Sikhs Across Australia Celebrate Guru Nanaks 550th Birth … · 2020-03-02 · anniversary of the Holy Guru Nanak Devji, founder of the Sikh religion, in Australia many States and

ISSN 2201-7259volume 11 Edition 167November 2019 Edition

Sikhs Across Australia Celebrate Guru Nanak"s 550th Birth Anniversary

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November 2019 Edition www.theindiantelegraph.com.au

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EDITORIAL

Vish Viswanathan

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Showcasing the traditional art- “Yakshagana” performed in Sydney

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Sydney Celebrates Diwali - The Festival of Lights

BAPS celebration of Diwali and Annakut drawas thousands

Digital Driver’s Licences now available to all NSW residents

Australia celebrates Guru Nanakji’s 550th birth Anniversary

Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior

As we are very much amid bushfire season and several properties are being destroyed by uncontrollable

fires in New South Wales and Queensland, it is a highly commendable job by the firefighters from both the States to keep the community safe.There are many volunteers and community groups supporting the unfortunate victims of the bushfires. As a community we have a role to play in such natural disasters by supporting any initiatives and programs by the Government.As the holiday season is also commencing, it is also important to keep up to date validity of travel documents such as passports, OCI etc as several airlines are turning away passengers due to compliance issues.Plenty of things are happening in bilateral economic space between Australia and India. Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiji in Bangkok recently. The topics included Scott Morrison’s visit to India

in Jan 2020, strengthening bilateral trade and investment, science and technology and recycling. Hope 2020 brings significant outcomes!The HSC exams are getting over and many parents will be dreaming about the TER scores of their children completing the HSC. Best wishes for the increased number of HSC achievers from the community this year too!As the world celebrates 550th birth anniversary of the Holy Guru Nanak Devji, founder of the Sikh religion, in Australia many States and ACT a few celebrations are being organised including multifaith meetings.As we celebrate such momentous occasions, it is also important to remember his teachings of universal brotherhood, love, humility, simplicity, equality and tolerance. Such teachings will benefit the community for generations.

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www.theindiantelegraph.com.au www.theindiantelegraph.com.auNovember 2019 EditionNovember 2019 Edition

Wollongong Police Light The Way For Special Olympics Basketball Championships

A law enforcement ‘Flame of Hope’ was lit the way ahead of

the Special Olympics State Basketball championships in Wollongong on Saturday 9 November 2019.Law Enforcement Torch Run NSW (LETR NSW) and the NSW Police Force were supporting the event with a special torch procession.

LAW & ORDER

Officers attached to Wollongong Police District were joined by athletes for the torch run prior to the day’s competition.LETR NSW is a charitable fund comprising volunteer officers from the NSW Police Force, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Corrective Services NSW and the Australian Federal Police, working together in support of Special Olympics NSW.NSW Police have been active supporters of the Law Enforcement Torch Run since it was established in 2002.The charity supports intellectually disabled people

living in NSW via their participation in the Special Olympics, which gives people opportunities to achieve personal goals through sports training and competitions across Australia.Southern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar APM said he is proud to be an advocate of the Law Enforcement Torch Run.“We are honoured to once again support the Law Enforcement Torch Run and raise awareness about these fantastic events,” Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said.

“NSW Police has long championed a range of community groups and this event provides a great opportunity to support our vulnerable community members within the Southern Region.”The ‘Flame of Hope’ run will commence at 8.45am today (Saturday 9 November 2019), following a route through the stadium leading into the official opening ceremony for the 2019 Special Olympics State Basketball championships.

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+91 97695 [email protected]

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Logo DesignBusiness CardsStationeryIllustrationFlyers & BrochuresPostersBook & Album CoversPackaging DesignSocial Media DesignBanner AdsT-Shirts & MerchandisePresentation DesignBillboardsCar DecalsInvitations & Menu Design

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Oil Painting

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Art Workshops

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Private Paint Parties

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AARTI DESIGNS provides a wide range of creative solutions to our clients including concept development, brand identity, creative advertising and any other similar artistic needs to add creative value to your product, project or personal needs through Paintings as well as Print & Digital Designing.

SERVICES

AARTI CHITNIS

Live painting shows in front of honourable people including mayors and MPs of Sydney (NSW) and honourable dignitaries from India in Sydney (Australia)

Live painting of Shivaji was done in 4 minutes which was sold in auction for record breaking $1001.

Designing of the brand for Akhil Australia Sammelan 2019 including logo, brochures, letterhead, banners, slideshows for the 3-day event and Smaranika (Event Book – which was Inaugurated by Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar).

Created artworks, booklet design, DVD/CD designs for Aakashwani Sydney which was appreciated by honourable guest artists

Created history by conducting Mangalagaur for 150+ Marathi ladies in Sydney (Australia) which was shown in News channels in India and also published in Indian newspapers.

Performed / Anchored many stage shows.

Art Teacher in Sinhagad Spring Dale School in Pune for 2 years.

Conducted Art (Drawing/Painting) classes and workshops in Sydney (Australia) for 7+ years

Actively participated in Painting Exhibitions in Sydney.AC

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COMMUNITY

Shaadi-Ka-Laddoo.comChuckling Encounters In Search Of A Suitable Groom

Almost everyone marries in India. Men and women marry all over the world, but their marriages are no match

for ours… Ours are all about fun, masti, relatives, glitz and good food, while theirs are solemn affairs minus any brouhaha… Moreover, the roles that enthused Moms in India play in arranging the weddings of their little darlings is by no means a feat possible for their Moms to accomplish.

Girls and Boys in India grow up with dreams in their eyes… they are dreams that have largely been planted there by their Moms. Every Mom believes that her ward is the best available in the marriage-market and shall one hundred per cent succeed in drawing the perfect boy/girl in matrimony.

It is to assist the doting and warrior-type mothers who are otherwise also sufficiently braced up for the challenge, that the tech-geeks unassumingly brought the magical world of the www at their doorstep. Numerous online portals have mushroomed and added spice and variety to the hitherto a-little-dull process of matchmaking. Shaadi-ka-Laddoo.com is a comic novelette, published by Readomania Publishing and unveiled at the Pune International Literary Festival in September 2019, which takes you right amid this modern-day brouhaha, which is typically unfolding in the life of Leena.

As you delve into the first few pages, you are certain to take a pause... Lo! Behold! You may be strongly convinced that Leena is your next-door neighbour or the girl that you see every day briskly walking in the park or one of your colleagues on whom the other colleagues do not hesitate to dump a little of their own work on Fridays because she is 'single'.

Leena embarks on a journey and the journey is sprinkled all along with encounters; encounters that she has with a couple of samples, simpletons and smart-asses. At one point, Leena feels like pasting on her status: 'Before we start chatting, I'm going to need a $100 non-refundable time-wasting fee, just in case’ No, she does not do that.

Then, what happens???

Well, would you not like to pick up the book... meet the zany and the uncanny guys along with Leena, order a cup of tea and a plateful of pakoras, --chuckle and exclaim: Aaaaha! Ha! Ha!

About the AuthorsNavniit Gandhi: An academic, feature writer, trainer and an author. She has penned and published over 250 articles and seven books till date

Varuna Khullar A dreamer, learner, life-enthusiast and a believer in self. Varuna is the founder of YogaWithV and is based out of Gurgaon (India). Yoga with V conducts holistic well-being programs including Workshops, Retreats, Training, etc. for Corporates and Schools in India. Her wellness partners include corporates such as Goibibo Group, Protiviti, Maruti Suzuki India, Adani Group, Better Mortgages, Tanserv AP, Kunskappskolan Eduventures, Shri Ram Global Schools etc. Yoga with V also holds prenatal programs for expectant mothers.

Varuna is a 200 + hours Hatha Yoga Teacher, a Certified Laughter Yoga Trainer and holds an MBA in Marketing.

Her journey to learn continues unabated.

Published by:

Readomania Publishing, New Delhi -100058, Books.readomania.com, Email: [email protected]

Interview with Varuna KhullarThe Indian Telegraph caught up with author Varuna Khullar, an unassuming personality visiting Sydney recently.

IT: What made you to write about this book?

VK: The topic Shaadi-ka- Laddoo.Com

itself is so relatable to you, me and anyone else reading it. When we started writing and looking at our own contacts friends, relatives and acquaintances there was so much in common. So complex is the match making exercise in the modern India. Hence Navniit and I decided to take the plunge. The book was launched at the Pune Literary festival and was instantaneously a hit with the reading public from 20 years to 60 years at the festival.

IT: Is this your first book?

VK: Yes. It is my first book. However, Navniit has written 9 books and 250 articles.

IT: any other thoughts to share?

VK: The subject of match making is becoming more and more creative. There are more than 200 known match making sites in India. Creative techniques and use of artificial intelligence are being applied increasingly.

This makes match making as a subject very interesting for the families and is a topic of the day!

VARUNA KHULLAR

COMMUNITY

Showcasing The Traditional Art- “Yakshagana” Performed In Sydney

Yakshagana is a traditional Indian theatre form, developed in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada

districts, in the state of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district in Kerala in India that combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form. It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theatre during the period of the Bhakti movement. It is sometimes simply called "Aata" or āṭa ("the play" in Tulu Language). Yakshagana is strongly influenced by the Vaishnava Bhakti movement. This theatre style is mainly found in most parts of Karnataka in various forms. Yakshagana is traditionally presented from dusk to dawn. Its stories are drawn from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and other epics from both Hindu and Jain and other ancient traditions

In Sydney Sri Yakshadeva Mitra Kalamandali of South Karnataka presented “sudhanvarjuna kalaga” under the leadership of Devanand Bhat on Saturday 26 October at Durga Devi temple.

With the rendering of the ‘chende’, the special drums reverberated, and the stage was transformed by the colourful and energetic performance of Yaskshagana artists.

The non-stop two-hour performance depicted the story of two men Sudhanva and Arjuna who were devoted to Lord Krishna and get locked in a battle post Kurukshetra war.

The group consisting of six talented performers under the leadership of Devanand Bhat came all the way from India on a tour and were invited to Sydney to perform by the SVKV Trust part of Puthige Mutt based in Toongabbie, Sydney. They belonged to the Yakshamitra Kala Mandali from Moodabidre, Mangalore.

Over 500 community members attended and the standing ovation was a true recognition of the talents behind the Yakshagana performance in Sydney which was truly a memorable one.

DR. RAMPRASAD ATTUR

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COMMUNITY

Didi Offers Free Rides In Perth To Celebrate Launch DiDi now providing safe, reliable and value-for-money rideshare in Perth Every DiDi user in Perth to receive a free ride to the value of $20 on each of the next four Saturdays Perth to become DiDi’s seventh Australian market

DiDi is expanding its presence to Western Australia today with the

official launch of its rideshare service in Perth. To celebrate, the world-leading mobile transportation platform is providing every DiDi user in Perth a free ride to the value of $20 on each of the next four Saturdays (aka. DiDiDAYS).

DiDi offers competitive rideshare pricing, which on average makes riding with DiDi up to 10% more affordable than any other comparable rideshare offerings on the market.

DiDi will engage locals and tourists in Perth with a range of exciting and competitive offers. Riders who sign up during the first two weeks after November 4 will receive 50% off their first 10 rides up to the value of $15 each, while those who sign up during the following two weeks will receive 50% off their first 5 rides up to the value of $15 each.

Riders in Perth can also take advantage of the popular DiDiDAYS initiative, providing one free ride of up to $20 on the following Saturdays:DiDiDAY 1 – Saturday November 9

DiDiDAY 2 – Saturday November 16

DiDiDAY 3 – Saturday November 23

DiDiDAY 4 - Saturday November 30

While providing riders a value-for-money, safe and reliable way to move around, DiDi remains committed to maximising the income of drivers whilst providing flexible earning opportunities. Perth drivers who signed up and were approved before today will keep all the trip fare with 0% service fee for the next four weeks. The early bird drivers in Perth will benefit from the platform’s industry-leading 11% service fee after first four

weeks, as will all Perth drivers who sign up and are approved on or after November 4. Perth drivers are also set to benefit from DiDi’s Driver Referral Program, where drivers are rewarded up to $5000 if they successfully refer 300 riders (T&Cs apply).

DiDi is currently successfully providing its on-demand mobility service to Victoria’s Melbourne and Geelong, Queensland’s Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and New South Wales’ Newcastle. Moving into Perth, the country’s fourth most populous city, marks another significant milestone in DiDi’s Australian expansion.

DiDi’s rideshare service will cover the entire Perth urban area and will extend north to Two Rocks, east to Mundaring and south to Mandurah and Coolup. DiDi will also be available from Perth Airport from both international and domestic terminals. There will be remote holding areas for drivers while they wait for a trip request and designated waiting zones for rideshare customers near the front of the terminals.

DiDi has a dedicated DiDi Driver Hub in Osborne Park to recruit and prepare drivers during launch period. The company recently held a driver information session at Curtin University on Sunday 20 October with over 400 local drivers in attendance.

DiDi Australia General Manager Mr Lyn Ma said: “After significant research into the Perth rideshare market, we’re thrilled to be finally landing in one of Australia’s most beautiful cities. Since we initiated driver recruitment last month, we have received a warm response from the local community. DiDi will combine what we’ve learnt in the other cities with local Perth

knowledge and feedback from local users. We are committed to providing a service to make DiDi one of the city’s most preferred rideshare platforms. We will keep cultivating the market and supporting users with AI technology, tailored products and high-quality services at affordable prices.”

-END-

About DiDi Australia

DiDi Mobility (Australia) Pty Ltd. (“DiDi Australia”) launched its ride-hailing platform in 2018 with a commitment to building partnerships with drivers, passengers, policymakers and business partners to provide fully localised mobility services in Australia. Headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, DiDi Australia first launched its rideshare service, Express, in Geelong, Victoria in May 2018 and has since expanded to Melbourne (June 2018), Newcastle (March 2019), Brisbane (July 2019) and Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast (September 2019). DiDi Australia conducts vigorous driver vetting processes and offers its users comprehensive safety features with 24/7 customer service phone support.

For more information,

please visit:

https://www.didiglobal.com/au/

About Didi Chuxing

Didi Chuxing (“DiDi”) is the world’s leading mobile transportation platform. The company offers a full range of app-based transportation services for 550 million users across Asia, Latin America and Australia, including Taxi, Express, Premier, Luxe, Bus, Designated Driving, Enterprise Solutions, Bike Sharing, E-bike Sharing, Automobile Solutions and food delivery. Tens of millions of drivers who find flexible work opportunities on the DiDi platform provide 10 billion passenger trips a year.

DiDi is committed to collaborating with policymakers, the taxi industry, the automobile industry and communities to solve the world’s transportation, environmental and employment challenges with localized smart transportation innovations by leveraging its AI capabilities. By continuously improving user experience and creating social value, DiDi strives to build a safe, inclusive and sustainable mobile transportation ecosystem for cities of future.

[Perth, November 4, 2019]

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The Pursuit Of Happiness Will Not Make You Happy

A few years ago, I gave up my excessive pursuit of happiness. I used to

think that the purpose of life was happiness. But that philosophy didn’t work for me. I realized that happiness is always a byproduct. When you spend time with people you love, you feel happy. When you invest four years in getting a degree, you feel happy and accomplished when you graduate. You feel happy when you come up with a useful idea at work. You feel happy when you finish a hard workout. You feel happy when you listen to good music. You see? Happiness is the byproduct of an action. It can be as simple as having a conversation with someone or listening to a song. But happiness doesn’t last. It’s a feeling that comes and goes. Some people disagree with that and say you can always be happy. I think you can be happy the majority of time—not all the time. Why? Because even the best life has bad times.When You Try Too HardIf you’re unhappy or frustrated, it doesn’t mean you should do everything to become happy again. When you try too hard to be happy, you become impatient. You’re more likely to chase pleasure. And that can lead you to a negative cycle that only raises your bar of pleasure. You will need more pleasure to satisfy your desires. In the book Positive Emotion, there’s a chapter called ‘Paradoxical Effects of Pursuing Positive Emotion’ that talks about this principle. In that chapter, written by two UC Berkley professors, Brett Q. Ford and Iris B. Mauss, I read the following:

“Those pursuing happiness may set high standards for their levels of happiness. When their happiness falls short of their standards—which is likely when the standards are high—the resulting disappointment and frustration impedes the experience of happiness.”Increasing your standards of happiness is a dangerous game. Instead of trying too hard to be happy, seek the truth. If you’re unhappy, a different job or city is not the answer. You can travel to every country in the world, but if you don’t have inner peace, your problems will follow you wherever you go. Daily life is the same for every individual. We all have to wake up, eat, wash, go to the toilet. We will all experience death, loss, and grief. We all get rejected. We all get injured and ill. And your level of happiness will not change anything about being human. Sometimes we forget that. We think that everything will be better if we only feel happy. That’s not the case.Build A Life Around Things You ValueYou will never be truly happy when you live a shitty life of your own making; if you live below your potential, give up on life, and don’t reach for something better, you will be miserable. By contrast, if you’ve built a life

you’re in control of and have goals you’re working towards, you will be mostly happy. One of my close friends has 3 kids. He works as a network engineer and many people count on him at a telecom provider. If he doesn’t solve certain network issues, thousands of people will be affected. But despite his responsibilities, his boss gives him a lot of freedom. Why? Because my friend made arrangements with him. A lot of people assume you have to work for yourself to be free. That’s not true. If you’re employed, your company or organization wants you to do your job. If you’re happy and free, you do a better job. That’s why it’s important to have an open discussion at your workplace about the way you work and live. My friend drops off his kids at school and comes home for lunch. He has enough freedom to enjoy his life. That wasn’t always the case. Just two years ago he complained a lot about his work situation. But now his life has more balance because he made a few clear decisions. He didn’t even switch jobs. He simply committed to freedom. That means no more spending time with negative co-workers. Instead, he’s doing his

best and prioritizing family and health. He no longer “hangs out” with everybody he knows. He works, spends time with his family, and goes to the gym. That’s his decision. Sure, he can’t pick up his kids from school when they are done, but he has peace with that. He’s still around a lot in the morning and for lunch. You can’t have everything. But as long as you have freedom, you will be happy.After Rain Comes …Look, no matter how free you are, no one is immune to being unhappy at times. But regardless of how bad life is at times, unhappy moments always pass. Time moves in one direction. And even the worst times are not here to stay. If you’re unhappy, you don’t have to fight it. Accept it. And go through it. Know that everything will pass. That’s also true for good times. Everything we do or experience is temporarily. In The Netherlands, we have this saying, “After rain comes sunshine.” We use it to remind ourselves and others that good times are on the horizon.That’s the nature of life. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. Once we accept that, we become free from trying too hard to change how our life is during a specific moment. Some things, we have to endure. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t change your life. Since all life situations are temporary, you get a new chance every hour and day. You can commit to making your life better by taking action. No matter what your circumstances are, you can build a life that gives you inner joy.

DARIUS FOROUX

FEATURE

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COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

Sydney Celebrates Diwali - The Festival of Lights

Opera House Diwali

Hindu Council Diwali

Little India Diwali

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Diwali 2019 at the BAPS Sydney is a community celebration, reinforcing

charity, goodwill, family values, and the love of God. Over 7000 devotees and well-wishers celebrated the Diwali or Deepavali, at Rosehill Gardens over the weekend in an event organised by BAPS Sydney.The five-day celebration culminated on Monday 28 October with the Annakut celebration on the Hindu’s New Year day where more than 1200 vegetarian sweets and savoury snacks were prepared, offered and shared with all present. This included a record-breaking 350kg chocolate cake made in the design of the Vachanamrut – compilation of discourses given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan - a revered scripture text for Swaminarayan devotees to mark 200 years since it was compiled between 1819 and 1829. Over 540 volunteers dedicated thousands of man-hours to make festivities success.

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

Baps Celebration Of Diwali And Annakut Draws Thousands

A number of distinguished guests joined the celebrants at the festival throughout both days to offer their respects. This included Hon. David Coleman MP – Minister for Home Affairs; Julian Leeser MP - federal member for Berowra; Hon Chris Bowen – Federal member for McMahon; Hon Geoff Lee – Member for Parramatta; Hon Julia Finn – Member for Granville; Hon Jodi McKay – Member for Strathfield and Mr. Manish Gupta Consul General of India along with many community leaders.The annual Kid’s Diwali Day was held Sunday 27 October, a fun-fair open for all families and friends. Visitors took part in games, prizes, rides and delicious food as well as stories and plays about the origins of Diwali. There was also an evening Diwali assembly and special Chopda Pujan ceremony. Devotees reflected on the Diwali traditions, founded on a deep spiritual meaning

and encourage participants to reflect on each step of the celebrations. The ancient tradition of lighting divas or traditional lamps symbolizes the passage from darkness to light. The festival’s rich traditions and rituals help individuals reflect and remove the darkness within in the forms of anger, envy, greed, arrogance, and resentment. Instead sharing love, positivity and care with a community of family and friends. A volunteer commented “The celebrations were a testimony of message of unity - given by BAPS’s present Guru His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj - with people of all faiths and backgrounds coming together to enjoy the festivities, as well as young and old volunteers working together to provide an enriching experience for everyone, including the local community.”

About BAPS

Established in 1907, the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a globalnon-governmental Hindu socio-spiritual organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. BAPS have representative centres (Mandirs) in some of the major Australian cities, including Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. BAPS is dedicated to the collective spiritual and social progress of society by promoting harmony between individuals, within families and amongst diverse communities.

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Australia Celebrates Guru Nanakji’s 550th Birth AnniversaryWith Religious Fervour And Spirit Of Multiculturalism

The 550th Parkash Purab or birth anniversary of Guru Nanak-the founder

of Sikhism Guru Nanak Sahib (1469-1539 A.D.) was celebrated throughout the world on 12th November.The first Guru Prophet envisioned and established a new social order called Sikhi (Sikhism), where all people would feel a deep thoughtful connection to their faith and would be entitled to equal rights and individual respect.This is one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism. The festivities in the Sikh religion revolve around the anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus.In Australia, the over 130,000 strong Sikh community celebrated in many cities and locations with lot of devotion and multicultural participation.In Sydney alone many events were held in Gurudwaras and other locations.550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji was celebrated at NSW Parliament on 12 November 2019 organised Australian Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society.To commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, Sikh Youth Australia launched the first ever multi-faith music festival in NSW called ‘Divine Steps’ with Steve Waugh AO as a chief guest an Australian icon who needed no introduction.

Steve Waugh officially inaugurated Divine Steps amongst Sikh and community leaders from all faiths, members of parliament and business leaders on Monday 28 October 2019 at the Imperial Service Club Room, Royal Automobile Service Club in Sydney.Consul General of India Mr. Manish Gupta and his wife Neemisha Gupta also graced this important occasion.

Divine Steps FestivalThe Divine Steps Festival was held on 10 November 2019 from 9am – 4pm at Pyrmont Bay Park.The festival included: 3,000 free vegetarian meals

and refreshments. Turban tying - experience

wearing the crown of Sikhism.

A day-long concert of multi faith performances and divine music by over 12 multi-faith groups including Dya Singh World Music Group, the Hillsong Choir, Hindu bhajans and Buddhist chanting.

Fundraisers for two Australian charities – Father Riley’s Youth off

The Streets and The Can Foundation, including:

A 240km solidarity charity bike ride from Canberra to Sydney by Sikh and Christian youth.

4 charity walks along the Sydney Harbour foreshore.

Complimentary health check-ups by young doctors and allied health professionals.

Entertainment for the whole family including henna art, face painting and jumping castles.

Multi-faith spiritual exhibitions.

In Victoria, the Andrews Labor Government was supporting Victoria’s Sikh communities as they kicked off celebrations for the 550th birthday anniversary of Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev Ji.Minister for Multicultural Affairs Richard Wynne announced that 18 organising groups would be sharing $200,000 to hold a range of events throughout 550th birth anniversary festivities – fulfilling a key election commitment.Buildings and landmarks

around Melbourne were lit in saffron on 12 November in honour of the occasion, including the Bolte Bridge, the Arts Centre, Melbourne Museum and AAMI Stadium.

The Labor Government’s Sikh Celebrations and Events Fund was supporting 20 events this year, including: The Humanity Walk in

the Melbourne CBD, with 20,000 Victorians expected to attend

Geelong’s Humanity Walk, with participants walking from Rippleside Park to Steam packet Gardens

The Multicultural Community Parade held in Bendigo on 27 October

The Guru Nanak Sikh Society Shepparton for celebrations running from 8 to 13 November

Punjabi Sath Melbourne, which will run the Guru Nanak Birthday Literary Function

The Travels and Teachings of Guru Nanak Art Exhibition at RMIT University

Photo credit - Harmohan Walia

In Canberra, politicians, dignitaries, guests from various countries and speakers from different faith groups came together in Parliament House on October 21 to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Celebrations of 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji were also held at Parliament of Western Australia. As the rest of the world celebrated, it is highly commendable that the large Australian Sikh Community also demonstrated a multicultural spirit in the holy celebrations.

COVER STORY COVER STORY

VISH VISWANATHAN

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Union Law Ministry Studying Supreme Court Verdict On Ayodhya

Union Minister of Law Affairs Ravi Shankar Prasad is likely to move

a Cabinet note shortly to have Ayodhya Temple Trust as directed by the Supreme Court say by third week of November. The Apex court ordered that within three months the Ayodhya Temple Trust should be constituted. Government of India swung into action on Monday on the verdict of the Supreme Court on Ayodhya.Basically the Prime Minister Office has ensured that the Union Culture Ministry is the nodal ministry so far as Board of Temple Trust is concerned. But till such time the constitution of the board it is the task of the Union Law Ministry to identify the legal areas where the executive and political authority prevail. Not wasting time, the Law

Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday studied the 1100 pages Judgement of the Supreme Court on Ayodhya To help him to understand the Law officers of the Court got bullet points prepared for the considerations of the Government.Since the Parliament session is to begin on November 18, the Union Home Ministry and Union Law Ministry want to complete the process of formation of the Board of Trustees. A comprehensive study will be undertaken to go by the establishments of Somnath Temple trust, Vaishnavi Devi Temple Trust, Jagannath Temple Trust where the terms and conditions, rules and regulations to monitor the land and site measurements to build a temple, hand over the land to the Akharas.Will the Ayodhya Trust be headed by the Prime Minister or by the Union Home Minister? Can the Trustees be 7 or 9 like Somnath Temple Trust? How many of the Government of Uttar Pradesh will be included? Eminent public figures who argued the case of Ram Lalla in the Supreme Court like K Parasaran or C S Vaidyanathan be included in the Board of Trustees? How many persons be included in the Ayodhya Trust from the main litigants? There is a political view prevailing in Delhi that retiring Chief Justice Ranjan Gagoi should be made as a Trustee as he had heard the Ayodhya case for 40 days will have much advice from the legal angles.Union Ministry of Law Affairs on Monday studied

Mr R. Rajagopalan

This writer based in India is a holder of Distinguished Journalist category of Parliament of India over 40 years. The views and opinions expressed in this exclusive story are from the writer and not binding on the Indian Telegraph

the Ayodhya verdict by the Supreme Court.

INTERNAL SECURITYInternal study has already begun on Monday with the Ministers and Officials having a Weekly meetings on Monday mornings. As the Central Government Offices opened on Monday the Union Home Secretary was in touch with senior officials of the IB and other Central Police Organisations about the law and order situation in the country. Union Home Secretary also spoke on video calls to Chief Secretaries of many states.Interestingly Ajit Doval had a meeting with the religious

COMMUNITY

heads as per the directions of the Prime Minister to review the post Ayodhya verdict atmosphere.

PMO MEETING SECRETARIES TO GOVT OF INDIA ON AYODHYAPrime Minister Office has called for a meeting of Secretaries on this subject on Thursday, where a view will be taken to brief the political leadership.

COMMUNITY

AIBC Launches Make In India Chapter To Boost Bilateral Trade

The Australia India Business Council Ltd (AIBC) formally launched its innovative

MAKE IN INDIA Chapter on Wednesday, 16 October 2019 at a glittering event held at the Consulate General of India in Sydney.Mr Jim Varghese AM, AIBC National Chair believed setting up the Chapter’s Focus Group was a step in the right direction.He said the liberalisation of the Indian Government’s FDI rules was significant, and encouraged Australian businesses to invest in India and enhance mutual economic benefits, as highlighted in the Australian Government’s 2018 India Economic Strategy.“The Focus Group will actively capture some of these opportunities and facilitate commercial arrangements

between Australian and Indian businesses to achieve meaningful outcomes,” he added.Speaking at the launch, Mr Manish Gupta, Consul General of India, Sydney outlined the new economic reforms in India and said there would be further impetus to liberalise the economy in the FDI area, thereby encouraging new investments. Ms Sheba Nandkeolyar, AIBC Immediate Past National Chair and CEO of MultiConnexions, believed the Indian Government FDI reforms would make it much easier for Australian companies to be doing in business in India. “Opportunities are beyond cost benefits and immense,” she added.Mr Vish Viswanathan, Make in

India Chapter Chair outlined the key objective of the Focus Group “Make in India – Make it happen for Australia “and elaborated on the many opportunities in key sectors. The keynote speech at the event was delivered by Mr Ankit Taneja, National Manager, Mahindra Group Australia,

who highlighted his company’s growing operations in Australia.Brisbane-based, Mr Jagjit Singh, Business Development Manager, Tritium Australia, said a significant proportion of Tritium products would be manufactured in India, creating jobs and ensuring additional revenue for an Australian company in an emerging EV market.Mr Michael Sharp, National Director of Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and Mr John Wayland, CEO, Cumberland Manufacturing Centre, each presented the Australian viewpoint of doing business in India. Mr Sharpe said there were many emerging opportunities for the manufacturing sector and supply chain between Australia and India.

Several Make in India Start-up success stories were shared by Mr Irfan Malik, Make in India Focus Group Member.Mr Dipen Rughani, former AIBC National Chair and CEO of Newland Global Group, said manufacturing in India, in a competitive cost environment, could be the key for Australian companies to expand their footprints to other parts of the world. “Designed in Australia – Made in India, can be the new focus area for the Australia – India partnership. India has developed into an advanced IT service and low-cost manufacturing hub with a large, well-trained, English-speaking workforce. India can provide huge technical expertise to Australian companies,” he added.The AIBC is a not-for-profit organization facilitating and linking businesses, exporters and investors in Australia and India. AIBC NSW is the largest chapter of AIBC and plays a strong role in creating business connections and leveraging business opportunities between NSW and India.

First and foremost, the way Australian businesses understand India and the

goals they wish to achieve. Much of the narrative around the opportunities for Australian businesses remains outdated, it is based on anecdotal assumptions and prejudiced generalisations. New India asks for new rules of engagement and fresh thought process.Second, Manufacturing in India, in a cost-competitive environment, could be the key for Australian companies to expand their footprints to other parts of the

AIBC Make In India Initiative Will Positively Impact Australian Business Perceptions

world. ‘Designed in Australia - Made in India’ can be the new focus area for Australia – India partnership. India has developed into an advanced IT service and low-cost manufacturing hub with a large, well-trained, English-speaking workforce. India can provide huge technical expertise to Australian companies.Third, India has relaxed its foreign direct investment norms across several sectors and wishes to see itself turning into a global manufacturing hub. Democracy, demography, demand, and deregulation are driving the

Make in India initiative. Australian businesses that decide to enter India need to redesign their value proposition for the local market and customise their offering for the Indian market to match cultural expectations, a strong understanding of India’s different income segments along with a strategy that involves weaving together local and global value chains will be helpful.Dipen Rughani is the CEO of Newland Global Group and former National Chairman of AIBC

Dipen Rughani

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Multicultural Community Walk For Mental Health

HEALTH & WELLNESS

National Mental Health Month 2019

It is with great pleasure that the Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) can announce that the Walk for Mental Health has been successfully run in all major capital cities around Australia, hence taking the promotion of “Better Mental Health and Wellbeing for All” onto the national stage. The Walk for Mental Health was held in the following locations in each capital city:

• Albert Park Lake, Melbourne • Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney • City Botanic Garden, Brisbane • Kings Park, Perth • Red Gum Park, Adelaide • Yerrabi Pond, Canberra • Cornelian Bay, Hobart • Buninyong Park, Ballarat

This was also the third year that the MHFA had run its annual Walk for Mental Health at Albert Park Lake in Melbourne. This year we are proud to announce that we broke the attendance record set as part of the Walk for Mental Health 2018, with over 10,000 participants in this year’s edition of the Walk for Mental Health. This year, the Walk for Mental Health raised close to $100,000 nationwide with all funds going indirectly to funding mental health services in each capital city. The Walk for Mental Health was well received and enjoyed by the many attendees who attended the walks around Australia. The attendees were treated to a morning of entertainment, song and dance before setting off on the Walk. Many attendees purchased either a white “Walk for Mental Health” shirt or a white MHFA cap. This later culminated in sea of white shirts and caps walking along the course and magnifying the presence of the event as well as the message of “Better Mental Health and Wellbeing for All”. At the Walk for Mental Health at Albert Park Lake, we were also blessed to have in attendance:

• Dr. Lynne Coulson Barr, Mental Health Complaints Commissioner, • Mr. Kevin McCoy, CEO, Australian Unity, • Cr Dick Gross, Mayor, City of Port Phillip

We would like to thank Dr. Coulson Barr, Mr. McCoy and Cr. Gross for their support of this event as well as their participation on the day. We would like to send our sincere thanks to the volunteers from ABBS, Freemasons Victoria, ISWA in WA, Nirankari Mission in SA, FICQU in QLD, Brainobrain in ACT as well as the MHFA Multicultural Ambassadors and YAC Members for helping to make the Walk for Mental Health an overwhelming success. Alongside our volunteers we would also like to thank Bollywood Dance School Australia, AB Photoworks, Imperial Audio as well as MHFA Directors, Helen Kyriazopoulos (SA) and Ann Donaldson (WA) for their support and assistance on the day. We would also like to thank our major sponsors, Australian Unity, VicHealth and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Multicultural Ambassadors Program) for their support and co-operation as part of the Walk for Mental Health as well as their support throughout National Mental Health Month. We look forward to continuing the Walk for Mental Health next year as well as expanding the Walk into other major cities around Australia. We also look forward to breaking this year’s attendance record at Albert Park Lake as part of the Walk for Mental Health 2020. We look forward to seeing you all at the Walk for Mental Health on the 18th October 2020. Vasan Srinivasan Vice-Chairperson of Mental Health Foundation Australia Member of Australian Multicultural Council

WALK FOR MENTAL HEALTH NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH MONTH 2019

Suite J, 450 Chapel Street, South Yarra VIC 3141 T +61 3 9826 1422; 1300 643 287 E [email protected] W mhfa.org.au ABN 81 006 003 363

PRESS RELEASE 21st October 2019

HEALTH & WELLNESS

An Exercise For Improving Mental Toughness

No matter how prepared you are and how much you plan, things

will still go wrong. At those moments, we need mental toughness. But too often, people say, “I’ll deal with a setback when it happens.” It’s a better mindset than always worrying about everything that could happen.However, it’s also naïve. We all know that we will have setbacks and get hurt sooner or later. But when all is well, we don’t want to think about. Oddly enough, good times are perfect for preparation. When everything in your life is going well, you can take the time to focus on what you want to do to improve yourself.In contrast, when you’re in the middle of a personal crisis, you don’t have the time or energy to strengthen your mind and body. You need all your resources to make the best of what’s in front of you. It’s not a matter of if a setback will hit you, it’s a matter of when.At some point, we all have to deal with death and grief. We all experience downs in our relationships. We all face personal crises and feeling down for no particular reason. And our mental toughness determines how well we deal with that.Obstacles never come at a good time. When something bad happened to me I always said, “Why now?!” As if I had any control over external factors. It’s such a delusional thing to say and think.It’s pure entitlement. Just because everything is going well for you, you are entitled to continued success? Who

ever made you that promise?

Give This Exercise A Try Now To Improve Mental ToughnessYou and I both know that we’re entitled to nothing. That’s why the following exercise is so important. When everything is going well, you want to meditate on what could go wrong. Let’s do a thought exercise.1. Find a comfortable place

to sit or lie down2. Close your eyes3. Think about a person

that’s close to you and who you rely on for support

4. Imagine having a good time with them

5. Feel the joy you experience from being with that person

6. Now, imagine that you’re alone in a room

7. Imagine you’re receiving a call from someone

8. You pick up the phone9. The person you love just

died10. Feel the sadness in your

stomach

Now, snap out of it. It’s not necessary to get stuck in that feeling. The point is to temporarily feel negative emotions, so you don’t experience shock when you have to deal with grief in the future.Repeat this exercise for whatever you fear. It will improve your mental toughness. The best thing is to do this type of “loss” meditation often. That will not only make you more resilient, it will also make you more grateful what you have in your life.I regularly meditate on losing my business and money. I imagine that I made a wrong investment and that everything is gone. I’ve done that so often in my mind that if it happens, it’s not new to me. I will be ready to start over.You don’t have to do this daily. Some people assume that when I share the exercise. Only do it when you feel it’s helpful.I also meditate on getting ill or injured. What will I do when I can’t walk? All this stuff might sound depressing to you. Or you might think,

“That would never happen to me.”How are you so sure? It can happen to all of us. In life, it’s not a matter of “if” things will go wrong — it’s a matter of “when.”This exercise is ultimately about gratitude. When you realize that your life is good the way it is, you’ll feel more happy and alive. That’s a good foundation to keep improving your life. Do it from a place of strength, not from fear.This article was excerpted from from my book, What It Takes To Be Free

DARIUS FOROUX

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How To Let Go and Be Emotionally Free

A while back, I noticed that I became restless when I couldn’t work

out or go to the gym. I was so used to working out that I made it a part of my identity. I couldn’t let go of it.

Do you know what that feels like? It’s the same when you can’t stick to any one of your habits—good or bad. Waking up early, reading, meditating, journaling, you name it.

What happens if we can’t stick to our good habits? We be-come restless. That’s harmful behavior because you’re not fully free. I mentioned the working out example to my friends recently, and every single one of them who wor-ked out regularly could relate.

Let goWhether you’re attached to good or bad habits, you’re being controlled by your urges. That’s the bottom line here. If you don’t do certain things you oblige yourself to do on a day, and feel bad about failing to do them, your emotions are in control.

One of my goals is to remain free from my desires and urges. I want to be okay with letting things go. We all desi-re certain things in life. We want to be healthy, to always look young, to be loved, to be wealthy, etc.

If we don’t get those things, we become disappointed. We can’t let go of the desire. There are also a lot of things in life we despise. We don’t want to become overweight, ill, old, lazy, jobless, you name it. And we do everything to

avoid what we hate.

Let go of all that stuff! All the desires and the aversions. This idea comes back in different philosophies. There’s this quote from the Buddha that captures the idea well:

“You can only lose what you cling to.”

How to practiceClinging to anything is not helpful. We’ve all experien-ced that when we clung to an idea, promise, goal, or loved one. We must let go. But how do you practice letting go? I came up with a simple exerci-se that helps to control your urges and habits. It looks like this:

Are you addicted to the gym? A few times a year, decide not to go. Make that decision consciously. When you feel great, just say, “I’m not going this week because I decide to.” Don’t worry, you won’t lose your strength or stamina. That only declines after 1-2 weeks. Are you addicted to posting things on social media or on a blog? BOOM, get off for a week. The world will not end. People might miss you, but

they will be fine. I’ve done this with publishing articles. Earlier this year, I stopped regularly publishing because I didn’t want to cling to it. Nothing happened. I just picked it up when I came back.Are you addicted to working in the evening? Stop and hit the couch for a few evenings. You won’t turn into a slouch. Just pick up your work the next day or week. Are you reading every day? Consciously decide to stop reading for a week. Take that time to do nothing. Let all the information you acqui-red brew in the back of your mind. You get the idea. This exercise helps you to distance yourself from your habits. Because most of what we do comes from fear. We fear that we lose our job if we don’t work enough. We fear losing peo-ple’s interest if we don’t post enough. We fear we lose our health if we don’t work out.

You and I both know that as long as we’re driven by fear, we’re not free. True freedom means you’re not attached to any habit or thing in life. Remember, we own nothing in life. No one said it better than Epictetus in The Good

Life Handbook:

“You cannot really lose anything because you don’t own anything in the first pla-ce. Not the stuff you have, nor your spouse, nor your pro-perty. They are given to you to keep temporarily. So never say, “I have lost something.” You just returned it.

And how painful it is to admit this, the same is true for the people in our lives. Clinging to people we love will only suffocate them.

No matter how you look at attachment and clinging to habits, objects, or people, it’s something you want to avoid. When I reflect on the times in my life when I attached to things too much, it never ended well.

In contrast, most good things in my life come from letting go. Once you learn to let go consistently, you will become free. That will not only impro-ve your own life—but also the lives of people that surround you.

FEATURE

DARIUS FOROUX

Digital Driver’s Licences Now Available To AllNSW Residents

COMMUNITY

After a lengthy trial, and a missed launch date in August, from Today NSW driver’s licence holders can use a Digital Driver’s Licence within the Service NSW app.

At the NSW State Election, the Government announced the trials would move to a state-wide roll-out, however that date came and went.

This morning, it’s available to all.

All you need to do is use the Service NSW app. If you’ve got it already for your fishing licence or rego renewals you just need to login.

Otherwise, register your Service NSW account and download the app!

Having lived in the Digital Licence world now for a few months, I can tell you it’s a game-changer not having to have your wallet with you. We all have our phones with us all the time, so now we’re never without ID – officially!

The process is really quite simple, it’s a case of following the prompts step by step.

You’re given all the information you need to know to live in the new fully digital world.

Once you open the app, it’s time to get cracking!

Photo Courtesy - NSW Government

Of course there are some “rules” around the use of your Digital Licence, including keeping your phone charged!

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If You Can Change Your Mind, You Can Change Anything

FEATURE

Adopting habits with a positive return is one of the most effective self-

improvement strategies. That’s why so much advice revolves around changing one’s mind and habits.

However, there’s a downside that gets ignored by every habits-expert. The 17th century English poet, John Dryden said it best: “We first make our habits, then our habits make us.”

The beauty of this quote is the duality it expresses. You can read that quote and find confirmation that habits are good for you. Once you form a habit, the habit will do the work for you. You no longer have to think about performing an action. Whether it’s working out, writing, being grateful, and so forth.

But that quote also warns us about the potential danger. Think about it. Do you want to lose control over who you are? When your habits make you, you’re no longer the one who’s in control. You will be a slave to your behavior.

You can change anything that you controlOver the years, I’ve learned to accept change as the only constant in life. The only thing I’m 100% confident about (outside of death and taxes) is that things will always change. Nothing stays the same for too long.

So why shouldn’t you change your habits? It doesn’t make sense to form habits and never look back. It doesn’t make sense to adopt a certain way of life and keep it until you die. Sadly,

that’s what many of us do.

The only philosophy that comes close to adopting this formless way of living is Pragmatism. A pragmatist looks at what works. Other than that, a pragmatist is agnostic.

I change my mind all the time. In the past, I always thought that was a bad thing. But adopting a fluid mindset gives you more tools to adapt to change. To me, that’s the most important trait of the 21st century. We live in a world where our job can become obsolete tomorrow.

George Bernard Shaw, the Irish playwright and winner of the Nobel prize in literature (1925), said:

“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

You can change anything that’s inside your control. But if you can’t change your mind, you can’t change anything about yourself. I remind myself of that all the time.

I often think about whether my habits are serving me or whether they are halting my growth. When I see that certain behaviors, skills, or beliefs are no longer helping me to adapt to today’s world, I shed them in the same way our body sheds dead skin cells.

How I changed my mind about running and writingA few years ago, I started a daily running habit. It took a while to get used to running every day—mentally and physically. But after a few months, I got in a great routine. I felt stronger every week and had more energy. But after about a year, I started getting small injuries in my ankles and knees. It wasn’t

anything significant, but it also didn’t feel right.

As a result, I was in a mental battle all the time. “Should I go for a run? How about my ankle? Will I make it worse?” My daily running habit started to interfere with my daily life. I was spending too much energy on keeping it alive so I decided to quit and do something else. For the past two years, I’ve been doing regular full-body workouts with weights. I only run once a week. And on the days I don’t work out, I go for a walk or bike ride. My body feels stronger. And my mind clearer.

My second example is about writing. Most writers want to get a publishing deal from a major publisher. That’s considered “making it” by many people. And when I started, I also aimed for that goal because I assumed that’s what you should do.

But the way that we consume content has changed drastically over the past few years. We’re more comfortable with paying for content. And we prefer to consume short, practical, and useful articles. In the past year and a half, I’ve changed my goals and mindset.

I don’t desire a book deal, nor do I need one. As an independent writer, you have

DARIUS FOROUX

multiple streams of income and the ability to self-publish your books. I also enjoy writing short articles like this one. Most importantly, readers have told me they find these articles valuable. That’s what matters to me.

A lot has changed in the blogging and writing world. The people who don’t adapt will be left behind. That’s true for all of our careers.

As Shaw said, you must be willing to change your mind if you want to grow. Look at your own life. What habits or beliefs are no longer serving you? Identify them. Then, get rid of them. And finally, replace them with something that will help you.

WHATSAPP HAS RECENTLY ROLLED OUT THE FINGERPRINT LOCK FEATURE FOR ANDROID USERS

WHATSAPP NOW ALLOWS YOU TO WATCH NETFLIX TRAILERS WITHOUT LEAVING THE APP

Instant messaging application WhatsApp has unveiled a plethora of new features this year. From the recently-launched fingerprint unlock to much-awaited ‘Dark Screen’ mode, the aim is to make the messaging experience more convenient across the world. Users can download the

Whatsapp’s 5 Latest Features: Netflix Trailer In PIP Mode To Fingerprint Lock

latest version of the Facebook-owned messaging application to experience the new features. Some of these new features are available only in the beta version.

FIVE LATEST FEATURE OF WHATSAPP:

1) WhatsApp has recently rolled out the fingerprint lock feature for Android users. WhatsApp can now be locked or unlocked using the phone’s built-in fingerprint sensor. To enable the new fingerprint lock feature, users need to go to the ‘Settings’ option and then select Account > Privacy > Fingerprint Lock. Now you need to toggle on Fingerprint lock to enable the feature. After enabling the new fingerprint lock feature, you can still reply to messages from the WhatsApp notifications and answer WhatsApp calls. The fingerprint lock option is only required when you want to open WhatsApp. Users will get three options under ‘Automatically lock’ — ‘Immediately’, ‘After 1 minute’,

‘After 30 minutes’ to choose from.

2) Recently, WhatsApp has implemented a new feature for iPhone users where Netflix trailers are now available on PiP mode. WhatsApp users will let the users play Netflix trailers without opening the Netflix application. WhatsApp also allows users to watch Facebook, YouTube and Instagram videos within the app.

3) WhatsApp has recently rolled out boomerang feature for iPhone users on beta. Boomerang is a popular feature on Instagram which lets you create GIF like videos. Now iPhone users can capture Boomerang videos on Whatsapp. Along with the latest Boomerang feature, WhatsApp has also added in-app edit tools for photos and videos. With the latest update, iPhone users can play voice message in notification itself. There is no need to open WhatsApp to listen to voice messages.

4) According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp’s latest beta update has something for the much-awaited dark mode. WhatsApp is still working on the dark mode feature to ensure bug-free experience before the release, said WABetaInfo. The new Splash Screen is available in the dark mode on the beta version of WhatsApp. The lock icon on WhatsApp has also been updated for dark mode.

5) Amid a controversy over privacy, WhatsApp has announced a tweak in its privacy settings. The new update will will allow users to choose who from their contact list can add them to a group chat. Users can access privacy settings to select one of the three options— ‘Everyone’, ‘My Contacts,’ or ‘My Contacts Except’. “With these new features, users will have more control over the group messages they receive,” WhatsApp added.

Whatsapp Hackers Targeted Top Government Officials Of Many US-allied CountriesSenior government officials in multiple US-allied countries were targeted earlier this year with hacking software that used Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp to take over users’ phones, according to people familiar with the messaging company’s investigation.

Sources familiar with WhatsApp’s internal investigation into the breach said a “significant” portion of the known victims are high-profile government and military officials spread across at least 20 countries on five continents.

The hacking of a wider group of top government officials’ smartphones than previously reported suggests the WhatsApp cyber intrusion could have broad political and diplomatic consequences.

WhatsApp filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Israeli hacking

tool developer NSO Group. The Facebook-owned software giant alleges that NSO Group built and sold a hacking platform that exploited a flaw in WhatsApp-owned servers to help clients hack into the cellphones of at least 1,400 users.

While it is not clear who used the software to hack officials’ phones, NSO says it sells its spyware exclusively to government customers.

Some victims are in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Mexico, Pakistan and India, said people familiar with the investigation. Reuters could not verify whether victims from these countries included government officials.

The revelation comes as more than a dozen Indian journalists and human rights activists said on Thursday they were also targeted.

NSO did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Previously it has denied any wrongdoing, saying its products are only meant to help governments catch terrorists and criminals.

Over the last several years, cybersecurity researchers have found NSO products used against a wide range of targets, including protesters in countries under authoritarian rule. The use of these tools to target high-profile politicians, however, is less understood.

An independent research group working with WhatsApp, named CitizenLab, said at least 100 of the victims are journalists and dissidents, not criminals.

WhatsApp has said it sent warning notifications to affected users earlier this week.

“It is an open secret that many technologies branded for law enforcement investigations are used for state-on-state and political espionage,” said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher with CitizenLab.

Prior to notifying victims, WhatsApp checked the target list against existing law enforcement requests for information relating to criminal investigations, such as terrorism or child exploitation cases. But the company found no overlap, said a person familiar with the matter. Governments can submit such requests for information to WhatsApp through an online portal the company maintains. WhatsApp did not identify the clients of NSO Group, who ultimately chose the targets.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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COMMUNITY

By Paul McKenzie, ABS Conveyancing, Property & Conveyancing Affairs Writer

Property Conveyancing & You

For New South Wales and Victoria, housing market is recovering,

state governments providing incentives (stamp duty concessions and grants) for first home buyers, especially to buy something new and the attraction to buy an affordable land and house package. Home World display villages across Sydney/New South Wales and similar set ups in Melbourne/Victoria, is becoming popular, as a one stop shop, for that great Aussie dream, to own your own home, affordable land and house package, that also attract new Indian/Subcontinent migrants, with permanent residency, wanting a their own home, a family area and live with people of a similar background, and to blend in with Aussies.Recently opened, with the launch attracting the

representatives from Planning New South Wales, Home World, Stockland Development, Blacktown Council and the Sydney Thunder Cricket Team with their multicultural players. Home World at Marsden Park NSW, off the Richmond Road past Blacktown, with the Elara Housing Estate. Along the Richmond Road at Marsden Park, with the Home World display village and the Elara Housing Estate, is the new Sydney Business Park, Blacktown’s largest homemaker precinct, with Bunnings, IKEA, Lindt Chocolates etc Views of the Blue Mountains and 40 hectare open space adds to the attraction.Home World Marsden Park display village, promoted as a “Home World display village with a difference”, over 70 homes built in the display

HomeWorld of Housing Affordability

village, representing over 20 builders, who build all over Sydney, making it a one stop shop, with affordable land and home packages, for first home buyers, family and migrants with permanent residence. The display village is open seven days per week. Other display villages in Sydney are at Kellyville, Hills area, and Leppington, Liverpool area. Melbourne has similar set ups, with the new housing estates at Craigieburn and Mickleham, Melbourne’s far northern suburbs, off the Hume Highway, similar to Marsden Park and Kellyville in Sydney.Readers should visit Home World at Marsden Park, speak to their mortgage broker on their affordable budget and negotiate a land and home package, making their dreams come true.

Excessive Budgeting Will Not Make You

My grandfather is the most frugal person I know. He always lives

on a budget. As long as I can remember, he’s had the same wardrobe. One of his cardigans even has a hole in it. But he refuses to throw it away.

My mother bought him a new cardigan years ago. But he left it unopened in the packaging. The damned vest has to fall apart first; otherwise the OG won’t throw it away.

“This one is perfectly fine,” is his motto. Literally nothing has changed in my grandfather’s house for decades. And he has no problem with it.

But here’s the thing: Penny pinching, budgeting, and frugal living will not make you rich. It only causes stress.

”What?! Aren’t you supposed to be stress-free if you’re frugal?”

In my experience, people who are too focused on their spending have the same amount of stress as people who are in debt. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, but if you’re controlled by money, there’s something wrong.

Look, if you’re always thinking about money, it will drain your energy. I’ve been there too.

Several of my family members are extremely frugal. They are always trying to save money.

And they always worry about the price of something. I don’t blame my grandfather at all. The man lived through a war and times when food was scarce. During war and crises, famine always lurks around the corner. You simply don’t know what will happen tomorrow. That’s a different way of life.

But if you’re born in the West, after 1980, you haven’t been through anything close to famine. Of course, poverty still exists today. But today’s world is full of opportunities that were unreal just a decade ago.

So if you’re currently budgeting excessively, you’re doing something wrong. Instead of wasting your energy on saving a few bucks here and there, invest in yourself and create some actual value.

One of my friends always complains about how expensive everything is. He once drove 2 hours to buy a used car that was 500 bucks cheaper. He spent a whole day looking at the car. And then he had to spend another day to pick the thing up. He took a bus to the dealership, picked up the car, and then drove back.

One week later, something was wrong with the car. He had to spend countless hours talking to the dealer so they wouldn’t charge him for fixing the car. Two months after that, something else broke down. This time, the dealer said, “no warranty, buddy.”

The whole saga set him back close to two grand. All that just to save a few hundred. And imagine how much time he wasted. Being cheap is often

very pricey.

Budgeting = Scarcity Mindset

I’ve made these types of mistakes too. You think you’re being smart by saving money on certain things, but if you honestly look at it, you’re only wasting time.

And as you and I both know, time is more precious than money. Once I decided that I’m valuing my time more than money, I changed my mindset.

When you’re budgeting, you’re acting out of fear. You have a scarcity mindset. You think, “We never know what happens, so it’s best to save our money.”

That’s weak. Instead, I live my life the way I want. But I’m not irresponsible. I have a very clear rule when it comes to worrying about money: If my loss is less than 100 bucks, I don’t worry about it.

• Is it cheaper to do my groceries at a supermarket that’s 20 minutes away from my home? Screw it, I’ll go to the more expensive one that’s closer to my house.

• Is the steak more expensive than the pasta, and I feel like having a steak? Let’s have steak.

• Do I need to pay a premium to get a bigger room at a hotel? Let’s go for it because I want some space so I can work or comfortably read a book.

I can go on for a while. What it comes down to is that I don’t act out of fear anymore. In the past, I always thought I might lose my money in the future. Why? If you think about it, there’s no real reason. As long as people have jobs and companies exist, you will be

able to make money.

No Stress

Look, I don’t go out to dinner every week. I don’t go to the most expensive hotels. I don’t travel a lot. I don’t buy a lot of things.

But when I do do those things, I do them well. That’s because I don’t want to have money stress. I don’t want the stress of always trying to make more money so I can have a grand lifestyle.

And I also don’t want the stress of always fearing that my money runs out. It’s one of the things Vicki Robin talks about in the classic personal finance book, Your Money Or Your Life. I highly recommend reading that book if you want to change your relationship with money.

I’ve finally found a healthy relationship with money. I’ve acquired income-producing skills and invested a lot in my education. So I don’t worry about being out of a job.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying hard to save a few pennies or working hard to make 1M—if money controls your life, it’s time to rethink it.

Create a life for yourself where you’re free to do what you want. The key is to desire less. So it’s not only a matter of personal finance. This is also a matter of philosophy.

No matter what you do, don’t copy other people’s money strategies. Everyone is different and has different desires. It’s called a personal finance strategy for a reason. The way you treat money differs for every person.

DARIUS FOROUX

FINANCE

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COMMUNITY

HomeWorld launches Marsden Park display home village to meet changing lifestyle demands

HomeWorld has opened a brand-new display village in Marsden Park,

showcasing its most diverse range of homes to date, with new options for different lot sizes, inter-generational homes and the latest in sustainable living.

The new village features homes designed to suit Sydney’s low-rise medium-density housing trend as well as the most in-demand lot sizes for Sydney’s major growth corridors.

Located in Sydney’s booming north west, the new display village includes 84 new homes from 28 of Australia’s leading home building companies, including an award-winning sustainable home, more first home buyer options and homes for smaller block sizes than ever before.

As Australia’s biggest and most established display home organisation, HomeWorld’s Marsden Park initiative represents a commitment of $100 million to the region, and a new village that inspires existing and potential residents looking to build their new homes across Sydney and surrounding areas.

“HomeWorld Marsden Park provides a great opportunity for Sydneysiders to discover a huge range of new home options in the one place.

“Visitors will find designs for

families of all sizes, offering everything from first home buyer options to homes that suits extended families and a fantastic new home that is impressively self-sustaining.

“Having competing home builders all on site is also an efficient and effective way for people to compare options and find the right home at the right price,” said HomeWorld CEO Phil Jones.

According to Jones, the growth and popularity of Sydney’s north west makes it a key location for a display village of this size and range.

“The north west’s population is expected to surge to 250,000 by 2026*, which is estimated to include an additional 33,000 homes in the area,” he said.

Since its establishment in 1986, HomeWorld has grown to a cooperative of 50 leading building companies across NSW. HomeWorld’s newest addition in Marsden Park will also offer an extension to HomeWorld’s villages in Thornton, Warnervale, Kellyville and Leppington.

HomeWorld now has more than 350 homes on display throughout New South Wales.

HomeWorld Marsden Park is situated on the corner of Richmond Road and Elara Boulevard and is open every day between 10am and 5pm. For more information, please visit www.homeworld.com.au

About HomeWorld

HomeWorld is Australia’s biggest and most established display home organisation, helping people discover, create and build their dream home.

Launched in 1986, HomeWorld is a co-operative of more than 50 of Australia’s leading building companies.

The premier destination for new home design inspiration, HomeWorld has more than 350 homes on display at its villages in Kellyville and Marsden Park in Sydney’s north-west, Thornton in the Hunter Valley, Leppington in Sydney’s south-west and Warnervale on the Central Coast.

The villages offer customers the chance to speak directly with builders to create their dream home.

HomeWorld is a proud sponsor of Sydney Thunder T20 BBL and WBBL Teams.

Website: www.homeworld.com.au

For media enquiries, please contact: Jie Cao, Cultural Perspectives, [email protected].

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A Great Journey Of Success – “Nrithyagriha” Dance School Celebrates 30th Anniversary

From a humble beginning, the focus, commitment and huge passion by Padma Balakumar for promoting the

Indian classical dances in Australia the country she chose to live has nourished Nrithyagriha Dance School to grow as an institution of excellence in Western Sydney.

Three decades of dedication in promoting the classical Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam, has established “Nrityagriha” as one of the reputed schools for learning the ancient art form.

Indian classical dance has deep cultural roots, maintains traditional values and conveys many messages of life. Every student develops a creativity and distinct personality by learning this dance.

Over 200 students in Sydney alone have been immensely benefited through the Nriyagriha Dance school in last three decades thanks to the efforts by Padma Balakumar.

Hence it was a great tribute by students of “Nrityagriha” to their guru Padma Balakumar, by way of an excellent presentation “Samarpana” (meaning offering) on the 30th anniversary of the Dance School on 20th October at Pacific Hills Christian School, Dural.

The evening’s performance commenced with a short prayer to lord Ganesha, the elephant faced lord who removes all obstacles. This was followed by Ananda Nartana Ganapatim Bhavaye - This song describes the wonder and joy experienced by the poet as he sees lord ganesha dancing. After this “Alarippu” traditional first dance item was presented symbolizing the offering of respects to both God, the guru, and the audience. The next item was “Kali Kauthuvam” dedicated to Goddess Kali and was about Kali dancing in Thirualandadu forest in the city of Chidambaram to the accompaniment of Nandi on his Mridangam, and sage Narada singing and the Sun and the moon reciting a poem. The 108 types of talas in existence are attributed to the various dancing she performs.

This was followed by the newest additions to the school performing the dhyana slokam followed by the Guru stuthi describing Guru (teacher) as the representative of Brahma (creator) Vishnu ( sustainer of knowledge) and Shiva ( destroyer of ignorance). The next item Jatiswaram was an item of pure dance that brought out the three aspects of dance: unity of music, rhythm and movements.

Then the superb Varnam in Ragam Navaragamalikai was presented to the huge applause of the audience.Navaragamalika (pronounced navarāgamālika) is a composition in Carnatic Music that is composed using a collection of nine ragas Each verse is set to a different raga. In this Varnam, the heroine addresses her friend and says, “oh dear friend, please go and bring my Lord to me without any delay”.

Following two more superb items “Kavadi Chindu” and Shankara Jatadhara”, a very delightful Nama Ramayanam was presented. Nama Ramayanam is a condensation of all the cantos of Ramayanam.

The next two items Kamam Agatriya (on Lord Siva) and Marati abhang, lot of creativity was demonstrated by the vibrant students.

Following a mesmerising Thillana, the performances concluded with a

traditional Mangalam.

Presented by nearly 100 students and attended by over 300 classical dance lovers, the “Samarpana” held on 20th October at Pacific Hills Christian School Auditorium turned out to be a very cherish able event.

Aparna Viswanathan provided a lively compereage and long-standing student of “Nrityagriha” Shruti Ravi presented a vote of thanks.

About the Guru:

PADMA BALAKUMAR is a performing dancer and a guru. She has been managing the balancing act of family life and a career as a Business Analyst with her passion for Bharatanatyam. Interest in Bharatanatyam was instilled in her at a very young age of seven when she came under the influence of her Guru Smt. Malathi Srinivasan an alumnus of Kalakshetra and the first disciple of and assistant to “Natyakala Chakravarthi” “Padmashree” Sri K.N. Dandayuthapani Pillai. Padma is very well-known classical dance circles in Chennai. Her association

with Lakshmi Viswanathan presented an opportunity to dance in her film ‘Poetry of Dance’ for the Festival of India at Moscow.

Padma says “I started “Nrityagriha” in 1989. When I look back at my journey over the last 30 years, I am extremely grateful to my gurus, the almighty, my family, the musicians who have supported me, students both past and present who have helped me grow as a teacher and choreographer, the sound and light technicians who have serviced us in all our endeavours and the rasikas who through their presence at my programs inspired me to continue on in this journey”

The INDIAN TELEGRAPH congratulates Padma Balakumar and all students of “Nirtyagriha” for this wonderful achievement of 30 years of commitment to the classical Indian dance in multicultural Australia

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

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India Wants 40% of All Cabs to be Electric by 2026

Efforts to combat climate change have resulted in countries around the

world ratifying agreements and commitments to cut down on their carbon footprints. As a noted victim of climate change, India, in particular, has played a key role in these initiatives with India ratifying the Paris Agreement in late 2016 as just one example. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the move in a surprise announcement before a BJP conclave, citing Mahatma Gandhi’s minimal carbon footprint as inspiration.Yet there is also another environmentally conscious initiative on the horizon, in the form of a plan by the Indian government to make 40% of cabs electric by 2026. According to a piece by Reuters India on the plan, rideshare companies like Ola and Uber will have to convert 40% of their fleet to electronic vehicles (EVs) within the next 7 years, as part of India's commitment in the Paris climate change treaty to reduce oil imports and curb pollution. Reportedly, authorities could order the conversion be done gradually, with 2.5% of their fleets being electric by 2021, 5% by 2022 and so forth. The government could even push for 30% of all buses to go electric by 2026, on top of introducing a rule that all commercial vehicles sold after April 2026 be electric.

The Benefits

Wendy Warner

Compared to petrol-powered cars, ABC News’ exploration of the benefits of EVs find that EVs can emit up to one-seventh less CO2 per kilometre. Specifically, the average emissions budget of a petrol-powered car sold in 2016 reached 182 g CO2/km, while charging an EV on Australia’s cleanest grid can emit as little as 27 g CO2/km. Even charging in other areas such as South Australia brings emission rates only to 95 g CO2/km, barely over half that of petrol. EVs can then greatly improve the chances of meeting emission reduction goals from the Paris agreement.This is especially relevant to India, where The Economic Times points out that about two-thirds of deaths from air pollution can be traced to exhaust emissions from diesel vehicles. Furthermore, a study has even found that diesel vehicles were responsible for roughly 385,000 deaths in 2015 alone. If EVs can demonstrate the capacity to be cleaner than petrol, surely it can do the same for diesel- -good news for Indian air quality either way.

Similar Initiatives in Australia

India isn’t the only country whose government is pushing for the mass adoption of electric vehicles. In Australia, a Senate report has urged the country to catch up in adopting electric vehicles or risk getting left behind by the rest of the world. The report then recommended measures such as a national electric vehicle target for government vehicle fleets and new vehicle emissions standards among others.Australian fleet buyers have already begun to signal a shift to EVs, with Clean Energy Finance Corp (CEFC) detailing how roughly 19,000 businesses in Australia operate fleets of 20 vehicles or more, which represents 2.1 million vehicles. In an event hosted by the CEFC called EV Drive Day, numerous fleet buyers and managers from different organisations took advantage of an opportunity to test drive electric passenger and light commercial

vehicles. When asked to identify the main attraction of EVs, many cited lower emissions but also reduced maintenance and fuel costs.In this regard, fleet managers are constantly looking at various options to make their vehicles more efficient. From proper vehicle maintenance to driver behaviour, an article by Verizon Connect on lower fuel costs with driver education discusses how commercial fleet vehicles are making the shift to reduce their fuel consumption. Shifts like these signal that companies are gradually moving away from fossil fuels. Despite these initiatives, however, climate targets are still left unmet- -presenting a ripe opportunity for EVs to take over.“The world is embracing EVs and we must too,” said independent Senator Rex Patrick, who also wants a ban on the ban the importation and sale of petrol-driven cars by 2035. “It’s not a question of if, it’s simply one of when.”

AUTOMOBILE

Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior Ajay Devgn plays Maratha warrior

Historical period films have always been a crowd puller. After

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Bajirao Mastani, there is yet another Maratha warrior’s account that will be brought to the silver screen. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior features Ajay Devgn as Subedar Taanaji Malusare who battled alongside Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj.The first look reveals Ajay as the fierce warrior, determined to wage a war against the invaders.Ajay’s Tanhaji will bring the story of Maratha commander Tanaji Malusare, who was celebrated for his role in the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670 AD. Directed by Om Raut, the

film will see Kajol reunite with Ajay on screen almost after a decade, where she will essay the role of Tanaji’s wife.\Saif Ali Khan will play the antagonist in the film. The film will mark the actor’s fourth project with Ajay, following the J.P. Dutta directorial LOC Kargil (2003), Milan Luthria’s Kachche Dhaage (1999) and Vishal Bharadwaj’s Omkara (2006).The film also stars Sharad Kelkar, Jagapathi Babu, Devdutta Nage, Pankaj Tripathi, Neha Sharma, Ajinkya Deo, Kailash Waghmare, Hardik Sangani, Luke Kenny, and Vipul Gupta.Ajay is currently shooting for Abhishek Sharma’s Maidaan, and also has a cameo in Akshay Kumar and

Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi. He is also gearing up for the release of Abhishek Dudhaiya’s Bhuj: The Pride Of India.Backed by Bhushan Kumar of T-Series, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior is scheduled to hit theatres on 10 January 2020, clashing with Deepika Padukone and Meghna Gulzar’s Chhapaak.

ENTERTAINMENT

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www.theindiantelegraph.com.auNovember 2019 Edition

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