels the Master does not care. The
soul cannot understand how the
Master can be aware of his or her
pain and not do something about it.
In such a state the soul has reached
the end of its limit. It prays with
great intensity to the Master and
begs for relief. Then, the Master is
gracious. The Master lifts the veil
and shows himself to the disciple.
The Master gives the disciple a
boost and a lift and pours out his
love to the disciple. He takes the
disciple in his arms and fills the
disciple with hope and love again.
The disciple is able to survive for
another day.
The plight of the disciple in the
world is best described by this
verse by Sant Darshan Singh Ji
Maharaj. This verse touches a
chord in describing the plight of a
soul in such a condition. The verse
says:
I am as full of the pangs andlongings for the Beloved as theharmonium is full of music;
Just touch it, move your finger
on it once, and see what happens.
The disciple who has reached a
stage in which he or she has identi-
fied with the soul and wants only
the Master and God is like the dis-
ciple described by Sant Darshan
Singh Ji Maharaj in this verse.
Picture a harmonium or any instru-
ment sitting on a table. It looks like
any other physical object. A har-
monium looks like a wooden box.
It has white and black keys. There
is a part of it that is like an accor-
dion which fans out as you move it
in and out. It looks very much like
a physical object. But when you
just touch the keys or move out the
accordion-like part, exquisite
sound comes out of it. Then, as
you move your fingers over it, you
can produce music so uplifting it
stirs the soul. From this physical
object comes unseen sound that
has the power to move hearts. The
music can make people dance, it
can make people sing, it can make
people smile, and it can make peo-
ple wail and cry. The element that
comes forth from this physical
form is ethereal; it has no sub-
stance, but it can move the spirit.
Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj is
saying that just as music is hidden
within the physical structure of an
instrument, such as a harmonium,
so is the music of longing and pain
hidden within the physical form of
a disciple. The disciple may have a
body like everyone else. The disci-
ple may have eyes, ears, a nose,
and a mouth like everyone else.
Yet, when one just touches its
strings the music of longing and
pining flow from it. The disciple
may look like a human form like
everyone else, but that form really
is a casing or embodiment of one
long song of yearning and pining
for the Beloved. Behind the face
and smile is a soul crying in agony
to be with the Beloved. The disci-
ple is really the music of the heart
playing its melody all twenty-four
hours of the day. It is singing songs
of pain and agony when in separa-
tion from the Beloved. It is singing
songs of ecstasy when it is with the
Beloved. The music of a disciple
only contains two ragas: ecstasy
and agony. There is little in
between.
Ecstasy and agony of a soul
By Sant Rajinder SinghJi Maharaj
A harmonium looks like a wooden box. It has
white and black keys . There is a part of it
that is like an accordion which fans out as you move
it in and out. It looks very much like a physical
object. But when you just touch the keys or move
out the accordion-like part, exquisite sound comes
out of it . Then, as you move your
fingers over it, you can produce music so uplifting it
stirs the soul. From this physical object comes unseen
sound that has the power to move hearts. The music
can make people dance, it can make people sing, it
can make people smile, and it can make people wail
and cry. The element that comes forth
from this physical form is ethereal ; it has
no substance, but it can move the spirit.
30 March 23-29, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoSPIRITUAL AWARENESS
Concluding part of the discourse 'Yodeling for God'
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharajis an internationally recognizedspiritual leader and Master ofJyoti Meditation who affirms thetranscendent oneness at the heartof all religions and mystic tradi-tions, emphasizing ethical livingand meditation as building blocksfor achieving inner and outerpeace. www.sos.org.
”
”
March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info
To commemorate 30 years of service to the community, Habib American Bank is rebranding to new and fresher look … “HAB BANK”.
We will continue to focus on our key priorities: customer relationships, products and services. TheBank is committed as ever to deliver outstanding personal and commercial banking services that you have come to expect. Our core products are Commercial Real Estate Mortgages, International Trade Services, US Small Business Loans and well-designed commercial banking products and services for small to medium sized businesses. We offer a wide range of consumer products and services including personal checking, savings, CDs, and full-service online banking.
Your business is important to us and we look forward to continuing a long and mutually successful partnership with you as… HAB BANK.
HAB Bank99 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016t: (212) 532 4444 f: (212) 532 7136www.habbank.com HAB BANK is a registered Service Mark of Habib American Bank.
OUR NEW LOOKINTRODUCING
March 23-29, 2013TheSouthAsianTimes.info