Professional Documents
Culture Documents
e x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Follow us on Vol.5 No. 35 December 15-21, 2012 60 Cents New York Edition TheSouthAsianTimes.info
President Obama with Congressional leaders including House Speaker John Boehner
Sandy concert rocks city with Stones, McCartney, and the Boss
New York: Musicians closely associated with New Jersey and New York dominated the 12-12-12 concert to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy vicitms, selecting songs that created a narrative of perseverance, rebirth and hope. It began with Bruce the Boss Springsteen, continued with Bon Jovi and Billy Joel, and concluded with Alicia Keys. In between were, as Mick Jagger quipped, "the world's biggest collection of aged British rock stars" plus Kanye West, talk show hosts, comedians and two members of Nirvana performing with Paul McCartney. The locals were the ones who dug out songs that not only celebrate the idea of hope, but encourage the audience to chime in on the affirmative phrase of "all right," Keys' "No One," Springsteen's "My City in Ruins" and Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home" among them. New York had its side of the story handled by Billy Joel. His tale of the abandoning of New York City, "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)," took on a new level of poignancy, the idea of New York neighborhoods washed away, dark or unoccupied. Continued on page 4
Former Beatle Paul McCartneys was the last act of the concert.
Bashar al-Assads days as Syrian President are numbered. Already, his emissaries have explored political asylum for him in a South American country.
America and some other western nations have recognized Syrias opposition/rebels coalition.
Op Ed 13
Self-Help 24
Travel 25
Spiritual Awareness 30
excellence in journalism
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Dilip Joseph, a medical adviser who was kidnapped in Afghanistan, flew home Dec. 11, after getting rescued by Navy Seals.
New York: Responding to the unprecedented damage caused by superstorm Sandy, an unprecedented lineup of A-list musicians, including Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and The Who, banded together Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden here for what is being called the
biggest concert in history. "12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief" -- broadcast live on dozens of channels around the world, as well as hundreds of radio stations, in dozens of movie theaters and on websites would have reached 2 billion people, and raise tens of millions of dollars in donations for the Robin
Hood Foundation. It was a night of wild contrasts, starting with Springsteen's mixing of prayers with "Born to Run" to the juxtaposition of Alicia Keys' tender piano-driven set and The Who's raucous rock. Joel's set included the rock of "Miami 2017," which featured the new lyrics he wrote for it last month reflecting the
destruction in the Rockaways during Sandy, the gospel-tinged "River of Dreams". The concert turned into a night of collaborations, as the artists tried to reflect the spirit of cooperation they say will be needed for rebuilding the areas affected by the storm. Bon Jovi joined Springsteen and the E Street Band for "Born to
Run," and then Springsteen returned the favor on Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home." And there was the stunning combination of McCartney and a reunited Nirvana for a new song that was more like his solo project The Fireman than "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but surprising just the same.
TURN PAGE
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Continuations of page 1
Syrian regime story Continued from page 1 Bashar al-Assad. "We need to look the facts in the eye," the state-run RIA Novosti news service quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying, noting the Syrian government is losing control of an ever widening portion of the country. "Unfortunately, we can't exclude a victory by the opposition." The regime showed no outward signs of backing down. Syrian state TV, citing a foreign ministry official, emphatically denied Thursday accusations that the government has used Scud missiles against rebels inside the country, a move analysts and world leaders have described as a dangerous escalation in al-Assad's 21-month campaign against the rebellion. While some see al-Assad's defeat increasingly likely, officials in his regime downplayed the significance of recognition granted to the opposition in the last two days by the United States and the Friends of Syria group -- a coalition of more than 100 nations and organizations sympathetic to the rebellion. A Russian spokesperson said he believed the West's recognition of the coalition will make rebels more confident of victory. Obama Boehner story Continued from page 1 But Boehner prepared to return to Ohio for the weekend, with no further negotiations on his schedule. Obamas top economic adviser, Gene Sperling, confirmed the gloomy outlook in a closed-door lunch meeting Thursday with Senate Democrats, according to those present. Senior Senate Republicans, meanwhile, were at work on a fallback plan that would not significantly restrain the national debt but would at least avert widespread economic damage by canceling tax increases scheduled to take effect next year for the vast majority of Americans. That strategy calls for Republicans to capitulate to Obamas demand to let tax rates rise on wage and salary income for the wealthiest 2 percent of taxpayers. But the approach would also seek to thwart the Democrats by trying to block other steps that would increase taxes paid by wealthy taxpayers, including higher rates on investment income and limits on the value of itemized deductions. This strategy would produce only about $440 billion in new taxes and give the Democrats even less revenue than Republicans had previously put on the table. In his initial offer earlier this month, Boehner had said he could support $800 billion in new tax revenue. With a relatively low price in new taxes, the strategy, if successful, would represent a tactical victory for Republicans and shift the political burden onto Democrats to make greater concessions on federal spending. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-Ky.) has floated the strategy among Republicans in both chambers, according to lawmakers and senior GOP aides. So far, it has been rejected by Boehner and other House leaders, aides said. But top GOP policy aides continued to refine the plan Thursday as a growing number of Senate Republicans clamored for action to prevent the fiscal crisis for which, polls show, Republicans would be blamed Sandy concert story Continued from page 1 Others explored wounds; Joel's song choices explored the conflict inside the minds of so many of those affected by the storm. McCartney gave a varied and enthusiastic performance that included a new song, the guttural blues jam "Cut Me Some Slack" with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear
VP - Strategy and Marketing: Namit Narain C: 516.303.2075 Namit@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Printed Every Saturday by Forsythe Media Group, LLC ISSN 1941-9333 76 N Broadway, Suite 2004, Hicksville, NY 11801 P: 516.390.7847 Website: TheSouthAsianTimes.info Updated Daily Chairman and Co-Founder Kamlesh C. Mehta Co-Founder: Saroosh Gull President: Arjit Mehta Board Advisors (Honorary) Ajay Lodha, MD, Lakhpat B. Mehta, Esq. Rajasthan High Court & Supreme Court West Coast Correspondent Pooja Jain, Pooja@TheSouthAsianTimes.info New Delhi Bureau Meenakshi Iyer Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Managing Editor: Parveen Chopra C : 516.710.0508 Editor@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Associate Editors Vikas Girdhar, Hiral Dholakia-Dave, Meenakshi Iyer Contributing Editors: Melvin Durai, Dr Prem Kumar Sharma, Harry Aurora, Ashok Vyas, Jinal Shah, Dr Akshat Jain, Nupur Joshi Consultant Business Process: Roopsi Narula P: 516-303-4002 Roopsi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Marketing & PR (Washington DC) Chander Gambhir, P: 703.717.1667 Jaipur (India) Bureau Prakash Bhandari Prakash@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Photographs: Gunjesh Desai/ masalajunction.com. Xitij Joshi/xitijphoto.com Photo Journalist: Parveen/Bhanu Seth Art and Design: Vladimir Tomovski
Bhagwati Creations, Rahul Sahota Web Editor: B.B.Chopra News Service: HT Media Ltd. IANS Newswire Services Printing: Five Star Printing, NY Richner Publications Contacts Editor@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Subscribe@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Advertisements Advertise@TheSouthAsianTimes.info P : 516.390.7847 F : 516.465.1343 Website: www.TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Notice: The South Asian Times is published weekly by The Forsythe Media Group, LLC. POSTMASTER: Send all address notices, subscription orders/payments and other inquiries to The South Asian Times, 76 N Broadway, Suite 2004, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA. Copyright and all other rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be reprinted without the consent of the publisher. The views expressed on the opinion pages and in the letters to the editor pages are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of The South Asian Times. The editor/publisher does not warrant accuracy and cannot be held responsible for the content of the advertisements placed in the publication and/or inaccurate claims, if any, made by the advertisers. Advertisements of business or facilities included in this publication do not imply connection or endorsement of these businesses. All rights reserved.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Bikram Choudhury
Sharik Currimbhoy
person I am today by giving me the opportunity to live and work in the financial center of the world, Currimbhoy said. At the same time, I was deeply impacted by Columbias Core Curriculum, the Colleges courses on significant ideas and achievements in literature, philosophy, history, music, art and science. Sharik is part of a long history of philan-
New York: A popular New York City yoga chain has agreed to change its yoga routine following a copyright lawsuit against it filed by the world famous founder of the hot-room yoga routine, Bikram Choudhury. The New York Times reported Dec. 10, that the Manhattan chain, Yoga to the People, sued by Choudhury for copyright infringement, had agreed to alter its Bikram routine that involved 26 postures and 2 breathing techniques conducted in an overheated room. Even though the U.S. copyright office ruled in favor of Yoga to the People, the Times said, its owner Greg Gumucio said he would change the routine to allay Bikrams concerns. Yoga to the People offers several classes at its six locations in New York City, among them the Hot Teacher Training Intensive Program. The site says on that page that Yoga to the People and this teacher training program are not in any way affiliated with Bikram Yoga College of India. The classes offered by YTTP are cheaper than other Yoga classes in the Big Apple, averaging at $8 per class, the Times noted, making it a popular destination for those interested.
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
IN BRIEF
he Association of Indians in the Construction Industry held their 24th Annual Diwali function December 7th at the Grand Hyatt New York City. The event, held annually to celebrate the associations unity, diversity, culture, hopes, aspirations and most importantly relationships was initially to be held on Friday, November 2, 2012. It was postponed due to the unexpected arrival and colossal damage that Hurricane Sandy had brought along. Due to the after effects of Hurricane Sandy and out of respect for those impacted by it, the Executive Committee decided to postpone the event said President Vipul Bhatt. Diwali, the Festival of Lights signifies the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and overcoming obstacles and moving forward. Recently, we were all challenged by Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. We felt our solidarity more than ever as we stood together to pray for the countless families who suffered losses and gave sincere gratitude to
the Lord Almighty who kept us and our families safe. Our celebrations this evening is made even more poignant as we cherish our relationships and good fortune. said President Vipul Bhatt in his welcome address. Chairman Mahesh Hemrajani began his speech with a prayer for those affected by the storm and mentioned that it added to the challenges already being faced by a tough economy. Hosting such an event, however, was to restore an element of positivity. In todays times, where Social Networking plays a very important part in our lives, I believe that this live version of interaction within the construction industry is the perfect opportunity where we can mingle with individuals in all fields of constructions and exchange our views and thoughts in an informal atmosphere. he said. In attendance at the event were 500 members, industry colleagues and their family members. Entertainment was provided by Sonalee Vyas and group and led to dinner and dance.
It is the fifth bronze Chola statue allegedly stolen and sold by Kapoor that has been recovered by HSI in the past year. Kapoor's "alleged smuggling of cultural artifacts worth more than an estimated $100 million makes him one of the most prolific commodities smugglers in the world today," special agent in charge of HSI New York James Hayes said in a statement. Hayes urged the art community to help the agency identify artifacts sold or donated by Kapoor. India's consul general in New York, Prabhu Dayal, voiced appreciation for ICE in "retrieving and recovering priceless antiquities illegally brought into the U.S. by smuggling syndicates. In February 2007, the Indian consulate had contacted HIS seek-
ing assistance in the investigation of the potential smuggling of Indian antiquities into New York. The Indian consulate had informed HSI that an import and export company was expecting the arrival of a shipment containing seven crates of stolen Indian antiquities, which were smuggled into the U.S. under the guise of marble garden table sets. By the end of July 2012, HSI special agents had seized dozens of antiquities with an estimated value of nearly $100 million, including a five-foot tall head of Buddha weighing approximately 1,600 pounds, a bronze sculpture depicting Uma Parvati valued at nearly $2.5 million, and a second century BC Bharhut Stupa Yaksi pillar sculpture valued at nearly $18 million.
Financial reports presented by Treasurer Kaushik Patel and overall state of ICS presented by Chairman Jyotindra Patel were all unanimously approved. The election committee was headed by Durgesh Mehta, Arvind Bhatt and Ankim Shah. The newly elected Trustees and Executive Committee members expressed their gratitude for the support and vowed to work harder and smarter to make ICS, Mahatma Gandhi Center & Hindu Temple more progressive and more successful and will lead to a more secured future.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Washington, DC: Holding the mirror to the Republican party, Louisiana's Indian American Governor Bobby Jindal has called for his party to rethink their approach to the so-called "fiscal cliff" negotiations. "At present, any reading of the headlines over the past week indicates that Republicans are fighting to protect the rich and cut benefits for seniors," he wrote in an op-ed published in Politico, an influential politics focused media site. "It may be possible to have worse political positioning than that, but
I'm not sure how," Jindal said asking the Republicans to fight for structural reforms, such as instituting a federal balanced budget amendment, requiring a super majority to raise taxes or creating term limits. While he didn't explicitly suggest that Republicans should drop their opposition to tax increases on the wealthy, he argued that the party's focus should be elsewhere in talks on the fiscal cliff. Fiscal cliff refers to the situation that the administration may face in the absence of a deal with Bush era tax cuts set to expire along with spending cuts in the new year that some fear may drive America back into a recession. "(I)n the negotiations, Republicans certainly should fight to at least get something done that
will matter," wrote Jindal, considered a possible 2016 presidential contender. Jindal sounded a pessimistic note on the future of America's finances, predicting that the fiscal cliff would be followed by "the fiscal mountain, after that the fiscal black hole, and after that fiscal Armageddon". "Additionally, amidst all the talk of increasing taxes and cutting entitlements, something more important than either of these has been lost -- economic growth," he wrote. "America is forever young because America is forever growing, leading the world and showing the way forward. All actions taken by Washington should be seen through this simple prism - will this help grow our economy? If not, maybe we shouldn't do it."
Meera Sachdeva
Ambassador Nirupama Rao with U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on December 11, 2012 at the Capitol in Washington, DC.Rao and Pelosi discussed the present state of India-U.S. relations, and the global strategic partnership between the two countries.
ly rendered when she was out of the country. She was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine and restitution of over $8.1 million. The forfeiture of approximately $6 million and property was also ordered. She had admitted billing for more chemotherapy drugs than she actually purchased from drug suppliers from 2007 to 2011. Her patients believed that they were receiving an amount of chemotherapy medicine that was equal to the amount being billed to their respective health care benefit programs, but she was not providing each patient with the fully prescribed dosage of many of the billed chemotherapy drugs. "The health care fraud perpetrated by the defendant was an abuse of public trust motivated by greed," Davis said. Special agent in charge of the US department of health and human services Derrick Jackson said Sachdeva violated her duty to provide appropriate care for the patients at the cancer center. "Our office takes quality of care concerns very seriously, and we will vigorously investigate any provider that shortchanges patients and steals from the Medicare Trust Fund".
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
IN BRIEF
tration officials acknowledged the presence of the families of the victims of Oak Creek gurdwara shooting in August who were especially invited to be part of the event. The program started with an opening prayer by Amarpreet Kaur Everest, a young girl from a pioneer family of Yuba City, California. This was followed by a hymn celebrating the advent of Guru Nanak by noted kirtan singer from Punjab Bhai Niranjan Singh. SCORE chairman Rajwant Singh said: "This is a proud moment for the entire community to celebrate this great occasion at the White House especially in light of the tragedy of Oak Creek and also while we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of our first gurdwara in America." Amardeep Singh, who serves on the White House initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and an official of Sikh Coalition, thanked the Obama Administration for its support to the community.
Dr.Zach Zachariah Heart Institute, Zachariah has been a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Miami since 1985.
GIOSTAR and Indian government to enter $2 Billion Stem cell therapy program
he Global Institute Of Stem-cell Therapy And Research (GIOSTAR) announced Dec 14 a collaborative treatment plan to serve the local population suffering from a genetic disease, Sickle Cell Anemia. President and CEO Deven Patel and his team met with Chief Minister Arjun Munda of State of Jharkhand, India in November 2012 to address the local populations medical needs. As a follow-up, a government delegation representing the state of Jharkhand, India; Chief Minister, Principal Health Secretary, Chief Secretary and many other officials visited GIOSTAR in San Diego on December 14, 2012 to finalize the proposed $2 billion contract to be serviced over the next 15 years.
with the competent authority of Punjab government. He said that Punjab would be the first state in the country to introduce a stringent law against the illegal practices of unauthorized travel agents. He added that the new act would encourage youth to go abroad through proper and legal channels. About the act for compulsory registrations of marriage, Majithia said that it would tighten the noose around grooms indulging in fraud marriages. He said that it would be mandatory for NRIs to register their marriage with the Registrar of Marriages along with their full details of their address abroad and in India.
As a result 200 jobs are estimated to be created in San Diego and it is expected that the dialog would include an economic development program between City of San Diego and State of Jharkhand, India. Global is a private equity firm that focuses on funding projects and initiatives that are jobcreation centric rather than just profit centric. We believe that a venture that draws the best minds and hearts to a unified goal, driven by a unified vision tends to be far stronger and less prone to failure than one driven by just profit. We invest in people, not the business said Dr. Sam Senev, Chairman and CEO of Global. Senev added that GIOSTAR is a showcase client focused on both serving mankind through quality of life and job creation.
momentum, an acceleration, a drive, that enables us to reach the goals that we have set for ourselves. Congressman Moran, who was reelected for an 11th term from Virginias 8th District, praised Indian-Americans as the most edu-
cated and affluent of all ethnic groups in America. Declaring that the India-US relationship has no limits, Moran noted that bilateral engagement has continued to blossom across the whole spectrum of cultural, political and economic ties.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
US AFFAIRS
GOP speaks of autopsy efforts Obama to be sworn in second inauguration on January 20, 2013 post-election
Washington: Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, who last month said his party was planning an "autopsy" to locate problem areas, said the effort would "recommend a plan to further ensure Republicans are victorious in 2013, 2014, 2016 and beyond." The RNC said the effort, termed the "Growth and Opportunity Effort," would focus on assessing and improving eight points of the GOP's campaign strategy, including ground game, fundraising, and the GOP primary process. The party also said it would look at learning lessons from Democrats' successful campaign methods, which helped secure a second term for President Barack Obama and propelled the party to a net gain of two seats in the U.S. Senate and eight seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans will also gauge the impact of third party groups, which played a major role in television advertising and organizing in the 2012 election. Conservative super PACs like Restore Our Future and American Crossroads raised and spent hundreds of millions of dollars, both during the GOP primaries and the Washington: The second inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States will take place on Sunday, January 20, 2013. The inauguration will mark the beginning of the second term of Barack Obama as President and Joe Biden as Vice President. Mandated by the Constitution, all presidents begin their new term on January 20 at noon (EST). Because January 20 will fall on a Sunday, two ceremonies one private and one public will take place. The first ceremony will take place on Sunday, January 20 and the second on Monday, January 21, with Chief Justice John Roberts likely administering the oath to the president and vice president on both days. If this occurs as expected, Obama will have taken the Oath of Office four times (which includes his oath retake on January 21, 2009), a record set only by Franklin D. Roosevelt. New York Senator Chuck Schumer will be the chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee On Inaugural Ceremonies. Military support to the 57th Inauguration
general election contest that followed. Heading up the effort are five well-known Republican operatives: National committeemen Zori Fonalledas and Glenn McCall; Sally Bradshaw, a Republican strategist in Florida; Ari Fleischer, the former White House press secretary and a CNN contributor; and Henry Barbour, a major Romney fundraiser who is the nephew of that state's former governor, Haley Barbour.
will be coordinated by Joint Task Force National Capital Region, providing musical military units, marching bands, color guards, ushers, firing details, and salute batteries.
Charleston: S.C. - The surprise decision of a Republican senator to quit and become the next head of conservative think tank Heritage Foundation has focused attention on South Carolina's Indian American governor Nikki Haley. For under the state law the firstterm governor will not only appoint senator Jim DeMint's successor, she'll set off dominoes that will reshape the next two years in state politics, culminating with two US Senate elections and her own potential re-election bid, according to Politico, a politics focused media site. The driving question is whether Haley selects a caretaker for the seat who would agree not to run for the full six-year term in 2014 - or taps an ally that would help cement her legacy, it wondered. A spokesman for the governor declined to speculate on a timeline for the decision, but DeMint's resignation will take effect before the next Congress convenes Jan 3, leaving a little more than three weeks for a decision. House member Tim Scott is seen
as the leading contender for the appointment among Republican consultants and officials, largely because the 47-year-old AfricanAmerican would provide diversity and geographic balance, the site said. But in-state operatives cited by the Politico cautioned that the fastest way to lose the independent-minded Haley is to try to force her hand. "Nikki Haley marches to the beat of her own drummer," Joel Sawyer, a Columbia-based Republican consultant and former executive director of the state party, was quoted as saying. If Haley was looking for a political escape hatch, she could appoint herself, Politico suggested. A new poll by Winthrop University of all adults pegged her job-approval rating at just 38 percent - a full 10 points behind President Barack Obama. But Haley quickly quashed that possibility in a radio interview Thursday afternoon, saying, "No, I will not be appointing myself. That's not even an option."
10
INDIA
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
On Dec 13, 2001, gunmen stormed the Parliament and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine people
political parties but one question is still unanswered - that the person who has been convicted by the Supreme Court and given death sentence has not being hanged yet," said Sushma Swaraj, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha. Countering the attack, the government said the BJP should under-
stand that parliament does not pronounce death penalty. "There is a legal process and parliament does not pronounce death penalty and the BJP should understand that the process has already been explained by my senior Mr. Shinde (Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde)," said
investigating agency will not submit its report of its investigations to the central government. However, in a breather for Mulayam's daughter-in-law, Dimple Yadav, the court dropped the probe against her. Earlier on a petition by one
Vishwanath Chaturvedi, the court in March 2007 had directed the CBI to carry out a preliminary inquiry against the SP chief, his sons Akhilesh Yadav and Prateek Yadav, and Dimple Yadav into the allegations of possessing disproportionate assets.
New Delhi: Impatient over the delay in passing a bill that promises reservations for Dalits and tribals in job promotions, the BSP stalled both Houses of Parliament, directly attacking Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Hamid Ansari. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, apparently, tried to hit two birds with one stone by telling Ansari that running the house was his responsibility, and putting pressure on the government by asking her
party members not to let the Lok Sabha run. A day after Ansari suggested scrapping or shifting the question hour as members were regularly disrupting the proceedings, Mayawati stunned the Rajya Sabha by blaming the chairman for non-functioning of the upper house. "I am not ready to listen to anything...," Mayawati said, interrupting the question hour. "...The house does not run after 12. You are the chairman of the house. It is your responsibility that the house is in order," she said. Certain comments which launched a direct assault at the chair were however expunged later.
Ansari said he was "upset" by the comments and it would be difficult for him to work in such conditions. "I am upset, it will be difficult to work in such a situation," he said told some members, according to an MP present in a meeting soon after the house was adjourned. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and several key leaders were present at the meeting. According to highly-placed sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up Ansari after the incident and expressed his concern over the development.
Mayawati, however, defended her remarks and accused the government of not being serious about passing the promotion quota bill. She said both the government and "BJP and company" had assured that the quota bill would be taken up after the house debated foreign direct investment (FDI) in multibrand retail. While the BSP is pressing the government to pass the quota bill so that Mayawati can showcase it as a victory to her voters in Uttar Pradesh, the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in the state is dead opposed to the legislation to keep its other backward classes vote bank intact.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
INDIA
11
Shiv Sena softened its aggressive stance on the proposed memorial at Shivaji Park
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid claimed that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had raked up a sensitive international issue when he cautioned against any possible agreement on Sir Creek as the state headed for assembly polls, and the matter could be taken up with the Election Commission. "I think it is something to reflect on, that some good decisions you take, you are told during elections you can't take them... then somebody should take account of this (Modi) as well... Is it permissible," Khurshid said on the sidelines of the Energy Security Conference here. "If you can't raise (the cap on subsidized) gas cylinders from six to nine, can you raise such an issue of international relations? It should be taken up with the Election Commission; what are the permissible limits of issues that can be taken up during elections," asked the minister. He was answering a query on Modi's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, cautioning against any possible agreement on Sir Creek -- the 96-km strip of water dividing the Pakistani province of Sindh and the Kutch region of Gujarat. Modi said handing over Sir Creek "will be a permanent threat to the fishermen of Saurashtra and Kutch and also vital defense installations and major industrial installations like refineries and ports". "Sir Creek is a part of our body. We cannot give away a part of our body," the Gujarat chief minister said. The Prime Minister's Office described Modi's letter as 'mischievous' and also raised questions on the timing of the letter, written a day ahead of the first phase of polling in Gujarat and two days ahead of Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik's visit. "The contents of the letter and the timing of its release to the public raise questions about the motives behind its issue," the PMO said.
acre Shivaji Park, at Dadar, in central Mumbai. In a related development, a senior party leader in the Shiv Senacontrolled BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Rahul Shewale hinted that the demand for renaming Shivaji Park as 'Shivtirth' would end. Shewale indicated that only the Thackeray cremation site would be named 'Shivtirth' since Shivaji Park, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Bal Thackeray were inseparable entities. Since Thackeray's demise on November 17, the Shiv Sena had vociferously demanded that a
memorial to him be erected at Shivaji Park. The cremation site was virtually 'converted' into a pilgrimage site as a flame was kept burning roundthe-clock, and a vigil maintained day and night. Tourists and students have been thronging the place daily to pay homage to the departed leader, even as authorities grappled with the sensitive issue. Party MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut declared in New Delhi on Thursday that the process to remove the small marquee from the cremation site to a nearby location would be completed soon, as per instructions of Uddhav Thackeray.
that, in a sense, represents Kerala's long trading history, having served as the office for an English firm dealing in pepper, coconut oil, timber, coir, coffee and rubber.
Explaining his original work of 1976, which he is somewhat replicating at the biennale now, Vishwanadhan says he collected sand from 17 places in India and
12
INDIA
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
jewelry has showed its popularity. Jaipurs manu-cutting in white and yellow gold has been appreciated. The promotion coordinator, Dr. Naval Agarwal informed that the JJSs Diamond Promotion Group, which is promoting the product at national level has also organized a diamond festival prior to the JJS. This festival received very good response from buyers and customers of diamond jewellery. The JJS Indian Jewellers Choice Awards will be announced during inauguration of the JJS, at a gala awards ceremony at Hotel Marriot. Convenor Surana said these awards
in terms of incidents as well as casualties of civilians and security forces". "This has been made possible because of the yearning among the people of the state for peace and the successful measures taken by the security forces of the state and central government in restricting the infiltration of the militants from across the Line of Control (LoC) and various other counter-insurgency actions on all fronts," the statement quoted the minister as saying. The panel members discussed the current security scenario in the state, as well as the reports of the interlocutors appointed by the central government for Jammu and Kashmir and action taken on the reports. "The issues of migrants, rehabilitation of the surrendered militants and speedy implementation of Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme and PM's Package for Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants to the state were also discussed."
pre-feasibility studies had been conducted on three corridors already: Pune-MumbaiAhmedabad (650 km), DelhiAgra-Lucknow-Patna (991 km) and Howrah-Haldia (135 km).
Offering an insight into the funds to be committed for the purpose, the minister said the estimated cost of the first corridor from Pune to Ahmedabad was Rs.55,859 crore.
world class infrastructure and manpower and undertaking aggressive promotional and marketing activities," the minister said.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
OP-ED
13
The opposition-sponsored motion against FDI was negatived in the Lok Sabha by 35 votes and in the Rajya Sabha by 21 votes "Frankly, the capacity of skulldudgery of ment. I don't think the sense of house was Uttar Pradesh politics is amazing," Nihal for FDI...The interest of foreigners won Singh said. over interest of Indians. What is the governSubrata Mukherjee, a former professor at ment happy about," Naqvi wondered. Delhi University, echoed this view. He said the BJP will go to the people on As for the expectation of BJP leaders to the issue and expose SP and BSP in Uttar make political dividends in Uttar Pradesh, Pradesh for their conflicting stance on FDI Mukherjee said that economic issues do not in multibrand retail. have much of an impact in the state with "The SP and BSP fight in Uttar Pradesh polarized politics. and are united in Delhi (in bailing out the "They (BJP) should have adopted a more Congress). We will go to people against constructive approach by suggesting correc- their duplicity," Naqvi said. tive measures to the FDI policy," he added. The opposition's defeat in the FDI vote The BJP disagrees. came days before polling in Gujarat assemBJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the bly elections. Assembly elections are due in government managed to win the vote several key states next year in which BJP though a vast majority of members spoke and Congress are the main rivals. The Lok against FDI in multibrand retail. Sabha polls are due in 2014. "This is clear cut case of something fishy The opposition-sponsored motion against and, may be, they won with fund manage- FDI in multibrand retail was negatived in
the Lok Sabha by 35 votes and in the Rajya Sabha by 21 votes. A.S. Narang, a former professor at IGNOU, said the BJP was unlikely to make any immediate gains from its opposition to FDI in multibrand retail even though the government appeared to have won the vote due to "management". "They (the BJP) seem to have overplayed their hand... There will be no immediate gain," Narang said. He said the decision to demand a vote may also be a tactic to shift the focus from BJP's internal troubles following demands for removal of party president Nitin Gadkari for irregular business deals. "It could also be a diversion from its internal politics," Narang said. He said sections of urban middle class were in favour of FDI in retail and there was no certainity if BJP's opposition will benefit the party electorally. Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Nilotpal Basu, however said the economic policy will not benefit the country in the long run and justified the opposition move to block the policy that aims to bring multinational brands like Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco into Indian cities. "We wanted to stop this policy...the government completely lost the debate. It was not able to counter the points raised by the opposition parties," he said. Emboldened by winning the approval of parliament, the Manmohan Singh government now aims to move ahead with its economic reforms. "We will proceed on the commitments made by the government. We will try to evolve consensus but will not be cowed down by opposition," Alvi said.
Infosys has not been able to outshine its peers like Nasdaq-listed Cognizant, New York-listed Wipro and TCS place for technology-centric companies. More important, it is a trendy bourse in which disclosure norms are rigid while losses are not frowned upon. Loss-making companies have surged on the Nasdaq based on future potential. India still has Sify Technologies and Rediff among its Nasdaq-listed companies. But the exit of Infosys, in my opinion, is symbolic of its current shakiness. Could it be that
Infosys prefers the relatively easier corporate governance and performance disclosure norms that NYSE offers? Only the coming quarters and expert accountancy analysis can reveal the emerging patterns. It is clear that for the past several quarters, Infosys has not been able to outshine its peers like Nasdaqlisted Cognizant, New York-listed Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services. Also, Infosys, which pioneered Bangalore-based offshore outsourcing services, is being easily emulated and surpassed by global firms like IBM, CapGemini, Accenture and the like whose workforces in India now are a challenge to Infosys. Infosys CEO SD Shibulal has been talking about innovation and customer-centric services, but there is nothing dramatic in its story to differentiate it, while performance sags. What Infosys really needs is a change of course, not bourse.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
14
OP-ED
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
"The United States and the Western world must be deeply engaged in postrevolutionary state building in order to ward off the possibility that greater conflict and instability will allow the religious groups to take full control."
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (middle) praying. trying to balance the concerns of its constituents as well as the demands of those Egyptianssecularists, liberals and so onwho did not vote for them, but whom the Muslim Brotherhood represents now as the ruling majority in Egypt's government. Frankly, the draft constitution, despite its many faultsand there are many faults in this constitutional draftis a good representation of this delicate balancing act. It neither tips too far in the camp of the Salafis who are looking for the state to become the arbiter of conservative Islamic moral values, nor does it tip too far in the camp of the secularists and liberals in making sure that it still pays homage to Islam as a source of law and to Islamic ideals and values as a foundation for the state. As you've said, the Brotherhood and these other Islamist parties were the predominant winners in a lot of these elections across the region because they were well organized. How much do their wins represent the ideological bent of the people versus just having the ability to get out the vote and having name recognition? We need to reconcile ourselves to the fact that the vast majority of the population in Egypt is religiously conservative, within which an even larger majority has repeatedly stated that it wants Islam to play an influential role in their lives, in politics, in the government. So in many ways, the success of the Muslim Brotherhood in the political realm is reflective of the fact that they at least outwardly espouse the morals, the values, the concerns and the worldview of the majority of the Egyptian population. That's how democracies work. People tend to vote for candidates not based on their politics, or even on checkbook concerns. They tend to vote for those candidates who share their worldview and perspective. And the Muslim Brotherhood was able to take advantage of that. Overall, how has the rise of political Islam changed the regional dynamics? Who's gaining in influence and who's lost influence? That remains to be seen. For years, scholars like myself have been saying that political participation has the power to moderate radical ideology in this region. If Islamists can be convinced to put down their guns and to pick up ballots, the necessity of governance, as opposed to the simplicity of being the oppressed opposition, will force them either to moderate their ideals or it will cost them their veneer of piety and incorruptibility; they'll be seen as nothing more than just another political party, which is also a good thing. So, success means moderation, failure means irrelevance. Either of those things are a much better outcome for peace and prosperity in the region than the continued oppression of political Islam. How does this situation compare to the Iranian Revolution? The Iranian revolution of 1979 bears no semblance whatsoever to what's been going on in the Arab Spring. It was an utterly unique event. First and foremost, it should be noted that 1979 was by no means an Islamic revolution; that is actually post-revolutionary propaganda. I was in Tehran during the revolution. There were Marxists and Communists and secularists and Democrats, men, women, Jews, Muslims, Christians, liberal clerics and conservative clerics: a massive and diverse coalition of people united simply by their desire to see the Shah go. In the post-revolutionary chaos of Iran, particularly as a result of Iran's instant pariah status in the West and the almost immediate war that began with Saddam Hussein's Iraq, the forces in Iran that were most organized, that held the most currency with the masses, were the religious forces. Hence, that revolution gave way to the religious totalitarianism that we now see in Iran. If there really is a lesson to be learned from Iran, it's not that political Islam necessarily leads to theocracy. It's that the United States and the Western world must be deeply engaged in post-revolutionary statebuilding in order to ward off the possibility that greater conflict and instability will allow the religious groups to take full control. The US has engaged with the Brotherhood-led government of Egypt. What has to happen for it to engage with Hamas, which won a majority of seats in the Palestinian elections many years before these other governments? Well, it has to stop being afraid that the pro-Israel lobby will punish it for doing so. Moshe Dayan famously said that you don't negotiate with your friends, you negotiate with your enemies, and frankly, even Israel is in daily negotiations with Hamas when it comes to security matters, water resources, etc. So the idea that because Hamas is labeled a terror organization, the US is forbidden from talking to it even to the benefit of its own interests, even to the benefit of Israel's interests, is, in my view, an ultimately disastrous and self-defeating policy. Have things changed enough to open the way for this now that political Islam is a mainstream political movement in the region? The more that political Islam becomes successful in the region, la what's happened with the AKP in Turkey, the more the pressure will be applied on more radical groups like Hamas to moderate their own ideology. Not so as to be accepted on the international stage, but because it is to the benefit of their populations, as well as to themselves. So yes, if what's happening in post-revolutionary Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, leads to peace and prosperity, economic and political development, then the path for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah will be clear. It is just their responsibility to take it. Several experts have noticed that Islamism is not monolithic. That the term "Islamist" is overused and sometimes lumps in schools of thought that should be more carefully delineated. So, when to use the term "Islamist" or "Islamism," and when to qualify? Islamism means nothing more than religious nationalism of the Islamic variety. It's the same kind of religious nationalism that one sees
I asked Islamic Studies Professor Ebrahim Moosa a few months into the Arab Spring whether political Islam was waxing or waning in the Middle East, and his answer was, "We don't know." Today, can you give an overview of where political Islam stood in the region two years ago and where it is now? It was only natural that political Islam would rise to prominence in places like Egypt, Tunisia, and so on, because the Islamists were the most well organized and allegedly incorruptible opposition forces out there. So in the first election, after the downfall of these dictators, they were in the best position to take advantage of the political process. That's precisely what happened. But, I think what these Islamists are starting to learn, across the region, is that you can't maintain your incorruptible image while also having political power. That power tends to corrupt. Now in Egypt, we're seeing even former supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood demanding the downfall of Mohammed Morsi's presidency. The Muslim Brotherhood is the oldest of these working political organizations, and this Brotherhood-led government is currently embroiled in a tense political fight with secularists and liberals, as well as with Salafis over Islam's role in the Egyptian constitution. How do you see this playing out? I think the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is in a precarious situation,
among, for instance, Christians in the US. Scholars sometimes refer to them as Dominionist or Christianists. It's the same kind of religious nationalism that one sees in Israel among the religious Zionists, whose loyalty, as they themselves declare, is not to the state of Israel but to the biblical land of Israel. It's the same kind of religious nationalism that one sees in India amongst the BJP, who have created a new kind of Hindu orthodoxy, Hindutva as they call it, whose purpose is to fuse Hindu religiosity with the state. Religious nationalism, thus, is a universal phenomenon. Islamism is just the Islamic flavor of it. And as one would expect, it comes in multiple versions, depending on the actual beliefs, practices, and worldviews of the Islamists themselves. What I find interesting is that the more these Islamists gain political power, the more fractured they become. The Muslim Brotherhood, for example, despite the aura of unity that it tries to present, both to the outside world and to the Egyptian population, is more fractured today than it's ever been. It's fractured along generational lines, along ideological lines. There are those among the Muslim Brothers who feel as though the organization has stilted, that its agenda is not suitable to the needs of modern Egypt. And there are those, who happen to mostly be in leadership positions (for now), who want to maintain the old struggles of the past among secularists, among Israel and the West etc. So I think, in a way, the more we encourage the Islamist parties to join the political arena, the more they are forced to present their ideas and agendas to the public, to make them part of the open market place of ideas in society, the more their ideology is going to fracture and moderate. Are there any trends that concern you? What I will say is that in any stable and successful democracy, it is not any single political party that is going to define the state; it's the rule of law that will define it. So what's happening in Egypt as they are drafting this constitution, as they are trying to negotiate all these post-revolutionary interests, that are clashing both in parliament and on the streets of Cairothat process itself is going to go a lot further in defining the future of Egypt than whoever is president or whoever runs parliament. So our focus should be less on the Muslim Brotherhood and its ideals and more on the hard facts of the constitution and its negotiating of rights and values, privileges, and the rule of law. Courtesy: Council on Foreign Relations
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
15
Ravi Shankar, who took Indian classical music to the world in the 1950s and effortlessly bound two worlds with the stirring notes of his sitar, leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of commitment to his art
He was last seen on stage on November 4 in Long Beach when he played with daughter Anoushka.
Uday Shankar. But he took to instrumental music in 1934 and studied for 10 years under his mentor. Before embarking on a formal musical career, Shankar worked as a composer setting the score for Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy. Later, with George Fenton, he shared the Oscar for the music of the epic "Gandhi" that released in 1982. In the same year, he composed the "Swagatam" welcome song for the ninth Asian Games that still brings a lump to the throat whenever it is played. The mid-1950s were the key to Shankar's contribution to making Indian classical music a world genre. In 1956, Ravi Shankar crossed the seas with his music to Europe and US. Throughout the sixties and for the better part of the seventies, he taught abroad and collaborated with legends like Yehudi Menuhin and Beatles star George Harrison, who drew from Shankar's ragas for his repertoire, most famously in
"Norwegian Wood". Harrison produced and participated in two record albums, "Shankar Family & Friends" and "Festival of India" both composed by Shankar. Many have forgotten that Shankar, one of India's most recognized musicians abroad, also played in the epic concert Woodstock, performing after Joan Baez. The maestro was perhaps the first musician to write a concerti for sitar and orchestra - "Concerto for Sitar and Orchestra" which was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Andre Previn. In 1971, Shankar performed at the Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden. As music director of All India Radio (1949-56), Shankar composed the classical version of "Saare Jahan Accha" that was sung by Lata Mangeshkar. He was awarded India's highest civil honor Bharat Ratna in 1999 and won three Grammy Awards.
Performer till the very end, he was last seen on stage just a month ago on November 4 in Long Beach when he played with Anoushka. He was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha between 1986 and 1992. "How does one put the spiritual significance of music on paper? Music transcends all barriers and is one of the most beautiful communicative skills one can have. Music makes us all experience different emotions or the navarasa as well call it," the maestro would often say about his music. Shankar's personal life was also of much interest to his fans. His main companion for decades was dancer Kamala Shastri. He also had a relationship with New York concert producer Sue Jones, with whom he fathered singer Norah Jones. He had a son "Shubho" Shankar, from his first wife Annapurna Devi. Shubho, who was also a musician and often toured with him, died in 1992.
Ravi Shankar was named as one of the Grammy nominees for Best World Music Album
16
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
17
Ravi Shankar and Ray Charles at the Polar Music Prize ceremony in 1998
Under renowned musician Allauddin Khan (centre), Ravi Shankar was trained to play the sitar and picked up ragas, and the musical styles of dhrupad, dhamar and the khyal.
Javed Akhtar, Shankar Mahadevan and Shubha Mudgal with Ravi Shankar
Alla Rakha on tabla and Kamala Chakravarty on tambour with Ravi Shankar in a performance in 1969.
Ravi Shankar performing with daughter Anoushka Ravi Shankar married his guru Allauddin Khans daughter Annapurna Devi in 1941
Ravi Shankar married Sukanya Rajan in 1989, who gave birth to Anoushka
Ravi Shankar's affair with Sue Jones, a concert producer in New York, led to the birth of Norah Jones, who is an established singer, songwriter and actress (right in picture).
Ravi Shankar applying tilak on the forehead of his eldest brother, Uday Shankar, in Kolkata in 1970
George Harrison of the Beatles sits cross-legged with his musical mentor Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar met the Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana in London in 1990
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
DIASPORA
19
Family suspects 'foul play' in We're heartbroken: Australian RJs who spoke to Indian nurse Indian nurse's death in London
Bangalore: British authorito the media and are more ties will conduct a postworried on how Benedict mortem and an inquest into and his two kids are copthe mysterious death of ing with the tragedy in Indian nurse Jacintha Bristol, where they reside. Saldahna in London but her "Am told Benedict was family in Karnataka susallowed to see Jacintha's pects "foul play" and wants body Monday at the King an independent inquiry into Edward VII Hospital in the tragic episode. central London," said "Jacintha's grieving famiD'Souza, general secretary ly is anxiously waiting for of the opposition Congress the postmortem report and in the state and a neighbor the outcome of the inquest of Jacintha's family in by the Scotland Yard Mangalore. because they suspect foul Barboza's family, howJacintha Saldahna play in her tragic death as ever, lives at Shirva, about she was a strong woman and would not 60 km from Mangalore and 400 km from have resorted to such an act (suicide)," Bangalore. said her family's close friend Ivan The family members are also mulling D'Souza from Mangalore, about 350 km over seeking a second postmortem in from Bangalore. India if they and Benedict are not satisfied In the absence of details or more infor- with the inquest outcome in London. mation on the incident from Jacintha's Saldhana was found unconscious Dec 7 husband Benedict Barboza from London, in the quarters of the hospital in central members of both the families have been London where she was working as a senavoiding media as they are in a state of ior nurse and was pronounced dead when mourning. wheeled into the hospital in an ambu"They are too shocked to say anything lance.
Sydney: Two Australian radio hosts have said they are shattered and heartbroken following the death of an Indian nurse in Britain who fell prey to their hoax call about the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy. 2Day FM radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian have spoken of being "shattered, gutted, heartbroken" by Jacintha Saldanha's death after their prank phone call last week, reported Sydney Morning Herald. The two radio jockeys from Sydney had called up the hospital Dec 4. Jacintha picked
up the call in the absence of the receptionist at that time (5.30 a.m.) and transferred it to another duty nurse who briefed them on the health condition of the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton), who was admitted to the hospital Dec 3 after she complained of acute morning sickness. In a prerecorded interview with "A Current Affair", host Tracey Grimshaw asks them who came up with the idea for the prank call. "It was just the team sitting down before the show - just had the idea for just a simple
harmless phone call," Christian said. "That when we thought about making a call it was going to go for 30 seconds we were going to be hung up on, and that was it." Greig added: "We thought a hundred people before us would've tried it, we thought it was such a silly idea and the accents were terrible and not for a second did we expect to speak to Kate let alone have a conversation with anyone at the hospital. We wanted to be hung up on." On how they reacted when told of Saldanha's death, both DJs broke down in tears. Greig described it as "gut wrenching." Christian concurred. "Shattered, gutted, heartbroken and obviously you know... our deepest sympathies are with the family and the friends," he said. The news about the hoax call and the subsequent death caused outrage the world over.
20
SUBCONTINENT
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Afghanistan's and Pakistan's youth bulges are large and combined with a slow-growing economy, they portend increased instability,' says report.
"Low growth, rising food prices, and energy shortages will pose stiff challenges to governance in Pakistan and Afghanistan," the report said. "Afghanistan's and Pakistan's youth bulges are large - similar in size to those found in many African countries. When these youth bulges are combined with a
slow-growing economy, they portend increased instability," it noted. However, "India is in a better position, benefiting from higher growth, but it will still be challenged to find jobs for its large youth population. Inequality, lack of infrastructure, and education deficiencies are key weaknesses
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will also inaugurate the International Buddhist Conference in Yangon New Delhi: In his first bilateral trip Akbaruddin. abroad, External Affairs Minister Khurshid will hold talks with his Salman Khurshid is to visit Myanmar Myanmarese counterpart U Wunna from Dec 14-16 during which he will Maung Lwin in capital Nay Pyi Taw. call on President Thein Sein and also With Thein Sein likely to attend the inaugurate the International Buddhist Dec 20 ASEAN-India Conference in Yangon. Commemorative Summit in New Khurshid is likely to meet Delhi, Khurshid's visit "is a precursor Myanmar's pro-democracy icon Aung to those discussions", he said. San Suu Kyi during the visit, external The minister will travel to Yangon affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin where he is to inaugurate the said at an official briefing here International Buddhist Conference on Tuesday. Suu Kyi had visited India Dec 16 where the Sarnath Buddha last month, during which she met statue sent by India is to be formally Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and inaugurated at the Shwedagon other leaders. Pagoda. Prime Minister Manmohan The external affairs minister's visit Singh during his visit to Myanmar to Myanmar "re-emphasizes the earlier this year had indicated that importance we place on relations with India would present a Sarnath Buddha our neighbors, also that it is located as statue. Khurshid will also visit the part of our Look East Policy indicates Anandi Temple which is being the importance that we are providing restored with the assistance of the to our Look East Policy", said Archaeological Survey of India.
Malala Yousafzai
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
INTERNATIONAL
21
marriages in churches
London: Britain outlined plans to allow gay marriage that have split PM David Cameron's Conservatives and raised fears among religious groups they will be forced to hold same-sex weddings. Gay couples may already have "civil partnerships", conferring the same legal rights as marriage, but campaigners say the distinction gives the impression that society considers gay relationships inferior. Cameron has stressed he is a strong backer of gay marriage but does not plan to force his party's members of parliament to vote in favor of legislation, which will apply to England and Wales and be introduced by the end of the current parliament in 2015. Scotland has separate plans for same-sex marriage. "In each century parliament has acted to ensure marriage reflects our society, to keep it relevant and extending marriage to same-sex couples will strengthen it," culture secretary Maria Miller told parliament. However, she also said that it would remain illegal for churches belonging to the Church of England to marry gay couples an exclusion the church itself requested. Other religious groups, such as Quakers and liberal Jewish groups, could choose to marry gays, but no minister would be compelled to marry a same-sex couple.
The UN estimates that 40,000 have died in Syria since the violence began in 2011
imposed sanctions on the jihadist Al Nusra Front in Syria, after the State Department blacklisted the group as a foreign terror outfit linked to Al Qaeda in Iraq, CNN reported. The Treasury also slapped sanc-
tions on two armed militia groups that operate under the control of the Syrian government -- Jaysh alSha'bi and Shabiha The UN has estimated that nearly 40,000 have died since the violence began in March 2011.
2011 riots in the Arab world, it said. The article in People's Daily followed "some Western media" in pointing out that self-immolations of Tibetans have already became a means for the Dalai Lama and the "Tibetan government-in-exile" to pressure China for political interests. "But China's unity, strength and rising international status will never be shaken by these inhumane acts", it said.
Some New Age spiritualists are convinced of a December 21 'doomsday' foretold by Mayan hieroglyphs
defeat on the battlefield, declared that the military setback was but one event in a larger cycle of time that would end in 2012. Many scholars say the proph-
esy was misinterpreted, however, and was not meant to suggest the end of all time, but simply the end of the old Mayan calendar and the beginning of a new one.
22
BUSINESS
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
for five other neighboring colleges and will operate in a hub-spoke model driving employability, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the academic ecosystem around it. Fourteen MICs have initially been launched by signing MoUs with leading academic institutions across four states. They will be located in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Khammam, Bapatla, Guntur, Tirupati, Raipur, Bhopal, Trichy, Vellore, Coimbatore, Madurai and Salem. This is part of a worldwide program that currently has 75 MICs.
The US-India Business Council (USIBC) has also applauded the measure
kets, thus minimizing loss due to inadequate storage and transportation facilities," it said. "We thank the UPA government and supporting parties for working together to pass this important bill. It will modernize India's retail sector and rein in high levels of inflation" said Ron Somers, USIBC President. "FDI in multi-brand retail will support the government's goal of achieving remunerative prices for farmers, and will also increase quality and choice for India's increasingly sophisticated consumer base."
Federal Reserve set to expand its Kingfisher, Etihad renew deal talks monetary stimulus
Washington: The US Federal Reserve was expected to announce a fresh round of bond buying as part of its efforts to support a fragile economic recovery threatened by political wrangling over the government's budget. The central bank looks certain both to extend its purchases of mortgage-backed debt and replace another expiring stimulus program with a new bout of money creation. Policymakers are also likely to repeat a pledge to keep buying bonds until the labor market outlook improves substantially. A drop in the jobless rate to 7.7 percent in November from 7.9 percent in October was driven by workers exiting the labor force, a fact certain to disappoint the Fed. "The economic environment seems ripe for those at the Fed who support continued accommodation," said Victor Li, professor at the Villanova School of Business and a former St. Louis Fed economist. As its last program of Treasury purchases, known as Operation Twist, draws to a close, officials look set to replace it with a fresh $45 billion per month in buying. Unlike those in Twist, which were funded by sales and redemptions of short-term debt, the new Treasury purchases will further expand the Fed's $2.8 trillion balance sheet. Economists also expect the central Mumbai: Ailing Kingfisher Airlines returned to active discussions for selling a 49% stake to Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad even as investors lapped up shares of the debt-laden company, co-owned by UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya, and a clutch of domestic banks. The grounded Kingfisher has been in protracted discussions with Etihad for more than a year, but talks revived in recent weeks, said people briefed on the matter. Kingfisher CEO Sanjay Agarwal and Mallya were leading talks with Etihad, which has reached a crucial stage, they added. "This deal has been in the making for a while and Etihad has stood by us, despite being wooed by others. This is a deal which gives them operational control and a large stake at an attractive valuation," said a source who didn't want to be named as talks were private. He declined to confirm media reports that a preliminary deal could be in place as early as next week. Kingfisher Airlines, responding to queries from the stock exchanges, said it was in talks with three potential investors, including Etihad. These are in negotiation stages and no agreement has been reached, the company added. Kingfisher shares were locked at the upper circuit, after rising 5% to touch Rs 15.67 in early morning trade on BSE.
Despite the unconventional and aggressive efforts, US economic growth remains tepid
bank to continue buying $40 billion per month in mortgage-backed securities as announced in September, keeping the monthly pace of total asset purchases at $85 billion -- a figure the Fed highlighted in its last policy statement. "We want to see continued improvement in labor markets in the near term, and monetary policy should encourage faster economic growth to achieve that objective," Eric Rosengren, the dovish president of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank, said last week. The Fed cut overnight interest rates to near zero in December 2008 and has bought about $2.4 trillion in securities in a further effort to push borrowing costs lower and spur a stronger recovery.
Despite the unconventional and aggressive efforts, US economic growth remains tepid. GDP grew at a 2.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter, but it now appears to be slowing sharply. Businesses have hunkered down, fearful of a tightening of fiscal policy as politicians in Washington wrangle over ways to avoid a $600 billion mix of spending reductions and expiring tax cuts set to take hold at the start of 2013. Bernanke has warned that running over this "fiscal cliff" would lead the economy into a new recession. In addition to their bond-buying plans, Fed officials appear likely to reiterate their expectation that overnight rates will stay near rockbottom lows until at least mid-2015.
The grounded Kingfisher has been in talks with a few aviation players
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
SPORTS
23
Gavaskar, on the other hand, told NDTV that if someone has the courage of conviction, he has to be admired. "He (Amarnath) is prepared to face the consequences. It is a testimony of his self-belief. It needs to be admired.
What Jimmy has spoken is incredibly courageous and, maybe, lessons need to be learnt from that," Gavaskar said. Gavaskar said getting the team's approval from the BCCI president was an age-old protocol.
Tendulkar should assess India trains its guns on athletics federation his career: Akram
New Delhi: After acting against archery and boxing federations, the union sports ministry Monday turned its guns on the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and asked it to explain its "election process" held in April. Pradip Deb, secretary, department of sports, said that the government has sought some clarifications from the AFI on the conduct of its election. "We don't want to get into the business of suspending sports bodies without a rhyme or reason. We have issued a showcause notice to it. We have asked it to explain some of the issues in their election process," said Deb. Sports Minister Jitendra Singh said the government is reviewing the functioning of all sports federations. "As of now, we have not taken any move to derecognize it. We will keep reviewing the working of all sports bodies," he said. AFI president Adille Sumariwala said that he had met the sports secretary and had explained to him the issues his department has raised. "I have met the sports secretary and have explained all the points raised by the ministry.I want to make it amply clear that the AFI is completely in sync with the ministry. We have adopted the sports code in respect to the tenure of office and age limit of the office bearers," he said. AFI secretary-general C.K.Valson said the federation
didn't violate any norms during the election. "We haven't violated any rules while conducting the election. We have replied to the showcause notice," said Valson. The notice to AFI comes close on the heels of the sports ministry recognizing the Archery Association of India (AAI) and the Indian Boxing Federation (IBF). The world boxing body AIBA had also suspended the IABF on grounds of manipulating the election. It all started with the the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deciding to suspend the Indian Olympic Association for not following the IOC Charter in conducting its election.
New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram feels it is difficult for Indian selectors to give any sort of retirement advice to Sachin Tendulkar and, at the end, the batting maestro himself will have to do some assessment like Ricky Ponting did. As the pressure of retirement mounts on Tendulkar, Akram feels that Indian cricket is in a "delicate situation". "The question is who will bell the cat? Who will pop the question? Today, former cricketers are openly asking for Dhoni's head. Can you do the same with Tendulkar? A lot of people, like Sourav Ganguly, feel he should retire, but Sachin himself might still want to continue for another six months or so. It's difficult to give any advice to a legend like Sachin," Akram
was quoted as saying by ESPNStar.com "It finally boils down to your own assessment as Ponting did," he said. The legendary fast bowler feels that Tendulkar has achieved everything in his cricketing career and now he himself must decide when to leave. "When Sachin first stepped into international cricket, nobody would have thought that this lad would go on to score 100 tons and smash all batting records. If I was in his shoes I would have stepped down by now because there is nothing else left to achieve," he said. Akram said the pressure on Tendulkar was mounting and India's twin defeats in the Test series against England were only making things difficult for him.
selection panel, should not run a private camp," observed the court. A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice A.V. Mohta was hearing a petition
filed by Sawant, who had alleged mental harassment by Gopichand after she was refused entry to the All India National Coaching Camp in Hyderabad.
24
SELF HELP
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
chieving your financial goals can sound like a daunting New Years resolution if you aren't organized when it comes to your money. But by planning ahead, you can more easily improve your financial situation. If you're new to money management -don't stress -- new tools are making it simple to stay on top of your finances, allowing you to pay down debt and save for the future. Here are some foolproof ways to achieve your financial goals this year: Short and Long-Term Goals Whether you dream of owning the latest iPhone, a home, or youre planning for retirement, identifying your goals is the first step to making them happen. Without goals, it's easy to spend too much money on the here and now without thinking about the future. Figure out what portion of each paycheck you're willing to divert to a goal-designated savings account. This will give you a realistic idea of how long your goals will take to achieve. Talk to your employers Human Resources department about how to set up a 401(k) or 403(b). Not only are your contributions to your account tax-free, but many employers will even match your contribution, which is an offer that should be impossible to refuse. Tracking Finances Tracking your finances can help you make smart financial decisions that won't put you in debt. But before you clear off your desk and buy file folders, consider this: electronic money management can save you the mountain of paperwork. Free online resources can help you manage all your financial accounts in one place. For example, personal finance website Mint.com, allows you to categorize your spending, create budgets and savings goals, and set up bill reminders and alerts. Available for Android and iPhone phones and tablets, you can
manage your spending on the go and in real time. Or try Quicken 2013 from Intuit, which gives you access to checking, savings and credit card account information, automatically syncing your information across your mobile devices so you can keep your accounts up-to-date by entering transactions as they are made. The bill reminders tool, budgeting features and debt reduction tool make it easier to eliminate debt in the New Year and plan for the future. You can learn more by visiting www.quicken.intuit.com. New Avenues Not all your goals will be achievable with assets you have today. Luckily, there are new, lower-cost ways to pay off debt. For example, borrowers using Lending Club can qualify instantly with a simple online application. Unlike a traditional bank loan, Lending Club enables dozens or even hundreds of people to seamlessly invest in the loan, resulting in lower costs for borrowers and consistent returns for investors. For more financial advice to carry you through a new year, visit www.mint.com/blog. Without help, New Year's resolutions can be tough, if not impossible to achieve. Innovative tools can give you a leg up toward your goals.
ith the technological and cultural landscape in flux, many professional fields are undergoing rapid changes. Continually challenging yourself can help you achieve success, keeping you relevant as your chosen profession moves with the times. Long gone are the days when most Americans start a job and toil at the same workplace -- or even in the same profession -until they receive that gold watch on retirement day. More Americans are now striving to live a life like that of Warren Adler, a self-made novelist and founder of a new business at the not-so-old age of 84. For Adler and others like him, life is about embracing whats new and jumping into new challenges. Back in the days following World War II, he was a reporter for the Armed Forces Press Service, covering the Truman White House. He then launched the Washington Dossier magazine with his wife and son, started a public relations firm and then, mid-career, became a suc-
cessful novelist at the age of 45. Fast-forward almost 40 years to 2012, and he has 33 books under his belt and is the successful founder of a publishing company that is a leader in embracing the electronic book revolution. In 2011, his company, Stonehouse Productions, released five e-books simultaneously in an exclusive with Amazon. No matter the profession, industry leaders are the ones who can foresee future game changers and are willing to reinvent themselves at different points in their careers. Its all about being able to see around corners. And those who remain rooted in tradition may struggle. New technologies have left little room for old business models -and workers who dont
embrace new ways -- to succeed. If the publishing world did not see the move to cyberspace coming they were fools and are now paying the price, says Adler, who authored the classic The War of the Roses, amongst other books that have gone on to become major Hollywood movies and television programs. I predicted when I first introduced the Sony Reader in 2007 that the number of stores selling printed books would shrink in years to come. Adler s personal tale illustrates it is possible to make regular creative contributions to ones field while helping to shape its direction. Such juggling, he says, is necessary in businesses growing ever more competitive because of the Internet.
special night out, or even wear every day. Go Bang: Whether its a dramatic side-sweep; a 60s-inspired, brow-grazing shape or an airy, pixie fringe, bangs can update a hairstyle in no time. Theres a flattering fringe for every face shape and personal style, says Matrix Artistic Director, Ammon Carver. For example, long, wispy, angled bangs are a classic and can soften a round or square face. A blunt, long, solid fringe gives off a bohemian vibe and also covers a long forehead and balances a pointed chin. Work with your hairstylist to assess your face and create a custom fringe that suits you perfectly. Go Bold: When youre thinking about color this year, dont stop at blonde or brunette. Todays hair hues run the gamut from dusty pastels like lilac, silver and pink, to bold shades of amethyst, coral or mulberry. Depending on your personal style, you can opt for an all-over hue transformation or simply add a bright panel or streak for an unexpected pop of color, says Stenson.
of five people admit to dirty laundry secrets like taking items out of the basket to wear, or reusing the same pair of socks for several days. While these items may look clean, they too may contain hidden body oils. Dont leave the house wearing dirty laundry! 3. Use a powerful detergent. Look for a formula that goes beyond surface stains, seeking out and attacking trapped body oils and sweat. Wisk Deep Clean, voted the top laundry product of the year in a TNS consumer survey, uses a patented blend of microcleaners to deep clean the fibers of your clothes. More information can be found at www.wisk.com.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TRAVEL
25
1. San Juan, Puerto Rico There are only 12 days of Christmas, right? Not in Puerto Rico. This U.S. commonwealth begins its celebrations the day after Thanksgiving and keeps the Yuletide spirit flowing until the feast of the three kings on January 6. Visitors can enjoy the Christmas decorations seen at homes, businesses and throughout the streets. There is also Puerto Rico's famous holiday tradition - group caroling called parrandas. Visitors to this Caribbean locale can also experience unique holiday culinary customs like lechn asado - roast pig on a spit - a coconut pudding called Tembleque, or the sweet sap from a Chilean palm tree, coquito. 2. New York If there's anything more iconic than the New York City skyline, it's the New York City Christmas tradition. Every year, The Big Apple
plays host to some of the most famous holiday traditions in the world, including the nationally televised lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. And the Empire State has tons more up its sleeve. Travelers can go ice skating in Central Park, discover unique international gifts at The Pond at Bryant Park, experience the incredible toy selection of FAO Schwartz and enjoy the spectacle of Macy's annual Santaland display. 3. Bondi Beach, Australia In Australia, summer starts on December 1, so while the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing a white Christmas, our friends down under are busy surfing and sunbathing. Bondi Beach, Sydney, is a famous beachgoer hotspot, so the unsus-
pecting traveler could very easily mistake Christmas Day for spring break. Every year on December 25, the beach turns into one big Christmas party, with festive trees in the sand, surfers wearing Santa hats and suits, live music and more. 4. Santa Claus, Indiana The name says it all. This small Midwestern destination fancies itself "America's Christmas Hometown," and offers three weekends of Santa Claus celebrations throughout the month of December that are perfect for Christmas lovers of all ages. Travelers can journey into Santa's Candy Castle and enjoy 25 different gourmet chocolates, chat with online elves and check to see if their name is on the naughty or nice list. Santa's visitors can also enjoy other holiday attractions such as the amazing lights down Mistletoe Drive, a wooden rollercoaster, a Santa Claus museum and even a Christmasthemed miniature golf course. 5. Nuremberg, Germany In Nuremberg, Christmas is synonymous with Christkindlesmarkt, which means only one thing - holiday shopping. Germany's own Christmas mega-market is one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in the world, drawing two million visitors every year and occupying Nuremberg's central square area for the entirety of the Advent season. With its rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, a visit to the Christkindlesmarkt is like stepping back in time. Even the most jaded traveler may spring to life as the smell of fresh gingerbread and fruitcake fills the air. 6. New Orleans, Louisiana Those searching for a way to celebrate the holidays in a unique southern fashion need look no further than New Orleans, where the poinsettia gets as much love as the fleur de lis. In this French Creole town, Christmas events start in November, and they ring in the holiday spirit in unique ways. Take the Celebration in the Oaks, for exam-
ple: a pop-up Christmas theme park that brings bright lights and carnival rides to New Orleans City Park, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Folks from colder areas will feel right at home on Fulton Street, where travelers will find spinning multicolored Christmas trees and might even find themselves caught in the (fake) snow, which comes drifting down four times every hour. 7. Tokyo, Japan If you're looking to spend your Christmas somewhere really different, there's no better place to visit than Tokyo. Since Christians account for only one percent of the population, Christmas is not a national holiday, and employees don't get the day off. Yet, Christmas is celebrated as a commercial holiday in Japan, and every year, the trees in Tokyo are lit up for the season and the Japanese, like their Western neighbors, still have shopping to take care of. Christmas Eve in Tokyo looks very different from Christmas Eve in North America and Europe, and bears a striking resemblance to Valentine's Day. Instead of spending Christmas with family members, the Japanese go on romantic dinner dates with their significant others, celebrating the holiday over a chicken dinner and some Christmas cake. 8. Amsterdam, The Netherlands Amsterdam has not one, but two bearded gift-bearers that visit during the month of December: Sinterklaas and Santa Claus. Sinterklaas has been the richer holiday icon in Amsterdam, and gives the children most of their gifts on December 5th, marking the feast of St. Nicolas. Santa Claus, whose story is actually based on Sinterklaas', comes on December 25th and brings the children a couple of minor presents. Santa Claus also brings the beginning of the Dutch Christmas - a two-day celebration complete with food, warmth and family - which starts on December 25th and ends on
December 26th. For potential visitors, the draw of Amsterdam's double-celebration is hard to compete with. Two feasts, two Santas and two days of gleeful Christmas parties. And when it comes to giving and receiving gifts, how much more Christmas could a traveler really ask for? 9. Aspen, Colorado Whoever coined the term "Winter Wonderland" was probably imagining something very much like Aspen, Colorado at Christmastime. Peacefully nestled amid a trio of snowy mountains, Aspen is the perfect spot for travelers who like to celebrate their holidays in earmuffs and beanies. This snowy city hosts the 12 Days of Aspen, a holiday celebration from December 20th through New Year's Eve, which includes a variety of activities that are sure to put you in the Christmas spirit-from shopping and restaurant deals to concerts and ice-staking. And with its four world-class ski resorts, acres of white-powdered aspen trees and upscale shopping options, Aspen is a prime destination for travelers looking to release their inner snow lover. 10. Lapland, Finland Lapland in Finland is the ideal destination for the nostalgic traveler in all of us. After all, who doesn't remember writing letters as a kid and addressing them to the North Pole? Now you can visit Santa at home. With the Arctic circle cutting right through its heart, Lapland is the closest you're likely to get to the North Pole you imagined as a kid, and that makes it one of Finland's busiest tourist destinations. Visitors of Lapland will want to get tickets to at least one of the area's Christmas theme parks: Santa Claus Village and Santa Park. These parks live out their themes to the fullest, complete with staff members in elf costumes and reindeer sled rides. But the real draw to these parks is Father Christmas himself, who will even meet privately with families who have made a reservation.
26
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
'Sivaji 3D' is highly entertaining and three times visually enthralling atching superstar Rajinikanth sizzle on screen despite how clichd it appears, as some may call it, is an experience worth a million smiles and the thumping of as many hearts. Now, watching him recreate the magic in 3D, closer to hands-reach, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Released five years after its original release in 2007, "Sivaji 3D", with shorter running time, cut down by half an hour, is highly entertaining
Rajinikanth began his acting journey in 1975 with Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal
since then appeared in over 175 titles. He made his mark as a character actor in the movie "Aarulirunthu Arupathu Varai".
He has also featured in Bollywood films such as "Bhagwan Dada", "Chaalbaaz" and "Hum".
and three times visually enthralling. Rajinikanth plays a USreturned software systems architect in the film, named Sivaji, with the sole purpose to give something back to the society. He aspires to build a non-charitable trust through which he wants to set up schools and hospitals for the underprivileged. The rest of the story is about one man's fight against corruption to create an equitable society in true 'Rajini' style.
Manisha under- Bollywood moves away from labels goes successful surgery
hah Rukh Khan will kick off the world premiere of his tour - 'Access All Area' - with a performance at the ensuing 18th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) 2013, starting next month, an official said. Khan's special show is expected to be tentatively scheduled Jan 17 - midway during the DSF which commences Jan 3 and ends Feb 3, said Saeed Al Falasi,
director, Strategic Alliances, Dubai Events & Promotions Establishments (DEPE). This year, the DSF is being marketed as Dubai At Its Best and the month-long event promises to be the biggest ever in its history since 1996, bringing the best across its sectors for locals and visitors alike, Al Falasi told media-persons here Monday afternoon.
ctress Manisha Koirala, who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer, underwent a successful surgery in New York. "Manisha underwent a surgery on Monday at around 9 a.m. I got a message from her family members and they said it was a successful surgery," Subroto Ghosh, Manisha's manager, said. "Manisha's mother, father and her brother are by her side. One of her close friends is also there with her," he added. Several speculations regarding her health were made following her hospitalization in Mumbai. Manisha was admitted to the Jaslok Hospital after she reportedly fell unconscious. However, the reason behind her illness was not made clear. Later it was reported that she is flying to the US for treatment for cancer.
The current breed of actors are doing everything to keep their filmography varied and experimental ragedy King' Dilip Kumar, 'Angry Young Man' Amitabh Bachchan and 'Jumping Jack' Jeetendra - ever wonder why new age Bollywood stars have no such tags. It's difficult to pin them down to any label because they experiment not just in terms of scripts but also with their looks. Take Shah Rukh Khan, for instance. He returned to his classic romantic hero avatar only after seven years for "Jab Tak Hai Jaan". And Akshay Kumar, who built his forte as an action star, made a comeback as 'dhishoom dhishoom' star also after some years with "Rowdy Rathore". "Earlier, if an actor became popular in a particular genre of the film, they were offered similar kinds of roles every time, which gave rise to such titles. I guess
actors today are experimenting a lot," explained film historian S.M.M. Ausaja."Perceptions have changed now. The actors are giving a lot of attention to the script, their look in the film, which is why they don't get typecast," Ausaja said. The current breed of actors like Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Imran Khan and John Abraham bear him out. They are doing anything and everything to keep their filmography varied and experimental. Very different, indeed, from yesteryear actors. Actors are now not just happy expanding their expertise in handling different roles but are also entering the music scene, production scene and going behind the camera.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
27
n his 90th birthday, thespian Dilip Kumar, who has regaled scores of fans over decades, recalls his journey full of surprises with satisfaction and a smile. He says it was his patience and sense of choice that helped him lead a successful career. "I can look back at my life with a sense of satisfaction and some surprise at certain events that have added the twists and turns to an otherwise normal, serene life," said Dilip Kumar. Excerpts from the interview: Q. Dilip saab, in the 90 years which events would you regard as the greatest events and milestones in your astounding life? A. My entry into the profession of acting which was most unexpected. My marriage to a beautiful girl two score years younger with
whom I had declined to co-star because she was too young to be my leading-lady, my decision to challenge myself by switching over to comedy when I was being hailed for my intense tragic roles that had
evoked public esteem and adulation. Q. Every actor wants to be like you. You have defined fine and brilliant acting for six decades. You have spawned generations of
admirers from Mr. Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan. How do you evaluate your own contribution as an actor? A. I have seriously pondered over this because the question has been put to me so many times. I guess it is a normal instinct to follow an example if you are drawn to it for whatever attributes you admire in that example. An actor should possess a strong instinct, besides a mind of his own and a striking personality. He should be able to absorb the positive and delete the negative from the influences that are bound to crowd his mind. The mind has to be respected and obeyed when it tells you to accept or reject an influence. Q. Dilip saab, you have worked with the most exquisite actresses from Madhubalaji to Sairaji. Who were your favorites, and why? A. I was never the one to choose my co-stars. That prerogative was
the producer's and director's. When I teamed with Meena Kumari in 'Azaad', she was also changing gears (from serious roles to comedy). We hit it off in light-hearted acting and it encouraged the makers of 'Kohinoor' to cast us again in lively roles. She made a delightful co-star and we got along well outside our work because we shared a taste for good Urdu poetry. Q. And Madhubala? A. Madhubala was very vivacious as an artist and person. It was in 'Tarana' that our pairing became noticed, though most film lovers cherish her gorgeous screen presence in 'Mughal-e-Azam'. Waheeda Rehman was wonderfully sprightly in 'Ram Aur Shyam' and equally intense in 'Dil Diya Dard Liya'. As for Saira, it was only when we began work in 'Sagina' that I realized how capable Saira was. She handled the dramatic scenes with amazing confidence.
herlyn Chopra is sure going places. Soon after reports of hew debut film has generated immense curiosity among her fans, there are reports that the Playboy cover girl Sherlyn Chopra has bagged the 63rd spot on the list of 'Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2013', in a poll on the international website AskMen. Surpassing names like Rachel Weisz, Tina Fey, Katie Holmes, Kate Moss, Kim Kardashian, Charlize Theron and India's Bipasha Basu (who bagged the 67th spot), Sherlyn went several notches up. "Around 20 million readers are said to have voted for this poll, which makes it a list that truly
Sherlyn Chopra reflects who men from all over the world really celebrate," said Sherlyn's publicist. Apart from being on the cover of Playboy next year, Sherlyn may also set foot at the Cannes Film Festival, playing the female lead in Rupesh Paul's international motion picture Kamasutra 3D. So there sure seems more to watch out for than just a hot bod.
Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma and Pankaj Kapoor in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola when Anushka gets involved with another man, Arya Babbar, a powerful politician Shabana Azmi's son.Anushka, who plays Bijlee, said the role was quite tough for her.
work quite well. Shukriya. Akshay's crazily improvised performance as a sham cop borrows dollops from Salman Khan's "Dabangg" and Akshay's own "Rowdy Rathore". The derivative derringdo doesn't diminish the impact of the italicised antics that range from the arresting to the exasperating. The script seems to be written by someone who loves Akshay's humorous heroics and his emphatic but spoofy hijinks. Both the traits are amply accentuated in the script. "Khiladi 786" ultimately becomes a showcase for its
Review
insanely successful superstar hero's talents. Akshay, as we all know, loves to play the Punjabi Devdas. He did it effectively in Vipul Shah's "Namastey London", where he stepped back gallantly to let his wife Katrina Kaif make a fool of herself with an undeserving boyfriend. "Khiladi 786" is an oddball of a dhamaka that blends slapstick with stunts. It is farcical fun from first frame to the last. Go, have a blast.
28
HUMOR
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Actress Meryl Streep uses her iPhone to get a photo of her and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton following the State Department Dinner for the Kennedy Center Honors gala Dec 1, at the State Department in Washington. Streep is Clinton's favorite actress and last year at the Kennedy Center Honors, the late Nora Ephron predicted that it was inevitable that Streep would one day play the Secretary of State in a movie.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ASTROLOGY
29
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date, Time and Place of birth is accurate.
ii) Careful: Did you check background of the astrologer before disclosing your secrets. iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, dont feel shy. Its his business. iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the outcome is not as desired, never give up. v) Consult: Take second opinion before spending thousands on cure/remedies.
Free Consultation
Learn about the fair value of diamonds & precious stones. from a Gems Expert
For appointment, please call 516-390-7847
or email consult.gems@gmail.com A special offer for the readers of The South Asian Times
30
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Focus on Their Own Achievement Instead of What Others Are Doing When interviewed about their plan for winning, those gold medal winners often give the same reply, saying, "I have to focus on my game. I have to focus on what I do best." They are not concerned with what others are doing. They know that if they do what they are supposed to do they have a chance at winning. Those who do not win get caught up in what others are doing. For example, at times someone may be ahead in a race but when they see someone gain on them, they turn their head to watch the other player, and suddenly this distraction causes the one in the lead to fall behind. We see horses that watch other horses trip and fall. For this reason, blinders are put on a horse to keep the animal on track and not be distracted by others. Athletes on a gymnastics team who watch other teammates perform before their own turn comes and who see a friend make an error are often so upset and feel the pain of disappointment of their teammate so strongly that their own ability is affected. They have focused on someone else and their own performance suffers. The winners stay fixed on what they are doing and not what others are doing. In this way, they can give their best and not lose precious seconds looking at what others are doing. Perseverance The life story of gold medal winners at times reveals they had uphill battles against many obstacles. They may have suffered physical pain, emotional pain facing criticism of others, or financial setbacks.
Watch any gold medal winner perform and one finds an almost superhuman ability to concentrate and focus. Before they perform, they are mentally focused. They mentally rehearse the movements they must do. They are focused within themselves on what they must do. They visualize the task they are going to perform over and over to set their mind in gear. They do not let anyone distract them. When they perform, they have one hundred percent attention on what they are supposed to do.
away in 1974. Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj helped spread the teachings of Sant Mat outside the borders of the East to reach the entire world. He was the first Master of Sant Mat to undertake world tours to North America, South America, and Europe. He published over twenty books in English which were translated into many other languages. He made the teachings accessible to a Western audience who had a scientific bent of mind. Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj as a Model of These Qualities Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj exemplified qualities that make a gold medal winner. His achievement was the Olympics of Meditation and Spirituality. He attained the goal that every person who meditates is trying to attainunion of the soul with God. His life exemplified all the qualities an Olympic gold medalist traits of a gold medal winner in the life of Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj. 100% Focus on the Goal Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj had one hundred percent focus on his chosen goal. When he had matriculated from high school he took seven days to decide what he wanted to do in life. He had interests in being a doctor and having a huge library. But he ultimately came to the decision, "God first and the world next." Once he took that decision he never looked back. He did attend to his duties in life as he had a successful career and raised a family. But his mind, heart, and soul were all focused on achieving God-realization. He never swerved from that goal and stuck with it until he attained union of his soul with God. A Ruling Passion and Drive to Achieve His Goal From the moment the question
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TheSouthAsianTimes.info