NEW YORK – Even as India celebrated the elevation of Nirmala Sitharaman, only the second woman ever to hold the Indian Defence ministry portfolio after the late prime minister Indira Gandhi, it’s been shocked by the murder of a woman journalist, Gauri Lankesh.

The murder of the Bengaluru-based Lankesh, with the suspect(s) still at large, has brought international shame upon the country, close to the annual United Nations General Assembly session in New York, where no doubt detractors will gouge out growing egregious human rights violations in India.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 27 journalists have been killed in India since 1992. Only one of the killers has been convicted. According to the World Press Freedom Index, India fell three points in 2017, ranking 136 out of 180 countries.

Protests have begun to spread outside of India, too, in disgust at the murder of Lankesh, a vocal critic of the ruling BJP government.

BBC reported some members of the Indian diaspora gathered outside the Indian High Commission in London, on Friday, to protest against the murder of Lankesh, who edited a popular Kannadiga tabloid called Gauri Lankesh Patrike.

Members of Indian Workers Association (IWA) and Southall Black Sisters held portraits of Lankesh, who was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru earlier this week.

“Our key message is one of solidarity and an end to the intolerance that is on the rise: the killing of people and the attempts to prevent the battle of ideas … But no form of extremism can stop the march of ideas and democracy,” said Harsev Bains of the IWA, which submitted a letter to the High Commissioner.

The Indian Journalist Association of Europe expressed concern about the recent murders of 11 journalists in India in the past 39 months.

“Freedom of expression which includes the right of newspersons to discharge their duties without fear, is sacrosanct in the Constitution. We call upon all concerned in India to bring to book perpetrators of such crimes and to prevent these incidents,” said IJAE president Ashis Ray.

The media in the US came down hard on the Narendra Modi government, for its silence on the issue.

The New York Times Editorial Board called the murder as “hallmarks of a hit job.”

The Times also wrote about other high-profile murders of Indian activists in the recent past: Narendra Dabholkar, whose campaigns against superstitious practices angered many Hindu religious activists, was shot to death near his home in Pune in 2013. Two years ago, Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi, a former vice chancellor of Kannada University who spent decades debunking peddlers of superstition, was fatally shot in his home in Dharwad.

“If Mr. Modi doesn’t condemn her murder forcefully and denounce the harassment and threats that critics of Hindu militancy face daily, more critics will live in fear of deadly reprisal and Indian democracy will see dark days,” wrote the Times Editorial Board.

The Washington Post quoted Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of online news outlet the Wire, as saying: “I think there should be no doubt in our mind that she has been killed because of her work as a journalist.”

Varadarajan said that police officers did not properly investigate the other deaths and that the failure encouraged those who killed Lankesh.

The U.S. Embassy in India made its position clear by issuing a statement: “The U.S. Mission in India joins advocates of press freedom in India and worldwide in condemning the murder of respected journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bangalore. We offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Ms. Lankesh.”

Mari Marcel Thekaekara, a human rights activist and writer based in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu, writing in the Guardian, raked up also the ongoing atrocities against Muslims in India, narrating the murder of Junaid, a 16-year-old Muslim youth recently stabbed more than 30 times on a public train when he had gone out to buy festive clothes for Eid.

Thekaekara had hope that India will not let the murder of Lankesh go in vain.

“India’s supreme court has just ordered all states and union territories to appoint police officers in every district to track down and prosecute cow vigilante groups. Perhaps sanity will be restored. Perhaps peace will return to this beleaguered nation again. Perhaps Lankesh and the martyrs who preceded her will not have died in vain,” she wrote.

The press in India has come out strongly against the murder of Lankesh, promised to keep her legacy alive.

“They want us to be intimidated,” Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, former editor of the academic journal Economic and Political Weekly, said, speaking at the Press Club, reported The Washington Post. “I hope that a thousand Gauri Lankeshes will be born and will rise among us.”

The atrocities against minorities and the marginalized in India have been churned up by Arundhati Roy in her novel, ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness,’ which for long stretches reads more like a chilling non-fiction account of mob rule, rampant Hindutva and riots in India.

The killing of Lankesh is yet another blemish for India, which may, however not go away easily.

It’s turning out to be a bad year for the BJP government, with news of growing unemployment, a stagnant economy, and tragic incidents piling up, including the terrible deaths of children at a hospital in Gorakhpur for lack of Oxygen, and train accidents.

If Modi is not careful, the Lankesh murder may well become a clarion call for change in India. Political, or otherwise. There is only that much voters can take.

(Sujeet Rajan is Executive Editor, Parikh Worldwide Media. Email him: sujeet@newsindiatimes.com Follow him on Twitter @SujeetRajan1)

The post Shocking murder of Gauri Lankesh spells trouble for Narendra Modi appeared first on News India Times.

MUMBAI

Actress-entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty has produced her first small screen live game show.

Shilpa shared the show’s poster on Twitter on Wednesday. A caption read: “Car ki tammanna bekaar nahi jayegi! Ab kam se kam paisai mein aunty aapko, har hafte….Ek car dilayegi.”

The poster of the show titled “Aunty Boli Lagao Boli: Sabse Kam Sabse Anokhi”, also features actress and comedienne Archana Puran Singh posing near a car.

It will air on Colors from September 24.

“My first TV production. Thank you Raj Nayak, Colors TV, Archana Puran Singh. India’s first live game show. Audiences are in for a treat (sorry) car,” Shilpa captioned the image.

The actress has earlier featured in a string of reality TV shows as a judge. In fact, she got a new lease of life in showbiz after she won the international show “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2007.

IANS

The post Shilpa Shetty turns TV game show producer appeared first on News India Times.

After the planes crashed into the twin towers, it took a few years, but eventually dozens of major novelists worked the 9/11 attacks into the plots of their stories.

The literary response to Donald Trump may follow a similar trajectory. Earlier this year, several authors told me they felt compelled on Nov. 9 to set aside their work and begin something that felt more relevant to our scorched political landscape. Eight months into this reign of chaos, we’re already seeing the literary results.

Sadly, the first major treatment was a clunky harangue. In May, Booker Prize winner Howard Jacobson published a dashed-off parody called “Pussy,” which demonstrated little of his satiric genius. And now another Booker winner, Salman Rushdie – who knows a thing or two about needling powerful people – has launched a second novelistic attack on His Tweetness.

“The Golden House” doesn’t mention Trump by name – Rushdie wouldn’t give him that satisfaction – but there’s no doubt about the real identity of the “giant victorious green-haired cartoon king.” That gothic villain rages around the background of this story, setting the tone for a nation in peril. The narrator howls, “The best had lost all conviction, and the worst were filled with passionate intensity and the weakness of the just was revealed by the wrath of the unjust.”

Speaking of Trump’s unlikely election, Rushdie recently told an interviewer, “This thing that is very bad for America is very good for the novel,” but that sounds like fake news. In any event, Trump’s election is not very good for this novel, in which Rushdie pokes through the story whenever he wants to pop off about America’s poisonous political culture, “the horror spreading everywhere at high speed.”

In the foreground, “The Golden House” is a family epic that cobbles together contemporary drama, ancient myths and modern films. We follow the rise and fall of a fabulously wealthy businessman named Nero Julius Golden (the quality of subtlety is not strained in these pages). He arrives in New York in 2009 with his three doomed sons. Refusing to speak of the country they left, Nero sets up his family in a grand mansion – a “palace of illusions” – in the Gardens Historic District of Greenwich Village. “We are snakes who shed our skins,” Nero announces, and so a glittery new family is born, “shedding their Gatz origins to become shirt-owning Gatsbys and pursue dreams called Daisy or perhaps simply America.”

If we were playing Literary Allusion Bingo, one of us would already have five across, but we’ve still got a long night ahead.

Flush with boundless millions, Nero’s three troubled sons are free to roam New York and explore their passions: artistic, sexual and electronic. Their father, meanwhile, rules over his shadowy realm with wisdom and satisfaction. But when a very determined, much younger Russian beauty – some might say prostitute – enters the Golden household, the family dynamic is revolutionized. This may be a good time for the lawyers to remind everyone that any resemblance to current events or living people is, of course, entirely coincidental.

The story of Nero and his golden house is told by a handsome young neighbor named René, a far more involved and, alas, far less poetic narrator than Nick Carraway. Grieving the death of his parents, René ingratiates himself with Nero and befriends his sons. From his perch as affable sidekick, René serves as witness, spy and confessor. But his interest is not merely, or not only, friendship. René believes that Nero, his sons and the Russian “witch-queen” are perfect subjects for a film that will launch his career. In addition to a number of cinematic references – some pop, some obscure – René’s movie project shapes the narrative in various ways. A few chapters appear in the form of melodramatic scripts. Others read like scene treatments, ending at a climactic moment with the word “Cut.”

But despite René’s avocation and apparent success, there’s never anything particularly cinematic about his presentation, nothing like the movie section of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s “The Sympathizer” or the spliced passages of Dana Spiotta’s “Innocents and Others.” Instead, we’re left noodling the rather pedestrian issue of which parts of this story are real and which are manufactured. Just as Nero is a man who recasts his life at will, so René mingles history and fiction, documentary and fabulism. “It was hard for me to be objective about the Goldens,” he tells us. “I’m not sure anymore what’s real and what I made up.” Well, that makes two of us.

Everything about this family spreading its influence and then crashing like the House of Usher comes to us in René’s confidential but bland voice. He wonders, with sophomoric profundity, “Is it possible to be both good and evil? Can a man be a good man when he is a bad man?” Twenty pages later, he’s still wrestling with that dilemma: “Is it possible for a man to be a good man when he is also a bad man?” Chapter after chapter, the story keeps lunging at that theme like a dog on a chain.

Worse, on any particular page, we might hear that René is knocked for a loop, clutching at straws, growing up before my eyes, losing his bearings.

Is that stylistic laziness or is it a super-sophisticated act of mimicry, Rushdie’s success at capturing the voice of a cliche thinker?

Perhaps it wouldn’t feel so arduous to plod through this pile of worn phrases if the plot moved more quickly. There are elements of intrigue, including a bizarre sexual bargain on which the story hinges, but the most exciting revelation erupts late in the book, long after the mystery of Nero’s origins has cooled.

Then, finally, we have to endure René nattering on about the loss of innocence, a theme we can smell like mildew as soon as we enter this airless novel. And of course, by the end of the story there must be a fire, or what René calls “the deadly realism of a fire,” which doesn’t sound like it could toast a marshmallow, but at least we’re done.

THE WASHINGTON POST

The post Book World: Trump-inspired novel by Rushdie lacks Midas touch appeared first on News India Times.

Land

Ocean Club, on Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, is offering 15 percent savings on a beachy package. The Explore the Mangroves special costs $1,374 per couple (usually $1,580) and includes four nights in a private suite, guided mangrove tour by kayak or paddleboard, daily breakfast, and taxes and fees. Travel through Dec. 22 and Jan. 6- Dec. 21, 2018. Info: 800-457-8787, oceanclubresorts.com

AMResorts is offering a Kids Stay Free promo for stays through Dec. 22. The deal applies to its all-inclusive Dreams Resorts & Spas, Now Resorts & Spas, and Sunscape Resorts & Spas. For example, a four-night stay in early November at Now Larimar Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic starts at $960 for a family of four, including taxes — a savings of $232. The promo applies to up to two children ages 12 and younger who are accompanied by a paying adult. All meals, beverages and most activities, including kids’ and teens’ clubs, are included. Info: nowresorts.com/offers/kids-stay-free; sunscaperesorts.com/offers/kids-stay-free; dreamsresorts.com/offers/kids-stay-free

Save at least $125 with a package at the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, on Condado Beach in Puerto Rico. The No Leaves, Just Palm Trees package starts at $279 a night (plus 11 percent tax and 18 percent resort fee) and includes daily breakfast for two (valued at $52), daily $25 resort credit for food and drinks, cabana rental (normally $50) and buy one-get-one-half-off spa treatments (savings from $59). Book by Dec. 1; travel through Dec. 21. Info: marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjupr-san-juan-marriott-resort-and-stellaris-casino

Sea

Costa Cruises is celebrating its 70th anniversary with up to $500 in shipboard credits on Caribbean, South American and transatlantic sailings (500 euros on other itineraries). The $500 is applied in set amounts to reduce the cost of shore tours, specialty dining, massages, wine package, photos and WiFi. For example, a $125 wine package receives a $60 credit; a $280 photo collection is discounted by $80. The deal applies to most cruises departing April 1 through Dec. 31. Exclusions include world cruises and world cruise segments, as well as cruises aboard the Costa neoRomantica. Book by Oct. 23. Info: 800-462-6782, costacruise.com

The United States Tour Operators Association is celebrating its fourth annual Travel Together Month with more than 100 special offers on land vacations, cruises and packages on all seven continents. A sampling of cruise deals: With Abercrombie & Kent, save $1,000 per person double on its Cuba by Land & Sea: A People-to-People Cruise. The trip, which departs in February and March, starts at $9,995 per person double and includes seven nights aboard a yacht and taxes. Emerald Waterways is offering free airfare on all new Rhine river itineraries for travel on select departures in 2018; use promo code USATODAY. The promotion runs through Sept. 30. Info: ustoa.com/travel-together-month

Air

Southwest has a systemwide sale on nonstop flights booked by Sept. 21. For example, round-trip air from Reagan National to Providence, R.I., starts at $98, with taxes; other airlines are matching. Twenty-one-day advance purchase required. For domestic destinations, travel on all days but Friday and Sunday, from Sept. 26 to March 7. Blackout dates and other restrictions apply. Info: southwest.com.

Package

Great Value Vacations is offering a trip to Bali for $899 per person double. The price includes round-trip airfare from San Francisco to Denpasar; six nights lodging with breakfasts in Seminyak at either the Sense Sunset Hotel or Hotel Santika; airport transfers; and taxes. Priced separately, the trip would cost about $100 more per person. The package is also available with extra hotel nights. Airfare from Washington to San Francisco, priced separately, starts at about $330 round trip. Book by Sept. 11 at 800-896-4600, greatvaluevacations.com/vacations/the-bali-experience.

THE WASHINGTON POST

The post Travel deals: Nonstop Southwest flights, Caribbean resort stays and Bali vacation packages appeared first on News India Times.

India’s ability to predict the sort of devastating deluge that struck Mumbai at the end of August is set to get a major boost next year.

The heaviest rainfall since 2005 killed a dozen people in India’s financial capital, disrupted stock and bond trading and halted a suburban train network that carries about 8 million people a day. Local residents and civic authorities struggled to cope as most roads were submerged and commuters waded through waist-deep floodwater.

While the India Meteorological Department accurately predicted the heavy rain for the broader Mumbai region and its sprawling suburbs, its capacity to forecast rain in a small geographical area should improve drastically by the middle of next year when the government installs two more supercomputers and a suite of new radars. That’ll give it the same forecasting power as the U.K., U.S. and Australia’s, according to the man responsible for the 142-year-old weather office.

“That will help us make more probabilistic forecast for actual rainfall in a particular area,” K. J. Ramesh, director general of India Meteorological Department said in an interview in New Delhi. “We will also need to work on our forecasting models to improve them.”

The supercomputers will boost the department’s data processing capacity by more than 6 times. The agency is also adding more Doppler radars that measure the velocity of clouds and winds and has approached the Indian Space Research Organisation to install more weather monitoring equipment on satellites.

The weather office plans to improve its forecasting capacity to a 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) grid for major cities by 2018, matching the precision of the U.K.’s Met Office, Ramesh said. That compares with a 12 kilometer grid length currently and 150 kilometers in late 1980s, when India’s meteorological department began using supercomputers, he said.

“We should not miss any heavy rainfall event not captured by the system,” Ramesh said. “It’s a very challenging and exciting period for us to work in line with other countries.”

Accurate and targeted weather forecasts are critical in India, where rain is the lifeline for about 880 million villagers who directly or indirectly depend on farming for a living. Drier weather can curb output in the world’s second-biggest grower of rice, wheat and sugar and cause drinking water shortages as reservoirs dry up, while floods due to heavy showers can kill hundreds and damage crops.

“With a more detailed forecast from the weather bureau, farmers would be able to plan their farming activities better during the rainy season,” said Shubhada Rao, chief economist at Yes Bank. “When it’s a matter of life and property, local forecasts of adverse weather conditions become critical. It can save lives.”

More accurate forecasting may also help better predict India’s June-September monsoon period that waters more than half of all farmland.

The weather office has predicted a normal monsoon this year. Rain in June-July was 2 percent above normal. Still, showers were 12 percent below a long-term average in August. Some parts of the country are flooded, while a few areas in the south are facing dry conditions. Rainfall was almost 25 percent lower than normal during the first six days of September.

The meteorology department accurately predicted monsoon rainfall in four out of the last 10 years, according to Bloomberg calculations that take into account its forecast error margin.

The post Supercomputers to bolster India’s battle with capricious weather appeared first on News India Times.

Washington, Sep 11 (IANS) US President Donald Trump led a moment of silence in a brief, somber ceremony at the White House on Monday to mark the 16th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walked onto the South Lawn and stood as bells tolled for the first 9/11 anniversary of Trump’s presidency. They then bowed their heads and stood silently before placing their hands on their hearts as a bugler played “Taps.”

They will attend a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon later on Monday morning, the Washington Post reported.

Vice President Mike Pence travelled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the four hijacked jetliners crashed after passengers overpowered the hijackers. Two planes hit and destroyed the World Trade Centre in New York and the other crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the coordinated attacks directed by Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Trump, a frequent early-morning tweeter, did not post any messages ahead of the 8.46 a.m. ceremony at the White House.

Pence is scheduled to speak later at the rural site of the Pennsylvania crash. He and his wife will tour the Flight 93 National Memorial nearby.

Thousands of 9/11 victims’ relatives, survivors, rescuers and others are expected to gather at the World Trade Center to remember the deadliest terror attack on American soil.

The post Trump marks 16th anniversary of 9/11 attacks appeared first on News India Times.

TAMPA, Fla.,/MIAMI – Downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, Irma flooded several northern Florida cities with heavy rain and high storm surge on Monday as it headed out of the state after cutting power to millions and ripping roofs off homes.

Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, hit a wide swath of Florida over the past day, first making landfall on the Florida Keys archipelago and then coming ashore south of Naples and heading up the west coast.

Irma, now a tropical storm with sustained winds of up to 70 miles per hour (110 km per hour), was located about 35 miles (56 km) west of Gainesville and headed up the Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center said at 8 a.m. ET (1200 GMT).

The Cuban government reported on Monday that 10 people had been killed after Irma battered the island’s north coast with ferocious winds and 36-foot (11-meter) waves over the weekend. This raised the overall death toll from Irma’s powerful rampage through the Caribbean to 38.

The sheriff’s office in Jacksonville, on Florida’s northeast coast, reported that it was making a rescue from waist-deep water on Monday morning and urged people to stay off unsafe roads. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the city, with nearby St. Augustine also seeing flooding.

“Stay inside. Go up. Not out,” Jacksonville’s website warned residents. “There is flooding throughout the city and more rain is expected.”

After what she called a terrifying night bunkered in her house in St. Petersburg, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, with her children and extended family, Julie Hally emerged with relief on Monday. The winds had toppled some large tree branches and part of a fence, but her house was undamaged.

“My heart just pounded out of my chest the whole time,” said Hally, 37. “You hear stuff hitting your roof. It honestly sounds like somebody is just whistling at your window the whole night. It’s really scary.”

As officials and residents began to assess the damage around the state, Governor Rick Scott said he would travel later on Monday to the keys. Irma first came ashore at Cudjoe Key as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 130 mph (215 kph.)

“I’ve heard there’s some significant damage, right where the eye of the storm hit,” Scott told NBC’s “Today” show. “We’ll find out.”

A large military airborne relief operation was being prepared to take help to the islands, which are linked by a dramatic series of bridges and causeways from Key Largo almost 100 miles (160 km) southwest to the city of Key West, Monroe County Emergency Director Martin Senterfitt told a teleconference.

The state’s largest city, Miami, was spared the brunt of the storm but was still battered. Utility crews were already on the streets there clearing downed trees and utility lines. All causeways leading to Miami Beach were closed by police.

Much of the state’s east and west coasts remained vulnerable on Monday to storm surges, when hurricanes push ocean water dangerously over normal levels. That risk extended to the coast of Georgia and parts of South Carolina, the hurricane center said.

As it traveled through the center of the state early on Monday, Irma brought gusts of up to 100 mph (160 kph) and torrential rain to areas around Orlando, one of the most popular areas for tourism in Florida because of its cluster of theme parks, the National Weather Service said.

In Daytona Beach, on the east coast about 55 miles (90 km) northeast of Orlando, city streets were flooded and emergency authorities carried out several water rescues, the Daytona Beach Police Department said on Twitter.

Over the weekend, Irma claimed its first U.S. fatality – a man found dead in a pickup truck that had crashed into a tree in high winds in the town of Marathon, in the Florida Keys, local officials said.

During its passage through the Caribbean en route to Florida, Irma was ranked at the rare top end of the scale of hurricane intensity, a Category 5, for days. It carried maximum sustained winds of up to 185 mph (295 kph) when it crashed into the island of Barbuda on Wednesday.

Ahead of Irma’s arrival, some 6.5 million people in southern Florida, about a third of the state’s population, were ordered to evacuate their homes. Some 200,000 were housed in shelters during the storm, according to federal officials.

DAMAGE ESTIMATES

The storm did some $20 billion to $40 billion in damage to insured property as it tore through Florida, catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide estimated.

High winds snapped power lines and left about 5.8 million Florida homes and businesses without power, state data showed.

Miami International Airport, one of the busiest in the country, halted passenger flights through at least Monday. According to the FlightAware.com tracking site, a total of 3,582 U.S. flights were canceled on Monday, mostly as a result of the storm.

Irma was forecast to cross the eastern Florida Panhandle and move into southern Georgia later in the day, dumping as much as 16 inches (41 cm) of rain, government forecasters said.

Police in Miami-Dade County said they had made 29 arrests for looting and burglary.

Irma, which hit just days after the Houston area was deluged by unprecedented flooding in Texas from Hurricane Harvey, was expected to cause billions of dollars in damage to the third-most-populous U.S. state.

Investor relief over Irma’s weakening on Monday helped boost world shares to a record high on Monday.

The post Storm Irma brings flooding to parts of Florida; Cuba reports 10 killed appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK – Indian American designer Premal Badiani, who was born in the United Kingdom, showcased her latest collection, Valentia, at the Angel Oresanz in New York City on September 8, as part of New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

Badiani’s collection, dedicated to breast cancer awareness, opened the show with a video montage of women speaking of their encounters with the disease and ended the show with survivors wearing her collection.

The women received a standing ovation from the audience for their strength and courage.

The collection in Valentia – that means brave in Latin, was feminine and sexy, encouraging women especially the breast cancer fighters and survivors to embrace their womanhood with boldness, confidence and a touch of sensuality.

The unconventional hand embroidery on each silhouette gave the collection a slightly mythical look that further enhanced the femininity. The color palette with hues of pink, mixed with grey and green, were carefully chosen to highlight breast cancer awareness, staying true to the brand’s philosophy of being one truly with heart and soul.

Badiani complimented her collection with beautifully hand crafted floral and elk horn headpiece that symbolizes strength and beauty.

Breast cancer treatments can be brutal, causing women to lose their hair, self-esteem and sometimes their breasts. Badiani’s show was instrumental in showing women that despite having or fighting breast cancer, it is still possible to look and feel good, sexy and desirable.

“I wanted to force people to reimagine the disease that is supposed to make a woman feel unattractive and lose her womanhood. My aim with this collection was to showcase the breast cancer fighters and survivors as any other woman – strong, sexy and sensuous while they took each step on the runway,” said Badiani, of her new work.

In the last season at NYFW, she made a collection where the primary fabric used was made from natural cellulosic fibers and produced from wood pulp, a natural renewable resource.

The label supported the American Cancer Society where VIP tickets and outfits were auctioned to raise funds for the charity. Their jewelry partner, Belsi’s is a perfect blend of eclectic modern range of jewelry, varying from bespoke bridal to exquisite a la mode collections that help glamourize any outfit.

Belsi’s founder, Riddhi Fazal, commented on the association: “We decided to come onboard with Premal Badiani as we strongly believe in the cause and have always been a huge fan and supporter of everything that Premal does in and outside of fashion. We have always been a proponent of cancer awareness and we are happy to associate with a cause on this scale.”

The post Premal Badiani unveils Valentia, dedicated to breast cancer awareness appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK – Bibhu Mohapatra teamed up with Narayan Jewelers on September 8, for his S/S18 fashion show during New York Fashion Week.

While the jewelry was simple yet elegant, Mohapatra’s Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear collection wasn’t too spectacular compared to his previous Spring Ready-to-Wear collections.

This year his collection seemed to be made of outfits one would find at a high-end Macy’s or Nordstrom department store.

The outfits were made with a consistent striped pattern, although a few of them did contain some type of floral pattern and a couple of them were full with sparkles.

A specific green and blue striped print was used in several outfits at the beginning of the collection and though it was appealing to the eye at first, it became boring after a while as it was used in five different outfits overall; including two dresses, two skirts and a top.

The rest of the collection featured red, pink and white outfits in a pastel palette along with some black outfits including a netted one.

Even though a few outfits were highly appealing to the eye, such as a ‘nude’ colored dress with an orange and red floral pattern, a red floral dress that fell right beneath the knees, a long off-white dress with a red and black floral pattern on the top and a uniquely full length floral patterned dress; the rest of the outfits in the collection consisted of simple dresses that could work as Halloween costumes, unlike what his previous collections had to offer.

Mohapatra’s S/S18 fashion show also marked the debut for Narayan Jewelers, whose new festive collection is inspired by celestial bodies.

Their collection comprises of unique breathtaking jewels, crafted with beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced Forevermark diamonds, which are inspired by the universal concept of the solar system and their designs never repeat collections so that they can always match the synergy of their growing clientele.

Each 18 karat white gold celestial design is one of a kind and embodies galaxies, orbits, planets, moons, and stars realized in Forevermark diamonds.

“We are extremely proud to be associated with Bibhu Mohapatra for the New York Fashion week through our trusted partners, Narayan Jewellers. These elegant pieces designed by Narayan are inspired by the Forevermark Artemis collection, which go beyond traditional Indian jewellery and yet retain an heirloom value,” said Sachin Jain, President of Forevermark India.

“This collection by Narayan Jewellers highlights a central Forevermark diamond which emerges as the definitive, cosmic element in each design in 3 motifs-the sun, moon and stars,” he added.

“Our jewelry lines are a distinct combination of craftsmanship and fashion. Bibhu’s collection mirrors this philosophy and we are exceptionally proud to partner with him and Forevermark on this endeavor,” said Ketan Chokshi, owner of Narayan Jewellers.

Narayan Jewellers was founded in 1940 by Ambalal Chaturbhai Chokshi with a vision to meld fine craftsmanship with artistry and has now partnered with Forevermark by DeBeers.

Followers of the brand include Hollywood celebrities Dylan Penn, Lucy Watson who has sported their jewelry on the Oscars red carpet and Bollywood stars such as Bipasha Basu, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora, Vidya Balan, Divya Khosla Kumar, and Tapsee Pannu.

Mohapatra is an Indian American fashion designer whose creations have been featured in various fashion magazines and has worked with J. Mendel before creating his own label known as Purple Label; former First Lady Michelle Obama was one of his clients.

The post Bibhu Mohapatra and Narayan Jewelers showcase Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear collection appeared first on News India Times.

When it comes to saving and funding their children’s education, Asian Indians are among the best prepared, according to MassMutual’s College Planning & Saving Study. Almost half (49 percent) of Indian parents started saving for college before their children turned five, the earliest compared to all other multicultural groups in the survey. In fact, by the time a child is ten, 79% percent of Indian parents are saving for college, and one in five has saved $50,000 or more.

Culturally, Indians place a great deal of emphasis on higher education, which they consider fundamental to character development, as well as the gateway to a financially secure future. Moreover, most Indian parents believe their children’s focus in college should be on getting good grades, and not on figuring out how to pay for it. “Asian Indian parents consider it a duty to finance their children’s education,” said Evan Taylor, director of multicultural markets with MassMutual.

Asian Indians who participated in the survey emerged as less likely to rely on loans and government scholarships, preferring to pay for it themselves. Two-thirds are planning to pay for more than half of the expenses. Yet, only half of the parents surveyed are confident they will be able to afford it when the time comes. Their concern may be justified: A family with a 5-year old child entering kindergarten today can expect to pay an estimated $368,739 for private 4-year college tuition in 2030, according to the MassMutual college savings calculator.

While Asian Indians generally diversify financial planning with stocks, bonds and buying gold, saving early to fund their children’s college is a sensible choice. Parents in the study who started saving at birth or before their child’s first birthday had saved an average of about 40 percent more than those who began saving after their child turned 10.

However, more immediate financial priorities like childcare costs can overwhelm new parents who might find it difficult to save for future needs. The age of five is a crucial tipping point for savings. That’s when many parents can stop paying for childcare expenses and save those funds for college instead without disturbing their current spending habits. Even saving a portion of the childcare expenses can add up over 12 years; for example, saving $200 a week can total over $130,000 (with a conservative interest rate).

“Asian Indian parents are extremely savvy about saving for their children’s education. Starting early will help make it less stressful when their children are ready for college,” said Taylor. “We understand their commitment to delivering the best possible future to their kids and can help parents with financial options to make their planning easier.”

MassMutual offers five practical tips for Asian Indians to better plan and help pay for college:

Start early. Start saving what you can at birth, and for parents with child care expenses, increase the savings rate at age 5 by putting child care money towards saving for college.

Make it automatic. Set up automatic checking account or payroll deductions to an interest-earning savings account earmarked for higher education.

Encourage monetary gifts (including 529 plan gift cards) from family members and friends for college savings at Diwali and other gift-giving events.

Know how much you need to save. Estimate college costs by using free online tools such as MassMutual’s college savings calculator.

Protect your loved ones for unexpected events. Life and disability income insurance are solid considerations for parents.

To learn more about establishing financial goals for your child’s education, visit www.massmutual.com and the MassMutual College Planning and Savings study page.

Methodology
MassMutual’s College Planning and Saving Study was conducted for MassMutual by New American Dimensions, LLC in December 2016 to examine the attitudes and needs of families related to education planning and funding. Qualitatively, twenty-two mini focus groups were conducted with five ethnic groups (Hispanic/Latino, African American/Black, Chinese American, Korean American, and Asian-Indian American) in English and in-language. Quantitatively, a 20-minute online questionnaire, conducted in English, comprised 1,750 interviews; within the total number of surveys, 150 completes were obtained for each of the 5 ethnic groups. Both qualitative and quantitative research was conducted with men and women age 30 to 64 with children age 5 to 15 for whom they are financially responsible. Respondents also met a minimum household income requirement ($50,000+) and participate in financial decision-making for their household. Results for the total were weighted to the 2010 U.S. Census distributions for ethnicity to be representative of American families in this age and income bracket.

About MassMutual
MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners. MassMutual offers a wide range of financial products and services, including life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, annuities, retirement plans and other employee benefits. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com.

The post Asian Indian parents prepare in advance for their children’s college education, but can they always afford it? appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK – The International Vegetarian Convention, known as Vegetarian Vision, celebrated its silver jubilee this year at Penn Plaza Pavilion, in Manhattan, on September 9 and 10.

The two-day convention featured 38 lecturers from around the nation and seven chefs along with attracting hundreds of vegetarians to about 25 booths offering different solutions to living a healthy lifestyle.

One booth was offering copperware, encouraging visitors to drink two cups of water from a copper mug, cup or water bottle, every morning to boost your immunity.

Another booth was offering a taste test of a gluten free energy drink while a third booth was advertising healthy granola bars.

A Chinese booth was giving $60 massages and the booth next to News India Times was having everyone sample golden cardamom.

Chickpea restaurant was also present with two full trays of falafel, three big bowls of hummus and a medley of different colorful vegetables.

Bollywood actress Mahima Chaudhary was a chief guest and one of the judges for the Mr. and Ms. Vegetarian Beauty Pageant which was won by Humaira Alan and Majeet Vadhu.

“I am one of those people who’s been blessed to be born in a vegetarian home so I’ve never had to struggle giving up non-vegetarian,” said Chaudhary, who made sure that her daughter also be vegetarian as her ex-husband was Bengali and insisted their daughter eat fish to “develop her brains.”

She also mentioned that back in the day, warriors were also vegetarian like Rani Lakshmibai formerly known as ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ and even body builders today are all vegetarian.

“It makes you more aggressive I’ve heard,” she said about eating meat. “Because when you are just about to chop the animal, they have the fighting instinct to survive, and the fear and all those emotions; they make you secrete certain hormones that come into the bloodstream and it’s there in the flesh when you have it, you get that in your system and you have a lot more aggression, a lot more heat, a lot more fire,” she added.

H.K. Shah, founder and chairman of Vegetarian Vision, said that he was stepping down from the seat as he told the audience at the pageant that “25 years is a long time” and knew that it was time to retire. In fact, he was very pleased with what Chaudhary had to say about vegetarianism that he joked about making her the next president of Vegetarian Vision.

A vegan himself, Shah has been extremely passionate about promoting vegetarianism and encouraging the younger generation to save animals as well as the planet.

Dr. Sudhir Parikh, a Padma Shri recipient, and founder and publisher of Parikh Worldwide Media, was honored at the meet, for his support of the organization since its inception. Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY 3rd District) was one of those on stage who honored Dr. Parikh.

In its 25 years, Vegetarian Vision has been promoting vegetarianism and the vegetarian way of life to hospitals, airlines, schools, educational institutions and the community through personal participation, programs, food festivals, Thanksgiving dinners, Yoga and health events, motivational speakers, fun cruises for youth and youth talent contests like the Mr. and Ms. Vegetarian Pageant, among others.

The post Vegetarian Vision celebrates 25 years at annual convention in New York appeared first on News India Times.

Last week, before the Sept. 5 deadline, Hoboken, N.J. mayoral candidate Ravi Bhalla, submitted close to 2,750 signatures to the Town Clerk’s office so he could be on the Nov. 7 ballot. Only 360 signatures were needed to qualify.

But this overreach is the hallmark of Bhalla’s campaign, which has knocked on 3,000 doors in his constituency over the last 6-8 weeks. Next week, volunteers will fan out to reach an equal if not larger number in the remaining weeks leading up to election day.

His beard and turban, Bhalla told Desi Talk, are in fact an asset rather than a liability during the campaign in which 6 candidates, a majority of them Democrats like him, are vying for the seat. Bhalla believes he is positioned among the four in the lead. And there’s a reason for his confidence. The much-loved previous mayor, Dawn Zimmer, is well-liked for her leadership, and out of the slew of candidates who jumped into the frey after she announced her resignation June 20, Zimmer picked Bhalla as her favorite. The four leading candidates include Councilman Bhalla, City Council President Jennifer Giattino, Freeholder Anthony Romano, and Councilman Michael DeFusco. The other two are businesswoman Karen Nason, and cycling advocate Ronald Bautista.

In the plurality-based, non-partisan election, Bhalla hopes to secure the most votes. “Our team is in the best position. My greatest asset is Mayor Zimmer’s endorsement and her confidence in me” Bhalla said. “People generally are very happy with her performance as Mayor, and we worked together for 8 years,” he told Desi Talk. While Hoboken is heavily Democratic, the vote being split so many ways among the number of Democratic candidates, could take away some of that support from Bhalla. He credits his campaign style with raising the bar for victory. And his slate which includes Councilman Jim Doyle, Emily Jabbour, and John Allen for At-large City Council seats.

“Ours is a grassroots campaign fueled by volunteers and with a lot of work on the ground,” he said. Most mornings will  find Bhalla stationed outside a train station or bus stop, shaking hands and introducing himself as he greets commuters. His Twitter account sees a daily input of pictures with various members of the community. “My evenings and weekends are spent meeting people at parks and going door-to-door,” he said.

The Indian-American community state-wide and especially in North and Central Jersey, has been “very supportive” Bhalla says, inviting him to their homes or their businesses and contributing generously.

The post Indian-American Mayoral Candidate Officially On Ballot In Hoboken appeared first on News India Times.

MasterChef Sanjeev Kapoor graced the already extravagant Varli Food Festival on Sunday, Sept. 10 at Martinsville Gardens in Martinsville, New Jersey.

Most of the booths were already set up at 4 p.m., while others were in the midst of setting up.

Rajbhog Foods had their booth set up in the patio area with their famous sweets such as Gulab Jamun, Mango Shrikhand and Motichoor and Bundi Ladoos and right across from them was Mr. Paanwala who was not only making fresh Paan for the 200 foodies that were there (about double of what was expected) but was also offering Paan Shots.

The Varli Food Festival is known for its “spice and fire” and while the spice market was open at various times throughout the event, the fire wasn’t lit until about 8:30 p.m. so the guests could witness it in the dark.

Many Indian restaurants were serving fusion treats like Arora who was offering a sample tasting of Pumpkin Kachori Chaat and Gulab Jamun Donuts with either Mango or Chocolate and i2i, a restaurant that combines Indian and Italian cuisine, was giving everyone a taste of their ‘Naanchos.’

Chand Palace had an elegant display of their Chef’s special Pineapple pudding topped with fresh raspberry and pineapple called ‘Hawaiian Glory’ and the Chef’s special mousse topped with fresh guava called ‘Guava Thrill.’

Le Rouge by Aarti, a chocolatier from Connecticut also handed out samples of their ganaches which consisted of the following flavors: Grand Marnier, Paan Bahar, Kesar Pista and Peach Bellini.

This was the first time the Varli Food Festival was kept outside and due to the lack of space, many restaurants couldn’t be provided with a booth, yet their owners still came to the festival.

The restaurants who did have a booth however were; Old Monk, Godavari, Bukhara Grill, Kebob and Curry, Junoon, Moghul, 321Chillz, Bhog, Sahib and The Masalawala, along with others which were mentioned previously.

Cooking demos were given by Chef Prasad Chirnomula of Thali Restaurants in Connecticut, who made Konkon Malai Lobster; Chef Sunil Shrivastav from Texas, who made Chatpati Machi with Salmon and the one and only Sanjeev Kapoor, who made a rice and quinoa dish topped with prawns and a mango sauce on the side.

During his cooking demonstration, Kapoor told the audience that whatever dish you make “keep it simple” and make sure that it is “Khatha Meetha Theeka” and provided other cooking tips as well.

He also mentioned the fact that when one learns how to cook something, they usually go onto YouTube, but in contrary, don’t realize that they are technically copying that person’s recipe, so he told everyone to improvise it and make it a bit original.

“Take for example Kadhi,” he said. “There are different ways to make Kadhi. You have Gujarati Kadhi, you have Punjabi Kadhi,” he went on explaining how they are made differently and in the end said “there are 50 different ways to make Kadhi.”

The night ended with the Varli Cook Off, or the Varli Food Festival’s version of the cooking show Chopped on Food Network, which went on well into the night.

This was the fifth year that the Varli Food Festival was hosted by Varli Singh who, such a big foodie herself, wanted chefs, who take their art of cooking seriously, to be recognized by the community.

The festival was co-hosted by Ricky Singh and Roni Mazumdar and was also attended by Bigg Boss fame, Actor Aryan Vaid; Kapoor’s autographed cookbook was given out to three lucky raffle winners and each attendee of the festival was given a gift bag containing a wide variety of products along with gift certificates to participating restaurants, worth $300.

The post Varli Food Festival 2017: A delicious success appeared first on News India Times.

Indian American Aruna Miller, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 6th Congressional District in Maryland, was endorsed by EMILY’s List, an advocacy group that supports women running for office who are in favor of abortion rights.

Miller has worked for 25 years for Montgomery County as an engineer and was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2010, representing the 15th district as well as serving as a member of the Appropriations Committee.

“She will be a strong voice for women and families in Maryland’s 6th District, pushing back against Donald Trump and Paul Ryan as they attempt to end health care coverage for millions, defund Planned Parenthood, and roll back critical environmental protections,” Emily Cain, executive director of Emily’s List, said in a statement.

“From coming to this country as a seven-year-old and learning English so she could attend public schools to working in a fast food restaurant to help make ends meet during a family health crisis to becoming a successful engineer and running for state representative, Aruna has shown that there is no challenge she cannot rise to meet,” Cain added.

Miller is now seeking to replace Rep. John Delaney in 2018, who said that he will not be seeking re-election and will hence focus on a run for president in 2020.

“I am honored to have been endorsed by Emily’s List. This is an organization founded on bringing more people to the table, and I am so excited to see our message catching the attention of progressives who share our values,” Miller said in a statement.

Miller came to the United States from India when she was only seven-years-old; she learned English by attending public schools, worked in a fast food restaurant during high school, applied for student loans, obtained Pell grants and went to college to study civil engineering, but she didn’t become interested in politics until the 2000 Bush vs. Gore election.

Miller, 52, is running against several other Democrats, including Del. Bill Frick (D-Bethesda), the House of Delegates majority leader; state Sen. Roger Manno (D-Silver Spring); and Total Wine & More co-owner David Trone, Frederick County resident Andrew Duck has also filed to seek the party’s nomination.

News India Times reported earlier that Miller had raised $355,000 for her campaign in July.

In a news release, EMILY’s List said that it has helped elect 116 women to the House of Representatives, 23 to the Senate and more than 800 to state and local offices since it was founded in 1985.

The post Indian American Aruna Miller endorsed by EMILY’s List appeared first on News India Times.

Bengaluru, Sep 12 (IANS) Bengaluru-born 28-year-old Google research scientist Ananda Theertha Suresh in New York has won the Paul Baran Young Scholar award for 2017, the US-based Marconi Society said on Tuesday.

“Suresh has been selected for this year’s Young Scholar award for creating technology that makes search faster and easier even on low-end mobile devices, with basic Internet,” the Society said in an e-mail to IANS.

The Google geek, who has a PhD from the University of California-San Diego, will receive the award from the Society at a special ceremony in New Jersey on October 3.

“Suresh’s work is used by millions of people within speech and keyboard input applications in Google products. His research focused on understanding the most efficient ways to use information, data and communication,” the Society said.

Demystifying his technology, Suresh explained that when an Indian user of a basic feature phone does an internet search through a slow connection, his query is sent to a distant server and he waits for the feedback.

“The glitch for the delay is the uplink which connects to the network. A logjam means a long wait and a mounting data bill for the user. If the information is stripped of all non-essentials and compressed, it will travel faster,” Suresh explained in an e-mail to IANS.

The four-decade-old Society, named after Noble Laureate Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937), who invented the radio, is also honouring two other Indian-born scientists — Thomas Kailath with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his stellar contribution to modern communications, and Arun Netravalli with the Marconi Prize for his pioneering work in digital video technology used in mobile phones and television sets.

Kailath, 82, from Pune and a former professor at Stanford, is the Hitachi American Professor in Engineering Emeritus at the reputed university. He was also conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, in 2009.

Netravalli, 71, a native of Ankola on Karnataka’s west coast, studied at Mumbai’s Elphinstone College and graduated in electrical engineering from IIT-Bombay before migrating to the US in 1967 for his post-graduation and doctorate from Houston’s Rice University.

Set up in 1975 by Marconi’s daughter Gioia Marconi Braga through an endowment, the Society annually awards outstanding individuals whose scope of work and influence emulate the principle of ‘creativity in service to humanity’ that inspired Marconi.

The Young Scholars are selected by an international jury of engineers from leading universities and firms on nomination from their academic advisers.

The award consists of $4,000 (Rs.256,000) and expenses to attend the annual ceremony on October 3 where three Young Scholars are honoured every year.

“More than the prize, Young Scholars are offered mentoring and guidance by the Society’s distinguished roster of engineering greats,” said the Society.

“I am humbled and honoured to be in the company of the Society’s past and present award winners. I will also interact with them, as learning from them will inspire me to tackle the challenging problems in the world over,” Suresh said in his e-mail.

Suresh went to the US in 2010 after graduating in engineering physics from IIT-Madras the same year for a masters and PhD in the same subject the University of California-San Diego by 2016.

Suresh did his schooling at Sri Rajarajeshwari Vidya Mandira and obtained a science degree from National College in south Bengaluru. His late father had a printing press and his mother is a homemaker.

As the first in his family to attend college, the geek’s goal is to understand the fundamental limits of what is possible in data science so that he can develop tools that will make an impact on people with limited resources.

At the world’s largest search engine’s research office in New York, where Suresh works, he helps provide latest communication capabilities to netizens with low bandwidth and low-end devices.

“Access and opportunities in the developing countries are limited by low-bandwidth and low-end devices with limited storage and intelligence. Suresh’s algorithms reduce data sent and data costs immensely,” the Society said.

According to Google Research Manager Michael D. Riley, Suresh’s contribution had led to algorithms that give better compression for a decompression time budget than previously used.

The post U.S. young scholar award for Indian Google-geek from Bengaluru appeared first on News India Times.

Chicago native, Puja Mohindra’s series ‘Geeta’s Guide to Moving On’ premiered this year in Chicago. Written and produced by Mohindra, the show was an official selection of the 2016 New York Television Festival and the 2017 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

It’s during hard times when the rug is pulled from our feet that we grapple and must find our own true compass – on our own. That’s why it’s said that hard times teach us the reality of life. “Loss is inevitable. People die, relationships die. And grief is the gift that keeps on giving”, says 30-year-old Geeta Gidwani (played by Mohindra).

Geeta’s Guide is a satire based on the reality of today’s Indian-American youth and portrays a couple’s breakup and the path the character uses to redeem her life and follow her passions – in this case, dance fusion of Indian classical dance and hip hop variety. It is a reminder to never take life seriously, and from time to time to take stock of life during its invariable upheavals.

The main storyline is blended with the three Indian ‘aunties’ whose own comedy adds a another layer of real life. Judgmental yet uplifting, goading yet comical- the series imparts a ‘South Asian ‘ feeling – reminding me of my own ‘aunties ‘ who never shied away from telling what they thought one should do, all with good intentions, and seen through the lens of their own life experiences.

The story also emphasizes the importance of every young woman never being dependent on anyone for their financial or social wellbeing. Overall, a well acted, well directed, sweet tragicomedy.

Mohindra’s prior works include the comedic web series she co-created, Friendly Confines, which earned awards for Best Comedy Writing and Best Ensemble Acting at the 2013 LA Web Series Festival and digital media work including “Sh*t White Girls Say To Indian Girls” and “To Ashton Kutcher, Love Kimmy Patel.” Her TV credits include: “Empire,” “Crisis,” “Chicago Fire,” “Undercovers,” “CSI: Miami,” “Three Rivers,” “Miami Medical,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “All My Children,” “Valentine,” and the HBO pilot, “1%.”

The post Moving on with Geeta’s Guide appeared first on News India Times.

On September 3-4, the site of Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey was filled with sounds of the mantra-chanting swamis, bustling volunteers and chattering children. The two-day ceremonies were organized to celebrate the installation of the first marble pillar of Swaminarayan Akshardham Mahamandir.

The celebrations were organized by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the presence of their leader Mahant Swami, senior swamis, and devotees from around the world, a press release from the organization said.

The celebrations included a tour of the entire complex, the Vedic ceremony to install the first marble pillar, and devotional dances. “It’s a remarkable project, one that will enhance the cultural landscape of the state. However, what engages my emotional and spiritual understanding of this organization and the Akshardham Mahamandir are the selfless acts of service and sacrifice. I am just mesmerized by their dedication and commitment,” Palak Shah, one of the attendees is quoted saying in the press release.

On September 4, the first pillar was installed by Mahant Swami Maharaj. Blessing the assembly, he said, “Even our smallest service is considered as a great act of sacrifice by God. We pray that thousands of people may benefit from this Swaminarayan Akshardham Mahamandir, and may all those that come to visit attain peace and happiness.”

The Swaminarayan Akshardham Complex in Robbinsville, New Jersey will be home to a youth and spiritual activity center, a Hindu mandir, and a center for spiritual and social development.

On Sept. 2, on ekadashi, Mahant Swami Maharaj performed the Murti Pratishtha ceremony of Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj Abhishek Murti and inaugurated the Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj Abhishek Mandapam at the temple.

The Abhishek Mandapam houses the sacred image of Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj, the childhood form of the founder of this sect, Bhagwan Swaminarayan, who was born in Chhapaiya, Northern India, in 1781.

On Sept. 7, hundreds of devotees and well-wishers from across North America gathered on the banks of the Hudson River to witness the Asthipushpa Visarjan (holy ash dispersion ceremony) of Pramukh Swami Maharaj who died last year in Sarangpur on Aug. 13 at the age of 95. The ceremony was conducted his successor Mahant Swami Maharaj. The Ashthipushpa pujan prior to scattering the sacred ashes was performed by senior swamis led by Mahant Swami Maharaj.

During his lifetime, Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited U.S. fourteen times between 1974-2014. He visited New York 13 times, inaugurating the first BAPS Mandir in North America in New York in 1974. In 2014, he inaugurated the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, NJ. His ashes were scattered in the Hudson River, as an expression of gratitude and in commemoration of his longstanding ties with New Jersey and New York, BAPS said in its press release.

The post BAPS Temple holds installation of 1st pillar, Mandapam, and Visarjan in New Jersey appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK – On the 16^th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, some parts of New York City were sequestered into pockets of somber reflection of that terrible day when terror came screaming from the skies – the effect of which is now a permanent shroud of fear around the world of death striking from nowhere on a clear, beautiful, summer day, with the chill and smell of fall in the air.

Even as the city bustled with daily life, tourists laughed and jockeyed for positions to take photographs, office workers and students went about their business, politicians, police officers, and relatives of the 2,983 people killed on that fateful day gathered at Ground Zero, to remember, commiserate, vow, to keep the city safe again from another debilitating terror attack.

Those 2,983 people were killed not just in the attacks on the World Trade Center. They included also victims of attacks at the Pentagon, and on Flight 93 when it crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The annual ritual of reading of names of the victims – which started at 8:46 a.m. to commemorate the first attack on the north tower, and altogether took around three hours and 40 minutes to render – was punctuated with the tolling of bells to mark highlights of that tumultuous day: when a plane crashed into south tower and later when the tower collapsed, the hit on Pentagon, crash of flight 93, and the fall of the north tower.

In the evening, just after sundown on Monday, two giant towers of light comprising of 88 searchlights positioned into two squares to represent the twin towers, rose four miles into the sky from the September 11 Memorial & Museum’s ‘Tribute in Light’ art installation.

Some people came up with a different, charitable idea to mourn the day, which also signify a day of resolve to stay strong against the evils of terrorism: volunteers gathered at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and prepared meal packets for needy people.

President Donald Trump, in his speech, at Ground Zero, talked about the ongoing war against terror this millennium, with 7,000 Americans already having sacrificed their lives, since 9/11. He gave a stern warning to those who dare to commit atrocities against innocent people.

“We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary anywhere on this very large earth,” he said. “Today as we stand on this hollowed ground we are reminded of the timeless truth that when America is united no force on earth can break us apart.”

Elsewhere in the city, artists bent their mind to commemorate 9/11.

Iranian American artist Shiva Ahmadi’s metal works at the Leila Heller Gallery in Chelsea district of Manhattan, was a grim reminder of the times we live in, where shrapnel could come as easily from collisions engineered from planes or cars, or one could be blown to smithereens from even pressure cookers filled with nails and other sharp objects from daily paraphernalia, by terrorists; spray death in all directions.

Ahmadi’s two works, part of an group exhibition ‘Grisaille’, until September 20^th, comprise of two objects made from pressure cookers. On their outer surface are verses from the Quran etched in acid, which are recited by devout followers of Islam on their deathbed. There are holes blown in the pressure cookers. A closer look reveal innocuous – but deadly ‘weapons’ when used as a bomb – long nails, and other sharp objects. inside the hollow bed.

The scholar Talinn Grigor writes in her introduction to Ahmadi’s works: “Ahmadi’s painterly language transforms monkeys into despots, thrones into bigoted states, bubbles into bombs, paint into blood, and hospitality into global violence.”

Another exhibition, “Bravery & Sacrifice”, at John Jay College, has a series of paintings, sculpture and illustrations depicting the New York City Police department’s actions during 9/11. Reports said the works are from both the department’s headquarters and the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington. It will go on through the year, for four months.

At the Lincoln Center, a Discover India program was held by Viva Kultura, which, the organizers said, was to commemorate 9/11, to hope for peace in the world. A moment of silence was held before the commencement of cultural performances, by artists from 15 countries around the world, including an impressive dance troupe from Mumbai, Sankhya Dance Creations.

There were also displays of music, theatre, and martial arts.

(Sujeet Rajan is Executive Editor, Parikh Worldwide Media. Email him: sujeet@newsindiatimes.com Follow him on Twitter @SujeetRajan1)

The post Somber reflection, art, dance commemorate 9/11 appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK

The birth anniversaries of two spiritual luminaries, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj and Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, was celebrated on September 10 at the Science of Spirituality Meditation Center in Amityville, NY.

The Science of Spirituality sponsored a festival on this special occasion combining fun activities for the whole family, along with inspirational presentations to nourish the spirit.

The Darshan Mela festival has become a much-anticipated yearly event at the Amityville Science of Spirituality center. The outdoor festivities began with a range of fun activities. A free luncheon was served, consisting of a wide variety of vegetarian food stalls offering dishes from throughout the world.

An expansive spiritual bookstall and photo exhibition were on display. During the day, there were a variety of games, kids’ entertainment, rides and colorful face painting for the children. There was live music presented by the center’s own musical group. For the grown-ups there was a workshop on ethical living and meditation.

Science of Spirituality is a nonprofit, multi-faith organization that provides a forum for people to learn meditation, experience personal transformation, and bring about inner and outer peace and human unity.

Science of Spirituality is currently under the direction of Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, who is internationally recognized for his work toward inner and outer peace through spirituality, promoting inter-cultural and global understanding.

The Science of Spirituality Meditation Center holds programs weekly in multiple languages including English, Hindi and Spanish.

On Saturdays October 14th, November 11th and December 9th from 9:00am-2:00pm there will be Mini Retreats for creating a healthy lifestyle for body, mind and soul. There will be vegetarian cooking classes, stress reducing yoga and meditation workshops. On Tuesdays the Center will host a workshop series on meditation techniques that can foster greater peace, energy and wellbeing. This will take place on Tuesdays September 13th, 20th, October 3rd, 10th , 17th, 24th and 31st at 7:30pm.

On Saturday October 28th , 9:30 am-3 pm, the Center will be hosting an all day event entitled Living Healthy, Living Happy!~ A Day of Motivation, Inspiration & Spiritual Rejuvenation, with workshops on ways to de-stress, learn meditation, healthy eating and yoga. All are welcome.

Visit www.sos.org/location, for more information.

The post Darshan Mela held in Amityville for two spiritual luminaries appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK

Indian American designer Mac Duggal demonstrated why he is the go-to designer for the legion of fans of his glamorous, gorgeous, wearable dresses.

Held at the Angel Orensanz Center in Manhattan, the Mac Duggal New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Spring/Summer 2018 runway show was a celebration of body positivity.

This season Mac had plus and sample size reality stars who formerly have worn his creations on the red carpet walking the runway at NYFW alongside professional models.

Last season, Mac Duggal made headline news with his body positivity message by integrating regular and plus size models on the runway. After this news making campaign heard around the world, the Steve Harvey show took note and featured Mac Duggal himself in an episode this past May.

Reality stars Arissa Seagal (Growing Up Supermodel), Roxy Earle (Real Housewives of Toronto) and Niche Caldwell (married to football star Andre Caldwell) wowed in dresses that featured swirling fringe, 3-D embroidery on lace, off the shoulder looks, stylish pearl beading, and dramatic shades of lilac and blue.

Producers from Bravo, Lifetime, and E! networks all filmed the show and their respective reality stars whether on the runway or in the star studded crowd, presumably to be featured in upcoming episodes.

Many celebrities and influencers were spotted during the show as well, including Kelly Le Brock – Mother of Arissa Seagal and star of The Woman in Red; Aaliyah Rose – youngest contestant on The Voice; Carmen Carrera – trans model and activist; Asian Doll – rap artist; Jair Jurrjens- Dodgers baseball player and wife Kaylin; Halima Aden – Vogue model; Christina Mendez – international plus model; Kemetria Lily – social media influencer; Bianca Bonnie – American singer, and Sky Landish – “Love and Hip Hop” Star and fiance DJ Drewski.

The post Mac Duggal launches stunning new collection at NYFW appeared first on News India Times.