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TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Subcontinent 14
Op Ed 22
Vol. 4CelebrationsJune 25 - July 1, 2011 | 60 Rangaswamy| No.10 | Cents of PSG Management Mr. G.
PSG College of Technology and its growth into an University accrediCollege of Technology, Managing Trustee, Mr. C.R. tation which will be honored upon Vivek held at Swaminathan - the Chief PSG next year. It emphasized the Indian origin grocer Coimbatore, India was Kundra leaving Chutney Mary White House for restaurant in Executive, Dr. R. Rudramoorthyin fray for Cambridge importance of PSG Tech Corpus Harvard fellowship Monmouth Junction, New Jersey Principal PSGCT, Dr U Chancellor will help in education P. Fund, which on Saturday May 7, 2011. The Radhakrishnan - Director, of 200 deserving students every National by 50 PSGIAS, Dr. R. Nandagopal Diaspora, The PSG Trust already helps year. gathering was attended Community, Page 7 alumni from various fields of PSG Director, PGSIM, Dr. G. 250 students each year for their Page 9 College of Technology. The alumni Ranganathan - President, Alumni education. Some of the alumni honored by came from Boston, Virginia, Association, Dr R. Nadarajan, Pennsylvania, New York and New Head/Maths & Computer Mr. Rangaswamy were - Mr. Jack Jersey. Included were, the oldest Applications, PSGCT, Dr A. Poola for his donations to PSG graduate Mr. Shanmugam from Kandaswamy, Head/Biomedical Tech, Mr. SampathKumar, Mr. Marthuchala Moorthy, Mr. Selvam 1959 batch and the youngest grad- Engineering, PSGCT. uate from 2010 batch. The slide show presentation and Mr. Vijay for planning the The meeting was presided by highlighted various departments in meeting in New Jersey.
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work like a slave, the forIslamabad: With optimism and eign ministry said, We are disappointed and an open mind, the Indian and Pakideeply concerned that In- stani foreign secretaries Thursday dian diplomats and their began two-day talks here to bridge family members should the trust deficit, which touched a new be targeted in such a man- low after the 26/11 Mumbai attack, ner in a friendly country by focusing on peace and security and confidence-building measures like the US. It added, Such actions (CBMs) on Kashmir. The talks between Indian Foreign impede the ability of the Indian Consul General in New York, Secretary Nirupama Rao and her PakAmb. Prabhu Dayal individuals in question to istani counterpart Salman Bashir have discharge their official New Delhi: Reacting to the forced responsibilities as well as cause been divided into three segments. The two top diplomats Thursday labor suit brought against Indian untold mental harassment and anBoth Rao and Bashir struck notes the talks with a great sense of conficonsul general in New York, Amb. guish. These incidents cannot be held discussions on peace and security and CBMs across the Line of cautious optimism as they first dence, optimism and determination. Prabhu Dayal, the Indian govern- dismissed lightly. Sounding a subtle note of cau- of Control in Kashmir. The second held restricted talks before they We wish to engage with you in not ment here protested against what it only walking the trajectory but also excalled the targeting of the countrys tion, the ministry said, The treat- and third round of talks on Kashmir were joined by their delegations. and promotion of friendly exchangWelcoming the Indian side, Bashir ploring new avenues further, he said. diplomats in the US, subtly caution- ment being meted out to Indian stressed that they were approaching India-Pak continues on page 4 ing that it could sour public opinion diplomats or their family mem- es will take place here Friday. bers has resulted in negative puband have repercussions for ties. Mg Trustee Mr Rangaswamy presenting a plaque to Sampath Kumar, Mr C R Swaminathan Chief Executieve (in white) and Dr Radhakrishnan Trashing as motivated and lic perceptions in India with attenorganizer of the event Past Principal (in blue) with students Obama for good baseless the charge that Dayal dant implications. forced his Indian domestic help to Prabhu Dayal continued on page 4 Taliban, no to Hicksville, NY: Mayor Harry on expenses and passing balanced Anand was re-elected for a third budgets, Mayor Anand stated. term as the Mayor of Laurel Hollow Mayor Anand also wishes for more Washington: The US will join on June 21. Mayor Anand thanked and more South Asians to get inNew Delhi: Foreign Secretary efforts to reconcile with the Tali- his board members and residents of volved in the political process. Nirupama Rao is set to be the next ban, President Barack Obama has Laurel Hollow for the support and Mayor Anand continued on page 4 Indian ambassador to the US, offi- said, as he announced a pullout of appreciation they have shown for cial sources said here Wednesday. American forces from Afghanistan. his performance as the Mayor. Rao, 60, will be demitting office But he warned that terrorist havens In the last four years, I along July 31 at the end of her two-year term. in Pakistan wont be tolerated. with my board have worked diliThe government has decided to We will work with the Pakistani gently to provide good municipal appoint Rao as the next envoy in government to root out the cancer services, and maintain high stanWashington, replacing Meera Shan- of violent extremism, and we will dards of quality of life in Laurel kar, who has held the post since 2009. insist that it keep its commitments, Hollow; which is recognized as An announcement of her new Obama said in a nationally tele- one of the premier waterfront composting is expected from the gov- vised address Wednesday from the munities on Long Island. We have Foreign Trustee Mr. Rangaswamy presenting a plaque to Mg. Secretary Nirupama Rao Dr the White House. ernment soon, along with that of Rudramurthy, Principal, speaking. Mg Trustee and village in a fiscally responrun our will replace Meera Shankar as The alumni at the event (Harry) Anand Mayor Harvinder Selvam, master of ceremony SelvamObama continuedthe picture. sible way by keeping a tight control are also seen in on page 4 Indias ambassador in Washington. next foreign secretary.
The college's Managing Trustee Mr Rangswamy presenting a plaque to Jack Poola (left) in recognition of his donation to PSG Tech.
Amb. Dayal dismisses slavery charges after domestic help files suit
New York/Washington: The Indian Consul General in New York, Prabhu Dayal, has dismissed as mischievous and complete nonsense charges by a former housekeeper that she was treated like a slave while working for him and his family at the consulate in Manhattan. These are mischievous and malicious lies. Complete nonsense, Dayal said reacting to a forced-labor suit filed against him by Santosh Bhardwaj, 45, in a Manhattan federal court Monday. The housekeeper has alleged that Dayal promised her $10 an hour, plus overtime, to cook and clean for him and his wife after he was appointed to his post in 2008, according to the New York Post. But after arriving in the US Dayal confiscated her passport and paid her only consulate building on East 64th Street while Dayal was out at a meeting and his wife was in her room with the door closed. The newspaper said the Indian consulate didnt return a call seeking comment. Rejecting her charges, Dayal said: The allegations made by Santosh Bhardwaj against me are totally baseless. She was in my employment in Delhi for one year, in Morocco for four years and in New York for 11 months from February 2009 to Jan 28, 2010. She wanted to work part time outside to earn more money but I refused permission as she was on an official passport and her visa did not allow her to work anywhere expect in my home, Dayal said. Thereafter, she absconded on 28th Jan, 2010, and it is surprising that she has filed this case one and a half years after leaving my employment. She was paid her full emoluments as per my obligation, and she had saved a lot of money. Without these savings she would not have been able to meet her living costs in New York from January 2010 when she left me till June 2011, Dayal said. She left my employment as she wanted to do moon-lighting by earning more money by working outside. She was refused this permission and decided to leave my employment. The matter was reported straightaway to the local authorities as well as to the Ministry of External Affairs. The charges leveled by her are totally false and baseless. Dayal claims that she violated the terms of her visa by quitting her post to work for someone else. Dayal's lawyer, Ravi Batra said, "She has betrayed the trust of the Dayal family, India and the US with her illegal abandonment of employment in favor of illegal higher pay from illegal employers." Batra added she was given a contract in 2009 that guaranteed her $10 per hour for 40 hours of service per week. "This fraudster of a woman, seeing dollar signs, has hit on a 'get rich quick' scheme after a year and a half of illegally staying and working in New York," Batra said. Dayal also rejected as an insinuation charges that he had asked the housekeeper for a massage, which she interpreted as a sexual advance, saying he never asked for a massage.
Ambassador Prabhu Dayal, Indias Consul General in New York $300 a month to sleep in a storage closet and toil 15-plus hours a day, seven days a week, she alleged in the lawsuit. She is seeking unspecified damages and the return of her passport. She said she escaped last year by slipping out of the Indian
fter the Krittika Biswas arrest case, the suit against the CG is likely to spark debate about diplomatic immunity. Vishnu Prakash, a spokesman for the external affairs ministry in Delhi, believes Amb. Dayal is covered by immunity under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963. That means that he should be protected from such suits as his maid filed. But, a spokesman for the US embassy in New Delhi, Unni
Menon, has argued that immunity for consular employees does not apply in respect of a civil action either: a) arising out of a contract concluded by a consular officer or a consular employee in which he did not contract expressly or impliedly as an agent of the sending State; or b) by a third party for damage arising from an accident in the receiving State caused by a vehicle, vessel or aircraft.
I have seen media could come and go as reports about a she pleased. suit filed by Mrs. She has alleged Santosh Bhardwaj, my that she was forced to former domestic assiswork for 15 hours a tant. Let me categoriday, 7 times a week. cally state that all the This again is comcharges made by her pletely false. She are completely baseworked 8 hours a day, less and false. 5 times a week. She has alleged that Whenever she was reshe was made to sleep quired to cook for my Santosh Bhardwaj in a storage closet. former domestic help parties, extra money This is completely unwas given to her. with the CG. true as she was occuShe has alleged pying a one-room apartment on that I asked her to give me a masthe 5th floor of our Consulate sage, and that this was a sexual adbuilding (in Manhattan). The vance. This allegation is preposroom has an attached bathroom terous for I never asked her to give and it was equipped with central me a massage. heating, an air conditioner, a teleShe has alleged that she was vision, a telephone and all the fur- not paid her full salary. This is niture that she needed. The room completely false as she was paid had a separate entrance so she her full salary as per agreement.
those in the 30-34 score range can get $2,000 per semester, and the ones in the 25-39 range $1,500 per
semester. Even students with GPA of 3.5 and up qualify for $1500 per semester.
Community 4
New York: Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, who led one of the top Hindu temples in the US until a jury convicted him of molesting children, has fled to Mexico to avoid jail term, reports The Daily Beast. The site said the Indian origin founder of Barsana Dham in Texas slipped across the border near Nuevo Laredo on March 6 night. The local police have said they would prosecute anyone in the ashram who helped the swami flee the country. Auspicious start to Saraswati was accused in 2008 by three Obama continued from page 1 women of molesting them as children. In For there should be no doubt that so long as early March 2011, a Hays County jury conI am president, the US will never tolerate a safe victed him of all 20 counts of indecency haven for those who aim to kill us: they cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve. No country is more endangered by the presence of violent extremists, which is why we will continue to press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future for this war-torn region, he said. Announcing that all the 33,000 US forces he ordered to Afghanistan in December 2009 would be home in the next 15 months, Obama said 10,000 of the so-called surge forces would withdraw by the end of this year. The other 23,000 would leave Afghanistan by September 2012. Obama said the military campaign was meeting our goals in Afghanistan and thedrawdown would begin from a position of strength. Maha Kumbhabhishekam Swami Prakashanand Saraswati
IIFA story Continued from page 1 of our community and we will see South Asians getting elected to other positions on who is also a Canadian citizen and runs Long Island. Unfortunately we are still lacking a dance school here, will be the official participation in the political process in spite of choreographer of the IIFA Awards. growth in numbers and prosperity among our According to organizers, more than community on Long Island. 22,000 people are expected to attend Laurel Hollow is one of the premier comthe IIFA Awards which will be beamed munities on the North Shore of Long Island. internationally to over 700 million Mayor Anand has a Chemical Engineering people. degree from Panjab University, India. He is Twenty Bollywood films are being the President of Royce International, involved screened in Toronto and its sister cities in manufacture and distribution of industrial. of Brampton, Mississauga and Markham as part of the IIFA Awards. These include Chak De India, Hera Pheri, Dabangg and Dil To Pagal Hai. Interestingly, the Indian-dominated city of Brampton on the outskirts of Toronto will name a street Raj Kapoor Crescent after the legendary Raj with a child by sexual contact. He skipped Kapoor during the IIFA Awards. court on the day of his sentencing. Subsequently, the District Judge issued an arrest The South Asian Times team will be warrant against him and revoked his $ 1 there to cover Toronto IIFA. million bond.
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Independent Economist Projects Deal will generate $1.2 billion for county; $350 million to build a New Arena, $433 million in debt service payments & $403 million to hold the line on property taxes, 3,040 permanent jobs & 1,515 new construction jobs projected
Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano should they vote to invest in Nassau Countys future, said County Executive Mangano. From Islander tickets to concert tickets, pretzels to hotdogs, Nassau County will share in a portion of dollars spent at the new arena that residents will own. The construction of a new arena will retain and create thousands of jobs and be a catalyst to generate the revenue needed to hold the line on property taxes. Todays agreement is a giant step forward for Nassaus economy. Sadly, in past years Nassau took too many steps backward with the loss of Canon USA, Grumman, Avis, OSI Pharmaceuticals, the Nets and the Jets. This agreement reverses that trend. NY Islanders owner Charles Wang stated, With this unprecedented agreement, we are paying for this state-of-the-art sports-entertainment destination while creating thousands of jobs and new revenues streams that benefit Nassau County homeowners and businesses. The Islanders were born on Long Island, won four Stanley Cups for Long Island and want to call Long Island home for decades to come. The construction of a new arena will retain and create significant employment opportunities for the residents of Nassau County. According to the independent report issued by Camoin Associates, the project will create a total of 1,515 construction jobs and generate $121 million in wage earnings during the construction phase. After the construction phase, it is estimated that 3,040 permanent jobs will be created with $138.8 million in new wage earnings.
Charnams group posing in March this year and represented Queens in the final round of contest on June 17. The Ultimate Battle of the Boroughs featured the top 5 bands of New York City Charanams (Queens), The Soulfolk E x p e r i e n c e (Brooklyn),Finotee (Bronx), Joan Caddell & the Midnight Choir (Staten Island) and Andy Suzuki & the Method (Manhattan). The bands performed for in-house audience of over 300 music lovers and a panel of 5 musician-judges. The live webcast of the event was also watched by thousands of fans world over. As the winner of the Battle of the Boroughs, Charanams will perform an exclusive concert at the Summerstage concert series this year and will also perform a concert at The Greene Space Theater.
Indian-American's tipster convicted Indian-American couple of insider trading scammed $460M from NY project
New York: An IndianAmerican couple owning a New Jersey company have been charged with raking in more than $460 million in crooked cash through New Yorks scandal-scarred CityTime payroll project. The New York Post citing court papers said Reddy and Dr. Padma Allen secured a lucrative, no-bid subcontract that made it look like their firm, TechnoDyne, was a successful and fastgrowing company. But the engine of its growth was actually an over-billing scam in which the Reddys paid millions in kickbacks and hired a bevy of crooked sub-subcontractors, the daily said citing an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court. Prosecutors said brazen corruption was part of a massive and elaborate scheme involving highranking execs at prime contractor Science Applications International Corp.(SAIC) that drove up the enormous bills for CityTime, which was initially budgeted at $63 million but has cost more than $720 million to date. As a result, virtually the entirety of the well over $600 million that the city paid to SAIC on the CityTime project was tainted, directly or indirectly, by fraud, the indictment said. Manhattans Indian American US Attorney Preet Bharara called the scam truly jaw-dropping and epic in duration, magnitude and scope. Bharara was quoted as saying an ongoing investigation showed that CityTime was corrupted to to core through contract changes engineered by supervising consultant Mark Mazer-who was busted last year-after which the fraud metastasized over time, The Reddys, who face charges including conspiracy to defraud New York City, remain at large, having fled to India in February after getting slapped with grand-jury subpoenas, the indictment says. The Post cited Bharara as saying his office was seeking to have the couple extradited to face prosecution. New York: A former expert-network consultant, who allegedly leaked information to an Indian-American hedge fund manager, has been found guilty of insider trading. The conviction of Winfred Jiau Monday is the latest development in an ongoing investigation into insider trading by the US Attorney's office in Manhattan, which has resulted in over 40 convictions of hedge fund managers and others since August 2009. According to the prosecution, Jiau had conversations with Indian-American Samir Barai and Noah Freeman, two hedge fund managers who pleaded guilty to insider trading in February, in which she leaked information on a quarterly statement from Marvel Technology Group in 2008. Barai then used that information, which Jiau allegedly obtained from an employee at the media firm, to make $820,000 in illicit gains by trading the company's stock, CNN reported. During the two-week trial, prosecutors played recordings of phone calls between Jiau and her co-conspirators in which she discussed inside information on companies using code words such as 'recipes,' 'cooks' and 'sugar.' Prosecutors said Jiau, 43, obtained inside information on publicly traded companies from 2006 to 2008 as an employee of an expert networking firm, which is a business that helps connect investors with consultants who have knowledge of specific companies. She then shared that information with hedge fund traders who used it to make trades in the stock market. In exchange, Jiau was paid more than $200,000 over the two-year period, according to prosecutors.'Wini Jiau gave new meaning to the concept of social networking,' said Preet Bharara, the Manhattan US Attorney, in a statement. 'She used and exploited friends at public companies for the purpose of obtaining, and then selling, inside information.' Jiau's attorney, Joanna Hendon, was quoted as saying she plans to appeal the conviction. 'We're disappointed in the verdict and look forward to appealing it after sentencing,' said Hendon. She is scheduled to be sentenced in September and remains in custody.
Ekal Vidyalaya NJ chapter raises $320,000 for schools in Indias tribal areas
New Jersey: Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation's (E.V.F.) benefit concert on Saturday, June 4 by Bollywood singer and SA RE GA MA PA sensation Manoj Mishra & Nirupama Dey Group at "Vrundavan Temple Auditorium" in Edison, N.J., was a smashing success. The enchanting musical duo not only took the audience down the memory lane by singing nostalgic melodies of Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, MannaDey, Lata, Asha, and legendary 'Saigal', but also kept the listeners spellbound by their rendering. Prajna Khisti, President of NJ-Ekal Chapter, set the tone for the evening by quantifying illiteracy in modern India and the efforts needed to eradicate it, during her flawless PowerPoint presentation about "Ekal Vidyalaya Project" (one-teacher school). Explaining the vicious cycle of illiteracy, poverty and exploitation, Dr. Yogendra Patel, demonstrated to the capacity crowd, how education could lead to empowerment and better quality life. By evening's conclusion, approx $150,000 were raised for "E.V.F." bringing New Jersey's total fundraising efforts for the week to over $320,000. For $365/yr (dollar-a-day), an "Ekal Vidyalaya School" provides non-formal basic education and hygiene training to a group of 30 to 40 underprivileged children in tribal, remote-area villages of India, where many times there are no approachable roads or basic facilities. Dr Umesh Shukla, Regional V.P. for "Ekal" informed the gathering that, " 'Ekal Vidyalaya' is not only the LARGEST literacy tion is being rendered without consideration to caste, creed, language etc". Brahm Sharma, in an emotional appeal said,"Our success in this country is due to our education back home which was heavily subsidized. In other words, unknown to us, someone else paid for it. Now, by reciprocating the same gesture to the needy children of India, we are only seeking our own salvation in small way." During the program, as a small departure from previous years, instead of honoring only generous donors, the committee this year chose to felicitate three 'volunteer-families' with a 'Plaque', for being role models for selfless service to the society and their dedication to Ekal's literacy cause. The recipients of this honor were Arvind & Pratibha Sant, Prakash & Neela Waghmare and Makarand & Suniti Abhyankar.
Manoj Mishra & Nirupama Dey group entertained crowd at benefit concert movement undertaken by the Indians and NRIs, but also a recipient of the 'Best NGO Organization' Award' recently for its transparency and administration". He further elaborated that," there are over 34,000 "Ekal Schools" in operation in tribalremote areas throughout India, including Jammu-Kashmir & Himachal Pradesh, where educa-
Several hundred yoga enthusiasts from all walks of life gathered at the Times Square Tuesday morning to celebrate the first day of summer. The free early morning session was organized by the Times Square Alliance. Instructor Nicole Nichols, who goes by the name Narayani led the crowds which packed the plazas between West 45th and West 47th streets. The yoga event seems to have become an annual feature.
Vivek Kundra was appointed as first federal chief information officer government through technology will also drive my research interests on both the national and international levels" at his new job, Kundra said in the release. Kundra spearheaded a number of initiatives to try to make the government's complex technology systems more efficient and less costly. Democratic senator. Tom Carper, who heads the subcommittee that oversees federal IT issues, credited Kundra with saving the government $3 billion in efficiencies. One of his primary accomplishments was introducing "cloud computing" into the government IT lexicon. Kundra has also pushed consumer-focused companies such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon to get into the government game.
Washington, DC: Indian-American chef Floyd Cardoz, the man behind New York's now-closed Danny Meyer Indian restaurant Tabla, has taken home the $100,000 top prize in the third season of Top Chef Masters with a simple upma dish. Mumbai-born Cardoz, who beat out California luminaries Traci Des Jardins and Mary Sue Milliken for first place, is donating his winnings to the Young Scientists Cancer Research Fund at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in memory of his father, who died of cancer. Cardoz divided the judges with his inclusion of the popular Indian breakfast dish Upma in his meal, but "in the end, (he) impressed because of the spice and passion that infused his final meal of the season," said The Wall Street Journal. "The three-course feast also featured a ricecrusted snapper in a fennel-laced broth and a reinterpreted version of a Malaysian beef stew. Our guess is that Cardoz won by doing exactly what he does at Tabla-that is, honouring his Indian gastronomic roots and finding a way to reinvent his native cuisine at the same time," it said. By winning, Cardoz joins the ranks of better-known chefs Rick Bayless, of Frontera Grill in Chicago, and Marcus Samuelsson, of Red Rooster and formerly Aquavit, both in New York, who won second and third season respectively, the Huffington Post reported Next, Cardoz will head another Danny Meyer production, North End American Grill in Battery Park City, New York, it said. The restaurant, which is calling its cuisine "roof-to-table," marks a departure for the chef, who focused on high-end Indian cuisine throughout his tenure at Tabla, the Post said.
Upma dish wins Dr.Gautam Gupta on Indian-American FBI's list of most-wanted Medicaid for servicchef $100,000 Chicago: aFBI has launched nationes that were not wide manhunt and medically necessary top prize or, in some cases, alerted Interpol to
were never perlocate one of its formed, according to most-wanted fugitives, Indian-origin the Chicago Tribune. doctor Gautam Medicaid is a US health programme Gupta whose ads Weight loss for citizens from low promising weight specialist Dr family incomes and loss are well-known, for allegedly Gautam Gupta has resources, funded by defrauding US insur- allegedly committed the federal and state ance companies of $25million fraud governments and is $25 million over the last managed by the state. According to the complaint, decade. An FBI complaint alleges that Gupta received FBI agents and Illinois State almost $25 million over the last Police used interviews with curdecade when he submitted rent and former employees and claims to Blue Cross/Blue patients of 57-year-old Gupta to Shield of Illinois and Illinois build the case against him.
(L to R) Speakers Maya Jairam, Shilpa Kudtarkar, S Kalyanraman and Bhavana Shinde Hurley Hindus in America. Mrs. Shilpa Kudtarkar of Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) shared the importance of spiritual practice and healing measures to successfully overcome the issues faced by the Hindu community, as she explained how these issues have an underlying spiritual component. B h a v n a S h i n d e H u r l e y, Hinduism Education Coordinator of Durga Mandir and Spokesperson of FHA, drew attention to various issues facing Hindus that are not commonly known, such as Hindu youth increasingly converting out of Hinduism, and trivialization of Hindu Deities in American entertainment, art and advertizing industries. The speakers and Mr. Sant Gupta, former President of Durga Mandir, were honored for their selfless service to the c a u s e o f H i n d u i s m . D r. S . Kalyanaraman was awarded the Vishwa Hindu Ratna for his research on the roots of Hindu (Sarasvati) civilization and efforts to stop the destruction of Rama Sethu.
Vinnie Bharara sold parent company of diapers.com and soap.com to Amazon.com for $540 million Preet Bharara was selected by the White House as the United States attorney in Manhattan, among the highest-profile prosecutor posts in the country. Vinnie, who had indulged into a new business of selling diapers on internet, sold the parent company of diapers.com and soap.com to Amazon.com for $ 540 million.
Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Nairobi-born Abdul Arains father hails from Jalandhar English urban centres dominated by supermarket chains. And he doesn't mind whom he takes on. When you look at Prince Philip, he is removed from the reality of local life.I believe that bringing that touch back with, what I would call, a normal individual, would make Cambridge more accessible. Voting by an electorate consisting of Senate members holding a MA or PhD higher degree from Cambridge will take place on October 14 and 15. Is he daunted by his famous rivals? "Not really," said Arain. "Barack Obama was also an outsider and he is President today."
Shreedhar Natarajan, 41 donated to Canada-India Center for Excellence technology and policy issues. I made this donation because I want future generations of students to learn more about today's global business realities.'' To thank the multi-millionaire Indian techie, Carleton University has announced to name the threestorey glass atrium of the CanadaIndia Center after him. Natarajan came to the US as a student to get his masters degree in computer engineering from the University of Louisiana. He worked with companies like Texas Instruments before moving to Canada in 2002 to join Ottawabased Atmos Semiconductor. After losing a couple of jobs, he started his own Emerging Memory Technologies Inc. in 2004. He sold it in 2007 to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. - which is the global leader in made-to-order computer chips needed in computers, smart phones and other telecom equipment.
Truck-load of water melons produced on Resource Africa's farm for sale on the the Ghanaian market clearly preparing himself for the future. 'It is projected that the world is heading towards a food shortage and some of us are just getting ready to cater to that,' Khinda said. Apart from making money on his investments, he said, Resources Africa is contributing to Ghana's development in its own small way. 'Our exports alone are a major source of earning foreign exchange for the country,' he said. 'I was inspired by the work of some other Indians who were already engaged in farming in Ghana and this urged me on.'
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US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Sarah Palin launched the "One Nation" bus tour on May 29, fueling speculation of a possible presidential bid. potential 2012 presidential candidates in polls of Republican voters. She has said she plans to visit Iowa, where the state's caucuses begin the nominating season next year.
Former US vice president and environmental activist Al Gore for bold action on climate change." "President Obama has never presented to the American people the magnitude of the climate crisis," wrote Gore, who narrowly lost the 2000 presidential election and won
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Anna Hazare, lawyer Shanti Bhushan and activist Arvind Kejriwal on their way to attend a meeting at the North Block in New Delhi. "We have an Election Commission and the government can't interfere in its function. We have the Supreme Court and the Right to Information (RTI) Act which they cannot interfere in," Hazare said here. "Just like them, the Lokpal should also be beyond government's interference," he said, adding the government's claims were an attempt to "mislead the people". After Tuesday's last meeting between them, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal had said that while the government wanted a strong Lokpal, "we cannot have a parallel government". "The government is trying to create misunderstanding in the minds of the people before our fast", Hazare said, and likened it to a "second struggle for freedom".
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Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. would help make it one of top-10 ship seeks to unlock an enormous US trading partners. "Our partner- untapped potential in our relation-
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Gopinath Munde. Munde if he wanted to speak to the Sena supremo about his grievances. "The doors of 'Matoshri' (Thackeray family's residence in north Mumbai's Bandra) are always open for him. When he had differences in the past with the BJP leadership, I had spoken to him and stopped him. But now I will not stop him (from leaving the BJP)," the Sena chief said.
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Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info
According to US officials, up to 5,000 troops would leave the country next month, and another 5,000 soldiers would return home by the end of the year.
A majority of Pakistanis describe Osamas death a bad thing. Mumbai terror attacks. Currently, 27 percent have a positive opinion of the terror outfit. When asked which is the biggest threat to their country, India, the Taliban, or Al Qaeda, a majority of Pakistanis (57 percent) say India, the poll noted. Similarly, Indians express negative opinions of Pakistan; 65 percent have an unfavorable view of their traditional rival and more name Pakistan as India's biggest threat (45 percent) than name Lashkar-eTaiba (19 percent) or Naxalites (16 percent).
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna along with Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao during bilateral talks with Myanmar counterparts. 12th century Hindu temple in Bagan division of Mandalay. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who accompanied Krishna, took time off the busy bilateral meetings with the political leaders to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and leader of the new disbanded National League for Democracy, when they discussed India's aid to Myanmar's development. Suu Kyi had been freed from 18-month house arrest by the erstwhile military junta soon after the first general elections in 20 years.
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Toronto: Bollywood takes over Toronto this weekend with music, fashion, film and dance, culminating in a star-studded awards bash Saturday. The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) celebrations are an annual touring event meant to promote South Asian cinema and stars. The IIFA weekend is described as India's biggest media event with the marquee awards show considered one of world's most-watched televised spectacles. Produced by the Mumbai-based Wizcraft International Entertainment, the three-day party features a film festival, business forum, fashion show and awards gala. The IIFA weekend honors Indian
calpers are taking advantage of the high demand for tickets to the star-stud-
ded IIFA awards ceremony, pushing resale prices upwards of $1,000. held at the Millennium Dome in London in 2000. Since then, celebrations have been held in Sun City, Malaysia; Dubai; Amsterdam; Singapore; Yorkshire, England; Bangkok; Macau; Johannesburg; and Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Kapoor, best known for roles in America for his "24" and "Slumdog Millionaire," and Shilpa Shetty, the actress and model who was embroiled in a controversy on Britain's "Celebrity Big Brother" in 2007. The first IIFA Awards were
suffering from a knee injury, will be performing at the award ceremony. The dance steps have been made easier for him.
Best film Band Baaja Baaraat Dabaang My Name is Khan Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Raajneeti Best Lead (Male) Salman Khan - Dabaang Hrithik Roshan - Guzaarish Shah Rukh Khan - My Name is Khan
The nominees
Ajay Devgn - Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Ranbir Kapoor - Raajneeti Best Lead (Female) Anuksha Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat Kareena Kapoor - Golmaal 3 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Guzaarish Vidya Balan - Ishqiya Katrina Kaif - Raajneeti
IIFA 11 to commemorate Jackson bro to perform at IIFA Rocks Raj Kapoor with Sonu Nigam
n an international first, legendary Indian playback singer Sonu Nigam will team with Grammy Award nominee and iconic American popstar Jermaine Jackson in a dazzling performance at IIFA Rocks presented by The Bay in tribute to his brother, the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. IIFA Rocks is a dazzling event that shines a spotlight on the world of fashion, with live musical performances from popular internationals artists in support of the IIFA Foundation. The IIFA Foundation supports families of film industry workers who have been adversely affected during the production of films. This year, IIFA Rocks will also announce the 12th Floriana IIFA Technical Award winners and feature musical performances by top stars and
Jermaine Jackson
The Indian Charlie Chaplin Toronto: The legendary Raj Kapoor is looming large over Toronto in the Year of India in Canada. As the IIFA Weekend and Awards come here next week, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has joined hands with IIFA to commemorate the first superstar of Indian cinema. The main members of the Kapoor clan - Karisma Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor - will be present as special guests at the June 26 event to pay tributes to Raj Kapoor, TIFF said. Other Bollywood stars attending the IIFA Awards will also attend the tribute to the 'Charlie Chaplin of Indian cinema', TIFF said. Beginning next month, TIFF will also present 'Raj Kapoor and The Golden Age of Indian Cinema Retrospective' running here from July 1 to August 7. In a statement Friday, TIFF said, "One of the giants of Indian cinema, actor, director, mogul and legend Raj Kapoor is synonymous with the rise of Bollywood. "The highly influential Kapoor is revered throughout India, the former Soviet world, the Middle East and beyond for the films he made during the Golden Age of Indian cinema. Running from July 1 to August 7, TIFF presents the first major Kapoor retrospective in North America in nearly three decades - featuring a number of newly struck 35mm prints - and an exciting new installation from acclaimed filmmaker Srinivas Krishna.'' It said Raj Kapoor's directorial debut, "Aag" (1949), his first mega-hit "Barsaat" (1949), "Awaara" (1961); record breaking "Sangam" (1964) and major-hit "Bobby" (1973) will be among the films to be shown during the Toronto retrospective.
international music artists, including Neha Dupia, Dia Mirza, Mallika Sherawat, the cast of Double Dhamaal, Shankar-EshaanLoy and is co-hosted by Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar. Jackson, the older brother of the late Michael Jackson was a member of one of the worlds most beloved R&B groups The Jackson 5. Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1980 album Lets Get Serious, Jackson has had numerous Billboard Top 30 hits including
Daddys Home, Thats How Love Goes and Lets Get Serious. A duet with his brother Michael, Tell Me Im Not Dreamin (Too Good to Be True), hit #1 on the dance chart in 1984. Dont Take It Personal, hit #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The event will feature fashion from collections available at The Bay, as well as renowned Indian designers, Sabyasachi, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Vikram Phadnis. Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is set to walk the ramp for designer Rajesh Pratap Singh.
Brampton Buzz. Brampton's mainstream TV stations such as CBC, City TV and ET Canada all captured Nindy Kaur on interview, alongside RDB. During Saturday's parade, Nindy Kaur, RDB & Bipasha Basu all traveled on a floating stage through the city of Brampton. Fans were so excited to see Kaur and Basu that the two had to be escorted by police to a safer area. On June 24th and 25th, Nindy Kaur will be walking down the green carpet for IIFA Rocks at Rico Coliseum and the IIFA Awards at the Rogers Centre. Bipasha Basu and Nindy Kaur in Toronto
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e has devoted over four decades to the film industry, witnessing major changes in content along the years, but megastar Amitabh Bachchan has always made it a point to keep in sync with the tastes of youth, who constitute the bulk of the audience as, he stresses, "you have to listen to them". The 68-year-old icon, whose latest "Bbuddah...Hoga Tera Baap" releases July 1, says while he is happy with most of the changes, he still has reservations over the use of expletives and doing explicit scenes in films. He says youth will continue steering changes in content from candyfloss romance dramas to dark comedies, hardcore action fights, and hard-hitting reality films. "Indian cinema will change with every generation! When we came in the 1970s and 1980s, people, the old timers, didn't necessarily agree with what we did. They said, 'What is this man like? In every film he has a frown on his face, bashing up people!' The old timers didn't like it. But youth seemed to like it, and so we went ahead," Amitabh was quoted as saying. "The modern
Amitabh Bachchan in a scene from Bbuddah...Hoga Tera Baap. generation now likes romantic and young films and films that show more stuff that is very prevalent in youth today. I'm happy that changes are taking place in the industry," he added. Amitabh, who still manages to give stiff competition to younger stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and even his son Abhishek, has begun to feel a generation gap. Nevertheless, he finds it pertinent to keep a tab on the pulse of youth to make films that are in keeping with the audience's tastes. "I'd like to know what youth is seeing, what is happening, how are tastes changing. I see many films, and when I don't like certain films and hear that it worked, I question 'Why the hell did it work... because I didn't find anything attractive? And then when I like a film, I ask myself... 'Hey this film didn't work? This is such a fantastic film!' So there's obviously something wrong with me!Amitabh's "Bbuddah...Hoga Tera Baap" releases July 1 and "Aarakshan" will hit theaters on Aug 12.
"Congrats to soon to be dadaji @SrBachchan. Thrilled for @juniorbachchan and Ash. Much love and happiness to u all!!" Koel Puri, on her part, has wished the Bachchan parivar and also said that Abhishek and Ash will no doubt have beautiful children.
Saif denies Kareena I strive to bring understanding, not change: Jha break-up rumor
t's his belief in 'cinema with power' that drives Prakash Jha to bring political and sociopolitical issues to celluloid. But Jha, whose next "Aarakshan" is on the reservation policy, doesn't believe in igniting debate and maintains that his cinema tries to spread awareness in society. "I only strive to bring about understanding. If changes happen thanks to my films...it's fantastic! But all I would like to tell is a good story and give some understanding to the viewers (about a subject)," Jha said. Be it bonded labor in "Damul", gender injustice in "Mrityudand", Bihar's kidnapping industry in "Apaharan", India's corrupt police force in "Gangaajal", political scenario in "Raajneeti" and now castebased reservation in "Aarakshan", Jha says he picked each subject to analyze the impact of the country's social, economic and governmental policies. "More than issues, I focus on the changes caused by new policies. It is my keenness that I understand those changes in Indian society, observe them, and when I feel that I have understood the issues well, I tell a story," said Jha who doesn't believe in "igniting a debate because the truth about society will
A scene from director Prakash Jhas next film Aarakshan. remain the truth - we can't change it." "But we should try and understand the in-depth impacts these issues cause in society, the disparity they cause among people and how it can be reduced... my cinema is just an attempt to understand that," he added. In "Aarakshan", viewers must not seek to find a solution to the disparity caused by the reservation issue, warned the critically acclaimed and National awardwinning filmmaker. "I'm just telling a story. I'm not giving a solution. 'Aarakshan' is an emotional story of a family that is caught in the aftermath of the reservation issue. It is a story of a principal who is forced to take sides or the stand of a society that wakes up to a situation caused by the reservation quota," he said. The movie, which features Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpayee and Prateik, will release on Aug 12. Jha, who shot the film in Bhopal in a 55-day schedule, feels it's important for youth to understand the subject for the betterment of their future.
ctor Saif Ali Khan has denied reports that he and his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor are going through a rough patch, saying they are happy together. "I would like to reassure our fans and well-wishers that all is well with Kareena and I...we are working hard but we always make time for each other. All these rumors are disturbing and untrue...especially when families are brought into it in such bad taste. I wouldn't like to say anymore except we are very happy
together," Saif, 40, said in a press statement. Saif and Kareena, 30, who are considered one of the hottest couples in Bollywood, are seeing each other for the past four years. And they even featured together in films like "Tashan" and "Kurbaan". "The news has deeply disturbed both the couple and their respective families. They have always been open about their relationship and are alarmed with these rumors planted by people with vested interests," said a source.
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fter having the audience in splits with his 2007 hit film "Dhamaal", the comical fivesome of Riteish Deshmukh, Jaaved Jaffery, Arshad Warsi, Ashish Chaudhary and Sanjay Dutt are returning with a double dose of entertainment in the sequel "Double Dhamaal. Directed by Indra Kumar, the movie, coproduced by Reliance Entertainment and Maruti International, has new additions to the cast - Kangana Ranaut and Mallika Sherawat. The story of "Double Dhamaal" starts where it ended in "Dhamaal", when they donate all the money that they had acquired. The four good for nothing jokers - Roy (Riteish ), Manav (Jaaved), Adi (Arshad) and Boman (Aashish Chowdhary) -- still dream of a good life where they would get everything without doing anything. Enter their old arch-nemesis and corrupt inspector Kabir (Sanjay), who is no longer a cop and is now leading a luxurious life. He drives a Mercedes, has a posh office and
The cast of 'Double Dhamaal'. lives in a villa. After seeing all the comfort and luxury in Kabir's life, Roy, Manav, Adi and Boman feel jealous and decide come what may, they will share his fortune.
However, they are unaware that their quest to turn their dreams into a reality would become a nightmare as Kabir has his own agenda, only shared by his wife Kamini (Mallika Sherawat) and his sister Kiya (Kangana Ranaut). Made at a budget of Rs.35 crore, the film has been shot in Mauritius, Hong Kong and Mumbai and promises to be a rib-tickling comedy. Another highlight of the movie is that after "Munni" and "Sheila", sultry Mallika will be seen giving competition to Malaika Arora Khan and Katrina Kaif as Jalebi Bai with her item song. The other highlight of the film is said to be Ashish, who dons the garb of a woman and even learnt how to behave like one for the role. And it was Riteish, who demonstrated catwalk skills to Ashish and gave him a lot of tips which helped in his performance. Riteish had played a woman in "Apna Sapna Money Money". Ashish will show his 'adaas' and 'nakhras' as a girl while seducing Sanjay in the movie.
Katrina Kaif with her sister Isabellahas. project. So, what is delaying her Bollywood debut? The same reason that dogged Katrina for years her lack of command over Hindi. Sources say that Isabella has already got two Hindi diction teachers and speech coaches to learn the language.
Daniel Craig as James Bond. expanded to include the historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Te r m i n u s and Crawford Market, too," a source told the tabloid. This is Daniel Craig's third outing as James Bond.
m Puri's marriage with Nandita has already hit a dead end and the only reason that kept the duo connected was their 13-year-old son Ishaan. But after Nandita created a drama at Seema Kapoor's residence, Puri decided to break the silence on their present state of relationship. "We signed an MOU on August 10, 2010, with mutual consent. In this, she wanted two years before we get divorced. There were certain other conditions in the MOU, which were related to property etc. I have a son and it is my duty to secure his future and that's why I did the needful.
There were a couple of other conditions, which state that Nandita will accompany us on the outstation trips that I go on with my son. I agreed to it all," Puri told Mumbai Mirror. "The major reason is that our lawyer suggested that the divorce proceedings will be smooth, if we have these two years of separation. According to the MOU, I can stay wherever I want and I am not answerable to Nandita, so I fail to understand the reason for creating the ruckus that she did outside Seema's building. We have already crossed ten months, since we signed the MOU," he added.
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Culture TheSouthAsianTimes.info 70,000 people will come together to spread the message of peace and intercultural harmony under the aegis of Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living Foundation, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder, The Art of Living program and movement
Members of the World Culture Festival reception committee including Indias ambassador to Germany, Sudhir Vyas, with Sri Sri. venue for the festival due to the extraordinary with a unique peace meditation and a peace historical meaning of the city of Berlin, which prayer, bringing together representatives from is located in the heart of Europe and the link different traditions to spread the message of between East and West. peace and intercultural harmony. Organized by the international Art of Living Besides a unique programme with music, dance, dialogue and encounters, senior gov- Foundation, a UN accredited humanitarian ernmental representatives, business leaders, NGO promoting peace and human values academia, NGOs leaders, religious and spiri- through social and educational programmes. tual leaders, peacemakers and renowned per- The Art of Living Foundation was founded in sonalities from across the globe will exchange 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and is active in their views and spread the message of peace, 151 countries. unity and harmony in diversity in a bid to proTickets are available on www.worldculmote peace and cultural togetherness. The World Culture Festival will conclude turefestival.org. Numerous dance performances by groups from across the globe will be seen at the Festival.
Hundreds of veena players gave a concert at Art of Livings 25th anniversary in Bangalore. This time a Grand Guitar Ensemble for Peace will see 2,000 guitarists, 30 pianos, and a choir performance with 3,000 singers.
International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Ban Ki-moon's current term expires on December 31, and he has no declared rival for the post. a second term from Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2016. Under the UN Charter, the secretary-general is appointed by the UN General Assembly upon the recom-
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. vinced that a good resolution has been turned into a piece of paper to cover a senseless military operation," the president said. "If my colleagues asked me to abstain
Moscow: Forty-four people, including eight foreigners, were killed when a Tu-134 passenger aircraft crashed in Russia's republic of Karelia, an Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman said. The RusAir jet was due to arrive in Petrozavodsk but crash landed on a highway one kilometer from Petrozavodsk airport, which was shrouded in fog. The aircraft broke up and burst into flames on impact.
Russia's Emergencies Ministry said that among those killed in the crash were four foreigners - one Swedish and one Dutch citizen and two Ukrainians - and a family of four with dual Russian-US citizenship. Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said various possible causes for the accident are being studied, including human error.
But this won't come cheap. The price tag to get a new domain is $185,000. Only "established public or private organizations" can apply, and all applications must prove they have the technical capability necessary to keep a
domain running, the report said. Internet experts believe the initial expansion might bring 500 new options for site suffixes. There are only 22 now, including the original eight, .com, .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, .net, .org and .arpa.
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Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info
India receives over 40 percent of its foreign direct investment through companies and funds registered in Mauritius. ments by foreign institutions in India. The benchmark Sensex had slumped 2 percent. Market analysts fear that foreign institutional investors would offload even more from Indian markets once the treaty becomes operational. India receives over 40 percent of its foreign direct investment through companies and funds registered in Mauritius. The tax department is seeking to tax gains made by companies registered in Mauritius and operating in India.
Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group. together of the two entities," Kumar Mangalam Birla said .
waiting time to shopping time, increasing the online sales by 130%," says Media Lions jury president Francoli Plaza, Global CEO, MPG. This year there were 2,895 entries submitted from over 67 countriesa northward trend of nearly 35% and in all 84 medals given out. India had sent in 103 entries, as against 98 last
year. There were 1,363 entries in all, from 53 countries, an increase of 10% over the last year, for the category that was launched in 2005. Interestingly South Africa had sent in 133 entries this year, an indication of the sheer muscle and the evolution of the medium, in the country.
At less than $14 billion today, the BlackBerry company is not even one-fifth of its market value of $80 billion in 2008. Toronto: After its 21 percent plunge ment efforts on our most popular last week, BlackBerry maker mobile platforms: Android, iOS and Research In Motion (RIM) contin- Windows Phone." ued to bleed this week, with its With its two co-CEOs Jim stock further diving almost seven Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis - who percent. At $25.41 now, RIM stock own 10 percent stake in the compais at its lowest since 2006. ny - under increasing pressure for Even as its fortunes plunged on changes in management, RIM sharethe market, the top Canadian com- holders are voting next month on the pany suffered another major setback shared role of the two bosses. as its digital marketing head Brian Scaling back the outlook for the Wallace left for Samsung. This is iconic company, RBC Dominion the third high-level exit from RIM Securities of the top Royal Bank of since February, making its loyal Canada (RBC) described the investors even more jittery. BlackBerry maker as "bloody, but In yet another major blow to RIM, not broken" yet. third-party Twitter client Seesmic At less than $14 billion today, the which builds applications to help BlackBerry company is not even users build and manage their brands one-fifth of its market value of $80 online - abandoned the BlackBerry billion in 2008. maker in order to focus on Apple's RIM is fast losing smart phone iOS, Google Android system and market share to Apple's iPhone and Microsoft Windows Phone 7. Google Android devices. Poor Discontinuing its support for future prospects and its failure to BlackBerry smart phones, Seesmic replace aging handsets have cast said it only wants to "focus develop- doubts about its future.
Sports TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Rahul Dravid hits a six off West Indies' Devendra Bishoo in Indias second innings in the first Test against West Indies. Dravid said of his fourth century against the West Indies. "We needed to get a decent score to put them under some pressure." Dravid, dropped on six the previous evening at second slip by West Indies captain Darren Sammy, cracked 10 fours off 274 deliveries before he was last man
Yuvraj Singh. country and not for captains," said Yuvraj. Yuvraj also expressed his disappointment over being all alone during the tough times of his international career. "In these ten years of international cricket, I have learnt many things that when you are successful and you are in limelight there are many people beside you. But when there are tough times, only near and dear ones stand beside you, otherwise you are all alone," said Yuvraj.
22
Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Wal-Marts numbers are not in question. Women comprise more than 65 percent of hourly employees, but only 34.5 percent of managers. This is signicantly different from similar retail chains, in which women hold 56.5 percent of management jobs. It takes women on average 4.38 years to rise to a management post at Wal-Mart, but takes men only 2.86 years. Of 41 Wal-Mart regional vice presidents, only ve are women, and only 9.8 percent of Wal-Marts district managers are women. Wal-Marts internal documents acknowledge that they are far behind the rest of their eld. The plaintiffs in the case argued that Wal-Marts corporate culture invited managers to act on their own worst instincts. They cited the research of William Bielby, a sociologist who posits that people naturally hold stereotypes and biases, often unconsciously, and we act on them when we have the power to do so and nothing stops us. At Wal-Mart, male managers acted on their bias against equitable promotions and pay because the companys centralized practices and policies give them huge amounts of discretion in personnel decisions. The discretion itself is
the policy, and it stands out in a company whose corporate headquarters micromanages nearly everything, down to choosing the temperature and music in every store. Sophisticated computer systems and dozens of daily reports let headquarters know exactly what is happening on an hourly basis. But Wal-Marts top management chose to let store-level managers keep on discriminating Certainly, there has been some blatantly sexist behavior among Wal-Mart managers, such as management meetings in which men called their female colleagues little Janie Qs. But mostly, WalMarts system runs on silence. Silence about what exactly are the criteria for management positions; silence about the additional subjective criteria that individual managers apply for promotion; silence about the actual availability of management positions; silence about how you decide whether to give an employee a raise of 10 or 25 cents per hour. Male managers ll all that silence, the plaintiffs lawyers and expert witnesses said, with subjective decisions that are often inuenced by stereotypes. Our laws do not require discrimination to be deliberate or even
The decade-old lawsuit against the United States' largest employer was the largest class-action lawsuit ever filed in an employment discrimination case. conscious before they require a remedy. So-called disparate impact is supposed to be enough for the law to step in. In this case, not only was there obvious disparate impact, but Wal-Marts knowledge of the gap supports the charge of knowing disparate treatment as well. Unfortunately, conservative members of the court ruled against the notion that the company is responsible, saying that different plaintiffs were discriminated against in too many different ways for the company to be systematically responsible. In the majority opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia writes that common elements tying all these employment decisions together were entirely absent in this case. Americans will be tempted to take this decision as proof that WalMart is not guilty of gender discrimination, and employers will take heart from the Supreme Court turning a blind eye. If some bad managers make sexist decisions, companies will say, that cant be helped; gender stereotyping is an intractable problem. But the real lesson is that Americans cant rely on the courts alone to check all forms of bias, especially the kinds that dont require explicit direction. Wal-Mart and other corporations need to hear from everyoneconsumers, workers, and other employers who are building equitable workplaces. The message we send has to go beyond following the letter of the law to challenge the social norms that keep qualied people from getting the jobs they deserve. (The author is a longtime community organizer, feminist activist, and president of the racial justice think tank Applied Research Center.)
A cricket fan has his face painted with the colors of the Pakistan and Indian national flags ahead of the ICC World Cup semifinal India and Pakistan. has ve times more tanks than Pakistan and that these are Pakistan-specic because the Sino-India border terrain cannot support a tank battle. In the second cable, severe civil-military tensions are revealed over access to and control of American aid ows to Pakistan with the army insisting for, and getting, direct aid and refusing to share details with the elected government even during drafting of the annual budgets. Rehmat argues, If Pakistan has to match India tank to tank, plane to plane, soldier to soldier, frigate to frigate and missile to missile before making peace, then its a lost battle in perpetuity. If matching military might was the precondition to peace then the world would have been blown up 200 times over because the
unending Indo-Pak tensions and Indo-Pak like wars would have been replicated on every shared national border on the planet. What use was there to acquire super-expensive nuclear capability if it didnt solve the problem of imbalance in conventional military capability. Dawn.com also contends that, the farcical civil-military equation in Pakistan that has kept political forces emaciated and socio-cultural progress stunted is insulting enough it itself but for the military to have its cake (of American aid) all these decades and eat it too is going too far for even weak states. The military is twice richer and the elected governments twice the poorer when it comes to foreign aid. Pakistans security obsession with India and the skewed civil-military equation are at the root of Pakistans sorry state. The trust decit between Washington and Islamabad is so wide that despite being allies the US had to invade Pakistan militarily to eliminate bin Laden. This has thrown up for public debate and pressure on the military the need to dene sovereignty, the concept that the military has traditionally used to reinforce its stranglehold over the national polity.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
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Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info
have been privileged to help advance the US-India partnership since I rst started working in India in 2003. I have seen rsthand how committed government leaders working hand-in-hand with the business community and buttressed by strong people-to-people ties can transform a bilateral relationship. Broad, bipartisan political support in both countries has driven our countries closer together over the last decade, and ensures that this relationship will continue to be a mainstay of American and Indian foreign policy, regardless of who is in power. The Indian economy of today is the second fastest-growing in the world expanding at a rate of over 8 percent annually. The Indian economy has produced some of the worlds leading multinational corporations, which create innovative goods and services, and present novel business models for the other countries. The future of Indias economy looks very brightand very young. For example, India will likely have the worlds third largest economy in the year 2030 and the largest by 2050. Indias population will become the largest by 2030 as well. At a time when much of the industrialized world is shrinking as well as aging, half of Indias population is under age 25. That large and youthful work force is a growing strategic advantage, provided these young people can get the 21st
American businesses see in India a vibrant laboratory for research and innovation that will produce tomorrows goods and services, says Robert O. Blake, Jr century education they will need to compete. According to one study, India will have 25 percent of the worlds workforce by 2025. The incredible growth of Indias economy has resulted in positive spillover effects for the United States. A quick look at the data reveals a trade relationship that is accelerating, mutually benecial, and relatively balanced. Between 2002 and 2009, U.S. goods exports to India quadrupled, growing from $4.1 billion in 2002 to more than $16.4 billion in 2009, and U.S. services exports to India more than tripled, increasing from $3.2 billion in 2002 to more than $9.9 billion in 2009. U.S. exports to India have grown faster than exports to practically all other countries in the world. 2010 broke records for U.S.-India trade in goods with U.S. exports to India up 17% and U.S. imports from India up 40%. This surge of nearly 30% to a high of $48.8 billion in goods trade moved India up two notches to become our 12th largest goods trading partner. This positive trend continues, with twoway goods trade up 19% in the rst quarter of 2011 over the same time period last year. Our trade with India is also very much a two-way exchange with mutual benets to both our countries. India is also a growing source of foreign direct investment into the United States. The total stock of FDI from India to the United States stood at almost $5.5 billion at the end of 2009. It has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 35 percent during the 2004 to 2009 time period, making India the 7th fastest-growing source of investment in the United States. Indian companies invest heavily in many U.S. industries such as energy and information technology, and we expect their investments to increase. The character of our trade with India is also relatively balanced. In
ith yoga guru Baba Ramdev ending his seven-day fast over corruption and black money and Team Anna Hazare and the UPA government sitting together to settle disputes in the Lokpal (anti-corruption) bill, there is a sense of relief in the Congress camp, though only for the time being. It is a general perception that corruption and black money are byproducts of Congress bad governance, a party that has been at the helm of affairs since independence, except a full Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) term under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a few intermittent prime ministers in between. Today, every Indian is asking one question: How corruption and black money ourished after 1947 and who is responsible for it. Corruption seeped slowly in our day-to-day life. With the passage of time, it took a mammoth size and has now become unbearable for a common man on the street. Indians, simmering with anger, are forced to take the routes like Satyagraha once used against the British by Mahatma Gandhi. The UPA government handled Anna episode tactfully but failed as far as
Hazare-Ramdev combination has brought government to the table over an issue that the previous regimes have being evading for one reason or the other.
Ramdevs case is concerned. The forceful eviction of Ramdev and his supporters in midnight hours from Ramlila Ground in New Delhi left the UPA government on the back foot and pushed them in the corner. Phase-1 of Team Anna and Team Ramdevs struggle has succeeded in making corruption a focal issue in the Indian politics, which may continue to haunt the government in coming elections. Anna-Ramdev combination has brought government to the table over an issue that the previous regimes have being evading for one reason or the other. In the hindsight, UPA government can reap the benet of this corruption debate by adopting strong measures against the corrupted and clean the rot. Transparency is getting grip worldwide. It's time for our politicians to see the big picture. The author is an administrative ofcer (in the rank of Additional District Magistrate) in the provincial civil services cadre of Uttar Pradesh, India. He is currently in the USA, doing his Executive Master of Public Administration degree (Government-2) from Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
Features TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Designer Sunil's Mehra of Sunil's Study ethnicity in the look, Mehra said. A special collection of short sherwanis has also been introduced by the designer for summer. The fabric used is a blend of both linen and silk on the color palette, which varies from cream, white and beige, with hints of gold. Whether it be special jacquard weaves with the peacock feather motif, Sanskrit lettering in miniature embroideries, the colors turmeric and saffron, or hand painted scenes in linings - all the garments bear a direct or an indirect relevance to Lord Krishna or Vrindavan. The collection is available at the designers store in the capital.
Kumar said its an Act which provides for the relief to the aggrieved women. However, there are still various situations encountered by women wherein they are subjected to torture and atrocities. Many girls face acid attacks which result into disfigurement of their face and thebody. In certain areas women are accused of performing witchcraft and unnecessarily being harassed. Sometimes women are also forced to parade naked in the village and are subjected to derogatory situation and words. by the people of the backward communities. For some time, the need was felt to introduce a legislation wherein the situations not already covered under various legislations could be addressed and suitable compensation provided to the victims. The Rajasthan Women (Prevention & Protection from Atrocities) Bill, 2011 would broadly benefit the women from various atrocities, hoped Kumar. Any person in the name of performing witchcraft or her being possessed one, uses criminal force against a woman or instigates others in doing so with intent to harm or to displace her from the house, place or the property of which she is a rightful resident or a visitor, shall be pun-
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Lifestyle TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Screens at Work and Home Although certainly not dangerous, excessive television viewing does put a great strain on our eyes. The eyes are forced to constantly adjust to different colors and sizes of objects at a close distance. While you need not sit a mile away, you should avoid sitting too close to the television. Forcing yourself to try to blink naturally and taking occasional breaks are good ways to help to relieve the
strain on your eyes. Between work and home, we are increasing the hours we spend in front of computer screens. This can lead to dry eyes since we blink less while looking at the screen. To relieve your eyes, you can occasionally close them for a few seconds and open them slowly. Other ways to reduce the strain on your eyes while working on the computer include: having antiglare screens put in and ensuring that images are clear and do not flicker, increasing the font size on your screen, making sure the screen is at eye level. and using a larger monitor. Lighting should also be adjusted so that it is neither too bright nor too dim. A soft desk light on the side may help reduce stress on the eyes. In some cases, people need different glasses for computer work, so ask your eye care professional if you experience any diffi-
culty or discomfort when looking at the computer screen. D-I-Y and Sports Do-It-Yourself projects at home can lead to a great sense of accomplishment, but also to eye injuries if you are not properly equipped. Before mowing your lawn, inspect it for any debris. You may even want to wear goggles to be on the safe side. Eye protection should also be worn when sawing, sanding, drilling etc. Fine particles can cause irritation, while large particles may cause serious damage. If an object does become embedded in your eye, do not rub your eye as this may cause further damage. If you cannot wash it out, seek professional assistance. When handling paints and chemicals, make sure you read the instructions beforehand to know if you need eye protection. In addi-
tion, always make sure aerosols are pointing away from your face before spraying. In the case of eye contact, flush your eyes out immediately for 15 minutes and consult a medical professional if irritation persists. Wearing the appropriate eye protection is advisable when participating in many sports. Swimming
and skiing both require specific goggles. Any racquet sport where a small ball is used also poses a particular danger of eye injury and eye protection should be used. If you have had any eye problems in the past, in particular one requiring surgery, you should consult an eye professional before participating in any contact sport.
Moisturizing Lipsticks: These contain lots of conditioning ingredients such as shea butter. These lipsticks tend to wear off easy due to the moisturizing ingredients in them but if you have dry lips, then go for these. Choosing the shade of lipstick for your skin tone: When choosing the correct shade of lipstick you must look at your complexion: If you have fair skin deep, plum reds, berry, wine reds with a blue undertone look best. Browns -light medium browns or beige's with pink undertones flatter fair skins. Pink undertone lipsticks compliment fair skin very nicely. However, stay away from those bright, loud pink lipsticks. Olive/Yellow skin
should choose rich, deep brown reds and deep, dark berry shades. Stay away from orange/reds and pink/reds, they can bring out the yellow undertones in your skin. Try to avoid pink lipstick at all costs. Medium skin should use rich, deep pinks, deep reds, rich caramel shades, medium brown with yellow or pink undertones, and creamy coffee colored brown lipsticks. Stay away from browns that are very pale. They can make medium skins look ashy and washed out. Dark skin should try reds with blue undertones. Also, mahogany, deep plums, wine reds, almost any shade of brown, rich, dark, coffee browns flatter the skin. Avoid orange undertones in lipsticks.
the 'stably married' women." The study gathered data from 360 middleaged African American, Caucasian, and Chinese women drawn from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, with a mean age of 51 years. Participants reported their current relationship status at annual visits. In-home polysomnographic (PSG) sleep studies were conducted over three successive nights 6 to 8 years after baseline. Subjects also wore wrist activity monitors, which provide a behavioral measure of sleep-wake patterns, for approximately one month. Researchers examined the association between women's relationship histories and their sleep by analyzing the sleep differences between women who were stably married, stably unmarried, or those who experienced a relationship transition (gaining or losing a partner) over the study follow-up period.
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An excerpt from The Fine Print of Life by PS Wasu, a motivational guru and author based in Mumbai.
*** Until now, Panna Lal had never listened to anyone so attentively. Nor did he ever bother to express his innermost thoughts to anyone. When Mishri Devi spoke, he listened. When he spoke, she listened. He has realized that he has never been able to connect with another person because he hardly listens to her. He just goes through the motions of listening while his mind is elsewhere. He is so sure in advance what the other person is going to say that he only listens to what he has decided she is going to say. He twists the message to make her mean what he wants her to mean. Secondly, he is habitually judgmental. As he does not give another person any space, she has her guard up. Another reason he cant connect with others is his tendency to prove himself right and justify his actions. It was probably due to tiredness or maybe it was just a happy accident that he not only turned non-judgmental but also
at heart level
empathic relationship, being judgmental and having a self-serving bias act as barriers to empathy. In varying degrees, we are all judgmental. Habitually, we give names and labels to people. We form images of people and then relate to their images and not to the real people. In varying degrees, we all have selfserving biases, considering ourselves right and letting all communication be guided by this assumption. Panna Lal recollects that once he was late for a meeting with his boss by 15 minutes. The boss commented later that a few things could not be discussed because the meeting started half hour late. The same day Panna Lal mentioned to someone that he was able to cover all the points in the meeting even though he was late by five minutes. When the boss exaggerated Panna Lals lapse, it was a reflection of his self-serving bias. When Panna Lal played down his very proud. Then onwards he started telling his name to others in a firm, confident voice. Now everyone seemed to like his name. When we are not okay with some aspect of ours, it seems that others are not okay with it too. Probably we telegraph our thoughts to others and they seem to think the same way. They simply respond to the stimulus we give out. The vibes that we receive from others are a reflection of the vibes that we send. That is the mirror effect in action. No wonder, our impatience about people not being the way we want them to be triggers defensive behavior and hidden agendas in them, making us even more impatient. If others are not open and positive, it is probably because we have a grudge against them that they are not open and positive. If our boss doesnt like us, it is probably a reflection of the fact that we dont like the boss. The other person seems to have a self-
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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ave you ever noticed there are more idiots on the highway than anywhere else? I don't mean this in a bad way. I've just heard many motorists refer to other drivers as "idiots." "Look at that idiot," they say. "His turn signal has been on for 20 minutes." Someone who runs a red light is almost certainly an idiot. Perhaps even a stupid idiot (as opposed to a smart idiot). Someone who drives faster than about 85 miles per hour is also an idiot. So is someone who drives under the speed limit. Somehow, no matter how hard you look on the highway, you'll never find a genius. With so many idiots out there, you'd expect to find at least one genius. But I have yet to see a cop pulling over a perfect driver to shake her hand. I have yet to hear a motorist say, "Did you see that guy? He just made a perfect turn. He's a genius." Even if a woman drives her entire life without a single traffic violation, no one will bring it up at her funeral. No one will say, "Helga was such a good driver. The highway will never be the same." Unfortunately, the highway has only two types of drivers: normal drivers and idiots. Once you're an idiot, it's tough to become a normal driver.
Especially if your insurance company has moved you to the idiot class. You make one mistake, cause one accident, and suddenly you're paying much more for car insurance than rent. To save you some trouble, the insurance company asks you to mail your paycheck directly to them. "We can spend it more wisely," they say. "You're an idiot." Realizing you can't afford to have another accident,you decide to be extra-cautious on the road. You hesitate when merging with traffic. You resist passing an Amish buggy. You even stop at a yellow light. Guess what? You're an idiot again. The driver behind you is certain of this. He honks and yells, "Go, you idiot. What are you stopping for?" Before long, you forget all about your accident -- you're only human -and you turn into Mario Andretti
again. You drive so fast, you even manage to pass a tractor-trailer. But your luck runs out again and a cop pulls you over. He listens to your excuse: "I'm sorry, officer. I'm an idiot." The cop has no sympathy. He has already ticketed 89 other idiots. Some thought the speed limit was only for people with cheap cars. Others were trying to save gas. A few were certifiable idiots: They were in a hurry to get to their in-laws. Your insurance company gets word of your ticket and cancels your policy. They'd rather insure Mike Tyson. Now you're stuck being an idiot. Everyone sees you thumbing a ride. And drivers like me just smile. I know what it's like to be an idiot. I once ran a red light by accident. My Mazda was struck by a mini-van and spun into another car. A cop arrived at the scene in an instant, popping out of the car I had just dented. This accident almost put me in the Idiot Hall of Shame. But the selection committee decided to save room for Halle Berry. Considering how many idiots are on the highway, it's a wonder normal people drive with them. It's almost like handing out guns at the post office. It would make more sense to erect new signs on the highway: "Left lane
reserved for idiots." The left lane would be packed, leaving the right lane safe for your greatgrandmother. Of course, some people shouldn't be allowed to drive -- the ones who drink and drive. These people are guilty of driving while D.U.I. (Definitely Ultimate Idiots).
They get an automatic entry into the Hall of Shame. For at least five years, these people should be forced to hitchhike and drink nothing but prune juice. Some might consider this cruel and unusual punishment. As for me, I'd rather keep the roads safe. Besides, the prune industry could use a boost.
by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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There is no question of the destruction of the soul; it is eternal. If we can realize this for ourselves, one of the greatest fears of our life, the unknown nature of death, will be eliminated.
fy the truth of their existence for ourselves. Through meditation we can go beyond the door of death to meet the bliss and beauty that awaits us beyond. Death no longer holds a sword of fear over us, for in our very lifetime we can see the place where we will go after our body breathes its last. We can finally understand the true meaning of Psalm 23: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. We, too, can exclaim, as did St. Paul in these timeless words, Oh death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is the head of Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission / Science of Spirituality with international headquarters in Delhi, India.
n the East, people believe that we have three aspects to be developed: intellectual, physical, and spiritual. Although we have developed our intellect and physical bodies, we have forgotten our spiritual side. Ethical values were once a part of the educational system in ancient cultures. Students were given a well-rounded training to develop physically, intellectually, and spiritually which included ethical and moral instruction. In the last century, however, we have witnessed a decline in the teaching of ethical virtues in our schools throughout the world. The emphasis has been on academic development. As a result, we have been witnessing a generation of people who are growing up with a lack of moral and ethical values. Crime in the streets, violence among children and teens, reliance on drugs and alcohol for pleasure, and senseless crimes all point to a lack of ethical training in the moral fiber of our young people. The only way to bring about peaceat the individual and global levelsis to start with educating students from an early age. By helping them discriminate right from wrong, they may grow up to be individuals who make better and safer choices for themselves and for society. In this regard we need to provide students with a balanced education. Many of the educational systems around the world spend time developing the students physical and mental attributes. Physical education includes fitness programs and classes about health, safety, and nutrition. Academic education comprises a