The South Asian Times

e x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Vol.12 No. 14 August 3-9, 2019 80 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Instant Triple Talaq

is criminalized in India
Progressives defend turf
In big win for Modi government, Rajya
Sabha too passes the bill after Lok Sabha in Dems’ Detroit debate
Detroit: The spirited first night of
New Delhi: With the embarrassing defeat the second Democratic primary
Rajya Sabha passing if all political parties debates featured no shortage of
the Bill on Tuesday, who opposed the Bill confrontation, with more moder‑
Indian Parliament had walked the talk. ate candidates taking aim at the
has approved a law On paper, as many as leading progressives on stage over
to make instant triple 136 members should the feasibility of their proposals
talaq a criminal have opposed the Bill with varying degrees of success.
of fence. Under the in a House of 241 Ten candidates sparred over
proposed law offend‑ members. T he Bill everything from climate change to
ers will get a three‑ was passed with 99 health care to reparations for slav‑
year jail term. to 84 votes. ery, with many of the lower‑polling
The highlight of the This is a victory of Modi later tweeted: candidates using the opportunity
day, however, was the gender justice and “An archaic and to take shots at the frontrunners.
Narendra Modi gov‑ will further equality medieval practice has W hether those attacks were
ernment managing in society: PM Modi finally been confined ef fective, however, was another
the numbers in support of the to the dustbin of history. story. The audience at Detroit's
Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The gov‑ Continued on page 4 Fox T heatre on Tuesday late
ernment would have suffered an Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders had to vigorously defend their
See detailed story on page 13 evening roared with applause for
bold policy proposals. They also received the most speaking time.
Elizabeth Warren and Bernie

Indian embassy mobilizes Sanders, two of the top contenders to land punches and connect with emerged largely unscathed, having
for the nomination. the audience, often choosing to vigorously defended their propos‑
Meanwhile, bottom‑tier candi‑ attack Sanders and Warren rather als while upbraiding their oppo‑

community for success dates like John Delaney, Tim Ryan

and John Hickenlooper struggled
than train their fire on the current
president. Warren and Sanders
nents for failing to embrace bold
Continued on page 4

of PM Modi visit
India Day Parade of Long Island
on Aug 4 to be biggest ever
By The SATimes Team

Hicksville, NY: The 7th India Day

Parade of Long Island to be held
here on August 4 by IDP USA
promises to be better and bigger
than before. This became clear at
Ambassador Harsh V. Shringla (4th from left) posing with Indian the press conference on June 25 at
Consul Generals and embassy officials, whom he hosted along Lotus Asian Fusion restaurant
with community leaders from across USA. where over 150 members and sup‑
Washington DC: To mobilize the Modi is visiting to attend the porters of IDP USA showed up.
Indian American community and United Nations General Assembly President Jay Jasbir Singh was
to brief them about Prime Minister session, be fore which he w ill joined on the stage by his execu‑
Narendra Mo diʼs visit in late address a huge public event in IDP President Jay Jasbir Singh (on the mike) with parade Co‑Founder
tive team and Co‑Founder Kamlesh
Kamlesh Mehta and team members addressing the press conference.
September to America, Indian Houston, Texas on September 22. Mehta. Speaker after speaker
Ambassador to US, Harsh Vardhan Among those Amb Shring la chalked out contours of the Brothers at 12:00 noon, go down site Asa Mai Hindu Temple, where
Shringla hosted a dinner on July Continued on page 4 parade. South Broadway and culminate at a cultural program stage will be
26 at the embassy residence. PM See related story on page 3. The parade will start from Patel E. Barclay Street Parking Lot oppo‑ Continued on page 4

SOUTH INDIA SPOTLIGHT 12 FETNA CONVENTION 19 MUSIC 26 SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30 excellence in journalism
TheSouthAsianTimes.info August 3-9, 2019
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
First-ever Sari Parade
dabs San Francisco
in myriad colors
A unique concept, Sari Parade was held in Union Square,
downtown San Francisco. It afforded sari loving women last
month to showcase their traditional sari. It was part of Spring
India Day Celebration, hosted by WomenNow TV and supported
by Incredible India. People thronged for the
festive free event and enjoyed food, music, dancing
and artistry that India has to offer.
Woman hacker
hits Capital One,
over 100 mn affected
San Francisco: A 33‑year‑old
woman hacker broke into over
100 million customersʼ personal
data in a massive breach at the
financial giant and credit card
issuer Capital One, exposing cred‑
it scores, balances, income infor‑
mation and Social Security num‑
bers. Paige A. Thompson, who
goes by the handle “erratic,” was
arrested and
was scheduled
for a detention
hearing on
Thursday,
according to a
report in npr.org on Monday.
Virginia‑based Capital One, the
seventh‑largest bank in the US,
acknowledged the breach.
The actual crime occurred on
March 22‑23 this year and for as
many as 140,000 individuals, the
exposure included Social Security
Numbers while for 80,000, their
linked bank account numbers as
well, said Capital One which is a
major credit card issuer in the US
and also operates retail banks.
“Capital One immediately fixed
the configuration vulnerability
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
that this individual exploited and
promptly began working with
federal law enforcement. Based
on our analysis to date, we
believe it is unlikely that the
information was used for fraud or
disseminated by this individual.
However, we will continue to
investigate,” the company said
Monday. The data leak af fected
approximately
100 million
individuals in
the US and
approximately
6 million in
Canada. Some of the information
was also posted on Microsoft‑
owned software deve lopment
platform GitHub.
However, no credit card account
numbers or log‑in credentials
were compromised and over 99
per cent of Social Security num‑
bers were not compromised,
claimed the company.
In yet another similar case,
credit bureau Equifax agreed to
pay $700 million to consumers in
connection with a similar breach
that occurred two years ago.
PM Modi to address 50,000
in Houston on Sept 22
Houston: Houston‑based Texas
India Forum will host a community
summit in honor of visiting Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at
the NRG stadium here on
September 22.
The not‑for‑profit Forum con‑
firmed that they expect 50,000
people to attend the mega event
billed as "Howdy, Modi!", using the
full capacity of the stadium.
Over 650 community organiza‑
tions have already signed up to be
"welcome partners" for the pro‑
gram. The event will include a cul‑
tural program and an address by
Modi. The prime minister is visit‑
ing USA for the United Nations
General Assembly annual session
in New York, but will land in
Houston first.
Well‑known Indian community
leader in Houston Jugal Malani has
been named the convener of the
"Howdy, Modi!" organizing com‑
mittee. "We are excited to hold this
summit at the renowned NRG stadi‑
um. This will be the largest ever
gathering of Indian Americans and
friends of India, with a diverse rep‑
resentation from the region and
Mayor Ravi Bhalla wins court
case against New York Waterway
Hoboken: The Indian‑American
Mayor of Hoboken, Ravi S.
Bhalla, led his city in a court bat‑
tle against New York Waterway
when the Hudson County
Superior Court on July 29, dis‑
missed the lawsuit filed by the
private company against the City
of Hoboken. Mayor Bhalla has
led the public outcry including
protests, against the New York
Waterway plans over several
months and has lobbied for alter‑
native use of the site.
“Hoboken remains committed
to acquiring Union Dry Dock for
public, open space, and Iʼm
thankful this decision puts us
one step closer to making this a
reality,” Mayor Bhalla said.
The New York Waterway law‑
suit sought declaratory judgment
against the City of Hoboken to
allow New York Waterway to
August 3-9, 2019 3
The prime minister is visiting USA for the United
Nations General Assembly annual session in
New York, but will land in Houston first.
Houston‑based Texas India Forum is hosting the
community event called ʻHowdy, Modiʼ
across the country," Malani said. Houston as prime minister.
T he tag line for the summit, A large number of Modi support‑
"Shared Dreams, Bright Futures", ers live in the Houston area and
reflects the intent to build on the
common aspirations that bring
hundreds of volunteers have been
helping in his election campaigns
together the great democracies of in India from overseas.
the United States and India.
Attendance for the event will be
Indian Americans at large and
the Overseas Friends of BJP are
free, but passes will be required.
This will be Modi's first visit to
excited about the event and hear‑
ing Modi in person.
“unsubstantiated”, New York
Waterwayʼs claim that without its
use of Union Dry Dock, a regional
transportat ion crisis would
occur.
Mayor Bhalla has not balked at
confronting his own stateʼs gov‑
ernor, Phil Murphy, when it
comes to the Union Dry Dock
space usage. This June 13, he
warned in a tweet that it was
time to begin eminent domain
proceedings with regard to the
Hoboken, N.J. Mayor Dry Do ck. “Last year at the
Ravinder Bhalla. request of @GovMurphy, I agreed
(Photo : The Jersey Journal)
to withdraw eminent domain
begin building a heavy refueling proceedings for Union Dry Dock
station at Union Dry Dock, “with‑ to engage in negotiations w/ Gov
out obtaining approvals from the & his staf f. Unfortunate ly,
City and circumventing local land months have gone by w/ no
use approvals,” a press release update, NYWW has broken
from Bhallaʼs office said. promise to hold back. I believe it
In dismissing the case Judge is t ime to beg in eminent
Jeffrey R. Jablonski described as domain.”
 4 August 3-9, 2019
PMO wants finmin to reassess
overseas sovereign bond: Reuters
New Delhi: The Indian Prime Ministerʼs Office
(PMO) wants the finance ministry to reassess
the idea of issuing foreign currency overseas
sovereign bonds, two sources with knowledge
of the development said last week.
The office has asked the finance ministry to
seek wider consultation from stakeholders
before proceeding with any plans, said the
sources, who declined to be identified as they
were not authorized to speak to the media.
T he Ministry of Finance and the PMO
declined to comment on the matter.
T his month, Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman said in her budget speech that India
would look to issue overseas foreign currency
sovereign bonds.
The idea, however, has been criticized by for‑
mer heads of the RBI, economists and allies of
the ruling BJP alike, as they argued it could cre‑
No agreement to sell India salt
on low rate: Pakistan
Islamabad: Pakistan Mineral Development
Corporation Managing Director Sajid Mehmood
Qazi on Monday told the Senate's Standing
Committee on Petroleum, that there was no
agreement with India binding Pakistan to sell
salt to it at lower rates and the stories on social
media in this connection were not true, The
Nation reported. \ "The rock salt from Khewra
Sanskrit camp set for Labor
Day weekend in New Jersey
New York: Samskrita BharatiUSA, a voluntary
and nonprofit body based in California, is
organizing a three‑day camp during the Labor
Day weekend in Piscataway in New Jersey.
According to information available here, the
August 31‑September 2 camp – named
Jaahnavii 2019 – will comprise Sanskrit classes
(all levels), games, lectures and cultural activi‑
Chairman and Co-Founder
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TURN PAGE
ate long‑term economic risks by exposing the
governmentʼs liabilities to currency fluctua‑
tions.
The benchmark 10‑year bond yield rose as
much as 11 basis points to 6.55% after the
news of a rethink of the proposal, as market
participants fear this may boost government
borrowing in the domestic market.
The PMO was not properly apprised of the
consequences of overseas dollar‑denominated
bonds by outgoing finance secretary Subhash
Chandra Garg, who originally pushed this idea,
said one of the two sources, who is an adviser
to the government.
The proposal to raise funds via overseas
bonds is likely to be withdrawn, and as an alter‑
native, the government could raise funds
through rupee‑denominated bonds in the over‑
seas market, he added.
mines is sold at uniform rates.
However, it remains a fact that Pakistan does
not have a brand of salt of its own," he said. The
official added that India "has improved brand‑
ing and sells Pakistani salt to the international
market at a reasonable price". He also said that
India had levied 200 percent duty on Pakistani
salt after the Pulwama attack.
ties. Yoga sessions will form part of the camp.
All the programs are in the Sanskrit language.
However, for would‑be participants there is no
requirement for prior knowledge of the lan‑
guage. The venue of the camp is the Radisson
Hotel, 21 Kingsbridge Road, Piscataway, NJ
08854. For registration jaahnavii@samskritab‑
haratiusa.org, or samskritabharatiusa.org
Managing Editor: Parveen Chopra
P : 516.710.0508
parveen.chopra@gmail.com
Associate Editor
Hiral Dholakia-Dave
hiral@thesouthasiantimes.info
Contributing Editors:Shaker Nelanuthala,
Prof. Shivaji Sengupta, Surekha Vijh
(Washington, DC), Suchitra Srinivas (New
Jersey), Melvin Durai, Dr Prem Kumar
Sharma, Ashok Vyas, and Dr Akshat Jain
New Delhi Bureau
Meenakshi Iyer
Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Progressives defend turf in
Demsʼ Detroit debate
Continued from page 1
policy positions. "You know, I don't
understand why anybody goes to all the
trouble of running for president of the
United States just to talk about what we
really can't do and shouldn't fight for,"
Warren said, in one of the defining
moments of the evening.
Tuesday's debate will likely prove to
be the last night several candidates
appear on stage, as the criteria for
appearing in the next de bate in
September will be twice as strict.
Ten other candidates ‑‑ including fron‑
trunner Joe Biden, Indian American
Kamala Harris and Hindu American
Tulsi Gabbard ‑‑ will take the stage in
Detroit for the second round on
Wednesday night.
Instant Triple Talaq
is criminalized in India
Continued from page 1
Parliament abolishes Triple Talaq and
corrects a historical wrong done to
Muslim women. This is a victory of gen‑
der justice and will further equality in
society. India rejoices today.”
Indian embassy mobilizes
community for success
of PM Modi visit
Continued from page 1
hosted were all the Indian Consul
Generals in America including Amb
Sandeep Chakravorty from New York.
Amit Kumar joined the Indian Embassy
as Deputy Ambassador that very day.
Mr. Manoj Mahapatra has joined as
Commerce Minister.
Each regional consulate had invited
10‑12 key people (movers & shakers) to
Amb Shringlaʼs dinner from the regions
they represented. Thus over 60 people
from all over the country attended the
prestigious event which started with
classical dance performances.
From New York ‑ New Jersey, FIA
Chairman Ramesh Patel, TV Asia chief
HR Shah, Kamlesh Mehta, Chairman of
T he South Asian Times, Xavier
University School of Medicine Aruba
Jaipur Bureau
Prakash Bhandari
Prakash@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Photographs
Xitij Joshi/xitijphoto.com
Cartoonist: Mahendra Shah
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Bharat Bhushan Chopra
Senior Designer: Vladimir Tomovski
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IANS News Service
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info
President Ravi Bhooplapur, and Prof
Indrajit Saluja, Editor‑Publisher of The
Indian Panorama were in attendance
Amb. Shringla welcomed and thanked
everyone for their contributions to their
adopted land USA and motherland India.
India Day Parade of Long
Island on Aug 4 to be
biggest ever
Continued from page 1
set up. The success of the 2019 parade
can be gauged by the stature of the
Grand Marshals: Hon Consul General of
India, Amb. Sandeep Chakravorty,
famous Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao
and Indian American communityʼs pride,
Chintu Patel. President Jasbir Jay Singh
told the press that thousands of India
lovers with tricolors are expected to line
the parade route. There will be a dozen
floats and 40 groups marching the
Golden Indian Mile. At the culmination
point there will be two score food and
knick‑knacks stalls. The grand prize in
the $20 a ticket raf fle is a BMW SUV.
Mini Carnival will be there for kids as
they can enjoy free rides.
Gujarati screen star Arti Pate l is
among many celebs to grace the festivi‑
ties.
The all day cultural program will see
local talent and professional DJs and live
bands. Deepak Kumar of Satellite Garba
& Dandia King and Miss Pooja, melodi‑
ous queen of Punjab, will perform live.
All the major print and TV media were
present and they were acknowledged
with beautiful medallions by Kamlesh
Mehta, IDP USA Co‑Founder. He has also
divulged that Mr. Chintu Patel will be
honored as Jewel of India in USA, the
highest award set up by IDP USA, and
Ms. Ranju Narang will be presented the
Lifetime Achievement award for her
contribution to promote yoga and estab‑
lishing a yoga university on Long Island.
IDP USA is glad to mark the 550th
birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev
and 150th anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi this year.
IDP USA is a proud contributor to CRY
(Child Relief and You) USA and Akshaya
Patra.
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY August 3-9, 2019 5

Ganesh Utsav to be held Ramayana‑inspired

paintings to be
in Queens Sept 4‑8 exhibited at The Met
By SATimes New York: Created between the of more than 24,000 verses.
Team 17th and 19th centuries for the Highlights of the exhibition
Rajput and Pahari courts of north include a rare 19th century paint‑
Bellerose, NY: New
India, a selection of 30 paintings ing titled Tantric Form of Monkey
Yorkʼs Ganesh Utsav is
depicting the Ramayana will go God Hanuman, being displayed
now in its second year.
on a year‑long exhibition at The for the first time.
It w ill be he ld from
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Other highlights include an
September 4‑8 at
America's prestigious museum. early 19th century masterpiece
YMCA ‑ Padavan
The upcoming exhibition will "Rama, Sita and Lakshmana Begin
Preller Fields, 236‑02
begin on August 10 at its South their Life in the Forest" that rep‑
Hillside Avenue in
Asian Exhibition Gallery here. Its resents the sophisticated late
Be llerose, NY. A
focus will be on one of the major Pahari painting tradition; a rare
Curtain Raiser event
epic narratives of Indian and late 18th century textile piece,
held for it a few weeks
South Asian literature, the "T he Combat of Rama and
ago at Sohna Punjab
Ramayana, composed by the Ravenna"; and an important
restaurant was attended
Suhag Mehta (on the mike), Founder and President of New York Ganesh Utsav, Sanskrit poet Valmiki around the group of six paintings from "The
by scores of people.
with volunteers and supporters at the kickoff. 5th century BC. Shangri Ramayana" series dating
Founder and President
Drawn largely from The Met's from 1690 to 1710.
of the Ganesh Utsav, Suhag Mehta surprise item with a helicopter. program clips from last year.
collection, the show titled "Sita The philosophical dimension of
of Shreenath Enterprise, who has a T he kickof f with NY Ganesh Chandrakant Shah spoke about
and Rama: T he Ramayana in Ramayana finds visual expression
wonderful vision of Ganpati cele‑ Utsav Inc.ʼs Chairman Harshad the cultural program and said
Indian Painting" will showcase 30 in these images, particularly its
bration, requested community Patel and Jay Singh was attended there will be a kids fashion show
paintings that narrate the heroic interest in the themes of morality,
support to make it a big success. by members of organizations such and singing competition. Niranjan
and adventurous tale of Rama's kingship and Rama's status as a
The Ganesh idol at the 5‑day fes‑ as Maharashtra Mandal, Gujarati Patel from BAPS and Manikant
rescue of his wife. divine manifestation or 'avatar' of
tival will be 14 feet tall. Visitors Samaj, India Day Parade F‑ Patel, Finance Chair, requested
The paintings and textiles that Hindu deity Vishnu.
can have Darshan, Maha Poojas, BIMA(Queens) India Day Parade donations. Ganpati Dance was also
will be on view capture the collec‑ The exhibition is organized by
Aartis while enjoying food, shop‑ (Hicksville), Association of Indians performed choreog raphed by
tive visual imagination of court Kurt Behrendt, Associate Curator
ping, cultural programs, entertain‑ in America, IALI, and Lions Club. Sangeeta Pandit.
artists in their ef forts to give in the Department of Asian Art of
ment, kids activities, and celebrity Emcee of the program was Flora
form to the 2,500‑year‑old The Met. The exhibition will con‑
meet‑and‑greet. New attractions Parekh and slide presentation was For further information visit
Sanskrit narrative, which consists clude in August 2020.
this year include kids rides and a done by Jay Shah and included www.ganeshutsavnewyork.org

Shrimad Rajchandra Love &

Care charity packs 15,000
hygiene kits for community
Washington, DC: On July
19th more than 600 volun‑
teers from across the coun‑
try gathered to assemble
15,000 hygiene kits for the
homeless shelters, NGO aid
organizations, and commu‑
nity charities. This event
was coordinated by
Shrimad Rajchandra Love &
Care USA (SRLC). This year
SRLC held this signature
More than 600 volunteers gathered for the 'seva yagna'
volunteer event, in Tysons,
VA. Volunteers ranging from the ages of 12 to tion, representatives from multiple charities
65 packaged the kits which will be distrib‑ attended the event including those from
uted to local homeless shelters, NGO aid Volunteers of America, SOME INC, Grace DC
organizations and organizations such as Home less Project, and the Foundation
Volunteers of America. Schools. The festive charitable event was
The kits items included soap, comb, tooth‑ done with the purpose of seva yagna. Seva in
brush and toothpaste, lip balm, shampoo, and Hindi means selfless offering through actions
other self‑care products. A thoughtful card for another party, this act is done with the
with a loving message was also placed in each purest intentions with no expectations of any‑
package as a blessing to the recipients of kits. thing in return. Yagna signifies a formal,
The room was filled with spiritual music and grand event that brings an entire community
a vibrant atmosphere as the event was carried for one purpose, it has connotations of a pur‑
out. Volunteers also enjoyed taking selfies at poseful gathering full of friends and bonding.
the photo booth to share the moments. The seva yagna was held at the Sheraton
The event was also attended by multiple Tysons Hotel and was conducted as part of
dignitaries including the Indian ambassador the organizationsʼ annual spiritual retreat.
to the United States, Harsh Vardhan Shringla Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care USA is
and Reverend Father Walter Kedjierski, the an initiative of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission
Executive Director of Secretariat of Dharampur to offer service and bring joy to
Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the the lives of the underserved sections of
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In addi‑ society.
 6 August 3-9, 2019
Glen Oaks, NY: On July 23rd, at the
Shiv Shakti Peeth Temple, elected
of ficials stood in solidarity with
community leaders to condemn last
week's brutal attack on Swami Ji
Harish Chander Puri that occurred
a few blocks from his temple. While
the perpetrator was apprehended
by the NYPD immediately following
the attack and has since been
charged with the assault, NYC elect‑
ed officials reiterated that any and
all acts of harmful intolerance
against our fellow New Yorkers will
be denounced as such acts have no
place here and are the antithesis of
NY values.
“Itʼs simply horrific and agonizing
to think that this man of peace and
spirituality, our beloved Swami Puri
Ji, could be beaten so viciously in
this wonderful neighborhood," Said
Senator John Liu. "That he was
attacked while wearing his reli‑
gious robe, so near his temple,
evokes every fear that this was a
hate crime.”
“There is zero tolerance for hate
or bigotry of any kind in New York,”
said Attorney General Letitia James.
"This was a disgusting act of hate
that is antithetical to our basic val‑
ues and our fundamental belief that
all are welcome here. T he rich
diversity of our City is what makes
Lupinacci honors Asaf German
for raising $461,000 for blood
cancer research
Huntington: Supervisor Chad A.
Lupinacci honored resident Asaf German
at the July 16 Town Board Meeting for
his achievement in raising $461,000 for
blood cancer research during the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Societyʼs 10‑
week “Racing to a Cure” campaign.
“Asaf has consistently shown his com‑
mitment to serving those suffering from
these illnesses by encouraging others to
get involved in the fundraising campaign
for the Boy & Girl of the Year, who are
local pediatric cancer survivors,” said
Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “Asaf not
only achieved his goal of raising
$375,000 but surpassed it, earning a
record amount of $461,000.”
“Racing to a Cure” was a ten‑week cam‑
paign to raise money for blood cancer
research; Asaf led the “race” in both
fundraising and raising awareness for
Now, we are devoting a full page to local government news, initiatives, and other information of significant importance to our readers.
Requesting all government agencies at state, county and town levels to send their press releases to: editor@thesouthasiantimes.info
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Elected officials, community leaders decry
assault on Shiv Shakti Peeth Temple priest
The lawmakers came out in full support of
Swami Harish Chander Puri Ji
us great, and I stand with the Hindu arrest in this case and Iʼm confident
community today and every day.” that justice will be served.”
“I am disgusted over the violent "The senseless and brutal vio‑
attack on a Hindu priest in our bor‑ lence that Swami Ji Harish Chander
ough,” said U.S. Rep. Grace Meng. Puri endured while walking
“T his type of brutal act is un‑ through his own neighborhood has
American. The person who commit‑ no place in Queens or anywhere in
ted this heinous crime is a coward our country for that matter," said
and I call for the perpetrator to be Senator Leroy Comrie.
changed with a hate crime. I com‑ "We stand with the Swami Ji
mend the NYPD for making a swift Harish Chander Puri, Shiv Shakti
Mayor De Blasio announces “Green Wave”
bicycle plan to address cycling fatalities
New York: Mayor Bill de Blasio
released on July 25th “Green
Wave: A Plan for Cycling in New
York City” to confront the rise in
cycling fatalities in 2019. As
cycling continues to grow dramat‑
ically, the $58.4 million plan com‑
bines design, enforcement, legisla‑
tion, policy and education to make
the Cityʼs streets safer for cyclists ‑
‑ and all street users. With fatali‑
ties heavily concentrated this year
in Brooklyn, the Mayor unveiled
(L:R): Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci
and the Huntington Town Board the plan in Bay Ridge, a neighbor‑
hood that this year will receive its
with honoree Asaf German
first on‑street protected lanes
these cancers. He raised a grand total of along 7th Avenue. The Mayor sep‑
$461,000, exceeding the last record of arately announced that as part of
$218,000 by $243,000. This year, Asaf the accelerated expansion of the
was named the Leukemia and Lymphoma protected bike lane network, DOT
Societyʼs “Man of the Year” and was would this year install a two‑way
praised highly for his extraordinary protected bicycle lane along
work, especially within the Leukemia & Dyckman Street in Washington
Lymphoma community. Heights. “When we came into
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Peeth Temple, and our Hindu
neighbors in condemning this hate‑
ful act," said Senator Kevin Thomas.
"We must all stand together with
the Hindu community against the
despicable attack on Swami Ji
Harish Chander Puri, which was an
af front to our American values,"
said Assemblymember Ed
Braunstein.
"We've said it before and we'll say
it again: an attack on one communi‑
ty is an attack on all of us," said
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.
“Queens is a unique melting pot
of ethnicity and culture. Acts of
racism, bigotry, xenophobia and
hatred have no place in our country
and will only cause us to unite
stronger than ever before," said
Assemblymember Clyde Vane l.
“Nobo dy should fee l unsafe
expressing their religious beliefs or
wearing their religious attire in
public.”
“We must stand together as a
community to condemn the mon‑
strous attack. This year we passed
office we promised New Yorkers
weʼd do everything we could to
end traffic fatalities,” said Mayor
de Blasio. “No loss of life on our
streets is acceptable. With a dan‑
gerous surge in cyclist fatalities,
we have to keep pushing the enve‑
lope and increase our ef forts.
Thatʼs what this plan is about. Itʼs
a continuation of our promise.
This time, specifically to bikers.
We are here to protect you and we
take that job seriously. We will not
stop until we have finally reached
Vision Zero.”
“Thanks to the Mayorʼs leader‑
ship and the effective work of so
many in the advocacy community,
we are proud to present the
“Green Wave” plan today,” said
DOT Commissioner Polly
Trottenberg. “We have assembled
a long and aggressive to‑do list
that we think that can change this
the Religious Attire Bill in Albany
sending a clear message that dis‑
crimination of this nature will not
be tolerated,” said Assemblyman
David I. Weprin.
“Violence against any member of
our community is unacceptable,”
said Councilmember Barry S.
Grodenchik.
"An attack on one is an attack on
everyone,” said Dr. Neeta Jain,
District Leader. “All dif ferent reli‑
gious leaders came together today
to show that we are standing here
in solidarity and to say that we are
here for each other. We believe in
Love, Peace, Harmony and
Compassion! We are one communi‑
ty and we believe in Unity."
“It is our dharma to denounce the
racist, ant i‑immig rant and
Islamophobic rhetoric in our coun‑
try today. Bigoted rhetoric and poli‑
cies are the top results in bigoted
actions in our communities," said
Aminta Kilawan‑Narine, Esq. Co‑
founder & Board Member, Sadhana:
Coalition of Progressive Hindus.
yearʼs tragic increase in cyclist
fatalities – and encourage even
more New Yorkers to get on bicy‑
cles.” “The Green Wave plan is a
critical step forward in addressing
the tragic surge in bicyclist fatali‑
ties,” said NYPD Transportation
Chief T homas Chan. “We are
ramping up enforcement at crash‑
prone intersections, and targeting
enforcement on high‑risk activi‑
ties such as speeding, failing to
yield and blocking bike lanes,
which directly af fects bicyclist
safety.” The seventeen bicyclist
fatalities so far this year represent
the highest number through July of
any year since the launch of Vision
Zero in 2014, after a record‑low 10
fatalities in all of 2018. This year,
12 (or 71%) of this yearʼs cyclist
fatalities have been in Brooklyn,
and eight fatalities involved cyclist
interactions with trucks.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Dangers of texting & driving:
13 New York Allstate agents and
financial specialists raise awareness
West Chester, NY: Thirteen Allstaters recent‑
ly came together to help raise awareness of
the dangers of texting and driving in partner‑
ship with Evanʼs Team. The organization
recently hosted its Evanʼs Team Community
Day, sponsored by Allstate, to combat texting
and driving and advocate for Evanʼs Law, pro‑
posed New York State Senate Bill S6325A.
“I lost my son to a texting and driving acci‑
dent, this inspired me to advocate for enforce‑
ment of legislation, specifically the
“Textalyzer Bill,” says Ben Lieberman, Evanʼs
Team host, “a device that could be in the
hands of police officers in New York State in
the near future so they can determine
whether a motorist involved in a serious acci‑
dent was using a cellphone.” “Allstate is a
SPONSOR NORTH SOUTH FINALS EVENT
We seek your help once again as we enter the
final weeks of planning the event. We count on your support and hope you will donate or
sponsor North South and help us run a successful event. Every donation counts!
https://www.northsouth.org/app9/FinalistDonation.aspx
NATIONAL August 3-9, 2019 7
Sherin Mathews’ murder: Indian-American
foster father begins life sentence
Houston, Texas: The Indian‑American foster ferred from Dallas County jail to state prison
father of 3‑year‑old Sherin Mathews, sen‑
tenced to life in prison for the death of the
toddler who was found dead in a culvert in
at around 12:58 AM on Thursday.
A Dallas County jury heard the case, and
Mathews was sentenced to life in prison in
(L to R) Owen 2017, has begun serving the jail term in Sherin's death on June 26.
Cosgrove Dallas. In a case that attracted much interna‑ Mathews has since filed another appeal in
(Tarrytown tional attention, Wesley Mathews, 39, plead‑ the case asking for a new sentencing trial.
Agency Owner), ed guilty on June 24 to a lesser charge of His attorney alleges photos of Sherin's body
Robert LaBarbera injury to a child in Sherin's tragic death. were "prejudicial." "Jurors expressed visible
(Mamaroneck
He was originally charged with capital emotion when shown the exhibits," defense
Agency Owner),
murder by authorities in the US state of attorney Brook Busbee wrote in the appeal.
Raymond Mobile
Texas after they discovered Sherin's highly The appeal also claims that evidence of
(Rye Agency
decomposed body after a massive search that prior injuries on Sherin's body "prejudiced
Owner) and Ryan
Cosgrove (White lasted 15 days. On Thursday, Dallas County the jury." The court filing said that those
Plains Agency Sheriff officials said that Mathews was trans‑ injuries cannot be linked to Mathews. (PTI)
Owner)
strong proponent of Evanʼs Law,” said Mark
Gardner, Allstate Regional Counsel. “We see
first‑hand the dangers of distracted driving,
especially distraction from texting. Itʼs a
growing issue and the Textalyzer Bill would
be a great ef fort in ensuring drivers and
pedestrians in New York State are safe.”
Participating Agency Owners and Financial
Specialists: Steve Schneider, Brooklyn, Sal
Ferrante,Merrick, Peter Ungaro, Staten Island, Ambassador Harsh V Shringla hosted the leadership of ʻThe Indus Entrepreneursʼ
(TiE) group on July 25th at Indian Embassy in Washington DC. In his address,
Ryan McDermott, Ulster Park and Cortlandt
Ambassador laid out the vision of the Prime Minister for India to emerge as a $ 5
Manor, Ed Lehmann, Plainview, Greg
trillion economy in the next 5 years, and called upon the TiE leadership to be part
Damadeo, New Hyde Park, Mike Rogers,
of Indiaʼs growth story. Ambassador and his colleagues also responded to queries
Massapequa, Owen Cosgrove, Tarrytown, on womenʼs entrepreneurship, use of cutting edge technologies, start‑up culture
Ryan Cosgrove, White Plains, Rob LaBarbera, in India, tax relief measures for investors, etc. The event was attended by all
Mamaroneck, RA Mobile, Rye, Steve Ehrlich, Consuls General and TiE leaders from across USA.
Washingtonville and Jay Mota, Bardonia.
This year’s North South National Finals will be held
at MIT, Cambridge, MA on Aug 9, 10 and 11. The
finals team is working hard to get ready to wel‐
come 1500 families this summer!
2019 marks a huge milestone for NSF. We cele‐
brate 30 years since Dr Ratnam Chitturi started the
organization back in 1989! We have nearly 90
regional chapters across the US and about 25 chap‐
ters in India. North South started with distributing
one scholarship in 1989 and has now given out
over 20,000 scholarships to date.
8 August 3-9, 2019
Indians on hunger strike at US
detention center “forced to hydrate”
T A
hree Indian men seeking asylum
in the US have been forced to
receive intravenous drips at a US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) facility in El Paso, Texas on Sunday
as their hunger strike entered the twenti‑
eth day, their attorney said.
The men went on a hunger strike at the
ICE detention center on July 9, demand‑
ing they be released while they appeal
their deportation orders.
They are asylum seekers whose claims
have been denied and are seeking to
reopen or appeal their cases, said their
attorney Linda Corchado. All three have
been in detention for months, and one
has been detained for over a year. The
Department of Justice last week filed
orders with federal judges to feed or
hydrate them non‑consensually, the
Associated Press reported.
Lawyers and activists told AP they
Sikh priest in CA assaulted,
hate crime suspected
T
he priest of a gurdwara in
California was allegedly assault‑
ed on July 25th in an apparent
hate crime, media reports said.
The priest, Amarjit Singh, told local
Fresno Bee newspaper that an intruder,
who broke open the window to enter
his home inside the gurdwara campus,
punched him, asked him to go back to
his country and yelled obscenities at
him.
Amarjit Singh is a priest at the Sikh
Temple Modesto Ceres, around 100
miles (160 kilometres) east of San
Francisco.
The miscreant, who was wearing a
mask, allegedly punched the priest in
the neck. He shouted at him, saying
"country, country, country, go back, go
Passage of RTI amendment bill spells death
knell for the landmark law: George Abraham
T
he recently passed RTI amend‑
ment is the death knell for this
popular law that served the pub‑
lic since 2005 in unearthing so much of
corruption and wrongdoing by the pub‑
lic officials said George Abraham, Vice‑
Chairman of the Indian Overseas
Congress, USA. “The objective by the
NDA government is very clear: they
want to dilute and weaken the Right to
Information Act of 2005. By disman‑
tling the bill as it is, the Modi regime
may be enabling the crony capitalists to
engage in corruption and while being
shielded from any public scrutiny. It is
also consistent with their strategy of
weakening Institutions and make them
subservient to do their bidding,”
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
IN BRIEF
were worried that the next step will be
force‑feeding. "My clients made the deci‑
sion to begin a hunger strike to protest
prolonged detention and what they
believe were biased and discriminatory
practices by the immigration court
toward their cases," Corchado said. After
languishing a year or more in detention
with no end in sight, these men were left
with no other options to call attention to
their prolonged detention and unfair
immigration proceedings, and to obtain
their freedom, she said.
It is the second time this year that
Indian men have led hunger strikes at
the El Paso Processing Center. ICE con‑
firmed that there were detainee hunger
strikes at its facilities in El Paso and
Otero, New Mexico, late last week, but it
would not comment on the claims of
forced hydration or force‑feeding.
(PTI)
back, country," he told the daily. The
attacker also yelled obscenities at him
and had something in his hand to break
the windows, he said.
Modesto City Councilman Mani
Grewal, who is also a member of the
gurdwara, described it as a hate crime.
In a video, he said it looked like "this
was an attack incited by hate, by big‑
otry."
"We have seen that this has been
going on for a while now," Grewal told
Fresno Bee, adding that such incidents
had increased in the last couple of
years.
The local police, which has started an
investigation into the issue, said it was
too early to conclude that this was a
hate crime.
Abraham added.
As per news reports, on July 22, the
Lok Sabha passed the RTI Amendment
Bill, 2019, which removes the statutory
protection of tenure, salaries,
allowances, and conditions of service
given to the central and state
Information Commissioners, who are
the final adjudicators of information
requests. Instead, it says that their
tenure and salaries shall be “as pre‑
scribed by the Central Government.”
The changes undermine the autonomy
of the commissioners tasked with
implementing the law and thus weak‑
ens one of Indiaʼs most robust open
government and transparency laws,
Abraham contends.
Americares India responds to
flooding in Assam and Bihar
mericares India is
organizing medical
teams to treat survivors
of the monsoon rains that have
inundated South Asia. More
than 25 million people in
India, Bangladesh and Nepal
are affected by flooding, as
monsoon rains have washed
out roads, submerged homes
and triggered landslides. To
date, more than 500,000 peo‑
ple are displaced and over 600
people have died, according to the
United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Beginning Monday, Americares India
organized medical teams in three dis‑
tricts in Assam and two districts in
Bihar, where continuous rains and con‑
taminated water have heightened health
concerns. The teams, operated in part‑
nership with local health care organiza‑
tions, provide medical care and dispense
medications as needed. Americares also
plans to deliver hygiene kits.
“With homes and roads submerged in
several feet of standing water, we expect
Documentary ʻThe Land of
Ahimsaʼ spotlights veganism
By Manu Shah
D
olly Vyas‑Ahuja can never forget the
evening of April 16, 2014. She had
just returned from walking the dog
and was surfing the net for a recipe when
she heard “The Best Speech Ever” by Gary
Yourofsky, a speech that spoke about the
cruelty animals are subjected to in the
process of becoming our food. Recalling the
day, she says it hurt her “so deep down to
her core” that she had a breakdown on the
kitchen floor. She became a vegan overnight,
“no longer willing to ingest anxiety, grief,
and torture in her body.”
This was just the beginning in Dollyʼs jour‑
ney to veganism. Determined to become a
voice for animals, she began speaking at
temples, global conferences and radio talk
shows to create awareness about the cruelty
of animal agriculture and the dairy industry,
as well as its impact on animal rights, per‑
sonal health and the environment. Just like
her grandfather, a freedom fighter who
marched alongside Gandhi to liberate India
from British rule, she strove for animal free‑
dom and liberation. Although she was born
into a Gandhian family that believed in
Ahimsa, she says, she did not realize its true
meaning until her awakening five years ago.
Dolly found several receptive takers for
her message of non‑violence. She was invit‑
ed by Mitha Jain, a vegan and the President
of the Jain Society of Houston ‑ Urvashi Jain
to speak to the members of the temple.
Several attendees showed an interest and
after her talk, the temple stopped serving
milk to the Sunday school children and
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
to see an increase in infections,” said
Americares India Managing Director
Shripad Desai. “Our medical teams will
focus on providing primary care and
basic first aid for the most vulnerable
survivors, including pregnant women,
children and the elderly.” Americares
India, based in Mumbai, provides emer‑
gency medical and humanitarian aid in
response to floods, cyclones, earth‑
quakes and other disasters. Donations
to Americares Worldwide Disaster Relief
Fund will support its response to the
flooding in India and Nepal. To make a
donation, please go to www.ameri‑
cares.org/worldwide
began using plant‑based milk for tea. Ghee
was substituted with coconut oil for lighting
divas at the temple and Urvashi became a
vegan. Dolly, who is based in Houston, is
currently working on “The Land of Ahimsa”
a documentary that seeks to inspire and
encourage India to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
India is the land of Ahimsa, which means
non‑violence to all living beings. The mis‑
sion of this documentary is to convince peo‑
ple to bring ahimsa back into their daily
lives by avoiding the use of dairy, honey,
silk, eggs, leather and meat.
The film touches Dollyʼs transformation to
veganism, the vegan movement in India and
covers activists, plant‑based doctors, sanctu‑
aries, athletes and vegan businesses.
Imagine, she says, if one‑billion people led a
compassionate, vegan lifestyle the impact
would reverberate through the entire world.
The film is directed by award‑winning
Bollywood director Aryeman Ramsey.
Born in a vegetarian Gujarati family, Dolly
says she got her first taste of meat in school.
At 13, she visited her grandfather in Rajkot,
who asked her what Ahimsa meant and if
they ate meat. She now understands why he
was asking her those questions. He was try‑
ing to teach her the true meaning of Ahimsa
and choosing peace over violence.
Gandhi once said, “The moral of a nation
can be judged by the treatment of its ani‑
mals." Like Gandhi and her grandfather,
Dolly has a dream that India will rise to the
true meaning of non‑violence, choosing jus‑
tice over habit and creating a new divine
imprint. https://www.gofundme.com/f/
tek5gs‑the‑land‑of‑ahimsa
TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL August 3-9, 2019 9

Tulsi Gabbard sues

Mumbai dance group stuns judges with death-
defying moves on ‘America's Got Talent'
Hollywood: The Mumbai‑based
dance group V Unbeatable has
been w inning fans on
ʻAmerica's Got Talentʼ for a
while now, with their death‑
defying moves and earning the
Golden Buzzer.
Ask them what the secret
inspiration of their success is,
and they mention the name of
Bollywood superstar Ranveer
Singh. The troupe, comprising
around 29 members aged
between 12 and 27, is unani‑
mous in saying they would love
to work with their lucky charm
Ranveer someday.
"Whenever we perform on
Ranveer Singh's songs, our per‑
formance is a hit. So, we decid‑
ed to stick to his numbers most‑
ly for our performances on
'America's Got Talent'," troupe
leader Om Prakash Chauhan
told IANS.
"Initially, when we thought of
participating on the interna‑
tional dance reality show, we
thought we wouldn't be allowed
to use too many Bollywood
tracks because the audience
wouldn't understand. All the
V Unbeatable got Golden Buzzer and is set to
perform in Hollywood in live show
same, we decided to use a Hindi
song with beats and melody.
That's when we realized most of
Ranveer's songs fit the bill,"
Chauhan added.
The result was magic. Judges
Gabrielle Union, Howie Mandel,
Julianne Houg h and Simon
Cowell stood up in appreciation
after their performances in the
audition round. The group had
grooved to ʻMalhariʼ from the
film, ʻBajirao Mastani.ʼ
T he g roup's bond w ith
Ranveer grew after they met
the actor watch them perform
on ʻDance Plusʼ. Ranveer was so
impressed by their dancing that
he matched steps with them on
the show.
"Ranveer has great energy,
power and is a 'hatke' artist,
with no attitude or arrogance.
We want to work w ith him
sometime soon," Chauhan said.
On ʻAmerica's Got Talentʼ,
after being selected, the troupe
would go on to enthrall all in
the Judges' Cut round, too.
It's not been an ent ire ly
happy story for the g roup,
though. Six years ago, they lost
Vikas, one of their performers,
during rehearsals. The group
agrees Vikas' untimely death
only inspires them to do better.
In fact, during the Judge's Cut
round, every member of the
troupe wore yellow tees with
'Vikas' written on the back, as a
tribute to their departed group‑
mate. Their performance on
Ranveer's energetic number
ʻTattad tattadʼ from the film
ʻGoliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram‑Leelaʼ
got them the Golden Buzzer
from the guest judge and star
basketball player Dwyane Wade
on the show.
Their dance, acrobatics, coor‑
dinated dives, and choreo‑
graphed stunts have left judges
and the audience in awe. One
particular moment, one of the
youngest member of the group
leaped from behind the judges
and landed straig ht on the
stage, almost brought the house
down w ith thunderous
applause.
The group is now set to go to
Hollywood for their live show,
which is expected to be held in
August. (IANS)
Google for $50 M over
'free speech' violation
Los Angeles: Democratic presidential candi‑
date Tulsi Gabbard is suing Google for $50
million,
accusing the
internet com‑
pany of sus‑
pending her
advertising
account in
the hours
after last
monthʼs
debate
because it
was trying to
silence her. Democratic Presidential
Tulsi Now candidate Tulsi Gabbard
Inc., a cam‑
paign committee for the candidate, says in
the lawsuit filed July 25 in California that
Google violated the Hawaii congress‑
womanʼs right to free speech. The lawsuit
says Google didnʼt provide “a straight
answer” for suspending her ads account.
Google spokesperson Riva Sciuto said in a
statement that its automated systems that
flag unusual activity triggered a suspension
and that Gabbardʼs account was quickly
reinstated. Scuito denied that Google has a
political bias. Gabbard says Googleʼs actions
“should be of concern to all political candi‑
dates and in fact all Americans.”
(Source: Associated Press)

DIASPORA

Three Indian origin leaders in Boris Johnsonʼs new cabinet

London: Boris Johnson has
appointed three Indian‑origin lead‑
ers, including Priti Patel as Home
Secretary, in his top ministerial
team in what has been dubbed as
Britain's most diverse Cabinet,
after he took over as the new
prime minister with a pledge that
the UK will leave the European
Union on October 31, "no ifs or
buts."
Hours after Johnson was
appointed by the Queen as
Britain's new prime minister, he
named Patel Home Secretary, Alok
Sharma as the Internat ional
Development Secretary and Rishi
Sunak as the Chief Secretary to the
Treasury. They attended their first
Cabinet meeting at 10, Downing
Street on Thursday morning, on
the way to which Sunak declared
the new UK government was
"toughening up."
"We will restore trust in our
democracy and we are going to
fulfill the repeated promises of
Parliament to the people and come
out of the EU on October 31, no ifs
or buts," Johnson had said on
Wednesday in his first speech as
PM. His fellow pro‑Brexit cam‑
paigner Pate l w ill now be in
charge of the UK's security, immi‑
gration, and visa policies.
The 47‑year‑old has vowed to
fight the "scourge of crime" and
Rishi Sunak, Alok Sharma and Priti Patel
will be in the hot seat to fulfill bring people in for business, cul‑
some of her past promises of a tural or sporting events ‑ as well as
fairer post‑Brexit visa regime for the thousands of talented profes‑
everyone around the world, free of sionals like doctors, teachers and
the freedom of movement norms engineers," she said.
imposed by the European Union Fellow Brexiteer Rishi Sunak had
(EU). "The pressures being put on also issued similar open letters in
our services by immigration from favor of fairer visa norms for
the EU has meant that tough limits everyone in the world.
have been put in place on immi‑ The 39‑year‑old Conservative
gration from outside the EU," she Party MP, who is married to
said during her time as one of the Infosys co‑founder Narayana
prominent leaders of the Vote Murthy's daughter Akshata, is an
Leave campaign in the lead up to MBA graduate and investment
the June 2016 referendum in expert who takes charge of one of
favour of Brexit. the most important jobs in the UK
Explaining further, she said that Treasury, serving under the new
"this means that our re latives Chancellor, Sajid Javid.
struggle to get visas to come to the The UK‑born son of a pharmacist
UK for family celebrations, restau‑ mother and a National Health
rants cannot employ skilled chefs Service (NHS) general practitioner
from abroad, our temples cannot father is an Oxford University and
bring in priests, and we cannot Stanford graduate. He co‑founded
a GBP 1‑billion global investment
firm and specialized in investing in
small British businesses before his
entry to the British Parliament in
the 2015 general election.
Since his re‑election in the 2017
snap election called by Theresa
May, Sunak has long been consid‑
ered a rising star as he took over
junior ministerial roles and was
widely tipped for a promotion in
the Johnson Cabinet.
"From working in my mum's tiny
chemist shop to my experience
building large businesses, I have
seen how we should support free
enterprise and innovat ion to
ensure Britain has a stronger
future," Rishi Sunak had said dur‑
ing the Brexit referendum.
He strongly believes that small
businesses in the UK would flour‑
ish as a result of Brexit as the "vast
majority of British businesses (94
percent) don't have anything to do
with the EU; but they are still sub‑
ject to all EU law."
India‑born Alok Sharma backed
Boris Johnson in the Conservative
Party leadership contest as the
leader best placed to launch a
"coherent unambiguous plan to
deliver Brexit and take us out of
the European Union." The 51‑year‑
old Conservative Party MP who
was serving as employment minis‑
ter has been promoted to a full‑
fledged Cabinet post in the
Department for Internat ional
Development (DfID), where he will
be in charge of the UK's aid budget
and partnerships.
"We will work across the whole
of government to deliver Brexit
and make sure UK aid is tackling
global challenges that affect us all,
such as climate change, disease
and humanitarian disasters," said
Sharma, in reference to his new
job.
"I am committed to transforming
the lives of the world's poorest and
most vulnerable people, giving
them access to quality education
and jobs, while promoting Britain's
economic, security and foreign
interests," he added.
The Cabinet, which also includes
Pakistani‑origin Sajid Javid in the
top job of Chancellor, has more
ethnic minority key ministers than
any previous UK ministerial team.
"It proves that in modern Britain
you can reach the highest of fice
regardless of your background or
origins. It also signals the different
approach which Boris Johnson is
expected to take towards immigra‑
tion ‑ welcoming the best and
brightest talent to the UK ‑ based
on the needs of the economy
rather than setting arbitrary tar‑
gets," said Indian‑origin peer Lord
Jitesh Gadhia. (PTI)
 10 August 3-9, 2019 US AFFAIRS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Dems no closer to impeaching Trump after Mueller testimony

News analysis
by Arul Louis
New York: A day of Congressional
testimony by Robert Mueller, who
investigated Russian interference
in the 2016 elections, has turned
out to be a cathartic political the‑
ater rather than a definitive action‑
able conclusion that both
Democrats and the Republicans
had desperately wanted.
The former special counsel, who
had spent nearly two years prob‑
ing allegations that President
Donald Trump colluded w ith
Russia and obstructed investiga‑
tions, did not advance the findings
in his April report or tie up the
loose ends during about seven
hours of testimony on Wednesday.
Trying to stay above the partisan
fray, he neither made the strong
case for impeachment that the
Democrats wanted nor granted the
complete exoneration of Trump
that the Republicans sought.
"The report is my testimony,"
Mueller said, refusing to yield to
either side for the most part, with
"I can't speak to that" being a fre‑
quent refrain in separate testi‑
monies be fore the House of
Representatives Judiciary and
Intelligence Committees.
Both Trump and his Democratic
nemesis, Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
claimed victories at the end of the
day. "It was a great day for me,"
Trump told reporters. "This was a
devastat ing day for the
Democrats".
"What we saw today was
a very strong manifes‑
tation ‑‑ in fact, some
would even say
indictment ‑‑ of this
administration's
cone of silence and
their cover‑up," Pelosi
said at a news confer‑
ence.
Without a blockbuster
revelation from Mueller,
she ruled out,
for now,
a n
impeachment of Trump on charges
of obstructing justice by interfer‑
ing with the probe or alleged collu‑
sion with Russia. "My position has
always been whatever decision we
made in that regard would have to
be done with our strongest possi‑
ble hand, and we still have some
outstanding matters in the courts,"
she said.
89 of the 235 Democratic repre‑
sentatives support impeachment
and Pelosi faces pressure from the
progressive wing of her party to
proceed with it.
She fears that an impeachment
would be a futile distraction in an
tion.
Without a blockbuster revelation from Republican representat ives
Mueller, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ruled unsuccessfully pressed Mueller
about a former British intelligence
out impeachment for now but agent. Christopher Steele, whose
dossier on Trump that was paid for
favors multi‐pronged by the Democrats and was a basis
investigations of Trump by the for the start of FBIʼs probe into
Trump campaign's alleged links to
Congressional committees Russia.
Republicans maintain that the
and court cases to build the dossier based on dubious Russian
case against him. (Photo : AP) sources as we ll reports of an
Australian diplomat's conversation
off the hook." with a junior Trump campaign
Mueller said that while the cur‑ worker, George Papadopoulos, in
rent position was that a sitting London laid the grounds for the
president cannot be criminally FBI probe that ultimately led to the
charged in court, the official could Mueller investigation.
be tried after leaving office. Mueller said the matters around
election year because while the Mue ller did ag ree w ith the the dossier were outside his
Democratic‑controlled House can Democrats that "generally" Trump purview.
impeach Trump, ultimately the wasn't truthful in his written testi‑ Mueller, who was the FBI direc‑
Republican‑majority Senate will mony, and he said that his "finding tor during the 9/11 terrorist
have to accept it and vote to indicates that the president was attack and a dozen year afterward,
remove him from of fice ‑ an not exculpated for the acts that he serving Republican and
unlikely scenario. allegedly committed." Democratic presidents, appeared
Pe losi favors mult i‑pronged Mueller was emphatic about tired and faltered at times during
investigations of Trump, his family Russian interference in the 2016 the hearings.
and his asso ciates by the election, warning that it was hap‑ Many of the questions by mem‑
Congressional committees and pening "as we sit here." But he also bers of both parties appeared to be
court cases to build the case said, "We found insuf ficient evi‑ aimed at generating campaign
against him. dence of the president's culpabili‑ sound bites, rather than eliciting
If there is ultimately an impeach‑ ty" or his campaign's in conspiring actionable evidence from a cagey
ment, Pelosi said, "The stronger with Russia during the elections. witness. Mueller refused requests
our case is, the worse the Senate And that was the rationale for to read from his report lest they
will look for letting the president Trump's and his supporters' ela‑ appear in campaign videos.

Trump urges Fed to cut interest Senate fails

rates, keep up with China, EU
Washington: President Donald
Trump has on Monday urged
the Federal Reserve to main‑
tain competitively with the
likes of the European Union
and China by cutting interest
rates. He took aim at the Fed
in a series of tweets, the Efe
news reported.
"The EU and China will fur‑
ther lower interest rates and
pump money into their sys‑
tems, making it much easier
for their manufacturers to sell
product," he said.
"In the meantime, and with
very low inflation, our Fed
does nothing ‑ and probably
will do very little by compari‑
son. Too bad!"
He said the Fed had "raised"
too early and that it had
missed potential wealth cre‑
ation. For this reason, the US
had been "easy pickens (sic)"
for the EU and China. The
Federal Open Market
Committee, which sets the
country`s monetary policy, is
due to meet at the end of the
month amid predictions it
could slash the interest rates
by a quarter‑percentage point.
For months President Trump has criticized Fed Chair Jerome
Powell for his monetary policies. (Photo courtesy Reuters)
It would be the first time that
borrowing rates are cut since
the economic crisis a decade
ago. For months Trump has
criticized Fed Chair Jerome
Powell for his monetary poli‑
cies and has called for a drop
in interest rates, which cur‑
rently sit between 2.25‑2.50
per cent.
to override
Trump veto on
Last week the government
reported that the US economy
had slowed to 2.1 per cent in
arms sales to
the second quarter, down
from 3.1 per cent in the first.
Although it shows a decrease,
Arab partners
Washington: The U.S. Senate on
the latest figure, which is
Monday failed to override President
measured by gross domestic
Trump's veto of three resolutions
product, was better than some
blocking arms sales to Saudi Arabia and
analysts had predicted, a rate
the UAE.
of 1.9 per cent.
Senators voted 45‑40, 45‑39 and 46‑
Consumer spending, which
41 on the override attempts, falling
accounts for two‑thirds of US
well short of the two‑thirds majority
economic activity, jumped to
needed. Citing the humanitarian crisis
4.3 per cent compared to 1.1
caused by the Saudi‑led military cam‑
per cent registered in the first
paign against Iran‑allied Houthi rebels
quarter, while business fixed
in Yemen and the murder of Saudi jour‑
investment fell to 0.8 per cent,
nalist Jamal Khashoggi, the U.S.
its worse return in three
Congress had put on hold the pending
years.
arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Trump arrived at the White
The Trump administration announced
House with a campaign
in May that it would invoke the "emer‑
pledge to keep the US eco‑
gency" provision of the Arms Export
nomic growth above an annu‑
Control Act to complete the over $8 bil‑
al average of 3 per cent, a
lion arms sales to US regional partners
promise he was yet to keep.
in the Middle East to deter Iranian
In a bid to achieve this, he
threats. The move, which intended to
approved a multimillion‑dollar
bypass the congressional review of the
fiscal reform package which
arms deals, provoked U.S. lawmakers
entailed notable reductions in
from both parties. The Senate and the
taxes for businesses and high‑
House voted to block those arms sales
earners and, albeit more mod‑
in June and July respectively.
erate, for workers.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info US AFFAIRS August 3-9, 2019 11

Trump's Baltimore tirade expands Trump to nominate Rep

to include Bernie, Sharpton John Ratcliffe as National
Washington DC: President
Trump on Monday opened
new fronts in the bitter tirade
Racist, just as a
Republican would if he
used that term and stan‑
Intelligence head
he launched over the week‑ dard!" Trump wrote Washington:
end against Maryland Rep. online. President Donald
Elijah Cummings and the city Sanders replied on Trump said on
of Baltimore, lobbing insults Twitter that "Trump's Sunday that he will
at civil rights leader Rev. Al lies and racism never nominate
Sharpton and 2020 end," adding: "While I Congressman John
Democratic presidential can‑ have been fighting to lift Ratcliffe to be new
didate Bernie Sanders. the people of Baltimore director of national
President Trump has denied that his intelligence (DNI).
Trump tweeted: “Al is a con Saturday comment about Baltimore being and elsewhere out of
man, a troublemaker, always poverty with good pay‑ The nomination
infested with rates and rodents was racist.
looking for a score. Just ing jobs, housing and needs to be
doing his thing. Must have intimi‑ Nation. 25 years of all talk, no health care, he has been attacking approved by the Dan Coats (left) is bowing out over difference
dated Comcast/NBC. Hates Whites action!” Trump wrote Monday. “So workers and the poor." Baltimore Senate. with the President who is picking a loyalist,
& Cops!” tired of listening to the same old Mayor Bernard Young on Monday Dan Coats, the cur‑ John Ratcliffe.
Trumpʼs insult followed news of Bull. ... Next, Reverend Al will show claimed Trump is interested only in rent director, will be
Sharptonʼs plan to visit Baltimore. up to complain & protest. Nothing "childish tweets," telling CNN that leaving office on Aug. 15, according As a member of the House
Beginning Saturday, Trump has will get done for the people in such outbursts are "below a presi‑ to Trump. Judiciary Committee, Ratcliffe
unloaded a steady torrent of tweets need. Sad!” T he president on dent." Young, a Democrat, said his The DNI leads the nation's intelli‑ defended Trump during former spe‑
targeting Cummings and Monday also homed in on Sanders city is struggling as it awaits gence community and serves as the cial counsel Robert Mueller's testi‑
Baltimore, which is partly included for negative assessments the Trump's promised infrastructure principal intelligence adviser to the mony this week about his investiga‑
in the lawmakerʼs predominantly Vermont senator made of living legislation and that the president White House. Coasts had spent his tion into alleged Russian interference
black district. Cummings is chair‑ conditions in an underprivileged has yet to reach out to him regard‑ tenure in the administration at odds in the 2016 U.S. presidential election
man of the powerful House West Baltimore neighborhood ing the proposal. Maryland's with Trump, helming a constellation and possible obstruction of justice.
Committee on Oversight and when he visited the city in 2015. Republican governor, Larry Hogan, of over a dozen agencies that the Coats, a former U.S. senator, was
Reform, and is overseeing several "Crazy Bernie Sanders recently also rebuked Trump on Monday, President has publicly mocked, sworn in as the fifth DNI in March
investigations into the administra‑ equated the City of Baltimore to a calling the president's posts "just ignored and dismissed. 2017. During his tenure, Coats fre‑
tion. “Baltimore, under the leader‑ THIRD WORLD COUNTRY! Based outrageous and inappropriate" Ratcliffe, a 53‑year‑old Republican, quently appeared out of step with
ship of Elijah Cummings, has the on that statement, I assume that during an appearance on a has served as the congressman for the White House, which angered
worst Crime Statistics in the Bernie must now be labeled a Baltimore radio show. Texas's 4th district since 2015. Trump.
 12 August 3-9, 2019 INDIA NEWS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Modi to feature on Man Vs Wild on August 12

New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi will appear in an
episode of "Man Vs Wild", the pop‑
ular te levision prog ram on
Discovery Channel, on August 12.
The program, aimed at creating
awareness about animal conserva‑
tion and environmental change,
will be aired at 9 p.m.
The special episode, which has
been shot in the Jim Corbett
National Park, will throw light on
wildlife conservation, highlighting
issues related to environmental
change.
"For years, I have lived among
nature, in the mountains and the
forests. These years have a lasting
impact on my life. So, when I was
asked about a special program
focusing on life beyond politics
and that too in the midst of nature
I was both intrigued and inclined
to take part in it," the Prime
Minister said in a statement.
The program can be seen by
viewers in 180 countries.
Adventurer and television presen‑
ter Edward Michael Grylls, popu‑
larly known as Bear Grylls, will
appear in the program along with
Modi.
"For me, this show presents a
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will appear in
'Man Vs Wild' with Edward Michael Grylls, popularly known
as Bear Grylls. (Photo Credit: Discovery Channel)
great opportunity to showcase to
the world India's rich environmen‑
tal heritage and stress on the
importance of environment con‑
servation and living in harmony
with nature. It was a great experi‑
ence spending time in the jungle
once again, this time with Bear,
who is blessed with indefatigable
energy and quest to experience
nature at its purest," Modi added.
Grylls feels privileged to be taking
"Prime Minister Mo di on an
adventure into the Indian wilder‑
ness". "I feel truly honored to get
to spend time with this remark‑
able world leader. T he w ild
reminds us that we need each
other and that together we are
stronger. I am so excited to spend
time with the PM and to get to
know the man who leads this
Tiger population increases
to 2,967 in 2018: Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi announced that
the number of tigers in India has
increased from 2,226 in 2014 to
2,967 in 2018, achieving the tar‑
get of doubling the wild cat's pop‑
ulation four years ahead of dead‑
line. Modi released results of the
fourth cycle of All India Tiger
Estimation at his official residence
here.
"The results of the just declared
tiger census would make every
Indian, every nature lover happy,"
he said.
"Nine long years ago, it was
decided in St. Petersburg that the
target of doubling the tiger popu‑
great nation," Grylls added. Grylls
also took to Twitter on Monday to
share the news.
"People across 180 countries
will get to see the unknown side of
PM Narendra Modi as he ventures
into Indian wilderness to create
awareness about animal conserva‑
tion and environmental change.
lation would be 2022. We in India
completed this target four years
early." As per the India Tiger
Estimate 2010, the population
estimate of the tiger in 2010 was
1,706 while it was 1,411 in 2006.
Following conservation ef forts,
the population of the striped cats
increased to 2,226 in 2014 and to
2,967 in 2018.
Modi said the speed and dedica‑
tion with which various stakehold‑
ers worked to achieve the target
was "remarkable".
With around 3,000 tigers, India
is one of the biggest and safest
tiger habitats in the world, Modi
asserted.
Catch 'Man Vs Wild' with PM Modi
@DiscoveryIN on August 12 @9
pm," Grylls tweeted.
Grylls also posted a short video
of the promos of the programme.
The announcement comes on the
occasion of International Tigers
Day, ce le brated each year on
July 29.

South India Spotlight By Shaker Nelanuthala

TN water woes: most bottling
units in the country
N early 40 per cent of the nationʼs total
ʻover‑exploitedʼ groundwater resource
locations are in Tamil Nadu. The state also
has over 3,000 licenced mineral water, pack‑
aged drinking water and carbonated bever‑
age units. This amounts to 18% of the coun‑
tryʼs such units, according to the report
released by the Union ministry of Jal Shakti
in the Lok Sabha.
Drought‑prone Tamil Nadu has around 500
units in Chennai, Tiruvallur and
Kancheepuram districts, according to TN
Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers
Association. While each unit has dif ferent
working hours and production capacities
based on demand, the units located in and
around Chennai package at least 21 million
liters of water every day. While packaged
water units provide quality drinking water,
they source their water from underground
reservoirs. “About 50% of the sourced water,
subjected to reverse osmosis, would end up
Are bottling units the underlying
cause for TN drought?
as reject water”, Vice President of the TN
Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers
Association, M S Ezhangeswaran said.
It is estimated that 15 unlicensed water
units are functioning in Tiruvallur, near the
Andhra border. Moreover, waste water from
the packaging units is let off on to the sur‑
face, polluting groundwater, and increasing
ʻKanha Shanti Vanamʼ hosts 1000
participants from different countries
K anha Shanti Vanam, in Mallapur
near Sadnagar, Hyderbad hosted
an event with over a thousand atten‑
d ee s f r o m d i f f e r e n t c o u n t r i e s o n
February 12. The group consisted of an
interesting mix of people such as CEOʼs,
professors, students, economists, and
entrepreneurs.
The seminar was a seven day event
that focused on topics such as spiritual
journey and ashram life at Kanha, non‑
violent communication, universal broth‑
erhood, ʻAshtanga Yogaʼ, and ʻBeing an
abhyasiʼ ( practitioner of Heartfulness
meditation).
AP government faces challenges
towards PPAs
Heartfulness meditation
seminar in Hyderabad,
Telangana
The event was hosted by Shri Ram
Chandra Mission, a non‑profit organiza‑
tion established in 1945 that provides
spiritual training to interested people
from all over the world. The Mission
has ashrams or centers in 130 coun‑
tries. Heartfulness is a new approach to
the principles of Raja Yoga system of
meditation, termed as ʻSahaj Margʼ or
ʻThe Natural Wayʼ.

T
its salinity.
he And hra Pradesh government
High Court moved by Clean
Garbage free tourism in Kerala recently announced its decision to
renegotiate power purchase agreements Energy firms against Andhra

K ovalam, Munnar, Alappuzha,
Kumarakom, Wayanad, Fort Kochi,
Kollam, T hekkady, and Bakel are nine
tourist destinations in Kerala, chosen from a
list of 21, for the implementation of the
ʻclean Kerala initiativeʼ. The initiative was
launched by the Kerala tourism minister
Kadakampally Surendran in
Thiruvananthapuram, with the nod of the
stakeholders in the tourism sector. The ini‑
tiative aims to obtain green certification
platform by focusing on eco‑friendly and
Nine tourist places in Kerala to
be garbage and plastic free
responsible tourism. Waste management
system, public toilets, and drinking water
facilities are to be set up in 15 destinations,
and are to be maintained by the private sec‑
tor. Certain individual ef forts that are in
funct ion currently at Fort Ko chi and
Kovalam beach are to be institutionalized
with association to the government, indus‑
try and other self‑governing bodies.
(PPAs). The state has been at the fore‑
front when it comes to renewable power.
The governmentʼs decision to renegotiate
PPAs will lead to downward revision of
present tariffs.
Power developers are alarmed that this
could set a precedent to other states.
Credit ratings agency Crisil estimated that
this will put on 5.2GW of installed wind
and solar power, along with a total debt
of ₹ 21,000 crore, at the risk of default.
Prolonged delay on negotiation will put
government decision
half the stateʼs resources in risk of default
in debt. However, some developers are
hopeful of an amicable resolution without
litigation.
(Mr. Shaker Nelanuthala ‑ is from New
York, an IT & property management con‑
sultant, an editorial contributor to The
South Asian Times and an active member
of TLCA.)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
New Delhi: The Triple Talaq bill
criminalizing instant divorce in the
Muslim community was passed by
the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, with
the government mustering numbers
for its smooth sailing in the Upper
House where it still lacks majority
support.
The contentious Bill was passed
with 99 members voting in favor
and 84 against it. It was passed by
the Lok Sabha last week.
This is the second instance in
recent days when the Modi govern‑
ment managed to come out on top
in the Rajya Sabha. The controver‑
sial RTI Amendment Bill was passed
last week amid a walkout by the
Congress.
Replying to the debate on the
Muslim Women (Protection of
Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, Law
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad coun‑
tered criticism by the opposition
parties on making Triple Talaq a
cognizable offence.
He said that nobody questioned
the penal provision when the Hindu
Marriage Act of 1955, Dowry Act of
1961 and Section 498A were
Search on for CCD founder
Siddhartha, suicide suspected
Bengaluru: T he police have
launched a massive search for Cafe
Cof fee Day (CCD) founder V.G.
Siddhartha, suspected to have com‑
mitted suicide by jumping into the
Netravathi river near Mangaluru.
"Search is on since morning.
Siddhartha is suspected to have
jumped into the river from a bridge
on way to Mangaluru from Ullal on
Monday night," Mangaluru Police
Commissioner Sandeep Patil told
reporters on Tuesday.
"About 200 people, including
policemen, coast guards, divers and
fishermen are engaged in the search
around the area in the river where
Siddhartha is suspected to have
jumped into," Dakshina Kannada
Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth
Senthil said after visiting the spot.
Earlier, Siddhartha's driver
Basavaraj Patil filed a complaint at
a local police station that his boss
had gone missing after he got down
at the bridge from the car and start‑
ed walking while talking on mobile.
"Siddhartha got down from the
car on the side of the bridge and
asked me to wait for him at the
Kargil war changed world's view about India: Modi
New Delhi: Slamming Pakistan for
indulging in deceit since 1947,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
said the Kargil war of 1999 had
changed the world's perception
about India, which took military
action to evict the Pakistani Army
and foiled the neig hbour's
attempt to redraw the boundary.
Addressing a gathering to com‑
memorate the 20th anniversary of
Parliament passes Bill
criminalizing Triple Talaq
The contentious Bill was passed with 99 members voting in favor
and 84 against it. It was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.
brought.
T he Minister said the Hindu
Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) founder
V.G. Siddhartha.
other end of it, as he wanted to walk
for a while. But he did not turn up
even after an hour," said the driver
in his complaint filed in Kannada.
Siddhartha, 60, is the eldest son‑
in‑law of S.M. Krishna, senior
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader
and former External Af fairs
Minister in the UPA‑II government
(2009‑2012). Krishna was also
Karnataka's Chief Minister between
1999 and 2004.
Siddhartha had on March 18 sold
his entire 20 per cent stake in the
the Kargil war, the Prime Minister
said modernisation of the armed
forces was a priority of his gov‑
ernment as the wars have now
reached the space and are being
fought even in the cyber world.
In 1999, Pakistani Army had
captured the mountainous heights
in Kargil in Ladakh region of
Jammu and Kashmir and India
undertook military action to evict
INDIA NEWS
Marriage Act said the minimum age
of the groom should be 21 and of
city‑based software major Mindtree
to the Mumbai‑based Larsen &
Toubro (L&T) for Rs 3,300 crore at
Rs 980 per share. He wanted to
raise funds to reduce his company's
mounting debts.
"Sir (Siddhartha) and I left in a car
from Bengaluru on Monday after‑
noon for Sakaleshpur near Hassan,
where he has a house near one of
his cof fee estates. On reaching
there by evening, he told me to
drive to Mangaluru on National
Highway 66. When I drove onto the
bridge, he asked me to stop the car
and got down, saying he would walk
and get into the car at the end of
the bridge on the other side," the
driver recounted.
When Siddhartha didn't reach the
other side of the bridge, the driver
went in search of him but he was
nowhere to be found. "I filed the
complaint with the local police past
midnight on his family's advice,
when I told them how Siddhartha
suddenly went missing," Patil told
the police.
The port city of Mangaluru is
about 350km west of Bengaluru.
the intruders in a three‑month
war.
"We foiled Pakistan's deception
in Kargil... This war changed the
perception of the world towards
India... We exposed the deceitful
plans of Pakistan to re‑draw the
Line of Control (LoC). The world
witnessed that we never initiated
any act of violence and instead
gave a befitting reply," Modi said.
August 3-9, 2019
the bride 18. A two‑year jail term
was provided for those violating the
law. Then it was not said that it
would disturb married life, he said.
Further, the law provides that a
marriage will be void in case a per‑
son went for remarriage even as he
or she had a spouse.
Quoting a book by an Islamic
scholar, Prasad said that if Prophet
Mohammed disapproved of Triple
Talaq centuries back, why were we
in 2019 debating whether it was
right or wrong.
Earlier in the day, while partici‑
pating in the discussion, Leader of
Opposition in the Rajya Sabha
Ghulam Nabi Azad opposed the Bill
and demanded it be referred to a
Select Committee so that each pro‑
Yediyurappa wins
floor test in
Karnataka Assembly
Newly sworn‑in Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa with
former Chief Minister SM Krishna.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief
Minister B.S. Yediyurappa won the
floor test in the Assembly by voice
vote. "Yediyurappa has won the
confidence motion he moved by
voice vote with more yes than nos.
As there is no demand for division
of votes by the opposition leader
(Siddaramaiah), I declare the
motion passed, proving majority
support in the House," Speaker
K.R. Ramesh Kumar declared in the
House.
Earlier, Yediyurappa moved the
one‑line motion minutes after the
House began the day‑long special
session at 11.05 a.m.
"I move the motion, seeking sup‑
port of all the members from both
sides in the House and appeal for
unanimous vote in favor of it," said
Yediyurappa in Kannada after the
Speaker permitted him to seek the
trust vote without debate.
The one‑line motion was put to
voice vote after Congress leader
13
vision in it was duly analysed and
vetted.
Azad took on the Law Minister for
selectively quoting Supreme Court
orders. He said the government
should also bring legislation on
mob lynching as a similar direction
had come from the apex court in
the wake of rising violence against
the minority community.
He called the Bill politically moti‑
vated and said there was nothing in
it to protect Muslim women, for
their subsistence allowance and
their children.
Javed Ali Khan of the Samajwadi
Party, who opposed the Bill, said
there were women in the country
who had been abandoned by their
husbands.
Siddaramaiah and Janata Dal‑
Secular (JD‑S) leader and former
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy
spoke against it and slammed the
ruling BJP for coming to power
through horse‑trading and poach‑
ing of their rebel legislators.
With the ef fective House
strength reduced to 208 from 225
after 17 rebel legislators of the
coalition Congress and JD‑S were
disqualified by the Speaker on July
25 and July 28, the BJP had the
support of 106 members, includ‑
ing one Independent H. Nagesh
from Mulbagal assembly segment,
about 95 km east of Bengaluru.
In contrast, the coalition allies
had only 100 members, including
66 from the Congress and 34 from
JD‑S against the 105 halfway mark
for a simple majority.
The BJP's victory was greeted
with cheers and thumping of desks
by the treasury benches and boos
from the opposition benches.
14 August 3-9, 2019
India-US ties: Hyperbole for diplomacy
By DC Pathak
P
resident Donald Trump has
completely demolished the
universally pract iced
mantra that diplomacy was the art
of understatement which kept it
from running into irreversible
positions and robbing it of all flex‑
ibility. Being flexible is not the
same thing as being shifty in inter‑
nat ional re lat ions. Instant
responses could prove to be
potentially injurious in that arena
particularly if they happened to be
couched in hyperbolic expressions
that made diplomatic 'pressure'
indistinguishable from military
'blackmail'. Being 'brutally frank'
does have a place in foreign policy
but the response should not create
a suspicion that a falsehood had
been resorted to in tailoring it to a
particular context. All of this hap‑
pened on the maiden visit of Prime
Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan
to Washington to meet President
Trump. The nature of US‑Pakistan
talks during the visit has to be
closely examined as these have
significance for India's policy on
Pakistan, Afghanistan and the new
terror rooted in Islamic extrem‑
ism.
Trump had unambiguously
denounced the present Pakistan
20 years later, lessons for India from Kargil conflict
By Harinder Baweja
I
n the jagged heig hts of
Kargil, the signs of battle
have long been obliterated. It
has been 20 long years since the
mountains reverberated with
the constant sound of artillery
fire. India foug ht a sharp,
though short, war in a rugged,
remote and inhospitable corner
that few had even heard of till
then.
For 11 weeks, soldiers braved
a toug h terrain, inclement
weather, a well‑stocked enemy
and demanding seniors pressing
for quick results. T he rats
turned out to be well‑trained
Pakistani army regulars, who
had made a deep ingress into
Indian territory and set up bases
with medium machine guns and
heavy artillery.
India emerged victorious 20
years ago, mainly due to the grit
and determination of young
infantry of ficers but paid a
heavy price. The Indian army
and the air force lost 527 men
and as many as 1,300 were
wounded.
Within 72 hours of the army
OP-ED TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Kashmir.
The Pakistan army has tradition‑
ally enjoyed support from many in
the Pentagon right from the days
of anti‑Soviet armed campaign in
Afg hanistan ‑ which only
increased during the checkered
course of the 'war on terror' in
which Pakistan was looked upon
as the 'front line' ally.
The pompous in Donald Trump
got the better of the seasoned
statesman that an American
President had to be, when he
claimed that Prime Minister Modi,
during a bilateral meet ing
between them at the G20 summit
at Osaka, had requested him to
The learning for India is that Indo‑US convergence on the mediate on Kashmir.
threat of Pakistan‑sponsored terror may weaken a bit The External Affairs Minister of
because of the developments in Afghanistan. India has, in a statement in
regime for providing a safe haven Pakistan put up a show of recal‑ Parliament, promptly denied that
to Islamic terror outfits across the citrance ‑ manoeuvring all the any request was ever made in
spectrum on its soil, cut off fund‑ t ime to keep India out of the deviation from India's consistent
ing earlier provided for the 'war Afghan table and planning to stand that Indo‑Pak talks needed
on terror' on account of the retain its sway in Afghanistan in no third party involvement. Quite
duplicitous conduct of the any future arrangement there. expectantly a clarification has
Pakistan army in combating the Pakistan had also evidentially come from the American side by
Islamic radicals of Al Qaeda‑ brought in its old plea that the way of a statement of the Under
Taliban combine as well as the troublesome situation on its east‑ Secretary of State, Alice Wells, say‑
Haqquani network and demanded ern front in Kashmir had distract‑ ing that Kashmir should be tackled
that Pakistan must play the honest ed its attention from the Afghan bilaterally by India and Pakistan
broker in bringing about a peace front on the west and that the US but adding that 'the US is ready to
pact between US and Taliban to therefore should intervene to get assist'. If Kashmir did figure in
facilitate American troop with‑ India to resume negotiations with Mo di‑Trump conversat ion at
drawal from Afghanistan. Pakistan on the 'core issue' of Osaka, the uncalled for twist given
assaults on India provide some
answers.
India has been hit multiple
times. In less than two years
after the Karg il conflict,
Pakistani‑trained terrorists
attacked Parliament in
December 2001.
In 2008, despite a complete
analysis of the need to shore up
the countryʼs intelligence‑gath‑
ering abilities, 10 armed terror‑
ists sailed into Mumbai and held
the countryʼs financial nerve‑
centre hostage for over 72
hours, killing 166 innocents.
Pakistan continues to hit India
through non‑state actors, expos‑
ing the chinks in Indiaʼs armor.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Air Force chief BS Dhanoa pay Fidayeen, determined to kill and
tributes on 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas in Drass, die, have repeatedly managed to
Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: IANS)
penetrate well‑guarded installa‑
declaring victory on July 26, its report. “T he Review tions. They did that in the air
1999, the government set up its Committee had before it over‑ force base in Pathankot in
first committee, under the chair‑ whe lming evidence that the January 2016, and a few months
manship of strategic expert K Pakistani armed intrusion in the later when they managed to
Subrahmanyam, to “review the Kargil sector came as a complete breach the poor defences of an
events leading up to the and total surprise to the Indian army installation in Uri, where
Pakistani aggression,” and rec‑ Government, Army and intelli‑ they killed 18 unsuspecting sol‑
ommend measures, “considered gence agencies,” it said at the diers.
necessary to safeguard national outset. In January 2018, another
security.” Has India learnt its lessons squad entered an army camp in
The committee was scathing in from Kargil? T he continuing Jammuʼs Sunjuwan, and in
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
to it by Trump perhaps showed his
desperation for getting Pakistan to
deliver on the Afghan front.
His hyperbolic assertion that he
wanted peace in Afghanistan even
as the alternative course to victory
there ‑ of 'wiping that country off
the face of the earth' ‑ could be fol‑
lowed any time, was again meant
to make an impact on Pakistan.
Afghanistan is not the first coun‑
try for which Trump has used the
military threat as a form of diplo‑
matic pressure. It has to be seen
how this affects his own political
fortune. India can leave it there
and firmly pursue its Pakistan pol‑
icy and the line against cross bor‑
der terrorism.
The learning for India is that
Indo‑US convergence on the threat
of Pakistan‑sponsored terror may
weaken a bit because of the devel‑
opments in Afghanistan. Pakistan
may crawl back into US favour by
pretending to influence the
Taliban into joining the new
Afghan government ‑ and giving
an assurance, for whatever it was
worth, that it would not plan
another attack on the US from
Afghanistan. This is a win‑win sit‑
uation for Pakistan on the Afghan
front. There is no sanction or pres‑
sure on Pakistan to abstain from
infiltrating terrorists into Kashmir.
Pulwama, in February this year,
a young Kashmiri drove an
explosive‑laden vehicle into a
CRPF convoy, killing 40.
Several Prime Ministers have
had to deal with Pakistan and its
proxies. Narendra Mo di has
changed the way India responds
to terror by twice conducting
surgical strikes across the bor‑
der with Pakistan. In September
2016, the army crossed the LoC
to strike terror camps and after
Pulwama, the government used
its air force to strike a vital
Jaish‑e‑Mohammad facility in
Balakot.
Twenty years later, India can
also draw some satisfaction
from the fact that the interna‑
tional community is helping it
mind Pakistan and force the lat‑
ter to take steps against terror
groups operating from its soil.
In the end, as the
Subrahmanyam committee aptly
put it, Pakistanʼs behavior is not
“rational” and India needs to
constantly analyze its behavior
pattern. T hat cont inues to
remain the key.
(The opinion piece appeared in
The Hindustan Times)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info August 3-9, 2019
 16 August 3-9, 2019
ʻYou don't have to beg Can't wait to be back in dual role
for money in Hollywoodʼ of actor, producer: Priyanka
A I
ctor Radhika Apte is
all set for her next
Hollywood project,
Liberte: A Call to Spy. The
actor has revealed that a
major difference she finds
between working in India
and abroad is that an artiste
doesnʼt have to beg for
money.
On being asked about
how working in Hollywood
is different from working in
the Indian film and televi‑
sion industry, Radhika told
DNA in an interview,
“People are very punctual
there. And they pay you on
time. You donʼt have to beg
them for money.”
Radhika will play a spy
Actor Radhika Apte will be seen in Hollywood
named Noor Inayat Khan
aka Nora Baker in Liberte. project titled, ʻLiberte: A Call to Spyʼ.
She was the first female wireless operator to her character. She also appeared in the film
parachute into Nazi‑occupied France to help
the French Resistance during World War II.
The actor is reportedly going through a lot
of reading material, spy films, classic novels
and other related stories in order to prep for goes on a journey across Pakistan and India.
Spidey's latest adventure
crosses 100 cr in India
T
om Holland's latest outing as the
iconic webslinger Spider‑Man has
cast its spell on Indian fans.
"Spider‑Man: Far From Home" has entered
the Rs 100‑crore club in the Indian box‑
office.
Globally, the film has swung past the $1
billion mark, becoming the first instal‑
ment in the franchise to do so.
The Jon Watts directorial follows the
aftermath of "Avengers: Endgame". The
film released in India on July 4 in English,
Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages. The
nett box‑office collection Indian stands at
Rs 84 crore after three weeks.
Hollands co‑stars with Jake Gyllenhaal,
Zendaya, Cobie Smulders and Jon Favreau
in the film.
"Spider‑Man: Far From Home" has offi‑
cially grossed the $1.005 billion at the
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
ʻThe Wedding Guestʼ, opposite Dev Patel.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom, the film
also stars Jim Sarbh. It is based on a myste‑
rious British Muslim man (Dev Patel) who
Actor
Tom
Holland
was
introduced
as
Spider‑
Man in
“Captain
America:
Civil War”.
global box office, reports "forbes.com".
"This is Marvel's third $1 billion‑plus
earner in 2019, following "Captain
Marvel" ($1.128 billion) and "Avengers:
Endgame" ($2.79 billion).
It's also the first "Spider‑Man" film to
reach the milestone, and Sony's second
film to do so after "Skfall" ($1.108 billion
in 2012, sans 3D).
Holland was introduced as Spider‑Man
in "Captain America: Civil War" in 2016.
He got his first solo movie with "Spider‑
Man: Homecoming" in 2017, and returned
as the superhero with his second solo
movie "Spider‑Man: Far From Home".
"Spider‑Man: Far From Home" follows
Peter Parker, who is recruited to save the
world while on a school trip to Europe,
and deals with the death of his mentor
and fellow Avenger Iron Man.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ndian actress Priyanka Chopra
feels proud that her film "The Sky
Actress
Priyanka
Is Pink" is the only film from Asia
Chopraʼs
to have an official selection at the
production
Toronto International Film Festival house is co‑
(TIFF) and she said she can't wait to producing
be back in a dual role of an actor and ʻThe Sky Is
a producer. Priyanka, whose Purple Pinkʼ
Pebble Pictures is co‑producing "The
Sky Is Pink", took to Instagram where she
shared a poster of the movie.
"So happy and proud to announce that
'The Sky Is Pink' is the only film from Asia
to have an official selection at The 44th
Toronto Film Festival 2019 at the Gala! I
can't wait to be back this year in the dual
role of actor and producer," she wrote
alongside the image.
Helmed by Shonali Bose, "The Sky Is
Pink" will have its world premiere at the
prestigious festival on September 13.
"I hope to see many of you at the
world premiere on September 13 in
Toronto. Thank you for your continued love and Niren Chaudhary ‑‑ spanning 25 years,
and support! Releasing in cinemas October told through the lens of their spunky
11. Here we go," Priyanka added. "The Sky teenage daughter Aisha Chaudhary, who is
Is Pink" is a love story of a couple ‑‑ Aditi diagnosed with a terminal illness.
'JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA':
KILLER THRILLER
By Vinayak
Chakravorty
J
udgementall Hai
Kya" celebrates
the bizarre, at the
cost of giving in to
glaring flaws, much
like the grammatical
gaffe in its title. At the
film's core is the tested
good‑triumphs‑over‑
evil formula, although
done in a way few
Bollywood efforts have
Actors Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao remain
ever tried. Quirky story‑
the biggest asset of the film.
telling mixes black
humor and moody suspense with a sombre killed, and Bobby is convinced her husband is
subtext that draws from the "Ramayan" to the culprit.
REVIEW
drive home its comment on vio‑ You go into the post‑interval
lence against women. This is a portion hoping for fireworks. The
very different Bollywood film. drama gets serious, but the story never
Which also means it may not fit quite sets up an engaging cat‑and‑mouse
everyone's definition of entertainment. between Bobby and Keshav.
Bollywood debutant director Prakash For a film that seeks to shock with an end‑
Kovelamudi probably isn't worrying on that ing that virtually turns the story on its head,
count, what with Kangana Ranaut heading the the climax is a predictable one. The writing
cast along with Rajkummar Rao. The duo sets and execution should have been sharper
off intriguing chemistry in what is essentially towards the end. The film has very few char‑
a story of hate rather than romance. Together, acters, which means the lead players ‑ particu‑
they remain the biggest asset of the film. larly Kangana ‑ gets to occupy most of the
Wanton hues of Holi soak the screen in the screen space. The actress has made a career
opening scenes, ironically taking you through essaying characters that are off their rocker,
the disturbing back story of the film's central and she brings alive the tailormade Bobby
character Bobby as a little girl. The story real‑ effortlessly. Rajkummar Rao employs trade‑
ly takes off when the brooding Keshav mark screen‑presence to keep you guessing
(Rajkummar) and his wife Reema (Amyra about the mysterious Keshav. "Judgementall
Dastur) move in as tenants in Bobby's house. Hai Kya" has its flaws. The film's novelty fac‑
Even as Bobby somehow starts suspecting tor, however, is simply too tempting to gloss
Keshav is not the nice guy he pretends to be, over. Don't be too judgemental about its flaws,
the plot introduces a wild spin. Reema is and you might just love this one.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD August 3-9, 2019 17

Bollywood stars glam up How Nora Fatehi was

India Couture Week Day cheated by a casting agent
D
ancing sensation Nora mean, they would laugh on my
Fatehi's career is in a face as if I'm some sort of a cir‑
great phase now. Be it cus. They would bully me. It was
the "Dilbar" song in last year's
"Satyamev Jayate " or "O saki
saki" in "Batla House", Nora
has been garnering plaudits
for her dancing skills. The
scene, however, was different
for her a few years ago. She
had faced a hard time during
her initial days in the indus‑
try.
"Life for foreigners in India
is difficult. We go through a
lot, and people don't even
know. They take our money.
It's happened to me. I remem‑
ber my first agency, who got
me here from Canada, was
really aggressive. I didn't feel
like I was guided the right
way. So, when I wanted to
part ways with them, they told
me 'we are not going to give you Actress Nora Fatehi will be soon
(back) your money'. I lost 20 lakh seen in ʻStreet Dancer 3Dʼ,
at that time, which I had earned
Actors Sara Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon lit up the India Couture Week.

B
ollywood actors glammed
up the FDCI India Couture
Week (ICW) 2019 on its
fifth day held in New Delhi recent‑
ly. While actress Sara Ali Khan
made her maiden walk on the
ramp turning showstopper for
designer duo Falguni and Shane,
Rakul Preet Singh strutted for
Reynu Tandon.
Sara's rumored boyfriend Kartik
Aryan and her brother Ibrahim Ali
were spotted sitting among the
audience and cheering for her.
Actress Warina Hussain who fea‑
tured in the movie "Loveratri" and
Ahana Kumra of "Lipstick Under
My Burkha" fame attended Reynu
Tandon's show which was closed
by Rakul Preet. Actress Rashmi
Desai was also present among the
audience. Sara, last seen in the
movie "Simba", wore an ivory‑col‑
ored trailing lehenga with a buckle,
and a matching full‑sleeve blouse
as she sashayed on the ramp. She
completed her look with glossy
makeup and beachy waves for hair.
"This was the first time I walked
the ramp, and I would be a massive
liar if I say I wasn't nervous. I was
actually extremely nervous. But I
had a lot of fun also," Sara told
IANS. Rakul Preet, who debuted
wearing at the ICW ramp, was
wearing a dull pink lehenga choli.
The "Dil De De" actress looked
flawless in nude makeup and neat‑
ly side‑parted hair.
working in ad‑campaigns," Nora,
who hails from Canada, said in an
interview to the website,
Pinkvilla.
Nora shared that people used
to bully her over her language
and accent.
"I started learning Hindi but
the auditions were very traumat‑
ic for me. I wasn't really mentally
prepared and I made a fool of
myself. People were really unfor‑
giving. They wouldn't just be
humiliating. I used to cry while
travelling back to my home.
There was this casting agent who
once told me, 'We don't need you
here. Go back'. I'll never forget
that," she added.
Nora made her acting debut in
Bollywood with the film "Roars:
Tigers Of The Sundarbans". More
than her acting stint, she gained
popularlity for her dance num‑
bers. She will be seen next in
"Street Dancer 3D".

Making movies ʻtax‑freeʼ never really helped

By Vinod Mirani bet on. They could do without the tax
exemption. Films like "Salaam Bombay",

J
ust when the film industry had for‑
gotten what tax exemption or, the
popular term, 'tax free, meant, the
phrase is back in the use. The Hrithik
Roshan‑starrer, "Super 30", has been
granted tax‑free status in the states of
Delhi, Gujarat. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar. The granting of a tax free tag
to a film used to be a regular feature with
some state governments since the cine‑
ma and the entertainment tax collection
were state subjects.
The states charged entertainment tax
at whim and fancy. Initially, it used to be
100 per cent or more, which is to say, if
you bought a Rs 20 ticket, then Rs 10
went to the state treasure. The state did
not contribute in anyway to either the
film trade or the cinema hall business. If
the film did not collect full houses or
failed, it was the exhibitor's headache.
With the introduction of GST, almost all
the taxes have been standardized on
national level. The entertainment tax was
initially fixed at 28 per cent of the admis‑
sion rate, but later after representations
from the filmmakers, it was brought
A still from the film ʻSuper 30ʼ.
down to 18 per cent. Now, when a state
exempts a film from entertainment tax, it
is only 9 per cent ‑ half of the 18 per cent
GST charged ‑ since this is shared equally
by state and the central government. The
exemption from paying entertainment
tax was usually meant for socially and
nationally relevant films. Early films I
remember seeing that were exempted
from paying entertainment tax were
Satyen Bose's "Masoom" (1960) and
Chetan Anand's "Haqeeqat" (1964).
There were films backed by Film
Finance Corporation (FFC), later renamed
National Film Development Corporation
of India.
These FFC films were granted tax free
status. After all, it was the government
money and they needed to make FFC
look self‑sustaining if not profitable.
Nothing helped since all these initial
films were found to be boring and made
for tedious viewing.
However, things seemed to change. The
Corporation started coming with some
likeable and commercially viable films ‑
the kind of films even regular main‑
stream film distributors were willing to
"Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro", "Masoom", "Ardha
Satya", "Gandhi", and "Aakrosh" were
grabbed by regular distribution houses
and most of them did well.
Mumbai was the hub of film industry
but other states wanted a piece of the pie
too. While some state governments start‑
ed offering subsidies to the films shot in
their state, others offered both, subsidy
as well as entertainment tax holidays.
While the main idea was to attract the
filmmakers to their respective states, the
other purpose was also to promote the
local language film industry.
Soon, the tax exemption policy turned
into the granting of favors. Merit and
content did not matter anymore. All a
filmmaker needed was to be close to a
politician (which the most successful pro‑
ducers happened to be) or grease palms.
On this count, the state of Uttar Pradesh
beat all others. In this state, during the
previous regime, just about one in three
films was granted tax exemption.
It was a sort of quid pro quo, as the film
folk returned the favor by gracing the
political party events and election rallies.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info August 3-9, 2019
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Tamil Nadu minister Ma Foi Pandiarajan ‑‑ Minister of Culture, Tamil Nadu,
Siva Moopanar and Su Venkatesan
A 3‑in‑one Tamils celebration in Chicago
There is no glory in speaking about
the past among ourselves. If your
wisdom is praiseworthy, foreigners
should salute it.
True to this comment of the great
poet Subramania Bharathi, the 10th
World Tamil Research Conference,
celebrations of the 32nd anniver‑
sary of the North America Tamil
Sangam and the golden jubilee of
the Chicago Tamil Sangam – 3‑in‑1
event – was he ld at the
Schaumburg Convention Center
here during the July 4 weekend.
At the inauguration, youngsters
performed dances to the songs of
Bharathi and Bharathi Dasan.
Auspicious music was played on the
tradit ional Tamil instrument
Nadaswaram to the accompaniment
of Tavil.
The program coordinator Veera
Venugopal and the President of the
North American Tamil Sangam
Sundar Kuppuswamy welcomed the
gathering.
Stalin Gunasekaran, writer and
lawmaker, spoke on ʻTamil and
Tamiliansʼ highlighting the glorious
past of Tamil, and what needs to be
done now. In his special address on
ʻKeezadi Excavat ionsʼ, he laid
emphasis on rewriting the history
of Tamil.
The findings of the Keezadi exca‑
vations were depicted in an exhibi‑
tion. Similarly, a model of Valluvar
Kottam was on display.
Poet Salma presided over a Poetsʼ
Meet titled ʻKeezadi ‑ the lap of my
motherʼ with American Tamil poets.
The doyen of the Tamil martial
art Silambattam, Arunachalam
Mani presented a program on this
traditional art.
Navi Pillai, former UN Hig h
Commissioner for Human Rights
delivered a special address on the
ʻAwakening of the World Tamils.ʼ
As the final show of the celebra‑
tion of Chicago Tamil Sangamʼs
golden jubilee celebrations, 50
artists belonging to the outfit ʻPon
Paraiʼ of Chicago presented a pro‑
gram with the traditional Tamil
percussion instrument, Parai.
Sam Kannappan introduced the
Houston Tamil Chair organization.
Nadaswaram player Lidiyan, 13,
FETNA CONVENTION August 3-9, 2019 19
Minister Ma Foi Pandiarajan (2nd from left) and to his right are Dr. Kanniks
Kannikeswaran, Solomon Pappaiah ‑ Tamil Scholar, and Veera PK
winner of the reality music show
ʻT he Worldʼs Bestʼ (CBS), was
appointed as the Houston Tamil
Chair envoy.
Guests of Honor were Hon.
President of Maurit ius
Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory,
Mayor of Yazhpanam Emmanuel
Arnold, and G. Viswanathan, chan‑
ce llor of Ve llore Inst itute of
Technology, India.
In ʻMurasuʼ a grand symphony
musical conducted by
Kannikeswaran, 116 singers partic‑
ipated and sang from Sangam liter‑
ature, T holkappiyam, In ʻMurasuʼ a grand symphony musical was conducted by Kannikeswaran, with 116 singers.
Silappathikaram, Kaling athu
Parani, Thevaram and also Andalʼs
hymns.
Echoing Thiruvalluvarʼs remark,
ʻThe world will not come to be
without water,ʼ The New Jersey
Tamil Sangam members staged a
skit highlighting the importance of
water and how our land is becom‑
ing uninhabitable due to our failure
to preserve water.
Then, Sudalai Muthu, Chairman
of the Chari institution, spoke and
RR Srinivasan gave a special talk on
the excavations of Adichanallur.
Anitha Sivaraman, descendant of
former Tamil CM Dr MG 50 artists belonging to the outfit ʻPon Paraiʼ of Chicago presented a program with
Ramachandran, gave a dance recital the traditional Tamil percussion instrument, Parai.
on ʻTamil Bharatam Bharathi.ʼ
In the 10th World Tamil Research On the third day, the World Tamil sical literature of Tamil to the missioned:
Conference, US Congressman Raja Research Conference (WTRC) and world; to research into the ancient‑ GTEN was attended by over
Krishnamoorthy, Navi Pillai, Ma Foi the Global Tamil Entrepreneurs ness and uniqueness of Tamil, 1,000 people, an event that fosters
Pandian ‑‑ Minister of Culture, Network (GTEN) conference were Tamilians and literature, culture entrepreneurship. It was hosted by
Tamil Nadu, and S. Venkatesan, MP, conducted in parallel. and its civilization. To pursue these the FeTNA and the American Tamil
presided over sessions. WTRC aims to introduce the clas‑ aims, research papers were com‑ Entrepreneurs Association (ATEA).
Tamil Scholars and Volunteers at the mega event.
 20 August 3-9, 2019
India slow in
checking brain
drain: Nobel laureate
By Kashmeera
Sambamurthy
Jaipur: India‑born scientist
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan had
made headlines in 2009 when he
was awarded the Nobel Prize in
Chemistry along with two of his
peers for their research on the struc‑
ture and function of the ribosome. In
an exclusive interview with
101Reporters here, he spoke on
brain drain and what China is doing
to check the problem while India
isnʼt.
Q: How equipped do you think
India is for making path‑breaking
discoveries?
A: I think itʼs not just a question of
providing equipment and things like
that, itʼs also a question of having
good mentors and people who them‑
selves have made path‑breaking dis‑
coveries, because that is how young
people learn. They learn it from peo‑
ple who have done very well. India
has a lot of good scientists but not
quite so many who are world leaders
in their field. So, what India needs is
more of those. And that will happen
gradually if the government invests
in science and technology.
Q: In terms of providing an envi‑
ronment conducive to research, how
does India fare in comparison with
Include Sun, Jagannath temples in iconic tourist sites: Minister
Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
has requested Union Tourism
Minister Prahlad Singh Patel for
the inclusion of Sun Temple in
Konark and Jagannath Temple in
Puri in the iconic tourist sites.
In a letter released to media on
Friday, Pradhan sought the per‑
sonal intervention of Patel for
inclusion of the two temples in
the iconic tourist sites.
"Odisha is home to several
wonderful cultural and natural
heritage sites amongst which
Sun Temple in Konark and Lord
Jagannath Temple in Puri are
holiest pilgrimage and attractive
tourist destinations due to their
religious, cultural and architec‑
tural importance," said the
Minister.
He said the Jagannath Temple
is the ceremonial home of
Odisha's most revered deity, Lord
Jagannath, and one of the four
holiest dhams for Hindus.
Host of the iconic Rath Yatra,
the Puri Jagannath Temple is
unifying beacon of Odisha's quin‑
other countries?
A: It is hard to say because I really
donʼt know about the infrastructure
in India. But there are some places
that are doing well. I would say that
India has not invested as much as
China, not nearly as much. And
China is very rapidly catching up
with the West. I donʼt see that same
speed of catching up in India. China
is also attracting a lot of well‑known
Chinese scientists to return to the
country. More importantly, they are
also attracting international scien‑
tists, westerners who have a lab in
China and they train the next gener‑
ation of Chinese students. I donʼt see
anything like this in India.
Q: If Indian scientists with over‑
seas exposure do return to their
homeland, in which ways can it cat‑
alyze advancement in research?
A: When Deng Xiaoping opened
China and allowed Chinese students
to study abroad, he was criticized by
some people who said it could result
in tremendous brain drain. And he
said even if one out of a hundred
comes back, it will be useful for
advancing Chinese science and tech‑
nology. I think thatʼs the way to look
at it. Not everybody will come back.
Going from any country to any other
country broadens your mindset and
you learn new ways of thinking. So,
The request came after the omission of Odisha from list
of 17 iconic tourism sites to be developed by the Centre.
Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of
the four holiest dhams for Hindus
and host of the iconic Rath Yatra.
tessential Jagannath cult, he
informed.
The Minister further said that
the Konark Sun Temple, the 13th
century marvel, is acknowledged
as the zenith of Odishan architec‑
ture and recognized globally as a
Unesco world heritage site.
INDIA FEATURES
Venkatraman
Ramakrishnan
these people when they come back,
often will do interesting and impor‑
tant work.
Q: What do you think is responsi‑
ble for brain drain from India?
A: I think people donʼt just migrate
for the sake of equipment. They go
because there is an overall environ‑
ment in which they want to work.
Like they have colleagues with
whom they interact. And freedom,
less bureaucracy and so on. There
are many reasons as to why people
migrate. Another is that they go
abroad to study, as I did, and then
they get used to the lifestyle there,
the freedom and the scientific envi‑
ronment and then itʼs hard for them
to come back. That might just be a
stronger reason and thatʼs where
probably most of the brain drain is,
where they go as students and donʼt
come back.
Q: How crucial is the role of tech‑
nology in a countryʼs overall devel‑
opment?
A: If it werenʼt for science and tech‑
nology, we couldnʼt even support
half of todayʼs world population. Life
expectancy has doubled in the last
100 years. In the previous centuries,
2,000 years, there was no increase
in life expectancy. I think there is no
question that science and technology
are of critical importance.
"Together with Bhubaneswar,
Puri and Konark form Odisha's
golden triangle attracting mil‑
lions of tourists and pilgrims
from around the world and are
breathing incarnations of the
stateʼs socio‑cultural identity,"
said Prad han. Earlier, Chie f
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ASI should protect
monuments older than
500 years: Culture Minister
The Palaceʼ in Chittorgarh where
Rani Padmini committed jauhar to
avoid capture by Alauddin Khilji.
New Delhi: Culture and Tourism
Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on
Friday urged the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) to include
monuments pre‑dating 500 years
in its list of protected monuments
and said he is "not allergic to
anybody's history and bravery"
but to "bury someone underneath
is also not acceptable".
Patel, who represents Madhya
Pradesh's Damoh constituency in
the Lok Sabha, made the remarks
while inaugurating a photo exhi‑
bition commemorating the Kargil
Vijay Diwas.
The BJP leader also paid tribute
to the Kargil martyrs.
In the capacity of the Culture
Minister, he urged the ASI and
the Nat ional Monuments
Authority (NMA) to include mon‑
uments that date back before
500 years into the list of ASI's
protected monuments if they
Konark Sun Temple is a 13th century architectural marvel and rec‑
ognized globally as a Unesco world heritage site.
Minister Naveen Patnaik had
requested the Centre for inclu‑
sion of at least two tourist places
of importance from the state in
the list of iconic tourist sites to
be developed by the Centre.
T he request came after the
omission of Odisha from list of
were already not included.
"Humein kisi ki veerta aur iti‑
haas se koi allerg y nahi hai.
Lekin hum kisi ko neeche dafan
kar dein, yeh humein sweekar bhi
nahi hai. (We are not allergic to
anybody's bravery and history,
but to bury someone underneath,
that's also not acceptable)," Patel
said, leading to applause.
"There should be classification
of those within 500 years as
well," he added.
The photo exhibition includes
images of monuments and sculp‑
tures that signify war and victory.
T hey include the forts of
Chittorg arh, Pratapg arh and
Jhansi and Delhi's Red Fort.
Sculptural panels from Sanchi
and Hampi showing warriors and
battle scenes are also featured,
along w ith the Residency
Building of Lucknow and India
Gate.
17 iconic tourism sites to be
developed by the Centre.
The Central government has
decided to develop 17 tourism
sites across the country into
world‑class tourist destinations
and to serve as a model for other
tourism sites.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
US approves $125 million package
for Pakistan's F‑16s
Washington: T he US has
approved $125 million worth of
support for Pakistan's F‑16 war‑
planes, days after Prime Minister
Imran Khan's ice‑breaking visit to
Washington where he met
President Donald Trump.
Approval to support US‑built
aircraft was approved by the US
State Department on Friday and
announced simultaneously by the
US Defense Security Cooperation
Agency (DSCA).
"T he State Department has
made a determination approving
a possible Foreign Military Sale to
Pakistan for Technical Security
Team (TST) in continued support
of the F‑16 programme for an
estimated cost of $125 million,"
the DSCA said in a statement.
The Congress has been notified
in this regard. The government of
Pakistan requested a continuation
of technical support services,
which includes US government
and contractor technical and
logistics support services. The
request also included other relat‑
Imran govt completes
one year; people
angry over inflation
A derailed economy has forced Pakistan PM
Imran Khan on the back foot.
Islamabad: Exactly a year ago
Imran Khan swept to power with a
promise to make a "New
Pakistan," but today, Pakistan
media reports say, there is wide‑
spread dissatisfaction among the
people mainly because of rising
prices. Khan promised a "welfare
state," but a derailed economy has
forced him on the back foot, lead‑
ing to most of his promises
remaining unfulfilled, The Express
Tribune said, adding in the past
one year, Pakistani rupee has
dropped up to 30 per cent and the
inflation has soared as much as
nine per cent. Another national
daily Jang quoted experts saying
that today's situation in Pakistan
Pakistan PM Imran Khan with US President
Donald Trump in Washington, DC.
ed elements of logistics support
to assist in the oversight of opera‑
tions in support of the Pakistan
Peace Drive advanced F‑16 pro‑
gramme.
The total estimated program
cost is $125 million.
The potential sale will support
US foreign policy and national
security "by protecting US tech‑
nology through the continued
was worse than the days of 'global
boycott' of the country following
nuclear tests in the late nineties.
The Express Tribune quoted a
common citizen Mohammad
Ashfaq (60), a colour‑dye seller, as
saying: "To bear the daily expens‑
es, it is necessary for me to earn
at least Rs 1,000 every day. But I
earn only Rs 500‑600 per day". To
revive the country's economy, the
Pakistan government has bor‑
rowed money from countries such
as Saudi Arabia and from
International Monetary Fund
(IMF). However, the IMF's struc‑
tural development conditions for
the aid have worsened the situa‑
tion.
SUBCONTINENT
presence of US personnel that
provide 24/7 end‑use monitor‑
ing," the State Department said.
It added that the proposed sales
of equipment and support "will
not alter the basic military bal‑
ance in the region".
The Trump administration had
in January 2018 halted all
Foreign Military Sale support pro‑
grams for Pakistan after accusing
China majorly increasing
footprint in Nepal: Experts
New Delhi: China has not only made
deep inroads into Nepal, with major
investments in the Himalayan coun‑
try's infrastructure, it is also getting
closely involved in Kathmandu's
security and political architecture,
with top officials from Beijing visit‑
ing Nepal regularly, experts said
here.
At a talk on 'An Assessment of
Nepal China Relations', former
Indian envoy to Nepal Ranjit Rae
said while China was increasing its
footprint in Nepal, "but it is not large
enough to dent the nature of India‑
Nepal relations".
According to Professor S.D. Muni,
one of the main reasons for China's
outreach into Nepal was due to its
"sense of vulnerability" with regard
to Tibet and that Kathmandu "gets
panicky" over the subject of the Dalai
Lama.
Rae, who was the Indian ambassa‑
dor to Nepal at the time of the five‑
month border blockade, said China's
involvement in Nepal was visible in
the economic, defense and political
spheres.
"China is the single largest FDI
source for Nepal, and its presence is
not just there in small projects, but
in substantive ones, like cement, air‑
ports, roads, transmission lines, rail‑
way, optical fiber network. China's
economic involvement in Nepal is
significant," Rae, who is currently a
August 3-9, 2019 21
Pak Army chief Bajwa's
term likely to be extended
Lahore: Pakistan's Army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa is likely to get
extension in his term, reports said.
According to a report in Pakistan Today, its Editor Arif Nizami, com‑
menting on the US visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan, said that while
all the foreign visits are considered successful irrespective of the
desired results, Imran Khan's trip to Washington was successful from
all angles and Bajwa's presence in it was crucial.
Expecting term extension for the army chief, he said: "Currently, the
relation between the government and the Army is good, which was
not the case during PML‑N (Pakistan Muslim League‑Nawaz)
regime… Looking at this prospect, we can expect term extension for
General Bajwa, though we can't really guess for how long."
Nizami also said that Bajwa, who took over as the army chief in
November 2016, is different from previous ones as he doesn't likes
publicity, while being known as an "intelligent general with leader‑
ship quality".
it of not helping Washington in according to Pakistan media
achieving its object ives in reports.
Afghanistan. The Pakistani leader said that
But during Khan's July 20‑23 he would soon call Taliban lead‑
visit to Washington, both sides ers to Islamabad to persuade
announced they were now on the them to hold direct talks with the
same page on Afg hanistan, Taliban.
The Friendship Bridge connecting China with Nepal.
member, Commonwealth High Level der railway line is to connect Kerung
Group on Governance, said at the in southern Tibet to Kathmandu and
talk. Chinese banks have also opened then to Lumbini on the Nepal‑India
in Nepal and the two‑way trade border.
between the two neighbours is at the China and Nepal also held joint
ratio of 45:1, heavily tilted in military exercises for the first time,
Beijing's favor. and Beijing is supplying arms and
People‑to‑people connect between equipment to the Nepalese side. The
the two was increasing at a rapid Chinese Defence Minister visited
pace, with lots of Chinese tourists Nepal and the two sides hold regular
visiting Nepal, especially Pokhara. exchanges.
Trans‑border connectivity between But it has been a while since an
the two nations, which share a 1,400 Indian Defense Minister visited
km border, was also most significant, Nepal, the experts said. In the politi‑
he added. The Nepal‑China Trans‑ cal sphere too, China has a strong
Himalayan Multi‑dimensional presence in Nepal, and a strong out‑
Connectivity Network (THMCN) is reach with the Madhesi parties. The
part of China's ambitious Belt and unification of the two Communist
Road Initiative. parties also had the "strong backing
The proposed 170 km trans‑bor‑ of China".
 22 August 3-9, 2019 INTERNATIONAL TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Toxic agent may be behind Iran warns Europe of further

Kremlin critic's hospitalization
Moscow: Prominent Russian opposition activist
Alexei Navalny is not receiving adequate medical
care and could have been exposed to a "toxic
agent" before his admission to hospital for
symptoms similar to a severe allergic reaction,
one of his doctors said. Navalny, one of the
country's most renowned critics of President
Vladimir Putin, was admitted to hospital from
jail, where he was serving a 30‑day sentence for
inciting protests.
In a Facebook post, Anastasia Vasilieva, an
ophthalmologist who treated Navalny in 2017
after a pro‑Kremlin activist threw green dye in
his face, leaving him temporarily blind in one
eye, said the circumstances of his most recent
hospitalization led her to believe that a "toxic
agent" could have been involved.
Vasilieva said she and Navalny's other doctor,
Yaroslave Ashikhmin, had not been given proper
access to the patient and that routine tests for
cases of fast onset allergic reactions had not
been undertaken, Efe news reported.
She added that information about Navalny's
condition had not been made readily available to
his family and friends, but of ficials had
addressed the matter with the news agency
Interfax.
The doctor said Navalny had no history of
allergies and that his symptoms corresponded
Russian authorities had detained activist
Alexei Navalny on July 24.
with dermatitis and acute keratoconjunctivitis.
Russian authorities detained Navalny on July 24
after he called for unauthorized anti‑govern‑
ment protests in the capital against allegedly
rigged city council elections.
Navalny, a lawyer, has been in and out of jail
for inciting protests and is one of the country's
most visible Putin detractors.
drop of nuclear commitments
Tehran: Iran warned the European
signatories of the 2015 Iranian
nuclear deal of withdrawing from
more of its commitments under the
deal if they fail to meet Tehran's
demands. "We are still waiting for
the Europeans' practical and con‑
crete measures in implementing the
nuclear deal," Iranian Foreign
Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi
said in his weekly press conference.
"Tehran's patience is running out,"
Mousavi said, adding that Iran would
take "the third step if the Europeans
fail to honor their commitments once
again".
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Abbas Araqchi, Iranian envoy to the Abbas Mousavi.
nuclear talks, also said that Tehran
will continue to abandon more of its in May 2018 and re‑imposed sanc‑
commitments pertaining to the deal tions against Iran.
if the remaining parties to the 2015 To secure trade with Tehran and
accord fail to help Iran reap its eco‑ skirt US anti‑Iran sanctions, the
nomic interests. European Union announced the
Iran has already withdrawn from launch of its special payment channel
parts of its obligations under the with Iran, namely INSTEX, in
nuclear deal after the US President January.
Donald Trump pulled Washington However, Tehran said that the EU
out of the pact, better known as the mechanism lacked feasibility in sup‑
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, plying Iran with petrodollars.

Meghan Markle guest North: Missile launches 'warning'

edits British Vogue to S Korea 'warmongers'
Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.
London: Duchess of Sussex
Meghan Markle has guest edit‑
ed British Vogue's September
issue, focusing on women who
"break barriers". The cover fea‑
tures 15 women, including
teenage climate activist Greta
Thunberg and New Zealand
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern,
who through their work or per‑
sonal experience have con‑
tributed to changing the world.
Inside the edition is a conver‑
sation between the duchess and
US former First Lady Michelle
Obama.
The edition, entitled Forces
For Change, highlights "trail‑
blazing change makers, united
by their fearlessness in break‑
ing barriers", Buckingham
Seoul: North Korea has called the
test of two short‑range ballistic mis‑
siles, under its leader Kim Jong‑un's
guidance, a "solemn warning" to the
South Korean "warmongers", the
state media reported.
The firings were aimed at sending
a "solemn warning to South Korean
military warmongers who are intro‑
ducing ultramodern of fensive
weapons into South Korea and push‑
ing to hold (a) military exercise in
defiance of the repeated warnings
from the North", reported the
Korean Central News Agency
(KCNA). Recently, North Korea
launched two missiles from Hodo
Peninsula near the North's eastern
coastal town of Wonsan. South
Palace said.
The magazine cover also fea‑
tures actors Jane Fonda, Salma
Hayek Pinault, Laverne Cox,
No ifs & buts about UK's exit
Yara Shahidi and Gemma Chan,
alongside models Christy
Turlington Burns, Adwoa Aboah
from EU on Oct 31: Gove
London: T he UK government is
and Adut Akech and radio pre‑
working on the assumption of a no‑
senter Jameela Jamil.
deal Brexit, according to EFE news.
Markle chose not to put her‑
Cabinet Minister Michael Gove, in
self on the cover, the maga‑
charge of preparations for an exit
zine's Editor‑in‑Chief Edward
from the European Union (EU) with‑
Enninful said, as she felt it
out an agreement, said, "No‑deal is
would be a "boastful thing to
now a real prospect". Writing in the
do", the BBC reported.
Sunday Times newspaper Gove said
Markle will not be the first
his team was aiming to renegotiate
member of the British monar‑
with Brussels but the UK govern‑
chy to appear in the publication
ment was preparing for every out‑
as Duchess of Cambridge Kate
come. "With a new Prime Minister, a
Middleton starred on the cover
new government and a new clarity of
in 2016.
mission, we will exit the EU on
North Korean leader
Kim Jong‑un.
Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that
both flew around 600 km, modified
from an earlier estimate that they
travelled 430 km and 690 km,
respectively, Yonhap news agency
reported. After watching the launch‑
es, Kim expressed satisfaction over
UK Cabinet Minister
Michael Gove.
October 31. No ifs, no buts. No more
delay. Brexit is happening," he said.
Gove warned that altering former
Prime Minister Theresa May's with‑
"the rapid anti‑firepower capability
of the tactical guided weapon system
and the specific features of the low‑
altitude gliding and leaping flight
orbit" of the missile, which would be
hard to intercept, the KCNA said.
Kim said that South Korea should
"not make a mistake of ignoring the
warning", according to the report.
South Korea has urged Pyongyang to
stop acts that are unhelpful to easing
tension and said the tests posed a
military threat. The firings came less
than a month after Kim held a sur‑
prise meeting with US President
Donald Trump at the inter‑Korean
border village of Panmunjom &
agreed to resume their working‑level
nuclear talks.
drawal agreement would not be
enough. "You can't just reheat the
dish that's been sent back and expect
that will make it more palatable," he
wrote. Brussels has insisted that it
will not renegotiate the treaty signed
with May. "We still hope they will
change their minds, but we must
operate on the assumption that they
will not," Gove said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has
established a special committee with
six trusted Ministers whose mission
is to ensure that the country leaves
the EU on the date set.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info BUSINESS August 3-9, 2018 23

Outlook for banks stable but SC adjourns Vijay

risks from slowdown: Moody's
New Delhi: The operating envi‑
ronment for India's banks will be
stable but economic slowdown
poses challenges to the sector, a
Moody's Investors Service report
said on Monday.
According to the report ‑ the
India banking system outlook ‑
the country's economic growth
will remain weaker than in prior
years at a time when lenders are
recovering from legacy non‑per‑
forming loans (NPLs).
"Despite stability in the coun‑
try's macro fundamentals, stress
among NBFIs will continue to
constrain economic growth," the
report said.
The stress faced by NBFI sector
and economic slowdown can also
hamper asset quality improve‑
ments, the report said.
"The formation of new NPLs in
the non‑financial corporate seg‑
ment will further slow, helped by
improved financial health of cor‑
porates and recoveries from lega‑
The report said that external
capital will help banks maintain
capital ratios.
cy problem loans.
"However, stress at NBFIs is a
risk to banks' asset quality
because banks have large expo‑
sures to the sector. In addition,
the mo derat ion of economic
growth could lead to the creation
of new NPLs in the retail and
Mallya plea against
small and medium enterprise
(SME) segment," it said.
confiscation of properties
The report, however, said that New Delhi: The Supreme Court acquired from the ill‑gotten
external capital will help banks adjourned to August 2 a plea money.
maintain capital ratios. filed by fugitive liquor baron He argued that many of these
"Capital infusions from the gov‑ Vijay Mallya seek‑ propert ies were
ernment will help public sector ing a stay on the acquired in 1919
banks maintain their capital confiscation of his and have no con‑
rat ios at current leve ls," the properties by the nection with the
report said. Enforcement bank loans in con‑
"Furthermore, as their credit Directorate (ED). tention.
profiles improve, some will be Mallya escaped T he Bombay
able to raise capital from the from India after High Court had on
equity market. Some rated private defaulting on bank July 11 declined
sector banks are in the process of loans worth Rs to stay proceed‑
raising new capital from the equi‑ 9,000 crore in ings in a special
ty capital market as their asset
India and is cur‑ court in connec‑
growth outstrips internal capital Fugitive liquor
rently facing extra‑ baron Vijay Mallya. tion with confisca‑
generation." dition proceedings t ion of Mallya's
Profitability will improve mar‑ in the United Kingdom. Mallya properties. This special court
ginally as credit costs decline, the has challenged the ED's jurisdic‑ had in January declared Mallya
report said. tion to confiscate all his proper‑ a fugitive economic of fender
"System wide profitability will t ies under the Fug it ive and then started proceedings to
improve but stay weak, with net Economic Of fender (FEO) Act confiscate his property in cases
interest margin (NIM) to widen 2018, w ithout ident ify ing related to the Prevention of
mo destly and credit costs to whether these properties were Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
decline but remain high," it added.

Panel on RBI funds transfer India's forex reserves rise

to meet again: Jalan
New Delhi: The Bimal Jalan panel
will meet again to finalize the
to over $430 billion
Mumbai: India's foreign exchange
reserves increased by $1.578 bil‑
Former
lion during the week ended July
Reserve
19, of ficial data showed on
Bank of
India Friday.
Governor According to the Reserve Bank
Bimal Jalan. of India's weekly statistical sup‑
plement, the overall forex
reserves rose to $430.376 billion
from $428.797 billion reported
stand as was decided in the last for the week ended July 12.
meeting, incorporating the new
India's forex reserves comprise
Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs),
gold reserves, Special Drawing
Rights (SDRs) and India's reserve
position with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF).
On a weekly basis, FCAs ‑ the
largest component of the forex
reserves ‑ edged higher by $1.393
billion to $401.091 billion.
Besides the US dollar, FCAs con‑
sist of 20‑30 per cent of the other
major global currencies.
The RBI's weekly data showed
that the value of the country's
gold reserves was stagnant at
$24.304 billion.
However, the SDR value slipped
by $3.3 million to $1.447 billion,
whereas the country's reserve
position with the IMF rose $188.6
million to $3.533 billion.

Lok Sabha nod to

report on the transfer of RBI's sur‑
plus and profits to the government
in wake of the earlier Finance
Ministry nominee and former
Finance Secretary Subhash
Chandra Garg's transfer to another
Ministry leading to the slot falling
vacant.
"Since a new nominee has come,
the RBI would decide on exactly
what needs to be done and I can't
comment more at this time. The
RBI and government will take the
call on filling up the gap that has
been created due to vacancy from
government nominee side," panel
chairman Bimal Jalan told IANS.
"I am not involved in that part,"
he added. Asked if the panel will
meet again he said: "Most proba‑
bly."
As the situation stands now,
Finance Secretary Subhash
Chandra Garg's transfer to the
Power Ministry might see the
panel meeting again.
It , however, could not be ascer‑
tained whether the report would
government nominee's signature,
or whether further discussions
would take place on the same
issues with new entrant from the
Finance Ministry.
Atanu Chakraborty has replaced
Garg in the Finance Ministry as
Economic Affairs Secretary.
T he government is yet to
announce the name of the new
Finance Secretary, while Banking
Secretary Rajeev Kumar is the sen‑
ior most IAS currently in the
Finance Ministry.
The Bimal Jalan Panel, which
had concluded discussions and
was to submit its report on the
RBI's economic capital framework,
now might have to wait on the
government decision to place a
nominee first following the exit of
Garg, who was one of the members
of the six‑member panel.
Garg was the sole dissenter who
opposed the capital framework
decided by the committee and
refused to sign it, instead of giving
a dissent note.
Companies Act amendment
New Delhi: A bill to amend the
Companies Act to provide for
ease of doing business, tighten
Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) compliance, transfer cer‑
tain responsibilities to the NCLT
and re‑categorise of fences as
civil de faults was on Friday
passed in Lok Sabha with voice
vote despite opposition's objec‑
tion that they had received very
little time to scrutinise it.
Replying to the debate on The
Companies (Amendment) Bill,
2019, Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman said the legislation is
necessary as the government had
promulgated an ordinance on the
subject tw ice ‑ in November
2018 and February 2019.
Sitharaman, who on Thursday
introduced the Bill which was
strongly opposed by the opposi‑
tion, said that a bill to replace the
first ordinance was passed in the
Lok Sabha in January 2019 but
could not get through in the
Rajya Sabha. "Hence the second
ordinance was promulgated in
February. T his Bill has been
brought to replace the second
ordinance," she said.
Re ject ing the opposit ion's
claims, she said the government
was not bringing the Bill in haste
and that best practice were being
adopted to enact the law. Noting
a committee was set up in July
2018 and which made a detailed
study of penal provisions in the
Act and some offences of minor
nature were being non‑com‑
poundable, she said that the
changes were being made to plug
gaps and strengthen the corpo‑
rate compliance system.
Opposing the Bill, Congress'
leader in the house Adhir Ranjan
Chowdhury said that government
is pushing legislation through
Parliament at a fast pace. He said
that while he doesn't have a
cogent argument to oppose this
legislation, he opposes the way
this is being brought about in the
House.
Chowdhury also said he wanted
to know how the government
defines shell companies.
Participating in the debate,
DMK's A. Raja pointed to a World
Bank report where India is
ranked 77th in starting of a busi‑
ness, enforcing contracts and
resolving insolvency among
other factors.
 24 August 3-9, 2019
There is nothing between me and Rohit: Kohli
Mumbai: India skipper Virat Kohli
quashed rumors of a rift in the
team, saying he is baffled by talks
of things not going well between
him and vice‑captain Rohit
Sharma.
"In my opinion it's baffling to be
honest. It's absolutely ridiculous to
read such stuf f that comes out. I
have been to a few public events
and the sentiment is "aap log kya
khele (you guys played so well).
"We are feeding off lies. We are
overlooking facts. We are turning a
blind eye to all the good things
that has happened. We are creat‑
ing fantasies and scenarios in our
head and want to accept that this
is the truth," Kohli said while
addressing the pre‑tour media con‑
ference here ahead of the West
Indies tour.
"I have seen this for too long
now. Bringing personal lives into
the picture. It's disrespectful after
Our batting in WC finished at three: Gavaskar
By Sandeep Bamzai
New Delhi: Earlier this month, the
iconic opening batsman Sunil
Gavaskar celebrated his 70th birth‑
day but this was somewhat marred
by India losing the World Cup semi‑
final to New Zealand. In an exhaus‑
tive interview, the supremely fit for‑
mer Indian captain busts many
urban legends and myths about
himself and his fellow travelers.
IANS: Do you still play baddy at
Bombay Gym whenever you get the
time and is it still doubles? Is that
the secret of your youth and 34
waistline which has never seen any
compromise? Or does fitness go
beyond baddy?
Gavaskar: No I don't play bad‑
minton at the Bombay Gymkhana
anymore. I stopped in 2011 when
the Indian cricket schedule and my
TV commitments took me out of
Mumbai so often that it was impos‑
sible for my group to wait up for
me.
IANS: Ravi keeps saying that this
is the best Indian team of all time
and you have contested that...I
would agree that this is a very
good fast bowling unit, but beyond
that...
Gavaskar: Everybody has a right
to their view so that's ok.
IANS: Is it true that Imran at the
end of the fabulous Bangalore Test
when you batted on a bunsen
against Iqbal Qasim and Tauseef
Indian cricket head coach Ravi Shastri
& captain Virat Kohli. (Photo: IANS)
a moment. T here is nothing
between me and Rohit," kohli said.
It all started when news was
leaked in the media that a senior
player had got his wife to stay with
him for longer than the 'family
clause' of the BCCI allows and that
too without the permission of the
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar during the inauguration
of a cricket field in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ahmed told you that the time is
now to retire and not when people
ask you to? It was one of your
exceptional innings and you almost
won the game for us...
Gavaskar: That's a totally made
up story like so many others about
me. Fact is during the India tour of
England in 1986, Imran and I had
lunch where I told him that I was
planning to retire at the end of that
tour. He said to me that I shouldn't
do it as Pakistan was due to tour
India the following February. He
said his ambition was to beat India
in India and it wouldn't be the
same if I wasn't in the Indian team
then. I told him then that if the
Pakistan tour was not announced
by the time the England tour ended
SPORTS
captain and coach.
This after former CJI R.M. Lodha
and senior BCCI of ficials ques‑
t ioned the decision of the
Committee of Administrators
(COA) to let the captain and coach
decide on the trave l plans of
WAGs.
I would retire at the end of the
tour. It was announced within a
fortnight so I postponed the retire‑
ment.
IANS: You still played the World
Cup after that and scored runs
including your only hundred in
ODI, was there gas left in the tank?
Gavaskar: Oh yes, there was gas
left in the tank but I wasn't enjoy‑
ing driving the car so it was better
to get out then.
IANS: Tactically were we short of
a good batsmen in the middle
order in this World Cup and the off
day exposed not just that but our
tail?
Gavaskar: Our batting this World
Cup finished at number 3. If these
batsmen didn't get runs as was
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
In a bizarre move, a Committee
of Administrators (CoA) member
had told IANS that the committee
wouldn't react to rumours of rift
till the players approached them.
"The CoA cannot be reacting to
reports in the media. If the players
have any issue, they can/should
bring it up with us. As far as the
committee is concerned, there is
no rift till the players talk of it with
us," the member had said.
The trouble apparently started
brewing post the loss to England
in the World Cup. The bowling unit
supposedly felt humiliated post a
team meeting after the defeat in
the group‑stage encounter.
"The bowlers were given a show‑
down after the loss and they felt
that it wasn't just a case of bad
bow ling and there were more
areas that needed to be looked into
before pointing fingers at the
bowling unit," a source in the
Manjrekar disagrees
with Gavaskar
New Delhi: Former batsman
Sanjay Manjrekar is not in line
with Sunil Gavaskar question‑
ing the role of selection com‑
mittee and the continuation of
Virat Kohli as India captain fol‑
lowing the team's World Cup
exit in the semi‑finals.
Gavaskar has questioned why
Kohli has automatically contin‑
ued in his position as skipper
even though his appointed
ended with the showpiece event
in England and Wales.
seen in the semis then we were
always going to be in trouble.
IANS: How is that we ended up
playing four wicket keepers if we
include Rahul while a whole pha‑
lanx of talent sat twiddling its
thumbs in India?
Gavaskar: That is a question that
only the team management can
answer.
IANS: You once told me about the
perfume ball which you could smell
even as the leather passed by, these
days everyone seems to be bowling
at 145‑150 clicks, but there is no
fear factor? Who was the most dan‑
gerous fast bowler you faced? Is it
the length that was dif ferent or
know of developments had told
IANS.
Another board functionary said
that the reports of rift need to be
addressed at the earliest to avoid a
scenario wherein the performance
of the team can start gett ing
affected.
"It is like any other discord at a
workplace which can af fect the
performance of the team. If this is
not nipped in the bud immediately,
there is a real danger of things
affecting the spirit of the team and
as a result, their performance.
"You cannot have two leaders of
a team or their media teams taking
pot‑shots at one another. There is
no denial of a rift and the big shot
administrator says that it is a
media creation. If that is the case
why are they giving impetus to the
media creation rather than dis‑
pelling it," the functionary had
said.
However, Manjrekar doesn't
agree with Gavaskar's observa‑
tions. On Monday, he tweeted:
"Respectfully disagree with
Gavaskar Sir with his views on
Indian selectors and Virat being
retained as captain.
No, India did not put in a
'much below par WC perform‑
ance', they won 7 lost two. Last
one very narrowly.
And integrity a far more
important quality as selector
than stature."
were the wickets livelier...
Gavaskar: The protective equip‑
ment today is so good that the
batsmen are hardly in physical
danger. This is a terrific develop‑
ment as nobody wants to see any
serious injury on the field. The best
fast bow ler I faced was Andy
Roberts who had the knack of
bowling the unplayable ball even in
the 60th over. T here was no
restrictions on the bouncers then,
so the length was generally where
you were playing off the back foot
most of the time. The pitches espe‑
cially in England, Australia and
New Zealand had a fair amount of
grass on them.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info August 3-9, 2019
 26 August 3-9, 2019
ʻGhatamʼ my alternative soul: Grammy‑winner Vinayakram
Padma Bhushan recipient musician Vikku Vinayakram is credited
for putting the Carnatic music instrument of ʻGhatamʼ
(an earthen pot) on the world map.
Spirit of Guru Shishya Parampara in modern music education
By Stef New-Johnson
S
ince the beginning, educa‑
tion has been passed down
from master to apprentice.
Following the traditions of Guru‑
Shishya Parampara, apprentices
would often forgo their personal
lives to commit themselves, in full,
to their gurus and their education.
Translating from Sanskrit, shishya
means “student of a guru” and
parampara translates as an “unin‑
terrupted succession.” This is the
tradition of passing on the knowl‑
edge that cultures from all over
the world practice to ensure the
success of their community.
However, times have changed
and so have our people. The nature
of online learning sites now allows
the best and most experienced
music teachers from all over the
globe to reach their students from
any walk of life. Whether students
endeavor to learn a new career or
to learn hobbies online, students
have never had more access to the
educational leaders they desire.
While our educational programs
have reached further than ever
before, let us now turn our focus to
the traditions of the Guru Shishya
Parampara, and how we can
ensure these principles remain
intact in our changing classrooms
as well as our online learning
courses.
The Role of a Student
Has Changed
Before the convenience of online
learning, students would live with
their gurus for many years to
allow the teacher to have access to
every aspect of their studentsʼ
lives. This ensured the students
took every opportunity to further
their skills and advance their
career. The close and personal
nature of this relationship allowed
the guru and student to develop an
intellectual and emotional bond
through which the guru may tailor
Atri Kotal, a student in the Agra Gharana
informat ion in the style best
received by their student, ensuring
a successful passage of knowledge.
But, how does that translate to
our virtual world where informa‑
tion is passed through a technical
lens? This is where the role of the
student comes into play. When
taking part in online courses, it is
the studentsʼ responsibility to
ensure they join their educators
with the spirit of Guru Shishya
Parampara in mind. By doing this,
the educator and student can
achieve the bond required between
a guru and shishya to foster an
educational relationship that lends
itself to a more profound level of
learning.
The success of a student relies
on their ability to maintain the
responsibility of their role. These
responsibilities are:
Not allowing gaps
in your education
For students, taking a “break” in
education can lead to disaster.
Students taking a break from their
education are susceptible to for‑
getting their previous lessons,
slowing their progress, and even‑
tually, becoming diverted from
their passions.
Also, during these gaps, students
typically continue to practice their
MUSIC
By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi: Padma Bhushan recipi‑
ent musician Vikku Vinayakram is
credited for putting the Carnatic
music instrument of ʻGhatamʼ (an
earthen pot) on the world map by
playing it for a Grammy‑winning
music album.
Still playing the instrument with
the same energy as ever, he feels
the ʻGhatamʼ is his alternate soul.
“Without the ʻGhatam,ʼ I am noth‑
ing. Itʼs my breath, my life, my soul.
Playing it is a ritual for me. I see
God through my ʻGhatamʼ. Itʼs part
of my prayer through which I medi‑
tate,” the award‑winning percus‑
sionist told IANS. Born in 1942,
Vinayakram has collaborated with
skill, without the oversight of an
educator which can lead to practic‑
ing incorrect techniques and devel‑
oping poor habits.
As if this werenʼt enough, upon
review, an educational history pep‑
pered with gaps may portray the
hardworking student as one who
does not take their education seri‑
ously. This could lead to a loss of
opportunity for their young career.
Attend your scheduled
classes regularly
Before the first class is conduct‑
ed, educators break down the
knowledge they wish to pass on
into formats they feel will best suit
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and
leading Carnatic vocalists such as
M.K. Thyagaraja Bagavathar, G.N.
Balasubramaniam and M.S.
Subbulakshmi. He played alongside
Hussain for Mickey Hartʼs music
album Planet Drum which won the
Grammy in 1991. Even at 77, with
his third generation into music, the
exponent feels each concert has
something to teach.
“We are all part of the same fami‑
ly. Each concert is a learning experi‑
ence and there is a lot to learn from
each other. Thatʼs how we mature
over a period of time through the
music we share,” he said about his
collaborations.
Asked how the youth can be
roped in as listeners and patrons of
each student. When a student fails
to attend class regularly, this may
inadvertently relay to the educator
that the student does not respect
their time, and is not interested in
receiving their knowledge. This is
not a relationship conducive to a
healthy learning environment. This
mistake may keep a student from
achieving the highest potential in
their classroom.
Communicate openly,
and honestly with
your teacher
Because the quality of the knowl‑
edge being passed on from teacher
to student relies on a healthy and
communicat ive re lat ionship
between both part ies, it is of
utmost importance that students
communicate with their educators
openly to ensure the needs of the
student are being met.
Stef New‐Johnson writes
content for ipassio, an online 1
on 1 live hobby learning video
platform based in Bengaluru,
where over 120 senior teachers
give Skype lessons on Indian
classical music, Sitar, Tabla, Guitar, Piano, and
many other instruments.
classical music, Vinayakram pointed
to more concerts and outreach
through radio.
“Radio channels play a big role
for the Indian population but there
are very few public radio broadcast‑
ers that play classical music. This
needs to increase and music should
be taught as a curriculum from
young age,” said the Sangeet Natak
Akademi Fellow.
Looking back at an illustrious
career in music that started at age
13, he observed: “We used to have
long hours of practice and perform‑
ances that has changed a bit.”
The music maestro added that
everything is an evolution and “you
have to adapt else you will become
obsolete”.
Maybe you didnʼt quite grasp a
concept, or maybe youʼre having a
hard time understanding a new
idea, or perhaps youʼre becoming
overwhelmed and discouraged
with the new lessons altogether.
By letting the educator know how
you are progressing, you are hon‑
oring the tradition of Guru Shishya
Parampara. Only in open commu‑
nication may an educator tailor
their lessons to your needs.
While many aspects of education
have changed over the years, many
for the better, the balance that
must be struck between teacher
and student has not. Any student
that is not dedicated to fostering
the Guru Shishya Parampara tradi‑
tion with their online educator will
not get the full advantage of their
education. It is only through the
heart of a shishya that a student
can become a master.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info IMMIGRATION August 3-9, 2019 27

Do you have a Green Card but now find yourself in deportation proceedings?
By Michael Phulwani,
Esq. and Dev B.
Viswanath, Esq.
Cancellation of removal
A
lawful permanent resi‑
dent (LPR) who is in
for Permanent Residents
VISA
removal proceedings may any adverse factors. Below is a
be eligible for cancellation of
removal, meaning the termina‑
list of some positive and negative
equities considered by an
NEW RULE RAISES INVESTOR VISA
REQUIREMENT TO $900,000
TALK
tion of the removal process and Immigration Judge.

freedom to continue living in
America as a green card holder.
Cancellation of removal can be
sought when an LPR is in
removal or deportation proceed‑
ings before an Immigration
Judge and the individual is eligi‑
ble. To apply for cancellation of
removal the LPR must submit
Form EOIR‑42A with supporting
documents showing that they
meet all of the eligibility require‑
ments to the Immigration Judge.
Am I eligible for cancelation of
removal? In order to be eligible
for cancellation of removal the
LPR must have had their green
card for a least five years and
must have lived in the U.S. for
seven years continuously after
being admitted in any status. The
clock of continuous presence
stops when either the govern‑
ment serves the LPR a Notice to
Appear or the they commit cer‑
tain criminal offenses. A Notice
to Appear (NTA) is a document
given to a LPR to put them on
notice of deportation or removal
proceedings. The five‑year period
of permanent residency does not
include the time after a
deportable criminal offense
occurred, after the government
had produced a Notice to Appear,
or while the LPR is waiting on
the decision of the Immigration
Judge. The LPR must also not
have any criminal convictions
which can be classified as aggra‑
vated felonies. If a LPR obtained
their green card through fraud
or misrepresentation they will
not be eligible for cancellation of
removal because they are not
considered to have been lawfully
admitted for permanent residen‑
cy, however, there may be other
waivers available for the fraud,
which is for another article dis‑
cussion. LPR Cancellation is a
discretionary form of relief,
which means ultimately the
judge will decide if a person is
deserving of the relief, and itʼs at
their discretion to grant the
same.
Success in cancellation of
removal for LPRs requires that
the Immigration Judge finds that
the positive equities outweigh
Examples of Positive Equities
8 Family ties in the U.S.;
8 Evidence of hardship to the
LPR and family if the LPR is
deported;
8 Evidence of good moral char‑
acter;
8 Employment history and/or
business ties;
8 Property ownership;
8 Health Issues of the qualify‑
ing relative(s);
8 Community service; and
8 Service in the U.S. military.
Examples of Negative
Equalities
8 Reason for removal;
8 Additional violations of immi‑
gration or other laws;
8 Criminal record;
8 Evidence of bad character; or
8 Evidence suggesting the LPR
applicant will continue to
commit “bad or violative acts”
Cancellation of removal can be
granted only once so it is a valu‑
able form of protection that
should not be taken lightly, the
LPR needs to present a strong
convincing case in order to avoid
an Order of Removal.
U
SCIS has published a final rule that raised the minimum
investment requirement under the EB‑5 Immigrant Investor
Program, from $500,000 to $900,000. The vast majority of
foreign investors choose this route usually involving an approved
regional center project where the funds are placed at risk in a com‑
mercial project for a period of about five years. The change will mean
that foreign investors will need to adjust to the higher $900,000
amount. The less popular standard minimum investment level will
also increase from $1 million to $1.8 million. Under this option, for‑
eign investors invest in their own EB5 projects where they maintain
control of their funds. In either case, the investment must create a
minimum of 10 new jobs and will become effective on Nov. 21, 2019.
This is the first increase in these amounts since 1990. The final rule
also provides that the minimum investment amounts will automati‑
cally adjust for inflation every five years.
Dev Banad Viswanath is the Principal
Attorney of The Banad Law Offices PC
in the United States,
and Banad Immigration in India for which
Attorney Michael Phulwani is also affiliated
as Of Counsel. With Offices in Manhattan,
Queens, Bangalore, and Mumbai, the firm is
able to assist clients with all facets of the
immigration process, including
Employment Visas, Consular Visa Assistance,
Student Visas, Removal & Deportation, US
Citizenship and Green Card Applications
based on Family or Employment. Dev B.
Viswanath can be reached at
Dev@Banadlaw.com and 718‑361‑5999.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Is this the 2020 Summer

By SATimes Team Summer Olympics in Tokyo
may have also come across the
Olympics logo?
by graphic designer Daren
Newman.
Newman told Creative Bloq he
was surprised by the popularity
and ubiquity of his logo con‑
cept. The massive reaction took
Newman by surprise. “I just put
it out there on my Instagram
feed expecting it to just get lost
been a fair few negative
responses, which Iʼm more than
willing to accept – Iʼm just over‑
whelmed with the response to
it.”
Well, now make a note of it
and tell people you know that
the of ficial 2020 Summer
Olympics logo was designed by
Olympics unveiled the logo dis‑
played below in April 2016
after accusations of plagiarism
forced them to scrap their origi‑
nal design choice.
It may be boring compared to
the other one, but this logo
below is the official one. We
wish the Olympic committee

L
ook at this logo carefully.
You may recognize it
from a forward on
Facebook showing it as the of fi‑
cial logo for the Tokyo
Olympics next year with the
comment: how beautiful and
creative and economical this
design is ‑‑ the five Olympic
rings and 2 0 2 0 numerals and
the crimson red disc from the
Japanese flag enmeshed togeth‑
er. Many readers who have
searched social media for infor‑
mation regarding the 2020
same image graphic.
On July 17, 2019, for exam‑
ple, the same image was shared
on Reddit under the caption:
“The 2020 Tokyo Olympic logo
is a masterclass in design.”
This image is so frequently
shared as if it were the of ficial
2020 Summer Olympics logo
that it even popped up as the
first search result in Google.
This is NOT, however, the of fi‑
cial logo for the 2020 Summer
Olympic games, but rather an
unof ficial concept logo created
in the sea of other posts,”
Newman tells Creative Bloq,
“but the opposite happened and
it has since gone a bit bonkers!”
“Iʼve had people getting in
touch with me from all over the
globe. I wasnʼt sure why this
was happening, and then a few
people got in touch to tell me it
was on Reddit and it had creat‑
ed a bit of a storm. And then a
fair few people on Twitter start‑
ed reposting it! “There has been
a lot of positive response to it
which is great. There have also
Asao Tokolo and features a reconsiders the design.
checkered pattern of three dif‑
ferent‑sized rectangular shapes.
The International Olympic
Committee (IOC) explained this
design “represents dif ferent
countries, cultures and ways of
thinking.
It incorporates the message of
“unity in diversity.” It also
expresses that the Olympic and
Paralympic Games seek to pro‑
mote diversity as a platform to
connect the world”:
The organizers of the Tokyo
28 August 3-9, 2019 HUMOR TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Humor with Melvin Durai

Spelling champs multiply

faster than rabbits
E
very year, at the end of May,
the attention of many
Americans is focused on
Washington, D.C., where the countryʼs
best spellers come together to com‑
pete in the city where the countryʼs
worst speller lives.
Okay, thatʼs not fair. Donald Trump
is not the worst speller in America̶
heʼs just the worst speller above the
age of three. Heʼs also the most promi‑

BEST nent example of how far you can get

in life without being able to spell well. the last six National Spelling Bee contests
RATE But donʼt tell that to the 500‑plus young
spellers who made it to the National Spelling
have produced 15 Indian‑American champi‑
ons.
FOR Bee finals after spending countless hours
studying words from the dictionary. Many of
Fifteen in six years? How is that possible?
Well, in 2014, Sriram J. Hathwar and Ansun
INDIA these words are so obscure that if you stood
on the street and recited them, some passers‑
Sujoe were declared co‑champions after
exhausting the list of words that the spelling

AND by would wonder what strange language you

were speaking while others would call the
bee organizers had prepared. The following
year, Gokul Venkatachalam and Vanya

PAKISTAN local mental institution to see if anyone was

missing.
Shivashankar became the second set of co‑
champions.
The National Spelling Bee has been held The organizers tried to make the words
every year since 1925, and until about 30 harder in 2016, but the spelling bee once
New York Head Quarter years ago, the spellers encountered words again produced co‑champions: Jairam
you might actually come across while reading Hathwar and Nihar Janga. They were the final
422‑S Broadway
a newspaper. W hen Balu Natarajan of two contestants and whenever one spelled a
HICKSVILLE Chicago won the National Spelling Bee in word incorrectly, so did the other. Some
NY 11801 1985, his final word was “milieu.” These days, observers must have suspected a conspiracy:
the championship words are in a completely The Indian‑American community was not sat‑
516‑827‑1010 different milieu than “milieu.” isfied with winning one National Spelling Bee
Natarajan was the first of 28 Indian‑ title every year; they now wanted two.
American kids to be crowned national For the next two years, the National
spelling champion. In fact, for the last 12 Spelling Bee returned to form, crowning just
years in a row, Indian‑Americans have won one champion each year: Ananya Vinay in
the spelling title. If that isnʼt amazing enough, 2017 and Karthik Nemmani in 2018.
But the spelling bee gods were not happy
about this. “Just two champions in two
Laughter is the Best Medicine years?” they muttered. “Weʼll see about this.”
They turned the National Spelling Bee com‑
pletely on its head in 2019. Instead of asking,
“Which Indian‑ American kid will be the
spelling champ this year?” the audience found
itself asking, “Which Indian‑American kid
By
wonʼt be the spelling champ this year?”
Mahendra After 20 rounds of spelling, the organizers
Shah crowned eight co‑champions. Among them,
only Erin Howard from Alabama is not Indian‑
Mahendra Shah
American.
is an architect by
With each of the co‑champs winning the
education, first place cash prize of $50,000, the contest
entrepreneur by left more families in pure ecstasy than ever
profession, artist before. But if the National Spelling Bee is to
and humorist, survive, it canʼt be handing out so much
cartoonist and dough every year.
writer by hobby. My suggestion is to use tie‑breakers, as
He has been many sporting events do. Here are three tie‑
recording the breakers that would work extremely well:
plight of the 1. Find the largest dictionary in the world
immigrant and ask each contestant to bench‑press it.
Indians for the Whoever lifts it the most times is crowned
past many year champion.
in his cartoons. 2. Give the contestants five seconds to per‑
Hailing from form a difficult spelling task, such as spelling
Gujarat, he lives their own last names backwards.
in Pittsburgh, 3. Award the championship trophy to the
Pennsylvania. contestant whose parents exhibit the most
genuine smiles when another kid spells a
word correctly.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY August 3-9, 2019 29

Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; w.premastrologer.com

AUGUST 3‑9, 2019

Aries: Remaining in touch with your
inner self will make you forget imme‑
diate worries. You manage to give a
good account of yourself at work or aca‑
demics this week. Good earning will make
you splurge and enjoy life in general. Your
upbeat mood will bring a wave of happi‑
ness on the romantic front. Someoneʼs
help on the domestic front will be a god‑
send.
Taurus: Your focus may be lacking
at work and make you prone to mis‑
takes. Expenditure needs to be con‑
trolled by sensible budgeting. Your roman‑
tic ideas are likely to please lover. You may
be overly inquisitive about something that
is none of your business. Stop this, before
you cut a sorry figure. Both money and
ef fort will be required to organise some‑
thing at home.
Gemini: A lot of work on the profes‑
sional or job front may impinge on
your personal time. Financially, you
w ill manage to recover the invested
amount. A symptom may come as a warn‑
ing to you to avoid excesses. Support of
family members will prove invaluable on
the academic front. You will manage satis‑
factory progress where relationship with
spouse or beloved is concerned.
Cancer: A senior may expect you to
undertake his or her personal task,
draw the line now if you donʼt
want to do it. On the academic front, you
can be found wanting in a specific subject.
Weight issue needs to be addressed on pri‑
ority to achieve fitness.
Parting ways with someone close to you
may be hard to bear, but remember it is
only a temporary phase.
Leo: A responsibility given to you at
work will need resources, so get
cracking. You will have to curb your
habit of volunteering information not
asked for, as it may cause friction on the
family front.
Those who love to drive will get an oppor‑
tunity to undertake a long journey in the
coming week. Your set routine is likely to
prove beneficial for health.
Virgo: An important work can be ini‑
tiated which is set to brighten future
prospects. You can expect to be
guided to success on the academic front.
Be wary of committing too much to near
and dear ones as you may find it difficult
to meet them.
A therapy will work wonders in keeping
you healthier than before. Wedding bells
would ring for some.
Libra: Ego problem with a col‑
league is likely to keep you mental‑
ly disturbed. You will not be taken
in by false promises on the romantic front.
You will need to be attentive to the direc‑
tions of a senior to avoid embarrassment
later. Donʼt leave money matters to some‑
one else, handle them yourself. Avoid
crowded places and heavy traffic. Put your
best foot forward for remarkable results
on the academic front.
Scorpio: Someone you have passing
acquaintance with may start giving
romantic feelers, but take your call.
You may have to exercise your influence
urgently, if you donʼt want an opportunity
to slip through your fingers. Eat healthy
and live healthy. Something going sour on
the academic front seems to turn out well
in the coming week, so donʼt worry.
Sagittarius: You may enjoy gossiping
with friends today and may also
spread some juicy ones around! You
may have to be on your toes, as someone most
demanding may harass you. Confrontation
with a subordinate is possible, so be fair and
just in delegating duties to avoid it. Donʼt go in
for a lucrative deal without checking it out in
detail. Those on career crossroads will be able
to take the right decision.
Capricorn: Extremely busy schedule
threatens to turn your personal life
topsy‑turvy. Things may not be clear
on the romantic front initially, but will become
so later. You will be able to grab the right
moment and seize an opportunity on the
career or academic front. Some of you are
likely to contribute to a social cause monetari‑
ly. You will be able to take care of a previous
ailment that has been troubling you.
Aquarius: You add a feather to
your cap by accomplishing a diffi‑
cult task perfectly at work. It is
best to nip a minor ailment in the bud by
taking preventive measures. Improve your
attitude to enjoy a happy relationship with
spouse or lover. Those enjoying late nights
may not savour its after‑ef fects. A new
responsibility coming your way on the job
front may provide an excellent opportuni‑
ty to showcase your skills.
Pisces: Professing your undying love
for your sweetheart may not cut ice,
as he or she remains daggers drawn
with you. Energy supplements may come in
handy in keeping you energetic. Your disap‑
pointment is likely to turn into celebration,
as good news is in the pipeline this week.
Exceptional luck is likely to catapult you to
fame on the academic front.

3rd August, 2019 comforts and entertainment. Your

Influenced by number 3 and the
planet Jupiter. You are ambi‑
tious, dignified, philosophical, and
religious individual. You are self‑
reliant and possess enormous
leadership qualities and you like
to take your own decisions, but
you need to check your tendency
to be jealous, over ambitious and
self centered at times.
This year you would change
plans more often than usual. You
would be working closely with
known people who would influ‑
ence your decisions. Both your
earnings and your expenses
would be high. It is a period to
spend as per your budget.
Frequent and fruitful journeys
are likely to keep you on the
move. Later in the year, influence
of a spiritual person would be a
source of inspiration in your life.
Health would definite ly need
more attention, especially for
those suf fering from asthma,
bronchitis and high blood pres‑
sure. The months of May, August
and December will prove to be
significant.
4th August, 2019
Influenced by number 4 and the
planet Uranus, you are a respon‑
sible, methodical, friendly, intelli‑
gent, systematic and a creative
person. You are highly religious
and philosophical, but you need
to check your tendency to behave
jealous, stubborn and self cen‑
tered at times.
This year you would make few
important decisions regarding
your business, which would give
ANNUAL PREDICTIONS: FOR THOSE BORN IN THIS WEEK
you better productivity and also
increase your income. Your earn‑
ings would be good but would
keep fluctuating throughout the
year. You need to be very conser‑
vative in your spending and avoid
risky investments. You would
have a very romantic personal
life this year and you and your
beloved would share some truly
memorable moments together.
Pilgrimage or a distant journey
cannot be ruled out. Despite your
best efforts health will pose some
problems for you later in the
year. The months of July, October
and January will be result orient‑
ed.
5th August, 2019
Influenced by number 5 and the
planet Mercury. You are active,
smart, confident, original, and
highly independent individual.
You are loved by your friends and
your parents take enormous
pride in you, but you need to
check your tendency to behave
moody, introvert and restless at
times.
This year friends and family
members would provide good
support. Professionally things
look much better and you would
move around with new confi‑
dence and energy. A change for
the better in your business or
career seems likely later in year.
Those involved in art, writing and
other creative profession should
expect recognition and monetary
gains. Health would definitely
need more attention. Meditation
and yoga should be practiced for
physical and spiritual g ains.
Children will be supportive and
bring in some happy and good
news. Pilg rimage or journey
would be high on your agenda.
T he months of June, August,
September and February will
especially bring in happiness and
prosperity.
6th August, 2019
Ruled by number 6 and the
planet Venus, you are simple,
sober, original, philosophical,
cooperative, and a talented per‑
son. You are very ambitious and
you leave no stone unturned to
reach your goals, but you need to
curb your tendency to behave
erratic, vindictive and stubborn at
times.
Your good money management
skills would do wonders for you
this year. Financial gains would
beyond expectations but you
would hardly save, as there would
be a significant rise in your
expenses as well. Rise in income
would raise your confidence and
many of your long cherished
dreams would be fulfilled. Health,
subordinates and legal matters
would trouble you, but financial
stability, a caring partner and
improved living comfort would
keep you happy. Avoid lending or
borrowing money during this
perio d. T he months of July,
September, November and
February will be significant.
7th August, 2019
Ruled by number 7 and the
planet Neptune. You are intelli‑
gent, sensitive, adaptable, inde‑
pendent and kindhearted person.
You can easily charm others with
your words and actions. You
enjoy a special respect in your
group, but you need to control
your tendency to behave spend‑
thrift, reckless and stubborn at
times. This year you are asked to
handle additional responsibilities
at work. This would put you in
good books of your employer and
go a long way in bringing you
rewards. You would work on new
ideas, which would he lp you
increase your income. Spouse is
expected to bring in some
thrilling news later this year.
Distant journeys, maybe overseas
for some would be highly pleas‑
urable and rewarding. T he
months of July, September,
December and February seem to
be highly beneficial.
8th August, 2019
Influenced by number 8 and the
planet Saturn. You are authorita‑
tive, practical, systematic, friend‑
ly and sober person. You are fond
of adventure and you have no
problems in accepting challenges,
but you need to check your ten‑
dency to behave impat ient,
spendthrift and jealous at times.
This year you can expect excel‑
lent rewards for your work. You
would celebrate your success in a
special way, and spend more on
income would rise, and you
would make some good long‑term
investments. You would establish
a better understanding with your
beloved, which would make every
moment that you spend together
a truly memorable one. Health of
your parents might cause con‑
cern and anxiety. Spiritual gains
for some later in the year. The
months of May, August and
February will be highly result ori‑
ented.
9th August, 2019
Ruled by number 9 and the
planet Mars. You are energetic,
dashing, courageous, enthusiastic
and remarkably brilliant. You
have high tastes and people who
are intelligent and sophisticated
appeal to you. You are very fond
of cleanliness and hygiene, but
you need to control your tenden‑
cy to behave dictatorial, aggres‑
sive and moody at times.
T his year there would be a
steady rise in your career graph.
Your earnings would exceed your
expectations and keep you very
satisfied. Later in the year, you
are likely to get involved in con‑
struction or renovation for your‑
self or for others. Matrimonial
alliances for some around the
yearend. Judicial matters might
not bring in the desired results,
therefore avoid getting involved
in legal complications. Children
will be supportive and bring in
some good news later in the year.
The months of July, October and
January will especially prove to
be significant.
 30 August 3-9, 2019
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
H
ow can we show our
gratitude for the miracle
of God's love? There are
three ways by which we can
show gratitude.
Open the gift God has
given us
One way is to make use of the
wonderful gift God has given us.
The gift can be of benefit only if
put to use. What is the point of
receiving a gift and not opening
it? Initiation is a gift we do not
want to leave on the shelf
unopened. By daily meditation,
our soul can achieve reunion
with God. We are the only
species who can know itself as
soul and realize it is a part of
God. Once initiated, let us make
use of that gift by meditating for
at least two and a half hours
daily. In this way, we can avail of
the precious gift given by the
Master and steadily travel to our
true Home.
The deed most appreciated by
God is when we put spirituality
into practice. We do so by medi‑
tating daily. We do so by leading
ethical lives of nonviolence,
truthfulness, purity, humility,
selfless service, and living on a
vegetarian diet. We further help
ourselves by attending Satsang.
This way, we differentiate our
lives from those of the lesser
creatures.
We have in our souls the treas‑
ures of all creation. We need to
turn within to experience God.
We have within us lights more
brilliant and wondrous than any‑
thing in this physical world. We
have uplifting, intoxicating celes‑
tial music within more beautiful
than the greatest musical per‑
formances of this world.
The music and harmony of all
harmonies within are more
enjoyable than listening to any
favorite music in the physical
world. The inner light and sound
radiate rays of love that fill us
with more happiness than we
could ever dream of. We can
enjoy it all year long. The gift of
the light and sound is evergreen
and ever fresh and keeps us ful‑
filled forever. The first way to
show gratitude to God is to open
that gift of light and sound
through meditation.
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
How should we be
thankful to God?
By serving Godʼs
creation
The second way we show grati‑
tude for God's gifts is to share
the spirit of divine love with oth‑
ers. We can share our love and
light with God's children. We can
remove hatred, prejudice, and
bigotry from our hearts. We can
allow God's creation into our
hearts. When we love, we give
and share. Let us not turn away
from our door anyone in need.
Let us consider all as our broth‑
ers and sisters, sons and daugh‑
ters, mothers and fathers. In
God's eyes, we serve God best
when we serve others.
When we develop our spiritual
vision, we see the light of God in
all. We love all. We see no high
and low between people of dif‑
ferent religions, faiths, countries,
or cultures. We see no high and
low between the educated and
uneducated. We see no high and
low between the rich and the
poor. Why? Because when we see
God's light in all, we see all as
part of one large family of God.
Thus, when someone asks us for
help, we feel that the God within
that person is asking us for help.
We, out of love, want to give help
to that person.
Think of how many times
someone needs our help.
Someone may be hungry, thirsty,
poor, or ill, and we may say we
are too busy to help.
Opportunities to help are many.
Let us make use of those oppor‑
tunities.
When we do seva, we need to
make sure it is done selflessly.
Selfless service is saying, "Oh,
Lord, whatever you want, I am
Your servant. You can use my
hands to do work for You." Then,
we allow ourselves to work with‑
out any personal gain for us. If
we do so, we will live the real
meaning of selfless service.
Gratitude to God translates into
acknowledging with humility
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
that our goodness is due to God
who created us. Without the
Creator, we would not exist. The deed most appreciated
Gratitude through
acknowledging the by God is when we put
Divine
The third way we can show
spirituality into practice.
We do so by meditating daily.
gratitude is to acknowledge the
existence of the Divine. We may
think that there is a separation
between science and spirituality,
We do so by leading ethical
yet even great scientists have
acknowledged a divine Creator.
lives of nonviolence,
It makes sense to us now that
when Dr. Samuel Morse sent his
truthfulness, purity, humility,
first message on the telegraph, it
was the following words, "What
selfless service, and living
hath God wrought!" meaning,
"What has God brought forth!"
on a vegetarian diet.
We further help ourselves by
Look at the humility of one
who produced one of the great
inventions in history. With all the
name and fame gained for attending Satsang. This way,
inventing the telegraph, he knew
that this accomplishment was we differentiate our lives
due to the grace of God.
If we measure ourselves from those of the lesser
creatures.
against the standards of humility
found in many great scientists,
how do we fare? We paint a pic‑
our body and mind, but what
enlivens those is the soul. If God
had not created souls, there
would be no life‑giving power to
enliven the matter that compris‑
es our body and mind.
Dissect the body to its smallest
components, and we are nothing
but a conglomerate of atoms
bound together into a human
being. Dissect the brain, and it is
a mass of atoms that form into
brain cells. It is all matter.
Scientists have now discovered
that matter contains within it
energy. If atoms are broken
thank the Lord for giving us the down further, they are dancing
ture, write a song, create a new
gift of intelligence. packets of energy, including
recipe, build a cabinet, or write a
If we are proud of our creativi‑ waves of light and sound.
poem, and we think we are great.
ty, whether we have created a Scientists have heard the sound
If we practiced humility and
painting or sculpture, written a coming from atoms. Ultimately,
gratitude, we would give thanks
song or play, written poetry or what enlivens matter is spirit. For
to God for letting us be the
books, decorated our home, that, we need to thank God.
instrument of God's accomplish‑
designed an outfit, or built an Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj
ments.
architectural wonder, then let us put it clearly in this verse:
If we are proud of our physical
thank God for the gift of creativi‑ With every breath I must bow
body ‑‑ our looks, our strength,
ty. Without God, we would not to my Friend, For I owe my life to
our stamina, our athletic
have a creative mind. his grace.
prowess, our agility, and our
If we have a solvent financial Every second of our lives is due
good health ‑‑ let us give thanks
base, with a job or career, strong to the grace of God. Humility
to the Lord. Our physical body
assets, good home, and luxuries, means that we recognize that
would not exist if God had not
let us thank God. We should also God has created us.
created us.
thank God for our family and We can show our gratitude by
If we are proud of our mental
friends. making use of God's gifts by
capabilities and our intellect, our
We should thank God for creat‑ meditating on the inner light and
school honors, and certificates,
ing our soul, for without that we sound, by serving God's creation,
our high grades, our education,
would not exist. God has set us and by acknowledging with
whether we have been promoted
into motion by creating parts of humility the existence of the
from elementary school or mid‑
God's own self as souls. That is Divine, the source of all gfits that
dle school, or have graduated
the cause of our whole existence. enrich our lives.
from high school, college, or
We may think our existence is https://www.sos.org
graduate school, then let us
TheSouthAsianTimes.info August 3-9, 2019

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