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MUMBAI: More banks in India havejoined the race for attracting theIndian diaspora money, after adollar-starved Reserve Bank freedrates on the non-resident accounts,taking the offering to as high as 9.6per cent per annum.
Three more banks haveannounced hikes in their NREdeposit offerings, with mid-sizelenders Yes Bank and Dena Bankcoming out with the highestofferings of 9.6 per cent.
The announcements follow similarones made earlier by their peers likeFederal Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank andHDFC Bank, among others,following the RBI decision to free therates on December 16 to stem themassive slide of the rupee, whichhad hit 54.30 to a dollar on theprevious day.
The rate hikes are in a bid toattract dollars as the rupee hitsrecord lows.
Meanwhile, two Mumbai-basedprivate banks, YES Bank andIndusInd Bank on December 23increased interest rates on deposits
parked by non-resident Indians.IndusInd raised interest rates onnon-resident external accounts(NRE) to 9.25 percent for depositsof 10 million rupees and aboveacross tenors from 3.82 now.Deposits of less than 10 millionrupees will earn interest of 8.75percent.
“The increased interest rates,backed by the appreciating dollarwill have a considerable impact onthe rupee flows coming into thecountry,” said Sumant Kathpalia,head of consumer banking,IndusInd Bank.
The RBI deregulated interestrates on non-resident external(NRE) rupee deposits and ordinarynon-resident accounts last Dec 23to provide greater flexibility to banksto attract dollars.
So far this year, foreign investorshave sold more than half a billiondollars worth of Indian sharesagainst a record inflow of more than$29 billion in 2010.SBI, BoB raise NRE deposit rates:After private banks, it is now the turn
of large public sector banks to raiseinterest rates on non-resident(external) rupee (NRE) depositsafter the central bank lifted the capon rates for these deposits.
State Bank of India (SBI) andBank of Baroda have also raisedNRE deposits rates. State Bank ofIndia , the country’s biggestlender, has raised term depositrates for non-resident externalaccounts by up to 574 basispoints from Jan.1.
Deposits below 10 millionrupees will earn interest rates of9.25 percent, while those above10 million rupees will earn 9percent for 1-2 years maturityfrom 3.82 percent earlier, it saidin a press release.
A senior Bank of Baroda officialsaid the bank had to respond to therise in NRE deposit rates, as themarket was highly competitive.
The outstanding NRI (non-resident Indians) deposits base isabout Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100billion), the official added.
JAIPUR: Fulfil l ing a long-standing demand of its diaspora,India has decided to would allownon-resident Indians (NRIs) tovote and participate in theelection process.
“Pursuant to the law that wasenacted to enable Non-residentIndians to vote in our nationalelections, the government hasissued notifications forregistration of overseas electorsunder the Representation ofPeople Act, 1950,” PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh saidon January 8.
“This constitutes the first majorstep to enable Indian residentsabroad to participate in ourelection process,” the primeminister said while addressingthe annual Pravasi BharatiyaDivas diaspora meet here.
He said the diaspora plays animportant role in the growth anddevelopment of the country. Thegovernment recognizes it, andwas committed to address theirconcerns and fulfi l l theirdemands.
“The government and peopleof India recognize and value theimportant role being played byIndian communities livingabroad. We believe that Indiandiaspora has much more tocontribute to the building ofmodern India,” the PrimeMinister said.
“We propose to facilitate,encourage and promote thisengagement. Over the pastyear, we have taken a numberof steps towards this end,” headded, as he formallyinaugurated the 10th annualdiaspora meet, the PravasiBharatiya Divas (PBD) here.
Overseas Indian AffairsMinister Vayalar Ravi said NRIswould be able to exercise their
Banks Hike NRE Deposit Rates to 9.6%
India AllowsNRIs to Vote
(Continued on page 4)
Russian CourtRefuses to Ban
The Bhagvad Gita–Page 10
Indian Among PopeBenedict’s
22 New Cardinals–Page10
USA’s Long-TermStrategicPartnership
with India–Page 4
WRHSLaunches
Asian-IndianHeritage Project
–Page 6
India: US Bill onOutsourcing Cause
of Concern–Page 12
PAGE 2 JANUARY, 2012INDIA INTERNATIONAL
National Federation of Indian AmericanAssociation (NFIA) w ww.nfia.net Headquarters: 319 Summit Hall Road,
Gaithersburg, MD 20877 USA Ph: 301-926-3013, Email:[email protected]: Rajen Anand (562) 537-1077
National/Global Organizations
Global Organization of People of IndianOrigin (www.gopio.net) P.O. Box 1413, Stamford,
CT 06904, USA; Phone: (818) 708-3885 Email:[email protected]
President (USA): Inder Singh, Tel: 818-708-3885;
American Association of Physicians ofIndian Origin (AAPI) www.aapiusa.org
Executive Office: 600 Enterprise Drive, Suite 108Oak Brook, IL 60523 Phone: 630-990-2277
President: Dr. Vinod Shah
EMBASSY OF INDIA2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202-939-7000 www.indianembassy.org
CONSULATES:There are four consulates: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston.
Ohio residents are served by the New York Consulate for visa & other services.
Consulate Generalof India, New York
3 East, 64th Street,New York, NY10065Tel: 212-774-0600Fax 212-861-3788
E-mail: [email protected]
ChicagoTel: 312-595-0405 E-mail: [email protected]
www.chicago.indianconsulate.com
San FranciscoTel: 415-668-0662 E-mail: [email protected]
www.cgisf.org
HoustonTel: 713-626-2148/49 E-mail: [email protected]
www.cgihouston.org
Asha for Education–ClevelandFehmida Kapadia 216-513-6977
Association of Asian-IndianWomen in Ohio (AAIWO)(440) 218-6959 www.aaiwo.orgMargaret Gonsalves 440-479-6214
American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI)Zahid Siddiqui (440) 238-3796
Association of Indian Physicians
of Northern Ohio (AIPNO)Satish Mahna (216) 228-1168
American Society of Engineersof Indian Origin (ASEI)Shantaram S. Pai (440) 734-1830
Bengali Cultural SocietyDebabrata Ghosh (440) 349-3678
Bharati Cultural SocietyMeera Subramaniam (440) 572-0778
Ekal Vidyalaya FoundationSreedhar Nair (440) 759-1500
FICAMona Alag (440) 256-3247Gujarati Samaj of Grt. ClevelandRajesh Patel 440-465-5965
Guru Gobind Singh Sikh SocietySurinder Singh Chauhan (440)243-8439
Guru Nanak FoundationDharminder S. Kala (330) 528-0262
Indian Classical Music SocietyAnupa Deogaonkar 444-237-2791
India-Ohio Chamber of CommerceRadhika Reddy (216) 344-9441
Jain Society of Greater ClevelandShanti Jain (440) 498-8234
Kasturi Kannada SocietyHema Vartak (440) 235-1835
Kerala Association of OhioAnil Kumar (440) 572-9571
NE Ohio Marathi Mandal(NEOMM)Jay Masurekar (202) 436-0997
Marwari AssociationSushila Mohanka (330) 598-0642
Orissa Society of AmericaBrirendra Jena (330) 494-2618
Punjabi Cultural SocietyBarjinder Dhanoa (216) 650-2311
NE Ohio Telugu Assn (NEOTA)Sravanthi Vallampati (216) [email protected]
NorthEast Ohio Tamil Sangam
(NEOTS)Meyy Meyyazhagan 440-899-6394
South Asian Bar Association ofCleveland Neelam Gill 440-201-3460 [email protected]
Please send updates to:[email protected]
Asian-IndianCommunity
Associationsin Greater Cleveland
How to Obtain
an Indian VisaWith effect from October 1,
2007, all visa applicantshave to obtain visas through:
Travisa Outsourcing, Inc.(All queries relating to Indian visa
should be directed to them)316 E. 53rd St., 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10022Phone: (212) 754-9900
Fax: (212) 754-9905Email:
https://www.indian-visa.com
Asian-IndianStores
Asian Food & SpicesSolon Ph: 440-248-0801
Asian Imports North Olmsted Ph: 440-777-8101
India Food & SpicesParma Ph: 440-845-0000
India GrocersParma Heights Ph: 440-885-0215
Indo-American FoodsNorth Randall Ph: 216-662-0072Indo-American Convenient
Mayfield Heights Ph: 440-446-8200Laxmi Groceries & Spices
Parma Heights Ph: 440-842-2402Lakshmi Plaza
Mayfield Heights Ph: 440-460-4601Patel Brothers
Parma Heights Ph: 440-885-4440Rimi’s Bakers n GrocersWest Lake Ph: 440-777-0116
Spice CornerAkron Ph: 330-535-1033
Ram Jewelers440-843-4463
Sunny Auto Repair216-362-6050
What’s Where
Indian Embassy & Consulates in US
New York / Chicago –Mumbai/DelhiFrom any city in US Lowest fares Confirmed seats
Reserve Seats Today Free Ticket deliveryanywhere in US Call Ranjit Dhillon:
330-467-6711 Cell: 216-401-1322For your convenience, we can answer your calls in English,
Hindi & Punjabi
ASIAN TOURS & TRAVEL
Mark your Calendar to attend Bollywood Milestones -1961-2011
Ekal Vidyalaya–Concert:Sat., April 21, 2012Stay tuned for further details
What’s Happening !
Asian-IndianRestaurants
Bamboo GardenNorth Olsmted 440-734-0500
Bombay GrillAkron 330-664-0689
Cafe TandoorCleveland Heights 216-371-8500
Aurora 330-562-5334Westlake 440-835-7999
Cuisine of IndiaParma Heights 440-842-5907
Indian Delight5507 Detroit Rd,Cleveland 216-651-
4007Jaipur Junction
North Royalton 440-842-3555Flavors of India
North Olmsted 440-779-5774Indian Flame
University Circle 216-791-5555Indies
Colonial Mkt,Downtown 216-357-3266
Priya Indian Cuisine
Parma, 440-345-5599
Saffron PatchShaker Heights 216-295-0400
Akron 330-836-7777
TadkaNorth Omlsted 440-734-1500
Taste of KeralaMayfield Heights 440-461-9212
Udupi CafeParma Heights 440-743-7154
TemplesShiva-Vishnu Temple– 7733 Ridge Rd, Parma, OH 44129
Phone: (440) 888-9433
BAPS Swaminarayan Temple– 2915 Laurel Rd, Brunswick, OH 44212Phone: (330) 220-4020
ISSO Swaminarayan Temple– 13354 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH 44136Phone: (440) 238-2222
Jain Temple (Jain Center)– 3226 Boston Mills Rd, Richfield, OH 44286Phone: 330-659-0832
Gurudwara - Richfield– (Guru Nanak Foundation)4220 Broadview Road, Richfield, OH 44286. Phone: 330-659-3748
Gurudwara - Bedford– 38 Tarbell Ave. Bedford, OH 44146Ph:440-232-1702
(There is no Asian-Indian church or mosque in Cleveland area)
A church where Asian-Indian Christians meet is:St. Gregorios Malankara Orthodox Church
Contact: Dr. T. Mathew 216-591-9632www.stgregorioscleveland.org
TiEQuest Ohio 2012 Gorilla Club NetworkingJoin us for a fun and informative networking event to learnabout TiEQuest 2012, the business venture competition with anopportunity to represent TiE Ohio at the global competition inApril 2012.January 10, 2012, 5:30pmThe Market Avenue Wine Bar2521 Market Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44113TiE Members and potential TiEQuest contestants: Free; Non-Members: $15TiEQuest offers the chance to win over $150,000 in prizes andan opportunity to win $1 million in investment from sponsoringfunds. Foreign-born entrepreneurs and local startups with asignificant international component are eligible to apply.TiEQuest is currently accepting applications at www.tieohio.orgApplication Deadline: January 31, 2012 The session is presented in partnership with the Gorilla Clubfeatures Allan Eva of Jet Dock Systems.Call 216-929-0677 or e-mail us at [email protected]
Support primary education in India’s remoteregions: visit [email protected]
NorthEast Ohio Tamil Sangam) NEOTS invite you and your family& friends to the Thai Pongal Festival, January 14, 2012Strongsville High School Auditorium, 20025 Lunn RoadStrongsville, OH 44149. Registration: 5:00 p.m., Social Hour andDinner: 5:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. Entertainment Program Starts at6:30 P.M. Free Admission with Annual MembershipFamily of four- $30, Single - $15, Students -$10 (ID required)Admission for Non-members and Guests - $10/personDinner is provided by “Chennai Delicacy”Please send your RSVPs to “[email protected]”
Pongal Festival
SHIVA VISHNU TEMPLE Welcomes you to ANNUALLOHRI CELEBRATION 2012 Saturday, January 14, 2012Puja and Havan: 6 PM, Cultural Program: 7 PM Dinner:9:30 PM. For details, contact Temple: (440 - 888 - 9433)
Lohri Celebration
PAGE 3INDIA INTERNATIONALJANUARY, 2012
Laxmi Groceries& Spices
(All Indian Groceries & Vegetables)6339 Olde York Road, Parma Heights, OH 44130
(Next to Udupi Cafe)
Tel: 440-842-2402 Fax: 440842-2403
Store Open All Seven Days: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.We accept Ohio Food Stamps
Welcome to our store for Low Prices & Quality ProductsAll varieties of Groceries & Frozen Foods * Appliances
Ready-to-Eat Foods* Puja Items * Sweets & SnacksFresh Vegetables* DVDs & CDs: Hindi, Tamil,Telugu, Kannada, Malyalam & much more...
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Contact Manu Mehta, a LicensedMortgage Consultant with extensivemortgage industry experience, for a
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AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE
9377 W.Sprague Rd, N.Royalton, OH 44133
Ph 440-842-3555Lunch, Dining & Carry-out
Catering Available for All Occasions
Fri-Sat-Sun:All-You-Can-Eat Lunch Buffet 12- 4 p.m.
Open 7 days 12 pm–10 pm
www.thejaipurjunction.com
JaipurJunction
Please come and enjoy the taste of South India
Please visit: www.tasteofkeralam.com
Welcome to Taste of Kerala,
a South Indian take out restaurant
5850 Mayfield Road, Mayfield Heights, Ohio-4412Phone 440-461-9212, 440-461-9242. Fax 440 -745 – 6686
E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]
We serve authentic Keralite cuisine using fine ingredientsand family recipes passed down through the years.
Great Takeout South Indian Food
at Affordable Prices!!!!
A few dishes from our menu list:
Samosa:Single $0.75,Over 25: $0.70, 50& above: $0.65 eachIddly (Four) with Sambar ....................... $3.99Iddiyappam with Chickpea Curry.............. $3.99Three Chapattis(Roti) with Veg.Curry........ $3.99Vegetable Biriyani ................................. $5.49Three Chapatti (Roti) with ChickenCurry.... $4.99Iddiyappam with Chicken Curry................ $4.99Chicken Biriyani .....................................$6.49Fish (Kingfish) Curry .............................. $5.49 And more……..
Taste of Kerala
Timings:Tuesday through Friday 11AM to 9PM
Saturday 12Noon to 9PMSunday 12Noon to 7PM
Monday - Closed
INDIAINTERNATIONAL
Volume 11, Number 1JANUARY, 2012
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Prakash N. Sinha
India International is publishedmonthly from Cleveland, Ohio, USA.It is distributed free in GreaterCleveland and surrounding areas.Yearly subscription is $10 for homedelivery. Copyright 2011 India InternationalInc. Reproduction of any article,report or photograph without Editor’swritten permission is prohibited.
PAGE 4 JANUARY, 2012INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Published by
India International Inc.Business & Editorial office:
1801 East 12th StreetSuite 1721
Cleveland, Ohio 44114Phone: 216-781-4055
E-Mail: [email protected]
India International is a secularand independent newspaper — anewspaper that doesn’t belong toany religious, political, social, cul-tural group or society, a newspa-per that’s truly independent.
It aims to create a better under-standing between Asian-IndianAmericans, other ethnic groups,and the mainstream American so-ciety. We believe that mutual un-derstanding fosters friendship,harmony and peace.
America is a beautiful mosaic ofmany cultures and faiths. Asian-Indian Americans are all proudAmericans and believe in Ameri-can values — freedom, equality,tolerance, and respect for eachother. Amid all its diversity inAmerica, there is a unique unitythat we aim to uphold and pre-serve.
India International supportsbasic human values and upholdsthe dignity of all human beings –values that are above religion andpolitics. We believes in universalbrotherhood !
India International seeks to pro-mote close friendly relations be-tween the United States and India,the two largest democracies.
India International also seeks tohelp preserve and promote theprecious Asian-Indian culture,heritage and values. And it seeksto uphold the pride and prestigeof Asian-Indian Americans, as wellas others’.
WhyIndia International ?
Washington: The UnitedStates is investing in long-term strategic partnershipwith India, the Pentagon hassaid in a new defensestrategic document whichputs Asia on a bigger priorityand identifies China as asecurity threat.
“The United States is investingin a long-term strategicpartnership with India to supportits ability to serve as a regionaleconomic anchor and providerof security in the broader IndianOcean region,” said thedocument unveiled by PresidentBarack Obama in his rareappearance at the PentagonJanuary 5.
The document tit led“Sustaining US GlobalLeadership: Priorities for 21stCentury Defense” identifiedChina as one country whichposes a security threat to the USin long term.
“Over the long-term, China’semergence as a regional powerwill have the potential to affect theUS economy and our security ina variety of ways,” said the eight-page document.
“Our two countries have a strongstake in peace and stability in EastAsia and an interest in building acooperative bilateral relationship.
“However, the growth of China’smilitary power must beaccompanied by greater clarity ofits strategic intentions in order toavoid causing friction in theregion,” the document said.
The new strategy also replacesthe decade-old policy ofmaintaining a force capable offighting two wars at once. It callsfor a small and lean AmericanArmy. “Even when US forces arecommitted to a large-scaleoperation in one region, they willbe capable of denying theobjectives of – or imposingunacceptable costs on – anopportunistic aggressor in asecond region,” it said.
The document made clear thatwhile some current militarymissions will be curtailed, nonewill be scrapped entirely.“Wholesale divestment of thecapability to conduct any missionwould be unwise, based onhistorical and projected uses ofUS military forces and our inabilityto predict the future,” thedocument said.
Observing that America’seconomic and security interestsare inextricably linked todevelopments in the arc extendingfrom the Western Pacific and EastAsia into the Indian Ocean regionand South Asia creating a mix ofevolving challenges andopportunities, the Pentagon saidwhile the US military will continueto contribute to security globally,“we will of necessity rebalancetoward the Asia Pacific region.”
“Our relationship with Asianallies and key partners are criticalto the future stability and growthof the region.”
Noting that Osama bin Laden’sdemise and killing of many othertop al-Qaeda leaders have
rendered the group far lesscapable, it said the terror networkand its affiliates remain active inPakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen,Somalia and elsewhere.
“Violent extremists will continueto threaten US interests, allies,partners and the homeland. Theprimary loci of these threats areSouth Asia and the Middle East,”it said.
“The United States will continueto lead global efforts with capableallies and partners to assureaccess to and use of the globalcommons, both by strengtheninginternational norms of responsiblebehavior and by maintainingrelevant and interoperablemilitary capabilit ies,” thedocument said.
According to the strategicdocument, in the aftermath of thewars in Iraq and Afghanistan, theUS will emphasize non-militarymeans and military-to-militaryco-operation to address instabilityand reduce the demand forsignificant US force commitmentsto stability operations.
“The US forces, will no longerbe seized to conduct large-scale,prolonged military operations,” itsaid. It said as long as nuclearweapons remain in existence, theUS will maintain a safe, secureand effective arsenal.
“It is possible that our deterrencegoals can be achieved with asmaller nuclear force, which willreduce the number of nuclearweapons in our inventory as wellas their role in the US nationalsecurity strategy,” it said.
US Investing in Long-TermStrategic Partnership with India
The top 10 list has been compliedbased on the New York TimesBestseller rankings for 2011, and isin no particular order.1. Title: 11/22/63Author: Stephen KingPublisher: ScribnerSynopsis: It is the story of anEnglish teacher who is on a mission.He goes back in time through a timeportal to 1958; a year that saw theassassination of John F. Kennedy.Will he be able to prevent Kennedy’sassassination? Stephen King in thebook explores historical eventsthrough the lens of science fiction.2. Title: Explosive EighteenAuthor: Janet EvanovichPublisher: Random HouseSynopsis: Latest in the StephaniePlum novel series, ExplosiveEighteen is about Stephanie whofinds herself in deep trouble whenher Hawaii vacation ends in anightmare. Add to it her becominga target of an international killer.How will Stephanie find her way outof this mess?3. Title: The Best of MeAuthor: Nicolas SparksPublisher: Grand CentralSynopsis: High school coupleAmanda and Dawson meets after
World’s 10 Most Favorite Books in 2011twenty-five years at the funeral oftheir mentor, Tuck Hostetler.Together they confront the painfulmemories of their long lost love andsome undeniable truths about theirnow-gone mentor.4. Title: The LitigatorsAuthor: John GrishamPublisher: Knopf DoubledayPublishingSynopsis: His 25th fiction novel,Grisham’s The Litigators is ahumorous tale of partners in a lawfirm who take on a big case over acholesterol reduction drug by apharmaceutical company after a lawfirm burnout joins them in the case.5. Title: The Girl with the DragonTattooAuthor: Stieg LarssonPublisher: Knopf DoubledaySynopsis: Set in Sweden, TheGirl...tells the story of MikaelBlomkvist, a journalist who recentlylost a libel case, and LisabathSalander, a computer hacker with afoul temper, as they team up tounravel the mystery surrounding thedisappearance of Harriet Vangerabout 40 years ago from a littleisland that belonged to her ownfamily.6. Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn StockettPublisher: Penguin GroupSynopsis: Set in 1960s Mississippi,The Help tells the tale of a youngwhite girl who is forced to getmarried, her two black maids andtheir perspective of the stringentbarriers, customs, prohibitions andlaws.7. Title: The Art of FieldingAuthor: Chad HarbachPublisher: Little, Brown & CompanySynopsis: Harbach’s debut novelis about a baseball team that seesits fortunes rise with the arrival of agifted shortstop. The narrativecombines the pleasures of an old-fashioned baseball story with astately, self-reflective meditation ontalent and the limits of ambition,played out on a field where everyhesitation is amplified and everyerror scrutinized by a formidableaudience.8. Title: SwamplandiaAuthor: Karen RussellPublisher: Vintage ContemporariesSynopsis: Karen Russell’s firstnovel weaves a portrait of a younggirl who is wise beyond her years.An alligator theme park, a ghostlover, a Styx-like journey through anEverglades mangrove jungle, the
story finds its protagonist in thisgirl’s undying effort to preserve hergrieving family’s way of life. Thenarrative structure is suffused withelements of humour and gothicwhimsy that lend the plot afantastical appeal.9. Title: Ten Thousand SaintsAuthor: Eleanor HendersonPublisher: Ecco/HarperCollinsSynopsis: Ten Thousand Saints isHenderson’s debut novel whereshe delves into the lives of a groupof friends, lovers and their parents.Set against an elegiac backdrop ofthe 1980s - early stages of the AIDSepidemic, ill-equipped families andsubstance abuse, it explores theapocalyptic conflicts of the humanmind and soul.10. Title: The Tiger’s WifeAuthor: Tea ObrehtPublisher: Random HouseSynopsis: Young Natalie grew uplistening to mythical stories aboutthe Balkans war from hergrandfather. Little did she know thatwar would return and thecharacters that lost their lives werenot from any fairy tale. Obrehtrevisits the conflicts of her ownmind through Natalie in her first andsomewhat autobiographical novel.
franchise in the upcomingelections.“Indian nationals living abroadcan now exercise their franchisein India at the time o f theelections,” Ravi said.Now those NRIs who haveregistered with the embassies oftheir respective countries of stay,would be eligible to vote in theupcoming assembly elections infive states including UttarPradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab,Goa and Manipur. Polls will takeplace in these states betweenJan 28 and March 3.Ravi said objective of thegovernment was to furtherincrease engagements withdiaspora. “Our objective is toraise the level of engagement togo beyond mere investmentrelated issues and address abroader agenda.”“We believe that this will providethe vast majority of you theopportunity to benefit from aswell as contribute - each in yourown way - to India’sdevelopment story,” the ministersaid.Later, talking to media person,Ravi said this year’s PravasiBharatiya Divas (PBD) is thelargest congregation of Indiandiaspora.He said almost 1,900 delegatesfrom around 60 countries wereparticipating in the three-dayevent.
(Continued from Page 1)
NRIs Allowed toVote in India’s
Elections
PAGE 5JANUARY, 2012 INDIA INTERNATIONAL
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Republic of India Quiz
When you, your friend or neighbor are living in ownhouse or apartment and not willing to live in anursing home, but still need assistance contact our
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1. What are the colors and theorder of colors on the Indianflag?
2. What symbol is at the centerof the Indian flag?
3. What is the National birdof India?
4. What is the National Animalof India?
5. What is the National Tree ofIndia?
6. What is the National fruit ofIndia?
7. What is the National flowerof India?
8. When is Independence Daycelebrated?
The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of Indiacame into force, on 26 January 1950, replacing the Government of India Act 1935 asthe governing document of India. The date 26 January was chosen to honor thememory of the declaration of independence of 1930. This quiz is designed to testyour knowledge of some basic facts about India. See how you fare. Good Luck !
9. When is Republic daycelebrated?
10. Who did India gotindependence from ?
11. Who is known in India asfather of the nation?
12. What is India’s nationalemblem and where was it takenfrom?
13. What form of governmentdoes India have?
14. What is official residence ofthe President of India called?
15. Who was the first PrimeMinster of India?
16. Who was the firstPresident of India?
17. Who wrote the IndianNational Anthem?
18. What is the National Songof India?
19. When is Children’s daycelebrated in India?
20. When is Teachers daycelebrated?
21. What is the oldest knowncivilization in India?
22. What were the two maincities in the Indus Valleycivilizations?
23. What is the oldest knownuniversity of India (establishedsixth century B.C.)?
24. List five major religions inIndia?
Problems are not stop
signs, they areguidelines. –Robert H. Schuller
The first step toward
success is taken when
you refuse to be a
captive of the
environment in which
you first find yourself.
–Mark Caine
The key is to keep
company only with
people who uplift you,
whose presence calls
forth your best.
–Epictetus
The more man
meditates upon good
thoughts, the better
will be his world and
the world at large.
–Confucius
You are never too old
to set another goal orto dream a new
dream. –C. S. Lewis
You can never quit.
Winners never quit,
and quitters never win.
–Ted Turner
You can’t build a
reputation on what
you are going to do.
–Henry Ford
Poverty was the
greatest motivating
factor in my life.
–Jimmy Dean
The harder the conflict,
the more glorious the
triumph. –Thomas Paine
Setting goals is the first
step in turning the
invisible into the visible.
–Tony Robbins
Small deeds done are
better than great deeds
planned. –Peter Marshall
This building has a greatsignificance in the con-text of democracy andIndia’s Republic Day.Remarkable for itsbeautiful architecture,this is also a landmarkin India’s capital cityNew Delh. What’s thename of this building?
Picture Quiz
PAGE 6 JANUARY, 2012INDIA INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY NEWS ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Support a Child’s Education in India: visit
www.ashanet.org
The Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS), Cleveland,has launched the Asian Indian Heritage Project to collectmaterials to document the history of the Asian-Indiancommunity in northeast Ohio.
Archival Collection Protocol:The Asian Indian Heritage Project is actively endorsing thecollection of materials documenting the experience of AsianIndians in the Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio area. This projectsolicits materials to be preserved in the Western Reserve HistoricalSociety (WRHS). The primary activity of the Asian Indian Archives is to collect(through WRHS) print and non-print material that documents thehistory of the Asian Indian community of Cleveland and NortheastOhio. This material is then made available to the public foreducational purposes, including scholarly research andgenealogical studies, according to a press release from theWRHS. This archive is the Asian Indian Legacy that will be left forscholars and future generations. The emphasis for the Asian Indian Archives is to collect materialsof historical significance, including materials on persons deceasedas well as living. Furthermore, WRHS will be collecting archivalmaterials on Asian Indian organizations and businesses.
Items that are currently being solicited include
•Institutional Records
•Correspondence
•Board Minutes/Agendas
•Membership lists
•Record books
•Account books
•Pamphlets
•Books
•Posters
•Unpublished manuscripts
•Organizational programs
•Photographs and films
•Military documents
•Audio/video tapes, CDs, DVDs
•Oral history tapes and transcripts
•Ledgers and receipts
•Administrative & Financial records
Materials relating to politics, religion, culture, business, labor,genealogy, education, fraternal organizations, charities, andindividual life experiences are the key to the understanding of theAsian Indian experience in greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. If you have an item which you believe would contribute to thecollection, and is not listed please contact the WRHS and they willbe able to assist you. Please also note, property rights are cededto the WRHS. All possible donations should be directed to Mr. John Grabowski(Vice-President for Collections) and Ms. Margaret Burzynski-Bays(Curator of Manuscripts). The WRHS will come to your home ororganization and inform you on which materials may be submittedfor the archival records. If you have any materials, or know of anyone who may be ableto contribute to the Asian Indian Archives, please contact Mr.Grabowski or Ms. Burzynski-Bays at the Western ReserveHistorical Society. To schedule an appointment, discuss materials that might beappropriate for WRHS or to arrange a tour of the Historical Societyplease refer to the contact information listed below.
Mr. John Grabowski (216) 721-5722, extension 254 [email protected]
•Letters and othercorrespondence
•Photographs and film/video/audio recordings
•Family histories
•Personal letters
•Diaries and journals
•Scrapbooks
•Newsletters and newspapers
•Passports
•Transportation tickets (i.e., planetickets)
•Naturalization papers
•Cultural memorabilia, including:food equipment, articles used inreligious processions or othertypes of ceremonies, tools usedby craftsmen, works of art,handmade items, clothing
WRHS LaunchesAsian-Indian
Heritage Project
Ms. Margaret Burzynski-Bays(216) 721-5722, extension [email protected]
Asha-Cleveland was honored tohost flute maestro PanditHariprasad Chaurasia at its annualcharity concert “Notes of Hope2011” on October 29th at theCuyahoga Community College(Tri-C) Metro Campus auditorium.
Over 350 patrons attended theconcert, making it a grandsuccess, and raising $7,000towards our chapter’s projectsback in India. Panditj i wasaccompanied by Pt. SubhankarBanerjee on the tabla, and Ms.Shyamala Rajender on thetanpura, with his student JayGandhi accompanying on thesupport flute. They played to thegalleries, by rendering a couple ofraagas based on audiencerequests, leaving themmesmerized with their mastery.
Overall, the event was a successthanks to the tremendous effort putin by the organizing team, anddonations from the community,along with sponsorships fromnumerous local businesses.
In a previous issue of IndiaInternational, we had mentionedthe trailblazing exploits of our
“Team Asha” which successfullyconquered the Akron Marathon inSeptember. One of our donors, Dr.Sanjay Garg ran the ClevelandTowpath half-marathon with hisdaughter Aditi on October 9th, tofurther raise awareness about Ashaand its activities. Overall, a total of$12,000 was raised from this year’smarathon program for our projects.
Every step was one towardspromoting the education of less-privileged children, with theunstinting support andencouragement of various donorsand well-wishers serving as thedriving force! To read more abouteach runner and also make yourcontribution to Team Asha, pleasevisit our Marathon home pagea t h t t p : / / w w w. a s h a n e t . o r g /c l e v e l a n d / h o m e / m a r a t h o n /team.php
Over the course of this past year,our chapter has disbursed a total of~$20,000 to our projects.
� $2400 to Kadam, to providefamilies with winter kits to help tideover unexpected extreme coldweather
� $6000 to the SiraguMontessori school, as part of ourannual funding to them
� $2240 to Agragati, as the firstinstallment of our support to them,to be utilized for salaries forteachers
� $9000 to Kadam, as thesecond installment of our funding,to meet their operating expenses
For further information,please do contact us [email protected], or visitour webpage at http://www.ashanet.org/cleveland, orvisit our blog at http://ashacleveland.blogspot.com/.
We promise to continue ourefforts to make a difference in thelives of the less privileged backhome in 2012 with renewed fervor.We look forward to your continuedsupport and encouragement in thecoming year, and wish you all avery happy and prosperous 2012!To make a donation to any of ourprojects, please click on the“Donate” link on our website. Ashafor Education is a 501(c)(3) taxexempt organization.
Asha Update
A Memorable Evening of Musicwith Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia
Asha for Education, Cleveland, volunteers with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (center, standing)
–By Bala Sivaraman
For advertising in India International,please call 216-781-4055 or email [email protected]
Ten Thousand people read India InternationalPrint and Online versions Every Month
PAGE 7JANUARY, 2012 INDIA INTERNATIONAL
Meeting at the Wyndham, PlayhouseSquare, 1260 Euclid Ave, 3rd floor
Church phone: (216)-544-1684
We welcome all to hear the goodnews of Jesus Christ !
Every Sunday: Worship 9:30 a.m.,Bible studies 11:00 a.m.
Jesus:Bringing Peace,
Building Hope,
Bridging nations
In this year of Transformation wewould like to invite you to begin 2012by hearing an inspirational storyabout the founder of the BrahmaKumaris, Brahma Babaon Tuesday, January 17th, from 7-8:30p.m. By understanding hisjourney of transformation, it is ourhope that each one will be inspiredto make their life likea diamond and become a true Heroin this world like he did.
Ratanjit Singh Sondhe, founder of Discoverhelp and a visionary community leader, wasawarded the Gordon E. Heffern Award for Values, Ethics and Community Service bythe Cleveland-based non-profit organization Project Love-Purple America on November
30, 2011. Each year the award is given to an individual who best exemplifies a true sense of themeaning of values, ethics and community. Former Project Love Chairman Alan Schonbergpresented Mr. Sondhe with the award recognizing him for his dedication to the future ofNortheast Ohio, our country and the world. Sondhe’s graceful and elegant remarks warmed the hearts of the over 500 guests as hereminded everyone of the importance of “gratitude.” He went on to tell a touching story abouthow he learned the importance of gratitude from a conversation with his daughter at a veryyoung age. She taught him that it is gratitude that creates a positive outlook and allows aperson the ability to transform their attitude, actions and possibilities. “Mr. Sondhe’s remarkssolidified the fact that he is more than deserving of this recognition and that he embodies allthat Project Love stands for,” said Schonberg.
Project Love-Purple AmericaAward for Ratanjit Sondhe
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Attorney-at-Law
IMMIGRATION:Green Card; H-1B & Employment Visas; Citizenship;
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27540 Detroit Rd, Suite 202,Westlake, OH 44145
Phone:(440) 892-8846,Toll Free: 1-(888) 700-0073E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.jbidari.com
Jayashree Bidari, J.D.
MIAMI, FL: Shriya Srinivasan of StrongsvilleHigh School, is a YoungArts Merit AwardWinner in World Dance Forms. Chosen frommore than 5,000 applicants in nine disciplinesin the visual, literary and performing arts, shewill receive a monetary award. YoungArts isthe core program of the National Foundationfor Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). Shriya Srinivasan is one of this year’sYoungArts 271 Merit Award Winners,selected in a blind adjudication process froma pool representing all 50 states and theDistrict of Columbia, as well as all U.S.territories. There are a total of 597 YoungArtswinners in total,including 152 YoungArtsFinalists. YoungArts Finalists are invited toattend YoungArts Week in Miami duringJanuary 9-14, 2012, which includes masterclasses taught by world-renowned artists,performances and exhibitions. YoungArts Week performances will belivestreamed on www.youngarts.org.
Ratanjit Sondhe (right) speaking after receiving the award.
Former Project Love Chairman Alan Schonberg presented the award to Mr. Sondhe.
YoungArts MeritAward for Shreya
To RSVP for this special editation program please call 234.678.9200or email [email protected].
INDIA INTERNATIONAL Page 8
(Also giving lessons at Tri-C)Contact 440-892-9611
Hindustani ClassicalMusic
With Noted VocalistSugata Chatterjee
www.sugatachatterjee.com
LEARN
SINGING
By Ram Ramanan
A charming musical performance washeld Saturday Dec 3 2011 at theStrongsville High School auditorium by
the cultural committee of Sree VenkateswaraTemple of Cleveland, Richfield, OH.
The evening highlighted local talents ofGreater Cleveland and Akron area, to anaudience of 350 people. The programshowcased music from different corners ofIndia. The cultural committee carefully chosetasteful and popular music, from Indiancinemas, and musical media. The items werewell sequenced, covering various Indianlanguages and variety of genres.
The evening opened with a traditional HindiBhajan rendered by Sugata Chatterjee. Thiswas followed by obeisance to Lord Ganesha
through the popular song ’Shri GaneshayaDheemahi’, rendered by Shruti Raghavanand students of Ragapriya School of Music.
The audience were then treated toselections of popular Hindi, Tamil and Telugufilm songs and semi- classical numbers. Thecast of local talents included Aarti Kumar,Shriya Srinivasan, Lalit Subramanian,Sreevishnu Pasumarthy, SreekrishnaPasumarthy, Rajan Vaidyanathan and SruthiSundaram. A live orchestra accompanied thesingers on stage, consisting of Detroit fameSridhar Vaidyanathan on keyboard, guitaristNicholas Tabarias, and Cleveland’s ownViswanath Narayan on tabla. The audiencealso enjoyed karaoke music rendered byAkron singers Subhash Agarwal, Dilip Desai,
Srimathi Ramamurthy and Jyothi Tantri.Cleveland’s Dalip Bhatia entertained theaudience with his high energy bhangra song.He also paid tribute to late Hindi actorShammi Kapoor of of yester years.
At one time, the stage was filled with youngaspiring students from the Center for IndianArts, Solon, OH. They accompanied theirgurus in colorful Desi clothes. It was a treatfor the eyes and the ears.
A uniquely choreographed Jana GanaMana, the Indian national anthem, precededby the American National anthem, was thecrown jewel of the evening.
Dr. Ramakrishna Bandi, Chairman of theSree Venkateswara Temple, along with ViceChairman Laks Venkataraman,
acknowledged the hard work of all theassembled artists and the cultural committee. ”Our devotion to Lord Venkateswara has madeall this possible”, he said, “Thank you all for yourcontinued support of our new temple, thank youfor the donations, Pavitrapadas and pledges.The temple construction has begun, and withLord Venkateswara’s grace, it should becompleted by Fall 2012,”, Dr. Bandi informed theaudience.
It was one of the most enjoyable programs performed by our very own talented artistes fromthe community.
Those wishing to contribute to the Sreevenkateswara Temple Fund could do so bymailing their donations to Sree VenkateswaraTemple , 2850 Roundhill Dr, Akron, OH, 44333.
Local Singing Talents Mesmerize Audience
A group performing at themusical nite at Strongsville
High School auditoriumDecember 30, 2011.
– JANUARY, 2012 Page 9
Birchwood School
For information or to set up an appointmentcall our admissions office at 216-251-2321
Or visit our website: www.birchwoodschool.org
“…superior education…selfless teachersthat reminds us ofour teachers inIndia, committedand affectionate…great Teachingresources andinnovation…students competeagainst the bestin Ohio and thenation… a familyenvironment thatvalues, respectsand thrives oncultural diversity.”
The RavichandranFamily
Birchwood School was a unique
environment where our children
learned the value of education
and character. After being in a
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found a home away from home.
The teachers set high academic
standards and provide the
nurturing environment to achieve
it. Birchwood is a place where
excellence is the norm and each
child is not only encouraged to
achieve but helped to succeed in
their efforts. The teachers are
our true partners because they
do not consider the children as
“students”
but as their own wards and help
us raise wonderful civic-minded,
outstanding citizens. A follow up
of the Birchwood Alumni will
clearly demonstrate and
underscore our opinion about this
school. If there is one thing we
miss at Birchwood, it is the lack
of a high school!
The Dasasrathy Family
A premier, private education for bright and gifted children in grades K-8.At Birchwood we’ve combined time-tested educational strategies fromthe East and the West to create and educational experience that has
enabled our students to gain local, state, and national recognition for
their academic work.
Open House WeekFebruary 6-10
9 A.M. – 2:30 P.M.
Tour the school, talk to staff, meet withthe founders and discover education at its finest.
Day tours by appointment, arranged through the main office.
World Class Education in Cleveland
Rimi’s (Indian Bakers n Grocers & Gifts)Wishes all the readers A Very HAPPY NEW YEAR !
PAGE 10 JANUARY, 2012INDIA INTERNATIONAL
MOSCOW: A Russian court onDecember 28 rejected a petition,described by India as “patentlyabsurd”, which had sought a ban ona translated version of The BhagvadGita, bringing cheers to followershere as well as those across theworld.
“We have won the case. Thejudge has rejected the petition,”Sadhu Priya Das of ISKCON,Moscow, who is also Chairman ofnewly-formed Hindu Council ofRussia, told PTI.
External Affairs Minister S. M.Krishna welcomed the judgmentand thanked the Russiangovernment for its support.
Prosecutors in the Siberian city ofTomsk had argued that the Russiantranslation of “Bhagavad Gita As ItIs” promotes “social discord” andhatred towards non-believers.
The text is a combination of theBhagvad Gita, one of Hinduism’sholiest scriptures, and commentaryby A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, founder of theInternational Society for KrishnaConsciousness, that is commonlyknown as the Hare Krishnamovement, ISKCON.
The prosecutors had asked thecourt to include the book on theRussian Federal List of ExtremistMaterials, which bans more than1,000 texts including Adolf Hitler’s“Mein Kampf” and books distributedby the Jehovah’s Witness andScientology movements.
Reacting to the judgment,ISKCON spokesman BrajendraNandan Das told PTI in New Delhithat, “We are very happy”.
ISKCON members have allegedthat the Russian Orthodox Churchwas behind the court case as itwanted to limit their activities.
The case had created a stormback in India and even theParliamentary proceedings hadbeen affected by it.
Speaking in Parliament, Krishnahad said the lawsuit was the workof “ignorant and misdirected ormotivated individuals.”
He also called the complaint“patently absurd”.
Krishna had summoned theRussian Ambassador in New Delhi,Alexander Kadakin, on December27 and told him that Moscow shouldprovide all possible help to resolvethe issue that has been in the courtfor the last six months.
He had also conveyed to the topRussian diplomat the sensitivitiesinvolved with the issue.
Kadakin had assured Krishna thatthe Russian Government will do allit can within its power.
The trial began in June and wasscheduled to conclude onDecember 19, just after IndianPrime Minister Manmohan Singh’stwo-day visit to Russia.
Officials in Tomsk agreed to hearfurther testimony from experts andthe Russian ombudsman for human
Russian Court Refuses to BanThe Bhagvad Gita; ISKCON Cheers
rights and postponed the courtdecision till Dec 28.
Russian lawyers Mikahil Fralovand Alexander Sakhav arguedstrongly against the petition.
The judge, after reviewing thepetition from the state prosecutorsand the responses against it,dismissed the plea.
The Russian Foreign Ministry hadearlier insisted that the Tomsk courtwas not taking issue with core Hinduscripture itself, but rather with theauthor ’s commentary and poortranslation in “Bhagavad Gita As ItIs.”
“I would like to emphasize that thisis not about ‘Bhagavad Gita,’ areligious philosophical poem, whichforms part of the great Indian epicMahabharata and is one of the mostfamous pieces of the ancient Hinduliterature,” ministry spokesmanAlexander Lukashevich had said ata briefing here, adding that the bookwas first published in Russian in1788.
VATICAN CITY: Pope BenedictXVI named 22 new cardinalsJanuary 6, including prelates insuch key posts as New York andHong Kong and a large numberof Italians holding major Vaticanpositions.
Cardinals are the pope’s topadvisers, the elite group ofchurchmen who will eventuallyelect Benedict’s successor. Ofthe 22, 18 are under the age of80 — raising to 125 the numberof cardinals eligible to vote in thenext papal conclave. Cardinalsaged 80 and over are notallowed to vote on the nextpope.
The list includes twoAmericans: Archbishop TimothyDolan of New York andArchbishop Edwin O’Brien,Grand Master of the Order of theHoly Sepulchre and the formerarchbishop of Baltimore.
Other new cardinals comefrom Berlin, Prague, Toronto andFlorence, Italy.
The 84-year-old pope named16 Europeans as cardinals,including seven Italians. He alsonamed Joao Braz de Aviz, aBrazilian who heads the Vaticanoffice for religious life; John TongHon, bishop of Hong Kong; andGeorge Alencherry,archbishop of the Syro-Malabar church in India.
The pope announced thenames “with great joy’’ followingan Epiphany Mass that endedthe Vatican’s main Christmascelebrations. He said they will be
formally elevated at a Feb. 18ceremony in Rome.
During the Mass, Benedictalso ordained two new Vaticandiplomats with the rank ofarchbishop, including anAmerican, Monsignor CharlesBrown, who is being sent toIreland to heal the damagecaused by the clerical sex abusescandal.
However, Benedict once againpassed over for cardinal DublinArchbishop Diarmuid Martin, amajor voice in the churchdemanding greateraccountability from bishops toclean up the scandal.
The Vatican never explains thepope’s choices for cardinal.
The 18 new cardinals under80 are:
Santos Abril y Castello,(Spanish), Archpriest of theBasilica of St. Mary Major
George Alencherry, (Indian),Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church in India
Giuseppe Bertello, (Italian),President of the Government ofthe Vatican City State
Giuseppe Bettori, (Italian),Archbishop of Florence
Joao Braz de Aviz, (Brazil),Prefect of the Congregation forReligious
Domenico Calcagno, (Italian),President of the ApostolicPatrimony of the Holy See
Francesco Coccopalmerio,(Italian), President of the
Pontifical Council for LegislativeTexts
Thomas Collins, (Canadian),Archbishop of Toronto
Timothy Dolan, ( UnitedStates) Archbishop of New York
Dominik Duka, (Czech),Archbishop of Prague
Wim Eijk, (Dutch), Archbishopof Utrecht
Fernando Filoni, (Italian),Prefect of the Congregation forthe Evangelization of Peoples
Antonio Maria Veglio, (Italian),President of the PontificalCouncil for Migrants andRefugees
Manuel Monteiro de Castro,(Portuguese), MajorPenitentiary of the ApostolicPenitentiary
Edwin O’Brien, (UnitedStates), Grand Master of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre
John Tong Hon, (Chinese),Bishop of Hong Kong
Giuseppe Versaldi, (Italian),President of the Prefecture forthe Economic Affairs of the HolySee
Thomas Woelki, (German),Archbishop of Berlin
The four new cardinals over80 are:
Karl Becker (German), a priestand professor
Prosper Grech, (Maltese), apriest and professor
Lucian Muresan ( Romania),an archbishop
Julien Ries, (Belgian), amonsignor and professor
Indian Among Pope Benedict’s22 New Cardinals
NEW DELHI: NRI doctors are astep closer to be able to practiceor teach medicine in India.
The Cabinet on Tuesdaycleared the National Council ofHuman Resources in Health(NCHRH) Bill that allows doctorswho hold the Overseas Citizensof India (OCI) status to work inIndia. They can also join medicalcollege as faculty.
The move has been initiatedprimarily to reduce the country’sacute doctor shortage. India hasone doctor for 1,953 people, or adensity of 0.5 doctors per 1,000.The Planning Commission saysthe country is short of six lakhdoctors, 10 lakh nurses and twolakh dental surgeons.
Union health secretary P KPradhan said, “We expect the Billto come up in Parliament nextweek since it got cleared by theCabinet on Tuesday. It will thengo to the standing committee.”
The Bill also brings in penalprovisions against authoritiesrunning private medical collegeswho fudge figures like bedstrength, number of facultymembers or infrastructure to getregistration. At present, the onlypunishment they face is theinstitute’s de-recognition.
However, the Bill stipulates thaterrant authorities will face threeyears of imprisonment and a fineof Rs 25 lakh.
“False patients and facultymembers are brought in hordesin buses on the morning of theinspection by event managers forthose who run the colleges toshow the inspection team thatthey have the required faculty,manpower and infrastructure torun a medical college,” an officialsaid.
According to the Bill, anoverarching body will have underit the Medical Council of India(MCI), Pharmacy Council of India(PCI), Nursing Council of India(NCI), Dental Council of India(DCI) and the proposed CentralCouncils for Paramedical andAllied Medical SciencesEducation.
“Currently, all councils areworking separately and are overburdened with evaluation,assessment of institutions,monitoring academic standardsand regulating the profession. The21-member body will bringsynergy to all these councils. It willhave under it a National Board forHealth Education that will put inplace academic standards, aNational Evaluation Committeeand a professional Council,” anofficial said.
The Bill makes it mandatory forstate councils to maintain liveregisters of the available strengthof nurses and doctors. This willhelp correct regional imbalance ofhuman resources.
India AllowsNRI Doctors toPractice, Teachin the Country
NEW DELHI: In a significant moveclearing decks for Master BlasterSachin Tendulkar, legendaryhockey player Dhyan Chand andothers to get Bharat Ratna, thegovernment has made a necessarychange in eligibility criteria for aperson getting the India’s highestcivilian honour.
The Bharat Ratna will now beawarded in recognition ofexceptional service/performance ofthe highest order “in any field ofhuman endeavour” - coveringalmost all the fields that had earlierremained out of the purview of thiscivilian award.
Earlier, it was restricted to areaslike “Art, Literature, Science andPublic Service”, making it difficult forgovernment to consider names ofthose, who contributed immenselyto other fields, including sports.
“The change is made throughnotification by the Prime Minister’sOffice (PMO) on recommendationof the home and sports ministries,”said a senior official.
Supporting sports ministry’sdemand to include ‘sports’ as acategory for the award of BharatRatna, the home ministry hadwritten to the PMO in July, asking itto take the call as the decision wouldhelp outstanding sportspersons tobe considered for the highestcivilian award.
As the clamour for awardingBharat Ratna to Tendulkar andDhyan Chand gets louder, sportsminister Ajay Maken had earlierwritten to home minister PChidambaram seeking inclusion of‘sports’ as a category for the awardof Bharat Ratna. Maken, however,did not plead for any specificsportsperson or sports.
Before the change which is madenow, the Bharat Ratna wasconsidered only for those, who
Sachin Tendulkar,Dhyan Chand MayGet Bharat Ratna
(Continued on next page)
PAGE 11JANUARY, 2012 INDIA INTERNATIONAL
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Roth IRAsRoth IRA’s are still very much an item that is worth exploring. Unlike a traditional IRAthat is tax deductible, taxpayers cannot deduct contributions made to a Roth IRA, BUTqualified distributions from a ROTH are not included in a taxpayer’s gross income either.Qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA will be free from federal income tax and are notsubject to the additional 10% tax penalty for early withdrawals. During a client’s lifetime,the Roth money is available on a tax-free basis and RMD’s are not required. And whenthe client passes away, the remaining wealth can typically be transferred to familymembers’ income tax-free.Roth ConversionsBy converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA, clients can take money that is currentlytax deferred and convert it into an account that will grow tax-free. In order to do this,clients will have to pay taxes on the amount converted. A taxpayer who opts for a Rothconversion will not incur the 10% penalty for withdrawals prior to age 59 ½ at the timeof the conversion. If you are not comfortable with paying the tax on a total conversion,a partial conversion option may be the way to go. In today’s economy, you most probablywill never see tax rates this low again in the future. Contact us today to discuss how tomake this conversion and grow your Roth IRA tax free!Converting to a Roth IRA might make sense if:�Tax free growth will be greater than the cost of having to pay the taxes due at the timeof conversion�Clients expect to live a long time after the conversion and do not want to be forced totake RMD’s at age 70 ½.�Clients have the money available to pay the taxes due at the time of conversion�Clients want to leave money for future generations�If you expect your tax rate to be higher in retirement than it is right now
Contact Rao Garuda and his staff today to discuss your conversion options!
“Securities offered through Gradient Securities, LLC (Shoreview, MN 866-991-1539).Member FINRA/SIPC.” First Financial Resources, LLC and Associated Concepts AgencyInc., is not an affiliate of Gradient Securities, LLC.
To Convert or Not to Convert– That’s the question!
By Rao K. Garuda, CLU, ChFC
FISCAL FITNESS
Life insurance has been a traditional investment favorite in India and most Indians are likelyto hold at least one, if not more, life insurance policies. If you are a Non Resident Indian(NRI), you may have bought a policy while you were a Resident Indian or you may beconsidering buying one as an NRI. Let’s take a look at the rules relating to buying life insurancein India. The rules regarding insurance are governed by Exchange Control Manual.
Can an NRI buy life insurance in India?Yes, NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) (as defined by FEMA) who are resident
abroad are allowed to buy life insurance in India. Thus, all persons of Indian origin, whethercitizens of India or not are allowed to take a life insurance policy in India.
Does the NRI have to be present in India at the time of buying the policy?No, the NRI can purchase the policy from overseas through written communication with the
insurance company in India. There may be certain additional costs in such case. For instance,if you purchase the policy from abroad, you would have to do the medical examination andsend the report to the insurance company in India. You would have to bear the costs of thismedical examination yourself. However if you purchase the policy in India, you would nothave to bear this cost as it would be inbuilt in the cost of your policy.
How can premiums be paid?An NRI can pay premiums by any of these modes: 1. Remittance in foreign currency 2.
NRO bank account 3. NRE/ FCNR bank account Elizabeth Venkataraman, Senior VicePresident and Head of Marketing, Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance says, “Insurancecompanies are allowed to issue policies denominated in either Indian rupees or foreigncurrency to NRIs. If the policy is foreign currency denominated, the premiums are to becollected in foreign currency from abroad or out of NRE/FCNR accounts of the insured orinsured’s family members held in India. For rupee denominated policies issued to NRIs,funds held in NRO accounts are to be used to pay premiums.” However, do remember thatnot all insurance companies offer foreign currency denominated polices.
Are premiums higher for NRIs as compared to resident Indians?Are there any limits on the sum assured? “No,” says Surat based VK Virani, an agent of
the Life Insurance Corporation and an MDRT ‘Court of Table’ member. “The premiums arethe same for residents and non residents. However, if NRIs are living in countries where risksare higher, premiums maybe higher.”
As for the sum assured, Virani explains, “In case of LIC policies, if the NRI chooses toconduct his medical examination in the foreign country, the sum assured will be limited to Rs1 crore. If the NRI has his medical examination done on a visit to India, then he can get ahigher cover.”
What are the rules regarding death and maturity proceeds?The insurance policy purchased in India will cover death that occurs anywhere in the world.
Maturity and death proceeds are repatriable to the extent of premium paid in foreign currencyin relation to the total premium paid. If premiums are paid fully in Indian rupees through theNRO account, the death or maturity proceeds will not be repatriable. If policy was takenbefore becoming NRI, Venkataraman explains, “This does not affect the status of the policyand the proceeds remain repatriable to the extent of premium paid in foreign currency inrelation to the total premium paid. “
Should an NRI buy life insurance in India?Having seen the rules and regulations of buying life insurance in India, it is important for
NRIs to evaluate if they should indeed buy life insurance in India. There are a few things toconsider here:
1. Cost Will the policy be cheaper in the country of residence? As a broad benchmark, ahealthy 40-year-old man who buys a 20-year level term policy in the US, which has a fixedannual premium, might pay about $800 a year to secure a $500,000 death benefit. The samepolicy, that is, 20 year term policy with a sum assured of Rs 2.5 crore will cost over Rs 1 lakhper annum.
2. Tax regulations In India, benefits from a life insurance policy, including earnings, whetheron death or maturity are treated as tax-free. However, since an NRI will have to pay tax on hisglobal income in his country of residence and the taxability of this global income would be onthe basis of the tax laws prevailing in the country of his residence, he must look closely at taxprovisions in his country of residence. In the US for instance, taxation of life insurance proceedsis quite complicated. Death benefits are tax-free to the extent of the sum assured or lifecover. Any amount over and above the sum assured, such as bonuses will be taxed. Similarly,there are certain rules regarding withdrawals from a policy. The cash value of life insuranceis allowed to grow on a tax deferred basis, that is, earnings are taxed only on withdrawal. Incertain cases withdrawals maybe tax free to the extent of premiums paid till date of withdrawal.
To sum up, Venkataraman says, “The choice is entirely personal. However, NRIs are advisedto take into consideration, tax laws in force at the location where they are currently residentbefore buying a policy in India.”
Should NRIs buy lifeinsurance in India?
excelled for “exceptional service towards advancement of Art, Literature and Science, and inrecognition of public service of the highest order”. The recommendations for the BharatRatna - that was instituted in 1954 - are made by Prime Minister himself to President.
Though names of persons as per the eligibility criteria can be recommended by differentstate\Union Territories governments, organizations and individuals to PMO for consideration,no “formal recommendation” for this is necessary. It is also not mandatory that Bharat Ratnais awarded every year. The number of awards is, however, restricted to a maximum of threein a year.
So far, 41 people have been conferred with Bharat Ratna. The first three Indians, whoreceived the prestigious award, were Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, ChakravartiRajagopalachari and Sarvapali Radhakrishnan in 1954. There is no written provision thatBharat Ratna should be awarded to Indian citizens only.
The award has been conferred to a naturalized Indian citizen Mother Teresa (1980) and totwo non-Indians - Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela (1990). Pandit BhimsenJoshi was the last recipient of the award in 2009.
Among the other recipients of Bharat Ratna. are Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, LataMangeshkar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Amartya Sen, Jayprakash Narayan, Pandit Ravi Shankar,M S Subbulakshmi, J R D Tata, A P J Abdul Kalam, Rajiv Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,Morarji Desai and Bhimrao Ambedkar . (TNN)
(Continued from previous page) Bharat Ratna
PAGE 12 JANUARY, 2012INDIA INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS HEALTH
MUMBAI: Non-resident Indians(NRIs) are expected to pump inupwards of $10 billion as banks fallover each other to offer better rates.The rate war is the fallout ofReserve Bank of India’s move toderegulate returns on non-residentrupee deposits.With big banks now in the game,dollars are expected to flow in asthe yield on non-resident external(rupee) deposits is more than threetimes the return on dollar depositseven after adding the cost ofhedging against the risk of rupeedepreciation. By going in for acurrency hedge, which will costaround 4.5% to 5%, investors areprotected against rupeedepreciation.“I expect $10-$15 billion of inflowsto come from the NRE depositsgiven the rate differential. This couldbe a game changer for the rupeewhich has factored in all the badnews so far,” said Ashish Vaidya,
head of fixed income, currency andcommodities trading at UBS.“I would expect that even on aconservative basis the depositcollection should be around Rs40,000cr ($8 billion),” said AbhayAima, group head, equities andprivate banking at HDFC Bank. Hesaid that HDFC Bank was using thisopportunity to increase its presencein the NRI segment, where it hashad moderate presence, by offeringvery competitive rates. HDFC Bankwas among the earliest large banksto offer 9% and was followed by SBIand ICICI Bank, which introduced9.25% schemes.According to a banker with amultinational bank, the key tosuccess is the international reach.But for international banks it couldbe a tradeoff between offeringwealth management products withhigh fees and selling high costdeposits in a falling interest rateenvironment. “The present rates
offered by banks in India provide anarbitrage opportunity for NRIs toborrow overseas and invest inIndia,” said a banker with amultinational bank.It is not clear how aggressiveStandard Chartered Bank andCitibank will be in raising thesedeposits. Stanchart’s highest returnis 8.25% in the 2 years to 31 monthsmaturity. Citibank has come out witha tiered rate structure where it offersbetween 5% and 8.75% dependingon the size of the deposit.Interestingly, Citi’s rates drops fordeposits over Rs 50 lakh ostensiblyto discourage customers frommaking leveraged deposits.Banks can offer NRIs deposits inforeign currency. But such depositswill not address the shortage ofdollars in India as the funds have tobe deployed in foreign exchangeloans. NRE deposits result inimmediate supply of dollars whichare converted into rupees. (TNN)
NRIs May Pump in Over $10bnas Bank Interest Rates Rise
NEW DELHI: India hasexpressed concern over theproposed US Call Centre Bill butsaid that it is premature toassess the impact of thedecision on the domestic ITindustry.
A bipartisan bill has beentabled in the US House ofRepresentatives to makecompanies, that move callcenters overseas, ineligible forgrants or guaranteed loans fromthe federal government, a moveaimed at stemming the tide ofjobs heading to nations likeIndia.
“... Yes, it is something to beconcerned about, yes, it issomething to be worried about,”Commerce Secretary RahulKhullar told reporters here whilereleasing a report at theAssocham function here.
He, however, said that at thisstage it would be premature tosay anything on the possibleimpact of the proposed bill onthe Indian industry.
Khullar said that the globaleconomy is facing severe crisisand “you would continuouslysee such things quite simplybecause there is a real problemall over”.
The rate of unemployment isvery high in several countrieslike the US, Spain and the UK,he said.
“Let me assure you that if it ishappening in the US, somethingmay happen in Spain tomorrow,in the UK tomorrow ... then whatyou will do ... you can not beconsciously worried aboutreactions,” Khullar said.
IT industry body Nasscom hassaid that the proposed Bill wouldrestrict free trade and establishdiscriminatory trade practices.
“It is indeed disappointing tosee the US adopting‘protectionist’ measures likethese that restrict free trade andestablish discriminatory tradepractices. US lawmakers seemto have developed the practiceof unfairly taxing companiesworking overseas, to pay fordomestic issues,” NasscomPresident Som Mittal has said.
The Bill by RepresentativesTun Bishop and David McKinleyalso proposes a penalty of$10,000 per day on US callcentres, for failing to reportrelocation to an offshorelocation, within 60 days to theUS Department of Labour.
Also, call centre operators whoanswer calls will need to identifytheir location and the caller willhave a choice of choosing a US-based operator.
According to Nasscomestimates, the BPO exportsegment is anticipated to growby 14 per cent to reach $14.1billion in financial year 2011.
India: US Bill onOutsourcing Cause
of ConcernKOCHI, India: US will invest $1trillion towards infrastructuredevelopment in India to meet theneeds of a growing population,said Nirupama Rao, India’sambassador to the US. She wasaddressing members of theKerala Chamber of Commerceand Industry ( in Kochi onDecember 22.
“By March 2012, a tradedelegation led by US secretaryof commerce John E Bryson willvisit India to discuss thisinvestment. An ‘evergreenrevolution’ similar to the GreenRevolution is planned with USexpertise to increase agriculturalproduction and rural income.Space technology will come inhandy for predicting monsoonand creating new linkages fromfarm to market,” she revealed.
“The political engagementbetween India and the US hasstrengthened significantly andthe strategic understanding hasdeepened. The partnership ismulti-faceted and it extends toall activities that touch allaspects of the humanendeavour — from education,health, agriculture to ourconcerns in peace, security andhuman dignity. A strategicdialogue was establishedbetween the two countries in2009 and has identified fiveprincipal areas for co-operation,”she said.
Rao: US toInvest $1Trillion in
India
Have a salmon fish dinner. Snack on a handful of nuts. Pour adash of olive oil in your salad.
And bite into that sinister chocolate. Now you can do all thisguilt-free! All these foods help in fighting bad cholesterol.According to the American Heart Association, ‘You can reducecholesterol in your blood by eating healthy foods’. So, here weare today with our list of top 10 cholesterol fighting foods.
Oats: If you change your morning meal to oats then you cando your cholesterol level a whole lot of good. Do note that twoservings of oats can lower LDL cholesterol by 5.3% in only 6weeks. Essentially, oats contain a substance called beta-glucanwhich absorbs bad cholesterol.
Red Wine: Here’s yet another reason to toast to your health.The red grapes used in the manufacturing of red wine have animportant effect on cholesterol levels. Two glasses of red winein a week can do you a whole lot of good.
Salmon and fatty Fish: Full of Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon isa natural health wonder, which helps in keeping heart conditionssuch as heart attacks, stroke and high cholesterol levels atbay. Fishes such as salmon, sardines and herring help in raisinggood cholesterol levels by 4%.
Nuts: Mono-unsaturated fats (found in nuts, seeds etc.) havethe lowest fatty acid molecules and are the best of the threefats, namely poly-saturated fats, saturated fats and mono-unsaturated fats. Nuts are the best way to get those requiredhealthy fats into your body without feeling guilty. Since the fatsthat come from nuts are natural and are not chemicallyprocessed, this makes them heart healthy, filling, and nutritiousoptions.
Beans: Excellent for the heart, ½ a cup of beans added in ourdiet (in the form of any dish or soup), helps in loweringcholesterol levels by 8%. You should try black, kidney, or pintobeans; each one of them supplies about one-third of your day’sfiber needs.
Tea: Tea has antioxidants and less amounts of caffeine thancoffee. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mgcaffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. Tea helps inprotecting your bones because of the presence ofphytochemicals in them. It is also a great defense against LDLcholesterol levels.
Chocolate: Chocoholics can celebrate with a healthy dose ofdark chocolate as it is full of antioxidants and cholesterol-reducing properties. According to a Spanish study published in2010 in the “Journal of Hepatology,”, “the antioxidants in darkchocolate reduce the damage that can occur to blood vessels,which can further threaten the health of people with cirrhosis.The dark chocolate can help prevent the blood vessels in theliver from rupturing”. Medical experts suggest that munchingon 100 grams of chocolate every day helps in reducing theoccurrence of cardiovascular mishaps by 21 percent.
Spinach. Popeye the sailor was quite right when crediting hismuscle power to this green leafy vegetable. It is believed thatspinach contains around 13 flavonoid compounds which keepus away from cancer, heart diseases and osteoporosis. 1/2 acup of this lutein-rich food, daily, guards us against heartattacks.
Olive oil: This oil has many health benefits. It contains mono-unsaturated fatty acids which lower bad cholesterol andtriglycerides, without lowering good cholesterol levels. Differentstages of pressing and processing yield different varieties ofolive oil: Extra virgin,Virgin, Pure, Pomace
(Source: www.healthmeup.com)
10 Best Foods to ReduceCholesterol
Anwers on Page 14
PAGE 13JANUARY, 2012 INDIA INTERNATIONAL
RiddleCorner
Compiled byAditi Sinha
If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love Melvin’s humorous novel “Bala Takes the Plunge,”
available in North America through Amazon.com and McNallyRobinson.com
The Humor of Melvin Durai
LIFE CAN BE SO FUNNY !
Melvin Durai is aManitoba-based writerand humorist, author ofthe humorous novel“Bala Takes the Plunge.”A native of India, hegrew up in Zambia andhas lived in NorthAmerica since the early1980s.
Read his humor blog at http://www.Nshima.comWrite to him at [email protected]
We are here on earth to do good for others. What the others are here for, I don’t know. –W. H. Auden
The 76-year-oldwoman walkeddown the hallway
of Clearview AddictionsClinic, searching for theright department. Shepassed signs for the“Heroin AddictionDepartment (HAD),” the“Smoking AddictionDepartment (SAD)” andthe “Bingo AddictionDepartment (BAD).” Thenshe spotted thedepartment she waslooking for: “FacebookAddiction Department(FAD).”
It was the busiestdepartment in the clinic,with about three dozenpeople filling the waitingroom, most of themstaring blankly into theirBlackberries and iPhones.
A middle-aged man withunkempt hair was pacingthe room, muttering, “Ineed to milk my cows. Ineed to milk my cows.”
A twenty-somethingman was prone on thefloor, his face buried inhis hands, while a curly-haired woman comfortedhim.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be allright.”
“I just don’t understandit. I thought my updatewas LOL-worthy, but noneof my friends even clickedthe ‘like’ button.”
“How long has it been?”
“Almost five minutes.That’s like five months inthe real world.”
The 76-year-old womanwaited until her name wascalled, then followed thereceptionist into the officeof Alfred Zulu, FacebookAddiction Counselor.
“Please have a seat, Edna,”he said with a warm smile.“And tell me how it allstarted.”
“Well, it’s all mygrandson’s fault. He sent mean invitation to joinFacebook. I had neverheard of Facebook before,but I thought it wassomething for me, becauseI usually have my face in abook.”
“How soon were youhooked?”
“Faster than you can say‘create a profile.’ I foundmyself on Facebook at leasteight times each day — andmore times at night.Sometimes I’d wake up inthe middle of the night tocheck it, just in case therewas an update from one ofmy new friends in India. Myhusband didn’t like that. Hesaid that friendship is aprecious thing and shouldnever be outsourced.”
“What do you like mostabout Facebook?”
“It makes me feel like Ihave a life. In the realworld, I have only five or sixfriends, but on Facebook, Ihave 674. I’m even friendswith Juan Carlos Montoya.”
“Who’s he?”
“I don’t know, but he’s got4,000 friends, so he mustbe famous.”
“Facebook has helped youmake some connections, Isee.”
“Oh yes. I’ve evenconnected with some of thegals from high school — Istill call them ‘gals.’ I hadn’theard from some of them inages, so it was exciting tolook at their profiles andfigure out who’s retired,who’s still working, and
who’s had some work done.I love browsing their photosand reading their updates.I know where they’ve beenon vacation, which moviesthey’ve watched, andwhether they hang theirtoilet paper over or under.I’ve also been playing agame with some of them.”
“Let me guess. Farmville?”
“No, Mafia Wars. I’m aHitman. No one messes withEdna.”
“Wouldn’t you rathermeet some of your friendsin person?”
“No, not really. It’s somuch easier on Facebook.We don’t need to gussyourselves up. We don’t needto take baths or wearperfume or use mouthwash.
That’s the best thingabout Facebook — youcan’t smell anyone.Everyone is attractive,because everyone haspicked a good profile pic.One of the gals is using aprofile pic that was taken,I’m pretty certain, duringthe EisenhowerAdministration.”
“What pic are you using?”
“Well, I spent five hourssearching for a profile pic,but couldn’t find one Ireally liked. So I decidedto visit the local beautysalon.”
“To make yourself lookprettier?”
“No, to take a pic of oneof the young ladies there.That’s what I’m using.”
“Didn’t your friendsnotice that you lookdifferent?”
“Some of them did, butI just told them I’ve beendoing lots of yoga.”
“When did you realizethat your Facebookingmight be a problem?”
“I realized it last Sundaynight, when I was onFacebook and saw amessage on my wall frommy husband: ‘I moved outof the house five days ago.Just thought you shouldknow.’”
“What did you do?”
“What else? Iunfriended him of course!”
FACING UP TO AN ADDICTION
A good laugh is sunshine in the house. –William M. Thackeray
A Letter From SchoolDear Dad,$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying hard. With all my $tuff, I$imply can’t think of anything I need, $o if you like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I wouldlove to hear from you.Love,Your $on.
A week later....the response from Dad arrived:Dear Son,I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics and oceaNOgraghy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOrstudent busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task and you can neverstudy eNOugh.Love, Dad.
The Senate
A member of the Senate,known for his hot temperand acid tongue, explodesone day in mid sessionand begins to shout,
“Half of this Senate ismade up of cowards andcorrupt politicians!”
All the other Senatorsplead to the angrymember that he withdrawhis statement, or beremoved from theremainder of the session.After a long pause, theangry member accepted.
“Ok” he said, “I withdrawwhat I said. Half of thisSenate is NOT made up ofcowards and corruptpoliticians!”
This is a story about fourpeople named Everybody,Somebody, Anybody, andNobody.
There was an importantjob to be done andEverybody was sureSomebody would do it.
Anybody could havedone it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angryabout that, because it wasEverybody’s job.
Everybody thoughtAnybody could do it, butNobody realized thatEverybody wouldn’t do it.
It ended up thatEverybody blamedSomebody when Nobodydid what Anybody couldhave.
The Short ofa Story!
1. What is it that youcan keep after giving itto someone else?
2. You are in a roomwhere there are nometal objects exceptfor two iron rods. Onlyone of them is a magnet.How can you identifythis magnet?
3. “She” is a word thatcontains two personalpronouns:she and he. What five-letter word beginningwith “U”contains four personalpronouns?
4. In this teaser yourjob is to try anddiscover a shorter wordwithin the given wordthat relates to thetheme. The word mustbe an extension of the‘theme’ word. Theletters of the hiddenword are NOT jumbled.
Example:
Theme: NIGHT –––Sneaky = SKY (NIGHT SKY)
Theme: DAY –––a. Jacob = ?(DAY –––)
b. Clapboard = ? (DAY –––––)
c. Champagne = ?(DAY ––––)
d. Orange = ?(DAY –––)
5. Before Mt. Everestwas discovered, whatwas the tallest mountainin the world?
INDIA INTERNATIONALPAGE 14 JANUARY, 2012
ANSWERSto
RIDDLES
Answer to Picture QuizDID YOU
KNOW ?
� India International isthe largest and anindependent Asian-Indian newspaper inOhio� Every month, morethan 10,000 peopleread India Interna-tional – printed and itsonline version (sentthrough email)� It is your best con-nection to the 25,000-strong, educated,affluent Asian-Indiancommunity in andaround Greater Cleve-land� It is available at allbranches of CuyahogaCounty Public Library,all Indian temples,several Indian stores &restaurants in NE Ohio
The seat of IndianParliament is amarvelous piece of
architecture designed by thefamed architect Lutyens. Suchwas its importance that it wasconstructed under the directsupervision of Sir Herbert Baker.You are not allowed to loiterinside the building withoutspecial permission, for securityreasons.
For the foreign visitors, permitsare given only after they obtainan introductory letter from therespective embassies.
Then Indian Parliament hasbeen designed as a circular
structure. The House is 85meters in radius and about 900meters in circumference. Youwill certainly notice twosemicircular house chambersflank the Central Hall.
The Parliament building hasbeen provided with continuousopen corridor in circular formaton the first floor. This is typicalof Victorian Architecture but isunparallel in grandeur. Theseare supported by the colonnadeof 144 cream-color sandstonepillars. The exterior work isinfluenced by Indo-British fusion.The exterior walls of redsandstone are carved in
geometric patterns that echoMogul Jaalis. Many of thearchitects have criticized thisparticular aspect of the building.
The structure was builtentirely of indigenous material,typical of all the Victorianbuildings of that time.
The building encloses an areaof more than six acres. It has 12gates in total. Five of these 12gates are distinguished. You arebound to locate them becauseof their magnificent porches.Interior courtyards contain anumber of larger-than-life-sizestatues of historic Indian politicalleaders.
The parliament House at NewDelhi is a marvelous piece ofarchitecture which can beadmired only from outside onaccount of security restrictions.This domed circular structure isthe seat of the IndianParliament.
The building was inauguratedby the then-Viceroy of India,Lord Irwin, on January 18, 1927.
Since India’s Independencefrom the British in August 1947,the Parliament House hasserved as a center of India’sflourishing democracy. It isconsidered as a temple in theworld’s largest Democracy.
The Parliament House New Delhi, India
1. Saffron, White, Green
2. Navy blue wheel called theChakra
3. Peacock
4. Tiger
5. Banyan tree
6. Mango
7. Lotus
8. August 15th
9. January 26th
10. The British
11. Mahatma Gandhi
12. The National Emblem ofIndia has been taken from theSarnath Lion capital erected byKing Ashoka. In the Nationalemblem, only three lions arevisible and the fourth one ishidden from the view. All thelions are mounted on an abacus.At the centre of the Abacus,
there is a Chakra (wheel) whichsymbolizes the Dharma Chakra(Eternal wheel of law). There isa bull, a galloping horse, anelephant and a lion, separatedby intervening wheels over abell shaped lotus. The wordsSatyameva Jayate (truthtriumphs) have been inscribedin devanagari script.
13. Sovereign SocialistDemocratic Republic with aParliamentary system
14. The Rashtrapati Bhavan
15. Jawaharlal Nehru
16. Dr Rajendra Prasad
17. Rabindranath Tagore
18. Vande Mataram written byBankimchandra Chattopadhyay
19. November 14th. This datethe marks the birth anniversaryof India’s first Prime MinisterPandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Hislove for children was reason whyhis birthday has been chosen forthe celebration of children. Theday is marked with a lot ofactivities for children.
20. September 5th. It is thebirthday of the second Presidentof India, techer- philosopher Dr.Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. It is
considered a “celebration” day,where teachers and studentsreport to school as usual but theusual activities and classes arereplaced by activities ofcelebration, thanks andremembrance. At some schoolson this day,the responsibility ofteaching is taken up by thesenior students as anappreciation for their teachers.
21. Indus valley civilization
22. The places/cities areMohenjo-daro and Harappa
23. Nalanda near Patna in thestate of Bihar.
24.Hinduism, Islam, Christianity,Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism.
1. Your word2. You can hang theiron rods on a stringand watch which oneturns to the north (orhang just one rod).3. usher: us, she, he,and her4.a. Jacob = JOB (DAYJOB)b. Clapboard = LABOR(DAY LABOR)c. Champagne = CAMP(DAY CAMP)d. Orange = ONE (DAYONE)5. Mount Everest hasalways been thetallest mountain, evenbefore beingdiscovered!
Answers to India Quiz
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PAGE 15JANUARY, 2012 INDIA INTERNATIONAL
~~ I M M I G R A T I O N ~~
Margaret W. WongManaging Partner
AV-Rated by
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Tending to All Your
Question: Who canqualify “ExtraordinaryAbility” Visa visas? Howmany categories arethere under this visaprogram?
Answer: The EB1category is further dividedinto EB1-1 (aliens ofextraordinary ability), EB1-2 (outstanding professorsand researchers), andEB1-3 (multinationalexecutives andmanagers).
Aliens of extraordinaryability are the smallpercentage of foreignnationals who have risento the very top of the field.
To qualify, they mustdemonstrate national orinternational acclaim andrecognition forachievements in their field.
Outstanding professorsand researchers are thosewho are recognizedinternationally asoutstanding in theiracademic field, and haveat least three years ofexperience in teachingand/or research in thefield.
Multinational executivesand managers are foreignworkers in a managerial or
executive position whotransfer from a foreigncompany to work at aparent, affiliate, subsidiary,branch, or joint venture inthe United States.
To qualify for the EB2category, the sponsoredjob must require either: (1)a Master ’s or higherdegree, or (2) a Bachelor’sdegree plus at least 5years of work experience.
Any position that doesnot meet the EB2requirements, but requiresat least two years of workexperience, is placed inthe EB3 category.
Positions that require atleast a Bachelor’s degreeare categorized asprofessionals, whereasthose that require at leasttwo years of workexperience arecategorized as skilledworkers.
To qualify for the EB4category, the applicantmust be an Amerasian,widow of a U.S. citizen, abattered or abusedspouse or child of a U.S,citizen or permanentresident, or a specialimmigrant, includingcertain religious workersand juvenile courtdependents.,
To qualify for the EB5category, the applicantmust be an investor in anew commercialenterprise that will benefitthe U.S. economy and willcreate at least 10 full-timeU.S. jobs.
The required investmentamount depends on thegeographic location of theenterprise: the usualminimum investment if $1million, but is lowered fortargeted areas with highrates of unemployment.
Extraordinary Ability Visas
WASHINGTON: The Obamaadministration plans a rulechange to help reduce thetime il legal immigrantspouses and children areseparated from citizenrelatives while they try to winlegal status in the US, asenior administration officialhas said.Currently, illegal immigrantsmust leave the country beforethey can ask the governmentto waive a three-to 10-yearban on legally coming backto the US.The length of the bandepends on how long theyhave lived in the US withoutpermission.The official said on January5 that the new rule would letchildren and spouses ofcitizens to ask thegovernment to decide on thewaiver request before theillegal immigrant heads to hisor her home country to applyfor a visa.The illegal immigrants stillmust go home to finish thevisa process to come back tothe US, but getting the waiverahead of time could reduce
the time an illegal immigrantis out of the country.The official spoke to AP on thecondition of anonymitybecause the proposed policychange had not been madepublic.The waiver shift is the latestmove by US President BarackObama to make changes toimmigration policy withoutcongressional action.Congressional Republicansrepeatedly have criticized theadministration for policychanges they describe asproviding “backdoor amnesty”to illegal immigrants.Immigrants who do not havecriminal records and whohave only violatedimmigration laws can win awaiver if they can prove thattheir absence would cause an“extreme hardship” for theircitizen spouse or parent. Thegovernment received about23,000 hardship applicationsin 2011 and more than 70 percent were approved, theofficial said.Applications for the waivercan take as long as sixmonths to be acted upon, the
official said. The new rule isexpected to reduce thatprocessing time to just daysor weeks, the official added.“This would streamline theprocess (and) reduce thetime of separation betweenfamily members,” the officialsaid. The proposal will bepublished in the FederalRegister on January 6. Theofficial said the administrationhopes to change the rule laterthis year.
Immigration has become adifficult issue for Obamaahead of the Novemberelection. As a presidentialcandidate, he pledged tochange what many considerto be a broken immigrationsystem.To that end, HomelandSecurity Secretary JanetNapolitano announced planslast year to review some300,000 pending deportationcases in an effort to targetcriminal illegal immigrants,repeat immigration lawviolators and those who posea national security or publicsafety threat.
Change Likely in Immigration Rule
The US House of Representatives has passed a billmodifying the visa system that will allow highly skilledimmigrants to obtain permanent residency status faster.The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigration Act (HR3012), eliminates per-country caps on employment-based visas and institutes a first come first servedsystem. Currently, immigration law limits employment-basedgreen cards allowing permanent residence for citizensfrom any one country to no more than seven percent ofthe total green cards approved by the State Departmentin any particular year. The rule makes it tougher forworkers from big countries that provide most of theforeign tech workers. Although it is easier to obtain agreen card for applicants from smaller countries thatdon’t generate a significant amount of applications.Individuals from India, the source of most tech industryimmigrants to the US, often have to wait up to 10 yearsfor a green card due to the per-country cap. The High-Skilled Immigration Act aims to correct suchimbalances by switching to a first come, first servedsystem for the roughly 140,000 employment-basedgreen cards awarded each year. In addition toeliminating numerical caps on employment-based greencards, the Act would also raise the per-country cap for226,000 family-related green cards from seven percentof the total to 15 per cent.
Foreign StudentsContribute Billionsto US EconomyAs per report by MigrationPolicy Institute, Foreignstudents contributesignificantly to the USeconomy. During the 2010-11academic year, foreignstudents and theirdependents spent $20.2bill ion between livingexpenses, tuition, and otherrelated fees. Many states,including California, Texas,and New York, which receivethe most internationalstudents, get substantialeconomic benefits. New Yorkstate received $2.43 billionfrom students. Last year saw an 8 percentincrease in foreign studentsin the United States, with723,277 studying in thecountry. Because of financialbenefits and brain gain,various countries compete torecruit international studentsand, after graduation, try toretain them to reap thebenefits of their advancedskill sets.
THE HIGH-SKILLEDIMMIGRATION ACT
PAGE 16INDIA INTERNATIONALJANUARY, 2012
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