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New Delhi: The signals from both
India and the US are loud and clear
engagement in every sector, and
fast. Pushing back the slackness
that had crept into the important
strategic relationship over the last
few years, the new Indian govern-
ment signaled its keenness to
move forward as early as possi-
ble to boost ties with the US.
The US too gave clear signals
before India's general elections,
which gave a thumping mandate to
the Narendra Modi-led BJP, that it
is very keen to move forward and
get the relationship back on track,
said sources on Tuesday.
As part of establishing contact,
the US points person for South and
Central Asia, Nisha Biswal, was in
India and on Monday met senior
Indian officials.
Biswal, who met Foreign
Secretary Sujatha Singh, and other
senior officials, conveyed that the
US is extremely keen to engage
with the new government of India,
and will be guided by the pace and
direction the new government
takes All doors are open to
engage, and whatever areas that
India is willing to move on they are
okay with, the source added.
Both Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj made it clear that
they want to move forward on the
relationship as early as possible.
Modi has also accepted an invita-
tion from President Barack Obama
for a bilateral summit in
Washington in September.
Modi has said that individual
incidents should not be allowed to
cloud bilateral relations referring
India-US ties
to see high
momentum
Nisha Biswal was in India, Sushma Swaraj to meet
Kerry in Washington before Modi-Obama summit.
Irbil, Iraq: Iraq was on the brink
of disintegration Thursday as al-
Qaeda-inspired fighters swept
through northern Iraq toward
Baghdad and Kurdish soldiers
seized the city of Kirkuk without a
fight.
Lawmakers gathered at the Iraqi
parliament to discuss the declara-
tion of a state of emergency, a day
after Prime Minister Nouri al-
Maliki assured Iraqis that the insur-
gents gains were temporary and
would soon be reversed by the
Iraqi army.
But after the Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria (ISIS) captured fresh
Iraq disintegrating as insurgents advance
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Indian foreign minister
Sushma Swaraj.
Continued on page 4
Sao Paulo: The FIFA World Cup
party in Brazil kicked off with
singer Jennifer Lopez and rapper
Pitbull performing in the opening
ceremony in front of thousands of
jubilant fans present at the Arena
de Sao Paulo here Thursday.
The opening ceremony started
with children, dressed in the col-
ors of the 32 qualifying nations,
jumping on trampolines and per-
formers dressed as trees walking
around a huge globe in the center
of the pitch.
Brazilian pop star Claudia
Leitte was the first to emerge
from within the globe and was
followed by American singer J-
Lo and popular rapper Pitbull,
who sang the World Cup official
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 4
Singers Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull and Claudia Leitte perform
during the World Cup opening ceremony in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Thursday. USA is among 32 teams playing in the Cup.
Vol.7 No. 7 June 14-20, 2014 60 Cents Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info New York Edition
Islamist militants in Iraq are threatening to march to Baghdad after seizing
control of two other cities. US is mulling military strikes.
June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
31st
3 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
New York: To enlighten mainstream
American media, students, youth and sec-
ond generation Indian Americans about In-
dias global image, identity, aspiration, role
and projection, the Consulate General of
India, New York, organized on May 21 a
guest lecture by Prof. Ashutosh Varshney,
Professor of Political Science, Brown Uni-
versity, as part of the ongoing Media - In-
dia Lecture Series. Prof Maya Chadda, Pro-
fessor of Political Science, William Pater-
son University was the moderator.
Consul General Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay,
introducing Mr. Varshney and Ms. Chadda,
spoke about the promotion of Indian cul-
ture and language by the Consulate and ex-
plained the concept behind Media India
2014 and India - State by State 2014.
Varshney, speaking on the topic - 'India's
Improbable Democracy: Resilience and
Pitfalls', discussed how Indias democracy
fits into democratic theory.
He analyzed how India's democracy has
shown resilience after defying the logic of
pundits. He explained the weaknesses too
but pointed out the inclusive nature of In-
dia and its democracy. Varshney also
touched on post-1947 goals of national in-
tegrity, caste justice and elimination of
poverty.
Ms. Chadda lauding Mr. Varshney's ed-
ucative and informative presentation on In-
dian democracy, voiced her opinion on how
democracy in India, still a lower middle in-
come country, lasted for so long while in
the neighboring countries of Pakistan and
Indonesia, it collapsed and is yet to stabi-
lize. A vibrant question answer session fol-
lowed. Mr. Varshney and Prof. Chadda,
were seen answering each question with
much infectious enthusiasm.
By Jinal Shah
New York: Miss New Jersey Emily Shah
marched her way into the final 20 at the
Miss USA 2014 pageant last Sunday at the
Baton Rouge Civic Center in Louisiana.
Actress, model, filmmaker and youngest
contestant in the Miss USA pageant, Shah
beat out 31 others to secure her spot in the
top 20 but was eliminated before the final
10. Nia Sanchez of Nevada was crowned
with the top honor at the event, which was
telecast live on NBC. After the event, Shah
thanked all her supporters on Twitter, I
wanted to thank everyone for their love & sup-
port ... your messages have been so inspiring
and have touched my heart throughout this
journey. The beauty queen, who is also the
first Miss USA contestant of Gujarati descent
and who also participated in the Miss USA
Teen competition has modeled Sherri Hill
designs at several pageants, and she made no
exception on Sunday evening, donning a
bright red lace form-fitting cocktail dress that
hit at mid-thigh accessorized with a feath-
ered Mardi Gras mask, in keeping with the
festive Louisiana theme of the venues host
state. Shah also appeared in the swimsuit
round wearing a Kandice Pelletier white two-
piece suit featuring bold sheer cutout panels.
In order to make the beauty pageant more
relevant in todays times, Miss USA organiz-
ers hosted a Twitter contest "Save the Queen"
where the audience could vote for the woman
they wanted to stay in to compete with the
judges' top five contestants. Although Shah
was not saved in the contest, she was a local
hot topic on Twitter, receiving attention from
celebrities including popular reality TV star
Vinny Guadagnino from Jersey Shore, as well
as statewide support with the hash tag,
#SaveTheQueenNewJersey. Had Emily won,
it would have been a double crown for the
Indian community as Nina Davuluri is the
reigning Miss America.
New York: The American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin, Queens Long
Island (AAPI-QLI) conducted its first
Childhood Obesity Awareness Program
(COAP) on May 30 at the Bayview Avenue
School of Arts and Sciences in Freeport, NY.
Today, two-thirds of US adults and nearly
one-third of children struggle because they are
either overweight or obese. The effects of the
nation's obesity epidemic are immense: tax-
payers, businesses, communities and individu-
als spend hundreds of billions of dollars each
year due to obesity. Nearly $200 billion of this
is in medical costs. Obesity is the reason that
the current generation of youth is predicted to
live a shorter life than their parents. Obesity is
associated with Hypertension, Diabetes, High
cholesterol, Heart disease, Stroke, and cancer.
This effort was piloted by Dr. Ajay Lodha,
President AAPIQLI, with the participation of
Dr. Himanshu Pandya (Co-Chair, AAPIQLI
Childhood Obesity Program), Dr. Raj Bhayani
(Convention Chair, AAPIQLI Annual Gala)
and others.
Childhood Obesity Awareness Program was
started as a pilot project by National AAPI as
the dream project of President Jayesh Shah and
has achieved great success throughout the
country. Dr. Uma Koduri, AAPIs COAP
Campaign Committee Chair, has been in the
forefront. AAPI has announced Wear
Yellow obesity awareness day which will be
observed on Dec 12 annually. This is the first
time that national AAPI is working directly
with the community and schools for Health
Promotion and Disease Prevention, with a goal
to adopt at least 100 schools in 2013-2014 in
different states. AAPIQLI physicians educat-
ed over 600 Students at the May 30 program
in the ill effects of obesity and introduced them
to healthy eating habits and active lifestyle.
The children enjoyed thoroughly and were
given T-shirts and pedometers for a healthy
lifestyle. The event included a Walkathon of
One Mile. AAPIs branding slogan for the
walkathon was "Be fit - Be cool". AAPIQLI is
thankful to Dr. Kishore Kuncham
(Superintendent of Freeport Public Schools),
Ms. Odette Wills (Principal - Bayview Avenue
School) and staff of the school for making the
event a success.
Prof Ashutosh Varshney
(L to R) Prof Akbar Noman, Prof Maya Chadda, Consul General
Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, Prof. Ashutosh Varshney,
Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Amb. Aftab Seth
The
Indian
American
beauty in
the
evening
gown
section
at the
pageant.
AAPIQLI launches Childhood Obesity
Awareness Program
Over 600 students of the Bayview
Avenue School in Freeport, NY,
participated in the program
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4 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TURN PAGE
Hicksville, NY: Indus American
Banks Hicksville branch celebrated
its 5th year anniversary on June 11
by hosting a Customer
Appreciation Event. On this occa-
sion, the bank invited some of its
most important customers and com-
munity leaders for an informal pres-
entation and refreshments followed
by dinner.
Anil Bansal, Founder and
Executive Chairman of the bank,
shared his vision of the bank as
well as plans for expansion with
the upcoming branch in Plainsboro,
NJ. Jasbir Chopra, President &
CEO, reminded the guests that the
Banks community roots and com-
mitment were reflected in the fact
that its shareholders, depositors and
borrowers were all members of the
local Indian community.
Akshat Kaul, Assistant Vice
President and Hicksville Branch
Head, commended his team includ-
ing Roopam Maini and Suresh
Thakkar for all the hard work.
Guests were invited to candidly
share their experiences in dealing
with IAB. They said that while all
banks promise good customer serv-
ice, IAB actually delivers on its
promises in providing an excellent
customer experience. For example,
renowned oncologist Dr.
Dattatreyudu Nori commended the
bank for its strong support of the
community and more specifically
how the bank was there to help him
whenever he embarked on a new
community initiative.
Sacramento, CA: A 10-year-old
boy of Malayalee Indian descent
has become one of the youngest
students to ever graduate from
high school. Tanishq Abraham
received his high school diploma
Sunday at a private ceremony at
the California Auto Museum
here. Even President Obama sent
a congratulatory letter.
The home-schooled prodigy
successfully met the state
requirements to graduate and
earned a 4.0 GPA. It wasnt,
like, easy, but it was not that
hard either, Tanishq said. The
way my brain works is that when
you give me something, infor-
mation about that topic comes
into my mind, he said. I dont
know what it is but thats how it
is for me. Tanishq and his
younger sister both were admit-
ted into Mensa at age 4.
Tanishq has scored high on the
SATs and is already taking col-
lege courses. Tanishqs mother
is a doctor of veterinary medi-
cine and father Bijou Abraham is
a software professional
World Cup Soccer mania kicks ..
Continued from page 1
lsong -- We Are One (Ola Ola).
Hosts Brazil will kick off the
proceedings taking on Group A
rivals Croatia in the opening
match here.
Brazil and defending champi-
ons Spain start as favorites for
the 2014 Cup crown but South
American giants Argentina and
new kids on the block Belgium
can spring a few surprises.
As for stars, if Portugal have
Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina
have Messi, Brazil have Neymar,
the Belgians have probably the
best young player in the team --
Eden Hazard.
Even if minnows, USA have
qualified to play in the Cup. India
were eliminated in the qualifiers.
The battle for the Cup will go on
till July 13 in 12 cities of Brazil.
India-US ties to see high...
Continued from page 1
to the visa ban on him by the US
in the aftermath of the 2002
Gujarat riots.
Indian foreign minister Sushma
Swaraj would be meeting her
counterpart Secretary of State
John Kerry in the US for the
bilateral Strategic Dialogue. The
next three months would see
pretty high pace of momentum in
Indo-US ties, well informed
sources said.
The Modi government has indi-
cated that it wants to push trade
and economic partnership with
the US and get the energy back
into the relationship.
On the civil nuclear deal, an
official said that US nuclear
power company Westinghouse
has been given a formal letter of
offer in December.
The process to operationalize
the deal is moving forward in
small packages, the source said,
adding that Indias civil nuclear
liability law is still an issue.
Iraq disintegrating as...
Continued from page 1
territory and set its sights on
Baghdad, Iraq seemed to be fast
slipping out of government con-
trol.
In Washington, President
Barack Obama and his adminis-
tration signaled they are prepar-
ing to re-engage militarily in
Iraq. The White House said
Obama is weighing possible
airstrikes to blunt the momentum
of Sunni militants who have
seized control of several major
cities in recent days.
Three planeloads of Americans,
mostly contractors and civilians,
have been evacuated Thursday
from a major Iraqi air base in
Balad.
Iraqi state television claimed
that government forces recap-
tured Tikrit on Thursday, a day
after ISIS said it seized the home
town of Saddam Hussein.
The group, an al-Qaeda off-
shoot, asserted, however, that it
has completely surrounded
the city of Samarra, south of
Tikrit and 70 miles north of
Baghdad.
The semi-autonomous Kurdish
government said its forces took
control of Kirkuk in northern
Iraq, after Iraqi security forces
there fled rather than fight. The
capture of Kirkuk follows the
seizure by the ISIS on Monday of
the important northern city of
Mosul, putting northern Iraq
beyond the central governments
authority.
A top leader in ISIS, a radical
Sunni Muslim group that U.S.
forces spent eight years trying to
defeat, urged fighters to press on
to Baghdad, where he said there
are scores to be settled with the
Shiite-led government.
ISIS is headed by Abu Bakr al
Baghdadi, and is fighting to cre-
ate an Islamic state across Sunni
areas of Iraq and in Syria.
A community bank celebrates 5th anniversary
Front row (from left): Suresh Thakkar, Resham Pawa, Roopam
Maini, Harjinder Sohal. Second row (from elft): Akshat Kaul,
Kamlesh Mehta, Kanubhai Lakhani, Anil Bansal, C. Shah,
Jasbir Chopra and guests at the Indus American Bank event.
Indian American prodigy
Tanishq Abraham
Graduating high school at 10!
Letter to the Editor
We received many messages of congratula-
tions on The South Asian Times winning an
Ippies award (the top
journalism awards
for ethnic media in
NYC) last Thursday
for a special report
by our Associate Editor Jinal Shah on the
sad plight of H4 Visa holders in the
November 2, 2013 issue. Here we are pub-
lishing one message marked for Kamlesh
Mehta, the Publisher.
I and the board and members of Share
and Care Foundation wish to congratulate
you for receiving an Ippies Award. This
noteworthy accomplishment adds another
feather in your cap. Your leadership
through the newspaper has taken our
community to next level. We all are proud
of it. May God give you strength and
vision to continue on this journey.
-Arun Bhansali
President, Share & Care Foundation, NJ
5 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
San Francisco: Xoom
Corporation, a leading
digital money transfer
provider, is offering in-
stant deposits to Punjab
National Bank ac-
counts in India.
This breakthrough service allows Xoom
customers to instantly deposit money direct-
ly into their recipients Punjab National
Bank accounts in India in less than a minute.
Instant deposit is available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, 365 days a year, except
during a maintenance window from 8 a.m.
1 p.m. IST on Sundays.
Xoom is tirelessly working towards pro-
viding a fast service for our customers and
we are thrilled to announce this expansion of
our instant deposit bank network in India,
said Julian King, Senior Vice President of
Marketing and Corporate Development for
Xoom. This is great news for people who
send money to Punjab National Bank ac-
counts, who otherwise typically have to wait
five days or more to access their funds.
Through our expanded instant service, NRIs
can send money anytime, anywhere from
their computer, mobile phone or tablet and
their bank deposits reach their recipients
Punjab National Bank accounts in less than
a minute.
This revolutionary service marks another
milestone in our deep and long standing
partnership with Xoom and its subsidiary
buyindiaonline, said Mr. K. Thyagarajan,
General Manager, International Banking,
Punjab National Bank.
New York: A US federal court
in Brooklyn has dismissed a
lawsuit filed by a Sikh rights
organization accusing Con-
gress party president Sonia
Gandhi of shielding party
leaders allegedly involved in
violence against Sikhs in No-
vember 1984.
US district judge Brian M
Cogan Monday granted Gand-
hi's motion to dismiss the case
filed by New York based
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for
lack of subject matter jurisdic-
tion and failure to state a
claim.
But he denied Gandhi's mo-
tion for "anti suit injunction"
seeking to prevent SFJ from
filing any further law suits.
"Plaintiffs' claims under the
ATS (Alien Tort Statute) must be
dismissed for lack of subject mat-
ter jurisdiction because they are
plainly barred under the Supreme
Court's decision in Kiobel vs Roy-
al Dutch Petroleum Co," the judge
ruled.
The Alien Tort Statute (ATS) is
a US federal law first adopted in
1789 that gives the federal courts
jurisdiction to hear lawsuits filed
by non-US citizens for torts com-
mitted in violation of internation-
al law.
Since the court has dismissed
Sonia Gandhi's plea to bar SFJ
from filing further law suits, SFJ
will continue to hold Congress
leaders accountable before US
Courts, SFJ legal advisor Gurpat-
want Singh said.
Earlier, Gandhi had refused to
provide copy of her passport to
the US Court and conceded to the
court's personal jurisdiction re-
sulting in accomplishment of
proper service of summons in the
case.
The class action suit against So-
nia Gandhi was filed by SFJ and
victims of 1984 under Alien Tort
Claims Act (ATCA) and Torture
Victim Protection Act (TVPA).
New York: Former
Goldman Sachs Group Inc
director Rajat Gupta has
failed to persuade the
Supreme Court to delay the
June 17 start of his two-
year prison term while he
pursues an appeal of his
insider trading conviction.
Gupta, also a former
global managing director of
the consulting firm
McKinsey & Co, had asked
the country's highest court
for permission to stay free
during his appeal, after the
2nd US Circuit Court of
Appeals in Manhattan on
May 30 denied him the
same request.
Justice Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, who handles
emergency applications
from the 2nd Circuit, on
Wednesday denied Gupta's
request to stay out of
prison.The full 2nd Circuit
has yet to decide whether to
rehear Gupta's appeal of his
conviction, which a three-
judge panel of that court
upheld on March 25.
In appealing his convic-
tion, Gupta is challenging
the use of wiretap evidence
and the jury instructions.
Gupta's lawyers have said
the appeal is likely to result
in a reversal of the convic-
tion and a new trial.
The trial judge, Jed
Rakoff, has agreed to rec-
ommend that Gupta be
assigned to a medium-secu-
rity prison in Otisville,
New York, about 70 miles
(113 km) northwest of New
York City. Rajaratnam is
serving an 11-year prison
term after his 2011 insider
trading conviction, in a
case also built with wiretap
evidence. He is appealing
his conviction to the
Supreme Court.
Kris Kolluri named CEO
of Joint Rowan
Rutgers-Camden Board
Camden, N.J: Kris Kolluri has been tapped
to oversee opera-
tions of the newly
formed Rutgers-
Camden Rowan
University Board of
G o v e r n o r s ,
Indiawest reported.
Kolluri, a former
cabinet member
during the Corzine
administration, was
named chief execu-
tive officer May 30
during the joint
board's second offi-
cial meeting,
according to the Courier-Post.
The 45-year-old Kolluri, of West Windsor,
previously served as commissioner of the
New Jersey Department of Transportation in
2006 and later oversaw the New Jersey
Schools Development Authority in 2008.
The Indian American officially begins his
new post July 1 and will make $275,000
annually. "This is a start-up and there is a lot
of excitement in the challenge of the
unknown and unmet opportunities, but I
know the board is fully committed and I'm
excited, frankly I'm honored, to be a part of
this," Kolluri said.
Xoom now offers
Instant Deposit Service
to Punjab National Bank
NY court dismisses 1984
anti-sikh riots case against
Sonia Gandhi
Kris Kolluri
Sonia Gandhi
VENUE:
New Jersey Performing Arts Center,
1 Center St., Newark, New Jersey
DATE AND TIME:
Saturday, July 12, 2014
3 PM to 8 PM
Followed by Gurudevs personal
blessings and Prasad (dinner).
Registration is required for this
complimentary (no-charge) event.
Over 2,300 seats already booked.
Only a limited number of seats left.
TO REGISTER, VISIT
www.GuruPoornima2014.com
or call (516) 484-0018
Event Promotion
Do you know how fortunate are
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Free bus transportation will be available from Long Island,
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Visit for
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info
Rajat Gupta loses bid to
stay out of prison
Rajat Gupta
6 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
New Jersey: After 10 years of
grand success of Gujarati Kavya,
Lok and Sugam Sangeet program
Samanvay in Ahmedabad,
OHMkara, Gujarat Samachar and
Samanvay delivered first-ever mega
Gujarati music and literature pro-
gram in five cities in the U.S. The
Samanvay program tour is sched-
uled to perform in seven states in 10
cities in the U.S. to promote Gu-
jarati language, literature, music and
culture, so new generation can con-
tinue to carry Gujarats rich her-
itage, music, literature and poetry.
The Samanavy U.S. tour began
with first evening performance in
Dallas, Texas on May 30, followed
by Houston, Texas on May 31,
2014. The program continued in
New Jersey at three different loca-
tions to attract audience from cen-
tral, south and north jersey areas
which was very well appreciated by
the audience.
The five hours of program mes-
merized audience with original old
and new songs, religious and ro-
mantic melodies, ghazals, sugam
sangeet and literature and poetry.
The young, talented and dynamic
poet, writer and producer Ankit
Trivedi superbly compered the
event with his stylishly choreo-
graphed poetry enjoyed by thou-
sands who attended.
Playback singer Parthiv Gohil
mesmerized audience with his tal-
ented voice by performing some old
famous and some new religious and
romantic numbers like Saat suro na
surname and famous Maniyaro te
halo halo with other young and tal-
ented singers like Bhumik Shah, Di-
vyang Anjaria, Gargi Vora and
Aanal Vasavada with original
melodies like Unchi medi te mara
sant ni re, Tane jata joi panghat ni
vate, Dikri mari ladakvai, Hu
amdavad no riksha valo, Kasumbi
no rang and Savariyo re maro
Savariyo. The living legend of Gu-
jarati music Gaurang Vyas gave mu-
sic for all the melodies and superbly
sung one of the best sports song Hu
tu tu tu which was applauded by
the audience with standing ovation
and requests for encore.
IN BRIEF
A
n Indian-American architect has
been ordered to pay thousands of
dollars in compensation and penal-
ty to settle a civil rights lawsuit, which al-
leged that a rental building designed by him
and his firm had apartments inaccessible for
persons with disabilities.
Avinash Malhotra and his firm Avinash
Malhotra Architects settled the federal civ-
il rights lawsuit filed in 2013 under which
he and his firm would retain an accessibili-
ty expert. The expert will review and advise
them on each of their new design projects
and allocate $45,000 to compensate the af-
fected. Malhotra would also pay a $35,000
civil penalty to the federal government.
US Attorney for the Southern District of
New York Preet Bharara said the lawsuit al-
leged that Malhotra and his firm designed a
650-unit rental building in Lower Manhat-
tan that violated the accessible design and
construction provisions of the federal Fair
Housing Act, which require that new multi-
family housing complexes include certain
features accessible to persons with
disabilities.
O
n Jun 7th and 8th, the bustling Lit-
tle India section in Iselin was wit-
ness to throngs of shoppers from
across the North East for the 3rd annual
Life OK Oak Tree Shopping Festival. Life
OK celebrity, Mohit Raina, who plays the
role of Lord Mahadev in the serial Devon
ke Dev Mahadev, graced the festival on
both days meeting and greeting fans.
Merchants offered discounts anywhere
from 30% to an unprecedented 70% on
clothes, jewelry, fashion along with a
unique promotion on food a Restaurant
Weekend with varied specials for the shop-
pers. A few food eating competitions along
with some variety entertainment featuring
young children in a Flash Mob were also
part of the festivities this past weekend.
(L to R): Parthiv Gohil, Gaurang Vyas and a
singer enthrall the audience
The audience at the event in New Jersey
NY architect to pay $80k for house with no
facilities for disabled
Akshaya Patra USA launches Youth
Ambassadors program
Philadelphia Telangana Association (PTA) celebrates new statehood
Life Ok Oak Tree shopping fest boosts local businesses
N
P
hiladelphia Telangana Association
(PTA) successfully organized Telan-
gana State Formation Day Celebra-
tions with Banquet Night on May 31and an
event on June 1 at 2.30 pm EST (June 2,
12 AM IST, the exact
time Telangana state has
formed), at Stetson mid-
dle school auditorium,
West Chester, PA. Event
began with grand open-
ing ceremony consisting
of buoyant fireworks
graphical video show
followed by a video pres-
entation on Telangana
History.
Over 500 people at-
tended the event and en-
joyed singing and dance
performances by local
children and women
which included Telan-
gana folk songs and Bathukamma songs.
Special attractions of the event were
standup comedy performance by popular
movie artist/comedian Shiva Reddy and
singing performance by popular Telangana
folk singer and TV artist Ravi Chakati
(Rela re Rela fame). All the guests enjoyed
authentic Telangana food for dinner.
Several community leaders from differ-
ent Telugu organizations like ATA, TANA,
NATA, TAGDV, NJTA, HTA, TDF, TeNa
graced the occasion. Guests travelled from
far of places (Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, Vir-
ginia, Harrisburg, Delaware etc.) and ex-
hibited their love, support and respect for
Telangana State and PTA organization.
PTA Executive Committee congratulated
all Telanganites on the occasion and
pledged to play a crucial role in providing
a common platform for Telanganites living
in Delaware Valley region and develop-
ment of Telangana.
Samanvay mega Gujarati music, literature program tours US cities
A
kshaya Patra USA announced on
May 30 the launch of Youth Am-
bassadors, an elite voluntary
youth program for high school students
in the US. Akshaya Patra USA is the US
branch of a charitable organization in In-
dia that provides nutritious school meals
to more than 1.4 million children in In-
dias government schools. Akshaya Pa-
tras Youth Ambassador Program is ac-
tively recruiting ambitious young people
from across the US to act as representa-
tives for the organization in their com-
munities. The Youth Ambassadors Pro-
gram will support Akshaya Patra USA
fundraising and awareness efforts and of-
fers a unique opportunity for high school
students to build leadership, networking,
and public presentation skills while im-
proving the lives of children in India.
Youth Ambassadors will receive training
in public speaking, outreach and donor
engagement and get tools, presentations
and mentors to support them as they
achieve their goal of raising $1800 in
donor pledges. Graduating Ambassadors
will be invited to attend a Graduation
Summit with VIP guests, notable speak-
ers, and community leaders and will have
the option to go on a service trip to vol-
unteer with Akshaya Patra India. The
deadline to apply to the program is June
30th, 2014. To learn more about Akshaya
Patra and the Youth Ambassadors Pro-
gram, please visit http://www.foodfored-
ucation.org/youth-ambassadors-program
or contact Krista McCarthy at
Krista@apusa.org or 781-438-3090 x2.
PTA members at the celebration event
7 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY
California: Ashok Gadgil, director of the
Environmental Energy Technologies Di-
vision at Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory and a professor at U.C.
Berkeley, was inducted into the National
Inventors Hall of Fame in a special cere-
mony held May 21 at the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office in Alexandria, Vir-
ginia.
Gadgil was recognized for his unique
water disinfecting system, which uses ul-
traviolet light from a battery or solar
power to kill disease-causing pathogens,
resulting in purified water that is safe for
human consumption.
In the tabletop system developed by the
Indian American inventor, unprocessed
water flows into a shallow tray under a
mercury plasma lamp. Four gallons of
water can be cleaned in about a minute.
Gadgils technology, called UVWater-
works, can provide a days worth of
drinking water to 2,000 people for one
kilowatt per day for about five cents a
ton, making it affordable to people at the
bottom of the pyramid who earn less than
a dollar a day, Indiawest reported.
The U.C. Berkeley professor of civil
and environmental engineering said he
was drawn to the problem of unsanitary
water by the Bengal cholera epidemic of
1993 which killed thousands of people.
Most Indians lacked the resources to boil
water to guarantee some measure of safe-
ty against the deadly disease. A vaccine
proved to be ineffective. Gadgil quickly
got to work and showcased UVWater-
works in 1996.
I said to myself, Im in an amazing
place like Berkeley with so much knowl-
edge about science at our fingertips,
Gadgil recently told The Daily Californ-
ian, U.C. Berkeleys campus newspaper.
We should be able to figure out a way to
address this thats affordable and highly
effective.
Gadgils system was bought out in
1996 by Water Health International,
which is being used in 10 countries
around the world, including India. WHI
currently uses field installations, known
as Water Health Centers, in which vil-
lagers bring in their contaminated water
for purification.
In India, the process costs about two
cents for 10 liters.
UVWaterworks was also used to miti-
gate the impact of the 2004 tsunami,
which killed over 230,000 people. WHI
has continued to provide fresh water sup-
plies to survivors in Sri Lanka.
A prolific inventor, Gadgil was also
recognized for the Berkeley-Darfur
cook stove, which was created in re-
sponse to the millions of displaced people
in temporary shelters in Darfur, who
needed to cook but had little to access to
wood and other fuels.
Prof Meena Kumari awarded for
contribution to education
His unique technology, UV Waterworks can purify water at five cents a ton
Space scientist
inducted into elite group
of professors
Washington: An eminent Indian-American
space scientist has been
inducted into an elite group
of professors by the
University of North Dakota
for his contribution in the
field of space research.
Dr Santhosh K Seelan of the
Department of Space Studies
at the University of North
Dakota (UND) was inducted
recently into the elite group
of Chester Fritz
Distinguished Professors by
the academic institution for lifetime contribu-
tion in the field of space research. A native of
Cuddallore in Tamil Nadu and an alumnus of
Annamalai University, Dr Seelan currently is
chair of space studies and holds the positions
of director of the North Dakota Space Grant
Consortium and director of North Dakota
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) EPSCoR
(Experimental Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research). Prior to joining UND,
Seelan worked as a land information consult-
ant and with India's remote sensing program
for 17 years. "This recognition came as a big
surprise to me, and it is indeed a great honor! I
am thankful to all those who were involved in
the nomination and selection process. The
University of North Dakota is a great place to
work - the faculty, staff, and students con-
tribute to each other's success, and I love
every minute of it here," Seelan said.
New Jersey: An Indian-American
couple was arrested in New Jersey
on charges of healthcare fraud and
later released on a $100,000 bond,
a US attorney said.
Nita K Patel (51) and Kirtish N
Patel (51), owners and operators
of Biosound Medical Services and
Heart Solutions of Parsippany,
have been charged with one count
of conspiracy to commit health
care fraud and face a maximum
penalty of 10 years in prison and a
$250,000 fine.
Arrested from their residence in
New Jersey yesterday morning,
the Patel couple was released on a
$100,000 unsecured bond, with
travel restricted to New Jersey
unless given prior approval by
pretrial services.
Also, they have been asked to
surrender their passports.
In their complaint, prosecutors
alleged that about half of diagnos-
tic reports generated by Biosound
in the past two years had a photo-
copied signature from a reading
physician when no physician had
actually seen, reviewed or inter-
preted the results.
Rather than pay compensation
to a reading physician, Kirtish
allegedly would interpret the diag-
nostic results himself Nita would
either photocopy or electronically
cut and paste a physician's signa-
ture onto a diagnostic report that
was drafted by an employee of
Biosound and forwarded to the
referring physician who ordered
the testing.
Ashok Gadgil
Scientist Ashok Gadgil inducted into National
Inventors Hall of Fame
Indian-American couple arrested on
charges of healthcare fraud
Washington, DC: An Indian-ori-
gin woman has been conferred an
Indian diaspora organization' s
2014 Service Award.
Meena Kumari, associate profes-
sor of anatomy and physiology at
Kansas State University College of
Veterinary Medicine, has received
the 2014 Service Award of the
Association of Scientists of Indian
Origin in America, a university
statement issued Tuesday said.
"It is very humbling to be chosen
for this award," Kumari said in the
statement.
"Being at Kansas State
University College of Veterinary
Medicine has taught me what it
means to serve with dedication
and, above all, enthusiasm," she
said. Kumari has a doctorate in
Andrology and master' s in
Neuroendocrinology from the
University of Delhi.
Kumari, with a passion for teach-
ing and research, was conferred the
service award in recognition of her
dedication to the society's goals.
She focused on understanding the
molecular mechanisms underlying
alterations in gene expression in
the brain following chronic alcohol
exposure, the association said.
The association was formed in
1981 to foster fellowship among
scientists of Indian origin.
The association's main objective
is to serve as an educational and
scientific conduit for all scientists
at all levels of their scientific
career. Its membership has grown
over the years and it now has sev-
eral hundred members.
Space
scientist Dr
Santhosh K
Seelan
Meena Kumari
8 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY
New York: Jaipur Cricket Club
(JCC) held its inaugural cricket
match on June 7 at Ridgefield Park
in New Jersey.
JCC has been formed to bring
the community from Jaipur, Ra-
jasthan together (especially fami-
lies in gem and jewelry industry).
The June 7 T-20 match was
played between Tanzanite XI and
Emerald XI, which the latter team
won. The gathered 300 people
while enjoying the game had a
chance to mingle as well as enjoy
delicious food. Kids had an ice-
cream truck handy and played
games at the park.
Atul Kothari and Ashish Rawat,
along with three others, are in the
JCC organizing committee.
New York: Odd13 Brewing, Inc., of Lafayette (Col-
orado, USA) reportedly withdrew Hanuman beer
within hours of the first Hindu protest.
On the brewerys website, all the references to Hanu-
man have been removed. Single Hop IPA seems to have
taken the place on the website where Hanuman beer
once existed. Single Hop Australian Summer shows up
where once Hanuman Australian
Summer was mentioned.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who
spearheaded the protest, calling
identifying of the beer with Hindu
god Hanuman as highly inappro-
priate has thanked and commend-
ed the Odd13 Brewing for having
an understanding for the hurt feel-
ings of Hindu community and for showing responsibil-
ity, respect and maturity by taking quick action in with-
drawing Hanuman beer. It was a step in the right di-
rection, Zed added in a statement.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hin-
duism, had stressed that Lord Hanuman was highly
revered in Hinduism and he was meant to be wor-
shipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used
in selling beer for mercantile greed. Inappropriate us-
age of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for com-
mercial or other agenda was not okay.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of
the world with about one billion adherents and a rich
philosophical thought and it should not be taken light-
ly. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not
be mishandled, Rajan Zed had argued.
New York: US police have arrested five mem-
bers of a street gang in Long Beach city for
stealing gold from Indian families across Cal-
ifornia and Nevada, a media report said.
The gang members, who were involved in
dangerous criminal acts like murders, take-
over robberies, extortions, and drive-by shoot-
ings, had turned to burglarizing Indian fami-
lies, robbing them of gold, cash and other valu-
ables since February 2013, CBS local reported
Wednesday.
Police have arrested Long Beach residents
Juan Guerrero, 22, Ivan Ramirez, 22, Albaro
Miranda, 24, Salvador Ramirez, 24, and Tere-
sa Ramirez, 57, with four other suspects still
on the run.
The hunt for other suspects is under way, po-
lice said. Gary Pentis, Ventura county assistant
sheriff, said the suspects were found the same
way as the alleged thieves found their victims
-- through Facebook.
"A lot of these are on Facebook, MySpace,
Instagram, where they are bragging, showing
gold and cash from their robberies, with their
face," the assistant sheriff said.
Pentis said the gang was using internet to
identify people of Indian descent and locate
their houses. "They preyed on these people be-
cause it has been a culture of passing down
jewelry, gold through generations. This was
known to the criminal groups that this was
kept in the home," the report quoted Pentis as
saying. Police also reached out to members of
the Indian community in Ventura County in a
bid to check the crime spree.
Approximately 20 percent of the 100 resi-
dential robberies occurred in Ventura county, a
county in southern California.
They also stole from families in Los Ange-
les, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern,
Monterey, Contra Costa and Sonoma counties,
as well as in Las Vegas, the report said.
"These people did surveillance on the vic-
tims. They drove nice cars that fit into the
communities that they were surveilling and
they dressed appropriately for the culture of
the area they were in," Pentis added.
Officials said the suspects were sophisticat-
ed criminals, leaving no fingerprints or DNA
at the homes they burgled. Long Beach is a
city in Los Angeles county in southern Cali-
fornia on the Pacific coast.
Jaipur origin people form
a cricket club
Emerald XI celebrating fall of a wicket.
It won against Tanzanite XI. Hanuman beer withdrawn in Colorado
after protest
Gang targeting Indians for gold busted
NBC's screen grab shows the localities
targeted by the gang
More than 500 Gujaratis gathered at Gujarati Samaj of New York to celebrate Narendra Modi
and Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in Indian Election. Gujarati Samaj President Harshad
Patel, NRI Overseas Affairs President Dilip Chauhan and philanthropist Dr. Navin Mehta hailed
the life and work of Prime Minster Modi and appealed the NRI community to strengthen the
hands of him by supporting his work wholeheartedly.
Minesh Patel, Pradipsinh Gohil, Anil Patel, Dilip Chauhan, Harshad Patel, R.D.Patel, Jitendra
Parekh, Devesh Patel, Rasik Patel, Navin Patel, Jignesh Badshah, Dr.Mehta, Rashmi Mehta,
Neepa Parekh, Nehal Patel and Shreya Patel seen in the photo. (Photograph: Jitendra Parekh)
By Renee Mehrra
T
he New York DREAM Act is back in the
news again after recently passing in the
state assembly again. This critical piece
of legislation would allow undocumented stu-
dents who meet in-state tuition requirements to
access state financial aid and scholarships for
higher education. The proposal includes a
budget of $25 million yearly as Tuition Assis-
tance Program money for students who are in
the country illegally and attend public or pri-
vate colleges. According to the fiscal implica-
tions in the bill, it will allow up to $5000 year-
ly for undergraduates at the states four year in-
tuitions. Approximately 8,300 students in
CUNY and SUNY would be able to qualify.
Dream Act S. 4179 was first introduced in
the NYS Legislature in 2011 by State Senator
Bill Perkins, a Manhattan Democrat, and co-
sponsored by Senator Daniel Squadron of
Brooklyn to make undocumented students el-
igible for the states Tuition Assistance Pro-
gram, and access to state financial support, in-
cluding grants, loans and scholarships. Unlike
its federal counterpart, the bill does not offer
those immigrants a path to legal residency.
Those who qualify for the benefits of the legis-
lation must have entered the United States be-
fore age 16, be younger than 35 and have lived
in New York for at least two years before the
laws effective date. Among other require-
ments, the immigrant must have completed at
least two years of a four-year degree in a col-
lege or university in the state or, served at least
two years in the New York National Guard or
completed 910 hours of community service
and is able to meet the Higher Education Serv-
ices Corporations requirements for Tuition As-
sistance Program (TAP) under the Education
Law 661(5) (a) (ii) or (b) (ii).
Convicted felons do not qualify under this
legislation.
Plyler v. Doe - 457 U.S. 202 (1982) is the
precursor to the Dream Act and builds on the
legacy of this landmark legislation. At issue in
Plyler was a 1975 Texas law withholding funds
to educate kids who were not legally admit-
ted into the United States. The Court struck
down the law as violating the Equal Protection
Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Plyler
has now set the stage for today's battles over
higher education to undocumented immigrants
students in the country.
At present, only four states, Washington,
Texas, New Mexico and California allow un-
documented students to receive government
tuition aid. New York state has one of the
largest immigrant populations in the U.S.
There is an estimated 146,000 students in New
York who have studied in New York public
schools but are ineligible to receive financial
aid, grants and loans under federal and state
laws. Every year, 4,500 undocumented stu-
dents graduate from New York public schools
but only 5-10% pursue a college degree due to
tremendous financial obstacles.
On March 17th, 2014, the Bill whose chief
sponsor was Senator Jose Peralta went on the
senate floor. With 32 votes needed to pass, the
measure came up two votes short with 30 in
support and 29 against.
Proponents of The New York DREAM Act
strongly contend that it will help undocument-
ed youth achieve their educational and profes-
sional goals, and allow them to contribute to
their communities. By allowing them to apply
for work permits will open doors to their eco-
nomic advancement and social integration un-
til the Dream Act in Congress gets passed.
Proponents argue that by denying thousands
of children, whose circumstances are no fault
of their own, a fair shake at higher education is
denying the American dream. Currently, New
York enables hundreds of thousands of undoc-
umented students to receive education through
the state's public school system; the state rec-
ognizes the value of an investment in career
and college readiness for these students.
Opponents contend that the bill amounts to
an improper use of taxpayer funds. According
to them, the legislation constitutes a hand-out
or free tuition and its giving the children of un-
documented workers an undue advantage.
They fear that it strips opportunities from U.S.
students
and it is therefore unfair to law abiding Amer-
ican citizens who want to get into college and
are struggling to meet the increasing costs of
higher education. They also believe that pass-
ing the bill would cause billions of dollars of
damage to the economy. According to the Fed-
eration for American Immigration Reform
(FAIR), illegal students who are admitted into
the states public universities and community
colleges at taxpayer subsidized in-state tuition
rates costs the city and states taxpayers
$2938 million per year.
Critics state that the state should first try to
make college more affordable for those in the
country legally. New York is among the 16
states that already allow illegal students to pay
in-state tuition at public colleges.
These fiscal implications in the bill are the
main drivers that encourage the belief that the
bill will apply taxpayers dollars to fund the ed-
ucation of these students and will take away the
much needed funds, grants and scholarships
from legal students. The legislation was rein-
troduced in the NYS Assembly last week and
passed again. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Sil-
ver has urged the Senators who are opposed to
the measure to reconsider the bill, before the
legislature adjourns for summer recess in July.
IMMIGRATION 9 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
USCIS announces process for
DACA renewal
Court rules some kids must restart
immigration process at age 21
Washington: Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity Jeh Johnson has announced the process
for individuals to renew enrollment in the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) program. USCIS has submitted to
the Federal Register an updated form to al-
low individuals previously enrolled in
DACA, to renew their deferral for a period
of two years. At the direction of the Secre-
tary, effective immediately, USCIS will be-
gin accepting renewal requests. USCIS will
also continue to accept requests for DACA
from individuals who have not previously
sought to access the program. As of April
2014, more than 560,000 individuals have
received DACA.
Despite the acrimony and partisanship
that now exists in Washington, almost all of
us agree that a child who crossed our border
illegally with a parent, or in search of a par-
ent or a better life, was not making an adult
choice to break our laws, and should be
treated differently than adult law-breakers,
said Secretary Johnson. By the renewal of
DACA, we act in accord with our values
and the code of this great Nation. But, the
larger task of comprehensive immigration
reform still lies ahead.
Washington: Digging into the nitty gritty
of immigration law, the Supreme Court
ruled Monday that some immigrant chil-
dren who turn 21 while their parents' immi-
gration application is still pending have to
go to the back of the line and start over.
The justices sided with the Obama ad-
ministration in ruling that immigration laws
do not let children who age out of the sys-
tem qualify for visas.
The case involved Rosalina Cuellar de
Osorio, a Salvadoran immigrant who was in
line for a visa along with her 13-year-old
son. But after years of waiting, her son
turned 21 and government officials said he
no longer qualified as an eligible child. He
was placed at the back of the line, resulting
in a wait of several more years.
The case also resulted in a rare shuffle for
the court as parts of the liberal wing and the
conservative wing united at both ends of the
spectrum.
The New York DREAM Act
Corporate Office: 385 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood NY 11385
718.821.3182, www.AtlanticDialysis.Com
The legislation was reintroduced in the state Assembly recently and passed again.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has urged state Senators who are opposed to
the measure to reconsider the bill.
US AFFAIRS 10 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Washington: Aiming to alleviate
the burden of student loan debt,
President Barack Obama expanded
a program Monday that lets bor-
rowers pay no more than 10 percent
of their income every month, and
threw his support behind more
sweeping Senate legislation target-
ing the issue.
Flanked by student loan borrow-
ers at the White House, Obama said
the rising costs of college have left
America's middle class feeling
trapped. He put his pen to a presi-
dential memorandum that he said
could help an additional 5 million
borrowers lower their monthly pay-
ments.
"I'm only here because this coun-
try gave me a chance through edu-
cation," Obama said. "We are here
today because we believe that in
America, no hard-working young
person should be priced out of a
higher education."
An existing repayment plan Oba-
ma announced in 2010 lets borrow-
ers pay no more than 10 percent of
their monthly income in payments,
but is only available for those who
started borrowing after October
2007. Obama's memo expands that
program by opening it to those who
borrowed anytime in the past.
Obama also announced he is di-
recting the government to renegoti-
ate contracts with federal student
loan servicers to encourage them to
make it easier for borrowers to
avoid defaulting on their loans. And
he asked Treasury and Education
departments to work with major tax
preparers, including H&R Block
and the makers of TurboTax, to in-
crease awareness about tuition tax
credits and flexible repayment op-
tions available to borrowers.
The bill's chief advocate, Demo-
cratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of
Massachusetts, joined a half-dozen
other Democratic lawmakers as
Obama urged Congress to pass the
bill.
The Senate is expected to debate
the legislation next week, but it
faces significant opposition from
Republicans, who disagree with the
Democrats' plan for how to pay for
it.
The dual strategy -- taking execu-
tive action while urging Congress to
finish the job -- has become Oba-
ma's signature playbook this year.
Stymied by gridlock as Congress
marches toward the midterm elec-
tions, he has repeatedly sought
ways to go around Congress with
modest steps that underscore his
pitch from the bully pulpit for Con-
gress to finish the job.
Under an income-based repay-
ment plan created by Congress, the
maximum monthly payment is al-
ready set to drop from 15 percent of
in-
come to 10 percent in July 2014.
But that plan only affects new bor-
rowers. Obama's "Pay as You Earn"
plan uses another part of existing
law to offer similar benefits to peo-
ple who already borrowed to fi-
nance their education.
Obama moves to extend student loan payment relief
Borrowers need pay no more than 10 percent of their monthly income in payments.
Washington: A
shock primary
election defeat for
Eric Cantor, the
No. 2 Republican
in the U.S. House
of Representa-
tives, left his polit-
ical party in chaos
on Wednesday as
financial markets
worried the shake-
up might renew
budget fights that in the past
have caused government
shutdowns and near credit de-
faults.
Cantor, who has served as
House Majority Leader since
2011, unexpectedly lost in
Tuesday's vote to college eco-
nomics professor David Brat,
an activist in the Tea Party
movement, which wants to re-
duce federal government
spending and taxes and advo-
cates for a smaller govern-
ment. The defeat put an end to
Cantor's quest for an eighth
term but he will serve out his
current term
through this year.
It also brought an
abrupt halt to
Cantor's career as
a rising star who
had his eye on the
top job of Speak-
er. House Speak-
er John Boehner,
who cried during
a closed-door
meeting of
House Republicans according
to some who attended, praised
Cantor's work as majority
leader and said, "We've been
through a lot together." At a
press conference following
that meeting, Cantor said he
will step down from his lead-
ership job on July 31. Cantor
said that he would back Rep-
resentative Kevin McCarthy
of California as his replace-
ment if he seeks it. Cantor and
McCarthy were close allies
and they often had to try to
scale back the demands of the
Tea Party.
House Majority Leader
Eric Cantor to step down
Washington: President Barack Oba-
ma on Tuesday called for greater na-
tional effort against gun violence just
hours after a latest school shooting
happening in the Oregon on Tuesday
left two dead, including a student.
Obama warned that mass shootings
were "off the charts" in a way no oth-
er advanced country would tolerate,
urging people of the country to do
"soul searching" over gun violence,
Xinhua reported.
"We are the only developed country
on earth where this happens, and it
happens now once a week," Obama
said at the White House Tuesday.
"There is no place else like this!" He
also said America should be ashamed
it could not enact even the mildest gun
reforms.
Obama said the "biggest frustration"
of his presidency so far was that the
government had not even taken "basic
steps" to keep guns out of the hands of
people that can do "unbelievable dam-
age." Until there's a fundamental shift
in public opinion, the problem will not
change and that's terrifying to a par-
ent, he said. The Portland, Oregon
shooter was a 15-year-old boy who
was heavily armed with an assault ri-
fle, nine magazines of ammunition,
handgun and knife that police said had
been taken from a secured area at his
family home.
If co-signer dies, some student
borrowers told to repay loan
S
ome student loan borrowers who had a parent or grandparent
co-sign the note are finding that they must immediately pay
the loan in full if the relative dies.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says lenders have
clauses in their contract that explain this could happen, but many
borrowers are not aware of them. The agency's ombudsman, Rohit
Chopra, said complaints related to this issue are growing more com-
mon because the practice is catching so many consumers by sur-
prise. Some borrowers told to pay back the loan in full have been
making timely payments, the Indian American said.
While it's unclear how prevalent it is, Chopra said it appears to be
the practice among many private student loan lenders. It has affected
borrowers not just when the co-signer has died, but when the co-
signer has declared bankruptcy.
We do have some concerns that with an aging population and
with very long terms on certain private student loans, that this could
actually increase over time,'' Chopra said.
The issue doesn't affect federal student loans, which are more
commonly issued than private student loans.
Las Vegas: The couple accused of killing three peo-
ple in a Las Vegas shooting spree on Sunday leave
behind a chilling trail on social media, littered with
antigovernment rhetoric and red-flag posts that possi-
bly alluded to the attack. On Sunday, Jerad Miller,
31, and Amanda Miller, 22, shot and killed two
police officers who were eating lunch in a restaurant
in what police described as an ambush-style attack.
Onlookers told police that Jerad proclaimed, This is
the start of a revolution, as he shot the officers.
The couple then took the officers guns and ammu-
nition into a nearby Walmart and fatally shot a
bystander. The bullet that killed Jerad Miller came
from a police officers rifle, authorities confirmed
Wednesday. Initial reports said Miller s wife,
Amanda, fatally shot him before she committed sui-
cide. According to police, after killing the cops,
Jerad covered each of the slain officers with the
Gadsden flag, a yellow banner featuring a coiled
snake and the words Dont Tread on Me, and
placed swastikas on the officers bodies. Police said they cannot say for sure if the
Millers were engaging in actions linked to white supremacy ideals or if the
swastikas represent the couple equating law enforcement personnel with Nazis and
fascism. Neighbors at the apartment complex where the couple lived described the
Millers to the Las Vegas Review Journal as militant people who spoke of white
supremacy. Several said they often heard the couple spouting racist, antigovern-
ment views. Jerad Miller, a self-identifying Patriot and revolutionary, may have
alluded to Sundays attack in several of his Facebook posts leading up to the day of
the shooting.
Vegas couple who went on shooting rampage were
White Supremacists
Jerad and Amanda
Miller
Eric Cantor
Obama calls gun control his 'biggest frustration'
Shock defeat by a Tea Partier a setback to GoP
INDIA
New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi said his govern-
ment will work for the poor,
improve the lot of the weaker sec-
tions including Muslims, curb price
rise, take all political parties along
in its march to progress and seek to
change India's identity from "scam
India" to "skill India" .
Speaking extempore in Hindi in
hour-long speeches in the Lok
Sabha and Rajya Sabha in reply to
the debate on the motion of thanks
on the president' s address, the
prime minister dwelt on a range of
subjects - from incidents of rapes
and violence, development of the
northeast and the coastal states,
agriculture, cooperative federalism
as the way forward, corruption and
convicting guilty lawmakers.
Delivering his first speech in the
Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,
Modi said that good governance
needs to be converted into a peo-
ple's movement. The prime minis-
ter described bad governance "as
worse than diabetes in the human
body, which destroys the entire
system. Last-mile delivery is the
biggest problem".
Modi said that government's tar-
get of providing houses for all by
2022, the 75th anniversary of
country's independence, should be
a "movement" and every MP
should support this.
He also called for paying fitting
tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his
150th birth anniversary in 2019 by
resolving to create a "swatch
Bharat (clean India)".
Modi said it was government's
responsibility to "live for the poor".
Seeking the opposition's support
in the government's endeavours, he
said: "We want to take you along,
and if needed, we would also seek
your guidance."
Modi, who took oath as prime
minister May 26 at the head of a
NDA government, said the govern-
ment would "leave no stone
unturned to fulfill" the promises
made by it.
In his speeches in both houses,
where he spoke forcefully and was
heard with rapt attention by mem-
bers, Modi said there was need to
take bold decisions and also make
small innovative changes at every
level for the country to realise its
potential. He spoke of working in
spirit of cooperative federalism and
said MPs were custodians of the
hope and aspirations of millions of
Indians.
He said the condition of Muslims
has remained unchanged, alluding
to the fact that nothing much has
been done for them despite all the
talk by previous governments.
"A body is not healthy, if any of
its part is not healthy," he said with
specific reference to the communi-
ty for the first time.
Sending a strong message on
women's security, Modi said politi-
cians should stop commenting friv-
olously on such incidents.
"I want to appeal to the politi-
cians of the country, stop this psy-
chological analysis of incidents of
rape. It does not behove of you,"
Modi said.
"They are playing with the digni-
ty of our mothers and sisters. Such
a commentary is not appropriate at
political level. The respect and
security of women should be the
concern of all 125 crore Indians,"
he said
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam
Singh Yadav is among leaders who
have commented on the issue - say-
ing "boys will make mistakes" -
drawing wide criticism.
On the farm sector, Modi said
proper management of agriculture
products through modern technolo-
gy can help control food inflation,
adding that there is adequate avail-
ability of food products in the
country.
"There is enough food in the
country. What is required is proper
management," Modi said.
He said efforts should be made to
gather "real-time data" of agricul-
tural products that would help reg-
ulators take the required action to
manage prices. The prime minister
indicated that the Food
Corporation of India (FCI) could
be restructured for better manage-
ment of agricultural produce.
On the issue of corruption, the
prime minister said the state must
be policy-driven and non-discrimi-
natory. He said there should be
minimum grey areas in policy and
maximum use of technology.
He said FIRs against MPs should
be decided within a period of one
year with the help of the Supreme
Court so that the guilty can be con-
victed and the innocent absolved -
and the stain is removed from the
august Houses of Parliament.
Indicating his Government' s
resolve in this regard, he said an
SIT on black money, which had
been pending for two years, had
already been formed.
"We have to make India's identity
as skill India," Modi said.
Citing the example of Sikkim,
which will soon become an organic
state, Modi said the goal, if
achieved, will transform the lives
of those living in the hill states.
Let's create a 'skill India' not 'scam India': Modi
11 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
A TV garb showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivering his
first speech in the Lok Sabha.
E-files, new Modi mantra to paperless governance
New Delhi: No more piles of
dog-eared files and clipped paper
stacks littering office desks. It is
the time of e-files in the new
government of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
The prime minister, who has
sought to embrace technology in
governance with messianic zeal,
has directed officials - ranging
from secretaries, joint secretaries
and section officers - of different
ministries to clear files electroni-
cally.
The system is not new. It was
introduced around a year ago
under the UPA government. But
no one really bothered.
But with Modi giving strict
instructions that "no heaps of
files" should be found littering
office desks, shelves, window
sills and even top of aircondi-
tioners and that office spaces
should not remain cluttered, all
senior government functionaries
have made a concerted move to
go electronic.
"The new government is stress-
ing on making files totally elec-
tronic, to end the paper version
as far as possible," a senior offi-
cial said.
The National Informatics
Centre, which is under the
Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology, has a
"safe and secure server" on
which the government communi-
cation machinery is run. "The
NIC servers are well protected
with firewalls to prevent hack-
ing," the official added.
As part of the e-filing, offices
are set to be equipped with supe-
rior electronic scanners that
would enable officials to scan
any document and upload
instantly.
"We are getting good quality
scanners, which are essential to
scan documents, especially in
legal cases," said another offi-
cial.
"Earlier, orderlies (peons)
would carry the files from one
official's door to the other. Now
it will be done with the click of a
button," said an official.
The order to push ahead with
electronic filing was given by the
Department of Personnel and
Training, which is under Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
Files are also being pushed fast
by the new government.
"Earlier, files would keep
pending for weeks, sometimes
months. Some ministers in the
UPA government would sit on
files endlessly. The new minis-
ters are signing the files left over
by the previous government
within minutes. The speed is
catching on, and officials are
also not sitting on files any
longer," said an official.
Modi held a meeting with more
than 70 secretaries last week dur-
ing which he told them to work
without fear and said he would
protect them against malicious
prosecution against justified
decisions.
The new government is stressing on making files totally
electronic, to end the paper version as far as possible.
3
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr
Harsh Vardhan releasing the new book on female
foeticide written by Acharya Dr Lokesh Muni,
founder of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti,
in the presence of eminent senior Jain
leaders in New Delhi recently.
12 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA
Ahmedabad: After a wait of eight long
years, the Gujarat government has got
the final clearance to raise the height of
Sardar Sarovar dam from 121. 92
metres to 138.68 metres.
The decision was taken at the crucial
meeting of the Narmada Control
Authority (NCA) in New Delhi.
JN Singh, managing director, Sardar
Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL)
confirmed the development.
"We got formal clearance to raise the
dam's height and install the gates from
the NCA today. Gujarat CM Anandiben
Patel will do the puja and initiate work
today itself at Kevadiya. However, we
will be able to start construction work
only after the monsoon season is over
by September. We have already started
preparatory work and other planning so
that we can complete the work as soon
as possible," Singh said.
NCA sub-committees on resettlement
and rehabilitation (R&R) as well as
environment had already recommended
that the permission for raising the dam
height be granted.
During her recent visit to Delhi,
Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel
had requested PM Narendra Modi for
speedy clearance.
In 2006, NCA had allowed the dam
height to be raised up to 121.92 metres.
Senior government officials say at the
Full Reservoir Level of 138.68 metres,
there would be assured water for irriga-
tion to an additional area of 6.8 lakh
hectares, an additional 40% power gen-
eration, and enhanced water supply.
Raising of Narmada dam height to
138.68 meters will take at least 36 to
40 months once started.
Mandi (Himachal
Pradesh): The search
for a group of
Hyderabad engineering
students washed away
in the Beas river near
here is not only massive
in scale involving some
550 rescuers, but first
of its kind in a treacher-
ous terrain, strong cur-
rent, and low visibility
in churned up silt, a
senior official said.
Divers from the
National Disaster
Response Force and the
army scouring the river
bed full of jagged rocks
and boulders just rely on
the sense of touch to
locate and pull out the bodies,
the official said.
It is a tough task.
Now an unmanned aerial
vehicle is also to be deployed
to speed up the search.
While seven bodies have
been fished out of the river, the
operation continued Thursday
for the fourth day to locate the
remaining 17 of the 24 stu-
dents and a tour operator. They
vanished in the flash flood-like
surge in the Beas river after
water from a nearby
hydropower project was
released without a warning,
officials said.
"Our divers are basically fac-
ing the problem of poor visibil-
ity. The river bed is full of mud
and silt. There are also big
boulders and rocks. It's only
through feeling they are recog-
nizing the objects lying
beneath," National Disaster
Management Authority vice-
chairman M. Shashidhar
Reddy, who reached the acci-
dent spot Thursday, said.
A special underwater camera
to locate the bodies was
deployed.
"The underwater camera has
not made much success (due to
muddy water). Now, we are
going to deploy a UAE
(unmanned aerial vehicle)
Friday that will continuously
recce the total area of opera-
tion," Reddy said in an inter-
view.
More than 550 rescue work-
ers from various agencies,
including National Disaster
Response Force (NDRF), the
army, the Sashastra Seema Bal,
the ITBP and the state police,
continued with the dawn-to-
dusk operation in over 15-km
long downstream stretch of the
river from the Larji hydropow-
er project dam to the Pandoh
dam.
Reddy said: "Fifteen more
NDRF divers will soon join the
search operation. This will
increase their total number to
39. We are reviewing their
requirement from time to time.
If need be, more will join
soon."
Reddy said this was the first-
of-its-kind search operation.
More than 60 students and
faculty members of the V.N.R.
Vignana Jyothi Institute of
Engineering and Technology in
Hyderabad were on an excur-
sion to Manali.
Some of them were getting
themselves photographed on
the bank of the river Sunday
when a wall of water washed
them away.
"The river level suddenly
increased due to release of
water from the Larji
hydropower project dam,
located near the accident spot,
without warning," witnesses
said.
The police have registered a
case against the hydropower
project authorities for causing
death by negligence and
endangering life of others.
Narmada dam height to be
raised after eight years
Panaji: Brazil is the greatest of all World
Cup adventures and as football really
comes home, it's no surprise that almost
everyone wants to be part of the biggest
sporting spectacle on earth.
Goa's ministers and members of legisla-
tive assembly (MLAs) are also attracted by
Brazil, and thanks to a generous govern-
ment that is ready to spend at least Rs 89
lakh, six MLAs, including three ministers,
will be packing their bags to Rio de Janeiro
later this month.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar is
understood to have given the go-ahead to
sports minister Ramesh Tawadkar, fisheries
minister Avertano Furtado, power minister
Milind Naik, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida,
Velim MLA Benjamin Silva and Aldona
MLA Glen Ticlo to witness the Fifa World
Cup 2014. This will be Tawadkar's first
official visit to a foreign country. In the
past, the sports minister has ignored
requests to travel with the state delegation,
notably for meetings of ACOLOP or
Associacao dos Comites Olimpicos de
Lingua Oficial Portugues, the body that
organizes the Lusofonia Games.
Surprisingly, no government official, or
football expert, will be part of the state del-
egation that is headed to Brazil, even
though both of Goa's Arjuna awardees
Brahmanand Shankhwalkar and Bruno
Coutinho-had made their desire well known
to the state government. According to an
initial file moved by the Sports Authority of
Goa (SAG), executive director Sandip
Jacques, sports secretary Mathew Samuels,
joint director of coaching Bruno Coutinho,
treasurer Arun Bhat and the sports minis-
ter's officer on special duty (OSD) sought
to be part of the delegation.
Two separate files were moved: one by
fisheries minister Avertano Furtado-as early
as November 29, 2013-and the other by
SAG, championed by Tawadkar, but when a
common file was presented before the chief
minister, only the MLAs found favour.
The delegation will watch the first and
second quarterfinal clash at the historic
Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July
4 and Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza on July
5, besides sampling the thrill that the semi-
finals will provide on July 8 and July 9 at
Estadio Mineirao (Belo Horizonte) and
Arena Corinthians (Sao Paulo) respectively.
Sardar Sarovar dam
27 students from Hyderabad were on an excursion to Manali
Goa ministers, MLAs in Rs 89 lakh junket to Brazil
CBI to probe Badaun rapes
New Delhi: The CBI has registered a first information report (FIR) in Badaun
rape case, officials said.
Two teenaged girls were allegedly raped and later hanged from a tree May 27
in Katra Sadatganj village of Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district, causing a national
uproar.
"We have registered an FIR in the alleged Badaun rape case. A team of 20 offi-
cers led by a DIG and consisting of forensic experts will leave for Uttar Pradesh
tomorrow (Friday)," a CBI official said.
"The UP government has been requested to provide logistical support to the
visiting team."
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar
gave go ahead
24 students drown in Himachal
river, search on
13 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA
New York: Remember that sword
fight that broke out at Amritsars
Golden Temple last week?
Sikhs in India and around the
world remember that too and
they are not happy about that, nor
about the attention the commemora-
tion for Operation Blue Star sudden-
ly got.The day was supposed to
commemorate the 30th anniversary
of one of the most traumatic
moments in the history of the reli-
gious group a military operation
that killed hundreds of people in
1984. Instead, it turned into dozens
of men brandishing swords and
chasing each other around on the
grounds of the holy temple leav-
ing 12 people injured. Unlike what
emerged from early reports, the
Amritsar brawl did not erupt over
who would get to speak first at the
commemoration, but as a result of
an Akali Dal leader, Simranjit Singh
Mann, being denied the right to
speak at the event by organizers,
according to the Indian Express.
But Akali secretary general,
Maheshinder Singh Grewal,
slammed those responsible for the
violence and their sacrilegious
conduct which he said damaged
the reputation of all Sikhs. He said
that those responsible for the vio-
lence belonged to a local splinter
group attempting to advance its own
political agenda to gain cheap
publicity as well as attempt to
revive itself politically.
"Today we were supposed to have
a solemn remembrance for the mar-
tyrs of 1984, so what has happened
is very sad," Prem Singh
Chandumajra, a spokesman for
Shiromani Akali Dal said after the
incident. "The temple has once
again been dishonored today.
As a Sardarni I am so sad, horri-
fied and disappointed that a calm,
respected community the Sikhs
could and would attack, react
and behave in such a manner,
Anjana Sahney Thakker, a Sikh
from Bangalore, told VICE News.
Operation Blue Star, as it was
codenamed, was an army raid
ordered by Indias then Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi to drive out
Sikh separatists in the Golden
Temple. Gandhi was later assassi-
nated by her Sikh bodyguards in
retaliation. This in turn sparked days
of massive anti-Sikh riots that killed
as many as 3,000 people.
Elsewhere in the world, commem-
orations of the operation proceeded
without incident.
In New York, Sikhs held a demon-
stration outside the United Nations
yon June 6. They announced to hold
a referendum among Sikh diaspora
in 2020 on the right to self-determi-
nation. The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ),
a rights group, submitted a com-
plaint to the UN human rights body,
urging it to set up a tribunal to
investigate and prosecute the
crimes related to the June 1984
military raid on the Golden Temple.
In London, thousands of people
marched from Hyde Park to
Trafalgar Square, carrying symbolic
black coffins and demanding that
the 1984 events be recognized as
genocide, the BBC reported.
Bangalore: In a dramatic develop-
ment, India's second largest global
software major Infosys Ltd.
announced that Vishal Sikka would
be its new chief executive and man-
aging director from Aug 1. Co-
founder and chairman N.R.
Narayana Murthy will step down
June 14.
The $8.25-billion IT bellwether
declared that to facilitate the smooth
transition to Sikka, the company's
first external executive, its co-
founder and chairman N.R.
Narayana Murthy and another co-
founder and vice-chairman S.
Gopalakrishnan would step down
June 14.
Murthy stepped out of retirement
last year to lead the company again
during its troubled times.
Sikka, 47, a former executive
board member of German software
product major SAP AG, will be
inducted as a whole-time director on
Infosys board June 14 and will take
over from incumbent chief execu-
tive S.D. Shibulal, who expressed a
desire to exit the company before
retirement in March 2015.
"I am honoured to lead Infosys, an
iconic company built by pioneers in
the technology industry. I look for-
ward to working with and learning
from talented Infoscions around the
world," Sikka said in the statement.
Sikka, who quit SAP Ag in May,
was responsible for all products,
including HANA, the German behe-
moth's flagship analytic database
platform, mobile and middle. He is
a doctorate in computer science
from the Stanford University, US.
Murthy, who returned from retire-
ment to head the company again
year ago June 1, 2013, along with
his prodigal son Rohan Murthy as
his executive assistant, will contin-
ue as non-executive chairman till
Oct 10 along with Gopalakrishnan
as non-executive vice-chairman.
That embarrassing Golden Temple sword fight!
SEP.
Vishal Sikka would be Infosys'
new chief executive and
managing director
Murthy steps down, Sikka is new
CEO of Infosys
14 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info OP-ED
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
By Arvind Padmanabhan
T
he address to parliament
delivered by President
Pranab Mukherjee, outlin-
ing the policy priorities of the new
government of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, is not only one of
the most comprehensive in recent
times but also reflects the vast
task that lies ahead in implement-
ing the promises made to India's
1.2 billion people - and others
watching the world's third largest
economy - that good times are
indeed on the horizon.
Not a constituency has been left
out -- women, youth, children,
minorities, differently-abled,
socially deprived, bureaucracy,
judiciary, e-governance, economy,
price rise, healthcare, education,
housing, industry, taxation,
defence, social sectors, skill
development, disaster mitigation,
tourism, north-east region, energy,
infrastructure and even terrorism,
foreign policy, diaspora and effec-
tive use of social media -- sug-
gesting every ministry and depart-
ment had been consulted and the
views incorporated in the 4,700-
word speech that took precisely
55 minutes to deliver.
The fact that it has been widely
appreciated can be gauged by the
fact that there were moments, sev-
eral in fact, where the opposition
joined the treasury to give a
thumbs-up to a particular proposal
or promise, as it was being read
out by the president, with thump-
ing of the benches -- Congress
party president Sonia Gandhi
being no exception. It is a differ-
ent matter that the spokespersons
for various opposition parties did
not find the address invigorating
enough, with some even calling it
a compendium of Narendra
Modi's election slogans -- remarks
that sounded more like forced
criticism. Industry was elated.
Sensex again ended on a new
high.
"The Hon'ble president has laid
out an insightful, aspirational
vision for the country, bolstered
by comprehensive and multi-
dimensional measures aimed at
reining in inflation, boosting agri-
cultural productivity and kick-
starting the investment cycle,"
said CII president Ajay Shriram.
It was quite evident that at the
broader level the most pressing
issues listed in the speech were:
Reviving the economy, curbing
price rise and lifting the general
morale of investors, domestic and
overseas, so important to set up
projects, create jobs and fuel
growth. Not just that. The speech
also spelt out, in the rather limited
time available for such occasions,
how most of these issues will be
addressed and resolved, at least
with an overview.
Some examples are: The prom-
ise of creating 100 new cities with
all modern amenities, skilling the
work force, raising farm produc-
tivity, sanitation and hygiene,
comprehensive overhaul of rick-
ety infrastructure, high-speed
trains, foreign equity in defence
production, interlinking of rivers,
all-weather house for every family
in 10 years, introduction of a pan-
India goods and service tax. The
detailing was complete when the
president said should monsoon be
sub-normal, contingency plans are
being prepared.
At the same time, as one has
seen in the past, governments
have promised the moon, but have
little to show when the time
comes for stock-taking. What
matters ultimately is: How well
the promises are implemented and
delivered. In some ways, the
speech itself recognises that,
when it acknowledged that the
people's decisive mandate for the
Narendra Modi-led government is
to see a vibrant, dynamic and
prosperous India. Brimming with
hope and expectation, they want
quick results."
The next reality test will come
less than a month from now, when
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
comes up with the national budget
for the current fiscal.
It will set the course for,
whether or not, as the president's
speech said, this government is
able to say with confidence and
pride in 60 months from now that
it has done its job.
Will India have its own world media on Modi's watch?
By Saeed Naqvi
O
utside SAARC, Chinese
Premier Li Keqiang was
the first world leader to
call Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. This was followed up by
Beijing sending Foreign Minister
Wang Yi to New Delhi.South
Block grasped the signals. But
when I opened the newspapers, I
could have sworn that a chill was
about to descend between the two
countries.
There were no analyses of a
new promise in Sino-Indian rela-
tions, possible investment in
Indian infrastructure (the Chinese
have $3.5 trillion parked precari-
ously in US banks and treasury
bonds), an interesting China,
Japan, US triangle is emerging.
Instead, all newspapers carried
extensive coverage of the 25th
anniversary of the Tiananmen
Square. All the pieces were pas-
sionate indictments of human
rights in China, ironically on a
day when the Badaun rape
tragedy was shaming us in the
United Nations.
Narendra Modi has been to
China on four occasions as chief
minister of Gujarat, twice as State
guest, feted at the Great Hall of
the People. What, then, was the
source of this new found zeal for
human rights in China? Even
Prime Time TV had set aside a
slot to focus on grim looking
Chinese, marching with candles.
You would have thought the
channels had flown out special
teams to Tiananmen Square to
cover the event. But this is not
the way the World Information
Order functions.
In fact nothing was happening
in Beijing. Channels like CNN,
combining with the social media,
had whipped up frenzy in Hong
Kong which a battery of cameras
captured. The footage created the
illusion of a nation commemorat-
ing Tiananmen Square.
It was this footage which was
made available to channels across
the globe hooked habitually to a
grid controlled in New York and
London.
The medias critical faculty has
been so numbed over a century of
colonial experience that it cannot,
on occasion, separate news from
propaganda.
The hot-and-cold relationship
the US has with China results in
wild fluctuations of mood
between the two countries.
Chinas trade surplus of $200 bil-
lion annually represent one facet
of the relationship. And yet the
Chinese are viciously needled by
Americans too. Reacting to one
such provocation, a Chinese
leader became unusually lucid.
He described America as first
class rascal.
Consider this against another
evolving story. Briefing the
media in St. Petersburg, President
Vladimir Putin expanded on the
extraordinarily new substance
in Sino-Russian equation of
which $400 billion gas contract is
an important part.
Putin also spoke at length on
Russian-India relations, on
Indias helpful stand on Ukraine,
and the telephonic conversation
he had with Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
This is a sensitive phase for a
major realignment of global
forces. Indian stakes are high
with the West as well as with
China and Russia with both of
which US lobbies are developing
adversarial relations. Hillary
Clinton has already given notice
(more or less) that she intends to
raise the pitch on Ukraine should
she be in sight of the Democratic
nomination for the 2016 elec-
tions.
In the worlds eyes, India today
is a vibrant, exciting destination.
Public opinion in the country is
supportive of the lines that are
opening up with all important
capitals. But an aggravation of
Wests confrontation with, say,
Russia (even China) will affect
Indian public opinion too. Why?
Because the Wests demonization
of Russian and possibly Chinese
leaders will also expose Indian
public opinion to these diatribes
because we are still locked into
the colonial information grid.
If we had a news bureau in
Kabul, we would have been
much better informed about the
attack on the Indian consulate in
Herat or the circumstances in
which Alexis Prem Kumar was
kidnapped. Must we depend on
Western journalists to inform us
about Kabul, Jaffna or
Kathmandu?
New Delhi gives away billions
in assistance to SAARC neigh-
bours. It must take a leap of faith
and concurrently invest a billion
dollars in its own media which
must also cover world affairs as
comprehensively as CNN, BBC
and Al Jazeera. The returns in
power, prestige, influence and
business will be astronomical.
Create a Board of Trustees with
someone with national prestige
and credibility as chairman. The
Board will insulate your editorial
team from the market as well as
the government.
President Pranab Mukherjee going to address a
joint session of Parliament
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi with External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi
Path charted, it's time now for action
Modi government:
16 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
B
e it Rani Mukerjis personal
life or the subject of her next
film, the details of both have
been under wraps for a long time. But
we have now come to know that her
upcoming film, which is directed by
Pradeep Sarkar, is based on human
trafficking. In fact, the film also
has references to real-life inci-
dents.
While the incidents in the
movie will be fictitious, the
makers want to ensure a real-
istic portrayal in every
scene. There are several
human trafficking stories
that the film has taken
inspiration from. Most of
the references have
come from police files.
Although the subject is
sensitive, the makers
are ensuring that the
incidents are presented
in a way that keep the
audience engaged,
says a source close to
the film.
Rani, who was last seen in Bombay Talkies (2013), plays a cop in the film. Her role is of a fear-
less police officer who picks up cues for cases and confronts the criminals, says the source.
The spokesperson of the film confirms the news, saying, The subject of the film is based on
human trafficking. The writers have drawn inspiration from reality. Interestingly, this is the first
time that the actor will be portraying the role of a cop on screen.
T
he stage glit-
tered as
Hindi cine-
ma icons like
A m i t a b h
B a c h c h a n ,
Dharmendra and
Aamir Khan, along
with veteran
actress Saira Banu
and author Udaya
Tara Nayar,
launched thespian
Dilip Kumar' s
long-awaited auto-
biography, The
Substance and The
Shadow, in his
presence in
Mumbai.
L e g e n d a r y
singer Lata
Mangeshkar, who was slat-
ed to sing at the event,
couldn't make it.
Held at Grand Hyatt in
Santa Cruz here, the red
carpet of the event saw
celebrities from the old and
gold age as well as new
generation walk in for the
momentous night.
From Zeenat Aman,
Danny Denzongpa, Farida
Jalal, and Vyjayanthimala
to Subhash Ghai, Ayan
Mukerji, Sanjay Leela
Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani,
Madhuri Dixit and
Priyanka Chopra attended
the gala.
Dilip Kumar's wife Saira
Banu, who looked resplen-
dent in a green sari, was
overwhelmed to see the fra-
ternity's participation in the
event, which saw Karan
Johar as a host. She hoped
the book is appreciated.
Lata misses Dilip's star-studded book launch
Rani Mukerji is seen in a poster of 'Mardaani'
K
apil Sharma is a man caught in a conflict. On
the one hand, he is gearing up for his big
screen debut in Yash Raj Films' "Bank Chor"
and on the other, his plans to reduce his workload by half on
television have reportedly fallen through. According to a
source, channel Colors, which is behind Kapil's hugely suc-
cessful "Comedy Nights With Kapil" has refused to turn the
show into a once-a-week affair. The source said: "It was Kapil's
plan to do the show once a week
instead of twice during the shoot-
ing schedule of 'Bank Chor'. But
considering Kapil's and the show's
popularity, the channel has decided
not to reduce the show's weekly fre-
quency."
The channel's decision has put Kapil
in a quandary. How does he take time off
to shoot for the film? "Initially, I had
planned to do the show once a
week during the shooting of my
film. But the channel has rejected
the idea. They are not ready to lis-
ten to my rona-dhona (emotional
drama)." The idea of shooting sur-
plus episodes has also fallen
through. "I can't create a bank of
episodes for two months when I shoot
my film because all the stars who
come on my show do so when they are
promoting their films. I can't tell them,
'Aap pehle aa jao kyonki meri film
shooting hai (Come earlier because I am
busy shooting my film).' Kapil says he is
looking for a way out.
Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Aamir Khan at the
launch of Dilip Kumar's long-awaited autobiography in Mumbai
Kapil's dilemma -
his comedy show
must go on
U
pcoming Tamil-English biopic
"Ramanujan", about the mathe-
matics wizard Srinivasa
Ramanujan, happens to be the first film in
the language to be shot at the University of
Cambridge. The film's crew was floored
by the respect they received there.
"We shot at Cambridge for about two
weeks. When the management came to
know that we were making a film on
Ramanujan, they were very helpful and
we felt so touched by their hospitality,"
film's director Gnana Rajasekaran said.
"We shot in Ramanujan's room, in the
library, canteen and everywhere he sat in
the campus. Overall, it was a wonderful
experience and most of the foreign actors
showed lot of interest in the film as it was
about Ramanujan," he added. Abhinay
Vaddi plays the maths genius in the film,
which has been produced by Camphor
Cinema.
The movie also features Bhama,
Suhasini Mani Ratnam, Thalaivasal Vijay,
Abbas, Nizhagal Ravi, Sarath Babu and Y.
Gee Mahendra in important roles.
'Ramanujan' crew touched by Cambridge
varsity management
A scene from Tamil-English
biopic 'Ramanujan'
Comedian
Kapil
Sharma
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD 17 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
A
ctor-producer Aamir Khan
has released a documentary
titled "Chale Chalo" on the
journey of his film "Lagaan" on
&Pictures.
"I am so glad I can show this film
to the nation. I am extremely happy
for the first time we will see this
film live. This film is about the
journey of how we made 'Lagaan'
and we wanted to make it on
record.
"For me, this journey is now like
a family album I can even watch it
20 years down the line and enjoy it.
I am so glad even the nation can
watch it with us now," Aamir told
reporters during the screening of
"Chale Chalo".
"It's a documentary film and we
have also won a national award for
best documentary."
The screening of "Chale Chalo"
took place at the Yash Raj studios
and was simultaneously premiered
on TV.
Karan Johar hosted the show and
interacted with Aamir Khan during
the commercial break.
Directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar,
"Lagaan" featured Aamir Khan and
Gracy Singh in the lead.
A
kshay Kumar, usually seen as a larger-
than-life character in commercial cinema,
says he would love to take up character-
driven roles if the filmmakers approach with such
offers.
The content has become the most important
thing for me, but I have to do films like 'Boss' or
' Khiladi 786' ," Akshay, whose latest release
"Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty", the offi-
cial remake of Tamil hit "Thuppaki", opened to
mixed reviews from the critics, said.
"People are making more commercial cinema
than character-driven films. I would love to do
character-driven films, but the roles have to come
to me. Also, I have to diversify all the time. Our
media is like a hawk and it will catch anything
they feel is repetitive," he added.
He is never missed at the box office for too long,
thanks to the frequency of his releases.
For instance, he was seen in five films in 2012
that included content driven "OMG: Oh My God!"
as well as commercial potboiler "Housefull". In
2013, he opened his account with "Special 26", a
film with a superb plot and marvellous perform-
ances and it was followed by two more releases.
A.R. Murugadoss directed "Holiday", which is
produced by Vipul Shah, is his first film of 2014
and there are two more to follow.
So, normally, he returns to the box office with
his movies every three months.
Asked whether he'd prefer to keep a longer gap
between his films, he said: "I would love to, but
the release of a film is not in my hands."
"My last film 'Boss' released nine months back.
The producers invest money and they have specif-
ic reasons to release a film on a particular date.
"I asked Reliance (co-producers of 'Holiday')
and Vipul to release the film a little earlier, but
they decided to release the film in June. My next
film "It's Entertainment" releases Aug 8 and then
'Gabbar' will release.
"I can manipulate the producers, but I have never
done that. I have never manipulated my career," he
said.
Salman to launch 'Kick' trailer
at single screen theater
D
abangg" superstar Salman
Khan has
deci ded
to release the
trailer of his
much- awai t ed
film "Kick" at
the single screen
theater Gaiety
Galaxy in
Mumbai in the midst of his fans.
The movie screenings at the the-
ater have been canceled to accom-
modate Salman's plan. "Salman
has a huge fan following and he
considers single screens very
lucky for him, so he has decided
to release the trailer of the film at
Gaiety Galaxy June 15 with his
fans," Manoj Desai, executive
director, Gaiety Galaxy and
Maratha Mandir Cinema, said.
"We have canceled the shows
from 12 p.m. to 6 a.m. for that day
as Salman has booked the screen
during that time," added Desai.
The actor's films, often the typical
Bollywood masala entertainers,
have been popular at single screen
theaters. Directed by Sajid
Nadiadwala, "Kick" also features
Jacqueline Fernandes.
Akshay Kumar in a scene from 'Holiday - A Soldier
Is Never Off Duty'
S
urat girl Anugya Sharma
will represent India at
Miss India Worldwide to
be held at Abu Dhabi June 20.
As many as 40 winner contest-
ants of Indian origin from 40
countries will take part in the
pageant.
A freelance model, the 23-
year-old is settled in Pune. She
was crowned Miss India
Worldwide 2014 June 7. The
first runner-up was Krishna
Verma from Mumbai and sec-
ond runner-up was Audrey
D'Silva from Goa.
Miss India Worldwide, the
international pageant for
Indian communities, which
takes place in the US and
around the world, comes to the
UAE June 20.
More than 40 contestants of
Indian origin settled in various
countries across the globe
between the age of 17 and 27,
never married, and are citi-
zens, residents, or born in the
country they represent will be
participating in the Miss India
Worldwide pageant, which has
been staged in various parts of
the world, " Anuj Saxena,
national director, Miss India
Worldwide, and CEO
Maverick Productions, said in
a statement.
The pageant consists of four
segments - evening gown,
Indian dress, talent and ques-
tion-answer. The winners of all
the various national pageants
from all over the world vie for
the title of Miss India
Worldwide. Bollywood Film
Festival and Indian Culinary
week will be held simultane-
ously.
Surat
girl heads to
Miss India
Worldwide
Surat girl
Anugya
Sharma
(centre)
Aamir Khan
at the
launch of a
documentary
titled 'Chale
Chalo'
Aamir releases documentary
on journey of 'Lagaan'
T
he Global Organization of
People of Indian Origin
(GOPIO International) held
its 25th Anniversary Convention
2014 in Port of Spain in Trinidad
& Tobago May 27-May 30, coin-
ciding with the 169th anniversary
of Indian Arrival Day commemo-
ration in the country.
Delegates came from several
countries including Australia,
New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia,
Mauritius, India, South Africa,
European Union (EU) countries,
UK, Canada, USA, and the
Caribbean region.
The notable parts of the conven-
tion was an academic conference,
cultural performances, and unveil-
ing of the monument marking the
first arrivals of indentured Indian
laborers in Trinidad. As was the
welcome reception by Kamla
Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister
of Trinidad & Tobago, on 28th
May. She recounted GOPIOs spe-
cial reception/dinner during the
visit to the Kolkata Memorial on
12th January, 2012 and thanked
GOPIO for holding its 25th
Anniversary Jubilee Convention
in Trinidad & Tobago. In atten-
dance were several ministers and
MPs as well as Indian High
Commissioner Gauri Gupta. The
evening included a treat of
Caribbean and Indian music with
delegates joining in dancing.
On May 28, a B-to-B seminar
featuring prominent scholars and
business leaders was held. It was
sponsored by Trinidad &
Tobagos Ministry of Trade &
Investment. Sessions included
investment and trade opportuni-
ties in T&T and other Caribbean
countries.
The Academic Conference seg-
ment of the convention on 29th
May focused on Indian Diaspora
Today & Tomorrow. The chief
guest at the inaugural session was
High Commissioner Gauri Gupta
and the keynote speaker Dr Mahin
Gosine, Professor at SUNY, New
York.
Other sessions with prominent
speakers from several countries
included: Global & Regional
Diaspora - Investments &
Economic Opportunities;
Diasporas Youth, Children,
Gender & Inter-Generational
Issues; and Multi-Cultural
Diversity & Inter-Ethnic
Cooperation in the Indian
Diaspora
The Jubilee Recognition Gala
was held on 29th May in the
Grand Ballroom at the Radisson
Hotel, where many noted individ-
uals received GOPIOs Jubilee
Recognition for the betterment of
people of the Indian Diaspora.
The convention was endorsed
and supported by a wide cross-
section of public and private sec-
tors as well as civic and cultural
organizations, academic institu-
tions, media and others.
The Indian Arrival Monument at
Waterloo-by-the-Sea was unveiled
on 30th May on the 169th
anniversary of Indian Arrival Day
in Trinidad & Tobago, a historic
marker of the Indian migration to
other lands for better livelihood.
GOPIO International President
Ashook Ramsaran and Indian
High Commissioner Gauri Gupta
unveiled the monument in the
presence of hundreds of people
including several legacy genera-
tion persons, a few over 100
years old. The inscription read: In
honour of Indian indentured
labourers whose arrival in
Trinidad and Tobago began on
30th May 1845. In recognition of
their pioneering spirit, sacrifices,
endurance and determination to
seek better livelihoods for them-
selves and their descendants. In
gratitude for their invaluable con-
tribution to the social, spiritual,
cultural, economic and political
development of Trinidad and
Tobago.
The following officials were
elected for GOPIO at the interna-
tional level: President - Ashook
Ramsaran; Executive Vice
President - Sunny Kulathakal;
Senior Vice President - Dr. Piyush
Agrawal; International
Coordinator North America - Dr.
Renuka Misra; and International
Coordinator Caribbean, Dr.
Arnold Thomas. Chairman Inder
Singh was elected for another
term.
Remarked Inder Singh, This is
the best GOPIO convention since
its formation in 1989. Ramsaran
added that, this silver jubilee
convention is unparalleled in his-
torical significance, with the spe-
cial welcome, warmth and hospi-
tality of the people of Trinidad &
Tobago.
PM Kamla Persad Bissessar with (from left) her Minister Rodger Samuel,
Indian High Commissioner Gauri Gupta, and Ashook_Ramsaran.
Unveiling of Indian Arrival Monument by GOPIO President Ashook Ramsaran
and Indian High Commissioner Gauri Gupta.
GOPIO elected officials: Chairman Inder Singh, President
Ashook Ramsaran, Executive Vice President Sunny Kulathakal,
Senior Vice President Dr. Piyush Agrawal, International
Coordinator North America, Dr. Renuka Misra, and
International Coordinator Caribbean, Dr. Arnold Thomas.
Some of the Legacy Generation Residents of Trinidad & Tobago
at the unveiling of the Indian Arrival Monument
at Waterloo-by-the-Sea.
Jubilee Recognition recipients with GOPIO officials and dignitaries.
18 June 14-20, 2014 INDIAN DIASPORA TheSouthAsianTimes.info
DIASPORA 19 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Indo-Canadians charged
with honor killing, contest
extradition
Vancouver: A mother and an uncle of a wom-
anin Canada charged with "honor killing, have
appealed against their extradition to India,
media reported Tuesday.
A British Columbia court asked Malkit Sidhu,
65, and her brother Surjit Badesha, 69, last month
to surrender after the police found enough evi-
dence against the two to face trial, Vancouver
Desi reported. Jaswinder Sidhu was kidnapped
by a group of men June 8, 2000, while on visit in
Punjab. The 25-year-old was found dead the next
day in a canal, her throat slit. Sidhu's husband,
Sukhwinder Sidhu, was severely injured but sur-
vived in the same attack. The judge said that ev-
idence against Mlkit and Badesh included the
fact that Malkit felt her daughter had dishonored
the family by marrying someone the family was
opposed to. Neither Malkit nor Badesha made
any funeral arrangements for Jaswinder, inquired
after her body or attended her funeral, the judge
added. The sister-brother duo appealed on sever-
al grounds that it was inaccurate to find them
guilty of the crime. Malkit and Badesha were ar-
rested Jan 6, 2012, almost 12 years after
Jaswinder's body was pulled out of the canal.
Dubai: An expatriate Indi-
an has embarked on a first-
time challenge of cultivat-
ing rice in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), a media
report said.
Sudhish Kumar, 41, who
entered the Limca Book of
Records for growing the
longest okra(41.91cm), and
the smallest as well
(3.81cm), has been waiting
for the harvest of the staple
crop that he cultivated in the desert-like
climate of UAE, different from the warm
and damp climate necessary to its
growth, Gulf News reported Wednesday.
Kumar, a commerce graduate with no
formal qualification in agriculture, said
careful planning has helped him address
the concerns.
"Rice has not been grown as a crop in
the UAE and there have been several
failed attempts in places like Al Ain. If
and when my current crop harvests, it
will be a first in the country," the report
quoted Sudhish Kumar, who hails from
Thrissur in the south Indian state of Ker-
ala, as saying. Rice is normally grown as
an annual crop, the cultivation of which
is labor-intensive and re-
quires ample water.
"I do everything by my-
self and that means
spending three-four hours
of my time everyday to
make up for the required
man hours. Just sowing
about 1,300 seeds took
me almost a day," Kumar
added.
According to Kumar,
who also grows brinjal,
cauliflower, cabbage, okra, tomatoes for
private consumption, a bed of cement un-
derneath the crop would prevent the wa-
ter from draining.
Kumar has been working as a supervi-
sor at the Sharjah Electricity and Water
Authority.
"Organic farming is the key to healthy
living and we must encourage it at all
levels," said the man who claims to be an
"accidental" farmer.
The father of two, who has won sever-
al awards, including a trophy from the In-
dian Association in Sharjah, is also culti-
vating wheat for the first time and hoping
for the crop to harvest next month, the re-
port said.
London: Unidentified vandals
have defaced the statue of Mahat-
ma Gandhi in Britain's Leicester
and engraved it with the slogans re-
ferring to anti-Sikh violence in In-
dia, a media report said.
Vandals daubed the words, "Nev-
er forget 84" and "We want justice
#84" in large letters on two sides at
the base of the statue, Leicester
Mercury reported Sunday.
Leicester City Council workers
removed the graffiti from the plinth
of the bronze monument Sunday
morning.
Police have launched an investi-
gation into the incident and have
been treating it as criminal damage.
Indian-origin MP from Leicester
East in England's East Midlands,
Keith Vaz said the culprits should
be "absolutely ashamed of them-
selves."
"People come from all over the
world to pray at this statue and to
daub it with graffiti which is polit-
ical is an act of vandalism," the re-
port quoted Vaz as saying.
Surinder Pal, general secretary of
the East Park Road Gurdwara, said
he did not think anyone should be
resorting to acts like this.
Ottawa: Canadian police has
charged two Americans and one
British businessman of Indian ori-
gin with trying to bribe Indian offi-
cials to secure a $100 million con-
tract with Air India for a biometric
security system.
British national Shailesh Govin-
dia, and Americans Robert Barra,
former chief executive officer of
Cryptometrics Canada Inc, and
Dario Berini, the company's former
chief operating officer were
charged Wednesday after an inter-
national investigation, according to
Ottawa Citizen.
Canada-wide warrants have been
issued for all three accused after
they were charged by the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
under the Corruption of Foreign
Public Officials Act.
The first part of the investigation
led to the conviction of Ottawa
businessman Nazir Karigar, an
agent working for the security com-
pany, Ottawa Citizen reported.
Karigar was sentenced to three
years in jail in May. Evidence pre-
sented at trial revealed an agree-
ment to pay millions of dollars in
bribes to Indian officials in order to
secure a contract with Air India, the
newspaper said citing police.
Karigar was the first person con-
victed under Canada's foreign anti-
corruption law, which came into ef-
fect in 1999, it said. Prior convic-
tions under the act were made
against corporations, not individu-
als, after guilty pleas.
The second part of the investiga-
tion focused on the activities of
Barra and Berini.
"We have a mandate to investi-
gate domestic and international al-
legations of corruption of foreign
public officials," Gilles Michaud,
RCMP's assistant commissioner of
the national division was quoted as
saying in a statement.
"This investigation demonstrates
the RCMP's commitment to com-
bating international corruption.
Leaving these crimes unchallenged
can jeopardize Canada's reputation
as a fair and transparent society,"
he said.
Gandhi statue vandalized
in Britain
1,800 trained Indian nurses
recruited in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh: The Saudi Arabia health ministry
has recruited 1,800 Indian nurses to work
in various government hospitals, a media
report said.
The new nurses would assume their
duties within a month after completing
their recruitment procedures, the Saudi
Gazette quoted Ilham Sindi, director of the
ministry's nursing department, as telling
the Makkah daily Wednesday.
The nurses would be coming from India
on a renewable contract of one year. Three
hundred more would come from the
Philippines, Sindi said.
The nurses, with graduate and postgrad-
uate degrees, have been recruited for being
"highly qualified and experienced."
Sindi said the new nurses would be a
real asset to the ministry's medical cadres
and would fill vacancies in a number of
government hospitals.
"There will be no shortage of nurses any
more," she added.
Sindi, a member of the selection com-
mittee that recently visited New Delhi and
Manila, said more nurses from the two
countries would be contracted if there was
need for them, the report said.
Indian expatriate grows rice in UAE desert
Sudhish Kumar
The Gandhi statue in Leicester
which was vandalized
Indian-origin hoteliers
among 'named and
shamed' UK employers
London: In its crackdown on mini-
mum wage violations, the British
government Sunday ' named and
shamed' an Indian-origin family duo,
along with 24 other employers, who
failed to pay their staff the national
minimum wage, a media report said.
Satwinder Singh Khatter and
Tejinder Singh Khatter, owner of
The Bath Hotel in Reading in
Britain's Berkshire, neglected to pay
1,237.79 pounds (around $2081) to
two of its workers, Evening
Standard reported Sunday. A total of
25 employers were named, including
a hire company, a hairdresser, a hotel
and a retail outlet. Between them,
they owe workers more than 43,000
pounds in arrears, and face fines
totaling over 21,000 pounds, the
report said. It is the biggest number
of employers publicly named since
last year. The Government also plans
to increase fines, so that an employer
underpaying 10 workers could face
penalties of up to 200,000 pounds.
The national minimum wage in
Britain is currently 6.31 pounds an
hour for adults and will be raised to
6.50 pounds from October.
Canadian police charges three in
Air India bribery case
SUBCONTINENT 20 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
China, Bangladesh pledge to build
economic corridor
Beijing: China and Bangladesh have
vowed to make joint efforts to build an eco-
nomic corridor linking Bangladesh, China,
India and Myanmar.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Wajed here Tuesday and both pledged to
make joint efforts to build an economic cor-
ridor linking Bangladesh, China, India, and
Myanmar.
"Bangladesh is an important country
along the Maritime Silk Road," Xinhua
quoted Xi as saying during the meeting,
noting that China welcomes the
Bangladeshi side's participation in the con-
struction of the Silk Road Economic Belt
and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road,
while pushing ahead with the economic
corridor.
The moves will help to build a communi-
ty of shared interests between China and
Bangladesh, and benefit the people of the
two countries and the region at large, the
Chinese leader said.
Echoing Xi's proposal on the belt and
maritime route, Wajed said the four-nation
economic corridor is of great significance
for the development of South Asia and that
her country will play an active role in its
construction.
The two sides, a joint statement said,
recognised that the development of the cor-
ridor would constitute an important vehicle
to complement various regional connectivi-
ty initiatives and provide an important
avenue for strengthening cooperation and
sustainable development.
China and Bangladesh agreed to remain
actively engaged towards the development
of the corridor along with other countries,
and expressed their hope of realising mutu-
ally beneficial and result-oriented coopera-
tion among the four countries, said the
statement.
Washington: Condemning the deadly mili-
tant attack on Karachi airport that left 28
dead, the US has offered Pakistan assistance
in investigating the crime, but at this point
was not concerned about the safety of
Islamabad's nuclear arsenal.
"We have offered assistance to the rele-
vant Pakistani authorities investigating this
crime," State Department spokesperson
Marie Harf told reporters in response to a
question about US support in the wake of
the attack.
Asked if after the Karachi attack, the US
was concerned about the safety and security
of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, Harf said there
had been no discussions on the issue.
But "we believe the Pakistani Government
understands the importance of protecting all
of its arsenal, including things related to its
nuclear programme," she said.
"We know that they care about this a great
deal and have no reason at this point to
think it's anything but safe."
Expressing concern about different groups
operating there, including the Pakistani
Taliban, Harf said; "We do know the
Pakistani Government has a responsibility
and an obligation to protect its citizens and
to take appropriate counter-terrorism meas-
ures."
Asked if Pakistan should continue
airstrikes in the country's North Waziristan
region that according to Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) prompted the attack, Harf
declined to comment "one way or the other
on all of the specific airstrikes."
"But we do think that they (Pakistanis)
have a responsibility to do so."
The spokesperson said she was "not mak-
ing a judgment one way or the other on the
efficacy of continuing airstrikes or what the
Pakistani Government should do next."
"Just broadly speaking, we have supported
the Pakistani Government as they've under-
taken counter-terrorism efforts because it's a
fight we certainly share."
"Terrorist groups like the TTP should stop
attacking innocent civilians," she said when
asked about the call for a ceasefire.
"The Pakistani Government has a respon-
sibility to protect their people and that
there's no equivalency between the two in
any way," Harf said.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post in a
report from Islamabad said "The deadly
assault on Karachi's international airport
shows the growing sophistication of the
Pakistani Taliban."
The militant group "has an increasing
presence in the country's largest city and
appears poised to inflict further damage
despite a split in its ranks," it said citing
government leaders and analysts.
In a commentary on CNN, Imtiaz Gul
head of the independent Centre for Research
and Security Studies, and author of the book
"The Most Dangerous Place," said the
attack was "a reminder of the massive secu-
rity challenge that comes from affiliates of
Al Qaeda holed up in the mountainous
Pakistan-Afghanistan border terrain."
Islamabad: The Airport Security Force
(ASF) Academy's camp near the Karachi
international airport came under attack from
heavily-armed Taliban gunmen within a day
of a terror siege that ended in a toll of 30,
media reports said.
The militants later fled the ASF Academy's
camp after a brief gun battle, Dawn Online
reported.
The attack on the ASF Academy's camp
No.2, near Karachi's Jinnah International
Airport, took place within a day of an auda-
cious strike Sunday night at the airport, in
which 20 people and 10 militants were killed.
An official confirmed that there were no
casualties in the latest attack.
He said the airport was secure and opera-
tions resumed after a brief suspension.
The official said two attackers opened fire
near the ladies hostel near D gate, which is
located behind the ASF camp.
"The ASF checkpost is about 100 metres
from the scene. We were informed of the
incident by our sentry posted there," the offi-
cial said.
The number of attackers could be between
four and seven, he added.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, who
claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack,
also claimed responsibility for the ASF camp
attack Tuesday.
Pakistani Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan
told parliament that the objective of terrorist
attack on Karachi airport was to target air-
craft and take hostages.
Making a statement in the National
Assembly, he said the attackers appeared to
be foreigners, Xinhua reported.
He said the CCTV grabs showed that the
10 heavily armed terrorists were tall and fair.
Rejecting the opposition's criticism of the
law and order situation, he said six intelli-
gence alerts were issued to the Sindh provin-
cial government since last November.
The National Assembly later unanimously
passed a resolution strongly condemning the
airport attack.
The resolution paid rich tribute to the
Pakistani Army, police, paramilitary Rangers
and Airport Security Force for successfully
countering the attack and eliminating the ter-
rorists. Leaders belonging to different politi-
cal parties paid glowing tributes to the securi-
ty personnel for demonstrating preparedness
and gallantry to foil the attack on old Karachi
airport, Radio Pakistan reported.
They assured that the opposition parties
stand by the government on security issues
and matters of national interests, the report
said.
Terrorists storm Karachi airport twice, 30 dead
The objective of terrorist attack on Karachi airport was to target
aircraft and take hostages.
State Department spokesperson
Marie Harf
US not worried about safety of
Pakistan's nukes
Find solution to Sri Lankan
attacks on fishermen: Karuna
Chennai: DMK president M. Karunanidhi
urged the central government to find a per-
manent solution to the problem of the Sri
Lankan Navy attacking Indian fishermen. In
a statement issued here, Karunanidhi said the
arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan
Navy is a continuing story. Citing the recent
arrest of 82 Indian fishermen by the neigh-
boring nation's navy, Karunanidhi said it was
expected the attacks and arrests would stop
once the BJP-led government assumed office
at the centre but these continue. He said the
central government headed by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi should find a per-
manent solution to the fishermen's problem.
Kabul has concrete leads to Indian
aid worker's kidnapping
New Delhi: Afghanistan has "certain con-
crete leads" on the kidnapping of Indian aid
worker Alexis Prem Kumar in Herat
province four days ago and has shared them
with India, the external affairs ministry said.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed
Akbaruddin said that Kabul is sharing details
with New Delhi related to the kidnapping of
Alexis. The 47-year-old Alexis of the NGO
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), was abducted
from Zendjan district Monday while he was
visiting a project site.
Alexis was visiting a school for Afghan
refugee children and had just returned from a
trip to Iran and Pakistan.
INTERNATIONAL
By Prakash Bhandari
Kabul (Afghanistan) This trouble-torn
nation is witnessing a no-holds-barred
showdown between the two front-runners
Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani
Ahmadzai to succeed President Hamid
Karzai. On June 14 is the second round of
the runoff between the two candidates as
neither managed to get the mandatory 50
percent votes. Abdullah escaped an apparent
assassination attempt when his convoy was
bombed. Kabul is quiet and mutely watch-
ing the election with posters, festoons and
banners of both Abdullah and Ghani seen on
main roads.
The only common thing between the
recent Lok Sabha election in India and the
one that is taking place in this mountainous
country is corruption and poor governance.
The people of Afghanistan too are keen for a
change.
Abdullah led in the first run-off and is a
hot favorite to win the election. But what is
to be seen is whether he can survive the
horse-trading and political corruption in the
post-election phase. Meanwhile people are
praying in the entire Afghanistan for the
runoff to be smooth and the transition
smoother.
This writer is not allowed much move-
ment in the city because of the security
necessitated by the threat from Taliban to
disrupt the run-off . The Karachi airport ter-
ror attack has worsened the situation with
more and more paramilitary jeeps guarding
the city and the foreigners asked to stay in
their hotel rooms or are suggested to leave
the country.
Afghanistan is rated as the world's most
corrupt country even as the United States
spent over $100 billion here since 2002.The
US is likely to keep its troops in the country
till 2016, which is likely to influence the
decision making in the new government
also. Both Abdullah and Ghani thus will
have to keep Uncle Sam in good humor.
Abdullah is part ethnic Tajik and part
Pashtun and a trained eye specialist. He was
Karzai's foreign minister, but resigned in
2005 and contested against Karzai in 2009
but could get only 30% votes. In April, he
polled 45% that show he is going to be the
likely choice of the people.
Ghani, a Pashtun, is a former World Bank
employee who served as finance minister
under Karzai and is known for his domestic
reforms. He could get only 31.5 percent
votes in the first round and is considered an
underdog.
Karzai had supported Zalmay Rassoul
Sayyaf, who is now backing Abdullah. In
addition, around 150 MPs have declared
their support for Abdullah, as has Mahmoud
Karzai, the controversial Karzai brother
closely associated with the Bank of Kabul
scandal in which nearly $1 billion went
missing in 2010.
While critics worry about horse trading,
others say this is how Afghan politics works.
The trick is to manage the alliances and not
let the country fall back into violent war-
lordism and civil war.
The winner this time faces an uphill task
to not only ensure political stability but also
strengthen the fledgling economy which is
largely depending on international aid.The
next President will also have to deal with the
entrenched Taliban insurgency, and neither
of the two candidates appears particularly
more capable than the other in how to
approach it.
World watches as Afghan presidential poll enters second runoff
21 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
US gives out
first commercial
license to fly
drone over land'
Washington: The US has given
a commercial license to a firm to
fly a drone over land for the first
time, in an important step
towards broader commercial use
of the unmanned aircraft.
The approval was given by the
Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) to energy giant BP and
unmanned aircraft system
(UAS) builder AeroVironment
to fly an AeroVironment Puma
AE for aerial surveys in Alaska.
This is for the first time that
the FAA has authorized a com-
mercial UAS operation over
land.
"These surveys on Alaska's
North Slope are another impor-
tant step toward broader com-
mercial use of unmanned air-
craft," the Transportation
Secretary Anthony Foxx said.
"The technology is quickly
changing and the opportunities
are growing," he said.
FAA, in a statement, said it
issued a Certificate of Waiver or
Authorization to survey BP
pipelines, roads and equipment
at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the
largest oilfield in the US.
AeroVironment performed the
first flight for BP on June 8.
Abdullah Abdullah (left) has an edge over Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai to emerge as
a successor to President Hamid Karzai.
Moscow: Russia is ready to support Ukrainian President
Petro Poroshenkon's bid for persuading all sides to sit
down for talks, and welcomes his decision on creating
humanitarian corridors, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov said.
The remarks were made as foreign ministers of
Russia, Germany and Poland held consultations Tuesday
on how to settle the Ukraine crisis.
A joint statement was released afterwards, detailing
the approaches based on the Joint April 17 Geneva
Agreement on the Ukraine crisis and the roadmap of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation Europe.
"We support the agreements fixed in the Geneva state-
ment and the OSCE roadmap. We hope that Ukraine's
President Petro Poroshenko who proclaimed the task of
ending the conflict and finding a way out of the crisis is
going to act in this direction, " Lavrov said.
The minister also welcomed Poroshenko's decision to
create humanitarian corridors for refugees in southeast
Ukraine. We have heard that Poroshenko has
announced the intention to create humanitarian corridors
for the residents in Ukraine's southeast regions who
want to leave. We welcome this move. This is a step in
the right direction," he said.
By Prakash
Bhandari
W
ashi ngt on
is closely
wa t c hi ng
the presidential elec-
tion in Afghanistan,
which may see a nail-
biting finish. Its the
third election in a row
for the country, where
democracy, however
fragile, does exist.
America is franti-
cally waiting for the
conclusion of the
election and for the
next government to
ink the security pact, which
would allow the US to keep
some troops in certain base
camps of Afghanistan.
Karzai had not relented on
this. President Obama is left
with no option but to pin
his hopes on the new presi-
dent.
The two front-running
candidates have not
expressed opposition to the
US security deal, but they
may impose strict condi-
tions for their local image
building, thus severely
weakening the pact. With
their once-blue-eyed boy
Karzai ditching them at this
stage, the US cannot take
things for granted anymore
in Kabul.
Other countries, too, have
high stakes in the Afghan
election. Islamabad must be
worried with the prospect
of Abdullah Abdullah
emerging as the front-run-
ner. He represents Northern
Alliance and the legacy of
the late lion of Panjsher,
Ahmad Shah Massoud who
resisted and waged a lone
battle against the Taliban
till his last breath. Abdullah
is not going to give a long
rope to ISI to meddle with
the peace process in
Afghanistan.
Under Ashraf Ghani, a
shrewd economist, develop-
ment would continue, with
an increased focus on eco-
nomic consolidation. The
Taliban would continue to
inflict damage every now
and then. It is remote but
possible that some of the
moderate Taliban leaders
may give up their arms and
abide by the constitutions
under the fold of the peace
process.
Fears looms that the ele-
vation of Abdullah
Abdullah may derail the
ongoing peace process.
Northern Alliance would be
seriously uncomfortable in
sharing power with the
Taliban to politically
accommodate them, said
Sujeet Sarkar, who worked
for the Aga Khan
Foundation.
Karzai squandered much
goodwill with the United
States, bringing to an all-
time low Kabuls relations
with its largest provider of
civilian and military assis-
tance.
Political observers
believe he is trying to
ensure that Afghans
remember him as a fearless
nationalist.
Russia favors Ukraine for
future peace talks: Lavrov
America wants security pact signed
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
America is frantically waiting for the conclusion of the elec-
tion and for the next government to ink the security pact.
BUSINESS 22 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Sahara group finally deposits
Rs 3000 crore with Sebi
New Delhi: Left with no option
but to comply with conditions
imposed by the Supreme Court
for release of group head Subrata
Roy and two directors, Sahara
has deposited Rs 3,007 crore
with market regulator Sebi.
The court on March 26 had
asked Sahara to deposit Rs 5,000
crore in cash and Rs 5,000 crore
through bank guarantee for
release of Roy and the two direc-
tors, who have been detained
since March 4 for continued non-
compliance of its August 31,
2012 judgment and subsequent
orders.
On June 4, the apex court had
reiterated the March 26 order but
allowed Sahara to operate bank
accounts and sale bonds and
securities to meet the pre-release
conditions.
Sahara sources said Rs 3,007
crore was mopped up from vari-
ous bank accounts and sale of
bonds and the amount was
deposited on Monday with the
market regulator.
"We are arranging the rest of
the money and the bank guaran-
tee," they said. With this, the
total amount deposited by Sahara
with Sebi touched Rs 8, 127
crore, of which Rs 5,127 crore
was deposited with the market
regulator by Sahara Real Estate
and Sahara Housing in December
2012.
Mumbai: The imminent weak
monsoon has dampened hopes of
a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of
India in the first half of financial
year 2015.
The Met department in its
revised forecast has said that this
year's monsoon will be around
93% of the long period average as
against its earlier forecast of 95%.
It also said that most of the coun-
try will face a deficit and forecast
70% chances of El Nino condi-
tions.
El Nino refers to the phenome-
non of warmer than usual ocean
temperatures that reduces
prospects of rain. Higher interest
rate is the only tool that the RBI
can use to keep prices under
check during the drought period.
Such rates make it difficult for
traders to hoard grains.
Before the revised monsoon
forecast there were some econo-
mists who believed that prices
could soften faster than expected
and the RBI might start reducing
rates towards the middle of the
year. Now the overwhelming
forecast is supporting a status quo
in rates.
According to a report by
Suvodeep Rakshit of Kotak
Mahindra Bank, the bank is opti-
mistic about government actions
to reduce food inflation. However,
the bank has forecast an extended
pause on the repo rate. "We con-
tinue to estimate that an El Nino-
induced drought poses a 50-75 bp
risk to our 5.4% FY15 growth
forecast," said Indranil Sen Gupta,
economist, DSP Merrill Lynch
(India), in a report.
Washington: The World Bank
projected India's growth at 5.5
percent in fiscal 2014-15, acceler-
ating to 6.3 percent in 2015-16
and 6.6 percent in 2016-17 as it
urged developing countries to
double down on domestic
reforms.
Subdued manufacturing activity
and a sharp slowing of investment
growth in India led to GDP
growth in South Asia as a whole
slowing to an estimated 4.7 per-
cent in market price terms in cal-
endar year 2013, the Bank said in
a new report.
The growth in South Asia was
2.6 percentage points below aver-
age growth in 2003-12, the World
Bank noted in its twice-yearly
Global Economic Prospects
report that also lowered projec-
tions for global economic out-
look. Firming global growth and a
modest pickup in industrial activi-
ty should help lift South Asia's
growth to 5.3 percent in 2014, ris-
ing to 5.9 percent in 2015 and 6.3
percent in 2016, it said
Most of the acceleration is
localised in India, supported by a
gradual pickup of domestic
investment and rising global
demand.
The World Bank, however, cau-
tioned that forecasts assume that
reforms are undertaken to ease
supply-side constraints (particu-
larly in energy and infrastructure)
and to improve labour productivi-
ty, fiscal consolidation continues,
and a credible monetary policy
stance is maintained.
"The financial health of
economies has improved. With
the exception of China and
Russia, stock markets have done
well in emerging economies,
notably, India and Indonesia,"
said Kaushik Basu, Senior Vice
President and Chief Economist at
the World Bank.
"But we are not totally out of
the woods yet," he said. "A grad-
ual tightening of fiscal policy and
structural reforms are desirable to
restore fiscal space depleted by
the 2008 financial crisis."
"In brief, now is the time to pre-
pare for the next crisis," Basu
said. Developing countries are
headed for a year of disappointing
growth, as first quarter weakness
in 2014 has delayed an expected
pick-up in economic activity, the
Bank said.
The Bank has lowered its fore-
casts for developing countries to
4.8 percent this year, down from
its January estimate of 5.3 per-
cent. Bad weather in the US, the
crisis in Ukraine, rebalancing in
China, political strife in several
middle-income economies, slow
progress on structural reform, and
capacity constraints are all con-
tributing to a third straight year of
sub 5 percent growth for the
developing countries as a whole,
it said. The global economy is
expected to pick up speed as the
year progresses and is projected
to expand by 2.8 percent this year,
strengthening to 3.4 and 3.5 per-
cent in 2015 and 2016, respec-
tively.
The global economy is expected to pick up speed as the year
progresses and is projected to expand by 2.8 percent this year
Trade deficit at
$11.23 billion in May
New Delhi: India's trade deficit
declined to $11.23 billion in May from
$19.37 billion reported in the corre-
sponding month of 2013-14, due to a
drop in non-oil imports including that
of gold.
The trade deficit for the period of
April-May 2014-15 stood at $21.32
billion, which was lower than $37.04
billion during the corresponding
months of last fiscal.
According to data released by the
commerce ministry here, India's
exports rose by 12.40 percent to
$27.99 billion during the month under
review from $24.91 billion reported in
the corresponding month of last fiscal.
However, imports dipped by 11.41
percent to $39.23 billion, helping to
narrow trade deficit. The imports stood
at $44.28 billion in the corresponding
month of 2013-14.
Oil imports rose by 2.5 percent to
$14.46 billion in May from $14.11 bil-
lion during the like period of last fis-
cal, while non-oil imports slumped by
17.9 percent to $24.76 billion from
$30.16 billion shipped-in during
May 2013.
India set to grow at 5.5 percent: World Bank
With this, the total amount deposited by Sahara with Sebi
touched Rs 8,127 crore
Weak monsoon dims hopes
of rate cut by RBI
SPORTS 23 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Spain, Brazil favorites as soccer world cup begins
New Delhi: Indian
cricket board president
N. Srinivasan can go
ahead with contesting
the election for ICC
president as the
Supreme Court declined
to entertain a plea by
Cricket Association of
Bihar to restrain him
from joining the poll.
Declining to pass any
order, the apex court
bench of Justice J.S.
Khehar and Justice C.
Nagappan said the earlier
order of the court was
clear and there was no conflict. The court
was referring to an apex court order by
which it appointed legendary cricketer Sunil
Gavaskar as the interim president of the
Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) to look after Indian Premier League-
2014 and had asked the BCCI senior vice
president Shiv Lal Yadav to look after other
affairs of the board. The court has divested
Srinivasan from functioning as the BCCI
president in the wake of the allegation of
betting and spot-fixing against several peo-
ple, including some cricketers and his son-
in-law Gurunath Meiyappan.
Sao Paulo: Defending champions Spain and
hosts Brazil start as favourites for the 2014
FIFA World Cup crown but South American
giants Argentina and new kids on the block
Belgium can spring a few surprises.
An ageing squad and hosts Brazil are
Spain's biggest troublesome areas and over-
coming these two factors will decide if the
Spaniards can become the third country after
Italy and Brazil to retain their World Cup
crown.
Spain, however, have been off the boil for
some time. They were completely outclassed
by hosts Brazil in the final of the 2013 FIFA
Confederations Cup and lost to minnows like
South Africa in international friendlies.
Their narrow, lacklustre victories over
sides like Belarus and Equatorial Guinea
showed they were not the side that took the
world by storm in the Euro 2008, World Cup
2010 and the Euro 2012, making them the
only national team with three consecutive
wins of either the continental championship
or the World Cup.
With the likes of Neymar, Oscar and
Willian in the side, few would bet against
Brazil topping Group A and going a long
way into the tournament.
Playing at home will also play a major role
with six countries lifting the title when they
have hosted the tournament.
Brazil also comes into football's showpiece
event with some momentum behind them
after winning the FIFA Confederations Cup.
They outclassed defending World and Euro
champions Spain 3-0 in the final.
However, protests in the country and the
team being booed in their final warm-up
game will have a negative effect on the host
nation.
Messi and Co. have somehow kept them-
selves away from the limelight and that is a
good thing for a team increasingly looking
like tournament favorites. Messi scored in
Argentina's final warm-up game and the
team seemed to be gelling well.
With the World Cup happening in their
backyard, the Argentine players will be lick-
ing their lips having to play in familiar con-
ditions.
Four years ago in South Africa, Diego
Maradona was at the helm of the team and
his boisterous and attention grabbing attitude
only had an adverse effect on the team.
Messi's poor form and injury struggles for
his club Barcelona this season has also lifted
some weight of the diminutive forward's
shoulders.
With few talking about Argentina as tour-
nament favourites this is when the white and
blue stripes will be at their most dangerous.
Not France, not England, not the
Netherlands -- Europe's best chance, barring
the ever-reliable Germany, of winning the
crown could be dark horses Belgium.
Belgium qualified for the World Cup in an
emphatic fashion by recording a national
record of seven successive wins during an
unbeaten campaign.
They won eight matches out of 10 and
drew two to top the qualification group. The
team gave a series of controlled and power-
ful displays throughout the qualifying, where
their defence was extremely disciplined.
If Portugal have Cristiano Ronaldo,
Argentina have Messi, Brazil have Neymar,
the Belgians have probably the best young
player in the team -- Eden Hazard.
Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini
and Manchester City's Vincent Kompany are
two players who are also expected to come
good for Belgium.
If Portugal have Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina have Messi, Brazil have Neymar,
the Belgians have probably the best young player in the team -- Eden Hazard.
Pinehurst (North Carolina,
US): Asian Tour legend
Thongchai Jaidee steps into his
fourth US Open appearance this
week (June 12-15) eager to final-
ly stamp his mark on the Major
stage.
The decorated Thai star, the
only man to win three Asian Tour
Order of Merit crowns, arrives at
Pinehurst No.2 with his confi-
dence sky-high after securing a
play-off victory at the Nordea
Masters over Frenchman Victor
Dubuisson and Scotsman
Stephen Gallacher in Sweden two
weeks ago.
His second triumph on
European soil was the perfect preparation
ahead of the years second Major for the 44-
year-old, who is determined to cement his
place in golfing folklore following an illustri-
ous career which has seen him win 13 Asian
Tour titles.
A return to the US Open also brings back
fond memories for Thongchai as he made his
Major debut at the event back in 2001, the
same year he became Asias number one for
the first time.
It was good to win (in Sweden). It was a
special week, said Thongchai, the first man
to hit $5 million in career earnings on the
Asian Tour earlier this season.
I will try my best for a good week. All
you need is a good week to win. You never
know in golf who will win. When we tee up
now, we feel we have a chance like everyone
else to win any tournament, added the world
number 37. Thongchai has also registered
three other top-10s, including a tied sixth fin-
ish at the World Golf Championships-
Cadillac Championship in the US.
He was also joint 37th at the Masters
Tournament in April which completed his
mission to make the cut in all four Majors.
His best Major finish remains a tied 13th out-
ing at the British Open in 2009.
The former paratrooper also captained
Team Asia to a memorable come-from-
behind 10-10 draw with Europe in the inau-
gural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-
HICOM in Malaysia where he beat former
US Open champion Graeme McDowell in
the singles. Chinas Liang Wen-chong,
Indias Shiv Kapur and Koreas Kim Hyung-
sung, who was part of the EurAsia Cup team,
will also feature in the US Open along with
Asian Tour honorary members Ernie Els and
Y.E. Yang, the first Asian male golfer to win
a Major title.
Thongchai seeks major
breakthrough at US Open
Asian Tour legend Thongchai Jaidee
Mumbai: Batsmen Manoj Tiwary and Robin Uthappa will captain the India A sides in
their tour of Australia which will comprise two four-day matches and a limited overs
quadrangular series. The All-India Senior Selection Committee picked the teams here
Wednesday for the July-August tour, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secre-
tary Sanjay Patel said in a statement. Bengal cricketer Tiwary will lead the team in two
four-day games against Australia A from July 6-9 and 13-17 in Brisbane. Back on the
national scene with a fantastic Indian Premier League (IPL) season where he was the top
scorer, Uthappa will lead India A in the quadrangular series. The series will feature South
Africa A, Australia A and Cricket Australias National Performance Squad and will be
played from July 20-31 in Darwin and Palmerston.
Tiwary, Uthappa to lead India A in Australia
Srinivasan can contest
election for ICC president: SC
Indian cricket board president N. Srinivasan
LIFESTYLE
L
ove ready-to-eat oat cereal in
breakfast but do not get that
feeling of "fullness"? Switch
to instant oatmeal.
A serving of instant oatmeal is
more filling than a ready-to-eat
(RTE), oat-based cereal, a new
research shows.
"Eating a bowl of instant oatmeal
for breakfast is more satiating and
helps manage hunger better than the
same amount of calories from a lead-
ing oat-based, cold cereal, even when
consumed in smaller portions, "
researchers said.
The unique characteristics of oat-
meal have a significant impact on
fullness and desire to eat even when
matched for calories and ingredients
(oats) with another breakfast option.
"We found instant oatmeal to be
more effective at suppressing
appetite compared to the cold cereal,
even with a smaller serving size and
less calories than previously investi-
gated," said Frank Greenway from
the Pennington Biomedical Research
Centre at Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
During his experiment, 43
healthy men and women completed
the randomized, controlled crossover
investigation over their breakfast
habits.
The results showed that when par-
ticipants ate instant oatmeal, they
reported less hunger compared to the
RTE cereal.
Instant oatmeal also provided
increased fullness and a reduced
desire to eat more.
Researchers state that the viscosity
of instant oatmeal was higher than
the RTE cereal which could explain
the differences in hunger and appetite
control.
"The new research demonstrates
that increased satiety is possible with
smaller portions and less calories
(150 calories) of instant oatmeal,"
Greenway added in a paper published
in the Nutrition Journal.
T
ravelling to interna-
tional destinations
for a holiday is the
flavor this summer
amongst Indians, according
to a new trend report.
Global travel search site
Skyscanner Tuesday
released a series of travel
trends, which show that
Indians are keen to escape
from the scorching heat
and are turning to overseas
travel this summer season.
While international desti-
nations have seen a whop-
ping 101 percent growth in
volume searches, findings
for domestic destinations
have seen a rise of 60 per-
cent over January to April
2014 compared to the same
period last year, said a
statement. "Indians have
become more experimental when it
comes to travel this summer sea-
son. In the spirit of exploration,
they are looking for longer, more
expensive trips and are searching
for newer destinations, " said
Kavitha Gnanamurthy, senior mar-
keting manager, Skyscanner India.
Morocco, Bhutan, Greenland,
Thailand and UAE are Indians'
most popular summer holiday des-
tinations this year. Also, Croatia's
glamour and old-fashioned authen-
ticity makes it one of the most pop-
ular European countries amongst
Indians.
Skyscanner's data suggests that
Indian travelers are becoming
increasingly adventurous with their
travel choices.
Bhutan, a popular but remote
backpacking route located at the
eastern end of the Himalayas, has
witnessed a staggering 244 percent
increase in overall searches.
Another destination that has gained
traction amongst destination
searches is Morocco, witnessing a
261 percent increase in searches
compared to last year over the
same period.
Known for its Roman architec-
ture, serene coastal landscape and
mountains, Croatia emerged to be
one of the most searched European
countries with a year on year
growth of 152 percent.
Far Northern European countries
including Greenland and Iceland
emerged as exotic summer get-
away options with a 210 percent
year on year growth.
Within India, travelers are look-
ing at exploring destinations such
as Srinagar, Goa, Kochi and Port
Blair.
Skyscanner's trend conclusions
are based on consumer search data
for flights on the company's web-
site in between January and April
2013 and the same period in 2014.
Instant oatmeal in breakfast
manages hunger better
A
re you working
too hard and
saving a lot for
your retirement even
when you are not sure
that you would live that
long to enjoy all the
fortune that you have
accumulated?
Think again.
Researchers have found
that working a little less
and spending a little more early in life may be
good for some, as it curbs the inequality that
exists between the short- and long-lived.
"The only way in which inequalities between
short- and long-lived can be attenuated is by hav-
ing everyone spend a little more and work a little
less early in life," said Marc Fleurbaey, professor
at Princeton University in the US.
"That way, for those who are unlucky and die
prematurely, their life is not as bad economically
as it would be if they had planned to enjoy more
consumption and leisure later," Fleurbaey added.
The researchers constructed a mathematical
model that measured
the loss of an early
death in terms of an
equivalent loss in
income or consump-
tion.
To test their model,
they used data on
income and longevity
to examine four socio-
professional groups:
executives, profession-
als, blue-collar workers and clerks from age 20-
100.
Across the four groups, those who die at age 55
lose, on average, the equivalent of 40 percent of
income compared to those who live until age 85.
In sum, short lives result in big losses, compara-
ble to the gaps between socio-economic groups.
While the authors did not recommend that sav-
ings should be curbed, they argued that now,
thanks to growing affluence, there is an opposite
risk: not living long enough to enjoy all that
money squirreled away. The study appeared in the
Journal of Mathematical Economics.
24 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
D
esigners across the
globe are trying to
bring back the charm of
choker neckpieces, and are
positioning it as a "must-have
accessory" this season.
The last time choker necklace
grabbed attention was the Dolce
& Gabbana "Love" piece that
singer-turned-fashion designer
Victoria Beckham wore. Now,
Holly Fulton, Balmain and
Saint Laurent are some of the
designers who are focusing on
this accessory to ensure that all
eyes are drawn to the neck.
The trend is popular at red
carpet events too.
American actress Elle
Fanning wore one with her Elie
Saab Couture gown to the
world premiere of "Maleficent"
and recently, American socialite
Olivia Palermo wore a simple
gold choker to the CFDA
Fashion Awards 2014 in New
York, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
If you're planning to follow
the trend, just avoid wearing
them with fussy necklines.
Jewelry trend 2014: Chokers
Victoria Beckham sports
Dolce & Gabbana
Love choker
This water-repelling swimwear will
keep you dry
W
andering from one beach to another and having lunch in
between without changing the swimwear all along is now a
possibility. A Toronto-based entrepreneur has come up with a
range of swim trunks made from hydrophobic material - a fabric that
repels water.
"We were tired of having to change shorts every time you leave the
beach, having car seats soaked and not being able to go from the beach
to a restaurant," Franky Shaw, who created the swim suits, was quoted
as saying.
The researchers came up with a polyester-blend hydrophobic nano-
material technology that could keep the swimwears dry.
The technology works by bonding billions of nanoparticles to individ-
ual fibres on a microscopic level.
When water-based liquids hit the surface of this material they form a
150-degree sphere and roll off, the Daily Mail reported.
Indians are traveling to as far as Morocco this year
Foreign holiday preferred choice for
Indians this summer: Survey
Spend a little more early and live
life to the fullest
25 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info EDUCATION
Radiophone changes lives of rural children in India
By Hiral Dholakia-Dave
S
esame Workshop India (SWI),
the organization behind Galli
Galli Sim Sim (GGSS), the
popular educational TV show, on
June 3 shared the impact of its out-
reach program initiative The
Radiophone Project that began in
2011. The event - Hello
Tomorrow- Technology and
Storytelling, Together Changing
Rural Childrens Lives, showcased
how this project used GGSSs educa-
tional content by combining easily
available technology and storytelling
to uplift learning levels among chil-
dren in rural regions of India, espe-
cially in areas that were beyond the
reach of television.
The Radiophone Projects goal was
to reach disenfranchised children and
caregivers in North and Central
India. The Project achieved this by
leveraging the equity of community
radio, combining it with telephone-
based systems to bring quality early
childhood learning experiences.
Under this project, 90 GGSS radio
episodes in Hindi were broadcast
across 10 community radio stations
in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, UP,
MP and Uttarakhand. Each of these
episodes had messages around lan-
guage and literacy, maths and rea-
soning, health and nutrition, environ-
mental awareness, social and emo-
tional health. The project also lever-
aged the popularity and growing use
of mobile phones in the community
to increase access to GGSS radio
show. GGSS radio episodes proved
to be an effective learning medium
for The Projects close to one and
half million listeners. A radio show
cannot change societal norms
overnight, but undoubtedly, the
GGSS radio episodes broadcast on
the community radio stations has had
significant impact in places where
children and their families had little
or no exposure to outside informa-
tion and are considered media dark
areas. Research revealed:
Literacy and language wit-
nessed significant gains as children
exposed to GGSS content showed
more than thrice as much improve-
ment in vocabulary and storytelling
ability.
Meaningful transformation in
practices and behaviors at the indi-
vidual, the family and the communi-
ty level including increased commu-
nity participation towards childrens
learning and growth.
It succeeded in addressing a
need, improve learning outcomes
amongst children and create a sus-
tained listenership within the com-
munity, in a short span of 24 months.
Speaking on the occasion, Supriya
Sahu, Jt. Secretary (Broadcasting),
Ministry of I&B, said, Community
Radio movement in India has taken
deep roots. With more than 170 oper-
ating community radio stations and
more than 200 in the pipeline, the
CR sector in India is the largest net-
work in South Asia. CR is well posi-
tioned to take childrens radio con-
tent in a productive way. There is a
dearth of good quality content for
children in India in local languages
and dialect. Projects like
Radiophone can significantly
improve the quality of content for
children in local Indian languages.
SWI along with its participating
community radio stations, technolo-
gy partners Gramvaani, Research
partner Ideosync Media Combine
shared the overall content, program,
technology and research design as
well as highlighted key learning and
impact through the project.
Sashwati Banerjee, MD of Sesame
Workshop India said: We are proud
to have amalgamated technology and
storytelling techniques to make
learning more effective and engag-
ing. Leveraging the equity of
Community Radio in a country
where majority of the population still
lives in media dark areas, can help
reduce the huge economic disparity
between rural-urban populations of
India. However, this medium has not
seen the same kind of development
as other radio platforms. We believe
that this is an innovative and sustain-
able model that can be replicated to
bring quality early learning experi-
ences to disadvantaged children
across India.
In fact, the power and reach of CR
stations works well in serving both
the community as well as mar-
keters/brands to explore and know
about areas that otherwise would
have been left unexplored.
The Galli Galli Sim Sim
Radiophone project was a finalist at
the World Innovation Summit for
Education (WISE) awards. WISE is
an initiative of the Qatar Foundation.
Galli Galli Sim Sim is a recip-
ient of the All Children Reading: A
Grand Challenge for Development
grant. Presented by USAID and its
partners World Vision and AusAID
during an International Literacy Day
celebration at USAID headquarters
in Washington, DC, Galli Galli Sim
Sim was among three recipients to
win an award.
Through community radio stations reaches out to 1.4 m people in
media-dark areas. Study proves children exposed to Galli Galli Sim
Sim modeled on Sesame Street showed more than thrice as much
improvement in vocabulary and storytelling ability.
Listeners tuned in to the voices of the Gali Gali Sim Sim TV shows
popular characters, which drew both children and caregivers alike into
the program through stories, songs and games. Every broadcast took
relevant content and presented it in a fun and accessible way. For
instance, in the episode Shik Shik, characters eat corn with great
enjoyment and then have a Manjan (brushing teeth) Break when they
brush their teeth and extol the advantages of good hygiene. In Fairy
Breakfast, Chamki and Googly perform magic by turning cricket balls
into footballs, bringing mangoes down from trees, and, in a triumphant
move, showing how breakfast can magically fix tiredness and distrac-
tion. In Road Safety, characters discuss how to safely cross the road
in order to get to a fair.
26 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SELF HELP
I
t's no wonder gardening is growing in pop-
ularity, as it offers a wealth of physical and
mental health benefits.
More than 2 million households were added
to the ranks of Americans doing gardening
over the previous year, according to the recent-
ly released 2013 survey from the National
Gardening Association.
Here are some of the many ways gardening
can potentially improve your health:
Harvest: One of those most important bene-
fits of gardening is the harvest itself. Consider
incorporating vegetables into your gardening
repertoire. The food you grow will taste way
better than the store bought variety. And since
you can pick your tomatoes, carrots, squash
and herbs when they are actually ripe, they
will contain more nutrients as well.
Since you can regulate the way you grow
your own vegetables, consider skipping the
pesticides and opt for natural alternatives
instead.
Exercise: You can burn upwards of 150
calories by gardening for 30-45 minutes.
Regular physical activity can help you regulate
weight and reduce your risk for diseases like
diabetes and heart disease.
Just be sure to take some safety precautions
so you don't stress your back. New ergonomic
tools can help support safer gardening. For
example, the EZ Leaf Hauler, functions like a
giant dust pan for leaves, so you can rake
leaves directly into it before transport. With
built-in handles, hauling is quick and easy on
your back. Already using a tarp to drag your
haul? Make it simple by clipping EZ Tarp
Tugger handles to it. More information can be
found at www.EZlawnandgarden.com.
Go Green: Also think of the health of the
planet. When hauling mulch, leaves, weeds
and yard debris, skip the gas-guzzling leaf
blower and opt for manual options.
Reduce the waste you create while garden-
ing by packing more leaves into bags.
Breaking them down first can help you bag
them more efficiently and ultimately use fewer
bags. And remember to compost your kitchen
waste to reduce your landfill contribution and
improve your soil.
Gardening is a great and healthy way to
spend an afternoon, but remember that when
you're out in the sun to take breaks often,
hydrate frequently and wear sunscreen. Also,
consider tools that can help you prevent over-
use injuries.
S
ummer is here, and though cooler
weather activities can be a blast, many
experienced outdoor adventurers and
weekend warriors alike look forward to warm
weather to truly rev up their engines.
Ever since 1986, each June has been affec-
tionately referred to as Great Outdoors
Month, enticing thousands of adventurers to
thaw out after a long winter and kick-start
their summers with new excursions and activ-
ities. And there are plenty of great ways to get
up, get out and get going.
Turn Off Your Phone: It may sound blas-
phemous in todays gadget-crazed world, but
turning off your phone, tablet or laptop is a
great way to create the impetus to go explor-
ing. Turning off your gadgets can help you
turn on to the great outdoors -- be it through
camping, fishing, rock-climbing, cycling or
even just enjoying a family walk at a local
park. Youll be surprised where you end up
when you cast aside the GPS and steer your-
self.
Gear Up: If youve grown accustomed to
your climate-controlled living room, youll
need to remember that sweatpants and a tat-
tered t-shirt arent always sufficient in the
great outdoors.
While its easy to echo the Boy Scout motto
and simply say be prepared, you dont nec-
essarily know where the road will take you.
Thats why its always a good move to invest
in some versatile clothes made from durable
high-tenacity fibers and rugged tools that can
help you adapt as the environment changes.
Go Play: Rule number one: Have a blast!
Dont treat recreation like a chore.
Remember, human beings should feel at
home in nature. Dont let flat tires, broken
oars, or are-we-there-yets deter you.
One more thing to remember: You dont
have to put your adventure gear in the attic as
soon as Junes over. Almost any day can be a
good day to get outside and soak up some
fresh air and sun or even some adventure-
quenching precipitation.
Debunking the myths about home ownership
A
s a result of the recent housing crisis,
many potential home buyers, espe-
cially first-timers, are hesitant to
enter the market. But if youre holding back,
evaluate why. Experts say your reasons may
be based on myth.
Buying a home is more affordable than
ever for families with stable incomes and
good credit, says Christina Boyle, Vice
President and Head of Single-Family
Sourcing & Relationship Management, at
Freddie Mac.
So before ruling out home ownership, get
the facts. Boyle is offering some tips to help
you sort fact from fiction.
Myth: I need to make a big down pay-
ment, as much as 20 percent, to get a mort-
gage.
Fact: A 20 percent down payment is not
the golden rule. Generally you should expect
to put down about five or 10 percent. Note,
however, you may be required to pay mort-
gage insurance if you make a down payment
of less than 20 percent.
When deciding whether home ownership
is right for you, dont forget to consider
other expenses like closing costs, property
taxes, and maintenance costs.
Myth: I need perfect credit to buy a
home and will never qualify for a loan.
Fact: In response to the housing crisis,
banks re-evaluated the criteria for lending
money to help put buyers in a more finan-
cially comfortable position and ensure they
can afford what they buy.
So while its true that getting a mortgage
today requires a stronger credit history than
in past years, you dont need perfect credit.
Keep in mind though, that the higher your
score, the more options you have when look-
ing for a mortgage.
Myth: I dont make enough money to
own a home so I plan to rent for the long-
term.
Fact: In many areas of the country, it is
more affordable to own a home than rent
one, especially as rents are rising fast. With
a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, youll have
the certainty of knowing what your mortgage
payment will be for 30 years, whereas rents
could continue to rise.
Despite these facts, note that home owner-
ship is not necessarily the right step for
everyone. If you move frequently or dont
have time for home maintenance, renting
might make more sense for your lifestyle.
Myth: Mortgage rates are rising too fast
and Ive missed the window of opportunity
to buy.
Fact: While mortgage rates have risen
over the past year, they are still at near his-
toric lows, with a 30-year fixed mortgage
under 4.5 percent at the start of 2014. These
rates make home ownership very affordable.
For comparative purposes, in 2000, rates
averaged 8%; and in the 1980s, they spiked
to 18.5%.
Free home buying resources, such as
worksheets, mortgage calculators, and
overviews of the mortgage process are avail-
able at www.FreddieMac.com.
June is great outdoors
month: 3 tips to
get going
One argument in favor of
owning vs renting a house is
that with a fixed-rate
mortgage, youll have the
certainty of knowing what
your mortgage payment will
be for years to come, whereas
rents could continue to rise.
HEALTH 27 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
By Azera Parveen Rahman
Bangalore/New Delhi: Pain around the
neck and upper limbs? Beware! It could be
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) that comes
from spending long hours before a
computer.
At the NH Narayana Multispeciality hos-
pital in Bangalore, an average of 200
patients, all in the age group of 20-30 and
mostly from the IT crowd, come with com-
plaints of RSI, which is increasingly
becoming common among youngsters in
high-stress jobs and can take months to
recover from.
High stress jobs like in the IT industry
that requires one to sit in front of the com-
puter for 14-16 hours every day, leading
them to slouch and sit in a bad posture,
with hardly any physical activity, leads to
Repetitive Strain Injury. It has become fair-
ly common for youngsters to come with
complaints of such nature, Malchira S.
Somanna, consultant orthopedician at
Narayana hospital, said.
Indications of RSI could be a tingling
sensation in the hands with numbness,
called Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, pain
around the neck and upper shoulders, and
feeling a heavy burden on the shoulders.
Nearly 90 percent of the orthopedic
patients in the outpatient department
(OPD) of Narayana hospital are RSI
patients from various multinational compa-
nies and IT industry.
Its a similar scenario in the national cap-
ital, where J.D. Mukherji, director,
Neurology at Max Hospital, says that he
gets two-three patients every day com-
plaining of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
Carpel Tunnel syndrome is
very common and I get
about 20 cases every
week. This happens
when the median nerve
gets compressed, lead-
ing to tingling sensa-
tion in the hand that
worsens at night,
Mukherji said. Carpel
Tunnel syndrome
patients, he added, are
however not just
young workers but
also those suffering
from diabetes,
hypothyroidism, and
rheumatic arthritis.
Treatment of RSI is
usually multi-pronged,
involving exercises
and physiotherapy,
and not just medi-
cines, and it could
take three weeks to six
months to recover.
Doctors say that if one ignores the pain and
tries to live off painkillers, the condition
has every chance to worsen and recovery
may take longer.
The treatment of RSI is to avoid using
the affected tendons and nerves. For exam-
ple overusing the phone can result in the
inflammation of the elbow. So overusing
the injured muscles can result in weaken-
ing of the muscle, and can even lead to dis-
ability. So the best prevention for such a
situation is to avoid overusing affected
muscles, Mukherji said.
Doctors suggest various ways to avoid
overusing affected muscles. For instance,
using a pen to hit the keyboard, changing
the inclination of the computer to 15-20
degrees for a better posture, or using a
chair that is more comfortable and is at an
ideal height. Raju Vaishya, consultant
orthopedic surgeon at Apollo Hospital and
president of the Arthritis Care Foundation,
further said that writers cramp (cramp in
the hands), tennis elbow (elbow pain), and
osteoarthritis (knee pain) are also common.
RSI is caused because of repetitive use
of the musculoskeletal system in perform-
ing certain sets of work without adequate
breaks, and sometimes in a bad posture.
This is why most of our patients, in the 25-
35 age group, are into jobs that require
long hours in front of the computer,
Vaishya said.
Such stress causes pain and sometimes
long-term disability. The prevention lies in
avoiding repetitive stress at work by under-
standing the ergonomics of your job and
taking mini breaks after every one hour.
Sitting in a good posture at your work desk
and using the computers in the most effi-
cient and correct way can prevent a lot of
RSI, he added.
London: You must have heard
and read that sleep helps
strengthen and consolidate
memories. Now, researchers
show how it works.
Sleep after learning encour-
ages the growth of dendritic
spines - the tiny protrusions
from brain cells that connect to
other brain cells and facilitate
the passage of information
across synapses.
Moreover, the activity of
brain cells during deep sleep, or
slow-wave sleep, after learning
is critical for such growth, say
researchers from NYU Langone
Medical Centre, New York.
The findings in mice show for
the first time how learning and
sleep cause physical changes in
the motor cortex, a brain region
responsible for voluntary move-
ments.
Here, we have shown how
sleep helps neurons form very
specific connections on dendrit-
ic branches that may facilitate
long-term memory. Learning
causes very specific structural
changes in the brain, said senior
investigator Wen-Biao Gan.
Using a special laser-scanning
microscope that illuminates the
glowing fluorescent proteins in
the motor cortex, the scientists
tracked and took images of den-
dritic spines along individual
branches of dendrites before
and after mice learned to bal-
ance on a spin rod.
Over time, mice learned how
to balance on the rod as it grad-
ually spun faster.
Researchers trained two sets
of mice: one trained on the
spinning rod for an hour and
then slept for seven hours.
The second trained for the
same period of time on the rod
but stayed awake for seven
hours.
The scientists found that the
sleep-deprived mice experi-
enced significantly less dendrit-
ic spine growth than the well-
rested mice.
Furthermore, they found that
the type of task learned deter-
mined which dendritic branches
spines would grow, said the
study published in the journal
Science.
Indications of RSI could be a tingling sensation in the
hands with numbness, called Carpel Tunnel
Syndrome, pain around the neck and upper shoulders,
and feeling a heavy burden on the shoulders.
New York: In a ray of hope for diabetes
patients, scientists have discovered the
cellular sequence that leads to the trig-
ger of the disease.
They also found potential molecu-
lar targets for preventing or revers-
ing the process.
"We have described the etiology of
obesity-related diabetes. We have
pinpointed the steps, the way the
whole thing happens," said Jerrold M.
Olefsky, a distinguished professor of med-
icine at University of California, San Diego.
"The research on mice suggests that the processes are comparable in
humans and these findings are important to not just understanding
how diabetes begins, but how better to treat and prevent it," he added.
During the study, the researchers fed mice a high-fat diet.
They observed that the abundant saturated fatty acids in the diet
activated adenine nucleotide translocase 2 (ANT2) - a mitochondrial
protein in fat cell membranes that is involved in cellular energy
metabolism. Activation of ANT2 caused increased oxygen consump-
tion, which meant less was available for the rest of the cell.
The result was a relative state of hypoxia or inadequate oxygen sup-
ply.It subsequently induced production of a protective transcription
factor in fat cells called HIF-1alpha.
In turn, HIF-1alpha triggered release of chemokines, proteins that
signal cellular distress, launching the immune system's inflammatory
response. A sustained high-fat diet ensured that the process continued
unabated, leading to obesity, chronic low-grade tissue inflammation
and eventually, insulin resistance in the mice.
The elucidation of this sequence also revealed two potential thera-
peutic targets: ANT2 and HIF-1alpha. The researchers suggest that
inhibiting either could blunt, or even reverse, the damaging cellular
sequence. Diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels poorly
regulated by either inadequate insulin production or because cells do
not respond properly to the regulating hormone.
The findings were published in the journal Cell.
Can
diabetes be
reversed?
It's not news that
sleep is tied to
learningeven a
90-minute nap
can significantly
help boost your
brain power
but if you want
to cement new
knowledge in
your brain,
recent sleep research demonstrates that a good night's
sleep shortly following your studies has a significant
impact on your ability to retain information.
Sleep well to learn well
People on the internet frequently abuse me
with the phrase Your stupid.
I usually reply: Yeah but at least I can spell
youre.
This infuriated one correspondent recently
into writing back: Your a idiot.
I replied: Yeah but at least I can spell
an.
He replied: Theirs different ways of
spelling stuff moreon.
I replied: Yeah but at least I can spell
theres and moron.
He hasnt replied, no doubt because he is
busy preparing a truck bomb to drive around
to my office.
***
But frankly, its may sadly be time to hold a
funeral service for the beautiful word
youre.
It went on my endangered list in 2007, when
a US technology firm launched a major ad
campaign with a two-word phrase: Your on.
When you have a massive budget and just
two words to handle, youd think youd get
both of them right, but no.
The same country saw the launch of an inn
called the Your Welcome Inn, which suggests
that three words is WAY too much.
By 2009, your was replacing youre in
about than 50 per cent of internet exchanges I
monitored, and today your has triumphed
almost completely.
Modern dictionaries are governed by the
descriptive not proscriptive principle, which
means your will soon appear as A LEGITI-
MATE ALTERNATIVE for youre.
***
A funeral should also be held for the term
every day.
When you write this as two words, it means
all the days.
When you write it as one word, it means
mundane.
So pop star Elvis Costellos hit song
Everyday I Write the Book means
Mundane I Write the Book.
The Coca-Cola Companys slogan for
Dasani bottled water describes it as a mun-
dane drink, which is bang on target.
One of the top songs sung in churches
today is called Everyday which says all you
need to know about modern Christian music.
***
Careless writing is all around us. Recently,
the managers of my office put up a sign say-
ing: KEEP THE DOOR CLOSE.
Do they mean closed, or do they want me
to take the door off its hinges and keep it close
to me everywhere I go?
Given their rationality levels, both are
equally possible.
***
In my previous office, management put up a
sign on the janitors office: CLEANER
ROOM.
I glanced inside. It was cleaner than my
room. But arent they all?
***
The third funeral will probably go to the
apostrophe.
The saddest lost apostrophe of recent times
must be the one in the photo a reader sent to
me, showing a school in India owned by a
man named Anu Sharma.
The signmaker dropped the all-important
apostrophe and thus the sign says ANUS
ENGLISH ACADEMY. Sad but true.
***
Talking of imprecise writing, I once had an
online dispute with someone who told me
THEIRS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY
BRIAN.
I wrote back, congratulating her on her
Brians health.
***
But, dear reader, lets face facts.
I propose that we, the last few people on
earth to still use youre should have a Save
The Apostrophe meeting in a hotel or confer-
ence center.
But PLEASE, not at the Your Welcome
Inn.
***
28 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info HUMOR
Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Three beautiful terms KILLED by the Internet
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and
humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant
Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
14th June, 2014 Ruled planet :Mercury Ruled by no: 5
Traits in you :Your ruling planet Mercury makes you real-
istic, reliable, sincere, and optimistic. You are the master of
an excellent memory power and charismatic characteristics.
You need not get nervous at tough time as it may create a
question mark on your capabilities.
Health this year: Your health will remain good throughout
the year. However, you need to go for regular fitness pro-
grams or practice yoga and meditation for better results. Do
not avoid your regular medication. Look out the health of
your family members as they may fall ill frequently.
Finance this year: Your new business alliances and part-
nerships will help you earn financial stability this year. You
will receive all the pending payments and money you gave
away as loans in the past. You should go for investing in real
estates and share market.
Career this year: Being friendly and quick in decision
making, you will create many admirers for yourself in your
professional circuit. Your juniors may seek your advice in
critical times to deliver efficient work. It is advisable for
you not to get involved in office politics. You should han-
dle official matters diplomatically.
Romance this year: You will spend a peaceful life with
your love interest this year. You will lead a blissful life with
your beloved with lots of love, care, concern, and support.
Lucky month: July, November, January and May
15th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Venus Ruled by no: 6
Traits in you: Your ruling planet Venus makes optimistic,
ambitious, caring, aspiring, and determined. You are very
social and love to make new friends and get into new rela-
tionships. You are a huge follower of intelligence and edu-
cation.
Health this year: You need to stop your bad habits such as
smoking and consuming alcohol to remain healthy. You
should take expert advice from a doctor to avoid health re-
lated issues. You should take your medicines at time to
avoid further complicacy in your health. Take care of the
health of your spouse and parents as well.
Finance this year: As far as your financial status is con-
sidered, you will enjoy a healthy run this year. You may
redirect yourself to more profitable business. You may plan
for few business trips this year for your growth. You should
not get involved in any kind of partnerships as it may ham-
per your business.
Career this year: You will be establishing yourself as a
very efficient and important resource in your organization
this year. Your performance will influence your peers, sen-
iors and higher management. It is the best time to look out
for a new job as it will help you grow both professionally
and financially.
Romance this year: You will share a blissful romantic re-
lationship with your spouse or partner. Your marriage is on
cards if you are yet to marry. You will find your partner sup-
portive enough in every crucial situation.
Lucky month: November, March, April and June
16th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Neptune Ruled by no: 7
Traits in you :As you are governed by planet Neptune, you
are blessed with various positive characters. You are confi-
dent, decisive, generous, humorous, honest, modest and op-
timistic. You are not an admirer of arguments or silly fights.
You should work on your nature of being selfish, pes-
simistic, and arrogant.
Health this year: Your overall health would remain fine
this year. Some of the aged members in your family may
fall sick frequently to add your woes. You need to take care
of your family members by providing them better medical
attention.
Finance this year: This year may bring you huge financial
benefits. You will enjoy the returns of your investments. If
you want to gain financial profits, you have to work hard.
You may invest in various profitable businesses. However,
you should not start new partnerships or trust new friends.
Career this year: Professionally you will enjoy a smooth
life. You may get recognition in your professional circuit as
a result of your hard work and dedication. Your promotion
is on cards. You should take help of your seniors to learn
quickly and perform exceptionally well as it would help you
grow professionally.
Romance this year: For your marital relationship, this year
will be pretty fruitful for you. If you are still single, you may
get into a romantic alliance towards the end of the year. If
you are already in a relationship, you may plan to convert
your relationship into marriage.
Lucky month: October, January and March
17th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Saturn Ruled by no: 8
Traits in you :Your ruling planet the Saturn makes you
highly dynamic, hardworking, courageous, trustworthy, re-
liable, courteous and friendly. You are very much inclined
to music and literature. You should work on your impa-
tience. You need to enhance your constructive ideas as well.
Health this year: Though you would not face any major
health related issues, you should take extra care of your
health. Do not take unwanted risk of putting your health in
stake. Go for regular medical checkups.
Finance this year: You will be among major financial
gains this year. You may go for a real estate transaction lat-
er this year and this will bring you a lot of money to
cherish. You may start up a new business. If you are already
into business, you may plan for expanding its territory this
year.
Career this year: Your confidence will convert you into a
winner. You will be capable enough to overcome any chal-
lenge you need to face. The chances of your promotion and
transfer are high due to the organizational change.
Romance this year: You may try and convert your long
time romantic relationship to a married one. You will be en-
joying a great life with your spouse with lots of under-
standing, love, and care. You need not get into any kind of
argument with your beloved this year.
Lucky month: August, December, January and April
18th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Mars Ruled by no :9
Traits in you: Being governed by the planet Mars, you are
adventurous, sensitive, courageous, emotional, hard work-
ing, charismatic and punctual. You are full of enthusiasm
and ambitions. You should try and avoid your shyness and
stubbornness.
Health this year: Though you would not face any major
health related issues, you should take extra care of your
health. Do not take unwanted risk of putting your health in
stake. Go for regular medical checkups.
Finance this year: You may get your pending works done,
which will yield enough financial benefits for you. You
should invest in share market or real estate to get better ben-
efits. You need not borrow or lend money as it may create
disturbances in your personal life.
Career this year: Being an efficient professional, you are
highly respected in your professional circuit. Your ordinates
and seniors may take advice from you. You may get your
long expected promotion this year. Salary hike is also like-
ly to happen.
Romance this year: You will find your partner to be a huge
emotional support for you during the tough times of your
life. You may get involved in a matrimonial alliance.
Lucky month: June, September, February and May
19th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Sun Ruled by no: 1
Traits in you: Your ruling planet the Sun blesses you with
a unique character. You are pretty confident, creative, intel-
lectual, optimistic, and enthusiastic. You are gifted with an
artistic perception. You are very much social and like to
make new contacts wherever you go. However, you need to
control your mood swings and selfishness.
Health this year: As far as your health is concerned this
year, you may frequently fall sick. You need to undergo reg-
ular medical checkups and take your prescribed medicines
on time. Join a gym and try practicing meditation to retain
your fitness.
Finance this year: You will be able to earn more money.
However, you may end up spending a lot of money on lux-
ury and comfort. You may go for new business or invest-
ments this year as the movement of planets ensures you
good monetary benefits.
Career this year: You are quite capable of handling criti-
cal issues in your professional life. You will succeed in your
attempts of performing well in your work. You will get ap-
preciations from your peers, seniors, and the higher man-
agement. You should help others to make your presence felt.
Romance this year: You may try and convert your long
time romantic relationship to a married one. You will be en-
joying a great life with your spouse with lots of under-
standing, love, and care. You need not get into any kind of
argument with your beloved this year.
Lucky month: September, November, March and April
20th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Moon Ruled by no: 2
Traits in you :As you are influenced by the Moon, you are
confident, emotional, imaginative, simple, creative, courte-
ous, and warm hearted. You can easily make friends be-
cause of your nature so you enjoy enormous respect
amongst your friends. You should control your mood
swings and you should not be lazy.
Health this year: Your health would remain very good this
year. However, you need to go for regular yoga exercises.
You should not ignore your healthy diet plan to remain in
shape. Go for regular medical checkups to avoid any hic-
cups further.
Finance this year: You will be in ample financial gains this
year. Your new business ventures will be successful this
year. You should go for new partnerships and businesses as
your star favors your luck this year. You may go for invest-
ments in any sector. Do not spend unnecessarily in luxury
and comfort.
Career this year: Being a hardworking professional, you
may create wonders for your organization. You need to
learn more and look for better options. You may not get
your expected promotion or salary hike in spite of your hard
work and efficiency.
Romance this year: You will be enjoying a better relation-
ship with your partner or beloved. You will get the required
emotional support from your partner whenever you seek.
Lucky month: December, April and June
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874
Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
Stars Foretell: June 14-20, 2014 Annual Predictions: For those born in this week
29
ARIES: A long pending decision gets
finalized at professional front. Believe
it or not someone in the family is
watching you closely and considers you a role
model. Increase in income from past invest-
ment is foreseen. A romantic week as you
receive all praises from partner. A very
healthy week filled with happiness & vitality.
Traveling for a conference doesnt mean that
you forget travel etiquettes. Your income can
be doubled by renting your house or a part of
your house. Timely help to a needy friend
would help in solving personal problems.
TAURUS: You will have to take some
calculated risks to conquer challenging
situations at workplace. Concentrating
on the need of family members should be
your priority. Avoid overspending on enter-
tainment and luxuries. You will have to make
extra efforts to meet romantic partner this
week. High time for you to realize your true
potentials. Traveling alone sounds extrovert
but your family might question your charac-
ter. It would be beneficial if you plan to buy a
small property. You get a golden opportunity
to enjoy some recreational activities.
GEMINI: Plans for new ventures get
streamlined with the help of seniors.
An important development at personal
front brings jubilation for entire family.
Monetary gains from unplanned sources will
brighten your week. You find pleasure and
enjoy ecstasies of love in the arms of partner.
Pleasure trip would help in maintaining sound
health this week. Travel abroad is possible but
dont run short of cash. Real estate is one
thing on which you can rely on to invest. You
will be highly benefited by your sense of
humor.
CANCER: Policy of persuasive com-
munications fails to bring desired pro-
fessional success. A happy time in the
company of friends and relatives as they do
many favours to you. Bleak financial position
could bring certain important work to abrupt
halt. You enjoy a lovely time as Cupid is on
your side during this week. Yoga and medita-
tion would help in keeping in shape and men-
tally agile. Small journey with your office
colleagues will be interesting. Investment on
construction business would flourish your
income. Some decisions going in your favour
would put you on the top of the world.
LEO: Lack of having a proper strategy
on the part of marketing professionals
will find it tough to achieve their tar-
gets. Avoid arguments, confrontation and
needless worries at family front. You need to
remain careful in financial matters to save
yourself from monetary losses. Do things that
would invest in your romantic relations. You
need to develop self-trust to encourage your-
self to fight illness. Dont wait for extra ordi-
nary opportunities, travel plans may not work
out. If you are hoping to sell your house
quickly then you should consider a private
sale. Make sure you avoid rash decisions.
VIRGO: Use sharp thinking and abili-
ty to formulate quick strategies to
bring positive results. Enjoying the
company of close relatives will bright-
en your evening. Make sure you do not over-
spend on household luxuries. A special mes-
sage from beloved/lover lifts spirits.
Blessings of a saintly person give peace of
mind. Are you longing to go on a vacation,
consider your work also? Dealings for older
properties can be in process. Nothing is
impossible for you provided you have the
will.
LIBRA: Female colleagues lend a
helping hand in completing important
assignments. Shopping with family
members will be highly pleasurable and excit-
ing. New moneymaking opportunities will be
lucrative. Instant romance could come your
way provided you care for it. Health would
remain fine despite a busy schedule but dont
take it for granted. Your boss may ask you for
your company to a friends party. Avoid the
use of estate agents to sell your house or
property. You are likely to face personal prob-
lems on trying to put-up an act.
SCORPIO: Remain self-confident &
determined. This is the secret mantra of
succeeding at work. Do not behave
stubborn otherwise it will only offend elders.
Crucial decisions regarding investment
should be put off for another week. Being
revengeful towards lover/beloved will only
disappoint you. Cataract patients must avoid
overexposure to sunlight. You might travel for
a while but stressful trip it would be. Reduce
your property loans otherwise you will be in
great trouble. Close friends are also not likely
to be of much help.
SAGITTARIUS : Self-confidence &
discipline will be required to bring
positive results in competitive exami-
nations. Make sure you avoid overreacting to
tense situations at family front. Avoid invest-
ing money in speculations based on rumours.
Love takes a new turn as you brace yourself
for wedding bells. Chances of recovering
from physical ailment are high. Travel plan
with a colleague might lead to a new relation-
ship. You might face problem to sell your
property as marketing might not be correct.
You need to take a decision after a careful
thinking but act quickly.
CAPRICORN: At work you will be a
part of something big, bringing appre-
ciation & rewards. You will be at the
limelight in a social gathering provided you
attend. Be prepared to say no to people who
expect too much in financial matters. Dont
forget to plan something special with partner
to enjoy the ecstasies of love. Inexhaustible
energy enables to participate in outdoor activ-
ities. Small picnic organized by your compa-
ny is good to change your mood. Want to buy
a property at seaside, go through the safety
measures. Dont forget to engage yourself in
some creative work.
AQUARIUS: You are likely to
establish yourself a good manager on
managing people and situation with-
out any problem. You will be the star of
attraction of familys get-together this week.
You get some financial rewards as dedication
& hard work gets noticed. L affair could cre-
ate some personal problems. Health problem
could make it difficult to concentrate. Your
travel plans might effect your family life
dont ignore them. Your plan to buy a plot,
may lead to bankruptcy. Clinging to past
could make you alienated and disappointed.
PISCES: You will be successful in
realizing your targets at professional
front. Help from family members
would take care of your needs. Monetary
gains are likely to be from more than one
source. Love companion will be eager to meet
you this week. Make sure you avoid every-
thing that affects your health. Official jour-
neys prove to be more fruitful for you. Your
possession for acquiring a plot might be
achieved. Be happy no matter what the situa-
tion is. This is the secret of enjoying a suc-
cessful life.
June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY
By Louis A. Ritz
M
editation and spirituality
are being increasingly
embraced around the
world, including the West, as our
lives are becoming more complex.
Individuals are turning within
themselves, instead of the outside
world, to find solutions to lifes
challenges. Spirituality is gaining
popularity for a variety of reasons,
e.g., a search for deeper meaning
in life, dealing with unbridled
emotions or an unruly mind, a fear
of death, a fear of life, a loss of a
loved one, or a health challenge.
At a deeper level, there is a com-
mon source of our suffering. As
each of us becomes more entan-
gled in the impermanence of the
outer world, our level of dissatis-
faction and disappointment with
everyday life inevitably rises.
Instead of identifying with our
inner Self, as the great Teachers
from all wisdom traditions have
implored us, our attention has
remained aligned with the illusory
self and the transitory outside
world. Meditation is considered
humanitys panacea in that it
allows us to reconnect with the
Divine that is within each of us.
Over the past 40 years, the sci-
entific interest in meditation has
exploded. The research has gone
through several phases. Early on,
scientists documented the physio-
logical impact of meditation on
the body. Meditation, by reducing
the fight or flight response
mediated by the autonomic nerv-
ous system, produces a profound
relaxation and a significant stress
reduction. More recently, utilizing
modern imaging techniques, med-
ical research has revealed that cer-
tain regions of the brain are acti-
vated during meditation while
other areas are inactivated. Our
scientific investigations are now
beginning to evaluate the potential
role of meditation as a therapeutic
intervention, for conditions such
as chronic pain, depression, and
addiction.
Central to the influence of med-
itation on our bodies and our lives
is that brain circuits are flexible.
That is, the brain is dynamic and
can change in response to external
stimulation or to our mental pat-
terns. Neuroplasticity means that
the brain can be shaped, or sculpt-
ed, by our experiences or by our
thoughts. Until recent times, neu-
roscientists had assumed that the
mature brain is hard-wired. That
is, once neural circuits are estab-
lished, there is no reorganization
regardless of injury, disease, or
aging. Yet over the past 20 years
or so, a new set of rules has
emerged for central nervous sys-
tem organization and reorganiza-
tion.
It is clear that experiences of
the outer world can change the
circuits of the brain. For example,
improvements in motor skills are
accompanied by an increase in
size of the brain regions related to
the motor skill. Less well appreci-
ated is how inner, spiritual, expe-
riences can alter the brain. One
hint of how our inner landscape
can affect our brain has been
demonstrated in several studies
demonstrating structural changes
in the brain of meditators. These
investigators compared the brains
of age-matched groups, one group
being meditators and the other
being non-meditators. Using
brain-imaging techniques to
measure the thickness of cortical
areas of the brain, regions related
to sensory, memory, and emotion-
al processing are larger in medita-
tors compared to non-meditators.
By embracing spirituality and
meditation, we can change our
thought patterns and our brain cir-
cuits. In turn, these changes will
lead to improvements in our
behaviors and our lives.
Spiritual questions, like medical
or other scientific questions, can
be investigated with rigorous, sys-
tematic techniques using the time-
honored scientific method.
Whether an individual is using the
scientific method to investigate
the objective outer world or the
subjective inner realms, the tech-
nique is equally valid and valu-
able. Use of the scientific method
as a guideline for spiritual explo-
ration has been developed and
promoted by the great spiritual
scientists of modern times. The
spiritual explorers have long con-
sidered basic spiritual questions to
be answerable through personal
spiritual inquiry; however, unlike
objective research questions, they
require us to conduct spiritual
experiments for ourselves, within
ourselves.
The scientific approach to medi-
tation requires the following steps.
1) Our spiritual quest typically
begins with a question, e.g., who
are we? Why are we here? Where
are we going when we leave here
and what is our relationship to the
Divine? 2) Essential to the
process, we need the guidance of
a competent mentor. A mentor
teaches us the proper techniques,
provides us with the best shortcuts
for achieving our goals, alerts us
to pitfalls we may encounter, and
helps us monitor our progress. 3)
Science is conducted in a labora-
tory. The human body is the labo-
ratory for our spiritual experi-
ment. 4) To collect our data, in
order to evaluate our spiritual
hypothesis, we use the delicate
instruments of the inner eye and
ear for the experiment in the spiri-
tual laboratory. 5) Medical
research requires that the experi-
ments be repeated daily until the
techniques are perfected. In a spir-
itual experiment, there also must
be repetition, such as meditating
daily. 6) The final step of the sci-
entific process is to communicate
our results, which includes service
to humankind.
As a neuroscientist, I have
found the scientific approach to
meditation on the inner Light and
Sound as taught by H.H. Sant
Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
(www.sos.org) provides a first-
hand direct inner spiritual experi-
ence. Trained and experienced as
an engineer-scientist, Sant
Rajinder Singh appreciates the
scientific method of dealing with
challenges of the outside world.
Trained and experienced as a spir-
itual scientist, he embodies the
scientific process to meditation
and the exploration of our true
nature.
A scientific model of medita-
tion provides a rigorous, repro-
ducible approach to the practice of
meditation.
The steps involved in medita-
tion allow anyone to prove to
themselves the positive benefits of
meditation to for changing their
brain. It allows anyone to enjoy
the physical and psychological
benefits of meditation as well as
the spiritual benefits of entering a
state of bliss, conscious aware-
ness, happiness, and joy within.
(Louis A. Ritz, Ph.D. is an
Elizabeth Wood Dunlevie Honors
Term Professor at the
Department of Neuroscience,
University of Florida College of
Medicine Gainesville, Florida,
USA)
Meditation:
Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
30 June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
As a neuroscientist,
the author found the
scientific approach
to meditation on the
inner Light and
Sound as taught by
Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj provides a
firsthand direct inner
spiritual experience.
Over the past 40
years, the scientific
interest in meditation
has exploded. Early on,
scientists documented
the physiological
impact of meditation
on the body.
Meditation, by reduc-
ing the fight or flight
response mediated by
the autonomic nervous
system, produces a
profound relaxation
and a significant stress
reduction. More
recently, utilizing
modern imaging
techniques, medical
research has revealed
that certain regions of
the brain are activated
during meditation
while other areas are
inactivated. Our scien-
tific investigations
are now beginning to
evaluate the potential
role of meditation
as a therapeutic
intervention, for
conditions such as
chronic pain,
depression, and
addiction.
June 14-20, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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