Regular SBS TV viewers will have noted that their promo jingle, “Six billion stories and still counting….” has now changed to “Seven billion….”, confirming the surge of our species to that figure, jumping by a billion in only 12 years.  Seven billion or more words may already have been spoken and written in the world’s media about how we got to this staggering number and how are we to manage our basic needs. From a mere 275 million in the year 1000, the world took close to 800 years to reach the first billion, and 123 years to get to the next billion in 1927. In the 50 years that followed, world population doubled to 4 billion and it took just 24 years to add another two billion in 1999.  At the current growth rate, global population is likely to touch 9 billion around 2040!

Past predictions

Understandably, policy planners and population experts are asking how the extra 80 million arriving every year should be fed. But raising the alarm on this issue is not new. As far back as 1798, six years before the world hit its first billion mark, Thomas Malthus, an English economist and priest, said that while food production increased arithmetically, population increased exponentially. The famous Malthusian theory is familiar to every student of economics, stating that the only recourse will be war, epidemics and famine that will bring the population to a sustainable level.  Since writing his dyspeptic theory the population surge has not ceased, despite millions perishing in periodic epidemics and frequent wars.

Exactly 170 years later, Stanford University’s Prof. Paul Ehrlich echoed the same views in his book Population Bomb, the most controversial book of its time. He wrote, “Hundreds of millions of people are going to starve to death in the ‘70s and ‘80s”.  His doomsday view of population explosion was largely influenced by what he saw during a taxi ride to his hotel in Delhi on his first visit. The very first paragraph in his book is emotive and explosive and, to some Indians, even offensive.  “The streets seemed alive with people. People eating, people sleeping, visiting, arguing,  … thrusting their hands begging. People defecating and urinating.  People, people, people .. since that night I have known the feel of overpopulation.”  That was when India’s population was 300 million, but now it is four times more at 1.2 billion. Since Independence, it has increased by 870 million, and at the current rate of growth, by 2030 India will have the dubious honour of the world’s most populated country with 1.53 billion people, overtaking China’s 1.46 billion. So, can India feed itself?

The fight for food

Prof Ehrlich’s apprehension may seem justifiable. During the 1960s,India was struggling to feed itself, with food aid from the US. He wrote, “America… hindered India’s agricultural development. Perhaps it gave too many Indians the impression that the US has an unlimited capacity to ship them food.”  Prof Ehrlich was dismissive of India’s efforts to address the issue writing, “Nowhere is hoping more of a habit than in the Indian government,” when commenting on an Indian official’s claim that India would be self-sufficient by 1971, at a ‘War on Hunger’ conference. Prof. Ehrlich drew support from another scholar, Dr Raymond Ewell.

William and Paul Paddock in their book Famine 1975 suggested that the US should employ a triage method based on military medicine, to prioritise nations under which only those countries that have some hope of survival could be helped. According to them, Pakistan was one such nation. However, India was placed in the ‘tragic’ category of nations that were far behind the population-food game, and that no amount of aid would help them attain self-sufficiency. India, they stated, “probably fell in this category and, under the triage system, should receive no more food.” Prof Ehrlich heartily endorsed his support for the Paddocks.

“India, belying Prof Ehrlich’s gloomier predictions, has managed to feed its growing millions by doubling its grain production from 65m tons in 1950 to 120m tons by 1980.”

Population control

Prof Ehrlich was also critical on the poor outcome of birth control measures in India at the time, although it was the first country in the world to pronounce a population policy as early as the mid-‘50s. In his book he envisaged that the superpowers of the US and Russia (then theUSSR) would withdraw all aid and influence from the Indian sub-continent, and India would fall apart into a large number of starving warring minor states. He forecasted other scenarios of doom, however as most of his predictions did not prove right, critics have branded him an alarmist.

India, belying Prof Ehrlich’s gloomier predictions, has managed to feed its growing millions by doubling its grain production from 65m tons in 1950 to 120m tons by 1980. Although many thousands would go hungry on any given day, death by starvation is seldom. India suffered many a great famine, the last being in 1944 when thousands died inBengal. It was said such a situation was caused by the British diverting food to their armies fighting World War II.

Today India’s food production is 234m tons, more than three and half times in 1950. It has also become an exporter, thanks to the ‘Green Revolution’ of the ‘70s, which caused a turnaround.  But will this growth be sustained and can India ensure food security to its future citizens?  China is already ensuring energy security by buying coal and uranium mines, and farmland in many parts of the world, including Africa and Australia.

“From a mere 275 million in the year 1000, the world took close to 800 years to reach the first billion, and 123 years to get to the next billion in 1927.”

A personal encounter

Prof Ehrlich visited Australia a few months ago to deliver a series of lectures at the Adelaide University, and I had the privilege to interview him then. Not only have none of his dire predictions about India come to pass, they have moved in a positive direction. I asked him how his observations then compared with India’s current situation.  Prof Ehrlich’s answer was that human ingenuity, science and technology had allowed us to borrow time to postpone the crisis; however, there could be limits to such factors given the current rate of over-consumption of resources resulting in faster degradation of environment. He restated the central theme of his lectures that for the human race to survive saying, “We need to change from a growth-oriented exploitative system to one based on conservation of the entire ecosystem. In our effort to feed more people, we plant strands of single grass and thus simplify the ecosystem. And the simpler the ecosystem, it becomes more unstable. This principle applies to every country including the US and India where degradation of water resources and overall environment should be of great concern.” This theme gets a good airing in the last pages of his controversial book too wherein he states, “Unlike people in many other cultures we (of the Christian belief) see man’s basic role as that of dominating nature rather than living in harmony with it”.

As the interview ended, I left with a feeling of comfort that what Prof Ehrlich had to say complies with the beliefs of what our ancient sages had said ages ago – respect and revere nature.

The holiday season is here again and the atmosphere is charged with good cheer. Most people are awaiting a relaxed, fun-filled interlude with family and friends. I say ‘most people’ as opposed to ‘everyone’, because there are some who dread the advent of the seasonal break and experience holiday blues during this time of the year.

The sad state

Holiday sadness really does exist and is very similar to depression. It could be brought about by a number of factors:  being alone when everyone else seems to be having a great time with their families and friends, feeling overwhelmed at the thought of all the work involved in getting celebrations off the ground, remembering loved ones who are no longer in our lives, remembering times when we were happier, thinking of ex-partners and family members with whom things have soured. All of these and many more reasons can contribute to a feeling of sadness and hopelessness. But the good news is that holiday blues are generally short-lived. They come and go with the festive season. It is also a fact that more people experience holiday depression during the December long holidays when Christmas, New Year and other celebrations come in quick succession. This can leave people over-stressed and anxious, resulting in them feeling down.

Here are some ways to combat holiday blues if you suffer from them, or put remedial measures in place for someone you know who may be a victim.

Share the workload

Many women and some men who take too much on and find out regretfully that there isn’t enough time to do it all on their own, feel overwhelmed during the holiday season. There’s shopping for gifts, shopping for the feast, cooking, cleaning, getting the house in order, looking presentable and organising a thousand other things. This can often shoot your stress levels through the roof, so the best thing to do is to delegate tasks to others, in addition to yourself.  Admit that you are not superhuman, let others share the workload and try to relax. Remember you’re on holiday too and deserve to enjoy this time just as much as the others. Keep in mind that ‘many hands make light work’ and you’ll cheer up.

Don’t overspend

Financial disorganisation is a big contributor to stress during and after the holiday period. Try not to stretch your budget too much and live within your means, because impressing others with gifts, parties and jewels you can ill afford is not worth the mental stress that will inevitably follow.

“Try not to stretch your budget too much and live within your means, because impressing others with gifts, parties and jewels you can ill afford is not worth the mental stress that will inevitably follow.”

Volunteer

There are many amongst us who have no family living in Australia and friends are often heading back home for the holidays. If you find yourself alone during the festive season, there’s no need to feel down. Try giving the gift of your time to some charity. Spend time serving the underprivileged, volunteer for visits to nursing homes and children’s charities. You can also try helping someone you know who might be struggling. Volunteering and helping others is guaranteed to put you in a good mood, as it is the best cure for holiday sadness.

Look after yourself

It is easy to neglect oneself in the humdrum of festivity, but if you suffer from seasonal sadness it is important to look after yourself. Avoid eating junk food, too many sugary treats and alcohol. Drinking plenty of water, exercising and eating right can lift your spirits, combat blues and make you feel better instantly.

Forgive and forget

Holding on to memories of past scuffles and unpleasant encounters leads to feelings of unhappiness. In order to heal yourself and move forward it is important to let bygones be bygones. Forgive those who’ve wronged you and forget the things that hurt you in the past. Forgiveness is a liberating experience that breaks the shackles of guilt and sorrow and sets the spirit free to be merry. Try it for yourself this year!

“Forgiveness is a liberating experience that breaks the shackles of guilt and sorrow and sets the spirit free to be merry.”

Mourn

If you’ve lost someone recently through death or breakup in relationship and you haven’t grieved properly, those suppressed emotions can come to fore during the festive season, making you feel blue. If that is the case, allow yourself the time to mourn, because once the grief is out of your system you’d be amazed how much lighter you feel.

Learn to say ‘no’

Setting realistic goals and pacing yourself properly, allowing enough resting time, can alleviate the symptoms of stress and depression. Sometimes depression is brought about by a feeling of not being in control where you feel obliged to do things you don’t really want to, like adhering to certain traditions for the benefit of family, inviting and visiting people you’d rather not, etc. In these circumstances it helps to just say ‘no’. It puts the power back in your hands and beats the feeling of helplessness.

So keep those feelings of dejection at bay this celebratory season by being assertive, looking after yourself and taking charge of your feelings.  Have a happy holiday season!

When Matt Kean travelled to India recently, he had an interesting meeting with Anurag Thakur.

Both in their 30s, Matt and Anurag are parliamentarians, having got into politics at a very young age. A first-time MP, Matt is the youngest member of the NSW Parliament, while Anurag is the youngest member of the Lok Sabha. Passionate about wanting to make a difference, they are both known for their youthful energy and charming personalities. The one aspect on which they differ though, is the number of people they represent: while Matt represents some 80,000 constituents inSydney’s Hornsby electorate, Anurag looks after the interests of nearly 1.5 million people in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur constituency.

The sheer number of people was the first thing that struck Matt Kean when he landed in New Delhi. “I was blown away by the volume of people,” he admitted. “Coming from a city of 5 million people, and from a country the population of which is born every year in India, it was a bit confronting! But the warmth and hospitality of the people soon put me at ease…”

Kean was in India in late October representing Australia at the Asian Forum on Global Governance. An annual workshop jointly organised by the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius and the Observer Research Foundation, the stated objective of this forum is to “provide an instructional and networking platform to discuss, debate and challenge conventional interpretations of the existing complex realities confronting communities and leaders”. It attracts young professional leaders from government, business and academics in the age group 28-35, from all over the world.

Kean was nominated by the Federal Government and was the only attendee from Australia.

“The conference was an interesting and worthwhile learning opportunity that helped greatly in my understanding of India,” Kean told Indian Link upon his return. “I learnt about the history and foreign policy objectives of the country, its challenges as well as ambitions”.

“I was in Amritsar during Diwali – having paid our respects at theGolden Temple, we watched the fireworks from the rooftop of a nearby building”.

It was a great fit for him particularly to take this on, he revealed. “In my electorate Indians form the fastest growing ethnic group – the 4^thlargest in terms of overseas birth place, and Hindi is our 5^th most spoken language. The Indian community in the area has made a huge contribution to business, education, indeed all walks of life. Admirably, they see themselves as Australians as well as Indians. And our community is all the more richer thanks to their contribution. I believe that my deeper understanding of India, now that I’ve seen it up close and personal, will allow me to better support the Indians in my area”.

Kean revealed that being a young MP gives him a fresh outlook on a number of issues.

“I’ve grown up with a number of Indian friends for example, and represent a new generation looking toward India”.

As such, he claims to understand the need for the country’s nuclear energy program.

“Everywhere I went the uranium issue was raised,” he revealed. “And I’m thrilled with the new development here in Australia”.

He agreed that the relationship between the two countries has not been healthy.

“The Oz brand was significantly damaged by the students’ issue. I did my best to break down the barriers by portraying us as a safe and worthwhile place as a travel as well as an education destination”.

Kean’s 10-day tour of Delhi saw him meet with various government and business officials, but he also got an opportunity to go out and about. Harry Harinath, the chief of Cricket NSW who was in Delhi at the time, took him to see the India-England test match.

“There’s nothing more Aussies enjoy, than to see England defeated in cricket – so it turned out to be a day of great fun for me”.

After the conference, Matt managed to pack in a visit to Agra,Amritsar, Chandigarh and Mumbai.

“I visited historical and religious sites. Friends from Sydney, Pradeep Singh Gill and Gurdip Singh (of the North Shore Sikh Association), toured with me. I was in Amritsar during Diwali – having paid our respects at the Golden Temple, we watched the fireworks from the rooftop of a nearby building. That was truly spectacular -  they made the New Year fireworks in Sydney look like child’s play, I’d never seen anything like it!”

Having experienced the culture first hand, Matt Kean hopes now to be able to use his knowledge to do his job better – and that includes not only dealing with his Indian-origin constituents, but also engaging with a country that is gradually exerting its power at the world stage

“I am not a man, I am an idea.”

Listen to Sukhdeep Bhogal speak, and you’ll know immediately he is far from your everyday aspiring musician.

If you haven’t heard of him yet, don’t worry, you will, in the very near future. But chances are, you’ll know of this up-and-coming hip hop artist by his stage name L-FRESH – The LION.

That’s because, as he states confidently, “Your labels cannot define me”. Perhaps the best way of describing him is the acronym which he has attributed to his name, FRESH.

“Forever Rising, Exceeding Sudden Hardships. That is how I define ‘FRESH’. It is an idea that I live by,” says Sukhdeep.

Hero of hip-hop

Hip-hop as a culture originated in the 1970s throughout Afro-American and Latino communities in New York City, with Afrika Bambaataa, one of the American DJs accredited with the development of the culture, outlining four main pillars of hip-hop: MC-ing (Microphone Controller; not to be confused with Master of Ceremonies), DJ-ing, breakdancing and graffiti writing. Hip-hop music first emerged when DJs started creating rhythmic beats simply by looping breaks, or small portions of songs that emphasised a percussive pattern, on two turntables. Later on, spoken word, now known as ‘rap’ was added, as well as beatboxing. Over the course of history, these few elements and many more have experienced a host of changes and refinements, and today hip-hop is a medium through which powerful statements of any kind of political, spiritual and cultural nature can be made.

“As a young Sikh breaking the mould and not conforming to predefined societal norms, Sukhdeep has fulfilled his own philosophy.”

More than a musician

As a young man who is also popular for his MC skills and his passionate speeches, having spoken at a number of different conventions including the recent Amnesty International meet, it is no surprise that Sukhdeep conveys his thoughts on the hip-hop genre with such insight.

“Hip-hop is a beautiful culture,” says Sukhdeep. “It values peace, love, unity, and having fun. It promotes community. And it encourages youth to express themselves positively. Hip-hop speaks to me. And through hip-hop, I am able to give back to the community”.

“For me, the lyrics are the soul of a hip-hop song,” he adds. “They are the meditations of a writer who sat in a moment of time, trying to capture a thought, a mood or a feeling. I continue to work at my writing. It is the foundation upon which I build”.

Lyric writing in and of itself is a craft, he notes, adding that he values it immensely.

“I think we may be losing a generation of great writers as we tend to focus a lot more on the beat these days. But with that said, there are many great writers out there…”.

His songs are as much about love as they are about war, about hunger and about the power of peace.

In Breaking Me Down, for example, he sings,

Sometimes I can’t bring myself to understand why

How they can let a man die without a cause and stand by

Their decision to apply armed forces and ally

With a nation that’s fighting for an oil supply

Man, it’s breaking me down.

A budding career

At the age of 16, Sukhdeep first started performing for audiences, taking part in a local community gig in Campbelltown called Fisher’s Gig.  “My main musical influence at the time was Tupac Shakur. But otherwise, my biggest inspiration was my parents. They instilled in me a strong work ethic and self-belief”. It is clear that from an early age, he had a very strong foundation laid for him.

“Sukhdeep encourages youth to realise their own innate capacity, and provides them with the skills to adapt, change and participate in the community around them.”

Sukhdeep has gone on tour with hip-hop biggie Nas as well as having shared the stage with some big artists, including Public Enemy, Xzibit, and Australian hip-hop artists Urthboy, Phrase and Astronomy Class, amongst a host of others.

As a young Sikh breaking the mould and not conforming to predefined societal norms, Sukhdeep has fulfilled his own philosophy. His soft-spoken nature and gentle mannerisms strike you immediately, with none of the loud clothes and flashy jewelery that others of his ilk sport. “Whoever said that we must conform to fit an image in order to be successful in the music industry, was wrong,” he states vehemently. “That is a lie. There is no substitute for hard work and hunger. Those experiences proved that to me. I performed and presented myself as I am, not as someone I am not. And I believe people see that for what it is, and respect that”.

Sharing his vibe

Besides becoming well-known as a hip-hop artist/producer, Sukhdeep is also the Programs Co-ordinator at the Street University in Liverpool. This is a drop-in centre for marginalised youth, where volunteers create and carry out a variety of development programs for young people challenged in some way.

Sukhdeep encourages the youth here to “realise their own innate capacity”, and provides them with the skills to adapt, change and participate in the community around them. This positive attitude and willingness to help others learn epitomises Sukhdeep as a person, and is reflected in the success he is enjoying with his music. “I have received a lot of support from the Indian and the Sikh community. I feel very blessed. I think people of all walks of life will always support something or someone that provides them with positive energy. So I always aim to keep spreading that positivity.”

So what lies ahead for this extremely talented and hugely motivated young man? “I will go as far as music takes me,” he says enthusiastically. “I’m working on a number of projects at the moment to continue from my EP Waiting, which I released this year. I’m putting together a solo compilation album of songs I’ve completed over the years but never released, for December this year. I’m also working on my debut album for next year. My castle is in the sky. I’m just building the staircase so that I can get there”.

L-FRESH has just a few words of advice for budding artists, but it is advice that extends universally. “Find out what drives you. Understand your hunger. Question it. Critique it. Then hold it close to you and never let go. That is what will keep you going”.

Naazmi Johnston was born in 1988 to an Australian father and Maldivian mother. Her mother happened to be a huge fan of Shabana Azmi’s and wanted to name her daughter after the legendary actress. Unfortunately she wasn’t a huge fan of the name “Shabana”, and Azmi is a man’s name, so she came up with the name “Naazmi” to incorporate her favourite actress’s name in her daughter’s name! Naazmi followed her older sisters into rhythmic gymnastics. She started training at the tender age of 8 and went on to become one of the most accomplished in the sport in Australia.

“I was always in the gym waiting for my sisters to finish training and eventually I started to join in. My eldest sister Shaneez actually went to the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia and won two silver and two bronze medals. She trained with the same coaches as me, so it has always been good to have someone that understands what you’re going through when training is tough!”

Her days involved rigorous training and gruelling routines but the result was spectacular.

“A normal training week would usually involve training 6 days a week for 5 hours a day.  Closer to competitions these hours would often increase. Training was definitely hard work! There were always sessions where nothing would work and you felt like giving up, but when you get to represent your country at competitions like the Commonwealth and Olympic Games the hours you put in are definitely worth it.  My family had to support me a lot especially when I was a younger gymnast and could not drive myself around. I used to go to morning training and this involved getting to the gym at 6:30am. My mum has five children and she has always shown each of us an immense amount of support. I can truly appreciate the time she spent driving all of us around to our various extracurricular activities.”

Naazmi has represented Australia in four World Championships, two Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Ranked 22nd in the 2008 Olympics, she says it was quite daunting to compete withRussia and China who specialize in this art. She has been the National Champion 8 times and  received a bronze medal at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games in the team competition.  She achieved the best result of any Australian rhythmic gymnast at the 2010 World Championship in Russia, where she was placed 30th overall.

The Commonwealth Games held in Delhi 2010 brought her the highest accolades. She brought home 3 gold medals and 2 silver medals! One can only imagine the sense of pride felt by her parents and family who had flown in from all directions of the world to support her. Shabana Azmi herself would be proud to acknowledge that a person that talented and hard working was named after her.

“Delhi was an amazing experience. One of the things that I enjoyed most at the event were the volunteers. They were so lovely to talk to and would go out of their way to make sure you were ok. It was funny because most of the volunteers that I met would tell me that I looked Indian! The crowd was fabulous. The stadium for gymnastics was huge and the crowd knew how to cheer! As a gymnast this definitely helps your performance.  It’s easier to perform when the crowd is enjoying what you are doing. I can honestly say that competing in Delhi was one of the most exciting experiences for me and something I will never forget.”

Naazmi’s most recent performance was with the Meriden Rhythmics group at Australia‘s Got Talent. The girls wowed everyone with their exciting moves and amazing choreography. All the judges were blown away by their act including the very skeptical Kyle Sandilands who thought it would be a bunch of ribbons flying around till he actually saw what they were all about! The Meriden girls and Naazmi thrilled their audience right up to the semi finals before being eliminated.

“Australia’s Got Talent was a fun experience. The pressures are very different to a normal gymnastics competition in the way that it is a group performance so you don’t want to make an error because you feel as though you are letting the team down. Also the show was live so you didn’t want to do anything to embarrass yourself… We didn’t really get to talk to the judges very much but while we were backstage with them they always said nice things about our act. We were very happy with our performances, there were no disasters and I feel we represented the sport well. Being back stage was pretty fun too. We got to talk to all the different performers on the show and hear their stories. It was also exciting to get our costumes made and hair and makeup done for the show. The costumes were a very rushed job and we were actually sewn into them, they had to cut them off at the end of the performance!”

Why then has this immensely talented young girl retired at 22?

“I stopped competing in Rhythmics after Delhi. In the months before, I trained with the goal of winning the All Round medal at Delhi. Once I achieved my goal, I was very happy to finish training! Competing internationally requires rigorous training and it’s nice to give my body a rest. I am happy to have ended on a high. I’m still coaching and I get to do displays so I feel like I haven’t really left the sport.”

Naazmi is currently coaching at the Meriden, Ravenswood and Abbotsleigh Rhythmic Gymnastics Centres and working with Gymnastics NSW.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has been in the news recently, thanks to a corruption scandal splashed across the front pages of newspapers throughout the country. According to reports, two currency firms overseen by the Reserve Bank funnelled bribes to government officials in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, to win banknote deals. Securency and Note Printing Australia are partly and wholly owned (respectively) by the RBA, and many prominent political figures sat on the boards of the two companies.

This scandal, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Other aspects of the RBA are equally shady, but are rarely exposed to public scrutiny. A new book by investor Chris Leithner, The Evil Princes of Martin Place: The Reserve Bank of Australia, the Global Financial Crisis and the Threat to Australians’ Liberty and Prosperity, documents in detail the nefarious schemes of Australia’s central bank.

Leithner is an adherent of the Austrian School of Economics, which argues that central banks are behind the boom-bust cycle that characterises modern economies. They are, in other words, the culprit responsible for recessions and depressions. By controlling the overnight cash rate (the rate at which banks borrow from the central bank), the Reserve Bank is able to control the money supply and thereby influence interest rates. This sets in motion a process that influences the rate of interest on housing loans, deposits and business loans.

When interest rates are kept artificially low, distortions in the structure of production, excessive borrowing and speculation are the result. The central bank’s loose money policies mislead investors into starting projects that appear profitable, but in hindsight are not. The crash comes because investors foolishly think that the boom will last, and leverage them too highly, as they were not prudent in their accumulation of debt.

This, in a nutshell, is the Austrian theory of the business cycle. According to this view, economic downturns are the price paid for prior (artificial) credit expansion.

We find evidence of this in the United States, when the Chairman of the Federal Reserve – Alan Greenspan – kept the federal funds rate at an absurdly low 1% from June 2003 till June 2004. Many attribute the resulting housing bubble to Greenspan’s suppression of rates.

In Australia, Leithner shows that the RBA also started an artificial boom. Leithner shows that from 1991-2007, the money supply rose rapidly. By Leithner’s reckoning, inflation (the M1 measure) increased by 404%, at an annualised compound rate of 10.2%. As in the US, much of the credit created by the Reserve Bank was pumped into the housing market, creating an asset price bubble. Stock prices were inflated.

For Leithner, however, the bust has not yet arrived – hence the reason why the Australian recession was not as severe as its American counterpart. Australian house prices remain overvalued and have not dropped to more realistic levels.

The role played by central banks in fostering monetary instability leads Leithner to question whether we need a central bank at all. It’s not a crazy question! For much of Australia’s history, there was no central bank. Private banks issued currencies and there was little government regulation of the banking sector.

In an environment of global financial instability that many argue is caused by central banking, it is worth asking serious questions about these institutions. Most central banks are highly secretive about their activities. For instance, the Reserve Bank did not even publish minutes of board meetings until December 2007.

There is a fundamental democratic principle involved here. Why should central banks, which are staffed by unelected bureaucrats, wield such a high level of discretionary power? Shouldn’t there be more democratic oversight of these money mandarins who have so much influence over our living standards?

We have seen what happens when central banks are left unchecked. In Zimbabwe, for example, hyperinflation has crippled the purchasing power of the currency. Prices in the African country rise at an extremely rapid pace, over 50% per month. Nobody is suggesting that a catastrophe of that nature is likely to befall Australia. But Zimbabwe is a reminder of the awesome power that central bankers wield, and should prompt us to improve accountability and search for less discretionary ways to manage money and banking.

Daan is an act of selfless giving. Jeevan Daan is a “gift of life”. Organ donation may be defined as taking healthy organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another. The organs that can be donated include: internal organs such as the kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs; bone and bone marrow; skin, cornea (eye); donation of tissues such as heart valves, bone tissue, skin, eye and pancreas tissue.

The Bhagawad Gita (Chapter 2.25) clearly suggests that we should not  ‘grieve for the body’ which has a preordained time and date of expiry, after which it has no use and must be disposed of.  The obvious message is that if there are ways in which the unused body and its parts can be available to provide or renew life elsewhere, it would tantamount to a ‘gift of life’ to another human being.

Facts and figures

All religions prevalent in India do not prevent the donation of body parts.  Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam propagate the nobility of saving lives by virtuous deeds of those who value life. Yet the facts and statistics provide clear evidence of a very poor record of organ/cadaver donation by India and Indians – a minuscule 0.05 per million of population.  It compares unfavourably with 14 per million organ donations in Australia and 25 per million in the United States of America . In India , the Transplantation of Human Organs Act was passed in 1994, but it has not narrowed the gap between demand and supply of donated organs.  96% of Australians agree that an organ and tissue donation has the potential to save lives, but only 60 % of the families give consent for donation to proceed. By State, New South Wales lags behind the rest of Australia for the rate per million, as per recent statistics from the Donor Registry.

A desperate need

Given that the demand for donated organs is likely to grow due to an increasing incidence of obesity and lifestyle diseases like Diabetes Type 2, organ donation must become an altruistic, egalitarian and essentially moral act to enable the supply of donated organs to be abundant to meet the needs of the future. Australia is a classic case because it has a world-class reputation of successful transplant outcomes.

Recent advances in medicine and surgery have undoubtedly served to create awareness amongst the masses that many more lives can be saved by organ transplants, but there is a severe shortage of donors.  There is a crying need to remove the myths and misconceptions associated with organ donations by the living, as much as by those who are dead (known as cadaver donations).  Since sustenance of organ transplants cannot succeed without majority participation and support of the community, it is important to explore all the avenues and remove the stumbling blocks so that budding donors feel at ease when making a decision to donate.

Mythbusting

Some of the myths listed below have a corresponding reality check that we need to be aware of:

Myth: “It is against my religion”

Reality:  In addition to religious beliefs listed above in India , Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism have thrown their faith behind freedom of organ donation.

Myth: “I am too old to donate”

Reality: There is no age bar to donating organs. Even people in their late 70s and 80s are suitable, if they meet the medical criteria. Let doctors decide suitability if you are willing to give someone a gift of life.

Myth: “Where is the guarantee that my donation will go to people who need it the most”

Reality: The rich and famous are not given any priority when allocating organs. An organ donor register is maintained by qualified professionals, and Australia has strict ethical guidelines about allocation of organs and tissue.

Myth: “Minority communities are discriminated against due racial considerations”

Reality: Organs are matched by several factors such as blood group and tissue typing, but racial considerations are strictly ruled out.

Myth: “I am an organ recipient, can I be a donor?”

Reality: Organ recipients may not be tissue donors due to the immunosuppressive drugs that are administered, but the eligibility of donating healthy organs is decided by the medical team.

Myth: “I don’t wish to tell my family about my willingness, and I will write it in my will”

Reality: By the time the will is read, it will be too late to recover any organs. It is best to discuss and agree with the family and registering as a donor if your wish needs to be carried out properly.

Myth: “If I register to donate my eyes only, will they take any other healthy organs as well?”

Reality: You may specify which organs you want donated. Your wishes will be complied with.

Myth: “If I agree to be an organ donor, wouldn’t the doctors be in a haste to remove my organs without taking the best measures to prolong my life, since organs are in short supply?”

Reality: When you go to the hospital, doctors are focussed on giving you the best treatment.  The transplantation group of doctors usually has nothing to do with removal of healthy organs as this job is assigned to a specialist doctor who matches your organ donated to a particular need with the medical characteristics of your organ.

Myth: “If I become a donor, would my body be mutilated to prevent normal life thereafter?”

Reality: Most eligible donors are able to carry on with their normal life, without any outward manifestation of the removed organ. Organs removed immediately after death do not show any outward signs of removal and a normal funeral is usually possible. You may still become a donor if you smoke, wear glasses, drink alcohol or regularly take medication.

how should I donate ?

* One organ and tissue donor could help save and improve the quality of life of up to 10 pople.

* Organ transplants transform lives and are the best possible treatment for people with organ failure. Currently there are approximately 2,000 people on transplant waiting lists around Australia , and hundreds of people die each year while waiting for an organ transplant.

Kidney failure can mean up to eight hours a day on a dialysis machine; heart or lung failure can leave people struggling to walk, and with liver failure, the patient is tired, bloated and could develop jaundice.

* Another important reason to think about donation and make your decision known is because less than one per cent of people die in such a way that organ donation is medically possible.

* One of the main reasons families say ‘no’ is because they are unaware of their loved one’s wishes. ?Still, too few people think about donation or discuss it with their partner, family or friends. A simple discussion about your decision could mean ten lives could be dramatically changed.

India celebrated its first organ donation day in Nov. 2010 to create awareness among its people. The country now recognizes the concept of brain death which makes it possible to donate the organs of brain dead donors as per the Transplantation Act, 1994. The Indian diaspora in Australia have never openly debated this issue, but it is commendable that the Sydney-based Indian Welfare Association with the cooperation of the Australian Government is soon bringing together the Indian community at a forum where medical experts, senior officials of the Organ and Tissue Authority and Sri Vasudevacharya (a senior disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati), who will talk about religious perspectives.

It is to be hoped that the efforts of Indian Welfare Association will create new thinking and open a vista for organ donation.

Violinist L Subrahmaniam

Dr L Subramaniam is no stranger to Adelaide music aficionados, having performed previously at the prestigious Adelaide Festival and the popular outdoor Womadelaide event.

His performance at the Adelaide University’s Elder Hall on July 27 drew a capacity crowd, even though it was mid-week in mid-winter. The century-old hall of the University’s conservatorium, with its impressive interior modelled  after the Middle Temple in London, provided a rarefied ambience. And the three-manual organ stretching from floor to ceiling surrounded by polished timber panels formed a magnificent backdrop to the softly-lit dais from where the violinist virtuoso and his handsome son performed a two-hour concert with consummate skill.

Reviewing the concert, Sharada Murali adds: It was an awesome display of technique, when the “violin chakravarty”, as Dr L Subramaniam is fondly called, held durbar with his prince. The concert was a capricious blend of south Indian carnatic music and masterful technique.  He accepts neither grammar nor boundaries and treats the rules of the raga with unfettered freedom or some disdain – depending on one’s view – as he plays with the notes and takes the listener on a skyrocketing adventure.

Ably supporting his father, Ambi Subramaniam matched the maestro’s music, note for note and stroke for stroke. A word of advice – even if uncalled for – to the youngster: he will be well served if he invents his own style and rhythm, so as not to be seen as his father’s replica.

The duo was well supported by Satya Sai on the morsing and moderately by Trichi Mohan on the mridingam.

The concert started with an exploration and elaboration of the pentatonic scale, abogi. Pentatonic scales have a mysterious pleasant effect on the listener. They followed the alapana with a composition of the maestro himself, a prayer to Lord Ganesha. The song included neraval and a swara kalpana, where they explored every possible interpretation and expression of the five notes in the scale.

The due later moved on to a very elaborate ragam, tanam, pallavi. Dr Subramaniam did a brief foray in the Gowri Manohari scale, and then moved to the slightly more rhythmic tanam.  Ambi stepped in to change the scale.

There was a divided opinion about this second raga. Could it be vachaspati or latangi? There was no announcement at the end of the song, so this will remain a mystery unless someone steps in to dispel the doubts.

The last part of the ragam tanam pallavi was the mellifluous jog. Here they retained the textbook phrases of jog while flooding the audience with various expressions of the ragam.  It was a fitting finale to the two hour concert.

However, a few small things reduced the enjoyment of the concert. The main percussion, mridangam was not very audible. The main mike of the evening seemed to be switched off for a short while. In spite of these hitches, the audience were totally mesmerised by the music, and the artistes received a heartfelt standing ovation.

Khalid Ally glows with pride as he describes his latest toy – a Yak 54.

“It’s a Russian made aerobatic sports plane. I’ve fitted a 55cc engine on to it and it roars beautifully as it flies”.

Ally acquired it six months ago as an ARF (‘almost ready to fly’) and assembled it himself, fitting in the engine and radio.

He flies it at his local aeromodelling club, the Peninsula Aeronautical Radio Control Society (PARCS) in Carrums Down, Melbourne.

The Yak is one of 23 other model planes in Ally’s collection. The flying machines have taken over the garage at his Rowville home, while the car lives outside.

Antique models

“Some of my models are antique aeroplanes, made before 1938,” he reveals. “I am also a member of the Society of Antique Modellers (SAM), a group of ‘old-timers’ who love their free-flight models. In older times, we would fly them and then race after them on bicycles to see where they’d landed… but now we have radios fitted on to them so we can get them to land where we want to”.

And how often do the machines get an airing?

“It all depends on what the mood is in the morning!” Khalid laughs. “Some of the older ones, I’ll take out the day before and recharge batteries etc. For some that I know I will not be flying for some time, I’ll put some after-run engine oil and store away carefully”.

The 68-year-old ex Indian Air Force officer (he retired in 1988 as Wing Commander) has been passionate about planes for as long as he can remember.

“I built my first plane in 1948 as a 5 year old…” he recalls fondly. “…with some pieces of balsawood I’d stuck together!”

He grew up with planes, given his father was an aeronautical engineer.

“My father flew planes in the UK between 1928 and 1932. Then he came back to India and became inspector of aerodromes. My older brother, who passed away recently, was equally passionate about flying. He joined the Indian Air Force. He was my mentor in many ways, and I followed him into the Air Force”.

War fighter

As a fighter pilot, Khalid saw action in two of India’s wars.

“In the 1965 war, I was attached to the Indian Army, supporting them on access to Lahore. In 1971 though, I was in the midst of all the action in the eastern sector, even flying into Bangladesh territory. I flew a Gnat Mark 1, performing escort duties for attacking planes. I also made some strafing sorties and launched light rocket attacks on small movements on the ground. I was present at the ultimate surrender at Dhaka… my brother was there too”.

Although some forty years have passed, Khalid remembers the two wars vividly.

“They were what I had trained so many years for, and it was great to be able to put it all in practice and do my bit for the country”.

Soon after, Khalid became Chief Flying Instructor at the Air Force’s training academy. It was in this position that a downturn in health occurred – Khalid suffered a heart attack in 1986 and underwent bypass surgery the following year. Grounded from flying, Khalid opted for premature retirement.

“My wife and I settled in Noida in Delhi, but her family had already migrated to Australia. We decided to put in our migration papers as well, so as to join them”.

Migration to Australia

The Ally family arrived here in 1992.

And although he hasn’t flown since, he has been in small aircrafts many times with friends.

Following his passion for aeromodelling, was but natural.

“It was much easier here to procure equipment than in India,” he stated. “And by then my son Daud, an electrical engineering student, was hooked as well, so we became involved in a major way”.

They joined the aeromodelling club PARCS, and Khalid even served some years on its executive.

Khalid has even flown competitively. “Many clubs around Melbourne hold competitions, and then there are some good ones I go to at Bendigo, Ballarat and Canoundra. The competitions are all professionally conducted and we decide a year in advance based on the calendar of events which ones we will go to”.

Another aspect of it all that Khalid is passionate about is his role as instructor.

He is registered with the MAAA (Model Aeronautical Association of Australia), the governing body for aeromodelling in this country, as a qualified instructor.

“I have ‘students’ of all ages. One current enthusiast is 65, and recovering from cancer. His family presented him with a glider and he came to me keen to learn. I am quite pleased to report now that he has a fair degree of competency – and it is a pleasure to see him enjoy his time out on the field”.

Khalid’s own son Daud has kept up his interest in aeromodelling as an adult.

“He is very good, I must say,” Khalid says of him. “And what is very satisfying for me, is that my three grandchildren are also all involved. Especially the youngest, 5-year-old Aaliya – she seems a natural! At a recent demonstration for the Indian Senior Citizens’ Club ISCA, she flew her helicopter so beautifully that even I was surprised. Twelve-year-old Fauzia and 10-year-old Ashraf are also good”.

As an instructor, Khalid is keen to see more youngsters take up the sport. “I’d like to see this continue on into the next generation, and grow even stronger. So I’m very keen to have more youngsters introduced to it”. Surely, there’s no bigger feeling for a teacher than to see his students soar.

I don’t know about you but my life seems like an endless rollercoaster ride, slows, heaves, spins and spirals out of control, but never stopping long enough for me to take a breather. Out of all the myriad moods, emotions, locations that this rollercoaster transcends, one of the most cherished days for me is raksha bandhan. A simple ornament of promise tied around the wrist of my brother as a celebration of shared trust, affection and bond.

There are several historical stories on Rakhi and its origin, however the one that I remember clearly is the legend of Alexander and Porus (Puru). Among all the mythological references, this story was recorded in history as a true event. It refers to the time when India was invaded by the Greeks in 326 BC. King Alexander’s wife Roxana (Roshank) was of Indian descent, and Alexander married her to cement his relations with the new Central Asian regions.

On the way to Takshshila, Alexander had a fierce battle with Ashwakas but managed to defeat them. On reaching Takshshila, he entered into an alliance with King Ambhi. The neighboring King Puru was Ambhi’s enemy. Ambhi had planned to destroy Puru using Alexander. Several other rulers also pitched in to help Alexander. 
Roxana was aware of King Puru’s fierce wrath and approached him. She tied a rakhi on him, and Puru accepted her as his own sister and welcomed her with warmth. During the war between Puru and Alexander, the latter fell from his horse and Puru was almost about to kill him. But he remembered the oath made to his sister, through the bond of rakhi tied on his wrist. He refrained from slaying Alexander and ultimately lost the battle.

This story is a true example of the sacrifices made by a brother to protect his sister. Roxana was not related to Puru by blood. Yet the thread of rakhi was enough for him to protect his sister’s life and love – and by doing so, he lost everything. This is the chronicled significance of this festival of raksha bandhan. Life, love or property, a brother sacrifices all for his sister. Today in the age of computers and the internet, the celebration of raksha bandhan has proved to be an adept mechanism in strengthening the country’s social bondage with its age-old traditions and beliefs. The pujas and the rituals that are performed on this day aptly uphold the sacrosanct values and norms associated with this festival.

As a result of increased globalisation, many Indians have migrated to various parts of the world. Settling abroad comes with its own set of challenges, the foremost being unable to celebrate festivals with the same fervor and rituals as was possible in India.  This has in no way diminished the desire for brothers and sisters to mark this important festival with their own variation of traditional bonding. While time and distance can cause difficult barriers, technology can mitigate its effect by facilitating quick messaging and gifting.

In my 15 years in Australia I have seen and heard many interesting variations of how people celebrate raksha bandhan. Like my friend who used to offer Ferrero Rocher chocolates instead of laddoos with her pooja thali as they ‘kind of look alike and are both sweet’ or another one who ties a rakhi to her husband every year because his sister lives overseas. Here are some stories of this festival which celebrates the lasting bond between brother and sister.

A sense of culture…and sweets!

For us, rakhi is our way of getting our son and daughters to bond closer together. It is the family connection that we want our children to keep alive as they grow up. We have tried to look at where the concept of rakhi started, and celebrating all the festivals is our way of giving our children a sense of culture – their culture. My kids really enjoy rakhi and participate in it with enthusiasm. The best part is everyone in the family is happy – the girls get a present from their loving brother and my son…well he just looks forward to the sweets!

Sushil Bedi

Homemade, from the heart

A large yellow sponge cut out in the shape of a flower, with a shiny Bollywood pink cardboard Ganeshji stuck on top, stitched precariously onto the middle of a flimsy golden cord.

That was the design of the rakhis on offer, in my first year here. It was over twenty years ago, and as a brand new bride who had left her family behind, I was homesick as hell. On my first Rakshabandhan in Australia, I couldn’t believe I would miss my two brothers this much. Still, I couldn’t send them the yellow monstrosity for rakhi – not even as payback for all the fights we had had over the years.

Oh well, I thought, I’ll just make my own rakhis, and walked into Lincraft. A few ribbons and ribbon roses later, I had two beautiful rakhis carefully taped onto the front of two blank greeting cards, and wrote a line in each: “I pray that all your dreams may come true”. So what if the rakhi looks different, I thought, both boys will understand. And next year, hopefully, the Indian stores here will have some better designs.

As it turns out, both brothers loved those rakhis – and I have never sent them store-bought once since, except for that one year when my second child was born and I barely had enough time to breathe. Some years, I’ve stitched on tiny glass beads in place of ribbon roses, that is, whenever I have been a bit better organized to do this well in advance.  But the rakhi line inside the cards has remained the same, for two reasons: one, I figure I can be myself with my brothers and have no need to ‘act’ or impress; and two, I mean those words from the bottom of my heart.

The number of ribbon rakhis have now increased from two to seven, with my daughter sending out her wishes to her cousin-brothers in various parts of the world.

For one of my brothers who was in the Indian Air Force, it was hard to keep track of all the change in addresses as he moved from posting to posting. One time, as he got ready to serve 9 months in Sudan as part of the UN Peace Keeping Force, I said to him, where shall I post your rakhi? He thought for a moment and said, “We’ll talk on the phone or email on the festival, don’t post me anything”.

Soon after, I heard a rakhi special on Indian Link Radio. One frequent listener Subhadra Moudgal had rung in with her own rakhi story. Subhadraji, with her gentle voice and sensible thoughts, was everyone’s ‘mother figure’ in Indian Link Radio’s world. “I just tie my rakhi onto Ganeshji’s wrist in my home mandir,” Subhadraji revealed on air. “And I hope he carries my wishes to my brother.”

I tied my own rakhi that year on Ganeshji’s wrist – and prayed he would carry my wishes to Sudan.

Ganeshji has a change of rakhi every year at my home.

Rajni Luthra

A symbol of affection

I am an only child, and till I was 16, I tied a rakhi on my father. Unfortunately he passed away very young in his life, and I started tying a rakhi on my maternal grandfather. I continued that practice for many years, and at the festival I felt a paradox of emotions, sweetness tinged with a little sadness. I missed my dad but my grandfather more than made up for my loss. He had no sisters and he got involved in this ritual of rakhi only after I started tying it to him. We both looked forward to the day.

I made sure that I put a lot of thought into my gifts for grand-dad. I saved for days to buy him something nice. I remember he used to pull my leg about it and every day prior to rakhi he would ask me how my savings were going and we would share a laugh over my often-pathetic efforts to skimp and save. While I was delighted with the rakhi money that he gifted me every year I still remember the warmth of his hugs that were more precious and priceless to me.

Since migrating to Australia I make sure I tie rakhis on my two sons who do not have a sister. I feel that the real essence of rakhi is that it is symbolic of love, affection and being there for each other. It does not have to be restricted to a brother and sister relationship, it can work for any special connection you may have in life. It reiterates a sense of belonging, which is very precious.

In our house the puja is not elaborate other than offering a note of thanks to God; in any case my two boys are more interested in the sweets than the path-puja. As for me, I look forward to the Turkish delights I get every year from them, as they are my favourite chocolates. Rakhi in our family is a give and take of affection.

Jyotika Singh

Making it modern

It is interesting how the celebration of rakhi has changed with our lifestyle. I remember in India I tied rakhi to my only sibling early in the morning on an empty stomach, as was the ritual. We then broke the fast with a sweet. I am fortunate to have my brother migrate to Australia soon after I did, and we still continue the tradition albeit with some modernisation or shall I call it ‘convenieinisation.’ We pick a nice restaurant to eat in and I take a scarf along with me to cover my head (have to follow some traditions), a box of his favourite chocolates and a gift. As he is golf mad his rakhi gift is predictably related to golf, no surprises there. As he often tells me I am solely responsible for his nice little coffee table collection of golf books and guides.

Every rakhi when we are too busy to celebrate at home or if it falls on a weekday, we try to find a restaurant where our little ritual is not drowned in the din of cutlery and noises from a busy place. Last year for example, I chose a Chinese Sichuan style restaurant where they have a hot pot that everyone can share and cook the ingredients for their soup together. It was a fun way to bond with family, as our entire kith and kin rocked up for the event. Huddled together around our communal hot pot we shared more than just a meal we dipped into the affection that glues families together. I am a true believer of the phrase ‘blood is thicker than water’. Tying a rakhi to my brother just reiterates that faith.

Preeti Jabbal

Rakhi for me!

Raksha bandhan brings back so many fond memories for me. I remember when I was little, I got really upset that I did not have a rakhi tied on me. Tears and questions followed – why only my brother and not me? That year the tradition was altered slightly, and I got one too, a plain one with lots of threads and without the extra decorations on top. There! I was happy, and this practice was followed through many forthcoming rakhis. Over the years I’d look forward to every Rakhi and spend the days before hiding the rakhi in places my brother would never find it with my dad teasing me, that he might drop hints to help Ajay find it. My mom would help me prepare for rakhi and teach me how to make sweets, while I would decorate the thali on my own, taking time to make it look pretty. Looking back, I can only say that I have the best brother in the world who has not only been my best friend, but has also taken care of me as an older brother would. He has kept his word when he said he would protect me in return for my rakhi! We spent many years away as I moved to Australia with my family, but I always think of him on rakhi. And this raksha bandhan, Ajay, as you read this page here in Australia, I’d like to thank you for being there for me. I hope you have all that you hope for, all that you dream of and all that you wish for. And remember, even if I had the chance, I’d want no other brother!
Neelam Vasudevan

No money, no rakhi

Raksha bandhan is the bond of love that celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. But that’s not the only motive of celebration, when one is young. Cut to my school days when rakhi used to be synonymous with some extra pocket money for the month! A thread of love that reaped immediate benefit, not to forget the blackmailing that preceded it all. After all the terms were simple, “no money, no rakhi!” Being the youngest, it was advantage “me” all the time.  Oh, the good old days of childhood…

But soon priorities change and it’s a matter of time before you realize that it’s only the love and bond that matters, nothing else. I was in the first year of my college and bhaiya had just got a job but in a different city. Rakhi was only a week away and he would not be in town, it would be our first long distance celebration. I didn’t want even a penny this time, all I wanted was to be there to tie the thread of love around my brother’s wrist. The countdown had begun and now rakhi was only two days away. Suddenly the doorbell rang and the next thing I found myself doing was opening a sealed envelope. Two air tickets to Mumbai, for my didi and me. My excitement knew no bounds. The next morning we boarded the flight and yes, there was bhaiya receiving his two sisters. I couldn’t have asked for more…love you bro!

Priyanka Tater