YEARS

# 1 Indian American Weekly : Since 2006

VOL 15 ISSUE 19 ● NEW YORK / DALLAS ● MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2021 ● ENQUIRIES: 646-247-9458 ● [email protected] www.theindianpanorama.news THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 02 We Wish Readers A Happy Mother’s Day

YEARS

# 1 Indian American Weekly : Since 2006

VOL 15 ISSUE 19 ● NEW YORK / DALLAS ● MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2021 ● ENQUIRIES: 646-247-9458 ● [email protected] www.theindianpanorama.news INDIA'S WELFARE Three Indian-American CEOs join task 'CRITICALLY IMPORTANT' TO U.S.: KAMALA HARRIS force to help India fight COVID-19 WASHINGTON (TIP): Sunder Pichai from Google, Punit Renjen from Deloitte and Shantanu Narayen from Adobe have joined the steering committee of the Global Task Force on Pandemic Response, which is overseeing an unprecedented corporate sector initiative to help India successfully fight U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said in COVID-19. a recorded message delivered at a The names of the three CEOs were diaspora event on COVID-19 relief for India that the welfare of India is critically added to the list of the steering important to the United States. committee on May 6. The CEOs have File photo / credit Reuters been active in organizing U.S. companies' response to the COVID-19 NEW YORK (TIP): The surge of crisis in India. contd on page 48 COVID-19 infections and deaths in Sunder Pichai from Google, Punit Renjen India is nothing short of << from Deloitte and Shantanu Narayen from heartbreaking, says the U.S. Vice Adobe have joined the steering President committee of the Global Task Force on Pandemic Response U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said that the welfare of India was critical to the United States. She highlighted the assistance the U.S. was US URGES CITIZENS TO AUSTRALIA OFFERS MORE US WITHDRAWS sending India and offered her RETURN HOME FROM INDIA AID, REFUSES TO LIFT BAN PROPOSED BIOMETRICS condolences to those who have lost THROUGH AVAILABLE FLIGHTS people to the pandemic. ON ITS STRANDED CITIZENS RULE FOR IMMIGRATION "As many of you know, generations WASHINGTON The proposed rule was notified in of my family come from India. My (TIP): The US, the Federal Register on September mother was born and raised in India. which has urged And I have family members who live in its citizens not to 11, 2020 during Donald Trump's India today. The welfare of India is travel to India due term as president critically important to the United to an unprecedented surge in the WASHINGTON States," Ms. Harris said in a recorded COVID-19 cases there, on Friday, May 7, (TIP): The US message delivered at a diaspora event encouraged those in the country to book government on on COVID-19 relief for India. The other their tickets to return home through Friday, May 7, speakers at the event were senior State currently available flights. The United Australian Prime minister Scott Morrison and withdrew a Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi agreed Department official Ervin Massinga, Airlines and Air India are continuing to Donald Trump- on the need to ensure an affordable and Photo for who is involved with the U.S. effort in operate numerous direct flights weekly equitable access to vaccines and medicines era proposal representation only CONTD ON PAGE 48 CONTD ON PAGE 48 for containing Covid-19 globally which sought to collect the biometric details of every NEW DELHI / NEW YORK (TIP): applicant under immigration and Australian PM Scott Morrison offered naturalization benefits. all help during a conversation with PM In a statement, the Department of Narendra Modi but did not relent on a Homeland Security said the withdrawal travel ban that has stranded at least of the proposed rule was consistent 9,000 Australians in India, including with the Executive Order signed by cricketers, who had come to participate President Joe Biden, regarding in the now-suspended Indian Premier restoring faith in the legal immigration League. During his telephonic system. As per the proposed rule, which conversation with Scott Morrison, May was notified in the Federal Register on 7, PM Narendra Modi conveyed his September 11, 2020 during Donald appreciation for the prompt and Trump's term as president, any CONTD ON PAGE 48 CONTD ON PAGE 48 THE INDIAN PANORAMA EDITORIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 04 -: COMMENT:-

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER: Prof. Indrajit S. Saluja Prime Minister Modi should be held VICE PRESIDENT: Chitagam Saluja CHIEF EDITOR: responsible for Covid deaths in India Prof Indrajit S. Saluja facilities and the will to combat the breathe and there is no oxygen in CONSULTING EDITOR : COMMENT pandemic, lost more lives than has hospitals. They die in streets, in cars, Deepak Dwidedi, Chairman, India, but there was a tangible, massive in front of the hospitals because there Bhaskar Group, Delhi Prof I.S.Saluja effort to pin down the devil. are no beds available in hospitals. ASSISTANT EDITOR: Not so in India. The Modi government What a shame for a country touting Bidisha Roy he world is worried as reports remained indifferent as the number of itself as "Vishwa Guru", claiming to SPL. REPORTER UNO: from India about thousands cases begin to rise. Instead of putting becoming one of the three largest H.S. Panaser Tdying every day for want of their heart and soul into chalking out a economies in the world in a couple of GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: medical care pour in. While nations, strategy to minimize the harm from years! Om Parkash Malik organizations and individuals have Covid-19, Modi government was more The way people are dying a painful DIRECTOR come forward to reach to the suffering involved in making and implementing a death for want of Oxygen is a reminder ADMINISTRATION: people of India the much-needed strategy to win Assembly elections, of those who were made to die in gas Gauri Beri oxygen, medicines and food, the Modi particularly in West Bengal where for chambers in Hitler's Germany. Long government seems to be clueless as to over 6 months, from November 2020 to after the genocide, the perpetrators CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: how to control an unhinged pandemic April 2021, the top cabinet ministers, were brought to book in a trial, now ravaging the nation from shore to including the Home Minister and Prime known as Nuremberg trial. Baldev Singh / BJ Videos Gunjesh Desai / Masala Junction shore. Minister himself, campaigned The dire situation we see in India Jay Mandal, India alone has not faced the ferociously to dislodge Mamata Banerji. today has a parallel in those killed in Mohammad Jaffer, onslaught of Covid-19. The pandemic The capital of India, Delhi, was one of gas chambers. The willful negligence SnapsIndia ravaged almost every part of the world. the worst sufferers, as were other parts on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Mohammad Shahzad, And governments all across the world, of the country, with people dying by Modi has caused deaths. Mr. Modi has Zia Khan, with a few exceptions though, swung scores every hour in the absence of blood on his hands. He should be held Nisha Rani into action to save lives of their people. medical care. responsible for Covid deaths and tried Vaaho Photographers, No doubt, some prosperous nations, And imagine, people dying because in a Nuremberg type trial for the Vijay Shah - Photo Journalist. including America, with all medical they cannot breathe. They cannot heinous crime against Indians. CORRESPONDENTS : SACRAMENTO: Parminder S. Aujla -: GUEST COMMENT:- NEW YORK : Chitagam FRESNO: Waiting to breathe Tarlochan Singh DALLAS: Harjit Dhesi, Amarjit Dhillon Centre, states should strive for uninterrupted oxygen supply OVERSEAS CORRESPONDENTS he disruption of oxygen supply is recipient in the shortest duration decentralize the location of the stocks so LONDON causing deaths almost on a daily possible. It defies logic that Punjab has to that it is promptly available if the Nirpal Singh Shergill Tbasis in the country. Earlier this keep waiting for 4-5 days for a tanker to normal supply chain is disrupted. That SPL CORRESPONDENT week, 24 patients, 23 of them Covid- bring 90 MT (metric tons) of the gas from the Covid Care Centre at Delhi's DELHI BUREAU CHIEF: infected, died in Karnataka's a plant in Jharkhand's Bokaro. After the Commonwealth Games Village will soon Chandan Singh Chamarajanagar due to alleged shortage Chamarajanagar tragedy, the Karnataka have its own oxygen plant that will CHANDIGARH: of the life-saving gas in the district government has decided to focus on provide uninterrupted supply to 15-20 Manjit Sidhu hospital. On Saturday, 12 Covid-19 three broad goals to streamline the beds from its pipeline is too little too late. LUDHIANA: patients, including a senior doctor, supply of oxygen allocated by the Centre: Such a self-sufficient arrangement will A.S. Arora, succumbed at a private hospital in New reduce the time taken to refill tankers; cut down potentially fatal delays. R.P.Sharma Delhi after it reportedly ran out of provide a green corridor for faster Coordination between the Centre and the JAIPUR : medical oxygen for more than an hour. commuting of tankers; and avoid delay states, and also among the states, is vital. Dr. Yashpaul Goyal Though the Central government claims at toll plazas. Such a template needs to be There should be no disparity between a that there is no shortage of oxygen, the adopted across the board at the earliest state's requirement and the actual DALLAS BUREAU CHIEF & VP lapses are evident on all counts, be it in view of the enhanced inter-state allocation as well as supply. The oxygen Lovllien Kaurr production, allocation, transportation or movement of tankers. crisis can be overcome by removing 972-330-3139 supply. The Supreme Court has rightly bottlenecks at all stages. [email protected] Time is of utmost importance when a directed the Centre to create a buffer (Tribune, India) The Indian Panorama patient's life is on the line. It's a no- stock of oxygen for emergency purposes P.O. Box No. 190067, South brainer that oxygen must reach the in collaboration with the states and Richmond Hill, NY 11419, Tel: 646-247-9458 Email: [email protected] DISCLAIMER THE INDIAN PANORAMA ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CLAIMS MADE IN ADVERTISEMENTS. WE ONLY SELL SPACE. VIEWS PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE NEWSPAPER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE INDIAN PANORAMA IS PROHIBITED. THE INDIAN PANORAMA FEATURE FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 05 Mother’s Day: A tribute to mothers

s the name suggests, Mother's Day Mother’s Day falls on May 9 is a celebration of the mother of QUOTES Athe family, of her relentless “The truth is that no matter how old we are, as long as our “My mother was the dearest, sweetest contributions towards the growth and well-being of her children. While one day mothers are alive, we want our mother. And it's a very angel. She didn't talk; she sang. She was is really not enough to pay tribute to, and a tower of strength.” honor the mother, the day encourages powerful relationship if it's healthy.” -Goldie Hawn -Jayne Meadows people to come out in support and acknowledgement of everything that a “It may be possible to gild pure gold, but mother tirelessly does, day in and day who can make his mother more out. The day is celebrated annually in beautiful?” many countries around the world. While -Mahatma Gandhi the dates vary every year, it is largely “All women become like their mothers. celebrated on the second Sunday of the month of May every year. This year, it is That is their tragedy. No man does. That's being celebrated on May 9. his.” History -Oscar Wilde Arguably, the tradition of a day to “A mother is a woman who shows you the celebrate mothers can be traced back to light when you just see the dark.” the times of the ancient Greeks, who held festivities to honor Rhea, the -Grimaldos Robin mother of the gods. "A mother's arms are made of tenderness Early Christians celebrated the fourth Sunday of Lent as a Mother's festival to and children sleep soundly in them.” honor Mary, the mother of Christ. -Victor Hugo In the UK, the tradition of Mother's “Never undermine yourself because you Day is now very similar to its American counterpart, but its origins are different, Sunday in Lent. national status, undoubtedly the main are 'just' a house mom.” as the day commemorates returning to The English colonists who settled in driver was a Philadelphia schoolteacher -Tracey Taylor your mother church on the fourth America discontinued the tradition of called Anna M. Jarvis. Mothering Sunday, as presumably, it In 1907, Miss Anna, began a movement would have been a bit of a trip to return to set up a national Mother's Day in Over the years, Mother's Day became to their mother church for the day. honor of her mother. Anna's mother, Mrs increasingly popular, and the current Anna M. Jarvis, had been instrumental tradition of card and gift-giving The American tradition in developing "Mothers Friendship Day" increased. It is said that the For a holiday, that became popular in which was set up to assist in the healing commercialization of Mother's Day fairly recent times, we can still manage process after the Civil War. Miss Jarvis angered Anna as she felt that the original to find three originations for the day. wanted to set aside a day to honor all sentiment of the day was being A true American Mother's Day was mothers, living and dead. sacrificed at the expense of greed and first suggested in the United States by Miss Jarvis and her supporters began profit. Julia Ward Howe, writer of the Battle to write to ministers, evangelists, Mother's Day is now one of the most Hymn of the Republic. She suggested businessmen, and politicians in their commercially successful U.S. occasions. that the day be dedicated to peace. crusade to establish a According to the National Restaurant Starting in 1872, she organized Mother's national Mother's Day. Association, Mother's Day is now the Day meetings in Boston every year. The first Mother's Day most popular day of the year to dine out However, some would argue that observance was a church at a restaurant in the United Mother's Day on the current date was service for the second States. This year, consumers almost accidentally set in motion by Mrs anniversary of her are expected to spend $21.2 Juliet Calhoun Blakely. On Sunday 11 mother's death,on the billion on Mother's Day, May 1877, Mrs Blakely's birthday,her son second Sunday of May. Anna an increase of 5 who was the pastor of her Church, left handed out her mother's percent from last year, the pulpit abruptly. Mrs Blakely then favorite flowers, white according to a survey stepped to the pulpit and took over the incarnations. by the National Retail rest of the service, calling for other The following year, Mother's Federation. mothers to join her. Day was also celebrated in Miss The Greeting Card Mrs. Blakely's two sons felt so moved Anna's own city of Philadelphia. Association estimates by their mother's actions that they vowed By 1911, Mother's Day had spread that more than 150 million to return to their hometown of Albion, nationwide and was being Mother's Day cards are Michigan., every year to mark their celebrated in almost every state in the exchanged in the U.S. every year, mother's birthday. In addition, the Union. making Mother's Day the third- brothers urged others to honor their own In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson largest card-sending holiday mothers on the second Sunday of May. proclaimed the second Sunday in May as after Christmas and Valentine's In terms of the holiday gaining its a national holiday in honor of mothers. Day.

A midnight surprise HOW CAN WE CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY AT HOME? face. Watch the latest movie Blow a few heart-shaped balloons and hang them in the room, just so she is Play a beautiful message a big hug and a kiss! Collate all your Nowadays, you don't have to check on blown off. You can also buy some helium Get family and friends to send pictures and make a touching slideshow theaters to watch the latest movie.OTT balloons and put love notes on the loose birthday messages for her. Print them on presentation with all her favorite songs platforms like Netflix, Hotstar bring all ends of the strings for her to read. colored papers put them in a jar and running in the background. Warning: the recent releases on your device. Make Bake a cake present them to her. If you want to add a This might bring some tears to her eyes. good use of it by watching with her and personal touch, ask them to send a video Plan well and assign an alphabet from spending some quality time. Nothing spells special like hand-baked message to surprise her with their H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y to her loved Flip through a previous album items. If you're unsure about your presence virtually. ones (including you). You can either baking skills, there are numerous Make a photo collage write down the alphabets or get them YouTube channels on bakery available printed and ask each one of them to pose You can sit along with her and refresh online these days. You can follow some Alternatively, you can make a collage with it and send you the photo. Once all the memories and photographs of her. who can guide you on how to make of the pictures and present it as either a the pictures come in, make a collage, This will give both of you the flashback cakes. soft or hard copy. This is sure to get you present it to her and see the glee on her of good old times. THE INDIAN PANORAMA INDIANS ABROAD FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 06 Indian American chemist Sumita Mitra named European Inventor Award 2021 finalist by the European Patent Office NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American chemist Sumita their lives". Mitra has been named a finalist by the European Patent The material's strength is its versatility according to Office (EPO) in the "Non-EPO countries" category of her: "You have all the desired properties of a tooth the European Inventor Award 2021. filling in one material. That is why this technology has Mitra was the first to apply nanotechnology to the been used to make so many different types of tooth production of dental materials, leading to the creation restorations around the world." of a new composite to repair teeth which has many Mitra is a partner at Mitra Chemical Consulting, advantages over conventional materials, according to a LLC, a company she set up with her husband after press release. leaving 3M in 2010, and which advises companies on Mitra's material overcomes many of the limitations new technology development, product design, of previous dental composites, which were either too commercialization, mergers and acquisitions. weak to be used on biting surfaces, or quickly lost their She was named an American Chemical Society Hero polish and became physically unattractive. of Chemistry in 2009, inducted into the US National In addition, her invention is more versatile than Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018 and elected to the other composites, meaning it can be used in any area of Sumita Mitra is named on 58 European patents, four of which are National Academy of Engineering in 2021 for her work the mouth, and simplifies the filling procedure for related to her nomination for the European Inventor Award 2021. related to inventions in nanotechnology for use in dentists. Commercialized as Filtek™ Supreme dental materials. Universal Restorative since 2002 by 3M, the US for successful nearly 20 years after its launch." Other awards include a Hollenback Memorial Prize whom Mitra worked for more than 30 years, the The winners of the 2021 edition of the EPO's annual from the Academy of Operative Dentistry (2020); a technology and the products developed from it are today innovation prize will be announced at a ceremony on 17 Peyton-Skinner Award for Innovation in Dental used by dentists around the globe, the release said. June which has this year been reimagined as a digital Materials from the International Association of Dental "Mitra's invention takes what was an emerging event for a global audience. Research (2012); and a Top 25 Women in Dentistry technology at the time - nanotechnology - and applies it It was while working in the oral care division of US Award (2010). to a new sector to provide a solution for dentists and multinational 3M that Sumita Mitra became aware of Mitra was elected to the 3M Carlton Society 1998 - the relief for patients," says EPO president António the limitations of existing composite materials. highest 3M award given for lifelong contribution to Campinos, announcing the European Inventor Award Mitra's idea was to replace composite fillers with R&D. 2021 finalists. nanoparticles. "The use of nanotechnology gave me the Mitra is named on 58 European patents, four of which "Patents have protected Mitra's material and helped opportunity of making a new material," she says. "It are related to her nomination for the European ensure that her invention remains commercially restores peoples smiles and improves the quality of Inventor Award 2021. Indian-origin author and BAPIO in UK Expands playwright Ronnie Govender dies Telemedicine Project to Help at 87 in South Africa India Fight Covid-19

JOHANNESBURG (TIP): Ronnie LONDON (TIP): Indian-origin Govender, an internationally acclaimed doctors in the UK on Sunday, May 2, said Indian-origin author and playwright they are in the process of rapidly known for his books and theatre efforts expanding their telemedicine project reflecting the difficulties of the Indian through collaborations with Indian and African communities under hospitals as part of a wider Covid-19 apartheid, has died of age-related India Appeal. illness. He was 87. The British Association of Physicians Govender, who died in South Africa's of Indian Origin (BAPIO) has raised The British Association of Physicians of city of Cape Town on Thursday,April 29, Ronnie Govenderhas died of age-related nearly 108,000 pounds within days of Indian Origin (BAPIO) has raised nearly illness at 87. He was an author and was the recipient of the Order of setting up a Go Fund Me online appeal 108,000 pounds to help provide immediate playwright known for his books and theatre Ikhamanga, among the country's highest and said the initial amount of released assistance, such a food supplies for the efforts reflecting the difficulties of the Indian national orders, in 2008 for his funds are making their way to India to needy in India and African communities under apartheid. contributions to democracy, peace and help provide immediate assistance such File photo justice in the country through theatre. a food supplies for the needy through the 1,000 doctors on board to help across In the same year, the media did not Govender's grandparents, who had Akhshaya Patra charity, with three fronts -- reporting on CT scans, miss the irony of his new book 'In the arrived in South Africa as indentured procurement of equipment next in line. help for less serious cases through Manure' being launched in the beautiful laborer's, had settled in Cato Manor, Meanwhile, the BAPIO Telemedicine virtual ward rounds, and help for sprawling gardens of the residence of where they farmed on a small piece of project has received support and patients in a home setting," he Indian Consul General Navdeep Suri in land. clarification from the UK's General explained. Johannesburg. Govender was also born there. Medical Council (GMC) and has already BAPIO is working in collaboration Govender's debut book, 'Cato Manor Govender founded his own theatre started teleconsulting with hospitals in with Doctors Association UK (DAUK), Stories', won the 1997 Commonwealth company, the Shah Theatre Academy, Nagpur, with expansion plans in the next Apna NHS and Akshaya Patra with a Writers' Prize for best first book in the because of the restrictions of the time few days. target to raise around 500,000 pounds Africa section. not allowing participating in 'white' "The effort is aimed at offering help to towards the telemedicine and advice The book told tales of the Indian and theatres. our exhausted and over-stretched helplines as well as acquiring and African communities that lived side-by- One of his plays, 'The Lahnee's colleagues in India," said BAPIO coordinating the distribution of vital side in the township in Durban before Pleasure', had the longest run across the Secretary Dr Parag Singhal. oxygen generating and distribution the minority white apartheid country and received a lot of attention "The telemedicine virtual hub project equipment for hospitals and healthcare government uprooted them for forced abroad. is going very well. We have hundreds of facilities in India and providing free food resettlement in other separate ethnic (Read full story at volunteers who have expressed their to all in need. (Read full story at townships. www.theindianpanorama.news) support for this, and the aim is to get www.theindianpanorama.news) THE INDIAN PANORAMA INDIANS ABROAD FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 07 Indian American Billionaire Indian American Sikh Vinod Khosla Pledges $10 Million for Oxygen Supplies community honors victims to India of FedEx mass shooting WASHINGTON (TIP): Sikhs in the US president and Asian American and state of Indiana have held a memorial Pacific Islander senior liaison. service to honor the eight people, "To the people of Indiana, I share the including four community members, heartbreak you are experiencing after who were killed in a mass shooting at a such senseless violence pierced your FedEx facility last month. community and our nation's soul once Brandon Scott Hole, 19, a former again," Biden wrote. worker at the Indianapolis FedEx facility, "They were our friends and neighbors. killed eight people on April 15 before They were immigrants and fellow killing himself. Americans, seeking their piece of the Vinod Khosla pledged USD 10 million for Four of those killed were Sikhs, American dream." Komal Chohan, whose the supply of medical oxygen to hospitals including three women. grandmother was killed during the in India. The memorial service on Saturday was The event, held at a city stadium, featured shooting, said: "It makes us feel like we're opened with ardaas, a Sikh prayer. city, state and federal representatives, not alone." "We don't know if this was HOUSTON (TIP): Indian "We are so thankful to everyone who Indianapolis-area interfaith leaders and Sikh bias-related. It feels good to know that not American billionaire businessman came together to attend and help put on community members. everybody views us in that manner and Vinod Khosla pledged USD 10 million this important event," said Balwinder law enforcement and first responders not everybody sees us as outsiders," for the supply of medical oxygen to Singh, an Indianapolis Sikh community who face it daily so most of us don't have Chohan said. hospitals in India. leader. to," Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb said. There are an estimated 8,000-10,000 This is in continuation with the "What happened on April 15 is a "And we stand with this city and the Sikhs in Indiana. Though Sikhs began Sun Microsystems co-founder's tragedy that forever altered too many entire community, still reeling from the settling in the state more than 50 years efforts to fund hospitals for oxygen lives, and only by coming together to impact of that terrible day. I'm grateful ago, the first gurdwara was not supplies amid a surge in COVID grieve, honor, and call for action can we for each person here today to honor lives established until 1999. There are 10 cases in the country. move forward," he said. so tragically lost, to show support for gurdwaras in the state now. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, he The event, held at a city stadium, survivors and to extend a comforting Police have not identified a motive for said there was a need to save lives as featured city, state and federal hand to the families and friends who the shooting, yet. It is unclear if the further delay may end up in more representatives, Indianapolis-area were taken from us far too soon," he said. shooter was targeting Sikhs. deaths. interfaith leaders and Sikh community Several of Indiana's congressional The memorial service was jointly "For @GiveIndia this isn't enough. members. representatives sent letters of support organized by the Sikh community in They've received requests for 20,000 "As your governor, I stand with you in that were read aloud at the event. Indianapolis, with the support of oxygen concentrators, 15,000 support of the Sikh community, with President Joe Biden also wrote a letter national Sikh organizations including cylinders, 500 ICU beds, 100 each of the families of the victims, with of support, media reported. the Sikh Coalition, United Sikhs, and the ventilators, 10,000-beds COVID the hundreds of others who are feeling The letter was read by Erika Sikh American Legal Defense and centers with requests coming from the impact of this tragedy, and with our Moritsugu, deputy assistant to the Education Fund (SALDEF). non-profits & hospitals all across India every day. We need to do a lot more urgently," Mr. Khosla said. Indian-origin US based Three Indian American siblings raise For @GiveIndia this isn't enough. Sehgal Foundation shipping They've received requests for 20000 oxygen concentrators, 15000 oxygen concentrators to 7 over $2,80,000 for essential medical cylinders, 500 ICU beds, 100 Indian states ventilators, 10000-beds Covid-19 supplies for Covid-19 in India centers with requests coming from The shipment of the non-profits & hospitals all across medical equipment WASHINGTON (TIP): Three Indian India every day. We need to do a lot was made possible American siblings raised more than USD more urgently through donations 2,80,000 to send essential oxygen supplies for - Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) May 2, from its individual supporters across the Covid-19 patients in India. 2021 United States, the Founders of a non-profit organization, "The Khosla Family is adding USD foundation said in a 'Little Mentors', they reached out to their 10 million to @GiveIndia to its press release. school friends and families for funds so that previous commitment as a match they could arrange life-saving equipment and hoping others will join in this DES MOINES (TIP): The Des like oxygen concentrators and ventilators urgent need," Mr. Khosla said. Moines, Iowa, -based Sehgal Foundation for needy patients and hospitals in and The Khosla Family is adding $10m said it was shipping out 200 oxygen around Delhi. "Our only request is to return Founders of a non-profit organization, 'Little to @GiveIndia to its previous concentrators to seven Indian states on it (the equipment) when it's not further Mentors', the three siblings raised more than commitment as a match and hoping May 6, 2021. The shipment of the needed as the next patient can use it," said USD 2,80,000 to send essential oxygen others will join in this urgent need. medical equipment was made possible 15-year-old triplets Gia, Karina and Armaan supplies for Covid-19 patients in India. There is large and very urgent needs through donations from its individual Gupta. "This is important as supply of this & a day's delay costs lives. One day at supporters across the United States, the equipment is very scarce and the affected Previously, the triplets worked to reach one hospital without oxygen had 8 foundation said in a press release. population is enormous," they said. out to senators and congressmen, people die gasping for breath! "Working in close coordination with The triplets said they also planned to requesting to lift the critical supply - Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) May 2, local partners and government officials, keep a database of the needy population so embargo. 2021 the Sehgal Foundation team on the that supply could be properly directed. "Although we hope and pray that this India is struggling with a second ground in India is ensuring that the "We need everybody's help in this as such second wave of the coronavirus will go wave of the pandemic with more equipment is directly reaching those an enormous task can only be away soon, we are getting ready for the than 3,00,000 new coronavirus cases who need it the most in public hospitals accomplished by teamwork. We are very worst and asking people to be careful and being reported daily and hospitals in in villages across 7 states," the release fortunate to work with an excellent team of help each other in this major crisis," they several states reeling under a said. physicians, both in the US and India. We are said. shortage of medical oxygen and (Read full story at further working on getting vaccine Besides, the group plans to open beds. www.theindianpanorama.news) supplies," they said. distribution centers in major cities. THE INDIAN PANORAMA EDITORIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 08 AS I SEE IT ‘Open Letter’ to P.M. Modi - as Covid19 Tsunami ravages India "Iron Fist." A Fist that never unclasped, until Mahatma Gandhi. from Wuhan, did not experience a Covid19 outbreak, thereby And, Dr. Ambedkar, Columbia Law-educated, authored India's decimating the WHO's coddled-team's report, after a 3-hour Constitution, deeply informed by ours from 1787. chaperoned visit to the Wuhan Virology lab, falsely asserting a During the last decade, my incredible wife, Ranju, then-chair zoonotic virus jump from animal to human. Natural viruses of the Diwali Stamp Project, spent seven (7) years seeking a mutate to become safe and un-hurtful. This Virus is mutating BY RAVI BATRA United States Postal Service Diwali Stamp, and got help from serially, as if it was a multi-stage ICBM, becoming more and many persons, but none more than Rep. Carolyn Maloney,then- more dangerous as it continues to exist. May 6, 2021 Amb. Hardeep Singh Puri, then-ASG Lakshmi Puri, Rep. Grace WHO dishonored its high fiduciary obligations, and did not H.E. Narendra Modi Meng, then-Rep. Eliot L. Engel, Rep. Greg Meeks, and inter alia, promptly alert the leaders of every nation that a pandemic was Prime Minister of India then India's New York-based CG Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay who afoot and ask to lock-down China. President Trump said we Re: "Open Letter" - in re as Covid19 Tsunami ravages India, wrote the Official poem for the Diwali Stamp Project. Indeed, were fighting an invisible enemy.I disagree. The Virus is surely the need for the "raw truth" of this lab-created biowarfare agent Ranju asked and received from you - your support for the invisible, but this string of protein, despite its lab-based default is now necessary to fabricate more-accurate vaccines that can Diwali Stamp during your UNGA visit - as she did and received programing, has no animus towards us and does not benefit by disarm the ever-mutating strains of SARS-CoV2, which if not from then-President Obama. Ranju's achievement was causing death and destruction - and by my last count, our disarmed, this virulent ever-more deadly mutating-disease can immortal, as the Diwali Stamp successfully dedicated on needlessly dead far exceed our losses at Pearl Harbor. eliminate humanity globally. October 5, 2016 was a USPS "Forever" stamp, and Ranju made Despite Truth-in-Labeling laws, China, run by 100 years' Honorable P.M. Modi: personal history by selling over 170,000 stamps for Day One, celebrating CCP, has succeeded in blocking this Virus from beating Batman, and making the Diwali Stamp #1 in USPS being origin-labeled by deeming origin-labeling to be racist. As an un-conflicted American, having migrated from India at history. Indeed, your 2016 Diwali Message contained a clip of But, it's not a fight over labeling. the age of seven (7), I spent four-plus years in Hong Kong and that Stamp Dedication, which serves to enhance our bilateral Only Solution: Disarm Covid19 learned to love and admire the Chinese culture, although, relations forever. Indeed, the United Nations has celebrated Confucius has gotten wiser as I have aged as a happy New that achievement with 24 nations coming together to honor I now write to you - as my views have changed and evolved - Yorker. Your early leadership with a strong "Lockdown" of Ranju, and now, Ranju, as chair of the Diwali Foundation USA, as even war will not stop this mutated-variant's tsunami that is India was a global example of a government honoring its duty bestows Power of One awards, aka Oscars of Diplomacy, on ravaging India from jumping to other nations, even as travel to protect the public health. Given the sudden Covid19-mutated exceptional world class diplomats who personify the highest restrictions are imposed on India, as we have gotten earlier strain's tsunami ravaging India, I write to you, because now, ideals of the United Nations Charter and enhance global peace variants despite best efforts to block travel. Indeed, re-visiting protecting and curing all the people across the world must be & security. my prior conversation with China's distinguished Foreign Job 1. More recently,I was invited by then-Chairman Eliot L. Engel Minister Wang Yi suggests - that while I wanted a Little War in It is not a time for political advantage or even seeking of House Foreign Affairs Committee to testify on October 22, 2017 due to events in South China Sea, as in a stitch in time compensatory damages, as it is now becoming clear that this 2019 regarding Kashmir, and inter alia, issued: an apology for saves nine (a la nine dashes) - whereas he did not, as he clearly lab-created virus can become an existential threat to humanity advocating "restraint" after India's November 26th (akin to our said. FM Wang, I believe, with President Xi's change of heart, globally, and those who dream of building new empires will 9/11); and India's right to enact Section 370, and to restore can be an asset for a new just and honorable peace for all: have nothing to dominate or rule over. Instead, India's normalcy as soon as public safety was secured. Indeed, on rejuvenate the world. experience - a year after we were overwhelmed - speaks to a January 9, 2020, during our historic reception in the actual Diplomacy is always needed, even to arrange a surrender to need for an international all-nations' effort to disarm this HFAC Room for strong US-India ties and celebrating Congress, end a war. Now, after India being ravaged by mutated variants, biowarfare agent with President Xi's help - using a form of your distinguished Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, with other nations to follow, this ICBM of a virus must be Truth & Reconciliation Commission which grants legal with now-Joint Secretary Sandeep Chakravorty in attendance, disarmed ASAP with Biowarfare Codes only China can share. immunity for "whole truth disclosure" - so scientists can get showed pictures of a 16-nations' strong ambassadorial visit to It has been reported that President Xi, whom I consider to be at immediate access to all the creative knowledge, documents and Kashmir earlier that day - a fact I celebrated then and there in least as much an exceptional mastermind as Chairman Mao lab variant-samples about this out-of-control PLA-Lab created Congress, which included, Rep. Brad Sherman and Chairman was, if not more, has asked his diplomatic corps to unsheathe weapon. This is much worse than a nuclear weapons threat, as Eliot L. Engel participating. their swords to be Wolf Warriors - a function or definition that its out of control, and its infection capability makes every SARS-CoV2 aka Covid-19 aka Wuhan Virus - Case defies diplomacy, even as it weaponizes it. person and animal on earth vulnerable, and rendering current Cracked on April 14, 2020: Lab-Created How to Disarm Covid19 - Archbishop Desmond vaccines potentially ineffective. Tutu's TRC Disclaimer With that truncated disclaimer out of the way,and with God's Grace, I and my family survived Covid19 on or about March 29, I urge you, as the champion of India's sovereignty and chief As an open disclaimer, I see life thru an American Lens, 2020. Treating this Virus as a cancer case that I needed to crack, protector of her citizens' public health and safety, as well as a given that human follies are well splashed across the pages of and after learning biochemistry and epidemiology during an vital member of the "Quad," and SCO, run by a dear friend Dr. history, I am resoundingly certain of American intense effort, I did so, and a year ago, on April 14, 2020, I wrote Vladimir Norov as its Secretary General, to change our Exceptionalism, structurally embedded in our founding a 6-page "Open Letter" to then-President Trump, Speaker Pelosi geopolitical matrix from competitive, adversarial and crime Declaration and Constitution, with each American duty-bound and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ("OL"; copy and punishment, to a restorative formula from South Africa's to help "form a more perfect union" - not shaken, until our enclosed, with uniform spelling of "Wuhan"), and for POTUS, Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Truth & Reconciliation insurrection of January 6th. emailed it to a former Marine: Deputy NSA Matt Pottinger at Commission - so we can move forward collectively as a human That I successfully intervened, as requested by India, in the 8:31pm. In the OL, I had the science, the facts, and family, and disarm this Virus of an ICBM. shameful auction of Mahatma Gandhi's items in New York and recommendations, including, bringing our "supply chains" South Africa was critical in MKG becoming a Mahatma. had the items respectfully returned to India; successfully home. The next day, April 15, 2020, about 1 p.m. the United Perhaps, if you can get President Xi to share "nuclear codes" of defended Krittika Biswas' honor and won in every federal court States opened a preliminary investigation into inter alia the this virus-ICBM to disarm it, more than Nobel Peace prizes will and won the highest award for a false arrest and for a night in origin of SARS-CoV2 from PLA-run Wuhan Virology Lab, and be awarded; prayers and blessings of humanity across India jail - an effort I was supported in by the now-late great Queens the motives of CCP China in causing its global-spread without and the globe will follow for saving millions of people, who will D.A. Judge Richard Brown, Rep. Gray Ackerman and, most sounding a pandemic-alarm directly or thru the WHO. I remain otherwise continue to die from this ever-mutating Death Virus. effectively, by Senator Chuck Schumer; and, inter alia, grateful for the start of the April 15, 2020 "all hands on deck" India has a reputation throughout many millennia of being the successfully represented the Indian National Congress and the Investigation. I have since, written an Open Letter to President land of peace. China is currently President of the UNSC, Hon. Sonia Gandhi in U.3S. Federal courts regarding the Joesph R. Biden Jr. on April 13, 2021 (copy enclosed). charged with enhancing global peace & security. If you can get painful "1984 Riots" and helped create a legal precedent, that It remains an open secret that my analysis was and is President Xi to join you in peace-building the future, the India, like the United States with inter alia our correct, and that this is a lab-created Frankenstein that "Rejuvenation" he seeks, will come with Confucius' ultimate unconstitutional Japanese-American Internment during transplanted the "Spike Glycoprotein(S)" ("Spike") from Bats - a blessed wish: "May you live in boring times." WWII, has the right to fix her own mistakes without our unique feature in bats, as they are either "cold" or "warm" Respectfully, meddling in her internal affairs. By so doing, I enhanced the blooded, and still, a warm Bat can procreate with a cold Bat due /s/ bilateral relationship between our two great nations, which you to the "Spike." OL at 3. I called "Covid19," aka "WuhanVirus," a Ravi Batra later described in your pivotal Joint Address to Congress as Trojan Horse, as its Spike feature does not cause our immune (Ravi Batra is a New York based attorney. He has earlier written "indivisible." That exact relationship, I have always seen as our system to sound an alarm upon infection (and the T-cells open letters on the issue to President Trump "Joint Destiny," given the pull and push of history: Indian tea remain asleep). Disturbingly,China has not turned over, to this (https://www.theindianpanorama.news/opinion/open-letter- starred in the 1773 Boston Tea Party,and Lord Cornwallis, after day, the genome of Patient Zero who was admitted in Wuhan donald-trump-covid-19-tsunami-ravages-india/), and President Biden (https://www.theindianpanorama.news/opinion/open- losing to General George Washington, upon arriving as Viceroy hospital on or about December 1, 2019, while a different protein letter-us-president-joe-biden-covid-19-tsunami-ravages-india/) of India ordered 5,000 Indian men, women and children be put string-virus was released on or about December 31, 2019 at the -Editor. to death for his American loss, and proceeded to rule with an Wuhan Wet Market. The animal farms about a 1000 miles away THE INDIAN PANORAMA PERSPECTIVE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 09 Needed a Trial of India’s Prime Minister Modi for Covid deaths in India If India survives at all, it will be due entirely to the civic commitment of its front-line workers, religious organizations and ordinary citizens, who have stepped in to do the duties of a government that has abandoned BY DAVE MAKKAR its people. trial. Will justice be done by Indian Courts or all of them The holding of the Kumbh should be tried in the International Courts? Atul Kohli, Political Scientist at Princeton University, calls Mela, Election Rallies, Holi India a "two-track democracy," where "common people are only needed at the time of elections, and then it is best that they all celebrations & IPL matches go home, forget politics, and let the 'rational' elite quietly run a involving over 390 million pro-business show." people, despite the arrival of MODI REGIME CREATED OXYGEN & HOSPITAL BEDS the second wave was a CRISIS People are not getting oxygen and dying like animals. It is criminal negligence by Modi pavements and car parks are being turned into cremation not the virus but acute shortage of Oxygen,which is the main regime. Knowingly they put grounds with makeshift pyres. Fires burn round the clock in killer across the country, against the fact that several projects crematories and there is a shortage of even wood to cremate for installing the oxygen are still pending with the Union the lives of millions of the dead. Many places are holding mass cremations, dozens at government for clearance, but no heed was given to such an people in harm's way in the a time, and at night, the sky glows. Unfortunately, it reminds important need by the Modi government. In the capital Delhi Modi's infamous words at anelections rally in 2017, "If a with world class medical facilities and doctors, large number of midst of a deadly pandemic. kabristan is built in a village, a shamshan should also be people have died because of the shortage of Oxygen in constructed there," "Shamshan! Shamshan!" the mesmerized, prestigious private hospitals like Sir Ganga Ram, Jaipur Modi regime is responsible adoring crowd echoed back. Only Modi can tell whether he is Golden& Batra. One can imagine the state of affairs in state, for turning this pandemic elated to see the overflowingcrematoriums, or he is repenting district, municipal and small private hospitals, and rural India for those infamous words. He could have ordered to convert practically with no hospitals. into a humanitarian crisis. temporarily the BJP office spread over about 2,00,000 square In so called big city hospitals across India; there is no This is a decision that will feet in Delhi into a Covid hospital under Indian Army to oxygen, ventilators, plasma, medicines, beds and ambulances. repurpose it in record time and make it functional.Like Some Hospitals are admitting patients that have their own also cripple the already 1,8 00,000 square feet Javits Center in NY,in March-April 2020 Oxygen cylinders. For every 200 patients there is only1 doctor wounded economy to an was turned into a 2,500-bed emergency medical facility for available. This time it is the young who are filling the intensive COVID patients in 17 days by the U.S. Army and run by care units. When the young people die, the older dependents, unknown degree and them.This could save thousands of lives. At least this way Modi spouse and their children are devastated, and some lose their can atone for his criminal culpability that has seen hundreds will to live. increase poverty and of thousands of Indians dead and continuing to die. It looks Kevadia a famous tourist location, for "Statue of Unity"town unemployment. The like Modi is unmoved by the innocent deaths. in Modi's home state of Gujarat, has no hospital. Here no death will be registered in the official Covid count because the mishandling of first Covid individuals die at home. This statue was conceived and wave resulted in GDP inaugurated by Modi in 2018. This was built at a cost Rs. 3,000 crores ($400 million) and additional Rs 2.63 crores was spent on contracting by 23.9 per cent its advertisement. It was touted by Modi to be the tallest statue in the 2nd quarter of 2020. of the world! The fact is wonder of the world Eiffel Tower, standing tall at 324 meters till the tip, is 142 meters taller than By some estimates, more the 182-meter-tall Sardar Patel statue. Unfortunately, rural India has been hit very hard this time. than 100 million l people lost In rural India, where people die of easily treatable diseases their jobs. These are "official like diarrhea, infection and tuberculosis. How they can cope with Covid, when Covid tests or Hospitals or doctors or oxygen figures", issued by a regime is not available to them? The first lockdown was the strictest notorious for fudging figures lockdown of the world with a 4hours' notice. Millions of to hide the truth, and spread migrant workers stranded in cities with no work, no money to Mass cremations pay their rent, no food and no transport. Millions of them had lies. to walk hundreds of miles in some cases 1,500-1,700 miles to Each funeral and burial is a story of personal loss, misery, their homes in far-flung villages. Hundreds died on the way. n Assembly line of death & indignity and national shame.Hardly anybody knows anyone That exodus resulted in a different kind of chaos: there were misery due to Covid on an who has not been ravaged by this humanitarian crisis. Those no quarantine centers for them to stay in or Covid Test Ainsurmountable scale at who died at home or in cars, waiting outside the hospitals Centers, before they enter their village homes. There was not crematorium and burial grounds of without a test or treatment or in the rural areas, Modi regime evena meagre pretense by Modi regime of trying to protect the India has shocked the entire world. is not counting those as Covid deaths. This regime is notorious countryside from the city virus. Now their criminal neglect India has descended into a tragedy of for its undercount of the number of infections and deaths. has resulted in a massive outbreak of 2nd Covid wave in the unprecedented proportions. There is not That is how there is a vast difference between the figures put countryside. a town in India where the crematoriums out by the government and the foreign health experts and October 2020, the Standing Committee of Parliament for and burial grounds don't have lines and media, Health. had issued warnings of a more contagious Covid wait times of 14-24 hours. Burial Modi's own arrogance, fakeHinduism and nationalism, second wave and possibility of a dire shortage of grounds and crematories are so full of bureaucratic incompetence and criminal negligence have oxygen.Central Medical Services Society (CMSS) an agency bodies, it's as if a war just happened. combined to create humanitarian crisis of epic proportions in under the Union Health Ministry Dr. Harshvardhan was given Some have buried their dead in their India.This is a catastrophe, and we are witnessing a crime the charge of commissioning the oxygen plants. CMSSfloated a gardens. against humanity. Modi and all those responsible for culpable tender on October 21, 2020, inviting bids for the installation of India with majority Hindu population homicide of thousands upon thousands of children, young 162 PSA oxygen plants across 14 states with a combined vs minority Muslims and Christians is men and young women, old men and old women of India, capacity of 154 metric tons daily.The final contracts were given witnessing more cremations.Parks, should be tried and prosecuted under a Nuremberg style Court CONTD ON PAGE 10 THE INDIAN PANORAMA PERSPECTIVE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 10

CONTD FROM PAGE 9 This humanitarian crisis is a direct result of the delivered only 30 million, which includes 10 million set Modi regime's, arrogance, complacency, lack of aside for India itself under WHO-Covax.SII has also in December 2020 with a stipulation in the purchase made legally binding bilateral commercial deals to order that vendor will install the plant within 45 days. preparation, bureaucratic incompetence, fake supply more than 900 million doses of AstraZeneca This means the actual work on installing the plants nationalism and the criminal neglect of its vaccine, and 145 million doses of Novavax, according to could only start ten months into the pandemic. The constitutional duties UN data. SII recently confirmed that it had been sent a entire cost of Rs. 201.58 was fully funded from PM- legal notice by AstraZeneca, concerning its obligations Carescontrolled by PMO. This works out to an average fully vaccinated, 44.3% or 148.6 million are partially to supply vaccines. of Rs 1.25 crore per plant. A plant with the capacity of vaccinated. US FDA by next week will approve Pfizer 1,000 liters of oxygen per minute can simultaneously for 12-15 years old and by Sep 2021 Pfizer plans to submit cater to 100-160 patients on oxygen support. However, two new emergency use authorization requests, one four months after the contracts were given, only 33 of request covering children from 5 to 11 years old and a the 162 O2 plants have been installed. UP out of 14, none, second applying to ages 2 to 5. A separate batch of Delhi out of 8, none and MP that has no oxygen results and a possible request, for children who are production facility of its own placed an order for 13 from 6 months to 2 years old, are expected in the fourth plants on April 14, 2021. quarter of 2021.Researchers have estimated that around A very disturbing question arises, why private 70% to 85% of the country needs to be vaccinated for hospitals across India, especially 5 metro cities that are COVID herd immunity or to stop it from spreading famous for world class facilities catering to medical through communities and peter out. tourism don't have their own oxygen-generating In April-May 2020, USA under "Operation Warp plants?Then, why the State & local governments did Speed" advanced $6 Billion to various Pharma nothing to mitigate the future oxygen shortage? companies to develop a vaccine by invoking Defense On Sep. 6, 2020 SSI CEO Adar Ponawala, Tweeted to India's daily oxygen production capacity is 7,200 Act. In May 2020, Europeans mobilized $8 billion for PMO & Ministry of Healthto highlight challenges in metric tons and the medical oxygen requirement as of Covid Vaccine research. They wanted to rope in India vaccine production and distribution. In his "quick April 21 was 8,000 metric tons, according to a also for being the world's biggest producer of vaccines. question" to the government he asked if the Health submission made by a central government official in False pride, confused nationalism &fake self-reliant Ministry had Rs. 80,000 crore available over the next 12 Delhi High Court. This means even if the country uses slogan stopped the arrogant and incompetent Modi months to buy and distribute the vaccine to everyone."I up its entire oxygen production for medical use, as the regime from joining the consortium. By Aug 2020, US, ask this question, because we need to plan and guide, government has now decided to do by banning use of UK & EU with a combined population of 800 million had vaccine manufacturers both in India and overseas to oxygen for industrial purposes, India will still face a placed orders for 850 million doses of vaccine. USA and service the needs of our country in terms of shortfall of 800 metric tons. the China are now manufacturing more Covid-19 procurement and distribution." vaccines than India. The government hit back after Adar's tweet, saying In contrast, in India with almost 1,400 million people, that it did not agree with the Rs. 80,000.00 crore figure Modi regime placed its first order of 16.5 million doses and that it had sufficient funds to procure and in Jan. 2021 and later, 100 million to the domestic distribute the vaccine. The government did not, producer Serum Institute of India. however, specify the amount that it had set aside for this A control-freak instinct took over Modi and he purpose. If one looks at $6 billion (Rs 44,000.00 crore) announced only Center would buy the vaccines. There allocated by USA for vaccines for its 330 Million citizens will be no private buying, in other words he for vaccines; Adar's suggestion of Rs 80,000.00 crore for "Nationalized" the vaccines.Later, Modi regime used 1,400 Million Indians, was very reasonable. vaccines as a political tool to deny adequate quantities Even the Doctors/medical experts have warned that of vaccines to non-BJP ruled states like Punjab, Kerala, GOI's goal of vaccinating 300 million people every Maharashtra and Delhi. quartercosts are going to mount. Doctors said it may In fact, Modi Regime, botched India's inoculation take two years to vaccinate the entire population, drive by failing to order a sufficient number of doses in especially when it is a "Race between the vaccine and Struggling to get Oxygen advance or investing in vaccine plants in India. Covid" to stop Covid from becoming a pandemic or Thenfrom May 1, 2021, Modi regime allowed the states humanitarian crisiswith the expected 2nd and 3rd The grossly underestimated planned 162 PSA oxygen to buy/import vaccine directly.In fact, it has passed the surge. Still PMO & MHO remained unmoved. plants with no oversight. responsibility of vaccinating Indians to financially HLL Biotech Ltd (HBL), a state-of-the-art Integrated If they were all operational with a combined daily strapped state governments. Now they must negotiate Vaccine Complex in 100 acres near Chennai, was capacity of 154 metric tons, it was a minuscule prices and purchase vaccines in the open market and approvedby the UPA government in 2012. The goal was compared to the current shortfall of 800 metric tons. If most Indian states are not in a position to execute the to effectively fight the potential public health hazards India had installed oxygen plants on a war footing, the task. There's a scarcity of lifesaving vaccines in a that hit India from time to time. It was set up as a nodal situation would have been different. For an outlay of Rs country that used to be the world's largest vaccine- center for manufacturing, research, and supply of 2,000 crore, India could have added 1,540 metric tons of maker till 2020. vaccines at affordable prices under the Universal additional daily medical oxygen capacity. Significantly, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is based on the SARS-CoV-2 ImmunizationProgram of the GOI. It has a capacity to by adding on-site oxygen manufacturing capacity, India strain, which was isolated in the National Institute of produce 585million vaccines for rabies, measles, could have reduced the need for the massive logistical Virology under ICMR in Pune. The ICMR then Japanese Encephalitis, and Hepatitis B among other exercise currently underway to move liquid oxygen in transferred this strain to Bharat Biotech for diseases. It was to replace three existing vaccine units tankers from surplus states by road, airlifting tankers developmentto manufacturevaccine for sale to public. which were set up decades ago-Pasteur Institute of by Air Force and even import it from other countries. As such, one is unable to calculate the share of public India, Coonoor, BCG Vaccine Laboratory, Chennai, and On top of that according to Modi regime's own data investment in the total amount spent on design, and Central Research Institute in Kasauli. amid the pandemic, India exported over 9,000 metric developmentby ICMR. Bharat Biotech has to pay no With the regime change at theCenter in 2014, it was tons of oxygen, a staggering increase of 734 percent in royalty to anyone. Presently, the company starved for fundsand, only in 2017, escalated cost of Rs January 2021. India, one timeworld's largest producers manufactures 20 million doses per month of Covaxin. 710 crore was approved. In 2019 the Health Ministry of medical oxygen, is being forced to import 50,000 On April 24th, 2021, the company tweeted, "Following denied project escalation cost of Rs 904 crore, metric tons of liquid medical oxygen using special the Govt of India directives, we announce the prices of expressing concerns about its "non-profitability". India Air Force flights. COVAXIN vaccines - Rs 600 per dose for state hospitals There are six production lines for vaccine MODI REGIME CREATED VACCINE CRISIS and Rs 1,200 per dose for private hospitals". manufacturing, but they are not currently functional. It The largest vaccine manufacturer in the world till needs Rs 150 crore or so to make it fully functional. HBL By the end of March2020, practically every health 2020, Serum Institute of India (SII) the maker of official says, "there is no vision in establishing the firm expert advised that it is the "Race between the vaccine Covisheild under license from Swedish AstraZeneca is as the government could have easily upgraded the and the virus." Rapid vaccination of all eligible humans producing 70 million doses per month. SII invested Rs existing vaccine units to make Covid vaccines. is the only way to fight Covid. This infection has no 2,000.00 crore of its own and got Rs 2,200.00 crore from HBL has written to the Union Health Ministry and boundaries and there will be a 2nd and a 3rd wavethat Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. SII has to pay royalty NITI Ayog for the additional sum but was denied. "But will be more lethal and contagious than the present and they are under contractual obligationto supply an the government is profit-motivated, they think 'what is one.Experts have been proved right, the encouraging initial 200 million doses to WHObacked Covax vaccine the use of having this complex." He further said:"The trend of declining daily infections and deaths shows; in sharing program to ensure availability to low- and Centre can announce it as 'Pandemic Research Centre" the race between vaccines and variants in the USA- middle-income countries. SII was expected to deliver or it can run it on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) vaccines are winning. the first 100 million doses between February-May 2021. model. But the policies of the present government are As of May 5, 32.7% or 107.3 Million Americans are Indian government data shows that it has so far CONTD ON PAGE 11 THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 11

CONTD FROM PAGE 10 Modi started laying symbolic foundations for the named after himself within his lifetime, Modi has put "Hindu Nation" as per the bonehead idea of theRSS. He himself in the worst possible company,including Kim Il against public sector undertakings. In the middle of a was busy in the planning, designing and finally to be Sung and Saddam Hussein. Moreover,Modi's desire to pandemic, a facility which was declared a "Project of the Master of groundbreaking ceremony for Ram look taller than one of the founding fathersof India, National Importance" has not only been non-functional, Mandir on Aug. 5, 2020 in the middle of raging Covid Iron ManSardar Patel,the unifier of Princely states but only contributed to the national effort against pandemic. under Modern India, isdisgusting, repulsive and an Covid-19 by manufacturing hand sanitizers and alcohol- Prof. Ashok Swain,Peace and conflict researcher insult to the great Sardar Patel. based disinfectants for hospitals treating Covid-19 wrote, "Modi does not anymore pretend even as the patients. leader of a secular country.He sees himself and overtly Besides disinfectants, HBL also has the capability to acts like a king of a Hindu Kingdom." produce Viral Transport Medium (VTM) kitsused for October was wasted by Boeing that spanned the transporting Covid-19 clinical samples of suspected deliveries of Modi's 2 personal toys costing Rs. 8,450.00 patients for virus detection testing.With the rising for his personal travel and for namesake President & VP number of infectionsthere is a need for collection of travel also!One was delivered on Oct 1st and the 2nd,on more clinical samples to increase the number of tests. Oct. 24, 2021. These Boeing 777-300 ER have state-of-the- HBL can develop such kits on a massive scale at an art missile defense systems called Large Aircraft affordable/ competitive price. This required Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self- manufacturing license from the state and the Centre, Protection Suites (SPS), whichare capable of HBL's application is pending, and has not been granted countering missile threats from an enemy and on par as of May 5, 2021. with the US President's Air Force One in terms of Modi perhaps does not want to see anything up and security measures. US economy was $21 Trillion vs. working that can even remotely be seen connected to India's 3.2 Trillion in 2020. After waiting for 5 months, Nehru, Gandhi, PM Singh of the UPA government even the world-famousGlobetrotting PM made his maiden if it cost human lives in lacs.That is the reason he flight on March 26, 2021 to Bangladesh in VVIP "India's changed the names of all schemes started by his Air Force 1" to influence voters of West Bengal. predecessors including BJP's AB Vajpayee's Much of the Oct and entire Nov 2020 Modi and his government. This is yet another example of Modi style entire government was busy campaigning for 3 phase of governance where it lets people die. But Modi does Bihar Electionsending on 29th Nov, when barring not stop there.He has put up HLL Biotechin Jan 2021 for China all major economies of the world were reeling sale leaving the brand-new plant to rust and there are under the brutal attack of the 2nd Covid wave with no buyers yet. That is exactly how an elected autocrat mounting infections and deaths. Just a glance at what works. That is exactly how arrogant rulers govern. (The is happening in the US and Europe should have opened Print & The Federal.com). their eyes to the catastrophes of the pandemic. UNDER ITS WATCH, MODI REGIME ALLOWED On Dec. 10, 2020, again, Modi was the Master of the groundbreaking ceremony of Central Vista (est. cost Rs THE DOUBLE MUTANT STRAIN OF CORONA 20,000.00 crore) with New Parliament and new home for VIRUS B.1.617 TO SPREAD himself. Presently he lives in 17 acres with 5 bungalows; The Indian origin home grown virus was first that is the largest & most expansive real estate in the detected on 5th Oct. 2020. That is the main cause of world for a head of the state. deaths in current Second wave. According to Indian British sculptor Anish Kapoor wrote that Modi invites pilgrims to Kumbh Express only in Jan 2021 a Covid Genomic consortium, Architecture as propaganda, is often used "to give a a network of 10 labs was formed with a budget of Rs115 good face to a fascist regime." "This is not the redesign In the wake of the pandemic, a "Covid task force" of crore for further research.The Health Ministry never of buildings; it is instead Modi's way of placing himself scientific experts had been constituted, yet there was no gave Rs 115 crore to the Dept of Biotechnology.The dept at the center and cementing his legacy as the maker of meeting of the body through February and March 2021. was told to find the money on its own. They were able to a new Hindu India." But 5 State Assembly Elections involving 150 million allocate first tranche of 80 crore on 31 March 2021 that In January 2021, citing Covid, UP Panchayat voters with totally unnecessary eight rounds of polling is after 6 months of detecting B.1.617, and,by that time Elections were postponed to April to coincide with the in West Bengal were declared on Feb 27, starting on the Second wave was already spreading exponentially, Kumbh Mela-the world's largest religious gatheringthat March 27 and finishing on April 29, 2021. UP Panchayat and death rate was going up rapidly. normally convenes every 12 years. It was last held in Polls were also announced in 4 phases, April 15 to April MODI REGIME DID NO PLANNING FOR 1YEAR TO 2010.Modi regime fraudulently brought it forward by a 29 involving 85 million voters. year against the protest by a large section of Hindu Every election was to be held around preponed FIGHT THE EXPECTED 2nd COVID WAVE priests, by saying 2021 is an auspicious year for it. To Kumbh Mela that was estimated to attract over Although the emerging pandemic gave Modi over a start on March 11 and to end on April 27, 2021. 150million Hindupilgrims, to influence Hindu voters in year which he could have spent preparing for the On Jan. 28, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi state and panchayat elections. There were 4 main days second wave, rather than deploying resources in declared victory against COVID-19 while addressing the of Kumbh Mela (March 11-April 27) called Shahi Snan healthcare & vaccines; he was busy in promoting virtual summit of World Economic Forum at Davos. (Royal bath) on 11 March April 12,14, and 27. On these himself, superstitions, quackery and mythology for February 21, BJP passed a resolution praising Modi's auspicious days it is believed that a dip in the holy Covid treatment like banging bells, plates, clapping, "leadership for introducing India to the world as a water of Ganga will acquit the person of all sins.As lighting earthen lamps (diya) or candles, Cow urine, proud and victorious nation in the fight against Covid-. many as 5 million visitors came to Haridwar on April 12 Cow Dung, Quack Ramdev's Coronil, his own minister "It can be said with pride, that India "defeated Covid-19 and went to the banks of river Ganga to take the holy Arjun Ram Meghwal's Bhabhiji Pappad and showering under the able, sensitive, committed, and visionary dip (Shahi Snan). According to a Senior Police Officer flower petals from helicopters on healthcare workers. leadership of PM Modi." That ebullient mood was Mukesh Thakur, throughout the day, there was an Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, president of the Hindu communicated across the country. It is not that they estimated 11,000 to 18,000 people in the water at any Mahasabha declared that "consuming cow urine and wanted to get the economy going but wanted to get back time, spread across the 15 main riverbanks. cow dung will stop the effect of infectious coronavirus." to campaigning. The swami added that a "person who chants 'om namah On February 24, the world's biggest, Narendra Modi shivay' a salutation to Shiva, a Hindu deity, and applies Cricket Stadium was inaugurated in Ahmedabad, cow dung on his body will be saved." remodeling and renaming Sardar Patel stadium by According to WSJ Feb 10, 2020, PM Modi wrote to Xi President Kovid in the company of Home Minister Jinping, offering the Chinese leader help in tackling the Shah & his Zero qualification son Jay Shah, Secretary Wuhan coronavirus. Details of the assistance aren't of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the public, but Mr. Modi's offer probably didn't include President of Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The occasion supplies for a "treatment that a senior Hindu was the start of the world's biggest cricket tournament fundamentalist advocated recently". In fact, WSJ was ending on May 30, the Indian Premier League (IPL). referring to Cow urine and Cow dung treatment. 55,000 people, mostly maskless, came to cheer India Thousands thronged to take a dip in the river Ganga at Unfortunately India's most popular news media, co- play against England for the pink-ball Test.Modi's main Haridwar. No masks. No social distancing. Result. Thousands opted early on by Modi, rich & famous celebrities like campaign financiers/handlers, Mukesh Ambani and got infected with Covid Amitabh Bachan, Virat Kohli, Priyanka Chopra and Gautam Adani were also honored with their names Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani etc., theyall emblazoned on the new Narendra Modi Cricket Uttarkhand's CM Rawat (BJP), an RSS stalwart, like supported Modi and his team mate's superstitions, Stadium, where overs are bowled alternatively from the PM Modi, when asked on Covid concerns by Media, quackery and mythology for Covid treatment. Adani and Ambani ends! By having a sports stadium CONTD ON PAGE 12 THE INDIAN PANORAMA PERSPECTIVE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 12

CONTD FROM PAGE 11 did not hesitate to address big political rallies tossing contacted, it informed that there were no vacant ICU all Covid norms in the air." beds. The high court observed, according to records of said that, "Kumbh is at the bank of the River Ganga. the proceedingshas shredded the CM Yogi's steadfast Maa (Mother) Ganga's blessings are there in the flow. denial of any oxygen and hospital bed crisis in UP.The So, there should be no corona." Haridwar where the bench also sought a clarification on allegations that a Mela was being organized is in the state of Uttrakhand. sitting high court judge, Justice V.K. Srivastava, who In contrast to all the above, the decision to postpone had died last week in Lucknow, had not received proper the crucial Class XII exams is beyond any sane person's treatment. comprehension. The outcome is that millions of Probably Justice Banerjee, Sidharth Verma and Ajit children, parents and teachers have been plunged into Kumar were afraid to name PM Modi aka his regime emotional, mental and financial turmoil. that has forced EC to be an extension of their regime, On April 04, 2021 the Covid task force finally met, and that also failed to prepare for second Covid wave. after it was clear that a second wave had hit India. Modi According to Constitutional Scholars, "institutions that regime still remained focused on the state elections, speak the language of the executive, and have become mainly WB. In one of the rallies Modi told the cheering indistinguishable from the executive, can never protect Election rallies.300,000 plus covid positive cases; 2,000 plus crowd that by taking Cow Urine, Corona will not touch deaths. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, on April 22, 21, Amit Shah democracy. them!On April 17, Modiproclaimed at a rally in his continued his election campaign. Supreme Court has badly let down India in recent favorite language Hindi, in Asansol (WB), "Maine aisi times, through a combination of avoidance, mendacity, sabha pehli baar dekhi hai" ("I have never seen such big Despite the severity of the health crisis, election and a lack of zeal on behalf of political liberty. Yet it crowds at a rally").That day India was on the brink of a rallies and religious congregations like the Kumbh has not uttered a word against Modi regime's appalling humanitarian crisis for recording more than 261,000 Mela in Haridwar continued, raising questions over the criminal mishandling of the pandemic and turning it new Covid cases and 1,501 deaths. In response, state seriousness of Modi-led Union government to tackle the into Humanitarian Crisis of epic proportions. minister Moloy Ghatak tweeted, "When dead bodies spread of the deadly virus. "The scarcity of medical Once upon a time this very SC, aired harsh criticisms were burning, Nero was busy doing election rallies." oxygen has become the reason for the death of many of Modi. In 2004, the Court labelled Modi a modern-day Ghatak's tweet was censored by Twitter. patients in every part of the country against the fact Nero.The Court observed that Modiwas "looking The holding of the Kumbh Mela, Election Rallies, that several projects for installing the oxygen are still elsewhere when… innocent children and helpless Holi celebrations & IPL matches involving over 390 pending with the Union government for clearance, but women were burning" in the carnage that erupted days million people, despite the arrival of the second wave no heed was given to such an important need by the after Modi was appointed CM of Gujarat in 2002.His was a criminalnegligence by Modi regime. Knowingly Modi government."Hitting out at the prime minister for own State MinisterHaren Pandya gave sworn testimony they put the lives of millions of people in harm's way in passing the buck of its failure on the private medical about the riots, that Modi sanctioned the three days of the midst of a deadly pandemic. Modi regime is sector and state governments, Dr Dahiya told the daily: anti-Muslim violence which is today known to many as responsible for turning this pandemic into a "Even on the issue of farmers' agitation against farm the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom.In 2003, Pandya was humanitarian crisis. This is a decision that will also laws, PM Modi did not act in a responsible manner and assassinated,his wife and father both termed it "a cripple the already wounded economy to an unknown let the presence of huge gathering of farmers allowed political murder." degree and increase poverty and unemployment.The without solving their issues, causing a serious threat of As India gasps for air, however, countless innocent mishandling of first Covid waveresulted in GDP COVID spread.(The Tribune April 27, 2021) lives are paying a price forced upon them by a Modi contractingby 23.9 per cent in the 2ndquarter of 2020.By The Australian reported on 25 April. "Arrogance, regime that values its iron grip on power and its image some estimates, more than 100 million l people lost their hyper-nationalism and bureaucratic incompetence over the lives of the people and basic human rights. jobs. These are "official figures", issued by a regime have combined to create a crisis of epic proportions in Despite the pandemic turning into humanitarian notorious for fudging figures to hide the truth, and India, with its crowd-loving PM basking while citizens crises, Modi's image builders are still desperately spread lies. suffocate." trying to present the current situation as an example of Modi has been good only for a few businessmen since Madras HC Chief Justice Banerjee on April 26, 2021, positive Indian exceptionalism. They accuse anyone 2014. During the pandemic, even as tens of millions of said, "You [the Election Commission] are the only critical of the Modi regime of "spreading negativity Indians lost their jobs, a handful of billionaires made institution that is responsible for the situation today.No and being anti-National." Anyone daring to point out windfall gains. Top on the list are Gautam Adani and action against political parties taking rallies... Your the murderous and criminal mishandling of the Mukesh Ambani, with Ambani's net worth zooming to election commission should be put up on murder pandemic is called a "vulture" conspiring to defame $84 Billion from $23.6 Billion in 2014. Modi's mentor, charges probably!" India on the world stage-and as Hinduphobic, self- Gautam Adani's net worth zoomed to over $55.7 Billion Kapil Komireddi, the author of Malevolent Republic: hating Indians. from $1.9 Billion in May 2014. In fact, it has grown from A Short History of the New India, wrote on April 30, under $200 million when Adani installed Modi as CM of 2021 in Foreign Policy Journal "Modi Fiddles While Gujarat. India Burns" "India might have been spared this INDIA BECAME A NET EXPORTER OF COVID humanitarian crisis had Modi not neglected his duties and vilified those who offered him constructive VACCINES counsel. He had the time, means, and access to expertise India, without vaccinating its own people, became a to proof the country against this inferno. It is no longer net exporter of Covid vaccines by exporting more than tenable to measure Modi against the performance of 66.4 million doses to 95 countries under the 'Vaccine previous prime ministers: He has broken into the Maitri' or VaccineFriendship Program" from Jan 21, malign ranks of India's British colonial overlords who 2021 to April 16, 2021. In this list, one can find went hunting while Indians starved in mass famines. practically all the dictatorships, oppressive regimes Lt Gen Prakash Menon (retd), Decan Herald, APR 30, and states that sponsor terrorism. It became a global PR 2021,"The blind faith of Indians in God is now campaign for Modi's leadership. In March, an Indo- accompanied by blind faith in India's most popular Canadian group sponsored billboards were erected in leader of contemporary times "Narendra Modi" has Canada to counter Canadian support for Indian pushed India into Humanitarian Crises." farmers, thanking Modi for exporting Indian-made A two judges-benchof UP HC, comprising justices vaccines. They were tools to promote Modi's image as a Siddharth Verma and Justice Ajit Kumar on May 4, "Global Vaccine Leader' and a 'Vishwa Guru,' or Global 2021, observed that the death of COVID-19 patients just Leader with a Visionary Humanitarianism."This, when for non-supply of oxygen to hospitals is "a criminal act, since March, rate of infections was surging in India& not less than a genocide" by state authorities'failure to Modi regime was exporting vaccines! On April 14, 2021 supply adequate oxygen to hospitals.The bench asked for the first-time infections crossed 200,000 mark and on an advocate, Anuj Singh, to call up the Covid helpline April 16, 2021 it was 235,000 but 257,000 vaccines were number. "Singh dialed the number again and again and Modi is the only world leader to use Vaccination Certificate to sent to Syria. On the other hand, USA has put a the line was showing busy. However, ultimately, he was push cult of personality (The Wire 01-03-21) India's vaccine condition on its vaccine manufacturers that they able to connect, and the reply was that there was no program will be unique in one respect- each certificate of cannot export Covid vaccines unless every American Level-2 (or) Level-3 bed available, whereas the online vaccination carries a portrait of Modi. has been vaccinated. portal, was showing that there were vacant positions of Citizen Tweet:"Just as there is a photo of Modi on the vaccine Dr Navjot Dahiya, the national VP of the Indian beds in both Level-2 and Level-3 category." Level 2 beds certificate, there should also be a photo of Modi on the death certificate of those killed by Covid." Grim and even ghoulish, Medical Association (IMA) has called PM Modi a 'super are for moderately symptomatic Covid patients; Level 3 this tweet may yet serve as an appropriate epitaph for the spreader' and blamed him for the second wave of Covid- beds are for serious patients. "Similarly, King George's reign of Narendra Modi 19."While the medical fraternity is trying hard to make M U Hospital where portal showed 3 ICU beds to be people understand mandatory Covid norms, PM Modi vacant (on Sunday) and when the hospital was CONTD ON PAGE 14 THE INDIAN PANORAMA PERSPECTIVE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 13

CONTD FROM PAGE 12

Not to be left behind, RSS's 2ndin Command Dattatreya Hosabale said as India suffers the world's worst Covid-19 crisis. "Destructive and anti-Bharat (India) forces in the society can take advantage of these circumstances to create an atmosphere of negativity and mistrust in the country."He should have, instead pulled the Modi regime for its intentional unpreparedness, incompetence and criminal neglect. UP CM Yogi (BJP), a known communalist and criminalcondemned people who report shortages of oxygen as "anti-social elementswho spoil the Don't know what the worthy Prime Minister of India means atmosphere."Yogi declared that there was no shortage of oxygen or beds or doctors in any hospital. He hours of darkness. If India survives at all, it will be due threatened to use the National Security Act to seize the entirely to the civic commitment of its front-line property of the individuals who try to "spoil the workers, religious organizationsand ordinary citizens, atmosphere." who have stepped in to do the duties of a government Haryana CM Khattar (BJP), another RSS stalwart that has abandoned its people. and roommate of PM Modi, when he was accused of This humanitarian crisis is a direct result of the under reporting Covid deaths, said, "it was useless to Modi regime's, arrogance, complacency, lack of debate Covid toll as the dead won't come back to life." preparation, bureaucratic incompetence, fake Union Minister Prahlad Patel (BJP) when approached nationalism and the criminal neglect of its by a supplicant citizen, begging for oxygen, threatened constitutional duties. In every direction, the criminal to slap him. negligence of this regime is more apparent. The Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while writing is on the wall, India's Covid crisis is the direct visiting a hospital in Jodhpur told a Covid patient's majoritarianism under Modi and is facing an result of criminal neglect and misgovernance. It will go family, "You offer coconut to Balaji, everything will be unprecedented humanitarian crisis. down in the history as a case study of how to fail, alright". What the Modi regime calls "misusing social media to disastrously, in handling a pandemic and how to cause Karnataka' BJP government Instead of arranging create panic" in society, to an impartial observer, looks mass death, rather human genocide by criminal Oxygen, medicines & hospital beds Tweeted that they more like criticizing those in power. The content in negligence. have allocated 230 acres of land on the outskirts of question included indictments from the opposition, As per Indian Parliamentary system, Prime Minister Bangaluru for a temporary crematorium. activists, experts and general public as well as calls for is notionally the Minister for all departments, and the Foreign Minister Jaishankar had instructed Indian Modi to resign. More than 400,000 new infections and Cabinet Secretary is the Secretary to all departments. Diplomats around the world to counter "one sided" 4,000 deaths every day,although grossly under reported, There are instances in the past where Prime Minister world media narrative on government's pandemic is a harrowing situation and should cause alarm. Modi has overruled the minister concerned. Why was such a response failure. Back home, his own colleague, regime appears to be using the pretext of public health, practice not resorted to by Modi to supervise various Ambassador to 5 countries; Ashok Amrohi died a very not to protect its citizens from harm, but to protect itself Ministers responsible for proper planning & resource painful death in the parking lot of Medanta Hospital from embarrassment and exposures. mobilization to stop the Covid pandemic from turning after waiting for 5 hours to be admitted in a Gurgaon Every major economy as well as small countries of into a human crisis? Modi's failure to supervise his own hospital on April 27, 2021. the world, big corporations, organizations and Ministers, Bureaucrats and to devise a plan for Army Modi regime's ever-tightening hold on the Internet celebrities are donating funds or sending critical help, cannot be termed ignorance; it is deliberate and puts the social media companies against their own medical supplies, Oxygen Plants, Oxygen cylinders, criminal, and needs to be punished. foundational values of free expression. It looks like ventilators & vaccines to India. India's crisis has PM Modi, Ministers, Bureaucrats, the rich & famous they don't want to risk a lucrative market like India become a global crisis. celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Virat Kohli, with a 350 million middle class by not removing post As usual India's world famous rich and celebrities are Priyanka Chopra and Mukesh Ambani etc. that that is critical of Modi regime's functioning and its in MIA list or giving token donations to insult the supported Modi's superstitions, quackery and response to the pandemic that has turned into Indians. At the same time, work done by Sikh mythology for Covid treatment, must be tried in a humanitarian crisis. These companies by towing the Gurudwaras & organizations, various Hindu Temples Nuremburg style Trial to uphold the Justice System of line of Modi, are doing a great harm to India by and organizations, Muslim Organizations, Christian India and India's image as a viable Democracy. restricting the free flow of information, when India is Organizations and individuals have lifted the human (Compiled & Edited by Dave Makkar. teetering toward authoritarianism and religious spirits of India. They are the shining light in these [email protected]) THE INDIAN PANORAMA SOUTH ASIA FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 14 15 KILLED, 35 INJURED AS BUS FALLS INTO Gunmen shoot dead former RAVINE IN PAKISTAN’S PUNJAB news anchor in ISLAMABAD (TIP): At least 15 people were killed and 35 others others injured when a speeding Afghanistan’s Kandahar passenger bus fell into a ravine in Pakistan's Punjab province, police KABUL (TIP): A former journalist daily combat with the Taliban, which said on Tuesday. who worked for Afghanistan’s finance has waged war to overthrow the foreign- The accident occurred on a ministry was shot dead by gunmen in the backed government since it was ousted motorway in Hasan Abdal area of southern city of Kandahar on Thursday, from power in Kabul in 2001. Attock district. provincial officials said, as violence The United States has begun to pull out The bus was travelling from Lahore mounted across the country amid a US its forces under an agreement reached to Mardan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa troop withdrawal. with the Taliban in talks last year, province. No group immediately claimed although it has missed a May 1 According to the police, the bus responsibility but government officials withdrawal deadline. Critics of driver lost control over the vehicle and Western powers usually blame President Joe Biden’s decision to bring while trying to avoid an accident with Taliban insurgents for such attacks, the troops home say the Taliban will try another car. which they deny. to sweep back into power. The rescue teams shifted the dead Nimat Rawan, a former news anchor at In just two days, the Taliban captured a and injured to a nearby hospital. ToloNews, Afghanistan’s largest private second district in the northern province At least 15 people have lost their television station, was shot dead on Mujahid had warned against of Baghlan on Thursday, provincial lives while over 35 others have been Thursday morning, provincial police “propaganda and one-sided broadcasts” police spokesman Jawed Basharat said. injured in the incident, the police said. spokesman Jamal Naser said. Police by some media outlets. Six Afghan security forces were killed Special Assistant to the Prime were investigating, he said. “If this continues, the responsibility in a Taliban night-time attack on their Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Many similar killings have taken place for the next steps will fall on the media outpost in the central province of Human Resource Development Sayed in recent months, often targeting officials and its staff themselves,” he Ghazni, a local official said. Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari expressed journalists, civil society activists, said. The Afghan government says the grief over the incident and directed government officials, and judges. President Ashraf Ghani condemned Taliban have killed and wounded more the civil administration to provide Taliban spokesman Zabihullah the attack and said the militants could than 50 troops in attacks in at least 26 assistance to the victims. PTI Mujahid denied the militant group was not the silence the people’s freedom of provinces during the last 24 hours, while behind the shooting of Rawan in speech. its forces killed dozens of Taliban over TOP ISLAMIC LEADER Kandahar. In tweets on Wednesday, Afghan security forces are locked in the same period. Reuters HELD IN BANGLADESH

DHAKA (TIP): Maulana Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury, a top leader of Nepal’s Oli govt loses majority support after hardline Islamist group Hefazat-e- Islam, was arrested in Bangladesh's Sylhet city on Friday, as the Maoist party withdraws support government continued to crack the whip on anti-government protesters. KATHMANDU (TIP): Nepal’s the government. Some Hefazat leaders have been embattled Prime Minister KP Sharma The two leaders discussed the latest charged for instigating violence Oli-led government on Wednesday lost political developments in the country, during Prime Minister Narendra majority support in the House of according to sources close to Nepali Modi's Bangladesh visit in March and Representatives after the CPN (Maoist Congress. orchestrating the violent Center) led by Pushpakamal Dahal Nepal plunged into a political crisis on demonstrations in 2013. — PTI “Prachanda” officially withdrew support December 20 last year after President to it. Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the HEAVY FLOODING IN The party submitted a letter to this House and announced fresh elections on AFGHANISTAN KILLS AT effect to the Parliament Secretariat, April 30 and May 10 at the informing about its decision to withdraw recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, LEAST 37 PEOPLE support to the government, according to amidst a tussle for power within the KABUL (TIP): Heavy rains brought a senior leader of the party, Ganesh ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). severe flooding to nine provinces Shah. Oli’s move to dissolve the House around Afghanistan in recent days, Chief Whip of the Maoist Center Dev sparked protests from a large section of killing at least 37 people, some of them Gurung handed over the letter to the NCP led by his rival ‘Prachanda’, also children, officials said on Tuesday. officials at the Parliament Secretariat, a co-chair of the ruling party. Heavy flooding compounded by he said. Since the ruling CPN-UML In February, the apex court reinstated mudslides often threatens remote After handing over the letter, Gurung has a total of 121 the dissolved House of Representatives, areas of Afghanistan, where told the media persons that the party in a setback to embattled Prime Minister infrastructure is poor, especially decided to withdraw support to the Oli lawmakers, PM Oli is short Oli who was preparing for snap polls. during the spring and summer government as the government had of 15 lawmakers to save his A five-member Constitutional Bench months. breached the Constitution and the led by Chief Justice Cholendra Powerful flood waters in western government’s recent activities have government in the 275- Shumsher JBR annulled the Herat province that began Sunday posed threat to democratic procedures member House government’s decision to dissolve the killed 24 people around the province, and national sovereignty. lower house of Parliament and ordered said provincial governor’s spokesman After the withdrawal of support, the Since the ruling CPN-UML has a total the government to summon the House Jailani Farhad. Oli government has lost its majority in of 121 lawmakers, Prime Minister Oli is session within the next 13 days. Governor Abdul Tahir Faizzada of the House of Representatives. short of 15 lawmakers to save his Oli repeatedly defended his move to Western Ghor province said 10 people, The decision of the Maoist party to government in the 275-member House. dissolve the House of Representatives, including six children, were killed by withdraw support to the government Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli on saying some leaders of his party were floodwaters that flowed from area comes two days after Oli announced that Wednesday visited the residence of main attempting to form a “parallel mountains. He said 163 houses were he will seek a vote of confidence in Opposition leader Nepali Congress government”. partially destroyed and 910 people Parliament on May 10. president Sher Bahadur Deuba at As many as 13 writ petitions were filed were displaced. The Maoist Center has a total of 49 Budhanilkantha, 10 km north of at the apex court seeking the restoration AP lawmakers in the lower house. Kathmandu, to seek his support to save of the lower house of Parliament. PTI THE INDIAN PANORAMA FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS ADVT. 15 THE INDIAN PANORAMA NY/NJ/CT FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 16 NFIA HOSTS INTERACTIVE SESSION ON OCI AND INDIAN VISA WITH NEW YORK INDIAN CONSULATE NEW YORK (TIP): The National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) organized a virtual interactive zoom meeting on Thursday,April 29, 2021 with the Indian Consulate Office in New York, NY. Topics focused on clarifying changes/issues relating to OCI, emergency visa issuance and other related travel guidelines. NFIA, formed in New York in 1980, is the largest Gunjan Rastogi (left) and Ajoy Dube participate in the webinar Indian American National umbrella organization looking after the interest of our community and also Kamini Khare and Ashok Patnaik. Further, Mrs. promoting US-India Relations. Rastogi also recognized the presidents of the 13 This effort was initiated and organized by NFIA's supporting organizations who participated in the event: Regional Vice President (RVP), Mrs. Gunjan Rastogi, NIAASC, RANA, UPANY, Kerala Center, World Vegan who single-handedly spearheaded and successfully Vision, India Home, Indian American Action Group, executed in a relatively short time frame. This was Metropolitan Asian Family Services, Navika Group of necessitated due to the fervent requests made by the companies, Senior Community Center of Vaishnav Indo-American community as well as the community- Deputy Consul General Shatrughna Sinha (left) at the Webinar Temple, Indo-American Senior Citizen NY, A. Holly at-large to hold another session with the Indian remarks. The consulate office spent the first hour Patterson Extended Care Facility and IALI. consulate office in an effort to gain a better dedicated to the aforementioned topics which were The event concluded with a vote of thanks and the understanding of the OCI changes/issues. The clearly explained in an informative manner and this RVP expressed her appreciation to both theconsulate consulate office included Honorable DCG, Shatrughna then transitioned into a Q&A session moderated by officers and to everyone in attendance. The Deputy Sinha and Honorable Consul (CPV) Murugesan Mukesh Modi and Nilima Madan, both residents of the Consul General encouraged the viewers to keep sending Ramaswamy and the zoom live event was attended by New York area. any unanswered questions to the Indian consulate approximately 280 participants from all over the United Several NFIA members attended were recognized at office. Everyone in attendance felt that the interactive States. the event, including NFIA past presidents Subash session provided the details and cleared a lot of The meeting kicked off with a welcome address by Razdan, Sudip Gorakhshakar, Dr. Thomas Abraham lingering doubts relating to the OCI and the issuance of Gunjan Rastogi, followed by a moment of silence and Angela Anand as well as NFIA Board members Raj the emergency visas. observed in honor of the COVID-19 victims in India. Razdan, Dr. Hari Har Singh, Dr. Satish Mishra, Sunny (Based on a press release by Gunjan Rastogi) Next, NFIA president, Ajoy Dube made introductory Gabhawala, Aparna Hande, Prashanthi Harathi,

INDIAN AMERICAN SIKH MAN ATTACKED WITH Harish Thakkar re-elected AIA- HAMMER BY HATE-FUELED BLACK ASSAILANT NEW YORK (TIP): A Sikh man was NY President for the second term attacked with a hammer by a Black assailant NEW YORK (TIP): The Hospital. who shouted at him "I don't like you" and Associations of Indians In October 5th, AIA NY "You're not the same skin" at a hotel in America (AIA) NY, the oldest chapter celebrated 33rd Brooklyn here, prompting a prominent New- and largest association of Diwali on the Cruise in York based advocacy group to call on Asian Indians in America NYC on East Hudson investigators to examine if the assault was a unanimously elected its new river. hate crime incident. president Harish Thakkar and November-3rd, AIA NY Sumit Ahluwalia, 32, of Astoria has said Sumit Ahluwalia, 32, of Astoria, New the new board for the year 2021- Chapter, Diwali his assailant was fueled by racial hatred, York said the man, a Black, assaulted 2022. celebrations Zoom event. according to a report. Ahluwalia said the him, shouting "I don't like you" and "You're not the same skin" President Elect, Harish special guest on zoom man, a Black, assaulted him on April 26 at his Thakkar will spearhead the event Congresswoman workplace, the Quality Inn in Brownsville. He said the man came into the lobby of the Harish Thakkar has been team for the year 2021-2022 with re-elected President of AIA-NY Grace Meng & Deputy hotel at around 8 am and started shouting while the front desk lady asked him if he the help of Executive Vice for a second term Consul General of India, needed help. Ahluwalia stepped into the lobby to speak with the man and to seek the Presidents Dr. Satish Anand, Shatrughna Sinha. hotel security guard. At that point, the assailant "started running towards me, very Dr. Bal Gilja, Dr. Jagdish Gupta, Usha November 6th Friday - AIA NY Chapter fast, and he put his hand in the pocket - I thought, 'He's pulling out a gun''', the report Kapoor, Secretary Beena Kothari and did Diya lighting at Times Square in NYC said. Pleading with the man, the victim said, "What happened? You're my brother." Treasurer Dr. Pushpa Shah - Members at with limited 25 people. Chief guest of Diya The attacker responded, "You're not the same skin," Ahluwalia said, adding that the Large Dipika Modi, Divya Shah, Gitanjali lighting, Consul General of India, man then "banged on my head with the hammer so hard." The assailant then Anand, Nishant Garg, Beenu Sabharwal, Randhir Jaiswal, NY state Senator, John screamed, "I don't like you," and ran away,according to the report. Rene Mehra, Joyti Gupta, Vimal Goyal, Liu, deputy consul General Shatrughna It said the victim "couldn't feel what happened with me" and was eventually taken Govind Bhatija, Swati Vaishnav and Sinha& Manhattan Borough President to an emergency room. "I couldn't sleep. I had a big bump on my head. I could fall - Sunny Thakkar Gail Brewer. This event was covered by all feeling dizziness, and the next morning I went to the doctor," he said, adding that five Advisor -Dr. Shahi Shah, Asmita Bhatia, Indian media outlets. days later, he was still feeling anxious and fearful. Rohit Vyas and Sushma Kotahwala. "I didn't do anything… I don't deserve this. I'm a hardworking guy, wake up in the Last year 2020, under the leadership of The incoming President Harish morning 6 a.m. and go home at 7 pm," he said. Police have released pictures of the AIA - NY President, Harish Thakkar, AIA Thakkar plans to take the organization suspect, who was still being sought. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said its legal did many events for the community. to new heights with events planned for team is providing free legal services to Ahluwalia. "We have already been in direct AIA NY Chapter 2020 projects were: Celebrating India's Cultural events like communication with law enforcement and demanded that investigators examine the Holi and Diwali. This year AIA NY will real possibility that bias was a motive," it said, adding that anyone with information February - AIA NY Chapter family also host Community help events about the incident should contact the New York Police Department. The tragic Bowling event whenever needed, Youth Basketball incident comes as the US has witnessed a recent wave of anti-Asian hate crimes COVID help community projects. Camp, Hindi Summer Camp, Food Drive during this pandemic. Eight people, including four Sikhs, were killed in a mass June - AIA NY Chapter distributed and Toys of Kids during the holiday shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis last month. groceries to needy families. season. In March last year, a man stabbed two Asian American children - aged 2 and 6 - and July - AIA NY young chapter Desi Next With the help of the Executive team their father at Sam's Club in Texas because "he thought the family was Chinese, and distributed Face Masks to Jamaica and Advisory Board Members, AIA NY infecting people with the coronavirus." A group of Democratic Senators in May last hospital. plans to take on projects like Job Fair, year said there has been a surge in hate crime against Asian-Americans amid July - AIA NY Chapter distributed meals Entrepreneurship camps and Youth coronavirus pandemic and had urged the Trump administration to take concrete to Westchester Hospitals & White Plains Leadership Development Skill Camps. steps to arrest the spike. THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 17 THE INDIAN PANORAMA INDIA FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 18 TN Assembly In second wave, Covid has 2 Gandhis, a Nehru and hits rural India; cases and a Stalin deaths quadruple CHENNAI (TIP): What is in a name? NEW DELHI (TIP): A disconcerting In Tamil Nadu, a name may be an feature of the second wave of Covid-19 is indicator to one's political leanings, the surge in cases in rural India. nationalist passion or the ideology of Compared with the first peak in the parents of the individual. September last year, the number of cases After India's independence, in India’s hinterland or backward especially in southern Tamil Nadu, regions has quadrupled, and so has the many were named 'Bose' after freedom number of the dead. fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. The districts covered by the Backward Similarly, the names of 'Gandhi,' Region Grant Fund (BRGF) — 243 of the 'Nehru' and 'Jawahar' are also common 272 for which data are available — had in the state, the objective being more than 39.16 lakh people infected with perpetuating the hallowed memory of the disease as on May 5. This is more freedom fighters. than four times the 9.5 lakh infections at Also, pure Tamil names and those in the peak of the first wave on September memory of leaders of the Dravidian 16, 2020. and Left movement are common. The burden of active cases in these The subject of names is in focus districts is also much higher in the again as the 16th Tamil Nadu second wave, which is yet to peak. The Assembly has two 'Gandhis' one of active caseload right now is more than them a Minister, a 'Nehru' who is also a 4.2 times the peak active caseload in the Minister and a 'Stalin' who is the Chief first wave. More than 7.15 lakh people in In absolute terms, the number of government said on Friday, May 7. Minister. these districts are currently infected infections in the 243 districts quadrupled At least 30 districts had showed “a As is well known, late DMK with the disease, putting under extreme between the first and second waves, but steep upward trend” in cases over the patriarch M Karunanidhi (1924-2018) stress the sub-optimal healthcare as a percentage of total infections in the last two weeks. The data were a “matter named his son Stalin (Born March 1, infrastructure in rural districts. country it has remained almost exactly of great concern”, the Health Ministry 1953) after Soviet ruler Joseph Stalin This is probably reflected in the larger the same at 18.6 per cent. But the said. who died on March 5, 1953. number of deaths in these districts. By contribution of deaths from these Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Though Joseph Stalin may have May 5, the 243 districts together had districts had risen significantly. By Health Arti Ahuja said seven states had been a foreign premier and a dictator, reported 36,523 deaths, almost four times September 16 last year, deaths in these reported a very high test positivity rate Karunanidhi named his son out of his the number of dead at the peak of the districts accounted for 11.5 per cent of of 30 per cent or more over the past week: admiration for the Communist first wave last year. the national death toll of 83,198. On May Goa (48.5 per cent), Haryana (36.1 per ideology. By September 16, 2020, those dead in 5, however, this contribution had cent), Puducherry (34.9 per cent), West R Gandhi and K N Nehru, as these districts numbered 9,555. increased to 16 per cent. Bengal (33.1 per cent), and Karnataka, Ministers for Handlooms- Textiles and Almost 54 per cent of the 272 districts Most of these 272 districts provide only Delhi, and Rajasthan (29.9 per cent each). Municipal Administration under BRGF belong to just five districts: basic healthcare facilities. The new “There are 12 states with more than 1 respectively would report to Stalin! Bihar – 38, Uttar Pradesh – 35, Madhya infrastructure being created by the states lakh active cases, and seven states with Nehru, a party heavyweight in the Pradesh – 30, Jharkhand – 23 and Odisha are mostly in bigger towns and cities. As 50,000 to 1 lakh active cases. Case Cauvery delta region won from – 20. These states also provide much of a result, there is a large influx of patients positivity is an important indicator that Tiruchirappalli West and Gandhi from the labour force or migrant workers that from these districts to the nearest big shows how the cases are spread across Ranipet segment in northern TN and powers the urban centres in the country. town, which is adding to the burden on [the country]. There are only three states BJP's M R Gandhi, a veteran party While there is no urban-rural split of the already-stressed infrastructure in with less than 5 per cent positivity, and leader emerged victorious in coronavirus cases directly available, an towns and cities. nine states have positivity between 5 and Nagercoil constituency in analysis of the case loads and deaths in Over 15% positivity in 24 states 15 per cent. Twenty-four states have more Kanyakumari district in the April 6 BRGF districts gives an indication of the than 15 per cent positivity. The high Assembly polls. rural spread of the pandemic since these Twenty-four states have reported a test positivity is the cause of concern for us Source: PTI 272 districts are primarily rural and positivity rate of more than 15 per cent and the country,” Ahuja said. relatively less developed. for Covid-19 over the last week, the Source: Indian Express FIR filed against Kangana Ranaut for allegedly spreading hate propaganda in West Bengal NEW DELHI (TIP): After being suspended on The action comes after Kangana, reacting to the post- Twitter for violating their policies, a new FIR has been poll violence in Bengal, took a direct dig at the Chief filed against Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut for Minister of Bengal, Mamata Banerjee. After her tweets, allegedly spreading hate propaganda and inciting Kangana's Twitter account was suspended, and then communal violence in West Bengal. she started posting on Instagram. The complaint has been filed by an activist and According to a Twitter spokesperson, Kangana's spokesperson Riju Dutta who also alleged Kangana to account was constantly provoking anger and violence, have maligned the image of West Bengal's Chief which was diminishing the value of global public Minister Mamata Banarjee. In the letter, he has urged to conversation on the platform. take the necessary action against the 'Queen' actor. Meanwhile, on the work front, Kangana's much- The complaint read, "Ms Ranaut has posted several awaited project 'Thalaivi' which was slated to get a posts from her verified official Instagram handle theatrical release on April 23, this year got postponed bearing url: httpa:// due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in instagram.com/kanganaranaut?igshid=2yruw6zd7j in India. Apart from this she also has 'Tejas', 'Dhaakad', the 'Story' section. She has also distorted and maligned and 'Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda' in the the image of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal pipeline. - Smt. Mamata Banerjee. Hence, she is to be charged Kangana has also signed up to play the role of former against hate propaganda to incite violence in West Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in an upcoming political Bengal." drama. Source: ANI THE INDIAN PANORAMA INDIA FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 19 Supply 700 MT oxygen to False alarm, says Jaishankar on Indian Delhi daily, don’t make us go diplomats testing firm: SC tells govt positive in London NEW DELHI (TIP): The the hearing on Friday and the NEW DELHI (TIP): External Affairs Minister S Supreme Court Friday, May 7, view that Delhi has to be given 700 Jaishankar returned to the country from London made clear to the Centre that it MT LMO daily was a collective where he had self-isolated following reports that two will have to keep supplying 700 one. diplomats from the team accompanying him had tested MT of oxygen to Delhi every day We want 700 (MT of LMO) to be positive for Covid. till its order is modified, saying it supplied to Delhi and we mean Jaishankar suggested in a social media post that the meant business and non- business. It has to be supplied and reports of positive tests were a false alarm and said all compliance may force it to go we do not want to be coercive. Our the team members were back in the country. firm. Two days ago, the top court order will take time to be After the UK media had broken the story, Jaishankar had stayed the contempt uploaded by 3 pm but you proceed had acknowledged that he was made aware of exposure proceedings initiated by Delhi and arrange oxygen, the bench to possible Covid positive cases. And, as a measure of High Court against central said. Earlier, the top court had caution and also out of consideration for others, "I government officials for non- said that this is an all-India decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual compliance of direction to supply government that the national pandemic situation and it will mode. That will be the case with the G7 Meeting today 700 MT of oxygen for COVID capital has received 86 MT today have to find ways to ensure oxygen as well," he had posted hours after an in-person patients to Delhi, saying putting till 9 am and 16 MT is in transit. supply to the national capital. meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken officers in jail would not bring ”We want 700 MT to be supplied The top court had said on May 5 and UK Home Secretary Priti Patel. oxygen and efforts should be made to Delhi on a daily basis. We mean that it cannot review its order of "There is concern the EAM might have been exposed to save lives. business, Please don’t force us to April 30 and the Centre will have to the virus. We will go by the British health A bench comprising Justices DY be in a situation where we have to to inch towards supply of 700 MT authorities’ tracking and testing system. We are Chandrachud and M R Shah had be firm,” the bench said, adding it of oxygen daily for Delhi and concerned about our delegation. We are happy that said however that the Centre will cannot be that the supply is made asked the Union government to none is unwell. I would not like to confirm the story," have to ensure supply of 700 MT of for a day then so many caveats like place before it a plan as to how it sources here had then said. liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to containers are not there and there will revamp the supply to 700MT. "It is not a straight-forward case. We are trying to the national capital daily. In the are difficulties in transportation On May 6, the Centre apprised the work out with UK health authorities about the level of proceedings conducted via video are being put. Justice Supreme Court that it had exposure. The travel plans of the delegation back to conferencing, the bench on Friday Chandrachud, speaking for the complied with the order and India will depend on exactly what the UK health was told by senior advocate Rahul bench, said that he has consulted instead of 700 MT LMO, it ensured authorities will say. The External Affairs Minister is Mehra, appearing for Delhi Justice Shah on the issue before supply of 730 MT to Delhi. well," they had added. Source: TNS Lockdown in Black fungus found in Covid-19 2nd SIT on Tamil Nadu, patients but 'no big outbreak': Kotkapura firing, Karnataka NITI Aayog member report in 6 starting May 10 as months Covid cases rise CHANDIGARH (TIP): Following he Tamil Nadu and Karnataka pressure by Congress leaders and governments on Saturday,May 8, decided to MLAs to ensure justice in the Timpose a lockdown for two weeks, starting Kotkapura police firing case ahead of May 10 as daily cases of coronavirus disease rise the 2022 Assembly elections, CM Capt unabated. Amarinder Singh on Friday, May 7, set During the lockdown period in Tamil Nadu, up a three-member SIT, headed by LK residents can buy groceries, vegetables and meat Yadav, ADGP, Vigilance Bureau, to products till 12 noon, authorities announced. probe the matter. Amma canteens will also function. Rakesh Aggarwal, Commissioner Transport services will also be affected as the (Ludhiana Range), and Surjit Singh, government only allowed cabs and autos to ply for DIG (Faridkot Range), are the other two purposes of weddings, funerals, exams and jobs members. interviews. All government and private offices The SIT will complete the probe in six have been asked to allow their staff to work from months preferrably. As per the orders home. NEW DELHI (TIP): Mucormycosis, uncommon in those who are not issued by the Home Department, the Movement of healthcare workers, caregivers a fungal infection, is being found in diabetic. There is no big outbreak and SIT would ensure compliance of the and volunteers has been allowed. However, they COVID-19 patients and largely in cases we are monitoring it." “Mucor attacks directions of the Punjab and Haryana will need to show valid identity proof to police, if of those who are diabetic but there is people with uncontrolled sugar. Other HC, stipulating that there would be no required. “no big outbreak", Niti Aayog Member than that, if the diabetes patient is interference from any quarter, internal Until the lockdown begins, all shops will remain (Health) V K Paul said on Frida, May 7. taking immune suppressive medicines, or external, in the investigation open on Saturday and Sunday from 6am to 9pm The situation is being monitored and steroids, or has cancer, then the impact process. A senior PPCC leader said only. Tamil Nadu is among the ten states that are the treatment for mucormycosis is of mucormycosis is more on that resentment was building up among the reporting a spike in daily cases of infection. available, he said. person. If these patients are exposed to MLAs in the wake of inordinate delay According to the Union ministry of health and This comes a day after a leading wet surfaces, then the chances of in finalising the SIT members. “The family welfare, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi, private hospital in Delhi flagged the getting this disease increases," he said. development will help abate the build- Uttar Pradesh, Kerala Karnataka, Bihar, West rising number of COVID-triggered Paul said drugs that suppress the up, at least for the time being,” he said. Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, accounts mucormycosis or black fungus cases. immune system but are life-saving like Supporting the resentful Congress for 71.81 per cent of new Covid-19 cases. Addressing a press conference here, dexamethasone, prednisolone, leaders, Rajya Sabha MP Partap Bajwa According to the revised guidelines in Paul said, “The fungal infection called methylprednisolone, dexona etc., are said, “The leaders, worried about their Karnataka , only flights and trains scheduled will mucormycosis is being found in already being used to treat COVID-19 future, want the government to act continue to operate during this period. “Flight and patients of COVID-19 disease. It is patients. “All these are related fast.” In a letter to the CM, Bajwa said train tickets shall serve as the passes for caused by a fungus named mucor, compounds. When these are used, the he was disappointed that no meeting of movement of persons by personal vehicles/taxis/ which is found on wet surfaces. It, to a immune system gets suppressed, even Punjab MPs had been called after the cab aggregators/ autorickshaws to board flight large extent, is happening to people in persons who are diabetic, and this May 4 meet was cancelled. and trains. who have diabetes. It is very fungus attacks," he said. Source: TNS THE INDIAN PANORAMA COVID-INDIA FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 20 India logs 401,078 cases, 4,187 deaths as 2nd wave hammers country

NEW DELHI (TIP): India on Saturday,May 8, recorded 401,078 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and 4,187 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the caseload and death toll to 21,892,676 and 238,270 respectively, according to the Union health ministry's dashboard. India is currently seeing a tsunami of cases and deaths under the deadlier second wave of the Covid-19 disease pandemic. According to the Union health ministry, 10 states including Karnataka, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi reported 71.81% of the new cases seen on Friday. Karnataka, which is the second worst hit state from the pandemic has recorded over 1.8 million cases so far. On Friday,Karnataka saw the highest single-day jump in daily deaths at 592 while 48,791 more people were found out to be positive for Covid-19. The state will be placed under a complete lockdown from from 6 am on May 10 to 6 am on May 24 to curb the spread of the disease, chief minister BS Yediyurappa announced on Friday. Maharashtra, meanwhile, witnessed a dip in its daily tally on Friday after 54,022 new cases were reported, taking the caseload to A woman with breathing problem waits inside an ambulance for her turn to enter a COVID-19 hospital for treatment. (Pic source: REUTERS) 4,996,758 including 74,413 deaths and 4,265,326 recoveries. The Centre pointed out on Friday that Maharashtra along with Delhi, Uttarakhand and other states is Patent waivers alone may not lead to showing early signs of plateauing or decrease in daily infections. While the Indian government has so quick vaccine access, say experts far resisted calls for another national lockdown, states have stepped up restrictions including localized he waiving off of patents alone is moth cells in labs. lockdowns and curfews. But health-care unlikely to help improve vaccine “A chemical entity and a biological experts are worried that the pandemic is Tavailability anytime soon, entity are very different. Even a simple now spreading into small towns and scientists, legal experts and pharma protein, for example, is hundred times villages, where the health infrastructure industry executives said, pointing to more complex or has more components is not advanced enough to support a the complicated technical know-how, than a drug like, say, paracetamol. surge in cases. raw materials and infrastructure There can be many ways to make The second wave began in February required to make vaccines while paracetamol, and it would turn out to but cases rose at an alarming rate ensuring they are as safe and effective be exactly that but even if there were starting in April. The World Health as the original developer intended it to few ways to produce the protein, the Organization has said that the sharp be. final product varies in its final shape rise in infections may be partly due to Several countries, including the US, and form,” added Kundu. multiple mutated versions of the virus France and the European Union are For that, he added, “you must circulating in the country, including the considering backing efforts countries understand the process so well, that local B.1.617 variant and the B.1.1.7 such as India and South Africa for a every time you carry it out, you end up variant that was detected in the U.K. global waiver of coronavirus vaccine with exactly the same product. In many But, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s patents to boost supplies. situations in biologics, the process is government has drawn criticism for While such a move could well be the the product”. allowing large crowds to gather for first step in broadening access, patents Legal experts in the pharma field said religious festivals and election rallies alone do little to allow someone else to this constitutes know-how, which often is throughout the country earlier this year make biological therapeutics such as a trade secret. “There is a clear divide and then leaving the bulk of vaccines, unlike in the case of generic between a patent and a trade secret. The responsibility for fighting the outbreak drugs, which are chemicals and can be technical know-how is proprietary.TRIPS to state governments. India’s hospitals replicated more easily with a recipe provides for protection of undisclosed are overwhelmed and facing shortages book of sorts. founder and managing director at information, which would not be found in of beds, medical oxygen and medication “Patents are a way of protection of Premas Biotech, which is working on patents,” said Dev Robinson, partner and to treat Covid-19 patients. your intellectual and commercial an oral Covid-19 vaccine. head, Intellectual Property, at Shardul India’s Supreme Court reportedly told information, speaking from a legal To understand the challenge, Amarchand Mangaldas. the central government to start point of view. But just by reading a consider the case of some coronavirus TRIPS refers to Trade-Related Aspects preparing for an anticipated third wave patent, does not necessarily offer the vaccines: AstraZeneca and J&J’s of Intellectual Property Rights of outbreak and revamp its formula to ability to replicate the product or the vaccines involve a bio-engineered agreement under the World Trade distribute oxygen across the country. process, because while a patent does adenovirus that expresses the Sars-Cov- Organization (WTO), the specific That comes a day after the top court gave share a lot of the generic information, 2’s spike protein; Novavax’s vaccine framework that India and South Africa the government 24 hours to formulate a it protects the specifics, and it is not a consists directly of the spike protein have sought waivers under. plan to meet Delhi’s oxygen self-guide,” said Prabuddha Kundu, co- that has been cultured and grown in Source: HT requirement. THE INDIAN PANORAMA COVID-INDIA FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 21 A tragedy of errors: Lack of foresight caused Covid crisis

s India’s coronavirus tally reached advantage of low case counts in prior 21,892,676 on Saturday, the Covid- months, his government offered an air of A19 crisis in the country continues to triumphalism, allowing enormous Hindu grab global headlines. religious festivals and crowded sporting From featuring on the frontpage of competitions to go ahead. Modi’s ruling newspapers around the world to being the Hindu-nationalist party has been accused centre of debates on television channels of hoarding lifesaving drugs, and has held like the CNN, the coronavirus situation mass election rallies cum super-spreader has been at the centrestage ever since the events that would make Donald Trump second wave of the pandemic hit the blush,” the article read. country. ‘More funeral pyres will burn unless Modi The surge in cases has battered its already feeble healthcare system and an takes accountability’: Financial Times, UK acute shortage in supply of vaccines have In an article titled “The tragedy of hit inoculation drives in most states. India’s second wave”, the Financial Times Thousands of Covid patients have been warns that unless Modi takes scrambling to find hospital beds, oxygen accountability for his role in this crisis, cylinders and life-saving medication “more funeral pyres will burn across his amidst an acute shortage of medical Staff at the Ghazipur crematorium in Delhi cart in fresh logs as funeral pyres burn all around nation”. resources in the country. India is also the them. (Pic source: Getty Images) “With reports of people dying in the only country to record over 4 lakh daily streets outside overwhelmed hospitals cases since the start of the pandemic. running short of oxygen, India today At a time when India records over 3.5 perhaps most closely resembles the worst- lakh cases and 3,000 deaths a day, we take case scenarios painted when the virus was a look at how the international media has identified 16 months ago. Like populists been reporting about the country’s crisis: elsewhere, Modi will be reluctant to take India has been hit by the second wave of actions that might imply his government’s the pandemic like no other country and earlier mistakes fuelled today’s outbreak. according to the New York Times, health Unless he does, more funeral pyres will experts and analysts blamed Prime burn across his nation,” the article read. Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Narendra Modi’s lack of foresight z “overconfidence” for it. “Independent health experts and political analysts say caused the crisis’: Le Monde that Modi’s overconfidence and his An editorial published in French domineering leadership style bear a huge newspaper Le Monde says that Modi’s share of the responsibility. Critics say his “lack of foresight, arrogance, and administration was determined to cast an demagoguery are evidently among the image of India as back on track and open SPACE CRUNCH: Covid patients share a bed at a Kanpur hospital (Pic source: India Today) causes of a situation that now seems out of for business despite lingering risks,” the control”. article read. “The Prime Minister, after having ‘India desperate for oxygen, its politicians paralyzed and traumatized his country in 2020 by decreeing brutal confinement, deny there’s a problem’: The Guardian abandoning millions of migrant workers, In an opinion piece published in the completely lowered his guard at the Guardian, the writer says that at a time beginning of 2021,” it stated. when the country scrambles to gather ‘It isn’t just Modi, India’s media must also oxygen for its Covid-19 patients, many of whom have even died because of its take responsibility for Covid-19 crisis’: Time shortage, there are political leaders who Magazine not only disregard the crisis but also threaten to take action against people who The Time Magazine, in an opinion voice their opinion regarding it. piece, has called out the Indian media over “The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh “exaggerating the government’s has threatened legal action against successes”, saying that it is this “lack of anyone who complains of oxygen accountability” that led to the current shortages because he insists there is no crisis. such shortage. He has recently threatened “Many Hindi- and English-language to seize the property of people news channels, as well as regional news complaining of the unavailability of HUGE DEMAND: People queueing to fill oxygen cylindersin Lucknow (Pic source: Getty Images) outlets, are unabashedly pro-Modi. They oxygen because they are lying rumour- have routinely exaggerated the mongers, spreading panic,” the article article in CNN read, “On April 17, ahead of action. Now that India is facing the worst government’s successes and either glossed read. Blaming the politicians of the a state election, a maskless Prime crisis, in my lifetime, certainly, where is over its failures or spun ways to pin them country for the current scenario, the Minister Narendra Modi boasted to a sea the Prime Minister?” on Modi’s discontents: the opposition, article added, “The Bharatiya Janata of cheering supporters: ‘I’ve never ever ‘India Is What Happens When Rich People Do liberals, Muslims, activists, leftists, party’s chief minister of Uttarakhand seen such huge crowds at a rally.’ His protesters, NGOs, and other assorted anti- (the Himalayan state bordering Uttar country was on the brink of a Nothing’: The Atlantic nationals,” the article read. Pradesh) allows the largest riverside humanitarian crisis. That day, India In an editorial, Vidya Krishnan stated It added, “The media protected Modi pilgrimage in the world, the Kumbh Mela, recorded more than 261,000 new that the Narendra Modi government did from any proper public scrutiny of his to gather right in the middle of the second coronavirus cases — more than many very little in the time it got between the initial handling of the pandemic. He made wave, because astrologers rule that it has countries have seen during the entire first and second wave to help avert the repeated television appearances in which to happen a year ahead of schedule. His pandemic.” current crisis. he said little of substance and offered no decision has the prime minister’s Stating that that responsibility for “After the virus landed on India’s concrete plans to tackle the crisis. Instead, blessing.” India’s second wave belonged “first and shores, he imposed a brutal shutdown— he called for festivals of sound and light, ‘PM Modi could have prevented India’s foremost” to the government, an expert one that largely hurt the poorest and most and ordered the armed forces to shower CNN spoke to said, “People expect their vulnerable — without consulting the flowers on hospitals — all of it hyped up devastating crisis, critics say. He didn’t’: CNN governments to assure them that they are nation’s top scientists, yet did not use the by doting anchors as proof of Modi’s Attributing election rallies to the surge in charge and taking care of things … but time to build up the country’s health-care strong leadership.” in Covid cases across the country, an the government is almost missing in infrastructure…and rather than taking Source: Indian Express the indian panorama MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 22 The Promise I could not Keep INDRAJIT S SALUJA

the fact that she was being well looked me finish with the New Year edition, and remember her disappointment. She was after by my son Ashish and his wife then the Republic Day edition towards silent for a while, and then said, "As you Madhu. My daughter Jaskiran was very the end of January, I will then have like it. Stay blessed". I could understand fond of her grandmother, and the enough time to spend with her." her pain. I tried all verbal jugglery and grandmother and granddaughter I told Mata ji about my travel plans. sophistry to convince her that it was a immensely enjoyed each other's She listened calmly, and then genuine compulsion for me to delay my company. My youngest son Chitagam, a commented: "You will have something trip to India, and that I would certainly very naughty child, of whom my mother important coming up again after the see her in May. She listened calmly. She was very fond, missed her after joining Republic Day". I assured her that nothing did not interrupt me in my long me in the US. He would often tell me that would stop me from visiting her after I explanation, and assurances that I would he would go to see Mataji (my mother was done with the Republic Day. soon be seeing her in May. And then, she was called Mata ji by all children) as Now, the month of April is significant said, it is January, and you want to visit soon as he got his Green Card. And that's for the Sikhs. Around the middle of April me in May. How many months? Do you what he did. falls the Vaisakhi, which is the day of call it soon? I may not be here when you As soon as he got his Green Card in creation of Khalsa (birthday of the come. I know you will come but only after November 2010, he flew to India in early Sikhs) by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. It I am gone". 2011 to be by the side of his ailing is a great occasion, celebrated with Till today, I haven't forgotten her grandmother. It did make Mata ji happy. enthusiasm in the great City of New words. She must have felt cheated when I But she was not satisfied with his York when the Sikh community from did not join her in early May. My hollow Sardarni Mohinder Kaur lived to be 93, presence alone. She wanted her most adjoining States throngs in thousands to promises to visit her could not provide passed away on May 2, 2011 loved son (I am the eldest child in her participate in an iconic Sikh Day Parade. her any more oxygen. She lost hope and y mother, Mohinder Kaur, kept family) to be with her. As any other newspaper publication the desire to breathe. She decided it was telling me over the phone from By January 2011, Mata ji got sicker. having readership among the Sikh an endless wait. So, on May 2, 2011, she M India" You will not come to see Lack of physical movements took a toll community, views the historic event as bade goodbye to the world. me. You are too busy". And each time, I on her health. She grew week, and an opportunity to promote itself, The Mata ji, I haven't forgiven myself for tried to convince her that I would. And ultimately was confined to bed. Agam Indian Panorama also saw and wished to causing you disappointment and pain. she would take a deep sigh and say "Yes, took good care of his grandmother as did exploit the opportunity.So, I decided that Sometimes, I feel, I am responsible for after I am gone". my eldest son Ashish and his wife I will visit India in May. Why in May? forcing you into your end. Please forgive We were separated for over 7 years Madhu. But the old woman, now 93, One, I will be comparatively free until me. You loved me so much. You have been during which I did not visit her. I came to longed to see her son she loved the most June end, and will be able to spend more my mother and my God. I miss you, and the US in 2003, and a quirk of events did among her 7 children. time with Mata ji. Two, May 8 happens to that's why I often turn to your portrait not allow me to visit India for the next And, here I was, stuck in work. The be my wedding day,and I will be with the hung above the headboard of my bed, more than 7 years. It was only in Indian Panorama was in competition family to recall the wonderful day the and speak with you, and I believe, you November 2010 that I got my Green Card with many other desi newspapers, some family spent together when my wife was hear me as patiently as you did when I and was comfortable visiting India. with enormous resources, and it alive. By the way, my wife, Gurdarshan told you I would come soon, but now you Somewhere in the beginning of 2010 required truly hard and dedicated work Kaur, who married me for love in 1977, don't answer. You don't say any more "I my mother fell sick which compelled her to survive. With my eyes fixed on the died fighting multiple ailments in 2007, know you will come after I am gone" You to curtail her physical activity. Given to New Year edition, which for all desi while I was away in the US. were so prophetic. But let me tell you, an active life which saw her keeping newspapers is an occasion to rake in a So, to Mataji's question somewhere in and very honestly this time, that though herself busy in domestic chores, she was few extra dollars and draw the attention January 2011 when I was planning a visit I am not sure when, I will certainly come suddenly pushed into inactivity which of the community,I said to myself: "Well, home, I said that my visit was delayed and see you. made her over the months sicker despite Agam is there looking after Mata Ji. Let and that I would see her in May. I vividly Love you Mata ji. My thoughts on Mother’s Day 2021 DR. VK RAJU edas (the oldest manuscripts of never insisted her children to do the hymn of Rigveda, a scripture of Hinduism) say "Matru Devo same. Hinduism, declares the feminine energy V Bhava". Revere your mother as She believed in "Children learn what as the essence of the universe, the one God. In the Western literature it is said they live rather than what they are who creates all matter and consciousness "God created mother because he (she) preached" the eternal and infinite, the could not be everywhere". My dad died when I was five years old. metaphysical and empirical reality Every year I plant 100 trees in US Let us look at what the World religions (Brahman), the soul (supreme self) of national forest/ park on her death say about women. everything. The woman is celebrated as anniversary and host a small religious Koran and women: When Koran the most powerful and the empowering get together of leaders of multiple speaks about the souls of human beings, force in Hindu Upanishads. There are religions (Hindu, Muslim, Buddhism, it doesn't differentiate between man and millions of Hindu deities. Most by far, and others). woman. are Goddesses. My mother was very broad minded and Bible and woman: God is within her. In spite of all wonderful views very generous. In south India, people She will not fail. expressed in all these religions, there are look for auspicious day to start a project Buddhism and woman: Buddhist savior also diverse and conflicting views on the etc.When they are caught up in waiting goddess (Tara) with numerous forms, position of women. Woman is the for this auspicious time and day, they widely popular in Nepal, Tibet, and conserver of tradition, but she is also the may lose some opportunities and feel Mongolia. She is the feminine counterpart absorber of the shocks of the future. sorry later. of Bodhisattva (Buddha to be). Only mothers do not get sick leave, Seated Left to right: Syamala, Lacchi, Leela My mother used to say" For doing a Jainism and woman: Jainism is a casual leave, public holiday, religious Standing Left to Right: Dr. VK Raju, Rani, good thing, you don't need a good time religion of religious equality, devoted to holiday, Bereavement leave, Dr. B R K Rao (auspicious). Just do it. recognizing the rights of all living compensatory leave, sabbatical leave, My mother used to say" For doing a She did not encourage us to go to creatures, so not surprisingly it accepts and unpaid leave. (They never get any temples and used to say that God is there that women are able to play their part on pay.) good thing, you don't need a good in every one of us. She used to recite the road to liberation. Call her today and express how time (auspicious). Just do it. yoga vasista in the mornings, but she Hinduism and woman: The Devi Sukta grateful you are. the indian panorama MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 23 MY MOTHER IS MY GOD

YOSHITA SINGH accomplishes everything. never lost her composure. Mummy has us for a life of integrity and empathy - My mother, Mrs Bimla Singh, is my confronted life's challenges head on - values that we are now endeavoring to role model. A working woman for over with courage in her heart, smile on her pass on to our children. It is through three decades, she carried out her duties face and her head held high. their life that we learnt the irrefutable with thorough professionalism and My mother, Mrs Bimla Singh, is a value of hard work and perseverance, extraordinary dedication. And every day selfless woman whose unconditional love the importance of treating everyone after returning from long hours of work, and support has been the bedrock of our with respect, compassion towards all, to she would sit with my twin sister Yosha family. Over the years, I have seen her live our life with honesty, free from fear and I to prepare us for school tests and standing shoulder to shoulder with my and our heads held high - no matter what ensure we finish our homework. She father Mr Ravindra Singh, providing the circumstances, that we must learn would not tolerate any laxity on our part unflinching and unwavering support to from both our successes and failures and when it came to studies and I am grateful him, through good times and tough to always be grateful. My parents are the she brought us up that way. She made it times, in sickness and in health. All the wind beneath the wings of my sister and seem so easy - working a 9-5 job, then way, showing me that true wealth is not I. For the roots they gave me and for my coming home and taking care of us. It the balance in a bank account but a heart wings, I am eternally grateful. was only when I too became a working full of love and compassion - not just for My mother, Mrs Bimla Singh, is my Daughters with Mother. L to R: Yosha Saluja, mom that I realized it is not easy to one's family but for strangers in need. mother Bimla Singh, Yoshita Singh God. Mummy, I find my strength in you, balance personal and professional life My mother, Mrs Bimla Singh, in your smile, your effervescent eyes, in y mother, Mrs Bimla Singh, is my and the amount of sacrifices, epitomizes the perfect daughter, sister, your gentle heart and beautiful soul. You superwoman. There is nothing commitment and hard work it takes to wife, daughter-in-law, mother, aunt, mean the world to me. I am blessed M she cannot do. No matter how achieve and maintain that balance. Yet, grandmother, friend. It's my greatest because I grew from you. I am rich tough the circumstances are, how my mother made it seem so effortless. I blessing to be born as her daughter. I because I have your values. I am me insurmountable the problems are, she realize that there must have been times want to be like her, I'm trying to be her because of you. always achieves what seems impossible. when circumstances would have like. She and my father have instilled in Here's to you Mummy. Happy Mother's And I always marvel at her composure, overwhelmed Mummy, when she would Yosha and I strong values and morals Day Mummy.Thank you for everything. I the calmness with which she have been tired and stressed, but she that have provided a sturdy foundation to love you more than I can say. My best There is no greater, Have no words friend ever more unselfish to describe BIDISHA ROY love, than that adequately my of a mother loving mother AMITA SINGH ANU JAIN

Tripti Roy, who passed away in 2014, with her daughters Papia Amita Singh with mom Laj Verma (left) (Left) and Bidisha Anu Jain and mother Nirmala Saraf (right) y mother Tripti Roy was my best friend ever. I've here is no greater, more unselfish love, than that never seen a simple, honest, affectionate person of a mother. I truly in my heart believe that. My don't even have words to describe my Maa and my M like her who dedicated her entire life for others. T earliest memories of my mom are of her love for her. Her strong personality and loving When I was a kid, it used to make me unhappy that she nurturing, protective instinct. I nature have always made me feel protected and is giving equal care to everyone around her. Obviously,it One who always dressed me well and took pride in will continue to do so along with never letting one used to make me angry as I was not ready to share my every accomplishment of mine. She wanted me to excel day pass without making me inspired. I have made mom!! Then when I grew up, I realized how fortunate I not just in academics, but in arts, crafts, drama, you her upset, angry at me, and this lady still thinks am to be a child of a mother who is loved by so many name it. Not an easy feat in the early sixties. One stare about me and what's good for me. She has always people more than their own mothers!! from her was enough to make me realize my place. been there for me in one way or the other to support She was a brilliant student who got letter marks in Every time she left me in boarding school, I remember me even when I didn't deserve it. mathematics and Sanskrit in matriculation. My father her wearing dark glasses, so I wouldn't see her tears. A mother's love is truly unconditional and my Prof Dhiranando Roy was very proud of the 'most She stood beside me yet gave me wings to fly.We both Maa is one perfect example of it. She is my sister, my intelligent student of his life' who eventually became his knew our place in each other's life and cherished it. She friend, my mom, my first love (even before I was life partner. She was a renowned teacher and taught was old school, she was modern. She went from a born), my everything and anything. I THANK GOD poor students till her last. She used to help so many gurukul school to living in Baghdad, London and India. every day for giving me such a wonderful, sometimes needy families without any publicity. A devotee of Learning and respecting cultures and languages along understanding, fun, loving, and really loving angel Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda, my the way. in my life. A role model is someone you see on a daily mother was a true 'religious' person who firmly believed It takes giving birth to and nurturing your own child, basis, and you learn from them. I could not have that 'We come nearest to the great when we are great in to truly recognize the efforts and sacrifices of a mom. asked for a better role model than you Mom. These humility' and 'Love is life, hatred is death.' Laj Verma, my mom is always with me, guiding me in words are absolutely nothing in comparison to how I For me, she is the epitome of humanity and will love. feel for my mom Love her like anything!!!!! always remain. Miss you Maa!!! Love you MOM!!! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY. LOVE YOU MAA. the indian panorama MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 24 Grieving for my Dr. Renee Mehrra Pays Tribute to her mother Kunti Mother Mehra who passed away on Jan 25, 2021 at 80 DR. RENEE MEHRRA Losing Half Your Soul: Ode to. Mom Grace and Grief side by side Remembering your 4 Cs: Be content with what you have, Losing Half your Soul Never compare, complain and criticize Your lifeline, every breath you have taken Love yourself, Love All, A new crippling realization And above all. keep that luring smile. Renee Mehrra with her As your soul weeps, your heart lacerated. You are now my guardian angel, mother Kunti Mehra Your oxygen is not beside you; My dearest Mom There and Here Moved to a new residence of eternal bliss So happy for you my dearest mom My Mom, My Hero While I unsuccessfully try to pick up my shattered pieces Simplicity personified, Of our once small, blessed universe; Humility exemplary. Sharing life to the last crumb, Innocent like a flowering tiny bud, Day and night belonging only to us; You were and always will be my hero. Sardarni Pritam Kaur Divine and fulfilling, The cool wind beneath my rusty wings, One soul, one heart, two bodies Gentle aura of a divine soul, My mother bade adieu to the mortal world, Only we understood this unique, privileged bond How much I miss your sweet fragrance, Leaving behind a devastating void. How blessed was I Holding tightly to our hidden dreams, I cherish her fond memories all the time. Thinking this happiness will last forever. As they carve new horizons, As her soul took flight, yet I search for her, all But your breaths ran out, With your quiet divine touch, around. And mine still to go; While you lovingly watch over me Drowned in my own salty tears, From heavens above. Nobody returns from that realm. Many dreams remained unfulfilled, As I failed to perform several duties. To me, mother comes Although there was nothing lacking in my Tough Love - My mother's love for me. mother Dhinki before God Wherever I go I visualize my Mother. TIRLOK MALIK Although it's all an illusion. ASHOOK RAMSARAN Then, reality dawns upon me. y mother If you are truly able to say to yourself: And I scream in utter grief and pain. was a "I was / am a good son or daughter to my parents,that's the M blessing greatest reward or award you got in life for yourself. Whenever I think of my Mother, with a special, "MERE PASS MAA HAI" I feel her nurturing care and love. loving and caring (I have my mother with And I can say, with utmost certainty, bond which we, her me). Only a Mother can bestow love, unconditionally. children, shared These words spoken by with her while we Shashi Kapoor to Amitabh It's difficult for children to endure. lived in Guyana Bachchan in Yash Chopra's Yet, the unbearable we shall have to bear. and continued in movie "DEEWAAR "provokes Despite realizing that death is a stark reality, USA when she an emotion in most human A mother's love remains undeniably unforgettable. migrated in 1977 beings that the woman who with my father. My gives youbirth and I moved towards the cremation site. mother passed unconditional love throughout While setting the funeral-pyre afire, away in 2008 while your life, and if you have her I wept and wailed in sheer despair, my father a few with you today,it is the greatest Tirlok Malik with his mother, Tara Malik (right) at a New Year party at Ashook Ramsaran with mother But traditions and ceremonies are a must. years earlier. real priceless wealth his restaurant India Café in Dhinki Ramlochan Although we If she is not alive today and Manhattan My Mother sacrificed herself upon all of her were farming villagers, my mother taught us love you feel her everlasting love and children, with hard realities of discipline with tough love; memories and If you are truly able to say to yourself "I was /am a Whom she loved more than her life. she taught us to eat and dress well, and how to be good son or daughter to my parents,that is the greatest reward or Nobody would tell this son now, clean and neat. And best, of all she taught us those award you got in life for yourself. To return home soon, safe and sound. things in her own way to make us remember. She Humbly and happily, I can say that for myself that I was there for knew each of us individually and cared for us my parents when they needed me. Love your parents wholeheartedly, lovingly. I like to suggest to all readersbe there for your parents when they As they would never be found again. My mother faced adversity like a champion. She need you.Tell them you love them as often as possible. Says Subhaanpuri "don't ever forget: never complained except for medical problems we all have wonderful loving memories and fights with our First revere your parents and then venerate your which were gradually more intense as she mothers, it's good to revisit them quietly in our heart and smile. Guru". advanced in age. After my father passed away, I I personally put my mother before God. knew that my mother would feel lonely even I recall my childhood memories of her loving care, her teaching me though she was living with my sister and her discipline, cookinghealthy Indian food,respecting elders and women, family. I made sure I called her each day no matter about spirituality,about being grateful to the universe for what I was where in the world I would be. She looked forward given, and a lot more I learnt from her. anxiously to receiving my telephone calls and I always felt loved and cared for by my mother, even though many would proudly tell others with happiness and times I was scolded by her even in my adult life for good reasons when smiles. my behavior was not to her standard. When I look back at those Her experiences were sometimes harsh andhave scolded moments today, I smile. She was married to a great man. become memorable for us. She showed us strength Amrit Malik, my loving caring father,my friend, myguide. I also have Raghbir Singh Subhanpur and resilience and we learned from her how to cope three good,loving siblings Chander, Raaj and Niru. with difficult situations. No matter how harsh or My mother Tara Malik left for her spiritual home in heaven in 2004, tough, she persevered and survived, and we are all but here I say to her:Every day is a Mother's Day for me. (Originally written in Punjabi. grateful for that. She taught us well in that respect I love you very much and I always feel your presence with me. Translated into English by Amarjeet Singh Anand) and we will always have fond memories. Thank you for all you did for me. the indian panorama MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 25 Down Memory Lane (EXTRACTS FROM THE CHRONICLES OF "A Tribute to my Mother" by Devraj N Aiyar ", a book in honor of his mother C GOMATHY NARAYAN)

February 7th, 1983 Naik, then Chief Minister of Maharashtra. or the first time in her life, she got dressed to Narayan had headed that unit for over a decade and attend a job interview. Earlier her friend Maria enjoyed several perks at that job.The company F had informed, that the only teacher for the shutdown on account of labor strike. kindergarten at the 'Wees English High School' at Those days, at home, Narayan always kept ready Thane had left on a family emergency without prior stock of Haywards, a popular whisky in India. It was a notice. The school authorities were fervently seeking strong brew and priced very reasonably.He used to gulp C Gomathy Narayan, with sons, daughters-in-law, and someone to fill that slot. down more than a few pegs every night. Once Ace granddaughter at the office. L to R: Ganpat Aiyar, Ranjini Aiyar, She wore an old saree, ironed well, matching blouse, Plastics shut down, he developed the habit of drinking Aishwarya Aiyar, C Gomathy Aiyar, Usha Aiyar, Devraj Aiyar faded slippers and handbag both at noon and evening every day, before lunch and He dropped her at the building entrance and returned That was the best she could manage. Her hopes of dinner. The state of unemployment aggravated his 20 minutes later. being hired was next to none but she was determined to addiction to alcohol. He had circled several blocks and found no spot to try His health had also suffered immensely due to his park. Knowing, she was waiting, besides getting late for She took the bus from home feeling a little let down. drinking habits. In the end, he was forced to quit for the Doctor's appointment, he had risked parking at a No one at home imagined she stood a chance. With no both health and financial reasons. 'NO PARKING' zone. She was a little alarmed. He suitable qualification or experience, barely able to His new job did bring some income to the household casually told her a parking ticket could be the worst communicate in English, the possibility of her securing but it was a major compromise to his ego.The scaling that could happen. She simply nodded and did not the job was unthinkable. They loved her but were down in his career bothered him a lot. He never reveal the displeasure, she felt.For her, it was always reluctant, to accompany her to the school.Her husband mentioned it to her, butshe could sense it every day he black or white, right or wrong. Narayanand her two sons Dev and Ganpat, even joked returned back from work, at his friend Abraham's At the hospital, they asked her to produce details of about it. office. He had generally become quieter. It also bothered any medication, she was taking. She had anticipated The bus ride took 30 minutes. Her world was full of him that she had taken up a job on account of his long this and carried a strip in her bag to show the doctor. insecurities. Financial conditions at home seemed to spell of joblessness. The family was going through To keep her BP under check, she had a tablet of deteriorate each passing day. Her husband, Narayan, severe financial stress and he silently blamed himself Amlin 2.5 mg, everyday. was jobless for the last 3 years, all her jewelry either for it. They conducted all the routine eye tests and Dr Leila sold or pawned. Paying rent, their children's school fees That night he was lying down watching her as she Raju assured hershe was doing great. The next checkup and providing food was a daily challenge. They were finished washing the utensils and wrapping up all the was due only after a year. Back in India, they had drowned in debt. chores of the day. She suddenly heard him gasping for indicated a possible cataract surgery.This came as a big As she alighted from the bus and climbed the stony breath and rushed to his side. He was struggling to relief. path, towards the school, feeling extremely nervous,she breathe. She screamed, as he laid his head on her lap as On the way back, they stopped at Ganesh Dosas at did, what she always did, in the face of challenging if trying to rest. Her elder son Dev in the adjacent room Newark Ave, Jersey City, to grab her favorite Dahi circumstances. She prayed to Lord Ganesha. rushed in. She asked him to fetch the doctor. Vadas. Dev ordered for a masala dosa and medu wada. HE had never let her down. But today………… The next 20 minutes transformed her life forever. The food was very average. They were the only two The interview was brief, the school seemed very The doctor confirmed, Narayan hadsuffered a customers at the restaurant. desperate, yet they asked her to conduct a live class to massive heart attack, it was too late. He was gone. She Although Dev kept insisting, she didn't feel like evaluate. She walked into the classroom, her heart couldn't believe, it was happening to her. He was just 42. having a coffee or tea. pounding. Earlier her friend had advised to read so loud With their combined income, they were all geared up to It was past 3.00. Both her sons and Usha worked at the that all the kids would pay attention. She did just come out of this financial mess and start afresh. It same office. It was their own business and one of the that.She had a pleasing personality with an infectious would take time but at least they were all together. vendors had gifted a "Panchmukhi" Ganesh idol, which smile, the children took on immediately. Narayan had promised to take all of them to South was at the office. It had come on a Tuesday and The principal Mr Raghunath asked her to stay back India, their native place, during the next holidays. She considered very auspicious.She longed to see it. It was a and continue for the rest of the day.She was too nervous was looking forward to that trip. ten minute drive from the restaurant to the office. to let him know that she had come unprepared. Her One instant, the horizon appeared very colorful. It The office was always super busy. Every year, she family would be expecting her back. Nor had she seemed like life was getting back on track. The next would accompany her sons to the Diwali Pooja and the carried any lunch. moment it was all over. Her hopes were shattered, party after that. She would meet all their colleagues. She held a few more classes, some drawing lessons, dreams crushed. The large office and warehouse building never ceased generally keeping the kids engaged. The final bell rang She was all alone with two sons. They were 17 and 10. to amaze her. at 3.30 pm and the kids started to leave with a "Thank She was only 38. It always reminded her of the distance they have you Teacher". Her heart swelled with pride. 2021 April 30th, New Jersey travelled in life, together. Suddenly, the head mistress Ms Susamma appeared Ganpat and Usha were busy when she walked in. and congratulated her with the good news. The school 38 years had passed since Narayan passed away. It They came to greet her and all of them chatted for a had decided to hire her. Her eyes welled up with tears. didn't seem that long. while as she narrated the events of the day. Silently she thanked the Lord. It was His doing. These days, she stayed with her younger son Ganpat It was a big relief to know she did not need a cataract She climbed down towards the bus stop and what she at his house at Parsippany. surgery. saw left her stunned and speechless. Her whole family His elder daughter Aishwarya had turned 12 just a Usha made a fresh pot of coffee for her and Dev. Hers were waiting to receive her. week back. His wife Ranjini had delivered a healthy and would always carry an extra spoon of sugar. She loved They had called up the school and found she was beautiful baby girl Annanya on September 15th, 2020 her coffee sweet. conducting a class. and the entire household revolved around her. It was past 4.00pm. It was planned that Ganpat would Lots of hugs and handshakes. She had done the Both Dev's wife Usha and Ganpat were born on Sept leave early and take her home.Dev and Usha would stay unthinkable. 15th. back and wrap up pending work. With the minutest of details, she narrated all that had That was a coincidence. Annanya's was Before leaving, she took a final look at the altar, the transpired. Her worries vanished as she basked in planned.Thus, three members of the family celebrated idol of Lord Ganesha. thisunfamiliar terrain of glory.This morning they were their birthday on Sept 15th. HE had never let her down. all too embarrassed to accompany her. Now they were Dev lived at East Hanover just about 3 miles away. The authors note proudly escorting her back home. Today he picked herand drove her to the eye specialist April 16th, 1983 at NYU Langone Eye Center at New York. She chatted So, Mum It's hard to thank those whom we love the jovially as they crossed the Holland tunnel into New most, the family closest to us. It happened just over two months after she was hired York. Time and again their conversation would get We believe they owe it to us. But before this moments at the school, around 11.00pm. interrupted with calls from his office. She would wait pass, let me express my heartfelt appreciation, respect Narayan had gotten a job a month back. It did not pay and then continue exactly from where she had paused. and love for the awesome mother and human being you much but kept him from getting depressed. In the past, He would listen attentively and ask her questions. Yet are. he had worked as the Manager at Ace Plastics, Thane a she knew his mind was elsewhere, his office and Happy Mother's Day! company owned by Mr Sawant, the son in law to Mr business drew all his attention. the indian panorama MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 26 Remembering Mom on Mother’s Day SANGEET SHARMA I could hardly contain myself and Memories bring on nostalgia and vividly remember standing at the started crying uncontrollably with tears cherished pleasures. Mom's family JFK Airport with flowers in hand of joy. I ran and hugged her, just holding famous tasty food, great cup of tea any I and my entire family in tow eagerly her tightly, long enough to erase any time of the day/ evening, her friendship, anticipating the arrival of my mother distance or passage of time between us. company, thoughtfulness, abundant love from New Delhi. Despite her long and tiring journey, and so many other memories pop up During the 45 minutes, it took her to her face lit up when she first saw me.The every now and then. Her love for music, clear the immigration and to come out, I familiar pet name she had given me mountains, has genetically surfaced in experienced a bundle of emotions - sweetly echoed in my ears. She included me with time. excitement, joy,euphoria and anxiety- all my brother in that long protective Miss you Mom and hope you are at the same time. This was the longest embrace like a typical loving mother, spreading Smiles and are happy, loved time since I had seen my mom and blessing both familiar and new members and blessed wherever you are in the Mother Kamal Bhatia(right) being welcomed realized how much I had missed her of our respective families with a moist Universe now. by Sangeet Sharma (center) and Rajiv Bhatia since moving to New York. smile. Mom, Kamal Bhatia, we are on arrival at the JFK airport in New York in All along, my eyes were glued to the Now that she has passed on, I can still remembering and thanking you today Summer of 1995 swinging doors and when I saw her feel that embrace and see that beautiful with fondness, love and eternal Sangeet Sharma - Daughter emerge from behind a group of tourists, smile every night I go to bed! gratitude. Rajeev Bhatia - Brother There is We love her so much I love you and I miss nothing like and cherish all the time you, Mom mother’s we have been granted HARPREET SINGH TOOR other's Day always brings a mix of love to spend with her emotions for me, just as it does for M many others. But mostly it offers a SADHANA BAJAJ, SANDHYA BUDHRAJA, time to reflect on the deep love and gratitude SUJATA SETH I experience when thinking of her. And to remember the wonderful ways in which she taught me to understand, and to follow, the deepest and highest values of our culture. Values that not only guide me in my interactions with friends and with enemies, Harinder Kaur Toor, mother with family, and strangers, but also with of Harpreet Singh Toor myself as I deal with the world around me each and every day. Thank you, mom. I love you and I miss you. My mom is my hero, my teacher Daughters with mother. Kanta Malik (mother) is seated. Standing (L to R): Sadhana Bajaj, Sandhya Budhraja, Sujata Seth and my leader BINA SABAPATHY, MOTHER &

ur mother Kanta Malik is almost 90 years GRANDMOTHER Mrs. Santosh Rihal (center) with daughters old. She married our father Satish Malik y mother is a god given gift to me. I Mrs. Kanchan Sayal (left) and Indu Jaiswal Bina Sabapathy (left) with her and raised three beautiful daughters, cannot imagine my life without my O mother Sadhana, Sandhya and Sujata of whom I am the M mom. In every child's life both parents od could not be everywhere, so he youngest. are very important, but a mother carries a baby in her womb for nine months, and created mother, especiallyan It's hard to concisely describe a soul such as hers the bond that is created during those nine months makes her more special than anyone else in the world. She is child's first seen God, and she is the one called first angel like you. you were the best in just a few short words. Several come to mind. I G for any help. teacher in the world. Over the years we can start with captivating. She adores singing and My mom is a Stage 3 cancer survivor of 45 years. I never thought my mom will have realized how true that is. Thanks her voice is otherworldly. She has a powerful range make it out with cancer in those days, but she is a fighter. She fought with cancer for. Being the BEST MOM and the BEST and keen memory with an encyclopedia of music like a warrior, and sure that she is a God given gift to me. My mom is a housewife. TEACHER in the world. Words are not brewing in her brain. Like all other mothers, she is a hardworking, loving, and caring person. But she enough to express GRATITUDE that you Humility and Peace Loving is another one of her is very strong-minded and determined. I am grateful for how she molded me into deserve for all that you have done for us finer traits. Never one to boast and never one to a fine, young, talented, and independent lady.I am who I am today because of my all these years. We take this opportunity stir up a peaceful scenario and/or a relationship, mom. My mom taught me how to be rock solid during any rough time and melt like butter when seeing a less fortunate person. I owe my mom for instilling good to thank you for all your unmeasurable she goes with the flow always smilingly. values and passing on her looks to me. She taught me the importance of contributions to our lives. There is When she's in between her daily routines, you education and the courage to fight for what is right. My mom is my hero, my nothing like mother's love that gives us can often catch her humming or singing a classic teacher and my leader. I look to her for guidance on any of my problems. My all the strength we need to old Indian song or hymn or mantra. God bless her mother has seen and experienced many tragedies in her life, including losing her succeed.Thanks forgiving me the best ?????? husband, only brother, and only son at a very young age. She faced all that things in life, your love, your care and We love her so much and cherish all the time we hardship and unexpected turns in her life as a challenge without any complaint. your cooking. have been granted to spend with her. Posting this My mom has the art of putting a smile on anyone's face with her sweet and Happy Mother's Day to a wonderful article with her picture in The Indian Panorama is soothing words. woman who is such an inspiration to all such a cute way to wish our blessed mom a very My mom is 86+years and I thank God for having her in my life, and I truly am blessed. I pray to God if there is a life after death, I would love to take birth again of us. The sacrifices that you have made very Happy Mother's Day! NANIMA as we all and again as daughter to my mother. On this Mother's Day, I wish my mom for us are the most precious gifts that lovingly call her;May you live long and enjoy nothing but happiness and a long healthy life. To all the Mothers, Grandmothers, will last with us for the rest of our lives. seeing your grandkids settle down in their lives Great Grandmothers and soon-to-be Mothers-wish you a very Happy,Magical and Happy Mother's Day! and be there to bless them. LOVE YOU!! Safe Mother's Day. the indian panorama MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 27 My Mother’s Gift - Devotion & Kindness BY ASHOK VYAS ON MOTHER'S DAY FOR THE READERS OF THE INDIAN PANORAMA

y mother Smt Shakuntala Devi learning about my friends, my activities money for a bus ticket, she gave me some Vyas and I share the habit of and I was also eager to share my small extra amount to drink sugarcane juice on M reading. I remember having heard success and failures. her own. I was pleasantly surprised and felt stories from her about her childhood days, I think, as a teenager, I was developing how nice of her. Sometimes small gestures when she would hide a book in the bed and my own ego and she was becoming more of consideration and kindness fills us with read with streetlight slipping from the and more devotional with few morning joy and gratefulness. window on her bed. She loved reading and hours exclusively devoted to serve the I will skip the middle part of my life and Ashok Vyas with his mother Shakuntala that interest made her continue studies Lord. I was fascinated by her Keertan come to the present scene, many events have Devi Vyas after many many years, when she was singing. I distinctly remember, having seen taken place, many celebrations, moments of Bhajans. Thanks to technology, I could taking care of the family with three sons tears trickling down her cheeks as she joy and success and losing important pillars record her Bhajans online and shared with and all family members. would sing, 'Mohe Apne Rang Mein Rang of our lives. Now that I live in New York, my friends and family members. I am blessed We grew up in Jaipur, she did her De, Swami He Giridhar Gopal,'It means mother is in Jaipur with my brother to have a pure soul as my mother. We don't bachelor's and Master's in Hindi. She lost longing to get merged in the divine colors Jitendra Vyas. We have become very good celebrate Mother's Day but this tradition her father at a very early age, probably, of Lord Krishna, also known as Gopal who friends again through our telephonic here in USA has given me the opportunity while she was six years old. He was a police plays flute. satsang. She showed interest in listening to to count my blessings and meditate on the officer and a loving, protective shield for Those tears were beautiful, I used to 'Raas Panchadhyayi', a book based on glory of a Vaishnav, who also inspired all her. She would read newspapers, wonder, what is this longing, how she gets lectures by Swami Akhandananda my Bhuas to find their structure for the magazines, novels and later on, her interest into that zone, where something triggers Saraswatiji Maharaj. We had regular flow of devotion in their heart. shifted towards religious books. A sincere her and melts her being with beauty and Satsang sessions, where I would share this I am also happy that she listens to the devotee of Lord Krishna in the joy. I was perhaps drawn towards reading Hindi book in our language 'Marwari' with series of 'Everyday Gita with Ashok Vyas' Pushtimargiya tradition, she has sustained 'Bhagwat Puran' by her influence. Our her and one of my aunties. presented by me on Heramba Studio, that reading habit for over seven decades. family lived religious values as a part of Reading in Hindi, translating in YouTube channel in sequence. Her I was very much attached to her as a regular flow. Marwari and listening to their comments are encouraging. Here is a child to the extent that I was teased for Let me recollect my school days. I used to encouraging response to my humble special pranaam to my mother, who shared being 'mother's son'. I had a very nice friend go by bus and walk from SMS Hospital, sharing has been a fulfilling experience. her love with everyone and sustains herself in my mother as a child, probably after I Jaipur to Mahavir School. These were The credit goes to my mother's keen with deep devotion. Jai Shri Krishna! turned 14 or so, things started changing a exam days, and it was summer. Once, while devotion and interest in Satsang. She sings (Ashok Vyas is a Poet, Program Director, little bit, earlier, she was interested in I was leaving for school, in addition to well, remembers many Kathas as well as ITVGold and founder of Heramba Studio) For us, every day is Mother's Day Happy Mother's INDU GAJWANI WITH HER SISTERS Day to all around henever anyone gets hurt or is in pain the first words that come to W the person's lips is 'Oh Maa'. the world When any child returns home from RADHU BATHIJA & SIPPY BATHIJA anywhere the first thing that he asks is 'where is Maa'. Maa is our first teacher as om - to the world you are a mother, to our she teaches us sitting, walking, talking family you are our world. Mothers hold a and inculcates values in our life. In M special place in our hearts. They love us absence of father, brother or sister Maa unconditionally, protect and give us strength to can take their place and we won't feel their become who we are. Mothers are kind, selfless, and our Kanta Makhija's family. L to R: Suresh absence, but nobody can replace Maa.Such number one supporters. They are our best friends and Chander Bhaga Bathija, mother Makhija, Mimi Chandiramani, Indu Gajwani, is the importance of Maa in our life. always offer comfort. A mother is someone who can of Radhu Bathija Pushpa Gurnani, Kanta Makhija, All children feel that their mother is take the place of all others, but no one else can take PreetiRamsinghani, Bhavana Tribbiani and Vinod Makhija Best Mother of the world. her place. Our mother, Kanta L Makhija, who we Happy Mother's Day to all around the world. called "Maa" was really The Best. She was beautiful inside as well as outside with a face of innocent angel. She glowed without any makeup. Her inner beauty gave her glow. She was great grandmother too. All her children and grandchildren miss her Once a mother is well dearly till this day.Our mother couldn't complete her school education due to various reasons, but she was super street smart. She saw to it that we all get proper education, and we should all be financially independent. All her life not only she informed, well managed her children and home very well but also helped my father financially by running some or the other small business from home to make extra money so that educated, the world children can get best education and comfortable life. She made so many sacrifices but never ever made us feel that she is sacrificing. She was loving, caring, helpful and kind and a role model for us. She will feed will be a better place everyone whoever came to our house. She was so loving and caring that even other small children used to call her Nani that means maternal grandmother. She taught We humans exist because we have Mothers in this us to respect elders, love everyone. Respect the food that we are eating and not to world who carry us in their own bodies, feed us, waste as there are many who are not so lucky to get proper food to eat. She taught us nurture us and after birth feed us with their own milk to be grateful for whatever we have and to always say that we are having everything for months and years so we can have a long and healthy in abundance and by saying so you would have abundance. She was very helpful and life. Arish K. Sahani will help people in their difficult times even when she had less resources. She taught This human race can never repay debt to mothers us the value of hard work. She used to tell us that even when you can't help people ever. with money in their difficult days you can always help them in other ways. This world exists due to Mothers. She would always say that never retire from work. So long you are working your Many of us are good citizens or bad are due to mothers. body machine will be in proper shape and if you stop working your body machine Mothers in this era have to take a bigger role and responsibility. will get rusted and you will fall ill. So, keep on working till your last breath. All evil and good, they are equally responsible. She earned blessings of many people young as well as old and with their blessings Once a mother is well informed,well-educated this world will be a better place. she was in good health till her end. Evil males are destroying the world, but this can change if Mothers take We remember her every day and miss her every moment of our life. For us, every responsibility to save this world and make sure these males are under their control day is Mother's Day. as long as they are alive THE INDIAN PANORAMA BOLLYWOOD FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 28 Jacqueline Fernandez serves meals to the needy, Sunny Leone helps migrants

any are stepping up to help Randeep Hooda others in these difficult times of Mthe pandemic, and Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez is no joins Khalsa Aid exception. The actor, who has set up a foundation to ‘create and share stories of kindness’ called You Only Live Once to help Covid (YOLO), on Thursday,May 6, took to her Instagram to share photos of herself as patients she helped cook and serve food for the needy. mid the pandemic situation going on “Mother Teresa once said, ‘Peace in the country,people are coming out begins when the hungry are fed.’ I was Aand offering help in all possible truly humbled and inspired to visit ways. Many celebrities have also joined the Mumbai @rotibankfdn today, which is campaign and came forward to help run by former Mumbai police common people. commissioner Mr. D Sivanandan. Roti Celebrities like Priyanka Chopra Jonas Bank has prepared and distributed are also trying to raise funds by joining meals to millions of hungry people till other non-governmental organisations date, even during the pandemic. They (NGOs). And to join the list is actor Randeep are the perfect example of what Hooda. He has joined hands with Khalsa #kindnessbrigade aspires to do and I Aid and will be providing oxygen am honored to be of help to them during concentrators to COVID 19 patients in the these times. We only live once! Let’s country. He shared a video on his official make this life worth it by helping others Instagram handle and urged people to come in need and sharing the forward and help others. #storiesofkindness of those around us!” This is a difficult time and we all be read the complete caption of the actor’s needing everyone’s hand in handling this recent post. to extend support to the Delhi migrant crisis. He wrote, “It's your chance to save Jacqueline had paid a visit to the workers. Sunny, in collaboration with lives! With India facing the worst of the kitchen of Roti Bank Foundation and PETA, has donated 10,000 vegan meals pandemic, people are dying due to lack of tied up with them in order to serve to the workers. “I’m delighted to join oxygen. Let's come together to help the meals to those in need. YOLO works in hands with PETA India again – this country fight #COVID and save precious collaboration with several different time, to get protein-packed vegan meals lives. @khalsaaid_india is providing oxygen non-profit organisations to cater to a to thousands in need. We are facing a concentrators and we urge you to come variety of causes. crisis, but together, with compassion forward and do you bit to help India Meanwhile, Sunny Leone is doing her and solidarity, we will come out ahead,” breathe.” bit by joining hands with PETA in order the actor said in a statement. Chhichhore, Good Newwz actor Abhilasha Kangana Ranaut to make digital debut as producer Patil dies due to Covid-19 complications ctress Kangana Ranaut is all set to make her digital debut as producer with the upcoming ctor Abhilasha Patil, who has appeared in Afilm "Tiku Weds Sheru", a love story and a popular Hindi films such as Chhichhore, satire. AGood Newwz, and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Kangana will dive into web space with her has died due to Covid-19 complications. production house Manikarnika Films, and launch its Her co-star Sanjay Kulkarni, who worked with logo on Saturday. her on a show called BaapManus, confirmed the "With 'Tiku Weds Sheru', Manikarnika Films is news of her death. venturing into digital space. It's a love story and a He told indianexpress.com, “Last evening satire with dark humour. In digital space, we will do around six, I got a call from Jyoti Patil, who more edgy, new-age and niche content," she said. worked with us in BaapManus, about "We will also launch new talents and take risks with Abhilasha’s poor health. I learnt she had gone to new concepts. We feel the digital audience is slightly Benaras where she got fever and on her return more evolved than the regular cinema-going audience," to Mumbai, she tested positive for coronavirus. I she added. tried reaching out to her, but both of her Details related to the upcoming film are still under numbers were switched off. Then around 8.30 wraps. pm, actor Anand Prabhu, who played our son on the same show, informed me about her demise. This has been so shocking because she had so much to achieve in life. She had plans. Abhilasha was kind-hearted and such a hardworking artiste. It’s a huge loss to the industry.” Actor-director Shashank Udapurkar wrote in a social media post, "Abhilasha Patil, very hard working and energetic co-artist.. We worked together in PRAWAAS.Don't have words to express. RIP Abhilasha Ji." THE INDIAN PANORAMA HOLLYWOOD FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 29 Jennifer Aniston urges fans to support India in its fight against Covid-19 crisis

ollywood star Jennifer Aniston has appealed to her fans on Instagram to Hlend a helping hand to India in its fight against the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The actor, popular among the Indian audience as Rachel Green from the 1990s hit sitcom Friends, on Tuesday shared three posts on her Instagram Stories bringing the country’s worrying scenario amid the health crisis to the attention of her 36.5 million plus followers. Aniston’s first story read, “A severe second wave of coronavirus infections has swept John David Washington over India, setting global records for new infections each day over the past five days.” In to star in Gareth Edwards’ her second story, the 52-year-old actor said that Americares “is raising money for True Love immediate relief aid for India” and also ctor John David Washington is set to team up shared link details. with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Americares is a global non-profit AGareth Edwards on the upcoming science- organisation focused on health and fiction film True Love. development that respond to individuals The movie will mark Washington’s another outing affected by poverty, disaster, or crisis. in the genre following Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. In her third story, Aniston said one doesn’t According to The Hollywood Reporter, the plot have to donate to help. details on the New Regency film is being kept under “Spread the word with whatever platform wraps, but it is set in the near future and is from an you have to help build awareness,” she added. original idea from Edwards. Recently, international entertainment Edwards, whose directing credits also include 2014’s personalities like actor James McAvoy, Godzilla, will write and helm the project. singers Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes Washington was last seen in the romantic drama also appealed to their social media fans to Malcolm & Marie. extend support to India during the pandemic.

Lady Killer: Blake Lively to star Robert Downey Jr’s right hand man in Netflix's Dark Horse Comics Jimmy Rich dies in crash series adaptation obert Downey Jr’s t seems as though Blake personal assistant Lively has an affinity RJimmy Rich died in Itowards playing a car accident on characters who are Wednesday. He was 52. 'murderers in secret' if her Robert Downey Jr, Chris recent Hollywood projects Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, like The Rhythm Section Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt and A Simple Favor are any and Jeremy Renner, among inclination. The Gossip Girl others mourned the death star has decided on her next of Rich. big project; Lady Killer. Rich worked on nearly According to a recent report two dozen films with by Deadline, Blake will be Downey Jr, including starring and producing every Marvel Studios film. Netflix's feature film They began their fruitful adaptation of the Dark collaboration with 2003’s Horse Comics series. The Singing Detective. In Lady Killer, Lively will Downey Jr announced play the titular role of Josie the news on his social Schuller, a perfect 1950's media pages. On housewife by all Instagram, he shared two appearances. However, when photos of Rich and wrote not catering to the needs of her family, Josie leads a double life as a in the caption that Rich’s highly-trained killer for hire, obviously in secret. Schuller loves her death is “not news”, second job and as expected, the husband is clueless about his wife's well- instead it is a “terrible and kept skeleton in the closet. Interestingly, Netflix has tapped in Diablo shocking tragedy.” He Cody to adapt the comic book series into a feature film. added that Rich was his “brother, my right hand man, an uncle to our kids and beloved by all For the unversed, Diablo is an Oscar-winning writer, who won the who experienced his singular character and wit.” Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Juno. Her recent work “Our thoughts go to his relatives, friends, co-workers, and all the fans who knew him as the is the upcoming Madonna biopic, which the Grammy-winning singer man who supported every step of my recovery, life and career.. Again, my condolences to his will direct herself. beautiful family, and the legacy of hope and redemption his life will continue to represent. Are you excited to see Blake Lively in Lady Killer? Share your Peace Be Unto You,” Downey Jr wrote. excitement with Pinkvilla in the comments section below. THE INDIAN PANORAMA MUSIC FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 30 NJSO'S YOUTH ORCHESTRAS NJSO SPRING GALA SPRING INTO MUSIC @ 30 BY MABEL PAIS

explore their own musical voices and compose new an NJSO trustee and Amadeus Circle leader, co-chair SPRING INTO works drawing from all the genres that inspire them. the event. NJSO musician coaches guided each group, and GALA SUPPORT Domínguez orchestrated and arranged the works. GALA Opportunities to support the gala can be accessed by Composers of "The Enchanted Forest" include visiting njsymphony.org/springintomusic AMEYA SRINIVASAN & ASHITA BIRLA NJSO President & CEO Gabriel van Aalst says: "The students' triumphs in the past year-from virtual Gala honors BD (Becton, Dickinson and learning and performances to the impressive new Company) works they have composed-are an incredible testament Gala honorees include to their talent and perseverance, and we are proud to NJSO musicians and founding Youth Orchestras showcase the students at this gala." NJSO Music Director Xian Zhang says: "This gala coaches concert is a true showcase for the incredible Martin Andersen and Robert Wagner achievements of the NJSO Youth Orchestras students. VIP Pre-Show: May 12 @ 7 PM, Concert @ 7:30 Our musicians have a deep love for coaching and PM working with students, and the program has reached Online auction (May 3-12): Items from new heights under the leadership of José Luis Restaurant gift cards to Vacation getaways Domínguez. I am thrilled to see these young musicians José Luis Domínguez conducts the NJSO - Photo / Courtesy NJSO blossoming and sharing their own musical voices." he New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) Spring into Music is part of NJSO Virtual 20-21, the celebrates the 30th anniversary of the NJSO Domínguez says: "The professional orchestra, the Orchestra's digital season. For more information, visit TYouth Orchestras and highlights the program's hall, the scores, the lights, the cameras - so many people njsymphony.org/virtual. talented students at the virtual "Spring into Music" dedicated so much work to these students' ideas. That is PROGRAM: SPRING INTO MUSIC GALA Gala on May 12. touching beyond description. That is unforgettable." Virtual VIP Pre-Show Party | Exclusive to Gala The event features a free NJSO concert available to Self-dubbed the 'Chromatic Creators,' the young Supporters the public and a VIP pre-show party for gala supporters. composers who teamed up to pen "The Enchanted Wed, May 12, at 7 pm on Zoom Forest" include Ameya Srinivasan (seventh grade, Edison), Amy Zarebczan (11th grade, Passaic), Ashita Gala Concert | Free to the Public Birla (10th grade, Jersey City), Kevin Yang (sixth grade, Wed, May 12, at 7:30 pm Edison), Natalie Sokolov (ninth grade, Holmdel), José Luis Domínguez, conductor Samantha Huerta (10th grade, Wayne). NJSO flutist and Hannah Lee, flute piccolo player Kathleen Nester coached the group. Ashita Birla says: "Composing an original piece by New Jersey Symphony Orchestra collaborating with my peers in the Chromatic Creators MOZART Allegro maestoso from Flute Concerto in G was an experience of a lifetime. When I heard that the Major, K. 313 New Jersey Symphony Orchestra would be playing 'The CHROMATIC CREATORS OF THE NJSO YOUTH Enchanted Forest,' it felt surreal. I was amazed and ORCHESTRAS "The Enchanted Forest" honored to hear that our piece would come to life at the Anne Lieberson Ensemble hands of accomplished musicians. It inspires me to Xian Zhang, piano continue composing and playing violin to express my voice through music." DVO?ÁK Allegretto scherzando from Bagatelles, Op. The winner of the annual NJSO Youth Orchestras' 47 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition traditionally gives Curtland E. Fields Ensemble a solo performance with the Youth Orchestras' most DAY "Tango D'amour" advanced orchestra at its annual spring concert. ONLINE AUCTION | Open to the Public Hannah Lee won the 2020 competition, but the Youth Orchestras' spring concert was canceled due to the May 3-12 COVID-19 pandemic, and the NJSO invited her to The online auction offers fabulous items for perform with the professional orchestra for this year's everyone-from restaurant gift cards to vacation gala. getaways. "I am so thankful that in spite of the pandemic I had To learn more, visit Hannah Lee, winner, plays flute - Photo / Courtesy NJSO a chance to perform with the NJSO. It was such an njsymphony.org/springintomusic honor," Lee says. "It still feels like a dream that I The Orchestra's online hub for free musical content is In the 7:30 pm concert, the Orchestra gives the world performed, and I'll definitely feel that way watching the njsymphony.org/virtual premiere of "The Enchanted Forest" - a piece composed performance as well!" The NJSO Youth Orchestras by Youth Orchestras students through a creative "Hannah gave such a professional, musical composition project - and showcases concerto performance. She has a brilliant future with the flute," The NJSO Youth Orchestras have not only continued competition winner Hannah Lee, an East Brunswick Domínguez says. "I can only imagine how encouraged virtual instruction but have introduced an entirely new 12th grader, in the Allegro maestoso from Mozart's she must feel as she embarks on her path towards a dimension to the program. Students are working Flute Concerto in G Major, K. 313. NJSO Youth professional future." together on a yearlong creative composition project-a Orchestras Artistic Director José Luis Domínguez A 7 pm VIP pre-show party offers opportunities for uniquely engaging opportunity for students to explore conducts. gala supporters to virtually mingle with NJSO their own musical voices and shape new works that The program also includes chamber performances by musicians and special guests. Iachetti's Kitchen in Glen draw from all the genres that inspire them. the Youth Orchestras' Anne Lieberson Ensemble (with Rock will demonstrate how to make a delicious The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) NJSO Music Director Xian Zhang on piano) and appetizer to savor. Curtland E. Fields Ensemble, plus special guest The Spring into Music Gala online auction, open from Connect with NJSO: appearances and a signature cocktail demonstration May 3-12, offers items from restaurant gift cards to Website: njsymphony.org from Newark's All Points West Distillery. vacation getaways. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @NJSymphony The concert will be available on demand at The gala honorees are BD (Becton, Dickinson and YouTube: @NewJerseySymphony njsymphony.org/springintomusic and on the NJSO's Company), a longtime NJSO Youth Orchestras funder, Email: [email protected] YouTube channel beginning at 7:30 pm. as well as NJSO musicians and founding Youth (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social "The Enchanted Forest" grew out of a season long Orchestras coaches Martin Andersen and Robert Issues, Spirituality, and Health & Wellness) NJSO Youth Orchestras creative composition project in Wagner. Michelle Merchant, an NJSO supporter and which all students collaborated in small groups to NJSO Youth Orchestras parent, and Dr. Philip Neches, THE INDIAN PANORAMA THEATER FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 31 NJPAC MEETS BROADWAY BY MABEL PAIS

Emily Larger and more! Tickets for the virtual show are "BROADWAY BY THE YEAR" per screen and viewing is available for 3 days from start SEE TWO OUTSTANDING BROADWAY PERFORMANCES time. Tickets can be purchased by visiting NJPAC.org or at njpac.org/event/broadway-by-the-year-the-andrew- IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME lloyd-webber-years THE KANDER & EBB YEARS (May 10-12) and Each video concert will be approximately 9-10 songs in THE SIR ANDREW LLOYD WEBER YEARS (May 24- length, performed by four stars, plus - as is a feature of 26) all Broadway by the Year concerts - at least one additional, thrilling dance number starring and he Town Hall's signature series in association choreographed by Danny Gardner (star of the "2017 with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Radio City Summer Spectacular"). T(NJPAC), present "Broadway by the Year®," takes This is a video premiere of a full concert. It was a "Pandemic Pivot," going both virtual and national. In recorded live, remotely, in March and April 2021. its legendary 20-year history, it has featured everyone from Robert Goulet to Santino Fontana and from Jessie MAKING MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL Mueller to Tonya Pinkins. WITH HOME ALONE 3: YO MOMMA BE In its new virtual edition, the star power continues with an extraordinary cast list that dazzles with (so far) THERE one Tony Award Winner, Beth Leavel ("The Drowsy "Home Alone 3: Yo Momma Be There" Chaperone"), and four Tony Nominees, Lilli Cooper ("Tootsie"), Ethan Slater ("SpongeBob: The Musical"), By Michael McDonald Liz Callaway ("Baby"), Max Von Essen ("An American in Friday, May 7, 2021 at 9:00 p.m. Paris"), plus international jazz star, Nicole Henry, and (standing) John Kander & Fred Ebb internationally famous chanteuse Ute Lemper! he New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Created, written, and hosted throughout its entire presents Michael McDonald Presents Home Alone history by Scott Siegel - who has also produced, written, T3: "Yo Momma Be There" - Virtual Event on and directed concerts for Michael Feinstein at Jazz at Friday, May 7, 2021 at 9:00 p.m. Lincoln Center - and is well on his way to creating more Make Mother's Day weekend extra special when you than 400 major concerts all over the world - join us for invite Michael McDonald into your living room! You this unusual season. know and love the unofficial captain of Yacht Rock for The two new Broadway by the Year virtual concerts his contributions to the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, conceived for this year by this collaboration, take this including his hits "What a Fool Believes," "Minute by series in a new and exciting direction. The shows: Minute" and "Takin' It to the Streets." This intimate BROADWAY BY THE YEAR: THE KANDER & EBB Livestream concert will feature songs from Michael's YEARS (May 10-12) and BROADWAY BY THE YEAR: Broadway Performers. - Credit: Courtesy, NJPAC. solo career, a few Doobies classics, and some select THE SIR ANDREW LLOYD WEBER YEARS (May 24-26) covers. Buy a ticket for yourself, or get a two-pack for at a cost per screen and can be viewed within three days. njpac.org/event/broadway-by-the-year-the-kander-ebb- you and the special lady in your life. The show will BROADWAY BY THE YEAR: THE KANDER & EBB years or by visiting NJPAC.org. stream live on Friday,May 7th, and be available to watch YEARS (May 10-12), featuring songs from such shows as BROADWAY BY THE YEAR: THE SIR ANDREW or re-watch all weekend long. "Flora," "The Red Menace," "Chicago," "Cabaret," "Steel LLOYD WEBER YEARS (May 24-26), featuring songs TICKETS Pier," "Woman of the Year," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" from such shows as "Song & Dance," "Joseph and the and "The Rink." Cast includes Danny Gardner, Ute Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Sunset Blvd.," Tickets & Bundles are available at Lemper, Tony Yazbeck, Beth Leavel and Natascia Diaz. "Evita," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Jesus Christ boxoffice.mandolin.com/collections/michael- This virtual show can be purchased per screen and is Superstar," "Aspects of Love" and "Cats." Cast includes mcdonald?utm_source=ef&utm_medium=aff&utm_cam available for 3 days from start time. Reserve tickets at Liz Callaway, Ethan Slater, Max Von Essen, Ali Ewoldt, paign=121&oid=121&affid=16

NJPAC Straight No Chaser: Virtual Insanity The New Jersey Performing Arts Harmonize along with 'Straight No Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Chaser,' the acapella sensation! Newark, N.J., is America's most diverse performing arts center, and the Join NJPAC for a weekend of livestream concerts featuring fan favorite songs artistic, cultural, educational and civic and lots of surprises. center of New Jersey - where great performances and events enhance and he male vocal group 'Straight No transform lives every day. NJPAC Chaser' (SNC) revolutionized a brings diverse communities together, Tcapella for the modern age when providing access to all and showcasing their viral YouTube video landed them a the state's and the world's best artists deal with Atlantic Records. Now, they while acting as a leading catalyst in the delight fans around the world with their revitalization of its home city. sophisticated harmonies and captivating Through its extensive Arts Education charm. programs, NJPAC is shaping the next Join SNC for Virtual Insanity, a three- generation of artists and arts show live stream concert series with enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted special guests. Each show in the series nearly 10 million visitors (including will have a unique setlist that includes over 1.7 million children) since SNC fan favorites and at least one never- opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures before-performed song. For super fans, meaningful and lasting relationships add a virtual meet and greet or SNC Singers. - Credit: sncmusic.com with each of its constituents. To learn soundcheck viewing. With five more, visit njpac.org Live on Mandolin showtimes to choose from, you can enjoy TICKETS Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and SNC live from the comfort of your own Fri, May 14 @ 8:30PM For tickets and to learn more, visit Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, and home! Sat, May 15 @ 3PM & 8PM njpac.org/event/straight-no-chaser- Health & Wellness. PROGRAM Sat, May 16 @ 7:30PM virtual-insanity THE INDIAN PANORAMA WORLD FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 32 Legal status of Hindu, Muslim marriages in South Africa under spotlight in Green Paper JOHANNESBURG (TIP): The or divorce, women and children suffer the difficulties experienced by partners in consequences, since they are not protected marriages conducted under Hindu and by the marriage law. The divorce process Muslim religious rites in South Africa are is concluded through religious and not under consideration in a Green Paper that court processes. has been released for public comment. The DHA said divorce in Hindu The controversial issue of polyandry, marriages is a taboo, which leaves women where women can have more than one in limbo when the man decides to leave husband, is also under discussion. the family.What complicates the situation "The issue of the recognition of is that such marriages are not protected Muslim, Hindu and Jewish marriages by the law. arose and stakeholders raised the urgent To redress these and other issues, the need for the State to recognise these Green Paper proposes three options for a marriages through legislative means,” the new marriage act for the protection and Department of Home Affairs (DHA) said equitable treatment of all recognised in the paper, which was prepared after cultural and religious rights. months of extensive discussions with unless the marriage is also registered marriage-like rights and processes to In the first option, amendments to the diverse stakeholders. with DHA, the religious marriage has no spouses in Muslim marriages. There has current Marriage Act could cater for all "Despite the efforts of the State to legal validity. been less litigation on behalf of adherents polygamous marriages irrespective of redress the injustices of the past, the "The issue of polygamy and polyandry of Hindu and other faiths, with the result race, cultural and religious persuasions. current marriage statute still deprives also was topical and controversial during that these religious marriages have fewer Option two allows for a marriage certain cultural and religious the engagements. While some and weaker rights than Muslim regime that does away with categorising communities from concluding legally stakeholders believed in the practice of marriages. marriages along racial, religious and recognised marriages,” it said. polygamy, there were also those who "In most respects, spouses in cultural lines, with a dual system of This includes Islamic and Hindu opposed it,” the DHA said. unrecognised religious marriages are in recognising either monogamous or marriages, customary marriages "This equally applies to the practice of the same position as unmarried intimate polygamous marriages. concluded in some African communities polyandry. Ironically, stakeholders who partners. The failure to recognise these The final option is similar to the second and marriages of transgender persons, believed in the practice of polygamy religious marriages is untenable and option, except that it would also according to the paper. (polygene) were opposed to the practice of discriminatory," DHA said. accommodate both polygyny and Under the current Marriage Act, Hindu, polyandry,” it said. Islamic marriages are automatically polyandry. The Green Paper is now open Muslims and other religious marriage A discussion with stakeholders revealed out of community of property.When such for public comment until the end of next officers may conduct marriages, but that the courts have extended many marriages are dissolved, either by death month. — PTI Rio police draws international ire as 25 killed in drug gun battle

RIO DE JANEIRO (TIP): At least 25 a police operation in Rio, surpassing 19 people were killed in a shootout between at Complexo do Alemão slum in 2007, suspected drug traffickers and police in except we did not lose one of ours then," Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, one of the police chief Ronaldo Oliveira told state's deadliest police raids, police said. Reuters. People targeted in the raid in the poor Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Jacarezinho neighborhood tried to Rio de Janeiro prosecutors have a escape across rooftops as police arrived constitutional obligation to oversee the in armored vehicles and helicopters flew police and pursue criminal overhead, television images showed. The investigations of police abuses. It called firefight forced residents to shelter in for a thorough and independent their homes. investigation into the deaths. The victims included one police officer, According to HRW,Rio police killed 453 and the remainder were suspected people and at least four police officers members of the drug-trafficking gang died in police actions during the first that dominated life in the slum, three months of the year, despite a including some of its leaders, police said. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting It was the deadliest single police operations in communities during the operation in 16 years for Rio state which COVID-19 pandemic except in has suffered for decades from drug- "absolutely exceptional cases." Police related violence in its numerous favelas. said in addition to drug trafficking, the The bloodbath prompted criticism gang robbed trucks of cargo and held up Policemen aim their weapons during an operation against drug dealers in Jacarezinho slum in from human rights groups including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil May 6, 2021. Reuters commuter trains to steal from Amnesty International, who lambasted passengers. the police for the "reprehensible and police operation is reprehensible, as is informally organized neighborhood with Police displayed an arsenal of seized unjustifiable" loss of life in a the fact that, once again, this massacre few public services. A 2005 raid in the weapons at a news conference: six neighborhood mostly populated by Black took place in a favela," said Jurema Baixada Fluminense in Rio's violent assault rifles, 15 handguns, a machine and poor people. Werneck, executive director of Amnesty northern outskirts killed 29 people. gun, 14 grenades and a round of artillery "The number of people killed in this International Brazil, referring to the "This is one of the largest death tolls in ammunition. Reuters THE INDIAN PANORAMA WORLD FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 33 1st in-person attendance at China suspends economic EU summit this year LISBON (TIP): On the list of things not to do during a pandemic is holding dialogue with Australia big international gatherings, but European Union leaders and diplomats Beijing/Sydney (TIP): China to pressure cooperation with China. are meeting in Portugal on Friday for “indefinitely” suspended all activity “Australia must bear full responsibility,” two-day talks sending a signal that they under a China-Australia Strategic he said. see the Covid threat on their continent Economic Dialogue, its state economic The Australian dollar fell sharply on as waning. planner said on Thursday. This is the the news and was as low as 0.7701 to the Their talks hope to repair some of latest setback for strained relations United States dollar from Wednesday’s the damage Covid has caused in the between the two countries. $0.7747. bloc in areas such as welfare and It’s Cold War mentality: Beijing’s Bilateral ties were strained in 2018 employment. In a late addition to their when Australia became the first country agenda, EU leaders will also discuss reform panel to publicly ban Chinese tech giant Thursday’s US proposal to share the China’s National Development and Huawei from its 5G network. technology behind Covid vaccines to Reform Commission has said some Relations worsened last year when help speed the end of the pandemic. Australian Commonwealth Australia called for an independent The leaders will also take part in an investigation into the Covid origin, unprecedented meeting, via Government officials recently prompting trade reprisals from China. videoconference, with Prime Minister launched a series of measures to Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan Narendra Modi, whose country needs disrupt the normal exchanges and Commonwealth Government officials said the commission’s decision was more help with a devastating virus cooperation between China and launched a series of measures to disrupt disappointing because the economic surge. the normal exchanges and cooperation dialogue was “an important forum for This is the 27-nation bloc’s first face- Australia out of Cold War mindset between China and Australia out of Cold Australia and China to work through to-face summit in five months, after an and ideological discrimination. War mindset and ideological issues relevant to our economic exceptional meeting in Brussels last ‘Response Necessary’ discrimination,” China’s National partnership”. “We remain open to December to discuss post-pandemic It was a necessary response to Development and Reform Commission holding the dialogue and engaging at the spending. — Agencies (NDRC) said in a statement on the ministerial level,” he said in a statement. Australia for abusing the concept of decision. The commission did not say The last meeting was in Beijing in 2017, 3 Indian-origin men national security. — Wang Wenbin, what specific measures prompted the when Australia’s trade minister signed arrested for extortion in Foreign Ministry Spokesman action. an agreement on cooperation on Belt and China’s foreign ministry spokesman Road projects in third-party countries. Canada China also rejected criticism of its Wang Wenbin said at a daily conference Australia has, however, declined to sign TORONTO (TIP): Three Indian- human rights and economic record by G7 that the suspension was a “necessary agreements on direct participation in origin men have been arrested in members. and legitimate response to Australia for China’s flagship foreign policy initiative. Canada for allegedly trying to extort “Recently, some Australian abusing the concept of national security — Reuters money from an 80-year-old in the name of revenue agency. Taranveer Singh (19), Ranveer Singh (19) and 20 dead in Rio de Janeiro Chamanjyot Singh (21) from Brampton Johnson’s party sweeps aside were charged with extortion, shootout conspiracy to commit an indictable RIO DE JANEIRO (TIP): At least 20 offence and possession of property people, including a police officer, died Labour in northeast obtained by crime. pti on Thursday in a shootout during a police operation against drug Chinese rocket re-entering traffickers in Rio de Janeiro's Earth poses ‘risk to Jacarezinho shanty town, O Globo newspaper reported on its website. humans’ Two passengers on a metro train were San Francisco/Beijing (TIP): A 100- also wounded in the shooting in the foot-tall, 22-metric-tonne Chinese northern Rio neighbourhood, the rocket is re-entering the Earth this newspaper said. — Reuters weekend and according to the US Space Command, it poses low risk to humans. France sends patrol boats as The "out-of-control" Chinese Long fishing tensions flare with UK March 5B rocket will likely splash down in the ocean on Saturday, LONDON (TIP): Vessels from according to a report in The Verge. Britain's Royal Navy and French police The US Space Command said in a boats patrolled Thursday near the statement that "its exact entry point into the English Channel island of Jersey,where Earth's atmosphere cannot be pinpointed French fishermen angry about losing until within hours of its re-entry". access to waters off their coast gathered The US, however, would expect China for a maritime protest. to pay for any damage caused by its The irate mariners set off flares and rocket stage, the report mentioned. entered the island's main harbour, in the LONDON (TIP): Voters in an English port town that for decades "Much of the earth is covered in water, first major dispute between France and Opposition stronghold turned en masse backed UK’s main Opposition. so there's almost no risk," said Dan Britain over fishing rights in the wake to British Prime Minister Boris The overwhelming victory for an Oltrogge, founder of the Space Safety of Brexit. Johnson’s Conservatives, boosting his often-criticised governing party Coalition. The Long March 5B rocket The European Union appealed for parliamentary majority on Friday increases pressure on Labour leader can't be maneuvered or controlled. "It's calm, but also accused the UK of not despite a high Covid death toll, last Keir Starmer, who has struggled to orbiting Earth diagonally at a 41.5- respecting the terms of the post-Brexit year’s record economic slump and revive his party’s fortunes since a degree inclination (or tilt) from the trade deal agreed to by the two sides. cronyism charges. disastrous national election in 2019. equator. That means it passes over a The naval policing boats Athos and Conservative Jill Mortimer beat Johnson celebrated by quickly visiting large swath of Earth, anywhere as far Themis were sent to keep watch on Labour’s candidate in Thursday’s ballot Hartlepool when he ascribed his party’s south as Chile and the top half of New waters between France and Jersey, by 15,529 votes to 8,589 to take the success to its policies of delivering Zealand, and as far north as New York French maritime authorities for the parliamentary seat for Hartlepool, a Brexit and ploughing money into areas and Madrid," the report said on English Channel and North Sea said. AP victory once unthinkable in a northeast where voters felt neglected. — Reuters Thursday.IANS THE INDIAN PANORAMA COVID-WORLD FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 34 UK unveils "green list" of Global Covid-19 caseload countries for foreign travel tops 156.4 mn WASHINGTON (TIP): The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 156.4 from May 17 million, while the deaths have surged to TRACKING THE VIRUS he British government on Friday more than 3.26 million, according to the announced a "green list" of Johns Hopkins University. Tcountries from which travellers In its latest update on Saturday, May8, GLOBAL are not required to quarantine upon morning, the University's Center for INDIA return to England. Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) Portugal, Israel, Singapore, Australia revealed that the current global caseload Cases Deaths Cases Deaths and New Zealand are among 12 and death toll stood at 156,472,669 and 156,472,669 3,264,720 21,892,676 238,270 countries and regions on the "green list" 3,264,720, respectively. of travel destinations from May 17 for The US continues to be the worst-hit people in England, British Transport country with the world's highest number Secretary Grant Shapps said. of cases and deaths at 32,649,677 and Speaking at a press conference at 580,870, respectively, according to the Downing Street, Shapps said COVID CSSE. tests will still be required before and In terms of infections, India follows in after travel to these destinations. the second place with 21,491,598 cases. Shapps described the step as The other countries with more than "tentative" as concerns remain "about two million confirmed coronavirus cases resurgence of COVID". are Brazil (15,082,449), France (5,808,421), Under the new traffic light system, Turkey (4,998,089), Russia (4,808,133), the Turkey, the Maldives and Nepal have UK (4,446,752), Italy (4,092,747), Spain been added to the "red list", which (3,567,408), Germany (3,507,730), means travellers from those countries Argentina (3,118,134), Colombia will have to quarantine in a hotel for 10 (2,968,626), Poland (2,824,425), Iran days on their return. (2,627,094), Mexico (2,358,831) and Ukraine Shapps said the government's latest (2,160,809), the CSSE figures showed. decision was "necessarily cautious". In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second "We must make sure the countries we with 419,114 fatalities. reconnect with are safe," he added. Nations with a death toll of over 50,000 Countries on the green, amber and are India (234,083), Mexico (218,173), the red lists would be reviewed every three UK (127,858), Italy (122,470), Russia weeks from May 17, according to (110,735), France (106,262), Germany Shapps. (84,498), Spain (78,792), Colombia (76,867), The British government is only Iran (74,241), Poland (69,445), Argentina responsible for coronavirus restrictions (66,872), Peru (62,976) and South Africa in England. The devolved governments (54,687). in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for their own policies in relation to public health matters. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not said when they might WHO validates China’s Sinopharm ease their strict travel restrictions. Another 2,490 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,431,043, according to he World Health Organization (WHO) validated on official figures released Friday. Friday the BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine developed by The country also reported another 15 TChina’s Sinopharm for emergency use. coronavirus-related deaths. The total “This afternoon, WHO gave emergency use listing to number of coronavirus-related deaths Sinopharm Beijing’s COVID-19 vaccine, making it the sixth in Britain now stands at 127,598. These vaccine to receive WHO validation for safety, efficacy and figures only include the deaths of quality,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom people who died within 28 days of their Ghebreyesus at a press briefing. first positive test. “This expands the list of vaccines that COVAX can buy, and More than 35 million people have been gives countries confidence to expedite their own regulatory given the first jab of the coronavirus approval, and to import and administer a vaccine,” he said. vaccine, according to the latest official In an official press release, WHO Assistant-Director General figures. for Access to Health Products Dr. Mariangela Simao said that Earlier Friday,Public Health England the addition of the Sinopharm vaccine has “the potential to declared a coronavirus strain first rapidly accelerate COVID-19 vaccine access for countries detected in India, known as B1617.2, as seeking to protect health workers and populations at risk.” "variant of concern". The vaccine produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Experts have warned that despite Products Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the China National Biotec progress in vaccine rollout, Britain is Group, is an inactivated vaccine with easy storage "still not out of the woods" amid requirements, which makes it highly suitable for low-resource concerns over new variants, settings. particularly those first emerged in It is also the first vaccine that will carry a vaccine vial South Africa, Brazil and India, and the monitor, a small sticker on the vaccine vials that change color group, WHO is not recommending an upper age limit for the third wave of pandemic on the if the vaccine is exposed to heat, letting health workers know Sinopharm vaccine, because reviewed data have suggested that European continent. whether the vaccine can be safely used. the vaccine is likely to have a protective effect in older persons, To bring life back to normal, According to WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on according to the WHO press release. countries such as Britain, China, Immunization (SAGE), the Sinopharm vaccine is “There is no theoretical reason to believe that the vaccine Russia, the United States as well as the recommended for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose has a different safety profile in older and younger European Union have been racing schedule with a spacing of three to four weeks. populations,” said the WHO press release, which recommends against time to roll out coronavirus Though few older adults over 60 years were enrolled in that countries using the vaccine in older age groups conduct vaccines. clinical trials and efficacy could not be estimated in this age safety and effectiveness monitoring. THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT. FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 35 THE INDIAN PANORAMA ASSEMBLY POLLS FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 36 Didi in the saddle for third time Mamata takes oath, becomes one of the longest-serving woman CMs in India

ation's Didi Mamata Banerjee, the firebrand leader of West NBengal politics, once again proved a master strategist, decimating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and new Congress-Left-ISF alliance christened as "Samyukta Morcha" all of whom sought to checkmate her return to power. After a phenomenal victory in the Assembly polls, Trinamool Congress (TMC) spremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday,May 5, was sworn in as West Bengal Chief Minister for third consecutive term. Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar administered her the oath of office and secrecy at a low-key ceremony at Raj Bhawan held amid the raging COVID pandemic. Banerjee took the oath in Bengali language. Apart from senior TMC leaders like Partha Chatterjee and Subrata Mukherjee, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who played a key role in TMC’s victory, and Banerjee MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee were present. Banerjee has said her first priority Mamata Banerjee in her office at the state secretariat building in Kolkata after taking oath as the chief minister of West Bengal for a third term. after resuming office will be to tackle the Pic source: AFP COVID-19 situation. Defeating all odds, the 66-year-old Left, Right and Centre to come out on raking up the insider- outsider debate campaign stressing pro-women feisty leader, who had single-handedly top. was part of the strategy to appeal to initiatives went down well….their wrecked the red bastion in West Bengal Bengali subnationalism, something (women’s) high turnout helped,” said in 2011 ousting Left Front's What went in her favor hitherto alien to West Bengal politics. Prof. uninterrupted 34-year-old rule, coasted The mercurial leader, however, lost by Banerjee’s appeal to ‘Bangaliana’ Ranabir Samaddar, well-known to a two third majority in this year 1956 votes in Nandigram to former (Bengaliness) cultural identity, which political scientist and former head of election, winning 213 seats, bettering its protege-turned-BJP adversary Suvendu transcends divisions of caste and Maulana Azad Institute of Asian performance of 211 in the outgoing Adhikari. religion, seemed to have worked in her Studies, Kolkata. Assembly. The TMC won 208 seats and is leading favour. Another factor that went in her favour The 'daughter of Bengal' also faced an in five more polling 47.94 per cent votes The ‘Duare Sarkar’ (government at was the near total consolidation of all out attack by the BJP, which fielded till 3.30 am, while the BJP clinched 76 your doorstep) programme under which Muslim votes in favour of the TMC. top party stalwarts led by Prime seats and is leading in one, bagging 38.13 benefits of a host of welfare schemes, Parties such as the AIMIM and Abbas Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, J P per cent votes. including scheduled caste certificates, Siddiqui’s ISF, which were seen as Nadda a battery of Union Ministers and Elections were held in 292 were delivered to the homes of the having the potential to deal a blow to the state leaders, for campaigning but they constituencies of the 294- member beneficiaries, also boosted her standing TMC’s minority support base, failed to finally found that there was no way to assembly. Polling was countermanded in among the poor. make an impression as the minorities stop her Trinamool Congress from two constituencies after candidates fell The West Bengal government’s UN threw their weight behind Mamata romping home to victory. victim to a raging COVID-19 pandemic. award winning ‘Kanyashree’ Banerjee. It is the Bharatiya Janata Party that “It’s a victory for Bengal’s people…it’s programme, where money is transferred The prime minister’s repeated taunts trespassed her dominion after gaining Banglar joy’ (Bengal’s victory),” to the bank accounts of girls so they of “Didi, O Didi” in his speeches, too, did overwhelming results from the state in Banerjee told TMC workers, while her could study further and early marriages not go down well with voters in a state the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. And, the party approached the Election could be prevented, was highlighted where women traditionally enjoy a high emergence of the Left-Congress-ISF Commission with demand to order during the campaign. social and economic status and are a alliance has made the situation more recounting of votes in Nandigram which The strategy to extend the ‘Swasthya major vote bank for the TMC. complicated for her. was rejected. Sathi’ health insurance scheme to the The clincher for Banerjee came when Banerjee is serving as the 8th and Though the BJP failed in its effort to entire population in December 2000 was she mounted an aggressive assault in the current Chief Minister of West Bengal dislodge Banerjee from power, it’s for the welcomed by all. The scheme was last three phases of polling on Prime since 2011, the first woman to hold the first time that it will be the main launched by Banerjee in 2016. Minister Modi for leaving India office. She founded the All India opposition party in the state assembly, It is a basic health cover for secondary unprepared for the second COVID wave. Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) rising from a measly three seats in 2016 and tertiary care up to Rs five lakh per She went on to blame an influx of party in 1998 after separating from the to at least 76 now. annum for every family. “outsiders brought by the BJP” for the Indian National Congress, and became It is also for the first time that the Left Months ahead of the elections, the spread of the pandemic in the state, and its first chairperson. She is often and the Congress, which ruled the state Banerjee government transferred Rs the saffron party suddenly found itself referred to as Didi by her followers and for decades, will have no representation. 10,000 each to 9.5 lakh students in class 12 trying to defend itself against charges of as Pishi (meaning paternal aunt in In the run up to the elections, the BJP government schools to help them buy mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis. Bengali) by many of her critics. had Banerjee on the defensive by computer tablets and mobile phones for The victory for Banerjee, by far the Banerjee is now one of the longest- aggressively campaigning against online classes. But, for many families, it biggest mass leader since the redoubtable serving woman chief ministers in the corruption allegedly involving TMC came as relief amid economic hardships Jyoti Basu who ruled West Bengal with history of India. Besides her, only leaders and the ‘cut money’ (bribery) triggered by the lockdown. an iron fist from 1977 to 2000, will not only former Delhi CM Sheila Dixit had won culture affecting everyday life of people. She promised that women heads of 1.6 help fortify her position in the state but three consecutive terms, staying in The party also tried to gain traction crore households will receive basic also enhance her standing at the national office for 15 years. with its Hindutva pitch as slogans of income benefit under which women of level where voices from the opposition She is also the only woman chief “Jai Shri Ram” reverberated at rally general category will get Rs 500 monthly are getting feeble with time. minister in the country at the moment. venues and leaders tried to openly woo allowance and those of Scheduled Caste Speculation is rife already that Having come to power in 2011 after the Dalit Matua and Rajbongshi and Scheduled Tribe Rs 1,000. She said it Banerjee, who reached out to several defeating the Left that was ruling the communities. was pocket money for the women who national and regional parties opposed to state for 34 long years, Banerjee has been Just when she appeared to be losing otherwise have to depend on their the BJP a few months ago, will now try to challenged by the Opposition at point ground, Banerjee shifted gear and coined husbands. forge a common front with them to and the current election shows how she the slogan ‘Bangla nijer meyekei chay’ “The chief minister remains mount a challenge to the saffron party in has overcome hurdles put forward by the (Bengal wants her daughter). Banerjee extremely popular with women, the the 2024 general elections. THE INDIAN PANORAMA PROFILE FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 37

ll India Trinamool Congress (AITC) supremo Mamata ABanerjee, also known as Didi (elder sister in the Bengali language), Journey of Bengal’s sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the third term on 5 May 2021 after she pulled off a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021. Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, daughter to nation’s Didi she resigned as the Chief Minister of West Bengal at Raj Bhavan in the against the proposed Tata Motors car presence of Governor Jagdeep project. She reached the West Bengal Dhankhar (as per the practice) and took assembly, protested, addressed a press the oath of the office and secrecy again. conference, and announced a 12-hour She lost the Nandigram Assembly shut down by her party. The MLAs of Constituency to Suvendu Adhikari (BJP) AITC vandalized the West Bengal in 2021. Legislative Assembly building and a After her separation from the Indian major strike was called on 14 December National Congress, she founded the All 2006, but no gain was registered. India Trinamool Congress (AITC or In 2007, armed police personnel TMC) in 1998. She spearheaded the AITC stormed the rural area of Purba alliance to a landslide victory in the 2011 Medinipur district to quash protest West Bengal Assembly Elections, against the then Government of West defeating the 34-year-old Communist Bengal. The Government had plans to Party of India (Marxist). She was a expropriate 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land member of the West Bengal Legislative for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to be Assembly from the Bhabanipur developed by the Indonesian-based Salim Assembly Constituency from 2011-2021. Group. As per the reports, at least 14 Apart from serving as the Chief villagers were shot dead while over 70 Minister of West Bengal, she has held were wounded, leading to a large number key positions in the Union Cabinet such of people protesting on the streets. as first female Minister of Railways, first Soon after this incident, Mamata female Minister of Coal, and Minister of Banerjee wrote letters to the then Prime Human Resource Development, Youth Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Affairs and Sports, Women and Child Minister Shivraj Patil to stop the Development. She has served as the violence in Nandigram which she Minister of Railways on two occasions. termed as 'State-sponsored violence' Mamata Banerjee rose to prominence promoted by CPI(M). after opposing the erstwhile land Before the 2009 General Elections, her acquisition policies for industrialisation party forged an alliance with the of the Communist government in West socialist activist and politician him from protesting against the Women Congress-led United Progressive Bengal for Special Economic Zones at the Jayaprakash Narayan as a protest Reservation Bill. Alliance (UPA). After the elections, cost of agriculturalists and farmers at against him. From 1976-1980, she served In 1999, she joined BJP led NDA Banerjee became the Union Minister of Singur. as the General Secretary of the Mahila Government and served as the Minister Railways. Throughout her political career, she Congress, West Bengal. In the 1984 of Railways. She presented her first Upon becoming the Union Minister of has maintained a publicly austere General Election, she became one of the Railway Budget in 2000 where she Railways for the second time, she lifestyle. She can be seen dressed in a youngest parliamentarians of India, introduced 19 new trains for the FY 2000- introduced a number of non-stop traditional Bengali saree. Though many defeating veteran Communist Party 2001 and fulfilled many of her promises Duronto Express trains connecting large don't know, she is a self-taught painter politician Somnath Chatterjee, to win to her home state West Bengal. cities as well as a number of other and a poet. Her 300 paintings were sold the Jadavpur Parliamentary In early 2001, after Tehelka Magazine's passenger trains, including women-only for Rs. 9 crores. Constituency in West Bengal. exposure of Operation West End, she trains. In 1984, she became the General walked out of the NDA and allied with Early life, and education Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress. the Indian National Congress for the 2001 As a Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was born in Calcutta In the 1989 General Elections, she lost West Bengal elections and also to She spearheaded the AITC alliance (present-day Kolkata), West Bengal to a her seat to Malini Bhattacharya of the register her protest against senior to a landslide victory in the 2011 West Bengali Hindu family to Promileswar Communist Party of India (Marxist). In ministers of the government over the Bengal Assembly Elections, defeating Banerjee and Gayetri Devi. She lost her the 1991 General Elections, she was re- corruption charges levelled by Tehelka. the 34-year-old Communist Party of father at the age of 17 due to a lack of elected from Calcutta South constituency In September 2003, she again allied India (Marxist). She assumed the medical treatment. and retained this seat in 1996, 1998, 1999, with the NDA Government and served as position of Chief Minister of West She attended Deshbandhu Sishu 2004, and 2009 General Elections. a Cabinet Minister without any portfolio. Bengal and has been serving the Sikhshalay and completed her senior During P. V. Narasimha Rao On 9 January 2004, took charge as the position for the third term in a row. secondary studies in 1970. She earned administration from 1991-1996, she held Minister of Coal and Mines and held the She is the first and to date the only her Bachelor's degree in History from key positions in the Union Cabinet. She portfolio till 22 May 2004. female Chief Minister of West Bengal. Jogamaya Devi College and received her was appointed the Union Minister of In the 2004 General Elections, her Soon after assuming the office, she Master's degree in Islamic history from State for Human Resources party aligned with the BJP but lost the returned the 400 acres of land to the University of Calcutta. She further Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, elections. She suffered major setbacks Singur farmers, set up Gorkhaland earned a degree in Education from Shri and Women and Child Development. when the sitting mayor Subrata Territorial Administration and Shikshayatan College and a law degree After indicating her resignation and Mukherjee defected from her party. Her brought in many reforms in the from Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law protesting at a rally against the party was defeated in the 2006 West education and health sectors. College, Kolkata. She received an Government's indifference towards her Bengal Assembly Elections. On 4 August In a bid to improve the law and order honorary doctorate from the Kalinga proposal to improve sports in the 2006, she hurled her resignation papers situation in the state, she created Institute of Industrial Technology, country at the Brigade Parade Ground in at the Dy.Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal police commissionerates at Howrah, Bhubaneswar and an honorary Kolkata, West Bengal, she was in Lok Sabha. Banerjee was provoked by Barrackpore, Durgapur-Asansol and Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt.) from discharged of her portfolios in the year Speaker Somnath Chatterjee who Bidhannagar. The total area of Kolkata Calcutta University. 1993. rejected her adjournment motion on Municipal Corporation was brought At the age of 15, she became involved In 1997, Mamata Banerjee parted ways illegal infiltration by Bangladeshis in under the control of the Kolkata in politics and established Chhatra with the Indian National Congress over West Bengal on the grounds of improper Police. Parishad Union, the student wing of the the difference in political views with the format. On 16 February 2012, she received an Congress (I) Party,defeating the All India then West Bengal Pradesh Congress On 20 October 2005, she rose to appreciation letter from Bill Gates of Democratic Students Organisation Committee President Somendra Nath prominence after opposing the erstwhile the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation affiliated with the Socialist Unity Centre Mitra. In 1998, she along with Mukul Roy land acquisition policies for for achieving a full year without any of India (Communist). founded AITC which quickly became the industrialisation of the Buddhadeb reported cases of polio, stating it as a opposition party to the Communist Bhattacharjee government in West milestone not only for India but for the Political career Government in West Bengal. Bengal for Special Economic Zones at the world as well. She started her political career with On 11 December 1998, she held a cost of agriculturalists and farmers at In the 2016 West Bengal Assembly the Indian National Congress in the Samajwadi Party MP, Daroga Prasad Singur. Elections, her party won 211 of 293 1970s. She earned huge attention from Saroj, by the collar and dragged him out In November 2006, she was forcibly seats. She took oath as the CM of West the media after dancing on the car of of the well of the Lok Sabha, preventing stopped on her way to Singur for a rally Bengal for the second time. THE INDIAN PANORAMA WOMEN FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 38

FOOD CORNER Ayurvedic remedies to Tomato Fish INGREDIENTS keep dandruff away 250 gm tomato, 1 large onion, 2 teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 pinch salt, 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, 500 gm fish, 2 tablespoon andruff is a common scalp yoghurt (curd), 1 teaspoon red chilli, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 disorder affecting a majority teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoon refined oil. Dof the population. Various factors increase the risk of Method developing dandruff, including a Remove any pin bones from the fish fillets and cut into person’s age, the weather, stress large chunks. Rub 1 ½ tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp levels, medical conditions, and salt over the fish and set aside for 10 minutes. choice of hair products, along with Boil water in a pan. Make a cross cut on the stem side some allergic reactions, psoriasis, of the tomatoes. Plunge the tomatoes in boiling water and dermatitis. for 30 seconds and remove. Peel the tomatoes and chop Poor hygiene is also a factor, but them finely. Also, chop onions very finely. the flakes may be more visible if a Heat oil in a large pan. Spread the fish pieces on the person does not wash or brush their pan and fry till golden in color. Turn and fry on the hair often. other side as well. Remove with a slotted spoon and set Sharing more, ayurvedic aside. practitioner Shyam VL described Add the onions to the same pan. Saute for 5-6 minutes some Ayurvedic tips and home till soft and cooked. Add the turmeric powder, red chili remedies that one can follow. powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger paste, “Our skin cells are forever sugar and chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook for 4-5 renewing themselves. When the minutes till the tomatoes are tender. skin cells on our scalp are renewed Remove from fire, cool slightly and blend in a blender the old ones are pushed to the to get a coarse paste. Return the paste to the pan on the surface. For a person with dandruff fire. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. the renewal is faster and more dead Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for a minute. skin is shed. Dandruff may be Whisk the yoghurt and add to the simmering curry. associated with dry skin conditions Add the fish pieces along with any juices and simmer that aggravate in winter,” he shared for 4-5 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and mix on Instagram. well. “Some of the other reasons for Remove from fire and serve hot with rice or rotis. dandruff are lack of regular hair Massage and rinse with plain overnight, grind and apply on wash that leads to oils and skin cells water on the other days the scalp the next day. build up; skin disorders like A healthy diet plays an Amla powder or triphala psoriasis and eczema; shampooing important role in the chooran can also be applied on too often or using too many styling treatment of dandruff scalp, prior to shower. products that irritate your scalp, too Severe dandruff may require Mix coconut milk with lemon much oil on your scalp, changes in internal medication. juice and apply it on the scalp hormones, stress, a suppressed Here are some simple remedies to before a head bath. immune system — all of these may Mix warm coconut oil with contribute to the development of follow amla powder and gently dandruff,” he added Heat coconut oil with a massage the scalp. Keep hair and scalp clean so as handful of neem leaves and Mix one tablespoon green to minimise the accumulation curry leaves. Once cooled, use gram powder with three of dead skin cells; shampoo- on the scalp every alternate tablespoon yogurt. This wash twice or thrice weekly. day. Mild shampoo wash after mixture can be used as a hair Switch between 2 different 30 minutes. wash. shampoos Soak fenugreek seeds Source: Indian Express Make your make-up Doctors warn against ‘sunscreen contouring’ melt-proof by dunking

s we start heading into the sunburn or damaging your skin. summer, it is more important Speaking to MailOnline, Dr your face in water Athat ever to protect your skin Simran Deo at Online Doctor, Zava, hen it against sun damage and wearing explained that you can use make up comes to always sunscreen to keep safe. to achieve the contoured look, rather Wbeauty, However, a TikTok trend has than damaging your skin. Koreans are never caused some concern as doctors "Although using SPF to contour afraid to try new warn users that attempting this may lead to temporary tan lines in things. From snail- trend could lead to skin cancer. areas where you would usually use slime face packs to The trend was started by LA model make-up to create the same effect, volcanic clay masks, Eli Withrow, who posted a video once those tan lines fade you can be Korean women love showing how she applied her left with more permanent skin to experiment with sunscreen in order to 'achieve damage, which presents at a later age their beauty snatched all summer'. and is not so easy to reverse" she techniques. And the "Haters will say it doesn't work, but said. latest Korean trend will just surprise you! Women are I am convinced that if you put a base "The harsh UVA, UVB and UVR now submerging their faces in water to achieve flawless sunscreen of SPF 30 on and SPF 90 on rays of the sun can lead to early signs make-up. all the spots that you would put of ageing such as wrinkles and fine This technique is called 'jamsu' which translates to highlighter on, the sun will contour lines, areas of hyperpigmentation diving in Korean. The jamsu beauty trick involves your face where you put bronzer and such as lentigo or deeper coating your face with baby powder and then submerging you will be naturally snatched all pigmentation known as melasma" the made-up face in the cold water for 30 seconds. summer" she explained in the video, she continued. Wondering why beauty buffs are swearing by this which has over 1 million views. "It can result in damage of the skin trick? The trick of using baby powder (which works like However, experts have warned that cells leading to skin cancer and pre- baking) and water dunking seals the make-up—which there is "no safe or healthy way to get cancerous changes, as well as having means you'll get long lasting melt-proof make-up. So, if a tan" and by and that by not using an effect on your immunity", she you want matte, oil-free skin in summers, this trick an SPF correctly and not covering your whole body, you could risk added. might come handy. THE INDIAN PANORAMA HEALTH FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 39 Study links fish oil supplements with heart rhythm disorder

ccording to a new analysis by the European Society of ACardiology, omega-3 supplements are associated with an increased likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation in people with high blood lipids. The findings were published in European Heart Journal -- Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy,a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Author of the study, Dr Salvatore Carbone of Virginia Commonwealth University, US said: Air pollution linked to “Currently, fish oil supplements are indicated for patients with elevated plasma triglycerides to reduce high BP in children, cardiovascular risk.” “Due to the high prevalence of young adults elevated triglycerides in the answer the question of whether fish increased risk for atrial fibrillation population, they can be commonly oils were consistently related to a compared to placebo with an xposure to high levels of air pollutants during prescribed. Of note, low-dose raised risk for atrial fibrillation. incidence rate ratio of 1.37 (95 per childhood increases the likelihood of high omega-3 fatty acids are available The analysis included five cent confidence interval 1.22-1.54; Eblood pressure in children and adolescents, and over the counter, without the need randomised controlled trials p<0.001). their risk for high blood pressure as adults, according for a prescription.” investigating the effects of omega-3 Dr Carbone said, “Our study to a meta-analysis of 14A studies. Some clinical trials have fatty acid supplementation on suggests that fish oil supplements The findings showed that short-term exposure to suggested that omega-3 fatty acids cardiovascular outcomes. are associated with a significantly PM10 was significantly associated with elevated may be associated with an Participants had elevated greater risk of atrial fibrillation in systolic blood pressure (the top number on a blood increased risk for atrial fibrillation, triglycerides and were either at patients at elevated cardiovascular pressure reading) in young adults. the most common heart rhythm high risk for cardiovascular disease risk.” “Although one clinical trial Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen disorder. People with the disorder or had established cardiovascular indicated beneficial cardiovascular dioxide were also associated with elevated systolic have a five times greater likelihood disease. A total of 50,277 patients effects of supplementation, the risk levels as well as diastolic level (the bottom number on of having a stroke. received fish oils or placebo and for atrial fibrillation should be a blood pressure reading). The results are published These studies tested different were followed up for between 2 and considered when such agents are in the Journal of the American Heart Association. formulations of omega-3 fatty acids 7.4 years. The dose of fish oils prescribed or purchased over the “Our analysis is the first to closely examine at different doses. The authors, varied from 0.84 g to 4 g per day. counter, especially in individuals previous research to assess both the quality and therefore, performed a The researchers found that susceptible to developing the heart magnitude of the associations between air pollution comprehensive meta-analysis of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation rhythm disorder,” Carbone added. and blood pressure values among children and randomised controlled trials to was associated with a significantly Source: ANI adolescents,” said lead author Yao Lu, Professor of the Clinical Research Centre at the Third Xiangya Hospital at Central South University in Changsha, China. “The findings provide evidence of a positive Single COVID vaccine dose boosts protection association between short- and long-term exposure to certain environmental air pollutants and blood against variants in previously infected: Study pressure in children and adolescents,” Lu said. This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled information from 14 studies and included data for single dose of COVID-19 Rosemary Boyton, Professor of more than 350,000 children and adolescents (mean vaccine boosts protection Immunology and Respiratory ages 5.4 to 12.7 years). The team explored the impact of Aagainst SARS-CoV-2 Medicine at Imperial College long-term and/or short-term exposure of ambient air coronavirus variants, but only in London, who led the research. pollution on blood pressure levels of adolescents those previously infected with the "This study highlights the and/or children in China, US and Europe. disease, according to a study. importance of getting second “To reduce the impact of environmental pollution The researchers looked at the doses of the vaccine rolled out to on blood pressure in children and adolescents, efforts UK and South Africa variants, protect the population," Boyton should be made to reduce their exposure to however, they think it possible said. environmental pollutants,” said Lu. that the findings will apply to The researchers analysed the “Additionally, it is also very important to routinely other variants in circulation, such blood samples for the presence and measure blood pressure in children and adolescents, as the Brazil (P.1) and India levels of immunity against the which can help us identify individuals with elevated (B.1.617 and B.1.618) variants. original strain of SARS-CoV-2, as blood pressure early,” Lu noted. Source: IANS The findings, published in the previously had mild or well as the Kent (B.1.1.7) and South journal Science, show that in asymptomatic infection had Africa (B.1.351) variants of those who have not previously significantly enhanced protection concern. PAGE SPONSORED BY been infected and have so far only against the Kent and South Africa Along with antibodies, the received one dose of vaccine, the variants, after a single dose of the researchers also focused on two DR. SATISH AND GITANJLI ANAND immune response to coronavirus mRNA vaccine. types of white blood cell: B-cells, variants of concern may be In those without prior COVID- which 'remember' the virus, and T DR. SATISH ANAND insufficient. 19, the immune response was less cells, which help B cell memory Former Chairman, Board of The researchers at Imperial strong after a first dose, and recognise and destroy cells Trustees, AAPI National College London, Queen Mary potentially leaving them at risk infected with coronavirus. E-Mail: University of London and from variants. They found that after a first dose [email protected] University College London, looked "Our findings show that people of vaccine, prior infection was at immune responses in UK who have had their first dose of associated with a boosted T cell, B healthcare workers at Barts and vaccine, and who have not cell and neutralising antibody GITANJLI ANAND Royal Free hospitals following previously been infected with response, which could provide Former President, India their first dose of the SARS-CoV-2, are not fully effective protection against SARS- Association of Long Island Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. protected against the circulating CoV-2, as well as the Kent and (IALI) They found that people who had variants of concern," said South Africa variants. E-mail: [email protected] THE INDIAN PANORAMA SCIENCE & TECH FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 40 Google Photos SpaceX Starship rocket to offer only prototype achieves first 15GB free space Twitter rival Koo safe landing announces ‘Talk from June 1 to Type’ feature oogle Photos, which currently offers unlimited free storage for for Indian G"high quality" photos for all languages users, will only offer 15GB of free storage space for new photos and witter rival Koo has videos starting next month. launched its ‘Talk to However, this change doesn't apply to TType’ feature for those who own a Pixel 2 or later, XDA Indian languages and said Developers reported. it is the first social media Pixel users will continue to get platform to roll out such unlimited free "high quality" photo capability. backups on Google Photos. However, The move would enable those who don't own a Pixel phone will and empower those users have to get a Google One subscription, who feel uncomfortable which starts at $1.99 per month ($19.99 using the keyboard. per year) for 100GB. “Anybody who wants to The company, last year in November, share their thoughts can announced that it would no longer offer now do so easily without unlimited free storage for "high having to type. They can quality" photos on Google Photos speak their thoughts out starting June 1, 2020. loud and the words will The company had revealed that it paceX achieved the first successful gear. show up magically on the would limit free storage on Google touchdown of its prototype Starship "We are down, the Starship has landed," screen. All at the click of a Photos to 15GB and users would have to Srocket during the latest test flight of the SpaceX principal integration engineer John button and without using a pay for a monthly Google One next-generation launch vehicle in south Texas Insprucker said during live commentary for the keyboard,” the company subscription for any additional storage. on Wednesday, May 5, after four previous flight. said in a statement. Since photos and videos uploaded to landing attempts ended in explosions. A video feed of the landing showed flames This will happen in all Google Photos before the deadline won't The feat marked a key milestone for the continuing to burn at the base of the rocket the Indian languages Koo count towards the new 15GB limit, private rocket company of billionaire tech after the engines cut off, but an automated fire- is currently available in, users should probably upload all their mogul Elon Musk in its development of a suppression system trained a steady stream of and will be the “easiest precious memories right away and resusable heavy-lift launch vehicle to water onto the landing pad, eventually way to share thoughts with avoid paying for the Google One eventually carry astronauts and large cargo extinguishing the blaze. people in a native Indian subscription, the report said. payloads to the moon and Mars. The flight came on the 60th anniversary of language”. The Starship SN15 blasted off from the the first spaceflight by an American astronaut - “Koo is the first social SpaceX launch site in Boca Chica, Texas, along Alan Shepard's launch on a 15-minute media platform in the the Gulf Coast and reached its planned suborbital mission atop NASA's Mercury- world that is using this maximum altitude of 10 kilometers (6 miles), Redstone rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. ‘Talk to Type’ feature, that then hovered momentarily before flying nose- Musk declared success on Twitter, posting a too in Indian regional down under aerodynamic control back toward terse message in the understated parlance of languages, apart from Earth. spaceflight: "Starship landing nominal!" English. This will enable Maneuvering itself back into vertical Four previous test flights of Starship regional language creation position under rocket thrust as it approached prototypes - SN8 in December, SN9 in February in the easiest way possible the ground, the 16-story, three-engine vehicle and SN10 and SN11 in March - all blasted off for millions of Koo users,” descended to a gentle touchdown on its landing successfully but blew to pieces. the statement said.

PUBG to return as Battlegrounds Virgin Hyperloop shows off the future: mass transport in floating magnetic pods Mobile India n the desert just north of Las Vegas, a long white metal tube sits at the base NEW DELHI (TIP): Amid Iof the mountains, promising to one rumours around PUBG's comeback day revolutionise travel. That is where in India, South Korean video game Virgin Hyperloop, whose partners developer Krafton on Thursday,May include Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, 6, confirmed the return of its much- is developing the technology for anticipated game for the Indian passenger pods that will hurtle at speeds users. of up to 750 miles an hour (1,200 kph) The company of its social media through almost air-free vacuum tunnels accounts and its websites mentioned using magnetic levitation. that the game is coming soon in “It will feel like an aircraft at take-off India. However, the game will not and once you’re at speed,” said co- release as PUBG Mobile India but as founder and Chief Executive Josh “This pod was really the embodiment Battlegrounds Mobile India. Giegel, who gave Reuters an exclusive of ‘How do we take something that’s an "With privacy and data security tour of the pod used in its November test idea and make it into something that’s a being a top priority,Krafton will be working with partners, to ensure data protection run, where it was propelled along a 500 reality for us to sit in?’ Giegel said.The and security, at each stage," the video game developed said in a statement. meter (1,640 ft) tunnel. pods will seat 28 passengers and could be "This will ensure privacy rights are respected, and all data collection and storage “You won’t even have turbulence customised for long and short distances, will be in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in India and for because our system is basically and for freight. players here," it added. completely able to react to all that While it is still at an early stage, Giegel According to the company, the game will offer a world-class multiplayer gaming turbulence. Think noise-canceling but predicts commercial operations as early experience on mobile. bump-canceling, if you will.”Off-white as 2027. It could be the first form of Battlegrounds Mobile India will release with exclusive in-game events like outfits materials and a back mirror make the transport in 100 years to revolutionise and features and will have its own esports ecosystem with tournaments and leagues. pod seem bigger and more “inviting” for travel, just like cars, trains and planes The game will launch as a free-to-play experience on mobile devices. new users, Giegel said. did, Giegel said. THE INDIAN PANORAMA BUSINESS FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 41 India to breach fiscal deficit target in FY22: Fitch Solutions

NEW DELHI (TIP): India is likely to breach its fiscal deficit target in the financial year to March 2022 mainly due to revenue shortfall, Fitch Solutions said Friday, May 7. Melinda Gates The government is targeting a deficit between revenue it earns and what it spends at 6.8 per cent of the gross gets billions in domestic product (GDP) in FY22 (April 2021 to March 2022). "We at Fitch Solutions forecast the shares from Indian central government deficit to come in at 8.3 per cent of GDP in FY22," it said. "Revenue shortfall remains the main Cascade driver of our wider deficit view, as we ascade Investment, the holding expect the government to maintain its company created by Bill Gates, spending targets." Ctransferred stock in two of Fitch Solutions had previously Mexico’s largest companies to Melinda projected a fiscal deficit of 8 per cent. French Gates, bringing the total amount "The main driver of our deficit forecast she’s received in the past few days to revision is a downward revision to our more than $2 billion. outlook for revenues, given that the flare- It did not expect the government to this will likely come in higher than Cascade moved stock worth more than up in Covid-19 cases in India and significantly expand spending beyond projected. $500 million in Coca-Cola Femsa and containment measures in place will what has been budgeted. Another area expected to see increased Grupo Televisa to her control, according hamper India's economic recovery, which Based on the FY22 Union Budget, key spending is on the rural employment to regulatory filings dated May 3, the will have a negative impact on fiscal spending areas planned for were scheme - Mahatma Gandhi National Rural same day the Gateses announced they revenues," it said. infrastructure (transport, urban Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) were ending their 27-year marriage. Central government expenditure is development, and power), healthcare, scheme. Cascade shifted about $1.8 billion of likely to be around the project of Rs 34.8 agriculture, and rural development. "During the Union Budget shares in Canadian National Railway Co. lakh crore as it looks to maintain its high "However, given the flare-up in Covid-19 announcement in February, it had and AutoNation Inc. this week to French pandemic-period spending so as to bolster infections in India, which has since appeared as though India had managed to Gates, Bloomberg reported. pace of economic recovery. overwhelmed the Indian healthcare contain its domestic Covid-19 outbreak Their separation is expected to involve Against this, revenue are likely to come system, we expect there to be reallocation and that economic activity was turning a a wealth transfer on a scale that’s only in at Rs 16.5 lakh crore, down from of spending in favour of healthcare corner on to higher growth. We believe been seen in a few other divorces, though government estimate of Rs 17.8 lakh crore spending this fiscal year," Fitch Solutions that this was what prompted the few details have yet emerged. It could on the back of an impaired outlook for said adding healthcare spending is government to slash funding for the also have ramifications for one of the India's economic recovery in FY22 as a projected to be Rs 74,600 crore, 2.1 per cent MGNREG scheme from Rs 1.1 lakh crore most important philanthropic result of the ongoing health crisis. of total planned FY22 expenditures, and in FY21 to Rs 73,000 crore in FY22. organizations on the planet. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given away more than $50 billion to support health care, education, gender equality Non-residents to be taxed in China suspends economic and efforts to combat climate change. India if transaction value dialogue with Australia as US spending exceeds Rs 2 cr relations curdle BEIJING (TIP): China "indefinitely" suspended on may spur NEW DELHI (TIP): Thursday all activity under a China-Australia Strategic Non-residents undertaking Economic Dialogue, its state economic planner said, the transactions with Indian latest setback for strained relations between the two modest rate parties will trigger countries. taxability under the "Recently, some Australian Commonwealth domestic law in India even Government officials launched a series of measures to hike: Yellen if they do not have physical disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between reasury Secretary Janet Yellen presence in the country and China and Australia out of Cold War mindset and said interest rates may have to rise operate digitised ideological discrimination," China's National Tmodestly to prevent the U.S. businesses. Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a economy from overheating due to higher The Central Board of short statement on the decision. levels of government spending. Direct Taxes has notified new rules for operation of business by non- The commission did not say in the statement what “It may be that interest rates will have residents under which any transaction over Rs 2 crore (apex $27,100) in specific measures prompted the action. to rise somewhat to make sure our respect of any goods, services or property carried out by them with any The Australian dollar fell sharply on the news, and economy doesn’t overheat," Yellen said person in India, including provision of download of data or software in was as low as 0.7701 to the U.S. dollar from Wednesday's in an interview with the Atlantic India, will attract tax in India. $0.7747. recorded Monday that was broadcast on The provisions of Significant Economic Presence (SEP) that become Bilateral ties were strained in 2018 when Australia the web on Tuesday.“It could cause some the base for taxability of non-residents in India will also apply if the became the first country to publicly ban Chinese tech very modest increases in interest rates." number of users with whom systematic and continuous business giant Huawei from its 5G network. Relations worsened Stocks extended their losses on Tuesday activities are solicited (or who are engaged in interactions) exceeds 3 last year when Australia called for an independent and the dollar briefly touched session lakh. The provisions of SEP were introduced in the legislation in 2018 investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus, highs after Yellen’s remarks. with intent to tax non-residents operating digitised businesses which prompting trade reprisals from China. Yellen’s comments come amid a debate function without a physical presence. It meant that SEP of a non- Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan said the on whether President Joe Biden’s raft of resident in India shall constitute a ‘business connection’ in India. decision by the commission was "disappointing" because proposed and enacted government These provisions were further amended vide Finance Act, 2020 which the economic dialogue was "an important forum for spending could spur a surge in price defined SEP as transaction in respect of any goods, services or property Australia and China to work through issues relevant to pressures. Administration officials have carried out by a non-resident with any person in India including our economic partnership". consistently argued that there’s little provision of download of data or software in India, if the aggregate of "We remain open to holding the dialogue and engaging concern about a damaging inflation payments arising from such transaction or transactions during the year at the ministerial level," he said in a statement. The last acceleration, given the tools policy exceeds a threshold or systematic and continuous soliciting of business meeting was in Beijing in 2017, when Australia's trade makers have to head off such an activities or engaging in interaction with a defined number of users in minister signed an agreement on cooperation on Belt outcome. India. and Road projects in third-party countries. THE INDIAN PANORAMA ASSEMBLY POLLS FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 42 Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan secures a historic second term CPM-led LDF wins 98 seats, UDF 41; BJP draws a blank

erala took a left turn again with Pinarayi Vijayan Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Kbucking the four-decade-old electoral trend of the state that sees power alternating between the two main groupings. Winning 98 out of 140 seats, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has made history. For Vijayan, who led the coalition from the front, it is a personal victory that will strengthen his position (as well as that of the Kerala unit’s) in the party, said political observers. The CPI(M) has been left licking its wounds in West Bengal, but the party can take cheer in the fact that the only Communist government in the country bounced back to power. Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury lauded the people of the state for reposing faith in the government. “The country is facing twin dangers, livelihood issues arising out of pandemic and threat to secular and democratic values. People of Kerala gave us immense support and will uphold these values,” he said in New Delhi. Though the government faced many scandals and corruption charges, including the sensational gold smuggling case, arrest of party secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son in drug and money laundering cases, and a controversy over alleged back-door entry in government house. “Metro Man” E Sreedharan, who Out of 95 seats the Congress contested, came down to 11.30% this time and BDJS services, the CM steered the coalition was inducted into the party a month it got 21 and the BJP drew a blank, losing vote share dipped from 3% to 1.75% this through the crises. His government also before election, and made the news more all 113 seats it contested. A close look at time. had to deal with two health crises (Nipah for his controversial statements than the results shows that the BJP’s high- To add it its woes, party state president and Covid-19) and floods, which almost anything else, failed to retrieve the decible campaign that it is the only K Surendran lost in two constituencies-- became an annual affair. party’s fortunes. He was defeated in credible alternative in bipolar politics Mancheswaram in north Kerala and Vijayan, political theorist and writer J Palakkad by sitting legislator Shafi fell flat. Konni in Pathanamthitta. He shuttled Reghu said, has successfully managed to Parambhil of the Congress by a margin What is more embarrassing for the between two constituencies on a chopper brand himself as a competent leader. The of over 3,000 votes. party is that it roped in Metro Man E which evoked much criticism. “There party has amplified this, he added, Sreedharan at the eleventh hour (he was only a single point agenda to prevent pointing out that much more than BJP remains distant third joined the party three weeks before the blooming of the lotus. Parties were in a ideological, this victory is a personal one In red surge in Kerala on Sunday, May election) and projected him as the CM race to ensure this. A big communal for the CM. 2, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was candidate and tried to highlight his polarisation in favour of the ruling Vijayan campaigned extensively in all washed out and it failed to save its lone “clean image and integrity”. Almost all CPI(M) took place,” said Surendran. 14 districts, denied seats to many senior seat Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram national leaders descended onto the BJP national leaders had raised many leaders such as finance minister Thomas which the BJP often dubbed as ‘Kerala’s state, including Prime Minister Modi, issues like love jihad, Sabarimala temple Issac, law minister A K Balan and public Gujarat’. But even in such a hostile and lauded the expertise of the 88-year- issue, the gold smuggling case and arrest works department minister G climate, the wounded BJP is eyeing the old civil engineer to curry favour but of party secretary Kodiyeri Sudhakaran in the guise of instilling space vacated by the Congress. voters were least convinced. Before Balakrishnan’s son in drug and money fresh blood, and saw off a factional feud Two years ago, the party had results, Sreedharan even opened an laundering cases but they failed to following the retirement of his long-time announced its grand plan of a “Congress office of the legislator in Palakkad. enthuse voters. party rival V S Achuthanandan. Mukt Bharat” and often poached Sreedharan did put up a spirited fight “Due to Kerala’s unique demography, The Opposition Congress-led UDF said disgruntled leaders and allegedly in Palakkad till the last round before it is difficult for the party to get a strong it accepts the people’s verdict with toppled governments, the last time being admitting defeat at the hands of sitting foothold. It tried its best to rake up the humility. “It was least expected. We will in Puducherry. Congress legislator Shafi Parambhil by Sabarimala temple issue but results go through factors that led to our defeat “It is a fact that before election, some over 3,000 votes. Party district president show it failed to make any impact. and take corrective steps,” said leaders were approached. But the E Krishnadas said there was rampant Infighting in the state unit also played its opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. political climate in Kerala is unlike that cross-voting to block Sreedharan’s role,” said political commentator Though party leader Rahul Gandhi, an of north India and other parts of the victory. “All teamed up to ensure his Sunnykutty Abraham, adding the party MP from the state, and his sister country. Let the party first save its defeat. The CPI(M)’s total votes came will remain a distant third in the state. Priyanka Gandhi campaigned for the depleting space before poaching on other down to 8,000,” he said. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also UDF, they failed to control the Left’s parties,” said a senior Congress leader, Though party candidates came second came down heavily on party’s belligerent surge. “It seems cosmetic changes in the who did not want to be named. in eight seats, the vote share of BJP+ was campaign. “We promised to close the form of young candidates and the Many senior Congress leaders have 14% in comparison to that of Lok Sabha single account of the BJP and we campaign of the Gandhi family failed to urged an overhaul in the party. Party elections’ 15.3%, latest statistics show. It managed it. Such forces have no place in help. The party will have to be workers took to social media to highlight was aiming for a jump of 5% and a a state like Kerala, which swears by restructured,” said G Pramod Kumar, a this and sought elevation of Kannur couple of seats but it failed. Its second communal harmony. It is better for its political analyst and former senior strongman K Sudhakaran MP as PCC big alliance partner the Bharatiya national leaders to understand it at least adviser of the United Nations president to lift workers’ morale. Senior Dharma Jana Sena, a political outfit of now,” he said in Kannur (north Kerala) Development Programme. leader and former minister backward Ezhavas, also failed to make a on Sunday, reacting to the BJP’s The BJP-led NDA also drew a blank. It Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan later mark. In the last assembly elections, the performance. forfeited its lone seat in the outgoing endorsed it too. BJP alone had 12. 6 % vote share which Source: HT THE INDIAN PANORAMA ASSEMBLY POLLS FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 43 Stalin takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM DMK chief’s perseverance pays off as ‘sun’ and son rise in TN

ravida Munnetra Kazhagam MK Stalin (DMK) leader MK Stalin took oath Das the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Friday, May 7, morning. Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to 68-year old Stalin, for whom this would be the first stint as CM, in a simple ceremony at the Raj Bhavan. Along with the DMK chief, 34 ministers of his party also took oath to be appointed in the state cabinet. The names include 19 former ministers and 15 new faces. It has two women. Stalin's son Udhayanidhi does not figure in the list of ministers. AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam, leaders from alliance parties including Congress's P Chidambaram, MDMK chief Vaiko and top state officials took part in the ceremony. DMK had fought the elections with its allies and got an absolute majority on its own by bagging 133 seats in the 234- member assembly. Stalin will hold several portfolios including Home, General Administration, Special Initiatives, Special Programme Implementation and Welfare of Differently -Abled Persons. While he has been branded as the 'son who rose', Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin cannot be called so anymore after ensuring his party's victory in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly election. Ever since his father, M Karunanidhi, passed away in 2018, Stalin has managed to consolidate the DMK. Stalin went on to become Tamil Nadu's up the promises made to the people. party." The party's sweep in the 2019 Lok Deputy Chief Minister in his father's Stalin had spoken about his vision for Governor Purohit appointed him as Sabha election was seen as his personal cabinet in 2009. The same year, when this Tamil Nadu and to strengthen the DMK. the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and achievement. But the victory, which will journalist in an interview asked M This was the time things went sour invited him to form the ministry and to make Stalin walk inside St. Fort George Karunanidhi about Stalin's next between Alagiri and his father have the swearing-in ceremony on 7 as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, is the elevation, he said, "DMK is a democratic Karunanidhi. After many struggles, May at 9 am at Raj Bhavan, an official reward for his perseverance of over 50 party. Every decision will be taken with Madurai which was seen as MK Alagiri's release said. years. consent of the general council." bastion came under the wings of MK On Tuesday, Stalin was unanimously As Stalin himself had recalled in a Karunanidhi did not project MK Stalin. elected as legislature party leader of recent interview to India Today TV, he Stalin as the chief ministerial candidate The 2016 assembly election saw a the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam started his political career as a teenager in 2016 even though he himself was close fight. Stalin was the one who had (DMK). “Party president @mkstalin at a barbershop. unwell. spearheaded DMK's campaign and was elected leader of the DMK "We youngsters started an outfit called A senior DMK leader said, "Kalaingar alliance strategies. legislature party," the DMK said on its DMK Elaingar Mandram (DMK youth didn't handover the position so easily to After losing a closely fought battle, official twitter handle. wing)," he had said. Stalin later Stalin. He was made to wait for a really Stalin had to wait to live his dream of The meet to elect him was held at campaigned for his uncle Murasoli long time and his has been a long battle." becoming the chief minister. headquarters ‘Anna Arivalayam’ and it Maran in the 1967 elections. In 2014, MK Stalin was criticised by But the massive victory in this witnessed participation of 133 newly During the Emergency, he was political analysts for not leading the election has finally paved way for the elected MLAs, including eight from arrested under the Maintenance of DMK to victory in the Lok Sabha 68-year-old Stalin to occupy the chief alliance parties like the Vaiko-led Internal Security Act (MISA) for taking elections. minister's chair. MDMK who fought the polls on DMK’s part in protests. MK Stalin came to the "They said his strategy failed. But he However, challenges are far from over ‘Rising Sun’ symbol. A DMK release forefront when he was beaten up in didn't wear out and continued to tour the for the chief minister elect. He is taking said Stalin was unanimously elected as police custody. C Chittibabu, a DMK state," said the senior DMK leader on over the mantle in the midst of a raging the legislature party leader after his leader, who was his cellmate died condition of anonymity. pandemic and is inheriting the state's name was proposed by party general protecting him. While dynasty politics has been an financial burden from the previous secretary Duraimurugan and seconded Since then, Stalin eventually grew in allegation levelled against MK Stalin by government. by principal secretary KN Nehru. the party and became secretary of its his opponents and critics, he also faced Some AIADMK leaders have openly The DMK has won 133 of the total 234 youth wing in 1982. In his own words, as trouble from his brother MK Alagiri. said in debates that it might not be easy Assembly seats that went to polls on Stalin told India Today, "They kept Over the years, Stalin worked towards for Stalin's government to get help from April 6. Some more seats were won by calling me heir. But, I came up in the creating a niche for himself in the party. the central government. allies, including the Congress that party on my own, in a step by step At one point, Karunanidhi was forced to For now, 'Team Stalin' is getting ready bagged 18 constituencies. process." handover powers of Tamil Nadu's to decide the cabinet and handle the Garnering two-thirds of the 234 seats, Stalin was first given a ticket to southern districts to MK Alagiri. pandemic on priority, sources say. the 68-year old Stalin, through his contest from the Thousand Lights Nevertheless, 'Thalapathy', as MK Governor Banwarilal Purohit sustained campaign yet again ushered constituency in Chennai but lost the Stalin is called by his supporters, toured appointed DMK president M K Stalin as in a victory similar to that of the 2019 election. However, he won from the same across Tamil Nadu to garner support. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after he Parliamentary election win. The constituency in 1989. In his first interview to India Today submitted a letter on his election as victory did not, however, land in In 1996, MK Stalin became the Mayor TV (then Headlines Today) in 2013, said, legislature party leader, the Raj Bhavan Stalin’s lap and he worked towards it by of Chennai. This post, he has said "State autonomy is very important for said on Wednesday. Stalin called on reaching out to people systematically several times, gave him "great DMK. We believe in self-rule in the Purohit at the Raj Bhavan and by targeting the Centre and state experience". His slogan of converting state." "submitted a letter intimating of his governments on many issues. Chennai into 'Singara Chennai' He had lashed out at then Chief election as the leader of the Dravida Source: Live Mint, India Today and (beautiful Chennai) became popular. Minister J. Jayalalithaa for not keeping Munnetra Kazhagam Legislature News 18 THE INDIAN PANORAMA FEATURE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 44 Eid ul Fitr is the prime festival of 1.8 billion Muslims across the world. We wish our readers a happy and festive Eid. EID MUBARAK

id means festivity and celebration. It is a joyful Also, most of the perishable items for cooking had to to receive such funds, and you can give directly to any moment for Muslims to observe 30 days of fasting be purchased a day earlier, determined by moon family or charity. Baitul Maal distributes the funds to Eof every aspect of human life. They abstain from sighting. It is a tradition as refrigeration was not life-sustaining, educational and humanitarian aid to thinking, saying, doing bad things that hurt fellow available in South Asia until 50 years ago. Nasa predicts the underserved populations. humans, and abstaining from any intake of food or the moon sighting accurately, but tradition is tradition Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "Let the left hand liquids from sun-up to sun-down. It is time to celebrate (the song in the movie Fiddler on the roof). not know what the right hand gives." Its profound a successful month of training in becoming an I am sharing the practice in South Asia: India, wisdom is that don't boast or brag about your giving, excellent disciplined human being. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and let the receiver of the charity not be humiliated or It is purifying oneself bodily by getting rid of the with some variations. lose his freedom in your presence to speak up if he/she toxins and spiritually by shedding the arrogance and Mehendi differs from you. Such is the emphasis placed on giving feeling as equals with fellow humans. Spirituality is not and liberty. wearing certain clothes but feeling that we are merely a Women and girls gather up from the neighborhood Breakfast speck in the universe; we simply one in 8 billion people. and do the Mehendi/Henna on their hands and feet. The It is a great feeling to have. Humility builds bridges men and boys will have few spots on their hands. It is Each family has a among fellow humans, and arrogance destroys. not a religious thing but a part of the culture. different practice. Rotis Festivals are expressions of joy. Religious societies and Kuftas were a have designed the festivities to bring people together. tradition in my home; it Holi, Diwali, Ramadan, Bakrid, Christmas, Easter, was usually a lighter Paryushana, Rosh Hashana, and Jayanthies. Then we breakfast compared to have the civil society festivities, designed for the same the lunch. purpose as the New Year, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and so Eid gathering many other days. In India, we celebrated all festivals together, and I hope that tradition begins here in the Practices vary, first in my town and Bangalore and diaspora communities. then the patterns in the United States. When we live as neighbors or live in the same town, Around 9 AM, Muslims of the town gather at the we might as well learn about each other. The best way to Mosque and then March to the Eid-Gah, which is about build secure, cohesive societies is for its members to a mile reciting "God is great and thank him." Eid-Gah is understand each other's sorrows and joys, and a place built to pray in large numbers, and it is usually festivities and commemorations. at the edge of a Khabrastan (cemetery). In Dallas, It is this good feeling that Muslims celebrate or Louisville, and other Cities, they rent the convention reward themselves on Eid. center to accommodate the large gathering. This year, the Indian Muslims have much more to feel Eid Prayers good about being a good caring human being. My Hindu Eid Day friend today pointed out that the Sikhs and Muslims One of the first things Muslims do is meet their Time to gather up for the prayers. The Imam or the trained to serve fellow humans. He said it is in-built in obligation towards needy fellow humans and pay their guest speaker gives a short sermon reminding Muslims them; they don't need the Gurdwara or the Mosque to dues. of their duties to fellow humans and congratulating organize things for them. New Clothes them for being good Muslims - aka Good citizens. A few of them gather on their own and serve fellow Namaz follows the speech ending with the words Eid humans. Since covid started taking tolls on human life, Wearing new clothes is always a Mubarak. Muslims in India have taken the responsibility to celebration, particularly for children. perform the last rites of dead bodies of Hindus and It is one reason people donate to others, as the families of the deceased persons did not families in advance so the have- want to touch or be near them. There are thousands of nots can also feel the festival. Eid such cases, including a few BJP leaders who died; a few multiplies when everyone around examples are here in this link. you is happy, and it behooves us to https://gooddeeds.info/category/funerals/ and ensure that it happens. https://Youtube.com/GoodDeedsbyMuslims. Fitra Eid Begins with Chand Raat Before the Eid gathering The moon cycle is 28, 29, or 30 days. After observing 28 (usually) around 9 AM, every days of fasting, Muslims will start looking for the Muslim who possesses food and appearance of the moon. Once it is spotted - Chand Raat funds over their needs donates to and festivities begin, shops open up, and people go on a charity to help the needy. It is buying frenzy. It is like shopping for Diwali or called Fitra or Fitrana. It is Christmas at the last minute. It is a joyous moment. about $5 in the United States, and you can multiply that by 3 million going into the pot for the deserving. There is no ceiling to give, but one must give. That is how we help the needy.But most people pay it out much earlier. Zakat

It is an obligation one has towards fellow humans to donate a specific portion of his/her wealth to the needy. The customary practice is 2.5% on capital assets and a higher amount on precious metals and livestock. The funds usually go to Bait-ul Maal, an organization set up CONTD ON PAGE 45 THE INDIAN PANORAMA FEATURE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 45 CONTD FROM PAGE 44 Edi Hugging When you reach home, the family earner gifts the other members with cash. When I was a kid, my father gave me 4 Annas (like 1/4th of a Rupee), my cousin Munawar and I dashed to the store behind our home and bought an Orange Soda each, and that was our joy! Eid Lunch

You visit families and friends and, in each place, taste a little bit of food. Every home is an open house for much of the afternoon. You can taste such a wide variety of foods! Eid Mubarak! Ramadan Mubarak, Happy Eid, Eid Blessings are the different phrases to wish your friends.

It is time to put our difference and hug each other. It is three hugs, and my interpretation for each hug is the non-verbal "forgive me," "I forgive you," and "Let's start with a clean slate." After the hugs, you feel purged from ill-will towards the other, and it is also a time to make up with the people you carried the burden of ill-will. By now, you have purified yourselves from ill-will, malice, jealousy, and other things that are negative thoughts about fellow humans. Eid is celebration and happiness. Khabrastan/Cemetery

One of Muslims' most beautiful inclusive prayers is to ask the creator to forgive all the dead and the alive humans and shower them with His peace and blessings. The Eid-Gah in my home town is attached to the Khabrastan. We visited each grave of the family and friends and collectively prayed for all people. In the US, we can recite the same prayer from wherever we are. It is also time to seek forgiveness from those you were rude to and said the wrong thing.

Time to thank the men and women in the uniform.

When you see a policeman, fireman, and those who serve in the army, navy, air force, marines, and others, please express your gratitude to them to ensure our safety and protect our freedoms. They put their life at risk for us. I had a beautiful experience in Louisville. I thanked the police officer at the convention center as I entered the facility and showed him my thank you note. He was excited and asked me to forward the email, and after the Eid prayer, he told me that he had shared it with the entire police department in Louisville with an appreciation for Muslims. (The author is a public speaker, author, commentator and an Real happiness comes from repentance and interfaith wedding officiant. He is the founder and president of forgiveness. It releases one from the built-in known and the Center for Pluralism and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the media and the policymakers. More unknown tensions. about him at www.TheGhouseDiary.com) THE INDIAN PANORAMA CLASSIFIEDS FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 46 THE INDIAN PANORAMA PANCHAYAT POLL FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 47 UP PANCHAYAT POLL SP emerges as frontrunner, BJP suffers setback in strongholds he Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Election Results, touted as the Tsemi-final of a high-stakes assembly election next year, have set the alarm bell ringing with for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Though the BJP leadership was claiming that their candidates have won in over 60 per cent of the seats, but the result declared in the districts shows a different scenario. Among the 3 tier panchayat polls the contest of the District Development Council (DDC) member was the crucial for the political parties in which BJP lagged in almost in majority of districts including PM’ s constituency of Varanasi, Ayodhya of Ram Temple, Krishna Janamsthan Mathura and in state capital Lucknow. However in Gorakhpur, the native of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP was successful in winning majority of seats. BJP president Swantra Deo Singh has claimed that party candidates have won over 918 DDC seats and were leading in 456 other places of the total 3050 at stake. However the ruling BJP would get an edge during the election of the DDC chairman, as several independents, who have won the polls, could support the BJP nominee. chairpersons, who enjoy huge As no political party symbol were administrative powers. used in this poll it will also benefit the ruling party to rope in the winning What it means for SP candidates of the opposition. Samajwadi Party leaders are talking According to reports in the state about how they have defeated BJP capital Lucknow, of the announced 25 candidates in large numbers, but are seats, 10 were won by Samajwadi Party avoiding putting exact numbers to (SP), 4 by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 3 these victories. The party had not by BJP and Independent and others 8. officially declared all candidates and In PM Narendra Modi’s, Varanasi left the decision to support candidates district, seven DDC seats were won by to local cadre; in many places there was BJP,10 by SP,4 by BSP,one of Congress, “BJP’s dream of forming a third engine If the common man was furious with more than one active party member 2 by SBSP, 3 by Apna Dal (Sonelal) and willing to contest. While the SP has 11 by Independents. government in villages has been shattered. the Yogi government’s mismanagement gained significantly, its next test would In Ayodhya, of the 40 seats, 22 were The BJP has to face defeat in PM Modi’s of the second deadly surge of also be turn these numbers into victory won by SP, 8 by BJP, 4 by BSP and 6 by as well as chief minister’s constituencies. coronavirus infections, the chief for zila panchayat chairpersons. others. Of the 33 DDC seats announced in Even in Lucknow, people have rejected the minister was also let down by the What next Mathura district, 12 were won by BSP, 9 BJP” - SP chief Akhilesh Yadav sulking BJP cadre. All parties will now focus on the by BJP, 8 by Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), election of 75 zila panchayat one by SP and others 3. in Balrampur district 6 were won by secretary Arun Singh themselves held chairpersons posts and 826 block In Auraiya district, of the 23 seats BJP, 9 by SP, 6 by BSP, one by Congress reviews of the preparations. pramukhs. The BJP has announced announced 5 were won by BJP, 10 by SP, and 2 by others. The party had announced that office- that it would officially declare the list 4 by BSP and 4 by others. While in In Mainpuri, 12 were won by SP, 8 by bearers willing to contest these polls of candidates for these posts too. It is Kanpur Dehat district of the 32 seats BJP one by Congress and 9 by would have to resign from their posts if confident because most of the announced, BJP, 12 by SP, 7 by BSP and Independents. elected. Many did so, hoping it would grassroots representatives 9 by others. give them a better chance at upcoming traditionally go with the ruling party. In Shamli district of the 19 seats What it means for BJP Assembly elections. Its next challenge would be to select announced 4 were won by BJP, 2 by SP, Considered mainly an urban party, Yet the results included losses in right candidates. And the SP and the 5 by RLD and 8 by others. In Hathras the BJP had never directly entered most seats in even Ayodhya and BSP will be expected to put up a tough district, of the 24 seats declared 5 were panchayat polls and had rather avoided Varanasi. This comes in the backdrop fight. won by BJP, 4 by SP, 2 by BSP, 3 by RLD village polls. The setback comes after of claims that the BJP has started The independent winners include a and 10 by others. massive preparations including construction of Ram Temple and also large number of rebels of the BJP A report from Baghpat said RLD won announcing the candidates list. released huge funds for overall itself, who were not given tickets but 8 seats of the 20 followed by 4 of BJP, 4 In January, the BJP set up high-level development of Ayodhya and Varanasi. won. The BJP will do all it can to woo of SP, one of BSP and 3 others. committees for each of its six regions While the losses in the majority of such candidates back into the party In Jalaun district, in the total 25 in the state, with each committee the 3,050 zila parishad seats might not fold ensure victory. Zila panchayat seats, 7 were won by BSP, 6 by BJP, 4 by including a minister, a senior leader as formally count as BJP defeats, it will chairpersons have powers to approve SP, One by Congress and 7 by others. in-charge and local office bearers. have dented the party’s confidence and sanction proposals of gram In Etawah district, of the 24 seats Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP ahead for Assembly polls. On the other panchayats, impose taxes and even announced so far, 18 were won by SP, 2 in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Radha hand, it will still look forward to the frame or sanction bylaws for any gram by BJP, one by BSP and 3 others while Mohan Singh and national general election of zila panchayat panchayat. THE INDIAN PANORAMA TURN PAGE FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 48 CONTD FROM PAGE 3 after other countries had stepped in to offer help to departure of family members of US government India. employees. Three Indian-American CEOs join task... However, since then, the U.S is sending, by its count, On May 5, the Department approved the voluntary Others who were added to the list on May 6 are Mark more than $100 million in assistance to India. departure of non-emergency US government Suzman, CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Joshua Assistance of various forms has been mobilized on a employees. Bolten, president and CEO, Business Roundtable; and massive scale by private citizens and the "US citizens who wish to depart India should take Suzanne Clark, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of administration. There has been a public outpouring of advantage of available commercial transportation Commerce. grief and calls to help India, that have continued weeks options," it said. The task force is a newly formed public-private into the outbreak in India. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and partnership organized by the U.S. Chamber of "On Monday,April 26, President Joe Biden spoke with Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice Commerce and supported by Business Roundtable. It is the Prime Minister to offer our support. By Friday, for India due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level working with the Chamber's U.S.-India Business April 30, U.S. military members and civilians were of COVID-19 in the country. (Source: PTI) Council and?the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership delivering relief on the ground," Ms. Harris said, Forum to take immediate actions to help address the outlining the material help that had been sent (N-95 Australia offers more aid, refuses to... COVID-19 surge in India. masks, oxygen cylinders) and saying more was on the generous support extended by Australia for India's The U.S. corporate sector so far has committed more way. fight against the second Covid wave, said a PMO than 25,000 oxygen concentrators for India. The first "Meanwhile, we have announced our full support for statement. 1,000 oxygen concentrators, provided by Deloitte, suspending patents on COVID-19 vaccines - to help India The two leaders agreed on the need to ensure an arrived in India on April 25, with critical logistical and other nations vaccinate their people more quickly," affordable and equitable access to vaccines and support from FedEx. These concentrators will be Ms. Harris said. Earlier this week the Biden medicines for containing Covid-19 globally, it said. shipped to designated healthcare facilities for administration said it would support a temporary The Australian government, for the first time has immediate use, the task force said. waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 imposed a temporary ban on its citizens from returning The first shipment of ventilators landed in India vaccines, an unprecedented move. home if they have spent time in India up to 14 days early this week. All 1,000 ventilators are expected to "At the beginning of the pandemic, when our hospital before flying back. Those who attempt to return via reach India by June 3. Medtronic will provide end-to- beds were stretched, India sent assistance. And today, third countries will be prosecuted with five years of end support for the initiative. As many as 16 businesses we are determined to help India in its hour of need. We imprisonment or a fine of nearly $ 50,000. During his have joined the task force's ventilator initiative. do this as friends of India, as members of the Asian telephonic conversation with Morrison, the PM Together, these businesses will provide over $30 Quad, and as part of the global community," Ms. Harris conveyed his appreciation for the prompt and generous million in support for India's healthcare response - said. support extended by Australia for India's fight against joining the dozens of businesses which have pledged "This has hit everyone in the diaspora on a personal the second Covid wave, said a Prime Minister's Office their support in efforts to provide oxygen basis," said Mr. Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora, an (PMO) statement. concentrators, develop information and best practices organization that works on diaspora engagement and The two leaders agreed on the need to ensure an to support employees in India and more, the task force philanthropy. "Someone has lost a relative, a friend, a affordable and equitable access to vaccines and said. sibling, a child to this dreaded pandemic in India," he medicines for containing Covid-19 globally, it said. "We According to the task force, while the country has said. agreed on the importance of ensuring affordable and been reporting over 4,00,000 cases daily, the actual case Both Ms. Krishnan, who founded the philanthropic equitable access to vaccines and medicines, and rate in India is estimated to be much higher. organization the American India Foundation, and Ms. discussed possible initiatives in this regard," said the Experts forecast the crisis will only worsen, with Anjali Kaur spoke about the importance of PM. India's peak not expected until mid-May, it said. transparency in the use of assistance. Other members of the steering committee include 'SUB-GRANTING' OF FUNDS : Mr. Rangaswami US withdraws proposed biometrics... Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture; Andy Jassy, CEO of said the government should consider permitting the applicant, petitioner, sponsor, beneficiary, or Amazon; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Brian Moynihan, "sub granting" of money,which was prohibited after the individual filing or associated with an immigration Chairman of the Board and CEO, Bank of America; Raj Foreign Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was amended last benefit or request, including US citizens, must appear Subramaniam, president of FedEx; and Arvind year. "In this time of need, I would definitely say that is for biometrics collection without regard to age. Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM. a good thing for the Indian government to take at pretty Secondly, the DHS had proposed to authorize Gail McGovern, president and CEO, American Red quickly," he said, calling for a limited-time waiver for biometric collection, without regard to age, upon arrest Cross; Mike Parra, CEO Americas, DHL Express; Jim last-mile organizations which were at greatest risk if of an illegal immigrant. Fitterling, Chairman and CEO, Dow; Alex Gorsky, they did not have access to sub-grants. (Source: The The formal announcement revoking the biometrics chairman of the Board and CEO, Johnson & Johnson; Hindu) rule comes days after US Citizenship and Immigration Michael Miebach, CEO, Mastercard; Geoff Martha, Services announced that beginning May 17, it will chairman and CEO, Medtronic; Brad Smith, president, US urges citizens to return home... suspend biometrics requirements for H-4, L-2, and Microsoft; Ramon Laguarta, Chairman of the Board from India to the US, a State Department health alert certain E non-immigrant categories. and CEO, PepsiCo; Carol Tomé, CEO, UPS; Sanjay said. Such a move was welcomed by a large number of Poonen, COO, VMware; and Judith McKenna, President Additional flight options remain available on Air Indian-Americans who were impacted by the and CEO, Walmart International are also members of France, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways via transfers in biometrics requirement. the task force. Paris, Frankfurt, and Doha. The DHS said it will continue to require submission Till date, over 45 U.S. businesses and associations US citizens who wish to depart India are encouraged of biometrics where appropriate and remains have contributed to the Global Task Force's activities. to book tickets through the airlines, the health alert committed to national security, identity management, While the task force is focusing initial efforts on the said. fraud prevention and program integrity. (Source: PTI) pressing need in India, additional working groups will It is mandatory for anyone travelling to the US (2 be formed to address COVID-19 surges in other years and older) to take a COVID-19 test no more than 3 countries. days before travel and show a negative result to the Through its steering committee, the task force will airline before boarding the flight, it said. work to concentrate efforts where corporate support The passengers should be prepared to show will be most beneficial, it said. (Source: PTI) documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from a healthcare India's welfare 'critically important' to... provider or a public health official stating clearance for India, USAID official Anjali Kaur, Virginia State travel). Senator Ghazala Hashmi, physician and volunteer Travelers are encouraged to follow post-travel Gunisha Kaur, entrepreneurs and philanthropists Lata guidance once in the US, it said. Krishnan and M.R. Rangaswami. The US this week reissued its travel advisory on "The surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths in India, urging its citizens not to travel to the country due India is nothing short of heartbreaking," Ms. Harris to an unprecedented surge in the COVID-19 cases there. said, as she offered her condolences. "Do not travel to India due to COVID-19. Exercise "As soon as the dire nature of the situation became increased caution due to crime and terrorism," the apparent, our Administration took action," she said. State Department said on Wednesday in its latest travel While U.S. lawmakers and private citizens had been advisory that looked identical to the one issued on April vocal for support to India as the second COVID-19 wave 28. broke across the country, the Biden administration was Both the travel advisories have been marked 'Level 4' widely criticized for being slow to act, with which is the highest warning level. administration officials keeping largely silent days On April 28, the Department approved the voluntary THE INDIAN PANORAMA SPIRITUALITY FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 49 Varuthini Ekadashi

aruthini Ekadashi, also known as Baruthani Ekadashi, holds great significance and Vimportance for Hindus. On the day of Varuthini Ekadashi, devotees worship and offer prayers to Lord Vamana, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. According to the North Indian Purnimant calendar, Varuthini Ekadashi is observed during Krishna Paksha of Vaishakha month and, according to the South Indian Amavasyant calendar, Krishna Paksha of Chaitra month. However, both North Indians and South Indians observe it on the same day. According to the Gregorian calendar, the day falls in the month of April or May. Read on to find out more about Varuthini Ekadashi. This year, Varuthini Ekadashi Vrat will be observed on May 7. Puja vidhi Vaishnava Varuthini Ekadashi is dedicated to Lord Vamana - the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On this day, devotees worshipped Lord Vishnu with dhoop, sandalwood paste, fruits, incense sticks, and flowers in order to evoke the deity. The fasting begins from the day of Dashami tithi and is broken on Dwadashi tithi after praying to Lord Vishnu. It is believed that any person who devotedly observes fast on this day can change their bad luck and attain prosperity, abundance and good luck in their lives. By performing various acts of donations and charities on this particular day,the devotees get blessed with the divine blessings of their ancestors and the deities. Among the twenty-four Ekadasis of the year, Varuthini Ekadashi Vrat Fasting Procedure Varuthini Ekadashi is considered as the most efficacious, as it confers amazing benefits to the Devotees observing Varuthini Ekadashi vrat are „ A complete fast is recommended. So, a devotee can devotees who observe fast on this day. recommended to fast from sunrise in Ekadashi to start fasting from the previous day’s sunset to sunrise in Dwadashi. Since a complete fast is avoid any undigested food remaining in the Significance recommended, one can start fasting from the previous stomach. The greatness and glories of Vaishnava Varuthini day’s sunset to ensure that no undigested food remains „ On Ekadashi day, the devotee should wake up Ekadashi finds mention in several religious scriptures in the stomach. Observing Varuthini Ekadashi vratis before sunrise, take a bath and worship Lord like ‘Bhavishya Purana’ in the form of conversation not just abstaining food. One should not indulge in Vishnu. between Sri Krishna and King Yudhisthira, the eldest of gambling, lying, criticizing others, violence, sports, and „ Visiting a Vishnu temple, chanting prayers, and Pandavas. Various Maharajas observed this sacred fast sexual activity.The devotee on vrat should not succumb reciting Vishnu Sahasranamaor Bhagavad Gita and obtained uncountable benefits. The merits of the to sleep, anger and greed too. Thus, by resisting the will intensify the spiritual drive. Vaishnava Varuthini Ekadashi outpowers all kinds of feelings and temptations, vrat purifies the mind, body, „ Breaking the fast or Parana should be done on charities including ‘Kanyadaan’ that is believed to be and soul. Certain activities such as shaving, smearing the next day (Dwadasi) after taking a bath and most pious of all the ‘daans’. The word ‘Varuthini’ in oil on the body, etc. are also prohibited on Varuthini worshiping Lord Vishnu. It should be done in the Hindi signifies ‘protected or armoured’ and hence by Ekadashi. Parana time, which varies with each Dwadasi. observing a religious vrat on Vaishnava Varuthini Parana or breaking the fast should be done on the „ Parana or breaking the fast shouldn’t be done Ekadashi a person will be shielded from all the evils next day (Dwadashi) after the sunrise. It is necessary to during Hari Vasaraperiod, the first quarter of and misfortunes and in the end gain good fortune. do Parana on the next day unless Dwadashi is over Dwadashi. before sunrise. Also, one should take care not to do „ The most auspicious time for Parana is Rituals Parana on Hari Vasara period, which is the first Pratahkal. If the devotee couldn’t do it Fasting on Vaishnava Varuthini Ekadashi is believed quarter of the Dwadashi tithi. Pratahkal is considered duringPratahkal, then he/she should do it after to be highly rewarding for Hare Krishna followers. The as the most auspicious time to break the fast while Madhyahna. rituals start right from the previous day ‘dashami’ and breaking the fast in Madhyahna is not recommended. the observer of this vrat eat selective meal once before So, if one couldn’t do Parana in Pratahkal, then he/she PAGE SPONSORED BY sunset. Eating on bell metal plates is also not allowed on should do it after Madhyahna. this day.This is done to make sure no traces of food are Two types of Ekadashi Vrats are recommended; one ARISH K. SAHANI left in the stomach on the ekadashi day. for Smarthas, those with family, and the other for Serving Since 1972 On ekadashi, devotees do not eat anything or even Sanyasis and Moksha seekers. While a one-day fast is take a sip of water all day. However if someone cannot recommended for Smarthas or normal devotees, Please Call or Write for Your keep a strict vrat, partial fasting or even fasting from alternate fasting or a two-day fast is suggested for Insurance Needs morning till sunset is also allowed. While keeping the Sanyasis and Moksha seekers. Arish K Sahani fast, the person should not sleep during the daytime and Though full fasting is recommended on Varuthini (Father) stay away from sinful thoughts and actions. It is Ekadashi, those who can’t bear it due to health issues popular belief that one who stays awake all night can observe a partial fast by eating once, at midday, or Shiv Sahani (Son) chanting religious hymns on ekadashi will gain in the evening. In that case, a devotee should avoid non- Priya Sahani Sood freedom from all their sins. veg food (meat, fish, egg, etc.), beverages (tea, coffee, (Daughter) Ekadashi is meant for spiritual attainment and cola, and other energy drinks), mushrooms, grains, therefore the day is spent chanting mantras or singing onion, peas, beans, black gram, spinach, betel nut, paan, 7 1 8 - 2 7 1 - 1 9 0 6 bhajans in praise of Lord Vishnu. Devotees worship red lentil, honey, sesame seeds, mustard, asafoetida, Lord Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Sri Hari Vishnu, cloves, fenugreek, cardamom, nutmeg, fennel, tulsi, [email protected] on this day and make several offerings to their beloved tamarind, custard, salt, baking soda, baking powder, deity. It is also important to visit temples of Lord etc. Vishnu in the evening and witness the celebrations of Eating in bell metal utensils and eating from other “If Hindus don’t maintain Hinduism, who shall save it?” the day. houses are also prohibited. The devotee can choose to “If India’s own children don't cling to their faith, who shall Vaishnava Varuthini Ekadashi vrat is broken next eat the Havishyanna food offered to Yajna on the guard it?” day on ‘dwadashi’ (12th day) after praying to Lord previous day. It is said that even those who are not Vishnu and offering food and money to some respectful observing the vrat should avoid consuming grains, “Indians alone can save India, and India and Hinduism are Brahmins. pulses, and non-vegetarian foods on Ekadashi. one.” THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT. FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 50 THE INDIAN PANORAMA TRAVEL FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 51 Coastal Karnataka: A journey through stunning beaches, temples

arnataka is majestically bestowed with the lush green Western Ghats and the lovely white sandy Kbeaches. At places both wonders meet and present the visitors with gorgeous and serene spots tailor made just for your retreat. Coastal Karnataka comprises of regions like Karavali and Udupi. Mangalore Start your Coastal Karnataka trip in Mangalore because this is where you will probably arrive by flight or train. Mangalore is one of the best places to visit in Coastal Karnataka because of its rich history, culture, Mangalorean cuisine and stunning beaches. There are some unique temples that you can visit in Mangalore. Kudroli Gokarnatha Temple is one of them. Built in 1912, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and hosts the colorful Mangaluru Dasara every year. There are several smaller temples in the complex, all adorned in gold and silver. This makes the temple a wonderful Coastal Karnataka destination. You can also visit the Mangaladevi Temple, explore Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly Park, and relive some history at Sultan’s Battery when in Mangalore. Udupi The next stop on our coastal Karnataka adventure trip was the city of Udupi. Home to many iconic South Indian temples, Udupi is sometimes referred to as the temple city. Therefore, you cannot miss visiting one when you are here. Take a tour of Udupi Sri Krishna Temple which is thronged by thousands of tourists every year for a sneak peek at the baby boy idol of Lord Krishna [Balakrishna]. There are many interesting legends surrounding the temple including one of the Balakrishna statue turning around on its own to be viewed by Krishna’s lesser-privileged devotees. also called the Coconut Island or Thonsepar and makes The Jain temple, also called Kere Basadi, is located in for an offbeat getaway from the mainland. the middle of a beautiful lake. You can reach the temple Malpe Beach What is interesting about St. Mary’s Island is the fact only on a small boat that can accommodate around 10 When in Udupi, do not forget to spend some time at that it was formed when Madagascar rifted away from people at a time. one of Udupi’s most gorgeous beaches – the Malpe India more than 88 million years ago. The rift gave rise It was a 5 minute boat journey from land to the Beach. Located only about 6kms from Udupi, Malpe to columnar basalt rocks that are hexagonal in shape. temple. Yet, this was one of the most beautiful journeys beach coupled with St. Mary’s Island makes for an They give the island a distinctive character today. in my entire Coastal Karnataka trip. amazing one-day getaway from Udupi or Mangalore. You will get some amazing views of the sea from here Baindur There are tons of things to do at Malpe beach. If you apart from walking on soft white sand and treading Baindur (or Byndoor) is yet another idyllic town are feeling adventurous, indulge in parasailing, jet- through millions of sea shells. 1-2 hours on the island is facing the sea. The white sand beaches, lush green hills, skiing, and banana boat rides. If not, just lounge in the sufficient for you to completely explore the place. and plethora of water sports make Baindur one of the sun and soak in the colors of the place. Try some tasty Plastic bags and bottles are not allowed on the island – best places to visit in Coastal Karnataka. Also, one of sea food at Fisherman’s Bay Beach Cafe right by the sea. so make sure you don’t carry any. the most offbeat ones. And watch a traditional Yakshagana performance in an Sepnd a couple of days at Baindur and enjoy the open-air amphitheater to end your day. Varanga unspoiled beaches in the region. For example, book a As you travel up north from Udupi, you can take a stay at the pristine Sai Vishram Beach Resort, indulge St. Mary’s Island slight detour to get to the sleepy hamlet of Varanga. in surfing or banana boat rides, ride an airboat through Right next to the Malpe beach, only a 15-minute ferry Here, you can visit one of the most picturesque Jain the Maravanthe backwaters, or simply sip a drink ride away,is the unique St. Mary’s Island. This island is temples in the world. under a thatched cabana and watch the world go by! THE INDIAN PANORAMA ASTROLOGY FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 52 Shree Ganeshaya Namah

By Vedic Astrologer Nastur Bejan Daruwalla is available for astrological consultations. He can be reached at [email protected] and on phone +91 8141234275 for astrological queries VEDIC ASTROLOGER NASTUR BEJAN DARUWALLA www.bejandaruwalla.com Chirag Bejan Daruwalla with his father late Bejan Daruwalla

TIP brings you Weekly and Birthday Horoscope from the WEEKLY HOROSCOPE World's most trusted Vedic Astrologer Nastur Bejan Daruwalla. May 10 - May 16, 2021

ARIES: Ganesha says A beautiful week is awaiting consistent efforts in your current relationships. Do business is doing great this week. You'll receive an you. Your week will be full of lessons, learning, and whatever you can to make yourself emotionally unexpectedly huge amount of money from a doing things that you love. You will spend the week stable this week. prospect. Your passion for your business speaks feeling content and happy because you will equally LEO: You will have one heck of a week this week. volumes to you; you are always fearless and inspiring. work hard this week as well. You will have the A lot of joy and happiness enters your life this week All those calculated risks that you took turned out to motivation to do everything that you set out to do this without much effort or even results. You have been be in your favor and are paying off this week. week because Saturn is very dominant in your sign, working hard for the past few days but this week is all SAGITTARIUS: This week is all about giving for it will help you guide through all the obstacles that about resting and relaxing. You will face some you. You may have some new responsibilities, which you face during this week. Your relationship will challenges when it comes to handling politics at work you will carry out successfully.Donating to the needy slightly suffer because you will be very busy this because you are a genuine person who doesn't play will be very helpful to you as you build great karma. week, you're starting to see some behavior patterns in games at work while other people do hence even You will come across an opportunity to expand your your partner that are unpleasant to you and you won't though you need to maintain your originality you business to new horizons. You know exactly what you be able to ignore them. Do not rush yourself in also need to keep an eye open for malpractices that want in your business. Go ahead and make important expressing your feelings and emotions. Contemplate might hamper your work and decrease your chances decisions this week as this will keep your passion your choice of words and then have a decent talk with of getting a promotion this week. alive. Expect a lot of obstacles at the beginning of the your partner in this week itself. VIRGO: You might experience a positive shift in week. Know that things will ease down as the week TAURUS: This week is a week full of realization your love life this week. You are loving and caring goes by.You need to focus on your happiness the most for you. You will be learning through losses you face towards your partner and you will feel that that is this week. in your business or in your personal life that will reciprocated as well. Hence a great week for you and CAPRICORN: You have been procrastinating for a force you to think deeper and seek solutions instead your partner this week. Your health is perfectly fine while now and the consequences of that are showing of just going through life passively. You will have to as well. Mentally you will feel your best this week as up this week. While it might seem like a negative focus on becoming a better version of yourself this your partner will make you feel like the best person thing, it is actually the biggest positive for you this week because fate has left you with no other option in the world. Physically you might need some help to week and will help you in the long run. A great day than that, if you still chose to be resistant to change get you through all the obstacles this week as it will for you at your workplace this week. You're likely to you will have difficulty just going through the week be a little tiring, but you will receive all the help you make a lot of profit this week that will keep you successfully. This week does not seem favorable for need easily. Your love life is taking a highly positive happy throughout the week. You're also very likely to your business to make progress. You will find it tough turn and you are about to discover new ways to meet a new love interest this week that will spark to meet deadlines and focus on your work because express your sentiments towards the person you love. feelings inside you that you never knew you had. you will be overwhelmed with a lot of deadlines and This is a great week for your relationship to flourish AQUARIUS: You will learn this week that you are a lot of work, on top of that you will be distracted by into the next big thing. very compatible with your partner; it is because you the relationship problems that you are facing. You are LIBRA: You are very likely to find that person that both believe in love, kindness, and acceptance more likely to be working throughout thisweek. will support you in everything that you do and any than anything else. You might have fights with your GEMINI: Some sort of exciting and unexpected decision that you make this week. You need to be kind partner this week too, but you will try to accept your news will come your way this week. You will have an and open-minded when you come across new partner for what they are, which will save you a lot adrenaline-filled week today.You need to try and calm prospects this week.Be very patient with some co- for efforts in the future. This week might be full of your nerves this week which you can do by starting workers who try to make you angry. You should not fight drama and trouble for you, do not make it worse your day with meditation and yoga, do whatever you lose your sanity, do not get carried away by their by making any significant decisions today. Lay low need to do that helps you calm your thoughts and actions and words. They will try to make you lose and focus on how to get through the day without any process everything at a slower pace today. You will your job, don't fall for provocations, and be consistent trouble. have a fun week spending time with your loved ones with your work this week. Wake up and meditate the PISCES: You will feel extremely satisfied when it as well this week.Do not overwork beyond your first thing in the morning, it will be beneficial for comes to your love life this week. Everything will capacity as it may cause headaches and trouble with your personal as well as professional life. You will work out exactly how you wanted it to be. The chance the eyes. Working without taking breaks could also make great profits in your business hence you will of getting good news regarding your love life is there lead to headaches and migraines. Drink warm water have a good week. this week. You might get an opportunity for some real every day this week and long walks will provide you SCORPIO: There are people around you at home adventure with your beloved this week. You would with the positive energy you need. that make you feel a lot better about yourself this aim for a partner who holds a high position in society. CANCER: You will realize that this week you have week. With the love and care, you receive this week Your reputation means everything to you and you had the most varied experiences, some changes in the and the people you receive them from, you will feel shall find yourself satisfied with you and your planetary motions mid-week will help you gain more amazing from other people's positive vibrations. Your partner's status this week. You will gain a lot of profit confidence and will make your life easier. At the start love life is doing just as well as your professional life. in your business this week which will satisfy you for of the week, you will have trouble navigating through Enjoy every moment of it. You might tend to over the week. You won't need to do things that you hate in the obstacles and more importantly handling the think how good things are in your life right now. Do terms of work anymore. You will have the time, overwhelming emotions that you face during this not worry about the future. Living in the moment will space, and affordability to follow your passion this week. You will have to maintain consistent work and help you navigate through this week very easily.Your week. THE INDIAN PANORAMA ASTROLOGY FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 53

BIRTHDAY HOROSCOPE May 10 - May 16, 2021

manner. You tend to be someone who holds grudges send satisfied with whatever goes on in your life May 10 for a long amount of time and all you will be today, even if it is full of turbulences you won't be You will have a great day today with your friends thinking about today is whether you will be able to touched or moved by it. and family indoors. You might feel really forgive this person or not. Other than that, your day demotivated and sad for no reason at the beginning will be pretty normal and happy but you will be May 15 of the day but as you socialize more and more you subconsciously somewhere else which will make You will enjoy being lazy today. You're usually will feel less gloomy and lost in your thoughts. Make you not enjoy your day to the fullest. someone who always goes the extra mile and puts in sure that you keep yourself occupied even if you're a lot of hard work which won't be the case today alone by the end of the day because you should not May 13 because your partner will force you to take the day be stuck in a vicious cycle of negative thoughts. Today is an average day for you which might be off today. Even though you will be upset about disappointing in the beginning for you. You will missing work and anxious about tomorrow as the May 11 understand the importance of your friends and day goes on you will start to realize that breaks are You will find out the purpose of the struggle you family today even though they might be going an essential part of being productive as well. You have faced in the past few days today. You will through tough times themselves they will make sure will have to understand that the more you decide to understand why you have been through what you that you have a good day and you know that you are let go and relax the more you will enjoy today. have been through. Today is all about results loved and cared for. You will also enjoy the day-to- because you will receive them if you have worked day once you realize that you're blessed and you May 16 hard in the past few days today. You need to find have people in your life who genuinely love you and Today is a good day for you to reflect on your past ways to keep yourself grounded because you will care for you. so that it helps you contemplate your future tend to be boastful, which is understandable decisions. You have been making some mistakes considering the hard work that you have been doing. May 14 since the past few days which have been causing you Stay humble and share the joy of today with You will be very happy today even though there a lot of loss in your business. You will have to work everyone that has supported you and has been there are no big surprises for you today.You will simply be really hard today to get yourself out of the mess that for you to date. content in your own company and the little amount you're in because you have been focusing on your of love you receive from your close family and a goals and not the journey that leads to those goals, May 12 small circle of friends. You will have no trouble hence make sure you work really hard today and Someone that you have had fallout with might focusing on the good things in your life today. With only rely on yourself to get out of the mess that reach out to you today in a very kind and civil the planetary motions in your favor, you are content you're in. THE INDIAN PANORAMA US FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 54 Daniel Smith Takes Charge as US Ambassador in India, Pledges Support amid COVID-19 Crisis US Ambassador in India not only noted the ‘difficult times’ that India is currently facing with resurgence of COVID-19 but also pledged to help the nation.

he took the role as the director of the and shortage of medical supplies but While US Ambassador in India pledged Foreign Service Institute. Prior to this, also pledged to help the nation as New to enhance US-India cooperation amid Smith has also been the Career Delhi assisted Washington. Smith's COVID-19, US Secretary of State Antony Ambassador in the United States and in maiden remarks on Twitter after taking Blinken met in person with Minister of 2014, he was Assistant Secretary of State over the position came as United States External Affairs (MEA) Dr S Jaishankar US Ambassador to India Daniel Smith for Intelligence and Research. In 2010, Agency for International Development's in London on May 2 when both senior the present US envoy to India was (USAID's) fifth emergency shipment in diplomats the cooperation over COVID-19 Photo / courtesy @usaid_india/@USAmbIndia/Twitter Ambassador Extraordinary and five days landed in India on May 4. The resources along with other issues such as Plenipotentiary (Greece). Smith entered consignment carried more than 500 Indo-Pacific landscape and the United WASHINGTON (TIP): Daniel B. the US government in 2007 as Executive oxygen concentrators to help the Nations (UN) Security Council. Further, Smith on May 3 was appointed as US Secretary. hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 even the US Department of Defense has Charge d'Affaires to India and said that Further, Smith not only noted the patients along with more than 100,000 said the final two flights of essential he is 'ready to work'. He was the former "difficult times" that India is currently N95 masks to ensure the safety of the supplies for India have been delayed and US acting Secretary of State and in 2018, facing with the resurgence of COVID-19 frontline workers. will arrive by May 5. 4 ex-cops indicted on US civil US-India Political Action Community rights charges in Floyd death Experts address violence and hatred against Asian Americans MINNEAPOLIS (TIP): A federal grand jury has indicted the four WASHINGTON (TIP): US House former Minneapolis police officers members Raja Krishnamoorthi and Judy involved in George Floyd's arrest and Chu joined an expert panel hosted by the death, accusing them of violating the US-India Political Action Committee Black man's constitutional rights as (USINPAC) to address violence and hatred he was restrained face-down on the against Asian Americans and what's being pavement and gasping for air, done to keep them safe. Since the start of according to indictments unsealed the Covid-19 pandemic last year, there has Friday, May 7. been a serious increase in the amount of The three-count indictment names George Floyd died on May 25 after Chauvin, anti-Asian rhetoric and violence addressed specific instances of violence Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. who is white, pressed his knee against throughout the country, noted a USINPAC toward Asian Americans that have been Kueng and Tou Thao. Specifically, Floyd's neck for several minutes as Floyd said press release. widely publicized, including the shootings Chauvin, Thao and Kueng are he couldn't breathe. - File photo The May 1 panel discussion was part of in Indianapolis and Atlanta. They both charged with violating Floyd's right Floyd - state prosecutors have said its bi-weekly series of panels addressing also spoke about legislation Congress is to be free from unreasonable seizure Kueng knelt on Floyd's back and Lane issues of importance to the Indian taking up to tackle this pressing issue. and excessive force. All four officers held down Floyd's legs. State American community. "It is deeply Krishnamoorthi discussed his bipartisan are charged for their failure to prosecutors say Thao held back disturbing, this rise of hate," said Hate Crimes Commission Act which is co- provide Floyd with medical care. bystanders and kept them from Krishnamoorthi, Indian American House sponsored by 150 US representatives. Chu Chauvin was also charged in a second intervening during the 9 1/2-minute member from Illinois noting, "The rise in mentioned her meeting with President Joe indictment, stemming from the arrest restraint. hate crimes has been 169 percent in just the Biden in the Oval Office to discuss his plan and neck restraint of a 14-year-old Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, last year." and the US Senate's 94-1 passing of the boy in 2017. argued during his murder trial that "That number has also been going up Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, which includes Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Chauvin acted reasonably in the steadily in the past five years," he said. the text from her bill, the No Hate Act. "The Kueng appeared via videoconference situation and that Floyd died because "Combined with domestic, violent world is facing a lot of challenges, in US District Court in Minneapolis. of underlying health issues and drug extremism, driven largely by white especially in the United States as the Chauvin was not part of the court use. He has filed a request for a new nationalism, this is an issue that we have pandemic has spiraled out of control and, appearance. trial, citing many issues including to be worried about." "We have to fight as a consequence of that, we have seen Chauvin was convicted last month the judge's refusal to move the trial discrimination, bigotry, intolerance, actions that have impacted the Asian on state charges of murder and due to publicity. prejudice and hate wherever it rears its American community," said USINPAC manslaughter in Floyd's death and is Nelson had no comment on the ugly head," said Krishnamoorthi. Chairman Sanjay Puri. in Minnesota's only maximum- federal charges Friday. Messages left "This has been an incredibly difficult "We brought together this distinguished security prison as he awaits with attorneys for two of the other year for all of us as our country has panel to discuss this issue and inform sentencing. The other three former officers were not immediately struggled with a dangerous pandemic, an Indian Americans, and all Asian officers face a state trial in August, returned, and an attorney for the economic recession and historic grappling Americans, about what is being done to and they are free on bond. They were fourth officer was getting in an with issues of systemic racism, prejudice keep them safe." Experts joining the panel allowed to remain free after Friday's elevator and disconnected when and violence," said Chu. "Since the start of included Dr. Pawan Dhingra, Professor of federal court appearance. reached by The Associated Press. the Coronavirus pandemic, there have American Studies at Amherst College; Floyd, 46, died May 25 after Floyd's arrest and death, which a been over 3,800 reported anti-Asian hate Shawn Singh Ghuman, Co-Founder of the Chauvin pinned him to the ground bystander captured on cellphone crimes and incidents, fueled by Donald National Sikh Campaign; Dr. Maria with a knee on his neck, even as video, sparked protests nationwide Trump's usage of the terms 'China Virus' Hwang, Professor of East Asian and Floyd, who was handcuffed, and widespread calls for an end to and 'Kung Flu,' fanning the flames of Gender Studies at McGill University in repeatedly said he couldn't breathe. police brutality and racial inequities. xenophobia." Montreal; Aarti Kohli, Executive Director Kueng and Lane also helped restrain (Source: Agencies) Both Krishnamoorthi and Chu for Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus. THE INDIAN PANORAMA US FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 55 US based Organization AAPI airlifts 1,000 Oxygen concentrators to Covid-19 hit India NEW YORK (TIP): As India's health-care system based protocols to treat Covid-19 patients," Dr. faces a crisis amid a deadly second wave of Jonnalagadda said. coronavirus pandemic, American Association of AAPI has evaluated 3 HIPPA compliant telehealth Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is leading several platforms to treat patients in India: efforts to bring relief to India. http://Mdtok.com/dr/Covid and The largest ethnic medical organization in the US, www.eGobalDoctors.com. representing the 80,000 strong Indian American AAPI is also working on relaxing the restrictions on physician community in the US, airlifted the first US physicians to treat patients in India, he said. batch of 1,000 Oxygen Concentrators on April 29 AAPI, Dr. Jonnalagadda said encourages using this through SEWA International, according to a press route because they give global malpractice coverage release. and help Indian American physicians to register in In collaboration with its partners on ground in India by renewing their India licenses. India, AAPI has also identified destinations based on AAPI is in constant touch with Indian Embassy and urgency and acute need for the medical equipment, Indian Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan to see how AAPI president Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda stated. AAPI airlifted the first batch of 1,000 Oxygen Concentrators on best "we can help our motherland during this horrific "We have no doubt, this is just the beginning of a April 29 through SEWA International, according to an AAPI pandemic," he said. long road ahead," he said. "We are assessing the press release. AAPI has written to a letter to Indian Prime Minister situation on the ground constantly and coordinating platform offering regular series of educational Narendra Modi to lock down the country to contain the with various local task forces and teams." materials to be published in India for the use and spread of the virus, and to ramp up the vaccinations. Dr. Sajani Shah, chair of AAPI Board of Trustees implementation of effective ways to treat patients who "AAPI has been in the forefront to help India to urged members to stay engaged and provide feedback are impacted by Covid-19. combat the pandemic," said Dr. Satheesh Kathula, to help AAPI tackle problems in a more effective and Dr. Ravi Kolli, AAPI vice president urged members treasurer, thanking members and non-members for efficient manner to help secure much needed ventilators, which will their donations. Educating the public and the physicians in India is also be critically scarce as the morbidity and AAPI would like to help India in a big way, said Dr. vital to combat the virus," says Dr. Anupama hospitalization surge, out matching the supplies. Jonnalagadda urging all community leaders to Gotimukula, president-elect of AAPI. "AAPI is facilitating interaction between US and educate their members to be on alert to avoid spread of She has reached out to the Indian media across the Indian doctors to advise them about the evidence- the virus. Indian American organizations raise millions to mobilize resources for Covid-19 relief in India

NEW YORK (TIP): From cash to through EdelGive Foundation to ramped up their fundraising goal to $10 medicines to oxygen supplies, Indian nonprofits Goonj and Jan Sahas. million to fight the pandemic's second American organizations are mobilizing Donors from anywhere in the world can devastating wave. resources for Covid-19 relief in India hit either choose one area to donate to or The nonprofit organization said its by a devastating second wave of the make a contribution that will be evenly volunteers in the US and in India, are pandemic with 260,000 new cases in last split between the three areas listed. US working round the clock to rush medical seven days. The total case load is nearing donors also will receive a tax exemption. equipment and essential supplies to a staggering 20 million. "India needs all the help it can get and hospitals, institutions, and individuals in Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of many I know are impacted. This is the India. global Indian diaspora leaders, are time for all of us who can to give Sewa International is seeking the launching their ChaloGive for India generously," said Indiaspora member, Jay advice of a team of doctors in the US on organization in the US also plans to offer campaign which began with an initial $1 Vijayan, founder and CEO of California- procuring the appropriate medical tele-Consult services in India in local million raised through their private based Tekion Corporation, who donated equipment and supplies to be shipped to languages and organize webinars to donor network of members. toward the campaign. India. educate AAPI members and their "Our hope is that this urgent ChaloGive Starting with its inaugural ChaloGive Gitesh Desai, President, Houston counterparts in India on zoom. campaign for India will inspire the giving campaign in October 2019, Chapter of Sewa International, told ABC AAPI has also identified three broader community to give generously Indiaspora launched its second campaign, 13 News-Houston that 400 oxygen- telehealth platforms that would offer and support India's fight against Covid- ChaloGive for Covid-19 in April 2020 concentrators have been already shipped free service to physicians from 19," said Ashish Shah, Senior Director, during the first wave of the Covid-19 to India, and 2,184 more would be shipped India/US and patients: Philanthropy and Community crisis. shortly. 1. EglobalDoctors.com; 2. Engagement at Indiaspora. Another leading community Sewa which has started 'Help India http://Mdtok.com; and 3. The grassroots initiative ChaloGive for organization, the American India Defeat Covid-19' campaign to ship oxygen Click2clinic.com. Apps are available on India will facilitate donations to trusted Foundation, has received a donation of concentrators to Indian hospitals, is also iOS and Android. and vetted high-impact nonprofits that $8.9 million, its largest ever gift, from providing food and medicines to about Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President- are working on the ground during the Matercard for Covid-19 relief efforts. 10,000 families and more than 1,000 Elect, who is leading the AAPI Initiative second wave of Covid-19 relief, the The donation will be used to buy and orphanages, and senior citizen centers to help India said groups of physicians organization said. place portable hospitals in areas of across the country. will form smaller groups with Indian Visitors to ChaloGive.org will have an greatest need across India. "Sewa is building a Digital Helpdesk to physicians in their own state/region and option to give toward three major areas of AIF will install "2000 portable beds in provide critical information on do it yourselves (DIY) in their own Covid-19 relief. India, addressing the immediate ambulance services, hospital bed language for Tele-Consult. First, they can give for creation of healthcare needs of the nation," which availability, and blood and medicinal The Google sheet prepared by AAPI has urgently needed Covid-19 care centers "will help an estimated 2.5 million Indians supplies to people," aid Swadesh Katoch, a list of volunteers that would be updated and makeshift hospitals through to gain access to healthcare," the Sewa's Vice President for Disaster regularly. nonprofit WISH Foundation. organization said. Recovery. In addition, with the purpose of Second, make direct cash transfer to Earlier, AIF said it was sourcing & The American Association of educating AAPI members and their families who have lost a primary earning delivering 500 oxygen concentrators to Physicians of Indian Origin (APPI) is also counterparts in India, AAPI is organizing member through nonprofit GiveIndia. Delhi hospitals in the next three days to rushing 200 oxygen concentrators to educational webinars with small groups Third, they can provide food relief and swiftly shore up supplies of oxygen in the Indian hospitals with the help of non- of doctors on zoom. livelihood assistance for migrant workers capital. profit SEWA International. (Read full story at and other underserved populations Houston-based Sewa International has The largest ethnic medical www.theindianpanorama.news) THE INDIAN PANORAMA SPORTS FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 56 Pfzier and Chelsea beat Real Madrid, to BioNTech to donate vaccines face Man City in final on May 29 LONDON (TIP): Chelsea’s decision to for Olympic fire a club legend suddenly doesn’t seem so callous after all. While Frank Lampard’s name has athletes hardly been forgotten by the Chelsea fans accine developers Pfizer and — there were chants outside Stamford BioNTech will donate doses to Bridge before kickoff last evening — new Vinoculate athletes and officials manager Thomas Tuchel is quickly preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, the creating his own legacy after leading the IOC said on Thursday, May 6. London club into the Champions League Delivery of doses is set to begin this final against Manchester City. month to give Olympic delegations Chelsea made record 13-time European time to be fully vaccinated with a Cup champions Real Madrid look second shot before arriving in Tokyo ordinary as goals from Timo Werner and for the games, which open on July 23. Mason Mount sealed a 2-0 victory that It’s the second major vaccination ousted Madrid 3-1 on aggregate. deal for the International Olympic Perhaps the stragglers leaving the bars Committee. An agreement was near Stamford Bridge could hear the roar announced in March between the IOC Tuchel let out on the field inside the and Olympic officials in China to buy empty stadium long after his players had and distribute Chinese vaccines ahead departed the field. “I am very grateful to of the Tokyo Games and next year’s have this opportunity,” said Tuchel. Beijing Winter Games. The new Pfizer offer gives the IOC Man United book place in greater coverage worldwide ahead of Europa League final despite Tokyo with most countries yet to defeat to Roma Manchester United's Edinson Cavani celebrates scoring their second goal with Bruno Fernandes. authorize emergency use of Chinese vaccines. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reached a major despite Thursday's defeat in Rome, the Now we've got to go to the final and win “We are inviting the athletes and final as Manchester United manager for Norwegian's side progressed comfortably it.” participating delegations of the the first time after a 3-2 defeat to AS thanks to last week's commanding 6-2 Edinson Cavani fired home a powerful upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Roma at the Stadio Olimpico was enough first leg win. finish after 39 minutes to open the Games to lead by example and accept to earn his side an 8-5 aggregate win in "It's a great achievement to get to the scoring, but Roma found the net twice in the vaccine where and when possible,” the Europa League semi-finals on final. We didn't win the game and that's the space of three second-half minutes IOC President Thomas Bach said in a Thursday, May 6. disappointing but we did the hard work through Edin Dzeko and Bryan Cristante statement. United will face Villarreal in the final in the first leg,” United captain Harry to turn the game on its head. in Gdansk on May 26 after the Spaniards Maguire told BT Sport. United had goalkeeper David de Gea to beat Arsenal 2-1 on aggregate. "We started the game a bit edgy. It was thank for not going further behind as the Indian archers Solskjaer had lost his last four semi- end-to-end like basketball and we gave Spaniard produced a string of superb finals during his Old Trafford reign and them too many chances in second half. saves. to miss Swiss World Cup Future uncertain as postponed Virat Kohli, wife ndia’s Olympic-bound archers will Anushka Sharma not get to compete in the Stage 2 World IPL seeks a window ICup in Lausanne as their short-term visa application has been rejected by the t was supposed to be an IPL that donate Rs 2 crore in Switzerland Embassy. would fetch BCCI bigger India has been battling a second wave Isponsorships than ever before, COVID-19 fight of the COVID-19 pandemic that has beating the virulence of the virus and ndia captain Virat Kohli and his actor forced many countries to ban travellers the pessimism surrounding it. In 2020, wife Anushka Sharma have donated Rs 2 from India. when IPL went to the UAE, the cricket Icrore to a fund-raising project, which will The Indian archers will now directly board had lost title sponsors Vivo, raise a total of Rs 7 crore to support the compete in the Stage 3 World Cup in Paris filled the slot with value halved, barely country's fight against the COVID-19 which will be the last Olympic retained three official partners and pandemic. qualification event for the Indian had to make do with an approximate The two are raising money through crowd- women’s recurve team. The seven-day sponsorship of R400 crore. funding platform Ketto. competition will begin on June 23. This year, Vivo was back, BCCI had "...Virat Kohli and Bollywood superstar “Swiss Embassy did not allow any five official partners and was expected Anushka Sharma are aiming to raise Rs. 7 short-term visa and we had little time for to make a record R700 crore plus from crore for COVID relief in India," a press the Stage 2 World Cup (May 17-23). Our sponsorships. Add the massive R3,270 release from the celebrity couple stated. focus is solely on the Paris World Cup crore annual broadcast deal and this "They are kickstarting a fundraising now,” Archery Association of India was to be a bumper IPL despite the campaign #InThisTogether on the crowd- secretary general Pramod Chandurkar pandemic. funding platform Ketto and are putting Rs. 2 told PTI. But with the virus creeping inside crore for this initiative." The campaign will India so far have men’s team and the IPL bio-bubble and the season run for seven days on Ketto and the proceeds women’s individual berths for Tokyo. postponed midway, there is a fear now positives. will be directed to ACT Grants. The national federation may also seek a that almost half of the R4,000 crore Finding another three weeks to relaxation in the 10-day quarantine rule BCCI would have made may never complete the league in a year India for its archers when they reach Paris. come into its kitty. The franchises that hosts the T20 World Cup would be “We are mulling to write to the French share 40 % of these proceeds will take much tougher. With boards still federation to allow the archers to travel at a proportionate hit, and player salaries figuring out ways to stage cricket by least for practice during the 10-day will be halved. creating bio-bubbles, IPL had emerged quarantine,” he said. Unless the Indian board finds an the most lucrative property for players Chandurkar further said that the alternative window this year. “We will looking to make up losses from the federation would also send the compound take a call later if we can find a absence of cricket. Once the T20 World team to Paris. The team had missed out window to complete IPL,” is all its Cup was postponed, every cricket on World Cup Stage 1 following their chairman Brijesh Patel said, a day board made way. head coach’s “false positive report”. after the league was put off after more Source: HT THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT. FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 57 THE INDIAN PANORAMA ADVT. FRIDAY MAY 07, 2021 YEARS 58