Mehfil

The magazine for today’s Indo-Canadian
March/April 2007 $4.25
INSIDE
Robin
sharma
Words of wisdom
from the bestselling
author and
motivational
speaker
seniors
on the sidelines
of society
Gupta Sisters
stitch their way
to success with Kavi Kavi
India’s online
tutors
A new class of
outsourcing
www.mehfilmagazine.com
Success is
in the cards
for the CEO of
Gateway Casinos
Divyesh
Ghadia
SPECIAL
Home
& Style
Easy updates
for your home

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MehfilM a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 0 7
D e pa r t m e n t s
12
15
16
24
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Mehfil March/April 2007
36
C O V E R S T O RY
Divyesh Ghadia: On a Hot Streak .. . . . . . . . . . 36 .
Gateway Casinos is B.C.’s second largest casino company. And luck
has nothing to do with it. Rather, the company owes its success to
the vision of its CEO Divyesh Ghadia. His first exposure to the
gaming industry was in 1992, when he was hired as an accountant
for two small casinos. Today, he’s head of a company with properties
worth millions, including Burnaby’s Villa Casino, a $155 million
casino/hotel/entertainment centre due to open next year.
F e at u r e s
Words of Wisdom from Robin Sharma.. . . . . . . . 10
The motivational speaker and bestselling author of The Monk Who
Sold His Ferrari shares his thoughts on leadership, overcoming fear
and the importance of giving back.
Seniors on the Sidelines . 26 26
After spending their lives raising
children and caring for grandchildren,
many South Asian seniors are leading
a lonely, isolated existence, spending
their days alone at home. Others
— particularly women — find their lives
revolving around babysitting and other
domestic responsibilities.
A Class of Their Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
India is poised to become the world leader in the online tutoring
business thanks to its large pool of English-speaking postgraduates
who offer online instruction to students at a fraction of the price
charged by their counterparts in North America and Europe.
Home and Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Redecorating can mean transforming a whole house or updating
a room with a few well-chosen accessories — and everything in
between. We offer tips, tricks and lots of expert advice on making
the most of your home.
Cover Photo by Ron Sangha
Publishers’ Note.. . . . . . . . . 9
Opening Notes .. . . . . . . . . 14
Stellar Student.. . . . . . . . . 12
Power Player. . . . . . . . . . . 15
Unsung Heroes.. . . . . . . . . 16
Cruising with Mehfil.. . . . . 19
Spotlight .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Fashion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Weddings.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Beauty .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Cuisine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Reflections.. . . . . . . . . . . . 94
C o l u m n s
20
Flipside
by Rita Dhaliwal
22
The Inspired Sufi
by Azim Jamal
80
Health & Fitness
by Shefali Raja
85
Horoscope
by Georgia Nicols
86
Shifting Gears
by Veeno Dewan
92
Movie Reviews
by Ron Ahluwalia

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Mehfil
March/April 2007 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3
Editor
Minto Vig
Contributing Writers
Robin Roberts, Amrinder Sandhar,
Veeno Dewan, Azim Jamal, Shefali Raja,
Georgia Nicols, Ron Ahluwalia,
Rita Dhaliwal
Photography, Illustrations
Ron Sangha, Sunny Images,
Chandra Bodalia
Production & Design
Adhil Naidu, Dale McRae
Mehfil Magazine is published by
VIG PUBLICATIONS INC.
Publishers
Rana Vig, Minto Vig
Mailing Address:
PO Box 338 - 329 North Road,
Coquitlam, BC V3K 6Z8
604-588-4660 • Fax 604-588-4665
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email: info@mehfilmagazine.com
Mehfil Magazine is published six times a year by VIG Publications
Inc. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
Unsolicited editorial material of any kind will not be returned unless
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Celebrating 15 years in business
TMRogers, Mobius design, Rogers Wireless are trademarks of Rogers Communications Inc. Used under license.
Mehfil March/April 2007

Telus ad #2 to come

P ublishers’ Note
Avtar
Mann
your trusted realtor Since 1991
We often hear from our readers that one
of the things they appreciate most about
Mehfil is the wide range of people and topics
the magazine includes. We take that feedback
to heart and strive to bring you stories
and profiles that reflect the diversity of our
community’s composition and concerns.
From the gaming industry (Divyesh
Ghadia) to the motivational movement
(Robin Sharma) to fashion (the designers
behind the Kavi Kavi label) to music (DJ
Reminisce), this issue continues Mehfil’s
tradition of featuring people of diverse backgrounds
and accomplishments.
Also in this issue, we look at the plight of
seniors who, without adequate opportunities
for socializing with their peers or the
means to lead well-rounded, active lives,
grapple with loneliness and a sense of isolation.
For two seniors we interviewed, the
answer was a move once unheard of in the
Indo-Canadian community: They’ve chosen
to live in an assisted-living facility.
Many of our readers will be as intrigued
as we were to learn that India is poised to
become a world leader when it comes to
online tutoring. According to our report
from Bangalore, it’s a win-win situation:
Students in Europe and North America
who couldn’t afford online tutoring from an
instructor in their own country can have
access to qualified tutors in India at a fraction
of the cost. Indian tutors, meanwhile,
are often able to earn more money as online
tutors than they could at a traditional
teaching job in India.
In addition to our regular roster of
columnists and departments, this issue also
features a special Home & Style section full
of news on the latest trends in home decor
and expert advice on decorating.
As always, we welcome your comments.
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Mehfil March/April 2007

I n terview
Robin Sharma
want to remind people that ordinary people
can do extraordinary things. Even more
importantly, that small daily improvements
— when performed over time — can amount
to stunning results. I also love the fact that I
get to travel the world and meet wonderfully
interesting people.
Robin Sharma seemed to have it all when it came to his career.
As a successful lawyer in one of the top firms in Toronto,
he had both prestige and an impressive income. But despite his
success, he still felt empty. Sharma quit his job and embarked
on a journey that led him to write several bestsellers on personal
and organizational leadership and to a career as a well-known
motivational speaker. Today, he is the CEO of Sharma Leadership
International and frequently shares the stage with former U.S.
president Bill Clinton and television’s Dr. Phil. Sharma’s work
has been embraced by millions around the world. His books
and speaking engagements have attracted a diverse audience
— everyone from pop star Ricky Martin to former Israeli prime
minister Shimon Peres.
What makes a great leader?
Leadership is not about title or position.
Leadership is much more about the depth
of your commitment and your willingness to
make excellence a way of being. Any human
being can show leadership. It’s all about having
a great attitude, having a sense of vision,
being masterful at building relationships, having
a bias towards action and doing whatever
you can do to have an impact on the people
and world around you.
What do you love the most about your
career?
I love the opportunity I have each day to
help people and organizations get to worldclass.
I feel a sense of mission in my work.
Through my books, seminars and website, I
What do you mean when you say
you’re helping people to become world
class?
Every one of us has extraordinary potential.
Most of us have simply forgotten that.
We think that the people we read about like
Richard Branson or Sam Walton or Mother
Teresa are somehow different from us. But
they are not. We are all cut from the same
cloth. And every dream starts off small. If
each day we would nurture our dreams, bit by
bit we would realize stunning success. When
I say that my mission is to help people and
organizations get to world-class, I am simply
saying that my primary focus is to help
people and organizations realize their potential
and, in so doing, improve communities as
well as the world at large. And it all starts with
personal responsibility. Mother Teresa once
said, “If everyone would only sweep their own
doorstep, the whole world would be clean.”
What inspires you?
My children inspire me enormously. In
many ways, they are my heroes. As well, the
readers of my books, such as The Monk Who
Sold His Ferrari and The Greatness Guide,
who send me e-mails on a daily basis sharing
their stories of transformation move me
deeply.
What is the most common mistake
people make on the road to success?
Giving up just before they reach victory.
Most people forget that failure is the price of
greatness. There can be no great achievement
without great failure. Success is a numbers
game and those who truly win are those
who simply refuse to give up. As well, many
people let their fears dominate them. In The
Greatness Guide I use a line that many people
have connected with: “Don’t run away from
your fears, run towards your fears because
on the other side of your fears lives your best
life.”
Where do you see yourself in 10
years?
Doing very much the same thing. My work
is my oxygen, my passion and — in many
10 Mehfil March/April 2007

ways — my bliss. Writing books and delivering
speeches and seminars allows me to keep
growing, thinking and helping people and
organizations get to extraordinary. The Monk
Who Sold His Ferrari is also being made into
a major motion picture so I will be involved in
that project as well.
You urge people to “lead without
title.” What does that mean?
Too many people think that leadership is
only for CEOs and managing directors. It’s
not. If you have a pulse you can show leadership
behaviour. By staying positive in tough
times, by leaving people better than you found
them, by standing for excellence and by doing
your work as well as living your life at the
highest level.
You’ve set up the Robin Sharma
Foundation for Children. How important
is it for you to give back?
It’s tremendously important . . . When I
was growing up my father shared a Sanskrit
saying with me: “Son, when you were born
you cried while the world rejoiced. Live your
life in such a way that when you die the world
cries while you rejoice.” Nothing is more
important to me than living with a sense
of mission and having an impact. Success
is wonderful but significance is even more
important. At the end of our lives, we will not
be remembered by how popular we were or by
how much we accumulated. Instead, we will
be remembered by how much we gave back to
those around us.
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You’re currently on a speaking tour
in Asia. Are you working on any other
projects?
Over the next 12 months we have major
tours planned of India, South America, South
Africa and Japan. We will also be launching
Robin Sharma TV at our website robinsharma.
com, which will bring daily video coaching
to people and organizations in over 50 countries.
What are the keys to a successful and
fulfilling life?
Find a cause that’s bigger than yourself
and give your life to it. Remember that tough
times ultimately serve us and make us stronger.
Having great relationships with your
family and friends and the people you work
with. Seeing life as an adventure such that
you have fun as well as work hard, and take
great care of your health. Truly, your health is
your wealth. I was in India a few months ago
and a man at one of my seminars slipped me
a piece of paper that simply said, “Health is
the crown on a well man’s head that only the
ill man can see.” p
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BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS
Mehfil March/April 2007 11

S tellar Student
Bhupinder Walia
Age: 23
Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.
Academic Awards: University of
Waterloo Entrance Scholarship, University
of Waterloo Faculty of Applied Health
Science Upper Year Scholarship, B.C.
Provincial Scholarship, Canada Millennium
Scholarship.
Photo by Ron Sangha
Area of study: Recently graduated from
medical school in Chicago and started residency
in anesthesiology in July. I’m one of
Canada’s youngest doctors.
Advice to students planning
for university:
Finding a university that’s right for you
can be a daunting task for some. With
proper preparation, however, the task can
be made simpler. Treat the whole process
as a research project. It’s important to set
specific goals with appropriate deadlines.
You should start looking into admission
requirements during your junior year of
high school. Identify 20 or so universities
that you’re interested in and research them
thoroughly. Apply as early as you can.
Getting an early unconditional acceptance
to university can prevent a lot
of future headaches. Look into
scholarships and bursaries.
You don’t have to be a
genius to qualify for
scholarships.
University is not
12 Mehfil March/April 2007

only about studying and achieving good
grades but gaining insight and identifying
your strengths and weaknesses. If you allow
it to be, university can be an amazing experience.
Your favourite confidence-building
tips:
Set attainable short-term and long-term goals
and work to the best of your ability to achieve
them. It’s crucial to write your goals down and
look at what you have written from time to
time. Also, surrounding yourself with positive
energy definitely helps to build confidence.
What skills helped you succeed in
school?
Excellent organization and study skills are key
to succeeding in school. I stayed on top of the
game during undergrad and medical school
by reading and familiarizing myself with material
prior to lectures.
How did you cool off when school
started becoming too intense?
I would put my books aside and engage in an
activity completely unrelated to school. I’d listen
to music, hang out with friends and watch
movies. When I was ready, I would hit the
books again. I was never afraid to seek help
from teaching assistants or professors when I
was unsure of something.
Success strategies for studying:
Don’t leave studying to the last minute. Make
sure that between exams you review newly
learned material as often as possible. Getting
enough sleep is just as important as studying
hard.
What do you do in your spare time?
I have a pretty wide spectrum of interests. I
enjoy flying small planes, travelling, learning
new languages, painting, dancing and spending
time with family and friends.
What role has your family played in
your academic career?
My family is amazing. My parents and siblings
have been my biggest cheerleaders
throughout life. They have supported me in
every way possible and have set positive
examples for me to follow. Without the love
and support of my parents and siblings, I
would not have been able to accomplish what
I have today. My mom and dad attended every
parent-teacher conference throughout elementary
and high school. My parents would send
me on educational tours of Europe and made
sure I did not miss out on any educational
opportunity.
The Art of the Sari
MArch 31 - June 10, 2007
You’re invited to the Opening recepTiOn
Saturday, March 31, 3-6pm | Formal remarks: 3:30pm
Wear a Sari! Try a selection of teas from India.
Thursday, April 19 7:30pm
MuShAirA/KAvi SuM MelAn:
poetry readings on the Theme of the Sari
More events on May 7 & May 20 - visit us online.
Get Better Grades On
Your Child’s Report Cards
Special Programs include:
• Preschool (3-5yrs)
• After School
Tutoring / Tuition (K-Gr. 12)
• Various Adult Programs
Coffee with Dave
Got something on your mind?
Dave will buy your first cup of coffee!
First Saturday of Each Month
8:45am - 10:00am
ABC Country Restaurant
15373 Fraser Hwy.
Dave S. Hayer
MLA for Surrey-Tynehead, B.C.
Tel: 604.501.3201 Fax: 604.501.3233
www.davehayermla.ca
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Quote that inspires you:
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Mehfil March/April 2007 13

Opening Notes
Upcoming Events
The CORSA Foundation presents
the 2007 Kohinoor
Diamond Ball on Saturday,
April 28 at the Waterfront Hotel.
The event promises to be an
elegant evening filled with auction
prizes and an extravagant
fashion gala presented by
Crossover Bollywood Se. To
purchase your tickets or for
sponsorship opportunities,
please contact Jasmine Tanliao
at tickets@corsafoundation.com
or call 778-888-4529.
Film Revisits 1984 Riots
People of South Asian descent experience
heart attacks five to 10 years
earlier than other ethnicities, says a
study on cardiovascular disease released in
late January.
The Canadian-led international study
found that South Asians, on average, had
their first heart attack at the age of 53,
compared to age 59 for other ethnicities.
South Asians have higher risk factors, says
key researcher Dr. Salim Yusuf of McMaster
University. Researchers found that physical
activity, daily consumption of fresh fruits and
vegetables and moderate alcohol intake were
lower among South Asian participants. At
the same time, there was a higher prevalence
of diabetes, abdominal obesity and high
After receiving critical acclaim at the
Toronto Film Festival in 2005, the
Berlin Film Festival, and praise from
Bollywood power players such as Aamir
Khan, Shonali Bose’s film Amu is finally
being released in Canada.
The movie revolves around the 1984 riots
in New Delhi, where thousands of Sikhs
were killed in retaliation for the assassination
Prime Minster Indira Gandhi.
But even after the accolades, Bose had
difficulty finding a distributor in Canada.
“We had high hopes it would get picked up
because it was so well-received. It had been
such a struggle to get the film made, we
thought, we can’t give up now,” Bose told the
Toronto Star in a recent interview.
Eventually, Bose and her husband,
Bedabrata Pain, who is also the film’s producer,
decided to release it themselves with the
help of donations from cab drivers and other
ordinary citizens in Toronto and Vancouver.
The film was screened in late February
in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. “I’m
indebted to them because they were the
organizing force behind the grassroots fundraising
effort,” said the Kolkata-born Bose,
referring to donors from the Indo-Canadian
community.
Amu tells the story of Kajori Roy, a 21-
year-old Indian-American girl who visits
India only to find out that she is adopted
and that her parents may be hiding the truth
about their links and Kaju’s connection to
the 1984 riots. Although the movie’s plot is
fictional, Bose incorporated aspects of stories
she heard in relief camps in New Delhi,
where she volunteered after the riots.
South Asians at Highest Risk
blood pressure.
South Asians born in western countries,
including second- and third-generation
immigrants, also exhibit the higher risk,
suggests the study, which examined approximately
1,700 heart-attack patients and 2,200
controls from five South Asian countries and
10,700 heart-attack cases and 12,500 control
cases from other countries.
Changing habits and lifestyles is key to
improving these statistics, says Yusuf.
“What this really means is we need to be
very aggressive about promoting the right
lifestyle in South Asians, and that should
make a big impact,” he says.
The study was published in the Journal of
the American Medical Association.
Join Zindagi TV and 93.1 RED
FM at A Night of Miracles
Launch Event in support of
B.C. Children’s Hospital. The
event, on Thursday, April 5 at
Ravi Banquet Hall, will include
a buffet dinner, dancing and live
entertainment to help kick off A
World of Smiles Telethon, which
takes place April 29. Tickets are
$25. Contact Sandy Bachra for
ticket information at 604-614-
4213 or at sandybachra72@
hotmail.com.
Hayer Honoured
Surrey Liberal MLA Dave Hayer
was honoured in January with
a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
Award. The awards, presented
at a ceremony in New Delhi, are
given to people of Indian descent
who have been successful in their
chosen profession.
Hayer, the only Canadian
among last month’s 15 recipients,
was given the award in
recognition of his work in the
fight against terrorism in Canada.
Hayer, the parliamentary secretary
for multiculturalism and
immigration, has been a vocal
advocate of the victims of the Air
India bombing and has called for
tougher laws to oppose terrorism.
Indian President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam handed out the awards.
14 Mehfil March/April 2007

Photo by Ron Sangha
Avin Sidhu
Age: 14 Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
P ower Player
Sport: Soccer.
Team: Surrey Pegasus U-15 Selects.
Most memorable accomplishment:
Being selected to play for the
Whitecaps Youth team.
Sports career highlights: Winning
the Northwest Division of the United
Soccer League in 2006. Also going to
Tampa, Florida, to play in the North
American finals in November 2006.
When did you begin playing?
At the age of 10.
What do you love most about the
sport?
How you can play a game for 90 minutes
with limited stoppages, which makes the
game more free and exciting.
How do you balance school and
sports?
By managing my time effectively. I try
to finish my homework when I get back
from school or if I have late practices and
games.
How has sports influenced your
life? Soccer has made me more disciplined
and focused, especially in school.
It has also given me more confidence in
other parts of my life.
Who’s your support team off the
field?
My family have been very supportive and
encouraging, especially my mom.
Advice for aspiring athletes?
Have self-confidence and work hard at
whatever you choose to do.
What are your career goals?
I would like to be a professional soccer
coach and work towards getting an athletic
scholarship.
Mehfil March/April 2007 15

Unsung Heroes
Photo by Ron Sangha
Making
Harmony
Understanding different cultures is the first
step towards tolerance and harmony. This is
the philosophy that drives the South Asian
Family Association (SAFA), which is dedicated
to promoting the positive aspects of
South Asian culture and to empowering Indo-
Canadian youth. With the help of founder and
president Suki Grewal and dedicated board
members such as Surita Jassal, the South
Vancouver-based association has organized
a weekly youth night, an annual Sawan
Mela, and Diwali celebrations throughout
Vancouver. Grewal and Jassal hope that by
showcasing the richness and diversity of
Indian culture, SAFA can help counter the
negative images of Indo-Canadian youth that
are all too common in mainstream media.
16 Mehfil March/April 2007

“I feel that the youth are our future. They are the ones that are suffering the most. They’re caught in two
different worlds, even the ones that are born here, they face a lot of barriers and challenges. I feel that
if we can save our youth and guide them the right way, that would be excellent.”
When did you start SAFA?
Suki: We started five years ago. In 2002,
we registered as a non-profit society. Prior to
that we were meeting informally and brainstorming
about what could be done and
doing some volunteering work with different
community centres on raising awareness
about our culture.
Why did you get involved?
Surita: I wanted to help out. The mission
statement was something I could relate to.
[SAFA] kind of bridges the gap between east
and west and creates cultural harmony. I
just thought it was something that needed to
be addressed and it seemed like the members
are also very committed and really cared
about what they were doing.
What are SAFA’s goals?
Suki: [We have] three goals. To create a
cross-cultural understanding, and to empower
our families as we embrace Canadian
culture. There are a lot of good values in
our culture yet there are some really good
values in the western cultures, so let’s adjust
ourselves and compromise a bit. And then
the third one is to strengthen and promote
the positive image of South Asians.
Why did you start the organization?
Suki: We felt that we live in a very culturally
diverse province and there’s a wealth of
different cultures. The Indian subcontinent
is so big and within the Indian culture there
are many different subcultures as well. We
feel very strongly that if everybody knows
about other cultures and practices, there will
be a better tolerance towards each other. We
also wanted our youth to be really proud
of our culture, so if they saw us doing a
Diwali festival or cultural workshops where
there was bhangra or classical dancing and
they saw that other groups were coming to
see and enjoy it, that would empower them
and they would be proud of their culture.
We also try to highlight our youth through
giving them scholarships.
I feel that the youth are our future. They
are the ones that are suffering the most.
They’re caught in two different worlds, even
the ones that are born here, they face a lot
of barriers and challenges. I feel that if we
can save our youth and guide them the right
way, that would be excellent.
What are SAFA’s major upcoming
events?
Suki: In the month of May, we participate
in Asian Heritage Month by going to different
community centres and hosting cultural
workshops. Last summer we did a couple of
summer camps, about 12 to 15 kids who
came and we totally covered the cost. Our
hope is that this year the camp will run fulltime
in July and August.
Why do you think it’s important to
have a group like this?
Surita: I think it provides a resource for
people who want to reach out and do a
bit more in the community, especially for
families . . . It gives parents a time to bond
with their children and also meet other
parents in the community, which isn’t easy
to do, especially when you’re working. Also,
it highlights the good that the community
is doing. I think often times in the papers
there’s a lot of negative [coverage of] the
South Asian community, so I think it shows
there are a lot of great things . . . that we are
doing as well. p
For more information visit www.safa.ca
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Mehfil March/April 2007 17

Miracle Kids
Jeevan Basra
of Surrey BC
Anxious but excited, Sarb and
Sanddip Basra listened for the first
cry of their newborn girl, Jeevan.
The cry never fully developed and
little Jeevan was struggling for
oxygen.
Time stood still for the anxious new
parents, as it became clear their
fragile newborn needed more
specialized treatment. Jeevan was
transported to BC Children’s
Hospital where she was diagnosed
with a congenital heart condition.
Weak and clinging to life, Jeevan
was treated in the Special Care
Nursery where she received close
attention. Although she proved each
day that she was not ready to give
up, Jeevan was not growing
stronger.
At 6 months old, Jeevan had openheart
surgery, but her recovery was
still in doubt. Doctors were unable to
wake Jeevan from her medically
induced coma and she needed an
emergency blood transfusion, as her
blood was failing to clot properly
after surgery.
Waking up two weeks later, Jeevan
began to thrive for the first time in her
short life. Jeevan’s doctors now
suspect Noonan syndrome, a
congenital genetic condition, as the
cause for many of her past and
continuing health problems. Jeevan's
journey is still a hard one, but the
Basra family is grateful for how far
she has come because of BC
Children's Hospital. They know what
an amazing gift she really is.
Shaw Multicultural Channel Presents
The Annual
“A World of Smiles”
Telethon
Hosted by Atish Ram, Sukhi Ghuman, Poonam Bains,
Harjit Hyre and Rana Vig with special guests
Sunday, April 29 th 2007
Live 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
MEDIA SPONSORS
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Mehfil
M A G A Z I N E
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We can't treat children like adults. Please give.

cruising
with MEHFIL
3
2
1
6
5
4
1. VIBC coordinators Ravi Sidhu
(left) and Sukhi Ghuman
(centre) with U.K.’s Juggy D.
2. Avi (left) and Divya Bakshi-
Arya (right) with moderndance
guru and choreographer
to Bollywood stars Shiamak
Davar at the couple’s new
Surrey office opening.
3. Surrey Delta Punjabi Bazaar
Association President Amarjit
Samra (right) with B.C. Finance
Minister Carole Taylor at a
post-budget luncheon held
for the South Asian business
community.
4. Virsa president Harbans
Kandola at the organization’s
recent fundraiser A Black &
White Affair.
5. Realtor and developer Charan
Sethi (right) with his son
Bob at the launch of their new
Surrey mega project Quattro.
6. Community activist Amy
Ghuman (right) with
Harbhajan Kaur and
Santokh Singh Ghuman
at Trinjan’s 3rd Annual Kuri
Munday Di Lohri 2007.
7. Daniel Feuermann of Cartier
at the opening of their new
downtown Vancouver boutique
store location.
8. Senator Mobina Jaffer at the
South Asian Bar Association’s
second annual gala dinner.
8
7
If you’d like to see the Mehfil Cruiser at your event contact
the events team at 604-588-4660 or email at
cruiser@mehfilmagazine.com
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Mehfil March/April 2007 19

Jessie Vaid
Notary Public
Flipside
by Rita Dhaliwal
India’s Women Battle
“Bad Luck” Label
604-599-4713
• Property: Purchases/Sales • Mortgages
• Wills • Powers of Attorney
• Statutory Declarations and all notary services
Unit 140, 8047-120th St,
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604-594-7505
fax: 604-590-8244
jvaid@notaries.bc.ca
Investment and
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My father managed to
astound his community with
his counterintuitive act: In
a culture that regards the
birth of a girl as bad luck, he
decided that his daughters
would be in charge of their
destinies. He empowered us.
To my mind, that simple act
is a beacon.
Charanjeet (C.J.) Sidhu
CFP CLU CH.F.C. RHU
604 789-1555
cj.sidhu@clarica.com
Associated with Clarica Financial
Services Inc. and Clarica Investco Inc.
20 Mehfil March/April 2007

The Inspired Sufi
by Azim Jamal
A man should be in the marketplace while still working with true reality.
— A Sahl, Sufi mystic
Balancing Our Lives
The Sufis believe in the balance
between the physical world and
the spiritual world. They encourage
an integrated approach where everything
they do is grounded in spirituality.
They make spirituality the centrepiece
around which everything revolves — everything
they do from dawn to dusk. Sufis
consider the spirit and body to be one
whole. They believe in integration, not
dichotomies. What we do in our physical
lives affects our spirituality and vice versa.
We cannot look at our lives in a vacuum.
Our lives are integrated with our
environment, ethics and family. Sheikh
Muzaffer says: “Keep your hands busy
with your duties in this world, and your
heart busy with God.”
Our faith has to be practised daily
within our corporate lives. As the sun
rises in the morning, a Sufi starts with a
prayer and then works hard and ethically
during the rest of the day. As the stars
appear at the end of the day, he offers a
prayer of thankfulness and tends to his
family and health needs.
In the corporate world such an integrated
life is very useful. A Toronto-based
office team conducted a survey and discovered
that 65 per cent of executives
were overburdened with their work load,
which had adverse effects on the quality
of their lives. This happens as a result of
lack of balanced living. Balance creates
synergy.
Synergy means creative cooperation
leading to greater results. The better one
part of our life is going, the more effectively
it is able to support the other parts.
The more the soul is nourished, the more
it helps the body and mind. The healthier
and more active the body is, the more it
is able to help the soul and mind. The
more the mind is positive and active, the
more it helps the body and soul. We need
to pay more attention to our spiritual life
and to rejuvenate it while we go about
our material pursuits. This fusion brings
about peace and harmony. As Novalis
says: “The soul is where the inner and the
outer world meet.”
The most difficult challenge that most
corporate people grapple with is balancing
their corporate and personal lives.
In this fast-paced society, achieving
balance requires that we organize
our lives around key priorities and
focus on what matters the most.
Planning helps to identify what is
really important; it help distinguish
the important things from the
non-essentials. If we look after the
important things with care, the less
important things will fall into place.
When a corporate person’s spirit,
health, mind, family and social needs are
all met, he experiences holistic success
that can be sustained over a long period
of time. Balance is adequate attention to
each of our important areas of life.
One of the ways to accomplish this
is to wake up 60 minutes earlier in the
morning than you do now and to use this
time to do 20 minutes of meditation, 20
minutes of exercise, and 20 minutes of
reading something inspirational. This will
provide a head start on the day. Make
up for the lost sleep by going to bed an
hour early.
See with both eyes.
The Sufis believe in the balance
between reason and passion. The mind is
rational and can transcend the emotions.
But without passion, one cannot reach
great heights. We need to take a balanced
approach between the intoxicated and
the sober views. The intoxicated view is
where passion takes over. The sober view
is where reason takes over. There is merit
in the marriage of the two.
The Sufis believe that reason without
passion is lame and that passion without
reason is blind. Actions based on a balanced
approach give us the best results.
In a corporate setting, passion is important.
It is with passion that many people
have made significant contributions to
society, without which we would all have
been poorer. The heart knows what the
mind does not. Passion that comes from
the heart can lead human beings to great
heights. However, sometimes emotions
obscure the way and disconnect us from
our goals. On the other hand, passion
without reason can lead to extremism,
which can be harmful. Reason is important
because it is logical and stable. It
plays an important part in bringing balance.
Acting and seeing with both eyes
— reason and passion — brings out the
best results, both in corporate endeavor,
and in private life.
Do not focus on insignificant things
In his book When You Hear Hoofbeats,
Think of a Zebra, Shems Friedlander
writes of a soldier who is wounded in
battle. Instead of focusing on how he can
save his own life, the soldier wants to find
out the insignificant details of how he
was wounded. He wants to know who
the archer was, what he looked like and
where he was standing when he released
the arrow. He wants to know the type of
22 Mehfil March/April 2007

ow and the length of the arrow. As he
searches for all these answers, the wounded
man dies. Sufis recommend concentrating
on the essence, not on the form.
In this fast-paced society, achieving
balance requires that we organize our
lives around key priorities and focus on
what matters the most. Planning helps to
identify what is really important; it helps
distinguish the important things from the
non-essentials.
If we look after the important things
with care, the less important things will
fall into place. When the big stuff is
looked after, the small stuff is a piece of
cake. Similarly, in the age of information
overload it is important not to get caught
up reading material that is insignificant.
Having clarity of goals helps us to
decide whether the information is going
to help us to accomplish these goals. We
are able to pull out the essence from the
endless information and paper that come
to us every day.
In the corporate world it is important
to spend time in areas that can provide the
greatest contributions, thereby increasing
our value to others and to ourselves. We
need the art of not only getting things
done, but also of getting things undone—
in other words, the art of eliminating the
non-essentials. The key is to have a tight
set of priorities and stick to them.
Action Items
• Focus on the most important things
and eliminate the non-essentials. Do
less, and focus on the really significant
things that are consistent with your
vision.
• Remember that real success is holistic
and includes work, family, health, spirituality
and learning. Therefore, schedule
time for these important aspects of
your life.
• Maintain a balance between passion
and reason. Use the right and left sides
of your brain.
• Learn to say “no” to the unimportant
things.
• Start your day 60 minutes earlier,
devoting your newly gained hour to
meditation, exercise and reading inspirational
material in equal measure.
This will give you a head start on the
day. Go to sleep an hour earlier to
make up for lost sleep.r
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Mehfil March/April 2007 23

Spotlight
Designing Women:
Gupta Sisters Stitch Their Way to Success
Only two years after establishing their fashion label, Kavi Kavi, twin sisters Dipika and
Ravika Gupta have made a name for themselves on the national fashion scene.
This month, the Gupta sisters will be among the designers strutting their stuff at
L’Oreal Fashion Week in Toronto, where industry insiders and fashionistas go to spot the next
big thing. It’ll be the Gupta sisters’ second time at Toronto Fashion Week and if the attention
Kavi Kavi generated at the event last October is anything to go by, Dipika and Ravika can
expect to be in the spotlight again when they reveal their latest ready-to-wear line.
“We were the only South
Asian designers there,” says
Dipika of their Fashion Week
debut last October. “We were the
only designers Fashion Television
was profiling . . . and we were
on Fashion File, then we were
on CBC Newsworld. We didn’t
expect to get the attention that
we did, which was great.”
The media attention gave
them worldwide exposure,
leading to interest from as far
away as Beijing and attracting
the attention of celebrities such
24 Mehfil March/April 2007
By Amrinder Sandhar
as Nelly Furtado, who purchased
a Kavi Kavi swimsuit.
Just as significant for the
Gupta sisters is the pride that
their parents take in their success
— particularly since there was a
time when their career choice
was frowned upon by the elder
generation of Guptas. Although
the designing duo demonstrated
their flair for fashion from a
young age — Dipika sold her
first pair of self-designed pants
at the age of 12 — the prospect
of Ravika and Dipika becoming
designers was considered out of
the question.
“Coming from a South Asian
background and having all my
family have an engineering
background, they all basically
said . . . you have to do a typical
doctor, lawyer or engineer path,”
explains Ravika.
In fact, their father refused
to pay for Dipika’s fashionschool
tuition when she enrolled
at George Brown College
in Toronto, from which she
graduated in 2002. Ravika,

“Coming from a South Asian background
and having all my family have
an engineering background, they all
basically said . . . you have to do a typical
doctor, lawyer or engineer path.”
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meanwhile, was earning her business
degree at the University of Ottawa. Both
she and Ravika, now in their late 20s, were
focused on a common goal: starting their
own label.
“We always knew we were going to open
up a company together so she focused on
getting her design degree and I focused on
getting my business degree,” says Ravika.
(Sister Monika has also joined the
company, handling the marketing.)
Unlike other fashion-school grads,
Dipika decided not to mentor with
another designer. Instead, she jumped
right into creating her own label.
“I felt I was mature enough,” she says.
“I had the confidence and I’m a risk-taker.
I just figured with the support of my
family, I can do this on my own.”
With Kavi Kavi now heading into its
third year, business is definitely on the
upswing. The Gupta family was out in full
force to support the sisters at their Fashion
Week debut last year.
“[Our parents] were blown away. We
had to prove ourselves [to them], show
that we were capable of doing this,” says
Ravika.
Their designs, which they describe
as sophisticated and sexy, are carried by
boutiques in Montreal and San Francisco
and are also sold through their website,
kavikavi.com. They’re also receiving orders
from New York and Toronto.
“We cater to 16- to 35-year olds . . .
someone who’s going to a high-end event
or just to a club can wear our dresses,” says
Ravika.
Dipika describes the label as “the Calvin
Klein of Canada.”
For their latest collection, fall and
winter 2007, Dipika travelled to Mumbai
for inspiration. “The fall collection is all
about silks. India is big on silks so we took
advantage of that,” she says.
As for what they envision for Kavi Kavi
in the future, both sisters say the sky is the
limit.
“We want to see it do really well
in North America, Europe, India, and
China. We want to go international and
be household names like Versace,” says
Ravika. “We’re going to swim with the
sharks and just go for it.” p
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Mehfil March/April 2007 25

Feature
Left Out
It’s a lonely life for seniors living
on the sidelines of society
By Amrinder Sandhar
At 83 years old, Venkathajalam Achari was at a
crossroads in life. Achari had just lost his wife, Yashodra
Devi Achari, and was living alone in an apartment in
Surrey. Although he had a nurse who would come and assist
him once a week, Achari couldn’t shake off his loneliness
as he faced living the rest of his life without his partner.
“I was very lonely after she died and very sad,” he says.
Achari is among a growing number
of seniors in the South Asian
community who feel isolated and
alone. This situation is particularly
bleak for those who have recently
immigrated to Canada. Achari has
lived here for 28 years and speaks
fluent English but many South Asian
seniors face language and cultural
barriers that make it difficult for
them to have a life outside the home
and to participate in any meaningful
social activities.
“Most of them don’t know what
help is out there or who can help
them,” explains Preet Pandhar, who
also develops programs for seniors
and is a settlement worker at the
South Vancouver Neighbourhood
House. Pandhar says South Asian
26 Mehfil March/April 2007

Photo by Nu Look Foto
Venkathajalam Achari, 83,
describes his life as “sad
and lonely” after losing his
wife. “My [son and daughter-in-law]
are wonderful
people, very good to me, but
they’re busy with their own
lives,” says Achari, whose
happy with his decision to
move into the PICS Senior
Assisted Living Home.
Mehfil March/April 2007 27

Saroj Sood, 76, always
knew she would take
time to connect with
herself when she
reached age 75. She
recently moved out of
her son’s home and
into an assisted-living
facility. “[My sons]
weren’t happy with
my decision, but they
understood,” she says.
Photo by Nu Look Foto
“Our people, especially the elderly, are reluctant to seek out help from outside their own
circle so the best thing would be to create their own network.”
— Balwant Sanghera
community activist
seniors tend to be unaware of publicly
funded programs available to them,
and most programs are created for the
English-speaking population.
“For most of our seniors, these
things don’t meet their needs. Their
needs [need to be met] through the
community, gathering and sharing
with their own people,” she says.
“We need to think about having
more programs because the needs of
seniors change here [in Canada]. It’s
not about going to the temple. In this
society they need more than that.”
Staff at the South Vancouver
Neighbourhood House (SVNH) and the
Sunset Community Centre are hoping
to fill this void with programs they’ve
been offering to South Asian seniors.
The SVNH’s men’s program runs five
times a week while the women’s program
runs only once a week because male
seniors generally have more freedom and
mobility than women. “They can go out,
they don’t have much responsibility,” she
explains. “The women are taking care of
the children and are much more dependant
on others.”
Saroj Sood knows very well the challenges
seniors in the South Asian community
face. The 76-year-old retired social
worker volunteered as an assistant secretary
for seven years at the Surrey Delta
Indo-Canadian Seniors Centre. She heard
her fair share of horror stories and saw
many seniors becoming depressed and
lonely after being forced to relinquish the
freedom they had while living in India.
“They feel alone and isolated even
though they are living with their own
families,” says Sood. She recalls talking to
one elderly gentleman who, after getting
ready to head to the local seniors’ centre,
was forced to stay home and look after his
grandchildren while his daughter-in-law
went to the shopping mall.
Community activist and retired school
psychologist Balwant Sanghera says there’s
an urgent need for more programs that
address the needs of South Asian seniors.
“Our people, especially the elderly, are
reluctant to seek out help from outside
their own circle so the best thing would
be to create their own network.”
Param Grewal, director of social programs
at the Progressive Intercultural
Community Services Society (PICS) is
organizing a forum to take place mid-
March in Surrey to discuss issues facing
South Asian seniors throughout the
province. “It’s not just a lack of programs,
there’s a lack of programs that are culturally
sensitive,” he says. “They [Indo-
Canadian seniors] are inadvertently left
out simply because of their inability to
mix with other cultures.”
Part of the problem is that the so-called
sandwich generation — baby boomers
who must take care of growing children
28 Mehfil March/April 2007

JohnstonMeier_Oct04 12/12/04 1:37 AM Page 1
and aging parents — are often pulled in
several different directions and are hardpressed
to find the time and resources
that seniors require as their needs increase
with age. According to a recent Statistics
Canada report, more than two million
Canadians were providing informal care
to an elderly relative or friend, while 70
per cent of caregivers are also trying to
hold down a job.
Asking for outside help isn’t seen as
an option by many caregivers within the
South Asian community. “It has always
been a taboo coming from the countries
that we do,” says Grewal. “The parents
look after the children until they have
grown up, and then it becomes time for
the children to do the same. The stigma
is if we don’t let them stay with us people
will look down on us.”
This reluctance coupled with the lack
of care facilities that could meet the needs
of South Asian seniors made families
uneasy about placing elderly parents in
seniors’ homes where attendants couldn’t
speak the same language or serve familiar
food.
Grewal sees the PICS Senior Assisted
Living Home as the ideal solution for
both lonely seniors and their caregivers.
“This is just the kind of facility which
would be able to provide seniors with the
kind of care and assistance they need to
live happily retired lives,” he says.
The facility, located in the Strawberry
Hill area of Surrey, is designed to meet the
needs of South Asian seniors. The staff
at the 72-room facility, which includes a
kitchen equipped with a tandoori oven
and an entertainment room complete
with satellite channels from the Indian
subcontinent, speak all major South Asian
languages.
The home’s focus, says Dr. Bidar
Swamy, administrator of the facility, is
on the independence of the residents.
He explains that although meals will be
provided, along with help in taking medication
or bathing if needed, residents will
be able to carry on with their own lives.
“Their independence in life is a big thing
we stress.”
Independence was one of the main reasons
Sood came to stay at the complex. She
had been living with her eldest son’s family,
helping to care for her grandchildren,
but now felt she needed her own time. “I
wanted to be away from my family and be
with God,” she says with a smile, pointing
toward the sky. The Indian-born Sood
says that although living with her son and
his family was a joy, she always knew that
when she reached age 75, she would take
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— Param Grewal
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time to re-connect with herself. She was
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The facility, which is funded partly
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for the complex will not be until later
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the first.
“This is a big gift for the Indian
population,” the soft-spoken Achari says
over tea in the recreation room of the
facility. Mixing Hindi with English, he
explains how he and his wife had lived
with his son’s family but had moved out
to their own apartment when his son
decided to sell their home. During that
time, his wife, who had been in and out
of the hospital for 15 years, passed away.
Although he could have gone back to live
with his son, Achari thought the assistedliving
home would suit him better. “They
[son and daughter-in-law] are wonderful
people, very good to me, but they’re busy
with their own lives,” he explains.
The retired construction worker, who
keeps himself busy by working out in
the exercise room, reading and watching
television, seems at ease in the facility,
joking with attendants as he heads back to
his apartment on the second floor. Hindi
music can be heard in one of the hallways.
His living quarters are welcoming. One
wall adorned with pictures of his six children
and their families; the main photo
is of his beloved wife, the frame hidden
underneath a flower garland.
Sood spends her days reading and
meditating and hopes to set up a small
garden in the courtyard along with some
of the other residents. She urges other
seniors to follow her lead and find a lifestyle
more suited to their needs.
“This is your life, do it for yourself,”
she declares. “Enjoy your life.”r
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Feature
Indian Tutors Offer New Class of Outsourcing
By Sudha Ramachandran
From answering bank-customer queries to insuranceclaims
processing, outsourcing is now moving fast into
what is regarded as the heart of culture — education.
Armed with all the assets to provide online tutoring services
to clients overseas, India is set to bite into the growing online
tutoring business. It is being described as the front-runner in the
race to become the world’s online tutoring hub.
Online tutoring is big business in the
United States, Europe and East Asia, and
one that is poised to grow rapidly. In the
U.S., for instance, it accounts for about
six per cent of the U.S.$2.2 billion private
tutoring market.
Online tutoring is an expensive service,
often beyond the reach of middleclass
families. An hour of online tutoring
in the U.S. can cost anywhere between
$40 and $60.
But outsourcing the service is changing
that.
With Indian teachers providing the
tutoring service at a fraction of the amount
charged by their counterparts in the
U.S. or Europe, online tutoring is being
increasingly outsourced. Outsourcing the
service to India has brought down the
cost of an hour of online tutoring to as
little as $20.
Bangalore-based TutorVista, which
provides online tutoring to students in
about 12 countries, appears to have created
a revolution of sorts in the business.
It is providing unlimited online tutoring
for just $100 per month.
“Americans are getting good-quality,
personalized tutoring for their children
at a daily cost that amounts to less than
what they would spend on a cup of
Starbucks coffee,” said Krishnan Ganesh,
founder and chief executive officer of
TutorVista.
If in the past it was only companies
that gained from outsourcing jobs and
services to countries like India, with the
outsourcing of tutoring, individuals are
becoming beneficiaries, too.
TutorVista has changed the paradigm
for online tutoring. “We have made personalized
tutoring affordable,” Ganesh
said, pointing out that “this is possible
only if you marry technology, the Internet
and lower-cost job centers in India”.
Such companies as TutorVista,
32 Mehfil March/April 2007

Growing Stars and Career Launcher provide
tutors who are postgraduates; some
even have doctoral degrees. Full-time
employees earn about $250-$300 per
month — a fraction of what American
tutors would be paid, but double what an
entry-level teacher earns in India. Most of
them work from their homes or cybercafés,
which means that overheads are low.
While low cost of operating in India is
a major reason for U.S. companies in the
online tutoring business to outsource to
firms here, there are other factors as well
that go in India’s favor. India has a large
pool of English-speaking postgraduates
with a high level of competency in math
and science — subjects that American
students struggle with. Indian tutors are
able to walk American students through
calculus easily.
What has further facilitated the growth
of the industry in India is that the quality
of Internet connectivity has improved significantly
over the past couple of years and
broadband facilities have made it inexpensive.
The cost of computers has also fallen,
making them affordable for tutors.
Another factor that has boosted the
outsourcing of tutoring is that school
education in the West is going through
a difficult time. Only two-thirds of teenagers
— 50 per cent among blacks and
Hispanics — graduate from high school
in the United States. Under the No Child
Left Behind Act in the U.S., schools are
required to provide remedial tutoring
services to children if their programs do
not meet performance standards for two
consecutive years.
Online companies, both from the U.S.
and India, are tapping into millions of
dollars available to firms under this act.
There are at least half a dozen Indian firms
with links to U.S. companies that are providing
online tutoring.
But there is some opposition to outsourcing
education from sections in the
U.S. Teachers’ unions, for instance, are
opposed to jobs going overseas. They
are lobbying for legislation that would
make it more difficult for overseas tutors
to receive No Child Left Behind funds.
There are also questions about the quality
of teaching, the impersonal nature of
online tutoring, and so on.
Companies such as TutorVista and
Growing Stars are bending over backward
to address these concerns. Tutors in India
undergo a 60-hour training program during
which they are trained in the U.S.
educational curriculum, as well as in
methods of teaching children. They are
taught about U.S. culture to help them
establish a rapport with students. As for
concerns regarding understanding Indian
accents, tutors receive training in accent
reduction.
TutorVista allows students to switch
tutors until they are comfortable. Growing
Stars offers its students a choice of U.S.-
or India-based tutors for English and
charges a $10 premium above its normal
$20 rate per hour for students who
choose tutors based in the U.S.
At present, India is estimated to be
earning about $15 million per year from
online tutoring — 10 per cent of the total
market share. This is expected to grow to
www.RaasGarba.ca
Cities performing to date –
Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle and Vancouver.
2
$2.4 billion in the next three years.
“The online outsourcing industry is
still in its infancy,” said Ganesh, and
India is “best positioned to be the leader
in the field”.
Tim Wiley, senior analyst at
Eduventures, an education and research
consulting firm in Boston, echoed this
view. “The dynamics are in place for
India-based tutoring companies to really
grab a big chunk of the online market,”
Wiley said. p
Sudha Ramachandran is an independent journalist/researcher
based in Bangalore. Copyright
2006 Asia Times Online (atimes.com).
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Mehfil March/April 2007 33

Corporate Feature
Promotional Advertising Feature
Phoenix Centre - Recipient of the $1-Million Vancity Award
Vancity is all about change
With more than six decades of banking
excellence, Canada’s largest credit union
has learned a thing or two about change.
Today, more than ever, change is of vital
importance – Vancity understands that all too well.
Issues which impact the world around us
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social and economic needs of communities – are
addressed through Vancity’s innovative Shared
Success program.
For the past six years, Vancity has awarded a
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that tackle these important issues and positively
change the well-being of the community in which
its members live and work. The $1 million award
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to support a community initiative that would leave
a lasting, positive legacy in people’s lives.
“Last year Quest Outreach Society received the
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Programs at Vancity. “They were chosen through
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board chose the organizations that went on a
membership-wide ballot and members voted in
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Voting for the Vancity Award recipient is just
one way Vancity members can make a difference
in their community, says Kari Grist, Vancity’s vice
president of marketing.
She went on to say: “The Vancity Award is
about empowering change in the community. We
want to make an impactful and emotional appeal
to members about why and how their vote makes
a difference.”
The award is funded through Shared Success
which returns 30 per cent of net profits to
members and local communities.
Vancity doesn’t stop with its million-dollar
award. Over the years, more than 2,600 nonprofit
organizations have received more than $46 million
by way of grants and community contributions.
This year, members and local community
organizations will share a $13.7 million pool.
“Almost everything our members do at Vancity
contributes towards the members’ share of our
profits,’ Grist explains. Products and services which
add to a greater share in profits include mortgages,

Elain Duvall, Chair of Board
of Directors - Announcing
the winner of the
$1-Million Vancity Award.
Jodh Dhaliwal, Director of Indo-Canadian Affairs, CEO Dave Mowat
and Ian Warner, COO at Indo-Canadian Appreciation Night.
Since 1994, more than 2,600 nonprofit organizations have
received more than $46 million by way of grants and
community contributions. Last year, members and local
community organizations shared in a $13.7 million pool.
investments, term deposits, RRSP and
RRIF, credit lines, personal loans and
much more.
Last year, Vancity broadened the
scope of the program to include home
insurance purchased through Vancity
Insurance.
“2006 is the first year that we were
able to also reward members on the
home insurance business they bring
to Vancity Insurance,” says Grist. “This
means that Vancity members that paid
Vancity Insurance premiums on any
habitational insurance policy in 2006
will be rewarded for this.”
Rewards that over the years have
profited members and nonprofit
organizations alike.
The $1 million award has gone to
a number of different associations that
work in environmental responsibility,
economic self-reliance and social
justice.
The winner of the 2005 Vancity
Award went to PLEA Community
Services Society of BC for its expansion
of its KidStart Mentoring Program.
Other winners have included the
following: Better Environmentally Sound
Transportation (BEST) for its Greenway
project; Vancouver East cultural Centre
for its theatre revitalization; Downtown
Eastside’s WISH for its wellness centre;
and the Phoenix Drug and Alcohol
Recovery and Education Society for an
addiction treatment centre.
Georgina Steinsky-Schwartz,
president and CEO of Imagine Canada,
a national organization that supports
charitable and nonprofit organizations
and socially responsible businesses,
applauds Vancity.
“Vancity’s long-term commitment
to sustaining nonprofit organizations
is commendable, and we hope it
will inspire similar programs across
the country,” Steinsky-Schwartz says.
“We congratulate Vancity for their
outstanding leadership in building a
strong community.”
Vancity, a company with corporate
heart, encourages its members to vote
for “change” in their neighbourhoods.
Vancity believes in transformation
– affirmative, impactful change in which
everyone across the province benefits.
The same holds true for the Indo-
Canadian community which Vancity has
long supported through sponsorship
of the Vaisakhi Parade in Vancouver,
Surrey and Abbotsford and Diwali and
Holi Festival celebrations, as well as
support for the Progressive Intercultural
Society. Jodh Dhaliwal, who has been
Director of Indo-Canadian Affairs for
Vancity for five of the last 17 years, has
seen that support grow steadily as has
the number of Indo-Canadian members
and employees. “Vancity values our
community and looks for ways like our
Indo-Canadian Appreciation Night to
further strengthen the relationship.”
Vancity has $12.3 billion in
assets, more than 354,000 members
and 50 branches throughout Greater
Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Victoria
and Squamish. In 2006, it was named
the Best Place to Work in Canada by
Canadian Business Magazine. Vancity,
as well as its subsidiary companies, is
led by its firm commitment to corporate
social responsibility, and to improve
the quality of life in all communities
where they live and work. Vancity
also owns Citizens Bank of Canada,
serving members across the country by
telephone, ATM, and the Internet.
For more information about
Vancity’s Shared Success visit the
website at www.vancity.com.

36 Mehfil March/April 2007

Cover Story
DIVYESH GHADIA’S
HOT STREAK
By Robin Roberts
Divyesh Ghadia’s gaming destiny was, appropriately, determined by
the flip of a coin. Born in Kenya, the boy who would eventually head
up Gateway Casinos, B.C.’s second-largest casino company, moved
with his family shortly after to Uganda, but were soon forced to flee under
Idi Amin’s rule. They came to Canada when Ghadia was 10, landing first in
Montreal, where they lived in army barracks, typical housing for refugees at
the time. They then moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where his family, rather
well-off in Uganda, adjusted not only to culture shock but to a much lower
standard of living, having lost everything when they left Africa. Ghadia’s
father, who owned a textile business in Uganda, now toiled in a warehouse.
Desperate for a better life for their family, his parents decided to move to a
bigger city. “They kneeled before pictures of the Hindu god and flipped
a coin between Toronto and Vancouver,” says Ghadia. Vancouver
was heads.
In their new home in Burnaby, Divyesh and his younger sister enrolled in
Maywood Elementary School. Still struggling to adjust to a new culture and
lifestyle, Ghadia says he was “totally lost.” To his rescue came an unlikely
friend: a top athlete and star pupil by the name of Tony Glavin, now
a lawyer in New Westminster. “He befriended me, gave me all the
confidence I needed,” says Ghadia.
Thirty years later, for his fortieth birthday, Ghadia’s wife,
Charu, arranged a surprise reunion of the boyhood pals at
his birthday party. “They picked right up with lots to talk
Mehfil March/April 2007 37

Cover
about,” says Charu, who was tickled her
husband was so surprised. “We’ve kept in
touch as much as we can since then.”
The boys had lost touch after attending
separate high schools. Ghadia, now
44 and seemingly a Burnaby boy for life,
went on to Burnaby North and college
at Simon Fraser University, where he
studied to be a chartered accountant.
While articling at Price Waterhouse in
the late 1980s, management offered him
a promising future — if he relocated to
Toronto. “I let them know I didn’t want
to and would be looking for other opportunities,”
says Ghadia. “[Besides], I never
envisioned myself staying in an accounting
firm. It was always my intention to
leave. My initial ambition was to work
for a large corporation, but I always had
an entrepreneurial spirit. I was itching to
explore my creative side; that’s the most
rewarding part for me.”
In 1992, he met a property developer
named Ray McLean, who was betting
on a lucrative future in gaming. In the
process of buying two small casinos,
one in Chinatown and one in New
Westminster’s Royal Towers Hotel, he
asked Ghadia to come aboard as accountant/comptroller.
Ghadia soon became a
small shareholder then minority owner,
and eventually president and CEO under
company banner Gateway Casinos. The
two set out to transform the typically
RISKY BUSINESS
British Columbia’s 19 casinos rake in over $1 billion a year. That jackpot will only continue
to grow as casinos reposition themselves as multi-activity entertainment centres rather
than relying solely on gaming. Historically, profits from just one revenue stream —
gambling — is shared with the BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC), which manages the industry.
Casinos keep 40 per cent of the profits from gaming tables and 25 per cent of slots; the rest
goes to the BCLC. With the new style casinos, earnings from other sources like restaurants,
conventions and hotels go directly into the casinos’ pockets. Divyesh Ghadia and Gateway’s
new entries are poised to capitalize.
Still, not everybody’s thrilled at the prospect of a “Las Vegas of the North” right here in the
Pacific Northwest, and Ghadia is well aware of the opposition. “It’s a valid concern,” he says,
“but the B.C. Lottery Corporation does a good job of balancing the need to provide the source
of revenue and doing it responsibly. We’re going to have four or five very good casinos, not
super large, just the right size, that services the market, that’s the right model to balance [public
concerns] and the entertainment scene. We [as a company] have no intention to go outside
North America right now.”
Ghadia also acknowledges the public’s concern that casinos attract crime and enable
gambling addicts. “If you ask the RCMP, they’ll tell you there has been no trouble at the Burnaby
location since it opened,” he says, noting recent incidents at Richmond’s River Rock Casino. “We
have good security and we ensure we’re responsible. All our staff take courses in responsible
gaming and identifying problem gamblers. We also have a very active self-barring program.”
Brochures in washrooms offer numbers to call for counseling if gamblers feel it’s taking over
their lives. They can also register in a self-barring program. “We take a picture of them, they fill
out a form, and if they’re caught in our casino by our surveillance cameras or security people,
they would be asked to leave,” explains Ghadia. “We have a number of people every month who
sign up for this who need help keeping away. That picture gets circulated in every casino in the
province. We were at the forefront of supporting and implementing it.”
Not that many South Asians would need to take advantage of the program, since very few
indulge in gaming to begin with. “I don’t think it’s as culturally acceptable as it is in other Asian
cultures,” says Ghadia, acknowledging the large numbers of Chinese who frequent casinos.
“However, I think given the facilities that we are building, the other amenities [may attract them].
Provided it’s done in a facility that’s pleasant and has other amenities, it’s become much more
acceptable in North America than it has been 20 to 30 years ago.” p
dark and dreary gambling dens into classy
entertainment centres with gaming just
one aspect of what they foresaw as destination
casinos, replete with hotels, golf
courses and conference centres.
In 1999, they acquired the Royal City
Star, a converted Mississippi riverboat
at the New West Quay; a casino in the
West Edmonton Mall and another in
downtown Edmonton; built another in
Burnaby; then, in 2002, purchased the
Lake Cities Casino Group and absorbed
its four casinos in the Interior. In 2003,
they folded the Royal Towers and
Chinatown properties and started construction
on Cascades Casino, a $100-
million casino, hotel and convention
centre that opened in Langley in 2005.
This year, the Royal City Star will close
to make way for another $100-million
property, the Queensborough Starlight
Casino, to open later this year with a
Kirin Restaurant and an interactive/virtual
sports bar. That will be followed next
year by the crown jewel, Burnaby’s Villa
Casino, a $155 million, 100,000 square
foot resort featuring a hotel, ballroom,
show lounge, and up-scale restaurant.
The current casino across the street will
become the property’s parking lot.
Surveying construction on the Villa, a
dice roll away from his Burnaby offices,
Ghadia confesses to many sleepless nights
over the roughly $250 million the company
now has in development. “I work
about 60 hours a week on average,” says
Ghadia, his overcoat flapping in the bracing
February breeze. “I get home around
7 p.m. every day. I used to work a lot
of weekends; I don’t anymore. I use my
weekends for quality family time, and I
catch up on my business and technical
reading to keep up with the industry
and the financial world. But I’m a strong
believer in having a balanced life. It allows
me, when I am at work, to be healthy and
focused.”
Not that he’d have much of a choice.
Charu, his wife of 21 years, insists that
work stay at work, while home is for family
time. “For the most part, weekends are
non-negotiable,” she says. “I would hazard
to guess there’s an imaginary bag outside
the door. When Divyesh comes home he
leaves all of that in the bag. Rarely does
he talk about work with me. Unless it’s
something that’s really stressful for him,
he has to make a decision of sorts, he’s
at a crossroads, or he’s really wanting my
opinion because it will affect family life.
Apart from that, his work is pretty much
with him. We have so many other things
38 Mehfil March/April 2007

Atwalad_Final2.eps 1/25/2007 4:45:22 PM
with the children, and he works fairly
long days. By the time he comes home he
has little time to indulge in work talk.”
Still, Charu, also from East Africa and
also an accountant who worked in the
food distribution industry but is now a
stay-at-home mom, worries about her
husband’s work schedule. “He sleeps very
little, and I’m surprised he can get by with
so little and be as good as he is,” she says.
“It goes in cycles. There are certain stressful
times when he’s a complete insomniac
C
M
then there are other times when it’s not
Y
so stressful that five, six hours of a good
night’s sleep are ample for him.”
CM
To work off stress, Ghadia hikes,
MY
snowboards and mountain bikes with
their two sons, aged 13 and 10. He tested CY
his limits recently by taking on portions
CMY
of five legs of the Tour de France, which
K
had him cycling 80 kilometres a day over
five days — tough, but also “one of the
most exhilarating” things he says he’s
ever done. On his office floor, waiting for
some wall space, sits a colourful painting
of cyclists in full pedal. While not a rendition
of his admirable feat in France, it’s
in fact a work of art by Burnaby painter
Luigia Zilli who created the poster for
the first Giro di Burnaby, a professional
cycling race through the city. “We agreed
as a company to sponsor that race,” says
Ghadia. “And when I saw the poster for
it, I loved it and bought it. It spoke to
me.”
For his 40th birthday four years ago,
in addition to getting reacquainted with
a childhood chum, he and his wife got
reacquainted with their birthplaces by
scaling Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro.
Neither of them had been back to Africa
since they’d left (she was born in Kenya
and came to Canada in Grade 10), and
wanted to return to do something more
than just sightsee.
“After the climb, my brother-in-law
flew down with my sons and we went on
a safari,” says Ghadia, who was inspired to
take on the challenge after seeing Premier
Gordon Campbell and his wife make
the climb for Alzheimer’s research. His
own team raised $30,000 for the cause.
“Then my wife and I took the kids to
our original schools to see how children
in those worlds learn in those dilapidated
conditions and yet are so attentive and
so appreciative for what they have. It was
great for my children to learn that. It was
a real eye-opener for them and for me.”
Back at the office, Ghadia’s partner,
chief operating officer Monique Wilberg,
echoes Charu’s assessment of his “very
high ethical moral standards.” The two
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Mehfil March/April 2007 39

Cover
met in 1992 when Gateway launched
and have complemented each other ever
since in what Ghadia calls a symbiotic
relationship. “His motto of our decisionmaking
is ‘Do the right thing,’” says
Wilberg. “When you put it that simply,
you can take it right down to any level
inside the organization to any type of
decision. If your values and principles
are always tested to make sure you do the
right thing, you end up ethically coming
ahead in everything you do.”
Wilberg says Ghadia, whom everyone
in the office calls Dave, is an easygoing
boss who eschews formality. “Dave is
super collaborative, extremely communicative
on an immediate basis,” she says.
“[There are] no egg shells; you know
where you stand every moment of every
day, whether you like it or not. You know
exactly what he’s thinking, there’s no
hidden agenda. He’s probably one of the
most pure leaders you’d find.” He’s also
very hands-on. “There’s not an aspect of
our property development, with respect
to design, colour palette, theatrics, lighting,
music, menu planning that he does
not participate in to some degree.”
Still, the man with so much at stake is
remarkably calm, relaxed, soft-spoken. “I
would say I am definitely not a stern boss,”
he says with a poker face tailor-made for
the job. “I would probably say my style
is more of a coach and a mediator rather
than a boss. I’m thankful that we have a
fantastic team that can carries the load
a bit more, which allows me to be more
productive. Over the years I’ve learned to
be more efficient, I guess.”
Enough to also allow time for a bit of
party-planning, it would seem. Wilberg
says Ghadia’s the one who galvanizes the
staff to take a spin at the go-cart track or
bring in members of The Drum Café, a
company that creates team building and
bonding through rhythmic drumming.
“Time here is so intense, that’s why our
relationships are so solid, and Dave’s our
thread,” she says. “He’s who motivates
everyone, who grounds everyone to the
vision, he’s the one who keeps things fun.
He’s the one who’s always putting out
that challenge to do something fun and
still be fiscally responsible.”
Despite his close-cropped, prematurely
graying hair and gold-rimmed specs
that make him look more like a professor
than a high roller, Wilberg says Ghadia
can be quite playful. “He’s got a great
sense of humour,” she says. “He’s always
trying to have a laugh. Even in the most
dire of circumstances he seeks levity. He
takes a lot of the stress on himself, he’s
really careful about deflecting from the
staff. He’s really a courageous leader in
that, serious moments are serious, we
don’t make light of them, but he’s always
cognizant of the fact that your life comes
first, that you have an obligation to your
family and friends and yourself.”
In Ghadia’s life away from construction
sites and spreadsheets, his obligation to
his family includes travelling regularly,
enjoying cultural events and concerts
(Gateway is the largest sponsor of the
Burnaby Blues Festival) and taking
Spanish lessons. They are also all fluent in
Gujarati, since he feels it’s important for
his sons to know of their heritage (both he
and his wife’s grandparents hail from the
state of Gujarat).
When he finds himself in Las Vegas
once or twice a year, he hits The Wynn
Casino on the Strip. His game? Craps
and blackjack. “I’ll do my research for
400 bucks, but that’s the extent of my
gambling,” he says with a smile.
After his parents bet it all on
Vancouver, perhaps he considers himself
lucky enough ❐
40 !SIA300_Mehfil.indd Mehfil March/April 1 2007
2/23/07 11:15:34 AM

home&style
Mehfil
Your Home
Your Style
Whether you want to transform
your entire house
or freshen the look of a room or
two, you’ll find lots of inspiration
in the pages ahead. From
suggestions on how to turn your
bedroom into a sumptuous
sanctuary to ideas for giving
your bathroom a makeover,
we’ve got it covered. As you’ll
see in our piece on do-it-yourself
tips and tricks, decorating
doesn’t have to mean a major
investment of time and money.
There are many simple spruces
that can be completed in a day,
weekend or even an hour or two.
Mehfil March/April 2007 41

home&style
Mehfil
Personal Spaces
Design Tips to Inspire the Creation of a Beautiful Bedroom
When the kitchen or bathroom needs
a new look, the revamp usually
begins with a visit to a showroom and
a discussion with a designer. But when
it comes to the bedroom, few people are
inclined to call on a designer for advice.
Perhaps it’s because the bedroom is such
a personal space that many people question
whether someone else can actually
help them achieve the look and ambience
they want.
The truth is that designers are as adept
at putting together a bedroom that
reflects your tastes as they are at finding
canny ways to maximize cupboard
space in kitchens. Here are some tips to
help you make your bedroom a place
of beauty and tranquility. Identify your
inspiration To find your colour palette,
begin by identifying one inspirational
fabric or accessory – like a cushion or
rug – that you love. The entire bedroom
can be designed around the colours,
tones and ambience of this item. If you’re
Inspiration
The Master Suite: A Stylish Sanctuary
having trouble identifying an item to
get those design juices flowing, then try
going at the process the opposite way,
mentally eliminating items you don’t find
inspiring.
You’ll likely be left with a few things
you truly love and the final choice will be
easier.
Rearranging the room
A well-designed bedroom is comprised
Reminiscent of the great country manors and hunting lodges of Europe,
this master suite blends a sense of rural, equestrian charm with distinctly
contemporary amenities. A heavy brocade bedspread in ivory ties together the
complex barley twist four-poster bed, intricate chandelier curves, and lushly
textured carpet. By choosing non-identical bedside lamps and tables, there’s a
sense of evolution — a feeling this room has changed and developed its unique
personality over time. French doors leading to a private balcony overlooking the
gardens add a further touch of Old World ambience and compliment the coved
ceiling with its rich, deep crown molding.
In the ensuite, an antique, claw-footed bathtub with exposed plumbing fixtures
comfortably rubs shoulders with a sleek, 21st-century
glass and marble shower enclosure boasting multiple
showerheads. The angular look of random floor tiles in three
shades of earthtones are offset by the curvaceous, abstract
florals of a circular scatter rug. And, in this suite’s sole
concession to technology, a flat-screen plasma television is
discreetly suspended above the double doors — perfectly
positioned for viewing from the tub, otherwise virtually
unnoticeable and non-intrusive.
by Louanne Litke
of many elements, including draperies,
bedding, floors, walls and upholstery.
Your inspirational item will hint at a
primary colour choice around which
you can build the look of the room. When
you’re making the big decision on wall
colour, take your inspirational item with
you to the paint store and ask for advice.
With the myriad colours and textures
available, there really is a perfect colour
for your walls.
When selecting fabrics for your bedroom,
consider these insider tips: Group
opposing fabric patterns whenever
possible – this eliminates fabrics competing
for visual attention. Each individual
fabric should look more pleasing when
placed alongside another item than it
does when seen in isolation. For example,
use large patterns with small ones, or a
pattern next to a solid colour. Mix stripes
with florals, or place small, fine prints
next to larger geometric patterns.
You will be amazed at how your
courtesy of www.getdecorating.com
42 Mehfil March/April 2007

We Know
Your
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604-502-8611
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604-516-0502
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home&style
Mehfil
Inspiration
The Ensuite: A Luxurious Retreat
personal style will naturally emerge as
you experiment with colours, designs
and shapes.
Also, select contrasting surface
finishes to enhance visual interest. For
example, pair light-reflecting fabrics,
such as silks, with matte-finished cotton
blends. Or select heavy textures to accent
smooth-surfaced ones (e.g., nubby, cozy
chenille is a great visual contrast alongside
smooth, soft satins). When choosing
fabrics for your bedroom, remember that
everything, including the drapes, should
be tactile and inviting to touch. Finally,
since draperies, bedding and upholstery
have practical requirements, make sure
your fabric choices are appropriate to the
application.
Floors and walls
Floors and walls play a significant
role in creating a mood for your room.
For example, a deep, dark floor anchors
a room and evokes a sense of security,
while a light floor offers a feeling of
relief and space. Similarly, darker walls
embrace while lighter shades soothe.
Creating mood with your floors and walls
is a powerful way to add beauty to your
bedroom.
Light options
Lighting is a very important component
of the bedroom – it has
the power to create ambience
in the room while also
meeting the practical needs
of day-to-day life. Relaxing,
reading and dressing
all have different lighting
requirements, so it’s important
that bedroom lighting
be flexible.
Think of lamps and
fixtures as an opportunity
to accessorize while providing for each
functional need in your bedroom.
Choose a fixture with character and
then try putting it on a dimmer switch.
Live with layers
Layer your window treatments. Blinds
that feature a sheer component, or
drapery sheers, give you the option of
enjoying daylight while retaining an element
of privacy. Layering also helps you
achieve more versatile levels of darkness
based on your sleeping needs and the
changing seasons. Finally, layered window
treatments impart a sense of luxury
to a bedroom.
Dressing it up
Accessories have the power to transform
a plain bedroom into an inviting
space filled with warmth and charac-
Light and airy, this bathroom is inspired by the timeless beauty
of a white-on-white colour palette with subtle earthtone accents.
Brimming with sunshine and natural light, a two-person tub becomes
the focal point of this personal retreat, its marble step meticulously
echoes the shape of the wrap-around bay window that provides
panoramic views of the surrounding meadows. Elegantly unpretentious
window treatments form a perfect balance to the richness of the marble
flooring and heavily detailed cabinetry.
Blurring the distinction between indoors and out, a matched pair of
floral arrangements in ornate glass vases are surrounded by candles
for the ultimate romantic ambience. Mirrors, placed not only above the
sink where one would expect to find them but also tucked between the
windows, create the impression of a room filled with blossoms and
further enhance the sense of open spaciousness.
ter. When “dressing” your
bedroom, place accessories
as if you were merchandising
your room for a presentation.
Before you begin, look at the
space and identify several
focal areas. Try these ideas:
• Hedge in the bed with
lamps, artwork and accent
throw cushions;
• Surround a draped window
with framed photos, or
add wall sconce lighting;
• Accent an armchair with a throw,
small table, plant and lamp.
When grouping multiple objects, make
sure each cluster is composed of an odd
number of items to achieve an eclectic
look.
Know yourself
You don’t have to be a professional designer
to know your own tastes. If you’re
willing to put in the time to identify an
inspirational object and you follow these
professional tips, you’ll have your own
beautiful bedroom in no time. Providing
beauty in this most personal space of
your home will influence your frame of
mind and create a sense of well-being
every day. p
Louanne Litke is a decorator for Arlene’s
Interiors and HGTV’s Love It or Lose It.
courtesy of www.getdecorating.com
44 Mehfil March/April 2007

As spring approaches and
people look to freshen up their
homes, we see new colour trends
coming to the forefront of decorating
and design. Benjamin Moore has
always been an industry leader in
predicting and applying colour trends,
and several new looks have been
developed for the new year. While
classic neutrals and monochromatic
colour schemes remain popular, we
also see splashes of colour and the
introduction of specialty finishes.
Colour trends include splashes
of deep, bright shades of aqua and
coral, either as accent walls or in
accessories that add character to a
neutral room. Try colours like Adobe
Dust (2175-40), Blue Lake
(2053-40), or Raspberry Pudding
(2004-30). These colours work
especially well with shades of cream
such as Delaware Putty (CC-230)
and chocolate browns like the everpopular
Mink (2112-10). Specialty
finishes gaining popularity include
graphic effects such as painting
stripes on a wall, and metallic finishes
that add glamour and sparkle.
Paint and Decorating, just east of Ikea
in Coquitlam, and at Fleetwood Paint
and Decorating at Fraser Highway
and 160th St., certified interior
decorators are always on staff and
available to assist you.
If you prefer, you can hire one of
these decorators to come to your
home to choose colours with you
and answer any other decorating
dilemmas you may have.
These in-home consultants will help
you avoid frustrating mistakes by
ensuring that colours flow smoothly
through the home and coordinate
well in your lighting with your
flooring, furnishings, and accessories.
When you make the decision to
renovate or update your home,
designers and decorators agree:
visit Benjamin Moore to discover
and develop your inspiration. Feel
free to bring in pieces of your home,
from tiles to couch cushions, and
the experienced and knowledgeable
staff will be happy to help you pull
everything together to make your
home worthy of a magazine cover
while still being completely suited to
your tastes and lifestyle.
Whether you are building a new
home, renovating, or just looking
for a change, no change is as easy
and effective as colour. Benjamin
Moore prides itself on having the
best selection of colours available
and with their excellent reputation
for quality products you can be
assured that your work will be a
success. Specifically at Lougheed
Following dessert, invite your dinner guests to retire to the living room for coffee, digestifs
and a glamourous change of scene. To create a sense of intimacy, choose a smouldering
dark gray for the ceiling and a softer, lighter gray for the walls. For more stylish entertaining
ideas, drop by our store to pick up your FREE copy of the Benjamin Moore 2007 Colours
for your home colour card and experience
the Benjamin Moore difference. From our
quality paints and exclusive colours to our
innovative design tools and expert advice,
you’ll find it all right here.
Fleetwood Painting & Decorating
#300-15930 Fraser Highway
Surrey, BC V3S 2W4
Tel: 604-572-6607 • Fax: 604-572-6390
The Colour Experts
benjaminmoore.ca
Lougheed Painting & Decorating
#7-1300 Woolridge Street
Coquitlam, BC V3K 6Y6
Tel: 604-520-6637
Actual colours may not appear exactly as shown. Colour accuracy is ensured only when tinted in quality Benjamin Moore® paints.

home&style
Mehfil
Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Home
Giving your home a fresh look doesn’t
always mean expensive remodelling or
the addition of elaborate furnishings. In fact, it
doesn’t even have to involve much work. Depending
on the look you are trying to achieve
a lot can be done with some simple tricks that
turn boring rooms into more functional and
appealing living spaces.
Move your furniture
No need to go out and buy a whole new set of
furniture. Just rearrange what you already have.
A different configuration will give your room a
whole new look. Pull furniture away from walls.
Furniture placed to appear to float makes the
space look larger on the whole.
Change the lighting
Different lighting can change the mood of a
room. Replacing old traditional lamps with
modern, sleek ones can change the atmosphere,
as can replacing old, worn lamp
shades with fresh, clean, bright colours that
complement or contrast the colours already in
the room.
Add some colour
Create an accent wall by painting a single wall
in a room with different colour. Using the right
colour can help make a small room look bigger,
brighter or more intimate.
Inspiration
A Striking Blend of Old and New
Think family gatherings,
entertaining, and the irresistible
fragrance of slow-cooking gourmet
delicacies when you think of this
kitchen. A striking blend of old and
new, the crispness of a stainless steel
island countertop and appliances meld
seamlessly with the rustic charm of
rattan, reclaimed brick and exposed
rough-cut timbered ceiling beams.
Broad-leaved potted plants enhance
the subtle yet undeniable suggestion
this is actually an outdoor courtyard
in a seaside Mediterranean villa. The
casual eating area with its pastel rattan
chairs is only steps from the gated
wine cellar. Porcelain tile flooring with
in-floor radiant heat further develops
Add some art
Put up one or more pieces of art to draw
attention to one wall. Displaying pictures in
groups is increasingly popular. Sets of three
or even groups of varying sizes and shapes
in a unique arrangement can be effective as
an accent. You can also make a short wall
seem longer by using art with some dramatic
horizontal lines. Mirrors with ornate frames are
also effective and can be used to make rooms
look and feel bigger than they are. And don’t
forget, these days even plasma flat-screen TVs
can be displayed as pieces of art that double as
entertainment centres.
Bring in the outdoors
Plants can be used to enhance and freshen a
room. They can also add colour or fill empty
corners and dead spaces. If you suffer from
allergies or aren’t blessed with a green thumb,
use silk plants. Simple and small arrangements
can be effective in livening bathrooms,
counters and entries.
Lay an area rug
Area rugs can instantly add colour to a room,
define a comfortable conversation area, and
cover up stains and imperfections on floors.
Use bold colours for impact or complementary
colours to help define the mood of the room.
the illusion while forming the basis of
a perfect marriage between good looks
and durability. View over 1,800 kitchen
photographs at www.getdecorating.com.
This is a workspace guaranteed to
warm the hearts of couples who love to
experience culinary adventures together.
Dual ovens, dual sinks with shared prep
sink, even dual gas range, flexibility
is the watchword. Pot lighting creates
plenty of task illumination when needed
and can easily be dimmed into a more
romantic ambience as desired.
Totally unobtrusive, but with easy
access through a remote digital control
panel, there’s also a state-of-the-art
security system making this kitchen as
safe as it is beautiful.
Throws and pillows
Like an area rug, a throw blanket can instantly
add colour to a room. It can also bring life back
to an old sofa (or cover up some of those worn
areas). Pillows are great for adding texture,
colour, drama and mood to a sofa or a bed.
Update your mouldings
Give your mouldings and trim a fresh coat of
paint. Plain mouldings can be painted the same
colour as your walls, but if you have large,
fancy mouldings you may want to paint them
white or have the wood refinished. If your home
doesn’t have mouldings, add some.
Update your cabinets
Your kitchen and bathroom cabinets can date
your home. Have them refinished or paint them
white for a clean look. You may even want to
have glass inserted in a few kitchen cabinet
doors (your local glass shop should be able
(continued on page 54)
For more design and decorating ideas, visit the
Getdecorating Web site www.getdecorating.com where you
can browse more than 14,000 professional photographs,
searchable by rooms or complete homes.
46 Mehfil March/April 2007

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Corporate Profile
Promotional Advertising Feature
Royal Indian Raj
International
Corporation:
Building
india for
the new
MilleniuM
While the Canadian real estate
market has seen incredible
growth in the past several years,
it’s being eclipsed by the growth in one
of the fastest growing economies in the
world — India.
Now, with Vancouver-based Manoj C.
Benjamin’s Royal Indian Raj International
Corporation (RIRIC), Indo-Canadians
have an opportunity to benefit from the
massive Indian real estate boom and to
be a part of an exciting new vision of
modernized real estate in India.
The son of immigrants, 44-year-old
Benjamin is a highly successful local
businessman who has taken some of the
wealth he earned here and invested it in
India. When India opened its economy
to the world in 1991, Benjamin started
on the path to realizing his vision and
dream to build communities that would
stand out on the world’s stage as being
progressive and of the highest possible
standards. Today, that dream is becoming
a reality and RIRIC is on the forefront of
developing first-class resort communities
and modern satellite cities in India under
its Royal Garden City, Royal Garden Villas &
Resorts and its hotel brands.
“We see the integrated township/city
format as a key driver of future housing
supply and as a catalyst for the much
needed infrastructure investments in the
rapid urbanization of India. The Indian
government has spelt out key incentive
policies to provide an impetus towards
easing the flow of private investments and
royal garden city is one of the first to have
been conceptualized and planned to meet
this objective,” says Benjamin.
RIRIC’s leadership position in this field
is recognized as RIRIC is the lead sponsor
for the World Cities Forum in Shanghai
Royal Indian Raj International Corporation CEO Manoj Benjamin plans to invest
more than $3 billion to help build a new India with modernized cities.
with the World Bank and the Urban Land
Institute of America.
According to Anil K. Agarwal, President
of ASSOCHAM (Associated Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of India),
leading international investors like Royal
Indian Raj International, Blackstone
Group, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup
Property Investors, Morgan Stanley and
GE Commercial Finance Real Estate are
showing a keen interest and establishing
their presence in Indian real estate.
Eight years ago Benjamin began
aligning himself with venture partners
who also saw the potential for
modernizing real estate in the Indian
market and committed them to RIRIC’s
objective of “Building India for the new
millennium.”
Over a projected 12-15-year program,
RIRIC will inject an estimated $10 billion
dollars into its premier real estate
developments under the highly-touted
Royal Garden Cities projects and its Royal
Garden Villas and Resorts’ brand.
The first phase of the $US8.97 billion
project, which has been approved by the
government of India’s Foreign Investment
Promotion Board, is situated outside the
Bangalore city centre in close proximity
to the new International airport. The first
phase of the 6000-acre development will
be built on 3,000 acres and will include
13.59 million square meters of built up
space. The project is one of Asia’s largest
new city developments to date and is
expected to become the model of new
city developments in the country. Several
other cities are planned in Mumbai, Delhi
and Kolkata.
Further to these developments, RIRIC
has partnered with one of the worlds
largest hotel chain’s to build 15,000
budget style hotel rooms throughout
India at an estimated investment of US
$5 billion. Additionally, in June the firm

The Indian Boom
According to Anil K. Agarwal, President of ASSOCHAM (Associated
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India), leading international
investors like Royal Indian Raj International, Blackstone Group,
Goldman Sachs, Citigroup Property Investors, Morgan Stanley and
GE Commercial Finance Real Estate are showing a keen interest
and establishing their presence in Indian real estate.
will be announcing exclusive rights in
India with one of the worlds largest realty
marketing groups.
The Royal Garden Villas & Resort,
Bangalore, RIRIC’s inaugural project, lies
on approximately 400 acres of prime land
situated between downtown Bangalore
and the new Bangalore International
Airport.
“In this project, we offer something
for nearly everyone, from bungalows to
townhouses and apartments modeled
after luxurious western subdivisions,”
Benjamin says. “We offer affordable homes
from $80,000 to $300,000, as well as highend
villas that are in the half million dollar
range.
RIRIC has partnered with some of the
world’s best known leaders in the industry
to offer the most discerning client the
very best in living. Among those that have
partnered with RIRIC are CPG Corporation,
the former Singapore Public Works
Department, master planners of its Royal
Garden City in Bangalore to its financial
partners like New York-based GEM Global
Yield Fund, who provided the firm with a
(GBP) 300M pound sterling equity line of
credit.
The Royal Garden Villas and Resort
in Bangalore is a master-planned gated
community that includes exclusive
amenities, including a chateau winery,
opulent club house, world-class spa and
pool. The property also boasts a fivestar
hotel, Vijay Amritraj Tennis & Fitness
Center, internationally renowned shops
and restaurants, an equestrian center, and
supermarkets. Also included in the plans is
a movie theatre, which is slated for Phases
2 and 3.
In another major feat, RIRIC partnered
with golf great Jack Nicklaus to develop
a signature 18-hole tournament-quality
golf course on the exclusive site. RIRIC has
exclusive rights for the entire Indian nation
for Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses.
“We have already sold out all the villas
and we have a waiting list for the next
two phases,” Benjamin explains with pride.
“By the summer of 2008 some of the
properties in Phase 1 will be ready.”
“We are also building self-sustaining,
smart cities in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai
and Kolkata under our Royal Garden City
brand that will offer modern housing
and businesses,” says Benjamin, RIRIC’s
Chairman and CEO.
When completed in 2015, RIRIC’s first
city development in Bangalore will be
home to between 300,000 to half a million
people who will live, work and play on
over 146.36 million square feet that will
include 35,000 homes, business, medical
and entertainment districts, parks, firstrate
restaurants, shopping, schools and
civic amenities. This is approximately
fifteen times the size of the Canary Wharf
development in London, United Kingdom.
Considered the Silicone Valley of
India, North Bangalore is the fastest
growing city in the world behind Tokyo.
Its population is set to rise from 6.2 million
to an astonishing 9 million. Much of the
population is middle-class and a very well
educated.
India is truly emerging as the quiet lion
about to roar. Benjamin’s drive and vision
is to create an economic and technological
connection between East and West. His
company is playing an integral part in
the country’s burgeoning infrastructure,
finance and development sectors.
When you take into account the
n India is the second largest nation
in Asia and its $2,144.1 billion
economy is the 4th largest economy
in the world.
n India ranks 3rd in the World Market
Growth Index.
n India’s middle class population of
approximately 350 million is the
world’s largest and fastest growing.
n India has the world’s largest pool
of highly
educated
technical
and scientific
manpower in
the world.
n A thriving
capital
market exists,
comprised
of 22 stock
exchanges and
over 6000 listed companies.
n India is a conducive foreign
investment environment with
current account convertibility for
foreign investors.
n India’s industrial growth rate is
currently at 11%.
n India’s GDP in 1991 was 0.8%.
n The average real GDP growth was
5% between 1992 and 1998. In 1999
it was 5.7%.
n The inflation rate in 1991 was 16%.
By 1999 it had dropped to 2%.
n India’s fiscal debt is 5.1% of the GDP
n India is a member of the G-20 group
of nations, rated AAA by the world
bank.
North Bangalore:
The New Silicon Valley
n North Bangalore is known as the new
Silicon Valley.
n North Bangalore’s land prices have
increased five-fold in the last 18
months.
n North Bangalore’s population is set to
rise from 6.2 to 9 million.
n North Bangalore’s new airport
is expected to see 5 to 6 million
passengers annually.
n Most lands in North Bangalore have
been purchased by major IT firms such
as Wipro, Infosys, Fidelity and Cisco.

Royal Garden Villas & Restort
Meticulously planned and artfully
crafted, Royal Garden Villas &
Resort at Tuscany Hills is an exclusive,
private, gated residential resort
community, tucked in an idyllic haven
away from the hustle and bustle of
Bangalore.
In addition to spacious and
luxuriously appointed apartments,
townhouses, penthouses and villas,
the property offers the five-star, 250-
room Royal Palace Hotel, chateau and
winery, an Old World village square
with a selection of international shops,
the Vijay Amritraj Signature Tennis
Center & Academy, and an equestrian
center.
A subsequent
phase will feature
a Signature golf
course designed by
Jack Nicklaus or Greg
Norman surrounded
by luxury villas to be
launched in 2007.
Royal Garden
Villas & Resort
combines natural
Vijay Amritraj,
beauty with rapidly
tennis legend, U.N.
rising real estate
Peace Ambassador
prices due to the
and one of India’s
proximity of the new most admired
international airport, sportsmen, has
scheduled to open joined Royal Indian
in 2008. The airport, Raj International
with an anticipated Corporation as its
six million travelers, brand ambassador.
is expected to
become a major connecting hub for
international destinations. Residents
of Royal Garden Villas & Resort,
situated just 14 miles from the new
airport, will see their property values
escalate rapidly as Fortune 500 and
IT companies relocate to northern
Bangalore. The area has already
experienced accelerated growth with
property values rising as much as 70
per cent in the last 12 months and
prices doubling every three years.
The Bangalore property market
is the world’s second leading real
estate hot spot, trailing only London.
The Indian Census Bureau predicts
Bangalore will have three million new
residents by 2012, up from its present
six million population.
“RIRIC’s project is the first of its kind that I have seen in India that
aspires to provide the quality and amenities of international
standards. With the Indian economy growing and people having
enough disposable income to spend, this kind of resort property
has a potential to be in high demand soon.”
— Ravi Koulagi, investor
following statistics, it’s no wonder India
is set to become a major destination
for world-wide capital in real estate
investment and development over the
coming decades: India is the second
largest nation in Asia with 1.2 billion
people; there is a reported 90 million
housing shortage; the country is growing
at a rate of 30 per cent a decade; out of its
four trillion dollar domestic product, three
per cent is linked to real estate.
“The appreciation on real estate
properties are increasing at a rate of 37
per cent a year in Bangalore,” Benjamin
says. “Many of our investors will see a rate
of return that will double before they even
get the keys to their new home.”
Opportunities abound for savvy and
acute investors who see the incredible
potential to realize a healthy return
on investment in the fully integrated
township. Investors such as Dr. Vijay
Nadgir.
Nadgir can speak with some authority
about the region as he’s originally from
Bangalore.
“It is common knowledge that the
economy of India is booming,” explains
Nadgir. “Rapid changes are taking place
— and happily for the better.”
Nadgir was so impressed with RIRIC for
its well thought-out and sound business
plan that he didn’t hesitate to invest.
The self-professed “non-gambler” says
RIRIC standards are amongst the highest
in the industry for developing five-star
satellite cities.
“The development company has
aligned itself with some of the most
internationally renowned companies with
stellar track records,” Nadgir says. “I would
highly recommend anybody looking to
invest their hard-earned money to put it
into the Royal Indian Raj properties as it is
an absolutely great opportunity.
“The proposed development can
easily compete with the very best at
an international level and I can say that
with some authority, having spent many
years in the West, particularly Britain and
Canada and having travelled extensively.”
In fact, the anesthesiologist working
for Saudi Aramco, Dhahran in Saudi Arabia
plans on retiring “in this beautiful place,
the Royal Garden Villas.’
Another believer is Ravi Koulagi,
engineering manager at Cisco Systems,
San Jose.
He plans to relocate his young family
back to Bangalore some time later this
year.
“RIRIC’s project is the first of its kind
that I have seen in India that aspires to
provide the quality and amenities of
international standards,” Koulagi says.
“With the Indian economy growing and
people having enough disposable income
to spend, this kind of resort property has a
potential to be in high demand soon.”
RIRIC investors come from all over
the world. More than half are from North
America, and the rest are from Singapore,
Dubai and the United Kingdom.
The Royal Garden Villas & Resorts
brand is set to become the benchmark
by which future developments in India
will compare themselves. The Canadianbased
company is setting the bar for new
standards of building excellence. See what
all the excitement is about by visiting
RIRIC’s website at www.royalindianraj.com
or by phoning 604-685-7442.

home&style
Mehfil
Promotional Feature
Taking a Look at All That’s New
in Windows and Doors Today
for any water to be
naturally drawn out by
well-placed vents and
weep holes.
large number of homeowners
A with European style tilt & turn
windows probably first saw their attractive
and high-tech windows at a
EuroLine Home Show display. These
are the windows with one-handle
operation that allows the user to
tilt-in the window or door for secure
ventilation, and turn-in for safe and
easy cleaning. Tilt & turn windows
and doors also feature concealed
multi-point locking hardware that is
secured to an invisible steel frame
and tough, high-impact strength uPVC
to firmly resist intruder attempts.
EuroLine’s tilt & turn windows also
have frame extensions constructed
with robust, multi-chamber design
that incorporates true pressure-equalized
rainscreen principles, allowing
Another innovative
product many homeowners
might have
seen for the first time
at a EuroLine Home
Show display is the
EuroLine rollshutter.
EuroLine offers two
styles of super tough
rollshutters – a built-in
model that is especially
suitable for insulated
concrete applications
and an externally
mounted rollshutter
model. Both styles are
custom-made to guarantee
a perfect fit in just
bout any size. Rollshutters provide
added security and thermal efficiency
and are an ideal addition to residential
and commercial properties and
schools or wherever extra security is
appropriate. They are also ideal when
used to darken rooms, protecting
sensitive artwork and decorative fabrics
from sunlight. Other rollshutter
benefits include protecting windows
and doors from airborne missiles that
can occur during violent windstorms
as well as providing added protection
to unoccupied weekend property.
EuroLine’s newest line of entry
doors is an innovative new line of
custom-made European entry doors.
Available in a variety of modern and
traditional designs, these entry doors
are the perfect combination of beauty,
function and security. Homeowners
can choose from a wide variety
of colours, EuroWood finishes (like
wood, only better) as well as many
distinctive glass inserts. This line of
doors also provide a high enough
thermal efficiency to receive EuroLine
“Green Approved” recognition.
Anyone interested in learning more
about EuroLine windows & doors is invited
to visit the EuroLine Showroom
open weekdays 9 – 4 at 7620 MacDonald
Road, Delta. Phone 604-940-8485
or toll free 1-800-337-8604.
www.euroline-windows.com
About Euroline Windows Inc.
EuroLine Windows is the largest tilt & turn window and door manufacturer in North America with installations throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba,
Washington State, Oregon, California, Idaho, Colorado, Montana and Alaska. Offshore EuroLine installations include Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Germany,
Mexico, Paraguay and the Caribbean. All EuroLine windows and doors are custom made at the EuroLine manufacturing facility in Delta, British Columbia. A
virtual tour of EuroLine Windows is available online: www.euroline-windows.com EuroLine showroom and sales facilities are located in Delta, British Columbia,
Washington State, on Vancouver Island and in Alberta and Ontario.

Introducing
A New Standard of Excellence
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Euroline Window’s new line of exceptional
custom entry doors meets the demanding
standards Euroline has traditionally
set as the largest tilt & turn window
manufacturer in North America.
Whether you are looking to make a
dramatic modern statement, or an elegant
traditional statement, these entry doors
are the perfect combination of beauty,
function and security.
Every door is custom made in just about
any size with a wide selection of colours
and distinctive glass inserts. Elegant
EuroWood fi nishes (like wood, only
better) are also available to perfectly match
your windows. Best of all, each of these
beautiful entry doors meets exacting
standards for superior thermal effi ciency.
For more information, visit the Euroline
Showroom:
Weekdays 9-4
7620 MacDonald Road, Delta
Phone 604-940-8485
Toll Free 1-800-337-8604
www.euroline-windows.com
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Euroline Windows ® is the registered trademard of Euroline Windows INC., an innovative designer and manufacturer of distinctive PVC windows and doors. Euroline reserves the right to improve its products at any time and without notice.

home&style
Mehfil
(continued from page 46)
to help you with this). You also may want to
paint or refinish any fixtures such as light
boxes in your kitchen.
Update your hardware
Replace worn, outdated or generic faucets
with new ones. There are dozens of styles
to choose from and you can add matching
towel racks, hooks and shelves. Don’t
overlook the knobs on cabinets and drawers;
replacing these will help make your kitchen or
bathroom shine.
Less is more
We tend to think to improve a room you have
to add to it. Most rooms suffer because they
actually have too many things competing
for attention. Studies have shown that our
eyes like to roam from thing to thing and rest
before moving on. That’s why the best rooms
have one prominent architectural feature,
such as a fireplace, painting or beautiful piece
of furniture. Too many things overload your
eyes by causing them to dart from one area
to another without an opportunity to rest, and
that makes a room seem cluttered.
De-clutter
Speaking of clutter, here’s perhaps the
simplest, most effective home-decorating tip
of all: most homes will get the greatest benefit
from a good spring cleaning. Clutter can
destroy the mood of any room. Find a place
to store all those papers, get rid of things you
haven’t used for years (and know you don’t
intend to), get storage bins for extra books
and toys and consider hooks or shelf organizers
to help keep your clothes off the furniture
(and the floor).
Get inspired
There are several sources for great ideas for
home decorating. Pick up some interior design
magazines or go online. We’ve included
a few examples of inspiring designs from getdecorating.com,
a site filled with ideas, tips
and photographs of interior designs that work
(see Inspiration on pages 42, 44 and 46).
54 Mehfil March/April 2007
The Townhouse Advantage
Q&A with the developers of Springfield Court
What are some of the advantages of
living in a townhouse complex?
Townhouse complexes are great
places to live for a number of reasons.
Affordability and convenience are probably
among the biggest advantages,
making townhouses a great choice for
couples and young families. They are
also generally community-orientated
so people get to know each other. They
are also more secure than independent
homes. Another advantage is that you
can have your own space without having
to spend a lot of time or energy on
maintenance.
Do you think more people are interested
in townhouses because housing
prices are so high?
Yes, that’s another factor. And as housing
prices continue to rise, townhouses
will become more popular, particularly
with first-time buyers and working-class
people.
What should people look for when
purchasing a townhouse?
If you are buying an older townhouse
you have to be careful to get all the
details and history of the complex. Be
aware that maintenance expenses are
shared and if the property has had any
problems there may be expenses that
you will incur in the future. These types
of issues aren’t nearly as much of a concern
with a new development because
homes are covered by the mandatory
2-5-10 year warranty and the developers
are responsible for making sure the
construction is up to current standards.
You’ve been in the industry for several
years and are in the final stages of development
of Springfield Court, what
makes it different from other townhouse
developments?
When we designed the complex we
Promotional Feature
had 12 acres of land, which is quite large,
and we built the first project, called
Springfield Gardens, with 20 duplexes
and 52 townhouses. Now we are in the
second phase, which is called Springfield
Court, and we will be starting on the
third phase — Springfield Village — next
month.
We also designed this complex to meet
peoples’ needs. The complex is very
practical, functional and has a userfriendly
layout. For example, we created
a children’s play court in the middle,
and between the three projects we
have left an open space for a one-acre,
beautifully landscaped park — nobody
does that kind of thing. And the townhouses
themselves are designed by the
award-winning architectural firm Focus
Architect — one of the most well-known
architects in Western Canada.
What are some of the amenities offered
at Springfield Court?
Springfield Court has the added advantage
of being close to a major shopping
centre, close to Fleetwood Library,
a 258-acre park, walking distance to
Fleetwood Recreational Centre and only
10 minutes from the Skytrain. It’s very
accessible.
There are 71 units with eight different
layouts to choose from. We have larger
units that are 1880 square feet, and
smaller ones that are 1400 square feet
with two bedrooms. We have a layout
with space for an in-house office, as well
as layouts with larger family rooms and
larger kitchens.
Each home has double glass doors to
a den or office, a living room on the main
floor, a great kitchen, family room, and
powder room. They are all spacious and
functional layouts, and upstairs there
are two bedrooms, a main bathroom
and a master bedroom with a beautiful
ensuite with tub and shower.

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home&style
Mehfil
For decades the kitchen has been
the focal point of any home,
a room where the intermingling
of food, family and friends is an
everyday affair. But with more and
more homeowners yearning to add
a personal touch to their kitchens,
creative yet practical kitchen designs
have become highly sought after. Enter
Lyle Dueck. With an eye for detail
and a passion for design, Dueck has
established a solid reputation for
himself in the field of kitchen design.
“My hobby is my job,” he says. “If it’s
ten o’clock at night and I have an
idea I will just go sketch it.”
Dueck’s love for innovative and
finely crafted pieces, began as a
child, watching his father work as
a furniture maker and building
contractor. He would later pursue
an education in graphic and interior
design, which lead to stints working
in cabinetry and at a contemporary
design firm in Los Angeles. In 2001,

he launched his own company,
Westwerk Built-Interiors, Inc., allowing
him to work with his clients on
a one-to-one basis .
Dueck personally creates all
the elements found in his kitchen
projects, and with the help of his
installation craftsmen, he ensures
everything seamlessly comes
together, creating a dream kitchen
for his client. But Dueck’s repertoire
goes beyond kitchens; he’s created
functional and unique designs for
bathrooms, wardrobes and home
theaters to name a few.
His artistic zeal is demonstrated
through the ease and speed he
can design a project. “I’ll design an
entire project from the time I leave
a client’s house to the time I get
back to my office, I will have it in
my head, designed and I can put it
on paper.”
With the trends in kitchen design
moving towards more contemporary
styles, Dueck says homeowners aim
to create a space that is more of a
meeting area rather than just a room
for cooking food. “It’s become much
more than just a kitchen.”
As for tips for homeowners who
are ready to renovate, Dueck says the
key is to research and find designers
that suit your needs. “A good kitchen
designer should have complete
knowledge of the industry along with
access to several cabinetry lines,
counter tops and appliances. The
designer should also be able to create
the space in accordance to the clients
needs and also satisfy the budget
requirements of the client.”
For Dueck, creating a livable but
aesthetically pleasing space is paramount,
he does not merely renovate a
space he transforms design fantasies
into reality.

Photo by ALIStAIR EAGLE
Promotional
advertising feature
2007
of success
Profiles
Window Coverings
with Elegance,
Style & Quality
Looking for elegance, style, quality in your window
coverings? Is it time for a brand new look?
Look no further than Surrey Drapery & Blinds Ltd.
For more than 20 years, the window furnishing
specialists have been delivering high quality window
fashions to satisfied customers across the Lower
Mainland.
No other decorative enhancement to your home
speaks more than your window coverings. Through
window design, the feeling and look of your home
– your lifestyle – comes through loud and clear.
From casual family rooms and elegant dining rooms
to luxurious executive offices and welcoming front
lobbies, the window treatment you choose will leave a
lasting impression.
The drapery and blinds specialist offers a wide
variety of window shutters, blinds, drapery, valances,
and other accessories by brand names such as Hunter
Douglas Canada, Abbey Window coverings, Shade-O-
Matic and Levolor.
Customers can also choose from a large assortment
of stock fabrics plus hundreds of sample books from
which to order. All draperies are custom-made by its
own in-house master seamstresses, says co-owner
Nash Karim, who along with brother and partner
Karim Karim, have established a reputation as leaders
in the window covering industry.
“We have a knowledgeable and professional staff
of 10 who have years of experience in the business,”
Nash says. “They can help customers choose the right
window covering to fit any budget and style.”
Along with that, the company offers professional
advice and a competitive price, which includes supply
and installation.
“As a smaller company, we can offer more
personalized service,” Nash explains.
Surrey Drapery & Blinds Ltd. also offers its
customers customized service with its free in-home
design consultants. Together, they make great ideas
into spectacular windows. Their specialists help you
coordinate new and exciting window treatments that
will suit your colour scheme and furnishings.
For more information or for great window ideas call
Surrey Drapery & Blinds Ltd. at 604-597-7222 or visit
the website at www.newaccentblindsandshutters.com.
Surrey Drapery & Blinds Ltd
604-597-7222
www.newaccentblindsandshutters.com

2007
of success
Promotional
advertising feature
Profiles
Photo by AlistAir eAgle
North America’s
Most Trusted Name
End of the Roll Discount Carpet & Flooring has
become one of North America’s most trusted names
in floor covering.
End of the Roll Surrey/Vancouver Discount Carpet
& Flooring carry on that tradition of excellence by
offering superior service and quality products. It
stocks a complete line of floor coverings that you
would expect to find in a high end flooring store,
without the expensive prices. Because of its collective
buying power as a member of Cantrex (more than
1200 retailers strong across Canada and Washington
State), Vancouver and Surrey locations get
unparalleled pricing, which in turn is passed down to
their customers.
The discount flooring company sells carpet,
laminate, vinyl, hardwood, cork flooring, ceramic,
area rugs and bamboo floors. They stock every major
manufacturer’s brands so they can offer unsurpassed
selection.
Sixteen years ago, Parm Dhaliwal started
working one day a week in the Surrey store’s
warehouse. Within a short time he was manager
and four years ago he bought into the successful
franchise. Today, he’s in partnership with Paul Brar
and Chris Wrobel in both the Surrey and Vancouver
stores.
Parm credits knowledgeable and professional
staff for the company’s phenomenal success. They
work together with prospective customers and
consult with every client to determine which flooring
best suits their lifestyle and family.
The End of the Roll difference is a simple
philosophy, offering a convenient, hassle-free
approach to the floor shopping experience while
offering a great price on the highest quality products.
Whether you are a homeowner, builder or
contractor, you can expect superior customer service
and satisfaction. Those qualities coupled with some
of the most competitive prices in the industry have
made End of the Roll a recognizable name in floor
coverings.
If you are considering renovating come to End
of the Roll for expert advice and a selection second
to none.
Parm, Chris and Paul will make sure that you
have the best shopping experience possible. They will
assure you have peace of mind buying products from
people who live, work and support local community.
End of the Roll Surrey
8278 - 120th St., Surrey
Phone 1-604-591-3737
Fax 1-604-591-8635
End of the Roll Vancouver
333 West 2nd Ave., Vancouver
Phone 1-604-876-7604
Fax 1-604-876-7682
www.endoftheroll.com

home&style
Mehfil
With the arrival of spring just
around the corner, it may be time
to look into redecorating your
home to usher in the new season.
Jonathan Baker, furniture designer
at Van Gogh Designs, offers some
tips on what to look for when revitalizing
your living space.
I think there will be a lot of chocolate
brown, it was popular and now
it’s coming back again. Spa blue is
still quite popular, and light green
shades are also really good, along
with neutrals.
We’re still sticking with a lot of
contemporary stuff, the contemporary
style has been gaining speed
in the last couple of years, and it’s
become really popular. I’m trying to
look past that in keeping contemporary
lines, but kind of softening it up
with traditional elements, such as
subtle curbs in the legs, or arms that
have a bit of a roll or swirl to them.
I think suede has been very popular
and it’s finally on the way out. It
still makes sense for a lot of people
to buy it though, but we’re trying to
introduce materials that are still 100
per cent polyester so they still have
the same type of durability and you
can still clean them really easily, but
because they have a nice texture to
them they’re still really interesting.
I think most people go with something
that is easier to clean, I mean
our market is people who have families
and pets and the nice thing is
that we’re getting some of those fabrics
that are little more interesting.
You can have something that looks
kind of trendy and forward but is
still really easy to take care of.
We’ve got one set in particular
that I did, it’s a modular piece, the
way it’s designed is there’s a armless
chair, a corner, an ottoman, two
types of chaises, an armless loveseat,
a one arm loveseat and a twoarm
loveseat. All the pieces are 33
by 33 inches in the footprint or 66
by 33, so basically this means that
with various components you can
create any scenario. The piece being
33 inches it doesn’t take up much
space, so it’s ideal for condos and
that type of thing, but if you have a
bigger place or a house you can also
make it as big as you need to.
Well we’re developing a line of ecofurniture.
It’s going to be using materials
and manufacturer processes
that are better for the environment
but it’s also about your personal
health. The wood is an FSC-certified
wood, it’s all taken from forests that
are managed in a sustainable manner
and there isn’t any formaldehyde
in the glue. The foam is latex foam
and it’s going to last at least twice as
long as regular foam, it’s hypo-allergenic,
there’s no fire-retardants in it,
so you’re not going to absorb those
kinds of chemicals. For the upholstery
we have a few options, such as
recycled polyester, which is essentially
pop bottles or water bottles, we’ve
got some other organic materials,
and then we also have some hemp.
We’ve already launched it with
one set called Brittany, but it’s
something we’re in the process of
making bigger.
• Van Gogh is one of Canada’s fastest growing
designers and manufacturers of quality custom
upholstered furniture.
• Van Gogh occupies over 40,000 square feet of
state of the art manufacturing facilities.
• Van Gogh’s manufacturing process cuts no
corners and each piece is meticulously inspected
for quality control.
• Van Gogh stocks more than 500 fabrics in order
to facilitate quick delivery of custom furniture.
• Van Gogh is one of the few Canadian furniture
manufacturers registered to ISO9001-2000 — a
Learn more at www.vangoghdesigns.com.
testament to Van Gogh’s commitment to quality in
every aspect of its business.
• Van Gogh is one of the few Canadian furniture
manufacturers with a professional designer on staff
to oversee production of more than 20 new styles
each year.

12885 85th Avenue, Surrey, BC
604.543.9200 • www.vAngoghdeSignS.Com
iSo 9001-2000

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Holidays Ltd.
604-303-PLAN
(7526)
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Promotional
advertising feature
2007
of success
Profiles
Fit for the Stars
Raj Sodhi is bringing the latest trends and top
designers from the Indian fashion world to Vancouver’s
Raj Collection Boutique. The store is creating quite a buzz
among those who enjoy wearing the best and latest
garments the Indian fashion industry has to offer.
Raj, who moved to Vancouver from her hometown of
Kashmir in 1983, has always had an interest in fashion.
After successfully running Raj Collection Boutique on
Main Street and in Surrey, she decided to open one central
location in Burnaby in 2004 to serve the community
better. Raj Collection boutique offers not only the finest
Indian designs, but also exceptional customer service in a
comfortable and welcoming setting.
The boutique recently attracted the attention of a
movie producer who has chosen it as a backdrop in an
upcoming film. There is an authentic reflection of Indian
culture at Raj Collection, from the exclusive décor to the
wide variety of suits, sarees, lenghas and accessories.
Raj’s expertise and fashion sense have made her a trusted
fashion advisor among her clients and she is looking
forward to opening another branch of Raj Collection in
Calgary, Alberta.
Raj Collection recently entered into an exclusive
arrangement with Satya Paul, one of India’s fastest
growing and most recognized fashion lines. Satya
Paul produces exquisite apparel that fuses Eastern and
Western trends that have been popularized through
Bollywood productions. In addition to Satya Paul, Raj
showcases the designs of other well-known designers,
such as Deepika Gehani, Rohit Bhal, Vallaya Quentum,
J.J. Vallaya and Anju Modi. She not only wants to offer
outstanding Indian clothing to Vancouver’s South Asian
community, but also hopes to appeal to a wider group of
customers who appreciate and are fascinated by Indian
culture.
Raj has displayed several glamorous and exclusive
pieces at fashion shows, including recent shows at
UBC and SFU. Last September, Raj’s valued customers
gathered at the Radisson Hotel in Richmond to celebrate
Raj Collection’s exclusive distributor status with Satya
Paul for Western Canada.
“I’m grateful to my family, friends and customers
for making the boutique the success that it is,” says Raj,
who looks forward to playing an integral role in making
Vancouver and Calgary hot spots for Indian fashion. “I
think customers recognize my enthusiasm for staying on
top of the latest trends and my commitment to quality.
They see how committed I am to making sure they’re
happy and they’ve responded by being loyal to Raj
Collection. For me, it’s not about making a sale, it’s about
developing lasting relationships with my clients — and I
do that by making sure every experience at Raj Collection
is a great one.”
Raj Collection
103-3790 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC
Distributors & Retailers of Satya Paul
Collection for Western Canada
778-371-1000
Photo by Ron Sangha

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Made In India
• 604-501-2577
Photo by www.sunnyimages.com hair and make uP by Jag & Parm tak model: missy
64 Mehfil March/April 2007

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Made In India
• 604-501-2577
Photo by www.sunnyimages.com hair and make uP by Jag & Parm tak model: missy
Mehfil March/April 2007 65

VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Guru Bazaar
• 604-327-4422
Photo by www.SunnyimageS.com model: (l) manPreet & aPekSha manPreet’S hair & make uP by Parm & jag tak aPekSha’S hair & make uP by harinder Set deSign by moore wedding center
Mehfil in
FORMAL WEAR • CUSTOM DESIGN
66 Mehfil March/April 2007

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Guru Bazaar
• 604-327-4422
Photo by www.SunnyimageS.com model: (l) Paul & manPreet hair & make uP by Parm & jag tak Set deSign by moore wedding centre
FORMAL WEAR • CUSTOM DESIGN
Mehfil March/April 2007 67

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Natasha Boutique
• 604-591-6668
Photo by www.SunnyimageS.com model: JaS hair and makeuP by Jag and Parm tak
N atash a
b o u t i q u e
68 Mehfil March/April 2007

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Natasha Boutique
• 604-591-6668
Photo by www.SunnyimageS.com model: JaS hair and makeuP by Jag and Parm tak Set deSign by moore wedding center
N atash a
b o u t i q u e
Mehfil March/April 2007 69

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Ginni Kelley
D e s i g n e r W e a r
• 604-913-8402
Photo by diana mcGeorGe make uP by joelle mckenzie
70 Mehfil March/April 2007

Photo by diana mcGeorGe make uP by joelle mckenzie
Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Ginni Kelley
D e s i g n e r W e a r
• 604-913-8402
Mehfil March/April 2007 71

Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Armaan
• 604-507-9611
Photo by: bal Panesar model: (l) Jag & ruman haIr & make uP by: JessIe basran & kIran nIJJar
Custom design what’s on your mind
www.armaandbg.com
Photo by: bal Panesar model: Jas haIr & make uP by: sarIna haer
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72 Mehfil March/April 2007

Photo by: JC Images model: gurInder haIr & make uP by: Farah make uP Forever
Mehfil in
VOGUE
Available exclusively at
Armaan
• 604-507-9611
Custom design what’s on your mind
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Mehfil March/April 2007 73

Weddings
Anil P. Narayan, 26
Vancouver, B.C.
Pritika D. Narayan 26
Tacoma, Washington
Anil Narayan planned to
take his girlfriend, Pritika
Narayan, to a romantic dinner
in her hometown of
Seattle and propose on top
of the Space Needle, but he
didn’t expect to get injured
by her in the process.“I was
sitting down on this metal
bench,” recalls Pritika. “I felt
the cold and jumped right
up, hitting Anil in the nose
with my head. So instead of
him on one knee, I was on
one knee taking care of his
nose.”
After nursing his wound,
Pritika tearfully accepted
Anil’s proposal.
The couple first met
during a soccer fundraiser
in Vancouver that Pritika
attended with her cousins.
As she was being introduced
to him, she felt an instant
connection. “Even though I
didn’t know him at all, I felt
there was something between
us.”
A few weeks after their
initial meeting, she received
August
2006
an e-mail from Anil, but
because she hadn’t heard his
last name when they met, she
wasn’t sure who the message
was from. Making matters
worse was the fact that they
had the same last name. “We
e-mailed back and forth and
figured out that we were not
related at all and that we had
so much in common.”
The couple dated for three
years before Anil’s memorable
proposal. They planned a traditional
Hindu ceremony in
Tacoma, followed by a reception
party the next day in
Vancouver. On the day of the
wedding, the usually punctual
Pritika was running late, forcing
Anil to wait in the hotel
parking lot. But as soon as
Pritika saw Anil standing in
the mandap grinning back
at her, she knew she could
finally relax.
The couple experienced
a minor mishap on their
way back to Vancouver later
that day. As their parade of
cars made their way through
Canadian customs, the vehicle
Anil was in with his male
cousins was pulled over by
the border guards for a security
inspection.
“I guess the border patrol
saw four boys up to no
good,” says Pritika.
After Anil convinced the
guards that he had just gotten
married and shouldn’t be considered
a security threat, they
let them go.
Today, the newlyweds
are living in Vancouver and
although Pritika misses her
parents, she loves her new
life. “Anil takes me sightseeing
all the time. It’s a beautiful
city.”
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Harman Grewal, 27
Vancouver, B.C.
Manraj Sidhu, 27
Surrey, B.C.
Manraj Sidhu felt he had
been shot by Cupid’s
arrow the first time he met
Harman Grewal, but he had
to make sure he didn’t act like
a love-struck fool in front of
her whole family. “When she
walked down the hall into the
living room and sat down my
jaw dropped,” he recalls. “I
was trying my best to control
my emotions and stay cool at
the exact same time.”
They knew they had a
connection within hours of
being introduced by their
parents. Both were eager to
know more about each other
and build a relationship.
“We clicked within the first
few minutes of talking,” says
Harman. “His personality
was so captivating; everything
seemed so right.”
Before long, they were
planning their engagement
party and wedding. Manraj
admits to being a nervous
wreck the day of the nuptials,
partly due to the fact he only
had two hours of sleep the
night before. He took his
time eating a plate of pakoras
August
2005
Share your story - weddings@mehfilmagazine.com
in the langar hall before the
ceremony, almost forgetting
what he was there to do.
“My dad came up to him
and asked, ‘Raj, do you want
more pakoras?’” says Harman
with a laugh.
But any nervousness
quickly evaporated when
he saw his bride for the first
time, “I couldn’t keep my eyes
off her, I told her she looked
gorgeous.”
But Harman was going
through her own case of
wedding jitters. “It was so
hot, I was shaking and had
a hard time breathing,” she
says.
The ceremony went off
without a hitch and they
celebrated with family and
friends the next day at their
wedding reception.
The newlyweds
honeymooned in Hawaii
and had their one-year
anniversary this past summer.
They both agree that the keys
to a successful relationship
are communication, mutual
understanding and little doses
of spontaneity.
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Mehfil March/April 2007 75

Beauty
Hair, Skin &
Eye Appeal
Q: I wear sunscreen and moisturizer but the two
together aggravate my already oily skin and
make my face look greasy. How can I moisturize
and get good protection without the shine?
A: Many companies make sunscreens that double as
good moisturizers. Neutrogena’s Oil Free Sunscreen
moisturizes while protecting your skin from the sun,
and it comes in SPF 30, 45 and 60. Estée Lauder’s
Daywear Plus Multi Protection Anti Oxidant Lotion
with SPF 30 contains advanced hydrators that
soothe and calm combination and oily skin. Also,
check to see if the foundation or cover-up that
you are using comes with SPF protection as
there are many foundations that do. If you find
your makeup doesn’t last, a common problem
on oily skin, try a yellow-toned powder to
fight shine and prevent your foundation from
running or coming off. We recommend
Benefit’s yellow-toned Bluffdust powder
(flattering on almost any skin tone),
which conceals while controlling shine
and, unlike translucent powder, brightens
the skin without caking.
Q: I’ve read that you’re
supposed to apply blush
on the apples of the
cheeks but I’ve also read
that you’re supposed to
apply it to the “temple” of
the cheek. Which is it?
A: It actually depends on what
kind of look or effect you’re trying
to achieve. If your goal is to
create a natural glow, then gently
rub a cream blush like Bobbi
Brown Cream Blush Stick #7
on the apples of the cheeks
Q: My eye shadow often
creases and is almost
always gone within an hour
of application. What am I
doing wrong?
— apply a little at a time until
you’re satisfied with the hue.
If you’re trying to accentuate
cheekbones, then you should
first contour directly underneath
your cheekbones
with a bronzer.
Then use a slightly
lighter blush colour
at the temple (side)
of the cheek. Benefit’s
10 Duo contains both a
blush and a bronzer that
make it easy to accentuate
cheekbones.
A: If you mix the same or similar
shade of a cream and a powder
shadow together, the combination
will not crease as quickly
and will last much longer. It is
also a good idea to apply a little
bit of concealer on the eyelid as
it will serve as a primer, protecting
the shadow from natural oils
that make it “disappear.”
Q: Even though I have
naturally straight hair,
humidity makes it
wavy and frizzy. What
can I use to fight the
frizz?
A: Humidity generally
encourages hair to curl,
regardless of its natural
texture. There are many
creams and serums that
promise to protect hair.
Shine serums are especially
effective and
can be used before
and after styling.
Sunsilk’s Shine Serum
protects hair from heat
during styling while maintaining
its glossy look for
days after. You may also
consider embracing wavy
hair, as it is much easier
to maintain in a humid
climate than straight hair.
Wavy hair allows for more
volume and disguises
kinks and flyways. Con Air
Velcro Rollers make great
waves for all hair types and
help add volume.
76 Mehfil March/April 2007

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Cuisine
Par Maroke (left), Amar Maroke (right) and their staff at Handi serve an extensive menu of both classic Northern Indian dishes
and original creations that incorporate eastern flavours with a western twist.
Spectacular View, Spectacular Food at Handi
Restaurateurs Amar and Par
Maroke’s success shouldn’t come
as a surprise. You could say they
came by it honestly. Growing up in
Punjab, India amongst relatives who
owned popular eateries, it was a natural
fit for them to gravitate into the family
business.
The Marokes immigrated to
Canada in 1993 and got right into the
food industry. Amar acquired his love
of cooking and attentive service while
working as a cook in a local restaurant.
In less than four years, Handi
Cuisine of India in West Vancouver
has become a favourite for locals and
beyond.
Amar, its executive chef as well, and
Par have created an innovative menu
with an emphasis on refined yet creative
Indian cuisine. The extensive menu
incorporates both traditional classic
favourites from Northern India and
original dishes that apply eastern flavours
with a western twist.
“We have made the menu more
suitable to North American palates but
kept all the flavour,” Amar says. “We
also offer Afghanistan dishes and some
Thai fusion.”
Located on Marine Drive, the waterfront
restaurant offers spectacular ocean
views. The name Handi literally translates
to the traditional, thick-bottomed
clay pot with a narrow top that allows
for longer simmering which results in
rich, sophisticated flavour – fitting.
At Handi’s, Amar has managed to
make the menu his own and the dishes
offered truly reflect his unique skills and
experience, offering the diner an unforgettable
gastronomic journey.
It’s a commitment to excellence in
all aspects of the business that is his key
to success.
“It’s hard work, a passion for cooking
and long hours,’ says Amar. “Many
of our customers have become friends.
We want all our customers to leave satisfied
and wanting to come back again.”
Since opening their doors, the
Maroke’s restaurants have received a
string of accolades including Readers
Choice Award 2006 from the North
Shore News.
Visit Handi at either the West
Vancouver location at 1340 Marine
Drive, or the Westside location at 4432
Dunbar Street. Visit the website for a
full menu at www.handi.westvan.com
78 Mehfil March/April 2007

1643
1643
West
West
Broadway,
Broadway,
Vancouver
Vancouver •
604-742-0622
604-742-0622
Serving Vancouver’s West Side with
Fine Indian Cuisine
Zaika
Dining Room • Patio • Banquet Facilities
Open 7 Days a Week
Restaurant
Air Air Conditioned • Fully Licensed • Banquet Hall with 80 seats
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Wide Variety of Authentic Indian Dishes
1643 #201, West 7500-120th Broadway, St, Vancouver Surrey • • 604-592-1033 604-742-0622
604-905-4900
Fully Licensed • Eat in • Take Out • Delivery • Catering • Open 7 Days a Week
Fully Licensed • Eat in • Take Out • Delivery • Catering • Open 7 Days a Week
THE CRITICS’ CHOICE
A Visit
Visit
to
to
Haweli
Haweli
is:
is:
Enjoying
Enjoying
the
the
classiest,
classiest,
Authentic
Authentic
Indian
Indian
meal
meal
while
while
sitting
sitting
in
in
The
The
Palace
Palace
of
of
Indian
Indian
Kings
Kings
There is only one...
Original
TANDOORI
Kitchen
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1987
689 East 65th Ave. (at Fraser)
Vancouver • 327-8900
110 - 3790 Canada Way, Burnaby
604-430-1600
7548 - 120th St., Surrey
604-592-8900
ORIGINAL TANDOORI & CHAT HOUSE
7233 Fraser St., Vancouver
604-327-8901
BANQUET PALACE
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8220 - 120th St., Surrey, BC
604-592-2503
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Wide Variety of Authentic Indian Dishes
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• Catering for All Occasions
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• Seating Capacity upto 100 • Occasions Big or Small
• Full Licensed
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• Fully Licensed
• Everyday Lunch Buffet $8.99 • Large Selection of Drinks
#6, 12818-72nd Ave, Surrey
604-591-9000
Authentic Indian
Restaurant
8821-120th St, Surrey
604-592-6360
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West Vancouver’s Hidden Jewel
A Visit to Haweli is: Enjoying the classiest, Authentic
Enjoy Indian
our fine meal
cuisine while
and a a sitting
breath-taking The
view Palace
of of Downtown of Indian
Vancouver
Kings
Fine Dining • • Outdoor Patio Patio • • Private Parties
Off-Site Private & & Corporate Catering
1340 1340 Marine Marine Dr., Dr.,
West West Vancouver
604-925-5262
• Eat-in • Take-out • Delivery • Catering • Banquets
www.handi.ca
BANQUET PALACE
Eat-in 604-984-8888
(up to 350 capacity) We Cater
Take-out 138 West 16th St., North Vancouver Indoor &
Catering Fax: 8220 604.986.7378 - 120th www.mumbaimasala.ca
St., Surrey, BC Outdoor
604-592-2503
Open for Lunch & Dinner 7 Days a Week
CUISINE CUISINE OF OF INDIA INDIA
West Vancouver’s Hidden Jewel
Enjoy Enjoy our our fine fine cuisine and and a a breath-taking view of Downtown downtown Vancouver
Fine Dining • Outdoor Patio Fine • Dining Private • Parties Outdoor Patio • Private Parties
Off-Site Private & Corporate Off-Site CateringPrivate & Corporate Catering
CuiSinE of inDia
CUISINE OF INDIA
1340 Marine Dr.,
West Vancouver
604-925-5262
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1340 Marine Dr., West Vancouver 4432 Dunbar St., Vancouver
604-925-5262
604-738-3186
www.handi-westvan.com
Mehfil March/April 2007 79

Health & Fitness
by Shefali Raja, B.Sc., RD Community Nutritionist
Vitamin
Supplementation
Should You or Shouldn’t You Pop Them?
The dietary supplement industry seems to be a magnet for confusion and controversy.
Every week, it seems, some study appears in medical literature or the
media raising a new vitamin hope or dashing an old one. There is ample profit in
all this vitamin confusion. It’s a multi-million-dollar industry, with more than 50
per cent of the population popping a multivitamin of some form or another with the
hope of preventing heart disease, cancer, bone loss and many other conditions.
The fact is that while a daily multivitamin is not a substitute for a good diet, it
can help fill nutrient gaps. Despite our widening waistlines, the typical diet can be
chronically low in several essential nutrients, especially for certain age groups.
In this regard specific formulations can be useful. For example, all exclusively
breastfed babies need 400 IUs of Vitamin D daily until age one. Everybody over
age 50 needs 2.4 micrograms of B12 and 400 IUs of Vitamin D every day. People
dieting to lose weight and eating fewer than 1,500 calories should also take a
multivitamin. Multivitamins are especially important for women of childbearing
age, who need the extra folic acid — 400 micrograms per day.
New Food Guide is Big on Veggies
Your mother always told you to eat your
veggies and fruits and now the federal
government is telling you, too.
The new Canada’s Food Guide gives more
prominence to vegetables and fruit. In fact, this
group has switched with grain products for first
place in terms of importance.
The guide is more user-friendly than ever.
For the first time, the food guide is gender- and
age-specific for Canadians older than two. That
means dietary advice as to the recommended
servings per day is tailored to three different
age groups of children, as well as teen and
adult men and women.
The six-page guide also provides more
details on how to choose different foods within
the four food groups on a daily basis. Here are
a few examples: Choose at least one dark green
vegetable, such as broccoli or spinach, and
one orange vegetable, such as carrots or sweet
potatoes. Have vegetables and fruit more often
than juice. At least half of the grain products
consumed daily should be whole grains. Drink
80 Mehfil March/April 2007
fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk.
Eat beans, lentils and tofu often. Eat at least two
Food Guide servings of fish every week. Satisfy
your thirst with water. Healthy diets should
include two to three tablespoons of unsaturated
fats each day.
The new guide offers more detailed information
on portion sizes, with one whole page
devoted to illustrating serving sizes of a diverse
range of foods, including leafy vegetables,
eggplant, couscous, cooked legumes, naan and
tofu.
It also recommends that Canadians over the
age of 50 use a vitamin D supplement to help
prevent osteoporosis. It also recommends limiting
salt consumption to reduce hypertension.
The guide goes beyond food to cover
recommended daily physical activity, i.e. adults
should get 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical
activity every day and children 90 minutes.
There’s a new interactive component
— which can be accessed at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
fn-an/food-guide-aliment/myguide-monguide/
Are all multivitamins equal?
A report just released by ConsumerLab.com
revealed that more than half of the multivitamins
tested did not contain what the label claimed. Either
the nutrient levels fell short or exceeded what was
safe. Of the 21 brands of multivitamins the researchers
randomly selected from store shelves and tested,
only 10 met the claims stated on the label or satisfied
other quality standards.
Here are some tips to follow when buying multivitamins:
r Choose well-known brands from respected companies
and buy from trusted retailers instead of
unknown sellers on the Internet.
r Ask your pharmacist for advice.
r Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian
(continued on page 82)
index_e.html — that allows Internet users to
personalize their nutritional information based
on their age, sex, food preferences and activity
choices. This is a must try!
The new Food Guide to Healthy Eating is
based on the latest nutritional science research
and takes into account the current eating
practices of Canadians, cultural variances, and
our health status as far as obesity, heart disease
and diabetes.
The goal of the Food Guide is to help
Canadians pick the right types and amounts of
foods to eat each day to improve their health
and well-being. The last update was 15 years
ago and the suggested changes were long
overdue. More than 7,000 Canadians across the
country, including family physicians, dietitians
like myself, and public health experts provided
guidance in the revision process.
You can view your own copy and download
it at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guidealiment/basics-base/index_e.html
or visit your
local health unit to pick up a copy.

Elizabeth’s Story
Elizabeth lost
102 pounds &
94 inches!
After
Once I had lost a significant amount of weight my Dad
decided to put me into dance classes to encourage me to keep
the weight off. I was 14 years old and I started Jazz classes with
my sister. I fell in love with dance! I had never felt so happy in
my entire life. I began to compete and excel as a dancer. I soon
became tired of eating “diet food” to maintain my weight. I
slowly started to incorporate my old eating habits. I started to
gain weight back again. It seemed like I lost my dreams over
night. The abundance of negative comments I received about my
weight caused me to quit dancing. Whether it was family drama
or personal drama in my life, I could not find the motivation to
take care of myself. I would lose weight on an event basis. If I
had a wedding to go to or a special occasion, I would do what I
needed to do, to lose some weight for the “pictures”.
Once the event had passed I would gain what I had lost and
then some. In my early 20’s the weight gain was quite drastic. I
went from 140 pounds to 235 pounds. I became very depressed.
I began to hate everything in my life; I felt unattractive; dreams
I wished to fulfill seemed gone; my love for travel diminished;
Call for free consultation
From a very young age we were taught in our Greek home to finish all our food
off our plate, because we should be thankful for the food we have been given
when there are children in the world who are starving. I am 29 years old today
and when I think back to our families’ style of eating it was extremely large portions
full of very rich food. I thought it was normal to eat that way. I could remember
thinking and not understanding why I was always a bit heavier than my friends. In
elementary school children started to notice I was chubby. My Mom decided to
help me lose weight and put me on small portions of what she thought was “diet
food”, to help me. I hated it. By the time high school came along I had done every
crash diet possible and consistently went up and down on the scale.
clothes had a new purpose, to hide my weight. I was so lonely
inside. One day I realized how serious my weight problem had
become. I experienced what I thought felt like a heart attack. It
turned out to be an angina attack. The Doctor who treated me
that day told me if I wanted to live any longer, I needed to lose
weight immediately. The pain of the attack was dreadful, but the
pain I felt emotionally I will never forget. I did not need enemies
at this point in my life, I was doing a good job hating everything
about myself. I was so angry that I had allowed myself to get
to a point of life and death. I had never really invested a lot of
time thinking of the impact on my health. I was given healthy
suggestions from the hospital on how I could start to lose weight,
and begin my journey to a healthy life style. I began to research
different weight loss programs, eating styles and approaches to
losing weight. I began to lose weight, and continued to endure
health problems. I exhausted most options available to lose
weight. In hindsight, some were healthy and some were flat out
dangerous.
Eventually I came to a point with my weight where no matter
what I did I seemed to plateau. Marked by frustration again, my
sister suggested a new option for my weight
loss. A new weight loss center had opened up
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She told me how she saw people coming and
going and that they were noticeably losing
weight. I was so excited but very nervous,
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work out for me. Within the first week, I knew
I had found the program I had been looking for.
Right off the bat I started to have weight & inch
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Before
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Solutions were given based on my schedule and lifestyle. I
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I no longer need to overcompensate in my
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Magic - knowledge. Today I am fortunate to be
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Herbal Magic as a weight loss counselor.
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DND_61051_PJobBe006_01.qxd 16/06/06 15:06 Page 1
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Health & Fitness
(continued from page 80)
about your nutritional needs.
r Buy only the quantity you can use before
the expiration date and discard all expired
supplements.
r Aim for 100 per cent of the daily value for
vitamins and minerals, not megadoses.
r Store all vitamin and mineral supplements
out of the reach of children. Put them in a
locked cabinet or other secured location.
r Be especially careful with any supplements
containing iron. Iron overdose is the leading
épreuve à
D.A.
date/modif. rédaction relecture
DND-61051 Défense Nat.
P-JOB-BE-006 Juin
dossier: client:
100%
n o d’annonce:
couleur(s)
production
client
serv. client
«I’M LOOKING FOR:» 2
Mehfil magazine south Asian media 14/06/06
titre:
publication:
format: 4,625 po x 4,8125 po infographe: marc lavoie cor NB
413, rue Saint-Jacques, 9e étage, Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1N9 CANADA t 514.844.1055 tc 514.844.5041
cause of poisoning deaths among children.
How important is absorption
to nutrition?
Absorption is very important to being well
nourished. We know that people who have issues
related to absorption are often malnourished
as key vitamin are lost. Certain vitamins
are fat soluble. For instance, a small amount
of fat is needed to ensure absorption of vitamins
A, D, E and K. Usually, this is not an issue
in our society, but if people are constantly
on a low-fat diet, this can be a concern. When
some of these key nutrients are not absorbed
we can see problems. For example, inadequate
absorption of vitamin D can compromise bone
health; inadequate vitamin A can lead to a vision
issue; not enough vitamin E can lead to
skin and other issues; inadequate vitamin K
can lead to poor clotting.
Remember to take your vitamins every day,
preferably with meals or up to a half hour after
a meal. This increases absorption and prevents
the indigestion that sometimes occurs when
supplements are taken on an empty stomach.
You can promote absorption by having small
meals throughout the day that include a variety
of foods. It also helps to avoid taking all the
vitamins at the same time. For instance, if you
take calcium, don’t take it at the same time you
take an iron supplement as calcium interferes
with iron absorption. Calcium citrate is easiest
to absorb without food, but often costs more
than calcium carbonate or other forms. Take
your vitamin C with iron-rich foods to ensure
that non-heme or plant-based iron is better
absorbed.
So what do these vitamins
actually do for us?
Vitamins are essential for life. Since we
synthesize only a few in our bodies, we rely
on our diet to get most of them. Although they
supply no energy they are necessary in helping
the conversion of food into energy. Following
are their specific functions:
Vitamin A: retinol and beta carotene
Enhances vision, strengthens bones, teeth
and skin. Caution: Regularly taking more than
1-877-369-8621
82 Mehfil March/April 2007

10,000 IU a day can cause nerve and liver
damage, dry lips and nails, hair loss and might
increase the risk of bone fractures. The recommended
dose is 700 micrograms for women,
900 for men.
The three Bs: B6, B12 and folic acid
May help prevent heart disease and some
cancers. B12 works with folate to maintain
the nervous system. Too little folate is a major
cause of neural-tube birth defects, such as
spina bifida. Caution: Over 100 mg of B6 per
day can cause numbness in legs and tingling
in fingers. Folic acid over 1000 mg can mask
B12 deficiency in the elderly and cause neurological
damage. The recommended dose is 1.3
milligrams of B6; 2.4 micrograms of B12; 400
micrograms of folic acid.
The other Bs: thiamin (B1), riboflavin
(B2) and niacin (B3)
Low thiamin levels can result in difficulty
concentrating, depression and muscle weakness.
Riboflavin works as an antioxidant and
deficiencies have been associated with migraines,
cataracts and arthritis. Niacin improves
circulation and lowers cholesterol levels in the
blood. More than 35 milligrams a day of niacin
can cause flushing and itching. The recommended
dose is 1.2 milligrams of thiamin; 1.2
milligrams of riboflavin; and 15 milligrams of
niacin.
Vitamin C
An immune system enhancer and coldfighter,
vitamin C works as an antioxidant and
helps build collagen (necessary for healthy
bones, teeth and blood vessels). Because the
vitamin is water soluble, anything beyond
what your body can use is probably eliminated
through urine. The recommended dose is 75
milligrams for women; 90 for men; more for
smokers.
Vitamin D
Protects against some cancers, including
breast, prostate and colon cancer. It also plays
a big role in bone health. The recommended
dose is 5 to 10 micrograms (200 to 400 IU).
Vitamin E
Helps in the formation of red blood cells and
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Health & Fitness
acts as an antioxidant. Studies are mixed about
its impact on heart disease. Caution: Anything
more than 1,000 milligrams (1,500 IU) could
be toxic. Look for “mixed tocopherol” on the
label. Recommended intake is 15 milligrams
(22.5 IU).
Vitamin K
Essential for blood-clotting and important for
building bone. It’s recommended for people
who take anticoagulants and for post-menopausal
women. Recommended intake is 90
micrograms for women; 120 for men.
Calcium
Essential for strong bones and it also assists
with blood clotting, muscle contraction
and communication within the nervous system.
Any adult who is not getting 1,000 milligrams a
day through diet should take supplements and
people older than 50 should up their intake to
1,200 milligrams.
Selenium
An antioxidant that helps to prevent cancer,
heart disease and arthritis. Recommended dose
is 55 micrograms.
Zinc
Keeps our immune systems strong, helps
in healing of wounds and helps maintains our
sense of taste and smell. Recommended intake
is eight milligrams for women; 11 milligrams for
men.
Iron
Crucial player in delivering oxygen to our
cells. Low levels lead to anemia and can result
in fatigue and a weakening of the immune system.
Caution: To avoid severe illness from iron
toxicity, do not exceed more than 45 milligrams
a day. Menstruating women need 18 milligrams;
pregnant women need 27 milligrams;
men and post-menopausal women need just
eight milligrams.
Don’t rely on supplements alone
Keep in mind that even if you take a multivitamin,
you still need to have a balanced,
healthy diet. Whole foods are complex as they
contain a variety of nutrients your body needs,
not just one. An orange, for example, provides
vitamin C but also beta carotene, calcium and
1-877-369-8621
other nutrients. Similarly, a glass of milk provides
protein, vitamin D, riboflavin, calcium,
phosphorous and magnesium. If you take only
calcium supplements and skip calcium-rich
foods such as dairy products, you miss all the
other products you need for healthy bones. Vitamin
and mineral supplements are not magic
bullets. Healthy foods, particularly fruits, vegetables
and whole grains, provide fibre as well
as countless phytochemicals not found in any
pill. Eat a varied diet to meet all your nutrient
needs. r

Horoscope
by Georgia Nicols
March 2007
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
Because your birthday is approaching,
the next few weeks are the perfect time to
take time to ponder last year. What kind
of report card would you give it? Use this
time to think about how you want your
new year to be different. One thing is certain:
your increased opportunities in 2007
are related to travel, exploring new places
and new ideas, getting further education,
publishing, the media, medicine and the
law. You can either steer your course or
just let life happen to you.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Old friends are back. Your popularity
will increase in the next four to six weeks.
Enjoy the company of others. Get out
and talk to people. Tell others about your
hopes and dreams for the future because
their feedback will be helpful. You might
want to revise your goals. Since this is a
good year to get loans, mortgages or assistance
from others, you might want to
attack a project that requires cooperation
from the universe. (Money’s useful if you
want to shop.)
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
With the sun and retrograde Mercury
at high noon others notice you. Bosses,
parents and VIPs are impressed. Not only
are your professional contacts favoured,
time spent with friends and groups will be
warm and rewarding. You have a peopleschmoozing
month ahead! Since “good
fortune” is being ready to take advantage
of what comes along — get active! Will
Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right
track, you’ll get run over if you just sit
there.”
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
You have a strong urge to spread your
wings this month. You want to know more
about the world. If you can travel — get
out of town. Go some place different. Sign
up for a course; go to a lecture; visit museums,
art galleries and libraries. Talk to
people from other cultures. Do something
to get out of your velvet rut. You have a
desire for adventure and learning. Act on
it! (If you want something you never had
— you gotta do something you’ve never
done.)
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)
Many books have been written about
procrastination but I always put off reading
them. Leos hate to deal with forms,
taxes, wills, insurance matters and all that
red tape stuff. No fun! However, during
the next few weeks, you will be motivated
to address these red tape items. (“Hi,
let’s be friends.”) Don’t let “one of these
days” become none of these days. Just do
it. Meanwhile these same stars now amp
your sex drive!
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)
Ex partners and old friends are back,
which means this is an excellent chance
to learn more about your style of relating
to others. We all have to learn how to get
along with others; and a large part of that
is understanding how others perceive us.
Now is your chance to find out how you
can improve your closest relationships,
and possibly put a healthy closure to old
ones. (I’ve heard the reason people get divorced
is they run out of gift ideas.)
Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)
You need harmony. You want everybody
to get along, and you want matching
towels in the bathroom. Now, you want
restore order to your life. Start making lists
because the heavens now urge you to reorganize
your life at work and at home. Buy
filing cabinets, shelving, file folders, cleaning
equipment, snow shovels or rakes. Do
home repairs and redecorating. Buy linens
or pillows. And remember: if you put out
fresh flowers you don’t have to dust.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)
Old flames are back on the scene.
Look your best at all times because living
well is the best revenge. Aside from
these reminders of your past, the next few
weeks are all about fun, parties, the theatre,
movies, sports, games and delightful
play times with children. Not only that,
your focus also turns to love and romance.
Whoopee! Out with the old, in with the
new. (You never were one to sit around
getting dusty.) Three planets now urge
you to have fun!
SagiTTArius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)
Stock the fridge. Relatives will be
camped on your doorstep. Family discussions
about old business will take place.
Since you probably have home repairs to
take care of as well, maybe you can put
these guys to work? Some of you will deal
with old issues with parents as well. Consider
this an opportunity to wrap up old
stuff. Those of you involved in genealogy
can make great strides. Midst all this, fun,
games and romance will flourish.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)
It’s a busy month! You’re taking short
trips, spending more time with siblings,
plus studying, reading and writing more.
Get out and hustle thy buns! You’re dogged
by silly little errors and delays, so keep
your wits about you. Allow extra time
for everything. Fortunately, with Mars
in your sign right now you’ve got a lot of
energy! In fact, increased physical exercise
will benefit you and help blow off excess
steam that might build up. Pssssss.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)
Your focus is on cash flow, earnings and
spending money. (Money doesn’t grow on
trees, you’ve got to beat the bushes for
it.) If you’re looking for a job, go back to
previous places you’ve applied or try old
ideas that fell through before. However,
in a subtle way, this is the perfect time to
think about your values. They say happiness
is wanting what you have. Abundance
is a tricky thing to understand. But
one thing is certain: as generous as we are
is the world we live in.
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)
The Sun is now in your sign: Happy
Birthday! It’s time to recharge your batteries
for the rest of the year. When the
Sun is in your sign, you attract people
and opportunities. Keep your eyes peeled.
Things easily go your way now. Get active
with group sports and physical activities.
Buy goodies for yourself and others. Some
of you have a chance to earn more money.
(Hey — your career is going to really take
off this year!) p
Vancouver-based Georgia Nicols is Canada’s
most read astrologer and one of the biggest
names in stargazing, with international clients
and a Web horoscope (www.georgianicols.com)
that is one of the hottest items online.
Mehfil March/April 2007 85

Shifting Gears
by Veeno Dewan
2007 HONDA CR-V
I
remember testing the first-generation
Honda CR-V back in my native UK
10 years ago. And, boy, how time
flies. The new 2007 Honda CR-V has a
complete and upper redesign so radical I
actually did a double take when I clapped
eyes on it. Not that the new CR-V is substantially
larger, it’s just not so conservative
looking anymore. With its sweeping
side window line and refined body, it has
the looks of an upmarket European SUV.
A sharp front grille with arresting looking
headlights completes the new image.
The previous ungainly rear side-opening
tailgate is now a sleeker, lighter overhead
unit and the spare tire now lives under
the floor.
Interior-wise, the CR-V now has a
much more refined high-class cabin with
lots of upscale details. The Honda CR-
V is offered in four trim lines in either
front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and
in LX, EX and EX-L trim levels. The
CR-V LX offers cloth upholstery, airconditioning,
a four-speaker CD stereo
with an auxiliary input jack, full power
accessories and a folding centre tray. The
EX throws in alloy wheels, body-colour
exterior trim, an upgraded six-speaker
stereo with an in-dash CD changer, sunroof
exterior temperature gauge and a rear
cargo shelf. The loaded EX-L model adds
heated outside mirrors, heated front seats,
and leather upholstery. Options include
a DVD-based navigation system, a
reversing camera, upgraded stereo
amplifier and rear subwoofer.
Four-cylinder Engine
The interior of the CR-V has undergone
a substantial makeover with a stateof-the-art
dashboard and controls and
excellent ergonomics. Add accessories
such as a reversing camera and a big
interior spy mirror so you can keep an
eye on all the kids, and it’s a design aimed
at making life easy for families with kids.
Wide-opening doors, three-child-friendly
LATCH rear seats and lots of room testify
to this. Total cargo area in the CR-V is
35.7 cubic feet, and a handy cargo shelf
in EX and EX-L models allows for twolevel
loading. The rear seats can fold and
flip into an upright position, providing
up to 73 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
Important to all parents with kids, safety
is enhanced by antilock disc brakes, stability
control, brake assist, a tire-pressure
monitor, front-seat side airbags and fulllength
side curtain airbags as standard.
Driving Impressions
The Honda CR-V is powered by
a 2.4-litre inline four-cylinder engine
producing 10 more horsepower than the
2006 model at 166hp. A five-speed automatic
transmission is also standard with
all trims and either front-wheel or allwheel
drive. The four-cylinder unit is the
engine of choice for now; there is no V6
or Hybrid power plant. The five-speed
automatic transmission and 2.4-litre provide
decent acceleration. A V6 option
would be nice if you intend to carry a full
complement of passengers and cargo on a
regular basis.
On the road the CR-V proved to be a
pleasant experience as the cabin is a comfortable
place to be. With a great heating
system and snug, well-insulated cabin,
little noise road intrudes. The ride also
proves to be compliant and comfortable
with well-damped shock absorbers. Nicely
balanced steering also provides good feedback
and the brakes also work very well
with crisp, modulated stops. The only
downside is a slight shortfall of power at
full clip on the highways with a full load.
However, perhaps it’s a calculated move
by Honda not to offer a V6 for now, as
the 2.4 four-cylinder delivers excellent gas
economy at 10.2L/100km in the city and
7.3L/100km on the highway.
Summing up: This third-generation
of the 2007 Honda CR-V is perfect for
the market. Honda has wisely resisted
making it bigger and so preserved the
integrity of this popular SUV to its target
audience. It remains neat, compact and
agile. The CR-V is an incredibly refined
SUV and in terms of build quality, resale,
fuel economy and value for money, is
pretty much unbeatable in its class.
The 2007 Honda CR-V is priced from
$27,700.
86 Mehfil March/April 2007

Honda
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Shifting Gears
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has
been the world’s benchmark
for luxury cars for many years.
Through the decades of Mercedes evolution,
from square, broad-shouldered
tank-like behemoths to the current range
of sensual looking cars, the S-Class has
single-handedly defined luxury, performance
and prestige.
For the current generation of the S-
Class, no car better represents the range
than the high-performance S550 model.
A recent test drive in this big luxury
cruiser proved to be an enlightening and
pleasurable experience. On the exterior
the best-selling car in its class for decades
has the slinky, curvaceous shape of the
current S-Class, with those big, radical
pontoon wheel arches, a high-bobbed
trunk line and as-standard stylish 18-
inch wheels. The front fascias have a
neat chrome grille and retain the familiar
three-pointed star to remind both the
driver and admiring onlookers of just
how much car this is.
World’s First Seven-speed
Transmission
A 32-valve, 5.5-litre V-8 engine that
produces an impressive 388 hp and 391
lb-ft powers the Mercedes Benz S550.
This can give you an acceleration time
of 0 to 60 mph in a little over five seconds,
according to MB. The seven-speed
manu-matic transmission from 2006 is
the world’s first seven-speed gearbox for
any road car and is available to power
four-wheel drive 4Matic models as well.
A technological tour-de-force, the sevenspeed
is unchanged for 2007 and handles
shifting for all V-8 models now.
88 Mehfil April/May March/April 2006 2007
2007 MERCEDES BENZ S550
Bigger Cabin
Just stepping into an S-Class is like
entering an exclusive club for the very
special. You are greeted by interior furniture,
fixtures and finish better than in
most people houses! And dare I say it is
probably better constructed. For 2007
the S550 cabin is bigger by an inch in
all dimensions,. An incredible ambience
created by awesome shiny wood, fine
leather and other textiles is the hallmark
of Mercedes interiors and the S550 is
no different. A swooping, curved line of
wood and chrome trim is the centrepiece.
Full power features for every conceivable
creature comfort pamper the driver. With
its long wheelbase the S550 delivers excellent
legroom both front and rear. A large
sliding panorama roof allows for a bright
and airy cabin.
Amazing Technology
The S-Class is full of amazing technological
gadgetry with the COMMAND
infotainment system as the centrepiece
drivers will interface with. Operated via a
mouse-type device that sits in the centre
console, it delivers access to all the features
you need. A big, clear LCD screen to the
right of the instrument pod that displays
all the information works very well. My
favourite feature is the way you can scroll
and tune into radio stations via a digital
old-style radio band display. Very cool.
But that’s not the technological highlight
that really takes the prize. Our test S550
featured the optional night-vision display
that, when activated, appears magically
through the analogue speedometer and
reveals the road and surroundings ahead
in amazing detail during low-light and
dark conditions.
Safety Technology
Other S-Class technical wizardry
includes the numerous Mercedes Benz
safety features. Brake Assist Plus (BAS+)
is a new system using a short- and longrange
radar system to automatically monitor
how close you are to forward traffic
and will help adjust your braking when
actually using the brake to avoid a collision.
At the rear of the S-Class, BAS+
works in conjunction with the secondgeneration
Distronic Plus radar-guided
cruise control system. That can control
and vary your speed on the highway to
maintain a safe following distance from
the car in front. The improved system
adds the ability to automatically brake
the car to a creep-along pace in stop-andgo
traffic.
Yet another safety system available on
the S-Class is the Mercedes Benz PRE
SAFE system. Using sophisticated sensors
and computers, the Pre-Safe system
senses imminent crashes and collisions
and in seconds will position the passenger

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seat into a lower and more erect position,
close seatbelts tight and automatically
close the windows and sunroof to prevent
injury. In addition, Pre Safe tightens up
the seat-side bolsters to keep occupant
better positioned in anticipation of side
impacts. Finally, adaptive rear brake lights
that strobe when you brake hard alert
other drivers more quickly and are aimed
at reducing other people from rear-ending
you. The usual plethora of air bags and a
stability system also help keep you safe in
this big car.
Performance
On the road the Mercedes S550 is a
fast, powerful immensely comfortable car
to swan around in. The seats are firm yet
super comfortable and you feel like you
are truly in your own living room’s favourite
chair. All the ergonomics are spot on
and even with your eyes closed you will
soon know where every thing is. It’s in the
details where the big Merc shines, the way
every button clicks, the way knobs feel
in your fingers and the elegant heft and
weight of all the controls. See how smooth
everything glides open or rolls down with
a mere whisper. These are the details that
set apart the S-Class. The COMMAND
systems control mouse is also a deliciously
shaped, pebble smooth unit that, like an
apple computer mouse, fits naturally in
your hand. Only a slight flick of the wrist
allows you to make the different right and
left clicks.
On the road the S550 has two modes:
You can cruise around elegantly with the
car silently gliding smoothly over road
surfaces or press the accelerator hard and
the V8 delivers an urgent rush of power
that lifts the front ever so slightly and
propels this large car like a sprinter.
Precise measured steering response is
combined with a more supple, slightly
more agile ride than the previous model.
Despite the adjustable ride type and the
comfortable smooth feel, the S550 does
not wallow or sag like some of its more
softly sprung competitors. Mercedes
claims the body is more rigid than the
previous model. With a modest weight
gain of around 60 pounds the car feels
lighter than it looks. In fact, the power of
the V8 engine makes the S Class a leader
in its segment in terms of power-to-weight
ratios.
So how does it compare to its competition,
namely the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series
and Lexus LS460? Well, in this price area,
the normal reasons why people buy these
cars are skewed. Fuel efficiency, practicality
and price are minor points. Prestige,
luxury, power and comfort are all important,
as is exclusivity. You would not want
to see a lot of people driving the same car
as you. All the cars in the above category
are simply amazing cars, having all the
requisite elements demanded when you
spend over $100,000
At this price point and the amount of
car you get, it’s very hard to find faults or
complaints. The normal rules of evaluating
cars are changed as you can compare
them only to a handful of cars in this
stratospheric price range. The closest you
can say is that it’s a matter of personal
taste and preference.
The Mercedes Benz S-Class has a number
of facts in its favour to make it the
world’s best luxury car. It’s an evolutionary
model that has a history behind it
and it keeps getting better with every
new model. Its styling does not polarize
people, as is the case with the BMW. It has
more cachet than the Audi in certain markets.
And, although Lexus is pretty darned
close, Mercedes still matters in Europe
and Asia. So back to my original question:
Is the Mercedes S-Class the best all round
luxury car in the world? Probably yes.
The 2007 Mercedes Benz S-Class is
priced from $119,500. p
IRIS features the finest fashion frames, lenses from the world’s
leading manufacturers, famous brand contact lenses, and laser
vision correction using the newest technology from Carl Zeiss.
Receive $100 Cash Back on featured frames with fully
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Call us to schedule a complete eye health and vision
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EYEWEAR • EYE EXAMINATIONS
LASER EYE SURGERY
Guildford Town Centre
604.589.5350
visit www.iris.ca
for a location near you
Paul Hayer, Manager, Dr. Ryan Quinn,
Optometrist, Elena Matveeva, and
Monica Heer, Opticians
® Trademark of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under licence by Loyalty Management Group Canada Inc. and IRIS The Visual Group.
90 Mehfil March/April 2007

seat into a lower and more erect position,
close seatbelts tight and automatically
close the windows and sunroof to prevent
injury. In addition, Pre Safe tightens up
the seat-side bolsters to keep occupant
better positioned in anticipation of side
impacts. Finally, adaptive rear brake lights
that strobe when you brake hard alert
other drivers more quickly and are aimed
at reducing other people from rear-ending
you. The usual plethora of air bags and a
stability system also help keep you safe in
this big car.
Performance
On the road the Mercedes S550 is a
fast, powerful immensely comfortable car
to swan around in. The seats are firm yet
super comfortable and you feel like you
are truly in your own living room’s favourite
chair. All the ergonomics are spot on
and even with your eyes closed you will
soon know where every thing is. It’s in the
details where the big Merc shines, the way
every button clicks, the way knobs feel
in your fingers and the elegant heft and
weight of all the controls. See how smooth
everything glides open or rolls down with
a mere whisper. These are the details that
set apart the S-Class. The COMMAND
systems control mouse is also a deliciously
shaped, pebble smooth unit that, like an
apple computer mouse, fits naturally in
your hand. Only a slight flick of the wrist
allows you to make the different right and
left clicks.
On the road the S550 has two modes:
You can cruise around elegantly with the
car silently gliding smoothly over road
surfaces or press the accelerator hard and
the V8 delivers an urgent rush of power
that lifts the front ever so slightly and
propels this large car like a sprinter.
Precise measured steering response is
combined with a more supple, slightly
more agile ride than the previous model.
Despite the adjustable ride type and the
comfortable smooth feel, the S550 does
not wallow or sag like some of its more
softly sprung competitors. Mercedes
claims the body is more rigid than the
previous model. With a modest weight
gain of around 60 pounds the car feels
lighter than it looks. In fact, the power of
the V8 engine makes the S Class a leader
in its segment in terms of power-to-weight
ratios.
So how does it compare to its competition,
namely the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series
and Lexus LS460? Well, in this price area,
the normal reasons why people buy these
cars are skewed. Fuel efficiency, practicality
and price are minor points. Prestige,
luxury, power and comfort are all important,
as is exclusivity. You would not want
to see a lot of people driving the same car
as you. All the cars in the above category
are simply amazing cars, having all the
requisite elements demanded when you
spend over $100,000
At this price point and the amount of
car you get, it’s very hard to find faults or
complaints. The normal rules of evaluating
cars are changed as you can compare
them only to a handful of cars in this
stratospheric price range. The closest you
can say is that it’s a matter of personal
taste and preference.
The Mercedes Benz S-Class has a number
of facts in its favour to make it the
world’s best luxury car. It’s an evolutionary
model that has a history behind it
and it keeps getting better with every
new model. Its styling does not polarize
people, as is the case with the BMW. It has
more cachet than the Audi in certain markets.
And, although Lexus is pretty darned
close, Mercedes still matters in Europe
and Asia. So back to my original question:
Is the Mercedes S-Class the best all round
luxury car in the world? Probably yes.
The 2007 Mercedes Benz S-Class is
priced from $119,500. p
IRIS features the finest fashion frames, lenses from the world’s
leading manufacturers, famous brand contact lenses, and laser
vision correction using the newest technology from Carl Zeiss.
Receive $100 Cash Back on featured frames with fully
coated lenses, and earn AIR MILES ® reward miles on all your
eyewear purchases.
Call us to schedule a complete eye health and vision
examination with an IRIS Doctor of Optometry.
EYEWEAR • EYE EXAMINATIONS
LASER EYE SURGERY
Guildford Town Centre
604.589.5350
visit www.iris.ca
for a location near you
Paul Hayer, Manager, Dr. Ryan Quinn,
Optometrist, Elena Matveeva, and
Monica Heer, Opticians
® Trademark of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under licence by Loyalty Management Group Canada Inc. and IRIS The Visual Group.
90 Mehfil March/April 2007

Movie reviews
By Ron Ahluwalia
Salaam-E-Ishq
Fourteen main characters,
six stories, and over three
hours of running time . . . All
that work and Salaam-E-Ishq
(SEI) still manages to be
a debacle! The first multistarrer
of 2007 is simply
pathetic and I will attempt to
articulate just how bad Nikhil
Advani’s comeback from Kal
Ho Naa Ho really is.
Ashutosh and Tehzeeb
(John Abraham and Vidya
Balan) are happily married
until Tehzeeb loses her memory
in a train derailment.
Shiven and Jiya (Akshaye
Khanna and Ayesha Thakia)
are engaged, but Shiven is
scared of losing his freedom
and looks for ways to end
the prospect of marriage.
Govinda is a taxi driver taking
an American woman
(Shannon Esra) to find her
boyfriend (Kaushal Punjabi),
who left her to find a “good
Indian bride.” Vinay (Anil
Kapoor) is a middle-aged
man who betrays his wife
(Juhi Chawla) by having an
affair with a girl half his age
(Anjana Sukhani). Sohail
Khan and Isha Koppikar play
bumbling newlyweds who
create chaos every time they
try to have their suhaag raat.
Finally, Salmaan Khan and
Priyanka Chopra are cast in
the worst story of all. Chopra
plays an item dancer desperate
to be the lead in a Karan
Johar movie. She conjures
a fake boyfriend to garner
some media attention. Khan
shows up claiming to be the
boyfriend.
Oh, the agony — six stories
and not an iota of originality!
The claim is that each
story is linked. But the links
fail to further the plot. They
are used as excuses to bring
the characters to the same
location at the end.
So how did Salaam-E-
Ishq manage to earn even
half a star? Although Nikhil
Advani’s direction is pedestrian
for the most part, he
has a few inspired moments,
especially in the Akshaye
Khanna-Ayesha Thakia storyline.
And although Shankar-
Ehsaan-Loy continue their
streak of mediocrity, their
remix of Babuji Dheere
Dhalna is brilliant.
In general, the performances
are just plain bad.
Govinda is loud and Shannon
Esra is overrated. Anjana
Sukhani is wasted and
Anil Kapoor is bland. John
Abraham is affected and
unconvincing. Salman Khan
and Priyanka Chopra give
their worst performances
ever (which is an accomplishment
considering their
lacklustre track records).
Ayesha Thakia, Juhi Chawla
and Vidya Balan are mediocre.
Isha Koppikar and Sohail
Khan are reduced to cameos.
Akshaye Khanna is the only
one who really delivers a
solid performance; his comedic
timing is perfect.
Avoid this one at all costs.
Guru
Exceptional performances,
ingenious direction and
superhit music — or so I
was led to believe before
I watched Guru, Mani
Ratnam’s latest offering. The
acting is indeed solid, but the
direction is nothing special
and the music is just average.
The plot: Gurukant Desai
(Abhishek Bachchan) leaves
his discouraging father and
doting stepmother to work
in Turkey. He returns to India
to start his own business,
which he finances with the
dowry he receives for marrying
his friend Jignesh’s
(Arya Babbar) sister Sujata
(Aishwarya Rai). Sujata’s
past makes her feel indebted
to Guru for marrying her and
her devotion to her husband
knows no bounds. Guru finds
a friend in Manik (Mithun
Chakraborty), a newspaper
owner who respects Guru’s
quest for success — that is,
until Guru becomes a major
tycoon.
Manik and his editor (R.
Madhvan) use their paper
to expose the unethical and
illegal measures Guru took to
reach the top, which creates
a cat-and-mouse dynamic
between the mogul and the
media.
There’s nothing worse
than a movie that attempts to
move the audience through
unrealistic and self-righteous
dialogue. Ratnam’s direction
fails in the most crucial of
departments: atmosphere.
You are not drawn into
Guru and Sujata’s journey;
you don’t root for them. In
fact, you might even find
yourself on Manik’s side.
Ratnam intermittently
lives up to his reputation
as a great director with
some great scenes. But
about 15 minutes could
easily be chopped from
the film.
If Abhishek was not so
reminiscent of his father
in the latter scenes of the
movie, this could have been
the performance of a lifetime.
Aishwarya Rai gives a perfect
performance in a welldefined
role. Mithun-da is
a perfect foil for Bachchan’s
intensity. Madhvan is good,
but seems to try too hard.
Vidya Balan is wasted. Arya
Babbar is unnecessarily sidelined
in a stock role.
92 Mehfil March/April 2007

Local Artist
Eklavya
Vidhu Vinod Chopra knows how to
make trailers, not movies. His sense
of marketing is what led to the hype
that surrounded movies like Parineeta,
Lage Raho Munna Bhai and now Eklavya
despite lacklustre performances and
shoddy direction.
On her deathbed, Rani Suhasini
(Sharmila Tagore) reveals to her sterile
husband Jaywardan (Boman Irani) that
the biological father of their twins Harsh
(Saif Ali Khan) and Nandini (Raima Sen)
is actually their guard Eklavya (Amitabh
Bachchan). Under the influence of his
brother (Jackie Shroff) and nephew
(Jimmy Shergill), Jaywardan plans to kill
Eklavya. But then the kahani mein twist
arrives…
An attempt to create a screenplay
of Shakespearean proportions, Eklavya
fails to sustain interest. The paternity of
Harsh and Nandini is revealed far too
early and the pace slows until a string
of murders. The direction is uninspiring.
The screenplay offers no insight into
the relationship between Jaywardan and
Harsh. Thankfully, there is only one song
and the movie is not even two hours
long.
On the plus side: Visually, Eklavya
is brilliant and the editing is crisp and
clean.
The cast is enviable but, with a
few exceptions, hands in substandard
performances. The Big B fails to meet
expectations in integral scenes. Saif
Ali Khan cannot convey the essence of
his character’s internal turmoil. Jackie
Shroff is reminiscent of his previous
negative roles. Any actor could play the
cameo handed to Sanjay Dutt — except
Dutt himself, who overacts. Raima Sen
lacks the consistency required to portray
a challenged person. Sharmila Tagore is
royally wasted.
The exceptions: Vidya Balan hits all
the right notes. Jimmy Shergill makes
the most of a clichéd role, performing
it effortlessly. Boman Irani delivers a
nuanced, award-calibre performance.
This is possibly his best work yet.
Eklavya does leave a strong impression
— unfortunately, it’s a bad aftertaste.
Better luck next time Vidhu!
Amen Panesar
aka: DJ Reminisce
Amen Panesar was only 14 when he landed his first gig as a DJ. Since then, he’s
added rapper, producer and singer to his list of credits. Known for his unique
remixes, Panesar — aka DJ Reminisce — is considered one of the best DJs to come
out of the Lower Mainland. In between touring North America with the likes of B21 and
Bally Sagoo, Panesar,
32, has started his
own label, Reminisce
Records, and production
company,
Dabside Produktions.
He slowed down long
enough to talk with
Mehfil magazine about
his upcoming solo
album and share his
thoughts on the local
music industry.
What are your current projects?
Right now, we’re finishing [local pop bhangra
group] Signia’s album. I’ve produced a couple of
tracks and I’m a sound engineer as well. And I’m
working on my solo album, which comes out in
April or May.
What can people expect from your solo
album?
There are some traditional village bhangra tracks
in there, but most of the album is going to be
R&B hip-hop; it’s got that vibe. I didn’t want to
hit the Punjab [market]. I’m looking for sort of
the Bombay market, where you get the best of
everything.
What makes a good remix album?
Something with a banging beat, I mean I’m not
into taking a track and mixing a hip-hop track on
top. I think you should leave that for the live set.
But I know that there are quite a few DJs who are
producing their own beats and putting them on
top of the track . . . and I like stuff like that.
You’ve worked as a DJ, rapper, singer
and producer. Which one do you prefer?
I’ve been DJing for a long time. For me it’s like
second nature. I’m really digging the singing,
though. It’s just getting the confidence. I’ve been
doing it for a while, but I wish I took it seriously
when I was younger. And I really enjoy the production
side of things. I’m kind of lucky [as a DJ]
because I get the luxury of picking and choosing
my parties.
What are your thoughts on the South
Asian music scene in Vancouver?
The party scene is getting better. From January
on for this year, there will be at least two club
gigs a month now, every second Friday, and
every third Thursday. I wish it was like that 10
years ago. In terms of the music scene, I think
more women need to step up and do their stuff.
That age where girls were discouraged to do that
kind of stuff, that’s over with. If you got the talent,
then go for it. In terms of getting your stuff out,
I think it’s really backwards here, but I’m sure
it’s the same everywhere else. You need money,
that’s all it comes down to.
Do you think the local scene could be
bigger than it is right now?
I think so. I mean look at some of the top artists,
someone like Jazzy B or Harbhajan Mann.
Granted they were born in India, but their home
base was Vancouver, so why did they go overseas?
We’ve had some of the biggest hit makers
come out of our city, and they’re not here any
more. So what does that tell you? They leave
because there’s no financial backing, there’s no
[real] support. It’s just weird here. I think people
sometimes can’t be bothered. For example, when
Jazzy B did a gig here with [Sukshinder] Shinda
at the PNE, 4,000 people showed up…but you
go to Toronto, and they had 60,000 people. You’ll
find the whole west coast is like that.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully doing full-time production, staying in
the back sort of thing. If the singing takes off, I
would like to do an album a year, but it’s more of
a hobby. I’m really hoping people dig the music
that I do because it’s all done by me. There’s no
ghost production on it, and if there’s any other
producers they’re going to get full credit. I’ve
listened to Punjabi music my whole life, and I’m
anal that way. I buy every CD and I know who the
producers are just by listening to the music.
For more info on DJ Reminisce and to listen
to samples of his latest work, check out www.
myspace.com/dabsideproduktions
Mehfil March/April 2007 93

Reflections
Left: (from left) Naranjan Singh
Gill, Joginder Singh Gill, Ganga
Singh Gill and Indar Singh Gill
in 1934.
Below: Indar Singh Gill with
his wife, Kartar Kaur, in 1957.
Indar Singh Gill
On Dec. 12, 1930, 17-year
old Indar Singh Gill got his
first glimpse of Canada. “I
remember the red rotating lights in the
shape of the W above the Woodward’s
store,” he would later write in his
unpublished memoirs.
Gill left a wife and child behind
in India when he came to Canada. At
that time, Canada was in the grips of
the Great Depression and finding work
was becoming increasingly difficult.
In the summer of 1931, Gill headed
to Kamloops to pick tomatoes and
potatoes. He then went to Vancouver
Island to work at the Great Central Lake
Sawmill, where he made 18 cents an
hour.
By 1939 Canada had entered the
Second World War. Indians living in
Canada were unable to go back to their
homeland until the war was over. In
1943, Gill received a letter from the
Canadian Army asking him to join,
something he was against. “I was neither
a Canadian citizen and did not have any
rights to vote. I had no desire to serve in
the Canadian Army,” he wrote.
Gill, along with others in B.C.’s
Indian community, helped to send Dr.
D.P. Pandia to Ottawa in an effort to
change immigration and citizenship
laws. In 1947, the Canadian government
decided to relax their immigration laws,
allowing Indians to bring their families
to the country. Finally, Gill was able to
bring his wife and son to Canada.
The family settled in Mission, where
Gill became involved in a company
delivering wood and sawdust to people’s
homes. He would soon start his own
fuel business, Indar Fuel Company, and
later purchase a sawmill and shake and
shingle mill.
Throughout his life, Gill was an
active member of the Abbotsford Sikh
community. He served as the president
of the Abbotsford Sikh Temple in 1951
and 1979 and believed strongly in
promoting the Sikh religion in Canada.
“I regard India as the place of my
birth and ancestral roots,” he wrote in
his memoirs, which were part of the
Matsqui-Sumas-Abbotsford Museum
Society’s Indo-Canadian generational
exhibit. “I regard Canada as my home
and my country.”
Indar Singh Gill passed away on Nov.
9, 2002, at the age of 89. He is survived
by his son and two daughters.r
94 Mehfil March/April 2007

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Bringing You The
Flavours
of Home
“Just because you come from a country that’s
far away doesn’t mean you have to give up
things you enjoyed in your homeland. At
Fruiticana it’s our privilege to bring you the
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for the place you left behind. It’s about
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Surrey/Newton
604-590-2080
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Head Office: 604-502-0005 101 - 12758 - 80th Ave.
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Richmond
604-244-9520
4101 No. 5 Road
Fleetwood
604-588-0568
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Vancouver
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Surrey
604-588-6620
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604-327-4911
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Surrey
604-598-9220
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Calgary
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