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Prime Ministeri Narendra Modi lighting the lamp at the inauguration of the Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas 2015 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Jan 8. The Union Minister for
External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, Chief Minister of
Gujarat Anandiben Patel and other dignitaries are also on the dais. (Photo: PIB)
(From left): Dr Roop Kumar Agrawal - of Chandramani
Hospital; Bansraj Bhansali - philanthropist; Kamlesh Mehta - of The South Asian
Times; Gujarat Governor Om Prakash Kohli; Dr Acharya Lokesh Muni head of
Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati; and Brahmvihari Swami of BAPS.
LOKESH MUNI 34
PBD 48
Diaspora's strength
can be driving force
for India: Modi
Gandhinagar (Gujarat): Prime Minister
Narendra Modi Thursday said every NRI is
like a "shakti" and if the strength of the entire
diaspora can be consolidated, it could
become a driving force for India's progress.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 13th
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here, the
world's largest annual gathering of people of
Indian origin, Modi also said that he has fulfilled his promise to the diaspora of merging
the PIO and OCI cards.
He exhorted the diaspora to come and contribute to India's success in any way possible,
including knowledge, expertise or skills. He
mentioned in particular the project to clean
Ganga, which NRIs would be inspired to
contribute to.
Modi said the world is ready to "embrace
India" and cited how his proposal at the UN
to institute an international yoga day was
supported by a 177 nations.
"We have a lot to give to the world, we
only lack the confidence," he said, calling
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 76
2014:
Roundups
and More
Inside
excellence in journalism
TURN PAGE
To you, our esteemed readers, we hope you like our offering - this
NewYear Special, made extra special by the presence of Pramukh
Swami ji.
--Kamlesh Mehta
Chairman & Publisher
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Associate Editors
Jinal Shah, Hiral Dholakia-Dave,
Meenakshi Iyer
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p r o f i l e
A Life of Inspiration
Under Pramukh Swami Maharajs guiding inspiration as its spiritual head, BAPS Swaminarayan
Sanstha headquartered in Ahmedabad has spread Indian spirituality and cultural heritage across
five continents, and raised highly acclaimed, magnificent temples, which are marvels of architecture
and attract millions of tourists from all over. But the 94-year-old world renowned spiritual guru
himself has dedicated every moment of his life to serve others and uplift humanity.
Moral Purity
Pramukh Swami Maharajs wisdom for
life: Paramatma is the all-knower
generates a conscience of uprightness,
honesty and unshakeable integrity.
The hallmark of a BAPS Swaminarayan devotee, whether a
child, youth or adult, is his or her moral strength. Incidents abound.
From Narsinh Solanki of Ahmedabad, working as a simple electricity meter reader who refused to accept bribe to a girl in Nadiad taking her final secondary exams who declined to cheat and
copy despite the fact that the rest of the class was freely copying;
Emotional Stability
Pramukh Swami Maharajs
wisdom for life: Paramatma
is the all-doer and provider
of inner strength to cope
with all controllable or
uncontrollable, individual
or collective crises of life.
Whether it be a depressed student or a runaway child, a collapsed businessman or a frustrated wife, a broken marriage or a loss of a
job or death of a loved one, people overcome
their emotional trials through Pramukh Swamis care, counseling and wisdom.
one wonders how teenagers like Vipul Patel, studying at Harvard, and students like Amar, Yogen and Sanjay at Oxford, Cambridge and IIT willingly stop watching films and television for
life! And how officers like Prakash Mehta in the US Army and
many more in multi-national corporations continue to avoid meat
and alcohol despite being posted in remote outposts. Or for that
matter, why educated young men, of varying backgrounds, intellects and talents are inspired to embrace the most sublime levels
of morality in the form of renunciation. The answer they all give
Pramukh Swami Maharajs life!
p r o f i l e
Spiritual Continuity
Pramukh Swami Maharajs wisdom for
life: I am atma, and Paramatma
is eternally with me.
Social Responsibility
Pramukh Swami Maharajs
wisdom for life: Paramatma is
in everyone and everything.
Focusing on this, he has groomed his devotees to respect and serve others. To accept and
appreciate others. To rise above the differences of personal beliefs and backgrounds, social
castes and communities and serve society with
dignity and responsibility.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj has created a committed volunteer force of 55,000 selfless volunteers who serve with devotion, dedication
and almost zero administrative cost. Through
a worldwide network of 3,850 centers and a
million members, BAPS performs over 160 humanitarian services in areas as diverse as environmental, educational, medical, tribal, social,
cultural and spiritual. It is one of the select few
NGOs of India that are affiliated to the United
Nations for its international services.
To cite a recent example: in hours after the
Gujarat earthquake near Bhuj on 26 January
2001, Pramukh Swami was amongst the first
to send in volunteers and supplies. Over 6,500
volunteers reached 409 affected villages, rescuing victims, distributing hundreds of tons of
relief supplies, serving 1.8 million hot meals,
finally constructing 49 schools for 15,000 students and rehabilitating 15 villages by building and rehabilitating 4,190 houses. Over
91,000 patients were provided free medical
treatment while 2,500 were given employment
assistance. It is regarded as perhaps the largest
and most humane social responsibility shouldered by a socio-spiritual NGO.
One of most magnanimous and exemplary
act of restraint and responsibility by Pramukh
Swami Maharaj and his satsangis, was the
calm, controlled and peaceful response to the
inhuman terrorist attack on Akshardham on
24 September 2002. It helped dissolve fuming
hatred, diffused the haunting threat of mass riots and violence and restored peace and equilibrium in Gujarat.
On 2 October 2004, Deepal Trevedie wrote
in The Asian Age: Gujarat Regained: Akshardham has restored Gujarats pride in itself. The Swaminarayan sect and the various
swamis associated with it provided solace in
a manner befitting their vocation. Pramukh
Swami is an influential figure and everyone,
from President Abdul Kalam to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, spoke to him within
an hour of the attack He kept stressing on
the need for peace. The Swaminarayan saints
stress that philosophy and spiritualism have
to be grounded in social realities... The Akshardham tragedy has instilled a fresh sense of
confidence that Gujarat need not burn at every
spark that is ignited.
Realizing oneself as atma, which is not born and does not die,
and offering devotion to Paramatma creates an exalted spiritual state
that is far beyond the momentary experiences of meditation, visions,
and well-being. Through satsang and spiritual endeavors people rise
above worldly desires and fears! Even beyond the fear of death.
Bhagwanji Mandavia, was a dynamic business administrator in
Toronto. Active in the Indo-Canada Federation, and guiding the
Gujarati community, he was enjoying success at its best. Then in
1985 he was diagnosed as having blood cancer. Not disclosing
it to anyone except a close friend or two, he continued with his
life. All throughout, his satsang with Pramukh Swami Maharaj
had strengthened him beyond belief. By 1988, he was hospitalized for a bone-marrow transplant. All the pains and pressures of
loneliness, illness, depression and death were upon him. Still, his
smile never lost its luster nor did his voice lose its vibrancy. No
wonder, while he phoned his friends, almost dying on his bed,
they still thought Bhagwanji was in office! His inner strength
and stability is spelt in the reply he wrote before his death to his
brother in India who had expressed great grief about his terminal
illness! Physical pain comes to one and all. So one must never
worry about disease and death. One must never leave the refuge
of a saint like Pramukh Swami Maharaj in whom God resides.
Our faith in God and Swamiji should remain unshakeable.
world, You are good pious people. If the whole world took you
as an example it would be a better place, free of crime, of war and
self-destruction. I believe you have valid answers to lifes toughest
questions. On 8 February 2004, the President of India, Dr. APJ
Abdul Kalam in his public address recounted how Pramukh Swami
Maharaj had guided him to include a spiritual component in the five
areas of development. Then he narrated his personal experience of
meeting Pramukh Swami: I have met (and visited) in India almost
all the religious places and religious leaders. Every religion I visited
looked like a beautiful orchard. But when I came out of the religion, from the orchard, I found that the orchards are all like islands.
Each orchard, each religion is beautiful but is an island. But, how do
we connect the religions? Compassion and love! A bridge we need.
When I met Pramukh Swami Maharaj... I got a feeling, here is a
Swamiji, a spiritual soul, who has got compassion and love and spiritual force he was radiating from himself to others. Inspiration in all
aspects of life is Pramukh Swami Maharajs greatest gift to mankind.
Continued on page 8
Thousands of local devotees and people flock to get a
glimpse of Pramukh Swami Maharaj when he is in a
particular city or town. Hundreds line up to meet
him and receive his blessings everyday.
p r o f i l e
Inspiring Incidents
Deep Compassion
Through personal meetings, letters and home
visits, Pramukh Swami Maharajs compassion has
consoled countless people throughout the world.
Whenever someone is in a difficult situation or
drowned in grief, his compassion heals and rejuvenates. When Harshad Chavda, a youth who had
been serving in the BAPS for many years, met with
a car accident, Pramukh Swami Maharaj wrote
him a 20-page letter to express his serious regret
for not being able to serve him personally: The
news (of your accident) brings me much pain. I
am praying to God for your speedy recovery. I am
praying for you in my morning puja as well. I also
feel the pain you are suffering. I should be serving
you in your time of need, because you have always
selflessly served with great understanding and
enthusiasm, and without concern for your health,
hunger or thirst, or time of day. I can never serve
you enough to make it up! The fact that I cannot
serve you now is causing me immense sorrow.
Prabhashankarbhai Pandya of Ahmedabad,
an elderly devotee from Shastriji Maharajs
time, recalls a moving incident to illustrate
Pramukh Swami Maharajs compassion:
Once, I arrived in Atladra for the Vasant Panchmi festival at around 2am. Everyone was
asleep, and there was no place for me to sleep.
I decided to rest at the foot of the steps leading up to the assembly hall, using my bag as
a makeshift pillow. At around 5:30am I felt a
hand on my shoulder. It was Pragat Bhagat,
Pramukh Swami Maharajs attendant. I saw a
blanket wrapped around my body. Who covered me with this blanket? I asked him.
Pragat Bhagat replied, Pramukh Swami
Maharaj had come in the middle of the night
and covered you with his blanket.
Pervasive Peace
R.K. Laxman, the renowned cartoonist of
The Times of India, is a close friend of Dr Abdul Kalam. After the opening of Akshardham
in New Delhi in November 2005, President
Kalam repeatedly suggested that the Mumbai based political cartoonist visit the newly
opened complex. Laxman visited Swaminarayan Akshardham for two days and then came
to meet Pramukh Swami Mahara and was
mesmerized by his darshan, commenting, If I
hadnt accepted his (Dr Kalams) invitation, I
would have missed out on the chance of a lifetime. I dont have words to describe it. I will
never forget this experience. Tears trickled
from the corner of his eyes, reflecting the deep
emotional impact Pramukh Swami Maharajs
Purity of Character
Pramukh Swami Maharaj has transformed the lives of thousands of people around the world, and they are a testimony to his
contributions in purifying society.
A tribal devotee from the village of Uber described his first
darshan of Swami Maharaj, which changed his life, I first had
your darshan in Atladra. I didnt think it was ever going to happen, but it did. It was like a miracle. With your blessings, my
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is respected and adored by countless people throughout the world including leaders of all hues.
From the United Nations to the smallest tribal villages of Gujarat, he has been showered with praises and respect.
TEACHINGS OF
PRAMUKH SWAMI
10
DHARMA
Dharma is that which spreads love for one
another. There would be no differences if
everyone followed their Dharma. By becoming deeply spiritual you will never want
to make another unhappy or snatch away anothers property. We are all atmas souls.
Vayam amrutasya putrh! We are all
sons of the Eternal!
Of which caste is the atma? Which is its
family? Which is its country? Dharma teaches us that the body, for which we perform all
manner of harmful actions, is itself not going to live forever. Then why do wrong, believing this is mine and this is yours? Share
one anothers fortune and misfortune, help
one another rise. All this is taught by dharma.
Dharma is only one humanity and
sadachar (righteous living).
If one does not have values in life then it
wont take long to lose ones wealth.
Eating a dry millet bread earned honestly
brings peace, instead of earning abundantly
through dishonest means.
When one sees God in everyone, then the
sentiments of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
are born. Then no one is seen to be different.
Gems of wisdom culled from Pramukh Swami Maharajs discourses and satsangs.
Youth should think first of character. They
should have no addictions. All those who
have become great have first molded their
character built their life. There is no outcome if you serve society with a lack of
character. Even if you talk to somebody, you
cannot hope to influence him if you are lacking in character.
Immorality may give you great gains, but
a dry piece of bread given with morality will
guarantee peace of mind. Do not become
lazy and negligent. Fruits obtained without
effort do not give peace and joy. Do
not be trapped by greed and superstition. Walking through life in
consonance with instructions given by God
will
ensure
GURU
The guru is the gateway to moksha. He possesses God. Through the guru God can be attained. Such an Ekantik Satpurush takes one
to God. God is everywhere, but only by associating with one in whom He is manifest
does liberation become a reality.
Even though there are heaps of books,
knowledge cannot be gained from them. A
true Satpurush and his holy association are
required for that.
As long as doubts remain toward the Satpurush, the light of Brahman is not seen.
Many think: Why should one endeavor
in this birth in order to reach God? But
where did the astronauts train themselves in
order to go to the moon? On earth, of course.
Similarly, one should realize God and His
Satpurush in this human birth.
When one is extremely hungry, will diamonds, precious stones and gold satisfy the
hunger? Similarly, the atma hungers for
peace; and hunger cannot be satisfied
through material things. Only association
with a holy Satpurush bestows peace.
CHARACTER
Without character and morality as the first
step, no one can attain God. Character is the
foundation, if it is kept firm and intact the
monument of life built upon it will be unshakeable. If character is lost, the monument
will soon tumble. Keep all thoughts and actions pure.
SATSANG
Only through Satsang can one discriminate between the eternal and ephemeral.
Soap cleans the body, but what of deceit and
fraudulence that remain in the mind? Satsang is the soap that cleanses the mind.
For countless births we have been intoxicated with the world. This Satsang removes
that craving. Can such intoxication be cured
in three or four days? Unbroken Sant samagam leads to a cure.
When thirsty only water can quench ones
thirst, not even pearls and diamonds can. In
the same way, only Satsang grants inner
BHAKTI
What is devotion? Never seeing the Lord
as one with human qualities, understanding
that happiness has been given by God, and
that distress has been also given by God,
and thus never feeling spiteful or prejudiced
towards anyone this is devotion.
One should become a humble servant, as
did Hanumanji, and then offer devotion.
Only when the I ness has been eradicated
can we experience the bliss of God.
Knowingly or unknowingly, if one drinks
nectar one becomes immortal. Similarly, devotion is always fruitful.
misery.
It is the ego which is at play in all quarrels.
Even if one is not at fault, one has to forgive
and forget. One should also cultivate
sankhya understanding, otherwise there will
be no peace. Gunatitanand Swami rightly
says that only right understanding leads to
happiness. If one has it, even the poor feel
happy, and without it even the rich feel ill at
ease.
When does such understanding develop?
Daily satsang and reading of our scriptures
will solve all problems. We should also turn
the mala, worship, visit the mandir and hold
ghar sabha for harmony in the family. Ghar
sabha is a cure for all discords, but this is not
understood. Even if there are verbal quarrels, hold ghar sabha and sit together.
Parents spend money for their sons and
daughters, but they have not reached their
hearts. Parents dont spend time for their
children to share their thoughts and listen to
them. This distances both father and son. So,
when he grows up, he tells his father to leave
home.
A boy once told his mother to get out of
his home. The mother said, My son, do you
realize what you are saying? I have brought
you up and educated you by putting in hard
work and by grinding grains to feed you.
Now I have grown old. You should care for
me. I have spent a lot of money bringing you
11
The concept of ghar sabha is an innovative initiative introduced by Pramukh Swami - a sure cure for many family issues.
PRESERVING DHARMA
Whatever job or business you are doing,
always remember your dharma, your guru,
and God so that you never do anything improper in life; never do anything bad. This is
the foundation and should not be forgotten.
Whatever your dharma, the instructions given in the scriptures, the values learnt and the
commands of our Guru should always be remembered.
Wherever you go, whatever you do, preserve our traditions and values. Our dharma
is the Vedic Hindu Sanatan Dharma. This
belief should remain firm throughout life. If
dharma is practiced, God is pleased and one
reaps positive benefits. So, preserve the values you have learnt and inspire them in others.
Practicing them intermittently does not
achieve anything. If you plant a tree and
move it every few days, its roots will not
12
A translation of Pramukh Swami Maharajs speech delivered in Gujarati at the Millennium World
Peace Summit in 2000, in which he said, Religion is that which spreads love for one another.
29 August 2000,
United Nations, New York
ost revered Saints and Religious
leaders gathered from all over the
world, UN Secretary General H.E.
Kofi Annan, respected President of the Conference, Mr. Ted Turner, Mr. Bawa Jain and
the organizers.
Today, the sight of so many religious leaders together at one place is in itself a moment
of great joy and divinity. This is the first such
religious summit guided by the UN, and we
wholeheartedly welcome this bold step,
which recognizes the crucial role of religion
in bringing about world peace.
Dialogue with
Religious Leaders
Pramukh Swami addressing the august forum of the Millennium World Peace Summit.
The then UN Secretary General H.E. Kofi Annan greets Pramukh Swami Maharaj in his office at the UN Headquarters.
Appreciations:
For the Divine Inspiration
15
The true reason behind his fame is his pure, divine spirituality,
character and selfless service to society.
Gods grace we have attained such a person.
His name is Pramukh Swami Maharaj. If we
want to unite India, it will be possible under
the leadership of Pramukh Swami. He is not
the leader of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya
only; he is the leader of Hindu Dharma. Not
only Hindu Dharma, but he is the leader of
Indian society.
- Acharya Mahapragyaji,
Pramukh Swami Maharajs life is an example of spiritual beauty. That beauty shines
throughout India and the world as he continues to guide mankind on the path to spirituality. He loves unconditionally and forgives.
Revenge and vengeance are never to be seen
in his life. This is illustrated in his credo: In
the joy of others lies our own
- Dr R. Chidambaram,
former Chairman, Atomic Energy
Commission of India
- Dr Rowan Williams,
104th Archbishop of Canterbury
I had the fortune to meet Pramukh Swami
Maharaj ten years ago. I was impressed then
and I am impressed now. I experience spirituality like never before. It is unique. Bhagwan Swaminarayans spirit of social reform
is living through Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
- Tony Blair,
former Prime Minister, United Kingdom
I feel a very
strong and divine aura in his
presence. I feel
at peace in his
presence. I forget about all my
worries and difficulties. He truly loves people
unconditionally.
That is why he
is able to counsel and take part
in their difficulties and problems. Their problems become
his problems. I can see it in him.
The BAPS
Swaminarayan
Complex
(Toronto)
stands as a testament
to
Canada and Indias proud tradition of pluralism. Id also
like to commend this organization for
the role youve
played over the
years in fostering peaceful coexistence
among all communities through heightened
understanding and co-operation, while preserving heritage and faith.
- Stephen Harper,
Prime Minister of Canada
Despite being the President of BAPS, I
have seen Pramukh Swami Maharaj perform
menial seva in Sarangpur. I am the President
of this organization. I cannot perform such
ordinary tasks. This kind of pride doesnt ex-
Emergence of Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in New Delhi signals the beginning of resurgence of Indias great Vedic culture.
- Dr Vijay Bhatkar,
Architect of Param Supercomputer
project, and Padma Shri recipient
Along with his spiritual activities, Pramukh
Swami Maharaj has contributed a lot to society through his social initiatives. His work is
immeasurable. I bow my head in reverence to
his contributions to society and mankind.
- Ramakrishna Bajaj,
the late founder of Bajaj Group of Industries
Date
7-Dec
22-Nov
10-Jan
Event
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Three days of celebrations in August 2014 led to consecration of Shri Akshar Purushottam
Maharajs murtis in a magnificent shikharbadh mandir in New Jersey.
By Sadguru Pujya
Ishwarcharan Swami
Head of Akshardham Project
For quite some time, His Holiness Pramukh
Swami Maharaj had envisioned of building an
Akshardham in North America. In 1997, he finally voiced this desire to the devotees and encouraged them to begin the process of finding
suitable land. Initially, Dr K.C. Patel and Board
Members began this earnest search, which was
later continued by a team of youths including
Bharatbhai, Dipal, Hari, Sunil and Yogesh under the guidance and supervision of Pujya Yagnavallabh Swami and Kanubhai, CEO of BAPS
North America. Based on Pramukh Swami Maharajs guidance of finding a substantial area
of land, they scouted for land in all directions,
visiting many locations.
Finally, after a long search, a location was
found in Robbinsville, New Jersey in 2007.
Due to the grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
and Pramukh Swami Maharaj, we acquired
102 acres and later on, an adjacent plot of
65 acres. Upon hearing such news, Pramukh
Swami Maharaj responded, It is good we
have got the land. I had not been able to come,
but I want to. This was the first of many
times Pramukh Swami Maharaj conveyed his
desire to visit the Akshardham site.
Meanwhile, the arduous task of designing
the entire Akshardham complex began. When
Pramukh Swami Maharaj was shown the overall site plan, he expressed that the shikharbaddh mandir should be made completely out of
marble, just as Shastriji Maharaj had made one
in Gadhada. Not only this but he said the mandir should last for over 1000 years! To fulfil his
wish, stone testing was performed on marble.
Experts proposed to Pramukh Swami Maharaj
to have the mandir enclosed inside a building
so that it could be protected from the harsh climate changes in the northeast region of America. Pramukh Swami Maharaj gave his blessings
to build the mandir within such a structure.
The mandir is ornately designed and made in
alignment with the Hindu shastras. The mandir plans were drafted by a Sompura (traditional architect) and sadhus. Then, the stones
were carved according to the designs and plans
through the immense efforts of Harshadbhai Chavda, who runs a stone workshop in
Pindvada, Rajasthan. The design for the shikharbaddh mandir was done by Prakashbhai
Sompura (architect), Bhaktinandan Swami,
Shrijiswarup Swami, Aksharvatsal Swami and
others. Shri B.V. Chaudhary (New Delhi) and
Ashwinbhai Patel (Ahmedabad) also provided
their expert services as structural and civil engineers respectively.
The mandir was to be made out of Italian
marble. To ensure the quality of the marble was
suitable for the mandir, Pujya Muniraj Swami
travelled to the quarries in Italy from time to
time. The selected marble was then shipped
to India and arrived in Pindvada, where it was
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he devotees of Philadelphia Satsang mandal took up the seva of setting up the scaffolding during the mandir construction work.
They toiled intensely for three-and-a-half
years, traveling by car to the site twice a week.
During the final countdown to the Mandir Mahotsav 30 volunteers came daily to rig or dismantle the scaffolding and to move the heavy
stones on site. Out of the many noteworthy
volunteers Bharatbhai (Bob), in addition to his
40-hour weekly job, spent an equal amount of
hours in seva at the mandir site. He operated
a crane for moving stones, thus cutting the
cost of hired labor. Bharatbhais team included S.K. Patel, Alpeshbhai Patel, Jigneshbhai,
Bhavinbhai and others. Pujya Muniraj Swami
made great efforts in acquiring stones for the
shikharbaddh mandir and Akshardham Mahamandir from the mines in Italy.
or the last one-and-a-half years Hasmukhbhai and Rameshbhai cultivated vegetables at the Robbinsville site,
shopped for food rations and humbly served food to the artisans on site.
ajubhai S. Patel left his business in the hands of 35 staff members to serve full-time at the Akshardham site. He looked after
the requirements of the artisans related to food and accommodation and also attended to parking and kitchen sevas. Rajubhai
also took training in operating large cranes and other machines on
site. He had never missed serving a single day on site.
atinbhai H. Patel served in the IT department. Ratibhai B. Patel contacted many people and inspired them to do seva. His
efforts inspired 70 families into satsang and in various services.
rom 2009 when work on the Akshardham site began, Babubhai C. Patel drove four to five hours every week from
Boston to serve in the electrical department. He sacrificed his
annual vacations to serve more.
Continued on page 20
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agdishbhai and Jayantibhai Patel (Mandala) are brothers who performed the housekeeping services at the Akshardham precincts. They cleaned the washrooms, emptied
the dustbins and did other menial seva. Hiral Patel, a young
engineer, took two-and-a-half months leave to serve in the
housekeeping department.
D
F
ince 2011 Jitubhai Amin has sincerely served the stone artisans. In 2012, Jitubhai was confined to a wheelchair and
used a walking aid for ten months. Even during such disability
his spirit to serve did not ebb.
ay Kapadiya and many volunteers serving in other departments during the Mandir Mahotsav had also put in tremendous efforts. Some worked hard to enroll devotees and
wellwishers to participate in the mandir pratishtha yagna.
Giteshbhai and Amitbhai (Washington DC), who looked after
the yagna department, strived for long hours each day.
he story of Anilbhai Patels austerity is staggering. His ongoing 15 years of dharna-parna vrat till the completion of
Akshardham Mahamandir is incredible.
he sacrifice and seva of Chirag Shah (Edison) in project administration and construction management were exceptional. To
cope with his responsibilities he gave up his job
and worked full-time for more than six months.
Many names could not be accommodated due to space constraint but we salute the sacrifices and dedication of the volunteers and their families including children
CANADA
Jacksonville
MASSACHUSETTS
Syracuse
Greenville
Calgary
Melbourne-FL
Boston
Westchester
Orangeburg
Toronto*
Miami
South Boston
NORTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
Scarborough
Orlando
Springfield
Charlotte
Columbia-TN
ALABAMA
Tampa
MICHIGAN
Greensboro
Knoxville
Birmingham
GEORGIA
Detroit
Raleigh
Memphis
Dothan
Albany-GA
Sterling Heights
OHIO
Nashville
Huntsville
Atlanta*
MINNESOTA
Cincinnati
TEXAS
Montgomery
Augusta
Minneapolis
Cleveland
Austin
ARIZONA
Calhoun
MISSISSIPPI
Columbus
Clearlake
Phoenix
Chattanooga
Jackson
Dayton
Corpus Christi
Tucson
Perry
MISSOURI
OKLAHOMA
Dallas
ARKANSAS
Savannah
St. Louis
Oklahoma City
Houston*
Little Rock
ILLINOIS
NEW JERSEY
OREGON
Lubbock
CALIFORNIA
Chicago*
Atlantic City
Portland
San Antonio
Fresno
Bloomington
Cherry Hill
PENNSYLVANIA
VIRGINIA
Los Angeles*
INDIANA
Clifton
Allentown
Manassas
Sacramento
Indianapolis
Edison
Harrisburg
Richmond
San Francisco
Munster
Jersey City
Lansdale
Roanoke
San Jose
KANSAS
Parsippany
Philadelphia
Virginia Beach
CONNECTICUT
Kansas City
Piscataway
Pittsburgh
WASHINGTON
Hartford
KENTUCKY
Robbinsville*
Scranton
Seattle
DELAWARE
Louisville
NEW YORK
Warrington
WISCONSIN
New Castle
MARYLAND
Albany
SOUTH CAROLINA
Milwaukee
FLORIDA
Washington DC
New York
Columbia-SC
The sacred
images of
Bhagwan
Swaminarayan
and
Gunatitanand
Swami seen
in the
intricately
carved
BAPS
Shri
Swaminarayan
Mandir in
Los Angeles,
California.
B A P S
S w a m i n a r a y a n
BAPS also stresses the importance of family meals or samuh bhojan - a family dinner in
which all members put aside other obligations
and spend time together eating, talking and enjoying each others company.
BAPS:Mission,
Philosophy &
Global Spread
In mandirs, BAPS organizes parents meetings where parents learn how to improve communication with their children and develop unity
within the family, while children learn ways in
which they may better understand their parents.
T h e V a l u e o f Fam i l y
Emphasizing the value of families, BAPS encourages parents and children to regularly hold
ghar sabha - a gathering of family members in
the home that provides a platform for spiritual
development and mutual understanding.
During the 15 to 30 minutes of ghar sabha,
family members pray, read and discuss spiritual
and inspiring literature. They also discuss issues facing one another or the family to foster
open communication.
introduction
Established in 1907, the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a worldwide Hindu organization dedicated to the collective spiritual
and social progress of society by promoting
harmony between individuals, within families
and amongst diverse communities.
Since 1971, under the leadership of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS North
America has been serving with an emphasis on:
Spirituality
Family Unity
Cultural Heritage
Humanitarian Services
Child and Youth Development
m i ss i o n
BAPS aims to serve communities,
families and individuals by:
CARING for their spiritual, cultural, social,
physical, emotional and educational needs.
INSPIRING all towards a pure
and peaceful way of life:
S a n s t h a
BAPS emphasizes the need for communication, love and understanding as a means to
achieving family unity. It also provides methods to maintain family harmony.
S a t sa n g : S p i r i t u a l G u i d a n c e
Satsang is association with the Satpurush
(God-realized Guru), Bhakta (devotee) or
Bhagwan (God). It is practiced through devotion to God, the study of scriptures and observance of dharma (code of conduct).
Satsang provides deeper knowledge of the
atma (soul) and God. Through this knowledge,
one develops the patience, courage and understanding to face the ups and downs of life with
stability and peace of mind.
Bhagwaan
Swaminarayan
(1781-1830)
established the
Swaminarayan
Sampraday.
C h i l d & Y o u t h D e v e l o pm e n t
The true prosperity of our world lies in our
children and youth. The values we instill in
our children and youth today will allow them
to mold their lives for a better future. BAPS
promotes personal development of our children
and youth through an emphasis on spiritual,
family and cultural activities.
BAPS Childrens and Youth Activities have
helped our youth become responsible and contributing members of society.
C u l t u r a l H e r i t ag e
Hindu culture is a beautiful mosaic of art, music, dance, cuisine and festivals with roots dating back thousands of years. BAPS celebrates
Hindu culture through various cultural events
and educational programs. Through various activities, BAPS encourages younger generations
to experience the beauty and richness of Hindu
culture and to develop a sense of identity and
pride in their heritage. BAPS is an integral part
of the Indian American community in North
America in celebrating our shared culture.
Continued on page 24
B A P S
S w a m i n a r a y a n
S a n s t h a
Bhagwan Swaminarayan
(1781 - 1830)
Continued from page 23
SATSANG PROGRAMS:
Satsang Sabha
Celebrations of Festivals
Cultural Programs
Satsang Shibirs (Seminars)
Samuh Puja (Group Worship)
Seva (Volunteer Services)
Goshti (Group Discussions)
Group Outings
MORNING PUJA
An essential personal practice for strengthening ones personal satsang is daily morning
puja (worship). Every BAPS Swaminarayan
devotee begins his or her day by performing the morning puja, which involves mansi
(meditation), introspection, mantrajaap (spiritual chanting), prayer and scriptural reading.
Regular practice of morning puja strengthens
spiritual values and devotion to God.
Philosophy
Swaminarayan followers
believe in core Hindu principles including: accepting
the authority of the Vedas,
the belief in Parabrahma
(one supreme God), Avatarvaad (incarnations of God),
Karma, Punarjanma (reincarnation), Moksha (liberation), Guru and Ahimsa
(non-violence).
THE SWAMINARAYAN PHILOSOPHY
Bhagwan Swaminarayan revealed that there are five eternal entities: Jiva,
Ishwar, Maya, Brahma and Parabrahma. He explained that Parabrahma, the
supreme entity has a form, is the all-doer and is ever-present on Earth through
His eternal abode, Aksharbrahma.
MOKSHA (Liberation)
Bhagwan Swaminarayan explained that jivas (souls) transcend maya and
realize Ekantik Dharma through association with Akshar-brahma - the living
God-realized Satpurush.
Ekantik Dharma consists of dharma (righteousness), gnan (knowledge), vairagya (detachment) and bhakti (devotion) to God, which leads one to moksha
(ultimate liberation).
Every BAPS Swaminarayan devotee begins his or her day by performing the
morning puja, which strengthens spiritual values and devotion to God.
In the state of moksha, jivas are liberated from the cycle of birth and death,
transcend maya, become an Aksharmukta and offer pure worship to Parabrahma
in Akshardham (divine abode of Bhagwan Swaminarayan).
B A P S
S w a m i n a r a y a n
S a n s t h a
Since 1999, mobile medical clinics have treated 3.2 million tribal villagers free of charge
COMMUNITY SERVICES
C o e x i s t e n c e & Ha r m o n y
Guided by the Hindu tradition of celebrating unity in diversity, BAPS values living in
harmony with others. Worshippers and visitors are welcomed with warmth and respect at
all BAPS mandirs.
BAPS members, young and old, live harmoniously with their neighbors and proactively
contribute to their community through a variety of service activities.
Believing that dialogue among societal and
spiritual leaders is essential for peaceful coexistence, Pramukh Swami Maharaj has worked
to foster communication with leaders of other
cultures, religions and civic bodies. This effort has also led to BAPS participation in various inter-faith activities.
Thus, members of BAPS are responsible and
contributing members of their local communities. They value their own cultural and spiritual
heritage while respecting the beliefs of others.
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Tree-planting campaigns
Energy awareness
Recycling projects
HUMANITARIAN SERVICES
For over 30 years, BAPS Charities has
reached out during times of urgent need, first
to assist, and then to empower people to return
to their normal lives.
BAPS Worldwide
BAPS has been serving in countries throughout the world, including India, the United
States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France,
Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Hong
Kong, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa,
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia
and UAE. Its global activities include:
Environmental Activities
Volunteers
Educational Services
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
28
R O U N D U P
The rise of
Islamic State
The current outbreak is the largest and most complex since the
Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. The Ebola outbreak in West
Africa started quietly but soon spread across the porous borders of
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to become a full-blown epidemic.
The deadly virus made global headlines as patients were evacuated
to other countries for treatments: medical missionaries Dr. Kent
Brantly, Nancy Writebol and Dr. Rick Sacra, as well as Spanish
priests and British nurses. Images of people being left to die in the
streets of Monrovia and Freetown horrified people, and the World
Health Organization and Medecins Sans Frontieres rallied aid efforts.
The U.S. panic began when Thomas Eric Duncan showed up at a
Dallas hospital, deathly ill with the virus. Stores and schools closed
as Americans worried about travelers from Africa carrying the virus.
The U.S. story died with the danger as eight of the 10 U.S. patients
left hospitals healthy.
In West Africa, public health officials admit they failed to act
quickly enough and now doubt the epidemic can be stopped before
next summer.
The year 2014 will go down in history as one of the worst for the
aviation sector in recent years, following a spate of major air crashes. It all started off with Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared off the Asian country's east coast on March 8.
The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239 passengers and
crew aboard, vanished from radars less than an hour after take-off.
Massive international search efforts have yielded no results so far
30
Headlines from the front pages of The South Asian Times in 2014
March 1
January 4
Mayor Bill de Blasio
is SATimes Man of
the Year 2013
Bill de Blasio's progressive agenda going national
Ed Mangano starts
second innings on a
stronger wicket
January 11
Indicted and immunity granted, Devyani
on way home
Gov Cuomo pushes infrastructure boost
and tax cuts
Ranu Khator wins the PBD award
January 18
Rahul Gandhi is Congress' PM pick in all
but name, will lead poll campaign
Illegal visa advice to US Embassy schoolteachers in Delhi is new flashpoint
DoJ to expand rules limiting use of profiling by federal agents
January 25
Dr Raju named to head NYC's public hospital system
Neel Kashkari to run for California governor
Jains rejoiced by getting minority status in
India: Acharya Lokesh
India to withdraw pre-2005 currency notes
Use R day lead pic from here
February 1
Pageantry and
military
might
mark Indias 65th
Republic Day
Indian American to
be named
Microsoft's next CEO
February 8
Operation Bluestar disclosures: Congress
slammed, Badal seeks apology
13 Indians holding key positions in global
IT giants
Blaming Obama, Boehner hits brakes on
immigration reform
February 15
BJP-led front inching towards the 272
seats mark
US bends, envoy meets Modi in Gujarat
Comcast takeover of Time Warner to reshape pay TV
February 22
Andhra Pradesh torn apart as demand for
Telangana state met
March 8
Political scene hots up in India
Ukraine talks flounder, US escalates sanction
Bharat Desai named richest Indian American
March 15
Dismissal of Devyani case celebrated at
the NY Consulate
Manganos roadmap for Nassau Countys
advancement
Malaysian planes search widens towards
India
March 22
Fervor, gaiety mark Holi in India even as
the festival goes global
Crimea grabbed, Russia wants more of
Ukraine: White House
2 weeks on, no sign of Malaysian airliner
April 12
March 29
Times Now presents NRI of the Year
awards
UN vote on Sri Lanka adopted, India abstains
April 5
US readies welcome mat, visa for Indias
new leader
Congress-led UPA faces rout in battleground states
Fort Hood shooter had psychiatric issues
but showed no sign of likely violence
April 12
120 million vote in critical 3rd phase of Indian election
Economy key issue in India election:
Gallup poll
April 19
Narendra Modi: The hope and smiles of
1.25 billion people
Who will India choose - a proven leader, a
dynastic scion or a quitter?
Sant Chatwal pleads guilty to violating US
electoral laws
April 26
BJP claims a saffron tsunami
Obama reaffirms commitment to ally
Japan
Indian Americans becoming politically relevant in US
May 3
Modis security beefed up after Chennai
blasts
NY Jain group completes yearlong Varsitap fasting
TIME honors social entrepreneur Muruganantham
May 10
Modi promises strong and most stable
government
Malkit Singh releases a Punjabi devotional album
Times Now to live telecast India election
results at Times Square
Peter Bheddah receives Humanitarian of
the Year award
May 17
Modis stunning
victory
i n
Stunning
Victory
j o u r n a l i s m
Follow us on
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
F i n a l ta l ly
NDA: 335
BJP 283
UPA: 58
Congress 43
New
w Delhi: Leading an innovative and
stering campaign, Narendra Modi has
on a landslide victory for his Bharatiya
nata Party in the 16th Lok Sabha elecons. Soon to be sworn in Indias 14th
ime Minister, Modi has promised to
her in a new era to bring forth dynamchanges and transform Indian econoy, putting behind the previous regimes
licy paralysis and gargantuan scams.
ter the election results Friday showed
at BJP had won 283 out of 543 seats in
e Lok Sabha -- the first time since 1984
at a single party enjoyed a majority -odi thanked the voters and made it
ear that his government will take
erybody along, allaying fears of the
norities.
thused by the business-friendly Modis
ctory, Indian stock market has been on
e even as foreign investors are
turning.
eanwhile, President Obama congratuted Modi on his spectacular win and
s invited him to Washington, putting
hind the bitter issue of denial of US
sa to Modi.
America won
US hopes BJP snooping row would not
hurt ties with India
July 12
Modi governments maiden budget promises growth
All roads lead to Guru Poornima event
with a true master
Germany favorites over Argentina in
World Cup
Israel-Hamas hostilities escalating
July 19
Modis diplomacy at BRICS: Making of a
statesman
Gurudev blesses and inspires 300 seekers at NJ event
Missile shot down Malaysian plane: US
Modis coming visit creates euphoria in
community
Election 2014
Special issue.
Narendra Modi is likely to take the oath of office as prime minister on May 21.
May 24
Modi's invite to SAARC leaders evokes
warm response
Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj,
Shourie to get cabinet nod
Team Rahul under fire from party leaders
May 31
Modi gets cracking on investment, infrastructure
Article 370: Kashmir parties slam talk of
revocation
Indian American boys are Co-Champions
of the 2014 National Spelling Bee
June 7
Modi-Obama
summit
in
Sept. to reset
India-US tie
The South Asian Times wins top journalism award
Four Indian-Americans advance to key
Nov election races
June 14
World Cup Soccer mania kicks off
India-US ties to see high momentum in
coming months
Iraq disintegrating as insurgents advance
June 21
Obama sends military advisers to Iraq as
ISIS flags fly over refinery
Conflicting claims on change in INOC
leadership
June 28
US advances to knockout round in World
Cup
Modi confidante Amit Shah set to be BJP
president
Kanojias Aereo would have put cable
TV out of business, but loses at Supreme
Court
July 5
Guru Poornima attracts thousands to meet
a true spiritual master
US team may have lost, but soccer in
July 26
India opens well with 2 golds at Cwealth
Games
Zeroing in on MSG in New York for
Narendra Modi reception
Kumar Vishwas here to entertain NY-NJ
August 2
Snooping, terror dominate Kerry & Swaraj
meet
World on alert as Ebola outbreak kills 729
August 9
Modi to meet 50 US Senators & key governors
In a policy reversal, Obama okays air
strikes in Iraq
India Day celebrations galore
August 16
In stirring speech, Modi unveils his India vision
August 23
US eager to en- The South Asian Times
gage Modi govt:
In stirring speech, Modi
Congressional
unveils his India vision
report
Large protests
may
trigger
crackdown in
Pakistan
Beheading spurs new attacks on Islamic
militant
National Guard begins pullout from riotweary Ferguson
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
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
August 30
Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine underway
Modi govt launches financial inclusion
scheme
Republicans plan to starve Obama initiatives of funds
September 6
UK and US premiers intend to destroy
ISIS
India sounds alert after al Qaeda an-
31
September 27
NaMO: Creating Legacy at World Stage of
Power & Politics
PM arrives in NYC to chants of Namo!
Namo!
October 4
MSG was the acme of Modis US visit
Modi and Obama break the ice, warmer
ties ahead
October 11
nounces local wing
Pak protest groups agree to talks to end crisis
Sania Mirza reaches final of US Open
mixed doubles
September 13
Mixed global reaction to Obama strategy
on Islamic State
Manmohan was warned, but let 2G & coal
scams happen: ex-CAG
Bobby Kumar becomes first Indian American to run for Lt Governor of New York
State
Moral victory for India in British parliaments Kashmir debate
September 20
China agrees to settle border dispute with
India
Jaitley & Sushma to join Modi on his US trip
Obama nominates Indian-American as
ambassador to India
October 18
GOP predicts Senate victory
Modi will snatch Maharashtra, Haryana
from Congress: Exit polls
India close to getting its own navigation
satellite system
US Government admits mistakes handling
Ebola, Republicans demand ban on flights
October 25
India celebrates
Diwali with traditional fervor
Obama, Kerry, top
lawmakers greet
Indian Americans
on Diwali
November 29
November 1
Senate swinging GOP way is main interest
this midterm
High anxiety, low expectations on election
eve
November 8
ObamaCongress tussle
ahead
Despite electoral drubbing,
Obama refuses
to cede ground
More assertive
Republicans
setting their own agenda
Nikki Haley wins second term as SC
Governor
November 15
Obama plans to
shield 5 million illegals from deportation
MSG like welcome
awaits Modi in Australia
Rohit Sharma creates record with
second double ton
Runs
264
Balls
173
Fours
33
Sixes
09
December 6
No charges in chokehold death; protests
erupt
17 states sue to block Obama immigration
order
Remembering Bhopal, 30 years on
Superbugs killing thousands of newborns
in India
December 13
Modi scores hat-trick with fruitful Putin visit
CIA torture report could lead to prosecutions of Americans abroad
UN adopts Modi proposal for International Yoga Day
Richard Verma confirmed as US envoy to
India
December 20
Indias Rohit
Sharma set a
world record in
ODI cricket by
hitting his second double century in Kolkata
at Eden Gardens.
The right-hand
batsman had previously hit 209
against Australia
in Bangalore last
year. He scored
264 runs (173
balls, 33x4, 9x6)
against Sri
Lanka Nov 13,
the highest ever
individual score,
surpassing
Virender
Sehwag's record
219. India now
has a 3-0 lead in
the ongoing
series.
November 22
Obama unveils immigration reform, setting up fight with GOP
Modis rock star turn in Sydney
Lone Indian American Congressman Ami
Bera stages comeback win
December 27
Uncle Sam gifts Pak $1 billion, mum on
LeT, LeJ
Pope condemns Islamic State, decries suffering of children
Newsmakers of 2014
32
Indian-Americans hit the headlines for more reasons right than wrong this year. Heres a lowdown on our movers
and shakers who won elections, appointments and awards and took the power quotient of desis a notch higher.
Dr Vivek Murthy
The US Senate finally confirmed Dr Vivek
Murthy as United
States Surgeon General, overcoming fierce
opposition from the
National Rifle Association that has blocked
the doctor's nomination since February.
Obama
nominated
Murthy, co-founder of
the pro-Obamacare group Doctors for America, in November 2013. At 37, he is the country's youngest surgeon general, and the first
of Indian-American descent. The surgeon
general is, technically speaking, the nation's
top spokesperson on public health issues,
things like smoking and obesity and exercise.
The Indian American community, especially
the Association of Physicians of Indian origin
(AAPI) drummed up a huge support base for
his confirmation networking and educating
the senators at the Capitol Hill. Considered
whip smart - studied biochemical sciences
from Harvard and then a combined medicine
and business degree from Yale - Murthy was
working at Harvard's Brigham and Women's
Hospital as a physician before he was confirmed.
Richard Verma
Richard Rahul Verma was sworn-in as US
Ambassador to India
on Dec 20, becoming
the first Indian-American to hold the post.
Verma, 46, was confirmed by the US Senate by a voice vote.
Verma has already
landed in New Delhi
and will present his
credentials to President Pranab Mukherjee,
ahead of the visit of US President Barack
Obama to India to be the chief guest at the
Republic Day parade on January 26. Vermas
association with Obama goes back to 2008,
when he worked on presidential debate
preparations for the then Illinois senator. His
parents came to the US in the early
1960s.Verma replaced Nancy Powell, who
resigned in March 2014 in the backdrop of a
diplomatic row over the treatment meted out
to Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade,
who was arrested in the US on charges of
making false declarations in a visa application for her maid and released on a $250,000
bond.
Arvind Panagariya
Free-market economist and Columbia University professor Arvind Panagariya, on Jan 5
became the first vice-chairman of the newly
Vijay Sheshadri
India-born poet Vijay Seshadri won the
prestigious
2014
Pulitzer Prize in the
poetry category for
his collection of poems "3 Sections." Seshadri's '3 Sections' is
a "compelling collection of poems that examine human consciousness,
from
birth to dementia, in a voice that is by turns
witty and grave, compassionate and remorseless," the Pulitzer announcement said.
He currently teaches poetry and nonfiction
writing at liberal arts college Sarah Lawrence
in New York. Born in Bangalore in 1954, Seshadri came to America at the age of five and
grew up in Columbus, Ohio.
His collections of poems include James
Laughlin Award winner The Long Meadow
and Wild Kingdom (1996). His poems, essays, and reviews have appeared in prestigious publications including the American
Scholar, the Nation, the New Yorker, the
Paris Review, Yale Review, the Times Book
Review, the Philadelphia Enquirer and in
many anthologies, including Under 35: The
New Generation of American Poets and The
Best American Poetry 1997 and 2003.
Dr Ami Bera
Congressman Ami Bera, D-Calif., created
history when he was
reelected in November to a second term
in Congress in District 7 in Northern
California
against
Republican
challenger Doug Ose in a
very close election.
Born and raised in
California, he is a physician and only the
third Indian American ever to serve in Congress. He has been also chosen as one of two
co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans for the 114th Congress.However his campaign was also marred
in controversy when many Sikhs were upset
at his refusal to acknowledge the Indian governments alleged culpability in the massacre
of 3,000 Sikhs in India in 1984. Many even
withdrew their support to his reelection campaign.
Tulsi Gabbard
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who took
oath on Bhagwat Gita,
has come out openly
in support of India and
everything Indian. A
strong supporter of
Indo-US ties she sees
a huge potential in the
relations of the two
strongest democracies
of the world. She not
only met Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi during his US visit in September 2014,
she also met him in New Delhi during her
fortnight long visit in December last year. A
vocal opponent of US aid to Pakistan, she
also voted against the bill for grant of military
assistance to Pakistan in the U.S. Congress.
Gabbard said that there were areas of disagreement between India and the U.S., but
there were greater areas of agreement.A believer in Bhagwat Gita she said: The sayings
in the Gita are my life and soul. In my experience it is the perfect textbook for people
who are striving to be servant leaders. This
textbook is applicable to everyone. "(It) is as
relevant today as it has always been and as it
always will be... regardless of your age,
where you come from, what language you
speak, what gender..."
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley, a Lexington Republican was
elected for second and
final term as Governor
of South Carolina defeating Democratic
state Sen. Vincent
Sheheen for a second
time in November
2014. Her inauguration ceremony will be
on January 14. In November she also took a 10-day visit with a
business delegation to India to further business ties between India and South Carolina
and thereby create more jobs in her state.
During her India trip she also visited the
Golden Temple at Amritsar.
Vivek Ranadive
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive
was in news on several occasions. In December 2014 his company, Tibco Software officially became a private company through a
$4.2 billion buyout by Vista Equity Partners.
Hell now remain a director, with a focus on
technology direction. He is also focusing on
Rajiv Shah
In December 2014 Rajiv Shah announced
his resignation as head
of the U.S. Agency for
International Development.
Shah, a former
Gates Foundation official
in
Seattle,
served as the administrator of the nations
leading agency for
foreign aid and humanitarian relief for five
years. The highly-regarded Shah, 41, joined
the Gates Foundation while still in his 20s. A
trained physician and health economist, he
previously served a brief stint as an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One of Shahs notable achievements
was to bring a Gates Foundation-style approach to global development, including
partnerships with corporations and private
sectors and a focus on scientific and technological solutions. Among the achievements
Shah cited during his tenure at USAID was to
expand access to power for sub-Saharan
Africa, using data-based methods to reduce
maternal and infant deaths and shifting the
fight against global hunger from emergency
food aid to emphasis on sustainable agriculture to enable people to feed themselves.
Chet Kanojia
Chet Kanojia, CEO of on-line television
start up Aereo hit the
headlines
several
times during the year
when he challenged
the cases against his
company. Aereo was
seen as a major threat
to broadcast networks
business.
Aereos product
which launched in more than a dozen U.S.
cities did not sit well with traditional
broadcasters and media companies, who battled it tooth and nail via litigation and in the
press. But ultimately it was the Supreme
Court that brought the forward-thinking company down. In the aftermath, Aereo tried to
reposition itself as a different kind of service
provider, but ultimately filed for bankruptcy
protection in November. The company behind the first cloud-based individual antennae
and DVR filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection, while simultaneously appointing
Lawton Bloom of Argus to serve as Aereos
chief restructuring officer.
Compiled by Hiral Dholakia-Dave
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
34
P R O F I L E
solution to their problems through his literature and thus got the basic mantra of health,
happy and ecstatic way of life. The literature
of Acharya Dr. Lokesh has been translated
and published in many language including
Hindi, English, Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali,
Kannarese and German.
Acharya Dr. Lokesh is a noted social reformer. He has performed several experiments for the removal of ignoble traditions in
the society while establishing Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti. He simultaneously started a strong
movement against Continued on page 35
35
Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni, a dynamic crusader for national integration and lead campaigner
against social evils, was honored with National Communal Harmony Award by the
Government of India among several national and international accolades.
Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni and other faith leaders at Media Launch of Global Interfaith WASH
(Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Alliance India supported by UNICEF.
was honored with National Communal Harmony Award by the Government of India,
given by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan
Singh and Vice President of India Mohd.
Hamid Ansari. In 2006, then Indias President
Smt. Pratibha Patil conferred the 'Ethical
Honor' of Gulzarilal Nanda Foundation to Dr.
Lokesh for his distinguished services in establishing Ahimsa, Peace and mutual trust in
the society.
Acharya Dr. Lokesh has been honored by
the United Nations with Ambassador of
Peace Award on February 3, 2014 at the UN
Centre for his remarkable contributions towards World Peace & Communal Harmony.
The entire life of Acharya Dr. Lokesh is full
of immense contribution towards re-establishing human values and national trust. He
has dedicated his entire life for the uplift of
humanity, welfare of human beings, establishing human integration and mutual brotherhood. He is making various experiments in
order to strengthen National Unity and is continuously moving ahead in this direction.
Vice President of India Mohd. Hamid Ansari and then Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh presenting National Communal Harmony Award 2010
by Government of India to Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni.
Muniji
presenting a
copy of his
book
Interfaith
Dialogue to
former
Prime
Minister of
Britain Mr.
Tony Blair.
Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni in discussion with then
President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and then
President of Pakistan Mr. Pervez Musharraf.
Launch of Save Girl Child Year on the occasion of 50th Birthday of Acharya
Dr. Lokesh Muni in the august presence of religious and political leaders.
C O M M U N I T Y
36
R O U N D
U P
President Obamas
Immigration Reforms brings
relief to some sections of
Indian immigrants
White House document summarizing
the presidents executive actions on
immigration suggests that the reform
measures include a new visa program that
will expand immigration options for foreign
entrepreneurs who meet certain criteria and
extend the amount of time foreign students
are allowed to stay in the U.S. for work after
graduating.
Some of the other significant operational
changes proposed include allowing the
spouses of certain H1-B visa holders to work
in the U.S., reducing the time taken to issue
green cards and issuing guidelines on how to
successfully apply for an L-1 visa used by
employers for intra-company transfer of employees. Indias outsourcing industry welcomed the reform measures which they say
will take out the operational bottlenecks in
doing business in the U.S. and increase the
flow of skilled workers into the country.
n keeping with the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign, the Indian Consulate in New York
undertook a massive cleanliness drive at
its premises and is being hailed as a model of
'Swachh Consulate,' setting an example for
other Indian missions and posts abroad to
take up similar efforts. The clean-up exercise
was conducted under the aegis of Consul
General Dnyaneshwar Mulay with the aim of
serving the community better and keeping
visa and passport records in a proper and easy
to access manner. During the exercise, several valuable artifacts, musical instruments and
portraits of Indian leaders were also unearthed that are now being displayed at the
Consulate.
As of March 2014, the Indian Consulate in
New York has been holding a monthly lecture-series called Media India 2014-15,
where prominent Indians from various fields,
address issues related to Indias global image,
identity, aspirations, and impressions. These
lectures are aimed at increasing understanding of Indian culture and heritage, and to generate interest amongst university students,
media personnel, academics, persons of Indian origin, and prospective tourists.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
38
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
42
Corporate Profile
Indus American bank
Compiled by Parveen Chopra
nil Bansal graduated from IIT Kanpur
in 1977 and came to the United States
for a masters degree in metallurgical
engineering. After working for a few years as
a metallurgist at Westinghouse and GTE, he
got more interested in marketing. After completing his MBA from Syracuse University, he
joined Perkins Elmer but soon decided to start
his own business. He has started several different businesses, including a very successful
computer business, printing business, etc. He
currently owns First National Corporation, real
estate management company, and is the principal owner of real estate holdings throughout
the United States. As an international business
leader, he is a partner, investor and on the
board of several corporations and charity foundations.
In 2005, Bansal joined with a few friends
who felt there was a need for a bank focused
on the Indian immigrant community in the US,
especially in the New Jersey/New York area,
which had the second largest Indian-American
population. By December 2005, they had got
the approvals, raised the capital and opened
43
Community enjoying food, music and games for their children on the
opening day in the parking lot outside the new branch in Plainsboro.
Mr. Jasbir Chopra (sitting), President & CEO, Indus American Bank
with the Plainsboro branch staff members
neering and received his MBA in International Business from CUNY's Baruch
College.
I N D I A
44
I N
T H E
W O R L D
I N D I A
45
T O P
1 0
in his hand. He also nominated various celebrities and well known personalities to participate
in his cleanliness drive to make the efforts
more impactful. Entire country is being encouraged to take part in the Abhiyan and keep
the country clean.
Jayalalithaa convicted in
disproportionate asset case
Former
Tamil
Nadu chief minister
Jayalalithaa was convicted by a special
judge and was sentenced to four years
imprisonment in the
disproportionate assets case of Rs 66.65
crore which came
like a shock for the people of TN and her supporters. The supporters protested against the
government and many even committed suicides. In 1996, Subramanian Swami had filed
a case against the CM of Tamil Nadu that during her tenure as CM from 1991 to 1996, she
made assets worth Rs 66.65 crore which were
disproportionate to her disclosed sources of income.
46
Corporate Profile
education. Dr. Little was president of the Association for Hospital Medical Education from
2005 2007, and was on the Board of the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers from 2004 2008. He has completed nearly 20 years of volunteer service to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, having been the Chair of the Council in
2006. He also consults with hospitals, health
systems and corporations on medical education
administration and research strategies.
Quality assurance:
CAAM-HP accreditation
Xavier University received 2 years provisional accreditation from Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and
the Health Professions (CAAM-HP) in 2013
with scheduled revisit in 2015. The purpose of
accreditation process is to assure that medical
schools follow the best practices in teaching
and learning and also provide adequate support
Chief of Nephrology, and Director of the kidney transplant program at SUNY Downstate
Medical Center, was as the keynote speaker.
Valedictorian was Pawandeep Dhillon, MD and
Salutatorian was Amanda Wolf, M.D.
Aruba is one of the most beautiful and developed Caribbean islands. It boasts the maximum
number of returning tourists from USA and Europe who fall in love with the friendliness of local Arubans and the amenities on the island. It
is also well connected with US and Europe with
a large number of daily flights. The weather is
nice and warm throughout the year. All these
factors make Aruba a great destination to come
and stay for few years for higher education.
Scholarship Opportunities
Apart from private loan facilities set up by
the NewYork Office, Xavier University offers
financial assistance to the students in the form
of academic scholarships. Scholarships are offered based on semester GPA, Deans list for
academic achievement, research publication
and CARICOM countries resident students.
Entry Level scholarships are offered based on
SAT and MCAT scores.
To offer quality clinical training, Xavier University has affiliation with more than 31 hospitals in the US. All the clinical rotations are
ACGME accredited green book rotations. A
very recent addition to its clinical training sites
is Wyckoff Heights Medical Center , Brooklyn,
New York.
Xavier Universitys White Coat Ceremony & Recognition Day was held on Jan. 17, 2014.
47
The Xavier University Class of 2014 graduates with faculty and officials at the Commencement Ceremony.
"I
am
thankful for
XUSOM in
giving me
the opportunity to
find electives in the
Chicago
area, helping me match at my program of choice."
-Gabriel Anzueto, MD
The basic
sciences are
taught by
an excellent staff of
professors.
Xavier prepares you
well for the
USMLE's. The hands-on clinical years allows you to embark
on your journey of becoming a
licensed physician
-David Ibrahim, MD
Had a
great time
on
the
island and
learned a
lot from
the basic
sciences.
-Ashvin Punnyamurthi, MD
" T h e
dynamic
basic science faculty
in
A r u b a
instilled
in me the
confidence to
apply the science of medicine during my clinical rotations."
-Amreen Aziz, MD
Xavier
University's
clinical rotations in the
US were key
to helping
me achieve
my dream of
matching
into a residency.
XUSOM
provided
the opportunity and
the means
to pursue
my
dreams!
-Michelle Lim, MD
XUSOM is
a diverse
s c h o o l
which paves
a path to
success in
medicine.
What you
make of it
lies in your
hard work and determination
. To become a reliable and
prepared physician, XUSOM
equipped me with all the
necessary and appropriate tools to
succeed in the multifaceted world
of medicine
-Janelle Yee, MD
- Ramona Grewal, MD
48
P R A V A S I
B H A R A T I Y A
D I W A S
2 0 1 5
holders to do business in India and even purchase property or homes, but with some restrictions. Many states, including Punjab,
which has one of the largest diaspora populations, even offered concessions to set up industry and invest in their home states.
According to official statistics, NRIs have
invested $4.7 billion through the Foreign Di-
49
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi releasing the special postage stamp
and coin to commemorate 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi's homecoming, at
the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, in Gandhinagar on January 8.
Guyana, said Indias has seen a transformational change in recent years. The time has
come arrived for India to demonstrate its mature political leadership to guide other developing countries, participate more actively in
internal forums, look outwards for channelizing investments to other countries and
strengthen air and maritime links with the rest
of the world. He assured Guyanas commitment to Indias pursuit of reform of the UN Security Council and expressed total support for
Indias candidature for a permanent seat in an
expanded Security Council.
Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of
International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa, the Guest of Honor,
pointed out that the political, economic and
cultural bonds between South Africa and India
were strong. These were cemented by the community of Indians in South Africa, the second
largest outside India. The bonds must be further strengthened by addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment. She stressed the need for closer
cooperation between the two countries in the
fields of IT, healthcare and renewable energy
and expressed confidence that India would
support South Africa in its development efforts. Ms. Sushma Swaraj, Union Minister for
External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs,
emphasized that successful and politically influential diaspora is an asset to India. She
called upon the diaspora to pursue a mutually
rewarding participation in developing India.
Ms. Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, said that the new economic and social
initiatives launched by the Central Government have unleashed a new wave of enthusiasm among the people. The pravasis with the
sincere hard work had raised Indias image internationally, while keeping the links with the
land of their origin alive.
The Vote of Thanks was given by General V
K Singh, Minister of State for Statistics & Programme
Implementation
(Independent
Charge), External Affairs and Overseas Indian
Affairs, the dignitaries at the inaugural session
were felicitated by Mr. Sunil Soni, Secretary,
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
to OCIs is not "reasonable, fair, just and equitable". Denial of voting right to OCI has
been effected by introduction of a new section-7-B(2)(f) and simultaneous deletion of
section-12 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 which
had been dealing with the issue of dual citizenship prior to 2004.
The plea termed the changes as "arbitrary,
whimsical, baseless and effecting the legiti-
mate rights to representation to a class of citizens of India" and added that the Indian diaspora of about 25 million expatriate Indians
and People of Indian origin were living in
192 countries of the world.
The plea has made Ministries of Home Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs and the Election Commission of India as parties, PTI reproted.
P B D
50
2 0 1 5
By Anil Mulchandani
hmedabad has some of Indias finest
specialty museums, which make for
an enjoyable and educational day in
the city. One of the finest places to begin your
day in Ahmedabad is the Gandhi Ashram,
with its historical trees and simple but picturesque tiled houses Hriday Kunj where Mahatma Gandhi stayed from 1917 to 1930 has
his possessions like a spinning wheel, work
table, cloths, utensils and round eye glasses.
The Gandhi Smarak Sangralaya here is a museum designed by Charles Correa keeping in
mind Mahatma Gandhis own principles of
simplicity. Go through this moving memorial
to the Mahatma, explaining his life and principles through pictures, text and newspaper
reports.
From the Gandhi Ashram, drive north to the
Calico Museum of Textiles housed in the ancestral estate of the Sarabhais who were once
among Ahmedabads major textile manufacturers. This museum can only be seen on a
guided tour which takes you through galleries
exhibiting exquisite textiles like Gujarats Patola silk sarees, Kashmiri shawls, Chamba ru-
By Anil Mulchandani
andhinagar has come into the notice of People of Indian Origin in
different parts of the world as the
venue for Vibrant Gujarat Summits and
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2015. This newly
planned city was designed by architects
who had worked on the Chandigarh project.
The planning is based on streets that are
numbered and cross-streets named for Gu-
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
S U B C O N T I N E N T
52
ndia's child rights crusader Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistani girls' education activist Malala Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo and dedicated it to
the voiceless. Satyarthi and Malala each
were presented with a diploma and a medal.
Satyarthi said his life's aim was to make
sure that every child was a free child. "My
only aim in life is to make sure that every
child is a free child. I refuse to accept that
all the temples, mosques, churches and
prayer houses have no place for the dreams
of our children," he said in his acceptance
speech. Malala said she was glad she received the Nobel Peace Prize together with
Satyarthi because it showed the world that
an Indian and a Pakistani could work together for children's rights. "I am also honored to receive this award together with
Kailash Satyarthi, who has been a champion of children's rights for a long time... I am
also glad that we can stand together and
show the world that an Indian and a Pakistani can be united in peace and together
work for children's rights," said Malala in
her acceptance speech.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
p a t e l
54
b r o t h e r s
By SATimes Team
(from left) Mafat Patel, his brother Talashi Patel, and sons Swetal and Rakesh.
P r o f i l e
p a t e l
55
b r o t h e r s
Patel
spawns
Raja Foods
Having established themselves as grocers, Patel brothers soon turned their attention to a new enterprise: prepackaged ethnic foods. This stemmed out of two major
trends that changed the Indian food business: By the
1990s second-generation Indians began to move out of
their parents homes and Americans developed a taste for
exotic entrees like chicken tikka masala and Palak paneer.
Out of their own experiences, the brothers realized that food consumption, especially for immigrant
families, is fuelled by nostalgia which is located in
authentic foods - as mother made them - and hence
introduced brands such as Patels and SWAD that offered a slew of dry snacks, frozen Indian foods and
prepared dishes under the umbrella of - Raja Foods.
Raja Foods originated as the procurement division
for their large chain of Indian grocery stores but the
effectiveness of Rajas distribution network for imported Indian food products enabled them to use that
network to sell their own brands.
Patel Brothers store in Hicksville, NY, is the starting point of the annual
India Day Parade of Long Island. (above) Patel Brothers parade float.
B U S I N E S S
56
R O U N D U P
Smartphone growth up
by 20.3 percent globally
s per official data, the Indian economy's growth fell from 5.7 percent
during the first quarter of this fiscal
to 5.3 percent in the second with manufacturing output declining by 0.7 percent in a
clear indication that revival of industry was
nowhere on the horizon.
The Narendra Modi-led government, however, was certain that a 5.5 percent growth
was possible this fiscal, as spelt out in the
mid-term review of the economy this month,
and that a 7-8 percent expansion was also
reachable in the coming years with proper
policy measures that were being pursued.
These apart, after years of perceived paralysis on the economic reforms front, the
Narendra Modi government that took over
the reins in end-May started pursuing liberalization once again and took some key decisions, some of which have been pending
for over a decade.
The heads of the three apex chambers Ficci, CII and Assocham said that many of
the initiatives led by Modi himself also made
a major impact globally, notably the campaigns like Make in India, Clean India, ZeroDefect-Zero-Effect Manufacturing and Digital India.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
S SP POOR RT TS S
58
58
58
T
Topsy-turvy year
for cricket in India
ndian cricket went through another tumultuous year on and off the field with
a controversy that shook the very foundation of the game's governing body in the
country - the Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI) - that refused to die down
and spilled over to the New Year after raising several tough questions for its beleaguered president, N. Srinivasan.
Srinivasan was under the spotlight, for
all the wrong reasons, throughout the year,
as his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was
implicated by the Mudgal Committee report in the IPL betting and match-fixing
scandal.
He himself faced several embarrassing,
potentially image-damaging questions before the Supreme Court and was forced, after seeking the apex court's permission, to
postpone the BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections till Jan 31, 2015.
He also faced the uncomfortable task of
addressing the contentious 'conflict of interest' issue since he continued to defiantly
hold on to the BCCI post as well as owning
the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) IPL team.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's name also
cropped up in the report after his deposition to the committee was found to deviate
from reality as Meiyappan was a prominent team official and not just a 'cricket enthusiast'.
ndia's golden
boy Abhinav
Bindra finished
off his Commonwealth Games journey with his maiden singles gold
medal in the men's
10m air rifle event
on July 25.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
U L T I M A T E
60
B O L L Y W O O D
Unmissable
Hollywood films
"Boyhood": Filmed over a period of 11
years, "Boyhood" is an expansive investigation of human drama and emotions narrated through the eyes of a young boy.
Filmmaker Richard Linklater captures
boyhood on screen like you've never seen
before.
comedy-drama "PK" stirred thought and discussion and struck gold at the box office too.
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, it earned
Rs.215 crore in its second week. Even as
rightwing groups continue their protests alleging that 'PK' defamed Hindu religion,
movie buffs are unanimous that the film no
way hurt Hindu interests.
film effortlessly rewrites blockbuster
movie formulas. It's a touching story about
peacemaking and coexistence of apes and
humans.
"The Fault in our Stars": A heart-breaker, this romantic tale is filled with humour,
warmth and stellar performances. It challenges the teen-flicks conventions with a
story that tugs at your heartstrings.
"Highway": Shot in places like Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the road movie
revolves around two people who are brought
together by fate. What really clicked were
the story line, its execution and performances by the lead actors - Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda.
"Queen": Kangana Ranaut played an inspi-
Kom" was about the heart-touching and motivational past of the Manipuri boxing champion with dignity and passion. The womanoriented film became a big hit at the box office.
"Haider": A modern-day adaptation of
"Hamlet", "Haider" was the comeback film
of Shahid Kapoor to the A-listers of Bollywood. With Kashmir as its backdrop, the
Vishal Bharadwaj directorial is a wondrous
work of art.
"Bang Bang!": Despite being tagged as
"mindless", "loud", "dumb", "pointless" and
"exhausting" by the critics, the Hrithik
Roshan-Katrina Kaif-starrer was one of the
biggest blockbusters of the year, collecting
Rs.145 crore.
rational girl next door in this highly acclaimed film. Directed by Vikas Bahl, the
comedy-drama presents the life of bride-tobe Rani who decides to go on her honeymoon alone.
"Citylights": It was appreciated for its
unique story line and brilliant performance
by lead actor Rajkummar Rao. Directed by
Hansal Mehta, the film is about a couple
with rustic innocence.
"Mardaani": Set against the backdrop of
child trafficking, the Rani Mukerji-starrer
raised the issue with great perfection under
Pradeep Sarkar's direction.
"Kick": The action-thriller starring Salman
Khan was a big Eid release. Directed by
Salman Khan: Salman has had two releases this year, "Jai Ho", which also stars Daisy
Shah and Tabu, and "Kick". While his performance has always allured the audience,
his films have also ranked well at the box-office blockbusters list.
Hrithik Roshan: Although Hrithik's actionthriller "Bang Bang!" didn't appeal to the
critics, the film did exceptionally well at the
box-office. The superficial action sequences
and Hrithik's trademark dance catapulted the
movie to the top of the charts.
Akshay Kumar: With the comic "Entertainment" and action-thriller "Holiday" under
his belt, Akshay entertained his fans thoroughly.
Shah Rukh Khan: He is a perfect entertainer and he entertained moviegoers with "Happy New Year" so much so that it topped the
box-office charts and crossed Rs.300 crore
world-wide collection.
Ajay Devgn: His movies "Singham Returns" and "Action Jackson" have both had
super openings. With this kind of success,
our serious hero has pleased the audience
with his action sequences and dialogues.
Aamir Khan: Last but not the least - Bollywood's perfectionist Aamir Khan is the talk
of the town, thanks to his alien avatar in
"PK". Once again he has proved, when it
comes to choosing subject, he knows how to
stand out.
described as the best performance of his career. Shot in the Kashmir valley, the quintessential Vishal Bhardwaj directorial was an
"Happy New Year": Bollywood's "Badshah" Shah Rukh Khan treated his fans to
"Happy New Year" during Diwali. The Farah
Khan directorial was a runaway blockbuster.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
62
Corporate Profile
Bahrain).
With the growth of its international
reputation, TAKAT began its first
phase of global expansion in 1996,
opening a trade office in Bangkok,
Thailand.
In 2000, Rayaz Ahmed Takat, grandson of Haji Ahmed Takat, opened the
company's third trade office in New
York City. And Irfan Ahmed Takat, another grandson, opened the fourth
trade office in Hong Kong.
Rayaz Ahmed Takat has served on
the Board of Directors of IDCA since
2010. For 2013, he served as a Joint
Secretary of the IDCA Board.
TAKAT remains a family business
based on a firm belief in providing ex-
63
IM NOT A BUSINESSMAN,
IM A BUSINESS, MAN
An Interview with Rayaz Takat, CEO, Takat Gems USA
RAPID FIRE ROUND
Favorite business book
"Business Adventures" remains the best
business book I've ever read. John
Brooks is still my favorite business
writer.
Business mantra
Get your head in the game.
Role model/Mentor in business
Warren Buffett
If not a businessman, then
I'm not a Businessman, I'm a Business,
Man.
Idea of unwinding
Take a break
Breathe and realize that worrying will
not solve any of your problems.
Learn how to do something new.
Find something positive about any
situation
Talk it through
Smile, Sleep well, Take things
slowly - there's no need to rush
C O M M U N I T Y
64
N E W S
Gandhi image on
beer cans: US
company apologizes
from history: burning Confucian texts, smashing Buddha statues, and demolishing sacred
temples. Spiritual culture, however, cannot be
seen or touched; it is the essence of a civiliza-
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Happy Holidays
66
I N D I A
N E W S W I R E
NITI Aayog
replaces Planning
Commission
Lakhvi in 14-day
custody, Pak hits
out at Indian 'hype'
Islamabad: Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was sent to 14
days' judicial custody in an abduction case
by a court here Thursday, even as Pakistan
termed "unfortunate" the "unnecessary
hype" created by India over the issue and
also questioned lack of action in the
Samjhauta blast case.
The judicial remand order came as
Lakhvi's two-day physical remand in the
kidnapping case expired Thursday.
The physical remand was ordered when
Lakhvi was awaiting release as the Islamabad High Court suspended his detention
under the Maintenance of Public Order
(MPO) law.
Although police asked the judicial magistrate for a five day remand, the court sent
Lakhvi to a 14 day judicial remand. He will
be presented in court again Jan 15.
India had summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit in New Delhi to register its protest at the lack of "effective action" by Pakistani prosecuting authorities to
keep the Lashkar-e-Taiba kingpin in custody. Lakhvi has been in jail since 2009 for
the Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed.
New Delhi: A suspicious Pakistani fishing
boat apparently loaded with explosives blew
up in the sea and sank off Gujarat after being
intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard, officials said, prompting fears that a major terror
attack may have been planned.
The Pakistani vessel, which had set off
from near Karachi on the eve of New Year,
turned into a ball of fire and sank after its occupants, believe to be four in number, set fire
to it, about seven hours after it was spotted
following an intelligence tip off.
Darkness and bad weather prevented the
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government began the New Year replacing the 65-year- old Planning Commission with a new institution
named NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog,
where the prime minister would continue as chairperson of the revamped body and have state chief ministers as part of the governing
council.
"The institution will serve as a 'think tank' of the government - a
directional and policy dynamo. NITI Aayog will provide governments at the central and state levels with relevant strategic and technical advice across the spectrum of key elements of policy," a union
cabinet release said.
Modi, in a series of tweets, said with the NITI Aayog the government would bid "farewell to a 'one size fits all' approach towards development while the body also "celebrates India's diversity".
"A pro-people, pro-active and participative development agenda
stressing on empowerment & equality is the guiding principle behind
NITI Aayog," he said.
Noting that NITI Aayog "has been formed after a wide range of
consultation with the various stakeholders including the chief ministers", he said it will "provide key inputs on various policy matters".
"A landmark change is the inclusion of all State CMs & LGs of
UTs in the NITI Aayog. This will foster a spirit of cooperative federalism.
"Having served as a CM in the past, I am very much aware of the
importance of actively consulting the states. NITI Aayog does precisely that," he said. Modi had indicated in his Independence Day
67
I N D I A / W O R L D
S P O T
N E W S
Congress slams
Sakshi Maharaj, BJP
distances itself
from remark
Shashi Tharoor
to be questioned
New Delhi: Former Congress minister Shashi Tharoor
will be questioned in connection with the murder case of his
wife Sunanda Pushkar, police said.
"We have served a legal notice to Tharoor to join the murder probe Wednesday evening. The questioning will be held
in under section 160 CrPc," an officer told IANS.
Pushkar, 52 was found dead in her south Delhi's hotel
room Jan 17, 2014.
Delhi Police had registered a case of murder a few days
ago, following the final opinion report from the board of
doctors conducted post-mortem on Pushkar.
ing.
The Elections Department has put in
place elaborate arrangements to ensure that
the election is conducted smoothly while
special security arrangements, including
71,000 policemen, have been assigned by
the police and security forces.
There will be 1,400 counting centers
across nation.
S O C I A L
68
M E D I A
iPhone bendgate
Selfies
2014 was front facing year for selfies, according to Twitters top trends of the year.
Ellen DeGeneres' star-stuffed Oscar selfie
prompted millions every day to reach out to
their ubiquitous phones for that perfect click.
That Oscar selfie with Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Meryl
Streep, Kevin Spacey and others was retweeted three million times. The photo is valued at
$1 billion because of its massive sharing on social media. And thus started the fad of selfies
uploaded over Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
with hashtag #me. By now Narendra Modi and
Barack Obama, even the Pope have treated
their fans and followers with pictures taken at
arms length on social media.
Compiled by Jinal Shah
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
P A S S A G E S
70
BKS Iyengar took yoga to the world, turning it into a phenomenon that somehow retains the essence of its mystical aura yet
has been remade into a commodity. A
meeting in 1952 with the violinist Yehudi
Menuhin proved to be a turning point,
leading to Iyengar opening yoga schools
on six continents.
In 1956, Iyengar came to the US, the
first to teach yoga in the West, along with
pioneers like Pattabhi Jois, known for his
Ashtanga style. Iyengar taught author Aldous Huxley and actresses Ali MacGraw
and Annette Bening among other celebs.
His seminal 1966 book, "Light on
Yoga," became a worldwide bestseller,
with a million copies sold in 17 languages.
Iyengar yoga is now taught in more than
70 countries. Some two million of the 20
million Americans who practice yoga follow Iyengar style.
Joan Rivers, 81, Comedienne
Joan Rivers, Americas most abrasive
comedienne, will always be remembered
for her biting wit and skewering of celebrity style. But after a widely respected and
storied career launched with a 1965 appearance on The Tonight Show, she also
became a pioneer for women in comedy.
In February 2014, she finally got an invitation to come back to The Tonight Show.
She told Variety magazine it was about
time: "I've been sitting in a taxi outside
NBC with the meter running since 1987."
Rivers outrageous style made her hugely
popular in the UK too, where she regularly appeared on TV and at venues like the
Royal Albert Hall.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
A S T R O L O G Y
72
By Dr Prem
Kumar Sharma
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week (January 10-16, 2015)
tensed. Take special care of your spouses health. Take a normal diet and medicines to remain healthy.
Finance this year: Your past investments may yield a lot of
money for you this year. You need to be extra cautions while
investing huge amounts as it is a bit risky to put money on unpredictable things. Overall, you will enjoy a strong financial
condition.
Career this year: You will enjoy a great professional career
this year. If you are involved in arts or creative field, this year
will be very good for you. You will reach new heights in your
career and you will gain enough recognition. You may seek
help from an experienced person to succeed in your career.
Romance this year: You will spend a peaceful life with your
spouse. If you are unmarried, you may get into a matrimonial
relationship towards the end of this year.
Lucky month: April, June, September and November.
12th January, 2014
Ruled planet: Jupiter Ruled by no: 3
Traits in you: As you are influenced by planet Jupiter, you are
dignified, religious, mentally strong, enthusiastic, lovable, respectable, determined, devoted, and courteous. You are self
dependent and have a great leadership quality. You are able to
take quick decisions. However, you need to take care of you
nature of being arrogant and stubborn.
Health this year: Your health will remain good throughout
the year. However, you need to go for regular fitness programs
or practice yoga and meditation for better results. Do not
avoid your regular medication. Look out the health of your
family members as they may fall ill frequently.
Finance this year: Sudden gain in money may surprise you.
Your pending legal issues will get resolved this year and provide you with ample of money. You may go for new investments this year as this year seems to be profitable for you. Do
not trust strangers in business. Do not lend any money this
year as you face a straight loss.
Career this year: You will be over ambitious as far as your
career goals are concerned. Take time to plan your career. Do
not be in a hurry for a job change. You will improve your skills
and expertise. You will find your work pretty interesting and
it will give you the job satisfaction you wanted.
Romance this year: Your romantic life would be at its peak
this year around. Try to sort things out if you have any problem with your spouse or partner. Do not initiate an argument
with your beloved as it may result in weakening your relationship.
Lucky month: January, August and November.
13th January, 2014
Ruled planet: Uranus Ruled by no: 4
Traits in you: As you are ruled by planet Uranus, you are
highly energetic, generous, focused, friendly, humble, honest,
hard working and optimistic. You are endowed with the ability to deal with various kinds of people. You should control
Taurus: Your dedication and loyalty will be recognised. Getting involved in whatever is
happening around you will keep
you forearmed and forewarned. An
important piece of information can
open up new opportunities for
some. You will be able to kiss and
make up with lover not in talking terms with you. A
new house or apartment is likely to be acquired by
some. Those embroiled in a legal battle will come
out victorious.
Lucky No.: 6
Lucky Colour: Coffee
Lucky No.: 11
Lucky Colour: Peach
Lucky No.: 7
Lucky Colour: Baby Pink
Lucky No.: 15
Lucky Colour: Red
A S T R O L O G Y
73
By Dr Prem
Kumar Sharma
Unrealised dreams, unfulfilled desires, untapped potential, agonizing relationships, unsound health are common
afflictions that trouble most of us during our lives. Take heart, the year 2015 has been deemed the Year of
Fulfillment by our celebrated resident astrologer, Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma
life.
Lucky Months: September, August,
July
Lucky Totka: A stone belonging to
semi-precious category
CANCER the Crab
(June 22 July 22)
2015 is the year of good fortune and better luck. Months of June
and May are good for
you to achieve great
professionally.
There is a chance for
a leisure travel during
2nd part of this year.
Your property may give you
better returns this year. During mid of
this year, you may experience slightly
down in health that require your immediate attention. There is a chance for
mild friction in relationships in 2nd
quarter and hence tackle it effectively.
Be cautious on uncertain investments.
Lucky Months: August, July, June,
May
Lucky Totka: Bracelet made of copper
H U M O R
74
rounding up.
***
The truth is that if you search Google
News youll find some accountant
launching a company, getting arrested,
blowing a whistle, making a fortune,
stealing a fortune, creating an empire,
going on the run, etc.
And thats just MY accountant, keeping
busy before lunch.
***
He counters accusations of being boring by keeping a cutting from the U.K.
Daily Mail in his wallet, about a female
horticultural analyst in the U.K. who
gets PAID TO WATCH THE GRASS
GROW.
Can you even BEGIN TO IMAGINE
how this woman behaves during
evenings and weekends? Woohoo.
***
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist,
cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant
Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
76
S P I R I T U A L
A W A R E N E S S
By H.H. Sant Rajinder Singh taught that we can discover our soul
and God through meditation, leadJi Maharaj
ing an ethical life, and doing selfless
ach day when we awake we service for others. Each day we can
have an opportunity to grow take steps to transform ourselves by
closer to God.
putting in more time for meditation,
The highest aim of human exis- weeding out any thoughts, words,
tence is to know ourselves as soul and deeds that keep us from leading
and realize God.
an ethical life, and by serving othSaints and
ers selflessly.
Masters
New Years is a time in
have
which we can take
stock of how far we
have come from
the previous year
to attaining our
goal of union with
God. We can see
how effective we
were in making daily improvements and
how much further we
still need to go on our
spiritual journey. If we
find we have made
progress, we can commit
to going still further. However, if we find we have not
progressed, then we can make
New Years resolutions of
what we need to do to
move forward.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info