Hillary Duff was recently spotted with a mystery man, as they held hands at Miley Cyrus’ Bangerz concert in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old former Disney star walked into the concert at the Staples Center arm-in-arm with a dark haired hunk and joined her sister Haylie Duff to watch the ‘Wrecking Ball’ hitmaker perform, Radar Online reported. Duff, who had earlier announced her split with husband Mike Comrie, was wearing a low-cut black top, leather jacket, jeans and a statement necklace while her mystery man was clad in a tank top with a denim shirt and white jeans.
Year: 2014
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Stories in India defame the United States
Devyani Khobragade and her pending motion to dismiss charges based upon UN letter
How Devyani was arrested and Richard family was evacuated to United States, with prior pending legal proceedings in India affecting them, remain quite disturbing. Any immigrationfraud upon India by the Richard family’s exiting-paperwork and those who assisted them is fair area of inquiry and action.
However, the recent stories, such as Times Now’s “US Lies Nailed,” based upon an explicitly non-binding “informal” opinion by UN Legal Office, in answer to a member state’s inquiry, defames the United States even as Judge Scheindlin, pursuant to binding precedent, must deny Devyani’s prearrest full immunity claim.
It’s axiomatic that as one cannot be married to two people at the same time, similarly a diplomat is credentialed either as a Deputy Consul General with an A-visa or as an “Advisor” or “counselor” of PMI to the United Nations with a G-visa. If Devyani’s UN “blue” colored “advisor” card issued in August 2013 had been followed up with a then-request to the US State Department for a change in status for Devyani, from CGI to PMI and a resulting visa-change from “A” to “G” had occurred, then Devyani could not have been arrested in December 2013 as she would have enjoyed full diplomatic immunity rather than mere official acts-transactional immunity as a DCG.
It ill serves the proud people of India to be misled by Devyani’s legal team, who are obviously lost in a legal wilderness. It ill serves us to see USA Preet Bharara defamed due to a defendant’s legal incomprehension of obvious facts and binding law. The United States’ State Department declaration about the A or G visa status of Devyani will be dispositive in dealing with the pending immunity-based dismissal motion in court, as the United States is the “receiving state” and it’s visa-category issuance is binding.
Indeed, if Devyani had a “G” visa since August 2013, then why did she have to wait for getting it in early January 2014, allowing her to return to India and her family and FM Khurshid honorably discharge his commitment “to bring the lady back” after successful 5 multistep negotiations with the United States: we will grant a G-visa and it’s full immunity; we will then ask India to waive it; India will decline; we will then ask India to recall her; and Devyani will leave United States.
While there may be other legitimate grounds to challenge the criminal charges filed against Devyani and seek their dismissal, the currently pending motion is akin to requesting a man to get pregnant – something even a highly learned and respected Judge Scheindlin cannot order. Whatever India does, it should do judiciously to address the Devyani issue and it’s troubling fact pattern, consistent with sovereignty, warm bilateral relations, and an understanding of actual law, not legal miscomprehensions of US law aided and abetted by a willing lawyer. It is beyond the cavil, let alone bilateral warmth, that the criminal charges ought not have been considered, let alone filed. But, now that they are, it ill serves Devyani to operate under false impression of US law and file impotent motions to dismiss.”
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POMPEII
STORY: Set in 79 AD, Pompeii is a rich girl/poor boy-style romance served up with heaps of bloody gladiatorial action and of course, Mount Vesuvius, which erupts in a curtain of molten magma. REVIEW: As a young boy, Milo (Harington) sees his parents killed by a Roman general Corvis (Sutherland) as the Romans suppress a Celt uprising.
He is then taken into captivity and grows up to become an expert gladiator, fuelled by hatred for the Romans. His skills impress his masters and he gets a chance to fight in the amphitheatre of Pompeii during the Vinalia festival.Along the way, he meets Cassia (Browning), the daughter of a wealthy businessman Lucretius (Harris) and his elegant wife Aurelia (Moss), and the two become a veritable Romeo and Juliet of ancient Rome.
This displeases the visiting Senator Corvis, who fancies Cassia but despite his rank, air of entitlement and imperious lines, has the charm of a doorknob. Unsurprisingly, Cassia is repelled by him straight into the arms of Milo, who also befriends the man-mountain of a gladiator, Atticus (Adewale). Atticus, due to be freed after one last death match, begins to help out the already capable Milo during combat and reminds him to keep his eye on the prize – Cassia. So, they fight for freedom and love respectively.
Anderson cleverly cuts to the increasingly ominous rumblings of Mount Vesuvius whenever the story is in danger of dragging, to refocus on the movie’s focal point. You will notice the inevitable parallels with Gladiator and Game of Thrones and the script is often rudimentary (“My name is Milo. You killed my father. Prepare to die!” or “You looked at him. Did you see his muscles?”).
But that is par for the course because brutish gladiators are meant to fight and kill, not speak flowing prose in the King’s English. The love story itself is forgettable and cheesy. But that is only incidental compared to what you can watch this movie for – its fight scenes and cataclysmic climax, both produced and recreated in good detail.
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TECH MAHINDRA TO ACQUIRE IT SERVICES ARM OF BASF
NEW DELHI (TIP): Tech Mahindra, on Thursday, said it had signed an agreement BASF to acquire the IT and consultancy services business of the chemical giant in a bid to strengthen its presence in Western Europe. Financial details of the deal, made through its German subsidiary, were not disclosed. It is expected to close by June.
The Mumbai-headquartered firm, in a statement, said Tech Mahindra GmbH, Dusseldorf, has signed an agreement with BASF Business Services Holding GmbH “to acquire its business with third party customers. This includes the wholly-owned subsidiary BASF Business Services Consult GmbH, based in Hamburg.” BASF Business Services Holding will, in future, focus on providing information services, supply chain operations and business process management for BASF Group, it added.
“Legal closing of the transaction is expected to happen in the first quarter of 2014-15. All 60 employees of BASF Business Services Consult GmbH will be transitioned to Tech Mahindra as part of this transaction,” the company said. Tech Mahindra already has a presence in Germany across three centres, and employs more than 100 people. BASF Business Services Holding GmbH (earlier called BASF IT Services Holding GmbH) is an indirect wholly-owned group company of BASF SE. Its service portfolio includes consulting, development and operation of IT systems to the design and optimisation of business processes.
“It is a strategic move and a testimony of our commitment to the region. It will bring us closer to our customers and will help us to deliver holistic solutions. I’m confident the acquisition will spur rapid growth in this region,” Tech Mahindra Europe (Enterprise) Head Vikram Nair said. The acquisition would see creation of a strong ICT player in the region with strengths in application and infrastructure business services, he added. Earlier this week, Tech Mahindra acquired a Sweden-based Type Approval Lab for undisclosed amount to strengthen lab presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions.
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Challenges in India-US ties
Inconsistencies mark Obama Administration’s approach
“… the US is becoming increasingly strident in its economic relations with India on issues ranging from sanctions on sections of our pharmaceutical industry and our civil aviation facilities, while demanding changes in our policies on solar panels and equipment and placing restrictions on the movement of IT personnel. It is, however, not India alone that is the recipient of such measures from the US!”, says the author
Traveling across the US as the winter Olympics in Sochi commenced, one was saddened to witness how India’s international credibility had been shaken when television audiences across the world saw three forlorn Indian athletes marching without the national flag. India faced this disgrace, thanks to the avariciousness and nepotism of an internationally disgraced Indian Olympic Association.
Sadly, this was accompanied by charges of corruption, nepotism, match fixing and worse involving the President of the BCCI. Many Indian friends in the US asked in anguish: “Is there no section of national life left in India which is free from corruption and venality?” The mood in Washington, where one had an occasion to meet a cross section of senior officials, business executives, analysts and scholars, was quite different.
In marked contrast to the earlier years, I found widespread criticism of the conduct of foreign and security policies by President Obama. The Administration had not just botched up its healthcare program, but was seen as indecisive and weak in dealing with challenges in West Asia, Afghanistan and the provocations of a jingoistic and militaristic China. President Obama, in turn, is acutely conscious of the mood in the country which wants an end to foreign military entanglements. More significantly, as the US moves towards becoming a net exporter of energy, thanks to the expanding production of shale gas and oil, the country’s geopolitics are set for profound change.
Using its leadership in areas of productivity and innovation, the US now appears set to the stage for increasing domination of the world economic order. From across its eastern shores, the US is negotiating comprehensive trade and investment partnerships with its European allies. Across its western shores in the Pacific, the Americans are negotiating transpacific partnerships with Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam as negotiating partners. While China has informally indicated an interest in joining this partnership, the US will use its influence to ensure that China is not admitted till American political and economic pre-conditions are met.
There is naturally interest in Washington in the forthcoming general election in India. The assessment appears to be that the ruling Congress is headed for a drubbing in the polls. Not many tears will be shed in Washington or elsewhere about this inevitability as the only questions which well-wishers of India ask are how India landed itself in its present morass of corruption and whether a new dispensation, which may be fractious, will be able to restore India to a high growth path. Speaking informally, a senior official recalled that President Obama had described the US-India partnership as “one of the defining partnerships of the world”.
The official noted that “every meaningful partnership between powerful nations encounters setbacks”, adding that such setbacks should be minor compared to the benefits of the relationship and the magnitude of what the two could accomplish together. The Khobragade episode was a defining event in India-US relations. The Americans found Indians across the political spectrum united in the view that insults to India’s national dignity would not be acceptable.
It is important that in future negotiations by the Task Force set up to address such issues, India should make it clear that it will not tolerate events like Mrs. Sonia Gandhi being threatened with prosecution while undergoing medical treatment in New York, or the supercilious attitude adopted towards Mr. Narendra Modi, who is a constitutionally elected Chief Minister. We should not accept a situation where Americans believe that they can behave high-handedly towards our elected politicians because of their domestic lobbies. The US should also be left in no doubt that on such issues, including consular and diplomatic privileges, India will firmly adhere to a policy of strict reciprocity.
The Obama Administration has messed up its relations with President Karzai in Afghanistan, dealing with him in a manner that showed scant regard for his position as the elected Head of State of Afghanistan. Worse still, by its actions, the US has clearly given the impression that despite its protestations it was clandestinely dealing, behind Mr. Karzai’s back, with the Taliban. While the US-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership speaks of joint determination in eliminating the “al- Qaida and its affiliates,” the US now speaks only of eliminating al-Qaida and not is affiliates like the Taliban, the Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e- Mohammed.
There are naturally concerns in Afghanistan that the US, which needs Pakistan’s assistance for withdrawing its military equipment from Afghanistan, will seek to appease the Pakistanis by giving them a lessthan- healthy role in determining the future dispensation in Afghanistan and the role of the Taliban in such a dispensation. While there is an evident congruence of interests in working with the US, Japan and others in the face of growing Chinese military assertiveness, New Delhi and Tokyo cannot ignore the reality that there have been many flipflops and inconsistencies in the approach of the Obama Administration to China.
Moreover, the US is becoming increasingly strident in its economic relations with India on issues ranging from sanctions on sections of our pharmaceutical industry and our civil aviation facilities, while demanding changes in our policies on solar panels and equipment and placing restrictions on the movement of IT personnel. It is, however, not India alone that is the recipient of such measures from the US! Despite these challenges, India cannot ignore the reality that the US is the pre-eminent power in the world.
Moreover, it will remain so in the coming years, primarily because its innovative and technological strengths are going to be reinforced by its energy surpluses, together with the energy potential of its neighbors like Canada, Mexico and Argentina. It will, moreover, remain the foremost power in the manufacture of high-tech equipment, particularly in defense and aerospace. It is for India to fashion industrial policies to leverage its strengths and potential to secure high levels of investment and partnership in crucial high-tech industries.
I was advised in Washington that contracts currently secured with US companies enable us to import 5.8 million metric tons per annum of shale gas from the US annually. According to oil industry sources, these contracts alone provide us more gas than we could obtain from the controversial Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. But, for all this to fructify, the new dispensation in New Delhi will have to replace economic populism and accompanying fiscal irresponsibility with a quest for accelerated growth.
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eBay leads $133m Snapdeal investment
NEW DELHI (TIP): Online auction platform eBay is leading yet another round of funding for online marketplace Snapdeal, sparking rumors of a possible buyout. In 2013, eBay lead the first funding round that resulted in an investment of $50 million. The new round is significantly higher and is worth totally around at $133.7 million, which will raise eBay’s stake in Snapdeal.
The U.S.-based firm led a group of investors, including Kalaari Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Intel Capital and Saama Capital, to invest in the New Delhi-based Snapdeal. After this round of funding, the total investments raised so far by the homegrown online marketplace rose to over $235 million (about Rs.2,457 crore). “We are excited to grow eBay India under a great management team and to invest in the complementary Marketplace Snapdeal.
India is a huge opportunity,” eBay President Marketplaces Devin Wenig said in a Twitter post. “India market growth will accelerate, helped by improvements in payments, delivery, and smartphone penetration. Growing wealth, high acceptance of technology, commerce arbitrage and other factors driving exceptional growth rates in Indian digital commerce,” he added.
In separate statements, eBay and Snapdeal, on Wednesday, said eBay was leading a new $133.77 million round of funding in Snapdeal, raising its stake in the company following an initial investment made in 2013. Accelerating growth in India and other emerging markets continues to be a core strategy for driving eBay’s global ecommerce leadership, eBay Senior VP and APAC Managing Director Jay Lee said. “We continue to invest in Snapdeal due to its complementary business model, good management team and strong brand,” he added. Commenting on the deal, Snapdeal co-founder and CEO Kunal Bahl said: “All our current institutional investors including Kalaari Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Intel Capital and Saama Capital have participated in this round as well which is a strong endorsement of our team.” With revenues expected to clock $500 million this fiscal ending next month and targeted revenues of $1 billion by March, 2015, Snapdeal is also eyeing a listing on U.S. bourses to raise capital.
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Marital cruelty Enable women to fight it
In a country where domestic violence is not only widely prevalent but also underreported, the Supreme Court’s observation on marital cruelty assumes great significance.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justices Ranjan Gogoi and SK Singh has rightly held that the complaint of mental and physical cruelty leveled against the husband and parents-in-law cannot be dismissed at the onset. Its ruling that a trial is essential may not by itself translate into relief for scores of battered women.
Yet armed with the knowledge that their grievances will not be dismissed on frivolous pretexts, it can enable more women to come forward and seek redress. Even though much is said about women’s growing empowerment, instances of domestic abuse continue to find sanction in the patriarchal system.
According to the National Family and Health Survey 3, almost two in every five married women in India have experienced domestic violence. In states like Punjab and Haryana, it is one of the major crimes against women. While Haryana reported 18 cases everyday, helplines in Punjab were flooded with complaints of domestic abuse by women in distress.
Ironically, though domestic violence was recognized as a criminal offence way back in 1983 and the path-breaking Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act was passed nine years ago, not many recognize the gravity of the problem. While more heinous crimes like rape are looked at with horror, incidents of spousal violence are invariably brushed aside.
Sadly, though a host of laws have been passed to enable women to fight oppression, gender inequity and violence is a reality women in high positions too have to live with. Answers lie not only in proper implementation of the existing laws but also a change in attitudes that tend to dismiss cases of domestic violence as mere spousal disagreements. It’s time India realized violence against women, be it on the streets or within the four walls of a home, was abhorrent and must be dealt with severely.
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5-7 % SALARY HIKES, BOARD CHANGES AT INFOSYS
BANGALORE (TIP): Infosys employees received an intranet notification on February 26, informing them that they are due for a 5-7 per cent salary hike in job levels up to project managers and senior project managers. Employee sources in the Infosys Bangalore office said that they were informed that the increments would be effected in the April salary. The last such salary hike, averaging around 8 per cent, was announced in July last, a month after company founder N. R. Narayana Murthy returned from retirement to an executive role. The company is reportedly in the process of finalising hikes for senior (above grade 6) and on-site employees. The company traditionally announced increments in March-April, and had stopped doing so for two years.
‘Slightly short’ In an investor call, hours after the intranet announcement, Mr. Murthy said he was not happy with the company’s performance in the 2013-14, which is ‘slightly short’ of NASSCOM’s predictions on the average industry growth. “During this time, we have doubled our growth…but we are not happy with it,” he said. He also confirmed that the company was in the midst of board-level changes in the coming year with founders and board members S. D. Shibulal and S. Gopalakrishnan scheduled to retire from executive roles in the first quarter of 2015. On succession plans, Murthy said the company was in the process of ensuring a ‘suitable replacement’ for S. D. Shibulal. “There is considerable depth of leadership available within the company.
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‘INDIA BIGGEST MARKET FOR BIZ JETS IN ASIA PACIFIC’
MUMBAI (TIP): India has emerged as the biggest fleet owner of business aircraft in the Asia Pacific surpassing China with business houses and high net worth individuals (HNIs) acquiring aircraft. Even during the economic slowdown period of 2008- 12, Indian businessmen purchased 38 per cent more aircraft than the previous five years as per estimates by Beechcraft Corporation.
According to Beechcraft, a leading manufacturer of business aircraft, India has a fleet of 254 business aircraft as compared to 213 in China, 192 in Japan, 150 in Hong Kong, 66 in Malaysia, and 53 in Thailand, making it the biggest fleet owner in Asia Pacific with 15 per cent market share. As per latest data from Beechcraft, 65 business aircraft were delivered in India between 2008 and 2012, up from 47 in the previous five years. This was compared to 119 delivered in China, 19 in Japan, 47 in Hong Kong and 10 in South Korea.
Quoting Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013, Beechcraft said the number of wealthy businessmen (HNIs) in India would double from 8,481 in 2012 to 17,032 in 2022. During the same period, the number of HNIs in China will grow 137 per cent from 10,849 to 25,660. “Our survey of senior executives from around the world, and fund managers based in London, revealed that 96 per cent of global professional investors and senior business executives forecast growth for the Indian economy over the next five years and 41 per cent of respondents stated that this growth would be ‘significant’. About 53 per cent believe that the business aviation sector in India will grow significantly over the coming decade,” Beechcraft said.
Considering this, Beechcraft has identified India as one of the most attractive markets in the world for business aviation and has committed significant investments. “The country continues to be an exciting market for us. With significant growth in deliveries over the past decade, the country continues to show huge potential for future growth. This is why we have decided to make a significant investment in increasing our presence in India,” said Richard Emery, President, APAC and EMEA, Beechcraft, at a press conference in Mumbai.
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Dragnet Nation’, by Pulitzer Prize Winner Julia Angwin – Be Warned About Dangers of PCs / Mobile Phones Being Hacked
While driving back from Long Island on Monday, February 24, I listened to an absolutely fascinating interview of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Julia Angwin, author of Dragnet Nation, on the issue of privacy and cyber crime.
I was amazed at how easy it is for your personal financial information to stolen if you use mobile phones for your banking transactions – in particular if you use the Android operating system. There was a program on TV recently which showed how your laptop or mobile phone could be hacked within 15 seconds of your activating it in Sochi for the Olympic Games.
Certain hi-tech global firms (and I worked for one such) instruct their consultants / executives going to China / Hong Kong / Russia / Eastern Europe to only carry essential information on a separate PC. Once back in the US these are to be trashed or the drives completely reformatted – the danger of worms and viruses is so great that the danger of contamination is not worth it. BTW those in the US need not be ‘holier than thou either’.
When the People’s Republic of China ordered a Boeing transport for their President, Boeing based in the good old US of A sent the order with so many bugs pre-installed that the Chinese trashed the plane after discovering hundreds of them. Now we in India buying defense hardware from either the US or the Soviet bloc should be fully aware that it is possible that in the era of cyber warfare the sellers can render them non-functional anytime, if they want to.
I hope our Italian barmaid’s Congress Party government in India is doing something about it. When Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister, let us hope that he brings in some top flight IT cyber crime expert ‘ethical hacker’ types to assist him. The BJP is largely known (ahem!) for good solid Hindutva bhaiyya types of limited education and not for techno nerds of Silicon Valley.
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WATER FOUND ON PLANET OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
LONDON (TIP): Water has been detected in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system. An international team of astronomers detected water in the atmosphere of Tau Bootis b which is as massive as Jupiter orbiting the star Tau Bootis. Chad Bender, a research associate in the Penn State Department of Astronomy in the US and used a new technique that could help researchers to learn how many planets with water, like earth, exist throughout the universe.
Chad said “Planets like Tau Bootes b which are as massive as Jupiter but much hotter do not exist in our solar system. Our detection of water in the atmosphere of tau Bootis b is important because it helps us understand how these exotic hot-Jupiter planets form and evolve. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of our new technique, which detects the infrared radiation in the atmospheres of these planets.”
The co-authors of the paper are at institutions including CalTech, Penn State University, the Naval Research Laboratory, the University of Arizona, and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Bender is leading a larger project to characterize the atmospheres of many hot-Jupiter extra-solar planets. Scientists had previously detected water vapor on a handful of other planets using a technique that works only if a planet has an orbit that passes it in front of its star when viewed from Earth.
Scientists also were able to use another imaging technique that works only if the planet is sufficiently far away from its host star. But significant portions of the population of extra-solar planets do not fit either of these criteria and there had not been a way to discover information about the atmospheres of these planets. “We now are applying our effective new infrared technique to several other non-transiting planets orbiting stars near the Sun,” Bender said.
“These planets are much closer to us than the nearest transiting planets, but largely have been ignored by astronomers because directly measuring their atmospheres with previously existing techniques was difficult or impossible,” he added. With the new detection technique and morepowerful telescopes in the future like the James Webb Space Telescope and the Thirty Meter Telescope, the astronomers expect to be able to examine the atmospheres of planets that are much cooler and more distant from their host stars where liquid water is even more likely to exist.
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With Cultural Celebration and Symbolic Flag Raising Town of Hempstead Commemorates India’s Republic Day
HEMPSTEAD, NY (TIP): Though winter weather prompted the postponement of Hempstead Town’s India Republic Day ceremony in January, snow didn’t get in the way today as Supervisor Kate Murray and Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino led the annual celebration of Indian American culture at Town Hall.
Hempstead Town’s 11th annual celebration, co-sponsored by the India American Forum, is Long Island’s only India Republic Day ceremony. India Republic Day, observed on January 26th, marks the establishment of India as a republic and its liberation from British rule. The event featured an impressive display of cultural dances and musical performances, appearances and speeches by distinguished guests and a cultural food reception provided through the generosity of Akbar Restaurant of Garden City.
Town Clerk Nasreen Ahmed, Keynote Speaker honorable Thomas S Gulotta, Councilman Anthony Santino, Indu Jaiswal
The event was capped off by Hempstead Town’s presentation of the 2014 India Republic Day Awards. This year’s honorees were Narendra Hadpawat, M.D., and Bina Sabapathy. Hadpawat, a Five Towns resident, is a founder of one of the most successful cardiology practices on the south shore of Long Island and has been the director of Medicine and Cardiology at Peninsula Hospital for over 20 years. Bina Sabapathy, an active member of Vedic Heritage, a religious organization located in Hempstead, is Vice President of the India Association of Long Island.
Indu Jaiswal , Chairperson of Indian American Forum welcomed every one and thanked the Town of Hempstead and Supervisor Murray for continuing the traditions of India Republic Day Celebrations. Also a warm welcome was given to Honorable Nasreen Ahmed, who made history by getting elected to the Town Clerk Position . Key note speaker Honorable Thomas S GULOTTA , in his remarks praised the efforts and achievements of Indian American community in USA. Mr. Gulotta was also honored by the Town of Hempstead and Board of Trustees and Board Members of Indian American Forum.
Members of Indian veterans Association, Varinder Bhalla, Renu Sharma, Bina Sabapathy, Nasreen Ahmed, Indu jaiswal, Councilman Santino, Ratna Bhalla, Jaya Bahadkar
Several community leader and dignitaries were present, Members from Martin Luther King Group, Reverend Elliott, Dr Ajay Lodha, President of AAPIQLI, Animesh Goenka, Satnam Prahar, President of India Association of Long Island, Zahid Syed, Chairman of Human rights commission in Nassau County, Deputy Commissioners in Nassau County Ratna Bhalla , Sunita Manjarekar. Jaya Bhooplapur, Sunita Sadhnani and many Rotary Club members, Dr Anila Midha, President of South Asian Womens Alliance, Giri and Indu Chhabra from Hindu Center, members from Vedic Heritage in Hempstead, and NY Kali Mandir in Baldwin and several other community leader graced the evening. Members of Indian Veterans Association headed by Wing Commander Suresh Butani, also attended.Cultural programs were choreographed by Satya Pradeep and Sangeeta Pandit . Vocal performances by our young talent Parth Merai, Mayuri Gowda and Rhea Manjrekar were excellent “We are proud to be the only municipality on Long Island to host a celebration that marks India Republic Day,” Murray said. “As Americans, we share India’s values of democracy and independence, and we are proud to commemorate a special day for Indians around the world.”
The Town’s celebration of India Republic Day kicked off in the morning, as Murray and members of the India American Forum raised the flag of India in front of Town Hall. The main festivities commenced in the evening at Town Hall’s Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion. “Indian Americans have made major contributions to our township,” Murray said. “Each year, we celebrate the achievements of Indian Americans who demonstrate leadership and community involvement. Our honorees truly are role models, and I congratulate them for their achievements.”
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Volcanic eruptions have cooled down earth since 1998
LONDON (TIP): Molten lava spit out from the depths of the earth’s crust has caused destruction for centuries. But scientists now say volcanic eruptions have actually benefited the planet. Such eruptions in the early part of the 21st century cooled the planet, according to a study led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. This cooling partly offset the warming produced by greenhouse gases.
Despite continuing increases in atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and in the total heat content of the ocean, global mean temperatures at the surface of the planet and in the troposphere (the lowest portion of the Earth’s atmosphere) have shown relatively little warming since 1998. This socalled slowdown or hiatus has received considerable scientific, political and popular attention. Volcanic eruptions inject sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere.
If the eruptions are large enough to add sulphur dioxide to the stratosphere (the atmospheric layer above the troposphere), the gas forms tiny droplets of sulphuric acid, also known as volcanic aerosols. These droplets reflect some portion of the incoming sunlight back into space, cooling the Earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere. “In the last decade, the amount of volcanic aerosol in the stratosphere has increased, so more sunlight is being reflected back into space,” said Lawrence Livermore climate scientist Benjamin Santer.
“This has created a natural cooling of the planet and has partly offset the increase in surface and atmospheric temperatures due to human influence.” The researchers performed two different statistical tests to determine whether recent volcanic eruptions have cooling effects that can be distinguished from the intrinsic variability of the climate.
The team found evidence for significant correlations between volcanic aerosol observations and satellite-based estimates of lower tropospheric temperatures as well as the sunlight reflected back to space by the aerosol particles. “This is the most comprehensive observational evaluation of the role of volcanic activity on climate in the early part of the 21st century,” said co-author Susan Solomon from MIT. “We assess the contributions of volcanoes on temperatures in the troposphere — the lowest layer of the atmosphere — and find they’ve certainly played some role in keeping the Earth cooler.”
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NASA TEAMS UP WITH ISRO TO LAUNCH SATELLITE TO STUDY EARTH
AHMEDABAD (TIP): The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Nasa declared that it would launch a water-related satellite in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Isro’s Space Application Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad is playing a key role in the joint Indo-US scientific mission by helping NASA develop the crucial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). The mission is part of JPL-NASA’s plan to launch in the next seven years a series of satellites related to study water and drought on earth.
The scientific instrument will not only be mounted as payload on a special satellite but, the SAR is likely to be launched from India in 2019-20. Sources in Isro claim that instrument will employ the advanced sweep-SAR technology which will scan large swathes of land over earth’s surface. There are two spectral band imaging instruments that will be mounted on the SAR mission— the ‘S band’ and the ‘L band’.
The ‘S’ band segment will be developed by SAC. “The data obtained from the SAR would be useful in various scientific earth studies, like monitoring earth surface deformation, agricultural productivity, biomass studies and soil as well glacial studies. We are developing the ‘S’ Band segment in this mission. Today the entire global community is moving towards collaborative studies to maximize their resources and contribute towards understanding and protecting our home planet,” says SAC director AS Kiran Kumar.
Apart from SAR, Nasa also plans to launch four additional water-related satellites in the next seven years: The Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2); Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-on; Surface Water Ocean Topography mission. These missions will help improve short-term weather forecasts and long-term climate change projections, and advance the ability to monitor droughts and predict floods and mitigate their related impacts on people’s lives, claims a press release by JPL.
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BLOOD TEST TO PREDICT CHANCES OF DEATH
LONDON (TIP): Researchers from Finland and Estonia have identified four biomarkers that can help identify people at high risk of dying from any disease within five years. This was done after screening blood samples from over 17,000 healthy people for over 100 different biomolecules. The health status of these study volunteers was followed for several years. The researchers looked for measures in the blood that could reflect who had died within the following 5 years after blood samples were taken.
“What is especially interesting is these biomarkers reflect the risk for dying from very different types of diseases such as heart disease or cancer. They seem to be signs of a general frailty in the body. Next we aim to study whether some kind of connecting factor between these biomarkers can be identified,” said researcher Johannes Kettunen. In a study published in PLOS Medicine, researchers describe identification of four such biomarkers of death. Of these, albumin was the only one previously linked with mortality.
All these molecules are normally present in everyone’s blood. The novel biomarkers helped detect individuals at much higher risk of dying during five-year follow-up. The measures were independent of well-known risk factors such as age, smoking, drinking, obesity, blood pressure and cholesterol. The result did not change even when only apparently healthy people were examined. “We believe that in the future these measures can be used to identify people who appear healthy but in fact have serious underlying illnesses and guide them to proper treatment. More studies are, however, needed before these findings can be implemented in clinical practice,” Kettunen said.
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SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB
CONTD FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 7
When devotion comes to the mind of the soul-bride, she is visited by the friendly guest. O clouds, if you are going to rain, then go ahead and rain; why rain after the season has passed? Nanak is a sacrifice to those Gurmukhs who obtain the Lord in their minds. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: That which is pleasing is sweet, and one who is sincere is a friend. O Nanak, he is known as a Gurmukh, whom the Lord Himself enlightens. || 2 || PAUREE: O God, Your humble servant offers his prayer to You; You are my True Master.
You are my Protector, forever and ever; I meditate on You. All the beings and creatures are Yours; You are pervading and permeating in them. One who slanders Your slave is crushed and destroyed. Falling at Your Feet, Nanak has renounced his cares, and has become carefree. || 21 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: Building up its hopes, the world dies, but its hopes do not die or depart. O Nanak, hopes are fulfilled only by attaching one’s consciousness to the True Lord. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Hopes and desires shall die only when He, who created them, takes them away. O Nanak, nothing is permanent, except the Name of the Lord. || 2 || PAUREE: He Himself created the world, with His perfect workmanship. He Himself is the true banker, He Himself is the merchant, and He Himself is the store. He Himself is the ocean, He Himself is the boat, and He Himself is the boatman.
He Himself is the Guru, He Himself is the disciple, and He Himself shows the destination. O servant Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and all your sins shall be eradicated. || 22 || 1 || SUDH || RAAG GUJRI, VAAR, FIFTH MEHL: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: Deep within yourself, worship the Guru in adoration, and with your tongue, chant the Guru’s Name. Let your eyes behold the True Guru, and let your ears hear the Guru’s Name. Attuned to the True Guru, you shall receive a place of honor in the Court of the Lord. Says Nanak, this treasure is bestowed on those who are blessed with His Mercy.
In the midst of the world, they are known as the most pious – they are rare indeed. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: O Savior Lord, save us and take us across. Falling at the feet of the Guru, our works are embellished with perfection. You have become kind, merciful and compassionate; we do not forget You from our minds. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, we are carried across the terrifying world-ocean.
In an instant, You have destroyed the faithless cynics and slanderous enemies. That Lord and Master is my Anchor and Support; O Nanak, hold firm in your mind. Remembering Him in meditation, happiness comes, and all sorrows and pains simply vanish. || 2 || PAUREE: He is without relatives, immaculate, all-powerful, unapproachable and infinite. Truly, the True Lord is seen to be the Truest of the True. Nothing established by You appears to be false. The Great Giver gives sustenance to all those He has created. He has strung all on only one thread; He has infused His Light in them. By His Will, some drown in the terrifying world-ocean, and by His Will, some are carried across. O Dear Lord, he alone meditates on You, upon whose forehead such blessed destiny is inscribed. Your condition and state cannot be known; I am a sacrifice to You. || 1 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, you automatically come to dwell within my mind. When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, I find the nine treasures within the home of my own self. When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, I act according to the Guru’s Instructions.
When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, then Nanak is absorbed in the True One. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: Many sit on thrones, to the sounds of musical instruments. O Nanak, without the True Name, no one’s honor is safe. || 2 || PAUREE: The followers of the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran, standing at Your Door, meditate on You. Uncounted are those who fall at Your Door. Brahma meditates on You, as does Indra on his throne. Shiva and Vishnu, and their incarnations, chant the Lord’s Praise with their mouths, as do the Pirs, the spiritual teachers, the prophets and the Shaykhs, the silent sages and the seers. Through and through, the Formless Lord is woven into each and every heart.
One is destroyed through falsehood; through righteousness, one prospers. Whatever the Lord links him to, to that he is linked. || 2 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: He is reluctant to do good, but eager to practice evil. O Nanak, today or tomorrow, the feet of the careless fool shall fall into the trap. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: No matter how evil my ways are, still, Your Love for me is not concealed. Nanak: You, O Lord, conceal my short-comings and dwell within my mind; You are my true friend. || 2 || PAUREE: I beg of You, O Merciful Lord: please, make me the slave of Your slaves. I obtain the nine treasures and royalty; chanting Your Name, I live.
The great ambrosial treasure, the Nectar of the Naam, is in the home of the Lord’s slaves. In their company, I am in ecstasy, listening to Your Praises with my ears. Serving them, my body is purified. I wave the fans over them, and carry water for them; I grind the corn for them, and washing their feet, I am over-joyed. By myself, I can do nothing; O God, bless me with Your Glance of Grace.
I am worthless – please, bless me with a seat in the place of worship of the Saints. || 3 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: O Friend, I pray that I may remain forever the dust of Your Feet. Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, and beholds You ever-present. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: Countless sinners become pure, by fixing their minds on the Feet of the Lord. The Name of God is the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage, O Nanak, for one who has such destiny written upon his forehead. || 2 || PAUREE: With every breath and morsel of food, chant the Name of the Lord, the Cherisher. The Lord does not forget one upon whom He has bestowed His Grace.
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself destroys. The Knower knows everything; He understands and contemplates. By His creative power, He assumes numerous forms in an instant. One whom the Lord attaches to the Truth is redeemed. One who has God on his side is never conquered. His Court is eternal and imperishable; I humbly bow to Him. || 4 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: Renounce sexual desire, anger and greed, and burn them in the fire. As long as you are alive, O Nanak, meditate continually on the True Name. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: Meditating, meditating in remembrance on my God, I have obtained all the fruits. O Nanak, I worship the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the Perfect Guru has united me with the Lord. || 2 || PAUREE: One who has been instructed by the Guru is liberated in this world. He avoids disaster, and his anxiety is dispelled.
Beholding the blessed vision of his Darshan, the world is over-joyed. In the company of the Lord’s humble servants, the world is over-joyed, and the filth of sin is washed away. There, they meditate on the Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name. The mind becomes content, and its hunger is satisfied. One whose heart is filled with the Name, has his bonds cut away. By Guru’s Grace, some rare person earns the wealth of the Lord’s Name. || 5 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: Within my mind, I think thoughts of always rising early, and making the effort. O Lord, my Friend, please bless Nanak with the habit of singing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: Casting His Glance of Grace, God has saved me; my mind and body are imbued with the Primal Being. O Nanak, those who are pleasing to God, have their cries of suffering taken away. || 2 || PAUREE: When your soul is feeling sad, offer your prayers to the Guru.
Renounce all your cleverness, and dedicate your mind and body to Him.Worship the Feet of the Guru, and your evil-mindedness shall be burnt away. Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall cross over the terrifying and difficult world-ocean. Serve the True Guru, and in the world hereafter, you shall not die of fear. In an instant, he shall make you happy, and the empty vessel shall be filled to overflowing. The mind becomes content, meditating forever on the Lord. He alone dedicates himself to the Guru’s service, unto whom the Lord has granted His Grace. || 6 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: I am attached to the right place; the Uniter has united me.
O Nanak, there are hundreds and thousands of waves, but my Husband Lord does not let me drown. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: In the dreadful wilderness, I have found the one and only companion; the Name of the Lord is the Destroyer of distress. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Beloved Saints, O Nanak; through them, my affairs have been brought to fulfillment. || 2 || PAUREE: All treasures are obtained, when we are attuned to Your Love. One does not have to suffer regret and repentance, when he meditates on You. No one can equal Your humble servant, who has Your Support. Waaho! Waaho! How wonderful is the Perfect Guru! Cherishing Him in my mind, I obtain peace.
The treasure of the Lord’s Praise comes from the Guru; by His Mercy, it is obtained. When the True Guru bestows His Glance of Grace, one does not wander any more. The Merciful Lord preserves him – He makes him His own slave. Listening, hearing the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, I live. || 7 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: O Husband Lord, You have given me the silk gown of Your Love to cover and protect my honor. You are all-wise and all-knowing, O my Master; Nanak: I have not appreciated Your value, Lord. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: By Your meditative remembrance, I have found everything; nothing seems difficult to me. One whose honor the True Lord Master has preserved – O Nanak, no one can dishonor him. || 2 || PAUREE: Meditating on the Lord, there comes a great peace. Multitudes of illnesses vanish, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. Utter peace pervades within, when God comes to mind. One’s hopes are fulfilled, when one’s mind is filled with the Name.
No obstacles stand in the way, when one eliminates his self-conceit. The intellect attains the blessing of spiritual wisdom from the Guru. He receives everything, unto whom the Lord Himself gives. You are the Lord and Master of all; all are under Your Protection. || 8 || SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL: Crossing the stream, my foot does not get stuck – I am filled with love for You. O Lord, my heart is attached to Your Feet; the Lord is Nanak’s raft and boat. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: The sight of them banishes my evil-mindedness; they are my only true friends. I have searched the whole world; O servant Nanak, how rare are such persons! || 2 || PAUREE: You come to mind, O Lord and Master, when I behold Your devotees. The filth of my mind is removed, when I dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. The fear of birth and death is dispelled, meditating on the Word of His humble servant. The Saints untie the bonds, and all the demons are dispelled. They inspire us to love Him, the One who established the entire universe.
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THE BHAGAVAD GITA
CONTINUED FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 7
(11.47) O Arjun, neither by study of the Vedas, nor by sacrifice, nor by charity, nor by rituals, nor by severe austerities, can I be seen in this cosmic form by anyone other than you in this human world. (11.48) Do not be perturbed and confused by seeing such a terrible form of Mine as this. With fearless and cheerful mind, now behold My four-armed form. (11.49) Sanjay said: After speaking like this to Arjun, Krishn revealed His (four-armed) form. And then assuming His pleasant human form, Lord Krishn, the Great One, consoled Arjun who was terrified. (11.50) Arjun said: O Krishn, seeing this lovely human form of Yours, I have now become tranquil and I am normal again. (11.51)
God can be seen by devotional love
The Supreme Lord said: This (four-armed) form of Mine that you have seen is very difficult, indeed, to see. Even celestial controllers (Devas) are ever longing to see this form. (11.52) This (four-armed) form of Mine that you have just seen cannot be seen even by study of the Vedas, or by austerity, or by acts of charity, or by the performance of rituals. (11.53) However, through single-minded devotion alone, I can be seen in this form, can be known in essence, and also can be reached, O Arjun. (11.54) One who does all works for Me, and to whom I am the supreme goal; who is my devotee, who has no attachment, and is free from enmity towards any being — attains Me, O Arjun. (See also 8.22) (11.55)
12. PATH OF DEVOTION
Should one worship a personal or an impersonal God?Arjun said: Which of these has the best knowledge of yog — those ever-steadfast devotees who thus worship You (as Krishn, Your personal aspect), or those who worship Your impersonal aspect, the Eternal Being (Brahm)? (12.01) The Supreme Lord said: I consider the best yogis to be those ever steadfast devotees (Bhaktas) who worship with supreme faith by fixing their mind on Me as their personal God. (See also 6.47) (12.02) They also attain Me who worship the unchangeable, the inexplicable, the invisible, the omnipresent, the inconceivable, the unchanging, and the immovable Eternal Being (Brahm); restraining all the senses, even minded under all circumstances, and engaged in the welfare of all creatures. (12.03-04)
Reasons for worshipping a personal form of God
Self-realization is more difficult for those who fix their mind on the impersonal, unmanifest, Eternal Being (Brahm); because, comprehension of the unmanifest by embodied beings is attained with difficulty. (12.05) But for those who worship Me with unswerving devotion as their personal God, offer all actions to Me, intent on Me as the Supreme, and meditate on Me; I swiftly become their savior — from the world that is the ocean of death and transmigration — whose thoughts are set on My personal form, O Arjun. (12.06-07)
The four paths to God
Therefore, focus your mind on Me, and let your intellect dwell upon Me alone (through meditation and contemplation). Thereafter, you shall certainly attain Me. (12.08) If you are unable to focus your mind steadily on Me, then long to attain Me,O Arjun, by practice of (any other) spiritual discipline (Saadhanaa) that suits you. (12.09) If you are unable even to do any spiritual discipline (Saadhanaa), then be intent on performing your duty for Me. You shall attain perfection just by working for Me (as an instrument, just to serve and please Me, without selfish motives). (See also 9.27, 18.46) (12.10) If you are unable to work for Me, then just surrender unto My will and renounce (the attachment to, and the anxiety for) the fruits of all work with subdued mind (by learning to accept all results, as God’s grace (Prasaad)) with calmness. (12.11)
KarmaYog is the best way to start with
The knowledge of scriptures is better than mere ritualistic practice; meditation is better than scriptural knowledge; Tyaag, or renunciation of (the selfish attachment to) the fruits of work is better than meditation; peace immediately follows Tyaag. (See more on renunciation in 18.02, 18.09) (12.12)
The attributes of a devotee
One who does not hate any creature, who is friendly and compassionate, free from the notion of “I” and “my”, evenminded in pain and pleasure, forgiving; and the yogi who is ever content, who has subdued the mind, whose resolve is firm, whose mind and intellect are engaged in dwelling upon Me, who is devoted to Me, is dear to Me. (12.13-14) The one by whom others are not agitated and who is not agitated by others, who is free from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety, is also dear to Me. (12.15) One who is desireless, pure, wise, impartial, and free from anxiety; who has renounced the doership in all undertakings; such a devotee is dear to Me. (12.16) One who neither rejoices nor grieves, neither likes nor dislikes, who has renounced both the good and the evil, and is full of devotion; is dear to Me. (12.17) The one who remains the same towards friend or foe, in honor or disgrace, in heat or cold, in pleasure or pain; who is free from attachment; who is indifferent to censure or praise, quiet, content with whatever one has, unattached to a place (a country, or a house), calm, and full of devotion —that person is dear to Me. (12.18-19)
One should sincerely try to develop divine qualities
But those faithful devotees are very dear to Me who set Me as their supreme goal and follow (or just sincerely try to develop) the above mentioned nectar of moral values. (12.20)
CREATION AND THE CREATOR
The theory of creationThe Supreme Lord said: O Arjun, this physical body, the miniature universe, may be called the field or creation. One who knows the creation is called the creator (or Atma) by the seers of truth. (13.01) O Arjun, know Me to be the creator of all the creation. The true understanding of both the creator and the creation is considered by Me to be the transcendental (or metaphysical) knowledge. (13.02) What the creation is, what it is like, what its transformations are, where its source is, who that creator is, and what His powers are — hear all these from Me in brief. (13.03)
The seers have separately described the creation and the creator in different ways in the Vedic hymns, and also in the conclusive and convincing verses of the Brahm- Sutra. (13.04) The primary material Nature (Aadi Prakriti or Avyakt), cosmic intellect (Mahat), “I” consciousness or ego, five basic elements, ten organs, mind, five sense objects; and desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the physical body, consciousness, and resolve — thus the entire field has been briefly described with its transformations. (See also 7.04) (13.05-06)
The fourfold noble truth as means of Nirvan
Humility, modesty, nonviolence, forgiveness, honesty, service to guru, purity (of thought, word, and deed), steadfastness, selfcontrol; and aversion towards sense objects, absence of ego; constant reflection on pain and suffering inherent in birth, old age, disease, and death; (13.07-08) detached attachment with family members, home, etc.; unfailing calmness upon attainment of the desirable and the undesirable; and unswerving devotion to Me through single-minded contemplation, taste for solitude, distaste for social gatherings and gossips; steadfastness in acquiring the knowledge of Eternal Being (Brahm), and seeing the omnipresent Supreme Being (ParBrahm, Krishn) everywhere — this is said to be knowledge. That which is contrary to this is ignorance. (13.09- 11)
God can be described by parables and not in any other way
I shall fully describe the object of knowledge — knowing which one attains immortality. The beginningless Supreme Being (ParBrahm) is said to be neither eternal (Sat) nor temporal (Asat). (See also 9.19, 11.37, and 15.18) (13.12) The Eternal Being (Brahm) has His hands, feet, eyes, head, mouth, and ears everywhere, because He is all-pervading and omnipresent. (13.13) He is the perceiver of all sense objects without the physical sense organs; unattached, and yet the sustainer of all; devoid of three modes (Gunas) of material Nature (Prakriti), and yet the enjoyer of the Gunas of Prakriti (by becoming a living entity (Jeev)). (13.14) He is inside as well as outside all beings, animate and inanimate. He is incomprehensible because of His subtlety. And because of His omnipresence, He is very near — residing in one’s inner psyche; as well as far away — in the Supreme Abode (ParamDhaam). (13.15) He is undivided, and yet appears to exist as if divided in beings. He, the object of knowledge, appears as: Brahmaa, the creator; Vishnu, the sustainer; and Shiva, the destroyer of all beings. (See also 11.13, and 18.20) (13.16) ParBrahm, the Supreme Person, is the source of all light. He is said to be beyond darkness (of ignorance or Maya). He is the Self-knowledge, the object of Self-knowledge, and seated in the inner psyche (or the causal heart as consciousness (See verse 18.61)) of all beings, He is to be realized by Self-knowledge (Jnaan, Taaratamya Jnaan, Brahm-vidyaa). (See also 15.06 and 15.12) (13.17) Thus the creation as well as the knowledge and the object of knowledge have been briefly described by Me. Understanding this, My devotee attains My supreme abode. (13.18)
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OFBJP-USA Organizes ‘Yoga for Unity’ Program in New Jersey
EDISON, NJ (TIP): Hundreds of Indian American volunteers enthusiastically participated in the “Yoga for Unity” program organized by the Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP) in Edison, New Jersey on Sunday Feb 23, 2014 at TV Asia Auditorium.
The event was managed by the OFBJP youth team to garner support for the construction of Statue of Unity, world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architect of the unification of India after the departure of British, in Gujarat, India. Aravind Modini (Convener, OFBJP NJ Youth team) acted as the Emcee for the program and welcomed the delegates.
Chandrakanth Patel (President, OFBJP), Suresh Jani (Past President, OFBJP), Jayesh Patel (Immediate Past President, OFBJP), Arvind Patel (New Jersey Coordinator, OFBJP), and Vinod Patel and Prof. Bipin Sangankar (Sardar Patel Foundation) along with other distinguished guests inaugurated the program with Lighting of the Lamp amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns by Pandit Praveen Shastri. Led by Prachi Makkar (College Student from NJ), entire audience joined in the singing of Vandemaataram.
Chandrakanth Patel (President, OFBJP) welcomed the distinguished guests and said that Narendra Modi was a visionary like Sardar Patel and currently the entire India has been chanting Narendra Modi (NaMo) mantra: Modi for PM. The youth volunteers of OFBJP have been working very hard to carry the message of NaMo among the Indian diaspora by organizing ‘Chai pe Charcha’ (NaMo Tea parties) and other outreach activities in many cities all across USA.
He strongly urged the audience to join the Mission-2014: BJP272+ and support the organization in every possible way to ensure NaMo becomes the next Prime Minister of India with BJP securing full majority. Jayesh Patel (Immediate Past President, OFBJP) read out a message of Shri Narendra Modi specially sent for the occasion, in which he conveyed his good wishes to the volunteers and success of the program. Speaking on the occasion, H.R. Shah (Chairman, TV Asia) reminded the audience that the auditorium where the program is being held is named after Sardar Patel and said the Narendra Modi has all the right qualifications to lead India.
Ramesh Patel (President, FIA) said that except for Narendra Modi the other PM contenders are no good for India in view of their track record. Rakshpal Sood (Sr. Advisor, OFBJP) stressed the need for unity at all levels and people rise above the narrow considerations of caste, creed and community, and vote for India in order to make sure BJP wins the next elections.
Vinod Patel from the Sardar Patel Foundation (SPF) which supported the event said that Sardar Patel was a great leader and visionary and was respected by everyone including Mahatma Gandhi. Prof. Bipin Sangankar (President, SPF) enlightened the audience by narrating some interesting events in Sardar Patel’s life and said India would have been a super power if he were the first Prime Minister. MS RajyaLaxmi (Member, SPF) said that Sardar Patel belongs to the entire humanity and not just India and read out the messages from Baba Ramdev and Dr. Subramaniam Swamy. Sardar Patel Foundation organized a photo exhibition on Sardar Patel during the program.
The audience was shown a video that gave a glimpse of Sardar Patel’s contributions in the service of Mother India and an overview of the prestigious Statue of Unity project. Ganesh Ramakrishnan (Volunteer, OFBJP NJ Yuva) read out a message sent by Vijay Jolly (Convener, OFBJP) who lauded the contributions of Indian diaspora and urged them to reach out to their families in India to support BJP and make Narendra Modi as the next prime minister. Led by Tanvi Shah of Tanvi Yoga, delegates performed Yogic Asanas and breathing exercises.
They were given tips on how to manage day to day issues like backaches, sitting and standing for long times, etc. Shri Ketan Bhagat of Art of Living conducted a breathing and meditation session and stressed the importance of cleaning the inner self to fight and cleanse the world outside. There was a great response for the yoga and meditation sessions from the audience. The audience was enthralled by a Punjabi folk song by Prachi and Surya Makkar. Speaking on the occasion Drumi Bhatt (Volunteer, OFBJP NJ Yuva) stressed the need for women security and cited Gujarat as an example as the state has done a lot to protect the girl child.
Arun Ayyagari (Volunteer, OFBJP NJ Yuva) said that NaMo is the most popular Indian leader on Social Media and India needs him to eradicate all the evils of the nation. Pramod Bhagat (Volunteer, OFBJP NJ Yuva) urged the audience to support the OFBJP Yuva volunteers in their mission to garner support for BJP. Aravind Modini requested the audience to support BJP by calling their family and friends in India to vote for BJP. The highlight of the program was the video on NaMo vision.
The video highlighted different quotes from NaMo’s speeches that elaborated his vision for India and were received by audience with applause at every single quote. Shri Krishna Reddy (Treasurer, OFBJP) presented the vote of Thanks and recognized the support given by Sardar Patel Foundation, Art of Living, Tanvi Yoga, HSS, TV Asia Staff, BAPS and the OFBJP volunteers for the event. Everyone present there was treated with NaMo Chai throughout the duration of the program and also enjoyed a tasteful dinner that was served after the program.
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TV Asia – the Exclusive Broadcast partner of American College Cricket- ties up with ESPN3
EDISON, NJ (TIP): TV Asia – the Exclusive Broadcast partner of American College Cricket – is pleased to announce an agreement with ESPN3 that will deliver the American College Cricket National Championship Finals live on Sunday March 16, 2014 from the magnificent Broward County Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Finals will also be carried live on TV Asia nationally on Dish Satellite, Dish World and on Cable where TV Asia is carried on their systems. Cricket fans will now have an opportunity to watch American College Cricket in the US online via WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. Additionally, it can be streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE by Gold members, Apple TV and Roku.
TV Asia has been airing 60 hours of American College Cricket over 2 years and in keeping with its mission of local relevancy has been investing and building American College Cricket brand identity and awareness with Presenting Sponsors Coca Cola. “ESPN3 continues to build its position as a leader in delivering premier events from the world’s second most popular sport in the US,” said Jason Bernstein, Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN.
“By carrying the American College Cricket National Championship Finals, we are able to deliver the sport nationally across a variety of platforms that are easily accessible to this passionate and fast growing fan base.” “TV Asia is committed to highlighting South Asian achievers and role models in the US and Canada in sports, arts, business and cultural spheres and will continue to invest in our South Asian community,” stated H.R. Shah, Chairman TV Asia.
“TV Asia is the leading South Asian TV Channel specializing in locally relevant programs and engagement with the community nationally,” stated Lal Dadlaney, SVPBusiness & Operations TV Asia. “We are delighted to work with ESPN3 to scale and add validity to American College Cricket.” American College Cricket founder & President Lloyd Jodah stated: “All American College Cricket members – including the student leaders who believed in the vision and came to the first American College Cricket Championship in March 2009 – who helped us start the clubs and get them to the Nationals these past 5 years as well as all of our players, thank TV Asia for its strong belief in and commitment to us these past two and a half years.
We look forward to working with ESPN3 through our partnership with TV Asia.” About ESPN3 ESPN3 is ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Apple TV and Roku. The network is currently available to more than 85 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider.
The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to oncampus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks. About TV Asia TV Asia is a New Jersey based Pay TV Channel available in USA in HD on Dish Satellite Channel 700, Dish World IPTV and in SD on major Cable systems such as Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner, Cablevision etc including Verizon FIOS & AT & T U Verse. In Canada we are on Rogers Cable Toronto and Bell IPTV.
TV Asia is celebrating 20 years in United States and engages in dialogue via outreach programs with the community and is the Voice and Mirror of the South Asian Community in North America. For further information visit www.tvasiausa.com and www.YouTube.com/tvasiausa for program schedules as well as updates and short videos and on Facebook www.facebook.com/tvasiausa and stay connected to TV Asia. About American College Cricket American College Cricket was founded in October 2008 by Lloyd Jodah and has developed clubs in over 70 member colleges all over the USA & Canada.
Starting with a National Championship in March 2009 played for the Shiv Chanderpaul Trophy, American College Cricket developed Regional Championships in the Fall semester, and a Home & Away season year round. The organization has been featured in major media such as the NY Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, NY Daily News and many others and played a role in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Exhibition: Swinging Away – How Cricket & Baseball Connect”. for further information visit: Face book :https://www.facebook.com/ CollegeCricket?ref=br_rs Twitter: @CollegeCricketU Website: www.Americancollegecricket.com For further media info contact: Pradeep Hegde Vice President.
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MAHA SHIVRATRI: THE NIGHT OF SHIVA
Maha Shivratri, the night of the worship of Lord Shiva, occurs on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna. It falls on a moonless February night, when Hindus offer special prayer to the lord of destruction. Shivratri (Sanskrit ‘ratri’ = night) is the night when he is said to have performed the Tandava Nritya or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. The festival is observed for one day and one night only.
Origin of Shivratri According to the Puranas, during the great mythical churning of the ocean called Samudra Manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. The gods and the demons were terrified as it could destroy the entire world. When they ran to Shiva for help, he in order to protect the world, drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. This turned his throat blue, and since then he came to be known as ‘Nilkantha’, the blue-throated one. Shivratri celebrates this event by which Shiva saved the world.
A festival significant for women Shivratri is considered especially auspicious for women. Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva, who is the spouse of Kali, Parvati and Durga. But generally it is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with pure devotion is freed from all sins. He or she reaches the abode of Shiva and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.
Rituals On the day of Shivratri, a three-tiered platform is built around a fire. The topmost plank represents ‘swargaloka’ (heaven), the middle one ‘antarikshaloka’ (space) and the bottom one ‘bhuloka’ (earth). Eleven ‘kalash’ or urns, are kept on the ‘swargaloka’ plank symbolizing the 11 manifestations of the ‘Rudra’ or destructive Shiva. These are decorated with the leaves of ‘bilva’ or ‘bael’ (Aegle marmelos) and mango atop a coconut representing the head of Shiva. The uncut shank of the coconut symbolizes his tangled hair and the three spots on the fruit Shiva’s three eyes.
Bathing the Phallus The phallus symbol representing Shiva is called the lingam. It is usually made of granite, soapstone, quartz, marble or metal, and has a ‘yoni’ or vagina as its base representing the union of organs. Devotees circumambulate the lingam and worship it throughout the night. It is bathed every three hours with the 5 sacred offerings of a cow, called the ‘panchagavya’ – milk, sour milk, urine, butter and dung. Then the 5 foods of immortality – milk, clarified butter, curd, honey and sugar are placed before the lingam. Datura fruit and flower, though poisonous, are believed to be sacred to Shiva and thus offered to him.
Om Namah Shivaya All through the day the devotees keep severe fast, chant the sacred Panchakshara mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”, make offerings of flowers and incense to the Lord amidst ringing of temple bells. They maintain long vigils during the night, keeping awake to listen to stories, hymns and songs. The fast is broken only the next morning, after the nightlong worship. In Kashmir, the festival is held for 15 days. The 13th day is observed as a day of fast followed by a family feast.
The Powerful God Shiva is ‘shakti’ or power, Shiva is the destroyer, the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon and one of the godheads in the Hindu Trinity. Known by many names – Mahadeva, Mahayogi, Pashupati, Nataraja, Bhairava, Vishwanath, Bhava, Bhole Nath – Lord Shiva is perhaps the most complex of Hindu deities. Hindus recognize this by putting his shrine in the temple separate from those of other deities.
Shiva As phallic symbol Shiva, in temples is usually found as a phallic symbol of the ‘linga’, which represents the energies necessary for life on both the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels, that is, the world in which we live and the world which constitutes the whole of the universe. In a Shaivite temple, the ‘linga’ is placed in the center underneath the spire, where it symbolizes the naval of the earth.
A Different Deity: The actual image of Shiva is also distinct from other deities: his hair piled high on the top of his head, with a crescent tucked into it and the river Ganges tumbling from his hairs. Around his neck is a coiled serpent representing Kundalini or the spiritual energy within life. He holds a trident in his left hand in which is bound the ‘damroo’ (small leather drum). He sits on a tiger skin and on his right is a water pot. He wears the ‘Rudraksha’ beads and his whole body is smeared with ash.
The destructive force Shiva is believed to be at the core of the centrifugal force of the universe, because of his responsibility for death and destruction. Unlike the godhead Brahma, the Creator, or Vishnu, the Preserver, Shiva is the dissolving force in life. But Shiva dissolves in order to create, since death is the medium for rebirth into a new life. So the opposites of life and death and creation and destruction both reside in his character.
The God who’s always high Since Shiva is regarded as a mighty destructive power, to numb his negative potentials he is fed with opium and is also termed as ‘Bhole Shankar’, one who is oblivious of the world. Therefore, on Maha Shivratri, the night of Shiva worship, devotees, especially the menfolk, prepare an intoxicating drink called ‘Thandai’ (made from cannabis, almonds, and milk) sing songs in praise of the Lord and dance to the rhythm of the drums.
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Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce organizes talk on business loans and affordable care act
NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (TIP): The Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICC) along with the Board of Directors held monthly Network Nite at Clarion Inn, North Brunswick NJ, January 29th.
The Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce – a non-profit organization- evolved in July 1994 to meet the entrepreneurial and business needs of the growing Asian Indian Community. AICC was created to provide a forum for Networking for our community and to build on the strengths of all of its members.
At each Network Nite discussions are held on topics that are important to the Asian Indian Business Community related to starting a Business, Health and Finance, Business Opportunities in New Jersey and other topics of interest to our burgeoning community in New Jersey. We bring together members to generate business opportunities through the exchange of knowledge and insights.
At the meeting, the Chamber offered 30 minutes Grand Sponsor Presentation by the Patron Sponsor- Quaterspot Inc. represented by Mike Green- Executive Vice President with Quaterspot who highlighted the Topic- “How to use loan platform and how business owners can easily apply for a short term loan. Quarterspot highlights business lending platform which has no prepayment penalties, fair rates, requires no owner collateral, and can provide cash in a few days”.
The Guest Speaker Erik Rettig from Small Business Majority gave a quick overview of what the Affordable Care Act means for small businesses in New Jersey. The event ended with a Q&A session and a discussion on the topics discussed. For more information on AICC please visit website at www.aicc.net which provides information on AICC activities. For enquiries please Call at 732 -777-4666 or e-mail at webmaster@aicc.net to Chamber office and learn more benefits that Chamber can offer your business.
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2 men die in separate incidents on Lexington Ave. subway line
NEW YORK, NY (TIP): A 38-year-old homeless man fell and hit his head while on the tracks at the 86th St. station in Manhattan, while a 24-year-old man jumped in front of a No. 6 train at Zerega Ave.-Westchester Ave. station in the Bronx in an apparent suicide.
Two men were killed in separate incidents on the Lexington Ave. subway line early Wednesday, officials said. Death began its ride at 3 a.m. when a 38-year-old homeless man fell and hit his head on the southbound side of the 86th St. Station in Manhattan.
Two straphangers saw the unidentified man sitting on the third rail and tried to get him off the tracks, but he resisted, ran away from them, stumbled and hit his head. Paramedics rushed him Lenox Hill Hospital, where he died of cardiac arrest, officials said. About 7:30 a.m., a 24-year-old man jumped in front of an oncoming No. 6 train at the Zerega Ave.-Westchester Ave. station in the Bronx in an apparent suicide. He died at the scene, officials said.
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Rookie NYPD cop shot in both legs in White Castle parking lot in Brooklyn
NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Officer James Li, of the 71st Precinct, was wounded in the left leg at the corner of Utica Ave. and Empire Blvd. in Crown Heights after trying to stop a bus fare beater, sources said. The gunman fired three times in the 5 p.m. confrontation in East Flatbush, hitting Officer James Li twice, once in each leg.
Li and his rookie partner, Officer Randy Chow, returned fire but the suspect fled uninjured. As two women tended to Li, who lay bleeding in a White Castle parking lot at Utica Ave. and Empire Blvd., officers gave chase, west on Empire and Lefferts Ave., then south on Schnectady Ave., where the suspect ran down an alley and into a building.
Police arrested him there, and his gun was recovered, police sources said.Li was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he was visited by Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Mayor de Blasio. Li, the first NYPD cop shot in the line of duty since July 4th, is expected to recover, sources said.
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DESPITE BAN ON INDIAN PRODUCTS, FDA CHIEF CLAIMS US ‘NOT TARGETING’ INDIA
WASHINGTON (TIP): US regulators are not targeting India, despite a series of import restrictions on drugs from the major US trading partner, the Food and Drug Administration chief said Friday, February 23. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg briefed reporters after her first official trip to India, where she met with government and industry leaders earlier this month.
India is the second largest US supplier of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and its big pharma companies Ranbaxy and Wockhardt have been hit with multiple US import suspensions due to safety concerns. “We are not targeting Indian countries. We are undertaking our required regulatory activities,” Hamburg said. “When products are sold in the United States for use by American citizens, then those products have to meet our standards.” Hamburg said the FDA has ramped up inspections at Indian drug plants as part of a global effort to improve safety.
The agency has 12 staff members in India, and plans to expand to 19, she added, describing the nation as “particularly important” to US food and drug trade. “The fact that we have increased our presence in India is true but it reflects the fact that India is a very significant and growing player in the US marketplace with respect to both pharmaceutical products and food.” While in New Delhi, Hamburg and Indian health secretary Keshav Desiraju signed their first statement of intent to cooperate in the field of medical products.
Hamburg described as “encouraging” her conversations with senior representatives during her eight-day trip to India, the United States’ third largest trading partner. At the start of Hamburg’s visit, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said India’s lower-cost medicines should not be viewed as “cheap and spurious.” India’s generics industry is a major supplier of lifesaving drugs, including antiretrovirals for HIV, to the United States and over 200 other nations. Many lower-income countries rely on the generics produced by Indian plants as a key source for affordable medicine.
But Ranbaxy, one of India’s biggest drugmakers, has been hit repeatedly with FDA import suspensions, most recently in January, when a fourth manufacturing plant was cited for violations from expected “good manufacturing practice.” Roger Bate, an expert at the American Enterprise Institute, said the problem lies with India’s national regulatory body for pharmaceuticals, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization. “I believe the Indian generics companies can make the products well, but it is the lack of oversight,” Bate told AFP, describing CDSCO as “corrupt.” “India does not take drug regulatory matters seriously.”
The FDA issued earlier its first-ever ban on tobacco products on four varieties of hand-rolled cigarettes called bidis by an Indian company headquartered in Illinois, Jash International. Just days after FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg returned from India, agency officials announced that four bidi brands made by Jash International – Sutra Bidis Red, Sutra Bidis Menthol, Sutra Bidis Red Cone and Sutra Bidis Menthol Cone – may no longer be domestically sold, distributed or imported.
The bidis were banned not because of any imminent danger – although it is well-known that all tobacco products are dangerous – but because Jash failed to provide ingredient information that is mandatory under new rules. In a conference call on Friday, not specifically related to the bidi issue, commissioner Hamburg denied the FDA was targeting Indian companies, but said the United States has a strict quality control regime for all products being imported into America.
”When products are sold in the United States for use by American citizens, then those products have to meet our regulatory standards and requirements and we inspect those facilities in other countries as well,” she told reporters after her first official trip to India, where FDA action against Indiabased pharmaceutical companies have been the focus of attention. But US efforts to stamp out bidi imports and smoking in America has a history going back some two decades when the Indian mini-cigarette started to become a fad among youth after hippies had first lit them up in the sixties. A 2002 survey showed close to 3% of American male high school students had tried bidis, which, because they were largely unregulated, were easier for the youth to access – particularly after the US cracked down on sale of cigarettes to the under-aged.
Over the last decade, bidis also began to appear in various all-American, candy-like flavors: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, adding newer flavors such as grape, cinnamon, watermelon, menthol, black licorice, wild cherry, and mandarin orange, as the craze caught on. No accurate figures are available about the extent of bidi imports from India but estimates by an international trade group in the 1990s put import from India at 448 million pieces valued at less than $5 million. The Clinton administration tried to ban import of beedis around that time after a CBS 60 Minutes program showed child labor in the industry that employs an estimated 3 million people in India. But it was never fully carried through.
The health and economic cost of smoking is something that has seized developed countries even as developing countries continue to get sucked into western-inspired tobacco consumption that is far more lethal and pervasive than bidi imports to America. A 2010 WHO study estimated that smoking in developed countries will amount to 29% of world tobacco consumption (down from 34% in 1998), while developing countries’ share, now said to be growing at around 3% every year, will be 71%. Some six million people die every year from tobacco-related illness – 80% of them in low-income countries. Last year, the United States also raised concern about high rates of contaminants, including salmonella, in Indian spices.
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Indian-American Pentagon official to join think-tank
WASHINGTON (TIP): Vikram Singh, the highest-ranking Indian-American at the Pentagon, is joining an eminent US thinktank after serving the Obama administration in various positions for over five years. Singh, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, is joining the Center for American Progress (CAP) as its vice-president for national security and international policy and will oversee its work on national security around the globe, while continuing his focus on Asia.
He will officially join CAP in March. “Vikram is a leading foreign policy thinker of his generation and has tackled the country’s greatest foreign policy challenges during his time at the State Department and the Pentagon,” CAP president Neera Tanden said in a statement. “As we continue to shape a pragmatic foreign policy strategy over the next decade, Vikram’s insights, sharp strategic mind and experience will guide our work,” Tanden said.
Before his current appointment at the Pentagon, Singh was the deputy special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Department of State, during which he played a key role in shaping the Af-Pak policy of the Obama administration. Singh has also served in the Department of Defense as a senior advisor, representing the department in National Security Council policy reviews of Pakistan and the war in Afghanistan and later leading the development of the department’s post-2014 strategic approach to South and Central Asia.
Prior to his most recent assignments at the Pentagon, Singh served in the Department of Defense from 2003 through 2007 on a number of defense policy issues, including programs to train and equip foreign military forces, US military counterinsurgency and irregular warfare capabilities, stability operations, disaster response and humanitarian assistance, and the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review.
As a fellow at the Center for a New American Security from 2007 to 2009, Singh published widely on defense strategy, national security policy, and Asia. Singh lived and worked in Sri Lanka while running a Ford Foundation program on minority rights and conflict in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Lanka. He also reported on the Lankan civil war for the Voice of America.
