Indian

April 6, 2012 Volume 3, No. 24

www.iwk.co.nz

New Zealands first Indian weekend magazine

For Free distributioN

The Pulse of Kiwi Indians New Zealand | 6

Amma in Australia

Fiji | 20
Fiji aviation ministry wants competition

Another

Pg 2

Pg 7
Pg 8

More Kiwis cross

the ditch
Pg 5

Indian

New Zealand

Fiji endures another

watery Devastation

Scenes at Nadi Airport resembled disaster zone

Dev NADkArNI IN FIjI
Just as Fiji was beginning to pick up the pieces and move on after the severe flooding that inundated large swathes of the country in January, it has been hit by wild weather conditions that have caused even worse flooding this past week. Like everywhere else in the world, Fijis urban centres have grown around rivers and the incessant torrential rains over the past several days have caused almost all of these rivers to breach their banks and inundate entire towns. I was in Suva after having attended a conference in Pacific Harbour, which is where I heard about the series of fronts approaching Fiji from the west-southwest direction. The domestic flight to Nadi took off six hours late from Nausori and it was when it came in to land that I got a sense of how bad the situation was and how worse it could get. I could clearly see parts of the Queens Road submerged with cars stranded on the dry stretches unable to drive forward or return. The Nadi Back Road was also similarly submerged intermittently. Through the rain splattering fiercely on my window I could see Nadi streets turned into rivers, with just the roofs sticking out of the muddied, red-brown water. Namaka was more like a lake with its biggest building, the Colonial Plaza complex rapidly sinking under the rapidly rising waters. Tourists were being evacuated from the luxury resorts from Denarau through to the Coral Coast by helicopter at exorbitant prices. The approach to the bridge on Queens Road just outside Nadi town had been swept away and was unusable for regular cars. Even the gruntiest of 4X4s would have found it a challenge to negotiate past the muck on to the bridge. By Sunday morning there were reports of two deaths and a few people missing. The government opened evacuation centres all along the western division (more than 90 of them sheltering over 10,000 people). The situation was getting even worse as second front closely followed the first dumping even more rain. The intensity of the rain had to be seen to be believed. It was like a wall of water at the base of a fast flowing waterfall, with no visibility more than ten feet away. And it rained like that for hours on end. No stormwater drainage system in the world could have handled that kind of rain in such short a time. Several friends who live in Nadi and even as far as Sigatoka told me they had already evacuated or were in the process of evacuating from their homes into hotels, if available, or simply into evacuation centres on higher ground. As the government declared a state of emergency, services all the way from Sigatoka to Rakiraki, were stretched to their capacity, with both the police and the armed forces working side by side in rescue and relief operations.

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My flight to Auckland was scheduled for the next day and it was impossible to find a room in the vicinity of the airport. Everything from Tokatoka, Raffles, Tanoa down the strip across Namaka and Martintar were chock-a-block full or had closed because of inundation. Much of Martintar resembled a lake. I was lucky to find a place at a resort in Votualevu, which promptly ran out of water. With taps gone dry, there was water enough only for cooking, the manager said. News reports on radio described how people were stranded on rooftops all over the countrys western division, in some cases for 8 hours.

long wait at airport

Air Pacific and Air New Zealand announced the cancellation of all international flights in and out of Fiji on Saturday afternoon and there was no information about when flights would resume. Nadi International Airport was overflowing with people and their baggage, with many forced to sleep at the terminal for as many as three nights in a row. As passengers waited long hours patiently for any updates from the airlines, the live coverage of the Tokyo Sevens matches provided

Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

Indian

New Zealand

welcome relief to both visitors and locals, who cheered every time a Fijian player scored a try. The locals were downcast when Samoa beat Fiji 24-21 in the quarters. Waiting passengers exchanged tales of horror of the watery devastation they had endured. One elderly man who had come in to see his daughter off said it had taken them nine hours to reach Nadi from Ba, which they had left early when they saw the flood waters swirling in. Another couple said they walked 5km from a point between Nadi and Lautoka, when their taxi was stranded in water, before they were picked up by a passing truck and dropped at the airport. Parts of their trek had been through waist deep water. The man said he had to throw out his shoes and a set of clothes because they were so dirty, they could not be packed into his suitcase. Stranded tourists were not only from New Zealand and Australia but even as further afield as Norway, Canada, the US and Europe. While most were patient and understanding of the situation, some were disappointed and complained about transporters price gouging because of the situation. Taxis charged three times the normal fare and the prices of food and bottled water more than doubled. Tourists travelling with small children were huddled in the terminals corners as well as in the middle of check in queues that had not moved even an inch for hours on end. While

parents went online to check the latest updates, the children played with toys, mobile phones and handheld devices until the batteries lasted. Employees at the airports cafes said they hadnt been home in three days because of the continuous flow of customers (some said they simply couldnt go home because the roads were underwater). The cafes served customers round the clock. Meanwhile, the government issued warnings of disease outbreaks and against drinking water contaminated by the floods. Water supply to several areas in Nadi and the resorts had been cut off and so was the power supply as a precautionary measure. In some areas, power lines were dipping into the flooding waters and the Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) asked all fallen wires to be treated as live. Late on Sunday, after repeatedly announcing that all flights were cancelled and many passengers had either left the terminal or had dozed of to sleep on the floor, Air Pacific suddenly said that it had made available a Boeing 747 bound for Auckland that would take all its own passengers as well as those of Air New Zealand. Lusty clapping and loud cheers from passengers some of who were stranded for more than 48 hours accompanied the take off of the flight as it winged its way to Auckland.

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Indian

New Zealand
Dev NADkArNI

New Zealand

AEmployers must keep staff night of sublime music

The Department of Labour is reminding employers that the law now requires them to keep signed written employment agreements for all their staff. Since 1 July all employers are required to keep signed copies of employment agreements or current terms and conditions for all employees, or they may face a penalty. Employment agreements are required for all employees no matter when they started work, says Annie Newman, the Departments Acting Chief Adviser of Employment Relations. This affects all employees including those hired on a verbal agreement or employees who do not have current written agreements in place, says Ms Newman. Having a clearly written employment agreement helps reduce the risk of misunderstandings and there are some provisions More recently, Kiwi Indians have had a that must be included in employment agreebonanza of Indian performing artistes coming ments, she says. their way. While include the name of the emThey must most of these have been performers of more popular fare of the mass appeal Bollywood variety, there have been a few of the refined classical genre. One such was the father-son sitarist duo of celebrated veteran Pandit Debu Chaudhuri and his enormously talented son Prateek, A multi-media Auckland Town Hall on who performed at thestudy about Paul Henry and Hone Harawira is being presented by March 24. Wellingtons Centre for Applied CrossThe concert began with Prateeks perforcultural Research at being immensely enmance, which, as well as next months 2011 New Zealand Diversity a most effective Hintertaining, proved to beforum jointly hosted by the Human Rights Commission and the dustani Classical Music 101 lecture one could Hamilton ever hope for. Multicultural Services Trust. Its work examines the intense public a The appreciation of classical music has arlot toguments around comments term exposure do with nurture and long made by prominent media figures interactions as Henrys besides discussions and in 2010, suchwith those deliberate mispronunciation of an While in the know about its various nuances. international have a ear for classical music, the many may dignitarys name and then repeatedly laughing experience Harawiras alleged richness of itsabout it, andnecessarily comes racist comments about Pakeha. The forum will also include activities that tackle race ployer and employee, a description of the work to be performed, the place of employment, times the employee is to work, the wages or salary, and an explanation of services available for solving problems. Its the employers responsibility to maintain and keep an up to date copy of each employees agreement and provide a copy of the agreement if an employee requests it, Ms Newman says. The Department of Labour has developed an Employment Agreement Builder to help employers through this process. Failure to ensure an employment agreement is in place for all employees may result in a labour inspector taking a penalty action against an employer. This involves a seven-day notice period to rectify the breach and if this isnt complied with then penalties may be sought in when Employment Relationsfamiliarisedof up the the novice listener is Authority with the finer points individuals performance for to $10,000 for during a and $20,000 by the performers themselves. And thats what companies. Prateek Chaudhury did with great elan. Beginning the concert with raga Yaman Kalyan, he went on to explain every stage of its exploration in the classical style, the intricacies of taal cycles, arriving at the sam with the table player every time, the creativity and relations priorities identified in this years Race Relations Report, and feature the presentation of the Annual Diversity awards. A parallel youth forum is being held at the same time. The New Zealand Diversity Forum 2011 is being held at Hamilton on 21-22 August Also on the programme on Sunday at 3.305.00 pm is a forum on Community Media and Diversity hosted by the Community Access Radio Waikato Trust. Attendance on Sunday and for individual forums is free. If you are attending for half a day or more on the Monday the registration fee is $50.

nd

f, lower Mt Eden ng areas uckland. followo expand vestment

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individual stamp an artiste puts on each extempore improvisation and many finer aspects to help increase the listeners appreciation of the artistes offering. He did this with great aplomb and with perfect teamwork with his veteran tabla accompanist Pandit Anup Ghosh. In the course of expounding on the Yaman, he brought in passages from popular Hindi film songs based

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on the raga, which most listeners would be able to identify, establishing the link between the raga and the song. He also regaled listeners with the entire gamut of improvisations from rhythmless alaps, slow jod, jhala, gat and fast drut, interspersing the rendition with sawaal-jawabs with the tabla and superbly intricate triple tihayees. Prateek is an associate professor of music at Delhi University and it was evident from his lec-dem style presentation that he is as gifted as a teacher as he is as a performer. His presentation at the concert would have gone a long way in enhancing the appreciation of Hindustani classical music for several listeners. Next to perform was Dr Chintamani Rath with his violin. Dr Rath, who lives in Tauranga, is plays both Hindustani and Western

classical music and has performed for audiences worldwide, including for the late Pope John Paul II. He first played raga Hindoli and then a Bengali folk song, the lyrics of which he recited and translated for the audience. The senior violinist had never ever performed not even so much as practised with Pandit Ghosh but both artiste and accompanist were on the spot when it came to anticipating each other. Thats how it always is in Hindustani classical music, the erudite Dr Rath said to the audience at the end of his presentation. It is not often that one gets to listen to a Hindustani classical performance on violin in this part of the world. We could certainly hear more of this great local talent. Last to take to the stage was the father son duo of Pandit Debu Chaudhury and Prateek. Panditji is among Indias foremost sitar exponents, a respected Guru and teacher, a composer of numerous symphonies, has created eight new ragas, authored three books and won numerous awards and honours, both national and global. Panditji began with a slow exposition of raga Jhinjhoti with a rich, extended alap, the slowness of pace offering a decided contrast to Prateeks faster offering in his inaugural Yaman. Clearly, his style of presentation, especially in the early stages, was for the mature listener. He rounded off his first piece with raga Bihag in a faster tempo ably aided by Prateek. The two sitarists and the tabaliya provided a feast of rhythmic calisthenics toward the end of the piece. The concert concluded with Panditji and Prateek playing a couple of Bengali folk tunes followed by a Hindi film song at the insistence of some in the audience. Undoubtedly, it was one of the more memorable Hindustani classical concerts heard in Auckland in recent times.

Auckland visit a walk down memory lane for Panditji

For Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, his Auckland visit was a walk down memory lane, catching up with old friends. He met up with former longtime Times of India music critic Mohan Nadkarni, now 90, during his stay in the city. The veteran writer had reviewed Panditjis first Mumbai concert in the newspaper in the 1960s and predicted that he would emerge as one of the instruments top exponents. It was also an opportunity for Panditji to catch up with an old neighbour from Mumbai, again back from the 1960s and 1970s Indian Weekender publisher Giri Gupta, with whose family Panditji and his entourage shared a meal.

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Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

Indian

New Zealand

Bappi Lahiri in Auckland Kiwi imports Australians The Indian King of Disco Bappi Lahiri is performing for the dont want first time ever live in a concert in Auckland.
Bappi Lahiri is the pioneer of disco beats in Bollywood and his refreshing, vibrant, and rhythmic music had the entire nation dancing for decades. Bappi Lahiri is widely recognized throughout India as the sole originator of the disco beat in India. He is widely known as the "Disco King" in India. Bappi has had a renowned career as a music director, singer and composer and has risen from strength to strength. The music for his films is tremendously popular and he is among the star composers of Bollywood. Bappi Lahiri was the most popular music director in the 1980s due to his famous compositions for films such as Disco Dancer, which have left a lasting imprint in the minds of millions of his followers. His music had frequently returned back as remixed versions for the younger audience to enjoy. Bappi is the complete entertainer and superstar with his multiple talents as a singer, music director, and percussionist. Most recently Bappi made a comeback with his song Ooh La La Ooh La La in Bollywood film Dirty Picture which had once again put him back on the Indias hit charts. Some of his top songs include: Ooh Lala Ooh Lala, Yaad Aa Raha Hai, Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki, Yaar Bina Chain Kanha Ray, Tu Mujhe Jaan Se Bhi, Gunmaster G-9, Tamma Tamma Loge, Bambai Se Aaya Mera Dost Bappi Lahiri live in concert is at Telstra Pacific Events Centre Manukau 7.30pm Friday 8th June 2012. This event is a first of its kind brought to the New Zealand Indian audience by Shivam Events NZ where a separate disco dance floor will be set up for the audience to dance off while the Disco King performs live. For information: Prakash Mani 021888528 or Doreen 021367469 For a city with some of the highest youth smoking rates in New Zealand it is disappointing to see an international tobacco company investing in a two year upgrade to increase its capacity to manufacture cigarettes, said Dr Jan Pearson of the Cancer Society. The Health Promotion Managers reaction is a response to the news that Imperial Tobacco has invested over $45m in expanding their factory in Petone. It is proposed that an additional four billion cigarettes for export to Australia will be manufactured at the plant. Those four billion cigarettes will have to be the most unpopular and unwelcome Kiwi import to Australia. The argument that they are creating 50 extra jobs here doesnt wash with the Cancer Society. Our answer is every year in New Zealand the loss of 5,000 lives can be attributed to smoking. The increase in production will supply around 100,000 Australian smokers per year 20 percent will die a cancer-related death. This flies in the face of the world-wide move to decrease smoking rates, especially

amongst young people. In New Zealand we have a commitment to a Smokefree New Zealand by 2025 and Councils all over the country are playing a major part in creating Smokefree parks, playing fields and other outdoor areas. So this expansion is not about bringing

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Kiwis fly away in record numbers

Kiwis continue to abandon the country in record numbers, says New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. The latest Statistics New Zealand data shows 4100 more New Zealanders left for Australia than arrived in February, the highest number since August 2001. It takes the annual loss to a record high of 39,100 people. If National has a plan for a more prosperous future for New Zealanders then they either havent rolled it out yet or it is inadequate, says Mr Peters. Australia has a better standard of living and higher wages and the New Zealand gov-

ernment is doing nothing to improve our situation and prevent this mass exodus of talented people. John Key said in 2008 that the 28,000 people who left for Australia the previous year was a vote of no confidence in the Labour-led government and our economy cannot afford to lose them. But the annual numbers going across the Tasman has increased by more than 11,000 under this government and their only response has been more empty promises, Mr Peters says. This is a massive vote of no confidence in the Key-led government.

The annual crime statistics for CountiesManukau show recorded crime has dropped by 2.8 per cent in the last calendar year, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, National List MP based in Manukau East says. This is 1436 less offences than in the previous calendar year, building on from the reduction of 4377 offences between 2009 and 2010. These results are great news for our communities here, and around New Zealand. They reflect the hard work of our local police, as well as Nationals commitment to tackle crime and make our families safer in their homes and communities, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi says.

MP welcomes drop in crime in Counties-Manukau

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Shashi shaves again

Indian

Like the past four years, I have once again shaven my head (and moustache) collecting donations for Leukemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. And also like the past years, I request you to kindly make a donation in my name for the noble cause. In case you are in Auckland, I shall be more than happy to collect the donations in person by calling on you or you can visit www.shaveforacure.co.nz , look me up in the list of shavees and make a credit card donation.

New Zealand
After

Hugging Saint Amma to Visit Australia

PADmINI GAuNDer

Shashi shaves again

Like the past four years, I have once again shaven my head (and moustache) collecting donations for Leukemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. And also like the past years, I request you to kindly make a donation in my name for the noble cause. In case you are in Auckland, I shall be more than happy to collect the donations in person by calling on you or you can visit www.shaveforacure.co.nz , look me up in the list of shavees and make a credit card donation. All donations of over $ 5 directly made to the Before Leukemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand are tax deductible and they send you the receipt via email almost immediately.

All donations of over $ 5 directly made to the Leukemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand are tax deductible and they send you the receipt via email almost immediately. Please remember we all do everything for ourselves so a little for others shall only make us feel better.

Please remember we all do everything for ourselves so a little for others shall only make us feel better.

Before

Now, loan lengthy DVDs for 28 days

Mata Amritanandamahyi Devi, better known as Amma, is a spiritual leader from South India who is going to be in Australia from April 12 to 24. During this short trip she will be in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. In Melbourne and the Gold Coast she will be holding spiritual retreats. In Sydney and Brisbane she will be having free programmes and whoever wishes to see her is welcome to visit her. Amma is also known as the Hugging Saint because she greets everyone (men, women, children, young and old; rich and poor) with a hug! She was born in a fishing village in Kerala, the southernmost state in India. When she was young she was touched by the poverty and suffering she saw around her. So in order to comfort people who were suffering she started spontaneously embracing them. In India where there are caste and other differences, a young girl hugging everyone is not taken lightly, especially hugging men. But Amma says she does not see any difference between people (whether they are men or women) and herself so she hugs them all. Part of the fishing village where she was born has now become Amritanandapuri and she has got her headquarters there. Sri Amritanandamayi Math, which was established in 1981, is an international charitable organisation aimed at the spiritual and material uplift of humankind without regard to caste or creed. Today Amma is widely respected for her humanitarian activities. She has established a vast network of charitable institutions, which include hospitals, schools and colleges, orphanages, houses for the homeless, care facilities for old people, free meals and a regular pension for many poor women. Environmental protection is another priority with Amma and she emphasises cleaning up public places. Steps are taken to install trash cans on the public roads to keep the highways litter free. She also regards as important construction of public toilets. Amma runs a university, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, which has five campuses. Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) is a world class institution of medicine. Amrita

Amma is also known as the Hugging Saint because she greets everyone (men, women, children, young and old; rich and poor) with a hug!

hospital in Cochin aims to set a standard of excellence in compassionate care. Apart from having different departments like cardiology, oncology, neurosciences etc. the hospital also does organ transplant. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, besides having the usual subjects found at universities, also conducts classes in yoga and meditation. Among the several honours and awards conferred on Amma is also the Gandhi-King award for non-violence given to her in 2002 by the United Nations. From 1987 Amma started conducting programmes throughout the world at the request of her devotees. The countries where she has held programmes so far are: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America. Every year she also tours around India. She has been coming to Australia every two years since 2004. This year her visit is very short and confined to the eastern states. Her tour starts in Melbourne on April 12 and ends in Gold Coast on April 24. For anyone who may be interested in meeting Amma or who just needs a hug (Ammas embrace is considered a precious and life-changing gift) here is her full programme in Australia: Melbourne - april 12-13 public programme 10a.m. and 7.30 p.m. april 16 7p.m. april 14-16 retreat Venue; sandown racecourse, springvale. syDney - april 18 public programme 10a.m. and.7 .30 p.m. and april 19 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. sydney boys high school, Moore park brisbane - april 21 public programme 10a.m. and 7.30 p.m walter burnett building, rna showgrounds, Fortitude Valley. golD Coast april 24 public programme 7 p.m. retreat april 22- 24 outrigger surfers paradise, 22 View avenue, surfers paradise.

Auckland Libraries is increasing the loan time for its long playing DVD sets, such as TV series and multiple-disc sets, from Wednesday 28 March. Customers have told us that a week just isnt long enough to watch a TV series or specialist DVD set with multiple discs, says Auckland Libraries manager of regional resources Louise LaHatte. Weve listened to feedback and extended the loan period for DVD sets with a playing

time over six hours, to 28 days for just $5.00, she says. Auckland Libraries provides a variety of DVDs for loan. Some are free to borrow and others can be rented for a small fee (seven day loans for DVDs six hours long and under, cost $2.00). Popular DVD sets that can now be rented for 28 days include Mad Men, The Wire, Top Gear, Outrageous Fortune, How I met your mother and Downtown Abbey. Other DVD rental periods and fees are unchanged.

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Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

Indian

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great feedback from other letslunchers will eventually be connected with a specially selected Letslunch VIP. New Zealand is the third country, after USA and Italy, to launch Letslunch. The aim is to encourage smart business networking by focusing on in-person interaction to build strong relationships. LetsLunch arranges one-on-one meetings, and small groups, ensuring the participants have enough time to fully explore what they can offer each other. This is a great way to easily bridge the online and offline world which is often lost amongst professionals who spend most of their time online. Chirag Ahuja, CEO Letslunch NZ, says in traditional networking environments the more influential guests are usually in high demand, making it difficult to pin them down and have a meaningful conversation. You dont want to just interrupt them, hand them a business card and say, Ill talk to you later. The beauty is that every participant benefits, with the more experienced guests bringing influence and, well, experience, and the younger guests bringing fresh ideas and new perspectives. Everyone can learn from everyone else, says Ahuja. With a plethora of networking events happening, participants find it hard to build meaningful and long term business relationships as they go from one event to the next without realizing the full potential of their half baked contacts. LetsLunch NZ is being released with a several nifty, additional features including the assimilation of group lunches, opportunity to introduce others for lunch and adding people on to their lunch wishlist. LetsLunch NZ is launched all throughout New Zealand. Hundreds of ambitious kiwis are already setting up lunches. You can also be part of this growing and entrepreneurial phenemenon by signing up for free.

From Facebook to face-to-face

Letslunch a sillicon valley startup which aims to transform the way you go about building your network has launched in New Zealand. With over 15,000 users in the US, and a highly successful launch in Italy last year, Letslunch has landed in New Zealand to help kiwis make their online relationships more meaningful and build your network. Over 50+ entrepreneurs, businesspeople, bloggers and Letslunch VIPs gathered at Aucklands Portofino at the viaduct on Friday, 23rd March to launch Letslunch NZ. It takes seconds to sign up with a free account (or you can connect your facebook, linkedin and twitter accounts), enter a time and date for a lunch slot and its intelligent algorithms then match you with people that you should lunch with based on factors such as shared industries and interests. Afterwards, youll be asked to grade the experience; these crowdsourced rankings contribute to your individual rating, and thus, kudos.

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to choose your own restaurant. You foot your own bill, obviously. Users who attend enough lunches and get

Spreading life-saving road Ethnic diversity issues discussed at meet safety messages
A road safety charitable trust is seeking people affected by a road crash to get in contact and help pass on road safety messages to communities. The charity Brake is particularly looking for people who have been bereaved or seriously injured in a crash and who would be willing to share their story and help others to learn from their experiences. Brake will be communicating vital road safety messages as part of Road Safety Week (7-13 May), and those who get involved would be asked to provide a case study of their experience and to provide quotes and/or give interviews to media during the Week to support these messages. Potential families or individuals can discuss their experience with Brake before signing up, and those taking part will be provided with training and support before, during and after the Week. Brakes Chief Executive Mary Williams says: If youve been affected by a road crash, you know first-hand what a traumatic experience it is. Sharing your experiences makes others stop and think about the devastating effects of a road crash, and helps spread vital messages about staying safe on roads. If you think you could share your story I encourage you to contact Brake. If you would like to provide a case study, but do not feel comfortable giving media interviews, or would like to get involved in the Week in another way, Brake would still like to hear from you. Many people bereaved in road crashes fundraise for the charity in memory of their loved one. Anyone who wishes to do this can go to www. brake.org.nz/fundraise for ideas. One forthcoming event is a bungee jump in Road Safety Week off the harbour bridge in Auckland on Mothers Day, Sunday 13 May. For more details go to www.brake.org.nz/bungee. People interested in providing a case study or organising a fundraiser can contact Caroline on 021 407 953 or email brakecharity@gmail.com. The issues of immigration and connecting with mainstream New Zealand emerged as the key talking points at the Office of Ethnic Affairs EthnicA conference in Auckland last weekend. The conference, held at Alexandra Park, attracted about two hundred people, including many from ethnic communities. The Director of the Office of Ethnic Affairs, Mervin Singham welcomed guests by setting the scene of New Zealands diversity. Diversity has changed our DNA forever, there is no turning back. Discussing diversity issues will unlock potential and solve some of the challenges we face. The keynote speaker, Sir Ray Avery told the audience that being a New Zealander is a state of mind, not a place of origin and migrants to New Zealand can often see opportunities that Kiwis do not. Sir Ray is a scientist, businessman and philanthropist who was named New Zealander of the Year in 2010 and he shared his views about New Zealands potential. Ethnic Affairs Minister, Hon Judith Collins said she is impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit in ethnic communities. Diversity is a positive force, which broadens New Zealands horizons, she said. A session discussing New Zealands immigration trends heard from Professor Richard Bedford who believes the wellbeing of migrants to this country needs

more consideration. Professor Bedford, is a specialist in migration studies at the University of Waikato and Pro ViceChancellor (Research) at the Auckland University of Technology. He told the conference that migrants should not be thought solely as economic units and that the social welfare of newcomers also needs to be part of Government policy. A lively discussion about the ethnic community contribution to the arts sector heard from the first African to be employed as a Shortland Street doctor, Brian Manthenga. The soap star, who had never acted before arriving here several years ago, described New Zealand as a country that offers great opportunity. However, he made the point that migrants have to be ready to be persistent and grab opportunities. A closed mouth does not get food, he said. During the day, the Office of Ethnic Affairs asked the audience to take part in a telephone poll, and identify what, out of four choices, was the most important issue for them. Of the 90 people who responded 38 per cent chose connecting with mainstream New Zealand and 35 per cent opted for support to gain employment. Information for new migrants received 15 per cent of the votes and preservation of cultural identity received 12 per cent.

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Indian

Hatch a plan for your retirement nest egg

DAvID kNeeboNe

Its nearly Easter and what better time for taking steps to sort out your retirement nest egg. No matter your age, its never too soon (or too late) to hatch a money plan that will help you to enjoy the lifestyle you want in retirement.

Life expectancy has risen as our quality of life improves and on average, a 65-year-old man can expect to live until they are 85 and a woman until they are 89. The majority of New Zealanders end up relying on the government pension (NZ Super) and their savings for income during retirement. Theres no rule about how much you need to save for retirement because everyone is different, but putting aside some of the money you earn now will make your retirement nest egg that much more cosy. To work out how much youll need, think about these questions: when would you like to stop working? what sort of lifestyle would you like in retirement? how does that compare to your current lifestyle? will you live in your own home or rent? If you retire at 65 you will need to have a

plan that provides the income you want for at least 20 years. Any retirement plan should include the goal to be debt-free by retirement. Pay off dumb debt (high-interest debt such as unpaid credit cards, and hire purchase thats no longer interest-free) as soon as possible and avoid acquiring any more. Focus on becoming mortgage-free as soon as possible and definitely by the time you intend to stop working. Debt can be very hard to pay off once you have retired. While being debt-free including owning a mortgage-free home in retirement is an essential part of retirement savings, youll want to save extra unless youre happy to live on NZ Super alone. (For a couple where both qualify, NZ Super pays around $523 a week.) Consider joining a retirement savings scheme such as KiwiSaver. With KiwiSaver, your money grows because your employer

Consider joining a retirement savings scheme such as KiwiSaver. With KiwiSaver, your money grows because your employer has to contribute (a minimum of 2%) and the government contributes 50 cents for every dollar you pay up to $1,042. Theres also the $1,000 kickstart which the government pays when you join. At 64, its still worth joining KiwiSaver because of the extra contributions you receive.

has to contribute (a minimum of 2%) and the government contributes 50 cents for every dollar you pay up to $1,042. Theres also the $1,000 kick-start which the government pays when you join. At 64, its still worth joining KiwiSaver because of the extra contributions you receive. Review your retirement plan whenever your circumstances change so that you can continue to reach your savings goal. Planning ahead now will provide stability and peace of mind during retirement. Make a retirement plan and start building a nest egg so your retirement can be one you look forward to. The author is a Sorted spokesperson. Sorted is New Zealands free independent online money guide, run by the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income. Sorted has a range of free calculators to help you make financial decisions at sorted. org.nz/calculators.

Student Loan, KiwiSaver, Are you aware of changes to Working for Families?
members will be taxed and the the s for the l see changes around take effect and wil tax credit also change ays A number of changes gth of repayment holid 2012 onwards, len student year ending June e payfrom April 1, 2012 for 21 a if they go overseas, lat up to a ma ximum of $5 er rs, KiwiSaver memloan borrowe s and some oth Work- ment penaltie ing year. e. bers and people receiv rates aspects of the schem its. Changes to abatement for Families Ta x Cred ng salar y or ing If youre earni for Families Ta x g Cusfor Working SL to Inland Revenue Actin t in April. wages you must add Credits also take effec repayrvices Manager, Denis tomer Se id Inland tax code and make your Mr McDermott sa changes more McDermott, said the all emments when you earn Revenue has written to le and they t aymen s affect many peop than the pay period rep identifying the change m. ployers need to be aware of the as the ld of $367 a week. thresho anges that affect them, such your Mr McDermott said ch ayment If you want to pay off new Student Loan rep ns will improve ke extra to the student loa loan faster, you can ma h a checklist to help , nistered pay Inland codes, wit the way they are admi they repayments. You can them understand what your ged and repaid. mana venue directly or ask reduce Re need to do. deducThey are designed to re employer to make extra People can find out mo of borrowers the possibility nt tions. d t the changes to Stude ns, an ver abou defaulting on their loa McDermott said KiwiSa d Working Mr l size of Loans, KiwiSaver an changes help address the overal its at www. members will also see for Families Ta x Cred bt. student loan de up from April. nz more ird.govt. tion Borrowers will get a The employer contribu n, te balance for their loa to da

Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

Feature - Finance

Experience the power of Tally business software

mukesh ArorA

Internationally renowned Tally Accounting and Business Software is now available in New Zealand.

Tally has grown from a basic accounting package into a simple yet sophisticated business management software product. Comprehensive capabilities allow Tally.ERP 9 to meet the needs of small to large businesses with dispersed operations. You bank and pay utility bills from home, why not do your business accounts? Or call up a stock status report and print a copy from wherever you are? Tally.ERP 9 has been designed with businesses in mind. Powerful connectivity makes information available with staff, CA and other professionals, round-the-clock, in any place. It's also quick to install and allows incremental implementation a novel capability that lets users activate just as many of its functions when required, even across locations. Tally has a hard-earned reputation for empowering businesses with stable, effective software products and Tally.ERP 9 takes this further. It has all the features required for high-performance business management. Tally.ERP 9 is the #1 business application in South Asia and is preferred by businesses for increasing efficiencies in their day to day business activities such as sales (cash, credit & counter sales) accounting, purchase, inventory, job costing, finance & payroll. With over 2 million users spread across 94 countries, Tally has maintained its market leadership for past 2 decades as it is 'simple to learn and use', 'delivers greater performance and adapts to business needs'. With trusted remote access, audit & compliance services, an integrated support centre and security management, all focused on delivering peace of mind to users. It is a complete product that retains its original simplicity yet offers comprehensive business functionalities such as accounting, finance, inventory, sales, purchase, point of sales, manufacturing, costing, job costing, payroll and branch management. Whatever the demands, Tally.ERP 9 makes life a lot easier. With an ideal combination of function, control and customise ability built in, Tally.ERP 9 permits business owners and their associates to do more. SERVICES We at Tally take immense pride in the 'Power of Simplicity'. This philosophy drives our product design - bringing you an unmatched ease of use. There may be occasions when you require some services to complement the knowledge and competency of the people in your organ-

isation. Or you might just prefer to outsource IT maintenance completely. Our vast network of highly competent Tally Services and Integrator personnel are within your immediate reach. This is a partial list of the services on offer: ERP Implementation Services, Training Services on product usage, Deployment Services across Locations, Software Assurance Services - getting regular updates & upgrades, Data Migration Services - from other products, Business Advisory Services - from friendly CA, Integration Services with other products and devices, Extending the product functionality to suit specific needs, Customising Syncronisation and data transformation, Invoice & PO customisation - and other document modifications, Building specific controls and constraints, Annual Maintenance Contracts, On site support - when you need someone to visit your office to fix something Tally.ERP 9 is presently available in two editions: Silver & Gold Silver is for single user, while Gold is for unlimited users on a Local Area Network (LAN). Tally accounting software is distributed in New Zealand by Tally Accounting and Business Solutions Limited, 116 Cavendish Drive (Behind BP Gas Station) Manukau 2104 Phone : 09 260 4848 Freephone : 0800 Tally9 or 0800 82 55 99 Email: info@tallysolutions. co.nz Website : www.tallysolutions.co.nz Mukesh Arora is Director of Tally Accounting & Business Solutions Limited and runs his accounting practice from 116 Cavendish Drive, Manukau. He has Chartered Accountant (CA) qualifications in New Zealand and Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) (UK) and Cost Accountant (ICWA) India. He can be contacted on 09 260 4848 or 0800-825599 or 021-1290810 Email: tallysolutions@xtra.co.nz

Indian

India

BRICS mull joint bank, stronger ties

The BRICS leaders, the President of Brazil, Ms. Dilma Rousseff, the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Dmitry A. Medvedev, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the President of the Peoples Republic of China, Mr. Hu Jintao and the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma in group photograph, during the BRICS Summit, in New Delhi on March 29, 2012.

BSE launches trading in BRICSMART

Mumbai: BSE (formerly known as the Bombay Stock Exchange) on Friday, in a bell ringing ceremony, launched the first phase of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Exchanges Alliance by commencing trading in Hang Seng Index Futures, FTSE/JSE Top40 Futures, iBOVESPA futures and MICEX Index Futures. The Consul Generals of the four nations along with Rajeev Agarwal (Whole-time member SEBI), rang the Opening bell to mark the launch of trading in these benchmark indices. Last October, leading Exchanges of the BRICS emerging market bloc had announced a joint initiative to expose investors to products in these dynamic economies. Being the Indian exchange member of this alliance, BSE will provide India investors access to the important BRICS economies through cross-listing products and other avenues to promote development between these markets. While addressing the gathering, MD & CEO, BSE, Madhu Kannan, said, Today marks an important event for BSE. The products we are introducing today are part of our efforts to not only link growing Indian markets to opportunities in other emerging markets but equally importantly giving Indian investors access to growth opportunities across the world. The Consul Generals of Brazil, China, South Africa, the Consul for the Russian Federation and Rajeev Agarwal of SEBI spoke on the occasion and complimented the initiative taken up by the participating members of the BRICS exchange alliance. They spoke about the step being a significant one in providing new avenues for investors of these emerging economies to benefit from cooperation between the BRICS nations bloc and how it would play a key role in overall economic growth. Under the BRICS Exchange alliance, apart from cross-listing products, other opportunities will be explored to promote greater development and understanding between the BRICS markets.

New Delhi: The BRICS group of emerging economic powers Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, will outline plans for a joint development bank and bringing closer their stock exchanges at a summit this week. The initiative, details of which are yet to be agreed upon, will herald a new level of ambition for the group of five countries, distinguished by their large economies and significant influence on regional and global affairs. The plan for a joint development

bank in the mould of the World Bank could allow the nations to pool resources for infrastructure improvements and could in the future serve as a platform for lending during global financial crises such as the one in Europe, officials said. At Thursdays meeting in New Delhi, the Middle East, including oil imports from Iran will also be discussed a day after India and China defiantly declared their intention to continue trading with Tehran. Their banner of revolt against

U.S.-led efforts to economically penalise Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, received support from Russia, South Africa and Brazil in an rare flexing of muscles by the emerging nations. The move also brings the countries, that account for a quarter of the world economy and more than 40 percent of its population, closer to their original idea of seeking to boost their global influence to reflect their growing economic clout, announced at the their first summit in 2009.

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India

Tata Salt launches flavoured variants

Mumbai: Chandigarh girl Vanya Mishra won the Pantaloons Femina Miss India title 2012 in a glittering finale here on Friday night. While Vanya Mishra is Pantaloons Femina Miss India World 2012, Prachi Mishra of Pune is Pantaloons Femina Miss India Earth 2012 as the first runner up. Rochelle Maria Rao of Chennai is Pantaloons Femina Miss India International 2012 as second runner up. The 19-year-old Vanya Mishra, who stands 5'7" feet tall, hails from Jalandar and been crowned previously the Dabur Gulabari Miss Rose Glow 2011 She is a student of PEC University of Technology and has interests in Badminton, music, Dancing and Reading. Prachi Mishra is 24 now and hails from Pune though she was born in Allahabad. She is by profession an Investment advisor. Rochelle Maria Rao of Chennai is a student of M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Woman.

Chandigarh girl wins Femina Miss India title

Mumbai: Tata Chemicals Limited, the country's leading salt manufacturer and marketer, on Wednesday announced the launch of a range of flavoured salts called Flavoritz across major cities in India. These flavoured salts can be used in a variety of traditional and untraditional ways, ranging from dressing up salads, sandwiches, and pasta to enhancing the flavor of parathas and boiled eggs, said the company. Speaking on the launch, Ashvini Hiran,

Chief Operating Officer, Consumer Products Division, Tata Chemicals Ltd, said, The idea is to give consumers never-tasted-before blends of flavors that give a new dimension to their daily food. Flavored Salt is iodised salt mixed with natural flavors that makes mundane recipes sumptuously tasty. Flavoritz is currently available in three interesting flavours Lemon Coriander, Red Paprika, Onion Garlic and an extension in the form of Black Ground Pepper powder.

Prachi Mishra is 24 now and hails from Pune though she was born in Allahabad. She is by profession an Investment advisor.

BBC apologizes for calling Hindu festival Holi filthy

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has apologised for labeling the Hindu festival of Holi as filthy festival, which had upset Hindus worldwide. In an email to President of Universal Society of Hinduism Rajan Zed, BBC News Editor On D e m a n d Mark Barlex wrote: we apologise for any offence that was caused. B B C News website posted a short video on March 29 under its weeks weird videos in Newsbeats odd box showing youth playing Holi in Utah (USA) and titled the segment as Filthy festival. The Universal Society of Hinduism had complained to BBC saying that terming the festival of color celebrated by Hindus and others worldwide as filthy was very insensitive and belittling of the entire community. Admitting that the original headline was an error and saying we are sorry, Barlex informed in the email that they have changed the headline to "Festival of colour". I understand your concern that the use of the word "filthy" in our headline, in the context of this festival, could offend some audiences, Barlex added. The society commended BBC for showing maturity and responsibility in i m mediately removing the inappropriate ter m i nolog y used for the Hindu festival Holi, which hurt the feelings of one billion Hindus spread around the world. It was a step in the right direction, he added. Founded in 1922, headquartered in Westminster London, and established under the Royal Charter; worlds largest broadcaster BBC (autonomous public service broadcaster) has been blamed in the past for racism, imperialist stance, Indophobic bias, anti-Hindu bigotry, anti-American bias, etc. The festival of Holi welcomes the beginning of spring and starts about ten days before the full moon of Phalguna. The ceremonies include the lighting of the bonfires, during which all evils are symbolically burnt. Holi also commemorates the frolics

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Indian

India

71% India cancer deaths in 30-69 group: Lancet

New Delhi: At least 71 percent of the cancer deaths in India occurred in people aged between 30 and 69 years, accounting for 395,400 deaths in this age category out of the total 556,400 national cancer deaths in 2010. According to a study published in medical journal The Lancet, of this 395,400 cancer deaths in people aged 3069 years, 200,100 were men and 195,300 were women. At 3069 years, the three most common fatal cancers were oral (including lip and pharynx, 45,800 [229%]), stomach (25,200 [126%]), and lung (including trachea and larynx, 22 900 [114%]) in men, and cervical (33,400 [171%]), stomach (27,500 [141%]), and breast (19 900 [102%]) in women, said The Lancet report. "Cancer mortality in India: a nationally representative survey" published in the magazine said since the age-specific mortality rates and total deaths from specific cancers have not been documented for the various regions and subpopulations of India, it therefore assessed the cause of death in 2001-03 in homes in small areas that were chosen to be representative of all the parts of India. At least 130 trained physicians independently assigned causes to 122,429 deaths, which occurred in 11 million homes in 6671 small areas that were randomly selected to be representative of all of India, based on a structured non-medical surveyor's field report, said the study by Lancet.

Swine flu in Bhopal, Chennai, Vizag

Bhopal: Swine flu has affected three more Indian cities with cases being reported from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, Tamil Nadu's Chennai and Andhra Pradesh's Vizag (Visakhapatnam). At least seven people were killed and over 90 people were affected by swine flu since the virus struck Maharashtra's Pune district in March. Meanwhile in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar

According to a study published in medical journal The Lancet, of this 395,400 cancer deaths in people aged 3069 years, 200,100 were men and 195,300 were women.
The study said tobacco-related cancers represented 420% (84 000) of male and 183% (35 700) of female cancer deaths and there were twice as many deaths from oral cancers as

lung cancers. Age-standardised cancer mortality rates per 100 000 were similar in rural (men 956 [99% CI 8961017] and women 966 [9071026]) and urban areas (men 1024 [9271121] and women 912 [8191005]), but varied greatly between the states. They were two times higher in the least educated than in the most educated adults (men, illiterate 1066 [9741157] vs most educated 457 [378536]; women, illiterate 1067 [9991136] vs most educated 434 [307561]). Cervical cancer was far less common in Muslim than in Hindu women (study deaths 24, agestandardised mortality ratio 068 [064071] vs 340, 106 [105 108]). The report said prevention of tobacco-related and cervical cancers and earlier detection of treatable cancers would reduce cancer deaths in India, particularly in the rural areas that are underserved by cancer services. The substantial variation in cancer rates in India suggests other risk factors or causative agents that remain to be discovered. The study was funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and US National Institutes of Health.

According to reports on Sunday, the H1N1 virus has claimed two lives in Bhopal, while three others have tested positive for swine flu. Two people have been detected with swine flu in Chennai and one in Vizag. Mumbai on March 21 recorded its first swine flu case after the H1N1 virus remained dormant for nine months in India's financial capital. A six-year-old boy from Mumbai's Mulund area was hospitalized after he tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

Reddy has alerted the health authorities after 27 swine flu cases were reported in several hospitals in the state. Rajasthan has recorded 28 cases and 5 deaths so far. As per reports, H1N1 virus has mostly targeted women and children in the north Indian state where three out of the five deceased were women. An eight-year-old girl, who died on March 1, was the first case of swine flu in Rajasthan. A 26-year-old woman also died of the disease.

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India

Yuvraj relives World Cup win memory

New Delhi: Cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who has waged a valiant fight against cancer, on Sunday recalled the memories of the World Cup win nearly a year ago in Mumbai and hoped that he would be back on the field soon after recuperation. In a video posted on his Twitter page, Yuvraj Singh, who won four Man of the Match awards in the World Cup, said of the fairy tale win: "All you can remember is flying colours of the flag, Wankhede Stadium in joy and an Indian dream coming to reality. It was a great moment in history because winning the World Cup was everything to us." He said he could not have asked for more. "It will always be very special memory for me and all of Indians," he said. He said his illness changed his life. "I did not expect that I would land up here after the World Cup. But that is life." Of the World Cup memory he said: "My fond memory is holding the the trophy, picking up Sachin on our shoulder, taking him for a round, celebrating on the ground." He thanked all Indians for their support in his trying times with the sickness. "The support has been amazing, I could not have asked for me," he said. He said he could not imagine that he would be so much loved by his country people and said he would be back in the field. "I will be normal soon and look forward to play for India," he said. He said he had spoken to Sachin on his tough times with batting and form and fitness and the master blaster "always told me one thing that you will matter when it matters the most." "That is a very special thought, it remains with me," he said. "Zaheer Khan, Zak we call, told me in Bangladesh before the World Cup about me doing something special in the World Cup. That time I

Indias best, IIT-Delhi ranks 218th in the world

New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology- Delhi is the country's highest ranking institution with a global rank of 218, India's Ministry of Human Resource Development told the Rajya Sabha on Friday. Replying to a query during the Question Hour of the Parliament, Minister of State D Purandeswari said that as per the Quacquarelli Symonds global system of ranking of higher education institutions for 2011, IIT-Delhi is the overall highest ranking institution in India. However, in the world, the institute, considered among Indias most exclusive and premier engineering colleges, stands at a rank of 218, the Minister said. "As per the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2011, IIT-Bombay is the highest ranked institution at serial 317, while the Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore at serial 321," she added. The state of management institutions however, appeared to far better with data from QS Global Business

School Report, 2012 showing that the Indian Institute of ManagementAhmedabad was ranked second in the Asia Pacific region. Also, IIM-Bangalore, Indian School of Business, IIM-Calcutta and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai figure in the top 20 institutions as per the same tally. Globally, IIM-Ahmedabad is stands at number 11 while the Indian School of Business at number 13, accord to the Financial Times London Global Business School rankings.

was going through a bad wrist injury, so yeah, special times with special team-mates," Yuvraj recalled. Yuvraj Singh, suffering from a cancerous lung tumour, has been discharged from the hospital in Boston in USA on Mar 18 after his chemotherapy cycle ended. The 30-year-old cricketer, for whom the entire country prayed, then claimed that he was on the road to recovery. Yuvraj Singh underwent treatment for months in Boston in the US for a cancerous tumour in his lung. He drew his inspiration at the centre reading celebrated American cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, who also wished him good health. Lance Armstrong offered Yuvraj support from the 'Livestrong' group. Earlier Yuvraj said that he was looking forward to take the cricket field soon. Early February, it was officially revealed that Yuvraj Singh had been diagnosed with a malignant tumour in his lung when his physiotherapist Jatin Chaudhary said the cricketer had left for the US on Jan 26 and was undergoing chemotherapy in Boston at a cancer research institute. When a tumour was first detected in October last year it was thought to be non-malignant, but later malignancy was detected and the player was taken to US for treatment. The news of Yuvraj's illness triggered shock and sadness among his countless fans, but support started pouring in and fellow sportspersons wished good health for the man who contributed significantly last year in bringing India the World Cup title after decades.

Olympics: 38,000 signatures against Dow

London: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) came under increasing pressure to drop Dow Chemical as the sponsors of the Olympic wrap last Friday. At 9.30am, campaigners gathered outside the IOC press conference in New Street Square to deliver a 27,000-strong petition on Change. org and a 11,000-strong petition on SumOfUs. UK petition signers re-created a protest by Bhopali campaigners that was held outside Indias sports ministry in New Delhi on 27th February posing as dead in front of the IOC's press conference. The petition to drop Dow as Olympic sponsors was started on Change.org by British nurse Lorraine Close who spent 6 months living in Bhopal and volunteering at the Sambhavna clinic. Lorraine said, Living amongst the people in Bhopal taught me that the power of the human voice can be heard. I watched them rally, fight, and refuse to accept what they have been dealt by those who hold power. I hope the London Organising Committee will hear the calls of people from around the world and drop this sponsorship. Lucie Kinchin, who has also volunteered in Bhopal, said, "The tragedy in Bhopal is ongoing. What LOCOG has refused to recognise is that Dow is now responsible. LOCOG and the IOC have dismissed the outcry from India, and so we are here to bring the outrage of tens of thousands of people that Dow is sponsoring the Olympic Games right to their door. It is an insult to the people of Bhopal." A wide range of groups are supporting the campaign against Dow's sponsorship of the Olympics including the Bhopal Medical Appeal, International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, Hindu Forum of Britain (including members who sits on the Faith Reference Group of LOCOG), Muslim Council of Britain (including a member who sits on the Faith Reference Group of LOCOG), Disability Activists Winvisible, the Assamese Community and The Yes Men.

Jailed Punjab minister steps down

Chandigarh: Punjab cabinet minister Bibi Jagir Kaur on Saturday resigned from her political chair, a day after she was convicted and sentenced to five years of imprisonment in connection to the murder of her daughter Harpreet Kaur. Punjab governor Shivraj Patil on Saturday evening accepted Jagir's resignation who stepped down on moral grounds. Bibi Jagir Kaur resigned as cabinet minister on moral grounds following her conviction by a CBI special court, said an official spokesperson of Punjab government in a statement. Jagir's held the portfolios of rural water supply and sanitation and defence services welfare in Punjab Cabinet. The special CBI court on Friday sentenced Jagir to five years in prison on charges of forcible abortion, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy. However, she was acquitted

in the murder charge of Harpreet. Harpreet (19) was mysteriously murdered in 2000. She was cremated without any post-mortem examination a day after her death. Harpreet's husband Kamaljit Singh had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging that she was murdered. The high court directed a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.

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Tibetans protest as Jintao leaves India

Tata showcases Prahar missile launcher

New Delhi: Automobile major Tata Motors on Thursday showcased a new Micro BulletProof Vehicle (MBPV) at DEFEXPO India 2012, a highly mobile combat vehicle for indoor combat inside airports, railway stations and other such infrastructure. The concept is the first of its kind design to assist the countrys elite forces in indoor combat. Besides, Tata Motors launched four other defence vehicles the Tata 12x12 Prahaar Missile Carrier, the Tata Light Armoured Vehicle, the Tata Mobile Bunker and the Tata 6x6 7kl Refueler and displayed a range of other concept vehicles, such as the Tata Quick De-

ployment Mobile Communication Terminal (QDMCT). P. M. Telang, Managing Director - India Operations, Tata Motors, said, The launch of our new combat & tactical vehicles and equipment, leveraged from our strength in design and development of a wide range of commercial vehicles, now enables us to cover the entire defence mobility spectrum. At the DEFEXPO, Tata Motors displayed scaled models of its concept Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) (Tracked & Wheeled), including the turret. In addition, the proposed layout of the production facility was also displayed.

New Delhi: At least 11 Tibetan agitators were detained on Friday as they staged a demonstration near a city hotel against Chinese President Hu Jintao as he left India after participating in the fourth BRICS Summit. The protesters, who were agitating near Oberoi Hotel in Delhi an hour before Jintao's departure from India, were detained as they kept shouting slogans like 'Swaraj My Birth Right' and 'Free Tibet' against Jintao. They even painted the slogans on their chests. The demonstration was led by Dorjee Tsetan, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet-India. At least 25 Tibetans protest-

ers were taken into police custody on Thursday when they were agitating against Jintao. From last few days Tibetans had been protesting against the visit of the Chinese President. On Monday, a Tibetan protester died after he set himself on fire during a demonstration in New Delhi ahead of the visit of Jintao. A strong security has been set up in Tibetan dominated areas to stop any kind of violence. It is also expected that Jintao will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve many differeces between the two nations.

The launch of our new combat & tactical vehicles and equipment, leveraged from our strength in design and development of a wide range of commercial vehicles, now enables us to cover the entire defence mobility spectrum.

New Delhi: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari would visit Ajmer in India on April 8 to offer prayer at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti amid reports that the opportunity could be used by the host country to pursue diplomacy. While the visit is purely a private one for Zardari, media reports on Sunday said efforts are on from Indian side to arrange a meeting between the former and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Zardari can bring 12 of his family members during the visit, reports said. While the Indian Prime Minister met his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in recent times (as recent as on Mar 27 last in Seoul), he had last met Zardari in July 2009 on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Russia. Nuclear armed neighbours India and Paki-

Zardari to visit Ajmer in India: Reports

stan are talking since early 2010 now with foreign secretary level talks held last year in June. During the World Cup semifinal in Mohali between Pakistan and India in March 2011, Singh and Gilani had met one the sidelines and over dinner in the much touted cricket diplomacy. An informal meeting between Singh and Gilani also happened in Seoul on Mar 27 on the sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit. The two nations are keen to normalize trade relations. Talks between India and Pakistan were broken after the 26/11 attack in Mumbai in Nov 2008 when Pakistani terrorists launched several coordinated strikes in vital places of India's financial heart and two luxury hotels, killing 166 people and wounding more than 300.

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Indian

India

Watch out for what you eat. It could be killing you slowly and sweetly, says new Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) junk food and nutrition study.
Junk foods all the stuff that most of us love to gorge on have enough trans fats, salt and sugar to lead us to an early onset of diseases in the young. And whats worse, neither the companies, nor the government is bothering to tell us what these foods contain, says a new CSE study, which was released last Friday in India. CSE, which is known for some groundbreaking studies on food and contamination, says this is the first comprehensive Indian study to have looked at nutritional claims made (or not made) by junk food makers and how they compare against our allowed daily intake. And the findings are pretty damning, says Chandra Bhushan, CSEs deputy director general, who also heads the Pollution Monitoring Lab which did the study. Daily intake? Now what is that? The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have set certain benchmarks of how much salt, sugar, carbohydrates and fats every individual can have on a daily basis to stay healthy. These benchmarks add up to what constitutes a balanced diet. CSEs study which tested a host of samples of popular foods such as potato chips, snacks like aloo bhujia, noodles, soft drinks, burgers, French fries and fried chicken shows that having just one serving of these foods completely overturns our daily diet chart (see attached study findings). For instance, the NIN benchmark for the maximum salt that one person should have in a day is 6 gram, while the WHO puts it at 5 gram. The normal 80-gram packet of Maggi noodles that many of us gobble up almost on a daily basis has over 3.5 gram of salt enough to take care of over 60 per cent of our allowed daily salt intake. Says Chandra Bhushan: Which means for the rest of the day, we will be restricted to have food which should contain less than 2 gram of salt. Not a happy choice at all for us in the sub-continent who love to have our salt and eat it too. The terror is in the trans fats Salt, however, is not the real or only problem. The real problem is trans fats, or the bad fats. The WHO says that in a balanced diet, a maximum of 1 per cent of total energy should come from trans fats. Therefore, an adult male can have 2.6 gram of trans fats per day, while an adult female can have 2.1 gram and a child (10-12 years) can have 2.3 gram. CSEs tests reveal a dirty truth of misinformation, misbranding, wrong labelling and obfuscation indulged in by companies, some of whom are on the top of the charts. They show that many junk foods claim they have 0 trans fats; some dont even bother to mention how much trans fats they have. A child who eats one of those immensely savoury Happy Meals finishes up 90 per cent of all his daily requirement of trans fats. The packets make absolutely no mention of What makes junk food so unhealthy are the high levels of salt, sugar, fats and carbohydrates in them. Non-communicable diseases such as obesity and diabetes accounted for more than 50 per cent of all deaths in India in 2005; by 2030, they will kill two-thirds of all Indians. The latest National Family Health Survey (2005-06) says at least one in every eight Indian is overweight or obese. In our cities, the situation is worse: one in every five urban Indian is obese and prone to numerous health disorders that obesity generates. The CSE study has a deadlier tale to tell. The researchers behind the study say that the heavy doses of trans fats, joined with that of salt which comes from all the so called fun foods work together to trigger ill health which can lead to death. Trans fats are notorious for clogging arteries: they deposit on the walls of the arteries and make them narrower. On top of that, when one has large amounts of salt, the blood pressure increases. The heart has to work overtime to push the blood around, which weakens it considerably. Says Chandra Bhushan: And there is enough global evidence to suggest that more and more young people are succumbing to problems of the heart at a much earlier age. At an age when they should have been at their productive best, they are loosing productive life by eating this junk.

Junk food slow, sweet killer: study

this massive dosage of trans fats! Some top brand noodles claim there is zero trans fats in every 100 gram the CSE study found 0.7 gram per 100 gram. Similarly, another top brand Aloo Bhujia says it has no trans fats, but the study found 2.5 gram per 100 gram. So what does all this mean for our health?

Indian Weekender | April 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

15

Indian
From the Editor

Building safer communities a priority

Prime minister john key
Last week I was in Korea for the second Nuclear Security Summit, along with more than 50 other world leaders. I also took the opportunity to meet with Korean President Lee Myungbak to discuss the progress of the New Zealand Korea free trade agreement. Parliamentary Private Secretary for Ethnic Affairs, Melissa Lee, joined me on the trip. We took some time to visit the war memorial at Kapyeong. I laid a wreath as part of a very moving ceremony to commemorate a major battle during the Korean War. This week we are back to Parliament in Wellington for another busy week, before a three week recess over Easter. Weve been busy this week pressing on with our plan for a brighter future for you and your family. Ensuring our streets and neighbourhoods are safe is one of the ways National is going to achieve this. Were tackling violent crime, and helping keep all New Zealanders safe. Last month some changes to help protect the most vulnerable in our community came into effect. Changes we made to the Crimes Act make it an offence to stay silent if you know of a child or vulnerable adult at risk of harm. This will help better protect Kiwi children, and prevent elder abuse too. Since we came into Government in 2008, weve passed 18 new laws to strengthen our justice system. Weve tightened up on Bail laws, keeping violent offenders behind bars for longer and weve taken away parole eligibility from the worst repeat offenders through the three strikes law. Police safety orders are also working well and helping to prevent domestic violence. These orders allow Police to step in and remove potentially violent people from dangerous family situations for up to five days. Law and Order is a priority of Nationals, and is a strong part of my plan to build better public services that all New Zealanders can rely on. You can keep up to date with all Nationals priorities and how these effect you by visiting our website: www.national.org.nnz/ethnic.aspx.

End of Nationals honeymoon

The honeymoon is most definitely over. The polls might still show the National Partys popularity at alpine heights, but there are more indications as each week passes that it is getting closer to the tipping point from where it will start rolling downhill. Ministerial scandal (Smith), policies coming unstuck (reduced tax take, sustained opposition to asset sales), more Kiwis ditching New Zealand to cross the ditch, snail paced economic recovery, sky high real estate and spiraling rents the list keeps growing. National is clearly beginning to look vulnerable and the sooner the opposition gets its act together, the tougher it will become for the ruling party to maintain its lead in the popularity stakes. But the main opposition, Labour, still seems all at sea after being put to pasture in last years elections. But there will be plenty of opportunity coming its way in the near future. One major headache in the making for the National Party is the planned nation-wide referendum against the new Marine and Coastal Area Act. Last year, through a law change, New Zealands beaches and the sea were taken out of public ownership. This opened the door for Maori tribal corporations to make claims. Until last year, like other countries, New Zealands coastline out to the 22 km edge of the territorial sea belonged to all citizens equally through Crown ownership. Crown ownership guaranteed the public free and unfettered access to the beaches and the sea for fishing, swimming, surfing, boating, and all other recreation and work-related purposes. But last year the government rushed through a law change that repealed Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed, to allow Maori tribal corporations to make claims. Once tribes gain title through the secret settlement process allowed under the new act, they will be given the power to develop, mine, and lease the coast to overseas interests. Most New Zealanders appear strongly opposed to the law change. A group of concerned citizens have launched a Citizens Initiated Referendum to repeal the new law and restore public ownership of the foreshore and seabed. The petition simply asks: Should the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 be replaced by legislation that restores Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed? To succeed, the petition needs to gain the support of 10 per cent of registered voters by the end of June, which translates into a huge 320,000 signatures. If the required number of signatures are garnered, the government will be required to hold a nationwide referendum so that all New Zealanders will get the chance to have their say on who they think should own the Kiwi coastline. New Zealands vibrant democracy, often rated among the best in the world, gives Kiwis the power to fight back. Should you believe that all New Zealanders have an equal right on the coast and seabed, then you should say so by supporting the petition by signing it. Only that will help overturn the new law and help revert the ownership for all New Zealanders and their future generations. It is a chance for citizens to join together and stand up against a law change that clearly favours the interests of only a section of New Zealanders as against all New Zealanders, as must be guaranteed by an egalitarian system. This is one of the contentious issues that the National Party will have to deal with in the remainder of its second term. The elections may still be distant but political problems have a way of snowballing and aggregating into giant roadblocks. If it repeatedly fails to see the writing on the wall, the party will not only be knocked off its alpine perch but will well and truly head for the depths of the seabed.
- Dev Nadkarni

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Comment

Will interlinking Indias rivers solve water problems?

suNItA NArAIN

Decades old plans to link Indias rivers in a bid to solve water scarcity problems in arid regions are being revived. But will they work?
Last month, Indias Supreme Court issued a diktat to the Government of India to implement the scheme to interlink rivers. The directions are straightforward. The government shall set up a high level committee of ministers and other representatives on interlinking of rivers; the committee shall meet at least, once in two months; in the absence of any member the meeting shall not be adjourned; the committee shall submit a biannual report on actions to the Union Cabinet, which shall take final and appropriate decisions in the interest of the country as expeditiously as possible and preferably within 30 days from the matter being placed before it for consideration. Without getting into the obvious matter of judicial overreach, let us take a careful look at what interlinking is all about and what the decision will simply. The fact is that transfer of water from one river basin to another is not, per se, either a novel or an untested idea. Every irrigation project involves such transfer at some scale. The question is what this particular idea of linking rivers implies. The term river linking has come from the idea floated by irrigation engineer K L Rao way back in 1972. He proposed the construction of a grandiose Ganga-Cauvery Canal, which would divert floodwaters of the Ganga near Patna for about 150 days in a year to river Cauvery some 2,640 km away in the south. This idea captured imagination, as it seemed to state such a delicious proposal: take excess water from the Ganga to the water-deficit and stressed areas of Tamil Nadu. A pilot, Captain Dinshaw J Dastur, suggested a variation: construction of garland canals, one for the Himalayan watershed and the other for the Western Ghats. This idea was also appealing, simple and essential. Long-distance irrigation projects then spawned a huge water bureaucracy. In 1982, the National Water Development Agency was set up to study and implement the project to first link peninsular rivers and then Himalayan rivers. Its objective is based on the same simple concept: there are floods in some parts, droughts in the other, so if we link the rivers, we all will be happy. But for equally obvious reasons the agencys proposals were, government after government, studied, considered and buried. But not forever. In early 2000, the Supreme Court and government got back into the game. The court ordered the government to speed up implementation of the project and set the deadline of 2016 for its completion. The National Democratic Alliance then in power quickly announced the setting up of a task force for linking rivers. It was to complete some 30 river links in two years, adding some 1,000 km of canals. This task was a non-starter. The next government came to power and while the concept appealed, better sense prevailed. Interlinking was found technically unfeasible and costly. But the water bureaucracy did not give up. In 2008, the National Council of Applied Economic Research produced a study volume, in which it explained in simplistic terms that the project would cost Rs 4,44,331.2 crore at the 2003-2004 rates. But this investment would lead to rich dividends in terms of increased household income and prosperity for all, it stated. The report would have gone unnoted but for the Supreme Court, which has bought this line and ordered the government to obey or face contempt. The question still is: what does this project imply, given that a massive number of irrigation projects on the governments wish list remain incomplete? First, it implies the notion that there is huge surplus of water in river basins. This assumption is flawed. Most river basins today are overextended in usage, and in most regions tension is growing between old rural users of surface water and new industrial and urban users. The Mahanadi basin, which would be linked to the Godavari is a classic example of this error. As Down To Earth explained in a recent investigation, there is little unallocated water in the basin. The second assumption that floodwaters can be channelised is equally erroneous. The fact is when one river is in spate so is next river and transferring water would require huge storage facilities. Construction of large reservoirs has massive environmental impacts not considered in the scheme. Many irrigation projects are stalled on this count. More importantly, the governments track record in resettling people displaced by such projects is abysmal. The third assumption is that India will gain from investment in irrigation projects is indeed true. But it is equally true that the current challenge is to ensure that the projects, already built and commissioned, are kept operational. The 12th Five Year Plan working group clearly states that priority is bridging the growing gap between the irrigation potential created and utilised. The idea of interlinking rivers is appealing because it is so grand. But this is also the reason it is nothing more than a distraction that will take away precious time and money from the business at hand. The task is to provide clean water to all and to use the resource with efficiency. This agenda needs our attention. Indeed our obsession.

Another week, another Indian scam

stuArt mCmIllAN

Corruption is one of the more difficult aspects of conducting business, says National Business Review columnist Stuart McMillan but the justice system is exemplary and gives hope to New Zealands proposed FTA with India
The Indian government seems to have to weather a corruption scandal a week. A recent drawing by Manjul, a cartoonist, showed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sweating in alarm over a sheaf of papers. An official is rushing in with another sheaf of papers saying: You neednt worry about the 2G scam any more, sir. Theyve unearthed a bigger scam. A leaked draft report from the Comptroller and Auditor General in the past few days said the sale of coal development blocks had been made easily available to a group of politically well-connected companies, thereby depriving the government of about $US210 billion. That really beat the sale of 2G spectrum by a former minister of telecommunications, who was said to have deprived the government of about $US40 billion. report brusheD oFF The government has so far brushed off the report of the coal development blocks by saying that it was only a draft report and, in any case, it is the auditor generals job to find fault with the government. That was last weeks drama. At the beginning of this week the army chief, General VK Singh, said he had been offered the equivalent of $US2.7 million by a lobbyist to clear for purchase substandard vehicles. He said the lobbyist had offered bribes to former military chiefs General Singhs claim will be the subject of an inquiry. He had earlier had a conflict over his birth certificate. When he was promoted to army chief a challenge was made about his age and he argued that a clerical error had been made on his birth certificate... Both opposition and government members say General Singh should have laid charges. At the government level the sums involved are huge, At the level of everyday life corruption is pervasive. Bribes may be necessary to get a birth certificate or a divorce. Someone satirically published a guide to the bribe payable to get a pipe fixed. A woman, whose father had died, was interviewed last week about regretting she had paid a bribe to get a death certificate so that she could catch a flight. Business people find Indian corruption one of the more difficult aspects of conducting commercial activities there. ConFiDenCe shaken The number of major corruption cases has shaken foreign investment confidence in India. So has a recent incident in which India is applying a tax retrospectively to a major foreign investor. Manmohan Singh, an economist by background and responsible for the 1990s opening up of India to foreign investment when he was finance minister, has not been accused personally of corruption though members of his government certainly have. India is the worlds largest democracy. Salmon Rushdie, the novelist, once infamously defined Indian democracy as One man, one bribe. Indias leading anti-bribery campaigner, Anna Hazare, is attracting a huge number of supporters and his political organisation, Team Anna, is exerting considerable influence. His main demand is for the appointment of a bribery ombudsman. The government plans such a post but Anna Hazare says that the powers of the appointee should be extended to protect whistleblowers. hunger strike The government rather haughtily responds that it is the elected authority and will decide the powers of the ombudsman and not be dictated to by Team Anna. Whistleblowers and whistleblowers families have recently been killed. Anna Hazare went on a hunger strike at the beginning of this week. Late last year he had to stop a hunger strike because of ill health. Corruption contributes to the problems in the economy. Growth in the last quarter of 2011 was running at 6.1%, which was regarded as a disappointment because 6.9% had been expected. Mr Singh believes India can return to 9% growth but at the moment Indian politics seems close to paralysis. He leads the Congress Party, the main party in the present coalition. He will be 80 this year. No successor is in sight and the BJP, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the main opposition, shows no sign of being ready to take over even if an election were due. The Congress Party suffered badly in recent state elections. New Zealand is pushing ahead with free trade agreement negotiations with India. A study in 2009 concluded that the economies were complementary. This week, for the first time, India allowed direct investment in Indian shares by qualified presumably approved investors. It is interesting that one of New Zealands main exports to India is coal, which India seems to have in abundance but which it does not produce at the rate it needs. The minister who sold the 2G spectrum cheaply is awaiting trial. Indian newspapers can be vigorous in reporting bribery scandals. The justice system is generally considered exemplary. These factors should all give some hope to this country as it concludes an FTA with India. Stuart McMillan is an adjunct senior fellow in the school of social and political sciences at the University of Canterbury. This commentary has been published with the permission of National Business Review (NBR), where it appeared last week.

Indian Weekender | April 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

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Indian

Fiji

Pacific Sun refurbishes Skilled labour scheme a aircraft, to spend more landmark, says Kubuabola
Fijis Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, says the adoption of the Skills Movement Scheme which aims to source skilled labour from within the Melanesian Spearhead Group region would be a landmark achievement. The item is one of the issues to be discussed by MSG Foreign Affairs Ministers at its special meeting in Suva this week. Ratu Inoke, who is the meeting chair, said as the MSG turns 25 next year, it is a good time to look ahead to the next 25 years and ask where else the MSG could be effective. He said the MSG will celebrate its silver jubilee celebrations in Kanaky land, New Caledonia next year to mark the original objective of the establishment of the MSG which was to spearhead the aspirations of our Kanaky brothers and sisters to achieve freedom. The Foreign Ministers will also discuss a report of the inaugural MSG Environment and Climate Change Ministers Meeting in Nadi earlier this year. Ratu Inoke said this meeting was convened following concerns expressed that the MSG regions environmental issues and climate change interests were not being given prominence at regional and international meetings. The meeting will also review a report on cultural cooperation amongst MSG countries after a meeting of MSG Ministers of Culture and Arts in Honiara, Solomon Islands on 6-7 October last year. The Solomon Islands will be hosting the next Festival of Pacific Arts in Honiara in June this year. Other issues to be tabled include the FLNKS aspirations for de-colonization, security, the report from the Police Commissioners "Con-

Pacific Sun, Fijis second largest airline that services mostly domestic routes, has upgraded its fleet of DH-6 Twin Otter aircraft, which will enable to fly year-round in inclement weather, improving the regularity of services to smaller destinations and boosting business links. The airline spent more than F$100,000 on each of its three aircraft to include, among other features, modern GPS and weather radar equipment. This is expected to minimise weather disruptions to its flights to Savusavu, Taveuni and Kadavu. Over the past four months, Pacific Sun had experienced operational challenges due to a company-mandated retrofit and maintenance programme to modernise safety and increase

operational reliability of the airlines DH-6 Twin Otter fleet. By August this year, the airline plans to spend a further F$400,000 into each of its aircraft to install a new cockpit avionics package, which will include state-of-the-art Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS), new IFR instrumentation, and new VHF & HF radios. A year ago, the beleaguered airline created history by appointing the first female General Manager to head a domestic and regional airline in Fiji. Shaenaz Voss, who has more than two decades experience in the airline industry, has embarked on a major programme to modernise the airline, which provides important feeder services to the national flag carrier Air Pacific.

ference, and the Trade and Economic Officials Meeting. The MSG Environment and Climate Change Ministers" request for a joint MSG position on the zero draft document, "The Future We Want", which will be discussed at the Rio Plus 20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio, Brazil in June this year; will also be on the agenda. Ratu Inoke said the MSG has stood the test of time despite being confronted with a multitude of challenges. We have demonstrated a strong resolve and unity as a region bound by a common cause - a cause that is clearly articulated in our Agreement Establishing the MSG he said. Ratu Inoke said the purpose of the MSG is to promote and strengthen inter-membership trade, exchange of Melanesian cultures, traditions and values, sovereign equality, economic and technical cooperation between members, and the alignment of our policies in order to further MSG members shared goals of economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security. In the true spirit of Melanesian tradition, custom and values, we have managed to resolve contentious issues amongst ourselves. We have also managed to reach consensus through dialogue and solidarity. Those attending the meeting include the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Vanuatu, Hon Alfred Carlot, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea, Hon Ano Pala, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Solomon Islands, Hon Clay Forau, and the head of the FLNKS Group at the New Caledonia Congress, Madame Caroline Machoro.

Fiji hosts meet to pursue mineral opportunities

The Fijian governments Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources has teamed up with the Secretariat of the Pacific Communitys (SPC) Applied Geo Science & Technology Division to host a national stakeholder consultation workshop on mineral exploration in the deep sea. Director Mineral Development, Malakai Finau said the consultative workshop is essential given the current interest from investors on deep sea mineral exploration in Fiji waters. The workshop seeks to present the Deep

Sea Mineral Project to in-country stakeholders by discussing various issues and concerns relating to deep sea minerals and mining. It also hopes to collectively identify and agree on national priorities and an integrated way forward for deep sea minerals and mining as also providing necessary guidance for implementation of projects. The Fijian administration had previously approved the issuance of deep sea mineral exploration licences to two investors for mineral exploration into the Fiji waters.

Elderly woman dies unable to reach hospital

Ba, Fiji: NGO FemlinkPacific has said that the protection of elderly, people with disabilities, sick and injured people, among other vulnerable groups is identified in the affected communities, especially accounting for the damage to local infrastructure. The importance of having access to a small bridge can be a matter of life and death. That is what the members of the Ba Seniors Centre are living through today following the death of one of their members. 68-year-old Sushila Prahlad, who has been a member of the Ba Seniors Centre since 2002, complained of chest pains yesterday. However, she was unable to go to the Ba Mission Hospital because the main access bridge, the Waileqe Bridge had been washed away. A distressed Coordinator, Dorothy Bali advised FemLINKPacific that the loss of Sushila is a reminder of how access for the elderly to health and evacuation centres should not be forgotten during natural disasters.

A reality also emphasised by Angeline Chand of the Pacific Disability Forum: "Access needs and supplies for women and people with disabilities and the need to locate them in such times requires improved coordination at the national and local level." It is critical also that caregivers of people with injuries/disabilities have the extra help they need. The NGO has urged government and nongovernment humanitarian actors, evacuation centre managers, first-responder staff and volunteers, service-providers and carers to ensure that elderly, sick and injured people, and people with disabilities get particular care and attention during and after the emergency. FemlinkPacific has also urged the media to raise awareness and talk about the specific and basic needs of elderly, sick and injured people, and people with disabilities when discussing protection issues with government officials, religious leaders and humanitarian workers.

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Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

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Fiji

Fiji aviation ministry wants competition

Dev NADkArNI

Fiji in global meet on tobacco control

Air Pacific CEO Dave Pflieger, Fijian Aviation Ministry Permanent Secretary Elizabeth Powell and PacificSun General Manager Shaenaz Voss at a news conference in Suva.

Photo: Dev Nadkarni

Fijis aviation ministry has awarded a charter licence to a private airline, Island Sun, to provide charter services to any destination in the country. This brings competition to the nations flag carrier Air Pacifics subsidiary Pacific Sun. The Fiji Government holds a majority stake in Air Pacific. Announcing the award of the charter licence to private flyer Island Hopper, Fiji Governments Permanent Secretary for Civil Aviation Elizabeth Powell said both the Government and the managements of Air Pacific and Pacific Sun welcomed competition. When Indian Weekender asked whether the Government

would also welcome competition in scheduled commercial flights, Ms Powell said the Government would be happy to see competition because it encourages better quality and services s well as competitive pricing. But Ms Powell said no applications for scheduled commercial flights had been received so far. It was important that any applicants fulfilled all the countrys civil aviation requirements relating to technical specifications and safety, she said. Pacific Sun, the countrys second largest airline that services mostly domestic routes, has upgraded its fleet of DH-6 Twin Otter aircraft, which will enable it to fly year-round in inclement

weather, greatly improving the regularity of services to smaller destinations and boosting business links. By August this year, the airline plans to spend F$1.8 million on upgrading its Twin Otter fleet to install a new cockpit avionics package, which will include state-of-the-art Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS), new IFR instrumentation, and new VHF & HF radios. Replying to a question from Indian Weekender at a news conference in Suva, Air Pacific Chief Executive Officer David Plieger said the upgrade was funded entirely by internal financial resources.

PM visits Western division

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has begun to assess the damage caused by flooding that continues to affect most parts of the western division. He and Government officials traveled as far as Nadi; however, they had to turn back due to road conditions. Plans are set to go out again tomorrow as a part of ongoing assessments. The Prime Minister was given a full briefing by all relevant agencies that have been working 24-hour shifts to provide support to all those affected. During the meeting, the Prime Minister advised all officials to "think out side the box" with regard to ways Government can ensure the safety and security of all Fijians during this time of crisis. The Prime Minister said: "The safety and security of all Fijians and our guests is the priority of Government at this time." Meanwhile, Mr Seruiratu has urged the public to take heed of the warnings given by both DISMAC and the weather office. All Fijians must absolutely stay out of flood-affected waters. The weather office has confirmed that the western and central division will continue to experience periods of heavy rain and that the warning of flooding remains in force.

Fijis Ministry of Health has participated at the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health to address health and tobacco control on a global scale. Minister for Health Dr Neil Sharma joined leaders from around the world who have converged in Singapore to address and look at challenges towards tobacco control and to address this on both a regional and country level. This international meet allows Fiji to join the international community in acknowledging the growing effects of tobacco but at the same time look at opportunities on tobacco control. Minister Sharma co-chaired the first session on the theme 'Countering challenges posed by the tobacco industry in the era of the WHO FCTC' with Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the WHO this week. The Minister and his Ministerial colleagues were also briefed by senior executives of the Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd or Singhealth on the services provided by them. Singhealth now collaborates through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2011 with Fijis Ministry of Health. The arrangement will see three Fijian Doctors receiving specialised training in cardiology, radiology and pathology in

This international meet allows Fiji to join the international community in acknowledging the growing effects of tobacco but at the same time look at opportunities on tobacco control.

Singaporean hospitals. The Minister was able to confirm and learned at first hand with Singhealth authorities on details regarding the attachment of Fiji doctors. The conference brought together hundreds of health leaders and workers from Government, the private sector, and civil societies from 124 countries as well as regional and multilateral i n st it ut ion s including the Secretary General of the WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, the secretary General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan and Singapore's own Health Minister Mr Gan Kim Yong. Health care insurance is a priority under the Ministry of Health, that the Bainimarama Government is committed to putting in place especially for Fijians who cannot afford to be part of normal health insurance schemes made available by private providers in Fiji. The Minister also took the opportunity to explore the possibility of an MOU between his Ministry and its Singaporean counterpart. This was well received by senior officials and the High Commissioner of Fiji to Indonesia (accredited to Singapore) who was present with the Minister, will be pursuing a draft in due course with the senior officials concerned.

20

Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

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entertainment

Shankar-Purbayan team up for London fest

PrIyAm mAllICk
and food and it has also retains the culture. He also expressed his willingness to work in a Bengali movie. On the city visit on Tuesday, the trio Shank a r- E h s a a n Loy regaled the audience in a concert with Mahadevan`s soul touching voice, Ehsaan Noorani`s dynamic Acoustic Guitar and Loy Mendonsa`s finesse in Grand Piano. Alchemy Festival is into the third year and is organized by Southbank Centre to explore the richness, contrasts and connections between the UK, India and South Asian culture. Chatterjee said, "The concept of this festival is to bring together diverse cultures, specially the South Asian culture." Mahadevan and Chatterjee will perform a Jugalbandi on April 21, at the festival in London. The festival will start from April 12 and will continue till April 22.

Star TV bags BCCI rights for Rs 38.51 bn

Mumbai: News Corps India affiliate, Star TV, has bagged the BCCI media rights for international cricket played in India for a whopping Rs 38.51 billion, surprising all who expected the joint venture entity, ESPN Star Sports, to bid. Star India bet higher than the only rival bidder Multi Screen Media (formerly Sony Entertainment Television India) for the sixyear broadcast and digital rights till 2018. MSM, IPLs official broadcast rights holder, bid Rs 37 billion to back up its plans to launch a sports channel. Star will cough up Rs 401.154 million per match, a huge increase compared to Rs 312.50 million that Nimbus Communications was paying for every match when its contract was prematurely terminated by the BCCI last year for nonpayment of broadcast rights fee. According to sources in the BCCI, only five companies had bought the bidding documents with only MSM and Star placing their bids before the marketing committee that had met in Chennai to open the bids. The ones who bought bid documents include Zee, ESPN Software India, and Times Internet, which intended to bid only for the digital rights. The contract between BCCI and Star TV will cover a total of 96 matches which includes visit by teams like Australia, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka. It also includes domestic events like Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and the Irani Trophy. The most interesting part of the bidding was that ESS, which operates Star Sports, Star Cricket and ESPN, did not submit the bid even though it bought the tender documents. I am glad to announce that Star TV won the bid for six years. The total bid amount is about Rs 3,851 crores (Rs 38.51 billion) for the six year period covering 96 matches. The BCCI is very happy that the BCCI rights are fully evaluated and now I think fully priced, BCCI president N Srinivasan said, announcing the winning bid. Star TV India CEO Uday Shankar said the broadcaster would work with ESS to jointly develop the content. BCCI is a great property and we are overjoyed to have an opportunity to develop it further. It was decided amongst ESPN Star Sports, ESPN and Star that Star would bid for the rights and if Star were to win the rights it would be exploited in collaboration with ESS, Shankar said in a statement. For ESS, which has platforms across television, Internet and mobile medium, the BCCI media rights will come as a booster shot. With the India rights expected to be housed under it, ESS can boast of having rights for three of the top four cricket boards which includes Australia and England excluding South Africa, which is owned by Ten Sports. It also holds the global rights for ICC events till 2015 besides Champions League Twenty20 commercial rights till 2017. The BCCI had clubbed the digital with the TV broadcast rights, setting a floor price of Rs 322.5 million (Rs 312.5 million plus Rs 10 million for new media rights) per international game for category A and Rs 340 million (Rs 330 million plus 10 million for new media rights) per game for category B. The new media rights, which were not part of the earlier rights package with Nimbus, had failed to draw attention as it was highly priced. The BCCI had twice floated tenders fixing base price at Rs 30 and Rs 20 million respectively.

Photo: Avishek Mitra

Kolkata: Versatile singer Shankar Mahadevan and sitar ace Purbayan Chatterjee announced their upcoming musical endeavour, London's Alchemy Festival, last week. Classical singer Kaushiki Deshikan was also present at the occasion. On talking about London's Alchemy Festival, Mahadevan said, "This type of event helps to take our music to the western level." "I had worked with Purbayan once with his band 'String truck', and it is a complete genre of Indian classical music in combination with lots of western elements," he added. About Kolkata, Mahadevan said that this city is full of rich heritage

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22

Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

Indian

entertainment

Amaan-Ayaan interpret Qawwali

Karishma wants to do more films

PrIyAm mAllICk
Kolkata: Bollywood star Karishma Kapoor is looking forward to more of acting in the coming days since her kids have now grown a little older. "Since my kids have become a bit older I am looking forward. Family is most important to me and then everything comes so I try to spend all the time with my kids,which is very important," she said. Karishma was in Kolkata last Friday to launch the Blue & Blues, a leather products brand from Italy. She expressed her desire to work in a Bengali film but she said, for that she has to learn the language. She also talked about her upcoming movie 'Dangerous Ishq', which will be releasing this summer. About the brand she is endorsing, Karishma Kapoor said: "It is very essential to connect with the brand which I am endorsing, which I do and I think they are the first company to start colour leather." Praveen Agarwal, Director of Blue & Blues, said, "It is a brand of today and moves from the typical old and rugged look of leather. It con-

sists of vibrant clolors and different textures. So we are experimenting with different things which Indian customers have not seen." Their ranges of products include trendy colections of ladies bags, ladies wallets, mens wallets, belts, office bags, portfolio bags, accessories like mobile phone cases, card holders, key cases, key chains, coin pouches, etc. The wallets are priced within the range of Rs 900 to Rs 3000, while bags are priced between Rs 23006000 and so on. Blue & Blues is an Italian fashion leather brand known for its quality leather and vibrant colours red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, golden and silver to name a few.

Turn back the clock on ageing

Sarod stars Amaan Ali and Ayaan Ali Khan represent the seventh generation of their father Ustad Amjad Ali Khans musical legacy known as the Senia Bangash School. The duo recently launched Rang Colors of Sufism, an album that consists of Qawwali interpretations. Correspondent Sreya Basu in conversation with the youth icons
Why is the name of the film Shanghai when it is being shot only in India? Tell us more about Rang Colors of Sufism. AMAAN: It is our interpretation of timeless Qawwalis blending the pieces with Sufi music. My brother and I have always tried combining different Indian art forms that can come together to create something extraordinary. AYAAN: It's our interpretations of traditional Qawwalis on the sarod along with singing the Qawwalis in our distinct style. The Qawwalis have been performed in authentic style by Sultan Niyazi and party. This confluence of Sufi singing and the sonorous sound of the sarod will surely be appreciated by listeners. What made you take up Sufi music? AMAAN: We were always inclined to Sufi music. We wanted to take it to lounge spacealready much work is being done on Sufi music on a broader scale. But we wanted to take it to lounge space and get rustic singers do justice to the music. Are you happy the way the album has shaped up finally? AMAAN: Oh yes. It is a great feeling to launch our work with such love and appreciation. AYAAN: This collaboration and our compilations are very special to us and I hope that everyone enjoys our most recent work. I would like to thank all the talented artists who have helped us put together the album. Can you pick your favourites from the album? AMAAN: All tracks have been performed with all our hearts. Some of the tracks that listeners will definitely enjoy are Mann Kunto Maula, Aaj Rang Hai, Bahaut Din Beete, Main Nizaam, Zihale Miskin and Kaahe Ko Byaahe Bides. Unlike other classical musicians, you two have your fingers in all possible piesyou are playing sarod, cutting albums, doing ads, walking the ramp, there is news about your debut in films and also you two are style icons of today's youths. Was this a conscious endeavour? AMAAN: It is the love and blessing of the people that they have accepted us in whatever we do. Both Ayaan and Amaan consider ourselves lucky that we get so much love and support from people. Once Amaan said he wants to popularize sarod among youngsters. How will you do that? AMAAN: I just want to tell the youngsters that sarod is the easiest and the most beautiful of all instruments around. If one really wants to learn playing an instrument, then, sarod is the one for you. And if you have any problem playing sarod, come to us and we will give you all the tips (smiles). AYAAN: When you listen to sarod, there's nothing to understanda-just appreciate and enjoy it. Sarod refreshes your mind, body and soul.

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I wont like a John Abraham sperm

After trying his hand at modeling and acting, John Abraham has donned the producers hat for rom-com Vicky Donor, a film that deals with sperm donation and the taboo attached to it. Correspondent Sreya Basu in conversation with the actor in Mumbai
What made you start your production house John Abraham Entertainment? When I read the script, I really liked it. The concept is unique. I wanted to work with Shoojit (Sircar, director) for a long time. So it was the best opportunity. When we decided to present the film on screen, I thought it was the best step to be a producer. I enjoy the space of being the producer and give a platform to new talent because I too was a newcomer at some point of my life. And the way I was encouraged by the (film) industry, I think its pay back time now. Do you think films like Vicky Donor will be perfect launch pads for newcomers? Yes of course. New talents should always be encouraged and they should be launched. And when they get a first film like Vicky Donor, I think its the best film to start off with. Were you nervous while trying your hand at film production? Not at all; I was very excited from the very beginning. Are you doing a special appearance in the film? We did a special song in this filmI am in that song. It was a lot of fun; Bosco-Caesar choreographed the song. We shot on March 19 and 20. Since you found Vicky Donor so interesting, why arent you starring as a lead in this film? I know what you mean. Generally when an actor starts his production house, he stars himself in the first film. I decided from the very beginning not to be a part of the film, except the item song. When Shoojit made me read the script it was very clear that the film needed new faces. We decided to present the film together and were talking at every point and time of casting after which Ayushmann (Khurrana) and Yamis (Gautam) names came up. I think we have made the best choices in all our characters be it Annuji (Kapoor), Ayushmann or Yami. And when you see the film, you too will agree. What was the one thing you realized while producing Vicky Donor? As a producer when you start your first film, it is important that to power it up and to present it effectively. In the capacity of a producer I promise you nothing but super entertainment in this film. Since you are shooting for Shootout at Wadala, how much time could you take out for Vicky Donor amid hectic shooting schedules? Balaji (Motion Pictures, production house) and Sanjay (Gupta, director) have been very kind. I wanted time off and this is priority for me at this point of time. I was there since the first drafting of the film, the casting, shooting, music, post-productionI was always present as the creative producer of the film. The entire team of Vicky Donor will be traveling across cities and in colleges to promote it and I am going to be with them. There will not be a place where I wont be there with them. We made this film as a team and we are going to go and see the release of this film as a team. Do you think audiences will be able to appreciate Vicky Donor given the taboo present with sperm donation in Indian society? I have made this film especially for youngstersand I am sure they will love it. If they can appreciate a film like Dostana (a 2008 rom-com on homosexuality), they will like Vicky Donor as well. As for the tabooI dont find anything wrong in donating sperm. In the film, it is seen that people generally prefer sperm of a cricketer or an actor. Which actor will you not like to see as a sperm donor? 0 I wont like a John Abraham sperm ... technically the genes are too strong.

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Spy Bhai Bye Bye

ArNAb ChArkrAborty
the baCkgrounD The film opens in Afghanistan and greets us with a potpourri of sweat, gore and ass kicking action. Agent Vinod is the man! Saif as the suave spy makes his stance known from roll one and receives cheers from the crowd for some throaty dialogues and some witty action. Bullets fly a lot in the yellow screen space before a stunning display of opening credits prepare you for an apparent thrill ride. After that, well, lets just imagine locales from half the world smashed and bashed together with a rough edged storyline that seems to talk of an espionage spy game and leave it at that. the story 2/5 Yup its the usual devil alright! The plot works in parts and when it doesnt it falls apart but the usual clichd material isnt what hurts the film most- that credit goes to characterization. So you have a Jason Bourne mixed with a James Bond from the oomph era and all of that rolled together in a rather mismatched cocktail (oops I almost forgot about the sordid and toothless back story). This coming from Sriram Raghavan, the man who gave us a sardonic Johnny Gaddar, is a mighty disappointment. If Agent Vinod doesnt bat an eyelid or displace a strand of hair while fighting mastermind criminals then Kareena as the Pakistani female terrorist cum muse, overdo s everything. What spy doesnt kill because of moral issues? I dont know of any and if you do know of any such field agent tell me and I will take back my words. So you have a superhuman spy and a pretentious one punched together but Wait! Thats not where the fun ends because then comes an endless stream of goofy and unconvincing baddies with inconceivable motives. (You can play the Count and Name the Bad Guys game once you are out and see how many you remember) Having said all that; the idea of the mastermind remains a notch superior to other such concoctions as does some parts of the plot which does not follow the banal India-Pakistan rivalry concept. Three cheers for that! the DireCtion anD teChnique 3.5/5

MOVIE REVIEW

Saif Ali Khan is back with pumped muscles, headshot ready aim and a taut witty disposition that never falters even in the face of the grim reapers and while that will garner a lot of oohs and aahs for him, I am not sure the same can be said for the film.
Agent Vinod is slick, stylish and visually appealing. It can give a lot of Hollywood movies a run for their money when it comes down to raw cinematography. The film sports some graphic visuals with chiseled out pictorial flamboyance across some splendid locations. The screen play is racy and when combined with some innovative camerawork doesnt allow the eyes to avert away from the screen. The editing is tight and though the film is a tad too long the screen play doesnt disappoint too much. However an overdose of action and stunts can leave your mental faculties gasping for some tangible storyline that quite often doesnt follow all the punching, shooting and driving. the aCting 3.5/5 The roles are generic and abysmally unrealistic but there was a raw sincerity in playing them out. Agent Vinod may look closer to a game world hero but Saif plays the part with authority and conviction and so does Kareena. Ravi Kishan, Adil Hussain, Dhritiman Chatterjee and Ram Kapoor provided solid support in their respective roles. Rest of the cast too performed a splendid job and added some spice to the blotchy characters. the MusiC 3/5 The music by Pritam almost mirrors the film in respect to its unpredictability. A fraction of the infamous Bond theme is mingled with expert care with Bolly music from 70s to create an innovative signature track for the home brewed spy. The soundtrack at the opening credits is racy as well but throughout the movie the music often springs to some unconventional action and causes unwanted distractions. The songs are probably great as standalone tracks but they sometimes seen callously out of place in the scheme of things. Vinod, Agent Vinod? Well you may want to ask this spy his name if slick action enthralls you or if you are a fan of watching third person shooter games But if you are not a fan of unrealistic spygiri then you can bid this agent goodbye

Sony Music acquires rights of Ishaqzaade

Mumbai: Leading music company Sony Music Entertainment has bagged the worldwide digital distribution rights of Yash Raj Film Ishaqzaade. The movie stars debutant filmmaker Boney Kapoors son Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, who was last seen in the caper Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl. Ishaqzaade is a romantic flick that revolves around the story of two people who are born to hate, destined to love. Music director AmitTrivedi and eminent lyricist Kausar Munir have filled the music of this masala entertainer with earthy flavors. There are five original songs and two remixes in the album. The track Aafaton Ke Parinde will be digitally released on 4th April, followed by digital release of the full album on April 12. With this alliance Sony Music will leverage its entire digital delivery bandwidth for offering audio and audio visual music content of this film on mobile devices and other mobile & internet based platforms. Sanujeet Bhujabal, Marketing Director Sony Music India said, The music of Ishaqzaade is sure to strike a chord across all age groups. "With the unique mix and match of compositions combined with the talent of fabulous singers like Javed Ali, Vishal Dadlani, Suraj Jagan, Sunidhi and Shreya, we expect a great response from music lovers.

28

Indian Weekender | Aoril 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

D I A R Y
Rozlyn Khan strips for breast cancer

Mumbai: Budding actor Rozlyn Khan has gone topless this week to spread awareness for early detection and cure of breast cancer. "There are so many women who die just because they are unaware of the symptoms of the dreaded disease. Through my campaign to spread awareness about breast cancer, I want to inform and educate all to be cautious and careful," said Rozlyn. "Early detection of breast cancer increases the chances of saving lives and thats what I intend to achieve from this campaign. Even if I manage to spread the word to a few thousand, I'd be more than contended with it," she said. To mount the awareness campaign on a large scale, the actor would be joining hands with a cancer association to promote the cause.

Dhoom:3 shooting begins May

Mumbai: Shooting of Hindi film Dhoom:3 will begin in May and actor Aamir Khan will join the schedule in June, said Yash Raj Films (YRF) last week. A leading morning broadsheet recently said that the shooting of Dhoom:3 has been delayed due to the unavailability of Aamir. However, Yash Raj Films was quick to rectify it. A Yash Raj Films spokesperson said, It is unfortunate that without checking, a leading morning broadsheet irresponsibly declared that the shooting of Dhoom:3 had been indefinitely postponed and that it would be shot after Aamir Khan completes certain other future commitments. This is absolutely baseless. Dhoom:3 starts shooting in May 2012 and Aamir Khan joins the schedule in June as per plan," the spokesperson said. Produced by Aditya Chopra, Dhoom:3 is written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, who had also written Dhoom and Dhoom:2. Apart from Aamir, who plays the anti-hero in the film, and Katrina Kaif, both Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra will continue in their roles of Jai Dixit and Ali. The film is slated for a 2013 release.

said Haag in a statement. The boys have been named Winston and Viraaj. Celina said she is very excited and looking forward to spend time with her new-borns. She got married to Dubai-based Austrian hotelier Peter Hagg on July 23.

Karan Johar to launch lady director

Mumbai: Filmmaker Karan Johar will be launching a lady director for the first time under his Dharma Productions banner. Sonam Nair will make her directorial debut with a Dharma Productions movie. Karan has officially announced the news though the title of the film is yet to be finalised. "At Dharma, we have already introduced nine directors. We are extremely proud of their films. Taking the train of thought further, we plan to expand our production base and launch many more first time filmmakers in the immediate future," said Karan. So far, he has launched nine debutant directors under his banner, starting from Nikhil Advani in Kal Ho Na Ho to Shakun Batra in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu.

Emraan Hashmi turns 33

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi turned 33 on Saturday. He made his Bollywood debut with the film 'Footpath' in 2003 but it did not do well at the box office. He got his first box-office hit by doing Anurag Basu's 'Murder' in 2004 and after that there was no looking back for him. Hasmi is commonly known as the "Serial Kisser" of Bollywood industry for his bold kissing scenes in the movies. Some of his hit movies are Zeher, Chocolate, Kalyug, Gangster, Jannat, Raaz The Mystery Continues, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Murder 2, The Dirty Picture and many more. In 2005 he won Screen Award for Best Villain for 'Murder' and in 2011 he won Screen Award for Best Villain for 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai'. 2012 seems to be on high for Hashmi as he will be having back to back release this year. His upcoming films are Jannat 2, Shanghai, Rush and Raaz 3.

Celina Jaitley delivers twin boys

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Celina Jaitley

on Saturday delivered twin boys, said her husband Peter Haag. "Yes our angels from heaven are here and we are very happy. Celina and the boys are doing very well healthwise too. We just want everyone to bless our handsome boys,"

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Lose Weight Know it how .

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Can I get an easy and a quick way to lose weight?

This is what all aspiring weight losers wish for as soon as they realise the need to lose weight. Well to be honest there are no quick fixes and one needs to identify the reasons for the weight gain with help of a health professional before they can identify the path to lose it the right way, however today let us look at some key areas that one can focus to attain and maintain good health.

Add More

Go Light

One of the easiest ways to reduce is by way of managing your intake, a smart way of replacing or reducing what you eat is by switching to lighter options. Switch to low calorie food that you crave for. A creamy frappe, milkshake or a latte tastes the same with low fat milk and your body feels healthier with the lighter versions. Drinks are another area where you can go light too, replace your drinks with sugar free options if you really need to have them and for the hard-core fanatics of the high calorie drink, try mixing your drink with the low calorie versions to reduce the effect.

While you are eliminating calories based on the first tip, remember to add more to your diet. Adding fibre to the diet is a good option as this helps maintain satiety (feeling full). Fruits, vegetables and grains are good sources of fibre. Add your favourite fruits to your shopping bag and add these to your breakfast or your lunch box. Add veges in your soups, casseroles, stir frys and curries. Nuts in your salad can add variety and provides better nutritional value too. Adding is always better than reducing when trying to lose weight, however it is important that you know what and how much you are adding, the key is in maintaining balance and getting it right.

powered version. Take the stairs and avoid escalators when shopping at the mall or at every opportunity you get. Go for a run or walk, join community walking groups. Dance in groups or in the comfort of your home. Wash your car and take advantage of the weather to hit the gardens. Involve yourself in outdoor sports and spend quality time with kids in the park or at the sports ground. You may have some more ideas, share with your friends and help them with their goals too.

same amount of food in a smaller plate feels more than when served in a large plate.

Patience is the Key

Downsize Now

Go Physical

Every activity counts, add physical activity to your lifestyle. Be creative when going physical. Park your car a few blocks away and walk to work or walk around the block at lunch time Try the push mower to the

It is the age of value for money and everything is served BIG. Our plates / platters have gone a dramatic makeover over the years and sizes have grown more than double. When eating out try to make reasonable choices and check the serving sizes, where needed share with someone or get the left over packed. When eating at home use a smaller plate or bowl as it gives your brain a signal of adequacy. The

If you want to be a successful loser then changing lifestyle and patience is the key remember there are no quick fixes. Little things add up so keep the balance and add little things like eating small portions and adding small physical activities to your routine. Losing weight is a journey and you can reach your destination successfully with practice and it only gets easier with time. Till next time.eat Right, stay calm and work it out This article is a general guideline only, if you have any medical condition and for individual condition, please consult a health professional or your medical practitioner immediately. Varsha Asrani is a New Zealand registered clinical dietitian, for personal consultations, queries, suggestions and feedback she can be contacted on info@varshaasrani. com

Indian Weekender | April 6, 2012 | www.iwk.co.nz

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CHINMAYA MISSION NEW ZEALAND presents

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16-20th april 2012 7.30pm-9pm

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