the global indian Issue 12, September 2005 CLOSE X FIRST FIND PRINT SAVE NEXT New Zealand’s e-zine for Indians abroad CLICK THE LINKS BELOW INDEPENDENCE OR LABOUR-DEPENDENCE? SEPT SPECIAL Auckland celebrated India’s Independence—three celebrations in the same weekend! Femina Miss India 2005 Sindhura INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE Gadde (extreme right) was a special guest at one. The functions were the usual patriotic song-and-dance sequence. What GLOBAL INDIAN OF THE MONTH do these functions achieve? Can this platform be used more constructively? Many people raised these questions. Read our TGI’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY “letters to editor” page for some introspection. (Photographs: The Global Indian resource) RACIAL POLITICS MONTH IN NEWS NZ, INDIA, WORLD EDITORIAL ENTERTAINMENT THOSE INDIAN GUYS MERSMERISING JACOB MOVIE GUIDE CULTURE, LIVING DREAM HOME CURRY ZONE FUNNY BONE COLUMNISTS SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT PRANIC HEALING IN AUCKLAND SANJAY KARHADE Pranic healing is one of the fastest growing alternative IN THIS ISSUE Showcase your talent at this year’s Waitakere Diwali festival JASBINDAR SINGH on 16 October. The festival is being organised by the therapies practised in 80 countries. Pranic healing RUTH DESOUZA Waitakere Ethnic Board with the support of the Waitakere techniques are non-touch, and have treated asthma, READERS WRITE City Council. If you’d like to perform at the festival, contact addictions, stress, depression and other diseases. There's LETTERS TO EDITOR either Ann Pala (818 4450), Camille Nakhid (021 045 7368) a free two-hour Infotalk at 10.00am on 24 September at 1 Hercules Drive, Henderson, followed by a weekend ABOUT US or Rachel Blundell (836 8000 extn 8461). Stalls are available at $200 and are a great way to market to your local workshop (ticket fee applies) on Pranic healing on 24-25 September. Contact Sukhi Arora 09-837 4320 or 021-160- community. The Global Indian magazine is an official media © 2005 Angan Publications Auckland 8403. (Issued in public interest: The Global Indian) Visit us: www.theglobalindian.co.nz the global indian TGI OF THE MONTH BACK FIND PRINT SAVE NEXT Issue 12, September 2005, Page 2 CLOSE X or a boy from a farming Zealand role of Head of Business CLICK THE LINKS BELOW F family in Fiji, coming to New “TAKE A DAY AT A Development for the whole firm. “This SEPT SPECIAL Zealand was a long journey, let TIME” – BRAHMA is an exciting and new challenge for INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE alone aim to be a part-owner of SHARMA me,” Brahma reveals. one of the ‘Big Four’ GLOBAL INDIAN OF THE MONTH Vaibhav Gangan Born and raised in Fiji, Brahma is the international consultancies. But TGI’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY youngest of four boys to parents who for someone who effortlessly RACIAL POLITICS managed a farm and a general combines Eastern values with MONTH IN NEWS merchants store with dad becoming a Western culture, it’s a natural NZ, INDIA, WORLD practising priest (pundit) in his progression. Please meet EDITORIAL retirement. Looking back, Brahma has Brahma Sharma, an Auckland- fond memories of his early childhood in ENTERTAINMENT based partner in the global Fiji. “Early life was full of great THOSE INDIAN GUYS business services firm – KPMG. opportunities and experience - working MERSMERISING JACOB “Achieving partnership status, on the farm before school, and in the MOVIE GUIDE particularly in a foreign land, was store at lunch time and after school a huge achievement for me,” CULTURE, LIVING from early age to about 10 years – it Brahma tells Vaibhav Gangan, in DREAM HOME was a beginning of a hardworking an interview for The Global CURRY ZONE ethic,” recalls Brahma. Indian magazine. FUNNY BONE He migrated to New Zealand in 1979 to Being part of a large global firm COLUMNISTS pursue tertiary education after like KPMG has been a SANJAY KARHADE secondary schooling in Suva. Like most IN THIS ISSUE phenomenal experience for his JASBINDAR SINGH teenagers, Brahma was split between two choices. “I had personal growth and the ability to help others. But his RUTH DESOUZA originally thought of studying law but decided on journey of success started pretty early on in his career READERS WRITE accountancy as it was a better option to study and work,” when he decided to specialise in taxation consulting. LETTERS TO EDITOR he says. He completed a year of full-time studies and “Well, I have done this for the last 25 years and have joined an accounting firm which later became KPMG. He ABOUT US thoroughly enjoyed the experience,” he adds. He has then completed chartered accountancy qualification in been the Head of Tax for KPMG New Zealand for many Auckland followed by an MBA from the Massey University years. Starting this year, he has a new KPMG New © 2005 Angan Publications Auckland later. Continued... Visit us: www.theglobalindian.co.nz the global indian TGI OF THE MONTH BACK FIND PRINT SAVE NEXT Issue 12, September 2005, Page 3 CLOSE X Continued... At a young age of 28, he became a partner written by Indian authors, he loves listening to Hindi CLICK THE LINKS BELOW with KPMG, being one of the youngest to be admitted to music, particularly ghazals. “I enjoyed the Jagjit Singh SEPT SPECIAL partnership in the firm. He’s also part of a minority who show in Auckland. I’m also a fan of A.R. Rahman and I’m have had only one employer throughout their career! definitely going to his concert in Sydney in September,” INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE Brahma concedes. Has being an Indian impacted his GLOBAL INDIAN OF THE MONTH Brahma attributes most of his success to his parents in career? “While it does not directly mean much from a TGI’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY Fiji. “My parents are very strong advocates of good career point of view, how I approach what I do is still RACIAL POLITICS education and observance of the values of culture, shaped by the fundamentals of my heritage - respect, tradition and religion,” he says. Little wonder then that MONTH IN NEWS understanding, tolerance of others.” Brahma’s day begins with offering a prayer “thanking the NZ, INDIA, WORLD good Lord for everything given to me”. Incidentally, the What’s his message for migrants? “Learn as much and EDITORIAL word ‘Brahma’ is a Sanskrit word and means God or the as quickly as you can about the new environment, ways ENTERTAINMENT ultimate truth. “The prayer is my motivation for the day – of doing things, a bit about politics and sports,” Brahma THOSE INDIAN GUYS the goal for which is to do what I do well and, hopefully, advises. Do not expect others, particularly the work MERSMERISING JACOB be effective in making someone else’s day!” place, to change to your culture, he adds. It is good to MOVIE GUIDE educate others on your heritage but do not expect to Making someone’s day comes naturally to Brahma CULTURE, LIVING change things. “This does not mean giving up your own whose role models are Nelson Mandela and Mahatma DREAM HOME culture– in fact it becomes even more important to focus Gandhi. As he puts it: “They both stood for something on these – but there is a time and place for this – it may CURRY ZONE and were prepared to make incredible personal sacrifices not be the work place,” he concludes. FUNNY BONE to achieve their goals for others.” He’s actively involved COLUMNISTS with Rotary Club Auckland, and is an active member of Finally, his take on life: take a day at a time and make SANJAY KARHADE the Institute of Directors, and a committee member of the the most of it! But that doesn’t stop him from looking IN THIS ISSUE JASBINDAR SINGH Employers and Manufacturers Forum. ahead. He hopes to learn Sanskrit and seek to spread RUTH DESOUZA that knowledge. “It would be a shame to lose the beauty Even with such a busy schedule of professional and of this wonderful language,” he says. “I’m still looking for READERS WRITE community commitments, Brahma maintains work/life a guru to teach me.” Anyone keen? LETTERS TO EDITOR balance. Married with a 16-year old son and a very ABOUT US supportive wife, Brahma is very much a family person. Would you like to nominate someone as The Global He plays squash, tennis and goes to the gym regularly Indian of the Month? Write to the editor. WANT TO with his son. A keen reader of novels, particularly those NOMINATE? © 2005 Angan Publications Auckland Visit us: www.theglobalindian.co.nz the global indian TGI ON THE SPECIAL FEATURE BACK FIND PRINT SAVE NEXT CLOSE X Issue 12, September 2005, Page 4 MONTH TGI’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY chosen the best letter, you stand to a surprise gift. CLICK THE LINKS BELOW Sangeeta Anand Tell-a-friend: Recommend this magazine to 20 or more SEPT SPECIAL friends by sending their email addresses to us, and you Yes, it’s been a year since we first met you—our readers! INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE can go in the draw to win a gift. It’s been an eventful journey. We still remember our first GLOBAL INDIAN OF THE MONTH subscription request. That was August last year. Since Best article of the month: If you have a story, poem, TGI’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY then your support has grown exponentially. Our August photo or experience to share, just email us, and if your RACIAL POLITICS issue achieved a circulation of close to 20,000, giving us a article is published you can win a gift. MONTH IN NEWS readership of over 60,000. We could not have done it We also thank our advertisers.