The Indian Weekender | 28 June 2024

Read • Watch • Engage 

760A Dominion Road, Mt. Eden, Auckland – 1041 

Friday, 28 June 2024 

Volume 16 / Issue 14 

www.iwk.co.nz /indianweekendernz /indianweekender 

Surya Phutane 

Chartered Accountant 

Financial Adviser 

O: 09 218 6206 | M: 021 202 0331 I EMAIL - surya.phutane@pasl.co.nz 

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'CRIME-FREE 

COUNTRY?' 

Small business owners 

are furious after bloody 

robbery in Papatoetoe 

50-year-old Gurdeep Singh underwent a 

surgery after sustaining a fracture in the skull 

URJITA BHARDWAJ 

Small business owners livid after 

the bloody assault at a Kiwi-Indian 

Papatoetoe jeweller are planning a big 

protest to express growing frustration over 

poor law and order. 

Teenage robbers forced their way into 

Pooja Jewellers on June 23, and pummelled 

its 50-year-old owner with a hammer before 

scooting off with gold. 

Three of them were arrested a few days 

later but anger over the violent assault 

is simmering in the south Auckland 

neighbourhood. 

“How can we save our family, our 

business,” Jagjeet Sidhu roared as he 

addressed an emergency meeting of at least 

40 small businesses in Papatoetoe on June 

26. The general secretary of Auckland Indian 

Retailers Association (AIRA), which called 

for the meeting, echoed a sentiment that 

hung over the meeting hall like dense fog on 

a cold winter morning. 

Lawyer Arunjeev Singh was among those 

present. “Offenders who indulge in these 

types of armed robberies… they 

need to be aware that there will 

be retaliation, or resistance,” he 

Pg5 

asserted. 

IN CINEMAS NOW

Are you eligible for the 

divident payment? 

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW 

AUCKLANDERS QUALIFY FOR THE 

ENTRUST DIVIDEND 

Each year, Entrust makes an annual dividend 

payment to Aucklanders with a power account 

in the Entrust district. 

This year’s payment will be made in late 

September. To ensure that you receive your 

dividend, eligible beneficiaries within the 

Entrust District need to look out for their 

Entrust payment preference form, which is 

being sent out this week. 

What do I need to do? 

It’s as easy as checking your mailbox or email 

inbox for information from Entrust. Review 

the payment details showing on the form or 

email. If you need to fill in or change those 

details, just follow the instructions and return 

the information to Entrust by Friday 02 August 

2024. 

How do I update my payment details? 

Payment updates can be made on the printed 

form or via the secure web page at 

www.entrustnz.co.nz 

Details of how to use the secure web page are 

in the form or email sent out by Entrust. 

What are my payment options? 

When you receive your Entrust dividend 

payment form or email you can choose 

whether you want the September dividend 

payment credited to your bank account or 

your power account. 

What is the Entrust dividend? 

Entrust (formerly called the Auckland Energy 

Consumer Trust), is a private trust that 

owns the majority of Vector on behalf of its 

beneficiaries. 

Entrust owns 75.1% of shares in Vector 

which are held in trust for energy consumer 

beneficiaries in central, east, and south 

Auckland. These beneficiaries are paid a 

dividend each year, usually in late September. 

The Entrust dividend is New Zealand’s largest 

dividend pay-out, with over $2 billion paid out 

to Aucklanders since 1994. 

What is the Entrust District? 

The Entrust District includes central, east and 

south Auckland. 

How do I know if I’ll get the dividend? 

You need to meet three conditions to be 

eligible for the Entrust dividend: 

• being in the Entrust District on the roll date 

AND 

• paying Vector electricity lines charges as 

part of your power bill AND 

• being the person named on the power bill 

For those who are not sure if they are eligible 

for this payment, there is a map and list of 

eligibility criteria along with FAQs at 

www.entrustnz.co.nz 

What is the 2024 roll date? 

It is near the dividend payment date but for 

security reasons the exact roll date is not 

disclosed in advance. 

When do I get my dividend? 

The 2024 Entrust dividend will be paid in late 

September to eligible Entrust beneficiaries. 

How much is the dividend this year? 

The dividend amount varies each year as 

it is based on the annual profits generated 

by Vector, of which Entrust is the majority 

shareholder. 

Last year, the dividend was $334. 

What do I need to do right now? 

Check your mailbox or email inbox for your 

payment preference form and instructions to 

access the secure web page. 

Check the payment details showing on 

the form or email. If you need to fill in or 

update your payment details, just follow the 

instructions and return the information to 

Entrust by Friday 02 August 2024. 

If you are using the form, fill it in and post or 

email it back to Entrust. A freepost envelope is 

included with all postal forms, or email forms 

back to form@entrustdividend.co.nz 

If you are using the secure web page just 

follow the instruction on the form or email. 

You’ll need to have your ICP number handy. 

You can find that on your power bill. 

I have received my form or email and all 

details are correct, do I need to send it 

back? 

No, Entrust only needs you to let us know if 

you are filling in, updating or changing your 

payment details. So, if it’s all good, you don’t 

need to go to the secure web page or send the 

form back. 

I have received my form or email and 

the details are not correct. What action 

should I take? 

If your payment details are incorrect, or there 

are no payment details on your form or on the 

secure web page, then it is very important that 

you update those payment details. Without 

correct payment information we will not know 

how to pay you at dividend time and will have 

to send you another form at that time. That 

will cause delays in getting the money to you. 

If the details about your name or address 

are incorrect you need to let your electricity 

retailer know so they can update the customer 

details they send us at dividend time. 

For further information, head to 

www.entrustnz.co.nz or 

www.facebook.com/entrustnz 

It’s as 

EASY AS 

All good 

Do nothing 

Changes 

Let us know 

Checking your details 

If you live in the Entrust District, details of your dividend are in your letterbox or email inbox. 

Check them carefully and let us know of any changes by 2 August 2024. Then sit back and 

wait for your payment in September. For more information visit entrustnz.co.nz

Read online www.iwk.co.nz Friday, 28 June 2024 

NEW ZEALAND 3 

Parent visas 

not coming 

this year. 

Here’s why 

Indian 

Weekender 

readers, 

RAVI BAJPAI 

If you were waiting for a longer-term 

parent visa, don’t hold your breath. It 

is not coming this year as officials say 

they have more pressing tasks at hand. 

RNZ has reported that Immigration 

Minister Erica Stanford has confirmed 

the government won’t start work on the 

project until next year. 

There were a range of immigration 

issues the government was dealing with 

to ensure the integrity of the country's 

border was maintained, RNZ quoted her 

saying. 

"Our key focus currently is ensuring 

the AEWV [Accredited Employer Work 

Visa] settings are right," Stanford 

said. "(However) the government has 

committed to introducing the five-year 

parent visa this term." 

Stanford’s announcement in April 

this year that she was looking at 

reforms to family visas this term raised 

hopes among New Zealand’s migrant 

communities. 

She also signalled she wants changes 

to the partnership visa policy, describing 

the culturally arranged marriage visa as 

not fit for purpose. 

The two main ruling coalition partners– 

National and ACT–had both waved the 

promise of a parent visa as they courted 

migrant communities in the national 

elections last year. 

For years, migrants-not just from Indiahave 

campaigned for a more relaxed 

visa regime that allows their parents to 

live with them for longer durations. The 

current settings permit parents to visit 

only for short periods and impose a limit 

on how frequently they can visit New 

Zealand. 

In the months leading to the October 

2023 elections, those pleas seemed to 

have finally been heard. All the three 

main political parties–National, ACT and 

Labour–announced lucrative election 

promises on this front. The policies 

differed in specifics but were largely 

aimed at finding a longer-term solution 

for migrants’ parents. 

National said they would allow relatives 

to visit family members for five years, 

with the possibility of renewal for another 

five years. 

The new ‘Parent Visa Boost’ would 

need to be sponsored by children or 

grandchildren, and applicants would need 

private health insurance among other 

conditions. 

ACT's proposal, titled ‘Unite Visa’, 

would enable relatives to visit family 

for up to five years at a time, provided 

they pay an annual $3,500 fee to cover 

potential health costs. 

Those promises were front and centre 

every time their leaders met with the 

Indian community during the election 

campaign. Fair to say the voters now 

deserve to know that promise is on track. 

"Our key focus 

currently is ensuring 

the AEWV [Accredited 

Employer Work 

Visa] settings are 

right. (However) 

the government 

has committed to 

introducing the 

five-year parent visa 

this term." Erica 

Stanford 

While you’re 

adding to 

your weekend 

plans, we’re 

adding better 

access to the 

city. That will 

make getting 

around town 

even easier, 

weekends or 

weekdays.

4 

NEW ZEALAND 


Luxon’s curious Instagram 

video after Papatoetoe robbery 

RAVI BAJPAI 

off public complaints of poor 

law and order by blaming his 

The public outrage following 

predecessors. 

the gruesome assault and 

He has been on the move the 

robbery at a Kiwi-Indian 

last few weeks attending public 

jewellery store in Papatoetoe 

seems to have caught the prime 

minister’s attention. 

Christopher Luxon posted a 

video on social media yesterday, 

June 23, deriding violent robberies 

like the one at Pooja Jewellers two 

days back. 

The video begins with a 

split screen. On the top, Luxon 

meetings where small business 

owners have often asked him why 

crime hasn’t reduced under his 

watch. 

The police minister’s response 

has been consistent–the crime 

peak fuelled by the previous 

Labour government wouldn’t 

abate overnight. To be fair, that 

line of reasoning isn’t totally 

looks into his phone screen. On It’s no surprise then Luxon wants to show he cares–that he is not oblivious to people’s pain unreasonable. 

the other screen below, CCTV 

The government is pushing 

footage of last month’s robbery 

at Manurewa’s House of Gold 

jewellery store plays out. 

The prime minister nods his 

head a couple times–seemingly 

taking in the violent robbery–and 

then shakes his head before 

offenders.” 

As the video unfolds, the prime 

minister rattles off a list of steps 

his government is taking to stem 

the crime wave that has spread 

a reign of terror among small 

business owners. 

six months into a National-led 

government, Police Minister Mark 

Mitchell is continuing to fend 

for changes it promised to make 

the law tougher for criminals. 

Legislative changes take time, and 

even when they do change their 

impact is often seen over time. 

But in politics, public perception 

matters. It’s been six months 

keeping the phone down and 

Luxon appears to be using a 

“Our government said 

since Luxon’s government took 

staring into the camera. 

violent robbery that happened 

charge. People want to see 

“Look…this sort of thing has right under his watch to highlight 

that we would crack 

perceptible change. Brazen 

been happening for far too long his government’s stellar work in down on crime. We assaults like the ones at Pooja 

in New Zealand,” Luxon says with reducing crime. 

promised to restore Jewellers stoke the kind of 

a grim face before taking a rather Coming just two days after the 

frustration and fear that often 

law and order, and 

curious turn. 

Papatoetoe robbery that has riled 

leads to public discontent. 

“Our government said that retailers across the country–many that means there are It’s no surprise then Luxon 

we would crack down on crime. of them Kiwi-Indians–the video’s serious consequences wants to show he cares–that he 

We promised to restore law and timing is conspicuous, to say the for serious 

is not oblivious to people’s pain. 

order, and that means there are least. 

That seems to be the trigger for 

offenders.” 

serious consequences for serious Some context is in order. About 

his latest video. 

'No sentence will 

ever bring Janak 

home': Inquiry head 

RNZ 

The man who murdered 

Auckland dairy worker 

Janak Patel has been 

sentenced to life imprisonment 

with a minimum non-parole period 

of 15 years. 

Frederick Hobson, who pleaded 

guilty to murder, and Shane 

Tane, who pleaded guilty to 

aggravated robbery, were both 

sentenced in the High Court in 

Auckland this morning. 

Hobson was sentenced to life 

imprisonment, with a non-parole 

period of 15 years, while Tane was 

sentenced to four years and six 

months' imprisonment. 

A third man - Henry Ford - 

had already been granted a stay 

of proceedings due to being 

terminally ill. 

Patel was stabbed to death 

while working at the Rose Cottage 

Superette in Sandringham, central 

Auckland in November 2022. 

Victim 'simply doing his 

job' - police 

After the sentencing Detective 

Inspector Geoff Baber said Patel 

had only arrived in Auckland a 

short time before his killing. 

He had been looking after the 

dairy for the owner. 

"He was simply doing his job and 

should not have been subjected to 

the violent events that unfolded 

that night. 

"While today's sentencing brings 

an end to court proceedings, 

Janak's family will live with his 

absence for the rest of their lives. 

"No sentence will ever bring 

Janak home." 

Police also acknowledged the 

wider Sandringham and retail 

communities. 

"Janak's murder had a profound 

impact on the Sandringham 

community given the superette's 

place in the neighbourhood," 

Detective Inspector Baber said. 

"This community also played 

an important role in assisting our 

investigation team in the days and 

weeks following this incident, and 

I would like to acknowledge this 

support." 

He also praised the police's 

investigation team. 

"The team worked thoroughly 

to piece together the facts 

surrounding Janak's death, with 

his killer in custody within days," 

he said. 

Their work resulted in the three 

offenders being charged and 

made to "face the consequences 

of their violent actions". 

An earlier court hearing was 

told Hobson planned to enter the 

superette, armed with a knife, to 

take cash and any other items he 

could manage. 

At about 8pm, he wore a black 

bandana covering half of his face, 

and ran into the dairy. 

He confronted Patel with the 

knife, causing him to flee into a 

back room. 

Auckland dairy worker Janak Patal was stabbed to death while working at the Rose Cottage 

Superette in Sandringham, central Auckland in November 2022 

Hobson took the cash register, 

as well as a box of butane 

lighters and vapes, before leaving 

the store. 

Patel ran after him, armed with 

a hockey stick from the back 

of the shop. 

Hobson put the cash register 

in a nearby recycling wheelie bin 

"This community also 

played an important 

role in assisting our 

investigation team in 

the days and weeks 

following this incident, 

and I would like to 

acknowledge this 

support." Geoff Baber 

as Patel approached, and went 

towards him aggressively, as Patel 

retreated swinging the hockey 

stick. 

Court documents revealed 

Hobson lunged at Patel and 

knocked him to the ground, 

stabbing him at least three times. 

Hobson tried to wrestle the 

hockey stick from Patel's grasp, 

stabbing him a further three times. 

"The final blow was to Mr Patel's 

neck, causing him to fall to the 

ground once again." 

Patel used the wheelie bin in an 

attempt to get away from Hobson, 

but collapsed after taking five 

steps back towards the dairy. 

Hobson collected the bin and 

left the scene. 

Patel's death sparked protests 

by dairy owners over the safety 

of small businesses, while more 

than $100,000 was raised for his 

family. 

Read online www.iwk.co.nz 

South Asian 

photographer 

exploring colour 

discrimination 

in NZ 

BLESSEN TOM/RNZ 

South Asian photographer 

Abhi Chinniah is turning 

heads in the country's fine 

arts scene with powerful and 

creative portrayals of the migrant 

and refugee experience. 

Her curated photographic 

collection graced the lobbies of 

prominent buildings on Auckland's 

waterfront - including PwC Tower, 

HSBC Tower, Aon Centre, Jarden 

House and Deloitte Centre - as 

part of the Auckland Festival 

of Photography 2024, which 

ran through June 13. "It's really 

meaningful to have all these 

faces in these spaces for people 

to see," said Chinniah, standing 

near her collection in the lobby of 

Auckland's PwC Tower. "They're 

more than photos to me because 

they're all people with incredible 

stories." 

A self-taught portrait 

photographer, 32-year-old 

Chinniah's journey began at the 

age of 13. Her father gifted her a 

Sony point-and-shoot camera 

to capture Rotary Club events 

in eastern Malaysia, where her 

parents were active members. 

"That camera ended up 

becoming mine," she recalled. "I'd 

take photographs of my friends, 

dressing them up in whatever 

outfits I had at home." 

Born in Christchurch to Sri 

Lankan Tamil Malaysian parents, 

Chinniah's family moved back 

to Malaysia in 1998 when she 

was six. She grew up in eastern 

Malaysia before returning to New 

Zealand as a teenager in 2010. 

It wasn't until 2016 that Chinniah 

picked up a camera again. 

"The company I was working for 

needed some product shots, and 

it kind of just went from there," 

said Chinniah, who was working in 

marketing at the time. 

"I realized that being away from 

my family gave me the freedom to 

pursue art, without anyone telling 

me I had to be a lawyer or an 

accountant." 

However, her artistic journey 

hasn't been without challenges. 

"During Covid, I was made 

redundant from my job and 

photography costs a lot," she said. 

"But I always say that I made this 

choice because I love doing it." 

Chinniah's first encounter with 

colourism came on a trip abroad. 

"At dinner, there were comments 

about my skin colour," she 

recalled. "I was the only darkskinned 

person at the table, and 

that comment stuck with me." 

This experience inspired her 

first photo essay, Light Skinned, 

Dark Skinned. She highlighted 

the pervasive influence of skin 

whitening products in the South 

Asian community, recounting 

how advertisements during her 

childhood in Christchurch made 

her yearn for lighter skin. 

"I would watch those ads and 

think, 'I want to be that lightskinned 

person'," she said. "I 

genuinely believed that using 

those creams would make me look 

like the woman on the box."


NEW ZEALAND 5 

Papatoetoe assault was teen's 

4th robbery this month 

Auckland Indian Retailers Association (AIRA) called for a meeting on June 26 

‘How can we save our 

family, businesses’ 

• Continued from Page 1 

Singh's statement pertained 

to a sentiment that has been 

simmering for years but has 

only grown following this week’s 

gruesome attack at Pooja 

Jewellers–self-defence and 

vigilance. 

"Is it a crime-free country?," one 

of the retailers said. 

“We should create WhatsApp 

groups to send out alerts 

whenever we spot anything 

suspicious,” a panellist suggested. 

The gathering agreed on using 

social media as a tool to "spot 

and report" to ensure the safety of 

business owners. 

“We need more streetlights and 

CCTV installations in the streets… 

more police patrolling the area,” 

said one of the retailers present. 

“We should train our staff to strike 

back with force,” another argued. 

The panellists suggested the 

idea of organising a protest next 

week. No dates were discussed 

but the retailers seemed quite 

warm to the idea of sending a 

message to the government. 

The panel, consisting of 

Rajesh Goel, president of AIRA, 

Arunjeev Singh, and Jagjeet Sidhu 

emphasised that the New Zealand 

Police should not be blamed. 

“It is the New Zealand judicial 

system that has loopholes. The 

New Zealand Police are merely 

following a manual given to them,” 

said Singh. 

The panel and business owners 

also shared their concerns about 

the rising crime rates in Auckland, 

particularly in retail and business 

areas. They emphasised that the 

only way forward is “to establish 

a deterrent and not rehabilitation” 

for offenders. 

The brother of Gurdeep Singh, 

who sustained a fracture in his 

skull while resisting the robbery at 

Pooja Jewellers, said the 50-yearold 

was back home after his 

surgery. 

“Doctors have suggested ample 

rest and we need your love and 

prayers for his speedy recovery,” 

Kuldeep Singh said. 

RAVI BAJPAI 

One of the teenagers arrested 

for the bloody assault at a 

Papatoetoe jeweller over 

the weekend was on a robbery 

spree this month. 

The 15-year-old was among a 

group of robbers who forced their 

way into Pooja Jewellers on June 

23 and pummelled the owner’s 

head with a hammer, inflicting a 

fracture in his skull. 

Police say the youngster was 

involved in two aggravated 

robberies and an aggravated 

burglary this month. 

According to NZ Police, the 

youngster carried out two 

robberies in Mount Roskill and 

one in Sandringham just this 

month. Two of these happened 

on successive days–June 14 and 

June 15. 

Detective Inspector Karen Bright 

says investigators’ work has 

finished and “further arrests are 

likely. 

“We understand how distressing 

incidents like these are for victims 

and we hope these arrests will 

help provide reassurance to both 

the victims in this case and to the 

community,” Bright says. 

Two other teenagers–aged 14 

and 16–were also arrested for 

the robbery. The eldest one has 

been charged with swinging the 

hammer and injuring 50-year-old 

Gurdeep Singh, who has already 

undergone a surgery. 

In a statement on Tuesday, police 

said multiple search warrants were 

executed across Tāmaki Makaurau 

the last few days, leading to the 

capture of the suspects linked to a 

string of aggravated robberies this 

month. 

"Four arrests have been made 

over five aggravated robberies at 

various businesses this month," 

police said. 

Detective Inspector Bright says 

five search warrants were carried 

out in central, south and west 

Auckland on Tuesday. 

"Today’s action is a result of 

astute detective work over recent 

days and weeks," she said. "We 

have laid charges against three 

males for the aggravated robbery 

on Sunday evening, and inquiries 

are continuing into outstanding 

offenders." 

BIN DAY 

CHANGES 

ARE COMING 

From 1 July 2024 your rubbish, 

recycling, and food scraps 

collection day may change. 

Check if you have changes at 

aucklandcouncil.nz/binday

6 

NEW ZEALAND 



More bad news 

for low-skill 

migrant workers 

RAVI BAJPAI 

Low-skilled migrants hoping 

to work in New Zealand 

were dealt another blow on 

Wednesday with the government 

taking more joy out of the 

proposition. 

Most people who land a job in 

ANZSCO level 4 or 5 occupations– 

the official classification for lowskill 

work–are no longer allowed 

to bring in their families with them. 

These include roles like 

hospitality workers, bus and truck 

drivers, supervisors, fast-food 

cooks, labourers, kitchen hands, 

cleaners, factory workers, etc. 

The new rules follow a 

slew of restrictions the 

government announced last 

month that have already made 

it difficult for low-skill overseas 

workers to find jobs in New 

Zealand. 

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) 

says starting June 26, 2024, those 

RNZ 

A 

Kiwi-Indian Harvard 

graduate once vying for 

the title of New Zealand's 

smartest teen claims to have 

harnessed artificial intelligence 

to fully automate the process of 

creating video for social media. 

Soumil Singh founded a 

platform called Unfaze.ai, which 

used AI to create video content for 

individuals and brands. 

The company had received 

financial support from several 

investment funds, including Y 

Combinator, Hack VC, Soma 

Capital and Pioneer Fund. 

New York-based Singh, who 

studied applied mathematics and 

computer science at Harvard, said 

that while the engagement rate on 

TikTok was 93 percent higher than 

other social media networks, the 

need to create a large volume of 

fresh content was often resourceintensive 

and cost prohibitive. 

"This creates an access barrier 

for many New Zealand content 

creators, influencers and SMEs," 

Singh said. 

"While the production of a single 

video could take an agency weeks 

to complete and cost thousands 

of dollars, recent advances in 

machine learning have now 

made it possible for content 

creators to simply 'instruct' the 

artificial intelligence to produce 

video content to meet their 

specifications. 

"The cost of a campaign [on 

social media] is centred in the 

production of each piece of 

in these low-skill jobs without a 

pathway to residency won’t be 

allowed to support work, visitor or 

student visa applications for their 

partners and dependent children. 

The family members are still 

allowed to apply for an independent 

visa on their own merit if they 

qualify for it, an immigration 

official says. 

“The government has made this 

change to align with the broader 

suite of changes to the AEWV 

[Accredited Employer Work Visa] 

scheme earlier this year, and 

returns the settings to similar ones 

under the previous Essential Skills 

Work Visa,” read an INZ press 

release on Wednesday. 

Erica Stanford has made no 

bones about her displeasure 

with the AEWV scheme letting in 

thousands of low-skill migrants in 

jobs that she feels could have been 

filled by locals. 

While announcing the first lot 

of restrictions last month, the 

content. To produce an effective 

result requires multiple different 

versions to be tested and, even 

then, the video can't be reused 

indefinitely. 

"This is one of the reasons 

many companies may not even 

have a short-form video content 

strategy and rely on paid media 

ad platforms." 

Singh said New Zealand 

businesses on low budgets 

benefitted from being able to use 

AI to remove this obstacle. 

"We believe this technology has 

the potential to be transformative 

immigration minister said the rules 

are being changed largely to make 

sure New Zealanders get priority 

when it comes to jobs that are not 

in the skills shortage category. 

The changes announced last 

month included a new English 

threshold, meaning applicants 

now need to score at least Band 4 

in IELTS, or equivalent in PTE. 

The new provisions also require 

the government to first verify that 

none of the unemployed locals 

qualify for the role, and that 

employers will need to advertise 

the job vacancy for an extra week. 

If low-skill workers do make it 

through these settings, they can 

work only up to two years, and a 

third year if their employers take a 

fresh Job Check. 

Vandana Rai of Immigration 

Advisers New Zealand Limited 

points out the latest adjustment 

does not impact individuals 

currently holding visas as 

partners or dependents of AEWV 

Kiwi-Indian develops AI tech to 

create short-form video content 

Soumil Singh is a graduate of Harvard University. Photo: Supplied 

"This is one of 

the reasons many 

companies may not 

even have a short-form 

video content strategy 

and rely on paid media 

ad platforms." 

for thousands of SMEs around 

the world, providing them almost 

unlimited access to video content 

which they can use to market their 

products," he said. 

Singh said the platform had 

raised $5.5 million and was 

using the funds to further the 

development of the technology 

and support the video creation 

software launch in July on its 

existing online platform. 

He said the research would 

bring it closer to the production 

of AI-generated videos that were 

indistinguishable from manually 

created content. 

"While the current technology 

version can produce entertaining 

content for individual creators, 

a new suite of features set to 

launch in the coming weeks will 

make it the first platform to allow 

a company to create images 

of their products with multiple 

backgrounds using generative AI 

models and then convert these 

images into the creation of shortform 

video content," he said. 

holders, and ongoing applications 

submitted by partners or 

dependents before June 26 will be 

assessed based on the regulations 

in place at the time of application. 

"Furthermore, AEWV holders in 

ANZSCO level 4 or 5 roles with a 

"It is crucial to consider 

whether these changes 

strike the right balance 

between maintaining 

immigration standards 

and supporting the 

needs of New 

Zealand's labour market 

and communities." 

Vandana Rai 

RNZ 

A 

57-year-old man has been 

arrested after pretending 

to be injured on the East 

Tāmaki overbridge on Auckland's 

Southern Motorway. 

Emergency services were called 

to reports of a man who appeared 

injured at about 7.46 am on 

Monday. 

Police arrived to find the man 

"who was pretending to be injured 

as part of what we can only 

describe as reckless behaviour 

in an attempt to gain publicity", 

Inspector Danny Meade said. 

"Emergency services from 

across Tāmaki Makaurau have 

been put in a situation where 

considerable time and resources 

were tied up as we dealt with 

residency pathway, such as those 

on the Green List or a Sector 

Agreement, or earning at least 

1.5 times the relevant median 

wage, are exempt from these 

changes. Similarly, AEWV holders 

in ANZSCO level 1, 2, or 3 roles 

remain unaffected." 

She adds while there are 

arguments supporting the change 

in policy, the practical implications 

for workers and their families 

cannot be ignored. 

"It is crucial to consider whether 

these changes strike the right 

balance between maintaining 

immigration standards and 

supporting the needs of New 

Zealand's labour market and 

communities. 

"Additionally, these modifications 

are poised to discourage skilled 

professionals from taking up roles 

in ANZSCO level 4 and 5 positions, 

further burdening NZ employers 

already grappling with a myriad of 

HR challenges." 

'Reckless': Man pretending to be 

injured on motorway arrested 

this incident, not to mention the 

inconvenience to the public due to 

the lane closures involved. 

"This was a significant and 

unnecessary incident that in no 

doubt, will have impacted many 

people over the disturbing sight. 

"It is also incredibly lucky this 

man's reckless actions did not 

cause injury to himself or any 

other road users." 

Man behind stunt claims it 

was to raise suicide prevention 

awareness in New Zealand. 

Two right northbound lanes 

were temporarily blocked as 

emergency services responded, 

causing delays. 

Traffic was unusually heavy 

during peak-hour as a result. 

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NEW ZEALAND 7 

Manu, Moana, 

Whenua: Queen 

St illuminated in 

cultural light 

Bhartiya Samaj Charitable 

Trust hosts Matariki festival 

IWK BUREAU 

Tāmaki Makaurau, known 

for its prominent display 

of te ao Māori in urban 

landscapes worldwide, is gearing 

up for its grandest Matariki 

celebration yet. 

Matariki ki te Manawa (at 

the heart) presents a 20-day 

calendar of wonder and wānanga 

(learning), brought to you by 

Auckland Council and backed by 

the city centre targeted rate as a 

key part of the Matariki Festival. 

An experience that every Kiwi 

will relish is Tūrama, the beloved 

series of large-scale illuminated 

art installations, has returned to 

Queen Street from Sunday, 9 June 

to Sunday, 4 August. 

This enchanting event will 

transform the heart of Auckland, 

inviting you to rediscover the 

Waihorotiu valley and imagine its 

appearance and atmosphere from 

centuries past. 

Tūrama is a creative 

collaboration featuring the talents 

of artists Graham Tipene (Ngāti 

Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti 

Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu), 

Ataahua Papa (Ngāti Korokī 

Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta), and 

Angus Muir Design. 

The project is overseen by 

Auckland Council's city centre 

Tūrama Kaitiaki, Aotea Square 

place activation principal, Barbara 

Holloway. 

This year’s event is proudly 

brought to the city centre by Ngāti 

Whātua Ōrākei and Te Kaunihera 

o Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland 

Council), with support from the 

city centre targeted rate. 

Tūrama promises to be a 

captivating experience for all 

Aucklanders, highlighting the 

rich cultural heritage and natural 

beauty of the region through 

stunning light displays inspired 

by birds (manu), the sea (moana), 

and the land (whenua). 

IWK BUREAU 

On June 22, 2024, the 

Bhartiya Samaj Charitable 

Trust hosted a vibrant 

celebration of the Matariki 

Festival at the Mount Roskill War 

Memorial Hall. The event drew 

over 200 attendees, including 

seniors, dignitaries, Members of 

Parliament, Dr. Carlos Cheung, 

Patron and Auckland Council 

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board 

member Dr. Ashraf Chaudhary 

QSO JP, Jessica Phuang, Ethnic 

Responsiveness Manager for 

NZ Police, and community 

leaders representing various 

organisations. 

The festivities started with a 

heartwarming performance by 

Bhartiya Samaj school children, 

who captivated the audience 

with their cultural displays. The 

children also delivered speeches 

that highlighted the importance 

of Matariki and its significance 

in Māori culture. Their insights 

into the traditions and customs 

associated with Matariki enthralled 

the audience. 

A standout moment was the 

mesmerising performance by a 

Māori Kapa Haka group. Their 

powerful presentation of traditional 

Māori songs and dances left the 

audience in awe and added an 

authentic touch to the celebration. 

The day was filled with joy and 

camaraderie as attendees engaged 

with one another and participated 

in various cultural activities. 

Overall, the celebration was 

a resounding success, leaving 

a lasting impression on all who 

attended. 

The event underscored the 

importance of cultural diversity 

and unity in fostering a harmonious 

society. 

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NEW ZEALAND 



International yoga day celebrated 

at heritage centre in Rotorua 

IWK BUREAU 

The 10th International Day of 

Yoga was a vibrant affair at 

the Hindu Heritage Centre 

in Rotorua, collaborating with the 

Indian High Commission to New 

Zealand on Saturday, 22 June 

2024. Themed "Yoga for Self and 

Society," the event highlighted 

yoga's dual benefits for individuals 

and communities. 

The celebration united 

participants from diverse 

backgrounds, including Maori, 

Italian, German, American, 

Spanish, South African, Indian, and 

Fijian communities, showcasing 

yoga's unifying power. Part of the 

Health for Humanity Yogathon, the 

event aimed to inspire everyone to 

incorporate yoga into their daily 

lives. 

Featuring Surya Namaskars, 

various yoga practices, meditation, 

mantra chanting, and talks by 

experts, the event emphasised 

yoga's holistic benefits. Led by 

renowned Yogacharya Ma Ananda 

Kalaadevi, the session was 

both impactful and memorable, 

inspiring attendees to practice 

yoga at home, in schools, and at 

workplaces. 

Expressing her delight at 

the community’s enthusiastic 

participation, Ma Ananda 

Kalaadevi remarked, “This 

International Day of Yoga 

programme created a wonderful 

opportunity for people to explore 

the connections between body, 

mind, and soul. 

The turnout and engagement 

we saw, especially at the Hindu 

Heritage Centre, were truly 

heartening.” 

Dr. Guna Magesan, President 

of the Hindu Council of New 

Zealand, expressed gratitude for 

the enthusiastic participation and 

announced the upcoming New 

Zealand Hindu Elders Conference 

on September 28, 2024. 

Participants are encouraged to 

share their yoga experiences and 

Sun Salutation counts on social 

media using #YogathonNZ. The 

Hindu Council of New Zealand 

looks forward to continuing this 

journey of health and humanity in 

the future. 

Sarath Kumar (left) and Ferzil Babu 

Missing Indian 

man from The 

Gap still not found 

IWK BUREAU 

Despite extensive search 

efforts, one of the two 

fishermen who went 

missing at The Gap near Taiharuru 

before midnight on 1 May remains 

missing; a New Zealand police 

spokesperson told The Indian 

Weekender. The man believed to 

be missing is 34-year-old Ferzil 

Babu. 

His friend and fishing partner, 

37-year-old Sarath Kumar 

Sasidharan Nair, was found 

deceased by the Police National 

Dive Squad on 3 May. 

"His death has been referred to 

the Coroner." 

The duo was fishing at 

Taiharuru, Whangārei Heads, 

at a spot known as The Gap. 

Emergency services were alerted 

around midnight after the pair 

failed to return home by 11 p.m. 

as expected. 

"Despite extensive search 

efforts, the man has not yet been 

located," spokesperson noted. 

Kumar, a registered nurse 

in the Whangārei Emergency 

Department, had only been living 

in Whangārei for two months after 

migrating to New Zealand in late 

2023. 

He leaves behind a wife and a 

5-year-old daughter. 

Babu moved to New Zealand 

after marrying his wife in January 

2023. The couple welcomed a son 

six months ago. 

he families of the deceased 

Indian are grateful for the support 

and efforts of the police and 

search and rescue teams. A police 

liaison officer has constantly 

touched the association and the 

families. 

"Our thoughts remain with both 

men’s families as they continue 

to deal with the loss following this 

tragic incident," the police said.


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10 

NEW ZEALAND 



How food 

waste is 

baked into 

daily life 

About 40 per cent of food is wasted globally, and New Zealand is not doing much better. File photo 

ELOISE GIBSON/RNZ 

About 40 per cent of food is 

wasted globally, and New 

Zealand is not doing much 

better. 

A lot of food waste happens 

before it gets to consumers, a new 

report on the problem has found. 

About 40 percent of food is 

wasted globally, and the prime 

minister's chief science adviser 

Dame Juliet Gerrard - whose 

office wrote the report - says there 

is no evidence Aotearoa is doing 

any better. 

She says while there is a lot 

individual shoppers can do to 

help, a lot of waste is beyond their 

control. 

The report said preventing food 

loss and waste at source had the 

greatest potential benefits, while 

narrowly focussing on household 

decisions could only solve part of 

the problem. 

About a third of food loss 

happens in homes, according to 

Australian estimates. 

The report recommended 

setting a target of halving food 

loss and waste by 2030. 

Gerrard said there were changes 

available at every step of the 

process. 

"If you are [a farmer] supplying 

a major retailer, you sign up 

to a particular agreement to 

say you'll supply a certain 

amount of produce to particular 

specification. You don't want to 

be in breach [so] to meet those 

terms, there's a huge incentive to 

overproduce," Gerrard said. 

"If you're [a shopper] going to 

the supermarket and there's a 

three-for-the-price-of-one special 

you might buy it. That takes the 

food waste off the books for the 

supermarket, but doesn't stop the 

food being wasted if it just sits at 

the back of your fridge." 

"So much of it is out of the 

consumer or eater's control and 

this report lays that out," said 

Kaitlin Dawson, executive director 

of NZ Food Waste Champions, 

who helped launch the report. 

But Dawson said customers had 

a part to play, too - for example, 

rejecting slightly damaged 

produce or only taking the newest 

items. 

"The most wasted item in New 

Zealand is bread, but not just at 

the household level. How full are 

the bread shelves at your local 

supermarket? 

They keep them pretty stocked 

because that's what we expect 

and... there's often a lot of 

wastage at the end of the day." 

Packaging large quantities of 

food together could encourage 

waste, she said, as could 'best 

before' dates, which put people 

off selecting items that were still 

perfectly edible. 

Another of the report's 

recommendations was food 

sectors - such as bread or 

tomatoes - getting together to 

tackle waste all along the chain, 

which Dawson said had worked 

effectively overseas. 

She said overseas experience 

had shown voluntary business 

groups could lead the way, but at 

some point that reached a limit 

and government regulation was 

needed. 

'So much more we could do' 

At Fair Food's warehouse in 

the Auckland suburb of Avondale, 

trucks arrive carrying bread, 

eggs, milk and produce from 

supermarkets, all of it edible but 

unsellable because it is damaged, 

surplus or nearing its 'best before' 

date. 

A lot of it is bread or bananas. 

When RNZ visited, senior driver 

Vasene Pua was unloading box 

after box of bananas, which he 

said were perfectly fine but had 

been sent by a local Countdown 

because they were unlikely to sell. 

Manager Michelle Blau was 

overseeing rows of volunteers, 

who were hand-sorting items from 

the trucks into food fit for fresh 

food parcels, which would go to 

hungry people; lightly damaged 

items like soft carrots or bruised 

tomatoes, which would be cooked 

by chefs into a curry; and food 

unfit for humans, which would go 

to piggeries. 

She said more bananas arrive 

each day than they can give away 

- bananas are "highly cosmetic" 

and susceptible to being rejected 

by shoppers for minor blemishes, 

she said, plus they are imported to 

New Zealand in bulk. 

Fair Food has struck a 

partnership with an ice-cream 

company to make banoffeeflavoured 

ice-cream and sell it to 

fundraise for the organisation, she 

said. 

Bread was sorted at the 

supermarket pick-up point before 

the drivers pick it up, then its put 

into one of three bread bins at 

the Fair Food depot: called Fat 

Breadies Drop, Breadie Mercury 

and Ziggy Starcrust. All the 

working parts of the warehouse 

have names, Blau said. 

"Last week we shared 13,973 

kilos of food with people and 1165 

kilos went to our local pig farmers, 

and when you add that up it's 37 

tonnes of emissions saved," she 

said. 

"I actually give a lot of credit to 

the supermarkets because they 

have a choice about partnering 

with us. 

"They really do the right thing 

and think ahead and think, if no 

one's going to buy that let's pull 

it off the shelf now while it's still 

good." 

Blau said food rescue centres 

could do "so much more" if they 

had better resourcing, for example 

reducing waste from the 90 

percent of New Zealand's food 

production made for export. This 

food might be rejected if turns out 

less-than-perfect, but be perfectly 

edible, she said. 

"It's one thing for something to 

have an export value and be sold 

around the world, it's another to 

say, is this good food for people?". 

Dawson said current levels 

of waste are a problem, given 

15-20 percent of New Zealanders 

don't always have enough to eat, 

despite enough food being grown 

to feed them. 

It was also a problem for 

curbing climate change. 

About four percent of New 

Zealand's planet heating 

emissions are from food breaking 

down in landfill, creating methane, 

a potent warmer. That does not 

count the wasted emissions from 

producing uneaten food in the first 

place. 

"Every single stage of that 

item of food being grown, 

packed, picked, manufactured, 

transported, put on our shelves.. 

.if we then waste that food, all 

of those emissions are wasted," 

Dawson said. 

She said some waste happens 

at farm level - such as if a glut 

meant broccoli prices dropped so 

much that it was cheaper to let 

the vegetables rot, than to harvest 

and sell them. 

But growers are too busy to find 

ways to use the surplus, so they 

need help identifying options such 

as food charities, juicing, powders 

or other avenues, Blau said. 

Gerrard added that not only 

does growing and wasting 

food create planet-heating 

emissions, climate change itself is 

contributing to food waste. 

For example, climate changefuelled 

cyclones have devastated 

food growing regions, or broken 

supply chains leading to gluts of 

food like kiwifruit. 

The report concluded solving 

the problem would require a coordinated 

approach. 

But Dawson had one small tip 

anyone try do in the meantime - 

she puts half of every loaf of bread 

in the freezer as soon as 

she buys it. 

Auckland sees surge in new homes being built 

MELANIE EARLEY/RNZ 

Close to 65,000 homes have 

been built in the Auckland 

region since 2018, last 

year's Census data shows, 

outpacing population growth for 

the first time in decades. 

Census 2023 data showed 

between 2018 and 2023, 64,800 

new homes were built in Auckland. 

Auckland Council said that was 

due to the introduction of the 

Auckland Unitary Plan. 

The plan was a guide for the use 

of Auckland's resources, including 

land development, and dictates 

what can be built and where. 

Auckland Council chief 

economist Gary Blick said the 

plan had made changes to boost 

housing capacity in the region. 

The data showed there had 

been an 11.9 percent increase in 

new homes since 2018, while the 

population had increased by 5.4 

percent. 

"Even after recovering from the 

pandemic-related population loss 

over 2020 to 2022, this confirms 

what we've seen in building 

consent data and population 

estimates - Auckland has built 

a lot of homes in recent years 

relative to its population growth," 

Blick said. 

"The new census results are 

also consistent with University of 

Auckland research, showing that 

the Unitary Plan has led to more 

housing choice and more new 

homes than would otherwise have 

been the case." 

The surge in new houses had 

"helped" housing afforability, Blick 

said, but he noted that housing 

in Auckland was still expensive 

relative to incomes. 

Census data had also shown 

Auckland had the highest growth 

in new housing in New Zealand, 

far surpassing any other region. 

The next closest was Canterbury 

with almost 26,000 new homes 

being built.


NEW ZEALAND 11 

The true measure of strength 

ANANDITAA 

In a world fueled by unceasing 

ambition, strength is often 

narrowly defined as physical 

supremacy and quantifiable feats. 

Nations vie for dominance 

through economic leverage, 

military prowess, and the 

dissemination of information and 

disinformation. Modern man’s 

relentless quest for growth and 

dominance has drained the 

very resources that sustain life; 

and economic progress has, in 

many ways, resulted in moral 

and ethical regression. The 

Amazon rainforest, often called 

the "lungs of the Earth," is being 

depleted for cattle ranching and 

soy cultivation. Oceans, once 

brimming with life, are now 

polluted and overfished, with 

species like the Atlantic cod nearly 

driven to extinction. Meanwhile, 

industrial pollution has rendered 

air in cities like Beijing and Delhi 

almost unbreathable. 

Trophy hunting, a prominent 

industry in countries like South 

Africa, where participants pay 

thousands of dollars for the 

grotesque spectacle of killing 

majestic creatures including lions, 

elephants, and giraffes—often 

bred specifically for this purpose— 

generates approximately $744 

million annually. 

This indulgence stands as 

a stark contrast to traditional 

sustenance hunting that once 

maintained ecological balance; 

it reflects vanity and a distorted 

notion of power. 

Deeply rooted in the ancient 

traditions of the Indian 

subcontinent, Hinduism ascribes a 

sacred status to animals believing 

them to be vital to life's harmony. 

Cows are worshipped, snakes 

revered, and even the humblest 

creatures are considered 

manifestations of the divine. 

Across diverse spiritual cultures, 

whether one turns to the sacred 

verses of the Bible or the profound 

teachings of Buddhism and Islam, 

there is a common emphasis on 

the interconnectedness of treating 

animals with kindness and the 

impact it has on personal integrity 

and growth. 

The Quran teaches that animals 

are creatures of God and should 

be treated with respect, while the 

Book of Genesis urges responsible 

stewardship of animals. 

Yet, even in countries like India, 

modern pressures erode these 

ancient and ethical foundations. 

Urbanisation, industrialisation, 

and burgeoning population 

growth have led to increased 

human-animal conflicts and 

habitat destruction, challenging 

the preservation of values and 

consequently life. 

The soul of a society is reflected 

in how it preserves the sanctity 

of all lives and nurtures its most 

vulnerable members, including the 

voiceless animals that share its 

land. 

Compassion towards animals is 

more than just an act of kindness, 

it stands as a testament to an 

overarching responsibility towards 

all living beings. 

The moral fibre of a nation 

forms the truest gauge of its 

strength, its greatness. And it 

transcends all tangible metrics, to 

something subtle yet significant; 

its heart. 

We live in a world where 

we are more connected and 

aware than ever before. While 

navigating this complex world, we 

often find ourselves conflicted, 

often overshadowing ethical 

considerations and many a 

time, reverting to our roots, all 

while being more informed and 

conscious of global issues. We 

need to ask ourselves, how we 

can leverage this awareness for 

the growth of a unified human 

community and what values will 

define our legacy. 

True knowledge and spiritual 

wisdom enable us to see beyond 

societal status or physical 

differences, viewing all living 

beings with the same level of 

understanding, and recognising 

the inherent worth and dignity of 

every being. 

The way we treat each other 

and the most vulnerable among 

us—humans and animals alike— 

reflects our collective character. 

It is the kindness we extend 

to those who cannot speak for 

themselves, the compassion 

we show to the most vulnerable 

among us, and the moral choices 

we make every day that will define 

us. 

(The author is a Mumbai-based 

producer and actor) 

Fake police: Scammer arrested after being chased by officers 

RNZ 

A 

man who scammed people 

out of nearly $300,000 by 

pretending to be a police 

officer has been arrested. 

On Monday the 25-year-old 

man, a UK national, was chased by 

police through Auckland central 

on foot. 

The scam involved a call to a 

landline by someone pretending 

to be a police officer and providing 

a fake badge number. 

There were 18 Aucklanders, 

aged between 56 and 90, with the 

majority over 80, allegedly duped 

We are not now that strength 

which in old days 

Moved earth and heaven, that 

which we are, we are; 

One equal temper of heroic 

hearts, 

Made weak by time and fate, 

but strong in will 

To strive, to seek, to find, and 

not to yield. 

— ‘Ulysses’ by Alfred, Lord 

Tennyson 

out of money. 

"The scam will always involve 

this so-called officer asking for 

financial information or asking you 

to withdraw cash to be collected 

as part of an investigation into 

banks," Detective Senior Sergeant 

Craig Bolton said. 

The man faces 22 charges of 

obtains by deception, attempting 

to obtain by deception and 

escaping custody. He was due to 

appear in the Auckland District 

Court on Tuesday. His bail will be 

opposed by police. 

"We will allege in court that this 

man, who only arrived in New 

Zealand in early June, was on his 

way at the time to collect more 

cash from a previous victim," 

Bolton said. 

"Instead, real detectives turned 

up at the victim's doorstep to 

advise him he was about to be 

scammed out of $20,000 in cash. 

"Financial Crime investigators 

from all three policing districts' 

fraud teams in Tāmaki Makaurau 

have been working together to 

piece together this offending, and 

this is a great outcome." 

A total of $297,700 in cash was 

lost by victims. 

Man left with 

burns after 

dermatology 

clinic gives 

wrong 

treatment 

RNZ 

A 

man was left with large 

burns across his body after 

a dermatology clinic gave 

him a treatment for a different 

patient, the health watchdog has 

found. 

He had been undergoing a 

regular course of phototherapy 

at the clinic to treat his eczema, 

said the Health and Disability 

Commissioner's report. 

An hour after he left the clinic, 

the man received a call from the 

dermatologist advising that he had 

received the wrong treatment. 

The dermatologist told the man 

an employee, "had opened a folder 

for a different patient and loaded 

their treatment", which was much 

stronger than the man's usual 

treatment. 

The dermatologist apologised 

for the mistake and told the man 

that he would develop bad burns, 

for which he prescribed aspirin and 

a topical steroid cream. 

By the next morning the man had 

developed several blisters on the 

front of his body. 

Over the next few days, the 

blistering worsened, covering most 

of the front of the man's body, from 

his chin to his waist. 

The pain rendered him bedbound 

and unable to carry out daily 

tasks, and he had to take two days 

off work. 

The clinic in their investigation 

of the mistake found two errors 

were made. 

The first was that the employee 

who opened the man's profile in the 

phototherapy system, accidentally 

clicked on a different patient with 

the same first name after they 

had confirmed the profile for the 

correct patient. 

The second error was that 

the employee did not enter the 

patient's phototherapy dose into 

the clinic's practice management 

software until after the man had 

completed his treatment. 

If it had been entered prior, the 

system would have generated an 

alert if the dose is more than 20 

percent higher than the previous 

dose. 

The health and disability 

commissioner found the clinic 

breached the Code of Health and 

Disability Services Consumers' 

Rights. 

Deputy health and disability 

commissioner Dr Vanessa 

Caldwell commended the clinic 

on its prompt and transparent 

investigation into the mistake. 

"The changes to the clinic's 

processes were specific and 

appropriate to reduce the risk of 

the same error happening again." 

However, Caldwell found the 

clinic breached Right 4 of the Code, 

for failing to provide services to the 

man with reasonable care and skill. 

She said the injury was avoidable 

and should not have occurred.

Editorial 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK 

“What you get by achieving your goals is not 

as important as what you become by achieving 

your goals.” - Henry David Thoreau 

IN FOCUS : Picture of the week 

Honeymoon 

comes with 

expiry date 

Six months into the National-led government, there is a growing sense of frustration 

among the public regarding the persistent issues of crime and public safety. The 

recent assault and robbery at Pooja Jewellers in Papatoetoe have only heightened 

these concerns, leaving many wondering if the new government is overestimating its 

honeymoon period. 

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s administration has been vocal about its 

commitment to cracking down on crime. 

However, as violent incidents continue to occur, the patience of the public is wearing 

thin. While it is true that legislative changes take time and their impacts are gradual, the 

expectation for perceptible improvements in law and order is immediate. 

Luxon’s recent statement addressing the robbery at Pooja Jewellers underscores this 

point. 

The prime minister’s effort to connect with public sentiment and show that he is 

attuned to the pain and fear felt by citizens is a step in the right direction. But words 

alone are not enough. 

The public wants to see concrete actions and results that reflect the government’s 

promises. 

Police Minister Mark Mitchell has been actively attending public meetings in recent 

weeks, where small business owners frequently ask why law and order hasn’t improved 

under his watch. 

His response has been consistent: the crime peak fueled by the previous Labour 

government wouldn’t abate overnight. 

This has been Mitchell’s go-to response so far, and one wonders how long he can 

continue to pin the blame on a government that has not been in charge for nearly half a 

year. 

When asked if he had a timeline in mind for when his work will begin to show results, 

Mitchell told The Indian Weekender, “Well, I would have loved to fix [it] six months ago. 

The reality is, we are not going to turn it around overnight. 

It has taken six years to bake it in.” He highlighted that the previous government had 

prioritised reducing the prison population by 30 per cent and alternative actions where 

there were no consequences. 

Mitchell didn’t offer any commitments on the timeline but pointed out he has been 

trying to make sure the police are out on the streets and more visible. 

“[We are ensuring] they get back to basics…getting them out of some of the work they 

currently do so that they can work on their core role…so that when members of the public 

who put up their hand when they genuinely need it, they get the help they want.” 

Mitchell acknowledged that there’s a lot of work to do but noted that he has started to 

see some greenshoots. 

He pointed to Auckland CBD, where he claims crime is starting to reduce and statistics 

around violent crime are starting to trend downwards. 

The National government is facing the challenge of balancing the long-term process of 

legislative reform with the immediate need for public reassurance. 

The danger lies in overestimating the goodwill afforded by their new-government 

status. Six months is a significant period, and the public’s expectation for visible change 

is both reasonable and pressing. 

The government’s focus on blaming the previous Labour administration for the current 

crime wave, while not entirely unfounded, risks coming across as an excuse rather than 

a solution. 

The electorate voted for change, and they expect the new government to deliver on its 

promises swiftly and effectively. 

It’s essential for Luxon’s administration to recognise that public perception is shaped 

by immediate experiences. High-profile incidents of crime create a sense of urgency that 

demands prompt and decisive action. 

Measures such as increased police presence, enhanced community policing, and swift 

judicial processes can provide the immediate impact needed to reassure the public while 

broader legislative changes take effect. 

The prime minister’s engagement with the issue of crime and his commitment to 

addressing it are positive steps, but they must be backed by tangible actions that yield 

visible results. 

The government’s credibility hinges on its ability to deliver on its promises in a timely 

manner. 

In politics, the honeymoon period is finite, and the National government’s time to make 

a lasting impression is slipping away. Luxon and his team must act now to demonstrate 

their effectiveness and responsiveness to public concerns. 

The window of opportunity is narrowing, and the stakes are high. For the National 

government, this is a pivotal moment to prove that their commitment to reducing crime 

is more than just rhetoric—it’s a promise they intend to keep. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with two little granddaughters of Harayana Governor 

Bandaru Dattatreya, at his Parliament office in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) 

This week in New Zealand’s history 

23 June 1961 

Antarctic Treaty comes into force 

As claimant to the Ross Dependency, New Zealand took part in a 1959 conference in 

Washington DC about the political and international status of Antarctica. The resulting 

Antarctic Treaty covering all land and ice shelves south of latitude 60°S was agreed to by the 

12 participating states. In 2023 there were 56 parties to the treaty. 


World Court condemns French nuclear tests 

The ruling by the International Court of Justice was part of New Zealand’s long campaign 

against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. Though the French ignored the court’s 

interim injunction and carried on testing in the atmosphere, continuing protests soon forced 

them to move the tests underground. 


New Zealand Truth hits the news stands 

At its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, New Zealand Truth prided itself on being ‘the champion 

of the little person and the scourge of corruption and scandal in high places’. 


Parliament votes for prostitution reform 

The Prostitution Reform Act was passed on a tumultuous night in Parliament, with the 

public galleries filled with supporters from both sides. Christchurch Central Labour MP 

Tim Barnett had promoted the legislation as a private member’s bill. It passed by just one 

vote. 

28 June 1881 

First registered female pharmacist 

Before 1880, the dispensing of medicines in New Zealand was largely unregulated. The 

Pharmacy Act 1880 set up a Board of Pharmacy and a registration system to protect the 

public from ‘amateurs and witchdoctors’. The terms ‘pharmaceutical chemist’ and ‘chemist 

and druggist’ could now only be used by a registered pharmacist. 

28 June 1919 

New Zealand Prime Minister signs Treaty of Versailles 

Bill Massey’s was the 17th signature on the treaty which formally ended the war between 

the Allies and Germany. Versailles was a milestone on New Zealand’s road to nationhood. 

Indian Weekender : Volume 17 - Issue 14 

Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited 

Editor: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz 

General Manager: Ravi Bajpai | 020 441 2233 | ravi@indianweekender.co.nz 

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Accounts and Admin.: 09-2173623 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz 

Senior Digital Producer: Urjita Bhardwaj | 021 952 246 | urjita@indianweekender.co.nz 

Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher 

is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication 

Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent 

the views of the team at the Indian Weekender 

Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland. 

Printed at NZME, Auckland, New Zealand. 

Copyright ® 2022. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved. 

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14 

INDIA 

The Lok Sabha on 

Wednesday adopted a 

resolution condemning 

the Emergency imposed by then 

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 

as Speaker Om Birla read out 

the resolution condemning the 

act and said that June 25, 1975 

will always be known as a black 

chapter in the history of India. 

On the occasion of the 

completion of 50 years of 

Emergency imposed in 1975, 

Birla praised the strength and 

determination of all those who 

strongly opposed the Emergency, 

fought and protected India's 

democracy. 

Birla said, "This House strongly 

condemns the decision to impose 

emergency in the country in 1975. 

Along with this, we appreciate 

the determination of all those 

people who strongly opposed 

the emergency, fought an 

unprecedented struggle and took 

the responsibility of protecting the 

democracy of India." 

He added, "The day of June 25, 

1975 will always be known as a 

black chapter in the history of 

India." 

Even as Birla was making 

his speech on Emergency, the 

opposition parties continued 

sloganeering "Stop Dictatorship". 

Afterwards, the Lok Sabha was 

adjourned till June 27. 

Lok Sabha Speaker further 

stressed the need to pass the 

resolution and asserted that the 

youngsters should be aware of 

the Emergency period. He said, 

"On this day in 1975, the then 

cabinet had post-facto ratified 

the Emergency, approving this 

dictatorial and unconstitutional 

decision. Therefore, to reiterate 


our commitment to our 

parliamentary system and this 

second independence achieved 

after countless sacrifices, it is 

necessary to pass this resolution 

today. We also believe that our 

young generation must know 

about this dark chapter of 

democracy." 

Om Birla was re-elected as 

the Speaker of the Lok Sabha on 

Wednesday after the motion for 

the same was moved by Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi and 

seconded by Defence Minister 

Rajnath Singh. The motion was 

adopted by the House through a 

voice vote. 

The Lok Sabha Speaker targeted 

Indira Gandhi for imposing an 

Emergency on a country that 

always upheld the values of 

democracy. "India's democratic 

values were crushed and freedom 

of expression was throttled. 

During the emergency, the rights 


Lok Sabha adopts resolution condemning 

Emergency, Om Birla says June 25 will be 

known as "Black Chapter" in Indian history 

India raises concerns about Myanmar 

violence; flags arms, narcotics trafficking 

India raised its deep concern 

over violence and instability in 

Myanmar and the threat posed 

by the trafficking of narcotics 

and weapons when external 

affairs minister S Jaishankar met 

Myanmar’s deputy prime minister 

Than Shwe in New Delhi on 

Wednesday. 

Jaishankar met Than Shwe, 

who is also foreign minister and 

led Myanmar’s ruling junta from 

1992 to 2011, at his hotel while 

he was transiting through the 

Indian capital on his way home 

from a foreign visit. This is the 

first publicly acknowledged visit 

to New Delhi by a senior junta 

member since the military took 

power in Myanmar through a coup 

in February 2021. 

“Discussed our deep concern at 

the impact of continuing violence 

and instability in Myanmar on our 

border. India is open to engaging 

all stakeholders in addressing this 

situation,” Jaishankar said in a 

post on X. 

“Particularly flagged illegal 

narcotics, arms smuggling and 

trafficking in persons as priority 

challenges,” he said. 

of the people were destroyed, 

and citizens lost their freedom. It 

was the time when the opposition 

leaders were put to jail... The 

government during that time 

imposed several restrictions on 

the media...," he said 

Stepping up his attacks on 

the Congress party, Birla said, 

"Congress took such decisions 

that did the work of crushing the 

emotions of the Constitution. 

By bringing amendments to the 

MISA Act, the Congress party 

made sure that the courts could 

not provide justice to people 

arrested under MISA. To stop 

the media from writing the truth, 

the Parliamentary Proceedings 

(Protection of Publication) Act and 

other acts were brought." 

Birla expressed confidence that 

the 18th Lok Sabha will uphold 

its commitment to preserve and 

protect the Constitution created 

by BR Ambedkar. 

US expresses ‘some concerns’ over continuing India-Russia military cooperation 

The US has “some concerns” 

about India’s continuing 

military and technology 

cooperation with Russia though 

Washington is focused on working 

with New Delhi to narrow areas 

with divergences, US deputy 

secretary of state Kurt Campbell 

said on Wednesday. 

The remarks by Campbell, 

widely seen as the architect of 

the Asia strategy of the Biden 

administration, came against the 

backdrop of reports that India and 

Russia are exploring the possibility 

of a visit by Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi to Moscow next 

month. 

Jaishankar also called for 

an “early return to the path 

of democratic transition in 

Myanmar”, and said India “stands 

ready to help in any manner”. 

This was in line with India’s 

stated position that all players in 

Myanmar should cease hostilities 

and return to the path of dialogue 

to find a solution. 

Myanmar’s junta has suffered a 

series of humiliating defeats since 

three powerful armed groups 

came together last year to launch 

“Operation 1027” (named after the 

date the offensive began). The 

groups joined hands with smaller 

militias and captured key towns 

and trade posts along Myanmar’s 

borders with India, Bangladesh 

Campbell, however, during an 

online media briefing, ducked a 

question on whether such a visit 

could affect India-US relations. 

The US and India, he said, have 

a “full and frank” dialogue that 

encompasses discussions on their 

“mutual relationships with key 

countries”, including India’s ties 

with Russia. 

“We have been clear which 

areas are affected by the 

continuing relationship between 

India and Russia, militarily and 

technologically. 

I think we will take what steps 

we can to mitigate some of 

those engagements and we have 

and China and overran hundreds 

of military bases and positions. 

The junta’s grip on power has 

largely been limited to the central 

parts of Myanmar. 

In April, New Delhi’s interests 

were affected when resistance 

forces advanced in areas around 

Sittwe, where the port was 

developed with Indian financial 

aid. India shuttered its consulate 

in Sittwe and pulled its diplomats 

out of the city. 

India’s concerns have grown 

in recent weeks as government 

troops and resistance forces have 

clashed in the Sagaing region, 

which borders the northeastern 

states of Arunachal Pradesh, 

Manipur and Nagaland. 

expressed some concerns,” he said 

in response to a question about 

What powers will Rahul Gandhi have in 

Lok Sabha as Leader of Opposition? 

Congress leader Rahul 

Gandhi was appointed as 

the Leader of Opposition 

for Lok Sabha, a post which 

comes with certain powers in the 

Parliament. This is the first time 

in 10 years that a member of the 

Congress has been appointed the 

LoP, as it had less than 10 percent 

of seats in the Lok Sabha in 2014 

and 2019. 

The opposition party needs at 

least 55 seats to claim the Leader 

of Opposition post in the Lok 

Sabha, and the Congress party 

bagged 99 seats in the 2024 

general elections. 

While the Leader of Opposition 

is not a constitutional post, it 

will give certain powers in key 

decision-making to Rahul Gandhi, 

which includes key appointments. 

What powers does Leader of 

Opposition have? 

As the Leader of the Opposition, 

Rahul Gandhi will be a member of 

crucial parliamentary committees. 

He will be a member of several 

Joint Parliamentary Committees, 

the committees of Public 

Accounts, Public Undertakings, 

Estimates, and many more. He will 

also have a say in the appointment 

reported worries that sensitive 

technology supplied by the US to 

India could be accessed by Russia. 

The US has confidence and 

trust in India as it seeks to 

advance the bilateral partnership 

in technology and Washington 

also wants to develop a “much 

deeper and stronger technological 

relationship” with New Delhi, he 

said. 

Both countries have many 

areas of alignment, “but it is not 

surprising that there would be 

areas where we had perhaps 

different perspectives, views, 

historical ties”, he added. 

In the context of the bilateral 

of bureaucrats to key posts. 

Further, Gandhi is also entitled to 

be a member of certain committees 

responsible for appointing the 

heads of statutory bodies Central 

Vigilance Commission, the Central 

Information Commission, the 

Central Bureau of Investigation, 

the National Human Rights 

Commission of India, Lokpal and 

more. 

Rahul Gandhi is the third member 

of the Gandhi family to hold the 

Leader of Opposition post. Before 

him, his parents Sonia and Rajiv 

Gandhi held the LOP post. Rajiv 

Gandhi held the LoP post from 

1989-1990 while Sonia held the 

post from 1999 to 2004. 

strategic partnership, an 

important aspect is “our ability to 

share views on areas where we 

occasionally have disagreements, 

do those respectfully and seek 

where possible to narrow those 

areas where there are differences”, 

Campbell said. 

While India and the US have 

ramped up collaboration on the 

joint development and production 

of military equipment and 

launched the Initiative on Critical 

and Emerging Technology (iCET), 

Russia remains the largest supplier 

of defence hardware, accounting 

for almost 60% of the weapons 

used by Indian armed forces.


WORLD 15 

Modi to visit Moscow soon, 

Russian state media says 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra 

purchases of discounted Russian 

Modi will visit Russia for the 

crude oil, giving Putin’s nation a 

first time since the Kremlin’s 

major financial lifeline as it faces 

invasion of Ukraine, in a trip 

that highlights the growing ties 

between the two countries despite 

New Delhi’s close relationship 

with Washington. 

Preparations are being made for 

Modi’s visit to Moscow and dates 

will be announced soon, Kremlin 

spokesperson Yuri Ushakov said, 

according to Russia’s stateowned 

TASS news agency. 

global isolation. 

At the same time, India’s ties 

with the United States have grown 

stronger, amid shared concerns 

over China’s assertiveness in the 

Indo-Pacific region. 

Modi met with US President 

Joe Biden during a state visit to 

Washington last June, in a trip 

further cementing their defense, 

trade and technology partnership. 

“I can confirm that we are 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai The Indian leader also addressed 

preparing a visit by the Prime 

Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in September 2022. (Alexander Congress during that trip, an 

Minister of India,” he said, 

according to TASS. 

“I can’t say about the dates yet, 

because the dates are announced 

by the parties in agreement. But 

we are actively preparing. And this 

visit will happen.” 

CNN has contacted India’s 

Ministry of External Affairs for 

comment. The upcoming trip 

will be Modi’s first to the country 

since 2019 and comes less than 

a month after he was narrowly reelected 

as prime minister during a 

weekslong vote. 

Demyanchuk/Pool/Sputnik/Reuters) 

Modi last met Russian President 

Vladimir Putin on the sidelines 

of the Shanghai Cooperation 

Organization summit in 

Uzbekistan in 2022, where he told 

the leader that today’s era is “not 

of war”. 

Putin also visited New Delhi just 

months before his unprovoked 

invasion of Ukraine. 

India’s ties with Russia date 

back decades to the Cold War 

and have remained strong despite 

repeated sanctions on Moscow 

from Western governments. 

New Delhi has repeatedly 

abstained from votes condemning 

Russia at the United Nations and 

has avoided public criticism of 

Moscow’s war in Ukraine. 

India remains heavily reliant 

on the Kremlin for its military 

equipment – a vital link given 

India’s ongoing tensions at its 

shared Himalayan border with 

China – and has ramped up 

honor typically reserved for 

close US allies and partners, and 

attended a lavish state dinner. 

Later that year, Putin did not 

attend the Group of 20 leaders’ 

summit in New Delhi, during which 

leaders delivered a consensus 

statement criticizing his invasion 

of Ukraine. India is a member of 

the Quad security grouping with 

the US, Japan and Australia and 

also has a seat at the table of two 

Moscow-friendly groupings, the 

SCO and the BRICS bloc, which 

includes Russia and China. 

Will Elon Musk's SpaceX ‘rescue’ Sunita Williams 

from space after Starliner's Helium leak? 

Elon Musk owned 

SpaceX might step in to 

rescue Sunita Williams and 

her colleague Butch Wilmore 

stranded at the International 

Space Station (ISS) after 

their Boeing Starliner experienced 

troubling helium leaks. 

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and 

Sunita Williams launched on the 

Starliner on June 5, expecting 

a nine-day mission at the ISS. 

However, helium leaks have 

left their return date 

uncertain, prompting 

NASA to seek 

solutions. Earlier 

they were 

supposed to 

return on July 

2 and now the 

re-entry has 

been further 

delayed. 

Boeingrival 

SpaceX 

may ultimately 

be tasked with 

bringing them home 

aboard its Crew Dragon 

spacecraft. However, this 

development is expected to be a 

significant blow to Boeing, which 

has already faced approximately 

$1.5 billion in cost overruns 

beyond its initial $4.5 billion NASA 

contract. As it comes as a big 

setback to make Starliner a viable 

option for ISS missions. 

Despite the severity 

of the situation, reports 

suggest NASA and Boeing officials 

have downplayed the need for 

SpaceX's involvement. They 

insist that the current issues with 

the Starliner do not necessitate 

intervention. Nevertheless, 

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which 

recently ferried four astronauts 

to the ISS 

in March, 

remains 

ready for the 

task. It can 

accommodate two 

to four passengers and 

can fit additional occupants 

in an emergency. 

Since 2020, SpaceX has been 

the sole commercial company 

approved to transport astronauts 

and cargo to the ISS. This situation 

underscores the competition and 

challenges within the commercial 

spaceflight sector. 

Astronauts Wilmore and 

Williams will stay aboard the ISS 

until at least July 2 as officials 

investigate the helium leaks 

affecting the Starliner, which 

remains docked at the station. 

Michael Lembeck, an aerospace 

engineering professor at the 

University of Illinois Urbana- 

Champaign and a former Boeing 

spaceflight consultant, told NY 

Post that he believes that the 

Starliner will still likely be the 

astronauts’ return vehicle. "Right 

now, I’d say the need for SpaceX 

to step up is very low," Lembeck 

said. "We would have to see a 

big problem come up in the next 

couple of days to warrant that 

reaction." 

NASA’s decision to delay the 

astronauts' return allows more 

time to study the Starliner while it’s 

still attached to the ISS, ensuring 

a thorough understanding of what 

went wrong. The capsule carrying 

the astronauts will make it back 

to Earth, but the service module, 

which houses the engines, fuel, 

and helium tanks, will not. 

With ample helium gas 

remaining, officials assure that 

Wilmore and Williams can still fly 

home despite the leaks if any dire 

issues arise aboard the ISS. 

A big setback for Boeing's space 

mission 

Experts also feel, NASA may 

be weary as a rescue mission 

involving SpaceX would 

suggest serious, potentially lifethreatening 

hardware defects with 

the Starliner. 

The last time NASA needed 

external help to bring an astronaut 

home was in 2022, when a Russian 

Soyuz capsule leak stranded 

American astronaut Frank Rubio. 

Although NASA considered 

SpaceX for that rescue, Rubio 

returned on an empty Soyuz 

capsule launched by Russia, 

extending his mission to a recordbreaking 

371 days. 

Boeing's hopes of making 

Starliner the second option for 

NASA scientists to reach the ISS 

face a significant setback with 

this incident. The aerospace 

giant's struggles highlight the 

high stakes and challenges of 

commercial spaceflight. 

UAE-India CEPA 

Council, Indian 

Chamber of 

Commerce, 

discuss 

opportunities 

to leverage 

benefits of CEPA 

UAE-India CEPA Council 

in collaboration with 

the Indian Chamber 

of Commerce held a business 

roundtable in Odisha, to discuss 

opportunities to leverage the 

benefits of the UAE-India 

Comprehensive Economic 

Partnership Agreement (CEPA). 

The meeting brought together 

nearly 30 businesses from Odisha 

and a high-level UAE delegation. 

The UAE delegation was led by 

Abdulnasser Alshaali PhD, the 

Ambassador of the UAE to India, 

with participants including Ahmed 

Aljneibi, Director of the UICC, 

Mohammad Haseeb, Strategic 

Country Manager - India, Ras Al 

Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), 

and Yogpal Singh, Director, 

Corporate Affairs, DP World. 

Underscoring the importance of 

Odisha to the UAE, Alshaali noted, 

"Odisha has played a critical 

role in supporting the UAE-India 

bilateral partnership. 

Its highly developed minerals 

and industrial sector and strong 

human capital are of key interest 

to UAE investors. We are confident 

that today's event will serve to 

ensure businesses in Odisha 

take advantage of a range of 

economic, trade, and investment 

opportunities that have been 

offered through the signing of the 

CEPA." 

In his remarks, Aljneibi 

highlighted the rapid growth 

in Odisha's total trade with the 

UAE. "In the 2023-2024 fiscal 

year, trade between the UAE and 

Odisha reached USD 2.63 billion, 

with Odisha constituting the UAE's 

eighth-largest trading partner 

among India's 28 states and eight 

union territories. 

It is essential that we undertake 

all efforts to continue to build 

upon this constructive trading 

relationship and seek out new 

avenues for mutually beneficial 

growth. The UICC, in partnership 

with the ICC, is committed to 

supporting businesses in Odisha 

to achieve their international trade 

and investment ambitions." 

Odisha is India's largest 

producer of steel, stainless 

steel, ferroalloys, alumina, and 

aluminium. The state holds 

a significant share of India's 

reserves of nickel, bauxite, 

iron ore, and coal. Over recent 

years, constructive steps have 

been undertaken to develop 

deeper investment and trade 

collaboration between the UAE 

and India. 

In June 2022, several 

memoranda of understanding, 

valued at USD 2.76 billion, were 

signed between the Government 

of Odisha and UAE companies. 

Most notably, the Lulu Group 

committed to exploring 

opportunities to establish 

hypermarkets, shopping malls, 

and agriculture and seafood 

processing hubs in the state.

16 

TIME OUT 

i FreeDailyCrosswords.com 

ACROSS----------- 

1) "Brian's Song" star James 

5) Comes out of one's skin 

10) Self-congratulatory 

14) Radius' comrade-in-arms? 

15) Youngest-ever Oscar 

winner 

16) Folkestone farewell 

17) "B 5!" "C 11!"? 

19) Took_ (snoozed) 

20) Downed 

21) Typing type 

22) Considers carefully 

24) "Emma" author Austen 

25) Hersey's bell town 

26) Place or site 

29) Transverse beam 

32) Itsy-bitsy bits 

33) "In_ tn1st" 

34) Recipe word 

35) Cravings 

36) Emulate "Old Blue Eyes" 

O, O! 

1 2 3 

14 

17 

20 

26 27 28 

32 

35 

38 

41 42 

CROSSWORD 

37) Kid's "seat" on Santa 

38) Alternative to .net 

39) Less extroverted 

40) TV's "Cosmos" creator 

41) Author's explanation 

43) Yuletide songs 

44) Backup sounds 

45) Random sampling 

46) "Monkey Trial" teacher 

48) Seafood choice 

49) Josh 

52) Door section 

53) John Wayne character, 

larger-than-life? 

56) More than suggest 

57) Recording studio alert 

58) Water sport 

59) Some antique autos 

60) Family men 

61) Bud holder 

Richard Auer 

11 12 13 

7th June 

DOWN 

1) Island south of Florida 

2) Dismounted 

3) Archer or Heche 

4) Endless faultfinder 

5) Home of the John Deere 

headquarters 

6) Like beverages at barbecues 

7) A 1 Capp character 

8) Fielder's choice? 

9) Trooper's warning 

10) Wood-surface applications 

11) Tropical fruit dance? 

12) Great Salt Lake state 

13) Adjusts, as a spark plug 

18) Multicolored gems 

23) "_ on Down the Road" 

24) Traffic tangles 

25) Eagerness 

26)_ the land (how things stand) 

27) Alamogordo's county 

28) Kinshasa drum? 

29) Australian bush call 

30) Just right 

31) Wonderlands 

33) Southern breakfast dish 

36) Auto despair site? 

37) Marx or Benz 

39) Pirate's knife 

40) Town of many trials and hunts 

42) Plains homes 

43) Plays with crayons 

45) Lecterns 

46) Tim Duncan, for one 

47) Kind of package 

48) Cold spell 

49) Nautical mile 

50) Not going anywhere 

51) Condemn 

54) "Put_ Happy Face" 

55) Photo_ (media events) 

i FreeDailyCrosswords.com 

ACROSS----------- 

1) "Brian's Song" star James 

5) Comes out of one's skin 

10) Self-congratulatory 

14) Radius' comrade-in-arms? 

15) Youngest-ever Oscar 

winner 

16) Folkestone farewell 

17) "B 5!" "C 11!"? 

19) Took_ (snoozed) 

20) Downed 

21) Typing type 

22) Considers carefully 

24) "Emma" author Austen 

25) Hersey's bell town 

26) Place or site 

29) Transverse beam 

32) Itsy-bitsy bits 

33) "In_ tn1st" 

34) Recipe word 

35) Cravings 

36) Emulate "Old Blue Eyes" 

O, O! 


CROSSWORD ANSWERS 

37) Kid's "seat" on Santa 

38) Alternative to .net 

39) Less extroverted 

40) TV's "Cosmos" creator 

41) Author's explanation 

43) Yuletide songs 

44) Backup sounds 

45) Random sampling 

46) "Monkey Trial" teacher 

48) Seafood choice 

49) Josh 

52) Door section 

53) John Wayne character, 

larger-than-life? 

56) More than suggest 

57) Recording studio alert 

58) Water sport 

59) Some antique autos 

60) Family men 

61) Bud holder 

1M l.1 1 b 

Richard Auer 

ATA 

N A p 

I G H 5 

0 

T 30 1 3e 

D D 

E E 

N 

7th June 

DOWN 

1) Island south of Florida 

2) Dismounted 

3) Archer or Heche 

4) Endless faultfinder 

5) Home of the John Deere 

headquarters 

6) Like beverages at barbecues 

7) A 1 Capp character 

8) Fielder's choice? 

9) Trooper's warning 

10) Wood-surface applications 

11) Tropical fruit dance? 

12) Great Salt Lake state 

13) Adjusts, as a spark plug 

18) Multicolored gems 

23) "_ on Down the Road" 

24) Traffic tangles 

25) Eagerness 

26)_ the land (how things stand) 

27) Alamogordo's county 

28) Kinshasa drum? 

29) Australian bush call 

30) Just right 

31) Wonderlands 

33) Southern breakfast dish 

36) Auto despair site? 

37) Marx or Benz 

39) Pirate's knife 

40) Town of many trials and hunts 

42) Plains homes 

43) Plays with crayons 

45) Lecterns 

46) Tim Duncan, for one 

47) Kind of package 

48) Cold spell 

49) Nautical mile 

50) Not going anywhere 

51) Condemn 

54) "Put_ Happy Face" 

55) Photo_ (media events) 


SUDOKU SOLUTIONS 

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59 

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Your Weekly Horoscope: 27 June - 04 July, 2024 

ARIES (MAR 21-APR 20) 

As the wheel of the seasons turns once 

more, the spoke of summer is at your 

door. Thursday marks the solstice point, 

so answer the call, grab your bathing suit 

and inflatables, and make a beeline for 

the nearest pool party over the weekend. 

As the monthly full moon lights up the 

sky on Friday, the peak in lunation is prime time for socials, 

activities, and if you prefer, getting ahead by burning some 

midnight oil. 

.TAURUS (APR 21-MAY 20) 

The sun, Mercury, and Venus all head 

up your sphere of local connections 

this week, making it social as well as 

neighborly. With a family feel, perhaps it’s 

time to get involved in community spirit. 

Ever resourceful and hands-on, consider 

selling your wares or produce at a local 

makers market, setting up your own stall or pop-up shop. 

Consider organizing a cooperative as a more collective way 

to bring home the bacon. 

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUN 21) 

You’ve had four planets in your sign, 

and at the end of the week, that’s down 

to one. The lucky one, Jupiter. So you 

can concentrate on your fortune and 

make your luck happen! Think big, and 

remember: Words are spells. Treat them 

as such, and you’ll bag a dream or two by 

the end of its one-year run in your sign. 

CANCER (JUN 22-JUL 20) 

It’s the solstice and the beginning of your 

sunny, summery birthday season, water 

nymph! With the longest day of sunlight 

marking the entry point to your sign, we’re 

off to a great start on Thursday. Venus and 

Mercury also dive into Cancerian waters 

on Monday, preceding the sun. This means 

the vibe is perfect for supporting your birthday celebrations 

and all you love. Your glow-up is here, so note those 

compliments rolling in and how you really feel at home. 

LEO (JUL21-AUG 20) 

As the planets pile into your zen zone this 

week, take time out to rest and recoup. It’s 

summer from Thursday, but I’m sure you 

can put your feet up in a hammock under 

dappled light and recharge those batteries 

sooner. Sleep, dream, or be with those lifers 

who feel like family—those that you choose 

as lifers, and your spiritual or artistic community. There’s 

plenty to catch up on with friends you haven’t seen for a 

while as La Luna’s full moonlight draws out the social side. 

VIRGO (AUG 23-SEP 23) 

Charge your social battery, Virgo! The 

beginning of summer is here, and it’s all 

about group activity, friends, and meaningful 

interaction. Eating out is a must, and yes, 

picnics count! This is a brilliant time to 

network, so get canny with your connections, 

whether personal, business, or special interest. Groups and 

dinner parties are the spheres where great conversations 

happen, so be at your best; you may meet someone who 

feels like family. 

LIBRA (SEP 24-OCT 23) 

You will be open to having different 

experiences this week, Libra, with the new 

moon in Gemini. You might be preparing to 

travel, or you could want to learn about a 

different culture or niche subject. You will 

be pushing yourself to keep an open mind 

about different opinions and life beliefs as well. As the moon 

moves into Cancer over the weekend, you could be reflecting 

on your long term career goals. 

SCORPIO (OCT 24-NOV 22) 

You will be working on yourself this week, 

Scorpio, with the new moon in Gemini. You 

might want to better understand your own 

motives and behaviours, and you could 

be researching topics related to self help 

or psychology. You may be making a big 

purchase too, or you’re working to save or 

invest some of your money. As the moon moves into Cancer 

over the weekend, you may be travelling. 

SAGITTARIUS (NOV 23-DEC 21) 

You will be building upon your relationships 

this week, Sagittarius, with the new moon in 

Gemini. You may feel closer to your partner, 

or you’re having greater success with dating. 

You could even reach a pivotal relationship 

milestone, or you may be meeting up with 

good friends to hang out. As the moon moves into Cancer 

over the weekend, you may want to open up emotionally 

to people, or you’re reflecting on how you can respond to 

conflict differently. 

CAPRICORN (DEC 22-JAN 21) 

You will be productive at work this week, 

Capricorn, with the new moon in Gemini. A 

job opportunity may come your way, or you 

could be developing various projects. You 

may be taking greater care of your body 

too, by sticking to a regular exercise routine, 

eating healthy, or getting to sleep early. As the moon moves 

into Cancer over the weekend, you may be connecting with a 

good friend or going on a date. 

AQUARIUS (JAN 22-FEB 19) 

As the summer rolls in on Thursday, 

highlighting your sphere of work and wellness, 

go with it and enjoy more outdoorsy, vitalitybuilding 

social connections. This period has 

a “family and cherished friends” feel about 

it that’s oh so wholesome and emotionally 

nourishing. So relax your mind and feel the warmth those 

connections generate within you. That’s an aspect of good 

health right there. 

PISCES (FEB 20-MAR 20) 

Summer. Is. Finally. HERE! And that means 

the water babies come out to splash, frolic, 

and soak up vital solar energy. Enjoy your 

leisure time, and if you need a reason, this 

season lights up your playful sphere of 

fun, dating, romance, and talents. This 

area gives back in a mutually beneficial 

loop, boosting your presence, vitality, and self-esteem, so 

swim, immerse in music, read a good book, or nurture that 

artistic side.


FEATURE 17 

Beer and lime chicken Chicken lemon coriander soup 

Ingredients 

• 250 gm chicken 

• 1 inch ginger 

• 1 green chilli 

• black pepper as required 

• 1 teaspoon vinegar 

• 2 tablespoon lemon juice 

• 5 cloves garlic 

• 10 sprigs coriander leaves 

• 2 teaspoon corn flour 

• salt as required 

• 1 tablespoon water 

Method 

• Add all the chicken in a pot and fill the pot with 

Ingredients 

• 400 gm chicken 

• 3 tablespoon lime juice 

• 2 teaspoon honey 

• 1 teaspoon black pepper 

• 1 tablespoon spice paprika 

• 1 1/2 cup beer 

• 7 cloves minced garlic 


• 3 tablespoon cilantro 

Method 

• Wash and clean the chicken, 

cut them into desired pieces 

and pat dry. Next, take a bowl 

and add beer, lime juice, honey, 

garlic, salt, paprika, pepper and 

cilantro. Mix all the ingredients 

and let the honey dissolve 

completely. 

• In the next step add the chicken 

pieces to the bowl and and 

marinate for about half an hour. 

• Preheat the grill, and place the 

chicken pieces after removing 

the excess marinate. You can 

keep the marinade for basting 

the chicken and grill by flipping 

sides. Place the chicken pieces 

on the grill and let them cook 

for 5-7 minutes each side or 

until the chicken is tender and 

juices run clear. 

• Serve hot with lemon, green 

chili sauce/green chutney. 

Chilli chicken 

Ingredients 

• 500 gm chopped chicken 

• 1/2 cup corn flour 

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste 

• 2 tablespoon sliced green chilli 

• 2 tablespoon vinegar 


• 1 beaten egg 

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste 

• 2 cup chopped onion 

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 

• 1/2 cup sunflower oil 

• 1/2 cup sliced capsicum (green 

pepper) 

• For Garnishing 

pieces in the oil until cooked 

through. Remove and drain 

excess oil on absorbent paper. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 or 2 tbsps 

of oil in a separate pan over 

medium flame. Once the oil is 

sufficiently hot, add the onions 

and fry for 2-3 minutes till they 

turn translucent. Then add the 

capsicum and green chillies 

and mix well again. You can 

also add some dry roasted 

green chillies to accentuate the 

taste. Moreover, If you prefer 

the dish extra spicy, you can 

• 1 handful chopped spring also add some vinegar-soaked 

onions 

Method 

• To make this delicious recipe, 

begin with washing the chicken 

in some lukewarm water and 

rinse it again in cold water. 

Then take a large bowl and 

combine chicken, eggs, gingergarlic 

paste and cornflour in it. 

Mix all the ingredients properly. 

You can also drizzle a little 

water to the batter to coat the 

chicken pieces evenly. Once 

done, refrigerate the chicken 

for 1-2 hours. 

• After 1-2 hours, take out the 

marinade. Next, heat oil in a 

deep pan over a high flame. 

Carefully place the chicken 

green chillies to this recipe, as 

it adds to the taste and flavour. 

(optional) 

• When the veggies are partially 

cooked, add soy sauce, vinegar, 

chicken and salt. Mix all the 

ingredients well and make sure 

that the chicken is well coated 

in the sauces. Keep stirring so 

that the chicken does not stick 

to the pan. 

• Once done, remove and transfer 

the dish to a bowl. Garnish with 

the spring onions and roasted 

sesame seeds (optional) and 

serve it to your family and 

friends. We are sure your loved 

ones will love this awesome 

recipe. 

water up to a level where it covers the chicken. Add 

1 tbsp of salt, ½ inch ginger and a few coriander 

leaves. Let this boil for 15 minutes 

• Take the chicken out of the pot and let it cool down. 

Once it cools down, start shredding the chicken 

using either fork or knife. Meanwhile, add some 

butter in a pan and add chopped garlic and ginger 

to it. along with green chilli slit in half. 

Indian grilled chicken pasta 

Ingredients 

• 150 gm halved chicken 

• 5 gm salt 

• 10 gm green olives 

• 5 gm garlic 

• 70 gm pasta penne 

• tomato chili sauce as required 

• barbeque sauce as required 

• black pepper as required 

• 30 gm lettuce leaf 

• 10 gm cherry tomatoes 

• 10 ml virgin olive oil 

• 5 gm thyme 

• 50 ml cocktail sauce 

• mayonnaise as required 

• tomato ketchup as required 

Method 

• To make this delicious recipe, 

preheat the grill to a high heat. 

Apply steak seasoning on the 

chicken halves. (Note: steak 

seasoning can be prepared 

by mixing together salt, black 

pepper, garlic and a tiny dash 

of chili flakes) 

• Now, grease the grill gate and 

put the chicken to grill. Cook 

Fried chicken momos 

Ingredients 

• 2 cup all purpose flour 

• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder 


• 2 cup refined oil 

• For Filling 

• 1 cup chicken 

• 1 tablespoon garlic 

• 1/4 tablespoon vinegar 

• 1/2 cup onion 

• 1/2 tablespoon light soya 

sauce 

• 1/4 tablespoon black pepper 

Method 

• To prepare this delicious 

chicken momos recipe, mix allpurpose 

flour, salt and baking 

powder in a dough kneading 

plate and knead to a stiff 

dough using a little water. Keep 

it aside to rest for at least 30 

minutes before you make balls 

out of it. 

• Put a saucepan over medium 

flame and heat 1 tbsp oil in it. 

When the oil is hot enough, add 

finely chopped onion and garlic 

to it. 

• Once they are cooked until soft, 

add the chicken. 

• Turn the heat high and take it 

off the heat until the chicken 

is almost cooked. Do not cook 

it completely. Mix in the soya 

sauce, salt, vinegar and black 

pepper. 

• Roll the dough thin (translucent) 

and cut into 4"-5" rounds. 

• Take a wrapper, wet the edges 

and place some filling in the 

centre, bring edges together to 

cover the filling, twist to seal 

and fill the rest in the same 

way. 

• Put a steamer over medium 

flame and steam these chicken 

momos for about 10 minutes, 

and leave them to cool. 

• Meanwhile, heat some oil in 

a wok and once the oil is hot 

enough, carefully slip these 

steamed momos in it and 

deep-fry them. Remove on 

a kitchen napkin to soak the 

extra oil. Serve hot with spicy 

chutney! 

• Once the ginger and garlic cook nicely, add in 1 cup 

of chicken stock and about 2 cups of water along 

with the shredded chicken and bring this to a boil. 

Season it with salt and pepper and add vinegar. To 

this, add a cornflour slurry and coriander leaves 

along with the juice of 2 lemons. Serve hot with 

some toasted bread! 

each side of the chicken for 6 to 

8 minutes or until the juices are 

cleared out. After the chicken 

is grilled, remove from heat 

and allow them to cool. Cut the 

halves of chicken into strips. 

• In the meanwhile, take a deep 

bottomed vessel and boil 

the penne pasta in a slightly 

salted water. 

• Boil the pasta for around 8 to 

10 minutes or until it turns soft. 

Now, drain the water and rinse 

the pasta with cold water to 

cool it down. 

• Next, take a large mixing bowl 

and combine all the sauces, 

mayonnaise, olive, lettuce and 

cherry tomatoes together. 

Pop in the pasta and chicken 

into the mixture and toss well. 

You are now ready to rock this 

amazing dish. 

Tips 

• For Fried Chicken Momos, 

make sure you have steamed 

them before deep frying. If you 

don't follow this step, there are 

chances that momo skin will 

tear up in hot oil. 

• While frying the momos, make 

sure that you balance the heat 

of hot oil. It should be neither 

too hot nor too warm as it can 

hamper the momo skin. 

• Always make sure while 

making Chicken Momos that 

your filling is made of minced 

chicken and not chicken 

pieces.

18 

ENTERTAINMENT 

Kamal Haasan 

says risk in making films that 

question govt: 'It's citizens 

right to ask questions' 

Artistes are citizens of the 

country who have every 

right to hold the authorities 

to account, said veteran star 

Kamal Haasan, admitting there 

is a "risk" in making films that 

question the government. 

The actor was speaking at the 

trailer launch of his upcoming film 

"Hindustani 2: Zero Tolerance", 

in which he reprises the role of 

Senapathy, a freedom fighterturned-vigilante 

who fought 

against corruption in India. 

Titled "Indian 2: Zero Tolerance" 

in Tamil, the upcoming movie is 

a sequel to Kamal's hit 1996 film 

"Indian", which featured him in 

a dual role. Shankar is returning 

to direct the second part in the 

franchise. 

Asked whether it's tough to 

make films that question the 

government today, the actor said 

this problem has persisted since 

the British era. 

"People were making films even 

then. We will continue to make 

those kinds of films, it doesn’t 

matter who is at the top of the 

establishment. That’s not just the 

filmmaker, that’s the citizen’s right 

to ask those questions. 

"We, as artistes, represent so 

many of you people. Thanks to 

the applause, we believe that we 

are your representatives, hence 

we talk boldly, without thinking of 

the guillotine. Yes, there is a risk, 

the government can get angry, 

but your applause puts out that 

fire, so make it louder," Kamal told 

reporters here. 

The 69-year-old said not only 

politicians, but citizens are also 

to be blamed for the corruption 

plaguing the country. 

"We are all responsible for 

the corruption and we must 

all change our mind. And the 

best time to change our mind is 

during elections. These are just 

reminders of how corrupt we have 

become... Nothing has changed 

thanks to corruption. Everything 

will change thanks to the 

collective conscience," he added. 

The actor-filmmaker said while 

he is a fan of Mahatma Gandhi, he 

doesn't subscribe to the ideology 

of tolerance. Kamal also directed 

and starred in the 2000 film "Hey 

Ram", which was set against the 

assassination of Gandhi. 

"I am a great fan of Gandhi ji. 

They say he taught you tolerance, 

'What do you think about 

tolerance?' I say I am not a great 

fan of that tolerance business. 

Gandhi ji is my hero but who do 

you tolerate, not a friend. 

"I want friendship to grow in 

the world. What you tolerate is 

a headache. Anything that’s a 

headache for society, you must 

have zero tolerance for. Find a 

medicine, put it out," he said. 

Also starring Kajal Aggarwal, 

Siddharth, and Rakul Preet Singh 

in key roles, "Hindustani 2" will hit 

the screens on July 12. 

Kalki 2898 AD costliest ticket 

sold for `2,300. Is it more 

expensive than Jawan? 

Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, stars a 

few big names from Bollywood and the south, 

such as Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Deepika 

Padukone, and Kamal Haasan. It will be released in 

theatres on Thursday. Amid buzz around the sci-fi 

film, Kalki 2898 AD's tickets are selling for as high as 

`2,300 in cities such as Mumbai. 

Maison INOX: Jio World Plaza in BKC is selling 

‘Lux Superior’ tickets for Prabhas' Kalki 2898 AD 

for `2,300 for June 27. The tickets are for the night 

show in Hindi. 

Get ready to catch the final stages of the World Cup 

only on Crickit. Anytime, Anywhere. Explore now! 

Interestingly, in September 2023, the tickets for 

Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan were also priced as 

high as `2400, thanks to the huge buzz around the 

Atlee movie. The action film, Shah Rukh's second 

movie of the year, was released around eight months 

after his blockbuster Pathaan. 

The Andhra Pradesh government has permitted 

to increase the ticket prices for Kalki 2898 AD. Per 

a government order, the ticket prices for singlescreen 

theatres have been increased to `75, while 

multiplexes can charge up to `125. 

Additionally, the government has allowed five 

shows to be screened per day up to 14 days after 

the release instead of the usual four. This decision 

is expected to boost the film's revenue, which is one 

of the year's most anticipated releases. Telangana 

government also approved extra shows and hiked 

ticket prices for Kalki 2898 AD. 

Directed by Nag Ashwin, this post-apocalyptic film 

is inspired by Hindu scriptures and set in the year 

2898 AD. Disha Patani is also a part of Kalki 2898 AD. 

On Friday night, a new trailer for the film was 

unveiled. The trailer began with Amitabh Bachchan's 

character, Ashwathama, talking to Deepika 

Padukone's character, and saying, "They say the 

whole universe resides within God. But God himself 

resides in your womb." More characters were 

introduced in the second trailer. 

A few days ago, the makers organised a grand 

event in Mumbai, where actors like Amitabh, Kamal 

Haasan, Deepika, Prabhas, and Rana Daggubati 

among others marked their presence. 


Artificial Intelligence has 

been making it’s presence 

felt at a rapid face, and the 

latest form is mimicking famous 

celebrities. 

Actors such as Amitabh 

Bachchan, Anil Kapoor and Jackie 

Shroff back home in India have 

pre-empted the misuse of evolving 

tech and took the legal route to 

protect their personality rights. 

We have learnt that singer Kumar 

Sanu is next in line. His baritone is 

very popular and mimicked by a 

host of people. 

In such a situation, he doesn’t 

want his voice to be used for the 

wrong reasons. “I recently went to 

the United States to perform in a 

string of concerts. My next move is 

going to be approaching the court 

and take an order like this. 

Technology today is dominated 

by AI. Kisi bhi singer ka duplicate 

ban jaaye, I don’t think this will 

be correct. One has to protect 

themselves by way of such 

methods. AI is dangerous” he 

confirms. 

Yesteryear singers continue to 

stay relevant when their voices 

are used via AI in covers of 

latest songs. This is also proof 

that nostalgia is powerful, and 

filmmakers today are still busy in 

remaking old chartbusters. 


Kumar Sanu to get personality 

rights protected like Amitabh 

Bachchan, says ‘AI se duplicate 

voice banana is wrong’ 

Back from Jimmy Fallon's 

Tonight Show, actor Diljit 

Dosanjh is now busy 

promoting his upcoming film, Jatt 

& Juliet 3. 

Though he has often admitted 

that he doesn't like talking too 

much during media interactions, 

the Punjabi actor-singer can't help 

contain his excitement as he was 

at his candid best when he started 

the Punjab leg of promotions. 

“Punjab is my home, and I 

source my energy from its soil. 

No matter where I am in the world, 

Punjab is with me, in my blood,” 

said Dosanjh. 

Speaking his heart out about 

“Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat”, 

the actor elaborated on his future 

plans and ensured his fans that 

they would get to see more of him. 

“I am determined to do one 

Punjabi film, and an album every 

year. That's something substantial 

for me. I will continue to do 

everything else, but would never 

disconnect from Punjab,” he 

added. 

Reminded of an incident when 

the doors of a cinema hall in 

Ludhiana were smashed by the 

excited audience during the 

screening of Jatt & Juliet’s first 

instalment in 2012, the 40-yearold 

star said he always tries “not 

to miss a chance to break into 

bhangra at a theatre”. 

Dosanjh has earned a loyal 

fanbase who enjoy his singing 

as much as they adore him as an 

actor. 

In 2020, he became the first 

Punjabi artist to get featured at the 

Does this mean today’s music 

isn’t that good? Sanu replies, 

“I don’t know why producers 

and directors aren’t able to 

understand... they ignore melody, 

use saste lyrics, public pe 

zabardasti thop rahe hain. This is 

not good. Music ka jo criteria tha 

usko khatam karne pe tule hain. I 

am okay if they remake old songs, 

but if the original singer is still 

capable to sing it again, then usse 

achha koi aur nahi gaa paayega. 

yeh kyun nahi samajh paa rahe 

hain log?” 

Diljit Dosanjh: People say I've 

become a phenomenon, but I've 

been working for it for 22 years 

Times Square in New York City. In 

2023, he became the first Indian 

artist to perform at Coachella 

Valley Music and Arts Festival. And 

earlier this month, he had another 

historic moment becoming the 

first ever Punjabi singer to appear 

on The Tonight Show. 

Asked about his journey from 

being a source of entertainment 

to inspiration, Dosanjh said, “It 

comes with time. 

People say I have become a 

phenomenon all of a sudden, but 

miss the fact that I have been 

working for it for the past 22 years. 

And when you keep the hard 

work on, such transitions happen, 

and you see them yourself,” 

said the actor, adding that 

he finds “sukoon” seeing the 

spotlight turning on Punjab and 

Punjabis, who are finally getting 

representation on international 

platforms.

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The Indian Weekender | 28 June 2024

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