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NEWS I EVENTS I HEalTH I lEGal I TECHNOlOGY I YOGa I FOOD I GallErY

NOVEMBEr


06Book review “Lachakdaar Paani “ 14 an evening of Stand Up comedy

in Adelaide by Jaspreet Singh

08 Taj Mahal Comes To Life At Riverside Theatre 23Diwali reception at

Parliament House, Adelaide

10 Deepavali & annakut at Australian Parliament House in Canberra

24Jaipur literature Festival Adelaide 2019 @ Adelaide Festival Centre.

12 Sri lanka Festival 2019 by Sri Lanka High Commission, Canberra

26Guru Nanak ji Gurpurab celebrations @ Parliament of South Australia

14Fun, food and festivities at Diwali Gala, Canberra

30Divine Steps Festival: Sydney Comes Together as One

16 Family Picnic Day by Born to Shine 34 550th Guru Nanak Dev ji birth

celebration at NSW Parliament

17 Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor visits MCG and throws her support behind the ICC Women’s T20

36Indian-origin australian actor & Ms India Australia Goodwill Ambassador, Saroni Roy, receives...

20Massive public turnout @ Humanity Walk celebrating 550th celebrations...

38INDIaN CrESCENT SOCIETY Of Australia Inc

WHAT’S INSIDE

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Disclaimer: All rights reserved. Do not re-use any content and photo from Desi Australia without the prior written permission from the editor. All the material published in Desi Australia, including articles, features, fillers, advertisements, and all other contents, are published in good faith, and the editor or the Desi Australia magazine cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. All material is published on the understanding that it is copyright free, and Desi Australia accepts no liability for any subsequent copyright issues. We also cannot accept responsibility for and do not endorse views

expressed by the contributors.

Hello Everyone,

Year 2019 marks the 550th birth an-niversary celebration of The first Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev ji who inspired transformation of the social and reli-gious conditions of the time.

He created a society where everyone was treated with dignity and respect.

The celebrations took place worldwide commemorating the Gurpurab. Desi Australia team captured the highlights of these celebrations in the major cit-ies of Australia.

In this issue we also bring to you the latest happenings in the Desi commu-nities across Australia along with the news on Fashion, Ayurveda, technolo-gy, health, Sports, Entertainment, Arts & Culture and much more.

Hope you enjoy reading the November issue as much we enjoyed bringing it to you.

DesiAustralia.com “Keeping you connected”

arti Banga Editor-in-Chief

PUBlISHEr Desi Media Group (Desi australia Pty ltd)

Editor-in-chiefarti Banga

NSW Editor:Harmohan Walia

Sales and Marketing: Dimple Deez

Victoria Editor: Daljeet Bakshi

Queensland Editor:

Priya Singh

aCT Editor: rajni Ghai Malhotra

Western australia Editor: ankita Tandon

South australia Editor: Daljeet Bakshi

address: Desi australia Pty ltdPO Box 102, Casula, NSW 2170Email : [email protected]

Mob: 0433121339


Book review “lachakdaar Paani “

The Punjabi Sahitik Forum Sydney Inc. in col-laboration with Consulate General of India Sydney

launched Punjabi poetry book ‘Lach-akdaar Paani’ written by Harmohan Walia Walia after conducting a seminar dedicated to 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji at the Cultural Centre of the Indian Consulate, Sydney on 25 October 2019.

Renowned poet and writer, Prof. Phulchand Manav released the first Punjabi poetry book “Lachakdar Pani” written by Harmohan Singh Walia. Prof Manav provided a re-view on the book. Rekha Rajvansi from Indian Literary & Art Society of Australia also shared her feelings about the book. Mr Walia recited a few poems and also shared his inspi-ration to write the poems. Mr Harvi Chugh sponsored the book.

Book Review by Prof. Phulchand

Manav - ‘Lachakdaar Paani’ au-thored by Harmohan Singh Walia

Books are an illusion of the mind. When it comes to creation, it affects society. Words never fade. They provide inspiration, motivation and encouragement to the reader through its creativity. Harmohan Singh Walia’s labor-intensive writings in ‘Lachakdaar Paani’ is the mirror of our time, and how much can a mirror lie? A song, poem, ghazal or parody can provide direction and can show the right path. Water, whether it is from the eyes or through words, refreshes us. ‘Lachakdaar Paani’ is the poetical collection of Harmohan Singh Walia’s thoughtful thinking and narcissism.

Besides the author, editing and

participation of the publisher, the printer and the readers contribute a lot to the visible quality material in the book. Without their cooperation, work does not seem complete. What can be the value of a half-finished

Mag Corner


Mag Corner

work in a book? Poems like ‘Chamche’, ‘Political

Mohabbat’, ‘Tin Guppee’, ‘Paisa Paisa’ etc. have visibly humour in them. From our society, family, ‘Saali’, ‘Gharwali’ to “Tasveer’, ‘Bijli’, ‘Husan Da Ghumand Kaissa’ or ‘Navan Zamana’ poems, when portrayed through words creates romanticism. The poetry of Mr Walia conveys many messages to readers, which enchants them.

Music lover, social worker and who takes his team along with him, Harmohan Singh Walia, entering the field of literary world through his poetry and having a definite goal, was recognised and acknowledged at a very early stage not only by Giani Gian Singh Almast but later Giani Santokh Singh, both mentioned in this book. This recognition, which we all are talking about is his crea-tive power and also an achievement

of Mr Walia. Only by bridging the gap between collection of appropri-ate words and production becomes a real creator of a meaningful poem. Such types of collections in writ-ings and publication of ‘Lachakdaar Paani’ increases the responsibility of the poet to meet and exceed reader’s expectations. Mr Walia’s experience of visiting various countries with deep study and with open eyes in the society, is the epitome of his poetic talent.

‘Dadi Maa Da Vela’, ‘Kalzugi

Dunia’, ‘Soti’, ‘Khamoshi’ or care for ‘Bettiyan’, ‘Mann Di Shaanti’, ‘Sangeet-Kav Kala’, ‘Jalwa’ etc. poems are a great example of the ‘Lachakdaar Paani’, which people of every generation can enjoy and can even summarise themselves. Such literary poems, full of culture, definitely provide mental satisfac-tion and bring a smile on the faces

of the readers. The choice of words, language and idioms are beautifully used in his poems that embraces new readers. We welcome you, Mr Walia to the literary world. Congratula-tions!

Prof. Phulchand Manav has the following National Awards and Honors: Sauhard Samman – Awarded 1989 by Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansathan Lukknow

HRD Ministry Award – Awarded in 2001 by Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Srimoni Sahityakaar Award – Awarded in 2006 by Gov of Punjab, India

National Translation Award (Hin-di) – Awarded in 2014 by Cultural Ministry of India

Prof. Phulchand Manav



Sydney-based Swastik Produc-tions stages one of the most successful

shows, Taj Mahal: A Timeless Love Story , at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta.

Dazzling costumes, sweeping dance performances, foot-tapping music and a tale of love as immortal as time itself brought Taj Mahal: A Timeless Love Story to life at Sydney’s Riverside Thea-tre in Parramatta on the eve of Diwali this year.

Featuring spellbinding sets and a cast of more than 120 performers, the show

created the 14th-century Mughal empire on stage…. Think chaotic bazaars, regal courtrooms, majestic palaces and stately gardens, complete with fountains and

water pools.

At the heart of the production, however, was the story of the Taj Mahal – the events that led to creation of the world’s most magnificent monument.

“Love is a very fierce emotion and through this play I wanted to show the full scope of what love can accomplish,” says Sumati Lekhi, the artistic director of Swastik Productions. “In today’s age of instant posts, instant likes and instant

everything, I feel the true meaning of love is lost on most people. But through the story of Taj Mahal I wanted to show how deep, meaningful and intense love can be, and what it can achieve.”

Everyone is familiar with the iconic façade of the Taj Mahal; some even know the story of Mumtaz Mahal – the empress of Hindustan – in whose memory her husband, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, built the Taj Mahal. “But there’s more to this tragic tale of love and loss than meets the eye,” says Sydney-based Kunal Mirchandani, the co-director, co-producer and scriptwriter of the play.

Arts and Culture

Taj Mahal Comes To Life At Riverside Theatre


Arts and Culture


“This play brought to life a vibrant chapter of India’s history, showcasing three generations of Mughal emperors and queens. Their intertwined lives and dreams inspired the greatest expression of love that this world has ever seen, the Taj Mahal,” says Mirchandani. Set in 15th and 16th century India, the play traced three generations of love stories of the Mughal dynasty – the unconventional love between Hindu princess Jodha and Muslim emperor Akbar; the tragic tale of rebellious prince Salim and court dancer Anarkali; and the eternal romance of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz, which culminated in the creation of the Taj Mahal.

The first half of the show clearly belonged to Shurobhi Banerjee and Gunjeet Singh Chattha, who portrayed the timeless love story of Jodha and Akbar on stage. Beautifully directed and choreographed, their swordfight scene

was both romantic and humourous in equal measure.

The second half, on the other hand, brimmed with the tale of Salim and Anarkali, played by Dhruva Thorat and Manasi Kundap. Their young, rebellious love – featuring standout dance perform-ances by Kundap on tracks like Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya – gave the show its quintessential melodramatic Bollywood moment.

In the end, though, it was the per-formances delivered by Kristy Gupta (Mumtaz) and Satish Kala (Shah Jahan) that truly moved the audiences to tears. Mumtaz’s passing away during childbirth and Shah Jahan subsequent grief was poignantly presented on the stage.

Injecting these scenes of love, humour and grief were about a dozen dance performances, created by different chore-

ographers at Swastik Productions. Mohe Rang Do Laal , Azeem-O-Shan Shehan-shah and Khalbali were some of the most stellar performances of the night. A truly spectacular show, all in all.


Community News | Canberra

True to its style, a grand and spectacular Deepavali & Annakut celebrations were once again hosted in the Great Hall of the Australian Parliament

House, Canberra, on 21 October 2019 by the Hindu Council of Australia (HCA) in association with Hon David Coleman MP, Minister for Im-migration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and

Multicultural Affairs and Senator Hon Zed Seselja MP, Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters. Several Indian Associations and groups including BAPS supported these landmark celebrations that Hindu Council of Australia has been hosting in the Australian Parliament House since 2004.

Exhibition and Lunch: The afternoon segment of the celebration started with the inaugration of the Exhibition of Indian Festivals and Culture by Hon David Coleman MP, followed by a classical Kuchipudi

Deepavali & Annakut at Australian Parliament House in

CAnberrA by Hindu Council Australia

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra



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dance performance by Mrs Vanaja Dasika. Over 150 guests including several Members

of Parliament attended the inauguration ceremony followed by lunch and admired the elaborate exhibits showcasing the rich Indian culture and heritage.

Evening Deepavali Celebration: The highlight of the celebration was the Deepavali message personally delivered by the Prime Minister of Australia Hon Scott Morrisson who specially joined in the celebration and lit the traditional Deepavali lamp in the pres-ence of several leaders representing various religions in Australia. Mr Prakash Mehta, National President HCA, welcomed the guests and introduced the Prime Minister of Australia. The Acting High Commissioner of

India to Australia, H.E. Mr PS Karthigeyan delivered Deepavali greetings in his address to the guests followed by addresses from Hon Anthony Albanese MP, the Leader of the Opposition; Hon David Coleman MP; Senator Hon Zed Seselja; Mr Julian Leeser MP, Ms Michelle Rowland MP and Mr Dave Sharma MP, mingled with cultural perform-ances representing the various classical dance forms from different states of India. Around 550 guests including over 60 MPs gathered to celebrate the spirit of Deepavali in the evening extension of program. The evening ended with a vote of thanks by Mr Santosh Gupta, Chair, Canberra Chapter, HCA.


Saturday 09th November 2019: Attract-ing a crowd over 4,400, the 4th Sri Lanka Festival treated its visitors to a display of the distinctive diver-

sity and the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka through dance, music, food, tea, arts and craft while simultaneously showcasing Sri Lanka as an attractive destination for tourism, trade and investment.

The festival began with traditional Sri Lankan drumming leading the procession of invitees to the Opening Ceremony and the traditional lighting of the lamp followed by speeches and cultural program.

Mr Chris Steel ACT Minister of Multicultural Affairs, Mr Alistair Coe ACT Leader of the Opposition and Mr. Ian Biggs, First Assistant


SrI laNKa FESTIVal 2019 BY SrI laNKa HIGH COMMISSION, CaNBErra

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra



Secretary of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia were among those who graced the occasion and addressed the gathering at the Opening Ceremony. Deputy High Commissioner of India Mr PS Karthigeyan, Mr Shane Rat-tenbury ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Mr Kanti Jinna OAM, officials from the Australian government, diplomats,

representatives from all Sri Lanka Associations in Canberra and few from Sydney, Sri Lanka’s Consul Generals in Melbourne and Sydney were among the special guests invited to the Opening Ceremony.

The cultural show comprised of elegant and colourful dance performances, both classical and folk performed by artistes represent-ing various Sri Lankan communities from Canberra and Sydney. The vibrant dancing and singing performances included Udarata & Pa-

hatharata dance, excerpt from Maname (Sin-hala musical opera), Jana gee, Berawadana, Calypso music, South Indian classical instru-mental music and Bharatha Natyam. Visitors could indulge in a variety of Sri Lankan dishes such as rice & curry, dosa and hoppers. At its own tea kiosk, the High Commission provided free tea tasting of Ceylon tea.

Addressing the occasion, the High Commis-sioner of Sri Lanka HE Mr J.C. Weliamuna highlighted the fact that the cultural festival promotes inclusiveness & diversity while increasing imagination & creativity. He further stated that cultural diversity is essential as it builds trust, respect and understanding across cultures. He invited Australians to visit Sri Lanka with their families and enjoy its cultural heritage.

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There was plenty of fun, food and

festivities at the much anticipated ‘Diwali Gala Dinner 2019’ organised by the Canberra India Council on

Saturday, October 26.

More than 200 guests attended the dinner, themed ‘A Night to Shine,’ at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra’s Grand Federation Ballroom.

Among the VIPs who graced the occasion were acting High Commissioner of India, HE Mr. P.S. Karthigeyan; ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs Mr Chris Steel MLA and Mr Deepak-Raj Gupta MLA.

ACT Chief Minister Hon Andrew Barr, patron of CIC, conveyed his Diwali wishes via a video message broadcast on the big screen.

HE Mr Karthigeyan also wished the guests on

behalf of the High Commission of India and the Incredible India tourism campaign. He said it was wonderful to see the community celebrating Diwali in a grand way.

Guests were treated to a delightful program of entertainment and a sumptuous Indian-themed dinner followed by a smorgasbord of delicious desserts.

The highlight of the evening was a speed

Fun, food and festivities at Diwali Gala, Canberra


By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra and Canberra India Council


painting demonstration by talented young sisters, Mili and Khushi Murthy, who came from Sydney along with their parents for the event.

Mili painted a fabulous Swiss alpine landscape in just a few minutes, while Khushi’s sand art portrait of Mahatma Gandhi was simply stun-ning. The sisters, who raise funds for various charities by auctioning and selling their art, raised $525 for a local Canberra charity on the night.

Award-winning Canberra magician Christopher

Charles wowed the guests with his bag of tricks, while the MC for the evening, Eddie Williams of Canberra radio station 2CC, kept the program ticking along smoothly.

The dance troupe from Canberra School of Bollywood Dance had the guests rocking along with their popular Bollywood moves, with many of the guests enthusiastically taking to the dance floor.

A Latin American dance performance by the ladies from Subsdance was a treat to behold.

The local diaspora business community sup-ported the event with several taking corporate tables for their families and guests.

The raffle prizes included a return airfare from Singapore Airlines, a night’s stay at the Hyatt

Hotel Canberra and several cases of beer from capital breweries Co.

CIC president Lucky Prasad thanked the guests, sponsors and members of the CIC management committee, saying the gala din-

ner, now in its second year, would be even bigger and better next year. CIC is now busy organizing its next event, the ‘India in the City’ showcase at the National Multicultural Festival in February 2020.




Born To Shine’s Family Picnic Day

was held on Saturday 26 October 2019 at Weston Park, Canberra with an aim to bring families together and celebrate the Mental Health Month in a more relaxing and fun environment.

People braved the cold and windy weather to

enjoy a day of entertainment including activities such as drumming, face painting,

egg and sack racing. Also at the event were three speakers who shared their own experiences and messages in raising awareness about mental health - Brendan Greenwood from Outrun331, Felix Simba Machiridza Social-worker and Manager of Functional Family Therapy program at the Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation in Wagga Wagga and Purity Goj from the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing, ACT Health. The event garnered wide interest in the community and also witnessed the presence of HE Mrs. Tebelelo Bareki Acting High Com-missioner of Botswana and her family.

Tendayi Ganga, CEO and Founder of Born To Shine expressed the hope to see more families come together as the organisation works towards cultivating family oneness in addition to its yearly events.

Family Picnic Day by Born to Shine

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Community News | Melbourne

Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor visits MCG and throws her support behind

the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020

One of Bollywood’s biggest stars has thrown her support behind players competing in next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup,

during a visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) this morning.

As organisers count down the days to poten-tially break an attendance record at a women’s sporting fixture, Kareena Kapoor, the Indian actress and presenter, was joined by both the men’s and women’s ICC T20 World Cup 2020 trophies when she walked onto the ground of the world’s largest cricket stadium.

Speaking from the boundary line ahead of Australia’s Men’s T20 match against Sri Lanka, Kapoor discussed the importance of countries like India having a national women’s team. “When they invited me here to talk about the women’s team, I couldn’t say no, because it’s so important. Who says that women can’t play sport, and especially cricket!” Kapoor said.

“I’m just so proud to have…so many Indian women cricketers and…like I said, is there anything women can’t do?”

Kapoor’s father-in-law was former ac-claimed Indian captain Mansoor Ali Khan ‘Tiger’ Pataudi. He has also taken to the field at the MCG, playing what has been considered his finest ever innings during India’s 1967-68 tour of Australia.

Touching on her young son’s love of cricket, Kapoor said whilst there was no pressure on him, she did hope he would follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.

“He’s playing a little bit of cricket, a little bit of football and he’s going to figure it out…I hope in my heart of hearts [he chooses cricket] as I would rather have him play cricket than act. I would love my son to be a sportsman so let’s see.”

Kapoor, who has previously shot films in Melbourne and Sydney and is visiting Aus-tralia this week for a range of engagements, was then taken on a tour of the MCG, which will host the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on 8 March 2020.

Well-known and loved in India, Kapoor boasts over 4M Instagram followers and a legion of listeners across her radio show,

which touches on topics and issues faced by women today.

In 2020, Australia will host two ICC T20 World Cups, with the women’s and men’s tournaments to be played as standalone events across Australia.

• ICC Women’s T20WC: 21 Feb – 8 Mar 2020• ICC Men’s T20WC: 18 Oct – 15 Nov 2020

Tickets to both the women’s and men’s ICC T20 World Cups are on sale now at tickets.t20worldcup.com with adult prices from $20 and kids tickets from $5.


The Indian BazaarThe Indian Bazaar organised by Shwetali , very first time @ Federation Square! The Biggest Shopping Extravaganza in the heart of Melbourne for Diwali and Karva Chauth 2019! Shopping stalls, food trucks, music, entertainment, henna

tattoos, face painting with loads of surprises and giveaways .


Daljeet Bakshi


Year 2019 marks the 550th celebra-tions of birth anniversary of 1st Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev ji, who inspired transformation of the

social and religious conditions of the time. He created a society in which everyone was treated equally and with dignity.

These celebrations are taking place worldwide commemorating the Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev ji .Melbourne (Victoria) hosted major cele-brations outside India on the auspicious occasion of Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.

VSGC in association with Government of Vic-toria and community groups organised Humanity

Walk in the heart of the city.

Premier Daniel Andrews, MP Neil Angus, Senator David Van, MP Maria Vamvakinou, Senior Sargent Andrew Gardner and various dignitaries were present at this occasion.

VSGC Committee members Gurdeep S

Matharu, Jung S Pannu, Gurinder Kaur, Jasbir S Sarupada, Manjit Singh, and Gurmeet Singh did excellent work in planning and execution of massive event of Humanity Walk. Lucky Kohli


Massive public turnout @ Humanity Walk

celebrating 550th celebrations of birth anniversary Sri Guru

Nanak Dev ji , organised by Victoria Sikh

Gurudwara Council

Satinder ChawlaDaljeet Bakshi



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, a Melbourne based business man has put in his extensive efforts collaborating with manage-ment of Sikh bodies and Government of Victoria in holding grand level celebrations of 550th Gurpurab in Melbourne.

Interfaith community’s representatives

lauded the teach-

ings and principles given by 1st Sikh Guru Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Interfaith communities also participated in this Humanity walk with a key message of brotherhood, peace and harmony.

Key attractions of the Humanity walk was participation of people from various backgrounds and superb performance by Malaysian Sikh Band , Gatka ( Sikh Martial art ) , Kirtan and everyone appreciated the arrangements of Langar

( free food ), water and other refreshments organised by VSGC in association with

various community groups.

Gurinder Kaur and Jasbir Singh coordinated and executed the flow of stage

programme efficiently.

Premier, The Hon Daniel Andrews MP, adoring Turban addressed the gathering with his remark-

able message to Sikh Community wishing greet-ings for 550th celebrations of birth anniversary of 1st Sikh Guru Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. He also conveyed his wishes to whole community and those involved in making 550th celebrations in Victoria as one of the major events in the world.

It’s worthwhile to mention that Premier the Hon Daniel Andrews and Government of Victo-ria extended massive support to Sikh community while hosting various state level events com-memorating 550th Celebrations.

Australia Sikh Volunteers and other volun-teers did remarkable work during this massive Humanity Walk in the heart of Melbourne City. Among those present were Sanjoo Kohli, Amita Gill, Ajit Chouhan, Gurpal Singh and representatives of various organisations based in Melbourne.


Not new to the world of stand-up comedy, 29-year-old Jaspreet Singh left the audi-ence in splits with satire on

the mundane routine of life at Adelaide during his live show. Jaspreet took a dig at the National Capital Region (NCR) traffic where the every-day commute is a struggle, on teenagers

living style and the craze for getting the ultimate ILETS score. With his humorous tone, Jaspreet also touched upon the monotony of daily life with the anecdotes from his personal life. His one-liner clicked among the audience “Network is a state of mind. Sache Mann se socho saare tower pure honge.” Engineer by profession, Jaspreet from Amritsar in Punjab took to stage from his college, be it inter-university bhangra, theatre or stand up comedy. He used to write his own scripts. During his tour to Australia for live shows, Jaspreet said:” Live art form is based on the true-life incidents.” Coming from Punjab, Jaspreet used to admire Bhagwant Mann, Gur-preet Ghuggi, and Kapil Sharma and from Bol-lywood his time favorite was Govinda and Jhony lever. Jaspreet feels stand up comedy will never go out of fashion. One will always remember stories even though one remembers char-acters. Pointing out the difference be-tween a come-dian and stand up comedian, he said “Comedian

cracks joke while stand up comedian bring out jokes from his routine life”. Giving his honest opinion, Jaspreet

Singh, said, ‘It makes me feel nervous when I

think in one year, I may not have a career with stand up comedy. But at the same time, I believe live art form can never die and will

remain alive in one form or another. “

Community News | Adelaide

an evening of Stand Up comedy in adelaide by Jaspreet Singh

Monica Sharma


The Government of South Aus-tralia is a great supporter of the Indian Community. OnMonday 4th November 2019,

the Premier, the Hon. Steven Marshall MP, hosted a Diwali Reception in Parlia-ment House together with the Assistant Minister to the Premier, the Hon. Jing Lee MLC to wish leaders of the Indian community a joyous celebration of Di-wali and to thank them sincerely for their outstanding social, cultural, and econom-ic contributions to South Australia.

The reception was attended by representatives and leaders from community organisations

and received a blessing from the Chief Priest of the Shri Ganesha Temple in Adelaide. We were honoured to have Mr Manish Gupta, the Consul General of India for New South Wales and South Australia, who travelled from Sydney to attend the reception, convey good wishes on behalf of the Indian Government.

“With more than a billion people cel-ebrating Diwali, the popular festival is one of the largest and most significant observances around the world. The occasion carries different meanings for different religious communities,” said the Assistant Minister.

“I would like to sincerely thank the many

multicultural community associations in South Australia for organising cultural programs to mark this auspicious occa-sion and sharing the joy and festivities with all South Australians.”“It was a wonderful reception to show the Government’s commitment to building deeper intercultural understanding and social cohe-sion within our multicultural society.”

During the Parliament House Diwali Reception, the Premier wished everyone in the wider South Australian community joy, good health, and prosperity as they celebrate this special time with their fam-ily and loved ones.

(Source : Media Release)


Diwali reception at Parliament House, adelaideThe Premier of South australia, Hon. Steven Marshall MP hosted a Diwali reception

Daljeet Bakshi

Download Our App NOVEMBER I 2019 www.DesiAustralia.com 24Download Our App NOVEMBER I 2019 www.DesiAustralia.com 24


It was a literary treat for Adelaide residents as authors and thinkers from around the world came to the city to share their experiences and talk about

literature and arts during the three-day Jaipur Literary Fest (JLF) that started from 1st Nov – 3rd Nov 19. Teamwork Arts, Producer of the JLF in association with OzAsia Festival at Adelaide Festival Centre brought the likes of Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala, Indian politician & three-time MP Shashi Tharoor, Historian and renowned author William Dalrymple. This year, a selection of performances from the OzAsia Festival programme was integrat-ed with JLF Adelaide. South Australian Artist Daniel Connell presented a special exhibition called Sisters Sangam featuring South Aus-tralian artists collaborating with artists from Jaipur. This Exhibition opened up on the eve

of JLF Adelaide @ Uni SA Arts Centre. Dan-iel Connell shared that it started in November 2018 when a group of 4 South Australia Artists visited Jaipur and collaborated with 10 local artists for an intercultural project. As South Australia ventured out to establish a relationship with India, it decided to form a ‘Sister-state’ relationship with the Indian state of Rajasthan. The group was commis-sioned by Raju Narayan of the then Depart-ment of Trade and Development, Government of South Australia. The coordinators Daniel Connell, Himanshu Vats , Amit Kalla and Tabeenah Anjum Qureshi met in Jaipur and the model of Sister Sangam was formed. The sister Sangam team successfully worked with textile working group and altogether made 47 pieces of art. These artworks were exhibited in City Palace Jaipur and now it has come to Adelaide during JLF. The artists who took part were Tabeenah Anjum Qureshi,Amarnath Biswas, Daniel Connell, Zoe Freney, Jake Holmes, Amit Kalla, Yunus Khimani, Neha Kshatriya, Hans Raj Kumawat,Jessie Lumb, Meena Mahawar, Shama Mahawar, Anjali Shekhawat and Himanshu Vyas. Daniel Connell extended gratitude to Raju Narayan, Ingrid Kellenbech, Adelaide Central School

of Art,Mohanraj Sithambaram, Madhu Jagdish Saraf, Amrick S Thandi & Professor Joanne Cys .During the Sisters Sangam Exhibition launch , Joseph Mitchell OZ Asia Festival Director & Laura Kroetsch , OZ Asia Festival Advisor for JLF Adelaide , addressed the gathering . While different sessions and talks were conducted by celebrated authors during three-day fest Indian origin immigrants lined up to catch the glimpse of Manisha Koirala and Shashi Tharoor, while getting the signature on the books.

First day of JLF witnessed the inaugural ad-dress by Sanjoy K. Roy and Laura Kroetsch, followed by conversation between Shashi Tharoor ( an award winning author of 18 fiction and nonfiction books ) , Sanjoy K . Roy ( an entrepreneur of the Arts & MD of Teamwork that produces 25 performing arts, literary festivals in multiple cities around the world ) , William Dalrymple ( Wolfon Prize for History award winner & co director of the JLF ) . It was fully packed an hour long ses-sion of interesting conversation about ‘ Ghost of Empire ‘ about the social and political ,

Jaipur literature Festival adelaide 2019 @ adelaide

Festival Centre.2nd Edition of JlF adelaide presented by OZ asia Festival, Produced by Teamwork.

Daljeet Bakshi Monica Sharma



British Raj , Colonial Projects and legacy of conquests. Session by Manisha, “The Healing”, evoked interest among the audience in which she shared highs and lows of her life and her bat-tle with cancer. In conversation with Sanjoy K Roy Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Manisha said,” First lesson I learned post-cancer is to honour my body. We should not only focus only on how we look on the outer but also focus on the inside of the body. Cancer gave me a new perspective of life how to love life and how to learn from our past mistakes.” Talking about her book “ Healed: How Cancer gave me a new life” Manisha, touched upon the role of energy healers and how she used to struggle to come across any positive stories when she was diagnosed with cancer. Talking to media, Manisha encouraged people to come out in open and talk about their posi-tive stories about emerging as winners with any kind of illness. She said,” People should not hesitate to help the charity organizations contributing to cancer, as a little bit of emo-tional or financial help can go a far way.” Meanwhile, Indian politician and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in conversation with author Malcolm Knox during his session “Un-der the Southern Cross” shared interesting anecdotes in relation to Indian and Paki-stan cricketers and appreciated the mental strength of Indian Cricket team captain Virat Kohli and his victory spree.

Not failing to impress with his eloquent style, talking about improving India-Pakistan ties through cricket, Shashi Tharoor, said “Cricket cannot be a substitute for the diplomacy. There has to a political will on both sides of the government and cricket can be an instru-ment to bring the countries closer .” Three-time Congress MP from Thiruvanan-thapuram, Kerala, said “In Kerala the strength in the Congress is not a party for elections but works between elections with strong grass root connect. It sees politics as a tool for social service between elections and if we can restore the spirit throughout the country we can revive the organization.”

Jaipur Literature Festival Adelaide 2019 indeed was a real success as of fully packed sessions and participations from members from within wider community . Excellent ef-

forts of Festival Directors , Teamwork team, Confluence team was instrumental in the success of this 2nd edition of JLF in Adelaide.


Guru Nanak ji Gurpurab celebrations @ Parliament of South australia

In Adelaide , Hon Russel Wortley and Dana Wortly MP for Torrens , initiated the celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev ji Gurpurab in the Parliament of South

Australia since last few years . These celebra-tions are continuing thereon every year. These celebrations included presence of Labor MP’s and invited guests from within the community .

This year 2019 the celebrations took place on the same day 12.11.19 as on actual day of Gurpurab .

Labor leadership including Hon Peter Mauliskus MP , Labor Leader of Opposition , Hon Katrine Hilyard Shadow Multicultural af-fairs Minister , Hon Russel Wortly MLC , Hon Steven Georganas Federal MP for Adelaide , Dana Wortley MP for Torrens, were present during these celebrations in the Parliament

Hall and addressed the gathering . Mesmeriz-ing spiritual Gurbani Kirtan was performed by Punjabi School Glen Osmond Temple students and Ardas was performed by Sikh priest .

Representatives of Gurduwara sahib from Adelaide ,Riverland Berri also spoke

on the occasion and extended their warm greetings to the community for 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji . They also appreciated this initiative and also conveyed their thanks to Monika Kumar for her efforts collaborating for these celebra-tions.


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Guru Purab celebrations @ Victorian Parliament House



Community News | Sydney

To commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Ji, Sikh Youth Australia hosted the first ever multi-faith

music festival in NSW called ‘Divine Steps’.

Officiating the launch of Divine Steps

on 28 October at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia, former Australian cricket captain, Steve Waugh AO said, “At a time where music festivals have

come to be associated with substance abuse, body checks, casualties and ambulances, I am delighted to launch a unique multi-faith music festival that promotes and honours Guru Nanak’s life and his universal message of humanity and oneness.”

Steve commended the Sikhs for al-

ways seeking the goodwill of all human-kind in their daily prayers – ‘sarbat da bhala’ (blessings for everyone). He also

noted how Sikhs are gaining a reputa-tion of feeding millions through the Sikh principle of sewa (service) and langar (free community food).

The launch event drew together

leaders from 12 of Sydney’s major faith organisations amongst other prominent corporate and community lead-ers. Also present was India’s Consul General in Sydney, Mr Manish Gupta, who talked about the everlasting impact Guru Nanak’s mes-sage has had on generations of Indians of all backgrounds and faiths.

Commenting on

the momentous oc-casion that was celebrated across the world, and by 130,000 Sikhs all over Australia, Satwant Singh Calais, President of Sikh Youth Aus-

Divine Steps Festival: Sydney Comes Together as One



tralia said, “Ultimately, the Divine Steps Festival seeks to celebrate the legacy of Guru Nanak, who travelled a cumula-tive distance of over 28,000 kilometres, which is more than half the equatorial circumference of the Earth. Guru Nanak travelled widely across the Asian conti-nent to engage with people of all walks of life and spread his humanist message of meditation (naam japna), equality, hard work (kirt karni), sharing with others (vand shakkna), which is today practiced in the Sikh religion. On his travels, Guru Nanak came into contact with adherents of all major religions and shared a simple philosophy where no individual was superior to another. And what better way to celebrate his life than with a free music festival that brings Sydney together as one.”

Held at Pyrmont Bay Park on 10 November, the Divine Steps Festival saw:

4�$30,000 raised for charity for 2 amaz-

ing Australian charities: Can Too Foundation and Father Riley’s Youth

off the Streets4�4,000 attendees4�4,000 free bottles of

water distributed4�3,500 free

vegetarian meals served (Langar)4�$2,400 raised

from the sale of pre-loved Indian clothing and accessories

4�500 free veg-etarian meals distributed to the homeless

4�500 turbans tied4�400 kilos of free

vegetarian pakodas (fritters) and chai tea

4�150+ participants in 4 charity walks representing the 4 four Udhasis Guru Nanak took during his lifetime

4�150+ free health check-ups4�100+ dedicated volunteers4�100+ performing artists from 6 differ-

ent faiths - Baha’i, Christian, Hindus, Jews, Muslim and Sikhs

4�55 young and old singing the Austral-ian National Anthem

4�41 original pieces of art on Guru Nanak’s life and teachings

4�16 performances and 7 hours of divine music from Sikh and multi-faith groups including including Dya Singh World Music Group, L-FRESH the LION, Hills Song Choir, Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Bahai Com-munity, Hindu Council of Australia,

ISKCON and The Columban Centre4�8 cyclists participating in a char-

ity solidarity ride over 300km from Canberra to Sydney culminating at Pyrmont Bay Park

4�4 parliamentarians officiating the event including Minister Geoff Lee, Michelle Rowland MP, Julian Leeser MP and Gurmesh Singh MP The Divine Steps Festival was truly

a unique event held to promote social harmony and inclusion through inter-faith understanding and divine music. It presented a fantastic opportunity for the Sikh community to give back and for the greater Australian community to gain a better understanding of the role and contribution of Sikhs.

Download Our App NOVEMBER I 2019 www.DesiAustralia.com 32Download Our App SEPTEMBER I 2019 www.DesiAustralia.com 32Download Our App NOVEMBER I 2019 www.DesiAustralia.com 32



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AISECS in association with Consulate General of India, Sydney and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sri Am-

ritsar, India (SGPC) celebrated 550th Prakash Purab (Birth anniversary) of Sikhs first Guru ‘Guru Nanak Dev Ji’ in Australia’s oldest Parliament house. The event was organized by the founder of Australian-Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society ‘Mr. Gurnam Singh’ who have been working hard in the back-ground with one purpose; to bridge the

gap between Australia and India through sports, education and culture. EMCEE for the event was Reet Pal Singh, who is also the ambassador for AISECS.

Celebrations commenced with zeal by reciting Shabad/Kirtan from Voice of Gurbani emphasizing the significance of the principal chant of Sikhs ‘MOOL MANTRA’ which is the description of god according to the Sikh Ideology. When a person begins to learn Gurbani, this is the first verse that most would learn. The event constituted the talks by the dignitaries and the guest speaker Bhagwant Singh Sialka Ji, member of SGPC from India followed by honouring them with mementos. The evening was also addressed by the Parliament repre-sentatives and wrapped up with a presentation showcasing the Documentary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and afterwards, langar/light refreshment was served.

550th Guru Nanak Dev ji birth celebration at NSW Parliament



4th November, 2019, Sydney: Fol-lowing the Ms India Australia Goodwill Ambassador award last year, the Indian-origin Australian

actor, Saroni Roy, was appointed as the ‘Peace Ambassador’ by International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), for her continued efforts and contribution as a volunteer, towards creating a more peaceful and inclusive ‘One World’, at the Annual Peace Conference ‘Peace Heroes of History’, held on the 8th of September 2019, in Sydney. The peace conference celebrated the work of great peace heroes of the past and honoured the present peace ambassadors, who are working towards creating lasting peace in the world.

As a prelude to the commemoration of the

150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year, last year on 5th of October, Saroni along with Partha Gangopadhyay, Executive Director, Mahatma Gandhi Research Centre, India & Associate Professor, School of Busi-ness, Western Sydney University, conducted a one-day International Peace, Security and Development workshop, in Western Sydney University, Parramatta. Since then Saroni has worked with several international world peace NGOs, National Gandhi Museum New Delhi, multi-cultural community organisations and government officials in Australia, and hosted a series of initiatives such as Sydney’s first one-of-a-kind peace festival ‘Spreading a Culture of Peace’, ‘Peace Education’, ‘Art for Peace’ campaigns, a dedicated Peace Post eMagazine and a series of initiatives to commemorate

Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birth Anniver-sary to perpetuate diversity, inter-faith dialogue & communication, peace and inclusiveness.

“As an actor and connoisseur of the arts, I truly believe that art is a platform that showcases and also weaves together diverse cultures. It transcends all barriers, it doesn’t conform to the limitations of language, faith, geography, race or nationality. If we look at some of the diverse ethnicities that participate in these initiatives, including members of the Arts & Entertainment industry, many of us, have experienced war and conflict in our homeland. Art & artists, are therefore an

Indian-origin australian actor & Ms India australia Goodwill ambassador, Saroni roy,

receives the Peace ambassador award.



integral catalyst in uniting people, celebrating our rich cultural heritage, and perpetuating

a culture of peace and harmony.”

Saroni was an integral part of the ‘Mahatma-150’ core team, a conglomeration of individuals from different walks of life and

expertise in various field of work with a common goal to perpetuate and

celebrate the peace icon, Mahatma Gandhi’s values, teachings and his 150th Birth Anniver-sary. Supported by community volunteers, multi-cultural organisations, NGOs, the Consulate General of India in Sydney, City of Parramatta Council and Western Sydney University.

The month of Diwali till mid-November, Saroni is running a donation drive, ‘Gift of Giving Back to the Community’ at TAFE NSW, Strathfield unit. The proceeds go to the Addison Road Community Centre, committed to support social justice, environment conservation, fair trade, community solidarity, the homeless and the less-privileged, living in Australia.

Saroni is also the first Indian-origin model and brand ambassador for world’s leading inti-mate apparel & shapewear brand, Nancy Ganz, for their recently launched campaign ‘All Kinds of Beautiful’.

“A cancer survivor, a woman of colour, a victim of bullying and body shaming, the campaign perfectly aligns with my views about spreading awareness about body confidence & positivity, and is smashing the glass ceiling in several ways, shattering the pre-conceived notions of beauty, particularly in the fashion and entertainment industry, worldwide. Along with an overwhelming response to the beauty of showing diversity, it also gave me a super in-depth view of the ignorance of women across the globe, towards the paramount significance of adopting shapewear as an essential, in their wardrobe.”


INDIaN CrESCENT SOCIETY OF aUSTralIa INC

The place of Interfaith dialogue in a culturally diversified Australian contextNSW Parliament -15th November 2019

The Indian Crescent Society of Aus-tralia (ICSOA) organised an interfaith forum “ The place of Interfaith dialogue in a culturally diversified

Australian context” on Friday 15 November 2019 at the NSW Parliament House.

The event was attended by diverse ethnic groups and a group of people of faith as well as atheists. Faith speakers represented Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs religions.

The program was commenced with the recita-tion of Quran by master Zohaib Khan. ICSOA secretary Mr Fasih Uddin Khan welcomed the guest and explained the past and future events of ICSOA.

The event was addressed by Mary Patetsos, Chairperson of Federation of Ethnic Committees council , Ms Trudi Mitchell , Deputy National Director of UNHCR, Hon Manish Gupta , Con-sul general of India, Hon Lee Rhiannon former Greens senator, Hon Geoff Lee , Acting NSW Minister of Multiculturalism, Hon Jihad Dib ,

Shadow Minister for Skills and Trade assisting Multiculturalism. Religious leaders who par-ticipated were Rev Russel Davies, Pandit Jatin Kumar, Rabbi Zalman Kastel, Rev Dr Patrick McInerney and Father Shenouda Mansour.

In this event, it was highlighted that over the last 10 years, the average level of global peace has deteriorated by 3.78%. The four most peaceful regions – Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and South America, all recorded deteriorations.

Mr Abbas Raza Alvi, president of the Indian Crescent Society of Australia mentioned that in 2018, the global impact of worldwide violence was $14.96 trillion which is equivalent to 12.4% of global GDP or $1,988 in 2018 per person. This should rather be invested in education and health. The world needs peace and not guns & bullets.

Interfaith dialogue is essential not only by the religious organisations but should start from each home, our schools, our universities, our businesses, our offices our organisations & as-

sociations representing ethnic and multicultural Australia.

All speakers and religious leaders endorsed that genuine interfaith dialogue sees only good in all religion. Light of the true interfaith can illu-minate the whole earth. Despite their differences, all religions share a similar message of peace.

The annual award for Interfaith was presented by Father Shenouda Mansour presented to Dr Patrick J McInerney for his work to bring Chris-tian and Muslim community as one platform.

A special community service award was presented to Trio Pankaj Upadhayay, Taufeeq Ahmad Sheikh and Manbir Kohli who have served & demonstrated the communal harmony in their creative work.

Speakers were introduced by ICSOA youth member Rayyan Khan and ICSOA manage-ment members Mr Siddique Panwala, Mr Abbas Chelat & Mr Zia Ahmad.

Vote of thanks was presented by ICSOA legal advisor Siddique Panwala.



Harinder Kaur worked for 25 years within the prison system. She is a hospital chaplain and has started

an organization, The Harman Founda-tion after she lost her 27 yrs. old ador-able son in a car accident.

The Harman Foundation supports those suffering the effects of death, trauma, separation, incarceration, sickness, disability, marital breakdown, suicide poverty and domestic violence. Her inspirational work has attracted more than 150 volunteers.

Mrs Kaur was awarded Inspirational Woman of the Year by Rotary Sydney Darling Harbour

“The award has brought me new en-

ergy. I felt very surprised, extremely hon-oured and earnestly grateful to receive such important awards and recognition. I sincerely thank the Rotarian panel for selecting me and my team to enable me to achieve this honour.The awards have both inspired me to do more and drive me to do better with my work”, said Ha-rinder Kaur.

The overall winners were drawn from the following categories

Young Inspirational Woman of the Year - 18-30 years:4Urban: Hannah Bender, Sydney area4�Rural: Eleanor Drury, Milton, South

Coast NSWInspirational Woman of the Year - 30+ years:4�Urban: Harinder Kaur, Western

Suburbs, Sydney area4Rural: Pia Winberg, Mollymook, South Coast NSW


INSPIraTIONal WOMaN OF THE YEar:

HarINDEr KaUr


Talent

Sydney’s Deepak Sharma Stars in

“The lone Wolf” If a film’s subject matter could be

grabbed from the headlines—one could not do better than the Indian produced The Lone Wolf

(originally called Kalashnikov). This is the film made by a

first-time director from India, Balakrishna P. Subbiah, and titled The Lone Wolf, is creating a flutter and forcing a debate in certain across communities in the United States, post the tragic Sri Lankan bombings.

The film is a complex jour-

ney into the mind of a young brainwashed man who is a victim of an ideology which has no place in any civilized society

It has been picked up for sales directly by Little House Studio Films based in Beverly Hills, California, and will be distributed by US-based Leo-mark Films.

The story of the lone wolf at the heart

of the film, begins in a remote area at the India-Pakistan border near Punjab, from where a group of Terrorists try to cross into India via a barbed fence, and are shot down by the Border Security Force – all except for one, Aatif (The Lone Wolf played by Deepak Sharma), who digs his way through an under-ground canal after his cause an handlers explosion.A common method used by terrorists in the past to enter Indian territory.He is however shot by the Security forces but survives.


Talent

Here, The Lone Wolf, is well-support-ed by Kalki Subramaniam, who is a re-al-life transgender activist and painter, and adds great authenticity to the film, as does actor Sandeep Pednekar, who plays an Intelligence officer.

As matter of fact, back in May, transgender activist Subramaniam told the Times of India she couldn’t be happier. Her feature film, Kalashnikov (aka Lone Wolf), had just had received the Best Film Jury Honors at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, New Delhi.

For Subramaniam, it was an interesting experience. “I play the shade white. Balakrishna was looking for a transgender with a dark complexion and when he came across my profile, he immedi-ately approached me. The three different characters meet at one point and affect each other’s lives. I enjoyed working in the film.”

The original title

of the film, Kalash-nikov, according to

writer Dana Roberts at OpEdNews, “the working title of the film [and] had been changed to The Lone Wolf by its distributors with good reason. The film requires wide exposure and needs to go far and wide.

The Lone Wolf is Deepak

Sharma’s feature film debut . He is a Sydney based Australian based super-model and the face of Audi, a household automobile brand. Sharma blends into his character with ease and silent brilliance. Sharma’s

portrayal of Aatif takes

the film to different level altogether and the film has been shot lyrically by Sho-bith Sharma who handles the camera for a feature for the first time

The first time Director Balakrishna told Gaynrd, “As a filmmaker,I would describe the film as a tragic take of compassion, betrayal and brutality in its coldest and squirmiest form. The penetration of vicious ideology depends upon the level of brainwashing and this applies to individuals programmed by extreme ideology with robotic and one dimensional mind sets belonging to all walks of society.It applies to vulnerable individuals belonging to all ethnicities, races, and religion and this is a global phenomenon.”

He goes on to state that any allego-

ries to the United States pulling out of Syrian and the Turks invading Kurdish territory, as well as the subsequent resurgence of ISIS reveal “diplomatic question layered with questions that contain answers in themselves. I believe the basic in the basic concept formula that a weapon can’t win against the weapon of terrorism, I believe it is a form of an invisible truth which at any time could – rebound or re act itself.”

When asked about whether he juxta-

posed these two archetypes that perme-ate the media and culture right now: people of transgender experience and radicalized terrorists--and whether that was his intention, A quick response “Not in the least bit”

“I developed an innocent character, a

human being filled with compassion to make audiences realize that realize that a natural killer does not leave the vision to see through compassion and would not spare a single human being who comes in his way of things. Be it a white skinned Gentleman or brown or of any color or hue. White gentleman, and that he is brave enough to fulfill his need or command. As far as I know, transgenders are some of the most gentle people on earth,” he continues, “Kalki’s character is a totallly fictional character. I wanted to portray a Transgender woman them through the medium of my film and an insight into her mind. A story like this one does just that and it is a circumstantial event that occurs between a radicalized individual and a Transgender which is tragic and metaphorically speaking- or-ganic.”

The Lone Wolf is available on Ama-

zon Prime streaming.

It premieres in India at a major festival in early 2020- Details of which are classified according to a high level source from the Indian Intelligence community and the Organizers.


Chandraketugarh: a photographic journey of Bengal archeology, textile and mythology

This is first time in Australia, an exhibition on Chandraketugarh was held on 17/11/2019 at Crows Nest Creative, Crows Nest, Sydney.

Chandraketugarh is a 2300 year old archaeo-logical site located about 35 kilometres north-east of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) Bengal, India. The site is located in a region that is still known for cotton weaving. It is a well known historical fact that the fine form of cotton, mousseline/muslin or malmal is associated with Bengal and more so with Chandraketugarh. The use of textile is depicted frequently in terracotta figurines from as early as 2nd century BCE in Chandraketugarh displaying the extraordinary journey of Bengal and her exquisite textiles.

Bengal was popular throughout the world

for textile trade for thousands of years and it was long before the Mughals or British Raj or the Chinese arrived in undivided Bengal (West Bengal, India and Bangladesh). All trade routes lead to Bengal for muslin as it has been a fabric in great demand for its intricate designs and weaving techniques.

This Bengal muslin is still used as Dhoti by

men in Bengal just like other parts of Indian subcontinent. Dhoti is one piece of cloth which covers the male body from the torso downwards. For Bengali men, Dhoti symbolises a unique connection, ie, the oneness to the world. It may be the attire of a (Brahmin) priest, a (Vaisya) trader or just a common family man.

The female version of dhoti is Saree. Saree

Fashion

Indranil Halder


Fashion

defines respect. In the Indian epic Mahab-harata, Princess Draupadi’s Vastraharan- the disrobing of Draupadi, identifies the meaning of a long cloth like saree for self respect. The use of textile is clearly connected to mythol-ogy for thousands of years for self respect. This self respect is clearly visible in terracotta statues of Yakshi (female earth spirit) dis-covered in Chandraketugarh and displayed in various museums across Europe and America. Mythological figures such as Yakshi con-nects Chandraketugarh and celebrate Bengal’s textile journey and heritage.

For anyone growing up in Bengal, listening to these mythological stories, is a unique experi-ence. Mythology surrounds Bengali childhood. Instead of fairy tales, kids grow up listening to stories of mythological figures such as Yakshi( female earth spirit) or Yaksha( male earth spirit)

or epics such as Mahabharata which are narrated in homes across Bengal.

These stories never leave anyone. In adulthood, these stories come back every time with different perspectives. Even though the mythological figures may not be as famous as the Indian holy trinity: Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva, they never fail to create a world of imagination and stimulate curious minds. They also help in developing an understanding of tradition, culture and heritage that relates to daily life. Strong Bengal goddesses depict women empowerment in this photograph-ic exhibition.

For this exhibition, our purpose was to intro-

duce some of the popular Bengal mythological figures to Australia for greater understanding of tradition, culture and heritage, create awareness

about the 2300 year old archaeological site name Chandraketugarh to promote thousand year old Bengal trade and commerce and celebrate the world famous Bengal cotton or muslin through a series of photographs.

We are also raising much need fund for Mac-quarie University Medical Hospital as part of this exhibition. Here is the link for your donation: https://www.mqhealth.org.au/about-us/donate

dhoti

Dhoti a garment worn by male Hindus, consist-ing of a piece of material tied around the waist and extending to cover most of the legs. Seen in ancient Chandraketugarh, Bengal and made of Muslin is the female version of dhoti which is Saree.


Ayurveda

aYUrVEDa- a COMPlETE HEalTH BlISSIt is well said that health is the nursemaid to humanity. Ayurveda, a sophisticated and

powerful mind body health system which is more than a mere system of treating illness.

This powerful science offers the body of wisdom de-

signed to help people to stay vibrant. Often it is said that Ayurveda

offers many other practices for expanding self awareness and cultivat-

ing

innate state of balance. As Ayurveda teaches, a perfect health is dependent upon our capabilities to fully meto-bolise the nutritional, emotional,and sensory information we ingest. Ayurveda offers ways for the body to be repaired and healed by itself. Sydney again takes an initiative to bloom Ayurveda into a fruitful plant. The programme was coordinated by Dr Naveen, Vice president AAA, Ayush cell Australia and CG Sydney. Ayurve-da day was well celebrated to up bring this amazing science which offers free-dom from illness depending upon our

own awareness. An effort was made to create an awareness among

the crowd in regards to health, its benefits, healthy living, refreshing mind and re-storing balance. The event took place in the premises

of Consulate general of India where all the Ayurveda practitioners, wellness consultants, herbalists, naturopaths, researchers, clinicians, yoga practition-ers and general public could put across their views of health. This idea of bringing all the Ayurveda lovers under one roof added joy to the event.

The MC for the event Dr Vishal Sharma welcomed the gathering. Dhanwantari, the lord of Ayurveda was worshipped through the dhanwantari pooja which created a start to this auspicious event. Prayers for the well-ness of Ayurveda and the community was offered by Dr Anisha and Dr Nikhila Venugopal. A great effort was also given from Australasian Associa-tion of Ayurveda for adding successful lights to this great day. Dr Santosh Yadav , President of AAA, AYUSH

IN AUSTRALIA sow the seeds of the programme by speaking about the efforts taken by AAA and AY-

USH to introduce and develop this brilliant science. Mr Manish Gupta,

Consul general Sydney, delivered his


Ayurveda

Dr Naveen Shukla Dr Vishal Sharma


Ayurveda

speech on expanding all the support from the side of Consulate general of India team for the welfare of Ayurveda and the researches. An optimistic assistance for fostering Ayurveda was also offered by Mr Sameer Pandey, Counselor to City of Parramatta.

Thr event was made more fruitful by the talk of Proff.Alan Bensoussan, Direc-tor NICM Health Research Institute, professor and dean’s unit- School of Sci-ence and Health, University of Western Sydney who briefed about the percentile of successful researches and scientific papers and thesis submitted.

The research in the complementary and integrative medicine attracted the views of the audience when delivered from the distinguished professor of Public Health, Director of Australian Re-

search center in complementary and integrative medicine (ARCCIM).

Yoga being the sister science of Ayurveda was also given importance during the Ayurveda day celebration. Mr Amit Karalkar, Yoga teacher , Mita wellness center talked about the benefits of yoga,as an aiding science to achieve health and also to preserve ones wellness.

The keynote speaker for the event Dr Shaun Mathew, Holistic Medical Practi-tioner and Ayurveda and Yoga Therapist M.B., B. Ch. (National University of Ireland), Cert. Ayu Med (Gujarat, India),

Cert. Yoga Teacher Training (Bihar, India), Cert. Somatic

Integration, Cert. Iridology. Cert. Astrology marked the highlight of the seminar on health and wellbeing and also Ayurveda for Longevity. The ways for rejuvenation and importance of Ayurveda to increase lifespan was put across in form of tips for easy understanding. Being the State Representative of Ayurveda NSW and Vice president AAA, Dr Naveen Shukla contributed a tremendous role for coordinating the functions of Ayurveda day and towards the end thanked everyone for all their support for spreading Ayurve-da throughout the globe and making this event a successful one. The appreciation award certificates to the Ayurveda special-ists was also distributed to the Ayurveda doctors in recognition for their ongoing commitment and dedicated service.

This retreat was exclusively for all the health-well being lovers who would love to start integrating Ayurveda princi-ples into the daily life. The slogan live

healthier, happier and grow younger through Ayurveda

was promoted.


Ayurveda


Stress Ends where Peace Begins

It was a perfect morning for a walk along the river. Nothing but blue sky, crystal clear water and sunshine. An ideal setting for reflection...... So I

contemplated on how most people believe that the world causes them stress. And how they’re convinced that calm condi-tions create peace of mind.

I mean it seems logical. Calm circum-stances, calm mind. Stressful situation, stressed-out mind. But how can something outside affect what’s happening inside? Yet we see it all the time. The moment something goes wrong we get stressed. Conversely, when everything is right outside, we feel calm inside.

Peace is InternalNot knowing that peace is internal,

many of us rely on peaceful situations to gain peace of mind. That’s why we enjoy going for walks in nature, watching a sun-set, or listening to quiet, soothing music. That’s why a sea-change or a tree-change sound so appealing. We like to get away from it all.

Yet, if peace was in the world then everybody would be peaceful—and that is simply not the case. Take this morning’s walk along the river for example. The set-ting was perfect. Blissful. It was ideal for the fulfilment of a desire.

The desire was to walk along the river. Fulfilling that desire is what created the peace. Not the environment. Another per-son with a different set of desires would not have found peace there. He would have been agitated because his desires weren’t being fulfilled. Therefore peace is internal. Not external.

Stress is Not ExternalSimilarly, if stress was in a stress-

ful situation then everyone would feel stressed. But that’s simply not the case. For example, your neighbour is playing loud music on a Sunday afternoon—and you’re blaming the noise for your stress. But the noise is not the cause. The cause of your stress is that your desire is not be-ing fulfilled. You desire a quiet afternoon, lazing in the hammock. Another person is perfectly content in the same situation. He’s cool about the music. He’s just happy to be home on a Sunday afternoon.

Therefore we cannot blame the situation or circumstances for our stress. Nor can we claim the peaceful environment to be the cause of our peace. The cause of peace and stress is internal. Not external, as we believe.

You are in ControlYou hold the reins of your life. Not the

world. To be affected by an ever-changing world is to submit yourself to an endless roller-coaster ride. You enjoy the highs, but then you come crashing down. You pick up the pieces and slowly build your-self up again to enjoy another high. Only to come crashing down again.

This is not life. It’s madness!To be constantly buffeted by the ups and

downs of life is not living up to the dignity and prestige of what it means to be human.

If we are to survive in this world we

need to understand that life is constantly changing. Fleeting. Impermanent. And the world simply cannot cater to our particular set of desires. Each one of us has our own mental pattern. To expect the world to ca-ter to that pattern is not only unreasonable, it’s unrealistic. It’s a fact. Sometimes we get what we want. Other times we do not.

The SolutionWe have to strengthen our power of dis-

cernment, known as Buddhi in Sanskrit, intellect in English. The human intellect is our ability to witness the world around us and manage or mind, which causes all our fear, anxiety and stress.

The intellect is like a muscle, which needs to be developed. When it is strengthened, we will not be affected by the ups and downs of life. We will main-tain balance and peaceful; enjoying the highs, but never sinking with the lows.

Recommended Study: ‘Fall of the Hu-man Intellect’ by A. Parthasarathy. Avail-able as an ebook on Amazon. Hard copies can be obtained through Vedanta Institute Perth: [email protected]

About Vedanta Institute PerthVedanta Institute Perth (VIP) is a non-

profit organisation, dedicated to creating awareness of Vedanta in Perth, Australia and around the world. One of the ways VIP is creating awareness is by bringing Vedanta Master Sunandaji, daughter-dis-ciple of Swami Parthasarathy, to Perth for Talks and a 3-Day Retreat on 10-12 April, Easter 2020.

Register your interest: www.vedanta.org.au or email [email protected] Find us on:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vedantaperth

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vedantaperth About the Author

Meredith Forder is a Vedanta philoso-pher-practitioner and Self Management teacher, who has spent over a quarter of a century studying and researching the ancient wisdom of Vedanta and how it benefits modern-day health, happiness and wellbeing.

Mag Corner

By: Meredith Forder


Learning the art of taking responsibility for our deci-sions and actions People get to a ripe old age and then

wonder why they have ended up in the situation they are in. Some are desperate for money, some desperate for love, some for respect. The list is endless. What we don’t realise is that we have made decisions at many points in our lives, and some of those were not in our own best interests.

Every decision we take right now affects the next one and the one after that. It is like the story of my brother-in-law who took a wrong turn on the motorway, and thereafter it was another wrong turn, and then another and another, and he reached home three hours late!

And interestingly, it’s most often a decision of a second that can have a lifelong effect, for example, marrying the wrong person or talking back to your boss and suffering the conse-quences, or walking away from a golden opportunity.

Our futures don’t just get cre-ated along the way. It’s important to recognise and acknowledge that my every moment NOW is creating my future to come. It is created with eve-ry word I speak, the tone in which I speak, with a gesture of love, or lack of it, with compassion or otherwise. Each second can be a pivotal point in my life. It can win me friends or push them away. I can earn something or I can lose something. So, it is very important to be mindful of our every decision, and not just create by default or by knee-jerk responses.

We often blame others for our current situation such as: That per-son doesn’t give me any respect or attention. Rather, I need to ask: What should I do to win love and respect? Take the matter into your own hands. Take charge of your life and don’t leave it to others to treat you in a certain way. The law of karma states: If you give, you get back. It’s a fact, a law of life. You cannot be genuinely loving and not have this reciprocated at some point.

No matter your age, or the circum-stances of your life, BEGIN NOW to perform the actions that will take your life in a positive and beneficial direc-tion. Don’t think it’s too late, or that you are too set in your ways to change. We can change now! We can improve. We can shine. We can start to give back. Begin to take the right decisions now. This will set in motion the wheels of kindness and compassion, which will give back to you in many diverse ways.

A good deed is never forgotten. The other day a woman told me that the

first time I met her I gave her the big-gest hug she had ever had in her life. I had no clue about how big it was and what it meant to her! I just hugged and welcomed. But obviously it meant a lot to her. The point is: Continue to be good and do good, and whatever oth-ers are meant to feel, they will feel it. They will return it with blessings, and we could all use a bit more of that in our lives.

If you are caught between two deci-sions and you are not sure which to take, then step back for a moment, be in silence and be still, and the answer will come to you. Just listen to your heart. We already know what the right thing to do is, but we get into imagi-nation and analysis, and our head gets in the way! As spiritual beings, all we need to do is follow our hearts. And, finally, have no regrets! What’s right is right, but what is wrong is also right, meaning that, even if some-thing doesn’t go the way you wanted or expected it to go, then even that is OK. There is some learning in that too. Just keep taking responsibility for yourself, and move forward with the expectation that good will prevail. It’s time… to take charge of your life and to sow the seeds of good deeds. Later you can sit back and watch your beautiful “garden” of life!

Is it the right decision?

By Aruna Ladva

Thats Life


Health

5 Tips for maintaining Social Connections - Key to Healthy ageing and Well-Being

Healthy aging is linked to having social connections as well as doing meaningful activities that can positively

impact the quality of life as well as sense of wellness. Various studies have been conducted that have shown that older persons who have social connections and relationships live longer and experience less depression and anxiety. In a recent study by the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, researchers found that lonely people have 30 points higher blood pressure readings than non-lonely people (reference: www.uchicago.edu/research/center/center_for_cognitive_and_so-cial_neuroscience).

In life as we age, there are a number of changes that impacts our life – changes with our health, work status, income and changes in living arrangements, to name a few. Then there could be changes associ-ated with moving to a new place, loss of existing friends and networks and death of a spouse can also significantly contribute to feelings of isolation. In addition, lot of seniors are not able to drive, at a certain point in their life and lose their independ-ence, which further shuts them from rest of the world adding on to social isolation especially in communities where there is a lack of access to transportation.

So the key question is does that mean that

everyone will be socially isolated as they age?

Answer to this is, Of course not!

It is up to each one of us to take active steps to remain socially connected and active.

Top 5 Tips to help reduce feeling of isola-tion and loneliness and improve your wellbeing:

1. Get involved in your local events in your community- most of them are free and helps you to connect with people with similar interests and commitments.

2. Cultivate a hobby or re-ignite your old hobby or interest in things that you have always wanted to do – or perhaps take a course in something that interests you. Chances are you will meet like-minded people.

3. Join an Exercise Group– being physically active not only plays a vital role in preven-tion of falls is also an amazing way to meet other people.

4. Get a Pet - pets not only offer uncondition-al love but also companionship and helps to create friendships and provide opportu-nities to meet others and this improves our overall wellness.

5. Have a positive attitude in life – stud-

ies have been conducted to indicate that having a positive attitude in life attributes to longer and healthier life. Research done by Mayo Clinic sug-gests that people with positive attitudes are better able to cope with stress and anxiety … and state that correlation has been found between those who main-tain a positive attitude and those who maintain a healthier lifestyle through diet, exercise and social interactions (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive).

In brief, the more active and engaged you are, more healthier you are. So take active steps in keeping yourself socially connected and breaking the cycle of social isolation.

Please don’t disregard professional medical advice, or delay seeking advise if you are feeling depressed or anxious.

by Ms Anju MathurDementia Consultant and Aging Well ConsultantAwarded 2019 Volunteer of the Year Award for Hornsby & North Western Sydney as a Dementia Consultant


Yoga

Welcome to another issue where I try to present the essence of yoga in an easy interpretation. For many,

yoga is an overwhelming concept - one that involves long hours of sitting still, meditation and bending into complicated, difficult asanas (poses). But yoga is not only about that and it need not be as daunting as it appears. So here’s a personal note about yoga especially for those who ask the common question (below) about yoga and quite possibly an unbeknownst pres-ence of yoga in their lives.

I begin with a common question I often come up against -

How often should I be doing yoga?

I am still working on an ideal way to respond to this without causing alarm or surprise. Be-cause the correct answer is - all the time!

To understand this, we need to move beyond the common perception of yoga. In its com-monest sense, we have confined yoga within its definition of a physical form of exercise for which we must make time from our busy schedules in order to stay fit.

However, Yoga is not simply an activity that is ‘done’, it is a philosophy that is lived. Yoga may begin on the mat however it stays with you as you roll up the mat and step into your day. And here’s how:

4�Each time you pause and reflect, you are in yoga.4�Each time you connect with yourself

through a deep mindful breath, you are in yoga. 4�Each time you do anything mindfully, with

your complete presence in the moment, you are in yoga.4�Each time you bring the competition within

and try to better yourself, you are in yoga.4�Each time you draw in and create a stillness

in yourself even if it lasts only a few min-utes, you have made moments of yoga.4�Every single time you choose to take a deep

breath and respond with kindness rather than react, you are practicing yoga.

Another common phrase that I have come across and one that you might have heard or even relate to on a personal level:

I would love to do yoga, but it’s hard to make time for it.

Again, in this context, the speaker is refer-ring to yoga as a physical exercise routine. However, yoga is a lifestyle. And simply put, yoga is to perform every action artfully, with conscious thought and calmness.

If it is that simple to be in a state of yoga, why then, is it so hard for us to make time for it?

4Why can we not make every breath we take, a deep, meaningful and mindful breath? Do we really need to make time to breathe better?

4How much longer would it take for us to at-tempt every chore/ task with a mindful intent? 4How much time would we need to make in a day to respond rather than react? To tune in to one’s feelings and work with heartfulness rather than unleashing all our emotional bag-gage in our interactions with others?

NOT MUCH! Not much at all.

In fact, a few additional minutes invested in mindfulness, yoga and heartfulness would save immense time and energy in undoing the damage we do to ourselves and our environ-ment when we work from a state of discon-nectedness.

Yoga is lived, through our breath, our thoughts and our actions. If we could just understand this about yoga, we would begin to own it rather than be overwhelmed by it. The more we accept this, the closer we will become to making yoga a personal journey than an outward activity.

Almost any act can be an act of yoga and mindfulness, without having to ‘make time for it’. For instance, even in this present moment, as you read these words, let them sink in and reflect on their essence, you are in yoga.

ThereYouGo! You just made time for yoga! It wasn’t that hard, was it?

Yours yogically,

RajniFollow Rajni on Facebook

YouGo with rajniYoga for a Mindful You

Do you practice yoga and don’t even know it?By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra


Cheap Christmas Flights: What’s the Catch?

With Christmas fast-approaching, knock-out deals are every-where, and one kind of deal has become more popular than

ever: bargain flights. Multiple companies are selling both domestic and international flights at record-low prices with Tigerair recently offering domestic flights within Australia for just $9. It almost sounds too good to be true, so the ques-tion is, what’s the catch?

There are few important things to take into account when booking these flights. While con-ditions may vary across airlines, these bargain flights generally have a few things in common:

• One-way flightsWhile relatively easy to determine once you do a little research, it is useful to note that airlines will commonly advertise one-way flight prices as they obviously appear cheaper. While return

flights will still be cheaper than normal during these sales, they are generally double the amount advertised, so don’t be fooled!

•No check-in baggageA common ‘catch’ with bargain flights is the ex-clusion of checked baggage. For a short domestic trip, this may not be an issue as most flights still allow the 7kg carry-on luggage. However, for longer international trips, 7kg carry-on and liquid restrictions may significantly hinder your holiday plans. All airlines allow you to purchase checked baggage, but this may set you back anywhere between $10-$50 depending on the baggage weight, increasing that $9 flight multiple folds. Pre-purchasing checked baggage, however, is always recommended over purchasing at the air-port as airlines tend to charge exorbitant amounts for excess baggage on the day.

• No name changesBargain flight deals usually don’t last long and this urgency may encourage you to purchase a few tickets just to have them before deciding later who the passengers will actually be. The ‘catch’ here is that airlines will charge you for any changes you make to passenger details. When you are booking flights, you are generally required to enter all passenger details and future changes can incur costs of around $70.

• No seat selectionsWhen you choose to purchase a bargain flight, you will rarely be given a choice in seating. This means that a group booking may have split seating on the flight. If you are determined to be seated together, airlines allow seat selections, but at a fee ranging from $5-$50.

• No full refunds/cancellationsFinally, bargain flights rarely offer full discounts. Most will charge an admin fee of around $50 to process the refund. For a $9 flight, this would be counterintuitive, and it may be better off just to not catch the flight.

For a short fuss-free trip, bargain flights are a great deal and can save you lots of money that could be spent elsewhere on your trip. Any extra requests and changes, however, can incur significant costs that mean your bargain flight is a bargain no longer. Thus, the bottom line is to always read the terms and conditions for each airline before booking, and be flexible about your flight experience!

Contact Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors on 02 8917 8700 if you feel that you have been

wrongly denied rights or wish to know more.

Legal

By: Mitu Gopalan


We have covered smart homes in our previous issues at some point. The technology is evolv-ing so quickly that there are

more and more players entering the smart home market. Samsung a big player has been making waves since they announced their SmartThings platforms few years ago, but the availability was only limited to the US markets.

It is good to see Australian market was on charts and now these SmartThings hubs have made their way to our shores and have been available through limited channels. In Just recent times the SmartThings hubs have been made available in major retail stores such as “The Good Guys”, “JB Hi-FI”, “Harvey Norman”, just to name a few.

In previous times when a smart home control-ler is mentioned it always meant it would be

compatible with only certain devices with a single protocol support. The SmartThings hub has changed the way we look at hubs as it can now control devices with from multi protocols and that is one strong feature about this control-ler hub.

SmartThings now supports ZWave, Zigbee, WiFi and Bluetooth. This pretty much sums up the capabilities right out of the box. This will now allow you to choose from thousands of products out in the market regardless of the protocols supported.

There are also two flavours of SmartThings

hub available. The second version is the one that also has a Wi-Fi router built in therefore one device will serve your home Wi-Fi and Home Automation. There are no more wires connecting from one device to another device. These technologies are now becoming inte-grated in many ways. Samsung is also talking about having these hubs built into every televi-sion set in the future which will mean you will have Home Automation enabled television right out of the box.

In terms of what is supported it is important to know that Z-Wave and Zigbee are mesh networks, which means every smart home device equipped with either of the radios can act as both a client and a repeater. Indirectly what I mean to say is the more devices you deploy around your home, the greater the range of the two networks. There are thousands of devices available in the market to serve your requirements.

The only important information you need to

keep in mind is that both radios work on differ-ent frequencies. A Z-Wave radio cannot receive and repeat a Zigbee signal and vice versa.

There are few things to remember before you invest in one of these SmartThings hubs. These devices are cloud based there-fore if you lose internet connection most of the smart home features will not work. Secondly in the instance there is internet it does not have a 4G or a 5G backup therefore total loss of connectivity with your home is inevitable. Third thing to remember is that you are not going to replace your monitored alarm system with this device as it does not have an option for monitoring by third party authorities.

Overall Samsung SmartThings is so far a great Home Automation system which has more features than any other hub in the market. The market is full of various branded systems but if you are after a branded, reliable and supported hardware platform then nothing beats the Sam-sung SmartThings.

I hope this has helped you in gaining the in-formation that you require to make an informed decision. If you would like any information related to Home Automation, then please contact me on [email protected]

SmartThings – a NEW PErSPECTIVE IN HOME aUTOMaTION

By: Sarang Vengurlekar

Technology


Sports

HomeWorld Thunder Nation Cup Semi-FinalsIndia, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

will contest the semi-finals of the HomeWorld Thunder Nation Cup this Friday at Blacktown Interna-

tional Sportspark.

All players were selected from commu-nity trials held across the Thunder Nation throughout September and October.

Featuring players from various walks of life and all on different journeys, the Home-World Thunder Nation Cup exists to connect communities and cel-ebrate culture through cricket.

Pakistan progressed through the group stages undefeated and, accord-ing to captain Umair Warraich, there

is a big responsibility for his team to con-tinue their form into the semi-finals.

“It is a huge honour to represent the Pakistan community at any level and in any capacity, and to be able to do that in cricket is such an amazing feeling,” War-raich said.

“There is no hiding from the fact that the Pakistanis are pas-sionate about cricket and this is our responsibility to play the game in right spirit and hopefully do well.

“I am sure it will spread the message across the community, and we see more and more people want-ing to represent Pakistan.”

Warraich’s team will take on Sri Lanka, who missed last year’s

Grand Final by one run, and he knows they

will be tough

competition.

“We are in the knockout stage and mar-gins of error are so small that any bad over with bat or bowl can cost you a game,” Warraich said.

“We have a game plan against Sri Lanka and if we are able to execute it well on the day, hopefully we will be on the right side of result. I am sure it will be a good game of cricket.”

India, who lost in last year’s semi-finals to eventual winners Afghanistan, will be looking to go one game better.

Captain Arun Chauhan (pictured above) recognises the immense pride that comes with representing the broader Indian com-munity, and the expectations to perform in their semi-final against Nepal.

“I am feeling very excited for myself and my team to represent India at the HomeWorld Thunder Nation Cup semi-finals and to be honest also quite proud to represent our homeland in Australia,” Chauhan said.

“Nepal has a very strong side too. This time it’s too hard to predict anything but definitely we would love to give our best shot.”

HomeWorld Thunder Nation Cup Semi-FinalsDate: Friday 22 NovemberLocation: Blacktown International Sport-sparkCost: Free entryGame 1: India vs Nepal (6:00pm)Game 2: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (7:30pm)

The two winning teams will contest the HomeWorld Thunder Nation Cup Final in January 2020.

For more information, please contact Sydney Thunder.


India’s measured move on rCEP an opportunity for australia

After seven years of negotiations and hundreds of stakeholder consultations the Regional Comprehensive Economic

Partnership (RCEP) has finally been agreed by the 10 ASEAN nations and 5 trading partners China, Japan, S Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

However, one of the world’s fastest grow-ing economies India, which has set itself a target of becoming a US$5 trillion economy by 2024, decided to pull out of the RCEP.

For India, whose focus has been to attract foreign direct investments, pursue bold eco-nomic reforms, address structural deficien-cies and a goal to integrate itself with the global economy, what has led to this? Why is it difficult for India to join the RCEP? The reasons are manifold due to the nature of the RCEP deal and its huge scope.

First, trade agreements be it bilateral, mul-tilateral or regional are about reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers. The impact of which varies, depending on the country’s level of development. India currently has a trade def-icit with 13 of the 15 RCEP nations, which has gone up from US$7billion in 2004 to US$78billion in 2014 and is currently US$105billion. Hence, India’s experience with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with RCEP nations separately hasn’t been very encouraging. The existing trade deficit along with the removal of tariffs from 90+ goods would have increased the deficit to a much higher level impacting the Indian economy, which is under pressure. Majority of the trade deficit has gone up because of cheaper imports of finished products which helps the consumers but harms the producers. The need is to focus on intermediate goods which can help India’s export competitive-ness and push its manufacturing sector.

Second, textiles, dairy, steel, automobile

and agriculture are the major Indian sectors, which were at risk of getting affected most. Textiles and steel have already lost out from cheap imports. Car makers are hurting be-cause of low domestic demand. India is the largest producer of milk in the world with

over 150 million dairy farmers. Over 60% of India’s population is agriculture dependent, removal of tariffs directly impacting agricul-tural products and dumping of products like cheap rubber, coffee, tea, cardamom, pep-per, coconut, to name a few, from ASEAN nations would have heavily impacted Indian farmers. These major sectors employ a mas-sive number of people. If Indian companies fail to match foreign companies, it will lead to large-scale unemployment.

Third, there are outstanding issues and un-resolved concerns from India on intellectual property rights, data localisation and sharing of data, the benchmark base year to imple-ment tariff cuts to be changed from 2013 to 2019 (India raised its custom duties from 2014), market access for its thriving sectors, auto trigger system as a protective mecha-nism to check import surge by countries, a separate tariff schedule for different partner countries etc. Were some points raised by India during RCEP negotiations to safeguard its domestic interests.

Fourth, India was seeking a balance on all three pillars of trade agreements, goods, services and investment. The RCEP focus was heavily driven by removal of trade barriers on goods only. There was no clar-ity on market access for India’s services into China, where India has a comparative advantage (India has a trade deficit of over US$60billion with China), which made RCEP an unreasonable deal for India.

Fifth, for India the RCEP agreement was an asymmetric sacrifice. Hence, it was natu-ral to decide, based on domestic interests and the concerns of industry groups and farmers. Just as much, other countries were negotiating from their position of strength and interests, for instance China looked at securing access to diversified market for economic certainty for homegrown busi-nesses, employment growth and internal consumptions and New Zealand was push-ing its dairy sector, that exports 90% of its products, to new markets.

Sixth, India’s manufacturing capability is limited and its exports aren’t globally com-petitive. Hence, there is conscious caution to safeguard domestic production against foreign suppliers. This is an opportune time for India to look at its land, labour and legal reforms in a concerted manner to build and improve the manufacturing sector. Strong domestic industrial policy should sup-port a robust trade policy. Not joining the RCEP this time should push India to deliver strongly on domestic reforms, to make its economy more globally integrated in years to come.

PM Scott Morrison asserted; the door will be left open for India to join the RCEP. India can benefit from RCEP or any such FTA only if it builds its capabilities.

By not joining the RCEP, India provides sufficient elbow room to RCEP partner countries to resolve their issues bilaterally with India. If understood and navigated diligently, can also provide an opportunity for Australia and India to address the sticky points in the previous FTA negotiations. An opportunity that should be explored when PM Morrison visits India in January 2020. Matching Australia’s strengths and competi-tive advantages with India’s priorities.

Written by Newland Global Group, a corporate advisory firm specialising in the Australia-India trade and investment space. For further information our website: www.newlandglobal.com or follow us on Twitter: @NewlandGlobal, or contact us at [email protected]

Trade and Investment


Entertainment

Down To Bhangra Keeping the Culture alive

Down to Bhangra (DTB) recently held their annual show – Back to our Roots which was held at Diamond

Showroom, Blacktown on the 10th November 2019. Down to Bhangra is a Bhangra Academy formed in 2014. It is DTB’s goal to be a strong proponent of community unity, Punjabi culture, and

above all, the dance form of Bhangra whilst incorporating both traditional and modern influences.

During the show, there were approxi-mately 300 performers during the night. This included little kids aged from 4 to 18. They also had three ladies’ classes perform as well as two men’s classes. During the year, their main focus has

been on making life changing and a pos-itive impact to each child’s lives. From making friends, to building confidence, to learning about their amazing culture whilst having fun, is their motto.

DESI Australia were one of the media sponsors of the night and we could see that DTB prides itself in strong founda-tions across communication and team-


Entertainment

work whilst trying to make our com-munity stronger than ever by investing in our children, our future leaders.

Earlier in the year, Down to Bhangra were honoured to do a full Langar di Seva at Parklea Gurdwara Sahib ear-lier in the year. They definitely applied one of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s pillars, “Vand Chakna” – Sharing and giving.

For feedback and inquiries we strongly encourage you to contact Down to Bhangra via Facebook Mes-sages or via Email.


Fiji Consul and Trade Mission, hosted its annual Diwali Func-tion at Holiday Inn, Parramatta. Fiji Consul and Trade Com-

mission is the only diplomatic mission in Australia to celebrate Diwali.The Diwali event started with lighting ceremony followed by speeches and performances.

The Hon Michelle Rowland was key note speaker and Daniel Stow representing the mission also spoke. Dance was coordi-nated by Sumati of Swastik Dance Co.

As per Hindu tradition vegetarian meal was served.

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