Obama Plans To Shield: The South Asian Times

The South Asian Times
e x c e l l e n c e
Vol.7 No. 29 November 15-21, 2014 60 Cents
Indias Rohit
Sharma set a
world record in
ODI cricket by
hitting his second double century in Kolkata
at Eden Gardens.
The right-hand
batsman had previously hit 209
against Australia
in Bangalore last
year. He scored
264 runs (173
balls, 33x4, 9x6)
against Sri
Lanka Nov 13,
the highest ever
individual score,
surpassing
Virender
Sehwag's record
219. India now
has a 3-0 lead in
the ongoing
series.
Runs
264
Balls
173
Fours
33
Sixes
09
i n
j o u r n a l i s m
New York Edition
Follow us on
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Obama plans to shield

5 million illegals
from deportation
Immigration overhaul through Presidents executive
action expected as early as next week
Washington: President Barack
Obama plans to announce an overhaul of US immigration policy
through executive action that
would shield up to 5 million
undocumented immigrants from
deportation, the New York Times
reported on Thursday. Such a move
will set up a showdown with
Republicans, who have blocked
Democrats' efforts in Congress to
reform immigration laws and
warned the President not to take
unilateral action on immigration.
The Times, citing unidentified
Obama administration officials,
said Obama's proposed overhaul
may be announced as soon as next
Continued on page 4
President Obama is greeted by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

for the dinner hosted by Xi for APEC leaders in Beijing. (Inset)
President Obama talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as
they join other leaders en route to the APEC Family Photo at the
International Convention Center in Beijing Nov. 11, 2014.
MSG like welcome awaits Modi in Australia
Sydney: Prime Minister Narendra

Modi arrived in Brisbane on
Friday on the second leg of his
three-nation tour. In Brisbane, the
rst Indian PM to visit Australia
since Rajiv Gandhi will attend the
annual G20 summit and hold bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.
On November 17, Modi will
travel to Sydney, where he will
attend a community reception and
address the Indian diaspora.
And like the Madison Square
Garden reception for him in New
US AFFAIRS 9
York, there is much excitement

among the Indian Australian community over the rock star welcome
that awaits him in Sydney.
There is a scramble for tickets
for the reception at the Allphones
Arena (in the Sydney Olympic
Park), the countrys biggest entertainment and sporting complex.
The sitting capacity there is only
16,000, but over 23,000 people
have booked as per reports. So,
inevitably, several thousand will be
watching the program on a giant
screen from outside. The public
PHILANTHROPY 17
event is being organized by the

Indian Australian Community
Foundation (IACF), which has
created an overwhelming interest
and response from 300 community
associations from Sydney and
other cities of Australia.
In appreciation of Modi's humble beginnings, over 200 fans of
the Indian PM will travel 870 km
by a special train dubbed "Modi
Express" from Melbourne to
Sydney to see him being felicitated. From Sydney, Modi will travel
Continued on page 4
BOLLYWOOD 18
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being received on arrival in

Brisbane, Australia, by the Premier of Queensland,
Campbell Newman, on Nov 14, 2014.
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30
excellence in journalism
November 15-21, 2014
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Nikki Haley off to India to attract foreign investment

Washington: South Carolina's Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley is leading a 10-day trade mission to India in November, hoping
to attract more foreign investment
and sell the state as a tourist destination.
The Nov 12-22 trip is intended to
make a "rst impression" that sells
South Carolina as a tourism destination and a place to do business,
local newspaper The State reported
citing an ofcial.
Haley, who met Prime Minister
Modi in New York in September,
was cited by the State as telling reporters Thursday that she did not
know what to expect from the trip.
"But when I met with the prime
minister, we had a lot of conversations."
Haley said she sees opportunities
in pharmaceuticals, automotives
Reaching India, 2nd term South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley

giving interview to a TV channel
and agriculture. "There's a lot that

India is doing very well that they
now want to start investing in the
US," she said.
"That's really where my goal is:
Walmart declares a 5-day

Black Friday sale
New York: Black Friday will last
longer at Walmart. The worlds
biggest retailer says its best discounts will be offered on TV sets,
tablets, toys and other goods over a
ve day period at the end of this
month and into early December.
Black Friday is no longer about
waking up at the crack of dawn to
stand in long lines and hope for the
best, says Duncan Mac Naughton,
chief merchandising ofcer, Walmart U.S.
One reason why Walmart and other major retailers are stretching out
the deals beyond Black Friday is
that many more shoppers are using
their smartphones to compare
prices. Its more prevalent among

consumer electronics, says Sheri
Petras CEO of CSI Group, a customer research rm. Its easier to
compare versus fashion where you
try it on and you are not exactly sure
if the dress thats over here might
not be the dress thats over there.
Shares of Walmart Stores were
climbing 0.51% to $79.41 in midday trading Wednesday, after the
Black Friday announcement.
Separately, Walmart issued an
"urgent agenda" memo to its store
managers across the U.S. last month
to lay out guidelines in order to
boost sales of "chilled and fresh"
foods.
Rescued from dangling scaffold at World Trade Center

Two window
washers were
rescued from a
scaffold whose
cable snapped
Wednesday
afternoon high
above the ground
outside 1 World
Trade Center in
Manhattan. Firemen
cut through glass
windows of the
1,776-foot tower
and pulled the two
men through the
hole.
where can I get them to invest and

do more of those things."
India is South Carolina's 16thlargest trading partner, according to
state Commerce Secretary Bobby
Hitt. Last year, the state's exports to

India were valued at $352 million,
up from $110 million in 2005, ranking South Carolina 14th in the nation for its exports to India.
Haley will travel to New Delhi,
Chandigarh, Amritsar, Mumbai and
Chennai. Others in the delegation
will travel to New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai, Hitt
said.
The trip marks the second time
Haley has travelled to her parents'
homeland that she last visited when
she was 2 years old.
Born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa,
she grew up as the daughter of Sikh
immigrants from India, but later
converted to Christianity. On reaching New Delhi, she spoke to NDTV,
stating that even as a rising star in
the Republican Party, she will never disown her Indian roots.
Speaking to Headlines Today, she

said that she has no ambition to run
for Presidnt in 20102, and is trying
to be the best governor South Carolina has ever had. She also said
that Prime Minister Narendra
Modis model for success parallels
South Carolinas. She elaborated,
It's about when you focus on your
businesses, cutting the red tape,
making sure your customer services friendly to businesses, then they
create jobs. They create investment
and that's what we are doing in
South Carolina. We were just rated
the third best state in the country to
do business in. The Wall Street
Journal said if you think manufacturing is dead in United States then
you haven't been to South Carolina.
We wanna make sure India becomes a part of the South Carolina
success story.
Ami Bera surges ahead of Ose in close race

Sacramento, CA: Incumbent
Democratic Rep. Ami Bera has
captured the lead over Republican
Doug Ose for suburban Sacramentos 7th Congressional District seat
in the most recent vote totals announced Wednesday. Final results
arent expected for another week
Indian American Bera surged
ahead of Ose by 711 votes, 87,643
to 86,932. Oses lead had stood at
3,011 votes on election night,
falling to 2,183 last Thursday and
just 530 on Monday, when county
elections ofcials announced that
33,000 ballots remained uncounted.
The outcome of the contest now
hinges on an estimated 10,000
countywide mail ballots and more
Ami Bera is the third Indian

American in Congress, and
now on the verge of securing
a second 2-year term.
than 9,000 additional provisional

ballots, ofcials said.
This race is not going to be fully counted for up to another week,

said Alice Jarboe, the assistant registrar of voters for Sacramento
County.
Bera has been upbeat about his
chances of securing a second term
in Congress, noting that two years
ago it took nine days to determine
he had unseated then-Rep. Dan
Lungren, a Republican from Gold
River.
Bera is the third Indian American
in Congress aftr Dilip Saund and
Bobby Jindal. This midterm, Ro
Khanna also ran (for Silicon Valley
Congressional seat) but lost to fellow-Democrat Mike Honda. Manan Trivedi lost his third Congressional bid from Pennsylvania.
Indian-origin banker made youngest

partner at Goldman Sachs
Washington: Kunal Shah, a 32year-old Indian-origin banker, has
become the youngest among 78 new
partners named by investment bank
Goldman Sachs.
He is among ve Indian-origin individuals named partners by the bank
Wednesday, media reported Thursday.
Shah emerged as a markets trader
based in London, and was promoted
to managing director at the age of 27.

He graduated from Cambridge
University with a mathematics degree.
Shah was named to Forbes 30 under-30 nance list in 2011.
The other Indian-origin individuals
named partners are Meena Lakdawala Flynn, Manikandan Natarajan, Umesh Subramanian and Rajesh
Venkataramani.
Kunal Shah
TURN PAGE
Dr. Sadhna Shanker felicitated

New York: Dr. Sadhna
Shanker, wife of Amb.
Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay,
Consul General of India in
New York, was felicitated at a
meet and greet organized by
Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, editor of
The Indian Panorama and his
wife Lovllien Kaurr at Haveli
Restaurant in Queens on
November 10.
Dr. Shanker is a multifaceted
personality. A senior officer
with Indian Ministry of
Finance, revenue department,
she is at present Advisor
Advocacy,
Competition
Commission of India. She has
also distinguished herself as a
creative writer, with her novel
"Never a Disconnect" (2010).
Her book "Ahlam wa-sahlamA Syrian Journey" was published in English, Arabic and
Hindi. She has also been
actively associated with
Doordarshan having scripted,
hosted and anchored a number
of programs. Speaking at the
event attended by about 100
people, Dr. Shanker said India
was well on way to becoming a
formidable economic power
and praised the Indian diaspora
for thinking and caring for the
home country.
Amb. Mulay obliged the
appreciative gathering with a
Hindi poem depicting the loneliness of a lover whose beloved
is away from him. His birthday,
albeit a belated one - was also
Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay cut a cake for his belated birthday

joined by his wife, Dr. Sadhna Shanker (in sari, standing on
his left) and other well-wishers.
(Photo: Mohammed Jaffer/SnapsIndia)
celebrated with cake cutting.

Hospitality was provided by
Mrs. & Mr. Malik, owners of

Haveli restaurant.
ACLU sues US Army for Sikh student wanting to enlist
New York: The

tates of his religion.
American
Civil
The Army officials
Liberties Union
rejected
Singh's
(ACLU) filed a lawrequest. The ACLU
suit against the U.S.
and United Sikhs say
Army Monday for
the Army's denial of
refusing to let a Sikh
Singh's request viostudent at Hofstra
lates the Religious
University enlist in
Freedom Restoration
Iknoor Singh, a
the school's Reserve Hofstra student, Act, which works to
Officer Training was told to remove prevent laws that subCorps
program
stantially and unnechis turban, cut
unless he shaves his
essarily burden an
his hair.
beard, removes his
individual's free exerturban, and cuts his hair. The cise of religion. "Our military
ACLU filed the suit along with should strive to welcome and
United Sikhs, a civil rights and accommodate recruits of all
humanitarian relief organiza- faiths," said Heather L. Weaver,
tion.
senior staff attorney with the
Iknoor Singh, a sophomore at ACLU Program on the Freedom
Hofstra University in Long of Religion and Belief.
Island, asked the ROTC pro- "Religious diversity is a
gram at his school to be exempt strength, not a weakness."
from Army grooming and uniThe Army first claimed that
form regulations, citing the dic- Singhs request would under-
mine readiness, unit cohesion,

standards, health, safety and discipline, but later switched its
line, according to a release
issued by the ACLU. Following
its initial response, the Army
then said it could not rule on
Singh's request because he had

not formally enlisted.
"Choosing between ones faith
and serving ones country is a
choice that no one should have
to make," Singh said. He was
born and raised in Queens.
Mukhtar mesmerizes New Jersey audience
Mukhtar Shah wowed the audience with Mukesh songs

recently at Ritz Theater in Elizabeth, NJ. Mukhtar (third
from left) posing with Roshni Suchde of Roshni
Productions, Kaushal Thakkar and Natwar Thakkar.
Obama plans to shield 5 million...

Continued from page 1
week. Officials said it would allow many
parents of children who are US citizens or
legal residents to obtain work documents
and stay in the United States.
The Times said Obama's plan will provide
more opportunities for immigrants with
high-tech skills and add security resources
to the border with Mexico. Undocumented
immigrants with family ties in the US and
no criminal record also would be considered
lower priority for deportation than those
with criminal records or who are considered
security risks.
Republicans, who won control of
Congress in Nov. 4 elections, are up in arms.
House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday
declined to rule out withholding funds to try
to block the President from taking unilateral
action to ease U.S. immigration policies, a
move that could lead to another government
shutdown fight.
Even the outgoing Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D-Nev) said Thursday that he
has urged the President not to take any executive action on immigration until December
- following threats from Republicans.
Obama told congressional leaders last
Friday he was committed to using executive
powers to ease some restrictions on undocumented immigrants since House
Republicans refused to advance immigration legislation.
Mitch McConnell, who will be Senate
majority leader starting in January, said if
Obama took unilateral action on immigration, it would be like "waving a red flag in
front of a bull."
When the new Congress convenes in
January, Republicans will have majority in
both chambers.
MSG like welcome awaits Modi...
Continued from page 1
to Canberra and address the special joint session of the Australian Parliament on
November 18. He will also attend a dinner
the same day at the iconic Melbourne
Cricket Ground, to be hosted by PM Tony
Abbott.
And then onwards to Fiji to attend key
multilateral summits and undertake bilateral
meetings
New Delhi Bureau

Meenakshi Iyer
Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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TRISTATE COMMUNITY
FBI agents raid India baiter US diplomat's home
Washington, DC: FBI agents searched

the home of India baiter pro-Pakistan
American diplomat Robin Raphel in
October as part of a counter-intelligence
investigation, according to media reports. Raphel was a senior adviser on
Pakistan for the office of the special
representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan at the time of the raid.
In that job, she was chiefly responsible for administering non-military aid
such as US economic grants and incentives, according to The Washington Post
which first reported the story.
It was unclear, however, whether the
inquiry was related to her work on Pakistan, CNN said.
Raphel, who was appointed the first
assistant secretary of state for South
Asia in 1993 by then president Bill
Clinton, was widely perceived as hostile to India.
She was seen as hostile to India, particularly for her alleged lobbying for
Robin Raphel
separatists in Jammu and Kashmir

when she was stationed in New Delhi.
"Raphel also sided with Sikh separatists
and persuaded Clinton to stand with
them in disputes with New Delhi. She
was seen in New Delhi as a catalyst for
Washington 'trafficking with India's enemies'," the portal said citing a Los An-
Share and Care kicks off year-end

fundraiser with 32nd annual gala
Paramus, NJ: Share and Care
Foundation (SCF) held its
32nd Annual gala on November 9 at Bergen Performing
Arts center, Englewood, NJ.
The response of over 1270
supporters who packed the
theater to its full capacity was
overwhelming. It raised over
$725,000 for its signature programs on Womens Education
and Quality Education.
SHAKTI, the scintillating
SHAKTI - a scintillating dance & musical
dance & musical performance
performance mesmerized the audience
that mesmerized the audience
at the gala
was
choreographed
by
renowned creative director Amit Shah of tradition of honoring individuals for their
Aatma Performing Arts Group as a trib- leadership and innovation in addressing
most difficult social challenges.
ute to womens empowerment.
SCFs Womens Empowerment iniSCF honored several women with ImtiativeWE has been developed and
pact awards for their courageous and
powerful stories of success against many managed by the women for the women.
obstacles and struggles. One of them, WE aims at cultivating powerful chain of
Vidya Sri, a Human Rights Policy fellow good deeds through our peer-to-peer
at Harvards John F. Kennedy School of State Ambassador program, WE chairGovernment, delivered the keynote ad- person Dr. Ketki Shah said. The potential
dress. Herself a victim of forced marriage of 50 ambassadors committing to
at a very young age, she is also the $100/month for 10 months a year, each of
founder of GangaShakti, an organiza- them in turn recruiting only 7 more
tion raising awareness about forced mar- donors to generate $350,000 is both revolutionary and realistic she said.
riage all over the world.
In 2015, the WE initiative will provide
In fact, the collective presence of this
years awardees on the stage was so pow- skills training and career opportunities to
erful and inspirational that according to 50,000 women working in factories and
SCF President Arun Bhansali, they were farms and promote gender equality in
a class by themselves, who enriched our their own surroundings.
geles Times report published in 1994.

As part of the investigation, Raphel's
State Department office was searched
and sealed, CNN reported citing three
US government officials. Two US officials cited by the Post described the investigation as a counter-intelligence
matter, which typically involves allegations of spying on behalf of foreign
governments. The exact nature of the
investigation involving Raphel remains
unclear. She has not been charged, it
said. A spokesman for Raphel cited by
the Post said she was cooperating with
investigators but has not been told the
"scope or nature or that she is the target"
of any probe.
"We are aware of this law enforcement matter," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
"The State Department has been cooperating with our law enforcement
colleagues. She is no longer employed
by the State Department," Psaki said.
Ban Ki-moon appoints Indian to

board investigating Gaza incidents
United Nations: UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon has appointed a former Indian Police
Service Officer, K C Reddy, to
a board of inquiry that will investigate incidents involving
UN facilities in the Gaza Strip
earlier this year, his deputy
spokesperson, Farhan Haq said
Monday.
The five-member board is to
look into contentious incidents
during the confrontation between Israel and the Palestinian
organization, Hamas, in July
and August. Haq said it will "investigate a number of specific
incidents in which death or injuries occurred at, and/or damage was done to United Nations
premises" and "incidents in
which weapons were found to

be present on United Nations
premises."
The board will be headed by
Patrick Cammaert, a retired
Dutch major general who was a
military adviser to the secretary-general. Besides Reddy,
the other members are Maria
Vicien-Milburn of Argentina,
Lee O'Brien of the US and
Pierre Lemelin of Canada.
Reddy was formerly the chief
security adviser to the secretary-general for the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS). He belonged to the
Meghalaya cadre of the IPS and
was awarded the Indian Police
Medal
for
Meritorious
Service.
Swadesh Chatterjee: Campaign by

Indian-Americans led to civil N-deal
Washington, DC: It was a grassroot campaign by Indian-Americans, who literally flooded their
lawmakers with emails, letters
and faxes, that saw the Indo-US
civil nuclear agreement pass
through the Congress, says a new
book on the unprecedented coming together of the community for
the deal.
Leading Indian-American entrepreneur and activist Swadesh
Chatterjee in his book 'Building
Bridges: How Indian-Americans
Brought the United States and India Closer Together', provides a
first-hand account of the involvement of the influential community in getting the deal through the
US Congress.
"The Indian government hired
high-powered and high-priced
lobbyists to press their case but it
was really the Indian-American
community that took the lead in
the campaign for civil nuclear
agreement," writes Chatterjee.
The book hit the stores in the
US this week while its Indian edition is expected to be released later this year. "Swadesh, you are
wasting your time," the then powerful Congressman, Gary Ackerman, a leading lawmaker of the
House Caucus on India and Indi-
Swadesh Chatterjee in his

book 'Building Bridges:
How Indian-Americans
Brought the United States
and India Closer Together',
provides a
first-hand account of the
involvement of the influential community in getting
the deal through the US
Congress. (Photo source:
newsobserver.com)
an Americans told him, when he

went and met him and sought his
support.
"This deal is dead on arrival,"
Ackerman told Chatterjee, according to the book.
"There were few takers for the
bill," Chatterjee said.
Chatterjee, who had received
the prestigious 'Padma Bhushan'
award in 2001 for his role in lift-
ing of American sanctions after

Indian nuclear tests, was the one
who received the first call from
the then Indian Ambassador to the
US, Ronen Sen, after the then US
President, George W Bush, announced the outline of the civil
nuclear deal during his trip to India in March 2006. "Swadesh, I
need your help getting this accord
through Congress," Sen was quoted as saying in the book. "How
can we get this done? Who should
U reach out to? What organizations should I work with?" the
Ambassador asked.
And thereafter Chatterjee, a resident of North Carolina and a successful entrepreneur, made it a
mission to get the deal through
the Congress. "The task was not
that easy. It was like moving a
mountain. But we finally did it,"
he said.
When a small group of some 20
top Indian Americans met Sen at
a club near the Indian Embassy in
Washington DC, Chatterjee
said,"We need to unite Indian
Americans and work together, but
as you all know, we are two million Indian Americans, but we
have 10 million egos. We need to
keep those egos in the deep freezer for a few years."
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Dr.Ramanathan Raju leads New CRY America: Giving wings to children's dreams
Yorks Ebola response team
New York: After another doctor

in the US tested positive for
Ebola, Dr. Ramanathan Raju, an
eminent Indian American physician, was appointed to lead New
Yorks medical response team to
tackle the disease. Chennainative Raju is a respected physician, who has led some of the
U.S largest and most complex
health care systems. Mayor Bill
de Blasio has appointed him as
New York Citys Commissioner
of Health and Hospitals
Corporation, a network which
has a dozen hospitals earlier this
year.
The mayor acknowledged the
Indian American doctor for his
leadership and making the
Bellevue hospital Ebola-ready.
Bellevue Hospital is one of eight
New York State hospitals that
Governor Andrew Cuomo has
designated to treat Ebola patients.
After Craig Spencer, 33, a doctor
who treated Ebola patients in
Guinea, was tested positive for
Ebola, he was hospitalized in

isolation of the Bellevue hospital.
Addressing reporters, Raju said
that in his 30 years of working in
the health care field, he has
never seen such unprecedented
collaboration between agencies.
He said that health care personnel
were well trained and they successfully took Spencer from the
community to the isolation ward
without any difficulty or panic.
Noting that collaboration and
practice works, Raju said he is
confident that the Ebola patient
will get excellent care.
Outlining the goals for his hospital system in treating Spencer,
Raju said the focus is on providing excellent care for the patient
and to ensure that hospital
employees are protected so that
they take adequate precaution
while taking care of Spencer. I
am absolutely confident that both
will be achieved. We are ready to
take care of the patient, he said.
New York, NY : Child Rights and

You America Inc (CRY America),
a non-profit that works to restore
the rights of underprivileged children, especially in India, hosted its
annual gala dinner Pledge 2014
on November 7 at the Taj Pierre
here. Over 12 years, CRY
Americas work with 70 projects
has resulted in 324,368 children
enrolled in schools, 9,519 children
freed from child labor, 177,814
children immunized, 95,444 births
registered, 358 public healthcare
centers strengthened and 501 villages freed from child labor.
Speaking at Pledge 2014, Shefali
Sunderlal, President of CRY
America shared, All children
have dreams and aspirations.
However, obstacles such as malnutrition, child labor, child marriage
and lack of education destroy their
childhood. CRY America has
given wings to the dreams of
450,832 children by ensuring education, healthcare, nutrition and
protection from exploitation. This
achievement has been possible
only because of the support
received from 20,000 generous
donors and 2,000 committed vol-
(L to R):Vipp Jaswal, Madhur Mittal, Shefali Sunderlal

(President, CRY America) and Dr Roshini Raj
unteers." Pledge 2014 was attended by over 100 high net worth
guests from New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, including
prominent personalities Madhur
Mittal, Vipp Jaswal, Dr. Roshini
Raj, Scarlett Pildes, Shikha &
Mohit Bhatia, Anita & Ajay
Agarwal, Maureen & Gerard
Devas, Rishikant Singh, John
Phillip and Rajeev Bhambri.
Paintings donated by famous
Indian artists, Late Badri Narayan,
Prakash Deshmukh, Anu Kulkarni,
Dattatraya Thombare; cricket bat
autographed by Sourav Ganguly,

jewelry donated by Surat
Diamonds and a Beatles album
autographed by Paul McCartney
and Ringo Starr, among other
items were auctioned at the event
by Priyanka Mathew, Head of
Sales & Vice President of
Contemporary South Asian Art at
Sotheby's.
Sunderlal appealed people to
join CRY America as donors, volunteers and supporters and visit
www.america.cry.org for more
information.
Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrates Diwali

New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrated Diwali Nov 2. Over 800 people gathered in The
Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium for the event hosted
by the Museums Multicultural Audience Development
Initiative with special thanks to Committee Member
Lal K. Motwani, Chairman of the National Federation
of Indian-American Associations. The story of Diwali

signifying the victory of good over evil was told
through dance by the East-West School of Dance. Columbia Raas dancers and Miss India New York 2013
Prachi Modi also performed. Attendees included Bhagwant Bishnoi, Ambassador of India to the UN.
(L to R): Sree
Sreenivasan, Chief
Digital Officer,
Metropolitan Museum
of Art (MMA); Amb.
Bhagwant S. Bishnoi
and wife; Rupa,
India's Dy PR to the
UN; Donna Williams,
Chief Audience
Development Officer,
MMA; Lal K. Motwani,
Multicultural Audience
Development Initiative
Committee Member
and NFIA Chair; John
Guy: Curator, MMA.
A performance by
Columbia Raas dancers
(Photo: Don Pollard)
Shudh Prakash Singh (center) is second American after Bill

Clinton to be conferred the award
Shudh Parkash honored with

Gandhi Sewa gold medal
New York: At a ceremony held recently, Shudh Parkash Singh, a wellknown community leader was honored with the prestigious Gandhi
Sewa Gold Medal by the Gandhi
Global Family (GGF) - an organization spread over 44 countries to promote peace and Gandhian ideology.
Said SP Varma, Vice President of
GGF, "The first American to receive
this award was Hon. Bill Clinton
during his first visit to India as President of America.
Shudh Ji is the second American to
receive this international award. We
chose him because of his community
service and work done by his foundation in India.

Shudh Parkash, in his acceptance
remarks, disclosed that youths of his
generation in Punjab used to adore
martyrs like Bhagat Singh but disliked Mahatma Gandhi. But later as
I learned more about Gandhi Ji, I became his ardent admirer. Coming to
America, I found how highly Gandhi Ji is respected abroad. He added,
I feel humbled and share this gold
medal with everyone who believes in
love and peace.
GGF has also launched its New
York chapter.
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Ro Khanna concedes poll defeat

Aditi Hardikar named
new White House LGBT liaison
Washington, DC: Indian-American Aditi
Hardikar has been appointed to a key White
House position to liaison with the LGBT as
well as the Asian American and Pacific
Islanders communities, an official said.
Hardikar, who till recently was director of the
LGBT Leadership Council at Democratic
National Committee, replaces another IndianAmerican Gautam Raghavan at the White
House, who has now joined the Gill
Foundation. According to a White House
official, Hardikar joined as the new Associate
Director of Public Engagement in the Office
of Public Engagement.
In her role, she is the White Houses primary liaison to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
and Transgender (LGBT) community and
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)
community, the official said.
Prior to joining the White House, she served
as Director of the LGBT Leadership Council
and Director of the AAPI Leadership Council
for the Democratic National Committee,
where she raised resources and mobilized
community leaders around democratic issues.
She also served as the LGBT Finance
Director for the Presidential Inaugural
Committee in 2013, and the Deputy Director
Aditi Hardikar
of LGBT Voter Outreach and LGBT Finance

for the 2012 Obama-Biden President
Campaign.
Aditi planned events and organized progressive young Americans for the Campus
Progress team at the Center for American
Progress in Washington.
She also served as a White House intern in
the Office of Public Engagement, where she
worked on LGBT issues. A graduate of the
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, she
earned her BA in Economics and Political
Science.
Anderson death no relief to victims:

Director of Bhopal film
Washington, DC: A new powerful movie
reliving the Bhopal gas disaster that still
haunts India has hit the US screens ahead of
its 30th anniversary and its director says the
recent death of then Union Carbide chief
Warren Anderson "does not bring any relief
to the victims."
Written and directed by Ravi Kumar,
"Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain" focusses on the
events leading up to the world's biggest
industrial disaster as it intersects with the
life of rickshaw puller Dilip (played by
Rajpal Yadav), who gets a job at the Union
Carbide plant to beat poverty.
"We decided to make a tense drama and
the audience can now debate and search
about the aftermath," said Kumar, who has
spun the story of the tragedy that struck
Bhopal on the night of Dec 3, 1984, into a
fictionalized gripping industrial thriller. The
disaster left over 3,000 people dead.
The lead-up and aftermath are "two separate areas and deserve a separate platform,"
Kumar said.
"I believe the aftermath equally tragic, is
not dramatic enough to be told in a dramatic
fashion."
Kumar, a doctor turned filmmaker who
himself grew up as a child near Bhopal, said
he chose to focus on the lead-up as "some
excellent documentaries have been made on
the aftermath and books have been written".
He believes the "time is right to make a
film about the Bhopal disaster" as "30 years
have gone by and so we have an emotional
distance from the tragedy, in order to make
an objective assessment of the disaster."
"At the same time, the story is recent
enough and relevant enough to engage
younger generations who would be interested to learn the lessons" and avoid more such
disasters, said Kumar, pointing to the BP oil
spill in the US in April 2010.
Veteran Hollywood actor Martin Sheen
plays the role of Warren Anderson, the then
chairman and CEO of the Union Carbide
Corporation, who died in September while
living as a fugitive from justice at Vero
Beach, Florida.
Rather than portray Anderson as an outright villain, the film comes out showing
him as a jovial capitalist more concerned
about the company's bottom line and legal
liabilities than the safety of the plant taking
advantage of India's laxer regulations.
Yet "no one in the audience has come out
of cinema feeling sympathetic about
Anderson. Everyone thinks Anderson did a
wrong thing," said Kumar.
Indian-American actor Kal Penn plays a
Bhopal journalist writing about the ticking
'time bomb' that no one wants to hear about
as it gives the town a living.
London-born and New York-raised actress
Mischa Barton, too "has done an amazing
job playing a young reporter who's working
for a life-style magazine who stumbles upon
an impending chemical disaster but chooses
to ignore it as she runs late for her deadline," he said. The recent death of Anderson
"does not bring any relief to the victims of
Carbide disaster", said Kumar.
"It only proves that Union Carbide as a
multinational needs to close this ongoing
tragedy by apologizing and cleaning up the
plant that is still standing in the middle of
Bhopal and contaminating the local water
supply."
Washington, DC: In the battle for Silicon

Valley, Indian-American Rohit 'Ro' Khanna
has conceded defeat after giving seven-term
incumbent Mike Honda the toughest fight
of his life for the South Bay Congressional
seat.
In the Democrats-only tussle, the 38-yearold Khanna, a former Obama administration
official conceded after he and Honda agreed
it would be impossible to reverse the 73year-old veteran lawmaker's 4,000-plus vote
lead, the San Francisco Gate reported.
Thousands of votes still remained to be
counted in the district, which spreads from
Fremont through part of San Jose and over
to Santa Clara, Cupertino and Sunnyvale.
While Khanna won endorsement and
financial support of many well-known tech
executives, Honda was buoyed by support
from the state Democratic Party and bigname Democrats including President
Barack Obama.
California Governor Jerry Brown also
pumped campaign cash into TV ads attacking Khanna during the final two weeks of
the campaign, according to the Gate.
Speaking to supporters at his Fremont
campaign headquarters, Khanna thanked his
staff and volunteers and said he had called
Honda and "wished him well as he returns
to Washington for another term".
"This long campaign has come to a
close," Khanna was quoted as saying.
"I believe, more than ever, that our district
has so much to offer in building a fair and
Khanna lost to fellow Democrat Mike

Honda the race for South Bay
Congressional seat.
prosperous economic future for our nation
in the 21st century. Our work is just beginning."
Khanna, according to the San Jose
Mercury News, said he was "inspired by the
passion both campaigns have shown in this
very unique district. The voters are fundamentally fair, open-minded and decent, and
I respect their decision".
Asked about his plans, Khanna said he
couldn't possibly consider whether to run
again in 2016 before this election's votes
were completely counted.
Once that's done, he said, he'll take some
time with his girlfriend and family "for
reflection" and then look for ways to "be
involved in this community and active...
contributing to the issues that I care about."
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Republican controlled Congress may favor India: US expert

Washington, DC: After the
Republican victory in the US midterm, Congress is likely to be more
interested in doing more with India
on security, energy, and foreign policy, according to an American
expert on South Asia.
But it's also likely to be still concerned about trade barriers and temporary worker visas, wrote Alyssa
Ayres, a former State Department
official and an expert at the Council
on Foreign Relations.
The midterm elections gave the
Republican Party control of the
Senate after eight years and a
stronger showing in the Republicancontrolled House of Representatives
Following that President Barack
Obama's 2008 Republican presidential rival, Senator John McCain is

likely to assume the chairmanship of
the Senate Armed Services
Committee in January.
"That's good news for New
Delhi," Ayers wrote, noting:
"McCain has a long track record of
support for a stronger India and a
stronger US relationship with it."
"He's been a frequent visitor, most
recently in July, and has spoken
forcefully about American interests
in a deeper partnership with India,"
Ayers wrote.
In September, McCain published
an essay in Foreign Policy arguing
for a pivot to India, with India at the
heart of US interests in Asia and
argued that the US should be India's

preferred partner on energy, trade
and defence, she noted.
In the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, ranking member Bob
Corker, who may take over as chair,
has been a supporter of the India
relationship
He "has been vocal about the need
to reassess US relations with
Pakistan, particularly supporting
tying US foreign assistance to action
against terrorism."
Ayers also suggested a shift to
Republican control may result in a
still-watchful eye on Indian trade
issues. Senator Orrin Hatch, who is
likely to assume the chairmanship of
Senate Finance Committee, Ayers
noted, has expressed concerns about

unfair trade practices in India. So
have many members of both houses
of the US Congress from both parties.
Indian technology companies and
the Indian government have placed
great importance on greater access
to temporary visas for high-skilled
workers
Senator Chuck Grassley, who is
likely to become chair of Committee
on the Judiciary, has been an India
supporter and member of the Senate
India Caucus.
Grassley also "has a strong interest in US immigration policies,"
Ayers wrote, noting that he introduced a bill last year to reform the
H-1B visa program.

"So: expect to see continued broad
support for India on a bipartisan
basis in the United States, with an
empowered Senator McCain likely
to continue his advocacy for a
strong India relationship across the
board," Ayers wrote. Congress may
also seek to move further on energy
policy issues that would benefit
India, she wrote. At the same time,
on two issues of high importance to
India - trade barriers and temporary
worker visas - "US Republicans
coming into leadership positions
have expressed concerns very similar to those held by Democrats
about trade and immigration matters, Ayers wrote.
Modi needs to speed up reform Mira Nair keynotes Jiva Performing Arts Gala
process: Entrepreneur Vinod Gupta
Minister's endeavors asking
Washington, DC: Having
announced some pro-economy
him to induct youngsters and
measures, Prime Minister
more people of his acumen in
his team. "We are willing to
Narendra Modi now needs to
support him. And now he
accelerate the pace of reforms,
needs a few more people of
a leading Indian-American
entrepreneur has said.
his equal caliber. He needs to
"I was expecting much more.
bring younger people as part
of his team, who would be
I was expecting that in the first
Vinod Gupta
dedicated to national develop100 days, he would announce a
lot more initiative as far as foreign investment," the Uttar Pradesh-born tycoon said.
He said various measures like solving tax
ment, infrastructure in India, road, power and
water. Maybe he is taking his own time in problems and amending labor and tax legisannouncing these reforms," Vinod 'Vin' lations would create a business friendly enviGupta, former CEO and Chairman of ronment and attract foreign direct investinfoGROUP (previously info U.S.A) told in ment. "They need to solve tax problems,
a recent interview. Lauding Modi, Gupta because a lot of companies are hesitant to go
said: "He is a great leader. He is a great ora- there because of labor laws, tax laws,"
tor." He extended his support to the Prime he said.
Community leaders hail Verma's

nomination as US envoy to India
Washington, DC: The nomination of
Richard Rahul Verma as the US Ambassador
to India is a "crowning moment" for IndianAmericans, members of whose have been
appointed in record numbers by President
Barack Obama, according to eminent leaders
from the community.
Verma, if confirmed by the Senate would
be the first-ever Indian-American to be the
US Ambassador to India.
"It is a crowning moment for us (IndianAmericans). Not only has the president appointed many Indian-Americans here, but he
has found someone worthy of representing
the country in India. I would view this as a
crowning moment," Silicon Valley-based M
R Rangaswami, a successful entrepreneur,
community builder and philanthropist, said.
"He has a strong relationship across the
United States Government. He is equally
popular among both the Democrats and Republicans. He has a deep understanding of
India and India US relationship," said,

Swadesh Chatterjee, who played a key role
in the civil-nuclear deal.
Indian-American Republican from Texas,
Ashok Mago said, "It is exciting to see that
finally an American of Indian origin with
great credentials have been nominated to
represent USA to one of the most important
nation".
"We all have great hopes for Rich (Verma)
to take relations between to great nations to
new heights. He has opened door for other
Americans of Indian-origin to be considered
as US ambassadors to India," he said.
The United States Senate has not yet announced the date for confirmation hearing
for Verma.
Neera Tandon, President of Center for
American Progress, a top US think-tank said,
"I have always known him to be a brilliant
thinker, very strategic, very sharp, very
quick, and just incredibly capable."
Jiva dancers present latest production Mayura: Blue Peacock.

Director Mira Nair (inset) was the keynote speaker.
New York, NY: Jiva Performing Arts held its

second annual gala in New York City on November 6. The non-profit, which promotes Indian classical music and dance hosted an exciting evening featuring performances by talented musicians, dancers and comedians, cocktails, dinner and dancing. Internationally acclaimed film director and producer Mira Nair
was the evening keynote speaker. The annual
gala, which will help support the organizations
growing efforts to create engaging Indian classical music and dance programming in the
NYC area, was held at the Congregation
Rodeph Shalom.
Comedian Dan Nainan emceed the evening
that featured a live musical showdown by Jay

Gandhi, Nitin Mitta and Bala Skandan followed by an excerpt of Jiva Dances latest production, Mayura: Blue Peacock, based on the
Bharatanatyam tradition.
A sari clad Mira Nair took the stage and
raved about her appreciation for the Indian arts
in the US. Nair also announced that her award
winning film, Monsoon Wedding is soon to become a live Broadway production.
The Jiva Performing Arts Gala helped raise
over $35,000 for the organization. The funds
generated through the gala will be used to develop educational and arts programming in
NYC.
Indian Health
Camp of New
Jersey held its
annual health
fair at Shree
Swaminarayan
Temple in
Secaucus for
10th year in a
row. More than
250 people
participated and
benefited from
comprehensive
health screening.
US AFFAIRS
3 top GOP candidates take major steps towards 2016
Washington: Now that midterms are over,

2016 is the next major election cycle on the
calendar and the race for the White House
seems to have taken off in earnest.
A trio of leading potential Republican candidates' campaigns revealed high-profile
steps they have taken towards launching
their presidential bids on Wednesday.
According to reports Wednesday,
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), Sen.
Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Sen. Rand Paul (R)
are all quickly moving forward with their
plans for the elections in some form or another, even though voters in Iowa won't cast
their ballots for at least a year.
The Washington Post detailed Huckabee's
efforts to reconnect with supporters six
years after his unsuccessful 2008 White
House bid. He is reportedly doing several
things to lay the groundwork for a campaign.
Huckabee's allies commissioned polls in
early primary states that they claim found
him leading the GOP pack by double digits.
From left, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Ted Cruz,

and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
"There were polls done that surprised me

and got my attention and led my friends
to urge me to think of this again," Huckabee
said. Meanwhile, Politico's Mike Allen reported Rand Paul, who leans libertarian,
was set to huddle with his core political advisers on Wednesday "to plan ahead for a
likely presidential campaign." Allen gave
Paul a 90% chance of ultimately launching
a White House bid, even though the senator

publicly insists he is still making up his
mind.
Supporters of Cruz, a conservative firebrand, also revealed their plans on Wednesday for a so-called super PAC supporting his
candidacy.
"We'd like to be $50 million by the end of
March 2016, going into Super Tuesday,"
Republicans eye funding to block

Obama on immigration
Washington: A growing number
of Republicans in Congress want
to use government spending bills
as leverage to prevent President
Obama from taking unilateral action to ease U.S. immigration policies.
Senator Jeff Sessions, poised to
lead the Senate Budget Committee
next year, on Wednesday called on
his fellow Republicans to press for
a short-term spending bill extension into early next year and withhold funds needed to implement
any "unlawful amnesty" for undocumented immigrants ordered
by Obama.
He told reporters that a shortterm extension into next year

would allow a new Republican
majority in the Senate to cut
spending and be in a position to
use spending bills to prevent Obama from issuing visas and identification cards to such immigrants.
A short-term extension "would
be smart for a whole lot of reasons," Sessions said. "Senator Harry Reid shouldn't be entitled to
bind the country next year when
we've got a new Congress," he
said.
Meanwhile, more than 50 House
Republicans have signed a letter
circulated by conservative Representative Matt Salmon, calling for

a pre-emptive strike to bar from
spending legislation any use of
federal money to legalize undocumented immigrants. Salmon plans
to send the letter to House Republican leaders on Thursday, his
spokesman said.
The House and Senate Appropriations committees are negotiating
a $1 trillion "omnibus" spending
package that would keep the government funded through Sept. 30,
2015. Congress must pass new
spending legislation by Dec. 11 to
avoid a government shutdown.
UN unhappy with US states' pot legalization

New York: Residents in Washington, D.C., Alaska, and Oregon voted to legalize marijuana this election and it seems the United Nations has a problem with it.
"I don't see how (the new laws)
can be compatible with existing
conventions," UNODC Executive
Director Yury Fedotov, told reporters. Fedotov suggested the
U.S. developments may be part of
a wider trend that he said the UNODC was following. On the international level, Uruguay's parliament in late 2013 approved a bill
to legalize and regulate the production and sale of marijuana -the first country to do so.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has said
Uruguay's new bill contravened
the 1961 Single Convention on
Narcotic Drugs, which it says requires states to limit the use of

cannabis to medical and scientific
purposes, due to its dependenceproducing potential. Fedotov said
he would raise the issue with the
US State Department next week,
but considering Obama has said
weve got bigger fish to fry, its
unlikely their input will have much
sway.
Cruz confidante Maria Strollo Zack reportedly told the Daily Mail of the PAC, called
"Stand for Principle PAC."
However, not every Republican is rushing
towards the campaign trail. Texas Gov. Rick
Perry (R) surprised many observers on
Monday when he said he wouldnt make an
official decision on running for president
again until May.
On the Democratic side, front-runner
Hillary Clinton said in September that she
would make a decision by Jan. 1, 2015.
However, in October, the New York Times
reported a Republican Senate takeover
could prompt Clinton to launch her official
exploratory committee before the end of the
year. That report cited sources close to Clinton who said the Democratic party might
"need to quickly pivot to the presidential
campaign" if the midterms went badly,
which came to pass. However, on Wednesday, The Hill published a piece indicating
Clinton wouldn't push up her timeline based
on the midterms.
George W. Bush 'wanted Dad

to be alive' to read biography
Washington: Former President George W. Bush said
Tuesday that he wanted to publish his personal biography
about his father, former President George H.W. Bush, now
because "I wanted Dad to be
alive -- to be able to see how
much not only I care for him
but a lot of people care for
him." "His presidency in many
ways was overshadowed by
A painting by Bush Jr of the
his predecessor, and that's untwo Presidents.
derstandable," Bush said.
"[But] people are beginning to re- Portrait of My Father," "a pretty
assess the presidency of 41 and I good read" about the man he said is
want to be a part of that process and the best one-term president in U.S.
I wanted him to know that that history.
The event came amid increased foprocess was going to take place."
Bush's comments came at an event cus on the Bush family as another
with his father Tuesday marking the member, former Florida Gov. Jeb
launch of the 43rd president's per- Bush, considers a run for president sonal biography of the 41st presi- - with a decision expected late this
year or early next year.
dent.
Bush said it "would be awesome"
The discussion was moderated by
former George W. Bush chief of staff if his brother Jeb runs for the White
Andy Card and held at the George House -- and that his brother and
H.W. Bush Presidential Library at Hillary Clinton are "the two most
Texas A&M University in College qualified people in being able to tell
Station. It was a heartfelt tribute to you what it's like to be president."
"He ought to run for president and
the elder Bush, who left the White
would be a great president should he
House 22 years ago and is now 90.
The younger Bush called "41: A win," Bush said of his brother.
10
US AFFAIRS
Obama nominates Loretta Lynch

as next attorney general
Washington: President Barack Obama last
week nominated federal prosecutor Loretta
Lynch to replace Eric Holder as the country's
next attorney general.
"I can think of no better public servant to be
our next attorney general," Obama said announcing the nomination. He said he hoped
the Senate would confirm without delay the
Brooklyn federal prosecutor, who he said had
distinguished herself as "tough and fair".
If approved by the Senate, Lynch would be
the second woman to serve as the country's
attorney general and the first African- American woman in the job.
Lynch would replace Holder, the first black
attorney general, who has held the post since
Obama took office in 2009. Holder announced his plan in September to step down.
Lynch, 55, is a Harvard Law School graduate and a popular prosecutor who is currently
serving her second stint as U.S. attorney.
Lynch was appointed by Obama in 2010 and
served in the same post from 1999-2001
under former President Bill Clinton.
How will 2014 elections impact your wallet

By John S Kiernan
ith the midterm elections over
and Congress now firmly in the
Republican Partys control,
President Obama must face his final two
years in office with little legislative support. While it remains to be seen exactly
how the new balance of power will manifest itself in terms of a working relationship in Washington both sides of the
aisle are currently preaching bipartisanship. That, of course, is standard post-election politics, and its fair to wonder how
the new dynamic will impact major issues
such as health care reform, financial regulation, and the economy once time for governing ultimately commences.
One of the most important considerations lingering in the aftermath of the elections is what increased Republican power
means for our wallets. The overarching
notion seems to be that more Republicans
in Congress equates to less government
regulation and greater business prosperity,
perhaps at the expense of the little guy.
And, if history is any indication, we
should also continue to see stock market
gains, as the S&P 500 has advanced 8.6%
annually when there has been a
Democratic president and a Republican
Congress. But since so much remains
unclear, from the future of corporate tax
reform and the federal minimum wage to
the fate of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and
the Export-Import Bank, we reached out to
some leading experts in the fields of economics, public policy and political science
for insights into the future of consumer
wealth.
In the near term,

expect no tax hike,
minimum wage
rising modestly, and
stock market
going up.
Consequently, WalletHub is prepared to

make the following bold predictions:
There Will Be No Government
Shutdown: One of the reasons our recovery from the Great Recession has been so
halting is that government-made crises
have hampered growth. We are unlikely to
see another government shutdown, however, because the last one was simply too
politically damaging.
While the ideological distance between
Congress and the president is large, the
incentives to work together on a few key
issues is even larger, says Michael S.
Rocca, of the University of New Mexico.
Neither will want to get blamed for a
government shutdown heading into a presidential election, and both would like to
take credit for a growing economy.
Political Gridlock Will Persist: Just
because a government shutdown is unlikely does not mean things in Washington
will work smoothly. Most of the experts
consulted expect to see much of the same
from our nations political leaders very
little. Sure, this Congress might be able to
agree on more than in years past, but
President Obama still carries a very powerful veto pen.
Ultimately, a lack of action on the part of
politicians could be good news for the
economy and our wallets. The economy
has steadily moved forward in recent
years, and a lack of intervention on the
part of politicians will allow the fundamentals of the economy and corporations
speak for themselves.
The Stock Market Will Continue to
Rise: History is firmly on the stock markets side. Not only has the S&P displayed
outsized gains during years where a
Democratic president is countered by a
Republican Congress, but the third year of
a presidents term is also historically
rewarding. Since 1926, the S&P 500 has
gained roughly 17% in such third years.
Weve also historically seen 25% annualized returns in the period from a midterm
election in November to the following
April.
Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Will
Survive: There has been a lot of talk about
what to do with Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac, but this is unlikely to result in the
housing giants being destroyed.
Killing Fannie and Freddie, as some
Republicans advocate, will not be possible
without negative effects on the housing
industry, according to Steven S. Smith,
director of the Murray Weidenbaum
Center on the Economy, Government, and

Public Policy at Washington University in
St. Louis. And with the housing market
already representing a drag on the economic recovery, such a move would not be
politically advisable in the run-up to 2016.
There Will Be No New Tax Hikes:
With more Republicans in Washington,
rising tax rates are one thing we will not
see from this new-look Congress. Thats
undoubtedly good news for those of us
who feel we are already forking over too
much to Uncle Sam.
The Federal Minimum Wage Will
Rise: While this is a politically tricky
issue, there seems to be increased support
for higher minimum wages. Already, four
traditionally red states Alaska, Arkansas,
Nebraska and South Dakota voted to
raise their minimum wage in the 2014
midterms. And with President Obama having already upped the pay of federal workers and only two states Wyoming and
Georgia having lower wage floors than
the federal minimum wage, the writing
seems to be on the wall for a change, especially with the issue of inequality gaining
momentum.
Some Form of Corporate Tax
Reform Will Take Place: Corporate tax
reform is high on the GOPs agenda and it
seems reasonable to expect some nature of
bipartisan support for this issue considering President Obamas public remarks
regarding tax inversion deals. If an accord
is ultimately reached, perhaps enabling
corporations to repatriate income earned
overseas, it would be a significant victory
for the American economy.
There is no question that Republicans
will push for corporate tax reform, which
would include lowering the high average
rate and closing some loopholes, says
Donald Downs, the Alexander Meiklejohn
Professor of Political Science, Law, and

Journalism at the University of Wisconsin.
Tax reform would also include lowering
or eliminating the tax on bringing profits
earned in foreign countries back to the
U.S., which would place up to 2 trillion
dollars back into play in the domestic
economy. These measures will be among
the very first things a Republican Congress
will initiate come January.
The CFPB Will Be Slowed Down:
The Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau is one of the federal agencies
whose oversight the Republicans will wish
to revisit. While it is unlikely the organization will experience significant changes,
such as complete elimination, there could
be some alterations to how it is governed.
According to the American Bankers
Association, we can Expect increased
scrutiny in the Senate on the CFPBs proposals and a continued push to change the
structure of the CFPB from a single director to a five-member board and a push to
subject the CFPB to the congressional
appropriations process.
No Significant Health Care
Changes: While a full repeal of the
Affordable Care Act would be high on the
wish list of many Republicans in the next
legislative session, President Obama is not
going to allow his signature act to date to
be cast aside. However, if the GOP plays
its cards right, slight alterations and
improvements to the law could be politically viable. One such aspect of the law
that is likely to be on the table is the medical device tax.
The Keystone Pipeline Will Pass:
This is an extremely tricky issue given the
presidents environmental stance, but the
Republicans could garner enough votes to
bypass the need for his approval.
Undertaking this project would lead to the
creation of more jobs and perhaps lower
energy prices for American consumers.
External Factors Will Have the
Biggest Impact On the Economy: While
the midterm elections will certainly have
an impact on the economy, factors beyond
our borders will matter a whole lot more.
This includes our fight against ISIS, the
battle over Ukraine, the European recession, and the state of the global oil crisis.
Wallet Hub
John Kiernan is Senior Writer & Editor
at Evolution Finance.
INDIA
11
Rahul's whole life has been a photo Some forces at work to destroy
Nehru's legacy: Sonia
opportunity: BJP
New Delhi: In a scathing attack on Rahul

Gandhi, the BJP said the Congress vice president's whole life had been a photo opportunity, and raised questions on his performance in
parliament.
Reacting to Gandhi's accusation that Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachh Bharat
Abhiyan' was just an excuse for a photo
opportunity, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli
said: "Be it traveling in Mumbai trains, going
and sleeping at a Dalit person's house, running down the Adarsh report, everything has
been a photo opportunity (for Rahul
Gandhi)."
"His life has been a photo opportunity. So,
perhaps he tends to see everything else from
that perspective," he added.
Gandhi was speaking at an international
conference organised by the Congress to
mark Jawaharlal Nehru's 125th birth anniversary here.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader mocked
Gandhi's performance as a parliamentarian
and asked whether he had attended parliament consistently, moved any bill or participated in discussions.
"Besides the political inheritance and the
goodwill earned from the good work done by
Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv
Gandhi, what does he (Rahul Gandhi) have to
show for himself? Has he got some success
of his own?"
"It is strange that an individual or a family
would want to live on the achievements of
the past," he said.
The Congress was an "ideologically bankrupt" party in a "desperate fight for survival",
Kohli said. Fellow BJP spokesperson
Shahnawaz Hussain too lambasted Gandhi
after he admitted in his speech that the
Congress had made some mistakes but never
swayed from its ideology.
"The people are not willing to forgive the
Congress for the mistakes it has committed.
No wonder the party is in dire straits today,"
Hussain said.
Five armymen get life sentence

over staged shootout
Sonia
Gandhi,
Rahul
Gandhi and
Manmohan
Singh on
the eve of
125th birth
anniversary commemoration of
Jawaharlal
Nehru in
New Delhi..
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia

Gandhi said that some forces are at work to
"destroy" the legacy and ideology of
Jawarharlal Nehru, the first prime minister
of Independent India.
Gandhi was speaking at an event organized
by the Congress here on the eve of 125th
birth anniversary commemoration of Nehru.
"There is a concerted attempt to destroy
his (Nehru's) legacy and ideology. Some
forces are at work and we have to fight
them," Gandhi said without naming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
"We should remain committed to fight
those who want to destroy the liberal and
progressive edifice of India," she said.

Speaking in Hindi, Gandhi said that the
Congress has had a history of 129 years and
the party would continue to exist despite difficulties.
"We have faced many challenges and
learned from them as we had learned to face
challenges from our leaders. Had Pandit
Nehru been here, he would have asked us to
go back to people and connect with them and
strengthen the organisation," Gandhi said.
"Nehruji's ideologies are not just a part of
history, they inspire us even today and
undoubtedly they will inspire generations to
come."
In 2010,
three
youths
were
killed in
Machil
area of
Jammu
and
Kashmir's
Kupwara
district.
Srinagar/New Delhi: Five armymen have

been awarded life sentence for a staged
shootout in 2010 in which three youths were
killed in Machil area of Jammu and Kashmir's
Kupwara district, army sources said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, in
a tweet said that seven army personnel were
awarded life terms for the incident.
Army sources said the five men, including
two officers, were sentenced by "summary
general court martial" but the sentence was
subject to confirmation.
The five armymen were identified as
Colonel Dinesh Pathania, Captain Upendra,
Havildar Devender, Lance Naik Lakhmi and
Lance Naik Arun Kumar.
The sources said the army does not take
such instances lightly and justice was being
delivered speedily after start of the court martial proceedings.
Shezad Ahmad, Muhammad Shafi and
Riyaz Ahmad, all from Nadihal village in
Baramulla district, were gunned down by the
armymen near the Line of Control (LoC) in
Machil May 3, 2010.
The army had then claimed that the youths
were Pakistan-trained guerrillas who were
killed while trying to infiltrate into the
Kashmir Valley.
But when pictures of the slain youths were
published in newspapers, their families and
relatives identified them as three missing
youths who had no connection with militancy.
In the aftermath of the alleged staged
shootout, protests and clashes with security
forces erupted in the Kashmir Valley.
Police investigation established that two
men, Abbas Hussain and Bashir Ahmad, who
worked with the army, lured the three youths
in the name of providing them jobs.
But they were taken to Machil and killed in
cold blood.
The families of the deceased in 2010
demanded a trial in a civil court. But the army
opted for a general court martial.
Abdullah welcomed the award of sentence
in the case.
"The army has handed out life sentences to
seven, including the CO (commanding officer), in the Machil fake encounter case of
2010. This is indeed a welcome step," the
chief minister posted on Twitter.
"I hope we never see such Machil fake
encounter type of incidents ever again and let
this serve as a warning to those tempted to
try," he added.
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12
Modi calls for global

partnership against terrorism
Narendra Modi at East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Nay Pyi Taw: Indian Prime

Minister Narendra Modi called
for rejecting any linkages
between religion and terrorism
and said that comprehensive
response against terrorism
requires a genuinely international partnership "against all
terrorism". Addressing the East
Asia Summit here, Modi said
that India supports the EAS
declaration on the Islamic State
terrorist group, according to
tweets posted by external affairs
ministry spokesperson Syed
Akbaruddin.
The rise of jihadist group
Islamic State, which indulges in
brutal killings and has declared
a caliphate in areas overrun by
it in Syria and Iraq, is a major
cause of concern in the world.
Modi said that the challenges
of terrorism and extremism
have increased and nations
"have to ensure that cyber and
space remain a source of connectivity and prosperity, not
new theatres for conflict".
In reference to the territorial
conflicts in the South China

Sea, he said that "following
international law and norms is
important for peace and stability
in South China Sea as well".
"In a world of inter-dependence and globalization, there is
no option but to follow international laws and norms," he
stressed.
Referring to the Ebola virus
outbreak in West Africa, he said
it has highlighted the importance of international cooperation in combating pandemics.
Modi informed the gathering
that India has contributed $12
million in the efforts against
Ebola. On India's outreach to
Southeast Asian countries,
Modi said his government has
moved with "a great sense of
priority and speed" to turn the
'Look East Policy' into 'Act East
Policy'."
"No other forum is so critical
for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia-Pacific and the
world," he said, referring to the
East Asia Summit.
'India-Russia ties will

be strengthened'
Nay Pyi Taw: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his
Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and said he was sure IndiaRussia ties will be strengthened.
"Am sure India-Russia ties will be strengthened: PM @narendramodi to PM Medvedev," a tweet by the Prime Minister's Office
quoted Modi as saying.
On day three of his visit to Myanmar, Modi met Medvedev ahead
of the East Asia Summit.
Modi recalled his visit to Russia in 2001, according to the tweets
posted by the PMO.
The Russian prime minister conveyed that India is a close and
valued partner for us.
Medvedev said: There are many areas where we are cooperating, on the extent of Russia-India relations.
A PMO tweet showed Modi listening to the proceedings of the
East Asia Summit here.
INDIA
Indo-US deal ends WTO impasse

on foodstock issue
New Delhi: Announcing an end to

the impasse over the WTO accord
to ease global customs rules,
Commerce Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman said an agreement has
been reached with the US on the
issue of food stockpiling.
The deal opens the way for a
consensus on the Trade Facilitation
Agreement (TFA) which had eluded the World Trade Organization
members in July, she added.
India has asked for a permanent
solution to the issue of public
stockholding for food security purposes and not a restricted period of
four years as was originally decided during the WTO ministerial
meeting in Bali, Indonesia, last
year.
"Point of difference was there
(with the US) that the Bali agreement was imperfect, which had to
be corrected. It's a course correction that we wanted," Sitharaman
told reporters here.
"We're moving forward in a constructive manner," she added.
The minister said many nations
saw merit in India's stand at the
WTO and that the US has also
"appreciated and now openly supported our concerns on public
stockholding. India has never
obstructed trade facilitation. We
were only trying to safeguard our
farmer's interests". India has been
under pressure from several coun-
India has asked for a permanent solution to the issue of public

stockholding for food security purposes.
tries, particularly the US, to drop

its objections to the Trade
Facilitation Agreement.
India's objections are on the
WTO limits on agriculture subsidies at 10 percent of the total value
of foodgrain production, and on
stockpiling foodgrain. Complying
with the country's Food Security
Act passed last year that guarantees
subsidised foodgrains to around 70
percent of the population could
result in breaching these limits
leading to penalties for India.
At Bali, the ministers also
agreed, by what is called the
"peace clause", that till 2017 no
country can move the dispute settlement body of the WTO against
another member if its government
was found to be breaching the level
of subsidy freeze that was permitted.

"Please extend the peace clause
and find us a permanent solution.
Do not make us wait till 2017.
These are legitimate demands,"
Sitharaman had said here Sunday.
Earlier, Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley had said at a conference
here that the peace clause was due
to disappear in four years time but
India wanted that "the decision on
settlement of disputes and the
peace clause should co-exist".
"The WTO is in the best interest
of developing countries, especially
the poorest and most marginalised
ones among them, and we are
determined to work to strengthen
this institution," Sitharaman said in
a statement.
Maharashtra: Sena to meet guv

over fresh trust vote
Mumbai: A day after the

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led
government won the floor test in
the state assembly through a voice
vote, the Shiv Sena will on
Thursday meet Maharashtra governor C Vidyasagar Rao to demand a
fresh floor test be conducted for the
BJP to prove its majority.
"We have taken an appointment
with the Governor and will be
meeting him at 4pm. The Leader of
Opposition (Eknath Shinde) will
ask the Governor to re-conduct the
floor test so that the BJP can legally prove that they are a majority,"
senior Sena leader Ramdas Kadam,
said.
"The governor had asked the BJP
to prove a majority. But by going

in for a voice vote, they have gone
against the laws of the country. We
being the principle opposition will
not tolerate this," he said.
The Sena also accused the
Maharashtra government on
Thursday of violating constitutional provisions by proving its majority amid high chaos and strangulating age-old traditions of the state.
The Sena also termed the BJP's
claim of running a clean government as "false".
"The BJP had promised clean
governance when they came to
power. Forgetting all their promises made to the people, they (the
BJP) have violated the constitu-
tional provisions while seeking a

trust vote. This has proved that all
the claims of running a clean government were false," Sena said in
an editorial in its mouthpiece
'Saamna'.
It added that by violating the
norms of the House and ignoring
the traditions, they have "cheated"
the people of the state, for which
they will not be forgiven.
"Will people henceforth trust a
party that has violated all the
norms and strangulated the age-old
traditions of the state only to win a
trust vote? You have broken the
trust of people who gave you the
largest mandate for which you will
never be forgiven," it said.
INDIA
13
Upper castes are invaders:

Bihar CM Manjhi
Sterilization tragedy:
judicial probe ordered
At least 13 women died after the botched surgeries.
Raipur: Chhattisgarh police have

arrested the surgeon whose botched
sterilizations claimed the lives of 13
women in Bilaspur earlier this week.
RK Gupta, the doctor who performed surgeries at a sterilisation
camp in Chhattisgarh, at a police station in Bilaspur. At least 13 women
died after the botched surgeries, triggering angry protests.
Dr RK Gupta was on the run since
the rst deaths were reported and an
FIR was lodged against him.The 59year old surgeon, who was honored
by the Chhattisgarh government on

January 26 this year for accomplishing a massive target on mass sterilisation in the state-run campaign, was
detained at Baloda Bazar, about 70
km from Bilaspur.
Following his arrest, the surgeon
told reporters he has been made a
scapegoat.
"I am innocent. The health of the
women deteriorated owing to the substandard drugs prescribed to them
following the sterilisation surgery,"
he claimed.
Patna: As Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish

Kumar embarked on his Sampark Yatra to reinvigorate party workers, chief minister Jitan Ram
Manjhi staked claim to the Dalit constituency on
Wednesday, saying: Upper castes were foreigners and descendants of Aryan invaders, while the
true Indians were the Dalits and the indigenous
people.
Issuing a clear message to tribals and Dalits to
close ranks and re-invent their political strength
at Bettiah, 300km north-west of Patna, Manjhi
asked them to work in tandem for their educational, social and political rights. He took on the
mantle of a social reformer too, asking the tribals to shun consumption of alcohol and tobacco
and go attend school.
Earlier, the number of tribals was only 1% of
states population but the percentage has reached
16% after the Tharus were accorded the status of
scheduled tribe (ST). The total number of tribals
is about 16 lakh in Bihar. Keep away from alcohol and assert your political rights, Manjhi
advised.
After being elected the CM, Manjhi has been
asserting his Dalit identity to counter the widespread impression that he was a stopgap chief
minister. He has been working to carve out a
niche for himself and come out of the shadow of
Nitish Kumar.
Bihar chief minister

Jitan Ram Manjhi
At his public meetings, especially while

addressing Dalits and tribals who together number 24% of Bihar s population, Manjhi has
attempted to consolidate his constituency by trying to make them aware of their latent political
strength, which could be used if they come
together.
Why create fuss about my meeting Modi: Sajad Lone

Srinagar: Why create such a
noise about my meeting Prime
Minister Narendra Modi? asks
former Kashmiri separatist leader
Sajad Gani Lone, who wonders
what the hullabaloo is all about.
Sajad Lone, 47, hogged news
headlines by meeting Modi. He
became the first former Kashmiri
separatist leader to do so after
Modi came to power in May.
Chairman
of
People's
Conference, Sajad Lone is the
firebrand London educated, eloquent son of late Abdul Gani Lone
who was killed in a separatist
rally in Srinagar May 21, 2002.
Sajad spoke at length to IANS
in an interview in Srinagar. He
discussed his future plans and the
possibilities ahead in Kashmir
politics that his meeting with the
prime minister could throw up.
"To be very frank with you, my
meeting the prime minister is not
something new. When I joined
politics after the death of father, I
Kashmiri separatist leader Sajad Gani Lone
have known BJP leaders and have

met them a number of times at a
social level during the previous
years," he said.
"Well, why create such a noise
about my meeting Mr. Modi?
Haven't others been meeting him?
He is the prime minister of the

country and one got to respect that
position," he said.
Sajad joined mainstream politics
in 2009 when he contested the
Lok Sabha elections from north
Kashmir's Baramulla constitguen-
cy. He lost to the regional

National Conference candidate,
Sharief-ud-Din Shariq.
Married to Asma Khan, the
daughter of Pakistan-based chairman of Jammu and Kashmir
Liberation
front
(JKLF)
Amanullah Khan, Sajad has
stirred the hornet's nest after he
met Modi and said the prime minister behaved like "an elder brother with me". Sajad dismissed
reports that his meeting with
Modi would throw political equations upside down in Kashmir.
"I have no delusions about anything. Ours is a small political
party and I am not a game changer
of any kind," he said.
Asked whether or not it is
uncomfortable for him to have
met Modi, Sajad said: "I am not a
prisoner
of
perceptions...Government of India
has a national policy towards
Kashmir and the present BJP government at the Centre is going to
be no different to that policy. This

is my belief. Therefore, there is
nothing uncomfortable or comfortable about meeting the prime
minister."
Spelling out his future plans,
Sajad said: "My first objective is
to get into the state assembly by
fighting the elections. Our party is
fighting the assembly elections
after such a long time."
He quickly added: "But, let me
be very clear about it, we are
fighting these elections on our
own and without any alliance with
other parties. We are fielding candidates for 20 to 30 seats and are
fighting all the seats from the
Kupwara district."
Asked whether he favors an
alliance with the BJP after the
election results, he said, "They are
a very big party. I have not even
discussed this issue with them."
"Well, the numbers would finally determine who forms alliances
with whom after the results."
14
OP-ED
Jaitley's clout grows with latest cabinet expansion

By Arvind Padmanabhan
hat the defense portfolio
will be taken away from
Arun Jaitley was a given.
The lawyer-politician, who will
turn 62 next month, had himself
said in as many words that it was
an additional charge he was holding, which would be assigned to
someone else at the first given
opportunity.
But the allocation of information
and broadcasting ministry in the
latest cabinet reshuffle -- in addition to his existing portfolios of
finance and corporate affairs -- is
signal enough as to who remains
the most trusted man in Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's council
of ministers.
Jaitley may figure at the third
place in the actual pecking order,
as listed in communiqu from
Rashtrapati Bhavan on portfolio
allocation of the 65 members,
excluding Modi himself. He figures after Home Minister Rajnath
Singh and External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj, in that
order.
Yet, there are several reasons
By Amulya Ganguli
In more ways than one, the I&B minister (Arun Jaitley's added portfolio) is also often the one who interacts with the media the most.
why this former president of the

Delhi University Students Union
has emerged more powerful than
some of his peers. The finance
portfolio in itself is a formidable
one, since it is at the core of any of
the programmes of the government that require fiscal allocations.
But, in addition, in Modi's
scheme of things, a well-oiled
information and broadcasting ministry is key to ensuring that the
idea of "good governance" reaches

the people at large, in the manner
and through the medium he wants
it. Perception, many a time, matters more than the reality on the
ground.
In more ways than one, the
information and broadcasting minister is also often the one who
interacts with the media the most
and is additionally seen as the
political public face of not just the
cabinet, but also the government.
No prime minister, who has

some hold over his flock, entrusts
this crucial ministry to a person
whom he is not comfortable with.
If Jaitley is assigned this additional task, it cannot be without reason.
Incidentally, this well-connected
senior counsel in the Supreme
Court has the right credentials to
hold the information and broadcasting portfolio, having served in
it as a minister of state with independent charge in 1999-2000. He
has been his party's spokesperson
as well.
Politically, too, it has certainly
helped that Jaitley represents
Gujarat, the prime minister's home
state, in the Rajya Sabha. This
apart, in a way, his loss to former
Punjab chief minister Amarinder
Singh in the latest national elections by a margin of over 100,000
votes may have actually proved to
be a boon for him.
Prior to the reshuffle, Nirmala
Sitharaman, the minister of state
with independent charge of commerce and industry ministry, was
also a deputy to Jaitley in the corporate affairs and finance min-
istries. But these two additional

charges have been taken away
from her.
This makes the corporate affairs
portfolio that much more difficult
to handle.
In the past couple of years, this
ministry has also become weightier as the nodal administrator of the
recast Companies Act, 2013, and
the Competition Act, 2002, apart
from overseeing the Serious Fraud
Office and the Competition
Commission.
In addition, this ministry also
has a supervisory role over three
professional bodies seen as watchdogs of corporate laws -- those of
chartered accountants, cost
accountants and company secretaries, all constituted under three
separate acts of parliament.
Given his health condition,
which made him seek a 10-minute
break while presenting the national budget in July and then sent him
to a hospital and recuperation for
nearly three weeks in September
and October, Jaitley will have to
do more than just allocate time
judiciously among offices he
holds.
Is there any hope for Congress?
he Congress high command, which

means the mother-and-son duo of
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, is mistaken
if it believes that the deep nervousness
among Congressmen about the party's bleak
future can be dispelled by a token offer of
resignation by the two and a clean chit for
themselves which they secured from a
servile acolyte, A.K. Antony, in a report
about the election debacle.
The simmering of anxiety and discontent
has continued with the split in the party's
Tamil Nadu unit providing the latest evidence of the disquiet. The rupture recalled an
earlier break-up when a new party, the Tamil
Maanila Congress (TMC), was formed under
a veteran Congress leader of the time, G.K.
Moopanar. Now, his son, G.K. Vasan, is the
rebel.
Among the important members who were
a part of the TMC was P. Chidambaram,
whose son Karti has recently said the high
command "culture" must go at a time when
the party has reached a "historic low".
There is little doubt outside the party - and
probably among large sections within it as
well - that the main reason for reaching this
lowly stage is the lack of a credible leadership. Neither Sonia nor Rahul has measured
up to the standards required to face the challenge posed by a resurgent Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) under Narendra Modi. Nor has
the Congress formulated an ideology which
has wide acceptance.
The party's lack of vision is evident from
the fact that even the cornerstone of its philosophy - secularism - has come under attack
The argument that the Congress will fall apart in the dynasty's absence
begs the question since it is disintegrating even now.
from within the Congress. For instance, the

loyal Antony has noted in his report that the
party's practice of secularism has come to be
associated with Muslim appeasement, a
charge which has been made by the BJP
from the 1990s with L.K. Advani coining the
phrase, pseudo-secularism, to describe the
Congress's muddled version.
Not surprisingly, Digvijay Singh, the senior general secretary of the Congress,
acknowledged that the party made the mistake of not being equally vocal about both
Hindu and Muslim fundamentalism.
The Congress' other deficiency is in the

field of economic policy. The root of this
failure lies in its inability to break free from
the Nehruvian concept of socialism, manifested in a 1955 resolution calling for the
establishment of a "socialistic pattern" of
society. As a result, the Congress never
wholeheartedly accepted the economic
reforms of its own government in 1991.
To a large section of Congressmen as well
as the Left-leaning intelligentsia, not to mention the Communist parties, the reforms are a
panacea for the country's ills prescribed by
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
what the Left calls the international finance

capital represented by the World Bank and
the International Monetary Fund. Moreover,
to the Left, these institutions are the spearheads of American neo-imperialism.
Given this outlook, it is not surprising that
the mother and son are again considering
rolling back the Manmohan SinghChidambaram-Montek Singh Ahluwalia
brand of economics and returning to the pre'91 days. Some of this regression was evident in the twilight years of the Manmohan
Singh government when the reforms were
virtually stalled with Chidambaram subsequently regretting the "mistake of taking the
foot off the accelerator of reforms".
It goes without saying that the deceleration
would not have taken place without the
approval of the Congress president and her
"kitchen cabinet", the National Advisory
Council (NAC) comprising cryptoCommunists. It is possible that since Modi
has stolen the reforms plank, the Congress
believes that it has no option but to turn left.
But any such move will further widen the
gulf between the party and the aspirational
generation, plunging the Congress into deeper gloom, especially if it continues to fare
badly in the assembly elections.
One way out is for the dynasty to take a
sabbatical, as former Congress MP Jagmit
Singh Brar suggested, so that the party can
start cutting loose from the apron strings of a
family whose deficiencies in the matter of
inspirational leadership or intellectual acumen are becoming increasingly apparent.
The argument that the Congress will fall
apart in the dynasty's absence begs the question since it is disintegrating even now.
TRAVEL
15
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look forward to when it hosts the 2016
Olympics. All that investment in infrastructure will put pressure on domestic travel
companies to entice international travelers
to the region. Expect to see some great dis-
counts on hotels -- including 400 new properties that will be operational before the
Olympics. Travelers from Florida can also
take advantage of the increased competition
generated from new airline routes to Brazil.
Cruising Asia
China might not seem like an obvious
choice for cruising, but Shanghai has poured
serious money into cruising infrastructure;
including the Wusongkou International
Cruise Terminal, which can handle the
worlds largest ships. As a result, cruise
lines are adding new ships and itineraries
throughout Asia, including China,
Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore,
South Korea, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and
Thailand. Royal Caribbean International is
even moving its newest ship, Quantum of
the Seas, to Shanghai. As cruise lines compete to fill their cabins, expect to see more
deals.
Even for an American tourist, the Dubai malls are massive.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has long appealed to American
travelers: no U.S. passports are required to
visit, English is spoken and the U.S. dollar is
accepted. Thanks to new routes and
increased services from airports around the
U.S. in recent months (from JetBlue,
Southwest Airlines and United Airlines),
flights to Puerto Rico are now among the
cheapest in the Caribbean. Travelzoo antici-
pates this trend will continue in 2015.
The Dubai
Despite a huge hotel expansion to support
the upcoming World Expo in 2020, Dubai
experienced its lowest occupancy rate in 18
years this past summer. Lots of space to fill
equates to discounted hotel rooms. Add to
this the fact that Dubais new Al Maktoum
International Airport is gearing up for a $32

billion expansion over the next decade, and
it could mean 2015 is the right time to get
ahead of the crowds.
If the experts have it right again this year,
Americans will be able to save a small fortune on travel to once-in-a-lifetime destinations in 2015.
(StatePoint)
16
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
South Asian Golf Association celebrates 10th anniversary
SAGA Board (from left): Pir Mohammed, Uday Patel, Vinay Bahuguna,
Mahesh Yadav (President), Sanjay Seth and Paresh Desai.
New Jersey: The South Asian Golf

Association (SAGA) celebrated its tenth
anniversary with pomp, which culminated
in a grand finale on October 18 at the Fox
Hollow Golf Course in Branchburg, NJ,
by crowning its SAGA Tour Champions
and the SAGA Open winners.
The day commenced with a shotgun
start for golfers and concluded with a jubilant celebration with award ceremonies,
cocktail/dinner, music and dancing. It
was day of fun not only for golfers but
also for the families and friends. There
was also a putting contest for kids and
ladies.
The SAGA Open winners included Pir
Mohammed for low gross, Tushar Patil for
low net, winning team included Ankur
Amin / Paresh Desai / Uday Kunte /
Sanjeev Sarna. Straightest drive awards
went to Aqil Ahsan and Ankush Khurana.
Uday Kunte and Darsh Patel won the closest to the pin contests and Viral Patel was
the putting contest winner. Becky
Khurana, Diya Bhagat and Aarash Ahuja
won the ladies, girls and boys putting contest.
SAGA initiated a junior track to encourage kids to play golf. Junior track golfers
participated in the golf camp, which was
cohosted with The First Tee and Royce
Brook Golf Academy. These junior track
golfers were recognized during the ceremonies. Trophies and awards were handed
out by the many enthusiastic and generous
sponsors including UnitedHealthcare, NJ
Group Services, Optima Global Solutions,
WithumSmith+Brown, Collabera, Royal
Alberts Palace, Mercedes Benz of
Princeton and Collabera. Dr. Anil Joshi
and Mrs. Anju Joshi donated the tournament prizes included 1 week vacation for
the Anish Joshi Memorial Trophy winner
and cash prizes for the SAGA Tour winners and Junior golfers.
Golfers at SAGA Open 2014.
(from left) Dr. Bipin Patel (Chair Dept. of Pediatrics, St. Peters University
Hospital), and SAGA Tour - Flight 3 Winners Sanjay Seth, Nishith Shah,
Richard Bhojani. Bhijani also won Anish Joshi Memorial Trophy.
The SAGA Tour champions in all three

divisions were determined after the
longest and most fiercely competitive season in SAGA's history. In Division I,
Deep Thapliyal defeated a strong field of
tough and accomplished competitors by
finishing 1st, Amit Patel finished 2nd and
Chirag Batki finished 3rd. In Division II,
Uday Patel finished 1st followed by Vivek
Wadhwa 2nd and Aman Ahuja 3rd in the
flight II. Richie Bhojani was winner in
flight III followed by Nishith Shah who
came in 2nd and Sanjay Seth at 3rd.
Richie Bhojani also claimed the coveted

Anish Joshi Memorial Trophy for most
consistent golfer.
SAGA was formed by Mahesh Yadav in
2005 and supported by board members
Vinay Bahuguna, Paresh Desai, Uday
Patel, Sanjay Seth and Pir Mohammed
(honorary board member). Mahesh Yadav,
President of SAGA, said that this was
SAGA's best year ever and anticipated
even greater success in the years ahead.
SAGA has blossomed into a group of over
100 passionate golfers!
SAGA has initiated a junior track to encourage kids to play golf.
Ramli embraces Indian tradition, Malaysian context

New York: After giving his first
performance in Flushing,
Malaysian classical dance icon
Datuk Ramli Ibrahim was given a
rousing reception at the prestigious Asia Society where he performed with his Sutra Dance
Theatre on Nov 6-7.
The dancer-choreographerteacher performed Krishna, Love
Re-Invented through Odissi, the
style he has specialized in. In a
pre-event interview he talked
about a long history of cultural
interconnections between Odisha
and Malaysia. Also, Islam maybe
currently the state religion, but
historically Malaysia has hon-
ored ties with Buddhist,

Christian, Persian, Hindu, and
other cultures.
The Asia Society program was
partly supported by Rajika and
Anupam Puri.
The two events at the Asia
Society attracted not only large
crowds of mainstream Americans
but also Indians, Indonesians,
Malaysians,
Singaporeans,
Chinese and Japanese.
Ramli was conferred a national
award by Indian President Pranab
Mukherjee in 2011 for his contribution to promoting peace and
understanding through his
dancing.
Ramli Ibrahim presented Krishna, Love Re-Invented in Odissi style at Asia Society.
(Photos: Elsa Ruiz/Asia Society)
PHILANTHROPY
17
Attending the Gift of Life India gala last Sunday in Long Island, chaired by veteran Rotarian Ravishankar
Bhooplapur, donors gave generously to enable life saving surgeries on 450 children in India.
Jaya & Ravishankar Bhooplapur join Guest of Honor Gen J.J.

Singh, former Indian army chief, in presenting Angel Award
to Dr Ravindra Kota and Dr Mrs Anjani Kota.
By Parveen Chopra
Woodbury, NY: The Gift of Life
India on Sunday surpassed its goal
and raised funds, which, with support from Rotary International and
international partners, were
enough to perform 450 life saving
surgeries on children in India.
The Guest of Honor at the gala
was none other than General J.J.
Singh, former Indian army chief
and Arunachal governor. Over 200
guests attended the event which
was co-chaired by Ravishankar
Bhooplapur, veteran Rotarian and
chair of Gift of Life India, and
Rotary District 7255 Governor
Elect Kamlesh Mehta. Other cochairs were President of
Hicksville Rotary Salil Zaveri
(event MC), Sangeeta Sethi
(President, Jericho Sunrise), and
Clarisse Panellino (President,
Lake Success).
A video presentation highlighted
how Gift of Life, India was
founded in 2001 by Bhooplapur,
the man with a mission to save the
lives of less fortunate children. He
took up the challenge to provide
critical heart surgeries for children
in India with the assistance of Past
RI Director Sushil Gupta (Trustee
of Rotary Foundation), Dr. Rajan
Deshpande and other devoted
Rotarians. Bhooplapur still serves
as its Honorary Chairman.
Elaborating, Bhooplapur told
The South Asian Times, The sole
purpose of the Gift of Life, India
is to secure life saving heart surgery for children in desperate need
regardless of race, creed, color or
country of origin. It is a not-forprofit, tax-exempt corporation
Gift of Life India Honorary

Chair Ravishankar Bhooplapur
making his opening remarks.
Ravi Bhooplapur, Honoree Kamlesh Raheja, Gen JJ Singh,

Co-Chair Kamlesh Mehta, Honoree Rajendra Rai and PDG
(Rotary District 7490) Raj Bhatia.
with no administrative costs.

Added Bhooplapur: So far
Gift of Life has saved over 5,000
children in India and the Rotary
Foundation played key role in
giving matching grants and
Rotarians from India also played
a major role matching our contributions.
The Sunday fundraiser at Crest
Hollow Country Club was an apt
occasion to honor some of those
who have backed Gift of Life,
India project. Dr Ravindra Kota
and Dr Mrs Anjani Kota were
Flute maestro Pravin
Salil Zaveri, President of
A.C. Peter received the
honored with the Angel Award.
Ghodkhindi wowed the
Rotary Club Hicksville South,
Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Kota is currently in General
audience as he made his
was the emcee of the event.
and Laparoscopic Surgery (Photos: Xitij Joshi/Xitj Photo)
bansuri sing.
Private Practice, working in
Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, surgeries. While Gen J.J. Singh a brief, inspiring speech at the titles and has performed with emiJohn T. Mather Memorial handed out the awards, he himself event. Gen JJ Singh, PVSM, nent musicians. Rotary Club of
Hospital, St. Charles Hospital and was conferred Rotarys coveted AVSM, VSM (Retd), rose to be Gold Coast Lake Success along
St. Catherine Hospital of Siena. Paul Harris Medal of Honor. He the first Sikh to serve as Indias with Jericho Sunrise and
Dr. Anjani Kota is privately prac- had played a key role, while he Chief of Army Staff (Jan 2005- Hicksville South co-sponsored the
ticing as an internist in East was serving as Governor in Sept 2007). A scintillating flute event, which was managed by
Arunachal Pradesh, to get tribal recital was given by Bangalore Bollywood Arts/Sunita Sadhnani.
Setauket, NY.
sponsors
were
A.C. Peter, Kamlesh Raheja and kids under Gift of Life Program to based Pt. Pravin Ghodkhindi, who Corporate
save
the
children.
Gen.
Singh
gave
has
been
conferred
many
musical
Lamborghini
&
Bentley.
H. Rajendra Rai received the
Humanitarian Award for their outstanding service. Peter has worked
for Indian Government, in the private sector and NGOs. He has
been with Gift of Life from the
beginning and has arranged over
1,000 open heart surgeries at Delhi
specialist hospitals free of cost to
beneficiaries. Coimbatore, India
based Kamlesh Raheja is a cotton
merchant. His altruism is responsible for more than 700 surgeries
for Gift of Life India. Rajendra
Rai works in projects in power and
water sectors. He has been with
Gift of Life India from inception
and his Rotary District in
Gen J.J. Singh and Ravi Bhooplapur at the event co-sponsored by Rotary Club of Jericho
Bangalore is responsible for 1,100
Sunrise. Rotarys coveted Paul Harris Medal of Honor was conferred on Gen. Singh.
18
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
ctress Parineeti Chopra says

she wants to see the reaction
of audience to her latest film
"Kill Dill" before signing her next
movie.
"After 'Kill Dil' releases, I will take
a break. I won't be seen on screen for
maybe the next 9-10 months," said the
actress.
Directed by Shaad Ali, "Kill Dil"
also features Ranveer Singh and Ali
Zafar among others.
Parineeti, who is also considered
one of the best among the young talent, admits she's reading a lot of
scripts but will sign only after watching the fate of "Kill Dil".
"I may sign something soon. But I
first want to see the audiences' reaction to my performance in 'Kill Dil'
before deciding on what kind of a film
to do next," said the actress, who was
last seen in "Daawat-e-Ishq".
Parineeti
Chopra
Film Review
'The
Shaukeens' Basu Chatterjee
would smile
at it
A scene from 'The Shaukeens'
ho says remakes can never be

as good as the originals?
Abhishek Sharmas new-age
rendering of Basu Chatterjees "Shaukeen" is
a smartened-up avatar of the original. Its the
smartphone of the current generation as compared
with landline version of the comedy that Chatterjee made over 30 years
ago. Thanks to Tigmanshu Dhulia and Sai Kabirs writing, the characters are spunkier and more rounded even when they appear to be as curvaceous as Haydon. In principle, "The Shaukeens" hijacks only the basic
idea of the original film. Three 60-plus men get lustfully attracted to a
PYT (pretty young thing). Incidentally, the PYT from Basu-das film has
now metamorphosed into a sad boring housewife in "The Shaukeens". A
tragic bit of self-reference that makes no sense.
But we are digressing. The three over-the-hill lechers in "The
Shaukeens", played with dignified horniness by Anupam Kher, Annu
Kapoor and Piyush Mishra, are as dangerous as a child with a toy gun. A
tone of ironical self-mocking bravado runs throughout the two-hour
comic celebration of the wrinkled libido.
Not that Dhulias writing and Sharmas astutely tongue-in-cheek direction spare the childlike-oldies the rod. There are some scenes of embarrassing humiliation meted out to the prowling trio -- for instance, the one
where a girl on a deserted Delhi road reacts violently to their leching.
More power to the actorss sporting spirit.All three actors, seen in a
collective huddle of jaded horniness, give off their best performances
portraying their sexually famished characters with a mix of childlike
guilelessness and over-ripened curiosity.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Bollywood heavyweights

at the inauguration of the Kolkata Film Festival.
Bachchan clan, SRK open Kolkata film fest

n a splendid show of
Bollywood camaraderie and
the mingling of politicians
and celebrities, the 20th Kolkata
International Film Festival
(KIFF) -- India's second oldest
movie fest - was inaugurated in
Kolkata by West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee,
Bollywood icon Amitabh
Bachchan and superstar Shah
Rukh Khan.
It was light, camera and action
at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here,
where an awed audience watched
the stars descend and also saw the
Indian screen giants raise a toast
to the cinema buffs, in Bengali,
for their sheer interest in films

and love for the film personalities. Draped in uttariyas (stoles)
gifted by Banerjee, the Bachchan
clan comprising Amitabh, his
wife and veteran actress Jaya, son
and actor Abhishek and actressdaughter-in-law Aishwarya, seated on the dais, set the evening on
fire with their oomph, charisma
and reiteration of their links to
Bengal.
Strains of light classical music
by percussionist Bickram Ghosh,
classical music vocalist Rashid
Khan and singer Usha Uthup set
the tune for the magical evening
as Big B and SRK hugged each
other briefly. Indian filmmakers

Amol Palekar and Shoojit Sircar
graced the occasion with a host of
Bengali film actors.
Looking suave in black tuxedos, Big B and SRK were assisted by the thali girl, actress Raima
Sen in a bright red sari, as they lit
the ceremonial lamp with
Banerjee. Thunderous applause
went up as Aishwarya and Jaya
followed suit. Boasting of a rich
oeuvre of 137 films from 60
countries, the fest will see 40
international delegates and 15
segments. There will be 31 Indian
films, including 13 Bengali films.
It concludes Nov 17.
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
Filmmaker late Ravi Chopra
e made mythology popular on

television
by
offering
Mahabharat to viewers and
showed the beauty of family ties on the
big screen through Baghban and
Baabul. Ravi Chopra made many films
and TV shows that showed his impressive range as a filmmaker. Ravi Chopra
was hospitalized in Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai. He was reportedly suffering from a severe lung ailment since the
last few years. He is survived by his wife
and three children. He was 68.
Born in 1946, he hailed from the illustrious Bollywood Chopra family. His
father was late filmmaker B.R. Chopra,
and his uncle was late filmmaker Yash
Chopra, who helmed romantic films like
"Kabhi Kabhie", "Silsila" and Dil Toh
Pagal Hai". The Bollywood connection
doesnt end here. He was also cousin of
Aditya and Uday Chopra.
He started as an assistant producer of
the 1972-release Dastaan, directed by
his father. Ravi Chopra commenced his
directorial journey in 1975 with
"Zameer", starring Amitabh Bachchan,
Vinod Khanna and Shammi Kapoor.
He went on to work with Big B in
movies like Baghban and Baabul.
Ravi Chopra also produced Amitabhstarrer Bhoothnath in 2008.
Apart from directing and producing
films, he was a writer too. He had
penned stories of films like The
Burning Train (1980) and Baabul
(2006).
The multi-talented Ravi directed one
of the most popular mythological TV
shows Mahabharat. The drama, produced by his father, ran from 1988 to
1990. He had also directed the television
mini-series Ramayan, which was aired
in 2002.
19
Invite or not, SRK to attend

Arpita Khan's wedding
Obituary
Ravi Chopra:
Soulful
storyteller
who touched
hearts
alman Khan's sister Arpita's wedding is

turning out to be the wedding of the year.
Salman, Sohail and Arbaaz Khan's younger
sister will tie the knot with fiance Ayush Sharma
at the Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad on
November 18.
The who's who of India is invited to the event,
including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior
Congress leaders, Bollywood's glitterati and
more.
All bets are on whether Salman's alleged bte
noire Shah Rukh would be at the wedding reception. Now SRK has put all the rumours to rest by
confirming that whether he gets an invite or not,
he will be attending the event, according to
reports.
At a recent event, the actor said Salman's sister
is like his own sister and he would definitely be
there for her marriage, irrespective of a wedding
invite. When asked he has received an invite,
Shah Rukh said he is not sure of that and it is not
important.
"I will definitely go. I have known Arpita ever
since she was a little baby. I have cradled her in
my arms. She is like a sister to me. Infact, even an
invite is not needed. They are like family and I
will go," he added.
A few days ago, Aamir had also said that
Salman's sister was like his own sister and he
would be an event irrespective of an invitation.
Salman Khan's younger sister will tie the knot at the

Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad.
11th South Asian International

Film Festival to take off in NYC
he South Asian International Film
Festival (SAIFF) - one of the largest
and longest running film festivals is
all set to enthrall audience with a wide array
of radical, thought-provoking films in New
York City. Now in its 11th year, the SAIFF
will showcase 13 carefully curated independent, feature, short, documentary films
over a period of seven days along with
events and discussion in the New York City
from November 17.
Each year the festival exhibits films from
South Asia (i.e India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, and Nepal) and within the
Indian Diaspora. Opening the festival will be
the world premiere of the mega omnbus X
at SVA Theater. X is an experimental film
where 11 Indian filmmakers with disparate
style of filmmaking come together to contribute to different parts of the same film.
They tie in strikingly different styles as a
bridge between various cinemas of IndiaMainstream, Art house, Popular,
Underground, Regional and Global - all at
the same time. Not an anthology but a single
story, stated the synopsis on the SAIFF
website. Starring Rajat Kapoor in the lead,
the film also features 11 actresses - Aditi
Chengappa, Bidita Baig, Gabriella Schmidt,
Huma Qureshi, Neha Mahajan, Parno Mirta,
Scenes from the films 'Jigarthanda' and 'X'
Pia Bajpai, Pooja Ruparel, Radhika Apte,

Richa Shukla, Rii Sen and Swara Bhaskar.
Anshuman Jha also played an important
role.
All the filmmakers- Sudhish Kamath
(Good Night | Good Morning), Q (Gandu),
Nalan Kumarasamy (Soodhu Kavvum),
Suparn Verma (Aatma, Ek Haseena Ek
Khiladi), Raja Sen, Sandeep Mohan (Love
Wrinkle Free), Pratim Gupta (Paanch
Adhyay), Hemant Gaba (Shuttlecock Boys),
Abhinav Shiv Tiwari Sankhnaad (Oass),
Anu Menon (London Paris New York), and
Rajshree Ojha (Aisha, Chaurahen)- will be
in attendance for the premier and post film
discussion.
The festival will also feature refreshingly
promising Happy Ending as the centerpiece film, Cannes acclaimed Titli, boxoffice hit Jigarthanda and more.
Directed by debutant Kanu Behl, Titli is
set in the badlands of Delhi the flipside
of the shining India.
Titli is a desperate attempt to escape from
his testosterone-driven crime infested carjacking of a family.
The hilarious performances in Na
Maloom Afraad, directed by Nabeel
Qureshi, will put the curtains down on the
festival.
20
DIASPORA
Britain gets first Indian-origin

cabinet minister
London: Sajid Javid, Britain's
secretary of state - or cabinet
minister - for culture, media and
sport, has disclosed that his
father was from India and his
mother from Pakistan. This obviously makes him half-Indian
and, therefore, the first person of
Indian origin to be a cabinet minister in Britain.
Speaking at a British Asian
dinner Wednesday night, which
released a "Power List" of
British Asians, which had him at
pole position, Javid surprised the
audience of 600-odd guests by
stating his father was from India.
He had always been described
as being of Pakistani origin,
which he partially is, but his
Indian connection was unknown
publicly.
Javid, who has an English
wife, is a rising star in
Conservative, nay British, politics. A former banker, he has
risen swiftly through the ranks
and is even tipped to become a
Sajid Javid
future party leader.

Previously, Keith Vaz was a
minister of state in a Labor government. But no one of Indian
descent has ever been appointed
a cabinet minister in Britain until
now.
In 2010, Baroness Sayeeda
Warsi, who is of Pakistani
extraction, became a cabinet
minister, the first Asian to be
thus elevated.
Sushma Swaraj woos UAE investors

Abu
Dhabi:
External Affairs
Minister Sushma
Swaraj Tuesday
sought investment from foreign and Indian
entrepreneurs in
the United Arab
Emirates (UAE),
highlighting her
government's
"clear policies to External Affairs Minister meeting with Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed, Deputy Prime
facilitate business
Minister of UAE at Abu Dhabi (November 11, 2014).
environment,
transparency and speed" to sions. The result is there before hands as partners in India's
"make India an investment and you in just five months: GDP growth story. There are
growth is showing early signs of immense possibilities to
manufacturing destination."
"Our focus is growth with recovery." The minister said enhance trade and investment
good governance and trans- making India an investment and cooperation."
Seeking to allay fear of
parency with an eye on manu- manufacturing destination was
facturing, infrastructure and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's investors, the minister said: "I
understand the apprehensions in
trade," she said in an interaction utmost priority.
She said the "Make in India" the minds of some of you
with the business community
here. Highlighting her govern- campaign, launched by Modi regarding your past experiences
ment's achievements, she said it Sep 25, represented an attitudi- of investments in India. But let
was "firmly committed to bring nal shift in the way India relates me assure you that our government is committed to honor the
back growth, have clear policies to its investors.
"I feel that there is no better commitments made and opening
which will facilitate business
environment, transparency and time than now for the UAE busi- up of sectors for foreign investspeed, well thought out deci- ness community to join our ment."
Making 'Bend It like Beckham' musical

most enjoyable: Gurinder Chadha
Mumbai: Gurinder Chadha's iconic feisty

film on female football "Bend It Like
Beckham" is ready to hit the British stage
with loads of Bollywood styled songs and
dances. The British film director of Sikh
origin is truly upbeat and says 'desis'
everywhere would be proud.
Though the play opens in London May
15, 2015, tickets for the first show went on
sale Nov 7.
"This is a proud moment for desis everywhere. We will have our own Punjabi
British musical adorning the West End. A
story celebrating and sung in our own
words of the last 50 years of our history in
Britain. When that 'dhol' starts, I imagine
everyone's shoulders will start moving up
and down regardless of nationality,"
Chadha said.
She says adapting the film to the stage
was not easy, but definitely great fun.
"Developing 'Bend It Like Beckham' for
the stage has been the most enjoyable creative process of my career so far. It was
always my intention to build on the film
and to present its themes and storylines to
live audiences in an exciting new dynamic

way," said the filmmaker, who is also
known for movies like "Bhaji On The
Beach" and "Bride and Prejudice."
Chadha says she has been inspired by
musicals ever since she was a little girl.
"Now with 'Bend It like Beckham', such
a familiar story to so many, I believe we
are presenting a totally new kind of musical -- part West End, part London Punjabi,
but whole-heartedly British. "I'm very
excited for us to take our place with so
many inspirational musicals past and present in my hometown London," she added.
Malayalam 'Kavyasandhya' attracts

huge crowd in Sharjah
Sharjah: Poetry sessions are usually

attended by a motley audience not numbering over 100 unless there is a celebrity presence. But an evening of
Malayalam poetry in Sharjah attracted
nearly 2,000 people, much to the surprise of the poets themselves.
Titled "Kavyasandhya - Where Poets
Meet", the poetic evening was part of
the ongoing Sharjah International Book
Fair, keeping in mind the huge Malayali
expat population in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE). Acclaimed Malayalam
poets K.G. Sankara Pillai, Kureepuzha
Sreekumar, Madhusoodanan Nair,
Prabha Varma, P.P. Ramachandran and
Alankode Leelakrishnan shared their
lyrical compositions as the audience listened in rapt attention at the Sharjah
Expo Centre over the weekend.
K.G. Sankara Pillai, one of the most
popular among Kerala's modernist
poets, started the evening by reciting his
poem "Vazhiyadharam", inspired by an
encounter with a tea vendor in Kashmir.
A recipient of the state and central
Sahitya Akademi Awards, his poetry has

been translated into Chinese, French,
German and Sinhala.
Pillai, who retired as principal of
Government Maharaja's College,
Ernakulam, has been editor of literary
journals like Prasakthi and Samakaleena
Kavita.
Poet and veteran journalist Prabha
Varma recited two of his poems -"Anantha Padmanabhan" and "Veridam"
-- at the event.
Noted poet Alankode Leelakrishnan
enthralled the gathering with a rhythmic
intonation of his poem "Gypsikal." P.P.
Ramachandran, the poet known for his
minimalism and subtlety, recited a small
poem titled "Lalitham" (The Simple)
and one titled "Kaate, Kadale" (Oh
Wind, Oh Ocean).
Kureepuzha Sreekumar, author of
poetry books like "Habibinte
Dinakkurippukal"
and
"Amma
Malayalam", made listeners recall their
childhood memories of their father with
his poem "Uppa."
SUBCONTINENT
21
ASEAN-India ties very good, says Modi
Nay Pyi Taw: Prime Minister

Narendra Modi said that India's
relations with the countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) are very good
and New Delhi attaches great
importance to the 10-nation bloc.
Addressing the ASEAN-India
Conference, Modi said: "Our
relations are very deep. India
takes the concept of ASEAN very
seriously. ASEAN has shown the
success of unity and cooperation." Modi also said that his government, though new and only
six months old, has laid great
emphasis on its relations with
countries of the east.
He said: "It is a matter of great
pride and happiness that I have

got a chance to speak at the
ASEAN-India Summit, and especially on the soil of Myanmar,
which is a good neighbour of
India."
The speech was interrupted for
some minutes due to a technical
glitch.
The prime minister asked the
organisers, holding the mike
"Audio problem?"
He then resumed his speech
highlighting the closeness of
ASEAN-India ties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
with heads of state/government
at 12th ASEAN-India Summit in
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Modi meets Brunei Sultan, Singapore PM Modi debuts on Instagram, gets

thousands of followers
Nay Pyi Taw: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

held a string of meetings here with leaders of
Southeast Asian neighbors, including Sultan of
Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and Singapore Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Modi told the Brunei ruler that ties between
India and Brunei are very close and that India is
ready to cooperate further with the Southeast
Asian nation. The Brunei ruler said: "We welcome India's continued support. We welcome
the Act East policy," according to tweets posted
by the Prime Minister's Ofce (PMO).
The Brunei Sultan invited Modi to visit his
country.
"PM thanks Sultan of Brunei for the invite,"
the tweet said. Modi and Prime Minister Lee of
Singapore exchanged "exciting ideas relating to
urban development".
Modi said: "In India when we talk about
urban development, Singapore is always at the
forefront of the discussions." He said that India
and Singapore are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.
"At the core of golden jubilee celebrations of
India-Singapore relations should be the youth,
knowledge and innovation," he said.
Modi also referred to his Make in India campaign and said that it offers several possibilities
for economic cooperation in India.
"We want to give impetus to technology, manufacturing," he said.
Both leaders also discussed the potential of
Narendra Modi with Sultan of Brunei,

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, in Nay Pyi Taw.
tourism and Modi spoke about the Buddhist circuit in India.

Lee told him that there is "lot of goodwill for
India in the ASEAN", according to a tweet by
the ministry of external affairs spokesperson.
Earlier in the morning, Modi met his Thai and
Malaysian counterparts, Prayut Chan-o-cha and
Najib Tun Razak, separately and also addressed
the ASEAN-India summit.
Nay Pyi Taw: Prime Minister Narendra

Modi has made his Instagram debut with a
picture of the venue of the 25th ASEAN
Summit here -- and notched up followers at
a blistering pace. After sharing his rst post
on the online mobile photo-sharing site, he
tweeted: "Hello World! Great being on
Instagram. My rst photo... this one from the
ASEAN Summit. @ Nay Pyi Taw...
http://instagram.com/p/vSUOhVM_wX/".
He was welcomed on the site by his followers. There were a staggering 40,000 followers by noon which kept on increasing by
the second. "Welcome to Instagram sir, wish
you a great day," said one follower.
Another wrote: "Happy to see the world
through your eyes."
The tech-savvy prime minister has 7.79
million followers on his Twitter account
@narendramodi, and 3.43 million so far on
the Prime Minister's Ofce account of
@PMOIndia. The prime minister has been
quite active on other social sites like
Stumbleupon, Pinterest, Tumblr and
LinkedIn. He has been sharing photos on
Flickr as well, said a statement from the
Prime Minister's Ofce. He has been making
use of social media to showcase the work
done by the government as well as inspire
He made his Instagram debut with a

picture of the venue of the 25th
ASEAN Summit.
people to serve the nation through campaigns like the Swachch Bharat Mission.
"Social media has been helpful for spreading
out messages directly from the PM and build
a strong leadership. It has been successful in
opening up a direct channel of communication between people and the PM," added the
statement. He will attend the 12th ASEANIndia Summit here Wednesday and also meet
heads of state and government of several
countries on the sidelines of the multilateral
event. He is on a three-nation tour to
Myanmar, Australia and Fiji.
IS planning to introduce own currency?

London: The Islamic State (IS) terrorist
organization plans to introduce its own
currency and bring back solid gold and silver coins, according to media reports.
This is believed to be part of the IS's
efforts to gain legitimacy and solidify its
dominance.
The militants want to bring back the
original dinar, which is a currency from
the ancient Islamic era, and religious
authorities in Iraq have apparently
announced the currency's return in
mosques, the Daily Mail reported
Monday.
The original dinar was a gold coin, equal
in weight to 4.3 gm of gold. Its silver
counterpart, known as the dirham, was a
silver coin whose weight was equivalent

to 3 gm of silver. Both were round in
shape and one side of the coin was typically stamped with an Islamic message, while
the other side featured the date of minting
and the country's ruler. The original gold
and silver coins were rst introduced during the Caliphate of Uthman in 634 CE.
The dinar is today used by a number of
countries, but the coins are created from
materials different from the originals.
It is believed that the IS wants to use the
independent currency in areas it controls
as part of its war on the West, though the
terror outt has yet to conrm this.
Last month, it emerged that IS was raking in money at a remarkable rate, earning
about $1 million a day from black market

oil sales alone.
The group extracts oil from territory
captured across Syria and Iraq, and sells it
to smugglers.
David Cohen, who leads the US
Treasury Department's efforts to undermine the IS's nances, said the extremists
also get several million dollars a month
from wealthy donors, extortion rackets
and other criminal activities, such as robbing banks.
In addition, he said the group has taken
in at least $20 million in ransom payments
this year from kidnappings. The IS is a
Sunni jihadi organisation and last June
self-proclaimed a "caliphate" in areas it
controls in Iraq and Syria. The group has

been named a terrorist organisation by the
UN and European Union (EU).
Formerly called the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL), its original aim was
to establish an Islamic state in Sunnimajority regions of Iraq. The group subsequently expanded its aim to include the
Sunni-majority areas of Syria as well, that
it seeks to control.
On June 29, it proclaimed the
"caliphate" under its leader Abu Bakr alBaghdadi and the group was renamed the
Islamic State. Four days ago, reports said
that al-Baghdadi was injured in an
airstrike by US-led coalition forces, but
there has been no conrmation since then.
22
INTERNATIONAL
US, China strike historic climate deal
Beijing: Striking a deal on carbon cuts, the

US and China announced ambitious goals,
pledging joint efforts to tackle climate
change in 15 years.
In a joint announcement issued after US
President Barack Obama and Chinese
President Xi Jingping held talks in Beijing,
the two sides announced their respective
post-2020 goals of coping with climate
change.
The US intends to achieve "an economywide target of reducing its emissions by 26
to 28 percent below its 2005 level in 2025"
and to make best efforts to reduce its emissions by 28 percent.
China intends to achieve the peaking of
carbon dioxide emissions around 2030 and
increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20
percent by 2030.
Both countries will also jointly push
international climate change negotiations
for the adoption of a protocol at the UN
Climate Conference in Paris next year.
China and the US will also step up coop-
Obama denies US involvement

in Hong Kong protests
Beijing: Barack Obama denied that his
country has promoted the pro-democracy
protests in Hong Kong, which the official
Chinese press has frequently attributed to
foreign interference, in particular the US.
"On the issue of Hong Kong, which did
come up in our conversations, I was
unequivocal in saying to President Xi that
the US had no involvement in fostering the
protests that took place there," said Obama
in response to a question during the joint
press conference with Chinese President
Jinping after two days of meetings in
Beijing. "These issues are ultimately for the
people of Hong Kong and people of China
to decide," said Obama. The protestors in
Hong Kong demand democratic elections of
the next head of the local government in
2017 because they can only vote between
two or three candidates selected by the capital communicated through an advisory
committee.
US President Barack Obama with Chinese President Xi Jingping in Beijing.
eration in the fields of clean energy and

environmental protection, said the
announcement.
According to the Guardian, the US and
China unveiled a secretly negotiated deal in
a move towards reducing their greenhouse

gas output, with China agreeing to cap
emissions and the US committing to deep
reductions by 2025.
The pledges, made in an agreement
China censures video of Putin

giving coat to first lady
ming events were held in
Beijing: China has censured a video on the interthe 2008 Olympics.
net showing a chivalrous
Peng, a general of the
Chinese
People's
Russian President Vladimir
Liberation Army, shivers
Putin covering the shoulders of Chinese First Lady
as she takes her seat next
to Putin and while her
Peng Liyuan with his coat
during the gala dinner at
husband, Xi, who is sitting to her left, is busy
the opening of the Asia
Pacific
Economic Russian President Vladimir Putin talking to his US counterpart Barack Obama, the
Cooperation
Forum
with Chinese First Lady
Russian leader reacts
(APEC). Chinese media
Peng Liyuan.
outlets went wild over the
swiftly and wraps his coat
incident and the video was broadcast on social over her shoulders. Peng smiles, thanking
media under the hashtag "Putin gives Peng him, and soon after shrugs the coat off.
But Chinese censorship, keen on protecting
Liyuan his coat".
The state TV channel CCTV captured the the image and the personal lives of the counscene on the cold November night, while 21 try's leaders, was quick to wipe out any trace
world leaders gathered with their wives for of the intimate moment between the recentlydinner at Beijing's Water Cube, where swim- divorced Putin and Peng.
struck between the two presidents, provide

an important boost to international efforts
to reach a global deal on reducing emissions beyond 2020 at a UN meet to be held
in Paris next year.
China has agreed to cap its output by
2030 or earlier if possible. It has also promised to increase its use of energy from zeroemission sources to 20 percent by 2030, the
report added.
The US has pledged to cut its emissions
to 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by
2025. Earlier in the day, the Chinese president held talks with Obama, underscoring
their commitment to build a new type of
major-country relations between the
world's two largest economies.
"China would like to work with the
United States to implement the principle of
no conflict, no confrontation, mutual
respect, cooperation and common prosperity and make new type of major-country
relations between the two countries to produce more benefits to people in the two
countries and the world," Xi said.
UN warns of winter crisis

for displaced Iraqis, Syrians
United Nations: The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
has warned an ongoing funding shortage
could leave as many as a million refugees
across Iraq and Syria without proper help
during winter.The UNHCR has been trying to prepare displaced populations in the
two countries for the coming winter, but
the agency is increasingly concerned by a
funding shortfall of $58.45 million,
Xinhua Farhan Haq, UN deputy
spokesman, as telling reporters at a daily
news briefing.
"Right now, UNHCR estimates that the
winter shortfall will affect some 990,000
people, mainly displaced people in Iraq
and Syria," Haq said. Over the past several
months, Iraq has been convulsed by
increasing instability amid an ongoing
offensive by the Islamic State(IS) and its
affiliates, unleashing wave after wave of
refugees.
Probe makes historic landing on comet

London: European robot probe
Philae made a first historic landing
on a comet, after descending from
its mothership.
As the lander touched down on
Comet
67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko at about 1605 GMT,
there were cheers and hugs at the
control room in Darmstadt,
Germany.
Earlier in the day, the lander,
separated from the satellite at 8.35
a.m. GMT, and started heading for
the Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko, a large mass of ice
and dust some 510 million km
away.
It was designed to throw light on
some of the mysteries of these icy
relics from the formation of the
The landing caps a 6.4 billion-km journey that

commenced a decade ago.
Solar System.
Scientists will use Philae to take
pictures of the comet's landscape
and to analyse its chemical composition. They are hoping its surface materials will hold fresh
insights into the origins of our

Solar System more than 4.5 billion
years ago.
The landing caps a 6.4 billionkilometre journey that commenced
a decade ago. The mission's success marked a "first" in the field of
space exploration, with no mission
having made a soft landing on a
comet earlier.
"This is a big step for human
civilization," said Jean-Jacques
Dordain, the director-general of
the European Space Agency (Esa).
Shortly after the touchdown was
confirmed, Stephan Ulamec, the
mission's lander chief, said:
"Philae is talking to us... we are on
the comet."
The robot was due to deploy
harpoons to fasten itself to the 2.5mile-wide ball of ice and dust.

After touchdown, the Philae lander will obtain the first images
ever taken from a comet's surface.
It will also drill into the surface
to study the composition and witness close up how a comet
changes as its exposure to the sun
varies.
Philae can remain active on the
surface for about two-and-half
days.
Its mother ship, the Rosetta
spacecraft, will remain in orbit
around the comet through 2015.
The orbiter will continue
detailed studies of the comet as it
approaches the sun and then
moves away.
BUSINESS
'India must lead in global war

against black money'
Brisbane: Ahead of Prime Minister

Narendra Modi's visit here for the G20
Summit, a leading global coalition against
corruption has said India must take the lead
in addressing black money, that affects the
poor and developing countries the most.
"Prime Minister Modi made addressing
black money one of his first priorities on
taking office," said the Financial
Transparency Coalition, a global network
of over 150 civil society organisations, 13
governments and dozens of experts on
illicit financial flows.
"India has a powerful role to play in the
debate around developing country inclusion in systems for the cross-border
exchange of financial information and
country-by-country reporting for multinational corporations," it said.
"Modi has made bringing black money
home a national priority. Now it's time for
India to do the same on the global stage,"
said the coalition, which has the New
Delhi-based Delhi's Centre for Budget
Governance and Accountability as a mem-
ber.
The Indian prime minister had left New
Delhi Monday on a 10-day, three-nation
tour and will be in this west Australian city
Nov 15-16 for the G20 Summit.
According to the coalition, an estimated
$1 trillion leaves developing nations every
year by way of illicit financial flows -money that is illegally earned, utilised or
transferred, thereby depriving funds for
projects to end poverty and push development.
This money should be generating economic growth, upping tax revenues, and
funding new roads, schools, and hospitals.
Instead, this capital is finding its way into
bank accounts in tax havens, often inside
G20 countries, it said.
"While the G20 may represent 85 percent
of the global GDP, financial transparency
standards to be adopted in Brisbane cannot
forget the world's poorest countries, whose
economies are losing billions to black
money each year," said the coalition's
Porter McConnell.
Nay Pyi Taw: Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi has invited Malaysian companies to come to India as part of his "Make
in India" initiative during talks with his
Malaysian counterpart Najib Tun Razak.
"I am giving lot of emphasis to
@makeinindia & want to invite Malaysian
companies to come to India. There are lot of
opportunities," said a tweet from the Prime
Minister's Office, citing Modi.
The "Make in India" initiative aims to
make India a manufacturing hub.
Modi met Razak as he began day two of his
engagements in the Myanmar capital.
He also said Malaysian companies can help
India achieve its aim of providing a home to
every Indian.
"Malaysia has worked a lot on affordable
housing. We want every Indian to have a
home by 2022. Have seen your companies
can work in this area," Modi said.
"Malaysia and India have worked together
in the past. We can take this much further
under your leadership," Modi told Razak.
Modi invited his Malaysian counterpart to
visit India.
He also congratulated Razak for "the
reform initiatives" he has taken "not just for
governance but also for opening the economy". The Malaysian prime minister told
"Services sector
growth is a low
hanging fruit in India.
What is made in India
has to be comepetitive
in terms of prices,"
-Finance Minister
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
ter he had a "vested interest in the

service sector doing well" because
it helps to cover the deficit in
India's merchandise exports, Jaitley
said the shrinking share of the
manufacturing sector to only 15
percent of the economy means the
country has to pursue service
exports aggressively.
23
Make in India, Modi tells Malaysia
'Make in India' has to be

competitively priced: Arun Jaitley
New Delhi: Describing services
sector growth in India as a "low
hanging fruit", Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley said the 'Make in
India' program has to be competitive in price terms in order to boost
exports.
"Services sector growth is a low
hanging fruit in India. What is
made in India has to be comepetitive in terms of prices," Jaitley said
here at a services conclave organized jointly by the commerce ministry and the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII).
"We have to bring down prices of
the products manufactured in India
because consumers are going to
buy products that are cheaper and
of good quality. There is no patriotism in international trade," he
added.
Services make up a major 57 percent share in the country's gross
domestic product (GDP), while
annual exports are worth over $150
billion.
Explaining that as finance minis-
"The manufacturing sector has

partly shrunk and unable to absorb
the underemployment in agriculture. Services is an area where we
need to be aggressive. We cannot
afford to be defensive," Jaitley
said.
However, the $151 billion of
India's services exports make up
only 3.3 percent of global exports
and is dominated by IT and ITenabled services. The country,
therefore, needs to expand the
export basket to push other services like healthcare and tourism, said
Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher,
addressing the conference.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

with his Malaysian counterpart
Najib Tun Razak.
Modi that he wanted Indian companies to

look at opportunities in Malaysia. He also
invited Modi to visit Malaysia.
Modi attended the 12th ASEAN-India
Summit. He also met heads of state and government of several countries on the sidelines
of multilateral events.
E-tailer Alibaba makes

record 'Singles' Day' sale
Beijing: China's online retail giant
Alibaba says it has pulled in
$9.3bn (5.9bn) in sales from its
annual 'Singles' Day' shopping
event.
The firm said sales had reached
57.1 billion yuan, and that it had
shipped 278 million orders - 43%
of which were placed on mobile
devices.
Last year, Alibaba recorded sales
of $5.75bn, shipping 150 million
packages.
Singles' Day is the world's
biggest online retail sales day.
It compares with "Cyber
Monday" in the US, the Monday
after Thanksgiving, which is also
marketed as a big online shopping
day.
"You're seeing the unleashing of
the consumption power of the
Chinese consumer," said Alibaba
Group's executive vice chairman,
Joe Tsai.
"We really are witnessing history
here because we are seeing the
shift of the economy from focused
'Singles Day' is annual

shopping event from online
retail giant Alibaba.
on the state sector to consumption."
Growing market
Alibaba had said it expected to
break sales records during the
annual event, offering big discounts to boost sales. "I bet the
number [of goods bought] is going
to be scary," said Alibaba's executive chairman Jack Ma last week.
He estimated that 200 million
packages would be shipped from
orders made during the day.
The company, which recently
listed on the New York Stock
Exchange, surpassed that number
by 18:00 Beijing time.
24
SPORTS
Rohit
becomes
first
batsman
to score
2 double
tons in
ODIs
Rohit Sharma
Kolkata: Rohit Sharma wrote

himself into the record books
by becoming the first batsman
to score two double hundreds in
One-Day International (ODI)
cricket and also became the
highest individual scorer in the
50-over format.
He was unbeaten at 246 with
India 383 for four in 48.1 overs
against Sri Lanka in the fourth
ODI of the five-match series at

the Eden Gardens here.
The 27-year-old Indian, who
had scored 209 against
Australia in November last
year, thrashed a mediocre Sri
Lankan bowling line-up to all
parts of the ground as he overtook compatriot Virender
Sehwag's 219 against the West
Indies in 2011.
Respect Sachin's opinion

about me as coach: Kapil
Kapil Dev
with
Sachin
Tendulkar
New Delhi: Former India cricket

captain Kapil Dev said he respect's
Sachin Tendulkar's opinion about
him as coach of the cricket team
but refused to be drawn into a controversy with him by counter-commenting on the sensitive topic.
Sachin in his autobiography
"Playing It My Way" has said that
Kapil in his tenure as the coach of
the national team "disappointed"
him.
Kapil coached the team from Sep
1999 to Sep 2000, during which
India lost its first home series in 13
years. India managed only one victory in three Test series, lost five
and won just once in eight Tests

with Kapil as coach. In One-Day
Internationals (ODI), India won
only nine of 25 matches under
him.
"It is his opinion. As long as it is
his opinion, it is fine with me.
Everybody is entitled to one's
opinion. I respect that," Kapil said
on the sidelines of a digital programme here.
"If someone has to sensationalise
it, he is free to do that. I don't have
anything to say or add to it."
He also spoke of his willingness
to accept Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's invitation to tour Australia.
Anand, Carlsen split

points in fourth game
Chennai: World chess champion
Magnus Carlsen and title challenger India's Viswanathan Anand
decided to split points after 47
moves in their fourth game of the
title match held in Russia.
At the end of the fourth game,
both players have two points each
in the 12-game match.
"Anand started off quite sharply
and got into a fine position, but
eventually he switched rather
unnecessarily to defence. It seems
though that he managed to defend
it after all," world No.7 and
Grandmaster Anish Giri said.
It was a different opening this
time around, with Carlson playing
white starting the game with e4.
The Indian chess don decided to
be different and opted for the
Sicilian defence and played c5.
The game progressed slowly
with no pieces going off the board
till the 17th move.
Tweeted Giri: "Frankly it looks
quite dull, but maybe Magnus will
come up with something interesting, as he often manages to."
As if bored with the game's
progress, Carlsen went for the first
piece exchange at 17th move, trading his knight for the challenger's
knight.
Carlsen followed with pawn
move c4 with an idea to have a
We will be ruthless:
Virat Kohli
Kolkata: Notwithstanding the
unassailable
3-0 lead in
the ongoing
One-Day
International
(ODI) series
against Sri
L a n k a ,
India's skipper Virat Kohli says his side
would continue to be ruthless
and try to win every game to
keep up the momentum ahead
of next year's World Cup. Kohli
said the Indian team is also
looking at getting the right
combination and staying
focused as it gears up to take on
Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens
here on the morrow. "No, there
is no difficulty in motivating
anyone. In the beginning we
said we will be ruthless and try
to win every game. We want to
keep to that. Some kind of
intensity is needed to win consistently. It creates good habits
and that is important with the
World Cup round the corner,"
he said at captain's customary
match-eve media meet.
World chess champion Magnus Carlsen playing with title

challenger India's Viswanathan Anand.
play at the centre. On move 20,

Anand retracted his knight to h7
giving Carlsen some space.
After exchange of pawns,
Carlsen went for rook exchange on
his 22nd move and brought out his
queen to the centre with Qd3.
Tweeted Indian International
Master V. Saravanan: "Forget
nationalities & admire Carlsen's
23.Qd3: White is a picture of harmony." At this juncture, experts
felt if at all anybody wins it would
be Carlsen or the game would end
in a draw. However, the game
chugged along with the remaining
rooks going off the board with
Carlsen going in for an exchange.
With both the players having just

their queen, knight and five pawns
each, and Anand having brought
the situation under control, the
position was considered even.
On the chess board, behind every
successful king there is a queen.
And this turned out to be true for
Anand's black king.
Anand held on to his queen
despite attempts by Carlsen to
exchange them.
For Carlsen, black queen was the
hurdle as he was having a better
pawn structure which was advantageous at the end. The Indian's
survival chances were centered
around his d5 passer pawn.
Badminton great
Lee Chong Wei suspended
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian
great Lee Chong Wei was provisionally suspended by the
Badminton World Federation
(BWF) due to an apparent antidoping regulation violation.
"The world-governing body
has imposed this suspension due
to an adverse analytical finding
of a sample taken at the World
Championships in August," a
BWF statement said.
"The BWF has referred the
matter to its Doping Hearing
Panel and, in due course, the
chair of the panel will set the
time, date and location of a hearing. The panel will determine
whether or not the athlete has
committed an anti-doping regulation violation."
In accordance with Clause
14.4.1 of the BWF Anti-Doping
Regulations, and following the
imposition of the provisional
suspension, the BWF and the
member association, in this case
the Badminton Association of
Malaysia (BAM), are now able
Malaysian great
Lee Chong Wei
to publicly identify the player

involved in this matter.
The provisional suspension
(Clause 7.6.2) means the athlete
is barred temporarily from participation in any competition
prior to the Doping Hearing
Panels decision. The BWF
added that there will be "no further comment" from them
regarding the issue until the
panel makes its ruling. Lee is a
two-time Olympic silver medallist and twice a Commonwealth
Games champion.
Mr Steve Gorn (Flute)
Ms Daisy Paradis (Sitar)
Nitin Mitta (Tabla)
Pandit Ramesh ji Misra (Sarangi)
Media Sponsor:
Special Thanks to Sunny Thakker
26
Selfie obsession may

cost you your job
LIFESTYLE
Mothers' education key to

kid's academic success
Washington, DC: Researchers

have found that the academic success of your kids depends a lot on
the education provided by mothers as children born to relatively
older and educated mothers learn
math and reading more quickly
than children born to younger
mothers.
Trends indicate that mothers
who give birth during adolescence
have much lower rates of high
school completion and college
enrollment in comparison with
their counterparts who delay their
pregnancy, found the study.
Children of mothers who are 19
and older usually enter kindergarten with higher levels of
achievement, showed the study.
These kids continue to excel in
math and reading at higher levels
through eighth grade when compared with children of mothers 18
years and younger, pointed out the
study.
"These results provide compelling evidence that having a
child during adolescence has
enduring negative consequences
for
the
achievement
of the next
generation,"
said Sandra
Tang, a psyc h o l o g y
research fellow at the
University of
Michigan in
the US.
The negative
consequences
of teen moth- Children born to relatively older and educated
ers not only mothers learn math and reading more quickly
affects
the
child born when the mother was math and reading scores were colan adolescent, but also affect the lected in third, fifth and eighth
mother's subsequent children as grades. As growth in achievement
well. "These children - and others normally stays the same across
born to the mother when she was time for math and reading, these
not an adolescent - never catch up patterns highlight the importance
in achievement across time to of investing in early interventions
children whose mothers had them that target adolescent mothers and
after completing their education," provide them with the skills needsaid Pamela Davis-Kean, associ- ed to promote their children's
ate professor of psychology at the learning, concluded Tang. The
findings appeared in the Journal
University of Michigan.
In 14,279 cases, the children's of Research on Adolescence.
London: According to a study,

users who click too many
'selfies' not only reflect narcissistic traits but also demonstrate
a lack of self-control to employers.
"The rise in selfie taking could
lead to the more regular snappers losing out on jobs," says the
study reported by MailOnline.
"In a career sense, selfies can
really impact your brand,"
career coach Hallie Crawford
was quoted as saying.

The study, done by researchers
at the University of Georgia,
suggested that selfies are motivated by three factors - selfabsorption, art or social connection.
"Regular selfie takers may be
more narcissistic than their
photo-shy friends," said Keith
Campbell, psychology professor
at the University of Georgia in
the US.
WhatsApp ups
divorce rates in Italy
Bogus emails lure people into sharing personal info
London: Intimate messaging

with strangers on WhatsApp
has led to an increase in
divorce rates in Italy, according
to a leading Italian lawyer.
"Forty percent of divorce
cases that cited adultery have
used WhatsApp messages
swapped by unfaithful spouses
and their lovers as evidence,"
Gian Ettore Gassani, president
of the Italian Association of
Matrimonial Lawyers, was
quoted as having said in the
Times of London.
"Social media has boosted
betrayal in Italy by making it
easier, first through texting,
then Facebook, and now
WhatsApp, which is being used
widely and has encouraged the
return of the Latin lover," he
added.
"Lovers can now exchange
intimate photos of themselves
and we have seen adulterers
using the service to maintain
three or four relationships. It is
like dynamite," Gassani said.
In Italy, WhatsApp is the
most popular messaging service.
A 2012 survey found that 88
percent of the instant messaging market was captured by it.
"The family here is the cornerstone of society, but it has
been under attack for years and
WhatsApp is the final straw,"
said Gassani.
New York: More internet users

are being lured into revealing personal information as they log into
bogus emails, says a new study.
Certain websites included in
phishing emails successfully lure
users up to 45 percent of the time,
according to the study.
Once on the bogus pages which tend to imitate legitimate
sites, like Google itself, in an
effort to obtain people's private
details - 14 percent of people
unwittingly submit their information to hackers.
Researchers said the percentage
of people who get tricked was

"much higher" than they expected.
To reach this conclusion, the
team looked at 100 phishing
emails self-reported by Gmail
users.
The team also reviewed 100
phishing websites caught by
Google's Safe Browsing system.
They found that even on the
worst-performing phishing websites, three percent of users still
submitted their data.
On the most effective phishing
sites, as many as 45 percent shared
key information, Huffington Post
reported.
According to the study, hackers
use Gmail's own search function
to figure out if an account is worth
their time, looking for terms like
"wire transfer" and "bank."
About 20 percent of hackers
access compromised accounts
within 30 minutes of getting their
credentials.
To avoid phishing, enable the
two-step verification on your
email account and report any suspicious emails instead of responding to them, researchers suggested.
How obesity triggers auto-immune diseases

London: A new study points to
the major role obesity plays in
triggering and prolonging autoimmune diseases.
In the case of auto-immune diseases, the immune system attacks
its own body rather than predatory invaders.
Obesity leads to a breakdown of
the body's protective mechanism,
creating the optimal environment
for auto-immune diseases, and
creates an environment that may
hinder its treatment, showed the
study.
"We have been aware of a long
list of causes of auto-immune disorders - infections, smoking, pesticides, lack of vitamins, and so
forth. But in the last five years, a

new factor has emerged that cannot be ignored: obesity," said
Yehuda Shoenfeld from the Tel
Aviv University in Israel.
As around 35 percent of the
global community is overweight
or obese and more than 10 autoimmune diseases are known to be
associated with increased weight,
it is critical to probe obesity's
involvement in the pathology of
such diseases, noted Yehuda.
Yehuda conducted a review of
329 studies from around the
world on the relationship between
obesity, adipokines (compounds
secreted by fat tissue and
involved in numerous physiologi-
cal functions including the

immune response), and immunerelated conditions like rheumatoid
arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
"According to our study and the
clinical and experimental data
reviewed, the involvement of
adipokines in the pathogenesis of
these auto-immune diseases is
clear," added Shoenfeld.
"We were able to detail the
metabolic and immunological
activities of the main adipokines
featured in the development and
prognosis of several immunerelated conditions," concluded
Shoenfeld.
The study appeared in
Autoimmunity Reviews.
Touch-sensitive,
color changing
bra invented
Tokyo: Japanese women can
now show off their bonds with
their siblings with the help of a
new bra that changes color
when touched.
The "Close Sisters Bras"
from manufacturer Triumph is
made from electronic paper,
which acts as a flexible screen.
From blue snowflakes on a
white
background,
the
'Disney's Frozen' inspired bras
change color to a black background with white polka dots
or tiny hearts, rocketnews24
reported.
"The depiction, in movies
and the like, of sisters helping
each other and becoming more
confident, have moved all of
Japan," the company said in a
statement.
The lingerie showcases the
"futago kode" trend in Japanese
fashion, where women wear
matching outfits to recognize
and reinforce their friendship.
Two years ago, Triumph had
created a bra with cooling gel
pads tucked inside, to save
energy, and in 2013, it
endorsed the Japanese government's plan to increase Japan's
GDP by two percent with a
golden bra that visually
increased bust size by the same
amount.
HEALTH
27
Super simple tips to manage

and help prevent diabetes
early 10 percent of the U.S.
population has diabetes and
another 37 percent of U.S.
adults have prediabetes, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Given the statistics, its no surprise
that diabetes is a leading cause of
death in the United States.
Fortunately there are concrete steps
you can take to control the disease,
say experts.
Medication alone cant solve diabetes. The solution must include
healthier eating and living, says Dr.
Andy Baldwin, a board certified family physician and ambassador for
Nutrisystem, a weight loss program
that has a specific plan designed for
diabetes management.
No matter what your health status
is now, committing to a healthier
lifestyle can help you manage diabetes or prevent the onset in coming
years. Dr. Baldwin is offering some
suggestions for getting started.
To avoid overeating, don`t put
serving bowls on the table. Fill plates
in the kitchen and leave extras and
leftovers far away. Instead, keep veggies or a salad on the table to supplement meals. Include carrots, celery,
cucumber, pepper slices and cherry
tomatoes. Eat as many as you like
rather than getting seconds of the
main course.
Cinnamon has been shown to
help improve blood sugar levels. Fill
an empty salt shaker with the spice
and leave it on the table. Shake a little on meat, potatoes, vegetables for
the health benefits

and an added boost
of flavor.
Designate one
chair at your table as
your "eating chair."
Only eat if you are
sitting in it -nowhere else.
Fast food can be
calorie dense and low
on nutrition. Avoid
going overboard by
limiting your intake.
That means either
eating a child`s meal
or picking a healthier, sometimes more
expensive item from
the menu, such as a
salad or grilled
chicken sandwich.
If you lead a
sedentary lifestyle,
its time to make a
change. Set quotas for TV viewing.
For example, one hour of news and
one hour of entertainment -- or, stay
active while watching television by
doing squats, crunches, lifting small
weights or stretching. Get outdoors
for at least 15 minutes a day -- rain or
shine! Walk, bike, garden, clean or
play a game, it doesn`t matter, as
long as you are moving.
A structured meal plan and nutrition-rich foods can help you manage
diabetes and weight issues without
needing to count calories, carbs or
points. Look for a program that
meets the nutritional guidelines of
Committee formed to propagate

Ayurveda at global level
the American Diabetes Association

and that offers personal support in
the form of certified diabetes educators, dietitians, food and glucose
trackers, and an online support community. For example, Nutrisystem D
is clinically proven to help people
with type 2 diabetes lose weight and
lower their A1c, offering meals that
contain the right balance of low
glycemic carbs, fats, high protein.
Meals are also fiber-rich to ensure
participants feel full.
Healthy habits can benefit your
overall health, as well as reduce your
risk for complications from diabetes.
At least 769 children were hospitalized during that period, an average of one
per day and one died.
Around half (48
percent) of the children vomited after
laundry detergent pod
exposure.
Other common effects were coughing
or choking (13 percent of cases), eye
pain or irritation (11 percent), drowsiness or lethargy (seven percent) and red
eye or conjunctivitis (seven percent),
showed the study.
It is not clear that any laundry detergent pods currently available are truly
child resistant. A national safety standard is needed to make sure that all pod
makers adopt safer packaging and labeling, said Gary Smith, director, Centre
for Injury Research and Policy. Parents
should use traditional detergent instead
of detergent pods, which is much less
toxic than laundry detergent pods, suggested Smith.
the World Ayurveda Congress

(WAC) Internet for the benefit
of the masses. "Also, not all the
Ayurveda practitioners are
well-qualified. We have to be
cautious about it. We need to
standardize medicines and put
in place a system for certification of practitioners," she said.
S. Saji Kumar, Convener of
FoA said, "Initially, our aim is
to connect with professionals
and friends of Ayurveda in 30
countries, mostly in Asia,
Europe and the Gulf. The prime
objective is to facilitate recognition and acceptance of
Ayurveda globally and find a
meaningful role for it in the
public health scenario,"
"Awareness has to be built and
the Indian diaspora can engage
with people in their adopted
countries to cultivate interest in
traditional curative systems,"
said Kumar who is also an
Ayurveda practitioner in
Kerala.
Tips to prevent slips and

falls in your bathroom
Laundry detergent pods pose

poisoning risk for kids
etergent pods
pose serious
threat to childrens health, a study
has said. Researchers
have recommended
using
traditional
detergents in the
households with children.
Laundry detergent pods are small,
colorful, and may look like candy or
juice to a child, said Marcel J.
Casavant, chief of toxicology at
Nationwide Childrens Hospital,
Columbus, Ohio.
It can take just a few seconds for children to grab them, break them open, and
swallow the toxic chemicals they contain, or get the chemicals in their eyes,
Casavant noted.
Between 2012 and 2013, the US poison control centers received reports of
17,230 under six-year-old children swallowing, inhaling, or otherwise being
exposed to chemicals in laundry detergent pods, the study said.
n a bid to propagate credible and authentic Ayurveda

at the global level, a committee of professionals and
well wishers from across the
world named "Friends of
Ayurveda" was announced here
Monday.
The committee, announced
by Commerce and Industry
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
on the sidelines of the World
Ayurveda Congress underway
n Delhi will also provide a
broad platform for all the stakeholders in India's traditional
curative systems. Friends of
Ayurveda (FoA) headquartered
at Delhi will work closely with
Department of AYUSH,
Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, private bodies and
individuals. Extending all possible help to FoA from the government, Sitharaman said that
the committee should try to
create a data bank of all homebased solutions and put it on
oughly 234,000 injuries

occur in the bathroom
annually, according to
the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. And while
children and adults over 70 are
most at risk, more than half of
all injuries involve people
between ages 25 and 64. A few
safety prevention measures can
make your bathroom safer:
Grab bars: Gripping things
like shower doors or towel bars
can lead to injury. Reduce your
risk of failing in the tub or
shower by installing a grab bar.
Seats: For those with balance concerns, a seat, chair or
bench in the shower can be a
good idea, as shower floors can become particularly slick. Also, remember to use a shower
mat.
Toilet safety: Elevated toilet seats can help
those with mobility issues ease onto the seat.
Safety bars are another smart addition.
If aesthetics are a priority, check out manufacturers who put a premium on design, and whose
products meet American with Disability Act

safety requirements. For example, Moen Home
Care offers safety fixtures in varying styles and
finishes like chrome, brushed nickel and old
world bronze. More information can be found
at www.Moen.com/homecare.
With a few additions to your bathrooms, you
can make them serene, stylish and safe.
28
HUMOR
Funny Side by Nury Vittachi
The Secret of Being a Happy Introvert

HAD A teacher who used to wake us up
by shouting: The early bird gets the
worm.
Let him have the worm.
I hate food that doesnt stay still on your
plate.
Besides, I stopped eating worms at the
age of three, switching to regular breakfasts
of frosted cereal, to which I would add
extra sugar until it was really just a bowl of
white granules.
Once I just poured milk into the sugar
bowl.
My parents were horrified, forgetting that
childrens throats are portals to an alternative universe: they can eat anything they
like without harm.
My children live entirely on pies filled
with chopped and shaped pieces of
monosodium glutamate, a delicious animal
from somewhere or other, probably
Australia, they have all the weird fauna, the
duck-billed platypus, the spotted wombat,
the Dundee crocodile, etc.
***
Your humble narrator was thinking about

early birds and the competitive spirit after
receiving a letter from a reader in Malaysia:
My son deliberately throws away marks

because he doesnt like to be top of the
class. What shall I do?
Give him a round of applause, maam.
Nerdy types perform better out of the
limelight.
But it is tough for us, since children these
days are naturally competitive.
For example, when my three were small,
they would race everywhere, including to
the Time Out Corner when being punished.
Im first, one would declare.
First is worst, second is best, number
two would sneer.
And then the two would chant at the
third: And thirds a princess with a hairy
chest.
***
As for me, I learned the secret of being a
happy introvert when I was 11: The ideal
position in a large group is second to last:
this position is easy to get, yet makes you
TOTALLY INVISIBLE.
But be careful.
At the London Olympics, badminton
pairs from three Asian countries deliberately tried to lose matches to get better odds in
later rounds, and were disqualified for
cheating.
Remembering them reminded me of a
football final that a colleague of mine covered in Ho Chi Minh City in the 1990s.
Thailand and Indonesia were BOTH trying really hard to lose.
The starting whistle blew.
Thailand played badly.
Indonesia played worse.
Thailands players slowed to a crawl.
Indonesias players stopped moving
completely.
As the clock ticked towards the final
whistle, an Indonesian player took drastic
action, changing sides. Thai players also
decided to target their own goal.
It was possibly the funniest moment in
the history of sports, not excepting the
announcements of tangle-mouthed sports
commentator David Coleman, whose typical sayings included:

"This evening is a very different evening
from the morning we had this morning.
(Covering motor racing, he said: The
front wheel crosses the finish line, closely
followed by the back wheel.)
***
Hey. It has just struck me that the organizers of sports matches could use my kids
playground rhyme when people deliberately lose matches.
I lost, the delighted loser will say.
The judges could STILL declare them
winners, pointing to a new, optional regulation:
First is worse, second is best, thirds a
princess with a hairy chest.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and
humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the
immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat,
he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
ASTROLOGY
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

ARIES: You will be successful in realising your targets at professional front.
Charming nature and pleasant personality would make you the attraction of family
function in this week. Investment in stocks &
mutual funds would help in earning profits.
Love life brings immense romantic pleasure.
A very healthy week when your cheerfulness
gives the desired tonic and confidence.
Business or vacation travelling is what you
needed right now. Your property prices will
boost in the coming period. Following the
path of fairness and justice brings success in
the long run.
TAURUS: With your high confidence
you will be able to cross all hurdles at
professional front. Family members
appreciate the changes made in & around the
house. Long-term investment in stocks &
mutual funds will enable to earn profits.
Traveling proves a blessing in disguise by
bringing a love in your life. You are likely to
maintain good health that would also give you
success. Implementation of new ideas to travel
will be beneficiary for you on work front.
Buying property can lead to gains as property
prices continue to increase. You find it very
easy to put your feelings into words to engage
in an interesting conversation.
GEMINI: You are likely to encounter
some challenging situations at workplace. Friends and family members
would encourage to work harder.
Improvement in finances is certain. You are
likely to get a new friendship opportunity in
the evening. A continuous positive thinking
gets rewarded as you succeed in whatever you
do. Travel plans for ambitions are in full
bloom. You could buy the property that you
are looking for. You share happiness with
close friends to double the joy.
CANCER: A hectic schedule awaits at
professional front in this week. You are
likely to hear a good news from close
relatives. Speculation coupled with some unexpected gains improves financial health. New
romance that some of you are going to experience would take the worries off mind. Creative
hobbies are likely to keep you relaxed. A beckon destination sounds tempting to you.
Investing on properties which are under developed will be profitable. Unexpected accolades
bring unlimited joy to you.
LEO: Timely help of associates will
not only pass difficult times at work but
also help in regaining professional
edge. An old friend makes a pleasant visit
later in the week. A new source of income will
generate through influential contacts. You
enjoy a memorable time with partner to
cement the lovely bond. With a positive outlook & confidence, you succeed in impressing
people around you. Planning a trip for your
love will embrace you and your spouse.
Whether young or old, now is the time to start
investing. You dont allow success going in
your head.
VIRGO: A promising week to start a
new venture in partnership. All are
likely to be benefited. Evening enjoyed
with family and close relatives brings
immense pleasure. You are likely to make
good money, but the rise in expenses could
make it difficult to save. You will be attracted
to someone special. Mental alertness would
enable to solve a tricky problem. Enjoy your
holiday with love of your life. Looking for
good long term investments, then go for a
property which is under construction. You
strive to make accolades a regular feature.
LIBRA: Your technical expertise

gives a decisive edge over competitors
at work. You are likely to plan a short
trip with family. Investment made in this week
would enhance prosperity and financial security. Warm romantic thoughts occupy mind. A
cheerful state of mind brings mental peace.
Romantic destinations seems appealing to
you. Value the property at right price to attract
buyers for it. Hesitancy and doubt are not likely to come your way in this week.
SCORPIO: Hard work of the past
brings rich dividends. However continue enhancing your skills/adopt techniques for further development. Unexpected
visit by old friend could give you a pleasant
surprise. An improvement in financial position
would enable to make important purchases.
Your charm & generosity bring new romantic
opportunities for you. Good time to divert
attention to spirituality to enhance mental
toughness. Travel for fun and pleasure is what
you demand. It always is exciting to begin
looking at homes for sale in your area.
Discussing future goals with experienced persons benefit.
SAGITTARIUS: Dedication & loyalty at work would bring desired results.
Good advice from family members
will help in reducing mental tension/pressure.
You are likely to earn monetary profits
through most unexpected sources. Love life
brightens your week. A pleasure trip gives the
much-needed tonic to health. Small journey
with your office colleagues will be interesting.
Buying cheap property in the right location
can provide you triple gain annually. You
make a resolve to avoid criticising others.
CAPRICORN: New ventures start on
a positive note. If possible, plan something exciting & entertaining with
family members. A sudden inflow of funds
will take care of your bills and immediate
expenses. Your wit & charm would help in
catching the attention of opposite sex. Cutting
down the number of parties and pleasure
jaunts would help in keeping in good mood.
Planning a vacation, keep an eye on your
expenditure before you travel. Investing in
property business sounds very appealing. You
continue to be resourceful and capable of
achieving personal goals.
AQUARIUS: You succeed in completing projects efficiently provided
you put in all your efforts. Sudden
good news in the evening will bring cheers for
the entire family. Monetary position is likely
to improve on recovering of delayed payments. Love partner would be extremely supportive and in a loving mood. A beneficial
week to work on things that will improve your
health. Your travel plans are smooth, but the
toughest part is that your partner doesnt have
time. Banks love to finance those, who invest
in properties which are underdevelopment.
Teaming-up with ambitious people would
augur well for future.
PISCES: Hard work put-in the past
will yield handsome rewards in business in this week. Your efforts bring
success & happiness at family front.
Investment in antiques & jewelry brings monetary gains and improvement in financial position. A romantic week as you receive all praises from partner. Your confidence and energy
will be high in this week. Your boss may ask
you for your company to a friends party. A
good deal on commercial property might
occur. You succeed in casting aside bad habits
and negative thinking.
29
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874

Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

15th November, 2014
Ruled planet: Venus
Ruled by no: 6
Traits in you: Venus being your ruling planet offers
you with a charismatic personality and intelligence.
You will always find peace of mind.
Health this year: You may find blessings of a sacred
person to remain physically and mentally healthy.
Finance this year: You may find your friends helpful
enough to support you financially. You may get influence from one of your female friends, which will bring
new dimensions to your life. You have to ignore them
who approach you for loans and financial assistance.
Career this year: As a vivid learner, you will get the
chance to move ahead of others when it comes to new
technology. However, you have to work on your nature
of being lazy, moody. You should control yourself from
interfering in the affairs of others.
Romance this year: Your partner will be with you in
every situation you are in. You will be relieved with the
helping hand of your partner.
Lucky month: February, July and September
16th November, 2014
Ruled planet: Neptune
Ruled by no: 7
Traits in you: Your ruling planet Neptune makes you
full of energy, ambition, and honesty. You like to enjoy
independence in your life to the maximum. You have a
sharp memory to memorize whatever you study. Being
innovative and born talented, you have all the capabilities to impress others. However, you need work on
your nature of behaving impatient and unpredictable.
Health this year: You may need to take extra care of
your health as the movement of your planet may make
you fall sick throughout this year. It is advised to practice yoga and meditation in a regular basis. It will not
only improve your mental health but also make you
physically fit.
Finance this year: If you are into business, this year
will prove to be very lucky for you as you will expand
your business by launching new and profitable ideas.
You will gain enough money if you invest in stocks.
Career this year: You have the best time to take important decisions for your professional life this year. It
is advisable for you to gather knowledge and information on various topics. You need to make new and long
lasting contacts to get help in future. You will try your
level best to achieve your desired goals.
Romance this year: Your romantic affiliation with
your partner may make your bond more stronger. You
may plan to get married this year.
Lucky month: December, May, September, November
17th November, 2014
Ruled planet: Saturn
Ruled by no: 8
Traits in you: You are bestowed with the characteristics
such as energetic, realistic, dependable, hardworking,
and highly disciplined. Your duties and responsibilities
bear the most value than anything else in your life.
However, you have to look after your nature of behaving stubborn and showing jealousy at wrong situations.
Health this year: You will enjoy a sound health. However, you may suffere from minor backaches due to sitting more time in work.
Finance this year: Though there will be an improvement in your financial status this year, you will end up
increasing your expenses as well. If your decision of investing comes correct, you may be benefited or else
you may lose your money. Many of your friend and relatives may visit you this year. They may bring you gifts
in form of money.
Career this year: You need to concentrate on projects
that would bring long term gains rather than bothering
about small projects. Some of you may get opportunities to get new employments.
Romance this year: You may find this year romantic
enough to make your year pleasing and happy.
Lucky month: February, May, July and November
18th November, 2014
Ruled planet: Mars
Ruled by no: 9
Traits in you: Being under the influence of Mars, you
are blessed with dignity, sensitiveness, courage, confidence and diplomacy. You are born simple and helpful.
You need to work on your nature of becoming impatient.
Health this year: You will take help of spirituality later this year for the betterment of your mental health.
However, you will remain healthy physically.
Finance this year: You should not spend too much
money to buy luxury. This may land you in financial

crisis later in the year. The peace at your home may get
ruined to financial crisis and health issues. Though you
may face a difficult time regarding to money earlier this
year, you will find a solution or a new source of income
later, which would solve your financial problems.
Career this year: You may bring huge changes in your
professional life this year. You may expect a transfer or
promotion in the middle of this year. Those who are on
a foreign trip in the second half of the year will find the
trip enjoyable and exciting.
Romance this year: You will be enjoying a disturbed
relationship with your partner as you would not be able
to show required care and concern. If you are unmarried, you may decide to remain so for at least two years.
Lucky month: March, August and October
19th November, 2014
Ruled planet: Sun
Ruled by no: 1
Traits in you: Your star Sun makes you active, dynamic, confident, responsible and a talented. You have
the scope to learn new things and create new ideas.
However, you have to take care of your nature of behaving improvident and dominating.
Health this year: You will remain healthy provided
you get your checkup done regularly.
Finance this year: You will find new money making
opportunities pretty result oriented if you concentrate
on you work and give your best. Your assumptions on
pretty things may not help you gain anything rather it
would make you feel miserable later. You may invest
on land or house for better returns.
Career this year: You will not take enough time to
complete your pending tasks this year. You will find
your job interesting enough. You may excel in your domain and get appreciated from your higher management with a better salary hike.
Romance this year: You will enjoy a very good relationship with your spouse this year. Your romantic relationships will be strengthened this year.
Lucky month: February, May and September
20th November, 2014
Ruled planet: Moon
Ruled by no: 2
Traits in you: As you are ruled by Moon, you are
blessed with characteristics such as imaginative, smart,
trustworthy, generous and authoritative person.
Health this year: You may go for a pilgrimage to attain peace and mental comfort. This year you will suffer from various minor health issues and this will keep
you disturbed.
Finance this year: This year will bring you job security and financial stability. You need to deal with your
money carefully to avoid loss. Your assumptions in taking hasty decisions may cause financial loss to you. If
you are a businessman, you may get into new contracts
to enhance your business. If you get into any overseas
venture, you may be befitted financially from it.
Career this year: Being an excellent professional, you
will be recognized as a very efficient resource and people may seek your advice and support. However, you
have to avoid being selfish and moody.
Romance this year: This year is the perfect time for you
to be in an emotional relationship or you may get married.
Lucky month: January, May, July and September
21st November, 2014
Ruled planet: Jupiter
Ruled by no: 3
Traits in you: By your inborn nature, you are intellectual, distinguished, cheerful, kind and optimistic.
Health this year: You need to take more care of your
health to avoid future complicacy.
Finance this year: Your business may earn you a lot of
money if you plan your budget intelligently. You need
to have a trustworthy plan in place before you implement your budget in the business. You should not go beyond your budget if you do not want to be in loss. Your
past investments will earn you money this year and
make you financially sound. You may find the property or legal dispute settlement satisfactory.
Career this year: Being good at your work, you get lot
of appreciation and respect from others. Your good
work pays off with rewards. However, you should not
behave dominating and arrogant. You may find this
year promising enough when growth is concerned.
Romance this year: You may plan an overseas trip
with your beloved to spend quality time. Your relationship will grow more strong with lots of love and care.
Lucky month: February, June and November
30
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
Meditation:
Positive changes to our brain and our lives
now beginning to evaluate the
potential role of meditation as a
therapeutic intervention, for conditions such as chronic pain, depression, and addiction.
Sant Rajinder Singh

Ji Maharaj
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.
By Louis A. Ritz
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 common
source of our suffering. As each of
us becomes more entangled in the
impermanence of the outer world,
our level of dissatisfaction 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 scientific interest in meditation has

exploded. The research has gone
through several phases. Early on,
scientists documented the physiological impact of meditation on the
body. Meditation, by reducing 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 scientific investigations are
Central to the influence of meditation 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 patterns.
Neuroplasticity means that the
brain can be shaped, or sculpted, by
our experiences or by our thoughts.
Until recent times, neuroscientists
had assumed that the mature brain
is hard-wired. That is, once neural
circuits are established, 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 system organization and reorganization.
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 reducing 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 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.
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 appreciated is how
inner, spiritual, experiences 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 emotional processing are larger in meditators compared to non-meditators.
By embracing spirituality and
meditation, we can change our
thought patterns and our brain circuits. 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, systematic 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 technique is equally
valid and valuable. Use of the scientific method as a guideline for
spiritual exploration has been
developed and promoted by the
great spiritual scientists of modern
times. The spiritual explorers have
long considered 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 meditation 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 laboratory. The
human body is the laboratory for
our spiritual experiment. 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 spiritual laboratory. 5) Medical
research requires that the experi-
ments be repeated daily until the

techniques are perfected. In a spiritual experiment, there also must be
repetition, such as meditating daily.
6) The final step of the scientific
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 firsthand direct inner
spiritual experience. 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 spiritual scientist, he embodies
the scientific process to meditation
and the exploration of our true
nature.
A scientific model of meditation
provides a rigorous, reproducible
approach to the practice of meditation. The steps involved in meditation 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 awareness, 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)
JAN. 2015

Obama Plans To Shield: The South Asian Times

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The South Asian Times

Vol.7 No. 29 November 15-21, 2014 60 Cents

New York Edition

Obama plans to shield

President Obama is greeted by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

MSG like welcome awaits Modi in Australia

Sydney: Prime Minister Narendra

York, there is much excitement

event is being organized by the

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being received on arrival in

November 15-21, 2014

November 15-21, 2014

Nikki Haley off to India to attract foreign investment

Reaching India, 2nd term South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley

and agriculture. "There's a lot that

Walmart declares a 5-day

prices. Its more prevalent among

Rescued from dangling scaffold at World Trade Center

where can I get them to invest and

Hitt. Last year, the state's exports to

Speaking to Headlines Today, she

Ami Bera surges ahead of Ose in close race

Ami Bera is the third Indian

than 9,000 additional provisional

This race is not going to be fully counted for up to another week,

Indian-origin banker made youngest

to managing director at the age of 27.

November 15-21, 2014

Dr. Sadhna Shanker felicitated

Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay cut a cake for his belated birthday

celebrated with cake cutting.

Mrs. & Mr. Malik, owners of

ACLU sues US Army for Sikh student wanting to enlist

New York: The

mine readiness, unit cohesion,

Singh's request because he had

Mukhtar mesmerizes New Jersey audience

Mukhtar Shah wowed the audience with Mukesh songs

Obama plans to shield 5 million...

New Delhi Bureau

Art and Design: Vladimir Tomovski

Printed Every Saturday by

Managing Editor: Parveen Chopra

Strategy and Marketing

Web Editor: B.B.Chopra

Marketing & PR (Washington DC)

IANS Washington Bureau

Chairman and Co-Founder

Contributing Editors: Melvin Durai,

Co-Founder: Saroosh Gull

Contributing Editors (Youth):

Jaipur (India) Bureau

News Service: HT Media Ltd.

Printing: Five Star Printing, NY

FBI agents raid India baiter US diplomat's home

Washington, DC: FBI agents searched

separatists in Jammu and Kashmir

Share and Care kicks off year-end

geles Times report published in 1994.

November 15-21, 2014

Ban Ki-moon appoints Indian to

which weapons were found to

Swadesh Chatterjee: Campaign by