Rizwan Sajan: When do I stop being Indian UAE's Masala King ...

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THE INTERNATIONAL
Indian
EST: 1992 The Region’s Oldest, Authoritative
Magazine of Gulf Indian Society & History
ISSN 0964 8437
PUBLISHERS
Prof. Prabhu Guptara
Santosh Shetty
FOUNDER EDITOR
Frank Raj
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Erik R. Hadden
Prem Souri Kishore
Benjamin H. Parker
Vishal Mangalwadi
TRAVEL EDITOR
Shana Raj Parker
MANAGER PR
Christine DeSouza
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Balan Iyer
GRAPHIC ARTIST
Delfina Tuazon
PHOTOGRAPHER
Benjamin H. Parker
INTERNATIONAL
CORRESPONDENTS
CANADA Rubina Jacob
SINGAPORE Amita Sarwal
UK Anjali Guptara Khera
Rudy Otter
Shamlal Puri
USA Prem Souri Kishore
MIDDLE EAST Hemu Gorde
Bandana Jain
Deepa Ballal
SOUTH AFRICA Asma Ayob
INDIA
DELHI Vishal Arora
CHENNAI Aruna Srinivasan
HYDERABAD Shyamola Khanna
MUMBAI Sarina Menezes
BANGALORE Marianne de Nazareth
DIRECTOR
Raina Raj Hadden
HEAD, OPERATIONS
Arpit Waghmare
TII MIDDLE EAST & INDIA OFFICES:
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Audited Circulation
28,399 copies
Mar/Apr 2012
www.bpaww.com
Letters to the Editor
Misquoted by TII Writer
In the article on ‘Indians in the Netherlands’ (TII 19.6) your writer
Maarten van der Schaaf describes the Surinami people as “Bounties,
black on the outside, white on the inside”. This is highly offensive to
describe these people like this, and I find it very unprofessional and
unethical of him to purposely misquote me.
I did use the analogy of a Bounty chocolate, dark/brown on the
outside, white on the inside (brown/dark being the colour of
chocolate and Surinami Indian people). However calling them
“black” is highly offensive, and is definitely your writer’s word not
mine. By choosing to use “black” says enough about your writer
as a person.
I do not wish to be associated with this article and want my name
and photo to be completely removed.
Lavesh Lakhina
Executive President
Indian Expat Society
The Netherlands
TII Is Non-Partisan & Incisive
I just wanted to let you know that I was given a copy of The
International Indian when I was in Dubai recently and I found your
article on Dinesh D’Souza refreshingly non-partisan and incisive.
Thank you so much. It was also good to read Michael Hyatt’s’s article
and to see the tips on handling emails… I have something to learn!!
Duncan and Vasanti Watkinson
Bangalore
Anglo Indians & Goans
Your last issue, TII 19.5 had an article on Anglo-Indians and
Goans, which I found offensive at first, but after I read it I felt foolish
for my initial reaction. Rudy Otter as an Anglo-Indian writer was quite
balanced in handling the subject of rivalry with Goans. In fact he puts
all the blame on Anglo-Indians, which is not fair at all - Goa too has
its, ‘nose-in-the-air’ Portuguese Goans who think they are somehow
superior to the rest of us! Such stupid attitudes are the bane of our
country across all communities!
Alfred Pinto
Bahrain
The best letters to the editor
will win exquisite gifts
from Liali Jewellery.
Email your letters to:
frankraj08@gmail.com
The International Indian
By: Frank Raj
Editor s PICK
Lapping the shore of the azure
Mediterranean sea, the five star,
superior Movenpick Hotel & Resort,
is the only city centre hotel with
stunning resort facilities in Beirut,
only a ten minute drive from downtown and
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it is the most sought after beach location
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conveniently located only 6.1km (3.8mi) from
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Rafik Al Hariri International Airport.
Local tourist attractions such as Pigeon
Rocks, Sanayeh Park and Universite Saint-
Joseph are not far from the hotel. Also easily
within reach are Mohammed Al Amin Mosque,
Hippodrome Du Parc De Beyrouth and Saint
Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The hotel
is also just an hour’s drive away from Faraya ski
resorts and beaches along the coast.
The resort hotel comprises 292 newly
renovated guest rooms and suites including
'
Mövenpick Hotel & Resort Beirut Outdoor Facilities
Mövenpick Hotel &
Resort, Beirut Essential Spa & Health Club
www.moevenpick-beirut.com
two dedicated Club Floors to cater to the 21 st
century business executive, designed by the
renowned French interior designer Pierre –
Yves Rochon. For the savvy traveller, in-room
technology includes free high-speed Internet,
Wi Fi access and a laptop size safe.
Restaurants and bars include international
and authentic Lebanese cuisine, Hemingways
Bar & Cigar Lounge, Mediterranee Restaurant,
Bourj Al Hamam and the seasonal Hurricane
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The free standing two level Essential Spa
& Health Club includes 11 treatment rooms, a
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Fully equipped changing and shower facilities
include a private steam room, with over 49
different treatments available. Aerobic and
yoga classes are available regularly.
Recreational activities include three
outdoor pools, a private beach and marina,
tennis and squash courts.
Frank Raj is TII’s founder editor and publisher
CONTACT:
Rita Chbat
Communications Manager
General DeGaulle Avenue
Raouche 2038 6908
Beirut Lebanon
T: +961 1 869 666
F: +961 1 799 505
Email: rita.chbat@
moevenpick.com
www.moevenpick-beirut.
com
The International Indian 11