Havana, Cuba: Hurricane Sandy

swelled into a major threat to much

of the US East Coast on Thursday
after lashing Cuba with heavy rains
and tree-toppling winds and
swirling through the Bahamas, US
forecasters said.
US government forecasters
warned that much of the East Coast
could get swiped by Sandy, with
flooding, heavy rains and high
winds beginning late Thursday
(Oct 25) in Florida. By early next
week - amid final preparations for
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi is unlikely to join the
Manmohan Singh government in a
cabinet reshuffle scheduled for
Sunday, sources in the party and
Rashtrapati Bhavan said Thursday.
According to Congress sources,
the reshuffle will be a precursor to
a change in the organizational set-
up of the party which is aiming to
create a new team to face the 2014
general elections and a slew of
state polls next year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and Congress president Sonia
OBAMA OR ROMNEY?
ITS A TOSS-UP
Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday:
Rahul to sit out some more
Hurricane Sandy threatens to
pummel Northeast
On Thursday evening, CNN Poll of Polls put President Obama and Governor Romney in
dead heat. RealClearPolitics average of 10 opinion polls gave Romney 0.9 edge over
Obama. Yet it put 201 Electoral College votes in Obama-Biden column, and 191 in
Romney-Ryans, with 146 being toss-ups. New York Times blog, FiveThirtyEight, claimed
that Romneys momentum had halted, and it predicted Obama's chances of winning at
71%. Intrade betters gave 63.1% chance of winning to Obama and 36.6% to Romney
For our in-depth coverage of the US Elections, please go to pages 13-15.
The projected path of
Hurricane Sandy which made
landfall in Cuba on Thursday
as a Category 2 storm. New
York City is potentially in
harms way.
Rahul Gandhi: PM-in-waiting
but in no hurry
The third and final presidential debate between incumbent Barack Obama
and challenger Mitt Romney at Boca Raton, FL, was civil compared
to their previous two encounters.
The South Asian Times
e x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Vol.5 No. 28 October 27-November 2, 2012 60 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Festivals 16 Business 23 Spiritual Awareness 30 US Elections 13
excellence in journalism
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 4
The SAFE Center was
inaugurated
Thursday by the
merger of Nassau
County Coalition
Against Child Abuse
and Coalition
Against Domestic
Violence. Mr
Harendra Singh was
recognized at the
inaugural gala at
Garden City Hotel
for his humanitarian
contribution in Long
Island as well as
in India.
Honoring a humanitarian
COUNTY LEGISLATOR
Venditto
Michael
Elect
As our County Legislator,
Michael Venditto will...
Protect families, seniors and singles from higher property taxes
Work to cut spending and make county government more efficient
Vote to reduce county debt
Fight to reform Nassaus broken assessment system
Bring good paying jobs to our county
Experienced and Ready to Lead
Currently Counsel to the Hempstead Town Board
Former Deputy town attorney
Member, Old Harbour Green Civic Association
Member, Columbus Lodge, Order Sons of Italy in America
Parishioner of St. Rose of Lima, R.C. Church
Michael and his wife Antonella, a teacher, live in Massapequa
FIGHTING FOR TAXPAYERS! Vote Republican On November 6th
Michael Venditto has the energy,
experience and vision to protect
the quality of life we cherish.
Paid for by Friends of Michael Venditto
October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
New York: Rajat Gupta, a
former Indian-American
director of Goldman Sachs
Group, was Wednesday sen-
tenced to two years in prison
for leaking boardroom
secrets to former Sri
Lankan-American hedge
fund manager Raj
Rajaratnam.
Judge Jed S. Rakoff of
Federal District Court in
Manhattan handed down a
more lenient prison sentence
than the eight to 10 years
stipulated by law. He was
also ordered to pay a $5 mil-
lion fine.
In a statement, Preet
Bharara the Indian-
American attorney in
Manhattan, said of Gupta,
"His conduct has forever tar-
nished a once-sterling repu-
tation that took years to cul-
tivate."
"We hope that others who
might consider breaking the
securities laws will take
heed from this sad occasion
and choose not to follow in
Gupta's footsteps," he added.
Gupta is appealing his
conviction. There is no
parole, but defendants usual-
ly serve only 85% of their
sentences, so Mr. Gupta, 63,
could be out in less than 21
months.
The sentence comes as
Rajaratnam, the central
player in the recent insider-
trading scandal who got 11
years jail, also planned to
appeal his conviction this
week in a New York federal
appeals court.
Gupta was criminally
charged last year with
divulging information about
Goldman and Procter &
Gamble Co., where he also
was a director. In June, a
jury found him guilty of
three counts of securities
fraud and one count of con-
spiracy.
A native of Calcutta,
Gupta came to the US and
earned a graduate degree at
Harvard Business School.
He rose swiftly through the
ranks of McKinsey and
headed the firm for a decade.
A noted humanitarian, he
has also played a leading
role in organizations fighting
diseases like AIDS, malaria
and tuberculosis in poverty-
stricken nations.
By Vikas Girdhar
New York: The rising popularity of
caffeine-infused energy drinks may
soon be stemmed after making
headlines this past week for their
linkage to the brand Monster s
products.
The Food and Drug
Administrations (FDA) Shelly
Burgess said on Monday that it was
probing the deaths of five individu-
als and the heart attack of one from
2009 to June of this year that may
very well be linked to the consump-
tion of Monster Beverage Corp.s
namesake energy drink. As a result,
the companys shares fell more than
14 percent. There is no hard proof
yet that Monster was the cause or
even a factor.
So far, theres been no causal
link, said Burgess. There could
have been other products involved.
We dont know that yet and thats
why were taking this seriously and
looking into it.
The most notable of the deaths is
that of Anais Fournier, a 14-year old
girl from Maryland who had a heart
condition and drank two cans of the
product in a 24-hour period.
Monster responded to the parents
accusation that it is to blame for
their daughters death by saying it
does not believe that its drinks are
in any way responsible.
While Monster is the leading
energy drink in the US, with nearly
39 percent of the market, Red Bull
has the highest share by revenue.
Both, however, fall into a category
of food and beverage that has come
under strict scrutiny and controver-
sy over the years.
One of the most major issues
arose two years ago when the com-
bination of caffeine and alcohol was
brought to light. The volatile blend
proved dangerous to those who did
not practice caution, namely college
students who were hospitalized for
overdrinking the fusion Four Loko.
Since then, the company has
removed caffeine from its drinks.
Typical energy drinks, however,
come stocked with ingredients such
as taurine and guanine that enhance
the mere effects of caffeine. In
recent years, the energy drink indus-
try has taken off so much so that
even Coca Cola and Pepsi Co. have
joined the battle with their own
lines.
Too much caffeine presents a host
of problems for those most sensitive
to the ingredient, including jitters,
insomnia, a speedy heart rate and
high blood pressure. Some even
consider themselves fully dependent
on it and rely on it to get through a
day of work.
Caffeine can actually play a role
in killing an individual because it
begins the release of natural com-
pounds called catecholamines. Also
included is whats known as norepi-
nephrine, a stress hormone that can
speed up the heart at a rapid rate.
People who have died from docu-
mented caffeine overdoses had
irregular heart rates, seizures and
sometimes choked even on their
vomit.
These and other recent controver-
sies over caffeine have been brought
to light because of its demand and
overconsumption in a nation accus-
tomed to daily lives full of it. It
remains to be seen whether energy
drinks will fall or rise in the face of
fire.
Rajat Gupta gets two years in jail
Seattle: N.R. Narayana Murthy,
the Infosys founder and philan-
thropist who has used his busi-
ness success to give back to his
native India, has been bestowed
the 2012 Hoover Medal.
The Hoover Medal recognizes
great, unselfish, non-technical
services by engineers to humani-
ty. Previous awardees include US
presidents Herbert Hoover,
Dwight D. Eisenhower and
James Earl Carter.
Murthy is being recognized for
establishing a foundation that
forges outstanding improvements
in healthcare, social rehabilitation, rural uplift
and education following his formation of
Infosys, an innovative company that provides
business consulting, technology, and engi-
neering services in over 30 countries.
Murthy received the Hoover Medal on
October 23 at the Global Humanitarian
Technology Conference in Seattle,
Washington, that brings together communities
and individuals interested in applying tech-
nology to develop effective solutions for the
challenges facing the worlds underserved.
Representing Hoover Medal Board was its
Vice Chairman Prof. P. Somasundaran of
Columbia University and IEEE President Dr.
Gordon W. Day.
The Hoover Medal is administered by a
board representing five leading engineering
organizations.
Murthy, one of the worlds most admired
business leaders, founded Bangalore based
Infosys in 1981. The Global Delivery Model
pioneered by him has become the cornerstone
of Indias success in IT outsourcing. Infosys
was the first listed Indian IT services compa-
ny to reach revenues of $1 billion. Infosys
also incorporates a strong values system, pro-
motes fairness to its employees and empha-
sizes merit, innovation and excellence across
its operations.
The Infosys Foundation was established in
1996 to improve healthcare, social rehabilita-
tion, education, art and culture in India. In
2009 came the Infosys Science Foundation to
promote research in India.
Among Murthys many achievements is
receiving the Padma Vibhushan (2008),
Indias second highest civil honor, and The
Economist ranking him among the 10 most-
admired global business leaders in 2005.
Narayana Murthy bestowed 2012 Hoover Medal
Energy drinks come under fire as Monster probed for 5 deaths
Rajat Gupta leaves federal court in Manhattan after
his sentencing Wednesday with attorney Gary Naftalis.
N.R. Narayana Murthy accepting Hoover Medal and
Certificate from Columbia University professor Dr. P.
Somasundaran and IEEE President Dr. Gordon W. Day.
3 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Monster is the leading energy drink in the US,
with 39% of the market
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Rahul to sit out story
Continued from page 1
Gandhi may meet Saturday to give final
touches to the plan which has been in the
works in the past couple of months.
The Congress and the party-led central
government have been hit by controversies
revolving around alleged corruption in the
allocation of coal blocks. Individual graft
allegations have also surfaced against some
union ministers and even Robert Vadra,
Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law.
According to Congress sources, the portfo-
lios of some ministers with dual charges may
change and some fresh faces may be induct-
ed into the government to fill the six slots of
junior ministers, which became vacant after
Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress
quit the UPA in September. Some young
leaders may make the list at the instance of
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi
but he himself is unlikely to join the cabinet.
Minister of State for Commerce and
Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia and Minister of
State for Communications and Information
Technology Sachin Pilot may be elevated.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, MP
Deepa Dasmunshi and actor-turned-politi-
cian Chiranjeevi, who merged his Praja
Rajyam Party with the Congress last year,
are likely to be the fresh faces in the cabinet.
Rahul Gandhi's close associates Manicka
Tagore and Meenakshi Natarajan could also
be inducted into the council of ministers.
Among the ministers who may be dropped
from the cabinet are Coal Minister
Sriprakash Jaiswal, Tourism Minister
Subodh Kant Sahai and Steel Minister Beni
Prasad Verma. External Affairs Minister
S.M. Krishna could also be in this group.
Both Sahai and Jaiswal came under attack
from the opposition on the coal blocks allo-
cation issue.
Ministers holding dual charge, including
HRD and Communications and IT Minister
Kapil Sibal, Law and Justice and Minority
Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and
Power and Corporate Affairs Minister
Veerappa Moily, may be left with a single
portfolio each.
From among the UPA constituents, Agatha
Sangma, minister of state for rural develop-
ment, may be replaced with Nationalist
Congress Party's senior leader Tariq Anwar.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar is said to be miffed
with Agatha after she defied the party line
and campaigned for her father and former
Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma, who con-
tested the presidential poll against UPA nom-
inee Pranab Mukherjee.
Though there were cabinet berths vacated
by DMK leaders A. Raja and Dayanidhi
Maran, who had to leave after their names
cropped up in the 2G case, the UPA con-
stituent may not claim the vacated slots in
the new cabinet, sources indicated.
Hurricane Sandy story
Continued from page 1
the crucial November 6 presidential elec-
tion - the storm could hit an area of New
England where Hurricane Irene caused
severe damage last year.
Forecasters said the hardest-hit areas could
span anywhere from the coastal Carolinas up
to Maine, with New York City and the
Boston area potentially in harm's way.
"Regardless of the exact track of Sandy, it
is likely that significant impacts will be felt
over portions of the U.S. East Coast through
the weekend and into early next week," the
Miami-based U. S. National Hurricane
Center said.
Strengthening rapidly after tearing into
Jamaica and crossing the warm Caribbean
Sea, Sandy hit southeastern Cuba early on
Thursday with top sustained winds up to 110
miles per hour that left a trail of destruction,
especially in the historic city of Santiago de
Cuba.
Images on Cuban television showed
downed trees, damaged buildings and debris-
clogged streets in the communist-ruled
island's second largest city, which suffered a
direct hit when the storm came ashore in the
early morning hours.
White House spokesman Jay Carney
declined to speculate about whether there
would be any change in President Obama's
campaign travel schedule because of Sandy.
"The president's concern about this storm is
to make sure that citizens in potentially
affected areas are aware of this and taking
necessary precaution," Carney said.
"It's going to be a high-impact event," said
Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration' s HydroMeteorological
Prediction Center in College Park,
Maryland.
"It has the potential to be a very significant
storm with respect to coastal flooding,
depending on exactly where it comes in.
Power outages are definitely a big threat," he
said.
In a subsequent report, NOAA's storm-pre-
diction center suggested that Sandy could
invite the ghoulish nickname
"Frankenstorm," due to upcoming celebra-
tions of Halloween and some of the freakish
characteristics of the storm.
The late-season cyclone is widely expected
to undergo an unusual merger with a polar
air mass over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
on Tuesday, essentially bringing two sources
of energy together and giving Sandy the
potential to punch above its weight as it
sloshes across the U.S. coast.
Strike called off, Kingfisher to fly
again in November
NYC to fast track $1 billion in
capital projects
4 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TURN PAGE
New Delhi: Employees of
Kingfisher Airlines Thursday
came to a wage settlement with
the management, which hoped
its grounded fleet would be fly-
ing again by next month.
The agreement was reached
after the management assured
the employees payment of four
months' pending salaries before
the year-end, ending the 25-day
strike at the cash-strapped
carrier.
Chief Executive Sanjay
Aggarwal said, "We have
addressed all the concerns of the
employees. We are all together
in this."
"We expect to be in the sky
(operations) soon and put forth
our case to the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA), " Aggarwal told
reporters.
The airline is desperately try-
ing to stay afloat and wants to
restart operations, crippled since
Oct 1 by the strike and subse-
quent lockout and suspension of
its flying license by the regula-
tor. Currently, the airline has
only 10 operational aircraft from
a strength of around 66 planes a
year ago.
The airline will now prepare a
new revival plan and present it
to the DGCA, which will take a
final call on revoking the sus-
pension order.
New York: New York City will
speed up spending on more than
$1 billion of infrastructure proj-
ects to take advantage of record-
low interest rates, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg announced
Wednesday.
The road, bridge, school build-
ing and other projects are part of
the city's long-term capital plan
after fiscal 2014, and some of
them have already begun. But
now spending on them will be
accelerated to within the next two
years.
The projects could create about
8,000 jobs, mostly in construc-
tion, and save more than $200
million in debt service because of
historically low interest rates, City
Comptroller John Liu said at the
press conference with the Mayor.
Liu first proposed a detailed
acceleration plan in May, though
it originally called for the city to
speed up $2 billion in infrastruc-
ture spending, rather than the $1
billion announced on Wednesday.
New York: The Consul General of India, New York
hosted a reception on October 19, 2012 at New India
House in recognition of the Pace University, New
York, celebrating this day as India Day. Guests
numbering about 100, comprising of high level offi-
cials of the Pace University, select students, mem-
bers of the Pace Alumni, members of the Indian
American community, media persons, officials of the
Consulate and others attended the event.
Initiating the program for the evening, Consul
(Education), P. K. Mohanty gave a brief overview of
the education sector in India and the recent develop-
ments in the India-USA Educational Cooperation.
Consul General, Prabhu Dayal, gave the welcome
address and said that the celebration of India Day
by Pace University was indicative of the close rela-
tionship between India and the United States. He
recalled Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs words
that India-US relations were better than ever before
and that the best was yet to come. He praised the role
of the Indian academic community in USA which
has earned a high reputation for excellence while at
the same time promoting closer understanding
between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Provost of the
University, Dr. Uday Sukhatme, said that he indeed
felt honored in organizing the event at the behest of
Prof. Kaushik and thanked his fellow colleagues for
their cooperation in making it a success. He briefly
described the Universitys activities at national and
international level and its vision for the future.
Vice President of the University, Ms. Robina
Schepp made a presentation on the Pace Universitys
activities, undergraduate and graduate studies, schol-
arships, placements etc.
Others speakers for the evening included Professor
Surendra Kaushik, Dean Emeritus, Dr. Richard
Ottinger, Trustee Suresh Munshani, Prof Greg Julian
and Pace Alumnus, Rumit Mehta.
Pace University celebrates India Day'
New York: The Consulate
General of India in New York
organized a Reception-cum-din-
ner at the Consulate Ballroom in
honor of Preneet Kaur, Minister
of State for External Affairs, to
meet members of the Indian-
American community as well as
the media on October 18, 2012.
Other dignitaries who graced the
occasion included Anand Kumar,
former Minister of Civil Aviation
and Urban Development and
Member of Parliament, Dereck
O'Brien, Member of Parliament
and Ambassador Manjeev Singh
Puri, Deputy Permanent
Representative of India to the
United Nations. About 80 people,
comprising of leading Indian
Americans, entrepreneurs, profes-
sionals and members of the media
attended the function.
Consul General Ambassador
Prabhu Dayal, admiring her valu-
able contribution in the Ministry
of External Affairs, highlighted
the welfare measures initiated by
her in the Ministry. He also
warmly welcomed Shri Anand
Kumar and Shri Dereck OBrien.
Preneet Kaur eulogized the
Diaspora for playing a stellar role
in improving relations between
India and USA.
Commenting on the Indian
economy, she said that as Minister
of State for External Affairs she is
highly optimistic of Indian econo-
mys resurgence, despite a tempo-
rary slowdown. Stating that she is
proud to be an Indian, she advised
all to uphold the honor and digni-
ty of India and the first priority
should be given to the mother-
land.
Preneet Kaur honored at a
special NY Consulate reception
New York: The Indian American
Kerala Cultural and Civic Center
will honor five Indian American
Malayalees for their outstanding
achievements in their field of spe-
cialization or for their service to the
society and one diplomat for his
service to the UN. The awardees
will be honored at Kerala Center's
annual banquet on Saturday,
November 3rd in Long Island. The
Chief Guest for the evening is Vijay
K. Nambiar, Under Secretary-
General and Special Adviser of the
UN Secretary-General on Myanmar.
Ambassador Nambiar will be hon-
ored for his service to the UN. The
keynote speaker is Dr. Geeta
Menon, Dean, Undergraduate
College and Abraham Krasnoff
Professor of Global Business, Stern
School of Business, New York
University.
Dr. Menon will also be honored
for her achievement in the field of
Education. Other award recipients
who will be honored at the Awards
Banquet are: Joy Kuttiyani,
President of Kerala Samajam of
South Florida, whose initiative to
erect Mahatma Gandhi came to
fruition recently for Community
Service; Viju Menon, Vice President
of Supply Chain Management at
Verizon, the largest wireless carrier
in the United States for Applied
Sciences; Dr. Narayanan Neithalath
is an Associate Professor in the
School of Sustainable Engineering
and the Built Environment at
Arizona State University, Tempe,
AZ, for Engineering; Roy Thomas,
Deputy Director at New York State
Mental Health Department for
Social Work.
An entertainment will follow after
the award ceremony with a special
performance by Wanted Ashiq,
NYs Premier Bollywood & Fusion
Dance Troupe.
Kerala Center to honor six at awards
banquet Nov 3
Preneet Kaur, Minister of
State for External Affairs
Vijay Nambiar Roy Thomas Dr.Geeta Menon
Preneet Kaur, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs,
inaugurated Indian National Overseas Congress (I)s
new President of Punjab Chapter - T.J. Singh Gill took over
from outgoing President Phuman Singh at a well-attended
reception held at Worlds Fair Marina, Queens, NY,
on October 16.
Also seen in the photo: Shudh Prakash Singh, S VP INOC,
Manjeev Puri, Deputy Ambassador to UN , Dr Dayan Nayak,
Chairman Karnataka Chapter, Phuman Singh and
George Abraham, President INOC.
5 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Consul General Prabhu Dayal with the Pace
University staff
Dr. Narayanan
Neithalath
Joy Kuttiyani
Viju Menon
INOC USA Punjab Chapter
gets new President
6 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY
IN BRIEF
Navratri celebrated with pomp in NJ
New Jersey: Veteran community
leader and Navratri Raas Garba or-
ganizer Pradip [Peter] Kothari,
President of Indo American Reli-
gious and Cultural Center Inc. and
Patel Brothers [SWAD Brand]- a
world famous Indian grocery re-
tailers giant successfully presented
a fabulous Navratri festival at Gar-
den State Exhibit Center in Somer-
set, New Jersey on October 12-13
and October 19-20.
During the inauguration attend-
ed by Mafatbhai Patel, owner and
founder of nationwide giant Patel
Brothers Indian Grocery stores
along with Mahendrabhai Patel,
Harshadbhai Patel and other fami-
ly members,Congressman Frank
Pallone Jr., Mayor of Franklin
Township Brian Levine, Dy. May-
or of Franklin Township Philip
Kramer, Councilman Rajiv Prasad
and other council members of
Franklin Township, Edison Coun-
cilman Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad,
Woodbridge Councilman Bob
Luban, other elected officials, var-
ious sponsors and other communi-
ty leaders Kothari briefly intro-
duced the dignitaries and also
spoke about his 22 years of suc-
cessful mission to promote Indian/
Gujarati culture and Indian reli-
gious and traditional values as well
as to engage young generation to
this meaningful celebration.
Krishna Pokhrel elected to New York Life
Chairmans Council
K
rishna Pokhrel, LUTCF has been elected
a member of the 2012 Chairmans Coun-
cil of New York Life Insurance Compa-
ny. Members of the elite Chairmans Cabinet
rank in the top three percent of New York Lifes
elite sales force of more than 11,900 licensed
agents. Pokhrel has been a New York Life agent
since 2010, and is associated with New York
Lifes Queens General Office in Rego Park, NY.
He also qualified for membership in the Million
Dollar Round Table (MDRT) for two consecu-
tive years in 2010 and 2011. Krishna is a mem-
ber of National Association of Insurance and Fi-
nancial Advisors, and has recently completed all
educational requirements to earn the prestigious
Industry designation of Life Underwriting Coun-
cil Fellowship (LUTCF) from American College
in Bryn Mawr, PA. He received a Masters de-
gree in Sociology and Anthropology from Trib-
huvan University in Nepal.
BAPS Satsang Activity Center inaugurated
W
ell-wishers, devo-
tees, and communi-
ty members from
across the region thronged to
celebrate the opening of the
Satsang Activity Center
(SAC), a new home for cultur-
al, social, and religious activi-
ties for the Hindu American
community in Central Jersey.
This once vacant and hardly
noticeable plot of land in Rob-
binsville, NJ has come to life
within the last few years. Ac-
cording to one of the Township
County Officials, BAPS Swaminarayan
Sansthas conceptualization and creation of the
Hindu American Religious Center (HARC) has
changed the social and cultural landscape of the
entire community.
The opening of the first phase of the center, the
Satsang Activity Center, was celebrated over
three days of ceremonies and rituals. The new as-
sembly hall will provide a lo-
cation for many spiritual, cul-
tural, educational, and recre-
ational activities for children,
families, and community
members. Several families
also took part in the special
janoi and engagement cere-
monies.
The SAC was uniquely con-
structed utilizing a suite of
eco-friendly and cost-effective
technological advancements
including natural lighting tech-
niques, radiant floor heating,
and LED lights to help reduce its carbon foot-
print. The building includes youth classrooms, a
gymnasium, and an assembly hall to host the
memberships weekly Satsang or spiritual as-
semblies. The completion of the SAC marks the
end of the first phase of construction on the
HARC complex. The traditional Hindu mandir
is expected to be inaugurated in 2013.
Brahma Chellaney wins Asia Society Bernard
Schwartz Book Award
I
ndia's leading strategic thinker and ana-
lyst, Brahma Chellaney has won the 2012
Asia Society Bernard Schwartz Book
Award for his recently published " Water:
Asia's New Battleground" book.
Chellaney will be honored and presented
with a $20,000 prize at a special event to be
held at Asia Society's headquarters in New
York City on January 23.
Established in 2009, the Asia Society
Bernard Schwartz Book Award is the only
award that recognizes non-fiction books for
their outstanding contributions to the under-
standing of contemporary Asia or US-Asia re-
lations, as well as potential policy impacts re-
lating to the region.Published by the George-
town University Press "Water: Asia's New
Battleground" was selected from nearly 90
nominations submitted by US and Asia-based
publishers for books published in 2011.
A jury co-chaired by Tommy T B Koh, Sin-
gapore's ambassador-at-Large, and Carol
Gluck, George Sansom professor of History at
Columbia University and composed of lead-
ing experts and figures from policy, academia,
and journalism from India, Indonesia, Japan,
Singapore, Thailand and the United States se-
lected the winner and honorable mentions.
South Nassau names Dr. Andaz Director of
Clinical Research
S
outh Nassau Communities Hospital has
named Shahriyour Andaz, MD, director
of clinical research. Dr. Andaz, who
also serves as South Nassaus director of tho-
racic oncology, is a four-time winner of the
Brooklyn and Long Island Chapter of the
American College of Surgeons prestigious
Murray Friedman Resident Competition (clin-
ical research) Award. It has been South Nas-
saus goal to grow its research program, and I
look forward to working with my colleagues
to enhance the hospitals scope of research ini-
tiatives and collaboration with researchers at
other institutions, said Dr. Andaz. Clinical
trials serve as a testing ground for the latest
medications, procedures or devices, and
physicians are increasingly incorporating
findings from clinical trials into their plan of
patient care.
Mahendrabhai Patel & Mafatbhai Patel (Chicago) of Patel
Brothers, the presenting sponsors, and H. R. Shah of
TV Asia with President Pradip (Peter) Kothari. Women in beautiful traditional costume enjoying garba at India
House Navratri 2012. (Photo credit: Gunjesh Desai & Deval Parikh.)
Dr.Andaz
Sadguru Pujya Kothari Swami
(Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami) and
Pujya Gnaneshwar Swami per-
forming vedic inauguration
ceremony of the new BAPS
Satsang Activity Center in
Robbinsville, NJ
Drs Kiran and Pallavi Patel donate
$12 mn to University of South Florida
Washington, DC: An Indian-
American doctor couple, Drs.
Kiran C. and Pallavi Patel,
have donated $12 million to
the University of South
Florida in a new endowment
aimed at creating the Patel
College of Global
Sustainability.
The endowment would
expand on nearly a decade of
world-leading applied
research to advance sustain-
ability around the globe and
improve the lives of the
world's most vulnerable peo-
ple, according to the Tampa,
Florida based university.
Pending approval from uni-
versity panels, the new col-
lege will elevate the work of
the Patel School of Global
Sustainability to a new level
that allows it to build on its
far-reaching portfolio of proj-
ects focused on improved
urban systems, water and
transportation.
The gift is the Patels' latest
contribution to the ongoing
USF: Unstoppable fundrais-
ing campaign.
The new endowment brings
the Patel's contributions to
USF to $25,798,329 through
a series of donations and state
matching funds in which the
Patels have focused attention
on sustainable global devel-
opment and health care.
Past giving has supported
the Dr. Kiran C Patel
Endowment Fund; the con-
struction of the Patel Center
for Global Solutions; the Dr.
Kiran Patel Center for Global
Solutions Operating Fund
and USF Health.
Since 2010, the Patel
School of Global
Sustainability has served as a
graduate-level program in the
education of new engineers,
entrepreneurs and environ-
mental managers to lead sus-
tainability projects around the
world.
"The Earth is God's gift to
humanity and we believe that
the current generation must
ensure that while meeting our
present needs, we do not
compromise the ability of
future generations to meet
their needs," the Patels said in
a joint statement.
USF President Judy
Genshaft commended the
Patels for their leadership and
influence in helping shape
USF, now a Top 50 research
university, with an interna-
tional perspective that has
become a hallmark of its
applied research programs.
Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel
7 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Washington, DC: A 61-year-old woman
from Andhra Pradesh was gunned down by
unidentified assailants in King of Prussia
area in Pennsylvania when she resisted the
kidnap of her 10-month-old granddaughter.
The abductors fled with the baby girl,
Saavni Venna, after killing Venna
Satyavathamma at the apartment of her
elder son Siva Prasad Reddy on Monday
afternoon.
Satyavathamma had gone to King of
Prussia in upper Merion township in
Montgomery County six months ago to
assist her daughter-in-law Latha in bringing
up the child.
The parents of the child, Venkata Konda
Siva Venna (father) and Chenchu Latha
Punuru (mother) had emigrated from India
in February 2007 and have previously lived
in San Antonio Texas, Troy Michigan, and
Cleveland Ohio. In June this year, they
moved to King of Prussia in Pennsylvania.
The search for the 10-month-old girl con-
tinued with the FBI investigating the case.
Authorities said the baby was last seen at
around 1 pm on Monday at the Marquis
Apartments near King Circle.
At least three armed assailants entered
Siva Prasad's apartment and tried to take
away his daughter. Satyavathamma fought
with them and the assailants opened fire
killing her on the spot. Prasad and Latha
were away when the incident took place.
The Philly police continued with its
search to find the kidnapped girl, as it joined
hands with the Telugu community to
announce an award of $30,000 to informa-
tion leading to the safe return of the infant.
A large number of people including those
from the Indian American community
attended a candle-light vigil in memory of
the Satyavathi. The vigil was organized by
the Telugu Association of North America
(TANA).
"This is not a typical homicide investiga-
tion," district attorney Risa Vetri Ferman
told the Philly Inquirer. "We also have the
search and rescue operation," she added.
She said investigators were being guarded
with information because, "We do not want
to do anything that would jeopardize the
child's safety." Pennsylvania State Police
has issued an Amber Child Abduction Alert
for Saanvi Venna.
Grandma shot dead, infant abducted from home
No breakthrough yet; $30,000 award for information announced
The missing 10-month-old baby
Saavni Venna
Chicago: I wish IDF-USA to
bring peace, harmony and
relief to millions globally, said
US Congressman Joe Walsh as
he lit the traditional lamp to
inaugurate the launching of
IDF USA and Project
Goodness at the gala held at
India House in Schaumburg,
Illinois USA. Social service to
reach every segment of needy
people is the need of the hour
and enlightened society of
Chicago can certainly meet the
challenge, Walsh added.
IDF USA was launched
amidst appreciative applause
from the guests by the
Octogenarian social worker Dr.
ARK Pillai in the presence of
the elite of Chicago.
Health care in critical zones,
education for the poor children
and development work includ-
ing environment are focus
areas that need attention, Dr.
Pillai founder President of IDF
India and mentor of IDF USA
said. The journey of goodness
which started serving a few
leprosy patients in Mumbai
(India), went ahead in design-
ing the communication strategy
for India's leprosy elimination
program and later becoming a
national NGO and getting the
UN Special Consultative Status
for Economic Social Council
from 2012, Dr. Pillai expressed
with a great sense satisfaction
as he shared his four-decade
goodness reminiscences.
Dr. Narayan Iyer, CEO of IDF
said he started with `Sisters and
Brothers of Humanity' which
touched everyone present in the
gathering.
Dr. A.R.K. Pillai announced
the names of Trustees of IDF
USA with John Trivedi
(President), Thomas Abraham
(Vice-President), Mukesh K.
Shah (Treasurer), Cecil Joseph
(Secretary and CEO) and Mrs.
Queenie Mendonca (Trustee)
and they were welcomed by the
cheering audience.Chandresh
Brahmbhatt (Chicago), Kanti
S. Patel (Chicago), Keerthi
Kumar Ravoori (Chicago),
Vinod Patel (Chicago), Dr.
Suman Patel (Detroit), Ramesh
Gandhi (Detroit MI), Vijay
Nurani (Detroit MI), Billy
Singh (New York), Vijay
Oruganti (Albany NY) and S
Jayaraman (San Jose) will be
the Advisors of IDF USA.
IDF USA will support IDF
India's social projects involving
health, education for the poor
children and empowerment of
women.
Indian Development Foundation-USA launched in Chicago
IDF-USA launch gala held in Chicago. Seen [L to R]
Chandresh Brahmbhatt, Kanti Patel, Dr. A.R.K. Pillai,
IDF President, Dr. Narayan Iyer IDF CEO & Keerthi
Kumar Ravoori.
8 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Chicago: Sohan Joshi, a prac-
ticing accountant in Chicago,
has been elected president of
the National Federation of
Indian American Associations
(NFIA), an umbrella organi-
zation of various Indian com-
munity associations, for
2013-2015.
Joshi, who served as the
convener of the 17th biennial
convention of the group, Oct
12-14 in Chicago said: "We are very proud
to have hosted the convention and made his-
tory in Chicago by bringing diverse dele-
gates from all parts of the country."
In addition to Joshi, Kanti S. Patel of
Chicago was elected as the Executive Vice
President; Angela Anand of Washington
DC, Chandrakant "CK" Patel of Atlanta,
Georgia and Hari Har Singh of Maryland
were elected as Vice Presidents, according
to an NFIA release.
Satheesan Nair from Chicago and
Yogendra Gupta from Maryland were elect-
ed as the Secretary and Joint Secretary,
respectively and Anil Pillai as the Treasurer.
The seven Directors-at-large are Arvind
Joshi, Rajasekhar Reddy, Vargese
Palamalayil, Arvind Pillai, Satish Misra,
Ashwin Shah, and Gulshan Bajaj.
Regional Vice Presidents representing dif-
ferent parts of the
United States were
Om Sharma (Capital),
Babu K. Patel
(Central), Jogeswara
R. Peddiboyina
(Great Lakes), Vasav
Mehta (South East),
Lavanya Reddy
(North Pacific),
Deepa Thakor
(South Pacific), and
Rajeshwar Prasad (New York).
Lal Motwani, the outgoing NFIA
President was elected as the Chair of the
NFIA Foundation. He will be a voting mem-
ber of the NFIA Board. The newly elected
officers will assume their office on Jan 1.
The newly elected Board of Directors
appointed Joydeb Roy as the Executive
Director (administration) and Ashok Madan
as the Executive Director, Special Projects.
It also appointed Anil Yadav and Sachin
Amin as members of the Business Council.
Thomas Abraham, the founder of the
NFIA, Sushila Gidwani and Haresh Panchal
served as the members of the Election
Committee and conducted the elections.
Rajen Anand, the past president of the
NFIA administered the oath of office to all
elected officers who solemnly pledged to
serve the Indian American community.
Sohan Joshi elected president of
Indian-American umbrella body
Sohan Joshi
New York: Fourteen-year-old Deepika Kurup
won 'America's Young Scientist' title on Tuesday.
Kurup, who lives in Nashua, Boston, won the
prestigious award along with a cash prize of
$25,000 for designing an affordable water purifi-
er that runs on solar power.
She intends to use a part of her award to
deploy her prototype in countries facing shortage
of potable water such as India. Kurup's parents
hail from Trivandrum in Kerala.
Kurup, a class nine student from Nashua high
school, competed with nine other finalists in the
' Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist
Challenge' and emerged as the winner after three
rounds. The finalists were mentored by scientists
at 3M for three months. "One of the challenges
was to create prototypes using 3M products.We
were asked to come up with solutions to prob-
lems faced in the world. In this round, I designed
a light-weight, non-inflammable spacecraft,"
said Kurup. Her invention uses two chemicals -
titanium oxide and zinc oxide - which, when hit
by sunlight, undergo a chemical change produc-
ing hydroxyl radicals that can destroy certain
bacteria. Her innovation harnesses solar energy
to disinfect contaminated water.
She met US President Barrack Obama during
her stint at the 3M Innovation center.
Teenager wins honor for solar device
Chicago: The National Federation of Indian
American Associations (NFIA) has called
upon the United Nations to give India a per-
manent seat on the Security Council. The call
was made in a resolution adopted at NFIA's
Oct 12-14 17th biennial convention in
Chicago inaugurated by the Consul General of
India, Mukta Dutta Tomar.
The NFIA members also approved two other
resolutions condemning last August's brutal
attack on a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek
Wisconsin and requesting the Government of
India to establish a Training Centre of
Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Welcoming the delegates from all over the
United States to Chicago Tomar paid glowing
tributes to the Indian American community
saying the people of India origin have proved
themselves in a tough global competitive envi-
ronment.
The convention also saw several seminars
spread over 10 sessions. The first plenary ses-
sion was titled "Indian American Making an
Impact in America."
Dr. Ann Lata Kalayil, General Services
Administration Administrator for Great Lakes
Region was the keynote speaker. Anju
Bhargava, a member of White House Office of
Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership
also addressed the session.
There was a spirited discussion on the politi-
cal involvement of the community and the
success it has achieved in this area. Toby
Chaudhary, a political activist from
Washington DC, urged the audience to wake
up and participate in the mainstream politics.
NFIA seeks UNSC seat for India
Deepika Kurup won Americas Young
Scientist title. Here seen the Kurup
family with President Obama.
9
October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA
New Delhi: Anna Hazare
has refused to defend
India Against Corruption
(IAC) activist Arvind
Kejriwal on the allega-
tions made by Congress
leader Digvijay Singh but
said will support his for-
mer associate if he fights
election against a corrupt
person.
"I won't protect Kejriwal
on allegations made by
Digvijay. I will support
him if he fights election
against a corrupt person,"
Anna told Headlines
Today channel in an inter-
view at his village
Ralegan Siddhi in
Maharashtra.
Congress general secre-
tary Digvijay Singh
Saturday posed 27 ques-
tions to Kejriwal about
foreign funding of an
NGO with which he is
associated and alleged
violation of service rules
while he was an Indian
Revenue Service (IRS)
officer.
On Friday, Singh called
Kejriwal a "self-serving
ambitious megalomaniac
with scant regard for
democracy" and asked the
activist why he "never
raised" the issue of cor-
ruption in states ruled by
the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP).
Explaining his position
on why he parted ways
with Kejriwal, Hazare
said: "Kejriwal did not
reply my five questions
including on funding of
the new political outfit
and identifying the candi-
dates."
Kejriwal was told not to
use my name in the yet to
be named political outfit,
he said.
Wishing him well,
Hazare said: "I have no
advise for him."
Hazare said he was in
the process of re-launch-
ing his campaign for the
anti-graft institution -
Lokpal and was screening
the potential members.
"We are working for the
Lokpal and pro-people
laws and are in the
process to finalise the
members after verifying
their credentials," he said.
Hazare also said said
that Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh was a
good man but "is remote
controlled."
Anna will not defend Kejriwal
Anna Hazare with Arvind Kejriwal
+++ RE-ELECT JUDGE +++
PETER B. SKELOS
Supreme Court Justice
Judge Skelos Received Highest Rating
from NYS Independent Judicial Election Qualication Commission
and the Nassau Bar Association for Supreme Court Judge
+ NYS Appellate Division Supreme Court Justice 8 years; Supreme Court Judge 14 years;
District Court Judge 4 years; Senior Deputy County Attorney; practicing attorney for
15 years; Adjunct Professor C.W. Post College (member of CWA Local 1101)
+ Achievements recognized by the Criminal Courts Bar Association; Italian Heritage Club;
Nassau Jewish Lawyers Association; Fordham Law School Alumni; Nassau Fraternal
Order of Court Ofcers; and Eastern Orthodox Lawyers Association
+ Endorsed by NYS Court Ofcers Association; NY Fraternal Order of Court Ofcers;
Nassau Court Ofcers Benevolent Association; NY Uniformed Fireghters Association;
Uniformed Fire Ofcers Association; Nassau Police PBA; Nassau Police Superior Ofcers
Association; Nassau Police Detectives Association; NYC Police Detectives Endowment
Association; NYS Fraternal Order of Police; and Italian American Political Action Committee
+ Life-long Long Island resident; married 30 years to Faith Skelos, an elementary school
principal; they have two daughters
Vote for Judge Peter Skelos - Republican Row B
For more information
www.JusticePeterSkelos2012.com
www.facebook.com/JusticeSkelos2012
Paid for by Committee to Re- Elect Justice Peter Skelos 2012
A long time friend of the Indian Community, Judge Skelos (2nd left) participates in the
2012 India Day Celebration in Hicksville
Mumbai: Ailing Shiv Sena
chief Bal Thackeray has vir-
tually announced his retire-
ment from public life and
urged his followers to stand
by his political heirs: son
Uddhav and grandson
Aditya.
I have collapsed physical-
ly I cant walk... I am
tired, said an emotional
Thackeray, 86, in a video-
recorded address that
brought tears to the eyes of
many of the Sena workers.
I wanted to come to
Shivaji Park today. I was
very eager to come and meet
you. All I wanted was
strength to get there. Ive
been Sena chief for 45 years,
and I am 86 years old. But I
cannot take it forward any-
more... Just the way you
took care of me, take care of
Uddhav and Aditya. Be
faithful to the Shiv Sena, he
said. Thackeray indirectly
reiterated his desire that the
Shiv Sena and the break-
away Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena led by his
nephew Raj Thackeray join
hands. No Marathi manoos
should stand in the way of
the Sena. The Sena was bro-
ken into two pieces at the
same Dadar where it was
born and it grew. This
should not happen. If the
entire Marathi clan comes
together, then it has the
capacity to beat the
Congress and NCP govern-
ment single-handedly,
Thackeray said.
A visibly frail Thackeray,
who had difficulty breathing,
spoke about his failing
health. My dear Sainiks, I
am tired, have become weak.
There was a time when I
would speak in 3 sabhas in a
day, talk for an hour, travel
for 4 to 5 hours... my stom-
ach gave up, everything got
over. Now I spend time rest-
ing, thinking, he said.
Thackeray is suffering
from ailments of the lungs
and pancreas and has been
bed-ridden for a long time.
I can't take you forward:
Thackeray to Sainiks
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray
New Delhi: Will the
Airports Authority of India
(AAI) impound Kingfisher
Airlines promoter Vijay
Mallya's personal Airbus
Corporate Jet (VT-VJM) if
he returns to India?
This seems to be worry-
ing Mallya's personal staff.
A top Kingfisher executive
recently called a senior AAI
official to 'jokingly' inquire
if it was OK for Mallya to
come home in the coming
days for the first time
since the airline's licence
was suspended.
Mallya's staff is also wor-
ried about whether the air
traffic control, which comes
under AAI, would allow his
jet to fly to its destination in
India, most probably
Bangalore, or ask it to land
at the nearest airport on
entering India and impound
it.
"They possibly wanted to
check these things to avoid
embarrassment. We are
studying legal options to
impound VT-VJM as KFA
has dues of about Rs 300
crore to AAI. Some cheques
issued by Mallya have
bounced. So we are treating
it as a personal liability and
are examining if his person-
al plane could be impound-
ed," said a highly placed
source.
Apart from AAI,
Kingfisher employees are
also preparing to 'welcome'
Mallya at the Formula One
Grand Prix to be held later
this week at Greater Noida.
The Mallya co-owned team,
Sahara Force India, is par-
ticipating there amid reports
that Mallya may take a
chopper to the venue. The
airline has not paid salaries
since March.
"The management is
promising us three months'
pay by Diwali to get us
back to work. We want four
months' salary to be paid by
6pm on Friday. If that does
not happen we will chart
our course of action on
Saturday. There will be
peaceful protests at the F1
venue by unpaid Kingfisher
employees," said S C
Misra, a Delhi-based engi-
neer spearheading the agita-
tion.
The employees are agitat-
ed by the fact that while
they have not been paid
their salaries, Mallya and
his family continue to lead
a "lavish jet-setting" life.
Team Mallya fears loss of personal jet
Mumbai: Chennai-based SUN TV has
bought the Indian Premier League (IPL)
Hyderabad franchise, earlier owned by
Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd.
(DCHL), for Rs. 85.05 crores per year, it
was announced here Thursday.
The SUN TV Network bid was sub-
stantially higher than the second bid of
PVP Ventures, which was Rs. 69.03
crores, according to a press release of the
Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI).
SUN TV buys IPL Hyderabad franchise
10 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA
New Delhi: The political row over alleged
wrongdoings in business dealings by BJP
chief Nitin Gadkari continued with senior
party leaders L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj
backing his stand in asking for a probe and the
Congress retorting that it was not enough.
The Congress sought that the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) chief answer the charges
against him and claimed the allegations were
the result of the BJP's internal fights.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan
Bhagwat, meanwhile, said in Nagpur that the
allegations against Gadkari were a "matter of
the party".
In a statement, Advani termed Gadkari's
asking for a probe by the department of com-
pany affairs as a "fair and proper response"
and also sought to point out that the allega-
tions against the BJP chief were "about stan-
dards of business and not misuse of power or
corruption".
Sushma Swaraj said it was "unjust" and
"unfair" to accept allegations against Gadkari
without a probe.
She also said that the BJP members "trust"
Gadkari and "stand firmly behind him".
On the other hand, the Congress went on the
offensive. "It is a serious matter. The BJP
should clarify as another former president,
Bangaru Laxman, had also faced corruption
charges," said Congress spokesperson Rashid
Alvi, while his colleague Sandeep Dikshit
said: "Mere asking for a probe is not enough."
Another spokesman Manish Tewari said the
episode reflected the party' s rifts. "The
charges are the result of BJP's internal fight,"
he said.
Advani hoped the government inquiry,
announced Tuesday by Corporate Affairs
Minister M. Veerappa Moily, would be "fair"
and uncolored by its "political hostility"
to the BJP.
He said the ruling United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) "is trying to work a strategy to
paint the entire political class with the same
brush to minimize and escape its unpardon-
able sins".
Advani urged the BJP to "be different and
should not claim immunity on either scale or
nature of the allegations".
India Against Corruption (IAC) member
Arvind Kejriwal had first leveled allegations
against the BJP chief last Wednesday, related
to land deals in Maharashtra. The latest allega-
tions against Gadkari are about improper busi-
ness dealings as chairman of the Purti group.
Media reports said an infrastructure compa-
ny IRB gave a Gadkari-owned company a
loan of Rs.165 crore, two years after the IRB
was awarded road contracts by Gadkari when
he was the Maharashtra PWD minister.
The reports also said the addresses of some
of the companies that had invested in
Gadkari's company appeared to be dubious.
The BJP had said any competent authority
could probe the charges, and the Congress
seized on the statement.
BJP leaders come out in Gadkari's defense
BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is allegedly
embroiled in corruption allegations
Jakarta: Over 200 business repre-
sentatives from India, Indonesia and
other ASEAN countries have
pledged to promote cooperation at a
seminar held here as part of a series
of events being organised to mark
the 20th anniversary of their friend-
ship.
Events are also being planned in
other ASEAN countries ahead of the
ASEAN-India summit in New Delhi
in December.
A car rally from Indonesia to India
covering nine nations will kick-off
on November 25, while entrepre-
neurs from India and Myanmar will
meet in Yangon to discuss trade
relations.
The Jakarta conference follows
the arrival of Indian naval ship INS
Sudarshini in Indonesia which
retraces the historic trade route
among ASEAN member countries.
Addressing the inaugural session
Wednesday, Indonesia' s Vice
Finance Minister Mahendra Siregar
stressed the need to diversify mar-
kets and deepen trade relations. He
said that there was a need for a
broader engagement than the current
FTA-based (free trade agreement)
relationship.
India's Ambassador Gurjit Singh
said while ASEAN-India trade was
growing, the challenge now is to
boost investment and diversify
trade. Increased investment will lead
to more spin offs resulting in more
trade, Singh said.
Discussions were focused on
investment, energy, infrastructure,
mining, manufacturing, tourism,
healthcare and skill development,
the Indian embassy here said in a
statement.
The seminar was organised by the
Indian embassy in association with
Indonesian Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Indian
Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata.
ASEAN groups Indonesia,
Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei,
Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia,
Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar.
Entrepreneurs from India and
Myanmar will also meet in Yangon
next Monday to discuss promotion
of bilateral trade.
Both sides will discuss coopera-
tion in areas like pharmaceuticals,
agriculture, timber, tourism and
automobile, the Myanmar
Federation of Chambers and
Commerce Industry said.
India, ASEAN entrepreneurs pledge cooperation
Washington: The percent-
age of Indians with good
jobs is up from where it was
two years ago but it pro-
vides little strong evidence
that India's sluggish econo-
my is firmly on the mend,
according to a new survey.
About one in four Indian
adults (26 percent) were
employed full time for an
employer in the first half of
2012, according to Gallup's
new Payroll to Population
metric.
The measure provides a
clear-cut indicator of
employment that is not
affected by shifts in the size
of the workforce and is
highly correlated with GDP,
the leading US opinion poll
organisation said. While the
working-age population
shrinks in advanced coun-
tries and neighbouring eco-
nomic powerhouse China,
Gallup's data reinforce that
India' s still burgeoning
young population is not
used to its economic poten-
tial.
Indians between the ages
of 15 and 30 are as likely as
their older counterparts to
be employed full time for at
least 30 hours per week, but
they are nearly five times
more likely to be unem-
ployed and twice as likely
to be underemployed, it
said.
However, there are some
positive signs for young
Indians. More than one in
five (22 percent) young
Indians who work full time
for an employer report
working in white-collar
jobs-defined as professional
workers in fields such as
business or education.
Further, the majority of
young Indians who work
full time for an employer
report working in blue-col-
lar type jobs-in fields such
as manufacturing, agricul-
ture, or other industries-but
they are less likely to be
employed in agriculture
than older Indians.
While less than 10 percent
of jobs for all age groups
are in manufacturing, this is
a potential area for growth
particularly with the large-
scale rural-urban migration
going on in India, Gallup
said.
By some estimates, as
many as 300 million young
Indians are expected to
enter the workforce by 2025
-- meaning the problem
with high youth unemploy-
ment and underemployment
in India is only likely to get
worse, it said.
Results are based on face-
to-face interviews with
approximately 5,000 adults,
aged 15 and older, conduct-
ed each year in India.
Results for 2012 are aggre-
gated results combining the
first two quarters in 2012.
Shimla/New Delhi: Less
than 24 hours after his pur-
ported threat to the media,
Himachal Pradesh Congress
chief Virbhadra Singh took
a U-turn and said he
respected the media.
"I respect the media and
my intention was not to hurt
anybody," Singh told
reporters here.
Irked over allegations of
income tax evasion and
money laundering, Singh
had threatened the media
evening saying "I will break
the cameras" when journal-
ists asked him about the
allegations levelled by the
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP).
Later, the Congress apolo-
gized for his behavior.
Dismissing the charges as
"baseless", the five-time
chief minister told TV news
channels during campaign-
ing in Kullu district: "I will
deal with all these issues
after the election are over
on Nov 4."
Defending himself, Singh
said the entire income
(reflected in the income tax
returns) was from orchards.
"I have no other income.
The income is maximum
from the orchards and
almost negligible from
other sources," he said.
On his anger against
mediapersons, Singh said:
"Sometimes reporters do
not wait and start asking
questions suddenly. This
happens here (in Shimla)
also."
He also slammed BJP
leader Arun Jaitley for
questioning his income.
"He has no right to access
my accounts," Singh said
about Jaitley.
I respect media: Virbhadra Singh
H.E. Mr. Mahendra Siregar, Vice Minister of Finance,
Republic of Indonesia with H.E. Ambassador Gurjit Singh and
others at ASEAN Indan Business Seminar in Jakarta.
Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Virbhadra Singh
More Indians have good jobs: Survey
Chandigarh: The genial sardar who not just
brought on a smile but also provoked intro-
spection with his biting wit and humour is no
more. Jaspal Bhatti, who passed away after a
road accident in the early hours of October
25, was the original king of satire and spoof.
He was 57.
His simple smile and disarming warmth
struck an instant chord, spreading good cheer.
On Oct 25, as his body lay covered with a
sheet in a Jalandhar hospital, there was gloom
all around.
This was the day he was to end his over 40-
day promotional tour of his latest film "Power
Cut" in Punjab's cultural capital Jalandhar.
The film, which sees the launch of his son
Jasraj, is to be released Friday.
The quintessential entertainer till the very
end, Bhatti, who was born on March 3, 1955
in Amritsar, was killed near Punjab's Nakodar
town.
An electrical engineer by profession,
Bhatti, perhaps the most famous Sikh come-
dian, had humour and satire in his blood.
It was during his days at Chandigarh's pres-
tigious Punjab Engineering College (PEC),
also the alma mater of astronaut Kalpana
Chawla, that he launched his Nonsense Club
in the early 1980s to poke fun at social evils
and issues. There was no stopping Jaspal
Bhatti from then on.
Though he joined the Punjab government as
an engineer, Bhatti's heart and soul lay in
comedy and satire. Starting as a cartoonist
with English daily The Tribune in the late
1980s, Bhatti later came up with the popular
"Ulta-Pulta" on national channel
Doordarshan.
Within no time, Bhatti's satire on social
issues became a national hit. He followed it
up with another hit TV show, "Flop Show".
Bhatti was the most visible and popular
Sikh of his times, a well loved figure not just
in Punjab but in other parts of the country as
well. Though he was Chandigarh based, he
was a frequent traveller to Mumbai and Delhi
for films, TV appearances and shows.
He produced and directed the popular
Punjabi film "Mahaul Theek Hai", a satire on
the Punjab police, administration and society,
in 1999.
He acted in several
Bollywood . His role as
Jolly Good Singh in the
Aamir Khan-Kajol star-
rer "Fanaa" was a partic-
ular favorite He partici-
pated in TV shows as a
celebrity contestant and a
judge.
Married to Savita
Bhatti, who acted with
him in TV shows and
Punjabi films, Bhatti had
set up his MAD Arts and
film school at Mohali,
near Chandigarh, three
years ago. His son Jasraj
was also involved with him in the venture and
film production.
It was at his film school that Bhatti set up a
'factory of foundation stones' in November
last year, given the number of foundation
stones that were being laid by politicians in
the run-up to Punjab's assembly elections
held January this year.
The seriousness of his comedy could be
gauged from the fact that the Election
Commission of India last year engaged him
as their brand ambassador for their awareness
campaign.
"I pick up things from simple things in life
of everyone. The spoofs on social and corrup-
tion issues are liked by people a lot since they
can relate to these," Bhatti had said.
Be it getting on horse-back in a three-piece
suit and with a briefcase to protest against the
fuel price hike, selling Diwali gifts for politi-
cians and bureaucrats, wearing garlands of
pricey vegetables, carrying the idol of 'cor-
ruption devta (god)' to anti-corruption activist
Anna Hazare or playing cricket with his
Nonsense Club members on the dry bed of
Chandigarh's famous Sukhna Lake - Bhatti
did what he liked best and kept people enter-
tained.
"He used to instantly think of ideas and
would put up a satire show at a public place
within hours. People liked the way he high-
lighted the issues. We are all shocked and
stunned that he is no more," Vinod Sharma,
Bhatti's close associate for over 25 years and
theater actor, said. His spoofs, satire and com-
edy kept us entertained for years. Jaspal
Bhatti, you will be missed.
Bhatti: comedy's famous sardar no more
Jaspal Bhatti with wife Savita Bhatti in a
scene from his latest film 'Power Cut'
Jaspal Bhatti, perhaps the most famous Sikh comedian,
had humor and satire in his blood
11 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA
Saturday
October 27
October 28
November 4
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By Ban Ki-moon
E
ach year around this time,
leaders gather at the
United Nations (UN)
headquarters in New York to
assess the state of the world. This
year, I used the occasion to sound
the alarm about our direction as a
human family.
We are living through a period
of turmoil, transition and trans-
formation. Insecurity, inequality
and intolerance are spreading.
Governments are wasting vast
and precious funds on weapons
while reducing investments in
people. Too many people in
power seem blind to the threat of
climate change. Citizens yearn
for jobs and the prospect of a
decent life. But instead they get
divisiveness and delay.
There have been some impor-
tant steps forward. Extreme
poverty has been cut in half since
2000. Democratic transitions are
underway in the Arab world,
Myanmar and elsewhere. Africas
economic growth has become the
fastest in the world. Asia and
Latin America are making impor-
tant advances.
Still, we must raise our levels of
ambition. Poverty and inequality
remain rampant. Ecosystems are
reaching the breaking point. That
is why I have urged world leaders
to focus on initiatives on sustain-
able energy, education, nutrition
and the health of women and
children. The economic crisis
should not be an excuse to default
on commitments to the basics
that all people need.
Regional tensions are also
deeply troubling. The crisis in the
Sahel is not getting sufficient
attention and support. Poverty,
fragility, drought, extremism and
sectarian tensions are causing
suffering; arms are easy to obtain,
but jobs are hard to find. The
international community needs a
concerted effort to address this
alarming situation. The crisis also
highlights the need to strengthen
food security, nutritional
resilience and social safety nets
to counter the frequent price
shocks that have become a norm.
The situation in Syria is grow-
ing worse by the day. We must
stop the violence and flows of
arms to both sides, and set in
motion a Syrian-led transition as
soon as possible. Brutal human
rights abuses continue to be com-
mitted, mainly by the govern-
ment, but also by opposition
groups. It is our duty to put an
end to impunity for international
crimes, in Syria and elsewhere,
and to give tangible meaning to
the responsibility to protect.
As the winds of change in the
Arab world and elsewhere con-
tinue, we need to break the
impasse between Palestinians and
Israelis. The two-State solution is
the only sustainable option, yet
the door may be closing. I also
reject both the language of dele-
gitimization and threats of poten-
tial military action by one State
against another. The shrill war
talk of recent weeks has been
troubling and should remind
us of the need for peaceful solu-
tions and full respect for the UN
Charter and international law.
This is all the more important at
a time of heightened tensions
over intolerance. In recent weeks,
a disgraceful act of great insensi-
tivity has led to justifiable
offense and unjustifiable vio-
lence. Freedom of speech and
assembly are fundamental, but
neither of them is a license to
incite or commit violence.
Responsible political and com-
munity leaders must step up at
this time. The moderate majority
should not be a silent majority.
With so much at stake, the UN
must keep pace across the spec-
trum of its activities peace,
development, human rights, the
rule of law, the empowerment of
the worlds women and youth.
People do not look to the UN to
be simply a mirror reflecting
back a divided world. We are
meant to provide leadership, hope
and solutions to the problems that
matter to people by day and
that keep them up at night.
No single leader, country or
institution can do everything. But
each of us, in our own way, can
do something. We must put peo-
ple first, raise our game and take
international cooperation to the
next level. Time is not on our
side, but together, as partners, we
can meet todays tests and seize
the opportunities of an era of dra-
matic change.
(Ban Ki-moon is secretary-gen-
eral, United Nations. The views
expressed by the author are
personal.)
We have to put people first
People do not look to the UN to be simply a mirror reflecting
back a divided world. We are meant to provide leadership,
hope and solutions
12 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info OP-ED
By Kavita Bajeli-Datt and
Amit Agnihotri
F
or the young and sections
of the Indian middle class
he is a "hero" who has
"unmasked" corrupt politicians.
But there are many who can't
stand the Magsaysay award-win-
ning activist-turned-politician's
"methods" that have further viti-
ated the country's political dis-
course.
Politicians have reason to hate
the 42-year-old Arvind Kejriwal.
And he has spared no one.
Since the October 2 announce-
ment about forming a political
party, his organization, called
India Against Corruption (IAC),
has made a splash in the political
arena by leveling charges against
Congress president Sonia
Gandhhi' s son-in-law Robert
Vadra and Law Minister Salman
Khurshid of illegal land deals and
fund embezzlement.
But like a canny politician, he
knows if he has to make a mark
of "being different" he has to tar-
get parties left, right and center.
The politician aspirant's googly
came when he fired a salvo
against Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) chief Nitin Gadkari, accus-
ing him of grabbing farmers' land
and corruption in collusion with
the Nationalist Congress Party's
tainted Ajit Pawar.
But this time his allegation
seems to have fallen flat as it
missed the target.
He got a taste of his own medi-
cine when a former police offi-
cer-turned-activist accused
Kejriwal of not naming NCP
chief and Agriculture Minister
Sharad Pawar when he highlight-
ed irregularities by Gadkari.
Fingers have also been pointed
at his three key aides - Prashant
Bhushan, Anjali Damania and
Mayank Gandhi - for question-
able land deals, forcing the grad-
uate of the Indian Institute of
Technology to announce a "lok-
pal" of three retired judges to
probe the charges against the
three.
But the 24X7 media coverage
of Kejriwal has ensured that he
has become a household name.
This time he has been able to
capture the imagination of youth,
which he could not achieve when
he was under the shadow of
social activist Anna Hazare.
He has also struck an instant
chord with the middle class,
when he accused both the
Congress and the BJP of being
hand in glove and also took up
the burning issue of high power
tariffs in the capital.
He has clearly mesmerized
youth and the middle class who
want a change in society, a socie-
ty that will be free of corruption
in high places.
It's no wonder that IIT and IIM
graduates are joining his orgnisa-
tion. "He is very convincing. A
lot of IIT/IIM students and pro-
fessionals come voluntarily to
help us," Kumar Vishwas, an
associate of Kejriwal, said. But
there are no dearth of skeptics.
"He s exposing the corrupt
politicians but I don't like his
methods. It is a known fact that
politicians and their kin are cor-
rupt. I think he should talk about
the change in the system that
could ensure a better society,"
60-year-old Usha Kaushal, a
housewife , said.
Eminent lawyer Harish Salve
has a similar view. "There is a lot
of audience if you fling dirt
around. People listen when you
call others "chor" (thief). The
media is also to be blamed for
showing him 24X7. Aren't there
any other serious issues," Salve
said.
Kejriwal is going to announce
the name of his party on
November 26.
Activists who worked with him
during the Anna movement have
called him autocratic, but his
IAC members say he has
changed.
"Two years ago he was judg-
mental. Now he listens to others'
point of view and discusses an
issue before taking a decision. He
has developed inner democracy,"
Vishwas said.
Only time will tell whether his
method of catching future votes
by flinging mud against the polit-
ical class while offering little
solutions to the country' s ills
would yield results.
Kejriwal: Love him, hate him, can't ignore him
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
India Against Corruption (IAC) leader Arvind Kejriwal
US ELECTIONS
On the presidential debate trail
Close contest, but Obama remains confident
Early voting on,
but not in Tristate
13 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
An entrenched tradition by now, presidential debates do matter.
The first Obama-Romney encounter proved a game changer. Also
lending an ear to some other talking points.
By Parveen Chopra
I
was among the 60 million plus
Americans who tuned in for
each of the three presidential
debates as well as the vice presiden-
tial debate. Accompanied by family,
I also flipped channels to watch
hours of post-debate debates and
spent time in the spin rooms where
the channels chosen panels and
party spokespersons held forth.
My family had cheered Barack
Obamas 2008 victory lap and
moved to tears watching his inaugu-
ration on January 20, 2012. But my
wife gave up on him midway
through the first presidential debate
in Denver on October 3. Pathetic!
she called his listless performance
and apologetic demeanor for what
he could not accomplish in his first
term. Governor Romney looked
brighter and earnest, and became
instantly acceptable to her and host
of other American women.
Three weeks on, women voters
are equally split between the two
candidates -- a sea change from
pre-debate days when Obama
enjoyed a 16-point advantage
among women. The Democrats
dire warnings that with Romney-
Ryan ticket in power, abortion may
become illegal again does not seem
to be cutting much ice. The
Republicans counter argument
seems to be working that
Democrats are taking women to be
their reproductive parts only, forget-
ting that they have been hit harder
by the economic downturn. The lat-
est is that gender gap has been nar-
rowed to almost nil because on the
flip side, Obama has wiped out
Romneys double digit lead among
male voters.
Obama may have been more spir-
ited (some would say a notch too
much) in the second and third
debates which he won by any stan-
dard, but he never quite recovered
from the pounding he received at
the first debate. In defense, his cam-
paign said that as sitting President,
Obama did not want to be seen as
too adversarial interrupting, call-
ing out the opponents inaccuracies
or flip-flops (this last now deemed
Romnesia by Obama).
Ironically, in a role reversal in the
third debate by which time a
buoyed Romney was close to parity
with the incumbent the
Republican wanted to look presi-
dential. He did not raise White
Houses flip-flop on the Benghazi
attacks. Instead, he said I agree
several times to Obamas foreign
policy stands or positions, which
prompted a quip from an MSNBC
regular had they continued for
some more time, Romney would
have endorsed Obama.
By now we all know that MSNBC
out-Foxes Fox by being as severely
Democratic as Fox can be severely
Republican (to borrow an expres-
sion from Romney).
Looking back, at the time the
Romneys 47% comment came to
light, it seemed that he had commit-
ted political harakiri. Now we
know, a month can equal an eon in
politics.
What about Binders full of
women gaffe by Romney and
Obamas horses and bayonets
zinger? These went viral, all right,
but as Foxs commentators said,
these were unserious diversions
from what matters.
Let me also interject an unserious
point. Romney, The New York
Times reported in an article, speaks
a fuddy-duddy version of English
and cannot be provoked to use the
most popular four-letter word under
any circumstances. He did utter one
other, much milder four letter word,
but picturesquely: H-E-double
hockey sticks. Contrast it with
what Obama said in a forthcoming
Rolling Stone interview: Romney
is a bullshitter. Wonder how this
will impact Americans who stand
for plain English, for calling a spade
a spade.
India did not figure in the debates,
not even in the third one on foreign
policy. Not even in the context of
the American war in Afghanistan
and the peril in Pakistan or in the
context of Americas skewed trade
with China. The bottom line, says
Sadanand Dhume, a Fellow at the
American Enterprise Institute in
DC, is that India is much less cen-
tral to US foreign policy than many
pundits in New Delhi would like to
believe.
Ouch.
Women have emerged as a pivotal voting bloc in this election,
and swung away from Obama.
By Arun Kumar
Washington: Amid Republican
claims that they are gaining
momentum and steaming
toward victory, President
Barack Obama's campaign has
expressed confidence that its
ground game will produce the
winning margin in the
November 6 election.
But while they're well ahead
of Republican challenger Mitt
Romney, things are a lot
tougher than they were in 2008,
Politico, an influential news site
focused on politics, reported
noting the race is tighter and
enthusiasm among Obama sup-
porters lower.
If the Obama campaign
claims to have made 44 million
phone calls, 3.8 million door
knocks and one million new
voter registrations, Republicans
boast of 45 million voter con-
tacts by last Saturday - up from
the 24 million Bush-Cheney
2004 benchmark.
As the two candidates contin-
ued their push through swing
states, a new Time magazine
poll in the critical battleground
of Ohio showed Obama holding
a five point edge over Romney
two weeks ahead of Election
Day. The Time poll released
Wednesday showed Obama at
49 percent and Romney at 44
percent in the state, within the
poll' s three point sampling
error.
The number was derived from
a survey of people who said
they would vote November 6,
and people who said they've
already cast their ballot.
Meanwhile, CNN moved
North Carolina headed by
Indian-American Republican
governor Nikki Haley, from toss
up to lean Romney and shifted
Indiana and Missouri, two
states that are currently "lean
Romney," to "safe Romney."
Four years ago Obama
became the first Democrat since
1976 to carry North Carolina in
a presidential election. He also
became the first Democrat since
1964 to win Indiana, but nar-
rowly lost Missouri to the 2008
Republican candidate John
McCain.
With the shift of North
Carolina, CNN now estimates
that Romney is leading in states
with 206 electoral votes. The
shift does not affect CNN's esti-
mate that Obama is leading in
states with 237 electoral votes.
One needs 270 of 538 elec-
toral votes to win the White
House.
However, in the forecast of
FiveThirtyEight, a respected
poll watching blog in the New
York Times, Obama's chances
of winning the Electoral
College were down slightly to
68.1 percent from 70.3 percent
Monday.
But it still gave Obama 288.3
electoral votes to Romney' s
249.7.
The revision came as of the 11
national polls published
Tuesday, five showed Obama
ahead, four gave a lead to Mitt
Romney and two had a tied
race.
On average among the polls,
Romney led by 0.3 percentage
points, the same as his average
margin in the previous edition
of the same polls.
RealClearPolitics, an influen-
tial political news aggregating
site, also continued to show
Romney with a slight 47.8 per-
cent to 47.2 percent advantage
over Obama nationally giving
the challenger 206 votes in the
electoral college to Obama's
201 and 131 too close to call.
Politico, another news site
focused on politics, too kept
unchanged its projection of a
281-257 vote advantage to
Obama adding 44 swing states
votes to the president and 66 to
Romney.
E
arly voting takes place in person before
election day at specified polling places
and (in some states) satellite locations.
Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia
offer "no excuse" early voting - voters in these
states do not need to provide a reason for vot-
ing before election day. A handful of states
offer early voting only to voters who have a
valid excuse for being unable to vote in person
on election day.
Early voting is sometimes called early in-
person voting, in-person absentee voting, one-
stop voting or advance voting.
Law in New York
Yes, but you' ll need to provide a valid
excuse. Valid excuses are the same as those
for by-mail absentee voting. You may vote
early if you are:
* unavoidably absent from your county on
election day
* unable to appear at the polls due to illness
or disability
*a patient in a Veterans Administration
Hospital
*detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action
or confined in prison after conviction for an
offense other than a felony
Early voting starts as soon as the ballots are
available (at least 32 days before an election)
and ends the day before election day
(November 6 this time).
Contact your Local Election Official to learn
more about early voting in your area.
Early voting is not allowed in New Jersey,
Connecticut or Pennsylvania.
(The South Asian Times implores its
readers and the South Asian community to
cast their votes positively on November 6.)
Opinion polls indicate neck-and-neck contest, but the
electoral college math still gives Obama an advantage.
That is why the fight to finish is now on in swing states.
Washington: With a flurry of polls
showing a tight White House race,
the campaigns of both President
Barack Obama and Republican
challenger Mitt Romney are focus-
ing on swing states in their final
sprint.
The continued narrowness of the
contest was manifest in a new
Washington Post-ABC News
national tracking poll released
Tuesday showing a seesawing result
with 49 percent of likely voters sup-
porting Romney and 48 percent
Obama.
The change from Monday's Post-
ABC tracking poll, which showed
the race 49 to 48 percent the other
way, is statistically insignificant, but
there are fledgling signs of a fresh
advantage for the challenger, the
Post said.
RealClearPolitics, an influential
political news aggregating site, too
shows Romney with a slight 48 per-
cent to 47.2 percent advantage over
Obama nationally giving the chal-
lenger 206 votes in the 538 member
electoral college to Obama's 201
and 131 too close to call. It takes
270 votes in the electoral college in
winner takes all contests in the
states with each state allocated elec-
toral votes on the basis of its popu-
lation.
However, Fivethirtyeight, an
influential blog on the New York
Times gives Obama a 70.3 percent
chance of victory by garnering
290.8 electoral votes with a national
poll average of 50.1 percent popular
vote nationally.
The two presidential campaigns
are sounding sharply different notes
about how they can get to 270 elec-
toral votes, but top strategists for
both have made clear they will be
primarily fighting over seven states
in the run up to the Nov 6 election,
according to Politico.
The seven main battlegrounds are
identified as Ohio, Iowa, Colorado,
Virginia, New Hampshire, Florida
and Wisconsin.
"That states that we're playing in
are the states we need to win,"
Romney strategist Russ Schriefer
was quoted as saying. "We'll see
what happens in the next two weeks.
We're going to concentrate on Ohio
and Colorado and Iowa and New
Hampshire."
Obama officials, meanwhile, are
convinced that they have a lead in
Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, New
Hampshire and Nevada - and aren't
yet willing to write off Colorado,
Florida and Virginia, it said.
Leaving nothing to chance,
Obama was doing a 48-hour tour of
Colorado, Nevada, Florida, Virginia
and Ohio this week before returning
to New Hampshire on Saturday for
the second time in 10 days.
Romney, for his part, is making a
western swing to Colorado and
Nevada but will then return to hun-
ker down in the two Midwestern
hubs his campaign thinks he's clos-
ing fast in: Iowa and Ohio, Politico
reported.
The race, as both sides will pri-
vately concede, will ultimately
hinge on Ohio, it said.
While Obama' s senior adviser
David Plouffe was cited as saying
he believes the president has "a
good lead" in Ohio, Republican sen-
ator Rob Portman, Romney's debate
sparring partner, says the state is "a
dead heat."
Washington: Just two weeks before the election,
President Obamas campaign is rushing to print a 20-
page manifesto of what the White House will do in a
second term if Obama is re-elected.
The campaign says it will print several million
copies and try to get them into the hands of undecid-
ed voters wholl decide the outcome of whats
become a tight race. Obama himself even waved
around a copy of the glossy booklet at a campaign
rally in Florida on Tuesday.
In a new ad, Obama asks voters to read his sec-
ond-term agenda.
Heres my plan for the next four years: Making
education and training a national priority; building
on our manufacturing boom; boosting American-
made energy; reducing the deficits responsibly by
cutting where we can, and asking the wealthy to pay
a little more. And ending the war in Afghanistan, so
we can do some nation-building here at home. Thats
the right path. So, read my plan. Compare it to
Governor Romneys, and decide which is better for
you.
The White Houses sudden pamphleteering is an
obvious response to criticism from Republicans and
even some liberals that the president doesnt have an
agenda for a second term.
Mitt Romney, the GOP contender, has been bash-
ing Obama for the past week for supposedly lacking
specific goals.
Dont look for anything new in the pamphlet, how-
ever. Its a rehash of positions Obama has previously
staked out on subjects such as green energy and
manufacturing.
The Romney campaign predictably derided the
before-its-too-late appearance of the Obama
booklet .
Obama puts out campaign manifesto two
weeks before election
With polls tight, Obama, Romney focus on swing states
Mitt Romney in Iowa on his campaign bus
Washington: Going on the offensive right from
the word go, President Barack Obama won the
final debate on points, but two weeks before the
Nov 6 poll, the White House race remains a dead
heat.
As expected, India did not figure in Monday
night's third encounter between Obama and
Republican challenger Mitt Romney as they
clashed over issues ranging from Afghanistan
and Pakistan to rise of China to Libya, Israel,
Iran and the Middle East.
A quick CNN/ORC poll after the debate in
Boca Raton, Florida gave 48 percent to 40 per-
cent victory to Obama, while 53 percent of
respondents in a CBS poll "gave the foreign poli-
cy-themed debate to Obama; 23 percent said
Romney won".
But the CNN survey also indicated that the
debate may have little impact on the choice of
registered voters on Election Day.
Of watchers, 24 percent said the debate made
them more likely to vote for Obama; 25 percent
said the debate made them more likely to vote
for Romney; and 50 percent said the debate did-
n't make a difference.
Going on the attack in the debate, Obama sug-
gested that Romney wanted to import "foreign
policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies
of the 1950s and the economic policies of the
1920s".
Romney ended up supporting most of the
Obama administration's steps involving hotspots,
like withdrawal from Afghanistan, civil war in
Syria, and preventing Iran from getting a nuclear
weapon.
The only difference seemed to be in nuances
with Romney accusing the president of failing to
assert American interests and values in the world
to deal with a "rising tide of chaos" and Obama
criticizing the challenger for articulating a set of
"wrong and reckless" policies that he called
incoherent.
Romney applauded Obama's efforts to kill
Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders but
insisted that "we can't kill our way out of this
mess". Rather, he pushed for "a comprehensive
strategy" to curb violent extremism in the
Middle East.
"The key pathway is to get the Muslim world
to reject extremism on its own," Romney said,
proposing US policies to promote economic
development, better education, gender equity
and to help create institutions.
Romney agreed that the surge in Afghanistan
has been successful and the US was on track to
make the transition to Afghan forces by 2014.
But, he said "what's happening in Pakistan is
going to have a major impact on the success in
Afghanistan".
"A Pakistan that falls apart, becomes a failed
state would be of extraordinary danger to
Afghanistan and us," he said suggesting that US
aid to Pakistan should be conditioned upon cer-
tain benchmarks being met.
Harping on the success in decimating Al
Qaeda's core leadership in the border regions
between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Obama
reminded Romney that back in 2008 when they
were both candidates "I said, if I got (Osama) bin
Laden in our sights, I would take that shot, you
said we shouldn't move heaven and earth to get
one man, and you said we should ask Pakistan
for permission".
"And if we had asked Pakistan for permission,
we would not have gotten him. And it was worth
moving heaven and earth to get him."
Debate unlikely to alter dead heat White House race
14 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info US ELECTIONS
The Obama campaign has released
a new booklet explaining the President's
plan for a second term.
Democrats seize on candidate's
pregnancy, rape comments
India does not figure in debate, but Romney
brings up the peril in Pakistan
Washington: In an election that
increasingly is a battle for women's
votes, the Obama campaign seized
on a provocative claim about abor-
tion and rape by a Republican Senate
candidate in Indiana, arguing that it
shows Mitt Romney does not support
women's reproductive rights.
Richard Mourdock's comment that
a pregnancy after rape is "something
that God intended to happen" created
an unexpected opening Wednesday
for Democrats, who called on
Romney to denounce the statement.
The controversy created an unwanted
distraction for the GOP nominee,
who had endorsed Mourdock and
taped a TV ad for him.
The sudden flare-up not only
pushed abortion back into the center
of the white-hot presidential race, but
also gave Democrats renewed hope
of retaining control of the Senate.
Recent polls have found Mourdock
and his Democratic opponent, Rep.
Joe Donnelly, locked in a tight battle
for the seat long held by GOP stal-
wart Richard G. Lugar.
The Romney campaign said the
candidate did not share Mourdock's
views on abortion, but declined to
pull his endorsement ad off the air-
waves. Mourdock tried to settle the
matter himself Wednesday, holding a
news conference to say that God
"abhors rape," and that he was mere-
ly trying to express his view that "life
is precious."
"The War on Women is back,"
says Amy Fried at Politico, and
Romney will be "hit by the flak."
Mourdock's comments put the GOP's
extreme anti-abortion positions back
in the spotlight.
Richard Mourdock is a
Romney endorsed Senate
candidate
US ELECTIONS
A meek Romney plays victim in final debate, but winner doesnt take all
15 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
By Vikas Girdhar/SATimes
L
ynn University in Boca
Raton, Florida, hosted the
final presidential debate for
the 2012 election and saw the
President maintaining the same
aggression he channeled in the
previous one in New York. The
challenger, on the other hand, took
a decisively different approach en
route to the defense of his propos-
als and attacks of the Presidents
performance.
The debate, which was a sit-
down, question-and-answer style
with moderator Bob Schieffer of
CBS, was the final opportunity for
the candidates to once more
express their respective plans and
plead their cases to the nation for
occupying the White House.
By the conclusion of the 90-
minute event, which attracted the
lowest audience of all three presi-
dential debates, analysts and view-
ers agreed that Mitt Romney had
been edged by a confident
President Obama. Often, it seemed
as if Romney was a bit disconnect-
ed on his explanations and actual-
ly agreed with his opponent on
numerous topics while avoiding
making his own statements, at
times even rehashing what the
President was saying.
From the surface, it seems that
Romney and his advisers had
decided to take a meek approach
to foreign policy and put all their
marbles in the jar containing pas-
sionate arguments on the economy
and domestic issues instead. It
remains to be seen, however, if
this was an effective strategy. It
certainly was a high-risk method
because the challenger basically
invested his campaign on
Americans dissatisfaction with
national issues as opposed to glob-
al ones.
President Obama came out
swinging from the very start, play-
ing the role of aggressor and
asserting himself as fervently as
he did last week at Hofstra
University. Both of these show-
ings were far cries from the dismal
performance he put up during the
first debate in Denver, Colorado.
Romney appeared much less
hawkish than he had been in his
campaign thus far. He actually
agreed with the President on many
policies concerning drone strikes,
withdrawal of troops from Iraq
and Afghanistan, even how to deal
with China. Romney seemed to be
banking on the Americans views
that the chaos in Libya and Syria
was far too serious a matter to
consider putting the President on
the mat. Foreign policy seemed
like Romneys weak suit. The
most significant indicator of this
assessment was a vastly different
tone he exhibited.
Rather than coming out as fer-
vently as he did in the first two
debates, Romney played the role
of victim, twice doling out the
line, attacking me is not an agen-
da. Such words seemed like a far
cry from the same individual who
had previously spoken over mod-
erators routinely, condescendingly
explained the difference between
statement and question, told the
President he would get his chance
to speak and even asked him to sit
down at one point last week.
Analysts warned that we should
be wary of the different Romney
who showed up in Florida. This
one said he loves teachers,
expressed patience in using mili-
tary force and said that gender
equity and middle-class develop-
ment were priorities. All of these
positions were new ground for the
challenger.
The President zeroed in on
Romneys inexperience and made
it a point to rebut the challenger on
a number of military assessments
made by the latter. One zinger in
particular arose as a result, send-
ing the social media world into
frenzy.
The most discussed moment of
this final debate was the
Presidents rebuttal of Romneys
attack point on the reduced num-
ber of US Navy ships. The
President said that these days we
also have fewer horses and bayo-
nets. He meant that changed
times call for changed defense
strategies and different arsenal.
Romney was silenced this time.
The President had obviously
boned up on his opponents plans
and pointed out his apparently
ever-shifting positions and world
views.
Obama harped on these points to
make Americans see through them
and see the inexperienced chal-
lenger hiding behind.
Even Romneys closing state-
ment banked on his previous
approach, and almost skipped the
foreign policy topics.
Whether this debate will have
any significant impact on actual
swing voters remains to be seen.
However, the battle lines were
drawn in bold on Monday and
who emerges the victor on
November 6 was anybodys guess.
President Obama and Governor Romney participating in the
3rd Presidential debate in Florida, moderated by Bob Schieffer.
Fact-checking shows errors galore in final debate
By Vikas Girdhar
W
ith Mitt Romney and
President Obama
exchanging claim after
claim at the 3rd presidential debate
at Boca Raton, Florida, it was right-
ly conjectured that only true fact
checkers would be able to decipher
the truth. What we heard seemed
like one mans word against the
others.
The nation hoped to be told the
truth and not exaggerations and
lies aimed to win over voters. Fact
checkers were hard at work on
Monday night and what they found
were false claims galore. Here are a
few of the more notorious ones,
determined by the website
factcheck.org:
President Obama erred when
he accused Mitt Romney of saying
during the 2008 campaign that we
should ask Pakistan for permission
before going into that country to
kill or capture terrorists. What
Romney said was that hed keep
our options quiet.
Obama wrongly accused
Romney of not telling the truth
when Romney said you and I
agreed some U.S. troops should be
left in Iraq. In fact, the president
tried and failed to negotiate an
agreement to keep 3,000 to 4,000
support troops there; Romney said
he would have left 10, 000 to
30,000.
Obama said unemployment
among military veterans is lower
than for the general population.
Thats true for veterans generally
but not for veterans of the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars.
Romney was wrong when he
repeated a claim that our Navy is
smaller now than any time since
1917. Actually, there are slightly
more ships active now than at the
low point under President George
W. Bush.
Obama claimed the record
would back him up when he
accused Romney of opposing any
federal help or assistance for
troubled automakers. In fact, the
record shows Romney supported
federal loan guarantees.
Romney repeated his claim
that the president undertook an
apology tour criticizing
America after Obama became
president. Obama called that prob-
ably the biggest whopper thats
been told during the entire cam-
paign. True, consensus among fact-
checkers is that they found no
apology in the presidents
speeches.
Romney claimed credit for
top scores by Massachusetts grade-
schoolers while he was governor.
But they tested at the top, or near it,
before Romney took office.
Obama wrongly claimed
Romney called Russia the biggest
geopolitical threat facing America.
Actually, Romney called Russia a
foe and not a threat. He said
the greatest threat that the world
faces is a nuclear Iran.
Romney said the federal debt
to other people is $16 trillion,
which isnt correct. The debt owed
to the public is $11 trillion, and the
figure he gave includes money the
government owes to itself.
Romney claimed terrorism
wasnt mentioned in any presiden-
tial debate in 2000. Actually, Al
Gore made one brief mention.
A cartoonists take on Romney attack on Obamas apology
tour of the Middle East after taking office.
New Delhi: President Pranab
Mukherjee, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Congress
president Sonia Gandhi were
among the dignitaries to witness
the burning of the effigy of Ravana,
symbol of evil, at the Dussehera
celebrations at Subhash Maidan
near the historic Red Fort here.
Vice President Hamid Ansari,
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit, Lt Governor Tejendra
Khanna and union
Communications Minister and local
MP Kapil Sibal were also present at
the function organised by the Sri
Dharmik Leela Committee. A large
number of people also attended the
celebrations
Sitting on an embellished dais,
the leaders watched the spectacle of
fireworks and the burning of effi-
gies of Meghnad and Kumbhkaran
- son and brother, respectively, of
Ravana - before the effigy of the
demon-king was set alight.
Addressing the gathering, the
president said: "This auspicious
season is a time when the people of
India re-enact our great epic -
Ramayana - and celebrate the tri-
umph of truth and righteousness
over evil forces."
"May this festival stimulate in all
of us the determination to emulate
the righteousness of the 'Maryada
Purush' (Rama), the loyalty of his
brothers - Bharata and Lakshmana,
the virtues of Sita (Rama's wife)
and the valour as well as humility
of Hanuman," he added.
The dignitaries also released
pigeons as a symbol of peace.
Earlier, the leaders showered
flowers on the actors, who played
the lead characters of Rama,
Lakshman and Hanuman.
Gandhi performed a traditional
Indian "aarti" and put ceremonial
vermillion marks on the foreheads
of the main actors.
Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Congress
general secretary Rahul Gandhi
later witnessed the Dussehera cele-
brations at the Ramlila ground in
central Delhi.
Ramlila plays, based on the life
of Ram, are enacted at numerous
places in north India to depict his
journey as a prince, his 14-year
exile in the forest, his wife Sita's
abduction by Ravana, the king of
Lanka, and the war fought to
rescue her.
Manmohan, Sonia attend Dussehra festivities
New Delhi: Ramanand
Bajpai is a doctor in
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Asked to play the Ravana in
one of Delhi' s oldest
Ramlilas, he quickly shut
down his clinic for 15 days
to satiate his thirst for acting.
"I've been involved with a
theatre group for over a
decade. We enact plays,
especially street plays, on
social issues. This is the first
time I am taking part in a
Ramlila," said the 44-year-
old skin specialist.
The doctor is playing
Ravana in the Luv-Kush
Ramlila near the Red Fort.
He admits that the role was
a bit intimidating but the
encouragement from friend
as well as Ramlila director,
Rajdeep Sharma, who is also
from Moradabad, helped
him.
"Acting is my first love,
and every actor loves a chal-
lenge, otherwise you won't
grow as an actor," Bajpai,
who wants to take part in
Ramlila every year now,
said.
Though the majority of the
actors in the Ramlilas are
professionals, there are some
creative amateurs like
Bajpai.
Kamlesh Mishra, 34,
teaches in a government pri-
mary school in Bareilly. It
was her love for clothes and
make-up that has been draw-
ing her to the Ramlila for the
last seven years.
"I've been associated with
Ramlilas across Delhi.
Teaching is my profession
but dressing up people and
making sure they look good
is my passion," Mishra said.
She is among a growing
number of women who are
coming forward to be part of
this 10-day celebration.
According to Sharma,
there is an increase in the
number of women taking
part in Ramlilas. This wasn't
easy in the past.
Ranjeet Kaur or Kekayi,
28, an M.Sc. from Bareilly
College, said her parents
have been supportive of her
travels to Delhi over the last
three years to be in the
Ramlila.
"They are very supportive
but want me to get married,"
chuckles Kaur, who is essay-
ing the role of Kekayi.
The Ramlila is also a plat-
form for the starry-eyed and
college-going youth who
want to make it big in
Bollywood.
Rupali Sharma, a 19-year-
old student at Delhi
University, is portraying Sita
and thinks the Ramlila
would give her the right
exposure.
"I've been doing theatre for
four years but Ramlila is dif-
ferent as you perform in
front of thousands. It is not
an easy job but I am sure it
will definitely help me as an
actor," Sharma said.
"My goal is to shift to
Mumbai as I want become a
TV or film actress," she
added.
Ramlila: Helping amateurs satisfy their creativity
The effigies in flames at the Dussehra celebrations on Vijaya
Dashmi at Subhash Maidan in New Delhi
A scene from Luv-Kush Ramlila
The Kullu Valley is popularly known as 'Devbhoomi' or the land of Gods
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries at the
Dussehra celebrations in New Delhi
16 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info FESTIVALS
Kullu (Himachal Pradesh): The deities of
Kullu Valley won't get the 'blessings' of
politicians in the week-old Kullu Dussehra
festival that began here Wednesday --
thanks to the Election Commission.
More than 220 deities have been assem-
bled here for festival that starts on 'Vijaya
Dashami', the day when the festivities end
in the rest of India.
"Normally the head of the state (chief
minister) participates in the Dussehra fes-
tivities," Deputy Commissioner Amandeep
Garg said. He said this time, due to model
code of conduct in force on account of
assembly elections, politicians cannot use
the festivities as a platform for political
gains.All eyes will be on Maheshwar Singh,
the scion of the erstwhile Kullu royal family
who is the "chief representative" of Lord
Raghunath (Lord Ram), Kullu's chief deity.
Singh performs all religious duties. He
leads the procession on the first and last
days of the festival. A former BJP rebel,
Singh is contesting the election from Kullu.
Garg said the entire festival would be
videographed by the Election Commission.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Urmila
Singh inaugurated the festival Wednesday
and witnessed the arrival of Lord
Raghunath's palanquin.
The Kullu Dussehra dates back to 1637
when Raja Jagat Singh ruled the valley. He
invited all the local deities to take part in
the festival. Since then, the assembly of
deities from hundreds of villages across
Kullu district has become a tradition.
Unlike other places, effigies of Ravana,
Meghnad and Kumbhakaran are not burnt
here. The Kullu Valley is popularly known
as "Devbhoomi" or the land of gods.
Kullu deities won't get 'blessings' of politicians
Kolkata/New Delhi: Devotees across West
Bengal tearfully bade goodbye to their
beloved mother goddess Durga as her idols
were immersed in ponds, lakes and rivers on
Vijaya Dashami.
The banks of the Ganga and other rivers
wore a festive look, as puja organisers came
in colourful processions to the accompani-
ment of drums to immerse idols of the god-
dess and her four children -- Lakshmi,
Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik.
Hundreds of devotees, including the young,
joined hands in gently lowering the idols into
the river. An element of emptiness at the end
of the biggest celebration in this part of the
country overcame all and sundry, but they
consoled themselves shouting "Asche bochor
abar hobe" (See you next year).
Central Kolkata' s Babughat, a popular
stretch on the Ganga, was the centre of attrac-
tion as it drew a large number of people, even
from abroad, who soaked in the festive spirit.
The immersion ceremony symbolizes the
end of the goddess' annual sojourn to her
paternal home and she returns to her husband
Lord Shiva at their heavenly abode in Mount
Kailash.
Elaborate security arrangements by city
police as well as civic authorities were in
place on various ghats of the river to ensure
that the immersion of the idols passed peace-
fully.
"We have made arrangements for the
immersion of idols on 13 ghats of the river.
More than 200 volunteers from the Kolkata
Municipal Corporation have been employed
to ensure that the immersion is carried on
smoothly," Debasish Kumar, member mayor
in council said.
Kumar said cranes have been deployed at
certain ghats to lift and extricate the remains
of idols from the river to avoid pollution.
Additional lights have been put up at the
immersion ghats and the flowers, levers and
metallic weapons were dumped on separate
ghats to prevent river pollution.
Other than maintaining law and order dur-
ing immersion, the teams of river police and
disaster management groups patrolled the
river. Close circuit television cameras were
installed at certain ghats, a senior police offi-
cer said.
The city police have allotted three days,
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday to com-
plete the immersion process. More than 2,400
community pujas were organised in the city
and their idols will be immersed in the river.
In the morning, married women smeared
the goddess and her children with red vermil-
ion and offered sweets and prayed for the
well-being of their families and long lives of
their husbands.
School students visited the marquees and
kept their books and pens before the goddess
praying for her blessings for a good academic
record.
As evening descended, large parts of the
city got clogged as idols of big ticket commu-
nity pujas were taken for immersion in big
and colorful processions accompanied by a
large number of devotees.
Late in the afternoon, however, most of the
idols in residential apartments or houses of
one-time zamindars were immersed after
being manually carried as per tradition.
There were long queues before sweet shops
as people started visiting relatives and friends
to wish each other "Shubho Bijaya" - Happy
Bijaya Dashami.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee also
extended Bijaya Dashami and Dussehra
greetings to the people.
Durga Puja ends with idol immersion
An idol of Goddess Durga being immersed in Yamuna river in New Delhi.
The immersion ceremony symbolizes the end of the goddess' annual
sojourn to her paternal home.
FESTIVALS 17 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Edison, NJ: Indo American Festivals presented their
14th annual Grand Dushahra celebrations on Oct 14,
where thousands cheered and applauded as the 25 feet
Ravan effigy burst into flames to celebrate the victory
of good over evil. This was followed by a spectacular
display of fireworks.
Lake Papaianni Park in Edison, New Jersey was
packed with about 8,000 people who had traveled long
distances to see the dazzling Ram Leela presented by
70 children of Creations Dance Academy. The children
brought to life the ancient Indian epic "Ramayan" as
the crowd watched with rapt attention. Beautiful
Costumes and props were imported from India just for
this day.
The festival was inaugurated by Edison Mayor
Antonia Ricigliano, Assemblyman Samuel Thompson,
Edison Councilman Robert Karabinchak, Dr Poonam
Alaigh former State Commissioner of Health, Anita
Greenberg, Lucille Panos, Debbie Walker from Old
Bridge Council accompanied by Chairperson Chanchal
Gupta, wife of Founder & Chairman Mangal Gupta,
who passed away on July 31; and Rajendra Prasad,
President of Indo American Festivals. Other digni-
taries who visited the festival were Congressman
Frank Pallone, Senator Joe Kyrillos and Edsion
Councilman Dr Sudhanshu Prasad.
There was something for everyone - two hour long
cultural program with beautiful dance and music, eth-
nic Indian food, crafts Bazaar, clown and rides for chil-
dren, sponsors giveaways and much more.
14th Grand Dushahra Festival celebrated in Edison
Mysore, Karnataka: The annual
royal procession of 14
caparisoned elephants followed
by scores of camels, horses, foot
soldiers and cultural troupes
through the main streets of this
heritage city Wednesday marked
the grand finale of the 10-day
famous Dussehra festival celebra-
tions.
Thousands of people from
across the state and country
thronged the cultural capital of
Karnataka, 140 km from
Bangalore, to witness the colorful
procession called 'jamboo savari',
led by the 52-year-old decked-up
tusker Arjuna, carrying a replica
of goddess Chamundeshwari atop
a 720kg golden throne to the beat
of drums and folk music.
The 5,520kg Arjuna replaced its
elder and ageing pachyderm
Balarama, which carried the
throne for the past 12 years.
Before the three-mile-long pro-
cession began late afternoon from
the Ambivalas palace of the
Wodiyar dynasty, state Chief
Minister Jagadish Shettar wor-
shipped the presiding deity along
with scion Srikantadatta
Narasimharaja Wadiyar and the
royal family members.
Since Dussehra is celebrated as
a state festival, Shettar performed
the rituals and offered prayers to
'nandi dhwaja' (royal flagstaff of
gods) amid chants of Vedic
hymns by the royal family
priests.
Amid tight security across the
decorated route, flanked by hun-
dreds of people from all walks of
life, the grand procession wound
its way to the Bannimantap
grounds across the city in four
hours for a spectacular torchlight
parade where Governor H.R.
Bhardwaj received the guard of
honor in the presence of digni-
taries, including the royal family,
Chief Minister Shettar, his cabi-
net colleagues and their families.
Besides cultural troupes and
folk dancers, the mile-long pro-
cession had 37 tableaux, includ-
ing 30 from each district of the
state and seven from various gov-
ernment departments, showcasing
the rich heritage of the state and
its achievements in diverse sec-
tors, including agriculture and
horticulture.
The torchlight parade with a
dash of cultural extravaganza and
acrobatics was followed by an
exciting laser show that lit up the
cloudy sky and held the thou-
sands of spectators spellbound.
The Mysore Dasara became a
world famous event as the fest is
being celebrated over the past 700
years by the Wodiyar dynasty.
Royal procession marks grand
finale of Dussehra fest in Mysore
In the picture, actor
Aamir Khan leaves
for Hajj. Aamir has
kept his promise
for Hajj journey
and left for Saudi
Arabia along with
his mother. The
actor is extremely
close to his
mother and has
become even more
protective of her
after the death of
his father Tahir
Hussain in
February 2010.
Since women can
only go to Hajj
accompanied either
by their
husband, brother
or son, Aamir
promised to do so.
H
e worked with Ashok Kumar to Shah Rukh Khan and
Mala Sinha to Anushka Sharma in his over five-decade
glorious cinematic journey, and the title of Yash
Chopra's new film, "Jab Tak Hai Jaan", summed up the ace
filmmaker's philosophy - making path-breaking movies till he
could.
His death came weeks before the release of "Jab Tak Hai
Jaan", which he had announced would be his last directorial
venture. The romantic saga is coming out on November 13, but
he will not be around to see it.
Chopra, who turned 80 on September 27, was born in Lahore
in 1932 and eventually came to Mumbai after Partition. In an
interview some days before he was hospitalized with dengue,
Chopra told Shah Rukh: "My mother said do what your heart
says. She gave me Rs.200 and said my blessings are with you.
Go ahead and don't worry."
He also said whatever he was because of his late brother and
filmmaker B.R. Chopra, whom he assisted at the beginning of
his Bollywood career. "I'm sitting here just because of B.R.
Chopra and no one else. I wanted to fly on my own wings," he
said in that interview.
He admitted that it was not easy to start Yash Raj Films, his
production house that has been delivering blockbuster hits, in
1971. Yet, Chopra was one of the few directors to make two
superhit films simultaneously - action drama "Deewar" (1975)
and cross-generational romance "Kabhi Kabhie" (1976) - both
proved his versatility and his hold on the pulse of audiences.
But, like all legendary directors, no one or two films can sum
up Chopra's achievements. To the world, Chopra was known as
the 'King of Romance', a well-deserved title after he created
memorable love stories in "Daag", "Kabhi Kabhie", "Silsila",
"Chandni", "Dil To Pagal Hai", and "Veer Zaara". To keep up
with evolving audiences, he adapted new trends in each era
and made most glamorous and trendy romances.
Like others, he too went through a bad patch after two of his
films - "Faasle" (1985) and "Vijay" (1988) - bombed one after
the other at the box office.
But after facing the setbacks, Chopra triumphed again at the
box office with "Chandni".
"When I was making 'Vijay', I was making films just to be
successful and not from my heart and I knew I was making the
wrong kind of films. I decided to make a hardcore romantic
film with nine songs and this is how I thought of 'Chandni'
(1989)," he had said in an interview once.
He went on to create a new-age romance for Gen Y with "Dil
To Pagal Hai" (1997), a sleek, urban, musical romantic saga
that reaped gold at the box office.
Then he made the cross-border romantic flick "Veer Zara"
(2004) and was planing to hang up his boots after "Jab Tak Hai
Jaan".
In his career, he won many awards, including the prestigious
Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001, six National Awards, 11
Filmfare Awards and was conferred the Padma Bhushan in
2005.
Many of Chopra's romances used the beautiful alpine land-
scape of Switzerland. Chopra shot so many times in
Switzerland that a lake in the Alpenrausch, a favourite shoot-
ing spot of his, has been christened Chopra Lake.
18 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRIBUTE: YASH CHOPRA
Romance king redefined drama on screen
Final goodbye: Yash chopra with Shah Rukh Khan while promoting
his last movie 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'
Jab Tak Thi Jaan
Yashji deserved to live longer: Big B
A part of Yashji will always be with me: SRK
M
egastar Amitabh Bachchan says a lot of personal
memories went through his mind as he sat besides
the body of late Yash Chopra at the Yash Raj Studios here.
The filmmaker deserved to stay longer with the
Bollywood fraternity, he says.
"An association of 44 years abruptly comes to an end.
He went away too soon and too suddenly. He deserved to
be with us longer. Yash Chopra, a friend first, a creative
legend later, has passed away this (Sunday) evening in the
late hours," Amitabh wrote on his blog srbachchan.com.
"As I sit beside his still and flower-decked body in his
studio within the portals of the large common patio, there
does not pass a moment when all that we shared flashes
by. This colossal studio that he built after years of hard
work and labor, shall for the next day, house his last physi-
cal remain.
"I doubt if he had ever dreamt that this unique and most
distinguished facility would find space to accommodate
him in the state that we see him today," he added.
T
he sudden demise of veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra
has left superstar Shah Rukh Khan bereaved. He
describes it as a personal loss, and says he will always
keep a part of the filmmaker in his heart.
"Whenever my loved ones depart, I feel a part of me
extinguishes itself with them. Will there come a day that I
will no longer have a bit of myself to let go of? And then
the thought follows ... that every time they have taken
some of me with them onto their last journey, I have
found a fragment of them left inside me too.
"I will always have some love to give and I will always
be both emptied and replenished by the loved ones I lose.
I keep u with me Yashji and I miss u too Yashji ... lots,"
Shah Rukh posted on his Facebook page.
Darr
Dil to
pagal hai
Silsila
Deewaar
Chandni
Dhool ka phool
Waqt
Yash Chopra's long,
prolific career as director
Dhool Ka Phool (1959)
Dharmputra (1961)
Waqt (1965)
Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969)
Ittefaq (1969)
Daag: A Poem of Love
(1973)
Joshila (1973)
Deewaar (1975)
Kabhi Kabhie - Love Is Life
(1976)
Trishul (1978)
Kaala Patthar (1979)
Silsila (1981)
Mashaal (1984)
Faasle (1985)
Vijay (1988)
Chandni (1989)
Lamhe (1991)
Parampara (1992)
Darr (1993)
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Veer-Zaara (2004)
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
(unreleased 2012)
'Talaash' captures fading locations of Mumbai
D
irector Reema Kagti' s
much awaited thriller
"Talaash" has captured
local areas of the Maximum City,
which are gradually being demol-
ished.
The Aamir Khan-starrer is shot
in areas like Charni Road, Lower
Parel, Colaba, Grant Road and
Central Bombay to add the actual
flavour of the city in the movie.
Two places - the chawls and mills
- in Lower Parel have already
given way to construction.
Kagti said: "Real locations...
mostly old structures and build-
ings that are fast fading from
Mumbai are used." According to
sources, the movie is shot in real
locations as opposed to sets. The
unit hasn't used even one set. The
unit shortlisted 520 locations and
finally they got to shoot in 47
locations.
"Talaash" sees Aamir as cop
Surjan Singh Shekhawat and he
will be flanked by two leading
ladies - Rani Mukerji and Kareena
Kapoor.
A poster of Aamir Khan-starrer 'Talaash'
Kajol, Ajay to seek Durga's blessing for 'SOS'
Even 'Sholay' hasn't been archived!
A
ctress Kajol and her actor-
producer husband Ajay
Devgn will seek blessings
of Goddess Durga on the occasion
of Ashtami, for his forthcoming
release "Son of Sardaar" (SOS).
"Well, we are all going to come
and take aashirwad of Maa and
hopefully I'll be able to bring my
husband also because ' Son of
Sardar' is releasing. So he said he
definitely wants to come and take
Maa's aashirwad," the 38-year-old
said here at a Durga Puja pandal.
Directed by Ashwni Dhir, SOS
is slated to release on Diwali Nov
13. It also features Sanjay Dutt
and Sonakshi Sinha.
I
ndia is set to enter its centenary year in 2013, but ironi-
cally "film preservation" is still a not-so-popular term
here, says filmmaker Shivendra Dungarpur.
The lack of awareness can be estimated from the fact that
a cult film like "Sholay" has not been archived, he told a
panel discussion in New Delhi.
"When it comes to India, we have not yet moved ahead.
People are still not aware of preservation. Here it is all
about scanning and taking backup in DVDs.
People should understand the importance of preserva-
tion," said Dungarpur, who made the documentary
"Celluloid Man".
"It's very sad that we make around 1,000 films in India
and producers just don't donate a single print to archive
while around 800 prints are being sold in the market," he
added.
He was speaking at a panel discussion at the ongoing
14th edition of Mumbai Film Festival about the current
state of film preservation and challenges.
Dungarpur said "awareness" is still not there. "It would
be great if we donate at least one print for archive. Even
film like 'Sholay' has not had been archived. We want to
spread the message that preservation is of key importance,"
he added.
Preserving films is important for the sake of future gener-
ation. Margaret Bodde, executive director of The Film
Foundation, said: "The most compelling question that
comes to you when you see a film is how to preserve this
film. We want to make sure that the future generations con-
tinue to have archive of all old films. Archiving is impor-
tant and necessary so they have the access to them and be
aware of it." A scene from the epic film 'Sholay'
19 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
A poster of 'Son of Sardaar'
Injustice to make films to earn
Rs.100 crore: Nikhil Advani
D
irector Nikhil Advani,
whose animated film
"Delhi Safari" hit theater
last week, believes films should
be made to encourage art and not
just with the motive of earning
Rs.100 crore.
"I believe if we are making
films only for Rs. 100 crore, just
for the magic number of 100
crore, then we are not doing jus-
tice. Then we should sit at the
cash counter and sell something
else," the 41-year-old said here in
an interview at the Sanjay Gandhi
National Park.
"I think films should be made
for encouraging art and doing
something better. We all need to
do our bit," he added.
"Delhi Safari" deals with the
fight of animals who are in danger
to lose out on their homes when
forests are encroached upon by
builders.
Advani also admits he is not
completely against money-mint-
ing films as they provide funds for
smaller, message-based projects
like "Delhi Safari".
A scene from Delhi Safari'
Karan scores with 'Student Of The Year'
A
fter love your parents message, Karan Johar
now talks about loving your friends in his lat-
est film 'Student Of The Year' (SOTY).
"Student Of The Year" is light and fluffy, yet full of
substance. The lead threesome - Varun Dhawan,
Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt - are adorable.
The narrative goes back and forth in a similar fash-
ion that was witnessed in "Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na".
School friends meet after a decade of leaving school
when they come to meet their dean, Yogendra Vashisth
(Rishi Kapoor) who is unwell and recap their final
year in school.
They studied in St. Teresa, a formidable school
where kids of rich and famous mingle with hardwork-
ing scholars. The contrast is evident when the have-
nots are at the beck and call of the creme de la creme.
The rich and flamboyant, Rohan Nanda (Varun
Dhawan) is the heartthrob of the school. Shanaya (Alia
Bhatt) is his taken for granted girlfriend. Life is hunky
dory, till Abhimanyu Singh (Siddharth Malhotra)
enters. SOTY is quite unpredictable. Instead of the
regular cliched rivalry, here are two friends who bond
together, till circumstances push them away.
For those who are not into teenybopper may find the
film dragging in parts. It's only post-interval when the
competition for the Student of the Year Award hots up
that the viewer is glued to his seat. The pace of the
film picks up and we wonder who will walk away with
the coveted trophy?
The film emits Karan Johar's pink humor in plenty.
Rishi Kapoor as the gay dean with a roving eye and
soft corner for sports coach, played by Ronit Roy, is
fabulous. The scene where he throws the 'dafli' at the
coach's wife during the sangeet ceremony of Rohana's
brother is thoroughly enjoyable.
In terms of performances, all the three debutants are
confidence personified. Siddharth is a bit stiff in cer-
tain scenes, whereas Alia Bhatt obviously has acting in
her genes. But it is Varun Dhawan who steals the
show with his charismatic and endearing performance.
He is spontaneous and an elegant dancer.
Overall, the film is larger than life. A blend of "High
School Musical" and Julia Robert's "Monalisa Smile"
is an enjoyable combination.
A scene from Student Of The Year
Review
Hinwil (Switzerland):
Monisha Kaltenborn, the first
female team principal in
Formula One, is looking for-
ward to visiting the country of
her birth, thanks to the Indian
Grand Prix. Though she has
been away from India for the
major part of her life, the
Sauber chief has remained
close to her roots.
Dehradun-born Kaltenborn
migrated to Austria with her
parents when she was eight
and has travelled across the
world since then. An Austrian
citizen now, she still retains her Indian sur-
name, Narang, on the passport.
"I really like my Indian name. My Indian
heritage and my parents' family mean a great
deal to me, and that is why I never wanted to
give up Narang. On the other hand, you have
to admit that double-barreled names aren't
very practical in day-to-day business opera-
tions. That's why I only rarely use my full
name," said Kaltenborn, who took charge of
Sauber at last week's Korean Grand Prix,
replacing team owner Peter Sauber.
The 41-year-old says she is proud of her
Indian roots even though her Hindi-speaking
skills have deteriorated.
"I don't think you ever
lose your roots, and any-
way you can tell where I
am from just by looking at
me. I also think I have a
certain serenity and open-
ness you might describe as
Indian. That includes
shrugging off negative
experiences and focusing
positively on the future -
something that is very
important in an environ-
ment as competitive as
Formula One.
"As for my Hindi, it's no
longer as good as I'd like it to be. But I do try
to talk Hindi with the children occasionally.
Our son is ten years old, our daughter seven,
and I'd like them to learn the language. But
my parents are better teachers than me," she
told her team's official website.
Kaltenborn's rise in the male-dominated
world of F1 has been remarkable. She earned
a master's degree in Law from the London
School of Economics in 1996 and joined
Sauber' s legal department in 1998. She
became the head of the law department in
2000 and was part of the Board by 2001. In
2010, she was made the CEO before Peter
Sauber asked her to fill his shoes.
Dubai: He quit India' s space
agency many years ago to spur a
revival of India's cultural traditions
across the world. Today, Nataraja
'Soorya' Krishnamoorthy is busy
trying to rejuvenate Kerala's age-
old arts, enable folk and theatre
artists to live a more dignified life
and also integrate Malayali artistes
living outside Kerala, especially
those in the Gulf countries.
Krishnamoorthy, the brain behind
the reputed Soorya Festival, is
determined to use his position as
the current Kerala Sangeetha
Nataka Akademi chairman to make
a difference by recognizing "the
genuine artistes" in the state and
the contribution of Pravasi
Malayalis - those living outside it.
"I want people to know who the
genuine artistes are. All these years
I have been doing it through
Soorya, now I will use my position
to implement it, " said
Krishnamoorthy, who has been a
member of the expert committee of
the Indian government' s
Department of Culture.
And by genuine artistes, he refers
to those practicing classical dance,
music, theater, Vaadyam (the per-
cussionists of Kerala) and
Kathaprasangam (the centuries-old
art of storytelling that is high in
satire and carries messages of
social reform), apart from other
folk and ritualistic arts.
"If these people are full-time pro-
fessional artistes, they are poor.
They are unable to earn money
from their arts, " said
Krishnamoorthy, who quit the
Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) after putting
in 27 years as an engineer-scientist.
Thus, the first step he took within
months of assuming office last year
was to get the artists medical insur-
ance with help from several well-
wishers, including top Malayalam
movie stars.
"Their health is a priority. They
are unable to go to hospital or buy
medicines. So we are now provid-
ing them mediclaim upto
Rs.100,000. They can get admitted
to any hospital, hire an ambulance
and buy medicines. And I haven't
taken money from the government
to pay the insurance premium.
Several people like (actors)
Mohanlal and Mammootty have
given huge amounts because of
their friendship. So also B.R.
Shetty, the CEO of UAE
Exchange."
Krishnamoorthy has also secured
them life insurance policies in case
of accidents. "These artists often
have to drive home at night after a
performance in faraway towns.
And this many times leads to acci-
dents and death. In such cases,
Rs.200,000 will go to their family."
Krishnamoorthy's biggest link to
the Gulf countries is Shetty, also
the chairman of the NMC health-
care group and the chief patron of
the Soorya Festival. He hopes to
now integrate more Pravasi
Malayalis through culture.
"Gulf Malayalis miss their cul-
ture so they preserve it better. So
they must be recognized," he
stressed, referring to the over 25
lakh Malayalis in the region.
Krishnamoorthy is the founder of
the 36 year-old Soorya Stage and
Film Society, which has chapters in
36 countries, including Britain,
Australia, UAE, Saudi Arabia and
South Africa. The Soorya Festival,
which has been recognized as the
longest running festival in the
world by the Limca Book of
Records, has now become a 365-
day event spanning several Indian
cities.
Of reviving Kerala culture and integrating Gulf Malayalis
Nataraja 'Soorya' Krishnamoorthy
Monisha Kaltenborn
20 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info DIASPORA
Durga Puja
celebrated in
Indonesia
I am close to my Indian roots,
says Kaltenborn
Jakarta: Bengalis in
Indonesia, which has the
world's largest Muslim popu-
lation, are celebrating Durga
Puja with great fervor and
enthusiasm this year. People
from all walks of life have
joined in the celebrations.
Inaugurating the celebra-
tions, Indian Ambassador
Gurjit Singh appreciated the
Jakarta Bengali Association
for keeping their traditions
and cultural heritage alive in
Indonesia.
He also complimented the
Bengalis over the choice of
their pandal -- rural Bengal in
all its glory, said an Indian
embassy press release.
Various other Indian organi-
zations in Indonesia are
organizing functions to herald
in the festive season of
Navratri.
Australian man pleads guilty
to murdering Indian woman
Melbourne: A 21-
year-old Australian
man has pleaded
guilty to murdering a
young Indian woman,
whose dismembered
body was found in a
suitcase in a Sydney
canal last year.
The body of Tosha
Thakkar, 24, was
found in the suitcase
floating in a canal near
the Parramatta River
at Meadowbank by
some construction
workers in March
2011.
Police say she had
been raped and then
strangled, a crime
which drew a shocked
and furious response
from the Indian com-
munity both in Sydney
and overseas.
Burwood local court
said that Daniel Stani-
Reginald, who was
Thakkar' s neighbor,
pleaded guilty to the
murder.
He was also charged
with raping Thakkar.
According to ' The
Age', Stani-Reginald
has not pleaded guilty
to this charge.
The two were living
in the same apartment
building and Stani-
Reginald was arrested
soon after Thakkar's
body was found.
M a g i s t r a t e
Christopher Longley
committed Stani-
Reginald for sentenc-
ing in the NSW
Supreme Court on
November 28.
Stani-Reginald and
Thakkar lived in sepa-
rate apartments above
an empty storefront on
Edwin Street in
Croydon in Sydney's
inner west, the report
said, adding it was
believed the murder
took place in
Thakkar's apartment.
Pak asks Afghanistan to extradite Malala's attacker
Islamabad: Pakistan has sought
extradition of Mullah Fazlullah, a
militant commander who planned
the attack on teenager Malala
Yousafzai and is believed to be
hiding in Afghanistan.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani
Khar has demanded Fazlullah's
extradition during her meeting
with US special envoy to Pakistan
and Afghanistan Mark Grossman.
Grossman was told that
Fazlullah was involved in the
attack and that the US should use
its influence for his extradition,
Geo TV reported.
Fazlullah and his associates
have been hiding in Afghanistan's
Kunar province, and have carried
out 15 cross-border attacks over
the past one year, according to
officials. They also said that the
gunman involved in Malala' s
attack has fled to Afghanistan.
Fourteen-year-old Malala
Yousafzai was shot in the head by
a Taliban gunman in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province Oct 9.
She was on her way home from
school when an attacker wearing
police uniform stopped the school
bus and opened fire at her. She
was seriously injured.
The Taliban said they attacked
Malala, Pakistan's first National
Peace Award winner, for "promot-
ing secularism".
She was flown into Britain for
treatment aboard an air ambulance
provided by the UAE. She is
undergoing treatment at the
Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Birmingham.
Malala came to prominence in
2009 at the age of 11, when she
started writing a diary for BBC
Urdu about life under the Taliban.
Under the pen-name Gul Makai,
she described the problems caused
by militants who had taken con-
trol of the Swat Valley where she
lived in 2007 and ordered girls'
schools to close, according to the
BBC.
21 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SUBCONTINENT
Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
ISI directing Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan
Washington: Pakistan' s spy
agency ISI is directing the Taliban
insurgency in Afghanistan, a US
lawmaker has alleged, saying his
view is based on his meetings with
the people and officials in the war-
torn country.
"US military commanders at sev-
eral levels of the chain of com-
mand indicated that they believe
Pakistan and its intelligence
agency specifically, the ISI, is
directing the Taliban insurgency in
Afghanistan, " California' s
Republican Congressman Duncan
Hunter told the UTSanDiego.Com.
"The fact that they (Pakistanis)
are controlling them was pretty
astounding to me. It's bad, but it
bodes well I think for long-term
stability. That means it's an exter-
nal threat. It' s not an internal
Taliban takeover like it was in the
' 90s," said Hunter, who visited
Afghanistan as part of a
Congressional delegation - the first
to visit the country after the recent
withdrawal of surge forces from
there.
Hunter hinted that the Pakistani
establishment might also be
involved in the insiders attack.
"Everybody is taking the insider
threat thing seriously on both sides,
especially the Afghans. They are
really getting to the bottom of it in
every way they can. Now that the
army is at its strength, they can
kind of re-vet and check every-
body," he said.
California's Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter
Washington: While the
Republicans are itching for a
fight over the Sep 11 attack on
the US consulate in Benghazi,
a former Central Intelligence
Agency analyst would like the
two presidential contenders to
focus on Pakistan.
"The toughest foreign-poli-
cy issue our next president
will face is Pakistan, the most
dangerous country in the
world," said Bruce Riedel,
currently senior Fellow,
Foreign Policy at Brookings
Institution.
"It is the epicenter of the
global jihad. From 9/11 to the
2008 attack on Mumbai, Al
Qaeda and its allies like
Lashkar-e-Taiba have plotted
their schemes in Karachi,
Lahore, and Abbottabad," he
wrote in the Daily Beast.
Since the last US election in
2008, Pakistan has been the
launch platform for plots to
attack the New York City sub-
way and Times Square, Riedel
wrote noting three of the five
terrorists on America's most-
wanted list are in Pakistan
today.
Washington: US President
Barack Obama, in some of his
most blunt remarks to date,
said that Osama bin Laden
would have escaped if the
United States had sought
Pakistan's permission ahead of
the raid on the al-Qaida
leader's compound.
Obama administration offi-
cials have previously justified
the decision not to involve
Islamabad by citing the risk
that bin Laden might somehow
be tipped off and flee his com-
pound in Abbottabad before
the team of Navy SEALs
arrived.
Leon Panetta, then the direc-
tor of the CIA and now
defense secretary, said in an
interview with TIME maga-
zine shortly after the May
2011 raid that there was a con-
cern that the Pakistanis "might
alert the targets."
"If we had asked Pakistan
(for) permission, we would not
have gotten him," Obama said.
The bin Laden raid was one
of the many issues Obama
used to differentiate himself
from his opponent.
Forget Benghazi,
focus on Pakistan:
US expert
Laden would
have escaped:
Obama
Colombo: US
a m b a s s a d o r
Michele Sison has
opened two new
r e f u r b i s h e d
schools in Sri
Lanka's east that
were badly dam-
aged during the
country' s long-
standing ethnic
conflict.
Sison opened
t h e
Kalumunthanveli
General Tamil
Mixed School at
Porathivu Pattu
and the Munaikadu
Vivekananda in Paddipalai in Batticaloa district, an
embassy statement said.
Funds from the US Agency for International
Development and the US Pacific Command built and reno-
vated the classrooms, teachers quarters and lavatories.
US ambassador opens two
schools in Sri Lanka
Muslim-Buddhist clashes spread
in western Myanmar
Yangon: Skirmishes between
Muslims and Buddhists in western
Myanmar have spread to two new
districts where authorities are strug-
gling to douse flames from burning
homes, the government said.
Rakhine state spokesman Myo
Thant said clashes between Rohingya
Muslims and ethnic Rakhine
Buddhists reported in other parts of
the coastal region engulfed the town-
ships of Kyaukphyu and Myebon.
The unrest is some of the worst
reported in the region since violence
swept the area in June after the
alleged rape and murder of a
Buddhist woman by three Muslim
men in late May. Although clashes
have been rare since then, tensions
have simmered in part because the
government has failed to find any
long-term solution to the crisis other
than segregating the two communities
in some areas.
The skirmishes this week began
Sunday in Minbyar and Mrauk-U dis-
tricts, both located north of the
regional capital, Sittwe. The govern-
ment says up to three people were
killed and more than 1,000 homes
burned down.
"Houses are burning and clashes
between the two communities are
ongoing," Myo Thant said. "The most
important thing is to put out the fires.
We are trying to control the situa-
tion."
Kyaukphyu and Myebon are locat-
ed about 95 kilometers and 50 kilo-
meters south and east of Sittwe,
respectively.
There was no immediate word on
whether there were any casualties in
the two townships, and Myo Thant
had no details on the extent of arson
attacks there.
US ambassador Michele Sison
London: Newspapers
belonging to Trinity Mirror
including the Daily Mirror
are facing legal claims for
phone hacking from four
people, including former
England football coach
Sven Goran Eriksson and
former nanny for the
Beckham family, media
reports said.
The latest claims allege
Mirror group journalists lis-
tened to the mobile phone
messages of Eriksson,
Abbie Gibson, former
nanny for the Beckham
family, former English foot-
ball player Garry Flitcroft
and actress Shobna Gulati.
The claims allege "breach
of confidence and misuse of
private information" relat-
ing to the "interception
and/or misuse of mobile
phone voicemail messages
and/or the interception of
telephone accounts".
Hacking allegations have
in the past been directed at
the Mirror titles, but the
publisher of papers includ-
ing the Daily Mirror,
Sunday Mirror and People
has always strenuously
denied any wrongdoing.
The four claimants, repre-
sented by Mark Lewis, who
also represented other
celebrities and claimants in
actions taken against News
International, have four
months to serve claims on
Trinity Mirror, the Financial
Times said.
Gaza: Qatar's Emir, Shaikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al
Thani concluded an official seven-hour long visit to the
Gaza Strip, ruled by Islamic Hamas movement, the first
of its kind by a head of state since 2007.
The Emir and his delegation entered the Gaza Strip
and left through Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
During the visit, Qatar decided to increase its grant for
the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip to up $400 million.
The Qatari Emir also called on Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas movement to end the divi-
sion between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and
implement the Qatar-brokered reconciliation under-
standing reached between Abbas and Hamas chief
Khaled Meshaal in Doha last year.
"I'm glad to visit in the Gaza Strip which has been the
bridge that linked between Africa and Asia, but now I'm
sad to say that this bridge is not as active as it used to
be," the Emir said during a reception ceremony at the
Islamic University where he and his wife were granted
honorary doctorates. Soon after arriving in Gaza on his
visit, Al Thani said: "The Palestinians should think of
their reality and realize that their split is a source of
harm to their cause and the Arabic cause."
The split between the Palestinians "was more painful
than the Israeli aggression" he said.
Qatari Emir calls for Palestinian unity
Fresh row: hacking claims
hit media group in UK
Trinity Mirror newspapers faces phone hacking claims
United Nations: UN leader
Ban Ki-moon had to admit
that he is no longer the
world's most famous South
Korean as he came face-to-
face with "Gangnam Style"
rap phenomenon Psy.
But the world body's sec-
retary general got the bonus
of an offer of a skydiving
lesson from Felix
Baumgartner, the first per-
son to break the sound bar-
rier in freefall.
Ban said he felt overshad-
owed by his countryman
Psy, who showed off some
of the wacky dance moves
that have been viewed more
than 530 million times on
YouTube.
"I'm a bit jealous. Until
two days ago someone told
me I am the most famous
Korean in the world. Now I
have to relinquish. I have
no regrets," said Ban, who
tried the Gangnam Style
routine.
The pop star also heaped
praise on Ban, telling
reporters: "So now you
have first and second
famous Korean in the same
building."
"For all the Koreans he is
the guy, you know, in
everyone's heart in Korea,
the best among the best,"
Psy said. "To be here and he
knows me, even the thing
that he knows me is so
touching right now and he's
saying he saw my video, he
counted my video views."
Im jealous of 'Gangnam
Style' rapper: UN chief
UN leader Ban Ki-moon with Gangnam
style rapper Psy
London: The head of the BBC goes before
lawmakers with the publicly funded British
broadcaster facing one of the biggest crises
in its history over accusations it pulled a
probe into sexual abuse by a former presen-
ter as part of a wider cover-up.
George Entwistle, who only took charge at
the 90-year-old media organization in
August, will appear before parliament's cul-
ture committee the day after Prime Minister
David Cameron said the BBC had serious
questions to answer.
Police are investigating allegations Jimmy
Savile, once one of Britain's most celebrated
TV stars who died last year, abused women,
including girls as young as 12, over a 60-
year period with some of the attacks taking
place on BBC premises.
Police opened a criminal inquiry into the
allegations on Friday, saying more than 200
potential victims had come forward.
Entwistle, whose predecessor Mark
Thomson is the New York Times Co' s
incoming chief executive, and other man-
agers have come under pressure to explain
why rumours about Savile were not investi-
gated at the height of his fame in the 1970s
and 80s.
But far more damaging are suggestions an
investigation into the alleged sex crimes by
the BBC's flagship "Newsnight" show was
pulled a couple of months after Savile's
death in October 2011 because it would
clash with planned Christmas programmes
celebrating his life and charity work.
It comes as British newspapers await the
recommendations of a separate wide-ranging
inquiry into journalistic ethics following the
phone-hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch's
now closed News of the World tabloid.
The BBC has launched two independent
reviews of the allegations, but Entwistle will
face scrutiny from lawmakers as to why his
organisation has apparently put out partial or
misleading information since rival channel
ITV first aired the accuations against Savile
at the end of last month.
"Why was it (the Newsnight investigation)
dropped? Why is it that the initial reasons
given now appear to be contradicted by the
journalists involved?" committee chairman
John Whittingdale said, adding the suspicion
of interference damaged the BBC's reputa-
tion.
He said the committee also wanted to
know why Savile's behaviour at the BBC had
not been challenged when he was alive.
While Savile was little known beyond
Britain, the eccentric, cigar-chomping one-
time DJ was one of the most recognised TV
personalities on British television, hosting
prime-time shows.
Other BBC employees have talked of a
culture at the corporation where women
were groped and have hinted that Savile was
not the only household name to have been
involved.
BBC chief to face lawmakers over sex abuse scandal
BBC head George Entwistle
Qatar's Emir Shaikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani
22 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INTERNATIONAL
Beijing: There is enough room to
accommodate the aspirations of
China and India, the Chinese for-
eign ministry said.
Ministry spokesman Hong Lei
made the comment in response to
India's commemorative activities
and media reports to mark the 50th
anniversary of the 1962 Sino-India
border conflict. "We have noticed
relevant reports and commen-
taries," Xinhua quoted Hong as
saying. As the most populous
developing countries and emerging
economies, China and India face
important opportunities for devel-
opment, he said. "China and India
are partners, rather than rivals. We
have far more common ground
than disagreements, more mutual
interests than conflicts," he said.
As leaders of both countries have
pointed out, the world has enough
space to accommodate China and
India for common development
and there are enough areas for the
two to cooperate, Hong said.
"China is willing to work with
India to look forward, enhance
trust, communication and coopera-
tion to deepen China-India strate-
gic partnership and benefit the two
countries and its people," Hong
said.
Enough space to accommodate China,
India: Beijing
Bharti Airtel is world's 4th largest mobile operator
Mumbai: Bharti Airtel, Indias
largest telecom operator has over-
taken Spains Telefnica to become
the worlds fourth-largest operator
in terms of subscribers.
According to the Scoreboard
report by analyst firm Wireless
Intelligence, the company had over
250 million mobile subscribers at
the end of the quarter ended June
2012, representing a year-on-year
growth of 13 per cent. This was the
highest subscribers growth among
the top five operators globally.
Indias Bharti Airtel was the
only other member of the top ten to
move up the ranking, recording a
13 percent year-on-year rise in
connections (to 250 million) and
leapfrogging Telefnica to become
the worlds fourth-largest operator
group in the Q2, the report said.
It, however, added that Bharti
Airtel's $3.04 billion in mobile rev-
enue in Q2 2012 was significantly
lower than the four other operators
in the top five, reflecting Bharti's
presence in the ultra low-cost, low-
margin Indian and African
markets.
In June 2010, Bharti Airtel
became the fifth largest mobile
operator in the world following its
acquisition of Zain Groups mobile
operations across 15 African
nations.
According to the report, there
were three other Indian telecom
operators in the top 20 list apart
from Bharti Airtel. Reliance
Communications with 154.60 mil-
lion subscribers held the 8th posi-
tion while Idea Cellular ranked
14th position globally with a sub-
scriber base of 117.16 million.
State-run BSNL ranked 20th with
98.28 million subscribers at the
end of June 2012.
Facebook rises, Google edgy in digital ad war
New Delhi: Will you pay as much
money for an economy class seat in
a flight as for a business class? Will
you pay more for a health drink
does not clearly mention its ingredi-
ents as for another one that does? If
you answers to both those questions
is an easy No! you can understand
the latest tumult in the world of dig-
ital advertising, that is going to have
a big impact on the media business
in the coming months.
First, Googles quarterly results
disappointed markets last week and
its stock fell 8% and lost nearly $20
billion in value. The key point is
that while the company reported a
33% gain in paid clicks for its
advertisements, mostly of search,
the average cost per click was down
15%. Though economic factors and
exchange rates played a role, the
main reasoning was around how
mobile ads fetch less per click.
Mobile and desktop screens are
smaller and advertisers will pay less
for less leg room as in econo-
my class seats. While Google is bet-
ting on exploding mobile volumes,
it is like saying that it will sell more
economy class seats with lower
profit margins.
Meanwhile, in a related develop-
ment, Facebook threw open a sys-
tem to link its precious data on users
who now number more than one
billion to application developers.
New Delhi/Mumbai: Striking
employees of Kingfisher Airlines
said they will meet the manage-
ment to find a solution to the 20-
day strike that has crippled opera-
tions and led the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA) to suspend the carrier's
license.
"We want the airline to start
operations and to become viable
again," a senior official who is on
strike said in New Delhi. "We will
consider any offer presented by
the airline which is logical and
meets the minimum criteria of our
demands," the official added.
Nearly, 6,500 employees of the
airline face the possibility of los-
ing their jobs if the airline contin-
ues to be in a state of lockout,
which has been extended till Oct
23.
The average monthly wage bill
of the airline is said to be around
Rs.21 crore. The employees went
on a flash strike Oct 1 demanding
payment of their salaries by by
Oct 5, which have been pending
since March.
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit
Singh said: "If they are not able to
provide any concrete revival plans
on how to restart operations and
to pay their employees, then the
DGCA may cancel their license."
The airline had the lowest mar-
ket share in September, which
stood at 3.5 percent. The airline
has a total debt of Rs.7,000 crore
from a consortium of banks.
Kingfisher employees to meet management
23 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info BUSINESS
Nissan recalls thousands of Sedans in US
Washington: Japanese automaker
Nissan has announced it is recalling
thousands of Altima sedans made in
the US, due to their steering bolts
that may not have been tightened
properly during production.
"The affected bolts could become
loose and fall out which may lead to
a loss of vehicle control, increasing
the risk of a vehicle crash," accord-
ing to a report from the US National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA).
While no injuries or crashes have
been reported due to the problem,
the recall affects some 13,919
Altima sedans, including some of
the last-produced in the 2012 model
year and the first of the 2013 model
year (when a product was pro-
duced).
The vehicles in question were
made at the Nissan plant in Canton,
Mississippi. According to reports,
the problem was discovered during
routine tests after one of Nissan's
inspectors heard a rattle in a newly
produced car.
Mallya expects another spectacular Indian GP
New Delhi: Sahara Force India
team principal Vijay Mallya is
expecting another spectacular
Indian Grand Prix over the week-
end, saying a double points finish
at the Buddh International Circuit
(BIC) will be a fitting result for
the team's home race.
Mallya, who has been away
from public glare following the
suspension of his Kingfisher air-
lines, will attend the Oct 26-28
event at BIC.
"I remember how proud I felt
last year to see our cars racing in
India in the colours of the Indian
flag. It was a moment I had
dreamed about and a great sport-
ing achievement for our country,"
Mallya said in a statement.
Bharti Airtel, Indias largest telecom operator has
overtaken Spains Telefnica
Nissan is recalling thousands of Altima sedans
8 pc GDP growth needed
but not impossible: PM
New Delhi: Alluding to the
downturn in the Eurozone,
Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh said India needs an aggre-
gate growth rate of 8 percent per
annum and stressed that
although it won't be easy, it is
also not unattainable.
Speaking at the Combined
Commanders' Conference here,
the prime minister said India
needs an aggregate growth rate
of 8 percent per annum to create
new jobs for more than 10 mil-
lion persons who will enter the
labour force each year.
"This is not going to be an
easy task, given the international
economic environment.
However, it is not unattainable if
we make determined efforts to
increase our investment rate to
37-38 percent, as was the case
three years ago," Singh said.
"The continuing uncertainty
and weaknesses in the Eurozone
economies have hobbled the
pace of growth, including in
Asian economies. Inevitably,
India too has had to deal with
the fallout of slowing growth,
falling exports and expanding
deficits," the prime minister
said.
The advertising fashion may well shift from the
power of 'search view' to 'app depth'
Nearly, 6,500 employees of the airline face the
possibility of losing their jobs
24 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPORTS
Aussies have utmost respect for
Tendulkar: Webber
Greater Noida:
A u s t r a l i a n
Formula 1 driver
Mark Webber
said his country
has utmost
respect for Indian
cricketing maes-
tro Sachin
Tendulkar.
" S a c h i n
Tendulkar has
just been an
incredible crick-
eter and one of
the most amazing sportspersons the world has seen.
Australians have utmost respect for Tendulkar. The govern-
ment, the people, everyone respects him," said Webber,
who drives for current constructors' World Champions Red
Bull.
Australia Prime Minister Julia Gilliard recently conferred
Tendulkar with the Membership of the Order of Australia,
an honour rarely bestowed on non-Australians. This did not
go well with many Australians, who questioned whether
the Indian batting legend should receive this honour.
However, Webber had a different take on it. "We have
given the Order of Australia to cricketers from other
nations too.
They have been doing it for a while now. We gave it to
Garfield Sobers and Brian Lara.
If we can give it to Lara then Tendulkar certainly
deserves it," said the 36-year-old.
Alonso has good chance of winning title: Webber
Greater Noida: Red Bull Formula 1
driver Mark Webber said rival
Fernando Alonso of Ferrari has a
good chance of bagging the title over
his teammate Sebastian Vettel.
"I think Alonso has a good chance
of winning the title. He had a couple
of tough races like Suzuka (Japan)
where he lost points. But with four
races to go both Sebastian and
Alonso have many points left to bag.
It is still very open," said Webber at a
promotional event here.
"Both of them have had a tough
time but they have been very consis-
tent too. Anything can happen. We
could have a wet race in Brazil. It's
not over till it is over."
Talking about his own performance
through the season and his current
target, Webber said: "I would love to
win races and improve my position
on the championship table, as much
as possible. Our goal is to challenge
for victories and we are capable of
doing that.
"We have a good lead in construc-
tors' championship. Everyone is put-
ting in massive amount of work and
if we can win the constructors' title
three years in a row, nothing can be
more satisfying. It will be a special
achievement for everyone involved
in the team. We need to focus on the
next two races maximise our poten-
tial."
Maradona wins hearts in Kerala
Kannur (Kerala): In just 20 min-
utes that the legendary Diego
Maradona held center-stage, he
danced, sang and demonstrated
jaw-dropping football skills to
win thousands of hearts at the
Municipal Stadium here.
Over 50,000 fans started pour-
ing in since early morning for a
glimpse of the Argentine star.
There were thunderous cheers as
he walked into the stadium around
11.30 a.m.
Maradona is in Kerala on an
invite from his industrialist friend
Bobby Chemmanur. The foot-
baller could not hide his excite-
ment. He danced to the music and
showered flying kisses to his fans
from the stage.
Then came rolling, one after the
another, over a dozen footballs
towards Maradona. Each was
rocketed into the crowds. But not
before the icon manoeuvred them
deftly to amuse his fans.
Amid cheers, Maradona and for-
mer India football captain I.M.
Vijayan headed a football between
them for a few minutes.
The Argentine turned 52 on
Tuesday. He cut a cake weighing
over 30 kg and shaped like a foot-
ball ground with a football in the
middle. It was prepared by Sheen
Bakery here.
Among those present at the
function were Home Minister T.
Radhakrishnan, Sports Minister
K.B. Ganesh Kumar and a number
of legislators. "It's a great honor
for the God of football to have
come to Gods' s own country,"
Vijayan said.
Diego Maradona in Kerala
Karthikeyan insists his future remains in Formula One
New Delhi: Narain Karthikeyan, the first
Indian to try his hand at big time motor racing,
insists his future is hitched to Formula One --
and HRT at that. Ruminating on another tough
season, the eternal optimist hopes for his best
finish of the year at the second edition of the
Indian grand Prix over the weekend.
The season has been a mixed bag for the 35-
year-old from Coimbatore. The start, much
like 2011, was a forgettable one with both
HRTs failing to qualify for the Australian
Grand Prix. Since then, he has six retirements
and the best performance coming at the
Monaco street circuit where he finished 15th.
Karthikeyan, however, does not want to
delve too much into the past. For the present,
he is only thinking about the Oct 26-28 event
at Buddh International Circuit (BIC). He also
knows that being part of a small team, he can't
make a big splash in his home race.
"It is obviously a special feeling to be racing
at the Buddh Circuit again. Since I can't think
of podiums and points under the current sce-
nario, the aim is to do better than last year and
give the fans something to cheer about,"
Karthikeyan said.
"We are getting a new rear wing besides the
new floor which was damaged in Japan. It
should help us in gaining a few tenths."
Talking about his own performance in 2012,
he says: "I think I have been driving well and
out-qualifying a senior pro like Pedro de la
Rosa on a couple of occasions has given me
immense confidence. I am fit and good
enough to be in F1 for another two-three sea-
sons."
He is fully committed to remaining in F1 for
the third straight year and most likely with the
same team.
"I don't know where these rumors of me
switching to Indycar emanated from. The
brightest thing for 2013 will be another season
with HRT. I would love to be with a mid-field
team, but those chances look remote in this
fiercely competitive F1 environment. I know I
will not be in the points contentions but as of
now just the adrenaline rush of driving an F1
car is good enough for me to go on," said
Karthikeyan, who made his F1 debut with the
Jordan team in 2005 before returning to the
sport last year.
Asked about his experience with Jordan and
HRT, Karthikeyan says: "In 2005, we were a
lot more competitive. We could be 11th fastest
in qualifying which is not happening at pres-
ent. The technology has evolved since then
but other things are more or less the same."
Formula One driver
Narain Karthikeyan
Red Bull Formula 1 driver
Mark Webber
Fernando Alonso of Ferrari
Former F1 champ Andretti
opens US GP circuit
Austin: Former Formula 1 World Champion Mario
Andretti officially opened the new Circuit of the
Americas (COTA) here. The 1978 champion
opened the Texas venue in a 'First Lap Ceremony'
featuring a collection of celebrity drivers.
"It's very green, as you could expect. You get
offline a bit - it's a bit slippery. But that's normal for
a new circuit. Overall, my impression is absolutely
fantastic," Andretti was quoted as saying by the F1
website.
Lotus reserve driver Jerome D'Ambrosio became
the first person to drive around the circuit as he
piloted the team's 2010 car around the 5.516-km
track.
"It's a very enjoyable layout with a couple of
good opportunities for overtaking, some long, fast,
sweeping 'S' bends and a few really satisfying,
high-speed changes of direction similar to the
'Becketts' complex at Silverstone," D'Ambrosio
told the Lotus website.
Former F1 World Champion Mario Andretti
F1 race in India
It's English-Vinglish all the way in Hindi heartland
Demand also growing for teaching Hindi to non-Hindi speaking people.
By Brij Khandelwal
F
oreigners are queuing up to
learn Hindi and there was a
global conference too to cel-
ebrate the language. Nonetheless,
as English spreads inexorably
through what is still called the
Hindi heartland, even its votaries
are writing the epitaph for a lan-
guage spoken by nearly 200 mil-
lion people in the world.
In the English vs Hindi debate,
the latter may be in the process of
slowly being squeezed out - even
in the swathe of north and central
India, the Hindi heartland, that is.
Thousands are queuing up to get
their children admitted to English
medium schools and English teach-
ing shops are mushrooming across
the country.
Even as Hindi - officially India's
national language - is promoted
and conferences are held abroad,
the ranks of those seeking to mas-
ter English in Indian cities are
swelling.
This city of the Taj is no excep-
tion.
As schools begin the admission
process, anxious parents are mak-
ing a beeline for English medium
schools, seeking admission for
their children in nursery.
Firm in their belief that English
is the best ticket to the India of
today - and tomorrow - a large
number of parents this year have
joined grooming classes to brush
up on their 'English-Vinglish' to
bolster the chances of their chil-
dren being admitted to English
schools.
Referring to the recent
Bollywood film about an Indian
homemaker, played by Sridevi,
struggling to master the language,
senior school teacher Seema Gupta
of the prestigious St Peter's College
said "English-Vinglish" was an elo-
quent expression of the deep frus-
tration born of inferiority caused
by a poor knowledge of English
among "aspiring middle classes".
Tragically, in this rush for
English, there are no takers for
Hindi medium schools, added
school teacher Hari Dutt Sharma.
"The only schools that attract a
large number of applications in
Agra and its neighborhood are
those English medium ones. There
are hardly any private schools
offering Hindi-medium education
and government schools and those
run by local bodies attract no appli-
cants at all. Children only go to the
government schools for the midday
meal," Sharma said.
The World Hindi Conference
held at Johannesburg last month
was a triumph and Hindi was cele-
brated as a tongue that nearly 200
million people in the world spoke.
The enthusiastic response to that
event buoyed the spirits of those
seeking to promote the language.
"English in India, Hindi abroad"
seems to be the motto of Indians on
foreign soil, said Chandra Kant
Tripathi, registrar of the Agra-
headquartered Central Hindi
Institute, which was set up in 1960
and aims at teaching non-Hindi
speaking people the language.
"The World Hindi Conference in
Johannesburg attracted literary
luminaries from all parts of the
world and proved a huge success,"
Tripathi said. Among those seeking
to promote Hindi were MNCs
seeking to expand their markets.
"This year, we have more than 90
students, including 15 from
China," he said.
Paras Nath Choudhary, who has
earlier been associated with the
South Asia Institute of Heidelberg
University, said: "Brand India is in
demand all over the world... India
offers solid cultural products to sell
and this has indirectly helped the
promotion of Hindi. In Delhi alone,
more than 40,000 foreigners have
shown interest in learning Hindi."
Back home, however, the future
is bleak.
"While there is this huge celebra-
tion of Hindi abroad, in the place
of its birth Hindi has been compro-
mised," said Mahesh Dhakar, who
writes on culture.
"Students can hardly write cor-
rect Hindi, and their vocabulary is
invaded by foreign words and sms
forms. Chaste Hindi or Urdu has
disappeared," Dhakar said.
Meanwhile, English teaching
shops are mushrooming. While
there are scores of English-teach-
ing centers in Agra, Mathura has at
least a dozen. Tundla has a convent
school with over a thousand pupils.
In towns like Fatehabad,
Khairagarh or Jalesar, teachers
offering private tuitions in English
mint money.
As insurance agent Sudheir
Gupta said, "English is not just
another subject. It adds to your
overall personality."
25 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info FEATURES
Wake up call to align with our lifes purpose
By Ashok Vyas
In the name of discussing fleeting
issues and what is trending, we try to
hide ourselves. We dont invest our
energy in trying to understand what is
really important for us, while our
intent should be to get in alignment
with the main theme or purpose of
our life?
So, I decided to write suddenly.
Closed the story that I was reading in
Times of India online about the suicide of a
computer science professor at private engi-
neering college in Kochi, India.
I ended up writing a long and grammati-
cally incorrect sentence, as told by the addi-
tional green underline that computer gener-
ated to show my attention towards the sen-
tence structure.
The 38 year old professor was working as
head of the computer science in the same
college for 5 years. He was married and had
two children; the newspaper mentions about
his ill-health. It says that he jumped into the
water. Overall situation doesnt add up, but
there is so much more than what one can
gather from the exterior of people. This lim-
itation exists not just in the news item, but
also vis--vis people we meet face to face in
our day to day life. While we write, comput-
er tells us about spelling errors or gram-
matical errors, is there any way to alert us
about the mistakes we make in our thinking
pattern? What could ring the alarm bell to
make us aware about our false perception
of ourselves.
Life is precious, it is glorious, there is infi-
nite potential in each and every human
being. We hear or read about these ideas, but
we dont buy them. We find our inability to
take care of desires as more believable
measure of our potential. We hear about
nuclear energy, each and every atom has this
hidden store of such majestic energy. We
cant see it, we cant use it, but we believe in
the nuclear energy. We have started believ-
ing in science more that believing in our-
selves.
In another story, again from India, teach-
ers are being advised to wear an apron in
class. Why? Because students cant stop the
temptation of making use of these new tools
in the form of their cell phones to take pic-
tures of their lady teachers in awkward pos-
tures. If a lady wearing a saree is writing
with chalk on a black board and students
dont see her with respect due for a mother,
they look at her physical attributes from the
angle of some cheap Hindi film, then take
the picture to post it on social networking
sites with even worse comments. The school
administration admits that they have failed
in implementing the policy of stopping stu-
dents from brining cell phones to class.
I find a common factor between the two
stories. It is our overemphasis on our rela-
tionship with tech toys. The computer pro-
fessor committing suicide tells us that there
is the need of more knowledge, more than
what working with computers requires.
Otherwise, this brilliant young man would
have found some other options, which
would enable him to appreciate life. So, we
need the knowledge of life, life in its entire-
ty. We need the knowledge to accept life as
it unveils its surprises.
This knowledge can come to us from the
source of life, it can come by connecting to
that unchangeable which is holding all
change. It can come from that vantage
point where we are ready to appreciate the
timeless instead of remaining caught up in
the temporal.
I know, we are investing lot of energy in
reporting and discussing Kareena and Saifs
marriage. Our discussions are focused on
people who are known to us merely through
a screen that projects moving images. This
projection is not the truth, the creativity that
brings the projection needs to be seen as a
slice of life and not as the essence of life.
In the name of discussing these fleeting
issues, we want to hide ourselves, we dont
invest our energy in trying to understand
what is really important for us. We need to
give due importance to the drama within
because that makes our life. How we react
to the stimulants? Is our reaction mechanism
in alignment with the main theme or pur-
pose of our life? May we learn to appreci-
ate and accept life in its totality. We need to
reclaim our sense of priorities away from
computers and cell phones and films and
politicians and what everybody is doing. We
need to keep our feet firmly on the ground
that defines us.
May we discover the source of inex-
haustible joy and love within by becoming
aware of our true identity.
The pointer to this identity with certainty
comes to us from these words of Swami
Vivekananda, Each soul is potentially
divine. Goal of life is to manifest the divini-
ty within.
Ashok Vyas is a poet and Hindu priest,
Program Director, ITV and Founder, Insight
for Creativity.
Thousands are queuing up to get their children admitted to
English medium schools and English teaching shops are
mushrooming across the country.
New Delhi: More than 180,000 abortions
took place in the Indian capital in the last five
years, according to information provided to
an RTI activist.
The maximum number of cases came to
light from west Delhi followed by south
Delhi.
The Delhi government provided the statis-
tics in response to a query from Right to
Information (RTI) applicant Mannish
Bhatnagar.
A total of 180,301 abortions took place in
the city between 2007 and 2011.
Till July this year, 1,628 abortions were
conducted in northwest Delhi. Similar statis-
tics for 2012 for other parts of the capital
were not available.
Bhatnagar sought to know the total number
of abortions in Delhi in order to determine the
number of female feticide cases. He said he
was also looking for the sex of the aborted
fetus.
He said while the government had revealed
the total number of abortions, they provided
no other details.
According to the RTI reply, Delhi's west
district reported the maximum cases of abor-
tions (43,631 cases).
The south district accounted for 37,664
cases. East Delhi came next with 27,257
abortions, followed by north-east district
(21,170). ccording to gynecology expert
Rinku Sengupta Dhar, abortion is legal up to
12 to 20 weeks of pregnancy but with the rec-
ommendation of a doctor.
Dhar, attending consultant at the Sitaram
Bhartiya Institute of Science and Research,
said: "Up to 12 to 20 weeks, a woman can
undergo an abortion process only for specific
reasons - like if she has a serious disease and
continuation of pregnancy could endanger her
life, if continuation of pregnancy could lead
to substantial risk to the newborn leading to
serious physical or mental handicaps or if
pregnancy resulting of rape."
"Abortion can be said to be legal if recom-
mended by doctors in a specific situation but
only up to 12 to 20 weeks (after pregnancy).
After 20 weeks, abortion is illegal in India.
Only adults are allowed to go for abortions.
But in some cases like unwanted teenage
pregnancy and rape, abortion of minors can
be done with guardian's permission," she
added.
New Delhi: India will com-
plete two years of polio-free
status in another three months
but there is no slackening of
the relentless vaccination
drive, including at the bor-
ders, experts say.
"India continues to be zero-
polio. This is an unprecedent-
ed progress," Ajay Khera,
deputy commissioner in the
health and family welfare
ministry, said.
India has not reported any
polio case since Jan 13, 2011
when an 18-month old girl
was declared a victim in West
Bengal's Howrah district.
The WHO in February
removed India from the list of
polio-endemic countries. But
to be declared polio free by
WHO, India will have to
remain free of the virus for
two more years.
India saw the fear of polio
virus returning when a sus-
pected case was detected at
Darbhanga in Bihar Oct 11.
But within hours, the WHO
said the test was negative.
According to Khera, "the
risk of polio persists as long
as poliovirus transmission
continues anywhere in the
world." Two of India's neigh-
bors, Pakistan and
Afghanistan, are polio
endemic. So is Nigeria.
Khera said the polio eradi-
cation program has stepped
up measures to ensure that all
children under the age of five
years are protected against
polio, "while at the same time
mitigate risks of polio impor-
tation".
During each of the two
yearly national immunization
days, 172 million children
under five years in the coun-
try are given the "do boond
zindagi ki (two drops of life)"
Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).
Nearly 2.3 million vaccina-
tors under the direction of
155,000 supervisors fan out
across the country, visiting
209 million homes to admin-
ister the vaccine.
To prevent the import of the
virus, polio immunization is
being carried out at five bor-
der points along the Pakistan
border - Baramulla and
Poonch in Jammu and
Kashmir, Attari and Wagah in
Punjab and Munabo in
Rajasthan, said Khera.
Besides the two national
days, six subnational supple-
mentary polio immunisation
rounds are carried out in high
risk states - especially Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh - and other
areas. India saw 42 cases of
polio in 2010, a sharp drop
compared to 2009 (741
cases). In 1991 there were
6,028 cases and in 1985 India
recorded 150,000 cases.
Tireless vaccination on to keep
India polio free
Mumbai: Under fire from various quarters
after legendary film-maker Yash Chopra died
from dengue, the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) will approach all private
studios for entry to fumigate the premises
against mosquitoes, a civic health official said
Monday.
There are around two dozen big and small
private film studios in Mumbai spread over
huge properties, said an official.
"Despite our best efforts, they refused per-
mission in the past to our teams to carry out
fumigation in their studios, ostensibly since
they wanted to avoid the smell and distur-
bances in shooting schedules," the official
said. However, after Chopra's death, the BMC
will send notices to all private studios seeking
entry into the premises for fumigation.
"We hope to complete the fumigation of all
the studios within a week or so and expect the
co-operation of the studio owners/manage-
ments," the official said.
During the current mosquito breeding sea-
son which starts during monsoon, Mumbai
has seen four deaths, including of Yash
Chopra, due to dengue, which is spread by
mosquitoes.
Besides, 157 dengue patients are currently
undergoing treatment at various government
and private hospitals across the city.
The health official said that last year, to
arrest dengue cases and minimize mosquito
hazards, the BMC had taken special permis-
sion to enter and fumigate all the private mill
lands and all the railway yards in Mumbai
where mosquitoes breed unhindered.
London: Widowers are more likely to die
shortly after losing their spouse than vice
versa, a study suggests.
Researchers found that grieving husbands
were 30 percent more likely to die after being
recently bereaved, compared with their normal
risk of mortality, the Daily Mail reported
Tuesday. Women, however, did not have any
increased risk of dying - perhaps due to their
being more independent and prepared,
researchers from the Rochester Institute of
Technology in America suggested.
Javier Espinosa, who led the study, said:
"When a wife dies, men are often unprepared.
"They have often lost their caregiver, some-
one who cares for them physically and emo-
tionally, and the loss directly impacts the hus-
band's health. "This same mechanism is likely
weaker for most women when a husband dies."
Yash Chopras dengue death spurs BMC to
fumigate all film studios
Grieving husbands likely to die early: Study
180,000 abortions in Delhi in five years
A Marie Stopes Clinic offers safe
abortions. The RTI query that elicited
the statistic was aimed at determining
the number of female feticide cases
given bias in favor of boys in parts
of north India.
Widowers are 30 percent more likely
to die after being recently bereaved.
Women, however, did not have any
increased risk of dying - perhaps due
to their being more independent and
prepared.
Hyderabad: Eight countries, including the
US and Britain, will take part in the Indian
medical tourism conference here next month.
Indian Medical Tourism Conference and
Alliance 2012 (IMTCA 2012), an interna-
tional conference dedicated to promoting
medical tourism in India, will be held Nov 2-
3.
i-Transition Worldwide (I) Pvt. Limited and
ONE HealthCare Worldwide, US are organiz-
ing the conference, which will see countries
like US, Britain, France, Turkey, Thailand,
Philippines, Dubai and Fiji participating.
Varsha Lafargue, founder and chairperson,
IMTCA and i-Transition Worldwide said the
conference would have sessions on global
healthcare and the focus would be on posi-
tioning Hyderabad as medical tourism hub in
India.
"This conference aims to provide a com-
mon platform to all the healthcare - tourism
industry professionals to exchange and know
the best practices from across the world and
position Indian healthcare to raise its stan-
dard to command a larger revenue share of
this multi-billion dollar industry," she said.
Brent McCallum, assistant professor,
Zayed University, David G. Vequist, founder
and director, Centre for Medical Tourism
Research, Michael Guiry, a senior fellow at
the centre, and Guru N. Reddy, founder and
chairman of Continental Hospitals will be
among the speakers at the conference, which
is being supported by Andhra Pradesh
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(FAPCCI).
Hyderabad to host conference on medical tourism
26 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info HEALTH
The WHO in February removed India from the list of
polio-endemic countries. But to be declared polio free
by WHO, India will have to remain free of the virus
for two more years.
October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
D
ID YOU SEE that news story about a
swarm of bees which declared war on
an airport? They buzzzzzed into the
cargo hold of a passenger flight in Kolkata
and had to be chased out. Less than an hour
later, they were back, this time nesting on a
cockpit window, the Time of India reported.
The pilot slammed his foot on the accelerator
(or whatever the pilot equivalent is) to shake
them off. I wonder what he told passengers?
"This is your captain speaking: I've put the
seatbelt sign on as I'm going to try something
I've never done before."
The third attack was the most worrying: the
bees swarmed up the steps to the front passen-
ger entry door, presumably heading for
Beesiness Class (sorry, couldn't resist). The air
crew slammed it shut and asked all passengers
to board speedily through the rear doors, the
press reported. It seems obvious to me that
this group of bees desperately wants a long
haul flight. Surely airport officials could just
issue them some sort of group e-ticket and let
them go? When something similar happened
in the US a few years ago, environmentalists
pointed out that honeybees were protected by
law. As a result, airport staff had to gently try
to persuade the bees to leave the aircraft with
soft brushes and soothing words. ("I'm afraid I
must ask you to vacate that seat, Mr Bee, as
you don't have the correct travel documents.")
-x-x-x-x-
A RECENT headline on the Fox News web-
site caught my eye: "Industrial Scale Drug
Lab Discovered". Look, I REALLY think we
should stop discussing Lance Armstrong's
breakfast choices now.
-x-x-x-x-
KEEP AWAY. I have a planet-sized deadly
weapon with me. This is technically true. "A
man who slammed another into the ground
was recently found guilty of 'assault with a
deadly weapon'," I heard from Selly Taw, a
reader studying law. "The effect is that the
ground in the US is now legally defined as a
lethal weapon."
This is a bad precedent. Public security bureaus
in Asia could use this to lock any of us up. "We
found the accused in possession of a deadly
weapon. He had secreted it under his feet."
-x-x-x-x-
DID YOU read about those United Arab
Emirates guys arrested at the airport in Delhi
with lorises (rare mammals) hidden in their
underpants? I hate to think how airport offi-
cials will revise the airport security questions.
a) "Can you confirm that all items of mam-
malian organic matter in your underpants are
integral parts of your body?" b) "Could any-
one have inserted mammals into your under-
pants without your knowledge?"
-x-x-x-x-
A MAN WAS arrested in Thailand the other
day when the authorities discovered that he
was keeping six tigers as pets. I bet that guy
had ZERO disputes with his neighbours.
TIGER OWNER: "Is my 200 decibel stereo
too loud?" NEIGHBOR: "No, no, just fine, ha
ha ha."
-x-x-x-x-
WHEN SCRUBBING GREASE off your
kitchen walls, always take care to avoid dam-
aging any ancient Mayan art that might be
under it.
That's a top tip we learned from a recent
National Geographic report about a family in
Guatemala who cleaned their kitchen and
found priceless Mayan frescos on the walls.
This true story was sent in by aggrieved
reader Varsha Puri, who said: "My uncle
spends hours with a metal detector looking for
treasure, so it seems unfair that these guys
find stuff right there in their kitchen."
I agree 100 percent. Life is SO unfair!
After an unpublished manuscript from
author Hans Christian Anderson was found
down the back of a sofa (another true story) I
poked around in mine, to find nothing more
than a fossilized French fry, which one of my
kids tried to eat, arguing that it was "probably
still good". The dog also wanted it, and I hope
won the tug-of-war that followed.
The report about the rediscovered Mayan art
resonated with me, because I am moving
house. We formed a chain to pass cardboard
boxes to the removal guys.
But after 30 boxes, I noticed that the next
batch of cartons had a different removal com-
pany brand name. With horror I realized they
were boxes which had remained unopened
since our previous house move!
Even more eyebrow-raising was the fact that
the remaining boxes bore other company
names: cartons probably unopened from the
move before the move before the move before
the move before the move before the move
before this one.
Why do we stupid modern consumers pay
VAST SUMS to removal companies to lug
unwanted, untouched garbage from place to
place? Wouldn't it be easier to simply stay in
one place and burn our life savings?
Last night I was at the bar talking about
unwanted junk, when the guy next to me told
me about a woman who found her ex-
boyfriend in the attic.
A September 11 UPI report said a North
Carolina woman found a guy she had broken
up with 12 years earlier living in her attic. The
report said: "She does not know how long the
man had been staying there."
Okay, now that made me really nervous
about cleaning out old storerooms.
-x-x-x-x-
PRINCE HARRY has just been sent to the
war in Afghanistan for four months. When my
kids misbehave I send them to their rooms for
20 minutes. I need to ratchet up my punish-
ments. "Hit your sister again and you're on the
FRONT LINES of the Syrian insurgency for
A YEAR."
-x-x-x-x-
TALKING OF parenting, a woman was acci-
dentally shot in the head by her 11-year-old
son, it was reported earlier this month by media
in the US state of Tennessee. She was then
arrested for "child neglect" for letting it hap-
pen! Before I read that I thought I was having a
bad day. Now everything seems just fine.
-x-x-x-x-
NORTH KOREAN leader Kim Jung-un
recently visited a gym, the UK Daily
Telegraph reported. Kim told office workers
to "take exercise and receive medical treat-
ment" so they can "devote themselves to revo-
lutionary work in good health". Why is this
sallow-faced porky kid in a baggy uniform
giving out fitness tips? Who's gonna listen?
Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi
Windows 8, which will power desktops, laptops and handheld tablets,
and Microsoft's new device, called Surface, went on sale Oct. 26 following
a kickoff event in New York on Oct 25th. This is the next version of the
companys operating system and promises to be bigger than Windows 95,
an early and much heralded upgrade unveiled almost two decades ago.
Photo of the week
28 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info HUMOR
The bees were heading for beesiness class
October 27
Ruled by number 9 and the planet Mars, you are ac-
tive, aggressive, dashing and enthusiastic. You
achieve a lot with your impressive personality and
your command over your work, but you loose many
great opportunities due to your erratic and impatient
behaviour. This year you benefit from good fortune
and good health. Improvement in your work envi-
ronment and monetary position seem high on your
cards. Businessmen should see their new plans and
ventures getting implemented. Frequent travel
would be undertaken which would prove highly re-
warding. Stay away from over friendly people. New
job opportunities and promotions for some. The lat-
ter half of the year sees some gains for those who
dabble in speculation. You could click a real estate
deal at a throwaway price so keep a close watch.
October, November, January, March and June will
be highly eventful.
October 28
Ruled by number one and the Sun. You are inde-
pendent, fighter, confident, intelligent and highly
enthusiastic person. Your strong willpower and de-
termination always keeps you ahead of others and
makes you popular in your group, but you need to
check your tendencies to behave extravagant and
reckless at times. This year seems perfect for mak-
ing major changes at you work place. Mental agony
and anxiety due to unfavorable environment at
home likely. Your opinions would be faced with
strong resistance and criticism. Investment in real
estate and stocks would be fruitful in the long run.
Your confidence and morale will be high as you
gain favours from various govt. departments and of-
ficials. New construction or major renovation like-
ly towards the end of the year. Health would be fine
despite a hectic and a stressful year. New romance
for some while traveling. November, January, May
and July will be highly important.
October 29
Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are imagi-
native, warm-hearted, friendly and hard working.
You like to fantasize and set difficult goals for your
self, but you find it hard to achieve them because of
your shy and introvert behavior at times. Your com-
ing year brings about wonderful growth opportuni-
ties for you. Finances improve and some even get
to inherit ancestral property. Long pending legal
disputes will finally be sorted out. Religious cere-
monies and functions would be performed quite fre-
quently. A sudden influence of a person from the
opposite sex will give a new and interesting twist to
your life. Do not share your business secrets to your
colleagues or casual friends. Avoid lending and bor-
rowing money. February, April, July and September
will prove to be highly significant.
October 30
Ruled by number 3, and the planet Jupiter, you are
ambitious, dignified, philosophical, methodical and
systematic. You are independent by nature and
make your own decisions, but you need to check
your tendency towards vanity, ostentation, extrava-
gance and dictatorial nature at times. Your next year
sees you benefit from your past investments. Those
seeking to establish base overseas would enter en-
couraging partnership. Foreign transaction and
travel likely. Unexpected gains and losses foreseen
through speculation therefore invest wisely. Work
pressure would see you behave erratic and highly
unpredictable. Spouse would be caring and provide
you with love and affection. Those who are in artis-
tic fields or advertising and media profession would
see a remarkable growth in their career. Pilgrimage
towards the yearend provides you with comfort and
solace. Take care of your health. November, Janu-
ary, May and August will prove to be very signifi-
cant.
October 31
Influenced by number 4 and the planet Uranus, you
are trustworthy, energetic, systematic, reliable and
studious. In your career, you always hold position
of immense importance and responsibility, but you
need to control your tendency to behave stubborn
and jealous. This year you need to be extra cautious
before venturing into any partnerships or signing
any financial agreements. Benefits in cash and kind
will keep on coming from visiting relatives and
friends. New romance could develop through social
activities. Relationship with your spouse would be
healthy and highly cordial. Some tension and anxi-
ety due to health of your parents May mar the peace
at home. Your brother or sister would be very help-
ful in finishing your pending tasks. Avoid high
calorie and spicy diet and be regular towards your
exercise. November, January, March, May and
June will be significant.
November 01
Governed by number 1, and the Sun, you are as-
sertive, authoritative, dignified, determined and
dashing person. You have lot of in built talents and
you can easily impress others with your dedication
and hard work, but you need to control your ten-
dency to dominate and overspend. Your coming
year sees you gain from the improving economy.
New ventures and plans would improve your finan-
cial status. Your investments will multiply and yield
good profits. Matrimonial alliance for some to-
wards the end of the year, while others would find
romance to keep them going. Children would win
laurels and make you feel proud. Swimmers and
athletes would scale new heights in their profes-
sional career. Pending legal matters would end sat-
isfactorily, giving you mental relief. Chronic pa-
tients would need to take extra care of their health.
Meditation and yoga would help immensely. No-
vember of 2012 and February, March, June and July
of 2013 will prove highly significant.
November 02
Influenced by number 2 and the Moon. You are ac-
tive, smart, energetic, responsible, systematic and a
friendly person. You are never satisfied until you
achieve your dreams. You can really do wonders with
the given opportunities but you need to check your
tendency to behave stubborn and fickle-minded at
times. New sources of income will improve your fi-
nancial position. New contracts will be highly bene-
ficial. Frequent and fruitful journeys will be under-
taken bringing you desired results. A property trans-
action or acquiring a new vehicle during this period
seems likely. Visit to a religious place or blessings
from a spiritual person will be high on your agenda.
Your outgoing nature will work to your advantage as
you gain favors and benefits from important people.
The months of November 2012 and March, April and
October 2013 will bring prosperity.
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874
Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
Stars Foretell: October 27-November 2, 2012 Annual Predictions: For those born in this week
Learn about the fair value of
diamonds & precious stones.
from a Gems Expert
For appointment, please call 516-390-7847
or email consult.gems@gmail.com
A special offer for the readers of
The South Asian Times
Free Consultation
29
Aries: This week your creativity
would flourish and you would be able
to achieve outstanding results. Your ener-
getic approach towards your undertakings
would fetch you lot of appreciation along
with monetary gains. Certain changes made
at the last minutes would bring you results
you want. You will be in the position of
authority and easily surpass rivals that you
might encounter. Travel for some proves
hectic and stressful. Invest wisely, especially
in stocks.
Taurus: This week problem with your
beloved might arise if you give undue
importance to someone else. Try to do things
that will win back the confidence of your part-
ner. Financial gains will also not be as expect-
ed and minor health problems could also upset
your productivity. Good week to embark on a
pilgrimage or participate in social work. You
should attend a literary program, which will
bring new ideas to your mind.
Gemini: Your attitude and opinions
would not go over too well with those
you live with. Try to work on things that
would please the whole family. Good period
for businessmen, as you can count on getting
assistance from those in high positions.
Expenditure rises but fresh inflow of funds
will make you smile. For those, traveling; it
would be a highly pleasurable and educating
experience. No matter how generous you
might feel, avoid overspending on others.
Cancer: Problems would mount if
you do not take care of people at
home. You could face lots of embarrassment
if you promise more than what you can
deliver, therefore be extra careful of what
you say. You would receive an important
information from distant place, which would
bring happiness for you and the entire fami-
ly. Relaxation would be important in-
between work.
Leo: This week you should get into
activities that would bring you in con-
tact with new friends. Planned investment
would bring good rewards. Pressure at work
and home could make you short tempered,
but hard work and sincere efforts would
bring results and rewards that you desire.
New friends will benefit you greatly. Guests
might crowd the house.
Virgo: Get into new moneymaking
ventures, but do not gamble with
money that does not belong to you. Visiting
a place of worship would bring mental
peace. Good week for artistic and education-
al pursuits. Relationship with important peo-
ple will improve. You are likely to benefit
from past investments. Watch your words
and hasty decisions, as it would only bring
losses.
Libra: New love could develop
through functions you attend.
Business wise it would not be a very good
week, as results would fall short of your
expectations. For those employed, it would
be a hectic and stressful week. Double-check
your work before presenting it to your sen-
iors, as you could easily be a victim of your
boss's erratic behaviour. Household expenses
would rise.
Scorpio: This week information that
you receive from distant place would
bring you immense happiness. Bold steps
and decisions would put you in a better posi-
tion in your organization. Real estate invest-
ment should be worthwhile, but lay your
money on the table only after consulting the
experts. Happiness and excitement would
prevail at home.
Sagittarius: Your intelligence and
quick wit would win you favours. It is
time to work on projects and jobs that you
need to complete. Someone close might be
erratic in its behaviour, which could create
tension on your mind. Family members will
be helpful and do things to keep you happy.
You should spend the weekend in the com-
pany of close friends.
Capricorn: Present your ideas at
work to show your seriousness and
prove your capabilities. You should do things
that would add to your popularity. You also
need to take care of your health. Period when
everything you hear should not be believed.
Find the truth for yourself before reaching to
any conclusions. Overseas news or offers for
some cannot be ruled out.
Aquarius: Your skills and technical
knowledge would be appreciated by
others. You would also easily dominate the
opinions of people around you, if you turn
on your charms and use your intelligence.
Health of your spouse may cause worry and
need some medical attention. Travel would
be pleasurable and highly beneficial. New
romance for some, so make the best of it.
Pisces: Relatives and children would
cost you dearly if you give in to their
demands. You would also make new plans,
but they would not be easy to implement,
especially if you think to complete them
alone. Tact would be required to convince
your group to follow your directions. Secret
affairs will be exciting, but could severely
damage your reputation.
i) Accurate Data: Please make sure Date,
Time and Place of birth is accurate.
ii) Careful: Did you check background of the
astrologer before disclosing your secrets.
iii) Fee: Discuss the charges before, dont feel
shy. Its his business.
iv) Expectation: Expect the best, if the out-
come is not as desired, never give up.
v) Consult: Take second opinion before
spending thousands on cure/remedies.
Before you consult...
October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY
S
witzerland is known all
over the world for the
beautiful Alps. The pictur-
esque mountains are world
famous with their majesty, their
snow-capped peaks, and their
lovely valleys. When people
around the world think of the
Swiss Alps a special music
known as yodeling comes to
mind. The yodel is considered a
form of communication to others
when we are lost in the moun-
tains. The sound bounces off the
face of the mountain so that there
is an echo. Even if our voice is
soft, the echo makes the sound
louder so that others far away can
hear us.
The yodel can be used in two
ways. The first use of yodeling is
when we think we are alone. We
yodel and our own voice echoes
back to us. For those who love to
hear their own voice, this method
lets us listen to the sound of our
voice echoing back to us. The
second use of yodeling is for
communication between two
people. We want to let someone
else know where we are. Then,
they respond to us with a yodel
and we know we are not alone.
We can then dialogue with the
other person through our yodels.
The act of yodeling serves as a
good example of our communica-
tion with God. We are lost in this
world. When we are lost, we
want help. What do we do? We
call out for help. Most call out to
God when we need help. The cry
that comes from our heart when
we realize we are lost can be
heard by God. It is like the yodel
of distress we send out when we
are lost on a mountaintop. The
lost yodeler is hoping to hear a
response that does not sound like
his or her own voice bouncing
back. The lost person feels
relieved when the yodel comes
back from a second party.
Similarly, when we truly cry out
for God, God responds. We yodel
for help, and God sends a Sound
back to us to help us out of
despair.
When we are lost and cry out to
God, God puts us in touch with
the divine Sound that can carry us
back to safety. That divine Sound
is the current of the Light and
Sound of God reverberating
through all creation. The Sound
emanates from God. We can hear
that Sound within when we sit in
meditation. When we are
absorbed in that divine Music,
our soul transcends physical
body-consciousness and returns
to God. Then, we are safe and
secure in Gods loving embrace.
Unfortunately, many people do
not yodel to God. Instead they
only want to hear their own
voice. They yodel to themselves.
Thus, the sound that bounces
back to them is their own voice.
This describes what we do when
we do not turn to God. Instead,
we are focused on our own
selves, our body, our mind, and
the world around us. We are more
attuned to our own mind and ego.
Thus, instead of hearing Gods
divine yodel, we only hear the
sounds of our own voice, which
are the thoughts of our mind.
This also describes what we do
in meditation. To find God, we
need to be open to hear God
yodeling to us. God is calling to
us at every moment. We are deaf
because we are busy listening to
our own yodels in meditation.
When we spend meditation time
thinking about our problems,
other people, the past, and the
future, we are listening to our
own yodeling. How can we hear
God if we are busy listening to
our own mind? We need to quiet
our mind so we can hear the
beautiful sound of God calling to
us.
The mystic path is one that
leads to the bliss of union of the
soul with its Beloved, God.
It is a journey in which the soul
is extricated from its entrapment
in the physical realm, with a
physical body and physical mind.
It is not easy to escape their
clutches. Freedom from enslave-
ment in the physical realm rests
on identifying with our spiritual
nature as soul.
The soul has great trials and
tribulations in its quest for free-
dom. The pulls of this physical
world try to keep the soul tied to
its physical body. Any attempt to
escape this bondage is met with
pressure from others to stay
trapped with them. The one who
has captured us all here, the
Universal Mind, does not want
anyone to escape the physical
realm. Thus, pressure is applied
to keep souls bound. Included in
this pressure is peer pressure
which tells the soul, who wants to
be freed from this world, that it is
not normal to want to escape.
They tell the soul that it is crazy
and mad. The Mind wants to use
any means possible to distract the
soul from finding liberation from
its clutches. It uses other people
to convince the soul that there is
something wrong with the spiri-
tual path and something wrong
with them for wanting to find
God.
While all religions speak of
God, pray to God, and have rites
and rituals to worship God, few
actually give their congregations
a way to find God. Rather than
promote the esoteric side of reli-
gion which contains the instruc-
tions to identify with the soul and
gain union with God, religions
promote the outer or exoteric side
of religion. This involves func-
tionalities that include the physi-
cal body. Going on pilgrimages
involves walking. Lighting can-
dles involves moving the hands.
Singing or playing instruments
involves our vocal chords and
bodies. Saying prayers involves
moving our lips and tongue. In
this way, the Universal Mind uses
religion to keep us engaged in the
outer world by use of our physi-
cal faculties. For the soul to be
freed, the mind and body need to
be stilled. Thus, the side of reli-
gion that involves stillness is sup-
pressed. To find the mystical side
of religion, we need to dig deep
and go back to the actual teach-
ings of the saints and founders.
When we go back to the source
from where each religion began,
we find a teacher, mystic, or saint
who was teaching the very basics
of the inner side of religionsit
in stillness and silence and find
God within.
Masters and saints come in
every age to awaken us to the
true purpose for which religions
came into beingto sit in still-
ness and find our soul and God
within. They teach the practice of
meditation by which we can shift
our attention from the outer phys-
ical world and become conscious
of the spiritual realms within.
This consciousness ultimately
leads to rising above physical
body-consciousness and soaring
through spiritual realms beyond
until reuniting our soul with God.
Then, we can hear the divine
Music of God instead of the
yodeling of this world.
As this spiritual consciousness
awakens, the soul is drawn more
and more within. It is no longer
satisfied with the enjoyments and
pleasures of the outer world. The
soul finds happiness only in com-
munion with the spirit. There are
only a few aspects of life that
contain spirit and thus provide
enjoyment for the soul. The soul
finds its happiness in the compa-
ny of a saint or Master who is
radiating the love of God. It also
finds joy in contacting the inner
Light and Sound within through
meditation because they are two
primal manifestations of God into
expression. The soul also experi-
ences a thrill when it transcends
physical body-consciousness to
soar into spiritual realms within.
When the soul attains the ulti-
mate consummation of reuniting
with God it attains eternal bliss.
When people first come on a
spiritual path they are excited and
joyous to connect with the spirit
through the Master and the medi-
tation on the Light and Sound.
They find more and more enjoy-
ment in the company of the
Master and in meditation. As
time goes on, though, the disciple
finds life to be extremely chal-
lenging. The disciple is now liv-
ing in two different worlds. The
yodels of the Master, and the
beauteous inner Lights, vistas,
and Music into which one
becomes absorbed in meditation,
call to the soul. But the soul is in
a dilemma. It wants to meditate
all the time. It wants to be in the
presence of the Master all the
time because it is so enchanting,
but it is bound by its duty in the
world. The soul is still tied to the
physical body which has its
responsibilities and roles to play
in the physical world.
The difficulty the soul has is
that it has internally cut its inter-
est and connections to the world.
It has tasted its true nature in the
ethereal realms of God. It has
tasted of an ecstasy inconceivable
in this world. When it is in con-
tact with the spiritual Master who
is the embodiment of the divine
and loving power of God, either
within or without, it is at home in
bliss. It is fulfilled and satisfied.
It wants to be in that state all the
time. But it is still bound to the
body, and that body has a role to
play in this world.
If we are in the body of a child,
we are bound to do what our par-
ents and teachers want. We have
to get up, go to school, and study.
At home we have to eat our broc-
coli and other vegetables and do
our chores and our homework. If
we are a spiritual child who came
in touch with God and our soul,
this world seems heavy and cum-
bersome.
If we are in the body of a
teenager, we are bound to go to
school and are pressured by our
friends to do what they do. We
may want to go off and meditate
or be in the company of a saint,
but our friends consider us crazy.
Their life is even crazier with
their fascination with experi-
menting with drugs and alcohol
which make us less conscious,
but they want us to be like them.
They do not want us using our
own natural method of medita-
tion to get intoxicatedthey
want us to use the unnatural and
dangerous means that they use.
They pressure us to engage in
worldly pleasures and if we do
not comply, we become the
laughingstock of our neighbor-
hood and school. People make
fun of us and call us names. We
feel torn between finding joy in
our spiritual life and being
accepted by others who have no
spiritual interests. The soul is tor-
mented by the world around it
and knows not what to do.
(To be continued...)
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
is an internationally recognized
spiritual leader and Master of
Jyoti Meditation who affirms the
transcendent oneness at the heart
of all religions and mystic tradi-
tions, emphasizing ethical living
and meditation as building blocks
for achieving inner and outer
peace. www.sos.org.
Yodelling for God
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
When we are lost and cry
out to God, God puts us in
touch with the divine Sound
that can carry us back to
safety. That divine Sound is
the current of the Light and
Sound of God reverberating
through all creation. The
Sound emanates from God.
We can hear that Sound
wi thi n when we si t i n
meditation.
30 October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPIRITUAL AWARENESS



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SOS Childrens Villages is the worlds largest charity dedicated
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Present in 133 countries, SOS has 540 childrens villages.
There are over 40 SOS Childrens villages in India, spanned
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period. For kids in this situation, it really is a miracle to be able to
get help from us, and from you. Thats weve made this campaign:
Give a Miracle. Give a Diwali Kit.
To create a miracle this diwali visit
www.SOS-INDIA.org/Diwali
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October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
October 27-November 2, 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info