vol 10 issue 33 new york aug 26 - sep 01, 2016 - Static End
Transcription
vol 10 issue 33 new york aug 26 - sep 01, 2016 - Static End
www.theindianpanorama.com VOL 10 ISSUE 33 ● NEW YORK ● AUG 26 - SEP 01, 2016 ENQUIRIES: 646-247-9458 ● PRICE 40 CENTS Y E A R S Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by double digits in new national poll US Honors Indian Festival of Lights: Issues Commemorative Diwali Stamp Clinton’s support comes from women and non-white voters; Trump leads among men and white voters Culmination of 7-year relentless effort of Chairperson of Diwali Stamp Project Ranju Batra and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney I.S. Saluja Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 10 percentage points nationally. Clinton's favorable/unfavorable rating is 41 percent/53 percent, while Trump's is 33 percent favorable / 61 percent unfavorable, according to a Quinnipiac University survey released Thursday, August 25. NEW YORK (TIP): A Quinnipiac University survey released Thursday, August 25, found 51 percent of likely voters in the U.S. support Clinton while 41 percent said they support Trump. contd on Page 32 NEW YORK CITY (TIP): What gift could have been better than the US magnanimously offering a Diwali Commemorative Stamp? The gift hasn't come easily. It took a seven- year relentless effort by Ranju Batra, Chairperson of Diwali Stamp Project to have it for 1.25 billion Indians and for 4 million Indian Americans. Not that she could do it alone. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Diwali Stamp Project Chairperson Ranju The most important person who made it possible, besides Batra announced that the Diwali Stamp will be unveiled on October 5 at the Indian Consulate. Seen in the picture, from L to R: Prof. Indrajit Saluja, Neeta Bhasin, Ranju Batra, is her Rajeev Sharma, Vandana Sharma, Regional Manager Air India, Ranju Batra, Congresswoman friend Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Kamlesh Mehta, Consul General Riva Ganguly Carolyn Maloney who, in Das, Pal Dhillon, Ravi Batra, Harpreet Singh Toor, Sudhir Vaishnav, Srujal Parikh Contd on Page 3 Photo/ Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia The Diwali Stamp. The Diya is photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, CT and the stamp has been designed by Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA while William J. Gicker of Washington, DC is the project's art director. Photo / courtesy USPS Historic Peace Accord: Colombia, FARC Rebels End Navtej Sarna likely to be India’s next Envoy to the US 52 years of Bloodshed 5 decades, 220,000 deaths later, a deal which endsone of the world's longest conflicts BOGOTA (TIP): In a historic peace pact, Colombia's government and Marxist FARC rebels reached a final peace deal on Wednesday, August 24, to end a five-decade war which once took the resource-rich country to the brink of collapse. Under the agreement to end one of the world's longest conflicts, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) will lay down arms and reintegrate into civilian life. More than 220,000 people were killed in the conflict, tens of thousands disappeared and contd on Page 32 Joyous moment: People celebrate after the peace deal in Bogota on Wednesday, August 24. NEW DELHI (TIP): The race for the next Indian ambassador to the US has started in earnest. Arun Singh, the current Indian envoy to the US, is set to retire by August-end and the government is mulling its options on the next person to head its mission in Washington DC. Though there are three diplomats believed to be in the run for posting in Washington, India's High Commissioner to UK Navtej contd on page 32 Three diplomats -Navtej Sarna (left), Pankaj Saran (center), Navdeep Suri (right) - are believed to be in the run for Washington posting. 104-02, 120th Street, S. Richmond Hill, NY 11419 NO Wi (Ne xt to nH Pate ick lB roth svil ers ) le 516-279-3000 393 S Broadway ƔHicksville ƔNY 11801 Residential | Commercial | SBA Loans Your Trusted Name in Mortgages since 1996 Registered Mortgage Broker - NMLS# 1071249 | NYS Dept. of Financial Services. All Loans Arranged through 3rd party providers 2 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 NEW YORK YEARS THE INDIAN PANORAMA India Day Parade in Manhattan: a boring, outdated show Spl Correspondent NEW YORK CITY (TIP): August 21. Thousands converged on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, waving the Indian flags and chanting Bharat Mata ki jai, marking the 36th annual India Day Parade, celebrating the 70th anniversary of India's independence. Hundreds of people marched in the colorful parade while thousands of others, including mainstream Americans, gathered on both sides of Madison Avenue from 38th Street to 25th Street to cheer on the marchers and the floats. It was a show of strength and a salute to the diverse culture of India. Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan was the Grand Marshall, and his presence created some buzz. Acharya Baba Ramdev, who popularized yoga all over the world, was the guest of honor and was also a big draw. Consul General Riva Ganguly Das and leaders of the Federation of Indian Associations, New York (FIA-NY) led the parade and greeted the people. Bachchan said he was amazed at the turnout and the enthusiasm of the people for India. He also thanked the community in the US for the support it gave artists like him. He noted that he had attended the parade 19 years ago in 1997 when his father Amitabh Bachchan, was the Grand Marshal celebrating the 50th anniversary of India's Independence. 'It is a great honor to be here and represent the beautiful nation of ours,' he said. Amitabh tweeted, "And this Abhishek in New York a short while ago... Grand Marshall for the India Day Parade in Manhattan NYC, USA. A proud moment... I was appointed the same years ago... now son follows." Baba Ramdev pointed out that the world recognizes India's strength and its contributions in various fields. He noted that India is moving forward with spirituality and modernism to greater glory. As for yoga, he said it was not mere physical exercise but a way of living which promotes non-violence and harmony. American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) TV Asia, Parikh Worldwide Media, and Royal Albert's Broadcasting Network along with Air India and others came out with colorful floats. Manning the Air-India float were people dressed as crew members, including a pilot, all in official outfits. As earlier, the Brahma Kumaries, dressed in white, marched in large numbers, carrying billboards and calling for peace and respect for all. True to the secular spirit of the country, Christians from Tamil Nadu carried the statue of Arogya Mata of Velankanni while Jains marched advocating ahimsa and noting that Gandhiji was inspired by it. Shalli Kumar from Chicago came out with a float under the banner of the Republican Hindu Coalition supporting Donald Trump. It carried the photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Hindu leaders, too. The New York Fire Department joined the parade with two fire trucks - an antique one in pristine condition, and a spanking new one and an ambulance with several members of Bollywood Actor Abhishek Bachchan greets the gathering in New York on the occasion of India's Independence Day Celebrations on 21st August, 2016 Photo / Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia New York's bravest marching. Fire Department Commissioner Danile Negro announced his own support for Indian culture in a banner. It was an impressive show. Police officers belonging to the Indian Officers Association at the NYPD joined the event in sizable numbers. It is a new organization after officers of Indian origin lost control of the original desi organization. A larger number of young men in police uniforms showed that there has been a welcome change in our community as well as in the police. The Overseas Friends of BJP marched in the parade but the opposition Indian National Overseas Congress was not on view this time. Marchers from Telangana did carry a photo of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, thanking her for the formation of Telangana, a state carved out of Andhra Pradesh. It played a role in the party losing both states in the Lok Sabha elections! George Abraham, chairman of the Indian National Overseas Congress, said, "The INOC salutes India on its 70th anniversary of independence and also pays tribute those who sacrificed so much for the freedom and the dignity the people of India now enjoy. We are especially grateful to Indian National Congress which has led the way and secured the freedom and the individual liberty for all of us." The Keralite and Sikh communities appeared to have kept away. Usually, Kerala organizations such as Fokana and Fomaa march in the parade. Last week, most of them participated in the first ever parade in Queens, a borough of New York City. It was the first time, New York City had two parades to celebrate India's Independence Day. Sunderlal Gandhi came dressed as Mahatma Gandhi for the eighth year. The 83year-old Gandhi, a retired Central Government official who moved to the US about 15 years ago, had met his better-known namesake twice and become a lifelong Gandhian. Many people crowded around the American Gandhi and took photos with him. He said he came dressed as Gandhi to create awareness about that icon of the non-violent movement. And yet, he said he does not want to say anything about problems endemic in India, such as corruption, and that his words have no relevance. That was all that was really good about the program. Now for the problematic: Well, it was boring. One needs to see just one India Day parade in his life time and, with minor variations, you have seen them all. Nothing changes, not even the organizers! The cardboard billboards, yellowed with age, were unpacked and saw the sun again, and most likely will see light again next year. What are we showcasing to the mainstream Americans with theses billboards? What kind of India or Indian culture are we showing? What is original or creative about it? Who wants to see the same tired slogans again? The replica of Taj Mahal displayed on a company's float is welcome, even if it has been exhibited for many years. But there have been no replicas of famous temples, historic monuments, a depiction of locales there, a statue or even a cut-out of such leaders as the Buddha or someone like the Mahatma, who are well known in America. It seems the organizers and community lacked imagination and creativity. The parade aims to showcase Indian culture to the American people and also empower our community, but relies on an excess of noise and color. What have we gained from it? Organizers may trumpet that tens of thousands marched on Madison Avenue making it a historic event. The fact is, fewer people came this year than last year. The Grand Marshall, Abhishek Bachchan did not generate the same excitement as his father Amitabh Bachchan once did, or Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra or Deepika Padukone could have done. This year the stalls were moved to the 26th Street, which could not handle the crowd, smaller though it was this time. Stalls were set up on both sides of the street, with barely a few feet for people to shuffle and squeeze their way through. The stage was set up near 25th Street unlike in earlier years when it was set up near 23rd Street, leaving two blocks for stalls and the width of Madison Avenue for the crowd. People also complained that the parade ended abruptly and unceremoniously. Dr Thomas Abraham, founder of FIA noted earlier about the need for creativity for the parade, "To make it more successful and colorful, organizers should bring in floats of various community groups. That is how the whole parade got started in 1981, i.e. all major community groups had their floats and a large number of their members marched in the parade. In the last several years, there have been more floats from commercial organization and businesses. "We should have them, too. However, emphasis should be on showcasing the best of India - its art forms, music and culture - to the American society. "The parade is a great effort to provide a positive exposure of the community, to say we are here and that we are a dynamic community. The parade projects the strength and unity of Indian Americans, even when we are a diverse group of people originating from India, with the second and third generations now adding to our diversity. "Politicians and the media have been making a note of our parade which has built up a better image for the community and India," Abraham said. READERS WRITE India Day Parade in Manhattan lthough the India Day Parade in Manhattan is no longer considered a much-anticipated event by the Indian community, it hasn't lost its relevance or significance. Undoubtedly, it is part of the identity politics in U.S. that has gained so A much traction in the last few decades. Indians too, have taken advantage of that opportunity to exhibit their culture and advancement once every year. It is a fact that as the number of parades continues to mushroom in other boroughs and nearby States, fewer and fewer people are attracted to the Parade in Manhattan. The Parade is also gaining a reputation as a monopoly of a certain group that is under the scanner for lack of regional representations, democratic governance, and financial transparency. Indian National Overseas Congress, USA has participated in the parade in the last several years with a float but decided against it this year. In 2015, INOC and Dr. Ambedkar floats were relegated to the last in the order, and the crowd started to dissipate by the time they had reached the viewing stand. It is quite ironic that the floats, representing the political party that won the Independence for the Nation and the other one memorializing the author of the Constitution of India were selected for such ignominious treatment. As an Alumni Board member and a former Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of FIA in 1981, my sentiment can be expressed in few words: the Parade must go on, however; please bring the community back together again! George Abraham, New York THE INDIAN PANORAMA NEW YORK YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 3 US HONORS INDIAN FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: ISSUES COMMEMORATIVE DIWALI STAMP contd from Page 1 2013 January introduced in Congress a resolution -HR 47for a Diwali commemorative stamp. She was supported by her many colleagues which included Congressman Ami Bera and Congresswoman Grace Meng, besides others. Let me come to that story later. It was a beautiful Tuesday, August 23 morning, in sync with the cheerful occasion, when Representative Carolyn Maloney and Ranju Batra announced from the City Hall steps to a gathering of Indian Americans and the media that the USPS Diwali stamp had become a reality. Speaking on the occasion, Carolyn Maloney congratulated the Indian diaspora on the achievement. Appreciating the relentless effort put in by Ranju Batra and her husband Ravi Batra who has always been very supportive of his wife in the seven-year marathon to secure the Diwali commemorative stamp, Carolyn said "Diwali has finally joined Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Eid, with its own stamp." On the occasion, Carolyn recited the short poem former Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay had composed for Diwali Stamp: "Brighten up the world Light up the nearest lamp Stamp out clouds of darkness Bring in the Diwali Stamp". Ranju Batra, apparently overwhelmed, spoke about the long haul of 7 years to have the Diwali stamp issued. She said while she was serving as Ambassador Hardip Singh Puri, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations extended his support for Diwali Stamp project at a press conference on February 2, 2013. Seen in the picture (seated from L to R): Representative Grace Meng, Ranju Batra, Carolyn Maloney. Ravi Batra is seen standing. The Indian Panorama file photo Cultural Chair at AIA-NY she decided to "focus and get the Diwali stamp issued". Ranju Batra said she knew "that to get Diwali stamp issued, "grassroots effort" alone was not enough-for many before had tried and given up. I needed hardworking national political leader to lead-and our dear friend-Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney agreed to provide that vital national leadership- while I continued with the grassroots effort with all community leadersmany present here today". Narrating the story at length, Ranju recalled President - Elect of the United Nations General assembly to visit India United Nations General Assembly President-elect Ambassador Peter Thomson will be in New Delhi on August 29 where he will meet with Mr. Modi, Ms. Swaraj and Secretary for External Relations, Sujata Mehta Prakash M Swamy UNITED NATIONS (TIP): The Presidentelect of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Peter Thomson, will visit China later this week and India early next week. Ambassador Thomson will spend Friday 26 August attending official meetings in Beijing. It is expected the President-elect will meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi. On Monday 29 August the President-elect will be in New Delhi for official meetings with the Indian Government. It is planned that he will meet with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Secretary for External Relations, Sujata Mehta. Ambassador Thomson said: "Coming from the Asia-Pacific nation of Fiji, I am pleased to have this opportunity to visit the two biggest countries in the regional group to which I belong. I look forward to the high-level talks I will be having with the Governments of China and India. My main interest will be to discuss how the United Nations can assist and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." The President-elect will be accompanied by the Office of the President of the General Assembly's Chef de Cabinet Ambassador Tomas Anker Christensen and Senior Adviser Meena Syed. For the Beijing visit, Wen Li, Senior Adviser to the Office of the President of the General Assembly, will also accompany the President-elect. that "true to her word, Carolyn Maloney introduced House Resolution 47 on January 25, 2013 calling upon Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the United States Postal Service to issue a Diwali Stamp. Representatives Ami Bera and Grace Meng also lent their support. With the help of community leaders paper petitions were collected and submitted while in Washington DC, Congresswoman Maloney worked relentlessly to push USPS at every turn to issue the Stamp. On January 14, 2015, Maloney introduced House Resolution 32. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to New York for the UN General Assembly session Ranju and Maloney met him and urged him to use his good offices with President Obama to have the Diwali stamp issued. Ravi Batra and Ranju wrote letters to President Obama requesting for Diwali Stamp. Ravi, in his letter, cited the "Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution". An ecstatic Ranju announced, amid cheers," The time is now. … India's 1.2 billion people, represented here by the dynamic Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, along with almost 4 million Indian Americans yearn for such inclusive recognition, and issuing the Diwali stamp will help USPS' bottom line. Diwali's "Light over Darkness" - is intellectual, emotional and financial". A happy ending, in deed, to a seven- year long journey. Speaking on the occasion, Consul General Riva Ganguly Das said the Diwali Stamp was a great gift to the Indian American community just a few weeks before Diwali which the community enthusiastically celebrates. She thanked Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and her colleagues for their valuable support in making it possible to have the Stamp issued. She congratulated Ranju Batra for her perseverance in the face of setbacks and succeeded in obtaining for not only the Indian American community but for people of India a great Diwali gift. Ravi Batra played the master of ceremonies. 4 www.theindianpanorama.com INDIAN ABROAD YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 THE INDIAN PANORAMA Indian American Ash Kalra receives Multiple Endorsements Three Indian-American Women in Race to Make History in November Polls WASHINGTON (TIP): As Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton targets to break the "highest glass ceiling" in the US, three Indian-Americans figure in a list of 19 women who could make history if elected to the US Congress in November. In a Congress that has only 19 per cent women, over a dozen women from both sides of the aisle could end up breaking barriers if elected in the November polls, the popular Cosmopolitan magazine said as it released the list of the women. The three Indian-American women who figure in the list are Pramila Jayapal, who is running for House of Representatives from Washington state; Kamala Harris, who is seeking to enter the Senate from California; and Lathika Mary Thomas, who is running for the House on a Republican ticket from Florida. Jayapal and Harris are from Democratic party. If elected, Harris would be the second black woman in Senate after Carul Mosley Braun in 1992 and the first IndianAmerican in the Senate.\ Ms Harris, who has been endorsed by US President Barack Obama is currently the California Attorney-General. Ms Jayapal, who earned an endorsement from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, would be the first Indian-American woman in Congress, if she wins the elections in November. Read full story on www.theindianpanorama.com SAN JOSE, CA (TIP): Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren declared her support for Ash Kalra in the open seat race for the Assembly in District 27. As the only Congressional member in this district, Zoe's support holds enormous weight in this contentious race. " I am proud to endorse Ash Kalra for California State Assembly and I urge you to join me in supporting him. Over the years, when I've advocated for Human Rights, Ash was there with me. When we fought for immigration reform, Ash was there. When we fought for housing opportunities so our sons and daughters could live in the communities they grew up in, Ash was a leader. When it came to improving education, Ash stepped forward. In short, Ash Kalra has been a stand out leader while serving on the City Council. He is smart, articulate and will be an effective leader in Sacramento. I believe he will represent our community instead of special interests. In my experience with him, he is honest, committed to the public good and a hard worker. Voters have a rare opportunity to select this outstanding individual to represent them in the California Legislature," said Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. The campaign received additional good news as the lone Republican in the June Indian American couple donates for Sikh, Punjabi culture research in US WASHINGTON (TIP): An Indian-American couple has donated $100,000 to a top American university to support graduate students studying Sikh and Punjabi culture there. The endowment by Harkeerat and Deepta Dhillon to University of California, Riverside, will help attract graduate students with an interest in Sikh and Punjabi culture, and support fieldwork on Sikh communities in the United States, the university said in a statement. "This gift is a testament to their commitment to higher education, their passion for the arts and humanities, and their desire to expand the knowledge base about Sikh and Punjabi culture," said Milagros Pena, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. The Harkeerat and Deepta Dhillon Endowed Research Award for Sikh and Punjabi Studies in the Arts and Humanities will provide much-needed support for dissertation research and writing on arts and humanities topics that relate to Sikh and Punjabi culture, said Pashaura Singh, professor and Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair of Sikh and Punjabi Studies and chair of the Department of Religious Studies. Dhillon, a prominent Riverside orthopedic and hand surgeon, had earlier helped raise funds needed to launch the endowed chair in Sikh Studies in 2008. "We are grateful to Dr. Dhillon and his wife, Deepta, for their generous gift. This award will help UCR attract new graduate students interested in Sikh and Punjabi music, history of Sikh settlers in California, film and media studies, and ethnographic fieldwork on various Sikh communities in the United States," he explained. "Dr. Dhillon has contributed energetically in many ways to build the new program in Sikh Studies at UC Riverside. His selfless and untiring support has put the field of Sikh Studies on the academic map of North American universities." Dr. Dhillon, a prominent Riverside orthopedic and hand surgeon, and Deepta Dhillon, who worked as an architect in India and London, said the graduate student research award will raise the profile of UCR nationally in the field of Sikh and Punjabi studies. "UCR is justly proud of and known nationally for its diverse student population," said Dr. Dhillon, who has been a member of the UCR Foundation Board of Trustees for 14 years and helped raise the funds needed to launch the endowed chair in Sikh Studies in 2008. "We believe that establishing this award will enhance the belief that this is an educational institution that recognizes diversity and teaches diversity. The fact that an institution with the reputation of UCR's is supporting this kind of research will give the Sikh community in the United States confidence that mainstream America wants to know about us." The fifth-largest organized religion in the world, Sikhism has more than 25 million adherents. About 80 percent of the world's Sikhs live in the Indian province of Punjab. More than 500,000 live in the United States, about half of them in California. Sikhs have lived in the U.S. for more than a century, but their culture and religious practices remain unfamiliar to a majority of Americans. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in the Punjab province of India about 500 years ago. Sikhs believe in the equality of all people, emphasize the family, and advocate service to others and living in the world without being worldly. Dr. Dhillon said he hopes that graduate-level research supported by the award over time will embrace all aspects of Sikh culture, from music and history to the Sikh diaspora and the influence of Sikhs in global politics. "It's important to add this dimension to Sikh Studies," he said. "We hope this gift will spread the global influence of UCR and stimulate more positive energy for the university. When you fund something like this, you can see what our graduate students can do, and their potential. We want to give back to this community, and pass something on to the next generation of teachers and leaders. Primary, ESUHSD Trustee Van Le, formally endorsed Ash Kalra, joining two other Primary opponents, Democrats ARUSD Trustee Esau Herrera and community activist Cong T. Do. "I am so grateful to Congresswoman Lofgren for her support in this race and for the years of leadership she has shown in this district. She is a national leader on pushing comprehensive immigration reform and has led our California Congressional delegation with honor," commented Ash Kalra, "I am further humbled to receive the support of three of my former opponents. They are all outstanding community leaders and have proven their strong support from the community by garnering over 20,000 votes accounting for over 26% of ballots cast. Their confidence in my ability to represent our city well in Sacramento is a great source of pride as we continue our movement towards Election Day." Zoe Lofgren has represented San Jose in the United State Congress since 1995. As the Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation and the highest-ranking Democrat and former chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, Lofgren is recognized as a leader within the party and a champion for immigrants' rights in San Jose. She is the only Congressional Member representing Assembly District 27. In 2008, Ash Kalra was elected to the San Jose City Council. Ash is one of two candidates in the open seat race for California State Assembly that will be vacated by termed-out Assemblyperson Nora Campos. For a full list of organizations and individuals who have endorsed Ash Kalra, please visit AshKalra.com. 2 INDIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN NAMED WHITE HOUSE FELLOWS WASHINGTON (TIP): Two IndianAmerican women have been selected for the prestigious White House Fellow program that offers first-hand experience of working at the highest levels of the US federal government. Astrophysicist Anjali Tripathi from California and physician Tina R Shah from Chicago are among the 16 White House Fellows appointed from across the nation for the year 2016-17, officials said. Shah is a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician-scientist focused on transforming healthcare delivery for patients with chronic diseases. She recently completed her clinical fellowship at the University of Chicago (UC), where she redesigned the care cycle for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), dramatically reducing hospital re-admissions. As the recipient of the inaugural UC Innovations Grant, Shah also led an interprofessional research team to evaluate this value-based care delivery program. Shah was a trustee for the Chicago Medical Society and has held leadership positions in other medical societies to advocate for her patients and for a sustainable medical workforce. She received a BS and an MD from the Pennsylvania State University/Jefferson Medical College accelerated six- year medical program and MPH from Harvard. Tripathi, an astrophysicist recently at Harvard University, focuses on the formation and evolution of planets. She has pioneered the characterization of planet forming environments and developed the first 3D simulations of planets evaporating due to extreme atmospheric heating. Tripathi has also been involved in modelling the Milky Way and the search for dark matter. Previously, she has conducted Astrophysicist Anjali Tripathi and physician Tina R Shah were selected for White House Fellow program particle physics, seismology and engineering research at Fermilab, Caltech, MIT, and NASA JPL, as part of the mission operations team for the Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Her commitment to improving her community has been recognized by Harvard, MIT, and the American Red Cross. Tripathi will receive her Ph.D. in Astronomy from Harvard, where she earned an AM in Astronomy as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. She received M Phil in Astronomy from Cambridge University as a Marshall Scholar and SB in Physics, with a minor in Applied International Studies, from MIT. The White House Fellows Program was created in 1964 by President Lyndon B Johnson to give promising American leaders "first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the Federal government and to increase their sense of participation in national affairs". Selection as a White House Fellow is highly competitive and based on a record of professional achievement, evidence of leadership potential and a proven commitment to public service. Each Fellow must possess the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute meaningfully at senior levels of the Federal government. THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVERTISEMENT YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 5 6 www.theindianpanorama.com NEW YORK YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 The latest App for Devotional Music on-the-go - SAREGAMA SHAKTI NEW YORK (TIP): Saregama Shakti, the latest app from the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group owned music label Saregama offers a large collection of devotional music on demand to provide users across the world with a medium to imbibe positivity and mental strength at any time of the day. The bhajans on the app are sung by renowned artistes like Lata Mangeshkar, Anup Jalota, Jagjit Singh, Asha Bhosle,Suresh Wadkar, Anuradha Paudwal and Sadhna Sargam, amongst others. The app also offers audio recitals of granths like Tulsi Ramayana, Geeta Govinda, Sundar Kand, Satyanarayan Katha, Sai Satcharitra Granth and Krishna Charit Manas etc. The Saregama Shakti App has the entire content catalogue of Art of Living with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's talks on Vedic Wisdom, Ashtavakra Gita, Patantali Yog Sutras, Guided Meditations and much more. In addition, Saregama Shakti is endowed with over 100 hours of discourse, chants and bhajans from Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Tejomayananda and other Acharyas of Chinmaya Mission. Through the Chinmaya section in the app, one can learn the ageless wisdom of Advaita Vedanta for inner growth and self-unfoldment. This content can be enjoyed by all age groups. ● Single destination for Bhajans, Aartis & Mantras dedicated to 8 deities - Lord Rama, Hanuman, Sai Baba, Shiva, Krishna, Devi Maa, Ganesha, Shabad Gurbani ● Entire Content Catalogue of Art of Living ● Chinmaya Mission's audio, videos and wallpapers ● 10k music videos and songs on-demand, accessible globally ● 9 dedicated TV channels and 10 dedicated radio stations, 24 hours x 365 days ● Option to save songs in offline mode and enjoy later without internet or data charges Commenting on the launch of this app, Mr. Vikram Mehra, Managing Director, Saregama India Ltd. says, "The US market is cluttered with music apps but our research shows that Indian consumers still find it difficult to discover and listen to Hindu devotional musicsuch as Shiv mantras or Durga aartis or even the Ramanyana. Basis this feedback, we've realised that majority of Indians residing in America want an application where theycan easily access their choice of devotional content, especially during the festive season and other significant religious days." SAREGAMA Shakti is a free to download app with a 30day trial period (applicable for iOS users only).Payment for subscriptions can be made through iTunes, Google Wallet andCredit Card. About Saregama India Ltd: Listed on the NSE and BSE, Saregama India Limited, is India's largest and best-known music recording company. Formerly known as The Gramophone Company of India Ltd, Saregama owns the largest music archives in India, one of the biggest in the world. The ownership of nearly 50 per cent of all the music ever recorded in India also makes Saregama the most authoritative repository of the country's musical heritage. Saregama has now expanded into other branches of entertainment - it is involved in publishing, television software and digital content. It also runs studio facilities in Dum Dum, Kolkata making it one of the best end-to-end entertainment houses in the country. (Press Release) THE INDIAN PANORAMA Mangano to Host 9/11 Sunset Candlelight and Remembrance Ceremony EAST MEADOW, NY (TIP): With the 15th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack on America quickly approaching, Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano announced that the County will honor the memory of those who lost their lives. A Sunset Candlelight and Remembrance Ceremony will take place Thursday, September 8th at 6:30 p.m. (rain or shine) at the 9/11 Memorial in Eisenhower Park, near Parking Field 6. County Executive Mangano stated, "The passage of time does not diminish the tragedy that our nation suffered 15 years ago. As we prepare to observe a Nassau County will honor the memory of those who lost their lives in 9/11 attack on New York.A Sunset Candlelight and Remembrance Ceremony will take place Thursday, September 8th at 6:30 p.m. (rain or shine) at the 9/11 Memorial in Eisenhower Park, near Parking Field 6. national day of remembrance on September 11th, it is imperative that we commemorate this day by reflecting and honoring those we lost that tragic morning and the bravery and heroism shown by first responders and our service men and women who continue to make sacrifices to secure our freedom and safety." The Remembrance Ceremony will include the reading of names of Nassau County residents who lost their lives in the attacks and will be read by family members at Nassau County's 9/11 Memorial in Eisenhower Park. The memorial features two semi-transparent aluminum towers, representing the World Trade Center towers, rising 30 feet from a fountain, and also contains two pieces of steel recovered from the World Trade Center. (Press Release) EB-5 Investor Program Better Alternative than F-1 Student Visa for Indian Nationals Pursuing Entry into U.S. for Higher Education NEW YORK (TIP): Western Energy Regional Center, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)-approved EB-5 Regional Center, will host informational seminars in Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi, India, in October to educate high-net-worth (HNW) Indian families about the benefits of the EB-5 investor program versus an F-1 student visa for children who wish to attend an American college or university. Designed for high-net-worth families, the EB-5 Program has been in effect since 1990. Through EB-5, immigrants to the U.S. invest $500,000 (approximately Rupees 3.35 crores) into a U.S. Government-approved Regional Center, such as Western Energy. The program provides permanent residency to investors and their immediate family. The EB-5 Investor will receive all of the same benefits as anyone who is a U.S. citizen, and the family will retain these benefits and opportunities for all succeeding generations. Western Energy's research into HNW Indian families has revealed the following: They do not want the uncertainty associated with visa lotteries; they want certainty of their immigration status in advance. They do not like paying the inflated fees charged to foreign students by U.S. universities. They do not want their children to have work restrictions after they graduate. The requirement to be "sponsored" by their employer after graduation causes a competitive disadvantage for top positions. The need for sponsorship also reduces the opportunity to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. They are happy to participate in immigrant investor programs, but they want to invest low-risk products that aim to return their invested capital, plus interest, over the same time period as their children are studying in the U.S. Gregory Neher, CEO of Western Energy Regional Center, claims their EB-5 Investor Visa Program is a superior alternative to the traditional F-1 student visa for the following reasons: It provides a U.S. Green Card for participants and their immediate family (including all children under 21 years of age). This means parents and children will all become permanent U.S. residents at the same time. Children of families holding EB-5 visas pay lower, in-country college tuition. College graduates in the U.S. will be permanent residents, so they do not need to be sponsored by their employer, putting them on the same playing field as American citizens and providing them with a competitive advantage over other international students. The investment provides investors with first lien position, and they get paid back first at maturity. Neher also said: "As permanent residents, EB-5 families keep the option of permanently resettling in the U.S., splitting time between the U.S. and their current home or using their new Green Card for occasional visits. In all cases, the EB-5 visa is far more flexible and robust than other options. In addition, on August 1, 2016, the EB-1 visa, formerly a popular choice for Indians immigrating to America, has been paused for Indian Nationals." Currently, 10,000 visas are allocated annually to EB-5 investors. Between 2009 and 2013, 162 EB-5 visas were issued to Indians. "Compared to the number of high-net-worth Indians (HNIs) in India, there is a huge opportunity here. China currently tops the list, and we now expect many more HNIs to go the EB-5 route," Neher said. In addition to many direct relationships with HNW families, Western Regional also works closely with chartered accountants, lawyers and wealth managers who have close relationships with HNIs. "Awareness of the EB-5 program is really growing, since it is the cleanest path for Indian families to access new education, immigration and citizenship options," Neher reiterated. For more information about the company's upcoming information seminars in India, please visit http://www.wercregionalcenter.com or contact Reema Rasool via email at [email protected]. Legislator Solages to Host Inwood/ Back to School Day Saturday August 27th at the Five Towns Community Center MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Legislator Carrie Solages to Co-Host Inwood Day in conjunction with a Back to School Community Celebration that will feature a Backpack Giveaway in partnership with the key sponsorships of Green Acres Mall and Applebee's as well as the thoughtful sponsorship of the rest of our sponsors who include: Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Healthfirst, Affinity Healthcare, Fidelis Care, Apple Bank, New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky, Elmont Ladies Auxiliary and the Five Towns Kiwanis "It is great to celebrate going back to school with a community party because there is no greater gift we give our children than that of a high quality education," said Legislator Solages. "I'm glad this great event allows us to provide our local students with many of the tools they need to succeed." For children to receive the free supplies they must be a resident of Nassau County and be accompanied by a parent or guardian who can show identification. Please share this important information so the wonderful school supplies can be shared with all of those in need. This back-to-school celebration will include a barbecue lunch provided by Applebee's as well as refreshments, activities, the music of DJKIDD and of course wonderful backpacks filled with school supplies.WHAT: Legislator Carrie Solages will co-host Inwood/Back to School Day Backpack Giveaway at the Five Towns Community Center, 270 Lawrence Avenue, Lawrence, NY from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please share this important information with family, neighbors and friends, and join us at this FREE event. For more information, contact the office of Legislator Solages, District 3 at 516-571-6203. (Press Release) THE INDIAN PANORAMA MISCELLANY YEARS Big victory for #RightToPray campaign: Landmark verdict lifts ban on entry of women into Haji Ali dargah MUMBAI (TIP): In a landmark verdict, the Bombay High Court today lifted the ban on women's entry inside the inner sanctum of the Haji Ali Dargah. While delivering the verdict, the High Court stated that the ban imposed on women is contrary to the fundamental rights of a person as provided in the Constitution. High Court has said that women should be permitted in the dargah along with men and has ordered the Maharashtra government to provide security to ensure the safety of the women. A bench of Justice Vidyasagar Kanade and Justice Revati Mohite-Dere gave the verdict on a public interest litigation which urged lifting restriction on women inside the inner sanctum which houses the mazaar or tomb of the saint. The ban was imposed by somewhere between March and June 2012 by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust. The Trust had defended the ban saying entry of women in close proximity to the tomb of a male saint is grievous sin in Islam. The State government had batted for women saying they cannot be banned inside the inner sanctum unless it is shown that banning them is integral to Islam. On 30th March 2016, the Bombay HC had observed that there's no law which prevents women from entering temples. The HC also said that women should have equal access to places of worship and it is the state government's duty to protect rights of women. "If you allow men then you should allow women also", the HC added. www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 7 Sikh-Americans Welcome Removal of 225 Sikhs from Blacklist WASHINGTON (TIP): Calling it a "step in the right direction", SikhAmericans have welcomed the Indian government's decision of removing the names of 225 Sikhs from a blacklist. "This is a step in the right direction and a promise fulfilled by the Modi government," said Mr. Jasdip Singh Jasse, founder of Sikhs of America, at a joint news Mr. Jasdip Singh Jasse is the conference with the founder of Sikhs of America. Overseas Friends of BJP(File Photo) USA, which was attended by leaders of Sikh American community. Last year, a delegation of Sikh-Americans led by Mr. Singh had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited the Silicon Valley. Mr. Singh, along with a delegation of OFBJP-USA, had also submitted a similar memorandum to Home Minister Rajnath Singh last year. Names of 225 Sikhs, chronicled in the government's blacklist for their alleged involvement in subversive or anti-India activities, have been removed over the last four years. The pruning has been done in a list of 298 Sikhs which was prepared at different levels by security agencies since 1980s. 8 www.theindianpanorama.com EDITORIAL YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 AS I SEE IT GUEST COMMENT A Bharatiya Parivar Bill: The 'rent-awomb' practice to go n a bid to check commercialization of surrogacy, the new draft Bill approved by the Union Cabinet has gone to another extreme. It aims to reinforce the traditional idea of Bharatiya Parivar, allowing a mami, chachi or bhabhi to carry a surrogate child for the married infertile relative. If enacted, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 would ban the "rent-a-womb" practice. Since 2002, when commercial surrogacy became legal in India, it grew into an unregulated industry worth $2 billion, exploited by foreigners and NRIs, who paid underprivileged women for renting their womb, to escape tough laws on surrogacy in their own land. Women rights activists demanded concrete steps to regulate the sector like registering surrogate mothers, fixing compensation and eliminating the middleman. In the absence of proper legislation, there have been instances of surrogate children getting entangled in an international legal web or just abandoned. Legislation was indeed needed. The Bill does take some progressive steps like giving legal rights to the surrogate child and banning repeated pregnancies. But it is imprudent in this age to expect a woman to bear a child as an act of altruism. It would be hard for needy couples to find a relative who has one healthy child and is willing to bear another one whom she can't claim as her own. The Bill deals an unkind blow to infertile couples. Imposing a ban is a simple option; regulating the ban is the real challenge. The organ transplant ban has shown how things get pushed underground in case of a demandsupply mismatch. Citing "Indian ethos" for denying the surrogacy option to single people, homosexuals and livein couples, the new Bill tends to stigmatize a large section of society and ignores the changing ground reality. Anyone can adopt a child, irrespective of the marital status, under a different law. The new Bill articulates prejudices associated with the overly nationalist government at the Centre. A puerile comment by the Foreign Affairs Minister that people have surrogate kids for "fashion and glamour" takes a dig at the Khans of Bollywood and reinforces the prejudice. I (Tribune, India) THE INDIAN PANORAMA PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER: OVERSEAS CORRESPONDENTS Prof. Indrajit S. Saluja DELHI BUREAU CHIEF: VICE PRESIDENT: Chitagam Saluja Ashishpal Singh CHIEF EDITOR: Prof Indrajit S. Saluja CHANDIGARH: Manjit Sidhu LUDHIANA: A.S. Arora, R.P.Sharma GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: PATIALA: Bhupinder Batra Om Parkash Malik DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATION: Gauri Beri SIMLA: Chandan AGRA: Pramod Aggarwal AHMEDABAD: Rajiv Sethi DIRECTOR MARKETING: Karan Beri PATRON : Dr. Navin Mehta CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Vijay Shah -Photo Journalist. Gunjesh Desai/ Masala Junction Mohammad Jaffer/ SnapsIndia Baldev Singh / BJ Videos Vaaho Photographers Mohammad Shahzad, Zia Khan DISTRIBUTOR : Sukhwinder Singh CORRESPONDENTS : SACRAMENTO: Parminder S. Aujla NEW YORK : Amarjit Anand, Chitagam: FRESNO: Tarlochan Singh DALLAS: Harjit Dhesi, Amarjit Dhillon The Indian Panorama P.O. Box No. 190067, South Richmond Hill, NY 11419, Tel: 646-247-9458 Email: [email protected] DALLAS EDITION Lovllien Kaurr, VP & Bureau Chief E-mail [email protected] Phone: 646-595-5026 Karan Beri E-mail [email protected] Phone: 646-431-4064 www.theindianpanorama.com Printed at Five Star Printers , Queens, NY, Published by Prof. Indrajit S Saluja DISCLAIMER The Indian Panorama assumes no responsibility for the claims made in advertisements. We only sell space. Views published in the newspaper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission in writing from The Indian Panorama is prohibited. THE INDIAN PANORAMA Method in US Madness By Mary Dejevksy t is possible to sense relief, even guarded optimism, among US Democrats and right-thinking people everywhere. Donald Trump, the tycoon and political neophyte, who swept to the Republican nomination despite the hostility of party stalwarts, has had a bad couple of weeks, very bad, in fact. Trump's showing in the opinion polls has been inexorably downwards since Hillary Clinton's triumph at the Democratic National Convention. He has reshuffled his top team for what seems the umpteenth time, and muttering can be heard to the effect that he never really wanted the job anyway. Wishful thinking even has sundry Republicans asking whether Trump might decide to make way for someone supposedly more electable. Of course, it's not over until it's over. Trump's whole campaign to date has defied the odds, and his camp insist quite rightly - that it is very early days. The campaign proper never really begins until after Labor Day, the first Monday in September. Even then it will have two full months to run. What is more, there are legitimate questions about both the accuracy of polling and the volatility of US opinion. Americans vote on November 8. Throughout this time, the Europeans will be commenting from the margins, comparing our variegated systems with theirs, almost entirely to our advantage. US presidential campaigns, we will say, are far too long, far too expensive and borderline corrupt. Even the voting system, with its differences between states, those ancient machines that frustrate recounts and the inequalities seemingly built into the registration system will be cited as proof of our superiority. Many Americans would agree; they are some of the least sparing critics. What Donald Trump's unpredicted rise and, current, fall already show, however, is something we tend to neglect. What looks like a mad electoral marathon that serves no one well and costs extortionate amounts of cash is not a bad test of presidential potential. What is more or less a year-long campaign has a pace and a logic that ruthlessly exposes those who cannot make the grade. A US election campaign has something of the medieval tournament about it. It offers a grueling series of obstacles to be surmounted and trials to be endured. Whoever wins will have proved to be equal to the task of presiding over the most powerful I A US election campaign has something of the medieval tournament about it. It offers a grueling series of obstacles to be surmounted and trials to be endured. Whoever wins will have proved to be equal to the task of presiding over the most powerful country in the world. And yes, by the way, it still is", says the author. “ Donald Trump's ratings have spiraled down.Clinton's favorable/unfavorable rating is 41 percent/53 percent, while Trump's is 33 percent favorable / 61 percent unfavorable, according to a Quinnipiac University survey released Thursday, August 25. country in the world. And yes, by the way, it still is. The most basic requirement is stamina. Would-be presidents have to put in the time and the miles. Trump and Clinton have now been on the road more or less continuously since last autumn. They cannot be seen to flag. From September they will be crisscrossing the country, speaking at venues from vast sport stadiums to tiny parish halls, fitting in several meetings in one day. It is an intense replication of what it is like to be President of the United States. The last frantic dash, coast-to-coast, battleground to battle-ground is one of the ultimate in electoral challenges, and - in a close race - one of the most thrilling. The second is the capacity to raise money; a lot of it. Like it or not, though, the role of corporate money in the United States makes the confidence of business a pre-requisite for any US president. There are different ways to acquire it. Hillary Clinton has the benefit of her husband's presidential network, and her own from her time as New York Senator and Secretary of State - corporate support which risks also being a liability this electoral year, because it associates her so closely with "the establishment". George W Bush had the Bush networks and his own business ties. Donald Trump can boast - as could Michael Bloomberg - that his money is largely his own, and his business record stands for itself. Barack Obama's biggest task eight years ago was arguably to convince corporate America that he was a winner. As the personification of the state, a US President must also be at least, on the presentational front, competent. Bill Clinton was the master communicator; he grasps at once the disposition of his audience. He makes the connection, conveys the message, wins the argument - and all with an ease that his wife has had to learn. A future president must convince, both in person and, crucially, on television - even in this time of social media. If he or she isn't born with the ability, they acquire it over the months of campaigning. A US presidential campaign is the longest and most demanding political stress test conducted anywhere, and it's always in the public eye. Candidates must keep cool under pressure and cope with reversals. Personal flaws, past and present, can surface at any time. These need not be fatal, as Bill Clinton and Trump - so far - showed. It depends how the candidate handles them and how the public responds. As the polls now stand, it looks as though the voters will have the sense to reject Donald Trump. If he nonetheless prevails, however, it would be wrong to dismiss his victory as a fluke. He will have won not primarily because of money or showmanship, but because, in emerging victorious from the trials of a US presidential campaign, he will have convinced Americans that he can do the job. (Source: The Independent) THE INDIAN PANORAMA PERSPECTIVE www.theindianpanorama.com YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 9 The Paranoid Art of Nationalism The BJP's nationalism is like a nervous tic which agitates itself every time the party runs out of ideas. The strategy is shortsighted and creates two casualties at the level of ideas. It aborts the power of nationalism as a process, disguising the many doubts about nationalism which stalwarts like Tagore or Gandhi had. It attempts to By Shiv Visvanathan remove their voices from history to create its own meaner version of it. It demolishes the creativity of civil society by turning every act of dissent and difference into a canned idea of sedition", says the author. “ great scholar once claimed that patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels. If he had lived another hundred years, he could have added that the nation state is the first home of the insecurely authoritarian. Today, the nation state has become a police operation, censoring categories, modes of thought that do not march in uniform with its official definitions of citizenship. Oddly, this process of the nation state as a panopticon, an institution for policing thought, has to be seen today as a part of an electoral democratic phenomenon. Majoritarianism in India has combined with a jingoist nationalism to carry out two separate sets of policing operations. At a local level, vigilante forces like the Bajrang Dal police the body and guard against any threat of sexuality either in ter ms of dress or in ter ms of the creativity of art and cinema. The policing of sexuality at the local level goes with policing of thought at the national level. If America had a Ku Klux Klan on race, India is creating a network of vigilantes on the nation. A Citizenship and thought policing This vigilantism of patriotic and chauvinist groups has the seal of official approval. A good citizen is not only someone who is corseted in dress but one who wears a corseted mind. Majoritarian nationalism creates a new kind of thought policing where the deviant, the dissenting, the marginal and the minoritarian find it different to fit into the chorus of the nation state. Parties like the BJP realize that anxiety about jobs, security, the body creates a vulnerability which the nation state can exploit. Anyone who differs from you becomes antinational. The transition from nationalism of the independence movement, which was a costume ball of ideas, to the uniformity of the nation state is complete. Citizenship becomes a proactive idea of thought policing. Any sign of difference confronts the mob and the lynch squad. Thanks to this arid mentality of nationalism, democracy becomes a threat to a democratic way of life. The irony is virtually complete. While Narendra Modi pretends to play statesman immersed in the problems of gover nance, his electoral double, Amit Shah, plays impresario to this knee-jerk nationalism, adding a surreal gravitas to what is both farcical and lethal. Mr. Shah is a menacing figure whose pronouncements become virtual diktats to party workers. He creates a fetish around nationalism which even threatens free speech blatantly. He is clear that nationalism is too sacred to be even questioned through free speech. He Hall of sedition: (From left) Arundhati Roy, Hardik Patel, Kanhaiya Kumar, Binayak Sen and Aseem Trivedi. transforms it both into a theology and an official state ideology such that reasons of the nation state become even more sacrosanct than democracy. He is clear that what he labels as propaganda against the nation should not be considered as part of free speech. Such 'free speech', he claims, insults the martyrs of the freedom movement. In a fell swoop, past and present move under majoritarian control. He cites Bhagat Singh without realizing he was a more open ended mind than Amit Shah is. Bhagat Singh would never endorse the Gujarat riots of 2002. This appropriation of the freedom movement by the RSS is a card-sharping act worthy of examination. Since character building seems to be beyond the BJP, this fiction of being the custodian of 'nationalist character' lets it beat back dissent or difference of any kind. Rajnath Singh as Home Minister plays second fiddle to Mr. Shah contending that Pakistan has been deliberating misleading Indian youth. At one sweep, he exonerates Delhi, the police, the local gover nment from any kind of error, locating the source of mischief in an external enemy. Blaming Pakistan is easy, while realizing your own mistakes takes courage. Not be left behind, Manohar Parrikar, the Defense Minister, recently claimed going to Pakistan is like going to "hell". Ramya, the former actress and Congress member who visited Pakistan as part of a delegation, was quick to retort, "Pakistan is not hell." In a sane civil way, she observed, "People are just like us. They treated us well." This was enough to spark an accusation of sedition, and a complaint against her was filed by a Kannada advocate. The lawyer, Vittal Gowda, alleged that Ramya had insulted Indian patriots by praising Pakistan. Updating themselves, BJP activists who earlier advocated the train to Pakistan to any dissenter now insisted that anyone who thought Pakistan was heaven should take the next flight. Sedition now becomes the easiest label to tar your opponent with. All one needs is a simple difference of opinion. Fortunately, Ramya is a sensible person, who, in an article, matter of factly said, "we need to build enduring bridges with our neighbors." The BJP's attempt to create its storm in a teacup was quietly foiled by the film star. In fact, Bollywood known for its melodrama seems sane, allowing the BJP to monopolies all the hysterical roles. Ramya's sanity is a perfect antidote to the ruling regime's hysteria. Uses of a nervy nationalism The question one has to ask is, why are the BJP and its cohorts adopting this knee-jerk jingoism? Part of it is because as a party it has sought a theory of uniformity as unity without any real faith in inclusion. The backstage and the front stage of its politics just do not hold together. A nervy nationalism becomes its real claim to solidarity. The BJP's attitude to Dalits has undermined any hope of inclusion. As election time approaches, this nervy nationalism nitpicking at every source of dissent becomes its one electoral plank. It is as if its majoritarianism by habit has nothing else to resonate with. Its inability to resolve issues in Kashmir, its illiteracy about the agony of Kashmir weaken its sense of problem solving. Besides, student revolts at JNU and Hyderabad have dented its claim to be the party of the youth. At a time when its claims to justice and competence are beginning to sound hollow, the drumbeat of nationalism seems to be its only calling card. By fusing majoritarianism and this spectacle of nationalism, it makes dissent to be against the nation. It is only this false fusion that gives it a sense of unity. The strategy is shortsighted and creates two casualties at the level of ideas. It aborts the power of nationalism as a process, disguising the many doubts about nationalism which stalwarts like Tagore or Gandhi had. It attempts to remove their voices from history to create its own meaner version of it. It demolishes the Photo / courtesy PTI creativity of civil society by turning every act of dissent and difference into a canned idea of sedition. Protest and differences which sustained both nationalism and democracy are now emptied out. As this new nationalism unfolds, one realizes its lack of organic embeddedness. As it has no sense of communities beyond a conscripted uniformity, it is forced to rely on a false sense of leadership by inflating the reputation of one person and his alleged charisma or becomes an excuse for technocratism seeking a moder nism around its uncritical acceptance of technology. Such empty bullying by nationalism eventually degenerates to a fascism that flies on democracy. Dialogue becomes impossible, and difference and debate unrealistic. Whatever the shortterm popularity, it is becoming clear that this is not the world Nehru, Gandhi and Patel dreamt of. Nationalism rather than becoming a way of life becomes a symptom of an inferiority complex where the regime eventually lacks the cultural imagination to challenge the West or China. The regime has made the singing of the National Anthem compulsory. Here nationalism is converted into a form of church attendance. What could have been a way of life becomes a ritual for scrutiny. Such a perspective is illiterate about history and unprepared for any cosmopolitan future. It substitutes the unity of the flag with uniformity, the mob mentality of vigilantism. It fails to understand that both cadre and mob lack the nuance, the subtlety or mentality of a plural nation. The BJP's current view of history and the nation is inaugurating not an epic of nationalism but a jingoistic tragedy that threatens democracy both as plural imagination and a way of life. The BJP's nationalism is like a nervous tic which agitates itself every time the party runs out of ideas. (The author is the Director of Centre for the Study of Knowledge Systems and Professor Jindal Global Law School) 10 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 Hundreds fall sick after toxic gas leak in Bangladesh CHITTAGONG (TIP): An explosion at a chemical fertiliser factory left at least 200 people needing medical treatment after toxic gas spread across large parts of Chittagong city in Bangladesh, officials said on August 22. Police and fire officials said hundreds of residents were also evacuated from their homes near the di-ammonia phosphate (DAP) plant in the port city where a 500-tonne capacity ammonia tank exploded late on Monday. Mesbah Uddin, the district's chief administrator, said that 56 people had been admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital after the gas leak, none of whom was in a life-threatening condition. "Eight have been discharged. Forty-eight people are still in the hospital today but they are out of danger," he told AFP. "Around 150 people were given first aid locally," he added. Firefighters battled through the night to halt the leak and finally declared that the situation was under control in the mid-morning. "We used loudspeakers to urge people to evacuate the area. Hundreds did leave but they came back after the situation improved," said Uddin. The local police chief Rafiqul Islam confirmed that hundreds of workers from nearby factories had also been ordered to leave their premises. Other officials said that strong winds blew the toxic gas across a 10-kilometre radius and there were reports of people being taken ill at the southern city's international airport. Authorities mobilised a special team of some 60 firefighters after the explosion triggered panic among people living nearby. "We saved two other tanks by spraying water," Abul Kalam Azad, a senior fire official told AFP, adding that the explosion occurred when a tank was being refilled with ammonia gas. The government has ordered an investigation into the explosion and a three-member inquiry team was scheduled to visit the fertiliser plant later Tuesday, chief administrator Uddin said. (AFP) Police say at least 20 killed in Nepal bus accident KATHMANDU (TIP): Police say at least 20 people were killed and another 17 hurt when bus drove off a highway in Nepal and plunged into a river. Police office said the bus rolled about 100 meters (330 feet) down the slope early on Friday and crashed into the fastflowing Trishuli river near Chandibhanjyang, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu. Police and villagers were helping the injured and pulling the dead from wreckage, which was mostly submerged in the river. Police are investigating the cause of the pre-dawn accident. Road accidents in mountainous Nepal are generally blamed on poorly maintained vehicles and roads. (AP) Sri Lanka arrests son of former leader Rajapaksa in money laundering case COLOMBO: Sri Lankan financial crime police arrested the eldest son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday on suspicion of laundering money, his lawyer said, the latest legal difficulty for the once-powerful family. Sri Lanka's new president, Maithripala Sirisena, faces pressure to act on allegations of corruption dating back to the Rajapaksa era, especially from civil society organisations who backed his successful bid to oust Rajapaksa last year. The son, Namal Rajapaksa, who is also a member of parliament, had been questioned by officers from the Financial Crimes Investigations Division investigating some money he had invested in two companies, the lawyer said. "He was arrested by police under the anti-money laundering act. He will be produced before a court in a while," lawyer Premanath C. Dolawatta told Reuters. Neither Namal Rajapaksa nor family members were immediately available for comment but they have in the past all publicly denied wrongdoing. It was the second time he had been arrested. In July, he was arrested in connection with a separate case on suspicion of misappropriating of funds in a $650-million apartment project and was released on bail after seven days in detention on remand. (Reuters) YEARS SOUTH ASIA THE INDIAN PANORAMA Don't let India use your soil against us, Pakistan tells Afghanistan ISLAMABAD (TIP): Pakistan has asked Afghanistan to restrain India from using its soil against Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported on August 25. "Such cooperation should not be to the detriment of Pakistan," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said in a statement. The statement on the IndiaAfghanistan nexus comes two days after a report saying New Delhi will deliver more arms to Kabul to help it fight militants. India has provided over $2 billion in economic assistance to Afghanistan in more than a decade. New Delhi has also been assisting Kabul in building its war-ravaged buildings and heritage sites. India assisted in building the Afghan Parliament complex as well as in restoring the Store Palace in Kabul. These were jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on December 25 last year and August 21 Attack on university in Kabul orchestrated from Pakistan, says Afghanistan government NEW DELHI (TIP): Cooling ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan took a further hit on August 25 evening, with the Afghan government saying the attack on Kabul's American University was orchestrated from Pakistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani spoke with Pakistan Army chief Raheel Shariff and demanded strong action against the terror networks responsible for the attack. Kabul's accusation that the attack was orchestrated from across the Durand Line, the AfPak border, comes at a time of spiralling relations between the neighbours. Recent developments have also seen Kabul increasingly playing up the optics of its closeness with New Delhi, and of lethal weaponry transfer from India. Afghanistan's accusation came in a statement from the country's National Security Council, which met at the Presidential Palace for an extraordinary session on Thursday, reported Afghan news outlet Pajhwok. The statement said President Ghani had spoken on the phone with Pakistan Army chief Raheel Sharif and demanded "serious and practical measures against the perpetrators of the attack", Pajhwok reported the statement as reading. Meanwhile, Pakistan's InterServices Public Relations said General Shariff had promised Afghanistan that it would not allow Pakistani soil to be used to stage attacks on Afghanistan. "Afghan authorities have shared 3 mobile telephone numbers allegedly used during the University attack who allegedly were on contact with the attackers... Our evaluation of the evidence provided and outcome of Combing op so far, has shown that all Afghan SIMs used during the attack were from a network owned and operated by Afghan company whose spill over signal affects some areas along Pak-Afghan border," read a statement from ISPR. Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been strained in recent times, with Kabul pressing for stringer action against Taliban terrorists who are waging war against the Afghan government. Wednesday's attack on Kabul saw a near-10-hour siege of the American University campus. A total of 13 people were killed and 53 injured in the attack. Kabul's pinning of the attack as emanating from Pakistani soil also comes a day after Islamabad expressed disappointment over a US decision to block $300 million in military aid for not doing enough to fight terror outfits like the Haqqani network. (TOI) respectively. New Delhi in December last year announced the supply of four military helicopters in India's first transfer of lethal equipments to Afghanistan since the hardline Taliban movement was toppled. At a corps commanders' conference on August 9, top Pakistan ar my officers said the terrorist threat was transforming because of a growing nexus between hostile actors in the neighbourhood and facilitators within the country. (IANS) North Korea's Kim praises submarine launch test as a success SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (TIP): North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on August 25 that his country had achieved the "success of all successes'' in launching a missile from a submarine, saying it effectively gave the country a fully equipped nuclear attack capability and put the US mainland within striking distance. Kim's comments, carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency, came a day after South Korean officials said a ballistic missile fired from a North Korean submarine was tracked flying about 500 kilometers (310 miles), the longest distance achieved by the North for such a weapon. North Korea already has a variety of land-based missiles that can hit South Korea and Japan, including US military bases in those countries. But its development of reliable submarinelaunched missiles would add a weapon that is harder to detect before launch. The KCNA said Kim watched from an observation post as the test-firing happened, which the agency said was carried out without "any adverse impact" on neighbouring countries. The North's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published several photos that showed the missile, with the name Pukguksong printed on its side, soaring into the sky, and Kim smiling and embracing with one of the North Korean officials accompanying him from what appeared to be an observation deck. The KCNA quoted Kim as saying the successful test showed that North Korea had joined the ``front ranks'' of military powers fully equipped with nuclear attack capabilities. (AP) THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVERTISEMENT YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 11 12 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 Revamped Scholarship for Children of NRIs, Persons of Indian Origin NEW YORK (TIP): A revamped scholarship program for children of NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin to pursue under graduate courses in Indian universities and institutions was on Wednesday announced by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Under the new scheme, the Scholarship Program for Diaspora Children (SPDC) has been extended from 40 to 66 countries including 17 ECR (Emigration Check Required) countries, the MEA said. The number of scholarships has also been increased from 100 to 150 with 50 slots earmarked for the Children of Indian Workers in ECR counties. Of these 50 slots, one-third of slots are reserved for children of Indian workers in ECR countries studying in India. Income criteria would be applicable to all categories of students. According to the Emigration Act, 1983, Emigration Check Required (ECR) categories of Indian passport holders need to obtain 'Emigration Clearance' from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE) for going to 18 countries which are mostly in Gulf region. Under SPDC, children of PIOs and NRIs can pursue under graduate courses in Indian universities and institutes in a range of fields except medical and related courses. The scholarship amount is given for payment of tuition fee, admission fee and post admission services including hostel fee but excluding payment of food charges. "The revamped SPDC is now in place from academic year 2016-17," the MEA said. It said scholarship will be offered for pursuing courses in central universities, institutions accredited "A" Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) and in number of other institutions including National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPAs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs). A portal SPDCINDIA.GOV.IN has been developed to process applications for the scholarship. Applications can be submitted online till September 23. 'It's too late now to say sorry' : Clinton to Trump WASHINGTON (TIP): Democratic US Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on August 23 told her Republican opponent Donald Trump on Twitter that it was too late to apologize for the highly controversial remarks he's been making throughout his campaign. Clinton's message to Trump accompanied by a video compilation of Trump's comments - came after the real estate magnate on Saturday said at a North Carolina rally that he regretted saying things that "may have caused personal pain." "It's too late now to say sorry," Clinton's tweet reads. The accompanying video begins with a clip from the rally where Trump attempted to express regret for his past comments. "Sometimes, in the heat of debate, and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don't choose the right words...And believe it or not, I regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain," he'd said. In the video, the Clinton campaign interspersed the clip of that conciliatory statement with clips from older speeches and interviews featuring the Republican nominee. In these clips, he is seen calling Republican primary candidate Marco Rubio 'Little Marco,' (allegedly a reference to Rubio's height) calling for a ban on Muslims entering the US, and referring to an unnamed woman as "a disgusting pig." The video goes on to show other controversial statements involving Trump - notably his suggestion that the mother of a fallen Pakistani-origin Muslim American soldier wasn't allowed to speak at the Democratic National Convention, while her husband famously criticized Trump's call for a ban on Muslims coming to America. It also shows him categorically refusing - on a number of occasions - to express regret or apologize for his views and remarks, in response to questions from journalists. "I like not to regret anything," he is heard saying. (Agencies) YEARS US THE INDIAN PANORAMA HARDEEP WALIA TO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT ECOSIKH GALA EVENT IN WASHINGTON WASHINGTON DC (TIP): Hardeep Singh Walia, CEO of Motif, based in the Silicon Valley, will be the Keynote Speaker at the EcoSikh Gala event in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2016. EcoSikh Gala gathers over 300 people from all over Washington and the nation every year to support its work on environment and climate change on behalf of the community. Hardeep is founder and CEO of Motif, a next-generation online broker whose mission is to simplify complex investment products and make them universally accessible. The company's flagship product allows individual investors to act intuitively on their insights by turning them into a "motif" of stocks. Hardeep also serves as CEO of Motif Capital, an institutional investment advisor that develops thematic models for clients such as Goldman Sachs, Global Atlantic, and US Bank's UHNW arm Ascent Private Capital Management. Hardeep Walia grew up in Kuwait and in the aftermath of the Gulf War has seen firsthand the devastating impact of man-made war on the environment. He said, "I'm honored to be the keynote speaker at this year's EcoSikh Gala. Conversations about humanity's impact on the environment needs to be a priority and I'm passionate about continuing the efforts towards a more sustainable planet." Dr. Rajwant Singh, President of Washington based EcoSikh, said, "We are thrilled that Silicon Valley leaders like Hardeep Walia are causing a real shift in the business world to become conscious of our planet's future. This sector can have a major impact in changing the course of humanity. We are looking forward to welcoming him and hearing him at the Gala." EcoSikh, since its inception in 2009, has engaged the Sikh community in Punjab and around the globe to work on environmental and climate change issues. It has recently been able to work with the SGPC to make the langar (free meal to 100,000 daily) at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to go organic. It has been invited by the White House and also by the United Nations and the French Government during the climate change deliberations last year in Paris. It maintains fourmember staff in Washington and in Punjab. It is also involved in increasing green cover in the sacred city of Amritsar and in educating farmers on the effects of overuse of chemicals in Punjab. EcoSikh has also started and popularized the Sikh Environment Day which is now marked by Sikh institutions on March 14 every year. Prior to Motif, Hardeep spent more than six years at Microsoft, where he was General Manager of the company's enterprise services business. He also served as Director of Corporate Development and Strategy, helping to oversee Microsoft's investments and acquisitions. He started his career at The Boston Consulting Group. Hardeep holds a BS in Economics and Engineering from Yale University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. He serves on FINRA's Technology Advisory Committee and is on the Advisory Boards of US Bank's ultra high net worth arm Ascent Private Capital Management and real estate startup PeerStreet. He is a featured contributor for LinkedIn, and a frequent guest on CNBC. He lives in the Bay Area, with his wife, two daughters and their amazing golden retriever Karma. Harmeet Singh, Head of the EcoSikh Washington Team, said, "We are certainly encouraged by the positive response from the community this year for the cause. Every faith community is challenged by this threat facing the world and this is an important cause." China 'worst abuser', 'currency manipulator': Donald Trump WASHINGTON (TIP): Calling China the "worst abuser" and "currency manipulator", Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump warned that if elected+ , he will identify all countries violating trade agreements and take serious actions against them. The 70-year-old real estate tycoonturned-politician said he will instruct the US trade representative to bring trade cases against China, which is also building a "massive military fortress" in the strategic South China Sea. Trump said he would direct the secretary of commerce to identify every violation of trade agreements+ that a foreign country is currently using to harm American workers. " China+ is the worst abuser," Trump said. "They have no respect for our country+ . They have no respect for our leadership. And we don't blame them, we don't blame them. We want to put ourselves in that position very soon. You watch. And they'll like us better than they do now," he said. "They don't like us. They're building a massive military fortress in the middle of the South China Sea that they're not allowed to do. "They're doing that, and yet, they're ripping us economically. We have tremendous power over China — economic power — tremendous. We don't do anything. They build and build and build, and they didn't get environmental impact statements when they decided to rip up the sea," he told supporters at an election rally in Tampa, Florida. "They said — Sunday night, let's build. Monday morning, they were digging. A little different than our country, wouldn't you say? A little different. A little bit different," he alleged. "I don't think our politicians even know what's going on. And they will stop or we're going to take in one hell of a lot of money, I'll tell you that. I'm going to instruct the United States trade representative to bring trade cases against China, both in this country and at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)," Trump said. Trump further said he would instruct his treasury secretary to label China a "currency manipulator," the greatest in the world". "Any country that devalues their currency in order to take unfair advantage of the US and all of its companies who can't compete will face tariffs and taxes to stop the cheating. And when they see that, they will stop the cheating," he said. "China's unfair subsidy and its behaviour is prohibited by the terms of its entrance into the WTO, and I intend to enforce our rules. That's all. Very simple," he added. (PTI) THE INDIAN PANORAMA US YEARS US Lawmakers Appeal Obama to Support Dalai Lama’s Return to Tibet WASHINGTON (TIP): A group of 72 American lawmakers have asked US President Barack Obama to publicly support the right of the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and call for an immediate and unconditional release of all Tibetan political prisoners languishing in China. "We write to ask that you redouble efforts in support of the Tibetan people during your remaining months in office. We believe it is critically important to move beyond words to actions," the lawmakers said in a letter to Obama. "The Tibetan people view the US as their friend. It is time to honor that friendship with new, creative strategies to encourage meaningful dialogue, protect Tibetan rights, and preserve their unique cultural, religious and linguistic identity," the three-page letter, dated August 17, said. The letter, organized by Congressman Jim McGovern, urged Obama to invite the Dalai Lama to every event, on every occasion, where his knowledge and decades of reflections would be helpful for addressing the world's problems. The letter, released yesterday, call for the US government to facilitate the involvement of the Dalai Lama or his representatives in the global debate on climate change and its potential consequences given Tibet's fragile environment, rapid warming and critically important reserves of freshwater. Urging the US government to publicly Dalai Lama carries out religious rite (File Photo support the right of the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet, the letter asks Obama to publically and regularly call for the immediate and unconditional release of all Tibetan political prisoners held by the People's Republic of China whose cases have been documented by the CongressionalExecutive Commission on China. It seeks establishment of a US consular office in Lhasa, Tibet to help the US observe and address the obstacles to freedom of movement that affect both Tibetans within China, and US citizens, including Tibetan-Americans, who seek to travel to Tibetan areas of China. The letter also seeks enforcement of norms of reciprocity to ensure that senior Chinese officials responsible for restricting the access of US officials, journalists, Tibetan-Americans and other citizens to Tibetan areas of China are themselves restricted in their travel when they are in the US. Prominent among those who signed the letter are Congressman Eliot Engel, Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee Nita Lowey among others. Tulsi Gabbard called 'devil' by Republican opponent WASHINGTON (TIP): Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu to be elected to the US Congress, has been targeted for her Hindu faith by her Republican opponent in the Congressional elections, prompting sharp reactions from the Hindu-American community members. 35-year-old Democratic Representative Gabbard is seeking her third-term re-election from Hawaii against Republican candidate Angela Kaaihue. Kaaihue last week described support to her as "worship(ping) the devil" and called the Democratic Party the "Devil Democratic State." "Some Christians say, a vote for Tulsi Gabbard is a vote for Satan, the devil do you agree or disagree?" Kaaihue alleged in a Facebook post, which has now been deleted. This infuriated the Hindu-American community. The Hawaii Republican Party in a statement urged party members to disavow Kaaihue for her attacking Gabbard for her religion and faith. The chairman of Kaaihue's party also condemned the attack, calling it "vulgar" and "religiously intolerant". "Her vulgar, racially bigoted, and religiously intolerant descriptions of Democratic Party candidates are offensive, shameful and unacceptable in www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 13 Dr. Eboo Patel to Speak on the art of interfaith leadership WASHINGTON (TIP): Dr. Eboo Patel, a former member of President Barack Obama's inaugural Advisory Council on FaithBased Neighborhood Partnerships, for the Religion and Culture Lecture along with other spiritual leaders from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith traditions with come together in an event sponsored by "Ministry Mentors", a national not-for-profit organization, on Thursday, October 6, 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Winnetka Covenant Church, 1200 Hibbard Road in Wilmette, Illinois. Patel will talk about how "Interfaith Leadership Can Save the World" and about the importance and timeliness of The Art of Interfaith Leadership. Spiritual Leaders have a special role to take for interfaith communication and leadership. All faiths are invited to this presentation which will be followed by a panel representing three different faiths: Imam Hazim Fazlic, Imam of the Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago; Rabbi Wendi Geffen, Senior Rabbi of North Shore Congregation Israel; Rev. Peter Hawkinson, Senior Pastor of Winnetka Covenant Church; and Rev. Dr. Hal Edwards will moderate the panel. Dr. Eboo Patel founded the Interfaith Youth Core on the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He is inspired to build this bridge by his identity as an American Muslim navigating a highly religious diverse social landscape. For over 15 years Dr. Patel has worked with governments, social sector organizations, and college and university campuses to help make interfaith cooperation a social norm. He has written for the Washington Post and is a regular contributor to Sojourner magazine. Dr. Patel was named by the US News and World Report as one of America's Best Leaders of 2009. Dr. Patel also served on President Obama's Inaugural Faith Council and is the author of "Acts of Faith", "Sacred Ground" and "Interfaith Leadership: A Primer." He holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes scholarship. Ministry Mentors is excited to present this timely event as we continue to seek ways to learn from each other and work together in our diverse communities and faith traditions. REGISTER ONLINE AT: www.ministrymentors.org Ministry Mentors is a spiritually-based, independent, cross-denominational, Christian organization that facilitates and supports mentoring relationships among clergy. For more information about Ministry Mentors, please visit our website at www.ministrymentors.org Deaf driver shot dead by US police during traffic stop public discourse," said Fritz Rohlfing, chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party. "Attacks on Congresswoman Gabbard, especially on her Hindu faith, are a reflection of religious prejudices that originate from an impoverished view of a religion and culture that is practiced by nearly one sixth of the world's population," alleged Sandeep Dedage, director Hindu Education Foundation USA (HEF). "It's shocking that in 2016 any political candidate in the US faces such absurdly ignorant and bigoted personal attacks on their Constitutionally guaranteed right to practice the faith of their choice," said Rishi Bhutada, Hindu American Foundation board member. "Furthermore, these attacks clearly show that Hinduphobia and religious bigotry is very much alive and kicking in the United States, even if not all incidents of Hindu phobia are so direct and open as what we've seen here," he said. According to local media, Kaaihue has refused to take back her words and attacked her party chief, asking him to be cautious because he is attacking the "messenger of God." (PTI) Lookout for news, views and reviews log on to www.theindianpanorama.com MIAMI (TIP): Authorities in the southern US state of North Carolina said on August 24 they are investigating the death of a deaf man who was fatally shot after a trooper tried to pull him over for speeding. Daniel Harris, 29, who used sign language to communicate, led trooper Jermaine Saunders on an eightmile (13-kilometer) chase on Thursday that started on an interstate highway and ended outside his home in Charlotte, local television station WSOC reported. The driver exited his vehicle in the neighborhood and an "encounter took place" that led to a shot being fired, North Carolina State Highway Patrol spokesman Sergeant Michael Baker said in a statement. The driver died at the scene, Baker said. No weapon was recovered from Harris, the State Bureau of Investigation told WSOC. Saunders has been placed on administrative leave while investigators review evidence, including dashboard and body camera videos. A neighbor called the shooting "totally unacceptable." "He didn't even hear the siren, he didn't hear anything... You're pulling someone over who is deaf, they are handicapped," Mark Barringer told WSOC. Harris's family has launched an online fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses. (AFP) 14 www.theindianpanorama.com INDIA YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 WHY MODI CHOSE URJIT PATEL AS RBI GOVERNOR THE INDIAN PANORAMA KASHMIR UNREST: MEHBOOBA WALKS OUT OF PRESS MEET WITH RAJNATH Says had a kid gone to buy toffee from Army camp? Children being pushed into fire, used as shields in Valley NEW DELHI (TIP): How the governor of the Reserve Bank of India came to be finalised is an interesting story. Urjit Patel was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first choice for the top job, according to the first tweet from the closed circle of officials privy to the process of selection. The appointment had to be made based on the recommendation of the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC), headed by the cabinet secretary. The committee undertook an extensive exercise to suggest a panel of names to the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) There were at least six names before the committee [ACC] that did the shortlisting. The ACC had to pick some and leave some to start with. The names that got picked were Urjit Patel, Arvind Subramanian and Kaushik Basu - the first, the present RBI deputy governor; the second, the current Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) and the third, of course, some of us may remember as the former CEA. The names that had to be left out in the first round were Arundhati Bhattacharya, SBI chief; Subir Gokaran, who was deputy governor, RBI some time ago, but presently at World Bank; and Shaktikanta Das, the present economic affairs secretary and an old hand at budgets, including the first Modi Budget. There was an hour-long meeting between the PM and finance minister Arun Jaitley, a week before the actual process of selection commenced over the appointment of a new RBI governor, a post that will fall vacant on September 4. It is to be noted that the FM was not a part of the committee of selection. After Raghuram Rajan having opted out already from continuing for a second term, the three under consideration were Urjit Patel, Arvind Subramanian and Kaushik Basu. Senior officials familiar with the ACC’s selection process confided that Patel was chosen by Modi himself at first to be a contestant. In the second round, the choice had come down to a contest between Urjit Patel and Arvind Subramanian. Officials are believed to have said later that Patel was the final pick since he was always Modi’s first choice. The reason, it is believed, is that Modi was particular to have a chief from within the RBI itself. This is not to understate the competence of any of the contestants and rank them second or last. SRINAGAR (TIP): Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti walked out of a press conference with Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday even as the Centre promised an alternative to pellet guns that have left thousands of people with eye injuries in the Valley. Singh’s announcement on a substitute for pellet guns soon and willingness for talks with “anybody” to end the wave of violence in Kashmir capped his two-day visit to the Valley where violent protests after the killing of a militant commander have left at least 68 people dead. However, the government’s outreach was overshadowed by Mehbooba leaving the joint press conference in a huff after reporters repeatedly questioned her handling of the situation and compared her stand during a similar violent phase in 2010. The press conference was her first formal interaction with the media since violence broke out on July 9 but it ended abruptly after journalists asked how she could justify the alleged disproportionate use of force when she had criticised her predecessor Omar Abdullah during the 2010 street protests that left more than 100 dead. They also asked her to clarify a remark that said “only 5% of the population (is) supporting the current agitation’’. “I did not say it’s just 5%. All I said was 95% people in the Valley want peaceful resolution to the problem. The issue has, however, been hijacked by 5% of people who believe in violence,’’ a visibly upset Mehbooba said even as Singh tried to pacify her, constantly patting her on the knee. As tempers rose, Mehbooba said the 2010 and 2016 unrests could not be compared as the earlier protests were against alleged human rights violations – a fake encounter, rape and murder. Union home minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti interact with media during a press conference in Srinagar. Photo courtesy: PTI “Today, three militants were killed, as has been happening for years, people came out on the roads and curfew was imposed. How is the government to be blamed?” she asked. Mehbooba blamed “miscreants” for inciting children to violence and justified the killing of protesters by security forces. “Most of the children killed (by security forces) died in retaliation for attacking army camps. The children didn’t go to the army camp to buy milk or toffees,” said Mehbooba, CM Mufti, whose Peoples Democratic Party is in an alliance with the BJP. Earlier, Rajnath Singh said the government was ready to talk to anybody, raising hopes in Kashmir of possible negotiations with the separatist Hurriyat Conference that has two factions and claims to represent the all sections in the Valley. “Anybody who is willing to talk within the framework of “kashmiriyat (Kashmiri ethos), insaniyat (humanity) and jamooriyat (democracy) is welcome. This includes everybody,” Singh said, going back to the three principles floated by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Singh said an expert committee will submit within four days a report on pellet guns. The home minister also urged people to identify those “fanning trouble”, hinting at what the government calls elements backed by Pakistan to instigate people to attack security forces. “Youth in Kashmir should have pens, books and computers in their hands, not stones. If Kashmir has no future, India has no future,” Singh said adding the government will appoint a nodal officer, and the people of Kashmir can reach out to him directly in need. Singh also said an all-party delegation will be sent to Kashmir to access the situation. “I’ve told CM Mehbooba Mufti that an all-party delegation should visit the state and preparations should be made for that,” Singh said. Source: HT Opposition divided over government’s plan to advance Union budget to January NEW DELHI (TIP): The Modi government’s plan to announce the General Budget in January might get the Congress’ support, even as some small parties remain apprehensive. The government is planning to advance the budget by a month, from next year. The NDA managers feel the move will provide more time for savings and tax payout plans. “The time has come to think differently. There are strong arguments for changing the schedule of budget presentation,” said Jairam Ramesh, a Congress strategist. “No final decision has been taken so far, but the ministry is examining the idea to advance the date of presenting the budget,” said a finance ministry official who did not wish to be named. The official added that if an early budget is finalized, pre-budget consultations will most likely begin from September. Biju Janata Dal also supported the move to advance the budget. “An early budget will Finance minister Arun Jaitley leaves the north block to present the budget on February 29, 2016. help the states,” said BJD’s floor leader in Lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab. “The states can get their money under the devolution of fund by April. It will help the local governments to use the summer more effectively to carry out development works,” added Mahtab. Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, as usual, stood poles apart on the idea of advancing the budget. Rajesh Dixit, SP national secretary and spokesman said, “The manner in which the NDA government is going about changing established procedures, it would appear that India achieved freedom only in 2014”. BSP MP Salim Ansari said, “If it helps ease the parliamentary process, no harm in preponing the budget exercise by one month.” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury maintained that the government must take all parties and state governments on board before finalizing any new budget schedule. “The move will be meaningless if the finance year is not changed. Is the government read to do that as well?” The Left’s arch rival, Trinamool Congress didn’t see any merit in the plan. “What benefit will it accrue? These are time-tested process and changes are not always good,” said former union minister and Trinamool MP, Saugata Roy. Source: HT THE INDIAN PANORAMA INDIA YEARS Sensitive data on India’s Scorpene submarines leaked NEW DELHI (TIP): Sensitive data related to India's Scorpene submarines has been leaked, with French shipbuilder DCNS which designed the submarine facing a leak of documents spreading over 22,000 pages, a report in Australian media revealed on August 23 (Tuesday). According to a report in The Australian, DCNS, which recently won a contract to design 12 submarines for Australia, includes details of submarine's underwater sensors, abovewater sensors, combat management system, torpedo launch system and specifications, communications system and navigation systems. Variants of Scorpene submarines are also used by Malaysia and Chile with Brazil to join the club soon. First of the Scorpene class submarines being built in India Kalvari went for sea trials in May, 2016 and is expected to be inducted in the Indian Navy soon. Indian Navy officials have said the six submarines, once inducted, would form the core of the Navy's submarine arm for the next two decades. According to the report, DCNS has said that such a leak of technical data could not happen with its proposed submarine for Australia. The DCNS also implied that the leak might have occurred at India's end, rather than from France. "Uncontrolled technical data is not possible in the Australian Arrangements," the company said as per the report in The Australian. "Multiple and independent controls exist within DCNS to prevent unauthorized access to data and all data movements are encrypted and recorded. In the case of India, where a DCNS design is built by a local company, DCNS is the provider and not the controller of technical data," it said. INDIAN NAVY TRIES TO DOWNPLAY DATA LEAK The leaked specifications of the Scorpene submarine will not pose any security compromise, the Indian Navy claimed. The Navy has been trying to downplay concerns over an information leak that could blunt the operational edge of six stealth submarines that India is building under license from the French shipyard, DCNS. A day after The Australian newspaper published 22,000 pages detailing the combat capabilities of the new Indian submarine made with French collaboration, the Navy asserted that the vital parameters of the boat have been blacked out in papers available online. The Indian government, meanwhile, said that an elaborate impact assessment is being undertaken by a high-level committee constituted by the defense ministry. The Navy is also undertaking an internal audit of procedures to rule out any security compromise. It has also discussed the leak with the Director General of Armament of the French government, conveying its concerns. A request was made to the French government to investigate at its end how the documents came out in public. In a parallel effort, the authenticity of reports in public is being verified through diplomatic channels. “The Government of India, as a matter of abundant precaution, is also examining the impact if the information contained in the documents claimed to be available with the Australian sources is compromised,” said a statement released on Thursday. The Navy swung into action at the highest level as the first of the six Scorpene submarines, INS Kalvari, is expected to be launched in the coming months.The induction is already running four years behind schedule. Officials explained that many of the technical details about the submarine are in the public domain, and the leak will not have any impact on the operational deployment. But many experts argued that the stealth factor is at the core of submarine operations, and the leak is a matter of serious concern. Indian officials have maintained that the leaks originated overseas. AAP likely to suspend Punjab convener Chhotepur over tickets for cash charge NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH (TIP): AThe Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contemplating action against its Punjab unit convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur for taking a packet of cash in a reported video sting operation . Not only may he be removed from his post, but even be expelled from the party, barely six months before the assembly elections are due. The video was shown to AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal upon his return from Himachal Pradesh, where he had gone for a Vipassana retreat from August 1 to 11, and he was “very upset”, said a Delhi-based, senior AAP leader, who briefed the media on the issue on Wednesday, on the condition of not being named. “That is one of the reasons why Kejriwal did not meet Chhotepur regarding any change in tickets,” said the leader, adding that Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia last week “confronted” Chhotepur with the video, for a reaction before any “appropriate action against him in the next few days”. Chhotepur has expressed objections incriminating,” he said, adding that it had more content than acknowledged by Chhotepur in an interview to HT on Tuesday. When contacted, Chhotepur said he is not aware of the party mulling any action : “I have already said that it (sting) is a move to embarrass me. I don’t have anything more to say on the matter. I will speak up when the time is right.” He refused to comment on his meeting with Sisodia. ‘No tolerance’ over the two lists of candidates announced so far, and has been waiting for an appointment to meet Kejriwal. He was absent at both press conferences where the lists, containing 32 names so far out of 117, were revealed earlier this month. The video was made by an AAP supporter following verbal complaints that Chhotepur was demanding money for various purposes, the Delhi-based leader said. When asked for a copy of the video, the leader refused to part with it saying that will bring bad name to the party. “But the video is The Delhi-based leader, when asked if Chhotepur was being targeted for raising his voice against the party’s Delhi leadership, said rules are the same for everyone. “If a similar video of mine surfaces, I will be the first to quit politics. There is no tolerance in AAP for such things,” he said. When HT contacted party MP and campaign panel head Bhagwant Mann on the matter, said the party has taken the matter “very seriously”. “But I don’t know what the party’s next course of action is,” he added. Source: HT www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 15 WILL ONLY DISCUSS CROSS-BORDER TERROR, INDIA TELLS PAK NEW DELHI (TIP): India is ready to hold talks with Pakistan only on the issue of terrorism emanating from the territory of the neighbouring country and affecting the entire region. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday wrote to his Pakistani counterpart, A A Chaudhry, stating that New Delhi was willing to discuss with Islamabad only issues concerning crossborder terrorism, which remained its “core concern”. Jaishankar’s letter to Chaudhry also mentioned that terror emanating from Pakistan was targeting not only India, but also other nations in the region. India’s reference to cross-border terrorism being sponsored from Pakistan and affecting other countries in the region came to public domain on a day when Afghanistan charged that Wednesday’s attack on the American University in Kabul had been “organised and orchestrated from the other side of the Durand Line (Pakistan)”. Thirteen people were killed and 45 injured in the terror attack. Jaishankar’s letter was in response to a communiqué from Chaudhry, who on August 19 had invited his counterpart in New Delhi to travel to Islamabad “by the end of this month to discuss the Jammu and Kashmir dispute with a view to finding a fair and just solution as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”. The foreign secretary’s letter was delivered to his counterpart in the Pakistan government through diplomatic channels on Wednesday. New Delhi’s latest communiqué to Islamabad also stressed that Pakistan should immediately vacate the territories it had been illegally occupying in Jammu and Kashmir, which had been and would always remain an integral part of India, sources told DH. India, last week, set clear terms for talks with Pakistan — outlining a five-point agenda and asking the neighbouring country to stop exporting terror and inciting violence in Jammu and Kashmir. CBI, ED GET DETAILS OF MALLYA’S ASSETS ABROAD NEW DELHI: In what could take the probe against Vijay Mallya forward, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have received "crucial details" about properties and investments of the former liquor baron from several countries. Mallya had fled to London on March 2 and has refused to cooperate with investigators. Sources in the two agencies said the UK, France, the US, Mauritius, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, South Africa, Switzerland and some other countries were asked — through a judicial request and through the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) — to provide details about Mallya's shareholding in companies abroad, his movable and immovable properties and his travel details. It is suspected that of the Rs 6,027 crore taken by Mallya as loan from banks, some part was diverted to these countries. Sources in the CBI and the ED told TOI that they had received "crucial details about Mallya's investments/properties" from these nations. The development comes at a time when the ED and the CBI have enlarged the probe against Mallya and his companies to unearth the "larger conspiracy" to cheat the consortium of 17 banks, led by State Bank of India, from which he took loans of around Rs 6,027 crore between 2005 and 2010. The ED is also preparing to attach properties/shares worth around Rs 5,000 crore belonging to Mallya, sources said. It has already attached properties worth Rs 1,411 crore till now. The CBI has claimed that Mallya deliberately didn't repay the banks in conspiracy with group companies and their promoters. Meanwhile, there has been no response from Interpol on issuing a red corner notice against Mallya several months after a request was made. He fled to London on March 2 without informing the authorities and has refused to reply to notices sent to him. 16 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 YEARS ADVERTISEMENT THE INDIAN PANORAMA THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVERTISEMENT YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 17 18 www.theindianpanorama.com YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 MOVIE REVIEW Happy Bhag Jayegi BOLLYWOOD THE INDIAN PANORAMA RICHA CHADHA’S BEFITTING REPLY TO TROLLERS ollywood actress Richa Chaddha has come up with befitting replies to those who trolled her on Twitter after she answered a question about cultural similarities with Pakistactor Fawad Khan at the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne. Twitterati described the 'Fukre' actress as a 'bimbo' and 'dimwit'. Richa refused to take the unnecessary bashing. "So, a bollywood bimbette @RichaChadha_ says she has more in common with a Muslim Pakistani than a Tam Brahm. Hahaha," tweeted a hater. The 29-year-old actress in a reply said, "Thanks. Bimbette is a first for me. Thank you so much." Another wrote, "No self respecting South Indian or any other Indian should watch this filth making industry Brothelwood." "Bollywood starlet - I've far more in common with Fawad coz I am from North India.. than i'll have with tambrahm or malayali or NE India," read another tweet. The tiff was triggered when a journo at the IIFM asked the Bollywood heartthrob about cultural disparities between India and Pakistan film industries. The 29-yearold actress immediately rose to Fawad's defence, saying, "I would like to answer that. Sorry, I am cutting in! You know we were colonised by the British for a really long time. It's a part of the... I am sorry if I am offending anybody here, but if you look at the worldwide history, every B CAST: Diana Penty, Abhay Deol, Jimmy Sheirgill, Ali Fazal, Momal Sheikh, Piyush Mishra DIRECTION: Mudassar Aziz GENRE: Comedy DURATION: 2 hours 6 minutes STORY: Feisty and foolhardy, Amritsari kudi Happy (Diana Penty) escapes from her own wedding to be with her beau Guddu (Ali Fazal). This infuriates her would be groom - wannabe politician Bagga (Jimmy Sheirgill). Confusion ensues when Happy doesn't end up with either and accidentally lands up in Pakistan. She bumps into Bilal (Abhay Deol), a budding politician and sparks fly. But he is engaged to Zoya (Momal Shiekh). Who gets the girl? REVIEW: Happy Bhag Jayegi is a fresh, light-hearted take on cross-border camaraderie that revolves around a runaway bride. It lures you into throwing logic out of the window ('baher') for a while as it offers clean entertainment with ample gags. The cat and mouse game between the characters, with a dash of romance, forms the story. If you are curious to know about our neighbours and their culture, this film satiates that intrigue to a certain extent. The comic caper clicks for its situational humour, smart writing and perfect casting. The first half has tons of laugh out loud moments, predominantly stemming from Piyush Mishra speaking chaste Urdu (Javed Akhtar style). Jimmy Sheirgill may not get the girl but he gets memorable roles and his portrayal of Bagga is the highlight here. Be it him calling Ali, Justin Byeber or saying, 'Mere shaadi rukwane ke peeche, padosi mulk ka haath hai', Jimmy steals the show, hands down. Both Abhay and Ali are equally competent and the men dominate the film, even more than the film's central character (Diana), whose looks overshadow her acting. Momal is sincere. Since the love tracks seem unconvincing and abrupt, the second half tanks a bit. The cartoonish climactic chase sequence too seems juvenile. However, overall, the family comedy manages to pull the right strings and change the present (if not the history) of Indo-Pak relations for the two hours that it lasts. Buckle up and enjoy the ride, Janaab! time the British left an empire they divided it. Whether it was North Korea or South Korea, then there was Germany. It is a part of the strategy to keep political unrest to sort of maintain a global kind, I am sorry but your question to me doesn't make sense because I will have far more in common with Fawad because I am from the North of India than I will have with somebody who is a Tambrahm or maybe Malayali or from the Northeast. I think we should avoid stereotyping in questions or creating some kind of contradiction here because the whole intent and especially art doesn't really have any borders." Some people also took offence by pointing out historical errors in her comment about British colonisation. Richa is currently waiting for the release of the Pooja Bhatt directed film 'Cabaret'. Source: ANI KATRINA KAIF TO ROMANCE VARUN DHAWAN IN ABCD 3? fter enthralling the audience with their duet performance at the Dream Team tour in the US, Bollywood diva Katrina Kaif and Varun Dhawan may also be seen doing a project together. According to a leading tabloid, the 33-year-old actress will be see grooving with Varun in the third outing of the dance drama flick 'ABCD 3'. They will not just be dancing together but the duo will also be seen romancing on screen, according to reports. While there has been no confirmation yet from either the director or the producer, the chemistry between the two at Dream Team tour certainly hinted in favour of the report.On a related note, Katrina will next be seen opposite Sidhartha Malhotra in 'Baar Baar Dekho' while Varun will be seen alongside Alia Bhatt and Pankaj Kapoor in romantic drama 'Shudhi'. Source: ANI A THE INDIAN PANORAMA HOLLYWOOD YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 19 MOVIE REVIEW AMBER HEARD DONATES USD 7 M DIVORCE SETTLEMENT TO CHARITY ctress Amber Heard has pledged to donate her USD 7 million divorce settlement from estranged husband Johnny Depp to charities that support battered women. The star ended her nasty threemonth legal battle with the actor on Monday, and as part of their official marriage termination agreement, she will receive approximately USD 7 million from 53-year-old Depp. During the divorce proceedings Heard alleged she was physically abused by Depp throughout their 15month marriage, and the 30-year-old has now announced she won't be pocketing any cash from the settlement, using the money instead to help others in need, reported TMZ. "The donation will be divided equally between the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), with a particular focus on helping defend battered women, and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, where I have worked as a volunteer for the past 10 years," she said in a statement. "Hopefully this experience results in a positive change in the lives of people who need it the most." Less than a week after filing for divorce from Depp in May, Heard obtained a domestic violence War Dogs A restraining order against him, which was rescinded as part of the terms of the couple's separation agreement. Heard has made it clear throughout the divorce proceedings that she's not after a big cash windfall, and after reaching their settlement earlier this week, the former couple released a statement, in which it confirmed "neither party has made false accusations for financial gains". In her latest announcement, Heard emphasised her motivation for ending her marriage to Johnny had absolutely nothing to do with money, stating: "Money played no role for me personally and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves." Source: PTI EMILY BLUNT GRABS EYEBALLS IN PUBLIC APPEARANCE POST PREGNANCY ust two months after the delivery of her second daughter, actress Emily Blunt looked stunning as she hit the red carpet premiere of husband John Krasinki's upcoming film 'The Hollars'. Showing off her tiny post-baby waist, the 33-year-old actress donned an all white, calf length, figure hugging dress with triangular cutouts, reports People Magazine. The news of her pregnancy was confirmed by one of Blunt's aide just five months after her hubby Krasinki joked about giving a sibling to their daughter Hazel. "Hopefully one day we will! One day, I don't know when. We've got to give her some competition at some point," he said. Earlier in June this year, the couple welcomed their second daughter Violet. "What better way to celebrate the 4th than to announce our 4th family member!!!" Krasinski tweeted a few weeks after Blunt gave birth. "2 weeks ago we met our beautiful daughter Violent." The pair welcomed their first daughter, Hazel, in February 2014. Source: ANI J CAST: Miles Teller, Jonah Hill, Ana de Armas, J. B. Blanc,? ? Bradley Cooper, Barry Livingston DIRECTION: Todd Phillips GENRE: Biography DURATION: 1 hour 59 minutes STORY: Two high school friends - David Packouz (Teller) and Efraim Diveroli? ?(Hill) - with a yen for weapons and the ability to make a few hundreds of millions of dollars or more, bag a deal from the Pentagon to supply arms to? ?American allies in Afghanistan. This is, after a decent bit of hustling. Seems straightforward enough? Probably not. For when the stakes are so high, you can bet anything that there's going to be some dirty deeds being done. REVIEW: A quick lookup of this movie might label it to be a comedy. However, it is anything but that. If there is any humour in this, it is a brand of dark humour that is played upon with a light touch, thanks to the director's and screenwriters' vision. And of course, Teller and Hill, who both excel in their roles. Teller's Packouz is the unlikely arms dealer who used to working a massage parlour in Miami. Hill is the unrepentant smooth-talker, unabashed risk-taker and high-strung counterfoil to Packouz. You will definitely see shades of the character that he played in ??Wolf ? ?Of Wall Street, where he did a commendable job opposite Leo's character. War Dogs is a telling statement about the shadowy and murky world - albeit a dollar-drenched one fraught with risk and danger at every turn - of arms contractors and subcontractors who facilitate the running of the global war machine. Efraim's repetitive whoops of joy about 'Dick Cheney's America' (the movie does reference to the past few years). It is also a barely-veiled reference to how two relative amateurs armed with ambition, can make suckers out of the most powerful government on Earth, by playing on their desire to carry on the war industry. It does catch up with them in time though, as no one does really escape the long arm of the law. But Teller and Hill's camaraderie is undeniably present. They're a delight to watch as they play of each other really well. There's a generous dose of fiction thrown in but for the most part, 20 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 YEARS ADVERTISEMENT THE INDIAN PANORAMA THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVERTISEMENT YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 21 22 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 UK SCHOOL ABLAZE AS EXPLOSIONS HEARD LONDON: A huge fire on Sunday engulfed a school in the south of England after reports of loud explosions. More than 75 firefighters tackled the blaze at Selsey Academy in School Lane in West Sussex as huge plumes of black smoke were seen emanating from the site. The cause of the fire has not yet been established and no injuries have been reported so far. "People in vicinity of smoke from Selsey school fire are advised to stay clear of smoke, stay indoors and keep windows closed," West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said. Chairman of governors for the school, Bill Emerson, told BBC: "There is a possibility we might be able to save a small section of the school and the emergency services are doing their best to make it happen. "It's shocking. The structures are effectively a skeleton now compared to what they were and we have still got fire raging in sections." The Academy is a mixed school for pupils aged 11 to 16. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has sent crews to help West Sussex colleagues and South East Coast Ambulance Service is also at the scene. (PTI) Modi, Obama among world leaders who will attend G20 meet: China BEIJING (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be among the Heads of State and Government who will attend the G20 summit from September 4, the host country China announced on August 24. The Hangzhou summit, to be presided over by Chinese President Xi Jinping, has invited the maximum number of developing countries in G20 history, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, adding that leaders of all G20 countries will attend the meeting. "It represents the inclusiveness of the meeting with both developed and developing countries sitting together as equal partners," he said. The voices of developing countries will be fully heeded during the summit to be held from September 4-5, Lu told a media briefing here. This shows the major changes of the international economic regime that developed and developing countries can have equal consultations and make decisions on international economic affairs, he said. "This is in line with the trends of history and is a historic progress," Lu said. China has said the summit will mainly focus on improving the global economy with structural reforms and innovation. It is also actively campaigning against bringing up political disputes like the South China Sea during the summit. Besides the heads of the state and governments of G20 countries, leaders of some guest countries including Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, would also attend the meeting. WORLD YEARS THE INDIAN PANORAMA Why France’s burkini swimsuits are drawing international anger PARIS (TIP): French mayors are drawing international anger for banning the burkini, an all-encompassing swimsuit worn by a small minority of Muslim women. The Associated Press explains the core of the controversy. What are burkinis? They're a recent retail invention, not a religious requirement in any country. Around a decade ago an Australian woman of Lebanese origin created a swimsuit for Muslim women designed to permit them to keep their bodies covered while working as lifeguards on Australian beaches. Her design was dubbed the burkini or burqini. Burkinis cover the head, torso and limbs _ much like a wetsuit with a hood. The word conflates the words bikini and burqa, a full-body covering with only a mesh screen for the eyes. Burqas are worn primarily in Afghanistan. Burkinis are rarely seen in France, where you're more likely to spot women sunbathing topless. International sales reportedly have soared in response to French efforts to restrict their public display. Why ban them? France is both exceptionally secular and unusually fearful of Islamic extremism following last month's truck attack in Nice that killed 86 people and slaying of a Catholic priest during Mass in Normandy, both claimed by the Islamic State group. While the burkini's defenders have argued that the wearing of the garment has nothing to do with promoting bloodshed, mayors have countered that wearing the outfits could undermine public order by make other beachgoers angry or afraid. The French, who famously ban baggy men's swim trunks from their pools, also argue that excessively large women's swimwear poses a similar risk to public hygiene. Prime Minister Manuel Valls says burkinis represent the enslavement of women and puts his opposition in the context of France's promotion of women's rights worldwide. But France's predominant argument is that the burkini violates France's century-old commitment to promote secularism in public life. The first article of the French constitution enshrines this principle, while polls show French people are among the least religious in the world. France repeatedly has cited this secularist agenda when targeting Muslim practices that are seen to push religion too far into mainstream society. Backlash to the bans French Muslims say they feel stigmatized by the restrictions, while some police have complained that the new rules are too vague or problematic to be enforced. Images this week that showed Nice police appearing to instruct a burkiniclad beachgoer to remove her tunic stirred indignation online. Human rights groups petitioned France's highest administrative authority, the Council of State, which plans to issue its ruling Friday on the burkini bans. The policy is raising tensions within French President Francois Hollande's leftist government, too. It's politics Critics say the anti-burkini crusade reflects a far right, anti-Muslim agenda that could prove to be a vote-winner in France's 2017 presidential election. Many mayors to the fore on the issue are members of former President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative Republicans party. Sarkozy, who is seeking re-election, said Wednesday: ``We don't imprison women behind fabric.'' He linked burkinis to radicalized Islam, a contention that many Muslims regard as baseless and dangerous. But this kind of rhetoric could help Sarkozy win votes from the anti-immigrant National Front party of Marine Le Pen, a presidential contender who has campaigned against what she calls the Islamization of France. Burkinis pose a dilemma for the French left, a staunch defender of women's rights. The prime minister and women's affairs minister support the bans because they say burkinis oppress women; the education minister and health minister say authorities shouldn't dictate what women wear. A less secular world France's stringent secularism is exceptional in the western world, and much of the rest of the world is struggling to understand France's actions. Protesters rallied Thursday against the French bans in London and Berlin. Burkinis are sold by major retailers in Britain. Elsewhere in Europe, burkinis are rare but no municipal bans exist. Not yet anyway. In Belgium, the right-leaning Flemish N-VA party doesn't want burkinis on public beaches, calling it a sign of oppressing women. The Muslim fashion Women in Muslim countries wear a range of swimwear, from bikinis to fulllength garments, reflecting their personal tastes and understanding of their faith. Burkini-style wear has generated debate in Morocco, with its large tourism industry. In Egypt, some resorts, elite clubs and restaurants ban veils entirely and the wearing of burkini-style outfits in swimming pools. Religious conservatives, who have been gaining ground, say such bans perpetuate a colonized mentality by enforcing Western-inspired freedoms and styles. (AP) Iran vessels make 'high speed intercept' of US ship WASHINGTON (TIP): Four of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vessels "harassed" a US warship on August 24 near the Strait of Hormuz, a US defense official said, amid Washington's concerns about Iran's posture in the Gulf and in the Syrian civil war. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday that two of the Iranian vessels came within 300 yards of the USS Nitze in an incident that was "unsafe and unprofessional." The vessels harassed the destroyer by "conducting a high speed intercept and closing within a short distance of Nitze, despite repeated warnings," the official said. IRGC, the Islamic Republic's praetorian guard, is suspicious of US military activity near Iran's borders and appears to be sticking to a familiar posture in the Gulf that predates last year's nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers, including the United States. The United States and other countries are concerned about Iran's support for Syrian President Bashar alAssad, its ballistic missile program, and its backing for Shiite militias that have abused civilians in Iraq. The US defense official said that in Tuesday's incident the USS Nitze tried to communicate with the Iranian vessels 12 times, but received no response. It also fired 10 flares in the direction of two of the Iranian vessels. "The Iranian high rate of closure... created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation, including additional defensive measures by Nitze," the official said.USS Nitze had to change course in order to distance itself from the Iranian vessels, the official said, adding that the incident could have led to a diplomatic protest, but the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran. (AP) THE INDIAN PANORAMA WORLD YEARS Russia launches large-scale military drills, puts troops on full combat mode MOSCOW (TIP): Russia on August 25 launched large-scale snap military drills, putting its troops on full combat readiness in districts bordering Ukraine+ and the Baltic states, the defence minister said. "In accordance with the decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation ( President Vladimir Putin+ ), a spot check started today," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in televised comments. Troops in the country's southern, central and western military districts, as well as the air force, northern fleet and paratroopers were in "full combat" mode as of 0400 GMT, he said. The drills — which are taking place in military districts that encompass the contested Crimea peninsula+ , the region that borders Ukraine and NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as territory spanning from the Ural mountains to central Siberia — are set to last until the end of the month. Shoigu did not reveal how many troops are taking part in the exercises. Relations between NATO and Russia have soured since Moscow annexed the Crimea peninsula of Ukraine in March 2014, and eastern European countries are worried that they too could be targets of Russian aggression. NATO vowed at a summit in Warsaw in July to bolster its eastern flank to counter a resurgent Russia, agreeing to deploy four battalions in Poland and the Baltic states. Moscow slammed the decision, accusing NATO of working to counter a "non-existent threat." Since Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014, Russia has stepped up its military presence in the peninsula, which is home to its Black Sea fleet. Russia's most advanced air defence system, the S-400, was delivered to Crimea earlier this month. (AP) China expresses concern over India’s plan to deploy BrahMos on border BEIJING (TIP): China's defence ministry said on Thursday that it hoped India could put more efforts into regional peace and stability rather than the opposite, in response to Indian plans to put advanced cruise missiles+ along the China border. Indian military officials say the plan is to equip regiments deployed at the China border+ with the BrahMos missile+ , made under an IndiaRussian joint venture, as part of ongoing efforts to build up military and civilian infrastructure capabilities there. The two nuclear-armed neighbours have been moving to gradually ease long-existing tensions between them. Leaders of Asia's two giants pledged last year to cool a festering border dispute, which dates back to a brief border war in 1962, though the disagreement remains unresolved. Asked about the missile plans at a monthly news briefing, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said maintaining peace and stability in the border region was an "important consensus" reached by both countries. "We hope that the Indian side can do more to benefit peace and stability Gunmen attack beach restaurant in Somalia's Mogadishu MOGADISHU (TIP): At least seven people were killed in a bomb and gun attack on a beach restaurant in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu, police along the border and in the region, rather than the opposite," Wu said, without elaborating. China lays claim to more than 90,000 sq km (35,000 sq miles) ruled by New Delhi in the eastern sector of the Himalayas. India says China occupies 38,000 sq km (14,600 sq miles) of its territory on the Aksai Chin plateau in the west.India is also suspicious of China's support for its arch-rival, Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visits China next month to attend the G20 summit+ . Modi government has ordered BrahMos Aerospace, which produces the missiles, to accelerate sales to a list of five countries topped by Vietnam, according to a government note viewed by Reuters and previously unreported.Modi visits Vietnam, which is embroiled in a dispute over the South China Sea with Beijing, before arriving in China. (Reuters) said on August 25.Shabaab jihadists attacked the Banadir Beach Restaurant in Mogadishu on Thursday, setting off a car bomb before exchanging fire with security forces, an AFP correspondent said. Security forces said they killed two attackers and arrested another after a six-hour operation overnight. The al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack through the website of their Andalus radio station. The Banadir Beach Restaurant near Lido beach is a popular eatery frequented by young people and Somali officials. As in other recent Shabaab attacks, the violence began with the militants setting off a nearby car bomb before storming the building and engaging in a gunfight with security forces. (AFP) www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 23 After years of delay, London's 'night tube' trains start running LONDON (TIP): The world's oldest underground rail network takes a big step forward this weekend when the "tube" starts all-night august 20 and August 21services after years of obstruction and delay. In a move bound to please revelers, shift-workers and insomniacs, two lines will run trains through to 0530 in the morning, with others due to follow. Traveler's in the capital have long been promised an overnight or later service but proposals had been postponed due to opposition from unions seeking better pay and conditions in return for working antisocial hours. Now that agreement has eventually been reached, trains will run between north and south London and from east to west, before being rolled out on three further lines including to Heathrow Airport. "It will support thousands of workers who have to travel to or from work at night, it will provide huge economic benefits to our vital night-time economy and it will help Londoner's get home quickly and safely after a night out," said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. The scheme is set to boost the capital's economy by 77 million pounds ($100 million) a year, according to the mayor, and could help support London's nightclubs and bars. It will also go some way to catching up with train services in other major centers: the New York subway already runs throughout the night and the Paris metro operates late on weekends. Once the full service is in place, 100 police officers will ride the network. Britain is on its second-highest level of security alert, "severe", meaning an attack is considered highly likely, though not imminent. The first underground railway service ran between Paddington and Farringdon Street in central London on January 10 1863 and now the "tube," known the world over for its red roundel symbol, stretches well into London's suburbs and beyond. Famed for its simple map design and incessant warnings to "mind the gap," it now carries over 1.3 billion passengers a year. (Reuters) Turkey shells Kurdish fighters in Syria after warning KARKAMIS (TIP): Turkey shelled Kurdish militia fighters in Syria on the second day of a major military operation inside the country, saying they were failing to observe a deal with the US to stop advancing in jihadist-held territory. Turkey sent a fresh contingent of tanks Thursday into Syrian territory, a day after a lighting offensive by hundreds of Syrian rebel fighters -- backed by Turkish tanks, war planes and special forces -- took the Syrian town of Jarabulus, ending over three years of jihadist control. Turkey says Operation Euphrates Shield -- its most ambitious offensive of the five-and-a-half year Syrian civil war -- is aimed at ridding the northern Syrian border area of both Islamic State (IS) extremists and the Kurdish militia vehemently opposed by Ankara. Defence minister Fikri Isik warned the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia -- who also had designs on Jarabulus -to move back east across the Euphrates or also face intervention from Turkey. Hours later, Turkish artillery shelled targets of the PYD inside Syria, the state-run Anadolu news agency said, saying the group had violated a deal with the United States to stop advancing. It quoted security sources as saying that the Turkish military would continue to intervene against the PYD until it began to retreat. The Hurriyet daily said the PYD elements had been identified by a Turkish drone 10 kilometres north of the Syrian town of Manbij. The group of PYD elements was then fired on by Turkish Firtina howitzers from inside Turkey, it said. The group was "eliminated", it added, without giving further details. US Secretary of State John Kerry was due to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Geneva on Friday morning for talks expected to focus heavily on the situation in Syria. Successive rounds of international negotiations have failed to end the Syria conflict, which has killed more than 290,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes. Moscow and Washington support opposite sides in the conflict, which erupted in 2011 after President Bashar alAssad's regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against a prodemocracy revolt. (AFP) 24 www.theindianpanorama.com YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 WOMEN SHOULD YOU WEAR PERFUME TO WORK? earing perfume to work is an office style conundrum that rates as high as whether you can wear high boots to work in winter or don floral prints for the Monday meeting. In the US, there's actually been a legal move to outlaw perfume in the workplace - in the US Census Bureau, and government offices in the city of Detroit, it's no longer allowed. While some private companies in Canada and the US have followed suit, others have adopted formal fragrance policies. It seems a little perfume can raise a lot of stink. Perfumes can trigger off allergies in the workplace. They can cause sniffling, dizziness, headaches, nausea and breathing problems. "Many corporates in India especially hotels, banks, and airlines have fragrance policies in place," says Yatan Ahluwalia, corporate grooming and training expert. These policies guide the usage of perfume addressing questions like how much, how little, how to wear it and what is acceptable. But soft skills trainer Raell Padamsee defends the idea that it's okay to wear fragrance in an office environment, "What's relevant is what you wear, and how much," she says. Ahluwalia advises on 'less is more'. "It's better to smell good than not smell good. But use it such that there's a lingering after smell," he says. Padamsee, who wears a mild day perfume, says, "If you are sweating, DO NOT use perfume to mask the odour." W Notes to self The secret, of course, is application - a dab, a spritz, a touch, not a drenching. Perfume should only be applied on the pulse points - wrists and behind the ears. "Never on clothes," Ahluwalia states. An ideal work perfume is mild yet long lasting. Ahluwalia picks: anything from Hugo THE INDIAN PANORAMA FOOD Kesar Peda Ingredients 500g Soft white milk fudge (khoya) 300gms sugar powdered ½tsp cardamom powder 1tsp cardamom seeds semi crushed 1tbsp slivered or crushed pistachios A few strands of saffron 1tbsp warm milk 2 drops saffron color (optional) Recipe Method: Soak the saffron in warm milk. Crumble the milk fudge. If very hard, grate the fudge. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Put mixture in a large heavy or nonstick pan. Heat on medium high for few minutes. Reduce the flame and cook till soft and gooey. Make sure to stir continuously, while on heat. When mixture is thick and gooey, add cardamom and saffron. Add the color if desired. Mix well, and take off fire. Allow to cool, gently turning occasionally. Use cookie molds, or shape pedas with palms into patty rounds. Mix pistachios and cardamom seeds and press a bit on top of each. If using molds, first sprinkle some at bottom. Take some mixture and press into mold. When set well, invert and carefully, unmold. PEACH ALMOND SUJI HALWA Ingredients Boss for men and Chanel for women. "Be careful of the notes. Men shouldn't go too floral and women shouldn't pick woody notes," he says. For the winter, one can pick spicy notes too. The scent should be undetectable to anyone more than an arm's length away from you in any direction. As a general rule of thumb - go scent free at job interviews. If your office doesn't have a fragrance policy, opt for a light perfume with no reapplication. "And a deodorant is not a stand-in for perfume," Ahluwalia talks of his pet peeve, "One is before you get dressed and for personal hygiene, the other is used after and for its feel-good factor - and never mix the two." It's a rather tall odour! 'OD' Cologne How to tell a colleague he/she has gone overboard - If you are friends, tell them directly. If you are not, broach it when the person is alone and be polite. They may not be aware that their perfume is a problem. When people wear the same fragrance for a long time, their scent receptors can become immune to it, so they overspray. - Say, "I'm sorry to ask you this, but I'm really sensitive to scents, and I think I'm reacting to something you're wearing..." And then ask them to tone it down. - If the colleague doesn't respond, get the manager in and ask her to raise the issue with the person. Source: TOI 1/2 cup almonds 1/2 cup suji 2 tsp ghee 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups water 8 peach halves, chopped 1-2 peach halves, sliced for garnish Method -Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 5 minutes, peel, and slice. Reserve -Place sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to mix sugar. Simmer until suji is ready, 2-3 minutes -In the meantime, roast the suji in a heavy bottom kadhai/wok over low heat until light golden brown. Reserve in a bowl -Heat ghee in the same wok and add the almonds and roast for 2-3 minutes. Next add the suji and continue to roast for 1-2 minutes over low heat -Gently pour in the boiling sugar syrup, keeping heat to low, and stir to mix -Increase heat to medium, and stir until the water is absorbed and the halwa begins to thicken and leave the sides of the wok Add the peaches and stir well until the halwa leaves the sides, 1-2 minutes -Transfer peach almond suji halwa to serving dish -Serve hot garnished with peach slices and slivered almonds ARE YOU A LOVE ADDICT? e are a generation of addicts - games, gadgets, goodies. But what slips quietly under the radar is relationship addiction. And it seems we all are W hooked Carrie Bradshaw — the poster girl for modern love — once talked of the zsa zsa zus. For the uninitiated, the zsa zsa zus, as she says are the "butterflies-in- your-stomach when you not only love the person, but you gotta have them!" Pop psychology? Not really. A 2010 Stanford study went on to prove that the butterflies are real. The study found that the euphoric 'high' of early days of love affects the brain in the same way drugs like cocaine or pain relievers do. And it seems people have found their go-to fix. LOVE AS A BAD MEDICINE Relationship addiction is on a high, pun unintended. The guiding principles are the same as any other addiction. Love addicts have a chronic and compulsive craving for romantic love to get a sense of security and self-worth. They flit from relationship-to- relationship, or stay in an emotionally — sometimes physically — abusive relationship because they feel a need for it. Not being in a relationship makes them jittery and restless. Psychologist Dr Rachna K Singh, is seeing more people under-30 with a history of 6-7 relationships. She says, "The practice of rebounds is going up. There's no mourning period or a cool down before jumping into a new alliance." Love addicts need admiration. Relationship counsellor Dr Geetanjali Sharma says, "The reason they jump ship when one relationship sinks is because there's a need to prove to themselves that there's nothing wrong with them - they can find partners easily." ADDICT VS EXPERIMENTER But not everyone who's experimenting with love is an addict. There are some who don't get hit by the emotional baggage of multiple relationships. People with low selfesteem, family history of abuse or neglect, coming from unhappy homes, or with bad experiences in a serious relationship are more likely to get caught in this love spiral. Each time they get into a new relationship, they say, "This one will work." Or, in case they get back with the same abusive partner, "This time will be different." Marriage counsellor Dr Nisha Khanna says that love addicts have a low emotional quotient (EQ). "Psychologically, we talk a lot about depression, conversations on EQ need to start," she says. What's needed is "a look within". As Sex and The City wisdom states: What do you call zsa zsa zu gone bad? Zsa zsa ew. THE INDIAN PANORAMA HEALTH & FITNESS SIT LESS, LIVE LONGER itting down most of your waking hours is as likely to kill you as base jumping, indicate a gaggle of studies released this year that found sitting to be an early marker for heart disease, diabetes, cancers and early death. This makes sitting a lifestyle risk factor along with smoking, overweight, high blood pressure, among others. Irrespective of how much you exercise the rest of the time, spending a lot of time sittingups your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dying prematurely, concluded a large review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine this week. It’s not enough to exercise for one hour a day and be sedentary for 23 others, said the study, which found people spend half their day sitting at workstations or hutched over smartphones. This study echoed the findings of a 2012 review of 18 studies that included 794,577 people, which had found that sitting for long periods raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease and death. The study, published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association of the Study of Diabetes, also found that the risk remained even when people met physical activity guidelines. S Trouble ahead Apart from leading to weight gain, sitting down raises calcification in the heart’s arteries, which is an early marker of heart disease, reported a study at the American College of Cardiology’s 64th Annual Scientific Session in March. Again, the study found no association between coronary artery calcification –calcium in plaques deposited within the heart’s arteries that cause narrowing and obstruction of blood flow measured through a heart CT scan -- and the amount of exercise a person does, suggesting too much sitting cannot be countered by exercising. Sitting also shows a gender bias. Spending leisure time sitting raises women’s cancer risk by 10 per cent, specifically for multiple myeloma (a type of blood cancer), breast, and ovarian cancers. The risk for women remained after adjusting for physical activity, body weight and other factors. There was association between sitting time and cancer risk in men, showed the study – published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention -- of more than 146,000 men and women (69,260 men and 77,462 women) who were part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. Fix it An average adult spends 50-70% of their waking hours sitting down, and by limiting the time spent sitting, the risk of diabetes, heart disease and death can be reduced. Breaks in sitting time improve markers of good health, such as lower body weight and improve diabetes control. Even healthy adults who exercise and sleep for eight hours each night should target to lower sitting time by two to three hours in a 12-hour work day, say experts. Cutting back on sitting time -- for example, standing up or moving for one to three minutes every half hour and fidgeting when you can’t -- should be a companion strategy to exercising an hour a day to lower risk of disease and death, show studies. A study in American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports that fidgeting counters the adverse health impacts of sitting for long periods. The study, from the University of Leeds and University College London, found that while women www.theindianpanorama.com YEARS who spent time sitting ranked high on risk levels, those who fidgeted a lot while sitting had the same low risk of disease as active women, showed data from more than 35,000 women aged 35 to 69 in the UK. Get smart Targeting sitting time, rather than physical activity, is the most effective way to reduce prolonged sitting, showed another review of strategies designed to reduce sitting time published in the journal Health Psychology Review earlier this week. The research, from King’s College London, searched the current existing literature on interventions that sought to reduce sitting time. Of the 38 interventions assessed, 23 (60 per cent) were found promising whilst 15 (39 per cent) were found to be worthless. Among things that work are offering employees sit-stand desks at work, keeping a record of individual sitting time, setting individual goals for limiting sitting time, and using prompts and cues on smartphones and fitness gadgets to remind you to get moving. The take-away for all of us is that prolonged sitting is a risk factor for lifestyle diseases independent of how much you exercise and the sooner you get up and start moving, the healthier you will be. FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 25 GUT BACTERIA CAN HELP LOSE FLAB iologists at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have for the first time identified in detail how some of our most common intestinal bacteria interact during metabolism. New research enables "tailored" diet advice based on our personal gut microbiome - for people who want to lose weight and reduce the disease risk. The researchers developed a mathematical calculation platform that makes it possible to predict how different patients will respond to a modified diet, depending on how their gut microbiome is composed. "This allows us to begin identifying each individual bacteria type's metabolism and thus get a handle on the basic mechanisms in human metabolism," said Jens Nielsen, professor of systems biology at Chalmers in a statement. There can be up to 1,000 different types of bacteria and other microorganisms in the human digestive system, many of which take part in metabolism in one way or another. "This is clear as regards to Type 2 diabetes, hardening of the arteries and obesity, for example. There are also indications that the same might apply to depression and the body's ability to respond to various cancer treatments," Nielsen explained. The research will make it easier for physicians to identify overweight patients who are at higher risk of cardiometabolic disease and could truly achieve major health benefits by modifying their diet and losing weight. "In the long term we might be able to add intestinal bacteria for patients whose metabolism does not function properly," she explained. What are known as probiotics are already being used - various yoghurt cultures are one example - but the task of these bacteria is primarily to stabilise the intestines and create a favourable environment. "The next generation of probiotics will pertain more to adding bacteria that integrate directly with the existing gut microbiome and make a lasting change to the composition," Nielsen noted. B Eat dried plums to reduce colon cancer risk diet rich in dried plums could reduce the risk of colon cancer according to a recent American study presented in Boston during the 2015 Experimental Biology conference. The fruit promotes the retention A of beneficial bacteria for the colon. Researchers from the Texas A&M University and the University of North Carolina based their study on preexisting research that demonstrated how one’s diet can modify the metabolism and the microbiota composition of the colon (the bacteria present throughout the colon and digestive tract). According to Dr. Nancy Turner, among the trillions of gastro-intestinal bacteria present in the digestive tract, over 400 individual species have already been identified. Previous studies have shown that disruptions to the microbiota are involved in the beginnings of intestinal inflammation as well as recurring inflammatory bouts that can lead to the development of colon cancer. “Our research explored the potential cancer-protective properties of dried plums using a well-established rat model of colon cancer,” explains Dr. Turner. “Dried plums contain phenolic compounds, which have multiple effects on our health, including their ability to serve as antioxidants....” The experiment tested the hypothesis that the consumption of dried plums would promote retention of beneficial microbiota and patterns of microbial metabolism throughout the colon. In order to do so, the researchers fed the rats either a diet that included dried plums or a control diet. After having examined the intestinal contents and different segments of colon tissue, the researchers found that a diet of dried plums had increased the quantity of Bacteroidetes and reduced the amount of Firmicutes, two major kinds of intestinal bacteria found in the distal colon, without modifying the amounts found in the proximal colon. On the contrary, the rats that were fed the control diet had a weaker amount of Bacteroidetes and a higher amount of Firmicutes. In addition, the researchers noted that the rats that had consumed dried plums also presented significantly reduced numbers of aberrant crypts, generally observed in precancerous lesions. For the research team, the reduction in aberrant crypts associated with an inverse ratio of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes support the hypothesis that dried plums appear to reduce the risk of colon cancer. The phenomenon could be explained in part by their ability “to establish seemingly beneficial colon microbiota compositions in the distal colon” concluded Dr. Turner. Both plums and prunes are considered anti-cancer foods thanks to their antioxidant properties. 26 www.theindianpanorama.com YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 YOUNG MASSIVE STAR IDENTIFIED IN THE MILKY WAY LONDON (TIP): A team of astronomers has identified a young star, located almost 11,000 light years away, which could help us understand how the most massive stars in the universe are formed. This young star, already more than 30 times the mass of our Sun "is still in the process of gathering material from its parent molecular cloud, and may be even more massive when it finally reaches adulthood". An average star like our Sun is formed over a few million years, whereas massive stars are formed in orders of magnitude faster, around 100,000 years. "These massive stars also burn through their fuel much more quickly, so they have shorter overall lifespan, making them harder to catch when they are infants," said Dr John Ilee from University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy. The protostar that Ilee and his colleagues identified resides in an infrared dark cloud - a very cold and dense region of space which makes for an ideal stellar nursery. By using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in Hawaii and the Karl G Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, the researchers were able to "see" through the cloud and into the stellar nursery itself. The researchers identified a key stage in the birth of a very massive star and found that these stars form in a similar way to much smaller stars like our Sun - from a rotating disc of gas and dust. The team was able to determine the presence of a "Keplerian" disc - one which rotates more quickly at its centre than at its edge. "This type of rotation is also seen in the solar system - the inner planets rotate around the Sun more quickly than the outer planets," said Ilee. "It's exciting to find such a disc around a massive young star, because it suggests that massive stars form in a similar way to lower mass stars, like our Sun," the author noted. WhatsApp to share user’s phone nos with Facebook essaging service WhatsApp has updated its global privacy policy, under which it will now share phone numbers of users with its parent company, Facebook. While the move will help Facebook offer more targeted advertisements on its own platform, WhatsApp will continue to be ad-free, a WhatsApp spokesperson told PTI. He added that this is the first time when WhatsApp has updated user privacy policy after being acquired by Facebook in 2014 in a USD 19-billion deal. Privacy advocates had raised concerns that Facebook would start mining WhatsApp accounts for data. However, both the companies have maintained that WhatsApp would operate separately from the parent company and that its user data would not be shared without users’ consent. WhatsApp has over one billion users globally, with a significant chunk coming from India. Facebook also runs photo-sharing platform, Instagram. “As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, this family of companies. We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our services and their offerings,” the spokesperson said. Source: PTI M SCIENCE & TECH THE INDIAN PANORAMA NASA REESTABLISHES CONTACT WITH SUN PROBE LOST TWO YEARS AGO WASHINGTON (TIP): Nasa has finally reestablished contact with a spacecraft communication with which was lost nearly two years ago. Contact was reestablished on Sunday with one of Nasa's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories, known as the STEREO-B spacecraft, after communication was lost on October 1, 2014, the US space agency said in a statement on Monday. However, the health of the observatory is not yet known. Over the course of the 22 months, the STEREO team had worked to attempt contact with the spacecraft. Most recently, they attempted a monthly recovery operation using NASA's Deep Space Network, or DSN, which tracks and communicates with missions throughout space. "The STEREO Missions Operations team plans further recovery processes to assess observatory health, reestablish attitude control, and evaluate all subsystems and instruments," the statement added. Communication with STEREO-B was lost during a test of the spacecraft's command loss timer, a hard reset that is triggered after the spacecraft goes without communications from Earth for 72 hours. The STEREO team was testing this function in preparation for something known as solar conjunction, when STEREO-B's line of sight to Earth -- and therefore all communication -was blocked by the Sun. The spacecraft's twin, STEREO-A, is still working normally, Space.com? reported. Launched in October 2006, STEREO is the third mission in NASA's Solar Terrestrial Probes programme (STP). It employs two nearly identical spacebased observatories -- one ahead of Earth in its orbit, the other trailing behind -- to provide the first-ever stereoscopic measurements to study the Sun and the nature of its coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. The two STEREO spacecraft were originally designed to complete a twoyear mission, ending in 2008. But -- like many NASA spacecraft -they lasted much longer. The long life of the two STEREO spacecraft has been a boon for scientists studying the Sun and its influence throughout the solar system, the US space agency said in a statement earlier. The two STEREOs slowly drifted away from Earth as they orbited the Sun, one ahead and one behind our home planet, giving scientists constantly-improving views of the Sun's far side, allowing us for the first time to see the whole Sun at once, it added. Source: IANS Here are some Android 7.0 Nougat’s cool new features ndroid’s next instalment Nougat is soon going to start rolling out to Nexus Devices and the 7th version of the operating system has some cool feature. While LG V20 will be the first smartphone that comes with Nougat out of the box, Google is promising seamless updates to manufacturers like HTC, Samsung, LG, Sony. However, Android is still suffering from a low adoption rate. Currently on 12% of Android devices are running the previous version -- Android Marshmallow, which is very low for an OS which has completed a year. Here are some cool features of the new operating system: Doze on the go: Android Marshmallow had improved battery life with the doze mode. The mode would kill CPU activity if the phone was stationary. But Android N or Nougat takes it to the next level. Even if the phone is in a pocket or in the bag as long as it not being used, it will go into Doze mode saving more battery. Notifications and multi-window feature: Simplicity is the name of the game. Andorid N has cleaned up the UI and users now can reply to a notification just from the bar itself just like in the new iOS 10 beta update. Long pressing the notification will show options to either remove the notification or interact with it in a different way. Coming to the multiwindow feature, Android N will allow users to perform tasks both in splitscreen mode or picture-in-picture mode. The new OS will let users decide the space for each window by tinkering with the divider, and it will work on A Android tablets, TV sets as well. New camera app: The stock camera app on Android will now come with three grid options including 4×4 grid, golden ratio overlay and a standard square. This will help the user during uploads to different websites which have different acceptance sizes for images. Data saver: This feature is sure to be a hit in India as it is one of the most price sensitive markets when it comes to data. The data saver will let a user restrict data usage for select apps in their smartphones. This will help those on a limited data pack per month, and keep a tab on apps which are data hogs. If the device is on a metered network, the system blocks background data usage, and signals apps to use less data in the foreground wherever possible. Vulkan 3D: The new Vulkan 3D rendering API will result in a “boost in performance for draw-call heavy applications.” Vulcan is now a part of the Android platform and will ensure better graphics performance, especially for gaming. DayDream: This new feature is a part of Google’s virtual reality (VR) platform. With the inclusion of the new feature, Google will be able to soon bring in VR centric Google Play Store, Street View, and Photos. Source: HT THE INDIAN PANORAMA BIZ AND FINANCE RBI LETS BANKS ISSUE MASALA BONDS, TO ACCEPT CORPORATE BONDS IN LAF MUMBAI (TIP): Reserve Bank on Thursday announced a slew of changes in fixed income and currency markets such as allowing lenders to issue 'masala bonds' and to accept corporate bonds under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF). "These measures are intended to further deepen market development, enhance participation, facilitate greater market liquidity and improve communication," an RBI release said. To encourage overseas rupee bonds market, banks are being permitted to issue rupee-denominated bonds overseas (masala bonds) for their capital requirements and for financing infrastructure and affordable housing. Currently, masala bonds can be issued only by corporates and non-banking lenders like, HFCs and large NBFCs. Masala bonds are instruments through which Indian entities can raise funds by accessing overseas capital markets, while the bond Investors hold the currency risk. These will constitute for additional tier-I and tier-II capital for the lenders, it said, adding such overseas bonds can also be issued to finance infrastructure and affordable housing under a current dispensation which applies for foreign currency bond raising. It can be noted that so far two Indian corporates — HDFC and NTPC — have made use of this facility to raise over Rs 5,000 crore, but the segment was not open to banks. The RBI will be seeking amendments to enable the central bank to accept corporate bonds under the LAF which is used to bridge temporary liquidity issues by lenders, it said. Outgoing Governor Raghuram Rajan had earlier said RBI would be announcing a series of measures aimed at bonds and currency markets by end of the month. Rajan, whose tenure ends on September 4, is likely to handover charge to Governor designate Urjit Patel on September 6. Stating the absence of an overarching ceiling on total borrowing by a corporate entity from the banking system has resulted in banks collectively having very high exposures to some of the large corporates, the RBI will be coming out with draft guidelines on the 'large exposure framework', it said. To give an impetus to the corporate bonds market, RBI has also decided to expand limit of partial credit enhancement (PCE) provided by banks. "The aggregate PCE that may be provided by the financial system for a given bond issue will be increased from the present 20 per cent to 50 per cent of the bond issue size subject to the PCE provided by any single bank not exceeding 20 per cent of the bond issue size and the extant exposure limits," the RBI said. RBI has constituted a working group to review the guidelines for hedging of commodity price risks by resident investors in the overseas markets. Patanjali becomes third largest FMCG seller at Future Retail NEW DELHI (TIP): Baba Ramdev promoted Patanjali Ayurved has become the third largest seller of FMCG products at the shelves of Kishore Biyani-led Future Retail. "Patanjali has become number three in sales at Future Retail's stores. The number one is HUL followed by P&G and Patanjali is at number three at our place," Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani told PTI. Patanjali, which had started its association with the Future group last October, is now followed by rivals like GCPL, Dabur, Emami etc. He further said: "Its (Patanjali) sales is growing every month. It would grow 20 per cent this month from the previous month." Besides, Future group, is also in talks for selling ayurvedic FMCG products of Sri Sri Ayurveda promoted by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. "We are also launching some products of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. It's in process," Biyani added. Future Group, which has several companies in its fold including Future Retail, Future Lifestyle Fashion, Future Consumer Enterprise etc, is expecting to end this fiscal with Rs 26,000 to 27,000 crore in overall revenue. "This fiscal year Future would clock around Rs 26,000 to 27,000 crore," he said. Last fiscal, it was around Rs 21,000 crore. Moreover, Future Group is also planning a major expansion of its southern supermarket chain Nilgiris by adding more products and taking the store count to 1,000 in next three years. The group, which had acquired the Bengaluru-based chain in 2014, is also launching new products in bakery to strengthen its portfolio. Source: PTI YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 27 SAUDI SIGNALS AT RAISING OIL OUTPUT AHEAD OF FREEZE TALKS MOSCOW/DUBAI (TIP): Saudi Arabia is sending signals that it could boost its crude oil supplies in August to a new record level, overtaking Russia, the world's top oil producer, as it gets ready for tough talks next month for a global output freeze pact. Industry sources say the kingdom, already the world's largest oil exporter, started to raise production from June, after holding it steady for the first half of the year, to meet rising seasonal domestic demand as well as higher export requirements. Higher production could give it more leverage during talks in September when both OPEC and non-OPEC producers are expected to revive a freeze deal to support oil prices, the sources say. Saudi Arabia appears to want higher prices, but agreeing a level to freeze supplies will be the main obstacle to a deal. Some analysts, however, said using hard negotiating tactics could backfire on Riyadh. "It would therefore be a very hard sell for Saudi Arabia to have other countries join a collective action plan, while it is the main source of supply increase - outside of Iran post sanctions," Olivier Jakob at Petromatrix said in a note. In June, Saudi Arabia pumped 10.55 million barrels of oil per day, and lifted production to 10.67 million bpd in July, the highest in its history. Now the sources expect the OPEC heavyweight to raise its crude supplies to another record this month as demand inside and outside the kingdom looks healthy. One source from outside OPEC said the Saudis were quietly telling the market that output could rise further in August to as high as 10.8-10.9 million bpd. Last week, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih sought to clarify why the kingdom hiked its production in July in an oversupplied market. In a statement, Falih explained the rise was due to rising seasonal domestic demand and customers asking for more oil worldwide. "Despite the bearish sentiment engulfing the market, we still see strong demand for our crude in most parts of the world, especially as supply outside OPEC has been declining fast, supply outages increasing, and global demand still showing signs of strength," he told state news agency SPA. The amount of crude supplied to the market in July was 10.75 million bpd, above actual output as Saudi drew down the additional barrels from its huge inventories, SPA reported. Oil prices dropped to $27 per barrel in January from as high as $115 in mid-2014, hitting the budgets of oil exporters worldwide, including Saudi Arabia, and resulting in a record fiscal deficit for Riyadh. A previous attempt to freeze output at January levels to support prices collapsed in April after Saudi Arabia said it wanted all producers, including Iran, to join the initiative. But since the appointment of Falih in April, Saudi Arabia has taken a softer tone towards Iran at OPEC. OPEC sources say the group will probably revive talks on freezing output when it meets non-OPEC nations next month in Algeria as Riyadh appears to want higher prices. In January when the freeze idea first emerged, Saudi Arabia was producing 10.2 million bpd. The Saudis are not alone in raising production. Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said in parliament last week he wanted to take the country's output to 4.6 million bpd within five years - well above the current 3.6 million bpd and pre-sanction levels of 3.8 million-4 million bpd. Iraq, OPEC's second largest producer, which said in April it would support the freeze deal, has since agreed new contract terms with oil majors to develop its massive fields, which will allow output to rise further next year by up to 350,000 bpd. Russia, which back in April was ready to freeze production in the first coordinated action with OPEC since 2001, has also signalled it is no longer very keen on a dialogue to freeze output and would continue boosting production. Its output currently hovers near an all-time high of 10.85 bpd and Russian officials expect it to edge up further next year. Source: Reuters US trade deficit hits $44.5 billion, biggest in 10 months WASHINGTON (TIP): The US trade deficit increased to the highest point in 10 months, driven up by a big rise in imports of oil and Chinesemade computers, cell phones and clothing. The deficit rose to $44.5 billion in June, 8.7 percent higher than a revised May deficit of $41 billion, the commerce department reported on Friday. It was the biggest gap between what America sells abroad and what the country imports since a $44.6 billion deficit last August. Exports, which have struggled this year because of the strong dollar and global weakness, edged up 0.3 percent to $183.2 billion. Imports rose a faster 1.9 percent to $227.7 billion, led by a 19.4 percent jump in petroleum imports. The politically sensitive deficit with China increased to $29.8 billion, the highest in seven months. A wider US trade deficit acts as a drag on growth because it means the nation is earning less on overseas sales of US exports while spending more on imported products. America's deficit with China was up 2.5 percent to the highest level since a deficit of $31.3 billion last November. Through the first six months of this year, the deficit with China, the largest with any country, is running 6.5 percent above the same period in 2015, putting it on track to set another annual record. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, seeking to tap into the economic anxiety of Americans who have seen jobs disappear in an increasingly global economy, has accused the Obama administration of failing to protect U.S. workers from unfair trade practices in China and other countries. Trump has said he would exit from the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico if it were not renegotiated, kill the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and take a more aggressive approach with China, including charging the country as a currency manipulator. The US Chamber of Commerce, normally an ally of Republicans on trade, contends that Trump's approach would cost 3.5 million US jobs and result in higher prices for American consumers and a weaker economy. Through the first six months of this year, the deficit is 2.3 percent below the same period in 2015, a year in which America's deficit in goods and services trade rose 2.1 percent to $500.4 billion. The lower deficit so far this year reflects the fact that while U.S. exports are down, the value of imports is down by a larger amount, reflecting in large part lower oil prices. Source: AP 28 www.theindianpanorama.com ASTROLOGY YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 THE INDIAN PANORAMA "|| SHRI GANESHAYA NAMAHA ||" Contact BEJAN DARUWALLA: BEJAN DARUWALLA E-mail : [email protected] Phone: +919825470377 Phone : +91-9825470377 PREDICTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 2015 Internationally acclaimed astrologer Bejan Daruwalla predicts: "I am sure Hillary Clinton will surely win the elections and will help the people in each and every way she can." TAURUS Predictions for the month of SEPTEMBER, 2016 Aries (April 20 to May 20) "From the land of mist and snow" you From Taurean Tendulkar a big Hop - step - jump to Satyajit Ray and Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will glimmer and glow. Simply put, it is the ground covered by the earthy sign Taurus. Obstinate, immensely capable, practical, fond of comforts means despite hardships you will and all the good things of life the Taurean has a finely tuned artistic and culinary side to his rigid nature. triumph and be happy. The mighty Taurus says I possess. He is happy with money. Surprisingly enough he is very God fearing, honest and hard Hanuman, signifying Saturn, will clear working. Quite You amay Family life, lots of entertaining, wining bull.feel you're being rewarded by the way for you. Worry not, be bold, Ganesha / God / Allah but all of a sudden and dining and also lots of financial Ganesha says a very demanding, perhaps communicate brilliantly, circulate emotional job and imaginative (twist and there isYour fulfilment, - satisfaction, activity convolutions are the new trends now.complexity), You try to even challenging start happily, is what secure Ganesha freely, converse in the nature favors kindness, charity, it quiteinto a tangled You will recognition, popularity . I need to warn you resolve make them onetale.totally gives you this period. Work willbe be victorious. vitally knowledge that you will benevolence. Blessings gurus both sting and- sing, expenses against letting your ego - usually larger of than lifewill is homogeneous whole all geared (I mean important, of course, and you'll try to give it your balance your depression, mood mount, taking care of others, most Leos - take over. You'll lose the regard of the finances, entertaining) to a better quality of life for best shot. Arians go all out when they hunt, don't swings. nursing, fulfilling numerous social, Taurus people whose approval you crave the most. Nurture the family, and yourself in the midst of safeguarding it. You will they? It is however, people and how you relate to charitable obligations, your spiritual side, touch base with both old and new have parties, house guests, children doing them that is the core area now. Where there may be a your own health and that of your "One touch to her hand / one word in friends, keep the lines of bonding, communication, sleepovers, and also much greater faith, spirituality, life - time bound developing and glorious love (all partner, will lead to genuine her ear," is just what Ganesha ordered affection open is Ganesha's parting advice. religious observance. adding up to marriage, if The you're still single) there spirituality. May is a mixed grill of for you. astro reason is that the Virgo trips and ties. For sure. could also be a breakup, / separation. Sun isainparting your own sign, Western Multiple events happen with Astrology. Why? In your sensitivity Capricorn surprising velocity and suddenness. and sympathy is your spirituality and The rune, Isa, showing standstill, in salvation. Friends, partying, hosting, The Taoist masters say "stand like a the vortex and whirlpool of life, is entertaining is the dominant tone of pine and walk like the wind". It your best bet, materially, May. A boon will be given to you, and means brand you. Fan -out to You want to a live lifenew truly king size. psychologically, spiritually. The you will do plenty of good to others. people and places. Your neighbors, There's nothing that you want to leave to Once more, you focus on changes in the Faith, finances, friends mantra is,entertaining, "I will to do THY will".- all The Gains and gaiety and goodness are the and your communicative skills will the chance of being second rate. Higher family, or3G's. the family equation - there could show anhome upward pleasing to andmovement. the outsideIt's world, pull you decide your quota of -happiness. Yes, learning, further study, be a fraught situation there. You may find be part of it all. Children drawThe close, in different directions. lastthere 10 we all have our stipulatedresearch, share. daysand are pointers to the ties; real you're enhancement of your / qualifications is the yourself taken unawares, or even a little is affection closer family Trips skills and ties will be contributory spiritual material, of name of the gamefactor. now. And you play well! Travel, hurt by developments. I must explain theand financial angle Gemini Property matters will fulfilled and happy.direction, Contacts leaditto bliss. Love Have faith. micro - (read and be loved. business partnerships, the Expenses progress mount. of your definitely be handled - adding on, acquiring, a little, though. It'syour the life. macro - rather You will beseech Shiva and the West children are all favored, too, and will yield the renovating, even trade - offs and exchanges - possibly domestic / personal) level that you're on Wind, "Destroyer and Preserver; hear, results you've envisaged. You will even be within the family. OIthear!" will see generous, stock options; in short, the Bothyou will being hear you and help investments, trading, Libra imaginative and Aquarius inspired in your handling of accommodating, staying cool. larger picture but geared to family welfare. you. Tremendous and awesome "The light that never was on land and religion and faith.Remember 'Great mental pressures of work and home. Leos are "yehactivity' - HOW -thus vah"sums the sea" can be yours, as the Sun (light) capable of living with it. May 4 full it all up! god of the Old Testament, as this and Neptune (mysticism) make a Moon, makes you balance work and can be a month for pilgrimage, mighty fine formation. Journeys, home till you are blue and red in the glimpses of God, looking after the ceremonies, rites of passage, rituals, face. Parents, boss and in - laws pitch unfortunate and the troubled in ancestor worship, research await you in with a vengeance. spirit. Technology and humanity will with open arms. Give them a hug. find a marriage in your mind, blood, You can't move away from personal Finances continue to be center stage, Expenses will go through the ceiling. This Time to move in every which way. heart. I am bursting at the seam relationships, perhaps even at work! You claiming a lot of your time and attention. might well beas theI predict only catch an otherwise Anticipate a few obstacles, hurdles. Cancer even this.inExpenses and will, in fact, personalize your work, put Trade mark-ups, offs,perfect. speculation high - illpowered period Nothing in spin life is- ever - health are part ofofthegains game. and withstamp open on mouths their your own"Singing individual it. You need and investing in good shares (are there any, achievements. thrust will now be on NothingThe in life is perfect. strong melodious songs" is applicable to do it because you may perceive room for as I write this?) Work and home are balanced contacts, communications, correspondence even equally to you dear Cancerians. All Scorpio improvement in your personal space in terms of home harmoniously, and you even have the tie and cybermail (is there such a term? If not, I've just coined your talent and open artistry and / property, your time with your family . You want all inclinations to play the field a little in terms of it!) - all the C's. YouPisces may have your own Internet portal, Walking on the wild side is not the creativity will swish and soar. Children these to be just right and goand all delight. out to make it so. You goodside vibes withspiritual someone new, or or perhaps some hush - hush deals. The range is vast, or the side. Keep give joy Friends and well - passion, great sex,right There is "a green bough (branch) in rarely do things by wishers halves, anyway . Alongsense withof such your poise, valuesphysical and ideas. indeed! will spring to your help. Love an existing partner. your heart and the singing birds will A journey, a message, a contact, a liaisons. and laughter will flow freely. surely come." Good for you! contract spurs you powerfully. Mars, Entertainment, amusement, children your main planet, Western Astrology and brainchildren, music, dance, gives impetus and galvanizes you; Leo drama, a round of good cheer should best to channelize it in prayers, please you. Let yourself go. In the God allows U - turns and you U - turn meditation, love, sex. Let the release, is your true spirituality. All thattowards caring tantra, may well have devotion, taken thejoint You have got your work and money angles mantra, temporal lead to the spiritual. Got it? Neptune in your sign, mickey finance, out of loans, you, leaving you feeling A firmly under control, with your activities of You now see yourself in Western terms of the funds, collaboration. Astrology, give pep push. mix by, of the spiritualused. and material. hard done exploited, We're all the last period. Now you have the time, the community, of society, ofand even a Extend world your boundaries. Health and accidents, are a possibility. only human, after all. Showdowns, will, the Sagittarius desire to turn to people. Your self order. You're willing to give something of But,confrontations I do go wrong, could so, notflare to worry. Ganesha! arguments, up image, popularity, public image show a yourselfShri to all of the above - and love it! It Confusion, complications, contacts, more so in the work scene. You try to rise above them, major rise. Finances, too, are pretty good and serve to is a mindset that works well closer to, and in, the avoiding both pettiness and vindictiveness in your further boost your confidence. Please note the use of home, too. Friends, relatives, children, their friends, attitude and dealings. Your lover / spouse stands by the word 'further'. You seldom, if ever, lack confidence neighbors will be pampered, indulged, amused, taken you, making large - heartedness easier to - sometimes, in fact you have too much of it. care of, as you lavish time, effort, money, and above accomplish. You don't want to be small - minded. all, love, on them. Aries Leo Sagittarius Capricorn Taurus Virgo Gemini Libra Aquarius Cancer Scorpio Pisces Bejan Daruwalla is world's most famous astrologer today. He appears regularly on world wide TV shows. Bejan who has been a professor in English, has authored a number of books on astrology. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi , on March 29, 2012, lunched one of Bejan's books, '2012- End of the World? Bejan contributes to a number of journals and newspapers in many parts of the world which include Berkley Communications (London) Times of India (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) and The Indian Panorama ( New York and Texas). Bejan's predictions have mostly been correct and people the world over rely on his predictions. Bejan Daruwalla is available for astrological consultaBejan Daruwalla is available for astrological tions. He can be reached at [email protected]. He can also be reached over phone at 011-91consultations. He can be reached at 9825470377. Bejan Daruwalla's address in India is: A-5 SPECTRUM and on phone 011-91-9825470377 TOWER, SHAHIBAUG, AHMEDABAD 380004, GUJARAT. [email protected] THE INDIAN PANORAMA SPIRITUALITY YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 29 SHANKH A symbol of luster, brilliance and purity n Hindu religion, Shankh, is of great importance and symbolizes luster, brilliance, purity and auspicious. In India the sound of the conch is associated with the sacred syllable AUM, the first sound of creation. Conches that spiral clockwise are said to symbolize the expansion of infinite space. These conches belong to Lord Vishnu, the preserver god. Conches that spiral counterclockwise are said to defy the "laws of nature," and belong to the destroyer/transformation god, Lord Shiva. The conch is one of the five principle weapons of Vishnu. Followers of Vishnu believe the conch shell was given to us to destroy all evil. Arjuna, the hero of India's epic Mahabharata, blew a particularly powerful conch as a battle horn. It was said to banish evil spirits, avert natural disasters and scare away poisonous creatures. Lord Shiva once stole Vishnu's conch, but blew the conch so loudly that Vishnu knew immediately who had it. Shiva instantly appeared before Vishnu and explained that the conch was at his home on Mt. Kailash, but it was his son the elephant god Ganesh who had it. If Vishnu wanted the conch returned he would first have to perform a puja ceremony in honor of Ganesh. The Hindu gods are always engaged in these mythic dramas, usually for our benefit. You can hear all of these stories from India's itinerant holy men, the sadhus. When the sadhus sit around a ceremonial fire and smoke ganja in their chillum pipes, before they light up they chant, "Bom Shiva Shankara!" which means "Hail Lord Shiva the Conch Shell Blower!" A conch (shankha) is blown to invoke Shiva, this is not so in the case of other Hindu deities. The conch is a rather primitive instrument used in tribal societies. There is a special relation between the conch (shankha) and Shiva as is evident from the similarity between the word Shankha and the word Shankara which is one of Shiva's many names. The word Shankara could have been derived from Shankha-kara which roughly means conch-blower (Shankha = conch, Kara = blower). In Vishnu’s lower right hand, which represents the revolving or creative tendency, I hold the conch, symbol of the five elements. The Conch (SHANKH) named PANCHJANYA is the fountain that evolves the five elements, i.e., water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. When blown it produces a sound that is associated with primeval sound from which creation developed. This is one of the most important emblems of Vishnu. The blowing of the conch symbolizes the primordial creative voice and Indian mysticism links it to the sacred sound OM, which is said to be the breath of Vishnu, pervading all space. Its convolutions are variously suggested as the rising and setting sun, hence further cementing Vishnu's solar associations. Shankh literally means ‘pacifying the inauspicious.’ In Hinduism, origin of the conch shell took place during the Samudra Manthan or churning of ocean. There are two types of Shankh – left handed conch shell and right handed conch shell. Valampiri Shankh or Lakshmi Shankh is the right handed conch shell and is considered auspicious. The shankhas that open towards the right hand are called Dakshinavarti Shankhas. Vamavarti and Dakshinavarti Shankha are important within Sanatana Dharama. The right-handed conch, also known as the "Sri Lakshmi Conch", is held to bring abundant blessings on the possessor. The Dakshinavarti Shankha is a kind of calling card for Sri Lakshmi (or Padma), the consort of Lord Vishnu; she removes sorrows and gives intelligence, success, and worldly freedom. According to tradition, a living right-handed conch is conceptually indistinguishable from an earthly incarnation of Vishnu or Lakshmi themselves; the blessings of Lakshmi literally flow out of the remaining shell on their own. Usually, right handed conch shell is used for worship. The shell is thoroughly cleaned and is placed on a clean cloth, usually red , white or yellow cloth. Normal puja is performed. In some places, conch shell is placed on a silver or clay pot. A cloth is used to cover the mouth of the pot and it is placed on it. People usually collect and keep water in conch shell and is sprinkled while performing pujas. While performing Lakshmi Puja, conch shell is filled with milk and then it is poured over the idol. Water collected in Shankh with Holy Ganga water, banana, china rose flower and atap rice - is offered while worshipping sun. Leaving aside the mythology part, the conch shell's significance can also be corroborated by science. If you try holding a shankha near your ear, the sound of the gently humming ocean can be heard. This is actually the natural vibration or cosmic energy of the Earth which gets magnified on entering the conch shell. I Page sponsored by ARISH K. SAHANI Serving Since 1972 These shahkhas are rare and are available in white color with brown lines on them that run towards the right or South. Lord Kuber (God of wealth) resides in South and so this shankha represents wealth and prosperity. Shankha is blown at every festival and auspicious beginning and the sound ushers in freshness and new hope. Right handed conch shell is kept at home by many people as it is believed to bring wealth and prosperity. It is also associated with Kubera, god of wealth. Many institutions and organizations employ conch shell as their symbol. Shankha is closely associated with Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. Image of Lord Vishnu always has him holding a conch shell. It is believed that during the Samdura Manthan, first conch shell appeared and it was followed by Goddess Lakshmi. The conch has the form of a multiple spiral evolving from one point into everincreasing spheres. It thus denotes eternity, since it may go on forever Hindu religious art often shows deities carrying a conch shell, although both the Please Call or Write for Your Insurance Needs Arish, Shiv, Priya 718 -271-1906 [email protected] “If Hindus don’t maintain Hinduism, who shall save it? If India’s own children don’t cling to their faith, who shall guard it?Indian alone can save India, and India and Hinduism are one.” 30 www.theindianpanorama.com YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 TRAVEL THE INDIAN PANORAMA RISHIKESH HUB OF YOGA, MEDITATION AND SPIRITUALITY ishikesh, situated in the foothills of Himalayas on the banks of River Ganga in Northern India, is undoubtedly one of the best places to find quick relaxation from the mundane life. Located about 43 km away from Dehradun, Rishikesh is a hub of Yoga, meditation and spirituality. The place is frequented by many international travellers and pilgrims. Rishikesh has also become a popular destination for white water rafting, attracting tourists from both India and abroad. It is also a center for hiking, backpacking, camping, rock climbing, rappelling, kayaking and bungee jumping. No doubt, it has become one stop destination for everyone seeking peace, fun and enjoyment. Besides these, there are 5 things about Rishikesh that you never knew. R NEERGARH FALLS Rishikhesh is the home to many lesserknown waterfalls and the beauty of these hidden treasures is that one has to take a trek of few Kilometres to reach the falls. If you wish to spend some quality time with your family and friends amidst nature-rich environs, you can definitely plan a waterfall trekking in Rishikesh. The trekking to Neergadh Waterfall starts 3 km away from Laxman Jhula on the Badrinath Highway. It is one of the most frequented waterfalls as it is easiest to access. Visit Neergarh Waterfall just after monsoon season and you will witness water cascading thousands of feet from the mountain top. There are small pools along the hike where a hiker can sit and enjoy the serenity of falls, while soaking the tired feet. You can also consider taking a dip into the pool of fresh water. Trekking through Neergarh waterfall and passing by shallow pool will give you a feel and touch of what the state of Uttarakhand is all about. The best thing about this adventure activity is that it does not require any special skill to trek, owning to easy path and can be undertaken by people from all age group. Vendors are also available here to sell the beverages, which will cost slightly higher but a cup of tea in hand will be a good idea to enjoy the surreal beauty of the place. NEELKANTH TEMPLE Neelkanth temple is one of the most sacred places of worship for Hindus. It is situated on a hill above Swargashram and located at a distance of 32 km from Rishikhesh. Neelkanth temple is considered to be an apt example of complete natural hill heaven that lies adjacent to mountain ranges of NarNarayan. Owing to its raw beauty & religious significance, both the devotees and nature lovers visit the place round the year. The way to the temple is quite exhilarating. There are steep & narrow roads taking above the hill, which will add the extra spice of adventure amidst the beauty. There is river flowing on one side and mountain terrain is on the other side. Road is very curvy and narrow with steep slopes. TREKKING THROUGH RISHIKESH Trekking is all about reconnecting yourself with nature and exploring the wonders of the Himalayas. For adventure enthusiasts, it is a much sought after option to escape the daily mundane life to find themselves in the lap of nature. Walking through verdant landscape, lush greenery and waterfall, and breathing in fresh air really prove to be a refreshing experience. Located in the lap of the Shivalik Himalayas, the picturesque town of Rishikhesh offers a host of scenic locales for trekkers. It gives the trekker a chance to witness the outstanding scenery of flowery green meadows, dense forests, fascinating local communities and astounding landscape of the eastern part of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges. There are all sorts of treks available near Rishikhesh, which can be categorised into easy, moderate and hard treks. Small treks can be done in the adjoining villages and waterfalls while longer treks can be taken in near-by mountains. Few famous treks which can be taken near Rishikhesh are Neer Garh waterfall trek, Kunjapuri trek, Neelkanth Temple Trek, and Jhilmil Gufa Trek. Longer treks which serve route from Rishikhesh are Gomukh (Gaumukh) Trek, Valley of flower Trek, Tungnath-Chandrasheela Trek, Deoria Taal Trek, Hemkund sahib trek, Kuari Pass Trek and Roop Kund Trek. DEVPRAYAG In Sanskrit, prayag means 'confluence' and Devprayag stands for 'holy confluence'. Devprayag is the confluence of two holy rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi to form Ganga. According to religious scriptures, Devprayag is one of the five important holy confluences. Rivers like Bhagirathi, Alaknanda & the mythological river Saraswati (flowing underground) meet to from the River Ganga. River Bhagirathi originates from Gangotri and Alaknanda originates from Badrinath, both of which are considered sacred destinations for Hindus across the world. Devprayag is the last prayag of River Alaknanda. Religiously, the site is very sacred and holds immense significance among the Hindu followers. It is believed that Lord Rama and the King Dushratha did penance here. There is an ancient temple of Raghunathji built above the confluence with massive rocks. It is believed that the temple was built more than ten thousand years ago. There is a small water spring called Baitalshila, which is believed to have powers to cure leprosy. Devprayag is also hugely blessed with divine natural beauty and showers tourists with its serenity. The place is accessible throughout the year and can be visited anytime. Try avoiding Devprayag during monsoons, when the water level rises and there are chances of roads getting blocked due to landslides. Devprayag is a small town situated in Tehri Garhwal district in the state of Uttarakhand, located on the Rishikhesh-Badrinath highway. RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK Rajaji National Park is known for its pristine scenic beauty and rich bio-diversity. A paradise for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, Rajaji National Park or Chilla Park is just 25 km away from Rishikhesh. A normal safari by jeep usually takes 3 to 4 hours to complete the 36 km stretch of safari range and costs around Rs. 1200-1500 per person. It is carried out twice in a day; at 7 am in the morning and around 2 pm in the afternoon. Rajaji National Park is home to Asian elephants, deers, birds, tigers (only few), and antelopes such as the Nilgai, langoors etc. This park is the first staging ground for the migratory birds when they cross Himalayas to enter India. The Himalayan pied kingfisher, fire tailed sunbird & great pied hornbill can be spotted here. The safari in the park is organised throughout the year, adding its touch of special essence every season. Don't miss out on an early morning drive along the river stream which connects to Power House in Chilla. In addition there are many hotels and tourist complexes available around Rajaji National Park at Haridwar and Rishikhesh, which makes it even more convenient to visit THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVERTISEMENT YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 31 32 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 contd from Page 1 Hillary Clinton leads... In a four-way race, Clinton leads Trump 45 percent to 38 percent while 10 percent support Libertarian Gary Johnson and 4 percent back Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Clinton's expansive lead is due to support from women and non-white voters, Quinnipiac said. Trump, meanwhile, leads among men and white voters. The poll found that 32 percent of Clinton's supporters actually back her while 47 percent of them are voting to oppose Trump. On the other hand, a quarter of Trump's supporters actually support him compared to nearly two-thirds who are voting for him mainly to oppose Clinton. Both candidates, according to the poll have negative favorability ratings -Clinton's favorable/unfavorable rating is 41 percent/53 percent, while Trump's is 33 percent favorable / 61 percent unfavorable. Thirty-seven percent of likely voters said they'd consider a third-party candidate. But two-thirds of voters said Clinton is qualified to serve as president, the poll found, whereas 58 percent said Trump is not qualified. Three-quarters of voters said that Trump should release his tax returns, including 62 percent of Republicans. Nearly 60 percent of voters said "the way Donald Trump talks appeals to bigotry." A Suffolk University poll released Thursday, August 25, found Clinton leads Trump by 7 percentage points in Michigan. The Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,498 voters between August 18 and 24 with a 2.5 percentage point margin of error. YEARS Historic Peace Accord... millions fled their homes because of the violence. The accord, which was reached after almost four years of talks in Cuba, sparked celebrations in parks and bars in the Colombian capital, Bogota. It will now go to a plebiscite vote on October 2. "Today I can say - from the bottom of my heart - that I have fulfilled the mandate that you gave me," said President Juan Manuel Santos, 65, who was re-elected in 2014 on the promise of a peace deal. "Colombians: the decision is in your hands. Never before have our citizens had within their reach the key to their future," he said in a televised address. Most opinion polls suggest Colombians will back the deal but Santos, who has staked his legacy on peace, will face fierce opposition from powerful sectors of the country who believe the only solution is to finish the FARC militarily. The deal is opposed by two former Colombian presidents, including popular right-wing hardliner Alvaro Uribe. In Bogota, several hundred people gathered around a giant screen in the rain to listen to the announcement, waving Colombian flags and banners. Under the deal, the FARC will have nonvoting representation in Congress until 2018 and can participate in elections. From then on, the 7,000 former rebels will have to win votes like any other political party, Santos said. "We have won the most beautiful of all battles" lead FARC negotiator Ivan Marquez said following the announcement in Havana on Wednesday. "The war with arms is over, now begins the debate of ideas." The two sides had signed a ceasefire in late June. US President Barack Obama spoke by phone with Santos on Wednesday TURN PAGE to congratulate him on the deal, the White House said. Plebiscite to decide fate of accord on October 2 The deal, opposed by two former Colombian presidents, still needs to be voted on in a plebiscite. Colombia's president Juan Manuel Santos said Colombians would decide to approve or reject the peace accord in a plebiscite vote on October 2 But the FARC were hit hard by Uribe's government from 2002, when he launched a US-backed offensive that killed many guerrilla leaders and halved their ranks The FARC took up arms in 1964 to fight against deep economic and social inequalities and, funded by the cocaine trade and kidnappings for ransom, swelled to as many as 17,000 fighters at the end of the 1990s, controlling large swathes of the country Grim count of five-decade-old war There are nearly 8 million war victims registered on the government's official register, the majority of whom have been forcibly driven from their homes by the warring sides With 6.7 million people uprooted, Colombia has one of the world's highest displaced populations. Indigenous groups and Afro-Colombian communities have been disproportionately affected by displacement More than 230,000 children have been forced to flee their homes since peace talks with the FARC began in November 2012 Around 7,850 child soldiers have fought in rebel and paramilitary ranks. Over the decades, rebel groups have planted landmines to push back government troops making Colombia quite literally a minefield. It's not known exactly where all the landmines are After Cambodia and Afghanistan, Colombia has the third highest number of landmine casualties, with 11,440 people, including civilians, children and soldiers killed or injured by landmines since 1990 Rape has been used as weapon of war by all factions. Around 14,000 women, men and children have been victims of sexual violence At least 40,000 Colombians have disappeared without trace during the conflict. (Source: agency reports) Navtej Sarna likely to... Sar na is favored to head for Washington as Ambassador to the US, considered a high-profile posting. The other two are Pankaj Saran, India's Ambassador to Russia, and Navdeep Suri, Indian High Commissioner to Australia. It is lear nt the India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha may replace Mr. Sar na in the UK. Mr. Sar na, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) of ficer of the 1980 batch, was THE INDIAN PANORAMA serving as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of Exter nal Affairs before he was posted to London in January. The 59-year-old diplomat was among the longest-serving spokespersons of the MEA. He had held the post between 2002 and 2008. Mr. Sar na is likely to take up the new assignment in the midst of the highvoltage presidential campaign in the US and his main task will be to ensure continuity in Indo-US relations when a new dispensation takes charge in Washington. Mr. Sar na is an author of many fiction and non-fiction books, with the most recent being 'Second Thoughts: On Books, Authors and the Writerly Life' released last year. He was also India's Ambassador to Israel from 2008 to 2012. For two years from August 2012, Mr. Sar na had served as additional secretary in-charge of inter national organizations in the MEA. Mr. Sar na had served at various Indian missions, including in Moscow, Warsaw, Tehran, Geneva, Thimphu and Washington. Mr. Sinha, tipped to be Indian High Commissioner to the UK, is a seasoned diplomat and, in his career spanning 35 years, he has handled several important assignments at the MEA and in Indian diplomatic missions in South Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South America. Taranjit Sandhu, who is India's deputy chief of mission in Washington, is headed to Sri Lanka as the new High Commissioner. Mr. Sandhu's position is likely to be taken up by Santosh Jha, Joint Secretary (policy planning) in the Ministry. NOTICE NAME CHANGE I, Ajit Singh Bhalla, son of Parshotam Singh Bhalla, holder of Indian passport no. G0037098, issued at Chandigarh on September 28, 2006, permanent resident of house no. 2, Sham Nagar, Model Town, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana and presently residing at 22 Lawrence Street, Hicksville, NY 11801, have changed my name from Ajit Singh Bhalla to Ajit Singh, with immediate effect. I, Jasvir Singh Lubana, son of Jarnail Singh Bhalla, holder of Indian passport no. H0028590, issued at Milan on August 4, 2008, permanent resident of VPO Jalalpur, Tehsil Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur, Punjab and presently residing at 1470 Cameron Glen Drive, Marietta, GA 30062, USA, have changed my name from Jasvir Singh to Jasvir Singh Lubana, with immediate effect. Look out for news, views and reviews. Log on to www.theindianpanorama.com THE INDIAN PANORAMA CLASSIFIEDS YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 33 ACCOUNTING EATS EATS NEW JERSEY NEW JERSEY NEW YORK SRI GANESH'S DOSA HOUSE SHAN SWEETS INC. Exceptional Indian Cuisine 809 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 Gopal/Madhavi Indian, Pakistani & Bangladesh All Kinds of Sweets, Snacks & Catering for all Occasions 119-16 94th Avenue, S. Richmond Hill, NY 11419 PH# 201-222-3883 Tel: 718-850-7800 | Fax: 718-850-7801 EATS EATS INCOME TAX: INDIVIDUAL/BUSINESS/NON-PROFIT New Company setup -Accounting-Payroll Foreign Assets Reporting (FBAR) & Tax matters NAILESH T BHAVSAR CPA (Chartered Accountant-INDIA) 100 Plainfield Ave, Suite 6 A EDISON, NJ 08817 TEL: (732) 317 3696 EATS LONG ISLAND CHENNAI DOSAS Kosher South Indian Vegetarian Restaurant Dine In - Take Out - Catering 128 Broadway Hicksville, NY 11801 Tel: 516-681-5151 Fax: 516-681-5151 Email: [email protected] EATS RAJBHOG FOODS INC. Sweets & Snacks 351 S. Broadway Hicksville, NY 11801 PH# 516-513-0939 Cell: 917-533-9865 NEW JERSEY SATGURU SWEETS & CATERING Catering for all Occasions 134-08 Rockaway Blvd South Ozone Park, NY 11420 PH# 718-659-5235 EATS BENGALI SWEET HOUSE Indian Cuisine 836 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 DOSA HUT 100% Vegetarian Catering for all Occasions 777 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 Jignesh PH# 201-420-6660 Fax# 201-420-0635 EATS SAKOON INDIAN RESTAURANT Vegetarian & Non-Vegetarian Fine Dine In & Pick up 275 W. Old Country Road Hicksville, NY 11801 PH# 201-798-9240 PH# 201-798-9241 PH# 516-935-3846 PH# 516-935-0190 FAX# 516-935-1213 EATS EATS GROCERY TASTE OF COCHIN PUNJABI KITCHEN Fine Indian Restaurant & Bar WE SERVE NORTH INDIAN & SOUTH INDIAN FOOD. WE DO HAVE A PARTY HALL 248-08 Union Turnpike Bellrose, NY 11426 Manager: Jibi PH# 718-347-3900 Indian Visa Center VISA / OCI PIO / PASSPORT APPLICATION ASSISTANCE CENTER 349 S. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801 1691 Oak Tree Road Edison, NJ 08820 NEW JERSEY SUBZI MANDI Cash & Carry A House of Fresh Fruits, Vegetable and INDO-PAK & B-DESH Grocery PH# 732-596-7907 815 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 PH# 201-222-9442 FAX# 201-222-9432 ASTROLOGY GROCERY Astrologer Kunjvihari Pathak NEW YORK www.punjabikitchenrestaurant.com Email [email protected] Get Astrological Guidance and Remedies for ● Education ● Job ● Business ● Marriage ● Health ● Prosperity ● Protection Contact Internationally well - known J & P GUYANA W.I. GROCERY INC. We carry a wide range of West Indian Grocery at low prices 113-17 Liberty Avenue Astrologer Kunjvihari Pathak Richmond Hill, NY 11419 Email: [email protected] Tel. (732) 500-7453 President: David Ramsawmy (Elvis) Cell: 516.304.8808 Fax: 516.218.8009 Email: [email protected] PH# 718-925-0100 DEEPAK BANSAL 34 www.theindianpanorama.com SPORTS YEARS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 THE INDIAN PANORAMA AFTER SUDHA SINGH, OP JAISHA HAS SWINE FLU TOO Abhinav Bindra to head NRAI review committee on Rio debacle NEW DELHI (TIP): India's first and only individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra was on Thursday named chairman of a five-member review committee to probe the shooters' Rio Games debacle but has recused himself from questioning them as he was himself a part of the team. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said the mandate of the committee is to "examine and identify in a cold and ruthless manner" the causes behind shooting not securing any medals at the Rio Olympics. The committee is also mandated to recommend concrete steps that NRAI must immediately undertake to ensure that this is not repeated in future Olympics. Bindra, who retired from the sport after his fourth-place finish in Rio, has told NRAI that though he would not question any of his teammates, he would remain open to any assessment by the review committee. The NRAI order states that only in "matters specifically pertaining to the interview or findings/conclusions if any against or in favour of any Olympic team athlete that maybe examined by the committee, the Chairman of the committee shall be exempt participation in toto from such tasks by recusal, however upon his own request he too shall make himself available for interview by the remainder of the panel." The order further states that, "for this specific issue only, the remaining members of the commission shall officiate jointly, where majority view shall prevail". Other members of the committee include former tennis player Manisha Malhotra, who has also been appointed convenor of the committee, NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia and two journalists. The order empowers the committee to go into a wide range of factors affecting the performance of the athletes. Also, as per the order, the NRAI Review Committee has been asked to submit its report to the President within a maximum period of four weeks. The committee is expected to hold its first meeting on the August 30 or 31 and it has also been allowed the use of all available technology to help conduct its work smoothly. (PTI) BENGALURU (TIP): The Sports Authority of India's fears came true when marathon runner OP Jaisha, who left the campus as soon as she landed from Rio last week, tested positive for H1N1on August 25. Jaisha, who fainted after the women's marathon at the Olympics owing to dehydration, submitted her blood samples on Wednesday, four days after she returned to the city along with middle distance runner Sudha Singh last Saturday. Test results confirmed that she was also suffering from the flu. "OP Jaisha has tested positive for H1N1 and has been admitted to Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta road, following a recommendation made by Dr Sunanda (district surveillance officer of the state health and family welfare department). Her reports came from NIMHANS today and she has already been put on antiviral drugs. She will be provided all support from our side till she gets completely well," Dr Harshvardhan, Karnataka surveillance officer, told media. While Sudha, who complained of fever and bodyache, was the first to test positive for H1N1 after she was admitted to a hospital hours after she had landed in the city, Jaisha was keen on going back to her home town in Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment. She left SAI soon after but did not return to Kerala. She was staying at her friend's house close to the campus, it is learnt. On Wednesday, doctors from the state health department and surveillance as well SAI officials tracked her down and convinced her to submit her blood samples. A day later, they admitted her to hospital. The athlete, who has been ill and racked by cough ever since she landed in the city, has not fully recovered from dehydration, it is learnt. Doctors at the hospital have been told that she needs to be treated for electrolyte imbalance too, sources told media. (TOI) Another dope controversy hits NADA NEW DELHI (TIP): Close on the heels of the Narsingh Yadav+ controversy, another athlete banned for doping has moved Delhi High Court alleging foul play. Sumati Devi, a national level weightlifter who is facing a four-year ban for allegedly taking a prohibited substance, has claimed in her plea that one of her colleagues gave her a drink laced with a banned drug. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva has sought a reply from National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on her plea and also issued notices to the Centre and CRPF on Devi's petition. She is working as a CRPF inspector and is a resident of Manipur. Devi has sought quashing of the July 8 order passed by NADA, terming the penalty of four years "very harsh". Devi has alleged that one of her colleagues, with whom she shared a room in the sports hostel attached to Jawaharlal Nehru stadium while participating in 63rd All India Police Games Championship in March 2015, had given her a protein drink which was laced with an "anabolic steroid". She said that in the event held on March 5, 2015, she secured the second position and as the urine sample of first three position holders was collected for screening the presence of any prohibited substance, her blood sample was also taken. She then participated in the 30th women national weight lifting championship held in Rajasthan during which the NADA issued first notice to her on April 10, 2015 stating that some prohibited sub stances were found in her body, the plea said. On April 21, 2015, Devi informs in her plea she went to NADA office and explained her case after which she was served with a second notice on April 28. Explaining the sequence of events, Devi claimed that on March 3, 2015, when she came to her room after her practice, she found that one of her roommates was preparing her protein drink which was offered to her in a friendly manner. "After much deliberation, it had come to her knowledge that one of her roommates/colleagues... have given/shared her protein drink/food supplement. By now she is fully convinced that she must have laced the said drink with anabolic steroid during the said sports meet. Accordingly, she has lodged a written complaint to the Director General, NADA, for taking appropriate action against her on May 7, 2015," her plea added. (PTI) Our results were satisfactory if not ideal in Rio: Roelant Oltmans NEW DELHI (TIP): His wards might have failed to break the medal jinx at the just-concluded Rio Olympics, but Indian men hockey team's chief coach Roelant Oltmans says their results in the quadrennial extravaganza were satisfactory if not ideal. India finished fourth in group stage having won two, drawn one and lost two. One of India's win came against eventual gold medallists Argentina. But the Men in Blue failed to go beyond the quarterfinals having lost 13 to silver medallists Belgium. "The results were satisfactory if not ideal according to our preparations. But looking back we can see that in every game we pushed our opponents till the very end," Oltmans said after returning to India here on Thursday. "This is a team of high quality. Sometimes the results don't accurately display the performance. In this case, I think the team has learnt a lot. It deserves a short break, and then, very soon, it will be back to the grind," he added. With some strong performances in the lead up to the Rio Games that included a silver medal finish at the FIH Champions Trophy in London, the expectations from the Indians were very high in the Olympics. But after a strong start, the PR Sreejesh-led side dished out some inconsistent performances to exit from the lasteight stage of the competition. Sreejesh feels the Rio Games have been an eye opener for each and every member of his side. "For all of us the Olympics has been a great eye opener and a huge life experience. As professionals we always dream of representing our country at the highest level and the Olympics is the highest. I'm proud of the team for the way we played," he said. "Barring some small moments, our performance was very good. Now we have to focus on correcting all the things we got wrong and believe in ourselves for the future." The women's hockey team, which represented the country in the Olympics after a long gap of 36 years, also returned to the country alongside their male counterparts on Thursday. The Indian eves, ranked lowest among the participating teams, however had a disastrous campaign losing all their games barring a draw against Japan in their tournament opener. "It was always a dream for us to represent India at the Olympics. There was a fear of getting overawed by the occasion, but we didn't and I am proud of the team for that. "Ours is a young team and we have already made a small mark in the world stage. Now we have to try and get better and make that mark more and more visible," Indian women's team captain Sushila Chanu said. (PTI) THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVERTISEMENT YEARS www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 35 36 www.theindianpanorama.com FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 YEARS ADVERTISEMENT THE INDIAN PANORAMA