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Subcontinent 19
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Spiritual Awareness 30
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Meghnad Desai in race for House of Lords Speaker Diaspora, Page 14
Batra taking oath as President of Association of Indians in America-NY chapter (L to R): Amb. Hardeep Puri, Lakshmi Puri, Chandini Dayal, Ranju Batra, Ravi Batra, Neal Batra, Amb. Prabhu Dayal, Shashi Chugh, Tarun Munjal, and Angela Batra-Munjal. New York: Ranju Batra was sworn in as President of the Association of Indians in America (New York Chapter) on June 13, by Amb. Prabhu Dayal, Indias Consul General, in a ballroom overflowing with dignitaries and well wishers at the Indian Consulate here. The celebratory program started with the Indian and American national anthems, Continued on page 15...
Gandhian Anna Hazare (top) and HRD minister Kapil Sibal are blaming each other for the stalemate.
IALI honored 5 at annual gala Sunday at Long Island Marriott. (Bottom row) Haridas Kotahwala, Kanak Golia, Dr. Vinod Jayam, Dr. Kishore Kuncham and Shudh Parkash Singh were also given citations by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano. (Top row) MC Renee Lobo, Ed Mangano, IALI President GobindMunjal, NY State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, and Kamlesh Mehta, Deputy Director,Nassau County Office of Economic Development. (Photo by Michael Tamborrino) More photos and report on pages 16-18.
Convention highlights include Jains Got Talent competition and show by Indian Idol 5 Sriram. talent from across the country. A grand performance by three winners of Indian Idol 2010 will be the highlight of the final days program. A parallel youth Jain Networking Forum (JNF) will include youth oriented activities and programs including networking opportunities and entrepreneurship forums. JAINA is an umbrella organization of Jain organizations in the US & Canada.
can policy and recalibrate same to be true to America's core founding ideal: equal protection of law. This honors the sacrifices of so many to keep freedom alive, for the core covenant of law is freedom from misdeeds, be they whimsical or tyrannical. Batra continued, "Ordinarily, it is the job of government to do good for the many, at the cost of the few, while the noble judiciary toil to fashion merit-based justice for the one. Krittika Biswas case, however, is unique, for to
Dr Rajesh Singh (left) with a boy whose hands were bunt shut, but who can fully use his hands following corrective sugery. Correctional Center & the Civil Enforcement Division; John R. Durso, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 338, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, Board of Trustee at Nassau Community College; and Steven E. Skrynecki, Chief of Department for the Nassau County Police Department. RRF provides health care, reha-
Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Asamai Hindu Temple in Hicksville, NY, honored Rajan Zed for his leadership role in Hinduism and promotion of interfaith dialogue on June 12. Temple priest Madan Kumar Jha presented Zed, who is President of the Universal Society of Hinduism, with a religious scarf on June 12 even as temple leaders Radhu Bathija and Gobind Bathija looked on. The same day he was honored by the Hicksville gurdwara with a siropa. Based in Reno, Nevada, Zed was visiting the Tristate area to participate in the "Religious Leadership in an Interfaith World" seminar of prestigious Hartford Seminary (Connecticut) from June 6 to 10.
Lok pal story Continued from page 1 which controls every activity relating to the government, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, one of the five ministers in the Lokpal panel, told a news conference. You cannot threaten a negotiation process, he said, with cabinet colleagues P. Chidambaram and Salman Khursheed flanking him. You cannot threaten us and then negotiate with us. This is not the way forward. Sibal also underlined that Hazare and his representatives did not represent the 1.2 billion people of India. Home Minister Chidambaram said the government was determined to draft a strong and sound Lokpal bill before the mutually agreed deadline of June 30 and present it to parliament. Meeting journalists a little while earlier, Hazare and his confidant Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at the government. Now that the government is turning its back on its promise, I will fast again from Aug 16, Hazare said. Kejriwal said the government was neither serious about the Lokpal bill nor about fighting corruption. The government has frittered away a huge opportunity to provide a good legislation to the country The governments Lokpal bill is a jokepal bill. The government does not agree with the civil societys demands that the prime minister and the higher judiciary should be brought within the ambit of the Lokpal. There are also fundamental differences about the structure of the Lokpal institution and how it should function.
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Eboo Patel serves at White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships figured that if Muslim radicals and extremists of other religions were recruiting young people then those who believe in religious tolerance should also enlist the youth. Interfaith activism could be a cause on college campuses, he argued, as much a norm as the environmental or womens rights movements, as ambitious as Teach for America. The crucial ingredient was to gather students of different religions together not just to talk, he said, but to work together to feed the hungry, tutor children or build housing. Until Mr. Patel came along, the interfaith movement in the US was largely the province of elders and clergy members hosting dialogues and book clubs and drafting documents that had little impact at the grass roots, wrote the New York Times. Patels
Mehra cofounded micro Home Solutions, an initiative to develop low cost homes for urban poor Initiative, stated in a press release. Prior to receiving her MBA from Harvard Business School in 2009, she studied economics at St. Stephens College, Delhi, and received a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University, where she studied politics, philosophy, and economics. She was also a competitive swimmer for India and swam on the winning English Channel relay team for Oxford University. With many years of international development experience, Mehra has worked with CARE, social entrepreneur group Ashoka Fellows, Grameen Bank, and RABO Bank, a global bank focused on agribusiness.
NIAASC members with participants at the conference of Bharat Vilas, a nonprofit organization. He further stated that despite the dismal real estate market all the 54 condos were sold because of the services the project provides or intends to provide such as Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, meditation and yoga, Indian movies, community club, Internet support. Dr. Kalasapudi elaborated on Assisted Living and chalked out plan as to how India Home is planning to provide such services to Indian Americans in collaboration with current facilities in New York area. Mr. Prasad elaborated the relatively new concept of Home Share where a senior home owner can spare a bedroom to a home seeker (tenant) at a reduced rent coupled with help in house chores such as shoveling snow, grocery shopping and taking senior to doctors appointment. He further elaborated on benefits and downsides of this arrangement. The program, Prasad indicated, is run nationwide under various entities through Home Share coordinators governed by the Fair Housing Laws.
(L to R) Marc Haken, Library Manager Francesca Bishop, Jasbir Kaur, Dhan Singh, Dr. Saroop Singh Alag, Sikh Leader of Queens Jagir Singh Bains, Lambar Singh, Julia Saferio and Satwinder Singh Sandhar 56 now have the books on Sikhism.
choices that reflect the diverse interests and connects them with whats important in their lives, said Eric Schaefer, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Comcasts Freedom Region. NEO Cricket can be found on channel 689, STAR India NEWS on channel 690, Zee TV on channel 691, STAR ONE on channel 692, STAR India PLUS on channel 693, SET Asia on channel 694, TV Asia on channel 695, and STAR India GOLD on channel 696
Anantha P Chandrakasan will be next head of EECS dept. Chair of the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, a position he has held since 2010.
Roop Mahajan, director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science at Virginia Tech. among the leaders in cutting edge interdisciplinary and trans disciplinary research at the intersection of engineering, physical, life and social sciences. Its core areas of research -nanoscale science and engineering, nano-bio interface, cognition and communication, and sustainability -are geared to generate technologies and solutions for sustainable energy, sustainable water, renewable materials, and national security.
Preneet Kaur, minister of state for external affairs, speaking at the PBD. at a time of enormous opportunities in india. We need $1 trillion in the infrastructure sector over the next decade and foreign investment (and trade) will continue to be an integral part of our growth.'' She said India offered huge opportunities for infrastructure, defence and various other fields and the diaspora could promote two-way investments between India and their adopted lands. Greeting the gathering with 'Namaste,' Canadian governor general David Johnston lauded the role of the community in nation building and promoting ties with India. Concluding his speech with "dhanyabad", the governor general said that by 2017 - when Canada
Preneet Kaur (middle), minister of state for external affairs, with Canadian governor general David Johnston (to her right), Indian high commissioner S.M. Gavai (extreme left) and Indian consul general Preeti Saran, at the opening of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Toronto June 9. celebrates its 150th anniversary - pora with their parent country. the Indian diaspora will become But it also recommended three Ps one of the strongest groups in - purpose, perseverance and Canada, and "their contribution patience - on the part of the diaspowill be so important in our suc- ra to deepen their engagement with cess.'' their ancestral land. Ontario Premier Dalton Didar Singh, secretary in the McGuinty lauded the diaspora suc- Ministry of Overseas Indian cess by quoting prime minister Affairs, said he was impressed by Manmohan Singh who once said the views expressed at the two-day that 'the sun never sets on the gathering. These will be incorpoIndian diaspora.' rated in policies concerning NRIs, Indian High Commissioner S.M. he said."It's the best PBD we ever Gavai said India was showing its had. These have been two days of appreciation of the Indo-Canadian exceptional talks, and there have diaspora by holding the PBD in been exceptional contributions Toronto. (from delegates and speakers)." India Friday promised to remove Singh said there will be a formal irritants hindering the engagement report on the Toronto Pravasi of its 27 million-strong global dias- Bharatiya Divas and the govern-
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US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain at the debate her appeal to religious conservatives can propel her forward. The focus of the evening was on Romneyand whether any of the candidates standing next to him on a stage in a college hockey arena in Manchester, would make a concerted effort to slow his momentum. None did. The debate was moderated by CNNs John King. Instead of criticizing each other, the candidates
Washington: "Today only 14 percent of all undergraduate students enrol in what we call the STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering, and math," Obama said Monday at a Durham, NC company that uses LED technology to produce fuel-efficient lighting. "So these are the jobs of the future. These are the jobs that China and India are cranking out," he said continuing a year-long push to present his vision for the economy as US unemployment remains above nine percent. "Those students are hungry because they understand if they get those skills they can find a good job, they can create companies, they can create businesses, create wealth. And we're falling behind in the very fields we know are going to be our future," Obama lamented. "We can do better than that. We must do better than that. If we're going to make sure the good jobs of tomorrow stay in America, stay here in North Carolina, we need to make sure all our companies have a
Study science, maths to US diver launches underwater search for Osama's body keep 'hungry' Indian, Moscow: Eccentric California salbody was buried at sea. The White vage diver and entrepreneur Bill House said it would not release Chinese at bay: Obama Warren, 59, has announced that he graphic images of Osama's corpse,
wants to find Osama Bin Laden's body as proof the Al Qaeda leader is really dead. "I'm doing it because I am a patriotic American who wants to know the truth. I do it for the world," Warren told the New York Post. The nearly decade-long hunt for the elusive Al Qaeda leader, believed to be the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, ended on May 2 after US Navy Seals gunned him down in the Pakistani garrison but the CIA did later show the photographs to select US lawmakers. "I have a Russian girlfriend, and she tells me that over there, in intelligence circles, they don't believe bin Laden's really dead," Warren said. "I do not trust my government or (President) Obama." Warren expects the search will cost about $400,000 and will rely on several boats and high-end technology. If Warren finds the body, he will hold a DNA test at the ship.
Some people doubt Osama was really obliterated town of Abbottabad. The terrorist's
President Obama is lately rattled by rising unemployment figures. steady stream of skilled workers to draw from," he said. Obama also urged US companies to invest in making their buildings more energy efficient, which he said would save them money that they could then use to hire workers. The president acknowledged Americans' worry that the economy is not recovering quickly enough. "The single most serious economic problem we face is getting people back to work," he said, but, "we're going to get there." He said he was optimistic about the future.
Gabrielle Giffords before she was shot in the head; and one of her recently released photographs.
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DIED FOR RIVER GANGES: The body of social activist Swami Nigamananda lays at an ashram in Dehradun on June 15. reporters. Ramdev was admitted to the hospital June 10, the seventh day of his nine-day long fast, after his health deteriorated.
Former Chief Justice of India justice PN Bhagawati. the Trust members okayed his entry into the Trust, Baba's nephew and Trust member R J Rathnakar opposed the proposal. Sources said, Rathnakar did not want an `outsider' to control the financial matters of the Trust and hence, was opposing Satyajit's entry strongly. It is learned that the Trust discussed Baba's maha samadhi issue and zeroed in on two models made by international experts. The samadhi would be thrown open to devotees on July 10. The meeting also discussed issues concerning the super speciality hospital and educational institutions run by the Trust.
Pak Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir with his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao. Islamabad: Kashmir should be the core issue of secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, the Pakistani Foreign Office has said. Though no dates have been finalized yet, a source told Dawn News that Islamabad proposed June 2425 for the talks. India is yet to respond to the proposal, the source said. "Jammu and Kashmir is the core issue and it was imperative to address this issue effectively and in a purposeful manner in the forthcoming dialogue with India," the Foreign Office statement said Wednesday. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao "are to discuss" Jammu and Kashmir, peace and security and friendly exchanges between the two countries at the meeting, the sources said.
The world witnessed the darkest lunar eclipse of this century with an expected duration of 100 minutes, considered by astronomy institutions to be one of the longest. beauty of the moon played in the background, watching in awe were many school and college students. Before the sky captured all the attention, a satirical 'play' on breaking myths during an eclipse was screened by the organizers, the Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE). "I had always heard that pregnant women should never watch the eclipse. The play helped break that belief - to some extent," said Satviki Dua, 26, a married woman. As the sky wore an orange tint, and the moon looked lost in a cloud cover, the telescopes began zooming in to get a closer look of the late night wonder.
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The two immediate points of difference that rose in the meeting were related to the scope of powers of the Lokpal. the Prime Minister and the higher judiciary under the Lokpal's purview was not discussed in the meeting. "It is clear there are areas where there are strong divergence of opinion...Hopefully the civil society members will give us a draft on issues of divergence. We ourselves will prepare a draft on the issues on
Telangana leaders have set June 30 as the deadline for the UPA leadership to take a decision. Gandhi of their sentiments once she returns to Delhi. After a 'disappointing' meeting with union Home Minister P. Chidambaram earlier in the day, the talks with Mukherjee and Patel provided some relief to the Telangana leaders. They claimed the senior leaders agreed with them that a decision on the issue can't be delayed any further. Telangana leaders, who have set June 30 as the deadline for the leadership to take a decision, warned that if it failed to take a positive decision soon the party would be wiped out in the region. Earlier, Chidambaram failed to give any assurance to the Telangana leaders, who were also unhappy over the hasty manner in which home minister left for another meeting. The home minister told the delegation that the government can take a decision only after a decision by the party. Telangana leaders demanded the government abide by its Dec 9, 2009 statement on the issue and table a bill in the ensuing parliament session to carve out a separate state. The MPs had last week called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who assured to discuss the issue with the party leadership.
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June18-24, 2011
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. margin of 3,354 votes. The result was declared after a lot of confusion and protests. A peeved Chidambaram hit back, saying Jayalalithaa had shown contempt of court. But Jayalalithaa, 63, appeared supremely confident. Clad in a magenta sari, diamond earrings in place, she was addressing her first press conference here in years. Her blazing two-day trip to Delhi was watched keenly to see if the politician, strengthened by her landslide victory in Tamil Nadu last month, would show any preference for the Congress in the coalition era. She did not. Instead, she made it clear that since the Congress and DMK were allies in the central government, "it would not be appropriate to meet (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi".
China said that it will take into "full consideration'' the interest of lower riparian countries (including India) while implementing any project to divert the flow of Brahmaputra. New Delhi: China's reaction to the alarm in India over diversion of Brahmaputra waters has failed to convince Indian experts even as the government tries hard to downplay the threat. China said that it will take into "full consideration'' the interest of lower riparian countries while implementing any project but once again refrained from denying directly that it was planning to divert the flow of Brahmaputra. "The Chinese foreign ministry's statement (that China's policy is to 'take full consideration of the interests of the downstream states') is what Beijing has repeated ad nauseam while quietly building more dams to siphon off the waters of the Mekong, Irtysh and Illy rivers,'' strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney said, adding that China had again not denied diverting Brahmaputra through mega dams. What is making matters worse for India is that China rejects the very notion of any water-sharing arrangement or treaty, like Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, with any riparian neighbour. "The terms -- water sharing, shared water resources, treaty and common norms and rules -- are anathema to it. China is one of the only three countries that voted against the 1997 United Nations Convention on the NonNavigational Uses of International Watercourses. This international convention lays down norms and rules which China rejects,'' Chellaney said.
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Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info
The oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh Beckham and other sporting celebrities as brand ambassador and poster-boy of leading footwear company Adidas for their international campaign. Billboards featuring him once used to be prominently displayed on busy London streets. The foreword for the 'Turbaned Tornado' has been written by former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh. 'This legend of a man, who has only recently celebrated an entire century of the
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Indian diplomats and community leaders, American judges and lawmakers attend her inauguration at India Consulate on June 13.
of Baroda). Air India was represented by Amit Ray. Congratulatory messages came from former Governor David Paterson, state Senate Leader John L. Sampson, Congress members Gary L. Ackerman, Yvette Clark, Eliot Engel, Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler and Ed Towns, and NY State Assemblymen Nick Perry, Jonathan Bing, Charles Lavine, Alec Brook Krasny and Karim Camera. Amb. Prabhu Dayal said, "I am delighted to felicitate Ranju Batra as president of AIA-NY. Ranju has rendered great service to the Indian-American community and India by building a great bridge of friendship between the US and India. By having her in charge, AIA is going into high gear. Behind every successful woman is a man... Ravi Batra has earned the status of a national hero in India because of the role he played in rescuing Krittika Biswas. I warmly congratulate Ranju and Ravi." Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary General at UN Women, said, "Ranju is a dear friend. A very capable woman has been elected to this prestigious post and she is going to bring great creativity, energy and commitment, and all the bright ideas she has for the betterment of the community. She has always been a great bridge between US and India since she came here at the age of 19. A proud moment for women." Amb. Hardeep Singh Puri, who repeatedly brought the house down with flashes of good natured humor, said, "Ravi is a great guy. Actually, his greatness is due to Ranju. Between the two of them... its like a flash of lightning-creative energy. A man of great heart, generous to a fault, but most of all an affectionate Indian. But, wait a minute; he is actually an American and that stands out the most. When he talks about democratic values, I think he is the best example of what the Indo-American community is here. Continued on page no 21...
(From left) Amb. Hardeep Singh Puri, Ranju Batra, Chandini Dayal, Consul General Amb. Prabhu Dayal, Assistant Secretary General to the UN Lakshmi Puri, Ravi Batra, and Krittika Biswas who led the Indian national anthem.
American National Anthem by Supreme Court Justices (Left to Right) Hon. Bruce Tolbert, Amb. Hardeep Puri, Hon. Elaine Slobod, Hon. Larry Knipel, Hon. Deborah Dowling, Hon. Martin Schneier, Hon. Ronald Zwibel, Hon. Barry Salman, Ravi Batra, and Hon. Harold Baer.
(L to R) Nimmi Mehta, Kamlesh Mehta, Ranju Batra, Pam Kwatra, Shobha Mandhyan, NYC Public Advocate Bill De Blasio, Ravi Batra and Kishore Mandhyan.
(L to R) AIA-NY newly elected committee and Past Presidents: Neena Sahani, Divya Shah, Bhagwati, Mistri, Usha Kapoor, Parveen Afridi, Beena Sabharwal, Harish Thakkar, Sunil Mehra, Sunil Modi, Bal K. Gilja, Gitanjali Anand, Animesh Goenka, Urmilesh Arya, Smiti Khanna, Ranju Batra, Arish Sahani, Sushma Kotahwala, Amb. Prabhu Dayal, Dr Shashi Shah, Chandini Dayal, Ravi Batra.
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Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano addressing the over 300-strong audience comprising prominent Indian Americans, mainly from Long Island.
The Chief Guest of the evening was Indias Consul General in New York, Ambassador Prabhu Dayal, who conferred some of the awards. President and CEO of Perfume Center of America; Dr. Vinod Jayam, Leading Cardiac Electro physiologist from St. Francis Hospital, Long Island; Mr. Shudh Parkash Singh, CEO of Jasuja Group of Companies and Vice President of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC), USA; and Dr. Kishore Kuncham, Superintendent of Freeport Public Schools. On the occasion IALI also presented a well laid out Souvenir highlighting its accomplishments during the year, a historical perspective of IALI, and best wishes to all honorees from their personal, community and professional friends. Another highlight of the event was Live Concert by Gita Setia of ITV Fame. The music kept the audience involved in floor dancing, folk songs and instrumental music. In his welcome address, Gobind Munjal underscored the cooperation and dedication of members of IALI executive council to make the event a huge success. He recognized each of the executive council members, IALI past presidents, and leaders from various other
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli addressing the audience after honoring Shudh Parkash Singh (in the background).
Hon. Ed Mangano and his wife Linda Mangano intently absorbing the evening's proceedings.
Honoree Shudh Parkash Singh in his acceptance speech praised the dedication of Dr. Rajesh K. Singh (middle), founder of Raj & Rajeshwari Foundation treating poor patients in India. Kamlesh Mehta, Dr Rajesh Singhs hotelier son, Harendra Singh, Mangano and Gobind Munjanl are also in the picture.
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Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano gave a citation to IALI President Gobind Munjal on the occasion while praising the contributions of Indian Americans in Long Island. organizations. He extended his congratulations to all honorees and thanked them for their support and being role models for our next generation. Honorees were happy to be there and expressed gratitude to IALI and its President, Gobind Munjal for honoring them and making their evening so special at an event very well organized and executed. Finally, Munjal was happy to state that IALI was successful in raising funds to the extent of about $60,000 in gross collections and about $32,000 in net surplus. The delicious dinner spread was catered by Copper Wok under the proprietorship of Ashok Kumar. Gobind Munjal acknowledged that Copper Wok had offered the entire evenings food as their contribution to IALI. IALI in turn gave $2,000 donation to Rotary Club Hicksville South for their humanitarian projects like heart surgeries.
RANA President Haridas Kotahwala, accompanied by his wife, Sharda Kotahwala, received the award from Indian Consul General, Amb. Prabhu Dayal, who was accompanied by his wife Chandini Dayal.
Dr Vinod Jayam, leading Cardiac Electro physiologist from St. Francis Hospital, receiving the award from Consul General Prabhu Dayal.
Prabhu Dayal, Kamlesh Mehta, Tom DiNapoli posing for a picture together.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano giving IALI award to Dr. Kishore Kuncham, Superintendent of Freeport Public Schools.
Kanak Golia, President and CEO of Perfume Center of America, with his wife and business partner Prabha Golia, receiving the award from Consul General Prabhu Dayal.
Gracious ladies at the glorious event: Mrs. Sukhmani Shudh Jasuja, Mrs. Ruby Harendra Singh, Mrs. Nimmi Kamlesh Mehta, Mrs. Linda Ed Mangano and Mrs. Bina Subhash Sabhapathy.
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Gita Setia of ITV Fame singer serenaded the audience after the awards ceremony
IALI President Gobidn Munjal with his wife Suman Munjal at IALIs main annual event.
Copper Wok of Hicksville catered and sponsored the extensive delicacies at IALI event fit for a royal dinner. IALI President Gobind Munjal, to reciprocate and on suggestion of Ashok Kumar of Copper Wok, presented a check of $2000 to Kamlesh Mehta, Charter President of Rotary Club Hicksville South, for Rotary humanitarian projects. Copper Wok is the leading Indian Fusion restaurant with nice ambiance in Hicksville, Long Island, and the venue of Rotary Club Hicksville South meetings every other Thursday since the club started in 2009. Copper Wok has lately emerged as a leading caterer at gala weddings and community events in all major hotels and party venues of Long Island. Seen in the photo Ashok Kumar, CEO & President of Copper Wok Restaurant & Cateres, with Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and his wife Linda Mangano, and Kamlesh Mehta and his wife Nimmi Mehta. Mangano gave a citation to honoree Kanak Golia, President and CEO of Perfume Center of America.
Honoree Haridas Kotahwala with his sister-in-law Sushama Kotahwala, immediate past president of Association of Indians in America (AIA-NY), at the event.
Honoree Shudh Parkash Singh and his family posing for a picture with the Manganos.
Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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The six Indians, part of a 22-member crew of Egyptian merchant vessel MV Suez, were released after ransom was paid for their freedom by the shipowners. they would reach their homes in a $2.1 million. Apart from the 11 few days. Egyptians, four Pakistanis and one The ransom reportedly totaled Sri Lankan, the Indians include two
The US-sponsored trade agreement replaced the 1965 transit trade agreement between the two countries. tries by reducing the costs and delays involved in transport from Afghanistan to world markets and across Afghanistan to markets in Central Asia and beyond". "The United States remains committed to assisting Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as their neighbors in expanding regional trade ties", he concluded.
Five CIA informants detained include a Pakistani army major who copied the license plates of cars visiting Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad. Washington: Pakistan's spy agency has arrested some Pakistani informants who fed information to the US Central Intelligence Agency before the raid on Osama bin Laden's hideout deep inside Pakistan, according to the New York Times. Five CIA informants detained by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) include a Pakistani army major, who the influential US daily citing American officials said copied the license plates of cars visiting bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, near Islamabad, in the weeks before the US raid, The fate of the CIA informants arrested is unclear, but American officials cited by the Times said that the CIA director, Leon E. Panetta, raised the issue when he travelled to Islamabad last week to meet with Pakistani military and intelligence officers. When he visited Pakistan, Panetta offered evidence of collusion between Pakistani security officials and the militants staging attacks in Afghanistan, the Times said. American officials cited by the daily said Panetta presented satellite photographs of two bomb-making factories that American spies several weeks ago had asked the ISI to raid. When Pakistani troops showed up days later, the militants were gone, causing American officials to question whether the militants had been warned by someone on the Pakistani side. Meanwhile, in a sign of the growing anger on Capitol Hill, Republican representative Mike Rogers, who leads the House Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday that he believed elements of the ISI and the military had helped protect bin Laden, the Times said. Rogers, who met with senior security officials in Pakistan last week, as cited by the Times said he had no evidence that senior Pakistani military or civilian leaders were complicit in sheltering bin Laden. He did not offer any proof to support his assertion, saying only his accusation was based on "information that I've seen," it said.a
Sri Lankan Tamils. Tamilians want is to see that the Sri Lankan Tamils who are still in camps are allowed to return where they lived earlier. "And they are allowed to lead lives of dignity with equal rights on par with the Sinhalese." Jayalalithaa said she had gone to the Supreme Court challenging the Indian decision to cede Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka without the concurrence of the Indian parliament.
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International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
"The Sudanese people have come too far, and sacrificed too much, to see their dreams of a better future slip from their grasp," US President Barack Obama said. that has seen more than 1,500 people killed in south Sudan since a largely peaceful
German Chancellor Angela Merkel tection to domestic workers. She said "social partnership" between German employers and employees enabled the country to overcome the grave economic crisis in 2009. "This is an area that has been very much in the shadow of official employment. It's so important that stan-
Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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The abandoned Tata motors plant in Singur village in West Bengal. Trinamool Congress's poll promise to return 400 acres to the farmers NYC Comptroller John Liu said, "We are here at India House...with so many community leaders...to watch the inauguration of an incredible leader, Ranju Batra, who has helped the community in so many different ways. I consider her my partner from my days at the New York City Council and now as Comptroller in organizing events and important legislation that affects the IndianAmerican community." DeputyPermanent Representative Manjeev Puri said, "Ranju, this is a wonderful recognition of your achievements. You and Ravi are sterling members of the community. You make us very proud." Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins said, "I congratulate Ranju and all the officers. On behalf of 950,000 residents of Westchester, the home to the Batras, I know personally the achievements the IndianAmerican community have made...and our communities are greatly enhanced by their contributions." Ranju Batra thanked the speakers individually and their societal contributions, and said, "Now, let me share a few thoughts about the direction I will take. A group is only as strong as the people that it is composed of, and looking around this room, I am confident of the progress that we will achieve. The common goal of promoting who were unwilling to sell it. Alleging that the government had our culture, family values and honor is a major part of why we are all here together. I want to open AIA to young people who will be the leaders of tomorrow, but who will remember our core tradition of responsibility to family and society." She continued, "I am proud of Smiti Khanna for starting AIAs flagship program of Diwali at the South Street Seaport. This year, it is on October 2, which happens to be Mahatma Gandhis birthday. I hope to see you all there. Many thanks to all of our sponsors, members of the media, and our friends who are here. Your continued support is vital as we move to new heights." Ravi Batra said, "She is very independent, very, very hardworking; sometimes over my objection. I know she has put her heart and soul into AIA and she will do a great job." AIA executive committee member Divya Shah said, "My warm welcome to all of you on behalf of AIA, which was established 44 years ago. Ranju has been actively involved in AIA and held many important positions, including the very demanding one, Cultural Chair." Sudhir Vaishnav, CEO of Globsat Entertainment, said, "We are proud to support Ranju Batra, the incoming president. We have been supporting AIA for past 6 years, and personally I have been involved with it since 1976. We pledge our full support
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Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Andre Russel's positive approach and clean hitting helped West Indies put up a comfortable score in the third ODI against India. petitive 249 for eight in 50 overs. The visitors, chasing their highest total of the series, got off to a bright start but lost wickets at regular intervals to allow West Indies to take the charge. India were reduced to 41/2
after Manoj Tiwary (2) was caught in the second over off the West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, who then took a superb return catch in the 10th over to dismiss Parthiv Patel for 26. The World Champions, however, were progressing untroubled, but Subramanian Badrinath was caught behind for 12 in the 17th over to trigger a collapse. India lost four wickets for 62 between the 21st and the 31st over, including that of Rohit, who was caught at deep midwicket off Martin. For West Indies, it was Pollard and Simmons who pulled them out from another middle-order collapse at the Vivian Richards Stadium. Put in, West Indies were teetering at 89 for four, but Simmons and Pollard played intelligently and a late charge by
wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh (39) and Russell (25) gave the hosts their best total of the season. The West Indies batsmen were made to work hard by medium pacer Praveen Kumar (3/37) and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (2/56), who between them bowled six maidens. Comeback man Ishant Sharma started impressively by dismissing Danza Hyatt (1) in the second over but went on to concede 60 runs from his 10 overs. Hyatt's wicket triggered a collapse and West Indies were 103 for five in the 27th over. Pollard and Baugh then did the repair work with their 96-run stand for the sixth wicket. Pollard was impressive with his shot selection and all his big hits were down the ground.
Montreal: Force India failed to earn points from the rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix as Paul Di Resta finished 18th while Adrian Sutil failed to complete the race. Starting from the 11th position on the grid, Di Resta finished a disappointing 18th. The start of the race was delayed by two hours due to torrential rain. When the race resumed, Paul and Adrian raced hard but were unable to convert their strong strategies into points finishes. Di Resta blamed the bad weather for a poor race. "The weather conditions were very bad today and given the intensity of the rain it was absolutely the right decision to stop the race. There were a lot of rivers running across the
track and they were catching people out, even under safety car conditions," said Di Resta. The driver said that after the restart things were going well until he lost his front wing against Nick Heidfeld at the chicane when he cut across Di Resta. Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal, said the circumstances didn't go his team's way. "Both drivers picked up damage to their front wings, without which I am confident we could have come away with a double-points finish because the strategic calls from the pit wall were very good today. We will now go away and analyse our approach to the race so that we can come back stronger in Valencia," he said.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi. board stripped him of captaincy for last month's twomatch One-day International series against Ireland. Ten days later, Afridi took a swipe at the Board accusing it of ill-treatment and announced that he is retiring from international cricket. It's not clear whether Afridi will make himself available for national duty but it does seem certain that he will be featuring in the remaining Friends Pro-t20 matches for Hampshire.
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Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info
he UPA has dispatched Ramdev to his ashram. The police action at the Ramlila Maidan was insupportable and the BJP has now gained a cause celebre. The RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have fully supported Ramdev from the start. On Twitter, anyone critical of Ramdev is being dubbed a Congress agent by Sangh parivar activists. The Ramdev phenomenon and, to some extent, the Anna Hazare campaign are part of Indias right-wing nationalist revolution. It is right-wing because it is based on national pride and individual entitlement. It is a movement of the middle and lower middle class buoyed up by 9% growth that now seeks a responsive, overtly honest government and a hard State. This revolution is closely linked to a Hindu consolidation spreading through society. Perhaps as a backlash to globalization, urban religiosity and Bharatiya sanskriti have become fashionable; faith in gurus is growing and it cuts across classes. Ramdev jumps from colas to homosexuality to black money in his choice of enemies, yet his devo-
Today, its Ramdev and Anna. Tomorrow, a new peoples messiah might emerge from the wings.
tees faith remains constant. Notwithstanding the BJPs crushing electoral defeats, the Hindu nationalist consolidation is gathering tremendous cultural momentum, much of which feeds into the anti-corruption campaigns. The Ram janmabhoomi movement is back, in a new sophisticated avatar. The revolution has its virtues and dangers. Its virtues are, rst, that it is based on an engaged sense of desi cultural pride. Second, it is forcing a debate where none existed on issues like corruption and black money. But the danger of the Hindu revolution is that it may over-
throw liberal constitutional values and revive street justice, of which Ramdevs prescription of death penalty for economic offences is one example and shoe throwing is another. It is also a revolution that is being played outside formal politics, at least for now. Govindacharya, one of the organizers of Ramdevs movement, has been openly critical of the BJP leadership. Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj are ghting a battle in Parliament, not at the Ramlila Maidan. But just as the Ram mandir agitation was begun by the VHP and later used by the BJP to come to power, there are those within the
Sangh who are eyeing a similar opportunity to piggyback on an anti-corruption movement being built at the grassroots by Hindu outts. Next years elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand will be a test of whether the BJP can convert Hindu consolidation into electoral victory. War against corruption is led by people of many hues, but it is also the Hindu revolutions catchall device to rally new support to the cause. Many protests are contained within the umbrella: protest against an overly westernized elite class, protest against antinational intellectuals embodied in the persona of Binayak Sen and protest, at its very root, against rule by the foreign-born Sonia Gandhi. No surprise therefore that Ramdev brought up Gandhis foreign-ness again. Hatred of Sonia Gandhi and the Congress dynasty is the leitmotif and spur of the Hindu revolution, the reason why large numbers of middle class folk are lining up behind the Hindu revolution. Analysts have pointed to right-wing consolidation in the lower judiciary, gauged from the judgments on the Babri masjid title suit as well as from judgments on Bi-
nayak Sen, both criticized by the apex court. The saffron think tank Vivekananda Foundation consists of many public gures. Already, the BJP is asking why Syed Ali Shah Geelanis seminar did not get the same treatment as Ramdevs protest. A court in Muzaffarpur has registered a case of sedition against Digvijaya Singh for his views on the yoga guru. The rst Hindu revolution begun in the 1980s by the VHP, based on a desire to restore Hindu pride by building a Ram mandir in Ayodhya. Hindu rage at the Rajiv Gandhi governments minority appeasement in the Shah Bano case added to the momentum. The movement acquired a mass character through LK Advanis rath yatras. UPA 2 needs to recognize the society it is confronting, start delivering on its anti-corruption campaign promises and look and act like a 24 x 7 government. Else, bit by bit its, authority will be chipped away. Today, its Ramdev and Anna. Tomorrow, a new peoples messiah might emerge from the wings. (Sagarika Ghose is deputy editor, CNN-IBN. The views expressed by the author are personal)
shoe-thrower; a swami who wants to raise a private army; a national debate over whether dancing is decorous and a government that went from supplication to abrupt skepticism all in the span of a week. It would actually have been rip-roaringly funny, were it not all woefully true. But sadly, this is the new India Story, one that has swiftly replaced self-condence with self-loathing. Oh yes, the circus has come to town. It has plenty of clowns, acrobatics, tight-rope walking, the juggling of balls, re-eaters and indeed a few lions too. But what it's sorely missing is a Ring Master. India's democracy has never been in such serious danger of being undermined and trivialized. But an inadequate, inconsistent response from the UPA one that has swerved from silence to surrender and from paralysis to panic has created the distinct impression of no one being in charge. It's stuff made for satire. Remember Alice's conversation with the Cheshire Cat? Lewis Caroll wrote in 19th century England, but in the Blunder-land that is today's India, his words would be just as apt. "What sort of people live about here?" Alice had asked the Cat. "In that direction," the Cat said, waving its right paw round, "lives a Hatter: and in that
As we slip-slide into a self-created chaos, Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi must break down the walls of silence around them and talk to the people who elected them. direction," waving the other paw, "lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they're both mad." "But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." As a strange kind of madness takes control of the political discourse, the eventual responsibility for this turmoil must lie squarely at the UPA's doorstep. Nature, as they say, abhors a vacuum. And as the government steadily abdicated its own authority, the space for alternative non-political voices rapidly ex-
panded. The silence at the very top in an age of hyper-communication has only compounded the crisis. People expect signs of visible leadership from those who govern them. Even the Victorians restricted the proverbial wisdom of only being seen and not heard to children. In these globalized, inter-connected times when the White House in on Twitter and it is not uncommon for world leaders to talk directly to their constituents online, the opaqueness that surrounds our netas is anachronistic and exasperating. As we slip-slide into a self-created chaos, Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi must break down the walls of silence around them and talk to the people who elected them. Political leadership demands a certain amount of emotional intimacy along with assertiveness. Thus far, we are missing signs of both. For how long will the party and the government regard themselves as separate entities? In the minds of the people, that is a technical difference, the re-iteration of which only adds to a perception of drift. India needs its sense of self back. Else, we can get ready for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. And it doesn't promise to be fun. (Barkha Dutt is Group Editor, English News, NDTV. The views expressed by the author are personal.)
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
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Vedanta Resources is buying Cairn India, which is producing oil in Rajasthan. An Indian government panel has recommended conditional approval for the $6.9 billion deal, saying the two must agree to treating royalty on mainstay Rajasthan block as cost recoverable, and agree to paying cess.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dedicating the Mangala Oil Field to the nation at Barmer, Rajasthan, in 2009, in the presence of (from right) Chairman, Cairn India, Sir Bill Gammell; Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. meet, London-listed mining group Vedanta Resources said it has raised $ 1.65 billion (Rs 7,425 crore) through private placement of bonds to part-finance its $9.4 billion acquisition of Cairn India. Rajasthan crude is now transported to a number of refineries in India by the worlds longest continuously heated and insulated pipeline. This infrastructure is strategically important as all the remaining fields and discoveries can be quickly connected to the market. The first phase of the Rajasthan development including three processing trains, multiple well pads and the pipeline infrastructure is complete. The operations have achieved high global standards of efficiency with more than 98% uptime. Bhagyam field, the second largest find in Rajasthan, is likely to start production in October and will reach plateau production of 40,000 barrels per day by the calendar year-end. Further, Aishwariya field will produce 10,000 barrels per day sometime in second half of 2012 calendar year and together with Mangala output and and 40,000 barrels per day of Bhagyan, total output from Rajasthan would be 200,000 barrels per day (10 million tonnes a year), said Rahul Dhir, MD and CEO of Cairn India.
A woman engineer at Cairn work site, and (right) Parul Singh pipeline between Barmer and Salaya (Gujarat). My profile seemed to be very challenging initially, but gradually with time and my seniors support, I learnt my work and took advantage of working in male dominant Oil and Gas sector, making myself stronger and adaptable to any surrounding, said Divyakshi. Parul Singh, another member of the team says, Every day passing by my determination to continue in this male dominating field grew stronger & stronger. Now with very ease not only I am able to perform my job efficiently but also with confidence. Swati Mahawar, a Chemical Engineer from NIT, Jaipur is working at Cairn India as a Production Engineer. With cooperation and progressive nature of people here around I find it very easy to work here as compared to other male dominated field. This type of environment also inspires women to enter into other male dominated field which is a very big milestone in making women independent and to lead a happy and respectable life, she said.
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fter rumors about the Academy planning to sue him for $50,000 million, Ismail Darbar, who had accused AR Rahman of having bought the Oscar awards, says he is ready to apologise. The musician had indicted Rahman, who received two Oscars in 2008 Best Original Score and Best Original Song for his music in Slumdog Millionaire, of having paid for them. Following this, there was scuttlebutt that The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences might sue him for insinuating that the awards can be bought.
Darbar now says he has nothing ments, I apologize to them." Darbar says he is not saying against the Oscars and that he just wanted to warn his 'friend' this out of fear of anyone, but Rahman for churning out inferior God. "I am not scared. The truth quality music since last one year. is, I realize that those people who Darbar says, "I am grateful that respected me for my work, might I have been respected in the misunderstand me and think I am industry for my work. I did say baddimaag (arrogant person). some things about Rahman, Also, the fact is, I can have nothbecause as a friend I want to jolt ing against the Oscar panel or him out of his reverie and start those behind the awards. My giving good music. I chose a pub- issue was with Rahman and I lic platform to do it, because he guess he's got the message by wouldn't listen to me otherwise. I now," he said. have nothing against the Oscars. It is the most respected award, Music director Ismail Darbar had the whole world acknowledges it, indicted AR Rahman of having and I do, too. If any of them paid for Oscars. (Academy) are hurt by my com-
TV host Simi Garewal. never felt there was an age or generational factor and I don't think my guests feel that either," said the confident lady whose charisma can still make many new actresses look pale. "It's very important for a host of a show to be experienced. It is only with experience that you can deal with all age groups. If I was 17, I don't think I would have been able to deal with all these celebrities, handle them and bring out the best in them. It is only with experience and maturity that you can do that," she said.
Rajnikanth. pushed it back by a few months. Rajni sir is fine, but his health is of paramount importance, he added.
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Actor Kalki in a scene from Shaitan. reported) from the uppercrust dis- plays a flair for unleashing an
energy that leaves us breathless with anticipation. It's tough to keep up with the film's unbridled zest for momentum. From the opening montage showing poignant scenes from Kalki's childhood with her troubled mother to the dying moments when the five protagonists are rendered either dead or damned or both, this work of pop-art just sweeps you into its furious folds of angst and anxiety. Nambiar gets terrific support from his cinematographer (R. Madhi) and editor (Sreekar Prasad) in creating a world that is cinematic and dramatic and yet real enough. Comparing Nambiar's style of storytelling to Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie or Nambiar's mentor Mani
Ratnam or Anurag Kashyap would be as self-defeating as comparing "Shaitan" to the other recent films on the young and the doomed. Nambiar creates his own world where the quirky and collapsible are constantly jostling for attention. The narrative is looselimbed, yet never flabby or selfindulgent. The film exudes the unbridled energy of a rock song but doesn't forget to include a melodic underbelly in its compositional range. The madly idealistic cop's (Rajeev Khandelwal) disintegrating marriage to a woman (Sheetal Menon) who just won't talk remarkably creates a space for itself in the stifling bustle of this film's main action.
Actor Karisma Kapoor. who is stunning and talented." Karisma, whose last screen appearance was in Suneel Darshan's Mere Jeevan Saathi in 2002, has been in search of the right role to return to cinema with.
Sarah Jane and cricketer Virat Kohli. of hearts, they weren't serious about that it wouldn't last," a source close it. So people close to them knew to the stars told Mumbai Mirror.
through his own teenage crisis with bullies in school, rebels against his father who decides to 'sort him out'. To do that, he takes him to live with his first family in Pakistan which he has abandoned for 35 years now. Things get tangled up with his first wife, and when Khan does not return after his stipulated month, his British wife lands up, leading to a clash of civilizations and temperaments. Khan's character is an epitome of the problems displaced people face. His is a character you will find in every town and city of the world. He refuses to believe that his roots have been severed from his beloved Pakistan, and not
only tries to cling to it, but also tries to force it upon his kids. The result is a clash of ideologies and through it cultures and civilizations. There are perhaps no two places poles apart than Britain and a village in Pakistan. And it is this space, that "West is West" navigates well. The casting is flawless. Om Puri reprises his role as a devout Muslim patriarch, though he is sobered down in this version. Aqib Khan as Sajid, Ila Arun and Linda Bassett are good too. Shot in Britain and a village near Chandigarh, the film, despite its flaws, is still a much better fare than most Hollywood releases in India, making it a must watch.
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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info
My wife, Malathi, doesnt like flies either. Then again, she has never been too fond of uninvited guests who head straight for her food. Especially when they dont have the decency to wash up. If I were a hardcore camper, I wouldnt complain about the insects. Id just catch them and have them for dinner. You cant be picky about what you eat when youre a real camper. Real campers realize that its better to eat an insect than have an insect eat you. Not that I know anything about eating insects. Ive just read the
book Camping for Idiots, which includes this important tip: In order to get your recommended daily allowance of protein while camping, you must get used to the idea of sleeping with your mouth open. The closest Ive come to camping was staying in a cabin near a Minnesota lake. I spent a few days there with my wife and kids and a dozen flies. We just opened the door and they flew right in, as though they had rented the place themselves and were waiting outside for someone to let them in. Fly: Its about time they opened the door! We spent half our lives waiting. Second fly: Im hungry! Does anyone know where they keep the trash can? We were staying in a cabin, but in some ways, we were really roughing it. We had to endure some extreme conditions. For example, our cable had only 40 channels. And we didnt have a DVD player. Talk about a primitive existence! The cabin did have an oven and microwave, but to get the camping experience, we didnt do all our cooking there. Malathi started a fire outside, and I wore a loincloth and headed to the woods to hunt for
boar. Actually, we picked up some meat and veggies at a nearby grocery store. Malathi cut them in pieces, put them on skewers, and
roasted them in the fire. For at least an hour, we felt like real campers. Then we went inside and ordered pizza.
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.
Tech Life
Dixit, Head of the Department at the MGMMG Community Medicine, said. "Nearly 47 per cent females and 39 per cent males accepted that their text messaging habit hit their daily routine in some way. Around 60 per cent youths feel that the habit was even affecting their studies," he said adding that 40 per cent females and 45 per
Astrology
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Suppose someone abused us and we could patiently bear it, without losing our equanimity, wish them well, and move on our merry way, retaining our peace and calm. Wouldnt that be true joy?
When we identify and respond from the level of the soul, we are safe and protected. No words or abuse from anyone can harm the soul. When we take refuge in the soul, we can remain unaffected by the moods and idiosyncrasies of others. We can maintain our center of peace and tranquility. Then, no matter what others do or say to us, we can maintain our state of calm and happiness. This is true joy. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, an international spiritual leader and Master of meditation, affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions, emphasizing prayer and meditation as building blocks for achieving peace.www.jyotimeditation.org
Jessica Long, a 16 year old swimmer with 15 world records, 3 Paralympic gold medals and 9 World Championship gold medals. Her legs were amputated when she was 18 months old. who have a terminal illness. Among these our soul from the body so we can discover we find people who learn to live life to its who we really are. fullest even with these challenges. Like the Many of us own cars. At times the car college student in the story, they do not let breaks down and goes into an auto repair the problems of their physical body affect shop. While we may be inconvenienced for their heart or their soul. a while by having to rent a car or by needWe are soul. Our true self is spirit. ing a family member or friend to drive us The body is but a covering over the soul. around, we do not feel as though our life is Spirituality is a process of discovering our over. We realize the car is but a vehicle by true self within. which our physical body can get around. Meditation and prayer help us to separate Similarly, the body is but a vehicle for our
soul. At times it may break down. But it does not need to affect our soul. We can learn to keep our spirits high. We can make the best of life, whether we have a broken vehicle or not. At some point in our lives, our body will show signs of aging. Although the Genome Project is trying to uncover the gene responsible for aging, and a day may come when more people live well beyond a hundred years, there will come a time when our body does not function as well as it did when we were younger. But we should not let that deter us. There are many people who suffer ill health in their aging years, but do not let that stop them from finding peace in their soul. Similarly, we can make the best use of our life no matter what our physical challenges. By spending time in communion with God and drinking of Gods love, we can spread love to all we meet. We can do that no matter what our physical circumstance. If we are at home due to a sickness, we can still bring love into the lives of the family members who are caring for us. After all, it is but our physical vesture that is ill; our soul is always in the best of health. If we live like the college student in the story, we will not let our physical challenges affect our heart and soul. An optimistic, positive attitude will help us overcome the challenges and we can bring joy into our life and the lives of others. For more visit www.sos.org.