The Indian Weekender, 26 February 2021

26 FEBRUARY2021 • VOL 12 ISSUE 48
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The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 3
First-ever Pongal celebrations
in New Zealand parliament
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
The first-ever celebrations of the Tamil
festival Pongal were held in the New
Zealand parliament on Tuesday,
February 23, witnessing participation from
community members from all around the
country.
Thai Pongal, the biggest festival of the Tamil
community, was organised by Minister of
Transport Michael Wood, and MP for Upper
Harbour Vanushi Walters, in partnership with
the newly formed Aotearoa New Zealand
Federation of Tamil Sangam and supported by
the High Commission of India in NZ and Office
of Ethnic Communities.
As a part of the celebrations, there were
many dance and music performances depicting
rich Tamil culture and heritage.
Among them, a unique performance that
wowed the audience was a live music and
fusion dance by a Maori Powhiri group and
students from Natraj School of Dance doing
Bharatanatyam.
Present at the event were Minister for
Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan,
former National MP Kanwaljit Bakshi, High
Commissioner of India in Wellington Muktesh
Pardeshi and Race Relations Commissioner
Meng Foon.
Another big highlight of the event was the
official launch of the Aotearoa New Zealand
Federation of Tamil Sangam, which was
delayed due to Covid lockdowns in 2020.
Aotearoa New Zealand Federation of Tamil
Sangam (ANZFTS) was created last year to
be positioned as a parent body for all Tamil
Associations in New Zealand.
“This was
the first time
Thai Pongal,
the most
important
festival of
the Tamil
community being
celebrated at the
NZ Parliament and on
this auspicious occasion,
we also officially launched
our parent organisation ANZFTS that will help
support all Tamil organisations in the country,”
founder of ANZFTS Raveen Annamalai
told The Indian Weekender.
ANZFTS also hosted its first meeting
yesterday in parliament attended by community
leaders from all around the country and Deputy
Commissioner of NZ Police Wallace Haumaha
and Inspector Rakesh Naidoo.
“The purpose of creating this umbrella body
is to govern and advocate the policy to educate
the current and younger generation of Tamils
in NZ of the rich heritage, language, arts and
culture of the Tamil community,” Raveen
Annamalai said.
The event commenced with a traditional
lamp lighting ceremony followed by speeches
from eminent community leaders on the
Pongal festival, its significance, and how
young members from the
Tamil community need
to be attached with their
heritage and culture,
followed by cultural dance
performances.
The event ended with light
snacks being served and an
opportunity for networking and
meet and greet.
“Learning English gave me
confidence to make friends.”
Your family member might have pre-paid for English lessons
when they applied for their visa to New Zealand.
Learning English will help your family member build confidence for their daily life.
They will be able to understand what happening in New Zealand and how it affects
them.
Ask the Tertiary Education Commission to check if your family member has money
to use, and how to enrol for English lessons.
Call 0800 601 301 or visit tec.govt.nz/pre-paid-English-lessons

4 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, February 26, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Immigration NZ offices in Mumbai, Manila
and Pretoria to close down next month
IWK BUREAU
September 2020 and is currently
processing visa applications for
329 staff overseas employed by
individuals who are already in
Immigration New Zealand will
New Zealand.
lose their job as a result of the
“The timing of the withdrawal
closures of three offices overseas.
of visa processing from Beijing
Immigration NZ, on Tuesday,
will depend on a number of factors,
February 23, announced that it is
including visa volumes and changes
closing down its offices in Mumbai
to New Zealand’s border restrictions.
in India, Manila in the Philippines
INZ will continue to monitor this
and Pretoria in South Africa by
over the next six months,” Catriona
March 2021.
Robinson says.
INZ is also planning to withdraw
The office closures will affect 329
the processing of the visa from its
A
Beijing office.
The reduction in visa volumes, s a result, INZ has “This is not a decision that we have staff, who are locally employed in
A press release from INZ said
combined with new technology made the difficult made lightly. Our staff in these offices each city.
the immigration system is facing
capabilities, has provided decision to close our have made a significant contribution Catriona Robinson says she
an unprecedented challenge as New Immigration New Zealand (INZ) offices in Mumbai, to INZ and New Zealand.
is confident that INZ is well
Zealand continues to respond to the with the opportunity to futureproof Manila and Pretoria by “However, these offices have been placed to increase our onshore
global COVID-19 pandemic. and change the way we work.
closed since March 2020, and with no processing capacity.
March 2021 and bring
With border restrictions remaining Deputy Head of INZ Catriona
certainty about when visa volumes “The rollout of new technology
more visa processing
in place for almost 12 months, Robinson says that INZ has a
may return to normal, INZ has had to functions aims to improve efficiency
onshore
incoming visa volumes from people responsibility to adapt to the
make some tough decisions.
and resilience throughout INZ, which
who are offshore have decreased changing environment and ensure we
“In addition, INZ is also planning will help us to better manage peaks
significantly across a number of are contributing to New Zealand’s in Mumbai, Manila and Pretoria to withdraw visa processing from our and troughs in visa volumes while
visa categories, including visitor and
student visa applications which are
primarily processed offshore.
COVID-19 economic recovery.
“As a result, INZ has made the
difficult decision to close our offices
by March 2021 and bring more
visa processing onshore,” Catriona
Robinson says.
Beijing office while strengthening
our risk and verification presence.
“The Beijing office reopened in
giving users of the immigration
system a better customer experience,”
Catriona Robinson says.
Why are migrants upset at offshore
VISA offices' closure?
SANDEEP SINGH
Migrants and temporary
visa holders are clearly
upset over the latest
announcement of closing offshore
visa processing offices.
Immigration New Zealand has
quietly announced on Tuesday,
February 23 to close offshore visa
processing offices at Mumbai,
Pretoria and Manila and scale back
the work of the fourth office at
Beijing.
INZ said that this decision of
“right-sizing” their organisation was
reflective of the current realities of
NZ’s border-closure regime and the
accompanied shortfall in the number
of visa applications.
The decision was kept low-key and
presented to the mainstream media
as a cost-cutting operational decision
by the immigration bureaucracy
– supposedly not requiring any
political oversight by the government
of the day.
Expectedly, there was little hue
and cry on this seeming rationale
decision taken by an immigration
bureaucracy, which is hoping to get
the best outcome for everyone from
this decision.
However, poor migrants and
temporary visa holders, who actually
have to deal with the immigration
bureaucracy on a day-to-day basis,
are clearly upset with the prospects
of the outcome of the decision and
how it can potentially make their life
more difficult.
For temporary migrants, who are
still engaging or planning to negotiate
with immigration bureaucracy in
the near future, any random closure
of visa processing offices, are
often signs of less interface, less
engagement, less problem solving
and therefore less service.
Last time when a similar
bureaucratic decision about the
closing of overseas offices was
quietly pushed under the carpet by
Immigration New Zealand in late
2017, the entire user experience with
immigration bureaucracy was turned
upside down.
INZ had then closed eight overseas
offices at Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong,
Jakarta, Bangkok, New Delhi,
Pretoria, Moscow and Shanghai - and
two in New Zealand “to align and
consolidate visa processing.”
Visa processing was also ceased
in four other offices – Manila,
Washington DC, London and Dubai –
shifting the staff for other tasks such
as market intelligence managing risk,
carrying out verification activities
and maintaining relationships with
key partner countries.
Immigration NZ had then
assured that the move was fiscally
prudent and minimised risks in visa
processing and, therefore in the best
interest of the country.
Cleary, like now, then also there
was no mention or reference to any
impact on “user-experience” and
“service-expectation of temporary
migrants and visa hopefuls” who
actually were the ones to bear all
consequences of any changes in the
system – operational or policy.
Gradually, within months, from
mid-2018, the queues in front of
the immigration offices started
ballooning disproportionately,
causing inordinate delays in visa
processing in almost every visa
category.
The public memory would still be
afresh with the issue of partnership
visa delays that saw thousands of visa
hopefuls languishing in processing
queues, sometimes more than seven
to nine months before even a case
officer could actually open their file.
The situation in the processing of
Essential Skill Work visas, Skilled
Migrant Category Visa was not far
better with at one stage processing
time for SMC category having
reached 12-18 months.
As more and more people reached
out to media and public protest
against what they perceived as gross
negligence and poor experience and
raise their voice with the government,
there began a political football about
the shifting of responsibility between
the government of the day and the
previous government.
While the political-football
continued with opposition National
blaming the Labour government
for visa delays and the Labour
government blaming National for
sitting over the bureaucratic decision
of closing of overseas offices
under their watch in the previous
government – the plight of migrants
had continued unabated.
In 2019, the issue of partnership
visa delays further exasperated into a
full-blown crisis when one of INZ’s
offices started arbitrary interpretation
of rules and requirements for
partnership visas and categorically
targeted relationships based on
Indian marriages and rejecting the
applications.
Information received under the
Official Information Act (OIA)
by the Indian Weekender revealed
that INZ’s Mumbai office had
then purportedly started different
interpretation of requirements for
partnership visa with an intention to
clear the burgeoning queue.
The issue eventually witnessed
intervention by Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern, and the then
Immigration Minister issued new
immigration-instructions and
re-opened about 1200 rejected
partnership visa applications.
One of the major reason repeatedly
advanced by political leaders in the
government about visa delays in
every category was the closure of
INZ overseas processing offices,
which was nicely sandwiched with
the increase in demand for NZ visa
and hence the increased number of
visa applications.
INZ bureaucracy was then
clearly caught off-guarded with the
increased demand for NZ visa, in
the months following immediately
after the closure of visa processing
centres.
Many observers and industry
stakeholders had then asked why
INZ bureaucracy was allowed to take
such operational decision which has
the potential to alter the policy of
the government without any political
oversight.
It is to say that the issue of
partnership visa delays and abrupt
decline of applications based on
Indian marriages that emanated
under a government self-indulging
as a government of kindness has its
roots in an operational decision taken
by INZ in 2017 or closing overseas
centres without having replaced with
onshore trained staff.
Regardless of the public debate
and intense media scrutiny, and
public pressure, only people who had
to bear the consequences eventually
and face prolonged separation from
their near and dear ones, were poor
migrants.
Therefore, they are again worried
and upset now.
Like in 2017, this time also, there
seems to be no political oversight or
political messaging.
To make it worse, this closing down
of overseas visa processing office
is happening one year after border
closure and the halt of international
travel and drying up of revenue from
international education.
It is not clear what is the
government strategy towards those
pre-Covid international education
market.
Has New Zealand decided to
pack its bag and leave those markets
for good that were developed so
incrementally over the years?
At least, this is what many players
in the international education market
are panicking about and already
making frantic calls to education
providers onshore to ascertain if
that was the political message of the
government.
Indeed, no one has got a crystal
ball to visualise how would the post-
Covid world turn out to be, especially
about international travel and export
education, yet the message going out
right now is that New Zealand has
already decided to exit from those
markets for good.
Even leaving aside the commercial
side, the migrants and visa hopefuls
keen to join their families onshore
perceive this decision as a sign of
New Zealand giving up on them.

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 5
Battered by City Rail Link & Covid-19
disruptions, Auckland’s iconic Shakespeare
Tavern reaches out to community for help
SANDEEP SINGH & RIZWAN
MOHAMMAD
In a desperate and passionate move,
Auckland’s 125-year-old Shakespeare
Hotel and Brewery in CBD have reached
out directly to the members of the wider
community on the Givealittle crowdfunding
site to keep the business alive.
The iconic Tavern has for long been at
the centre of distress first because of City
Rail Project constructions and accompanied
dwindling customers, and then followed by
successive Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 that
has brought the business to its knees.
Till now, the Tavern’s passionate owner
Sunny Kaushal has been trying every possible
measure to revive the dwindling customer
footfall in the iconic brewery and restaurant,
including hoping to bring back old customers
who have shared happy times and memories
by re-introducing the food and craft beer from
the past.
However, it seems that is not working
well or at least not preventing the continuous
financial bleeding of the business, which
according to the owner is losing $10,000 every
week, putting their lifelong savings on the line
for paying salaries and wages and keep the
business running.
Refusing to give up on this iconic business
and demonstrating his passion for keeping
the business alive, the owner has gone
crowdfunding way on the Givealittle site and is
hoping on the love and generosity of the wider
community for the iconic brewery & restaurant.
“We have taken this decision to reach out
to people directly based on the advice from
some well-wishers and customers who have
strongly asked me to set up a Givealittle page,”
Kaushal said.
“The proceeds will be spent to keep the
business running, supporting the team, pay
mounting debts until it returns to normalcy,”
Kaushal said.
Shakespeare Hotel and Brewery was built
in 1898 on the corner of Wyndham and Albert
Streets was once owned by former All Black
hooker Ron Ulrich. A great location and a
heritage classified building with stunning
architecture, Shakespeare still resonates with
an original English style pub as you enter the
premises.
Kaushal told the Indian Weekender that
he bought the buzzing enterprise in 2017 to
continue the legacy of the Victorian-style
brick pub known for its iconic and New
File photo from 2019
"
We have taken this decision
to reach out to people
directly based on the advice
from some well-wishers
and customers who have
strongly asked me to set up a
Givealittle page
Zealand’s oldest and surviving microbrewery in
Auckland CBD.
Unfortunately, the enterprise has been
engulfed with issues since it started thriving.
“First, the City Rail Project that went near
completion last year but then Covid-19 hit us,
and we were back to square one,” Kaushal said.
“Most of the offices in the CBD have
asked their employees to work from
home, which has reduced the building
capacity to less than 30% and proportional
fall in local businesses in the CBD,”
Kaushal said.
Givealittle crowdfunding has been able
to support some businesses in past
The Indian Weekender reached out to the
Givealittle team to get any ready figures or
information on the number of businesses
resorting to crowdfunding through the popular
site, especially after Covid-19 lockdowns.
While Givealittle does not have any data
on the number of businesses resorting to
crowdfunding through their popular site, it
confirmed that it was not unusual though for
businesses to use the platform for salvaging
their situation, including during Covid, with a
few having been reasonably lucky to receive
adequate support from generous people.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to track data
in this way because a “Business” profile might
raise funds for different reasons during or
after a lockdown in 2020. Also, depending on
the way the page is set up, it may be that an
individual (the owner) is the payee of the page
instead of a “business profile”, and therefore
we would be unable to track that funds were
raised specifically for a “Business” for that
reason (and measured by specific Covid-related
purpose) with any accuracy,” a spokesperson of
Givealittle said.
The spokesperson further directed towards
some other businesses which have been
able to get adequate support on the popular
crowdfunding site.
Shakespeare Tavern’s owner Sunny Kaushal
is hoping to receive similar love and support as
well, not only from the old customers but the
wider community, to prevent the business from
going bust.

6 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, February 26, 2021
The Indian Weekender
COVID-19: Immigration Minister used special
powers given by NZ parliament on eighteen
occasions, reveals Immigration NZ
SANDEEP SINGH
Immigration Minister has used special powers given by New
Zealand parliament under the hurriedly enacted Immigration
(COVID-19 Response) Amendment ACT 2020 in May last
year, eighteen times thus far.
Kirsty Hutchison, Immigration Policy Manager at the Ministry
of Business, Innovation and Employment, told the Indian
Weekender in response to a query regarding the number of times
the Minister had used those special powers since May 2020 when
this law was first enacted.
The latest decision where Immigration Minister had used those
special powers was on Friday, February 19, about the easing of
visa restrictions for visitors in New Zealand.
In May this year, twelve months will complete since the
special powers bestowed on the Immigration Minister under
Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment ACT 2020 as
an urgent response to Covid-19 lockdown and border closure and
will automatically lapse.
According to many media reports in late April 2020, there
were around 350,000 temporary visa holders onshore – of which
200,000 may have held work visas where those employment
conditions may need to be varied; 70,000+ student visa holders
may need visa conditions relaxed to enable them to change their
course or work extra hours until education providers are able to
open again, and 55,000+ visitor visa holders may need to continue
to have the expiry date of their visas extended if commercial
flights out of New Zealand continue to be unavailable.
This was over and beyond tens of thousands of temporary visa
holders who were stuck overseas at the time of border closure
and continue to remain stranded overseas as the government
continues to drip-feed only a small number back into the country.
It was in response to these mammoth challenges related to
immigration arising from sudden border closure that the law was
then rushed through the Parliament at record speed after being
first introduced on May 5, 2020, first reading (May 5), Second
Unique online concert featuring
Sonu Nigam songs this Saturday
IWK BUREAU
On Saturday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m. (New Zealand Time), a bunch of brilliant musicians
will weave together a magical, hour-long, cross-genre live-cast online concert titled ‘Raaga
Celebrities’.
The concert, which is free to view, features well-known Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam’s timeless
songs innovatively interpreted through the lens of Carnatic and Hindustani music.
Raaga Celebrities has had rave reviews in places like the US, Europe and Asia and is
being brought to Australasia by the Auckland-based Mohan Nadkarni Foundation and
CFI Events. The organisers and sponsor India-based AU Bank partner
with Indian diaspora organisations worldwide to take the concert online to
specific locations.
Conceived and executed by 72/35 Southern Street, a Mumbai based band of super talented
singers, instrumentalists, percussionists and arrangers, Raaga Celebrities straddles genres bringing
popular music and traditional, classical roots together seamlessly.
So, this innovative format entertains while it informs, making the audience experience
so much richer. What’s more, the visuals are stunning too, with a multicamera setup and a
host of the technically savvy crew bringing you the best possible production values in an
online concert. Interestingly, this
Saturday’s concert is geo-locked to the
Australasia region and can be viewed
only in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji.
Raaga Celebrities is free to join, but you
must log in with their emails. Also, it’s a
live-cast and cannot be viewed later.
People interested in attending
the virtual concert need to
register ahead. The following link
directs people to register: https://
www.72by35southernstreetmusic.
com/auckland_27022021.
People are encouraged to share this
link and information with interested
friends residing in New Zealand,
Australia and Fiji (do specify NZTime).
All one has to do to join is to register
by email.
What: Raaga Celebrities
Where: Online
When: 7:30 p.m. NZTime
Reading (May 12-14), Royal Assent (May 14) and eventually
entering into force on May 15.
At that time, many observers had expressed concern
about the speed of the enactment of the law and the need for
those seemingly sweeping and discretionary powers for the
Immigration Minister.
The government had then assuaged those concerns saying that
such discretionary powers were necessary for the Minister to act
expeditiously for a large group of temporary migrant workers
who could otherwise be not helped by Immigration New Zealand
under existing powers and framework.
Given that it has been nine months since the law was first
enacted, the Indian Weekender had sent a query to INZ to
understand how effectively those powers were used.
In that regard, September and December last year has been
the months when the maximum number of decisions were taken
by the Minister using those special powers (seven & four times
respectively).
Some of the key decisions taken in the month of September by
the Minister using these powers include Vary travel conditions on
resident visas to extend the time available for offshore resident
visa holders with expired travel conditions to travel to New
Zealand, Grant resident visas to offshore persons whose resident
visas are no longer valid to extend the time available for their
travel to New Zealand; Extend visas held by certain employerassisted
workers, and by the partners and dependants of work
visa holders, to enable them to remain lawfully in New Zealand
(and to work, study, or visit as appropriate).
There were around 5,600 resident visa holders who were
offshore in September 2020 with travel conditions that had either
expired or were to expire soon that may have benefited from
Minister’s decision under those powers.
One of the earliest decisions taken by the Immigration
Minister potentially helping a large cohort of temporary visa
holders (16,500) was in July 2020 related to extend temporary
work visas to enable people whose visas would other expire to
remain and work lawfully in New Zealand.
The months of October and November were expectedly quieter
with the elections and new government formation process, with
only two decisions being taken at the start of the month related
to Grant supplementary seasonal employment visas to onshore
persons whose visas are expiring and Grant new RSE limited
visas to persons who were previously granted limited visas as
stranded RSE workers. The powers will automatically lapse by
mid-May this year – with thousands of temporary visa holders,
including partners of NZ citizens, residents and work visa
holders, post-study work visa holders, open work visa holders,
among others – still stuck overseas. It remains to be seen if the
Minister for Immigration will be using those unprecedented
special powers to allow thousands of temporary visa holders who
were ordinarily resident in New Zealand back into the country
before the special powers lapses soon.
High Commission issues notice for Indian
passport holders on PCC applications
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
The High Commission of India in
Wellington has issued a notice
earlier this week for Indian passport
holders applying Police Clearance Certificate
(PCC) outlining specific directions when
making an application.
The five-point notice clarifies doubts and
states correction on common mistakes made by
applicants when applying for PCC.
The notice has encouraged people making
applications to the High Commission to
keep a copy of the PCC form submitted for
future references.
The notice has also requested people to
ensure they attach ‘a return courier bag with
tracking facility for the return of documents
once the High Commission issues PCC.
High Commission has asked applicants to
pay the revised fee of $42 for PCC application
and not $40 failing which the application might
be returned or put on hold.
It has been observed that
applicants for PCC are
still sending old fee of $40,
whereas the correct fee is $42
now. Please note that such
applications may be put on
hold or returned
“It has been observed that applicants for
PCC are still sending old fee of $40, whereas
the correct fee is $42 now. Please note that such
applications may be put on hold or returned,”
the notice read.
Since changes in PCC applications last year,
High Commission has once again confirmed
that original passports need not be sent along
with the PCC application.
“Only JP attested coloured copy of front
and back page of the passport is required for
the application, original passport is no longer
needed,” the notice said.
High Commission also stressed getting the
coloured copy of the front and back of the
passport attested by Justice of the Peace (JP)
before sending with the PCC application, which
is mandatory and failing which the application
will be returned.
The full procedure for applying PCC with
the High Commission can be found in the
link https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/
page/police-clearance-certificate/.

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 7
IRD’s online, phone
services to be closed
this weekend
IWK BUREAU
Inland Revenue’s online services and phone
lines will be closed this weekend as the
transformation of the tax system continues.
From 5 p.m. Friday 26 February myIR and
voice services (SPK2IR) will be unavailable
and IR’s phone lines will be closed. Customers
using the software will also be affected.
It also means applications for the Resurgence
Support Payment can’t be made over the
weekend because the application is through
myIR.
All systems and services will resume by 8
a.m. on Monday 1 March.
Monthly and bi-monthly GST payments,
returns, and provisional tax instalments are due
by 28 February. This date falls on a Sunday,
so as per the normal process, the deadline will
be Monday 1 March to submit before late fees
apply. Provisional tax instalments are also due
Monday 1 March.
GST filing cannot be completed during this
closure, but customers can file early before 5pm
on Friday or when our systems are back up and
running on Monday morning.
Employment Information (EI) returns for
Payday Filing that are due over the weekend
closure can also be filed early. The days during
the temporary shutdown will not count as
working days for filing periods.
Customers can still pay their tax bill through
their bank as normal and the IR website will
remain available. Tax agents can still submit
returns by E-File during this period – IR will
process them when all systems are back online.
Working for Families payments won’t be
affected. If a customer normally receives
their weekly payment on a Tuesday, their next
payment will be Tuesday 2 March. If normal
payment day is a Wednesday, the next payment
will be Wednesday 3 March.
During the shutdown changes will be
introduced to:
• paid parental leave for individuals
• New Zealand foreign trusts , and
• for unclaimed money
Even during the current COVID-19 alert
levels, Inland Revenue will continue to
implement transformational changes so it can
continue to respond quickly to the flow-on
effects of the pandemic.
For more information about tax relief and
income assistance for people affected by
COVID-19 visit www.ird.govt.nz/covid19
38-year-old charged with murder for the
death of Fiji Indian man in Christchurch
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
Police have charged a 38-year-old man
for the death of a 33-year-old man in
Christchurch whose body was found
at a property in Armagh Street on Sunday,
February 21.
On Sunday evening, police were called by
onlookers when a man was spotted walking
with a hammer on Christchurch streets, with
bloodstains on his cloth and neck.
Emergency services earlier that evening were
called after a report of a serious assault on a
property on Armagh Street.
Police apprehended the man with a hammer
outside McDonald’s and appeared at the
Christchurch District Court on Tuesday,
February 23. Police have launched a homicide
inquiry, and the accused will appear at the
High Court in Christchurch on March 14.
The accused has been granted interim name
suppression. Soon after the reports of the
incident on Sunday, community members
started posting condolence messages on social
media revealing the deceased’s name.
The deceased was identified as Faiz Ali, a
33-year-old man who worked as a manager at
an Indian grocery store, Krazy Price Mart.
Faiz hailed from Sabeto in the Nadi region,
Fiji and is also said to have moved to New
Zealand in 2014.
The family, shocked with the news, was
mourning the death of their loved one and were
already living in trauma after their father’s
death exactly a month ago.
“The family was left speechless with this
tragic news,” FBC News in Fiji reported.
Community via social media posts praised
Faiz for his humility and cheerful nature and
were shocked hearing about his murder.
“He was a kind-hearted person and very
Faiz Ali (Photo: Facebook)
helpful, and did not have any grudges or fights
with anyone, as far as I know,” his colleague
Nishaal Nikesh told NZ Herald.
Faiz was divorced, is survived by his mother,
brothers and sisters, five-year-old son and nineyear-old
daughter living in Fiji.
Detective Inspector Kylie Schaare said
police cordons remained at the Armagh Street
property as they carry the scene examination.
The police have also asked the public to
contact them if they might have any relevant
information pertaining to the case.
The post-mortem was carried out on Monday,
and his funeral was conducted on Tuesday
evening ay Ruru Cemetery in Christchurch in
the presence of community members.
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Every Precaution has been taken to establish the accuracy of the material herein at the time of printing, however, no responsibility will be taken for any errors/omissions. Prospective purchasers should not confine themselves solely to the content of this material and acknowledge that they have received recommendation and had
reasonable opportunity to seek independent legal, financial, accounting, immigration, technical and other advice. The material herein was prepared solely for marketing purposes prior to the commencement of construction and the approval of necessary Territorial Authority consents. The final building design and materials are subject
to Auckland Council approval. The Developer reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of residences and levels in each residence or building according to market demand and therefore sizes and layouts of residences may vary throughout the development. Changes may be made during development and all dimensions,
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impressions only. Loose furniture, feature and pendant lighting, window dressings and wall coverings are shown for illustration purposes only and are excluded from the Purchase Price. All illustrations and artist’s impressions of the landscaping to private courtyards, gardens and patios are indicative only and excluded Purchase Price.

8 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, February 26, 2021 The Indian Weekender
Barfoot and Thompson NZ
Badminton League kicks off
IWK BUREAU
The thrilling Barfoot & Thompson New
Zealand Badminton League has gone
into action for the first time in 2021
from Tuesday, February 23 at Badminton
Waitakere.
The 2021 season is coming back with bigger
and better action in the court, new players,
teams and venues that the fans had been waiting
for a long time.
With a rapid-fire match format, the
excitement of ‘golden games’ and an increased
$20,000 prize pool up for grabs, the Barfoot &
Thompson NZBL will have sports fans on the
edge of their seats.
In Round 1 on Tuesday, February 23, team
Tiger brokers Tigers won against Starship
Rockets- in which Tigers won by Golden Game.
“The NZBL was an absolute highlight in
2020 and showed the huge potential badminton
has as a professional sport that delivers exciting
entertainment for fans in New Zealand and
around the world”, says Badminton New
Zealand Chief Executive Joe Hitchcock.
“Tens of thousands of Kiwis loved watching
the first season of the NZBL, and we know fans
are eager to see the best badminton players in
New Zealand back on the court.”
Barfoot & Thompson has been a long-time
supporter of the New Zealand Badminton Open
and is also on board for the upcoming BWF
World Junior Championships in 2024 and BWF
World Senior Championships in 2025.
Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson,
Peter Thompson, described it as a natural
decision to add the NZBL to their sponsorship
of major badminton events in New Zealand.
“We are very excited about the opportunities
this partnership creates for us, for the greater
Northland and Auckland region, and one of
New Zealand’s fastest-growing sports.
“We have been a proud sponsor of Badminton
New Zealand for more than five years and
have witnessed the joy that the sport brings to
Community can join Sadhguru’s
Mahashivratri party live from NZ
IWK BUREAU
Isha Foundation will celebrate its 27th
Mahashivratri event from India on Friday,
March 12, that can be viewed and joined by
the community in New Zealand, from 1:30 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m. New Zealand Time. The event will
be live-streamed at isha.sadhguru.org/msr and
across major TV channels in India.
Mahashivratri is an exuberant night-long
festival at the Isha Yoga Center, with renowned
artists’ explosive meditations and spectacular
musical performances, attracting a few million
people globally.
The event will be streamed via LIVE satellite
feeds in English and 11 Indian languages.
Sadhguru will be present throughout the night,
conducting guided meditations, including a
powerful midnight meditation and Satsang.
Mahashivratri is one of the largest and most
significant sacred festival nights in India.
This festival– the darkest night of the year –
celebrates the grace of Lord Shiva, considered
to be the Adi Guru or the first guru, from whom
the yogic tradition originated.
The night’s planetary positions are such that
there is a powerful natural upsurge of energy in
the human system.
“It is extremely beneficial for one’s physical
and spiritual well-being to remain awake and
conscious in a vertical position throughout the
night,” a spokesperson from Isha Foundation.
Mahashivratri offers us a unique opportunity
to use the forces of nature for our well-being
and can be enhanced by Mahashivratri sadhana,
a preparation for Mahashivratri.
Register for the Livestream and join
Sadhguru and other prominent celebrities for
an all-night party with the divine that includes:
Explosive guided meditations accompanied
by Dance and Music
Nightlong Satsang with Sadhguru
Musical performances by eminent artists
Bask in the Grace of Shiva, The AdiYogi!
“In the Grace of Yoga with Sadhguru
during Mahashivratri is a unique online
program offering powerful yogic processes to
cleanse and master the five elements within
you for ultimate health and well-being,”
the spokesperson added. To get a glimpse
of previous Mahashivratri celebrations,
click here, and for Maha Annadanam, please
click here. For any inquiries, please reach out
to media.apac@ishafoundation.org.
Join the party with the Divine via
Livestream on March 12, 1.30 a.m - 1:30
p.m NZDT
athletes and spectators alike. We look forward
to welcoming everyone to enjoy this innovative
brand of badminton from New Zealand’s best
players and to showcase our incredible city.”
New for 2021, the NZBL will be playing its
opening round and Grand Final at the fabulous
SKYCITY Theatre, adding yet another
dimension to the entertainment opportunities
provided to fans.
Twenty-four of New Zealand’s best
badminton players have been selected to
compete in the NZBL, and there is a diverse
mix of established players and exciting new
talent. Abhinav Manota is the highest-ranked
player to take the court, and he is being joined
by many others currently sitting inside the
world’s best 100 players. The NZBL plays an
important role for players who cannot currently
compete overseas in BWF sanctioned events.
Tokyo Olympic hopeful and three-time
Commonwealth Games athlete Oliver Leydon-
Davis is eager to compete in the NZBL.
“I’m looking forward to playing the second
edition of the NZBL. It’s an exciting and
different way to play, with the new format
bringing the excitement to the fans as well.”
It is a sentiment echoed by fellow Badminton
New Zealand National Squad member Anona
Pak.
“The first season of the NZBL was really fun.
It was interesting watching the players grow
and develop as the league progressed and we
are all determined to do better and to take what
we learnt from the first season into the second
season. I feel the intensity is going to be there
from the first serve.”
The 2021 season of the Barfoot & Thompson
NZBL launched on February 16 and will bring
action-packed badminton to screens around the
country every Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Teams will battle through six rounds to
culminate in the Barfoot & Thompson NZBL
Grand Final on Saturday, May 1 2021, at the
SKYCITY Theatre.
Auckland Lantern Festival
postponed to 4-7 March
IWK BUREAU
The 2021 Auckland Lantern Festival has
been postponed to 4-7 March 2021.
Auckland Unlimited, which delivers
the Auckland Lantern Festival, has made
the decision to postpone the event following
consultation with key event stakeholders and
community leaders.
Mayor Phil Goff says it’s fantastic that the
Auckland Lantern Festival is able to go ahead.
The Auckland Lantern Festival is a muchloved
event and a great celebration of our
Chinese communities; I’m really pleased we’ve
been able to find a way to make it happen this
year.
Mayor Phil Goff says “Because it can only
go ahead at Alert Level 1, we have delayed it
by one week to allow more time for a return to
that level. It’s a good reminder also that we all
need to keep following the current COVID-19
health rules, to help ensure that we are able to
move down to Level 1 sooner rather than later.
“Thank you to Auckland Unlimited and Ports
of Auckland, as well as event and community
stakeholders, for working together to enable the
Lantern Festival to proceed.”
Auckland Unlimited Head of Major Events
Richard Clarke said the feedback from key
event and community stakeholders was clear –
a postponement is preferred given the current
situation.
Delivering the festival a week later than
originally planned gives Aucklanders the
chance to still acknowledge and celebrate the
significance of the event.
“This early decision also mitigates the
financial risk of cancelling at late notice should
Auckland not return to alert level one next
week,” Clarke said.
Over the past 24 hours, Ports of Auckland
has committed to making Captain Cook and
Marsden Wharves available for the new dates.
The event will remain ticketed, with the free
tickets booked online providing contact tracing
as well as crowd and capacity management.
The change in dates also means that the
festival will add further vibrancy to the
waterfront precinct on the first weekend of the
36th America’s Cup Match.
Auckland Lantern Festival is delivered by
Auckland Unlimited*, on behalf of Auckland
Council, with founding partner Asia New
Zealand Foundation.
For the latest updates, see aucklandnz.
com/lantern.

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 9
Aaja Nachle’s ‘Pravasee’ dance
project an ode to migrants
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
Aaja Nachle earlier last month released a
five-minutes dance video that narrates
the journey of a migrant who leaves
the comfort of his home and travels to a distant
land looking for a better future.
The dance video project ‘Pravasee’ by one of
the most renowned Indian dance groups in New
Zealand is a tribute to those migrants who not
only sacrificed the warmth of their homeland
and country but took upon a challenge looking
for a new beginning for themselves and
their families.
The project is funded by Creative NZ and
supported by Arogya Mantra.
The dance was first conceptualised and
performed with 11 dancers from Aaja Nachle
at a Diwali event in Manukau. It was later
filmed with only six dancers in December, and
the video was released to the public on Indian
Republic Day, January 26 this year.
The troupe of six for the ‘Pravasee’ dance
project included Ambaree Rege, Kalyani
Yajnanarayan, Tanima Mahadevan, Vrikshikha
Velan, Purnima Garg and Rebecca Sabu.
Kalyani was born and raised in New Zealand
and collaborated with Aaja Nachle for this
project; Tanima moved to the country two years
back. Vrikshikha is a student at the University
in Auckland had moved to NZ just a few years
ago. She is a teacher at Aaja Nachle for classical
Indian and western dance.
Purnima moved to NZ five years back as a
student with her brother, who is currently stuck
in India due to border closures. Rebecca, a
temporary migrant worker in NZ and joined the
Aaja Nachle team after the project.
All dancers in the troupe are migrants, have
moved to New Zealand at different points in
the last ten years but share a common feeling
of struggle, loneliness, hope and perseverance.
“Each of them had different stories to tell
about their experiences so far in New Zealand,
struggles, achievements, work, studies, mental
wellbeing, and how they poured their emotions
into the music dance project,” Ambaree Rege, a
spokesperson from Aaja Nachle told The Indian
E
ach of them had different
stories to tell about
their experiences so far in
New Zealand, struggles,
achievements, work, studies,
mental wellbeing, and how
they poured their emotions
into the music dance projec
Weekender. The dance project is also a way to
raise awareness of some spoken and unspoken
difficulties migrant workers and families face
concerning their work, visas, travelling back
home, and future.
Ambaree adds that the dance projects a
migrant’s perspective on encountering life in
the pandemic living here in New Zealand.
“The purpose of this project us to build
compassion and an understanding of migrants’
lives and the challenges they face.
“We are a multicultural nation and hope this
project can celebrate our rich diversity allowing
people to relate to one another through art.
“I am sure that migrants not just from the
Indian subcontinent, but people from different
ethnicities living in New Zealand living
as migrants or non-migrants would have
experienced similar emotions of fear, loneliness
and hope during this period,” a member from
the Aaja Nachle team said.
The performers in the group come
from different backgrounds, share diverse
perspectives in the dance project, and the same
is reflected in their performances.
“We all have south-east Asian heritage
and wanted to express our feelings and be a
voice for the community through dance,” the
spokesperson added. All the performers are
professionally trained in classical Indian dance
form, Bharatanatyam, and Kathak, and danced
against the backdrop of a fusion of classical
Indian and contemporary popular music.
“The feedback from the community members
since the release of the dance video has been
positive and very encouraging.
“The team has put their heart and soul in
the ‘Pravasee’ project, and it is reflected in
their dance performance, is the best feedback
we have received from our community,” the
representative said.
Have your say on
Auckland’s 10-year
Recovery Budget 2021-2031
We want to recover from the impact of COVID-19 and
support growth in our communities and our region.
Go to akhaveyoursay.nz/recoverybudget to find
out more and give Auckland Council your feedback
between 22 February and 22 March.
AK
HAVE
YOUR
SAY

10 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, February 26, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Govt relaxes rules for
onshore visitor visa holders
SANDEEP SINGH
Visitor visa holders will
be able to stay in New
Zealand a little longer as
the Government eases restrictions
for those still here, the Minister
of Immigration Kris Faafoi
has announced.
“Where people are here on visitor
visas which expire on or before
31 March 2021, the Government
will allow their visitor visas to
be automatically extended by
two months.
"During that two month extension,
which will be applied from the date
of expiry on their current visa, they
will need to apply for a new visa to
stay longer,” Kris Faafoi said.
The extension does not apply to
visitors on the special Covid-19
short term two-month visitor visa,
which was introduced in September
last year.
Govt also temporarily waives the
requirement of “9 months in last
18 months condition” for visitor
visa holders
In a second
temporary change
to immigration
settings, the
Government
has agreed to
temporarily waive a
rule which states that
visitor visa holders can
only be in New Zealand for nine
months out of an 18 month period.
“Most visa holders currently in
New Zealand will have been here
"Applicants
will still need
to meet all other
requirements for a visitor
visa, including proof that they
have enough funds to support
themselves in New Zealand, as
well as pay for their travel
home at the end of
their stay"
for more than nine
months by now,
which would have
excluded them from
applying for another
visitor visa.
“Waiving this nine
months of 18 rule
means that visa holders
who are still here can apply
for a further six-month visa.
"While applicants with visitor
visas expiring after 31 March 2021
won’t be eligible for the automatic
two-month extension, they can still
apply for a new visa that gives them
exemption from the nine months of
18 rule if they apply for their new
visa before 30 June 2021.
"That is because the temporary
waiver of that nine months of 18 rule
will end on 30 June 2021.
“Applicants will still need to meet
all other requirements for a visitor
visa, including proof that they have
enough funds to support themselves
in New Zealand, as well as pay for
their travel home at the end of their
stay,” Kris Faafoi said.
“While we have made these
changes to help many visitors facing
uncertain and worrying situations
back in their home countries because
of the Covid-19 pandemic, the
Government wants to make clear
that people who are here on visitor
visas are here as guests for a limited
time. We cannot guarantee further
extensions or waivers when these
changes expire,” Kris Faafoi said.
He pointed out that the Government
expects all migrants in New Zealand
to ensure they are here lawfully and
are able to support themselves.
“Temporary migrants who are in
New Zealand without the means to
support themselves, or who become
unlawful, are at risk of migrant
exploitation or not being able to meet
their basic needs.
"Migrants who stay here after
their visas have expired also risk
having their unlawful status count
against them should they wish to
travel to New Zealand or elsewhere
in the world in the future,” Kris
Faafoi warned.
COVID-19: Call for earlier vaccine
rollout for South Auckland amid outbreak
RADIO NEW ZEALAND
The government is being urged to
consider vaccinating South Aucklanders
first when the community rollout starts.
Papatoetoe and its surrounding suburbs are
grappling with the current Covid outbreak
- and the south is disproportionately hit by
Auckland’s large August cluster.
Under phase one of its vaccination plan, the
government is prioritising all border workers
and their families.
Pasifika Medical Association chief executive
Debbie Sorensen said when rollout goes wider,
consideration should be given to putting South
Auckland near the top of the queue.
The area’s many border connections put it on
the Covid front line.
“Our border is not in Remuera or the North
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Shore, the border is in South Auckland. The
airport is based in Mangere and, of course, a
high number of people that are working on
the border and the quarantine facilities live in
South Auckland,” Sorensen said.
The area was doing more than its fair share
to keep the country safe and had a higher
proportion of people more likely to be hit hard
by the virus, she said.
RNZ understands the Ministry of Health
has discussed a targeted vaccination campaign
for South Auckland but has not yet made a
decision.
An earlier rollout would not need to come
at the expense of the rest of New Zealand, Ms
Sorensen said.
“We’re so efficient as a country in terms of
being able to roll out vaccination programmes
that it won’t be that long before everyone else
will also have access to the vaccine, so there is
definitely a case to be made,” she said.
A co-leader of Te Ropu Whakakaupapa
Uruta, the national Maori Pandemic group,
Rawiri Jansen, said he regularly saw families of
border or frontline health workers in his job as
a GP in Papakura, and Covid created significant
anxieties for them.
Though vaccinating South Auckland would
have a benefit both for those living there and
the rest of the country, he hesitated to use the
word “prioritise,” saying other parts of the
country had MIQ hotels, ports and vulnerable
people too.
Their needs must also be weighed up, he said.
“There is no ethical prioritisation that says
somebody with comorbidities living in South
Auckland is more important than someone
living with comorbidities in Northland or
East Cape ... but we can describe sequencing
this, doing it in order, so we keep the whole
community better protected,” he said
The government had so far ruled out
vaccinating those connected to the Papatoetoe
outbreak.
That was despite one scenario in its current
roll out plan that said a community connected
to a controlled outbreak would be vaccinated.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins
said the government was sticking with its plan
to prioritise border workers and the most at risk
frontline workers.
The second batch of the Pfizer vaccine,
enough for 33,000 people, arrived on
Wednesday and similar amounts are expected
to arrive weekly.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/
national/437108/covid-19-call-for-earliervaccine-rollout-for-south-auckland-amidoutbreak

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 11
Holi
Auckland Summer Festival 2021
21 March, Sunday, 12-6 pm
Vodafone Event Centre
Free Entry
Co-hosted by-
Supported by-
Certified organic colours will be sold onsite.
Please contact Leena 0n 021 952 216 or Sanchit on 021 067 7283

Editorial
The pink ball affair:
India versus England
The third Test match between India and England starting on February 24 at the huge and
magnificent newly constructed Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad should be a very interesting
affair. The stadium earlier named after the Ironman of India, Sardar Patel, has now been
renamed as Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. Yet, the Indian team will need to imbibe the same
qualities of the ‘Man of Steel’ who played an important role in the freedom movement against the
British Empire.
India will not only need to play to win the series against England, but need to ensure a win to stay
alive to qualify for the first World Test Championship (WTC) final in June. At one match all, the
four-Test series is at a very crucial stage.
England, on the other hand, require to win the two remaining Test matches to qualify for the WTC
final. The pink ball battle will require a positive and aggressive approach, as winning for both sides
is the only way forward. This itself should be enough to make the match enthralling and exciting.
When two teams in any sport are set to play a game with a positive state of mind, the competition
that emerges is what makes it wonderful to watch.
The day/night encounter will be played with the Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) pink ball. This is a
new experience for most international cricket players.
The challenge that they face would also create that extra bit of interest for the millions of viewers
watching the match. The pink ball has a coat of lacquer similar to the white ball, so the new ball
swings a fair amount. Both India and England have world class pace bowlers in their midst to
exploit the movement and hence batting against them will require good technique and temperament
to be successful.
Furthermore, an interesting aspect of a day/night match is also the change in conditions that
emerges as dusk falls and then again under the illuminated dark night sky. This makes batting even
more difficult.
The newly laid pitch in Motera is expected to have a good bounce. The wicket during the domestic
T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament recently showed that it spun viciously and most teams
struggled to put up a good score.
The wicket has not had a first-class five-day match played on it as yet and, unlike Chennai,
preparing a vicious turning surface would not be easily possible.
India have shown in the second Test match in Chennai that not only do they have better spinners
to bowl on a turning track than England, but also their batsmen are more skilled to play the turning
ball. The English batting struggled against spin and most of them looked terrified to be out there
in the middle.
The Motera stadium, with the largest spectator capacity for a cricket venue in the world, is built
to offer every modern facility for the cricketer. It is expected to be the showcase venue of Indian
cricket. India, therefore, cannot afford to provide a wicket that is not of Test standard.
The cricketing world will be watching the match with added interest as Motera will also be the
venue for the T20 World Cup final later this year.
The interesting factors that the Test match in Ahmedabad will provide will be that both the pace
bowlers and the spinners will play a part in the match.
This is where India have the edge as they have a good pace and spin attack. Furthermore, with
Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin in good batting form, the only change that may come about
would be Jasprit Bumrah to replace Kuldeep Yadav.
England, however, have some major issues in selecting their playing side. Their spinners have
not shown the accuracy and guile required to be consistent and effective. Jack Leach, their left-arm
spinner, has bowled reasonably well in patches, but his lack of experience and control of length has
not made him a match-winning threat.
Dom Bess, their off spinner in the first Test match, also did not show the ability to be accurate
and effective and so England have a major dilemma as to whether to play with an additional pacer
instead of him.
England, one feels, cannot go in with only one frontline spinner and therefore will have to
sacrifice either Stuart Broad or Jimmy Anderson for Dom Bess. The problem that faces England is
that Ben Stokes has not been at his best as a bowler. They need him to contribute much more for
them to become an effective bowling unit.
One major issue that the Indian side will need to forget is their disastrous batting performance in
the last day/night pink ball Test match in Adelaide against Australia. The 36-run total will definitely
rankle in the minds of their batters.
They will need to reflect on their wonderful performance at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens when they
played their first ever day/night Test match against Bangladesh in November 2019.
Their three top line batsmen -- Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane -- scored
runs in that match that was played with a SG pink ball.
Their mental strength as to how they will forget the disastrous Australian debacle will play a
major part in the Indian team’s performance.
They will need to show resilience and positivity facing the wily English pace attack of Jimmy
Anderson/Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer
The third Test match will be a seesaw battle between India and England. India at home with over
50,000 spectators behind them at the stadium will be the firm favourites.
Cricket, however, is an uncertain game and with the playing conditions being far more uncertain
both by way of the wicket and the day/night affair, victory or defeat will depend on the side that
plays cautiously, sensibly and most importantly fields and catches well.
Thought of the week
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the
influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in
this notion: The potential for greatness lives within
each of us.” —Wilma Rudolph
26 February – 4 March 2021
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu
On-and-off
rain and
drizzle
22°
14°
Partly
sunny
24°
13°
25°
14°
Indian Weekender : Volume 12 Issue 48
Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited
Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Technical Officer: Rohan deSouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz
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Parlty
sunny
Clouds and
sun
24°
15°
A touch o
dafr
This week in New Zealand’s history
29 February 1964
Opening of first road to Maungapōhatu
A
25°
25°
Copyright 2020. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Sunshine
and pactcy
clouds
26°
15°
A few
morning
showers
26°
17°
milling road built by the Bayten Timber Company provided the first vehicle access to
the remote Urewera settlement of Maungapōhatu – famous as the former home of the
prophet Rua Kēnana.
29 February 1924
Intelligence tests arrive in New Zealand schools
Following a US study tour by Frank Milner, the rector of Waitaki Boys’ High School, the
Education Department began applying the Terman Group Test of Mental Ability to all firstyear
post-primary school students.
1 March 1862
Charles Thatcher gives first NZ performance
The entertainer Charles Thatcher gave his first New Zealand performance at Shadrach
Jones’ Commercial Hotel in Dunedin.
1 March 1916
New Zealand Division formed
After the evacuation from Gallipoli in December 1915, New Zealand forces returned to
Egypt to recover and regroup. In February 1916, it was decided that Australian and New
Zealand infantry divisions would be sent to the Western Front. On 1 March, the New Zealand
Division was formed.
2 March 1865
Missionary Carl Völkner killed at Ōpotiki
On 2 March 1865, Anglican priest Carl Sylvius Völkner was killed at Ōpōtiki. During
Völkner’s recent absence in Auckland, rumours had spread that he was a government spy.
Locals warned him to stay away, but he returned to Ōpōtiki on 1 March and was promptly taken
prisoner.
5 March 2013
Census held after two-year delay
New Zealand’s five-yearly census had been scheduled for 8 March 2011. But after
Canterbury’s devastating February earthquake (see 22 February), Government Statistician
Geoff Bascand and Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson announced that it would not go
ahead. Statistics New Zealand’s Christchurch operations had been significantly disrupted, and
the exodus of people from the city would have skewed the results.

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021 FIJI 13
Over 10,000 Fijians expected to
benefit from the new Navosa Hospital
Over 10,000 Fijians in the province of
Nadroga and highlands of Ba will benefit
from the new Navosa Hospital in Keyasi
which is expected to be opened next Tuesday.
Final preparations are underway for the opening
of the hospital.
Today, Health Minister, Doctor Ifereimi
Waqainabete said on Twitter that the Fiji
Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services are
preparing to head to Navosa Hospital to ensure the
COVID-19 vaccines anticipated to arrive
in the country soon - Dr Waqainabete
COVID-19 vaccines are anticipated to arrive in the
country soon.
This has been highlighted by the Minister
for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete while receiving
two new cooler trucks worth $374,310 from the
Japanese Government.
Dr Waqainabete says the assistance has come at an
exciting time and will assist in the distribution of vaccines
and medicines to the allocated health facilities.
He adds the Ministry of Health has included three new
vaccines through its expanded immunization program and
the assistance will further strengthen that space.
The Health Minister says this not only applies to
COVID-19 vaccines but others as well which require cold
chain storage.
The Japanese Ambassador to Fiji, Kawakami Fumihiro
says the vaccination cold chain plays a critical role in
vaccine storage and transportation.
He says it is now becoming more important than ever as
the whole world races to get COVID-19 vaccines.
Fumihiro adds he is looking forward to the new
cooler trucks helping address the challenges in the cold
chain management and further supporting the Ministry
with the introduction of new vaccines, especially the
COVID-19 vaccine.
medicines are stocked up and biomedical machines
are ready for full operation.
The project is a 25 million dollars investment by
the government.
The hospital was initially planned to be
commissioned before the end of last year.
Some of the services that will be offered at
the new hospital includes x rays and ultrasound,
maternity services, pharmacy services and
laboratory testing.
29,211 COVID-19 lab test conducted
in the country so far- Health Ministry
Zero new cases
A total of 29,211
COVID-19 lab tests have
been conducted in the country
so far.
This includes a daily
average of 133 tests per day
over the last 7 days and a
weekly average of 1048 tests
per week over the last 2 weeks.
The Health Ministry says
there are currently no new
COVID-19 cases and it
has been 21 days since the
last border quarantine case
was reported.
It says it has been 310 days
since the last case was detected
outside border quarantine on
April 18th 2020.
Fiji has had 56 COVID-19
cases in total, with 54
recoveries and
2 deaths since
the first
case was
reported
on March
19th 2020.
The Ministry
says the last 38 cases
have been international
travel-associated
cases detected
in border
quarantine.
Meanwhile,
111 million
cases has been
recorded worldwide
with 2.46 million
deaths.
Fiji reviews
immigration
laws
Fiji Bureau of Statistics Chief
Executive Kemueli Naiqama
says the review includes the
immigration act, passport act and
citizenship act.
He adds Fiji has ratified some
migration-related international
conventions.
“Fiji has ratified and adopted most
key migration-related international
convention. This has been translated
into domestic laws.”
The Immigration Act provides
the process for migrant workers to
apply for permits to allow them to be
documented and be employed in Fiji.
Chief of Mission for International
Organization for Migration, Solomon
Kantha says the annual number of
permits has fluctuated from 7,400 in
2013 to nearly 23,500 in 2017.
He adds over the past seven years,
one-third of these permits were for
visitors.
“In 2019 the permits were issued
to nationals of 139 countries. Permits
refer to visas. Half were from six
countries.15 percent were from
China, nine percent from Australia,
seven percent from India, the US 6.5
percent, the UK 6.5 and Solomon
islands five percent”.
Kantha says more than 3,900
people are estimated to have
overstayed their visas between 2013
and 2019.
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EVENTS
NEW ZEALAND
Over a ton of colour to be used at
Krishna Holi 2021 event in Kumeu
The Indian Weekender Friday, February 12, 2021 11
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
T
he biggest Holi event in the country
on Sunday, February 14 at ISKCON
Temple in Kumeu will put over one
ton of colours for 10,000 visitors to play with
celebrating the annual Hindu festival.
Holi is one of the most popular and widely
celebrated festivals for the Indian community
after Diwali that is celebrated by the diaspora
and the adjoining communities across the globe.
The annual festival of colour falls on March
28-29 this year, and the religious element of the
festival signifies the triumph of good over evil.
It is observed a the end of winter and advent of
spring month (in the Indian subcontinent), and
spiritual part of the festival starts with Holika
Dahan (burning demon Holika) also known as
Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi.
In its 9th year, Krishna Holi event at the
iconic Hare Krishna Temple in Kumeu, West
Auckland attracts thousands of people from all
walks of life, different ethnicities and faiths to
be a part of a colourful and joyous event.
Speaking with the Indian Weekender,
Krishna Chandra from the temple said they are
excited to see the festive season of Holi back
after a gloomy year of Covid-19 in the country.
“Holi at the Krishna Temple is one of the
most vibrant events in our calendar- we see
families dressed white clothing visi the temple
and then dance and drench in dry and wet
colours from noon till early evening,” Krishna
Chandra, secretary and spokesperson of Hare
Krishna Temple said.
The temple spread over 100 acres start the
free event at 11 a.m. and will have stalls that
distribute at least ten to 12 colours, and there
will also be watercolours for the visitors.
A giant LED screen is also installed on the
stage with a DJ and live music for the attendees
to dance and have fun.
“It’s a family-friendly- tobacco and alcoholfree
event. People of all ages can have fun as
there will be colour stalls, water stations, food
stalls, changing rooms, showering stations for
people drenched in colour,” Mr Chandra said.
He added tha the temple stocks colours to be sanitisers are in place for people, arrangements
used at the festival at least 2-3 years at a time. for children activities, so that everyone gets to
The temple will be used over a ton of colour at enjoy the even to its fullest.
the event both in its dry form and with water. “We have volunteers, security to usher
“We have given 200 kgs of colour to fire vehicles to park in the appropriate places,
brigade who will mix it in their water tank manage the oncoming and returning traffic,
and then splash it on the visitors at different and make sure visitors feel comfortable at the
intervals.
event,” Mr Chandra added.
“Since this year’s event coincides with The event organisers have appealed the
Valentine’s Day, we have kept valentine theme visitors to come in white dress as colours tend event like previous years will be high octane,
gifts and gift station too at the venue for the to exhibit its vibrancy on white clothing, get full of energy and good vibes,” Mr Chandra
public to celebrate the occasion there,” Mr spare clothing to change after playing with added.
Chandra added.
colour and food and water arrangements have ISKCON Temple is located on 1229
Mr Chandra says all arrangements in been made a the venue.
Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Kumeu, West
terms of Covid QR Code scanning and hand “Hol is always a fun event and Krishna Holi Auckland, and the event starts at noon to 5 p.m.
Hare Krishna temple to host ‘Saatvik food festival’
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
T
he Hare Krishna Temple in Kumeu, West Auckland
is hosting its annual food festival event on Saturday,
February 13, for the community.
More than 3000 people are expected to attend the event
where they will be served saatvik vegetarian food, tour the
temple premises and have a relaxing family-fun day.
“Our Hare Krishna Food Festival is very popular amongs the
wider Kiwi community in Auckland, people from all faiths and
ethnicities come to the temple, take a tour of the place knowing
about the deities, the ISKCON establishment, its works for the
community and have snacks and food during the day,” Krishna
Chandra, secretary and spokesperson for Hare Krishna temple
told the Indian Weekender.
The event is said to be quiet, and exhibit a relaxing
environment where people get to meet new people, make
friends, experience the calmness being with nature, have
Saatvik (pure) vegetarian food and have good family day.
“This event is happening just one day before our most
popular Krishna Holi event which is will be loud, full of energy,
playfulness, music and dance,” Mr Chandra added.
The events will start at 2 p.m. and end at seven in the evening.
Besides the food festival, Krishna Temple organises lunch
event every Sunday at its premises where 300-400 people
come, chant mantras, meditate, spend some time with nature
and dine with the community members.
“It is a soothing atmosphere at the temple, chanting mantras
with the community, knowing more about the religion, what
can they do a the temple and how can they make a difference in
the community by serving others and the less privileged.
“There are also children’s activities
organised so that they engage themselves
and also have a good time at the temple,” Mr
Chandra said.

14
INDIA
Friday, February 26, 2021 The Indian Weekender
NEWS in BRIEF
Idea of climate action should not be to move climate
ambition goal post to 2050: India at UNSC
India has said that the idea of climate action should not be to move the
goal post to 2050 and countries must fulfil their pre-2020 commitments,
calling on the global community to view climate change as a “wake-up call”
to strengthen multilateralism and seek equitable solutions for a sustainable
world. Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash
Javadekar on Tuesday said the delivery on the commitment by developed
countries to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 in support of
climate action in developing countries has been elusive.
He was speaking at the UN Security Council’s open debate on
‘Maintenance of international peace and security: Addressing climaterelated
risks to international peace and security'.
“The idea of climate action should not be to move the climate ambition
goal post to 2050. It is important for countries to fulfil their pre-2020
commitments. Climate Action needs to go hand-in-hand with the framework
for financial, technical and capacity-building support to countries that need
it,” he said.
Indian-American Swati Mohan spearheads NASA
rover landing on Red Planet
As the world watched the new NASA
rover touchdown on the Martian
surface, it was Indian American Swati
Mohan who virtually spearheaded the
successful landing of Perseverance
that will search for signs on life on the
Red Planet. "Touchdown confirmed! Perseverance is safely on the surface of
Mars, ready to begin seeking the signs of past life," cheered Mohan, wearing
a mask from the NASA headquarters in the US. The Landing was perceived
to be "so dangerous" it was nicknamed "7 minutes of terror".
Swati Mohan, who also participated in several key NASA missions
like the Cassini (a mission to Saturn) and GRAIL (a pair of spacecrafts in
formation on the Moon), had immigrated to the US from India when she was
just age one and was inspired by 'Star Trek' series at age 9.
Mohan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering from Cornell University and completed her MS and PhD from
MIT in Aeronautics/Astronautics.
"@NASAPersevere is still in space right now, about 9,000 miles from
Mars. So far, she is healthy and on course," NASA said in a tweet.
"Swati Mohan, @NASAJPL engineer on the rover's landing team,
provides a status update on the #CountdownToMars", it added.
'Monetise & modernise' is our motto: PM on
disinvestment
Reiterating the government's
commitment towards
privatisation of PSUs and asset
monetisation, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Wednesday said
that the motto of his government
is to "monetise and modernise". Addressing a webinar on the Budget
announcements for Department of Investment and Public Asset Management
(DIPAM), the Prime Minister asked the private sector to come in support of
the government's initiatives proposed in the Budget and help it prepare the
roadmap for accelerated growth. Emphasising on the role of private sector,
he said that the Budget also focused on the strong partnership between the
private players and the Centre.
"When the government monetises, private sector comes in, along with
investment and best global practices," he said.
The funds mobilised through asset monetisation and disinvestment will
be used for public welfare measures, he said. He added the Budget has
targeted monetising 100 government assets, which would create investment
opportunities worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore.
India, Mauritius sign trade agreement
India and Mauritius have signed a
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation
and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) that
provides an institutional mechanism to
encourage and improve trade between the
two countries.
India decided to change its trading
relationship with Mauritius after it found
that the earlier double taxation avoidance
(DTA) treaty with the island nation was being misused for routing illegal
money into India.
In fact, tax advantage that India gave made Mauritius the supplier of
largest foreign direct investment into the country. Even since then, various
loopholes in the earlier trading system have been plugged.
The new CECPA was signed by Indian Commerce secretary Anup
Wadhawan and Ambassador Haymandoyal Dillum, Secretary of Foreign
Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Government of
Mauritius in Port Louis in the presence of Prime Minister of Mauritius and
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
JAISHANKAR AT UNHRC:
Human rights agenda faces
challenges due to terror
India said that the human rights
agenda faces severe challenges
mostly due to Pakistan's crossborder
terrorism.
Speaking at the 46th session of the
UN Human Rights Council, External
Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
said that the human rights agenda
continues to face severe challenges,
most of all from terrorism.
"The perennial concerns remain
equally strong, be it global inequities
or armed conflicts. Multilateral
institutions and mechanisms need to
be reformed to be able to deal with
these effectively," he said.
Terrorism continues to be one of
the gravest threats to humankind,
the minister said, adding that it is a
crime against humanity and violates
the most fundamental human right -
namely 'the Right to Life'.
"As a long-standing victim,
India has been in the forefront of
the global action against terrorism.
This is possible only when there is a
clear realisation, including in bodies
dealing with human rights, that
terrorism can never be justified, nor
its perpetrators be ever equated with
its victims," the minister argued.
India, he pointed out, had
presented at the UNSC last month an
eight-point action plan to deal with
the scourge of terrorism.
He said India will continue to work
together with the members of the UN
Security Council and other states to
ensure the implementation of the
Indian government's action plan.
The minister asserted that India
has always played an active role in
global promotion and protection of
human rights.
"Our strong commitment to
On India-China
LAC row, Army
chief says 'nobody
wants an unsettled
border'
Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on
Wednesday spoke about India's position on the
standoff with China in Ladakh and said that the
resolve of safeguarding the country's interest was shown.
The Army chief also said that India's engagements with
China should continue as they have in the past and said
that nobody wants an unsettled border, reported news
agency ANI.
"As two neighbours who would like to have peace and
tranquility on their borders and who would like that all
the other engagements which have been going on in the
past should continue also in the future," General Naravane
was quoted as saying by ANI. Nobody wants an unsettled
border, the army chief further said. Talking about the
efforts to normalise the situation along the Line of Actual
Control (LAC) in Ladakh, he said, "Whatever we did as
a government, as a nation, has shown that the resolve that
we have in maintaining our interest foremost."
"I think that with this 'Whole-of-Government Approach'
our relations with China would develop along the path
that we wish to develop," General Naravane said.
The recent India-China disengagement at Pangong Tso,
the army chief said, saw a good end result and termed it as
a win-win situation.
"
India believes that
violation of and gaps
in implementation of
human rights should
be addressed in a
fair and just manner,
with objectivity,
non-selectivity,
transparency and
with due respect to
the principles of noninterference
in internal
affairs and national
sovereignty
the welfare of entire humanity,
inspired by our civilisational
ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam'
or 'the World is one family' has
provided the very foundation on
which our constitutional and legal
framework of human rights has been
built," he said.
Jaishankar argued that India's
approach is based on its own
experience as an inclusive
and pluralistic society and a
vibrant democracy.
India's constitution has enshrined
basic human rights as fundamental
rights, guaranteeing civil and
political rights, stipulating provisions
for progressive realisation of
economic, social and cultural rights.
These continue to evolve through
legislations by the Parliament,
progressive interpretation of laws by
the judiciary and active participation
of civil society and citizens.
He said India believes that equal
emphasis should be placed on
both promotion and protection of
human rights. Both are best pursued
through dialogue, consultation and
cooperation among states as well
as technical assistance and capacity
building. India, he said, also believes
that achievement of sustainable
development goals will contribute
to realisation and enjoyment of basic
human rights.
As a member of the UNHRC, India
remains committed to work together
with fellow members of the council
to achieve consensus.
"India believes that violation of
and gaps in implementation of human
rights should be addressed in a fair
and just manner, with objectivity,
non-selectivity, transparency and
with due respect to the principles of
non-interference in internal affairs
and national sovereignty," he said.
A border standoff between the Indian and Chinese
militaries began in May last year, and a month later,
resulted in a bloody clash in Galwan Valley in which 20
Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed.
After nearly nine months, the armies withdrew their
artillery and camps, marking the disengagement.
In a joint statement on Sunday, India and China said
that the disengagement of troops in Pangong Lake
area in Eastern Ladakh is a significant step forward for
resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in the
western sector. The two sides also agreed to follow the
important consensus of their state leaders, continue their
communication and dialogue, stabilise and control the
situation on the ground and push for a mutually acceptable
resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly
manner so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in
the border areas.

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
WORLD 15
Johnson and Johnson
vaccine: FDA finds the
single-shot jab safe
A
review
by US regulators of the
single-shot Johnson & Johnson
coronavirus vaccine has found it
is safe and effective.
It paves the way for it to become the
third Covid-19 vaccine to be authorised
in the US, possibly within days.
The vaccine would be a costeffective
alternative to the
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines,
and can be stored in a
refrigerator instead of a
freezer.
The Belgian company
Janssen, which is owned
by the pharmaceutical giant,
said its data showed the product
was highly effective against severe
disease.
It comes as Ghana became the first
country to receive coronavirus vaccines
through the Covax vaccine-sharing
initiative.
The briefing document published by
the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) gives more detail on the data
submitted by Janssen to the regulator.
The FDA concludes that the Johnson &
Johnson vaccine has "known benefits" in
reducing both symptomatic and severe
illness.
A solar panel in space is collecting
energy that could one day be
beamed to anywhere on Earth
Scientists working for the
Pentagon have successfully
tested a solar panel the size of a pizza
box in space, designed as a prototype
for a future system to send electricity
from space back to any point on
Earth.
The panel -- known as a
Photovoltaic Radiofrequency
Antenna Module (PRAM) -- was
first launched in May 2020, attached
to the Pentagon's X-37B unmanned
drone, to harness light from the sun
to convert to electricity. The drone is
looping Earth every 90 minutes.
The Photovoltaic Direct Current
to Radio Frequency Antenna Module
(PRAM) sits inside thermal vacuum
chamber during testing at the US
Naval Research Laboratory in
Washington, DC.
The panel is designed to make
best use of the light in space, which
doesn't pass through the atmosphere,
and so retains the energy of blue
waves, making it more powerful
than the sunlight that reaches Earth.
Blue light diffuses on entry into the
atmosphere, which is why the sky
appears blue.
"We're getting a ton of extra
sunlight in space just because of
that," said Paul Jaffe, a co-developer
of the project.
The latest experiments
show that the 12x12-
inch panel is capable
of producing about
10 watts of energy
for transmission,
Jaffe told the media
"The
unique
advantage the solar
power satellites have
over any other source
of power is this global
transmissibility"
Results from
vaccine trials
conducted in the US,
South Africa and Brazil
found its efficacy against the
worst outcomes of the virus was "similarly
high" but overall protection was lower
in South Africa and Brazil, where virus
variants have become dominant.
Data showed it was more than 85%
effective at preventing serious illness,
but only 66% effective overall, when
moderate cases were included, when
considering cases at least 28 days after
vaccination.
Notably, there were no deaths among
participants who had received the vaccine
that's about enough to power a tablet
computer.
But the project envisages an array
of dozens of panels and, if scaled
up, its success could revolutionize
both how power is generated and
distributed to remote corners of
the globe. It could contribute to
the Earth's largest grid networks,
Jaffe said.
"Some visions have space solar
matching or exceeding the largest
power plants today -- multiple
gigawatts -- so enough for a city,"
he said. The unit has yet to actually
send power directly back to Earth,
but that technology has already been
proven.
If the project develops into
huge kilometers-wide space solar
antennae, it could beam microwaves
that would then be converted into
fuel-free electricity to any part of the
planet at a moment's notice.
"The unique advantage the solar
power satellites have over any other
source of power is this global
transmissibility," Jaffe
said. "You can send
power to Chicago and
a fraction of a second
later, if you needed,
send it instead to
London or Brasilia."
and no hospital admissions after 28 days
post-vaccine.
An external committee of experts will
meet on Friday to recommend whether
the FDA should authorise the vaccine,
possibly adding to a coming surge in
vaccine availability in the US.
A White House official said the
administration anticipated distributing at
least three million doses of the Johnson
& Johnson vaccine next week, should it
receive emergency authorisation from the
FDA.
The company says it plans to deliver
20 million doses in total by late March, in
line with an agreement to supply the US
with 100m doses by the end of June.
Rare bird: 'Half-male,
half-female' cardinal
snapped in Pennsylvania
A
bird that appears to be half-female and halfmale
has been photographed in Pennsylvania
by a birder who rushed out with his camera
when he heard a friend had spotted the northern
cardinal. Though not unheard of, mixed sex birds
are rare.
Male cardinals are bright red but females are pale
brown, suggesting this specimen may be a mix of
the two sexes. Retired ornithologist Jamie Hill, 69,
told the media it was a "once-in-a-lifetime, onein-a-million
encounter". A friend of Mr Hill told
him that she had seen an "unusual bird" coming to
her bird feeders in Warren County in the state of
Pennsylvania. At first Mr Hill wondered if the bird
was leucistic - a term that means the specimen would
have a loss of pigmentation in its feathers, but would
not be half-female, half-male.
But after seeing mobile phone pictures,
he suspected it had what is called bilateral
gynandromorphism, which is when a bird would
have both a functioning ovary and a functioning
single testis. He visited the home where the cardinal
had been spotted. Over the course of an hour he was
able to photograph the unusual bird.
"After I captured the images, my heart was
pounding for the next five hours until I could get home
and process the digital images to see what I actually
had," Mr Hill explained. "I have been searching for
the long-thought-extinct ivory-billed woodpecker
for almost two decades, and photographing this rare
version of one of our most common backyard birds,
this gynandromorph northern cardinal, was almost
as exciting as I think I would get if I actually found
the woodpecker," he said.
NEWS in BRIEF
Australian PM is vaccinated as rollout
begins
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has received
the coronavirus vaccine as the country prepares to start
vaccinations this week. His jab was televised today in order to
help boost confidence in the vaccine rollout across Australia.
Vaccinations officially begin tomorrow and at least 60,000
doses are expected to be administered next week.
Small crowds of anti-vaccination demonstrators gathered
to protest against the launch. The first vaccinations in
Australia will be the Pfizer vaccine which has been approved
for use. Australia's medical regulator earlier this week also
granted provisional approval for the vaccine developed by
AstraZeneca and Oxford University, which is expected to be
rolled out next month.
US records half million deaths due to
COVID-19
500,000 people have died because of COVID-19 in the
United States so far which is higher than in any other
country in the world.
This means that more Americans have died from
COVID-19 than they did on the battlefields of World War I,
World War II and the Vietnam War combined.
More than 28.1 million Americans have been infected
which is also a global record. President Joe Biden has
labelled this a grim milestone. Biden has ordered all flags
on federal properties to be lowered to half mast for the next
five days. According to the Johns Hopkins University, 2.4
million people have died because of COVID-19 worldwide.
There have been 112 million cases. 63 million people have
recovered from the virus.
Russia foils 72 terror crimes in 2020:
Putin
Russian
President Vladimir
Putin said on Wednesday
that law enforcement forces have
prevented 72 terrorist crimes in the
country in 2020, up from 57 a year
earlier. Despite the fact that many
of the attempts were thwarted at an early stage, terrorism
remains a serious threat with terrorists using more diverse
tactics, Putin said at a meeting of the Federal Security
Service (FSB) Board.
It is necessary to better protect places of mass gathering,
critical facilities and social institutions, and more effectively
coordinate the work of the FSB and other security agencies,
he said. Putin ordered law enforcers to pay special attention
to detecting the contacts between terrorist groups and foreign
special services, the Xinhua news agency reported.
He praised the work of counterintelligence bodies, which
have thwarted the activities of 72 employees and 423 agents
of foreign special services last year.
2.8m doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to
reach Pakistan on March 2
As 2.8 million doses of Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19
vaccine will be received on March 2, the government
has decided to start vaccination of people over 65 years of
age in the first week of next month.
Registration and inoculation of healthcare workers
(HCWs), other than frontline workers, will start from
February 22, the Dawn reported.
As Covid-19 cases seem to be under control even 18
days after the opening of educational institutions, the health
authorities expect that the situation will further improve with
the increase in temperature. However, some experts believe
that the trend seems to be on natural decline.
Donald Trump Jr. deposed by DC attorney
general as part of inaugural funds lawsuit
Donald Trump Jr. was deposed as part of the Washington,
DC, attorney general's lawsuit alleging the misuse of
Trump inaugural funds, according to a new court filing.
In a court document dated Tuesday, DC Attorney General
Karl Racine's office revealed the former President's son was
deposed on February 11.
The filing states that Trump's deposition "raised further
questions about the nature" of a hotel invoice Racine's office
has been investigating. The attorney general's office alleges
that the Trump Organization signed a contract with the
Loews Madison hotel for $49,358.92 for a block of rooms
during the 2017 inauguration, and that the invoice was later
forwarded to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which
then paid the bill, according to the filing.

16 ENTERTAINMENT
Friday, February 26, 2021 The Indian Weekender
Priyanka is 'a
little bit more
fearless' now
Ayushmann Khurranas film Shubh
Mangal Zyada Saavdhan released a
year ago on this day. The same-sex love
story cast him as a gay person. The Bollywood
actor says it takes time and effort to normalise
Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she for as many years as I have. But I'm in a
topics that are prone to be hushed up by society.
is a little more creative and a little more creatively amazing place."
"Taboo topics need to be constantly addressed
fearless, and she wants to hold onto the Priyanka's recent roles have included a
through our cinema because it can really help
feeling while navigating her career in India supporting act in the Hollywood film Isn't It
alter the mindset of people. It takes a lot of
and abroad. Over the years, the actress says, Romantic, starring opposite Farhan Akhtar in
time and effort to normalise taboo subjects and
she has found a certain confidence where she the Bollywood film The Sky Is Pink, playing
bring about constructive changes in society. I'm
wants to take chances, and not stick to what is a prop as Pinky Madam in The White Tiger,
glad that we tried to contribute towards making
"
perceived safe.
I think I am a little bit more
the conversation about same-sex relationships
"I think I am a little bit more fearless. I don't fearless. I don't know if that
in India mainstream through Shubh Mangal
know if that has to do with being exposed to has to do with being exposed
Zyada Saavdhan," Ayushmann said.
global entertainment, but to certain confidence
He added: "If it has had some impact on the
to global entertainment, but
over the years that I have found myself where I
minds of people, then we have done our job."
to certain confidence over the
like to take chances," Priyanka said.
For him, the film was a success story because
years that I have found myself
"Now, I am not sticking to safe. I'm not
Indian families watched the film. "The fact that
where I like to take chances
sticking to 'if this will work in this specific way'.
the film became a success, told me that people
I'm not a hamster on a wheel right now. I'm
with our characters, but I just feel that the story
want to engage and have a conversation on such
feeling creative. I'm feeling free. And feeling besides backing the horror story Evil Eye.
was so relevant," she said.
important subjects.
like I want to do so many things," she added. "When I read it (The White Tiger) 10 years
"The fact that Indian families came out and
The actress continued: "And for the first ago, it stayed with me for a very long time. So,
"It will be relevant till we make massive
watched this film was the biggest success story
time, I have the ability to tell the story and I when I heard that the book was being made, I changes, not just within India, but within
for me because our families can contribute so
can. So I'm actually taking advantage of that. thought I have to be a part of this movie. My countries, in developing economies around the
much to foster a spirit of inclusivity when it
I don't know if that has to do with where I am part is not an integral part of the movie, it's world," added the actress, who is married to
comes to same-sex relationships," he said.
globally or it's just me as a person after working Balram's film technically and his relationship pop star Nick Jonas.
Ayushmann recalled how many people in the
industry advised him not to sign the film.
Ekta Kapoor: In most countries, sexuality of a woman is considered sin
"I was thrilled with the response towards this
film because everyone told me I was doing a
Bollywood Czarina Ekta Kapoor, who sarees and sindoor (on her TV shows). I have
very tricky film and that no one would accept
has successfully tapped the domains somehow stunted the growth of women in this
this kind of cinema. Instead, I was humbled
of film, TV and OTT, says in most country. I don't agree to this because I felt that
with appreciation. The success of this film is
countries, sexuality of a woman is considered a woman in a saree is a choice, as a woman in
in how it was accepted as a commercial film
a sin. It is a conscious decision on her part to a swimsuit," says Ekta.
and how it has hopefully done its job to pave
push strong women-centric stories such as She adds that she has narrated several stories
a path for many other films on such subjects to
Lipstick Under My Burkha, The Dirty Picture of "conservative women" with "household
be made."
and Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare, issues", and now it is time to tell stories of
"I have always wanted to reach out and have
she adds. "It is a conscious decision. In most
of the countries, the sexuality of a woman is
considered as sin. That's a big problem and I
was told many times that I was a big part of
that journey -- by showcasing women wearing
women who have "other issues".
"I have told several stories of conservative
women who have household issues, now it's
time I tell stories of women who have other
issues. Every woman in different stages of
their life have choices and it's their choice.
They don't become good or bad by any of their
choices," she sums up.
a conversation with people about the subjects
that I have addressed through my movies. I will
continue doing that because it satiates me as
an artiste and motivates me to discover more
subjects like these," he concluded.
For Indian female actors, 40 is the new 20
A
significant
sign that the Indian film
industry is evolving is the fact that
storytellers are coming up with scripts
that have 40-plus actresses as leading ladies,
in films, OTT space as well as the television
screen. Here's looking at popular stories that
capture tales of womanhood in all its maturity.
Supriya Pilgaonkar in Janani
Sushmita Sen in Aarya
has yet to begin, the story explores the relation
of a mother-daughter duo. Actress Alia Bhatt
will be seen essaying the role of Shefali's onscreen
daughter.
Kajol and Tanvi Azmi in
Tribhanga
AYUSHMANN:
Taboo topics need
to be addressed
through cinema
Actress Suchita Trivedi came back to the
limelight with Indiawaali Maa. Her character,
of a mother trying to win back the affection
of her son living in London, was high on
emotional quotient.
Rupali Ganguly in Anupamaa
Supriya will soon be seen in the TV show
Janani, which tells the story of a woman who
is widowed, and faces the harsh realities of the
world with a new perspective. She returns to
television with the show, as a woman who faces
a sudden jolt in life. The show explores various
emotions of the woman who was otherwise
accustomed to a simple, secure way of living.
The first season of the web series was
appreciated immensely, and Sushmita is
gearing up to return on season two of the
crime thriller drama. "We always end up doing
things differently. Especially at my age, I am
able to wholly grasp the value of doing things
differently," she had told IANS earlier.
Shefali Shah in Darlings
The Shah Rukh Khan film production will
hit the screen later this year. While the shooting
This trilingual film, which recently dropped
in the OTT space, has three generations of
women in a family, played by Tanvi Azmi,
Kajol and Mithila Palkar. The story revolves
around Kajol's character, a celebrated actress,
discovering many truths about her estranged
mother, an author, after the latter slips into a
coma.
Suchita Trivedi in Indiawaali Maa
The actress is loved by the television viewing
audience as the titular character in the show.
Her simple, adjusting nature on screen has
made Anupamaa a much-loved character.

The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021
FEATURES 17
CROSSWORD FreeDailyCrosswords.com
NO: 62
ACROSS------------,
I) "_ like old times"
6) "Fear of Fifty" author Jong
11) Endorsing
14) Like draft beer
15) Union group
16) "Anytown, _"
17) Hold grudges
19) Blazing
20) French wine classification
21) Australian with three toes
22) Doctor's due
23) Pathetically inept person
27) Cardinal
29) Japanese tie
30) Focal device
32) One-eighth of a piece of
eight
33) Faux_ (blunder)
34) Moved stealthily
36) Latin music type
39) Chancellor von Bismarck
41) Three-tone chord
FOUR SICK DAYS
14
17
2 3 4 5
43) Holier-than-thou
44) Jockey's controls
46) Like brains and ears
48) Alter _
49) The moon in Paris
51) Double negative?
52) One of the Bobbsey Twins
53) Some wrestling holds
56) Prejudice
58) Historic time
59) Alternative to NC, once
60) Cleo's killer
61) Butter unit
62) Reason for many surgeries
68) Brunched
69) Disease of cereals
70) Establish as law
71) _ Altos, Calif.
72) Does a casino job
73) Disney duck
Berns
1st February
DOWN
I) Weep
2) Memphis-to-Nashville dir.
3) Heathrow airport listing (Abbr.)
4) Chagall and Antony
5) DNA shapes
6) Architectural annex
7) Propel a boat
8) More frigid and slippery
9) Less agitated
10) Hints at (with "to")
11) Feeling of satisfaction
12) Basket weaver's material
13) Appraised
18) Giving off light
23) Deep sleep
24) Diminish in intensity
25) Some purified liquids
26) Small projecting ridge
28) Cotswold cries
31) Descendant or heir
35) Skewered fare
37) Common sweetener
38) Opposite of ecstasy
40) Unwelcome obligation
42) Rejection of a request
45) Emulated a bull
47) Iditarod vehicle
50) Curtain call
53) Country in the Himalayas
54) A Muse
55) _ different tune (changed one's
mind)
57) State one's views
63) Costa del _
64) "_ a deal!"
65) Shooter's marble
66) Bar rocks
67) Where bacon is stored?
ANSWERS CROSSWORD NO: 62
FreeDailyCrosswords.com
ACROSS------------,
I) "_ like old times"
6) "Fear of Fifty" author Jong
11) Endorsing
14) Like draft beer
15) Union group
16) "Anytown, _"
17) Hold grudges
19) Blazing
20) French wine classification
21) Australian with three toes
22) Doctor's due
23) Pathetically inept person
27) Cardinal
29) Japanese tie
30) Focal device
32) One-eighth of a piece of
eight
33) Faux_ (blunder)
34) Moved stealthily
36) Latin music type
39) Chancellor von Bismarck
41) Three-tone chord
FOUR SICK DAYS
1
s
2 E 3E M
s
s
1
b N T A p
1 l
1
il E A R I
t: R u
1 L L
43) Holier-than-thou
44) Jockey's controls
46) Like brains and ears
48) Alter _
49) The moon in Paris
51) Double negative?
52) One of the Bobbsey Twins
53) Some wrestling holds
56) Prejudice
58) Historic time
59) Alternative to NC, once
60) Cleo's killer
61) Butter unit
62) Reason for many surgeries
68) Brunched
69) Disease of cereals
70) Establish as law
71) _ Altos, Calif.
72) Does a casino job
73) Disney duck
7R 8 1 gc 1 A
0 C A L
w I L L I
2 1: M u E
2 R E D
1 i I R
2!, 2 2
b C k
2b B I N 35 3k E A L
,, A s u C 3k A L 35
3b T
E
I A 4b
0 B E 4b
4s
HITORI NO: 62
S N 0 N
511 I
A
T
E
D
L I 6 T 66 1 6 7S
7
ENAC T
1
bEWEY
1st February
DOWN
I) Weep
2) Memphis-to-Nashville dir.
3) Heathrow airport listing (Abbr.)
4) Chagall and Antony
5) DNA shapes
6) Architectural annex
7) Propel a boat
8) More frigid and slippery
9) Less agitated
10) Hints at (with "to")
11) Feeling of satisfaction
12) Basket weaver's material
13) Appraised
18) Giving off light
23) Deep sleep
24) Diminish in intensity
25) Some purified liquids
26) Small projecting ridge
28) Cotswold cries
31) Descendant or heir
35) Skewered fare
37) Common sweetener
38) Opposite of ecstasy
40) Unwelcome obligation
42) Rejection of a request
45) Emulated a bull
47) Iditarod vehicle
50) Curtain call
53) Country in the Himalayas
54) A Muse
55) _ different tune (changed one's
mind)
57) State one's views
63) Costa del _
64) "_ a deal!"
65) Shooter's marble
66) Bar rocks
67) Where bacon is stored?
Eliminate numbers until there are no duplicates in any row or
column. Eliminate numbers by marking them in Black. You are
not allowed to have two Black squares touching horizontally or
vertically (diagonally is ok). Any White square can be reached
from any other (i.e. they are connected).
SUDOKU SOLUSIONS AND ANSWERS NO: 62
65 66 67
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. In which part of your body would you find the cruciate
ligament? Knee
2. What is the name of the main antagonist in the Shakespear
play Othello? Lago
3. What element is denoted by the chemical symbol Sn in the
periodic table? Tin
4. What is the name of the 1976 film about the Watergate
scandal, starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman? All
the President's Men
5. How many of Henry VIII’s wives were called Catherine? 3
6. What was the most popular girls name in the UK in 2019?
Olivia
7. Which comedian was the second permanent host of Never
Mind the Buzzcocks after Mark Lamarr? Simon Amstell
8. Which popular video game franchise has released games with
the subtitles World At War and Black Ops? Call of Duty
9. In what US State is the city Nashville? Tennessee
10. Which rock band was founded by Trent Reznor in 1988?
Nine Inch Nails
11. What is the currency of Denmark? Krone
12. Which Tennis Grand Slam is played on a clay surface? The
French Open (Roland Garros)
13. In which European country would you find the Rijksmuseum?
Netherlands
14. How many films have Al Pacino and Robert De Niro appeared
in together? Four (The Godfather Part 2, Heat, Righteous
Kill, The Irishman)
15. What was the old name for a Snickers bar before it changed
in 1990? Marathon
16. Who was the head of state in Japan during the second world
war? Emperor Hirohito
17. What is the smallest planet in our solar system? Mercury
18. Who wrote the novels Gone Girl and Sharp Objects? Gillian
Flynn
19. Which legendary surrealist artist is famous for painting
melting clocks? Salvador Dali
20. Which football club plays its home games at Loftus Road?
Queen’s Park Rangers
26 February to 4 March 2021 | By Manisha Koushik
ARIES (MAR 21-APR 20)
Getting something important done may be on
your mind this week. You are likely to enjoy your
heart out. Gaining popularity on the social front
is likely for those who make it a point to remain
in touch. A romantic evening is on the cards for
some. Something good is likely to come out of
the initiative taken by you at work. You will
manage to earn a handsome amount through your talents. Lucky
No.:18 / Lucky Colour: Saffron
TAURUS (APR 21-MAY 20)
You will need to get better acquainted with
someone to be able to appreciate his or her
point of view. A routine job is likely to keep you
engrossed on the work front. Some of you can
end up spending more than you have catered
for. Despite temptations, you are likely to avoid
excesses on the culinary front. Petty domestic
issues may keep you off mood on the social front. You may
commence a fitness routine. Lucky No.:11 / Lucky Colour: Light
Pink
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUN 21)
You may have to keep up with others on the
academic front. Romance will be high on your
list of priorities. Those married are likely to
enjoy a second honeymoon by planning a
vacation. There is a good chance of meeting
someone who will help you out on the
professional front. Additional work will come
your way that promises a handsome payout.
Relief is in sight for those ailing. Those planning to buy property
may go ahead. Lucky No.:14/ Lucky Colour: Green
CANCER (JUN 22-JUL 20)
Take time out to network. Only then will you
be able to achieve, what you are seeking. You
can become negligent on the professional front
and then find it difficult to cope up with work.
Some problems in maintaining stability on the
financial front are foreseen, but you will be able
to overcome them. You may set out on the path
of attaining perfect health. Interfering nature of someone in the
family may make you see red. Lucky No.: 4
Lucky Colour: Dark Slate Grey
Manisha Koushik is a practicing astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, vastu and
fengshui consultant based in India with a global presence through the online channels. She is
available for consultations online as well. E-mail her at support@askmanisha.com or contact
at +91-11-26449898 Mobile/Whatsapp: +91-9716145644 • www.askmanisha.com
LEO (JUL21-AUG 20)
Some more efforts will be required on the academic
front and you will be quite up to it. You may want
to take the world by storm, but feel scared to take
up the challenge. Remember, nothing ventured,
nothing gained. Success of someone close may
spur you to do even better, but don’t let this desire
become all consuming. You will need to perform much better at
work than what is currently the case. Health remains satisfactory.
Lucky No.: 15 / Lucky Colour: Coffee
VIRGO (AUG 23-SEP 23)
Excellent performance will help you in beating
the competition on the academic front. You are
likely to earn more than you are able to spend,
so expect to remain solid on the financial front.
Those craving for love may witness a miracle
happening on the romantic front! Your interests
are likely to be served by your well wishers.
Enjoying good health by taking precautions against the season is
possible. Keep the one who matters in good humour. Lucky No.:7
/ Lucky Colour: Chocolate
LIBRA (SEP 24-OCT 23)
There is much to do on the professional front
this week, so prioritise your work, so that
nothing important is left out. You will find
things progressing well on the professional
front. Getting praised by superiors for your
performance is possible. You are likely to give a
good account of yourself on the academic front.
Those staying apart will soon get a chance to meet. Financially, you
may find yourself steadily on the upswing. Health problems will
disappear. Lucky No.: 2 / Lucky Colour: Orange
SCORPIO (OCT 24-NOV 22)
Your concern for a social issue is likely to
touch someone’s heart. Good going on the
professional front may motivate you to give in
your best. There is a good chance of meeting
someone you had not met in years on the family
front. Some of you can get lucky playing the
stocks. Joining a gym or an exercise regimen is
indicated. Taking a shortcut may lose time, so
adhere to the tried and tested routes. Lucky No.: 1 / Lucky Colour:
Peach
SAGITTARIUS (NOV 23-DEC 21)
You will make it a point to meet people who are
like-minded. This week, you may remain in a state
of confusion on the work front in the absence of
concrete directions. Someone on the social front
can be of immense help, provided you approach
him or her. Financially, you will be able to manage
fine. Your sense of humour may pull someone towards you on the
romantic front. A long drive will help you relax your mind. Lucky
No.: 22 / Lucky Colour: Indigo
CAPRICORN (DEC 22-JAN 21)
You may get involved in something that gives you
immense satisfaction. Your professional prospects
are likely to brighten, as new opportunities come
your way. Financially, you will remain on a safe
wicket. Some medical problem may chase you,
but you will be able to handle it fine. Someone
you like may take the initiative on the romantic
front. You remain in an upbeat mood regarding a child. Visit to a
pilgrimage place is on the cards. Lucky No.: 5 / Lucky Colour:
Teal
AQUARIUS (JAN 22-FEB 19)
You may find yourself unusually busy on the
academic front. This may well turn out to be the
most promising week for you! Opportunities on the
professional front are likely to chase you. Career
front looks simply great as your keen foresight
helps you along! You manage to come a step closer
to your dream of earning big on the financial front.
Those in love are likely to have scintillating time. Health problems
worrying you disappear. Lucky No.: 17 / Lucky Colour: Electric
Grey
PISCES (FEB 20-MAR 20)
This is a good week to look up someone you
have not met for long. You may get loaded with
work and resent it. Someone may go back on his
or her promise of returning your money, which
may leave you high and dry. Over consumption
of something not agreeing with your system may
play havoc with your health. Spending a cosy
evening with someone you like is possible. Lucky No.: 22
Lucky Colour: Cream

18
FEATURES
Friday, February 26, 2021 The Indian Weekender
Shahi Aloo
KASHMIRI DUM ALOO
INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2kg - potatoes ( Small baby
potatoes )
• 31/2cups - water
• 1/4tsp - salt
• Oil for frying
• 1/2cup - yoghurt
• 2tbsp - oil for cooking
• 1/4tsp - asafoetida
• 1tsp - caraway seeds
• 1inch - cinnamon
• 3 - cloves
• 1 - black cardamom
• 4 - black peppers
• 1 - green cardamom
• 3tsp - Kashmiri red chilli
powder
• 1/2tbsp - ginger powder
• 1tbsp - fennel powder
• 11/2cups - water
• 1tsp - salt or according to taste
• Fresh coriander chopped for
garnishing
PREPARATION:
• Wash potatoes and keep aside.
• Boil water in a heavy base
saucepan over medium flame.
• Add potatoes along with salt
and half boil them; that will
take 10 minutes. Transfer
them on to a plate.
• Once the potatoes are of room
temperature peel the skin off
( You can leave the skin on as
per your choice ).
• Heat oil over medium flame in
a deep heavy base saucepan.
• Deep fry the potatoes, in
batches, until crisp and golden
in colour, ( With the slotted
spoon turn them over and
over to evenly fry them ) then
transfer them onto a plate
covered with kitchen paper
towel ( use a fork to test to
see if the potatoes are tender
enough. Your fork should
easily slide through the
potato when
they’re
properly cooked).
• Repeat the process until all
the potatoes are done and
then prick them with the
fork ( Pricking is done to the
potatoes to absorb the flavours
while they are getting cooked
in the masala ). Keep aside.
• Whisk yoghurt and set aside
for later use.
METHOD:
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over
medium flame in a heavy base
saucepan.
• Add asafoetida, stir add
caraway seeds, cinnamon,
cloves, black cardamom, black
peppers and green cardamom,
stir for few minutes or until
aromatic.
• Lower the flame then add
Kashmiri red chilli powder,
ginger powder and fennel
powder, stir well.
• Add whisked yoghurt, stirring
continuously so that the
yoghurt does not get cuddled.
• Add water, mix well stirring
continuously, then cover and
let one boil come over medium
flame.
• Lower the flame after one boil
and let cook until oil comes on
top.
• Add fried potatoes, mix well.
• Add salt, mix well again and
add water if required ( The
consistency of the gravy is thick
so add water in tablespoons if
the potatoes are sticking to the
bottom of the pan ).
• Cover and cook potatoes over
medium flame for 3-4 minutes
and until the potatoes are well
immersed into the gravy ( Add
more water if required ).
• Serve with roti preferably naan
or rice.
• Serves - 6
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 - potatoes, medium
• 2 - onions, large
• 8 - cashews
• 2 - green chillies
• 1 - curry leave
• 3 - cloves
• 1 - black cardamom
• 1tsp - garlic paste
• 11/2tsp - ginger paste
• 1tbsp - coriander powder
• 1/2tsp - turmeric powder
• 1tsp - Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2tbsp - yoghurt
• 1/2cup - milk
• 1/2tsp - garam masala powder
• 2tbsp - dry fenugreek leaves
• 1tsp - salt or according to taste
• 3tbsp - oil
• Oil for deep frying
METHOD;
• Peel, wash and dice potatoes into small cubes.
• Heat oil in a heavy base saucepan over medium
flame and deep fry the potatoes until brown in
colour, then transfer them onto a kitchen paper
towel. Keep aside for later use.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy base saucepan
over medium flame.
• Add peeled, washed and sliced onions and fry
them for 4-5 minutes or until they are brown in
BAKED POTATOES
INGREDIENTS:
4 - potatoes, medium
• 2tsp - olive oil
• Sea salt to sprinkle
• 2tbsp - olive oil
• 1tsp - garlic salt
• 50gm - Greek yoghurt
• 2 - green chillies
• 1 - red onion, small
• Chaat masala to sprinkle
METHOD:
• Preheat the oven to 180dc
and line baking sheet with
parchment paper.
• Wash potatoes under running
water.
• Use a fork to poke a few holes
into the potatoes.
• Place pricked potatoes ( with
the skin on ) on the baking
sheet, rub with olive oil, and
sprinkle liberally with sea salt
all over.
• Bake potatoes for 30 to 50
minutes, or until the potato
is fork-tender and the skin is
crisp. Set aside.
• Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil
with the garlic salt.
• Cut a deep cross into the top
of the potato, drizzle the garlic
oil into the cross and rub it all
over the outside.
• Return potatoes to the oven
and bake for another 15 mins
more until the edges are
golden and crispy.
• Place potatoes on the serving
plate with the cross cut facing
up wards.
colour. Transfer fried onions onto a plate covered
with kitchen paper towel.
• Once the onions are of room temperature, grind
them along with cashews and green chillies into a
paste ( Add water if needed in tablespoons ). Set
aside.
• In the same saucepan heat 2 tablespoon of oil
over medium flame; add curry leaves, cloves and
black cardamom, sauté for few seconds.
• Add garlic paste, stir, add ginger paste and sauté
for 2-3 minutes.
• Lower the flame then add coriander powder,
turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and
salt, mix well with a splash of water.
• Add onion paste, mix well, cover and let cook
stirring in between until oil come on top.
• On low flame add whisked yoghurt, stirring
continuously until oil comes on top.
• Add fried potatoes to the onion masala, mix
well, cover and cook over medium flame for 2-3
minutes ( Add water in tablespoons if needed ).
• Lower the flame and add milk while stirring
continuously until the milk is well blended ( You
can also remove the pan from the flame when
adding milk so that it does not get cuddled ) .
• Add garam masala powder and fenugreek leaves,
mix well then cover and cook for another 1-2
minute.
• Serve with naan or preferably lachha paratha.
• Serves - 4
• Wash and chop green chillies;
peel wash and chop onion.
• Spoon the dollop of yoghurt in
the centre of the potato ( into
the cut ).
• Sprinkle chopped onions and
green chillies on top of the
yoghurt.
• Serve with chaat masala
sprinkled on top.

"Learning English gave me
confidence to talk to my neighbours."
Your family member might have pre-paid for English lessons
when they applied for their visa to New Zealand.
Learning English will help your family member with their daily life. They will be able to
understand what happening in New Zealand and how it affects them.
Ask the Tertiary Education Commission to check if your family member has money to
use, and how to enrol for English lessons.
Call 0800 601 301 or visit tec.govt.nz/pre-paid-English-lessons