Vol 5 Issue 45 - March 2-8, 2013

The South Asian Times
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New Delhi/Washington: India Inc Thursday welcomed Budget 201314 as a laudable effort to kickstart the next cycle of investment while addressing inclusive and sustained development. Corporate America too welcomed India's new budget as fundamentally sound with "some corrective steps necessary to revitalize investor enthusiasm, spur growth, and tame government spending". "The budget meets most of our concerns regarding fiscal consolidation, investment incentives and inclusive growth," said Adi Godrej, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Fiscal deficit has been kept
India Inc, Corporate America welcome IS THE SEQUESTER India's growth-spurring budget DIRE FOR ECONOMY
below the target at 5.2 percent for 2012-13, and has been pegged at 4.8 percent for 2013-14. The CII particularly welcomed the emphasis on inclusive growth and development, with Plan expenditure raised almost 30 percent and inflationary pressures from the supply side sought to be depressed. "This would encourage further monetary steps to lower interest rates which would spark investments," Godrej added. "Investment allowance of 15 percent in plant and machinery was a key recommendation from CII and should incentivize corporates to undertake new projects," said CII. Continued on page 4
OR WHITE HOUSE CRYING WOLF?
P. Chidambaram before presenting the budget
Hagel committed to India-US strategic partnership: Pentagon

By Arun Kumar Washington: As Chuck Hagel took over as Barack Obama's new defense secretary amid a controversy over his comments on India's role in Afghanistan, Pentagon said that Hagel will work to strengthen ties to India. Hagel's strong commitment to fostering a close defense relationship was reported Wednesday by Washington Free Beacon, the rightwing online newspaper that had disclosed a video-recording of a speech Hagel made in 2011 about Indian aid to Afghanistan. "Secretary Hagel is strongly committed to the US strategic partnership with India and to fostering an even closer defense relationship with India that builds upon the work of Secretary (Leon) Panetta, Continued on page 4
Any time theres talk of reducing spending, the hysteria over how apocalyptic the consequences will be kicks in when Washington politicians are on camera.
The new Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel
Washington: The U.S. Senate failed to pass both Republican and Democratic alternatives Thursday to head off across-theboard spending cuts known as sequester, nearly guaranteeing Washington will blow past a
Miss India USA crowned

riyam Bhargava, a law student at George Washington University, won the crown of Miss India USA 2013 at a beauty pageant held in New Jersey Feb. 24. Organized by the India Festival Committee of New York City, Bhargava (center) will now go on to represent the United States at the Miss India Worldwide 2013 pageant to be held April 27 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Krithika was declared 1st runner up and Jasmine 2nd runner up.
As the chart above shows, the amount of money at issue is modestat least in federal budget terms. The blue bars represent Congressional Budget Offices total spending projections for 2013. The red bars (if you can even see them) represent the cuts as a result of the sequester.
Friday deadline to avoid or replace $85 billion in cuts that is said to threaten economic growth, military readiness and jobs. But for all the partisan noise about these automatic spending cuts, it is important to keep in mind that they are relatively small in the larger picture of the entire federal budget. For example, 2013 defense spending would be cut by about $43 billion, or roughly 7 percent. Non-defense discretionary spendingthe money for foreign aid and most federal agencies would be cut about $29 billion, or roughly 5 percent. Mandatory spending would be cut by $13.9 billion off a base of more than $2 trillion, or 0.7 percent. But yes, the cuts are bad timing. With the economy still struggling to find its footing, even modest fiscal austerity seems myopic at best. Continued on page 4
Diplomacy 15
Travel 18
Sports 26
Spiritual Awareness 30
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March 2-8, 2013
Sunil Modi is new president of Britains hat-tip towards honest history Association of Indians in America NY
New York: On Sunday, March 3 Swarn Gupta, MD, Sudeep Jay the new president of Association Modi, Tarun Wasil, MD, Sumit of Indians in America (AIA)s Arora, Ami Bhagat, BDS, Neeta New York chapter, for the current Jain, Rajiv Kedia & Beenu term was inaugurated at Diwan Sabharwal. in Port Washington, Long Island. AIA is the oldest association of Sunil Modi, who has been an the Indians in America. The active executive member, ViceAssociation was founded on President as well as the August 20, 1967. The New York Deepavali Festival chair for the Chapter of AIA was established Sunil Modi past few years will be overlookin 1968 and is well known for its ing the presidential duties for the 2013-14 social, cultural and educational activities. term. National President Ghanshyam AIA-NY Chapter is a non-profit organiPandey specially flew in from Chicago to zation which is involved in many commuattend this event. 2011-2012 President of nity, charitable and social events that the New York Chapter, Ranju Batra was embody the spirit of its members and its felicitated for her great work and commu- motto, "Indian Heritage and American nity service for past 30 years and especially commitment." The NY chapter has memduring her presidency during the past 2 bers from all over the tri-state region. It years. prides itself on being completely secular The Vice-Presidents for the new execu- and open, with members representing all tive board are Sunil Mehra, MD, Harish regions and religions of India, as well as of Thakkar, Sham Gajwani & Divya Shah. varied professions, backgrounds and occuThe Secretary is Avinash Suri. The pations. For the last three decades, the Treasurer position is handled by Dr. Bal mainstay event of the organization is the Gilja, MD. Members at Large is comprised hugely popular Deepavali Festival, held at of Asmita Bhatia, Gitanjali Anand., Neelam the South Street Seaport in New York City, Modi, Pushpa Shah, Indu Gajwani, Swati organized on the first Sunday of October. Vaishnav, Neena Sahani, Divya Tandon, , This Deepavali festival is the most promiUsha Kapoor, Abhijay Goenka, Govind nent and one of the most well-known festiMunjal, Jyoti Gupta, Urmila Shivram, MD, vals of the Indian community. New York: On his recent visit to India David Cameron became the first serving British prime minister to voice regret the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, one of the bloodiest episodes in colonial India, in the city of Amritsar in 1919. Cameron's visit and expression of regret for what happened stopped short of an apology - but made it clear he considers the episode a stain on Britain's past. Ravi Batra, Chair, National Advisory Council on South Asian in a press statement says, PM Cameron's admission of colonial shame, while short of an apology orreparations to the heirs of those slaughtered, is welcome by all who insist that history must be honest and not a tool of added insult to those who were victimsof past crimes, "monstrous" or otherwise. The rule of law abandoned "trial by combat" in favor of "trial by jury," so thatright, not might, prevail. In a social media-connected world the "governed"require of their respective governments to be "for the people," and everygovernment is charged, if it is to survive, to strip away false denials of pastmisconduct and help history become honest. That core issue, honest history, is a postulatic foundation to the rule of law, mutual respect in the comity of nations and "...to form a more perfect world." In Asia alone, we see the continuing damage of dishonest history from the "disputed islands" between Japan and China, uncompensated
A cartoon published by The Economist after British Prime Minister David Camerons visit to India. Media noted that he used all the negotiation skills in his arsenal to build camaraderie with Indian authorities.
"Korean Comfort Women," Tibet, Kashmir, and the list goes on. I salute PM Cameron's genuine remorse on behalf of a nation, as he seeks to have the sun re-shine on the British isles. Finally, I have felt that the "strategic partnership" between our nation and India needed to be re-calibrated up to a "special relationship." I'm jealous that PM Cameron has announced his intentions to do so before we, the United States do, and accordingly I call upon Secretary of State John Kerry, whose legacy has added greatness waiting to be recorded in history as he seeks to re-engage the Middle East peace process, to cause a "special relationship" between the United States and the Sub-Continent."
Vermaland Legacy Trust donates $1.2 m. to help poor students

Phoenix, AZ: Verma Legacy Trust, a subsidiary of Phoenix-based Vermaland LLC has donated $1.2 million through its newly-formed Verma Charitable Foundation to establish scholarships for underprivileged students, as well as to build a religious retreat center. The retreat center will include yoga and meditation, to promote a healthy and balanced life style. Kuldip Verma and Binu Verma are trustees of the Verma Legacy Trust. Their daughters, Anita Verma -Lallian and Jennifer Verma established the Verma Charitable Foundation in honor of their parents. Jennifer had the initial idea in business school as she was studying the charitable efforts of other large companies. The Verma Charitable Foundation is the product of Vermalands ongoing commitment to helping the community in as many ways as possible, said Verma. Jennifer Verma holds a Masters degree in Urban Planning and a Masters in Business Administration, which she earned with honors from the University of Southern California. Anita Verma-Lallian holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and is the director of marketing for Vermaland. With this donation, Anita and Jennifer continue their familys charitable tradition and companys reputation for community involvement. Kuldip Verma founded Vermaland in 2004. He holds a Bachelor s degree in Mechanical Engineering as well as a Masters in Industrial Engineering. Verma is also the recipient of the Udyog Raltana Award in Electronics, which is the highest award given by the Indian Vice President.
Saavn among Americas top 100 most promising companies

New York: Indian American owned website www.saavn.com which streams Indian music was selected by the prestigious Forbes magazine in his list of 100 most promising companies. Saavn was ranked number 90 in the list. CEO Vinodh Bhat previously founded two companies, including Sportsvite, a website for managing athletic teams and leagues. Saavn, founded in 2006 has raised $16 million from Tiger Global Management and angel investors. It employs 55 and founders include Paramdeep Singh, Rishi Malhotra and Anurag Gupta apart from Bhat. Headquartered in New York, the companys revenue stands at $3 million as of Feb 2013.
Mr Nagendra Veloor Gupta (right, seen with his wife Mrs Vijje Gupta) received the Top Financial Professional of 2012 award at Forest Hills Financial Group from the company President, Nat Perlmutter Thursday at Garden City Hotel, Long Island.
March 2-8, 2013
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Sequester story Continued from page 1 The sequester will neither solve the deficit problem nor help government work smarter. Instead, it will indiscriminately damage good programs and bad. The president and congressional leaders will make a final attempt at a pre-deadline compromise at a White House meeting Friday morning, but top lawmakers conceded the prospects were dim for a deal in the short-term. Is the sequester just a White House bogeyman. Republican lawmakers, while acknowledging the whole situation is far from ideal, have increasingly come to the conclusion that the automatic spending cuts are no big deal. "Most of the nation will wake up Friday morning and yawn," Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., said. "It's absurd to think that the government cannot get by with a little more than a 2 percent reduction in spending when every working American had to figure out how to make do with 2 percent less in their paychecks just last month," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday, referring to the recent expiration of a payroll tax cut for millions of Americans. Indian budget reactions story Continued from page 1 The CII, however, felt that for the oil and gas sector, the shift from cost recovery to revenue sharing announced by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram is of concern as it could hamper exploration in remote areas. FICCI instead welcomed the proposal to move from profit sharing to revenue sharing for exploration projects as this would do away the ambiguity in calculation of cost recovery and approval of capital expenditure incurred by companies before sharing profit petroleum with
the government. On its part, the US-India Business Council (USIBC), representing 350 global companies investing in India and a score top Indian corporates, gave high marks to the finance minister for steps being taken to consolidate India's fiscal position. "The government of India recognizes that a growth rate of 5 percent will not run its economic engine fast enough to create the jobs necessary to put India's young population to work," USIBC President Ron Somers said. Recognizing this, Chidambaram "has taken some corrective steps necessary to revitalize investor enthusiasm, spur growth, and tame government spending", Somers said. Applauding the government's plan to accelerate public sector divestment as a move that will stimulate greater efficiencies and productivity, USIBC repeated its call for increased liberalization in the insurance, pensions, defense, and retail sectors. These actions will attract capital and technology to India, it said, pressing "for market-based incentives for India to realize its manufacturing goals" rather than the government resorting to out-dated "command-control" policies or mandates to require companies to manufacture locally. USIBC also reiterated its commitment to support India in its $1 trillion build-out of infrastructure, which will generate jobs and opportunities for both Indian and American companies, but said "in this, the private sector must play a leading role". On the tax front, USIBC welcomed the clarity now emerging by India's adoption of the "Shome Committee recommendations, which stipulate clear guidelines defining legitimate tax planning for domestic and foreign investors". USIBC also emphasized that "while policy direction on foreign company taxation is important, the litmus test for investors will be how such taxes are enforced and collected in a fair, consistent manner." Chuck Hagel story Continued from page 1 Deputy Secretary (Ashton) Carter, and their Indian counterparts," Free Beacon quoted Pentagon spokesperson George Little as saying. "Secretary Hagel looks forward to working closely with Indian national security and defense officials," Little told the newspaper that had dug out the controversial comments during Hagel's contentious confirmation hearings with his former Republicans attacking him for his positions on Israel and Iran. In his previously unreleased 2011speech, Hagel had said: "India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a second front, and India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border. "And you can carry that into many dimensions, the point being (that) the tense, fragmented relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been there for many, many years." The remarks raised a furor in New Delhi. However, in a calibrated response to the Free Beacon, the India Embassy said that Hagel's 2011 remarks were not grounded in "reality." "Such comments attributed to Sen. Hagel, who has been a long-standing friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations, are contrary to the reality of India's unbounded dedication to the welfare of the Afghan people," the embassy spokesperson said in an email to the newspaper. The former Republican senator from Nebraska, who won two Purple Hearts for his bravery as a soldier during the Vietnam War, was also accused of being critical of Israel and weak on Iran's alleged nuclear weapon ambitions.
Eight Indians among Forbes Asia's 50 top businesswomen
Hotelier Priya Paul
Media baroness Shobhana Bhartia
Washington: Eight Indian women, including media baroness Shobhana Bhartia, hotelier Priya Paul and banker Chanda Kochchar, figure among Forbes Asia's list of 50 businesswomen in Asia who are performing at the center stage in the world's most dynamic region. The 50 women were chosen for being particularly active in their areas of business in spite of challenging economic headwinds, the US business magazine said noting most of these women produced higher profits amid a slowdown in China, a weak US recovery and concerns over Europe's currency union. The list includes Priya Paul, an Indian hotelier who took over
after her father was assassinated and introduced a new line of hip boutique inns. Other Indians on the list are Shobhana Bhartia, 56, Chairman and Editorial Director HT Media; Chanda Kochhar, 51, MD & CEO ICICI Bank; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, 59, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director Biocon India; Chitra Ramkrishna, 49, Joint Managing Director, National Stock Exchange; Renuka Ramnath, 51, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Multiples Alternate Asset Management India; Preetha Reddy, 55, Group Managing Director Apollo Hospitals; and Shikha Sharma, 54, CEO and Managing Director Axis Bank, India.
Correction
The revenue of the Robin Raina Foundation was erroneously mentioned asExpenses/Contributions in the interview which was published in our NewYear special edition featuring Mr Robin Raina as The Manof The Year of The South Asian Times.
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Padma Shri Prof. Deepak Phatak honored by IIT Bombay alumni

New York, NY: About 50 alumni of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, met on Friday, February 1, 2013 at a Manhattan restaurant to felicitate and honor Prof. Deepak Phatak upon whom was conferred the Padma Shree award for 2013 for fostering science and engineering by the President of India. Prof. Phatak is the Subrao Nilekani Chair Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Prof. Phatak regaled the audience, some of them contemporaries of his from his graduate student days at IITB with his recent experiences heading the Aakash tablet computer project, including demonstrations of Aakash remotely controlling a tabletop robot. The initiative that resonated the most with the alumni was the Center for Distance Engineering Education. This National Mission interactive distance learning initiative, pioneered by Prof. Phatak, has already trained 20,000 teachers in core engineering subjects, and is well on its way to training a total of 150,000 teachers. This will empower thousands of teachers for more effective teaching of technology subjects using a blended mode of training and by developing open source knowledge contents. This is seen as a key step in upgrading the engineering education at colleges in secondary cities. No wonder that Prof. Phatak was listed amongst the fifty most influential Indians by Business week in 2009. He started an IT business incubator to foster innovation. His Affordable Solutions Lab has developed several low cost technology solutions including clicker devices and interactive e-learning tools. He has been an Open Source evangelist in India and his dream is to see a resurgent India catching up with the world using IT as the spring board. Born on 2nd April 1948, Professor Phatak obtained his Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from SGSITS Indore in 1969, and his M Tech and Ph D from IIT Bombay. He has been serving with IIT Bombay since 1971. He headed the CSE department from 1991 to 1994, He was the first Dean of Resources of the Institute from 1995 to 1998. He was the founding head of the Kanwal Rekhi School of IT from 1998 to 2002. He briefly served as head of SJ Mehta School of management, from 2004 to 2005. He is currently Subrao M Nilekani Chair Professor, in the department of Computer Science and Engineering.
Prof Deepak Phatak
Removal of disrespectful Ganesha artwork Harvard India Conference 2013 to focus on local strength vs global growth To also celebrate 50 years of women at HBS from Peabody Essex Museum urged
The painting is from Peabody Essex Museums current Painting in India exhibition New York: The largest student-run India conference in the U.S., the India Conference, organized by the students of Harvard University has been tackling the Indian growth story for years, bringing the most relevant debates, opinions, and speculation to Harvards campus. But as never-before-heard voices from the subcontinent and elsewhere join the ongoing conversation, it becomes increasingly clear that one Indian growth story will no longer suffice to explain the reality of India today. How can one of the world's most dynamic and fastestgrowing economies lag so far behind its competitors in R&D production? How does the world's largest secular democracy understand its history of both religious violence and vibrant syncretism? How does the world's largest slum proliferate in the midst of a shining new hub of international commerce? The answers to these questions defy common categories like modern, backward, and developed. This March, the India Conference will strive not to oversimplify but to embrace contradiction with the 2013 conference: India vs. India: Local Strength vs. Global Growth. The conference which takes place at the Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School on March 9th and 10th brings together business leaders, entertainment professionals, government officials, philanthropists, and many others to engage with these diverse realities in a multiplicity of fields. With panel topics like social enterprise, investing in India, education, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, agribusiness, politics, technology, and healthcare, there is something to match everyones interests at this years conference. The conference
Siddharth Roy Kapur, MD-Studios of UTV Disney and Ashish Singh, Chairman, Bain India are among the keynote speakers. is also celebrating fifty years of women at Harvard Business School, with its special keynote panel called The way forward for Indian women in business where journalist Shereen Bhan will discuss the future of Indian women with business leaders like Aruna Jayanthi, CEO of Capgemini; Debjani Ghosh, MD of Intel South Asia; and Jyoti Narang, COO of Taj Hotels. This years keynote speakers include Sam Pitroda, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation; Siddharth Roy Kapur, Bollywood film producer and MD-Studios of UTV Disney; Dr. Arun K. Singh, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India at Washington D.C and Ashish Singh, the Chairman of Bain India.The IndoUS Media, a sister concern of The South Asian Times, which has been leading the conference with its marketing and outreach efforts, will be closely following the conference and will provide regular updates during the event.
New York: Hindus have urged the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts to remove the Lord Ganesha painting from its current Painting in India exhibition, terming it as disrespectful and inappropriate. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that Ganapati the Warrior painting in Midnight to the Boom: Painting in India after Independence exhibition was quite disrespectful as Hindu devotees world over were not used to this kind of depiction of Lord Ganesha, a highly revered deity worshipped by Hindus. Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, requested Dan L. Monroe, Gail von Metzsch and Robert N. Shapiro; Museums Director, Overseers Chair and Trustees President respectively; to remove Ganapati the Warrior from the exhibit and replace it with more appro-
priate depiction of Lord Ganesha. Rajan Zed pointed out that Lord Ganesha was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be thrown around loosely in reimagined versions for dramatic effects or other agenda. Such absurd depiction of Lord Ganesha was hurtful to the devotees. Rajan Zed further said that such trivialization of Lord Ganesha was disturbing to Hindus. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the devotees, Zed added. This Painting in India exhibition; of which this pen, ink, pastel, and lacquer on paper image of Lord Ganesha is one of the exhibits; is on display till April 21. It reportedly contains about 70 works by 23 leading artists. Susan Bean is Guest Curator.
Gadar Memorial in San Francisco to become museum

New Delhi: The Indian government hopes to convert the Gadar Memorial in San Francisco into a museum, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said Thursday. The Hindustan Gadar Party, founded in 1913, fought for India's independence from its base in the US. Chidambaram said the decision would go a long way in preserving the legacy of the Gadar movement and enable researchers to study it. The Gadars were led by Lala Hardayal. A migrant to the US in 1911, he tapped into the discontent among immigrant workers along the Pacific Coast and brought many together, giving their unhappiness a political color. The Gadar nationalists, however, were linked to Nazi Germany and accused of treason. In January 2012, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh announced that the memorial in San Francisco would be converted into a museum, and statues of Gadar members would come up.
March 2-8, 2013
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Washington, DC: A "hole in the wall" experiment in a Delhi slum, demonstrating how children collectively can teach themselves complex issues, has won educator Sugata Mitra the first one million dollar 2013 TED Prize. Mitra, an education technology professor at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, said he will use the prize, awarded by TED, an annual global ideas conference, to launch a global initiative for self-directed learning that builds on his discovery. "My wish is to help design the future of learning by supporting children all over the world to tap into their innate sense of wonder and work together," he said in his acceptance speech Tuesday at the TED 2013 conference in Long Beach, California. "Help me build the School in the Cloud, a learning lab in India, where children can embark on intellectual adventures by engaging and connecting with information and mentoring online," Mitra said outlining his plan to build a child-driven virtual school. "I also invite you, wherever you are, to create your own miniature child-driven learning environments and share your discoveries," he said asking the global TED community to make his dream a reality with Self-Organized Learning Environments (SOLEs) in homes, schools, and community programs worldwide. The TED Prize is awarded annually to an exceptional individual who receives $1,000,000 and the TED community's resources and expertise to spark global change. According to TED, after a series of experi-
A million-dollar prize for Delhi slum First Sikh American offers prayer education project at 67th United Nations General Assembly Opening Session
Educator Sugata Mitra
ments revealed that groups of children can learn almost anything by themselves, Mitra began his pursuit to inspire children all over the world to get curious and work together. In 1999, Mitra and his colleagues dug a hole in a wall bordering a slum in Kalkaji in south Delhi, installed an Internet-connected PC, and left it there (with a hidden camera). Soon, they saw kids from the slum playing with the computer, learning English and searching through a wide variety of websites on science and other topics, and then teaching each other. Mitra and his colleagues carried out experiments for over 13 years on the nature of selforganized learning, its extent, how it works and the role of adults in encouraging it. Lara Stein, director of the TED Prize, said Mitra " has not only created a remarkable body of research around self-directed learning, but he has support from teachers around the world who are tapping into his methodology with great success."
New York, USA: On Thursday, February 14, 2013, Jatinder P. Singh, Associate Director of United Sikhs, made history by becoming the first Sikh American to offer prayers at the United Nations 67th General Assembly Opening Session that took place in New York. Organizers of this event including the UN President Mr. Vuk Jeremic, UNESCO, and the Committee of Religious NGOs aimed to promote messages of world peace. Jatinder P. Singh read the MoolManter, a composition in the Sikh holy book during this interfaith harmony event, while a flute musical accompaniment was being played by Jon Blond, Ik Oankaar, Satnaam (There is only one God, the Gods name is the truth) ... In this age of Darkness, this world is loaded with maya, money, and weapons of mass destruction. The only answer to save this world is in prayers in the company of Saints. Jatinder P. Singh then read the English translation of an excerpt from Sukhmani Sahib (Ashtpadi 7.3), a set of hymns divided into 24 sections which appear in
the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (the Guru of the Sikhs) Attendees from diverse faiths, organizers of this event, and members of the UN approached Jatinder P. Singh after his prayer and shared how they were moved by the positive and uplifting message of peace that was presented in the prayer. One member was so impressed that she decided to take a copy of the Sukhmani Sahib with her. There were over 1500 attendees from various organizations that included the UN Representative of the Secretary, Gail Bindley (General of the UN), Philippe Kridelka (Director of UNESCO, Ambassador Byrganym Aitimova (Permanent Representative to the UN From the Republic of Kazakhstan), Rev. Father Mark Arey (Director of InterOrthodox), Ms. Kiran Bali (Chair of the United Religions Initiative Global Council), and H.E. Ambassador T. Hamid Al-Bayati (Permanent Representative of the Mission of Iraq). Messages of world peace and prayers were also offered by members of various religious denominations.
IN BRIEF
Indian American Forum to host award function on March 28

he Indian American Forum has organized the 2nd Outstanding Womens Achievement Awards Gala during womens history month on March 28 at Stuart Thomas Manor, Farmingdale, NY from 6.0010 pm. The chief guest for the function is town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray and the honorees for 2013 are Cultural: Mrs.
Bharti Desai, past President of Gujarat Samaj NY; Medical and Social:Dr. Dina Pahlajani, Founder President of Childrens Hope; Community Services: Mrs. Shammi Singh, member of Board of Directors Nargis Dutt Foundation; Professional: Mrs. Deborah N. Misir, President of the Indian American Bar Association of LI & Queens.
Padmabhushan Ilaiyaraaja Concert first time ever rocked in USA at Prudential Center in New Jersey on February 23 along with some of Indias most popular and nationally reputed singers like S P Balashubramaniam, Hariharan, Chitra, Sadhana Sargam, Mano and young singer like Karthik, Vijay Yesudas, Yuvanshankar Raja, Karthik Raja, Shweta who performed on stage. Almost all the tickets for the maestro's live concert were sold out within 48 hours. (Photo by Vijay Shah/Freelance Media)
Disney UTV's Kai Po Che top grosser for a debutant lead actor film in North America
eleased on Feb 22 Disney UTVs Kai Po Ches opening weekend collections are the biggest numbers by far for a debutant lead actor film and boxofficemojo.com confirms that the film has crossed the half million mark."The numbers are a testament to our faith in the story and the talent behind it. It's a pivotal point in our film industry, just goes to show that we can make highly commercial and quality cinema even with debutant leads, backed with a solid distribution and marketing plan" said Lokesh Dhar, Executive Director, Distribution and Syndication (North America). After a world premiere on February 13th to a packed house at the 63rd Berlin Film Festival, the film released in 110 locations in North America. The film stars Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh, Raj Kumar and Amrita Puri. The Hollywood Reporter in their review
Indian-Americans condemn Hyderabad blasts

ndian Americans have raised demands to investigate on the Hyderabad bomb blast at the earliest and to bring the culprits before law. The Indian National Overseas Congress INOC described the blasts as a crime against humanity, in a recent statement. George Abraham, the President of INOC has referred the bombings as terrorist act and has requested the au-
thorities concerned to carry out the investigation fast and punish the criminals to the full extent of law. NRI-SAHI, another Indian American group has demanded CBI investigation. "We offer our condolences and sympathies to the families of the people who died in the attack and pray for the recovery of those who were injured in the attack," a statement said.
The movie stars Shushant Rajput, Amit Sadh and Raj Kumar
write, "Though all three main actors are well cast, Ishaan is the true hero of the tale and the handsome, impulsive Sushant Singh Rajput embodies him as a mesmerizing presence."
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
March 2-8, 2013
Washington, DC: The US Department of Justice and police are investigating the shooting of a Sikh American while driving in Port Orange, Florida as a hate crime, according to media reports. The victim, 46-year-old Kanwaljit Singh wearing a head turban, was driving with his son when he was shot at six times by people in a black truck Saturday, Daytona Beach News-JournalOnline.com reported Monday. Two of the bullets struck Singh, who was in the intensive care unit Monday at Halifax Health Medical Centre in Daytona Beach, the news site said citing family members. The shooting Saturday night just after 11 p.m. occurred as Singh and his 13-year-old son were heading home after Singh closed up the convenience store he opened just 10
Florida Sikh shot while driving Rajat Gupta ordered to pay in a possible hate crime Goldman Sachs $6.2 mn
days ago on Port Orange's beachside, NewsJournal said. There were six bullet holes in the driver's side of Singh's car, family friend Rimi Jassel was quoted as saying. Singh was hit once in the thigh and once in the torso. "Although no clear motive has been established initial indications are this shooting was not a random act," said Wayne Miller, Port Orange's assistant chief of police. Two community organizations, the Sikh Coalition and Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) have called on law enforcement officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to conduct a thorough investigation of this shooting and determine whether it was motivated by bias. New York: Rajat Gupta, the former IndianAmerican director of Goldman Sachs convicted of insider trading, has been ordered to pay the bank more than $6.2 million for legal expenses connected to his case. US District Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over Gupta's criminal trial for allegedly passing tips to convicted hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, gave the ruling Monday in response to a claim filed by Goldman. Gupta, 64, who is free on bail while he is appealing his May conviction by a jury, was sentenced by Rakoff to two years in prison. Goldman had sought $6.9 million in reimbursement from Gupta under a law that allows corporations to get reimbursed as a victim of an insider trading crime by a rogue employee. "Goldman Sachs has proved by a preponderance of the evidence that 90 percent of its tendered expenses were both necessary and incurred during its participating in the investigation and prosecution," Rakoff ruled. After reviewing the firm's 542 pages of billing records, he wrote that Gupta raised no "colorable challenge to the veracity of the records." Rakoff cut the bill by 10 percent, he said, because he noted that there were some extra-
Bangladesh native pleads guilty in phony New York plot

New York: A Bangladesh native accused of trying to blow up the Federal Reserve Bank in New York with what he thought was a 1,000-pound car bomb pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to terrorism charges stemming from an FBI sting. I had intentions to commit a violent jihadist act, Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis said in a soft voice while entering the plea in federal court in Brooklyn. He told the judge that he picked the Federal Reserve as the target, but he also expressed remorse, saying he no longer considers himself a jihadist. I deeply and sincerely regret my involvement in this case, he said. Nafis, 21, had been charged in October with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to provide material support to al-Qaida. He faces a sentence of 30 years to life at his next court date on May 30. Nafis originally came to the United States to study cybersecurity at a Missouri college where he also became vice president of the schools Muslim student association. But he withdrew after one semester and requested over the summer that his records be transferred to a school in Brooklyn. Authorities say Nafis adopted more radical views and began using Facebook and other social media to seek support for a terror attack. One of his contacts turned out to be a
Rajat Gupta
neous entries. Rajaratnam, convicted of insider trading in 2011, is serving an 11-year prison sentence. Michael Duvally, a Goldman spokesman, said the bank was pleased the court ordered Gupta to pay it restitution. The money that Gupta now has to pay Goldman is separate from the cost of Gupta's legal defence, which has thus far exceeded more than $30 million, according to New York Times.
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul
government informant who notified authorities. While under investigation, Nafis spoke of his admiration for Osama bin Laden, talked of writing an article about his plot for an alQaida-affiliated magazine and said he would be willing to be a martyr but preferred to go home to his family after carrying out the attack, authorities said. He also talked about wanting to kill President Barack Obama and bomb the New York Stock Exchange, officials said. As the plot progressed, Nafis selected his target, drove a van loaded with dummy explosives to the door of the bank and tried to set off the bomb from a hotel room using a cell phone he thought had been rigged as a detonator, authorities said. No one was ever actually in danger because the explosives were fakes provided by the government.
(L-R) Mr. Jeffery Sine, Chair, Board of Trustees, School of International Service, American University, Ambassador Arun Singh and Dean Golgeier, Dean, School of International Service, American University at a panel discussion on India-US Relations at the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC February 20, 2013.
March 2-8, 2013
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
DoJ and FBI asked to track Sikh, Hindu hate crimes in US

Washington, DC: Joe Crowley, the cochairman of Congressional group on India and Indian-Americans, has come up with an initiative to track the hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus and Arab Americans. He has asked the Department of Justice and the FBI to track these crimes and is also planning to send a letter to these departments, carrying the signatures of 40 Congressmen. "When you hear about Hindus targeted for wearing a 'bindi' or 'tilak' or Sikh boys and men living in fear of attack simply because they wear a turban, it's time to say enough is enough and take action. Groups from India aren't the only ones targeted for their faith, but I can tell you the IndianAmerican community is deeply disturbed by what is going on," Crowley told. "They want action, and they want it now. At the very least, they want the government to collect comprehensive data and respond to threats," said Crowley. Crowley has requested the help of his fellow congressmen to join in this initiative of sending the letter, since it is high time that such indiscrimination and crimes came to an end. We would like to respectfully express our strong support for adding three new categories to the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) data collection mandate - anti-Sikh, anti-Hindu and anti-Arab hate crimes. Unfortunately, there is a specific, demonstrated need for hate crime data for each of these three categories," said the letter on circulation. The Indian American Forum for Political Education (IAFPE) has expressed their willingness to be a part of the campaign and they have also requested the lawmakers, especially members of the India Caucus to sign the letter. "We would request Department of Justice( DOJ) to ask the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to begin collecting data on Hate Crime committed against Hindus, Sikhs and other minority communities of Indian origin," said Sampat Shivangi, national president of the Forum. "IAFPE wants to reach the rest of US congress and US Senate to bring these issues in the forefront and to make the Indian American community to join these efforts in re-focusing our efforts on this burning and very unfortunate issue that we are confronting," he said.
NSF appoints Khargonekar as Engineering Directorate head

Washington, DC: The National Science Foundation recently selected Pramod P. Khargonekar to serve as assistant director for the Directorate of Engineering, effective next month. Khargonekar will lead the ENG directorate with an annual budget of more than $800 million. ENG invests in frontier engineering research and education, cultivates an innovation ecosystem, and develops the next-generation engineer. Currently, Khargonekar is the deputy director for technology at the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. The Indian American academic is the Eckis Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida, a position he has held since 2001, and one he will retain while at NSF. He served as the dean of the University of Florida's College of Engineering from 2001 to 2009. "Dr. Khargonekar brings to NSF extensive leadership, creativity and initiative in engineering research," NSF director Subra Suresh stated in a press release. "He has helped pioneer interdisciplinary efforts between the biological and engineering research communities and demonstrated a deep appreciation for developing the STEM workforce, which is an NSF priority."
Pramod Khargonekar
Khargonekar's engineering research encompasses control systems theory and applications, smart grid and renewable energy, semiconductor manufacturing, and modeling and control of neural systems, among other areas. He has received many awards and honors, including the IEEE Baker Prize, American Automatic Control Council's Donald Eckman Award, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and was named Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher. He is a Fellow of the IEEE. Most recently, Khargonekar has been a member of NSF's Engineering Advisory Committee, where he provided guidance to ENG on strategic directions.
One more person charged in Kumra killing case EKal Vidyalaya Foundation to celebrate
San Jose, CA: Santa Clara County prosecutors say a fifth person has been charged in the slaying of a wealthy Silicon Valley venture capitalist inside his Monte Sereno mansion. Thirty-two-year-old Katrina Marie Fritz, an alleged prostitute according to sfgate.com, was arraigned on murder and robbery charges Feb. 22 in the slaying of 66-year-old Raveesh Kumra, who died on his kitchen floor from asphyxiation on Nov. 30. Fritz did not enter a plea. She is due back in court Feb. 28. Authorities believe Kumra, a cellphone entrepreneur and former owner of a popular winery concert venue, was set up by a prostitute he had hired who told Oakland gang members about his lifestyle. DeAngelo Austin, Javier R. Garcia and Lukis D. Anderson have already been charged with murder. Garcia and Austin also face a gang enhancement charge. Another woman, Raven Dixon, has been charged with being an accessory to the killing. Adds sfgate.com: Sources say Austin, 21, is affiliated with an East Oakland gang called the Money Team. Police believe members of the gang are responsible for a surge in violence in Oakland as well as home invasions of Asian and Indian American families around the Bay Area.
silver jubilee this year

New York: Year 2013 marks 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Noting the vicious cycle of poverty and illiteracy in India, Swamiji had emphasized, If the poor child cannot go to education, then the education must go to the child. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation following this vision as guiding light to eradicate illiteracy, has turned Swami Vivekanandas dream into a profound reality in the last quarter century. This year to mark 25 years of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation a whirlwind series of over 40 fund-raising concerts is being organized all over the country between February and June. Keeping up with their tradition of bringing the top notch talent of Bollywood, Ekal this year has invited Sa, re, ga, ma, pa melody queen Sanjeevani Bhelande and popular singer Chirag Panchal to entertain their well-wishers. There are plans ahead to convene an international meet in Chicago of Pan-Ekal Organizations, as a tribute to Swami Vivekananda whose inspiration has now made Ekal the largest grass-
40 fundraisers across US and global pan-Ekal meet on anvil
Mr. Murugavel Janakiraman, CEO, Matrimony.com receiving VCCircle award.
root NGO literacy movement in the world. Ekal schools are spread all over India, including Jammu & Kashmir. According to Ashok Danda, President of Ekal-USA, "As of this moment, Ekal is operating 46,966 Schools educating over 1.33 million children in remote rural areas and Villages where, in many instances, not even basic amenities have reached. In the last few years, "Ekal" has received numerous prestigious Awards and Grants, including 'Best NGO', for its transparency of operation and outstanding administration.
US AFFAIRS
March 2-8, 2013
Washington reports leaks Senate confirms Chuck Hagel for in 6 nuclear waste tanks defense secretary
Washington, DC: Radioactive leaks have been reported in at least six underground nuclear waste tanks in one of the most contaminated nuclear site on earth in northwestern US state of Washington raising concerns about delays in emptying the aging tanks. However the governor of Washington state, Jay Inslee, who said that there is no immediate or near-term health risk associated with these newly discovered leaks, which are more than five miles from the Columbia river. "I met with secretary Chu in Washington, DC, on Saturday afternoon, and he told me that the department of energy has now confirmed there are six tanks leaking radioactive waste at Hanford," he said. Chu is the United States's energy secretary. There are a total of 177 tanks at this site in Hanford, 149 of which are single-shell tanks. "This is disturbing news for all Washingtonians. One week ago, secretary Chu told me there was one tank leaking. But he told me on Saturday that his department did not adequately analyze data it had that would have shown the other tanks that are leaking," Inslee said. "This certainly raises serious questions about the integrity of all 149 single-shell tanks with radioactive liquid and sludge at Hanford. Hanford houses millions of gallons of radioactive waste left over from plutonium production for nuclear weapons. It is considered one of the most contaminated sites on Earth, according to the US government. Washington: A deeply divided Senate voted on Tuesday to confirm Republican Chuck Hagel to be the next U.S. defense secretary, handing President Barack Obama's pick the top Pentagon job just days before billions of dollars in automatic, across-the-board budget cuts hit the military. The vote was 58-41, with four Republicans joining the Democrats in backing the contentious choice. Republicans had opposed their onetime colleague, casting him as unqualified for the job, hostile toward Israel and soft on Iran. They sqaid he was a radical far out of the mainstream. The vote came just hours after Republicans dropped their delay of the nomination and allowed it to move forward on a 71-27 vote. Hagel, 66, a former 12-year senator and twice-wounded Vietnam
Chuck Hagel with President Obama
combat veteran, succeeds defense secretary Leon Panetta. Hagel is expected to be sworn in at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Republican Sen. John McCain said several Republican lawmakers had "a lot of ill will" toward the moderate Republican for his criticism of President George W. Bush
over the Iraq war and his backing for Democratic candidates. McCain voted against his onetime friend and fellow Vietnam veteran. Obama portrayed the war-tested Hagel as a man who understands that conflict is not an abstraction and called him the "leader that our troops deserve."
India crucial for economic future of Afghanistan: US official

Washington, DC: Amid controversial remarks of US defence secretary-designate Chuck Hagel on India's role in Afghanistan, a top US official has termed New Delhi crucial for economic growth of the country post the withdrawal of American troops from there. Robert Blake, assistant secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said during a Congressional hearing that the US sees India as kind of an economic linchpin for future of Afghanistan. Blake termed India as one of the most trusted and valuable partners of the US in the region, noting that "any discussion of South Asia has to start with India." "We appreciate very much the significant role that India is playing in Afghanistan. In fact, we see India as kind of the economic Committee. He noted that India will play an important role in the process of turning Afghanistan into a tradebased economy from an "aidbased economy" once the US spending get scaled down after the withdrawal of troops in 2014. "As our troops (and) their spending draws down, it's going to be much more important now to establish a private-sector basis for the Afghan economy and to make a trade-based economy and not an aid-based economy. India is such an important role to play in that" said Blake. The official, who was in New Delhi last week for the trilateral dialogue with India and Afghanistan, said India has a very large investment program in Afghanistan.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer causes uproar with telecommuting ban
Robert Blake
Marissa Mayer
linchpin for future," Blake told lawmakers during a hearing by Asia and the Pacific Sub-committee of the House Foreign Affairs
Indian-origin governors slam Obama for no sequester deal

Washington, DC: Two Indian-American governors have slammed Barack Obama for not finding a solution to the sequester's automatic spending cuts, saying the issue is "not rocket science" and the President is trying to scare the American people by portraying the cuts as dire. At a press conference held after the Republican governors met with Obama at the White House, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, appearing with Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal said, "How many more times are the governors going to have to pick up the mess of Washington, DC.?" "How many more times are we going to have to deal with these issues over and over again because of the finger pointing and the blame game that happens in Washington?" she asked. Haley said the task of figuring out more reasonable budget cuts to replace the sequester cuts, which Obama has warned will have dire consequences, is something her kids could do. "This is not rocket science. What this is, is an inability to want to get to work. No one should be going home. No one should be playing golf. No one should be taking vacation. What they need to do is do what these governors do every day: We stay until we get it done," she said, in a jab at both the president, who spent the weekend golfing in Florida, and Congress, which recessed last week. Jindal, the chairman of Republican Governor's Association accused Obama of "trying to scare the American people" by portraying the cuts as dire. Jindal said that the president's unwillingness in talks with the governors to consider possible alternatives to the sequester that did not involve raising taxes showed that they were not as "devastating" as he was suggesting they were. "It just seems to us that it is time for the president to roll up his sleeves, to stop campaigning the election is over and to do the hard work of governing," Jindal said.
San Francisco: Corporate America's most famous working mother has banned her employees from working at home. Now the backlash is threatening to overshadow the progress she has made turning around Yahoo Inc. Marissa Mayer, one of only a handful of women leading Fortune 500 companies, has become the talk of Twitter and Silicon Valley for her controversial move to end telecommuting at the struggling Internet pioneer. From the start, Mayer, who at 37 is one of Silicon Valley's most notorious workaholics, was not the role model that some working moms were hoping for. The former Google Inc. executive stirred up controversy by taking the demanding top job at Yahoo when she was five months pregnant and then taking only two weeks of maternity leave. Mayer built a nursery next to her office at her own expense to be closer to her infant son and work even
longer hours. Now working moms are in an uproar because they believe that Mayer is setting them back by taking away their flexible working arrangements. Many view telecommuting as the only way timecrunched women can care for young children and advance their careers without the pay, privilege or perks that come with being the chief executive of a Fortune 500 company. "When a working mother is standing behind this, you know we are a long way from a culture that will honor the thankless sacrifices that women too often make," read one email sent to technology blogger Kara Swisher of AllThingsD, who first wrote about the ban. Hundreds of staffers including those who work from home one or two days a week will have to decide if they want to start showing up every day at the office or be out of a job, according to a memo leaked to Swisher.
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March 2-8, 2013
US AFFAIRS
Hillary Clinton to charge $200,000 per speech

Washington, DC: Hillary Clinton has signed up for speaking circuit and will charge a whopping $200,000 per appearance, an amount more than her annual salary as the US Secretary of State. The $200,000-per-speech fee will be a sizable increase for 65-year-old Clinton, who made $186,000 annually as secretary of state before stepping down earlier this month. "Now that she's out as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton isn't going to be hurting for money, thanks to speaking fees of more $200,000 per speaking appearance, according to a source familiar with the situation," Buzzfeed reported. Clinton will be represented by the New York-based Harry Walker agency, which
Overturn ban on gay marriages, Obama asks Supreme Court

Washington, DC: The Barack Obama administration took another step toward institutionalizing gay marriage, formally asking the US supreme court to strike down a 1996 law defining marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman. The request was contained in a legal brief filed on Friday with the US court, whose nine justices will next month review whether or not to repeal the federal Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bans marriage between homosexuals. The document marks the first time a president has endorsed same-sex marriage rights before the supreme court. According to the filing , the Defence of Marriage Act "violates the fundamental constitutional guarantee of equal protection" before the law stipulated by the United States's constitution. DOMA "denies to tens of thousands of same-sex couples who are legally married under state law an array of important federal benefits that are available to legally married opposite-sex couples ," read the brief signed by US solicitor general Donald Verrilli. The case before the supreme court involves Edith Windsor, a lesbian who married in Canada in 2007 but whose spouse and partner of 40 years died. She had to pay more than $360,000 in federal estate taxes because she was not considered married under DOMA. The White House position , however, came under fire from Republicans in the House of Representatives. In a brief filed on Friday, they had insisted that they have a legal right to defend the law in the supreme court in the absence of a defence from the executive branch. Last month, 10 US senators urged the court to uphold the act and not to recognize samesex marriages from other states. All of these senators had voted for the DOMA and said it was inconsistent for the justice department to have assured Congress the law was constitutional while it was being crafted in the mid1990 s only to raise questions now. "The time to speak was in 1996, when Congress gave careful consideration to the need for DOMA," they argued. The Obama administration's decision to challenge the law comes as little surprise . Obama has signaled on various occasions recently that he is that he is in favor of gay marriage.
Hillary Clinton
also represents her husband Bill Clinton, the former US President. According to CNN, Clinton gave 471 paid speeches during his 11 years as a private citizen and raked in an average of USD 1,89,000 per event - joining the speaking industry's rarefied six-figure circle occu-
pied by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin. Clinton, however, according to Politico, will do some speeches pro bono, particularly those for the charities and causes she champions. She will also be involved in non-profit works.
Homeless man returns lost diamond ring
Michelle Obama's dance moves go viral on YouTube

Washington, DC: A video clip of First Lady Michelle Obama grooving with a dressed-in-drag Jimmy Fallon on his late-night comedy talk show has gone viral on YouTube last Saturday. In the video, the pair, each clad in conservative slacks and cardigans, and Fallon with a long brownhaired wig, perform a routine dubbed "Evolution of Mom Dancing," to promote Obama's "Let's Move!" youth fitness and nutrition campaign. The dance moves with names like "The 'Go Shopping, Get Groceries,'" and "The 'Out of Sync Electric Slide'" according to titles splashed on the bottom of the screen -- progress from a simple side-toside step and end with Fallon stalking off set as Obama rocks a smooth "Dougie." The clip, which has already been viewed more than 850,000 times since being posted Friday and "liked" more than 11,000 times, has prompted effusive comments about the first lady and her first family. "For the first time... we have a first lady with soul," wrote zestydude87. And Rina Lubit wrote, "it may be just me but i really love the presidential family. they just really seem like sincerely good and chill people." In an interview later on the show, Obama rates her husband's dance skills a "B," saying "he's got, like, three good moves." Obama also touts her "Let's Move!" campaign, saying it has seen progress since she launched it three
A still from video of First Lady Michelle Obama with Jimmy Fallon
Billy Ray Harris
Washington, DC: A homeless man has returned an expensive diamond engagement ring to its rightful owner, after she accidentally dropped it in his donation cup. Well-wishers from around the world are opening their wallets to Billy Ray Harris after he returned the diamond ring to Sarah Darling, its rightful owner. "I actually feel like I'm especially lucky to have this ring now. I loved it before. I loved it so much, but I love it so much more now," Darling was quoted by CNN as saying. Darling, who is from Kansas City, Missouri, said she had absentmindedly emptied the contents of her purse along with the
ring into the collection cup of Harris, who is homeless and often stays under a bridge in Darling's hometown. It wasn't until the next day that she realized her ring was gone. She returned and found him. "I asked him ... 'I don't know if you remember me, but I think I gave you something that's very precious to me', and he says, 'Was it a ring? Yeah, I have it, I kept it for you'," Darling said. To show their appreciation, Darling and her husband set up an online fundraiser for Harris. The donations and praise have poured in. When Harris was asked how he felt about it, he said, "I like it, but I don't think I deserve it."
years ago, but there is still work to do. "Over the past three years, we've seen a culture shift. Now people understand that this is an issue," she said. "We've got better lunches in the schools, we've got companies putting grocery stores in under-served communities. We've got our athletes, our Olympians, working to get our kids more active. It's really heartening to see." Obesity is a major health problem in the United States, where one in three adults and almost one in five children is overweight. Among other initiatives for "Let's Move," the first lady, an attorney by training, has planted the White House's first garden since World War II and written a book with healthy recipes.
New York City cannibal cops wife spills beans

New York: The wife of a Gilberto Valle New York City police officer on trial on charges that he conspired to kidnap, torture, kill and eat women objected to a defence lawyer's characterization of what she saw on her husband's computer as pornography. "It wasn't porn. That was dead people," 27-year-old Kathleen Mangan-Valle told defence attorney Julia Gatto on Monday in an emotion-packed testimony that took a federal court jury in Manhattan into some of the darkest corners of sexually driven activity on the internet. The testimony came soon after a prosecutor insisted that Gilberto Valle was intent on conspiring to kidnap, kill and cook women he knew, including his wife. Gatto said the officer wanted only to share extreme sexual fantasies on internet with like-minded people. At times speaking through sobs and twice crying so hard that the judge ordered breaks, Mangan-Valle described coming across grisly photos last summer on a website that was a regular stop for Valle, 28, the man she met in October 2009 through an internet dating service. She had put a tracking device on her husbands computer, which is how she learnt she was a target. "I was going to be tied up by my feet and my throat slit and they would have fun watching the blood gush out of me because I was young."
INDIAN FEDERAL BUDGET 2013-14
March 2-8, 2013
11
Chidambaram's budget plays welfare card

Amid high expectations of reversing the sharp slowdown in growth, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented India's 82nd budget, saying that challenges remained but there was no need for gloom; share markets crash after the budget
New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented a please-all budget with a substantial, 30 percent hike in expenditure and lower deficit, focusing on three main constituencies that can vote his government back to power in the next general elections -- women, youth and the poor. You'll have to shell out more for your smokes, the fuel-guzzling sports utility vehicles will cost more and the smart-phone will attract higher excise, but what will please the masses -- read "voters" given the impending elections -- is that outlays for virtually every welfare scheme, covering urban areas to the hinterland, have been vastly hiked. What also makes all this seem like a dream is that the finance minister also promises to refrain from profligacy with a fiscal deficit target set at 4.8 percent of India's gross domestic product, against 5.2 percent in the current fiscal, without an across-theboard hike in direct and indirect tax rates or slabs. "All flagship programs have been fully and adequately funded," the finance minister said in his 105minute speech, setting aside Rs.16.65 lakh crore (Rs.16.65 trillion or $300 billion) for the next fiscal towards plan and non-plan expenditure -- a 30-percent increase over the current fiscal. on home loans for first-time buyers, two-year extension of the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Scheme for first-time investors with higher limit of Rs.1.2 million, and launch of inflationindexed bonds. Chidambaram, who now has eight budgets to his credit, equaling the track record of his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee, now the president, also made some specific remarks in his 105-minute speech, aimed at various constituencies, both within and outside India. To investors, domestic and overseas, Chidambaram promised to remove any distrust on any undue regulatory or tax burden, along with an environment of quick decisions, since he held investments as the key to reviving the growth of an economy. "Investment is an act of faith," he said, adding: "Doing business in India must be seen as easy, friendly and mutually-beneficial." He also said overseas borrowings and equity investments were the only options to finance the high current account deficit. "That is why I have been at pains to state over and over again that India at the present juncture does not have the choice between welcoming and spurning foreign investment. If I may be frank, foreign investment is an imperative," he said. But the markets were none-toopleased and the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) fell 1.5 percent with hikes in surcharge on corporate tax and dividend distribution tax seen as major dampeners.
To investors, domestic and overseas, the finance minister promised to remove any distrust on any undue regulatory or tax burden
The proposals were welcomed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "Given the formidable challenges facing our economy, the finance minister has done a commendable job," the prime minister said. "The finance minister has taken important steps to reverse pessimistic mood with regard to investment climate, with regard to the growth potential and the possibilities of our economy," the prime minister said, even as the opposition said it was a wasted opportunity. The small tax payer, earning between Rs.200,000 to Rs.500,000 per annum, gets a Rs.2,000 rebate, while the affluent will be imposed a super rich tax that amounts to a sur-
charge of 10 percent on an annual income of over Rs.10 crore. For average taxpayers, there are other take-aways: Additional rebate
Budget verbose, lacks substance: BJP

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the general budget was "verbose" and lacking in substance. "The budget is verbose but on substance, extremely low," said leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley. "First put the economy in distress; then a helpless finance minister comes out with a budget in which he had very little elbow space," Jaitley said. According to him, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had "made cosmetic changes in different heads of taxation or different expenditure". He added that the minister had indulged in a "little bit of jugglery, by marginally increasing taxes in certain ministries and substantially reduces expenditure". Jaitley said the budget contained little to offer a boost to agriculture or manufacturing sectors, which are vital for sustainable growth.
SP, BSP call union budget anti-poor

New Delhi: The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) slammed the 201314 annual budget as being "anti-poor", and said the government's promises appeared to be misleading. "This budget has completely ignored the farmers. It is meant for only 10 percent of the population, while the interests of 65 percent engaged in farming have been ignored. The SP will oppose the budget in parliament," SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said. He, however, did not make it clear whether his party would vote against the finance bill or not. BSP chief Mayawati said: "The economic condition is bad, yet the government has made so many announcements for the SCs and minorities. But the announcements are misleading, as there is nothing new in this budget and nothing for the poor."
GAAR with modifications from April 2016
10% surcharge proposed on super-rich

New Delhi: The much-debated additional tax for super-rich found favor with the government as finance minister P Chidambaram proposed a 10% surcharge for a year on income above Rs. one crore. The proposal will cover 42,800 individuals and entities. "When I need to raise resources, who can I go to except those who are well placed in society. Only 42,800 persons in the whole country who admitted to a taxable income of exceeding Rs. one crore per year. "I propose to impose a surcharge of 10 per cent on persons whose taxable income exceeds Rs. 1 crore per year," he said while unveiling Budget proposals for 2013-14. The proposal to tax the super-rich was mooted by Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan and found echo in Wipro Chairman Azim Premji. "I believe there is a little bit of spirit of Azim Premji in every affluent taxpayers and I am confident when I ask relatively affluent taxpayers to bear a small burden for one year they will do so cheerfully," he said, adding the tax proposal will be only for one year.
India gets nearly 40 per cent of its total foreign direct investment inflows through Mauritius
New Delhi: India will implement the modified General AntiAvoidance Rules (GAAR) aimed at checking tax avoidance by overseas investors from Apr 1, 2016, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said. Presenting the federal budget in the lower house of parliament, Chidambaram said the Finance Act, 2012, introduced GAAR. A number of representations were received against the new provisions. An expert committee was constituted to consult stakeholders and finalize the GAAR guidelines. After careful consideration of the
report by the committee headed by Parthasarathi Shome to look into investors' concerns, the government had announced certain decisions last month. These decisions were now being incorporated in the IncomeTax Act. The GAAR was mainly aimed at companies and investors routing money through tax havens such as Mauritius. These were scheduled to be implemented from April 2014. India gets nearly 40 per cent of its total foreign direct investment inflows through Mauritius, besides large portfolio investments.
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March 2-8,2013
Budget contains deficit, addresses growth: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh commended Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on his annual budget, saying there were no "winners or losers" and stressing that all Indians, especially the youth, would benefit if the country succeeds in achieving eight percent growth. "The finance minister has done a commendable job in containing the deficit while simultaneously addressing the growth imperatives," Manmohan Singh said in an interview to state-owned Doordarshan after the budget was presented in the Lok Sabha. "If the general mood of the country is right, it will affect the bureaucracy and opposition and in this there are no winners or losers. If India succeeds in getting to a growth rate of eight percent, the said. "To do that we need to increase the tempo of our growth... the 12th five-year pan has mentioned a growth rate of eight percent." Manmohan Singh said this was a growth rate consistent with India's potential. "We have to get there, although this is a difficult journey. It cannot be accomplished in a single year," Manmohan Singh said. On allocations to the various departments, the prime minister said the finance minister had laid out the road map, and there was plenty of food for each ministry to chew on. "The finance minister has, I think, mentioned these challenges. It is up to the collective wisdom of my council of ministers to convert these challenges into opportunities to accelerate the tempo of growth," the prime minister said. Noting there had been problems with regard to clearances - environmental clearances, forest clearances and land acquisition problems - the prime minister said: "Many of these areas are with the state government. Whatever is within the realm of possibility of the central government, we have committed ourselves that we will use the cabinet committee on investments to grapple with these tensions which exist in our system". "Inflation, fiscal deficit, current account deficit are three basic challenges to the economy. We need a multi-pronged strategy to tackle them," Manmohan Singh said.
The finance minister has done a commendable job in containing the deficit, says Manmohan Singh
winner will be the people of India, especially our youth, who need desperately new productive job opportunities," he said.
"India needs to create jobs for the growing labor force to the extent of about 10 million persons every year," the prime minister
Govt will make India investment-friendly: Chidambaram

New Delhi: India welcomes foreign capital for growth and easing the high current account deficit, and the government will do everything to clearly communicate its policies that facilitate overseas investment, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said. "India does not have choice between welcoming and spurning foreign investment; it is an imperative," Chidambaram said while presenting the federal 2013-14 budget to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. According to the finance minister, foreign investment is in consonance with economic priorities of the country. He said foreign investments will ease the current accounts deficit which will need $75 billion to bridge the gap. Chidambaram said the government will do everything to clearly communicate its policies which encourage investments and that he intends to make the environment business-friendly in India. "Doing business in India must be seen as easy, friendly and mutually beneficial," Chidambaram added.
Seven new cities on Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor

New Delhi: Plans for seven new cities along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) have been finalized and work on two new smart industrial cities at Dholera in Gujarat and Shendra Bidkin in Maharashtra would start in the next financial year, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said. "The DMIC project has made rapid progress. Plans for seven new cities have been finalised and work on two new smart industrial cities will start during 2013-14," Chidambaram said while presenting the union budget for 2013-14 in the Lok Sabha. Additional funds may be provided if required, he added. He thanked the Japanese government for the projects. "We acknowledge the support of the government of Japan." The finance minister fur-
ther said that plans were being prepared by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Chennai-Bengalore industrial corridor. "The corridor will be developed
in collaboration with the governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka," Chidambaram said.Preparatory work had also started on another corridor between Bangalore and Mumbai, he added.
Govt announces 'Nirbhaya Fund' for women safety

New Delhi: In a tribute to the 23year-old Delhi gang-rape victim, government announced setting up 'Nirbhaya Fund' of Rs 1,000 crore for safety and empowerment of women. Nirbhaya (fearless) was the pseudonym given to the victim to hide her actual identity. The announcement of Rs 1,000 crore fund was made by finance minister P Chidambaram while presenting the Union Budget for 2013-14 in the Lok Sabha amid thumping of desks by members. "Recent incidents have cast a long, dark shadow on our liberal and progressive credentials. As more women enter public space for education or work or access to services of leisure - there are more reports of violence against them," Chidambaram said. Noting that all have a collective "These deserve our support. As an earnest of our commitment to these objectives, I propose to set up a fund - let us call it the Nirbhaya Fund - and government will contribute Rs 1,000 crore," he said. The ministry of women and child development and other ministries concerned will work out details of the structure, scope and application of the fund, he said. Following the public outrage in the wake of the incident, government had earlier this month promulgated an ordinance to enhance
The announcement of Rs 1,000 crore fund was made by finance minister P Chidambaram
punishment for crimes against women, including death for rapists in case the victim dies or is left in a vegetative state. It had also set up the Justice J S Verma Committee to propose amendments to laws relating to crime against women. The ordinance has incorporated the recommendations of the three-member panel. A commission of inquiry was also established under Justice Usha Mehra to probe the lapses on part of the authorities in the December 16 gang-rape incident.
responsibility to ensure dignity and safety of women, the Minister said, "We stand in solidarity with our girl children and women. And we pledge to do everything possible to empower them and to keep them
safe and secure." He said a number of initiatives are under way and "many more" will be taken by the government as well as non-government organizations.
India to get all-women public sector bank

New Delhi: India's first allwomen public sector bank will open soon, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announced. "I announce the setting up of India's first women public sector bank with the initial fund of Rs.1,000 crore (10 billion)," Chidambaram said in his budget speech as MPs cheered the initiative.
March 2-8, 2013
13
Economic Survey sees recovery, with reforms

New Delhi: Pushing for reforms and tangible action on removing bottlenecks to investment and job creation, India's Economic Survey for 2012-13 pegs the country's growth at 6.1-6.7 percent next fiscal, with inflation easing soon to 6.2-6.6 percent. The forecast comes against the backdrop of a deceleration in growth to around 5 percent and 6.2 percent in the previous two fiscals from 9.3 percent and 8.6 percent in the two fiscals before that, induced largely by the global slowdown and financial crisis. "The slowdown is a wake-up call for increasing the pace of actions and reforms," said the survey, adding that India has navigated difficult times as these before, and with good policies and strong reforms program, it will again come through stronger. Authored by Chief Economic Advisor Raghuram Rajan, the report card on the state of the economy, with recommendations for the way forward, was tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. The survey also pushed for fast action on the ground after the opening up of the retail trade industry to eral budget, the survey also calls for widening the tax base and prioritization of expenditure, holding them as the key ingredients to a credible medium-term fiscal consolidation plan. "The policy recommendations of the Survey focus largely on stimulating investments and reducing supply bottlenecks particularly in the agricultural sector," the Confederation of Indian Industry said in a statement. "The analysis shows that bottlenecks relate mainly to regulatory hurdles that prevent small firms from growing," the chamber said, adding that India Inc has precisely
The Economic Survey for 2012-13 pegs the country's growth at 6.1-6.7 percent next fiscal
been stressing on these very issues to stimulate growth. The survey also expresses concern over the high current account deficit due to a higher share of imports vis a vis exports and says this in the short run must be corrected by cutting oil and gold imports with market-determined prices. Accordingly, it calls for a review in increasing the foreign investment cap in a host of areas, notably public sector banks, insurance and defense production as they promise new technology and practices and such capital are better than portfolio investment.
overseas companies and said this will not just pave the way for flow of investment in new technology, but also for marketing of farm produce in India. "Fast agricultural growth remains vital for jobs, incomes and food security." On foreign direct investment, the survey notes that India, with a rank of four in the global restrictiveness index, fares better than China, ranked first. Yet, there is scope to reverse the moderation seen last year in inflows of overseas capital. In the survey, a special chapter has
been added focusing on jobs that says the future holds promise for India if it seizes the demographic dividend, with nearly half of the additions to the labor force till 2030 expected in the 30-49 age group. "Because good jobs are both the pathway to growth as well as the best form of inclusion, India has to think of ways of enabling their creation," says the survey, adding new jobs are currently being added mainly in informal and low productivity sectors. Coming a day ahead of the gen-
Telecom, tourism, railways best in service sectors

New Delhi: Telecom, tourism and railways have been the best performers in services sector in India, the 2012-13 Economic Survey tabled in Parliament said. According to the Economic Survey, telecom connections increased from 429.72 million in 2008-09 to 895.51 million till Dec 31, 2012. "The data till 31 December, 2012, shows that 8,955.1 lakh (895.51 million) connections have been provided," the Survey said. The foreign tourists numbers increased to 6.65 million as of Dec 31, 2012. The tourists arrival numbers was 6.31 million in 2011-12 and 5.8 million in 2008-09. The foreign exchange earnings from foreign tourist arrival grew to $17.73 billion. The earnings were $16.56 billion in 2011-12. The railways sector also performed well by registering 969.78 million tonnes of freight traffic carried in 2011-12 as compared to 833.31 million tonnes of freight transported in 2008-09.
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March 2-8, 2013
Banks as insurance brokers - a welcome move

New Delhi: Accepting the longpending demand of the insurance sector, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announced that banks would be allowed to become insurance brokers and insurers. They would be permitted to open branches in tier-II cities without prior approval of the sectoral regulator. He also said all towns of India with a population of 10,000 or more would have an office of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and an office of at least one public sector general insurance company by March 31, 2014. Presenting the budget for 2013-14, Chidambaram said: "Banks will be permitted to act as insurance brokers so that the entire network of bank branches will be utilized to increase penetration. Banking correspondents will be allowed to sell microinsurance products." Currently, banks can be only function as the corporate agent for an insurance company, selling only the products of its principal. On the other hand, an insurance broker can sell products of any insurance company. However it is not known whether the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has agreed in principle to allow banks to act as brokers. "It is a welcome move, and we have been demanding that for a long time," Amarnath Ananthanarayanan, CEO at Bharti Axa General Insurance Company, said. According to R. Ramakrishnan, member of the Malhotra Committee on Insurance Reforms, banks as insurance brokers for more than one life insurance company has been in vogue in Britain for almost three decades. The move will help life and nonlife insurers in saving huge outgo. Banks, while signing up the corporate agency agreement, do demand a huge premium. According to Chidambaram, the know-your-customer (KYC) details gathered by banks will be sufficient to purchase an insurance policy, and group insurance products will now be offered to homogenous groups such as self-help groups, domestic workers' associations, anganwadi workers, teachers in schools, nurses in hospitals and others. Referring to huge pendency of motor third party claims before the age could be evolved. He said the report of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) set up in 2011 would be presented next month. "It is our intention to examine the recommendations and act quickly and decisively so that our financial sector stands on sound legal foundations and remains well-regulated, efficient and internationally competitive," he said. The finance minister also proposed setting up of a Standing Council of Experts in the Ministry of Finance to analyse the international competitiveness of the Indian financial sector, periodically examine the transaction costs of doing business in the Indian market, and provide inputs to government for necessary action. The finance minister proposed to relax the eligibility conditions of life insurance policies for persons suffering from disability or certain ailments by increasing the permissible premium rate from 10 percent to 15 percent of the sum assured. This relaxation shall be available in respect of policies issued on or after April 1, 2013.
Currently, banks can only function as the corporate agent for an insurance company
tribunals/courts, the finance minister said the government-owned general insurance companies will organize 'adalats' to settle claims and give relief to affected persons/families. Requesting the cooperation of all the political parties in the passing of the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, Chidambaram said: "The Rashtriya Swasthiya Bima Yojana covers 34 million families
below the poverty line. It will now be extended to other categories such as rickshaw, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, sanitation workers, rag pickers and mine workers." Referring to various social welfare insurance schemes run by different departments of the central government, Chidambaram proposed to facilitate convergence among the various stakeholder ministries/departments so that a comprehensive social security pack-
Budget Highlights
Average growth during UPA-1 was 8 percent; high growth not a novelty Current account deficit a worry because of high oil and gold imports Will need $75 billion to finance current account deficit Need to encourage FDI in consonance with economic priorities WPI inflation down to 7 percent; food inflation worrying. No revision of personal income tax slabs Ten percent surcharge on income exceeding Rs.1 crore (Rs.10 million/$180,000) a year; only 42,800 people have declared such income Rs.1,000 crore allocated for establishing Nirbhaya Fund for women's safety Rs.97,000 crore (Rs.970 billion/$18 billion) for women's development Defense allocated Rs.203,672 crore (Rs.2.03 trillion/$37 billion), an increase of five percent Import duty on high-end vehicles raised from 75 percent to 100 percent Rs.9,000 crore allocated for compensating state for differential in central sales tax and GST No change in customs duty on non-agricultural products 11 lakh people have benefited from direct cash transfers; scheme to be rolled out across the country during UPA-2 term (May 2014) Low interest funds to be provided for promoting clean energy
Duty on precious, semi-precious stones cut

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram proposed a drastic reduction of duty on export of pre-forms of precious and semi-precious stones from 10 percent to two percent to encourage exports. The finance minister also proposed to reduce by 2.5 percent the duty on specified machinery for manufacture of leather and leather goods, including footwear, giving a boost to the leather goods exports. Chidambaram announced a total withdrawal of export duty on de-oiled rice bran oil cake. He proposed a duty of 10 percent on export of ilmenite ore and 5 percent on export of upgraded ilmenite, in view of the several fold increase in the prices of unprocessed ilmenite in the export market and the need to conserve the natural resource.
Measures to lure away people from gold

New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announced measures to encourage people to make productive investments in financial markets and housing, instead of just putting their money in gold. "The household sector must be incentivised to save in financial instruments rather than buy gold," Chidambaram said while presenting the national budget for 201314. The finance minister announced liberalization of the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS), with a view to make it more attractive to the common people. First time investors will now be allowed to invest in mutual funds as well as listed shares. This investment can be done not in one year alone, but in three successive years. The income limit is raised from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.12 lakh. To protect savings and investments form inflation, Chidambaram announced the issue of inflation-indexed funds. "In consultation with RBI, I propose to introduce instruments that will protect savings from inflation, especially the savings of the poor and middle classes," the finance minister said. These could be inflationindexed bonds or inflationindexed national security certificates. "The structure and tenor of the instruments will be announced in due course," he said. Chidambaram also announced tax incentives to encourage investments in the housing sector. He said any person taking a first time home loan up to Rs.25 lakh during the financial year 2013-14 will be allowed an additional tax deduction of interest of up to Rs.1 lakh. "This will promote home ownership and give a fillip to a number of industries like steel, cement, brick, wood, glass etc, besides jobs to thousands of construction workers," he said.
DIPLOMACY
March 2-8, 2013
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UNSC seat an imperative for India: Puri

It's very difficult to visualize countries like India, Brazil and South Africa not being permanent members of the Council, says veteran Indian diplomat
By Arun Kumar Washington: Bullish on India, veteran Indian diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri says being on the UN Security Council is not an option but an imperative for a country of India's standing as that's where the real action is. And, if an expansion of the Security Council with a permanent seat for India at the decision-making high table were to take time, India would have to come back and seek an early reelection as a non-permanent member, Puri told IANS in an interview from New York. "No matter which way you may look at it, being on the Security Council is not an option for India," said Puri, India's permanent representative at the UN,
Interview
agreed text with the African group, which has 53 members. But he thought "it will take a month or two or three at the most for a common text to emerge" from consultations among various regional groups. Reflecting on India's two-year tenure on the Security Council during 2011-12, Puri said: "Whichever way one looks at it, one has reason to be satisfied." "We were able to pursue our national interests as well as larger causes in terms of global issues and principles on which India has an established track record," he said. "We had two very successful presidencies of the Council, once in August 2011 and again in 2012." But what tops Puri's list of achievements is "our ability to pursue our national interests in the countries of our immediate neighborhood". India participated in the Security Council processes on these countries and was "able to reflect on developments and shape the outcomes in the manner that serves our interests", he said. On some broader thematic issues of major concern to India such as terrorism, for instance, "we were able to get approval for the concept of zero tolerance," said Puri, who was elected chairperson of the UNSC counter-terrorism committee. Besides major advances in the areas of terrorism financing,
Veteran Indian diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri, India's permanent representative at the UN, bid farewell to his illustrated career
who is set to hang his boots Thursday after a 39-year distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service. "Believe me, so much of the UN's hardcore political work is done in the Security Council that being on the Council is an imperative for a country of India's standing," said the diplomat who played a key role in India's election to a non-permanent seat for a two-year term in 2010. "I don't say that just for India, but a country of India's standing," he said. "It's very difficult to visualize countries like India, Brazil and South Africa not being permanent members of the Council." Puri also saw "some significant developments" in India's
quest for a permanent seat with an expansion of the Security Council since the process moved from the earlier 'open-ended working group' - "which was, if you permit me to say, pure waffle" - to the inter-governmental negotiating process in March 2009. Since then, eight rounds of negotiations have been held. "Now my submission is after eight rounds there are only one or two conclusions that are possible - either we have another round and fold up or we get a result," he said. "The result people are seeking is very simply a shorter text which lists the different models which can be available for expansion," Puri said adding that India was close to reaching an
India was for the first time able to have a Security Council presidential statement in Nov 2012 focused on dealing with piracy and counter-piracy measures in a comprehensive manner, he said. Turning to global hot spots resulting from developments in Africa in general and the Arab Spring in particular, Puri said: "The unfolding situation, both in Libya and Syria, is clearly demonstrated by the wisdom and maturity of the Indian approach, which would now be even better understood." In sum: "India is a country much in demand, highly respected, very sought after," Puri told IANS. "I mean the kind of treatment one receives on the Council fills one's heart with joy." India, he noted, was consulted on all global issues by the Permanent five, especially on the issues related to Africa given its tradition of empathy and support for Africa. Discounting suggestions that the current economic slowdown might have affected India's global standing, Puri said: "There is a slowdown in most parts of the world. And by relative standards we are doing quite well" with an expected 5.5 to 6 percent growth. "I am bullish on India. I have been bullish on India all my life," Puri said. "Let me tell you, India is a good story, temporary preoccupations with social issues and corruption notwithstanding."
'Snakes of terrorism need forceful response'

Washington: Veteran Indian diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri advocates a "very forceful response" on the part of India to deal with "snakes and vipers" of terrorism coming from a particular snake pit in its neighborhood. "Why are we fighting shy?" wondered Puri, India's permanent representative at the UN, who is set to bid farewell to the Indian Foreign Service after a 39-year distinguished career, including the last four years at the UN. "I mean the US believes in counter-terrorism cooperation. But that does not preclude it in going and targeting individuals who constitute a threat to the US," Puri told IANS in a farewell interview from New York. "So my only issue is that the entire counter-terrorism cooperation in the UN and globally should not prevent us from safeguarding our interests." The Indian diplomat, who was elected chair of the UNSC counter-terrorism committee, said that during India's twoyear tenure as a non-permanent member of the Security Council "we were able to get a zero tolerance provision into
Hardeep Singh Puri worked as part of Indian Foreign Service for 39 years
the lexicon." India was also "witness to the fact that many of the terrorist entities that were troubling us the snakes and the vipers which come from the same snake pit in the region - have been proscribed under the UN," he said without naming any country. "Now the issue is we should be able to combine that along with what I call a very forceful response." On other issues confronting India, Puri said: "We clearly need to come to terms with our neighborhood. Make no mistakes on that. Our relations with most of our neighbors are crying out for greater attention."
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March 2-8, 2013
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
The Ang Lee fim spreads Indian flavor by winning four Oscars; Bombay Jayashri loses he Indian flavor was predominant at the 85th Academy Awards, when "Life of Pi", widely shot in India with Indian actors, won the maximum awards, including the best director's trophy for Ang Lee, who not only thanked his Indian crew but also wowed everyone by saying 'Namaste'. Another India link was "Lincoln", a historical drama about the last few months of 16th US President Abraham Lincoln, which has been co-produced by Indian business tycoon Anil Ambani's Reliance Entertainment and DreamWorks. However, India's only hope vocalist Bombay Jayashri - lost the award in the best original song category. "Life of Pi", based on Canadian author Yann Martel's Booker Prize winning eponymous novel, won four out of its 11 nominations at the 85th Academy Awards on February 24. Apart from the best director's gong for Lee, who won his second Oscar after 2005 "Brokeback Mountain", "Life of Pi" clinched the trophies for best cinematography (Claudio Miranda), best music - original score (Mychael Danna), and best visual effects (Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott). In his acceptance speech, Lee thanked his producers, "Indian crew", technicians who worked on the movie and the film's lead actor Suraj Sharma. "Suraj, where are you," he asked, and the cameras panned to Suraj, a 19-year-old Delhi boy who made his acting debut with the movie. He waved at Lee with joy. Indian singer Bombay Jayashri lost out the trophy of best original song to Adele, who took home the golden statuette for "Skyfall". The British singer also performed at the gala ceremony.
'Life of Pi' leads Oscar pack
Apart from the best director, 'Life of Pi' clinched trophies for best cinematography, best music - original score and best visual effects
'Argo' won the best film trophy
The best actor trophy went to Daniel Day-Lewis for portraying Abraham Lincoln in "Lincoln", which won a total of two awards
out of its 12 nominations. The other gong was for production design. Day-Lewis is the only actor to win three best actor Oscars for "My
Left Foot", "There Will Be Blood" and now "Lincoln". Jennifer Lawrence won the best actress trophy for her work in
'Life of Pi' transcends boundaries: Distributor

ith Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" winning four golden statuettes at the 85th Academy Awards, its distributor Fox Star Studios has hailed it saying it is a rare work of cinema. "We are delighted with 'Life Of Pi' winning the maximum number of Oscars this year! Ang Lee is one of those rare directors in today's time, and his vision has transformed the film into those rare works of cinema that transcend boundaries with its universal appeal," Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios, said in a statement. "This is a proud moment not only for us and the hugely talented Indian crew that worked on the film, but also for the audiences that have enjoyed the film and supported the team throughout. In
addition to the Oscar honors, 'Life Of Pi' has now become the No.2 Hollywood film in India after 'Avatar', which is just fantastic!" he added.
Extensively shot in India, the fantasy adventure drama stars Delhi-based Suraj Sharma in the lead role, with seasoned actors Irrfan and Tabu in the cast.
"Silver Linings Playbook". The best film award went to "Argo", which was announced by US First Lady Michelle Obama. Based on a joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six American diplomatic personnel during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, the film also got the trophy for best editing and best adapted screenplay. While Anne Hathaway walked away with best actress in a supporting role Oscar for "Les Miserables", Christoph Waltz picked up the best supporting actor trophy for his performance in "Django Unchained". The best original screenplay trophy went to filmmaker Quentin Tarantino for "Django Unchained", set among the slave plantations of pre-American Civil War. Austrian movie "Amour", about an old couple and how their life changes after the woman becomes partially paralyzed, bagged the best foreign language film trophy. "Skyfall" and "Zero Dark Thirty" shared the best sound editing award, while the best sound mixing trophy was given to "Les Miserables".
Film 'ridiculing' Mamata denied clearance

he censor board has denied approval to a Bengali film for "distorting history" by ridiculing the swearing-in ceremony of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as well as her Singur movement which caused Tata Motors exit from the state. A member of the board's regional revising committee, however, cited the "obscene and abusive language" in the movie as the reason behind denial of clearance for it. "Kangal Malsat (Beggars' war cry)", based on a Nabarun Bhattacharya novel of the same name, and directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay, has also been refused certification for "irresponsibly portraying" Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Mukhopadhyay, alleging "political motivation" behind the move, claimed that the censor board's objection against Stalin is a "cover-up as it does not want to allow a movie which is a burlesque on Banerjee's dream to turn Kolkata into London". "The movie is a burlesque and takes satirical hit on Kolkata turning London as well as Tata's (Motors) departure from Singur. The decision to disallow my
RGV's 'The Attacks of 26/11' in English too

am Gopal Varma's "The Attacks of 26/11" has been simultaneously shot in English and Hindi and for the first time Nana Patekar will be heard delivering dialogues in English. Confirming this, Varma said: "'Attacks of 26/11' is also in English. The film is the same, it is just that the lines are in English and Nana and other actors have spoken their lines in the Queen's language." The English version "will release across the world", added the filmmaker who earlier brought underworld crime saga on the big screen through "Satya", "Company" and "Sarkar". In "The Attacks of 26/11", based on the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed, Nana plays joint commissioner of police facing an enquiry over the
A scene from Kangal Malsat (Beggars' war cry)
movie is politically motivated," he maintained. "It is dangerous for a democratic state to act in such a manner where artists cannot be allowed to express their views freely," said Mukhopadhyay. In the movie, a person is shown watching the swearing-in ceremony dispassionately and later rebel Trinamool parliamentarian Kabir Suman, who features in the movie, says: "The Tatas have cut a sorry figure. Now there are so many committees. They are making Kolkata into London..."
A poster of 'The Attacks of 26/11'
attacks, while Sanjeev Jaiswal will be seen as terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged recently. The film also features Atul Kulkarni and Ganesh Yadav.
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
March 2-8, 2013
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'Kai Po Che': coming-of-age account

t really can't get any better than this, can it? The year has just begun and we have one of the finest, most vibrant and fulfilling coming-of-age films in living memory. "Kai Po Che" (the war-call uttered during kite-flying in Gujarat) is not about kite-flying. In fact there is just one fleeting sequence, very effectively positioned in the meticulously structured narrative, where the characters actually fly kites. "Kai Po Che" is about spirits soaring skywards, as the characters - each one so vividly etched into the compact narrative that you come away with people whom you will probably carry with you for keeps - let their spirits roam wild and free, soaking in the sunlight of desire, longing,
Review
aspiring, stumbling and getting back on the feet. Set in Gujarat during times of peace and unimaginable stress, "Kai Po Che" takes Chetan Bhagat's engaging novel about friendship among three dissimilar young people struggling to find their voices in Gujarat in and around the year 2000, and converts the written word into an enrapturing entity far beyond just a story well told. The three, joined by a fourth - a girl who happens to be the sister of one of the heroes secretly involved with the hero's best friend - bring to life a world where the accidents of existence collide gently but powerfully with man-made and natural calamities
that shake the very existence of an Indian middle class, living on an edge where toppling over the abyss is a real possibility. Sure enough, by the end of the film one of heroes Omi (Amit Sadh) does fall into the abyss of bigotry. Though he is finally given a chance to redeem himself, it's too late. A dream has already died, though another one is reborn. "Kai Po Che" is about the shared aspirations of three friends: the reckless and devilmay-care cricketer Ishaan (Sushant Singh Rajput in a remarkable film debut), his cautious, shy friend Govind (Raj Kumar Yadav) and their somewhat confused friend Omi, the son of a liberal temple priest who tilts towards Hindu radicalism
A scene from 'Kai Po Che'
more out of an economic necessity than a ideological imperative. Fearless and almost flawless, "Kai Po Che" bubbles over with the warmth of lived-in experiences and with central perform-
ances that are so unstudied you suspect the actors were born to play these parts. "Kai Po Che" just tempts me to tell the escapist merchants of Bollywood to go fly a kite.
Rs.100 crore tag harmful for Bollywood: Irrfan
ntertainment is not just time pass; it should "reflect the society that we live in", says seasoned actor Irrfan who is working with the motto of challenging the definition of entertainment. A name to reckon with in the international arena thanks to his powerful performances in "The Namesake" and Oscar winning films "Slumdog Millionaire" and " Life of Pi", Irrfan is equally respected on home turf for his extraordinary work in "Maqbool" and "Paan Singh Tomar". Sharing his views on movies and its content, the alumnus of the National School of Drama said: "I am just trying to find entertainment, which Irrfan Khan
is not regular definition of entertainment. It has to keep evolving and it should also reflect the society that we live in. I am constantly challenging the definition of entertainment. Entertainment has to do something more than just time pass." With an interesting bouquet of work that boasts of variety and quality, have his options narrowed as an actor in pursuit of challenges? "That has always been a problem because the industry doesn't know what to do after a point," Irrfan said, adding that once "they (filmmakers) thought they will make me a villain and I didn't expect that". According to him, filmmaking is a "combination of creativity and money".
Not sure if I'll dance with Madhuri: Ranbir
'Zila Ghaziabad' big comeback for me: Vivek
ivek Oberoi is happy with the response to his latest release "Zila Ghaziabad" and says the film has been a "big comeback" for him. "People are telling me that Vivek Oberoi of 'Company' has come back with 'Zila Ghaziabad'. It has been a big comeback for me," the 36-year-old said here Friday at the Gaiety theatre, where he came to gauge the audience's reaction to the film. He was happy. "I am thankful to god for the kind of response the film is getting. My producer and the distributors were telling me that it has got a historic opening in the north, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, especially," Vivek said. Directed by Anand Kumar, "Zila Ghaziabad" also stars Sanjay
Ranbir Kapoor with Madhuri Dixit
A scene from Zila Ghaziabad'
Dutt, Paresh Rawal, Ravi Kishan and Arshad Warsi. It released
alongside "Kai Po Che!", which too is garnering good response.
ust like everyone else, Bollywood's 'rockstar' Ranbir Kapoor is unsure if he will be shaking a leg with dancing diva Madhuri Dixit in his upcoming film "Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani". However, he is keeping his fingers crossed. A good dancer himself, the 30year-old proved his skills in songs like "Bachna ae haseeno" and "Main tera dhadkan teri" and it would be a treat for his fans to watch him matching steps with Madhuri. "Yes, even I have heard about it but nothing is confirmed yet. But
I am really looking forward if I can work with Madhuriji," he said here Monday while launching the latest handset by Blackberry. "I have been a big fan of hers, big admirer. I remember when she got married, I also cried. So, it would be great fun working with her. But I don't know whether they have confirmed it yet," he added. "Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani", which is being directed by Ayan Mukherjee, will see Ranbir romancing his ex-flame Deepika Padukone when it hits screens May 31.
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March 2-8, 2013
TRAVEL
A trip to Chinatowns world over

s the Chinese celebrate their New Year with month-long festivities, we take you on a journey to top Chinatowns across the world. There seems to be at least one
A
T
Chinatown in every country. As you take a walk through these ethnic enclaves, inhaling the unique flavors that define Chinese culture so beautifully, you also feel the bonhomie with colorful festivals
being held throughout the year the largest of these being the month-long celebration of the Chinese New Year. The parades are awe-inspiring with people dressed up as dragons, and streets dec-
orated with colorful lighting. We take you through the top Chinatowns in the world, and tell you what you must not miss out on in each of them.
Singapore
he Chinatown here is interestingly called Ox Cart Water, owing to the fact that ox drawn carts were used to transport water in the past in this area. The architecture here is very Victorian with red rooftops. The food street has around 100 hawker stands, selling seafood in particular. It is also a great place to buy inexpensive souvenirs The Chinatown in Singapore during the Chinese New Year from ranging from fashion goods to electronic Chinatown is also the cleanest in gear. Not to miss are the three the world. Hot Fact: By 1827, the restored shop houses, showcasing rich heritage and serving as Chinese became the largest etha repository for memories. This nic group in Singapore.
Melbourne, Australia
S
ituated on little Bourke Street, this distinctive area is only a few steps away from Rydges Melbournes Front Door. It is famed for being the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world. There are several other Asian shops too, apart from Chinese, on the street and inside the plazas. A dragon lines the outside of the Chinese Museum. For a minimal amount, one can catch a glimpse of the citys rich Chinese heritage. The longest dancing dragon in the world (measuring over 60 meters), and a few other artefacts
Souvenirs on display in Chinatown in Melbourne
are definitely worth seeing. Hot Fact: This one dates back
to the gold rush days of the 1850s.
Macau
Yokohama, Japan
Toronto, Canada
G
reater Toronto houses around six Chinatowns. However, the oldest and the largest (in North America) is located between the Kensington Market and the c i t y s Entertainment District. As you walk through Spadina south of College amidst the citys bustle of colors and people, its buzzing, A restaurant in the oldest and largest Chinatown in Greater Toronto. narrow streets lined with vibrant billHot Fact: The first Chinese boards, posters, restaurants and person on record in Toronto many stores its like being in opened a laundry service in China itself. 1878.
Chinese dragons on display in Yokohama in Japan A Chinese temple in Macau
o enjoy the aroma of Chinese tea, ginseng and herbal eggs as you admire the architecture, a great idea is to go on a morning walk tour. Its fun to stroll through the colorful market and trace the history of Chinese immigrants. An artful balance between the past and future accounts for this Chinatowns allure. Modern Macanese cuisine, founded by the Portuguese and cooked by the Chinese, is fusion at its best! Hot Fact: The site of a Portuguese settlement in 1557, Macau was the first European outpost in the Far East and a vital port for trade between China and the West.
okohama boasts of the largest Chinatown in Japan and also one of the largest in the world. A great idea to begin your tour is to take a peek into the China museum, which sells a lot of Chinese merchandise. However, for food a better idea is to go kiosk hopping in the many bylanes that are filled with sheng jian bao (juicy dumplings) or dine in one of the many restaurants serving Cantonese cuisine. While strolling along, do check out the other colorful and exotic shops overflowing with Chinese goods, books, souvenirs and even Chinese medicines. Hot Fact: Yokohama began welcoming Chinese residents in 1859.
OP-ED
March 2-8, 2013
19
Trouble with Home Minister Shinde

By Rajdeep Sardesai
very home minister of the country has had to live literally in the shadow of the first occupant of the post. In the stairway of North Block leading to the home ministers office, there is a life-size portrait of Sardar Patel. He has been eulogised in textbooks as the Iron Man of India and is probably the only Congress leader of the freedom movement who still enjoys widespread endorsement across the political class (dont forget Mayawati has spoken out against the Mahatma). Which is perhaps why Sushilkumar Shinde is finding life in the chair, once occupied by the mighty Sardar, a little too hot to handle. From court constable to subinspector to two-time Maharashtra chief minister to a state governor to Lok Sabha leader and home minister, Shinde is a shining emblem of upward mobility in politics. Being a Dalit in an age of caste assertion has been a big advantage, although to be fair to the man from Solapur, he has never worn his caste on his sleeve. His ever-smiling, nonconfrontational persona has also been an asset in a coalition era where ministers are expected to not rock the boat. And yet, the home ministers office is neither a Raj Bhavan-like sinecure nor can it be reduced to a reward for
Sushilkumar Shindes handling of the Guru hanging raises grave doubts about his ability to handle sensitive national security issues.
unswerving loyalty. Unfortunately, that is precisely what the UPA government appears to have done. Historically, the home minister was the de facto number two in government. Sardar was deputy prime minister and home minister. So was LK Advani, who interestingly even sought to borrow the Lauh Purush brand from the original macho politician. Through the 60s and 70s, the home minister of the country was seen to be a near-parallel authority to the prime minister: giants like Rajaji, YB Chavan, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi (who was both home
minister and PM between 1970 and 1973), and Charan Singh were appointed home ministers in recognition of their political stature. The transformation in the role of the home minister began with Indira Gandhi appointing Giani Zail Singh to the post in 1980. Zail Singhs two years as home minister were a disaster, a period in which the idea of Sikh separatism was incubated, the Northeast was pushed to the brink and Kashmir began to simmer. Rather than being held accountable, Zail Singh was rewarded with the Presidency in 1982. Gianiji almost rewrote the concept of
political sycophancy by commenting, If my leader had said to pick up a broom and be a sweeper, I would have done that! If Punjab was the wound which Gianiji inflicted on the nation, Shinde too threatens to open fresh sores and re-ignite old flames. First it was his rather loose Hindu terror remark at the Congress Chintan Shivir in Jaipur. Ironically, within weeks of his Hindu terror remark controversy, Mr Shindes handling of the Afzal Guru hanging raises even more grave doubts about his ability to handle sensitive national security issues.
It is possible that Mr Shinde was only following orders, or the advice of senior government officials, when he chose to treat the hanging like a bureaucratic exercise that did not deserve even basic human dignity. With a glint in his eyes and a smirk on his lips, the home minister announced that Afzal had been hanged and that his family had been informed via Speed Post. That sight of Shinde will go down as one of the more unfortunate examples of the Indian States rapidly declining moral fiber, a country where a Gandhian conscience has now been replaced by a carnivorous desire for revenge. If after a year of sustained peace, angry Kashmiris have found a new symbol to channel their sense of victimhood and alienation, then Shinde and his advisers must take prime responsibility. Wouldnt a more civilized system at least have provided one chance for the family to see Afzal before he was hanged? Post-script: Mr Shinde was shifted from the power ministry to North Block on the very day the country witnessed one of its worst ever blackouts. Clearly, at times in Congress politics, nothing succeeds like failure! (The views expressed by the author are personal)
Oscar fever subsides: Wrong choices?

By Subhash K. Jha o in spite of some scathing pre-Oscar reviews criticising it for turning a real political episode into a populist drama, actor-turned-director Ben Afflect's "Argo" won the golden statuette for the best picture. And they couldn't have chosen better. From the over-studied historicity of Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln", and the flamboyant feyness of David O'Russell's "The Silver Linings Playbook" to the cold calculated terror chronicle in Katheryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark 30" and the lumbering lyricism of Ang Lee's "Life Of Pi" -- this was the year when the Oscars went to the most undeserving. Or so it seemed when lobbies bellowed fire and ire against "Argo" for distorting facts pertaining to a 1980 hostage situation in Iran. As though a heightened
Why did we have so many Oscar nominated films this year where the characters spoke too much and too quickly?
watchability level of a film automatically eliminates it from the hall of excellence! By that reckoning, "Lincoln" and "Life Of Pi" were the the most deserving Oscar contenders of the year. Laboured "Lincoln" and "Life Of Pi" in their effort to
put the written word into visual terms scored high marks. But both films suffered from an overdose of italicised ideation and an exaggerated sense of self-importance. "Lincoln" chose to put forward Abraham Lincoln's fight for American Civil Rights with such
slavish civility that we were left watching a good two-and-a-half hours of a tale that seemed sponsored by the American Dream. As for the much-vaunted "Life Of Pi", Ang Lee left one feeling ang-ry. Very angry. The film is a luminously lit, but literal, interpretation of the book, and that monologue where, when interrogated by Japanese officials, Pi (Suraj Sharma) launches into various hypothetical situations that could have arisen in his journey from shipwreck on the high seas to existential marooning on an island of the mind, I felt I was being read out chapters from the book in a voice that didn't quite convey the power to render words into powerful visuals. What made "Life Of Pi" so loved? Was it the idea of a boy alone on a boat with a Royal Bengal tiger? Or was it just the fascination of watching an adven-
ture tale unfold in painfully detailed welters and waves with the cinematography pelting paeans of poetry into a film that obstinately opts for a prose rendering? I don't know why... "Life Of Pi" left me profoundly underwhelmed. "Zero Dark 30" is a powerful film. But it is not a great film. It got its political point across correctly. But it missed that transcendental converging point where "High Art meets Great Cinema". Luckily for us, Anupam Kher was more than a token Indian presence in "Silver Linings Playbook". But this was again a film that was much too verbose. Why did we have so many Oscar nominated films this year where the characters spoke too much and too quickly? Is cinema now as afraid of silences as we are?
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
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March 2-8, 2013
INDIAN RAIL BUDGET 2013
Safety, comfort on track, no fare hike

Parliament that borders on populism with a fair dose of measures on fiscal discipline, safety and travel comfort. The other highlights include seven more executive lounges at key stations, elimination of unmanned level crossings, sprucing up the Railway Protection Force for the safety of passengers especially women, deployment of a new anti-collision system, free wi-fi in select trains and modern kitchens with strict quality control. "The growth of Indian Railways is inextricably linked with the growth of the country," Bansal said in his 80-minute budget speech -- the last such annual exercise for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government before the next general election scheduled in 2014. "Indian Railways must remain financially sustainable so that resources generated can be ploughed back for efficient upkeep, operation and maintenance of the system itself for the benefit of the rail users," he said, setting the tone for frequent adjustments in train fares and freight tariff. "The UPA government is sensitive to the needs of the people and it was after some wide consultations and deliberations that some revision was effected in fares from Jan 22," he said of the recent hike in fares, while also proposing automatic revisions in freight tariff based on fluctuations in fuel charges. "As regards passenger fares, since these were revised only in January this year, I do not intend to pass on the additional burden to them now and railways will absorb the impact of Rs.850 crore (Rs.8.5 billion or $155 million) on this account," said Bansal, the first Congress party minister to present a rail budget in 17 years. "It is a reformist and forward looking budget which presents a realistic picture of railway finances," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said of the budget, even as the opposition called it wanting in a host of areas. "The rail budget has definitely exposed the UPA government's inability and the lack of vision to revive the ailing Indian Railways," said Rajnath Singh, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the principal opposition. The minister said railways remained the single most important catalyst in India's growth story and was a vital organization integrating the nation from Baramulla in the north to Kanyamumari in the south, and from Dwarka in the west to Ledo in the east. The country's railroad network, ranked among the top five in the world, is spread over 64,000 km with 7,083 stations, to ferry 23 million travelers and 2.65 million tonnes of goods daily on 12,000 passenger and 7,000 freight trains. It employs some 1.4 million people. The railways' sheer contribution to the economy and the role it plays in nation-building is what has prompted a separate budget since 1920 -long before independence in 1947.
The Rail Budget borders on populism with a fair dose of measures on fiscal discipline, safety and travel comfort
New Delhi: Train fares remain unchanged. Charges on some services such as tatkal and reservation will be hiked. Freight charges will rise. The extant, unreliable e-reservation system will be replaced. As many as 106 new trains will be introduced. A swanky coach will be added on
select trains. And all key stations will have escalators. These are some high points of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's Rs.63,363-crore (Rs.633.63 billion or $11.5 billion) maiden annual budget for his ministry tabled in the lower house of
Opposition finds rail Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh budget disappointing bask in railway budget
New Delhi: The ruling Congress and its union ministers praised the railway budget as "commendable" while the opposition, including the BJP and the Left, criticized it as "disappointing" and an eyewash. Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's maiden budget "is a very commendable budget". Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the railway minister has "managed an all-India perspective" in the budget and "without succumbing to populist pressure it has done good economics and good politics." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh accused the UPA government of a lack of vision to revive the railways and said the common man has been forced to pay for mounting losses in the carrier. In a statement on the railway budget, he said the move to keep train fares unchanged was an "eyewash". BJP leader Balbir Punj termed the budget as "very, very disappointing" and said it was "high on promises, low on performance... There is nothing to report in the budget," while his party colleague Prakash Javadekar sought to know why the government was increasing the fare in a hidden manner. "This is not a railway budget, but a farewell budget for the government. It is rather Rae Bareli budget," Javadekar said, referring to the parliamentary constituency of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. BJP leader Gopinath Munde described it as "anti-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) budget", alleging it has not much to offer to the states ruled by the opposition parties. Communist Party of IndiaMarxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury slammed the government for "camouflaged" hikes in the budget. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati said the budget has ignored the poor and middle class. "The poor and middle class travel more by railways.. These people don't stand to benefit much from the budget," she said. Chandigarh: For nearly three decades, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh used to get raw deals in successive railway budgets. This time though, things changed with with Chandigarh MP Pawan Kumar Bansal being the railway minister. With Bansal being a regular traveller on the Chandigarh-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, the city and adjoining Punjab and Haryana have got a handful in the railway budget presented by him Tuesday. In previous years, which railways ministers being mostly from Bihar and West Bengal, the region seemed to be last on their priority list. Last year too, the railway budget had nothing for Chandigarh or the region. Haryana, which has a Congress government, seems to have benefitted the most with a rail coach factory being announced at Sonipat. The new rail lines announced for the state include the Hisar-Sirsa and YamunanagarChandigarh sections. The state will also benefit from better connectivity and frequency of trains running within Haryana. Bansal, who became the first Congress minister to head the railways ministry after 17 years last
Bansal's new proposals include trains linking the region to religious places in other states
October, originally belongs to Punjab and has earlier been a Rajya Sabha MP from the state. While the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal criticized Bansal for not doing enough for Punjab, the railway budget had a lot for the state. The new trains announced for Punjab and nearby areas include the Amritsar-Lalkuan Express (via Chandigarh), the ChandigarhAmritsar Inter-city Express, the Indore-Chandigarh Express, the Una/Nangal Dam-Nanded Express, the Katra-Kalka Express and the Kalka-Sai Nagar (Shirdi) Express. Bansal's new proposals include trains linking the region to reli-
gious places in other states. These include Sikh shrine Hazoor Sahib (Nanded-Maharashtra), famous Hindu shrine Vaishno Devi (Katra-Jammu and Kashmir) and Shirdi (Sai Nagar-Maharashtra). Sikh holy places Amritsar, Talwandi Sabo and Anandpur Sahib also figure prominently in Bansal's new linkages. Even before the budget, Bansal got a new Shatabdi Express - the third - started between Chandigarh and New Delhi. He also initiated a project to give a complete facelift to the Chandigarh railway station. In the budget, Bansal announced a few more initiatives for Chandigarh.
INDIA
March 2-8, 2013
21
Parliamentary panel to probe chopper deal

New Delhi: A joint parliamentary committee (JPC) will probe the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters, it was decided while Defense Minister A.K. Antony promised to punish the guilty for the alleged kickbacks. The opposition parties, however, walked out of the Rajya Sabha alleging inaction for over a year. The motion to set up the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) took the opposition by surprise, but was adopted by the Rajya Sabha despite opposition walk-out, including by the BJP. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath moved the motion at the end of a short-duration discussion on the $750 million/Rs.3,600-crore deal for the helicopters with AgustaWestland by the defense ministry. The move to set up the JPC was opposed by several opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal-United and Trinamool Congress. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party backed the decision on the JPC. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said the JPC will be an "exercise in futility" and its setting up was a "diversionary tactic" by the government. He said what was needed was a proper case and custodial interrogation of people to get to the truth and the JPC had none of these powers. Defending the government's decision, Kamal Nath said the JPC will monitor the investigations of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and accused the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance of "running away from JPC". Kamal Nath said the opposition had not allowed an entire session to report within three months of its first sitting. He announced names of seven of 10 house members and said names of three others will be decided later. The opposition parties, including the BJP, staged a walk-out before the voice vote on the motion for setting up the JPC. The Rajya Sabha earlier saw a fierce debate with the BJP members accusing the government of inaction despite information about alleged kickbacks being in the public domain for almost a year. In his reply, Antony said the government will get to the root of scams involving public money and punish the guilty. The minister said AgustaWestland had denied any wrongdoings in its reply to the ministry's show cause notice but the defense ministry did not believe their reply.
The government said AgustaWestland had denied any wrongdoings in its reply to the ministry's show-cause notice
function over its demand earlier for a JPC on the 2G spectrum controversy. He said the JPC will have 30 members, including 10 from the Rajya Sabha and 20 from the Lok
Sabha. The minister said JPC will inquire into the alleged payment of bribes in the deal and role of middlemen. He said the JPC will give its
Landslide victory for Left in Tripura

Agartala: Tripura's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Front was heading for a landslide victory and set to retain power for a fifth straight term. In a virtual status quo, the ruling formations were ahead and appeared to be romping back to power in the assembly elections in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya where counting of votes was taken up on Thursday. The Left Front government is set to come back to power for the fifth consecutive term in Tripura with leader of the coalition CPM leading in 32 of the 60 seats while its ally CPI was ahead in one. Congress was a poor second leading only in four seats and others in one in the trends available so far. In Meghalaya, the ruling
Protection of women at workplace bill passed

New Delhi: Parliamentary approval has been accorded to a bill seeking to provide protection to women from sexual harassment at workplace, including millions of unorganized workers like the domestic help. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Rajya Sabha. It was approved by the lower house in September 2012. The bill covers under its list of offenses sexual remarks, demand for sexual favor, or any act of physical advance or an unwelcome touch. Moving the bill in the upper house, Women and Child Empowerment Minister Krishna Tirath said the bill will cover both organized and unorganized sectors and will include domestic workers. "The aim is that women are able to work freely whether it is workplace in organized or unorganized sector," Tirath said. The bill mandates an internal complaint committee for any organization with 10 or more employees. For an employer not following this, the penalty will be Rs.50,000. Repeated violations may lead to higher penalties and cancellation of license or registration to conduct business. However, in the case of false or malicious complaint, the bill provides for action against the complainant in accordance with service rules and in any other manner in case no service rules exist. The bill covers not only employees, but also clients, customers, apprentice or daily wage workers who enter the workplace.
The Left Front government is set to come back to power for the fifth consecutive term in Tripura
Congress-UDP coalition is ahead in 14 of the 60 seats. Congress was ahead in 9 and its alliance partner UDP in 5. Nagaland also continued with the same trend of favouring the ruling
combination. The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) was ahead in 15 seats while the Congress was ahead in 4, JD(U) 1 and others 2 in the 60-member assembly.
Inferno kills 19 in Kolkata, Mamata cries 'sabotage'

Kolkata: At least 19 people were killed in a devastating blaze at a market complex in the eastern metropolis this week. According to witnesses, the massive fire in the densely-populated Sealdah area began around 3:50 a.m. in the mezzanine floor of a multi-storey Surya Sen Market building and leapt up to the first and second floors where most of the victims were sleeping. Hinting at a probable "sabotage", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered an inquiry into the tragedy. The steady stream of soot-smeared bodies being taken out of the fire-ravaged building bore an eerie resemblance to the AMRI Hospital fire tragedy Dec 9, 2011, where too a pre-dawn blaze choked to death 94 people, mostly critically ill patients. If Fire Services Minister Javed Khan put the blame of the fire on the "illegal building conmarket) that if anybody intentionally lit a small fire, it could turn into a major fire. There could be (a) conspiracy, sabotage. The probe will look into all aspects," the chief minister said. Banerjee also announced a compensation of Rs.2 lakh each to the kin of the dead and Rs.50,000 for the injured. As 26 fire tenders battled to douse the flames, politicians got busy playing the blame game and pointing fingers at rivals. "Why is the Trinamool (Congress) government blaming the former government? The tragedy has happened during their rule and they are responsible for it," Congress MP Deepa Dasmunsi said. This is the third major fire in city in three years. On March 23, 2010, a blaze in the iconic Stephen Court building in Park Street snuffed out 43 lives.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered an inquiry into the tragedy
structed during erstwhile Left Front regime", Banerjee sniffed a "conspiracy".
"Why has this incident happened? There are so many inflammable objects there (in the
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March 2-8, 2013
DIASPORA
Worlds oldest marathoner, Fauja Singh, 101, runs last race in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: The worlds oldest marathon runner ran his last race on Sunday at the age of 101. Fauja Singh finished the Hong Kong marathons 10-kilometre race in a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds. Singh, a Sikh, wore a saffron turban and sported a flowing white beard. As he followed the route along the northern lip of Hong Kong island, he was accompanied by a group from the citys local Sikh community, joining about 72,000 other runners taking part in the marathon. The Indian-born runner, nicknamed the Turbaned Torpedo, had said that he would hang up his sneakers after the race in the southern Chinese city, just before his 102nd birthday. I will remember this day. I will miss it, Singh said minutes after crossing the finish line. Singh, a great-grandfather, became the oldest man to run a full marathon at Toronto in 2011, at the age of 100. But his record was not recognized by Guinness World Records because he doesnt have a birth certificate to prove his age. Singh has a British passport that shows his date of birth as April 1, 1911, while a letter from Indian government officials states that birth records were not kept in 1911. I am feeling a bit of happiness and a bit of sadness mixed together. I am happy that I am retiring at the top of the game but I am sad that the time has come for me to not be part of it, Singh said in a pre-race interview. And there will always be times in the future where I will be thinking, Well, I used to do that (running), the Punjabi-speaking Singh said through his coach and interpreter, Harmander Singh. Singh took up running as a way to get over depression after his wife and son died in quick succession in India. Following his retirement from racing, he said he hoped people will remember me and not forget me. He also wanted people to continue to invite him to events rather than forget me altogether just because I dont run any more.
Fauja Singh
Wasn't sure I could pull off Osama's role: Ricky Sekhon

New Delhi: Hitting big time with his first film, Indian-origin actor Ricky Sekhon, who plays Osama bin Laden in Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-nominated "Zero Dark Thirty", says he loved the challenge but wasn't sure whether he could pull it off. "I wasn't sure if I could Ricky Sekhon plays Osama Bin Laden in 'Zero dark thirty' pull it off. I didn't have an agent looking after me or a team come the next day. When I was around me to help prepare for the part. auditioning for the movie, I knew I hadn't seen the script. And I was defi- very little of what my role was. I mean, I just knew that it was the nitely not 'Bin Laden skinny'. "But how does one play the global role of a terrorist," said Ricky. From seeing YouTube footage on face of evil? For any actor this would have the best challenge and I the notorious criminal to reading loved the challenge, so there was no books and losing weight, he did it second thought," Ricky told in an all to look like Osama. "I did not have anything more email interview from London. Ricky belongs to a Sikh family in than the footage available on Punjab but was born and brought up YouTube. The journalistic inputs in Southall, West London. He grad- definitely helped me to prepare uated in Drama and Theatre studies myself for the role." Though he has been in London from the University of London. When the 29-year-old auditioned since childhood, Ricky always for the role, he didn't know it would enjoyed visiting his hometown in be for the role of Osama bin Laden, Punjab. "I come from a Sikh family, who was in his late 50s when he born and raised in London. I have been to Punjab which is our homewas killed. "The whole story of 'Zero Dark town and it is always a pleasure Thirty' began last year in March. going there. It's where I can trace The casting director called me and my roots and thus feel a sense of told me that she had been looking belonging with all the exposure to for me for a week. I was asked to the culture there," said Ricky.
Indian-origin girl dies after falling off ski lift

London: A 13-year-old girl of Indian-origin plunged to her death from a ski lift during a school trip to the Alps a media report said Saturday. Poonam Bhattal crashed more than 20ft to the ground Friday in front of her horrified friends shortly after getting on the ski lift, The Sun reported. The schoolgirl and other passengers on the four-seater chair lift may have failed to pull down the safety bar holding them in place, said Italian police. Though she regained consciousness, she died from a suspected cardiac arrest in an ambulance transporting her to hospital. The incident occurred as pupils at Guru Nanak Sikh Academy in Hayes, north-west London, were learning to ski on a week-long trip to the resort of Claviere on the Italian-French border. "The ski lift was moving very fast and it's possible the group did not properly pull the protective bars down," said police commissioner Francesco Destro, while adding that a probe has been launched. "She fell about 30 feet from the point where she mounted the ski lift, from a height of up to 24 feet. I cannot recall another accident like this here. It is possible she was not sitting properly." "She answered questions after falling and we tried to save her but she did not make it."
A Dream of India opens at Voloshin Centre, Moscow

Moscow: On February 23, 2013, Ajai Malhotra, Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, inaugurated the exhibition A Dream of India at the Maximilan Voloshin Cultural Center & Library, Moscow. The exhibition features sculptures from India from the 9th-11th Century that are on loan from private Russian collections, as well as a photo exhibition on India by Alexandra Ivanova. On display are Indian artifacts from the private collections of Kirill Danelia, Alexei Golubovich, and Alexandra Ivanova. The opening ceremony was conducted by Dr. Victor Solkin, Curator of the Exhibition, and began with a welcome by Sergei Kupriyanov, Director, Maximilan Voloshin Cultural Center & Library. He thanked Ambassador Malhotra for his support and looked forward to continued fruitful cooperation with the Embassy of India, Moscow, and its Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Center. Ambassador Malhotra congratulated the Voloshin Center for organizing the event devoted to India and expressed satisfaction over recent strong positive trends in India-Russia relations. He informed that the first 50 days of 2013 had witnessed a huge 60% increase in tourist visas issued to Russians by the Indian Embassy in Moscow. He added that India-Russia trade too had grown by 24.5% in 2012, which was the fastest percentage growth amongst Russias top 25 trading partners last year. He lauded the new initiative by the Voloshin Center to promote India through the exhibition, including the series of specialized lectures on Indian
The opening ceremony was followed by Mohiniattam dance presentations by Alexandra Vodopyanova, a student of Vijayalakshmi, the eminent Mohiniattam dancer from India. culture and religion that would be delivered by eminent Russian Indologists and travelers at the Center over the coming fortnight. He hoped that all these events would further enhance people-to-people contacts and encourage even more Russians to visit India. He also presented a 26-volume set of the book Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology to the Voloshin Center Library. Other speakers on the occasion were the photographer Ms. Alexandra Ivanova and the eminent Indologist Dr. Irina Glushkova, both of whom thanked the Voloshin Center for organizing the exhibition and lecture series.
SUBCONTINENT
March 2-8, 2013
23
India should change Sri Lanka policy: AIADMK

New Delhi: The AIADMK has urged India to change its Sri Lanka policy and branded Colombo as an "enemy" of the Tamils. "It is time the Lanka-centric approach of the external affairs ministry is changed to a Tamil welfare-centric approach," AIADMK leader V. Maitreyan said in the Rajya Sabha. "As far as we Tamils are concerned, Sri Lanka is an enemy country, and it will remain so until justice is meted out to the Tamils," he said. He said there was "a general perception" that the Indian foreign ministry was run by diplomats "whose mindset needs to be changed". Maitreyan placed in the house a report by Human Rights Watch on sexual violence in Sri Lanka and a CD of a Channel 4 documentary on human rights abuses in that country. He also submitted photographs of the 12-year-old son of the late Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran who is said to have been captured and shot dead in cold blood by the Sri Lankan military. Maitreyan alleged that there was no accountability to the "war crimes" committed in Sri Lanka during the final phase of the war that crushed the Tamil Tigers in May 2009. Echoing much of what Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha has stated earlier, the AIADMK MP insisted that Sri Lanka was in no position to probe the alleged "war crimes". "A country which does not have an independent judiciary cannot investigate itself." He urged India to move a single-line resolution in the UN condemning the "genocide" of Tamils in Sri Lanka and sought an economic embargo against Colombo. Maitreyan took a dig at the DMK, saying any amount of con-
Court dismisses petition against Zardari

Lahore: A Pakistani court has dismissed a petition seeking an order to bar Asif Ali Zardari functioning as the President. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Farid Piracha had filed the petition in the Lahore High Court that contended Zardari had been disqualified in the light of a recent Supreme Court judgment that bars the President from engaging in political activities. Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh yesterday observed that the order sought by Piracha could not be granted as another petition on the same issue is pending adjudication and its maintainability had not been decided as yet.He then dismissed Piracha's application. The petitioner claimed Zardari had been persistently carrying on political activities as the head of the state as well as the leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party. He said a full bench of the Lahore high court had on May 12, 2011 suggested that the President should disassociate himself from the post of chief of the PPP but he had been consistently disobeying the court's order and the Constitution.
Sri Lankan army rapes, tortures Tamils, says a Human Rights Watch report
ferences and meetings with foreign diplomats in New Delhi on the Sri Lanka issue "will not wash away the sins of the past". His reference to the DMK's failure to put pressure on the Congress-led government to end the punishing Sri Lankan military
offensive against the Tigers drew vocal condemnation from DMK members. "All that you have to do," Maitreyan said, looking at the DMK members, "is to force the UPA government to act, and to act firmly in Sri Lanka".
Nasheed leaves Indian mission in Male Doctorate from Dhaka varsity

Male/New Delhi: Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed left the Indian High Commission in Male, 11 days after he sought refuge following an arrest warrant against him in a court case. Nasheed thanked the staff of the Indian High Commission, including High Commissioner D.M. Mulay, for "the kindness and hospitality afforded to me during my stay". A large number of his supporters gathered outside the Indian chancery to greet Nasheed as he left the premises. "It is hoped that with the development today former President Nasheed will again resume his social and political life," the Indian external affairs ministry said. "Former president of Maldives Nasheed had entered India's Mission in Male on Feb 13 on his own volition and decided to leave on his own," the ministry added. Speaking to the press at the Dharubaaruge convention centre, Nasheed expressed hope that he will be able to continue with his political activities and
during Pranab visit
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed
social life. "I do not believe that delaying my trial until after elections would infringe on the rights of any citizen," said Nasheed, referring to the court case against him on charges of illegally detaining Chief Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed during his final days in office. "I've come out with the understanding that I will be able to conduct peaceful political activity and my social life," he said.
Karzai orders US forces out of Afghan

Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded the withdrawal of US special forces from Wardak and Logar within two weeks, accusing them of fuelling "insecurity and instability" in the volatile provinces neighboring the capital Kabul. "In today's national security council meeting ... President Karzai ordered the ministry of defence to kick out the US special forces from Wardak and Logar provinces within two weeks," said presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi. "The US special forces and illegal armed groups created by them are causing insecurity, instability, and harass local people in these
More than 3,200 NATO troops, mostly Americans, have died in support of Karzai's government
provinces," he told a press conference. More than 3,200 Nato troops, mostly Americans, have died in support of Karzai's government in the
war since the Taliban were ousted by a US invasion in 2001, but relations between the president and the US are often prickly.
New Delhi: Bangladesh's choice hilsa fish from the Padma river will be on the platter during President Pranab Mukherjee's Bangladesh visit, his first trip overseas after taking over the country's top office last July. Besides hilsa, the Indian president will President Pranab Mukherjee also be treated to other special culistayed frequently. The country nary delights when he visits house was built by Tagore's grandfaBangladesh from March 3-5, said a ther Dwarkanath Tagore. He will diplomatic official. visit Bhadrabila and Shilaidaha "President Mukherjee will also be Kuthibari on the last day of his trip, presented a doctorate by Dhaka the official added. University," the official said, not A team of 12 Indian diplomats, led wishing to be identified. by High Commissioner Pankaj Mukherjee will also visit Saran, visited different places of Bhadrabila village, the ancestral Narail on Feb 8, including the anceshome of his in-laws in Narail in tral home of the president's wife. The Sadar sub-district. Suvra team arrived in Narail by helicopter. Mukherjee, the wife of the presi- They also visited Wellington field, dent, was born in Bhadrabila vil- Narail Government Boys School lage, located eight km from Narail field and the house of Shuvra district headquarters. The village is Mukherjee's maternal uncle in located alongside the river Chitra. Chasra village of the Sadar upazila, a According to media reports from media report said. Mukherjee will Bangladesh, Kanai Lal Ghosh, the also be conferred Bangladesh's top president's brother-in-law, is cur- award for his contribution to the rently residing at the ancestral 1971 independence war that brought home. Suvra Mukherjee had last freedom to Bangladesh. Former visited the village in 1995, the prime minister Indira Gandhi was reports said. posthumously conferred the Mukherjee would also visit Bangladesh Swadhinata Sanmanona Shilaidaha Kuthibari, a palatial award in 2011. Congress president mansion in Kushtia town where Sonia Gandhi received the award in Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore Dhaka.
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March 2-8, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
'Pistorius' girlfriend pregnant when shot to death'
Emotional Pope bids farewell

Vatican City: Pope Benedict bade an emotional farewell at his last general audience this week, saying he understood the gravity of his decision to become the first pontiff to resign in 700 years but he had done it for the good of the Church. "I took this step in full awareness of its gravity and rarity but also with profound serenity of spirit," he told a packed crowd in Saint Peter's Square. He said he was not "coming down from the cross" despite renouncing his office but would remain in the service of the church through prayer. He asked the faithful to pray for the cardinals and whoever they chose as his successor. He recalled that when he was elected pope on 19 April 2005, he questioned whether God truly wanted it. "'It's a great burden that you've placed on my shoulders,'" he recalled telling God. During eight years, he said, "I have had moments of joy and light, but also moments that haven't been easy moments of turbulent seas and rough winds". But he said he never felt alone and thanked his cardinals and colleagues for their guidance and for "understanding and respecting this important decision". Many of the cardinals who will choose Benedict's successor were in St Peter's Square for his final audience. Vatican officials say cardinals
Pope Benedict XVI greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for the final time before retiring.
Oscar Pistorius in tears
Johannesburg: The slain girlfriend of South African sprint runner Oscar Pistorius - Reeva Steenkamp - was pregnant, reports claimed suggesting it could be the reason behind the murder. Pistorius, famous as Blade Runner, has been accused of shooting Steenkamp dead on the last Valentine's Day. The revelation comes as the latest in a string of twists since the death of the model at her boyfriend's house. Pistorius has claimed that he killed Steenkamp accidentally as
he opened fire after mistaking her for an intruder in his bathroom. However, prosecutors have been saying that he intentionally shot her in cold blood after the couple had an argument. Reports suggested that the argument was sparked by the news that Pistorius was about to become a father. An autopsy on Steenkamp's body would prove whether she was actually pregnant, but police have said that the results of her post-mortem examination would not be revealed.
will begin meeting nex week to decide when to set the date for the conclave to elect the next pope. Pope Benedict XVI will be called "pope emeritus" or "Roman pontiff emeritus" when he steps down as the head of the Catholic Church, a Vatican spokesperson has said. It will still be possible to address Benedict as "Your Holiness", Xinhua quoted Father Federico Lombardi as adding. The 85-year-old German would continue to wear the "simple, white" papal cassock and use shoes given to him by Mexican cobblers during a visit last year, the spokesperson said. "The pope really liked the gift of the shoes made for him by the artisans of Leon, Mexico, and he will continue to use them." The Vatican official told media that Benedict's ring of office as pope will
be destroyed, according to Vatican tradition. And his papers have been split between documents regarding the government of the Church, "which will go to the competent archives", but he will keep his personal notes, Lombardi added. On Sunday, over 200,000 people gathered at St. Peter's Square here to listen to Pope Benedict XVI's final public blessing before his retirement. "The Lord is calling me to 'climb the mountain', to devote myself to prayer and meditation," the pope told the crowd as he appeared at the window of his apartment overlooking the square. Pope Benedict XVI shocked the world earlier this month with the announcement that he would step down as head of the Catholic Church Feb 28 due to old age and failing health.
Cairo: Nineteen Asian and European tourists died when a hot air balloon crashed this week near the ancient Egyptian town of Luxor following a mid-air gas explosion, officials said. It was one of the worst accidents involving tourists in Egypt and likely to push the key tourism industry deeper into recession. The casualties included French, British, Belgian, Hungarian, Japanese nationals and nine tourists from Hong Kong, Luxor governor Ezzat Saad said. According to an Egyptian security official, the balloon carrying at least 20 tourists was flying over Luxor when it caught fire, which triggered an explosion in its gas canister, then plunged at least 300 meters from the sky. It crashed in to a sugar cane field outside al-Dhabaa village just west of Luxor, said the official. The pilot survived by jumping from the basket when it was
Hot air balloon crash kills 19 tourists Parties may struggle to form government in Italy
Rome: A center-left group of parties appears to have the best shot at forming a coalition government in Italy after an inconclusive national election, but the challenge is steep and comes amid public anger over austerity measures. If Italian parties fail to form a governing coalition, new elections would be required, causing more uncertainty and a leadership vacuum, and that possibility has rattled financial markets across Europe. Pier Luigi Bersani and his center-left allies appeared on Tuesday to have won a narrow victory in the lower house of parliament, while the Senate looks split with no party in control. Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian premier whose centerright coalition did better than expected, is a key player since his coalition is now the secondbiggest bloc in the upper chamber. Comic-turned-political leader Beppe Grillo, whose 5 Star Movement capitalized on a wave of voter disgust with the ruling political class, had a surprisingly strong showing. His bloc of seats in Parliament could prove crucial in making any coalition government viable. The two-day election on Sunday and Monday also was a clear rejection of the previous technocratic government led by Mario Monti. That government enacted wide-ranging reforms to the budget and the economy. Though its borrowing rates have fallen in financial markets, the cost to Italians has been high, with Italy mired in recession and unemployment on the rise. Berlusconi has already ruled out an alliance with Monti, his predecessor, whom he blamed for driving Italy deeper into recession.
The accident is likely to push the key tourism industry in Egypt deeper into recession
10-15 meters from the ground, said Aboud, head of an association representing Luxor balloon operators. One of the tourists also survived. Konny Matthews, assistant manager of Luxor's Al Moudira hotel, said she heard a boom around 7am. "It was a huge and frightening bang, even though it was several miles away from the hotel,"
she said. "Some of my employees said their homes were shaking." The balloon came to ground on the west bank of the Nile river. The site of the accident has seen past crashes. In 2009, 16 tourists were injured when their balloon struck a cellphone transmission tower. In 2008, seven tourists were injured in a similar crash.
BUSINESS
March 2-8, 2013
25
Enormous business opportunity in India's growth: US
Kingfisher's flying slots withdrawn

New Delhi: The government withdrew all international operations slots given to now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, and said they will be distributed among other airlines. Kingfisher Airlines was allowed to fly to eight foreign destinations -- Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Dubai and Britain -between 2008-2011. "These international traffic rights have been withdrawn from Kingfisher Airlines on account of non-utilization by the airlines," the civil aviation ministry said in a statement. "This (traffic rights) would give additional availability of 25,000 seats per week for use by other Indian carriers to these eight countries, some of which are much in demand by these carriers." The domestic slots of the air-
Kingfisher Airlines was allowed to fly to eight foreign destinations
Robert Blake, Assistant US Secretary of State Washington: Describing India as one of America's "most trusted and valuable partners" in the Asia-Pacific region, a senior US official has said it would serve as the foundation for greater regional economic cooperation and expansion. "Our relationship from our burgeoning trade, to defense sales and exercises, to our growing education and clean energy partnerships has never been stronger," Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State, told a House panel during a hearing on "The Rebalance to Asia: Why South Asia Matters." Noting that 80 percent of the infrastructure required to sustain and support India in 2025 by when India is projected to become the world's thirdlargest economy, has yet to be built, he saw an enormous business opportunity for the US. "So we see an enormous opportunity in this growth to deepen our commercial partnership with India, working together with American companies to build the airports, power plants, water and sanitation systems, and fibre optic networks of India's future," Blake said.The US, he said, was "bullish on the future of this region, but we are also clear-eyed about the challenges that we face-terrorism such as we saw last week in Hyderabad; regional rivalries; nuclear proliferation; refugees; human trafficking and the potentially catastrophic effects of global climate change. Ami Bera, the only IndianAmerican member of US Congress, said the US-Indian relationship is critical and vital to the US both economically and strategically particularly at a time when Washington was going to be drawing down its troops in Afghanistan. Democratic member Eni Faleomavaega suggested that the US begin a dialogue with Gujarat chief minister Lalit Modi "who may well be the next prime minister for India." Modi, he said "has led to a decade of unprecedented growth and development in Gujarat, a key state which has contributed considerably to India's economy and development." "Companies like Ford and General Motors are setting up factories in Gujarat, and in a move that promises to strengthen US-India relations now and in the years to come," Faleomavaega said.
line has also been withdrawn with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) being directed to reallocate the slots to other domestic passenger carriers. Kingfisher's flying license was suspended Oct 20 last year, following a strike by employees that
crippled the carrier's operations. The license officially expired Dec 31, 2012, while a revival plan the airline submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was rejected due to the lack of "credible restart" details in it.
Google, Facebook most trusted Internet brands

Mumbai: Google and Facebook have emerged as the most trusted internet brands in a recent survey undertaken by Trust Research Advisory, a statement said. The Brand Trust Report, India Study - 2013 in its research said that while Google remains India's most trusted internet brand for the third year in a row, Facebook was a close second with only a miniscule gap. This year's research was conducted in 16 cities generating 19,000 unique brands across 211 categories. The research also highlighted the advent of the online shopping brands and the ensuing trend. N. Chandramouli, chief executive officer of the Trust Research Advisory said the online shopping category will see an accelerated growth over the next year. "With most of the new brands entering the most trusted list this year being from online shopping or internet services, there will be no stopping this subcategory from seeing accelerated growth over the next 12 months," he said. Chandramouli also said that online brands rely significantly on trust more than any other factor as the the exchanges are without any physical interface, and the online world is cluttered with choices that make loyalty ephemeral. An analysis of the All India Most Trusted ranks shows that Google (All India rank 44) fell 13 ranks and Facebook (All India rank 48) gained 17 ranks to bridge the gap. Yahoo still stood as the third Most Trusted Internet brand despite its 62 rank fall in All India Brand Trust rank. Google's Orkut steadied at fourth rank despite a significant fall in daily visitors from India.
JPMorgan to cut up to 17,000 jobs

New York: JPMorgan Chase & Co said it plans to cut 17,000 jobs by the end of 2014, representing about 6.6 percent of the company's overall workforce, as the bank sheds staff that helped it deal with bad home loans. The bank is optimistic that it can generate record income this year and is planning to add 4,000 employees in commercial and investment banking and credit cards to help it win business, bank executives said at an investor conference. That hiring will be more than offset by job cuts in areas like mortgage servicing and retail banking, where the bank is positioning for a recovering housing market and new forms of branch banking. The net impact of the addi-
US mobile video firm looks at India

Washington: Leading US mobile video company Vuclip, founded by an Indian American, has acquired Canadian mobile video streaming firm Jigsee as part of its expansion strategy in India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Vuclip's vision is to provide mobile video for consumers worldwide, regardless of the device type or network quality, said Nickhil Jakatdar, the Indiaborn CEO and founder of Vuclip headquartered in Milpitas, California. Vuclip plans to offer new apps to complement its browser strategy, particularly in India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, he said, describing India as a significant market. "India has one of the largest base of mobile-only internet users after South Africa," he said. Citing leading software developer Opera, Jakatdar said a mobile phone is the only way to access the internet for 41 percent of Indians. Highly-targeted content is one of Vuclip's key offerings for India because of its breadth of cultural diversity, he said, noting that the company has been "growing phenomenally in the country both organically and in terms of our reach among Indian mobile users". Vuclip's commitment to local content supported across the mass market devices has driven unique partnerships with telecom companies like Vodafone for its 'Vodafone Mobile Box Office,' Jakatdar said. Besides Delhi and Mumbai, Vuclip has people based close to regional centres around the country and in terms of content, it already works with about 75 partners and is looking at signing up more, he said.
tions and cuts will be 17,000 fewer employees on the bank's payrolls. The job cuts reflect the pressure that banks are under, even as the US housing market and
overall economy show signs of recovery. Many banks are looking to automate more of their businesses to make their staff more productive and improve profits.
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March 2-8, 2013
SPORTS
India win Chennai Test, Dhoni happy

Chennai: Sachin Tendulkar smashed two sixes off successive deliveries to hasten India's eightwicket victory in the first cricket Test against Australia at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. India have gone one up in the four-Test series. After removing the last Australian wicket for the addition of only nine more runs to their overnight score 232, India were left to score 50 to win. They attained it for the loss of openers Murali Vijay and Virender Sehwag cheaply for a second time in the match. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was adjudged man of the match for his brilliant 224 that helped India put on a mammoth 572 in the first innings in reply to Australia's 380. Debutant Moises Henriques was left 19 short of a well-deserved hundred when last man Nathan Lyon was caught bat-pad off leftarm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who finished with three for 72. that left India two more runs to win. Peter Siddle bowled a maiden next, and Pujara got the wining runs. The right-hand batsman got an edge and Wade failed to gather the ball that lobbed over a leaping Clarke at slip. Lyon was left kicking the ground as celebrations broke out in the Indian dressing room. The second Test begins in Hyderabad Saturday, and the last two Tests will be held in Mohali (March 14-18) and Delhi (March 22-26).
Indian, Oz teams reach Hyderabad

Skipper MS Dhoni (right) was adjudged man of the match for his brilliant 224-run innings
Ravichandran Ashwin bagged five for 95 to follow up his sevenwicket haul in Australia's first innings. Australia made it tough for the Indians to get to the meagre target. James Pattinson(1/13) struck to remove Vijay (6), Henriques pulling off a overhead stunner at
mid-off. Nathan Lyon (1/29) struck in the 10th over to get rid of Virender Sehwag (19), easily caught at slip by Michael Clarke. The 39-year-old Tendulkar walked in at 36 for two and straightaway lofted Lyon for two consecutive sixes over mid-on and
Hyderabad: Indian and Australian cricket teams arrived here for the second cricket Test match from March 2. Both teams flew in from Chennai where India won the first Test. After landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the teams drove to the hotel. After a day's rest, both teams would practice Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal. Meanwhile, unprecedented security arrangements are being made at the stadium in the wake
of Feb 21 terror attack here that killed 16 people and injured 117. Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is installing 70 CCTV cameras in the stadium. The Andhra Pradesh government has promised fool-proof security for the match. Security officials of Cricket Australia (CA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) briefed HCA on the security requirements. CA security manager Franc Dimasui and BCCI officials held talks with the police and HCA officials.
Has BCCI spiked Haroon Ministry warns Hockey India, clears Lorgat's CSA bid? Azlan Shah trip
New Delhi: The sports ministry overruled the Sports Authority of India's decision not to clear the Indian men hockey team's trip to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup with a stern warning to Hockey India (HI) not to overshoot its budget in future. The sports ministry's decision came minutes after HI withdrew the team from the 22nd edition of the tournament after the SAI refused to pick the airfare tab for the tournament to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia March 9-17. Sports secretary Pradip Kumar Deb told IANS that the ministry has cleared the trip after the case was forwarded by SAI, which had refused to sanction the trip citing budget issues. "We have an annual budget of Rs.5.94 crore for Hockey India, but they crossed it and we have already spent Rs.11.27 crore. So SAI didn't clear the case and forwarded it to us. I have cleared the trip since Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is a top tournament and the team will get good exposure," said Deb. "But we have warned HI that in future they should not cross the budget," he added. Radhica Sreeman, SAI's regional director (team's wing), said that at the start of the season HI was asked to prioritise its tournament schedule within the budget and Azlan Shah was not part of it. "HI's schedule of events for the
Haroon Lorgat
New Delhi: The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has, in all likelihood, scuttled the possible appointment of Haroon Lorgat as the next CEO of Cricket South Africa (CSA), according to a media report. The BCCI had expressed strong reservations against Lorgat's likely appointment and, according to reports in South African media, had said that the move could sour relations between the two countries. BCCI, it was reported, had even threatened to pull out of India's tour of South Africa in November this year on the issue. After BCCI raised the issue with the South African board, a threemember CSA team visited Chennai last week to meet BCCI boss N Srinivasan to discus the matter, according to reports. They were told about BCCI's
objection to Lorgat's appointment. "We can't tell you what happened in the meeting but it's true that BCCI has serious issues with Lorgat," a top CSA official was quoted as saying. When media asked the official if CSA had any issues with another board interfering in its internal affairs, he said his board had no problems with BCCI raising the matter. He denied that BCCI has threatened to pull out of the upcoming tour. Sources said CSA has reached an 'understanding' with BCCI to ensure that Lorgat was not in the race for the CEO's post. BCCI has had issues with Lorgat from the time the South African was International Cricket Council's CEO from 2008 to 2012. It felt that Lorgat was promoting his kith and kin with positions in world cricket's governing body.
The sports ministry's decision came minutes after HI withdrew the team from the 22nd edition of the tournament
year did not have Azlan Shah and that was to be taken care of by the federation. In fact, HI's secretary general Narinder Batra said that since the Azlan Shah organisers took care of board and lodging, it was passage that had to be paid and HI would foot the bill. "Now all of a sudden, HI wanted government to bear the passage of the team. After discussions with secretary, department of sports, the trip was cleared," she said. Earlier in the day, HI said that SAI had made it clear that the men's team will play the tournament at no cost to government. "Hockey India has been forced to withdraw its participation from the tournament. Government has always covered the airfare of the team for this tournament till date," HI said in
a statement. India are five-time champions in the tournament. They finished third in the last edition in 2012 and were joint winners in 2010 with South Korea. They were winners in 2009 as well. The tournament will provide India the much needed exposure of playing against higherranked teams like Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Korea. Earlier this month, HI selectors and government observer had announced the team that would be led by Danish Mujtaba. The team is undergoing training here with the prior sanction of the SAI. The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Tournament is an A-Grade tournament sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
LIFESTYLE
March 2-8, 2013
27
No time for babies, working women opt for freezing eggs in India
By Nivedita New Delhi: The glamour may be intact but the multiplicity of fashion events has diluted the seriousness of the business, says veteran designer Tarun Tahiliani, who believes that too many people are putting up shows "that are very badly organized". "I don't think we have lost the glamour (of fashion weeks). What has happened is that too many people have started doing too many (fashion-based) things. The fashion week in Paris still has charm because they (the French) are very strict about it and they organize it very beautifully," Tahiliani told in an interview. The designer, who has over two decades of experience here, showcases regularly at the Wills India Fashion Week (WIFW), organized by India's apex fashion body Fashion Development Council of India (FDCI), of which he is an active member. Apart from WIFW and Lakme Fashion Week - two of the biggest fashion extravaganzas - there is Chennai Fashion Week, Bangalore Fashion Week, Hyderabad Fashion Week, Kolkata Fashion Week, India International Fashion Week, Jaipur Fashion Week, Pune Fashion Week, the India International Jewelry Week, the India Resort Fashion Week, Shillong Fashion Week and India Kids Fashion Week. shows that are very badly organized. "Glamour comes from the actual event! If we don't make that a focus, then everything loses its sheen. Fashion events need to be sensibly and properly executed," said the 50year-old, known for his mix of couture, diffusion and pret collections, which are Indian in their sensibility and yet international in their appeal. Tahiliani started his professional career with a degree in business management from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, and opened India's first multi-designer boutique Ensemble in 1987. His first solo show was held in September 1994 at the Dorchester Hotel in London. He has since shown countless collections in India and around the world. In September 2003, Tahiliani was the first Indian designer invited to showcase his work at the prestigious Milan Fashion Week and has since shown collections in New York, London, Milan, Tokyo, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Moscow, South Africa and Karachi. The designer recently launched his second flagship outlet in the capital. The store is inspired by ancient heritage homes and encapsulates some of his signature dresses, with accessible price tags. The high point of the store is the spring-summer 2013 collection, starting from Rs.3,999 for the readyto-wear and going up to Rs.60,000 for occasion wear. Is this an attempt to be more accessible to the fashion conscious masses? "No, it is very much a luxury space! It's not mass market at all. It is just that we have many designs that are more accessible. We are trying to give customers value for money with more options. Honestly, with the kind of fabrics and techniques we use, it's not mass market production. "We do certain products that can be considered mass market when we have our licensed project. We do certain things and anyone can buy - like recently, I did my watch collection, which is much more accessible," said the designer, who had recently tied up with watch brand Timex for a bespoke collection. His next apparel collection is inspired by the Kumbh Mela (in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh), which he visited in January. He wants to focus on the art of draping. "I love draping. However, nowadays since we are lost in western clothing, we drape less. I have always loved the thought of using drape techniques in my clothes. I went to the Kumbh Mela to see how sadhus and fakirs drape, and it was stunning. We are already working on an ethnic collection on those lines," said Tahiliani, who has styled some of Bollywood's best like Shilpa Shetty and Sonam Kapoor as well as the likes of international pop superstar Lady Gaga.
Oocyte freezing is opted for by women keen on climbing up career ladder
Also, there are many wedding expositions that have flourished over the years. The over 15 major fashion events across the country are fuelling the growth of the Rs.700 crore- plus designer wear market in the country. Where then exactly is the problem? "The problem here is that we give hundreds of people the chance to showcase their collections and many people are doing many
Schizophrenia drops IQ?

London: People at greater risk of schizophrenia, a severe disorder characterized by delusions and hallucinations, could see a drop in their intelligent quotient (IQ) as they age, says a new study. Scientists from the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, using the latest genetic techniques, say the findings could lead to new research into how different genes for schizophrenia affect brain function over time. "Retaining our thinking skills as we grow older is important for living well and independently. If nature has loaded a person's genes towards schizophrenia, then there is a slight but detectable worsening in cognitive functions between childhood and old age," said Ian Deary, professor at the Centre for Cognitive Ageing. They compared the IQ scores of more than 1,000 people from Edinburgh. The people were tested for general cognitive functions in 1947, aged 11 years, and again when they were around 70 years old, according to an Edinburgh statement. The researchers were able to examine people's genes and calculate each subject's genetic likelihood of developing schizophrenia, even though none of the group had ever developed the illness. Schizophrenia affects around one percent of the population, often in the teenage or early adult years, and is associated with problems in mental ability and memory. They then compared the IQ scores of people with a high and low risk of developing schizophrenia. Scientists found that there was no difference at age 11, but people with a greater genetic risk of schizophrenia had slightly lower IQs at age 70. Those people who had more genes linked to schizophrenia also had a greater estimated fall in IQ over their lifetime than those at lower risk. "With further research into how these genes affect the brain, it could become possible to understand how genes linked to schizophrenia affect people's cognitive functions as they age," said Andrew McIntosh, professor at the Edinburgh Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences.
Sitting down heightens chronic disease risk: Study
Prolonged sitting can lead to diabetes, hypertension
Prolonged crisis drives up divorce rate in Syria

Damascus: Divorce rate has gone up "our economy started to deteriorate and by 45 percent and marriage rate has he eventually lost his job." She said that dropped over 40 percent in Syria since her husband tried hard to find another the outbreak of protests against the govjob but in vain. She added that nobody ernment, show a media survey. Due to could help them as the crisis was affectconstant conflict between the rebels and ing all Syrians alike. the government forces, divorced Also, according to the survey, some Syrians are set to outnumber married couples file for divorce for reasons that ones soon, the survey indicated. Syrians had been non-existent before the crisis. live in a country plagued by violence There are people divorcing their People are divorcing for difference and burdened by spiraling inflation and spouses for holding different opinions of opinion on whether or not to unemployment. on whether or not to support support President Al-Bashar Maha, a 35-year-old housewife, said President Bashar al-Assad. her marriage was falling apart as her family suffered from The survey revealed marriages are on a decline in Syria the 23-month-old crisis. particularly during the last 10 months of the crisis. "My husband has been provoking quarrels with me for "I think we are on the cusp of seeing marriage becoming the most trivial things, apparently in an attempt to drive me less central to our life course...," said Ayham, a 35-year-old to file for divorce," she told Xinhua. accountant. He said Syrians now prefer to wait a little The mother of three kids said things had been smooth longer before getting married due to the ongoing crisis, with her husband, who used to work 10 hours a day to sup- which rendered many people unable to afford a house or port his family, but shortly after the outbreak of the crisis, support their family.
Sydney: Sitting for more than four hours daily makes people vulnerable to diabetes and hypertension, says a new study. Emma George from the University of Western Sydney (UWS) School of Science and Health conducted the study with Gregory Kolt, dean, science and health at UWS and Richard Rosenkranz from Kansas State University (US) involving 63,048 men aged between 45 and 64 years. Participants were asked to report on a range of health-related variables including the presence or absence of chronic diseases, and their daily sitting time, the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity reports. Sitting time was divided into four categories: less than four hours, four to six hours, six to eight hours, and more than eight hours, according to a Western Sydney statement. George says, compared with those
who spent four hours or less sitting down each day, participants reporting higher amounts of sitting were much more likely to report serious health conditions. "The rates of chronic diseases reported by the participants exponentially increased in proportion with the amount of time the participants spent sitting down," says George. "Despite your levels of physical activity, the more time you spend sitting the less time your body has to stay active and expend energy," says George. George says the study is highly relevant to office workers and anyone whose daily job requires them to sit down for long periods of time, such as truck drivers. "The results of this study suggest that there is potential for people to improve their overall health if they found more opportunities to move around during the day and reduce the amount of time spent sitting," she says.
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March 2-8, 2013
HUMOR
Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi
The worst timed call in history?

Don't call me, I'll call you
phone smuggler was caught when his lower intestine started ringing. The Sri Lankan man, in Colombo's Welikada jail, tried to feign innocence but it's very hard to keep a straight face when a ring-tone is trilling loudly from one's private parts, into which he had inserted a phone. This should go into the record books as the worst timed call in history. The news report from AFP didn't say what the phone's ring tone was, but regular contributors to this column had some suggestions: 1) Call Me, by Blondie; 2) The Bottom Line, by Dep che Mode; 3) Hello My Baby, by Michigan J Frog; 4) Bell Bottom Blues, by Derek and the Dominoes; or 5) I Just Called to Say I Love You, by Stevie Wonder. I can just imagine the poor dude sitting with his head between his knees whispering to his nether regions: "Can't talk now, I'll get back to you." Of course, from the cops' point of view, the call was perfectly timed. Calls always seem to be one or the other. From personal experience, I'll bet that every Sunday, somewhere in the world, a preacher asks his congregation: "Is
God calling you?" and a phone starts ringing. *-* The citizens of China are talking about moving the entire capital city of Beijing elsewhere, because the pollution is so bad. Just thought I would tell you so that if you see 10 million people and a load of pointy buildings arriving in your town. Beijingers make great new neighbors. Just ask the Tibetans. *-* So, the thing that everyone feared has come to pass. A war-mongering, nuclear-armed nation which repeatedly disregards United Nations' resolutions and international law is becoming increasingly assertive. Yes, people around the world are worrying about the behavior of the United States. And then of course there's North Korea. *-* When young pop singer Minami Minegishi, 20, broke her no-dating promise, she apologized by shaving off all her hair and weeping in public. One of her fans of her pop group, which is called AKB48, told me this has triggered an interest in traditional penances, which are much more powerful than the feeble modern ways of saying sorry, such as sending SMS texts saying: "My bad". Four ways people in Asia expressed sorrow in the past: 1) Lying on a bed of nails (Hindus). 2) Sacrificing a goat (animists). 3) Wearing sackcloth and putting
ashes on the head (Hebrews). 4) Weeping and gnashing teeth (early Christians). But I reminded the reader that physical penances still occur in Asia. On a sleeper train in India in December, a member of parliament whose bed was badly made demanded a physical expression of apology. He made his attendant do "50 sit-ups holding his ears", newspapers said. I think the attendant held his own ears, but it may have been the parliamentarian's ears. There's no denying the power of old-fashioned apologies. Husbands: Next time you screw something up (ie, later today), try this: "Sorry I forgot our anniversary, darling, but look, I got you this dead goat." *-* Reader Andrew Bond from Thailand was sending a "to my darling wife" e-card to his missus from the Valentine's Day selection on 123greetings .com when a question popped up: "Do you want to send this card to multiple people?" *-* Chinese movie censors have given themselves a new title: literary editors. After hacking a massive 40 minutes of Cloud Atlas, the movie's mainland China distributor explained that they cut sections which "weakened the theme or confused the plot". This is curious, since none of the censors has even five minutes experience in screenwriting, movie-making or being a half-intelligent, walking, talking human being, come to that. On the other hand, if they think people will actually believe their statement, they certainly have powerful imaginations. *-* The only New Year's resolution you will actually keep: I pledge to eat sensibly, go to the gym, and do lots of exercise for the first few weeks of the year, then turn into a fat, lazy slob for the rest of it. *-* A woman has been banned from the Internet. Melissa D Brandon, 26, used photos of a beauty queen to make a fake Facebook page in
which she asked for money, causing a judge in Saskatoon, US, to sentence her to the unusual punishment. I had no idea you could ban people from the Internet and wish this punishment was used WAY more often. People who SHOULD be banned from the internet: 1) Anyone who tags a photo on Facebook with the name of someone not in the photo. 2) Anyone who ends any communication with: "Forward this to 10 people or your crush will ignore you for a week". 3) Anyone who posts a list in which each item is on a separate screen. 4) Everyone under 11. Go run around in the park, it's good for you. 5) Come to think of it, everyone over 11. Go run around in the park, it's good for you. *-* The citizens of the UK are in an uproar because some of their supermarket packages of minced dead animal contained minced dead animal, but not the precise one named on the package. From an Asian point of view this is dumb. In many countries in this region, things are just labeled "Veg" and "Non-Veg". As long as the "non-veg" doesn't consist of the guy down the hall, what's to complain about? *-* Wasn't it cool that the Pope announced his resignation in Latin, so that all reporters missed the tale except one who spoke the dead language? From now on, I am going to make all my announcements in Latin. Here are some useful phrases so you can do the same. 1) At the bar: "Di! Ecce hora! Uxor mea me necabit!" ("Dear God, look at the time! My wife will kill me!") 2) On the street: "Recedite, plebes! Gero rem imperialem!" ("Stand aside plebians! I am on imperial business.") 3) At home: "Mellita, domi adsum." ("Honey, I'm home.") Incidentally, if Latin-speakers want to insult each other really nastily, they don't shout crude expletives. The most horrible curse in Latin is this: "Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant." ("May faulty logic undermine your entire philosophy.") *-*
Photo of the week
The 85th Academy Awards function on Tuesday stunned its millions of viewers across the world when First Lady Michelle Obama announced 'Argo'' winner of Best Film in an unprecedented satellite appearance from the White House. Iranian TV censors photoshopped Michelle Obama's Oscars dress so it covered her chest and shoulders.
ASTROLOGY
March 2-8, 2013
29
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

Stars Foretell: March 2-8, 2013
ARIES: The efforts of people aspiring to join interior designing course are likely to be handsomely rewarded. An important development at personal front brings jubilation for entire family. Financial position will improve later in the week. New romance that some of you are going to experience would take the worries off mind. High time to get rid from negative emotions like fear, doubts, anger and greed because these prevent from enjoying a sound health. Going for a vacation is always a big expenditure- you must plan everything. Dont bring hurdle to your family where property matters are concerned. Try to cooperate despite obstacles no matter what the situation is. TAURUS: You need to make full use of your aspirations, supportive nature and open mindedness at work. Entertainment will be a real fun provided all the members of the family join you. Be sure where you put hard-earned money because only wise investments will fetch returns. You enjoy a memorable time with partner to cement the lovely bond. Make sure you dont get nervous and lose confidence on meeting some high profile personalities. Minor preparations before you travel overseas will make your trip a lot smoother. Your loan procedures for pursuing a plot will be in process. People who are not on good terms with you will seek your company/help. GEMINI: The week could force you to search a new job where your skills are more useful. Domestic scene will be somewhat unpredictable. Suffering financial losses is on the offering in business this week. You are likely to face disappointment as long-awaited date program fails. Strive to attain selfconfidence because it is as essential for good health as capital for business. Traveling on your own, with a friend or with the whole family will be exciting and comfortable too. Too much of buying and selling of property is a danger to your bank balance. Long desire to enjoy a shopping spree with friends is not likely to materialise this week. CANCER: Leadership qualities and ability to understand people would benefit at work. A happy time in the company of friends and relatives as they do many favours to you. Real estate investment would be lucrative. You will be attracted to someone special. A week when smile will perpetually be on your face and strangers will seem familiar. Travel in comfort with kids to an adventurous place might be possible. Investment in hotel industry can be the right choice to be made. Ability to tackle tough situations/problems by acting swiftly is likely to bring recognition. LEO: At work you will be perfect in whatever you do during this week. Enjoying the company of close relatives will brighten your evening. Investment in stocks & mutual funds would help in earning profits. Differences with beloved/lover will keep you in a gloomy state. Your energy level will be high. Better to channelise it in a positive direction. Traveling with kids can be a challenge, try to reduce the stress and nerves. Spending too much on lifestyle homes, will ruin your relations and bank balance. Unfavourable planetary position makes it difficult to cross some hurdles at personal front VIRGO: Support and appreciation from seniors would raise your morale and confidence. Shopping with family members will be highly pleasurable and exciting. Long-term investment in stocks & mutual funds will enable to earn profits. Time now to strive to bring back harmony in romantic relations. Dont forget to massage body to give relief to tired muscles. A trip that stimulates and gives opportunity for work is coming ahead. Investment on construction business might give fruitful results. Caring for others feelings/emotions would bring much joy to you. LIBRA: Dont forget to devote time on acquiring new technical skills to enhance career prospects. Have fun in the company of relatives. Finances will definitely get a boost. But at the same time there will be rise in expenses too. Romance will flourish provided you take care of partner. Start meditation & yoga to attain sound health especially mental toughness. A luxurious getaway type vacation with your spouse waiting for you. Investing on a ship or a cruise is an exciting venture to be made. Time to objectively evaluate yourself. SCORPIO: Your gullible nature would allow people to easily take you for a ride. Trouble seems to be brewing at home therefore think twice before uttering your views. Tireless efforts would fail to bring expected monetary gains. Absence of true love in life will make you disappointed. Positive outlook impresses those around you besides keeping you fit & fine. You may face some chaos or disruption while traveling, be prepared for it. Have you realize that your financial conditions do not allow you to invest on property? Missing the golden opportunity to enjoy some recreational activities will disappoint later in the week. SAGITTARIUS: A test of your ability to handle pressurised situations as you are entrusted with a special assignment. An auspicious week for family functions and important ceremonies. You will be presented with many new financial schemes. However you must weigh them considering all pros & cons before making any commitment. If possible plan something interesting with lover/beloved for future. Charity work undertaken will bring mental peace & comfort. Excitement for a vacation is not enough, planning is also required. Ready to purchase a plot consider your priorities first, dont be too fast. Fast changing times would require you to change with it. CAPRICORN: A very good week to apply for overseas job. You will be at the limelight in a social gathering provided you attend. Improvement in finances is certain. Warm romantic thoughts occupy mind. Make sure your entertainment includes participation in outdoor activities. Thrilling experience is on your way, as your trip is full of excitement The best ideas for investment are to on invest on real estate business. Your style & unique way of doing things would interest the people. AQUARIUS: A dull atmosphere at workplace could cloud judgemental ability. Continuous negligence to household duties will annoy family members. Unrealistic goals would only bring financial disappointments. Failure to pay a proper attention to love life will upset partner. For some psychological fear could bring nervousness. Pack your bags as a happy, fun-filled holiday trip is looking forward. Dont deal in a property which is crime ridden. Even your sense of humour fails to bring desired results for you. PISCES: Promotions and monetary benefits for dedicated professionals. You will be the star of attraction of familys get-together. Speculation coupled with some unexpected gains improves financial health. Your charm & generosity bring new romantic opportunities for you. Meditation and self-realization prove beneficial. An enriching vacation full of fun is what you need. Are you longing to buy a farmhouse, try for it? You are certain to gain knowledge if you keep mind open and believe that it is never too late to learn new skills.
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

March 02 Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are highly imaginative, practical, emotional, honest, simple and generous person. You love to have things of beauty around you. You might not be an artist, but you are fond of collecting things of artistic value. You are intelligent and have an exceptionally good grasping power, but you need to check your tendency to behave lazy and timid at times. This year you would enjoy meeting new people and visiting new places. Your creativity would be at its best and you would have energy to solve any problem with conviction and dedication. Your beloved would be your major source of inspirations. You should do things that you both enjoy to strengthen the existing bond. Family members will stand by you and provide you with love and affection. The months of March, July, September and November will be highly eventful. March 03 Governed by number 3 and the planet Jupiter, you are highly energetic, dignified, ambitious, and an intelligent person. You are a person who enjoys a small but trustworthy group of friends. You are confident and bold, but your need to check your tendency to behave hypocrite, over ambitious and dictatorial at times. This year try to stay away from business partnerships or any new joint ventures. Partnerships will be very alluring but definitely not recommended for the first six months. You need to be extra cautious before making any financial commitments or signing new contracts. Benefits in cash and kind will accrue later in the year. New romance will develop through social activities. Relationship with your spouse will be healthy and highly cordial. Some tension and anxiety due to health of your parents cannot be ruled out. The months of June, July, September and December will be significant. March 04 Ruled by number 4 and the planet Uranus, you are active, energetic, ambitious, methodical, systematic and a reliable person. You are fond of literature and art and like to associate with people who have similar taste and intelligence, but you need to control your attitude to be stubborn and jealous at times. New assignments and opportunities are certain this year bringing you financial gains. Marital front seems comfortable despite moments of arguments and disagreements. Your creative mind will make you popular amongst your friends and in social gatherings. Those suffering from piles and blood pressure need to be extra careful about their health. The months of May, August, December and January will prove to be good months for you. March 05 Influenced by number 5 and the planet Mercury, you are strong, practical, shrewd, diplomatic, active and sincere person. You are good at planning and capable of leading a team to its goals, but you are fickle-minded and moody, which makes people loose the confidence that they should have in you. This year the organization you work for would undergo many changes. These would be highly beneficial for you, but also alter your daily routine. Financial gains would be better, but you also need to save more than last year. Businessmen would find attractive prepositions to make quick money. Expecting mothers need to take extra care of their health. Proper medication and diet should not be ignored. The months of March, Apr, July, October and December will prove to be significant. March 06 Ruled by number 6 and the planet Venus, you are smart, talented, energetic, attractive, accommodating, diplomatic & highly practical person. You are a great thinker and people from various walks of life seek your advice, but you need to check your tendency to behave too outspoken, jealous and restless at times. This year you need to be conservative in your spending and avoid useless expenditure on luxuries and comforts. You can expect a lot from your family members and you wont be disappointed. You would also have a very memorable and romantic time with your beloved. The two of you would develop a deeper understanding and respect for each other. A distant journey later in the year seems most certain for most of you. The months of September, October, January and February seem highly promising. March 07 Influenced by number 7 and the planet Neptune, you are honest, affectionate, creative, sensitive and a very emotional person. You are a wonderful host and you love to entertain others, but you need to control your tendency to behave stubborn and extravagant at times. There would be opportunities for miscommunication with your employer this year. Be sure to check your work before you give it to your seniors. It would not be an easy period as many things would not be in your favour, but support and help from friends and family members would induce new energy into you and make things much comfortable than they actually might be. Gains from property transaction, investments and gifts cannot be ruled out. The months of March, September, November and May will remain significant. March 08 Influenced by number 8 and the planet Saturn. You are energetic, practical, talented, disciplined, methodical and authoritative person. You possess enormous capabilities and your friends and colleagues respect you immensely, but you need to check your tendency to behave rigid, extravagant and jealous at times. You would be identified very closely with your employer this year. As a result, you would become a important representative for the organization. People would look upto you for inspiration and decisions. You would be in the limelight at social gathering. You would make new friends and important contacts. Health seems fine but even then, it is recommended that you take preventive medication. The months of April, June, July and September will prove to be highly important.
i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date, Time and Place of birth is accurate.
Before you consult...
ii) Careful: Did you check background of the astrologer before disclosing your secrets. iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, dont feel shy. Its his business. iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the outcome is not as desired, never give up. v) Consult: Take second opinion before spending thousands on cure/remedies.
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30
March 2-8, 2013
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
hear the inner Sound of God, rise above body-consciousness, and traverse the astral, causal, and supracausal realms until finally reaching the spiritual region of Sach Khand in which our soul merges back in God. From the tens of thousands of people who learned meditation at his feet, thousands and thousands of more people came to know of the spiritual path, and we find the numbers of people who meditate growing every day. If everyone spent some time in meditation daily, we would find that each person would attain inner peace and contribute to outer peace and love on our planet. In one of the ghazals Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj has written, he has given us a clue from his own life about the most beneficial attitude with which we can live our lives. I will take up two verses from a ghazal written by Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj. In them we can learn much about how we can live our lives in a happier and more peaceful manner. The first verse says: The divine wine goes round and round and I am in ecstasy. I pass through all the vicissitudes of life. This verse is talking about living our life in a state of bliss, love, and joy. We search for love and happiness in many ways. Unfortunately we are looking for love in the wrong places. We look for it in the enjoyments and pleasures of the world. Some try to find it through engaging in hobbies and talents. We seek love from other people. Unfortunately, all loves of this world are only temporary and we may one day lose what we gained. There are often fluctuations and changes in what we gained. If we seek happiness in a loved one, we ultimately have to face loss through death. How, then, can we find permanent love and happiness? Sant Darshan Singh Ji is saying that the divine wine that is circulating has put him into so much ecstasy and love that he can pass through the vicissitudes, or ups and downs, of life. What is this divine wine? Many people will serve wine and get a bit intoxicated. But that wears off. Divine wine as described in this verse is the wine of the love of God, and that lasts forever. The love of God manifests as the divine Light and Sound, a radiant warm Light that makes us feel more loved than we have ever felt before, and divine Music so enchanting that it fills our soul with bliss and uplifts us into the very arms of God. (To be continued...)
Angel of love
By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
he Gracious Master, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, brought so much light and love into the lives of each person who ever met him. There is not a soul who has met him who has not been touched by him in some way. We are gathered together to remember him as the angel of love. He showed us what love on earth was. He was the walking personification of all the godly qualities moving amongst us on earth. Each was transformed in some way by his loving presence. His life and his love made each one of us a better person in some way. If we look at our lives we will find something about his life that has influenced us in some way for the better. His life was a model of how we could live. He exemplified the ideal human being and showed us what we too could one day achieve. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj taught us the true meaning of love. His was a love that knew no bounds. He embraced all who came to him in his loving arms, not caring whether we were of one religion or another, one nation or another, literate or illiterate, rich or poor, clean or unkempt. He did not see our outer form of beauty, but saw all as having inner beauty. All who came to his threshold felt a love they had never experienced before in their lives. By a single touch, they were uplifted and inspired to pass on the torch of love to others. That one touch of love has carried each of us for years in its sweet warmth and will carry us into eternity as well. With love comes humility. Sant Darshan Singh Ji was humility personified. He passed on all praise and thanks that people offered to him to his own two great Masters, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj and Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj, saying that he was but a humble medium. He was so humble that he even thanked his disciples, claiming that he was being car-
ried on their shoulders. He would pay obeisance to his own disciples for he saw the Light of his Masters in each. Thus, he would go down the roads of life, with folded hands, bowing to the God in each of us. By seeing his humility, we were hard pressed to be egotistical ourselves, and we learned to imbibe the virtue of humility. Humility is living with the sense that we are all a part of the one Creator. Without God, we are nothing. Humility is recognizing that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. We are all souls, drops of God. It is only through humility that we can put an end
their family. For others, it was providing a shoulder to cry on and being there to listen to their woes. All who met him can recall the many ways in which he helped. He wiped our tears and took away our pains. We saw him work tirelessly, often twentyfour hours a day, without caring for his own body or need for food and rest, just to serve our suffering souls. From him, we learned the lesson of service. If we could all put into action what we learned from watching his example of service, we would find a world in which no child would have to go to bed hungry,
But he lived up to his own principles, and earned not only the respect of his co-workers but inspired many of them to become vegetarian as well. He showed us that vegetarianism was not just a matter of healthy living, but that it was the highest expression of lovelove for God who created all creatures and love for our younger brothers and sisters in God who also deserved to live out their lives without being killed for their meat. We find that in the past twenty years, the vegetarian principles for which he lived have become acceptable and even recommended by people
Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj taught us the true meaning of love. His was a love that knew no bounds. He embraced all who came to him in his loving arms, not caring whether we were of one religion or another, one nation or another, literate or illiterate, rich or poor, clean or unkempt. He did not see our outer form of beauty, but saw all as having inner beauty. All who came to his threshold felt a love they had never experienced before in their lives. By a single touch, they were uplifted and inspired to pass on the torch of love to others. That one touch of love has carried each of us for years in its sweet warmth and will carry us into eternity as well.
to the hatred and bigotry between people of different religions, nationalities, and walks of life. We learn to love all, as children of one family of God, as Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj and all Masters teach. Humility equalizes all of us and can bring an end to violence and war so we can enter an age of peace and love. When we have love, we develop selfless service. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharajs whole life was spent in serving others. No hour of the day or night was too early or late for him to heal a broken heart. His heart was so tender he could not bear to turn away anyone crying in pain. He cradled in his arms our broken hearts and souls and made us whole again. Whether it was financial aid, medical help, giving the shirt off his back, or sharing his shelter, he gave freely. For some, he provided assistance by helping them find a job or taking care of a problem with in which no person would have to be homeless, in which no family would have to go without medical care, and in which no elderly person would have to die alone, unseen and unsung. We would create a world in which people would share in taking care of everyone else. Another aspect of love is nonviolence. We would never hurt those we love. Similarly, if all creation is one family, how could we be violent to them? We would not want to hurt even the younger brothers and sisters in God, who come in the form of the animals. From Sant Darshan Singh Jis life, we learned the true meaning of being a vegetarian or living on a plant-based diet, a diet based on love for all lower forms of life. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj himself maintained his vegetarian principles even in the face of working with co-workers who tried to encourage him to eat meat and take alcohol with them. from all walks of life for their value physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It was due to great Masters such as Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj and Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj that people in the West are slowly accepting vegetarianism as a way of life. The greatest contribution towards a life of love that Sant Darshan Singh Ji made was teaching meditation. From an early age he began meditating under the guidance of his Master, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, and his father, Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj. As a young child he had such a high experience at his initiation into the Light and Sound of God that he journeyed to the inner stars. He ultimately attained communion of his soul with God through meditation. As a Master, he then shared the technique for meditation freely with all sincere seekers after Truth so that they, too, could see the inner Light and
March 2-8, 2013
March 2-8, 2013

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The South Asian Times

OR WHITE HOUSE CRYING WOLF?

P. Chidambaram before presenting the budget

Hagel committed to India-US strategic partnership: Pentagon

The new Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel

Miss India USA crowned

March 2-8, 2013

March 2-8, 2013

Vermaland Legacy Trust donates $1.2 m. to help poor students

Saavn among Americas top 100 most promising companies

March 2-8, 2013

Eight Indians among Forbes Asia's 50 top businesswomen

Hotelier Priya Paul

Media baroness Shobhana Bhartia

March 2-8, 2013

Padma Shri Prof. Deepak Phatak honored by IIT Bombay alumni

Prof Deepak Phatak

Gadar Memorial in San Francisco to become museum

March 2-8, 2013

Indian American Forum to host award function on March 28

Indian-Americans condemn Hyderabad blasts

March 2-8, 2013

Bangladesh native pleads guilty in phony New York plot

Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul

March 2-8, 2013

DoJ and FBI asked to track Sikh, Hindu hate crimes in US

NSF appoints Khargonekar as Engineering Directorate head

silver jubilee this year

40 fundraisers across US and global pan-Ekal meet on anvil

Mr. Murugavel Janakiraman, CEO, Matrimony.com receiving VCCircle award.

March 2-8, 2013

Chuck Hagel with President Obama

India crucial for economic future of Afghanistan: US official

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer causes uproar with telecommuting ban

Indian-origin governors slam Obama for no sequester deal

March 2-8, 2013

Hillary Clinton to charge $200,000 per speech

Overturn ban on gay marriages, Obama asks Supreme Court

Homeless man returns lost diamond ring

Michelle Obama's dance moves go viral on YouTube

Billy Ray Harris

New York City cannibal cops wife spills beans

INDIAN FEDERAL BUDGET 2013-14

March 2-8, 2013

Chidambaram's budget plays welfare card

Budget verbose, lacks substance: BJP

SP, BSP call union budget anti-poor

GAAR with modifications from April 2016

10% surcharge proposed on super-rich

INDIAN FEDERAL BUDGET 2013-14

Budget contains deficit, addresses growth: PM

Govt will make India investment-friendly: Chidambaram

Seven new cities on Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor

Govt announces 'Nirbhaya Fund' for women safety

India to get all-women public sector bank

INDIAN FEDERAL BUDGET 2013-14

March 2-8, 2013

Economic Survey sees recovery, with reforms

Telecom, tourism, railways best in service sectors

March 2-8, 2013

INDIAN FEDERAL BUDGET 2013-14

Banks as insurance brokers - a welcome move

Duty on precious, semi-precious stones cut

Measures to lure away people from gold