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1 May, 2015 Vol. 7 Issue 6 | www.iwk.co.

nz

New Zealands first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper

The Pulse of Kiwi-Indians

Auckland Christchurch Wellington Hamilton Palmerston North Hastings Invercargill

STUDY - WORK - LIVE?


Are the Indian students
living their kiwi dream ?

2015

KIWI INDIAN

YOUNG ACHIEVER

2015

FREEY
COP

2015

KIWI INDIAN

UNSUNG HERO

2015

CONTENTS

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Black

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Orange

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

Black

Orange

Stars in their eyes but miles to go.


A peek into the state of Indian students in New Zealand
Maya Shivam

ndia provides the worlds


second highest number of
international students to
New Zealand, second only to
China. Recent economic and
political changes in India have
possibly sparked a process which
is being catalyzed by a rapid
growth in the middle class, an
ever-increasing youth population,
and an enormous unmet demand
for education. Marry that with
dreams of finding a better life,
living the Kiwi lifestyle (as
perceived while you are still in
India) and living in possibly the
most beautiful country in the
world.
While, the Indian government
seeks to address the countrys
discrepancy between its economic
potential and its education
system, sending the countrys
youth to study overseas remains
a much needed support system.

The number of Indian tertiary


students going overseas to study
rose by almost 350% between
2000 and 2011 from 58,091 to
203,338 students. International
student numbers are expected to
remain high as Indian students
continue to demand quality
education; Indias own growing
industry continues to seek skilled

graduates who are work-ready;


and the Indian government
remains firmly focused on skills
development.
Putting this in context of
New Zealand , India is New
Zealands second-largest and
fastest-growing source country
for international students. With
65 percent of its population

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under the age of 35, and a high


rate of underemployment, India
looks to train and skill several
million youth each year, with
construction and agriculture
among the two key focus areas for
improvement areas that align
with New Zealands expertise.
India is a priority market for
Education NZ, offering significant
opportunities
in
student
recruitment as students actively
seek opportunities not offered in
India, and Indias industry calls
for work-ready graduates. To add
to this, India also offers business
development opportunities as
the Indian government seeks to
skill 500 million people by 2022
with help from international
partners. The profile of education
in New Zealand continues to
grow in India with Education
NZ following a sustained and
comprehensive marketing and
media campaign. Their USP -

sharing good news stories. It is


these good news stories that then
gives rise to dreams and stars in
the eyes of the youth, who then
put everything else at stake to find
their own good news story for
themselves in the land of the long
white cloud.
In the first eight months
of 2014 about 15,640 Indian
students were studying in New
Zealand, a 60 percent increase
over the same period in 2013.
The government estimates
the students would have spent
approximately $433 million on
fees and living costs, and that
figure looks set to grow even
further this year. Seventy percent
of Indian students are enrolled
with private tertiary institutions
and about 20 percent with
polytechnics. The Independent
Tertiary Institutions represents
14 education companies. Its
chairman Feroz Ali told Radio
Continued on Pg 4

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand that the growth was


likely to continue unabated.
Im expecting it to grow
at a similar level to 2014 and
thats due to several factors ...
the New Zealand dollar where
it is (and ) more importantly,
theres the right incentives in
place for attracting students to
New Zealand. Those incentives
included the ability to get a jobseeker visa and potentially qualify
for residency. These incentives
also include the percentage of the
commission being offered to the
agents representing New Zealand
institutes in India.
Mr Ali said in a report
published by Radio New Zealand
that the tertiary institutions
had the capacity to take even
more foreign students. The total
number is not yet at the peak
experienced in the early 2000s
and the main risk to the nowbooming Indian market was
failing to deliver what had been
promised. He added Weve got to
give them high quality education
but also weve got to come true to
... whatever we promised them.
Youre going to get a world class
education but would that lead
to meaningful employment or
further training? And if we dont
keep that promise, thats going to
damage our reputation.
Beyond
the
government
policies and strategies on both
sides, are lives of young students
that come to New Zealand. As
Mr Ali said are these students
really finding meaningful

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz


believe that the story of rogue
employers is incomplete if both
the sides of the coin are notRed
looked
at and therefore that will need
to wait for another time. In this
issue, we are just exploring the
reality of the challenges that our
youth, who make a large number
of overseas student population
face.

For students from


India, whose families
mortgage their homes
and sell their gold to put
the money together for
their children to study
in New Zealand, are
they really getting the
employment that they
hope to secure?
employment? Most international
students come reliant on the
20 hours work that they are
allowed on student visas to pay
for their survival in the country.
For students from India where
the conversion rate is almost
1:50, whose families mortgage
their homes and sell their gold
to put the money together for
their children to study in New
Zealand, are they really getting
the employment that they hope to
secure?
India is a country that offers no
social security and in some ways
this maybe a good thing as all of
us Indians grow up knowing that
to get through life we will need
to work hard and pay our way

through. So needless to say these


students who come here to study
are more than willing to work
hard to earn their way through
being able to pay for their lives
here, but is the economy and the
work opportunity in New Zealand
able to support that energy,
motivation and enthusiasm?
We all know the answer to that
question.
This is the part where the
abusive employers step in and
exploit these students who are
willing to work to pay for their
livelihood and not to pressurize
their families back home for
more money than what they
have already spent to pay for
their course fees. We do however

An article in Nelson Mail


earlier this year summed up the
reality quite clearly. The article
stated that spokesman Anshul
Munjal heard about NMIT from
an agent in India. Everything the
agent told him was a lie, Munjal
said. They told me you have
three classes a week. I came here
and saw I have three classes a
month.
It said International students
would pay about $20,000 for the
18-month programme. It would
involve 156 teaching hours,
and 1704 self-directed hours.
Munjal came here thinking
he would make friends with
New Zealanders, only to find
his classes were full of other

international students. The group


had come to New Zealand with
a view of staying
and working
Black
Orange in
their professions. Now they all
wanted to go home.
One of their friends was so
desperate, he tried to kill himself.
Munjal said they were told they
would get good money, career
opportunities, houses and cars all the dreamy things - and be
able to send money home.
The reality was struggling to
find work, and asking for more
from their families. The group
spoke proficient English. Between
them, they had mortgaged a
house, sold a mothers jewelry
and taken loans from banks and
family members to get to NMIT,
he said. We were rich there and
we bought poorness.
This seems to sum up what the
reality might look like for most of
these students. Its commonplace
for them to live in overcrowded
apartments. To eat miserly, living
on instant noodles and bread.
A large number of students
also frequent between the Bay
of Plenty region and Auckland,
rushing between their classrooms
and the farms they work on. One
of these journeys turned fatal for
a student recently. Needless to
say the children from families
that can provide all comforts for
them find themselves struggling
day to day. This not only takes a
physical toll on them but is a test
of their mental and emotional
make up as well.

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Indian Weekender took to the streets to speak to the students and hear first-hand
about what they had to say about their situation, watch their videos on
www.youtube.co.nz/indianweekender
Red
Black
Orangeand read on for what they had to say...
Mandira Rimal

I am originally from Nepal and now doing business in


business management in NTEC. I am in New Zealand from
8 months. I had to face many problems at the beginning
for searching the job as the place was totally new for me and it
was totally different from my country as well. As we know the
hard work always success finally I got the interview from burger
king and now I am doing part time job in burger king. Every
person while going out of country has the high expectations to
gain more education and all other things what we dont get in
our home country. My expectations were also too high while I came here but also I didnt
find it that much good as well as I expected. Links and contacts are more important to get
job rather than skills and ability to work here as well. Overall my experience here in New
Zealand is good now because the main thing is I have become independent coming here.
Sumit Patel

am living here for the last one year studying IT here in


Auckland. When I came here I was quite disappointed since
I didnt have a job for two months and I finally had to work
at a farm. I am doing diploma in IT and there are no jobs or
avenues in IT here, so to make ends meet I go to Tauranga and
work in the farms there. Farming work is not that good and not
that bad either; I earn something, pay my expenses and also save
something so it is kind of okay with me now.
We had this expectation that we will get a part time job here, study, save and settle
down here but the scenario here is that getting normal labour work too is so difficult; in
fact there is no work in Auckland at all. It is not just me, students who come from India
70% are working in Tauranga and they commute to Auckland to study, stay for a day or
two in backpackers and then go back to Tauranga to the farm. I find Indias education
system better than here, because there is no exam system here and only assignments
which is not really checked by them. It can be thus said that people are only here to settle
down and get visa extended.
I am barely getting 20 hours work weekly since there is not much work in farming too
because of the seasonal change and climate. I come early morning at 3am on Friday, do
my classes and go back on Saturday evening. To survive we are seven people living there
in house in Tauranga so the expenses go down. No, I have never felt exploited by my
employers, but I know that work is hard and is tiring.

Continued on Pg 6

NEW ZEALAND

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Continued from Pg 5

Arshnoor Singh Atwal

m wage. I amOrange
at least getting minimu
Black
have any issues with my job as I amRed
I am studying at Ntec. I am in NZ from about 9 months now. I dont
given
already
has
He
work during vacations. So he has been quite good.
working with current my employer for 8 months now. I get full time
to
$2000
borrow
to
had
I
is at least $200 per week, which is very steep.
me a supervisory position. But there are other problems like housing
buy a car to do my job and for my personal transport.
difficult.
had to stand in the same position, holding a banner. That was very
When I first came here, I worked for just 4 days casual job and I
India
from
paid
were
s
expense
living
ee months to find a footing. Because the
I thought I will be settled within a month, but it took me two-thr
loans by now.
initially, it helped me settle down. Otherwise, I would be under many
ation
the funds we need to show after paying the fees. These days the immigr
ting
elimina
by
ed
improv
be
Students situation in New Zealand can
. This is not fair.
does not accept job contracts as funding, but cash in the bank account

Lovepreet Singh

I am a student here for the last five months studying English here and my course will end in another two months. After eight or nine days
in my college, my visa was cancelled and I had to apply for a new student visa that did not allow me to work here in New Zealand. Its been
difficult for me since my visa was cancelled by Immigration and I think the mistake was from the college and the agent through which I came
to New Zealand. So, nowadays I am only studying and not working, I manage my finances from FTS (Fund Transfer Scheme) that comes from
India. I think people here are very selfish because there are very less jobs and people are not helping. If I keep working in the farm what will I learn
and how will I make my future in this country. I have to apply for a new student visa for one year next month and that will be level 5, I will clear
IELTS and then get my visa extended. Because when my visa was cancelled my college said that I will get refund and then I can go back to India;
but I said I have made plans and invested my time and money here, I am not ready to move back to India, then the college said that I have to stay
here for six months clear IELTS and then again get my visa extended for the business course I want to do.

Karan

I am studying business here, the challenges that I have faced is that cost of living is high
and I had to struggle for almost three months to find
one decent job for myself and finally got into Countdown. Auckland is half of Indians and
most of them started without IELTS so it is tougher
to get a job here, so are studies here. We come here for a new life and to stand by on ourselves,
and we have heavy loans on our head from
back in India. We expected to get more hours to work here since I think in an expensive
city like Auckland, 20 hours of work and the wage is pretty
low. I think we should get more hours and a higher minimum wage rate. The education
is not up to the mark to that of India, because I have gone
off track, I am supposed to study Bachelors but now after finishing this study I have to
do Bachelors and then Masters so my studies are pushed
by another two years. I am not really exploited by the employers because I have been working
with Kiwis and they were pretty good with me, but
I know that some of the Indian employers are exploiting the students. Since I wear a turban,
I cant really get a job in the food court and but yes
slowly the Kiwi employers are adopting our values and understanding us.
us and
st important challenge for
king for jobs is the first mo
Loo
.
too
n
ow
a little
es
ntd
om
Cou
bec
at
it
g
so
nsfer Scheme)
one year and I am workin
ple come with FTS (Fund Tra
peo
e
row
I have been here for the last
Som
bor
t.
uld
ren
wo
my
y
the
pay
so
to
pletely broke, and
nths and I was not able
my friends, they were com
of
e
we
that too for up to three mo
y;
som
ntr
but
cou
ia
the
Ind
m
m
fro
fro
ns
got
naged with what I
had huge expectatio
en
and it is a little better. We
easy for them. I somehow ma
wh
se
es
hou
tim
the
at
in
out
ng
ing
livi
eat
ple
n
t, then bus fares, the
enses. We are six peo
ren
exp
ir
the
the
like
es
pay
ens
and
exp
e
nds
500
hav
frie
from
level 5 in $17
0 a week and then I
15000 and then the fees for
ce to live. I earn around $25
anything. I paid the FTS of
e
will get jobs and a good pla
sav
dly
ts.
har
den
can
I
stu
and
ian
t
es for the Ind
salary goes into tha
and accommodation faciliti
in college, so most of the our
be more job opportunities
uld
sho
re
the
k
thin
I
00.
and 2nd year fees are $60

Gurdeep Singh

Otago Polytechnic students

(L-R) Sahil, Rohan, Sid, Rahil, Pankhil, Heena and


Adnan

We chose NZ because it is a beautiful country with a good lifestyle and people are very friendly
here. We were told
that the future prospects over here are good and the quality of life is also good so we decided
to come and study
here. We came here with no expectations and wanted to explore this country, its been six
to eight months for all of
us here. We all are working at different places and we are also paid on minimum wage,
it was difficult in the beginning
but after struggling for a few months we all secured a good part time job here. We work
close to 20 hours and we were
never exploited by our employees, though we have heard stories about other students
but fortunately none of us were
exploited. In the last few months we have learned a lot, our personalities have improved
, the exposure we are getting is
immense over here. There are around 60 students in our class with about 50% from India
and the rest from South East
Asia; we dont have Kiwi students here since it is an international campus. The education
system in NZ is much better
to that of India. We are staying at different places, each of us with around two to three roommate
s.

Punjabi Group

a lot in the
time jobs. We all need to struggle
l Diploma, level 6 and we do part
own living
our
earn
to
has
We are studying Business Nationa
we
then
pressure; studies pressure
ily
fam
have
we
here
e
com
we
n
a cheap accommodation
beginning because whe
y students struggling like us to get
man
so
seen
have
I
ies.
bilit
onsi
have a job so he cannot pay
along with other resp
s on the streets because he does not
stay
who
d
frien
a
have
I
e
ets.
stre
and some also stay on the
es to communicate here. Many com
ve language it creates a lot of issu
nati
our
not
is
r
lish
thei
Eng
s
e
and
Sinc
.
ne and no one underst
his rent and expenses
such as they cannot speak to anyo
s
lem
prob
of
lot
.
a
ents
face
stud
they
the
so
of
munication skills
here without IELTS
. Even the Indians check the com
also
jobs
ing
gett
in
e
ier
sinc
e
barr
a
tabl
tes
the
er
language and it crea
s of students who are working und
by our employers, there are heap
Sometimes we are also exploited
starting the employers did offer only
hing to even get $6 an hour. In the
anyt
do
will
they
and
es
$7 an hour
issu
l
ncia
they have fina
. I started working under one with
we did not have much choice then
e
sinc
do
to
and they
had
here
we
led
and
sett
us
to
cash jobs
jabis who came first, they
h, Lovekaran and
evening. We kind of blame the Pun
the
in
7pm
want to
t
till
don
ning
we
mor
but
n
the
(L-R) Daljeet, Gagandeep, Sing
in
plai
from 9am
an hour, we can com
g Indians at minimal wage like $6
hirin
are
Karamjit
use in
ans
beca
Indi
,
ents
lem
stud
prob
the
big
for
a
created
ld be done something
and not encourage them. There shou
it
y
den
ld
shou
ally
initi
jobs
who are offered cash
get into all of that. I think people
it is not that easy and clear.
here and did not get job
, work permit is easy but at the end
easy
are
There are our seniors who studied
us.
from
fees
as
unt
amo
India we are told that jobs
good
r taking
the certificate. The agents
to come here and give the visa afte
in the firm and they have to provide
tion
posi
ial
ager
man
Immigration allows the students
a
show
to
they have
ise the truth and we suffer.
being denied to some students and
and then we students come to real
ises
prom
false
ing
search visas. Work visas are also
mak
by
ents
stud
e marketing and take a lot from the
have created a good base and a hug
Sources: www.enz.govt.nz , www.radionz.co.nz, www.stuff.co.nz, student comments
as told by the named students to Leena Pal, Paula Ray and Md Rizwan of Indian Weekeneder

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

Black

Abhish
ek Baral
Orange

I am Student at Ntec. I am
living in NZ for about 8
months now. I am working also
and getting the minimum
wage. But I think job opportu
nities here are very few and
housing is very expensive. Luc
kily I havent gone through any
hardship yet but I faced a lot
more struggle than I was read
y
for when I came to New Zea
land but I am lucky that unl
ike
many others, my employer trea
ts me well.
But one think I would like to
say that I dont like the NZ
education system because our
courses are of two years and we
get visas of only one year
and then we have to extend it
again by showing funds. The livin
g expenses that we have
to show to extend our visas are
too much. It is not possible to
earn that much money
as a student in one year.
I would like to suggest that to
improve students situation, afte
r paying the college
fees, they should not be made
to show living expenses all ove
r
aga
in.
A student cannot
show $23,000 at one go in thei
r bank account. Thats just too
much.

Lalit Bajaj

Director & Adviser


(RFA)

Harjot Singh

had to
from 8 months now. I
am in NZ and in Ntec
then,
and
e
her
d
ive
when I arr
struggle a lot to find a job
ed
par
pre
t
sn
wa
I
money and
I needed a car. So I needed
on
rk
wo
to
had
I
ns,
I had vacatio
to spend so much. When
8 hours
rs shift in day-time and
hou
8
,
ays
urd
Fridays and Sat
at least
same days. Luckily I am
shift at night-time on the
nment as
ge and good work enviro
getting the minimum wa
ts from India dont get.
well, which many studen
st of them are fulfilled,
a good living standard. Mo
and
job
d
goo
s
a
e
hav
l
wil
I thought I
I first arrived here, it wa
about education, when
talk
I
If
y.
t
Bu
eas
n
nt.
bee
ere
but it has not
ent was very diff
being told to us. The acc
s
wa
at
wh
en
nd
giv
sta
be
der
uld
un
difficult to
ts back home, they sho
when visa is given to studen
ility of
now it is all good. I think
should be the responsib
Th
landers in English. is
Zea
w
Ne
by
ng
ini
tra
s
a month
the college.

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Asking $89,000 + Stock Ref 44736
(UNCONDITIONAL)
Liquor Shop in Prime Location
Weekly Sales $25,000 Approx
Asking $399,000 + Stock Ref 44733

NEW ZEALAND

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Memorable ANZAC Commemoration in Auckland


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Rizwan Mohammad

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The Dawn marks the


time of the initial
landings at Gallipoli
on 25 April 1915 and
holds the symbolism of
darkness making way
for a new day

uckland
museum
commemorated ANZAC
day in the most elegant
way possible. A host of programs
ware lined up on Saturday 25
April to entertain and educate
the crowd as well as honour the
soldiers who laid down their lives
in Gallipoli.
The two main programmes for
the day were the Dawn Service
at 6 am and the Civic Services at
11 am. The Dawn marks the time
of the initial landings at Gallipoli
on 25 April 1915 and holds the
symbolism of darkness making
way for a new day. The returned
service personnel marched to
the war memorial and then were
joined by the armed forces and the
public.
During the Civic Services that
started by a parade march from
Cenotaph Road to Court of Honour
at 11 am in front of Auckland
War Memorial Museum, the rain
however could not dampen the
spirit of those present at the event.
The
evenings
program
continued with more enthusiasm
by the Aucklanders who braved
the winds and evening chills to
watch the specially created film
taken from TVNZs new First

Black

World War drama series,When


We Go to War.
The museum walls projected as
screens on two sides with people
seated on the grass and picnic
chairs enjoying the beauty of the
evening and remembering their
heroes. The audience consisted

of not just the veterans but also


the children, young men and
women all gathered in numbers.
The museum also showcased old
and rare pictures of the soldiers
of war and the New Zealanders at
Gallipoli.
The Giant Poppy was set up
directly behind the museum.

Miss India Worldwide NZ a


grand success
Swati Sharma

iss India Worldwide New


Zealand 2015, organised
by
Sukhvinder
Bhullar,
current National Director of Miss India
Worldwide NZ was a successful event
with 15 participants from all over New
Zealand.
Advaita Shetty, was announced the
winner while Sharlene Sharma, Renay
Chand and Ashrita Singh became 1st,
2nd and 3rd runner-up, respectively.
The event was held on April 4th at
Hawkins theatre, Papakura.
The current Miss India Worldwide
title holder, Monica Gill was also present
at the event to crown the winner and was
also one of the judges.
Organiser Mrs. Bhullar was very grateful
to MrDharmatm Saran, the Chairperson/
Director of Miss India Worldwide, for
givingher the opportunity tobe National
Director in NZ since last year.
It was a glamourous event with
different contestants ofIndian origin who
have made New Zealand their home.
Its all about celebrating the elegance
of Indian women in NZ and creating a
platform forthem to experience the touch
of India here in their adopted country.
The winner, Advaita Shetty will now
represent NZ at Miss India Worldwide
contest.
Miss India Worldwide is one of the
largest pageant in the world and have been
going even stronger since last 24 years.

This year 45 contestants from different


parts of the world will participate in
the beauty contest which will be held in
September 2015 in Mumbai.

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Attorney General of NZ meets


Waikato Muslim Association

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Rizwan Mohammad

on.
Christopher
Finlayson,
Attorney General & Minister-inCharge NZ Security Intelligence
Service met the Waikato Muslim
Association earlier last month to discuss
some of the issues being faced by the
Muslim community in the region.

islamophobia as a result of the events


overseas that are over sensationalised by
the media.
The WOWMA Coordinator sister Aliya
highlighted some of the specific issues
being faced by the NZ Muslim women,
whom she referred to as the most visible
face of the Islamic community due to their
mode of dressing.

The meeting took place at the Waikato


Muslim Association (WMA) in Hamilton
along with the President of FIANZ Dr
Anwar Ghani, Dr Anisur Rahman WMA
Patron, Hamilton East MP David Bennett,
Hamilton West MP Tim Machindoe,
Dr Mustafa Farouk Chairman FIANZ
Dawah and Ms Aliya Danzeisen Women
Organisation WMA among the others.
(Dawah means call or invitation towards
religion in Islamic theology)
Dr Anwar Ghani briefed The Minister
and assured him of the commitment of
the New Zealand Muslims to peace and
recognized contributions Muslims are
making in various spheres of New Zealand
life. He also discussed some of the issues
Muslims are facing such as the rising

The Minister assured the Muslim


community that the recent Foreign Fighters
Bill was not designed to target the Muslim
community, it was designed to curb the
rise of anti-social activities in the name of
religion by some extremists on the fringes
of the society. He promised to engage more
with the community and welcomed the
initiatives FIANZ is taking to tackle some
of the social issues within the community.
The two National Hamilton MPs Hons
David Bennett and Tim Macindoe present
at the meeting pledged to continue to
maintain the excellent relationships they
established with the Muslim community in
Hamilton and to work with the community
towards its development goals.

Indian twins on the top


of the world

outhern Institute of Technology


(SIT) wonder twins continue to
break records as they complete
their North Pole expedition. Graduate
Diploma in Sport and Exercise students
Nungshi and Tashi Malik who came to
study at SIT as New Zealand India Sports
Scholarship (NZISS) recipients offered
through the New Zealand Prime Ministers
scholarships, currently hold the title for
the first siblings and twins to complete
climbing all seven of the worlds highest
peaks in each continent.
After a gruelling seven days ski journey

sledding nearly 300 lbs and braving minus


30 degree temperatures on the 21 April
2015 the brave twin sisters hoisted the tricolour Indian flag on the North Pole and are
now also record holders for the first siblings
and twins as well as the youngest women to
complete the Adventurers Grand Slam. The
Adventurers Grand Slam is climbing all the
seven highest peaks in seven continents as
well as reaching both the North Pole and
South Pole on skis. Led by Bengt Rotmo
from Norway, Nugshi and Tashis team had
a male climber from Egypt and a woman
from the Philippines as part of their team.

NEW ZEALAND

10

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

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Regional air routes must be


maintained

Having walked away from


these regional centres with the
backing of the Government, this is
the least Air New Zealand should
do. Finance Minister Bill English
and Transport Minister Simon
Bridges should also make it clear
to Air New Zealand that, as the
majority shareholder, the Government expects it to serve the regions
as part of its responsibility as our
national carrier.
It is not good enough for the

Government to hide behind these


regional cuts being a commercial
decision.Air New Zealand is not
elected to protect the interests of
all New Zealanders, but the Government is.
If the Government leaves it to
market forces and continues centralising services, there will eventually be more and more people
living in Auckland and fewer and
fewer in regional New Zealand,
Phil Twyford says.

Rheumatic fever awareness campaign launched

he
Government
is
investing more than $65
million over six years to
combat New Zealands rheumatic
fever rates.
Health
Minister
Jonathan
Coleman says the 2015 rheumatic
fever awareness raising campaign
gets underway from this week.
Rheumatic fever is a serious
disease which starts with a sore
throat and can lead to lifelong
heart problems, says Dr Coleman.
More cases of rheumatic
fever are now being identified

and treated as a result of families


having a better understanding
of the disease. The latest figures
show a 14 per cent decrease in
first episode rheumatic fever
hospitalisations since 2012.
More than 16,600 children
most at risk of developing
rheumatic fever have had their sore
throat checked at a drop-in clinic
in the past year.This is in addition
to the children being assessed and
treated through the school-based
programme which operates in over
200 North Island schools.

The 2015 rheumatic fever


awareness
raising
national
campaign started this week with
television and online advertising,
followed by targeted regional radio
advertising next week.
Other campaign components
include animated banners on
digital screen networks in targeted
stores and venues throughout parts
of the North Island, as well as a
letterbox drop in targeted regions.
More information about the
campaign can be found at:www.
rheumaticfever.health.govt.nz.

onfirmation by Health
Minister
Jonathan
Coleman that he is to wind
up a water quality improvement
scheme will leave thousands
of Kiwis with no alternative
but to continue boiling their
drinking water, Labours Health
spokesperson Annette King says.
The Drinking Water Subsidy
Scheme was established by Labour
in 2005 to improve drinking water
systems in communities with up
to 5000 people. National revised
the scheme in December 2010
- reducing both the criteria and
funding pool, forcing ratepayers to
pick up additional costs for water
improvements and will scrap it
completely in July.
New Zealand is supposed
to be a First World country, yet
information obtained by Labour
shows thousands of Kiwis continue
to be at risk of getting sick because
they dont have clean drinking
water. In three months time all
water suppliers that service a
population between 101 to 500
people are expected to have taken
all practicable steps to meet
legislative clean-water standards.
Currently just 20.7 per cent of
them receive water thats up to
scratch.
Cabinet papers also reveal the
Ministry of Health is expecting
some 38 applications to be made
for a slice of the last $10 million

2 MegaPixels
1600x1200

3 MegaPixels
2048x1536

2 MegaPixels
1600x1200

RIPE FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT


Large 963m site in a great central Takapuna location with current sea views from the first floor of this large family
home.
The land has potential development under the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) for a mixed use, multi-storey
apartment building. Plans are available showing 18 north facing apartments and 2 retail units facing Lake Road. The
excellent location offers an easy stroll to Takapuna Beach, shopping, cafes and restaurants in this seaside suburb of
Takapuna on Aucklands North Shore. Only 8 kilometres from Aucklands CBD, a trip that takes around 10 minutes by
car or bus over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Flexible settlement terms available.

annual funding pool. So far 15


requests for help have been
received for a total $15 million.
To top it off a private company
has started a scheme to install free
water filtration systems in schools
across the country following
concerns from a number of rural
communities affected by water
compliance issues.
Schools will have to pay for
replacement filters every year.
Once again we have some of
our least prosperous communities
having to pick up the cost for
something the Government should
be dealing with.
New Zealanders like to think
we have a clean, green country.
When many are still having to
boil drinking water to avoid
getting some ghastly stomach bug,
something is dreadfully wrong.
The Government needs to keep the
scheme going.

1
396 Lake Road

Orange

Communities forced
to stomach water woes

ir New Zealand has cancelled its air routes to


Kaitaia,
Whakatane,
Taupo and Westport wef Tuesday
April 28th.
Labours Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says, the
Government must use its majority shareholding to make sure Air
New Zealand cooperates with second tier airlines stepping into the
regional routes it has abandoned.
Unless Air New Zealand commits to inter-lining (which allows
passengers on a connecting Air
New Zealand flight to check their
bags through to the second tier airline destination) and code-sharing
(which provides seamless booking), it will be harder for smaller
airlines to make these routes successful.

Black

Takapuna
Tenders Close 4pm, Thursday 21st May 2015 (unless sold prior)
29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland
View

Contact the Agents below for further details

Tony Chaudhary
M 021 80 80 92
+64 21 995 121
B 09 489 0810
+64 9 271 7267

Damian Stephen
Eddie Zhong
M 021 888 233
+64 21 80 80 92
+64 21 22 77 110
B 09 489 0973
+64 9 489 0810
+64 9 489 0962

block@bayleys.co.nz
damian.stephen@bayleys.co.nz
damian.stephen@bayleys.co.nz
eddie.zhong@bayleys.co.nz
tony.chaudhary@bayleys.co.nz
DEVEREUX HOWE-SMITH REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS,
EVEREUX HOWE-SMITH REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS,
Devereux Howe-Smith
LICENSED UNDER
LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.
Bayleys Real Estate
Ltd,THE REA ACT 2008. Devereux Howe-Smith
Realty Ltd, Bayleys,
Realty
Ltd,
Bayleys,
Manukau,
Licensed under the REA Act 2008 Licensed under the REA Act 2008 Licensed under the REA Act 2008

For news
and
updates,
like us on
Facebook

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Worker safety top of mind


in all communities

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orkers
Memorial
Day,
commemorated on April 28th,
was both a time to reflect and
to encourage a better safety culture in all
workplaces, says Labours spokesperson
for Labour Issues Iain Lees-Galloway who
attended the Christchurch Workers Memorial
Day service at the Science Alive Reserve.
On Workers Memorial Day, working
people across New Zealand remember those
who have been killed and injured at work and
their families.
It is a time to reflect on the tragedy of lost
life, to mourn for mates who are no longer with
us and to grieve with their loved ones.
It is also a time to acknowledge many
workplaces can be safer.
The Health and Safety Reform Bill,
currently before the Transport and Industrial
Relations select committee, is Parliaments
opportunity to lead the culture changed
needed to dramatically reduce the number of

deaths and injuries at work.


Important aspects of that legislation such
as greater accountability for businesses and
stronger systems of worker participation
must be retained if the legislation is to make
a meaningful difference to our nations
workplace safety record.
We must also remember that good
employment relations legislation supports
safer workplaces by making working people
feel safe to speak up when they see unsafe
practices.
Precarious workers on temporary, casual
and zero-hour contracts are far less likely to
speak out if they fear the repercussions, says
Iain Lees-Galloway.

11

Environment Court backs Auckland Council


in stopping illegal housing

he Environment Court has found


in favour of Auckland Council in
a long-running case dealing with
illegal housing units in Mt Roskill and Mt
Albert.
In September 2014, Auckland Council
issued abatement notices to Mr Madhav
Karmarkar for illegally renting out his Mt
Roskill and Mt Albert properties as multiple
dwellings when they were only permitted to
be single dwellings.
Mr Karmarkar appealed against these
notices to the Environment Court but last
week the Environment Court declined
the appeals and confirmed the abatement
notices. The court also declined an
application from Karmarkar for the court to
declare that one of the houses was allowed
to hold two households.
Auckland Council Resource Consents
Compliance Manager, Stefan Naude,
said that the Courts decision reinforced

Councils approach to unauthorised


housing units.
In these cases, several buildings had
been converted into multiple flats in
contravention of the relevant district plan
rules and building code standards.
Property owners need to understand
that they have an obligation to meet the
minimum standards for housing quality
and liveability, and our officers will follow
up cases to ensure that these standards are
met, he says.
In September 2013, Mr Karmarkar
and his companies, Jayashree Limited
and Jayashree Corporation Limited, were
convicted for offences against the Resource
Management Act by establishing multiple
residential units within buildings which
were only authorised as single dwellings.
Mr Karmarkar and his companies were
collectively fined $60,000 for those
offences.

Aucklanders can now sign up for national ShakeOut drill

ucklanders are being asked


to drop, cover and hold
at9.15amonOctober 15, as part of
a global drill to ensure people are prepared
should an earthquake strike.
Launched this week by Civil Defence
Minister Nikki Kaye, the ShakeOut 2015
website is ready for Aucklanders to sign up,
learn more and be one of the first countries to
take part in the global drill this year.
She says they are hoping 1.5 million people
participating this year, up on the 1.3 million

registrations for the 2012 event.


Ms. Kaye said: Were a country prone to
earthquakes so its really important we all take
responsibility and know how to get through.
That means things like knowing how to drop,
cover and hold, and having an emergency kit
at home.
While the risk of earthquake in Auckland
is considered low, Aucklanders need to be
prepared for any eventuality; it is not a case of
if, but when.
The recent events in Nepal and closer to

home in New Zealand remind us of the risk and


there is no reason to be complacent, says chair
of the councils Civil Defence and Emergency
Management Committee, Councillor Sharon
Stewart. One can never say never, so the
smartest thing is to be prepared, and that is
what this ShakeOut event is about.
Auckland lies in one of the lowest
earthquake activity regions in New Zealand but
the whole country is prone to earthquakes. And
Kiwis love to travel, so everyone everywhere
should know the right action to take before,

during and after an earthquake. She says


recent events are a reminder that people dont
have to wait for ShakeOut to get prepared.
ShakeOut will focus peoples thoughts
on what they need to do in an earthquake
but as we know emergencies dont stick to
a calendar. Make sure you and your family
have a household emergency plan so you are
prepared for any emergency.
For more information and to register for
this years ShakeOut go toshakeout.govt.
nz.

Buy Now for Growth

1938 and 1988 East Coast Road, Silverdale, Auckland

www.bayleys.co.nz/377681

1
Boundary lines are indicative only

3
Boundary lines are indicative only

Farm now or land bank


Two land opportunities for sale
Located within rapidly growing Silverdale
Located 3 kilometres away from the fast developing Silverdale town centre, the properties
are in close proximity to the new shopping centre, PAK'nSAVE, medical centre, North
Arena Swimming Centre and other local shops.
Currently zoned General Rural, under the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP), 1988
East Coast Road is zoned Future Urban, and 1938 East Coast Road is zoned Countryside
Living.
The properties overlook the Motorway (State Highway 1) with access from East Coast
Road. The house at 1988 East Coast Road is rented with ancillary buildings. 1938 East
Coast Road is currently leased for grazing and would suit a land banker or farmer looking
for a strategic purchase.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Property
Details
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1988 East Coast Road
1938 East Coast Road
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Land
Area
80,188m (8.0188ha)
140,500m (14.050ha)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Zoning
General Rural
General Rural
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PAUP
Future Urban
Countryside Living
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tenancy Details
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There is a residential tenancy and a grazing agreement in place. Full details are available
upon request.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tenders Close (unless sold prior)


4pm, Thursday 21st May 2015
29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna
Auckland, New Zealand
Tony Chaudhary
M +64 21 995 121
B +64 9 271 7267
tony.chaudhary@bayleys.co.nz
Bayleys Real Estate Ltd, Manukau,
Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Damian Stephen
M +64 21 80 80 92
B +64 9 489 0810
damian.stephen@bayleys.co.nz
Devereux Howe-Smith Realty Ltd, Bayleys,
Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Eddie Zhong
M +64 21 22 77 110
B +64 9 489 0962
eddie.zhong@bayleys.co.nz

Devereux Howe-Smith Realty Ltd, Bayleys,


Licensed under the REA Act 2008

12

NEW ZEALAND

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Black

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Schools working together to raise achievement for kids


Kanwaljit Bakshi
National List MP

chools are often the cornerstones


of communities.
They unite
people through a shared sense of
community, and responsibility for our
future generations.
Ethnic communities place greater value on
quality education for their kids
National too wants to see greater
collaboration among schools, improved
transition through the education system
for children, and better career pathways for

teachers.
Thats why were investing in communities
of schools to share teaching practices
and expertise across schools, keep the best
teachers in the classrooms, and support strong
leadership in schools.
Evidence shows quality of teaching and
school leadership are the two most important
in-school factors in a childs education,
and family involvement and community
expectations are the two biggest out-of-school
factors. So this is where were focusing support.
The first 11 communities of schools began
working together in term one this year. Now,
18 more communities of schools are joining
them. This means more than 200 schools
around New Zealand working with more than
83,000 kids to improve educational outcomes
in the classroom.
Kiwi children will be benefitting from

Why we remember them


Phil Goff
Labour MP

ext Saturday, 100 years will have


passed since Kiwi soldiers landed at
dawn on Anzac Cove at the start of
the Gallipoli campaign.
That generation has now passed on and
there is a dwindling number left of those who
served in World War Two who are now all in
their nineties.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of New
Zealanders, young and old, will gather at war
memorials around the country to honour those
who served and died for New Zealand.
For many of us, our foremost thoughts will
be around members of our own families who

fought and died in the two world wars and


subsequent conflicts.
My grandmother lost her older brother in
the First World War and her youngest son,
my uncle, aged just 19 years in the Pacific in
World War Two. Their photos are still on our
walls at home. I remember the sadness in my
grandmothers voice when she talked about
losing those near and dear to her who she
loved.
Its difficult to imagine how hard it is for
a mother to lose her son. Sadly, a generation
later I saw that pain again when my sister lost
her son killed in action in 2007 in Afghanistan.
Watching with my family as his casket
was lowered from the military plane, which
brought his body home, was a tragic and sad
occasion that I will never forget.
Anzac Day is the time when all of us
remember the New Zealanders who laid down
their lives for their country and their mates.
Those of us who never ourselves had
to experience the sacrifice and trauma of
fighting a war remember with gratitude those

shared teaching practices and expertise, with


schools working alongside each other on
shared goals.
Nationals $359 million Investing in
Educational Success initiative will lift
achievement in Kiwi schools by helping
schools share their best resources their best
teachers and principals.
We are working hard to ensure all kids
have the opportunity to engage in learning
that meets their needs. We want to make sure
theyre getting the best education they can.
Under National, kids are starting earlier in
education, staying longer, and leaving better
qualified.
We increased early childhood education
(ECE) funding to get more young Kiwis into
education earlier, and provide more targeted
services to best suit communities who need

them the most.


Our ECE participation rate in 2014 was 96
per cent thats 2,957 more young children
engaged in learning since mid-2011.
At the other end of schooling we are seeing
progress in NCEA Level 2 achievement.
The provisional results for 2014 show the
achievement rate for NCEA Level 2 increased
to 86.8 per cent, up from 85.7 per cent in 2013.
This wouldnt be possible without our
dedicated teaching profession, our school
leaders, and the parents and whanau who
make sure their kids get to classes and support
their learning at home.
Ensuring every child gets a good education
is one of the most important things National
can do to raise living standards, and build a
more competitive and productive economy.

who suffered and died for a better world for


subsequent generations.
Anzac Day is not, however, a time when we
glorify war.
Gallipoli was an ill-thought out campaign
in which tens of thousands died and suffered
horribly for no good effect.
The survivors of Gallipoli were then
dispatched to Europe to be shot, shelled and
gassed in their thousands in the awful battles
on the Western front. New Zealand lost over
18000 of its young men in the First World War,
a higher casualty rate per head of population
than any other country except Russia. Taking
those who were wounded into account, over
60 per cent of the 100 000 who left our small
country to go to the war became casualties.
The Great War, supposed to be the war
to end all wars, simply planted the seeds for
another war that engulfed the world 21 years
later.
In the Second World War, we lost over
12 000 men. Nazi ideology in Europe and
Japanese invasion of the Pacific threatened our

values and way of life. We needed to protect


ourselves against aggression and the threat the
Axis Powers posed to humanity.
A good friend of my fathers, Jack, who is
still alive came from a Christian Pacifist family
and was initially imprisoned for refusing
conscription. As he thought more and more
about what was happening in the war, he
decided he was wrong. He joined the army and
later won the military cross for gallantry in the
Italian campaign. Both his initial and his later
decision required courage.
There are clearly times when we have to
stand up and fight for what is right. Regrettably,
there are many other occasions where conflicts
could have been resolved without resort to
war. Too often politicians have been gung ho
about sending other people to their deaths in
wars without thinking about consequences or
other possible options.
On Anzac Day, we remember those who
sacrificed their lives but also commit ourselves
to learn the lessons of the past and strive to
create a more peaceful future.

framework for business to operate. Getting


the prices right is crucial. If businesses
produce waste, they need to pay for the
cost of cleaning it up. But the companies
that cause climate pollution pay little for
the cost of their climate emissions. The
Emissions Trading Scheme introduced by
the Labour government has been weakened
so that it allows companies to rort the
system and does little to reduce emissions.
A predictable cost on emissions is crucial
so that business has the right incentives to
invest and operate.
As a result of government inaction, the
latest figures show an increase of 42% in
New Zealands emissions since 1990, the
baseline year for the climate negotiations.
Around half of that (20%) has occurred
under this government since they came into
office in 2008. New Zealand is one of the
highest emitters per person in the OECD.

This is not inevitable. It is the result of


bad policy. We could have more liveable,
better transport options, lower energy costs
and exciting opportunities for business in
the growing clean technology markets, as
well as lower climate emissions. The Green
Party has proposed a costed programme
to enable us to make the transition to a
low emissions economy. We should not
postpone action on climate change and
leave an even worse problem for our
children. We should demand better policies
and a commitment to future cuts in our
emissions. New Zealand must take on our
fair share of responsibility to contribute to a
global agreement in Paris in December.

For our common good


Barry Coates
Green Party

s humans we have an unfortunate


tendency to avoid facing up to
problems until they become a
crisis. When those problems threaten the
future of our planet and survival for millions
of vulnerable people, we have a problem. So
it is with climate change.
It doesnt have to be this way. We can
take action on climate change and gain
from the transition to a better quality of life.
An example is dealing with transport. The
government is continuing to spend almost
90% of its budget on roads. Some of those

funds should be invested in better rail, buses


and cycleways that would provide people
with options, as well as reducing our climate
emissions. The result is more congestion on
our roads and more pollution.
Another example is government policy
to remove the barriers to the uptake of
solar power. Many more households could
benefit from generating electricity from
solar panels on their roofs, but the utilities
have reduced the price they pay for surplus
electricity. The government needs to
ensure there is a fair price, and support the
transition to a smart grid with the flexibility
for many more home solar installations.
Instead, the government is subsidising
coal and exploration for oil and gas, using
risky deep sea drilling. We need policies
for a clean future, not subsidies for a dirty
polluting past.
An important role for government is
to ensure there is a predictable and fair

Barry Coates, Green Party


candidate and former CEO
of Oxfam New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Community
engagement
drives successful
consultation for Long
Term Plan

uckland Council is warning people


not to get caught out by an online
phishing scam operating as a popup survey claiming to come from Auckland
City Council.
The
scam
suggests
council
is offering beauty
products and health
supplements
as
part of a customer
satisfaction survey.
It then requests
that you provide
t h e C o u n c i l your credit card
details to secure a
prize.
Head of Information Services, Mike
Foley says Please do not respond to this
scam or provide any banking details. If by
chance you have responded and provided
banking details please contact your bank
immediately.
We are in no way associated with the
survey.
Auckland Council has lodged a
report with Consumer Affairs through
Scamwatch.

etting out and about in


the community has been a
key factor in the success of
Waikato District Councils 10 year plan
consultation programme.
Submissions on Councils Long Term
Consultation Document closed recently
with over 800 submissions received on a
variety of issues facing the district.
General
Manager
Strategy
and
Support, Tony Whittaker explains, as
part of the month-long consultation with
communities a variety of engagement
events
were
scheduled,
including
community meetings in local halls to
market days and marae based hui.
Well be reviewing the success of the
programme for future consultation but
were very happy with the first trial.
People like the face to face, one
on one interaction. Its been a great
opportunity for Councillors to be seen in
their community and enables residents
to put a face to the name.
Its the same for staff who attended the
events. Having the personal interaction
can often diffuse or un-confuse a concern
the resident might have.
Submissions have been collated by the
project team and the next step will be
hearings for public presentations in midMay. The final 2015-25 Long Term Plan
is scheduled for adoption by Council on
June 30 2015.

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he Waitakere Ranges Local Board


has provided in-principle support
for
the
Western Connector
p r o p o s a l
formulated by the
Public
Transport
Users Association
(PTUA),
which
would
see
the
introduction
of
a single railcar
shuttle
service
between
Huapai
N e ws f ro m
and Swanson.
The Board sees
potential for the Western Connector to
complement the rollout of electric trains
on the Western Line from 2015 and the
implementation of the New Network for
West Auckland in late 2016 says Chair
Sandra Coney
In March this year the Infrastructure
Committee urged Auckland Transport to
review its decision to discontinue the service
in light of changed circumstances since
2012. In response, Auckland Transport has
committed to reviewing the proposal.
The draft Long Term Plan already
contains a large number of projects
designed to unlock traffic congestion in
the North West. The Western Connector
proposal could further complement these
measures and it is right that Auckland
Transport take a close look at that says
Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse.
For additional information on the
Western Connector proposal see www.ptua.
org.nz.

Beware of Phishing
Scam

BS

ay of Plenty Regional Council is


implementing control measures
around part of the Kopeopeo Canal
after recent laboratory data indicated there
were elevated dioxins in stop bank surface
soils.
As part of preparations for the Kopeopeo
Canal Remediation Project scheduled
to commence late this year, Council has
contracted consultants to undertake
sampling and analysis of soils on land
surrounding the canal.
Due to the existing fencing in the area
and the current adjoining land uses, access
to the impacted area is limited and it is
highly unlikely that locals have had any
significant exposure to contaminants,
Kopeopeo Canal Remediation Project
manager Brendon Love says.
Although the health risks from contact
with the Gateway southside stop bank
surface soils are very low, the regional
council is taking the matter seriously and
implementing precautionary measures
to further limit access to the identified
areas. This will be achieved by replacing
or improving boundary fencing along the
canal, and putting up more signs advising
public about the potential health risks. In
the long term, the council intends to look
at what future management or remediation
measures are appropriate. However this
work is currently outside the scope of the
project to clean up sediment within the
Kopeopeo Canal.

Support growing for


Western Connector
proposal

HO

Council takes
Red
Blackto stop
Orange
precautions
bank contamination

13

14

FIJI

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Ideal wedding
destinations in Fiji

iji has stamped its mark


as a popular tourist
destination.
Among a number of attractions
such as white sandy beaches, lush
rainforests and pristine waters,
Fiji has become a popular getaway
for many newlyweds and soonto-be newlyweds, taking the
definition of wedding tourism to a
whole new level.
According to Tourism Fiji
global public relations manager
Patricia Mallam, many resorts
had also capitalised on this
idea, offering guests wedding or
honeymoon packages to add to the
auspicious occasion.
Whether theyre looking for a
wedding venue or somewhere to
honeymoon, Fiji is the ideal place
to start their lives together, she
said.

Orange

Its critical cyberspace accessible: A-G

he Attorney-General, Aiyaz
Sayed-Khaiyum, says it is
critical that cyberspace is accessible to all people.
The A-G, who is also Minister for
Communications, made the statement while delivering his keynote
address at the 2015 Cybersecurity
Forum in London.
The forum is organised by the
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.
In ensuring access to cyberspace
to all Fijians, he informed the forum
of one of the FijiFirst Governments
initiatives.
He cited the establishment of
Government telecentres in schools
around the country. He said the
Government provided the hardware,
internet access and even provision of
security guards so that students and

the surrounding community could


have access to cyberspace.
Cyberspace has been hailed as
the great equaliser. However, it can
be a disequaliser if access to this
technology is not made available on
a uniform basis, he said
Or conversely, if service providers do not deliver these services to
isolated areas or smaller pockets of
the population, then it will create
a greater divide between the haves
and have nots, pockets of people will
lag behind cyberspace will then
become the great disequaliser. It is
therefore critical that we as societies
and governments facilitate accessibility.
The A-G also participated in a
panel discussion on implementing
cyber security strategies and the
challenges it poses. The panel consisted of representatives from gov-

Remembering the fallen in Fiji

o commemorate ANZAC
Day, 12 business delegates
from New Zealand and
Fiji paid tribute to fallen soldiers
at the Suva Military Cemetery in
Suva, last week.
The cemetery contains 66
Commonwealth war graves.
The delegation is made up of six
organisations
- the New Zealand
Trade and Enterprise, Pacific
Trade and Investment, Fijian
High Commission in Wellington,
Fijian Honorary Consuls office
in Auckland, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the New Zealand Fiji
Business Council.
ANZAC stands for Australia and
New Zealand Army Corps, which
was later on used to term those who
later joined the armed forces which
gave a sense of patriotism to both
countries.
Both armed forces fought in the
Gallipoli landings in Turkey during
World War I, where many lost their
lives during combat.
New Zealand Ambassador for the
Pacific Economic Development and
a former New Zealand politician,
Matua Shane Jones, said ANZAC

Black

ernment, academia, civil society and


the private sector.
He said a distinction must be
drawn between cyberspace and cyber security.
In this context, he said that security from cyberspace meant security
from defamation and breaches of
privacy.
Cybersecurity would include situations when people hacked into accounts or penetrate into programs
for financial gain.
In this context he highlighted the
need to have all social actors, including the private sector and non-governmental organisations to also take
responsibility.
He said that for developing countries such as Fiji, implementation
of cybersecurity strategies were a
work in progress and technical collaboration through bi-lateral and

their lives and that its important to


teach our children to respect men
and women who play a role in the
services which are a key part of our
history, he said.
He was glad to support the New
Zealand Business delegation and
that engagement between business
committees for New Zealand and
Fiji built an excellent platform for
wealth generation.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Fiji
Business Council president Chandar
Sen said it was appropriate to pay

For our fallen sons

There has been a call for the current generation to


remember the sacrifices of those who fell in the Great
War and other international conflicts to ensure their
deaths were not in vain.
The call has come from the Australian High
Commissioner to Fiji, Margaret Twomey, while
speaking at the ANZAC dawn service in Suva.
Ms Twomey said the ANZAC spirit was alive. So
we pause today, to not only commemorate ANZAC
Day, but to remember all current and former members
of our defence forces. The brave men and women who
Day was embedded in the New
Zealand culture regardless of culture

represent our countries every day and those who have


come before, she said.
We remember the great sacrifices made at Gallipoli
by the Australian and New Zealand troops the
ANZACs and by the allied British, French and Indian
troops.
Ms Twomey said it had been 100 years since ANZAC
troops landed at Gallipoli, where thousands fell.
She said the dawn service marked the centenary of
ANZAC Day a time to reflect on 100 years of sacrifice
and service by their armed forces.

or race. We like to commemorate


our forefathers who laid down

tribute to the fallen on the 100th


ANZAC Day anniversary.

multi-lateral assistance was critical to build smart and strategic


responses.

New route lifts


tourism

he additional capacity of
visitor arrivals on Air New
Zealands
Dreamliner
will strengthen the local tourism
sector, says Tourism Fiji global
public relations manager Patricia
Mallam.
Air New Zealand recently
announced it would start flying a
Dreamliner to Fiji from November
to March next year.
Ms Mallam said provisional
arrival figures showed about
124,000 visitors arrived in Fiji
from NZ last year.
The Dreamliner B787 will
add an extra 8000 return seats
between NZ and Fiji from
November 15 this year and March
16 next year so thats an increase
of 4000 passengers coming to
Fiji, Ms Mallam said.
Air New Zealand chief sales and
commercial officer Cam Wallace
made public that Fiji continued
to be a hugely popular destination
for Kiwis.
He said the number of Kiwis
travelling to Fiji grew steadily
during the past three years.

Fiji Airways board to meet three shortlisted candidates for CEO role

iji Airways has confirmed


its board will be meeting
the
three
shortlisted
candidates for the chief executive
position tomorrow.
Public Relations manager, Shane
Hussein, confirmed this last week.
This was amidst international
media reports suggesting former Sri
Lankan Airlines and Oman Air chief
executive, Peter Hill, will be joining
Fiji Airways as its chief executive.

On the report, Mr Hussein said


they are unable to provide any
further information apart from
what they have mentioned about
the board meeting the shortlisted
candidates. Fiji Airways further did
not wish to go into the specifics of
the article.
The national airline would also
not confirm whether Mr Hill is one
of shortlisted candidates.
Meanwhile, Daily Mirror from Sri

Lanka, quoted Sri Lankan Airlines


chairman, Ajith Dias, confirming Mr
Hill was leaving the airline to join
Fiji Airways.
Yes, hes leaving because he was
offered this position, he told the
Daily Mirror. Mr Hill was the chief
executive of Sri Lankan from 1999
during its management by Emirates.
However, his work visa was
revoked in 2007, when he had
refused to let former Sir Lankan

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and


35 close associates have seats on a
fully booked flight from London to
return from a private tour.
Since then, he had acted as the
CEO of Oman Air until end of 2011,

when he retired. Mr Hill has over


40 years of experience in the
industry, with his beginnings in
British Airways and Gulf Air prior
to playing a major role in building
Emirates to what it is today.

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

No privileged Class, Says Bainimarama

Red

Black

Orange

rime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama


says there is no privileged class in the
future of Fiji. Mr Bainimarama made
the statement at the passing-out parade of
cadets at Ratu Navula College in Nadi last
week.
The future of Fiji isnt one of a privileged
few keeping only the best for themselves and
not sharing with other ordinary, common
Fijians, he said.
The future is of every Fijian joining hands
to build a more prosperous future and holding
out a helping hand to their fellow citizens who
need it. Whether it is because they come from
a disadvantaged background, live in a more
isolated place than the rest of us, are sick, living

NEWS in BRIEF
Investment
opportunities in Fiji

with a disability or anything else that may be


holding them back, he said.
Our task is to reach out and bring them
forward with us. One nation. One Fiji. With
opportunity and justice for all. He said he was
impressed by the standard of the parade.
Im inspired when I attend events like
this because I know that the future of our
beloved Fiji will be in good hands when my
own generation passes into history and our
young people assume responsibility for our
nations destiny, he said. Each of you is also
part of a wonderful tradition in Fiji of service
to our nation through our Cadet Corps and the
RFMF. That tradition is at the centre of our
national life and has seen us keep the peace in

troubled parts of the world through our service


to United Nations peacekeeping.
For more than three decades, we
have provided troops to the international
community through the UN for its
peacekeeping operations. As Ive said before,
these missions are the most noble any soldier
can undertake to try to prevent war. To
put ourselves between the warring factions to
keep the peace. To protect vulnerable ordinary
people. To keep them safe.
He said these missions were fraught with
danger. He said 45 of our peacekeepers were
detained in Syria last year. But the experience
had done nothing to deter us from taking part
in these missions.

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Villagers go big on
bee project

15

FLY TO INDIAN SUB CONTINENT

ew Zealand investors have been


advised to seek the services of
good advisers if they plan to
establish a good business plan in Fiji.
Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association CEO
Michael Wong said some investors from
the US came to Fiji with plans to make
huge amounts of profit and bonuses a year.
The investor saw this resort, he loved
the life and said okay, Ill buy this resort
and I can go surfing, fishing and diving on
a daily basis.
He bought the business and six months
later he came crying to me because he
realised he hadnt had a chance to get in the
water on the day he bought the business
because of his work commitments.
Mr Wong said there were a lot of
opportunities in the country for investors.
We are developing the niche market
and we are expanding the range of services
we are able to offer. He said there was a
discussion on the Super Yachts Decree six
years ago.

ith no idea of beekeeping, the


villagers of Kia Island have
taken on the business and
intend to go big on the project.
Although the industry was new to the
villagers, they are determined to expand
the beekeeping business and teach the
younger generation.
Assisted by the Community Centred
Conservation (C3) team, the villagers are
expected to harvest in June. C3 program
officer Maleli Qera said the interest and
attitude of the villagers towards the project
would bring about positive results.
Even though they have never done
beekeeping on the island, this new
development has drawn high interest from
our men especially the youths, he said.
They are keen to learn and know more
about beekeeping and we must thank the
agriculture team for working with us in this
area.
This project started last December and
is thriving.
When C3 started with this project, no
one had any idea about the vast supply of
nectar and pollen from flowers despite its
lean vegetation and rocky terrain.
Mr Qera said this new project would
also help villagers realise there were other
income earning alternatives apart from
fishing. C3 believes that it can divert
peoples attention away from the daily
fishing activities while taking up other
income generation efforts as beekeeping.

FIJI

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Thought of the week


Dont worry about failures, worry about the
chances you miss when you dont even try.
- Jack Canfield

Editorial

From the desk of the


Managing Editor

Anything but funny

Superheroes see attachment to the known as a false sense of security and


recognize that the striving for security (our traditional understanding of
power) is, ironically, the basis of all insecurity. Superheroes do what needs
to be done with impeccability and the highest motivation for the greatest good and
leave the results to the unknown. Their focus is on the action, not the fruits of the
action.-Deepak Chopra and Gotham Chopra
The first thought that came to my mind thinking of focus on the action and
not the fruits of the action is the way the Indian Army has responded to the
Nepal earthquake rescue. Almost like superheroes they are doing what needs to
be done with the highest motivation for the greatest good. The way this operation
has proceeded and the almost instant response by the Modi government is
commendable. Every passing day brings us more horrific images of the scale of
destruction that this natural disaster has caused. I hope we can all spare a minute
and send our prayers to Nepal.
Talking of actions for the greatest good, often a perfectly well intentioned
endeavor that is set out to achieve the greatest good, can get diluted when some ill
intentioned forces join hands. Often these forces have little to do with the action
itself but have their gaze firmly fixed on the fruits of the action. It is important then,
that the superheroes come together at such a point and be discerning enough to
see them for what they are. We will find such people everywhere, but it is important
to realize that good will generally find a way to prevail. This has always been natures
way of balancing things out.
In this issue we deal with the very important and pertinent issue of our youth in
this country. Most of them are here as students. On one hand they are an untapped
powerhouse of talent, energy, new ideas and hard work and on the other, their
young age and inexperience makes them most vulnerable. It then becomes the
duty of the seniors in the community to ensure that this very important section of
our community is looked after, is safe and is contributing to our larger community
reaching their fullest potential.
I feel it is important for those who criticize the growing numbers of Indian
students and their being gainfully employed in this country to realize, how much
these youth are actually contributing to this small economy. If the five percent of the
countrys population is capable of contributing to over eight percent of the entire
countrys economy, how much more can this contribution be increased if the power
of the youth of this community is harnessed? Yet, in absence of opportunities and
perhaps guidance, a lot of our youth struggle. Some narrate heartbreaking stories of
survival in a foreign land. Read some of these stories in our current issue.
Indian Weekender is proudly teaming up with Rangmanch to bring to you all,
the Indian Theatre Festival. Its a theatrical extravaganza with a healthy dose of
culture and so we hope that it is supported wholeheartedly by the community.
The countdown to the Indian Weekender Hall of Fame continues and now we
are busy heading full steam ahead.
I close this week hoping that each one of you finds the strength to be a superhero
in your own life be discerning, not be caught up in the power struggle, show up
and impeccably do what needs to be done for the greatest good.
Giri Gupta

Pick of the week

New Zealanders and Australians gather on Anzac day to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of their soldiers landing at Gallipoli in Turkey in World War I.

Indian Weekender Volume 7 Issue 6


Publisher: Kiwi Media Group Limited
Managing Editor: Giri Gupta | girigupta@xtra.co.nz
Editor: Maya Shivam | editor@indianweekender.co.nz
Associate Editor: Paula Ray | paula@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | reporter@indianweekender.co.nz
Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | iwk.rizwan@gmail.com
Chief Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz
Art & Layout Design: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz
Graphic Design: Yashmin Chand | designer@indianweekender.co.nz
Sales & Marketing Manager: Leena Pal | M: 022 0151971 | leena@indianweekender.co.nz
Accounts and Admin.: Farah Khan | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz
Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher
is not responsible for advertisers claims as appearing in the publication
Indian Weekender is published by Kiwi Media Group, 98 Great South Road, Auckland
Printed at Horton Media, Auckland
Copyright 2015. Kiwi Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

Chiles Calbuco volcano erupted on April 22, 2015, spewing a giant funnel of ash high
into the sky near the southern port city of Puerto Montt.The Volcano Eruption took a
mystical human shape in the skies.

Skiting
Pronounced: ski-ting
Meaning: Bragging; Show-off
Usage: You are skiting too much about your new car

OPINION / EDITORIAL

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Foolhardy fundraisers are no fun, eh?

Red

Black

Orange

We want to voice what affects us; we want to


be heard. This is our platform to stand united
against all odds
Paula Ray

o you feel your childs


school organises for
fundraisers a bit too
often? Do the donation reminders
from school irritate you, especially
because education in New Zealand
is supposed to be government
funded?
Well, you are not alone. Poorvi
has been on the same boat since
she arrived in this country. She
had learnt before her arrival that
education was free for schoolgoing children. But since she
arrived she has lost track of the
number of fundraisers that the
school invited the parents to,
along with their children.
Almost every second week,
there is a letter in the childs bag
asking for a gold coin donation
in exchange of sausage sizzles
and ice-blocks, during lunchtime. Really good timing, given
that thats when the children
would open their lunch boxes to
eat. Instead, the aroma of grilled
sausages would drift towards
them and they wouldnt want
to eat their cold home-packed
lunches anymore.
Poorvi doesnt approve of her
child having sausages (because
she feels it is not healthy meat)
or ice-blocks (because of the cold,
windy and often damp weather).
As such, she didnt send the gold
coin with her child. Often, she
would hear that a teacher or
another parent bought her child
a sizzle or an ice-block, because
apparently her child was looking
forlornly at the barbecue grill.
Poorvi could only seethe in

n his monthly edition of


Mann ki Baat radio address,
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi said he did not feel up to
doing the radio address due to
the natural disasters around,
including the unseasonal hail
storm and heavy rains in India
which ruined the agricultural crop
of many farmers.
He said Saturdays terrible
earthquake has shaken the whole
world, and has claimed life and
property in India too.
He said that the Nepal
earthquake, which has claimed
over 2,000 lives so far, was really
bad and that he has seen the 2001
Kutch quake from close quarters.
I can understand what the
people of Nepal are going through.
My dear brothers and sisters of
Nepal, we are with you.
He said India has started
reaching assistance to Nepal, and
sent rescue teams with sniffer
dogs to save people buried in the
rubble.
We will try to bring out as
many people. We are doing relief
work and rehabilitation work
till take a long time, the prime
minister said.

rage
and
frustration.
Can I not spare a dollar
for my child? Why cant
these people understand
the true sentiments behind the
deprivation? she would wonder
among family and friends.
Over the years, she has given
up on logic and succumbed to the
fortnightly fundraiser sausage
lunches, although she has been
fighting buying books at the school
book fairs. These purchases can be
done during the book fair or even
otherwise from the school library.
But what was worrisome was the
price of the books each is priced
almost double the retail price one
would pay at a bookstore.
The
reason
behind
the
promotion of books: to raise funds.
But then, books are a much better
option to the boxes of Cadburys
chocolate bars that the school tries
to push on the kids quite cleverly
for fund-raising.
But
something
happened
recently that re-ignited Poorvis
frustration. The play areas,
especially under the jungle gyms,
at school have bark chips strewn
for padding.
One day, Poorvis child was
swinging on the monkey bars
when she lost balance and fell
off onto the bark chips and got a
deep gash on her back close to the
spinal cord. It took a while, but
eventually healed.
An agitated Poorvi wrote an
email to the school principal,
informing her about the gravity
of the accident and asking why
the school not have rubber mats
instead of the bark chips under the
jungle gyms. The bark chips have

For Indians, Nepals plight is


our plight. We will wipe the tears
of every Nepali, hold their hands
and give them support, Modi
said.
The quake on Saturday claimed
over 2,000 lives and destroyed
large scale property in Nepal.
There was a fresh quake and
aftershocks reported in Nepal.
He went on to say that the entire
world witnessed Indias spirit of
Seva Parmo Dharma during
rescue operations in Yemen when

In this column, I share my


experiences that would
perhaps be familiar to
you too.
If you can relate to them,
please share your thoughts
or similar experiences.
pointy ends and if somebody falls
on them, they hurt quite badly.
Thats exactly how her child got
the injury.
Guess what the principal wrote
back? She said that as per the
funding that the school has, the
bark chips are the best they can
afford. And she also claimed that
these bark chips are considered
child-friendly and safe by New
Zealand standards. She even
attached a couple of reports
on the safety of bark chips in
playgrounds.
What can one say after such
forceful argumentation? Who
wants to create an unpleasant
situation at school when she could
not change her childs school at
short notice? It is the only high
decile school within their zone.
However, Poorvi could not
help but question where was the
funding raised at fundraisers
getting invested? Pat came the
reply from the principal: To build
more classrooms in place of the
existing ones. They are, after all,
old and rundown.
Whoever said safety comes first
was definitely not thinking!

we saved the lives of hundreds


of people stranded there, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi said in
his Mann Ki Baat radio address
here on Sunday.
India earned accolades from
across various countries when
we rescued people of nearly 48
countries in Yemen, Modi said.
This shows our spirit of serving
people, irrespective of caste, creed
and religion, he added.
Talking about the role played
by India in the rescue operations
in Yemen, Modi said: We realised
the power of humanity when
our forces saved a week-old
infant in Yemen. It was the most
pleasurable moment of my life.
The Indian Air Force, Indian
Navy and the ministry of external
affairs played a commendable role
in rescuing people from Yemen,
he said.

17

Understanding
Islam
Part I

e see very often in


the news Muslims
being labelled as

terrorists.
The recent Paris shooting,
the Sydney standoff and various
other events around the world
portray Muslims in a negative
light.
They are often called
extremists or radicals or
fundamentalist Muslims.
The media point the finger
at Muslims as if they were the
root cause of the incident. And
it seriously affects us Muslims,
especially those living in the
western world.

then, when someone insults


our religion, do we take it
personally? We react with
violence, thereby giving into
our lower self (nafs).

The media portrayed the


Paris incident as two gunmen
who shot 12 people at the
Charlie Hebdo magazine office
in what they called revenge for
repeatedly producing cartoons
depicting our beloved Prophet
Muhammed (saw) in a bad
light.
Similarly, the Sydney event
was portrayed with hostages
being forced to hold a black flag
with the Muslim declaration of
faith (shahadah: There is no
God but Allah and Muhammed
(saw) is his messenger)
written in Arabic on it.
In the aftermath of the Paris
incident, one recent report on
Al Jazeera showed a Muslim
woman being too afraid to
confront the camera due to
feared backlashes.
When asked about it, she
said that people now look at
her as a suspect behind the
shooting.
She feels like she is being
watched wherever she goes,
especially as she wears the
hijab, the Muslim headscarf.
This now raises a very
important
question:
how
should we handle insult and
abuse? Do we lose our temper?
Do we fight back: an eye for
an eye, a tooth for a tooth, as
the Bible says?
How should we react? Sure,
revenge is sweet; however what
does Islam say about this?
How did our beloved Prophet
(saw) react to such insult and
violence? What does the Quran
say about this?
If we believe that humans
are the best of creation, why

The prophetic way is to look


beyond the lower inclinations
within us. The prophetic way is
to look to our hearts, and show
others the good and hide the
bad.
When the Prophet (saw)
visited Taif (100km southeast
of Makkah), he faced stiffed
resistance from the people,
who told their children to
throw stones at him.
He was abused verbally and
physically to a point that blood
started dripping from his body
and stuck to his sandals.
He even lost a tooth in that
mission.
So how did our beloved
Prophet (saw) react to such
bad treatment? Did he resort
to violence in revenge for their
actions?
No. Rather, the opposite
occurred. When the Angel
of Mountains appeared and
asked if he should destroy the
people of Taif, our bruised and
battered Prophet (saw), with
blood dripping from his feet
and his body suffering from
utmost pain, replied, No,
in the hope that maybe one
day the children of Taif would
become Muslims. Subhanallah!
How eloquent was his
reply. And we know that the
inhabitants of Taif are Muslim
today.
(To be continued in the next
issue)
This article is an excerpt
from Rocket Science, the
newsletter of Mount Albert
Islamic Trust & is reprinted
with their permission. www.
mtalbertislamiccentre.org

18

INDIA

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Farmer suicides: Is moving from farms


to factories the answer?
Amulya Ganguli

he stir against land


acquisition took a tragic
and macabre turn when a
farmer hanged himself during an
Aam Admi Party (AAP) rally in the
heart of the national capital. The
mortifying episode only showed
how the political exploitation of
a complex problem was diverting
attention from what really needed
to be done.
Arguably, the answer to
farmers suicides lies in boosting
the agriculture sector through
more
irrigation
facilities,
provision of cheap credit and
crop insurance, better marketing
facilities after eliminating middle
men and encouraging big retailers
to step in, and making the
availability of seeds and fertilizer
much easier.
Equally
important
are
initiatives like weaning away the
subsistence farmers from their
lands which have ceased to be
productive either through overuse
or sub-divisions among successive
generations of cultivators.
It
is
only
through
industrialization
that
the

pressure on such lands can be


eased as the peasants move from
farms to factories. A transition
of this nature is the essence of
development.
But Indian politicians are wary
of following this line lest it shows
them to be anti-farmer and proindustrialist.
Such an image, they believe,
will be detrimental to their
political prospects because of the
belief that the simple-minded
toilers in the fields are the epitome
of all virtues while the suited-andbooted businessmen are rapacious
exploiters. Indeed, this romantic
view of the countryside has been
the stuff of Indian fiction and films
for generations.
Hence Rahul Gandhis tirade
against the capitalists and against
the Narendra Modi government
for being in cahoots with them suit-boot ki sarkar, as he called
the government.
Evidently, his sabbatical in a
Buddhist monastery in Myanmar if rumours are to be believed - has
made even more of a Communist
than the Communists themselves,
for even the latter are not totally
against private sector investments,

including those from abroad. As


the comrades have said, foreign
investments are all right if they
provide employment and bring in
new technology.
However, for the 44-year-old
prince of the Congress dynasty, a
strident assumption of the role of
a champion of the underprivileged
is the only way for the party to
emerge from the hole in which it
now finds itself.
As a self-confessed admirer of
his grandmother, Indira Gandhi,
it is possible that Rahul Gandhi
is harking back to her garibi
hatao (remove poverty) pledge to
breathe new life into the Congress.
But what worked for Indira
four-and-a-half decades ago may
not work at a time when socialism
has collapsed worldwide - except
in North Korea - and the Indian
comrades themselves are now
one of the weakest forces on the
political scene.
To expect the poor vs rich
gambit to succeed, therefore, is
a shot in the dark, especially by
someone who was born with the
silver spoon in his mouth.
There are other reasons why the
ploy is unlikely to work. As even a
loyalist of the dynasty, Digvijay

Singh, has acknowledged, the


economic reforms lifted millions
out of lowly poverty levels to join
the ranks of the lower middle
class, or the neo middle class, as
Modi calls them.
Moreover,
these
groups
have acquired the mindset of
the aspirational middle class,
according to Digvijay Singh. As
a result, they no longer care for
subsidies but are eager to avail
of the employment opportunities
promised by Modis emphasis on
development.
Since an essential feature of
the anticipated development is
the prime ministers ace Make
in India plans, the governments
eagerness to push through the
amended land acquisition law is
understandable.
Unfortunately, the spate of
farmers suicides, and especially
the one during the AAP rally, is
likely to force the government to
go slow.
Yet, the essential correctness
of the industrialization process
cannot be denied. Rahul Gandhi,
therefore, can be said to be trying
to turn the clock back by his antibusiness stance.
In doing so, however, he is

Black

Orange

positioning himself against the


Congress own history considering
that Jawaharlal Nehru favoured
industrialization as his dams
are the temples of modern India
observation showed, and Rajiv
Gandhi wanted to take the country
into the 21st century.
Rahul
Gandhis
present
emphasis
on
socialism,
therefore, is tantamount to
swimming against the tide.
He is also courting the danger
of alienating the middle class - the
neos and others - who evidently
voted overwhelmingly a year ago
for Modis development agenda
based on encouraging the private
sector.
While Rahul Gandhi is playing
the socialist card even if the
Congress may find it difficult to
sustain his anti-industry stance,
Modi is dogged by ill-luck as the
havoc caused by unseasonal rains
and the continuing suicides show.
Notwithstanding his current
troubles, however, he remains
one of the few who has some idea
of where he wants to take the
country, whereas his opponents,
of whom Rahul Gandhi and his
mother,
Congress
president
Sonia Gandhi, are the leading
lights, are seemingly motivated
by stalling industrialization even
if it scuppers the prospect of the
Indian growth rate overtaking
Chinas in the near future, as has
been forecast.

Education policy to be within


parameters of constitution:
Smriti Irani

ountering
accusations
of
saffronisation of education, Human
Resource Development Minister
Smriti Irani said the new education policy
would be within the parameters of the
constitution.
Replying to a debate on the demands
of grants of her ministry in the Lok Sabha,
Irani said the education policy was earlier
formulated on the basis of the advice of a
select few people.
Education will be given within the

parameters of the constitution, she said.


Claiming that appointments during her
tenure have been made impartially, Irani
said: Repeatedly, it is being said that
appointments are being made due to vested
interest.
The HRD minister, who seemed to be in
a combative mood, reeled off examples of
people appointed to educational bodies and
asked whether their appointment amounted
to being partial.
While speaking on the issue, the minister
got agitated and repeatedly pointed at TMC
MP and grandnephew of Subash Chandra
Bose, Sugata Bose, at one point asking him
to sit down.
Bose during the debate on Friday had
raised the issue of a spate of resignations
from NCERT, National Book Trust and IITs.
Irani said: We should go to the blocks,
to the districts, talk to states, make the
new education policy through mutual
consultations.
The minister said the government was
also paying attention to teachers training
and Rs.900 crore have been allocated under
the Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National
Mission on Teachers and Teaching.
She urged the MPs to monitor progress
in construction of toilets in schools in their
constituencies.

INDIA

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

Black

Orange

India Responds with Alacrity to Nepal Disaster


Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi

arthquakes
come
suddenly, without any
warning
and
result
in deaths, destructions and
widespread panic. It was the
same with Saturdays massive
earthquake in Nepal and adjoining
areas of India, Bangladesh and
Tibet (China). In calamities, both
natural and man-made, it is quick
response that brings maximum
succor, saves lives and has a
calming effect on panic-stricken
people.
The response to the earthquake,
in both Nepal and India, was
immediate. In the past, Indian
Governments used to respond
cautiously, slowly and through
committees that the Indian
Bureaucracy revels in. It was
different this time. Our energetic
and visionary Prime Minister did
what leaders are meant to do in
crises. He responded with alacrity
and ensured that the officialdom
also did the same. It was a nonworking day for the government,
being Saturday, but instead of
inaction, like in the past, everyone
saw quick decisions and responses
emanating from the PMO. The PM
ensured that the ministries and
departments moved for a change.
Immediate succor and support
was thus provided, not only for
our own affected people, but
also the people of neighbouring
Nepal, who had borne the brunt
of the disaster. These actions
were reminiscent and parallel to
the actions that are a byword for
the Indian Military, even as the
earlier somnolent dispensation
had plodded through committees
and had worked out slow and
laborious responses.
It is highly creditable that after
decades India has a leader who
leads and who leads from the
front. The PM is not a military
man, but he does possess some
remarkable attributes of soldiers.
While the PM was shaking up
the ministries, departments and
the bureaucrats, the military,
having perceived the requirement,
had commenced its drills for
rapidly translating the PMs policy
into action.
Even though it was the last
day of the important Army
Commanders Conference, for
which all Army Commanders
had been in the capital since the
beginning of the week, this was not
an inhibiting factor in quick and
decisive responses. The well-oiled
military machine, especially of the
Indian Army and the Indian Air
Force (IAF), automatically started
functioning and within hours
C-130 Super Hercules and Globe
Master Transport aircraft of the
IAF were trundling down runways
with trained personnel, including

19

medical and nursing staff and a


wide variety of stores immediately
needed for the succor of the
affected populace. They headed
for Kathmandu, even as the aftershocks were continuing. The army
also mobilised and placed on short
notice two field hospitals and two
engineer task forces, for induction
in the affected areas of Nepal.
While the transport aircraft of
the IAF were streaking across the
skies, heading for Kathmandu,
the Indian Armys Everest
Expeditionary team at the Everest
Base Camp was doing yeomen
service in retrieving the dead and
the living members of expeditions
of many other countries that
had been buried by a massive
avalanche that had struck a part of
the Base Camp.
The Indian Armys Team of
about 36 personnel immediately
split in to two sub-teams and
moved for the rescue of the Everest
climbers of other countries. They
did so with the meager resources
they had, but their brave and
rapid response helped in saving
many lives and retrieving bodies
of the unfortunate who had died.
The Indian Military Adviser
in the High Commission of India
at Kathmandu was meanwhile

PM donates a months salary to


quake relief fund

rime Minister of India


Narendra Modi donated one
months salary to the Prime
Ministers National Relief Fund for
assistance to those affected in India
by the quake that devastated Nepal,
an official statement said.
A compensation of Rs.50,000
is also being provided for the
seriously injured.
Last Saturdays earthquake,

measuring 7.9 on the Richter


scale, and its aftershocks in Nepal
have left over 3,700 people dead
and over 6,300 injured.
The toll in India, where over
70 people died in the quake till
early Monday, continues to rise as
parts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and
West Bengal have been affected
by the temblor.

getting in touch with the large


number of families of our Gorkha
troops, who live in and around
Kathmandu, Pokhara and other
traditional recruiting areas from
where our Gorkha soldiers are
recruited. Those affected also
need succor and support.
The Army Chief has already
announced that all support will
be provided to the families of our
Gorkha soldiers in Nepal.
The Nepalese Army too had
moved with precision and alacrity
and could be seen in the visuals
of TV News Channels, working
with the affected people in various

parts of Kathmandu and other


affected areas. Practically the
entire officer corps of the Nepalese
Army, as well as many soldiers
have been trained in the training
establishments of the Indian
Army. They have not only imbibed
the professionalism but also the
ethos of the Indian Army.
This was evident in the way
they responded to this major
disaster that had struck their
country-men.
While
contemplating
the
rapidly unfolding events, which
were being continuously projected
on the large number of TV News
channels, one was reminded of
the slumberous and inordinately
delayed responses, when a major
terrorist attack sponsored by
Pakistan occurred in Mumbai
the financial capital of India, in
2008. The entire government
structure at that time was acting
in slow motion and even the much
vaunted National Security Guard
Team was waiting for its head (a
police officer) and an aircraft to
fetch up, while the then Home
Minister was busy selecting his
wardrobe for wearing appropriate
attire while facing the cameras of
the media.
One also recalled, how the
then Chief of Naval Staff (CNS),
with great foresight and vision,
had mobilized a number of naval
vessels for providing immediate
succor to the very large number
of affected people when a major
Tsunami had occurred in the
Indian Ocean. He had done so in
without waiting for formal orders,
which came later.
Resultantly, the entire world
and especially our affected
neighbours
were
pleasantly
surprised and impressed by the
response and arrival of much
needed assistance so speedily.
Dividends that had accrued to
India were massive.
Citizens of India, need to mull
over the change that has been
brought about in the corridors
of the Government of India, by a
visionary and no-nonsense PM at
the helm of affairs. We also need
to be proud of the Indian Military
machine for its superb training,
professional competence, quick
responses and the high degree of
dedication to such disasters.
It need not be stressed that our
responses have added tremendous
goodwill in Nepal towards India.
However, of greater importance
is that such quick and decisive
policies and the speed of their
implementation signal the arrival
of our nation on the international
scene.

20

INDIA

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Help make Kashmir prime tourist


destination, Sayeed urges stakeholders

ammu and Kashmir Chief


Minister Mufti Muhammad
Sayeed has asked local
traders and tourism players to
help make Kashmir a prime tourist
destination.
In a bid to promote business and
tourism-related activities, Sayeed
held detailed deliberations with all
stakeholders to strategise a plan
for maximising the gains in the
coming tourist season, asking them
to become partners in improving
development indices so that a
sound edifice is laid for a better and
smarter state.
Sayeed said he has taken a
firsthand review with top officers
to improve the delivery mechanism
of basic amenities to the people and

take measures to host the tourists in


a big way this season.
Asserting that a favourable

atmosphere is a pre-requisite for


improving the states economy, he
said that time has come to showcase
the state as a prime tourist
destination for which trade and
tourism players will have to make
tangible efforts.
Sayeed said his government
is vigorously pursuing with the
central government the release of
special relief package for restoring
damaged
infrastructure
and
compensating victims who suffered
damage to their dwelling units and
business enterprises.
During
the
deliberations,
the
hoteliers
representatives
announced 40 percent discount in
off-season, after July 15, to attract
the visitors to the Valley.

Spain requests India to help


evacuate citizens from Nepal

panish Foreign Minister


Jose
Manuel
GarciaMargallo Y Marfil called
on Prime Minister Narendra
Modi this week and requested
Indian assistance in evacuating his
countrys citizens from quake-hit
Nepal.
Modi said that India was
committed to helping all nations
affected by the earthquake and
assured him of all possible
assistance for Spanish nationals.

Both sides also discussed


possible avenues for cooperation
in the sectors of railways, Smart
Cities and renewable energy, said
an official statement.
Modi also invited Spanish
companies to participate in the
Make in India initiative and set
up manufacturing bases in India
to connect with the global supply
chain. Congratulating Spain on
their election to the UNSC for a
non-permanent seat for 2015-17,

Prime Minister Modi urged Spain


to take the lead in coordinating
international efforts to combat
terrorism.
Modi also accepted the
invitation of Spanish Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy to visit
Spain in 2016.
Earlier, the Spanish minister
held bilateral talks with External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
He was in New Delhi on a
three-day visit from April 26.

NEWS in BRIEF
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Ratan Tata buys stake in Chinese


smartphone major Xiaomi

hinese smartphone major Xiaomi said on Sunday that Ratan


Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata group, has acquired a stake
in Xiaomi Technology in a deal expected to bolster the companys
presence in India. This is the first investment by any Indian into Xiaomi,
the company said. Mr. Tata is one of the most well-respected business
leaders in the world. An investment by him is an affirmation of the
strategy we have undertaken in India so far, said Lei Jun, founder and
chief executive of Xiaomi. This is just the start of an exciting journey, and
we are looking forward to bringing more products into India, he added.
Without specifying financial details of the stake bought by Tata, the
statement said that in December last year, Xiaomi raised $1.1 billion at a
valuation of $45 billion.

Government hikes FDI limit in


pension sector to 49 percent

he Indian government has raised the limit of foreign direct


investment (FDI) in the pension sector to 49 percent in line with
the FDI cap raised recently in the insurance sector.
In pursuance of the enactment of Insurance Regulatory &
Development Authority Act, 2013, government has decided to permit
FDI in the pension sector. The decision will take immediate effect, said
the press note through which the department of industrial policy and
promotion (DIPP) gives effect to new FDI policies or changes in existing
ones.
The FDI ceiling in the sector has been hiked to 49 percent which
includes foreign investment in the forms of FPI, FII, QFI, FVCI, NRI
and DR. No government approval is required till 26 percent, but the
Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval would be needed
for investment beyond 26 percent and up to the cap of 49 percent, the
press note said.All investments in the pension sector, however, will have
to abide by the pension sector regulator the Pension Fund Regulatory and
Development Authority (PFRDA). Through an ordinance in December
last year, the government had allowed 49 percent FDI. The ordinance was
later converted into law by parliament.

INDIA ABROAD

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

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Orange

Vivek Murthy makes history as


first Indian Americas doctor
By Arun Kumar

ivek Hallegere Murthy


has
made
history
as the youngest US
Surgeon General and the first of
Indian descent with his Senate
confirmation in the teeth of strong
opposition of powerful gun lobby.
The Democratic controlled
Senate voted 51-43 to confirm
Murthy, 37 as Americas doctor
more than a year after his
nomination with the Republicans
dead set against him because of
his support for gun control and
President Barack Obamas signature
health care law.
Born in England, Murthy moved
with his Indian parents to Miami
when he was three.
He would become the leading
US spokesperson on matters of
public health. He will also be the
operational head of the 6500-strong
US
Public
Health
Service
Commissioned Corps, one of the
seven uniformed services including
army, navy, air force and marines.
Murthy, a bachelor, has said he
will focus on preventing chronic
diseases, efforts to curb smoking,
and programmes to improve diets
and combat obesity. Applauding
the Senate for confirming Murthy,
Obama said as Americas Doctor,
Vivek will hit the ground running
to make sure every American has

US lawmakers move to
speed up visa approvals
for Indian doctors
Arun Kumar

C
the information they need to keep
themselves and their families safe.
Hell bring his lifetime of
experience promoting public health
to bear on priorities ranging from
stopping new diseases to helping
our kids grow up healthy and
strong, he said in a statement.
Vivek will also help us build on
the progress weve made combatting
Ebola, both in our country and at its
source, Obama said Combined
with the crucial support for fighting
Ebola included in the bill to fund
our government next year, Viveks
confirmation makes us better
positioned to save lives around the
world and protect the American
people here at home, he added.
Murthy has also founded
two other organizations. Visions
Worldwide focuses on rural
health in India and on HIV/AIDS

education in India and the US,


while TrialNetworks is a software
company focused on making drug
development and clinical trials more
efficient. Murthys confirmation
Monday on a 51-43 vote was
largely along party lines. Just one
Republican voted for him, while
three Democrats voted against his
confirmation.
The lone Indian-American
Congressman Ami Bera, CAPAC
Health Care Task Force CoChair, called Murthy an excellent
choice for this role saying his
appointment is historic for the
Indian American community.
CAPAC Chair Judy Chu
said Murthys confirmation is
a testament to both his own
distinguished career and the great
strides made by the Asian American
and Pacific Islander community.

Hyderabad womans brain tumour


turns out to be evil twin
Arun Kumar

n Indian computer
science PhD student
from
Hyderabad
underwent brain surgery to find
what she jokingly called her evil
twin sister whos been torturing
me for the past 26 years Doctors
who performed brain surgery
on Yamini Karanam, 26, in Los
Angeles were shocked to find
that instead of a tumour, she had
an embryonic twin in her head,
according to NBC.
Karanam, who was studying
at Indiana University, was
unaware of what was happening
in her head until she underwent
a procedure designed to reach
deep into the brain to extract the
tumour.
After waking up from the
surgery, Karanam was surprised
to learn of the teratoma-her
embryonic twin, a rarity in
modern medicine, complete with

21

bone, hair and teeth.


This is my second one, and
Ive probably taken out 7,000 or
8,000 brain tumours, said Dr.
Hrayr Shahinian at the Skullbase
Institute in Los Angeles, who
performed the operation. It
was only last September that
Karanam realised something
wasnt registering in her mind

as she was experiencing trouble


comprehending things she read.
Problems
with
reading
comprehension,
listening
comprehension. If a couple
people were talking in a room, I
wouldnt understand what was
happening, she was quoted as
saying.
What became more frustrating
for Karanam was that her
doctors would contradict each
other regarding the source of
the problem, NBC said. The
neurologist would say the
neurosurgeon is not being
practical in your case, Karanam
said.
And the neurosurgeon would
say the neurologist is not being
optimistic in your case. And Im
like, could someone be educated
about this? Her own research
led her to Shahinian who has
developed a minimally-invasive
way of reaching deep into the
brain to extract tumours.

iting a shortage of physicians in the US, two lawmakers have introduced a


bipartisan legislation to speed-up
visa approval for Indian and Pakistani doctors slated to work at
US hospitals.
Called the Grant Residency
for Additional Doctors (GRAD)
Act of 2015, the legislation introduced by Democrat Grace Meng
and Republican Tom Emmer,
both members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, would
direct the State Department to
speed up the visa approval process for international physicians.
The lawmakers say currently,
foreign physicians scheduled

to serve their residencies


at American hospitals are
encountering extremely long
delays in obtaining J-1 visas
from US Embassies in their
countries, particularly in India
and Pakistan.
The J-1 is a temporary nonimmigrant visa that foreign
physicians use to work in US
medical residency programmes.
With over a million doctors,
the US has 24 doctors for 10,000
persons.
With a membership of over
100,000 physicians, fellows and
students of Indian origin in the
US, the Association of American
Physicians of Indian Origin
(AAPI) claims to be the largest
ethnic organisation of physicians.

Payments for caring


for kids, elderly will
benefit women
Arul Louis

aking the care of


children, the elderly
and the sick into
economically paying jobs could
become an engine of employment
benefiting at least one billion
women worldwide, according to
Laxmi Puri, a ranking UN official
on womens issues.
At the release of a report on
the status of women, Puri called
for creating a vibrant new paid
care economy that would benefit
women, who are doing most of
the unpaid work of caring for
children, the elderly and the sick,
while mired in poverty.
If investments were made
in quality paid care services, as
is happening in some countries,
this could meet care needs,
reduce unpaid care burdens and
become an engine of employment
creation while also empowering
at least a billion women, she told
reporters.
The report said, Women still
carry the burden of unpaid care
work, which austerity policies and
cutbacks have only intensified.
We are demanding nothing
less than a new economic agenda
and transformation, said Puri,
a former Indian diplomat who
is now an assistant secretarygeneral and the deputy executive

director of UN Women, the world


bodys arm dedicated to gender
equality and the empowerment of
women.
She said paid and unpaid work
for women should be transformed
to provide equal access to paid
work, decent work with social
protection, fair and adequate
earnings and equal sharing of
unpaid care work.
India, along with the United
States, Britain and other major
countries have not ratified the
ILO convention, which came into
force in 2013. It seeks to ensure
minimum, non-discriminatory
wages, and to provide them
a safe and healthy working
environment.

22

EDUCATION

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Tendulkar annoyed by news


on daughter joining films

egendary
cricketer
Sachin Tendulkar, who
is making his film debut
in a docu-feature on his life, is
upset by speculation that his
daughter Sara is joining showbiz.
My daughter Sara is enjoying
her academic pursuits.
Annoyed at all the baseless
speculation about her joining
films, Tendulkar posted on
Twitter last week.
Rumours were rife that
Sara, 17, would be making
her Bollywood debut opposite
Shahid Kapoor in an upcoming
movie.
Meanwhile, Sachin has been
excited about his own film
debut.
In March, the master blaster
invited his fans to suggest the

title for his biopic, conceived


by Mumbai-based production
company 200 Not Out in coordination with World Sports
Group, the firm that manages
Brand Sachin.
The movie, to be directed by
London-based writer-filmmaker
James Erskine, promises never
seen before facets and footage
on the cricket legend.
Apart from his presence
in the movie, Tendulkar
is said to be making a
lot of contribution to
the project, which
will capture his
phenomenal rise
in the world of
cricket.

Chilli Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

}} 400g- chicken
chicken)
}} 2tbs- soya sauce
}} 1tsp- sugar

(boneless

}} 1/2tsp- white pepper powder


}} - capsicum, cut into 1-inch
pieces
}} 1- onion ( small, quartered,
layers separated)

Orange

Indian-origin NBA
player Sim Bhullar to
visit India in May

Honoured to be recommended
for Arjuna award: Rohit
umbai
Indians
skipper
Rohit
Sharma on Monday
said he is extremely happy and
feels honoured after the Board
of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) recommended his name
for the Arjuna award.
The
BCCI
Working
Committee met in Kolkata on
Sunday where they decided to
recommend Rohits name for
the prestigious award.
It is something to be really
happy about. I feel honoured
that BCCI has recommended my
name for Arjuna award. It feels
great.
Yesterday I got to know
about it, really feels good Rohit
said at a promotional event.
The Mumbai boy made a world
record for the highest individual

Black

One-Day International (ODI)


score in an innings last year by
blazing 264 against Sri Lanka at
the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
When he cracked a 126-ball
137 against Bangladesh in the
World Cup last month, Rohit
joined an elite club of cricketing
legends -- Englishman David
Gower and West Indies Viv
Richards -- to become the third
batsman to score two centuries
at the historic Melbourne
Cricket Ground (MCG) as an
overseas player.
He first came into the
limelight after some class
batting acts in the Under-19
World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2006
which prompted the selectors to
pick him for the senior national
team.

im Bhullar, who
became the first
Indian-origin
player to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US, will
visit India from May 2 to
7 to promote basketball
and inspire children to
stay active and healthy by
playing the game.
The
seven-feet-fiveinch-tall centre player
will help train the top
140 youth from across
India who participated in
the Reliance Foundation
Jr. NBA programme, the
NBAs premier grassroots
event.
I am very excited
to travel to India to see
firsthand how basketballs
popularity has grown and
to meet young basketball
players across the country, the 22-year-old Bhullar said.
Hopefully
sharing
my story will help inspire
young Indians to pursue
their dreams on and off the court,
just as I have, the basketball
player said.
Bhullar will first travel to Mumbai on May 2 to interact with fans,
tour the city and appear on Sony
SIXs IPL Extra Innings show
on May 3. He will then travel to
Noida to inaugurate the Reliance
Foundation Jr. NBA Elite National Camp on May 4.
On May 5, Bhullar will travel
to Amritsar to visit the Golden
Temple and Pingalwara, a home
for individuals suffering from incurable and terminal diseases, to
which Bhullars family will make a

contribution.
On May 6, he will visit Chandigarh to conduct a Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA clinic for 150 children at New Public School.
Bhullar will then return to Noida on May 7 to celebrate the final
day of the camp, that will focus
on skill training, competitions,
games, fitness training and team
building exercises.
The camp will promote health,
fitness and an active lifestyle
through basketball, and teaches
the values of the game such as
teamwork, sacrifice, discipline,
dedication and sportsmanship.

1tbs cornflour. Keep it for ten


minutes.
Deep fry chicken in hot oil
till light brown.

Heat oil in a wok, Add garlic


and chopped chilies and cook
for a minute.
Add onion and capsicum,
cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add water and bring it to
a boil then add sugar, white
pepper powder, salt and rest of
the soya sauce.
Add chicken, cover and cook
for 2 minutes.
Mix rest of cornflour in water
and add to it. Stir constantly.
Garnish with spring onions.

}} 8 nos- green chillies chopped


}} 2tbs- cornflour
}} 6-8 cloves- garlic chopped
}}
cupspring
onion
chopped
}} 2 cups of water
}} Salt according to taste
}} 1tbs- oil and oil for frying.
METHOD:
Marinate chicken pieces
in 1tbs soya sauce, salt and

KIDZONE

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

Black

Orange

ick
The Turtle that fell off the St
the turtle.They prepared

here lived a turtle called Kambugriva in a lake, who had two swans
as her good friends.
All three of them would meet on
the banks of the lake every day,
and exchanged stories, before returning at
sunset.
They enjoyed each others company. One year,
there was no rain and lake started to dry.
The swans got worried about the declining water level of the
lake, and said to the turtle, You will not be able to survive in
this lake. All the water in the lake will soon dry up. The turtle
was aware of the problem, It is indeed difficult to live here
anymore. Dear friends, please look for an alternate lake which
is full of water. Then, find a strong stick from somewhere.
The turtle continued, Once you find another lake, you can
carry me to the lake with a stick. I can hold the stick tightly
with my mouth, while
both of you can hold the
stick at either ends and
fly. As planned, the
swans flew to distant
places and after some
time found a lake which
had plenty of water in it.
They returned to carry

to hold the stick from both the


ends, and suggested the turtle,
Dear friend, everything seems
fine. But make sure to keep your
mouth tightly shut all the time. You
must not speak, or you will fall off.
Finally, they started flying. After some time,
they had flown some distance when the
turtle saw a town below.The people of the town were staring
at the sight of two swans carrying a turtle in the sky.
Look at that! This is a rare sight that two birds are carrying a
turtle with the help of a stick, they shouted in admiration.
On hearing all the commotion, the turtle opened her
mouth, What is all the
commotion about?, she
asked. Needless to say, she
went down the moment she
opened her mouth, and the
swans could do nothing to
stop him from falling down
to the earth. As she fell down, the people of the town captured
her to make a feast out of her.
The wise indeed say:
Never fail to listen to the advice of your friends.

Puzzle

e?
identical cupcak
Can you find two

Send us stories, drawings, poems and other


contributions by your little ones along with
their photographs for this page. Email us at
editor@ indianweekender.co.nz

23

24

FEATURES

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

From the desk of


Red

Black

Orange

Why target only India for rapes, says


Danish designer-writer
Ranjana Narayan

hy target only India for rapes,


they happen all over the
world, says Danish designerturned writer Inger Solberg, who has come
out with her first book Pushpa, a vibrant
account of her life in India, which she has
made her home for the past 15 years.
Solberg, who loves India and everything
Indian, is against the controversial BBC
documentary Indias Daughter that
kicked up a storm in India and was banned
from being telecast. She also wrote a
Facebook post against the documentary,
based on the December 16,2012 gang-rape
incident that shook India.
The incident was true (December 16
gang-rape); but why make the film and send
the message that all Indian men are rapists,
that their mindset is like this? Because that
is not true; because this (rape) happens all
over the world, Solberg said.
And why pick India? .There are so many
nice people, nice gentlemen here who are
willing to help, good people. There are so
many good things happening here. So why
are they always picking on the negative
side? Take the sunshine stories and bring
them out, said Solberg.
Solberg, who chose to settle down in
India after a hard divorce, says she has
been fascinated by India since she was a
teenager. I always dreamed about coming
to India. I was fascinated by the culture, the
Hinduism, about (Mahatma) Gandhi, and
chose to settle down in this country, she
said.
Solberg, who was born in Norway, but
lived in Denmark, says she had fallen in
love with the sleeping tiger (India). But
the sleeping tiger is not sleeping anymore,
it has woken up and has taken over the
world, she says.
Solberg used to frequent India in the 90s
in connection with her fashion designing.
The title of the book Pushpa comes
from the name her Indian boyfriend used
to call her by. He was sadly killed in a
motorcycle crash a few years ago.

He gave me the name Pushpa. He gave


me the encouragement to finish the book.
It took me three and a half years to finish
writing, Solberg said in an interview. The
book release was done by Denmark envoy
Freddy Svane recently.
Pushpa is about a divorced woman
who comes to India with nothing except
willingness to start a life of her own, and
show that anything can be possible, and
you have to believe in yourself, believe
in destiny, and you have to believe in the
upar wala (god), she adds. Solberg, who
is quite conversant with Hindi, adds that
the searing summer heat in Delhi gives her
the chakkar.
The book, written in a racy style, is
available on Flipkart and Amazon. Its
overseas editions are being negotiated as
well as its film rights.

A very big Indian filmmaker, I dont


want to disclose his name.. he loves the
story and has written to me and said it will
be a much better movie than Love Eat
and Pray. It has much more material. He
wants to make an international movie,
said Solberg, who has begun working on
her second book, which too is very much
based in India.
I am such a lover of this country and I
understand so much about its culture by
loving it, said Solberg.
Part of the proceeds of the book will go
towards upliftment of women who have
been victims of domestic abuse. I am a
victim of abuse and domestic violence
myself, earlier and also here in India;
abuses and misuses, and I want to help
women who are battered, underprivileged
women in India, she added.

Solberg, who sells her designs under


her name, loves celebrating the different
Indian festivals with all the colours and
vibrancy associated with them.
During the Navratri festival, Solberg
prays and abstains from non vegetarian
food. I also give food to little girls on
Navratri.
She goes to a Shirdi Sai Baba temple
in Chattarpur every Thursday. On Diwali
I decorate the house with flowers and
candles. I pray in front of goddess Lakshmi,
wearing a red dress. I also throw card
parties on Diwali, I play flash and win, she
said smiling.
Holi is another festival she loves. On
Holi, I drink bhang and I throw colours on
friends.. It is such a beautiful tradition, and
a nice festival, said Solberg.

Mt Albert | Royal Oak | Manukau | Henderson | Lincoln North

FEATURES

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

25

The Festival of Languages A


dose of culture
T

Red

Black

Orange

Maya Shivam

he
Indian
Theatre
Festival is happening
here in Auckland and
the excitement and the buzz is
catching up. Infact a little birdie
has told us that the Gujarati plays
are almost sold out! Clearly this
ought to say heaps about the
quality of work that Rangmanch
have been putting together year
after year since their inception.
It is said that if you wish to
preserve a culture, you must
preserve its language. In that
sense, what a great initiative
by Rangmanch to promote and
preserve our rich and varied
cultural heritage. Its almost like
a treat to pass on to our next
generation.
Indian Weekender is always
keen to partner with intiatives
such as this that promote anything
that is proudly Indian. Therefore
its a matter of great pride for us to
be associated with a venture such
as this. We hope that the entire
Indian community will support
this festival and embrace this
endeavour with open arms. What
we find amazing is the spirit of the
people behind this great effort. All
of the cast and crew of this festival
are professionals who either have
full time jobs, own businesses or
have other commitments and yet
they are devoting their time and
energy to bring this experience to
everyone.
We are proud to introduce
some of the cast and crew of
this festival in this issue. We will
proudly bring you the rest of the
team in our subsequent issues.
Rizwan Mohammad of Indian
Weekender caught up with them
in the middle of their rehearsal
and here is what he got...

real theatre which you will never


find on internet, YouTube or
anywhere else. We bring you a
diversified range of plays only for
you. Do come and enjoy.
Jayant Bhaduri

peace is the key for living. To start


a war everyone has to make some
sacrifice, so in this particular play
there are two young characters
who love each other but are from
different communities and the
communities clash and the two
teenagers are protected by one
family and chaos ensues. Love is
God and we are trying to convey
that message
Chirag Solanki, Secretary Rangmanch

our identity even if one is lost, one


loses everything.

Sailesh Prajapati

Rupal Solanki

I am from Ahmedabad, Gujrat


and I started acting at the age of
16. Apart from acting I am also
an Editor and Director in both,
plays and films. This play is called
Verna Va Vittar or Love at War,
we are talking about no war and

Rangmanch this time is


presenting a theatre festival and
is not only a festival of theatre but
also a festival of languages namely
Hindi, Gujrati, Marathi and
Bengali. These four languages and
the states represent the theatre
movement and development in
India since the leftist movements
in 1950 in India and we are
carrying the baton in Auckland.
We are doing this for the love and
passion we have for our language,
mixing it with the multicultural
society of New Zealand. In Gujrati
there are five Bhas important to
one being, Bhasha (language),
Bhojan (food), Busha (clothes),
Bhagwan (God), and Bhajan
(hymes). These 5 Bhas represent

What you will see on the


stage, is a complete traditional
way of living in India. I have been
associated with Rangmanch since
2010 and have played diverse
roles in the plays and its been
just amazing for me. The role that

I am playing this time is going to


portray the strength of the women
in a village. Women are very
strong and we are going to witness
that on the stage. The best part
of Rangmanch is that it brings
communities together and shows
in depth, the values imbibed in
our culture. The Indian Theatre
Festival is happening in Auckland
and I invite everyone to be a
part of this big show of language
diversity and new stories.
Pavitra Roy, President of
Rangmanch
Welcome all to the Indian
Theatre Festival in Auckland.
Rangmanch is a theatre that
is producing, directing and
communicating
on
theatre.
This year we have a gift for you,
where we have Gujrati, Bengali,
Marathi and Hindi language
plays. Do not miss this festival
because otherwise, you will miss
this golden opportunity of seeing

I am known as Jai Da in the


theatre community of Auckland
and I am the Vice President of
Rangmanch. We are bringing
Indian theatre festival from mid
May and we will give you four new
stories from four different regions
of India. I would like to thank all
our sponsors and patrons who
have supported us to bring this to
you. It is an event that will bring
you close to your community and
will give you immense fun and
pleasure. Thank you, come with
your family and friends and enjoy
this great Indian Festival.
Rohan Jote
I am a singer and an actor
and its my first play ever. I really
wanted to be a part of a play and
act so its all very exciting for me.

26

FEATURES

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Black

Orange

Fashion forecast 2015

Monika Sood

Hair chain
}} Hair chains add an edgy look
to any look. It can be worn in
a variety of ways which suits
your personality. These chains
can either be worn all over
the head or just as an accent
enhancing your hair do.

Bags
}} The comfortable and easy
to carry bucket bags and
cross body bags arent going
anywhere though they have
become a little bigger.
}} Oversized flower is a motif that
was seen a lot on the runway,
and they look pretty and
feminine.
}} Every hands-free bag was
countered with hands-only
bags without shoulder straps
making them rather high
maintenance.
Hats and Caps
}} Wide brim sun hats and floppy
hats.
}} Baseball caps are a staple and
can be found with various
shapes and styles perfect for
the casual style.
}} Solid colors and floral prints.

Scarves
}} The light and weightless scarfs
will hit the shelves next spring.
Like other accessories, scarves
will also be seen oversized.
Available in different colors,
textures and materials, the
focus will be bold patterns and
prints. Softer understated
brights, neutrals and pastels
form the colour palette this
season.

Sunglasses
}} After the bug-eyed round
shades it is time for the oval to
come in. Forming the perfect
egg shape, this retro shape is
going to be the next big trend.

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

Black

Orange

FEATURES

27

28

ENTERTAINMENT

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

Red

Im here to share love:


Atif Aslam on performing
in India

opular Pakistani musician


Atif Aslam might not have
been able to entertain his
fans in Pune with his rock numbers
and melodious tracks as his concert
had to be cancelled, but he says he
has no grudges and has only love to
share with his Indian fans.
Aslams concert was scheduled to
be held in Pune, but he couldnt play
in the city due to opposition from a
Hindu outfit.
I respect all the promoters (of
events) who invite us. But it is the
responsibility of organisers. I love
my fans and I like being in India.
Im a musician. I make music for
everyone. I dont categorise (anyone)
into Hindus or Muslims.
When it comes to music, there
are no boundaries. Im here to share
love. Im not doing anything wrong.
Whatever I earn, I make sure to pay
taxes, Aslam told reporters here
prior to his performance.
The 32-year-old, who entered
Bollywood in 2005 with Woh
lamhe from the film Zeher, also
shared that there is lot of love for
Indian artists in his country.
If you come to my country, you
will see that there is lot of respect for
Lataji (Mangeshkar).
People still listen to Rafi-jis
songs and people try to copy Kishore
Kumar. Even Bollywood dance steps
are followed by Pakistanis, said
Aslam.
The singer, who has performed in

Orange

Not going to Cannes to


set any trend: Katrina

atrina Kaif is ready to


make her red carpet
debut at the 68th Cannes
International Film Festival, but
the actress says she intends to
enjoy the platform, which weaves
cinema, fashion and beauty
together, instead of fretting over
her looks.
The Bang Bang! actress will
walk the red carpet at the 68th
Cannes International Film Festival
as the ambassador of
cosmetic
brand
LOral
Paris,
and to be a part of
the opening
ceremony
of the film
gala
on
May 13.
I dont
think Im
g o i n g
there to
set any

trend or look. I dont think that is my


intention. I think my intention is to
be me, the actress said. Thats the
reason LOral has signed me as the
ambassador -- for what I represent.
I will find something that Im comfortable in and will not get carried
away to make a statement. I think
one should be true to ones own
self and enjoy the festival and the
platform which celebrates cinema,
fashion and beauty trends as well,
she added. The 31-year-old is yet to
decide on her look for the film fest,
but notes that she will pick the ensembles soon.
I have not decided the look yet.
We would be working with the team
at Cannes, which consists of some
amazing hair and beauty technicians. We havent made any plans
but we will zero in on it soon, the
talented actress said. On the
professional front, Katrina
is busy with Fitoor and
Jagga Jasoos.

Hema Malini excited about


promotion as grandmother

Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai and


Hyderabad, is performing in Indore
for the first time.
It feels good to be back here.
People have appreciated (my work)
and called me back here.
This time around, Ill be
performing different kind of music EDM (electronic dance music).
Its not my kind of music. Im
looking forward to it.

Anupam Khers
TV show returns,
to tell more
inspiring tales

I will perform with a DJ. My


band wont be there. Ill miss that. It
will be completely electronic music,
but I might do some unplugged
songs, the Tere bin, Doorie and
Jalpari hitmaker told media. He is
here for Royal Stag MTV Bollyland,
which is a series of multi-city music
concerts that see the fusion of
popular Bollywood soundtracks
with heady electronic beats.

eteran
actress-politician
Hema Malini is excited
about her soon-to-come
new role as a grandmother in real life.
She has thanked her daughter Ahana
for giving her an opportunity to move
a step ahead in life. Hema Malini and
Dharmendras youngest daughter
Ahana, who got married to a Delhibased businessman Vaibhav Vohra
last year, is expecting her first child.
I am going to be a grandmother
now. Its a promotion from mother

Lata Mangeshkars father.


The actor was thrilled to bits to
receive the priceless honour.
I have received national and
few international awards in my

gave a miss to the event because


of her ill health. Last year, the
award was given to Bollywood
actor Rishi Kapoor and musician
Zakir Hussain.

to grandmother, and its a beautiful


experience that my daughter is giving
me, Hema said.
The Seeta Aur Geeta and
Sholay actress advises her daughter
to instill good values in her child.
My advice is to bring up her child
in a nice way. As a parent, you have
to be strict, but not too much because
todays kids are very intelligent and
they know what they want. As a
parent, we should also learn from
them.

Madhuri excited
about Priyanka,
Deepikas
lavani number

eteran actor Anupam


Kher is returning with
the second season of
The Anupam Kher Show...Kucch
Bhi Ho Sakta Hai. He says there
will be more inspiring stories to
tell. Happy to Announce.
Anupam Khers TV show
returns with a second season.
Thank you @ColorsTV & @
rajcheerfull for another season
of #TheAnupamKherShow. Lets
share more inspiring stories, the
actor tweeted. He made his TV
production debut with the first
season of the show last year on
channel Colors.
It highlighted inspirational
stories of popular Bollywood
celebrities, who spoke about their
lifes challenges and testing times.
Celebrities like Shah Rukh
Khan, Mahesh Bhatt, Alia Bhatt,
Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah,
Kangana Ranaut, Vidya Balan,

Black

Kapil Sharma, Yuvraj Singh


and Akshay Kumar appeared as
guests on the show in 2014.

Anil Kapoor
gets Dinanath
Mangeshkar
Award, says hes
newcomer

ctor Anil Kapoor was


conferred the Pandit
Dinanath Mangeshkar
Award on the occasion of the
death anniversary of songstress

career so far, but this award is


special, in fact, priceless for me,
the National Award winning actor
said at the ceremony.
This is because I dont think I
am a deserving candidate for this
award. I am still a newcomer, he
added.
This was the 73rd edition of
the awards. Apart from Anil,
actor Dilip Prabhalkar was also
conferred with the honour.
Meanwhile, Lata Mangeshkar

ctress Madhuri Dixit,


who performed lavani
in the song Humko
aajkal hai, says she is looking
forward to Priyanka Chopra
and Deepika Padukones dance
in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis
forthcoming
magnum
opus
Bajirao Mastani.
Anything about dance always
excites me, so I am very, very
excited to see Priyanka Chopra
and Deepika Padukones lavani
dance in Bajirao Mastani,
Madhuri
said
during
the
announcement of Mumbais
first ever Contemporary Dance
Festival, Jugnee in Mumbai.
In Bajirao Mastani, Priyanka
and Deepika will perform a

lavani dance together. It is


touted to be a crucial part of the
films climax.
Madhuri, who is a trained
classical dancer and is also
credited to have introduced the
folk dance in films, has earlier
teamed up with actresses like
Karisma Kapoor and Aishwarya
Rai Bachchan in songs on screen.
Madhuri is all praise for the
grandeur with which Bhansali
shoots his songs.

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

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Orange

ENTERTAINMENT

29

30

FEATURES

1 May 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

When in doubt, dance it out

Red

Swati Sharma

edha Bandari, the


8 year old dancing
champ who started
dancing at the tender age of 3 feels
passionate about her talent. Her
parents believe that shes a natural
dancer and expresses herself
through dance.
Medha has already given
more than 100 performances on
different occasions in Auckland.
It was, when she performed as
Yashoda (Lord Krishnas mother)
at age of 4, that we realised her
real passion for dance through her
expressions that she put out on
stage, her parents say.
When shes on stage, she forgets
herself and immerses completely
in the dance performance.
Despite being born and brought
up in New Zealand she keeps in
touch with Indian culture through
dance performances, singing
bhajans, speaking her mother
tongue Telugu and also Hindi.
She also regularly sings Bhajans at
Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan in
Onehunga
From the age of six, she has
been choreographing her own
dance sequences. How does she
do that in such a young age?, we
ask. Her father explained that he
and his wife choose a meaningful
and appropriate piece of music

Medha Bandari

for her. She then, makes sure that


she gets the meaning of the song
right and then comes up with her
own steps and expressions. And
that makes for a perfect dance
sequence for her.
A mentor is the one who shows
you the path to success. Medha
owes her small but successful
journey to her parents who keep
her motivated and support her
when she wants to experiment with
new things in her performances.
She is learning Bharatanatyam,

one of the Indian Classical dance


forms from Sri Natyalaya.
Not only dancing but singing is
also that thrills her. Shes following
her second dream by learning the
harmonium from Sargam School
of Music and Carnatic music from
Swara Raaga Sudha Music School.
The very talented Medha has
many awards and performances
in her name in a very short time.
She has been performing at
Auckland Diwali Festival since
the age of 4. Being one of the star

performers at the festival in year


2013, she also won the Bollywood
Dance competition in under-10
solo category.
Shes also a regular performer
at Balmoral Temple, Shanti
Niwas Charitable trust, NZ Telugu
Association, Talent Nite conducted
by Sri Om Incorporated, Shirdi
Saibaba Sansthan, Papakura
Ganesh
Temple,
Massey
university, Diwali festivals, Rest
homes for the elderly, Auckland
council libraries at Three kings

Presentation for elderly

Date: Monday 4 May 2015


Time: & pm onwards
Venue: 14 Erson Ave, Royal Oak,
Auckland.
Independent Living Service Charitable
Trust free presentation on informing those
with older family members of product
and services available to make daily living
easier. Call Kaz Howlett on 625 0322 or
emailkaz@ilsnz.orgto book a seat.

TEDx Auckland2015

Venue: Victory Convention Centre, 98


Beaumont St, Auckland
Date: Saturday 2 May 2015
Time: 9 am to 6 pm

TEDx Auckland will feature a selection


of New Zealands and the worlds
leading visionaries and storytellers
showcasing their Ideas.

Free employment
workshops for new
migrants

Date, Time and Venue: Tuesday 5 May,


Raeburn House- 138 Shakespeare
Rd, Milford, North Shore, 9.30 am to
3 pm. Thursday 7 May, Highland Park
Community House- 47 Aviemore Dr,
Highland Park, Auckland, 9 am to 3.30 pm

Auckland Regional Migrant Services


is running three free employment
workshops for new migrants. Register
on reception@arms-mrc.org.nz OR
Call on 09 625 2440.

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Orange

and Onehunga.
Medha is not an unknown face
in Kiwi-Indian community. She
has been in the news from a few
years now.
Commenting
on
Medhas
performance
in
Massey
Universitys Diwali celebrations
(2013 and 2014), the festival
organiser and Albany campus
librarian Tom Vadrevu said, The
audience was mesmerised by
performances of the six-year old
dancer Medha who performed
several dances. She goes to an
Indian dance school, but she has
so much natural talent that keeps
her ahead of all the others in her
age group.
She was also featured in Indian
Weekender in October 2014.
Medha Bandari, a talented
young
lady
from
Epsom
who danced her heart out to
Mere Dholna. Her expressive
features and precise, animated
performance was impressive from
someone still of primary school
age says Onehunga Community
News in November 2014.
Medhas parents say that its a
blessing to have such a talented
daughter. She makes them feel
proud which all parents expect
from their children. We would like
to say that not just her parents but
we are all proud of you Medha!

JDay

Venue: Albert Park, Princes St, Auckland


Date: Saturday 2 May 2015
Time: 12 noon to 4.20 pm
J Day is an International day celebrating
our cannabis culture and a protest against
the failed War on Drugs. Are you one of
NZs half-million pot smokers, or do you
know one of them? Most Kiwis support
cannabis law reform. Its time to demand
change! J Day is a celebration/protest held every year since 1992 - in support of
NORMLs campaign goals.

Rangmanch Indian
TheatreFestival

Venue: Playhouse Theatre, 15 Glendale


Road, Auckland
Dates & Timings:
Friday 15 May- 7:30 pm-9.30 pm 00
Friday 22 May- 7:30 pm to 9.30 pm
Saturday 16 May- 7 pm to 9 pm 00
Saturday 23 May- 7 pm to 9 pm
Sunday 17 May- 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm 00
Sunday 24 May 2015- 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm
This mega event showcase of 4 x full
length Indian plays in Hindi, Gujarati,
Marathi and Bengali languages of
exceptional quality and value. Such
a grand celebration of the Art form of
Theatre in 4 x different ethnic Indian
languages is going to happen for the first
time in the History of Theatre in Auckland.
Rangmanchs mission is to represent and
promote the Indian culture and heritage
amongst all sections of the migrant Indian
communities in New Zealand through
its theatre and other similar cultural
presentation.

www.iwk.co.nz | 1 May 2015

Red

Black

FEATURES

Orange

A Bridal Showcase Not To Be Missed


Romantic venues. Exquisite banquets. Bespoke service. Your dream
wedding awaits you at The Langham, Auckland and nows the chance
to see why.
For one day only, this elegant hotel is opening its grand wedding venue
doors and inviting guests from around New Zealand to view its lavish
venues.
Therell be glasses of bubbles and wedding cakes, table displays, flowers
and wedding suppliers plus The Langhams very own event specialists to
help make your wedding dreams come true.
The perfect backdrop for all of this will of course be the opulent venues
themselves. See inside the new Crystal Room, with its crystal chandeliers
and exclusive foyer and bar, to see why this is the perfect place to impress
up to 180 wedding guests.
Then theres The Great Room in all its glamour with seating for up to
900 guests. Rows of stunning crystal chandeliers that can be individually
programmed to affect the mood and ambience of the room, line the
ceiling in this enchanting venue.
Last but not least, The Chandelier Room will also open its doors to reveal
its wedding elegance and sophistication. Chandelier can cater for up to 70
wedding guests who will no doubt be impressed with its private bar and
the delicious cuisine.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to view one of the hotels luxurious
guest rooms, as every bride and groom who holds their wedding at The
Langham Auckland, also stays the night of their weddingcomplimentary.
Entry is complimentary too, plus, every visitor on the day goes in the draw
to win The Langham Afternoon Tea with Wedgwood experience and a
Chuan Body Elements treatment for two.
From an intimate ceremony to the most lavish banquet, youll see all this
and more at The Langham Aucklands Bridal Showcase from 10am to 3pm
on Saturday May 16, 2015.
Please RSVP before May 8, by calling (09) 300 2901 or
emailing tlakl.events@langhamhotels.com.

The Langham Aucklands Bridal Showcase


from 10am to 3pm
on Saturday May 16, 2015

31

2015

2015
28th May 2015

KIWI INDIAN

KIWI INDIAN

YOUNG ACHIEVER

2015

UNSUNG HERO
MAIN SPONSOR

2015

PLATINUM SPONSOR

DIAMOND SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTED BY

VENUE PARTNER

RADIO PARTNER

...many more to come.


Watch this space!

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