The Indian Panorama

Month: November 2012

  • ‘U.S. Can’t Squeeze China Out Of Myanmar’

    ‘U.S. Can’t Squeeze China Out Of Myanmar’

    U.S. can’t Squeeze China Out Of Myanmar’. That was the message that China sought to convey to President Barack Obama as he completed his eight-hour visit to Yangon (Rangoon) on November 19, 2012, during which he met President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and addressed the students of the Rangoon University. Ever since the US and Myanmar started moving closer to each other last year, the Chinese have been keeping a watchful eye on the interactions between the leaders of the two countries without any sign of undue panic that Myanmar was sought to be weaned away from China as part of the USA’s new Asia policy. President Thein Sein too and his officers maintained regular military-to-military exchanges with China in order to reassure Beijing that opening-up to the US would not be at the expense of traditional close relations with China and that the Chinese military leadership should have no reason to fear any dilution of the strategic ties between the two countries, including the relations between the armed forces of the two countries.

    Before going to New York in September 2012 to attend the UN General Assembly session during which he met Mr. Obama, Mr. Thein Sein took care to visit China. On the day of Mr. Obama’s visit to Yangon, the China Daily had carried an exclusive interview with Mr. Ko Ko Hlaing, political adviser to President Thein Sein, on Myanmar’s relations with China. Mr. Ko Ko Hlaing had visited China at the head of a nongovernmental Myanmar delegation sometime before (date not specified) Mr. Obama’s visit to Yangon, but the interview given by him was carried on the day of Mr. Obama’s visit. In this interview, the political adviser to Mr. Thein Sein said that Myanmar cherished the “special” links with China since ancient times and would further strengthen and deepen its “time-honored and time-tested” friendship during the country’s current reforms.

    He added:
    ● We were in isolation for many years and now are opening up, but it will not hamper the relationship between Myanmar and China. The bilateral relation is a special one.
    ● Myanmar was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with New China in 1950. But the two countries’ close relationship dates to centuries ago. The ancestors of people now living in both countries had referred to each other at one time as “paukphaw”, a Myanmar word meaning brothers and sisters.
    ● The countries’ relationship has remained strong in recent decades, especially during Myanmar’s isolation, a time that it received much assistance from China. China is now the country’s largest investor and trade partner.
    ● We need to keep cordial relations with all nations. China is our most important neighbor.We will never forget that.”

    Commenting on Mr. Obama’s visit a day after the visit, the Global Times, a sister publication of the party-owned People’s Daily, said as follows:
    ● Some have suggested that Obama’s visit was aimed at weakening China’s influence. Such assumptions regarding contests between great powers and the political changes in Myanmar over the past year added special meaning to Obama’s visit.
    ● China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t express any displeasure with the visit, but said it believed that Sino-Myanmar relations would deepen. This shouldn’t simply be dismissed as diplomatic-speak, but shows China’s confidence.
    ● Myanmar’s democratic reforms and opening up to the West not only satisfy Washington but are also in China’s long-term interests. Most ASEAN countries have democratic elections and relations with China are not hindered due to differences in political systems.Myanmar won’t become alienated from China simply because of domestic political adjustments.
    ● Myanmar’s opening-up was unavoidable. Sino-Myanmar relations must undergo some changes to adapt to this. But the changes will be limited.
    ● There is no possibility that bilateral relations will be overturned entirely. China is the biggest neighboring country of Myanmar and has irreplaceable influences on it. More importantly, such influences are based on equality.
    ● Myanmar is becoming open to the West in order to maximize its national interests. But it’s unwise to replace China with the West. Both the current leadership of Myanmar and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi well know this.
    ● That said, Obama’s visit may still have an eye toward challenging China’s influence. But the actual effect will be difficult to tell. Obama likes to be applauded for his efforts in promoting democracy in Myanmar and this merits some reward. However, the US can’t squeeze China out of Myanmar.
    ● Economically, Southeast Asian countries are depending on China more than the US, and this tendency is on the increase. Obama is bringing $170 million in aid to Myanmar. Unless he can ensure aid is delivered to Myanmar every month, such small amount of money won’t be a significant bargaining chip to change the China-Myanmar relationship.
    ● China needs to adjust to the US’s increasing diplomatic actions in the region, but it doesn’t have to overreact. China’s fast economic growth and growing domestic market will translate into a stronger economic driving force in the region.

    This is the biggest leverage China has in diplomacy in Southeast Asia.” While commenting on the visit, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: “President Obama’s visit is a matter between the United States and Myanmar. China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors,who, on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence, conducted substantial cooperation in the spirit of equality and reciprocity, and they have also promoted their strategic partnership of cooperation. The development of China-Myanmar relations benefits the two peoples, and contributes to regional peace, stability and prosperity.We are confident in the in-depth development of bilateral relations.” The privately-owned Irrawaddy Journal of Myanmar reported that in the week prior to Mr. Obama’s visit , two Myanmar delegations traveled to China to strengthen old military and cultural ties.

    A Myanmar military delegation headed by Tatmadaw (armed forces) Deputy Commanderin- Chief Gen Soe Win visited China’s largest biannual defense exhibition in the southern Chinese coastal city of Zhuhai on November 13, according to photos circulated on Chinese microblogs. According to the Journal, the images showed a delegation with at least three general-ranked officers touring the Ninth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. Chinese state media has not identified Soe Win and other members of the delegation as visitors to the armaments trade fair. Similarly, no Myanmar visitors were mentioned in a detailed list of foreign dignitaries released by the organizers at the last Zhuhai Airshow in 2010. Two reporters for the Global Times reported in a blog post that the Myanmar delegation “paid careful attention to the C802/C705/ FL- 3000N defense missile system”.

    The short-range surface-to-air missile launcher for ships, first revealed at the same airshow in 2008, has since been employed on China’s first aircraft carrier. On November 14, Soe Win met Gen Ma Xiaotian, Commander of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, at his headquarters in Beijing. Both sides expressed their wish to deepen cooperation in air force technology and training, according to a statement by the Chinese Ministry of Defense. According to The Irrawaddy Journal, Ma, 63, last visited the Burmese capital Naypyidaw in September, then as a Deputy Chief of Staff, where he held talks with incoming Vice- President Nyan Tun, a former Navy chief, and Commander-in-Chief Vice–Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Ma, a long-time rising star within the Chinese armed forces, assumed command of the Chinese Air Force in October.

    The day before meeting Soe Win, Ma was elevated to the Chinese Communist Party’s all-powerful Central Military Commission. On November 15, the Myanmar delegation met with new Vice-Chief of Staff Lieut-Gen Qi Jiangu, and the outgoing Minister of Defense Gen Liang Guanglie. Thereafter, it traveled to Xi’an, a hub for military aviation,where they were received by Maj-Gen Lin Miaoxin, political commissar of the Shaanxi military district, according to a report in the local Shaanxi Daily newspaper. The military delegation returned to Naypyidaw on November 19, hours after President Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi had met with Mr. Obama. On the same day, former Brig-Gen Aye Myint Kyu was in Beijing on his first trip as Minister of Culture.

    He discussed arrangements for the 2013 Southeast Asian Games to be hosted by Myanmar in December next year with his Chinese counterpart Cai Wu. In September, both countries had reached an undisclosed framework agreement on “assistance and support” for the opening and closing ceremonies through the China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd., a state-owned organizer of cultural events. Aye Myint Kyu then met Politburo member Liu Yandong at Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party leadership, along with Li Peng, the head of China’s General Administration of Sport.

    On November 20, the PLA Daily quoted Liang Guanglie as having told Gen.Soe Win as follows:
    ● The Chinese side attaches great importance to the relations between the Chinese and Myanmar militaries, and is willing to make joint efforts with the Myanmar side to effectively strengthen strategic communication, constantly deepen pragmatic cooperation, strive to maintain the stability of the border areas, and further promote China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, so as to make contributions to maintaining regional peace and stability and promoting common development.”

    The PLA Daily quoted Gen.Soe Win as replying that:
    China has always been a reliable good brother, good friend and good partner of Myanmar. Under the new international and regional situations, the Myanmar side will keep devoting itself to strengthening the friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries and the two militaries, so as to firmly safeguard common interests of the two countries.

    According to the PLA Daily, Gen.Qi Jiangu told Gen. Soe Win as follows:
    ● The China-Myanmar relations have withstood tests from the changeable international situations in the past 60-odd years since the establishment of the diplomatic relations, and the long-term mutual understanding and mutual support between the two countries have achieved fruitful accomplishments. The relations between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Myanmar Armed Forces are an important component in the relations between the two countries. The Chinese PLA and the Myanmar Armed Forces have conducted in-depth and pragmatic communications in terms of highlevel exchange of visits, equipment technological cooperation, personnel training, border control and so on,which have exerted active effects in promoting the comprehensive development of the relations between the two countries.”

  • Working With an Emerging ‘New Afghanistan’

    Working With an Emerging ‘New Afghanistan’

    Afghanistan has both benefited and suffered from the decade-old international intervention. A vast and a diverse section of the Afghan population, nearly a generation of Afghans, have benefited in several ways – right from increased participation in national politics to rise in social status to evident economic empowerment – and have come to have stakes in the international engagement.

    Perhaps, one of the key achievements of the initial Bonn Process was the civilianization of the role of factional or militia commanders of various hue and persuasions. In view of the virtual absence of state institutions in 2001, the democratization of Afghan politics, however weak, has been a significant achievement. A new era of political accommodation that began with the overthrow of the Taliban regime, despite constant jostling for political space and dominance among disparate factions within the new set up, has quietly led to the emergence of what may be referred to as the ‘New Afghanistan’.

    The attributes of the old factional politics of the 1990s are very much part of it, nevertheless, it has a broader political vision for the country based on an inclusive representational political order against the strictly narrow, sectarian and backward looking worldview of the Pakistanbacked Afghan militant groups. The challenge post-2014 would thus be one of sustaining and strengthening the democratic political system and the new constitution, considered as critical to the survival of the ‘New Afghanistan’. India, though not considered a major player or a leading force in Afghanistan, is the largest regional contributor to the Afghan reconstruction. However, Indian presence and engagement remains critically dependent on the security situation there.

    The provisions of the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement are supposedly geared to ensure the continuity in engagement at various levels even in worst of scenarios. India’s support for an Afghan-led peace process aimed at the Taliban, and its readiness to ramp up its training program for the Afghan military, is very much in sync with evolving strategy to help Kabul deal with the likely challenges. The shift in India’s approach to reconstruction assistance, from huge to small development projects, and innovative capacity building programs for thousands of young Afghans at its own institutions, is part of India’s constant effort to adjust and adapt to the changing ground realities.

    However, as the Western engagement draws down and old patterns of Afghan conflict re-emerge, India may be confronted with some very familiar as well as newly emerging challenges. It might be pertinent to ask whether the current level and nature of engagement with Afghanistan would suffice in terms of protecting India’s interests after 2014-15? Perhaps, following set of factors would be critical to re-evaluating India’s approach: Firstly, the kind of political leadership or power structure that emerges in Afghanistan after 2014 and its perception about Indian role and presence; secondly, effectiveness of the US presence and strategy and how West deals with Pakistan; thirdly, what are India’s existing leverages within Afghanistan or at the regional level; fourthly, and most importantly, how far Afghans are willing to go with India’s interests and objectives.

    The current debate within India’s strategic community on possible ways and means of dealing with the likely political instability in Afghanistan post-2014 varies widely. It can be summarized into three broad categories: a more neutral or nonpartisan approach towards the internally factionalized politics, basically keeping out of the proxy politics and working towards an internationally-guaranteed neutral Afghan state; a more balanced approach by way of reaching out to the entire spectrum of political leadership, including the Taliban elements willing to work with the Afghan Government; and finally, a more pro-active approach in terms of providing direct military assistance towards the stabilization of Afghanistan, preferably by way of deploying troops on Afghan soil to work closely with the Afghan military or as part of a UN-led and mandated peace keeping force.

    As for Pakistan and its politics, it is likely to remain a huge geo-political reality for both India and Afghanistan. Afghanistan and the region cannot wait for Pakistan to reverse its decades-old policy of nurturing and using militant religious and terrorist organizations against its immediate neighbors and transform itself into an enlightened modern nation-state. Perhaps, a relatively viable and practical option would be to rather help Afghanistan transform itself into a stable democratic state, capable enough to deal with its challenges with minimal external support, while keeping up the engagement with Pakistan. The long-term objective here should be to build a cooperative relationship between the countries of the region based on increased economic connectivity and its shared advantages in a gradual and phased manner. This is where the significance of working with newly emerging modern Afghanistan lies.

  • Turn to Guru Nanak to End the World’s Woes

    Turn to Guru Nanak to End the World’s Woes

    As the Sikhs across the world get ready to celebrate the 543rd birth anniversary of their First Master Guru Nanak Dev Ji, it is pertinent to ask if the Great Master’s message is kept in mind while celebrating the momentous event in Gurdwaras. and elsewhere. The universal message of Guru Nanak has always had relevance.

    It is more relevant today when the world is getting more and more strife ridden and people are taking to the path of hatred and violence , forgetting the virtues of love and peace. Guru Nanak, more than five hundred years ago, preached a philosophy that could rid the world of much of its ailments and miseries. He preached universal brotherhood. He declared that he recognized human race as one.

    “Maanas ki jaat sabhe eke pahchanbo”, he said. Again, he said, “Na ko bairi, nahe bigana, sagal sang humko ban aayee” which means there are no strangers. I am on terms with all. Peace, harmony, love were the virtues Nanak gave value to. In fact, in recognizing human race as one, he was only taking forward the old Indian idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam” which means the whole world is a family.

    In Guru Nanak’s times in India, there were two major religious groups- the Hindus and the Muslims. The latter came to India as invaders and forced many Hindus to convert to Islam. There was natural hatred amongst the Hindus for their Muslim oppressors. Guru Nanak raised his voice against the tyranny of the Muslim rulers but never became a part of the hate campaign. He had two constant companions- one a Hindu, Bala, and the other, a Muslim, Mardana. He gave out a message of love and oneness of humanity in having the two of them from rival sides.

    It is said when Guru Nanak left this world his body was claimed by both the Hindus and the Muslims for the last rites. We need a Guru Nanak today. And we can find him in his teachings. The world can certainly become a better and a more beautiful place to live in if we turned to Guru Nanak for guidance on the art of living in love and peace as brethren.

  • Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra Survives No-Confidence Vote

    Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra Survives No-Confidence Vote

    BANGKOK (TIP): Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Wednesday easily survived a noconfidence vote orchestrated by her opponents in parliament who accused her of failing to crack down on graft. Yingluck, Thailand’s first female premier, won 308 of the 467 votes, securing support even from outside her six-party coalition which commands about three-fifths of the seats in the lower house.

    The former businesswoman took office in August 2011 after a decisive election victory by her Puea Thai party which has close links to her brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. “Parliament has voted for Prime Minister Yingluck to continue her work,” house speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont announced after the vote, which followed three days of debate by MPs.

    Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung, defence minister Sukumpol Suwanatat and deputy interior minister Chat Kuladilok also survived censure motions. Yingluck was accused by the main opposition Democrat Party of overseeing corruption — particularly in a controversial government rice purchase scheme — and of being the puppet of her brother. Thaksin was toppled by royalist generals in a coup in 2006.

    He lives overseas to avoid a jail sentence imposed in his absence for corruption charges that he contends were politically motivated. His overthrow unleashed years of rival political street protests. Two months of mass rallies against the previous government in 2010 by “Red Shirt” Thaksin supporters sparked a deadly military crackdown that left about 90 people dead and nearly 1,900 wounded. Thaksin’s opponents staged their own antigovernment protests in Bangkok on Saturday, sparking clashes with the police.

  • MoneyGram Launches ‘Bringing You Closer’ Global Holiday Campaign

    MoneyGram Launches ‘Bringing You Closer’ Global Holiday Campaign

    DALLAS: MoneyGram (NYSE: MGI), a leading global money transfer company launched November 15 an integrated, multi-platform advertising and marketing campaign for the holiday season. MoneyGram’s “Bringing You Closer” campaign is designed to build consumer preference for the company’s money transfer services during the holiday period, which typically experiences seasonal increases as consumers around the world send money to loved ones. “We are committed to bringing customers closer throughout the year, and the holidays are an especially important time when the gift of money takes on a cultural significance for our global audience,” said Juan Agualimpia, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of MoneyGram. “This campaign represents a comprehensive effort to generate consumer awareness and reinforce our brand positioning through a variety of marketing assets and channels that foster consumer preference during the season.” MoneyGram will deliver its global message to consumers through a combination of television, print, and radio spots, point-of-sale marketing, grassroots public relations, and interactive online components.

    Traditional advertising efforts:
    ● Television, print, and radio ads will feature MoneyGram’s unique brand identity, with signature energy globe and free-flowing line drawings that evoke the spirit of Christmas by depicting families sending love across the globe and bringing them closer during the holidays.
    ● Ads will air on television, on radio, and in print in multiple countries across the globe.
    ● MoneyGram is also expanding outside of traditional marketing activities into the online space through various interactive activities.

    Interactive online initiatives:
    ● A video contest on MoneyGram’s Facebook page will invite consumers in select countries to share their favorite holiday memory. Two winners will be selected to each receive a round-trip airfare voucher to bring them closer to friends and family.
    ● MoneyGram is sponsoring a similar contest in the Philippines, inviting overseas Filipino workers to submit a one-minute video to the MoneyGrado Facebook page describing what it would mean for them to spend the holidays with their family. One grand prize winner will receive a round-trip flight to the Philippines to celebrate the holidays with family and friends.
    ● A Holiday Card promotion to enable Facebook users to send a fun and creative photo or video greeting card to friends and family through MoneyGram’s Facebook page.

    Grassroots public relations:
    ● Consumers will be invited to sing favorite holiday songs for a chance to appear in a video “mash-up” of recordings from events in the U.S, U.K. and Italy. The final version will be uploaded to YouTube, highlighting the cultural diversity of MoneyGram consumers during the holiday season.
    ● As many of our customers look to connect with their friends and family around the holidays, MoneyGram services continue to bring people closer together,” said Agualimpia. “MoneyGram is dedicated to serving the needs of consumers so families around the world can enjoy this cherished time of year.” For more information on MoneyGram’s “Bringing You Closer” Holiday campaign, visit MoneyGram’s Facebook page.

    About MoneyGram International
    MoneyGram International, a leading money transfer company, enables consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions to meet their financial needs. MoneyGram offers bill payment services in the United States and Canada and money transfer services worldwide through a global network of more than 293,000agent locations — including retailers, international post offices and financial institutions — in 197 countries and territories. To learn more about money transfer or bill payment at an agent location or online, please visit moneygram.com or connect with us on Facebook.

  • Another Indian-American Appointed to Key Administrative Post

    Another Indian-American Appointed to Key Administrative Post

    WASHINGTON (TIP): India-born Vishakha Desai, a leading expert on Asian art, has been appointed by the Obama administration as member of the National Museum and Library Services Board, a key administrative post. The name of the prominent Indian American, who is also president of global non-profit organization Asia Society, figured in the list of appointments to 10 key administration posts announced November 20.

    “I am pleased to announce that these experienced and committed individuals have agreed to join this Administration, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead,” President Barack Obama said in a statement after the announcements. A graduate from Bombay University, Desai completed her MA and PhD from the University of Michigan and later worked at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from 1977 to 1990.

    She served as Assistant Curator of Indian, Southeast Asia, and Islamic collections from 1981 to 1990, and simultaneously worked as the Head of Academic Programs from 1981 to 1988. Desai has been a visiting professor at various universities, and was an assistant and associate professor at the University of Massachusetts from 1988 to 1990. Desai was the President of Association of Art Museum Directors from 1998 to 1999, and was on the boards of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Asian University for Women, and the Massachusetts Foundation for Humanities. She is also on the board of The Brookings Institution, and is an advisor and reviewer for the New York City Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs.

  • Morgan State Professor Manoj Jha Accused of Stealing Grant Money

    Morgan State Professor Manoj Jha Accused of Stealing Grant Money

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A full-time engineering professor at Morgan State University was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday, November 14 in an alleged scheme to defraud the National Science Foundation of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding. According to the seven count indictment, Jha fraudulently obtained $200,000 in grant funds from the NSF’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program to fund a highway project, and attempted to obtain another $500,000 though the same program.

    Manoj Kumar Jha, 45, who oversees the university’s transportation engineering graduate program, according to the university’s website, allegedly fabricated an elaborate research proposal on behalf of a private company he founded and then applied for funding through the NSF’s Small Business Technology Transfer program, according to the Maryland U.S. attorney’s office.

    According to prosecutors, “the stated purpose of Jha’s proposed project was to enhance current models used by highway planners to optimize horizontal and vertical highway routes, and ultimately, to commercialize the result.” Morgan State University, 1700 E Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, MD 21251, USA Jha received $200,000 to conduct the research but instead allegedly made personal mortgage and credit card payments, paid his wife $11,000 for work she didn’t do and wrote himself a $6,000 check, prosecutors said.

    Jha, who is also the founding director of Morgan State’s Center of Advanced Transportation and Infrastructure Engineering Research, also applied for $500,000 more for the project but did not receive it, prosecutors said. Jha could not be reached for comment, and an attorney has not entered the case on his behalf. Phone calls to his home in Severn went unreturned. A university spokesman also did not return requests for comment. The alleged fraud occurred between January 2008 and July 2009, and involved Jha’s lying on grant applications about his intention to take leave from Morgan State to work on the proposed project and about the University of Maryland’s being a collaborating research institution.

    He also allegedly lied about another Morgan State professor’s serving as a scientific adviser on the project and about receiving $100,000 in matching funds from a third party, a requirement of NSF grants, prosecutors said. According to the university’s website, Jha was born in a village in India in 1967. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in engineering, he immigrated to the United States in 1991, earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Old Dominion University in 1993, became a registered professional engineer in Maryland in 1997 and earned a doctorate in civil engineering in 2000 from the University of Maryland.

    He worked for seven years at the Maryland State Highway Administration, where he served as the “Year 2000 Risk Manager,” according to his biography on the Morgan State website. “He received several awards by the Governor of the State of Maryland for his diligent work towards the Y2K risk management for the SHA,” the biography says. Jha has been published many times – “more than 160 peer-reviewed research articles, including two books and more than 50 journal papers,” the biography says – and has received funding from many organizations.

    In addition to the NSF, a federal agency created to fund and promote scientific progress, Jha’s biography says he has received grant funding from the SHA, the Federal Highway Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Homeland Security, the Army Research Laboratory and Baltimore City. In February 2011, an investigator with the NSF’s Office of Inspector General “sent Jha a letter requesting copies of various documents, including a list of all individuals who worked on the highway project and their time sheets, and the company’s expenditure ledger detailing all budget categories,” as part of a review of his company’s compliance with grant conditions, prosecutors said.

    Calls and emails to the NSF and the OIG requesting comment were not returned. In March 2011, Jha allegedly sent back faked time sheets for a purported research scientist as well as a copy of a faked expenditure ledger “in which he allegedly entered fictitious research expenses in order to conceal the fact that NSF funds had been converted to Jha’s personal use,” prosecutors said. Jha faces a maximum 20 years in prison for each of five wire fraud counts, a mail fraud count and a falsification of records, prosecutors said.

  • Cops Assess Namdhari’s Role in Ponty Chadha Shootout Case

    Cops Assess Namdhari’s Role in Ponty Chadha Shootout Case

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Emerging clarity on the role of Sukhdev Singh Namdhari in the Ponty Chadha shootout case has made investigators reassess their theory regarding the trigger for the fatal gunfight. While the south district police had termed it a clear case of revenge attack by Ponty’s brother Hardeep, the crime branch’s investigation into Namdhari’s activities suggests deep links with the crime world that may have had a bearing on the feud between the Chadha brothers. Ponty and Hardeep were killed in the November 17 shootout at their Chhatarpur farmhouse.

    Sources claim Namdhari ran most of Ponty’s businesses in Uttarakhand – where he headed the state’s minorities commission – and some in UP, by proxy. He was recently tasked with managing Ponty’s fledging business in South Africa. Although Ponty relied on Namdhari for his mining and stone crushing industries, senior political leaders in Uttarakhand have informed police that Namdhari made use of Ponty’s name to grab several benami properties.

    Some of his goons were reportedly present at the Chhatarpur farmhouse where the Chadha brothers died. The disappearance of Namdhari’s elder son and at least two maternal uncles after the shootout has also made police suspect that his family may be linked to the shootout in some way. Namdhari’s elder son manages the everyday affairs of his father in Bajpur, Uttarakhand.

    Sources said Ponty had asked Namdhari to look after his family properties before leaving for South Africa a couple of months ago. On learning that Hardeep had taken over two family farmhouses, at Bijwasan and Chhatarpur, Ponty called him up, and Hardeep reportedly offered to give up his claim on all the other family properties if he was allowed to keep the farmhouses. Ponty did not agree, and Namdhari was aware of this.

    Police have also learnt about Namdhari’s ties with two families that have political and business connections. “We are not saying that Namdhari planned the rift between the two brothers. However, it might not be a coincidence that Namdhari stood to gain from the family tussle,” said an officer. Delhi Police is coordinating with police from four other states to gather more information about Namdhari.

  • Let Threat on Vaishno Devi in Wake of Kasab Hanging

    Let Threat on Vaishno Devi in Wake of Kasab Hanging

    JAMMU (TIP): Five days after Lashkar-e-Taiba activist Amir Ajmal Kasab was hanged for his role in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008, a person claiming to be a Lashkar activist sent an e-mail to a Katra-based hotel, threatening to avenge his death by striking at Vaishno Devi shrine and Katra town, 13 km away.

    The police said the mail carried this threat: “Indians will have to pay for the hanging of Kasab. Hindustanio get ready for another Diwali.We will strike in a big way.” Jammu Inspector General of Police Dilbagh Singh said: “The e-mail was sent from Bangalore by a person named Sayeed Anwar.

    A team has been sent there and we have heightened security around Katra town.” The e-mail was sent to the official ID of a three-star hotel in Katra on Saturday evening. After seeing the mail, the manager of the hotel informed the police who took away his laptop for investigations.

    In Bangalore, police commissioner BG Jyotiprakash Mirji said he has formed a team to investigate the case. “The threat mail has been traced to a cyber cafe in north Bangalore,” he said. Last year 1.2 crore pilgrims had visited the Vaishno Devi shrine. This year about 90 lakh pilgrims have visited the shrine so far. Additional deployment of security personnel has been made at Vaishno Devi and Katra town. “We are not taking any chances. From the language it seems the terrorists are committed to strike,” said a senior police officer

  • Nanak’s Education

    Nanak’s Education

    When Nanak was a boy of seven, he was sent to Gopal Pandha to learn Hindi. The teacher told Nanak to read a book. Nanak replied, “What will it avail to know all and not have a knowledge of God?” Then the teacher wrote the Hindi alphabets for him on a wooden slate. Nanak said to the teacher, “Please tell me, sir, what books have you studied? What is the extent of your knowledge?” Gopal Pandha replied, “I know mathematics and the accounts necessary for shopkeeping”. Nanak replied, “This knowledge will not in any way help you in obtaining freedom”. The teacher was very much astonished at the words of the boy. He told him, “Nanak, tell me something which could help me in the attainment of salvation”. Nanak said, “O teacher! Burn worldly love, make its ashes into ink and make the intellect into a fine paper.

    Now make the love of God your pen, and your heart the writer, and under the instructions of your Guru, write and meditate. Write the Name of the Lord and His praises and write, ‘He has no limit this side or the other’. O teacher! Learn to write this account”. The teacher was struck with wonder. Then Kalu sent his son to Pundit Brij Nath to learn Sanskrit. The Pundit wrote for him ‘Om’. Nanak asked the teacher the meaning of ‘Om’. The teacher replied, “You have no business to know the meaning of ‘Om’ now. I cannot explain to you the meaning”. Nanak said, “O teacher! What is the use of reading without knowing the meaning? I shall explain to you the meaning of ‘Om’”. Then Nanak gave an elaborate explanation of the significance of ‘Om’. The Sanskrit Pundit was struck with amazement.

    Nanak’s occupation
    Then Kalu tried his level best to turn Nanak’s mind towards worldly matters. He put Nanak in the work of looking after the cultivation of the land. Nanak did not pay any attention to his work. He meditated even in the fields. He went out to tend the cattle, but centred his mind on the worship of God. The cattle trespassed into a neighbour’s field. Kalu rebuked Nanak for his idleness. Nanak replied, “I am not idle, but am busy in guarding my own fields”. Kalu asked him, “Where are your fields?” Nanak replied, “My body is a field.

    The mind is the ploughman. Righteousness is the cultivation. Modesty is water for irrigation. I have sown the field with the seed of the sacred Name of the Lord. Contentment is my field’s harrow. Humility is its hedge. The seeds will germinate into a good crop with love and devotion. Fortunate is the house in which such a crop is brought! O sir, mammon will not accompany us to the next world. It has infatuated the whole world, but there are few who understand its delusive nature”. Then Kalu put him in charge of a small shop. Nanak distributed the things to Sadhus and poor people.

    He would give away in charity whatever he could lay hands on in his father’s house and in the shop. Nanak said, “My shop is made of time and space. Its store consists of the commodities of truth and self-control. I am always dealing with my customers, the Sadhus and Mahatmas, contact with whom is very profitable indeed”. When Nanak was fifteen years of age, his father gave him twenty rupees and said, “Nanak, go to the market and purchase some profitable commodity”. Kalu sent his servant Bala also to accompany Nanak. Nanak and Bala reached Chuhar Kana, a village about twenty miles from Talwandi. Nanak met a party of Fakirs. He thought within himself: “Let me feed these Fakirs now.

    This is the most profitable bargain I can make”. He purchased provisions immediately and fed them sumptuously. Then he came back to his house. The servant informed his master of his son’s bargain. Kalu was very much annoyed. He gave a slap on Nanak’s face. The father thought that Nanak did not like sedentary work. Therefore he said to Nanak, “O dear son! Ride on a horse and do travelling business. This will suit you nicely”. Nanak replied, “Revered father! My trade is divine knowledge. The profits are the purseful of good deeds with which I can certainly reach the domain of the Lord”. Then Kalu Chand told Nanak: “If you do not like trade or business, you may serve in some office”. Nanak replied, “I am already a servant of God. I am endeavouring to do my duty honestly and whole-heartedly in the service of my Lord. I carry out His behests implicitly. I desire fervently to get the reward of divine grace from the Lord by serving Him untiringly and incessantly”. On hearing this, the father became silent and retired from there.

    Nanak’s marriage
    Guru Nanak had only one sister named Nanaki. She was married to Jai Ram, a Dewan in the service of Nawab Daulat Khan Lodi, who was a relative of Sultan Bahlol, the then Emperor of Delhi. The Nawab had an extensive Jagir in Sultanpur near Kapurthala. Nanak also married soon after his sister’s marriage. His wife was Sulakhani, daughter of Mula, a resident of Batala, in the district of Gurdaspur.
    Marriage and the birth of two children did not, in any way, stop Nanak’s spiritual pursuits. He went even then to forests and lonely places for meditation. Nanaki and Jai Ram loved and respected Nanak much. Rai Bular, the Zamindar of Talwandi, also had great regard for Nanak. Rai Bular and Jai Ram thought that Nanak should be fixed in some job at Sultanpur. Jai Ram took Nanak to the Nawab, who put Nanak in charge of his storehouse. Nanak discharged his duties very satisfactorily. Everybody was very much pleased with his work.

    In those days the salary was given in kind and so Nanak received provisions. He spent a small portion for his own maintenance and distributed the rest to the poor. Nanak had two sons named Srichand (born in 1494 A.D.) and Lakshmichand (born in 1497 A.D). Srichand renounced the world and founded a sect of ascetics called Udasis. The Udasis grew long beards and long hair. The application of razor to any part of the body was strictly prohibited. Lakshmichand became a man of the world. He married and had two sons. Nanak gave up his service and distributed his goods amongst the poor. He lived in the jungles and put on the garb of a Fakir. He practised severe austerities and intense meditation. He sang inspired songs. These are all collected and preserved in the Adi Granth-the sacred book of the Sikhs. The minstrel Mardana came from Talwandi and became Nanak’s servant and faithful devotee.

    When Nanak sang songs, Mardana used to accompany Nanak on the rebeck. Mardana was an expert musician. He sang Nanak’s songs always to the accompaniment of the rebeck. Nanak became a public preacher at the age of thirty-four. He began to preach his mission. His preaching produced a deep impression on the minds of the public. He left Sultanpur and toured about in Northern India. Rai Bular, the Zamindar of Talwandi, became very old. He wanted to see Nanak and so he sent a messenger to Nanak. Nanak at once proceeded to Talwandi and saw Rai Bular and his own parents and relatives. All his relatives began to explain to Nanak how they stood towards him in relationship and persuaded him to give up his mission and stay at home comfortably. Nanak replied: “‘Forgiveness’ is my mother and ‘contentment’ my father. ‘Truth’ is my uncle and ‘love’ my brother. ‘Affection’ is my cousin and ‘patience’ my daughter. ‘Peace’ is my constant female companion and ‘intelligence’ my handmaid. Thus is composed my whole family whose members are my constant associates.

    The only one God-the Creator of the whole universe-is my husband. He who forsakes Him will be caught up in the round of births and deaths and will suffer in various ways”. Guru Nanak had great influence over Babar, who had very great regard for Nanak. Babar offered valuable presents to Nanak. Nanak, having declined them, asked Babar to release the captives of Eminabad and restore their properties. Babar at once carried out the wishes of Guru Nanak and implored Guru Nanak to give him some religious instructions. Guru Nanak said, “Worship God. Repeat His Name. Give up wine and gambling. Be just. Revere saints and pious men. Be kind to all. Be merciful towards the vanquished”.

    Guru Nanak’s Tapas and meditation
    Nanak practised rigorous meditation in order to realise God quickly. He was always in a deep meditative mood. He did not care for his body. The parents thought that Nanak was ailing seriously and so they sent for a physician. Nanak said to the doctor: “You have come to diagnose my ailment and prescribe medicine. You take my hand and feel the pulse. Poor ignorant doctor, you do not know that the pain is in my mind. O doctor! Go back to your house. I am under God-intoxication. Your medicine is of no use to me.

    Few know my disease. The Lord, who gave me this pain, will remove it. I feel the pain of separation from God. I feel the pain which death may inflict. O ignorant doctor! Do not give me any medicine. I feel the pain that my body will perish by disease. I forgot God and indulged in sensual pleasures. Then I had this pain. The wicked heart is punished. If a man repeats even a portion of the Name of the Lord, his body will become like gold and his soul will be rendered pure. All his pain and disease will be annihilated. Nanak will be saved by the true Name of the Lord. O physician! Go back to your house. Do not take my curse with you. Leave me alone now”. Nanak gave up food and drink for some days. He became wholly absorbed in divine contemplation. He observed perfect silence. He concealed himself in the forests for days together.

    Guru Nanak’s wanderings
    Nanak lived in this world for a period of seventy years. He wandered from place to place. He went to Sayyidpur in the district of Gujranwala. He then proceeded to Kurukshetra, Hardwar, Brindavan, Varanasi, Agra, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Prayag, Patna, Rajgir, Gaya and Puri. He travelled throughout India. He made four extensive tours. He went to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mecca and Medina also. He travelled to Bengal, the Deccan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Arabia, Baghdad, Kabul, Kandahar and Siam. He held controversies with Pundits and Mohammedan priests. He debated with the Pandas of Gaya, Hardwar and other places of pilgrimage. He dispelled the clouds of ignorance and doubts of many people. He enjoined on all people to live righteously and with brotherly love and hospitality. He preached and taught: “Do Nama Smarana. Love God. Be devoted to one God. Serve your fellow beings. God is all-in-all. Pray. Praise Him always. Attain the bliss of union with Him”. Nanak succeeded remarkably in changing the minds of men and winning their love and confidence and in directing them along the path of righteousness and devotion. He tried his best to unite the Hindus and the Muslims.

    Guru Nanak proceeded to Multan. He halted by the side of a river. Multan was a place filled with Fakirs always. Prahlad was born at Multan. Shams Tabriez and Mansoor also lived there. The Pirs came to know that Guru Nanak had come to Multan. They sent him milk in a cup, filled to the very brim. Nanak put inside the cup some Batashas-small hollow lumps of sugar-and a flower above them and returned the milk. Mardana told his master that a thing like milk should not be returned and should be drunk by him.

    Guru Nanak replied, “Look here, Mardana. You are a simpleton. The Pirs have played a small trick. They have not sent this milk for my use. There is deep philosophy at the back of it. There is profound significance. The meaning is that Multan is already full of Pirs and Fakirs, just like the cup that is filled with milk to the very brim, and that there is no room for another religious teacher. I have also paid them in the same coin. My answer is that I will mix with them like the Batashah and would predominate over them like the flower placed in the cup of milk”. The Pirs and the Fakirs then came to see Guru Nanak. Nanak sang a song. The proud and arrogant Pirs came to their senses now. They became very humble. They said to Guru Nanak: “Pardon us, O revered Guru! We were surely self-conceited. Kindly give us spiritual instructions and bless us”. Guru Nanak blessed them and gave them instructions.

    Two miracles
    There is a remarkable incident in connection with Nanak’s visit to Mecca. At Mecca, Nanak was found sleeping with his feet towards the Kaaba, before which the Mohammedans prostrated themselves when performing their prayer. Kazi Rukan-ud-din, who observed this, angrily remarked: “Infidel! How dare you dishonour God’s place by turning your feet towards Him?” He also kicked Nanak. Nanak silently replied, “I am tired. Turn my feet in any direction where the place of God is not”. Kazi Rukanud- din took hold of Nanak’s feet angrily and moved them towards the opposite direction. The mosque also began to move. The Kazi was struck with wonder. He then recognised the glory of Guru Nanak.

    Guru Nanak visited Hassan Abdal in the Attock district in the North Western Frontier in 1520 A.D. He sat under a Peepul tree at the foot of a hillock. On top of the hill, there lived a Mohammedan saint named Vali Quandhari. There was then a spring of water on top of the hill. Mardana used to get water from the spring. Guru Nanak became very popular in a short time. The Mohammedan saint became jealous. He forbade Mardana from taking water out of the spring. Mardana informed Guru Nanak of the cbnduct of the Mohammedan saint. Guru Nanak said to Mardana, “O Mardana! Do not be afraid. God will send water down to us soon”.

    The spring that was on the top of the hill dried up immediately. There arose a spring at the foot of the hill where Guru Nanak halted. The saint was very much enraged. He hurled a big rock from the top of the hill down to the spot where Nanak was sitting. Guru Nanak stopped the rock by his open hand. The impression of his hand on the rock exists even now. Then the saint came to the Guru, prostrated at his feet and asked for pardon. Guru Nanak smiled and pardoned the arrogant saint. There now stands a beautiful shrine by the side of the spring which is called: “Punja Sahib”.

    Teachings of Guru Nanak
    Guru Nanak felt that it would be improper to postpone Nama Smarana or remembering the Name of the Lord, even by a single breath, because no one could tell whether the breath that had gone in would come out or not. Nanak says, “We are men of one breath. I know not a longer timelimit”. Guru Nanak calls him alone a true saint who remembers the Name of the Lord with every incoming and outgoing breath. The ideal is practical and within the reach of every man. He tells the people not to lose any time but to begin at once. He also says that there are no barriers of race, class, caste, creed or colour which check the progress of any in reaching the goal. He realised the great truth of the brotherhood of religions. He preached the universal brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God to all people. Guru Nanak was a reformer. He attacked the corruptions in society. He strongly protested against formalism and ritualism. He carried the message of peace and of love for everybody. He was very liberal in his views. He did not observe the rules of caste. He tried his level best to remove the superstitions of the people. He preached purity, justice, goodness and the love of God. He endeavoured to remove the moral putrefaction that was prevalent amongst the people and to infuse real spirit in the worship of God and true faith in religion and God.

    He introduced the singing of God’s praise, along with music, as a means of linking the soul of man with God. Wherever he moved, he took Mardana with him to play on the rebeck while he sang. He said, “Serve God. Serve humanity. Only service to humanity shall secure for us a place in heaven”. Guru Nanak had great reverence for women. He allowed them to join all religious gatherings and conferences and to sing the praises of God. He gave them their full share in religious functions. Guru Nanak clearly says: “The road to the abode of God is long and arduous. There are no short cuts for rich people. Everyone must undergo the same discipline. Everyone must purify his mind through service of humanity and Nama Smarana.

    Everyone must live according to the will of the Lord without grumbling or murmuring. How to find Him? There is one way. Make His will your own. Be in tune with the Infinite.

    There is no other way”. The first stage in making the divine will one’s own is attained through prayer for divine grace or favour-Ardas for Guru Prasad. Guru Nanak attaches very great importance to prayer. He says that nothing can be achieved by man without divine favour. He says: “Approach God with perfect humility. Throw yourself on His mercy. Give up pride, show and egoism. Beg for His kindness and favour. Do not think of your own merits, abilities, faculties and capacities. Be prepared to die in the pursuit of His love and union with Him. Love God as a woman loves her husband. Make absolute unreserved self-surrender. You can get divine favour and love”. The beautiful composition of mystic poems uttered by Nanak is contained in ‘Japji’. It is sung by every Sikh at daybreak. The ‘Sohila’ contains the evening prayers. In ‘Japji’, Guru Nanak has given a vivid and concise description of the stages through which man must pass in order to reach the final resting place or abode of eternal bliss.

    There are five stages or Khandas. The first is called Dharm Khand or “The Realm of Duty”. Everyone must do this duty properly. Everyone must tread the path of righteousness. Everyone will be judged according to his actions. The next stage is Gyan Khand or “The Realm of Knowledge” where the spirit of divine knowledge reigns.

    The aspirant does his duty with intense faith and sincerity. He has the knowledge now, that only by doing his duty in a perfect manner, he can reach the abode of bliss or the goal of life. The third stage is Sharam Khand. This is “The Realm of Ecstasy”. There is the spiritual rapture here. There is beauty. The Dharma has become a part of one’s own nature. It has become an ingrained habit. It is no more a mere matter of duty or knowledge. The fourth stage is Karam Khand or “The Realm of Power”.

    The God of power rules over this realm. The aspirant acquires power. He becomes a mighty hero. He becomes invincible. The fear of death vanishes. The fifth or the final stage is Sach Khand or “The Realm of Truth”. The formless One reigns here. Here the aspirant becomes one with God. He has attained Godhead.

    He has transmuted himself into Divinity. He has attained the goal of his life. He has found out his permanent resting place. Now ends the arduous journey of the soul. Guru Nanak again and again insists thus: “Realise your unity with all. Love God. Love God in man. Sing the love of God. Repeat God’s Name. Sing His glory. Love God as the lotus loves water, as the bird Chatak loves rain, as the wife loves her husband. Make divine love thy pen and thy heart the writer. If you repeat the Name, you live; if you forget it, you die. Open your heart to Him. Enter into communion with Him. Sink into His arms and feel the divine embrace”.

    Nanak has given a beautiful summary of his teachings in one of his hymns as follows:-
    Love the saints of every faith:
    Put away thy pride.
    Remember the essence of religion
    Is meekness and sympathy,
    Not fine clothes,
    Not the Yogi’s garb and ashes,
    Not the blowing of the horns,
    Not the shaven head,
    Not long prayers,
    Not recitations and torturings,
    Not the ascetic way,
    But a life of goodness and purity,
    Amid the world’s temptations.
    “Vahe Guru” is the Guru Mantra for the followers of Guru Nanak. The other important Mantra for repetition is: “Ek Omkar Satnam Karta Purkh Nirbhav Nirvair, Akalmurat Ajuni Savai Bhang Gur Parsad-God is but one, His Name is true, He is the Creator, He pervades the whole universe, He is without fear, He is without enmity, He is immortal, He is birthless, He is self-born and self-existent, He is the remover of the darkness (of ignorance) and He is merciful”. The Lord is eternal. He has no beginning and no end.

    The Granth Sahib
    Guru Nanak invented the Gurumukhi characters by simplifying the Sanskrit characters. The holy Granth of the Sikhs is in Gurumukhi. It is worshipped by the Sikhs and the Sindhis. Every Gurudwara has a Granth Sahib. The holy Granth, popularly known as Adi Granth, contains the hymns of the first five Gurus. They were all collected, arranged and formed into one volume called Guru Granth Sahib by the fifth Guru. It contains a few selections from the hymns of Kabir and other contemporary Vaishnavite saints.

    Later on, the hymns of the ninth Guru were incorporated in the holy Granth by the tenth Guru. The compositions of Guru Nanak are very extensive. The Granth Sahib begins with the following: “There is but one God whose name is true-the Creator”. It contains a code of high morals. Purity of life, obedience to Guru, mercy, charity, temperance, justice, straightforwardness, truthfulness, sacrifice, service, love and abstinence from animal food are among the virtues on which great emphasis is laid; while lust, anger, pride, hatred, egoism, greed, selfishness, cruelty, backbiting and falsehood are vehemently condemned.

    Guru Nanak’s last days
    Nanak settled down at Khartarpur towards the close of his life. His whole family lived there together for the first time. Houses for the dwelling of Nanak’s family and a Dharmashala were also built. Mardana also lived with the Guru. Every day the ‘Japji’ and ‘Sohila’-the morning and the evening prayers composed by Guru Nanak-were recited in his presence. Guru Nanak died in the year 1538 A.D. at the age of sixty-nine. Guru Angad succeeded Guru Nanak. The other Gurus are: Guru Amardas, Guru Ramdas, Guru Arjun Dev, Guru Hargovind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru Tej Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh.

    May the blessings of Guru Nanak be upon you all!

  • Zee Denies Charges, Terms Arrests of Editors an Attack on Press Freedom

    Zee Denies Charges, Terms Arrests of Editors an Attack on Press Freedom

    Two senior journalists of Zee news channel were arrested in New Delhi on Tuesday on charges of trying to extort Rs. 100 crore from Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s group for not doing news reports on coal scam linking his firm.

    The arrests on charges of extortion came following the registration of a case about 45 days ago on a complaint filed by Jindal’s company with Delhi Police’s Crime Branch. Sudhir Chaudhary, the head of Zee News, and Samir Ahluwalia, head of Zee Business, have been arrested, a senior police official said.

    Jindal had last month released a CD in which purportedly showed footage in which the Zee journalists were trying to strike a deal with his company officials, telling them that their channel will not air negative stories of Jindal Group if the money is paid to them. Chaudhary had rubbished the allegations as “fabrication” and described it as “pressure tactics” to prevent the channel from doing such stories. “We have done a series of stories on coal scam based on official papers. This is a retaliation to our relentless campaign against corruption,” he had said.

  • PM, Judiciary be Brought Under Lokpal: Hegde

    PM, Judiciary be Brought Under Lokpal: Hegde

    NEW DELHI (TIP): There is nothing wrong in bringing the Prime Minister under the jurisdiction of Lokpal as like others he is also a public servant, former Supreme Court judge and erstwhile Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde said. “What is wrong in the Lokpal having jurisdiction over the Prime Minister? Is the Prime Minister not a public servant? Aren’t there cases of corruption against PMs in other countries?

    In Japan, you find every other year a Prime Minister is prosecuted. (Former US President Richard) Nixon was prosecuted… What is so great about the PM?,” he asked Noting that the position of the Lokpal was akin to “giving a dog a bad name and kicking it”, he said there have been allegations of corruption against PMs in the past and added that only the President and governors are excluded from being prosecuted and not the PM. “We have had allegations of corruption against two former PMs – Bofors and the JMM bribery case.

    In a democracy, how can a person merely because he is holding an office be excluded from prosecution? The Constitution excludes the prosecution of the President and the Governors in some cases…One can’t apply the same principle on a man who passes executive orders on a daily basis,” he told PTI. Responding to a query as to how he expects Arvind Kejriwal’s newlylaunched Aam Aadmi Party to perform, Hegde raised doubts about its success saying it was not an “easy job”. “My only apprehension is how far will a political party survive because of the very many demands of the political system, these days.

    It requires a huge amount of money to elect nearly 546 Members of Parliament from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. It is not going to be an easy job. “It is a good thing in principle, but in reality, can it succeed?” he asked. On being queried on Kejriwal’s possible expose on corruption in judiciary, Hegde said, “Haven’t we heard of malpractices in judiciary? We have had one Supreme Court judge against whom impeachment proceedings had started, but it was not completed. We had one Chief Justice against whom impeachment proceedings had been initiated- Justice Dinakaran- he resigned, so it came to an end.” “We had Soumitra Sen from Calcutta high court. Impeachment process started against him (and then) stopped didn’t go anywhere. We have a charge sheet filed against Justice Nirmal Yadav of Punjab high court. We have 34 judges of the Allahabad high court, who are being investigated by the CBI. “So, there is corruption there and therefore, he must be having some material against some judges,” he said.

  • Gujarat Cong Poll Ad on Malnutrition a Fraud?

    Gujarat Cong Poll Ad on Malnutrition a Fraud?

    AHMEDABAD (TIP): The Gujarat Congress has shot itself in the foot over its desperation to portray the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in the state in bad light: this time through its own election advertisement. The Congress’s election advertisement — part of the ad campaign ‘Join Hands for Congress’ – says that 45 per cent of the children in Gujarat are malnourished under the leadership of Modi.

    It also shows the pathetic photograph of a malnourished infant as ‘proof’ to drive home the point. Only the photograph is that of a Sri Lankan infant and was taken during Sri Lankan floods by a UNICEF photographer, and is not related to Gujarat at all. The Bharatiya Janata Party has said that the Congress has perpetrated a fraud on the people of Gujarat in an election advertisement that the party released in the state.

    The Congress has made such ad goof-ups time and again. Earlier this year, the party released an advertisement which praised its arch rival Narendra Modi to the skies. In yet another ad, the Gujarat Congress used the image of a child from East Africa to make ‘show’ the pathetic condition of children in the state, but that too was proven wrong.

    The current case was ‘exposed’ by a pro-BJP website which compared the two pictures (the original and the one in the Congress ad). The Congress, however, has tried to wash its hands of the controversy and said that the picture was only used for representative purposes (although the ad does not clarify that the photo is that of a Sri Lankan child and not from Gujarat). The party also blamed the advertising agency it has hired for the ad campaign for the ‘error’.

  • DMK on Board, Govt Ready for Vote on FDI

    DMK on Board, Govt Ready for Vote on FDI

    NEW DELHI (TIP): With the DMK stating it would vote with the ruling combine on its policy allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail, a confident UPA government maintained it is prepared for a discussion under any rule, but left the final decision to the presiding officers of the two Houses.

    The government had been stonewalling the Opposition’s demand for a vote on FDI as its southern ally DMK and its outside supporters, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), had reservations on this issue and had said it would be difficult for them to vote in its favour. The UPA specially wanted the DMK to be on board, as it would have sent out a negative signal if a member of the ruling combine had voted against its policy.

    It was, therefore, relieved to hear from DMK chief M Karunanidhi who announced in Chennai this morning that his party will vote with the government despite its opposition to the FDI policy, since it was more important to keep communal forces at bay. Having secured the support of its allies at a specially-convened meeting with them today, the UPA government is veering around to the view it might have to accept the Opposition demand for a vote. Emerging from the meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared confidently: “We have the numbers.” In the same vein, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said, “The UPA is united.

    The allies want the Speaker to decide,” adding that the government is “not averse” to a discussion under any rules. He is slated to meet Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, to discuss the modalities of the debate. Although it has mustered the numbers to defeat an Opposition-sponsored motion in Parliament, the UPA government is still making a last-ditch effort to see if a vote can be avoided as it does not want to set a precedent of putting executive decisions to vote.

    Congress spokesperson PC Chacko admitted as much, but added they would agree to a vote on the FDI policy if it becomes “unavoidable for the smooth functioning of Parliament.” He, however, said the government was not running away from a vote because it does not have the numbers. “We have the numbers… we are united,” Chacko said. The winter session of Parliament has failed to transact any business since it began last Thursday as the BJP and Left made it clear that they would not allow the Houses to function if their demand for a vote on FDI was not conceded.

  • Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor Hosts First Varli Culinary Awards in NY

    Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor Hosts First Varli Culinary Awards in NY

    NEW YORK (TIP): Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and renowned Indian-American actor Manu Narayan hosted the Varli Culinary Awards in Manhattan on November 15. The inaugural awards are a revolutionary concept that honors the best culinary skills amongst varied categories related to Indian cuisine. Varli Singh, the brand owner, is a prominent member in the field of world cuisine and has been consistently promoting Indian cuisine internationally. “We really wanted to recognize and applaud the contributions and amazing achievements of Indian chefs, restaurateurs, and key influencers on the international culinary stage,” Singh said in a statement to the press at the event. Celebrated Chef Sanjeev Kapoor also extended his appreciation for the event.

    “This is a wonderful platform to promote our Indian cuisine on a world stage. But most of all, this is a great opportunity to bring in the best chefs of Indian cuisine under one roof and celebrate our food together,” said Mr. Kapoor. Bollywood actor Chandrachur Singh, Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri and many other celebrity chefs, attended the exclusive black-tie event. Chef Jehangir Mehta judged the event along with popular UAE food critic Gaurav Tandon. The other panel of judges included culinary experts such as Vikas Khanna, Rajesh Bhardwaj and Hari Nayak. The award function also had a sample tasting of incredible Indian cuisine and delicious cocktails made by some of the best restaurants in the Tri-state area. “Guests will experience a classy and entertaining affair filled with celebrity personalities, delicious tastings, and of course drinks!” Varli Singh added. The event also introduced a new line of kitchenware called ‘Varliware’ which was much welcomed by the international attendees, as most are starved of traditional Indian cooking utensils.

    The award categories and winners from the event are:Varli Appreciate Award
    Sarina Amin – Diku Bhai – Hemant Mathur – Rajesh Bhardwaj – Avtar Walia – Sanjeev Kapoor

    Varli Cook Off Contestants
    Preet Singh – Reshma Bathija – Sonny Chatrath – Jyoti Singh – Roni Mazumdar – Niru Kumria (Runner up) – Saira Malhotra (Winner)

    Best Mixologist
    Raju Somerpet

    Best Food Critic, UAE
    Gaurav Tandon

    Best Dessert & Pastry – Presented by Mithaas
    Sweet Silk – Confections by Shefalee Patel

    Best Restaurant, UAE – Presented by Nanking Restaurant Group
    Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor, Dubai

    Influential Women in the Restaurant Scene
    Rohini Dey, Vermilion restaurants

    Best Dessert & Pastry Chef
    Jehangir Mehta, Grafitti & Mehtaphor

    Best Chef 2012
    Vikas Khanna, Junoon

    Rising Star Chef – Presented by Junoon
    Shravan Shetty, Urban Spice

    Lifetime Achievement – Restaurateur
    Avtar Walia, Tamarind restaurants

    Lifetime Achievement – Chef
    Sanjeev Kapoor

    Best Chef, India
    Sabyasachi Gorai

    Best Restaurant, India
    Indian Accent, New Delhi

    Best Restaurant, Toronto
    Amaya

    Best Restaurant, Washington, DC
    Indique Heights

    Best Fast Food
    Mithaas

    Best Restaurant Upstate, NY
    Jaipore

    Best Restaurant, Connecticut
    Thali

    Best Restaurant, Long Island
    Mint

    Best Restaurant, New Jersey
    Palace of Asia

    People’s Choice – Best Restaurant New York City
    Bukhara Grill

    Critic’s Choice – Best Restaurant New York City
    Junoon

    Movers & Shakers
    Rakesh Agarwal – Shaun Mehtani – Sneh Mehtani – Nitin Vyas – Shiva Natrajan – Avtar Walia – Kamal Arora – Rajesh Bhardwaj – KN Vinod – Surfy Rahman – Gary Sikka – Prasad Chirnomula – Munish Narula

  • Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray The Tiger Of Maharastra

    Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray The Tiger Of Maharastra

    In over 40 years since he plunged into social life, there was never an occasion for which Hindu Hriday Samrat (the King of Hindu Hearts) Bal Thackeray lacked an opinion. Whether it was on national politics, arts, sports or any other issue, he always had something witty or vitriolic to say and excelled in bringing the country’s financial capital to a standstill whenever needed. Born Bal Keshav Thackeray, to writer and political leader Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, on 23 January 1926 he perhaps had an early exposure to the regional politics of the time as his father was an integral part of the Samayukta Maharashtra movement to form the state of Maharashtra with Mumbai as its capital. He never matriculated from high school but knew how to wield the language more effectively than most, initially using them to greatest effect in his cartoons. Working as a cartoonist with the Free Press Journal in the 1950s, Thackeray signed his cartoons as ‘Mava’ and continued with the publication until he left to join another newspaper News Day. The paper didn’t survive very long and left without a job he started the weekly Marmikin 1960, along with his younger brother Shrikant, also a cartoonist. Often vitriolic, Marmik espoused the cause of the Maharashtrian people and in 1966, as his influence rose in the state by leaps, Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena, which claimed to be a revival of the army of Maratha king Shivaji. His first rally was held on Dussehra on 30 October 1966 in Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, close to his family home. He may have been slightly built, but his words were strong and incisive, making his first rally a grand success, which set the foundation for the growth of the Shiv Sena, symbolised by the fierce roaring tiger that he had drawn himself. The Shiv Sena did not claim to have an interest in politics, Thackeray said and in his rallies he said he wanted his Maharashtrian audience to realise how they were being deprived of their rights and what they could do about it.

    He raised social issues that affected the common middle class Maharashtrian man like the unemployment of the youth, discrimination in employment and erosion of pride that the community had at one time in history. He based his first campaign on the unemployment of the Maharashtrian youth, blaming south Indians for filling up posts that they could have been open to educated local youth.

    It was the politics of entitlement that the Sena preached and it found an eager audience in the form of unemployed educated Marathi youth and men stuck in jobs that seemed to lead nowhere.

    South Indian restuarants faced the brunt of the campaign with Shiv Sena activists targeting them. Gyan Prakash in his book Mumbai Fables describing the Shiv Sena pramukh (head) explains why Thackeray appealed to a disgruntled Maharashtrian community in the city that they had come to with dreams of glamour and had to settle for much less: Only forty years old when he founded the Shiv Sena, Thackeray presented himself as a fearless youthful leader of a new type, one able to bend feckless bureaucrats, the older generation, the elites, and evil enemies to the force of his will. Unlike most political leaders he did not advocate asceticism and sacrifice. He expressed feelings that most disaffected young men may have felt but dared not articulate.

    Openly advocating material acquisition and pleasure, he absolved “them from their feelings of guilt for failing to support their families or for their attractions to the hedonistic pursuits of life.” The Shiv Sena took to politics soon enough with a pitched battle against the Communist Party, which had until its arrival, dominated unions in the city and held sway over the functioning of Mumbai’s biggest industry, the textile mills. Initially the Shiv Sena was content to back a Congress candidate against a Communist one, but soon after the party stepped into active politics taking on the communist parties. Thackeray shrugged off claims of being an alternate front for the Congress and instead continued to build the party through shakhas (branches) in each area of Mumbai, a political strategy adopted from the RSS. In a nation where politicians claimed to follow the philosophies of Mahatma publicly, the Sena never shied away from violence and always endorsed action over thought and words. In 1969 when Thackeray was arrested for allegedly organising protests against the then deputy Prime Minister Morarji Desai, the city was thrown into chaos by rioting activists who were silenced only by a statement from their leader. However, it also meant that Thackeray would never again do anything that would result in him getting arrested or being thrown into jail. It was perhaps an unwritten rule in Maharashtra’s politics that he was not to be arrested in order to maintain the peace with the Shiv Sena. He was arrested on one other occasion but was quickly granted bail before the situation went out of hand in Mumbai. In keeping with his right wing philosophy, Thackeray also took on the Muslim community in Mumbai within years of forming the Shiv Sena.

    In the 1960s and early 1970s, Bhiwandi, a suburb near the edge of the city that housed powerlooms, was his first target for its high Muslim population mainly powerloom workers who had come from states like Uttar Pradesh. The Sena in the 1970s was largely muted barring a few agitations and despite its anti-government stance, the Shiv Sena and Thackeray remained silent throughout the period of the Emergency.

    It was in the 1980s through electoral victories in municipal elections the Sena grew in strength and the tiger was ready to pounce when the opportunity arose in the 1990s in the form of the Babri Masjid riots and subsequent 1993 serial blasts. Following the Babri Masjid riots and riots erupting in parts of the country, Thackeray wrote scathing editorials in his newspaper ‘Saamna’, making veiled calls for action against the Muslim community and in the bloodbath that followed in the city, many blamed him for instigating violence. The Srikrishna report which probed the riots recommended action against Thackeray, but coming while the BJP-Shiv Sena government was in power, nothing of any consequence was done. Subsequent governments also never followed up on it.

    The Shiv Sena which had allied with the BJP in the 1980s, swept into power in 1995 aided by a pro-Hindutva sentiment and Thackeray, despite never contesting elections, held the remote control to the Manohar Joshi-led state government. The easiest way to circumvent the government became Thackeray’s endorsement.

    An Enron power plant, that subsequently had to be shut down, and a Michael Jackson concert in the city were perhaps classic examples of the Shiv Sena leader contorting his own stand in order to finally favour those who sought it. Thackeray always loved to jump into matters pertaining to culture

    From films to art, Thackeray introduced a culture of intolerance towards anything that he deemed against ‘Indian culture’ or offended his sensibilities. The hounding of artist MF Hussain into an exile from which he never returned, a campaign against Valentines Day, a ‘chaddi’ march to the erstwhile friend Dilip Kumar’s house to object to him accepting an award from Pakistan and bringing down the shutters of theatres screening films like ‘Fire’ were among the Sena’s notable achievements in this regard. Despite being the editor of two newspapers, he also didn’t care much for criticism from fellow journalists and scribes writing critical pieces on him faced violent attacks by Shiv Sainiks.

    In some cases even carrying the statements of opposing leaders was enough to invite the party’s ire. However, the period when his party was at its peak was also perhaps the time of great personal tumult for the leader. He lost his wife Meena in 1995 and his son Bindhumadhav in a road accident in 1996. Bindumadhav was perhaps the heir apparent until his demise. His second son Jaidev broke away from the Shiv Sena and remained estranged from his family, despite staying a few buildings away from the family residence.

    His youngest son Uddhav chose to stay away from politics and was rarely seen, but there was a bright beacon in the form of his nephew Raj, who ran the Shiv Udyog Sena. Political stewards managed the state and its politics but none were ever bigger than Thackeray in stature or power. Finally when Uddhav decided he was ready for politics he was heralded in as the future head of the Shiv Sena. However, this resulted in the nephew, who had waited in the wings for years to take centre stage, to take flight and he formed his own political party, that embraced a similar ideology and manner of functioning to the Shiv Sena.

    Thackeray, who was an ardent critic of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and used their example to criticise dynastic politics, perhaps might have noted the irony of the situation when his grandson Aditya was also roped in to run the party’s youth wing. Raj wasn’t the only one to leave the Sena disgruntled. Regional leaders rose, battled for control of the party and finally would leave when they failed to get the power they desired. Thackeray and the Sena preferred to let them go rather with their vote bases than let them rise above the family.

    In the early 2000s, deteriorating health forced Thackeray onto the sidelines as his son Uddhav took over the operations of the party and was rarely seen in public barring public rallies. Always fond of his cigars and alcohol, Thackeray even had to give them up as his health deteriorated.

    Despite his worsening health and campaigning across the state in an attempt to revive the party, the Sena failed to achieve the heights it achieved in the 1990s. In his last few years, a frail Thackeray only appeared for the Shiv Sena’s annual rally in Shivaji Park, to hurl a few barbs at his enemies and to appeal for more support for his son. He restricted himself to editorials and interviews in his own paper ‘Saamna’ until his last days, sometimes raising a titter or mild outrage with his comments. But for the man whose words brought the city that never slept to a grinding halt while he sat on his throne in Bandra, it was indeed a tame ending.

  • GURU NANAK, The First Master Of The Sikhs

    GURU NANAK, The First Master Of The Sikhs

    Me, the bard out of work, the Lord has applied to His service. In the very beginning He gave me the order to sing His praises night and day. The Master summoned the minstrel to His True Court. He clothed me with the robe of His true honour and eulogy. Since then the True Name had become my ambrosial food. They, who under the Guru’s instruction, eat this food to their satisfaction, obtain peace. By singing the Guru’s hymns, I, the minstrel spread the Lord’s glory. Nanak, by praising the True Name I have obtained the perfect Lord.” (Guru Nanak, Pauri, pg. 150) The founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak was born on April 15, 1469, in the Western Punjab village of Talwandi. He was born to a simple Hindu family

    His father Mehta Kalian Das was an accountant in the employment of the local Muslim authorities. From an early age Guru Nanak made friends with both Hindu and Muslim children and was very inquisitive about the meaning of life. At the age of six he was sent to the village school teacher for schooling in reading and writing in Hindi and mathematics.

    He was then schooled in the study of Muslim literature and learned Persian and Arabic. He was an unusually gifted child who learned quickly and often questioned his teachers. At age 13 it was time for Guru Nanak to be invested with the sacred thread according to the traditional Hindu custom. At the ceremony which was attended by family and friends and to the disappointment of his family Guru Nanak refused to accept the sacred cotton thread from the Hindu priest. He sang the following poem; “Let mercy be the cotton, contentment the thread, Continence the knot and truth the twist. O priest! If you have such a thread, Do give it to me. It’ll not wear out, nor get soiled, nor burnt, nor lost. Says Nanak, blessed are those who go about wearing such a thread” (Rag Asa) As a young man herding the family cattle, Guru Nanak would spend long hours absorbed in meditation and in religious discussions with Muslim and Hindu holy men who lived in the forests surrounding the village. Thinking that if bound in marriage Guru Nanak might start taking interest in household affairs a suitable match was found for him. At age 16 he was married to Sulakhani daughter of a pious merchant. Guru Nanak did not object as he felt that married life did not conflict with spiritual pursuits. Guru Nanak was happily married, he loved his wife and eventually had two sons Sri Chand in 1494 and Lakshmi Chand three years later.

    Now that he had a family of his own Guru Nanak was persuaded by his parents to take a job as an accountant in charge of the stores of the Muslim governor of Sultanpur Daulat Khan Lodi. Guru Nanak agreed and was joined by his family and an old Muslim childhood friend Mardana, a musician by profession. Guru Nanak would work during the days, but early in the mornings and late at nights, he would meditate and sing hymns accompanied by Mardana on the rabab ( a string instrument). These sessions attracted a lot of attention and many people started joining the two. Early one morning accompanied by Mardana, Guru Nanak went to the river Bain for his bath.

    After plunging into the river, Guru Nanak did not surface and it was reported that he must have drowned. The villagers searched everywhere, but their was no trace of him. Guru Nanak was in holy communion with God. The Lord God revealed himself to Guru Nanak and enlightened him. In praise of the Lord, Guru Nanak uttered; “There is but One God, His name is Truth, He is the Creator, He fears none, he is without hate, He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self illuminated, He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. He was True in the beginning, He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True, He is also True now.” (Japji) These words are enshrined at the beginning of the Sikh Holy Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak did not believe in a Trinity of Gods, or the belief that God can be born into human form. After three days Guru Nanak appeared at the same spot from where he had disappeared. He was no longer the same person he had been, there was a divine light in his eyes and his face was resplendent. He remained in a trance and said nothing. He gave up his job and distributed all of his belongings to the poor. When he finally broke his silence he uttered “There is no Hindu, no Muslim”. Daulat Khan asked what he meant when he said to Guru Nanak, “Perhaps the Hindus were no longer Hindus but the Muslims remain devout to their faith.” Guru Nanak replied, “Let God’s grace be the mosque, and devotion the prayer mat. Let the Quran be the good conduct. Let modesty be compassion, good manners fasting, you should be a Muslim the like of this. Let good deeds be your Kaaba and truth be your mentor. Your Kalma be your creed and prayer, God would then vindicate your honour.” (Majh) Guru Nanak was thirty years old at this time in 1499. The next stage of his life began with extensive travels to spread the message of God. Accompanied by his Muslim rabab player Mardana for company, Guru Nanak undertook long journeys to convey his message to the people in the form of musical hymns. Guru Nanak choose this medium to propagate his message because it was easily understood by the population of the time. Wherever he traveled he used the local language to convey his message to the people.

    He traveled throughout the Indian Subcontinent and further east, west, and north to spread his mission. Wherever he went he set up local cells called manjis, where his followers could gather to recite hymns and meditate. Once when Guru Nanak came to the small town of Saidpur in West Punjab he choose to stay there with Lalo, a low caste carpenter. At the same time the local chief of the town Malik Bhago, who was quite wealthy and a very proud man was holding a feast to which all holy men were invited. When Malik Bhago found out that Guru Nanak would not attend his feast but instead partook of the simple fare of his host Lalo, he was quite angry and had the Guru brought to him for questioning. When asked why he didn’t join in the feast, the Guru sent for the meal served by Malik Bhago and also some of the simple meal served by Lalo. Holding these in separate hands he squeezed them, blood appeared out of the rich food of Malik Bhago, while milk oozed out of Lalos simple fare. Malik Bhago was put to shame and realized that his riches had been amassed by exploiting the poor, while what Lalo offered was the milk of hard earned honest work.

    Another time while camped out at a town during the rainy season, several devotees would come to the Guru on a regular basis. One of them while on the way to see the Guru, came across a prostitute and was allured by her. Thereafter he would leave home on the pretext of going to see the Guru, but instead visited the prostitute. A few days later his friend who daily came to pay homage to the Guru was pricked by a thorn, while his neighbor, who visited the prostitute, found a gold coin in the street. The incident bewildered the Guru’s devotee who came every day religiously. He mentioned it in the morning prayer meeting where Guru Nanak heard it and was amused. He told the Sikh; “Your friend was destined to come across a treasure but due to his evil ways, it has been reduced to a single coin. While on the account of your past karma you were to have been impaled with a stake, but having reformed yourself, you have been let off with the mere prick of a thorn.” (Janamsakhi) When the Guru visited Kurukshetra in Haryana, a big fair was being held at the holy tank to celebrate the solar eclipse. There were a large number of pilgrims all over the country.

    On his arrival at the fair, Guru Nanak had Mardana cook them a meat dish of a deer presented to them by one of his followers. Upon finding that meat was being cooked on the holy premises, a large angry crowd gathered in anger to attack the Guru for what they thought GURU NANAK, the First Master of the Sikhs amounted to sacrilege (Bhai Mani Singh, Gyan Ratnavali, pg. 123). Upon hearing the angry crowd Guru Nanak responded; “Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don’t understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is plant? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a nonvegetarian?” (Malhar) When Guru Nanak stopped at Hardwar a pilgrimage center on the Ganges river he found a large gathering of devotees. They were taking ritual baths in the holy river and offering water to the sun. When the Guru asked “Why do you throw water like that?” The pilgrims replied that they were offering it to their ancestors. Guru Nanak upon hearing this started throwing water in the opposite direction towards the west.

    When the pilgrims asked him what he was doing?. Guru Nanak replied “I am sending water to my farm which is dry”. They asked, “How will water reach you crops so far away?”. Guru Nanak replied, “If your water can reach your ancestors in the region of the sun, why can’t mine reach my fields a short distance away?” The pilgrims realized their folly and fell at the Gurus feet. On an eastern journey Guru Nanak visited Gorakhmata where he discussed the true meaning of asceticism with some yogis; “Asceticism doesn’t lie in ascetic robes, or in walking staff, nor in the ashes. Asceticism doesn’t lie in the earring, nor in the shaven head, nor blowing a conch. Asceticism lies in remaining pure amidst impurities. Asceticism doesn’t lie in mere words; He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike. Asceticism doesn’t lie in visiting burial places, It lies not in wandering about, nor in bathing at places of pilgrimage. Asceticism is to remain pure amidst impurities. (Suhi) After his first long journey, Guru Nanak returned home after twelve years of propagating his message. He then set out on a second journey traveling as far south as Sri Lanka. On his return north he founded a settlement known as Kartharpur (the Abode of God) on the western banks of the Ravi river.

    Guru Nanak would one day settle down here in his old age. It was also here that he met a young devotee who would later go on to serve five of the following Gurus, Baba Buddha (the revered old one). On his third great journey Guru Nanak traveled as far north as Tibet. Wherever Guru Nanak traveled he always wore a combination of styles worn by Hindu and Muslim holy men and was always asked whether he was a Hindu or Muslim. Guru Nanak visited Sheikh Ibrahim the muslim successor of Baba Farid the great Sufi dervish of the twelfth century at Ajodhan. When asked by Ibrahim which of the two religions was the true way to attain God, Guru Nanak replied; “If there is one God, then there is only His way to attain Him, not another. One must follow that way and reject the other. Worship not him who is born only to die, but Him who is eternal and is contained in the whole universe.” On his fourth great journey in life Guru Nanak dressed in the blue garb of a Muslim pilgrim traveled to the west and visited Mecca, Medina and Baghdad. Arriving at Mecca, Guru Nanak fell asleep with his feet pointing towards the holy Kabba. When the watchman on his night rounds noticed this he kicked the Guru, saying, “How dare you turn your feet towards the house of God”. At this Guru Nanak woke up and said, “Good man, I am weary after a long journey. Kindly turn my feet in the direction where God is not.” When pilgrims and the holy men of the shrine gathered to hear Guru Nanak and question him, he sang in Persian; “I beseech you, O Lord! pray grant me a hearing. You are the truthful, the great, the merciful, and the faultless Creator. I know for certain, this world must perish, And death must come, I know this and nothing else. Neither wife, nor son, nor father, nor brothers shall be able to help. I must go in the end, none can undo what is my fate. I have spend days and nights in vanity, contemplating evil. Never have I thought of good; this is what I am. I am ill-starred, miserly, careless, short-sighted, and rude. But says Nanak, I am yours, the dust of the feet of your servants.” (Tilang) While in Baghdad contradicting the Muslim priests views that their were only seven upper and as many lower regions Guru Nanak shouted out his own prayer saying, “There are worlds and more worlds below them and there are a hundred thousand skies over them. No one has been able to find the limits and boundaries of God. If there be any account of God, than alone the mortal can write the same; but Gods account does not finish and the mortal himself dies while still writing. Nanak says that one should call Him great, and God Himself knows His ownself.” (Japji) In 1916 a tablet with the following inscription was uncovered in Baghdad, “In memory of the Guru, the holy Baba Nanak, King of holy men, this monument has been raised anew with the help of the seven saints.” The date on the tablet 927 Hijri corresponds to A.D. 1520-1521. On his return journey home he stopped at Saidpur in western Punjab during the invasion of the first Mughal Emperor Babar. On seeing the extent of the massacre by the invaders, Mardana asked Guru Nanak why so many innocent people were put to death along with those few who were guilty. Guru Nanak told Mardana to wait under a banyan tree and after a while he would return to answer his question.

    While sitting under the tree Mardana was suddenly bitten by an ant. In anger Mardana killed as many ants as he could with his feet. Guru Nanak said to him, “You know now Mardana, why do the innocents suffer along with the guilty?” Guru Nanak and Mardana were both taken prisoner by the Mughal’s. While in jail Guru Nanak sang a divine hymn about the senseless slaughter of the innocents by the Mughal invaders

    Upon hearing it the jailer reported it to his king. Babar sent for the Guru and upon hearing him realized that Guru Nanak was a great religious figure. He asked for the Gurus forgiveness and set him free offering him a pouch of hashish. Guru Nanak refused saying the he was already intoxicated with the love and name of God. After having spent a lifetime of traveling abroad and setting up missions, an aged Guru Nanak returned home to Punjab.

    He settled down at Kartharpur with his wife and sons. Pilgrims came from far and near to hear the hymns and preaching of the Master. Here his followers would gather in the mornings and afternoons for religious services. He believed in a castless society without any distinctions based on birthright, religion or sex. He institutionalized the common kitchen called langar in Sikhism. Here all can sit together and share a common meal, whether they were kings or beggars. While working the fields one day in 1532 Guru Nanak was approached by a new devotee who said, “I am Lehna,” Guru Nanak looked at him and replied, “So you have arrived Lehna – the creditor. I have been waiting for you all these days. I must pay your debt.” (“Lehna” in Punjabi means debt or creditor.) Lehna was a great devotee of the Hindu God Durga. One day having hearing about Guru Nanak and his teachings, he decided to visit and see the Guru for himself. Once Lehna met Guru Nanak he left his previous beliefs and became an ardent disciple of the Guru. Lehna’s devotion to Guru Nanak was absolute, when he was not working on the farm, he would devote his spare time to the contemplation of God. Over time he became Guru Nanak’s most ardent disciple.

    Guru Nanak put his followers to many tests to see who was the most faithful. Once while accompanied by Lehna and his two sons Guru Nanak came across what looked like a corpse covered with a sheet. “Who would eat it?” asked Guru Nanak unexpectedly. His sons refused, thinking that their father was not in his senses. Lehna though agreed and as he removed the cover he found that it was a tray of sacred food. Lehna first offered it to Guru Nanak and his sons and then partook of the leftovers himself. Guru Nanak on seeing this replied; “Lehna, you were blessed with the sacred food because you could share it with others.

    If the people use the wealth bestowed on them by God for themselves alone or for treasuring it, it is like a corpse. But if they decide to share it with others, it becomes sacred food. You have known the secret. You are my image.” (Janamsakhi) Guru Nanak then blessed Lehna with his ang (hand) and gave him a new name, Angad, saying “you are a part of my body”. Guru Nanak placed five coins and a coconut in front of Guru Angad and then bowed before him. He then had Bahi Budhha anoint Angad with a saffron mark on his forehead. When Guru Nanak gathered his followers together for prayers he invited Angad to occupy the seat of the Guru. Thus Guru Angad was ordained as the successor to Guru Nanak.

    Feeling his end was near, the Hindus said we will cremate you, the Muslims said we will bury you. Guru Nanak said; “You place flowers on either side, Hindus on my right, Muslims on my left. Those whose flowers remain fresh tomorrow will have their way.” He then asked them to prey and lay down covering himself with a sheet. Thus on September 22, 1539 in the early hours of the morning Guru Nanak merged with the eternal light of the Creator. When the followers lifted the sheet they found nothing except the flowers which were all fresh. The Hindus took theirs and cremated them, while the Muslims took their flowers and buried them. Thus having spread the words of reform throughout his lifetime, Guru Nanak successfully challenged and questioned the existing religious tenants and laid the foundations of Sikhism.

  • Team Kejriwal is now ‘Aam Aadmi Party’

    Team Kejriwal is now ‘Aam Aadmi Party’

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Identifying themselves with common citizens, anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal and his team on November 24 christened their political party “Aam Aadmi Party” (AAP) and adopted a constitution that focuses on the ideology of decentralised democracy.

    “Youth and women will play important role in the party,” Mr. Kejriwal told supporters after the party name was adopted at a meeting of the newly formed National Council. The name will be adopted at a public meeting on Monday at Jantar Mantar here. The party has already applied for registration with the Election Commission which will allot a symbol to it.

    He said the name India Against Corruption (IAC) would no longer be used by them. Stung by the choice of the name that strikes at the Congress’ core slogan — Congress ka haath aam aadmi ke saath (Congress is with the common man) — Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said the term aam aadmi had been synonymous with the Indian National Congress since 1885. Nobody could hijack the intrinsic relationship between the Congress and the aam aadmi. Responding to it, AAP member Sanjay Singh said the Congress had never been with the aam aadmi.

    “It has been with the likes of Robert Vadra, Ambanis, A. Raja and Kalmadi.” The name, Aam Aadmi Party, was proposed by Mr. Kejriwal himself and adopted unanimously at the council meeting attended by 300 members. The constitution of the party was also adopted. The council elected a 23- member National Executive which has eight vacancies and can co-opt five more members. Among the National Executive members are Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Kumar, Yogendra Yadav, Christina Samy, Shazia Ilmi, Illiyas Azmi, Habung Peyand, Prem Singh Pahadi, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai and Mayank Gandhi. Questions were raised about lack of representation from the South, to which Mr. Kejriwal said they were looking for the right people. He admitted that the number of women too was lower than what they had hoped for.

    Asked if the AAP would contest all 545 Lok Sabha seats and give women 33 per cent representation, Mr. Kejriwal said the party would contest all seats. “But if there is an election tomorrow, we may not have candidates to contest all seats. As for women, we have said that one of the two conveners will be a woman at all levels from college, to village to block, district and upwards.” An ‘ordinary member’ would have no voting rights until he/she was made an active member after four months of working for the party. The party would contest the Delhi Assembly elections next year.

    The council decided that the gram sabha would be taken as the unit for development and mohalla panels in cities would decide about their development needs. They might exercise the “right to recall” candidates who did not deliver. Getting justice from judiciary would be a “right” and people would have the power to move an ‘initiative’ on any law they require or a ‘referendum’ on any legislation they want to be revised. Bhushan said the party would work for bringing about a systemic change in politics.

    Psephologist Yogendra Yadav described the birth of the AAP as a result of a “spontaneous upsurge of masses.” “The party will shun dynastic politics and have provisions against more than one member of a family holding office during one term,” Mr. Kejriwal said.

  • PMI hosts Musical Concert at the UN to Mark India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council

    PMI hosts Musical Concert at the UN to Mark India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council

    NEW YORK (TIP): ‘Love Towards All, Malice Towards None’ was the theme of the musical concert hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations on the occasion of India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council.The November 26 concert featured the first ever performance at the United Nations by the Shahi Qawwals from the Holy Shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty from Ajmer.

    In addition to the performance of the Shahi Qawwals, the evening also had renditions from the Alleluia Choir, with children from the Skymusic Ensemble, and the United Nations Symphony Orchestra with members of the United Nations, playing the Wind Quintet. Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson, was the Chief Guest and in his remarks, acknowledged sincere appreciation for India’s role at the UN Security Council and emphasized that it was important for multilateral bodies like the United Nations, to send out a message of love, peace and tolerance, especially through cultural events, which was also the message of the Sufi Musical Concert hosted by the Indian Mission.

    The event had a packed audience of 500 plus, which included more than 50 Permanent Representatives of UN Member states, in addition to members of the media and several other dignitaries including Ambassador Vijay Nambiar, the Special Adviser on Myanmar to U.N. Secretary-General, and other senior officials at the United Nations.

    Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, Permanent Representative of India to UN, welcoming the distinguished gathering emphasized that the message of Khwaja Nizamuddin Chishty, of “Love Towards All, Malice Towards None” was also the message that ‘1.2 billion Indians believed in, and hoped that rest of the world would also, soon abide by.’ With the sponsorship and support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations ( ICCR) , the Shahi Qawwals, were flown in from Ajmer and were led by the Director of the Chishty Foundation, Haji Syed Salman Chishty. The event also coincided with the 800th ‘Urs’ of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, which is being celebrated this year.

    Earlier during the day, the Permanent Mission of India along with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations also co hosted an Interfaith Dialogue featuring a Panel Discussion on “Unlearning Intolerance : Dialogue, Faith and Integration”, which included eminent speakers like Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Neal King, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and Roland Schatz. The Panel Discussion also affirmed the need for tolerance, inclusive nature and an affirmation of the unity of the human family, as flowing from the muticulturalism and pularism represented in India.

  • Guru Nanak: A Revolutionary Philosopher And Social Reformer Was Much Ahead Of His Times

    Guru Nanak: A Revolutionary Philosopher And Social Reformer Was Much Ahead Of His Times

    Guru Nanak was an extraordinary human being and a social reformer. Born on the full moon night in the month of Kattak (Kartik) in 1469 in a nondescript village “Talwandi” ( Rai Bhoin Di Talwandi) in a middle-class trader-agricultural family some fifty miles to the West of the Provincial Capital of Lahore, Guru Nanak from his infancy showed signs of being markedly different from the children of his age. His father Kalyan Dass Mehta (sub-caste Bedi) was a landlord of substance. But he wanted his son to be a trader. Seeing his son always detached from the daily goings on and immersed in deep contemplation, his father wanted to engage Nanak in a more remunerative and lucrative profession of commerce. One day Kalyan Dass gave twenty rupees to Nanak to do some business.

    In today’s terms this was a fabulous amount of money running into thousands of rupees. Nanak expressed no inclination to buy and sell commodities for profit. He looked at suffering humanity all around. Some were rolling in affluence and the others were mal-nutritioned and hungry. On seeing some hungry faces, he spent the money on buying, cooking and serving food to the needy. By doing so Nanak sent a strong signal about his mission in life to his father. Seeing his son Nanak neither inclined towards farming nor towards trade and commerce, his father sent him to live and work with his daughter Nanaki, some one hundred and fifty miles to the East in a small Islamic garrison town of Sultanpur Lodhi in Bist Doab region of Punjab. India at that time was ruled by the “Lodhis” a West Asian Islamic Dynasty. Ibrahim Khan Lodhi was ruling in Delhi and his close relative Daulat Khan Lodhi was the regional governor at Sultanpur Lodhi. Daulat Khan gave an employment to Nanak in his provision store (Modi Khana). A highly compassionate Nanak sometimes gave some of the ration free of cost to the very poor. Nanak became very popular with the poor. His detractors did not like his popularity.

    They complained about an embezzlement purportedly committed by Nanak. An audit was ordered, but when it was completed Nanak was exonerated of all charges. The books showed some profit. While still living in Sultanpur Lodhi, Nanak got married at Batala. He had two issues, both sons. Nanak always wanted to know the causes and consequences of miseries suffered by humanity in the then known world. He undertook four long foot journeys. One to the East up to present Bangladesh, another to the South up to Srilanka, another to the West in which he traveled to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. During his Northern sojourn, he went deep into China up to a place called Nanking. Wherever he went, he saw a sea of suffering humanity.

    The rich and powerful few were exploiting the hapless poor. The females in the society were living in abject repression, humiliation subjugation.

    Some were forced to be burnt alive on the funeral pyres of their dead husbands. The women were not allowed to remarry even if widowed at very young ages. Guru Nanak decided to oppose and resist these glaring injustices and to accord equal status to the women. He mandated the equality of the female sex to his followers. Guru Nanak was a witness to the bloody invasion of India by the Afghan invader Zahir- Ud-Din Babar. He saw the massacre of the innocent Hindus and wholesale looting of their properties. The women were hijacked, raped and forcibly married to. He publicly opposed all the indignities and atrocities to the extent that he had to suffer imprisonment. Babar realized his folly later on. He himself visited the prison, apologized to Guru Nanak and ordered his release. Guru Nanak was fully alive to the effectiveness of music as a means of communication all over the then known world. He wrote his messages to the humanity in the form of verse, put those verses into tunes based on classical Raagas and folk tunes based on the classical music. He did not undertake his journeys with large entourages. One of his companions used to be a Muslim instrumentalist Bhai Mardana, who will create a beat (rhythm) and some melody on his versatile Afghan musical instrument called “Rabab”. Before starting his sermons, Guru Nanak preferred to sing his own hymns before the audiences. This made his messages more effective.

    Guru Nanak opposed the rampant inequalities in status in the society and abolished the scourge of “Caste System”. Towards the end of his life, he engaged himself in agricultural profession in a village called “Kartarpur”, on the West Bank of the Ravi in Sialkot (now Narowal) district in West Punjab (Pakistan). Throughout his life he opposed injustice and superstitions and preached the equality of mankind. His message was “Kirat Karo” (work hard), “Naam Japo” (remember God) and “Wand Chhako” (share your wealth with the needy). He was succeeded by nine more spiritual leaders, who fine tuned his nascent faith, which is has now assumed the proportions of becoming the fifth largest religion in the world. Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary is being celebrated on 28th of November. The Indian Panorama wishes our readers a happy Guru Nanak birth anniversary.

  • GURU NANAK DAY Parade in Richmond Hill Draws Thousands

    GURU NANAK DAY Parade in Richmond Hill Draws Thousands

    RICHMOND HILL, NY (TIP): A bright, shining, cherubic Sun and a balmy weather provided a fitting setting to the 12th Guru Nanak Day Parade in Richmond Hill on November 17. The weather god certainly pleased thousands of Sikh devotees who came out to join the parade to mark the 543rd birth anniversary of their First Master, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The annual Guru Nanak Day Parade was started in the wake of 9/11 with a view to familiarizing people with the Sikh identity.

    The Sikhs were mistaken for Al Qaeda and Arabs which resulted in unfortunate incidents of Sikhs being targeted at a number of places. Credit should be given to Raghbir Singh Subhanpur, the then President of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana who came up with the idea of promoting Sikh identity through a parade on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the First Master of the Sikhs. The 12th edition of Guru Nanak Day Parade was organized by Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana, with cooperation of all New York gurdwaras and Sikh institutions and organizations. The parade started from Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana, located on 114 Street and 101 Avenue in Richmond Hill. It turned left on 111 Street to Liberty Avenue. And from 123 Street on Liberty Avenue, it took a left turn on Atlantic Avenue. On Atlantic Avenue, it took a left turn on 118 Street to Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society where the Parade was received by the management of the Sikh Cultural Society at a brief halt. This was done to let the Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society management pay their obeisance to Shri Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Scripture of the Sikhs that is regarded as the Living Master.

    Many, including the current President Gurdev Singh Kang, conveyed their greetings to the sangat, Earlier, the Miani Welfare Society led by its President Jagdish Singh and Patrons Bawa Rajinder Singh Lali and Baboo Joginder Singh paid obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib. Bawa Rajinder Singh Lali presented a rumala sahib to the Guru Granth Sahib . Sant Baba Prem Singh Sikh Cultural Society led by its President Lakhwinder Singh Pappy paid obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib, with a rumala sahib. They also presented Siropaos to the Panj Piaras (Five Beloveds).

    The Parade then moved on to 101 Avenue from where it took a turn towards 114 Street, where it was to terminate. A few yards before the termination point, a former President of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana, Pritam Singh Gilzian and his brother Baldev Singh Gilzian who is currently Chairman of the Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah presented a rumala sahib to Shri Guru Granth Sahib and offered to the sangat sweet hot jalebis and pakoras, the snacks that every Punjabi loves so much. The parade then terminated at around 5 P.M. at Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana from where it had started.

    While the sangat wended home, the organizers got together for a while to pat each other for a successful parade. 2011 Guru Nanak Day Parade, the 11th such Parade on November 5, attracted a larger number, primarily because the weather was really very fine. The milling crowds on Liberty Avenue created traffic delays. Even pedestrians found it difficult to move. One just could not believe the numbers. The New York City Comptroller John Liu led the parade. and in his address praised the Sikh community for their hard work and contribution to New York and America. The Sikh community leaders also spoke on the occasion.

    The local police received praise for being helpful and cooperative in organizing the Parade. The Living Guru, Shri Guru Granth Sahib, was taken out on an ornately decorated float at the head of the parade that was led by the Panj Piaras-the Five Beloveds. It was a wonderful sight to watch the priests in attendance of the Holy Scripture while the bards sang the holy hymns. Service (Seva) and langar (community kitchen) are amongst the major characteristics of the Sikh community life. Guru Nanak Dev enjoined upon his followers to share food with others. That is why in Sikh shrines, one always gets food.

    Also, Guru Nanak who believed in equality of all, enjoined upon his followers to sit together in the community kitchen to take food. That is why, all along the route of the Parade, food and beverages were served at hundreds of points in the 5 mile stretch of the Parade route. Extremely generous and hospitable, the Sikh community has no equal when it comes to service and hospitality. The Parade is just a prelude to celebration that mark Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary. The real celebration will take place on the Master’s birth anniversary on Wednesday , November 28 in all Sikh shrines.

    The community gathers in the Gurdwaras, which organize special programs, to listen to the praises of the Lord. Each Gurdwara tries to get the best bards and preachers from India and elsewhere. There is a special feast for all in the Gurdwaras. At the stroke of the midnight, the Master is offered floral greetings, followed by exchange of greetings amongst the congregation. The Master is looked upon as light that dispels all dark. Take a trip to a Sikh shrine to see for yourself how much reverence the Sikh community has for their Master and how much love they have for fellow human beings. After all, their Master had told them more than five hundred years ago to “Consider human race as one”.

  • Indian-American Denies His Energy Drink Responsible for Deaths

    Indian-American Denies His Energy Drink Responsible for Deaths

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The Indian- American founder and CEO of 5-Hour Energy has denied suggestions that the popular drink is responsible for 13 deaths in the past four years following a report that US authorities are looking into the claims. The idea that the drink is to blame for killing anyone is like comparing “drinking a bottle of water today, and then thousands of people died the next day; that somehow it’s linked,” said Lucknow-born Manoj Bhargava. “It’s just false,” Fox News said quoting him.

    The reports were first detailed by The New York Times and Bhargava said he would not expect this from the Times. “They should not be making this mistake,” Bhargava told Fox News, adding that the people making these claims were “just after some money”. The news follows the US Food and Drug Administration’s disclosure last month that it is investigating reports of five deaths that may be related to Monster Beverage’s namesake drinks. “Caffeine is a good thing,” Bhargava said. “The only thing that we get about caffeine is from reporters, who really have no clue what caffeine does.”

    FDA spokesperson Shelly Burgess said that 5-hour Energy, sold by Living Essentials, has been mentioned in some 90 FDA filings since 2009, including more than 30 that involved serious or life-threatening events like heart attacks, convulsions and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion, the New York Times reported. The Times said another federal agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, reported late last year that more than 13,000 emergency room visits in 2009 were associated with energy drinks alone.

    Elaine Lutz, spokeswoman for Living Essentials, the company that distributes 5- hour Energy, said in a statement that the product “is not an energy drink” (the socalled shot comes in a bottle that holds less than two ounces). “Living Essentials takes reports of any potential adverse event tied to our products very seriously.We fully comply with all of our reporting requirements,” it said, adding that the company is “unaware of any deaths proven to have been caused by the consumption of 5-hour Energy”. Currently the FDA does not publicly disclose adverse event filings about dietary supplements, including energy shot drinks.

  • Indian American Sanjay Sarma Appointed First Digital Director of MIT

    Indian American Sanjay Sarma Appointed First Digital Director of MIT

    WASHINGTON (TIP): An Indian American professor of mechanical engineering and IIT alumni has been appointed as the first director of digital learning of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In his new capacity, Sanjay Sarma, the Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, will work closely with the Institute’s faculty, staff and students to assess how new models of online instruction might become integral parts of MIT students’ on-campus education.

    A 1989 IIT alumni, he has long worked to develop new instructional techniques for mechanical engineering students. “As director of digital learning, Professor Sarma will serve as a convener and synthesizer,” Reif wrote in his letter to the MIT community. The announcement of his appointment was made by MIT’s President L Rafael Reif. “He will explore, collect and build on the wisdom and experience of individuals and groups across our community, and lead us in shaping a coherent vision. “On the subject of blending online learning and residential education, he will also serve as experimenter-in- chief, assessing what is working best in MIT’s current educational model,what we could do more effectively and what kind of changes we should pursue, from the way course content is delivered to the way we shape the campus itself,” Reif said.

    “Throughout, he will work hand in hand with our edX team, led by Professor Anant Agarwal, and our edX partner universities, especially in interpreting the huge flow of edX data about how people learn,” he said in a statement.A member of the Institute’s mechanical engineering faculty since 1996, Sarma’s work in the classroom has earned him multiple MIT awards for excellence in teaching, including the Den Hertog Teaching Excellence Award, in 2001, and the Joseph H Keenan Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education, in 2002.

    He was named a MacVicar Fellow in 2008, an MIT honor reflecting outstanding undergraduate teaching, mentoring and educational innovation. “More than a decade ago, those efforts included the use of computer-based teaching tools to promote active learning and hands-on intuition in the classroom — work that ultimately led to the launch of Open Courseware in 2002.”He has also used laptops to engage students in interactive design exercises, quizzes, numerical analysis and data acquisition,” MIT said.

  • Paltrow Desiigns Exercise Top

    Paltrow Desiigns Exercise Top

    Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has teamed up with fitness brand BEYOND YOGA to create a special top, which can be worn for a comfortable exercise routine.

    The top will be sold exclusively on her lifestyle blog ‘goop’. The 40-year-old says she decided to design the top because she could never find such a thing anywhere, reports femalefirst.co.uk. “I’ve always wanted a one shouldered exercise top and could never find one so we’ve collaborated with BEYOND YOGA to make my dream top,” Paltrow posted on her blog. “Made from a luxurious high-tech fabric for active wear – Supplex – this oneshoulder cami is great because it is quick drying and offers stretch without stretching out, keeping in shape even after a workout. Subtle monochromatic quilting adds stylish detail to this soft yet durable top,” she added about the new product.

  • MoneyGram Spreads Christmas Cheer Through Holiday Campaign

    MoneyGram Spreads Christmas Cheer Through Holiday Campaign

    NEW YORK (TIP): MoneyGram, a leading global financial services company officially launched a fun Holiday Campaign in some of the most iconic locations in New York City.

    The campaign ‘MoneyGram Melody’ is designed around the theme of Christmas and was successfully received by holiday spirited New Yorkers. The one of its kind event was piloted in New York, however the company plans to conduct similar campaigns in Dallas, Italy and Russia. “MoneyGram Melody” is a grassroots event designed to build a closer relationship with people around the world by engaging them to sing a few lines from popular Christmas holiday songs.

    The participants will be filmed during singing and then a collage of all the singers from both the US and abroad will be edited before they are showed commercially. ASB Communications, a premier advertising and marketing company conducted the event.

    “This is the first time we are conducting such an event and the basic concept is to spread some holiday cheer. We plan on bringing in the Christmas spirit by singing some popular holiday songs and changing the mood of the city a to a fun, spirited one,” said Accounts Manager OlliaNjibaloh with ASB communications. The filming in New York was conducted at bustling spots like Empire State building, Times Square, Radio City Hall, Columbus Circle and Rockefeller Center.