Indian Weekender 17 April 2015

17 April, 2015 Vol. 7 Issue 4 | www.iwk.co.
nz
New Zealands first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper
The Pulse of Kiwi-Indians
Auckland Christchurch Wellington Hamilton Palmerston North Hastings Invercargill
UNITED
WE
STAND
In support of
Rajwinder Singh
2015
KIWI INDIAN
YOUNG ACHIEVER
2015
FREEY
COP
2015
KIWI INDIAN
UNSUNG HERO
2015
New to New Zealand?

Choose the bank that understands where youre coming from.
Talk to us about our Migrant Banking Package.
Its everything you need for your personal and business banking, from discounts on online
international money transfers and insurance protection to business current accounts.
For more information visit your nearest branch, anz.co.nz/migrantpackage or call 0800 269 296.
Package details, lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. A copy of our terms and conditions and our Reserve Bank Disclosure Statement is available on request from any ANZ branch. ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited 11/14
17348fps
CONTENTS
17 April 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz
INSIDE
Red
Black
Pg 9
NZ LOCAL
Pg 17
PIMP YOUR
CAUSE
Pg 22
SPORTS
Pg 24
VAISAKHI
Pg 26
INDIAN THEATRE
FESTIVAL
Pg 30
FACE OF THE
WEEK
Orange
NEW ZEALAND
www.iwk.co.nz | 17 April 2015
Red
Black
Orange
United We Stand
Swati Sharma
Maya Shivam
Rajwinder Singh, the

Indian student wrongly
accused online of sexual
abuse, has been awaiting
justice after receiving
death threats, and is now
too scared to even step
outside his home.
photo of Singh riding

a bus in Christchurch
went viral after it
was uploaded on Facebook in
January, with accompanying
message
accusing
him
of
molesting someone, not once
but twice. Please be aware of
this guy, the message said. He
molested a friend of mine a while
back and [sic] was let away with a
warning. He has since committed
the offence again.
The post asked people to be
wary of him, to share his photo
and report him. This attracted
hundreds of hateful comments.
Many
comments
outlined
warnings of violence should Singh
be identified, and others wrote
death threats while others were
racially-charged, labelling him a
terrorist, mocking his turban
and calling for his deportation.
Oblivious to this hate wave
against him and unaware of the
brewing social media storm,
innocent Singh was going about
his life until the day his boss
called him. He told us that - his
employer was tagged in the post.
The photo circulated for eight or
nine weeks, before it was taken
down. Singh is still awaiting
action from the Police.
Although this has been aptly
covered by mainstream media,
it was important that Singh
found his voice through his own
community and be assured that
his own community stands right
behind him. Indian Weekender
also wanted to cover the story as
it directly affects our community
and also a large number of our
readers rely on us for news
Punjab
IWK: How and why did
you decide to come to New
Zealand?
RS: I wanted to study Event
Management. I could have gone for
other countries like USA, Canada,
Australia, etc. But first, I found
a course of my choice; second, I
can get industrial experience in
New Zealand which is very hard to
come byin other countries.
IWK: Do you want to stay
here or settle permanently?
from the larger New Zealand

community.
Indian Weekender caught up
with Singh and heres what he
said:
IWK: How long have you
lived in New Zealand?
Rajwinder Singh(RS): I have
been here for seven months.
RS: Yes, of course, I want to settle

in New Zealand. This is a beautiful
country and people are lovely I
would like to stay here.
IWK: What do you do?

RS: I am a student at CPIT,
doing double majors in Project
Management and Operations and
Production. I also work part-time
at a gas station.
IWK:
Where
originally from?
are
you
RS: I am from Chandigarh,
IWK: Tell us a little bit about

your family back home and if
you have anyone here?
RS: Dont want it to be publicised.
My family back home are already
very worried and stressed from
everything that has happened. I
dont want to add to that. And I
have no relatives or family here.
NEW ZEALAND
IWK: How did you get to

know about the incident/
post on social media?
RS: The post was published on
a Facebook page called Missing
Persons
Christchurch
And
Canterbury on January 27 this
year and my employer was tagged
in it. He told me on January 29
about it. But he supported me,
because he knows what kind of a
person I am.

President of New Zealand Police
Conduct Association, Shannon
Parker, is following up with
Christchurch Police on my case.
She often calls me too, to follow
up on any update I may have or if
I have heard back from anybody
from Christchurch Police.
can approach them and I will be

given the same rights as any New
Zealand citizen. But then, I feel
that are they actually waiting for
something worse to happen. My
question is, if something happens
to me in between all this, who will
be responsible for that?
IWK: How do you feel about

the whole incident now?
RS: I was shocked, I felt really

bad. How can someone make such
comments about anyone they
dont even know? I was working
full time at that time and it was
during the summer holidays. It
takes me one hour by bus to travel
to my workplace and one hour
back. You know, you never realise
if someone is taking your picture
in a bus on their phone. Everyone
is busy on their phones. You cant
actually get to know if someone is
taking your picture or making a
video.
IWK: What do you think
could have driven the person
to behave this way?
IWK: What did you do / what

actions did you take?
RS: I was really scared by the
threats made to me in that post
and hence I went to the police
the very next day when I got to
know about the post, to make an
official complaint. But to my utter
shock and surprise, the police
said that they cant help me as the
comments were made online on
social media and not in person.
They said they have emailed to
the page admin, but he/she hasnt
come back to them. So if they
didnt reply to the polices email,
how can I expect them to reply to
me? Its now more than 10 weeks
since the incident happened, but I
cant see any positive development
in this case. I havent heard back
from any police officer. But yes, the
IWK: Do you think this was

a one off incident or are
there other instances that
your friends etc have faced?
RS: I havent heard of any, not at
least in my friend circle.
IWK: What was your first

reaction when you realised
that it was you on the post?
How did that make you feel?
RS: I dont know what they must

have been thinking. Maybe just
trying to have some fun. But how
can someone have fun by making
someone elses life miserable?
What kind of a person does that?
page they have mentioned that

we are ready to apologise to the
guy, but no action has been
Redtaken
against the person who wrote that
post)
IWK: Did you find that people

were supportive of you or did
you feel you were fighting a
lonely battle?
RS: No, I wasnt alone during
this time. I had my friends by
my side. My college, my teachers
and my friends were extremely
supportive. They all know me and
showed trust and faith in me. Even
the place where I am staying, the
landlord is Indian and his family
is also supportive of me. I have got
immense support from not only
the Indian communities, but Kiwi
people too. I have received heaps
of friend requests on Facebook
since then. Kiwi people are also
sending me messages on Facebook
and sharing their contact number
if I need help or support.
I am not complaining, but what
I feel sad about is, the response
that I am getting from Police. I
mean how easily they said that
they cant do anything about those
threats. But they told me that if in
the future something happens, I
People back in India are also

aware of this incident now, after
it went viral and is all over the
news. They are calling my parents
to ask what happened and how,
which is very disturbing for them
and me as well. I am getting more
and more stressed day by day.
I havent been able to study
for days. I am afraid to go out in
the night now as people recognise
me after being interviewed on
national television.
People think all this has
brought me fame. But I cant tell
them how much stress I have got
from this one incident.
IWK: Has there any action
being taken against the
person who posted the
comment?
RS: No.
(Not answered by him, but I
have found that after the one news
interview the police contacted
admin and they had removed the
post from page and also on the
RS: I come from a really small

family. My parents have, spent
their savings of like almost 40
years for my studies and to send
me overseas. Like everyone, I
also have the responsibility of my
family. My parents have struggled
a lot. I have also struggled, I live
a very simple life, work hard but
enjoy my work, whatever I do. My
Family look to me for support,
they have expectations of me and
rely on me. I came to this Country
looking for a bright future for
myself and my family. I wasnt
expecting any such thing.
I do not even look up at
women. My parents have raised
me with good values and I follow
them. Nobody has any right to
comment about anybody like this,
especially when you dont even
know them.
IWK: Has it changed the way
you feel about living in New
Zealand?
RS: No, I still feel good about New
Zealand. I will never regret coming
here. As they did in my case, you
cannot generalise people. There
are good and bad people. Wrongdoers shouldnt be categorised
according to their ethnicities. Not
everyone is the same. I feel the
same about New Zealand, if one or
two people have done wrong to me
that doesnt make everyone else
like them. I have so much support
too.
IWK: What is the message
you would like to give your
readers?
RS: I would just say that these
things happen in life, just stay
together, work together and be
positive, Support one another
and dont be judgemental. In
Christchurch, with my Diversity
of Culture project people know

me for my voluntary work.
We organise
events
Black different Orange
for
different
cultures
and
communities and also distribute
free food. People know me for my
actions in the community. Recently
we celebrated Holi, people saw me
doing Hakka and Bhangra there,
youll see me wearing Sri Lankan
attire in our upcoming event, Sri
Lankan New Year. I have earned
some really good Kiwi friends and
I am lucky to have them. There
are days when I am busy from8
amin the morning to10pmat the
night. I dont have time to go out
and party. I dont have time for
anything else as there is always my
study, projects and work.
This really stresses me out,
how someone can blame someone
for such an indecent thing.
Sometimes, I just want to say,
just let me do my work, let me be
who I am. I dont want any justice
or anything else because I know I
wont get anything.
IWK: You just said that be
positive then why dont you
believe that you will get
justice?
RS: Because it been more than
2 month now. Nothing has
happened yet. So I do not want
to expect anything. It wont harm
anybody else but me. Only my
stress levels will rise, only my
problems will rise and I dont not
want that to happen. I just want to
focus on my studies and my work.
IWK: How can we as Indian
Weekender support you?
RS: I would like to people to know
about our culture more and more
only that can prevent anybody else
like me from experiencing such
situations/incidents.
We
should
grow
our
relationships
with
other
communities so that we all get
to know more about each others
culture and respect it.
IWK: Is there anything else
you would like to say?
RS: My mother has always
taught me, If you respect others,
only then you can earn respect
for yourself and I have always
followed her words. The world
would be so much better if
everyone thought this way.

Its heart-breaking to hear this young
man narrate his story and even more to
realise that no action
has been taken
against
Red
Black
Orange
the perpetrators of such hate crimes. It
can be even called racially driven. Singh
has made some pertinent points about
the Indian communities opening up and
mixing with the other communities so our
culture and values get known to them.
The sikh, who are basically the warrior
clan, originally formed for the protection
of their communities consider their
pagdi(turban) as a sign of honour.

The only way to make this known to the
mainstream Kiwi community is to speak to
them which can only happen when we as
a community make an effort to go out and
reintegrate with the larger community. This
will mean that we as a community cannot
shy away and stay behind closed doors. Its
time to step out and take our rightful place
as active members of the larger community.
Its time to stand united and resolve these
issues facing the people.
@Social Networks
Gursimran Jeet VirkVery well handled by the dude himself
Deep DhindsaHow come They said it was not public it was online
? Ofc it was the people who made such racist comments online ..
Police sucks
Harvinder SinghIdiots are everywhere in the world. But no one
can breach someones privacy and took picture like that and post it
wrongly manner with false information. Whoever did that should be
inside the prison for damaging someones clean image
Nawaab SinghI am surprised by the reaction of police saying
its public/online so cant take action poor police. Thank god he
is sikh and he can fight and take a stand for himself just imagine
if this could happen to some kiwi in india? However, i wish
people will know the difference between sikhs and terrorist.
Ana TuitupouOh this pretty sad and sick but gud on U for fighting bk
their are so many people in nz that can be so racist towards Indians
really disgusting behaving
Marissa IsaacaHardout good on him,for standing up for wat he
knows is right,i so dislike racists people who do that alot to indians
just kros they feel like it to make them self feel better bout them selfs,
wtf it very disgusting
Emma JaneSo so sad this world has be come so narrow minded
Pankaj KhannaIgnorance is rampant amongst the younger gen of
NZ ....they do not know different cause all they see is colour of skin
and have pre-judged you...wonder what they would feel like if the
roles were reversed
Pardeep Singh BhathalWe all should stand by him and support him.
Please do not try to wash your hands by throwing the responsibility
on others. United we stand, stronger we are. Let me know if I could
be of any help. May be start the memorandum or signing thing to
pass it on to government.
Casey Jane Saiyadwho ever started that bullshit about that guy is
just plan stupited had nothing better to do then pick on a poor indian
guy
Isha Arorai know Kiwi people care. its only a bunch of people every
where in this world who spoil the community. We still love them all
Sangeeta SarinHave a parade, wear all different ethnic clothes
or put up a street play but do educate them. This is going to be yr
home and we do need educated neighbours..
NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND
We took this issue to a number of people in the community and

heres what they had to say:
Red
Black
Orange
Phil Goff, Labour MP

Negligent not to follow up death threat : It is a huge injustice when there is a public attack on your character alleging criminal conduct, which is untrue.
That is what happened to Rajwinder Singh, who was falsely accused on Facebook of molesting a person. Death threats and racist comments followed.
He was fearful of being attacked, and was stood down from his employment. When he approached the police for help, he was told there was nothing they
could do.
A threat to kill is regarded by Parliament as a serious criminal offence. Under Section 306 of the Crimes Act it can result in a seven year sentence of
imprisonment. The police should have followed this up at once.
To dismiss the comments as just people venting their spleen and not real threats, as the police did, ignores the seriousness of the comments and the risk
of vigilantism.
A false public allegation to a wide audience and subsequent threats to kill should not have been treated lightly by the police. The police should have
contacted those individuals and at the very least, warned them of the serious consequences of their behaviour.
Like the declining police crime resolution rates, this case is further evidence that repeatedly cutting real expenditure on policing makes it harder for police to
do their job properly and leaves us less assured of our safety.
Mahesh Bindra, NZ First List MP

The recent incident with Rajwinder Singh from Christchurch is most unfortunate. Here we have a young student invited to study in Clean, Green and Safe
New Zealand and then he becomes an easy target for some ignorant bullies who know nothing about Sikhism.
There is a bill before the house which addresses significant issues linked to online bullying. While New Zealand First agrees with the intent of the Harmful
Digital Communications Bill, we have some concerns around the scope of this bill. Rajwinder Singhs recent experiences have highlighted the need to have
legislation that effectively addresses any threatening or abusive behaviour online, digitally or on Social Media. Criminal behaviour on-line should be treated
the same as criminal behaviour off-line.
The perpetrators of such behaviour should be brought to book and punished and this should be done with reasonable urgency. This young man has the
right to study and live safely and he deserves our support.
David Seymour, Act Party Leader

It is really important that we think about whattype of society we live in and how we treat each other. At a recent Act Party conference we carried out a
competition for young people on how they wanted to see New Zealand. The strongest theme that came through was that most young people wanted to see
New Zealand as a Country that is more respectful and more welcoming of other people.
Talking about the recent incident on social media, it is illegal under the Crimes Act to incite other people for violence, and there were definitely comments
made that recklessly incited violence. I feel that Rajwinder has got a raw deal from the Police. The Police stated that they could not trace people from social
media and yet the journalists from TVNZ were able to track them down.
My message to Rajwinder is that he shouldnt lose hope. New Zealand is an overwhelmingly caring and welcoming country and our next generation is even
more so.
Nimmi Bedi, Auckland

I think police should have taken proper steps. But even if they cant because they are bound by the law or rules and regulations, they should be equipped
enough to satisfy the complainant or give him/her a satisfactory solution. If they cant satisfy the, then they should understand that theres a loop or gap
somewhere which needs to be filled. I mean, until when it would keep happening. This is not happening for the first time. We have heard of many such
incidents happening.
At last what solution is given, police says just be safe, protect yourself. But they should understand that people also have expectations from the police. They
think if we are the one to solve their issue, then what is police for?
Also to public, I would like to say that whenever any such incident happens, do approach the police in right time and appropriate way. And this can happen
with any one and can be done by anyone. I would request people not to make a racial issue.
DineshBudhathoki, CPIT Student from Kathmandu, Nepal

Rajwinder is a really good guy. I never thought that something this bad would happen to him. Hes really good at heart and doing a good job in New
Zealand. He has created and leading an international group called International Cultural Squad (ICS). Hes really helpful to new international students,
irrespective of their country of origin, in terms of helping them find job or accommodation. Hes doing a great job to explore peoples talents like: dancing,
singing, acting etc. through various projects including, recent ICC world cup, Diwali festival, Holi festival and many more. We are with him in this hard time,
we stand by him and support him as his friends. He is loved by all at CPIT whether one is from India, Sri Lanka, Korea, China or any other part of the world.
We support you Rajwinder, and we are with you!
Shannon Woodford, CPIT Student from Christchurch, New Zealand

Raj is a really great guy. I can never believe on anything of this sort about his behaviour. His behaviour is pretty good. He looks after everyone at CPIT. We
completely support him and stand by him.
Ankur Lakhanpal, Auckland, New Zealand

What has happened with Rajwinder, is really unfortunate. I hear about such incidents quite often. I would like to extend my support to him. We stand by you,
brother. You need not to be afraid. You should be proud of your religion and culture. We, unitedly, will have to work towards making people understand our
culture. I think thats the only way we can stop such things.
NEW ZEALAND
Vaisakhi prayers observed

at New Lynn gurudwara
Red
Black
Orange
IWK Bureau
We can help you !
No charge for initial consultation
small
yet
significant
V a i s a k h i
celebration took place
in all the Gurudwaras in
Auckland. At the Guru
Harkrishan Sahib Ji Sikh
temple the celebration
was done by 3 hours of
continuous prayers by the
priest and the devotees.
Vaisakhi is not just
a festival of harvesting
crops but also it marks
the
establishment
of
Panth Khalsa by 10th Guru
of Sikhs, Guru Gobind
Singh in 1699. The Sikh
community not just in
India but also all around
the world celebrate this day
and observe special prayers
for this occasion.
More than 400 people
from the Sikh community
turned up for the Vaisakhi
celebration at the Guru
Harkrishan Sahib Ji temple
in New Lynn on Tuesday
14 April. The Paath
started at 6 pm followed
by Kirtan by Bhai Kapoor
Singh Khannewale, who is
currently one of the heads
of the Gurudwara.
The Kirtan was then
continued by Bhai Harpreet
Singh Mohali, Bhai Ratan
Singh, and the kids too took
an active part in the Kirtan.
NZ IMMIGRATION
Do you need New Zealand Work Visa/Residence?
Woburns Professional team

can help you towards:
NZ Work Visa
Student Visa
Visitor Visa
Job Search Assistance
Occupational Registration
NZQA Qualification Recognition
NZ Residence through skilled migrant

NZ Residence through Family sponsorship
NZ Residence through partnership
NZ Returning residents Visa
Residence through Investment/ Business
With 23 years experience we can help you achieve your goals.

We do not lodge applications unless we are confident you meet all the
requirements for success. We provide Hindi, Gujarati, and English
Consultancy Service
Contact us today: 04 5694861 or 021 02749743

Visit us at: Level 2, 15 Daly Street, Chamber of Commerce House, Lower Hutt
www.woburn.co.nz
The prayer ceremony lasted

for 2 Hours and it was
followed by Langar for the
devotees and the program
ended with a prayer at 9
pm.
The
devotees
were
dressed in their traditional
clothes and the Gurudwara
was
decorated
with
lights and flowers for the
auspicious occasion.
Meena Patel
June Ranson 200800674 | Wiebe Herder 201100935 | Meena Patel 201200726
Dairy With Lotto In Central Auckland

With Accommodation
Weekly Sales $15,500 Approx
Asking $139,000 + Stock Ref 44797
Dairy With 2 Bedroom Accommodation

In Central Auckland
Dairy In North Shore with 3 Bedroom

Accommodation
Dairy With 3 Bedroom Accommodation

in East Auckland
Dairy In Manukau
Asking $45,000 + Stock
Dairy in Mt Roskill
Dairy + Lotto in Central Auckland with

2 Bedrooom Accommodation (Optional)
Weekly Income $18,000 Approx
(UNDER CONTRACT)
Dairy In South Auckland

Licensed Restaurant with 4 Bedroom

accommodation in Top Auckland
Location
Dairy with Lotto in North Shore

(UNDER CONTRACT)
5 Days(Mon-Fri) Dairy in North
Shore Weekly Sales $9,000 Approx
(UNDER CONTRACT)
Dairy/Takeaway With 3 Bedroom
Accommodation in Pukekohe
Dairy In Auckland CBD

Dairy With Lotto for Sale in Auckland
(UNDER CONTRACT)
Dairy in Prime Location in Double
Grammar School Zone
Four Square in Waikato Asking
$560,000 + Stock Ref 44685
June Ranson
Fruit & Vege in West Auckland

Pita Pit Franchise in Auckland CBD
Subway Franchise in Auckland CBD
(UNDER CONTRACT)
Fast Food Nandos Franchise for
Sale in Auckland
Licensed Indian restaurant in Hamilton

Oporto Franchise for Sale in Auckland
(UNDER CONTRACT)
Liquor Shop in Prime Location
Licensed Indian Restaurant in
Auckland CBD
(SOLD)
Authentic Food Mini Supermarket in
South Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
Thousands march
against deep sea drilling
New Zealands largest Islamic

Centre comes to Auckland
Red
Rizwan Mohammad
people from 56 countries of

which 2/3rd are in Auckland.
This Islamic centre will not just
serve as a mosque for praying
but will also attract a place for
recreational activity for the
community members. The school
at the centre will host around 300
students in general studies along
with learning Arabic language
and subjects on Islamic culture.
There will be short and long term
courses on the teachings of Islam
and regular events to engage the
community members.
The purpose of Islamic Centre
is also to attract member of other
communities to come forward
and know Islam better, know
the religion better, to establish
brotherhood and understanding
between the communities through
interaction, says Mohammed.
The Islamic Centre will also
bring women and children to
the centre both for learning and
Orange
Anuja Nadkarni
In conversation with FIANZs legal advisor & proposed Islamic

Centres Project Manager Umarji Mohammed
he Federation of Islamic
Association
of
New
Zealand (FIANZ) has
secured the permission to build
an Islamic Vocational Centre
on Porchester Road which will
be in construction very soon,
says FIANZs legal advisor and
proposed Islamic Centres project
manager Umarji Mohammed.
The idea to build the Islamic
Centre was conceptualised more
than 5 years ago and the land was
purchased 3 and half years ago.
The Islamic Centre will be built on
4.5 ha (10 acres) of land which is
around 48000 square metres.
The estimated cost of the
project is an excess of $15 million
and funding for the same is being
done from the community and
overseas.
The centre will be the biggest
in New Zealand with living area,
auditorium,
outdoor
sports
ground, offices, a two storey school
building with 13 classrooms,
two specialised teaching rooms,
6
traveller
accommodation
units, a multipurpose sports
hall with indoor swimming
pools, conference rooms, and
three different parking spaces to
accommodate 150+ cars.
New Zealand has a Muslim
population of around 55000
Black
spending quality time during

weekends and holidays. The
construction of the building will
commence soon and in stages
once the funding is completed,
adds Mohammed.
Based on an organisation
Bolton Council of Muslims
(BCOM) in UK, members of FIANZ
are also looking forward to form a
regional council for Muslims in
Auckland. The idea is on a very
early stage and it is encouraged
by the community leaders to
its members to take the idea
forward and create a centralised
regional council to navigate the
community and increase its
activities in the near future. The
indication to make such a council
is to get all the mosques under
one regional roof and govern its
actions in the direction of growth
and betterment of the whole
community.
housands of activists
marched
through
downtown Auckland on
March 29 to protest against deep
sea oil drilling.
Protestors
assembled
at
Victoria Park before starting their
march to the SkyCity convention
centre beating drums and
chanting frack off.
The Advantage New Zealand
Petroleum Summit was being
held at the convention centre and
Energy Minister Simon Bridges
was one of the speakers at the
event.
Greenpeace senior climate
campaigner Simon Boxer said,
the protest is an on-going global
movement and that the people
will not stop until the government
listens.
The Government still wants
international companies to come
to New Zealand and do very
risky deep sea oil drilling. We
saw five years ago in the Gulf of
Mexico, one accident is enough to
devastate a whole area for a very
long time.
Hydraulic
fracturing
or
fracking is a way of extracting
fossil fuels through deep water
drilling, which has prompted
protests in California, Algeria and
Britain in the past month.
According to Greenpeaces
Facebook page, about 6000
people attended the march.
Mr Boxer said New Zealand

should follow countries like
Germany and Japan who are
going for clean energy, like wind
and solar power.
He said the risks associated
with deep sea oil drilling to New
Zealand marine life are too big
for the Government to not take
action.
There are only 55 Maui
dolphins remaining according to
the Department of Conservation.
Marcher Jo Bates said her
message to the executives at
the convention centre was to
reconsider corporate greed for
the benefit of the planet and
people.
Its profit over environment,
said Ms Bates.
A report released last year by
the Parliamentary Commissioner
for the Environment (PCE) said,
ten permits were granted to
explore New Zealand waters for
oil drilling.
The
report
also
said
conservation areas are not
auctioned off and organisations
only receive permits once local iwi
and councils have been consulted.
Presents
Re
Vijesh
Kapil
Kuntal
Hin
y
t
i
al
Major Sponsor
Meri Reet
Meri Preet
Monica
Revolves around Suspicion, Family values,

Expectations & Kids Raising
Directed by:
Facilitated by:
Madhumita
Fund Raising event for Gandhi Nivas - FV Home
GreenBay High School

Performing Arts Centre
Kshitij
Monitosh
di Play...
Juhi
143-161 Godley Road,

Greenbay, Auckland
26th April 2015 @ 7.30pm Tickets: $15/$20

SPONSORS
Supported By
Catering Partner
Jyotsana
Tanaya
MEDIA PARTNERS
Media Partners
MUNISH SETH
OFFICIAL
CATERER
Ashoka
Phone: 5790465
Contact Jayesh 021 150 4149 / Jigna Mehta 09 6274950

Tickets
available
at
26, Carr Road,

Mt Roskill
SRI GANESH
FOOD & SPICE
2 Lansford Cres,
Avondale
595 A Sandringham Road

Sandringham
Ellis Avenue,
Mount Roskill
Book online
www.mangotrip.co.nz
NEW ZEALAND
Auckland gets New Zealands

first Shri Ram Mandir
Red
Black
Orange
Rizwan Mohammad
1 Brick Street in Henderson is the

address where you see a site under
construction, area is sealed with
barricades and a huge dome covered with
plastic and iron shafts. Well, that is the
almost finished version of Shri Ram temple
that Auckland will soon witness.
New Zealand has seen Shiv Temple,
Hanuman Temple, Sai Temple and Balaji
Temple in the past, but the Shri Ram Temple
is the 1st to be constructed in New Zealand.
The foundation of the Mandir which covers
an area of 2366 square metres was laid in
July 2012 in front of the devotees and in
three years time the Mandir is ready to be
open for the devotees.
Lord Shri Ram has a huge following
throughout the world and New Zealand
was the only place without an exclusive
Ram Mandir, though it has Ram Krishna
Mandir in Papatoetoe, so the idea to
construct an exclusive Ram Mandir came
about.
The temple is designed by architect
Manoj Dutta from New Delhi, India
and most of the workers at the site have
come from India. The workers on the site
are experts in their work in cutting and
polishing marble and wood crafting for the
interiors of the Mandir which is all being
done by hand, working tirelessly to make
the place a marvel second to none.
There are six large domes imported
from India with Gold Leaf plating on top
and other two super large domes to go on
front and back of the Mandir. The doors
and Idols boxes are made of teak wood
especially designed and imported from
India.
The temple will house an exclusive large

idol of Lord Shri Ram in the centre along
with Shri Krishna, Bhagwan Lakshmi
Narayan, Goddess Durga and Lord Shiva
and Shiv Lingam at the right corner of
the temple which is one the first floor of
the building. The community centre will
be at the ground floor and a basement for
car parking and miscellaneous community
activities.
The dome of the temple is huge and
can be seen from a mile away, the gate of
the temple houses marble replicas of two
elephants on either sides. The view so far of
the almost finished temple is beautiful and
after the final touch, the view of the temple
both inside and from outside is going to be
staggering and spectacular.
According to plans the temple is set
to be innaugurated on June 6 starting
with a weeklong Puja until June 12, 2015.
During this time there will be prayers in
the afternoon and cultural programs in
the evening comprising all the cultures of
India, including Karakia by Maori priests.
A crowd of more than 5000 from all over
North Island are expected to be seen during
the opening week of the Shri Ram Mandir.
PReSeNtS
TWO-WEEK FREE TRIAL

Must Register by 11 May!
Trial the Kumon English or Maths Programme over two weeks,
from 1831 May 2015 and find out how Kumon can develop in
your child
calculation and reading ability
concentration
a daily study and reading habit
the confidence to learn independently.
Maths Whiz
My parents enrolled me in Kumon because they

wanted the best for me and wanted me to be happy.
Radha, 10, is studying advanced maths well beyond
her grade level at Kumon. It feels good to be doing
hard work at Kumon. Im in Year 4 and I can already
do the work Ill be learning in Year 6 so I dont have to
Novelist
Columnist
worry, Radha says. Radha helps her friends solve

problems in class and one day wants to be a teacher.
Talk show in
Actor
Gujarati
Speaker
Relook at the Relations with
GreenBay High School

Performing Arts Centre
Tickets:
$10/$15
143-161 Godley Road, Greenbay, Auckland

Major Sponsor
SPONSORS
Supported By
Catering Partner
MUNISH SETH
OFFICIAL
CATERER
Contact Jayesh 021 150 4149 / Jigna Mehta 09 6274950
26, Carr Road,

Mt Roskill
SRI GANESH
FOOD & SPICE
2 Lansford Cres,
Avondale
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. . . . . .
.. . . .
..
BIRKENHEAD
BROWNS BAY
DANNEMORA
ALBANY
ENDERLEY
EPSOM
FENDALTON
FORREST HILL
GLENFIELD HENDERSON HOWICK ILAM JOHNSONVILLE
KARORI
LOWER HUTT
LYALL BAY
MANUKAU HEIGHTS
MANUREWA
MT ALBERT
MT COOK
MT ROSKILL
NEW LYNN NGAIO ONEHUNGA PAKURANGA PAPAKURA
PAPATOETOE
REMUERA
SOUTH DUNEDIN
TAKAPUNA
WEST HARBOUR
Ashoka
Phone: 5790465
Tickets
available
at
Call 0800 458 666 for contact details of your

nearest Kumon Centre.
KUMON CENTRES IN NEW ZEALAND
24th April 2015

@ 7.30pm
MEDIA PARTNERS
Media Partners
Call today to secure your childs place in the Free Trial!
595 A Sandringham Road

Sandringham
Ellis Avenue,
Mount Roskill
Book online
www.mangotrip.co.nz
Terms and conditions apply. Please visit
http://nz.kumonglobal.com
10
NEW ZEALAND
Red
Its time for Zero

excuses
here are large numbers

of
Indians,
specially
students employed in the
fast food industry and are hence
directly effected by the Zero hour
contracts.
A group of protestors took to
McDonalds in Manners Street as
part of the international fast food
workers day of action to end zero
hour contracts.
McDonalds NZ issued a press
release on Monday stating that All
McDonalds employees will receive
80 percent security of hours up to a
40 hour cap, based on the average of
the previous 12 weeks.
Unite Union quickly followed
arguing that the offer was a
meaningless formula.
Today they issued another release
stating that they are committed
to moving away from zero hours
contracts and that Unite have
walked away from the bargaining
table.
Restaurant Brands, owners of
Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King and
Carls Jr. yesterday announced an
end to zero hour contracts, marking
a successful campaign for the Unite
Union group so far.
Rostered hours are completely
under the control of the company.
They can go up and down at their
discretion. These companies always
roster people for fewer hours than
they need and less than they usually
work to keep the workers hungry
for hours and waiting at home for a
phone call for extra shifts. Managers
will continue to have power to use
and abuse the rosters.
Workers will have no way of
knowing whether the roster is fair
and equitable. We need a guarantee
of hours based on the hours a
worker usually works not what they
are rostered. That way it also allows
guaranteed hours to build up over
time.
There is also no pathway or
commitment to regular fixed
Black
Ensure your house is insulated to

follow minimum standard
L
shifts in the future, which is a very
important aspect of the agreement
with Restaurant Brands. Workers
want to be able to plan their lives and
with shifts that change week to week
it simply isnt possible.
From the Beehive, Labour party
also demanded the end of zero hour
contracts.
Its time Workplace Relations
Minister Michael Woodhouse cut
the weasel words and banned zero
hour contracts, Labour Leader
Andrew Little says.
Michael Woodhouse today
acknowledged zero hour contracts
are unfair.
However the minister is
dithering, suggesting the law should
be clarified.
There is no need to review
legislation or overcomplicate the
issue. Michael Woodhouse simply
needs to outlaw these nasty practises
now.
This is nothing to do with casual
employment. Its about employers
imposing obligations on workers to
be at work but with no guarantee of
work. Thats wrong whichever way
you cut and dice it.
Too many Kiwi workers in retail,
hospitality, cleaning and caregiving
remain on these contracts. Zero
hour contracts are wrong and have
no place in New Zealands, Andrew
Little says.
It will be worthwhile to keep an
eye on how this unfolds, given the
large number of workforce that is
employed in the fast food industry.
abours Associate Housing

spokesperson
Poto
Williams rolled out an
issue that brings the landlords
under the hammer. It has been
found that many landlords are
not insulating their properties in
order to avoid over-capitalisation
of the cheap houses.
EECA reports suggest that
only few landlords have used the
generous taxpayers subsidies for
retro-fitting and it is high time to
set minimum standards.
Every child in New Zealand
deserves to grow up in a warm,
dry home. Its disgraceful that
in the 21stCentury our kids are
still suffering from serious health
problems like rheumatic fever
which can be caused by damp,
cold homes, said Williams.
EECA statistics have shown
that less than 14 per cent of
the properties using insulation
subsidies are rental properties and

yet more than 50 percent of the
uninsulated properties are rentals.
This report further suggests that
more people are prone to become
victims of health issues, especially
kids and old people.
Labour will ensure that all
rental properties are brought up
to standard and landlords will

have to install insulation and an
efficient heating source, said
Williams.
Research also states that for
every dollar spent on retro-fitting
insulation and heating, a person
will save $5 in public health
spending.
Dont close public prisons
lose publicly-run prison

to populate privatelyrun prison is a plan not
supported by New Zealand First.
Mahesh Bindra, Corrections
spokesperson, mentioned that
this is a wrong move and will
create further issues for the staff
and the prisoners.
There is no evidence to suggest
that we even need a new facility
we have enough beds across
all corrections facilities for the
current prison population, even
when allowing for emergencies,
added Bindra.
It has also come in the news

that Serco is known for its
suspicious financial transactions
in the country and they are not
really reliable in providing food
and safety to prisoners and the
prison staff. It was also noted that
Mt Eden prison has the highest
record of assaults on staff by the
inmates.
Corrections Minister Peseta
Sam Lotu-liga too is not
convinced about Serco services.
He mentioned that Serco does not
follow the same staff to prisoner
ratio used by the Department of
Corrections, which are a proven

tool in staff and prisoner safety.
It is nonsense for the Minister
to suggest that the proposal
reflects our commitment to
providing safe and secure working
conditions for staff and a safe
and productive environment
for prisoners,when evidence
suggests otherwise, said Bindra.
The Chief Custodial Officer
should ensure staff and prisoner
safety, not wasting money on
unnecessary reviews.
Youth voice their views in policy-making
This is a great opportunity

for young people to have
a say on matters that are
important to them, and for
their voice to be heard, said
Youth Minister Nikki Kaye at
the opening of the Four-day UN
Youth Declaration in Auckland
last week.
The forum is expected to give
youth a platform to put forward
their concerns and issues, where
they can be heard. Over the four
days, participants took part in
workshops and debates covering a
range of public policy areas, from
education and the environment to
Orange
foreign affairs, law and order and

social development.
The recommendations that
flow out of these workshops
and debates are compiled into a
declaration that is presented to
various stakeholders, said Kaye.
I told the young people
this
morning
that
their
recommendations will be taken
seriously by the government. For
example, issues raised in the 2013
declaration included bullying,
pressures on young people, youth
suicide and mental health.
Since then various actions
have been taken to address these

issues, and the declaration has at
times reinforced the importance
of policies in these key areas.
Some initiatives that have
happened include a bullying
prevention guide for schools, a
youth crime action plan, a selfhelp e-therapy tool to help young
people combat depression and
anxiety, and cross-agency work
to address family and sexual
violence.
Ive committed to sharing
this years declaration with my
colleagues and making sure its
passed on to officials within our

ministries.
Events such as the declaration
are an important way to help
develop tomorrows leaders, and
enable the views of young people
to be reflected in policy-making.
This year is particularly
notable,
as
it
sees
the
20thanniversary of the United
Nations World Programme of
Action for Youth.
The occasion is being marked
by a #YouthNow campaign, and
I encourage young people to be
part of this by joining or leading
online conversations, writing
blogs, hosting events and raising

awareness of youth issues on
social media.
NEW ZEALAND
Auckland student dies in

car crash in Waikato
Red
Black
Orange
Rizwan Mohammad
amily and friends mourn the death

of an Indian student in Waikato as
he was crushed to death last week.
20 year old Dilbagh Singh Sekhon was a
level 5 student of Business Management at
Ntec on Hobson Street, Auckland.
Although Singh studied in Auckland but
mostly stayed in Kati Kati, a region at the
northern end ofTauranga Harbour and
commuted between Auckland and Kati Kati
twice weekly. Dilbagh had classes three
days a week here in Auckland and worked
in Kati Kati at a farm.
Dilbagh was travelling to Auckland to
give his exams at Ntec on the fateful 10 April
Friday morning when he met the accident
at around 6.30 am on SH2 at Kerepehi,
between Ngatea and Paeroa. According to
an eye witness, his car crossed the centreline
before colliding with an oncoming trailer
unit and eventually was crushed under the
wheels of the trailer.
Dilbagh was an outgoing, honest,
hardworking, and a very decent guy, his
passing away is a big blow to all of us said
Gurjeet Singh, his friend and classmate
from Ntec.
Dilbagh had come to New Zealand in
February last year and had been driving to
and from Auckland ever since. We drove to
Wellington early this year and he was really
a good driver, I have no words to express
my sorrow... added Gurjeet.
He had been here about 12 months and
may have felt comfortable driving on our
11
givealittle fund to aid

Nepal victims
Paula Ray
roads, said Inspector Frank Grant Police

District Maori Responsiveness Manager to
media.
With winter knocking on the doors,
driving on the highways will be more
dangerous and caution needs to be taken by
the drivers. Also the rainy season makes the
road more slippery and prone to accidents.
Last Friday though was dry but the
early hours of the morning are overcast and
theres dew on the road, added one of the
eye witnesses.
Friends of Dilbagh are shocked with this
incident and there has also been an appeal
posted on Indians in New Zealand page on
Facebook requesting the Indians to be safe
on the road while driving.
They Sikh community of Auckland and
Waikato region are making arrangements
to send the body of the deceased back home.
There is also an appeal on social media to
donate to meet the required costs.
uckland Zoo is raising funds to

help victims in Nepal recover
from a fire on March 23 which
destroyed 35 houses and displaced 90
families in Fungling, Taplejung.
A charity called givealittle has been set
up to help raise much needed funds for the
rebuild and in return a chance to name their
11-week-old male redpandacub.
The fire also destroyed the Himali
Conservation Forum (HCF) offices,
RedPandaNetworks (RPN) partner in
the Taplejung district. HCF helps manage
RedPandaNetworks forest guardians
in the Taplejung district, who conduct
essential community based conservation
work that Auckland Zoo has supported and
been involved with since 2011.
Forest guardians Ramesh Rai and Bishal
Gurung, have also lost their homes to the
fire. Ramesh has also lost his personal
belongings. His job may be affected if
the HCF office is not in operation soon.
RedPandaNetwork are doing what they
can to support staff affected by this tragedy
as well as locals, but are in need of help
to get the offices up and running again
so their conservation work can continue.
In their bid to help rebuild the HCF offices
and homes for victims of the natural
disaster,
Auckland
Zoo
encourages
every animal lover to go to the givealittle
page
[http://givealittle.co.nz/cause/
redpandarebuild]and make a donation,
as well as suggest a name for their
redpandacub. The final name will be chosen
by redpandakeepers and announced
onFriday May 1.
Panda facts
}} The cub is a male Nepalese
redpanda,born January 20, 2015, to
mother Bo and father Sagar.
}} Suggested names need to be of
Nepalese
origin
and
submitted
before5pmThursday 30 April.
}} This cub is Bo and Sagars fourth.
}} The ICUN Red List estimates the global
population of redpandato be about
10,000 individuals. There are close to
500 individuals in zoos worldwide
}} The IUCN Red List classifies the
redpandaas Vulnerable. It is
threatened by illegal hunting and
deforestation. Remaining populations
are fast becoming fragmented and
isolated from each other.
}} The average lifespan of a redpandais
eight to 12 years, but these animals can
live considerably longer in zoos
}} The redpandacommunicates with
squeaks,
chattering
noises
and
chipmunk-like sounds
}} Although it shares the same name,
the redpandais not related to the
giantpanda. In fact, the red pandais
not related to any other animals, making
it unique.
12
NEW ZEALAND
Red
Supporting families
Kanwaljit Bakshi
National List MP
amily
life
is
the
cornerstone of a happy,
healthy society. Thats why
the well-being of young families
and children has been at the heart
of the Governments new spending
in a growing economy.
For example, weve extended
paid parental leave, were making
GP visits free for under-13-year

olds, and were investing more
in early childhood education
and teacher quality. Were also
helping more Kiwis into their first
house. And weve made more than
300,000 homes warmer, drier,
and healthier.
Modern family and workforce
arrangements are changing all
the time, and its important
that working parents can spend
as much time with their kids
as possible as well as staying
connected to the workforce. The
first stage of our boost to paid
parental leave came into effect
this month. New parents now get

16 weeks leave and this will be
extended to 18 weeks next April.
As well as extending the
number of weeks in the scheme,
National will make paid parental
leave available to more carers
including grandparents and
more workers, helping more
families.
Paid parental leave payments
will be extended to casual and
seasonal employees, as well as
those who might have changed
jobs recently and may have
otherwise missed out. Workers
will be able to take more leave,
flexibly, as agreed with their

employer.
Weve also increased the
parental tax credit from $150 a
week to $220 a week, and the
entitlement is now 10 weeks, up
from eight.
On top of helping mums and
dads, these are measures that will
help Kiwi kids get a better start in
life.
These are changes that count.
National has got on with making
them, just like we have got on
with building a stronger economy,
supported by responsible and
predictable government policy.
Black
Orange
There are 80,000 more

people employed than a year
ago. And wages are rising faster
than inflation. Households and
businesses are benefitting from
low inflation and a long period of
stable, low interest rates. Were
improving public services in areas
like welfare, health, education,
and law and order.
Nationals challenge over the
next few years is to build on the
progress weve made, to ensure
the economy continues to grow
solidly year on year so we
can continue to help families get
ahead.
Auckland hit by higher burglary and

dismal crime resolution rate
Phil Goff
Labour MP
he latest crime statistics

came out just before
Easter and for those of us
in Auckland they make appalling
reading.
Across all three Police districts
in Auckland, burglary was up
by 15% over last year. Worse
still, police resolution rates for
burglary, dropped for the third
year in a row.
In Auckland Central, resolution
of burglaries dropped to just over
11%, that is slightly more than a
one in ten chance the person who

burgled your home will be caught.
But in Auckland East and West
the figures are even more dismal,
6.1% for the East and 4.8% in the
West.
Auckland has by far the lowest
clearance rate for burglaries in the
country. Its half what other areas
are achieving.
Motor vehicle theft is up in
Auckland as well, with a resolution
rate of under 6%.
These are high volume crimes,
the ones that affect most of us.
We keep hearing the same thing.
Its okay because crime rates are
coming down.
Thats hardly a consolation
to those whose homes have been
broken into or motor vehicle has
been stolen.
In fact, it looks dangerously

like complacency on the part of
the government.
They seem to think if crime is
coming down they can cut funding
for the Police.
The Police Commissioner told
us that, at the Law and Order
Select Committee last month, that
$300 million in rising costs had to
be absorbed by the Police in recent
years for government cuts.
In fact, its much more than
that. Salary rises for Police staff,
which havent been compensated
for, are just under $300 million
by themselves.
When funding is cut, and
demand for Police services is
rising, something has to give. It
looks like Police follow up and
resolution of crime is where
ordinary people in Auckland and

elsewhere are paying the price.
The
Police
Commissioner
didnt really have an answer to the
question I put to him about why
less crime is being resolved.
He seemed to be saying it was
because the emphasis was being
put on prevention first.
I pointed out that the best way
of preventing crime is to persuade
the offender if he commits the
crime, he will be caught and
punished.
Its hard to get that message
across when the would-be criminal
knows that he has just one chance
in 20 of getting caught if he rips
off your car or property from your
house.
I dont particularly blame the
Commissioner for his answer. As a
Seizing the climate opportunity

Barry Coates
Green Party
fter years of talking

about action on climate
change, but doing little,
governments are gearing up for a
global agreement to be signed in
Paris in December.
This is crucial. Climate change
is worsening. 2014 was the hottest
year since record keeping began
in 1880.
Droughts,
cyclones
and
irregular rainfall have been
causing suffering for millions
of
people
in
vulnerable
communities.
Pledges to cut greenhouse
gas emissions that cause climate
change have been submitted into
the United Nations negotiations,
including pledges from most
OECD countries and some
developing countries such as
Mexico.
But not New Zealand. Our
government continues on its
course of doing as little as
possible and using political spin
to obscure the facts.
Instead of decreasing our
emissions, the latest figures
show an increase of 42% in New
Zealands emissions since 1990,
the baseline year for the climate
negotiations.
Around half of that (20%) has
occurred under this government
since they came into office in
2008. New Zealand is one of the
highest emitters per person in the
OECD.
The governments response
has been to deny there is a
problem and distort the figures.
The Minister for Climate
Change, Tim Groser, has recently
been forced to retract his claim
that more trees are being planted
than cut down. The governments
own
figures
show
that
deforestation is now taking place
almost twice as fast as planting of
new forests.
Government policy continues
to favour the polluters.

The
Emissions
Trading
Scheme has been ineffective.
Instead of emissions costing
the polluters $25 per tonne, they
have been able to pay a few cents.
Instead of helping renewable
energy, the government continues
to give subsidies to offshore
oil drilling and coal. Instead of
investing in trains, buses and
cycleways,
the
government
continues its massive road
building programme. Instead of
being a clean, green champion
in global climate talks, New
Zealands reputation is being
damaged.
Meanwhile other countries are
investing in solar energy, gearing
public servant, he cant simply say

he is being starved of the resources
he needs to make a difference. But
essentially that is the reason.
The fundamental responsibility
of any Government is to keep
people safe and to ensure that we
can live free from the fear of being
victims of crime. Next month,
the Finance Minister delivers his
Budget.
I dont want excuses about his
sixth attempt to achieve a surplus
in the Finance as the reason for
not having basic services delivered
to ensure public safety.
I reckon if the Government can
spend $70 million on unbudgeted
bridges to try to buy an election in
Northland, then the money should
be there to ensure we have an
effective Police force.
up for electric cars, providing

public
transport
options,
greening business and planting
forests. These policies reduce air
pollution and health, and make
cities more liveable.
They also help business get
an advantage in the rapidly
renewable energy and clean
technology sectors. Win, win, win.
We need to take action on
climate change, not only because
it is the most serious problem
facing our planet and our
future, but also because it is an
opportunity for New Zealand.
Barry Coates, Green Party
candidate. See our Climate
Protection Plan at www.greens.
org.nz.
NEW ZEALAND
Minor delays for

visitors to Mt Eden
summit
Red
Black
Orange
isitors to the summit of

Maungawhau / Mt Eden may
experience minor delays this
week as contractors undertake minor
stabilisation of an old quarry wall.
The work will stabilise the face of
the Batger Quarry wall that supports a
section of Puhi Huia Road which leads to
the summit. It will involve securing steel
mesh to the wall face to secure unstable
material and prevent erosion. The road will
remain open to vehicles during the work,
though there may be short delays at times.
Contractors will be on site to safely direct
traffic and pedestrians.
Coach parking will not be affected by the
works, and shuttle services will continue to
operate during this period to provide access
for visitors with limited mobility. The
walking track between Hillside Crescent
and Batger Rd will be closed as an extra
safety precaution.
When:Monday 13 April Tuesday 28
April,7:30am 5:00pm
Where:Puhi Huia Road leading to the
summit of Maungawhau / Mt Eden.
People choosing to park at the base of
Maungawhau / Mt Eden and walk up to the
summit are reminded not to leave valuables
in their car.
Beach Haven
Record numbers
Community Space
use public transport
construction begins network
new community space in Beach

Haven is now under construction,
and Kaiptiki Local Board is
celebrating the milestone with a sod turning
this week.
The $460,000 project is transforming
the vacant land at 364 Rangatira Road, the
old Post Office site, into a valuable space for
locals to enjoy in
the centre of the
village.
The space will
include a new
nautical themed
playground,
a
small stage for
performances, a
boardwalk linking
Rangatira Road to
the Beach Haven
car park, seating,
picnic
furniture
and planter boxes
for communal use.
The design of
the project has
been developed in partnership with the
Beach Haven Placemaking Group, which
currently maintains the site as a community
project.
Kaiptiki Local Board Chairperson Kay
McIntyre says the start of construction is
a significant milestone for the community
that has contributed so much to shaping
the space.
It is very exciting that we have got to
this stage in the project, she says.
This community space, right in the
middle of the village, will be a real heart and
meeting place for locals.
Construction begins this week and is
likely to take several months to complete.
ucklanders have taken more than

13 million trips on the Auckland
rail network in the past year,
which is an increase of 1 million passengers
in just five months.
Auckland Councils target is 15 million
rail trips annually by 2017.
Mayor Len Brown says the latest
milestone suggests we could reach that
target by the
end of this
year, and if
we continue
the current
rate
of
growth in rail
patronage,
we
will
pass
the
governments
20
million
trip target in
2017/18.
The mayor
says
the
increase
in
public transport users reflects Aucklanders
growing desire for more and better
transport choices. Every day, Aucklanders
tell me they want better public transport,
he says.
Since the rollout of electric trains
started less than a year ago, the number of
people getting out of their cars and jumping
on the train is soaring.
Improving transport is Auckland
Councils top investment priority, and
theCity Rail Link(CRL) is at the top of the
list. The CRL, which the council will start
building early next year, will double rail
patronage and reduce travel times across
the Auckland rail network.
MAYORALDRIVE
Ne ws fro m th e C o u n c il
13
Aotea Conservation
Park opens for
Public
ucklands first conservation park

has opened for public last week
which is set to give a new definition
beauty. The new Aotea Conservation Park
on Great Barrier Island bears some unique
species of natural heritage.
The Aotea Conservation Park is created
from reclassified stewardship land and
spreads over 12,000 hectares or 43 per cent
of the island.
Conservation Minister Maggie Barry
said Aotea will bring significant tourism,
recreation and conservation benefits to the
island and the Auckland region.
Great Barrier is a crucial habitat for
the chevron skink, which is one of New
Zealands rarest reptiles, the North Island
kaka, the pateke/brown teal and the black
petrel.
The Aotea Conservation Park is rich in its
biodiversity and a conservation project by
the government has invested $2.5million to
repair the damages to the tracks, huts and
other infrastructures of the island which
were destroyed by the storm last year.
This park will bring people who love to
spend their times with nature, and also kids
and grownups to enjoy the spectacular view
of the island.
REACH OVER 100,000 KIWI-INDIANS

(PRINT, WEB & APP)
THROUGH INDIAN WEEKENDER
ADVERTISING options
START FROM $99*
Call Leena at 022 0151971
or Mahesh at 021 3251630
* Conditions apply
14
FIJI
Red
India, Fiji share unique

tourism foundation: A-G
iji and India have a unique

tourism foundation and it
is very important for both
the countries to capitalise on this
foundation, says Attorney General
and Minster for Tourism, Aiyaz
Sayed-Khaiyum.
Speaking at the Enhancing
India Bound Tourism seminar at
the Indian High Commission in
Suva last week, Sayed-Khaiyum
reiterated on the importance of
promoting both, India and Fiji at a
mutual level to strengthen its ties.
The Indian High Commission
with the Indian Tourism centre of
Sydney, Australia organised the
seminar to discuss the potential
areas and opportunities which
the two nations can embark on
to further grow their ties in the

tourism sector.
The Director of the Government
of Indias tourism office in Sydney,
Mrs Madhu Dubey presented a
power-point presentation to show
and discuss all aspects of Indias
tourism like holidays, education,
culture, business and medical

tourism. India is a vibrant
modern nation with traditional
attraction and should not be
regarded as a land of sadhus
(saints) and snake charmers, said
Dubey.
The Indian High Commissioner
to Fiji, His Excellency, Mr Vinod
Kumar said, More people from
Fiji are travelling to India for
medical treatment and this has
recently made us issuance of visas
on emergency passports.
Stakeholders in the field of
tourism such as travel agents,
tour operators, airlines, medical
institutions
and
insurance
companies were also present at
the seminar.
Local music awards gain momentum
he
Fiji
Performing
Rights
Association
(FPRA) Music awards
have gained momentum since
its inception last year.
With only 36 days to go for
this years music awards, the
organisers have been working
round-the-clock to ensure the
stage was ready to roll on the
night.
Events co-ordinator Seru
Serevi said they aimed to sell
about 280 tickets at $150 each.
As earlier mentioned, this

years event will be much bigger
and better than last year and
we have no doubt about this,
Serevi said.
We are so thankful to our
sponsors who have come on
board and have believed in us
in terms of showcasing our
emerging and talented artists
in the local music industry.
We plan to have about 400
guests and it is going to be a
black tie event.
Power sector needs $1.5b
iji needs an estimated

$1.5billion over the next
decade to largely rely
on renewable electricity, says
Minister for Infrastructure and
Transport Pio Tikoduadua.
Speaking at the opening of
the national Renewable Energy
investment forum in Suva, Mr
Tikoduadua said this could not be
financed alone by the public sector
but needed significant local and
foreign investment. He said Fiji
needed to attract private investment
in generation capacity.
Significant investments will be
required from the private sector and
local and international investors
to ensure that Government is
able to accomplish its goals, Mr
Tikoduadua said.
He said there had been limited
private investment in Fijis power
sector to date and this would need
to change if we were to meet key
national
development
targets.
We have been receiving

interests from some overseas
people who want to attend the
show and for us, this is a good
sign.
We are moving into the
right direction as preparations
are well underway.
Serevi said they accomodated
some guests from Australia and
New Zealand who flew into the
country last year solely for the
event.
Theme: Black Tie Event
Black
Orange
Women groups
disappoint A-G
ttorney-General
Aiyaz
Sayed-Khaiyum
has
questioned
womens
organisations in the country on why
they fail to respond to a statement
made by one of the Opposition
members in Parliament on the issue
of women and boxing.
This was after a debate in
Parliament over the Boxing
Commission of Fiji (Amendment)
Bill of 2015, where Opposition
Member Semesa Karavaki said
women were not meant to be
punched.
Our women were not meant to
be punished in the ring, our women
were meant to be loved.
We are not there yet. Its not
natural, its not accepted, Mr
Karavaki said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said he
was quite upset and disappointed
with the lack of response from the
Fiji womens organisations on the
matter highlighted in Parliament.
If the objective is to say women
have equal rights, then they should
have come out and spoken about
it. Why didnt they? Mr SayedKhaiyum asked.
He said women should know
where they stood and be objective
when it came to issues as such.
Responding to the comments
made by Mr Karavaki, Fiji Womens
Crisis Centre co-ordinator Shamima
Ali said the comments were
regressive and archaic. She said

society, including Parliament, should
provide an enabling environment
for women and girls to pursue
their ambitions and not create
impediments in a world which was
already fraught with challenges to
women exercising their rights.
FemLINKPACIFIC
executive
director Sharon Bhagwan Rolls
said her organisation felt that the
response of the Fiji Womens Crisis
Centre had reflected a collective
position on behalf of womens rights
groups.
As womens groups we also
react together, on priority issues
regardless of which side of the
house raises it, Ms BhagwanRolls said.
Fiji named best family

holiday destination
F
Renewable energy is energy that
comes from resources such as
sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves
and geothermal heat. Department
of Energy director Paula Katirewa
said as of 2007, 89 per cent of Fijis
population had access to electricity.
Under the proposed 2013-2020
National Energy policy he said a
key target was to have 100 per cent
access by 2020.
Investing in renewable energy
will facilitate that people not
only have access to clean but
also affordable energy services
while treating the environment
responsibly, said Ms Fujii said.
iji was named the Best

Family Holiday Destination
during the 2012 Travel
Bug Awards. Beating other family
holiday hot-spots like Hawaii and
Vanuatu, Fiji walked away with the
award based on accessibility, safety
and security for children and the
activities on offer, with appeal to all
ages.
With its incredibly friendly
people,
value-packed,
familytailored travel packages and a
huge number of resort options,
attractions and activities available,
Fiji prides itself on offering a safe
haven for families to relax and have
fun, just a few hours flight from
Australia.
Fiji took the top spot with its
combination of easily accessible
attractions, modern facilities and
food options to suit the fussiest of
Likuliku Lagoon Resort
children. A range of kids clubs and

day care centres, that allow parents
to have their own holiday and
head off on their own adventures,
are another compelling reason
why Fiji is the best family holiday
destination in the world.
Fiji continues to be the
destination of choice for Australian
family holidays and it is wonderful
to receive this validation, said
Australian
Regional
Director,
Paresh Pant.
Families who holiday with us
always leave with a smile.
With over 330 tropical islands
to choose from, Fiji received
approximately 345,000 Australian
visitors in the last year alone and
according to Tourism Fiji, over
21% of that figure was travelling
with families.
FIJI
Fiji Top shark dive spot
Red
Black
iji has gained a significant

foothold in the lucrative
shark dive market after
being voted the Best Shark Diving
Destination by global dive bible,
EZDIVE magazine.
Tourism
Fijis
marketing
manager for the Asia Market Kathy
Koyamaibole received the award
on behalf of the country at the Dive
Resort Travel Expo in Shanghai,
China, last month. The expo was the
only professional diving exhibition
in China, developed specifically for
the diving industry in Shanghai and
Orange
attracts exhibitors enthusiastic

diving resorts and live-aboard
operators from all over the AsiaPacific region.
Shark diving tourism was worth
about $87million for Fiji annually.
Fijis shark dive was definitely
top of mind for most of the dive
clubs and visitors to the expo, Ms
Koyamaibole said.
Receiving this award was a
formalisation of that. Where in the
world can you dive and expect to see
more than seven species of sharks
in one dive while also feeding them
NEWS in BRIEF
Cricket Fiji set to gain
from CWC
FSC looks to East Asia

in market search
he Fiji Sugar Corporation has gone into

overdrive in the search for new buyers
for the Fiji-made sweetener, two years
away from the end of preferential access for
locally-produced sugar into the lucrative EU
market.
And apart from securing a contract for the
sale of 128,000 tonnes to traditional buyers
Tate & Lyle Sugars in the UK, the FSC is also
in the final phase of negotiations to sell about
8000 tonnes of sugar to Korea this year, with
the possibility of securing up to 40,000 tonnes
thereafter annually.
FSC executive chairman Abdul Khan said
apart from continued trading with Tate & Lyle
and the establishment of new markets in Asia,
discussions were also being held with a refinery
in New Zealand. He said securing new markets
such as Korea had opened up new avenues on
how Fiji sugar would be sold in the future.
In terms of cost, it is quite competitive for
us because of the shorter distances there is, the
obvious lower shipping costs, he said.
The EU has set 2017 as the final year that
sugar from African Caribbean Pacific countries
will be granted duty-free access to its markets.
without cages?
Thats why Fiji is no doubt the
best destination to experience shark
diving. Partners and Fijian resort
representatives who attended the
expo shared similar sentiments,
saying the event was an excellent
platform to market Fijis dive
tourism. Leleuvia Island Resort
manager Colin Philp said the
opportunities for Fiji Tourism were
endless.
The expo has been an amazing
opportunity for Leleuvia Island
Resort to exhibit to the lucrative
In Fiji, diving with hungry big sharks
Chinese dive market, he said.

Volivoli Beach Resorts Susie Erbe,
a frequent exhibitor at the dive
expo shows in Asia, said she was
very impressed with the increased
volume of visitors.
They
seemed
genuinely
interested in booking dive holidays
and for Fiji in particular, she said.
I feel the show is now a necessity
for those wishing to reach divers
based in China.
Fly to Indian sub continent

Starting from
ricket Fiji is set to gain from the success

of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup
which was co-hosted by New Zealand
and Australia.
Both teams played in the final with Australia
being crowned the world champions at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of 90,000
and a global TV audience of more than one
billion people.
Following the success of the tournament,
New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Australia
announced they will be donating some of their
proceeds from the event to a Facilities Fund
to further develop the sport in the East AsiaPacific region.
In conjunction with the International
Cricket Council, the co-hosts have committed
US$400,000 (F$822,719) towards the
installation of pitches and training facilities at
the grassroots level.
Cricket Fiji is looking at potential funders
to join forces with one of the worlds biggest
sporting events to make a real difference in the
sport in the country.
Whilst the Cricket World Cup final capped
off an amazing six weeks of international
cricket, through the forward thinking of NZ
Cricket and Cricket Australia the event will still
be able to leave a mark on crickets growth in
Fiji for many years to come.
15
NZ
$1059*
(inclusive all taxes)
Sign on
with our
Accredited Agent
www.ecotravels.co.nz
FREE
MONEY TRANSFER*
Eco
loyalty
Card
and
win lucky
draw
each
month
TO INDIA AND BANGLADESH
*Conditions apply
Mt Albert: 0508 15 16 17 K-Road: 0800 024409 Airedale: 09 5506236

East Tamaki: 0800 024411 Three Kings: 0800 024410 Phuhinui Rd: 0800 024412
Manurewa: 0800 024413 Mt. Roskill: 0800 024414 Henderson: 0800 024415
Avondale: 0800 024419 Tauranga: 0800 024417 Christchurch: 0800 024418,
Thought of the week
There is no future in any job. The future

lies in the man who holds the job.
- George Crane
Editorial
From the desk of the

Managing Editor
Funny bone
t is with a very heavy heart that I once again start this piece in remembrance
of a departed young life. Another Indian student killed tragically in a road
accident. I once again appeal to the community to support the cause of sending
the young man back home and spare a minute in your prayers for the bereaved
family.
The other Indian student that has remained in the news is Rajwinder Singh, I
will not say much about him here because our cover story talks about the issue at
length. The only thing I would, however, like to say is that United we stand and yes,
when it comes to our young ones, its important that we as the larger New Zealand
community stand together, transcending the differences of colour, ethnicity, age
and race.
While on the subject of bringing people together, Rangmanch is planning to
organize an Indian Theatre Festival, a one of its kind for the very first time in New
Zealand and Indian Weekender is proud to be associated with this.
The Kiwi-Indian Hall of Fame nominations are now closed for all three
categories. On behalf of Indian Weekender, I would like to thank the community
for their whole-hearted participation in nominating your favourite people to the
awards. It is now upto the jury to come up with the verdict. The countdown to the
awards night has started and the excitement in the team is worth noting. We will
keep our readers updated on the progress as we go along.
The stories of young students being exploited by employers is on the rise and
every day we hear of someone new who is guilty of such an act. There are many
different reactions from many different people. But being an immigrant myself I
can relate to a lot of these youngsters, who come to a new country with stars in their
eyes and soon reality hits them. Often they have little financial support back home
and so in order to make ends meet, they are willing to undertake any job they can
get. Since this issue has now come to the front, heres hoping that the government
takes some steps to improve things for our overseas students.
A drastic change of seasons has hit us it was almost as if when we retired one
evening, it was summer, and we woke up in the middle of winter the next morning.
While change is always welcome, it is in weather such as this that we become most
susceptible to catching the flu. I am no physician, yet I feel these illnesses can be
kept at bay with a little common sense and some care, especially for our children
who dont necessarily know that its time to throw on a jacket. Please take care of
your own and your familys health.
We hope our readers are continuing to enjoy the weekly treat that we put
together for our readers. We would love to hear from you, with your inputs. So do
keep writing to us. Until next time may the force be with you.
Giri Gupta
Pick of the week
Shah Rukh Khans little son AbRam was the star at the inaugural IPL 2015 match at
Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Quite evidently, he is getting used to the limelight already
Indian Weekender Volume 7 Issue 4

Publisher: Kiwi Media Group Limited
Managing Editor: Giri Gupta | girigupta@xtra.co.nz
Editor: Maya Shivam | editor@indianweekender.co.nz
Associate Editor: Paula Ray | paula@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | reporter@indianweekender.co.nz
Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | iwk.rizwan@gmail.com
Chief Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz
Art & Layout Design: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz
Graphic Design: Yashmin Chand | designer@indianweekender.co.nz
Sales & Marketing Manager: Leena Pal | M: 022 0151971 | leena@indianweekender.co.nz
Accounts and Admin.: Farah Khan | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz
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, Auckland
Printed at Guardian Print, Ashburton
Copyright 2015. Kiwi Media Group. All Rights Reserved.
Divi
Pronounced: di-vi
Meaning: to divide;
Usage: Can you divi up the pie between the two of us?
TIP from the TRENCHES

When reserving seats for two
people, choose the aisle and
window seats. If no one takes the
middle seat, then you get the full
row, and if someone does, then
just ask to switch seats so you can
sit next to your partner
OPINION / EDITORIAL
A legal eagle swooped
Red
Black
Orange
We want to voice what affect us; we want to be hear. This is our

platform to stand united against all odds
Paula Ray
ina was filing for divorce.

She is not a resident
of New Zealand and so
she had to apply under the legal
system of her home country
India. Her advocate back home
had prepared all the documents
and emailed her, asking her to get
them notarised by the concerned
authorities.
Following some amount of
homework, she finally learnt that
some qualified lawyers are also
notary public. A lady from the
Citizens Advice Bureau helped
her locate a couple of law firms in
city.
Armed with their contact
details, Dina called up for an
appointment. One of them asked
her to call back after the lunch
hour, while the other told her to
walk in any time.
Of course, Dina decided on
the second option. Once she
had printed all the documents,
Dina went over to the law firm.
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.
It turned out to be an extremely

swish office, established sometime
in late 1880s.
The receptionist was the
epitome of politeness and poised
to the core. After enquiring about
Dinas purpose of visit, she asked
Dina to wait at the plush couches
placed with precision. Soon
enough an elderly gentleman,
perhaps in his early 70s, walked in
to receive Dina.
He was one of the shareholders

of the firm, with an etiquette
that was as refined as the glint
of the golden Mont Blanc he was
wearing on his custom-tailored
jacket pocket.
Gradually, Dina settled down
in the comfortable chair around
a conference table, as the solicitor
leafed through the documents to
understand what it is that Dina
needed to get notarised. Then, he
began the process of signing and

punching in the seal on each page
as Dina took her oath.
Once they arrived at the main
document of legal petition, the
solicitor began glancing through
the pages. It made Dina a wee bit
uncomfortable because the pages
contained information that was
way too personal.
Sensing her discomfort, the
solicitor asked an extremely
personal question about her

estranged spouse, followed by
a comment that took Dina by
completely surprise. He said:
Its interesting, but in the past
three to four months, I remember
attesting divorce documents for
two other young women also from
south Asia. They were perhaps
even Indian, if I am not mistaken.
They come to New Zealand for
higher studies and somehow get
used to living by themselves I
wonder if its a trend!
Dina was till now extremely
impressed by the professionalism
of the law firm and its staff. But in
her anxiety to get the documents
ready in time and send her
advocate back in India, she failed
to understand if the notary publics
comment was totally out of turn.
Or, was she reading too much into
nothing? Was he just trying to
make polite conversation?
She felt quite confused with
the way the meeting ended, not
to mention the $160 bill that was
slapped on her for the services
rendered, the invoice had only
three words written: Indian
divorce papers.
US presidential race: Hillary Clinton Vs.

the rest
Arun Kumar
he US presidential race
took off with Hillary
Clinton finally jumping
into the fray with an aura of
inevitability, but that analysts
suggested may turn out to be the
former secretary of states biggest
handicap.
In her second bid to break the
glass ceiling and return to the
White House, the former first lady
chose a low key video message on
social media to announce her run
Sunday before heading to Iowa,
the state which traditionally kicks
off the primaries.
The first official event of her
2016 presidential campaign was
a roundtable discussion with four
students and three educators in an
automotive technology classroom
at a community college. There she
declared her desire to begin a
conversation with Americans on
how she could be the champion
who goes to bat for Americans.
Low key or not, Clintons entry
has electrified the somewhat
somnolent presidential race and
generated media attention far and
wide, including India, with which
she has a long history going back
to her first visit as first lady in
1995, unlike any other candidate.
As Alyssa Ayres, a fellow at
the Council on Foreign Relations
wrote in a recent blog post First
and foremost, she sees India as
17
In her second bid to

break the glass ceiling
and return to the White
House, the former
first lady chose a low
key video message
on social media to
announce her run
Sunday before heading
to Iowa, the state
which traditionally
kicks off the primaries.
a crucial part of US strategy in

a world increasingly centred on
Asia, where, in her words, the
future of politics will be decided.
As secretary of state her focus
on rebalancing US foreign policy
toward Asia contained a strong
emphasis on expanding ties with
India, she noted.
Within her own Democratic
Party, Clinton is miles ahead of
her likely rivals - none of whom
have officially declared their
intention to run.
According to Time magazine
former
Maryland
Governor
Martin OMalley is polling at 1
percent and liberal Senator Bernie
Sanders is at 4 percent compared
with Clintons 66 percent.
Though both are still long
shots, they could force her to
compete for support from the
liberal base, potentially hurting

her chances in the general
election, it said.
Among the Republicans, she
leads former Florida governor
Jeb Bush 54 percent to 40 percent
in a matchup and with even larger
margins over Texas Senator Ted
Cruz, Wisconsin Governor Scott
Walker and Florida Senator
Marco Rubio, Time said.
Louisianas Indian-American
governor
Bobby
Jindal
is
still toying with the idea of a
presidential run.
But potential Republican
candidates lost no time attacking
Clinton leaving criticism of likely
primary rivals within the party for
another day.
Rubio, 43, the youngest
contender in the race so far, took
a swipe at Clinton Monday.
Just yesterday, a leader from
yesterday, he said as cited by

CNN, as the crowd erupted in
boos, began a campaign for
President by promising to take us
back to yesterday. But yesterday
is over, and we are never going
back.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul
released a video ad critical of
Clinton hours before she officially
declared her candidacy Sunday
saying she represents the worst
of the Washington machine, the
arrogance of power, corruption
and cover-up.
Cruz, another official 2016
GOP candidate, questioned her
success as secretary of state
saying Hillary Clinton represents
the failed policies of the past.
Bush turned the Clinton debut
into a fundraising opportunity
telling his supporters in an email
that Hillary plans to raise $1.7
billion to win the White House
... which is why Im asking you to
give $5 right now to stop her.
With hardly any opposition
worth the name, Clinton may
easily win the Democratic
primary, but shell face a battletested Republican opponent who
will be in tip-top shape to take on
the Democrats, Time suggested.
However, her supporters
argue that even without a major
primary fight, shell be ready too,
it said.
18
INDIA
Red
Black
Five-star activists vs non-state actors

Amulya Ganguli
hile making the

unwarranted
and
unsubstantiated
allegation of how the judiciary
is scared of five-star activists
belonging to NGOs, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi appears
to have forgotten the intimidatory
presence in the background of
outfits such as the RSS which can
be called non-state actors where
his own government is concerned.
How
the
Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh interacts
with the ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) can be seen from the
regular meetings between its top
leaders with BJP president Amit
Shah and other office-bearers. The
seconding of Ram Madhav, who
was earlier a spokesman of the
RSS, to the government is only one
example of the close ties between
the pro-Hindu organization and
the government.
However, if the RSS influences
the government, the latter returns
the compliment. This two-way
interaction can be surmised from
the decision of the RSS to put
the Ram temple issue on hold,
apparently in response to Modis
call for a moratorium on sectarian
tension in his Independence Day
speech.
It is also possible that the
reason why the RSS chief, Mohan
Bhagwat, no longer argues that
all Indians are essentially Hindus
is an internal communication
between him and the government.
Arguably, there is nothing
unusual about such interactions
between different wings of what
the Hindutva camp claims to be
one big parivar or family.
But the point is that such
exchanges between the RSS
and the government take place
behind the scenes while there is
nothing secret about the pleas
of the five-star activists, as the
prime minister derisively calls
the various NGOs, before the
judiciary.
Besides, not only are the
NGOs open to judicial and media
scrutiny, but their emphasis

is almost always on public
welfare
irrespective
of
religious denominations.
It is possible, of course,
that there is a hidden
political motive behind
some of their initiatives or
that some of the activists
push an agenda which has
the support of what Indira
Gandhi used to call the
foreign hand. Even then,
what stands in favour of the
activists is that their intentions
are liable to be revealed sooner or
later as the lawyers for and against
them present their cases in open
courts.
Unfortunately, this isnt true
of saffron organizations like the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), for
instance, which have always been
associated with an anti-minority
outlook. What the general public
will be grateful to the government,
therefore, is if it can keep outfits
like these in check.
On the other hand, the average
citizen will expect the NGOs to
continue to function without fear
or favour because they are known
to comprise people who, to a very
large extent, have no axes to grind.
The very fact they occasionally run
afoul of governments is testimony
to their impartiality. Moreover,
in such cases, the governments

charges, as against Greenpeace,
usually carry less conviction than
the latters defences.
It will be a pity if India is to
begin to resemble the totalitarian
and theocratic countries where
NGOs are unwelcome. It has to be
remembered these are very much
unlike the RSS or the VHP which
are opaque organizations which
admit the followers of only one
religion as members.
It goes without saying that the
three institutions which enjoy
considerable public trust are
the judiciary, the media and the
NGOs. Of the three, the last two
may have their faults, but they
operate in an open, competitive
field where the slightest slip can
be disastrous for their future.
In contrast, the general
reputation of politicians is hardly
lily-white.
One must be thankful that
Indian democracy is far more
vigorous today than, say, four
decades ago when large sections
of the media were accused of
crawling before a draconian
government. Such an eventuality
is extremely unlikely at present
because of the huge proliferation
of television channels, newspapers
and magazines, not to mention the
social network sites.
Orange
The
judiciary,
too,
has
recognized that the 1975-77
Emergency period was not its
finest hour, as is evident from the
comments of P.N. Bhagwati, one
of the judges who delivered the
verdict in the so-called habeas
corpus case. According to him,
his judgment was an act of
weakness, adding that it was
against my conscience.
Although
the
media
is
seemingly not under any overt
official pressure, there is little
doubt that the NGOs have become
somewhat
more
vulnerable,
as the recent deplaning of an
environmentalist, who was on her
way to Britain, showed. As may
be expected, it was the judiciary
which came to her rescue.
But the episode underlined the
governments ire, which is probably
due to the fact that several NGOs
had joined the National Human
Rights Commission, the National
Commission for Minorities and
the Supreme Court to pillory the
Gujarat government under Modi
during the 2002 riots.
The apex court had then
described the states rulers as
modern-day Neros who fiddled
while Gujarat burnt. Modis
charge that the judges fear the
NGOs is apparently a riposte to
that accusation 12 years later.
INDIA
Red
Black
19
Orange
India to buy 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition
breakthrough in the much

delayed process of buying
Rafale jets was reached last
week as Prime Minister Narendra
Modi announced India will buy
36 Rafale jets from France in flyaway condition soon, citing critical
operational necessity.
The decision is among the several
agreements reached between the
two countries after his meeting with
French President Francois Hollande.
Keeping in view the critical
operational necessity of fighter
aircrafts in India, I have spoken with
the (French) president for buying 36
Rafale jets in fly-away condition as
soon as possible, Modi said while
addressing the media jointly with
the French president.
Modi said these jets will be
bought under an agreement between

the two governments.
He added that officials from
both sides will discuss terms and
conditions of the deal in details and
take it forward.
Modi
also
said
defence
cooperation with France has
been enhanced and the two

countries would work together in
manufacturing defence equipment
and developing technology.
President
Hollande
has
extended full cooperation for our
Make In India campaign in the
defence sector which is not just a
Netajis family demands

judicial probe into snooping
xpressing shock over

reported
revelations
that
successive
Congress
governments
had
snooped on family members
of revolutionary leader Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose for 20
years after independence, a
prominent member of the clan
has demanded a judicial probe
on the issue.
Another family member and
MP said the act amounted to
showing disrespect to freedom
fighters.
Family spokesperson Chandra
Kumar Bose demanded that the
Narendra Modi government
declassify the secret files related
to Netaji and the clan.
It is shocking. It is not an
issue involving merely the
family, but the entire nation,
because several members of the
family from Sarat Chandra Bose
to Amiya Nath Bose as also Sisir
Kumar Bose were prominent
freedom
fighters,
Netajis
grand-nephew Chandra Kumar

Bose said.
He said while it was
understandable that the British
government would snoop on
the family because of its fight
against imperialism, that the

central government in postindependence India could do it,
that is too shocking.
It is an attack on democracy,
personal liberty and the spirit
of the freedom movement, a
betrayal of the nation, he said.
A
judicial
inquiry
commission
should
be
constituted, and a special
investigative team should be
formed under the commission.
The commission should report
to a sitting judge of the Supreme
Court, he said.
Media reports have claimed
that recently declassified files of
the union home ministry have
revealed that the family of Netaji
was placed under intensive
surveillance from 1948 to 1968
by the central government.
The country had three
Congress prime ministers during
these 20 years - Jawaharlal
Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and
Indira Gandhi.
programme but an ambition we

have. India and France will together
make defence equipment and also
develop technology, Modi said.
The Indian prime minister added
that he had a detailed talk with
French defence companies.
Today we have taken strategic
cooperation with France to a new
level, Modi said in an address
in Hindi. Dassault Aviation in
a statement has welcomed the
development.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) had
short listed Rafale for induction
into its frontline combat fleet,
replacing the ageing Soviet-era MiG21 squadron but the deal did not
materialise for long.
The original deal, with an
estimated cost of $20 billion, was for
delivery of 126 fighters, including 18

off-the-shelf by Dassault, and 108
to be manufactured in India under
licensed production by the state-run
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL)
over time, with 50 percent offset
obligations to benefit the domestic
aerospace industry.
The IAF opted for the twinengined Rafale in January 2012
over Eurofighter Typhoon of the
European
consortium
EADS
Cassidian after outsmarting F-16 of
American Lockheed Martin, F/A-18
of Boeing, MiG-35 of Russian United
Aircraft Corp and Swedish SAABs
Gripen in a global competitive bid
floated in August 2007.
India says Lakhvi release most

negative, France terms it deeply
shocking
ndia on Friday last week,

registered its strong concerns
with Pakistan on the release
of 26/11 principal accused
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and said
that it was a most negative
development for bilateral ties.
In Paris, French President
Francois Hollande told visiting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
that the release of Lakhvi on bail
is deeply shocking.
In a statement, external affairs
ministry
spokesperson
Syed
Akbaruddin said that Indias High
Commission in Islamabad has
registered our strong concerns
with the foreign secretary of
Pakistan at the release of a
principal accused in the Mumbai

terrorist attack of 2008.
India underlined that the move
has reinforced the perception
that Pakistan has a dual policy on
dealing with terrorists and those
who have carried out attacks or
are posing a threat to India are
being dealt with differently.
It also emphasized that this is
a most negative development in so
far as bilateral ties are concerned.
Lakhvi was released overnight
from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi
without any announcement by the
jail authorities or the Jamaat-ud
Dawa (JuD), the organisation that
Lakhvi was affiliated with, Geo TV
reported.
AAP govt seeks Singaporean help for setting up wi-fi across Delhi
Gaurav Sharma
he AAP government has

sought Singapores help for
setting up a free wi-fi facility
across the national capital, one of its
big-ticket poll promises on which it
has made a little progress.
The assistance was sought during
a meeting that party vice chairman
Ashish Khetan had on Saturday
with the Infocomm Development

Authority of Singapore (IDA) to
learn on the issue of citywide public
wi-fi, while on a three-day visit to the
city state.
Earlier, the Delhi Dialogue
Commission (DDC), an advisory
body of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
government, had written to the IDA,
which is under Singapores ministry
of communications and information
We would love to meet you or

any other top executive or officer at
IDA that you recommend to learn
more about the Singaporean model
of governance, especially on the issue
of citywide public wi-fi, the DDC
had written. The panel is chaired by
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The communication further state
that Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi
government wants to learn from
Singapores government, private

sector, technology experts and
political leaders as we attempt to
change the paradigm of governance
in Delhi.
An efficient administration,
holistic development and a feeling
of safety security are absolutely
necessary for Delhi and we believe
that Singapore can help us achieve
these goals, it said.
The
Kejriwal
government
is already in touch with the
Singaporean
government
on
recycling water in the capital.
The AAP government, which
has already sought public opinion
on the issue, admits that providing
free wi-fi to Delhiites is not going to
be a cakewalk. The party volunteers
had already had an interaction with
companies like Facebook.
20
INDIA
India seeks UNSC seat not as

favour, but as a right: Modi
rime Minister Narendra

Modi made a strong pitch
for India to be given a
permanent seat at the UN Security
Council, saying that it is not asking
for it as a favour but as a right having sacrificed the lives of 75,000
soldiers in World War I, being
the largest contributor to the UN
Peacekeeping Mission, and being a
land of the Buddha and Mahatma
Gandhi.
Addressing an enthusiastic civic
reception by the Indian community
in the French capital on Saturday
evening, Modi said: I appeal to
the world that in the year that the
world is observing the centenary of
WWI, it is the time to give the haq
(right) to the land of Mahatma
Gandhi and Buddha. The time is
over when India would ask for a
favour; today India is asking for its
rights, he said to loud cheers from
the packed audience.
India is a country that is for
peace, and helps bring peace to the
world, and yet we are struggling
to get a seat in the UNSC, Modi
said at the Carrousel du Louvre in
his final engagement of his twoday visit to France where India
tactically appeared to have raised
the pitch from soliciting support
from other countries to demanding
what it thinks is its right to be a
NEWS in BRIEF
Red
Black
Orange
Modi gifts Madhubani painting to

Hannover mayor
permanent member of the United

Nations Security Council, the high
table of nations. Modi said that
2015 is the centenary year of World
War I, and India gave 1.4 million
soldiers to fight in a war that was
not its, and lost 75,000 men. He
said 11 of them won the Victoria
Cross for their valour.
He said India is the largest
contributor to the UN peacekeeping
forces in conflict situations around
the world and the Indian soldiers
are known for their discipline,
valour, intelligence.
India is
the largest contributor to UN
peacekeeping
missions
with
8,000 personnel, deployed in 10

of the 16 countries where the UN
peacekeeping operations are on.
Modi had during his speech
at the UN General Assembly in
September last year raised the
issue of Indias bid for a permanent
seat on the Council.
US President Barack Obama
reiterated the US support for
Indias membership of a reformed
UN Security Council on April 10,
while French President Francois
Hollande during his meeting with
Modi also voiced his countrys
support for Indias membership.
rime Minister Narendra Modi presented a Madhubani

painting to Hannover mayor Steven Schostok.
Modi, who is on a visit to Germany, was welcomed to
Hannover by the mayor at a brief ceremony.
A prime ministers office release said that the painting has been
painted on canvas by a 70-year-old national award winning artist,
Baua Devi, and depicts various stages of life, association with nature,
as also the interconnected nature of life on earth.
The Madhubani style of painting refers to the rural art form
developed by women from Mithila area in the eastern Indian state
of Bihar. The painting is done with fingers, nib-pens, twigs and
matchsticks, generally using natural dyes and pigments, and is
characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns.
Most Madhubani paintings depict man and his association with
nature, and scenes and deities from ancient epics. Natural objects,
plants, social events are also represented in these paintings. There are
paintings for each occasion and festival, the release said.
Registration for Amarnath Yatra

begins
he process of registration of pilgrims for the annual Amarnath

Yatra 2015 has started on Monday, this week.
Registration for the Yatra, which will begin on July 2 on
both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes and conclude on August 29 could also be done online through the Amarnath Shrine Board website
- www.shriamarnathjishrine.com, an official statement said.
The board has asked pilgrims to carry sufficient woollen clothes
and rain-protective gear, while advising women not to wear sarees.
Those below 13 years of age, above 75 years and women who are
more than six weeks pregnant will not be permitted to undertake the
pilgrimage, it added.
SGPC wants centre to ban

film on Sikh religion
he
Shiromani
Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee (SGPC),
the mini-parliament of Sikh
religion, has sought the intervention of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the
central government to ban the screening of
film Nanak Shah Fakir.
In a communication to Modi and union
Information and Broadcasting Minister
Arun Jaitley, SGPC president Avtar Singh
Makkar argued the film violated Sikh
tenets. The film depicts Guru Nanak, the
founder of Sikhism, and his family. It is
scheduled to be released on April 17.
Makkar urged them to direct the Central
Board of Film Certification (CBFC) not
to allow release of the controversial film.
He refuted claims by the films producer

Harinder Singh Sikka that the SGPC and
Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat
of Sikh religion, had cleared the movie,
noting portrayal of the Guru and his family
by human beings was not allowed by Sikh
tenets.
India important country for business,

security ties: Saudi Arabia
audi Arabia views India as an

important country with which it can
do business and forge security ties in
order to deal with terrorism and piracy, Saudi
Arabian envoy Saud Mohammed Al-Sati said
last week.
Bilateral trade between the two countries
is reaching $49 billion mark and his country
is working towards making the investment
environment more hospitable to further
strengthen trade ties with India, said AlSati during a talk on developments in
West Asia, particularly about the situation
in Yemen, at the Institute for Defence

Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi.
Reflecting on India-Saudi Arabia relations,
he said that both nations enjoy cordial and
friendly relations, reflecting the centuriesold economic and socio-cultural ties. Trade,
manpower and political interactions are the
dominant factors for further strengthening
the ties between the two nations, he noted.
The envoy said that Saudi Arabia and
India also share a strong bond in the energy
sector, with Saudi Arabia emerging as a
reliable source of oil to India.
INDIA ABROAD
Red
Black
21
Orange
Two Indian-Americans among Indian-American

entrepreneur invests
biggest givers of 2015
in the future of India
Arun Kumar
wo Indian Americans have

been listed among the 50
biggest
philanthropists
of 2015 by the Town and Country
Magazine with the likes of Microsoft
co-founder Bill Gates and Apple
CEO Tim Cook.
These are the men and women
whose serious dollars, bold ideas,
and old-fashioned hard work
have made them the years most
noteworthy and inspiring givers,
the American lifestyle magazine
says of the top givers including
Adarsh Alphons and Reshma
Saujani.
The Grand Plan of New York
based Alphons, 30, Founder &
Executive Director of ProjectArt,
which provides free art classes
at public libraries in all five
boroughs of New York City, is
to help troubled students in
the metropolis. Alphons, son of
former Indian bureaucrat K J
Alphons, was a troubled student
himself - he was once expelled
for drawing at the expense of his
studies - until one art teacher
began encouraging his talent.
He founded ProjectArt in
2011 and by 2014 had 11 thriving
Arun Kumar
H
neighbourhood
programmes,
funded heavily by art enthusiasts
from David Maupin to Kyle
DeWoody.
Saujani, 38, an IndianAmerican lawyer and politician,
founded the tech organization
Girls Who Code to close
technologys gender gap. She
did so noting that demand for
programmers has skyrocketed,
the percentage of computer
science graduates who are female
has gone down, from 37 percent
to 12 percent over the past 30
years.
In December, her non profit
announced a major expansion

of its seven-week summer
programme around the US, which
will provide top-notch training to
girls.
Her partners include AT&T
and Twitter. Saujani hopes to
have taught one million by 2020.
Besides Bill & Melinda
Gates, co-chairs of the Gates
Foundation and Apple CEO Tim
cook others on the list include
Facebook Chairman & CEO Mark
Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla
Chan, former New York mayor
Michael Bloomberg and actor
Leonardo DiCaprio.
International Energy Agency keen to make

India a member
aris-based International
Energy Agency (IEA) is
looking forward to India
becoming a full-time member
of the agency that advises
governments of 29 developed
nations.
Our arms and hearts are open
to India, IEA chief economist
Fatih Birol told reporters here
on the sidelines of a workshop
here jointly organised by the IEA,
NITI Aayog and The Energy and
Resources Institute (TERI).
Before becoming a member,

IEA has given enough recognition
to India, he added, referring to
its plans to bring out the India
Energy Outlook report coming
November.
IEA is opening up to emerging
economies for the first time since
its founding four decades ago as a
grouping of advanced economies.
Petroleum
Minister
Dharmendra
Pradhan,
who
was present on the occassion,
told reporters that India has its
aspirational needs which will be

weighed before a decision is made
on membership.
Had a meeting with Chief
Economist IEA, along with Vice
Chairman Niti Aayog. Agreed to
work together on many areas, he
tweeted.
IEA will focus on India
for 2015 publication. Chief
Economist praised Honble PMs
focus & vision for the country,
Pradhan added.
NRI gets key position in Singapores Singtel
RI Samba Natarajan
has been appointed
the CEO of Group
Digital Life in Singapore
Telecommunications Limited
(Singtel) after the company
last week announced a series of
changes in its senior leadership
team, a media report said.
Natarajan, 49, currently the
managing director of Digital
Enterprise, will be responsible
for the groups digital portfolio,

including Amobee, HOOQ,
analytics wing DataSpark and
corporate venture capital fund
Innov8, Channel NewsAsia
reported.
An alumni of the Indian
Institute
of
ManagementAhmedabad,
Natarajan
graduated from the Wharton
School,
University
of
Pennsylvania in 1999 as a
Palmer Scholar and Ford

Fellow.
He also holds an electrical
engineering degree from BITS,
Pilani.
Before joining Singtel, he
was a partner at McKinsey and
Company based in Singapore,
and a leader in McKinseys
telecom
and
technology
practice in the region.
e was born in Azamgarh,

Uttar Pradesh, shifted
to the US when he
was just 15 and now lives in a
40,000-square-foot mansion that
has a five-bedroom guest house
and a backyard tea house along
with reflecting pools on nine
acres in Potomac, Maryland, a
house that took six years to build.
After realising the American
dream, Frank Islam, an Indiaborn entrepreneur, investor and
philanthropist who is said to
be worth $300 million, is now
investing in the education sector
in both the land of his birth and
his adopted home.
The investment is in the future
of America and the American
dream and in India as well, said
Frank Islam, who came from
India as a 15-year old kid, set up
the QSS Group, an information
technology firm, in 1994, and
sold it in 2007 after raising its
revenues to over $300 million.
Today
Azamgarh
(Uttar
Pradesh)-born Islam, 63, and his
wife Debbie Driesman, 61, live in
a 40,000-square-foot residence
in Potomac.
His contributions in India
include a $2 million donation to
the Aligarh Muslim University
(AMU) to build the Frank
and Debbie Islam School of
Management with an endowed
chair and building a technical
college for girls in Azamgarh in
memory of his mother Qumran
Nisan.
Islam said he was investing
in education in India and the
US because its the key to
opportunity and the bridge to
future success for those from all
strata of society.
As minorities, females and
those in rural areas in India
are socially, educationally and
economically disadvantaged, he
was targeting his philanthropic
investments to reach those
populations.
My intent is to use education
as a tool and force to improve
the socio-economic status of the
underprivileged in India, Islam
said.
An alumnus of AMU, Islam
said: AMU helped shape the lives
of many generations. Its leaders
have shaped Indias history and
its destiny.
The new school of management

at AMU will be focussed on
innovation, entrepreneurship and
ethical business leadership, while
the endowed chair will focus on
international collaboration.
Islam said he was naming
the technical college for girls in
Azamgarh after his mother who
always stressed the need for
education and getting advanced
degrees - even though she did not
have one herself.
She could not be called a
member of the womens liberation
movement but she was a liberator
of the human potential, he said.
As women in India still lag in
the educational area beyond high
school, Islam said: They need
to develop 21st century skills
in order to be successful and to
make their fullest contribution
to their families and India in the
21st century.
The Qumran Nisan College
will provide technical, vocational
and professional education at
the post-secondary level and
help women develop those 21st
century competencies.
Islam said he was still awaiting
approval from the Indian Home
Ministry under the Foreign
Contribution Regulation Act
(FCRA) to allow him to send
funds to India for the building.
Islam said he had also made a
significant contribution to the US
Institute of Peace (USIP) because
President John Kennedy is a
role model of mine as he was a
man of peace who called upon us
all to get involved and to make a
positive difference in our country
and the world.
Another reason for being
involved with USIP is my faith,
he said.
Being a Muslim has taught
me many things - but the most
important is that the whole
purpose of religion is to provide
justice and a path to justice for all
of us.
22
SPORTS
Red
Sania becomes top ranked doubles

player with Charleston title
ania Mirza and Martina

Hingis won their third
successive doubles title
together, securing the Family
Circle Cup tennis title in Charleston
last week, enabling the Indian to
create history by becoming the first
woman from her country to become
the World No.1 in doubles ranking.
The No.1-seeded Swiss-Indian
duo beat Casey Dellacqua and
Darija Jurak in straight sets for the
title, 6-0, 6-4, missing two match
points at 5-3 in the second set but
closing it out a game later.
Sania is the first Indian woman
to reach No.1 in tennis, in either
singles or doubles, and just the
fourth Asian woman to do it, after
Japans Ai Sugiyama, Chinas Peng
Shuai and Chinese Taipeis Hsieh
Su-Wei.
Its a dream for every kid to be
No.1 one day, Sania said to the
crowd at the trophy ceremony.
I cant think of a better person

to do it with. When we came here
we had one thing in mind, to
get No.1, and she (Hingis) really
helped me get there. She helped me
through some tough moments this

week, she added.
Shes just a great person and a
great player. We also become the
No.1 team in the world today with
this. I hope we have many, many

more tournaments and end the
year on a high as well.
Sania praised former singles
No.1 Hingis for improving her
performance.
I dont want to make you feel
old, but I did watch you as a kid.
You were an idol to most young
girls at the time. You made it when
you were 15!, she said.
She said the Charleston
tournament will remain a special
event for her.
No tournament has been as
special to me as the Family Circle
Cup, and no tournament will ever
be as special to me, because I
became No.1 here, she added.
Sania and Martina are already
No.1 on the doubles leaderboard
for the season-ending Womens
Tennis Association (WTA) finals to
be held in Singapore from October
25 to November 1.
Hamilton wins Chinese Grand Prix
ewis Hamilton led teammate

Nico Rosberg home for a
Mercedes one-two finish in
the 2015 Formula 1 Chinese Grand
Prix in Shanghai last week.
With his latest victory, reigning
world champion Hamilton took his
second victory of the season and
his fourth in Shanghai. Ferraris
Sebastian Vettel beat teammate
Kimi Raikkonen to the third spot,
reports formula1.com.
Force Indias Mexican driver
Sergio Perez took the 11th position
while the teams other driver
German did not finish the race.
The race finished under the
safety car, which was deployed on
lap 54 of 56 when Max Verstappens
Toro Rosso came to a smoky halt

on the pit straight with a suspected
power unit failure. The Dutch driver
was at the eighth position prior to
his retirement.
Hamilton, however, was in
full control of the race by opening
up a healthy 10-second lead over
Rosberg.
The Williams duo of Felipe
Massa and Valtteri Bottas took the
fifth and sixth position, as Romain
Grosjean secured seventh to give
Lotus their first points of 2015.
Saubers Felipe Nasr finished
eighth. Teammate Marcus Ericsson
took the final point securing the
10th spot, right behind Red Bulls
Daniel Ricciardo.
India beat S.Korea to clinch bronze
ndia defeated South Korea

4-1 (6-3) on penalties to win
the bronze medal in the 24th
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey
tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia last
week.
The
bronze-medal
playoff
match ended 2-2 after regulation
time at the Azlan Shah Stadium.
Goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh was
Indias hero effecting three saves in
the penalty shoot-out.
For India, Akashdeep Singh,
Sardar Singh, Rupinderpal Singh
and Birender Lakra scored in
the shootout. Striker Nikkin
Thimmaiah, scorer of a fine hattrick against Australia on Saturday,
gave India the lead in the 10th

minute. But attacker Hyosik You
converted a penalty corner to level
the scores nine minutes later.
India again surged ahead in
the 22nd minute through forward
Satbir Singh in the 22nd minute.
But forward Hyunwoo Nam
(28th) equalised again to stretch the
match into penalties.
India stunned reigning world
hockey champions Australia 4-2.
They lost to lower-ranked Malaysia
and New Zealand, while edging past
minnows Canada 5-3 and playing
a 2-2 draw against South Korea to
qualify for the bronze-medal playoff.
Black
Orange
Halberg Junior
Disability
Games open in
Cambridge
he 2015 Halberg Junior

Disability Games a
national
three
day
sports competition for physically
disabled and visually impaired
young people aged eight to 21 officially opened on 10 April with
a ceremony at the Avantidrome in
Cambridge.
Hosted for the first time by

the Halberg Disability Sport
Foundation, the Games saw
regional
teams
representing
Auckland,
Bay
of
Plenty,
Gisborne, Canterbury, Hawkes
Bay,
Manawatu,
Northland,
Otago,
Southland,
Taranaki,
Waikato and Wellington descend
on St Peters School to compete
against other young people with
similar impairments in over 13
sports from 10 - 12 April.
At the opening ceremony the
athletes marched proudly in their
teams in to the Avantidrome and
Paralympic cyclist Phillipa Gray
gave the athletes an inspirational
speech to launch the three day
competition. Otago athlete Kiran
Dixon read an oath on behalf
of all the participants and lit an
Olympic-style flame with Halberg
Disability Sport Foundation Geoff
Burgess to announce the Games
officially open.
Over 100 athletes at the
Halberg
Junior
Disability
Games will compete in sports
including ambulant football,
athletics, blind cricket, cycling,
equestrian, goalball, powerchair
football, rowing, swimming. The
Games also host the National
Junior Wheelchair Basketball
Championships.
The Halberg Junior Disability
Games provide participants an
opportunity to pursue further
sports goals including a pathway
to Paralympics.
For more information, visit:
www.halberg.co.nz
KIDZONE
Red
Black
23
Orange
Rudra
Fighting Goats and the Jackal

ne day while a sage
was going through
a jungle, he saw two
golden rams (billy
goats) fighting each other.
Even though both were
wounded, and blood was oozing
out from their heads and bodies, they did not stop fighting
and rammed at each other.
At the same time, a hungry jackal was passing by. When he saw all the
blood, he started licking the blood from the ground without caring for
the fighting rams.
Watching all this, the sage
thought to himself, This
jackal is a fool as it has
become greedy by the smell
of blood. If he comes between
the fighting rams, it will
get rammed and get hurt
himself.
No sooner had the sage
thought of it, the jackal craving for more blood came nearer to the fighting rams, and got caught in
the middle of their fight. Both the rams rammed into him by mistake.
He got hit on his head, and fell down. He died instantly from the injury.
The wise indeed say:
Do not close your eyes to the impending danger due to greed.
uzzles
p
s
b
m
a
L
Count the
www.ActivityV
Copyright of
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
illage.co.uk
s Busy
- Keeping Kid
Answers to Easter Crossword
Across: 5. Chocolate, 7. Basket, 8. Spring.

Down: 1. Daffodil, 2. Hunt, 3. Parade, 4. Bonnet,
5. Chicks, 6. eggs, 7. Bunny
24
EVENTS
Stars that shone at the Vaisakhi Mela

Red
Black
Orange
Mohammad Rizwan
Crowd of more than

a
thousand
people
showed up at the star
studded Vaisakhi Mela on 11 April
Saturday at the Vodafone Event
Centre.
The show organised by Punjab
Sports & Cultural Club (NZ) was
held to celebrate the Vaisakhi
Festival in New Zealand, and
people appeared in colourful
attire with their families and
friends. Vaisakhi is one of the
most important festivals for the
Sikh community since it marks
the establishment of Khalsa by
Guru Gobind Singh.
The Vaisakhi or the harvest
festival that falls on 14 April is
also celebrated by other members
of the Indian community like in
West Bengal region it is called
Poila Boishakh and in the
other adjoining areas it is called
Baisakh which is a time to
harvest the crops.
The flavours of the day were two
renowned singers from Punjab,
Ranjit Rana and Sarbjit Cheema
who have rocked YouTube with
their albums. Their performance
garnered loud cheers and whistles
from the audience.
Ranjit
Rana
performed
his popular songs like Ik Din
Bhulekhe, Leek, and Yakeen
from his collection of hits; he
started the performance by
the name of Guru and sent
the message of happiness and
prosperity for the community.
His performance was preceded
by a Bhupinder Bappan who also
sang in the melody of Vaisakh and
a bhangra number.
Post Ranjit Ranas performance
was the turn for another Punjabi
Superstar Sarbjit Cheema clad
in a black kurta and a silk woven
waist coat presented himself on
the stage with a message for the
community and hummed the
bhangra numbers from his album

collections.
His performances included hit
songs like Maa Di Mithiye, Rang
Rara Riri Rara, Rangla Punjab
and Yaariyaan. His performance
too received huge applauds,
Dahi Bhalla
INGREDIENTS
}} 250g urad dal
}} tsp- cumin seeds (
jeera)
}} tsp- salt
}} Oil- to deep fry
Wash and soak dal in
enough water overnight.
Drain off excess water
the following day and
grind dal to a smooth
paste adding 2 or 3
whistling from the crowd who got

frenzy in the tunes and started
dancing on their seats.
As an additional treat, audience
saw New Zealand Police tap their
feet to the beats of Bhangra for
the first time ever.
tablespoon of water to it
if its too thick .
In a pan fry cumin
seeds and add to the
batter and add half a
teaspoon of salt to it.
Heat sufficient oil in
a wok. With tablespoon
drop bhalla batter in it
and fry until light golden.
Drain onto an absorbent
paper. These are now
called bhallas.
DHAI ( CURD)
}} 3cups- curd
}} tsp- sugar
}} tsp- red
powder
chilli
The 4 hour show ended with a

small prayer and message for the
entire community congratulating
and felicitating the stars of the
day.
}} 1tsp- roasted cumin

powder
}} tsp- rock salt ( kala
namak )
Add all the ingredients
to the curd and beat it.
TAMARIND
CHUTNEY
}} 15- dates ( khajur)
}} 1tsp roasted cumin
powder
}} cup- gur grated
( jaggery)
}} 1cup- tamarind pulp
}} tsp- rock salt ( kala
namak)
}} 1tsp- red chilli powder
}} Salt according to taste
Wash, stone dates

and chop roughly. Mix
together dates, jaggery,
tamarind pulp, cumin
powder, rock salt, red
chilli powder and salt into
six cups of water.
Cook on medium heat
until it comes to a boil,
reduce heat and continue
to cook for six to eight
minutes and then cool it.
To arrange the Bhallas
}} cup- mint chutney
}} 1 inch- ginger piece cut
into thin strips
}} 2tbspcoriander
leaves chopped
}} Red chilli powder and

cumin powder
}} Put
bhallas
in
sufficient quantity of
hot water. Leave for
two minutes. Squeeze
between your palms
to drain out water.
Place bhallas on a
plate and cover with
curd. Add mint chutney
and tamarind chutney.
Sprinkle red chilli powder
and
roasted
cumin
powder on top. Garnish
with coriander leaves,
ginger juliennes and
serve.
EVENTS
25
Baap ka Baap the Auckland experience
Red
Black
Orange
Maya Shivam
Along with other

moral and ethical
issues, Baap Ka
Baap highlights
the social
taboo of widow
remarriage and
tackles it in a
light-hearted
manner
like the jugalbandi were

thoroughly enjoyable.
All in all it was a good performance that
the Aucklanders seemed to have enjoyed.
The addition of a local artist, Jyotsna
Trivedi in the end added that cherry on the
top. Speaking to Indian Weekender the cast
of the play stated that they had completely
enjoyed performing in Auckland and
even though the audience numbers were
not large, it felt like they were amidst
thousands of people.
Indian Weekender was proud to be
the media partner of the event that was
brought to Auckland by SJK Alliance and
Kimaya Createions. Kimaya Creations is
usually associated with big international
concerts and local Gujarati and Hindi
theatre productions.
ARTISTS IMPRESSION ONLY
ARTISTS IMPRESSION ONLY
FREEHOLD STRATA TITLE RESIDENCES

QUA
Y ST
R
16
C US
PRICED FROM
15
EET
T O MPRICED14
FROM
S
PRICED FROM
ST E
AS T
SKY RESIDENCE $520,000*
LS
T
11
EN S
T
CORNER VICTORIA ST WEST & FEDERAL ST

12
OPPOSITE
AUCKLAND SKY TOWER
CARPARKING ON-SITE
QUE
ERA
FE D
IA S
TW
EST
www.victoriaresidences.co.nz
RE
EE
ND
MO
ST
SY
EY
ST
W
ES
T
EET
ST
VE
LD
F IE
LD
RI
ET
S ON
ST
NE L
SL
ON
LE
KE
BS
EL
WA
RA
CHETAN KANJABHAT
M AY O
1 Sky Tower
2 Sky city casino
3 Countdown Supermarket
4 Auckland university
5 AUT
6 Auckland Domain
7 Aotea centre
8 Auckland art Pgallery
021 0235 6648
9 Myers
E park
chetan.k@harcourts.co.nz
10 Albert park
11 Victoria park markets
12 Chancery
13 Vulcan lane
14 Britomart Train/bus station
ET
S TR
EET
10
RE
T H E R N M O T O R W AY
OPEN DAILY 11AM - 4PM
TOR
ERT
N OR
V IC
SKY HOME $695,000*
75 VICTORIA STREET WEST
ST
ONSITE
DISPLAY SUITE
AL B
SKY PAD $420,000*
HO
aap ka Baap a rib tickling comedy

that came to Auckland was an
event completely enjoyed by all
those who attended.
The main attraction of the play was
the veteran Bollywood stars Asrani
and Padmini Kohapure. With a career
spanning 50 years, Asrani, who has created
a niche with his own distinctive brand of
humour in Bollywood films like Aaj Ki
Taaza Khabar and Sholay, made a stage
appearance and was heartily welcomed by
the Auckland crowd. He was also joined by
actress Padmini Kolhapure, the toast of the
80s, who has returned to theatre after a few
years who was also hugely welcomed and
supported.
The play was laced with comedy, but
showcased an important social issue. After
the death of his wife, Jawan (Asrani) raises
his son Bacha (Naveen Bawa), singlehandedly and in the process, has sacrifised
his own need for love and companionship.
He constantly tells 40-year-old Bacha that
he must find himself a bride, settle down
and have kids. One day, Bacha finally meets
Mithai (Padmini Kolhapure), a widow and
love blooms between the two. Meanwhile,
Jawan comes across Namkeen ( Chitrashi
Raawat), a young NRI girl, and with her
entry, there is a twist in the plot.
Along with other moral and ethical
issues, Baap Ka Baap highlights the social
taboo of widow remarriage and tackles it
in a light-hearted manner. Many a time,
Mithai, who is shown to be an independent,
beautiful and successful entrepreneur,
comes across as vulnerable, when she talks
about the tribulations of living life as a
widow in this society.
Raawat attempts the difficult character
of a young, silly teen, which can easily go
wrong if over done, but she pulls it off
with ease and grace and was my personal
favourite. Bawa on the other hand mouths
some funny one-liners, that will made you
smile. But in this foursome, it is Asrani
managed to astonish the audience with
his energy on stage and it was heartening
to watch him even shake a leg. The prerecorded songs were enjoyable and have
been sung by the actors themselves. The title
track is catchy, and some dance sequences
26
ENTERTAINMENT
A promised treat for the senses

Red
Black
Orange
Rangmanch announces the first ever multi lingual Indian Theatre Festival in Auckland from 15th to
24th of May 2015at The Playhouse Theatre Glen Eden, Auckland
Maya Shivam
his is planned to be
a mega event to
showcase
four
full
length Indian plays of
exceptional
quality
and value in ethnic
Indian languages viz.
Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi
and Bengali a rare
experience to all Theatre
lovers in Auckland. A
festival of this quality and
diversity has never ever been
showcased in New Zealand.
Especially in Auckland, which
is considered a melting pot of
cultures from across the world,
this festival is set to be a unique
treat to eloquently demonstrate
the diversity within the rich and
varied cultural heritage of India.
Rangmanch NZ is a not for
profit, voluntary and charitable
Theatre group born in April
2008. Rangmanch literally
means The Stage or The
Dias where an artist performs.
Rangmanch was started with
an objective to create a unique
platform from where they stage/
host events such as theatre,
danceand music festivals. This
is an endeavor to try to reach out
to the migrant communities from
the Indian subcontinent, who
have made this beautiful country
their home thus inspiring them
to sustain and celebrate their
ethnic heritage and culture.
In this Gods own country
of New Zealand, which believes
in integration of cultures of
multi ethnicity, Rangmanch
is an attempt to transcend the
spirit and colour of Indian
tradition and heritage and
embrace everyone from the
wider New Zealand Society.
This is thus a platform to
bring together all those who may
have an interest in the Indian
Culture, history and tradition
even though they do not belong
to the Indian community.
The Philosophy behind the
festival :
India is truly a country of
many dimensions and every state
has its own language, Culture and
social practices. As a country it
stands united and takes pride in
its rich cultural heritage, secular
philosophy and non-violent
ways. India emboldens the true
spirit of the expression - Unity in
diversity.
All art forms (be it Literary
works,
Music,
Paintings,
Sculpture,
Theatre,
Motion
Picture) that have withstood the
test of time have always spoken
for the cause of humanity and the
spiritual divinity. It has either
given birth to revolutions to
fight against evil and corruption
or thrown us into the depths of

self-realisation, motivating
us to work for
the benevolence of
mankind in general.
Hindi being the
official language of
India is spoken and
understood by most
Indians to varying
degrees of fluency.
Hence till early 2013
all of the productions at
Rangmanch were mostly
in Hindi.
With time and the
evolving of the Indian
community at large in
New Zealand, it was
felt that there is a large
population
of
major
Indian
community
with sub groups like the
Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali,
Konkani,etc. communities
living in Auckland with
a strong cultural base
all deeply rooted to their
respective
languages
and
regional theatres. And hence
the idea of this festival was
conceived.
Rangmanch have felt
that there is a huge gap in
fulfilling the intellectual
requirements of the
huge Migrant Indian
community
rich
diversity, in terms
of the creative arts.
This also includes
a
significant
number of the
new
generation
of young Indian
diaspora
who have had

only
limited
opportunities
to
get
a
first
hand
experience
of
their
rich and
diverse
cultural
heritage.
T h i s
festival is
aimed
at
bringing
together
p e o p l e s
from
all
walks of life,
from various
cultures
and
l a n g u a g e
backgrounds,
not
just
to
s h o w c a s e
Indias
unity
in diversity but
also the richness
of our culture. It
is said that
the best way to keep a culture
Sunehre
Sapne
Proudly announ
the presentation ces
of
its 4th Hindi
Drama
In the timele
and realities.ss conflict between dream
s
..love is the on
ly resolution..
.
Directed by:
Ujjal Ghosh
Background Mus
ic
Con
Krittibas Dasgcept:
upta
At:
Playhouse The
atr
15 Glendale Rd e,
Waitakere City. , Glen Eden,
On:
Saturday - 1st
September at 7.0
0 pm
Sunday - 2nd
September at 5.3
0 pm
Sponsors:
Some
of the previous
presentations by
Rangmanch
alive and flourishing

is to keep its language
alive. This festival thus
is an endeavor in that
direction.
Most
Indians
understand a variety
of Indian languages.
Also, when we all live
together in India, it
is commonplace for a
number of languages
to be spoken in
our
immediate
environments
and therefore, we
sometimes
begin
to take these for
granted. To be away
from your home
country and to be
able to celebrate
these
languages
in
unique opportunity and
celebration that Rangmanch

attempts to create for you.
The theatre will showcase local
talent, a team of highly motivated
men and women who are giving
up their time and energy to bring
this festival together. This marks
a great opportunity for all Indians
to come together and celebrate
this festival of diversity and to
bring along your friends from
other cultures and ethnicities
to witness and appreciate the
richness of your culture.
Indian Weekender supports
this brilliant initiative and watch
out for regular updates on the
event in our subsequent issues.
Should you wish to be a part of
this unique event as a participant,
sponsor, ambassador/ promoter
etc. contact us at editor@
indianweekender.co.nz
ENTERTAINMENT
Red
Black
Orange
Kohli hits out

over criticism
of Anushka
oyal
Challengers
Bangalore (RCB) skipper
Virat Kohli last week
lashed out at people for criticising
beau and Bollywood actress
Anushka Sharma for the Indian
teams exit from the recently
concluded cricket World Cup.
At the end of the media
conference on the eve of RCBs
match against Kolkata Knight
Riders at the Eden Gardens here,
Kohli said he wanted to make the
people know how hurt he was by
the treatment meted out to the
actress.
I just want to speak about
something and I want everyone
to take note of it, Kohli said

as mediapersons were about
to get up from their seats after
the conclusion of the media
conference.
The stuff that happened
after the World Cup semifinal, the way people reacted
towards my personal life and
Anushka in particular, was really
disrespectful, added the Indian
Test captain.
I want to put this out in public
because at the human level I was
really h
urt and wanted to
express that for quite a long time.
Taking to social networking
sites, people had widely slammed
Anushka after Kohli scored just

one run. Following this, India
were thrashed by Australia by 95
runs in the second semi-final of
the cricket World Cup.
It is very important for the
people to know that we are human
at the end of the day. We dont

aim to become successful, that is
not our only aim, the 26-year-old
said.
We are doing what we are
doing. For people to react that
way and to see whatever they did,
27
blaming her for our loss, blaming

her for my failure was absolutely
hurtful for me. It is shameful that
people can react like that to one
loss, added the right-handed
batsman.
I wanted to express that
and get it out there because it is
important for the people to know
how we feel about these things
and people should be respected
more than they are in these sorts
of time in our country.
Earlier in the day also Kohli
had slammed people over the
issue.
In last five years, the number
of matches Ive helped India win
and the consistency Ive played
is more than anyone else in
the team, the Indian One-Day
International (ODI) side vicecaptain had said at a promotional
event.
I dont think theres anybody
else in the team who has done
better than me, Kohli said.
Galaxy of cine stars, Dil Dhadakne Do to light up IIFA

Radhika Bhirani
what is being celebrated as Malaysia

Year of Festivals celebration, is a win-win
situation for them.
IIFA celebrates the magic of Indian
cinema in international territories.
gala screening of Zoya Akhtars

Dil Dhadakne Do, powerpacked performances and three
days of true blue Bollywood fever -- the
16th edition of the International Indian
Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and
Awards, to be held in the Malaysian capital,
Kuala Lumpur in June, will bring all this
and more.
The enthusiasm and interest in the mega
event was palpable when Hindi film actors
Anil Kapoor and Bipasha Basu arrived
in Kuala Lumpur last week to officially
announce it as the host city for the IIFA
celebrations, scheduled for June 5-7.
The city is gearing up; as Sabbas
Joseph, director, Wizcraft International
Entertainment, the organisers of IIFA,
quipped; The Petronas Towers simply
need an FA to complete the acronym in
the citys skyline.
Excited to be in Kuala Lumpur, Anil,
whom Joseph addressed as Mr. IIFA
courtesy his longstanding and close
association with the event, is hoping that
the forthcoming edition contributes to
tourism from India here doubling in the
year to come.
Anil, who plays a pivotal role in the
ensemble cast of Dil Dhadakne Do, is
confident that the audience will enjoy the
movie, which will be screened here just a
day after its release.
Its a film which we have enjoyed
making, and we are sure you all will
enjoy it, said the actor, who came into
prominence globally when he starred as a
quizmaster in Oscar-winning Hollywood
film Slumdog Millionaire.
The films cast; Anil, Priyanka Chopra,
Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma and
Farhan Akhtar; apart, the 16th IIFA
Weekend will have Bipasha, Ayushmann

Khurrana, Dia Mirza, Boney Kapoor,
Sridevi, Arjun Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra,
Alia Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor, Fawad
Khan, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Jacqueline
Fernandez and Sonakshi Sinha.
Joseph says this is just the first
confirmed list. We have held back some
names, but we will be revealing them soon.
We are expecting about 50-60 celebrities
from the Indian film industry to be here,
he said.
Bipasha, looking graceful in a gown,
recollected how she had won a Best
Debutante Award at IIFA the first time
it had happened in Malaysia; at Genting
Highlands; in 2002. Now after 13 years, the
event is returning to the culturally diverse
country.
Malaysia Convention and Exhibition
Bureau CEO Zulkefli Hj Sharif is confident
IIFA will draw several tourists to Kuala
Lumpur in June, and says they are working
hard with the event organisers to put up a
sparkling show.
The fact that it complements their
initiatives to boost tourist arrivals during
The aim is to establish mutual

benefits for both India as well as the host
destinations by boosting tourism, economic
development, trade, culture, cross-border
investments and film co-productions.
DRIVERS NEEDED
CLASS 5 TRUCK AND TRAILER
4X EXPERIENCED DRIVERS NEEDED FOR
6-9 MONTHS NIGHT SHIFT. (6PM-6AM)
START 28/4/15. SOUTH AUCKLAND .
GOOD SKILLS, GOOD RATES.
ALSO HIRING ASPHALT/ CONCRETE WORKERS
CALL Ceri 021916813 / Email: ceri@nsrecruit.co.nz
NORTH AND SOUTH RECRUITMENT
28
ENTERTAINMENT
Red
Freida Pinto, Dev

Patel still best
friends
your answers. So were facing

it. And were dealing, Pinto
told USA Today newspaper,
reports femalefirst.co.uk. Since
splitting from Patel, Pinto has
relocated from London to Los
Angeles and is enjoying being in
the US.
LA is a great place to be. You
can stamp on it what you want
to make of this place, she said.
Shraddha to
sing in Rock
On 2
the actress, who sang Galliyan

in Ek Villain and also crooned
for Haider.
Rock On 2 is a sequel to the
2008 hit musical Rock On!!.
The upcoming film will also star
Prachi Desai, Farhan Akhtar and
Arjun Rampal, who were seen in
the prequel.
Denver launches
campaign
featuring Saif
celebrate the spirit of a victorious

man who chose to challenge
the ordinary and the success is
reflected in his well-groomed
look and fresh scent.
Rajasthan HC
rejects Salmans
petition in arms
case
Black
Orange
But during the course of

pronouncement of the judgment,
four applications with a plea to
call 24 witnesses and some other
facts and documents related to
the case moved by the then public
prosecutor way back in 2006 had
been found to be undecided by the
court.
Prosecution
counsel
N.K.
Sankhla had termed these nineyear-old applications important
reida Pinto and actor Dev

Patel may no longer be
romantically
involved,
but the actress says they are still
best friends.
The Slumdog Millionaire
co-stars ended their six-year
relationship last September, but
the 30-year-old actress insists
that they are still close.
Dev and I are best friends.
Thats never going to change,
Pinto said.
She stressed that she and the
24-year-old actor are facing
and dealing with the reasons
for their break-up.
Everybody has their own
little discoveries to make.
Their own surprises, their own
disappointments, and theyre all
part and parcel of life.
There is no way one person
can sit down and go, But why
did this happen to me? Or, It
was all going well, what the hell
happened? Or, No, this just
cant be... the denial of it.
Running away from it is
not going to help you find
ctress
Shraddha
Kapoor is excited about
her next film Rock On
2 as she will get to sing her own
songs.
I am very excited about
Rock On 2 as I would get to
sing my own songs. Not just
one but I will have few songs to
sing, Shraddha told reporters
here on Thursday at designer
Ken Ferns fashion show.
EM
A
CI
N
Director: John Madden

Genre: Comedy-Drama
*Cast: Judi Dench, Richard Gere,
Dev patel, Lalitha Dubey, Tena
Desae and more...
Cinemas: Hoyts Hibiscus Coast,
Event (New market, Westgate),
Rialto New Market, Lido, Berkley
Mission Bay
Fast & Furious 7
Chappie
So I am very excited about

that. I hope everybody likes
me singing my own songs in
the film. I am training now so
I hope I can sing better, added
Mr. X
The Second Best

Exotic Marigold
Hotel
eodorant and personal

care products brand
Denver has launched its
new ad campaign with actor Saif
Ali Khan for Denver Hamilton
spray-on deodorant.
Conceptualised
by
Shop
Advertising, the advertisement
opens in the Oval Office of the
White House, where Saif is
shown practicing his golf strokes.
Saif reflects how men of power
are always pushing boundaries
for everything irrespective of
the importance of matter in the
video, read a statement.
Directed
by
Vivek
Das
Chaudhary,
the
campaign
was
conceptualised
bearing
this insight, to showcase and
he Rajasthan High Court

last week rejected the
petition
of
Bollywood
actor Salman Khan, challenging
a lower courts decision to allow
examination of four witnesses in
a case related to illegal possession
and use of arms.
Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, while
deciding on Salmans petition,
upheld the decision of the lower
court and ordered that the trial
should be completed.
The examination of these four
new witnesses is now expected to
begin in the court of chief judicial
magistrate (CJM) from Monday
after being held up due to the
defence having moved the high
court.
The judgment in the case under
the Arms Act for possession and
use of arms with expired licences
against the actor was to be delivered
by the CJM on February 25.
Director: Vikram Bhatt

Genre: Sc-Fiction, Thriller
*Cast: Emraan Hashmi,Amyra
Dastur,Arunoday Singh & Nora
Fatehi
Cinemas: Hoyts (Berkeley
Mission Bay- Takapuna, Botany
Downs)
Detective
Byomkesh Bakshi
Director: Dibaker Banerjee
Genre: Suspense- Thriller
*Cast: Sushant Singh
Rajput,Swastika
Mukherjee,Anand Tiwari
Cinemas: Event Cinemas
Manukau
Director: James Wan

Genre: Action
*Cast: Vin Diesel,Jason
Statham,Dwayne Johnson, Paul
Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris
Cinemas: Event Cinemas, Hoyts,
IMAX, Berkeley (Mission BayTakapuna)
Director: Neill Blomkamp

Genre: Sc-Fiction, Action
*Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel,
Sigourney Weaver, Ninja and
more
Cinemas: Event Cinemas Queen
Street
Cinderella
Director: Kenneth Branagh

Genre: Fantasy
*Cast: Lily James,Helena
Bonham Carter,Cate Blanchett
Cinemas: Event Cinemas, Hoyts
Botany-Sylvia Park, Berekely
Mission Bay
for the case and had argued in the

court on February 25 that these
applications needed to be decided
first, which was protested by the
defence.
But rejecting the arguments of
defence, the court had allowed these
applications partially and giving
the prosecution a last chance, had
ordered to call four witnesses along
with the relevant material.
Salman and some other
Bollywood actors, who were in
Jodhpur for shooting of Hindi
movie Hum Saath Saath Hain,
had on the intervening night of
October 1-2, 1998, allegedly hunted
two blackbucks, a protected animal
under the Wildlife Protection Act,
on the outskirts of Kankani village.
During this time, the Bollywood
star was also accused of carrying
and using illegal arms as their
licences had expired.
ENTERTAINMENT
Red
Black
Orange
From 15th May

to 24th May
Direction and
Background Music: Jayanta Bhaduri
(Based on a short story by Ajay Dikshit)
Venue: The Playhouse Theatre,

Glen Eden, Auckland 0602. Ph: 09-8185751
For Tickets please contact: PAVITRA- 021445166
BABLA- 0212649106 CHIRAG- 0276784966 RAHUL- 021528906
rangmanchnz@gmail.com www.rangmanch.org.nz
Writer: Vasant Sabnis

Direction & Background music
for this play: Bipin Chavan
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.
Keep
watching
this space for
more information
Media Partners
At Rangmanch we share experience through the art of story telling & Create THEATRE that makes you THINK
29
30
FEATURES
The Hobbiton inhabitant
Red
Black
Orange
Ravi Narayan, who doubled as Kiliand also played a goblin role in The Hobbit, talks about his journey in
the entertainment industry from national to international
Paula Ray
When and how did you get

your first break in the film
industry?
I am not sure if I could call it a
break; it just happened. One day I
was walking in New Lynn Mall and
a lady approached me. She handed
me her business card faced down
and said. Have a think about it
and give me a call.
I had no idea what it was all
about except that it was a local
talent agency. I thought it over for
three days and then finally gave
her a call. Initially, I thought it
was a money-making thing, you
know. After all, who would want
me in a movie? I am short and I
am an Indian in a western society.
Well, I was wrong. Two days
after going to the agency, I was on
Shortland Street - my first gig on
a local TV show. From there I went
on working as an extra and started
to get some featured roles in short
movies and TV commercials.My
first big movie break was Yogi
Bear.
How did the role in The
Hobbit come about?
The New Zealand Film industry is
very small and the casting agents
soon get to know you well. I had
no idea that they were casting for
off. Followed by New Zealands

Got Talent, but that is another
story for another day.
Ravi Narayan
When I got the call, I went
to the audition and did
not think much of it. Then,
I got another call from
the casting agent
informing me that they
wanted me in Wellington
and that they have
shortlisted me (pun
intended)!
The Hobbit until I got a call from
my agent.
At this point, I was doing acting,
but also working part-time. Still
needed a day job (laughs)!
When I got the call, I went to the
audition and did not think much
of it. Then, I got another call from
the casting agent informing me
that they wanted me in Wellington
and that they have shortlisted me
(pun intended)!
I took time off work and went
to what we called a three-day boot
camp. I gave it everything I had.

After having done this I realised
that this is what I wanted to do for
the rest of my life. I came back and
handed in my resignation. I was so
determined for this to work.
It had to happen for me and it
did. The Hobbit so far has been
the biggest project that I have
worked on spanning almost over
three years.
I doubled as Kili- played by
Aidan Turner and also played
a goblin role. This is where my
acting and stunt career really took
What has been your biggest

takeaway from your career
as an entertainer?
The fact that what I do impacts
peoples lives is so humbling.
I had no idea about how much
responsibilities come upon one as
an actor. There is always media
and then the fan base.
I must say I love listening to
fans and interacting with them on
social media and meeting them
too! It also gives me a chance to
stipulate the fact that you must
always believe in your dreams and
be yourself no matter what. I love
sharing my stories with the fans,
knowing that it encourages them
to never give up on what they love
to do and remind them that they
need to accept themselves as who
they are.
It seems strange to people
when I say I work as an actor.
Being different, not just in
ethnicity, but physically too. I was
told that there was no market for
me here when I started acting.
Comments like this just fuelled me
more to work harder. The fact is I
never saw it this way and do not
intend to. I believe that in todays
society everyone should be treated
equally.
TEDx Auckland2015
Venue: Victory Convention Centre, 98

Beaumont St, Auckland
Date: Saturday 2 May 2015
Time: 9 am to 6 pm
TEDx Auckland will feature a selection of
New Zealands and the worlds leading
visionaries and storytellers showcasing
their Ideas Worth Spreading to a theatre
audience and simulcast to a wider
audience and the world through an online
broadcast.
Free employment
workshops for new
migrants
Venue/Date/Time: Tuesday 21 April,

Friendship Community House- 20 Putney
Way, Manukau, 9 am to 3.30 pm
Tuesday 5 May, Raeburn House- 138
Shakespeare Rd, Milford, North Shore,
9.30 am to 3 pm
Thursday 7 May, Highland Park
Community House- 47 Aviemore Dr,
Highland Park, Auckland, 9 am to 3.30 pm
Auckland Regional Migrant Services is
running three free employment workshops
for new migrants, Register on reception@
arms-mrc.org.nz OR Call on 09 625 2440.
Inspirational Evenings
Saturday 25thApril at Bruce Mason

Centre, The Promenade Takapuna- 7 pm
onwards | Sunday 26thApril at Ferndale
House 830 New North Road Mt Albert7 pm onwards
So far I have had no issues

and I love the people who I have
worked with in the past and who
I am working with now in my
current projects. I am doing what
I am today because I completely
and utterly believe in myself and I
refuse to give up.
What prompted you to
become an ambassador for
SRS? How has the image
transformation impacted
your personal life?
It just happened once again.
I found their ad in Autotrader
one day. They seemed genuine
and I decided to give them a call.
They were really professional and
straight after my first consultation,
I decided to go ahead with the
treatment.
After a few visits they asked me
if I was able to do a photo shoot
for them. I agreed and a few days
after the photo shoot we did a
commercial. It was just before
the commercial that SRS asked
me if I was willing to be their
ambassador.I agreed and signed
up.
The hair treatment has been
an image transformation journey
for me! Well, now I feel more
confident in front of camera or
when I go out for photo shoots,
whether it is for endorsements or
modelling.
Two free public lectures on Wisdom

of Yoga by world-renowned
Vaishnava scholar and Bhakti Yoga
teacher and student of Jagad Guru
Siddhaswarupananda - Acharya Das
Contact NZ School of Meditation: www.
meditationnewzealand.co.nz OR call
093022332
Anzac Day
Commemorations
Venue: Torpedo Bay Navy Museum, 64

King Edward Parade, Auckland
Date: Saturday 25 April 2015
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
On the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli
landings the Navy Museum invites you
to come and share in our Anzac Day
commemorations. Entrance to the
galleries, exhibitions and participation in
the poppy making activity is free of charge.
Breakthrough to
limitless potential
Date: 18th April 2015

Time: 3 pm to 4.30 pm
Venue: SGI Culture Centre, 40 Eaglehurst
Road, Ellerslie
Want to breakthrough to your limitless
potential? Join us for a discussion on the
workings of life and find out how. Find
out how you can improve quality of your
life through the basic concepts of the
Buddhist life Philosophy.
FEATURES
Red
31
Krazy Promotions
Black
Orange
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
PRESENTS
SIDDHARTH
RANDERIAs
GUJJUBHAI
BANYA
DABANGG
GUJRATI COMEDY PLAY
AUCKLAND
Saturday 16TH MAY, 7.30pm

Victory Convention Centre 98 beaumont st, Freemansbay
TICKETS
VVIP $60
VIP $50
GOLD $40
SILVER $30
For more info and ticket enquiries contact

Harish 021 62 62 82, Ram Iyer on 09 213 3868 or 021 529982, Hemant 021 629 359
Sponsors
Catering Partner
FOR TRADE ENQUIRIES CALL

SPICE WORLD 09-820 7434
Media Partners
Event Managed By
2015
2015
KIWI INDIAN
KIWI INDIAN
YOUNG ACHIEVER
UNSUNG HERO
2015
2015
28th May 2015

Indian Weekender 17 April 2015

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Indian Weekender 17 April 2015

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

17 April, 2015 Vol. 7 Issue 4 | www.iwk.co.

New Zealands first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper

The Pulse of Kiwi-Indians

Auckland Christchurch Wellington Hamilton Palmerston North Hastings Invercargill

New to New Zealand?

17 April 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

www.iwk.co.nz | 17 April 2015

Rajwinder Singh, the

photo of Singh riding

from the larger New Zealand

RS: Yes, of course, I want to settle

IWK: What do you do?

RS: I am from Chandigarh,

IWK: Tell us a little bit about

IWK: How did you get to

17 April 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

can approach them and I will be

IWK: How do you feel about

RS: I was shocked, I felt really

IWK: What did you do / what

IWK: Do you think this was

IWK: What was your first

RS: I dont know what they must

page they have mentioned that

IWK: Did you find that people

People back in India are also

RS: I come from a really small

of Culture project people know

www.iwk.co.nz | 17 April 2015

pagdi(turban) as a sign of honour.

17 April 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

We took this issue to a number of people in the community and

Phil Goff, Labour MP

Mahesh Bindra, NZ First List MP

David Seymour, Act Party Leader

Nimmi Bedi, Auckland

DineshBudhathoki, CPIT Student from Kathmandu, Nepal

Shannon Woodford, CPIT Student from Christchurch, New Zealand

Ankur Lakhanpal, Auckland, New Zealand

www.iwk.co.nz | 17 April 2015

Vaisakhi prayers observed

We can help you !

No charge for initial consultation

Do you need New Zealand Work Visa/Residence?

Woburns Professional team

NZ Residence through skilled migrant

With 23 years experience we can help you achieve your goals.

Contact us today: 04 5694861 or 021 02749743

The prayer ceremony lasted

June Ranson 200800674 | Wiebe Herder 201100935 | Meena Patel 201200726

Dairy With Lotto In Central Auckland

Dairy With 2 Bedroom Accommodation

Dairy In North Shore with 3 Bedroom

Dairy With 3 Bedroom Accommodation

Dairy + Lotto in Central Auckland with

Dairy In South Auckland

Licensed Restaurant with 4 Bedroom

Dairy with Lotto in North Shore

Dairy In Auckland CBD

Fruit & Vege in West Auckland

Licensed Indian restaurant in Hamilton

17 April 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

New Zealands largest Islamic

people from 56 countries of