The Indian Panorama

Month: July 2014

  • PORTRAIT OF A DEDICATED LEADER

    PORTRAIT OF A DEDICATED LEADER

    Lion Winster D Ceballos
    By Kajol Bishnoi
    Lion Winster D Ceballos of Clifton, New Jersey is a Past district governor from 16A and an elected Council Chair for MD-16- New Jersey Lions, for the year 2014-2015. As a dedicated Lion, with his great work ethic, passion to serve the community and drive to take initiative, Lion Winster has been serving the organization for more then a decade.

    He has used his leadership and integrity to exemplify why he is a standout lion here at the LCIF. He became a Leo in 1995 and served for the next 4 years. He grew up in Lionism as his grandfather was inducted as a Charter Member of the Santo Domingo Miraflores Lions Club in 1983.


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    Celebrating Christmas 2013. Winster is seen to the left of Santa

    Young Winster immediately found out his niche that serving the community all over the world is the most satisfying and rewarding experience of his life. Over the last nineteen years he has been involved with as many aspects of Lionism and learned a great deal about how Lionism works in the Multiple District, as well as the world stage. As an active member in good standing of the Passaic-Clifton Lions Club since 2006, Council Chair Winster has been a Lion since 1999.

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    PID Robert Moore, DG Winster Ceballos & PCC Elspeth Moore

    He has served the foundation in Club/District level positions including club president for Leo/Lions, zone chairperson, district governor, IT committee chairperson/webmaster, secretary, treasurer, Leo district secretary and Lions smile core team member. He has attended the senior Lions Leadership Institute in 2009, including the 2012 and 2013 USA/Canada leadership forum and was a panellist and moderator at several International conventions.


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    Family: Winster, wife
    Diana and sons

    In recognition of his service to the association, CC Winster has received numerous awards, including the International president’s leadership medal, International president certificate of appreciation, International president letter of commendation, District 16-A pioneer award, 100% attendance pin (1999-present), Dr. Ramiro Collazo membership award and also the Leo/ Rookie of the year Award. He is also a Melvin Jones Fellow.

    Lion Winster is assigned as a Board member of the Center for Family Resources, NJ and he devotes most of his time to community work. He has completed the “Enhance Incident management unified command” course (Department of Homeland Security) and worked at Passaic County community college at the public safety department. Currently he is serving the Passaic Academic Center and adjunct.

    Lion Winster is married to Diana and they have twin sons who will be going to follow his dream of becoming the future Leo/Lions and serving the community. Winster is a dedicated Lion and a good friend. We are honored to have him as our Council chair. We wish him all the very best for his future.

    Here is what others say about Winster.

    “Winster was a great addition to our District family. He was an outstanding District Governor, and a current Council Chair, youngest in our memory, and we are very pleased to see that he is going to continue his contributions to Lionism in future as well. He has created an excellent webpage for our New Jersey Lions State website. We are proud to know him and proud of his accomplishments as a young and rising Lion.”

    Dennis Brubaker, Past District Governor, 16N

    “As a young child attending international conventions Winster grew with Lions around him. He is passionate about Lionism and helping lions with his IT and social media skills. I am sure he will climb up the ladders soon and one day we will see him in the chair of International president.”

    Mahesh Chitnis, District Governor, 16J

  • INDIA FUNDS CRECHES FOR TAMILS OF INDIAN ORIGIN IN SRI LANKA

    INDIA FUNDS CRECHES FOR TAMILS OF INDIAN ORIGIN IN SRI LANKA

    COLOMBO (TIP): India on July 22 said it will upgrade 70 creches in the plantation areas in several parts of Sri Lanka so that mothers working in tea estates can leave their children in a safe environment. The project is to be implemented at a cost of 58 million Sri Lankan Rupees and will be taken up in seven estate regions of Hatton, Galle, Kandy, Ratnapura, Galle, Badulla, and Kegalle, Indian high commission said.

    Lankan Tamils of Indian origin are the main workers employed in these seven estates where India plans to implement the project. Ten child development centres have been identified for renovation in each estate region.Apart from renovating the buildings, the government of India will also provide furniture to the creches to assist children to grow in a safe and hygienic learning atmosphere.

    The project is expected to enable mothers engaged in the tea estates to go to work with the assurance that their children are in a safe environment. This will contribute to the economic empowerment of women and assist families in the estate sector. India has been implementing a number of projects for the estate people of Central and Uva Provinces.

  • Devil’s Brew in Middle East

    Devil’s Brew in Middle East

    By S Nihal Singh

    America’s Receding Ability to Bring Peace

    “The major power in the region, the United States, is increasingly compromised by its total support of Israel, largely due to domestic factors, and its desire to reduce its footprint in the region. In hindsight as, many at that time suggested, the US was foolish to invade Iraq under false pretences. And on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it is on the wrong side of history”, says the author.

    That the Middle East (West Asia of our description) is in a state of flux is crystal clear. We have a three-yearold civil war in Syria, an Iraq wracked by tribal and Shia-Sunni strife, Libya still fighting the post-Gaddafi dispensation and Israelis launching a disproportionate war on Palestinians, not for the first time. The common thread in these crises is the role of outside powers, both in creating crises in the first instance and in muddying the waters and the inability of local actors to make peace.

    In Syria, a minority Alwaite regime is seeking to retain its throne in a Sunni-majority country, with opponents of a bewildering variety of moderates and militants ranged on the other side. In Iraq, after all American troops left, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, belonging to the majority Shia, has been interpreting his role primarily in terms of advancing the interests of his community.

    The Kurds are asserting their rights while the Sunni, dethroned from their ruling perch, have combined with Islamic militants to challenge the state. Both in Syria and Iraq the Islamists of the extreme variety, first under the rubric of the ISIS and later under the name of the Islamic State, have carved out an area in Syria and Iraq they rule, with President Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria and the Iraqi authorities unable to dislodge them. Superimposed on these dramatic events is the old Israel-Palestinian conflict, essentially caused by Israeli actions in occupying and colonising vast Palestinian lands and East Jerusalem on the strength of total American support extending to unprecedented military supplies and a generous annual financial subsidy.

    These actions nullify attempts at finding a twostate solution and the prospect is of one state with a growing Palestinian population living as second-class citizens. Regional powers belonging to the Sunni and Shia faiths have taken up positions determined in the first category by supporting the anti-Assad forces in Syria, more of them supporting the cause of the newly disenfranchised Sunni of Iraq. On the other side is Iran, the minority Assad regime in Syria and the Hezbollah movement of Lebanon.

    After the proclamation of the Islamic Caliphate in Syria and Iraq, the Sunni states led by Saudi Arabia have moderated their somewhat indiscriminate financial and military support for the Islamic militants fighting the Assad regime. Iran has been consistent in its support of President Assad and the Hezbollah. Turkey’s position has evolved over time, initially the leader of the regime change lobby for Syria, together with neighbours hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees.

    It is taking time to reconsider its options while deeply disappointed with US inaction in Syria while supporting the cause of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians. One big change in the regional picture is the anti-Morsi coup that has eventually brought the Army under the guise of a civilian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi to power. The Brotherhood is classed as a terrorist organisation, its leaders and hundreds of its followers are in prison. The new regime has closed the Rafah border with the Gaza Strip, a lifeline for besieged Palestinians and shut down most of their tunnels.

    Speculation is rife in this churning process, with extravagant scenarios of the break-up of Syria and Iraq and other countries essentially carved out by France and Britain out of the end of the Ottoman Empire. Two trends seem clear. The first is a sharpening Shia-Sunni conflict which is taking many forms. Second, the spreading cancer of 21st century Israeli colonization which lies at the heart of the historic Middle East conflict. There are no easy solutions to either of these problems. Any Shia-Sunni reconciliation assumes a measure of tolerance on the two sides. There are many actors inflaming passions, not least of all Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki.

    On the other side, proponents of the Islamic Caliphate are keeping the fires of intolerance burning. The major power in the region, the United States, is increasingly compromised by its total support of Israel, largely due to domestic factors, and its desire to reduce its footprint in the region. In hindsight as, many at that time suggested, the US was foolish to invade Iraq under false pretences.

    And on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it is on the wrong side of history. What then can we expect from the devil’s brew, which is the Middle East in the coming days and months? There will no doubt be a ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians even as Israel’s isolation in the world increases because of the scale of the carnage it has been inflicting on Palestinians, highlighted by the Human Rights Convention. But the problem will continue to fester because domestic factors compel US administrations to remain captive to the urges of Israeli colonialism.

    The other regional crises will run their course, with little prospect of millions of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries and the internally displaced able to return home soon. In many instances, there is no home to go to. In Iraq, the virtual partition of the state into Shia, Sunni and Kurdish regions will take firmer shape. The new Egyptian regime, in terms of the Palestinian cause, is a tacit ally of Israel and will pose problems for Gazans.

    In this tangled mess, one crisis feeds on the other and the resulting picture is far from following a common pattern. The tragedy is that the sole mediator remains the United States and it is hamstrung by its own compulsions. In immediate terms, the future remains bleak. For the present, there is no countervailing force to take matters in hand.

    The East-West conflict represented by the growing antagonisms between Russia and the United States over Ukraine make a complementary Moscow initiative impossible. The only bright spot is that since things cannot get worse, they will take a turn for the better.

  • Time for Hard Decisions

    Time for Hard Decisions

    For the Congress, things came to a head this week: on a single day, two senior Ministers in Assam and Maharashtra, States where it is in power, resigned; three of its MLAs in West Bengal defected to the Trinamool Congress, and an ex-MP in Jammu & Kashmir quit the party 24 hours after the Congress and the National Conference decided to contest elections separately even though they still rule J&K jointly. Simultaneously, speculation grew about the possibility of similar exits in Haryana.

    This came at the end of a month that witnessed demands from within the party for the removal of the Chief Ministers of Assam, Maharashtra and Haryana. The attempts to replace them failed eventually, but the delay in settling the issue further undermined the authority of the incumbents and tried the patience of the rebels. The message that the Congress high command will not act under pressure came too late; the fact that the Chief Ministers and the dissidents both had backers in Delhi helped even less, presenting the picture of a divided leadership.

    The fact that State Assembly elections are due later this year in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand, has increased the anxiety – and impatience – of party members in these States: they fear a repeat of the results of the recent general elections that saw the Congress touching an unprecedented low in terms of seats won. Taken together, these events are symptomatic of the deep crisis the Congress is going through. The party’s rank and file are not just looking for a major organizational overhaul and a big idea; it is actually thirsting for inspirational leadership and direction that can restore the fortunes of the Congress.

    But party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who was expected to take over the organization’s reins after the Lok Sabha polls, continues to be reluctant to lead from the front, as is apparent from Karnataka veteran Mallikarjun Kharge’s appointment as the parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha. And party president Sonia Gandhi is clearly unable to persuade Mr. Gandhi to either accept the leader’s role fully or learn from his failed experiments at democratizing the party.

    Instead, thus far, a committee under senior leader A.K. Antony has been set up to make a diagnosis of, and suggest a cure for, the party’s ills. But while the committee’s sittings provided party members with a forum to vent their feelings, the report that will eventually emerge is not expected to change anything much: for, like similar post-debacle reports by Mr. Antony in the past, this one, too, is intended for Sonia Gandhi’s eyes only. The Congress is clearly not yet ready to look beyond the Gandhis, and it is therefore time now for Mr. Gandhi to take on the challenge or make way for someone else.

  • REMEMBERING SHAHEED UDHAM SINGH: HERO OF INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE

    REMEMBERING SHAHEED UDHAM SINGH: HERO OF INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE

    Udham Singh, a revolutionary nationalist, was born Sher Singh on 26 December 1899, at Sunam, in the then princely state of Patiala. His father, Tahal Singh, was at that time working as a watchman on a railway crossing in the neighbouring village of Upall.

    Sher Singh lost his parents before he was seven years and was admitted along with his brother Mukta Singh to the Central Khalsa Orphanage at Amritsar on 24 October 1907. As both brothers were administered the Sikh initiatory rites at the Orphanage, they received new names, Sher Singh becoming Udham Singh and Mukta Singh Sadhu Singh. In 1917, Udham Singh’s brother also died, leaving him alone in the world.

    Bazaar outside Golden Temple

    Udham Singh left the Orphanage after passing the matriculation examination in 1918. He was present in the Jallianvala Bag on the fateful Baisakhi day, 13 April 1919, when a peaceful assembly of people was fired upon by General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, killing over one thousand people.

    The event which Udham Singh used to recall with anger and sorrow, turned him to the path of revolution. Soon after, he left India and went to the United States of America. He felt thrilled to learn about the militant activities of the Babar Akalis in the early 1920’s, and returned home. He had secretly brought with him some revolvers and was arrested by the police in Amritsar, and sentenced to four years imprisonment under the Arms Act.

    On release in 1931, he returned to his native Sunam, but harassed by the local police, he once again returned to Amritsar and opened a shop as a signboard painter, assuming the name of Ram Muhammad Singh Azad. This name, which he was to use later in England, was adopted to emphasize the unity of all the religious communities in India in their struggle for political freedom. Udham Singh was deeply influenced by the activities of Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary group. In 1935, when he was on a visit to Kashmlr, he was found carrying Bhagat Singh’s portrait. He invariably referred to him as his guru.

    He loved to sing political songs, and was very fond of Ram Prasad Bismal, who was the leading poet of the revolutionaries. After staying for some months in Kashmlr, Udham Singh left India. He wandered about the continent for some time, and reached England by the mid-thirties. He was on the lookout for an opportunity to avenge the Jalliavala Bagh tragedy. The long-waited moment at last came on 13 March 1940. On that day, at 4.30 p.m. in the Caxton Hall, London, where a meeting of the East India Association was being held in conjunction with the Royal Central Asian Society, Udham Singh fired five to six shots from his pistol at Sir Michael O’Dwyer, who was governor of the Punjab when the Amritsar massacre had taken place.

    O’Dwyer was hit twice and fell to the ground dead and Lord Zetland, the Secretary of State for India, who was presiding over the meeting was injured. Udham Singh was overpowered with a smoking revolver. He in fact made no attempt to escape and continued saying that he had done his duty by his country. On 1 April 1940, Udham Singh was formally charged with the murder of Sir Michael O’Dwyer. On 4 June 1940, he was committed to trial, at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, before Justice Atkinson, who sentenced him to death.

    An appeal was filed on his behalf which was dismissed on 15 July 1940. On 31 July 1940, Udham Singh was hanged in Pentonville Prison in London. Udham Singh was essentially a man of action and save his statement before the judge at his trial, there was no writing from his pen available to historians. Recently, letters written by him to Shiv Singh Jauhal during his days in prison after the shooting of Sir Michael O’Dwyer have been discovered and published.

    These letters show him as a man of great courage, with a sense of humour. He called himself a guest of His Majesty King George, and he looked upon death as a bride he was going to wed. By remaining cheerful to the last and going joyfully to the gallows, he followed the example of Bhagat Singh who had been his beau ideal. During the trial, Udham Singh had made a request that his ashes be sent back to his country, but this was not allowed. In 1975, however, the Government of India, at the instance of the Punjab Government, finally succeeded in bringing his ashes home. Lakhs of people gathered on the occasion to pay homage to his memory.

    Udham Singh tore 8-page statement before judge

    While facing the historic trial in England for killing former Punjab lieutenant governor Michael O’Dwyer, freedom fighter Udham Singh had prepared an eight-page statement, which he wanted to read out in the court. However, the judge interrupted him. Angered over this, Udham tore the pages and hurled them towards the judge.

    Taken aback, the court employees put together the bits of the torn paper to make them legible as the judge realised the undertrial may have wanted to say something. Today, those glued-back pages can be found in the national archives. Member of Ghadar Party Udham said his aim was not just to assassinate Dwyer, but he wanted the world to know that India needed Independence. “My only aim was not to kill Dwyer.

    If it was so, I could have killed him earlier and didn’t have to wait for 21 long years to shoot him in Caxton Hall of London. Dwyer used to go for morning walk in a park and I too used to go there. I easily could have gunned him down, but I wanted to show to the whole of world that India wanted to break free and chose Caxton Hall to highlight the viewpoint of most of the Indians,” Udham had averred as the book says.”I do not care about dying. We are suffering from the British Empire.

    I am not afraid to die. I am proud to die for my country. I want to help my native land in getting freedom and I hope when I am gone, my countrymen will drive out the Englishmen,” said Udham Singh.

    Udham Singh was an Indian revolutionary, best known for assassinating Michael O’Dwyer in March 1940 in what has been described as an avenging of the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. A prominent figure of the Indian independence struggle, Udham was born on December 26, 1899 in Sunam, Punjab, India. On the 31st July, 1940, he was hanged at Pentonville Jail, London. — EDITOR

  • US HAS TO SEE ITS ROLE IN MH17

    US HAS TO SEE ITS ROLE IN MH17

    By Kanwal Sibal

    “President Obama is right in strongly condemning the MH 17 incident and seeking an independent international enquiry, which Putin too endorses. But he is wrong to admonish Russia on its responsibilities for de-escalation and threaten more sanctions, as the US itself bears great responsibility for the turmoil in Ukraine”, says the author.

    In India, we need to separate our reactions to the human dimension of the tragic downing of the Malaysian passenger plane over Ukrainian airspace by a missile and its political dimension. On the humanitarian side, this incident deserves unalloyed condemnation, no matter who is responsible, as apart from the individual tragedies of those who lost their lives in this egregious act, the crucial question air travel safety is involved. President Obama is wrong to admonish Russia on its responsibilities for deescalation and threaten more sanctions, as the US itself bears great responsibility for the turmoil in Ukraine.

    Under no circumstances should civilian passenger planes become targets in conflict situations, especially as international flights carry individuals belonging to many nationalities with no connection with disputes on the ground. In turn, international airlines too should stringently avoid overflying disturbed areas and not seek to economise on fuel costs by taking short cuts on the assumption that they are secure against any attack, even accidental.

    Agenda
    The political dimension of this reprehensible incident is murky and we, including the media, must not get influenced by narratives emanating from quarters intent on squeezing the maximum geopolitical capital out of this tragedy against Russia. Ever since the Soviet collapse, the West’s agenda has been to sever Ukraine from Russia and bring it into NATO’s and EU’s orbit, the thinking being that Russia without Ukraine would lose vital strategic depth, its European dimension would be severely impaired and its geopolitical vulnerability to western pressures would increase.

    This could eventually facilitate a regime change in Russia itself, with Europe-inclined “democratic” forces inside the country, currently suppressed by the authoritarian KGB type regime represented by president Putin, gaining power with outside encouragement and support and, instead of seeking an “equal” partnership with the EU, reconciling themselves to the modest stature of an additional member of the Euro-Atlantic political, security and economic structures. This would explain why Putin is so vilified in the West.

    Unsurprisingly, therefore, even the responsibility for the downed Malaysian airliner is being laid, directly or indirectly, at his door in view of Russia’s support for the disaffected anti-Kiev forces in eastern Ukraine and the presumption that MH 17 was downed by them with equipment of Russian origin. The West has unleashed a propaganda campaign against Putin personally for arming the anti-Kiev forces and not doing enough to de-escalate the conflict, even though Putin has repeatedly appealed for a peaceful political solution and against the use of force in eastern Ukraine.

    In revived Cold War posturing, Senator McCain and Hillary Clinton, with pro forma ifs, have effectively held Russia responsible and advocated additional sanctions if investigations confirm its culpability. US is the largest exporter of arms in the world and any use of US arms by recipient governments that causes innocent civilians to die anywhere would make the US and its president accountable? To see matters in perspective, when US forces downed an Iranian Airbus passenger plane in 1988 in Iranian airspace killing 290 on board, there was no US apology, no international probe to fix responsibility and no scope, naturally, for punitive sanctions.

    President Obama is right in strongly condemning the MH 17 incident and seeking an independent international enquiry, which Putin too endorses. But he is wrong to admonish Russia on its responsibilities for de-escalation and threaten more sanctions, as the US itself bears great responsibility for the turmoil in Ukraine. For years it has sought to promote a “democratic” revolution in Ukraine, repeatedly supporting its membership of NATO, condoning street violence to bring about a regime change in Kiev and endorsing the new leadership of questionable legitimacy by inviting it to the White House.

    It sent its vice-president, the CIA chief and special operations teams to Kiev to bolster the Ukrainian government. Despite the Poroschenko government’s dependence on the IMF and EU for survival, the West has failed to pressure Kiev to deescalate, end military operations and attendant civilian casualties in eastern Ukraine, and seek a negotiated political solution that takes into account the internal political, ethnic and linguistic cleavages in the country.

    Casualties
    Russia is, in fact, blaming the Kiev government’s decision to use military force against the opposition forces for creating conditions under which this tragedy occurred. The US, while consolidating itself strategically in Ukraine, cannot ignore wide-ranging legitimate Russian interests in a country that was part of an erstwhile mother entity, including genuine security concerns about Ukraine becoming part of a western military alliance with a vocation to counter revived Russian power. Pakistan was politically shielded and, instead of sanctions, it has continued to receive US economic and military assistance.

    That Russian arms were used to down MH 17 and hence Russia is culpable is an argument best not used by the US as it is the largest exporter of arms in the world and any use of US arms by recipient governments that causes innocent civilians to die anywhere would make the US and its president accountable. That Pakistan has used US arms against us in the past, and even now receives American arms that could be used in the future against us, would, in Obama’s logic, make the US president answerable to us and the international community.

    Propaganda
    In this terrible incident, one American holding dual nationality has been killed. In the Mumbai terrorist attack which was planned and wilful, six Americans lost their lives. In that case, unlike in the case of MH 17 where no direct Russian action is being alleged, the US from its own sources such as Headley, knew of Pakistan’s complicity, and yet the then US president made no long declaration to strongly deplore the brutal Mumbai massacre, affirm that available evidence indicated planning on Pakistani soil, and threaten sanctions on Pakistan if further investigations proved the involvement of its agencies.

    On the contrary, Pakistan was politically shielded and, instead of sanctions, it has continued to receive US economic and military assistance. The manner in which the US political class and the western media have already used the MH 17 tragedy to castigate Russia and its president makes any so-called impartial international enquiry another geopolitical play.

  • Hate Story 2

    Hate Story 2

    Cast: Sushant Singh, Surveen Chawla, Jay Bhanushali
    Direction: Vishal Pandya
    Genre: Thriller
    Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes

    Story: Two photography students fall in love. But is a blissful life together just an illusion for them?

    Review: Hate Story 2 is a revenge drama on the lines of Rakesh Roshan’s Khoon Bhari Maang and Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies. What it lacks is an A-grade star cast. Also, this one is slightly more predictable in pattern. However, the doses of erotica added to the screenplay just to give it that gleeful taste work well. Sonika (Surveen Chawla) with an hourglass figure is the mistress of a powerful politician, Mandar Mhatre (Sushant Singh). But at heart, she is a simple girl who wants a chance to taste real love.

    A fellow-photography student Akshay (Jay Bhanushali) and she fall head over heels in love. And though she warns him of her ‘tainted’ image, his intentions stay honourable. The two elope and set up their paradise away from the prying eyes of the power-drunk politician. They hum Arijit Singh’s truly melodious Aaaj phir tumse pyaar, lock lips passionately and make steamy love. And, just when you’re feasting your eyes on Surveen’s dusky bare skin, the bad guys find them. What follows from here is the real suspense tale.

    The lead pair Jay and Surveen, both of whom have an ardent following on the small screen, pass muster in their movie outing as well. However, the scene-stealer is the antagonist, Sushant Singh, who delivers a powerful performance. On the flip side, the proceedings on screen lack tempo that is needed for an erotic thriller. However, to stop you from fidgeting, the makers have cleverly roped in adultstar Sunny Leone (Indian cinema’s best import in recent times) to shimmy. She beckons you to look at her pink lips in an item number.

    So, even if the plot points in this vendetta drama seem asinine, with Surveen, Sunny and sex thrown in, the less pretentious will go home satiated.

  • Senior journalist Aziz Haniffa Lauds Role of Ethnic Media in Promoting India-US Ties

    Senior journalist Aziz Haniffa Lauds Role of Ethnic Media in Promoting India-US Ties

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Aziz Haniffa, Managing Editor and Chief Diplomatic and Political Correspondent of America’s most widely read South Asian newspaper India Abroad, talked about the “Role of Ethnic Media in Promoting India-US Ties” under a widely appreciated intellectual lecture series “Media India Lecture Series: 2014-15”. Inaugurating the lecture series, Consul General Mulay in his welcome speech informed about the events taking place in the Consulate, the openness embraced by the Consulate and future plans to arrange various events and interactions.

    He praised Mr. Haniffa’s efforts as well as the contribution of India Abroad to serve the Indian-American community by keeping them abreast of the happenings from their perspective since its inception in 1970. He compared the print media with the Visual media and elaborated on the role of ethnic media. Mr. Haniffa spoke of his journey with India Abroad which started when he completed his course in journalism, Mr. Gopal Raju, the founder-publisher of India Abroad, and he himself not only worked for this publication but also played important role during various phases of Indo-US relations right from the days of Emergency to the present when India is an important strategic partner of US in South Asia.


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    Mr. Aziz Haniffa spoke at length about how he worked to promote the cause of India and acted as a bridge between India and the US.


    Citing India Abroad as a case study, he discussed about the events after India conducted its nuclear tests and how India Abroad team pursued with the American government for the Indian cause. He recounted the period of rapport between Ronald Reagan and Rajiv Gandhi, the period of creating “Friends of India” in Senator Steven Solarz, the efforts of stymieing anti- India measures in the Congress, the period of Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. and their support to India against certain strong lobbies within their ruling establishment and the positive role played by the ethnic press in creating a positive climate for better relations.

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    A view of the gathering


    Mr. Mulay also introduced Ms S. Mitra Kalita, Ideas Editor at Quartz. She worked previously at The Wall Street Journal and is a well-known writer too. Ms Kalita moderated the discussion that the audience found interesting. Many important personalities from the mainstream as well as ethnic media attended the lecture and praised the Consulate’s initiative of the Media India-series.

  • ALIA BHATT TOO YOUNG TO TEAM UP WITH KHANS

    ALIA BHATT TOO YOUNG TO TEAM UP WITH KHANS

    Bollywood’s reigning Khans are in their late 40s and 21- year-old Alia Bhatt feels she needs to look more matured to look convincing with the superstars. When asked if she thinks she is too young to be paired with the Khans, Alia said: “I am right now definitely (young) because I look small not age wise, age is just a number, but my face.

    I am just maturing right now – from Student Of The Year till now you can see a difference. “So, when I become a little more matured looking, then it can work. But having said that I have done a film with Randeep Hooda, in which I looked too young without make-up, which didn’t look bad at all. So if there is a scope or a character and a role like that then it will work,” she said in a group interview. The actress, who has worked with new entrants like Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra, is yet to team up with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. Alia’s good fortune in filmdom started with her debut vehicle and the actress says success and accolades bring a lot of pressure.

    After hitting a hat trick with her first three films – Student of The Year, Highway and 2 States, she recently appeared in “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania”, which also got a favourable response at the box office. Asked if she feels under pressure after doing so well in Bollywood, she said: “Yes, I am constantly under pressure because goodness becomes a burden on your shoulders so do the flops. So with every film, no matter how bad or good, there would be pressure.”

  • PRIYANKA CHOPRA: DISRESPECTFUL TO SEE MARY KOM AS A TREND FILM

    PRIYANKA CHOPRA: DISRESPECTFUL TO SEE MARY KOM AS A TREND FILM

    Actress Priyanka Chopra, who will be next seen in the much-awaited biopic ‘Mary Kom’, said it is disrespectful to see it as a film made in sync with the trend of sports dramas. Priyanka will essay the life story of Olympic medal-winning boxer Mary Kom in the film, produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

    Last year, biopic on life of national sprinter Milkha Singh, played by actor Farhan Akhtar, had won the film several accolades, while Irrfan’s stint as Paan Singh Tomar in the 2012 film of same name bagged two National awards.

    The Fashion star made it clear that it was wrong to compare the film with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. “I think you can’t compare Mary Kom with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. For the first time a film has been made on life of a female athlete. It is disrespectful to say it is a trend of sports biopic film. Mary Kom is the pride of our nation,” Priyanka told reporters here at the trailer launch of the film today.

    The 32-year-old actress said Mary Kom is so far the toughest film of her career. “It is the most hardest film of my career. To bring her (Mary Kom’s) personality on screen was the hardest part. To bring the part of a fighter, a homemaker, and a mother was a challenge,” Priyanka said.

  • SANDRA BULLOCK TO STAR IN ‘TUPPERWARE UNSEALED’

    SANDRA BULLOCK TO STAR IN ‘TUPPERWARE UNSEALED’

    Sandra Bullock is all set to play the lead role in the upcoming biopic ‘Tupperware Unsealed’ by Sony Pictures.

    Tate Taylor would produce and direct author Bob Kealing’s non-fiction book adaptation, about Brownie Wise, a divorcee marketer extraordinaire from Detroit who convinced a plastics inventor to let her go crazy marketing that made the storage product a household name and into the multi-billion company, Deadline.com reported.

    Other producers on the project would be Tom Shelly of Steele Mill Productions and Taylor through his Wyolah Films.

    John Norris and Alex Young would serve as executive producers. Hannah Minghella, president of Production for Sony would oversee the project for the studio along with Andrea Giannetti.

    Bullock and Taylor are represented by CAA. Hoberman and Lieberman are represented by WME. Shelly is represented by WME and attorney David Colden.

  • ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY NAMED FACE OF PAIGE DENIM

    ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY NAMED FACE OF PAIGE DENIM

    Supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley will front the spring campaign for the luxury jeans brand Paige Denim, owned by designer Paige Adams Geller, for its new collection which will launch in January 2015. The “Victoria’s Secret” angel shared the news on her Twitter and Instagram accounts Friday, declaring her excitement over her collaboration with the label, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Paige quickly sent the 27-yearold a reply on Twitter welcoming their new muse to her brand’s “family”

  • Begin Again

    Begin Again

    Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Mos Def, Hailee
    Steinfeld, James Corden, Adam Levine, Catherine Keener
    Direction: John Carney
    Genre: Drama
    Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes

    Story: Gretta (Knightley) and Dave (Levine) are a couple but are also song-writing partners. When Dave gets his big break, will their love and artistic integrity be sacrificed at the altar of his musical success?

    Review: Struggling record label exec Dan (Ruffalo) and Gretta are both a bit worn at the seams after being dealt a few bad cards by the hand of fate. Dan is no longer on talking terms with his wife Miriam (Keener) while Gretta is heartbroken and angry, for hell hath no fury like a woman cheated on. And in this case, the cheat is her longtime beau, fellow musician and apparent babemagnet Dave, who took matters beyond music and into the boudoir with a female producer in Los Angeles.

    Gretta might be heartbroken with this betrayal and the proverbial ship set adrift in a lonely sea, but she is very talented and fiercely independent to boot. And if there’s one thing she knows, it’s how to pen a soulful song. Dan and Gretta’s paths cross in a bar one night, when Dan hears her sing. He is impressed enough to know that it’s not just the alcohol veil that makes her music sound so stirring to him.

    This, coupled with the fact that he hasn’t signed any good talent in a while, leads him to do his damnedest to convince her to allow him as producer to help cut an album. Gretta is hesitant for various reasons but ultimately has one of those ‘Oh, what the heck’ moments and goes with Dan’s intuition.

    Despite some hiccups, they manage to scrape together an album. Meanwhile, Gretta’s heart still harbours hope for Dave and when she sees him perform a song one day, it stirs old, bittersweet memories. Dave tries to make amends but is the cut of betrayal too deep for a superficial apology to heal? Gretta’s also now suspect of Dave’s balance between passion and commercialization. Decidedly different from super-budget, superhero fare, this one is sometimes sappy but mostly engaging and definitely driven by music.

  • SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB

    SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB

    CONTD FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 28

    The Lord blesses the Gurmukh with devotion.

    || 13 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: One who has no faith in the True Guru, and who does not love the Word of the Shabad, shall find no peace, even though he may come and go hundreds of times. O Nanak, the Gurmukh meets the True Lord with natural ease; he is in love with the Lord.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: O mind, search for such a True Guru, by serving whom the pains of birth and death are dispelled. Doubt shall never afflict you, and your ego shall be burnt away through the Word of the Shabad. The veil of falsehood shall be torn down from within you, and Truth shall come to dwell in the mind. Peace and happiness shall fill your mind deep within, if you act according to truth and self-discipline. O Nanak, by perfect good karma, you shall meet the True Guru, and then the Dear Lord, by His Sweet Will, shall bless you with His Mercy.

    || 2 || PAUREE: The whole world comes under the control of one whose home is filled with the Lord, the King. He is subject to no one else’s rule, and the Lord, the King, causes everyone to fall at his feet. One may run away from the courts of other men, but where can one go to escape the Lord’s Kingdom? The Lord is such a King, who abides in the hearts of His devotees; He brings the others, and makes them stand before His devotees. The glorious greatness of the Lord’s Name is obtained only by His Grace; how few are the Gurmukhs who meditate on Him.

    || 14 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: Without serving the True Guru, the people of the world are dead; they waste their lives away in vain. In love with duality, they suffer terrible pain; they die, and are reincarnated, and continue coming and going. They live in manure, and are reincarnated again and again. O Nanak, without the Name, the Messenger of Death punishes them; in the end, they depart regretting and repenting.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: In this world, there is one Husband Lord; all other beings are His brides. He enjoys the hearts of all, and yet He remains detached; He is unseen; He cannot be described. The Perfect Guru reveals Him, and through the Word of His Shabad, we come to understand Him. Those who serve their Husband Lord, become like Him; their egos are burnt away by His Shabad. He has no rival, no attacker, no enemy. His rule is unchanging and eternal; He does not come or go. Night and day, His servant serves Him, singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. Beholding the Glorious Greatness of the True Lord, Nanak blossoms forth.

    || 2 || PAUREE: Those whose hearts are forever filled with the Name of the Lord, have the Name of the Lord as their Protector. The Lord’s Name is my father, the Lord’s Name is my mother; the Lord’s Name is my helper and friend. My conversation is with the Lord’s Name, and my counseling is with the Lord’s Name; the Lord’s Name always takes care of me. The Lord’s Name is my most beloved society, the Lord’s Name is my ancestry, and the Lord’s Name is my family. The Guru, the Lord Incarnate, has bestowed upon servant Nanak the Name of the Lord; in this world, and in the next, the Lord ever saves me.

    || 15 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: Those who meet the True Guru, ever sing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises. The Lord’s Name naturally fills their minds, and they are absorbed in the Shabad, the Word of the True Lord. They redeem their generations, and they themselves obtain the state of liberation. The Supreme Lord God is pleased with those who fall at the Guru’s Feet. Servant Nanak is the Lord’s slave; by His Grace, the Lord preserves his honor.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: In egotism, one is assailed by fear; he passes his life totally troubled by fear. Egotism is such a terrible disease; he dies, to be reincarnated – he continues coming and going. Those who have such pre-ordained destiny meet with the True Guru, God Incarnate. O Nanak, by Guru’s Grace, they are redeemed; their egos are burnt away through the Word of the Shabad.

    || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord’s Name is my immortal, unfathomable, imperishable Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny. I serve the Lord’s Name, I worship the Lord’s Name, and my soul is imbued with the Lord’s Name. I know of no other as great as the Lord’s Name; the Lord’s Name shall deliver me in the end. The Generous Guru has given me the Lord’s Name; blessed, blessed are the Guru’s mother and father. I ever bow in humble reverence to my True Guru; meeting Him, I have come to know the Lord’s Name.

    || 16 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: One who does not serve the Guru as Gurmukh, who does not love the Lord’s Name, and who does not savor the taste of the Shabad, shall die, and be reborn, over and over again. The blind, selfwilled manmukh does not think of the Lord; why did he even come into the world? O Nanak, that Gurmukh, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, crosses over the world-ocean.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Only the Guru is awake; the rest of the world is asleep in emotional attachment and desire. Those who serve the True Guru and remain wakeful, are imbued with the True Name, the treasure of virtue. The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not think of the Lord; they are ruined through birth and death. O Nanak, the Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; this is their destiny, pre-ordained by the Primal Lord God.

    || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord’s Name is my food; eating the thirty-six varieties of it, I am satisfied and satiated. The Lord’s Name is my clothing; wearing it, I shall never be naked again, and my desire to wear other clothing is gone. The Lord’s Name is my business, the Lord’s Name is my commerce; the True Guru has blessed me with its use. I record the account of the Lord’s Name, and I shall not be subject to death again. Only a few, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Lord’s Name; they are blessed by the Lord, and receive their pre-ordained destiny.

    || 17 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: The world is blind and ignorant; in the love of duality, it engages in actions. But those actions which are performed in the love of duality, cause only pain to the body. By Guru’s Grace, peace wells up, when one acts according to the Word of the Guru’s Shabad. He acts according to the True Word of the Guru’s Bani; night and day, he meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. O Nanak, as the Lord Himself engages him, so is he engaged; no one has any say in this matter.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Within the home of my own being, is the everlasting treasure of the Naam; it is a treasure house, overflowing with devotion. The True Guru is the Giver of the life of the soul; the Great Giver lives forever. Night and day, I continually sing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praise, through the Infinite Word of the Guru’s Shabad. I recite continually the Guru’s Shabads, which have been effective throughout the ages. This mind ever abides in peace, dealing in peace and poise. Deep within me is the Guru’s Wisdom, the Lord’s jewel, the Bringer of liberation. O Nanak, one who is blessed by the Lord’s Glance of Grace obtains this, and is judged to be True in the Court of the Lord.

    || 2 || PAUREE: Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, who goes and falls at the Feet of the True Guru. Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, who with his mouth, utters the Name of the Lord. Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, whose mind, upon hearing the Lord’s Name, becomes blissful. Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, who serves the True Guru, and so obtains the Lord’s Name. I bow forever in deepest respect to that Sikh of the Guru, who walks in the Way of the Guru.

    || 18 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: No one has ever found the Lord through stubborn-mindedness. All have grown weary of performing such actions. Through their stubbornmindedness, and by wearing their disguises, they are deluded; they suffer in pain from the love of duality. Riches and the supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas are all emotional attachments; through them, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, does not come to dwell in the mind. Serving the Guru, the mind becomes immaculately pure, and the darkness of spiritual ignorance is dispelled. The jewel of the Naam is revealed in the home of one’s own being; O Nanak, one merges in celestial bliss.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: One who does not savor the taste of the Shabad, who does not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and who speaks insipid words with his tongue, is ruined, again and again. O Nanak, he acts according to the karma of his past actions, which no one can erase.

    || 2 || PAUREE: Blessed, blessed is the True Being, my True Guru; meeting Him, I have found peace. Blessed, blessed is the True Being, my True Guru; meeting Him, I have attained the Lord’s devotional worship. Blessed, blessed is the Lord’s devotee, my True Guru; serving Him, I have come to enshrine love for the Name of the Lord. Blessed, blessed is the Knower of the Lord, my True Guru; He has taught me to look upon friend and foe alike. Blessed, blessed is the True Guru, my best friend; He has led me to embrace love for the Name of the Lord.

    || 19 || SHALOK, FIRST MEHL: The soul-bride is at home, while the Husband Lord is away; she cherishes His memory, and mourns His absence. She shall meet Him without delay, if she rids herself of duality.

    || 1 || FIRST MEHL: O Nanak, false is the speech of one who acts without loving the Lord. He judges things to be good, only as long as the Lord gives and he receives.

    || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord, who created the creatures, also protects them. I have tasted the food of Ambrosial Nectar, the True Name. I am satisfied and satiated, and my hunger is appeased. The One Lord is pervading in all, but rare are those who realize this. Servant Nanak is enraptured, in the Protection of God.

    || 20 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: All the living beings of the world behold the True Guru. One is not liberated by merely seeing Him, unless one contemplates the Word of His Shabad. The filth of ego is not removed, and he does not enshrine love for the Naam. The Lord forgives some, and unites them with Himself; they forsake their duality and sinful ways. O Nanak, some behold the Blessed Vision of the True Guru’s Darshan, with love and affection; conquering their ego, they meet with the Lord.

    || 1 || THIRD MEHL: The foolish, blind clown does not serve the True Guru. In love with duality, he endures terrible suffering, and burning, he cries out in pain. He forgets the Guru, for the sake of mere objects, but they will not come to his rescue in the end. Through the Guru’s Instructions, Nanak has found peace; the Forgiving Lord has forgiven him.

    || 2 || PAUREE: You Yourself, all by Yourself, are the Creator of all. If there were any other, then I would speak of another. The Lord Himself speaks, and causes us to speak; He Himself is pervading the water and the land. The Lord Himself destroys, and the Lord Himself saves. O mind, seek and remain in the Lord’s Sanctuary. Other than the Lord, no one can kill or rejuvenate. O mind, do not be anxious – remain fearless.While standing, sitting, and sleeping, forever and ever, meditate on the Lord’s Name; O servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, you shall attain the Lord. || 21 || 1 || SUDH ||

  • OBITUARY

    OBITUARY

    We are deeply saddened to announce the untimely death of Dr. Romeo Parhar (November 25th, 1983 – July 22nd, 2014). An absolute gem of a human, with a soul of infinite compassion and optimism, Romeo graced us all with his intelligence, his humor, and his many charms. Born in Jalandhar, Punjab, Romeo was raised in New York, and once again reunited intimately with his Punjabi heritage as he left to Patiala for his medical schooling.

    Over his years in Patiala, Romeo matured as an individual both intellectually and culturally. On his return, he settled down to fulfill his familial obligations and embark on a journey through a new chapter of his life. Romeo was a first-year resident in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was passionate about his work and his relationships with patients.

    He always thrived in fulfilling his professional obligations in the best way he could. He married his better half Dr. Simi Parhar on August 3rd, 2012, joining the graces of her father Dr. Avtar Singh Tinna and his wonderful and supportive family. On August 15th, 2013 a divine bundle of joy in the form of his daughter, Noor, was introduced into his life.

    Romeo is survived by his wife Simi, his daughter Noor, his father Satnam Singh Parhar, his mother Dalgit Parhar, his sister Manpreet, his grandmother Harbans Kaur, and his loyal dog Mirza. He will fondly be remembered by friends and family far and wide. “Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

  • THE RAMAYANA

    THE RAMAYANA

    contined from vol 8 issue 28

    contined from vol 8 issue 28 Kasyapa and good Jabali sprung from holy saints of yore,

    Markandeya in his glory,
    Katyayana in his pride,
    Let each priest and proud preceptor with Kosala’s monarch ride,
    Harness to my royal chariot strong and stately steeds of war,
    For the envoys speed my journey and the way is long and far.”
    With each priest and proud retainer Dasaratha led the way,
    Glittering ranks of forces followed in their four-fold dread array,
    Four days on the way they journeyed till they reached Videha’s land,
    Janak with a courteous welcome came to greet the royal band,
    Joyously Videha’s monarch greeted every priest and peer,
    Greeted ancient Dasa-ratha in his accents soft and clear: “Hast thou come, my royal brother,
    on my house to yield thy grace, Hast thou made a peaceful journey,
    pride of Raghu’s royal race? Welcome! for Mithila’s people seek my royal guest to greet,
    Welcome! for thy sons of valour long their loving sire to meet,
    Welcome to the priest Vasishtha versed in Veda’s ancient lore,
    Welcome every righteous rishi sprung from holy saints of yore! And my evil fates are vanquished and my race is sanctified,
    With the warlike race of Raghu thus in loving bonds allied, Sacrifice and rites auspicious we ordain with rising sun, Ere the evening’s darkness closes,
    happy nuptials shall be done!” Thus in kind and courteous accents Janak spake his purpose high,
    And his royal love responding,
    Dasa-ratha made reply: “Gift betokens giver’s bounty, so our ancient sages sing,
    And thy righteous fame and virtue grace thy gift, Videha’s king! World-renowmed is Janak’s bounty,
    Heaven-inspired his holy grace,
    And we take his boon and blessina as an honour to our race!” Royal grace and kingly greeting,
    marked the ancient monarch’s word, Janak with a grateful pleasure Dasaratha’s answer heard,
    And the Brahmans and preceptors joyously the midnight spent,
    And in converse pure and pleasant and in sacred sweet content.
    Rigliteous Rama, gallant Lakshman piously their father greet,
    Duly make their deep obeisance,
    humbly touch his royal feet,
    And the night is filled with gladness for the king revered and old,
    Honoured by the saintly Janak,
    greeted by his children bold, On Mithila’s tower and turret stars their silent vigils keep,
    When each sacred rite completed, Janak seeks his nightly sleep.

    THE PREPARATION All

    his four heroic princes now with Dasaratha stayed In Mithila’s ancient city, and their father’s will obeyed,
    Thither came the bold Yudhajit prince of proud Kaikeya’s line,
    On the day that Dasa-ratha made his gifts of gold and kine,
    And he met the ancient monarch, for his health and safety prayed,
    Made his bow and due obeisance and in gentle accents said: “List, O king! my royal father,
    monarch of Kaikeya’s race,
    Sends his kindly love and greetings with his blessings and his grace,
    And he asks if Dasa-ratha prospers in his wonted health,
    If his friends and fond relations live in happiness and wealth.
    Queen Kaikeyi is my sister,
    and to see her son I came,
    Bharat prince of peerless virtue,
    worthy of his father’s fame, Aye,
    to see that youth of valour,
    by my royal father sent, To Ayodhya’s ancient city with an anxious heart I went,
    In the city of Mithila,–thus did all thy subjects say,
    With his sons and with his kinsmen Dasaratha makes his stay,
    Hence in haste I journeyed hither,
    travelling late and early dawn,
    For to do thee due obeisance and to greet my sister’s son!” Spake the young and proud Kaikeya, dear and duly-greeted guest, Dasa-ratha on his brother choicest gifts and honours pressed.
    Brightly dawned the happy morning, and Kosala’s king of fame With his sons and wise Vasishtha to the sacred yajna came,
    Rama and his gallant brothers decked in gem and jewel bright,
    In th’ auspicious hour of morning did the blest Kautuka rite,
    And beside their royal father piously the princes stood,
    And to fair Videlia’s monarch spake Vasishtha wise and good: “Daa-ratha waits expectant with each proud and princely son, Waits upon the bounteous giver,
    for each holy rite is done, ‘Twixt the giver and the taker sacred word is sacred deed,
    Seal with gift thy plighted promise,
    let the nuptial rites proceed Thus the righteous-souled Vasishtha to Videha’s monarch prayed,
    Janak versed in holy Vedas thus in courteous accents said: “Wherefore waits the king expectant? Free to him this royal dome, Since my kingdom is his empire and my palace is his home,
    And the maidens,
    flame -resplendent, done each fond Kautuka rite,
    Beaming in their bridal beauty tread the sacrificial site I beside the lighted altar wait upon thy sacred hest,
    And auspicious is the moment,
    sage Vasishtha knows the rest Let the peerless Dasa-ratha, proud Kosala’s king of might,
    With his sons and honoured sages enter on the holy site,
    Let the righteous sage Vasishtha,
    sprung from Vedic saints of old, Celebrate the happy wedding; be the sacred mantras told!”

    THE WEDDING

    Sage Vasishtha skilled in duty placed Videha’s honoured king, Viswa-mitra,
    Sata-nanda, all within the sacred ring, And he raised the holy altar as the ancient writs ordain,
    Decked and graced with scented garlands grateful unto gods and men,
    And he set the golden ladles,
    vases pierced by artists skilled,
    Holy censers fresh and fragrant, cups with sacred honey filled,
    Sanka bowls and shining salvers,
    arghya plates for honoured guest,
    Parchéd rice arranged in dishes,
    corn unhusked that filled the rest,
    And with careful hand Vasishtha grass around the altar flung, Offered gift to lighted AGNI and the sacred mantra sung! Softly came the sweet-eyed Sita,–bridal blush upon her brow,

    TO BE CONTINUED

  • Indian-American CEO Convicted For Paying Kickbacks

    Indian-American CEO Convicted For Paying Kickbacks

    NEW YORK (TIP): An Indian-American CEO of two publicly-traded companies has been convicted on charges of paying kickbacks in return for purchases of his companies stock. Shailesh Shah, 48, of California pleaded guilty before US District Judge Richard Stearns to two counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud. He will be sentenced in October and could face a sentence up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, the FBI said in a statement.

    As President and CEO of two publicly-traded companies, Shah agreed to pay secret inducements to an investment fund representative in exchange for having the firm buy stock in his companies. The kickbacks were concealed through the use of sham consulting agreements and other fraudulent documents. Shah, however, did not know that the purported investment fund representative was an undercover FBI agent. The plea follows a lengthy investigation focusing on preventing fraud in the microcap stock markets. Microcap companies are small publicly-traded companies whose stock often trades at pennies per share.

  • Hema Malini launches Literature & Film Club

    Hema Malini launches Literature & Film Club

    “Brajdham” to raise funds for development of her constituency -Mathura

    Legendary film artist and Member of Parliament of India Hema Malini and Consul General Dnyaneshwar M Mulay launched, July 16, the “Club FilLit”, a club for Films, Literature & Culture with Indian connection, and “Brajdham”, a foundation for welfare of Hema Malini’s constituency of Mathura Hema Malini was delighted to see the audience support to the cause of “Brajdham”, a new foundation launched to help the people of Mathura through better education, sanitation, transportation and cleaning of Yamuna.


    7
    Hema Malini speaks about the need to bring about improvements in her constituency which she said is one of the most venerated religious destinations, being the place associated with Lord Krishna


    The announcement of launch of “Brajdham” got enthusiastic support from TV Asia represented through its CEO H R Shah; Thomas Oomen of Federation of Malayali Associations of America; Ravi Batra, renowned lawyer of New York; Georgy Bhalla, COO of Dance Rhythm who is producer of dazzling show depicting the Dream Girl Hema Malini as Durga. She thanked and assured the audience that she would visit USA again. Consul General Mulay in his welcome speech described Hema Malini as a ” National Symbol of Unity in Diversity of India’ as she really represents “nari shakti” (woman power) through her contributions in fields of cinema, social service, politics etc and is widely recognized in India and abroad for her contribution to the world of art.

    8
    Ms Madhura Deo spoke about the Club FilLit that has been formed with a view to showcasing and promoting literature, culture and films


    Ms Madhura Deo explained the theme of the Club FilLit to bring forth Indian connections in films and literature. She said the club will present eminent writers, film producers, directors, actors/actresses and other personalities to elaborate Indian connection with their creations. Some other dignitaries attending the event were Vijay K Nambiar, veteran Indian diplomat and currently serving as the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Myanmar; Prof Indrajit Saluja, Founder and Chief Editor of ‘Indian Panorama’; Dr Navin Mehta, an ENT-otolaryngologist in New York and Dr Sudhir M Parikh, a renowned Consulting Allergist & Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media. The welcome of Hon’ble MP Hema Malini was organized jointly by the Consulate General of India, New York, TV Asia and the Indian community.

  • HABITS THAT COULD BE RUINING YOUR SKIN

    HABITS THAT COULD BE RUINING YOUR SKIN

    There are some habits we indulge in unknowingly, and frequently, that can become extremely harmful for our skin health. Trying to treat your skin with information researched online, or taking cues from your friends could be detrimental and land you with some major skin problems. Here’s looking at some skin-sins that experts say, you should avoid…


    Buying over-the-counter medicines


    Using over-the-counter medicines, without having complete knowledge of them, can cause damage to your skin. Dermatologist Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar says, “Every individual has a different skin type. Hence, any treatment cannot be standardised. It’s commonly observed that if a patient is given a treatment for any skin condition and if their relative suffers from a similar problem, they tend to use those medicines without consulting the doctor. Such cases have damaged many patients’ skin.”


    Going by the brand value


    of cosmetics Another common mistake most women make is using wrong cosmetics, solely relying upon their brand value. Just because you watch an advertisement that promises to do away with wrinkles in a few weeks, you should not dab it all over face and wait for the miracle to happen. “Before using the cosmetic on any part of the fact, check it by doing a patch test on the hand or behind the ears,” says Dr Trasi.


    Scrubbing skin to become fairer


    According to Dr Trasi, rubbing and excessively scrubbing the skin, trying to make it fairer, is a myth. Instead, it becomes darker by these methods. Using Steam at home to clean your face: Dermatologist Dr Apratim Goel says, “Skin needs steaming to open the pores, but it needs to be done at a certain temperature. Moreover, the skin has to be prepped for that, or else it may not only burn the face, but can also dehydrate your skin.”


    Using hot water to wash your face


    Using extremely hot water for bath and washing your face with it can be damaging. Dr Trasi says, “Hot water removes all the oils present in the skin and as a result, the natural moisturisation is lost with it.”


    Waxing your face


    Excessive facial hair can be a big problem for some women and sometimes, local salons suggest waxing to get rid of it. Experts warn that this can be harmful. Waxing tugs at the delicate facial skin and could lead to early wrinkles. Dr Goel says, “Waxing your face to get rid of excessive hair is a blunder, but still most of us have done it at some point in our life. Of course, if the hair is thick, laser hair removal is the best, but one could go for bleaching too. Waxing is traumatic to hair follicles and can lead to infection and inflammation. This can result in scars which are difficult to treat.”


    Using a razor on face


    There are women, who have excessive hair on their sideburns and they resort to drastic measures like using razor on their face to get rid of it. Cosmetologist Dr Rashmi Shetty says, “Whenever you shave, the new hair that grows is darker and thicker than before.” She explains that natural hair on a woman’s face is light and fine because they are at a resting phase. “However, after a woman shaves the hair on her face, it changes and now, is at a growing phase. A good alternative to reduce excessive facial hair is laser removal treatment. This technique not only helps in hair removal, but reduces its growth in six to eight sittings. However, if your facial hair is fine and matches your skin colour, then do not get tempted to go in for a laser treatment as it may not help at all and lead to paradoxical growth and excess hair.”


    Haircare mistakes you should avoid

    Method – Take the tweezer and scrape off the black eyeshadow into an empty bowl. – Take a spoonful of petroleum jelly and mix it well with the scraped eyeshadow using a spatula. – Now keep alternating between the eye shadow and petroleum jelly, till you have a considerable amount in the bottle. – Once you have the consistency that you require, store the bottle in the refrigerator. What you need – A black eyeshadow – Petroleum jelly – A spatula – Tweezer – A small empty bottle.

  • INDIAN AMERICAN WOMAN FOUND DROWNED IN A HOUSE SWIMMING POOL IN LONG ISLAND

    INDIAN AMERICAN WOMAN FOUND DROWNED IN A HOUSE SWIMMING POOL IN LONG ISLAND

    LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): An Indian American woman was found dead in Long Island, New York over the weekend, the victim of an apparent drowning that happened in a backyard swimming pool. The woman was identified as Rajkumari Motwani, a 55 year-old resident of Rego Park, Queens. According to Newsday, Motwani drowned during a party that was being held at a home in Dix Hills on Saturday, July 12 and residents of the house called police around 2:39 PM the following day when they went outside to clean up and noticed Motwani’s body floating motionless in the water.

    First responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene, with police telling local media that partygoers were cooperative with the investigation. The prevailing theory seems to be that the woman went swimming when it was dark outside – the party ended around 11:30 PM, according to reports – and since the pool had no lights, that somehow contributed to her death.

    The investigation is still ongoing, and police have not commented publicly on any firm leads, however. Because the investigation – currently being carried out by the Suffolk County Police Department – is still ongoing, investigators are urging anyone with information regarding the drowning to come forward. Those who may be able to assist the police are encouraged to call 631-852-6000.

  • AMSTERDAM NEWS ENDORSES JOHN LIU FOR STATE SENATE

    AMSTERDAM NEWS ENDORSES JOHN LIU FOR STATE SENATE

    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Amsterdam News, the oldest and largest African American newspaper in print in the United States and the first publication to issue an endorsement in this year’s race for Senate District 11, July 24, endorsed John Liu for State Senate. “I’m incredibly honored to have the strong support of the Amsterdam News in our campaign to being real change to the Senate status quo,” said Democrat John Liu.

    “When I get to Albany, you can count on me to fight for good jobs, better wages and women’s equality for all of our communities. The Amsterdam News has a long tradition of fighting for issues important to working families, and I’m proud to continue that work in Albany.”

  • SHERGILL’S INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY ‘INDIANS ABROAD & PUNJAB IMPACT’ RELEASED IN LONDON

    SHERGILL’S INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY ‘INDIANS ABROAD & PUNJAB IMPACT’ RELEASED IN LONDON

    Senior journalist Nirpal Singh Shergill released in London on July 18, 2014, the 16th edition of his landmark international directory titled Indians Abroad and Punjab Impact. It is a complete international directory of Punjabi NRIs for day-to-day use by government offices, business leaders, export houses, educational institutions, charitable organizations, and business corporations. The directory has been compiled with a view to promoting businesses in India and abroad.

  • WHO IS MORE FITTER: MEN OR WOMEN?

    WHO IS MORE FITTER: MEN OR WOMEN?

    The latest research on life expectancy shows that women are still living longer than men. Look deeper, though, and there are many more subtle differences when it comes to susceptibility of the sexes to certain diseases.


    Osteoporosis


    This bone-thinning disease is strongly associated with women, with 75 per cent of all hip osteoporosis cases suffered by them. However, one in five men over 50 will also develop the condition but they may go undiagnosed because most GPs also see it as a woman’s complaint. Why? Women start with lower bone density than their male peers and they lose bone mass more quickly as they age, especially after the menopause, thanks to the drop in the bone-protective oestrogen.


    Reduce your risk: Eat plenty of calcium-rich dairy foods and consider taking a Vitamin D supplement, since most Indians are low in this bonestrengthening nutrient. Spending 30 minutes a day doing weight-bearing exercise – that’s anything where you support your own body weight, such as aerobics or brisk walking – will also help to build stronger bones.


    Heart disease


    Despite the fact men have more heart attacks than women, death rates by gender are actually 50:50. This is because women are more likely to die if they have a heart attack. Why? Women benefit from the heart-protective effect of oestrogen before the menopause, but after it, their risk becomes even higher than a man of the same age. Until 45, more men than women have high blood pressure – a risk factor for heart disease – but by the time they’re 70, women, on average, have higher. Reduce your risk: Lose weight if you need to, stop smoking and get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked yearly after the age of 40 (younger, if early heart disease runs in your family).


    STIs


    Women are up to four times as likely as men to contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Why? The lining of the vagina is thinner and more delicate than the skin of the penis, making it easier for bacteria and viruses to penetrate the body. Reduce your risk: The best prevention is to use a condom each time you have sex.


    Liver damage


    More men die from liver disease than women (60 per cent versus 40 per cent). But women can suffer serious liver damage after relatively low alcohol consumption. Why? Men still typically drink more alcohol, but figures show women are catching up – and have less of the enzyme needed to break down alcohol in the body, along with a higher body fat con- tent, meaning they’re less able to dilute alcohol.


    As a result, drink for drink, women end up with more alcohol in their bloodstream, and therefore, higher levels reaching the liver. Reduce your risk: Men should drink no more than 21 units per week and women 14. In practice, this means no more than three to four units per day for men (one and a half pints) and two to three units (two small glasses of wine) for women. Two booze-free days per week is also recommended.


    Colds and flu


    Recent research suggests that women are less likely to catch cold and flu viruses than men. Why? One study by Stanford University last year found that women had more active immune systems, thanks to their high levels of the hormone oestrogen, which appears to boost their ability to battle flu bugs. Men, meanwhile, have a weaker immune response because testosterone has a damping effect on the way their bodies fight viruses.


    Reduce your risk: Wash your hands regularly as research shows you’re most likely to pick up a cold by touching an infected person’s hands or from contact with surfaces that they’ve touched, such as door handles.


    Lung cancer


    Lung cancer rates among women are rising. Why? It’s been noticed that female smokers now outnumber male smokers in some areas. Research shows women are less successful at quitting, plus oestrogen is suspected to increase women’s susceptibility to lung cancer, which may explain why female smokers are three times more likely to develop lung cancer than their male counterparts.


    Reduce your risk: As nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking, quit now. Your risk will drop immediately, and after 10 years it will be half that of a smoker.

  • WRECKAGE OF AIR ALGERIE PLANE FOUND IN MALI

    WRECKAGE OF AIR ALGERIE PLANE FOUND IN MALI

    NEW YORK (TIP): In a third major international aviation disaster in a week, following the downing of a Malaysian Boeing 777 over eastern Ukraine and the crash of a passenger plane off Taiwan, an Air Algerie jetliner with 116 people aboard crashed Thursday, July 24, in a rainstorm over northern Mali, and officials said its wreckage has been found. The jet, an MD-83, disappeared from radar less than an hour after departing Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, en route to Algiers.

    Officials in Burkina Faso said burned wreckage with human remains was located in Mali, 31 miles from the border with Burkina Faso. A search had been underway for wreckage in the remote region known for separatist violence. The plane was owned by Spanish company Swiftair and leased by Air Algerie. “We sent men, with the agreement of the Mali government, to the site, and they found the wreckage of the plane with the help of the inhabitants of the area,” said Gen. Gilbert Diendere, a close aide to Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore and head of the crisis committee set up to investigate the flight.

    “They found human remains and the wreckage of the plane totally burnt and scattered,” he said. Burkina Faso’s government said the country will observe 48 hours of mourning. French President Francois Hollande said after an emergency meeting in Paris, “Everything allows us to believe this plane crashed in Mali.” He said the crew changed its flight path because of “particularly difficult weather conditions.

    ” The airline said on Twitter that the plane went down about 40 miles from the Malian city of Gao. Before vanishing, the pilots sent a final message to ask Niger air control to change its route because of heavy rain, Burkina Faso Transport Minister Jean Bertin Ouedraogo said. The passengers included 51 French, 27 Burkina Faso nationals, eight Lebanese, six Algerians, five Canadians, four Germans, two Luxembourg nationals, one Swiss, one Belgian, one Egyptian, one Ukrainian, one Nigerian, one Cameroonian and one Malian, Ouedraogo said. The six crewmembers were Spanish, according to the Spanish pilots’ union.

  • Obama takes on ‘corporate deserters’

    Obama takes on ‘corporate deserters’

    WASHINGTON (TIP): President Barack Obama called companies that re-incorporate overseas to avoid taxes “corporate deserters” on Thursday, July 24, stepping up a drive to close a tax loophole that could affect deals already in the works for Walgreens and AbbVie, two giant firms headquartered in Chicago’s suburbs. At issue are mergers between U.S. corporations and smaller foreign companies that legally allow a U.S. company headquarters to relocate – mainly on paper – to a nation with lower tax rates.

    It is a perfectly legal tax-avoidance strategy, but one that Obama and many Democrats find indefensible. Taking on “inversion” – the technical term for the overseas relocations – is becoming a rallying cry of the progressive wing of the Democratic family and could prove potent in the run-up to the November elections. Republicans counter that businesses are justified in taking logical steps to enhance profitability in the wake of high U.S. corporate tax rates and say the government should keep out of the way.