The South Asian Times

e x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Vol.11 No. 45 March 16-22, 2019 80 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info

India election in 7 phases,

vote count on May 23
New Delhi: Lok Sabha elections
will be held in seven phases from
April 11 to May 19, the Indian Opinion polls predict
Election Commission has
announced, setting a two‑and‑half BJP will marginally
month‑long process for people to fall short of majority
either vote in the Narendra Modi‑
led dispensation once again or
choose an alternative.
Assembly elections will also be
Modi government
simultaneously held in Andhra needed for national
Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh,
Odisha and Sikkim while the
security: BJP chief
demand of parties for Assembly Amit Shah
polls in Jammu and Kashmir has
not been accepted due to security
considerations.
According to The BJP‑led
BJP will be ousted,
National Democratic Alliance says Rahul Gandhi
(NDA) will fall marginally short of
a majority (winning 264 seats but
promising to focus on
needing 272 for majoprity) in the PM Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi: In the 2019 ballot of the battle, economic issues
Lok Sabha but will comfortably
it is BJP pumped up after the recent India‑Pak conflict versus a fractured opposition.
form the government with post accoding to the latest CVoter pre‑ ballot, BJP chief Amti Shah said, a who inspired confidence or ousted in the 2019 Lok Sabha
poll tie‑ups. In the eventuality of poll survey of March 2019. stable government with a clear knew which issues to focus on. elections and promised farm loan
no Mahagathbandhan (grand Meanwhile, the UPA has been pre‑ majority led by Narendra Modi In the opposition camp, waiver, minimum income guaran‑
alliance of opposition parties) in dicted to get 141 seats out of 543 alone can assure national securi‑ Congress President Rahul Gandhi tee scheme and a single‑rate GST
Uttar Pradesh, the Narendra in total. The other parties have ty. He said in contrast to Modiʼs speaking at a rally in regime if the Congress comes to
Modi‑led NDA will walk home been projected to get 138 seats. decisive leadership, the opposi‑ Gandhinagar Tuesday said the power at the Centre.
with over 300 Lok Sabha seats, Gearing up for the battle of the tion did not have a single leader BJP‑led NDA government will be Continued on page 4

Gokhale and Pompeo discuss 'urgency' India grounds Boeing

of Pakistan acting against terrorists
Washington: In the first high‑level face‑to‑
face India‑U.S. meeting after the Pulwama
terrorist attack, U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo and Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay
Gokhale discussed Mar. 11 "the importance
of bringing those responsible for the attack
to justice and the urgency of Pakistan tak‑
ing meaningful action against terrorist
groups operating on its soil,” State
Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert
Palladino said.
At their meeting in Washington, Pompeo
"affirmed that the U.S. stands with the peo‑
ple and government Continued on page 4
Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale
with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
in Washington on March 11.
737 Max planes
US says 'no basis' to ground Boeing 737 MAX planes
New Delhi: Following the Ethiopian Airlines
crash all the Boeing 737 Max of SpiceJet
will be grounded before 4 pm on
Wednesday India time. Late on Tuesday
night, Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA) of India ordered grounding of this
aircraft with immediate effect. The country
has also banned overflying of Boeing 737
Max in its airspace from Wednesday. These Safety concerns have grown following
planes will be grounded till appropriate two crashes involving Boeing 737 MAX 8
modifications and Continued on page 4 planes in five months. (Pic : Boeing)

PAKISTAN SPECIAL REPORT 10 OP ED 14 IMMIGRATION 27 SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30 excellence in journalism

TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 16-22, 2019

Dust from old, peeling paint

can contain lead, which can
cause learning and behavior
problems in children.
„ $VN\RXUODQGORUGWRƓ[
peeling paint. If your
ODQGORUGGRHVQōWƓ[LW
call 311.
„ :DVKŴRRUVZLQGRZVLOOV
and children’s hands and
toys often.
„ Ask your doctor to test
your child for lead.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN LEAD

Call 311 or visit nyc.gov/leadfree
for more information.
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
Oxiris Barbot, MD
Commissioner
TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY March 16-22, 2019 3

Tulsi Gabbard extols her Hindu faith at CNN Town Hall

By SATimes Team
New York: Tulsi Gabbard, the first
Hindu US Congresswoman and
Democratic 2020 presidential
candidate, said that she believed
her past comments on Syrian
President Bashar al‑Assad have
been misunderstood, declining to
call him a war criminal.
That made news, and the CNN
Town Hall on March 10 in Austin,
Texas brought her much needed
national attention.
But the US media reports did
not dwell too much on how she
explained her faith in Hinduism.
As to what her Hindu faith has
brought into her life, Gabbard
said, “I grew to understand from a
young age being raised in a multi‑
faith home ̶ my mom is a prac‑
ticing Hindu, my dad is Catholic
̶ and for us as kids we grew up
God and in the service of others,”
she said.
“So, throughout my life, I have
done my best in different ways to
be able to do that̶to dedicate
my actions whether it was envi‑
ronmental work in Hawaii as a
teenager, running for state House
in Hawaii when I was 21 years
old, serving on the City Council,
and now in Congress as well as
serving as a soldier in the Army
National Guard.”
When the CNN anchor Dana
Bash asked about her link to the
Four‑time Congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard is running Hare Krishna movement from
for President, and if elected will be the first Hindu to occupy
which she has split, Gabbard said
the highest office in America.
she now follows the Gaudiya
studying and reading from both stories about Jesus of Nazareth. Vaishnava branch of Hinduism.
the Bhagavad Gita as well as the But, what we learned from a She explained that “it is this prac‑
New Testament.” young age from the scriptures tice of what is called Bhakti Yoga
“So, we heard stories about was that real happiness in life can and Karma Yoga. Bhakti Yoga is
Krishna and Arjuna at night when only be found when you are dedi‑ developing a loving relationship
we were going to sleep as well as cating your life in the service of with God ̶ it is a very deeply
personal relationship and Karma
Yoga is seeing how can I dedicate
my energy and skills and time
into this service of others.”
Asked about her being an ally of
Hindu nationalists (in India), she
said that “as a practicing Hindu, I
have been at the receiving end of
Hinduphobia and bigoted
attacks,” and recalled that “the
first time I ran for Congress in
2012, my Republican opponent
said on television that I was not
qualified to serve in Congress
because my being a Hindu contra‑
dicted the US Constitution.”
“Unfortunately, even now, as I
stand before you today, running
for president, these Hinduphobic
attacks continue,” she said, and
added that so did attacks “against
Christians, Muslims, Jews, athe‑
ists ̶ people of all different reli‑
gions.”

UK Parliament rejects Celebs among 50 charged in 'largest

May's Brexit deal again college admissions scam' in US
London: British Prime
Minister Theresa May's
Brexit deal was rejected SOME RICH PARENTS BRIBED THEIR WAY TO SECURE BETTER
again by MPs in the sec‑ SAT SCORES FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND GET THEM ADMITTED
TO TOP TIER COLLEGES BY ENROLLING IN SPORTS TEAMS.
ond meaningful vote in
the UK Parliament since
January, increasing
Washington: US federal prosecu‑
uncertainty about how
tors have charged nearly 50 peo‑
the country will leave the
UK is scheduled to leave the European ple in a scam where the wealthy
European Union. MPs
Union on March 29. paid to have their children admit‑
voted against May's
ted to elite schools.
revised EU withdrawal agreement the opposition Labour Party had
US Attorney for the District of
by 391 to 242 on Tuesday, another said that these changes were not
Massachusetts Andrew Lelling told
heavy defeat since January 15, enough to persuade MPs to back
a press conference in Boston on
when MPs rejected May's Brexit the agreement reached by London
Tuesday that the case was the
deal by a margin of 230, Xinhua and Brussels in November 2018
"largest college admissions scam
reported. after years of painful negotiations.
ever prosecuted," saying those
T he voting started at around "The reality is that nothing has
charged collaborated to send stu‑
1900 GMT, with the Prime Minister changed," Jeremy Corbyn, the
dents to top tier US universities
heading for a defeat. leader of Labour Party, said in the
with bribe, Xinhua news agency
A hoarse Prime Minister, who was Parliament. "Nothing has changed.
reported.
carrying on her last‑ditch battle to Not one single word was changed." Actresses Lori Loughlin (“Full House”) and Felicity Huffman
The scam, which started in 2011,
save her Brexit deal just hours Corbyn said the Labour party put (“Desperate Housewives”) are among those named in
saw a total of $25 million paid as
before the crunch vote, failed to win forward the idea of "remain and the complaint. (Photo courtesy Variety)
bribe. Lelling said among those
over the ERG, a major faction within reform" in the referendum cam‑
charged are three scam organisers, “Desperate Housewives,” and Lori their children in gaining unde‑
her Conservative Party. paign.
33 parents, nine coaches, two SAT Loughlin who started on “Full served admission to prestigious
The UK is scheduled to leave the With her Brexit deal rejected
and ACT administrators, one exam House,” are among those named in universit ies, including Yale,
European Union on March 29. again in the UK Parliament, the
proctor and one college adminis‑ the complaint. They face charges Georgetown, Stanford, the
May told lawmakers after the vot‑ Prime Minister then faces a possi‑
trator. of conspiracy to commit mail fraud University of Texas and University
ing that the choices facing Britain ble defeat on a second vote on
T hose charged included and honest services mail fraud. of Southern California, according
were "unenviable" now must be Wednesday to prevent a no‑deal
Hollywood actresses, wealthy busi‑ A company named the Edge to a statement released by Lelling's
faced. May has secured legally bind‑ Brexit on March 29, and a third
ness people and a lawyer, a list of College and Career Network acted of fice. Parents spent anywhere
ing changes to the deal on Monday vote on Thursday to extend the
those charged provided by as a conduit for parents to bribe to from $200,000 to $6.5 million to
night, but rebel lawmakers of her Article 50 divorce process, likely
Lelling's of fice showed. Actresses test administrators or school guarantee their childrenʼs admis‑
Conservative Party and those from until the end of June.
Felicity Huffman, who appeared in sports coaches, who would assist sion, officials said.
 4 March 16-22, 2019
Modi urges Rahul, others
to motivate voters
New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Wednesday
urged Congress President Rahul
Gandhi and other politicians,
sportspersons, actors, business
leaders to encourage maximum
voter engagement in 2019 general
elections in April‑May.
"I appeal to Rahul Gandhi, (West
Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata
(Banerjee), (NCP chief ) Sharad
Pawar, (BSP supremo) Mayawati,
(SP chief ) Akhilesh Yadav, (RJD
Ayodhya mediation process
begins in Faizabad
Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh): The
Supreme Court‑const ituted
three‑member pane l on
Wednesday held its first meeting
in a bid to resolve the Babri
Masjid‑Ramjanmbhoomi title suit
dispute.
The panel is headed by former
Supreme Court judge Justice
F.M.I. Kalifulla, with Art of Living
founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and
senior advocate Shriram Panchu
Adam Schiff says Trump
should be indicted
Washington: There's already suffi‑
cient evidence to support an
indictment of President Trump
even before the conclusion of the
special counse l investigation,
California Rep. Adam Schif f said
Tuesday. T he chairman of the
House inte lligence committee
pointed to the case of Michael
Cohen, the president's former per‑
sonal lawyer, in which the govern‑
Chairman and Co-Founder
Kamlesh C. Mehta
Kamlesh@thesouthasiantimes.info
Co-Founder: Saroosh Gull
President: Arjit Mehta
Arjit@thesouthasiantimes.info
Chief Executive Officer
Shomik Chaudhuri P: 646.498.5122
shomik@shomikchaudhuri.com
Chief Operating Officer
Ginsmon P. Zacharia P: 516.776.7061
ginsmon@hotmail.com
Printed Every Saturday by: Forsythe Media Group, LLC, ISSN 1941-9333, 95 Broadway, Suite 2, Second Floor, Town Center Building, Hicksville, NY 11801 P: 516.390.7847
Website: TheSouthAsianTimes.info Updated Daily
Notice: The South Asian Times is published weekly by The Forsythe Media Group, LLC. POSTMASTER: Send all address notices, subscription orders/payments and other inquiries to The South Asian
Times, 95 Broadway, Suite 2, Second Floor, Town Center Building, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA. Copyright and all other rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be reprinted without the
consent of the publisher. The views expressed on the opinion pages and in the letters to the editor pages are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of The South Asian Times. The editor/
publisher does not warrant accuracy and cannot be held responsible for the content of the advertisements placed in the publication and/or inaccurate claims, if any, made by the advertisers. Advertisements of
business or facilities included in this publication do not imply connection or endorsement of these businesses. All rights reserved.
leader) Tejashwi Yadav and (DMK
chief ) M.K. Stalin to encourage
increased voter participation in the
upcoming Lok Sabha polls. A high
turnout augurs well for our demo‑
cratic fabric," he tweeted.
He also mentioned sportspersons
P.V. Sindhu, Saina Nehwal,
S.Kidambi; actors Amitabh
Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, busi‑
ness leaders Ratan Tata, Anand
Mahindra to encourage more vot‑
ing in polls.
as members.
Heavy restriction have been
imposed on the road leading to
the Guest House on the Awadh
University campus where the
proceedings are taking place.
Referring the dispute, the apex
court on March 8 said that
"utmost confidentiality" should
be maintained to ensure success
of the process and that it should
be completed within eight weeks.
ment described how "Individual 1"
directed and coordinated a cam‑
paign fraud scheme.
"Individual 1" is Trump, and
Cohen is set to begin a three‑year
prison sentence in part because of
those crimes. The evidence there‑
fore already in place argues "very
strongly in favor of indicting the
president when he is out of office,"
he said.
Managing Editor: Parveen Chopra
P : 516.710.0508
parveen.chopra@gmail.com
Associate Editor
Hiral Dholakia-Dave
hiral@thesouthasiantimes.info
Contributing Editors:Shaker Nelanuthala,
Prof. Shivaji Sengupta, Surekha Vijh
(Washington, DC), Suchitra Srinivas (New
Jersey), Melvin Durai, Dr Prem Kumar
Sharma, Ashok Vyas, and Dr Akshat Jain
New Delhi Bureau
Meenakshi Iyer
Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
TURN PAGE
India election in 7 phases,
vote count on May 23
Continued from page 1
His sister Priyanka Gandhi is also
now in full campaign mode. The
Congress General Secretary on
Tuesday urged people to consider
the Lok Sabha polls as “another
independence struggle” and told
them to raise the real issues fac‑
ing them instead of getting drawn
into trivialities.
"Your greatest weapon is aware‑
ness about the realities facing the
country, your vote is your
weapon. Use it with after due con‑
sideration and due discretion.
Ensure that it does not hurt any‑
one," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Gokhale and Pompeo
discuss 'urgency' of
Pakistan acting against
terrorists
Continued from page 1
of India in the fight against terror‑
ism" Palladino said. India's
Washington Embassy said in a
statement, "Pompeo expressed his
understanding of India's concerns
regarding cross‑border terrorism.
They agreed that Pakistan needs to
take concerted action to dismantle
the terrorist infrastructure and to
deny safe haven to all terrorist
groups in its territory. They also
agreed that those who support or
abet terrorism in any form should
be held accountable."
Gokhale "conveyed appreciation
to the U.S. Government and to
Secretary Pompeo personally for
the firm support that India received
from the U.S. in the aftermath of the
terrorist attack in Pulwama, the
statement added. Throughout the
crisis, President Donald Trump,
Pompeo and U.S. National Security
Adviser John Bolton backed India's
concerns on cross‑border terrorism.
Gokhale and Pompeo had wide‑
ranging talks during which they
"discussed our complementary
Jaipur Bureau
Prakash Bhandari
Prakash@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Photographs
Xitij Joshi/xitijphoto.com
Cartoonist: Mahendra Shah
Art and Design: Dhiraj Kumar Showaan
Bharat Bhushan Chopra
Senior Designer: Vladimir Tomovski
Consultants
Shomik Chaudhuri, Inc.
Ginsmon Zacharia & Family Inc
Sai Creations Inc, Bhagwati Creations
News Service
IANS News Service
HT Media Ltd.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
visions for the Indo‑Pacific, U.S.‑ India grounds Boeing
India defense cooperation, and the
growing U.S.‑India economic part‑
737 Max planes
Continued from page 1
nership, including joint efforts to
expand bilateral trade in a balanced
and reciprocal manner,” he said.
safety measures are undertaken to
ensure their safe operations.”,
SpiceJet said that it “suspended
Responding to Pompeo's refer‑
Boeing 737 Max operations follow‑
ence to bilateral trade matters,
ing DGCA's decision to ground the
Gokhale "underscored the signifi‑
aircraft.”
cant reduction in trade deficit in the
Jet Airways also has five B737
last three years and conveyed
Max but they are on ground for a
India's willingness to remain
very long time, much before
engaged with the U.S. for a mean‑
Sundayʼs crash of Ethiopian airliner,
ingful and mutually acceptable
due to non‑payment of lease
package on trade issues" the
rentals.
embassy said.
Besides India, 17 countries have
The Gokhale‑Pompeo meeting
grounded this Boeing aircraft and
took place against the backdrop of
27 airlines have stopped flying it,
President Donald Trump ending tar‑
but another 18 have not.
iff concessions worth $5.6 billion Yet, US Federal Aviation
top India last week under the
General Scheme of Preferences cit‑
Administration (FAA) said it saw "no
basis" to ground Boeing 737 MAX
ing what he called New Delhi's fail‑ planes, despite two recent similar
ure to provide "equitable and rea‑
sonable access" for U.S. to its mar‑
crashes involving aircraft in the
series.
kets. Gokhale also participated in "Thus far, our review shows no
the India Strategic Dialogue at the systemic performance issues and
State Department on Tuesday with provides no basis to order ground‑
Under Secretary of State for ing the aircraft. Nor have other civil
Political Affairs David Hale. aviation authorities provided data
Meanwhile in Islamabad, to us that would warrant action,"
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah the statement said on Tuesday.
Mehmood Qureshi has given the US The statement came amid mount‑
an assurance that his country ing safety concerns following two
would deal firmly with all terrorists, crashes involving Boeing 737 MAX
according to NSA John Bolton. 8 planes in a short span of five
"Spoke with Pakistani FM Qureshi months, Xinhua reported.
to encourage meaningful steps An Ethiopian Airlines plane en
against JeM (Jaish‑e‑Mohammed)
and other terrorist groups operat‑
ing from Pakistan", Bolton tweeted
route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi,
Kenya crashed on Sunday, killing all
157 people aboard.
on Monday. "The FM assured me
that Pakistan would deal firmly
A Lion Air crash in October last
year in Indonesia killed all 189 peo‑
with all terrorists and will continue ple on board.
steps to de‑escalate tensions with A growing list of countries and
India". airlines have terminated the opera‑
The call to Bolton was apparently tion of the model, while US lawmak‑
initiated by Islamabad. Pakistan's ers, experts and industry associa‑
Foreign Office was quoted in media tions are calling for its grounding in
there as saying that it was to give the US.
"Pakistan's perspective on the According to the FAA, currently
recent regional developments".‑ 74 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes are
IANS operated by US carriers.
Printing: Five Star Printing, NY
Contacts
Editor@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Subscribe@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Advertisements
Advertise@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
P: 516.390.7847, F: 360.323.0036
NYC office: Attn. Mr. Karan Jain,
18 E 48 Street. Suite 1201,
New York, NY 10017
Website
www.TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Updated Daily
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Womenʼs Day celebrated at the Consulate
New York: International Women's
Day was ce le brated at the
Consulate General of India here
on March 8th. It was hosted and
organized by the Consulate and
Federation of Indian Association
(FIA).
International Women's Day was
ce le brated at the Consulate
General of India here on March
8th. It was hosted and organized
by the Consulate and Federation
of Indian Association (FIA).
T he event was g raced by
Nat ional Award w inning
Bollywood actress Neetu Chandra,
popular TV host known for Emmy
award‑w inning show
Equitrekking, Darley Newman,
Mrs.Taruna Chakravorty, distin‑
guished community member as
well as more than 150 people
from across the tri‑state area, a
majority of them being women.
Ekal Foundation SMAP hosts spectacular Shivaji
honored with iconic Jayanti celebration in California
Gandhi Peace Prize
On behalf of Ekal the award was received by
M.L. Jain, a senior trustee of Ekal Abhiyan
New York: Ekal Vidyalaya
Foundation, a global organiza‑
tion dedicated to integrated vil‑
lage development in rural India
was recently honored with the
most prestigious National Award
in India for social work.
On Fe bruary 26th, Ekal
Abhiyan Trust, Ekalʼs umbrella
organization was bestowed with
'Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prizeʼ
for the year 2017 for its contri‑
bution in providing education to
rural & tribal children and for
providing empowerment with
gender social equality in remote
parts of India.
This prize is conferred by the
government of India under the
chairmanship of the prime minis‑
ter, chief justice, leader of the
largest opposition party and
many others. The ceremony took
place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
in New Delhi and was graced by
The honorees (from left): Sukhminder Kaur, Rina Shah, Sheetal Trivedi
and Arun Anand , posing with Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty
Distinguished women addressed
the gathering and shared their
experiences and struggles. Consul
General Sandeep Chakravorty
spoke about leadership in women
the President of India, Ram Nath
Kovind as well as Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. On behalf of Ekal
the award was received by M.L.
Jain, a senior trustee of Ekal
Abhiyan. This unique honor car‑
ries a grant of Rs. 1 crore, a cita‑
tion, and a plaque to commemo‑
rate the distinction. This prize
was instituted in 1995 on 125th
birth anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi to highlight his concept
of Gram Swaraj Model.
Currently, EVF supports
82,000 Ekal‑schools across
rural‑tribal pockets of India and
grooming almost 2.2 million chil‑
dren – more than half of which
are girls. Ekal is empowering vil‑
lage folks, not only through adult
educat ion classes re lated to
healthcare and environmental
issues, but also, by preparing
them for cottage‑industries with
skill‑development training.
TRISTATE
and the need for equal rights.
FIA honored four women at the
event for their resilience and per‑
severance and for their achieve‑
ments and contributions to socie‑
Long Beach, CA: Shivaji Maharaj
America Parivaar (SMAP) celebrated
grand Shiv Jayanti festival on March
9th at Furjanick & Sandberg
Auditorium Long Beach.
The event started with an outdoor
Unity March. A Dhol Tasha Pathak
(team) comprising fourteen perform‑
ers, SMAP members, and organizers
led the March. Next to them was a
team of 26 Lezim dancers and young
children carrying traditional flags.
This was followed by a decorated
Palakhi carrying idol of Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj. It was an incredible
show to see women playing large
(over 3 feet round) drums to create
high‑energy upbeat music.
Sandeep Katre led the Dhol Pathak,
Sonali Bhave led the Lezim and Flag
dance while all Palakhi arrange‑
ments were made by Mangesh Raut.
All of them are successful engineers
who were leading this activity as a
part of their voluntary community
service. This was the first‑ever out‑
door Dhol‑Tasha‑Zanzas‑Lezim‑Flag
Unity March in Los Angeles. “... and
this is just the beginning, we are
planning to conduct many events in
future,” said Katre.
After the dinner break, a formal
program started in the auditorium.
Sujatha Padmanabhan, ESPN presen‑
ter, a well‑known singer, and IT
Professional was the emcee of the
evening. Avadhesh Agarwal, a
renowned philanthropist, actress
Rasika Sunil, president of Cerritos
College Jose Fierro, Nitesh Patel,
councilmember, the city of La Palma,
along with the event organizing com‑
mittee lit the lamp to start the event.
The Idol of Shivaji Maharaj was also
taken out from the Palakhi and
March 16-22, 2019 5
National Award winning Bollywood actress
Neetu Chandra was the star attraction.
ty : Sukhminder Kaur, Sheetal Ramesh Patel joined the felicita‑
Trivedi, Arun Anand, and Rina tion of celebrities, including the
Shah. FIA President Alok Kumar all‑women crew of Air India, along
along with his executive commit‑ with Mrs.Bhuvana Rao, Air Indiaʼs
tee members and Chairman Regional Manager ‑ Americas.
Over 40 volunteers and organizers made this event a grand success.
More than 1000 people attended the program.
established on the stage while taining respect for our heritage. An
Hemant Kale sang “Shivgarjana.” hour‑long drama depicting the life
The lamp lighting ceremony was and values of Chhatrapati Shivaji
followed by the National Anthems. Maharaj in a classical theater form
Vijay Patil, the founder of SMAP wel‑ was a major highlight of the pro‑
comed the audience and thanked gram. Pradnya Kuwadekar from
them for their support. “Today, you LAFTA (Los Angeles Film, Theater
will see an incredible talent show by and Arts, a non‑profit organization)
146 artists and performers,” he said. wrote the script, choreographed and
He then provided an overview of directed the play wherein 64 artists
the organization. He highlighted (boys, girls, men, and women) per‑
many qualities of Chhatrapati Shivaji formed. The dances in the skit were
Maharaj – leadership, management, choreographed by Gauri Kuwadekar.
strategy, visionary, and more This was followed by another high
notably, his founding of Hindavi energy dance drama by Savithri Arts
Swarajya (a state created by the peo‑ Academy. The dance was choreo‑
ple for the people) back in 16th cen‑ graphed by internationally acclaimed
tury. Patil claimed that Shivaji Dance Guru, Kalaimanani Dr. Sinduri
Maharaj developed a merit‑based Jayasinghe. Thirty girls depicted the
society where there were equal stories of Chhatrapati Shivaji
rights to all citizens regardless of Maharaj through Bharat Natyam.
their sex (male/female), religion, Dr. Sinduriʼs Savithri Arts Academy
race or caste. He said Chhatrapati presented another dance drama on
Shivaji Maharaj united people of the life of Maharani Laxmibai. Vinani
India to stand for their rights and led Jayasinghe, SMAPʼs youth leader
them in adverse conditions. “With who has over 15 million views on
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a role her YouTube video, captivated the
model, SMAP promotes the values audience with a high‑energy dance
that he represented,” Patil said. that depicted the Indian
Keynote speaker Hemant Kale who Independence movement of 1857.
flew from Dallas to support this Her performance as Maharani
event described the need for engag‑ Laxmibai left the audience spell‑
ing our younger generation in main‑ bound.
 6 March 16-22, 2019 TRISTATE TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Padma Lakshmi appointed Jury convicts former

UNDP's Goodwill Ambassador Nassau County
United Nations: Indian‑American
television personality and food
expert Padma Lakshmi has been
appointed by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP)
as its newest Goodwill Ambassador,
support ing the agency's fig ht
against inequality and discrimina‑
tion around the world.
UNDP announced the appoint‑
ment on Thursday, on the eve of
International Women's Day.
In her new role, the Emmy‑nomi‑
nated television personality and
award‑winning author will mobilize
support for the Sustainable
Development Goals with a focus on
fighting inequality, discrimination
and empowering the disenfran‑
chised. Ms. Lakshmi was named the
Goodwill Ambassador by UNDP
Administrator Achim Steiner in a
ceremony at the UNDP headquar‑
ters in the city.
"As we celebrate International
Women's Day... let's remember that
women and girls face some of the
worst discrimination and hardships
in the world," Ms. Lakshmi said at a
Padma
Lakshmi
press conference held at UNDP
headquarters.
She said her main focus as UNDP
Goodwill Ambassador will be to
shine a spotlight on the fact that
inequality can affect people in rich
and poor countries alike.
"Many nat ions have g reatly
reduced poverty, but inequality has
proved more stubborn," she said.
"Inequality is further compounded
by gender, age, ethnicity and race.
It especially affects women, minori‑
ties and others who face unimagin‑
able discrimination in the societies
in which they live." Mr. Steiner said
Ms. Lakshmi has a strong record of
Executive in bribery case
By Arul Louis/IANS
New York: A jury has found
Edward P. Mangano, the former
Executive of Nassau County on
Long Island, guilty of charges of
accepting bribes and kickbacks
from Harendra Singh, a once high‑
flying restaurateur, federal offi‑
cials said on Friday.
speaking out for those who have
Singh has pleaded guilty to brib‑
been left behind and of fighting dis‑
ing Mangano and in a deal with
crimination.
the prosecutors testified against
"We need more voices like hers to
him.
ensure we can meet the vision of
“Mangano abused his power as a
the Sustainable Development Goals
public official by taking bribes and
‑ our shared roadmap for peace and
kickbacks from a businessman in Edward P. Mangano served two
prosperity for people and the plan‑
exchange for helping him obtain terms as Nassau County
et," he added. She is joining a roster
loans worth millions of taxpayer Executive in New York.
of UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors, (Photo Twitter)
dollars,” federal prosecutor
which includes globally celebrated
Richard Donoghue said. William F. Sweeney, an FBI
actors, athletes, musicians and
Manganoʼs wife, Linda, who was Assistant Director.
other high‑profile influencers such
convicted of conspiracy and other The couple faces prison sen‑
as Spanish‑born international star
charges, had “a bogus job as a tences of many years. Last year
Antonio Banderas, Award‑winning
food taster and menu planner at their first trial ended without a
actor Michelle Yeoh and legendary
one of Singhʼs restaurants,” said conviction because of a hung jury.
musician Bob Weir.

Indian American
investment group
purchases American Bank
Dallas: Bright Force
Holding, LLC has
acquired American
Bank, N.A., a com‑
munity bank located
in North Dallas with
almost $55 million
in assets. The pur‑
chase will be ef fec‑
tive at the close of
business on March
8, 2019. The Jericho Sunrise Rotary Club celebrated its 10th year of existence with an Annual
Brig ht Force Dinner cum Valentine Party on February 15th at Lotus Asian Fusion in Hicksville, NY.
Holding, based in The event was well attended by its members and their spouses. Some friends joined
the Dallas suburb of in too. It was a great night to acknowledge the work done by the ladies to raise funds
Lewisville, Texas, is for life‑giving projects such as The Gift of Life, India. The team presented a check to
(L to R) Mehul Patel, Chirag Patel, Mital Patel Ravi Bhooplapur, and President Mrs. Rachna Sabharwal invited the chair of the event
an investment
Mrs. Vidya Nagaraj and co‑chair Mrs. Dipti Vyas to assist in handing over the check.
group that consists of three prominent sophisticated, forward‑looking solutions
The whole club works selflessly in organizing Dandiya Night to raise this fund.
Asian American business leaders – Mehul that young entrepreneurs and start‑up
Patel, Chirag Patel, and Mital Patel. These companies expect.”
investors serve as senior executives with “We have created a community bank
NewcrestImage, a hotel development and where customers are known by their
management company that operates a name, not their account number,”
portfolio of 28 properties. explained John Goforth, who has served Sai Baba
The three investors will become mem‑ as President and CEO of American Bank Temple of
bers of American Bankʼs board of direc‑ since 2010. “Our priority is to enhance North
tors, joining three directors who current‑ and build on the bankʼs well‑deserved Brunswick
Cultural
ly serve: veteran Texas banker John reputation for being convenient and com‑
association
Goforth, who will also remain President petitive – the bank that can meet all of
organized
and CEO of the bank; and business execu‑ your banking needs with one stop or one
Maha
tives Mark Kelly and Jake Menefee. call.” Shivarathri
“We will maintain the highly‑personal‑ American Bank currently operates a special puja,
ized service that customers have come to single location at 2707 West Northwest archana &
expect from American Bank,” said Chirag Highway in northwest Dallas. It was abhishekam on
“Chuck” Patel, the bankʼs new Chairman established in May of 1974 as Pan March 4th.
of the Board. “In addition, we see a American National Bank of Dallas, chang‑
tremendous opportunity to introduce ing its name to American Bank in May of
new banking services – such as the 1987.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Indian mathematician Pakistan will face global isolation
donates $1 million to UCLA if it doesn't rein in terrorist
To establish a professorship honoring
legendary mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan
New Delhi: An India‑born emi‑
nent mathematician and his
wife have given $1 million to
an American university to
establish a professorship hon‑
oring legendary Indian mathe‑
matician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
T he new position aims to
honor the genius Ramanujan,
who made substantial contri‑
butions to mathematics in the
early 1900s.
The University of California,
Los Ange les (UCLA) has
received the amount from
mathematics professor emeri‑
tus VS Varadarajan and his wife
Veda to establish the
'Ramanujan Visiting Professorship' in his
home department, the varsity said in a
statement.
The new post will help attract visiting
faculty members in Varadarajan's special‑
izations of automorphic forms, an impor‑
tant concept in number theory, and repre‑
sentation theory, which has been linked to
e lementary part icles and quantum
physics.
The UCLA Academic Senate and the
University of California Of fice of the
President have to approve the chair's
establishment. The gift is part of the
Centennial Campaign for the UCLA, which
is scheduled to conclude in December
2019 during the university's 100th
anniversary year, the article said. The
addit ional expert ise would enhance
UCLA's renowned mathematics depart‑
ment, which was ranked among the top 10
graduate programmes in the country in
ICE arrests more
Indian students at
fake university
Washington, DC: Federal immigration officials
have arrested more students who were enrolled
at a fake university in Detroit. And many of the
students who enrolled at the university created
by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
are now in the process of being removed from
the U.S. as Indian‑American advocates grapple
with what they say is an unprecedented num‑
ber of arrests of Indian students. The U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
has arrested 161 foreign students from the
University of Farmington on civil immigration
violations, ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls said
this week. "Several have since been removed
and others are currently in various stages of
the removal process," Walls said. More could
be arrested or removed in the future as
"enforcement action against current and for‑
mer students of the University of Farmington
remains ongoing," Walls said. About 600 stu‑
dents, mostly from India, were enrolled at the
university in Farmington Hills, a majority of
them in master's degree programs in engineer‑
ing or computer‑related fields.
NATIONAL
V S Varadarajan and wife Veda
2018 by the US News & World Report.
The UCLA said Mr. Varadarajan's career
included work in various areas of mathe‑
matics and physics and his research has
been motivated by a "desire to understand
the role of symmetry in mathematics and
physics."
A Ph.D. in Mathematics from Calcutta
University and Master's in Math and
Statistics from the University of Madras,
Varadarajan has an honorary doctorate in
Physics from the University of Genova and
was awarded the Lars Onsager medal
from the Norwegian University of Science
and Technology for his work in mathemat‑
ics.
Varadarajan joined UCLA in 1965 and
retired in 2014.
Veda Varadarajan has her own connec‑
tion to UCLA ̶ the alumna earned her
masterʼs degree in atmospheric sciences in
1976. (PTI)
March 16-22, 2019 7
groups: Congressman Ami Bera
Washington, DC: An influential Indian‑ contradictory and self‑defeating.
American Congressman has warned that "Pakistan has banned many of these ter‑
Pakistan will continue to slide into interna‑ rorist groups, including adding two more
tional isolation if it does not take actions groups on March 5, but at the same time
against terrorist groups operating from its tolerates them operating within its own
soil. Ami Bera, the Chairman of the House borders. This has caused the international
Foreign Af fairs community to isolate
Subcommittee on Oversight Pakistan," Bera said.
and Investigations, also Pakistan has taken some
urged China to play a con‑ initial steps, like detaining
structive role by lifting its 44 suspected militants,
veto over UN Security including the brother of
Council resolution to desig‑ Je M's leader Masoo d
nate Pakistan‑based Jaish‑e‑ Azhar. It is, however,
Mohammed ( Je M) chie f unclear whether this "pre‑
Masood Azhar as a global ventative detention" as
terrorist. Pakistan described it, will
"T he United States' lead to criminal prosecu‑
Congress stands ready to tions and justice being
support Pakistan should served, he said.
Ami Bera
Prime Minister (Imran) "Prime Minister Khan can
Khan begin cracking down on terrorist help Pakistan earn enormous goodwill by
groups in earnest. This will only help tracking down and bringing to justice
improve his nation's economy," Bera wrote Azhar, whom the Pakistani Foreign
in an op‑ed. Minister indicated was alive, with his
In his op‑ed titled 'Time For Pakistan to whereabouts known. They can further that
Chart a New Course', the four‑time Indian‑ goodwill by dismantling the terrorist net‑
American Congressman from California works that operate within Pakistan.
said that Pakistan did the right thing by "These actions are in accordance with UN
releasing Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Security Council Resolution 1267. If Khan
Varthaman. does not take these steps, I'm afraid
"This de‑escalated a dangerous situation Pakistan will continue to slide into interna‑
but more has to be done. Prime Minister tional isolation, which will only serve to
Imran Khan should use this opportunity to increase economic hardship on the
reset his country's relationship with the Pakistani people," the Indian‑American
world and chart a new course for Pakistan," Congressman said.
he said. This starts with cracking down on "I also call on China to play a constructive
the JeM and other terrorist groups such as role in India and Pakistan relations. A good
Lashkar‑e‑Taiba which was responsible for first step would be for China to cease
the 2008 Mumbai attack, Bera said, adding blocking a UN Security Council resolution
that unfortunately, Pakistan's behavior designating Masood Azhar a global terror‑
towards these terrorist groups have been ist," Bera said. (PTI)
8 March 16-22, 2019 NATIONAL TheSouthAsianTimes.info

IN BRIEF

Tennessee physician among 157 Sickle Cell Center of Excellence in Southern

killed in Ethiopia Airlines crash California performs first stem cell transplant

A T
US‑based physician from Andhra
Pradesh was among the 157
killed in the Ethiopian Airlines
plane crash on Sunday. A Nairobi‑bound
Boeing 737 crashed six minutes after an
early‑morning takeoff from Addis Ababa
Sunday, killing all 149 passengers and
eight crew on board.
Nukavarapu Manisha, hailing from
Guntur district, was on her way to
Nairobi to see her sister who had deliv‑
ered three baby boys a few days ago.
She was also going to visit her parents
Venkateshwar Rao and Bharathi, who
were with their elder daughter.
A relative of Manisha tweeted to
Sherin Mathews' foster mother
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that her
parents were waiting to receive the body
in Nairobi. The Minister replied that she
had asked Rahul Chhabra, the Indian
High Commissioner in Nairobi, to provide
all help and assistance.
Four Indians were among those who
died in the crash.
After doing a course in medicine from
Guntur Medical College, Ms. Manisha
went to the US for higher studies and was
living in Tennessee.
She is listed as one of the resident
physicians of the Department of Internal
Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine,
East Tennessee State University. (IANS)
he Pediatric Hematology Oncology
team at the famous Loma Linda
University in California performed its
first‑ever Stem Cell Transplantation in more
than 100‑year history of the institution. The
team led by Dr.ʼs Akshat Jain, Quan Zhao,
Rishi Chavan performed this remarkable
feat safely with no complications.
Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disease of
red blood cells that affects children since
birth. One in 7 African American children
suffers from some form of Sickle Cell
Disease in the United States. India has the
worldʼs third largest population of Sickle
Cell disease in the world. Children suffer
from severe pain episodes throughout their
lives and die early from complications of
Dr. Akshay Jain with the patient
this disease. In sub‑Saharan Africa, most who successfully underwent
children with Sickle Cell disease donʼt live
beyond their 5th birthday.
stem cell transplantation

gets her passport back As this is the disease of the cells made
from the bone marrow, by removing
plantation is not possible.
Dr. Jainʼs team bypassed this problem by

T
he Indian‑American foster mother of
Sherin Mathews has got her pass‑
port back, nearly a week after
charges were dropped against her in con‑
nection with the tragic death of her 3‑year‑
old daughter, whose body was discovered
in a culvert in suburban Dallas in 2017.
Sini Mathews was charged with child
endangerment after she left her adopted
daughter Sherin alone at home while she
and her husband Wesley Mathews went
out for dinner with their 4‑four‑year old
biological daughter on the night before the
toddler was reported missing from their
house in Richardson, Texas.
Ms. Mathews had been jailed on a child
abandonment charge, but the charge was
dropped after the district attorney said
there was not enough evidence to move
forward and released her from the Dallas
County Jail. On Thursday, a Dallas judge
ordered authorities to return Ms. Mathews'
passport, WBAP, an AM News/Talk radio
Man arrested for allegedly
cheating Cisco of $9.3 million
station in Dallas reported.
Defence attorney Heath Harris said the
judge had little choice but to return the
passport which was taken when Ms.
Mathews was arrested. He said Ms.
Mathews had no plans to go anywhere but
can do so if she chooses so.
"I am blessed," Ms. Mathews, a nurse,
said after the charges against her were
dropped and told the media that she was
looking forward to meeting her biological
daughter. "I want to thank the DA's office
for dismissing the case and I am looking
forward to being reunited with my daugh‑
ter," Ms. Mathews said.
She had lost parental rights to her biolog‑
ical daughter who has been adopted by her
relatives in Houston. Lawyers are now
reviewing options to possibly return her to
her mother, Ms. Mathews, the WBAP report
said. Ms. Mathews' husband Mr. Mathews
is still in Dallas County Jail for capital mur‑
der linked to Sherin's death.
patientʼs defective marrow cells and trans‑ using the patientʼs fatherʼs cells and using a
planting healthy stem cells into the patient special technique called as “Haploidentical
from a matched donor, the disease can be Transplantation”, to cure the little girl of her
controlled and even cured. Lack of a suit‑ lifelong disease that had caused her to be
ably matched donor leaves most of the wheelchair bound due to severe and repeat‑
patients around the world to suffer as trans‑ ed pain episodes due to dying bone cells.
Jonas brothers wear Prabal
Gurung for single's cover
P
op singers Nick Jonas,
Joe Jonas, and Kevin
Jonas sported ensem‑
bles designed by New York‑
based Nepalese designer Prabal
Gurung for their single cover
"Sucker."
Gurung on Friday shared the
cover on Twitter, and captioned
it: "The Jonas brothers wear
Prabal Gurung on the cover of
their new album (single)
'Sucker'. So stoked that our first
menswear collection is on my
favorite brothers thank you,
Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and

A
n Indian‑origin former employee
of Cisco Systems has been arrest‑
ed and charged with a criminal
complaint alleging he defrauded a tech‑
nology major of more than $9.3 million.
Fifty‑year‑old Prithviraj Bhikha was
charged in a criminal complaint with wire
fraud, US Attorney David Anderson and
Federal Bureau of Investigation Special
Agent in Charge John Bennett have said.
The criminal complaint was unsealed
on Monday following Bhikha's arrest on
March 1 at the San Francisco
International Airport. Bhikha made his
initial appearance on Monday in federal
court before US Magistrate Judge Joseph
Spero and has been released on a USD
three million bond.
Kevin Jonas... I am over the
moon."
In the album cover, Nick is seen sporting
salmon pink pants and a black and yellow t‑
shirt. Joe looks dapper in an ice‑blue twin
set, while Kevin is seen wearing a bright
orange and blue twin suit.
The Jonas Brothers have reunited for a
single titled "Sucker" after a gap of six
years. Its video features Nick's actress wife
Priyanka Chopra too.
The video also stars Kevin' spouse
Danielle and Joe' fiancee and "Game of
Thrones" fame actress Sophie Turner.
Jonas Brothers' band was formed in
2005. The band has created hits like
"Burnin' up", "Hold on" and "Fly with me".
The Jonas Brothers split up in 2013.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info DIASPORA March 16-22, 2019 9

The fight broke out when pro‑Khalistan outfits started chanting anti‑India slogans to
counter protesters chanting pro‑Modi slogans (Image courtesy: ANI)

Pro‑Khalistan group attacks

British Indians outside
Indian High Commission
London: Pakistanʼs ISI backed Khalistanis
attacked a number of British Indians who
were standing outside the Indian High
Commission in London on March 9.
Overseas Pakistanis We lfare Council
(OPWC) and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) were
blamed for the attack on rival demonstra‑
tors from Friends of India Society, UK, who
had gathered outside the Indian High
Commission in London on Saturday.
T he fig ht broke out when UK‑based
Kashmiri and pro‑Khalistan outfits started
chanting anti‑India slogans to counter pro‑
testers chanting pro‑Modi slogans, reported
The Times of India. In the video, men wear‑
ing Sikh turbans can be seen raising slogans
“Naraa‑e‑Taqbeer” and “Allah‑u‑Akbar.”
As per the Scotland Yard, one man was
arrested for "breach of peace" and was later
“de‑arrested” with no charges.
OPWC and SFJ had organized a protest
rally against “atrocities on ethnic minorities
in India.”
As per media reports, it is alleged that US‑
based pro‑Khalistan org anizat ion SFJ
receives funding and support from
Pakistanʼs Inter‑Services Intelligence (ISI).
The group has been carrying out anti‑India
campaign 'Referendum 2020' all over the
world but so far it has failed to garner popu‑
lar support from the Sikh diaspora.
In a letter to Pakistanʼs Prime Minister
Imran Khan SFJ urged Islamabad to "politi‑
cally support Referendum 2020 movement
to liberate Punjab" so that "1971 fall of
Dhaka" can be avenged.
After the terror attack in South Kashmirʼs
Pulwama, British Indians had organized sev‑
eral protests against Pakistan and chanted
ʻPakistan murdabadʼ outside the Pakistan
High Commission in London. (Source: times‑
nownews.com)

Dentist killed; ex‑boyfriend

dead in car crash, suspect
Melbourne: A 32‑year‑old
Indian‑origin woman dentist in
Australia, who went missing
under mysterious circum‑
stances, has been murdered
with her body bearing numer‑
ous stab wounds found dumped
in a suitcase in Sydney, the
police said.
The man suspected of murder‑
ing the Sydney dentist Preethi
Reddy, whose body was found
stuffed in a suitcase in her car
Preethi Reddy, Harsh Narde (Image : nypost.com)
parked in an eastern Sydney
street, New South Wales, is another around 340 kilometers from where
Indian‑origin dentist and her ex‑boyfriend Reddy's body was found, is believed to
Harsh Narde. Narde died in a fiery car have been deliberate, they said. The police
crash on the New England Highway on said they spoke to Narde as part of the
Monday night, a day after his ex‑girlfriend missing person's investigation, before his
was reported missing, New South Wales death. They said the investigation was still
Police (NSW) said. The head‑on collision, in its early stages.
 10 March 16-22, 2019
US agents faked trail to infiltrate as
recruits of Pakistani terror group
The cases against Michael Kyle Sewell, of Arlington, Texas, and Jesus Wilfredo
Encarnacion of New York, who were both arrested last month, point to a disturbing
trend that with the collapse of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, Pakistan-based terror
organizations, such as LeT founded by Hafiz Saeed, operating against India may
become an attractive alternative for aspiring jihadis.
By Arul Louis
New York: US intelligence agents laid a
cyber trail all the way to a fake terror
camp in Pakistan, mastered idioms and
style of Islamic terrorists giving a convinc‑
ing portrayal of jihadis in a bid to infiltrate
a Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT) recruitment ring.
In what seemed to read like a spy‑
thriller, their strategy led to the arrest of
an American teenager, who was at the
center of an alleged conspiracy to recruit
fighters for the Pakistan‑based LeT, and a
suspected co‑conspirator, who was
stopped on his way to join the terrorist
group.
The transcripts of their cyber interac‑
tions in court documents give chilling
insights into the raging hate of the world
of jihadis.
The cases against the two, who were
arrested, point to a disturbing trend that
with the collapse of the Islamic State (IS)
in Syria and Iraq, Pakistan‑based terror
organizations operating against India may
become an attractive alternative for aspir‑
ing jihadis.
Michae l Kyle Sewe ll, the teenaged
recruiter, told Jesus Wilfredo Encarnacion,
29, whom he was guiding that "he should
not join the IS because IS had no territo‑
ry", instead he suggested the "LeT and the
Taliban" as "worth joining".
The "LeT was a well‑funded group in
Pakistan operat ing in Kashmir,
Afghanistan and India", is what he said
according to court filings.
Both men were arrested in February and
now face trial on terrorism‑re lated
charges.
Documents filed in federal courts in two
separate cases, one against Sewell in
Dallas, and another against Encarnacion
in New York, include expletive‑filled
accounts of interactions between the
alleged terrorists and the undercover
operatives that give a peek into terrorism
networks.
The two cases deal separately with each
of the accused and the documents men‑
tion the person in the other case only as a
"co‑conspirator", but when IANS put the
two affidavits by FBI agents in the two
cases side‑by‑side, the parallels make the
link between Sewell and Encarnacion
obvious.
To infiltrate the group, FBI operatives,
an agent and an employee, took on the
persona of jihadists, adopting their termi‑
nology and way of communicating, and
one of them created a fake trail into
Pakistan as if he had joined the LeT there,
according to transcripts in an affidavit by
counter‑terrorism Special Agent Seth
SPECIAL REPORT
Collage of excerpts from US federal court documents of interactions among
Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT) recruitment ring and undercover operatives. The transcripts
of their cyber interactions in court documents give chilling insights into the raging
hate of the world of jihadis. (Photo: IANS)
Yockel in the New York case.
The document says that the ring they
infiltrated was made up of nine people
who operated through "a group chat for
American Jihadis" on social media.
T he FBI agent and the "undercover
employee" vouched for each other con‑
vincingly in their communications and
Sewell told Encarnacion that the employee
would help him travel to Pakistan to get
terrorist training, according to the affi‑
davit.
At one point, according to the tran‑
scripts of interactions, the FBI employee
takes a swipe at President Donald Trump
to build their terrorist credentials writing,
"US all infidels. With the king Trump."
He also boasts, "We strike heart of India.
... You hear Mumbai attack"? ‑ a reference
to the 2008 attack that killed 163 people.
The transcripts don't reveal much about
the lives of Sewell and Encarnacion, other
than that Encarnacion lived in New York's
Washington Heights neighborhood and
said he was from a family from the
Dominican Republic, and Sewell was a
native‑born American.
Sewell's lawyer, a court‑appointed public
defender, did not return a call from IANS.
Forensic scientist Malini Subramanyam
wrote in the Forensic Research and
Criminology International Journal in
2018 that some who become terrorists
were "in search of an identity ... seeking a
sense of purpose and self‑worth."
T he two seem to fit this profile.
Encarnacion, who used the screen name
"Jihadistsoldgier", introduced himself to
the jihadi group saying, "I want to fight till
death alongside the Islamic State. ... I'm a
lone wolf looking for a family I can strike
the crusaders. ... I want to be part of a fam‑
ily willing to kill not afraid of death",
according to Yockel's affidavit.
Sewell also described himself to the
undercover employee as "lone wolf and
lone lion of Tawhid".
An indication of one of Encarnacion's
other possible motives appears at one
point in the transcript where Encarnacion
says, "Kuffar treat me bad", but does not
further identify the "Kuffar" or what they
did.
Encarnacion appears to have been
inspired by the Brit ish IS terrorist
Mohammed Emwazi who became notori‑
ous with the nickname "Jihadi John" as the
g roup's execut ioner on propag anda
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
videos. "Please. I want to kill on video.
Terrify our enemies", he pleaded.
The transcripts of interactions portray
Sewell and Encarnacion as blood‑thirsty
persons motivated by blind hatred, not
only against Hindus, but also moderate
Muslims.
In November last year, Encarnacion
wrote to the undercover employee, "You
guys are against India. I read up on ya.
You are beefing with India over Muslim
land.
"I (expletive) hate Hindus. They can go
to hell and I'm going to help you," accord‑
ing to the document. He added, "Will I live
in Pakistan? I want to fight. I want to exe‑
cute. I want to behead".
Sewe ll goaded the FBI undercover
employee "to '[expletive] up' and 'slaugh‑
ter' the 'Hindu Kafir', destroy their shrines
and idols", and send him photos of the
destruction, according to an affidavit by
Special Agent Michael Phillipp in the
Dallas case.
He is quoted as saying that he could "kill
anyone and not feel anything" and wanted
to kill "liberal Muslims", liberal "Hijabis"
and Saudis, "execute" a female political
activist who was not identified, and threat‑
ened to "disembowel" a social media user.
Sewell, according to the New York affi‑
davit, put Encarnacion in touch with the
undercover employee, who, he said, would
lead him to the LeT, and simultaneously
messaged him that he found a "new broth‑
er who wants to go do jihad Fisimbillah ...
So he will be a Lashker‑e‑Taiba fighter".
Encarnacion contacted the undercover
employee, who verified the contact with
Sewell, and sent him hundreds of mes‑
sages.
In October, the undercover agent mes‑
saged Sewell through an encrypted appli‑
cation that he was "flying out tonight
inshaAllah". And when Sewell asked him
the next day, where he was, he replied,
"Alhamdulillah Pakistan ... InshaAllah I will
be training w ith the mujahideen of
Lashkar‑e‑Taiba soon".
Now appearing to be ensconced in
Pakistan, the undercover agent told
Encarnacion in November to fly to a city in
Europe for which he would not need a visa
and "brothers" would meet him there and
g ive him visa and onward t icket to
Pakistan.
Encarnacion sent him copies of his pass‑
port and flight confirmation for Europe on
a flight on February 7.
When he came to New York's JFK air‑
port to catch the flight, the FBI was wait‑
ing to capture him.
The next day, officials announced the
arrest of Sewell in Dallas. ‑IANS
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
After Ethiopian air crash, Boeingʼs 737
Max may face global grounding
New York: Whatʼs the future for
Boeing Co.ʼs 737 Max jet after its
second tragic accident in less than
five months?
The crash of Ethiopian Airlines
Group Flight 302 shortly after take‑
off from Addis Ababa Sunday raises
the specter of previous passenger
aircraft that suffered serious prob‑
lems soon after entry into service.
In the case of the McDonnell
Douglas Corp. DC‑10, those defects
dogged the aircraftʼs reputation
throughout its life. With Boeingʼs
own 787, the battery problems that
af fected its initial flights have
proven no more than a bump in
whatʼs now become a very prof‑
itable road.
Like both those planes, the 737
Max must now face a very real risk
of a worldwide grounding. Chinese
authorities have already asked
domestic airlines to stop flying the
plane, Bloomberg News reported.
Indiaʼs aviation regulator may also
require additional safety measures
Trump proposes $4.7 tn
budget for fiscal 2020
Washington: President Donald
Trump presented to Congress a
budget proposal for fiscal year
2020 that contained stiff spending
cuts across non‑defense federal
agencies, and a hike in defense
money.
According to the $ 4.7 trillion
budget proposal, the Trump
administration plans to cut domes‑
tic spending by 5 percent over the
next year, or a nearly $ 30 billion,
involving programs on education,
health care and environment pro‑
tection, among others, Xinhua
US remains top arms exporter,
with Russia a distant second
Stockholm: US arms exports
increased by 29 percent in 2009‑
2013 and 2014‑2018, and the
U.S.' share of total global exports
rose from 30 percent to 36 per‑
cent, the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
said in a report on Monday.
"The gap between the top two
arms‑export ing states also
increased: U.S. exports of major
arms were 75 percent higher
than Russia's in 2014‑2018,
while they were only 12 percent
higher in 2009‑2013. More than
half (52 percent) of U.S. arms
Jet Airways and SpiceJet operate a number of Boeing's 737 MAX
aircraft and the Indian aviation regulator DGCA has ordered
additional maintenance checks for the planes.
on the aircraft. If the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) were
to issue a similar notice, that could
put all 737 Max models in service
worldwide out of action until the
problem was addressed – some‑
news agency reported. The budget
blueprint proposes a $ 2.7 trillion
spending cuts over the next
decade, including $ 1.9 trillion in
cuts to mandatory programs, a
senior administration official told
a briefing on Monday. The official
said the budget “will have more
reductions in spending than any
president in history has even pro‑
posed.” The budget plan foresees a
$ 1.1 trillion deficit in 2019, 2020
and 2021, and a 1‑trillion‑dollar
deficit in 2022. The administration
predicts that the United States will
exports went to the Middle East
in 2014‑2018."
"The U.S.A. has further solidified
its position as the world's leading
arms supplier," said Aude
Fleurant, director of the SIPRI
Arms and Military Expenditure
Programme. "The U.S.A. exported
arms to at least 98 countries in
the past five years; these deliver‑
ies often included advanced
weapons, such as combat aircraft,
short‑range cruise and ballistic
missiles, and large numbers of
guided bombs."
Globally, the volume of interna‑
US AFFAIRS
thing that the U.S. regulator has
only previously ordered with the
DC‑10 and 787.
However, itʼs far too early to work
out what happened in Addis Ababa
– particularly because, as is often
return to budget balance in 2034.
The budget roadmap, designed
for fiscal year 2020 that starts on
Oct. 1, would increase defense
spending by nearly 5 percent to $
750 billion from $ 716 billion in
fiscal year 2019.
It also seeks $ 8.6 billion for con‑
structing additional sections of a
wall along the US border with
Mexico ̶ $ 5 billion in funding
for the Department of Homeland
Security and $ 3.6 billion for the
Department of Defenseʼs military
construction fund.
tional transfers of major arms in
2014‑2018 was 7.8 percent high‑
er than in 2009‑2013 and 23 per‑
cent higher than in 2004‑2008,
the report said.
Meanwhile, arms imports by
states in the Middle East
increased by 87 percent in 2009‑
2013 and 2014‑2018, and
accounted for 35 percent of glob‑
al arms imports in 2014‑2018.
Saudi Arabia became the world's
largest arms importer in 2014‑
2018, with an increase of 192
percent compared with 2009‑
2013.
March 16-22, 2019
the case in the initial aftermath of
air accidents, the information out
there seems to confound easy nar‑
ratives. A photograph of the crash
site released by Ethiopian Airlines
shows a smoldering crater filled
with pulverized wreckage – strongly
suggesting that there was a high‑
energy, nose‑first collision with the
ground.
That would imply a similar pat‑
tern to the crash in October of PT
Lion Mentari Airlinesʼ Flight 610,
when problems with the 737 Maxʼs
flight control system appear to have
caused the plane to automatically
tilt its nose downward, a condition
that repeatedly had to be corrected
by the flight crew.
Indonesian air‑accident investiga‑
tors havenʼt yet completed a final
report explaining to what extent
this issue contributed to the acci‑
dent.
There are also questions for the
FAA, which works with aircraft
manufacturers to provide the type
2 NASA astronauts
set for first‑ever all
female spacewalk
NASA astronauts Anne McClain (left) and Christina Koch will share
the credit on March 31 of performing the spacewalk at the
International Space Station. (Photo courtesy AFP)
Washington: Two NASA astro‑
nauts are scheduled to carry out
the first ever all female space‑
walk in history on March 29.
NASA astronauts Anne
McClain and Christina Koch will
share the credit of performing
the spacewalk at the
International Space Station, CNN
reported.
The two will receive support
on the g round by Canadian
Space Agency flight controller
Kristen Facciol.
“I just found out that Iʼll be on
console providing support for
the first all female spacewalk
w ith @AstroAnnimal and
@Astro_Christina and I cannot
contain my excitement,” Facciol
11
certifications that allow new air‑
craft to fly. The agency was criti‑
cized by a government investigation
into the 787 battery fires for failing
to kick the tires on untested
assumptions by Boeing, and being
insuf ficiently conservative in
assessing the risks of new technolo‑
gy. For Boeingʼs own sake, the FAA
canʼt af ford a perception that itʼs
going easy on a local hero.
None of this will help Boeing in its
race for supremacy with Airbus SE.
The duopoly depend on selling sin‑
gle‑aisle planes like the 737 and
Airbus A320, the workhorses of
budget carriers and increasingly the
fuel‑ef ficient models of choice for
longer‑distance full‑service airlines.
At present the A320 is well ahead in
that race, with about 6,500 orders
for new‑engine variants of its A320
family compared with around 4,700
for the 737 Max. If Boeing wants to
draw level, it may need to take
some short‑term pain to win back
the faith of its customers.
said in a tweet. The March 29
spacewalk is second in a series
of three planned spacewalks,
NASA spokeswoman Stephanie
Schierholz told CNN.
“Anne also w ill join Nick
Hague for the March 22 space‑
walk. And of course, assign‑
ments and schedules could
always change,” Schierholz
added.
While McClain is currently on
the ISS, Koch is set to blast of f
on March 14 to reach the space
station.
The March 29 spacewalk is
likely to last about seven hours,
but NASA has not yet specified
what tasks the two astronauts
will perform.
 12 March 16-22, 2019 INDIA NEWS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

India election in 7 phases,

vote count on May 23
New Delhi: Lok Sabha elections will be held in
seven phases from April 11 to May 19, the
Election Commission has announced, setting a
two‑and‑half month‑long process for people to
either vote in the Narendra Modi‑led dispensa‑
tion once again or choose an alternative.
Counting of votes in 543 constituencies will be
taken up on May 23, Chie f Elect ion
Commissioner Sunil Arora told a press confer‑
ence, formally beginning the election process
and declaring that the Model Code of Conduct
for parties and governments has come into force
with immediate effect.
Once the Model Code of Conduct comes into
force, governments cannot take policy decisions
or announce new projects in the run‑up to the
elections.
Assembly elections will also be simultaneously
held in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh,
Odisha and Sikkim while the demand of parties
for Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir has
not been accepted due to security considera‑
tions, Arora said at the media conference flanked
by ECs Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra.
The Assembly elections in these four states will
be held on the day the states choose their Lok
Sabha representatives.
By‑elections to 34 Assembly seats in 12 states,
including 18 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, which
could decide the fortunes of the ruling AIADMK,
will be held simultaneously.
In the last Lok Sabha polls, held over nine phas‑
es, the BJP under Modi got a single‑party majori‑
ty of 282 seats for the first time, which was also
the first for any party in 30 years.
The 17th Lok Sabha polls will be held on April
11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12
and May 19. Arora said the phases have been
decided due to several factors including the
availability of central paramilitary forces, who
move by trains from state to state.
On simultaneous Assembly polls in Jammu and
Kashmir, which has been demanded by the main‑
stream parties during the tour of the state by the
Commission, the CEC said that they were making
an announcement only about the parliamentary
polls due to factors such as constraints of
requirement of forces for security of candidates.
"Keeping the totality of factors in mind, the
schedule of only parliamentary polls in the state
of Jammu and Kashmir is being announced," he
said.

Gandhi wanted Congress Vote for your future,

disbanded in 1947: Modi Priyanka tells people
New Delhi: On the very day when
the Congress is to kick‑of f its
2019 Lok Sabha campaign from
the Prime Minister's home turf
with its Working Committee meet‑
ing in Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi
took to his blog to tell the nation
that it was Mahatma Gandhi who
wanted to disband the grand old
party just after Independence.
Marking the 89th year of the
iconic Dandi March that was
launched by Gandhi and 80 satya‑
grahis in 1930 on the day, Modi
said the grand old party is nothing
but "the perfect antithesis to what
'Bapu' stood for".
Hailing Gandhi whose "handful
of salt shook the British Empire" as
he set out on foot for the coastal village of
Dandi from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat,
Modi said: "Though aimed at protesting
unfair Salt Laws, Dandi March shook the
foundations of colonial rule and became a
strong symbol of fighting injustice and
inequality."
In a conversational approach to his blog
readers Modi said: "Did you know who
had a key role in the planning of the
Dandi March?
"The great Sardar Patel", who, he said,
had a key role in planning "every minute
aspect" of the 390km March, "down to the
last detail". The Congress have accuses
the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to
appropriate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the
nation's first home minister.
"In many of his works, Gandhiji said
that he does not believe in inequality and
Prime Minister Naremdra Modi.
caste divisions. Sadly, the Congress has
never hesitated from dividing society.
"The worst caste riots and anti‑Dalit
massacres happened under Congress
rule," Modi ripped the Congress apart list‑
ing a point‑by‑point contrast of Gandhi's
thoughts and "Congress culture".
Gandhi, said the Prime Minister, had
understood the Congress culture very
we ll, "which is why he wanted the
Congress disbanded, especially after
1947".
Modi said: "We have done everything to
punish the corrupt. But, the nation has
seen how Congress and corruption have
become synonyms. Name the sector and
there will be a Congress scam ‑ from
Defence, Telecom, Irrigation, Sporting
events to Agriculture, Rural Development
and more."
Adalaj (Gujarat): Terming the coming Lok
Sabha elections "another independence
struggle", Congress General Secretary
Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday urged the
voters to ask tough questions from the
government and raise "real issues" facing
them and the country instead of getting
drawn into trivialities.
"Those who make tall promises to you,
ask them where are the two crore jobs
that were promised to the nation? Where
is the Rs 15 lakh which was supposed to
come into your bank accounts? Ask right
questions in these elections," she said
while addressing an election rally here
after the Congress Working Committee Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi addressing
the Jan Sankalp Rally in Gandhinagar,
meeting in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat on March 12. (Photo: IANS/AICC)
"Irrelevant issues should not be raised.
The issues that are to be raised should be "You tell them (the Bharatiya Janata
about what is most important to you ‑‑ Party) what is the true character of this
how you will progress, how our youth country. The true character of this coun‑
will get employment, how would women try is such that it will turn the winds of
feel safe, what will be done for the farm‑ hatred into breeze of love and compas‑
ers. These are the real election issues. sion.
"Only your awareness can bring these "This is your country. You have built
issues to the front," Priyanka Gandhi said, this nation. It belongs to none other than
terming voters' awareness and their votes you people. Only you can protect this
"their biggest weapons". nat ion. Our inst itut ions are being
"Your greatest weapon is awareness destroyed, hatred is being spread," she
about the realities facing the country, said.
your vote is your weapon. Use it with "True 'desh bhakti' is getting aware
after due consideration and due discre‑ about real problems and challenges
tion. Ensure that it does not hurt anyone. before the country."
"You will have to consider what you are Amid slogans comparing her with her
going to vote for. You are going to vote grandmother and late Prime Minister
for your future. This nation has been built Indira Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, in her
over the foundations of social harmony short speech in a conversational style in
and love. But whatever is happening in Hindi, said this was her first visit to
the country, it pains us," she added. Gujarat.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA NEWS March 16-22, 2019 13

Congress resolves to India, Pak to discuss

defeat saffron ideology
Senior leaders are seen during the Congress Working Committee (CWC)
meeting in Ahmedabad. (Photo: IANS/AICC)
Ahmedabad: T he Cong ress on
Tuesday he ld a meeting of its
working committee here and
resolved to defeat the "RSS and
BJPs ideology of fascism, hatred,
anger and divisiveness".
Briefing reporters after the CWC
meeting, Congress leader Anand
Sharma accused the Modi govern‑
ment of failing to fulfill its promis‑
es and going against the ideals of
the Constitution.
"There are attempts to project a
dif ferent picture of India as
against the ideals on which the
Const itut ion was formed.
Constitutional rights are being
constantly violated," he said.
He said the meeting, attended by
top party leaders including party
chie f Rahul Gand hi, UPA
Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
adopted a political resolution.
The meeting of the highest deci‑
sion‑making body of the Congress,
being held in the home state of
Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi,
also reviewed party's poll pre‑
paredness in view of the coming
Lok Sabha elections.
It is the first CWC meeting being
Kartarpur corridor
Chandigarh: Indian and
Pakistani of ficials will meet at
Attari, near Amritsar, on
Thursday for their first meeting
to finalize the modalities of the
Kartarpur corridor to enable
Indian pilgrims to pray at the
historic Kartarpur Sahib gurd‑
wara in Pakistan.
The meeting, amid height‑
ened tensions between both
countries, is being held to dis‑
cuss the draft agreement for
setting up a dedicated corridor
that will allow pilgrims from
India to visit the Sikh shrine
attended by Priyanka Gand hi
located in Pakistan without
Vadra, who was earlier this year
obtaining a visa.
appointed general secretary in‑
Officials from the Home and
charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Foreign Ministries of both
Gandhi said in a tweet that the
countries will attend the meet‑
party is committed to defeating
ing at Attari, 30 km from
the BJP.
Amritsar.
"On the anniversary of Gandhi
Both sides will also have a
Ji's historic Dandi March, the
technical level discussion on
Congress Working Committee in
the alignment of the project.
Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the
The meeting will take place
RSS, BJP ideolog y of fascism,
exactly a month after the
hatred, anger and divisiveness. No
February 14 Pulwama terror
sacrifice is too g reat in this
attack in which 40 Central
endeavor, no effort too little, this
Reserve Police Force troopers
battle will be won," he said.
were killed, triggering India‑
Pakistan tensions.
While Punjab Chief Minister
Amarinder Singh has welcomed
the decision of the Home
Ministry to fasttrack the
Kartarpur corridor, he wants
"passport and visa free `khule
darshan' for pilgrims".
Sikhism founder Guru Nanak
Dev (1469‑1539) is hig hly
revered.
The Kartarpur Sahib gurd‑
wara, located about 4.5 km
from the international border
near the border town of Dera
Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur dis‑
trict of Punjab, is significant for
the Sikh community as it is
here that Guru Nanak Dev
spent 18 years of his life and
was his final resting place.
The governments of India and
Pakistan are trying to facilitate
the travel of pilgrims to of fer
prayers at the gurdwara, locat‑
ed in Narowal district of
Pakistan. The demand for this
has been made by the Sikh
community for the past over 70
years.

Key conspirator in Rahul vows one GST,

Pulwama attack killed guaranteed income
Srinagar: A Jaish‑e‑
Mohammed ( Je M) Gandhinagar: Accusing the BJP of only mak‑
militant who was a ing promises and not fulfilling them,
key conspirator Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday
behind the car bomb‑ said if his party wins the upcoming Lok Sabha
ing that killed 40 elections, it would deliver its promises of
CRPF troopers has farm loan waiver, guaranteed minimum
been shot dead by income scheme and a single‑tax regime to
security forces in replace the "complex GST".
Jammu and Addressing a public rally in Gandhinagar,
Kashmir's Pulwama he questioned Prime Minister Narendra
district, officials said Modi's patriotism, asking why he is not
on Monday. telling the nation that it was the earlier
"Mudasir Khan National Democratic Alliance (NDA) govern‑
alias Mohammad ment which had released Jaish‑e‑Mohammed
The site where two Jaish‑e‑Muhammad (JeM) Congress President Rahul Gandhi
Bhai, the key conspir‑ founder Masood Azhar ‑‑ the man behind the
militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces addresses at party rally in Gandhinagar.
ator in the February Pulwama suicide bombing.
in Pinglish Tral village, Pulwama district. (Photo: IANS/AICC)
14 terror attack in He said Azhar was nabbed and sent to jail
Pulwama, has been eliminated along that terror launch pads were still intact during the Cong ress government, and that we will form the government in 2019
with his Pakistani accomplice Khalid," across the Line of Control (LoC) in claimed that it was incumbent National and implement minimum income guarantee
Lt Gen K.J.S. Dhillon of the city‑head‑ Pakistan and that more militants were Security Advisor Ajit Doval who had escorted scheme across the nation and will give money
quartered Chinar Corps told the media. waiting to sneak in to the Valley. him to Kandhar in a special aircraft. directly into bank accounts of the poor," he
Senior Jammu and Kashmir Police CRPF Inspector General (Kashmir Gandhi also questioned Modi's "self‑pro‑ said.
and Central Reserve Police Force Sector) Zulfiqar Hassan said that the claimed" fight against corruption and accused The Congress delivered on its promise with‑
(CRPF) officers were also present. killing of Mudasir Khan and his accom‑ him of taking financial favours from Nirav in two days of forming governments in the
Mudasir Khan and Khalid were killed plice was "very significant" as they had Modi, Mehul Choksi, Vijay Mallya and Anil states of Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya
in a gunfight in Pinglish village in Tral been involved in attacks on CRPF per‑ Ambani. Pradesh, Gandhi said, adding that he felt bad
area late on Sunday. The house where sonnel. "Modi calls them Nirav bhai, Mehul bhai, for not being able to do the same for Gujarat's
they had taken shelter was destroyed. He, however, added that the security Anil bhai... They all give him money," he farmers who also need it just as much.
Lt Gen Dhillon said that in the last forces' job had not been fully accom‑ alleged. He also questioned Modi's demonetization
four weeks, security forces had killed plished because some key players, The Congress President said his party is decision, saying while he claimed it was part
18 JeM terrorists ‑‑ 10 Pakistanis and including those who indoctrinated going to come to power and would do "some‑ of a fight against black money, it only hurt
eight locals. Mudasir Khan and provided explosives thing historic". the poor.
"We have started aggressive opera‑ to him, were still at large. "Modi waived loans worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore "In those queues outside banks, did you see
tions to eliminate the JeM leadership in Police said that Mudasir Khan hailed of 15 industrialists...he gave money to the Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi or Anil Ambani? It
the Kashmir Valley," he said. from Midoora village in Tral area. His rich, but Congress is going to give money to was only the poor who stoo d in those
But the Corps Commander warned body was identified by his family. farmers and small businessmen. I assure you queues," he said.
14 March 16-22, 2019
Modi has changed India’s
counter-terrorism doctrine
By Shashi Shekhar
I
t was the summer of 2002.
Memories of the attack on
Parliament were fading, but
the wounds caused by it were
still raw. The armed forces of
both Pakistan and India faced
each other on the front. In those
days, the sight of the convoys of
soldiers approaching the north‑
ern border raised questions and
doubts ̶ would there be a war?
Would it escalate into a nuclear
conflict?
I still remember the day when
uncertainty loomed large in one
of the army encampments near
Jammu. In the bombing that
night, one of our farmers and his
daughter were killed. Across the
border too, innocent , helpless
people were being killed.
It was the t ime when Atal
Bihari Vajpayee, who was run‑
ning the government, had seri‑
ously contemplated a full‑scale
war, but that did not happen. At
Congress: Neither Ekla Chalo,
nor whole‑heartedly in coalition
By Saeed Naqvi
B
y announcing her own can‑
didature from Rae Bareli,
has Sonia Gandhi grounded
Priyanka Gandhi quite as abruptly
as she had taken of f? Or, is it a
function of post Pulwama demoral‑
ization that is causing the leader‑
ship to scale down aspirations? Is
the Robert Vadra investigation
beginning to tell?
Pulwama or no Pulwama, my
impression is that the Congress
was never in the fight full throttle.
Basically the Congress is all at sea,
balancing its self‑interest against
the larger interest ‑ that of the
coalition and the nation.
The Congress President is failing
Guru Dronacharya's fish eye test.
Unlike Arjuna who focused on the
fish eye, Rahul is scattering his
vision. He is not focusing on the
only target the coalition had set for
itself ‑ the removal of Narendra
Modi. Rahul's cohorts have bur‑
dened him with the task of ensur‑
ing Congress gains while waging
battle with the coalition against
Modi. Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka
OP-ED
In future, if India is attacked by terrorists, then New Delhiʼs rulers
would be expected to take similar action.
that time, the people who were America had launched an attack
close to those in power had given on Afghanistan. The Pentagon
two reasons for this. wanted Pakistan to not only pro‑
The first was the United Statesʼ vide access to its roads to
pressure. Washington at that American squads but also extend
time badly needed the Islamabad‑ every possible help to them.
Rawalpindi combine. The 9/11 Pakistanʼs argument was that
catastrophe had taken place a its army is mostly deployed on its
few months before. After this, border with India. So, America
Sonia Gandhi.
are even more direct: they would Pradesh, Delhi and West Bengal. It
go flat out if, at the end of the day, is not focused on the eye of the
the Prime Ministerial crown were fish; it is contemplating its navel.
Rahul's and not someone else's. Rahul has been as aggressive as
Coalition partners would exert he can be on Rafael and "chowki‑
every muscle in the regions of their dar chor hai", the watchman (Modi)
strength for a unified gameplan. is a thief, and so on! But he would
But they will not buy into any guar‑ be out of character to take on
antees for the Congress. Balance of Modi's gangster vocabulary,
forces, after votes have been count‑ snarling at Pakistan to summon up
ed, must determine the next phase. the nation's blood. Mamata
Surely, Congress numbers will mat‑ Banerjee, unlike Rahul, can be a
ter. But bereft of a coherent leader‑ street fighter, a fiery Durga when
ship, the party is creating confu‑ required. She raised issues of secu‑
sion by pulling its horses in Uttar rity lapse at Pulwama. How did
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
should not expect much assis‑
tance from Pakistan. This is the
reason why the US was pressur‑
ing India to remove its army from
the borders. During the Kargil
conflict, the US had worked as a
mediator and Vajpayee had not
forgotten it. Hence, he had
agreed.
But, those asso ciated w ith
internal security and intelligence
agencies at that time say that our
armyʼs morale was high, but the
equipment and weaponry were
not up to scratch. T herefore,
Vajpayee thought it better to
oblige the US. Itʼs a different mat‑
ter altogether that the army
sources have always condemned
and criticized this argument.
Whatever be the reality, the war
was put off and it was also decid‑
ed that India will follow the old
practice and tactics to fight ter‑
rorism in the coming years. The
next prime minister, Manmohan
Singh, also decided to follow the
same path for a decade, but
hundreds of kg of RDX reach a mis‑
guided 20‑year‑old in a state satu‑
rated with surveillance? Above all,
the lies about numbers killed at
Balakot. The world media, taken to
the spot, has reported zero casual‑
ties.
In Congress culture, regional
leaders were always cut down to
size. Is Sheila Dikshit in the process
of reversing the trend? Is she cut‑
ting the leadership down to size?
Congress will come third in all
seven seats, if that indeed is what
she wants in Delhi. Is she piqued
that AAP has fielded its strongest
candidate, Atishi, the education
whiz kid, from East Delhi which
Sheila's son, Sandeep Dikshit, had
been salivating on?
Since it is universally accepted by
folks in the Congress that results in
Delhi are not likely to flatter, why
is this adventure being permitted?
Because Dikshit has been able to
persuade Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and
Priyanka that for the party to
"revive" it cannot af ford to be a
cypher in the capital city? In brief,
defeating Narendra Modi has been
deprioritized. Not for the first time,
Narendra Modi has changed this
doctrine.
Even if we set aside the political
debate which has been going on
in both the countries after the
aerial surgical strike, one thing is
certain that this move by Modi
has actually institutionalized this
line of resistance even for the
next government, irrespective of
who heads it. In future, if India is
attacked by terrorists, then New
Delhiʼs rulers would be expected
to take similar action.
Itʼs clear that we will have to
keep a tight vigil over steps taken
by Pakistan. The midnightʼs chil‑
dren Salman Rushdie wrote about
have been born together but
their re lationship is not one
based on trust. It is a tragedy that
more than 1.5 billion people liv‑
ing on both sides of the border
have inherited this crown of
thorns.
(Shashi Shekhar is editor‑in‑
chief, Hindustan.)
the Congress is thinking "long
term", exactly as it thought in
2013‑14. In April 2013, Rahul told
the Confederation of Indian
Industry that he would first build
grassroots democracy in the party.
If in Delhi it was Sheila Dikshit's
soaring vision to be accommodat‑
ed, in Kolkata, CPI‑M General
Secretary Sitaram Yechury's yen to
rediscover Jyoti Basu's golden peri‑
od for the Left is being indulged.
Mamata Banerjee, focused on the
fish‑eye, has been quite sporting
about the combine. By remaining in
play, the Congress may cushion
some anti‑incumbency vote which
may have drifted towards the BJP.
She is politically sound. T he
Congress understanding of
Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh
deserves to be spelt out. "With the
Enforcement Directorate constant‑
ly hovering over her, there is no
certainty on her future behaviour."
By placing its money both ways in
three states, the Congress may well
have forfeited some of its claim,
should the cookie crumble the
coalition's way after the vote is
counted.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info COMMUNITY March 16-22, 2019 15

Bolly-ball diplomacy at Nassau Coliseum

Indian community thronged the game between NBA G teams as
Indian groups performed before the game and at half‐time.
Garden City, NY: In a unique display of Karwal, Dr. Sheetal Desai,
“Bollyball diplomacy”, Indian Heritage Night Bina Kothari, Roopam Maini,
organized at Nassau Coliseum showcased Ragini Srivastava, Dr.
Indiaʼs soft power as seen in cultural perform‑ Himanshu Pandya, Farah The basket‑
ball game
ances before the game and at half‑time even Vaswani, Jay Shah, Mahavir
was between
as the community showed their commitment Chavda, Neil Trivedi, Rajeev
two NBA G
to a true blue American game. Chaudhary, Raksha Parekh, teams ‑‑ Long
At the February 27 event the Indian com‑ Sanjay Sura, Roopa Sridhar, Island Nets
munity was invited to participate in a major Rajeev Modi, Rizwan and Delaware
basketball game between two NBA G teams ‑‑ Qureshi, Rajiv Mody, Harry Blue Coats.
Long Island Nets and Delaware Blue Coats. Malhotra and Swati
The event was hosted by the Indian Vaishnav.
American Advisory Committee of NYCB
LIVEʼs Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Dilip Chauhan, the President of New York
South Asian Chamber of Commerce, was
Chair and and Raj Shah Co‑Chair. A 30‑second
silence was observed in the memory of the
martyrs of the recent terror attack
atPulwama in Jammu & Kashmir. Indiaʼs
Deputy Consul General in New York,
Shatrughna Sinha addressed the gathering.
Sudhir Vaishnav, veteran of managing many
business, was reognized for his contribution
to the community. Indian American Advisory
Committee members include Hiren Chauhan,
Sreedhar Shanmugam, Hitesh Patel, Amita

Indian American
run firm to acquire
Yatra Online
New Delhi: US soft‑
ware firm Ebix on
Monday said it has
offered to acquire
100 per cent of the
outstanding stock of
Zee TV to host inaugural gala for St. Jude
Yatra Online for $7
per share on a debt‑ Childrenʼs Research Hospital® on April 6
free basis. Yatra
Online, Inc is the par‑
ent company of Yatra
Robin Raina is
Ebixʼs Chairman,
at The Gallery at Dream Downtown
Online Pvt Ltd which is President and
CEO. (Photo NEW YORK (March 4, 2019) – Zee TV is planning an inaugural gala for St. Jude Childrenʼs Research
based in Gurugram,
courtesy Hospital® at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at The Gallery at Dream Downtown to unite South Asian
India and is India's
leading Corporate
LiveMint) community leaders, influencers and philanthropists in the fight to end childhood cancer. Among the
Travel services provider with over 800 cor‑ guests will Bollywood actor R. Madhavan.
porate customers and one of India's leading
online travel companies and operates the There will be a cocktail reception, dinner, silent auction, Bollywood performance, and remarks delivered
website Yatra.com. by a St. Jude patient family. Events like this help ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for
"Ebix intends to merge Yatra Online in its treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Indian EbixCash subsidiary setup. Ebix's
offer is subject to due diligence and cus‑
“St. Jude Childrenʼs Research Hospital has the heartfelt commitment of Zee TV to support its mission
tomary regulatory and other closing condi‑
because it is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life‑
tions," Ebix said in a statement.
"The Ebix offer expects any outstanding
threatening diseases,” said Sameer Targe, CEO for Zee TV Americas. “We also encourage our viewers to
warrants to be surrendered or bought and become a St. Jude Partner in Hope by donating monthly toward this noble cause.”
retired before closing by Yatra Online; fail‑
ing which Ebix would pay for the prevailing Last year Zee TV demonstrated its support for the hospital by elevating the visibility of the St. Jude
market price of the warrants at the time of brand at some of the largest Diwali celebrations in the U.S., including those in Atlanta, Tampa and Dallas.
closing, while adjusting its overall $7 share
price payable to Yatra Online shareholders Zee TV USA was the first‑ever Hindi General Entertainment channel to be launched in the U.S. in 1998.
downwards at the time of closing, by the
The company now has 43 networks and a full‑time dedicated workforce in five locations across North
quantum of money paid by Ebix for retiring
America and the Caribbean.
those warrants," it said. Robin Raina,
Atlanta based Ebixʼs Chairman, President
and Chief Executive Officer, was elected a St. Jude treats patients from all 50 states and around the world in addition to providing hundreds of
director of the Company in February 2000. free physician consultations annually. St. Jude also freely shares the discoveries it makes, so doctors and
He was The South Asian Times Person of scientists can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.
the Year ‑ 2012.
 16 March 16-22, 2019
Pichai, Blair, film stars grace Ambani scionʼs grand wedding
F
ormer United Nations
Secretary General Ban Ki‑
moon, former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and his wife
Cherie Blair, Google CEO Sundar
Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya
Nadella and a host of politicians
and film personalities graced
Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta's
grand wedding in Mumbai on
March 9.
Bollywood celebrities Shah Rukh
Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Ayan
Mukerji and Karan Johar, as well
as cricketer Hardik Pandya danced
away to singer Mika Singh's live
tracks as industrialist Mukesh
Ambani's son Akash made his way
to wed his childhood friend
Shloka, the daughter of Mona and
Russell Mehta.
The celebrities joined the lively
and colorful "baraat", which also
saw the groom's parents ‑‑ Mukesh
and Nita Ambani ‑‑ and sister Isha
Ambani groove.
The groom looked dapper in a
soft pink, intricately embroidered
and sequinned sherwani, while the
bride chose a traditional red for
Badla is nifty
nugget of noire
By Subhash K Jha
T
he phonetic distance between
badla, the Hindi word for
revenge that serves as the
deliciously filmy title of this delicate‑
ly drawn whodunit, and Badal, the
name that the lawyer‑protagonist is
known by is easily bridgable. The
craftily‑plotted whodunit shows us
why vendetta is best served cold. It
unfolds in snowcapped England,
you see.
Or, do you?
Amitabh Bachchan plays Badal
Gupta, a hotshot lawyer on the verge
of retirement who has never lost a
case. Badal goes for the kill when he
is invited to look into a case of a
murder accused, a nonchalant
imperturbable married woman
named Naina Sethi whose morals are
so reprehensible they make Indrani
Mukerjea seem excusably misguided
in comparison.
Kudos to Tapsee Pannu for playing
a woman who won't stop at anything
to get what she wants. It shows the
expanding moral spectrum of cellu‑
loid heroism to see a female protago‑
nist so low in the conscience depart‑
ment, and it is a pleasure to see
Pannu so good in being bad.
Director Sujoy Ghosh, it seems, has
adapted a Spanish film "The Invisible
Guest". Pannu's entrepreneur‑hero‑
ine has a loving family of devoted
husband and adorable little daugh‑
ter. Why would she break the
domestic idyll to have an affair with
an anglo‑Indian Arjun (Tony Luke)
Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta get married in Mumbai; former UK PM Tony Blair and wife Cherie at the wedding.
the D‑Day.
Akash kickstarted the wedding
festivities by offering prayers to
his paternal grandfather, late
Dhirubhai Ambani, and maternal
grandfather, late Ravindrabhai
Dalal.
The wedding venue ‑‑ Jio World
Centre in Bandra‑Kurla Complex ‑‑
REVIEW
Actress Tapsee Pannu plays a
woman who won't stop at
anything to get what she wants.
who must wear cross around his
neck even while bearing it (the cross,
I mean) and who speaks with a thick
Bandra‑Catholic accent that tends to
take away from the gravity of the cri‑
sis on hand.
Ghosh fills up the frames with an
implosive tension. Most of the time
there are just Bachchan and his
accused (far from a victim) talking,
exchanging barbed words and slant‑
ed glances that give nothing away.
Both the actors are adept at using
words to express more than just
what they want to say. There is a
third crucial character, played by the
powerful Amrita Singh who makes
even an offer for a cup of tea seem
like a stern rebuke. It's a pity that
there isn't much of Singh with
Bachchan together. What I wouldn't
give to see that Mard‑slinging!
BOLLYWOOD
was decked up with elaborate flo‑
ral arrangements set according to
a garden theme, complete with a
faux waterfall, floral figurines, a
fountain and a grand stage with a
huge Krishna idol done up with
flowers.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai and
Microsoft head honcho Satya
I have an opinion, but I like to
keep it to myself: Alia Bhatt
A
ctress Alia Bhatt has
responded to Kangana
Ranaut's criticism regard‑
ing celebrities who don't take a
stand on political and social
issues by saying that she has an
opinion on matters, but she likes
to keep it to herself.
Alia was interacting with the
media at the fourth edition of
Outlook Business magazine's
'Women of Worth' awards in
Mumbai. Kangana recently criti‑
cized actors like Ranbir Kapoor,
Alia and Ranveer Singh for not
voicing their opinions on political
topics and for staying aloof from
issues concerning the society at
large. Commenting on this, Alia
said: "I definitely don't have that
Kareena called 'aunty' by
netizen, here's how she reacted
A
fter being called an "aunty"
on social media, actress
Kareena Kapoor Khan
seems to be upset with netizens
for constantly targeting celebrities
on social media.
In the trailer of an upcoming
web series, celebrities like
Sonakshi Sinha, Karan Johar,
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Kapil
Sharma are seen chatting with its
host and actor Arbaaz Khan. In the
over two‑minute long video,
among various things, Arbaaz is
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Nadella too came for the celebra‑ Kiran Rao, Alia Bhatt, Karisma
tions, as did politicians like Praful Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan,
Patel and HD Deve Gowda. Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod
As for the film world, the Chopra, Anu Malik, Armaan Jain,
Bachchan family, including Jackie Shroff, Vidya Balan, Vishal‑
Amitabh, Jaya, Shweta, Abhishek, Shekhar, Gauri Khan, Farah Khan,
Aishwarya and Aaradhya, were in Juhi Chawla, Kiara Advani,
attendance, as were Rajinikanth, Sidharth Malhotra and Shabana
Priyanka Chopra, Aamir Khan and Azmi.
ability to speak as candidly as
Kangana does and I really respect
her for that. Maybe, in a way she
is right that sometimes we do
hold back because we don't want
to talk unnecessarily about an
issue." "My dad (filmmaker
Mahesh Bhatt) always says that
there are already so many
opinions in the world, so the
world can do with one less
opinion. So, I have an opin‑
ion but I will keep it to
myself. But kudos to her
(Kangana) because she genuinely
speaks really well."
Actress Alia Bhatt is basking
in the success of
recently‑released ʻGully Boyʼ.
seen showing a comment to
Kareena. It reads "You are an
aunty now... don't act like a teenag‑
er". After reading it, she is seen
smiling. Later in the video,
Kareena seems to be angry. She
says: "Celebrities, actors, actresses
do not have any feelings. We have
to just take everything." Despite
not being on social media, Kareena
is not immune to trolls and online
critics. This is not the first time Bollywood diva Kareena
that she has been trolled or been Kapoor Khan is not immune
judged on the Internet. to trolls and online critics.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info BOLLYWOOD March 16-22, 2019 17

Irrfan Khan makes rare Celebrities have a responsibility

appearance amidst to uphold their public
tumor treatment image in private spaces
A
ctor Irrfan Khan, who
returned to India last
By Subhash K Jha space. The world today, and
especially most of the young‑

P
month after receiving
ractice what you preach. sters, are two different animals
neuroendocrine tumor treat‑
Priyanka Chopra forgot in their personal and public
ment in London, was spotted at
the validity of this adage space. There is no room for
Mumbai airport.
when at her wedding in truth in most of the lives they
According to the photographs
December last year in Jodhpur share with people... ironic
that surfaced online, Irrfan can
she was seen enjoying a fire‑ since this is a time of
be seen avoiding paparazzi at
works display. social media where appar‑
the airport as he chose to hide
Suddenly her reputation went ently you let people see you
his face with a muffler. He was
up in the sky ‑ at least for a for what you are and intimate‑
spotted wearing a pink jacket
while. Here was an actress who ly... yet there is zero intimacy..
and camouflage pants.
has privately spoken up about just carefully manufactured
However, it was not clear
noise and smoke pollution illusions of reality."
where the "Piku" actor was
caused by fireworks, and there Industry spokesperson
heading to.
she was enjoying the poison that Ashoke Pandit sees an urgent
Back in March last year,
she had condemned publicly. need for celebrities to prac‑
Irrfan had revealed that he has
A co‑star‑pal of Chopra com‑ tice what they preach.
been diagnosed with a rare
mented, "It was her wedding. "The celebrity should be
tumor. Soon after, he went to
She was just having fun, some educated enough to com‑
London for treatment.
unthinking fun. I agree she ment on that particular sub‑
"The unexpected makes us
should have been more careful ject. Once the comment is out
grow, which is what the past
with what she was doing. But it's in the public domain, the
few days have been about.
okay. No harm done." celebrity must abide by it. He
Learning that I have been diag‑
Actress‑producer Pooja Bhatt has a responsibility towards the
nosed with neuroendocrine
spoke about the need for society as people follow them.
tumour as of now has admitted‑ Actor Irrfan Khan will
soon start shooting the celebrities with a voice to make Moreover they should follow
ly been difficult, but the love
sequel of ʻHindi Mediumʼ. sure their private conduct does‑ what they preach. One
and strength of those around
n't contradict their public image. should be very careful
me and that I found within me It is also reported that the 52‑
"I can only speak for myself... I when one has to comment
has brought me to a place of year‑old actor will soon start
have always been the same per‑ on sensitive issues." In short, Celebrities like Priyanka Chopra
hope," Irrfan earlier said while shooting the sequel of his 2017
son in my personal and public practice what you preach. should practice what they preach.
sharing the news of his tumor. film "Hindi Medium".

Originality is a dichotomous terminology: Amitabh

A
mitabh Bachchan and his craft has get your energy from? Or is it respect for
captivated several generations work which defines your underlying ethic?
now, ageless as he is, the thespian I am at loss as to why you or many oth‑
has completed 50 years in an industry ers ask me this question?
which he straddles like a colossus.
Excerpts from an interview: From eight releases in a year in your
A fulfilling journey where you have time, the stars now do one movie in a year
worked with great directors and actors, or even two years, is this a function of
would you say Hrishida and Pran are your New Age commerce?
favorites, they were both lucky for you in It is a recognition of better management,
different ways...you made 10 films with both financial and personal. The good
Hrishida? thing is that music and melody are back in
Every director, actor, writer, producer, Hindi cinema, Music is enjoyed by one and
colleague that I have worked with shall all, music plucks the chords and strings of
ever remain my favorites... our souls.

When you hit your strides, did you take
acting classes or consciously or uncon‑
sciously imitate someone or does anyone
influence your work?
No, I never took any acting lessons, nor
did I consciously or unconsciously imitate
someone, unless asked by my makers to
do so .. and there were a few such occa‑
sions! I have no idea on the method of act‑
ing, and have never taken or hit any
strides.
One hears of Ranveer Singh living and
breathing his roles these days...or getting
into character, I am sure many of your
roles would have required major prepara‑
tion, for instance 'Pa' or 'Black', if you
could explain your craft for such difficult
roles?
I have no craft and no idea of what the
Bollywood thespian Amitabh Bachchan has completed 50 years in the industry.
others do in what they do so brilliantly .. I
have followed as diligently as possible the
written words of the writer, and the direc‑
tion given to me by the directors!
During a large part of your peak years,
you actually had a very difficult relation‑
ship with media, including a major part
when media boycotted you...and you now
have a fabulous relationship with media.
Explain this paradox?
I am certain you are more than aware
that one can never be too close to the
media or too far away from them! The
media is the fourth estate, the conscience
of the nation. I shall have the capacity, or
the audacity to live with my conscience,
but not that of the media's. It would be
foolish of me to think so.
Fifty years of greasepaint and yet the
fire remains undiminished. Where do you
Is Hindi cinema in good hands with a
New Gen of young directors and actors
and middle‑of‑the‑road cinema…?
Times and circumstances change. They
change for every profession too. Films are
no different. The present generation is an
audacious package of incredible talent! I
am in immense admiration of them, and
am fortunate that I get to play a small part
in their company. They provide a different
and alternative world‑view and this is
educative. Never ever underestimate the
credibility, dexterity, adroitness and skill
of the writers and makers of today's enter‑
tainment world. They have been the rea‑
son and cause of the flourish and prolifer‑
ated blossoming in our creativity for the
past 100 + years! It deserves respect and
dignity. Originality is a dichotomous
terminology.
 18 March 16-22, 2019 INDIA FEATURE TheSouthAsianTimes.info

A chance meeting with PM Modi inspired this

Grammy winner to dedicate music to environment
By Bhavana Akella Even as Kej pursued a dental
science course on his father's Grammy Award
Bengaluru: A chance meeting with advice, he continued to create winner Ricky Kej,
accompanied by his
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 music and decided to pursue it
wife Varsha, called
in New Delhi inspired Bengaluru‑based full‑time on completing the on Prime Minister
Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej to degree. Narendra Modi in
dedicate his life and music to the cause As a professor at the National New Delhi in
of environment. Institute of Advanced Studies at September 2015.
Since then, Kej, who has represented Indian Institute of Science cam‑ Born in North
Carolina, he had
India on global fora, performing at ven‑ pus in Bengaluru, the musician
moved as a kid to
ues including the United Nations believes his job is to approach Bengaluru with his
General Assembly in New York and UN environmental subjects artisti‑ family. (Photo: IANS)
Headquarters in Geneva, has been using cally. IANS
music to flag ecological issues to policy‑
makers and public the world over.
"What was to be a photo opportunity
with the PM turned into an hour‑long
discussion with him on environment. He
spoke on the impact music could have
on society and inspired me to make
music on environment," Kej told IANS.
From songs like "Ganga" ‑ depicting
the plight of the river considered holy
by most Indians ‑ to his Grammy‑win‑
ning album "Winds of Samsara" ‑ which
speaks of peace and global harmony ‑
Kej's music connects with all ‑‑ from
world leaders to the man on the street.
With the aid of compelling visuals,
Kej's music, and collaborations with
global music artists, highlights the dele‑
terious consequences of urbanization,
climate change and human‑animal con‑
flict.
"There are so many issues in India like
child labor, gender inequality and
poverty, which none seem to be reflect‑
ing through music.
We see that music has lost the identity
of being an art form and has become a
profession," he lamented.
Kej, 37, bagged Grammy in 2015 for
the 'Best New Age Album' for "Winds of
Samsara", created along with South
African flautist Wouter Kellerman. He is
also recognised as the 'United Nations
Global Humanitarian Artist' for his
music with environmental conscious‑
ness.
With 15 studio albums released inter‑
nationally, 3,500 commercials, three
feature films in Kannada and over 100
music awards in 20 countries to his
credit, the conservationist‑musician's
album "Shanti Samsara" was released
by Modi and then French President
Francois Hollande at the UN Conference
of Parties (CoP‑21) Climate Change
Conference in Paris in December 2015.
The album, conceived after his meet‑
ing with Modi, had Kej collaborate with
about 500 musicians from 40 countries,
for songs like "Ganga", throwing light
on the pollution plaguing the river, and
on "Earth and Water".
Born in 1981 in North Carolina in the
US, Kej moved to Bengaluru with family
when he was eight, with intense love for
music and nature.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Pakistan's duplicity on anti-India
militants exposed by BBC
You cannot trust Imran Khan governmentʼs announcement about cracking down on terrorists.
There have been highly publicized crackdowns on such groups before too, only for the mosques and
religious schools to be handed back to their previous owners, and those detained to be later released
for "lack of evidence”. Indian officials told the BBC they had "seen all of this before".
By Secunder Kermani
BBC News
Islamabad: Standing guard at the gate of a
madrassa on the outskirts of Islamabad was a
stern‑looking young man, armed with what
appeared to be a powerful automatic rifle,
and missing one eye.
Inside, one of those involved in running the
religious school acknowledged it is "said to
be run by Jaish‑e‑Mohammad" ‑ the militant
group which claimed responsibility for last
month's suicide attack in Indian‑administered
Kashmir's Pulwama district, which killed
some 40 troops and sparked a conflict
between Pakistan and India.
But the cleric said the allegations were
untrue and the madrassa was, in fact, just
another ordinary Islamic school.
A small poster on the wall behind him,
however, depicted an assortment of guns
alongside a slogan evoking a famous battle
from Islamic history. In the dusty street out‑
side, a poster advertising a rally on behalf of
the Kashmiri cause was emblazoned with the
distinctive white and black flag of Jaish‑e‑
Mohammad (JeM).
As part of a "crackdown" on militants in
Pakistan, hundreds of seminaries and other
buildings allegedly linked to groups, includ‑
ing JeM, have been taken over by the govern‑
ment in recent days.
The brother of JeM founder Masood Azhar
has been taken into "preventative detention"
alongside another relative and dozens of oth‑
ers. No‑one from the security forces had con‑
tacted this madrassa in Islamabad however.
Azhar himself is believed have been in pro‑
tective custody in Pakistan since 2016 ‑
though he has continued to release audio
messages to supporters.
"It is our resolve that our soil will not be
used to harm anyone else," Pakistan's Interior
Minister Shehryar Khan Afridi told reporters
earlier this week, stressing that the action
was not due to any "external pressure" but
had already been planned by the authorities.
But there have been other highly publicized
crackdowns on such groups before too, often
when Pakistan has been in the international
spotlight, only for the mosques and religious
schools to be handed back to their previous
owners, and those detained to be later
released due a "lack of evidence."
As a result some are skeptical that this lat‑
est action really means the Pakistani state
will put an end to the activities of India‑
focused militant groups, long believed to
have enjoyed the support of the country's
intelligence services. Indian officials told the
BBC they had "seen all of this before". Jaish‑e‑
Mohammad was founded by Masood Azhar in
2000, shortly after he was released from
prison in India following the hijacking of an
Indian airline by fellow militants.
PAKISTAN
Masood Azhar who founded Jaish,
which claimed credit for the Pulwama
attack, is in "protective custody" though
he has continued to release audio
messages to supporters.
Azhar had been an influential militant fig‑
ure in the 1990s with links to the conflicts in
both Afghanistan and Kashmir.
Pakistani analyst Ahmed Rashid says in
those early days JeM jihadists were "highly
trained and highly motivated" fighters. And
because they were not overtly linked to the
Pakistani state, India had "no clear answer"
on how to respond to their attacks. Pakistan
retained an element of plausible deniability.
Another militant g roup fo cused on
Kashmir, Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT ), is also
believed to have enjoyed the patronage of the
security services.
With the international community increas‑
ingly focused on the threats from jihadist
groups after the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan
banned both JeM and LeT. However, their
leadership has never been convicted of any
crime, and both organizations took on new
names, with Lashkar‑e‑Taiba becoming
Jamaat‑ud‑Dawa.
In 2007, the Pakistani state's uneasy rela‑
tionship with jihadist groups was finally shat‑
tered by a bloody standoff between militant
supporters and the security forces in
Islamabad.
After that, jihadists grouped themselves
into either "anti" or "pro" Pakistan camps.
The former targeted Pakistani security forces
and civilians, killing thousands. The latter
remained focused on fighting American
forces in Afghanistan, and Indian forces in
Kashmir.
The leaders of Jamaat‑ud‑Dawa, and JeM
remained loyal to the Pakistani state,
although many of their fighters, particularly
from JeM, defected to anti‑state groups.
Pakistan's security forces have been
remarkably successful in reducing the capa‑
LeT founder Hafiz Saeed,
mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai
attack, was even allowed to create
a apolitical party in Pakistan.
bilities of anti‑state militants. The number of
those killed in terrorist attacks in Pakistan
dropped from close to 2,500 in 2013 to 595
in 2018.
However, that leaves the question of what
to do with the more loyal groups such as JeM
and LeT/JuD, who are alleged to have contin‑
ued to launch attacks on India.
JeM is believed to have carried out two
major attacks in Kashmir in 2016, while LeT
founder Hafiz Saeed has been accused by
Indian authorities of orchestrating the 2008
Mumbai attacks ‑ though he denies that.
At the time it was alleged the Pakistani
intelligence services were complicit, and
although they denied that, legal action
against those suspected of involvement has
been suspiciously slow.
But now these militant groups seem to be
an obstacle to Prime Minister Imran Khan's
stated aim of improving the country's rela‑
tionship with India; and perhaps more cru‑
cially they have also contributed to Pakistan
being placed on the Financial Action Task
Force "grey list" for not doing enough to
tackle the financing of militant organizations.
A "grey list" designation can make interna‑
tional businesses think twice before conduct‑
ing business in a country, and Pakistan's
economy is in need of foreign investment.
Pakistani of ficials, however, have
expressed concern that directly confronting
JeM or JuD could provoke another spike in
violence. Last year, analysts and Pakistani
military figures floated the idea of "main‑
streaming" some of those linked to militant
groups. Shortly afterwards, ahead of the elec‑
tions that Imran Khan won, supporters of
JuD (and LeT) founder Saeed created a politi‑
cal party. Although they were unable to win a
March 16-22, 2019 19
single seat, they may still prove easier to deal
with than JeM.
Over the years Saeed has managed to
establish a large charity network of ambu‑
lances and basic healthcare facilities. Many
of them are now being taken over by the gov‑
ernment, but analyst Amir Rana from the
Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies says the
authorities have "very little concerns about
retaliation" from his supporters. JuD have
signaled they will challenge the moves in
court.
But officials are worried about the poten‑
tial of violence from the more secretive JeM ‑
the group responsible for the Kashmir
Pulwama attack. After JeM was banned in
2002, splinter elements of the group tried to
assassinate the country's then military ruler
Pervez Musharraf.
At a recent closed meeting between the
head of the Pakistani Army and a group of
politicians, a source told the BBC that mili‑
tary leaders gave assurances that the mili‑
tants would be tackled. However the military
officials warned there were too many to com‑
pletely eliminate by force alone, and instead
suggested some be mainstreamed.
Early proposals by the government report‑
edly include establishing de‑radicalization
centers for members of these groups, and
finding them jobs, including somewhat
bizarrely using them as a kind of "paramili‑
tary" force.
A senior politician told the BBC that there
was now an understanding in Pakistan that
the use of "proxy" forces in Kashmir is count‑
er‑productive, distracting from allegations of
Indian "human rights abuses". But, he added,
the preference would be to engage with mili‑
tants peacefully if possible.
The latest takeovers of madrassas and
mosques linked to militants will give the
Pakistani government some favorable head‑
lines, but it's what they do next that will
count. Will there be actual prosecutions? Will
the groups really be prevented from carrying
out activities across the border? Are attempts
at "mainstreaming" really aimed at weaning
jihadists away from violence? Or are they
simply a way to give them a veil of legitima‑
cy?
I visited another madrassa, in another poor
Islamabad suburb, that was taken over last
year by the government from Hafiz Saeed's
charity, JuD.
The staff in charge there remains the same.
They tell me the only change is that a local
government of ficial carries out regular
inspections, and that they are now funded by
the government rather than by donations.
The traditional shalwar kameez garment
worn by the security guard at the madrassa
is even still embroidered with the now offi‑
cially banned group's name: JuD.
Courtesy BBC News
 20 March 16-22, 2019 SUBCONTINENT TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Pakistan to upgrade group of

banned outfits to 'high risk'
Islamabad: Pakistan has decided
to upgrade a group of banned
outfits, including the Jaish‑e‑
Mohammad (JeM), to the "high
risk" category and start monitor‑
ing and re‑examining their activi‑
ties to comply with the require‑
ments of the Financial Action
Task Force (FATF).
The Paris‑based global watch‑
dog against financial crimes had
expressed dissatisfaction over
considering these entities as low
to medium risk and said Pakistan
did "not demonstrate a proper
understanding of the terror
financing risks posed by the JeM,
Islamic State (IS), Al Qaeda,
Jamaat‑ud‑Dawa (JuD), Falah‑i‑
Insaniat Foundat ion (FIF),
Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT), Haqqani
Network, and persons af filiated
with the Taliban", Dawn news
reported.
All these g roups have now
been described as "high‑risk"
entities and would be subject to
Jaish‑e‑Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.
greater scrutiny by all agencies Federal Investigation Agency,
and institutions of the country, Securit ies and Exchange
starting from their registration Commission of Pakistan, State
to operations and from their Bank of Pakistan, Nat ional
fund collection to bank accounts Counter‑Terrorism Authority,
and issuance of suspicious trans‑ Financial Monitoring Unit,
actions, information sharing and among others.
so on, an informed official said. He said these decisions were
The institutions include the taken at a meeting of the general
Iran warns Pak over inaction
against state‑sponsored terror
New Delhi: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has stepped up pres‑
sure on Pakistan by asserting that Pak‑based sources and sponsors
of cross‑border terror funding are "well‑known" and warned that
inaction against terror groups will undermine Iran‑Pak ties.
The Iranian leader asked Pakistan to rein in terror groups on its
territory and said a number of terror attacks in the country have
been traced to across the border in Pakistan.
Speaking to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan over phone,
Iran's president Rouhani said,“We are witnessing many terrorist
attacks by terrorists who are unfortunately located on the Pakistani
soil, and in dealing with these terrorists, whose existence are not in
favor of us, you and the region, we are fully ready to cooperate with
the Pakistani army and government".
council on FATF led by Finance reviews. The FATF would make a
Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan as fresh review of Pakistan's cur‑
part of a series of meetings to rent progress and whether the
comply with the watchdog's obli‑ country should be moved out of
gations. the "grey list" it imposed last
Khan had led the Pakistani del‑ year or be downgraded to the
eg at ion to Paris during the "black list" having serious finan‑
February 18‑22 meetings of the cial and economic repercussions
FATF plenary and its g roup in case of serious shortcomings.

Fugitive Taliban leader Attack on Myanmar‑Bangladesh

Mullah Omar 'lived border construction work
Nay Pyi Taw: Security forces sta‑

close to US bases' tioned to supervise Myanmar‑

Bangladesh border fencing work in
Amsterdam: The Talibanʼs Buthidaung township in
elusive one‑eyed leader Myanmar's Rakhine state came
Mullah Omar lived within under attack from the Arakan
walking distance of US bases Army (AA), an ethnic armed group,
in Afghanistan, a new book of ficials said. The 200‑strong AA
has claimed. members launched the attack from
Bette Dam's "The Secret the Bangladesh side separately
Life of Mullah Omar" says the between the border posts BP‑67
leader never hid in Pakistan and BP‑68, Xinhua news agency
as believed by the US, the reported, quoting the Of fice of
BBC reported. Commander‑in Chie f of the
The Myanmar‑Bangladesh border fence
Instead, he lived in hiding Defence Services of Myanmar.
construction work is underway since 2010.
just three miles from a major Myanmar security forces have
US Forward Operating Base warned of a military operation and properties of the people. underway since 2010, under four
Taliban leader Mullah Omar against the AA for safeguarding The Myanmar‑Bangladesh bor‑ phases to prevent illegal entry
in his home province of
died due to illness in 2013. the territory as well as the lives der fence construction work is from the country's western gate.
Zabul.
Dutch journalist Dam spent five Despite claims by the militants,
years researching and interviewing
Taliban members for her book.
Omar could not run the Taliban
group from his hiding places. No 'vacuum' in Afghanistan
She managed to speak to Jabbar Mullah Mohammed Omar signed
Omari, the man who effectively
became Omar's bodyguard when he
control
Defense
of the Taliban over to his
Minister, Mullah
needs to be filled: China
went into hiding after the ousting of Obaidullah, in December 2001. Beijing: There is no "vacuum" in the sidelines to build a momen‑ Afghanistan to set store by the
the Taliban regime in 2001. He lived three miles from Forward Afghanistan that needs to be tum for dialogue, Wang said at a greater good of the country and
Omari hid the Taliban leader until Operating Base Wolverine, home to filled because that land belongs to press conference on the sidelines the people, seize the major oppor‑
his death from illness in 2013, the 1,000 US troops and where US Navy the people of Afg hanistan, of the country's annual legislative tunity for political reconciliation,
report quoted the Dam as saying. US Seals and British SAS forces were Chinese Foreign Minister Wang session. settle dif ferences through dia‑
forces even searched the accommo‑ sometimes based, Dam's book Yi said as he called on the inter‑ "Pursuing peace requires more logue, beat swords into
dation on one occasion, but failed to claimed. national community to support courage than stoking conflict," ploughshares, and join hands to
find his hiding place, it added. Omar would sometimes hide in the "Afg han‑led and Afg han‑ Wang said, adding that push open the door to peace," he
He later moved to a second build‑ irrigation tunnels to avoid detection. owned" reconciliation process. Afghanistan was at a critical said. "As Afghanistan's neighbour
ing just three miles from another US He lived in isolation and eventually China calls on the international moment as there were both the and friend, China will respect its
base, home to about 1,000 troops, invented his own language. He died community to give firm support potential dawn of peace and the people's wish and needs, continue
Dam said, adding that Omar got his on April 23, 2013, and was buried for the "Afg han‑led, Afg han‑ buildup of risks and challenges, to do its best for reconciliation
news from the BBC's Pashto lan‑ without a coffin in a featureless owned" reconciliation process Xinhua news agency reported. and reconstruct ion in
guage service. grave, Dam said. and play a constructive role from "We appeal to all parties in Afghanistan."
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
All 157 on board killed as Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashes
Addis Ababa: An E thiopian
Airlines jet crashed shortly after
it took‑of f from here, killing all
157 people on board.
The airline said 149 passen‑
gers and eight crew members
were on flight ET302 from the
Ethiopian capital to Nairobi in
Kenya, the BBC reported.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde
Gebremariam told a press confer‑
ence that passengers from more
than 30 countries were on board
the flight.
He said they included 32
Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine
Ethiopians, eight Italians, eight
Chinese, eight Americans, seven
Britons, seven French citizens, six
Egyptians, five Dutch citizens,
four Indians and four people
from Slovakia.
Three Austrians, three Swedes,
three Russians, two Moroccans,
two Spaniards, two Poles and two
Israelis were also on the flight.
UK strips 2
more IS brides'
citizenship
Previously, ISIS
bride Shamima
Begum was
stripped of her
citizenship.
London: Two more Islamic State
(IS) brides from the UK, held
with their children in Syrian
detention camps, have been
stripped of their British citizen‑
ship, the media reported.
Legal sources have said that
Reema Iqbal and her sister,
Zara, who between them have
five boys under the age of eight,
have had their UK nationality
removed after marrying into a
terror cell linked to the murder
of western hostages, reports
The Sunday Times.
The development comes after
the newborn baby of another IS
bride Shamima Begum's died of
pneumonia at a Syrian refugee
camp.
Begum, a 19‑year‑old British
teenager of Bangladeshi
descent, gave birth to her son
in a Syrian refugee camp in
February. She ran away to Syria
Wreckage of the Ethiopian Airlines' aircraft.
There was also one passenger
each from Belgium, Indonesia,
Somalia, Norway, Serbia, Togo,
Mozambique, Rwanda, Sudan,
Uganda and Yemen.
in 2015. She has also been
stripped of her citizenship.
According to The Sunday
Times, Reema and Zara's par‑
ents are originally from
Pakistan, but it is not known if
they have dual nationality.
The sisters left for Syria in
2013 after marrying IS fighters
with "close links" to the filmed
murders of western hostages.
Zara was heavily pregnant
with her second child when she
travelled to Syria and later gave
birth to a third.
Reema has one son born in
the UK and another born in
Syria. In response to the sisters'
case, the Home Office said it
did not comment on individual
cases, the BBC reported.
Decisions to withdraw citizen‑
ship from individuals were evi‑
dence based and not taken
lightly, it added.
INTERNATIONAL
The crash happened at 8:44
am, six minutes after the months‑
old Boeing 737 Max‑8 took off.
It is not yet clear what caused
the accident.
Satellite images reveal activity
at North Korean rocket facility
Washington: Satellite images sug‑
gest that North Korea could be
preparing to launch a missile or
space rocket in the near future,
American analysts have said, sig‑
naling a potential blow to
Washington‑Pyongyang relations.
The commercial images, taken
on February 22 by imaging com‑
pany DigitalGlobe, revealed an
uptick in activity at a facility in
Sanumdong, a Pyongyang suburb,
CNN reported.
North Korea has previously
assembled some of its interconti‑
nental ballistic missiles (ICBM)
and satellite‑launching rockets at
Sanumdong.
The release of the images fol‑
lows an assessment by respected
North Korea monitoring website
38 North that the Sohae satellite
launch facility, which had been
partially disassembled as part of
disarmament steps, is now back to
normal operational status after a
flurry of restoration work in
recent weeks. "We're seeing a lot
of vehicle activity at the
Sanumdong facility and also at the
rail transfer point where it would
be loaded and taken to Sohae,"
Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East
Asia Nonproliferation Project at
the Middlebury Institute of
International Studies at Monterey,
who has studied the new images,
told CNN.
"I think the evidence points to a
satellite launch, and not just the
evidence at Sanumdong, but also
the evidence from Sohae."
The US State Department has
declined to comment on the devel‑
opment. North Korea's missile
March 16-22, 2019 21
China grounds all Boeing 737 Max 8s
Beijing: China grounded all Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets, after an Ethiopian
Airlines plane of the same model crashed shortly after take‑off killing
everyone onboard. The Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a
statement that all domestic Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets would be out of
action for sometime, due to its principle of "zero tolerance for safety
hazards", the CNN reported.
They said they would contact Boeing and the US Federal Aviation
Administration to confirm "flight safety" issues, before allowing the
planes to fly again.
"Given in both air crashes, the aircrafts were newly delivered Boeing
737 MAX 8, and both accidents occur during the take‑off, they share
certain similarities," the administration said in the statement.
However, the pilot had report‑ helicopters at the scene now."
ed dif ficulties and had asked to Boeingʼs 737 Max‑8 aircraft is
return to Addis Ababa, the airline relatively new to the skies, hav‑
said. An eyewitness at the scene ing been launched in 2016. It
told the BBC there was an became a part of the Ethiopian
intense fire as the aircraft hit the Airlines fleet in July 2018.
ground. "The blast and the fire Boeing said it was "deeply sad‑
were so strong that we couldn't dened" by the crash and offered
get near it," he said. "Everything to send a team to provide techni‑
is burnt down. There are four cal assistance.
North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un.
Trump open to third
summit with Kim: Bolton
U
S National Security Adviser (NSA) John Bolton has said that
President Donald Trump was open to a third summit with
North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un, although nothing has been
scheduled.
"He (Trump) said he's open to a third summit, none has been sched‑
uled... But he's prepared to engage again because he does think that
the prospects for North Korea, which he's been trying to persuade Kim
Jong‑un to accept if they denuclearized, are really quite spectacular,"
the NSA said.
Bolton said that Trump would be very disappointed if there was
another test launch from North Korea.
"The president said repeatedly that he feels the absence of nuclear
tests, the absence of ballistic missile launches is a positive sign."
programme made strides in 2017, of the US. Kim and Trump held
with Pyongyang saying it success‑ their second summit in Hanoi,
fully test‑fired three ICBMs. The Vietnam, on February 27‑28 but it
Hwasong‑15, which was launched ended abruptly without any
last November, can likely hit much agreement.
 22 March 16-22, 2019 BUSINESS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

ArcelorMittal's Rs 42,000 crore Toxic IL&FS bonds

bid for Essar Steel cleared may have infected
Ahmedabad: The city bench of the time and again by courts at all lev‑
National Company Law Tribunal
(NCLT ) on Friday cleared
the armed forces els," an Essar spokesperson said
after the judgment.
ArcelorMittal's Rs 42,000 crore "We are also confident of the
resolution plan for insolvent Essar legal validity of our said offer made New Delhi: The IL&FS contagion fare of members of the Armed
Steel, probably putting an end to under Section 12A, which provides continues to spread aggressively, Forces and paramilitary forces and
the long‑drawn battle for the steel for the withdrawal from the IBC the latest casualty being the Indian their dependents. At the end of
asset. process by making full payment to armed forces. Several lakhs of March 31, 2018, the total expendi‑
The decision, which paves the the creditors. We are awaiting a salaried workers across public sec‑ ture was Rs 64.75 crore, whole
way for ArcelorMittal's entry into copy of the NCLT order, and will tor undertakings and Postal Life receipts were Rs 83.85 crore and
India, came after 583 days of the take a call on next steps after exam‑ Insurance have already been infect‑ the total cumulative balance was Rs
stressed asset being referred for ining the same," he added. ed with these bonds. Now, it is 1115.18 crore. There is also a
insolvency proceedings, instead of Further, the NCLT Ahmedabad learnt, the virus has also spread to department for ex‑servicemen's
the mandatory resolution period of bench dismissed the application the armed forces. welfare which gives benefits to the
270 days as per the Insolvency and filed by the suspended board of IANS learns that a few sections of widows of fatal battle casualties.
Bankruptcy Code (IBC). directors of Essar Steel to view the the armed forces, primarily the This pertains to death due to acci‑
T he NCLT bench approved resolution plan. On its verdict on army, have invested their corpus of dent in course of duties, death due
ArcelorMittal's resolution plan, ArcelorMittal's bid, the bench said funds in the once AAA rated IL&FS to terror violence, death during
which was voted as the winning bid Lakshmi Mittal, ArcelorMittal it cannot impose a judicial view bonds to secure their future. The enemy action in war or border skir‑
in October 2018 by the Committee
Chairman and CEO with wife Indian Army has three specific mishes or against militants/terror‑
over the banks' wisdom. However,
Usha at the wedding of Akash funds in which fellow countrymen ists and death during enemy action
of Creditors (CoC) and which the Ruias are not yet ready to sur‑
Ambani and Shloka Mehta in can contribute ‑ Army Welfare Fund in war or warlike engagements
included an upfront payment of Rs render the 10 million tonne steel
Mumbai. (Photo: IANS) Battle Casualties (set up in 2016 specifically noted ‑‑ the benefits are
42,000 crore and a post‑deal infu‑ mill, which owes Rs 49,000 crore to
sion of Rs 8,000 crore in Essar financial creditors. Sources in the after the Siachen avalanche disaster given in the following way, which is
pass an order itself.
Steel. "We welcome today's pro‑ group said once they get the court and the Pathankot/Uri incidents), Rs 10 lakh each in the first two
While the NCLT verdict came as a
nouncement by the NCLT order, they would definitely go for Army Central Welfare Fund and the cases and Rs 15 and Rs 20 lakh
major setback to the Ruias who
Ahmedabad. While we will need to an appeal in NCLAT and if need be, Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre respectively in the latter two cases.
wanted to retain control of the
review the full written order once it may even approach the Supreme Pune ‑ towards the members/fami‑ Various other benefits are provided
company and had of fered Rs
becomes available, we hope to com‑ Court. Earlier, Essar's appeal in lies of the armed forces who have to war widows. These funds, formed
54,389 crore after the CoC
plete the transaction as soon as these two higher courts had been made the supreme sacrifice for the by servicemen with the objective of
approved ArcelorMittal's bid, the
possible," ArcelorMittal said in a dismissed. Essar Steel is among the nation. It is still not known whether supporting fatalities and army wid‑
promoters of Essar Steel believe
statement after the verdict. largest single location steel produc‑ these funds have invested in the ows, have invested in these bonds
they still have a chance.
T he Nat ional Company Law ers with a 10 million tonnes per virus‑laden bonds. considering the ratings and safety
"We continue to believe that our
Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had annum liquid steel capacity. The There is also the flagship National assurances portrayed by the rating
settlement proposal of Rs 54,389
last month directed the NCLT integrated facilities comprise hot Defence Fund which was set up to agencies. The corpus has member‑
crore is the most compelling one
Ahmedabad bench to take a final rolling facilities, cold rolling facili‑ take charge of voluntary donations ship of armymen and provides sup‑
available to Essar Steel creditors
decision on ArcelorMittal's bid for ties, plate mill, among others locat‑ in cash and kind received for pro‑ port to millions of armymen and
and fulfils the IBC's declared over‑
the acquisition of Essar Steel by ed in Hazira, in the western coast of motion of the national defense their widows in case of eventuali‑
riding objective of value maximiza‑
March 8, failing which it would Gujarat. effort. The Fund is used for the wel‑ ties.
tion, which has been established

RBI MAY BAR DUAL Nirav Modi tracked down in London

London: Fugitive diamantaire Nirav
FUNCTIONS OF Modi fled India in January 2018
only days before the epic Punjab

RATING AGENCIES National Bank (PNB) Swift scam

broke. Even as invest ig ators
swooped down on PNB, it was clear
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank function. that Nirav Modi and his uncle
of India may disallow credit The changes have become Mehul Choksi have ingeniously
rating agencies from the dual imperative post the IL&FS defrauded the PNB of Rs 13,000
role of being advisor‑cum‑rat‑ fiasco where the role of rating crore using Letters of Undertaking
ing agencies agencies for the malady exercise. Nirav
for companies. came into Modi, whose whereabouts have
T he move question. remained a mystery since he has
aims to prevent Just a been "seen" in New York, Hong
such ent it ies month after Kong and other parts of the world,
from making giving high has now surfaced in London where
biased assess‑ ratings for apparently he has been living for
ments about debt papers several months now. His former
the financial of IL&FS shop Nirav Mo di in Old Bond
condit ion of bonds in Street, Mayfair, London closed
their clients August, the down and seized in July 2018 (see
and restrict ratings were The shop that belonged to fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi,
pic).
in Old Bond Street, Mayfair, London that was closed down
conflict of interest that may brought down several notches This was done at the authority of and seized in July 2018.
seep in. follow ing the company the landlord. IANS has a copy of
Official sources said that the defaulting in interest pay‑ the Take Notice (see copy) where‑ February 2018, IANS tracked down who has been in his pursuit for
banking regulator may soon ments on its bonds. by the property was seized. his old establishments here. over 15 months.
initiate a dialogue with mar‑ Credit rating agencies are Shockingly, despite Interpol having T he fact that Nirav Modi has It shows our investigators and
ket regulator Securities and jointly regulated by both Sebi issues a Red Corner Notice against been living and working here with foreign of fice in poor light that
Exchange Board of India and RBI as these firms rate him, he has been brazenly living in a National Insurance number in they have been unable to move for
(SEBI) to flesh out new regula‑ bank loans and NBFCs, which London and doing business in recent months from the his extradition. The Central Bureau
tions that would impact the constitute 70 per cent of their high‑end jewellery and watches. Department for Work and Pension, of Investigation is now asking the
way credit rating agencies business. While his passport was revoked in compounds the agony for India Interpol for his immediate arrest.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPORTS March 16-22, 2019 23

Australia beat India in 4th ODI, level series

Mohali: Australia rode a power‑
ful batting effort to defeat India
by four wickets in the fourth On‑
Pakistan wants ICC
Day International (ODI) and level
the five‑match series at 2‑2, here.
Chasing a formidable target of
action against India
359 runs, Peter Handscomb's Islamabad: Pakistan
maiden ODI century and half‑ Foreign Minister
centuries from Usman Khawaja Shah Mehmoo d
and Ashton Turner took the visi‑ Qureshi expressed
tors past the line with 13 balls to disappointment at
spare. Indian cricket
The Australians chase was of f team's decision to
to a rocky start as Aaron Finch don army caps dur‑
was bow led by Indian pacer ing its match
Bhuvneshwar Kumnar in the very against Australia,
first over. Radio Pakistan
Jasprit Bumrah dealt another reported.
blow when he sent back Shaun Qureshi was
Australia's Ashton Turner and D'Arcy Short celebrate after winning the
Marsh in the fourth over with an speaking to the
fourth ODI match against India in Mohali. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)
excellent fuller length delivery media in Sukkur.
Indian players don army caps during the third ODI
that uprooted the off‑stump. He is the second
next eight overs, Turner smashed mered every visit ing bow ler between India and Australia in Ranchi, a gesture
However, that was destined to government official that left Pak fuming. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)
a quickfire half‑century lower before Rohit fell, five short of his
be the only bit of celebration for to point out the
down the order to turn the match hundred.
the Indian players. The capacity "politicization of the gentleman's announced on Friday that the
decisively in Australia's favor. But Dhawan maintained his
crowd at the IS Bindra Stadium game". The Indian cricket team Indian team would be wearing
T he all‑rounder remained aggressiveness, taking every
witnessed laying of the founda‑ had worn the camouflage caps camouflage caps during their
unbeaten on a breezy 84 with bowler to cleaners.
tion for a successful chase by during its match ag ainst third ODI match ag ainst
five boundaries and six hits into T he Indian openers started
Khawaja and Handscomb with a Australia on Friday "as (a) mark Australia in Ranchi "as (a) mark
the stands studding his 43‑ball cautiously before they accelerat‑
192‑run stand in 178 balls. of tribute to the loss of lives in of tribute to the loss of lives in
stay at the crease. ed the innings to race away to 55
Handscomb scored 117 runs Pulwama terror attack and the Pulwama terror attack and the
Bumrah was the only Indian runs in just 9.2 overs. The duo
of f 105 deliveries, hitting eight armed forces". armed forces".
bowler who could trouble the seemed brutal as most bowlers
boundaries and three sixes along Late on Friday, Pakistan The BCCI has in fact also said
Australian batsmen with figures were hammered to every part of
the way. Khawaja's 91 runs came Information Minister Fawad that every year during any ODI
of 3/63 in his 8.5 overs. the park and lifted the team to
of f 99 balls and included seven Chaud hry asked the game, the Indian team would be
Earlier, India rode scintillating 100 runs in 17.2 overs.
hits to the fence. International Cricket Council donning the army caps as a
kno cks from openers Rohit Continuing their sensible and
Bumrah finally broke the part‑ (ICC) to take action against the mark of respect for the armed
Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan to destructive play, the duo took
nership when Khawaja tried to Indian team for "politicizing" the forces. "It's just not cricket,"
post a mammoth 358/9. India near the 200‑run mark
pull a short pitched delivery just game by donning army caps Chaud hry tweeted late on
Both Dhawan (143 of f 115) before pacer Jhye Richardson
outside the off‑stump only to see during their third One‑Day Friday. By wearing the caps, the
and Rohit (95 of f 92) were in came with a big breakthrough.
Kuldeep Yadav latch on to the Internat ional (ODI) match Indian team has politicized the
brilliant touch right from the He sent back a well‑settled Rohit
top edge at fine leg. against Australia. Gentleman's Game, Dawn quoted
start and also recorded the high‑ in the 31st over.
Although the hosts claimed a T he Board of Control for the Information Minister as
est opening stand (193) for India Rohit's knock contained seven
couple of more wickets over the Cricket in India (BCCI) had saying.
against Australia. The duo ham‑ boundaries and two sixes.

Manjrekar backs You can't have 11 Kohlis

Shankar for
No 4 slot in WC in team: Muralitharan
New Delhi: With Australia chasing Sachin Tendulkar‑s or Don Bradman‑s.
New Delhi, : With the fight being still on for Team India's
down India's total of 358 in the fourth But that cannot happen," Muralitharan
number 4 batting slot for the upcoming World Cup
ODI in Mohali and squaring the five‑ added.
2019, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes
match series 2‑2, pundits and fans Coming to India's spin bow ling
Vijay Shankar should be considered for filling the posi‑
have been quite critical of the perform‑ department, the wizard believes that
tion.
ance of the Indian players. the spin arsenal is well‑equipped with
Ambati Rayudu's name was being earlier considered
While some have questioned the Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal
for the slot, which plan, however, did not work out.
bowlers' inability to defend a mam‑ at the fore.
Manjrekar said Shankar's abilities to rotate the strike,
moth total on a decently big ground "I think they are doing a good job.
beside being quite capable of going big when required,
like the PCA Stadium in Mohali, others Both are quality performers and the
fits him in the crucial batting position.
have questioned Virat Kohli's captaincy fact that they have done well in all con‑
"Vijay Shankar is my number 4 for his ability to hit
skills in the absence of MS Dhoni, ditions bears testimony to their talent.
sixes as well as rotate the strike. Play him as a batsman.
known to guide the skipper on the Also, why do you think someone of the
As a bowler, he's worth only three‑odd bonus overs, not
field. Speaking to IANS, former Sri calibre of R Ashwin is not being able to
seven or the full quota of 10," the former cricketer was Former Sri Lanka spinner
Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan squeeze into the limited‑overs team? It
quoted as saying by the Times of India. Muttiah Muralitharan.
begged to differ with the criticism that is because these two have done well.
On Rayudu, Manjrekar said: "After his 90 against New
has come India's way after Australia really well and are trying to experi‑ Just one bad game (in Mohali) can't be
Zealand in Wellington, I was sure he had cemented his
won the fourth ODI. ment with the World Cup round the enough to criticize them. We are not
spot. But three low scores and the rise of Vijay Shankar
He fee ls that people need to be corner. You will get failures on the dealing with robots here," he pointed
thereafter have put his place in question."
patient as one cannot have 11 match‑ road to success as there cannot be 11 out.
He also said skipper Virat Kohli shouldn't demote his
winners in the team and it is also Virat Kohlis in the team. Not everyone With the showpiece event round the
batting position as No.3 slot perfectly suits him.
important to try out various combina‑ can be a match‑winner," he said. corner, the former Sri Lanka World
"He (Kohli) must bat at No. 3. There is no point in
tions going into the World Cup. "You will win some games and you Cup‑winner feels that the fans too have
demoting our best batsman, who has set the winning cul‑
"You have to be patient with the will also lose a few. Otherwise, every a role to play if India are to win the tro‑
ture in this team," he opined.
team. The Indian team has been doing team must be filled with 11 Kohli‑s or phy in England in a couple of months.
 24 March 16-22, 2019 SELF HELP TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Tax season tips to avoid scammers and robocalls

The IRS website points out that they will always make
attempts to reach you via postal mail first and they will
never ask you for a specific form of payment.

I
tʼs tax season. The time of year when
phone scammers get particularly
aggressive trying to trick you out of
your hard‑earned money. And scam calls
and robocalls are a growing problem for
everyone. Here are a few tricks to help you
dodge scammers and give you peace of
mind.
Know the Signs
you donʼt answer, they may also leave
“urgent” callback voicemails via robocalls.
Recognizing these tactics can help you
stay safe. If you suspect a call (or a voice‑
mail) is a scam, hang up. If you want to be
sure, donʼt call back the number provided
but instead, look up your local IRS
Customer Service number on the Internet
and call the IRS directly.
customers want to stop scam calls com‑ across networks.
pletely, they can turn on Scam Block. With
these tools in place, in the last two years, Know Your Rights
T‑Mobile has alerted customers to over 10
While scam‑blocking technology can
billion Scam Likely calls. And in 2019, T‑
help you filter out scam and spoof calls,
Mobile reports warning customers of 225
itʼs also important to know your rights.
million Scam Likely calls each week. Many of these calls use intimidation tac‑
Others wireless providers usually also tics to scare consumers into divulging sen‑
offer customers app solutions to help
identify scam calls for a small monthly fee.
sitive information over the phone. The IRS

Scam call technology is always changing,

so itʼs important to stay vigilant against
scammersʼ attempts to get you to answer
your phone. Every year, they make mil‑
lions off innocent victims with new tech‑
niques. Their latest method, known as
number‑spoofing technology, could fool
even the savviest consumers into answer‑
ing the phone. Number‑spoofing makes a
scammerʼs number appear as either a
familiar number with a local area code or
even come up on Caller ID as the “IRS.” If
Use Protection Tools
Check out what technology your wireless
company offers that can protect you from
scam and spoof calls. For example, T‑
Mobile offers free scam and spoofing pro‑
tection for customers with Scam ID and
Scam Block. These tools are made avail‑
able to all postpaid customers and live on
the T‑Mobile network, so no app is
required. As soon as a call reaches the net‑
work, itʼs analyzed and if itʼs scam, the
incoming call is tagged as Scam Likely. If
Check with your provider to see what is
available.
New standards from the Federal
Communications Commission, called
STIR/SHAKEN, are also helping protect
consumers. T‑Mobileʼs implementation of
STIR/SHAKEN, Caller Verified, lets you
know when a call made on the T‑Mobile
network is authentic and not intercepted
by scammers and spammers. Once other
wireless providers implement STIR/SHAK‑
EN, Caller Verified will work on calls made
website notes that they will always make
attempts to reach you via postal mail first
and they will never ask you for a specific
form of payment. You should know that
you always have the right to formally con‑
test the amount owed, and the IRS will not
make threats against you or your family
regarding arrest or deportation. If you
have any elderly or susceptible family
members, talk to them about how to avoid
such scams and consider setting them up
with the latest technology to help them
stay safe.

5 ways to protect Why breakfast really is the

jewelry and valuables
F Y
rom engagement
rings to family heir‑
looms, your jewelry
and other valuables are
timeless and important.
Luckily, there are steps
you can take to help keep
these items safe.
Insurance experts from
Travelers have put togeth‑
er the following tips to
help you protect your
most treasured posses‑
sions:
1. Insure Your Engagement Ring
Immediately: Engagement rings
hold great sentimental and mone‑
tary value, but many individuals
donʼt think to cover them under an
insurance policy. Valuable items
policies, such as a personal articles
floater (PAF), insure individual
pieces that have a value that may
exceed the limits of your homeown‑
ers policy. Travelers also offers the
option to insure the ring at the
same time you insure your wedding.
You can learn more by visiting pro‑
tectmywedding.com.
2. Store Your Jewelry in Unlikely
Places: Burglars often know exactly
where to look for jewelry and other
valuables. Storing your most prized
pieces in uncommon spaces, such as
a bookshelf or your bathroom, can
add an extra layer of protection.
3. Use Safe Cleaning Methods:
Many people are surprised to hear
that warm water and dish soap are
among the best methods for keep‑
ing jewelry clean. Harsher methods,
such as ultrasonic cleaners, can
damage certain stones.
4. Monitor Extreme Temperature
and Light Exposure: Light and heat
can affect the color of gemstones
and metals. Extreme temperatures
can also damage clasps, making it
easier for stones to fall out of
beloved pieces.
5. Know Your Homeowners
Insurance Policy: While homeown‑
ers insurance covers your home and
its contents, typical policies only
cover up to $1,500 of jewelry. If
your jewelry has a higher value
than that, itʼs worth considering an
additional policy, such as a PAF or
the Valuable Items Plus program
from Travelers, both of which pro‑
vide coverage for items of higher
value. You can ask your insurance
agent or carrier about other policy
options, including what their limits
are and how to add them to your
overall insurance program.
most important meal of the day
ouʼve probably heard the saying, “breakfast
is the most important meal of the day.”
While there is some conflicting research
that questions the importance of eating breakfast
for weight loss, many other researchers conclude
there are, in fact, many benefits for starting your
day with a morning meal.
Briana Rodriquez, a Registered Dietitian with
Jenny Craig, offers the inside scoop on breakfast
and why thereʼs still truth in that old saying, espe‑
cially for those trying to improve their health.
“Breakfast literally means ʻbreaking the fast,ʼ”
Rodriquez explains. “Blood sugar, also known as
glucose, powers your muscles and brain. After 7‑9
hours of sleep, blood sugar is naturally low and
you need to replenish your energy stores.”
But what if thereʼs no time to spare in the morn‑
ing? Rest assured, there are quick, easy breakfasts
you can grab on‑the‑go. Although skipping meals
or eating very little in the morning may seem like a
sure‑fire way to lose weight, Rodriquez explains itʼs
not so simple. “When you skip breakfast, youʼll
likely overcompensate later, eating your largest
meal at night because youʼre extremely hungry.
And thatʼs not good if your intention is weight
loss.” Making breakfast your largest meal of the
day, also known as “front‑loading,” can lead to a
healthier weight.
“Since digestion slows during sleep, late‑night
calories are less easily metabolized and will likely
be stored instead of used as energy,” Rodriquez
explains. “A balanced, substantial breakfast works
with your metabolism at its peak, helping support
weight loss efforts naturally.”
An added bonus? Weight loss isnʼt the only
potential benefit of having a good breakfast; a
2013 study published in “Obesity” suggests other
health gains in addition to weight loss, such as
decreased risk of heart disease and Type 2 dia‑
betes.
The quality of food you eat also matters. Hereʼs
Making breakfast your largest meal of
the day, also known as “front-loading,”
can lead to a healthier weight.
On the other hand, if you skip
breakfast, you’ll likely overcompensate
later, eating your largest meal at night
because you’re extremely hungry
an example of what Rodriquez suggests a typical
day should look like:
• Breakfast and lunch should be satisfying, pro‑
tein‑rich and include a small amount of healthy fats
and carbohydrates.
Think: an egg and veggie scramble with a piece
of fruit for breakfast or chicken with veggies and
pasta alongside a green salad for lunch.
• Dinner should be light and include a lean pro‑
tein and lots of non‑starchy vegetables. Rodriquez
suggests decreasing carbs in the evening.
Think: Meatloaf with veggies or something like
Jenny Craigʼs Three Cheese Macaroni with Broccoli
and Carrots.
• Snacks are an important part of the equation
too. Have snacks under 200 calories, spaced
between meals. Choose something with protein
and fiber to help keep you feeling full.
Think: a small apple with a teaspoon of nut but‑
ter, or nonfat Greek yogurt with a handful of
berries. Text and pix: Statepoint
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Sacred yet erotic: Radha and her love for Krishna
By Mohammed Shafeeq
T
his anthology is a tribute
to Radha, whose character
has remained a mystery
and captured the imagination of
many writers across centuries.
Considered the first of its kind,
this book is a collection of poetry,
prose and translation focusing on
Radha, the epitome of love, who
defies all conventional codes and
transcends social prohibitions
through the power of the spiritual
and the sensual, the sacred and
the erotic.
No other goddess combines the
elements of bhakti and Shringara
quite as exquisitely as the divine
milkmaid. She spans a vivid range
imagery ‑ from the playfulness of
the Raas Leela to the soulfulness
of her undying love, from the
mystic allure of depictions in
poetry, art and sculpture to her
enduring legacy in Vrindavan.
In a way that sets her apart
from other female consorts.
Radha is idealized and dreamed
Modi releases 5th Netflix to adapt Marquez's
'One Hundred Years of Solitude'
volume of Dictionary
of Martyrs
Some of the martyrs of Indiaʼs freedom struggle.
P
rime Minister Narendra
Modi last Thursday released
the fifth volume of the
"Dictionary of Martyrs ‑ India's
Freedom Struggle" compiled by the
Indian Council of Historical
Research (ICHR).
The project for compiling the
series was commissioned to the
ICHR by the Ministry of Culture to
commemorate the 150th anniver‑
sary of the War of Independence of
1857. Speaking on the occasion at
his residence in Delhi, Modi said:
"The effort of the government is to
nurture and recall the brave deeds
of the heroes of our freedom strug‑
gle. This will have a positive influ‑
ence on the future generations and
inspire them to think of 'India
First'."
of in a way that is almost more
elemental than mythical.
Edited by Malashri Lal, a profes‑
sor at the University of Delhi, and
writer‑publisher Namita Gokhale,
the anthology deals with the his‑
torical as we ll as the artistic
dimensions of the eternal
romance of Radha and Krishna.
As many as 22 scholars and
writers have contributed their
perspectives on topics including
how the visualization and iconog‑
raphy of Radha evolved, through
the Chaitanya school of
Vaishnavism, and the philosophi‑
cal and poetic interpretations of
the Bhakti movement.
Gokhale in the introduction
describes Radha as "an all‑too‑
human goddess, a sublime yet
sensual emblem of mortal and
divine love. She is subversive in
that she possesses an autonomy
rare ly available to feminine
deities. She lives by her own rules
and not those by the world. She is
the essential Rasika, the aesthete
of passion, and her wild heart
The five‑volume dictionary con‑
tains an account of the martyrs
from India's First War of
Independence in 1857 till the year
1947.
The Prime Minister said that a
nation which does not honor and
remember those who are an impor‑
tant part of its history often does
not have a secure future.
"This ef fort is not just a way to
cherish the past, but also a way to
secure the future," Modi said.
The Prime Minister said the dic‑
tionary includes the martyrs of the
Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the
non‑cooperation movement and the
Quit India movement. Soldiers of
the Azad Hind Fauj who attained
martyrdom have also find a place in
the dictionary.
BOOKS
belongs only to herself”.
According to Gokhale, the
essence of the re lat ionship
between Rad ha and Krishna
resides in its spontaneous acqui‑
escence to the moment of joyous
union, and its disreg ard for
imposed social boundaries in
love, sacred or profane. T his
sense of abandonment, of surren‑
Streaming giant Netflix has bought
the rights to create the first ever
screen adaptation of Colombian
author Gabriel García Márquez's
1967 magical realism novel "One
Hundred Years of Solitude".
The book will be adapted into a
Spanish‑language series and filmed
largely in the Nobel prize‑winning
author's home country of
Colombia, with García Márquez's
sons, Rodrigo García and Gonzalo
Silicon Valley billionaire to fund the Booker Prize
S
ilicon Valley billionaire
Michael Moritz and his wife
Harriet Heyman's charitable
foundation 'Crankstart' will be the
new supporter of the Booker Prize,
its trustees announced last week.
The announcement came a
month after the Man Group said it
was ending its sponsorship of the
prestigious award for literary fic‑
March 16-22, 2019
Finding Radha ‑
The quest for love;
Edited by: Malashri Lal and
Namita Gokhale;
Publisher: Penguin
Random House India;
Price: Rs 399
der would have been and still is
exhilarating and liberating in a
prescriptive and regimented soci‑
ety. "Radha, the bucolic milkmaid,
follows the dictates of her heart,
of her instincts, her passion, to
seek union with her innermost
self. She is her own mistress even
in the act of surrender to her
beloved. And it is this aspect of
her that is worshipped, if not
emulated, in shrines, temples and
festivals all across India even
today."
Among the contributors,
Devdutt Pattanaik points out how
the idea of favorite milkmaid
reached its climax with the com‑
posit ion of 'Gita Govinda', a
García Barcha, serving as executive
producers, reported The Guardian.
García said that his father was
skeptical of the sprawling magical
realism novel's capacity to fit with‑
in a traditional film structure, and
wanted the story to be told in
Spanish. "But in the current golden
age of series, with the level of tal‑
ented writing and directing, the
cinematic quality of content, and
the acceptance by worldwide audi‑
tion. The new arrangement will
begin after June this year: the orig‑
inal prize will still be known as The
Booker Prize, while the prize for lit‑
erature in translation will become
The International Booker Prize.
Crankstart was established by
Michael Moritz and Harriet
Heyman in 2000 to support "the
forgotten, the dispossessed, the
25
Sanskrit song written by Jayadeva
in the 12th Century AD, in which
the passion of the cowherd god
and his beloved milkmaid was cel‑
ebrated in a language and style
that took all of India by storm.
"Amorous love joins two lovers
on the same level in mutual satis‑
faction. This equality coupled
with intensity makes possible a
level of rasa unknown elsewhere.
Because of its finite basis, howev‑
er, this worldly love ultimately
gives rise to feelings of disgust
and aversion. It cannot lead to
infinite and eternal bliss, and it is
to this that the human quest
tends," observes Shrivatsa
Goswami.
He believes Radha and Krishna,
the subject and object of love,
provide absolute bliss to each
other through their lovely dal‑
liance (rasa). Their mystical union
is the ultimate rasa. In it separa‑
tion gives rise to the pleasure of
union, and conversely union con‑
tains a loving feeling of separa‑
tion.
ences of programs in foreign lan‑
guages, the time could not be bet‑
ter." "One Hundred Years of
Solitude" follows the Buendía
dynasty, founders of the rural and
isolated town of Macondo, and
fuses fantastical and allegorical
elements such as rains of yellow
flowers, alchemy and religious
apparitions, with realism, history
and literary pastiche. García
Márquez died in 2014.
unfortunate, the oppressed and
causes where some help makes all
the difference".
"Neither of us can imagine a day
where we don't spend time reading
a book.
The Booker Prizes are ways of
spreading the word about the
insights, discoveries, pleasures and
joy that spring from great fiction,"
 26 March 16-22, 2019 LIFESTYLE TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Moment of silence at Chanel's Designers to pay

first show without Lagerfeld
Paris: French fashion house Chanel paid trib‑
ute to Karl Lagerfeld, its late creative director,
at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday.
The Autumn‑Winter 2019 show, which was
attended by the likes of Kristen Stewart,
Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer, started
with a minute of silence, reports cnn.com.
Then, Lagerfeld's voice echoed through the
venue, musing about how he renewed Chanel's
desirability, and sharing early memories of his
time at the brand.
An illustrated card left on each seat at the
show featured a drawing of Lagerfeld with
Chanel founder Coco Chanel, with the words
"The beat goes on..." written above their heads.
Lagerfeld, who died on February 19 at the
age of 85, had served as artistic director of
Chanel since 1983.
The new collection was designed in collabo‑
ration with Lagerfeld's successor, Virginie
Viard.
Actresses Pene lope Cruz and Cara
Delevingne, a former model, walked on the
runway as part of the show.
In the end, there was a tearful, extended
standing ovation, as models walked down the
runway to David Bowie's "Heroes". No one
emerged from backstage to give a final bow.
ode to sari at
LMIFW finale
New Delhi: A slew of designers will
pay an ode to the six‑yard wonder at
the grand finale of the forthcoming
Lotus Makeup India Fashion Week
(LMIFW) Autumn Winter 2019,
organised by India's apex fashion
body Fashion Design Council of India
(FDCI), The sari, its multiplicity and its
personality will be celebrated by
designers Akaaro, Alpana & Neeraj,
Amit Aggarwal, Anamika Khanna,
Anavila, Anita Dongre, Bodice, Gaurav
Gupta, Little Shilpa, Neeru Kumar,
Pankaj & Nidhi, Payal Khandwala,
Prashant Verma, Raw Mango, Rimzim
Dadu, Rohit Bal, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul
Khanna, TAANI by Tanira Sethi, Tarun
Tahiliani, Urvashi Kaur and Wendell
Rodricks.
LMIFW will be held at the
Jawaharlal Nehru stadium from March
13‑17. The finale is on March 16.
"The grand finale pays homage to
the adaptability ingrained in the warp
and weft of this traditional fabric,
which hasn't lost its relevance pan‑
India despite Western onslaught.
Today, the sari has seen many innova‑
tive and artisanal renditions to woo
the modern, thinking woman in a
youthful way," FDCI President Sunil
Sethi said in a statement.
"Being a brand that celebrates beau‑
ty, the sari has remained a symbol of
femininity and versatility, two key ele‑
ments of our philosophy, making it a
perfect fit for the ultimate showcasing
at LMIFW. What's interesting is new
dimensions are being curated out of
the existing template of the sari to
make it culturally emblematic," said
Nitin Passi, Joint Managing Director,
Lotus Herbals Pvt. Ltd.
The event will be preceded by a
nationwide social media campaign cel‑
ebrating six yards of magic. FDCI's
#sixyardsof campaign invites women
across India to post their pictures in
their beloved saris on Instagram,
Facebook and Twitter.

Beard it like Abhinandan!

New Delhi: His bravado
apart, Indian Air Force
(IAF) pilot Abhinandan
Varthaman's stylised beard
‑‑ a mix of a thin mutton
chop beard, a classic gun‑
slinger or a Franz Josef ‑‑
has become the talk of the
town. It may not be too
long before it becomes a
trend among people, say
experts.
Reminiscent of a beard
sported by meg astar
Rajinikanth in "Petta" or

Goa carnival
Suriya in "Sing am",
Abhinandan's we ll‑
groomed facial hair style
may well be the next big

festivities begin thing for men who have

Panaji: The carnival festivities
kicked off in Goa with a colour‑
fully‑decorated float parade
passing through the state capi‑
tal on Saturday evening.
Speaking to reporters after flag‑
ging off the parade, Tourism
Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar
gave the celebrations a dash of
patriotic flavour: "Viva Carnival!
King Momo has given message ‑
‑ eat, drink, be merry. Today,
the country is also moving
ahead. Our bravehearts have
returned after demolishing
Pakistan," he said.
Carnival processions, symbol‑
ic of Goa's colonial Portuguese
legacy, are held every year
before the holy season of Lent,
which begins on March 6 this
year.
The festival, which involves
public celebration in form of
long parades of colourful floats,
with masqueraded dancers, is
led by King Momo, the king of
carnival.
King Momo is usually a local‑
ly‑chosen dignitary who is
given a symbolic key to the city
and formally announces the fes‑
tivities open.
Similar carnival float parades
will be organised in other
towns in the state in the coming
days.
drawn from shapes sport‑
ed by cricketers Virat Kohli
and Shikhar Dhawan and
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh in
recent times.
"It won't be wrong to say the
beard sported by the IAF pilot
will soon be called India's very
own Abhinandan style," Darshan
Yewalekar, personal hairstylist to
actor Ranveer Singh and owner
of D Shave Barbershop, told
IANS. Abhinandan, an IAF Wing
Commander, returned to India ,
two days after he was captured
by Pakistan when his MiG‑21
crashed in that country.
After the end of the nail‑biting
drama over his return, Twitterati
have finally got a chance to mull
over his unique moustache.
(Image courtesy: deccanherald.com)
For generations altogether,
Army and Air Force personnel
have been part icular about
flaunting a well‑groomed mous‑
tache or beard and it is part of
their sub‑culture.
"It tells a lot of the soldier's and
the of ficial's individuality. It is
like an expression of their char‑
acter and they wear it w ith
pride," Yewalekar said.
The habit of sporting a distinc‑
tive moustache is well engrained
in the Indian psyche, with even a
saying for great shame based on
the position of moustache tips.
A moustache is seen as an
essential part of masculinity ‑‑
from royalty to soldiers to
dacoits and even popular culture.
Remember Quick Gun Murugan,
the fictional south Indian cow‑
boy on television ads and a film,
and the Nathulal of "Sharaabi".
Other famous men who have
sported unique moustaches in
recent Indian history include
dacoits Man Singh, Mohar Singh
and Madho Singh, apart from
Veerappan.
Jaipur‑based man Ram Singh
Chauhan from Rajasthan is the
proud owner of the longest
moustache in the world and a
mention in the Guinness Book of
World Records. MDH owner
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati also
has a moustache to remember.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info IMMIGRATION March 16-22, 2019 27

By Dev Banad Viswanath, Esq.

Fairness for High‑Skilled

& Michael Phulwani, Esq.

T
he Fairness for High‑Skilled
Immigrants Act of 2019 is

Immigrants Act of 2019 Explained

intended to remove the per‑
country limit for employment‑based
immigrants and raise the per‑coun‑
try for family‑based immigrants
ment based immigrants. One rule and daughters from Mexico had to help the backlog and reduce the

VISA
from 7% to 15%. This bill will not
change the overall number of family states that in fiscal year 2020, 15% wait over 15 years for their priority wait times for a foreign individual
or employment based green cards of the immigrant visas in EB‑2, EB‑ date to become current. To make to become a permanent resident

issued each year.
Currently, the amount of time a
person waits for an employment
based immigrant visa is determined
by where they were born. This sys‑
tem does not seem to allocate visas
fairly because a qualifying employ‑
ee from Poland may wait less than a
year for a green card, while a simi‑
larly qualifying employee from
India may have to wait over a
decade for their priority date to be
current so that they can receive a
green card. According to the
Department of Stateʼs (DOS)
February 2019 visa bulletin, an
Indian national who filed a green
card application in the employment
based second preference (EB‑2) in
April 2009 is only now eligible to
receive a green card. That Indian
national had to wait TEN years for
TALK
their priority number to become
current. The new bill does contain
a transitional rule for currently
approved beneficiaries.
The provision states that no one
who is the beneficiary of an employ‑
ment based immigrant visa
approved before the billʼs enact‑
ment shall receive a visa later than
if the bill had never been enacted. If
the bill becomes law this year it
would mean Indians in the EB‑2 and
EB‑3 categories would be limited to
no more than about 29,000 immi‑
grant visas in fiscal year 2020 and
about 31,000 in fiscal year 2021
and 2022. The bill also contains a
few transitional rules for employ‑
3, and EB‑5 categories will be
reserved for beneficiaries “who are
native of countries other than the
two countries with the largest
aggregate numbers of natives who
are beneficiaries of approved peti‑
tions.” The bill would definitely ben‑
efit the high‑skilled workers from
India who would like to work in the
U.S.
Increasing the family per‑country
limit to 15% would help U.S. citizens
who have waited an extremely long
time for their close relatives in the
family based visa categories.
According to the February 2019
visa bulletin, in the F1 category
(unmarried sons and daughter of
U.S. citizens) the priority dates are
March 2007 for the Philippines and
August 1997 for Mexico. This
means that these unmarried sons
the wait time even longer, if a son through either their employer or a
or daughter were to get married close family member. The bill would
while waiting for their priority date also increase the number of
to become current they would as a employment based green cards that
matter of law convert to the F3 cat‑ are granted permitting more high‑
egory making the wait time even skilled workers to enter the U.S. and
longer. unite families who have been sepa‑
The goal of passing this bill is to rated due to the long wait times.
Dev Banad Viswanath is the Principal Attorney of
The Banad Law Offices PC in the United States,
and Banad Immigration in India for which
Attorney Michael Phulwani is also affiliated as Of
Counsel. With Offices in Manhattan, Queens,
Bangalore, and Mumbai, the firm is able to assist
clients with all facets of the immigration process,
including Employment Visas, Consular Visa
Assistance, Student Visas, Removal &
Deportation, US Citizenship and Green Card
Applications based on Family or Employment.
Dev B. Viswanath can be reached at
Dev@Banadlaw.com and 718‑361‑5999.

SCI-TECH

Microsoft How Indian parents are nurturing

screen addiction in toddlers
launches AI New Delhi: If you are one of those parents who hand over
a smartphone or a tablet to your toddlers while feeding

business school them or to keep them entertained, beware this habit can
not only make them sedentary but also push them into
severe digital addiction in their formative years.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),
San Francisco: Microsoft on Monday announced a business
only 15‑20 minutes of screen exposure is healthy and
school in Artificial Intelligence (AI) that will help compa‑
acceptable for babies under 18 months of age.
nies improve decision‑making in integrating AI across their
However, busy schedules and an over‑protective
operations.
approach towards the physical safety of toddlers have
INSEAD, a graduate business school with campuses in
increasingly convinced parents, especially in the metros,
Europe, Asia and the Middle East, partnered with Microsoft
to hook their children onto smart screens, say the experts.
to build the AI Business School's strategy module, which
Instead of playing with toys or being part of an outdoor
includes case studies about companies across many indus‑ According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),
activity, over‑exposing them to screens so early in life
tries that have successfully transformed their businesses only 15‑20 minutes of screen exposure is acceptable for
could hinder their holistic development, damage their eye‑
with AI, the company said in a statement. babies under 18 months of age. (Photo:The Tribune, Punjab)
sight and cause childhood obesity which can lead to dia‑
A series of short introductory videos provide an overview
betes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. in "open‑ended" content on screens. This would help them
of the AI technologies driving change across industries, but
"Toys generate more visual and tactile information to to be creative in interacting with the app, which could con‑
the bulk of the content focuses on managing the impact of
the toddler's brain. Screen interactions are just too fast for tribute as cognitive development than mere reward or dis‑
AI on company strategy, culture and responsibility, the
a toddler of less than two years of age to comprehend any traction. However, screen exposure for a short period
company said in a statement.
information and learn anything out of it," Soumiya under supervision cannot be harmful.
"There is a gap between what people want to do and the
Mudgal, Psychiatrist, Max Healthcare, Gurugram, told "Under supervision, 15‑20 minutes of letting toddlers
reality of what is going on in their organisations today, and
IANS. interact with screens while eating, bathing or getting a
the reality of whether their organisation is ready," said
The increased screen time can also push toddlers to lazi‑ haircut could be allowed as a reward for the child because
Mitra Azizirad, Corporate Vice President for AI marketing
ness and permanently damage their cognitive abilities there is no evidence of it causing addiction in that little
at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.
such as solving problems, paying attention to other people duration," Mudgal said.
"This school is a deep dive into how you develop a strate‑
and falling asleep on time. Media diets should be rich in educational content and
gy and identify blockers before they happen in the imple‑
Health experts suggest that the "ideal" age for children should be based on the science of learning approaches in
mentation of AI in your organisation," she added.
to be exposed to moderate screen involvement is 11 years. creating content that triggers the intuitive senses in kids
According to Nick McQuire, analyst with market research
But, a recent survey by UK‑based online trade‑in outlet at that tender age.
firm CCS Insight, more than 50 per cent of the companies
musicMagpie found that 25 per cent of children aged six "Technology should not hamper the child's normal social
his firm has surveyed are already either researching, tri‑
and under already have their own mobile phones and interaction and environmental learning," Mudgal noted.
alling or implementing specific projects with AI and
nearly half of them spend up to 21 hours per week on Once children become habitual to interacting with smart
machine learning.
their devices, playing games on screen and watching displays, trying to cut down their screen engagement time
However, very few are using AI across their organisation
videos. later could result in problematic withdrawal symptoms
and identifying business opportunities and problems that
Since screen exposure is inescapable for toddlers, par‑ like irritable behavior, disobedience, repetitive demanding
AI can address, he added.
ents are being advised by experts to engage their children and tantrums in sleeping, eating or even staying awake.
28 March 16-22, 2019 HUMOR TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Humor with Melvin Durai

Too many possessions

that we donʼt need
M
y wife and I recently moved from
one house to another. The two hous‑
es are three miles apart within the
same college town, but it was nevertheless a
stressful move. Thatʼs because weʼve accumu‑
lated too many possessions in our 17 years of
marriage. Only three of our possessions are
priceless, and moving them was fairly easy.
All we had to do was say, “Kids, the ice cream
has moved to the new house!” Unfortunately,
these three valuable possessions have posses‑
all about – accumulating stuf f? The more
stuff you own, the happier you will be.
“When you die, you canʼt take it with you,”
someone will inevitably say. Thatʼs true, but
you can at least leave it for your kids, so they
can have the pleasure of organizing an estate
sale. Until then, youʼll just have to haul all
your belongings from one house to another,
while wondering why you need all this stuff.
You realize that your belongings fall into six
main categories:

BEST sions of their own, and it was up to us to

make sure they were moved. We are a family
1. Clothes. Some of your clothes you wear
regularly, some you wear only on special

RATE of five,
w h i c h
occasions, and
some you never

FOR means
that we
wear. The latter
i n c l u d e s

INDIA had to
move five
clothes that
donʼt fit you

AND times as
m u c h
anymore, but
youʼve been

PAKISTAN junk as a
single
person
would.
New York Head Quarter Not all of our stuff is junk, of course, but as I
moved our clothes, books, furniture and an
422‑S Broadway
assortment of other items, I realized that Iʼd
HICKSVILLE be quite happy to live with only one‑fifth of it.
NY 11801 Yes, I could easily manage without all the
belongings of other family members.
516‑827‑1010 Actually, most of my belongings are as
unnecessary as my wifeʼs or childrenʼs stuff.
We could get rid of them and still be quite
content – at least until we visit a friendʼs
home and see all their stuff. And then weʼll be
eager to get more stuff. Isnʼt that what life is
saving for
years, just in
case a miracle
happens and
you wake up one day 20 pounds slimmer.
2. Shoes, sandals and slippers. You need
shoes to match every outfit, of course, and
shoes for every type of weather: sunny shoes,
rainy shoes, snow shoes, hurricane shoes.
Some of your footwear, you never wear. But
you donʼt feel guilty about this, because they
still serve an important purpose, whenever
the kids misbehave.
3. Furniture. All you need to get through
life are two pieces of furniture: a chair and a
TV stand. Everything else is superfluous.
Sofas are nice to have, but they are a pain to
move. Thatʼs partly because sofa manufactur‑

Laughter is the Best Medicine ers are a sneaky bunch. They create sofas that
expand gradually with age, making them easy
to move into a home, but almost impossible to
move out. Sofa manufacturers are hoping
youʼll just leave your sofa in the old home and
By buy a new one. I outsmarted them though. I
Mahendra cut my sofa in half, moved it out, and glued it
Shah back together in the new home.
4. Kitchen utensils. All you need to cook is
Mahendra Shah a pot, but you own a dozen pots of different
is an architect sizes. You also own a variety of pans, includ‑
by education, ing one cast‑iron pan thatʼs so heavy, the only
entrepreneur by time youʼve lifted it higher than your head
profession, was the unfortunate night in 2015 when you
artist and mistook your spouse for a burglar.
humorist, 5. Memorabilia. You have several boxes of
cartoonist and memorabilia, which includes not just photos
writer by hobby. of your children, but also all their certificates,
He has been medals, trophies and concert programs.
recording the Youʼve saved all their artwork, even the “nap‑
plight of the kin art” that your daughter made with
immigrant ketchup and mustard at McDonaldʼs.
Indians for the 6. Books. You own hundreds of books,
past many year some of which are extremely heavy. You
in his cartoons. moved your piano easily, but needed extra
Hailing from help to move Leo Tolstoyʼs “War and Peace”
Gujarat, he and Vikram Sethʼs “A Suitable Boy.” On the
lives in bright side, you can get rid of all your furni‑
Pittsburgh, ture, sit on “War and Peace” and set your TV
Pennsylvania. on “A Suitable Boy.”
As my wife always says, books can bring
you more happiness than furniture.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY March 16-22, 2019 29

Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; w.premastrologer.com

MARCH 16‑22, 2019

Aries: Promising week is foretold to
pursue your professional goals. Your
ability to take risks would even
impress the hardest of your critics. There
are chances that you could suf fer from
some reoccurring joint pains. You need to
handle all financial transactions carefully.
Long separation in love is likely to end on
meeting love companion.
Taurus: Engineers will be able to get
new contracts. Let family tension
not divert your attention. Keep in
mind that bad times teach us much more
than good.
A sound financial position would enable to
live life luxuriously. Keep positive thinking
going and not to surrender to tough/
challenging situations. A short trip with
lavishing experiences will be right thing
for you.
Gemini: Raising controversial issues
in love would only mar happiness.
An auspicious week is foretold to
execute your ambitious plans. Careful
planning will bring desired results, while
hasty decision might backfire. Money wise
a balance week as your income and expen‑
diture keeps a balancing act. You enjoy a
sound health on conquering distressing
situations with ease.
Cancer: You will continue to be
resourceful and capable of achiev‑
ing your goals. Family front seems
little disturbing. Need of the time is to
work in close cooperation with them to
share the ups & downs of life.
Academically, you are likely to have a
steady prog ress. You w ill remain
untouched by health problems. It is advis‑
able to be careful regarding your safety,
while traveling.
Leo: Investing in property business
sounds very appealing this week.
Success is strongly indicated on the
professional or academic front. Imbibing
positive attitude will keep you shining and
happy. Teaming‑up with a set of ambitious
people who share ideologies would augur
well for your future. You bring happiness
in the gloomy life of love companion.
Virgo: You are likely to control
weight by avoiding spicy and non‑
vegetarian food. A new vision with
regards to work and relationship with sub‑
ordinates would help you to change the
things for better. However, keep future
interests in mind before doing anything.
Some of you are likely to get another
chance in love as partner decides to renew
the bond.
Libra: Special professional assign‑
ment brings you in the limelight.
Those looking for employment
opportunities may not find the coming
week favourable. You need to try your
luck somewhere else to find positive
response.
Wasting time in one‑sided af fair would
spoil your mood. Illness to an infant in the
family requires immediate attention.
Scorpio: If thinking to change your
job a met iculous planning is
required on your part. A long‑await‑
ed message from a distant relative con‑
veys good news for the entire family. You
are likely to suffer in romance on allowing
yourself to be possessive. Try to cooperate
despite obstacles. Stomach ailments are
indicated due to overindulgence in junk
food.
Sagittarius: A special week is fore‑
told as it brings the gift of love in
your life. Be a little careful against
some allergic items, which do not suit you.
At work, setting goals will not be suffice. A
strong determination and ability to take
quick act ion on your part is hig hly
required to succeed. You are likely to lend
a helping hand to spouse in domestic
chores to lessen the workload.
Capricorn: Changing job would be
a re lief from mental tensions.
However you need to work hard to
prove your mettle. Success on your part
would enhance career prospects.
You will enjoy a bloom in health on get‑
ting rid from prolong illness. You will have
to remain cautious for the sake of love life.
As far as possible avoid getting too friend‑
ly with casual acquaintances.
Aquarius: You w ill be utterly
delighted as an unexpected acco‑
lade comes your way. Compassion
and understanding at family front get
rewarded. Donʼt forget to pay attention to
make yourself physically and mentally fit.
You need to devote as much time as possi‑
ble to make the happy relationship mov‑
ing. Your financial health would begin to
improve and cover up for the lost time.
Pisces: Minor preparations before
you travel overseas will make your
trip a lot smoother. T here are
chances that your failure to understand the
feelings of partner could weaken the bond.
A definite action is to be taken to give a
direction to your ef forts to carry you
through. Perfect strategies with timely exe‑
cution would bring monetary gains. Health‑
wise, you will enjoy a good period ahead.

March 16, 2019 between your stable and flourishing

Number 7 and Neptune will be
good enough for you. Your ability to
develop consensus with proper moni‑
toring and guidance takes you far
beyond your imagination and will
bring never ending name and fame to
you. You influence others through
your personal attractiveness and cre‑
ativeness. As honey catches more
flies then vinegar in the same way
you are well surrounded by coopera‑
tive persons. You have a good leader‑
ship quality and this will help you to
do well as you are promoted to high‑
er level of the hierarchy of your
organization. This year you will be
rewarded for all the efforts you make
to get success. Sometime, in the race
to become winner, you might evade
your fellow workers. You should be
loyal to your colleagues otherwise
fractions will be created. Though
family is more important to you than
anything else but you are left with
less time to spend with your family
members. You should stop thinking
about petty problems, as they are
going to solve themselves with the
passage of t ime. Cash flow w ill
improve this year as you are going to
inherit something from your parents.
You are appreciated by your partner
and both of you will come closer to
each other. Those who are engaged
in sports should take care of your
health. You will get significance in
the month of May and June.
March 17, 2019
Your originating ideas would equip
you w ith most coveted skills.
Implausibility instinct might make
you a renowned personality in near
future. Your rational and unpalatable
behavior brings all your colleagues
under your umbrella. Patience is the
key to success which you have from
ANNUAL PREDICTIONS: FOR THOSE BORN IN THIS WEEK
your childhood. Your round the clock
watch on your children education
will makes them winner in their life.
Now audience will like your flicks of
different genres. You have very close
ties with your friends and family.
Monetary gains will be in your offing.
You never let your plans to be on
paper only, rather execute them
without anybodyʼs intervention.
Because of choked in adamancy you
may become a subject of avoidance
for others and you feel this but never
shows. On the flip side of life you
might have some tensions which
affect your peace of mind. Your con‑
tribution to your country would be
unparalleled. A pleasing and cherish‑
ing date is waiting for you. You will
start enjoy ing each and every
moment of life from now. Boosting
time period: February and March.
March 18, 2019
Mars and number 9 will take you
to the sky, resplendent and coura‑
geous are your defining traits. You
always keep yourse lf update by
jumping on the bandwagon. Passion
for learning and exploring things
needs unified and concentrated
efforts. Your flaunting ability might
defame you at times. You need to
check your toad like features who
loves to be in his area only, conserva‑
tiveness and introvert. Count of your
admirers might show a downward
trend which might bother you as you
may feel lack of supporters to boost
you up. Medical bills might make
your cheque book to be in running
mode. You tend to surpass every‑
bodyʼs expectation by clearing highly
competitive exams and make your
own way. Satisfaction what is the
need of the hour will comes to you
through love, admiration and affec‑
tion. Journey to a sacred place will
fill you with peace and placid feel‑
ings. You will move to and fro from
your workplace to other places.
Number 8, planet Saturn, months of
March and April will bring wonders
for you.
March 19, 2019
Number 1 and Sun might change
your status from unmarried to mar‑
ried, bachelorhood ought to be over
soon. You believe in one thing “No
pain no gain” so you never left any
stone unturned that comes to your
way. Your genuine and realistic feel‑
ings for your blood relation will do
wonders for you as you might get lot
of surprises from their side. You
always believe in segregating the
work according to human resources
making everybody to give their best.
Your tendency to interpret others
advice from dif ferent perspective
makes you a perplexed person. You
are a storehouse of energy as before
signing of f for the day you always
there to help your better half in her
daily job. Prevention is better than
cure is what, you need to follow in
the coming time. Routine checkup is
suggested for you and for your fami‑
ly members. Destiny will take you
where there is no limit for you to
gain financially. Time for profession‑
al to either turn to be an entrepre‑
neur or get promotions. Your love
innings will get potent start and will
satisfy you by all means. You are like‑
ly to meet your childhood friend and
you both will spend quality time
again. Expectation comes to reality in
the month of July.
March 20, 2019
Stir up by number 2 and Moon,
Your willingness to be a good learner
will make you to lay strong founda‑
tion for new and expanded links in
all front of life. You are likely to pur‑
sue the idea of your business deal
more actively. Your primary concern
should be your composing talent
which will enhance your career path.
Bored from your mundane work, go
further and plan an exotic trip to
some exciting and thrilling destina‑
tion. Your anticipation at times might
lead you to crisis. Circumstances
might revive the old debates with
people around you resulting in their
dissentful behavior. They might try
to make some distance from you as
your pointing finger nature irritate
them, so your primary role is to
make a shift from your vexing think‑
ing. Without dissimulation you tend
to win the heart of all the people. You
should act on the poem “Early to bed,
early to rise, makes a man, healthy
wealthy and wise.” High education is
what predicted for you and that too
from some world class university.
Wonderful time for you is in the
month of September and October.
March 21, 2019
Regulated by number 3 and planet
Jupiter, you use your abilities to the
fullest to seek career success. You
are thoughtful by nature and this
trait is continues to be the fastest
growing in you. You tend to awake
your composing skills which might
acclaim you to win some prestigious
awards. Your business rivals will be
worried than ever before on your
uprising value in the market.
Re lo cat ion w ill bridge the g ap
career, so donʼt overlook it. Pool of
talent is what todayʼs generation
known for, they live upto the expec‑
tation of todayʼs market. Advice to
make a diet chart and also follow it to
be in good and toned position. Love
will be on its full spectrum and
sparkle its feathers on you. Undue
favors from your admirers will fillip
your confidence in them. Your formu‑
la for leading a contented life on
your own may not work smoothly
but experience is the key to all your
worries. Healing time for you would
be July and August.
March 22, 2019
Ruled by number 4 and planet
Uranus, you will show high‑spirited
merriment. You are dynamic and
have taxonomic approach. You over‑
come your agony and stress by your
good sense of humour and sterling
performances in whatever the work
you undertake. Your upbeat and high
spirits makes huge impact on every‑
bodyʼs heart in the society. Your bat‑
tle to halt your covetous and envious
feelings will comes to an end. A new
ray of hope will change your life alto‑
gether. Time has approached when
you build your own team, make
friends, and fend for yourself. You
workplace pattern will change phe‑
nomenally and very often you will be
recognized for your huge contribu‑
tion. Your sources of income will
increase by leaps and bounds which
makes your savings intact with you.
Mounting monetary front and likely
to hit the bulls eye through lottery
will be high on your cards. Health
related matters need your reconcilia‑
tion for your family members. Your
spouse will treat you with immense
aplomb and love. Consequential time:
October, December and April.
30 March 16-22, 2019
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
et us recount the many
L things for which we owe our
gratitude to God, the Giver.
First, we are extremely fortu‑
nate that our soul was born into
a human body. If we look around
at all the various species of life,
we see what a difficult existence
they have. They have a life in
which they have to find shelter
from the elements and live in
fear of predators. While many
people treat their pets as well as
their own family members, pets
are still enslaved. Even though
there are now pet beauty salons,
pet therapists, and pet yoga
classes offered, animals lack the
faculty that we have in which we
can be conscious of who we are.
Their lives are restricted to feel‑
ings and survival instincts. They
cannot contemplate who they
are, why they are here, and
where they are going. We are for‑
tunate that we have been born
into the only species who can
know ourselves and know God.
For this, we should thank God.
How many thank God for our
health? When we are in the
throes of a serious illness or have
an accident and are in pain, we
send loud prayers to God to help
us, to take away our pain and
heal us. Yet, how many of us send
prayers to God in gratitude for
our health? We may utter a
"Thank God," when our illness or
our pain ends, but then we often
do not thank God for each day
thereafter that we are healthy.
We may feel that God only
exists when everything goes our
way. We ignore the good things
such as our physical gifts, intel‑
lectual gifts, and emotional gifts
from God. We forget that every‑
thing we receive comes from
God. Instead, we set up a condi‑
tion that we only believe there is
a God if we get whatever we
want. We take for granted what
God has given to us and focus on
what God has not given to us.
We may have had a job for
twenty‑five years, but the one
time we are laid off due to a com‑
pany downsizing we say there is
no God. We may have had a lov‑
ing family relationship for fifty
years, but when one member
passes away, we forget how long
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
WHY SHOULD WE BE
GRATEFUL TO GOD?
We may feel that God only
exists when everything
goes our way. We ignore
the good things such as
our physical gifts,
intellectual gifts, and
emotional gifts from God.
We forget that
everything we receive‑
comes from God.
Instead, we set up a
condition that we only
believe there is a God if we
get whatever we want
we enjoyed his or her company
and instead blame God or say
there is no good in our life. We
may have been healthy for forty
years, but the one major illness
we have we say, "Why is this hap‑
pening to me? There must not be
any God." We may win all our
sports games, but the one loss
causes us to say, "God doesn't
care about me." Think about the
plight of God. With all that has
been given to us, we blame God
when one thing goes wrong. How
would we think God feels when
that happens? Few are grateful
to God for the good they receive
so that when something goes
wrong they tell God, "It's okay,
God. I still love You, I am grateful
to You, and I know You are there.
What happened must have been
something that was best for me,
or was due to my karma that I
created, or is a part of nature and
life and is okay, under Your will."
How many people take such a
grateful attitude to God?
There are people who undergo
a tremendous amount of pain yet
remain grateful and thank God
on days they are pain‑free. Most
take good health for granted.
Even if we have some physical
problems or some pain we have
to live with, we should thank God
for what we still can do, whether
it is waking up in the morning, or
going to work, or finding some
moments of enjoyment in our
lives. If we spend time complain‑
ing to God about our physical
condition, even though we can
still function, we should look at
those who have serious handi‑
caps that make them dependent
on others, and then reevaluate
our own situation. Some people
have handicaps, yet are so grate‑
ful they are alive or that their
suffering is not worse. They are
grateful to God for whatever
blessings they do have. Let us
thank God for our health and be
grateful our ailments are not
worse than they are. For each day
that we are able to do our work,
enjoy our family and friends, and
meditate, thank God.
Have we ever thanked God for
our spouse, our parents, or our
children? We often find reasons
to complain about those in our
family, but we seldom realize
how helpful it is to have a family.
Some may be living alone now,
but when they were growing up,
they lived with the family. Think
about how difficult life would be
without parents, a caretaker, sib‑
lings, a spouse, children, or rela‑
tives. Friends can help us only so
far, but family members are com‑
mitted to being there for us
through thick and thin. When we
are sick, they help us. When we
have no money, they are there.
They are there to listen to our
problems and to help us. We
often find a reason to complain
to God about our family mem‑
bers, but how many thank God
that we have them? Often, we
only appreciate them when we
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
lose them through death or sepa‑
ration. Let us take time to thank
God for them and also show them
how much we appreciate them.
We also have received spiritual
gifts. This includes the gift of our
soul longing for God. Many may
feel God has forsaken them. They
do not feel God in their lives.
Some even deny the existence of
God. Why?
When we are so focused on our
outer life, we do not see what is
coming to us from our inner life.
We are only facing in one direc‑
tion.
Spiritually, we are blessed. Our
soul is a part of God. Each of us is
blessed with a way to find God
who sits within us. In this search,
some people stop at the level of
going to their places of worship
and reading scriptures. For them,
this is a beginning of a connec‑
tion with God. Outer religious
practices provide some time in
which people can think about
God, sing God's praises, and wor‑
ship. These gifts focus our atten‑
tion on God. However, for our
soul to directly experience God
requires more than outer wor‑
ship. There is a part of us that
wants to know God and is not
satisfied with only reading about
God in scriptures or doing outer
practices to worship God. When
we have a spiritual awakening in
which we realize the need to find
God, we begin to yearn to receive
a firsthand experience of the
spark of the Divine. We start a
search for God and cannot rest
until we meet God. We are no
longer satisfied with the attrac‑
tions of this world; we want
something lasting.
God is gracious and works
through spiritual Masters.
Masters point the way back to
God's Abode. A spiritual Master
roams the earth ready to show
seekers the way back to God.
Masters are like lighthouses
beaming out rays to invite our
lost ships back to a safe harbor. If
our eyes are facing the darkness
and mist of the seas, we do not
see the lighthouse. The moment
we are threatened by storms, we
turn our eyes in every direction,
seeking the guiding light of the
lighthouse. That moment is our
spiritual awakening when we
realize we cannot brave the
stormy seas of life alone and
need help.
We do not know how to access
God. The Master is a catalyst who
puts us in touch with God
through a process of initiation
into the inner light and sound
and teaches meditation on that
current. Through meditation, our
soul can travel on that divine cur‑
rent back to its true Source.
If we have asked the questions
about who we are, if there is God,
and what the purpose of life is,
we should be grateful to God. If
God has put us in touch with a
living Master, we can express
gratitude.
(For more visit www.sos.org)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 16-22, 2019