indian weekender 15 may 2015

The Pulse of Kiwi-Indians Auckland • Christchurch • Wellington • Hamilton • Palmerston North • Hastings • Invercargill

15 May, 2015 Vol. 7 Issue 8 | www.iwk.co.nz

New Zealand’s first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper

20152015

KIWI INDIANYOUNG ACHIEVER

2015KIWI INDIAN

UNSUNG HERO20152015

Heartspeakwith

Paula Bennett

LIVINGTHE KIWIDREAM

15 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

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IWK comes Full cIrcle¡¡ Maya ShivaM

S ix years ago at the Holi celebrations in Waitakere, Minister Paula Bennett

flagged off the phenomenal journey of the Indian Weekender. As we move towards celebrating the completion of our six years, it was only natural that we receive a visit from the minister herself to congratulate us on the journey and reconfirm her support to the Indian community via the Indian Weekender.

In a candid interview during her visit the minister shared her own personal story of her journey and struggles and stated how she admired the journey of migrants. She stated that she had immense respect for all migrants and in particular the people from India who move to a completely new country and start their life over again right from scratch. She spoke of the achievements of the community as a whole and its ability to look after and rally

around its own people. She spoke of how she held these cultural exchanges very close to her heart.

The minister commended the work that Indian Weekender was doing in continuing to be the pulse

of the Kiwi Indian community and bringing the good news stories of the community to not just the entire Indian community but to also the larger community. She congratulated the team, for

the job that they were doing in growing the Indian Weekender from strength to strength.

Speaking about the role and strength of the Indian women, the minister expressed her admiration and fondness for our very own Indian MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar. She spoke about the need of more “women power” in parliament.

For us at the Indian Weekender, it was a complete honour to be able to host the

minister and an inspiration to continue to do our best. It was almost as she had flagged us off six years ago, she was there to flag us off as we establish ourselves as the only weekly publication for the Indian community.

Speaking about the role and strength of the Indian women, the minister expressed her admiration and fondness for our very own Indian MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar. She spoke about the need of more “women power” in parliament.

Paula Bennett is the first ever MP for Upper Harbour, a

brand new electorate covering parts of West Auckland and the North Shore.

She is also a senior Minister in John Key’s National-led Government, being number 5 in the Cabinet which comes with considerable responsibility.

In spite of being quite busy in her roles as the Minister for Local Government, Social Housing, State Services, and Associate Minister of Tourism and Finance, she seems committed to working hard for Upper Harbour and advocating for her constituents and their concerns in Parliament.


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Continued from Pg 3

Suitable match for Delhi based bank officer Sikh Khattri boy 27 / 5'11" Father

Retd Professor owns residence at Ludhiana, 3 elder sisters happily married.

Contact Mobile 0278121420

Dreams Do come trueIn the true Indian Weekender spirit we wrap up our three part story with inspiring stories of migrants who are actually living their Kiwi dream¡¡ Maya ShivaM

This week we draw our three part series to a close. Our story began

with the state of students who come to New Zealand with dreams in their eyes. In the journey of speaking to them we heard many heart wrenching stories, of the conditions that these young people live in. We heard stories of the gap between their expectations and the reality as it meets them when they arrive here, stories of families back home and the financial struggles. However, amidst all this, we also heard from those group of students who are actually living the dreams they came here with, we heard stories of those who are continuing unabated by the challenges that life is throwing at them. We met groups of students who did not feel to smile through their triumphs and stayed focused on the brighter and more positive things around them.

As our journey continued we looked at migrant workers and the challenges that they face, working in a new country away from their own. We spoke of rogue employers who exploit the vulnerability of these new migrants. We also examined the reasons that contribute to their situation and what the Government seems to be doing in the area.

There are always two sides to a coin and we at Indian Weekender believe in bringing authentic stories and both sides of the picture to our readers. We

thus also spoke to the employers and the challenges they face in employing students and migrant workers.

We would be failing our reputation of being the most positive publication if we left you feeling that the whole journey of making New Zealand your new home was not at all worth it. If our journey thus far left you feeling like it was all “doom and gloom”, then you must read on.

As we wrap up our story this week we bring you numerous success stories of people who moved to New Zealand some as students, some as migrant workers, all facing some of the same challenges that we have spoken of, over the last two weeks and have emerged on top. These are people who have persisted and triumphed. People who have made it and they all have a common message to all “If we

could do it – so can you!” It’s a message to never give up hope, to continue in the direction of your dreams. This week, it is our utmost pleasure in bringing you the stories of these heroes who did not give up. We realize that there are n u m e r o u s other stories waiting to be told and therefore we are committed to bringing them to you in our regular column called Migrant Tales as often as we

can.It’s not for nothing that today

we Indians make up over 5%

of the New Zealand population and contributing to 8% of the country’s economy. It’s our hard work and persistence that makes us the achievers that we are.

Read on for these inspiring success stories -

As we wrap up our story this week we bring you numerous success stories of people who moved to New Zealand some as students, some as migrant workers, all facing some of the same challenges that we have spoken of, over the last two weeks and have emerged on top...


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Continued on Pg 6

Pawan Aacharya, Millennium Hotel & Resorts

I came to New Zealand in 2012 to study Business Management,

level in Newton College of Business and Technology. Since I was

inexperienced and wanted to work in the service sector so I trained

myself for interviews, met people and tried hard to improve my

skills. What I learnt from here was very much helpful for me and

I improved a lot on my skills, groomed myself and stayed positive

every time. Currently I am working as a Front office Duty Manager

at Millennium Hotel & Resorts Group on Queen Street for the last 9

months and I love my job.

Suresh Sukumarbabu & Elakkiya Prabhakaran

A newly wedded couple, 10 days after our wedding we came to NZ

for studies. Our friends and family thought it would be kind of a long

honeymoon for us. Well, we thought the same too. But on the night

we landed, we were sitting in a hospital waiting for 3 hours for a doc

to treat my husband. My husband got a job as a security guard, his

rosters were mostly in the strange hours… and after sometime he

didn’t even have time to complete his assignment, his grades went

down. Time to quit job!!! Luckily, I got a job in the college library at

that time. Completed our studies and got our work visas. We have

applied for our PR and should be getting that soon.

Annie Abraham-Shakoor, Teacher at Rutherford CollegeI came to New Zealand in 2001 with prior residency permit from India with my husband and my son. Things were not very difficult that time, I was new to this place so I tried to learn as much about this country, people and culture possible. I tried to do a lot of volunteering work here and somewhere that worked really well for me. I got contacts at the place where I volunteering that led to one and then another. I did refresher course for teaching as a part of my learning and later during my placement I was asked which institution to work for and I chose Rutherford College in Waitakere City. I started as a part time faculty which eventually became a full time position. What I would advise new people who come here is to mingle with kiwi community, keep moving forward and have a positive attitude with openness to change and opportunities.

“Work on your communication skills and stay positive...”


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Afaque Kamran: Assistant Store Manager at Kathmandu

I landed in Hamilton in 2011 for Business Studies at Wintec. It was difficult to find a good job here so I started going to places and offered to work for experience

initially. That worked and I got really good experience from Hospice as a volunteer. I then had to earn so whatever job came to me I started doing it without

hesitation. I worked for a cleaning company and then completed by studies and looked for jobs in my field of studies. I got hired at Omnitech Mobile Store as

a Sales Assistant and then became the manager within a year of hard work. I then worked for Trust Power selling power schemes to houses for 5 months that

gave me immense exposure to speak to more people and improved my communications. I got an offer from Kathmandu after sometime for an interview and I

cleared it, so I given the role of assistant store manager in Hamilton branch. From Kathmandu I learnt a lot also faced hurdles initially but things worked out with time. All these times when I had job and when I left to join another there

would be times which would test my patience and question my abilities but my family stayed in close touch with me and supported me when I had a low time.

Himanshu Khera, Managing Fast Food Restaurants in Hamilton

I came to NZ in 2003 Studied Post Grad in Marketing and International Management from Waikato University. Along with my studies I used to work as crew

at Caltex petrol station. After studies I got job at Maketu Pies where I used to help in kitchen, production, sales and delivery. It wasn’t a proper sales or skilled

job which I studied in university so my residency got declined twice.At that time I had given up and had almost planned to go back to Fiji, but at that time my manager Andrew helped me and used to get me daily newspaper to

apply for job in Hamilton. So one fine day I received phone call from Shell petrol station franchise owner, and he offered me job as site manager in Hamilton.

Then again I applied for my residency and this time by the grace of God it got approved. Currently I am managing two Wendy’s hamburger stores in Hamilton.

My wife works as system analyst with Genesis Energy. We have a little girl who will be turning 3 in July this year.For students I will advise not to go after money or residency. Just finish your studies and then everything will be on its way. Don’t do silly under the table job

and waste their time which affects your studies. There are plenty of jobs available. Don’t be negative and think that they can’t get the job or it is hard to get job

in NZ.

Ruchi Makol & Varun Makol, Owners of Stop n Shop Stores in AucklandMy wife came to Auckland in 2008 during Global recession for Masters in Accounting, level 9 from Auckland University. It was tough to get a job here initially; my wife worked in a Fruit n Vegge shop for 1 year and after that she got a job in her field of studies; we slept in a small room as PG in bunkers and had to cut many luxuries to save for the future. She started working as an accountant under a tax accounting firm and from there my wife got the residency done. In the mean time I was employed at Skycity and when things seemed a little stable, we planned of starting a business here.Started my 1st variety store in Glen Eden in February 2012 and next year I opened up three more stores in Henderson, on Queen Street and one in Mt. Roskill. Our store is one of kind with more than 15000 items to be sold and we have all been able to do because we were patient and hard working all these years.What you shouldn’t do is do not lose hope and only think about money, make career prospects your priority, be honest and hard working.

Kamal Singh, Store Manager in Kaitaia, Hamilton

I came to New Zealand in 2013 and studied Graduate Diploma in Business Studies, level 7 at Wintec, Hamilton. I’d applied for sales job in retail industry and

fortunately cracked an interview with a furniture store in Hamilton. I got through the interview and started working immediately. I had worked in Dubai as

sales executive selling and leasing service of vehicles to corporate and selling furniture to retail customer here was distinct experience.

The most common challenge International students are facing is the language barrier. Being in retail and talking to customer requires excellent command over

English and ability to provide instant solution to customers, I wanted to overcome my weakness but the question was how? The solution to my problem was

simple. I decided to be with Kiwis, think like Kiwis, eat like Kiwis and talk like Kiwis.

I excelled my career path in the same company and now manage a store in Kaitaia which is the top performing store.

I would advise students to create a specific resume, walk in and drop your resume’s to work place that interest you (Remember, employers are looking for

energetic & active staff & not lazy ones). Also stay with locals, get to know them, become a part of their society and communicate with your friends in English.

Do not misuse the freedom when you come here. Many students gets caught up with problems with drugs, police and are sent back home without completing

their course.

Sandeep Batra, Franchise owner of 2 Fast Food Restaurants in AucklandI came here as an IT student of level 7 in 2008 and since it was recession in NZ, I could not get a job for almost 5 long months. I was here with my wife and sister-in-law and with no jobs in hand it was very tough to manage expenses. After 5 months I got the job of delivery man at a restaurant. In 10 months I was promoted to be the shift manager and after 18 months I applied for my residency in New Zealand. Since I studied IT and I did not have an IT related job in hand, my PR was declined and to manage my expenses I started working at different places. I started again with Telecom (now Spark) for 6 months and moved to Vodafone eventually and I still kept working with the restaurant as a part time employee. That time minimum wage was also less, I guess around $11 to $12.50. What worked for me eventually was my determination and hard work. For the first 5 years I did not take a single day leave, I worked all 7 days for 5 years else I wouldn’t have reached where I am today. Currently, my wife works as an accounts manager at ASB Bank and we are stable here. There are things that needs to be changed about the students’ attitude they come here with, and that is one reason why most employers and by that I mean even Kiwi employers do not want to hire Indian students. The attitude of quick money and less work, lavish lifestyle at the cost of quality life are one of the reasons for students’ poor condition here. My only advice to students would be to improve their communication skills and have a positive attitude.

Nitesh Kumar, Courier Post Contractor- HamiltonI came to New Zealand from Fiji 11 years back and worked under a firm owned by a Kiwi and an Indian partner at around $8.50 cents per hour. I was working fine and got my work permits but my employers did not pay my taxes properly, so at one point I was served a deportation notice by the immigration and lost my job as well because of that scenario. It was tough for me because I had lost everything all of a sudden, though I had a good financial background in Fiji. I had to start from ground zero once again and today I am an established contractor of Courier Post under NZ Post Services. In the last 6 months I have changed 20 employees in my courier business and all of them from India either on student visa or on open job search visa. I have seen the other side of the students coming from India and looking for work here. My advice for students would be:

} Concentrate on your studies because that is the prime reason you have been given the visa to this country } You are new here so learn about the system, rules and culture of this place and then venture into the market to find jobs } Do not rely on last minute arrangements and keep yourself backed up with enough funds from India } Be loyal to your employers and work hard, make sure you are an asset to the employer and not a liability


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Dairy With Lotto In Central Auckland With AccomodationWeekly Sales $15,500 Approx Asking $139,000 + Stock Ref 44797

Dairy With 3 Bedroom Accomodation In East Auckland Asking $195,000 + Stock Ref 44838

Dairy With Lotto In Central Auckland With 2 Bedrooom Accomodation (Optional) Weekly Income $18,000 Approx Asking $195,000 + Stock Ref 44557 (UNDER CONTRACT)

Dairy With Lotto In North Shore Weekly Sales $20,000 Approx Asking $275,000 + Stock Ref 44519 (UNCONDITIONAL)

5 Days (Mon/Fri) Dairy In North Shore Weekly Sales $9,000 Approx Asking $59,000 + Stock Ref 44789 (SOLD)

Dairy/Takeaway With 3 Bedroom Accomodation In Pukekohe Weekly Sales $7,000 Approx Asking $85,000 + Stock Ref 44634

Dairy With 2 Bedroom Accomodation In Central Auckland Weekly Sales $6,000 Approx Asking $60,000 + Stock Ref 44844

Dairy In Manukau Weekly Sales $7,000 Approx Asking $45,000 + Stock Ref 44867

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Dairy In Auckland CBD Weekly Sales $10,000 Approx Asking $70,000 + Stock Ref 44796

Dairy With Lotto for Sale in Auckland Weekly Sales $17,500 Approx Asking $260,000 + Stock Ref 44757 (UNDER CONTRACT)

Dairy In Prime Location In Double Grammar School Zone Weekly Sales $7,000 Approx Asking $69,000 + Stock Ref 44668

Four Square In Waikato Asking $560,000 + Stock Ref 44685

Dairy In North Shore with 3 Bedroom Accomodation Weekly Sales $10,000 Approx Asking $150,000 + Stock Ref 44737

Dairy in Mt Roskill Weekly Sales $7,500 Approx Asking $49,000 + Stock Ref 44801

Dairy in Auckland With 3 Bedroom Accomodation Weekly Sales $11,000 Approx Asking $200,000 + Stock Ref 44922 (UNDER CONTRACT)

Dairy With Lotto In central Auckland Weekly Sales $15,500 Approx (incl Lotto Sales) Asking $149,000 + Stock Ref 44951

Dairy in Whanganui,Same Vendor for past 9 years Weekly Sales $12,000 Approx Asking $160,000 + Stock Ref 44929

Licensed Indian Restaurant in Hamilton Weekly Sales $6,000 Ap prox Asking $89,000 + Stock Ref 44736 (SOLD)

Licensed Indian Restaurant In Auckland CBD Weekly Sales $9,000 Approx Asking $169,000 + Stock Ref 44410 (SOLD)

Authentic Food Mini Supermarket in South Auckland Weekly Sales $20,000 Approx Asking $239,000 + Stock Ref 44794 Fruit & Vege In West Auckland Weekly Sales $25,000 Approx Asking $295,000 + Stock Ref 44467

Fruit & Vege In Auckland Weekly Sales $20,000 Approx Asking $150,000 + Stock Ref 44835

Pita Pit Franchise In Auckland CBD Asking $385,000 + Stock Ref 44622

Subway Franchise In Auckland CBD Asking Price $180,000 + Stock Ref 44741 (UNDER CONTRACT)

Fast Food Nandos Franchise for Sale in Auckland Asking $149,000 + Stock Ref 44876

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Franchise 5 Days Cafe In Auckland CBD Weekly Sales $10,500 Approx Asking $159,000 + Stock Ref 44959

Wendy’s Supa Sundeas Franchise Asking $120,000 + Stock Ref 44953

Franchise Cafe In Prime CBD Location Urgent Sale Required Asking $59,000 + Stock Ref 44944

Liquor Shop In Prime Location Weekly Sales $25,000 Approx Asking $399,000 + Stock Ref 44733

400-Year old Quran preserved in Hamilton¡¡ Rizwan MohaMMad

D r. Mustafa Farouk, a renowned meat scientist working

at AgResearch in Hamilton, has preserved Nigerian handwritten Quran manuscripts that date back to more than 400 years.

Quran is the religious book that can be found in almost every Muslim house. In Nigeria, most of the old families had handwritten Qurans, and after they passed away, the book would either be burnt or buried. Old books usually start deteriorating with time and are attacked by paper mites if not preserved well.

Dr Mustafa has 4 old handwritten Qurans, collected on his trips to Nigeria, in his possession, the pages of which have turned yellow and every time opened leaves a residue of paper tatters and turns to dust where placed. He also owns a couple of pens that were used to write those Qurans, sticks of guinea corn plants and a bottle of ink made from a mixture of

charcoal and dyes. Of the four Qurans, one

is between 450 to 500 years old wrapped in an old leather bag, the second is 150 to 200 years old, the third around 70 years old and the fourth barely 50 years old. All are handwritten in ancient Arabic calligraphy.

It is said that these Qurans were written by scholars who memorised the script down to every dot and diacritic. The script was written on both sides of the paper. Scholars jumped to a new page after writing on one side of the paper to let the ink dry before returning to the other side to complete the scripture. The sacred

text was written with utmost precision and accuracy.

Dr Farouk mentions that until a few decades ago, people in Nigeria mostly used handwritten Qurans to read, learn and understand. The calligraphy of the new printed Qurans is a little different from the handwritten ones, and people well-versed with the new versions have difficulty in reading the old ones.

The scientist has been labouring to preserve the books and is looking forward to keep it open for public view. He intends to gift the Qurans to the museum to be built inside the Islamic Centre in Auckland soon.


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30-year-old dairy shop shuts after robbery & assault¡¡ Rizwan MohaMMad

A jit Singh Sagoo, owner of the Ulster Street Dairy Shop, celebrated

the store’s 30th anniversary in January this year, but fate took a drastic turn after a recent robbery prompted the family to shut the dairy and put it up for lease.

In 1985, Ajit Singh Sagoo—one of the first few diary shop owners during the time—started the Ulster Street Dairy in Hamilton. He migrated from England to Hamilton in 1975 with his family and worked as a professor of Physics, Applied Mathematics and Calculus at the Fairfield College. 10 years later, he established the first dairy shop of Hamilton.

On Friday, 11 April, around 7.30 pm, Mr Ajit was at his shop when a masked man stormed into the store, pointed a gun to his head and demanded for money from the counter. After initial resistance, the man assaulted Mr Ajit, who sustained chest and neck injuries and had his jaws dislocated.

“He hurt my neck and when the man pushed me, I hurt the back of my head. His fist punch left a sore on my chest, which is less painful now, and the right side of my face is still a little swollen,” said Mr Ajit.

After pushing Mr Ajit into the shelves behind him, the burglar snatched all the cash from the drawer, broke the glass panes of the store and ran towards the school behind the store. Mr Ajit

ran towards the gate and called the police. As the offender’s face was covered with a balaclava, the police have not been able to identify the man even after extensively going through the CCTV footage from the store. The footage has revealed that a fake gun was used in the burglary .

The cops sealed the shop and an ambulance took Mr Ajit to Waikato Hospital to check for injuries and internal bleeding. Mr Ajit’s son, who is the president of the Motel Association of Waikato, was away for a function that evening.

The news of assault spread quickly to the community and the people living in that area.

“There has been immense support from the community. People have been sending their kind messages and flowers ever since,” added Mr Ajit.

79-year-old Ajit, who hails from Punjab, lives with his three sons and seven grandchildren in the house he built alongside the Ulster Street Motel. The incident has not only cost an estimated $1,000 in cash but also traumatised the whole family to such an extent that they have decided to shut shop.

Mr Ajit is a highly respected individual and well known in the community for his down to earth nature. He is also a Justice of Peace.

“The robbery was a big blow to me and my family since such an incident has never happened in my 30 years of residing in this area. Every time I think about the attack, it brings back the horror from that evening,” said Mr. Ajit.

Interest-free home loans... possible?¡¡ Rizwan MohaMMad

The Muslim community’s belief of not taking and giving interest, as it

creates an imbalance in the society with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, has given rise to a dilemma for Muslims living in New Zealand. Should they compromise on their faith and opt for home loans on interest from national banks or should they not buy a home at all? Sara Jawaad has been living in New Zealand for the past 10 years. A former dental therapist and hygienist by profession in Pukekohe, she is currently teaching alternative education in college and resides in Manukau.

Sara, who has a big family comprising of her husband, two kids, sister and parents, is struggling to find an avenue that will provide her with an interest-free home loan so that she does not have to

compromise on her faith. The only option open to her is if the bank buys the house on, so they own the house and resell it again on profit. In this scenario, the bulk payment is subtracted from the original selling price and the balance can be paid in regular instalments.

This scheme of buying house and using the profit as interest is not prevalent in New Zealand but

is practised in Australia, the US and UK. In her research Sara found that this finance model was practiced in New Zealand by few small firms in 2006 and 2007 but none could survive the global recession.

The couple is looking for a similar alternate medium of getting finance. They have put forth their application in BNZ, ASB and Westpac hoping for an authorisation of the finance model, but they haven’t received a response from any bank yet.

“It has almost been a year since I started applying but whoever I speak to would refer me to the next person.”

They also came across the Amanah Saver Scheme that was recently introduced in New Zealand mostly for the Muslim community.

“In Amanah, the money is invested in halal trade and it grows, so they are considering of providing options to buy houses for Muslims. But they need to grow their business with Kiwi Saver first, so they need

more people to join in Kiwi Saver, invest in their money and that will generate an income that will provide a base to buy houses and sell it to the Muslim community. But that is a long-term proposal and it will need a lot of commitment from the community to change their Kiwi Saver and there is a long wait,” says Sara.

Sara further mentions that she knows many others from her community who have taken house loans on interest because they were left with no choice. She is seeking an option where she doesn’t have to choose between her faith and financial stability.

There are different models that can be applied such as a trust where everyone contributes and a house is purchased. One family occupies the house and their contribution gives them their share of the house. The rest is owned by the remaining members of the trust. The occupant family pays the rent and eventually

when the full value of the property is paid, the ownership is transferred to the occupant and the money collected can be used to fund another house.

“It is like renting your own house for some time until the full value of the house is paid and then the house belongs to you,” says Sara.

“We are using examples from around the world. We have lawyers, accountants and financial advisors and we are trying to formulate something so that families such as mine can afford to buy house in the future with different schemes and not just on loans with interest. The important thing to consider is that the Muslim population is increasing and they will have to own a house eventually, so why not adopt or introduce a method to cater to their needs? After all, they too are paying their taxes in due time and they are as much citizen of this nation as anyone else,” concluded Sara.

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Indian student found dead at mission BayA 22-year-old native of

Karnal, Manjit Singh, was found dead under

suspicious circumstances at Mission Bay, Auckland.

A local woman saw the body at around 6.30am on Wednesday (13 May) while walking her dog.

Manjit was scheduled to get a management degree on June 20 and his parents were planning to visit New Zealand to celebrate the occasion.

However, the family received a telephone call from Auckland in the wee hours of Wednesday that Manjit was found dead with injury marks on his face.

Deceased’s father Jeet Singh and others met the local deputy commissioner to get back the body at the earliest for the last rites.

“My nephew Navneet Singh called me at around 4am today about this tragic incident. Manjit called us yesterday to inform that he was leaving to meet a relative in the vicinity. But he never reached there and his body was found nearly 40km away from his apartment,” said Jeet Singh while suspecting that his son was

killed by someone due to ulterior motive.

“Manjit had been studying at International College of Auckland for the past two years and never faced any problem. Some of our close relatives are settled in Auckland and Manjit never complained of any issue with anyone,” he said.

He said that a woman while strolling on the sea beach spotted the body and informed the police about it.

Following verification of official documents recovered from the body, the Auckland police identified Manjit and informed his local contacts about his death.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s father said that he was told that the police had spotted two suspects on the basis of CCTV footage, who were taking meals separately at the restaurant where Manjit was also seen.

“We have been informed that body may be brought back about after 12 days. But I only want the body flown back at the earliest to enable us perform the last rites,” he said.


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Ph: 09 276 5650 | accountsandtax.co.nz | [email protected]

“It was my wish since my childhood to put a big idol of Lord Shiva in my premises and I have just fulfilled my wish, and the place is open for public to come and pray

Where God livesshiva arrives in auckland to a lord’s welcome¡¡ Rizwan MohaMMad

A 6.4-metre tall marble statue of Lord Shiva imported from China

that was erected in the backyard of Dr Ravin Chandra’s house in Papakura has received a lot of media attention in the past few days after an argument broke out between the owner and his neighbour, on one hand. On the other , people have been travelling from places to view and praise the magnificent work of art.

“It was my childhood wish to put a big idol of Lord Shiva in my premises, and I have just fulfilled my wish. The place is open for public to come and pray,” said Dr Ravin.

Owner of 6 dental centres in Auckland, Dr Ravin ordered the statue from China last year. He had taken all prior permissions from the Auckland council before installing the idol that arrived earlier last month.

Dr Ravin, who is a devotee of Lord Shiva, exclaims, “Why do we always keep idols of Gods trapped inside a temple? Why can’t we see idols placed under open skies? There are so many huge idols of Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram placed in India, Singapore and in many places around the world.”

“It took almost a week to put the 30 tonne idol in the place using cranes,”said Dr Ravin.

More than 200 people from the community showed up at the inauguration ceremony of the deity last week, and more from all communities have been visiting too see the idol.

“We never wanted the media to cover this, but as it is said, by His grace now,the whole of Auckland knows that there is a huge idol of Lord Shiva in an open space and everyone is welcome to come and pray,” concluded Dr Ravin. The news of the idol has reached as far out as the shores of US.

RajanZed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, from Nevada stressed that Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion followers and a rich philosophical thought, deserved the same protections accorded in New Zealand constitution to all the faiths.

Zed noted that if a devout Hindu property owner and his family; who reportedly sought

the required Auckland Council approval and geo-technical inspections before mounting Lord Shiva statue on solid concrete foundation on his Clevedon property backyard; wanted to pray before a Council approved 6.4 meters-high 30-tonne marble statue, it should be perfectly okay.

The idol is placed at Creightons Road, Clevedon in Papakura and we hope that the idol is here to stay.


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10 NEW ZEALAND

Budget 2015: $500m of acc levy cuts signalledBudget 2015 will signal

ACC is on track to provide further levy cuts

of around $375 million in 2016/17 and $120 million in 2017/18, says ACC Minister Nikki Kaye.

“These indicative levy cuts represent a total saving for New Zealanders of around $500 million, and will be spread across the motor vehicle, work and earners accounts,” says Ms Kaye.

The cuts are based on current financial projections and a funding direction which sees each of these accounts heading towards a solvency band of between 100 and 110 per cent.

“The indicative reductions, if confirmed, will take total levy cuts since 2012 to around $2 billion, benefitting businesses, workers and motor vehicle owners alike.

“As an example, this year the average ACC motor vehicle levy, including the annual licence levy and petrol levy, will fall from around $330 to $195 a year,” adds Ms Kaye.

There will also be further significant reductions to work levies, and the earners levy will also come down.

Ms Kaye is also introducing legislation, developed over the past year, to put in place a new ACC levy-setting framework, which will take effect in 2016/17.

“The legislation I’m introducing will bring the levy setting process into line with the kind of accountability and transparency requirements that already apply to the operation of the government’s core budget under the Public Finance Act.

“The new levy setting process will enable people to see the delicate balance between ensuring there’s a sufficient buffer in each account to withstand volatilities, while demonstrating that we’re not over-collecting money that could be in people’s pockets,” says Ms Kaye

The new legislation will also enable the residual levy, which funds ongoing costs of claims lodged before 1999, to be discontinued when these costs have actually been fully funded. Existing legislation requires that the residual levy be collected until 2019.

Immigration changes to support rebuildChanges to immigration

policy announced this week will make it easier to

recruit and retain migrant workers for the Canterbury rebuild.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimates that an additional 5000 construction workers will be needed between December 2014 and the peak of the rebuild in December 2016.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse says that while the government is committed to ensuring kiwis are at the front of the queue for jobs in the rebuild, there is no doubt that migrant workers have, and will continue to play an important role in meeting the demand for labour.

“Supporting the Canterbury rebuild is one of the Government’s four main priorities and we need to remove barriers to employers recruiting migrant workers when New Zealanders are not available to do the work,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“The Government has agreed three immigration policy changes to streamline visa processes and increase labour market flexibility in Canterbury, while reducing

the incidence of exploitation of migrant workers.”

The changes will: } Extend the maximum duration

of Essential Skills visas for lower-skilled occupations from one year to three years for applications received between July 2015 and December 2016.

} Allow holders of Essential Skills visas (issued from 1 July) working in Canterbury to change employers (within the same occupation) without having to go through the process of applying for a Variation of Conditions on their visa.

} Introduce an accreditation scheme for labour hire companies that recruit and

employ migrant workers on Essential Skills visas for work in the construction sector in Canterbury.“Employers who want to retain

good migrant workers for lower-skilled jobs will no longer have to go through the uncertainty of applying annually to renew their visa and migrant workers will have the flexibility to move between jobs more easily.

“These changes will also help reduce occurrences of migrant exploitation by ensuring that labour hire companies seeking accreditation will have to prove they have a demonstrable commitment to training and employing New Zealanders and good workplace practices.”

updated strategy for older people under wayAn updated Health of

Older People Strategy will be completed by the

end of the year, Associate Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.

The updated strategy will take into account changes to the health and disability support service sectors since 2002, the emerging challenges faced by the healthcare system and the development of a new Health Strategy.

“The financial sustainability of our healthcare system is crucial. This is especially significant given our ageing population,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“The number of New Zealanders aged 65 and over has increased from 467,000 in 2002 to 675,000 in 2015. We expect this number will increase to around 900,000 by 2025. We need to

ensure healthcare continues to be effective and affordable for that growing demand.”

A greater focus on new models of care and wellness will ensure the health system can keep up with the changing needs and expectations

of our ageing population. A stronger emphasis on

person-centred care will also empower older New Zealanders to participate in decisions and choices that impact on the care and support they receive.

The new Health of Older People Strategy will be informed by those older people and those who work with them. It will provide a clear direction and priority areas for the sector to focus on and a foundation for high quality and sustainable services into the future.

The current strategy, released in 2002, resulted in a number of improvements in the health of older people. These include ready access to more timely assessments for home support services to help keep older people in their homes for longer, updated standards and consistent auditing.

Flu vaccines top one million dosesFor the fourth year in a row,

more than one million doses of seasonal influenza

vaccine have been distributed.“New Zealanders are protecting

themselves, their families and their communities from influenza,” says Health Minister Jonathan Coleman.

“This year, the influenza immunisation was delayed globally a few weeks so that two new vaccine strains could be incorporated. This will ensure New Zealanders are better protected this winter from the strains of influenza circulating around the world.

“The health sector has met that challenge admirably, with distribution fast catching up to last year’s total.

“DHBs, PHOs, doctors, nurses and pharmacists have worked tirelessly this year, to protect so many New Zealanders against seasonal flu in a tight timeframe.”

Influenza immunisation is free

for New Zealanders at high risk of complications and is accessible through their local general practice and some pharmacies. Many employers also provide free vaccination.

High risk groups include those with long-term health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, kidney disease, cancer, as well as pregnant women and people aged 65 and over.

This year there is a particular focus on ensuring younger people with long term health conditions such as severe asthma or diabetes are protected.


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MAYORALDRIVENews from the Counci l

auckland welcomes changes to earthquake legislation

Auckland Mayor Len Brown has welcomed changes to proposed earthquake legislation.

“The changes to the proposed legislation still save lives, but will reduce the cost that was due to be imposed on Auckland property owners,” he says.

“They also show the minister has listened to the concerns of Auckland Council and other local authorities,” he adds.

“Our team made a well-considered and re-searched submission that emphasised the low risk of earth-quake to Auckland and the benefits of a better targeted ap-proach to earthquake safety, and this ap-pears to have paid off,” he says.

The requirement to upgrade many commercial build-ings and taller residential properties remains.

However, for areas considered low risk such as Auckland, the time period for building assessment has effectively been extended to 15 years and the time allowed for completing the upgrade extended to 35 years. During this period, many of the buildings are likely to be replaced. The changes also bring earthquake strengthening in line with other building standards such as fire safety and accessibility so that buildings subject to substantial renovations will need to be retrofitted to meet the upgraded standards.

Kanwaljit BakshiNational List MP

Budget 2015: $6.5 million boost to reduce re-offending

Rehabilitation support can help steer offenders away from crime and keep our communities safer.

That is why Budget 2015 will provide $6.5 million more operating funding in 2015/16 for new and existing rehabilitation and re-integration initiatives.

The Department of Corrections spends around $192 million a year on rehabilitation and re-integration for offenders, but we want to see more of our short serving and community based offenders engaged in addressing their drivers of crime. National wants to help them turn away from a potential life in prison.

We want more offenders participating in programmes such as Out of Gate, that will make a difference in their lives so they don’t go back to offending.

Out Of Gate is a navigation service for offenders sentenced to two years’ imprisonment or less, or those in custody on remand, to access support in the community to help address their re-integrative needs.

Offenders are helped to access community agencies that provide housing, employment, education and training, skills for life, health and wellbeing services, and whanau and

community support.Results of the Out of Gate service have

shown that for every percentage drop in reoffending, there is a benefit of $5.5 million to the justice sector and wider social sector.

That means the programme has a potential net benefit of up to $44.5 million of future avoided costs. This is of huge value to the Government’s books and the New Zealand economy. We’re also investing more in the Work and Living Skills Road Safety Package, as about 20 per cent of all Police charges relate to traffic and driving offences.

The package provides a range of interventions to reduce low-level repeat driving offences, particularly offences related to drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without a licence.

The money will go towards an education programme, driver licensing activities, and alcohol interlock devices for repeat drink-drive offenders. We’ve already seen a 10 per cent reduction in reoffending since June 2011, meaning 7064 fewer victims of crime.

Investing even more in rehabilitation programmes will help us reach the Government’s Better Public Services target of reducing prisoner reoffending 25 per cent by 2017, meaning 18,500 fewer victims of crime each year, and safer communities for Kiwi families.

We know that one of the reasons New Zealand attracts migrants in because it is a safe and secure place to raise a family. We will continue to make investment in areas where there is room for improvement for all New Zealanders.

auckland council mentoring for food and restaurant businesses

A uckland Council’s Environ-mental Health team is pro-viding mentoring sessions for

food service businesses to prepare them for the new national Food Act.

The Food Act will take a fresh approach to businesses managing food safety themselves.

Restaurant Oporto is an example of a food service business that has already started working with the council.

The Environmental Health team has provided mentoring and training sessions to help Oporto’s nine outlets develop a Food Control Plan tailored to manage food safety risks.

“Working alongside Auckland Council ensures a seamless transition under the new Food Act,” says Oporto Managing Director John Hyde.

“We’re seeing the significant benefits of a more transparent, user-friendly model to manage food safety.”

The Environmental Health team is currently inspecting, grading and registering over 8700 food operators. A three-year transition period once the Food Act comes into effect in March 2016 could see more than 11,000 food operators registering with the council.

Food Control Plan mentoring sessions are available for food operators now.

Visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/food to find out more.

Get involved in Youth Week

Youth Week (23-31 May) celebrates the talents, passions and successes of young people

nationwide.Young people in Auckland are

making positive changes through their involvement in the Youth Advisory Panel (see pages 10-11), local youth boards, local events and other youth-based initiatives.

Auckland Council is proud to support young people making a difference. Visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to find Youth Week events near you.

rates reminder

I f you’re an Auckland rate-payer and you

pay your rates in quarterly install-ments, your next payment for the 2014/2015 rating year is due by 5pm on Wednesday 27

May 2015.Rates pay for services and facilities

that make Auckland a great place to live, such as roads, public transport, libraries, swimming pools, parks and sports fields, and rubbish and recycling collections.

Get your rates by emailDid you know you can receive your

rates notices by email? That’s good news for the environment, plus it saves printing and administration costs. Visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz for details or call 09 301 0101 to sign up.

auckland council agrees on interim levy to fix transport

Auckland Council’s Budget Committee has agreed to introduce an interim transport levy so that work can begin

on fixing Auckland’s transport problems.The committee agreed 15 votes to 7 to the

interim levy of $99 ($114 including GST) a year for non-business ratepayers and $159 ($183 including GST) for business ratepayers for the first three years of the Long-term Plan (LTP) 2015-2025, the council’s next 10-year budget. The interim levy is in response to the majority of Aucklanders opting to pay more for the Auckland Transport Network Plan during public consultation and in an independent survey earlier this year.

“We have responded to the clear message from Aucklanders – start fixing our transport problems – and that is exactly what we can now get on and do,” says Mayor Len Brown.

To fill the $12 billion funding gap for the full Auckland Plan network, Auckland also opted for a motorway user charge. Given that a user charge would require legislation and take a number of years working with government to put in place, the three-year interim levy allows for immediate new investments of $500 million in transport. These new investments will include:

} increases in walking and cycling funding across Auckland of $124 million

} $43 million for North-western busway and an additional 45km of bus lanes

} park and ride extensions at Silverdale, Pukekohe and Papakura

} delivering arterial and local road networks } public transport safety improvements for

rail crossings. } An interim levy was first signalled in the

draft LTP published in December 2014.


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of the glittering history and a shining future

Parliament has recently returned after a three week recess for Easter and then Anzac Day. April still was

a rather busy month for MPs. The commemorations around the 100th

anniversary of Gallipoli were especially moving, with Parliament playing host to the Gurkhas.

We were lucky enough to witness a performance of the Gurkha pipe band both in Parliament and during the Anzac Day

street parade in Wellington. The newly refurbished $120 million

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park was at the centre of these events, with the Prime Minister and Tony Abbott attending a joint service and thousands of people attending the Dawn Service – it was an incredible sight.

I was lucky enough to attend the local Anzac day service at the Mount Roskill War Memorial Hall and it was great to see the local community get out and support these events.

Special mention should go to the local schools for taking part in the Fields of Remembrance. I also attended the Anzac day centennial commemoration service at the Ranfurly Hospital and Veterans home.

Everyone knows the long history the Indian community has had here in New

Zealand, but you may not know that an Indian citizen served under the New Zealand flag during the First World War. His name was Bir Singh and he had arrived in New Zealand along with his brother in the late 1800s, and served as a cook at Trentham Military Camp in the early stages of the War. His story is a fine example of the close connection between India and New Zealand which continues to this day.

The Government has also been busy rolling out some of our major policies announced during last year’s election, namely the HomeStart initiative.

The feedback I have been getting from the public on this policy has been positive. The policy took effect from 1 April this year, and will help tens of thousands more first home buyers and young families into a home of their own over the next five years. This is a

great policy and I encourage everyone who is eligible to take advantage of the scheme.

The month ahead will be very busy with the Government delivering its budget.

Finance Minister Bill English has said the Government’s careful control of its spending will continue, along with a determination to do a better job of providing improved public services, especially to those who most depend on them.

As he said to an audience in Wellington recently you wouldn’t open your presents before Christmas Day so he’s not spilling the beans just yet on what will actually be in the Budget.

I look forward to meeting more of you throughout the next month and chatting about the great things this National-led Government continues to achieve for Mount Roskill families.

NEW ZEALAND

Dr Parmjeet ParmarNational List MP

Phil GoffLabour MP

Barry CoatesGreen Party

rebuilding New Zealand’s relationship with Fiji

N ew Zealanders and Fijians have traditionally got on well and our countries have cooperated

closely. We have welcomed and benefited from people from Fiji coming to New Zealand to make their future here. New Zealanders enjoy holidaying in Fiji. We draw on common traditions of English language, institutions, rugby and cricket.

However, periodically that relationship has been interrupted by military coups and the removal of basic democratic rights and freedoms in Fiji, most recently in 2006.

Last year’s election restored

democracy to Fiji - not perfectly - but enough to say that the new Government is a fair reflection of the will of the Fijian people.

Importantly, the new constitution has also gone a long way towards removing discrimination against Indo-Fijians and recognising that citizenship should be equal regardless of ethnicity.

Without diminishing our commitment to the full observance of the human rights that a democracy requires, it is time for us to strive to put disagreements between governments behind us and to work alongside Fiji to help it build a strong, fair and resilient democracy.

In line with that objective, I am part of an official Parliamentary delegation to Fiji this week along with our Speaker, Clerk of the House and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

We have a busy programme. We will be observing Question Time in Parliament and meeting with Speaker Dr Jiko Luveni whom I met when she recently visited

the New Zealand Parliament. We will be meeting with the Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, the Foreign Minister and other members of Cabinet as well as the Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa and MPs from all parties.

Our discussions will be wide-ranging. There may be some disagreements. But the spirit of the visit will be how New Zealand can make available to Fiji our experiences in shaping a parliamentary system that works and how we can bring our countries closer together.

New Zealand is currently contributing to a United Nations Development Programme called the Fiji Parliament Strengthening Project. \Our Parliamentary officials can help with things like drafting Standing Orders and information about what has worked for us in promoting a parliamentary system where necessary cooperation can occur between competing political parties for the benefit of good governance.

We are also beginning the process

of rebuilding military cooperation and conducting maritime surveillance flights on behalf of Fiji.

An important convention in New Zealand is to have a strong and effective Defence Force, which however does not involve itself in the politics of the nation.

New Zealand is additionally in the process of doubling the value of its development assistance programme to Fiji to $30 million and restoring Fiji’s ability to participate in our Pacific immigration access quota.

Fiji is an important country in the Pacific. It hosts the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. It is our largest trading partner in the Pacific. Its economy has grown solidly and there is more that we can do together.

It makes sense for our countries to cooperate and to build the best relationship we can.

That requires efforts from both sides in order to succeed and I hope that this will be the outcome of our visit.

Winds of change in the Pacific

This is the first of my next three columns outlining changes in New Zealand’s place in the world.

I start close to home – in the Pacific where a significant political realignment is challenging New Zealand’s foreign policy.

There are fierce debates over the future of the Pacific Islands Forum, the pre-eminent inter-governmental body for the Pacific.

New Zealand and Australia are receiving sharp criticism for abandoning the Pacific on climate change, most recently from the Fiji Prime Minister. The criticism is justified.

NZ government policies have allowed greenhouse gas emissions to increase by 42% since 1990, an increase of 20% since 2008 when the National government came into office.

The government has also failed to support the Pacific’s proposals for emissions cuts and support for vulnerable countries to cope with climate impacts in UN climate change negotiations.

A strong global agreement in December this year is crucial to protect the Pacific islands and their communities from dangerous cyclones, sea level rise and other climate impacts.

This is one of the factors that has led to calls for NZ and the Pacific to be removed from the Pacific Islands Forum.

The governments of NZ and Australia have tried to maintain dominant roles in the Pacific, even as the world has fundamentally changed.

Australia’s self-styled ‘deputy sheriff’ role to the US for the Pacific has been mirrored in the revelations of spying

on our Pacific ‘friends’ by the NZ government.

Trust has also been lost in current trade negotiations (PACER Plus) that were meant to be for the benefit of the Pacific, but are now heavily weighted in favour of the rich nations.

This follows harsh treatment of Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu by NZ and Australia in WTO accession negotiations. Inaction on climate change, surveillance and unfair trade negotiations - Pacific nations have reason to question NZ policy towards the Pacific.

The tragedy is that bonds between Pacific and NZ peoples have never been stronger. Aotearoa is enriched by the rich culture, music, dance, traditions and skills that Pasifika people bring to our country, and in turn, kiwis are embraced through sporting and community links, generous humanitarian response to disasters, and migration opportunities, including the Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme for horticulture.

But NZ government policies are getting in the way, and the Pacific has alternatives. The Melanesian countries that account for more than 90% of the Pacific’s population are increasingly following a ‘look North’ policy, building stronger relationships with China, India and other developing countries.

Whether or not NZ and Australia stay in Pacific Islands Forum, politics in the Pacific will never be the same again.

The Green Party values our friendship with the Pacific and has proposals for action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, support the Pacific in dealing with the impacts of climate change, making trade fair and ending spying on our allies. We support the Pacific in determining its own direction for the future, in a relationship founded on mutual respect.

Barry Coates is 16th on the Green Party list.

He was previously Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand.


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13NEW ZEALAND


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14 FIJI

Fiji leads PIF poll missionIn a major boost for Fiji on the

international scene, it is leading a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)

Election Observation Mission to Papua New Guinea.

Fijian Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem will lead the PIF team that will monitor a critical election on Bougainville leading up to a referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea.

The mission is an indication of Fiji’s growing standing in the region and beyond. The PIF team, led by Fiji, joins an international observer force that includes Australia, New Zealand, the United States, France, Japan, Britain and the Commonwealth.

A statement from the Fijian Elections Office revealed that

the election – over a two-week period – is being contested by 342 candidates, including nine vying for the Presidency of Bougainville currently held by veteran politician John Momis. Mr Saneem described it as “a great honour” for Fiji to have been invited to head the PIF mission so soon after our own elections last September.

“It is certainly a testament to the regard in which the Fijian Elections Office is held for the conduct of our own poll. Having staged an election deemed free and credible by our own Multi-National Observer Group, we are now being asked to assist others to achieve the same high standard,” Mr Saneem said. Reports from Bougainville say the four-week campaign has been trouble free.

BRINGING THE MISS WORLD EffECT TO fIjIMiss World, the largest

and oldest beauty contest in the World has

been responsible for the successful careers of many former national winners and title holders.

Created in the United Kingdom in 1951 by the late Eric Morley, the contest has forged the careers of Hollywood stars such as Halle Berry including Bollywood sensations, Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra.

More recently, Miss World 1998 and former Miss Israel, Linor Abargil used her title of Miss World to create worldwide awareness by advocating fighting against sexual violence.

The Miss World Fiji organisation has mirrored the efforts of the international organization by creating a platform to assisting in the successful careers of its national finalists.

“Our boot camps are designed so that we nurture confidence into our finalists. We train them on public speaking, etiquette, walking, posture, personal presentation and the ability to interact with people. Our team always offers valuable advice to the girls and we build a relationship with them during the contest to mentor them well so that they leave the contest on a high with goals to achieving greater things in life” said Andhy Blake, Pageant Director.

Former national finalists and title holders have used the Miss World Fiji platform to pursue other interests and have excelled in the process. 2012 winner, Koini Vakaloloma landed a news presenting role at The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation after her successful stint at the Miss World finals. She opened dances of the world and placed in the top 25 in the beach beauty competition that year. She is now married and resides in Brisbane, Australia pursuing opportunities in television and broadcasting.

Other 2012 national finalists, Elizabeth George is the reigning

Miss Sugar title holder while Natasha Begum who placed second at the Miss India worldwide Fiji contest that same year is a radio presenter with Gold FM.

Caireen Erbsleben, Miss World Fiji 2013 is now modeling with Fiji Fashion Week and is one of the faces for Vai Wai’s international campaigns. Zara Begg, another 2013 entrant placed third at Miss Hibiscus 2014 and is also a regular on the fashion week catwalk.

Other finalists have pursued their careers in law, dance, fashion, customer service and flight attendants with Emirates and Qatar airways.

“I am excited about meeting this year’s finalists and mentoring them to achieving greater opportunities. Our 2014 finalists have been the most successful by far with many being pursued for modeling, television presenting including brand ambassadors. This is the uniqueness of the Miss World effect and how we prepare and train our girls” said Andhy Blake.

Miss World Fiji begins its search for the next representative to the international Miss World finals on June 6 with the official castings. Miss World Fiji will take place from July 20th to the 25th at The Pearl South Pacific Resort in Deuba.

a-G chairs day two deliberationThe Attorney-General and

Minister for Finance, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, at the

second day of the Asia-Pacific High Level Consultation on Financing for Development in Jakarta, Indonesia, chaired the last panel discussion on strengthening regional integration and partnerships.

He was also part of the panel that deliberated on the Accord, which is to be finalised in July 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Over the course of the two days, the priority areas of the Asia-Pacific region vis-a-vis the Accord were discussed. This was highlighted in the May 1, 2015 summary document which highlighted the priority areas of the Asia-Pacific region that is to be reflected in the Accord.

These included the special needs of least developed States, landlocked

developing States and small island developing States by trade leverage, foreign direct investment and access to and transfer of technology. Also as capacity building in line with the implementation of the various multilateral instruments such as the Istanbul Programme of Action; enhancement and use of domestic resource mobilisation towards social sectors to address social disparities; and adoption of tax policies and approaches to broaden tax bases for both individual and corporate income taxes (wherever coverage is limited).

The detailed submission on the priority areas of the Asia-Pacific region is to be circulated to the member States for review later this week.

New Zealand delegation attend Fiji Parliament sessionA Delegation from the New

Zealand Parliament, led by NZ speaker David

Carter, attended the opening session of Fiji’s Parliament this week.

Led by Mr Carter, the delegation comprises Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Chair Mark Mitchell MP; Committee member Phil Goff MP; and the Clerk of the House,

Mary Harris.Also present at the proceedings

this morning is New Zealand’s high commissioner to Fiji Mark Ramsden.

Mr Carter is reciprocating and

building on the recent visit to New Zealand of the Fijian Speaker, Dr Jiko Luveni following a visit to the New Zealand Parliament.

Dr Luveni welcomed the delegation saying this visit was

a growing sign of friendship between the two Parliaments.

The delegation is also scheduled to have calls with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Fiji Fashion to host designer

Fiji Fashion Week is proud to host Aboriginal designer Salma Bowie at FJFW15.

FJFW managing director Ellen Whippy-Knight said in a statement that cultural exchanges such as this between the countries are crucial to developing the fashion industry in Fiji and with the Aboriginal culture being one of the oldest in the world and steeped in rich tradition and myths such as dreamtime.

Dreamtimes is a term used by Aborigines to describe the relations and balance between the spiritual, natural and moral elements of the world. It is an English word but its meaning goes beyond any suggestion of a spiritual or dream-related state.

“It’s absolutely wonderful that Fijian youth will be directly exposed to Aboriginal culture in the form of fashion and art so they can see how their culture has evolved and taken on a contemporary form,” said Mrs Whippy-Knight.

As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island woman from Queensland, Salma has always had a passion to share her heritage to the world through fashion.

She began her career in July 2011 when she studied a Diploma in Applied Fashion Design and Technology in Brisbane, and after graduating in July 2013, she then founded her own label “KiraBeth Fashion” in October later that year.


Red Black Orange

15

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Fiji appoints another sri lankan judge

Fiji has appointed another Sri Lankan judge to its Court of Appeal, the 10th Sri Lankan on the court’s bench.

The country’s President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, has sworn in Wannakuwattewaduge Jude Shavindra Fernando, who was admitted to the Sri Lankan bar in 1987 and then represented the Sri Lankan Navy from 1998.

Judge Fernando joins nine other Sri Lankans on the Court of Appeal, the only non Sri Lankan being the Court’s President, the Australian, William Calanchini who was appointed in 2009. Fiji’s Supreme Court is also heavily weighted with Sri Lankan judges, with five sitting on the list under the Chief Justice Anthony Gates. The former regime, led by Frank Bainimarama, began appointing judges from Sri Lanka following the constitutional coup in 2009 when the all-Australian bench of the Court of Appeal ruled the 2006 coup was unlawful.

rising sea level erodes slope

The impact of rising sea level has started to wash away a slope by the shores of Korotubu Village in

Macuata.And the villagers have seen the waves

gradually wash away the base of the slope during high tide. Korotubu traditional leader Samuela Tuidravu is one of those who have witnessed the change over the past decade.

“Every high tide we will see the waves come to the shores and return to sea with soil from the slope and I have been here since my childhood days and have seen the big difference,” he said.

“The slope used to be right by the seaside 10 years go but now it is about two metres away from the seashore and during high tide, the waves sit right under the slope.

“So the water is coming into the village compound and that is why we have started working with World Wide Fund for Nature Pacific (WWF) on programs to control and prevent impact.” Mr Tuidravu said they had planted mangroves by the seashore, discouraged cutting down of trees and dumping of rubbish around the village.

“We have continued to work with our villagers in raising awareness about the importance of saving our environment through zero tolerance of bushfire and dumping rubbish,” he said.

Boost for cultural producers’ rights and cultural industries in FijiUnderstanding and improving

intellectual property rights and protection for cultural creators and

producers is the focus of a four-day training workshop under way in Suva, Fiji.

New songs, fashion designs, crafted products, dance moves and paintings all emerge from the creative minds of cultural producers in Fiji and throughout the Pacific.

Piracy, unauthorised use of designs and other intellectual property infringements are significant threats to both the livelihood of individual artists and to the creative industries sector as a whole. Creators, producers and

retailers of cultural products, government representatives and intellectual property enforcement officers are taking part in the training, made possible by the European Union-ACP funded ‘Enhancing the Pacific Cultural Industries: Fiji, Samoa and Solomon Islands’ Project. “The aim is to improve understanding of intellectual property laws in Fiji and recognise the impacts of piracy, potential gaps in existing intellectual property legislation and other issues of intellectual property rights infringements on the Fijian cultural industries,” SPC Culture Advisor, Elise Huffer, said.

“It’s also looking at helping producers

understand their intellectual property rights, the processes involved in enforcing their rights and how to use the existing system, such as trademark registration, to enhance their business,” Ms. Huffer said. “Participants have clearly indicated the need for all parties to work together to address infringements and improve the working conditions of artists.”

European Union Deputy Head of Delegation Johnny Engell-Hansen said: “The EU believes that the protection and enforcement of intellectual property is crucial to the ability to stimulate innovation and to compete in the global economy.

Increasing knowledge and developing strategies for enforcement of legislation by relevant legal institutions is also among the objectives of the training which is co-facilitated by Pita K Niubalavu, SPC’s Intellectual Property Consultant. The regional project recognises the contribution of cultural industries to Pacific economies and works to strengthen their position in the economy. It is implemented through a partnership between SPC, PIFS and the European Union. The workshop, Fiji Cultural Industries Training: Intellectual Property Rights and Protection, is being held at SPC’s offices in Nabua.

Editorial

Indian Weekender : Volume 7 Issue 8

Publisher: Kiwi Media Group Limited Managing Editor: Giri Gupta | [email protected] Editor: Maya Shivam | [email protected] Associate Editor: Paula Ray | [email protected] Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | [email protected] Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | [email protected] Chief Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | [email protected] & Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | [email protected] Designer: Yashmin Chand | [email protected] Sales & Marketing Manager: Leena Pal | M: 022 0151971 | [email protected] Accounts and Admin.: Farah Khan | [email protected]

Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication

Indian Weekender is published by Kiwi Media Group, 98 Great South Road, AucklandPrinted at Horton Media, AucklandCopyright 2015. Kiwi Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

- Mahatma Gandhi

Anything but funny

Thought of the week “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

From the desk of the managing editor

“The long, slow grind of working hard toward something is all about loving the process. If you don’t love the process, the grind is tough.The grind is also a dangerous time. It’s when you’re tempted to give up, call it a

day, or at least cut corners. Steven Pressfield, the author of a dozen books, says, “The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” So, too, for a quest. The most important thing is continuing to make progress.” Chris Guillebeau from The Happiness of Pursuit.

This was also the flavour of the thought that Minister Paula Bennett shared with us about challenging ourselves during crucial times in our life. It has been through this grind that each of us at the Indian Weekender has been putting ourselves through, to get to being the only weekly publication serving the Kiwi Indian community. As we now move towards the third year of the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame the grind gets even tougher as we have been raising the bar for ourselves over the past two years. But as the author states above, its not just about the big culmination of the hard work, it is about the path that led us there. As we enthusiastically gather day after day laboring at not just what needs to be done to put the paper together, but also that extra that needs to be done to make the upcoming event a success, its heartening to see the team members stretch outside their comfort zones. I am sure each one of us will look back and realize how much we learnt and grew on the way.

This week also marks the curtain raiser on the Rangmanch and Indian Weekender Theatre Festival. I hope our readers are supporting this cultural and charitable endeavor with enthusiasm.

Our three part cover story on the migration pathway comes to an end this week and we end it in a true Indian Weekender style. This story also proves how that path has eventuated in success stories for those who did not give up. We have enjoyed bringing these stories to you and have also as a result met and heard from thousands who have so graciously shared their stories with us. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came forward for the sake of others that may follow in their path.

We will continue to talk about these stories in our regular column called Migrant Tales, make sure you follow that and please write to us with your stories. We love to hear from you.

Wherever in the journey of life you are, I hope you will always remember that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Also, they say that it’s when you are the hardest hit is exactly the time that you must not quit. Wishing everyone every success – until next time.

Giri Gupta

Pick of the week

Tips for Life

Courtesy: DailyMail, UK

Prince Harry braved the pouring rain and handed out cupcakes to a group of students at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch.

How to remove permanent marker from everything :• Clothes-Usehandsanitizer• Walls-Usetoothpasteorhairspray• Wood-Userubbingalcohol• Carpet-Usewhitevinegar• Furniture-Usemilk• WhiteBoard-Usedryerasemarkerorpencilrubbereraser• CeramicorGlass-Useoneparttoothpastewithonepart

bakingsoda


Red Black Orange

17

ubiquitous synergy seekerWe want to voice what affects us; we want to be heard. this is our platform to stand united against all odds¡¡ Paula Ray

I t was a class on the efficacy of group communication, which subsequently

involved the dynamics of societal communication – society being the ultimate group communication we partake in on a daily basis. Gradually, the discussion veered towards the concept of ‘synergy’ and how it permeates us. How the interaction of two or more agents produce a combined effect that is much greater than the sum of their individual effects.

As the facilitator of the dialogue, I gave the class the example of ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ as a duality that forms the definitive whole. Yin (female) and yang (male) qualities are present in each of us. But when one of the qualities is dominant in an individual, we assign that person that social gender. As such, when ‘yin’ is dominant in a person, we label the person feminine and expect the person to behave in certain distinct ways.

We are biologically born male or female. But since the moment of our birth, we are assigned certain preconceived social roles that are relative to our biological features. If we learn the new-born is a boy, we automatically start

buying gifts in blue; similarly in pink if the baby is a girl. In fact, retail outlets seldom have baby clothing in any other shade than blue or pink. What about the rest of the colour palette? Perhaps babies are better off concentrating on only one shade at a time, or so

feel the social and retail gurus.Think about it: babies look

neutral at birth, at least if you

consider their face. You cannot tell a boy from a girl if you run into them at your local supermarket, unless you see the colour of their clothes or their hairstyle when they are old enough to have one.

But their gender becomes evident the moment you see their

clothes and other gear socially assigned to them. Yes, this becomes prominent because their

parents choose to make them wear certain colours.

So we assign children a socially-accepted role right from the moment they are birth. But is it fair on them? Does this not make social communication dictatorial – one person in a leadership position decides who should wear what and behave how?

Can we not let the children grow up without a socially-assigned gender role? They do have the freedom of choice; should we not let them exercise it? Why do we have to call a man feminine if he chooses to be soft-spoken and polite, and prefers to wear floral printed shirts or even wear make-up? In spite of his choices, he can be a heterosexual person so far as his biological needs are concerned.

Why do we even have to assign roles like LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender)? The more we assign roles, the more we label them. The more we label them, the more we take away their freedom to choose.

Why can we not open up the possibilities of gender roles and let each individual, born male or female, decide how they want to behave socially as mature adults?

Then, house husbands will not be a rarity. Even Tom-boys would cease to be an expression.

Technological evolution in recent times has made us adept at multitasking – we claim technology makes us achieve more tasks than we ever did in the past. Can we not extend the same multitasking aspect of our lives to gender roles? That way the Tom-boy can be a home-maker and be equally successful at dabbling with global IT projects.

If this sounds too complicated, try this: the next time there is a new-born boy in your family, buy pink for him. And tell us how his near and dear ones react to it!

OPINION / EDITORIAL

In this column, I share my experiences that would perhaps be familiar to you too.

If you can relate to them, please share your thoughts or similar experiences.

Who’s afraid of rahul Gandhi?¡¡ aMulya GanGuli

Nothing shows the weakness of the Narendra Modi

government more than the fact that it gives the impression of having been spooked by Rahul Gandhi to strive for a pro-poor image.

Hence, the directive to ministers to go around the country after the budget session to counter the perception that the government is anti-farmer.

In line with the Congress’ time-honoured practice of launching various schemes to help the poor, the BJP, too, is initiating several social security measures.

But the fact that it is fumbling in the dark is evident from the decision to invoke the saffron ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya’s “integral humanism” concept to burnish the government’s and the BJP’s image although the phrase is as meaningless to people outside the Hindutva camp as Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s espousal of “Gandhian socialism” when the BJP was formed in 1980.

No less fatuous is the hope in official and saffron circles that the Prasar Bharati’s radio and television channels will be able to spread the pro-poor message although it is no secret

that the reach of Akashvani and Doordarshan remains as limited as it was before a saffronite was appointed as the Prasar Bharati’s head.

The point, however, is why should the government be running scared simply because Rahul Gandhi, with his batteries recharged in a Myanmar Buddhist monastery, has succeeded in infusing an element of belligerence into the Congress?

The government’s nervousness is all the more unwarranted because nearly all of Rahul’s allegations, based on unverifiable calumny and half-baked ideas of the social scene, can be easily refuted.

A simple rebuttal of his anti-industrial stance is that development itself is a pro-poor measure as it leads to employment-

oriented growth which is brought about largely by the private sector. The government, therefore, has nothing to be apologetic about.

If it still gives the impression of being on the back foot, the reason apparently is that either the government does not have clear-cut ideas of what it intends to accomplish, or that there are not enough accomplished spokespersons in its ranks who can articulate its views with vigour.

Arguably, this uncertainty about the government’s objective - which has made fellow-traveller Arun Shourie accuse it of being “directionless” - is due to the transition which the BJP is currently making from being a party of ultra-orthodox, small town traders to an organization which sups in the sophisticated company of India Inc.

Given this dichotomy between the provincialism of the old Jan Sangh-BJP and the cosmopolitanism of its new avatar, the party is not sure whether it is on the right path.

Its problem has apparently been compounded by the dearth of an ideological wherewithal to buttress its case. Although always a rightwing outfit from its Jan Sangh days, the BJP’s outlook has been a mix of Hindu communalism

and the commercialism of dingy shops in mofussil towns.

Now, however, it is moving into the glittering world of capitalism where the merchants operate on a global scale.

Moreover, big business shuns sectarianism because of the violence associated with the spread of divisive messages which hampers consumerism, the essence of capitalism. This is why Modi has clamped down on the Hindutva hardliners and has told Time magazine that the government will not “tolerate” any discrimination based on caste, creed and religion.

On the economic front, however, he is apparently still unsure about how far he can push his pro-business line against a political class which hasn’t always hesitated to put partisan interests above those of the nation.

Needless to say, the BJP itself has been a part of this cussed “culture” but, now, it is the Congress which is leading the pack comprising the communists and the caste-based Janata “parivar” to virtually oppose anything and everything which the government proposes.

It will be unfortunate, however, if this continuing political badgering deflects the prime minister from his developmental

goal and turn to populism.The lesson of the last general

election is that welfare initiatives like sops and subsidies do not work at a time when the opening up of the economy has not only aroused what has been called the animal spirits of the entrepreneurs, but has also kindled the hope about the easy availability of jobs in a buoyant economy.

If populism was a panacea, then the Congress would have scored a runaway victory with its rural employment scheme (which do not build durable assets) or food security act (which puts an enormous strain on procurement, storage and distribution) or the right to education (where the absence of tests up to Class VIII has reduced the level of Class V students to that of Class II).

The average voter saw through the hollowness of such measures. Instead, it was Modi’s promise of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ (development for all) which paid political dividends to the BJP.

It will be a major mistake on the prime minister’s part, therefore, to change his line on being influenced by Rahul Gandhi’s anti-corporate sector tirades which will spell doom for the economic reforms and take India back to the 2-3 percent Hindu rate of growth of the licence-permit-control raj.


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18 INDIA

MODI & MANMOHAN: ONE YEAR, SPOT THE DIffERENCES The economy rebounded;

exports and imports declined, foreign-exchange

reserves grew; coal production, electricity generation and petroleum consumption rose, non-performing assets (NPAs) in banking soared.

There are great similarities between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first year in office - which he completes on May 26 - and the corresponding first year of his predecessor, Manmohan Singh’s last term. In seven of 12 indicators evaluated by IndiaSpend, the data reveal a similar trend - a reasonable economic performance after an economic downturn.

The large variations in the first-year period centre on:

Industrial production: In Modi’s first year, the index of industrial production (IIP) for eight core sectors (coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity) grew 5 percent during 2014-15 against 4.2 percent the previous year. In Singh’s first year, the IIP for six core industries (crude oil, refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished carbon steel) grew 10.4 percent, compared to 2.8 percent in the previous year 2008-09.

Exports and imports: In terms of dollars, exports and imports declined 2 percent and 0.5 percent,

respectively, in 2014-15 from 2013-14. In Singh’s first year (of his second term) exports and imports declined far more sharply, 4 percent and 5 percent, respectively, in 2009-10 compared to 2008-09.

Nuclear energy: With the commissioning of the Kudankulam Unit-1 of 1,000 mw in Tamil Nadu during December 2014, India’s installed nuclear capacity reached 5,780 mw in 2014-15 from 4,780 MW in 2013-14, an increase of 21 perccent. In 2009-10, it was up 10.6 percent from the previous year.

Direct comparisons are difficult, considering that Singh was in his second term in office. Modi carries

Singh’s economic legacy, which worsened considerably by the end of the term, attributed by observers to a global downturn and misgovernance. But these indicators offer a broad statistical evaluation of the first years of Modi and Singh during UPA2.

A journey through the Economic Growth:

Overall gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2009-10, at constant prices, was reported to be 8.9 percent. After a change in calculation and base year, GDP growth isestimated to be 7.4 percent for 2014-15.

Agriculture: Agriculture, which employs about 600 million Indians,

registered growth of 1.1 percent in 2014-15 compared to 0.8 percent during 2009-10. The numbers indicate a long-standing - and worsening - crisis.

Foreign-exchange reserves: Forex reserves increased 12 percent from $341 billion at the end of 2014-15 as compared to $304 billion at the end of 2013-14. For Singh in UPA2, they increased 5.4 percent from $241.7 billion at the end of 2008-09 to $254.9 billion in 2009-10.

Coal: Coal from India’s mines increased 8.2 percent in 2014-15, later falling into a controversy over botched allotments, one of the reasons for the decline in UPA2’s image. In 2009-10, production increased 8.1 percent. Performance of the coal sector is expected to improve with the re-allotment of 67 coal blocks through an auction,

although Modi’s figure of Rs.2 lakh crore ($31.25 billion) windfall is now contested.

Petroleum: In 2014-15, consumption of petroleum products (diesel, petrol, LPG and the like) increased 3.1 percent, compared to 3.2 percent during 2009-10. India’s demand for petroleum products is expected to grow 3.3 percent in the next financial year, according to the oil ministry.

Electricity: A good indicator of an economy’s health, installed electricity capacity in 2014-15, rose 10 percentagainst 2013-14. In 2009-10, it increased 7.7 percent over the previous year.

Renewable energy: With pressure on India to cut carbon emissions renewable energy - it is responsible for 12 percent of India’s total installed power - growth rates were high during both terms. The total installed capacity of renewable energy reported a 7.56 percent growth in 2014-15 and growth of 17.20 percent in 2009-10.

Non-performing assets: NPAs of public sector banks increased 17 percent from Rs.2.27 lakh crore in March 2014 to Rs.2.73 lakh crore in December 2014, a carry-over from UPA2. Public sector bank NPAs had increased 23 percent in 2009-10 over the previous year. NPA growth rates of this magnitude can destabilise the banking system.

There are great similarities between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first year in office - which he completes on May 26 - and the corresponding first year of his predecessor, Manmohan Singh’s last term.


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19INDIA

Jayalalithaa acquitted of charges, set to return as cmIn a development bound to

bring her back as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister, the Karnataka

High Court acquitted AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa this week in the disproportionate assets case, triggering wild celebrations by her supporters all across the state.

“Justice has won,” the former Tamil Nadu chief minister gloated hours after a special bench in Bengaluru acquitted her in the Rs.66 crore case in which she was sentenced to four years in jail by a lower court.

The charges were not “sustainable”, Justice C.R. Kumaraswamy said in the much-awaited verdict in the case in which Jayalalithaa, 67, was also fined a whopping Rs.100 crore.

The judge also acquitted Jayalalithaa’s three co-convicts who too were sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs.10 crore each.

They included close aide Sasikala Natarajan. The lower court was told to release Jayalalithaa’s confiscated assets.

Within minutes of the judgement, AIADMK leaders, including Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, rushed to Jayalalithaa’s residence. Outside and all over Chennai and Tamil Nadu, boisterous celebrations

erupted.Political analyst Gnani Shankaran

said that the judgement would place Jayalalithaa on a strong wicket ahead of the 2016 elections in Tamil Nadu.

The AIADMK may even go for a snap election, he said.

AIADMK sources said Jayalalithaa was set to return as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister. By law, she will have to get elected to the assembly within six months after becoming the chief minister.

The sources told media that Jayalalithaa would be sworn in before May 20. However, the exact date is not known with several dates floating around.

DMK leader and former chief minister M. Karunanidhi raised questions about the judgement.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Subramanian Swamy, who enjoys frosty ties with the AIADMK leader,

threatened to appeal against the verdict.

None of this made any difference to the mass of Jayalalithaa supporters all across Tamil Nadu who burst firecrackers, danced, whistled, gave away sweets and kept shouting “Long Live Amma”.

A pleased Jayalalithaa thanked everyone who prayed for her acquittal.

Meanwhile, industry officials are heaving a sigh of relief on the expectations that Jayalalithaa would be back at the helm and start cracking on projects.

The Rs.15,000 crore metro rail project is expected to start rolling as it is ready. Similarly, several new buses are waiting to be flagged off by her.

Further the prestigious Global Investors Meet that has been postponed twice is expected to held this September.

Lok Sabha passes black money bill

The Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets bill, providing for heavy

penalties for stashing black money away in foreign accounts, was passed by the Lok Sabha this week.

Moving what is called the Black Money Bill for acceptance by the lower house, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected the opposition’s demand of referring the bill to the Standing Committee, saying delay in enacting the legislation would provide opportunity to offenders to transfer unaccounted overseas wealth quickly to unknown destinations.

“The Bill (introduced in March) has no connection with domestic black money,” Jaitley said replying to the debate on the bill.

“For the first time, unlawful, undisclosed income abroad has been taxed under this law at a tax rate of 30 percent with an additional 30 percent penalty on it,” he added.

Explaining that a time-frame will be provided as a “compliance window for declaring and paying penalty”, Jaitley said that failure to meet the compliance timeline will attract an additional penalty of 90 percent for a total tax liability of 120 percent on the quantum of black money abroad.

Besides, law provides for rigorous imprisonment of up to 3-10 years for perpetrators, he added.

The finance minister said India was foremost among a large number of countries that were taking interest in the G-20 initiative on automatic transmission of information with regard to monetary transaction.

Admitting that there was no official estimation of black money within India or stashed away abroad, Jaitley told parliament last week that the government was examining the reports of three institutes on the matter.

An unofficial estimate of illegal money stashed away overseas puts it somewhere between $466 billion and $1.4 trillion.

Fresh earthquake kills 57 in Nepal, 10 in India¡¡ anil GiRi

A t least 57 people were killed and over 1,000 others injured when

a massive earthquake and 14 aftershocks shook Nepal on Tuesday this week causing panic in the Himalayan nation which is still recovering from the devastating April 25 temblor.

Cracked buildings collapsed in a heap of debris and landslides cut off roads as an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hit Nepal, with its epicentre not far from Mount Everest -- the world’s highest peak at 8,850 metres.

Terrified people ran out of homes and offices to open spaces and parks as the buildings began

to shake due to the tremors.“It was frightening,” said

a witness who clutched her daughter. “It felt worse than last time,” she added.

Six strong aftershocks followed in quick succession. Four of the

aftershocks had their epicentre at Kodari on the Nepal-China border, northeast of Kathmandu, and the strongest aftershock measured 6.3 on the Richter scale.

Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said the government has

deployed search, relief and rescue teams in the affected areas.

His Indian counterpart Narendra Modi assured that he has directed authorities to be on alert for rescue and relief operations.

India Meteorological Department chief L.S. Rathore said the aftershocks could well continue for a few more weeks and months.

Onlookers were left dazed and distraught on seeing the buildings collapse with a roar in a replay of the April 25 quake horror.

The quake shook Nepal, nearly three weeks after a more powerful temblor killed over 8,000 people in the Himalayan nation.

With NrI help, Punjab targets 1,000 mW solar energy by 2017

The Punjab government is targeting solar power generation of 1,000 MW

by 2017 with a major investment in this sector coming from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), a minister said.

“Renewable energy is fast emerging as ‘sun-rising’ sector for NRIs due to investor friendly unique policies of Punjab with more than Rs.1,500 crore worth

of investment in solar energy fructifying in the last three years with total generation capacity of 225 MW.

“By 2017, 1,000 MW of solar energy would be generated in Punjab, which would be the maximum in the country,” minister for new and renewable energy Bikram Singh Majithia said.

The minister inaugurated a 1

MW solar energy project set up by Britain-based NRIs Avtar Singh Kang and Raovarinder Singh Kang in their ancestral village Lallian Kalan in Jalandhar district with an investment of Rs.7.25 crore.

Majithia said it took time and persuasion to convince NRIs about investing in the solar energy sector in Punjab.

“Several NRIs are investing in different projects in Punjab. In

last one year alone, NRIs have invested Rs.228 crore in different renewable energy projects. This includes Sanjay Rai from Slovakia who invested Rs.29 crore for a 4.2 MW project, Jaspal Deol from the US who invested Rs.16 crore for a 2 MW project, Inderpreet Singh and others from the US who invested Rs.176 crore in a 34 MW project, besides several others,” he said.

Another NRI, Ranbir Singh Chhina from the US, will be investing Rs.16 crore for a 2 MW project in Chhina Bidhi Chand village in Tarn Taran district, he said.

Majithia said the country’s largest rooftop plant of 7.5 MW at Radha Soami Satsang at Beas (near Amritsar) would be expanded to 31.5 MW which would make it the world’s largest rooftop plant.


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20 INDIA

TEENAGER CURED Of PARALYSIS WITH NEW THERAPYA teenaged girl, suffering

from partial paralysis due to a spinal tumour,

has been cured after successfully undergoing the Human Embryonic Stem Cell (HESC) therapy at a city hospital in New Delhi this week.

Kamini, 19, soon after developing a tumour on her back, had no sensation in the entire lower part of her body.

What made her condition worse was that she had no bladder and bowel control. Further, she depended on others for daily chores.

Though her family took her to some Indian and American doctors, her parents were told that she might remain bed-ridden for life.

On the advice of some fellow patients, Kamini’s parents took her to Geeta Shroff, an expert in Human Embryonic Stem Cell (HESC) therapy, at the city-based Nutech Mediworld facility.

The HESC therapy involves injecting isolated human embryonic stem cells into the patients to help their body heal on its own in a natural way.

The stem cell on entering the

body engrafts in the appropriate tissue and supplements replacement or repair of the missing function of the body.

The therapy has no known side effects and unlike other organ transplants it does not require any immuno-suppressants.

Kamini, after consulting with Shroff, underwent the therapy for eight years. She has now completely recovered from the paralysis and can walk on her own.

“The therapy has successfully treated patients with spinal cord injuries, diabetes, neurological disorders, Parkinson’s disease and even genetic disorders, amongst others,” said Shroff in a statement.

According ot Shroff, the HESC therapy may be the key to treating most of the known ailments and to reduce suffering.

“There is absolutely no need for cross-matching and the cells trigger no immuno-suppression when transplanted. Such is not the case in other non-embryonic stem cell treatments where the cells have to be matched from patient to patient, similar to blood transfusions,” she said.

Shroff, who claims to have treated over 1,300 patients so far with no side effects, has over 15 research papers published in reputed journals in different parts of the world.

She has multiple patents in over 65 countries, including the US, Singapore, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, regarding the technology and its therapeutic application.

78 percent don’t want land bill: surveyA whopping 78 percent

respondents have demanded the NDA

government withdraw its land acquisition bill, said an opinion poll released this week with nearly half of the those surveyed saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has declined and 63 percent saying that his image appears to be anti-poor and anti-farmer.

A nationwide India TV-C Voter opinion poll said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj leads the union ministers in terms of performance.

“In a severe dent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi

government’s image, a whopping 78 percent of the people who responded to a nationwide India TV-C Voter opinion poll have demanded that the centre should withdraw the controversial land acquisition bill,” said an India TV release.

It said that 63 percent of the respondents conveyed that Modi government’s image at present appears to be anti-poor and anti-farmer, while as many as 48 percent of the respondents said that Prime

Minister Modi’s popularity has declined in the last one year.

Giving region-wise break-up, the survey said 65 percent of respondents in north India, 52 percent in the west, 34 percent in the east, and 38 percent in the south felt that Modi’s popularity has declined.

On specific issues, 64 percent said inflation has not dipped during the last one year while a similar number said they were satisfied with the government’s efforts to bring back black money.

The survey said 51 per cent of the respondents said that corruption has declined in the last one year.

Asked about Modi’s schemes they considered the best, 46 per cent opted for Swachh Bharat, 19 percent opted for Jan Dhan Yojana, 18 percent liked ‘Make in India’, 11 percent opted for ‘Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana’ and six per cent for none of above, the release added.

Asked about the effect of Modi’s performance on the forthcoming Bihar assembly polls, 52 per cent said that it will have “a good effect” while 45 per cent replied in the negative.

Google to build largest campus outside us in HyderabadG lobal Internet services

company Google will build its largest campus

outside the US in Hyderabad with an investment of Rs.1,000 crore, announced Telanagana Information Technology Minister K. Tarakarama Rao on Tuesday.

The minister, who is on a visit to the US, said the state government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google, which will

develop about two million square feet campus, the first in Asia.

“Excited to announce that Google & Government of Telangana have inked an MoU to build their largest campus (outside US) in Hyderabad,” tweeted Tarakarama Rao.

“First campus in Asia. 2 million sq ft space would be built. Investment of Rs 1,000 crore and in four years employee size to double from 6,500 to 13,000,”

said the minister, who is son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Google’s vice president, real estate & workplace, David Radcliffe, and Telangana IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan signed the MoU on Monday at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California.

It was in 2007 that the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh had allotted 20 acres

land for the global search engine giant at Kokapet here but this ran into legal trouble.

In 2013, the government agreed to provide alternate land at Raidurg.

After the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) formed first government in Telangana last year, it promised to sort the issue relating to the land.

It was immediately not clear if Google campus will come up at

Kokapet or Raidurg.

India’s growth to be highest among G20 countries: moody’sRatings agency, Moody’s

on Tuesday said that at 7.5 percent, India’s

growth rate during 2015-16 will be the highest among the global 20 major economies (G20).

It said the growth has been predicted on the basis of various reforms initiated by the government in face of lower oil prices.

A report from the global credit rating firm said: “We forecast strong growth in India... At 7.5 percent in 2015-16, the highest among the G20 economies. Lower oil prices will reinforce gradual growth-enhancing reforms to support robust economic activity over the forecast period.”

The report said since India is a major crude importer, softer oil prices will benefit the economy.

The G20 group comprises of the top 20 economies which accounts for 85 percent of global economic output.

“We expect a broadly balanced current account, for the first time in 10 years, thanks to lower energy

import bill and restrictions in gold imports,” added Moody’s.

The report highlighted the Make in India campaign as a major booster to the projected growth.

“If implemented as intended, these reforms and the wide support for business-friendly policies will help achieve higher investment growth than in 2013-14,” Moody’s said.

As per a report by Moody’s, India’s growth rate during 2015-16 will be the highest among the global 20 major economies (G20)

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21INDIA ABROAD

BRITISH POLLS: NUMBER Of INDIAN-ORIGIN MPS REMAINS AT 10The number of Indian-origin

members in the new House of Commons following the

British general elections held on Thursday will remain at 10, un-changed from the previous house.

All sitting MPs were re-elected bar one. Paul Uppal of the Conservative party lost in Wolverhampton South West in the West Midlands of England.

He was defeated by Rob Marris of the Labour party by a margin of 801 votes in a constituency with a large presence of Sikhs from India.

Uppal’s loss, though, was compensated by victory for Rishi Sunak, a Conservative, in Richmond in Yorkshire. This first-time MP was fighting a seat vacated by William Hague, who until last year was Britain’s foreign minister. Sunak is a son-in-law of N.R. Narayana Murthy, one of the founders of the Indian software giant Infosys. Those who retained their seats are: Keith

Vaz (Leicester East), who has been an MP from 1987; his sister Valerie Vaz (Walsall South); Virendra Sharma (Ealing Southall); Seema Malhotra (Feltham & Heston); Lisa Nandy (Wigan), who is half Indian-half English; Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove), who is half Indian-half Pakistani and was minister for culture, media and sport in the outgoing cabinet; Priti Patel (Witham), who was a junior minister; Alok Sharma (Reading West); and Shailesh Vara

(Cambridgeshire North West), another junior minister who has been an MP since 2005.

“I fought a positive campaign, based on what I have achieved for the constituency and what the Conservatives have achieved in government,” Vara said.

“I am absolutely delighted. I have served them for 27 years and they have given me the huge privilege of an extension of another five,” remarked Keith Vaz.

Indian-origin team develops novel gel for biomedical research

A team of Indian-origin re-searchers from the Harvard University has developed a

novel, truly biocompatible hydrogel that can speed up research and de-velopment of several promising ap-plications in tissue engineering.

The new gel can be synthesised using “click chemistry” which is a methodology for the quick and prac-tical synthesis of substances using just a few reliable, chemoselective compounds.

“It is injectable so it can be used to deliver cells or drugs to specific places in the body such as a location that has suffered a wound or has been invaded by a tumour,” said associate professor Neel Joshi from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard.

“We are already using it for lots of different things in the laboratory due to how easy it is to synthesise,” he added. Hydrogels can be up to 99 percent water and are similar in composition to human tissues.

They can take on a variety of forms and functions beyond that of contact lenses. Biomedical engineers have successfully used hydrogels as 3D molecular scaffolds that can be filled with cells or molecules for bodily injection or application in order to release drugs or stimulate tissue regeneration.

Alginate hydrogels -- which are made up of the polysaccharide naturally occurring in brown seaweed -- are just such materials.

Joshi leads a team at the Wyss Institute developing new synthetic biomaterials that mimic naturally-occurring materials.

“Other types of hydrogels are much more cumbersome to synthe-sise,” said Rajiv Desai, study’s first author from the Wyss Institute.

In contrast, the click alginate hy-drogel can be created by fast combi-nation of simple solutions. Once the gel is formed, the click chemistry re-actions are irreversible, resulting in a chemo-selective hydrogel primed for use as a therapeutic scaffold. Fur-thermore, the click alginate hydrogel is easily customised and modified. “With our new method, if you want-ed to add a fluorescent dye, peptide, or protein to the new click alginate, you could do so within one minute - a truly unprecedented rate,” Joshi pointed out.

At the Wyss, the novel hydrogel is already being used to encapsulate cells in culture and to conduct experiments in a tissue-like environment. “It is a great material for studying how cells sense the mechanical environments around them,” Desai added. Alginate hydrogels show promise for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications as they can be designed to dissolve away harmlessly in the body while releasing drugs, growth agents or living cells that can accelerate healing and regeneration.

The findings were reported in the journal Biomaterials.

singapore Pm lauds Indians at heritage centre launchThe Indian community has

contributed to Singapore “in deep ways”, Prime Minister

Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday.During the launch of the Indian

Heritage Centre, located at the heart of Little India in the city state and which blends traditional Indian and modern architectural elements, Lee said Indians have contributed a lot to Singapore and the four-storey centre “affirms the importance and vibrancy of the Indian community in Singapore”.

The museum, which is the first one dedicated to Indian history, starts with the early interactions between South Asia and Southeast Asia, then goes on to feature the origins and movement of Indians from the 19th century to the 21st century. Singapore’s Minister of Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade

and Industry S. Iswaran, who is also the chair of the centre’s steering committee, said the museum was also “strongly endorsed” by Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, Xinhua news agency reported. Iswaran thanked the community for loaning or donating artefacts including family heirlooms. The Little India centre received a total

of 368 artefacts through a collection drive in 2011. More than 200 of these pieces are now on display. The centre cost the National Heritage Board 16 million Singaporean dollars (around $12 million) to build and 5 million Singaporean dollars more to fit it out. Ethnic Indians comprise around 9.1 percent of Singapore’s population of 3.9 million.

British Indian mP Priti Patel appointed employment ministerBritish Indian MP Priti

Patel has been appointed employment minister in

Prime Minister David Cameron’s new cabinet, media reported.

Patel, 43, who comfortably won her Witham seat in England’s Essex county as a Conservative Party candidate in last week’s general elections by getting 57.5 percent of the total 47,339 votes cast, was in

2013 appointed the first ever UK Indian Diaspora Champion. In July 2014, Priti was appointed as exchequer secretary to the treasury in a cabinet reshuffle.

First elected to parliament in 2010, Patel has a history of supporting campaigns for small businesses, transport infrastructure investment and affordable homes. Her political beliefs, the website says,

in this area “were formed around her own experiences in business, from assisting her parents who have run a number of small businesses around the South East and East of England, to her career in the communications industry, where she worked in corporate communications for a variety of international companies”.

Patel’s parents used to run a rural post office in Norfolk. Born

in the London borough of Harrow, she became the Conservatives’ first female Asian MP when she won her Essex seat in 2010.

After entering Westminster in 2010, Patel has sat on the Tory party’s committee of backbench MPs, and joined the Number 10 policy board last year. She studied economics at Keele University and is married with a five-year-old son.

She is a staunch supporter of Indo-British friendship.

Speaking at the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Priti said: “UK is keen to share with India its experiences in fostering government-industry partnership.”

She said that in Britain 1.5 million Indians are working and contributing to the British economy.


Red Black Orange

22 EDUCATION

sIt gets involved with the house for charity auctionThe Southern Institute of

Technology will have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom

family home built by Certificate in Construction students to be auctioned in the Town Vs Country charity event to raise funds for the Gore Women’s Refuge, Hospice Southland, the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust, SPCA and ILT Stadium Southland to be held at Stadium Southland 16 May.

The event will host local celebrities such as Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, singing legend Suzanne Prentice and rugby great Jason Rutledge in a range of activities including singing, comedy, quiz, fixed cycling, tug of war, lip

synching and theatre sports to prove who is best town or country?

There will be two auctions on the night for the audience to purchase items donated by local businesses with the SIT house the feature of the evening.

Valued at $130,000 the house will be sold as is with vouchers from local companies for added work needed to transport the house and work needed once it is onsite.

Head of Faculty Trades and Technology, Mike Grumball said

“SIT are pleased to be able to continue to support the Southland Community. Last year SIT redeveloped one of the ten worst

sections in Invercargill with a SIT Certificate in Construction house revitalising the neighbourhood and it’s great that we can build on that

momentum by donating a house to support local charities in Southland in the Town vs Country event this year.”

sports scholarship brings shashank to NZNew Zealand, its hospitality

and seafood have been given a big tick by Indian

scholar Shashank Ghai, who is here for a year of study.

Shashank is enrolled in a Master of Sport and Leisure Studies at the University of Waikato.

He is one of 10 people from India awarded New Zealand India Sports Scholarships by Education New Zealand.

“I was overwhelmed and happy when I found I’d been awarded the scholarship,” says Shashank.

“New Zealand is the most beautiful country in the world and the people are warm-hearted and friendly. They are always ready to help and talk to me, and have made me feel at home.”

The 23-year-old has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi.

He has research experience in the field of sports and rehabilitation, which is evident from a number of research publications to his credit. This is his first visit to New Zealand.

Shashank says another thing he’s noticed, is that New Zealanders are very energetic, health-conscious and sporty.

After completing his degree, Shashank aims to pursue a career in sports research using various techniques to enhance sports performance and limit sports injury

rates, working in labs with athletes.Shashank and the other NZISS

scholars met Prime Minister John Key, Minister for Racing and Primary Industries Nathan Guy, Auckland Mayor Len Brown and AUT Millennium Operations Manager Chris Olney on a visit to Auckland in March.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce says the scholarship programme is one of several activities underway to deepen New Zealand’s education relationship with India following several ministerial visits over the last few years.

The New Zealand India Sports Scholarships are open to Indian citizens enrolling to study bachelor or postgraduate qualifications in New Zealand beginning in 2015.

The scholarship provides tuition fees for the first year of full-time study and also support for living costs.

Student survey finds increase in loneliness and anxietyA study of 1000 New Zealand

final year undergraduate university students has

found that 64% are worried that stress and anxiety is creating performance issues that is fuelling fears that they will be awarded lower grades than expected.

The independent research, released by Stop Procrastinating (www.stopprocrastinatingapp.com), the leading productivity research website, also found that students believe their levels of stress are greater than in the past.Students responding to the survey stated their stress and anxiety levels were high because they were struggling to cope with expectations and competition at college for results.

35% blamed this on the difficult jobs market for young people, citing worry about lack of job opportunities.

45% blamed the overwhelming significance of their finals exams, realising that under-performing could affect the rest of their lives, closing doors to opportunities and missing out on jobs or graduate schemes that higher grades would have secured.

75% said they had procrastinated too much ahead of their exams, saying they wasted between three and four hours a day. Of these 45% said they wasted time browsing the internet or on social media sites, watching videos or catching up on TV programmes instead of working; a further 30% said they chatted to friends either in their room, a

local bar or college facilities; 9% admitted to having sex instead of studying, while 7% said they tidied their room or took books back to the library. More than 50% said they procrastinated because they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they had to do.

71% said they had lacked motivation and concentration coming up to the finals, with 34% of these saying it was so worrying that had sought professional help by seeing the college counselling service or contemplating taking mood-enhancing medication, such as anti-depressants.

12% had admitted to using performance enhancing or smart drugs to deal with their worries over performance.

The study found that 37% of college students also suffered from loneliness, with more than half of these students saying that their fear for the future had turned them into work alcoholics who were too nervous of their exam performance to ‘waste time’ on socialising. The survey also canvassed students for what they do avoid stress at exam time and prevent procrastinating.

The results were: } Take up exercise } Share worries with friends

or sought out university counsellor for help and guidance

} Reward self for studying } Took up meditation } Blocked the internet while

studying or revising } Read about successful people

who had underperformed at college/university to discount any negative thoughts

} Visualised what they want to achieve each day and how to achieve them

} Listen to uplifting music } Listen to comedy } Keep a plan of each day’s work } Do small amount of work each

day before letting it build up.

Stephen Bennett, director at Stop Procrastinating, commented:

“Our survey shows that students think the stress and anxiety caused by their final exams is getting worse. The jobs market for young people is one cause of this, with many believing that they have to perform at their very best in order to get the grades for a job,” he said.

“While some students are seeking professional help through counselling, many are using the peer support system of their friends who are going through the same stresses. It is good to see what while stress levels are high, students are also thinking clearly about the solutions.”

Courtesy: Rob Joneswww.iwk.co.nz


Red Black Orange

23KIDZONE

Send us stories, drawings, poems and other contributions by your little ones along with their photographs for this page.

Email us at editor@ indianweekender.co.nz

With over 1.3 mil Apps in Playstore, are there

apps that actually help toddlers learn? 99 kids out of 100 are usually of the

opinion that learning and boredom are one

and the same. We swear we didn’t make up

that figure. Well, maybe we did. But you

get our point, right? We have a hunch that

it is maybe hardwired in their brains that

learning is boring. No, we aren’t scientists

by any stretch. But if you accept our logic,

the only way to make it non-boring is by

cajoling them into learning but without

them actually realising that they are learning. It is nothing out of the ordinary to s

ee

a 3-year old toddler straddling a Kindle

Fire or an iPad Mini. In fact, Santa Claus

is becoming increasingly inclined to drop a

tablet under Christmas trees these days.

With an array of quality value-for-money

devices out there in the shelves, our best

bet would be to use the kids’ addiction

to tablets and Smart Phones to develop

cognitive skills in them. Android Play Store

is always flooded with apps and games that

claim to do just that. We took it upon

ourselves to test a series of apps and this

is the first of the lot.

Best Educational Apps for Kids - App ReviewKids Preschool Games Do you want to give your child a head start in school? Look no furt

her,

this app lives up to its claims. It’s a bundle of games all rolled in to

one. You name it and this app has it. Some of the games which our

reviewer (my 4 year old niece) enjoyed playing were:

Kids will also love collecting animated stickers as rewards after

completing each stage.If you have a toddler who knows how to

use a tablet (who doesn’t!), this is something that you should definitely splash your money on. Our Rating: 4.5/5. Courtesy- Greysprings

Download from: Google Play Store.

Download from: Google Play Store. Download

from: Google Play Store.

Download from: Google and Amazon Play Store.

Download from: Amazon Play Store.

Funny-QQ: what do you call an alligator in a vest? A: An Investigator. Q: what happens if you eat yeast and shoe polish? a: Every morning you’ll rise and shine! Q: What’s the difference between a guitar and a fish?A: You can’t tuna fish. Q: What is it called when a cat wins a dog show? a: a CaT-haS-TRoPhY!


Red Black Orange

24 FEATURES

From the desk of

Mt Albert | Royal Oak | Manukau | Henderson | Lincoln North

us landscape architects designing change for women in India¡¡ aRun KuMaR

Their mantra is to strike a balance between the built and natural

environments, but an American landscape architect is using that very thinking to provide to sex workers in India new careers in textile and design production.

Called ‘Anchal’ or “the edge of a sari used to provide comfort and protection for loved ones”, it is the brainchild of Colleen Clines, who co-founded the unique project with three fellow classmates after a trip to India during her time in graduate school.

Her landscape architecture training gives Anchal a uniquely creative approach to all aspects of the organization, from the business model to the textiles produced in India, says Clines from the Kentucky chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Mainly working in Ajmer, Rajasthan, in partnership with Indian NGO Vatsalya, Anchal plans to expand the programme to encompass a holistic textile centre where all aspects of the products are met.

It also plans to replicate this model in other cities.

“Design can become the tool for sustainable solutions to gender inequality, social injustice and environmental degradation,” Clines said, explaining how an understanding of urban systems

can be applied to complicated social systems.

The Indian NGO looks at entrepreneurial opportunities for commercial sex workers.

Anchal meets this need by providing seed funding, design training, education workshops and access to the US market, she said.

“In exchange, our partners recruit Anchal artisans and manage operations,” Clines said.

“More importantly, they

offer the women a community of support, health programmes, counselling and local leadership that builds trust with a vulnerable population.”

“Together we offer a unique programme unmatched in its ability to create life-changing opportunities for exploited women in India,” she said.

“We teach artisans not only how to sew but also how to apply design thinking to problem solving and creativity,” Clines said

pointing to how textiles created by these women are sold online and in stores such as Urban Outfitters.

Since its inception in 2009, Anchal has supported 107 artisans and indirectly impacted over 428 additional family members, Clines said.

The impact is most evident in their economic growth, education, leadership and a new sense of personal self-worth and communal empowerment, she said.

Anchal also acknowledges design training as an invaluable life skill and entrepreneurial opportunity.

The importance of the landscape architect’s role is more apparent in Anchal’s project, dyeScape, a network of small-scale dye gardens in West Louisville, Kentucky, that would provide natural dyes for these women to use in their work,

Led by Clines in collaboration with Louis Johnson, the current President of ASLA Kentucky Chapter, the dyeScape demonstration garden, currently in the final stages of construction,

is only the first step. “The vision is to create a cross-

culture dialogue and collection of products created in both India and the United States that speak of the importance of a sustainable textiles movement, from seed to purchase,” said Clines.

“Not only will it revitalise vacant properties with a burst of new life, it will also provide education and empowerment through economic opportunity related to the industry,” she said.

“These efforts will help support Anchal’s efforts in India with handcrafted textiles and the dyeScape model will eventually replicate in India as well,” Clines said.

Back in the US, using the same mantra, landscape architects are building from green roofs to public places to corporate campuses in cities from historic Washington to bustling New York for sustainable urban renewal, as one saw on a city tour for foreign media.

Examples include a green roof at ASLA headquarters that decreases the building’s energy use by 10 percent in winter and brings down the temperature on the roof up to 15 degree Celsius in summer.

Grounds surrounding the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) recall the natural environment that existed prior to European contact with a landscape design embodying the theme of returning to a native place.

Colleen Clines at a design workshop for workers in India

Colleen explaining design principles to workers in India

Anchal is the brainchild of Colleen Clines, who co-founded the unique project with three fellow classmates after a trip to India during her time in graduate school.


Red Black Orange

25FEATURES

the curtain rises on rangmanch¡¡ Maya ShivaM

The opening act at Rangmanch is finally here. Rangmanch is a non-

profit organization that promotes art and culture through theatre and this Indian Theatre Festival is the first of its kind to happen in New Zealand. A rainbow of colours is being presented in four languages. The proceed surplus of these shows, spanning the two weekends, will be donated to the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund and Heart Kids NZ.

For the past few weeks we have brought you different facets of Rangmanch. We’ve introduced the people behind this cause. This force of energy is all people who are passionate about theatre, passionate about culture and passionate about life in general. It’s this passion that becomes their driving force when they push themselves beyond their limits, putting their all into the rehearsals and other preparations that have gone into bringing this labour of love to the community and we, in Auckland, are fortunate to be able to witness as all of this unfolds on stage over the two weekends.

This week be bring to you the phenomenal group of people behind the Hindi and the Marathi plays. Here’s what they each had to say, but, before we go – there’s one question we have for our readers – HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKETS YET??

The cast and crew of Ek Adhuri Kahani (Hindi) and Karti Kaljat Ghusli (Marathi) in conversation with Rizwan Mohammad of Indian Weekender:

¡ Prerna Joshi

I am playing the character of ‘Kanchan’, the daughter of the central character in the Marathi play called ‘Karti Kaljat Ghusli’. The play is based on a father-daughter relationship which is intense but with a lot of humour as well. My character is of a bubbly

cheerful girl who takes things very lightly and makes everybody smile and laugh but also at the same time can make someone cry with her words. It’s my 1st play. Earlier I was into classical dancing so this new step is exciting but also makes me nervous. This is also my first association with Rangmanch. I was auditioned and selected to play the character. By profession I work as a retail assistant at The Body Shop store in St. Lukes.

We have been practicing since January and as the final day of the show comes closer, we now have been practicing 3 to 4 times a day and improving with every rehearsal.

I encourage everyone to come and be a part of this wonderful platform called Rangmanch that brings you the real theatre from India.

¡ Bipin Chavan

I have been associated with stage for almost 20 years now and in Auckland alone, I have done almost 9 stage performances. I love the stage. Acting and directing gives me the real satisfaction.In this play, my character is of an ambitious man named ‘Kalidas Kanheray’ who is a talented musician, works hard but luck does not seem working for him. It is a beautiful story of a father-daughter relationship, love and life with humour and messages. I am directing as well as playing the central character of the play and everyone can relate to this character in many ways.

The drama or story is 20-25 years old. But a few modifications have been done according to today’s scenarios and back in India this play was performed by renowned theatre artists Vikram Gokhle and Swati Chitnis and later by Mohan Joshi. The play was a huge hit in India and hopefully will woo the audience here too.

I have been associated with Auckland Marathi Mandal and from there my interest in doing plays was developed. I was approached by Rangmanch after they saw me during one of my

plays and I readily agreed because I feel Rangmanch indeed is a very big platform and associating with it gives me immense pleasure.

One should not miss this play; definitely see the real theatre in Auckland.

¡ Rohini Purandare

I play the character of a fashion designer called ‘Yamini’ who is very glamorous and mature when it comes to life. She is struggling to live up to the demands of life in the entertainment industry. She plays the support and friend of the central character played by Bipin.

I came here with my family in the year 2002 and got associated with Auckland Marathi Mandal ever since. I was a part of the executive committee of the association and also was the treasurer for 1 year. When it comes to acting in the play, this is my first time and I am very excited as well as nervous to play the role.

The play has a universal theme and people can relate to the characters at once and see themselves going through such struggles at least one point of time in their life. It is a ‘not to miss’ show, and everyone should be there to witness the extravaganza. I also thank Rangmanch for giving this platform to actors far away from India. It is an opportunity to be attached to the theatre genre.

¡ Kedar Divekar

‘Ek Aduri Kahani’ is one of the most intense and thrilling play that you will see on the stage. The story is a suspense thriller like the

title suggests. It is a mix of love, hatred and mystery that will raise eyebrows of the audience. The play is based on a short story by the same name, it shows the current scenario, then a flashback and again the mystery follows behind the reason for such incident occurrence. The climax of the play will definitely get the audience off their seats.

In the last 6 years I have done 13 plays on theatre platform and I enjoy it. I did Marathi and Hindi plays and also one English play called ‘Taj Mahal’ where I played the role of ‘Jehangir’. I have been here in NZ for the last 13 years and I have been associated with Rangmanch for the last three years. I am also doing the lightings and sounds for the other three plays.

Professionally I am a Product Manager at Spark but theatre is my passion. The platform- Indian Theatre Festival created by Rangmanch is a ‘not to miss’ opportunity if you want to experience good theatre shows.

¡ Nirmita Ghosh

I am performing in both Hindi and Begali plays. In the Hindi play I am playing the character of Sonia who is the central character too. It narrates a contemporary life story of a person. The sound effects in the play add up to the suspense created by the characters. The audience will be able to relate a little to the story and the characters. It also shows the ups and downs of a person’s life and how he tackles with his past that haunts him.

We have been working on the play for almost three months now, practicing at least 3 days a week. I have observed in all these months that the characters, we all play, have brought us a lot closer to ourselves.

¡ Mihir GajjarI play a supporting character in

the play, one of the random guys on the street but my character has an important impact on the story. The character has some really important information that, if

leaked or comes to the attention of others, can create a big trouble. My character is quite and subtle yet powerful enough to shake the audience.

It was a fantastic experience working with such talented actors. This is my first exposure to theatre and I love it. Currently I am a parts manager at Renault car showroom. I think there is no turning back for me, theatre is my new passion.

¡ Jayant Bhaduri

As a director I cannot divulge much of the plot. All I can say is that it is a suspense thriller and it will make the audience wonder what the climax would be. The characters have evolved during the play and everyone is so engrossed in their roles. It is a fantastic drama and as a director I can say that the actors are very much involved in their characters and have justified them.

Rangmanch has brought this Indian Theatre Festival and is encouraging local talents to get involved more with their culture and background. Rangmanch is like a magicians’ group with fantastic plays, and a lot of fun and talents to offer to this society. Everyone should come forward and watch all the plays.

Rangmanch Indian Theatre FestivalVenue:PlayhouseTheatre,15GlendaleRoad,AucklandDate&Time:Friday15May-7:30pm-9.30pmFriday22May-7:30pm-9.30pmSaturday16May-7pm-9pmSaturday23May-7pm-9pmSunday17May-4.30pm-7.30pmSunday24May-4.30pm-7.30pm

At Rangmanch we share experience through the art of story telling & Create THEATRE that makes you THINK

16 & 23 May 2015Due to public Demand

one more show on30 th May 2015

Saturday 7pm

A Gujarati rustic playfrom Kathiawar

byShailesh Prajapati

Written by Ramesh Parekh

Direction andBackground Music: Jayanta Bhaduri(Based on a short story by Ajay Dikshit)

Discounted Ticket Rates apply for Combo (more than 1 x play), group or block bookings. Special rates for Students & Senior Citizens. Please check with us for further details.

Venue: The Playhouse Theatre, Glen Eden, Auckland 0602. Ph: 09-8185751For Tickets please contact: PAVITRA- 021445166 BABLA- 0212649106 CHIRAG- 0276784966 RAHUL- [email protected] www.rangmanch.org.nz

Writer: Vasant SabnisDirection & Background musicfor this play: Bipin Chavan




Saturday 7pm









Red Black Orange

26 FEATURES

Having a party?

We would like to hear from you. Reach us at

[email protected] and get featured on

Glitterati

Shouting out to

great times with

great friends !

Snippets fromthe Royal party at Bollywood Affair


Red Black Orange

27ENTERTAINMENT

INGREDIENTS

} 3cups - whole wheat flour } 1.5cup - fresh methi (fenugreek leaves) } 2 to 3 – green chillies (adjust to taste) } 1tbsp – ginger, chopped } 2pinches – carom seeds (Ajwain) } ½ cup or ¾ cup – water to knead (or

as required) } Salt according to taste } Oil for frying the paratha (about 2tbsp

per paratha)

METHOD

Pick the methi leaves from the stems, wash under running water and drain them by spreading them on the paper towel (you don’t have to dry them).

In a blender add methi leaves, ginger, green chillies and salt, grind them using ½ cup of water into a fine paste. Empty this paste in a bowl, add caram seeds, mix well

Add the whole wheat flour in a big bowl or wide dish (paraat), add methi paste and rub in the flour with your fingers, add little water as required.

It will start clumping up and the flour will come together, knead to a smooth pliable dough (remember not to add too much water at a time, as the flour absorbs water and can become too sticky).

Once the dough looks and feels smooth, cover with the kitchen towel and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes (you can keep the dough in the air tight container with lid and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours).

Heat the Tawa/Pan on medium heat.Knead the dough again, divide into

equal portions. Take each dough portion between palms of your both hands and roll to make a smooth ball. Place on the rolling board and using a rolling pin, start rolling the dough to a flat 15 to 16cm circle, dust the rolling board as and when required.

Carefully lift the rolled out dough with your hands and place on tawa (griddle). Let cook for 1 minutes and then flip over using a spatula. Using a spoon, spread

oil thoroughly on the first side, while the second side is cooking.

Flip again and repeat brushing oil on the second side.

Cook both sides till you see small brown specks on the paratha and sometimes the paratha fluffs up while cooking if it does not, don’t worry.

Serve warm with a dollop of butter and a side of yoghurt.

Methi Paratha

Gujjubhai banya Dabangg

Synopsis

Jagdish Pandya a retired middle class Gujarati man even at 48 dreams of doing something important with his

life, something that makes him famous. He is constantly nagged by his wife and

son that he has not achieved anything in life.Pandya calmly replies that he is

waiting for the right opportunity. Such an opportunity literally falls in his lap when a dreaded gangster gets shot dead in Pandya’s house and the comedy is set in motion. When the media mistakes him for the vigilante who stood up to the gangster, Jagdish grabs the opportunity and becomes a self-styled leader of the masses.

The fun starts when he has to start living up to his created persona.

Adapted from an original Marathi play by Sachin Mote, Gujjubhai Banya Dabangg is a hilarious Gujarati play by the well-known theatre artist Siddharth Randeria, for audience of Gujarati theatre, this play is a good watch with family and friends for complete entertainment. Siddharth Randeria is known for his humour, stage presence and impromptu answers.

Writer: Pravin SolankiDirector: Siddharth RanderiaActors: Siddharth Randeria, Tejal

Vyas, Hitesh Upadhyay, Lopa Shah, Greshma Mehta, Rohinton Chetan, Aakash Zala, and Sameer Gurav

SHASHI KAPOOR CONfERRED DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARDBollywood’s evergreen charmer

Shashi Kapoor was on Sunday conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke

Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, by Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley at the iconic Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai.

The 77-year-old was wheeled on to the stage by his son Kunal and daughter Sanjana before an august gathering.

Shashi -- the star of over 150 films in his over 40-year career -- was all smiles upon receiving the Swarn Kamal (Golden Lotus), a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh and a ceremonial shawl, which he accepted with reverence and folded hands.

“Shashi Kapoor is undoubtedly one of the most versatile personalities Indian cinema has produced. An actor par excellence, who competed in his time with the very best and almost competed with different generations of film actors,” Jaitley said.

“He even produced and directed various kinds of films; combined commercial cinema with alternative cinema; defined languages and brought Hindi cinema and Hollywood closer.

Then also, he didn’t leave his love for theatre,” he added. The gathering saw the presence of Shashi’s nephew Rishi Kapoor, grand-nephew Ranbir Kapoor, grand-neice Karisma Kapoor and others like Neetu Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Nafisa Ali, Saif Ali Khan and Rekha.

Due to Shashi’s ill health, he could not travel to the capital for the National Awards ceremony on May 3. So, minister Jaitley flew in to confer the award on him at Prithvi Theatre, which Shashi launched with his late wife Jennifer Kendalin 1978. Jaitley said it’s a “a fitting tribute...the award is being physically and symbolically conferred on him in an institution that he himself created - the Prithvi Theatre”. This is the third Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the illustrious Kapoor family after Shashi’s father Prithviraj Kapoor and elder brother Raj Kapoor.

“The way it (the family) produces talent, I’m sure that it’s not the last one. My best wishes to you for a improved health and a very long life. We wish you all the best, Shashi Kapoor,” Jaitley said.

A special audio-visual celebrating

Shashi’s film and personal journey was also screened at the event. It featured Amitabh, Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore, Rishi, Randhir Kapoor among others talking about the cinematic icon.

Amitabh, who has co-starred with Shashi in films like “Trishul”, “Silsila”, “Kabhi Kabhie” and “Kaala Patthar”, thanked him for always being a “compassionate person and a generous and caring friend”.

Since it was also Mother’s Day on Sunday, Rishi aptly recounted Shashi’s trademark dialogue -- “Mere paas maa hai” -- to a loud applause. Shashi started his tryst with acting at the age of four, with plays directed and produced by his father Prithviraj.

He started acting in films as a child artiste in the late 1940s. His best known performances as child artiste were in “Aag” (1948) and “Awaara” (1951), where he played the younger version of the character played by his elder brother Raj.

When he grew up, he made his debut as a leading man in the 1961 film “Dharmputra”, and went on to appear in more than 150 Hindi films.

A popular name in Bollywood during the 1960s, 1970s and until the mid-1980s, Shashi was one of India’s first actors to go international. He is known internationally for starring in many British and American films, notably Merchant Ivory Proudctions run by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, such as “The Householder” (1963), “Shakespeare Wallah” (1965), “Sara Akash” (1969), “Bombay Talkie” (1970) and “Heat and Dust” (1982).

He also starred in other British and American films such as “Siddhartha” (1972) and “Muhafiz” (1994). In 1978, Shashi set up his production house Film Valas, which produced critically acclaimed films such as “Junoon” (1978), “Kalyug” (1981), “36 Chowringhee Lane” (1981), “Vijeta” (1982) and “Utsav” (1984).

He also produced and directed a fantasy film titled “Ajooba”, which had Amitabh and Rishi in the lead roles. In 2011, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, and he is also a proud recipient of three National Film Awards.

Date: 16th May, 2015, Day: Saturday, Time: 7.30pm. Venue: Victory Convection Centre, 98 Beaumont St, Freemansbay.

Preparation and cooking times 40 minutesSERVES 8


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lisa ray to perform stunts in ‘Ishq Forever’

Actress Lisa Ray, who plays a secret agent in “Ishq Forever”, will be seen

performing stunts in the romantic entertainer. She’s excited to play an “action-oriented” woman on screen and is working hard for it.

She has been undergoing rigorous training sessions since a month with Grandmaster Shifuji to get her act rights. The actress wants to ensure that her comeback turns out to be a treat for her fans.

“I’m so excited to play a strong, action-oriented woman on screen. Training with Master Shifuji was not just bout mastering the physical

moves but also about the confidence and mind training it takes to be a warrior.

“Shifuji has trained many women in self-defence and we both believe strongly in female empowerment, which is part of bringing my character to the screen,” Lisa said in a statement.

Produced by Ajay Shah, Harry Gandhi and Shabbir Boxwala, “Ishq Forever” is being shot in Cape Town, South Africa. The film, directed by Sanjay Dayma, will release in November.

Six-pack abs not necessary to deliver hits, says madhavan

Actor R. Madhavan says it’s a misconception that people with six-pack abs

can deliver hit films.

Asked what’s his take on six-pack and eight-pack abs in Bollywood, Madhavan told IANS: “Making six-pack abs for no reason doesn’t make sense. When you are young, it is possible.

“I feel you have to be fit and look attractive. People have this misconception that people with six-pack abs can deliver hits, but that’s not the case.

“Had I built six-pack abs for ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, I wouldn’t have been able to justify myself.”

Talking about the film, he said: “It was very difficult for me to justify the role in the film.

“I also know there is a lot of expectations from this film. But considering the fact that Anand L. Rai is the director, no actor can act bad in his film. He will see to it that actors give their 100 percent.”

“Tanu Weds Manu Returns”, a sequel to “Tanu Weds Manu”, also features Kangana Ranaut.

‘Piku’ success is victory of audience: Irrfan

Shoojit Sircar’s “Piku” has generated rave reviews and roaring applause from

movie buffs. Actor Irrfan Khan says the response is a win both for the audience as also for a filmmaker who knows how to entertain and engage with a difference.

“THANKSss to all for the success of @PikuTheFilm. Feeling Great full, hopeful, beautiful and so light.

It’s the victory of the audience and the new film makers who wants to engage audience on a different level,” Irrfan posted on Twitter.

“Piku”, which stresses on the camaraderie between a father and daughter, is endearing for the honesty with which Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, along with Irrfan, have slipped into their respective characters.

Served with dollops of comedy and emotions, the movie is finding fans among all age groups.

‘KaPoor and soNs’ shoot begins

The shooting of Shakun Batra’s upcoming modern family drama film “KAPOOR

and SONS” began on Sunday. The film stars rumoured couple Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra, along with Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor.

“ @ s h a k u n b a t r a ’ s #kapoorandsons kickstarts today!! All the best to the cast and crew!!

@S1dharthM @_fawadakhan_ @aliaa08 @chintskap” Karan Johar, who is producing the film under his banner Dharma Productions, posted on Twitter. Batra’s directorial debut “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu” was also produced by Karan, while Alia and Sidharth’s debut film “Student Of The Year” was produced and directed by Karan too. Sidharth expressed excitement over the new project.

Meanwhile, the multi-faceted Karan - actor, director, producer, screen writer, costume designer and TV personality - will next be seen as Kaizad Khambata in Anurag Kashyap’s period crime drama film “Bombay Velvet”.

The film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, is set to release on May 15.

No wedding plans on Katrina’s mind, says spokespersonKatrina Kaif’s spokes-

person has clarified that there’s no truth

to rumours about the actress’ wedding plans. This has come in the wake of reports that Katrina’s rumoured beau Ranbir Kapoor has revealed that they will wed next year.

Rumour mills are also abuzz with news that the duo may get engaged later in May.

But Katrina’s spokesperson said in a statement: “There is no truth to these wedding dates, there are no plans as yet.”

The wedding rumours started after a publication quoted the “Barfi” star announcing: “This year both of us are extremely busy, so there won’t be any time for the marriage. We have planned to tie the knot by the end of next year. Both of us have agreed on that.”

Mostly, the duo, who has featured together in films like “Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani” and “Raajneeti”, have kept silent

about their relationship. They are also reportedly living together.

They got close to each other during the shooting of the 2009 film “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”, after Katrina reportedly broke up from her then boyfriend and Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. Ranbir was earlier dating Deepika Padukone.

Ranbir and Katrina’s next film together is Anurag Basu’s “Jagga Jasoos”.

Meanwhile, Katrina has gone to the French Riviera to make her debut at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival as a L’Oreal Paris brand ambassador.

Post that, the 31-year-old, who has “Jagga Jasoos” and Abhishek Kapoor’s “Fitoor” in her kitty, will dive into her film and brand commitments.

Ranbir is awaiting the release of his much-awaited film “Bombay Velvet”, which is hitting the screens on Friday.

‘Bombay Velvet’ granted u/a certificate

The Revising Committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)

has granted a U/A certificate to Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma starrer “Bombay Velvet”.

The film was certified ‘A’ by the CBFC, following which Kashyap approached the Revising Committee as he did not consider the period drama was an “adult film”.

He had immense faith that the committee would give the film correct certification.

The film is a romantic thriller, set against the backdrop of the 1960s Bombay. The film has Ranbir playing the role of the angry, young lover Johnny Balraj and Anushka playing the role of the singer Rosie Noronha. It also stars Karan Johar as the villain.


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Saturday 7pm









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Rangmanch Indian Theatre FestivalVenue:PlayhouseTheatre,15GlendaleRoad,AucklandDate&Time:Friday15May-7:30pmto9.30pmFriday22May-7:30pmto9.30pmSaturday16May-7pmto9pmSaturday23May-7pmto9pmSunday17May-4.30pmto7.30pmSunday24May2015-4.30pmto7.30pmThis festival will be a mega event – to showcase of 4 x full length Indian plays in Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali languages of exceptional quality and value. Such a grand celebration of the Art form of Theatre in 4 x different ethnic Indian languages is happening for the first time in the History of Theatre in Auckland.

CAB WORKSHOPS“NegotiatingatWork”Date:Saturday16May2015Time:9:30amto1:30pmVenue:CitizenAdviceBureau,82StLukesRoad,behindStLukeslibrary,Auckland.Citizen Advice Bureau is conducting settlement workshops on preparing for working and living in New Zealand. Part 1 - With customers & your EmployerPart 2 - Performance reviews – understand the process and how you should ask for what you want.Registrations essential: Contact CAB Eden Albert at 846 4023 or [email protected] Complimentary drinks and nibbles will be provided.

Police and LawDate:Wednesday20May2015Time:7pmto9pmVenue:ChristchurchMigrantCentre,166StAsaphStreet,CBDOne day workshop on Role of Police, Role of lawyers, Your rights and Going to Court

Newcomers WorkshopDate:27May2015Time:10:30amto12:30pmVenue:AlbanyHouse.575AlbanyHighway,Albany.Are you new to New Zealand? Find out about the NZ education system, schooling in NZ including early childhood education, enrolments, ESOL funding. The workshop is funded by Immigration New Zealand. Morning tea will be provided. Registration is must, contact: Lesley (09) 4863139 [email protected]

Punjabi Night 2015Date:6June2015Time:6pmto11pmVenue:VodafoneEventsCentre,Auckland.Saanjh sports and cultural club in association with Women Care Trust presents Punjabi Cultural Night 2015. A ‘ladies only’ dance night along with cultural performances. Best Dance and Best Dress award will be given on spot. An alcohol and drug free family event with free entry and free parking. Contact Sukhbir Kaur at 0210406677 for more details.

NEW HANDLOOM ACT WILL MEAN DEATH fOR HANDLOOM INDUSTRY: RITU KUMARTalk of a change in the

Handloom Reservation Act, which has since 1985

protected handloom weaves from being copied by machine-made and powerloom competitors, has got veteran designer Ritu Kumar worried about the plight of millions of India’s weavers who are already fighting for their livelihood.

A notable name in the Indian fashion industry, who has focussed her efforts towards resurrecting the handloom industry and craft of local weavers from different regions, Kumar says that any change in the Act may not only impact the lives of over four million weavers but could lead to the death of handloom itself in the country.

“The Act has protected handloom for decades. It has protected yarn and allows our weaver community to thrive. There’s a movement to scrap that in favour of powerloom. I am strongly protesting against it,” Kumar told media.

“If they take away the reservation of handloom, it will affect 4.4 million weavers and there won’t be handloom left in this country,” she added.

It has been speculated that the government plans to amend the Handloom Reservation Act.

The news comes against the backdrop of efforts by the

powerloom lobby to get parity with the handloom sector, which has called on the government to implement the act. Asked if the amendment will affect the charm of the weaving process, for which India is known for globally, Kumar said: “More than the romance and charm, what we will lose will be a huge chunk of livelihood.”

The designer, who has spent

over four decades in the fashion industry and has witnessed the changes in the interests of national and international buyers, also shared how “there is a strong lobbying happening around the country”.

As part of her contribution to the weaving sector, Kumar held a sari exhibition in the capital. It saw rare handblock prints from

Bengal -- and it’s an effort on her part to revive craft from the region and create employment for weavers there.

For the line, Kumar has taken inspiration from former Danish colony of Serampore, which she had explored in mid-1960s when she was a student of art history.

“I couldn’t understand why there was no work (for weavers

there). Of little samples that I saw, it was so beautiful and I wondered why they had no work.

“They were painting polka dots for export to America at the same price as synthetic scarves, and it was terrible. I wasn’t really a designer of print, but I said, ‘Let me try and do something’. I made blocks and asked them to print them on saris.

“It’s an old heritage which came back to life. Over the years, we carried the block printing and I also used Bhagalpur silk, which is made from ahimsa silk from that region,” Kumar explained.

The designer hopes that with her work she “will be able to give at least that amount of work to those weavers once again with the renewed interest”. But awareness needs to be created, she stressed.

“We need to create more aware-ness about Indian handlooms. More education is required. Peo-ple hardly know what they are wearing,” said Kumar, whose creations have been flaunted by names like Jemima Khan, Sush-mita Sen, Aishwarya Rai and even the late Princess Diana.

Kumar’s work and involvement with weavers keeps her away from glitzy runway shows, but she’s not complaining.

“I am taking some time off to focus on these weavers, but I have not quit. I think Label (son Amrish Kumar’s designer label) is doing wonderfully well in maintaining our signature crafts in a modern way.”


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Professional Drivers

Toilet on board

Limited Mobility

Safety First Seatbelts

Free Power and WI-FI

Air Conditioning

Modern Fleet

Reclining Seat

Priyanka chopra’s ‘Quantico’ gets picked up by aBcAmerican TV show “Quantico”,

the pilot of which was shot with Bollywood actress Priyanka

Chopra essaying the female lead, has been picked for telecast by TV network ABC. It will air in fall season.

Confirming the news, an excited Priyanka took to micro-blogging website Twitter and shared: “And it’s happened #QuanticoABC will air this fall @ABCNetwork @anjulaacharia @tracybrennan007 @kcslee God Bless!yay! (sic)”

The 32-year-old actress also shared a photograph of the cast of the show along with her tweet.

Priyanka, who is the first Bollywood actress to star in a pilot at ABC and has made her space in the West with her singing talent, plays Alex Parrish, a half-Caucasian, half-Indian FBI trainee with a haunting past.

The show centres on a diverse group of recruits who have arrived at the FBI Quantico Base for training. Being the best and brightest of the lot, it seems impossible that one of them is suspected of masterminding the biggest attack on New York City since 9/11, according to deadline.com.

“Quantico” also stars Dougray Scott as Liam, Jake McLaughlin as Ryan, Aunjanue Ellis as Miranda, Yasmine Al Massri as Nimah, Johanna Braddy as Shelby, Tate Ellington as Simon Asher and Graham Rogers as Caleb Haas.

The series is written by Josh Safran. Executive producers are Josh Safran, Mark Gordon and Nick Pepper.

ritesh Batra to direct oscar-winner in English film

Indian director of “The Lunchbox” fame Ritesh Batra will helm a movie adaptation of Julian Barnes’s novel

“The Sense of an Ending”, and it will star Oscar-winning actor Jim Broadbent.

“I am thrilled to adapt one of my favourite novels to screen and to work with a great team. Julian Barnes’s characters are an important part of my life and work, and I am very much looking forward to spend time with them, and with Jim Broadbent whom I have always admired,” Batra said in a statement.

Broadbent, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the 2001 film “Iris”, is popular for his work in “Topsy Turvy”, “Moulin Rouge”, “Paddington”, “Cloud Atlas”, “The Iron Lady” and well-known series “Harry Potter”.

To be shot in Britain later this year, “The Sense of an Ending” follows a retired man who receives an unexpected letter from a lawyer that forces him to confront his own past - and unfulfilling present - including the suicide of his childhood best friend. The film marks the first screenplay by Nick Payne.

Batra’s debut feature film “The Lunchbox” earned him wide international acclaim for telling a simple tale of a love-lorn wife and a lonely man and how letters through a ‘lunchbox’ bind them.

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