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The South Asian Timese x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Vol.6 No. 17 August 17-23, 2013 60 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Astrology 74 Spiritual Awareness 76Vox Populi 44, 46 excellence in journalismBollywood 72
India celebrates I-Day with fanfare
2nd India Day Parade in Long Island is a hit
As India celebrated its 67th Independence
Day on August 15 with flag hoistings and
patriotic events, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh in his address to the nation from the
ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi batted for
secular values and warned Pakistan to end
anti-India activities. And with next elections
nearing, President Pranab Mukherjee in his
speech asked people to vote in a stable
government to ensure economic
development .
Fervor in the Diaspora
Indian expatriates and the diaspora across the globemarked Indias 67th Independence Day away fromtheir motherland with festive fervor. In New York,Consul General Ambassador Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay cutthe ceremonial cake at the Consulate and rang theclosing bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange.
Bollywood star AartiChhabria and Miss USA2005 Chelsea Cooley addedglamour, joining NassauCounty Executive EdMangano as Grand Marshalsof the IDPUSA parade inHicksville on August 11 tomark Indias 67thIndependence Day and tocelebrate Indias culture andheritage and the communi-tys success in the adopted
country. On August 15,Nassau County hosted aflag-hoisting and celebra-tions marking the specialday for the community.
(See pages 16-22)
While this special issue covers the I-Day celebrations inIndia and abroad, we also deep-focus on the theme India:Taking Stock, Looking Ahead. (See pages 5-64.)
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6 August 17-23, 2013 TheSouthAsianTimes.infoTURN PAGE
Xoom celebratesIndia's I-Day with photo
sweepstakesNew York: Xoom offers you a chance toenter a contest and win $1000.
Spot Amitabh Bachchan on Times
Square, take a picture with him, display
it on Facebook and you can win a $1000,
says their press release.
As part of India's Independence Day
celebrations, Xoom, San Francisco based
digital money transfer provider has
organized a sweepstakes that includes a
video featuring Bollywood megastar
Amitabh Bachchan. The Xoom video
will appear on the Nasdaq tower and
Thomson Reuters screen in the heart of
Times Square in New York until
August 18.
The company is encouraging people to
post a photo or video of themselves pos-ing with the Xoom video display on
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by using
hashtag #xoomindia to qualify for a
chance to win the $1000 cash prize.
The photo can showcase Bachchans
Xoom video display or any Xoom adver-
tisement in the US and must be posted no
later than August 19, 2013.
New York Consulate hosts I-Day reception
Get snapped with Big B imageto enter contest
New York: To mark Indias
67th Independence Day,
Consul General Dnyaneshwar
Mulay hosted a reception at the
New India House. About 250
guests including prominent
members of the Indian commu-
nity and dignitaries such as
Amb. Frank Wisner, Amb.
Asoke Mukerji, Indias envoy
to the UN, and his deputy,
Manjeev Singh Puri attended.
Amb. Mulay highlighted the
contributions of the Indian
diaspora worldwide towards
growth and development of
India. We are proud of the
diaspora; particularly after
2004 when the Ministry of
Overseas Indian Affairs was
installed, the diaspora has
become more vibrant and more
confident, he said, adding, that
3.8 million Indian Americans inthe US are actively contribut-
ing towards Indo-US friend-
ship.
Admitting that the consulate
is facing problems with the
service providers, Mulay
assured that his team is proac-
tively trying to sort it out. Amb.
Mulay, who has so far visited 8
out of the 10 states under his
jurisdiction since he the start ofhis tenure here earlier in the
year, said, Our plan is to start
a comprehensive outreach pro-
gram by October, whereby
community members could get
information on the spot about
visas, passports, about how to
go to India, what are the travel
arrangements, investment
opportunities.He also recog-
nized the significant contribu-tion by the Indian community
towards $5 million endowment
to India Studies Chair at the
Stony Brooks University.
He particularly felicitated Dr
Nirma l Mat too and his wife
and Prof. SN Sridhar and his
wife for the endowment.
Mumbai: A day after celebrating
67th Independence Day, the BSE
Sensex and the Nifty fell 4 per cent
on August 16, marking their biggest
single-day drop in almost two years,
as blue chips including HDFC Bank
were hit across the board on fears
US stimulus tapering would hit for-
eign selling.
The RBIs India's measures to
restrict how much its citizens and
companies can invest abroad also
raised fears of outright capital con-
trols that would further undermine
the confidence of foreign investors.
The rupee fell to a record low (62
to a $) on Friday as RBI measures
to tighten capital outflows and curb
gold imports were seen as unlikely
to prop up the currency and could
even spark further selling if they
spook foreign investors.
On August 15, Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay and hiswife Sadhna Shanker, Ambassador Asoke Mukerji and
Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, India's envoys to the UN,cut the ceremonial cake that had Congratulations
India written on it.
US greetings: pridein 'indispensablepartnership' with IndiaWashington: The United States
greeted India on its
Independence Day saying it
takes pride in "our indispensa-ble partnership" and looks for-
ward to working together for
peace, democracy, and prosperi-
ty in Asia and around the world.
In a press statement Secretary
of State John Kerry recalled his
recent visit to India for the
fourth annual US-India
Strategic Dialogue, "allowing
each side to build partnerships"
on issues ranging from regional
security to women's empower-
ment. The US, he said, "also
takes pride in our indispensable
partnership with India, a friend-
ship built on our shared demo-
cratic values, the entrepreneurialspirit of our people, and our rich
people-to-people ties,".
Kerry said he looked forward
to continuing their "critical
efforts to lay the foundations for
peace, democracy, and prosperi-
ty in Asia and around the
world."
Bloodbath: Sensex falls 4% on tapering US stimulus
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President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari, PrimeMinister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and other dignitaries, during the 'At
Home' function, organised on the occasion of 67th Independence Dayat Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 15, 2013.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan after hoisting the nationalflag at Mantralaya in Mumbai
Members of'Bangalore
Round TableIndia and
Ladies CircleIndia' painting
their cars intricolors to
celebrate
IndependenceDay inBangalore
The Dignitaries coming out from the Red Fort after the Prime Minister,Dr. Manmohan Singh addressed the Nation on the occasion of 67th
Independence Day, in Delhi on August 15.
President Pranab Mukherjee paying tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate
Notwithstanding the recent external andinternal disturbances, India's 67thIndependence day was celebrated with zealand zest across the country. The SAT capturesthe mood in a few telling images.
United colors offreedom
West BengalChief MinisterMamataBanerjeesalutes duringthe 67thIndependencedaycelebration inKolkata
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New Delhi: Bomb blasts in Assam
and Manipur marred an otherwise
peaceful Independence Day cele-
bration across India that also saw
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi take on the prime minister
and Jammu and Kashmir Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah voice
unhappiness over the "different
treatment" meted to his state.
In Goa, a man chose the occasion
to swim across the Mandovi river
to demand a halt to mushrooming
casinos in the coastal state.
Suspected Bodo militants tried to
disrupt the Independence Day cele-
brations in Assam by triggering a
blast in Tengapara of Kokrajhartown, injuring one person. Police
recovered another grenade from
the same location. A grenade was
recovered at Bijni in Chirang dis-
trict, while four motorcycle-riding
youths lobbed a grenade in
Chirang, but it did not explode.
In Manipur, a bomb blast marred
the celebrations as Chief Minister
Okram Ibobi Singh appealed for
peace in the st ate. No one was
injured in the explosion.
In New Delhi, Congress presi-
dent Sonia Gandhi hoisted the
national flag at the party headquar-
ters. Top party leaders including
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
and Rahul Gandhi were present.
The Congress president also dis-
tributed sweets among children on
the occasion.
Goa resident Sudip Dalvi swam
to the banks of the Mandovi that
flanks state capital Panaji and is
home to five offshore casinos to
pr ot es t ag ai ns t ca si no ve ss el s
parked midstream in the river.
Omar Abdullah voiced pain at
the criticism over the communal
violence in Kishtwar and demand-
ed to know why Kashmiris were
treated differently.
After taking the salute and hoist-
ing the tricolour at the Bakshi
Stadium in Srinagar amid tight
security, Abdullah alleged the
Kishtwar incident had been
"exploited".
In Hyderabad, slogans of "Jai
Telangana" rent the air during the
celebrations at Gandhi Bhavan,
headquarters of the ruling
Congress party.
Andhra Pradesh saw unprece-
dented security with protests
against the proposed division of the
state being seen in a few places in
the Rayalaseema and Andhra
regions. Punjab Chief Minister
Parkash Singh Badal, in his
Independence Day message, com-
plained of his state being ignored
by the central government.
In Tripura capital Agartala, heavy
rains ended the Independence Day
celebrations in just 10 minutes,
with Chief Minister Manik Sarkar
forced to finish his speech in a
record two minutes. The Agartala
programme was scheduled to last
two-and-a-half hours.
Maharashtra celebrated the day
in the shadow of Wednesday's
naval tragedy in which 18 sailors
were feared killed after an Indian
Navy su bm ar in e sa nk . Ch ie f
Minister Prithviraj Chavan hoisted
the tricolour at a function in the
Mantralaya.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav expressed hopethat the state will regain its promi-
nent position in the country, while
West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee unfurled the tri-
colour at the Indira Gandhi Sarani
in Kolkata.
Jharkhand Chief Minister
Hemant Soren, in his first
Independence Day address,
declared that his government was
ready to hold talks with Maoists if
they gave up violence.
Reports of Independence Day
celebrations came from other
states, including Karnataka,
Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal
Pradesh.
India is today one of the worlds fastest growing economies
Bhuj (Gujarat)/New Delhi:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi found fault with Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh's
Independence Day speech and
sought a debate on development
but prai sed Pres iden t Pra nab
Mukherjee in the same breath.
"You are ruling a big country,we are managing a small state.
There should be a debate on the
issue of development and good
governance between the govern-
ment sitting in Delhi and our
government," Modi said during
an Independence Day function at
Bhuj.
"Our shortcomings will come
out. It will bring out who has been
left behind. Today there is need for
competition on development," said
Modi.
In his address, Modi attacked
Manmohan Singh for not taking
the name of Lal Bahadur Shastri
while referring to previous primeministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira
Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and for
not speaking out strongly against
the killing of Indian soldiers by
Pakistan. He said former prime
minister Lal Bahadur Shastri also
belonged to the Congress but was
ignored by Manmohan Singh.
Modi said the morale of the
Indian military would have gone
up if Manmohan Singh had used
"the language the country expect-
ed" over the killing of five Indian
soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir byPakistani troops.
His remarks invited strong reac-
tion from the Congress.
"Today is the day of our prime
minister. As per traditions, the
prime ministe r presents India's
aspirations, thinking, belief and
determination before the country
and the world from the Red Fort.
At least today, Modiji should
have maintained some restraint,"
said External Affairs Minister
Salman Khurshid.While Modi attacked the prime
minister, he praised Mukherjee,
who expressed his concern over
corruption in his address to the
nation Wednesday evening.
"It would have been good if
the prime minister today had said
something on corruption," said
Modi. He said the prime minister
listed the same problems before the
country that were mentioned when
Nehru was the prime minister.
"What have you done in the last
60 years. The problems are the
same," he said.
Modi also took a dig at the
Congress over allegations of falsi-fication of documents in a property
deal against Robert Vadra, son-in-
law of Congress president Sonia
Gandhi.
Attari (Punjab): The Border
Security Force (BSF) in Punjab
offered sweets and fruits to Pakistan
Rangers to mark India's 67th
Independence Day.
BSF Deputy Inspector General
M.F. Farooqi walked up to the zero
line at the Attari-Wagah border, 30
km from Amritsar, and offered
sweets, fruits and plants to his coun-terpart, Wing Commander Adnan
Shiekh. Both sides greeted each
other at the brief informal ceremony.
Tension has mounted between
India and Pakistan after Pakistani
troops were accused of killing five
Indian soldiers after sneaking into
Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sec-
tor last week.
The Pakistan Rangers gave sweets
to the BSF Wednesday to mark
Pakistan's Independence Day.
The midnight vigil and cultural
functions by social groups, a regularfeature near the Attari-Wagah border
in recent years, have been post-
poned following the killing of the
Indian soldiers.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
addressing on 67th I-day
The BSF officers and jawans celebrating I-day at
Attari-Wagah border.
BSF gives sweets toPakistan Rangers
Modi takes on Manmohan,ticks off Congress
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10
Bangalore: Independence Day will
be meaningful when political free-
dom coupled with economic inde-
pend en ce re ac he s ev er yo ne ,
Karnataka Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah.
"Political freedom without eco-
nomic independence is meaning-
less. Our government feels the I-
Day celebrations would be more
meaningful when economic inde-
pendence reaches the last person in
society," he said on India's 67th
Independence Day.
Admitting that opportunities were
not made equally available to all
sections of society resulting in
social crisis, the chief minister said
the I-Day was not just an occasion
for celebration but to introspect if
the purpose of independence had
been fulfilled.
"We may not be in any position to
negate the possibility of a situation
wherein equality as a principle of
democracy can come to conflicting
terms with an unequal social order,
an apprehension the Indian constitu-
tion architect Babasaheb Ambedkar
expressed," Siddaramaiah recalled.
No ti ng th at th e ob je ct iv e of
democracy was to ensure equitabledistribution of wealth, power and
opportunities, he said his govern-
ment would implement the promis-
es the Congress made in the May
election. "The people of Karnataka
opted for a change... Change does
not mean one party has completed
its tenure and another party had
replaced it to govern. Our action
should be evident and the people
should be able to see visible
changes."
Since the model code of conduct
was in force for by-elections in the
Bangalore Rural and Mandya Lok
Sabha seats Aug 21 and in three
assembly segments (Chitradurga,Dharwad and Mysore), he said he
would not dwell upon his govern-
ment's future schemes on this occa-
sion. Earlier, under a cloudy sky
and breezy weather, the chief minis-
ter hoisted the tricolour and
reviewed a guard of honour from an
open jeep at the Field Marshal
Manekshaw parade ground in the
city centre. Even as he took the
salute and martial music rent the air,
a military chopper showered rose
petals from a low altitude over the
flower-decked dais, drawing cheers
from about 10,000 people thronging
the venue.
About 2,000 personnel from themilitary, state police, Home Guards,
fire brigade, scouts and guides and
3,000 students from various schools
in the city marched past.
Students performing during Independence Day parade atManekshaw Parade Grounds in Bangalore
Srinagar: Pained by the criticism
over the communal violence in
Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah
demanded to know why Kashmiriswere treated differently. After tak-
ing the salute and hoisting the tri-
colour at the Bakshi Stadium here
amid tight security, Abdullah
praised Kashmiris for not letting
the communal trouble to take a far
more serious shape.
"I want to salute the people of
the state for defeating forces who
wanted to spread the tensions and
vitiate peace and harmony in the
state," he said.
"I am often asked why you
(Kashmiris) consider yourselves
separate from the country's main-
stream. I have thought over this
question, but an answer was diffi-cult to find.
"When I found how the Kishtwar
incident was exploited, I got the
answer to the question.
"We are
treated differ-
ently like we
are not part of
the main-stream," he
added.
A b d u l l a h
made it clear
that the
H i n d u -
Muslim clashes in Kishtwar, which
claimed three lives, deserved the
"strongest condemnation". He said
it was sad this incident took place
during his administration. "But this
is the fist happening of a commu-
nal nature during the last four years
I have been in power.
"Is it for the first time such a
thing has happened in India? I do
not want to say what happened inKishtwar can be justified because
of what happened elsewhere in the
country."
The chief minister has been upset
the way the Kishtwar flare-up has
bee n use d by Bha ra tiya Jan ata
Party leaders to attack the Jammu
and Kashmir government and
Abdullah per se.
Abdullah cited figures of com-
munal violence in Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat
during 2012 and up to March this
year. The chief minister also spokeof the continuing violations of the
2003 ceasefire on the Line of
Control and the international bor-
der by Pakistani troops.
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister
Parkash Singh Badal said that
despite having made the maximum
contribution to the country's free-dom struggle and also making India
self-reliant in foodgrain, Punjab was
getting step-motherly treatment.
Speaking after unfurling the
national flag in Ludhiana city, 110
km from here, to mark the country's
67th Independence Day, the chief
minister blamed successive govern-
ments at the centre for not giving
Punjab its due.
Badal said Punjab did not receive
due recognition and funds from the
central government, despite its
major contribution to the freedom
struggle. He said Punjab had borne
the onslaught of wars on the western
front.
He credited the state governmentwith ensuring that Maoism, terror-
ism and communalism were not
allowed to raise their ugly heads in
Punjab. Deputy Chief Minister
Sukhbir Singh Badal unfurled the
national flag in Mohali, adjoining
Chandigarh.
In Haryana, Chief Minister
Bhupinder Singh Hooda unfurled
the national flag at Sonipat, despite
rainfall.In Chandigarh, Punjab Governor
and Chandigarh Administrator
Shivraj Patil unfurled the national
flag.
Jammu and Kashmir ChiefMinister Omar Abdullahreading I-day message
Punjab sacrifices, yetgets step-motherlytreatment: Badal
We are treated as if wedon't belong to India: Omar
Karnataka CM bats foreconomic independence
Mumbai: Maharashtra celebrated
the 67th Independence Day in the
shadow of naval tragedy in which
18 sailors were feared killed after
an Indian Navy submarine sank
here. Governor K.
Sankaranarayanan unfurled the
national flag in Pune and greeted
the people on the occasion. Chief
Minister Prithviraj Chavan hoisted
the tricolour at a function in the
Mantralaya and spoke about the
strides made by the state in various
sectors. Mumbai Mayor Sunil
Prabhu also unfurled the flag at the
Brihan Mumbai Municipal
Corporation headquarters with a
large number of employees in
attendance. Similar functions were
held at the headquarters of the
Western Railway, Central Railway
and Konkan Railway, the state
Police Headquarters, headquarters
of various political parties, gov-
ernment buildings, private organi-
sations, colleges and schools and
housing complexes across the city.
In some parts of Vidarbha, which
has been ravaged by massive
floods in recent weeks, some peo-
ple boycotted the official functions
but held their own small celebra-
tions to mark the occasion. "This
was to register our silent protest at
the lack of help to the people in the
flood-ravaged areas and the con-
tinuing neglect of the debt-hit
farmers of this region," said
Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief
Kishore Tiwari.
Mumbai Mayor Sunil Prabhu hoists the tricoloron the 67th Independence Day
Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal
I-Day against backdrop
of naval tragedy
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12
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister J. Jayalalithaa hoped
that India will soon regain its
rights over the Katchatheevu
island that was ceded to Sri
Lanka in 1974.
In her Independence Day
speech here, Jayalalithaa also
said that her government was
taking steps to protect peoplefrom inflation due to the central
government's wrong economic
policies.
"I have faith in re-establishing
our rights in Katchatheevu," she
said after unfurling the national
flag at the state secretariat Fort
St. George.
Katchatheevu is located in the narrow sea
dividing India and Sri Lanka. The sea near it
is said to be rich in marine life, leading to
frequent clashes between Indian and Sri
Lankan fishermen.
This year, the Tamil Nadu assembly passed
a resolution urging the central government to
revoke the Katchatheevu transfer agreement.
The chief minister declared that Tamil
Nadu will keep the public distribution system(PDS) going in order to address issues relat-
ed to the poor.
She increased the freedom fighter's pension
by Rs.2 ,000 to Rs.9,000 and the freedom
fighter's family pension to Rs.4,500 from
Rs.3,500. Coming down heavily on the cen-
tral government and its economic policies,
Jayalalithaa said these had affected people
from all walks of life.
She said the rupee devaluation and higher
oil prices had impacted the people.
Her government, she said, was taking steps
like free rice to poor, selling rice and vegeta-
bles through cooperative stores, setting up"Amma Canteen" that sell subsidised food
and others. Jayalalithaa said several steps
were being taken to usher in a second green
revolution in the state.
Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa inspecting the guardof honor at Fort St George in Chennai
Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister
Ashok Gehlot, in his
Independence Day address, said
his government was committed to
fulfilling the dreams of the people
of the state despite difficult geo-
graphical and social conditions.
"We have provided a transparent
and responsive government, and
are trying to work for the develop-
ment of the state," Gehlot said
after unfurling the national flag at
a ceremony in Jaipur's Sawai Man
Singh Stadium here on the occa-
sion of India's 67th Independence
Day. Gehlot highlighted schemes
his government had introduced,
and said wheat was being provid-ed at the rate of Re.1 per kg to
people living below the poverty
line in the state.
"We are also providing free
medicine and free medical diag-
nostic tests to all, BPL as well as
APL (above poverty line), in the
state," he said. "We have launched
a new scheme under which the
state is bearing all the expenses of
boarding and lodging for senior
citizens undertaking pilgrimagetrips to selected destinations,"
Gehlot said.
The chief minister said his gov-
ernment had launched the Chief
Minister BPL Awas Yojana
scheme, for which the state had
taken a loan of Rs.3,400 crore
from the Housing and Urban
Development Corporation.
"It is really heartening to note
that the state government has been
able to provide jobs to 1.42 lakhyouth so far, and a process is
underway to provide more gov-
ernment jobs to youth," he said.
One of the major decisions the
government had taken was the set-
ting up of a Rs.40,000 crore, nine
million tonne per annum capacity
refinery in Barmer district.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlotinspecting guard of honor in Jaipur We're fulfilling people's
dreams: Gehlot
India will securerights overKatchatheevu: Jaya
Kolkata: Tableaux depicting the vibrant folk
art and the rich culture of Bengal were the
highlights of an Independence Day parade,
as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee unfurled the tricolour at the Indira
Gandhi Sarani here.
Carrying Chhau, Santhal and other tribal
dancers, the tableaux wended their way
through the normally busy road segment in
maidan area of central Kolkata as youngsters
enthusiastically showcased their talents
through cultural presentations despite the
sweltering heat.
Prior to the parade, Banerjee also inspected
a guard of honor. Banerjee later witnessed a
march-past in which personnel of KolkataPolice, West Bengal Police, Rapid Action
Force and school students took part.
Colorful tableaux were taken out by West
Bengal Police, Eastern Frontier Rifles and
various state departments and schools.
Last year, Banerjee had broken a tradition,
in place since 1948, and hoisted the tricolour
at the Sarani, also known as Red Road,
instead of the state secretariat Writers'
Buildings.
People burst firecrackers at midnight to
usher in Independence Day.
The national flag was unfurled at most
places in the city. Cultural programmes were
held in schools and colleges and in various
localities.
Malls across the eastern metropolis started
filling up as the day wore on. Families were
seen dressed in ethnic wear as they attended
functions in neighbourhoods.The Kolkata Metro Railways, the lifeline
of the city, also marked the 67th
Independence Day with a ceremony at the
Metro Rail Bhawan.
Artists
performingtraditionaldanceduringI dayceremoniesat IndiraGandhisarani inKolkata
Bengal celebrates
Independence Day
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14
Lucknow: Chief Minister Akhilesh
Yadav expressed the hope that Uttar
Pradesh will regain its prominent
position in the country.
Speaking on the occasion of
India's Independence day, the chief
minister said efforts were on to
ensure that the state emerged as a
front ranking state.
Akhilesh Yadav enumerated the
various schemes undertaken by his
Samajwadi Party government for
the poor and the minorities.
He said his government was giv-
ing adequate focus to strengthening
roads and laying new roads and
highways in the sprawling state.
"All district headquarters will soon
be linked to four-lane roads."
Stressing the need for women's
participation in mainstream society,
the chief minister said educating
girls was a core area for the state.
Farmers, he added, were being
provi ded timel y seeds , fert ilizers
and free irrigation from state-owned
canals and tube wells.
"The state government has given
a 138-acre land in Rae Bareilly for
AIIMS. I am sure very soon work
will start on this ambitious project,"
he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik said the
benefits of development must reach
the people in both urban and rural
areas to achieve inclusive growth.
Odisha has more than 50,000 vil-
lages and over 100 small and big
towns and their overall development
is important, the chief minister said
after unfurling the national flag at
the state level Independence Day
function at the Mahatma Gandhi
Marg here. The development of
infrastructur, agriculture and allied
sectors in the state are essential,
Patnaik said. The development and
welfare of the people including
farmers, workers, women, physical-ly challenged, poor, scheduled
castes, scheduled tribes and students
was required for achieving inclusive
growth, he added.
Patnaik calls for inclusive growth in Odisha
UP will regain prominentposition: Akhilesh Yadav
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh cel-
ebrated Independence Day amid
continuing protests in
Seemandhra over the decision to
bi fu rc at e th e st at e to cr ea te
Telangana.
Protests at a few places in the
Rayalaseema and Andhra regions,
collectively known as
Seemandhra, marked the day as
police tightened security to pre-
vent any untoward incident.
YSR Congress party legislator
Gurunath Reddy tried to disrupt
the official celebrations in
Anantapur.
Alleging that the ministers
failed to stop the division, he
lodged his protest by squatting on
the ground when Revenue
Minister Raghuveera Reddy was
addressing the gathering after
unfurling the national flag.
In Kadapa, Minorities Welfare
Minister Mohammed
Ahmedullah, who faced the fury
of the protestors a few days ago,
stayed away from the celebra-
tions. It was district collector who
hoisted the tricolour.Slogans of "Jai Telangana"
were raised by a few people at
Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters
of the Congress party in
Hyderabad. The party leaders and
workers from Seemandhra coun-
tered them with 'Jai Seemandhra'
slogans. State Congress chief
Botsa Satyanarayana, who
unfurled the tricolor in the pres-
ence of Chief Minister N. Kiran
Kumar Reddy, his deputy
Damodar Rajanarasimha and
other leaders, appealed to people
to exercise restraint as the divi-
sion of the state was a sensitive
issue. The chief minister is fromRayalaseema while his deputy
hails from Telangana.
Satyanarayana comes from
coastal Andhra region.
The chief minister hoisted the
national flag at the main official
ceremony at Parade Grounds in
Secunderabad amid tight security.
He received the guard of honor
and reviewed various contingents
of police, Home Guards and stu-
dents.
The chief minister avoided any
reference to the state's division.
Claiming that his government's
aim is to help the poor, he spoke
about the various welfare and
development schemes being
implemented.
Kiran Reddy said the state was
expecting good crop this season
as the good monsoon had filled
most of the reservoirs. "This has
also helped the state tide over the
electricity shortage."
The chief minister said the gov-
ernment had launched 'Bangaru
Talli', a scheme to provide finan-
cial aid to girl child from her
birth till completion of her educa-
tion. He also announced that the
pe ns io n of fr ee do m fi gh te rs
would be increased from
Rs.4,000 to Rs.7,000.The state ministers in
Seemandhra reluctantly agreed to
lead the official celebrations in
their respective districts, fearing
protests from people demanding
their resignation to oppose the
state's division.
Government employees in
Seemandhra, whose indefinite
strike entered the third day,
resumed protests after taking part
in the I-Day celebrations. Some
employees stayed away from offi-
cial celebrations, and instead held
their own ceremonies.
Over four lakh employees in all
nine districts of coastal Andhraand four districts of Rayalaseema
are on strike, paralyzing the
administration. They want New
Delhi to reverse its decision.
Andhra Pradesh policemen march during Independence daycelebrations at parade ground
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik hoists tricolor
New Delhi: BJP leader L.K. Advani
said Independence Day was not aday to "criticise one another", after
his party colleague and Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi
attacked Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
The veteran BJP leader also
wished Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on Independence Day.
"Today, I want to wish the entire
nation a Happy Independence Day.
When I say the entire nation, I don't
think some of them are my own and
some are not," Advani said after
unfurling the national flag at his res-
idence. "So I want to wish the prime
minister and his entire cabinet on
this occasion. I want this feeling to
grow... without criticising one
another, people should be aware on
this day that India has unlimited
possibilities," said the BJP leader.
Not the day to criticizeone another: Advani
BJP leader L.K. Advani
Andhra marks I-Dayunder shadow of division
B-town wishes
Happy I-day, says
salute our heroesMumbai: Different people inter-
pret Independence Day different-
ly. For Boman Irani, it's a time to
remember our martyrs, while
writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar wants
fellow citizens to follow the path
of unity.
Tinsel town took to Twitter to
express their views and wish
everyone a "peaceful" day. Here
is what they have to say on the
occasion of the 67th
Independence Day:
Boman Irani: Rather than wish-
ing each other, we should remem-
ber the ones who gave us free-
dom. Work towards an India that
future generations remember you
too.Javed Akhtar: Happy
Independence Day. Today let's
bury all the hatchets and together
sing our National Anthem from
the depth of our hearts. Jai Hind.
Farhan Akhtar: Being inde-
pendent means to think for your-
self, not about yourself. Happy
Independence Day.
Akshay Kumar: I love my
India! Proudly wearing the
Tiranga to celebrate the precious
freedom of our country.
A.R. Rahman: My fellow
Indians, wish you a very happy
Independence Day. Jagaao mere
des...Manoj Bajpayee: Happy
Independence Day! Vande
Mataram! Salute to all who fight
for their rights!
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2 IndIa day Parade In Long
IsLand a grand successBollywood star Aarti Chhabria and Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley added glamour, joining NassauCounty Executive Ed Mangano as Grand Marshals of the IDPUSA parade in Hicksville on August 11
to mark Indias 67th Independence Day and to celebrate the communitys culture and heritage.
16
Hicksville, NY: Only two years
old and the India Day Parade ofLong Island is already becoming
so well attended and immaculate-
ly organized to stand tall with the
leading parades celebrating In-
dias Independence Day in Ameri-
ca from coast to coast.
The parade organized by ID-
PUSA celebrating Indias 67th
Independence Day in Hicksville
was led by Nassau County Execu-
tive Ed Mangano, Bollywood star
Aarti Chhabria, and Miss USA
2005 Chelsea Cooley, all Grand
Marshals. They were joined by
other elected ofcials and Indian
community leaders. They were fol-
lowed by colorful oats and march-ing group playing Indian patri-
otic songs and lustily chanting Jai
jig along the parade route . Even
Chelsea Cooley, dressed in a skyblue lehnga-chol i, showed her
newly mastered Bollywood moves
from the stage.
Looking at so many beautiful
women in colorful Indian outts,
Bobby Kumar, parade founder and
sutradhar, told local Channel 12,
The whole idea of this parade is
power to the women and women
is the power.
Kamlesh Mehta gave the back-
ground, Hicksville has become
like a hub for the south Asian
community and it is growing fast.
The purpose of India Day Parade
is to bring all the diversity of In-
dian community together underone umbrella. Indeed, the parade
is the collaborative effort of about
Hind as well as bands and dhols.
The march down South Broad-way was joined by thousands of
cheering people. At the culmina-
tion point near the Hindu temple
a viewing stage was erected for
the dignitaries, which then staged
a scintillating entertainment pro-
gram of song and dance.
Said County Executive Manga-
no, Today is a celebration of cul-
ture; it is a celebration of freedom.
It is a wonderful day to unite with
old friends, make new friends.
Aarti Chhabria, who has starred
in 28 lms, was ecstatic: Being a
patriotic Indian, I am honored and
proud to be the Grand Marshal at
this parade. The experience hasbeen breathtaking and exhilarat-
ing. She frequently broke into a
100 local community organiza-
tions, cutting across religion, poli-
tics or region of origin in India.
The dignitaries - Republican
and Democrat--who took part in
the parade included Senator Jack
M. Martins, Town of North Hemp-
stead Supervisor Jon Kaiman,
and Nassau County legislators
Rose Walker, Mike Venditto and
Judi Bosworth, who is aspiringfor Kaimans seat. Besides former
County Executive Tom Suozzi
(aboard the oat of Indian Amer-
icans for Tom Suozzi), Adam
Haber, another contender for the
County Executive seat, showed up
besides some candidates for legis-
lative and judicial positions.
And what did the visitors think
of the parade? Juned Qazi, of In-
dian National Overseas Congress
(INOC-USA), who came all the
way from New Jersey, said, The
parade represents not only the
NRIs celebrating the growth and
development back home in India
since Independence, but is also a
showcase of the growing presence
and prominence of the emerging
community in America.
Shobha Prakash of Herricks put
it simply, We are celebrating with
gusto. We are in America, but our
hearts are still in India where we
came from. An estimated 15,000
people attended the celebrations
held in Hicksville, the newest Lit-
tle India located in Nassau County.
Indu Jaiswal was chair of the 2013
parade and DJ Kucha the emcee of
the entertainment program.
There were 17 oats including of
Air India, Patel Brothers, Apna Ba-
zar, INOC, Friends of Good Health,and Indian American Bank. The 30
booths near the stage included those
of HAB Bank, MetLife, Antuns,
NY Life, and Hicksville Rajbhog.
Air India, Patel Brothers and Lo-
tus Management Group were the
Grand Sponsors of the event. Plati-
num Sponsors included Friends of
Ed Mangano, MetLife and Antuns.
The South Asian Times was also
Platinum Sponsor & leading Media
Partner. The Long Island parade was
telecast live by Global Punjabi TV
and covered by many other channels.Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, actress Aarti Chhabria (on his left), and Miss USA 2005Chelsea Cooley (in sky blue lehnga-choli) and the BQ Girls marching in the front line of the parade.
The floats were led by one of the parade organizer, IDPUSA, with patriotic songs and shouts of jai Hind.
Glamorous Bollywood star Aarti Chhabria breaks into a jigon the parade route, unprompted by Bobby Kumar
(in pink shirt), parade founder.
Many state, county and town lawmakers joined Indian
community leaders at the parade, and they included New YorkState Senator Jack M. Martins (second from left), and Nassau
County legislator Mike Venditto (second from right).
By Parveen Chopra
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3 honored as Jewels of IndIa In Usa by IdP Usa
17
Indu Jaiswal, Chair of India Day
Parade 2013 in Long Island, as
well as Harendra Singh and
Kamlesh Mehta, founders of the
India Day Parade in
Long Island, were
bestowed with the
Jewel of India in
USA award by the
India Day Parade
Committee.
They were honored
in the presence of top
government ofcialsand over 300 gath-
ering of elite mem-
bers of the Indian
community in Long
Island. The three
were recognized for
their leadership, vi-
sion and outstanding
service to the Indian
American communi-
ty at large. Kamlesh
Mehta was honored
at the Nassau County
Legislative Cham-
bers along with Nas-
sau County Executive
Ed Mangano during
the ag hoisting cer-
emonies on August
15. Both are instrumental in start-
ing the ag-hoisting at the presti-
gious Nassau County Executive &
Kamlesh Mehta is the Director
of Nassau County Ofce of Busi-
ness & Economic Development. A
well known jeweler and diamond
dealer, he is also the founding
publisher of leading weekly news-
paper The South Asian Times,
and Chairman of Forsythe Media
Group, Indo-US Media and IANS
International. He is actively in-
volved with Rotary Club and a
few other organizations, and has
been recognized by many pris-
tine organizations in the past.Last year, Bobby Kumar was
honored with Jewel of India in
USA for his leadership, vision and
outstanding contributions to main-
stream politics in Indo-US and oth-
er communities in North America.
India Day Parade USA started
organizing India Day Parade in
Hicksville, Long Island from 2012.
Legislative building on Indias In-
dependence Day since 2010.
Indu Jaiswal is also Chairperson
of the Indian American Forum,
and past president
of India Association
of Long Island. She
has been involved
in community or-
ganizations for the
last 30 years, and
served on the board
of many leading or-
ganizations. She hasbeen awarded by
many organizations
in the past for her
tireless community
service.
Harendra Singh
is CEO & President
of Singh Hospitality
Group, which owns
crown catering ven-
ues such as Waters
Edge in Long Is-
land City & Wood-
lands in Woodbury
& Melville. He is
also known for his
philan thropic con-
tributions to many
charitable organiza-
tions. He contributes in managing
Raj Rajeswari Foundation, and a
hospital in rural India.
Honoree Kamlesh Mehta, a found-er of the parade, with NassauCounty Executive Ed Mangano.
Nuns and priests of a church watchingintently the India Day Parade go by.
Saffron and green of the Indian tricolor everywhere.
County lawmakers atop the float sponsored by Ed Mangano.
Nassau Countys Irish band playing along the march route.
Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley (middle)shows her newly mastered Bollywoodmoves on the entertainment stage.
A group picture of IDPUSA committee members.
The 3 star fundraisers of the parade, FinanceCommittee Chairs: Kamlesh Mehta 2012,
Nagendra Gupta, Chair and Co-Chair RajanNabe 2013.
Honorees Indu Jaiswal,Chairperson, andHarendra Singh, a
founder of the parade.
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18
Vignettes from IDPUSA India Day Parade, Hicksville, Aug 11.
Tom Suozzi (top left) took out a float to seeksupport for his run for Nassau County Executive, apost he held before Ed Mangano, the incumbent.
The float of Patel Brothers, a grand sponsor of theparade. The parade in Hicksville originates from PatelBrothers Plaza and moves along South Broadwaytowards the Hindu temple.
The Maharaja held aloft the flags of India and USAat the float of Air India, the countrys national carrier,a grand sponsor of the parade.
Lusty dancing to Punjabi music at the Bollagroup float - group founder Harry Singhis in grey suit.
India Association of Long Island had a walkinggroup and a float, led by the IALI President KishoreKuncham (middle).
Indu Jaiswal, chair of IDPUSA Parade2013, received a certificate of appreci-ation from Nassau County ExecutiveEd Mangano. County ComptrollerGeorge Maragos is on the right.
The publicity-shy Chief DeputyCounty Executive Rob Walker (left)was snapped by The South AsianTimes with Kamlesh Mehta, NassauCountys Director of Economic andBusiness Development as well asparade co-founder.
HAB Bank's new manager atHicksville branch, Rupal Sehgal,with the parades Guest of Honor
Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley andthe BQ Girls. The branch was spe-cially kept open on a Sunday toprovide hospitality for the Guest ofHonor and the Grand MarshallAarti Chhabria.
The IndusAmericanBank float,led by theHicksvillebranchmanager,Akshat Kaul(in redT-shirt).
(Photos: Parveen Chopra)
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More vignettes from IDPUSA India Day Parade, Hicksville, Aug 11
The float of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan,founded by Ashuthosh Maharaj.
A float portraying freedom fighters such asRani Jhansi.
(From left) Prominent community members ZindaSingh, Juned Qazi, Darshan Singh Bagga andMohinder Singh Taneja.
Rajbhog Sweets ofHicksville, managed bySheetal Talati (in greenapron), had mouthwater-ing chaats at its stall.Rajbhog is offering spe-cial discounts for Rakhifestival.
Role reversal: A Caucasian artistnamed Senya applying henna to anIndian girls hand.
Young and old all enjoyed theparade offerings and they camefrom all over Long Island andQueens.
A young dancerevocative of
Bharat Mata(Mother India) images.
Theaudience keptswelling asthe entertain-ment pro-gramprogressed.
Rotary Club of Hicksville members group clubPresident Quddus Mohammed (second from right) andfounder President Kamlesh Mehta.
(Photos: Parveen & Shiv Chopra)
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Nassau CouNty Celebrates INdIa day 4th tIme IN a row
Mangano, who was Grand Mar-
shal for the second time at the India
Day Parade held in Hicksville on Aug
11, congratulated the Indian commu-
nity and said that it was a day to cel-
ebrate freedom and liberty. He also
referred to his forthcoming historic
announcement for Nassau Countys
future: the construction of a 100%
privately nanced Nassau Coliseum.
The Madison Square Garden Com-
pany missed the boat. The project
went to the Nassau Events Center,
LLC, an afliate of Forest City En-
terprises, Inc, which will transform
the Coliseum and Plaza into an attrac-
tive, rst class destination for family
fun, sports and entertainment, in-vesting a minimum of $229 Million.
Hon. Mangano was honored
as distinguished leader and true
friend of the Indian American
community by the India Day Pa-
rade USA (IDPUSA) group.
After receiving the Jewel of
India in USA honor from the ID-
PUSA committee, Kamlesh Mehta,
a founder of the IDP who is also
Nassau Countys Director of Busi-
ness and Economic Development,
pointed out that this was the 4th
year in a row that the county was
hosting Indias Independence Day
on August 15 itself. It was his own
brainchild backed by the County
Executive Ed Mangano, which
has become now an annual event.
Bobby Kumar, Co-Founder and
sutradhar of the India Day Parade
in Long Island, gave a memento
of appreciation to Mangano, and
said, He is a man of his word, al-
ways helpful to the community.
Lal Motwani, Chairman of
NFIApresented a Gandhi statue to
Mangano. He added, We wish to
celebrate 15 August the same way
for four more years under Hon.
Mangano, alluding to the second
term that Mangano is seeking.
Dr. Kishore Kuncham, President
of IALI, was the emcee, and Indu
Jaiswal, Chai r IDP, presented a vote
of thanks. Commissioner of Public
Works Shila Shah read the Pledge
of Allegiance. Sunita Sadhnani of
BollyArts presented the patriotic
cultural program, and sumptuous
brunch was catered by Hicksville
Rajbhog. The ag hoisting event
was attended by many leading com-
munity leaders as well as over a
dozen veterans of Indian Forces.
Mineola, NY: To mark the
67th Independence Day of India,
Nassau County Execut ive Ed-
ward P. Mangano hosted promi-
nent community members and
Indian-Americans at the Theodore
Roosevelt Executive and Legisla-
tive Building for a joyous celebra-
tion and ag hoisting on the balmy
morning of August 15.
The bringing in and presentation
of the Indian and American ags
in a grand way was led by Cham-
pakbhai Parikh, a veteran of such
presentations. The Indian ag was
hoisted by Mangano along withthe dignitaries.
Mangano honored the following
for their service to the community:
Air Marshal (retd) S. Raghaven-
dran, AVSM, PVSM; Ms Shammi
Singh, Trustee, Nassau Community
College; C.T. Parikh, freedom ght-
er of India who manages charitable
educational institutions in Baroda,
Gujarat; and Dr Ashok Chhabria,
a dentist and humanitarian. In Dr
Chhabrias absence, his actress
daughter, Aarti Chhabria, Grand
Marshal of Long Islands India Day
Parade, received the citation.
Hicksville, NY: A mega event
such as IDPUSA India Day Parade
in Long Island cannot be successful
without a dedicated team of many
leaders and volunteers. Some do
get noticed; some go unsung though
their contribution is no less worthy
than those in the front row.
Whereas Bobby Kumar was an
obvious leader who shared his re-
sources and was the epicenter of
all activities and decision mak-
ing, there were Parade Chair Indu
Jaiswal, Finance Committee ChairNagendra Gupta and Rajan Nabe,
Coordinator Flora Parekh, Cultural
Committee Chair Sunita Sadhnani,
PR Chair Bhavani Srinivasan,
Floats Committee Hussain Ba-
queri & Parveen Chopra and Me-
dia chair Ajay Batra were always
around since day one to make the
2nd IDPUSA India Day Parade a
grand success.
Dedicated team members were
always there to support the logis-
tics of various necessities: Kishore
Kuncham, Kenny Epstein, Dr
Kwatra, Dr Sukhwinder Ranu,
Eric Kumar, Vijay Goswami, Anuj
Rihal, Shashi Malik, Animesh
Goenka, Mala Bakshi, DJ Kucha,Ashok Varshney, Jay Enjapuri,
Rajesh Kumar, Mohinder Taneja,
Jaya Bahadkar, Tina Shah, Anu
Gulati, Bina Sabhapathi, Naidoo
Veerapen, Krishnasri Gand-ham are a few names who were
instrumental in the parades
grand success.
Media Masters printed the
168-page souvenir in record-
short notice.
Antuns by Minar, Glamor-
ous Events, Lavanya, Fern-
Dcor and DJ Kucha lent their
services free of charge. Friends
of Ed Mangnao, Met Life, Apna
Bazar and Purna Aramalla were
also Platinum Sponsors.
Patel Bros., Air India, and
Lotus Management Group
were Grand Sponsors.
Global Punjabi TV telecastthe parade via live stream; The
South Asian Times was the Plat-
inum Sponsor besides a leading
Print Media Partner.
22
Champakbhai Parikh and the group flag march holding tricolors.
Nassau County Executive Hon. Ed Mangano hoisting the flag of India.
(left to right) All those honored by the County Executive posing for a picture. | Bollywood actress Aarti Chhabria, Grand Marshal of the Long Island India Day Parade,posing with Mangano and Bobby Kumar Kalotee. | County Executive Mangano receiving gift of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi from NFIA Chairman Lal Motwani.
By Parveen Chopra
UnsUng heroes of IndIa
day Parade In Long IsLand
(Photos: Michael Tamborrino)
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By Jinal Shah/SATimes
New Jersey: Despite the arch rival-
ry between two organizing groups,
Indian Americans living in New
Jersey attended the India day parade
in huge numbers on Sunday.Edisons India day parade is
famous for being one of the largest
Indian independence day parades
outside of India, besides the annual
parade in Manhattan. However past
couple of years NJ parade is in the
news for the rivalry between the two
organizing groups to run Edisons
annual parade. This year marked
round three in the battle between
Iselin based Indian Business
Association (IBA), and Edison
base d Oak Tree Ind ian Bus iness
Association Inc. (OTIBA) that led
to two separate parades.
It was a celebration of unity
organized by two groups who cantunite. Friction between factions has
grind on for years, almost since
inaugural procession in 2004.For
over nine years, Woodbridge
Township has granted a parade per-
mit to the Indian Business
Association, which is based in the
Iselin section of Woodbridge. In
Edison, Mayor Antonia Riciglianos
administration for the third straight
year granted the parade permit to the
Oak Tree Indian Business
Association Inc.
Since then the Independence Day
celebration was marred by factional
fight between IBA and a rival group
both of who claimed legitimacy for
holding the parade. The issue went
to court to determine who should be
allowed to hold the parade on Oak
Tree Road, the hub of Indian busi-
nesses. The issue is yet to be
resolved amicably.
Despite the dispute, thousands of
Indian Americans straddled the bor-
der between Woodbridge and
Edison to watch the dueling parades
march down Oak Tree Road in
Edison within a half hour of each
other. According to IBA around37,000 people are estimated to have
witnessed the parade.
The IBA parade, now in its ninth
year, kicked off at 1:30 p.m. from
the Cinder Road intersection in
Edison and moved across the
Woodbridge border into the heart of
the Indian-American business dis-
trict in Woodbridges Iselin section.
Then around 2 p.m., the Oak Tree
Indian Business Associationsparade made its way down Grove
Avenue and turned onto Oak Tree
Continued on page 26
Despite rivalry, the show goes on as IBA and OTIBA organizes separate parades this year too
Headlining the parade was Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno and IBA president Kapil Shah. Governor hopeful, Senator Barbara Buono in a pink sareewalked the parade, greeting people along the way.
Women clad in nauvari sarees danced with lezim to the beatsof dhol at the IBA India day parade on Sunday
Volunteers for the Aam Aadmi party in the USA participatedin the India day parade. Three of the party volunteers
marched from Washington DC in the swaraj yatra- an attemptto create awareness about participatory democracy.
Another governor hopeful Christie Guadagnoparticipated in the parade.
Indian cultural society of New Jersey participatedin the parade.
Two I-Day parades, back to back,draw thousands in NJ
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Continued from page 24
Road on the heels of the other event.
It stopped just before Wood Avenue.
Leading the parade as the Grand
Marshal were Bollywood actorGulshan Grover and television
actress Rashmi Desai for the IBA
parade and Bollywood actor Shweta
Bharadwaj for the OTIBA parade.
It is my honor to be part of India
day parade and to commemorate
India's 66th Independence Day,
said actor Gulshan Grover.
Indian Business Association had
19 floats and about 22 walking
groups making it the largest India
day parade in New Jersey. A lot of
political bigwigs were also part of
the parade, said Viru Patel secre-
tary of IBA.
We had just four days to prepare
for the parade after getting permis-
sion despite that we managed to roll
10 floats and two walking groups
with dholis, said Pradip (Peter)
Kothari, president OTIBA.
Most of the floats were decorated
with Indian tricolor flags and
American national flag, children on
board the floats danced to popular
Bollywood songs. Part of the IBA
parade was a group of young profes-
sionals who marched down to New
Jersey from Washington DC as a
part of the swaraj yatra - A walk for
Democracy 2.0 in order to create
awareness for Aam Aadmi Party and
learn about local governance system
in every county region. Of the
group, three working professionalswalked end to end from Washington
DC to New Jersey nonstop for a
week to participate in the India day
parade on Sunday. We started our
yatra last Saturday and covered 145
miles to participate in the India day
parades both in New Jersey as well
as New York (August 18), educating
Indians along the way about Aam
Aadmi Party. We walked 15 to 20
miles a day to make it to the parade
to create awareness about the impor-tance of citizen participation in
Indian democracy and the necessity
of upgrading Democracy 1.0 to
Democracy 2.0. We were met with
great enthusiasm from public, said
Massachusetts based software con-
sultant and a volunteer with Aam
Aadmi Party, Madhusudhan VN. He
along with Akshay Kumar Anugu
and Jayesh Srivastava are now cre-
ating awareness in Jersey city area.
The parade worked as a perfect
battleground for politicians to lock
in campaign battles. IBA parade had
a heavy presence of politicians such
as U.S. Senate candidates such as
Newark Mayo r Cory Booker and
U.S. Reps. Rush Holt (D-12th Dist.)
and Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.)
shook hands with the crowd. Also in
attendance was state Sen. Barbara
Buono, (D-Middlesex), who is run-
ning against Gov. Chris Christie for
governor. On the other hand OTIBA
too had some known faces including
Edison mayor Antonia Ricigliano,
Councilman and mayoral candidate
Sudhanshu Prasad and
Assemblyman Upendra J.
Chivukula.
Asked on the rift between the two
groups Patel said, Yes there are
people in both the groups who are at
loggerheads but we are not divided
as a community as portrayed. Weare friends and socialize regularly
outside the realm of India day
parade.
The spectacle left some confused,
some nostalgic and some embar-
rassed. It is sad to see people divid-
ed for a celebration of unity, harmo-
ny and peace, said Sheetal, a 17
year old student.
For 77 year old Shantaben Patel
who was discharged last week from
a hospital where she was admitted
for stroke, parade reminds her of the
first Independence Day. I was 10
back then. My father took me out at
the junction in Ahmedabad, the
mood was festive. People old and
young, of every caste, creed and
color, were cheering and singing to
their hearts' content on jam-packed
roads in celebration of azadi, recol-
lects Shantaben who has been living
in the US past 23 years.
Music blared from floats during
both parades, as dancers moved to
the rhythm and Hare Krishna wor-shippers chanted. This is my first
parade with the kids and this is as
close as I can get to India. It is very
important for me to expose my chil-
dren to Indian culture, said Suresh
Menon, an IT professional from
Edison. Menon saw both the
parades with his four year old son
Aditya and two year old Akash.
While many saw the parade as a
way of connecting their kids to their
Indian roots, there were others whofound nothing Indian in the India
day parade. National pride or pub-
licity stunt? asks 44 year old
Pawan Patel at the India day parade
in New Jersey.
From banks to local ethnic televi-
sion stations, from local beauty par-
lors to pathology clinics and even
liquor companies participated in the
parade each in their own floats.
Patel criticized the march and said
the event was too commercial and
that it did not reflect the spirit of
India. You expect Independence
Day parades to be about national
pride, a tribute to the thousands of
people who lost thei r lives in the
freedom struggle. You expect the
parade to be recognition of every-
thing the nation has achieved since
independence or least; display
Indias rich culture and heritage.
There was no display of Indian cul-
ture, tradition except for a couple of
Hare Krishna floats. None of the
two parades had statue of Mahatma
Gandhi or any other national leader
or freedom fighter or displayed Taj
Mahal or the Red Fort replica. I
could not find anything Indian in the
parade. Majority of the floats adver-
tised local business, or rallied US
poli ticians, rest of the charm was
taken away by Bollywood personal-
ities and not to forget the rivalrybetween the two groups, said Patel,
a resident of Woodbridge.
The event drew a lot of
Americans, one of them was Florida
resident Kathy Freeman. My son
has many Indian friends and my
exposure to India is through my son
David. I am glad I came here to see
the parade, said Freeman. She was
with her sister Phyllis Iau,
Woodbridge resident. This is my
first time at the parade. It is excitingto see the young and old come
together to celebrate and to experi-
ence the beauty of India culture. The
parade is colorful and the music is
great especially the drums (dhol).
Both the parades ended with cul-
tural programs with children danc-
ing on popular Bollywood dance
numbers, games and stalls with deli-
cious Indian cuisine.
Amidst the celebration, an uniden-
tified 50 year old woman, a specta-
tor, was rushed to hospital after she
fell down at the sidewalk.
Emergency medical service
responded promptly.
Viru admitted that the parade has
become more commercial. When
we started we talked about repre-
senting our country on floats but the
only way to survive the escalating
cost of organizing the parade is
through sponsors. The budget for
this years parade was over $
150,000 for a half hour spectacle,
we too have to recover costs.
Without money nothing happens,
peo ple have to under sta nd. This
parade was done in just four days
and parading 10 floats and two
walking groups in such a short
notice is in itself an achievement.
For cultural display we have navra-
tri and many other cultural functions
round the year, said Kothari.The American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin also cel-
ebrated Indias Independence Day
with a parade on the boardwalk in
Atlantic City. The parade started at 4
pm on Saturday in front of the Taj
Mahal casino.
A participant blew conch shell tostart the OTIBA parade
Edison Mayor Antonia Ricigliano, grand marshal ShwetaBharadwaj and president of OTIBA Pradip (Peter) Kothari
leading the parade.
Edison Mayor Antonia Ricigliano, grand marshal Shweta Bharadwaj and president of OTIBAPradip (Peter) Kothari addressed the crowd post parade.
A kid dressed as hanumantakes a break from walking.
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Toronton: Top Canadian leaders,
including Ontario Premier Kathleen
Wynne, ministers and MPs, joined
thousands of Indians in advance
celebrations of Indias 66th
Independence Day celebrations
here on Aug 10 featuring cultural
performances and a colorful parade
in core downtown.
Congratulating Indians at day-
long Independence day celebrations
at Yonge-Dundas Square, Premier
Kathleen Wynne said, It is a won-
derful celebration and I wish you asafe and happy Independence
Day.
She praised the contribution of
the Indo-Canadians for enriching
Canada through their hard work
and cultural diversity.
You have strengthened our
country through your hard work,
the Premier said at the annual event
organized by Panorama India an
umbrella organization of various
Indian associations.
Highlighting deepening relations
be tw ee n In di a an d th e la rg es t
Canadian province, she said
Ontario and India have a lot in
common as both were models of
democracy and multiculturalism.
Lauding the contribution made by
the Indo-Canadians in strengthen-
ing these bilateral ties, the Premier
said Ontario is fortunate to have
half a million people who trace
their origin to India.
She praised outgoing Indian con-
sul general Preeti Saran for her
contribution to strengthening bilat-
eral ties between India and Ontario.
Preeti is one of the most gracious
persons I have ever met, Kathleen
Wynne said.
Thanking the Premier, Preeti
Saran called her the `dearest friend
of India and said India and Ontario
shared deep bonds of friendship
and common values.
Panorama India Chair Jibanjit
Tripathy said freedom remains the
most cherished word in human his-
tory, and Indias freedom remains
the most cherished and recognized
event in world history. As we con-
tinue to celebrate our independ-
ence, we remember those sacrificed
their lives so that we could live a
free nation, Tripathy said.
He said Indo-Canadians areproud of their unique heritage and
culture as well as being part of
Canadian mosaic of multicultural-
ism. In his speech, Tim Uppal,
Canadian minister minister of state
for multiculturalism, praised the
immense contribution made Indo-
Canadians to Canada.
Parliamentary secretary and senior-
most Indo-Canadian MP Deepak
Obhrai highlighted how India stood
out in the world today for its
vibrant democracy and economic
growth and how it has become a
role model for many countries since
it began journey as an independent
nation. Senator Asha Seth read out
Prime Minister Stephen Harpersmessage of greetings for the Indo-
Canadians. In his congratulation
message read by MP John
McCallum, Liberal leader Justin
Trudeau said, Such festivities
work to connect our Indian commu-
nities with all CanadiansI, and
the Liberal Party of Canada,
believe that this country is great not
in spite of its diversity, but because
of it, and these celebrations further
enrich society by introducing peo-
ple to Indian culture and tradi-
tions. After the opening cere-
monies were over, a big India Day
Parade went around the downtown
core, giving a glimpse of life in var-
ious Indian states. Decorated rick-shaws and cultural troupes repre-
senting various Indian states added
color to the parade. It was followed
by a cultural extravaganza.
Dignitaries on the stage (Photo courtesy: Newseastwest.com)
Premier Kathleen Wynne with Consul General Preeti Saran, Consul D
Charandasi and Panorama India Chair Jibanjit Tripathy
Dancers performing
Bharatnatyam
Actress Priyanka Chopra graced the India Day celebrations in Los Angeles last weekend.
I-Day celebrated with fanfare in Toronto
Amb. Asoke Kumar Mukerji, Permanent Representative of India to UN, hoisted thenational flag at the Permanent Mission in New York, The impressive ceremony was
attended by over 150 guests including senior Indian officials of the UN,Indian Army and Police officers on deputation to the UN.
PMI celebratesI-Day
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By Parveen Chopra
Not many may know that
Ambassador Dnyaneshwar
Mulay had started writing
much before he joined the Indian
Foreign Service in 1983. But the
Service broadened the horizon, he
admits. He has been an award win-
ning writer in Marathi and Hindi
and has published several books,
some of which have been translat-
ed into Kannada, Urdu and Arabic
Before taking over as Consul
General in New York earlier this
year, Amb. Mulay was posted as
High Commissioner to Maldives.
The career diplomat has also been
po st ed in In di an mi ss io ns in
Tokyo, Moscow and Port Louis
and has served at the Ministry ofExternal Affairs in New Delhi.
Amb. Mulay was born in 1958 in
Kolhapur district of Maharashtra
and has a master's degree from
Mumbai University. He wife,
Sadhna Shanker, has recently
jo ined him in New York . They
have two sons and a daughter.
In New York, within a short time
he has endeared himself to the
Indian community, graciously
attending receptions given in his
honor.
In thi s interv iew given to The
South Asian Times days before
Ind ias 67th Independence Day,
Am ba ss ad or Mu la y dw el t onIndias genius and soft power, and
on the happy state of Indo-US ties.
More imp ort ant ly, he ans wered
questions on what the consulate is
striving to achieve under him vis-
-vis the Indian community and
what is on his wish list as India
front man in this part of America.
SATimes: What is India's
genius that has brought us to the
forefront of world's nations with-
in seven decades after independ-
ence?
Ambassador Dnyaneshwar
Mulay: India offers to the world
many things that no other country
offers. It is the most diverse coun-try with a very rich and vital cul-
tural heritage. The more than
5,000 years of uninterrupted civi-
lization has accumulated
unmatched wisdom. The last more
than six decades of its history in
which it has emerged as the largest
practi cin g democr acy has made
India stronger. It has painstakingly
strengthened its democratic polity,
harmonized the best of its past and
present to build a nation that can
truly become a model for other
countries. The diversity of people,
cultures, ethnicity, language and
history along with modern
achievements have inspired the
world. Our independence itself
paved the way for the freedom of
several Asian and African coun-
tries. Today India is recognized as
a great power that is making con-
siderable contribution towards
world peace as well as develop-
ment.SATimes: Is India's soft power
being adequately projected and
utilized by the country's envoys
like you and the PR machinery?
Amb. Mulay: India is recog-
nized for its soft power that prima-
rily emanates from its rich cultural
diversity. However, its contempo-
rary achievements have also
strengthened its soft power.
Besides the traditional aspects such
as our classical arts, music, dance,
sculpture, architecture and litera-
ture, our philosophy and wisdom
has dazzled the world. The teach-
ings of Vedas, Upanishads and
epics like Mahabharat andRamayan have had great influence
on the world. The Buddha and
Mahatma Gandhi are revered uni-
versally for their teachings of non-
violence, peace and harmony. In
recent times, India's soft power has
been visible in its literature, films
and projection of diverse culture.
The democratic aspect and the eco-
nomic development of the last two
decades have also added to India's
soft power. India has very effec-
tively used the soft power for its
benef it and the current stature it
enjoys worldwide is partly attribut-able to these efforts.
SATimes: After taking over as
Consul General in New York in
April, you must have a fairly good
idea by now of the Indian commu-
nity here. Please tell us some of
your observations.
Amb. Mulay: The Indian com-
munity in the US is resourceful,
vibrant, and proactive. By sheer
grit and hard work, it has acquired
considerable respect in the US.
Today members of the Indian com-
munity are holding important posi-
tions in politics, society and in the
economic field. Many advances
have also been made in academicsas well as the media. Government
of India's policies too have given a
new confidence to overseas
Indians. The OCI and PIO card
schemes have connected the dias-
pora with India and a number of
new partnerships are shaping up
our relationship with the US.
Future of overseas Indians is likely
to be brighter and their contribu-
tions are going to be more widely
recognized both in India as well as
in the US.
SATimes: On the working of
the Consulate General of India
(CGI), what are you trying to
change or improve for smootherinteraction with public seeking
consular services?
Amb. Mulay: In the Consulate,
we are attempting to consolidate
the past efforts of building bridges
between Indi a and the USA and
focusing on its further expansion in
the context of very strong bilateral
relations. The CGI is active in
organizing economic and commer-
cial seminars, workshops and pre-
sentations. Similarly, on the cul-
tural front, wider canvas is being
covered so as to do justice to visit-
ing artistes as well as the local tal-ent. India's achievements are
being showcased through various
activities. On the consular side,
the work related to visa, passport,
OCI and PIO card is being continu-
ously streamlined to accord a more
friendly and responsive service.
SATimes: As India's front man
in this region of America, what
would you like to achieve during
your term? What is on your wish
list?
Amb. Mulay: The CGI attempts
to carry out Government of India's
foreign policy with focus on eco-
nomic and consular relations.
Providing a transparent and effec-tive service to the passport and visa
seekers is one of the objectives.
However, a considerable work
could be done to boost economic
partnership between India and the
US taking into account the role that
New York plays on the world eco-
nomic stage. Building institutional
linkages between banking and
financial institutions is also
emphasized. Assisting the diaspora
to play a more vital role in
strengthening India-US relations is
also acquiring importance. Further
contacts between US and Indian
think-tanks could also be built for
mutual benefit. Partnerships in thefield of education, IT, pharma and
health services, as well as infra-
structure are being encouraged.
CGI is playing an important role in
these endeavors.
SATimes:Indo-US relations are
said to the warmest ever. What is
the view from inside the Indian
establishment, and what awaits
the ties in future?
Amb. Mulay: The strong bilater-
al relations are only likely to
expand by leaps and bounds in the
future. Convergences and syner-gies between the two countries are
visible in almost all areas. Besides
the high level bilateral visits
including that of President Obama
and Vice President Biden from the
US and PM Dr. Manmohan Singh
from India, a highly multifaceted
cooperation has emerged. Being
democracies and respectful of plu-
ralistic culture, our countries could
benefit immensely from each other.
The future is going to be one that
witnesses newer and bigger part-
nerships in almost all fields includ-
ing education, science and technol-
ogy, strategic fields, trade and
commerce, investment, banking aswell as cultural arena.
The gracious guest at community receptions -- Consul GeneralMulay with wife Sahdna Shanker (standing next to him)
at one hosted by Ravi and Ranju Batra.
Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay (middle) was recently hon-ored at Bharatiya VidyaBhavan, New York, where he
shared his literary journey.
5,000 years of uninterrupted civilization has helped
India accumulate unmatched wisdom. In the past six
and half decades India has painstakingly strengthened
its democratic polity, harmonized the best of its past
and present to build a nation that can truly become a
model and inspiration for other countries, states
Ambassador Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, the new Consul
General of India in New York.
Exclusive Interview with Ambassador Mulay
Amb. Dnyaneshwar Mulay,Consul General of India in
New York.
A MODEL FOR OTHER NATIONS
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Politics isYug dharam. We all
should be in love With Politics
Two weeks before Indias Inde-
pendence day, I had a chance to
interview Dr Kumar Vishvas,
who is now a prominent face of the
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in India.
Living in New Delhi a few years
back, I was a part of the English-speak-
ing generation of the Indian youth, who
were irresistibly pulled towards Hindi
poetry by Dr Vishvas legendary, Koi
Deewana Kehta Hai. Hindi poetry was
not the in thing for us but Dr Vishvas
was too compelling to be ignored.
I later moved to the US but like mil-
lions of his fans, continued following
him on social networks. His association
with the AAP and strong stand on issues
such as corruption in India, increased
my respect and admiration for him.
In times of delusion and hopeless-
ness, its refreshing to hear a man,
who does not mince words in oppos-
ing what is wrong. I consider him the
king of sarcasm and wit, and truly a
man of substance. After an hour long
conversation with him on the phone,I felt a new hope for the future of
India. I wish many more people like
him come forward and take a lead in
Indian politics.
Here are excerpts f rom the interview.
How did you get associated with Aam
Aadmi Par ty (AAP)?
Kumar Vishvas: My association with
AAP began as a personal call on behest
of my childhood friend and journalist
Manish Sisodiya, who is now a mem-
ber of AAP. I joined Anna Hazare and
Arvind
