CURRENT EVENTS

'Current Events' as on 7th August 06
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1)(In the above group photo on left-The participants of the above' Current Events' Program - At the exterm left standing Capt. Raj Tandon. In the front row from the left Seema,(Artist) Subhangi Sakhalkar(Guest Speaker/ Artist), Pravin Shah, Shaun(Artist),Mrs Varsha Desai, Bharat Desai(Coordinator of the 'Current Events' Program), In the second row from left A Narayanaswamy, M Santhnam, and C Mukherjee.)2)In the above group photo on right/(i.e.Top) Second from right standing Bharati sister of Bollywood Star Madhuri Dixit and Third from left standing Mr Pradeep Joshi, Program Director,ICC,Sunnyvale along with Shubhangi Sakhalkar and other members)
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Captain Raj Tandon presented his interaction with the various communities of the world wherein he mentioned that people in UK were very much upset with the Indian independence of 1947 and they were not in fevour of India. However Scottish people were very friendly and they liked Indians. He found Germany was very discipline country, friendly and sympathetic to India. He also observed that people of Belgium, Holland, and France were very much against Germany, as they had suffered at its hand during Second World War. He said eventhough Russia was close society but found their lot of goodwill for India.In Iraq and Middle East he found lot of unfavorable feeling against Indian people. In Japan the people were very much interested in knowing regarding India, which they consider as birthplace of Buddha. In Malaysia people admires India. Besides that he found traces of Hindu culture in Indonesia. (i.e. In Bali)However he concluded that Japanese, and German people are very hardworking, discipline and nationalist.
Thereafter Smt Geeta Mahajan presented Servadharma prayer, which was also well received.
Pravin shah presented on the recent Bombay blast wherein 201 persons died and about 1000 was injured. He compared the said incidents with 9/11 incidents of World Trade centers wherein 3086 persons died. He said that compensation of Rupees one lakh was paid to each victim in India, while it was one million dollar to each victim in USA.
He also mentioned about number of time veto used by American presidents against legislation past by the congress in comparison with the veto power used by Indian president. He was discussing the matter in context of veto power used by Indian president against the Bill regarding ‘Office of profit’. Besides that he also reffered regarding recent measures of Indian government to introduce further reservation in India.
Bharat Desai discussed on ‘ Global warming’ and on ‘ whether California has maintained its position as a Golden State?
Thyagrajan also took part in the discussion.
Smt Premlatabahen Majmundar presented flower to the Guest speaker Shubhangi Sakhalkar. Thereafter Pradeep Joshi, Program Director welcomed and introduced the Guest speaker.
Shubhangi Sakhalkar presented on 'Indian Classical Music' with demonstration thereon. She gave the demonstrations of Ragas Bhairavi, Yaman, Bhageshwari, Bhopali, Malhar etc. The members very well received it.
Thereafter Justice M Santhanam proposed vote of thanks.
Bharat Desai coordinated the program.
Reported in India west dated 09/22/06
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ICC Discusses Current Events

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The India Community Center held a discussion on current events in Sunnyvale, Calif., Aug. 7.

Raj Tandon spoke on his interaction with various communities around the world stating that the U.K. was displeased with India's independence in 1947, but the Scottish and German communities were friendly and sympathetic towards Indians.
Even Russia, Tandon said, had a lot of goodwill for India, but in the Middle East and particularly in Iraq, there were unfavorable sentiments for Indians.He also noted that Japan was curious about India and that there were traces of Hindu
culture in Indonesia.
Pravin Shah spoke on the Mumbai train bomb explosions and compared the incident to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
Shah said that Rs. 1 lakh was paid to each victim in India, while in the U.S., $ 1 million was given to the victims of the attack.He also compared the use of veto power by American presidents to that used by Indian presidents, making reference to the Indian president vetoing a bill on "Office of Profit."
Bharat Desai discussed global warming and whether California has maintained its position as a golden state.
Guest speaker Shubhangi Sakhalkar, a classical music artist, received flowers from Premlatabahen Majmundar, and the program's director Pradeep Joshi welcomed Sakhalkar.
The artist demonstrated ragas bhairavi, yaman, bhageshwari, bhopali and malhar.
:by indiawest
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