The Indian Panorama

Year: 2013

  • Cherry Pancake

    Cherry Pancake

    To make the pancake batter mix together 1 cup wheat flour add 1 whole egg (whisked). Gradually add 1 cup milk to this mixture making sure that no lumps are formed. The batter should be thick and smooth. To this batter add ¼ th tsp of baking powder and mix well. Slightly grease a non stick pan/ skillet with butter and heat on the stove. Add ¼ th cup of the batter and spread into a circular shape like a thick poorie.

    Allow to cook covered for a 2 to 3 minutes till slightly brown. Flip to the other side and cook . Sprinkle on one face of the pancake with pitted cherries which have been chopped finely. Fold the pancake so that it forms a semi-circular shape. Serve with melted butter or maple syrup.

  • Saffron srikhand

    Saffron srikhand

    Set curd with 1 cup whole milk. Take a muslin cloth and spread it over a deep bottomed dish. Place the curd into it and allow the water to drain through the muslin sieve for 2 to 3 hours. Now take the curd remaining on the muslin cloth and add a pinch of cardamom powder and 1 tbsp powdered sugar. Mix well and spoon the mixture into tiny dessert bowls. Add a couple of strands saffron to each bowl and refrigerate before serving.

  • Jaggery sandesh

    Jaggery sandesh

    Make fresh paneer from 2 cups milk. Allow the paneer to sit on a fine sieve for 2 to 3 hours so that all the whey water is removed. Take the paneer and knead it well with the palm of the hand for at least 8-10 minutes so that no granules remain. Add the kneaded paneer and 2 tsp of grated jaggery in a pan and heat slightly on the stove for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and knead the mixture once again. Form into small balls and then flatten it to shape that you like.

  • Papaya chutney

    Papaya chutney

    Grate 200 g raw papaya in a pan. Add ¼ th cup sugar to it and mix well. Cook this mixture over low heat on the stove and stir continuously. Once the sugar is dissolved raise the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and ¼ tsp garam masala powder and cook for another minute. Serve with rice/ rotis or any bread.

  • Carrot yogurt

    Carrot yogurt

    Grate 1 medium size carrot and keep aside. Whisk 1 cup yogurt with a fork and 1 tsp powdered sugar and mix well. Add the grated carrot and ¼ cup sultanas to it. Serve chilled.

  • Former Italian PM Berlusconi sentenced to 1 year in prison over leaks

    Former Italian PM Berlusconi sentenced to 1 year in prison over leaks

    ROME (TIP): An Italian court on March 7 sentenced former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to a year in prison over the publication of leaked transcripts from a police wiretap in a newspaper that he owns. Berlusconi, who faces two more verdicts this month for tax fraud and having sex with an underage prostitute, can appeal the conviction which would suspend the sentence under Italian law.

  • Teach Your Child To Say Thank You

    Teach Your Child To Say Thank You

    Do you wish your children would show more appreciation for the presents they receive? Do you have to constantly remind them to say those two little words that let people know they are grateful? And do they moan and groan when you ask them to write a thank you note?

    Here are some tips:

    Reward them
    After your child has taken the time to say thank you or make a creative thank you (see above!), ask Grandma or Grandpa to let your child know that his or her thoughtfulness was appreciated. Basically, ask your loved one to say thank you for the thank you. As funny as that might sound, if kids see the benefits of their efforts, they’ll be more inclined to repeat the behaviour. And maybe next time, it will be your child’s idea, not yours!

    Be an example
    Practice what you preach. If you want your child to say thank you, you need to remember to say it, too. And not just when you receive a gift, but when someone compliments you, holds the door open for you or even when your husband does something simple like taking out the trash.

    From the little things to the big things and everything in between, those two little words can be just as impactful when your child says them as when he or she hears them. And the same goes for sending thank you notes. Show your child that it’s not only important to you to send them, but to send them in a timely fashion –not six months later!

    Be thankful every day
    Teach your child to be grateful for what he or she has every day. Make the importance of appreciating life’s blessings a regular topic of conversation in your household. A great way to do this is to make it a family affair. Have everyone in the family start a gratitude journal.

    Then find a time every week to share the highlights from the journals. It will be fun to find out not only what stands out for your child as being special, but also what tops your child’s list. Thus, with this your child will learn manners also!

  • Bin Laden’s son-in-law captured, charged in US with conspiring to kill Americans

    Bin Laden’s son-in-law captured, charged in US with conspiring to kill Americans

    NEW YORK (TIP): A top Al Qaeda spokesman who is the son-in-law of Osama bin Laden has been captured overseas and charged in the United States with conspiracy to kill Americans, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday, March 7. Sulaiman Abu Ghaith appeared alongside bin Laden in a 2001 video in which they took responsibility for the 9/11 attacks and warned of more, before he dropped out of sight for more than a decade before his arrest.

    According to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Turkish officials captured Abu Ghaith in the capital Ankara, where a court ruled he had entered the country illegally with a fake passport. The Turkish government then ostensibly deported Abu Ghaith to his birthplace Kuwait, but arranged for him to transit through Jordan where he was ultimately taken into custody by U.S. law enforcement, the officials said. Jordanian sources confirmed that Abu Ghaith was sent by Turkey via Jordan to Kuwait, and intercepted in Jordan and brought to the U.S. “I commend our CIA and FBI, our allies in Jordan, and President Obama for their capture of al-Qaeda spokesman Sulaiman Abu Ghaith,” said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., a member of the Homeland Security Committee, who first announced the news.

    “I trust he received a vigorous interrogation, and will face swift and certain justice,” added King, who is also chairman of the Sub-Committee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. Prosecutors say from at least May 2001 to around 2002, Abu Ghaith served alongside bin Laden, appearing with him and his then-deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, speaking on behalf of the terrorist organization and in support of its mission, and warning that attacks similar to those of September 11, 2001 would continue. The government says around May 2001, Abu Ghaith urged individuals at a guest house in Kandahar, Afghanistan, to swear allegiance to bin Laden. On the evening of Sept. 11, 2001, after the terrorist attacks on the United States, bin Laden summoned Abu Ghaith and asked for his assistance. He agreed to provide it.

    On the morning of Sept. 12, 2001, Abu Ghaith appeared with bin Laden and Zawahiri, and spoke on behalf of al-Qaeda, warning the United States and its allies that “[a] great army is gathering against you” and called upon “the nation of Islam” to do battle against “the Jews, the Christians and the Americans,” the court document says. Also, after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Abu Ghaith delivered a speech in which he addressed the then-U.S. Secretary of State and warned that “the storms shall not stop, especially the Airplanes Storm,” and advised Muslims, children, and opponents of the United States “not to board any aircraft and not to live in high rises.” Abu Ghaith arranged to be, and was, successfully smuggled from Afghanistan into Iran in 2002, where he spent most of the decade, U.S. officials said. Even as government officials applauded the arrest of Abu Ghaith, his transport to the United States stirred controversy among lawmakers who were apparently caught by surprise by the news. “We believe the administration’s decision here to bring this person to New York City, if that’s what’s happened, without letting Congress know is a very bad precedent to set,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who held a press conference with Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. “And when we find somebody like this, this close to bin Laden and the senior al- Qaeda leadership, the last thing in the world we want to do, in my opinion, is put them in civilian court. This man should be in Guantanamo Bay,” Ayotte said. “So we’re putting the administration on notice,” said Graham. “We think that sneaking this guy into the country, clearly going around the intent of Congress when it comes to enemy combatants, will be challenged.” Earlier, House Intelligence Chair Mike Rogers, R-Mich., strongly criticized the administration for bringing Abu Ghaith to the United States. Rogers, a former FBI agent, said that Mirandizing a top al-Qaeda suspect and bringing him to the United States for trial creates a host of problems – instead of sending him to the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which was built to handle high value prisoners. “Al-Qaeda leaders captured on the battlefield should not be brought to the United States to stand trial,” Rogers said. “We should treat enemy combatants like the enemy.

    The U.S. court system is not the appropriate venue.” The Obama administration has been trying to clear out Guantanamo and not bring any new prisoners there. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said it’s fine with him if Abu Ghaith is put on trial in New York because key state and city officials had been consulted in advance, unlike in the case of terror suspect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. “Unlike with KSM, Kelly and others had been consulted ahead of time about this and they gave the green light to do it. As you know, (Police Commissioner) Ray Kelly, Mayor (Michael) Bloomberg and I opposed the trial of (Mohammed) in New York and we successfully made sure that didn’t happen,” said Schumer. “On issues like this, I defer to Commissioner Kelly, and I think the mayor does as well. And he thinks it’s OK to do it here, and I’ll go by that,” Schumer said.

  • How Smoking Ages Your Body

    How Smoking Ages Your Body

    Smoking affects your body in more ways than you can imagine. The trouble is that most people start smoking at a young age and don’t consider it a threat to their health as they are too young to feel the ill-effects that early.

    By the time they start experiencing symptoms of poor health from smoking, they are well-entrenched in the habit and find it extremely hard to let go.

    This leads to a chain of effects that ages their bodies – affecting them in all aspects of skin, hair, organ health, digestion, etc. All of this directly affects the ageing process.

    Today we’re sharing insights with you about how smoking ages the human body.
    Pale skin
    Smokes contain harmful substance and several chemicals. These damaging, yet attractive substances, can smoke out oxygen and nutrients by depriving your cells with healthy molecules.
    Wrinkles
    Premature wrinkles are a fall out of smoking. The nicotine narrows the blood vessel, blocking oxygen supply to your skin. Wrinkles are a constant complain for the older generation, but this can be your problem a lot sooner than you think if you continue to smoke.
    Dark circles
    Same goes for dark circle, the dangerous chemicals affect your blood vessels blocking the supply of oxygen to the skin. Smoking also forms bags under the eye. Every time you inhale, your eyes tend to create wrinkles. After a prolonged period, wrinkles around the eyes are more prominent.
    Lips
    They say if you frown a lot you are creating wrinkles, same goes for smoking. Every time you take a drag, you’re using particular muscle. But smoking also loses your elasticity of the skin, enhancing wrinkles around your lips.
    Teeth
    Tobacco affects your teeth. Whether you’re chewing it or smoking it, the signs will remain there. It’s like the guilt of smoking lingers just like the guilt appears when you binge on fried food or a mud pie.
    Hair loss
     Smoking speeds up the process of hair loss. Your hair will start to thin if you continue smoking. Those harmful chemicals that we keep talking about, barricade the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the necessary cells.
    Bad breath
     Tobacco breath is also a side effect of smoking. Smokes tend to leave behind the smell of tobacco; that’s how your close ones and colleagues know that you just had a smoke. In case you did not know, these particles can also affect non smokers.
    Hearing loss
     Hearing loss is common among the elderly, but smokers may experience hearing loss a lot sooner if they continue to smoke into middle age. Loud music and head phones are some of the culprits of hearing loss. But smoking too affects and hampers your hearing.
    Back pain
    It is not clear why smoking affects your back. But smokers do complain of back pain. So far surveys have only linked smoking to back pain, but the real reason of the cause is yet to be studied. Some speculate that this could be a result of dehydration, poor blood circulation, or chemical deposits.
    Sagging skin
    The chemical present in a cigarette can destroy collagen and elastin, the foundation for healthy skin. These fibers make the skin elastic, without them you will be a victim of sagging skin. Sagging skin appears on your inner arms and for women it could leading to sagging breasts a lot sooner than necessary.

  • Raja Bhaiya faces arrest

    Raja Bhaiya faces arrest

    CBI LODGES FIR AGAINST HIM IN DSP MURDER CASE

    LUCKNOW (TIP): The Central Bureau of Investigation on March 7 lodged four FIRs in connection with Pratapgarh violence in which three persons including deputy superintendent of police Zia-ul-Haq and two others were shot dead on Saturday last. Former minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh aliasRaja Bhaiya has been named as one of the accised in the FIR along with four others in connection with killing of the DSP. Raja Bhaiya, who belongs to family which once ruled the Beti princely estate, is an independent MLA from Kunda. Feudalism still rules Kunda and Raja Bhaiya’s word is still said to be the law in the area. He was forced to resign from the post of minister from theAkhilesh Yadav government after he was accused by DSP’s widow of conspiring to kill her husband. Sources said that the FIR registered by the CBI names Om Srivastava, Gulshan Yadav, Guddu Singh and Rohit Singh, besides Raja Bhaiyya. Sources said that the CBI team will arrive Kunda for investigation on Friday and is expected to question Raja Bhaiya. The high profile leader also faces threat of arrest. Already, two CBI inquiries are pending against Raja Bhaiya — one in connection with the mysterious death of a police officer RS Pandey, who raided Raja Bhaiya’s house in Kunda and arrested him in 2002 during Mayawati rule, in an accident and another on food grain scam. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav referred the case to the CBI on the demand of DSP’s widow Parveen and public pressure.

    There are eight other criminal cases against 44-year-old Raja Bhaiya in police records. Haq was killed by a mob at Balipur village in Kunda, Pratapgarh, on Saturday last when he had reached there to control violence which erupted after village Pradhan Nanhe Yadav was shot dead over a land dispute. A few hours later, Nanhe’s brother Suresh was also shot dead in clashes between the two rival groups. Haq was attacked as soon as he reached the village. The police personnel escorting him fled and did nothing to save their senior who was brutally assaulted and then shot dead. Post mortem report confirmed that there serious injuries on his head, several ribs were also fractured and injuries indicated that he was dragged for several metres on the ground before being shot dead by the assailants. Slain officer’s service revolver and the bullet that killed him are missing. Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday visited Haq’s family in Deoria and met his widow. He assured strict action against those responsible for DSP’s murder and accepted all the demands of the family. On Wednesday, Akhilesh also visited the family Nanhe Yadav and assured that people involved in the conspiracy will not be spared. The eight police personnel who deserted DSP when he was being attacked have been suspended and the process to sack them on charges of ‘cowardice in performance of duty’ has begun.

    Raja Bhaiya’s two aides Guddu Singh and Rohit Singh named in the FIR lodged initially with the UP police were arrested on Sunday itself but he was not touched so far. The CBI will take custody of the two arrested accused and may for second autopsy of the slain officer. Raja Bhaiya has been arrested twice in the past, each time when Mayawati was the chief minister. In 2002, he was arrested after being accused of kidnapping by a BJP MLA. Later, Mayawati slapped Prevention of Terrorist Act on him after police allegedly recovered sophisticated weapons from his house during a raid. Mayawati was angry with Raja Bhaiya because he played a crucial role in engineering defection in her party in 1997, leading to fall of her government. However, when the SP came to power in 2003, the then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav revoked POTA and later made Raja Bhaiya a minister. However, Raja Bhaiya was arrested again in 2010 during Maya rule on kidnapping charges but was released later. He became a minister again when SP came to power in 2012.

  • Video Games Make Old People Happier

    Video Games Make Old People Happier

    Older adults who play video games report higher levels of emotional well-being, North Carolina State University researchers say. Researchers asked 140 people aged 63 and older how often they played video games, if at all. The study participants then took a battery of tests to assess their emotional and social well-being.

    61 per cent of study participants played video games at least occasionally, with 35 percent of participants saying they played at least once per week. The study found that participants who played video games, including those who only played occasionally, reported higher levels of well-being.

    Those who did not play video games reported more negative emotions and a tendency toward higher levels of depression. “The research published here suggests that there a link between gaming and better well-being and emotional functioning,” says Dr. Jason Allaire, lead author of a paper describing the study and an associate professor of psychology at NC State.

  • Green tea holds promise against Alzheimer’s

    Green tea holds promise against Alzheimer’s

    Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that a molecule in green tea can prevent misfolding of specific proteins in the brain, which is associated with amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. The aggregation of these proteins, called metalassociated amyloids, is also associated with other neurodegenerative conditions. U-M Life Sciences Institute faculty member Mi Hee Lim and an interdisciplinary team of researchers used green tea extract to control the generation of metal-associated amyloid-beta aggregates associated with Alzheimer’s disease in the lab.

    The specific molecule in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, also known as EGCG, prevented aggregate formation and broke down existing aggregate structures in the proteins that contained metals—specifically copper, iron and zinc. “A lot of people are very excited about this molecule,” said Lim, noting that the EGCG and other flavonoids in natural products have long been established as powerful antioxidants. “We used a multidisciplinary approach. This is the first example of structure-centric, multidisciplinary investigations by three principal investigators with three different areas of expertise,” the researcher added.

    The research team included chemists, biochemists and biophysicists. While many researchers are investigating small molecules and metal-associated amyloids, most are looking from a limited perspective, said Lim, assistant professor of chemistry and research assistant professor at the Life Sciences Institute, where her lab is located and her research is conducted. “But we believe you have to have a lot of approaches working together, because the brain is very complex,” she said. Lim and her team’s next step is to “tweak” the molecule and then test its ability to interfere with plaque formation in fruit flies. “We want to modify them for the brain, specifically to interfere with the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s,” she said. The study was published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

  • Ice melt may allow ships to sail across Arctic by 2050

    Ice melt may allow ships to sail across Arctic by 2050

    LOS ANGELES (TIP): The Arctic sea ice cover, melting rapidly due to global warming, will be so thin by 2050 that ships will be able to sail directly across the North Pole for the first time, experts have predicted. Researchers said it could also lead to unprecedented geo-political tensions between countries that have territorial claims in the region. Global warming will make these frigid routes much more accessible than ever imagined by melting an unprecedented amount of sea ice during the late summer, a University of California — Los Angeles (UCLA) research shows. “Nobody’s ever talked about shipping over the top of the North Pole.

    This is an entirely unexpected possibility,” said lead researcher Laurence C Smith, a professor of geography. “The development is both exciting from an economic development point of view and worrisome in terms of safety, both for the Arctic environment and for the ships themselves,” Smith said. The findings, which explore accessibility during the Arctic’s most navigable month of the year, September, appear in the journal Proceedings.

    The first thorough assessment of trans-Arctic shipping potential as global temperatures continue to rise, the study is based on independent climate forecasts for the years 2040 to 2059. By mid-century , even ordinary shipping vessels will be able to navigate previously inaccessible parts of the Arctic Ocean, and they will not need icebreakers to blaze their path as they do today, the researchers found. “We’re talking about a future in which open-water vessels will, at least during some years, be able to navigate unescorted through the Arctic, which at the moment is inconceivable,” said coauthor Scott R Stephenson.

    The Arctic ice sheet is expected to thin to the point that polar icebreakers will be able to navigate between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans by making a straight shot over the North Pole, Smith and Stephenson predict. The route directly over the North Pole is 20% shorter than today’s most-trafficked Arctic shipping lane, the Northern Sea Route. For vessels travelling between Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Yokohama, Japan, the Northern Sea Route is approximately 40% shorter than the traditional route through the Suez Canal.

    Even the fabled and notoriously treacherous Northwest Passage, which traces Canada’s coastline and offers the most direct route from Asia to eastern Canada and northeasternmost part of the US, is expected to become more viable for Polar Class 6 vessels. Today, the Northwest Passage is theoretically navigable only one out of seven years, the researchers said.

  • A ‘Pacemaker’ In Brain May Help Cure Anorexia

    A ‘Pacemaker’ In Brain May Help Cure Anorexia

    LONDON (TIP): Till now, pacemakers helped your heart run like a well-oiled machine or prevented an epileptic fit. But in a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, scientists will announce on Thursday that a pacemaker for the brain can help cure severely anorexic patients. According to a new research published in the Lancet on March 7, scientists have used a neurosurgical implant safely in six patients with severe anorexia. The implant greatly improved their mood, weight and desire to eat. The technique – known as deep brain stimulation (DBS) – involves a device similar to a pacemaker being implanted into the brain. Anorexia is an eating disorder and is among the most common psychiatric disorders in young women aged between 15 and 19 years.

    It has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. Increasingly in India, teenage girls are becoming obsessed about losing weight and therefore severely limit their food intake or starve to feel more in control. Treatment usually focuses on behavioural change, but up to 20% of patients derive no benefit from the available treatment and are at risk of dying prematurely from the disease.

    Atleast half of the patients who took part in the study showed improvements in mood and Body Mass Index, leading researchers to hope that larger trials will confirm the effectiveness of the technique in treating anorexic patients. Researchers based at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre and University Health Network in Canada used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to identify a specific area of the brain – a bundle of white matter below the corpus callosum, the thick bundle of nerve fibres which divides the left and right sides of the brain – which has previously been used for DBS in patients with depression. Once the target area had been identified, electrodes were implanted into the area and connected to a pulse generator, which was implanted under the skin.

    The device was activated 10 days after it had been implanted, with the researchers carefully measuring acute changes in the patients’ mood and anxiety levels to determine the correct level of stimulation. According to Dr Andres Lozano, neurosurgeon and one of the lead researchers, the results are particularly encouraging because they seem to point to a genuine therapeutic effect, rather than a placebo or hungerincreasing effect. He explained, “The initial weight loss argues against a primary effect of DBS on hunger, appetite or metabolic rate.

    It also suggests that there is little in the way of a placebo-related benefit to the surgery.” He added, “The finding of improvements in mood and anxiety in patients who were still underweight is especially striking, in view of the well known poor response of underweight patients to conventional pharmacotherapies or psychotherapies.”

  • Fossils Show Ancient Camels’ Arctic Links

    Fossils Show Ancient Camels’ Arctic Links

    LONDON (TIP): Think of the frozen arctic and you would imagine sea lions, penguins or polar bears. But how about a camel? British and Canadian researchers have discovered the first evidence of an extinct giant camel in the high Arctic. The three-and-a-half-million-yearold fossil has been unearthed on Ellsmere Island making it the furthest North a camel has ever been found. This ancient beast was three metres tall at the hump and about a third higher than the present day living camel species.

    The researchers say it’s a very important discovery. “These bones represent the first evidence of camels living in the High Arctic region. It extends the previous range of camels in North America northward by about 1,200 km and suggests that the lineage that gave rise to modern camels may have been originally adapted to living in an Arctic forest environment.” Scientists from University of Manchester used collagen fingerprinting from bone fragments to access the animal. They extracted minute amounts of collagen, the dominant protein found in bone, from the fossils.

    Using chemical markers for the peptides that make up the collagen, a collagen profile for the fossil bones was developed. The team then compared the profile to 37 modern mammal species, as well as that of a fossil camel found in the Yukon. He found that the collagen profile for the High Arctic camel was almost an identical match to the modern day Dromedary as well as the Ice-Age Yukon giant camel. The collagen information, combined with the anatomical data, demonstrated that the bone fragments belonged to a giant camel as the bone is roughly 30% larger than the same bone in a living camel species.

  • Karma Is The Starting Point Of Yoga

    Karma Is The Starting Point Of Yoga

    People usually think that yoga means no more than controlling the breath and sitting stone-like. The literal meaning of the word is “joining”, “uniting”. All through our life’s journey we have to join ourselves to various objects. But such joining is no permanent. That is why the mind remains unsteady. If we are joined to an object without the least possibility of being seperated from it, it is yoga in the true sense. The root of the minds of all of us is the one Paramatman. Yogins control their breath to turn their mind to this prime root object. The root that gives rise to thoughts is the same as the root that gives rise to the breath.

    So if the breath is fixed on the root, the mind too will be absorbed in it. The opposite of yoga is “viyoga”. When the man dies we say that he has attained viyoga. The Lord says in the Gita that a particular kind of viyoga is itself yoga.What is it? If you keep away sorrow, that is if sorrow does not attach itself to you, you have the yoga of disconnection (Tam viyad dukha-samyoga-viyogam yogasamjnitam. ) What we normally understand to be pleasure in a worldly sense is truly sorrow. All experiences that creates separation from the Paramatman are sorrow. It is because the citta or consciousness is unstill that we undergo sorrow and happiness. These disappear when the mind is still.

    To make the mind pure it to train it in one-pointedness. This is the mean of yogic perfection. To start with, all will be able to control their breath like yogins. If we are absorbed in a worthy subject, in some good work, our mind will remain untainted to some extent. If we try to control our mind in one go, so to speak, it will free itself and wander in all directions. If we keep doing some noble work or take an interest in some noble subject the mind is less likely to become unstill.

    In the old days they used to wear what is called an arikandam, that is an iron ring, round the neck to keep themselves disciplined and live according to the sastras. In the same way we must wear an arikandam to keep the mind from going astray. To be involved in good actions is itself a kind of arikandam. Performing sacrifices, observing fasts and vows, building great temple towers, digging ponds, etc, were a means in the past to cleanse the mind by making it one-pointed. In the midst of such good work also one experiences difficulties, even humiliation, but one should not be daunted by criticism or obstacles. This itself becomes the means of mental purification.

    Then come pranayama, meditation, etc. The kazhakkodi keeps rolling without gathering any dirt. If you smear some ashes on it they will not stick to it. Like the kazhakkodi we too must not be affected by pain or pleasure and keep journeying towards the Paramatman and becoming one with It. Such union is called yoga – it is our original as well as ultimate state. In between we somehow become different. That is why we do not understand that ultimate and original state now. To reach that state we must make a beginning with the performance of rites.

  • Duty Of Brahmins

    Duty Of Brahmins

    If any purpose has been served by listening to me all the while, it is up to you [Brahmins] to take whatever steps you think fit to promote Vedic learning. Every day you must perform “Brahmayajna” which is one of the five great sacrifices ( mahayajnas). The term “Brahma” in “Brahmayajna” means the Vedas. The power of the mantras must be preserved in us as an eternal reality. It must burn bright like a lamp that is never extinguished. For this reason it is that we perform Brahmayajna.

    We must offer oblations to the presiding rsi or seer of our Vedic recension. Failing that, the least we can do is perform the Gayatri- japa every day. Gayatri is the essence of the Vedas, their substance. To qualify to chant it, you must be initiated into it by a Guru. The Gayatri you thus learn must be mentally repeated at least a thousand times every day. Again, the least you can do -and you must do it- is to chant the mantra atleast ten times morning, noon and dusk. The sun god is the presiding deity of Gayatri. Sunday, the day of the sun, is a universal holiday. On this day you must get up at 4 in the morning and, after your ablutions, recite the Gayatri a thousand times. This will ensure your wellbeing as well as of all mankind. All Brahmins must learn to chant the Purusasukta, the Srisukta, Sri Rudram, etc.

    I am speaking particularly to office going Brahmins here. Since they will find it difficult to devote themselves fully to Vedic learning they must try to acquire at least a minimum of scriptural knowledge. But it should be creditable if they accomplish something-in the present case learning the Vedas- in the face of difficulties. If you start learning the scripture now you will be able to complete your study in a few years.

    But you need faith and devotion. The Vedas are a vidya that has come down to us through the millennia. If you study them with determination you are bound to succeed. Haven’t you seen 50 and 60 year old people engaged in research in the hope of gaining a Ph. D. or some other degree? If you have the will you will have the way to accomplish anything however difficult. There are examples of individuals who at 40 had been totally in the dark about the Vedas but who later learned to chant them with ardour. As a matter of fact there are such men among the office- bearers of our Veda Raksana Nidhi Trust. So what are needed are faith as well as resoluteness.

    Leave aside the question of Brahmins who are in jobs and are middleaged or older. Whether or not they themselves can chant the Vedas or want to learn to chant them, they must see to it that their sons at least receive instruction in the scriptures. Perhaps the children cannot be sent for a full-time course in the Vedas, but the parents could at least ensure that, after they perform the upanayana of their sons at the age of eight years, the boys are taught the Vedas for one hour every evening for a period of eight years.

    A Vedic tutor may be engaged on a cooperative basis for all children of a locality or village. This should be of help to the children of poor Brahmins.

    Above all, efforts must be made to ensure that the existing Vedic schools that are in bad shape are not forced to close down. These institutions must be reinvigorated and more and more students encouraged to join them. To accomplish this task both teachers and taught must be adequately helped with money. Let me repeat that Brahmins ought not to be afforded more than the minimum cash or creature comforts. But we see today that there are many lucrative jobs to tempt them. So there is the danger of their not being fully involved in their svadharma (own duty) of learning and teaching the Vedas if they are not kept above their want. We must provide them with certain facilities so that we are not faced with the unfortunate situation in which such Brahmins become more and more scarce.

    There are new comforts, new avenues of pleasure, not known in the past. It is unrealistic to expect a few Brahmins alone to deny themselves all these and adhere to their svadharma. If we adopt such an attitude the Vedic dharma will suffer. So when some Brahmins are engaged exclusively in their dharma it is obligatory on our part to help them with money and material. Though they must not be afforded any luxuries, we must provide them with enough comforts so that they are not enticed into other jobs. We have drawn up a number of schemes bearing this in mind.

  • India Go 2-0 Up After Australia Capitulate

    India Go 2-0 Up After Australia Capitulate

    India 503 (Pujara 204, Vijay 167, Maxwell 4-127) beat Australia 237 for 9 dec (Clarke 91, Wade 62, Jadeja 3-33, Bhuvneshwar 3-53) and 131 (Ashwin 5-63, Jadeja 3-33) by an innings and 135 runs

    HYDERABAD (TIP): When India’s confidence was rattled by the drubbings in Australia and England over the past two years, they took solace in their outstanding home record. Even that bit of relief had been taken away when Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann outspun India earlier this season, but India’s belief at home has come surging back with two thumping victories over Australia. Though it was widely expected that Australia would go down on the fourth day, few thought it would happen with the embarrassing rapidity that it did.

    Australia’s batsmen were once again nonplussed by the turning ball to subside to 131 all out, handing India an inningsand- 135-run victory and a 2-0 series lead. If Australia’s chances were slim at the start of the day, they vanished with two deliveries of vastly contrasting quality. Ishant Sharma got his first wicket of the series with a harmless ball sliding down the leg side which Shane Watson guided through to the wicketkeeper.

    Ravindra Jadeja, usually the butt of derogatory jokes from Indian fans despite a stellar first-class record, then produced the ball of the match, a delivery that drifted onto middle stump and spun back to beat Michael Clarke’s forward defensive to crash into off. From then it was only a matter of time. Ed Cowan had gritted it out for nearly three hours, forgetting the deliveries that ripped past his outside edge to concentrate afresh.

    Jadeja, with his tail up after that magic ball to Clarke, ended Cowan’s resistance on 44 as an edge ricocheted off MS Dhoni’s gloves deflected to Virender Sehwag at slip. It got even better for Jadeja soon after as he lasered in a throw from cover to run out Moises Henriques, who was yards out despite Jadeja fumbling the ball before collecting it. Then the man who started Australia’s slide on Monday evening, R Ashwin, took over. He has kept his Twenty20 variations to a minimum this series, and cleverly used them against the lower order. Glenn Maxwell was looking towards square leg after attempting a flick only to be confounded by the carrom ball that was heading for the off stump. There was time left for Ashwin to complete his eighth five-for in 11 home Tests.

    While the capitulation on Tuesday morning was painful viewing for Australia fans, much of the damage had been done by the batting failure on the first day, when the pitch was at its best. Just three months ago, the much-coveted No. 1 Test ranking was within Australia’s grasp and Clarke and the team management seemed to be able to do no wrong. After the two defeats, he will be assailed by questions, just as Dhoni has been over the past couple of years.

    The result will be a major source of relief for Dhoni, who after settling doubts over his Test batting in Chennai has now become India’s most successful Test captain with 22 wins.

    The next match is in Mohali, typically a swing-friendly surface, but given Australia’s ineptness against spin, the curators are likely to work overtime to produce a turning track there as well.

  • The Indo American Chamber Of Commerce Hosts A Farewell Party For Consul General Prabhu Dayal

    The Indo American Chamber Of Commerce Hosts A Farewell Party For Consul General Prabhu Dayal

    The Indo American Chamber of Commerce hosted a farewell party for the retiring Consul General Prabhu Dayal at K&L Gates offices in Manhattan February 26. The event was participated by a cross section of the Indian Americans and their American friends. The organizers also had Mr. Dayal cut a cake to honor his achievements while he held the office of Consul General at the Indian Consulate in New York.

    In his speech, Mr. Rajiv Khanna, president of the IACC highlighted the significant success of Mr. Dayal in strengthening the Indo-American community. He also spoke at length about the leaps and bounds India has achieved economically and attributed Mr. Dayal’s vital role in allowing this growth to be tapped for the Indian Americans too. In his address Mr. Prabhu Dayal commended the performance of the Indian community in the United States. “The Indian community in America has excelled in all fields possible.

    Our ties with the USA have never been better. Today India has a goal to achieve excellence in the five E’s– energy, economy, education, empowerment and environment. So it is my sincere request to our community to uphold our values and our strengths and help India prosper in these five areas as desired,” said Dayal. Daryl Rand of Harrison Rand Advertising said, “Our last three missions would not have received the traction they needed if it hadn’t been for the Consul General Prabhu Dayal.

    The state of New Jersey would not have benefited from all the work we are doing if not for him. I want to thank him for all his extended support.” Many others, including friends and acquaintances, stepped forward to thank Mr. Dayal personally for his help and support.

  • Dr. Shakir Mukhi Of Alliance Family Medical Practice Throws A Party

    Dr. Shakir Mukhi Of Alliance Family Medical Practice Throws A Party

    Yet another party in Long Island to bid farewell to Ambassador Prabhu Dayal was hosted by one of the leading Medical practitioners of New York and a prominent member of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Dr. Shakir Mukhi, February 22. The well attended party included Dr. Nazir Maulavi, Mr. Habib, President of Islamic Cultural Center of Long Island, Mr. P. Ali Hazi, Bobby Kumar, Dr. Sunil Mehra, Dr. Dattatreya Nori, Sunil Modi, newly elected President of Association of Indians in America (AIA) Nassau County officials that included Zahid Ali Syed and Editors of newspapers that included, among others, Sharanjit Singh Thind and Prof. Indrajit S Saluja.

    In his address,Mr. Dayal spoke of the strength of the Indian economy that has been growing in spite of worldwide recession. He attributed this growth, in part to the remittances and investments by persons of Indian origin abroad. He congratulated them for being engines of growth of India. He said he was happy to note that Indian Americans had made significant personal progress in their professions and businesses here.

    Some, even, made their mark in politics. He referred also to the valuable contribution that the community was making in promoting friendly relations between India and USA. He said even though the relationship was quite strong and the bond between the countries continue to get stronger there was always need that the Indian American community continued to play its part in further cementing the relationship to the mutual advantage of the two countries- one the largest democracy in the world, and the other, the oldest democracy in the world.

    As for his future plans,Mr. Dayal said he would like to visit places, read and write and play golf. Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Mukhi described Mr. Dayal as one of the most brilliant diplomats he had ever come across. He said of Mr. Dayal that he had earned the admiration and love of community by being sympathetic and helpful to its needs and aspirations. He expressed the gratitude of the entire Indian American community to Mr. Dayal and wished him all happiness in his retired life.

  • Zinda-Tina Hosted A Party In Honor Of The Retiring CG Prabhu Dayal

    Zinda-Tina Hosted A Party In Honor Of The Retiring CG Prabhu Dayal

    February 18 evening witnessed quite a hustle & bustle at the Muttontown home of Zinda Singh and wife Tina Shah Singh. Friends of the Singh family had gathered to bid farewell to a very dear friend, the retiring Consul General Prabhu Dayal. During his three hour plus long stay, Mr. Dayal spoke intimately with the gathered ladies and gentlemen.

    He praised the Indian American community for the great work it was doing of promoting ties between India and the USA while making rapid strides in their chosen fields of occupation. He thanked the community for its love and affection and said he would always be around if he could in any way help.

    Zinda- Tina Singh honored Mr. Dayal with a shawl for him and a gift for his lovely wife Chandini who could not come as she was busy “packing stuff” in preparation of making a move out of India House. Present on the occasion were a number of prominent Indian Americans, including heads of a few organizations of Indian American community.

  • Mumbai Girl Victim Of Matrimony Fraud In USA: An Eye Opener For Parents Of Girls In India

    Mumbai Girl Victim Of Matrimony Fraud In USA: An Eye Opener For Parents Of Girls In India

    Hansa & Ajay Mehtani were introduced to a New York couple Jugal & Rekha Lakhwani and their son Aman by their New Jersey based relatives in Mumbai. Mrs. & Mr. Lakhwani spoke very highly of their son Aman that he is a college graduate, very intelligent, well cultured with no bad habits and no girlfriends. He wants his would be wife to be well educated, cultured and homely and looking for no dowry. They claimed that Aman makes $100,000.00/year from 3 Dunkin Donuts Stores in New York and share in the family business of Auto Repair in New York. They own a big luxury House in Long Island and have multiple luxury cars.

    They have properties in Mumbai also. They are living in USA for the last 28 years and they are very well settled in the business. Rekha is a house wife and Jugal Lakhwani is Trustee of a Hindu Temple of New York. Both are very actively involved in social services to the community and in the Temple. They also added that they have a daughter Amita who is a Physician Assistant and works for a hospital in Bronx. At present Amita is living with them. She would get married eventually and whatever they have; Cash in banks, Jewelry, House & Business in NY, and Properties & income in Mumbai, it all belongs to their son Aman.

    Mehtanis agreed to marry their daughter Neha with Lakhwani’s son Aman with a formal engagement party in Mumbai. After few days Aman with his family and friends came to Mumbai again for the Hindu Religious Ceremonies. Aman’s parent Rekha & Jugal Lakhwani few days before the ceremonies started demanding dowry/gifts for themselves & their relatives. After the dowry/gifts demands by the Lakhwani family were fulfilled, the ceremonies took place in Mumbai. After that Aman & Neha got married at a New York Court followed by a Reception by Rekha & Jugal Lakhwani in New York. Neha became the victim of domestic violence, matrimonial frauds, lies and deceit from day one.

    She came to know Aman is not medically fit as husband besides having other pre existing medical conditions. What business he owns and his earnings was also a big mystery. He submitted 2 earning statements while sponsoring Neha for her Green Card; one with employment since 2005 with a salary of $60,00.00 per annum as District Manager & other since 2006 with a salary of $1,000.00 per week as Manager both from the same Donuts & Ice Cream Store in NY. Moreover, Aman’s parent were not treating her well and the house where everyone is living actually belonged to her sister in-law Amita Lakhwani.

    Since the Divorce in Hindu culture is a stigma and looking at the old age of her parent; Neha tried her level best to save her marriage. Even after learning the truth her parent advised her to work on her marriage to respect the Hindu culture. When Neha could not tolerate her physical beating any more, she called the police on Aman in June 2012. Rather than protecting Neha, Lakhwani’s started harassing her to go back to India and forced her to sign a No Contest Divorce with no financial compensation or reimbursement for various Hindu wedding ceremonies and expensive diamond/gold gifts to entire Lakhwani family and cash/sweets to their relatives.

    After taking Neha’s signature entire Lakhwani family filed 8 Complaints against her in Family Court as well as eviction Notice by her sister in-law Amita claiming $4,000.00 as rent arrears. Lakhwani’s took Restraining orders against Neha so that she could not talk to the Media about Aman’s medical, earnings, qualification and assets. Rekha and Jugal Lakhwani are misusing Temple funds and resources. The house Lakhwani’s are living belongs to her sister in-law Amita. This is the same house Rekha Lakhwani sold to their daughter during the peak in Dec. 2006 for $10.00 when the market value was close to a million dollar.

    Even today this property is worth over $700,000.00. Rekha Lakhwani has purchased this property for $430,000.00 in 2003. It raises questions why the property was not sold to their son Aman? May be Rekha, Jugal & Aman are running from their debtors! All 3 are claiming Tax Payer funded Free Medical Services by claiming to be poor when they have cash income from their Auto Repair business, a Trust in the name of Rekha Lakhwani, cash stashed in daughter’s name and properties and income in Mumbai (India).

    Jugal and Rekha Lakhwani unsuccessfully tried to violate Neha’s Religious Rights also by writing to the Court that she should not be allowed to enter the Hindu Temple where Jugal is the Trustee. When it failed Jugal filed for violation against her for attending Satsang/Prayer in a private home by claiming that the owner of the house is their family friend. Frustrated and distraught by the emotionally, physically, mentally and financially harassing behavior of entire Lakhwani family; Nisha filed a motion in Nov. 2012 to contest the divorce. As per court filing Aman is High School only and not College Graduate as claimed by Lakhwani’s.

    At present earning $ 1,000/month from a temporary job; exposing the lies of Lakhwani’s that he makes $100,000.00/annum. In the name of assets; he has a 13yrs old car may be worth $150.00 and no bank balance. On top of that he has a liability of $35,000.00 payable to his father & sister’s corporation. He admitted in the Court he lives with his sister; drives her car, she pays for gas, food and gives him an allowance also. Still Aman has the insanity to register himself in Shaadi.com when he is not even legally divorced; trying to trap another innocent girl by claiming to be a Divorcee, Graduate and business owner making $25,000.00 to $40,000.00.

    Even Jugal & Rekha Lakhwani has practically no assets and no income according to Court records on their application for Free Attorney. They have failed to disclose about their cash income from Auto Repair business, jointly owned Corporation with daughter Amita, a Trust in the name of Rekha Lakhwani, cash stashed away in daughter’s name and properties they owned in Mumbai. Jugal, Rekha & Aman; all three are living with their daughter/sister Amita Lakhwani and using tax payer funded Free Healthcare meant for poor people.

    Family court Judge made an observation that it is hard to believe for the Court; how young Amita alone is paying for mortgage, a Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infinity, gas for all vehicles, food, groceries, utilities and paying allowances for all 3? The Court does not appreciate being played the fool. The Court is not a fool. The most unfortunate part is other 13 Trustees of the Temple were approached by Neha initially for help and they refused to help her. Then her parent also approached them, other Hindu Leaders, cultural and trade organizations, Indian Consulate, Embassy and women organizations.

    None of them have helped Neha and the biggest disgrace are the women organizations Manavi & Sakhi who are telling Neha to move to a shelter; we can give you attorney referrals only but can not represent you in the Court. They know it too well she cannot afford an attorney. Top on the Shame on You List are the Temple Trustees and Hindu organizations and its Leaders for not treating this problem as Social Issue. Rather than removing Jugal Lakhwani as Trustee of the Temple and giving justice to the victim Neha; they are showing solidarity with him.

    They could have taken a step forward to outcast the Lakhwanis and advised the Hindu community especially the Sindhi community to break all communications with them and let them know that what they have done is unacceptable. If we do not invest in strengthening the moral and ethical core of the Hindu community whose fabric is being eaten up by the butchers of Hinduism like Lakhwanis, Hindus will disintegrate. Hinduism will become a violent religion with no regard to morality, ethics, honesty and basic human rights especially for women.

    In Indian Court system the entire Lakhwani family can be punished for matrimony frauds and the parent can be held liable for compensation and maintenance to the victim if their son cannot pay. But in US Courts this is not applicable because Court considers marriage between 2 adults only and looking at the barely educated Aman Lakhwani dependent on his sister Amita for his daily needs, Neha is not entitled to any compensation. Neha’s story indicates a reasonably well educated and intelligent girl working for ABN Amro Bank as CSM in Dubai with a potential to make $35-40,000/yr in USA has been trapped into marrying a medically, educationally, professionally and financially derailed Aman by Lakhwani family.

    To prove misrepresentation for medical, educational/professional, earnings and assets by Aman and his family; it is very expensive and prolonged legal battle that Nisha and her helpless parents sitting in Mumbai can hardly afford. Lesson For Every Parent in India : after reading about Neha’s emotional, physical, mental and financial torture; no parent in India should accept the verbal declarations from a prospective bridegroom and his parent. As no Hindu Community Leader, organization, Indian Consulate or their own relative will help their daughter in America if she becomes the victim of domestic violence, matrimonial frauds, lies and deceit.

    They must understand there is no US laws under which bridegroom and his parent can be prosecuted for misrepresentation. They must insist on documentary proof for the status of the bridegroom. Girl’s Parent must demand College/Professional Degree Certificates, last 3 months Pay stubs, 2 years Tax Returns & W-2, proof of ownership of property & vehicles as well as Mortgage Statement and Car Loan statement from a prospective Bridegroom before they agree to marry their daughter.

    This financial information can be helpful to know, can the prospective bridegroom will give a decent life to their daughter or he is looking for a Bride who is going to take care of his basic needs. May be the bridegroom and his family are looking for an unpaid live in maid with glorified title of wife/daughter in-law to be presented as a showpiece in their insensitive social circle.

    (Compiled by Dave Makkar from the Appeal For Justice by Neha’s Parents made under oath in Mumbai and sent to New York courts. The real names of both parties have been with held on the request of Mehtanis.) The story has been published in public interest.–EDITOR

  • Chidambaram Opts For Prudence Over Populism In Budget

    Chidambaram Opts For Prudence Over Populism In Budget

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Presenting the last budget of the UPA government ahead of the 2014 General Elections, Finance Minister P Chidambaram unveiled a balancing act between economics and politics by going in for fiscal consolidation and also hiking outlays for welfare schemes, especially for the electorally important target segment of women, youth and poor. Chidambaram’s eighth Budget — and the first and last in this stint as Finance Minister — was devoid of fireworks associated with his previous big bang Budgets, given the precarious fiscal situation focused towards steadying the economy ship to take it to a higher growth trajectory in the months ahead. The Finance Minister kept his promise of containing the fiscal deficit at 5.2 per cent. The Budget had no changes in customs, excise and service tax rates. There were no changes in income tax slabs and benefits much to the disappointment of the middle class, except that Rs 2,000 tax credit has been allowed for those in the Rs 2-5 lakh tax bracket. To promote consumption, first-time home buyers can avail a further deduction on interest expense of Rs 1 lakh for home loans up to Rs 25 lakh. Citing the mantra of higher growth rate for inclusive and sustainable development, the Finance Minister hiked outlays for rural development, education, health, water and sanitation, SCs/STs and tribals. For women voters, a Nirbhaya Fund of Rs 1,000 crore has been set up for safety and empowerment of women, in the memory of the Delhi gangrape victim. In addition, for the first time, an all-women bank has also been announced. While increasing social spending, the Budget seeks to send a message by taxing the rich.

    Biting the bullet on super rich tax, a 10 per cent surcharge has been levied on those with income of more than Rs 1 crore, which is over 42,000 people. On the same theme, TDS of 1 per cent will be levied on sale of property of over Rs 50 lakh. Surcharge on both domestic and MNC companies has been raised on the tax paid. For stimulating investment in manufacturing, an investment allowance of 15 per cent will be allowed for investment of over Rs 100 crore in plant and machinery.

    For the consumer, set top boxes have become more expensive with doubling of customs duty. Luxury goods like high-end motor vehicles are also dearer.

    Mobile phones have also become more expensive. Eating out has also become more expensive as service tax has been levied on AC restaurants that do not serve liquor. Garments and carpets have become cheaper. For retail investors, STT in stock markets has been reduced.

    The Finance Minister admitted that in a constrained economy, there is little room to raise taxes or give away revenues. In his post-Budget press conference, Chidambaram said more measures would be announced during the Budget passage in Parliament. He added that the Budget is not a one-stop measure but is a continuing process.

    Though the Budget did face criticism from some quarters for not doing enough to revive growth, the GDP numbers for the October-December quarter came in at a shocker of a number at 4.5 per cent, the lowest in a decade, which is bound to add to the woes of the government.

  • Indian American CEO Goes Bankrupt

    Indian American CEO Goes Bankrupt

    NEW YORK (TIP): “My company is now doing business in 20 states and this year we are expecting revenue of $1.5 billion,” This is what the CEO and Chairman of the Universal Healthcare Group in Florida, Akshay K Desai had told media only six months back, adding that Romney had “a few months ago visited my company and spent a couple of hours and I gave him a tour and explained to him what we do and he was quite impressed.” Sadly, the scene is not the same today.

    The Medicare provider, which had been the employer of over a thousand people and more, has now gone bankrupt leaving a number of Indian American entrepreneurs and physicians hopeless after having invested $25 million in the company. The Surat born Akshay K Desai, Chairman and CEO, of the Universal Healthcare Group, stalwart in the Republican Party, major fundraiser, first Indian American to be appointed in the Finance Committee of a Republican Party and main mediator to Mitt Romney and the Indian Americans, is suddenly not as popular as then, with his party bosses and Governor Rick Scott now forcing him to step down from his post. “Governor Rick Scott called me and urged me to consider taking up this position, saying that I had the experience and was a long-time party loyalist and having been a staunch supporter of former governors Charlie Christ and Jeb Bush.

    He also said that he was so impressed by my track record of activism in the Republican Party for nearly two decades.”, was what he said some time ago. “I resigned myself to devote 100 percent of my time to deal with my company issue,” is what he says today. “You have to realize, in business it requires more time and if I am not able to devote enough time for getting things done outside of my business, then the most prudent thing to do would be to resign and let somebody else who has more time to step in so they can do it.”

    He declares that he needs “energy and all of my efforts are now entirely focused in helping the company to do better.” However, the sad part is that his company, now in great debt, is soon to be liquidated in order to get all outstanding policy claims and other debts paid off. All of its financial along with its revenue and assets have been mismanaged, misleading information has been released, the required amount of capital has not been maintained and over thousands of insurance policies have been ruined.

    The company has also brought losses to major investors like Dr. Zach Zachariah and Raj Gupta from Fort Lauderdale, and a major fundraiser from the Republican Party, apart from various other Indian American entrepreneurs, physicians and academics, some of them even having invested over a million in the company. “All the investors have been right-royally screwed.”, says one among them. “It’s really pathetic and we are finding all kinds of shenanigans have been going on,”, said another.

    “Florida insurance regulators have long had suspicions about Universal Health Care, the nearly insolvent St Petersburg Medicare insurer the state now accuses of fraud, forgery, embezzlement and other illegal financial conduct.”, reports the Tampa Bay Times. “As you know, quite a few of my friends and family, they are also investors in the company and so, I am doing my best to make sure that nobody gets financially hurt.”, a broken Desai says.

  • Bejan Daruwalla’s book ‘2012 End of the World’ launched

    Bejan Daruwalla’s book ‘2012 End of the World’ launched

    UDAIPUR (TIP): Bejan Daruwalla’s latest book “2012 End of the World” predicts 21st century to be the brightest for mankind. It puts forth the view that dooms day is nowhere near and the world is not going to end.

    In fact, “21st century will be the biggest and brightest for mankind”, says Bejan Daruwalla, the famous astrologer. The book was launched at Udaipur by Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, son of living legend Maharana Arwindsinghji Mewar. The day of the book release happened to be the birthday of the Prince. Bejan Dauwalla who was accompanied by his son, blessed the young Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar who holds Daruwalla in high esteem.