The Indian Panorama

Year: 2018

  • Dr. Urmilesh Arya Inaugurated as AIA National President

    Dr. Urmilesh Arya Inaugurated as AIA National President

    Congressman Tom Suozzi wows Indian Heritage, culture and Indian American community

    HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): 50- year old Association of Indians in America­­­­ organized an impressive Inauguration ceremony for National President Dr. Urmilesh Arya on February 25th, 2018 at Auntuns by Minar in Hicksville. The AIA has plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of AIA under the presidentship of Dr. Arya on October 20, 2018.

    Speaking on the occasion, Congressman Tom Suozzi praised Dr. Yashpal Arya and Dr. Urmilesh Arya for their promotion of Indian heritage and culture and their valuable contribution to community. He said he was deeply impressed with the vibrant Indian community. He had a word of appreciation for the rich Indian heritage and culture and advised the gathering that it was “very important that you must maintain heritage and culture and must stand for your rights.  Though it is the tough job, but it can be done with your strenuous work”.

    Congressman said he was all set to visit India in the first week of April where he would learn firsthand about India’s heritage and culture and interact with various sections of society. He spoke of the strong bonds of friendship between the “oldest democracy of the world and the largest democracy of the world” and said this friendship needed to be strengthened further.

    Dr. Urmilesh Arya said she would do her best to take the 50-year-old representative organization of Indian Americans in the US to greater heights. She said that her vision is to bring all Asian Indian community together and give the torch of AIA to younger generation to maintain our heritage and culture for future generations.

    Dr. Arya ended her speech with “Do not expect from your Association, see what you can do for it”.

    Earlier, Dr. Narinder Kukar, the senior community leader who is associated with a number of community organizations and was president of AIA a long time ago, introduced Dr. Urmilesh Arya as a person who has always been passionate about preserving Indian heritage and culture even as she championed the cause of the Indian community on political level. He said there could not be a better choice than Dr. Urmilesh Arya to lead the celebrated Association of Indians in America.

    The outgoing President Dr. Shashi Shah handed over the gavel to Dr. Urmilesh Arya, signifying passing on the authority to the new president.

    The Committee. L-R Nalini Shah, Neelam Modi, Usha Bhansal, Sunil Modi, Indu Jaiswal, Shashi Shah, Urmilesh Arya, Tom Suozzi, Sunil Mehra, Sushma Kotahwala, Ram Khanna, Ravi Bhooplapur, Buddhdev Manwar, Dr. Gilja, Indu Gajwani

    The Committee for 2018-2019 was introduced by Elected President Dr Urmilesh Arya.  Here is the list of office bearers. Vice Presidents: Dr. Naresh Bhasin (FL) Nalini Shah (NJ), Ram Khanna (NY) Dr. Sunil Mehra (NY); Treasurer: Mrs. Neelam Modi (NY), Gen, Secretary:  Nilima Madan (NY), Members at Large: Hansa Ashar (CA), Dr. Farita Ahmed (FL), Nishi Mallik (FL), Dr. Shobha Gupta (FL), Mr. Akshay Patel (IL), Ashish Sen (IL), Lucy Pandey (IL), Salil Mishra (IL), Santosh Pandey (IL), Dr. Suresh Gupta (MD), Ravi Mehrotra (NJ), Roopam Jain (NJ), Arish Sahani (NY), Dr. Asha Nayak (NY), Dr. Babu Jasty (NY), Dr. Bal Gilja (NY), Dr. Deepak Nandi (NY), Dr. Himanshu Patel (NY), Indu Jaiswal (NY), Ravi Bhooplapur(NY), Dr. Sai Veeracmachani (NY), Sunil Modi (NY), Sushma Kotahwala (NY), Dr. Usha Bhansal (NY) , Kamlesh Saini (WI), Indu Gajwani (NY).

    Bobby Kalotee, on behalf of County Executive Laura Curran, presented citations to the outgoing President Dr. Shashi Shah and the new President Dr. Urmilesh Arya.

    AIA presented gifts to Congressman Tom Suozzi.

    The Inauguration was attended by around 150 persons.  Prominent among them were Congressman Mr. Tom Souzzi and community leaders Boby Kalotee, Kamlesh Mehta, Narender Kukar, Nirmal Matoo, Prof. Shridhar, Dr. Manwar, Virender Bhalla, Mr. Satnam Parhar, Gobind Munjal, Gunjan Rastogi, Neerja Kashu, Dr. Ajay Jain, Dr.  Ajay Lodha, Dr. Jagdish Gupta, Dr. Vinod Bhansal, and Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, Publisher and Editor of The Indian Panorama.

    The program got off to a start with national anthems of the two countries being sung by ­Hema Sardana and Veena Sardana. Invocation by Geeta Sethia, dance by Miss India Riya Kaur, songs by Mohan Wanchoo, with 10-year-old Manav on Tabla, and songs on Karaoke sung by Jyoti Gupta, Indu Gajwani, Roopam Maini and Ratna Bhalla, were star attractions of the celebrations.

     

  • Indian American actor Karan Soni again plays the character Dopinder in Deadpool 2

    Indian American actor Karan Soni again plays the character Dopinder in Deadpool 2

    HOLLYWOOD (TIP): Indian American Karan Soni’s os known for his blockbuster movie Deadpool where he played the role of a comedy superhero.

    His memorable character ‘Dopinder’, a cab driver, received critical acclamation.

    Soni, who completed 55 projects, is an actor known for his scene-stealing roles in comedy but it was after Tim Miller cast him in Deadpool that the world began noticing the Indian American actor.

    Now, with Deadpool 2 getting ready for the international launch this May, Soni is ready to climb more ladders of successin Hollywood.

    The latest Trailer of Deadpool 2 has Soni in a different look.

    In the Valentines day posters of Deadpool 2, released by Marvel,  Soni is again featured as Dopinder.

    Soni, 29, was born in Delhi and he came to the United States as a student of business at the University of South California. He is currently based in Los Angeles.

    According to Soni, it was his professors who first discovered his acting talent and motivated him to apply for the auditions of TV shows and movies. He started attending auditions as a teenager with the help of an agent who was impressed by one of his plays. Soni bagged his first role at the age of 21 – a small role on TV.

    Soon after his first appearance on American television, Soni had his first Hollywood experience – a role in the movie Safety Not Guaranteed with Aubrey Plaza and Jake Johnson, which was screened at Sundance Film Festival.

    In a way, Soni paved the way for stars such as Aziz Ansari, Priyanka Chopra and Hasan Minhaj, who have found success in Hollywood in recent years.

    He has been in the US entertainment industry for almost a decade through TV shows, ads and now in films.

    It seems the actor, who is seen listening to Bollywood songs Mera Joota Hai Japani and Tumse Accha Kaun Hai after the opening credits of Deadpool 1, is a big fan of Bollywood.

    According to his official twitter account, Soni will be seen next in the comedy movie Unicorn Store and zombie comedy thriller Office Uprising. He will be also feature in the TV series Miracle Workers, and Misfits and Monsters.

    Directed by David Leitch, Deadpool 2 stars Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Zazie Beetz as Domino, Josh Brolin as Nathan Summers/Cable, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Stefan Kapcic as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, T.J. Miller as Weasel, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, and Soni as Dopinder.

     

     

     

  • Indian American racial justice advocate Deepa Iyer will deliver at the 11th Annual Korenman Lecture at UMBC on March 8

    Indian American racial justice advocate Deepa Iyer will deliver at the 11th Annual Korenman Lecture at UMBC on March 8

    MARYLAND (TIP): Indian American activist, writer and lawyer Deepa Iyer will deliver the 11th Annual Korenman Lecture at the University of Maryland Baltimore County on March 8.

    Titled “Becoming Bridge-Builders and Disrupters Navigating Racial and Gender Realities in America Today,” her lecture will explore how to navigate racial and gender realities in today’s America.

    According to an official release, the racial justice advocate will speak about the racial realities affecting people of color, women, and immigrants and refugees.

    She will share stories of struggle and resistance from communities affected by backlash, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, it said.

    Iyer will discuss ideas for maintaining equitable and inclusive policies and institutions that reflect the racial realities and intersectional identities of communities in America.

    Iyer’s who is a specialist in post-9/11 America experiences of South Asian, Muslim, Arab and Sikh immigrants; national security and immigration policies; and racial equity and solidarity practices.

    She is a former Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT).

    Iyer will also interact with students and sign her books.

    Her experience working with SAALT was instrumental for her seminal book We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future. It was selected for 2016 American Book Award and was selected as a top 10 multicultural non-fiction books of 2015 by Booklist.

    Since the release of her book, Iyer has been attending community conversations across the United States speaking about the life of immigrants at college campuses, non-profit organizations, faith-based institutions among others.

    Iyer’s current work includes a collaborative project around rapid response coordination in the wake of criminalization policies and efforts and a solidarity project which includes a monthly podcast called Solidarity Is This.

  • HOTSTAR All Set to Stream IPL Cricket Matches for US Fans

    HOTSTAR All Set to Stream IPL Cricket Matches for US Fans

    By Babita Sharma

    BROOKLYN, NY (TIP): Cricket fans are in for a surprise as for the first time, Hotstar, India’s largest premium live streaming service, which was launched in the U.S. in September, will be beaming live matches from the Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL), an eight-team game, since its inception in the year 2008.

    On February 24 afternoon, Hotstar hosted an event named “VIVO IPL HOTSTAR CRICFEST”, at MatchPoint in Gravesend, Brooklyn, in association with event partner, CricClubs.

    Ms Ispita Dasgupta, President, Hotstar International at Star India presented the content and features of Hotstar platform. It was a unique and engaging experience for Indian diaspora cricket fans settled in the USA. Hotstar, a multi-digital platform will allow crickets enthusiasts to see their favorite teams and players in action on their mobile device nationwide anytime, anywhere.

    The event was graced by cricket legends  Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh “Bhajji”  who interacted with the fans and the audience,  with the former detailing his experience at the highest levels in England and in the IPL before retiring in 2010; and the latter shedding light on his experience as a cricketer, and who is still actively associated with, and will play in the IPL with Chennai Super Kings though earlier, for 10 years, he played for Mumbai.

    The event allowed the attendees to taste street food from each of the eight Indian cities in the league and enjoy live entertainment that included, from kids and adults alike, testing their skills in the batting cage and then getting a virtual experience of a cricket stadium amongst other form of activities.

    Hotstar streaming of the IPL that starts in April 2018 is set at $9.99 per month, the first month being free, the viewers can enjoy all IPL matches with commentary in six different languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bengali. Harbhajan Singh Bhajji, however, suggested including commentary in Punjabi language also, which he said was spoken by a large number of Punjabis in the US and Canada.

    This promises for an Immersive Virtual Reality experience that would enable the fans to come closer to the game within the comfort of their homes and would also allow the fans to relive important core moments during any game.

    “We are interested in the casual cricket fans here in the USA, and we are constantly innovating to make their experience engaging and immersive”, concluded Ms Ispita Dasgupta, President of Hotstar International.

  • Indian Origin ‘Chicken King’ In Talks to Sell Off His Business

    Indian Origin ‘Chicken King’ In Talks to Sell Off His Business

    LONDON (TIP) : Indian origin Britain’s “chicken king” is planning to sell off his Irish fish supplying business to consolidate his food empire following a hygiene scandal at one of his chicken plants in the UK last year.

    The 2 Sisters Food Group, owned by Ranjit Singh Boparan, is believed to be working with corporate finance advisers from Clearwater International on a possible disposal of the business.

    An undercover investigation last year had showed workers appearing to change the dates on food labels and picking up dead poultry from the floor and returning it to the production line at a plant in West Bromwich. The company has since put a series of safety measures in place at all its chicken production units.

    Earlier this month, 2 Sisters said it would close three of its factories, threatening the future of nearly 900 jobs. Last month, Mr Boparan sold the pizza brand Goodfella’s to the owner of Birds Eye for 200 million pounds in cash.

    The 51-year-old tycoon, based in the Midlands region of England, left school at 16 and turned 2 Sisters into Britain’s largest poultry supplier through a series of acquisitions, including a 342-million-pounds takeover of quoted rival Northern Foods in 2011.

    He also acquired turkey business Bernard Matthews and restaurant chains FishWorks, Giraffe and Harry Ramsden’s.

    According to the reports, the deal spree left 2 Sisters with debts of 824 million pounds at the end of last year, 5.4 times its underlying earnings although the Goodfella’s sale will reduce that total. The company has 250 million pounds of bonds that will need to be repaid next year.

    In November last year, the credit ratings agency Moody’s downgraded its debt rating deeper into junk territory on fears over meagre profit margins and huge debts.

    Mr Boparan is also shouldering heavy pension payments after acquiring Northern Foods’ final-salary pension scheme. The plan has about 17,000 members and had a 541 million pounds shortfall in March 2015, its most recent disclosures show.

    2 Sisters has reportedly also held talks about merging its Fox’s Biscuits brand with the Jammie Dodgers maker Burton’s Foods, which is owned by a Canadian pension fund.

     

  • Indian Origin Woman And Her Partner Arrested In South Africa For British Couple’s Kidnapping

    Indian Origin Woman And Her Partner Arrested In South Africa For British Couple’s Kidnapping

    JOHANNESBURG (TIP):  South African special police unit Hawks have arrested an Indian origin woman and her partner on charges of abducting a British couple. They both are allegedly linked to ISIS.

    Fatima Patel and Safydeen Aslam Del Vecchio also face charges of robbery and theft after they went on a spending spree using the couples’ credit cards, building up a stash of jewellery, camping equipment and electronic devices which were found at a remote location where an ISIS flag was being flown.

    The Hawks declined to provide any further information due to the sensitive nature of the case as the search continues for the couple whose vehicle was found abandoned more than 300 km away from where they were last seen on February 9.

    Patel and Del Vecchio also stand accused of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act by hoisting an ISIS flag at a modest homestead in a rural area.

    Del Vecchio also faces another terrorism-related charge for allegedly participating in “extremist web forums that support ISIS and offering to supply phone numbers and sim cards that are not traceable.”

    Yousha Tayob, the lawyer representing Patel and Del Vecchio, confirmed that the pair had appeared in the court and were remanded in custody at Westville Prison in KwaZulu-Natal province.

    The incident had prompted the British government to issue a travel advisory about possible terrorist attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa, but local Muslim organizations have dismissed this as an “overreaction”.

    Ebrahim Deen of the Afro-Middle East Centre told the weekly that South African Muslims posed no threat to travelers and that the incident was more related to crime than an ISIS attack.

    “Muslims are largely integrated in (South African) society, are not disillusioned and they face little discrimination like in Europe and elsewhere,” he said.

    Martin Ewi of the Institute for Security Studies said South Africa was regarded as a “logistics base” for terror cells in transit, and is not traditionally a target for attacks, although the arrests of Patel and Del Vecchio confirmed the presence of an active terror cell in South Africa.

    “We in the counter terror fraternity suspected that they were working as members of an active cell, and the kidnapping will confirm the presence of an active ISIS cell,” Mr Ewi said.

  • Indian Bollywood Diva Sridevi Passes Away

    Indian Bollywood Diva Sridevi Passes Away

    Sridevi, one of India’s most celebrated actresses, has died according to multiple reports coming in.

    The 54-year-old Bollywood icon was attending a family wedding in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates when she suffered a fatal heart attack, the reports said.

    Family members confirmed that the actress had passed away on February 24th  morning.

    “It is true that Sridevi passed away. I just landed here (India), I was in Dubai and now I am flying back to Dubai,” her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor said.

    Born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Sridevi started acting at the age of  four with a role in the Tamil language film, Thunaivan.

    She went on to become a fixture of the Indian film industry, appearing in more than a 100 movies, spanning six decades, and picking up scores of awards for her performances.

    Her starring role in the 1987 adventure film, Mr. India, earned her superstar status in Bollywood.

    The film was the highest grossing Indian film that year and is widely regarded as a cult classic.

    Her death caused shockwaves on social media, with Bollywood fans in India and abroad expressing their disbelief.

    “I have no words. Condolences to everyone who loved #Sridevi . A dark day,” wrote Bollywood actress, Priyanka Chopra.

    “A legendary actress who many of us grew up watching,” wrote Noreen Khan, a British Asian radio presenter.

    “Totally shocked by this really sad news.”

    May her soul Rest in Peace.

  • Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux may not have been legally married

    Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux may not have been legally married

    Former star couple Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, who announced their separation earlier this week, might not have been legally married as there is no evidence about their wedding, a TMZ report has claimed.

    The actress and actor-filmmaker seemed to be headed for a divorce court following the announcement of their split earlier this week, but based on TMZ.com’s records search and sources, they may never have been married in the first place.

    Aniston and Theroux announced the end of their two-year marriage and nearly seven-year relationship in a joint statement on Thursday. The pair, who shared a mansion in the upscale Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, met on the set of the 2008 film Tropic Thunder in

    Hawaii, and started dating in 2011. “In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation,” the former couple said in the statement released by Aniston’s publicist Stephen Huvane.

    However, Tmz.com checked marriage records in Los Angeles County all the way back to 2010 and found that there is no record of a marriage license.

    There’s a confidential marriage license, but the site was told they did not get one in Los Angeles County.

    The celeb couple could have gotten a marriage license in any of the 57 other counties in California, but according to some of Aniston’s sources who have had regular contact with her for years, there’s been talk for a long time they might not be legally married.

    Tmz.com also checked with numerous divorce lawyers, and no one has been contacted either by Aniston or Theroux.

    It was the second marriage for former Friends star Aniston, who wed Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt in 2000 — forming one of Tinseltown’s most glamorous couples at the time. They divorced in 2005 after Pitt met Angelina Jolie, from whom he is now estranged, on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith.

    Theroux (Miami Vice, The Girl on the Train) was in a relationship with stylist Heidi Bivens for 14 years but the 46-year-old had never been married before meeting Aniston.

    Source: IANS

  • NATALIE PORTMAN’S SCI-FI MOVIE DISMANTLES EVERY GENDER CLICHE

    NATALIE PORTMAN’S SCI-FI MOVIE DISMANTLES EVERY GENDER CLICHE

    Alex Garland’s sci-fi blockbuster Annihilation, to be released in the US on February 23 and on Netflix worldwide a few weeks later, is a rare example of a sci-fi movie led by women that avoids some of cinema’s worst cliches.

    Here is a list of gender-related tropes in film that often have critics gnashing their teeth.

    The Smurfette principle

    The Smurfette principle, coined by American poet and essayist Katha Pollitt in 1991, is the practice of including only one woman in an otherwise entirely male cast.

    These movies are typically driven by a male-dominated narrative, with the woman existing only in relation to how she affects the men.

    Examples: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Justice League and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

    ‘Bechdel test’ failures

    The Bechdel test asks whether a movie features at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man.

    Various surveys have shown that only around half of all movies pass the test, named after the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who credited the idea in part to the writings of Virginia Woolf.

    Examples: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Avatar, the entire Lord of the Rings and original Star Wars trilogies.

    Damsel in Distress

    The Damsel in Distress is one of the most widely used cliches in cinema. This trope is a plot device placing a female character in peril from which she must be rescued by a male character.

    She often provides the core motivation for the male protagonist’s quest or journey.

    Examples: Pirates of the Caribbean, Taken, Spider-Man and the Twilight saga.

    Hotness Gap, or ‘Beast and the Beauty’

    It doesn’t matter how schlubby, lazy and unkempt the man is — he always ends up with the woman with supermodel looks.

    Whether it’s Fred Flintstone, Quasimodo or King Kong, these guys can skip brushing their teeth, spend all day drinking beer in front of the TV and crack silly dad jokes and they’ll still get their girl.

    Examples: Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston in The Break-Up, Jason Segel and Kristen Bell/Mila Kunis Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Kevin James and Rosario Dawson in The Zookeeper and Jack Black in everything.

    The Straw Feminist

    This trope, identified by the Feminist Frequency pop culture website, is an over the- top caricature of a feminist designed to undermine the very idea of feminism.

    Examples: Mona Lisa Smile, Legally Blonde and Down with Love.

    Source: AFP

  • JENNIFER LAWRENCE WANTS YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS

    JENNIFER LAWRENCE WANTS YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS

    Actor Jennifer Lawrence says she is taking a year off and in her free time she will work towards motivating young people to focus on politics.

    The 27-year-old actor says she will step back from the spotlight in 2019 in order to focus all her energy on working with charity Represent Us. “I’m going to take the next year off. I’m going to be working with this organisation as a part of Represent Us… trying to get young people engaged politically on a local level.

    “It doesn’t have anything to do with partisan (politics). It’s just anti-corruption and stuff trying to pass state by state laws that can help prevent corruption, fix our democracy,”

    Lawrence told Entertainment Tonight. The “Red Sparrow” star is already working with the anticorruption charity, and recently surprised a group of high school students at Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio with a talk about politics in association with the charity.

    Source: PTI

  • Women I play on screen are an extension of me: Vidya

    Women I play on screen are an extension of me: Vidya

    Vidya Balan picked powerful women characters even before “female centric cinema” became mainstream in Bollywood and the actor, who has pioneered a change in the concept of the Hindi film heroine in the last decade, says her choices are often guided by her personal experiences.

    Vidya has successfully established herself as an actor par excellence with films such as “Parineeta”, “Ishqiya”, “No One Killed Jessica”, “The Dirty Picture”, “Kahaani” and “Begum Jaan” among others.

    But she says the films that are among her personal favorites and have become turning points in her career, are “Kahaani”, “The Dirty Picture” and her last release “Tumhari Sulu”.

    “Every film or role that I have done has had some personal connection. All these women (characters) follow their heart and do exactly what they want to do and in a way they were all an extension of me,” Vidya told PTI in an exclusive interview.

    “I am a shy person. There are two sides to me when the actor side comes out, I am different. I can do anything for the character but as a person, I am quite shy,” the actor adds.

    Vidya, 39, counts her portrayal of Vidya Bagchi in the Sujoy Ghosh-directed movie as one of her finest performances. She says the only brief that Ghosh gave her was that the film would be about a pregnant woman who comes to Kolkata to look for her missing husband.

    “I found the story interesting and said, ‘Let’s do it’. It (climax) developed organically and when he narrated it to me, it blew my mind. People who were approached for the film were not told about the (twist) ending.

    Only, Sujoy, me, cinematographer, and the ADs knew about it. We kept it a secret,” she recalls. Vidya reveals she even lied to her pregnant sister about the ending of “Kahaani”, which is now counted among one of the best Hindi cinema thrillers.

    The film, which went on to become a hit at the box office, however, faced many financial hurdles and was eventually shot on a shoestring budget.

    “They could not get their head around the fact that it was about a pregnant woman and they were like, ‘Why would audiences want to see a pregnant woman in theatres’?

    Source: PTI

  • KANGANA TO DON KHADI IN ON SILVERSCREEN IN MANIKARNIKA

    KANGANA TO DON KHADI IN ON SILVERSCREEN IN MANIKARNIKA

    Actress Kangana Ranaut will don khadi outfits in her upcoming film ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’. In a statement, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) said the attire of the lead cast of the movie is being sponsored by it. The movie showcases the Queen’s love for the countryâs heritage fabric khadi in the epic biographical film.

    “It is official now – after dressing up officials in several government offices, Khadi is now making its way to silverscreen! Kangana Ranaut, in her lead role in ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’,” KVIC said.

    Sponsored by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), the costume line for the film shall be designed by ace designer Neeta Lulla. Lulla has already picked up fabric costing around Rs 26 lakh from KVIC. According to KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena, the fabric being used for the film includes a mix bag of silk, cotton, muslin and some wool too.

    Kangana, who plays the lead role in this movie, would also be seen using a using a charkha in the film, which is also being sponsored by KVIC. The KVIC chairman said that it is a morale booster in terms of aggressive marketing and promotion strategy for KVIC that she would be spinning the wheel in this movie.

    Source: PTI

  • PARINEETI CHOPRA EXCITED TO WORK WITH AKSHAY KUMAR

    PARINEETI CHOPRA EXCITED TO WORK WITH AKSHAY KUMAR

    Parineeti Chopra, who will be sharing screen space for the first time with Akshay Kumar, says she is excited to work with the superstar in “Kesari”.

    The film, being directed by Anurag Singh, will see Akshay essaying the role of Havildar Ishar Singh, while Parineeti plays his wife.

    “(I) am very excited to be working with him. In three days I will be leaving for ‘Namastey England’. But I am more excited for ‘Kesari’.

    “It has been a dream to work with Akshay for a long time. He is a Punjabi and so is I and we are doing a Punjabi film together. I am very excited to start the shoot,” Parineeti told reporters here at an event last night.

    Besides this, Parineeti will also be busy shooting for “Namastey England” with Arjun Kapoor.

    “I‚ have to do it simultaneously as, unfortunately, the dates are planned like that.

    So I will be shooting in Amritsar (for ‘Kesari’) and in London (for Namastey England’),” she says.

    Recently, Akshay’s look from the film was released, and talking about her look, Parineeti says, the makers will decide when to unveil it.

  • AFTER 70 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE ELECTRICITY REACHES ELEPHANTA CAVES

    AFTER 70 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE ELECTRICITY REACHES ELEPHANTA CAVES

    MUMBAI (TIP): After 70 years of Independence power supply has finally reached Elephanta Caves near Mumbai.

    A 7.5-km long undersea cable has brought electricity to the world-famous Gharapuri Isle, which houses the UNESCO world heritage site.

    “It’s a historic day today. This is the first time that such kind of big wire cable is used in the Arabian Sea to spread the lines for electricity,” said Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Minister of Energy, New and Renewable Energy.

    He further said that the step would now increase the tourism and more people would visit the world heritage site.

    The step will also benefit three villages including Raj Bander, Mora Bander and Shet Bander. Source: ANI

  • Kamal Haasan launches political party

    Kamal Haasan launches political party

    CHENNAI (TIP): Kamal Haasan’s telegenic charm was on full display on Feb 21 night when he told a rapturous crowd of supporters in Madurai that his new party would be called the Makkal Needhi Maiam.

    The Tamil words roughly translate into People’s Justice Party, or People’s Justice Front, although technically, “maiam” means centre.

    “The newly founded Makkal Needhi Miram is your party. It’s here to stay, and to make the change we all aspire for. Guide us to serve you,” Kamal Haasan wrote on Twitter, even as he was joined on stage in Madurai by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party’s Tamil Nadu unit chief, Somnath Bharti.

    He explained that people had asked him if he was on the Right or the Left. Maiam means “centre,” and that’s why he named his party Makkal Needhi Maiam, he said.

    “Six hands is the representation of the six states and the star in the centre is you,” he added.

    Earlier, Kamal met former president APJ Abdul Kalam’s elder brother and other family members at the residence here.

    “Greatness can come from simple beginnings,” he said.

    “Actually it will come only from simplicity. Glad to start my journey from a great man’s simple abode,” the actor added in a tweet.

  • CHINA’S GROWING TIES WITH MALDIVES GIVE INDIA JITTERS

    CHINA’S GROWING TIES WITH MALDIVES GIVE INDIA JITTERS

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Relative to India, China is a late entrant in the Maldives, a key Indian Ocean nation and the only SAARC member-state Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to visit.

    But China may well have stolen a march over India, which hasn’t quite managed to have its concerns over happenings in the island nation addressed by Maldives president Abdullah Yameen, who extended the emergency in his country much to New Delhi’s dismay, according to Hindustan Times report.

    Maldives’ reluctance to follow its promised “India-first” policy has, in recent times, become an irritant for New Delhi.

    External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed this to her Maldivian counterpart, Mohamed Asim, in as many words when they met in New Delhi last month, an official familiar with the development recalled. “The minister conveyed the message that the India-first policy is as important a part of taking bilateral ties forward as India’s neighbourhood-first policy,” he said on condition of anonymity.

    Although the Chinese footprint in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region is something New Delhi has learnt to live with despite an understandable unease, the rapid expansion in ties between Male and Beijing has become a larger cause of concern. The Maldives – located around 700 km from Indian shores – has become a showpiece of mega projects-driven Chinese foreign policy as well as an important player in President Xi Jinping’s marquee one road- one-belt project. Chinese presence in the island nation has been growing steadily ever since Beijing opened an embassy in Male in 2011, about 37 years after India set up its mission there.

    The Indian Ocean region has around 40 countries and is home to 40% of the world’s population. It touches Australia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and the eastern sea bend of Africa — making the countries that rim the ocean vital cogs in the geopolitical ambitions of both India and China.

    Source: HT

  • ‘Act East Policy’ to be reality: PM

    ‘Act East Policy’ to be reality: PM

    KOHIMA (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed firm resolve that the “Act East Policy” would be made a reality to connect people of the North- East with South East Asian countries to ensure speedy development.

    He emphasised that the development of the North-East was an essential component to realise the dream of a developed country. “Transformation of the region by transportation is being worked out to bring about faster development in the region,” he said. Modi was addressing a poll rally at Tuensang Town public ground in Nagaland ahead of Assembly poll on February 27.

    He affirmed that the BJP-led NDA government was committed to the transformation of Nagaland. “The dream of having a new India will go alongside the vision of the Naga people towards having a new Nagaland,” he said.

    “Unless the North-East is developed, the dream of having a developed country will not be achieved and, therefore, the BJP government is paying special attention to the requirement of the region,” Modi said. “Connectivity is a huge challenge in Nagaland. We are working relentlessly towards it. In less than four years, we have added 500 km of national highways. We plan to invest over Rs 10,000 crore in roads in Nagaland,” he said.

  • Pakistan will pay for Jammu attack: Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat

    Pakistan will pay for Jammu attack: Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat

    The army chief also defended Shopian firing by forces, saying stone-pelters were hampering military operations

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Army chief General Bipin Rawat said Indian army will give Pakistan a reply “sooner rather than later” for the February 10 terror attack on a military camp in Jammu, reported Hindustan Times.

    Six soldiers and a civilian were killed in the fidayeen attack in Sunjuwan by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists.

    Soon after the incident, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that Pakistan, which she accused of backing the attackers, would pay for its “misadventure”.

    “Pakistan thinks it is fighting a war that is paying them dividends but we have several options, including surgical strikes,” the army chief said in an interview on Wednesday, without giving details that would compromise India’s tactical and strategic response.

    Rawat said that he would order a ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC) as soon as Pakistan stops sending terrorists to India. “The Indian Army will honour the ceasefire and de-escalate tensions the day Pakistan stops sending terrorists across the line of control,” Rawat said, referring to the 2003 agreement put in place as a confidence building measure, Hindustan Times reported.

    Ceasefire violations at the LoC have spiked over the last year. There were 860 such violations recorded in 2017 from either side, as compared to 271 the previous year, according to government data.

    Asked about the January 27 firing in Shopian, in which three protestors were killed by army bullets at a time when the PDP-BJP government had withdrawn cases against first-time stone-pelters on the suggestion of the Centre’s interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma, Rawat said: “The cases were withdrawn as a goodwill gesture but what goodwill are they (the stone pelters) showing? The pelting continues.”

    He defended the military action, saying stone-pelters were hampering military operations. “The army has a job to do. We don’t want collateral damage but what do you expect us to do when we get surrounded by a stone pelting mob? Even in Shopian, we fired in the air first.”

    Referring to the controversial incident when Major Gogoi tied Kashmiri shawl weaver Farooq Ahmad Dar to the bonnet of a jeep last year, “Let me tell you, we honour local sentiments and don’t conduct operations during janazas (funeral processions) even though terrorists come there and fire in the air. What do you want me to do, have a seat in front of all jeeps. We got flak even for that.”

    The Jammu & Kashmir police had registered an FIR against the army after the Shopian firing. Asked if he had given permission to the father of Major Aditya (named in the Shopian FIR) to approach the Supreme Court to get the police complaint quashed, Rawat said, “The father has a right to defend his son.

    If a girl (Kerala actress Priya Varrier) can approach the court because her wink has offended people can’t a father do the same if he apprehends that his son would be arrested?”

    The General also had a piece of advice for the media: to not show visuals of grief-stricken family members of martyrs. “Because the media only focuses on soldiers killed by Pakistan, they build a narrative on how they have managed to inflict a blow on us.”

    All martyrs are equal, he added, “even those killed in an avalanche”.

    Source: HT

  • India 81st on global corruption index

    India 81st on global corruption index

    NEW DELHI (TIP): India has been ranked 81st on the global corruption perception index for 2017, released by Transparency International, which named the country among the “worst offenders” in terms of graft and press freedom in the Asia Pacific region.

    The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, placed India at the 81st place. In the 2016, India was at 79th place among 176 countries. The index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

    India’s score in the latest ranking, however, remained unchanged at 40. In 2015, the score was 38.

    Transparency International further said, “In some countries across the region (Asia Pacific), journalists, activists, Opposition leaders and even staff of law enforcement or watchdog agencies are threatened, and in the worst cases, even murdered.”

    “Philippines, India and the Maldives are among the worst regional offenders in this respect. These countries score high for corruption and have fewer press freedoms and higher number of journalist deaths,” it added.

    In the last six years, 15 journalists working on corruption stories in these countries were murdered, as reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

    In the latest ranking, New Zealand and Denmark were placed the highest, with scores of 89 and 88, respectively. On the other hand Syria, South Sudan and Somalia were ranked lowest with scores of 14, 12 and 9, respectively.

    Meanwhile, China with a score of 41 was ranked 77th on the list, while Brazil was placed at 96th with a score of 37 and Russia was at the 135th place with a score of 29.

    Further analysis of the results indicates that countries with the least protection for press and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) also tend to have the worst rates of corruption.

    The analysis, which incorporates data from the CPJ, showed that in the last six years, nine out of 10 journalists were killed in countries that score 45 or less on the index.

    Source: ANI

  • Congress will not name CM candidate before Rajasthan polls

    Congress will not name CM candidate before Rajasthan polls

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Congress will not declare its chief ministerial face ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly polls, party general secretary in-charge for the state Avinash Pande said on Thursday, stressing that it has been the party’s “tradition”.

    He said the party’s Rajasthan leaders will put on a united performance to ensure victory “as they did” during the recently-held bypolls in Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats and Mandalgarh assembly segment in the state.

    “It has been the Congress tradition that it never declares a CM face, barring exceptional cases, ahead of assembly polls.

    The high command decides the chief minister after discussing it with elected MLAs. This tradition will be followed in Rajasthan too,” Pande said.

    Earlier in the day, Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with Rajasthan Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state unit chief Sachin Pilot and others on the party’s activities for the next six months.

    Pande maintained that the leadership issue in connection with the state assembly polls, scheduled to be held later this year, did not figure during the meeting.

    “We sought the final approval for the party programme for next six months (from Gandhi). All the leaders in unison assured that the programme will be implemented jointly.

    Rahul ji wished them good luck,” he added.

    Pande also said that the leaders have decided that the state unit’s ‘Mera Booth, Mera Gaurav’ programme will be implemented in all the assembly segments of the state, which goes to polls later this year.

    “Hamara hoga ek hi agenda, Congress ka jhanda (Our only agenda is to see Congress flag flies high),” Pande added.

    Asked about the meeting with Gandhi, Pilot said it was decided that the party will undertake a mass outreach programme in all the 200 assembly segments of the state. “We have now a lot of weight on our shoulders (following the success in bypolls). Expectations are very high from the Congress and we must not rest and immediately start a mass outreach programme the youth, farmers, middle class, rural areas in 200 constituencies. The meeting discussed the details of the same,” Pilot added.

    Source: PTI

  • Bank loan default: Rotomac promoter Kothari, son arrested by CBI

    Bank loan default: Rotomac promoter Kothari, son arrested by CBI

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Feb 22 arrested Rotomac promoter Vikram Kothari and his son Rahul Kothari on charges of cheating a consortium of seven banks by siphoning off bank loans to the tune Rs 2,919 crore.

    “Both the accused were not cooperating with the investigators and were evasive in their replies during questioning which necessitated their custodial interrogation,” said a CBI spokesperson.

    The arrests came after the Kotharis were questioned for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday following searches at their residences and office premises in Kanpur.

    The CBI had registered an FIR in the case on the basis of a complaint received from the Bank of Baroda, which was part of the consortium, that alleged misappropriation of funds and violation of Fema guidelines.

    The banks had claimed that their total outstanding dues, including interest, stood at Rs 3,695 crore.

    Vikram Kothari

    The agency had named Rotomac Global Private Ltd, its directors Vikram Kothari, his wife Sadhana Kothari and son Rahul Kothari, and unknown bank officials as accused in the case.

    The Enforcement Directorate is probing the money laundering allegations against the Kotharis. The Income Tax Department has attached four properties of Kothari — three in Kanpur and one in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

    The Bank of Baroda had said in its complaint it had discovered that offices of Rotomac’s overseas suppliers and buyers in Hong Kong, Dubai and Sharjah were either closed or operating virtually. This prompted the state-owned bank to complain to the CBI that the company’s promoters were carrying out fake mercantile trade.

    The case comes on the heels of a Rs 11,400-crore alleged fraud in Punjab National Bank (PNB) in which jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are accused.

    Meanwhile, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) chairperson said they will probe if the chartered accountants (CAs) associated with the Rotomac group followed standard norms.

    “Action will be taken if the CAs are found to be involved in any irregularities,” chairman of the Central India Regional Council of ICAI (CIRCICAI) Deep Kumar Misra said.

  • Listen to the Imploring Voice of the People, Mr. President

    Listen to the Imploring Voice of the People, Mr. President

    By I S Saluja

    President Trump seems convinced that more guns in the hands of more people can secure school and community. In his listening session with survivors of Stoneman Douglas High School Parkland, Florida shooting which resulted in death of 17 young students, Trump suggested arming 20 % to 30 % teachers of a school as a safety measure at a school. Obviously, President is obsessed with the idea of more guns in the hands of more people. I recall how he said he planned to make America great again. One of the ways he suggested was to have more weapons and be the strongest nation in the world. Well, he has a right to his opinion. But so have others.

    Many were surprised at his idea. Many were simply shocked. Many pooh poohed the suggestion, as Sen Nelson who described it as “a terrible idea” later in the evening at the CNN Town Hall in Tallahassee. Even one of the most committed supporters of NRA Sen Marco Rubio, at the CNN Town Hall in Tallahassee scoffed at the idea. He said the job of the teachers is to teach, not to carry guns. At the same time, he expressed fear that an armed teacher may just as well cause another tragedy in having a gun in hand, in the event of an attack at a campus and arrival of a SWAT team who are more likely to act fast on seeing a gun in the hand of a person.

    They are not going to wait to know that it is ateacher who has been given a gun for protection. A teacher at the Town Hall said it plainly that she could not think of carrying a gun. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel simply laughed at the idea, saying how could a few teachers secure a large school campus.

    What is needed is a common-sense gun control policy. We must respect 2nd Amendment which was passed for the safety and security of people, not for their killing.

    Over the decades since it was passed there have been so many situational shifts that a fresh look has to be given with the objective of ensuring that dangerous guns do not get in to hands of everyone and that our schools and neighborhoods are safe.

    Raising the age limit for securing a gun, background checks, mental health checks and taking off the shelf guns with high caliber could be some solutions to the problem, to begin with. What is needed is loyalty to people of America, not to NRA.

    I will repeat what I had said in an earlier comment, “gun in the hand of a good guy against a gun in the hand of a bad guy” policy does not work. I hope, President of America will listen to the voice of the people.

  • Nassau County Human Rights Commission holds Vigil for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Florida Parkland shooting victims

    Nassau County Human Rights Commission holds Vigil for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Florida Parkland shooting victims

    MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Human Rights Commission of Nassau County organized, February 20th, a vigil for the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida.

    Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder assured residents of police vigilance to ward off any attack on a school

    County Executive Laura Curran, Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, Legislator John Ferretti, Legislator Rose Walker, Legislator Ellen Birnbaum, Legislator Kevan Abrahams, Legislator Rich Nicolello, Legislator Vincent Muscarella, NCHR Commissioners, Executive Director Rodney Mcrae attended, besides Community Political, Religious leaders, and the media.

    About a dozen school kids held placards which said schools should be safer for children.

    Speakers described the shooting as one of the worst shootings in recent years which took away 17 young lives. In one voice they said there was need to have stricter gun control laws if such tragedies were to be averted in future. Speakers suggested background checks, mental health checks, and keeping dangerous guns off the reach of everyone.

    NCHRC Chairman Bobby Kalotee said the outdated gun control laws need to be looked in to make schools and neighborhoods safe.

    Prayers were offered prior to address by speakers. Dr. Bobby Kalotee, Chairman of NCHRC conducted the meeting.

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  • Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation Emerges Stronger and United under Andy Mansukhani and Dr. Prem Goel

    Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation Emerges Stronger and United under Andy Mansukhani and Dr. Prem Goel

    LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): At a Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation Board of Directors meeting held last month, the Board elected Andy Mansukhani as President of the Foundation.

    The Directors called upon their former President to revitalize the Foundation and restore it to its earlier glory and status by expanding membership to more youthful and vibrant new generation professional Indians to support the Foundation activities of improving cancer care.

    Andy Mansukhani enjoys wide support of the business and medical community and is known for his humility, moderation and business acumen in problem solving under difficult situations.

    In an unprecedented display of unity and magnanimity, Andy and the Board of Directors appointed Dr. Prem Goel as Honorary Patron of the Foundation. The vision of the new President and his associates is to foster unity of purpose and reach distant impoverished villages with improved cancer detection and care. Both Mr. Mansukhani and Mr. Goel have been strong supporters of the Foundation for over twenty years.

    One hopes, the 5 year period of eclipse for the Foundation has ended.

  • The Indian Panorama photographer Mohammed Jaffer calls on Abhishek Bachchan

    The Indian Panorama photographer Mohammed Jaffer calls on Abhishek Bachchan

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): Bollywood Actor Abhishek Bachchan was in New Jersey on Feb 15 in connection with Magic Bus Fundraiser held at Albert Palace in Edison, new Jersey. Our photographer Mohammed Jaffer who has known Abhishek met and had a photograph with him.