USA Affairs 10

Bollywood 16

Astrology 29

Spiritual Awareness 30

NEW YORK EDITION

Vol.3 No.45 February 26-March 4, 2011 60 Cents
Ex-Marine Anu Bhagwati backs suit against US Army Tristate Community, Page 5 31 convicted for Godhra train burning in Gujarat India, page 12 Tania Gupta: Telegenic guiding star

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Dr Sheela Prahalad: Honored by NRI body in India Tristate Community, page 18

Profile, page 15

Maximum India fest to celebrate Indian art, culture in DC

Washington, DC: The famed John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts here will transform into a veritable showcase of Indian culture with the Maximum India festival, which begins on March 1 and will have nearly 70 performances, exhibitions and other events, featuring some 500 artistes. It will include a number of dance, music and theater performances, art and traditional crafts exhibitions, panel discussions on literature and cinema, and a feast of exquisite Indian cuisine. I want our audience to experience the beauty and magnificence of India, Alicia Adams, the curator of the festival said. We are looking at the art and culture of the entire country. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which will fly in eight troupes from different parts of India, and the Embassy of India in Washington are co-sponsors of

JPC set up to probe 2G spectrum, telecom policy

New Delhi: Giving in to the oppositions relentless demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC), the government Thursday formed a 30-member multiparty panel to probe alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocation and to look into the telecom policy from 1998 to 2009. This covers the governments of both the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee moved a motion in the Lok Sabha to set up a JPC that has been asked to submit its report by the end of the monsoon session this year - most likely by end August or early September. It will have 30 members, including the chairman 20 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The formation of the JPC, the

Opposition parties had agitated long for the JPC. fifth so far, is the governments effort to buy peace and let the crucial budget session function smoothly, unlike the winter session that was crippled by the opposition. It comes in the wake of opposition pressure for a parliamentary panel to investigate how second generation telephony spectrum licenses were sold to telecom firms allegedly at throwaway prices that, according to the government auditor, caused a loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore to the Continued on page 4...

The festival will have 70 performances, exhibitions and other events, featuring some 500 artistes at the Kennedy Center in the capital the festival. One of the highlights of Maximum India will be the world premiere of an orchestral composition by Zakir Hussain paying tribute to India. Conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, music director of the in-house National Symphony Orchestra, it will also feature, besides Hussain on tabla, Indian vocalists Hariharan and Shankar Mahadevan, and American mezzo-soprano Kelley OConnor. Other notable performers include revered figures in Indian classical music and dance, such as vocalists Continued on page 4...

Pak court begins hearing in US shooter case

Lahore: A Pakistani court was to begin proceedings Friday at a hearing into double murder charges against a CIA contractor who shot dead two men in Lahore last month, lawyers said.Washington is pushing hard for Pakistan to free Raymond Davis, arguing that he has diplomatic immunity and is backing his claim that he acted in self-defense when he shot the men in a busy city street nearly four weeks ago. Revelations that Davis was a CIA contractor have heaped pressure on Pakistans fragile government and further ramped up burning public mistrust of Washington. The Pakistani court concerned is to sit Friday inside Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, where Davis is being held, ahead of a High Court hearing to determine the diplomatic immunity issue, set for March 14.

Al Qaeda backs Libya unrest amid genocide reports

Tripoli: Reports of genocide in Libyan towns were flying Thursday as Muammar Gaddafis troops went on a killing spree to crush the 10day uprising that seems to have left over 1,000 people dead. The Al Qaeda too stepped in to declare its backing for the movement that had its roots in Tunisia and Egypt and has now spread across the Arab world. In Bahrain, opposition parties outlined their key demands as the anti-regime unrest intensified, while Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered the countrys security forces to protect protesters trying to force him out of power and loyalists alike. In oil-rich Libya, Gaddafi, who came to power after a bloodless coup in 1969, stubbornly clung on to power. Al Qaedas North Continued on page 4...

CIA agent Raymond Davis

Muammar Gaddafi: clinging to power

Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Sarah Palin to visit India in March

Washington: Sarah Palin will visit India next month to participate in the annual conclave of India Today magazine. Palin aide Rebecca Mansour confirmed the details on Wednesday by tweeting a link to the magazines website, writing only 'Governor Palin will be traveling to India next month'. The former Alaska Governor and and potential 2012 Republican candidate for President is slated to deliver the closing keynote address entitled "My Vision of America." in New Delhi on March 19. Palin will be the only American politician attending the conference, which is stacked with Indian and Pakistani officials, business leaders, public figures and entertainers.

Sarah Palin: high profile Republican leader

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will kick off the India Today conference.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano felicitated Friends For Good Health for their contribution to community services in healthcare. Friends For Good Health and community leader Bobby K. Kalotee had recently organized medical camps in El Salvador where a group of medical professionals, mainly Indian Americans, of Nassau County volunteered their services to thousands of people.

London court grants Swedish request to extradite Assange

London: A British court on Thursday ordered Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, to be extradited to Sweden to face accusations of sexual abuse. His lawyers have seven days to appeal the ruling and immediately indicated that they would do so. Assange sat impassively as the decision was read. He is currently free on bail and the court continued that, subject to conditions which were being discussed. Judge Howard Riddle, in his ruling, said that allegations brought by two women qualified as extraditable offenses and that the warrant seeking Mr. Assanges return to Sweden for questioning was valid. The verdict marks a turning point in the threemonth battle in the British courts and the media against what Mr. Assange, his legal team and his celebrity supporters say is a conspiracy to stop Wik-

Egypt style revolution can happen in Pakistan: Imran

Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder iLeaks and its campaign to expose government and corporate secrets. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan with his supporters. Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief, Imran Khan has said that a national uprising like Egypt and Tunisia can also happen in Pakistan and has asked his young followers to be ready for coming out on streets, Dawn News reported Wednesday.Khan said while speaking to his young party workers in Peshawar that the corrupt rulers of Egypt and Tunisia did not leave their people any other option but to come out on streets for protests against corruption. The situation in Pakistan was not much different as well, as more and more people were becoming suicide bombers because of US drone attacks, said Khan. If someone kills my wife and kids, then I cannot be blamed for becoming a suicide bomber, he added. Khan criticized the government by saying that there were more US agents roaming around in the country like Raymond Davis because the government had allowed them to.

Long Island among Americas most segregated metro areas

Hauppauge, NY: Long Island continues to be one of the most segregated metropolitan areas in the US, according to a new study. Experts blame the problem on long-standing restrictive housing patterns. A new study ranks the island the seventh most segregated among 50 major metro regions analyzed. Researchers from Brown University and Florida State point out that it is really a black and white divide. The study shows less segregation between Whites and Asians and between whites and Hispanics. Government officials say theyre trying to address the problem through fair housing laws. Since 2000, there has been little change in the diversity (or lack thereof) of Long Island. You can hardly measure the change, John R. Logan of Brown University (formerly of Stony Brook University) told Newsday. The study was authored by Logan and Brian Stults of Florida State University.

Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

First Indian American elected to Chicago City Council

Chicago: Ameya Pawar is the alderman-elect for the 47th Ward on Chicago's North Side. Pawar will be the first Indian-American elected to City Council. He was a virtual unknown when he entered the race but managed
Gaddafi story from page 1 African wing said it will do whatever we can to help the uprising in Libya, CNN reported, citing a statement. Troops loyal to Gaddafi attacked anti-government protesters in the city of Al-Zawiya, west of Tripoli. A witness told an Al Arabiya broadcaster that the city had

to strike a chord with the residents of a ward that has been represented by outgoing alderman Gene Schulter for over 30 years. Alderman Schulter did not seek re-election but did back his forbecome a slaughterhouse and that it was difficult to say how many people had been killed or injured, DPA reported. In a crucial development, sections of the army have switched sides. Army officers stationed in Misurata, in a statement, pledged their total support for the protesters. Major-General Suleiman India fest. story from page 1 Rajan and Sajan Mishra, violin maestro L. Subramaniam, mandolin great U. Srinivas, renowned dancers Madhavi Mudgal, Alarmel Valli and Shantala Shivalingappa. Bollywood, along with bhangra, is also part of the show. The 90minute Ticket to Bollywood will showcase the sights and sounds of Indias commercial film industry. Actors Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore and Nandita Das and writJPC story from page 1 exchequer. The Lok Sabha passed the motion through a voice vote but not before a heated debate over the delay by the government in forming the panel. Mukherjee said the panel would examine irregularities and aberrations, if any, and the consequences thereof in the implementation of government decisions and policy prescriptions from 1998 to 2009. The Congress has eight Lok Sabha MPs in the panel and BJP

mer chief of staff in the election, candidate Tom O'Donnell. Pawar, the son of Indian immigrants and an emergency preparedness expert working on his third master's degree, won with 50 percent of the vote.
Mahmoud, the commander of the armed forces in Tobruk, added that his troops had switched loyalties. The opposition groups have asked for release of all political prisoners, electoral reforms, and formation of a new national salvation government, along with an independent probe into the deaths of seven protesters since the clashes began more than a week ago. ers Salman Rushdie and Nayantara Sahgal will speak at various events. The venue for many of the Maximum India shows will be the Indian-themed Monsoon Club, specially built and overlooking the Potomac River. The festival, to cost $7 million, has been in the works for three years. Two of its major sponsors are Tata and PepsiCo, whose CEO Indra K. Nooyi is a co-chairs of the festival. six. The Congress members include P.C. Chacko, Manish Tewari, Jai Prakash Agarwal and V. Kishore Chandra Deo. From the BJP, the panel members include former ministers Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha. Speaker Meira Kumar will nominate one of the members of the committee as its chairman. The motion for the formation of JPC will now be referred to the Rajya Sabha for the approval and nomination of 10 members from the upper house.

"I don't think it mattered what my background was. They just wanted to get involved. They wanted a say in what was going on in their local government," said Pawar. Pawar promises to have an elect-

ed ward council to guide his actions at City Hall and to give $50,000 of his salary to help offset the city's deficit or offer community grants. He says the city's budget issues motivated him to get involved.

Tristate Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Akbar Padamsees 1960 masterpiece to lead Sothebys Indian art sale

New York: Sothebys sale of Indian and South East Asian Art on 25 March 2011 will be led by one of the most important paintings by a modern Indian painter ever to have appeared on the market. Untitled (Reclining Nude) is one of the highlights of Sothebys Asia Week series of auctions in New York and carries an auction estimate of $500/700,000. It was acquired by the current owners from the artist over 50 years ago and has never before appeared at auction. Sothebys presented the painting to collectors at the recent Indian Art Summit in New Delhi the first time it had been returned to India since 1960. It will be on

Anu Bhagwati joins in support of class action lawsuit against US Army

Washington, DC: Service Womens Action Network (SWAN), a national advocacy organization devoted to eliminating sexual violence in the U.S. military, led by executive director and former Marine Corps Captain Anu Bhagwati, daughter of noted economist Jagdish Bhagwati, are joining in support of a lawsuit filed against Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, for failure to make measurable progress and marked improvement to the Pentagons record of tolerating sexual abuse and rape. The lawsuit, brought on behalf of seventeen plaintiffs, including two men, was filed in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District in Virginia by Susan L. view to The New Civil Rights Movement. The inspirational plaintiffs you see before you are a small handful of the tens of thousands of troops and veterans who have been sexually brutalized and physically and psychologically tortured by their fellow servicemembers while defending our nation. According to Bhagwati, in FY 2009, 3,230 servicemembers reported rape or sexual assault through the military. In the interest of full disclosure, Id like to add that I recently joined SWANs Board of Directors and jumped at the opportunity to support this ground breaking work, because SWAN is the first military veterans organization in the country to focus on the elimination of military rape and sexual abuse, she said.

Untitled (Reclining Nude) to be offered on March 25th in NY view in New York from the 18 th March. Untitled (Reclining Nude) was executed in 1960, at a time when Padamsee produced few paintings and only worked in shades of grey. It was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in Montreal the same year. The monotone of the current work gives the figure an amazing subtlety and presence, and stands in contrast to the rich colour palette of his early paintings. Described by the artist as one of his best paintings, Untitled (Reclining Nude) is one of only three large paintings from the important Juhu series, with the two equivalent paintings in esteemed private collections. Furthermore, this seminal work is from the same period as the 1959 painting Cityscape, which was sold at Sothebys New York in 2006 and holds the current record for the artist at auction

Anu Bhagwati Burke, and announced at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Burke was joined today by Bhagwati, Ellie Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Fund, and some of the plaintiffs participating in the lawsuit. I stand in solidarity with the courageous men and women who have served in our nations armed services, Bhagwati said in an inter-

Congress loses defamation case against Swamy

New Delhi: Last January, an officebearer of the Gujarat Youth Congress, Prakash Dharamsingh Gurjar filed a defamation case against Janata Party President Dr. Subramanian Swamy alleging that he had in a speech in Ahmedabad in December 2010 defamed Congress President Sonia Gandhi by alleging that she was a beneficiary in all corrupt deals since she came to India in 1968. He had also alleged that she had received Rs. 36,000 crores in the 2G Spectrum Scam and had several illegal foreign accounts abroad thus committing offences under IPC Sections 499 (defamation) read with 153A&B (promoting enmity and prejudice to national integration). and Section 2 of the B.T. Dave ,Metropolitan Magistrate, Ahmedabad, while dismissing the complaint on ground of failure of Gurjar to give any facts on his examination as complainant ,which was requisite u/Section 200 Cr.P.C., also held that no prima facie case was made out and hence it was not maintainable. Gurjar had alleged Dr. Swamy of doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony while demanding Dr. Swamy detention in prison under the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act. This is the fifth defamation case filed by Congress Party office bearers in the last two years against Dr. Swamy, and all of them have now been dismissed.

A play on Draupadi at Off-Broadway

New York: The Shivani Wazir Pasrich production, Draupadi Will My Spirit Live on, is an English play produced in India that interweaves tales of the epic past from the Hindu holy text, The Mahabharata, with contemporary Indian life. Presented by the IndoAmerican Arts Council to New York audiences from March 16 20, 2011 at Off-Broadways Roy Arias Theater (300 W. 43rd St. between 8th and 9th Avenues), the play is set to be both a poetic piece of drama and a truly dazzling affair. Some of Indias foremost names in the arts have joined together to create a wonderful spectacle, with Ritu Kumar designing costumes, Aman Nath conceptualizing the set design, Anjolie Ela Menons intense painting being the signature of the play, and Shubha Mudgal lending her wonderful voice to the production. The play draws attention to the roles of women in society throughout the ages, through an exploration of the dramatic and compelling figure of Draupadi herself. Draupadi is every woman, says Aroon Shivdasani, Executive Director of the Indo-American Arts Council, and there is no more poignant and meaningful time to present this work of art than during International Womens Month. Synopsis of the play: Centuries have gone by since the Mahabharat war, yet Draupadi is still here, stuck between heaven and earth, roaming the streets, and pondering her fate and choices. Her only confidant is Lord Krishna. She tries to resolve with him why women must continue to suffer as she had in the past.

Janata Party President Dr Subramanian Swamy Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act(1967). In his judgment on Gurjar's two complaints passed on Feb 15 by

8th annual Erasing Borders Art Exhibition to kick off on March 27

New York: The Indo-American Arts Councils 8th Annual Erasing Borders Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art of the Diaspora features work by 43 artists whose origins can be traced to the Indian subcontinent. This group of multinational and intergenerational artists, chosen by curator Vijay Kumar, reflects a broad range of life experiences and aesthetic values. The artists interpret diverse subject matterfigurative, abstract and conceptualin a variety of media, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, video, sculpture and installation. The resulting works often meld Indian and Western ideas about color, form and subject. This traveling exhibition is presented as part of Asian Contemporary Art Week 2011 and the opening reception at the Queens Museum of Art is scheduled for Sunday, March 27, 2011, from 2 to 5 p.m. I am very pleased that this years Erasing Borders exhibition is able to include work by 43 artists working in a wide variety of media, says Kumar. We are able to showcase work by established artists, as well as introduce work by new young talent to a wider audience. It has been my great privilege to be part of this ever-widening community of artists from the Diaspora. This year the IAAC introduces the Artist of the Year Award to recognize a young Diaspora artist who displays exceptional talent and creative potential, says Aroon Shivdasani, Executive Director of the Indo-American Arts Council. A distinguished jury of artists and professionals will select a winner, who will then be awarded a solo show in Manhattan; IAACs mission is to encourage and support artists in ways such as these. To this end, we are delighted to welcome our new young Exhibitions Director Tanu Jindal to our family. The exhibition features work by 43 South Asian artists including: Fasihu Ahsan, Mohammed Bari, Samanta Batra Mehta, Fareen Butt, Amita Chatterjee, Sonia Chaudhary, Nandini Chirimar, Neil Chowdhury, Uday K Dhar, Reet Das, Delna Dastur, Anjali Deshmukh, Anujan Ezhikode, Aaliyah Gupta, Mansoora Hassan, Mumtaz Hussain, Tehniyet Hussain, Samina Iqbal, Nidhi Jalan, Sunita Jariwala-Gajjar, Reeta Gidwani Karmarkar, Kulvinder Kaur Dhew etc.

Dr.Rani Thukral, son Anuj and a stylist with Vidya Balan: New York and Beverly Hills anchored Roni Spa took part in the launch of Indias newest news channel Timesnow by offering its beauty services to the world famous Hindi film star Vidya Balan during her recent visit.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

A. R. Rahman to perform at Oscar Awards 2011

Los Angeles: Composer and Oscar Awards winner A. R. Rahman will be performing at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, which will be presented at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on Sunday, February 27, 2011. The 45-yearold has been nominated in two categories, original score and original song for Danny Boyle's 127 Hours. Academy Awards winner A. R. from his nominated film 127 Hours with British pop singer Florence Welch, of Florence + the Machine. However, the song was originally performed by Dido. Indian music maestro A. R. Rahman had also performed at the Oscars in 2009 on his song "Jai ho" from Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire". He won two Oscars for his work in "Slumdog Millionaire."

A.R. Rahman Rahman will perform on "If I Rise"

Aapka Colors launches two new shows from Saturday

Bhatts Anhoniyon ka Andhera in the 10 pm and 11 pm slot respectively; starting Saturday, 26 February 2011. Wanted - High Alert, produced by BAG Films, a crime-based reality show, will bring forth cases of absconding suspects and urge the common man to step up and take charge of his safety. It will be followed by Anhoniyon Ka Andhera, a fresh take on Supernatural drama which will give a spell of horror and send chills down your spine. Adding to this mix will be the existing One Hour Fiction specials at 8 PM followed by dance reality show Chak Dhoom Dhoom Team Challenge at 9 PM making the Shanivaar surely Shandaar. Talking about the shows, Ashvini Yardi, Programming Head, AAPKA COLORS says, We have placed both the shows in the Saturday weekend band so that we can even cater to the preference of our male audiences across demographic. While we have socially relevant drama, these two shows will introduce crime and supernatural in our diverse programming mix.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano with the rescued six-year-old girl named Nebal Hani al Shamali who was severely burned in Gaza, and others. Mangano was honoring earlier this week Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh and Dr. Roger L. Simpson of Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, who help run the Burn Unit at Nassau University Medical Center and had volunteered their expertise to help rescue Nebal, who suffered burns all over her body from scalding hot water. Her mother took her to Egypt, from where she was then sent to the US days before the riots broke out.

New York: AAPKA COLORS is set to make Saturday programming thrilling and exhilarating with the launch of its two new showsWanted - High Alert and Vikram

Sakhi hosts a panel discussion on women empowerment

Brings together a diverse group of agencies in New York to discuss how education, economic empowerment and policy work prevents and ends violence against women and advances womens rights
Sakhi and partner agencies are doing critical work to prevent vulnerability to violence and promote self-sufficiency in women. The work we all do every day is directly linked to the global movement to end violence against women, says Tiloma Jayasinghe, Executive Director if Sakhi and moderator of the panel. We serve the same women- marginalized, underserved and facing similar barriers to accessing opportunities as other populations of women around the world. By organizing such an event, Sakhi brings international attention to the incredible work of community and grass-roots organizations in New York. By the end of this global summit, the Commission on the Status of Women will gather knowledge, insights and best practices in its Agreed Conclusions and Recommendations which will then be sent to the United Nations Economic and Social Council for adoption by member states. Over the last two decades, through case-bycase service provision and innovative advocacy and policy work, Sakhi has made significant achievements in the improvement of womens welfare and the prevention of violence. Sakhi for South Asian Women is a community-based organization in the New York metropolitan area committed to preventing and ending violence against women.

New York: On Thursday, February 24, 2011, Sakhi for South Asian Women hosted a panel discussion on the 55th Annual United Nations- Commission on the Status of Womens NGO Parallel Event to illustrate how education, economic justice and empowerment works to end violence against women. Panelists included members from the Department of Labors Womens Bureau, Arab-American Family Support Center, Sauti Yetu Center for Immigrant Women and Voces Latinas. A commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Commission on the Status of Women is a global policy making body that identifies challenges, sets global standards and formulates concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide. This year, the Commissions theme is Access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work. Through ESL, skill improvement, financial literacy and health classes, enabling banking opportunities for women, advocating for equal pay, workplace flexibility and developing solutions to ease women who are saddled with debt that sometimes may not even be theirs,

Indian-American appointed to key US export committee

Washington: IndianAmerican Chiradeep Sengupta, an eminent trade expert, has been appointed to a key US committee to provide "invaluable" advice on the export control reform initiative of the Obama administration, which aims to double the country's exports in five years. Sengupta of Federal Express and 21 others were appointed on Wednesday by commerce secretary Gary Locke as members to the President's Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA), which will advise the commerce department on the administration's export control reform initiative. "The PECSEA will provide invaluable advice as we continue to enhance our national security through the President's reform efforts," Locke said.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

United Sikhs intervenes to protect Austin Gurdwara from demolition

Kalpana Chawla's biography released

Chandigarh: All those who had hoped to know all about Indian American astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, can go through her biography, written by her husband, Jean Pierre Harrison. The book is titled ''The Edge of Time''. Jean released the book at Punjab Engineering College (PEC) on Tuesday, the institute from where Kalpana had graduated in aeronautical engineering in 1982. She had moved to the United States in 1982 and had obtained a MS degree in Aerospace Engineering from University of Texas at Arlington in 1984. Chawla got a second MS degree in 1986 and a received a PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1988 from University of Colorado at Boulder. Jean said that the students and the youth who consider Kalpana as their role model had inspired him to write a book four years after the incident. ''This book

Austin Gurdwara Sahib Austin, Texas: Sikhs in Austin face imminent danger to their religious freedom of assembly and practice if the Texas Supreme Court does not agree to review and subsequently overturns the Appellate Court's judgment that requires the removal of the new Gurdwara. United Sikhs, a leading Sikh advocacy group has intervened by submitting an Amicus ("friend of the court") Brief to the Texas Supreme Court making two major arguments: The impact on nonparties (Sikh Community) and their First Amendment rights (religious assembly/ practice) implicate an important public interest and militates against issuing such an extreme and overly broad injunction; The unclean hands of Plaintiffs fueled by racial/ religious animus should be taken seriously in light of recent legal challenges to the building of houses of worship (specifically for minorities) that are motivated by religous discrimination. Austin Gurdwara Sahib (AGS), a mobile home, became a temporary Gurdwara for Austin sangat in 2003. Couple of years later the City Council of Bee Cave approved site plans for a new permanent Gurdwara Sahib. None of the neighbors in the subdivision challenged the building of a new permanent Gurdwara. In 2008, the plaintiffs, who moved into the neighborhood in 2008, filed a lawsuit against AGS claiming that AGS had violated its deed restrictions. They also called the police and accussed AGS members of terrorizing the community when AGS members were merely seeking to get majority support. The Trial Court found in favor of AGS based on a finding of affirmative defenses. But the Appellate Court overruled the Trial Court and issued a permanent injunction against AGS. In Nov 2010, AGS counsel, Jane Webre with the law firm of Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P., files a Petition for Review with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Appellate Court's judgment. And on Feb 18 United Sikhs filed the Amicus Brief with Texas Supreme Court.

Kalpana Chawla with husband Jean Pierre Harrison would be different from those earlier published as I have presented a story of her life and the time that we had spent together,'' he said. It took Jean over three years to complete the book. ''I have summarized her factual life in the book with inputs from people she knew. I had also visited PEC twice before publishing the book,'' he said. The author along with her sister-in-law Anjali Chawla have presented a graphical representation Kalpana's life, from the day when she was a child till the time when she was in the Columbia Space Shuttle. Her favorite books were also donated to the library of the hostel named after Kalpana. Jean added that the profit incurred through the 242page book would be spent on providing education to underprivileged children. He said that he was approached by a few persons of the Indian Origin in Los Angles who wanted to make a movie on Kalpana. But he had refused as he preferred someone with a stature similar to Kalpana in the film.

Major exhibition on Lord Vishnu premieres in Nashville

Tennessee: Vishnu: Hinduisms BlueSkinned Savior said to be the first major museum exhibition to focus on the Hindu deity Vishnu, has opened at Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville. Guest curated by Dr. Joan Cummins, Asian Art Curator at Brooklyn Museum (New York, USA), it introduces Vishnu to broader audiences through over 170 sculptures, paintings, prints, textiles, and ritual objects created in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, going as far back as fourth century, and reveals the many ways Vishnu was portrayed and celebrated. Accompanied by a 292-page illustrated catalog, it also provides a brief survey of Hindu art styles as well as an examination of Vishnu-worshiping traditions. It shall continue at Frist till May 29 and then move to Brooklyn Museum from June 24 to October two. According to a release, the first section of the exhibition, Images of Vishnu, introduces Vishnu in his primary form with subsections dedicated to his attributes and legends. The second section, The Avatars of Vishnu, is devoted to Vishnu's avatars (incarnations) explored as a group as well as individually and includes substantial sections devoted to Rama and Krishna. The third section, Worshiping Vishnu, explores some of the ways the deity has been venerated over the centuries. Center has even formed a Vishnu Advisory Committee just for this exhibition. Vishnu exhibition includes Balarama Diverting the Course of the Yamuna River with his Plough (watercolor; 1740-65), Lakshmi Massaging the Foot of Vishnu (watercolor; 1765-70), Standing Vishnu (terracotta; fifth century), Vishnu Flanked by His Personified Attributes (sandstone; 12th century), Lakshmi-Narayana (sandstone; 10th century), Varaha Rescuing the Earth (watercolor; 1730-40), Pendant Depicting the Avatars of Vishnu (early 18th century; gold with champlev enamel, citrine quartz, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds), Krishna Fluting for the Gopis (watercolor; 1730), Miniature Shrine for an Icon or Ritual Object (19th century; gold, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls), Swing for an Image of Krishna (18th century; silver and gold), etc. It is sponsored by HCA and TriStar Family of Hospitals and First Tennessee Bank, and supported by National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). "We are honored to organize and present Vishnu: Hinduism's BlueSkinned Savior, the first major exhibition to explore the Vaishnava tradition in art," said Frist Center Executive Director Dr. Susan H. Edwards.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

TASC 2011 new executive Art Institute of Chicago creates "Be a Vishnu Avatar" lesson plan for students team takes charge
Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago (USA), one of the major art museums of the world, has developed a lesson plan for classroom activity in which students of 4-8 grades solve a global issue by taking the role of one of Hindu deity Vishnus avatars (incarnations). Lesson plan says that Vishnu has 10 avatars, or incarnations, savior gods who come to earth to save humanity from evil at different intervals during the cycles of existence. In this activity students write a story about a problem on earth. They imagine themselves as one of Vishnu's avatars who can solve the problem. Students are encouraged to incorporate recognizable attributes to their avatar. The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school, whose collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world, and the school's graduate program is continually ranked as one of the best in the country. Thomas J. Pritzker is Board of Trustees Chairman while James Cuno is President. Search of Vishnu at Institute website reveals 22 artifacts related to Vishnu, including 9th century bronze from Eastern India.

Nindy Kaur featured on Asian Bride cover

The new executive committee California: Telugu Association of Southern California (TASC) new Executive Board performed inaugural puja at Irvine Mandir in Irvine on February 19. It was attended by about 150 TASC supporters along with families, past presidents and community leaders across the Southern California for the event and congratulated New TASC Executive Board members. On this occasion President Sreekanth Komatireddy introduced Executive Committee, Chairs and Regional coordinators for 2011 and shared his thoughts about serving better through TASC by increasing the memberships, extending community service and to maintain the transparency in the organization. Sreekanth also mentioned year 2011 being 40th anniversary of TASC, Executive Committee is planning to celebrate it in a grand style with One Day Conference. He also expressed extending support to NATA organization. President Elect Suneel Relangi expressed his support to the TASC team and to bring the community together. Treasurer Sitarami Pamireddy requested every body to encourage memberships to further strengthen the TASC. NATA West Regional vice presidents Anil Arrabelli and Nageshwar Rao Ankamma were present on the occasion and extended their support to TASC. Secretary Ramesh Gattu concluded the meeting by expressing his sincere thanks to all families who attended the event and the donors/members who extended their support to TASC. New York: Bollywood's very own royal musical couple, Manj Ral and Nindy Kaur of RDB have been picked for the first ever double cover of Asian Bride and Asian Groom, the latest publications from the same team who brought Asian Woman Canada. Not only does the magazine feature an in-depth interview with the musical couple, however, it also features top vendors from across the world for future brides & grooms. "The cover shoot was amazing," Nindy Kaur stated. "When they approached me with the 'all white,' theme I could only think of how classy and sophisticated it sounded. And once I saw the final product, I too was stunned with the work of the make-up artist and stylist. The team did a great job." The magazine covers come at a perfect time as RDB has recently launched their elite and high-end event service, The RDB Experience. "We've always had a vision of helping couples put together top caliber Bollywood style weddings, and The RDB Experience does just that," asserts Manj. So how does the double magazine cover and the RDB Experience relate to one another. Receive an autographed copy of the magazine and the rules are simple. All fans have to do is "Like" the RDB Experience fanpage on Facebook and then send an E-

mail to events@rdbexperience.com with their contact information.

NSF announces educational contests for Indian American children

Chicago: North South Foundation, an organization based in Chicago, promoting excellence in education will be conducting various contests for Indian-American children during the three weekends of March 26-27, April 9-10 and April 30-May 1, 2011. For three years in a row NSF kids have won the Scripps Spelling Bee National Championship besides winning top honors in National Geography Bee, Teen Jeopardy, Mathcounts and various other Nationally recognized contests. NSF contests provide children a great learning experience and motivation to excel in their studies. Contests are conducted all across US in over 75 chapters by dedicated volunteers. All net proceeds from the contests are used for awarding scholarships to needy children in India. Top scorers from chapter level contests will be invited to participate in the National Finals to be held in San Jose, California during September 3-5, 2011. Winners at the National Finals will be recognized with trophies and scholarships. Contests are held in Spelling, Vocabulary, Math, Science, Geography, Essay Writing and Public Speaking. Online registration and more information about the contests are provided at the Foundation's website www.northsouth.org.

VHP plans Hindu Ekta Andolan Divas annually in major Indian cities
New York: Taking a cue from Hindu Sanghathan Divas (Hindu Unity Day) celebration here, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of India may soon launch similar celebration in major cities in India. Anand Shankar Pandya, a Gandhian, and a member of Sampuran Kranti (total revolution) of Jaya Prakash Narayan from the 1970s who was honored by Sixteenth Hindu Sangathan Divas (Hindu Unity Day) Committee in New York last year for his life long services to Hindu Samaj was highly impressed and inspired by the Hindu Unity Day celebration. After going back to Mumbai, he spoke with Ashok Singhal of Vishwa Parishad of India about the importance of Hindu Unity Day Celebration all over India. I have been attending Hindu Unity program in America successfully organized by Narain Kataria, Arish Sahani and Dr. Uma Mysorekar of Hindu Temple Society of North America. Ashokji promised to discuss this matter with other Hindu leaders and start this Hindu Unity movement, i.e. Hindu Ekta Andolan soon, he said in an email.

National Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Gayatri Pariwar celebrates gurus birth centenary on Vasant Panchami

Anaheim, CA: A year-long centenary program marking Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharyas spiritual birthday on Vasant Panchami, Feb 8 was kicked off with a fourday event here by Gayatri Pariwar. Millions of Gayatri Pariwar members throughout the world have been actively engaged in its painstaking preparations since three years. For the first time ever in the history of Gayatri Pariwar, millions of devotees and Gayatri Pariwar workers lit up millions of diyas simultaneously at more than 40,000 localities in India and more than 2400 cities of 80 countries around the world to celebrate the 100th birthday of their Guru. Conveying the message on the historical Vasant Parva, Dr Pranav Pandya (MD), the Head of Gayatri Pariwar and the Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalay said, Vasant, i.e. the festival of Spring essentially represents liveliness, springing into life; an ardent desire, inner restlessness and passion to do something good for society and nation. Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharyas Vasant Parva symbolizes adopting the mind of Brahman and actions of Rishi in everyday life At Gayatri Chetana Center, Anaheim, the Vasant Panchami Mahotsav started on February 5, 2011 at 10:00AM by invoking spiritual power through special religious ceremony of Vasant Parva poojan, Sarswati poojan. At 11:00AM the group started recit-

American group joins fight for 500 Indian workers in US

Washington: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has joined a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of over 500 guest workers brought from India by an American company to work in US shipyards after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The non-profit group has charged that the workers were trafficked into the US through the US government's H-2B guest worker program with dishonest assurances of becoming lawful permanent US residents and subjected to squalid living conditions, fraudulent payment practices, and threats of serious harm upon their arrival. The complaint alleges that recruiting agents hired by the marine industry company Signal International held the guest workers' passports and visas, and coerced them into paying extraordinary fees for recruitment, immigration processing and travel. They also threatened the workers with serious legal and physical harm if they did not work under the Signal-restricted guest worker visa, ACLU said in a statement. The complaint also alleges that once in the US, the men were required to live in Signal's guarded, overcrowded labor camps, subjected to psychological abuse and defrauded out of adequate payment for their work. The ACLU charged that the federal government has fallen short of its responsibility to protect the rights of guest workers in the US. According to the lawsuit, the treatment of the workers violates the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The ACLU is co-counsel with the Southern Poverty Law Centre, the Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund, the Louisiana Justice Institute, and the New Orleans Workers' Centre for Racial in the suit filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in March 2008. With shipyards in Mississippi, Texas and Alabama, Signal is a subcontractor for several major multinational companies.

Five young women conducted Vasanat Panchami poojan, Gurupoornima Pujan with 24 Kundiya Havan. ing Gayatri Mantra and continued for 24 hours till February 6, 2011. Hundreds of people participated by taking turns throughout day and whole night to participate in this spiritual vibration of recitation.On Sunday five young Pariwar women conducted Vasanat Panchami poojan Gurupoornima Pujan with 24 Kundiya Havan and Pragya Sangeet. Niki Bhatt, Pragya Sharma, Bhumika Dave, Shefali Bhatt, Urvashi Panchal conducted entire event of this pious festival. More than 250 people and 100 youths attended this ceremony at Gayatri Chetana Center. Mohan Gupta gave a presentation on the importance of starting the Bal Saskar Kendra at this Gayatri Chetana Center from March 2011. Mohan explained in detail how three separate age group will be divided for this Bal Saskar and covered the spiritual topics of the classes conducted at this center. Mohan appealed all the parents of young children to start registration. Mahotsav continued on Monday Feb. 7, and Tuesday Feb. 8, by performing Gayatri Havan at 11:00AM and Deep Yagya in the evening at 6:00PM by special rituals and lighting 108 lamps to join worldwide spiritual movement of celebrating birth centenary of Gurudev. The four day Mahotsav was planned and organized by Gayatri Chetana Center Manager Shankarbhai Barot, Niruben Barot and Chinubhai Thaker.

From Boston to Khajuraho to tie the knot

Bhopal: The setting for their wedding could not be more appropriate. The young girl and her beau flew all the way from Boston in the US to Khajuraho just to fulfill their dream of tying the knot the Indian way in the glory of the ancient temples famous for erotic sculptures. Saint and Julia became husband and wife Monday in a temple in Khajuraho, the renowned heritage town in Madhya Pradesh whose world famous temples were built over 200 years in 9501150 A.D. A local priest chanted the Gayatri mantra and many of the town's people were on hand to greet the newly-weds. The entire ceremony was in accordance with Hindu Vedic marriage rituals, as both Saint and Julia always wanted it to be. Instead of saying 'I do..', Saint and Julia chanted the

Saint and Julia married in a Vedic ceremony at this ancient temple mantra the priest recited to them. The American couple took the 'saat fere' (seven rounds) around the holy fire and Saint put sindoor on Julia's forehead. The two had help from the town's people to make all the arrangements. 'India's culture is very fascinating. We had heard about the Indian marriage system and wanted our marriage to be this way,' a beaming Julia said afterwards. Jageshwar Shukla, the priest who solemnized the marriage, was also happy. 'Ninety percent of marriages conducted under Vedic system do not fail. I think that is why they chose it this way,' said the priest.

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USA Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Obamas friend and ex-aide to be Chicago mayor

Washington: President Barack Obamas former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel cruised to an expected mayoral election victory in his home town Chicago over five challengers, topping the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff vote. Emanuel, who quit his White House job last year to contest the election, secured 55 percent of the vote, far outdistancing his rivals. Former Chicago School Board head Gery Chico, the nearest rival, received only 25 percent vote, while former US Senator Carol Moseley Braun had about 8 percent. While Tuesdays vote was technically the Democratic primary, there is no Republican contender in the heavily Democratic city, so Emanuel will succeed Richard M. Daley in the top job long associated with the Daley family. Daley has been mayor since 1989, and his father held the post from 1955-76, making them the two longest-serving mayors in the citys history. Emanuel, 51, started his campaign in November as a relative unknown to many in his native city, despite having served three terms as a congressman, being a key aide to President Bill Clinton For much of the campaign, Emanuel fought off an accusation that he was not a legal resident of Chicago and therefore could not run. He takes control of a city in deep financial trouble -- with problems ranging from an understaffed police department to underperforming schools. Throughout the campaign, Emanuel has acknowledged he'll have to make budget cuts, and has promised to spread the pain as fairly as possible, starting with his own office.

Rahm Emanuel won the vote comfortably after hiccups over his eligibility

Congress struggles to avert govt shutdown as parties squabble on budget cuts

Washington: Congressional members of both parties are preparing dueling plans to stave off a US government shutdown next month as both Republicans and Democrats have stuck to their hard positions on standoff over spending cuts. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he will bring up a temporary spending measure next week to keep the government operating at current levels into early April and buy time for talks on a longer-term plan. Democrats oppose the House Republicans spending plan, passed Feb. 19, saying its $61 billion in cuts will harm the economy and the nations security. The White House has said that President Barack Obama would veto the measure, which would fund the government through Sept. 30. We want them to come to the table with us, work out a responsible path forward, Reid told reporters in a conference call yesterday. Were proposing a short-term solution that will give us time to negotiate. There isnt much time. Current spending authority expires March 4; if a new plan is not enacted by then, the government will shut down. Congress is in recess this week. House Speaker John Boehner, a Ohio Republican, rejected Reids proposal for a stopgap measure without additional cuts, insisting -as he has previously -- that any new funding bill contain more spending reductions. If Reid refuses to act on the Republicans measure, the House will act next week on a temporary one that also cuts spending, Boehner said yesterday. Willing to Cut? The American people want Congress and President Obama to enact legislation that keeps the government running while cutting spending, Boehner said in a statement. I ask Senator Reid, with all due respect: What are you willing to cut? Boehner accused Democrats of working with lobbyists to prevent spending cuts. He said the Republicans goal is to cut spending to create a better environment for job creation -- not to shut down the government, he said. The two leaders public posturing set the stage for behind- the-scenes talks in which Democrats and Republicans will haggle over how much, and where, to slash federal spending. Reid said he was sending his top aide to start private discussions with a counterpart in Boehners office about a longerterm deal.

Bloombergs NYC budget not-too-bad

New York: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Feb 17 presented a Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Preliminary Budget and an updated four-year financial plan. The Mayor outlined a plan to close a $4.58 billion deficit with no tax increases for New Yorkers and without additional cuts in Cityfunded services. The plan relies on $5.2 billion in savings generated though nine rounds of deficit closing actions taken by City agencies, additional tax revenues that reflect the Citys continually improving economy and $600 million in actions taken at the State level. Mayor Bloombergs $65.6 billion budget for the next year was less painful than expected. Now he needs to make sure that an improved economy and improved tax revenues helps those who need help the most, said the New York Times in an editorial, headlining it not-toobad budget. The mayor announced a $2.1 billion projected increase in tax revenues. The city has recovered faster and stronger than the rest of the country, he said. That cuts significantly into a projected $4.6 billion deficit for next year, but the mayor says he needs another and recreation by 11 percent and closing 100 senior centers and 17,000 child-care spots for children of low-income working parents. The City Council should soften some of these cuts, starting with child care, and, if necessary, find ways to squeeze that $30 million out of those rich New Yorkers who have recovered so nicely. If some loss of teachers is necessary, city and state education officials need to find a better way to lay off teachers, NYT said. The mayor also has a long list of pension reforms that he wants state lawmakers to approve. He said the city now spends more than 12 percent of its budget on pension costs, and he wants future retirees to work longer and contribute more to pensions and health care. He wants the city to negotiate pensions as part of city contracts. Such changes are needed but will be tough to get out of Albany. The mayor is already in an intense battle with Gov. Andrew Cuomo over proposed city budget cuts. Mr. Bloomberg wants at least $200 million in state revenuesharing money and $200 million more than the governor proposed for education.

Mayor Bloomberg (left) is already in an intense battle with Governor Cuomo over proposed city budget cuts. $2 billion in savings or cuts more if the state does not provide the $600 million in financing and pension relief that Mr. Bloomberg wants. Thats going to be controversial as will his list of cuts. Mr. Bloomberg proposes eliminating 6,000 of the citys 80,000 teaching jobs, closing 20 firehouses, cutting library financing by 8 percent, reducing the budget of parks

Mangano gets stay against County Oil at $100 a barrel amid Arab crisis budget takeover
Mineaola, NY: A judges order has given Nassau County a respite in its battle to block a New York State watchdog from taking over the countys finances. The county led by Executive Ed Mangano had filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to void the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) Jan. 26 move to enact a control period, effectively seizing control over the $2.6 budget to prevent what it says is a likely $176 million deficit. Attorneys for the county argued the move was unconstitutional, premature and inconsistent with prior years charges NIFAs attorneys refuted during the three-hour hearing at state Supreme Court in Mineola last Friday. I dont want to require the county to do anything until I have a ruling on this, Justice Arthur Diamond said after he issued a temporary restraining order that gives the county an indefinite extension on a Feb. 22 deadline to submit a revised budget to NIFA. The order also temporarily blocks NIFAs ability to apply power over the county budget despite the control period. Diamond said he will rule on the merits of the lawsuit well in advance of March 31, when county raises are scheduled to go into effectraises NIFA could potentially freeze.
Washington: On Wednesday, the main U.S. oil contract hit $100 a barrel before retreating to $98.10. That was the highest price in more than two years. With increasing global demand and widespread unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, it's possible that the price of fuel by the barrel and by the gallon will continue to rise. And when the price of oil rises, the price of just about everything else driving, heating, shopping, eating and more starts to move up too. As analyst Andrew Lipow of

Lipow Oil Associates in Houston points out, "Although the crude oil price that one sees in the futures market is around $95 per barrel, the fact is that the U.S.A. imports around two-thirds of its crude oil requirements and the cost of much of that crude is currently well over $105 per barrel." Lipow closely watches retail prices for gasoline and diesel. "As they rise above $3.50 and $4 per gallon respectively, there is a noticeable impact on consumer spending and business costs," he says.

Indo-US TheSouthAsianTimes.info

11

February 26-March 4, 2011

Jilted in the US, a website finds love in India

New York: In 2008, three young Manhattanites launched Ignighter.com, a group dating website where one member, serving as a point person, could arrange a date a movie or a picnic in Central Park with a group of other people and thereby take out some awkwardness seen in one-on-one dates. The three company co-founders Kevin Owocki, 26, Daniel Osit, 29, and Adam Sachs, 28 got the word out, hosting parties, blitzing college campuses with fliers and doing a big push on Facebook. Yet, in one year, Ignighter.com managed only 50,000 registered users in the US . Then, in April 2009, while checking traffic stats, they noticed that there was a lot of traffic from India, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. Soon, India had more visitors on their site than any other Asian country. Ignighter was gaining hundreds of users a day, mainly from New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. "In January 2010, we made the decision that we are an Indian dating site," Sachs says. And now, with almost two million users and 7,000 more signing up daily Ignighter is considered India's fastest-growing dating web site. To put it another way, it gets as many Google's top executive in India. In the United States, Ignighter is backed by Point Judith Capital, Founder Collective and GSA Venture Partners, among others. "Here we are, a few Jewish guys sitting in Union Square, and we might have accidentally revolutionized the dating scene in India," Sachs says of himself and Osit. They and Owocki, who is in charge of web development and programming for Ignighter, have never been to India though they now plan to make frequent trips there. IT'S not all that unusual for start-ups to find that their market isn't what they intended, said Sean Marsh, co-founder of Point Judith Capital in Providence, R.I., and an investor in Ignighter. But not all entrepreneurs choose to listen to what the market is telling them, he says. Even though an Indian dating site wasn't their original concept, the Ignighter founders decided to pivot at a crucial moment, he says: "You have to be flexible as an entrepreneur and bend to the market and consumer feedback." So how did this happy accident happen? Osit suspects that young people in India read about the service on technology blogs like Mashable and TechCrunch. From there, it grew in part because dating in India is still in a somewhat embryonic stage. It happens in big cities like Mumbai and Hyderabad, but in many less cosmopolitan parts of India it's still considered taboo for unmarried men and women to be seen in public together. Many couples, as they have for centuries, meet through arranged marriages that their relatives orchestrate. But for some in this generation those raised on a diet of MTV and social networks there's a desire to find new dating scripts, or just to hang out with a coed group. The group dynamic also makes going out an easier sell to parents, who are worried about safety and propriety. That's what led Rohan Bhardwaj, 23, to set up a profile on Ignighter last month. He works in New Delhi at Exclusively.In, an online store that sells Indian luxury goods, and, like a majority of his peers, he lives with his parents. He heard about Ignighter from his boss in the United States the chief executive of Exclusively.In, which shares office space with Ignighter in Manhattan and from his cousin in Canada.

(from left) Kevin Owocki, Dan Osit and Adam Sachs started Ignighter.com in 2008 aimed at Americans, but the visitor traffic patterns forced them to make it an Indian group dating site now with almost two million users. users in a week in India as it did in a year in the United States. Next month, Ignighter will open an office in India and hire a dozen local employees. The company has stopped developing its American site, though it remains online. As funding heats up for web start-ups in general, some investors have taken notice of Ignighter and its potential in India. This month, the company closed a $3 million round of financing. Forty per cent of its investors are based in India, including Rajan Anandan,

Indian jugaad has design lessons for Americans

New York: A big window sign in Hindi saying Jugaad is pulling in from Indian cabbies to intrigued tourists and urban planners to a show in New York on how Indians are doing more with less.There is a very positive and enthusiastic response and a curiosity to know more, says architect Kanu Agrawal, curator of Jugaad Urbanism: Resourceful Strategies for Indian Cities, exploring what architects, designers, and urban planners can learn from the jugaad strategy of making do. Besides people walking past a big window sign saying jugaad, tourists and taxi drivers who can read Hindi, architects, urban planners, product designers, have been drawn to the show that will be on till May 21. Firstly conceptually they are very intrigued and interested in how people are making do in a creative manner, Agrawal, a Delhi native, said. The concept of jugaad which is very common in India is somehow resonating with the people here, he said noting there is lots of wastage of resources in the US be it water or electricity or other materials. Organized by the Centre for Architecture, the first exhibition in US on contemporary Indian urbanism focuses on design by the people and for the people, of Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune. The show creates a more conscious and sensitive approach to how they use their resources more responsibly and also it gives them a window on how cities in India are coping with these things and look at the future more carefully when they are designing for density and all those issues, said Agrawal. So I think there is a kind of existing conditions and how people are responding to it, said Agrawal, citing a make-shift toilet or a jugaad chandelier made from plastic bottles or a strategy to cobble together material to deal with a situation. The other is how designs by people inspire designers to work with the constraints, he said. For example, in a self-composting toilet in Shahpur Jat in Delhi, the architect has used local materials in dealing with the problem in a tight urban condition. One of the most pressing needs that India has is of providing clean hygienic toiA jugaad chandelier constructed from cables and recycled bottles reciprocal thing that happens, he said. He noted that a lot of research is taking place in the world and the US in design in stressful conditions. Besides bringing about a general awareness of the issues centered around the shortage of resources and how people deal with them creatively, the show aims to show architects how small scale creative design solutions by the people can influence big environmental and large scale conditions. For instance, an improvement in the design of a chullah or cooking stove can have a huge impact on the environment as also the people who use it, Agrawal said. Chullah research is going on in parts of Oregon and New York in US too. The idea is to motivate more people to think about these issues as solutions are not just localized; they are pretty global. The show adopts a two pronged approach. Firstly, it documents the lets that are also sustainable. Similarly, oil tin cans used for roofing by the people have been used for the people by designers using the jugaad strategy. Sky walks have provided a quick jugaad solution to a very pressing urban problem of dense packed street traffic on the roads in Mumbai, where Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has commissioned as many as 37 of such facilities for pedestrians. Agrawal hoped these ideas percolate into Indian design thinking even as urban planners cope with the different forces that are at play including strong market forces, political forces and aspects of corruption. For urban planners, the New York show opens up a debate: Do we have a voice, do we have a place and how we can intervene? Do we just do these small scale things or be more proactive participants in putting our ideas more sensitively? For the first time in US, its happening, Agrawal says. Its sort of generating a lot of interest in this area especially in regard to Indian cities.

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India Newswire TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

31 convicted in Godhra verdict

Ahmedabad: A fast track court has convicted 31 people for hatching a conspiracy to burn the Sabarmati Express train in Godhra in Gujarat in 2002, killing 59 people and sparking one of the bloodiest communal riots in India. But it let off 63 people, including a key accused, for lack of evidence. The sentence was to be pronounced later. Additional Sessions Judge P.R. Patel delivered the verdict in the highly guarded complex of the Sabarmati Central Jail where the accused were lodged after the Feb 22, 2002 burning of a passenger coach of the train near the Godhra railway station. Almost all those who died were Hindu activists returning from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. After 20 months of trial, they were held guilty of, among other things, murder, dacoity and robbery, arson and causing grievous hurt. The court let off 63 others, including Maulvi Saeed Umarji, dubbed the prime accused. Many had rotted for years in prison pleading they were innocent. His son Saeed Umarji said the judgment had strengthened his faith in the judiciary. "(But) the way he was kept in jail for eight years, it was a big injustice." Within hours, all 63 walked out of the prison, some looking visibly relieved. Some looked grim. They boarded two buses to be driven to Godhra, 160 km away, accompanied by policemen. Those acquitted have to furnish a personal bond of Rs.10,000 and a surety of the same amount. They cannot leave India without permission. Gujarat's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government hailed the verdict. "We have all along maintained that the fire in the coach was not accidental but a pre-planned conspiracy. Now an impartial judicial process has confirmed our point of

It was on Feb 27, 2002 that the Sabarmati Express S-6 coach was set on fire at Godhra. In no time, leaping flames engulfed it, killing 59 people who could not escape. Within days, violence erupted, killing more than 1,000 people. view," said Jainarayan Vyas, Gujarat's tourism minister and the government's official spokesperson. J.M. Panchal, the special public prosecutor, said clinching evidence for the conviction came from Gandhinagar's Forensic Science Laboratory report, witnesses and circumstantial evidence. Defense lawyer A.A. Hassan said the court had accepted the theory that arsonists entered the coach by cutting the vestibule, poured petrol inside and set it on fire. According to him, there were 95 accused in the case, of whom 80 were in jail and 15 out on bail. Many were unhappy with the verdict. Activist lawyer Mukul Sinha said the ill-feeling generated among Muslims would continue because the judgment takes cognisance of the conspiracy theory without any evidence of it. He added: "Moreover, if 63 are innocent, how can others from the same crowd be conspirators?" BJP's national spokesman Tarun Vijay said in New Delhi: "The verdict has exposed the malicious intentions of the central government and the pseudo secularists who tried to blame Hindus, who were victims, as the culprits." The Congress declined to comment. But it blamed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for triggering the state-wide communal riots that followed the Godhra tragedy. "We don't comment on a judgment of court, it is part of a legal process," Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said. The authorities deployed a large number of security personnel around the prison. Journalists could reach the complex but not enter it. It was on Feb 27, 2002 that the S6 train coach was set on fire. In no time, leaping flames engulfed it, killing 59 people who could not escape. Most of them were linked to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Within days, violence erupted in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat, killing more than 1,000 people in one of the worst outbreaks of sectarian violence in the country. Most victims were Muslims.

Those acquitted by the special court in the Godhra train burning case sit in a bus after their release from the Sabarmati jail on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

Godhra Timeline
Feb 27, 2002: 59 people killed as mob attacks S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express -- en route from Ayodhya to Ahmedabad -near Godhra railway station in Gujarat. May 22, 2002: First chargesheet filed by investigation agency, no mention of offences under the provisions of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). Dec 19, 2002: Second supplementary chargesheet filed, still no mention of offences under the provisions of POTA. March 2003: Special POTA court constituted to conduct trial. Nov 21, 2003: The Supreme Court stays probe into nine 2002 communal riots cases, including the Godhra train burning case. May 16, 2005: POTA review panel gives opinion. Feb 12, 2009: The Gujarat High Court revokes POTA charges against all the accused in the Godhra train carnage case. April 2009: The apex court orders formation of special fast track courts for the nine 2002 riots cases, including the Godhra train burning case. June 2009: The special court begins trial in the train burning case. May 30, 2010: Trial court judge visits the scene of crime near Godhra railway station. Jan 24, 2011: Godhra train carnage case verdict fixed for Feb 19, later deferred to Feb 22. Jan 25, 2011: Supreme Court declines to block Godhra carnage verdict. Feb 22, 2011: The special fast track court in Ahmedabad convicts 31 people, acquits 63 in the Godhra train carnage case.

Cabinet in dark over ISRO-Devas deal

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the cabinet had not been informed that the 2005 agreement between ISRO's commercial arm Antrix and Devas also involved allocation of S-band spectrum, high value and scarce radiowaves, to the private firm. Replying to supplementaries during question hour in the Rajya Sabha, the prime minister said the cabinet note dealing with the launch of two satellites as part of the deal between Antrix and Devas did not mention that there was "specific commitment (on spectrum)". The prime minister said that the cabinet came into the picture indirectly as it dealt with approval for launch of two satellites. "It was not being asked to approve the deal. The prime minister intervened after the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Prakash Javadekar wanted to know if any file related to the agreement had come for approval to the PMO and what was the reply given. Earlier, responding to queries by T. N. Seema of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Minister of State in the PMO V. Narayanasamy said the agreement between Antrix and Devas was concluded in 2005 but a decision was taken to annul it in July 2010 as S-band spectrum was needed for defence and societal needs. "The Space Commission took the decision (to annul it). It went to CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) which decided accordingly," Narayanasamy said. He said that the agreement was based on the policy of 1997 which was approved by the cabinet in 2000, when the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was in power. The policy entailed that private players can also be given transponders, he added. The minister said a committee has been constituted to look into various aspects of the deal and action would be taken against officials found guilty. "The Prime minister will take action," he said, adding that the decisions were the prerogative of Antrix and ISRO and the department did not come directly under the PMO.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. mentioned in the cabinet note that there was a specific commitment between Devas and Antrix," he said. He said there was no question of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)

India Newswire TheSouthAsianTimes.info

13

February 26-March 4, 2011

CWG culprits will not be spared: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a strong sounding speech in Parliament on February 24, said that "if there is a scam it must be dealt with the law of the land. Law of the land must punish the wrong doers". "Unfortunate developments have taken place in the areas of telecom and Commonwealth Games. I assure the House there is nothing we will not do to clean our public life," Manmohan Singh said. "Our government will fully cooperate with all agencies and entities to ensure that truth comes out on the telecom controversy. No wrongdoer should escape punishment from the legal system in the Commonwealth Games." he added. On the issue of black money, Manmohan Singh said, "We are one with the Opposition that everything should be done to bring back black money stashed abroad." He said that all constructive suggestions will be considered. "Will sit together with parties and seek their help to see how black money problem can be dealt with," he added. The PM also rebuffed claims that huge potential government

India-Pak talks next month

Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi's key aides Lalit Bhanot and VK Verma were arrested on February 24. revenue had been lost in a satellite Manmohan Singh said he was spectrum contract lease recently committed to bringing a bill to scrapped by his government after Parliament soon and controlling corruption allegations. "The gov- inflation while protecting ecoernment has taken a strategic deci- nomic growth. sion not to allot S-Band spectrum Meanwhile, Commonwealth to Antrix for commercial purpos- Games Organizing Committee es," the PM said. chairman Suresh Kalmadi's key The government last week can- aides Lalit Bhanot and VK Verma, celled the Indian Space Research who were arrested by the CBI in Organizations contract with pri- connection with alleged irregularvate firm Devas Multimedia to ities related to the event, were lease satellite space after discov- produced in court on Feb 24. The ering irregularities in the deal, arrest of the two took place after dealing a fresh blow to Singh's both were questioned about the Rs government already under fire 107 crore contract that was awardover corruption scandals. ed to a Swiss time-keeping comOn the issue of food security, pany.

New Delhi: With India and Pakistan recently deciding to resume the dialogue process, the home secretaries of both the countries will hold talks here on March 28 and 29 on a host of issues including the progress in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial in a Rawalpindi court. "Islamabad has conveyed to New Delhi its consent to the meeting after home secretary G K Pillai extended the invitation to Pakistan interior secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman last week," a senior official. India had proposed two sets of dates -- March 21-22 and March 28-29.The talks next month will be the first structured bilateral home secretary-level meeting on counter-

terrorism after the recent Indo-Pak decision to resume comprehensive talks. India had suspended the composite dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008. The last home secretary-level talks between the two countries had concluded in Islamabad on November 26, 2008, the day Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) gunmen attacked Mumbai. Incidentally, the LeT attack had begun when then Indian home secretary Madhukar Gupta was still in Pakistan. Last week, Pillai had told reporters that India would ask Pakistan about the progress made in that country on the 26/11 investigations.

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Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Europe's biggest Hindu temple to come up in Netherlands

Brussels: The biggest Hindu temple complex in Europe - consisting of three temples, residential areas and tourist spots - is going to be built in the Dutch city of The Hague. Three Hindu groups would be building three temples on a site behind the Hollands Spoor railway station, EuAsiaNews reported citing the Netherlands' Trouw newspaper. The complex will include 45 apartments and is set to open in 2014. There would be rooms for yoga and meditation and tourist spots for foreign guests. The residential towers are also open to non-Hindus.

Dewani murder case: Accused husband attempts suicide

London: Indian-origin Briton Shrien Dewani, accused of murdering his newly-married wife Anni during their honeymoon in Cape Town, reportedly tried to kill himself and had to be admitted to hospital. Dewani, wanted in South Africa for Anni's killing, took an overdose of tablets. The 31-year-old businessman has lost almost 12 kg weight and become 'very, very fragile' because of stress and depression, the Daily Telegraph reported. 'He was taken to hospital on Sunday afternoon, according to his family, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder which he has been suffering from. It has been getting worse and causing particular concern to his family and his doctors,' his spokesman, Max Clifford, was when he comes out he will have to have 24-hour medical care at home.' he added. He said the trauma was building up after Anni's death and what happened would have affected anybody. Anni Dewani, from Sweden, was murdered last year on the evening of Nov 13 after the taxi she and her husband Shrien were traveling in was hijacked as it passed through the Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town in South Africa. She was found dead in the back of the abandoned vehicle the next morning with a bullet wound to her neck. The South African police suspect Shrien of plotting the hijack-murder. Shrien, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, is due to appear for an extradition hearing set for May 3-5.

Skyline of The Hague The Hague council member Rajesh Ramnewash has designed the plan. Some one percent of people living in the Netherlands are Hindus. The Hindu community also accounts for the largest immigrant group in the Hague, according to Trouw.

Shrein Dewani quoted as saying. Clifford, however, said he could not confirm whether it was a suicide bid. 'He is in a very bad place at the moment, which is not surprising given the tragic case of his wife and all the accusations since. He is in a bad way. He has lost as much as 12 kilos in recent weeks. He is OK in hospital but

India-born film editor Tariq Anwar in Oscar race

New Delhi: India-born British film editor Tariq Anwar is in the Oscar race with a nomination for his work in the hugely popular historical drama 'The King's Speech'. This is his second nomination for the prestigious award. In 1999, he was nominated for 'American Beauty'. Raised in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Tariq has been working as a film editor in Britain for more than two decades and has worked on films like 'The Good Shepherd' and 'Sylvia'. Tariq won two BAFTA awards for 'Oppenheimer' and 'American Beauty'. The other Indian name in the Oscar nomination list is, of course, composer A.R. Rahman. The Chennai-based maestro, who won two Oscars for 'Slumdog Millionaire' in 2009, has been nominated for two awards for '127 Hours' this year. Colin Firth starrer 'The King's Speech', which has been appreciated across the globe, has received 12 Oscar nominations. Tariq will be competing with Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter ('The Social Network'), Jon Harris ('127 Hours'), Pamela Martin ('The Fighter') and Andrew Weisblum ('Black Swan') for the prestigious award, which will be given Sunday at a gala ceremony. Tariq's children are also in showbiz - his daughter Gabrielle Anwar plays Fiona Glenanne in 'Burn Notice', while his son Rafiq is also an actor and he directs as well.

Indo-Canadian doctor held on drugging, rape charges

Toronto: An Indo-Canadian doctor and his colleague have been arrested here for allegedly drugging and raping a young woman in a downtown hotel. Amitabh Chauhan and Suganthan Kayilasanathan, both 32, who were arrested at the weekend, appeared in a city court Saturday to face charges of drugging and sexual assault. Their bail hearing was adjourned till Wednesday. According to police, Chauhan and Kayilasanathan met the 23year-old victim in a hotel bar. As the two men chatted with her while drinking, they offered to help her with some career advice. Police said the two man and the victim then went to another city bar where they allegedly managed to mix a noxious substance in her drink. After drugging the woman, Chauhan and his friend doctor took her to a hotel where they sexually assaulted her. Chauhan graduated from the famous McMaster University at Hamilton near Toronto. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario currently lists him as a postgraduate student at the department of plastic surgery in the same university. Kayilasanathan, the other accused, is a family physician in the Toronto suburb of Markham. Police have warned that the two accused doctors may have used drugs on other women. 'There may be other victims and we would like them to come forward,'' said the sex crimes unit of Toronto Police. The accused will stay behind till their bail hearing. Chauhan's lawyer, Sean Robichaud, said Sunday, 'All I can say is that Dr. Chauhan looks forward to contesting these allegations in court when the time comes.''

Eligible NRIs can apply to be registered as voters in India

Chandigarh: Non-resident Indians (NRIs), desirous of voting in Indian elections, can apply to be registered as voters at their place of residence in the country if they are otherwise eligible, officials said Monday. "Every overseas elector, i.e., Indian citizen who is absent from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to employment, education or otherwise, and has not acquired citizenship of any other country and who is not included in the electoral roll, is entitled to have his/her name registered in the electoral roll of the constituency in which his/her place of residence in India as mentioned in his/her passport is located," said Punjab's chief electoral officer Kusumjit Sidhu, quoting the amendment of the Representation of People's Act. "In terms of rule 8A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, every overseas elector whose place of residence in India is located in the state of Punjab, who has completed 18 years of age as on 01.01.2011, and is desirous of registering his/her name in the electoral roll, is invited hereby to submit claim application in Form 6A for registration in the electoral roll of the constituency in which his/her place of residence as shown in the passport is located," she said, in a statement issued here. Punjab has hundreds of NRIs living in other countries, especially US, Britain, Canada, the Gulf countries, Australia, New Zealand, southeast Asia and Europe. Sidhu added that the claim application ( Form-6A )) can be either submitted in person directly to the registration officer of the constituency concerned or sent to such registration officer by post along with the documents mentioned. "When the claim application is sent by post, it should be accompanied by photocopies of the relevant pages of the passport duly attested by the competent official of the Indian mission in the country concerned," she added.

British Pakistani Sofia shows Asian diaspora's life in 'Dishonored'

Mumbai: Sofia Hayat, a Britain-based actress of Pakistani origin, who was kidnapped by her parents at knife point, has scripted a film called 'Dishonored', about the trials and tribulations of Asians in Britain. She says it is inspired by her own life. 'I have written a film script, which would be half filmed in India. The film will go on the floors by the end of this year. A production company in UK took it at $2 million. I am very excited about the project. The film's cast will have actors from both - UK and India,' Hayat told HT Media. Sofia, also a singer and model, is in India to shoot for director Vinod Mukhia's women-oriented drama 'Diary of a Butterfly'. In 'Dishonored', she gives an insight to the life of a British Indian (mostly girls) who dare to pursue a career against parents will. 'My parents kidnapped me from University at knife point because I changed my course from science to arts against their will. I could escape and police got involved. That incident made me write the book called 'Dishonored'. Even my music album is named 'Dishonored',' she said.

Profile Thesouthasiantimes.info

15

February 26-March 4, 2011

Tania Gupta: A guiding star

by Hiral Dholakia-Dave Smart, savvy and sensitive thats astrologer Tania Gupta for you. Precision and compassion are her virtues so also complete honesty and dedication with which she helps thousands deal with the problems in their lives. Tanias smiling face, extraordinary oratory skills, humble demeanor and accurate forecasts have been credited for soaring TRPs of leading television channels in India. SATimes gets talking to this young, talented Delhiite. Why did you choose the profession of a fortune teller? When I got to know the science I was very inspired as I came to know it was based on logics and calculations. Then when I started predicting, it starting coming true so my interest in it grew to no limits. I feel I can guide and solve the problems of masses using this science. I belong to a family where money is not a problem so my main aim was not to earn money but rather help the mankind and giving a new edge to this science. When did you develop this interest in astrology? After doing my masters in mass communication, I thought of experimenting in this fieldas my dad already knew astrology and he had predicted long back about me being an astrologer but I had no faith in this science. So, just took it up as a challenge. I joined a special course in astrology from All India federation of Astrologers Society under my guruji Sewa Ram Jaipuria. Destiny seriously had something for me as despite being the youngest in the batch I topped in the subject. It was the starting point of my interest in astrology and you can say destiny is pre-decided as immediately after completing my course I got a call from CNEB. When my predictions came out right my confidence grew and so did my passion for the subject. How did you equip yourself? Knowledge, honesty and strong intuitive powers were my tools. I am a self made girl, so I groomed myself through analyzing, reading books , reading articles and live analysis with people. Also being blessed with a great guru was my biggest fortune. Being a media student also helped to perform extremely well on television. Please share with us your journey of establishing yourself as a leading astro expert. Born in an orthodox family, it was very difficult to convince my Tania on one of her astrology television shows father for me to be on a media show. I started with CNEB and after giving about 6 shows, I was called my Sahara NCR to launch their Prime band 10pm which they had never given to an astro show named Nakshatra. It was a challenge for me to make it popular. Being the youngest astrologer, gaining peoples trust was again a huge challenge but when the show became popular within a month...I was called by all channels of Sahara for their live shows. Sahara has 5 channels, so it became very difficult for me to give LIVE shows to all. The number oof shows I was giving on Sahara was more than the shows the anchors give in a day. So, after a months challenge, I selected 3 channels and after around 9 months in Sahara I got a call from IBN7. I was appointed as an exclusive astrologer for the whole Network 18 group, so I became their exclusive face and was not allowed to go in any other channel for any show. My show was aired at 7:30am called Aapki Kismat In the meanwhile, I started writing columns in newspapers and magazines. What is your family and educational background? I live in a nuclear family with my parents and three siblings, who are younger to me. I did my schooling from a convent school, Mater Dei Convent. Then I did my dual graduation in Mass communication(regular) and B.A (hons) English ( correspondence) and dual post graduate Masters in mass communication ( regular) and MBA ( correspondence. What are you specialties? Any particular line of thinking that you follow? I expertize in astrologyI use parashari and Laal Kitab for my prediction.I specialize on all topics related to astrology. The Lal Kitab and various other ancient Indian treatises served as a fascinating cornucopia, which I explored along with an increasing clientele whom I value as friends and followers today. I also know vaastu but have a keen interest in astrology. Do you think man has the ability to change his destiny, that he scripts it with his actions or is everything predestined? I think destiny and actions go hand in hand where destiny rules but a person can spoil his or her planets with bad deeds done or can improve them with good deeds.and that decides the further actions. So I have seen one would get whatever is destined for him but the happiness and further accomplishment also depends upon his deeds. How superior is Indian astrology to other sciences? Indian astrology is called the mother of all sciences so it is very vast , accurate and there are no limitations on predictions whereas other occult sciences have their

limitations. For instance, numerology is restricted to numbers. Many people have same numbers but that doesnt mean theyll have same future and incidents. What is it that you enjoy the most about your work? If you ask me this, I would say I am just crazy about my work..Now astrology has become my life and my passion. I feel lifeless without it. I enjoy the most when I am guiding people through my television shows. I feel so close to them and take their problems as mine.The USP of Astrologer Tania would be honesty and giving simple, inexpensive remedies to the people. I love interacting with people and bringing them to the right path. That way I feel I save many souls who have lost their way and have got into bad practices. If I can bring smile on someone face, I feel I have done something worthwhile in life and can die peacefully. Any funny or touching incidents you would like to mention? When I went to the editor in chief of Dainik Hindustan, he planned to

Astrologer Tania says

* Who will win the ICC World Cup 2011? I see a tough competition between India, Australia and Sri Lanka * Will John-Bipasha, Kareina-Saif, marry? when? John Bipasha : In their case its difficult that they get married but in case of Kareina-saif they will get married but sustaining a long relationship would be difficult for them as well they can get married in the year 2012 * Will President Obama win second term? He will definitely win the second term. He has strong chances as his Mahadasha of Saturn will start who is the lord of his ascendant and also in a very strong position.

take my test. He gave me his own horoscope and asked about the profession of the person I predicted and explained that the person should be in media but he he insisted that the person is in military. Being a senior media professional I couldnt say bluntly but I said may be you are right but the kundali still says he is in media. In the end, after inquiring everything, he laughed and said it was his own. A touching incident happened with a cameraman. His mother was illthe doctors were not able to analyze from the reports what the problem was..I suggested a remedy and within 24 hours the same reports showed the problem and she came home within a week. Also recently, the father of a friend had an heart attack and he asked me to see his kundali and I could clearly see that his dad wouldnt survive. I gave him a date till the time he should take care and that date became the last day of his dads life. Do you see your own fortune? Sometimes, when I am in a state of crisis but its very difficult for an astrologer to analyze his/her own kundali as one becomes baised or cannot accurately analyze his own horoscope may be because of some fear or excitement. So, it becomes very difficult or sometimes impossible to analyze ones kundali. I also usually take help of other astrologers for my own chart. What are your other interests? Reading books, listening to good music, interacting with people, writing shayari and meaningful thoughts.

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Ultimate Bollywood TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Tanu Weds Manu - Opposites Attract!

here is a saying that opposites attract -- and director Aanand L. Rai explores it in his romantic comedy "Tanu Weds Manu", starring Kangana Ranaut and R. Madhavan, which releases on February 25. In the film, Madhavan plays Manoj Sharma a.k.a. Manu, a smart, intelligent, but shy NRI who has all the qualities of a good husband. He loves reading and listening to old songs, but hates loud music and crowded places. Though he is educated and settled in London, Manu would never do anything against his parents' will. He is keen to marry a homely girl, so he comes to India to find a suitable match and meets Tanu a.k.a. Tanuja Trivedi, who is completely opposite of what he is looking for. Madhavan admits that it has been his toughest role till date. A beautiful, charming and extrovert girl from Kanpur, Tanu lives life on her own terms and dreams of marrying a guy who her parents will hate. She is also against arranged marriage and doesn't like being told what to do and what not to.

A still from 'Tanu Weds Manu.' She loves to ride bikes, drink alcohol and admires Che Guevara, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary, guerrilla leader and military theorist who played a prominent

role in the Cuban Revolution. The film follows how two seemingly opposite-natured people end up falling in love with each other. True to her character who defies every perceived trait of a small town girl, Kangana didn't shy from riding a Bullet in the film, although she was nervous while shooting the scene. In this sequence she was supposed to ride the bike with a pillion rider and drive through crowded, narrow streets. For this, she gave maximum re-takes. Leave aside riding a bike, Kangana, who started working at the young age of 16 and couldn't attend college, got a chance to enjoy campus life when she stayed in a Delhi University hostel to prepare for her role. Kangana plays a resident student of Delhi University. The 23-year-old stayed at the PG Women's Hostel in 2009. The producers arranged for her stay and took the required measures to protect her identity. Rai has also roped in Jimmy Shergill, Eijaz Khan, Ravi Kishan and Deepak Dobriyal to make the story interesting.

Akshay is Canadas new mascot

When Big B used to gate crash

t a time w h e n celebrities are endorsing brands and causes, Akshay Kumar is going international, literally. The actor will be formally announced as the brand ambassador of Canada Tourism Commission in Delhi. However, this is not the actors first endorsement for anything Canadian. Just last year, he was Indias ambassador and torchbearer for the Winter Olympics, held in Vancouver. Stewart Beck, the High Commissioner of Canada in India, will preside over the function in the Capital, where the actor, whos currently shooting his 3D film, Joker, in Chandigarh, will be present. Being a brand ambassador of a product means and proves that one is popular and famous enough, says the actor, whos also the face of many brands in India. He quickly adds, But when it comes to being a brand ambassador for a country, one is instantly humbled at the thought that the government sees you in a certain way; that is more than just about ones looks and the success of ones movies. Conceding that hes privileged

Akshay Kumar. by this honor, Kumar says, It isnt about using a product I believe in, but about being recognized as a good human being. I truly believe Canada is a wonderful country and I completely understand why some of my fellow Indians choose to live there. The actor, whos producing the film, Break Away, in association with the Canadian government, also has an emotional connect with the country. When his father was suffering from cancer, Kumar had taken him there for treatment. His first visit to Canada was to shoot Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), with the last being for Anees Bazmees forthcoming film, Thank You.

e might be flying in private jets or executive class with a lot of attention, but there was time when Bollywood's megastar Amitabh Bachchan used to gatecrash at weddings or travel in trains without a ticket. Big B is in Bhopal shooting for "Aarakshan" and it seems he is getting nostalgic about his collage days. "We were talking on set about college and university days and how in the hostel, when food was scarce or our pockets had run dry, we would find novel ways of feeding ourselves at times. Look for a wedding, borrow an ill-fitting suit from an affluent colleague and gatecrash the 'baraat' as guests and feed ourselves to our limits best, posing as men from the boy's side'," he posted on his blog Bigb.bigadda.com. "They are the ones that get the

Amitabh Bachchan. most looked after!! They were mad days of our youth and when you look back on them you wonder how on earth did we ever pull those utterly stupid pranks and succeed," he added.

Aamir to sing for Dhoom 3

ad man Aamir Khan is all set to exercise his vocal chords once again in Dhoom 3.

The actor who has been signed on the the Yash Raj film, will play a villain in the adventure flick. And news has it that he will even sing a song for the movie. If sources are to be believed, he wouldn't be singing a full-fledged song, but will be rhythmically voicing a few lyrics like he has done in the past. Aamir has lent his voice to songs of the movies Ghulam, Mela, Fanaa, Taare Zameen Par... The music of the previous parts of the 'Dhoom' series has proved to be chartbusters, and Pritam who is the music director of 'Dhoom 3' is on his way to ensuring that the 'Dhoom 3' musical experience is no different.

Aamir Khan.

Ultimate Bollywood Thesouthasiantimes.info

17

February 26-March 4, 2011

'7 Khoon Maaf', a winner by Bhardwaj

halk up an absolute winner for the Vishal Bhardwaj-Priyanka Chopra team. They make a coherent vision out of an inconceivable marital crises. How do you make sense of a woman who's an incorrigible potentially-loathsome serial spouse-killer who when challenged about her weird passion for changing husbands by divine decree rather than the law of the land, turns around and says, "This heart of mine, it's to blame." Wicked laughter follows. And dammit, we are amused! How does one make head or 'tale' of such a woman? Well, the first thing a director with a canny sense and sensibility does is sign Priyanka Chopra to play the wretchedly unfulfilled, genetically incomplete woman, a living, throbbing warning against the institution of marriage! Priyanka, not for the first time, proves she is leagues ahead of all competition. She approaches this strange and sensual creature of the night from the outside and then quietly makes inroads into the woman's heart and soul. We can actually see the character's snarled inner-world on Priyanka's

Priyanka Chopra has touched another level with her performance in '7 Khoon Maaf'. face! We don't even know when and how she does it. Priyanka is that kind of a player. At heart Vishal's dark elegiac film '7 Khoon Maaf' is about the search for true love. The relationship that Sussanna (Priyanka) forms with a young boy(Vivaan Shah) as she goes from one husband to another remains at the core of the film. In a macabre subversion of the almost-pure love that Susanna shares with Vivaan's character, at one point in the narration she tries to seduce the boy who's almost like a son. It's a dark ugly moment, almost repugnant in its incestuous resonances but in keeping with the character's insatiable appetite for destruction. Vishal Bhardwaj brings to the storyboard a deep sense of tragic grandeur even as Susanna slips from self-gratification to delusional spirituality. Priyanka's sequences with Irrfan Khan (playing a gentle poet who transforms into a sexual pervert in bed) are stuff poetic nightmares are made of. We can clearly see the cinematographer (Ranjan Palit) is not in love with the actress, but the character. His camera searches for intransigent images in

Susanna's life, even as Priyanka's quest for the character's core takes her into areas of selfexpression that are far beyond the reach of cinema acting as we know it. A. Sreekar Prasad edits the life of Susanna with a surety that, alas,the character never comes close to achieving in her dealings with the opposite sex. Sreekar creates a symphonic seamless movement from one husband to another, sometimes joining segments in Susanna's life with visuals that would otherwise seem incompatible. The husbands are all played by actors who have no qualms in stripping away their vanity to become the kind of suave but duplicitous untrustworthy spouses who cheat and betray for the sake of the opposite emotion to love. Irrfan Khan as a wolf in poet's clothing, Naseeruddin Shah as the affable old Bengali dietician (his Bengali accent is more deadon than any true-blue Bengalis) and John Abraham as a stereotypical rock musician gone to poppy-seed, are pitch-perfect in their creating a drama of the callous for Priyanka's character.

Sonakshi to romance Kamal Hassan

eems like Sonakshi Sinha, the new comer and daughter of veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, has attracted the attention of Kamal Haasan. According to an industry source, Kamal has been very keen in his attempt of recruiting Sonakshi to play the part of the female lead in his forthcoming venture. And not just that, her character will be opposite him in the movie, i. e. she will play Kamals love interest in the film. According to the reports, the film has been based upon Sir Anthony Hopkins' work, 'Hannibal', and that Sonakshi's role will be similar to Julianne Moores role in Hannibal. The source added that Kamal decided that Sonakshi will be perfect for the role after having seen her performance in her debut in 'Dabangg' opposite Salman.

Madhuri Dixit has worked with Rajnikanth in Uttar Dakshin in 1987.

Sonakshi Sinha.

Twitter pic gets Bips in trouble

here is outrage over a picture Bipasha Basu posted on her micro-blogging site recently. The actress displayed a picture of her feet with two young girls bending over to tie her shoelaces. She wrote, "I need to learn to tie shoe laces ASAP! Embarrassed that I can't! No patience.. grrrrr! Promise I am not spoilt! Will learn soon," and tagged it with the picture. This was followed by a barrage of comments about child labor. Under fire, Bips hastily deleted the tweet but forgot to erase the picture. It was only later that the photo went missing from her microblogging site. 'Sorry y'all!' She later tweeted, "Well the people helping me in the pix are my friend and sister, who I help often with the same! So am sorry if it hurt anyone's sentiments!," she tweeted.

Madhuri says no to Rajnikanth

Bipasha Basu.

his season everyone in Bollywood fell prey to the charms of the 44-year-old Madhuri Dixit who flew in from the US to judge a dance reality show on television. Besides the Khans, Kapoors and Kumars who poured praises in Mads' honor, the other man who was reportedly enamored with her is the Tamil megastar Rajnikanth. Madhuri and Rajni have done Uttar Dakshin in 1987. When Rajni came calling to Mumbai for one night he did attempt to meet a few Bollywood stars.

A distributor says, "Besides casting Deepika Padukone and Sonu Sood from Mumbai, Rajni Sir was also keen to have Madhuri Dixit in 'Rana.' However she turned down the offer. She excused herself saying that she was missing her sons Arin and Raayan too much and wanted to fly back to the United States." 'Rana' as everyone knows has Rajni in a triple role. Madhuri naturally would be cast opposite one of the older characters that Rajni is playing; whereas the 25-year-old Deepika will romance the younger character.

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Tristate Community TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Dr Sheela Prahalad: Proud to be recognized by motherland

The Pennsylvania physician Dr Sheela Prahalad was conferred the Hind Rattan Award by the NRI Welfare Society of India. She told SATimes that whatever she achieved in the US is because of the education and grounding she received in India
By Parveen Chopra or many years NRIs were much heralded--some would say, coddled--for notching successes abroad. Now, with India shining and so many Indians doing well within the country, NRIs are also often derided as not required Indians. Dr Sheela Prahalad has her own very wise take on the two opposing views which she voiced when she spoke at the 30th International Congress of NRIs held in the Golden Triangle Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, where she was honored with the Hind Rattan Award by the NRI Welfare Society of India. She summed up those remarks for SA Times, We are not the brightest ones to come out of India. We migrated because competition in India is stiff--there are too many bright people there. And we are succeeding outside all thanks to the education we received in India, the base that was built there. Medical education in India, she says proudly, is par excellence, and that is why Indian doctors do so well in the US and so on. Coming and working in America, Dr Sheela says, has been a most wonderful journey. It is not easy to entrust your healthcare to an immigrant, and I was the first Indian female intern here. Now she has about 3,000 grateful regular patients in her private practice. About her future plans, she says, After our two teenage children go to college, I one of her patients is not doing well, he says. He is also all praise for Dr Sheelas hard work and deft time management in balancing work and home. She still cooks fresh food every night and gives time to our children, going over their homework and preparation for tests, etc. Both are Kannadigas, and when Dr Prahalad was doing residency in Pittsburgh, PA, and she was in Jabalapur, they were introduced by respective families and got married in 1982. She followed him to the US. The secret of the success of their 28 years marriage? Laughs Dr Prahalad, who is also on the Board of Advisors of Xavier Unviersity School of Medicine, Aruba, We give each other space. Besides, we both have such busy lives that there is no time to fight. He adds that their focus right now is on their childrens education, giving them the best they can. Would the Prahalads children want to follow in their footsteps and pursue medicine. Replies Dr Sheela, Yes, our daughter, Ajna, 13, wants to be a doctor, but not our son, Amogh, 14, who is more into computers. We would want him to go in for engineering or aeronautics. The father adds that they have brought up the children in Indian cultureAjna learns Carnatic singing and dance, and Amogh plays the tabla. They travel to India every year, also because Dr Prahalad has real estate and business interests there to look after.

Dr Sheela Prahalad accompanied by her husband Dr PK Prahalad (left) receiving the Hind Rattan Award in January this year would like to teach at the new local college called The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) in Scranton, PA. The NRI honor, Dr Sheela says, came as a surprise to her. First she thought it was one of those you won a million dollar lottery kind of hoax. On checking, she found the NRI Welfare Society a long standing, legitimate body. Those associated with it include stalwarts like Vasant Sathe, Dr Bhishma Narain Singh and Dr. G.V.G Krishnamurthy. In all, she says, 70 Indians from all over the world were given the Hind Rattan Award, out of which 29 were from the USA. The delegates included businessmen, industrialists, scientists and engineers. Dr Sheelas husband, anesthesiologist Dr PK Prahalad, currently Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology Community Medical Center Healthcare System in Scranton, says he is proud and happy for the NRI honor bestowed on her. He surmises that word must have gone out to the award selectors of how dedicated and conscientiousalmost a perfectionist - she is in her work. She gets emotional when

Careers at a Glance
Dr Sheela Prahalad * Practices Internal Medicine and Geriontology from Abington, PA. * Graduated from Government Medical College, Jabalpur, 1980. * Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine; American Board of Geriatric Medicine. * Awards: Gold Medalist in Internal Medicine. 7th rank in 10,000 medical students university. Recognized as exceptional teacher for Internal Medicine Residents. Assistant to Director of Internal Medicine Residency Program. Best Physician in Abington, PA. Dr P.K. Prahalad * Chairman Department of Anesthesiology - Community Medical Center Healthcare System, Scranton, PA. Licensed to practice in the State of Pennsylvania. * Graduated from St. John's Medical College, Bangalore 1979. * Board Certifications: American Board of Anesthesiology; American Board of Pain Medicine; American Board of Cardiac Echo. * Board of Advisors of Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba

Dr Sheela Prahalad with her husband Dr PK Prahalad, also a physician, and two children Ajna and Amogh during their visit to India

Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info

19

February 26-March 4, 2010

US asks India to support Afghanistan

Washington: The United States has urged India and Pakistan to support a political process in Afghanistan, saying reconciliation in Afghanistan will depend on the participation and support of its neighbors, particularly Pakistan. "Indeed, we are encouraged by news that India and Pakistan are re-launching a dialogue aimed at building trust, and we encourage them to work in that same spirit to support a political process in Afghanistan," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. "We look to them - and all of Afghanistan's neighbors - to respect Afghanistan's sovereignty," she said at the launch of the Asia Society's Series of Richard borders, and to support reconciliation and efforts to ensure that Al Qaeda and the syndicate of terrorism is denied safe haven everywhere," Clinton said. "Afghanistan, in turn, must not allow its territory to be used against others," she said pledging to intensify US efforts to build broad international support for Afghan reconciliation. "Reconciliation - achieving it and maintaining it - will depend on the participation and support of Afghanistan's neighbors, including and most importantly Pakistan," Clinton said noting the historic distrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains a major cause of regional instability. Pakistan has legitimate concerns that should be understood and addressed by the Afghan Government under any reconciliation process, she said. "But Pakistan also has responsibilities of its own, including taking decisive steps to ensure that the Afghan Taliban cannot continue to conduct the insurgency from Pakistani territory," Clinton said suggesting pressure from the Pakistani side will help push the Taliban toward the negotiating table and away from Al Qaeda. For reconciliation to succeed, Pakistan will have to be part of the process, she said. "It will have to respect Afghan sovereignty and work with Afghanistan to improve regional stability."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. C. Holbrooke Memorial Addresses in New York. This "means agreeing not to play out their rivalries within its

Pak in a fix over Davis issue

India seeks meaningful dialogue with Pak: Patil

New Delhi: India stressed that it will pursue a foreign policy which will ensure that its voice is heard in global fora and made it clear that it will seek "a peaceful resolution of issues through a meaningful dialogue" with Pakistan as long as it sticks to its anti-terror pledge. Outlining the Manmohan Singh government's key priorities for 2011-12, President Pratibha Patil said New Delhi will "pursue a foreign policy which will ensure that our voice is heard and our interests are protected in global fora". "My government's foreign policy priority remains the promotion and creation of an environment that is conducive to the socio-economic transformation of India," Patil told a joint sitting of parliament. "The pursuit of peace, shared prosperity and regional cooperation within the Indian sub-continent and in our extended neighborhood will continue to guide my government's efforts," she said while alluding to soil to be used for terrorist activities against India," she said. "We will continue to work for the return of stability and peace in Afghanistan and to help the Afghan people's reconstruction efforts," she said. Alluding to to the ongoing protests for democracy in Egypt and in the rest of the Arab world, the president welcomed the dawn of democracy in the North African country. "We have an abiding interest in peace, stability and development of countries in our extended neighborhood," she said. "Egypt has recently seen momentous developments. As a democracy ourselves, we welcome the dawn of democracy elsewhere," she said. Referring to India's improving relations with all the major powers in the world, Patil also announced that the second India-Africa Forum summit will be held in Ethiopia later this year.

Pakistani security officials escort Raymond Allen Davis. Islamabad: The Raymond Davis affair continues to be a headache for Islamabad. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani admitted in Parliament that Pakistan and the US have "differences in approach" on dealing with the issue of Davis, arrested on charges of killing two alleged robbers, but he added that "national sovereignty" would not be compromised. Gilani, addressing the Parliament, said "the United States and Pakistan have differences in approach towards the Davis case". However, we'll not compromise on national sovereignty," he assured, Geo TV reported. "The government has complete sympathy with the families of the youngsters shot dead by Davis," Gilani said adding that "the case is now being heard by a court of law which will decide the question of diplomatic immunity and the government will respect the verdict by all means." Davis was arrested by police in Lahore, capital of Pakistani Punjab, on January 27 when he publicly shot down two youngsters riding a motorbike. He later claimed in the court that he had acted in self-defense because they were trying to rob him at an ATM machine at gun point. The US administration has been pressing the Pakistani government and foreign office to release Davis under the cover of diplomatic immunity. The repeated pleas, as well as a high-profile visit of US senate's foreign relations committee chairman John Kerry have not yielded any positive result as yet. The Interior Minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik, on the other hand, speaking outside the parliament, again quietly confessed that "Davis came to Pakistan on a diplomatic passport, although his exact nature of job was not revealed to the authorities concerned". The Raymond Davis controversy has threatened to jeopardize the relations between Pakistan and US with some Ccongress members even advocating withdrawing the $1.5 billion annual funding being given to the country.

The Indian President Pratibha Patil. high-level visits by the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka to India during the past year. Days after India announced its decision to resume a dialogue with Pakistan on all issues, Patil reminded Islamabad of its anti-terror pledge. "With Pakistan we seek a peaceful resolution of issues through a meaningful dialogue so long as Pakistan does not allow its

Indian ban to hit Pashupatinath's festival

Kathmandu: When devotees celebrate the night of Lord Pashupatinath, the Hindu god who is both the destroyer and saviour of the world, the rituals are going to be sorely hit, thanks to a ban by neighboring India on the export of powdered milk. Washing the deity at the hallowed Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu with milk and offering sweets made of milk as well as milk is an integral part of the Maha Shivratri festival March 2 and thousands of visitors, including wandering holy men from India, are expected at the 7th century shrine. Nepal's dairy authorities have expressed dismay at the decision by the Indian government to stop the export of powdered milk following a sharp rise domestically both in demand and price. The ban includes skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, dairy whitener as well as children's milk-based food products. During the dry seasons of winter and summer, when milk production decreases in Nepal, the republic banks heavily on powdered milk from India,

The Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. including the state-run Dairy Development Corporation (DDC). Around 5,000 metric ton of powdered milk is imported from India annually, according to DDC estimates. The ban is said to have become effective from midFebruary and will continue till further notice.

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International TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

UN calls for end to Libya violence

Tripoli: The UN Security Council has urged the Libyan government to immediately end its violent crackdown on protesters and to meet its responsibility to protect its population, the UN News Service said. Security Council members "condemned the violence and use of force against civilians, deplored the repression against peaceful demonstrators, and expressed deep regret at the deaths of hundreds of civilians," ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil, which holds the monthly presidency of the 15member body for February, said in a statement read out to the press following closed-door talks on the crisis. "They called for an immediate end to the violence and for steps to address the legitimate demands of the population, including through national dialogue," she said. Council members also called on the Libyan government to meet its responsibility to protect its population, act with restraint, respect human rights and international humanitarian law, and allow immediate access for human rights monitors and humanitarian agencies. "They underscored the need to hold to account those responsible for attacks, including by forces under their control, on civilians," the statement added. United Nations Secretary-General to support the UN and what measures it can take," Ashton said. "As the situation stands, we have suspended negotiations on EULibya Framework Agreement. We are coordinating closely with (EU) member states in Brussels, in New York and in Geneva at the UN Human Rights Council, where I will be myself on Monday," she said. After meeting in an emergency summit on February 22, the Arab League issued a statement suspending Libya's participation in the body's meetings and all the group's agencies, CNN said. The statement called for the immediate cessation of violence and condemned what it called crimes against protesters and peaceful strikers in Libya.

A protester holds portraits of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi in front of the Libyan Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on February 23. Ban Ki-moon and the United telephone conversation with Nations human rights chief have Muammar Gaddafi on February 21, both called on the Libyan authorities said he urged the Libyan leader to to immediately end their violent stop the violence and strongly crackdown on protesters. underlined the importance of Ban, in a statement by his respecting human rights and heedToronto/New York: Global spokesperson on February 21, said ing the aspirations and calls of the giants sank as stock markets he was "outraged" at press reports demonstrators. Speaking at the close tumbled in Toronto and New that the Libyan authorities have of a visit to Egypt, EU foreign poliYork as oil prices surged amid been firing at demonstrators from cy chief Catherine Ashton said that worries over continuing unrest war planes and helicopters. the UN Security Council meeting on in Libya. "This is unacceptable," Ban said Libya would "discuss all options, A member of the Organization in Los Angeles, where he was on an including restrictive measures". of Petroleum Exporting official visit. "This violence against "For my part, I have called a Countries (OPEC), Libya daily demonstrators must immediately meeting of EU ambassadors to look produces over 1.7 million barstop." Ban, who had a 40-minute at what the European Union can do

HP, BlackBerry, Wal-Mart sink

rels of oil. Oil for March delivery jumped 8.6 percent to $93.57 a barrel in New York the highest price in more than two years. On the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE), the composite index retreated 159.43 points to slip below 14,000 and closed at 13,963.68 points.

New Zealand quake: 400 missing

Wellington: Four hundred people are missing and 75 bodies have been recovered from the quake ravaged New Zealand city of Christchurch, local authorities said. Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said there were now 55 identified bodies at a morgue, which had been set up at local military base. Another 20 bodies had been recovered, but were not yet at the morgue and had yet to be identified. Parker said it was hoped that many of those 300 missing people would be accounted for over the course of the day. Search and rescue staff also said many people remain trapped alive inside buildings destroyed by the 6.3-magnitude earthquake Tuesday afternoon. More than 120 people had already been pulled from collapsed buildings as rescuers worked through the night under floodlights in the rain. Search efforts were concentrating around 10 buildings, where it was feared more than 100 people could still be trapped. These

Pirates kill four U.S. hostages

Washington: Pirates shot dead four U.S. hostages on a private yacht, the deadliest incident involving Americans kidnapped for ransom in the increasingly dangerous waters off Somalia. The U.S. military said the pirates shot the hostages before American special forces boarded the vessel. U.S. troops killed two pirates as they took control of the boat, and took 15 pirates into custody. Another two pirates were found dead when the U.S. special forces arrived but they were not killed by U.S. forces, the military said. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. government was "deeply saddened and very upset by the murder of four American citizens" -- a "deplorable act" that underscored the need for more international cooperation against the pirates. "We've got to have a more effective approach to maintaining security on the seas, in the ocean lanes, that are so essential to commerce and travel," she told reporters. Pirate gangs preying on shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean typically target large merchant ships, with oil tankers the prize catch, but the snatching of foreigners can also yield high ransoms. There were around 750 pirate hostages at the end of January. The Americans killed were Jean and Scott Adam, from California, as well as Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle from Seattle. The U.S. military said negotiations with the pirates had been under way when on

Rescuers work at the collapsed Pyne Gould building in the central business district in Christchurch on February 23. included a number of Japanese students who had been studying English in Christchurch. Fifteen people were confirmed alive in one building as rescuers tried to get to them as quickly as possible through tonnes of rubble. Earlier police said they were having to leave bodies as they concentrated on getting to survivors, some of whom had to have limbs amputated to get them out of rubble. Prime Minister John Key said Tuesday night that New Zealand faced one of its darkest days. Electricity, water, sewer and gas lines were disrupted by the quake with fires breaking out in the city overnight. Most of the city has no water supply and all schools and most businesses were closed with people being urged to stay at home and consider leaving the Christchurch area if possible. Communication with the area was difficult with phone systems disrupted and there have been appeals for people to stop using mobile phones throughout New Zealand. Christchurch is New Zealand's second-largest city and home to around 370,000 people.

This undated photo shows Jean and Scott Adams. Somali pirates killed four Americans, including this US couple. Tuesday morning, without warning, a pirate fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett. Then gunfire broke out inside the pirated vessel. "The intent always had been that this would be a negotiated process and not ever go into a point where we actually had gunfire," said Vice Admiral Mark Fox, the head of U.S. naval forces in the turbulent region. President Barack Obama had authorized the use of force in the case of an imminent threat to the hostages, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info

21

February 26-March 4, 2011

Asia's richest man strikes BP gas deal

Mumbai: He is the richest man in Asia, chairman of India's biggest listed company, and lives in one of the largest and most expensive homes in the world. This week, he struck a deal with BP that will see the British energy giant pump at least $7.2 billion into gas projects developed by his Reliance Industries in one of the country's largest foreign investments. The blockbuster deal comes less than a year after Ambani won a gas pricing dispute with his younger brother Anil that went all the way to the Supreme Court, leading to the end of a long-running family feud that had captivated India. At 53, Mukesh Ambani is the world's fourth richest man with a net worth estimated at $29 billion, according to Forbes. The older son of Reliance Industries founder Dhirubhai Ambani, a schoolteacher's son whose rise inspired a Bollywood film, Mukesh is known to be softspoken, a vegetarian and a teetotaler, and keeps a lower public profile than his brother. A chemical engineer by train-

2G scam: CBI questions Anil

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has questioned industrialist Anil Ambani in connection with 2G spectrum allocation case. There have been allegations that Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) received favors from former telecom minister A. Raja in getting dual technology and a role for Reliance Telecom in promoting Swan Telecom. The agency had sought clarifications from him on certain documents relating to Swan Telecom, the Bureau sources said. Swan Telecom has been under the scanner over alleged diversion of funds to DMK-owned Kalaignar television. Tiger Traders Private Limited have 90.13 per cent and Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), a subsidiary of ADAG, has 9.87 per cent equity share capital in Swan Telecom. Reliance Infocomm allegedly had 9.9 pc equity in Swan

Mukesh Ambani with BP top management at 11 Downing Street in London, England. ing, Mukesh Ambani dropped out of an MBA program at Stanford University, where he was a classmate of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, and joined Reliance in 1981. After the death of their father in 2002, the two brothers fought publicly, ending with a split of the family business empire in 2005 that was brokered by their mother and saw Mukesh win control of energy-based conglomerate Reliance Industries. Anil, now 51, took control of the telecoms, power and infrastructure businesses. The deal with BP is expected to boost shares in Reliance Industries, valued at about $70 billion, company watchers said, as it brings in capital and technology. Last year, he struck three shale gas joint ventures in the United States, including a $1.7 billion deal with Atlas Energy to own 40 percent of its Marcellus Shale operations in the eastern United States

Anil Ambani. Telecom before Swan applied for new license for 2G spectrum. Swan was promoted by DB Realty group headed by Shahid Usman Balwa, who is in CBI custody. According to the CAG, four Companies including Reliance Communications Ltd, were provided CDMA-based mobile service under Unified Access Service license.

Obama to bat for US businesses 2G: CBI questioned on bail pleas

Washington: Citing a recent US trade mission to India, US President Barack Obama has vowed 'to bat for America's businesses around the world' as he outlined his vision for America's economic recovery. Attending what he billed as a 'listening' event with small-business leaders in Cleveland, Ohio, Obama cited the example of a small company which manufactures flexible liquid crystal displays at a 'first of its kind in the world' state-of-the-art production line in Kent. Dr. Albert Green, the CEO of Kent Displays, wants to keep his manufacturing base in Ohio, he said. 'But to keep up with global competition, he's got to be able to invest in new technology, and he's got to draw on a highly skilled local workforce, and he's got to New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was on Feb 22 issued a notice by a Delhi Court on the bail pleas of three accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scandal - R.K. Chandolia, Siddharth Behura and Shahid Usman Balwa. CBI Special Judge O.P. Saini asked the probe agency to respond to the bail applications of Chandolia and Balwa by Feb 24, the next date of hearing. "The CBI will file its reply against Behura's (bail plea) on Feb 28," said Saini. The court extended till March 3 the judicial custody of former telecom secretary Behura and former communications minister A. Raja`s then personal secretary Chandolia.The judicial custody was extended so that they could be presented in court along with other two co-accused - Raja and Balwa, managing director of DB Realty. Chawla requested the court to defreeze Behura's bank account as he had to make payments to hospitals and doctors on behalf of his wife who underwent a surgery for cancer Feb 5. He said that all decisions relating to the issue of 2G licenses to telecom companies, which were under investigation by the CBI, were decided by the department of telecom-

Former Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja with former Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura. munications (DoT) well before Behura joined the ministry. "This can be seen from the fact that I joined only five working days before these decisions were implemented. On Jan 7, 2008, the file relating to the policy for consideration of licenses came to me for implementation," said Behura. The other two accused applied for bail on the ground that the investigation concerning them in the present case was mainly based on documentary evidence and there was no likelihood of their tampering with the evidence.

US President Barack Obama. sell his products around the world easily.' So he participated in the forum's exports session with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and he also joined a trade mission to India, Obama recalled. 'And everywhere they went people were asking: Are your products made in America?' he said. 'The world wants American goods. And my administration is going to go to bat for America's businesses around the world. You should know that,' he declared.

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ICC Cricket World Cup TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Will Piyush Chawla spin the web?

Bangalore: Optional nets are not new, as far as Indian cricket is concerned. But even when it is compulsory, no one in the team is forced to do anything by rote. The team management allows the players to plan their own stints, based on their needs. However, it is always easy to pick up some signals from the nets, to understand what the thinktank is planning for the games ahead. The first cue has to be taken from the man who missed the opening World Cup match in Dhaka: Ashish Nehra. The injury-prone pacer failed to bowl on the first two days here, and the amount of time he has spent with physios, indicates that he is a very doubtful starter for the game against England on February 27. S Sreesanth's terrible showing against Bangladesh also means that the team has a problem on their hand: can they afford to play him again? Or will they be forced to bring in the second spinner? Sreesanth did bowl at the nets on Wednesday but didn't really show that he has recovered from the pasting at Dhaka. He remains a dangerous proposition. But instead of making the batsmen dance, if he is all over the place himself, won't the options have to be revived? Luckily, Mahendra Singh Dhoni doesn't have to look too far; he doesn't have to go back too much in time either to effect the change. At the very same Chinnaswamy Stadium, indeed on the same pitch that will be used for the game against England, leggie Piyush Chawla spun a web around the Australians on February 13. Now, we cannot be sure at this stage if the pitch will afford similar turn exactly two Sundays later. But going by the practice wicket laid out on Wednesday at the far left of the main square, you can rest assured that it will be a brown surface. There is also the little matter of the Englishmen being weaker against spin than the Aussies, more so leg- spin; that should mean the second spinner, and Chawla at that, has a very good chance of breaking in. Maybe, horses for courses will be the mantra.

Tight security for Delhi match

New Delhi: The Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in central Delhi turned into a fortress as the Delhi Police made elaborate security arrangements ahead of the World Cup cricket matches in the Capital. "We provided fool-proof security in and around the stadium and deployed about 1,000 police personnel, headed by five deputy commissioners of police. Apart Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla. from police personnel, even private security guards and volunteers have been deployed," a police officer said. "We are expecting a lot of spectators as it is the first match (in Delhi). To avoid untoward incidents, we also have a disaster management team from the National Disaster Management Authority," he added.

Quake will motivate Kiwis: Border

Pak crush Kenya by 205 runs

Hambantota: Captain Shahid Afridi took five wickets as Pakistan crushed Kenya by 205 runs in a World Cup Group A match at the Mahinda Rajapakse International Cricket Stadium. A strong show by Pakistan's middle-order saw them put up 317/7 in 50 overs after electing to bat. Umar Akmal smashed a 52ball 71 while Misbah-ul-Haq hit a 69-ball 65. Umar's elder brother, Kamran, made 55 while senior batsman Younis Khan made 50. Kenya began their chase cautiously, having been bowled out for 69 in their first match against New Zealand. Openers Maurice Ouma and Seren Waters batted for 9.1 overs with only 37 runs on the board. But then they started losing wickets. Collins Obuya was the only batsman to take the fight to the opposition camp as he blasted three sixes and three fours in his 58-ball 47. Veteran Steve Tikolo added 13, but once Afridi (5-16) took the ball in his hand, he ran through the Kenyan innings in a jiffy. Kenya were finally bowled out for 112 in 33.1 overs. They lost eight wickets for the addition of just 40 runs. None of the last six batsmen reached double digits with four of them being

Allan Border. Melbourne: Allan Border feels the tragic earthquake in New Zealand will motivate their team to do better in their World Cup clash against Australia in Nagpur. New Zealand players expressed their remorse when news of the quake reached them, with opener Martin Guptill describing it as a "terrible thing to have happened again". The International Cricket Council (ICC) say they are working with officials for Friday's match to organise the best way to honour those who have lost their lives in the tragedy. "They're a side that tend to lift against Australia and given the recent events in Christchurch, they've got the added incentive to do well," Border was quoted as saying in foxsports. "Not that that should make that much difference, but you've got that incentive in the back of your mind to lift for the sake of your countrymen. They're a dangerous opponent, there's no doubt about that."

Shahid Afridi. dismissed for a duck. Kenya has caused quite a few upsets in previous World Cups and also reached the semifinals in 2003, but have been disappointing in this edition. Afridi was effective with his leg spin. He got good purchase from the wicket and exploited the conditions to the hilt. Umar Gul was the other successful bowler, taking two wickets. Earlier, Pakistan made a slow start on a placid track and openers Mohammad Hafeez (1) and Ahmed Shahzad (9) departed in 6.5 overs with just 12 runs on the board. Younis and Kamran revived the innings through a solid 98-run stand for the third wicket, pushing for singles off some tight bowling. After Younis, Kamran and Misbah laid the foundation for the innings and stylish Umar smacked eight fours and one six to give a late thrust to the score. On their part, Kenya lost the plot work with some erratic bowling, conceding 46 extras, including 37 wides.

ICC Cricket World Cup TheSouthAsianTimes.info

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February 26- March 4, 2011

England almost lost to Netherlands!

Nagpur: Skipper Andrew Strauss scored a fine 88 as England survived a major scare to beat the Netherlands by six wickets with eight balls to spare in their opening World Cup Group B match here. England had to sweat it out for the win, but Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara scored an unbeaten 30 runs each to take the team home safely, chasing down a tough target of 293 runs at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Jamtha. The Dutch, who had shocked England in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, were impressive as they took advantage of poor bowling and abject fielding to score 292 for six in 50 overs. All-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate struck his blistering fourth century, 119 off 110 balls, and then picked up two wickets with his medium pace. The South African born player was also named the Man of the Match. England were off to a good start with their new opening pair of Kevin Peitersen (39) and Strauss adding 105 runs. A mistimed drive off left-arm spinner Pieter Seeler saw Pietersen departing after Dutch captain Peter Borren took a nice catch at cover. Jonathan Trott (62) and Strauss then kept the run flow going, but the runs dried up in the middle overs after the captain departed in his attempt to pull Mudassar Bukhari, only to be caught by Tom Cooper in the deep. Ten Doeschate picked up Trott and Ian Bell (33) in successive overs to put England in a tight spot. But Collingwood and Bopara held their nerves and added 55 runs for the fifth wicket to complete the successful chase. Earlier, electing to bat on a placid track, the Netherlands piled on their highest total against a ICC full-member nation and bettered their 230 against England in the 1996 World Cup. The England bowling looked clueless and their sloppy fielding did not help their cause either. Graeme Swann was the best bowler for England with his two wickets for 35.

Paul Collingwood (L) and Ravi Bopara greet each other after winning the World Cup match between England and Netherlands at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

'Our team not haunted by chokers tag'

New Delhi: Jacques Kallis has been part of the South African teams which went to the World Cup as 'favorites' only to choke when it came to the crunch. The unwanted tag of chokers is something that Kallis and his team are reminded at every major event. Both Kallis and his teammates want to bury the past once and for all at his fourth World Cup here. "It is certainly something that does not haunt us," asserted the battled-hardened Kallis fielding the question for the umpteenth time in his illustrious career. "I think a lot is made of the chokers tag, particularly South Africa's cricket team captain by the media. We certainly Graeme Smith with teammate Jacques don't talk about it, we don't Kallis during a training session in even think about it. People New Delhi. need to go and really look up the word choker in the Lewis in 2003 have all conjured up dictionary and get the correct to deny South Africa. meaning." Kallis more than anyone else It is entirely a new team here, knows that handling pressure will says Kallis, wondering how can be the key in the knockout stages. they be clubbed with the past sides. "Teams that play the best cricket "We have a lot of young players, under pressure in the knockout I think 11 of the 15 haven't played games and also in one or two key in a World Cup before so the past group games will come on top. It is performance doesn't even cross our going to boil down to who gets to mind. We don't worry about the the next stage and once you get past and we just look ahead to play down to the quarter-finals, semigood cricket." finals or the final anything can hapSadly, the South Africans are pen on the day because the teams only remembered for their good are so evenly matched." cricket, even when they had the South Africa's variety in bowling team to win the cup. Often they will complement their strong batbuckled under pressure and the fate ting line-up. Dale Steyn and Morne conspired against them. The one Morkel are top pacers in the tourball 22 runs equation under rain nament while Johan Botha, Robin rule in 1992 semifinals against Peterson and much talked about England, the infamous run-out Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran against Australia in 1999 and the Tahir form the impressive spin miscalculation of Duckworth attack.

Ponting may face disciplinary hearing

Nagpur: Australian captain Ricky Ponting was likely to face a disciplinary hearing by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for smashing an LCD TV in the dressing room of the Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad. A furious Ponting after being run out during the game against Zimbabwe, smashed the expensive TV set in the dressing room with a bat. Though Cricket Australia (CA) spokesperson Lachy Patterson said the issue was blown out of proportion, the ICC was expected make an announcement later Wednesday after receiving a complaint from the Indian cricket board and the Gujarat Cricket Association. "Ricky threw his box (groin protector) into his bag and it flew up into a TV set. It wasn't smashed. There was a small blackout on one corner of the screen. It was still working when (it was) replaced," said Patterson. Ponting is likely to face a possible fine of part of his match fee. Ricky Ponting.

World Cup hits businesses in Pak

Islamabad: With the start of cricket World Cup 2011, ticket sales at cinema halls and theaters across Pakistan has dropped down by more than 50 percent and it is predicted that film and stage business will bear a loss of 250 million rupees, the media reported. "During the first three days cinema business suffered a loss of more than 60 percent, while the theaters for stage performances have witnessed a decrease of around 50 percent," revealed a survey carried by the Jang newspaper. "As the World Cup enters the second round, where big teams clash against each other, the decline in ticket sales could be around 70-80 percent," stated the paper while quoting industry pundits. Javed Ali, manager of a local cinema, said: "We have decided to postpone the release of new Pakistani or Indian movies because of lack of response, while other cinema houses are contemplating a closure during world cup to avoid losses." "The already dwindling

film and stage industry in Pakistan is expected to receive a financial setback of over 250 million rupees during the six weeks of the World Cup," the paper quoted anonymous sources as saying. "In the wake of existing trend, a proposal is being considered by some cinema owners to show

world cup matches at giant screens and recover revenues by cashing upon the world cup fever." Pakistan's film industry, which has been on the decline for several years, got a respite when ban on screening of Indian movies was lifted in 2007 after a gap of more than 40 years.

24

ICC Cricket World Cup TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Happy to equal Kapil's 175: Sehwag

career I had batted for so long. I was planning to bat 50 overs but could not do that today. Hopefully will do that some time." Sehwag, who was dismissed in the 48th over, categorically said getting a double hundred never crossed his mind. "No, not at all. I never thought about getting a double century. When I got out less then three overs were left. I could have got a maximum of 15 balls and score 25 runs.I didn't even think about getting a double century. My target was to play 50 overs," he said at the post match media conference. He said the wicket was good to bat on and he and fellow opener Sachin Tendulkar began by scoring at 10 runs an over in the first three overs. "After that we decided we are going too fast and we have to be a little careful. That's because, if we had lost early wickets it would have been tough for the batsmen to follow." Sehwag said when the field was spread, it became easy for him to rotate the strike. "I think I hit a six on 49, and after that till 75 or 80 I was just rotating the strike. Because I knew I had to play 30-40 overs, and if I do that I would get hundred. I was not worrired about my hundred, or runs, because I knew it will come if I stay there."

Debut record for Kohli

Virender Sehwag in action against Bangladesh. Dhaka: Having set up India's victory in the opening Cricket World Cup match against Bangladesh with a rollicking 175, dashing opener Virender Sehwag said he would have loved to bat 50 overs but scoring a double hundred was never in his mind. Sehwag, who plundered the Bangladesh bowling attack in the game here, was happy to have equaled Kapil Dev's feat of 175 runs in a World Cup game. Kapil's 175 - then the highest by a batsman in a One-day game came under trying circumstances after India were struggling at 17/5 in a must-win league match against Zimbabwe at the 1983 World Cup. Later, Sourav Ganguly scored 183 against Sri Lanka at Taunton in the 1999 World Cup. "I am happy and honored to have equaled his (Kapil Dev) score in the World Cup. People will now speak about both of us getting 175," said Sehwag after India scored a convincing 87-run win over Bangladesh in their first Group B game. Asked about his 200-minute stay in the middle, Sehwag replied: "My strike rate was still more than 100. My aim was to bat minimum 30-40 overs and when I batted 47 I was happy that at least once in my Dhaka: Young middle-order batsman Virat Kohli has became the first Indian to score a century in a World Cup debut match as he hit an unbeaten 100 against Bangladesh in the tournament opener at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. It was also the 23-year-old's fifth ODI century and second against Bangladesh here Saturday. Kohli and Virender Sehwag (175) were involved in a 203-run stand for the third wicket that saw India amassing 370 for four in 50 overs. It was the highest total in an opening game of the World Cup, surpassing England's 334 for four in 60 overs against India at Lord's in the 1975 World Cup.

Virat Kohli.

India need to tighten fielding

New Delhi: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he was by and large satisfied with his team's performance in the inaugural match of the 2011 Cricket World Cup against Bangladesh. You can't quarrel with him after an emphatic 87-run victory. Since he had to touch upon at least one glaring deficiency, he chose to make a passing reference to fielding. He could have also said he did not expect his senior colleagues to run the way they did between the wickets or said, like Sehwag did, that Sreesanth had an off day. Dhoni actually felt his bowlers bowled well. It would be interesting to know what he thinks of Munaf Patel. The Baroda medium-pacer, actually, flourished in the series against New Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrates the victory with teammates during the first match in the Zealand when Gautam Gambhir led the World Cup Cricket tournament between Bangladesh and India. side. Munaf may not have an impressive gait or is fleet-footed on the field, but he is as good a bowler today as Zaheer Khan is and by far the most attacking fast bowler in all forms of the game. Virender Sehwag has a way of speaking his mind out. He said a couple of weeks ago that he would like to bat for 50 overs instead of being satisfied with quick-fire 40s. Not many would have hazarded a guess as to how much he would score if he bats for so long. If not many have taken Sehwag seriously, they may not have reckoned with his big Test hundreds, including two triple centuries, scored at a frenetic one-day pace. Yet, he wants us to believe that a double century was not on his mind Saturday. He, however, wants to carry his bat through the 50 overs innings. He showed all his determination at the first opportunity and when was got out in the 48th over he looked a tired man. A bout of cramps did not help his cause and he got out for 175 runs when wagers were on whether he would get 200. Sehwag, in his present frame, can carry India very far in the tournament whether he gets a double century or not. If Sachin Tendulkar had not been run out, it would have been a double whammy for Bangladesh, who in any case were batted out of the game. The fast rising Virat Kohli was not overshadowed by Sehwag. The Delhi youngster yet again showed he has class and the ability to get big scores. His fifth ODI hundred was beautifully compiled on his World Cup debut and amazingly, he scored at more than a run a ball right through the innings. He is now an indispensable batsman in the top order and talented Suresh Raina will have to fight it out with Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan for the other batting slot as

Renewable Energy TheSouthAsianTimes.info

25

February 25-March 4, 2011

Rajasthan to lead in solar power

The Thar desert receives up to 6.4 KW per hour of energy per square meter and is capable of producing trillions of units of electricity. The state is involved in making the desert one of worlds biggest energy hubs.
By Prakash Bhandari/SATimes Jaipur: The Thar desert spread on several thousand miles in western Rajasthan is set to become the worlds biggest powerhouse for power generation. The Thar desert in its underbelly has millions of tonnes of gas and oil, which are being explored now. Besides, on the Thar sky the sun that beats down is capable of producing trillions of units of electricity. The Thar desert on an average basks in an average of 320 days of sunshine in a year and often it receives up to 6.4 KW per hour of energy per square meter every day which is the highest in the world and could be compared with the northern part of Africa. Experts feel that by the next century solar energy would become the major source of power and Thar is capable of producing 300,000 MW of power under desert sun spread on 7500 sq km of desert. Its just a tip of the iceberg, we have several thousand miles of desert and each inch of the desert would be used for producing energy, using the sun as source. The Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd (RRECL) is involved in making the Thar desert one of worlds biggest energy hubs, said Nareshpal Gangwar, CMD of RRECL at Jaipur. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is keen to promote and develop solar energy for power generation and other uses. The aim is to develop and deploy energy technologies across the country to achieve parity with grid power tariff by 2022. As per estimates, Indias power sector has a total installed capacity of about 1,46,000 MW. India traditionally relied on coal based energy to meet its demands and thus it accounts for 54 percent of installed capacity. While hydroelectricity contributes another 25 percent in energy supply, renewable energy sources like wind power, bio-mass contribute just about 8% of the installed capacity. Nuclear and gas based resources meet the remaining demand. In 2009 Government of India initiated the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Mission, targeting the deployment of 20,000 MW within three years, adding another 3000 MW by 2017. According to Dr B Bhargava, Director, Photovoltaic Program, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), to achieve this, the government plans to ramp up the capacity of grid-connected power generation to 1,000 MW within three years. It then aims to add another 3000 MW of power to the existing grid by 2017. The ambitious target for 2022, 20,000 MW or more will depend on the learning of the first two phases, which if successful, could lead to conditions of grid-competitive power. An amount of Rs 4337 crore has been approved for the activities proposed under the first phase of the Mission till March 2013, added Bhargava. International experts feel that by the next century solar energy would become the major source of producing power as the fossil sources would either exhaust or deplete. Currently, conventional power is being produced using oil, coal, lignite, gas and hydro, but in the next eight to 10 years a lot of R&D is economies. However, only a small fraction of the potential has been tapped, although India is one of the world leaders in installed wind power generation with a capacity of over 10,000 MW. But actual utilization, read plant load factor, in wind power can be modest, as it depends on air density, speed etc. Corporates like Indo-Solar and Orient Green Power have recently been tapping the capital market via IPOs. But a bit of perspective is called for, when telescoping into the future. By 2020, global installed solar capacity could be 20 to 40 Concentrated Photo Voltaic (CPV) and Solar thermal (CST). The rush to set up power plants has been caused by incentives offered by the state government and the Union government on each unit of solar power produced. We have already cleared 11 proposals of Moser Baer Photovoltaic Ltd, Astonfield Solar (Rajasthan) Refex Refrigerants, Videocon Industries, AES Solar Energy, Entegra, Swiss Park Vanijya, OPG Energy, Acme Telepower Ltd. Entegra would set up a CPV based conventional production has a limited life and solar is the answer for future and without incentives to the producers solar power development would not get a flying start. The new policy of the government would be based on the Electricity Act and the role that various states power regulatory commissions would play, said an official of REDA. The Rajasthan government is expecting an investment of Rs 18,000 crore in solar power and the projects are cleared after taking a number of considerations We

* The current estimate of Rajasthan solar energy potential is 8000 MW. *20,000 hectare of desert land has been identified for solar power production centers. The area is sufficient to generate 700 MW to 2100 Giga Watts of power. * Worlds largest solar kitchen installed at Taleti on the foothills of Mount Abu in Rajasthan that generates 4000 kg of steam per day, enough to cook 10,000 meals. *India hopes to invest $35 billion during 2012-17 in additional power generation capacity from renewable resources. *Capacity addition of 25,500 MW during the 12th Plan (2012-17) will need total investment of Rs 1.63 trillion, envisaged mainly as private investment, *India hopes to raise the total installed capacity of renewable power to 22,500 MW by March 2012 and 48,000 MW by 2017, from 15,539 MW currently. expected in the solar production sector. We are late in realizing the potential of solar energy. The Jawahar Lal Nehru Solar Mission is the largest in the world. The government is targeting just 1000 MW capacity addition in the first phase of the plan. Applications from the industry have already reached over 7000 MW. Big companies like Reliance and Tata BP Solar are keen to develop solar power, said Jagat Singh Jawa, director general of International Solar Energy Society (SESI). Investments in the industry range Rs 20 crore-Rs 30 crore per MW. Investments in off-grid solar energy that is energy produced directly to light households and rural India through solar panels, cost Rs 30 crore per MW and the same for grid power costs Rs 18 crore to Rs 20 crore per MW. Thus by 2022 the total investment in the industry could well exceed Rs 50,000 crore. Solar power remains the most promising source of renewable energy. US experts opine that in 3-7 years, unsubsidized power could cost no more than electricity generated using fossil fuels. There is need for clear-cut norms and proactive policy to coagulate funds and resources in the renewable energy space. Consider wind-driven power generation, which is about 2% of the total solar energy reaching the earth, which is almost 2 billion tonnes of oil equivalent a year, or 200 times what's consumed by all the world's times its current levels. However, even if all of the forecast growth does occur, solar power will represent only about 3 to 6% of installed electricity generation capacity in 2020. Nevertheless, the economics of solar power is rapidly changing for the better due to scale economies, attendant cost reductions and technology evolution. In Rajasthan the process of solar power production started over a decade ago and MNCs like Enron of USA and Energen of Germany won bids to produce power in the Thar. They signed agreement with Rajasthan government to sell the produced power. But these two, allotted land in the desert along with Indian firm Sun Source, could not begin operations because of lack of technology for mass production of solar power. But in recent years Spain and USA has developed technology making it possible to produce bulk solar energy using the solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technology. The plant to produce solar power is expensive and the power producer currently will have to spend Rs 16 crore to Rs 18 crore per megawatt on plant itself. But with the demand rising for the solar power plants, the cost would come down, hoped Gangwar. The solar power is produced by converting light into electricity and also by converting heat into electricity. The technology that is used is SPV (Solar Photo Voltaic), plant and a solar thermal plant of 10 MW capacity. Most of the power producers have chosen the SPV technology and would produce 5 MW of power each. But I hope these players would go for thermal technology with higher capacity in future, said Gangwar. The Union ministry of renewable energy had announced a policy to offer generation incentive at Rs 12.33 per unit to the solar power producer and the state government power companiesthat would purchase the power from these solar power producers would pay Rs 3.67 per unit and additionally 78 paise per unit for a few years and the incentives would start reducing by four paise per unit each year. The Rajasthan government last year signed an MoU with Clinton Foundation for solar power. Power secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar and chairman of the Foundation, Ira Magaziner, signed the papers in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently. Clinton Foundation would provide technical assistance etc for setting up solar energy parks in the state, of the capacity of 3,000 to 5,000 MW. Land has been identified at two places Badi Sid and Kansingh ki Isd in Jodhpur and Bhadla in Jaisalmer. The Union government is expected to announce a new policy on incentives to be given to power producers. This would determine if the independent power producers investment is viable. But like other nations India has also realized that received 32 proposals to set up 900 MW solar power plants in Jodhpur, Bikaner, Nagaur, Barmer and Jaisalmer where the annual average sunshine is 320 days. But we have taken care to approve only genuine projects. We have received applications to go for 45 MW, 100 MW, 50 MW plants. But as a policy we have cleared projects of only 10 MW. The state power regulatory commission would take into consideration the cost of the project plus 16 percent return on the equity before determining the tariff. Thus the tariff that the state owned power distribution companies would pay to the producers would be determined only after the commission completes the hearing, said the official. The Rajasthan government has decided to invite bids from the power producers on all projects above 50 MW. Anil Ambani led Reliance Power has signed the power purchase agreement with the nationally owned NTPC for its upcoming 100 MW solar power project at Jaisalmer. The project will be commissioned by May 2013. It will be implemented through Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Pvt Ltd (RSETPL), a subsidiary of Reliance Power. Infrastructure major Punj Lloyd has signed a 25 year power purchase agreement with NVVN for sale of power from a 5 MW solar power plant to be built in Phalodi area, about 200 km from Jodhpur. This plant will be commissioned by 2012.

26

Health TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease

What do kidneys do?
Different stages of kidney disease
DESCRIPTION
Healthy Kidneys
Kidney damage with normal or increased GFR Kidney damage with mildly decreased GFR Moderately decreased GFR Severe decrease in kidney function ESRD (end-stage renal disease) * Obesity Other factors that put you at a higher risk for developing kidney disease are: * Belonging to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians. * Having problems of heart / circulatory system * Having protein in urine How is CKD diagnosed? Early detection and diagnosis of chronic kidney disease can help prevent the kidneys from getting worse or from failing completely. If you have any of the above risk factors for developing CKD, specific blood and urine tests can be performed to determine if you have CKD. (1) Estimated Glomerular fil-

STAGE
Normal Kidney Function
1 2 3 4 5

eGFR Level
> 90
90 60-89 30-59 15-29 < 15 tration rate (eGFR) - This test indicates how well the kidneys are filtering each minute. (2) Urine Protein This test checks for albumin, a protein in the urine. Having albumin in the urine is an indication that the kidney filtering system is damaged and hence, it has allowed the albumin to pass through in to the urine. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is (1) Kidney damage, in the function or structure, for 3 months or more, with or without a decrease in eGFR. (2) A decrease in eGFR to less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 for 3 months or more, with or without kidney damage (3) Albuminuria (more than 30 mg of urinary albumin per gram of urinary creatinine)

idneys are important to maintain health. They are bean shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located in the middle of the back, one on each side of the spine. The kidneys serve the following functions: (1) remove extra water out of

blood and make urine (2) filter waste products out of blood (3) help control blood pressure (4 ) help make new red blood cells (5 ) regulate levels of chemicals such as sodium, potassium, acids and bases in blood (6) remove drugs and toxins out of blood and (7) promote strong bones
ment can often keep the disease from getting worse. Common causes of CKD The two most common causes of chronic kidney disease are (1) diabetes and (2) high blood pressure, which are responsible for up to two-thirds of the cases. Kidneys are damaged in diabetes because of high sugar and also because of leaking protein in the urine. CKD can be caused by high blood pressure and it can also cause high blood pressure. Other conditions that cause CKD are (3) Glomerulonephritis, an inflammatory condition which can lead to kidney damage (4) Lupus and other diseases that affect the body's immune system (5) Obstruction or blockage to flow of urine caused by problems such as kidney stones, tumors or an

What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?

Chronic kidney disease is a condition where the kidneys are damaged and their ability to perform the above functions is decreased. It affects approximately 26 million Americans as per the National Kidney Foundation. CKD is a silent disease process. In early stages, people may not have any symptoms. If kidney disease gets worse, waste products can build up in blood and make one feel sick. It can also lead to several complications like high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, and poor nutritional state. CKD also increases the risk for heart disease. CKD worsens over time and can lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or transplant. Early detection and treat-

enlarged prostate gland in men (6) repeated urinary infections (7) narrowing of blood vessels of one or both kidneys (8) Inherited diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, causing large cysts to form in the kidneys and damaging the surrounding tissue (9) Malformations that occur at the time of development of a baby in the mother's womb. Risk factors for developing CKD Anyone can get CKD at any age. However, some people are more prone than others to develop kidney disease. The following are the most common risk factors for developing CKD: * Diabetes * High blood pressure * Family history of chronic kidney disease * Old age

Symptoms of CKD
Stage 1 and 2 There may be little or no signs and symptoms in the early stages. One may experience the following symptoms. * Feeling tired and having less energy * Developing swollen feet and ankles * Having puffiness around eyes, especially in the morning * Having to urinate more often, especially at night * Having trouble concentrating * Having trouble sleeping * Having poor appetite * Having dry, itchy skin * Having muscle cramps at night Stage 3 Kidneys play an important role in the production of red blood cells and promoting strong bones. During stage 3, as kidney function declines by significant amount, you may develop anemia or bone disease. At this stage, you may begin to experience the following symptoms which may progressively worsen as the stage advances. Anemia * Weakness, fatigue, pallor, lack of energy * Fast heart beat * Shortness of breath on exertion * Unusual food cravings * Coldness of hand and feet Bone disease * Pain and stiffness in joints * Muscle weakness * Prone to fractures Stage 4 During this stage symptoms described under stage 3 might worsen, as the kidney function further declines. You may develop symptoms related to imbalance of minerals and chemicals in the blood leading to high blood potassium and low bicarbonate levels. This is the best time to begin preparing and deciding on different treatment options. Transplant This is a surgery in which kidney from another person is put in to a person whose kidneys are not working anymore. Once the transplant procedure is done, you will be given medications to prevent your body from rejecting the transplanted kidney. These medications have to be taken as long as the transplanted kidney is working. * Dialysis Dialysis is a type of procedure which is provides an artificial replacement for lost kidney function. It is a life support treatment and does not treat the underlying kidney disease. Hemodialysis (performed through a shunt in the arm, at dialysis centers or at home, 3 times a week) * Peritoneal dialysis (performed through the abdominal cavity lining) which is done at home Stage 5 By this time, your kidney function has drastically declined and this stage is also known as end stage renal disease. How to preserve kidney function * Control blood sugar by following diet and taking medications * Control blood pressure * Eat a balanced diet * Be active * Control cholesterol * Avoid any over the counter medications or supplements that may affect kidney function * Quit smoking * Keep doctors appointments References: National Kidney Foundation; American Association of Kidney Patients; National Kidney Disease Education Program. The author of this article, Dr. Bhavani Mahankali, MD is certified by the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Nephrology. She is Medical Director of Newtown Dialysis Center in Astoria, Queens. She has offices in Queens and holds consulting privileges in various hospitals in the borough of Queens and Brooklyn.

Atlantic Dialysis Management Services, LLC (ADMS) provides new dialysis site development, day to day administration and management of dialysis services and related business development activities. Its business strategy is to produce economies of scale and maximize individual site results through consolidated activities. Central to the ADMS approach is the long term control of clinical services by nephrologists. In 2010, ADMS affiliates provided over 225,000 dialysis treatments to over 2,500 patients in New York City and Long Island.

Disclaimer: Information provided in this article is only for educational purposes. Please consult your personal physician for specific advice on these and any other health related matters.

Features Thesouthasiantimes.info

27

February 26-March 4, 2011

Never retired, never stopped dancing, says Birju Maharaj at 75

egendary kathak dancer Birju Maharaj, who is also a musician, choreographer and lyricist, says kathak as a genre is finally receiving the encouragement it should from the government. He also says he never retired and is dancing away even at 75. It is slow, but support is finally coming. Young dancers are feeling brave enough to take up kathak as a vocation. Dancing kathak is a realization - it is not a job. Dancers should not treat kathak as a profession to earn a commercial livelihood, but as an invocation. One must learn to love the dance, not just sweat over it, the 75-year-old exponent said a news agency. The dancer, who is agile as ever at 75, held a packed theater under its spell earlier this week with a 45minute performance that included a selection of Radha-Krishna leela involving intricate footwork, chants and abhinaya (emoting), a peacock dance, and prem leela. He said he was busier than before since his retirement in 1998 as head of faculty at the Kathak Kendra. The media was full of reports about my retirement, but I have not retired. I perform across the country, choreograph dance dramas and teach children, he said.

Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj performs in the capital early this week. He has just been honored with the Sumitra Charit Ram Award for lifetime achievement by the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, presented by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. The dancer, who is an exponent of the Lucknow gharana, is the scion of an illustrious family of kathak dancers, which included his famous uncles Sambhu Maharaj and Lacchu Maharaj and father Acchan Maharaj. The maestro has

Birju Maharaj honored with a lifetime achievement award by Shobha Deepak Singh of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit, historian Kapila Vatsayan and Lalit Kala Akademi chairman Ashok Vajpeyi. been honored with Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi award and the Kalidas Samman. The kathak exponent believes that classical dance should be taught at school to groom young talent. Birju Maharaj advised young kathak dancers not to lose sight of the real picture or the aakriti of the dance. They should learn from a real guru who will not teach them to cash in on the dance commercially to mint money. The kathak exponent teaches more than 250 children in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata. He is known for innovating rhythms and enacting dramas based on lores on stage. Some of them are impromptu improvisations. It is abhinaya. The essence of my kathak is to capture the cosmic rhythm, relate to the audience in

such a way that you become one with them and speak to them through your art. I translate the cosmic rhythms into shapes in my head. Every rhythm has a corresponding shape in my mind, the master said. Kathak on the eight major forms of classical dance forms originates from kathaa or the traditional Hindu bhakti art of storytelling. Strolling down memory lane, he said he had performed for the first time at the age of seven at the Delhi Jubilee Talkies. I danced solo and my father sat in the theatre. I dont think I was nervous. Later I was a part of the court of the nawab of Rampur. I played the tabla, he recalled. When I moved out of home in Lucknow to strike my fortune as a dancer, my mother told me, Birju beta (son), do not forget your daily riyaz (practise). Whether you eat less or do not, have enough clothes to wear, you must remember your father s words: practise everyday. I practised for nearly four-and-a-half hours daily in my early years, the dancer said. He rued the lack of space accorded to exponents of arts and culture. I hope culture gets more space like cricket.

Healing power of Dhanvantri

By T. Selva

had heard of many people experiencing divine healing after being given grace from a unique deity in India. So, I travelled to India recently to visit the temple of Lord Dhanvantari, in Walajapet vilage, 160 km from Chennai. The unusual idol there sports a stethoscope and watch like a surgeon because the deity is the fount of medical science and ayurveda. Considered an avatar of Mahavishnu, Dhanvantari appears in Hindu scriptures as physician to the gods and god of ayurvedic medicine; those who worship this deity are said to be assured of a disease-free life. A common practice in India has devotees go on pilgrimage to seek blessings from deities in matters related to health, wealth, marriage, peace and happiness. The story that prompted me to make the trip to India was that of U. Pretyyba, 4, from Malaysia, who suffered from Kawasaki disease, that inflames the walls of blood vessels in the body, particularly the cardiac arteries and veins. Her mother reported that the little girl recovered speedily after

A priest performing rituals at one of the 468 Shiva lingas at the rare temple to Lord Dhanvantari in Tamil Nadu; and (right) a painted image of the god who introduced medical science to the world. wearing a Lord Dhanvantari pendant in the shape of a yantra. The pendant was obtained by a family friend who performed prayers for Pretyybas recovery at the Dhanvantari temple. After one month of wearing the pendant, Pretyyba went for her usual checkup and the doctor told us we could stop giving her the Aspirin he had originally said she was supposed to take that daily for another two years, said the girls mother, R. Yoges. We were so surprised when we were told that Pretyyba had recovered from the disease and would need not see a doctor again, added Yoges, who attributes Pretyybas recovery to Lord Dhanvantari. I discovered many interesting things about the temple when I visited it. For instance, it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year because it is almost like a 24-hour hospital that patients visit day and night. In the temple, male devotees are told to remove their shirts and present themselves before the two meter tall statue of the deity. This is because the rays of Lord Dhanvantari should fall on the body to provide a cure. Following this, devotees are recommended to carry out the homam, the sacrificial fire ceremony, with a variety of medicinal plants, herbs, fruits and flowers in

a huge fire pit. This wafts the offerings medicinal properties into the air to be breathed in to help alleviate ailments. What makes this deity powerful is that more than 50 million Dhanvantari mantras written by various people belonging to various religions and nations have been placed under the main statues base as a yantra. Another highlight in the temple grounds is the 468 Shiva lingas where rituals are performed daily. Shiva linga is regarded as a symbol of the great god of the universe who is all-auspiciousness; Shiva is regarded by some as one in whom all of creation sleeps after dissolution. Devotees who come from all over the world to the divine physicians abode daily are reminded constantly to chant the Dhanvantari mantra and perform their prayers with faith and respect to receive the positive vibrations and shield them against all health disorders. T. Selva is the author of the Vasthu Sastra Guide for peace, happiness, health and prosperity. His webstie is: www.vasthusastra.com

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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Humor with Melvin Durai

Joining forces to fight baldness

f youre completely bald or have a receding hairline or an ever-growing bald spot like me, I have some good news for you: scientists are getting closer to a cure and it doesnt involve a spray can. It may even happen in our lifetimes, which means we could have all our hair back within a few decades, just in time to charm all those ladies at the retirement home. Actually, theres only one lady I want to charm and she doesnt seem to care that I have a bald spot. If anything, shes pleased that at least one part of me is thinning. Im perfectly okay with having a bald spot, really I am. And if you dont believe me, just ask anyone in my Bald is Beautiful support group. We get together once a month to share our stories of hair loss. Theres Al and Bruce and Pedro and Salman and a few other guys. We have varying degrees of baldness. For example, I have a bachelors degree and Salman has a PhD (prominent hair deficiency). Our last meeting began, as it usually does, with a little sharing. We sat in a circle and shared a bottle of wine. It always helps the guys open up. Al took a sip and said, Yesterday, while I was at the laundromat, I met this pretty woman who told me shes a cancer survivor. So I said, Really? Well, Im a baldness survivor. Maybe we can go out sometime. And she slapped me. Pedro shook his head. People just dont understand what baldness does to a man. When I started losing my hair, my so-called best friend kept saying, Youre going bald, Pedro, as if I didnt already know. As if I didnt look in the mirror every morning and take attendance. Ricardo, here. Enrique, here. Jos, here. Alfredo oh no, I lost another one. Bruce laughed. You named your hair too? Of course. When you have so few, you

for all his great research on baldness. I was so thrilled when I heard that we bald guys have just as many stem cells on our heads as the guys with hair. All we need to do is figure out a way to get them to be active again! Does beer help? Al asked. No, Pedro said. Ive tried that. Rum doesnt help either. It just makes my head sticky. Ive never heard of Dr. Cotsarelis, Bruce said. Is he one of us? No, Pedro said. Hes got hair. But hes a grow close to them. Theyre like family. Aint that the truth, Bruce said. We need to educate people about this. We need to make them more aware, so that our sons and grandsons dont have to endure as much baldism as we have. Wouldnt that be great? Sure would, Salman said. Thats why Im starting a petition online to get President Obama and other leaders to declare the third Saturday of March as Baldness Awareness Day (BAD). We could organize a lot of BAD activities that day, maybe even get Obama to give a BAD speech for a change. Good idea, Bruce said. We could honor all the great bald men in history, such as Dwight Eisenhower, the first bald man to be elected president of America, Tom Stafford, the first bald man in outer space, and Seal, the first bald man to marry a supermodel. Wouldnt it be better to call it Bald Mans Day? Pedro said. That way, we could get our family and friends to give us cards and gifts. I like that, Al said. Forget the petition, Salman - lets write to Hallmark instead. Speaking of cards, Pedro said, we should send a thank you card to Dr. George Cotsarelis of the University of Pennsylvania

strong advocate for the bald. We need to help him, Bruce said. Im sure he needs money for his research. Ive got an idea, Salman said. Lets organize a fundraiser. We can call it the Walka-thon to Cure Baldness. We can get our family and friends to walk five miles and raise thousands of dollars. Sounds good, Al said. But do I have to walk too? Cant I just drive and meet everyone at the finish line?

Laughter is the Best Medicine

by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Tech Life

Soon, your smartphone to reveal your every move

SYDNEY: Your smartphone could soon give out your location no matter when and where you are. Mobile phones are quickly becoming the up-close-and-personal marketing medium. And the possibility of knowing a person's location at any given time through the websites they surf or mobile applications they have visited on their smartphone's browser is opening a new world of possibilities for marketers. Both Google and Facebook have launched services that broadcast your location to friends - Latitude and Places respectively. They even have plans to allow participating retail outlets, restaurants and cafes to offer special deals to Facebook users who ''check in'' with them. ''Location will be one of the cornerstones of mobile advertising. Merging local businesses with mobile [advertising] is very, very important for us," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Michael Slinger, director of mobile advertising at Google, as saying. Graham Christie, the commercial director of the mobile marketing agency Big Mobile, says people should be pleased rather than perturbed at the prospect. Simply because this pinpoint targeting will avoid bad and irrelevant advertising. ''We can give people more of what they want, when they want it and less of what they don't want. It takes the guesswork out of a lot of advertising," he said. One such kind of advertising behavioral targeting - is already practised on the Internet. The user's identity is never revealed and the segments of consumers are sold to advertisers who match their needs with their marketing messages. Jamie Conyngham, a mobile apps developer, says, ''if you can get very specific about their tastes you can really tailor discounts to them or upsell them something, or work out what it is that they might want that they didn't know they needed yet.'' ''If you look at the internet and mobile phones, it's really only the simple things that work. 'When Amazon reduced the number of clicks it took to buy a book or a DVD, they saw their business grow. Mobile needs to be even easier than that," he added.

Astrology
TheSouthAsianTimes.info

29

February 26-March 4, 2011

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: February 26-March 4, 2011

Aries: Stabilization in your relationship with your family members seems certain if you are willing to compromise on certain fronts. Professional gains for some bring gains and prosperity. Your new ideas and technical knowledge will make a good impression on others. Residential moves and renovation during this period will prove auspicious. Outdoor sports events and entertainment programme will help you keep relaxed Taurus: This is a period to invest with extreme precaution and care. Past investments need another reexamination. If you're planning on investing in a new venture then you better take small factors into consideration. Your ability to charm others will put you in the limelight. Property or vehicle transactions seem quite likely. Children will cause some dissatisfaction but spouse remains quite cooperative. Gemini: Your optimism will push your career to new heights. Put some of your innovative ideas into your work to reap longterm benefits. The next few days will see pressure on your work front arise giving you little time for recreational and other activities. Gifts and presents will be plenty from visiting guests. Avoid standing for surety of any one to avoid unnecessary complications in the coming period. Family members will be supportive and caring. Cancer: This is an excellent time for professional advancements, promotions and recognition. At work you will be in the good books of your seniors and you will also benefit monetarily. Romance is in the air, so make the best of it and avoid any arguments with your lover. Opportunities to go out with friends will be informative and pleasurable. You need to do more things that you enjoy in order to relax. Foreign transaction or overseas journey will prove to be highly beneficial. Leo: You will be in a commanding position as your confidence and enthusiasm will be high. Important messages should be attended to immediately. You will make financial gains if you get involved in speculation. A spiritual persons blessings give comfort and relief. New relations and attachments will develop as a result of vacation and other recreational activities. Get involved in activities that will help you keep in perfect shape. Virgo: Financial matters demand more attention. You should cut down your expenses on entertainment and shopping. Financial difficulty will even effect your health. Stay focused on your goals, but take necessary precautions. For some, a change of residence or a new construction will prove highly auspicious. Your erratic behaviour will raise emotions at home. Dont take criticism too seriously. Travel will be highly exciting but expensive. Libra: Some challenging project will see you express your skills in a very different way. New approach will give you new confidence on which you will build future hopes and dreams. Businessmen and investors will see past investments reaping profits. Relations with somebody close might get strained over petty issues. Good week to call important people over to your place. Spouse will be highly supportive and shower you with love and affection. Legal affairs will create a state of nervousness. Scorpio: Your present health condition will be primarily because of the work pressure that you carry on your mind. You need to take time out with your friends will help you relax and regain your energy. Relationships with your clients will strengthen and you can accomplish a lot through smart negotiation and diplomacy. This week you should meet people who can further improve your career goals. Take care while driving, especially during the nights. Sagittarius: This week you will focus on domestic issues and should think about the immediate needs of your family members. Spouse and children will be a source of immense happiness. Guests and visitors bring you gifts in cash and kind. Going out with friends will be exciting and you will learn new and different skills. A good diet, coupled with fitness program will make you feel better. Capricorn: Work will suffer this week as romance clouds your mind. You will find it difficult in concentrating on your jobs and getting favors from others. Keep your focus clear on your goals to reap professional benefits. Pleasure trips for some will be educating. Little time for meditation and yoga will be important for mental as well as physical gains. Group involvement will entertertaining, but expensive if you dont learn to say no. Aquarius: You will meet interesting people at social functions that you attend this week. Your ability to stand out in the crowd will bring you popularity and recognition. Your creative ability will surface, bringing you good ideas to make extra money. Great period to go out shopping for expensive items and jewelry. Spend some time with the one you love. Travel will be highly educating. Pisces: Money making efforts will be profitable provided you work on new ideas and plans. This seems to be an excellent time for you to do things that will keep you relaxed and entertained. This period seems exceptionally good to take time out for hobbies, or take an adventure trip or go out on a short vacation. Friends and family members will seek your advice. Wonderful week to look into new courses that interest you.

Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

February 26: Ruled by number 8 and the planet Saturn. You are energetic, confident, independent, sharp and an honest person. You possess extraordinary talents and are always interested in improving your knowledge and skills, but you also possess tendency to behave erratic and stubborn at times. Your career advancement will depend on how effectively you handle your responsibilities this year. You will be asked to work at different places and it will be a challenge to your skills and knowledge. You will have an attraction, which will draw members of the opposite sex towards you. Traveling would be highly pleasurable and educating. Avoid lending or borrowing money during this period. Real-estate transaction will yield favourable results. The months of March, June August, December and January will be highly eventful. February 27: Influenced by number 9 and the planet Mars, you are highly courageous, talented, dignified, independent, outgoing, and an enthusiastic person. You are a born leader and you have no trouble in influencing others to your ideas, but you need to check your tendency to behave erratic, impatient and arrogant at times. This year your efforts get duly rewarded. You would make giant strides in your carrier. It would be an extraordinary year for finances, as gains would be from more than one source. You would set a good impression on your colleagues and seniors would appreciate your ability to handle complicated and risky tasks. You and your beloved will form a great team and accomplish lots together. Travel and journey, most likely overseas, cannot be ruled out. The months of February, June, October and November will be beneficial. February 28: Dominated by number 1 and the Sun, you are original, confident, methodical and a systematic person. You seldom change jobs, as you want to specialize in one field only. You are deeply admired by people around you because you are helpful and honest, but you need to check your tendency to behave stubborn and moody at times. You would enjoy your work immensely this year and make great professional advances as well. You would use given opportunities to improve your earnings and living standard. You would also win remarkable favors from influential people during this period. Work pressure might severely effect your relationship with your beloved. One long vacation seems must to set it back on the right track. Participating in cultural activities and events will be educating as well as entertaining. The months of August, October, November and December will be result oriented. March 1: Governed by number 1, and the Sun, you are original, active, responsible and a talented person. You are highly skillful and fond of accepting challenges, but you need to control your tendency to dominate, overspend and behave destructive at times. The coming year brings rewards and recognition for you. Financial benefits will flow through various sources. New sources of income will enhance your living style. Real estate matters will bring enormous gains. Journeys undertaken for work purpose will be beneficial and rewarding. Sudden expenses due to health problem in the family will bother your mind. Judicial matters could upset your mental peace. Secret affairs should be avoided, as it will only ruin your reputation. The months of April, October January will be result oriented. March 02: Ruled by number 2 and the Moon. You are highly trustworthy, emotional, simple, friendly and warmhearted person. You have a desire for learning and gathering knowledge and people look up to you for consultation and inspiration, but you need to check your tendency to behave introvert, hasty and whimsical at times. You need to take stronger decisions to reap benefits. Challenges that you accept during this phase would bring overwhelming results in the long run. Your financial condition would improve later in the year, as you would pickup jobs involving higher responsibility and position. A sudden influence of a spiritual person would have a remarkable influence on your personality and thoughts. Students would excel in their academic performance. Some exhilarating news from your overseas relations will boost up the spirits of the entire family. Travel and journey will be pleasurable. The months of May, June and December will be significant for you. March 03: Ruled by number 3 and the planet Jupiter. You are energetic, ambitious, dignified, and kindhearted person. You are fond of good music and nature and you also like to enjoy your privacy and independence. You hold a respectable position in the society, but you need to control your tendency to dominate and behave reckless at times. This year you need to do some serious thinking on your career options. Few brilliant opportunities would come your way but you need to act smart and quick to grab these once in a lifetime offer before others. Financial gains would accrue from investments and even speculation. A vacation to an exotic location cannot be ruled out later this year. Your health will remain good but health of your spouse or children will become a matter of concern. Servants, colleagues, subordinates will cause some worry and unnecessary tensions. The months of June, October and February will be eventful. March 04: Influenced by number 4 and the planet Uranus. You are active, practical, enthusiastic, courageous and highly philosophical person. You take a very realistic view of things in your daily life and tackle them with immense responsibility, but you need to check your tendency to behave impatient and stubborn at times. This year your business will flourish and financial gains will lift your confidence. Property related matters that have been disturbing your mind would settle to your satisfaction. New romance for those unattached, but your work is likely to suffer if you keep fantasizing about this special person. You should try to avoid your personal life interfere with your career objectives. Elders and children in the family will demand lot of your attention. Sportsmen, writers and artists can look forward to fame towards the yearend. The months of March and November will be significant.

Before you consult...

i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date, Time and Place of birth is accurate. ii) Careful: Did you check background of the astrologer before disclosing your secrets. iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, dont feel shy. Its his business. iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the outcome is not as desired, never give up. v) Consult: Take second opinion before spending thousands on cure/remedies.

Free Consultation Learn about the fair value of diamonds & precious stones. To the readers of The South Asian Times by an expert gems dealer.
For appointment, please call 516 390 7847 or email consult.gems@gmail.com

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Spiritual Awareness TheSouthAsianTimes.info

February 26-March 4, 2011

Freedom from Strife

This article has been selected and reprinted from Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharajs book, Spiritual Pearls for Enlightened Living (Radiance Publishers), an inspirational collection of stories from the worlds great wisdom traditions.
back and forth between moments of joy and moments of sorrow. The dictionary defines peace as freedom from strife, a state of serenity, calmness, and stillness. Despite the obstacles, we can attain true peace in this lifetime, but to do so, we need to undergo a shift in our way of thinking. Our angle of vision needs to change. We tend to look for peace in the outer world. We hope to find it in our possessions, positions, and relationships, but the loss of any of these causes us to become agitated and distraught. Our peace of mind is disturbed. Everything in this world is subject to change and eventual decay. So long as we look to the transitory world for happiness, we will be disappointed. We need to change the way we look at this problem. An anecdote from the life of the Moghul Emperor Akbar can help us in this regard. Akbar is considered to be one of the most enlightened emperors of India. He had a number of advisors to help run his kingdom. Among these great minds was Birbal, the wisest of them all. He was quite clever and could figure out solutions to difficult problems by looking at them from a totally different perspective. One day Akbar wanted to test his advisors, so he presented them with a puzzle. He took a stick and drew a line in the sand. He asked the advisors to try to shorten the line without erasing any part of it. Each counselor took a turn, but all were stumped. They could not figure out how to make it shorter. Finally, Birbal came forward, took the stick, and carefully drew a line next to the one the emperor had drawn, but Birbal made his line longer. By drawing the second line longer, it made the original one look shorter. The solution to finding peace requires us to look at the problem from a new perspective. We cannot change the nature of the world or its problems, but we can add a new dimension to life that will give us peace. Lasting peace can be found within us. Enlightened luminaries throughout history have had mystical experiences which verified for them the existence of an inner spiritual reality. The way to reach the spiritual realms is to invert through a process known as meditation. Through meditation we can separate our soul from the body and voyage into the regions within. We have within us an opening or door by which our attention can enter the higher regions. This entryway is located between and behind the two eyebrows. It is known as the seat of the soul in the body and has been referred to in many ways by various religions and philosophies. It has been called the single eye or third eye, the shiv netra, divya chakshu, daswan dwar, or tenth door. If we can withdraw our attention from the outer world and focus it at this point we will see the Light of the higher regions reflected therein. As our soul collects at this point, it rises into the beyond. We may spend our time seeking worldly enjoyments, but they last for only short periods of time. So

Through meditation we can separate our soul from the body and voyage into the regions within
long as our attention is identified with the world outside, we are faced with the problems and miseries that are inherent in physical existence. By inverting our attention and rising above the physical body through a process of meditation on the inner Light, we will find regions within which give us lasting peace. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, an international spiritual leader and Master of meditation, affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions, emphasizing prayer and meditation as building blocks for achieving peace.www.jyotimeditation.org

By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

ife and strife seem to go hand in hand. We have all experienced this. Any happiness that we receive is often shortlived, for at any moment we may suddenly find ourselves in states of sorrow. Disturbances occur at each and every stage of our life. Although existence in this world is turbulent, life should be more than a pendulum in which we swing

Unity through Spirituality

By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
e all know about Isaac Newton and that many scientific developments are based on his insight. Once, when someone talked to him about his knowledge which was helping many people all over the globe, he said that his knowledge was just like a pebble on the shore of an ocean. Whatever heights we might attain in the physical, mental, or emotional arena, we have no real knowledge of the truth, and unless we are enlightened spiritually, there will be no unity between humans in the true sense. What we first need to understand is that we, ourselves, are love. We are love because we are each a part of God, who is an ocean of all love. The second thing that we need is to accept that love in others. They might look different from us, belong to different faiths or speak different languages, but if we would learn the language of love then we would be able to communicate with others. If we love someone, we will care for them. We will never do anything to hurt them. So when we truly, truly love anyone, then we will take care of them, share in their problems and make sure that the quality of their life is better. As we help each other, unity will definitely be a part of our existence. As we look at our life, how do we really live? Most of us spend time during the day in pursuit of this materialistic world. We search for happiness, we search for truth, and we

Great saints and mystics have always talked about being able to focus our attention within ourselves because this is where the treasure house of divinity resides.
search to have unity, but the object of our search is on the outside. As long as the object of our search remains on the outside, we will never find eternal truth and unity, because everything of this world is perishable. The only thing that is permanent is the divine treasures, God the Creator, and what has been called the Holy Word, Naam, Shabd, Kalma, Jyoti and Sruti, Sonorous Light, Celestial Music, or Harmony of all harmonies. These are different names given in different languages to talk about the creative force that emanated from the Lord and created regions after regions of existence. When humans set foot on the moon and looked at the earth, it seemed like a small, insignificant speck in the universe. As science has developed, we know there are many, many other galaxies in the physical region. Likewise, the great saints and mystics tell us that there are many, many other regions beyond the physical: regions that are more conscious and more spiritual than this physical region of ours. The great saints and mystics have always talked about being able to focus our attention within ourselves because this is where the treasure house of divinity resides. As we connect with the divine power, we will be transported to regions of love, peace, and bliss. Generally what happens is that as a human being, we feel that we are not capable of making a difference. Many of you might remember that it was Benjamin Franklin who put the first street lamppost in front of his house. When he did so, everyone said, He is crazy. Why is he putting light in the area? But he lit it up night after night. Soon everyone in the neighborhood started putting up street lamps and there was light for everyone to see where they were going. Similarly, if we were to connect to the Light within ourselves, we might think that it wont make a difference, but if we recognize the divine Light within ourselves, that Light is going to remove the darkness in our own surroundings, in our families, and in our work environments. Soon, those with whom we come in contact will also follow our examples. As the great mystic poet, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, has said: I started alone on the journey of love filled with faith and zeal. At every step, travelers joined me, and soon we were a caravan. As we become peaceful within ourselves, let that peace radiate from us to everyone with whom we come in contact so that we will be living in an age of peace, of love and of harmony as we spend our time on this earth. For more visit www.sos.org