24 Vol 5 Epaper

US Affairs 10
Bollywood 16
Astrology 29
Spiritual Awareness 30
NEW YORK EDITION

Vol.5 No. 24 September 29-October 5, 2012 60 Cents Follow us on
Emmys get a dash of Indian American charm National Community, Page 8 House and Senate races a fight to the finish US Elections, Page 9 Mahatria, Chennaibased master, to give discourses in America Spirituality, Page 15
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Saroj Khan opens Rujuta Vaidyas dance school in NJ Interviews, Page 18
United Nations: India will urge all UN member states to ensure zero tolerance towards terrorism and take "urgent action" to prevent and combat it in all its forms and manifestations. India will also work towards an early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism during the current 67th UN General Assembly session, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said at a media briefing here Wednesday. "We will continue to stress the need for a proactive campaign against terrorism and will work towards an early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on Continued on page 4
India to ask UN members to ensure Obama ahead of Romney in swing states as early zero tolerance for terror polling begins in Iowa
Washington: President Barack Obama has an edge over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the presidential race as he widens his lead in key battleground states, a series of latest opinion polls have shown. Real Clear Politics, which keeps track of all national polls, has Obama in the lead with four points over Romney if the average of all the main seven polls is taken. But the very fact that Obamas popularity exceeds 50 per cent among likely voters in key battleground states has given a new boost to the Obama campaign ahead of the Nov 6 elections. The New York Times/Quinnipiac
The ballot paper as seen at an election office in Iowa. University/CBS news polls said in Florida Obama leads Romney 53 to 44 per cent. In Ohio, which no Republican has won the presidency without, Obama has a 10 percentage points lead over Romney. The polls shows that Obama has Continued on page 4
Ranjan Mathai, Foreign Secretary of India (right) with foreign ministers of Japan, Germany and Brazil on the margins of the UNGA session on Sept 25. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna is scheduled to address the UNGA Oct 1.
Kashmir grievances need speedy resolution: President

Srinagar: President Pranab Mukherjee said Thursday that people of Jammu and Kashmir did have "grievances" and these needed "deft handling and speedy resolution". "I am aware there are grievances. Many important issues need deft handling and speedy resolution," he said at the convocation address at the Kashmir University here. "The government of India and the state government are determined to ensure that every Kashmiri lives
Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebrated with fervor

Mumbai: The 10-day festival in honour of Lord Ganesha, the god of luck, fortune, and prosperity, has been celebrated with pomp and show in India starting Sept 19 (Ganesh Chaturthi) and will conclude with immersion of the idols on Sept 29. In Mumbai Ganapati being the reigning deity of Maharashtrathe celebrations have additional fervor. Pictured is Lalbaughcha Raja Ganesha image in the most visited Ganesha Mandal in Mumbai. The idol this year stands 12 feet tall and took two months to be ready. The pandal is visited by over one crore visitors every year. The daily offerings to the Lord sometimes touch a crore of rupees. The money thus collected is utilized to help needy students at all levels. In New York, the Ganesh temple of Flushing held the annual Rath Yatra Sunday with the deity being carried in a silver chariot in a procession in which hundreds of devotees took part.
Lalbaughcha Raja Ganapati in Mumbai is the most famous
President Pranab Mukherjee in Srinagar with dignity having equal rights and equal opportunities," he added. Continued on page 4
September 29-October 5, 2012
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Kashmir people have peacefully chosen their destiny: India

United Nations: Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the state's people have "peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with democratic practices" and "continue to do so", India has said in response to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's remarks made at the UN. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, addressing a media briefing here Wednesday, said India's position on Kashmir was well known. "Well, we have seen the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the statement of the President of Pakistan. Our principled position on the issue has been consistent and is well known. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, have peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with democratic practices and they continue to do so," he said. Zardari had said the issue of Kashmir was a "symbol of the failures" of the UN, and a resolution could only be arrived in an "envi-
Ravi Batra elaborates on OIFCs mission and initiatives

New York: As a newly appointed Member of the Governing Council of OIFC (Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre), attorney Ravi Batra spoke at the Global Indian Business Meet 2012 (GIBM) in New York Sept 21. The OIFC was set up in 2007 as a Public Private Partnership between the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to help overseas Indians to expand their economic engagement with India. Batra suggested to entrepreneurs to venture into fields like energy, environment, food supply and information. Build a better tomorrow for your fellow global citizens and handsomely profit to lawful applause! he said. Batra praised Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravis vision of OIFCs mission, which is to reduce or eliminate red tape via a one-stop or one-window process that allows folks who want to do business with, or in, India have dipora on the sidelines of the Regional PBD has shifted from Dubai to Mauritius. * OIFCs annual publication, India Supports: Handbook for Overseas Indians looking for help from India to succeed, will be distributed by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January 2013 in Kochi. Batra said that he has been specifically charged by the Governing Council to identify media partners for OIFC as well as to identify Indian diaspora associations with whom OIFC can work. He invited media or other organization interested to partner with OIFC to contact him. He congratulated the organizers of GIBM, the speakers and attendees for making the conference happen. Every effort that promotes trust and trade, rather than fear and war, is a step closer to forming a more perfect world, he concluded.
Ranjan Mathai, Foreign Secretary of India addressed a media briefing Sept 26. ronment of cooperation". "Kashmir remains a symbol of the failures, rather than strengths of the UN system. We feel that resolution of these issues can only be arrived in an environment of cooperation," Zardari was quoted as saying in an address at the UN General Assembly.
Ravi Batra, Member of Governing Council of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre. rect access to federal and state governments, Indian industries, and other knowledge partners of OIFC. He also shared information on OIFCs forthcoming events. * There will be an OIFC Diaspora Engagement Meet in Indonesia in FY 2013-2014. * OIFCs meeting with the dias-
Walmart hits a wall in New York

New York: Mighty Walmart, the world's largest retailer, has been thwarted once again in its efforts to open a big-box store in the Big Apple in the face of opposition from local unions much like protestors in India. However, unlike India where opposition to letting in big retailers like Walmart stems from a professed fear that they may kill small "Mom and Pop" stores, it is largely the business model that the company follows that has kept it away from the big cities. The world's third largest corporation, according to Fortune Global 500, considered the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees working at 8,500 stores in 15 countries, under 55 different names earned a whopping $446.950 billion in 2012. In the US alone it has more than 4,000 stores, but only a handful in the big cities. There is none so far in New York or within the city limits of Washington DC, but there are dozens of sprawling Walmarts within 40 km in the surrounding suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. But of late Walmart has been looking for small locations, around 20,000 square feet, just a fraction of its typical 150,000 to 195,000 square feet stores in the suburbs, in urban areas including New York City, San Francisco and Washington. The first of the six Walmart stores in the na-
Flushing temple marks Ganesh Chaturthi with Rath Yatra

Flushing, N.Y.: Thousands of devotees lined up Main Street here on Sunday afternoon to catch a glimpse of Lord Ganesh during the annual Rath Yatra marking the end of the 9-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations organized by the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam, better known as the Flushing Temple. Devotees pulled the ropes of the silver chariot carrying the Ganapati idol clad in silks and laden with garlands, as it was taken in a procession around the temple block and onto Main Street. Many people wearing traditional clothes danced to the beat of drums and clang of cymbals. John C. Liu, New York City Comptroller, and Assemblywoman Grace Meng, Democratic candidate for
Interestingly, Walmart operates stores in Long Island but is not allowed in New York City.
tional capital are set to open by year-end much to the delight of Washingtonians who don't mind driving out 30-40 km to "Save Money. Live better" as the 50-year old chain known for its rock bottom prices advertises. However, in New York, Walmart last week withdrew from a project, known as Gateway II, being developed by Related Companies in Brooklyn after local unions, some members of the City Council and community groups raised an alarm at the idea of the retailer's gaining a foothold in the city, according to the New York Times. But Walmart, in a statement, made it clear that it was still interested in opening a store in the city: "Two things remain constant: most New Yorkers want us here, and we remain interested in providing more convenient access to Walmart for local residents."
Congress in New Yorks 6th District, also took part in the procession. Rath Yatra allows the deity to be taken to the streets so even those people can have darshan who cannot make it to the temple otherwise, explains Dr. Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, which runs the Flushing temple.
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Justin Timberlake's hip new MySpace is revealed

San Francisco: It's been more than a year since Chris and Tim Vanderhook bought the floundering MySpace for $35 million from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (and Murdoch paid $580 million for the site in '05). Now you can have a peek at the brothers' investment. The duo and investor Justin Timberlake debuted the new site Sept 24 in Los Angeles delivering a sleek, much-needed makeover to what once was THE go-to social venue. The design falls somewhere in between a marriage of Pinterest mixed with the new USA Today redesign. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Vanderhooks and
Zero tolerence for terror story Continued from page 1 International Terrorism," he said. India, as chair of the UN Security Council's Committee on Counter Terrorism, will urge all member states "to ensure zero tolerance towards terrorism and to take urgent action to prevent and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," said Mathai. India also proposes to focus on the issue of "terrorist financing" at the Counter Terrorism Committee's special meeting scheduled in November, he added. At the UNGA summit, India will actively pursue measures aimed at strengthening multilateralism "while ensuring that the interests and concerns of the developing world form the basis of these endeavors. A major part of India's efforts will be directed towards maintaining development as a centerpiece of the UN's priorities," he
Admiral Verma to be Indian envoy to Canada

New Delhi: Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma will be the country's next high commissioner to Canada. Authoritative sources told India Strategic that his appointment has been cleared at the highest levels and that the external affairs ministry would shortly be sending a proposal to its Canadian counterpart to seek its concurrence. Once that comes, Admiral Verma would leave for Ottawa to immediately take over his new assignment, as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is due to sioner in place in Ottawa at the moment. The last envoy, Shashishekhar M Gavai, retired from the Indian Foreign Service in August 2012, as did Admiral Verma from the Indian Navy. Admiral Verma was last in Canada in May at the invitation of the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Walter Natynczyk. He has played a key role in the modernization of the Indian Navy ever since he was Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy & Plans) and also in naval diplomacy.
Timberlake said one of their main focuses with the Myspace makeover is artist integration. However, with Twitter, Ricky Gervais' new app, Instagram (the list goes on and on), will big name celebs sign on? Timberlake thinks so. He said he sees it as a chance to truly marry the world of music and social media.
Former Indian Navy chief Nirmal Verma visit India in the near future. There is no high commis-
said. India will also strive to ensure that the post-2015 development agenda retains its focus on poverty eradication and inclusive growth. "We will be pro-active on the evolution of the Sustainable Development Goals in an intergovernmental process visualized at Rio+20, ensuring the primacy of development and addressing environmental and social concerns of developing countries," Mathai said. "We will also seek the early implementation of the financing strategy and the facilitation mechanism for transfer of technology to support sustainable development." External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna is scheduled to address the UNGA debate on October 1 morning. He is also scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton the same day. Mathai said Krishna will partici-
pate in several high-level events, including a ministerial meeting of the India-Gulf Cooperation Council on Sep 28, the annual Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting on Sep 29, and an informal meeting of SAARC foreign ministers on Oct 2. He will also take part in events at the UN on Oct 2 being organized at the initiative of India on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence. While in the US, Krishna will travel to Milwaukee and visit the Sikh gurdwara in Wisconsin on Oct 4 where he will meet relatives of the victims of last month's attack, said Mathai. Obama ahead of Romney story Continued from page 1 widened his lead over Romney and is outperforming him on nearly every major campaign issue, even though about half said they
were disappointed in Obamas presidency, the daily has reported. However, Romney said hes not worried about the new opinion polls. Polls go up and down, but frankly youre going to see the support that I need to become president on Election Day, he told CNN in an interview. In Iowa, where too Obama is leading, a steady stream of voters started walking into election offices across the state to cast their ballots Thursday. This is a week before the first presidential debate and a month before the closing arguments of a campaign traditionally would be made. Early voting starts in Ohio next week, along with 30 states where some type of voting is already under way. Given the more favorable opinion of Obama, early voting is expected to benefit him.
Kashmir grievances story Continued from page 1 The president said he looked upon the youth of Kashmir to forge the future of India in every field. "The India of tomorrow achieved through inclusive growth offers enormous opportunities for the youth of Kashmir." He described Kashmir as the 'Sharda Peeth', the seat of learning in ancient times. He said given its beauty and grandeur, there was an all important need to preserve Jammu and Kashmir's ecology and environment. "While I am among the bright young people here today, I would like to highlight the relevance and need for greater tolerance in the society," he emphasized. It was Mukherjee's first visit to Jammu & Kashmir after becoming the president in July.
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Intel's MD Rajiv Goel spared jail time in insider trading

New York: Intel Corp's India-born former MD Rajiv Goel, who was charged with giving inside corporate information to Raj Rajaratnam, has been spared jail time as he turned government witness and helped nail the Galleon founder in America's biggest insider trading scandal. Goel, 54, apologized and said he was "deeply ashamed" before he was sentenced by US District Judge Barbara Jones in federal court here. The judge sentenced him to two years' probation and fined the sense in deciding to cooperate" with the government. Goel is the second IndianAmerican, charged with insider trading, to have escaped jail time after becoming a key government witness against Rajaratnam. The other government witness India-born former McKinsey executive Anil Kumar was also spared jail time and was sentenced in July to only two years' probation for his cooperation in Rajaratnam's and his mentor at Mckinsey Rajat Gupta's trial. Goel was arrested with Rajaratnam in October 2009 and had pleaded guilty in 2010 to conspiracy and securities fraud. He had agreed to cooperate with the government and provided "substantial assistance" as a witness against Rajaratnam in his trial last year. Goel had faced up to 25 years in prison. At the hearing he said, "I had a serious lapse of judgment and good sense." Mumbai-born Goel had met Rajaratnam in 1983 at the Wharton Business School. He had served as managing director in Intel's treasury department and had provided confidential information to Rajaratnam about the company's earnings and a billion dollar transaction in 2008. Rajaratnam made over two million dollars in illegal profits based on the tips. Goel had told prosecutors he repeatedly sought financial assistance from Rajaratnam, who loaned him USD 100,000 to buy a home in 2005 and another USD 500,000 the next year for his ailing father.
Rajiv Goel California resident USD 10,000 and also ordered him to forfeit USD 266,000. Jones said Goel "showed good
NJ gas station attendant vanishes, customers concerned
Sharanjit Singh appointed to Nassau Countys Human Rights Commission

New York: Nassau County Legislature approved on Sep 24 an appointment by County Executive Ed Mangano of Sharanjit Singh Thind as Commissioner of Nassau County Commission on Human Rights. Sharanjit Singh, who owns a media company that publishes South Asian Insider newspaper and runs a real estate business on Long Island, is a long time resident of Nassau County. He has been actively involved in social and community affairs. After the tragic shootout at a Wisconsin gurdwara, he helped community leaders and activists organize an interfaith prayer with Nassau Human Rights Commission. Commenting on Sharanjits appointment, Zahid Syed, Chairman of the Commission, said, "Nassau County is home to many communities and with this appointment, the County Executive has delivered again on his promise of representa-
Sukhvinder Singh
New Jersey: The disappearance of a Camden County gas station attendant has rattled a community in Winslow Township. Sukhvinder Singh, 33, works at the BP on White Horse Pike in the Waterford section of Winslow Township. He was last seen at the gas station around 7:30 Tuesday evening. Customers say Singh, who they know as Suki, is well known in the area. They said he's very friendly and works seven days a week at the gas station. Singh's wife, Amarjit Kaur Grewal, said she last saw her husband on Tuesday morning. She says she spoke to him on the phone at 7 p.m. and he told her he'd be home at ten. But Sukhvinder vanished around 7:30. Another customer says a friend stopped at the gas station at 9:30 on Tuesday night and couldn't find Singh, so he pumped his own gas. Michael Grisso told NBC10 after his friend finished pumping his gas, he noticed oil cans were knocked over and a cabinet containing cigarettes was open and cigarettes were on the ground. The friend says he saw two employees of a nearby gas station, who said they were looking for Singh and that they hadn't seen him since 7:30 p.m. His wife moved to the United States with her husband five years ago.
Sharanjit Singh Thind tion to all communities in his administration. As a fellow South Asian, I feel pride in the appointment of Sharanjit and congratulate him. Sharanjit remarked after his appointment, After the God almighty, I am thankful to County Executive Ed Mangano & Chairman Zahid Syed for their trust in me and assure to perform this challenging task with the best of my abilities.
Dr. Madan Gopal Singh, renowned folk and Sufi singer at a reception hosted by the Embassy of India in Washington DC on September 21, 2012 in connection with the Smithsonian Institutions two-day (September 22-23) symposium SUFIism at the Smithsonian: Searching for the Divine through the Arts". The Indian Council of Cultural Relations is a collaborator of this symposium.
NJ doctor pleads guilty in cash-for-patients scheme

Newark, NJ: Dinesh Patel, a New Jersey doctor practicing in Newark, pleaded guilty to participating in a cash-for-patients scheme with a diagnostic facility in Orange, N.J., and agreed to pay back thousands of dollars in bribe money he received in the past two years, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Patel, 58, of Livingston, N.J., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an Information charging him with one count of violating the federal healthcare program anti-kickback statute. Patel will forfeit $7,600 he received in kickbacks during the years 2010 and 2011. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court Patel was arrested on Dec.13, 2011and charged with accepting cash kickback payments from Orange Community MRI (Orange MRI), a diagnostic facility, in exchange for his referral of Medicare and Medicaid patients. Also on Dec. 13, 2011, 12 other New Jersey doctors and one nurse practitioner were arrested and charged in separate complaints with accepting similar cash kickback payments from Orange
(From left to right) Mr. C. S. Bedi, Chairman, Indian Tea Association; Amb. Arun K. Singh, Cd'A; Mr. Joe Simrany, President, Tea Association of the USA; Mr. MGVK Bhanu, Chairman, Tea Board of India; Mr. Joydeep Phukan, Secretary, Tea Board of India; Ms. Nandini Datta, Dy. Director(Promotions), Tea Board of India at the 'India Tea' event at the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC on September 18, 2012 MRI. As revealed in the Complaints, each of the defendants were recorded taking envelopes of cash in exchange for patient referrals. On Dec. 8, 2011, an Orange MRI executive was arrested and charged in a separate Complaint in connection with his participation in the scheme. Patel received two separate payments from a cooperating government witness during the course of the investigation. On Nov. 4, 2011, Patel accepted $500 in cash for his September 2011 referrals to Orange MRI; he accepted another $600 in cash on Nov. 17, 2011, for his October 2011 referrals to Orange MRI. Judge Cecchi continued Patel on bail pending sentencing. Patel faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
$20 million grant to prevent foreclosures

New York: Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced the grantees of the Homeowner Protection Program, his offices commitment of $60 million over three years to fund housing counseling and legal services for struggling New York homeowners. The announcement covers the first year of program funding at $20 million to aid struggling homeowners across the state who are fighting to avoid foreclosure and remain in their homes. Throughout New York State, 35 legal services organizations and 59 housing counseling agencies will receive over $16.1 million to provide free foreclosure prevention services. An additional $3.9 million has been allocated for training, technical assistance, and other support services to assist homeowners in foreclosure. The rise in foreclosures in New York State is troubling, but this isnt just a matter of numbers: each foreclosure represents a devastating loss for a family and a community. This program puts homeowners first, and these organizations will help get our neighborhoods back on track, said Attorney General Schneiderman. Funding housing counseling and legal services is an essential first step to help more families stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. As we continue to investigate the mortgage crisis that has hurt communities in every corner of this state, we must ensure that homeowners get the expert guidance and legal representation they need to protect their rights before it's too late. According to data collected by the New York Federal Reserve, there are more than 140,000 mortgages across the state that are seriously delinquent, defined as in foreclosure or more than 90 days in arrears. Some of the hardest hit communities are on Long Island, in Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, and in the Hudson Valley.
IN BRIEF
Ronita Choudhuri wins Miss India Connecticut title
Appeal to send papers, articles, books, Cds related to Jainism

bout a year ago, International School for Jain Studies, Federation of Jain Associations in North America and Jain Center of Southern California partnered with Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) in Claremont, California, USA to promote the teaching and research in Jain, to establish first a Center and later a full-fledged department in Jain studies at Claremont Lincoln University. During this one year period, together they have made quite a good progress and several programs and initiatives are already underway and more are being planned. One of the initiatives is to offer on-line courses. For this they need to build a sizeable library of Jain knowledge; in print, electronic and video/camera formats. Last year they started digitizing and camera recording lectures and materials to download on Claremont Lincoln Jain web site. This is a continuous process and work is proceeding at a good pace.
iva America Inc., hosted the third Miss India Connecticut Pageant on at the Shubert Theater in New Haven on September 9, with the theme Unity in Diversity. This years pageant was hosted by the Gujarati Association of Connecticut. It was a sold-out event with 1,400 people attending the show. New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. extended a warm welcome to the pageant and released the souvenir brochure. Following a VIP cocktail reception, sponsored by Indian Master Chef Prasad Chirnomula, the culinary visionary and owner of Thali & Oaxaca Kitchen, attendees of the Miss India CT 2012 Pageant made their way to their seats at New Havens triple-tier Shubert Theater. Over the next three hours, the audience was entertained and enthralled by the talent demonstrations and colorful dresses worn by the 17 pageant contestants, dance performances, knockout medleys from Indian Idol Mohit Lalwani and hilarious standup comedy by Dan Nainan. Bollywood choreographer Rajeev Khinchi stole the show with his dramatic choreography and Bollywood dances. Shalini Madaras of Kick for Nick Foundation inspired the audience with
Ronita Choudhuri (center) her mission. This was all a lead-up to the grand finale. The Miss India CT Pageant 2012 title winner Ronita Choudhuri, who was also recognized as Miss Popular, will have the opportunity to travel on a chartered flight to Guatemala on September 29, as part of AmeriCares Airlift Benefit. The Pageant runner-up was Preeti Srinivasan, who was also named Miss Facebook. Other special award winners were: Aesha Patel - Miss Smile; Khushbu Amin Miss Catwalk; Manjula Bangalore - Miss Photogenic; Mona Sheth - Miss Congeniality; Anesha Agarwal - Miss Talent; and Shayla Ranmal - Miss Best Dressed.
Hence the CLU is looking for high quality Jain knowledge material in English, French, German , Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi , Gujarati and Kannad languages. You can send articles, essays, lecture notes, books, Cds, Videos and DVDs for downloading on CLU Jain Studies web site. The material must be original, must not be copyrighted and permission for its free and unrestricted use must be given. Printed material must be sent electronically to Claremont Lincoln University to 'Lidiya Potapenko' at email id lidiya.potapenko@cst.edu. Videos, Cds and Dvds etc. should be mailed to Lidiya Potapenko, Center for Jain Studies, Claremont Lincoln University, 1325 North College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711, USA. All of the material should be made available to CLU free (at no cost). The name of the authors will be acknowledged on the CLU web site. No material will be returned to the sender/ author.
ZEE Telugu launches on DISH in the US

eeTV, a leading South Asian entertainment network has announced the debut of Zee Telugu on DISH, the leader in international programming among major pay-TV providers in the U.S. We are pleased to add a premiere South Asian channel like Zee Telugu for our customers interested in Telugu-language programming, said Chris Kuelling, DISHs vice president of International Programming. DISH is a leader in delivering TV channels from across India to those in the U.S. seeking news, sports and entertainment from their home country. The addition of these channels shows our continued commitment to
Indian American pens Obama song
emocratic Immigrants for Obama & Arc Media released a song, We Luv Obamaand a video supporting President Obama for his 2012 re-election campaign on Sept 27 in New York. The Obama song is produced and written by New York attorney Naresh M Gehi, one of Obamas admirers and supporter and Indee Rnnx. The song rhymes a snapshot and is a reflection of Obamas accomplishments in the past four years. In a fun-loving and entertaining way, the
lyrics and the music highlight key issues of the Democratic Party, appealing a cross-section of the US population and encouraging them to exercise their voting rights in the 2012 elections. Unity through music is the theme of this song. The songs chorus, O Rama O Rama, From Brooklyn to Bahama, We Love We Love Obama, in Obama We Trust, is already receiving rave reviews. The production team includes Niraj Trivedi and Palash Bharadwaj.
serve the South Asian community. There are more than 15 million patrons to Zee Telugu across the globe, said Suresh Bala, CEO of Asia TV USA Ltd. DISH dominates the South Asian market in the U.S., and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Telugu content to an even wider audience.With content ranging from gripping dramas and timely news bulletins to engaging reality shows and chart-topping music, Zee Telugu offers a variety of Telugu-language programming including Radha Kalyanam, Punarvivaham, Mahadevi and Pournami.For more information or to order, visit www.DISHTeluguTV.com or call 1-888-723-0202.
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Swami wanted in US over FBI joins search for missing Indian-American student molestation charge flees to India
Chicago: Harsha Maddula, an 18-year-old Indian-American Northwestern University student, has been missing since the last week. According to the University police, which is investigating the case, even the FBI has joined the search now. Harsha, a Northwestern premed sophomore and straight-A student, disappeared on Saturday after attending an offcampus party with friends. Harshas friends said they last saw him while leaving the off-campus party. Several sources, who said they spoke with Harsha at the party, recalled him as coherent, not stumbling or visibly intoxicated as he left. Originally from the Long Island town of New Hyde Park, New York, Harsha lived with parents Maddula Prasad and Dhanalakshmi before coming to NU last year. I dont know what to do, Mr Prasad told local media, shortly after university police notified him and his wife of the disappearance. I am so scared and upset. There are no words that I can use to explain anything, said Mr Prasad who hails from Kovvur in Godavari. He had migrated to the US about 20 years ago. Harshas parents say their son, a diabetic, would never walk away of his own choosing. Houston: An 83-year-old gious adherents in Texas, wheel-chair bound Indian spirPennsylvania, California and itual guru, a fugitive after Florida as "the most sophistibeing convicted of groping cated scheme I've seen as far two young girls, may have as fugitive investigations go. sneaked clandestinely into They were very smart about India, a US court has been what they did." told. Marcum added it is likely US Marshals, still looking some of the guru's devotees for him, suspect that will be charged with harborPrakashanand Saraswati, ing a fugitive, aiding and Swami Prakashanand known to his devotees as abetting escape or making Saraswati Swamiji, may have fled false statements to a governAmerica in connivance with his close associ- ment agent. ates.Just days after a Hays County jury in One of the girls, who was kissed and groped Texas convicted him in March 2011 on 20 by the guru, said his escape to India effectively counts of indecency for molesting two ends the case against him. "I feel the door is teenagers, the self-styled guru has been miss- closed on it," she said. ing.A judge sentenced him in absentia to 14 "There's nothing more to be done." She years in prison on each count and the guru also added: "I'm sure we'd all sleep better if he forfeited USD 1.2 million in bond and promis- were locked up. But he's in his own little sory notes. Newly filed court documents prison." reveal that Prakashanand, who moves around Karen Jonson, who this year published "Sex, in wheelchair apparently crossed over into Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus," a book about her Mexico two days after his conviction while life at the ashram, said: "While a measure of being at large on bail and may have used a net- justice was served by his conviction, it would work of devotees to make his way to India. still be the right thing for Prakashanand to Eighteen months later, federal officials are have to endure the result of his crimes against still unraveling the mystery of how he got out children, to serve his punishment as deterof the country and who helped him. mined by the courts of this country." Deputy US Marshal Robert Marcum, who is Still, she added, "as long as he is alive, there leading the investigation to track the guru will always be hope for his capture and return down, called his flight with the help of his reli- to Texas.
Harshas cousin Maddula Soumya, who lives in New Jersey, said This is a very delicate situation and everyone is very upset. In our search, we are focusing on the Chicago area. We only have one goal: To recruit more people to find Harsha. Anyone with information should call at (847) 491-3254.
Sikh woman taunted for facial hair gives dignified response

New York: A Sikh student's dignified response to a tasteless post making fun of her facial hair has earned her a legion of fans. A man took a photo of Balpreet Kaur and uploaded onto Reddit in the 'funny' category with the tagline 'im (sic) not sure what to conclude from this.' The aspiring neurosurgeon discovered the picture - which shows her standing in a queue - and, instead of flying into a rage at the person behind the cheap dig, she posted a comment explaining why she didn't remove her hair. Balpreet, an Ohio State University student, said, "I'm not embarrassed or even humiliated by the attention (negative and positve) that this picture is getting because, it's who I am. Yes, I'm a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair. Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women." She refused to attack the person who had
Balpreet Kaur
posted the photo, which many viewers accused of being mean and deliberately trying to draw laughs at Balpreet's expense. Balpreet said to the original poster that if he had wanted a picture he should have just asked and she would have smiled.
Abducted Indian American found dead

(FBI) had started assisting Washington, DC: The police Chesterfield police in the inveshave confirmed that the body tigations into the case, found at Richmond near Richmond police had found a Chesterfield, Virginia, is that of 44-year-old Paresh Patel. body in the parking lot of Ancarrow's Landing near Slave Patel, who had settled in Trail on Thursday. Chesterfield in Virginia in US, was missing since Sunday last On Friday night, police confirmed that the body that they after he was kidnapped when he went to open his gas station. had found was that of Patel. His relatives feel that business Earlier the Chesterfield Paresh Patel county police had said that rivalry could be the only reason Patel was abducted just before 6 am on behind Patel's abduction and murder. Patel did his Bachelors of Engineering Sunday morning while opening the Raceway gas station located on 5600 Jefferson Davis (electronics) from Rajkot before moving to US. He was a 'satsangi' and closely associatHighway. According to a witness, two men, who ed with Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar were wearing dark clothing, had forced Patel Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. He is into a dark-colored van and sped away. survived by wife Loma, son Jaykumar and While Federal Bureau of Investigation daughter Khusbu.
National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Microsoft India chosen for corporate excellence award

Washington, DC: Eleven finalists, including Microsoft India, have been selected for the US Secretary of States Award for Corporate Excellence. Microsoft India is the only American company in India to have found a place in the 11 shortlisted US companies. These were chosen from 82 nominations submitted by US ambassadors around the world. The award finalists recognize the vital role that US businesses play abroad as good corporate citizens that promote sustainable development and support local community needs in the countries where they operate, the State Department said in a statement. Microsoft in India has been selected for its efforts to provide community technology skills for young adults in rural and underserved communities; donate software for non-governmental organization efforts for community development, it said. Stating the others reasons for Microsofts nomination, it said: ...technology companys efforts to... create and disseminate internet templates so that persons with disabilities can access public information; and develop accessibility guides for educators, governments and businesses to enhance learning opportunities for students with disabilities. Other American companies in the list of 11 finalists are Chevron in Turkmenistan, Esso in Angola, General Motors in Uzbekistan, Intel in Vietnam, Intel in Malaysia, Microsoft in Thailand, Microsoft in Egypt, Rosalie Bay in Dominica, Sorwathn Rwanda and Sustainable Mahogany Industries in Fiji. The annual award, instituted in 1999, recognizes American companies that are leaders in socially responsible activities and contribute to the overall growth and development of the local economy in which they work. The 2012 ACE winners will be announced at the annual ceremony hosted by the Secretary of State on November 28.
Emmys get a dash of Indian American charm
Mindy Kaling, Archie Panjabi and Padma Lakshmi sizzle at the Emmys. New York: Mindy Kaling, Padma Lakshmi and Archie Panjabi sizzled in their designer gowns and accessories at the Sept 23 Emmy Awards show. Kaling, the Indian-American actress, writer and producer, though not nominated in any category at the Emmys, presented an award and was part of an opening skit by host Jimmy Kimmel. Kaling wore dark green St. John dress, Cathy Waterman jewels, a Mettle belt and Doo.Ri shoes, JustJared.com reported. The 33year-old actress, whose The Mindy Project, was to debut on Fox on Sept. 25, presented the award for best actor in a comedy series along with actress Melissa McCarthy. Archie Panjabi, who was nominated for her role as Kalinda Sharma in the CBS drama The Good Wife, also sizzled on the red carpet in her blue Randi Rahm satin gown, paired with Jimmy Choo shoes and Chopard earrings, according to JustJared.com. Panjabi has been nominated for three consecutive years in the category for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series. She won the Emmy in 2010, the first year she was nominated. This year, Maggie Smith won the award for her role as the dowager countess of Grantham in Downtown Abbey. Padma Lakshmi, host of Bravos Top Chef wore a flowing orange strapless Monique Lhuillier mermaid-fit gown, according to Just Jared.com.
US Elections TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Majority of Indian Americans prefer Obama to Romney: Survey

Washington: Asian Americans likely to vote in November strongly prefer Barack Obama over Mitt Romney and among these Indian Americans show the strongest support for Obama, according to two reports released this week by the National Asian American Survey (NAAS). The reports, drawn from a nationally representative sample of more than 3,300 interviews, offer the most comprehensive portrait of Asian American political views. "Asian American voters are getting a considerable amount of attention from the presidential campaigns this year, particularly in the battleground states of Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia," said Karthick Ramakrishnan, associate professor of political science at the University of California, Riverside and director of the NAAS. "When compared to the general electorate, and even the Latino electorate, the Asian American vote is very much up for grabs at this late stage in the presidential campaign," he stated. But the survey data show that 32 percent of likely Asian American voters remain undecided after the presidential nominating conventions, much higher than the estimated 7 percent rate among the general population. "Uncertainty is also a defining characteristic of party identifica-
Indian Americans show the strongest support for President Obama with 68 percent. tion," noted Taeku Lee, professor and chair of political science and professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley. "Given the high proportion of immigrants among the Asian American electorate, we find a much higher proportion of nonpartisans than the national average." Lee is a principal investigator of the survey and co-author of a book (with Zoltan Hajnal), "Why Americans Don't Join The Party." The data also show that among likely voters, 43 percent of Asian Americans support Barack Obama, while 24 percent prefer Romney. There are considerable differences by ethnic group: Indian Americans show the strongest support for Obama with 68 percent, and Samoans and Filipinos show strongest support for Romney with 39 percent and 38 percent, respectively. Democrats have a 34 percent to
While Indian American Governors Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley are among the strongest critics of Barack Obama, they seem to be in a relatively small minority of Indian Americans who support Mitt Romney. 18 percent advantage among with the U.S. party system. This Asian Americans, but a majority figure is higher than the average of Asian Americans (51 percent) for the national population (40 are Independent or do not identify percent).
Presidential debates can yet shape the race

Date October 3, 2012 October 11, 2012 October 16, 2012 October 22, 2012 Topic Domestic policy Foreign and domestic policy
Town meeting format, foreign and domestic policy
Airtime 9:00pm10:30pm EST 9:00pm10:30pm EST 9:00pm10:30pm EST 9:00pm10:30pm EST
Location University of Denver, Denver, CO Centre College, Danville, KY Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL
Participants Barack Obama and Mitt Romney Joe Biden and Paul Ryan Barack Obama and Mitt Romney Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
Moderator Jim Lehrer
Martha Raddatz
Candy Crowley Bob Schieffer
Foreign policy
House and Senate races a fight to the finish

By Vikas Girdhar
hile the importance of the upcoming Presidential election is lost on no one, the House and Senate races are not getting the attention they deserve too. These races will determine who controls the Congresswhether Democrats retain control of the Senate, and Republicans of the House. The Senate consists of 100 members, 52 of which are currently Democrats and 48 are Republican. On November 6, 33 seats will be contested. An analysis by Real Clear Politics, a political news and polling data aggregator based in Chicago, projects 48 seats for Democrats, 43 for Republicans, and 9 toss ups. Which means the Senate control can go either way. The House of Representatives has 435 seats, all of which will get contested on November 6. The Republican party has control over the House currently, 241 to 194 Democrats. Real Clear Politics is projecting 229 for the GOP, 183 for Democrats and 23 toss ups. Clearly,
Republicans have no cause for worry unless a wave prevails for the rival party. Below are 10 key and close races five for Senate and five for the Houseas they are shaping up:
Senate Races
Massachusetts: Scott Brown vs. Warren Mitt Romney may be a liability in his home state. That could spell doom for first-term Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who has slipped behind Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren in recent polls. Browns biggest advantages are his popularity, a relatively moderate record that appeals to blue-collar independents, and occasional mistakes by Warren, an ex-Harvard professor and consumer advocate. Ohio: Sherrod Brown vs.Mandel Republicans were confident that they could pick off the populist liberal Democrat Sherrod Brown in this years Ohio Senate race. But Brown, a scrappy first-termer, has taken the offensive and has remained in the lead. Mitt Romneys Ohio woes make
it even tougher for 34-year-old Ohio state Treasurer Josh Mandel, whose campaign assertions have been repeatedly declared false by independent fact-checking organizations. Virginia: Allen vs. Kaine Romneys rapid decline in Virginia seems to have hurt Republican George Allens Senate prospects. Democrat Tim Kaine has led in the recent polls. Both of these former governors (Allen also has served as a senator and House member) were popular when the race began, although repeated waves of negative commercials have made Virginia voters allergic to both candidates. Florida: Nelson vs. Mack Republicans are convinced that veteran Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson should be vulnerable in an antiWashington, anti-incumbent climate. But the GOP nominee, Congressman Connie Mack, has been hampered by campaign snafus and attacks alleging a hard-partying lifestyle. Mack is a celebrity of sorts: the son of a senator, great-grandson of a baseball legend and husband of the widow of entertainer-congressman Sonny Bono.
Challenger Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts are tied in one of the nation's most closely watched electoral races.
Nelson is steady, hes well-known and he hasnt made any major mistakes this year. Montana: Tester vs. Rehberg Republicans have targeted Democrat Jon Tester from the day he narrowly ousted GOP Sen. Conrad Burns six years ago. Conservatives are hoping to remove Tester by tying him to President Obama. Republican Mitt Romney is likely to carry Montana. Republican Senate nominee Denny Rehberg, the states lone Congressman, is popular and wellknown, so the Senate race is likely to remain tight to the very end.
House Races
New Yorks 19th District: Gibson vs. Schreibman This year, Chris Gibson, a decorated Continued on page 14
10
US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Why Romney lags in Ohio and Florida: Gingrich weighs in

Washington: The latest CNN Poll of Polls in Florida shows Romney trailing Obama, 50%45%, while in Ohio the president is up by seven, 51%-44%. Both are battleground states and the trends indicate a narrowing path to victory for Romney. Mitt Romney's former rival Newt Gingrich issued a harsh assessment of the GOP nominee's campaign strategy Wednesday, saying Romney's presidential bid was struggling in key battlegrounds against President Barack Obama because of a messaging failure. "The Romney campaign has yet to find a thematic way of explaining itself and laying out in a clear, crisp way the difference between Romney and Obama. And I think that frankly is a problem," Gingrich said on CNN's "The Situation Room." The former House speaker's remarks came after a question about why polls show Romney struggling in key electoral battlegrounds like Florida and Ohio. Gingrich also attributed the president's lead in some states stage in the campaign. Not embracing the records of Republican governors like John Kasich in Ohio and Rick Scott in Florida is also a mistake, Gingrich said, since those states have economies that appear to be rebounding. In publically hailing the two states' economies, however, Romney runs the risk of appearing to praise Obama for his own policies, like bailing out to auto industry, that have played a part in stemming job losses in each state. The conundrum, Gingrich said, was not being met with the proper flexibility by Romney's campaign. "The campaign doesn't seem to be able to pivot and say, you know, John Kasich's doing the right stuff here in Ohio and I want to take John Kasich's model to Washington because Kasich is for a smaller government, less regulation, more American energy, pro-jobs." "They seem to have this overly methodical model where they go out and keep saying the same thing, and the world's too fluid," Gingrich said. "The world's too sophisticated for that." "There's plenty of ammunition," he concluded, adding he thought "a campaign which made that case clearly enough would carry Ohio and Florida by big margins." Gingrich, who at one point was Romney's top rival for the GOP presidential nomination, also took issue with the latest ad from Romney's campaign, in which the candidate looks directly into the camera to deliver an assessment of the economy. In the ad, Romney acknowledges that "President Obama and I both care about poor and middle-class families," but goes on to suggest the president's policies have made it harder for Americans to find work and rely less on the federal government for assistance. Gingrich said he was "frankly startled" by Romney's acknowledgment of Obama's compassion for the middle class. "I don't know why he's saying that," he said. If President Obama cared about the middle class, why did the price of gasoline go to an all-time high?"
Accompanied by his running mate Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney campaigning in Vandalia, Ohio, made light of the poll results showing him lagging in battleground states. to a massive spending push on the part of the Obama campaign, which he said allowed Democrats to define Romney at an early
Obama UN speech challenges world leaders to confront intolerance at home

New York: In a strongly worded speech before the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Barack Obama challenged the world leaders gathered before him to confront the forces of intolerance and extremism within their own countries and permit more freedom at home. For a president whose past appearances at the UN have typically been marked by outreach and conciliation, Obama on Tuesday appeared notably frustrated by the unwillingness of other leaders, particularly in the Arab world, to critically examine the worst components of their own societies. "True democracy -- real freedom -is hard work," Obama said. "Those in power have to resist the temptation to crack down on dissent. In hard economic times, countries may be tempted to rally the people around perceived enemies, at home and abroad, rather than focusing on the painstaking work of reform." The past few weeks have been tumultuous for American interests in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly after protesters stormed several U.S. diplomatic compounds in response to a privately produced, lowbudget anti-Islam film, and an Islamist militant group attacked a U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, leaving four Americans dead, including the U.S. ambassador, Christopher Stevens. "The attacks of the last two weeks are not simply an assault on America," Obama said. "They are also an assault on the very ideals upon which the United Nations was founded -- the notion that people can resolve their differences peacefully; that diplomacy can take the place of war; and that in an interdependent world, all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens." He went on, "Today, we must affirm that our future will be determined by people like Chris Stevens, and not by phone call in which he clearly stated what America expected from the new leader, aides said. Obama aides have said that the president's schedule does not allow for any bilateral meetings this week and pointed to his frequent contacts by phone with world leaders in recent days. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had a typically frenetic schedule in New York, holding meetings on Monday with the presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya and Egypt over the course of a 12-hour day.
US drone strikes ineffective, says a study

London: Just one in 50 victims of "surgical" US drone strikes in Pakistan are known militants, a report claimed Tuesday. The use of drones in the covert war run by the US against violent Islamists has been documented in a new report by legal experts at Stanford and New York universities, The Independent reported Tuesday. The product of nine months' research and more than 130 interviews, it is one of the most exhaustive attempts by academics to understand - and evaluate - Washington's drone wars. And their verdict is damning. Throughout the 146-page report, the authors condemn drone strikes for their ineffectiveness, according to the newspaper. Despite assurances the attacks are "surgical", researchers found barely two percent of their victims are known militants and that the idea that the strikes make the world a safer place for the US is "ambiguous at best".
President Barack Obama speaks during the 67th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters on Sept. 25, 2012.
his killers. Today, we must declare that this violence and intolerance has no place among our United Nations." Denouncing the video that helped spark the protests as "crude and disgusting," Obama quickly turned to a defense of the American ideal of free speech that permitted such "offensive" publications to exist and issued a stern challenge to the assembled world leaders who had stood by while violent protests raged over the film. "I know that not all countries in this body share this understanding of the protection of free speech," he said. "Yet in 2012, at a time when anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views around the world with the click of a button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete. The question, then, is how we respond. And on this we must agree: There is no speech that justifies mindless violence." With only a few weeks to go before an election that will likely be decided on domestic issues, Obama has been criticized for adopting a low-profile position at this year's General Assembly. His appearance at the U.N. was scheduled to be followed only by a speech at the Clinton Global Initiative before the president returned to Washington. He had scheduled no one-on-one meetings with any of the other world leaders. Republicans in particular have criticized Obama for failing to schedule any bilateral meetings in New York, especially with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom the president has been in something close to open conflict over the proper course on Iran. In his speech Tuesday, Obama reiterated his posture on Iran's nuclear program, saying that while the United States prefers a diplomatic solution, the time to find one "is not unlimited." "Make no mistake: A nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained," Obama said. "It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations and the stability of the global economy. It risks triggering a nuclear arms race in the region and the unraveling of the NonProliferation Treaty. That is why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that is why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." He has also recently engaged in a delicate diplomatic dance with the newly elected president of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, after Morsi stood by while angry protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in Cairo on Sept. 11. Obama signaled publicly in the aftermath of the attack that Egypt might not be considered an "ally" of the United States, and later held a stern
NFL, officials near deal after botched result
NFL's nightmare scenario -- a team losing a game it should have won prompted the league and the NFL Referees' Association to get back to the bargaining table and wrap up a new deal. On Monday Seattle Seahawks beat the Green Bay Packers, 14-12, on a touchdown catch by Seattle receiver Golden Tate that was highly questionable and raised a national furore, pointing figures at the replacement officials.
India TheSouthAsianTimes.info
11
UPA sinking ship, be ready for polls: Gadkari

Surajkund (Haryana): The country was on the "cusp of change" and BJP workers must be ready for elections, party president Nitin Gadkari said as its national executive met here to firm up strategy to counter the "sinking" UPA government. Addressing the national executive meeting, the party's highest decision-making body, being held in this town bordering the national capital, Gadkari called upon workers to focus on the people's expectations from the party. Quoting from Gadkari's speech, party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters: "The president said in his speech that the country is on the verge of change. The Congress government is falling due to its own actions, its allies are leaving it, or trying to leave. For getting new allies, they have an organisation, CBI." "Gadkari said the Congress-led UPA was a sinking ship as people are disenchanted with it over corruption and price rise He called upon party workers to be ready for a poll," Prasad added. "Gadkari also asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi not to blame the BJP for its failures He said the common man has lost faith in the UPA." The national executive meeting, attended by over 200 delegates, will be followed by the national council meeting on Friday. Besides Gadkari, senior party leaders, including L.K. Advani, Arun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Murli Manohar Joshi and chief ministers Arjun Munda from Jharkhand and P.K. Dhumal from Himachal Pradesh, attended. "Gadkari also asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi not to blame the BJP for its failures He said the common man has lost faith in the UPA," said Prasad. "Gadkari appealed to the party workers to be ready for polls anytime We are ready for a poll," said Prasad. "We doubt if this government (UPA) will complete its full term," he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari.
Global Partnership Summit shifted out of Kolkata

New Delhi/Kolkata: Days after the Trinamool Congress walked out of the UPA, the central government has shifted a meeting of world's industry captains from Kolkata to Agra in Uttar Pradesh. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dubbed the move as an "act of vengeance". Making the announcement about the change of venue of the Global Partnership Summit, union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said in Delhi the decision was taken in view of the "strident opposition and hostile approach to FDI" of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal. "Given the strident opposition, and a hostile approach to FDI in general, it would not be appropriate to invite corporate chiefs and global business leaders to Kolkata when the (state) government is totally opposed to FDI. We have been compelled to shift," said Sharma. "Because I cannot take the corporate leaders from the world to a place where they will face opposition and demonstration," said Sharma, who had himself announced here last November that the annual summit would be held in January 2013. In a sharp reaction, Banerjee said she had no idea when Kolkata was decided as the venue of the summit or when the event was shifted out of the city. "We have not received any information regarding either the holding or shifting the venue of the summit. They have now adopted a vindictive attitude. So they are saying such things," she said.
Mamata predicts Lok Sabha polls in 2013

New Delhi: The Congress-led UPA will go for a snap election next year after presenting a populist budget, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. But in an interview to CNN-IBN, the Trinamool Congress chief did not rule out the possibility of returning to the United Progressive Alliance at a later date. "The UPA government will present a populist budget in March 2013 and will go in for snap elections immediately after that," said Banerjee, who ended her party's support to the Manmohan Singh government last week. She said her party was ready for an election "today, we are ready for tomorrow and day after also". Asked if she could support the Congress again after the next Lok Sabha election, she said: "I can't say about tomorrow's strategy. The party will have to decide." "But I'm fed up with them. I can't give my individual opinion. I've a party with me and I have to take them into confidence." In her first interview after withdrawing support to the UPA,
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Banerjee said she has no regrets. She said while Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav could prop up the Congress-led UPA for now, the government has lost its credentials to rule the world's largest democracy. "This government never consulted any matter with any alliance partner," Banerjee complained. "Whatever they do, they do it quietly. This may be a stable government in the Congress eye, but it's not a safe and sound government." She accused the Congress of using "money power, muscle power and mafia power" to cling to power. She branded the Manmohan Singh government "very arrogant". The Trinamool Congress walked out of UPA over the government's decision to hike diesel prices, allow FDI in multi-brand retail and put a cap on the number of subsidized cooking gas cylinders per family.
CWC backs reforms, Sonia slams BJP

New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) backed the government's decisions on economic reforms saying they were necessary to lift a sagging economy and arrest the slide of the rupee. The CWC also lashed out at the BJP for playing a negative role. Referring to the recent exit of the Trinamool Congress from the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the meeting there was no danger to the government. The government's decisions to allow overseas investment in retail and aviation have created political turmoil in the country with key ally Trinamool Congress pulling out of the UPA and opposition parties demanding a rollback. "The Congress president said it is necessary to improve the economy and the governManmohan Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. Chidambaram briefed the CWC on the need for recent economic reforms and highlighted three steps that were required to pull the Indian economy out of a global economic slowdown. According to Dwivedi, Chidambaram said more foreign investment was required to check a sliding rupee coupled with increased domestic production and a reduction in subsidies to shore up the economy. "The finance minister was called to explain the current reforms. He said the government was worried over the falling value of the rupee and increasing inflation. Economic reforms were needed to ensure that the global economic crisis doesn't affect the Indian economy," said Dwivedi. The recent decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail was taken in this context, he said.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in progress in New Delhi ment has taken measures in that direction," party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters after the meeting here. "The main opposition party (BJP) has played a negative role. It should play a more constructive role like the Congress has done in the past," Dwivedi said. The meeting, presided over by party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, was attended by 30 members, including Prime Minister
12
Sharad Pawar to resolve Maharashtra tangle

Mumbai: The NCP has authorized its supremo Sharad Pawar to decide the future of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other ministers' resignations. Sharad Pawar, an uncle of Ajit Pawar, was scheduled to visit Mumbai on Friday to hammer out a solution to the crisis that has virtually paralysed the state government. Besides taking a final call on Ajit Pawar's resignation, senior Pawar will consider the issue of the resignation letters 19 other NCP ministers have tendered to state party chief Madhukar Pichad. Ajit Pawar quit Tuesday amid allegations that he arbitrarily doled out irrigation contracts worth over Rs.20,000 crore as the water resources minister in 1999-2009. Rejecting the charges, he said he was prepared to face any inquiry. rejected. The NCP meet, lasting barely 20 minutes, first condoled the death of its senior leader and former speaker Babasaheb Kupekar who died Wednesday morning in Mumbai. It then adopted an unanimous resolution asking Ajit Pawar to withdraw his resignation and continue as deputy chief minister, NCP leader Jitender Awhad told the media. "However, a final decision would be taken by Sharad Pawar in consultation with party leaders and legislators," Awhad added. Ajit Pawar, who attended the meeting, kept mum. The Congress was also quiet over the developments and planned a counter strategy at a meeting of its legislators and state leaders here Thursday. While no Congress leader was willing to go on record, a confidant of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said "we have decided to wait and watch" the developments. This followed Sharad Pawar's statement in Kolkata that "it was up to the Congress to take a decision on continuing Chavan as chief minister". But he reiterated that the NCP would not pull out of either the state or the central government. He also expressed "happiness" over his nephew's decision to quit and said it would facilitate the demand for a white paper on the state irrigation scenario. Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule dismissed speculation that there was a rift in the Pawar family. "I am not coming to Maharashtra politics. I am not interested in the post of deputy chief minister. There are no differences," she told the media at Nashik.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar On Wednesday, Ajit Pawar's supporters in the legislature and outside gathered in large numbers outside the venue of the Nationalist Congress Party meeting and demanded that his resignation be
Arvind Kejriwal a fused bulb: BJP
Sohrabuddin case shifted to Mumbai

New Delhi: The Supreme Court moved the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh shootout case to Mumbai and also lifted its order restraining former Gujarat minister for state of home Amit Shah, an accused in the case, from entering the state. The apex court bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai transferred the trial in the case to Mumbai. Sohrabuddin was killed by Gujarat Police Nov 25, 2005, in a staged shootout. Two days later, his wife Kausar Bi was killed. His aide Tulsiram Prajapati was murdered Dec 28, 2006. Shah was in the Gujarat cabinet at the time. Pronouncing the brief order, Justice Alam said the CBI plea against bail to Shah by the Gujarat High Court was dismissed. However, the plea for the transfer of the trial outside the state was allowed. The apex court had by declining the CBI plea to stay the high court order of granting bail to Shah, in December 2010, directed him to keep off the territorial
Anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal Indore: Already facing criticism from Congress, now BJP too has joined the league to attack anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal. Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Prabhat Jha has termed Kejriwal as a 'fused bulb' of politics. Taking a pot shot at Kejriwal's move to form a political party, Jha said that key member of now disbanded Team Anna, Arvind Kejriwal is not a leader. He further said that Kejriwal is an activist who is doing politics. Raising question over the credential of Kejriwal and his move to form political party, Jha alleged that Kejriwal is an activist who is doing politics of Swadeshi with foreign funding. Even Anna Hazare understands this and disassociates himself from Kejriwal and his political ambition. It is to be noted that Arvind Kejriwal is facing criticism from all quarter even from members of now disbanded Team Anna for forming is political party. Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare and others are against forming any political party. They are in favour of remaining apolitical and continue movement against corruption. While Kejriwal want to go ahead with the formation of political party and contest election.
Gujarat minister for state of home Amit Shah limits of Gujarat till it decides the plea against the bail. The court had earlier in the course of the hearing offered senior counsel Ram Jethmalani the choice between his client Shah coming back to Gujarat and the trial being transferred outside the state or he staying away and the trial continuing in the state. In the course of the next hearing, the CBI had alleged that Shah was the head of the extortion syndicate in Gujarat. The investigating agency had said the killings of Sohrabuddi, his wife Kausar Bi and that of Prajapati were a part of the same conspiracy.
Dera Beas chief visits Golden Temple, sparks row

Amritsar: Radha Soami Satsang Dera Beas chief Baba Gurinder Singh visit to Golden Temple has sparked a new controversy. According to reports, Baba Gurinder Singh arrived at Golden Temple in the morning like a humble Sikh and paid obeisance. He reportedly remained in the sanctum sanctorum for half an hour and also received siropa besides paying obeisance at Akal Takht. Commenting on his visit to Golden Temple, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said, "His visit proves that he is not a guru, but the real guru is Guru Granth Sahib." He said a Sikh could never proclaim to be a guru and advised Baba Gurinder Singh to propagate Shabad Guru. Chief of dera Beas, who enjoys Z plus security, was reportedly accompanied by three persons, including his security chief Sarabjit Singh Bedi and former superintendent of police Paramdeep Singh Teja. Earlier, Giani Gurbachan Singh had given clean chit to Dera Beas in case of alleged demolition of a Gurdwara at Waraich village despite severe opposition by various Sikh organizations that even gave a call to boycott the Akal Takht jathedar. Surprisingly, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee officials expressed ignorance about Dera chief's visit to Golden Temple. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said, "Beas dera chief's bowing before Guru Granth Sahib could be construed as a positive signal." However, he said, it was yet to be seen if he discards the practice of proclaiming himself as living guru and accepts Guru Granth Sahib as his eternal guru or not. "There are so many ifs and buts and unanswered questions yet," he said. Sources said Baba Gurinder Singh paid obeisance at Golden Temple to earn goodwill and improve his image among Sikhs as a large number of them are followers of Beas dera.
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Bharti Walmart to open six stores this fiscal

Hyderabad: Bharti Walmart, the joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Walmart Stores Inc, plans to open six more Best Price modern wholesale stores in India during the current financial year. The firm, which opened its 18th store in India this week, also plans to open 10 stores every year. Spread over 53,000 square feet, the Best Price store which has come up at Sivarampally on Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Road, is the first store in Hyderabad and the third in Andhra Pradesh. Bharti Walmart already has two stores in Andhra Pradesh, in Vijayawada and Guntur. Raj Jain, president, Walmart India and managing director and CEO, Bharti Walmart India, told reporters that they planned to open two more Best Price stores in Andhra Pradesh in the next six months. Each store comes up with an investment of Rs.35 crore to Rs.40 crore. The company's investment in Andhra Pradesh has crossed $21 million (about Rs.120 crore). Jain said there they would not slow down opening Best Price stores in view of their proposed foray into retail. "We will open 10 stores next year and another 10 stores in the coming year," he added. The Best Price store is a one-stop businessto-business store that caters to restaurants, hotels, caterers, fruit and vegetable resellers, kirana (grocery) stores, offices and institutions. The store stocks over 5,000 items including a wide range of fresh, frozen and chilled restaurant supplies, apparel, office supplies and electronic goods. The company, which has a customer base of six lakh in the country, has so far signed up 60,000 customers in Hyderabad. "It is the biggest customer drive we ever had in our history in India," he said. "Andhra Pradesh is a large and prosperous state, with a large farming sector, both in terms of what comes out of land and from the sea. It is also a big consumer market and one of the fastest growing states in the country in last one or two decades," Jain said The wholesale store caters to three big customers - kirana stores, institutions and hotels and restaurants and caterers.
BJP hints at scrapping FDI in multi-brand retail
The firm, which opened its 18th store in Hyderabad this week, also plans to open 10 stores every year foods, fruits and vegetables, dry groceries, personal and home care items, hotel and
The party also claimed it was pro-reforms and had brought in FDI in media Surajkund (Haryana): The BJP said it was not against economic reforms but indicated that it could scrap the UPA's decision to allow 51 percent foreign equity in multi-brand retail if it came to power. "We are against FDI (foreign direct investment) in multi-brand retail per se as it is against India's interests," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said. He was briefing journalists after the party's national executive meet here. "FDI in multibrand retail is not in the interest of the farmers and the 1,000-year-old retail chain in the country." "If we come to power, the consequences (on FDI) will follow," the BJP leader said. Replying to a query that the party had promised 26 percent FDI in retail in its agenda for governance ahead of 2004 general elections, Prasad said: "(The year) 2004 is eight years old. Watch out for our manifesto." But the party also claimed it was pro-reforms and had brought in FDI in media.
Plea against Bharti Walmart irrelevant, court told

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court was informed by the government that in the wake of a new policy on foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail, a plea against Bharti Walmart for "violating the policy" has become irrelevant. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Rajiv Mehra told a division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw that in the changed scenario, when the FDI in retail has been allowed, the petition has lost its "relevance". "In the wake of new policy on FDI in retail sector, this petition will not survive," ASG Mehra said. Scientist and environmental activist Vandana Shiva filed the public interest litigation against Bharti Walmart Private Limited and Bharti Retail Limited for allegedly "violating the FDI policy in the retail sector". On the government submission, Shiva's counsel said that fresh instructions were needed to be taken from the petitioner.
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NDMF to honor 8 prominent Indian Americans at gala

New York: The Nargis Dutt The keynote speakers at the glitterMemorial Foundation, devoted to ing event expected to be attended by improving and upgrading medical 500 guests are: Priya Dutt, Indian care and treatment of cancer related MP and daughter of Nargis Dutt, patients, will honor eight prominent Consul General Ambassador Prabhu Indian Americans at their 31st annuDayal and Nassau County Executive Sher Singh Madra al gala on September 30 at Hon. Ed Mangano. Chairman, Nargis Dutt Marriott Hotel, Uniondale, The 2012 honorees are Memorial Cancer Foundation Gurdev Singh, Gurdip Singh NY. Narula, Haridas Kotahwala, Kamlesh Mehta, Dr. Parag H. Mehta, Ravi Chopra, Sudhir Vaishnav, and Dr. Tanveer Mir. Since it was set up in 1981 at the behest of film star Sunil Dutt after his wife Nargis Dutt died of cancer in the US, NDMF has completed 56 projects worth more than $5 million. Last year the Foundation provided Radiation Field Analyzer valued at $150,000 for cancer treatment to Indore Cancer Foundation Charitable Trust, Madhya Pradesh. Sher Madra, currently the Chairman of NDMF, points out that the Foundation is affiliated with Indian American Cancer Society, which selects doctors from India for training in the treatment of cancer in the US. The doctors thus selected are sponsored by NDMF. Sudhir Vaishnav Excellence in Media Sudhir Vaishnav is CEO and President of G l o b o S a t Entertainment, a premier global entertainment and broadcasting company based in New York which has become one of the strongest players in the South Asian media industry in North America. GloboSat brings popular Indian TV and radio channels such as Sahara One, Filmy, Sahara Samay, ABP Majha, ABP Ananda and Radio City to the US, UK and Canada, airing it on satellite, cable and IPTV. Vaishnav has been actively involved with the NRI community in the US for over three decades and has served on the board of advisors with various leading community and non-profit such as Share and Care Foundation, America India Foundation, Child Rights & You (CRY), Pratham and NDMF. Dr. Tanveer Mir Excellence in Palliative Medical Care Tanveer Mir, MD, MACP, Graduated with Honors from the University of Kashmir, Srinagar. She trained at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Internal Medicine. After completing her training in Internal Medicine, she joined Nassau University Medical Center as a Chief Resident and completed ten years of service as Associate Program Director and Division Chief of Geriatric Medicine.
THE HONOREES
Gurdev D.P. Singh Business Entrepreneur Gurdev Singh is the President, CEO and founder of Meetu Magic Inc., an importer & wholesaler of womens apparel. Singh also founded The African Scene, Magic, Mint Green, and U Turn Clothing. His passion for entrepreneurship, and zest for taking new ventures is apparent in his success in the fashion business. Today his labels are sold to Americas largest department stores: T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross Stores, and Burlington Coat Factory and in many specialty retail stores such as Rainbow, Joyce Leslie, A& E Stores and Charlotte Rousse. Gurdip Singh Narula Dedicated Service to NDMF Gurdip Singh Narula migrated to the United States in1975and ventured in realty and other busin e s s e s . Communityservice is a passion for him. From 2006 to 2008 he served as a coordinator and liaison with all Sikh Temples in USA. He is presently serving as treasurer of Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation. In 2008 he was appointed by City of New York as a member of community board # 4. He has been involved with United Sikh NGO since 2009 as a director and joined as a delegate of Sikh Summit to meet Congress memHouse and Senate races story Continued from page 9 Army veteran, faces former federal prosecutor Julian Schreibman. More than half of the districts voters are new to Gibson. And the district is less Republican than Gibsons old 20th District. Unlike many of the GOP freshman, Gibson has shown a streak of moderation and bipartisanship. Hell need to attract independent support to win a second term. Republicans expect to hold this seat, but a Schreibman victory would be a sign of a Democratic wave that could return Nancy Pelosi to again become Speaker. New Yorks 21st District: Owens vs. Doheny Democrat Bill Owens became the first bers and government agencies to promote Sikh Civil & Human Rights. In September 2012, he was a delegate to Democratic partys convention in North Carolina. Haridas Kotahwala Lifetime Achievement Haridas Kotahwala is a visionary and pioneer from the beginning of his career. He was amongst the first Indians in the Diamond and Colorstone Gem Industry to travel the world for business opportunities. In 1968 he opened one of the first Indian-owned Gem Stone and Diamond offices in New York. Currently, he heads Royal India USA Inc, with manufacturing units in three countries and their products being sold in over 40 countries. In 1984, he became one of the founding members of Indian Diamond And Colorstones Association (IDCA) and is also a founding member of International Colorstone Association (ICA). Haridas is also the Chairman of Navika Capital Group LLC, a real estate and hospitality enterprise with assets of over 600 million throughout USA. He also serves as President of Rajasthan Association of North America ( RANA), New York. Haridas Kotahwala has generously donated to many charitable organizations in the Medical, Educational and Religious fields such as Mahaveer Cancer Hospital, Jaipur, Akshay Patra, and Viklang Sahayata Samiti at Jaipur and Udaipur.
Kamlesh C. Mehta Lifetime Achievement Kamlesh Mehta is an entrepreneur with over 27 years of experience across a wide range of industries as well as in community affairs. He is proud to be the first Asian-American appointed as Director of Business & Economic Development in Nassau County by the County Executive Ed Mangano. In 2008, he delved into the media business by founding The South Asian Times, a weekly paper. He is the Chairman of Forsythe Media Group, LLC, the flagship company that controls IndoUS Media Inc., an integrated Media, Marketing & Advertising and Consulting Company, and IANS International, a news wire agency. He started his diamond trading business in Mumbai in 1985, and migrated to New York in 1986 to setup an expansive business of rare gemstones and diamonds. He is on the board of Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba, the Etutor.com and Member of Advisory Board of Indus American Bank, Hicksville. He is also the Charter President of Rotary Club Hicksville South and a founder member of RANA, New York. Dr. Parag H. Mehta Excellence in Healthcare Dr. Parag H. Mehta is currently the Vice Chairman of the Department of Medicine, Director of
Information Management, and Director of Medical Informatics at New York Methodist Hospital. He graduated from NHL Medical College, Ahmedabad. After graduating, he practiced Obstetrics and Gynecology in rural and teaching hospitals. After coming to the United States, Dr. Mehta completed his residency in Internal Medicine at New York Methodist Hospital. Ravi Chopra Business Entrepreneur Ravi Chopra has been an outs t a n d i n g Entrepreneur,
Philanthropist & an active member of the Indo-US community in New York for the last two decades. He is known as king of calling card business in America and was one of the first to start this concept in US and Canada. He is CEO of STI group of companies and is one of the largest and oldest phone card distributors in USA with multi million dollars of annual sales. After coming to the US in 1991, Ravi started a commercial mortgage company called STI Consultants, and in no time was closing more than billion dollar of commercial properties. Being a financier, builder, realtor and consultant, he has advised different religious organizations, businesses and individuals in their need of finances. He is a Founder Member of Celebration and is on the board of Hindu Center, Flushing.
Democrat in a century to represent the old 23rd District when a divided Republican Party allowed him to win a 2009 special election with 49 percent of the vote. With the opposition once again divided in 2010, he won a full term with 47.5 percent of the vote. This time, redistricting has united the Adirondack region and most of the North Country in the redrawn 21st District, and the Plattsburgh Democrat is once again facing the Republican he defeated two years ago, Watertown businessman Matt Doheny. This time, however, Republicans are not divided. Texas 23rd District: Canseco vs. Gallego Freshman Francisco Quico Canseco is the only Mexican-American Republican to repre-
sent a majority Latino district, and Democrats are hoping to reclaim this swing district two years after Canseco ousted veteran Democrat Ciro Rodriguez. Democrats are touting a poll showing their nominee, Pete Gallego, with a narrow lead. Democrats cant afford to lose races like this if they are to have any chance to win control of the House. Pennsylvanias 12th District: Critz vs. Rothfus Another must-win for Democrats is the southwestern Pennsylvania district currently represented by Mark Critz, who won the seat after longtime incumbent Jack Murtha died in office. Republicans have nominated Keith Rothfus, who narrowly lost in 2010 in a district that was less Republican than this gerrymandered creation of the Republican-domi-
nated Pennsylvania legislature. The new 12th District, which wraps around Pittsburgh, favored John McCain in 2008 by 54 percent to 45 percent. Californias 52nd District: Bilbray vs. Peters San Diego Republican Brian Bilbray, a sixterm incumbent and tough-on-immigration conservative, is trying to hold off Democrat Scott Peters in a newly designed district that is almost evenly divided among Republicans, Democrats and Independents. Bilbray, a skilled fundraiser with a moderate streak on social issues, has a money edge. Peters, a port commissioner and former San Diego city council president, has plenty of money of his own. This is a high-cost, high-risk district for both parties.
Spirituality & Art TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Mahatria to bring transformational knowledge to the US

n the last 17 years, he has transformed hundreds of thousands of people by providing significant breakthroughs in their lives. Be it top notch businessmen, celebrities, global leaders, musicians, sportsmen or students, many have been able to unleash their internal spirit that drives them to excellence. Realizing the great hunger in the world for a new way of life, Mahatria has recently divined the path as infinitheism. Mahatria is visiting the USA and Canada in October 2012 to give a series of discourses, in 7 cities including New Jersey (Oct 13) and New York (Oct 14). For anyone who ardently desires Most and more... in any sphere of human endeavor - spiritual, emotional and material, infinitheism offers the path that provides breakthroughs and allows the human spirit to realize its infinite potential. Infinitheism provides knowledge of life, mentors the attitudes and skills needed for actualization and maximization of ones potential, provides the philosophical spectacles to view life from a higher consciousness, lead man to unite with his origin and most importantly, instead of defining God, helps man to define his faith. Being an impassioned propagator of value-based living and holistic development, Mahatrias vision of lifting humanity to a higher level of spiritual consciousness is carried through his experiential workshops, residential retreats and his brainchild - the growth oriented monthly magazine infinithoughts.
Realizing the great hunger in the world for a new way of life, the Chennai-based master has recently divined the path as infinitheism.
Mahatria is a spiritualist, endowed with a deep connectivity to existence and enormous spiritual strength; he guides people in their quest for self-realisation. He, for one, believes that the messenger should be the message. His skill in harmonising the materialistic and spiritual worlds is gracefully reflected in his lifestyle. Infinithoughts, edited and published
by Mahatria, is more than a magazine. It is an awakening. Management, Selling, Spirituality, Religion & Science, Relationship, Marriage, Parenting, Adolescence, Psychology, Finance, Health, Clarity in thinking, Stress management, and the science of living - every aspect of life finds place in infinithoughts. During the past 12 years, the readership for the publication has grown to an estimated 500,000 per month across the globe. infinithoughts today travels to 35 countries, making a difference to every human life it touches. People throng the Sunday morning discourses by Chennai based Mahatria. The live webcast of this is being viewed in over 130 countries across the globe. Mahatrias vision to better equip every faculty and student with an empowering personality is being carried out through the 'Subject +' program, which has touched over 100,000 students and teachers in several educational institutions. Mahatrias published books includes Unposted Letter. A collection of short, crisp write-ups on various aspects of personal and professional attitude, situation or viewpoint, it has sold 100,000 copies and has been translated into four languages. Most and more, a recent publication, has been rated among the top 10 in non-fictional category in a survey conducted by Business Line. A few of Mahatrias discourses have been brought out as DVDs and close to 100,000 copies have been sold till now. For more info go to infinitheism.com.
Vikram Seth's new canvas: Spirits, poetry, calligraphy
rt is a natural extension of novelist-poet Vikram Seth's literature. He says he likes to paint -- both in words and colors -- to create organic shapes with distinct calligraphic identities and poetic sensibilities. The author of "A Suitable Boy" who went public with his mastery over the intricate art of Chinese, Arabic and Devnagari calligraphy in his anthology of poetry, "The Rivered Earth" last year, now has unveiled three word paintings for Absolut Vodka's creative art brand
in the capital Friday. For the last 30 years, the brand has been blending spirits with refined artistic creativity to carve a niche brand for itself in the market. Seths predecessors have been the likes of Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Louis Bourgeois, Subodh Gupta and Bharti Kher. Seth conceived acrylic paintings with multi-dimensional surface textures in basic earth colors of orange, green, blue, gold and black, around the impressionist motifs of Absolut Vodka bottles
framed by calligraphy for a newmedia text-art effect. Below each canvas were etched two lines of Seth's poetry to capture the essence of the visuals. "I have studied Chinese calligraphy for 15 years from my master Zhao Yizhou. When I was in China (early in his career), I used to write calligraphy with a ball pen, said the writer who is now waiting for "A Suitable Girl (sequel to A Suitable Boy) to emerge "as and when she chooses to".
A calligraphic painting in Urdu and Nastaleeq by author Vikram Seth for Absolut Vodka's creative art brand. Seth joins Absolut artists like Andy Warhol and Subodh Gupta.
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Ultimate Bollywood TheSouthAsianTimes.info
'Barfi!' is India's official entry for Oscars
The movie has been lauded in film circles for its simplistic and moving narrative
he magic of Anurag Basu's 'Barfi!' has worked. The heartwarming movie, about love between a deaf and mute boy and an autistic girl, has been chosen as India's official entry for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The decision was taken at a Film Federation of India (FFI) meeting in Hyderabad Saturday night. "'Barfi!' has indeed been chosen as the country's official entry this year," FFI secretary general Suparn Sen said.
The movie, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Murphy aka Barfi, and Priyanka Chopra as Jhilmil, has been lauded in film circles for its simplistic and moving narrative that has managed to tug at the heartstrings of audiences which equally enjoy commercial potboilers. The makers are joyous about the news. "We are honoured that 'Barfi!' has been selected to represent India as its official entry to the Academy Awards 2013. 'Barfi!' is very close to the hearts of all of us at UTV, and it gives us great satisfaction that a film we
have developed and nurtured from its inception has met with so much love from audiences and critics worldwide," Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director Studios, Disney UTV, said in a statement. "An added source of pride is that this is the fourth UTV film in the last seven years to have been selected to represent India at the Academy awards; our earlier selections being 'Rang De Basanti' (2006), 'Harishchandrachi Factory' (2009) and 'Peepli Live' (2010)," he added.
Why emphasize for Oscars: Rituparno Ghosh

its suitability or unsuitability for the Oscars. What I'd like to point out is that all Indian Oscar nominations have come from Bollywood, barring a few 'politically performed' Marathi films. Why this discrimination?": Ghosh tweeted. In the past five years, two regional films -Marathi movie "Harishchandrachi Factory" (2009) and Malayalam movie "Adaminte Makan Abu" (2011) -- were sent as the country's official entries for Oscar in the best foreign film category. "India has a strong enriching tradition of regional cinema being made all over the country. Why then is this continuing emphasis on Bollywood work for the Oscars?": Ghosh wrote. Ghosh is credited for helming critically acclaimed and National award-winning films like "Dahan", "Utsab", "Chokher Bali", "Raincoat", "Dosor", "The Last Lear", "Shob Charitro Kalponik" and "Abohoman". He has won international honors too, but none of his projects have been sent for the golden statuette.
Language no bar between Dutch director, Jackie
Filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh
cclaimed Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh is not sure if Bollywood film "Barfi!", India's official entry for the Oscars this year, is the right choice. But he laments how regional cinema, including his own, is ignored for such honors. "I haven't seen 'Barfi!'. So I cannot comment on
Thats Aamirs baby boy in Chicago
amir Khan and Kiran Raos son Azad Rao Khan was spotted in Chicago with his nanny. The 9-month-old baby is out on his first international vacation with his father, who is shooting for Dhoom 3. The Bachchans, too, are in Chicago, as Aishwarya and baby Aaradhya have joined Abhishek there. Aamir Khans son Azad Rao Khan made his first trip outside the country recently, giving eager lensmen a chance to click him at the Mumbai airport. Aamir, his son, and wife Kiran Rao were on their way to Chicago where the actor will be shooting for Dhoom 3. Azad had a soother in his mouth as his daddy held him in a baby carrier and Kiran followed in a white shirt and black trousers. While onlookers were keen to
Actor Jackie Shroff
D
Aamir Khan with son Azad Rao catch a glimpse of the baby, Aamir, too, turned heads in green pants and a hat, with many tweeting that the actor is already in the look for his new film. Aamir has another son, 17-yearold Junaid, and a daughter, Ira, 12, from his first wife Reena.
utch filmmaker Laurens Postma is making his Bollywood debut with "Cover Story: The Ultimate Interview" but language was never a problem even though he doesn't know Hindi, says Jackie Shroff, who plays the male lead. "I asked him, 'You don't know Hindi, how will you manage?'. He said, 'No problem, language is not a problem'. So he was someone who knew the emotions," Jackie said Monday at the launch of the first look of the film. An official remake of Dutch
film "The Interview", "Cover Story" will see Jackie as a journalist discovering the life of a glamorous actress, played by debutant Anjum Nayar. "It was just a great experience to work with a newcomer (actress Sheena Nayar) who is so good. Secondly, working with an international director, who didn't even pat an eyelid when I spoke in Hindi, it was just fantastic," the 52-year-old said. Playing a journo was a cakewalk for Jackie, thanks to his long stint in showbiz.
Ultimate Bollywood Thesouthasiantimes.info
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'Heroine': Kareena's 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan Yash Chopra's powerful performance last film' Review
omewhere deep within the corroding flamboyance of filmdom, there is a tale of heartbreaking compromises and immorality tucked away from the naked, tearless eye. Madhur Bhandarkar nearly gets to the nerve center of that world, and then pulls back just before he's really gotten there. "Heroine" is an intriguingly unfinished film - partly in the rapidfire mood of a game show and partly like an elegiac melody played gently on an antique piano with immaculate fingers. It lacks a center, sometimes even a focus as it tries to cram in too many incidents, episodes, scandals, controversies and plain absurdities that are an integral part of Bollywood, so much so that the first hour or so gets suffocatingly airtight. And then you realize towards the end, that the world of the superstar Mahi Khanna traps the star, makes her a puppet of success, traps her in a web of deceit and finally throws her into a whirlwind of vaporous deceptions. The closing moments have that gut-wrenching element which made Bhandarkar's "Chandni Bar", "Page 3" and "Fashion" among the more sensitive dramas in recent times. We see Mahi, shattered forlorn and bereft, trapped in a car surrounded by merciless television journalists. As the haunting background score by SalimSulaiman builds up to a shattering crescendo, Mahi's hands fold together in a plea of mercy. In moments our hearts bleed for Mahi. God help those who are cursed with stardom. They first have to struggle to get there. And then they must continue to fight to cling to their place. And then, as Govind Namdeo playing Mahi's quietly faithful secretary tells her: "An actress' life-span is by its very nature limited". Not that we haven't heard such wisdom on the show world before. The dialogues could have been far more powerful. Instead they try to shock with a casual candour that fails to ignite the scenes. Kareena Kapoor in the best performance of her
A scene from Jab Tak Hai Jaan
ilmmaker Karan Johar says that Yash Chopra's 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' is going to be the most special film of the year as it might be his last film. "Yashji (Yash Chopra) is like my father. His birthday this year is very special because he is probably making his last film. All of our films are releasing this year but that film will be the most special experience of 2012," the 40-year-old said here in an interview. "This year is special not just for him but for the whole
industry because Yashji's last film is releasing this year," he added. "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" marks filmmaker Yash Chopra's comeback to direction after eight years. His last was 2004 cross-border romance "Veer Zaara". The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma and hits theaters on Nov 13. Meanwhile, Karan is also excited about "Barfi!" making it to the Oscars and he hopes the film gets shortlisted.
Kareena Kapoor in Heroine career so far, leads Mahi's character through the murky labyrinth of ambition, rivalry and selfdestructive tricks of survival in the rat race. Though her character is inconsistent (suffering, we are told, from bipolar disorder or is it just the writer's vagaries?) Kareena furnishes the heroine's character with a rare vulnerability and an exceptional inner life. So does Bhandarkar's film exaggerate the sham that underlines the shindig of showbiz? The answer is, yes. "Heroine" is guilty of gross excesses. There are too many unnecessary characters,specially in the first-half bustling around in clumsily staged ramp shows, awards functions and filmy parties claiming our attention.
It's now Slovenia calling Bollywood!
he Swiss Alps, the Scottish Highlands, British castles and Spanish beaches these breathtaking European destinations have for long fascinated Indian filmmakers. Enter Slovenia, a tiny land nestled in central Europe that has just received the attention of Bollywood's overseas palette. The first one to introduce this Adriatic jewel to Indian cinema is Telugu film "Nayak". Filmmaker V.V. Vinayak, along with lead actors Ram Charan and Kajal Agrawal, shot song sequences in the postcard locales of Slovenia, which has a population of just over two million, this month. The stunning underground environs of Postojna caves, the medieval coastal town of Piran and the alpine resort town of Bled played the perfect backdrops for the duo's dance moves. Zoran Jankovic, the mayor of the capital city of Ljubljana, gave
'Nayak' actors Ram Charan and Kajal Agarwal shooting a song sequence in Postojna caves, Slovenia the clap for the film's first shot. "This is the first time that an Indian film was shot in Slovenia. In case of 'Nayak', local authori-
ties were quite positive and attaining permissions for filming at popular spots was a smooth process," Indian Ambassador to Slovenia Jayakar Jerome said. "My doors are open to all Indian citizens. I am prepared and willing to knock on the doors of local authorities in Slovenia if such endeavours serve the interest of Indian filmmakers, businessmen and citizens," he added. According to Jerome, the country's beauty, connectivity, facilitation and cost-effectiveness are positives in attracting Bollywood and Indian regional cinema. The local authorities in Slovenia feel there are several qualities that distinguish the picturesque country and should put it on the map of any Bollywood filmmaker. "I am very pleased that India has finally discovered Slovenia. It's time for Indian cinema to feel Slovenia," Janez Fajfar, mayor of the beautiful city of Bled, said.
IFFI will be technically superior this year: Organizers

he 43rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is going to be technically superior to previous fare, an organizer of the festival said. According to Vishnu Wagh, vice chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which is one of the two agencies in charge of hosting the festival that takes place here annually, also said that the Goa government is also looking at setting up a film city and an entertainment hub in the state."We are in the process of upgrading the production facilities. The A.K. Bir committee is in the process of making an audit of the available infrastructure as well as recommending additional infrastructure for the event," Wagh, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, told reporters here.
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Dance TheSouthAsianTimes.info
September 29-Octcober 5, 2012
Pioneer footsteps
While legendary Saroj Khan has shaped Bollywood choreography for decades, where dance numbers now contribute the crucial oomph factor in hit films, her long-time student Rujuta Vaidya, with many high profile gigs to her credit already, has blazed a trail of her own by launching a Bollywood dance academy in America and invited the legend over here.
RUJUTA VAIDYA How did you decide that you wanted to be a choreographer? When I was younger, whenever I saw anybody doing any sort of choreography for the film industry, whether it was clips that I saw on television or I saw choreographers at shows that I went to, I would tell my mom, ugh, she has my dream job and my parents would be like okay, whatever, lets go back home and you better hit the books. Did I ever think I was ever going to be able to pursue my dream job? Realistically, no. There was really no market for that in the States at the time I grew up. I was also following my parents dream of becoming a doctor. I went to Boston University as a pre-med student, all of that. I did do dance as a kid, a little bit of Kathak and a little bit of Bharatanatyam, but that was, from my parents viewpoint, as a hobby. I watched all of Saroj Khans videos and tried to mimic the steps and again, always thought that it would be so great to do this as a living but I never thought that I would actually get to do it. You have worked on so many amazing projects, such as with Britney Spears, Black Eyed Peas, at the Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire; how has this journey been for you? Its been a joyride, its been a dream. I grew up in the US during a time when people didnt even know what Indian was. They asked me things like if I was Pocahontas and where is India even. Going from that to being at the Oscars and having the whole world celebrate our culture and everything we were about is something I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams. All these projects Ive been able to work on, never did I think I would be able toBritney Spears, choreographing for her an Indian piece. Which Indian piece was that? We did the Circus tour, it was Me against the music song I did. Every moment I was working on these projects, I felt like I was in a dream world. I would sometimes pinch myself because I thought I would wake up from it anytime now. The Oscars was one of those moments. I recently got to work with Sridevi and got to choreograph for the movie English Vinglish thats coming out in October. Its been amazing. You choreographed Priyanka Chopras theme for the NFL, right? Yes, I worked with Fatima Robinson; she worked the western movement and I brought in the Indian flair. It was for Priyanka Chopras NFL commercial. Her song has been picked up by the NFL as its theme this season. What has it been like training with Saroj Khan? Training with her has been the experience of a lifetime that any dancer would want. She has seen Bollywood evolve and has been able to offer so much wisdom to me. She understands Bollywood for where its come from to where it is now and the trends and how and why it has changed over the years. What inspired you to start IBDF? Well, I was one of the very fortunate ones who actually got to India to follow my passion and go to train with someone I idolized. That took a lot; a lot of sacrifice from Continued on page 26
Saroj Khan at Institute of Bollywood Dance and Film (IBDF) in Edison, NJ.
Exclusive Interviews
By Vikas Girdhar
f dance numbers and item songs today add the crucial oomph factor to successful Bollywood movies, the credit is due largely to Saroj Khan. The legendary choreographer has been delivering hit numbers for 50 years now. She is known for her innovative and classical technique-based choreography marked by grace, strength, precision, subtlety and expressiveness. She is the one who propelled superstar Madhuri Dixit and other Bollywood actresses to achieve career success and fame. Superhit films like Lagaan, Don, Jab We Met, Agneepath, Veer-Zara, Devdas, Tezaab, Khalnayak and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge owe much of their appeal to dance numbers choreographed by her. Rujuta Vaidya has trained extensively for years in India under Saroj Khan and is her only disciple in the US. Rujuta has recently opened the Institute of Bollywood Dance and Film (IBDF) and is responsible for bringing Saroj Khan to America for a dance instruction program in New Jersey (Sept 21-23) and New York (Sept 28-30), IBDF is looking to bridge the gap between passionate amateur performers and working professionals, says Rujuta, while providing extraordinary training and networking opportunities to individuals who are interested in moving towards a career in the performing arts, especially in Bollywood. Rujuta has worked with Britney Spears on her 2009 Circus Tour, The Black Eyed Peas 2010 E.N.D. Tour, Oprah Winfreys Oscar Special, The Slumdog Millionaire Academy Award winning track
Jai Ho with A.R. Rahman and John Legend at the Oscars, Disney Channels Cheetah Girls: One World feature film, and the Journey Home A.R. Rahman 2010 World Tour. She has also worked on many Bollywood films over the last decade, her most recent being Sridevis comeback movie, English Vinglish. Her most high profile assignment was choreographing Priyanka Chopras NFL commercial (featuring music by Will.I.Am), to be aired before every Thursday night game on the NFL network. Saroj Khan and Rujuta spoke exclusively with The South Asian Times, about their craft and experiences. SAROJ KHAN How long have you been doing choreography? My first song was in Dil Hi Toh Hai (1963) -- Nigahen milane ko jee chahta hai, a qawali, with Raj Kapoor. What made you choose a career in dance choreography? [chuckles] I did not choose it, it just came to me. My family had come from Pakistan to Bombay. I was born in 1948. I was not born Khan, Im a Hindu by birth. At the age of three, I started dancing, which was rare in our family because there were no artists they were all businessmen. My mother thought I was off, so she took me to a doctors. The doctor said, If she wants to dance, let her dance. Youll require money, so put her in films. My mom said, We dont know anybody, and the doctor said, dont worry, many producers come to us to Continued on page 26
Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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All is not lost for the UPA-2

By Amulya Ganguli very dark cloud has a silver lining. In the present political scenario in India, at least three such streaks of light can be discerned. One is that the government is not in immediate danger. It may not last till 2014. But the moment of its fall will not be all that politically disadvantageous if the government's present overdrive on reforms revives the "animal spirits" in the economy, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised. In that event, the economic buoyancy can enable it to cross the electoral Rubicon. Secondly, what is of considerable significance is that for the first time in the eight years of UPA-1 and UPA-2, the government and the Congress party are on the same page on reforms. For reasons which will be mentioned later, the suspected differences between the "neo-liberal" prime minister and the "socialist" party chief have disappeared. As is already evident, this unity of perception has marked the end of the earlier policy paralysis. Thirdly, for all the bluster of the opposition parties, they remain as disunited as ever. To make matters worse, a fresh dose of uncertainty has been introduced in their camp
What is of vital importance, however, is the Congress's decision to shed its earlier hesitancy about reforms and stand fully behind Manmohan Singh. by the sudden arousal of Mulayam Singh Yadav's prime ministerial ambition. So, now, there are at least five contenders for the coveted post in the opposition's ranks - Mulayam Singh Yadav, Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj, Nitish Kumar and that never-say-die aspirant, L.K. Advani. What this means is that the opposition's eagerness for an early election will be tempered by uneasiness about the unseemly scramble for the top post which the announcement will entail. If anything, this jostling cannot but give breathing space to the Congress. To avail itself of this opportunity, the Congress will not only have to push ahead vigorously with the reforms but also explain in great detail their rationale, which the prime minister did in his address to the nation on Friday night where he sought people's support for the "hard decisions" ahead. The reason for Manmohan Singh and his band of reformers like Finance Minister P.Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia to don the hats of teachers is that the party is facing opponents who are driven solely by blind dogma and a
myopic outlook, which is oblivious of economic imperatives. As much is evident from the acts of the Left, which withdrew support to the government on the nuclear deal in 2008, and the Trinamool Congress, which has now withdrawn support on the question of reforms. While the Left was guided by an obsessive anti-Americanism, the Trinamool Congress is motivated by populist considerations where there is no room for the economic compulsions of balancing the budget or for the factors of glottalization which integrates the modern world. Not only that, this blinkered vision is compounded by the Trinamool Congress's belief that it has to take up a position more to the left of the communists to outflank them, not least because the latter still has the support of 40 percent of the West Bengal voters. What is missing in these calculations, based on an inadequate appreciation of economic realities and the need for crafty political manoeuvres, is a broad national vision. Only such clear-sightedness, which recognizes the limitations of the earlier experiments with a controlled economy, can lead to an understanding of the need for
deregulation and the end of statism. But, if the Left purposefully rejects the new economic agenda for ideological reasons - although the CPIM's Buddhadev Bhattacharjee realized the necessity of a change of line when he was West Bengal chief minister - parties like the Trinamool Congress are too preoccupied with their local political requirements to widen their outlook. It is the same with other regional outfits like the Samajwadi Party, the Janata Dal-United and the DMK. The worst offender, however, is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which claims to be pro-reform. But an overwhelming desire to corner the Congress has made it turn against a measure like FDI in retail, which it had supported when in power. So, now, it has adopted the jargon of the Left to blame the "foreign hand" for the latest reforms, as Modi has done. What is of vital importance, however, is the Congress's decision to shed its earlier hesitancy about reforms and stand fully behind Manmohan Singh. There is little doubt that it is the plummeting growth rate and dwindling investment which made the party realize that there is no other path than reforms.
Which way will Pakistan tilt?

By C. Uday Bhaskar
he publication of satirical cartoons relating to the Prophet Muhammad by a French magazine (Charles Hebdo) adds to the anger and widespread protests already simmering across many countries and societies that espouse the Islamic faith. From North Africa to West Asia and through South and Southeast Asia and some parts of Europe, the number of countries that have reported protests has crossed 20 and more than 30 people have died in the violence that followed. The tragic fatalities include the US Ambassador to Libya -- J. Christopher Stevens -- whose brutal killing in Benghazi last week marked the beginning of the current spiral of death and destruction. Specific to South Asia, Pakistan has witnessed the most intense street protests and local right-wing groups compelled the government to declare September 21 as 'Love the Prophet Day' ('Youme-Ishqe-Rasool') and a national holiday. Similar protests and agitations on a smaller scale have taken place in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka - though these have been relatively less violent. The entry of the French cartoons into the already roiled anti-Islam waters is
It is often averred that the liberal spectrum in Pakistan is confined to a small minority that is shrinking
only likely to add to the prevailing turbulence and provide more fodder to those constituencies that seek to sow discord and bitterness between those of the Islamic faith and the "other" - currently symbolized by the US led "west". However, at a deeper level, the current tussle is also between the larger global liberal order - which significantly includes millions of Muslims who espouse a commendable degree of interreligious tolerance and respect for diversity, dissent, law and the tenets of modernity.
The tension and contestation between the liberal and tolerant interpretation of the practice of Islam on one hand, and the more inflexible and insular variant, goes back to the early decades after the demise of Prophet Muhammad and has waxed and waned with the political fortunes of the respective adherents. Pakistan, which, over the decades, consciously encouraged an exclusive Sunnioriented, Wahabi-Salafist preference in its domestic polity is now reviewing its short-sighted political-military choices with great dismay -- and tentative objec-
tivity. The recent display of candour is encouraging and specific attention may be drawn to the case of Rishma Masih, a young Christian girl afflicted with Down's syndrome who was wrongly charged with blasphemy. Over a tense fortnight, the manner in which the Pakistani state and civil society stood by her is the proverbial silver lining to a dark cloud that hovers menacingly. It is often averred that the liberal spectrum in Pakistan is confined to a small minority that is shrinking. From the assassination of governor Salman Taseer two years ago and the intimidation that followed, to the silver lining in the recent Rishma case -- it is evident that some very deep churning is going on in Pakistan's internal discourses. The political establishment in Pakistan and other parts of the Muslim world have a choice - of either playing to the gallery and stoking anti-US/anti-west fervor or encouraging much deeper introspection and restraint in the face of unseemly and distasteful provocation. Self-regulation is a desirable virtue by all the interlocutors in the current turbulence, but it has to come from within. In the interim, dissent through debate, peaceful protests and recourse to law is the preferred option. Mindless mayhem, however spontaneous and anguished, must be eschewed.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
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Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info
1300 Indians detained in Kuwait, more than 650 released later

Kuwait: Of the 1300 Indians detained by police authorities in Kuwait for possible visa violations, more than 650 were released on Sept 25. Government sources said that Indian ambassador Satish Mehta and other officials visited the detention center and discussed the matter with senior officials. Sponsors and close relatives of those detained were said to be assisting in this ongoing effort to release the detained Indian nationals. "This process will continue as long as required. As of today no Indian national has been deported. All Indian nationals are safe," said an official. "Community organizations are regularly being informed of the ongoing efforts to assure them that all possible measures are being undertaken to assist the detained Indian nationals" he added.
In Brief
GOPIO initiates chapter in Durban, South Africa
Sole survivor of Indian family suicide bid in Dubai cleared of all charges
Dubai: Primary charges of premeditated murder leveled against an Indian woman in Dubai, who is the sole survivor of a family suicide bid, have reportedly been dropped. Sreesha Nambiar was found in her apartment in January with her wrist and neck slashed in an apparent suicide bid along with the bodies of her husband Rijesh Nambiar, 32, and their daughter Avantika, 5. Police established after an autopsy and on the weight of forensic evidence that the child was smothered to death while Sreesha's husband hanged himself. Sources familiar with the case said the charges against Sreesha Nambiar, who is from Kerala, have been dropped following investigations, Gulf News reports. "She has been cleared of all charges and is expected to go home any day now," they added. Initial charges placed before public prosecution had mentioned premeditated murder and attempted suicide.
Indonesian varsity students now know more about India

Jakarta: Students at the University of Indonesia here got to know India better, thanks to a string of programs that included a short film, Indian dances, introduction to yoga and a demonstration of Indian cuisine. Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Culture Centre and the Indian embassy presented the series of programs titled "A Slice of India" to showcase various aspects of Indian traditions in the university campus, an embassy press release said. Indian ambassador Gurjit Singh inaugurated the program that commenced with screening of a short film to introduce India. Indian dances were followed by an introduction to yoga and its demonstration. There was vocal and instrumental music, with a sitar recital by a volunteer of Indian origin. A discussion on "Instruments of Cultural Diplomacy - India and Indonesia Relationship" was held in which Rizali Indrakusuma, ambassador designate to India, also participated.A presentation was done on the educational opportunities in India. Besides a display of saris worn in different styles, there was a demonstration of Indian cooking. The students also got an opportunity to have henna applied, which was done by a university student of Indian origin.
fter several months of planning and coordination initiated by Loshni Naidoo in collaboration with Munish Gupta (Regional Coordinator, Africa), GOPIO Durban chapter has been formed. Officers of the newly formed GOPIO Durban chapter are: President - Sudesh Maharaj; Vice President - Dr Kinesh Pather; Secretary - Urmilla (Molly) Patel (Head of HRC); Treasurer Pankaj Doorgaparsad; Joint Secretary - Gerelene Jagganath; SA Co-ordinator/ Facilitator Loshni Naidoo Loshni Naidoo said that by joining GOPIO, "we
can partake in an organization that will be there to assist in addressing some of the needs of the Indians in South Africa. This will allow South African Indians to be part of and build a better South African society for all." Persons of Indian origin (PIOs) in South Africa, approximately 1,400,000 representing 2.5% of total population of 49,000,000, are descendants of indentured immigrant laborers from colonial India during late 19th-century through early 20th-century, with the first arrivals in 1860. Large concentrations of PIOs are in cities of Durban and Natal.
British Indian chef makes curry to stave off cough, cold

ndian-origin chef Anjum Anand has made an immuneboosting curry using humble ingredients like garlic, cinnamon and chilies which she claims can ward off illness. Presented at BBC2's Indian Cooking Made Easy, Anand said that a dish made Chef Anjum Anand with vitamin Cpacked ingredients showing that fenugreek leaves like pomegranate seeds and fenu- were rich in Vitamin C," Anand greek leaves has healing powers said. and can fight infection. "They are also very tasty so I "Spices in food are like medi- have combined them with supercine in Indian families and I want- foods like pomegranate seeds," ed to make a simple, immune- she said. British nutritionists have boosting dish. I read research backed her claims.
Australian Indian media group bags three awards

Sydney: Indian Link, an Australian Indian media group, has received three of nine NSW Multicultural Media Awards, an event at which Foreign Minister Bob Carr said that journalists "representing those of Indian ancestry are ambassadors for Australia to the Indian community." The media company took the top honors in the Editorials/News Reporting, Online Innovation and publisher Pawan Luthra was named Multicultural Journalist of the Year, a communique said. Carr presented the awards at the NSW Parliament House Sep 14. The winners were selected from among 132 entries country-wide. Initiated by Member of Legislative Council MP Shaoquett Moselmane, the awards are the first of their kind in Australia. Carr said: "I congratulate Indian Link for winning three Awards...Journalists representing those of Indian ancestry are ambassadors for Australia to the Indian community. By sharing cultural ideas through journalism, you are helping to create the overlap of cultures
5 year tourist visa for parents of Australians

Indian Link founders Pawan and Rajni Luthra with the awards that makes up Australia's national identity." "Three awards in one night can only be a team effort," Luthra said in his speech. Pawan and his wife Rajni founded Indian Link in 1994. he Australian Government has decided to give fiveyear tourist visas for parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents to enable them to visit their families. The five-year tourist visa holders can stay up to 12 months on each entry. The grant of long term visa
is expected to start by the end of this year and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. An applicant for the tourist visa must meet Australia's health and character requirements, have access to adequate funds and have health insurance to cover any healthcare costs during their stay.
Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info
21
Pak developing non-strategic N-arms: US experts

Washington: To enhance its nuclear capability, Pakistan is developing non-strategic nuclear weapons, and thus joining the ranks of countries like the US and Russia, an American think-tank has said. India, however, not listed among five of the nine-nuclear weapons powered countries that has or is developing non-strategic nuclear weapons, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project, and Robert S Norris, senior fellow for Nuclear Policy, in a new edition of Nuclear Notebook. "At least five of the world's nine nuclear weapons states have, or are developing, what appears to meet the definition of a nonstrategic nuclear weapon: Russia, the US, France, Pakistan, and China," they concluded. In their report, the two US nuclear scientist wrote that the new weapon, the Nasr, is a 60-km ballistic missile launched from a mobile twin-canister launcher. Following its first test launch in April 2011, the Pakistani military news organization described the Nasr as carrying a nuclear warhead "of appropriate yield with high accuracy," with "shoot and scoot attributes" that was developed as a "quick response system" to "add deterrence value" to Pakistan's strategic weapons development program "at shorter ranges" in order "to deter evolving threats." "This language, which has been repeated after subsequent Nasr tests, strongly indicates a weapon with a new mission that resembles nonstrategic nuclear weapons," they wrote.
Karachi Nuclear Power Plant
Zardari rakes up Kashmir at UN
Amended Swiss letter draft in Pak court

Islamabad: The Pakistani government has submitted to the Supreme Court the amended draft of a letter that has to be sent to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naek Wednesday submitted the amended Swiss letter draft after the apex court Tuesday gave him a day's time to carry out changes in the letter that the government had submitted, Geo News reported. A five-member bench of the apex court heard the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) Implementation case. Naek pleaded that he may be heard in the chamber for resolving the issue, but the court rejected his plea. "Justice Asif Saeed Khosa in his remarks said it would not be possible for us to hear you in the Chamber for discussing coma, full stop," the media report said. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf told the Supreme Court that the government has decided to withdraw a letter sent out during Pervez Musharraf's tenure to close graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. Accused of graft, Zardari was granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return home from exile, and primarily that of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Zardari and Bhutto were suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in the 1990s.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari at UN United Nations: Pakistan once again resorted to its old tactics of raking up Kashmir in the United Nations when its President Asif Ali Zardari sought a solution to the issue under UN resolution. He said Kashmir remains a symbol of failure of the UN system and Pakistan's principled position on territorial disputes remains a bedrock of its foreign policy. "Kashmir remains a symbol of failures, rather than strengths of the UN system," Zardari said in his 20minute speech at the 67th session of the UN General Assembly here. "We feel that resolution of these issues can only be arrived in an environment of cooperation," he said. "We will continue to support the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to peacefully choose their destiny in accordance with the UN Security Council's long-standing resolutions on this matter," the Pakistani president said. Later, as Zardari exited the General Assembly hall, he was asked by to comment on his remarks that Kashmir is a "symbol of failure" of the UN system. Zardari, however, did not clarify or elaborate further. Pakistan's foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar also did not elaborate on the president's remarks on Kashmir. "It is in the speech, please read that. He said what he said. It is elaborated enough," she said. Pakistan has raked up the issue of Kashmir at the UN forum time and again but India has insisted that it is its internal matter. US President Barack Obama has also ruled out any "outside" solution to the Kashmir issue, saying in an interview in July that disputes between India and Pakistan can only be resolved among themselves.
Top Chinese security official visits Kabul

Kabul: A top Chinese security official met President Hamid Karzai during a brief surprise visit, the first by a senior Chinese leader in nearly half a century, to Afghanistan. Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, arrived at Kabul airport late in the afternoon. The four-hour visit had not been announced by Beijing due to security concerns. In Kabul, Zhou, who is in charge of security and justice affairs, met the Afghanistan president and discussed cooperation between the two countries. "It is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples for China and Afghanistan to strengthen a strategic and cooperative partnership, which is also conducive to regional peace, stability and development," Zhou was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Chinese delegation upon his arrival. Zhou said the Chinese government fully respects the right of the Afghan people to choose their own path of development and will actively participate in
Zhou Yongkang with Hamid Karzai Afghanistan's reconstruction. Prior to Zhou's visit, the last visit to Afghanistan had been undertaken by late Chinese leader Liu Shaoqi in 1966 as the president of the country.
Sri Lanka closes massive war refugee camp

Colombo: The United Nations welcomed the closure of a huge camp for war-displaced civilians in northern Sri Lanka, but expressed concern about hundreds of people who have been unable to return home because their land is occupied by the military. The U.N humanitarian coordinator in Sri Lanka, Sabinay Nandy, said in a statement Tuesday that the closure of Manik Farm is a "milestone event" toward ending displacement in Sri Lanka. But he said 346 people from 110 families who were among the last to leave the camp were relocated elsewhere while they await confirmation of whether they will be allowed to return to their former homes. "It is important that the displaced people should be able to make an informed and voluntary decision about their future including being part of the planning and management of their resettlement," Nandy said. Manik Farm housed 225,000 ethnic Tamil civilians after government troops defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009, ending a quarter-century civil war, and was considered the largest refugee camp in the world. Aid workers and foreign diplomats feared that Manik Farm would become an internment camp. International pressure resulted in residents being resettled in their former lands in stages. However, many resettled civilians have complained that they have not been adequately supported in rebuilding their homes. In announcing the camp's closure Monday, the government said it has spent $360 million on the resettlement process. Many thousands of people displaced by the war continue to live with relatives and friends across north and eastern Sri Lanka, according to the UN.
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International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Oz Fest to script new Australia-India cultural era

New Delhi: Australia and India will open a new chapter in public diplomacy and cultural exchange with the 'Oz Fest', Australian high commissioner to India Peter Varghese said in the capital. The festival is a five-month cultural bouquet of indigenous cricket, music, performance arts, movies and food. It will be held from October 16, 2012-February 5, 2013 with 100 events in 18 cities. The festival will begin at the Purana Qila (Old Fort) in the national capital with a concert of traditional Australian music featuring aboriginal songwriter Gurrumul Yunupingu, didgeridoo virtuoso Mark Atkins and Indian classical musician Anoushka Shankar against a backdrop of a three-dimensional light projection. The festival will bring into its fold a series of unique 50-over and 20-over cricket matches between Australia's National Indigenous Cricket Team and the members of local cricket clubs in Mumbai and Pune. Another highlight of the festival is the Melbourne Comedy Festival road show. It will feature five comedians and a spot competition to find a new Indian talent from across four cities of Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The festival, described as one of the biggest Australia cultural showcase in India by Varghese, seeks to explore India's potential as a culture and entertainment market for Hindi feature film, "Besharam" in Mumbai. Australia will reach out to India with a movie, "Fearless Nadia", tracing the country's Bollywod link. Fearless Nadia or "Hunterwalli", a Bollywood stunt actress of yesteryears, was born as Mary Ann Evans in Perth in western Australia. She came to Bombay in 1913 with her father and made India her home. She cut a niche on screen with her "flair for circus antics, ballet and horse-riding as fearless Nadia". The festival will bring to India a snapshot of the Australian contemporary music with live shows by leading bands and modern literature. Australian masterchefs Gary Mehigan, George Calombiris, Bill Marchetti and Christine Manfield will cook traditional fare at parallel food festivals and interact with foodies in workshops.
Australian high commissioner to India Peter Varghese Australian businesses and further people-to-people contact, the envoy said. "We have had contact at the cultural level before but not on this scale. The reason why we are putting emphasis on culture is that if you want to build strong connections between the two countries, it has to do much with the prospect of long-term relationships. It is a public diplomacy initiative," envoy Varghese said. He added that the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard who is to visit India next month, is committed "to strengthening the bilateral cultural relationship". He said Australia was a multicultural community and it looked to the large Indian community to make the strongest contribution to Australian culture, life and society. Varghese said the "last census showed that the fastest growing community in Australia was Indians with Hinduism as the fastest growing religion". Migrants from Punjab were the biggest linguistic group. The envoy noted that Indian investment in Australia had increased significantly. However, the sphere "which was growing the fastest was people-to-people contact". Indian dances, Bollywood and Indian spirituality were big draws among the Indian diaspora and the local Australians, actor and Bharatnatyam Pallavi Sharda, an Oz Fest ambassador said. Sharda, who was born and bred in Australia, is shooting her first
As US pullout nears, India eyes bigger role in Kabul

New Delhi: With the endgame approaching in Afghanistan, India's post-2014 diplomacy has hit high gear. A week after Pakistan's foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar met the US government to re-introduce confidence in the bilateral relationship, India, Afghanistan and US will be holding their first official trilateral meeting in New York this week. Its an initiative that carries new opportunities but significant risks for India. The Indian side will be led by foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and will also include a conversation between Hillary Clinton and S M Krishna will include discussions on the future of Afghanistan, and how the US and India can work together to help the country deal with subsequent challenges. The trilateral is the first time India would be getting into these arrangements within the region. And its not without its risks. Analysts say India would be tying up with two countries - Iran and the US - that have significant opposition to them inside Afghanistan. Whether this could dilute India's own equities that it has so carefully built up in Afghanistan remains to be seen but it is a fear that underlines India's new diplomacy. In the decade since 2001, India has built a fairly formidable relationship in Afghanistan through its developmental projects and by keeping its nose clean on the politics.
UNGA Conference
China calls for more Egyptian president opposes military intervention in Syria cooperation in BRICS
United Nations: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has called on the BRICS countries to seize opportunities to increase cooperation among them. The statement came as Yang attended a meeting of foreign ministers of BRICS countries, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and South Africa, on the sidelines of the 67th session agreed that as representatives of of the UN General Assembly, the emerging economies and developing countries, it is of sigreported Xinhua. Yang said that the BRICS coun- nificance that the BRICS countries tries have strengthened communi- enhance cooperation, which is cation and coordination on major conducive to the recovery and regional and international issues, growth of world economy and boosted pragmatic cooperation in provide impetus to global ecoall areas, increased their influence nomic governance. The foreign ministers also and expanded common interests exchanged their views on the during the past year. He called on the five countries regional and international issues of common concerns such to catch chances to push their as the situation in the Middle East cooperation to a new level. All participants of the meeting and reform in global governance. United Nations: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has opposed military intervention in Syria to settle the prevailing crisis in the country. Morsi said Egypt would support such efforts to prevent a catastrophe in Syria that would "rule out the danger of foreign military intervention". The Syrian conflict has claimed up to 20,000 lives according to estimates by various Syrian opposition groups. The UN estimates the toll at over 18,000 people but the Syrian authorities say 8,000 people were killed. The West is pushing for President Bashar alAssad's ouster while Russia and China are trying to prevent outside interference in Syria, saying that the
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi at the UNGA annual debate Assad regime and the opposition are both to blame for the bloodshed.
Ahmadinejad accuses West of intimidation

United Nations: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused some "hegemonic powers" of intimidating his country, citing military threats from Israel. "Arms race and intimidation by nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction by the hegemonic powers have become prevalent," Ahmadinejad said during the annual debate of the UN General Assembly. "Continued threat by the uncivilised Zionists to resort to military action against our great nation is a clear example of this bitter realiUS President Barack Obama warned Tuesday that time was "not unlimited" for the diplomatic settlement of the Iran nuclear issue, and that Washington would do what it must to stop Tehran from getting a nuclear bomb. Major Western powers and Israel have long suspected that Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons, but Iran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. Israel has threatened to use pre-emptive strikes to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the UNGA ty," he added. Ahmadinejad's remarks came after
Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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US consumer confidence jumps to 7-month high

New York: US consumer confidence jumped in September to a seven-month high, according to a report. The Conference Board, a private research group based in New York, said its consumer confidence index rose to 70.3 in September, from a revised 61.3 in August. The result was far better than economists' median expectation, which ranged from 63 to 65. Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, said: "The Consumer Confidence Index rebounded in September and is back to levels seen earlier this year (71.6 in February)." She said that consumers were more positive in their assessment of current conditions, in particular the job market, and considerably more optimistic about the short-term outlook for business conditions, employment and their financial situation. Despite continuing economic uncertainty, consumers are slightly more optimistic than they have been in several months. According to the report, the present situation index, a gauge of consumers' assessment of current economic conditions, rose to 50.2 from a revised 46.5 in the previous month. Consumer expectations for economic activity over the next six months jumped to 83.7 from a revised 71.1 one month earlier. The index also hit its highest level since February. Better consumer confidence should lead to stronger consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of the US economy.
Global economy fraught with uncertainty: IMF

International Monetary Fund (IMF), said here. "We continue to project a gradual recovery, but global growth will likely be a bit weaker than we had anticipated even in July, and our forecast has trended downward over the last 12 months," Lagarde said at an event hosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-based think tank. "A number of factors are weighing the global economy down. At the center of them all is the element of uncertainty; uncertainty about whether policymakers can and will deliver on their promises," Xinhua quoted her as saying. The global economic growth was confronted with a number of challenges including the ongoing eurozone debt crisis, a tepid recovery in the US, the economic slowdown in emerging markets, and concerns in lowincome countries about rising food prices and volatile commodity prices, added the IMF chief. The global economic recovery hinges on delivering on the policy commitments that have been made, she stressed.
The global economic recovery hinges on delivering on the policy commitments that have been made, said Christine Lagarde Washington: The global economy is still fraught with uncertainty and still far from where it needs to be, Christine Lagarde, managing director of the
Probe coal allocations since 1993: CVC to CBI

New Delhi: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has asked the CBI, probing coal block allocations made during 2006-09, to extend its investigations to cover all allocations since 1993, said agency sources. "CVC asked that the agency investigate the system adopted by the state governments during allocation of coal blocks. The criteria and selected guidelines followed during the allocation must be probed," a source said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was also asked to find out the system put in place for selection of companies for coal block allocation between 1993 to 2006, whether these guidelines were followed and how joint venture partners were selected. The country's top anti-corruption authority had earlier this year, tasked the CBI with probe into the allotment of coal blocks made between 2006 and 2009. A preliminary enquiry to examine the irregularities, if any, in the allocation of coal blocks by coal ministry during 2006-09 was initiated on a reference from the CVC in June. Official auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had, in a recent report, estimated undue benefits of Rs.1.86 lakh crore to private firms due to allocation of coal blocks without auction.The CBI had earlier this month registered two batches of FIRs (first information reports) against seven private companies, their directors and some public administrative officials and is understood to be filing a third batch of FIRs soon. In its first batch of FIRs, the CBI registered five cases against five companies and their directors, including some public administrative officials, and conducted searches at 30 locations on Sep 4. In the second phase, the agency booked two private companies, Vikash Metals and Powers Limited and Grace Industries, and their directors in two separate cases on September 22 and raided offices of the firms in seven cities.
iPhone5 first weekend sales cross 5 mn

Cupertino, California: Apple said it has sold over five million of its new iPhone 5 sets just three days after its launch Sep 21. Demand for iPhone 5 exceeded the initial supply and while the majority of pre-orders have been shipped to customers, many are scheduled to be shipped in October, the company said in a statement. iPhone 5 is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK, and will be available in 22 more countries including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and Luxembourg on September 28 and in more than 100 countries by the end of the year. "Demand for iPhone 5 has been incredible and we are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible," said Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive officer.
India ranked 111th in economic freedom list: Survey

New Delhi: India ranks very low at 111th position in terms of economic freedom, behind countries like China, Nepal and Bangladesh, a global study has claimed in a worldwide index of 144 nations. The annual ranking, titled 'Economic Freedom of the World: 2012', is topped by Hong Kong, followed by Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland (8.24) and Australia in the top-five. The index has been prepared by Canada-based public policy think-tank, Fraser Institute, in cooperation with independent institutes in 90 nations and territories, and claims to measure the degree to which the policies and institutions of countries support economic freedom. India's ranking has fallen from 103rd last year, while Hong Kong has retained its top slot, the report said. Canada is ranked sixth on the list, while others in the top-ten include Bahrain, Mauritius, Finland and Chile. The countries with lowest level of economic freedom are -- Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Republic of Congo and Angola. India shares its 111th position with two other countries, Iran and Pakistan, while those ranked lower include Guyana, Syria and Nigeria. Interestingly, the US, which is considered a champion of economic freedom among large industrial nations, continues its protracted decline in the global rankings. This year, the US plunged to its lowest-ever ranking of 18th, after being ranked at as high as second position in 2002. The decline is attributed to higher spending and borrowing on the part of the US government.
iPhone 5 is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK "While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date," he added. iPhone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iPhone and features a new fourinch retina display and an Appledesigned A6 chip. It comes either in white and silver or black and slate, and is available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199, for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB model.
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Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info
T20 World Cup: heat is on

Colombo: The World Twenty20 shifts to a higher gear in Sri Lanka when the hot favourites begin an intriguing race for the semifinals in the Super Eights round. The preliminary league, which ended on Tuesday, separated the men from the boys as lesser teams like Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland exited the competition. All eight seeded teams will contest the second round, divided into two groups with the top two from each half advancing to the semifinals.The road to the Super Eights was bumpy for some, a smooth ride for others, and with monsoon rains set to add to the uncertainty, the next round promises another roller coaster ride. Australia, South Africa, India and Pakistan, clubbed together for the Super Eights in the 'group of death', all came through unscathed by winning both their preliminary matches. But in the other half, defending champions England, New Zealand Indies captain said. "We have to keep improving our game and hopefully we can go out there and express what we have with us." The West Indies take on England in the second match of Thursday's double-header in Pallekele, following the opener between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Stuart Broad's England will look to put their campaign back on track after suffering an embarrassing 90run loss to India in Colombo on Sunday when they were bowled out for their lowest T20 total of 80. The action will hot up with the group two double-header in Colombo on Friday when powerpacked South Africa meet Pakistan, before India take on Australia later at night. The marquee fixture in the Super Eights will be Sunday's clash between India and Pakistan in Colombo, the first T20 international between the arch-rivals since the inaugural World Twenty20 final in 2007. A well-balanced Pakistan, boosted by the presence of prolific spinner Saeed Anwar in a versatile bowling unit, will look to break the jinx of never having beaten India in the 50over World Cup or the World Twenty20. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose young side defeated Pakistan in the 2007 final in Johannesburg, played down the hype over Sunday's game. "It's never about one team," said Dhoni. "One has to play consistently well through a tournament to win. We will take it one game at a time." The competition will be intense as even two wins out of three in a Super Eights group may not guarantee a semifinal berth if one team loses every match and the other three beat each other. With bad weather forecast for the rest of the tournament, several twists and turns could be on the cards before the winner is crowned on October 7.
The marquee fixture in the Super Eights will be Sunday's clash between India and Pakistan and hosts Sri Lanka moved up with over the Irish. England had won the just one win each, with the West last edition in 2010 after a similar Indies going through without even winless start in the preliminary winning a game. round, but Sammy refused to derive Darren Sammy's Caribbean stars any consolation from that. lost to Australia and then had their "I am aware of what happened match against Ireland abandoned by back in 2010, but the most imporrain, allowing them to scrape tant thing is that we have got to do through with a superior run-rate well in the Super Eights," the West
Olympics: Rio 2016 to get limited data from London

Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro's 2016 Olympic organizing committee will have limited access to data from this year's London Games as the fallout widens over the theft of internal documents. Rio officials last week revealed 10 employees had been sacked for stealing computer files relating to the organisation of the 2012 London Olympics. Brazil's Estadao reported that London Games organizers were now less inclined to help Rio in its preparations. "It's incredible to think that the Brazilians were responsible for this," an unnamed London official was quoted telling Estadao. "This is a question of having faith. We were willing to help Brazil with everything they needed but maybe we were naive." The sacked employees downloaded internal files without permission while working alongside London staff during this year's summer Olympics and Paralympics.
WSA: Dipika clears first hurdle in NY

Brooklyn (New York): India's topranked squash player Dipika Pallikal beat Maria Toor Pakay of Pakistan and cleared the first hurdle in qualifying for the main draw at the WSA Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 event here. World No.15 Dipika defeated her 52nd-ranked opponent in straight sets 11-8, 11-5, 11-3. She takes on local hope Latasha Khan Wednesday for a place in the main draw of the $50,000 tournament. Latasha edged out Egypt's Kanzy El Dafrawy 8-11, 11-8, 14-12, 711, 11-8 in another qualifying match. "I played Maria all my junior days and we always had close matches. Today, I tried twisting her and putting in cross courts and
Squash player Dipika Pallikal keeping her off her feet. It worked and she making errors at crucial points also helped," Dipika, 21, was quoted as saying by Squashsite. The competition field includes world's top five players, including number one Nicol David of Malaysia.
Woods accepts responsibility for US woes

Medinah: Tiger Woods may be the greatest golfer of his generation but at the Ryder Cup he has been Joe Average and accepted responsibility for the dismal US showing for the past 15 years. During a period where Woods reigned supreme over the golf world winning 74 PGA Tour titles, including 14 majors, he has been unable to extend his dominance to the biennial competition that pits the US best against Europe's best. A mediocre 13-14-2 mark from six Ryder Cups does not enhance the brilliance resume of Woods, who has been able to celebrate just one team win from six Ryder Cup appearances. Woods's struggles have coincided with lean times for the US with Europe hoisting the Cup in six of the last eight events. "Well, certainly I am responsible for that because I didn't earn the points that I was put out there for," Woods told reporters. "I believe I was out there, what, in five sessions each time and I didn't go 5-0 on our side. "So I certainly am a part of that and that's part of being a team. I needed to go get my points for my team and I didn't do that. "Hopefully I can do that this week, and hopefully the other guys can do the same and we can get this thing rolling." Medinah Country Club, which will serve as the scene for this week's 39th US-Europe showdown, represents a great chance for Woods to improve his record.
Tiger Woods
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Languages TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Proposal to make Hindi a UN official language

Johannesburg: A proposal was passed on the concluding day of the Ninth World Hindi Conference here Monday for initiating timebound action to make Hindi one of the official languages of the UN. Participants took oath to make coordinated efforts to achieve the goal of making Hindi, a language spoken by over half a billion people or every 10th person on the planet, an official language of the UN. It was also decided that the World Hindi Conference would be organized with a maximum gap of three years so that the ambitious goal was achieved soon. The first suggestion to make Hindi one of the official languages of the UN was passed at the World Hindi Conference in Nagpur city in India 37 years ago. Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, who attended the conference here, promised support to achieve this goal. The next conference would be held in India. Mauritius-based World Hindi Secretariat would prepare a database of global institutions involved in promotion and teaching Hindi. A database for Hindi scholars would also be made, the proposal said. The conference participants decided to put in efforts to make Hindi the language of technology and science. A standard courseware would be developed for Hindi training in various countries and the Mahatma Gandhi International University, based in Wardha city in India, has been authorized to prepare this training course, the proposal said. The conference began Sep 22 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg and was attended by 700 scholars and delegates from across the world.
Global torchbearers of Hindi honoured

Johannesburg: One was from Italy, another from Thailand and yet another from Russia... Twenty scholars from across the world were honored at the World Hindi Conference here Monday for being torchbearers of the language. Among those recognized at the three day meet ending Monday was Marko Jolly, who teaches at Ca Foscari university in Venice. An Italian, Jolly also runs the Hindi learning centre, Santro Resource India. "I was highly impressed with Hindi, so I trained in this language and started to promote Hindi in Italy. In my university, every year at least 30-40 students enrol in Hindi classes," Jolly told IANS. Bamrung Kham from Thailand, who also teaches Hindi at university level, says the language is growing in popularity in his country. He guides at least 30 undergraduate Hindi students. Another Hindi lover is Katrina Balereeba Dowbanya, who says that her efforts to attract students towards the language in her country Ukraine has paid dividends. At least 25-30 students have completed their graduation in Hindi from Ukraine University. Amongst the other foreign Hindi scholars who were awarded at the ninth edition of the conference were Peter Gerard Fredlander of Australia, Sargai Serebriyani of Russia, Dagmar Markova of Czech Republic, Sarita Budhu of Mauritius, Vanya Jarjiwa Gancheva of Bulgaria, Bholanath Narayan of Surinam and K. Zabullah Fiqri of Afganistan. Eighteen Indian scholars were also honoured for their enriching contribution in the promotion of Hindi.
Why is Hindi not at the United Nations?

Analysis by Madhuker Upadhyay n the midst of the ninth World Hindi Convention in Johannesburg, South Africa, it defies logic why Hindi, a language spoken by over half a billion people, or every 10th person on the planet, should feel threatened and require state protection to breath normally. A popular language has its own ways of dealing with challenges and changing times. It can never be stunted. Languages have their own set of tools. With everything around it changing, it also grows by adding new words and phrases and by altering grammar when needed. Though not opposed to celebrating a language, I feel that organizing Hindi Days or Weeks signals as if the language is on its death bed. In fact, it is quite the opposite. People know the strength of their language and are proud of it. For them, it expresses emotions and moves lives and markets. It does many more things beyond mere communication. Whether or not Hindi becomes one of the
Hindi certainly requires a 'Dictionary Mission' as a first step towards realizing its global ambitions. Also, the external affairs ministry calculates that Rs.100 crore maybe required to install Hindi at the UN as its sixth official language.
official languages at the UN is a different issue, inconsequential to its growth. If the state feels the language may add to national image, allowing India to play a bigger role globally, it should take up the cudgels. Unfortunately, this has not happened despite eight World Hindi Conventions over the last 30 years. According to rough calculations by the external affairs ministry, an investment of over Rs.100 crore is required to install Hindi at the UN as its sixth official language. The figure was given out at the time of the Suriname Hindi conference. But that is probably the easier part. For Hindi to be there at the UN it needs support of a desired number of General Assembly members and no opposition from the Big 5. The Johannesburg convention will pass resolutions and probably forget the issue for four years. The core issue, however, is the growth of Hindi at home. It definitely has wide reach but, sadly, does not show much sign of life in thought and content. The result is that while Hindi newspapers expand, Hindi books present a gloomy picture. Today Hindi books on an average have a print run of less than 500 copies. A book sell-
ing a thousand copies is called a bestseller! Also, it is probably the only language in the world where dictionaries and their usage do not get the importance it deserves. The last proper Hindi dictionary was published in the last century, nearly 30 years ago. Like all languages Hindi has acquired many new words, but they do not figure in its dictionaries. On the reverse, languages shed archaic words. They, however, keep a link and do not lose them permanently. A recent study suggests that, on a conservative estimate, Hindi has lost over 10,000 words in the last 150 years, since the first war of independence in 1857. The language has not even mourned the loss of the treasure, let alone compile them for posterity. Hindi certainly requires a 'Dictionary Mission' as a first step towards realizing its global ambitions. And if the state wants Hindi to be a powerhouse to draw energy from, it should make the initial move. Leaving its execution and distribution entirely in private hands may defeat the purpose. (The author is a leading bilingual writer and journalist) However, in the States, we dont have the proper training. Yes, we have great professionals here, which is wonderful, but the center of Bollywood is India. So, why not bring over the professionals from there over here to give our students the proper training that they need so that logistically its even possible to do that. What do you consider is your greatest accomplishment to date? Its been an overall accomplishment of being able to bring our true roots to the western world and be appreciated and accepted. Any advice for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps? Work hard. Stay true to yourself. Dont get swayed by the glitz and the glamour because its very easy to have that happen. But if you stay true to the art and stay true to yourself and you work hard and believe in something and follow itit will happen
SAROJ KHAN Continued from page 18 ask whether there are children who can dancewe will give your daughters name. Thats how I started off. Then, by the age of 11, I became a group dancer (part of chorus), and did my first number with Madhubala. Soon I met my master . I had never learned dance before but he spotted me and made me his assistant. At age 12, my first task was to teach Shammi Kapoor and Vyjaynthimala. After two years, my master went away to Europe. Then, Sadhana said she wanted Saroj Khan so I did her movie and became independent. Thats how life gave me this career. What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? Most memorable experience was the Dola re number in Devdas in 2002. Even in Tamil pictures, Ive done classical, which I have never learned. Ive done Bharatanatyam
and received national awards. The moves you remember but how to involve it in the song was a challenge because I didnt know Tamil. It was a classical number and I cannot shake my hip because Im dancing in a temple for Devdasis. We used to practice in the morning at 5 oclock because the brain only runs then. Thats how I got the moves. What is it like to see a dancer execute your moves to perfection? Ive always been Madhuri Dixits fan and teacher. Also Sridevis -- I loved her in Kaate nahi kat-te din ye raath from Mr. India. That satisfaction of seeing a lady in sexy arts sari and yet looking very sensuousnot sexy, not vulgarso that a man would crave for that lady. Another, when Madhuri was doing Dhak dhak karne laga from Beta. It was like a painting, what she did. She looked sensuous and I got the Filmfare award for that. I
got it for Dola re too, I got 17 awards for that. What is the single most important factor in making a good dancer? They have to learn how to keep their hands perfect. You can dance but can you keep perfect appearance? The hands count a lot. If they are ugly or if you have fingers apart and youre doing Bharatanatyam but keeping Kathak hands, these things count a lotfingers and expressions. How did your association with Rujuta Vaidya start? I get many students from America, from all over the world. She was one of them. Then, she said Masterji, Ill stay back and learn more. She kept on coming and going. She learned for 10 years from me. This time, I have come to inaugurate her school, IBDF. Any advice for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
Yes, they have to be very careful. My base, which I have created, is Bollywood. Here I get to do all sorts of dances. I will advise anybody taking up this career to first learn the base, take lessons in Bharatanatyam or Kathak for a year and then get into Bollywood These are the dances which can clear your mind on how many beats there are in what song. In Kathak there are seven beats. I thank God that he has given me the gift to count the beats properly. But not everyone can have that gift. RUJUTA VAIDYA Continued from page 18 work schedules or anything else, from life. Logistically, its very difficult to do that. So, I figured, as Bollywood is becoming more global and mainstream, there are a lot of people out there who are actually deciding to choose Bollywood as a career path.
Septembe 29-October 5, 2012
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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Humor with Melvin Durai
Obama leads Romney or does he?
national Gallup/USA Today/Levitra Poll shows President Barack Obama with a 49 percent to 44 percent lead over Republican challenger Mitt Romney, with four percent of voters calling themselves undecided and three percent saying they are undecided about being undecided. The undecideds could swing the election in favor of Romney, but only about 30 percent of them say they will likely cast their votes on Nov. 6 the rest are undecided about that too. The pollsters questioned 2,469 potential voters by phone, email, Facebook and Twitter, collecting information that showed voting preferences across an array of population segments. Its perhaps the most comprehensive poll ever, said Gallup spokesman John Canter. We even found out that President Obama has a five-point lead over Gov. Romney among young women whove had their tongues and eyebrows pierced.
But his lead drops to just two points among young women whove had their eyebrows pierced, but not their tongues. Romney is in a dead heat with Obama among men in general, but Obama enjoys a comfortable eightpoint lead among women, as well as an impressive 20-point lead among undecideds those who havent made a decision about their gender. If I feel like a woman on Nov. 6, Im vot-
ing for Obama, one eligible voter said. If I feel like a man, well all bets are off. Romney has a two-point lead among men who wear boxer shorts, but Obama has a one-point lead among men who wear briefs and a 25-point lead among men who wear thongs. Unfortunately for Obama, only eight respondents admitted wearing thong underwear, including three who offered to post pics on Facebook as proof. This is an important finding, Canter said. Everybody thought that Romney would have a brief campaign, but hes turned out to be quite the boxer. Among women aged 18 to 30, Obama enjoys a 10-point lead over Romney. About 50 percent of young women who plan to vote for Obama said they strongly agree with the statement: I believe that President
Obama, over the next four years, will create millions of jobs for Americans and look cute while doing it. Men aged 50 to 64 favored Romney over Obama by a six-point margin, with 54 percent of them saying hes better for the environment, 60 percent saying hes better for the economy, and 99 percent saying hes better for the 1 percent. Among welfare recipients, Obama has a 60-point lead over Romney, with only 12 percent of them saying they will vote for the Republican candidate, though 7 percent say they might switch to Romney if Obama creates too many jobs. Romney has a 40-point lead among voters who believe Obama was born in Kenya, a 55-point lead among voters who believe Osama bin Laden is still alive, and a 66-point lead among voters who believe Donald Trumps hair is real. Obama enjoys a 15-point lead among hyphenated Americans, including a 58-point cushion among IndianAmericans, a 56-point cushion among Pakistani-Americans, and a 57-point cushion among Indo-Pak-Americans. Asked about the cushion, an IndianAmerican storekeeper in Jackson Heights, New York, said, If President Obama wants a cushion, he can always come to us. We have sofa cushions, chair cushions, floor cushions all types of cushions imported from India!
Photo of the week
Psy, a rapper from Korea, posted his latest music video to the song 'Gangnam Style' on YouTube for his South Korean fans. It soon became a global sensation and has gotten the attention of celebs like Katy Perry and Nelly Furtado.
Astrology
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Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

Stars Foretell: Septmeber 29-October 5, 2012
Aries: Things at work might not be very pleasant. You do need to take out some time to sort issues, which are disturbing you on priority basis and make plans for the future. New ideas would prove highly beneficial. You would win confidence of important people, but some sort of problems on the financial matters would also mar your peace of mind. Help can be expected from people close to you. Take time to do your job correctly or you may find yourself looking for a new one. Taurus: This week you need to put your maximum energy to learn new skills or pick up an important information. Communication would be your strong point and you would be able to influence others to go with your plans. Foreign transactions or journey would bring handsome monetary benefits. Selective speculation in stock market would yield good gains. You would have the stamina and the determination to complete even the most difficult tasks. Health needs care. Gemini: This week conferences and business meetings would take up most of your time. Listen to others before you give your own opinion. Do not say things that could go against you. Although your sincerity and dedication towards your work would win you lot of appreciation, but any monetary rewards coming immediately your way do not seem very likely. Travelling will be important to establish important ties. Cancer: Entertainment that you plan should include the whole family. You need to do something energetic and different that would lift the spirits of all those around you. Important meetings and negotiation would work to your advantage. Promotions and transfers for some employees. Losses are certain if you make hasty investments. Authority figures would pose more problems than help. Money would play an important role in getting work done. Leo: Improve your efficiency this week, as there is lots more you need to do if you want to stay in the good books of your boss. Long term ventures and agreement would be implemented. Out of the way support by governmental officials lifts your morale and spirits. Cooperation with your partners would yield mutual benefits. Be cautious while handling sophisticated tools, machinery or dangerous objects. Virgo: This week you would find yourself caught in a triangle. You may also get more emotional than you generally do but be careful not to disclose any secrets or say things that could go against you. Partners and colleagues would be supportive. You are best if you spend more time on outdoor activities. Investment needs to be made with care as sudden gains and losses cannot be ruled out. Libra: This week your mood swing would not be easy for others to deal with. Control your temper to avoid disappointments in personal and professional life. A new venture or unexpected gains are in the offing. Focus on career objectives. Concentrate towards your long-term goals and forget about what others do and say. Romance take a beating as differences appear. Scorpio: Your desire to do things your way would create problems with people who do not support your ideas. New projects and assignments would give you a good allurement but it wont be wise to take hasty and emotional decisions when discussing financial considerations. Take additional care when entering into any kind of contractual or financial agreements. Botheration and irritation from govt. formalities and obligations are likely. Sagittarius: Its time to implement your new plans. You are likely to spend some money that you have made recently on yourself, however do not expect favors during this period and try to complete important jobs all by yourself. Gains from investment and speculation would improve your cash liquidity. Your determination and strength would set an example for others to follow and bring recognition and rewards for you. Capricorn: Your creative side would flourish and you would develop new skills. Expect help from your children. Travel and outstation journey would be undertaken. New sources of income would generate if you interact with people who are experienced and enterprising. Residential moves during this period would be beneficial, but you would have problems in convincing your family members that you are making the right choice. Aquarius: This week you would gain appreciation from others because of your helpful nature. Time to relax and sit amongst close family members. Your witty nature would brighten the environment around you. Friends and spouse brings comfort and happiness. Renovation that you propose to implement at home would add to your comfort level. Investment that you make would be rewarding only in the long run. Pisces: Things might get uneasy with people at home. Proper dialog and cooperation would bring about a stronger and trustworthy relationship. Avoid others interference and take all the important decisions yourself. Relatives bring you unexpected gifts, but also expect some kind of help from you. Real estate disputes would get resolved to your satisfaction. Spiritual gains, as some of you are likely to undertake a pilgrimage.
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

September: 29 You are governed by the number 2 and by the planet Moon. Your studious nature and your quest for knowledge will be your assets, in the year ahead of you. You will not only impress your Bosses with your abundant knowledge, but you will be able to use this for the benefit of those around you. This will bring you prestige, honour and recognition. More than anything, it will give you job satisfaction. In matters of love, you will be prepared to break all barriers. You do not believe in following traditions and conventions. You will go all out to achieve your love, no matter what hurdles you may have to pass. But sometimes, you tend to take matters, to the extreme. Those of you, to be married this year, can expect to lead a happy married life, full of prosperity and good luck. October 2012 and April, May, July and September of 2013 will be highly significant. September: 30 You are governed by the number 3 and by the planet Jupiter. You are skilful in your thoughts and actions. Your in depth knowledge of various subjects, will be your asset, in the year ahead of you. Coupled with your methodical approach to your work, you can expect to achieve newer heights of excellence in the year ahead of you. Subjects like religion and philosophy will impress you, but you will not be lead by orthodox views and thoughts. Your jovial nature will make you the centre of attraction amongst friends. Those in need will find solace and peace in your company. They are bound to look to you for advice and help. In matters of love, you will be very reserved. You will not like to take any initiative from your end, till you are sure of a positive reply. The months of September 2012 and February, March and May of 2013 will especially improve prosperity. October 01: Dominated by number 1 and the Sun. You are smart, intelligent, energetic, friendly and highly dignified person. You are a great admirer of art and literature, but you need to control your tendency to behave stubborn, timid and careless at times. A perfect year to undertake important changes and make strong decisions. Matters related to property, partnerships and new ventures will get resolved. Concentrate on your efforts and growth and prosperity will follow by themselves. The latter half of the year will bring in opportunities to travel overseas for business as well as pleasure. Selective speculation will bring gains. Some good news can be expected from children towards the last quarter of the year. Renovation, construction and socializing will be major highlight of this year. The months of October, September, November and February will prove to be highly significant. October 02: Governed by number 2 and the Moon. You are imaginative, honest, sensitive, emotional and a simple individual. You willingly help those in distress with cash and kind, but your tendency to behave introvert and shy needs to be checked at times. Your coming year promises financial prosperity and good health. Businessmen will invest in more profitable ventures. Promising contacts will build through social get-togethers and traveling. Unexpected help from a distant relative will give a major boost to your career. Your spouse will be quite cooperative and shower her full love and affection upon you despite your erratic behavior towards her. An infatuation within the group will keep you in high spirits for some time but it will not be long lasting. The months of December, March, April and July will prove to be highly significant. October 03: Governed by number 3 and the planet Jupiter, you are ambitious, dignified, jovial, generous and an optimistic person. You are good at everything you do, which in return brings lots of appreciation and rewards for you. But you need to control your tendency to behave extravagant and dominating at times. This year seems perfect for making drastic changes at you work place. You might be faced with strong resistance initially, but these changes would prove highly beneficial and rewarding in the long run. Your confidence and morale will be high and you are likely to gain favours from certain govt. departments and officials. Property disputes or long pending matters May be decided amicably towards the end of the year. Spouse will remain cooperative through out the year and will shower her love and affection upon you. January, July, September and October will be highly important. October 04: Ruled by number 4 and the planet Uranus. You are generous, peace loving, dashing, systematic, disciplined, artistic character and introvert in nature. You possess a strong memory and an ability to impress others with your intelligent and witty conversation, but you need to control your tendency to be extravagant, reckless and moody at times. This year you are advised not to trust others on important issues. Sharing personal and secretive information will not be in your interest. The atmosphere at office will require you to handle important jobs with more responsibility. A sudden influence of a spiritual person will bring remarkable change in your life. Your spouse and family members will be supportive to your concerns and provide you with love and affection. Distant journeys, may be overseas for some will fetch favorable returns. The months of January, March, April and July will prove to be significant. October 05: Ruled by number 5 and the planet Mercury, you are active, intelligent, sensible, systematic and highly courageous. You are a great admirer of music and literature, but you need to curb your tendency to behave moody, spendthrift and careless at times. This year you will make good financial gains, provided you take advantage of the opportunities being provided to you. Your charisma and outgoing personality will bring you popularity and win you favours. Home front will be peaceful with family members extending all possible help and cooperation. Spouse and children will look after you well, but be highly demanding at times. Wedding bells for some in the last quarter of the year while others will find romance to keep them in the right spirit and good mood. The months of November, February, April, May and August will prove to be important and eventful.
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Spiritual Awareness TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Concluding part of discourse 'Illumine your self with love'
Each religion has love at its core

realms. Love is at the heart of all forms of life in creation as well. It exists within every living thing from the plants, to the animals, to humans. We name that love within us as the soul. The soul is a spark of God, and as God is love, our soul is also lovepure and simple. All problems that exist in creation are due to forgetting the love of God within us. If we were to remember Gods love, we would be one with God, from whom we were created. If we are here on this planet today, it is because we have forgotten that love. Our separation from God is due to forgetting this love. This outer shell of the body we wear is formed from the actions and reactions of a long stream of lifetimes in which we cycled away from Gods love. We may have been sent out for one experience, but if we became enamored by Gods universes instead of God, we ended up being attracted to living in the realms of creation instead of returning to God. How few returned to God. It is said that only ten percent wanted to go back to God, but they had already accumulated karma in their sojourn away from God, and that had to be paid off before they could return. Think of the ninety percent who have not yet remembered they came from God, and how much karma they are accumulating in each successive life away from God. As long as we think we are the body and mind and not the soul, it is easy to forget love. What we call love in this world is really a manifestation of desire. How many of us really love the essence of other people for the pure love within them? How many love others conditionally because we want something? Some people claim to love others but really want something from them, like money, possessions, control, power, favors, and the like. When we love someone for who they are at their core, that is love. When we just love someone for the sake of loving them, and do not care to gain anything from them, that is love. But most people call something love when it is nothing more than filling a desire for money, belongings, security, attachment, control, or power. These reasons for loving end up dragging us through the mud of anger, greed, attachment, and ego. Thus, the so-called love only adds to our karmic load. True love frees us from karma because we do not want anything for ourselves. So long as we have forgotten love, we are in separation from God. To end the separation from God, we need to illumine ourselves with love, the expression of God. That love is innate within all of us. When we are illumined with that love within, we connect back to God. Every religion stressed this key purpose of life. Each religion has love at its core. Each saint taught the way to illumine ourselves with that love. Once we find the love within ourselves, we have found God. We think finding God is so complex and technical. We think that it is something that only a lucky few throughout history have done. Finding love is so easy it can be done by a child or person of any age, whether literate or illiterate. It is like digging for a treasure hidden under your house. Just dig and you will find it. Instead we are looking for the treasure everywhere else instead of where it waits for us. Imagine there is a treasure. Yet we are ignorant of it. How can we find it? We need someone with the map to show us the right place to dig for the treasure. That person can show us the right tools we need, the right place to dig, and the technique for digging. Similarly, the treasure of Gods love is within us. We have forgotten it is there, forgotten how to dig for They teach us the process of meditation by which we can contact that Light and Sound within. That Light and Sound are two manifestations of Gods love that brought all creation into being. That love of God is a stream or current of Light and Sound that flowed out from God, creating all that exists including us. God, the Light and Sound, and the soul are all one, and that oneness that is at their core is love. When we connect with the Light and Sound we are connecting to a stream of love. That love leads us back to the source of that love, God. Meditation is the process of making daily contact with the love within us. When we meditate on the Light and Sound, we are meditating on that love. That is why those who experience success in their meditation are blissed out. Why? They are contacting that love within them. His ethereal form radiates even more than his outer form. His radiation of love increases as we travel with the Master within through each higher realm of creation. The love we experience from the Master without is but a reflection of the love we experience when we meet the Master within. We know about the art of divine love of God through the saints and Masters who have experienced this love for themselves. Saints have described what it is like to meet their Master within in terms of bliss so incredible there is little comparison to it in the language of this world. They may say something like: "Every pore of the body is filled with ecstasy." It is not just one experience of ecstasy, but it is multiplied by thousands, if not millions, of times over. Some people cannot even contain themselves with one single drop of ecstasy, let alone millions of times that amount. That is why we speak of those touched by this love as having the madness of love. We think of love in this world as a matter of giving cards to our loved ones that say, "I love you," or giving flowers or candy to our loved ones. These are some outer ways in which lovers and their beloveds honor the love they have for each other. But the greatest love relationship in this creation is that of the soul and God, lover and Eternal Beloved. That is a love that never ends. It is a permanent, eternal love that elevates the soul into the arms of the Beloved. There is no greater love than that of the soul and God. The closer we come to identifying with our soul, the closer we come to having greater and greater love for God. There is nothing sweeter than the sweetness of love in the heart of a disciple for the Master. This sweetness is that of the soul in love with God. We think of outer sweets as being delicious. But there is nothing more delicious than the love the disciple experiences for the Master and the love of the soul for God. Love is the sweetest nectar in the world. What is Naam, or the Light and Sound? It is not a principle of physics. It is love itself. It is the love flowing out of the heart of God in the form of Light and Sound that created all. It is the God power or the Master that is actually love itself. The Master is one with that power and exudes that love in all directions. It is the soul that is a drop of that love. When we strip away the world and the mind, we find ourselves as a drop of love. We are soul, and as such we, too, are made of love. When the love of the soul meets the love of God, there is no duality. Two become one. It is love meeting love. When the disciple meets the Master, it is recognizing the love within us is the same love that is within the Master, and all separateness is gone. Love meets love and there is nothing but love.
By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
ust as 99.9 percent of all human genes are said by scientists to be the same, the genetic spiritual heart of all life is love, and that is the same for everyone. At the core of everyone is love. That love is within you and that love is within me, and that love is within everyone. When we connect with that love, we are in bliss. Sant Mat is the path of love. Sant Mat translates into "teachings of the Masters or saints." Study any of the worlds religions and we find that the founder of each religion taught the same exact message, which is that God is love, our soul is love, and the way back to God is through love. How simple and clear this message is, but we lose sight of it. Thousands of books are written to speculate about God, but the founders of every religion had it correct. They boiled it down to one word, and that is love. God is the power of love. It is love that blossomed forth into expression as creation. Whether we poetically describe God as a parent whose love wanted to create children, or God as an artist whose love to create burst forth into song, paintings, poetry, or sculpture, the essence of that creation is love. If we look at nature we find at the core of all the physical sciences is the law of attraction. This whole universe is held together by the law of love expressed as physics. Gravity is the law of attraction that keeps objects within the atmosphere of the planet, or we would all float off into space. The dance of neutrons, electrons, and protons is a pull of attraction that keeps them tied together as molecules of matter, or we would be just one loose universe of floating energy with no matter. Electricity is the flow of charged particles from the positive part of a circuit to the negative part. Magnetism is based on the flow of energy between positive and negative poles. Physics is just an expression of the law of love. As Gods love flows out, creation comes into being. Love lies at the heart of all Gods expressions, from the spiritual realms of creation, to the physical realm, and all matter and energy that exists within these
it, and forgotten the technique. Masters are the catalyst by which we can find and reawaken that love within. The Masters are in tune with the love of God. They have a physical form and they have a mind, but they have found the source of love within them, connected with it, and have become one with it. Thus, when we come into the presence of a Master we are in the presence of love itself. Every saint has been described in the same manner, a being of all love. Christ was all love. Moses was all love. Buddha was all love. Mahavira was all love. Guru Nanak was all love. Kabir was all love. The founders of all religions were all love. Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj was all love. Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj was all love. Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj was all love. Whoever came in contact with a Master-saint came in contact with walking love on earth. When we become disciples, apostles, followers, students, initiates, satsangis, or whatever we want to call it, we are learning from them how to love. They give us the roadmap to find the treasure of Gods love within us. That roadmap is that they initiate us into the Light and Sound of God.
See the faces of those who rise above body-consciousness. They are enraptured with love. Those who have had a near-death experience describe their entry into a world of Light where they experienced more love than they ever had on earth. Those who meet a Master in the physical form or the radiant form within during meditation describe experiencing more love from the Master than from anyone else they met in this world. Meditation is not a dry set of physical steps, such as sit down, close your eyes, and look within; meditation is an act of love. It is the dance of love between the soul and godly love within us. The term spiritual "Master" means "one who has mastered meditation on the Light and Sound and can teach us to do the same." The Master of meditation of the inner Light and Sound is teaching us how to reawaken our love within us through connecting with the stream of love to take us back to the source of love, which is God. The Master radiates love through his eyes, through his words, through his smile, through his touch, through his presence in the physical realm, and through his spiritual or radiant form which we meet in meditation.
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US Affairs 10

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