IInd Issue of July 2015 Vol.13 Issue:14 Pg-4 Bharat has lost a Ratna: PM Modi writes on APJ Abdul Kalam's death Pg-6 e-Tourist Visa facility extended to the UK with effect from 15 August 2015 Pg-5 Exercise Indradhanush Pg-8 Kumbh Mela Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee visited the UK during July 27-30, 2015.The Chief Minister was accompanied by an official delegation including Dr Amit Mitra, Minister of Finance; Shri Derek O'Brein, MP, Rajya Sabha; Shri Sugato Bose, MP, Lok Sabha; Shri Deepak Adhikari, MP, Lok Sabha; Shri Sovan Chattopadhyay, Mayor of Kolkata;Apart from the official delegation, the Chief Minister was also accompanied by a large business delegation, cultural delegation as well as the media from India. During the visit, HRH Prince Andrew, the Duke of York hosted the Chief Minister at Buckingham Palace. Baroness D'Souza, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords was present at a reception hosted by the Duke of York on the occasion. The Chief Minister attended an official reception at the Locarno Suite, hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Rt Hon Priti Patel, Minister of State for Employment represented the UK side. In her address, the Chief Minister highlighted West Bengal as the 'Human Capital of the World' and called on British businesses to invest Visit of Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee to the United Kingdom from July 27-30, 2015 Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India passed away on 27 July 2015 at Shillong. As a mark of respect to the departed dignitary, seven days state mourning was observed throughout India. Born on 15 October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. He was the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft. Dr. Kalam served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. Dr. Kalam was one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions. He was awarded coveted Indian civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997). Dr. Kalam served as the 11th President of India from 25th July 2002 to 25th July 2007. His focus was on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020. He took up academic pursuit as Professor, Technology & Societal Transformation at Anna University, Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country. In his literary pursuit, four of Dr. Kalam's books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium", "My journey" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashing the power within India" became household names in India and among Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many Indian languages. Former President Dr. A .P.J. Abdul Kalam passes away In his condolence message, President Mukherjee said, "The passing away of former President of India, Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is a deep personal loss for me. I will always cherish my long association with him. As President of India, Dr. Kalam was immensely popular and greatly admired. His warmth, humility and simple ways endeared him to one and all. He had a special love for children and sought to constantly inspire the youth of our country through motivational speeches and personal interaction". Condoling the sudden and untimely demise of former President, Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari said that Dr. Kalam was a true son of India and his contributions to the nation, in his capacity as a man of technology, a teacher and a leader will be deeply cherished by a grateful nation. "The guide of India's space and missile programs, Dr. Kalam's efforts saw India become a front ranking power in these spheres." President and Vice President expressed their condolences over the sad demise of former President Abdul Kalam Tributes from the world leaders on Kalam's death U.S. President Barack Obama said while condoling the death,"A scientist and statesman, Kalam rose from humble beginnings to become one of India's most accomplished leaders, earning esteem at home and abroad." Russian President Vladimir Putin in a message said "In Russia, Abdul Kalam will be remembered as a consistent exponent of closer friendly relations between our nations who has done a lot for cementing mutually beneficial Russian-Indian cooperation." Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a signed tweet said: "Saddened to learn of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's passing. My condolences to his family and the people of India." Also messages poured in from Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Bhutanese Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd. NajibTunRazak, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Maithripala Sirisena. Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam receiving King Charles II Medal from Lord Martin Rees, then President of Royal Society in 2007 ( Image courtesy: The Hindu) Continued on Pg-2
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Former President Dr. A .P.J. Abdul Kalam passes away · · 2017-07-05Indian civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan ... Abdul Kalam's dream-destination: India
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IInd Issue of July 2015
Vol.13 Issue:14
Pg-4
Bharat has lost aRatna: PM Modi
writes on APJ AbdulKalam's death
Pg-6
e-Tourist Visafacility extendedto the UK witheffect from 15August 2015
Pg-5
ExerciseIndradhanush Pg-8
Kumbh Mela
Hon'ble Chief Minister of West BengalMamata Banerjee visited the UKduring July 27-30, 2015.The ChiefMinister was accompanied by anofficial delegation including Dr AmitMitra, Minister of Finance; Shri DerekO'Brein, MP, Rajya Sabha; Shri SugatoBose, MP, Lok Sabha; Shri DeepakAdhikari, MP, Lok Sabha; Shri SovanChattopadhyay, Mayor ofKolkata;Apart from the officialdelegation, the Chief Minister was alsoaccompanied by a large businessdelegation, cultural delegation as wellas the media from India.During the visit, HRH Prince
Andrew, the Duke of York hosted the
Chief Minister at Buckingham Palace.Baroness D'Souza, Lord Speaker ofthe House of Lords was present at areception hosted by the Duke of Yorkon the occasion.The Chief Minister attended an
official reception at the Locarno Suite,hosted by the Foreign andCommonwealth Office. Rt Hon PritiPatel, Minister of State forEmployment represented the UK side.In her address, the Chief Ministerhighlighted West Bengal as the'Human Capital of the World' andcalled on British businesses to invest
Visit of Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee to the United Kingdom from July 27-30, 2015
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, formerPresident of India passed away on 27July 2015 at Shillong. As a mark ofrespect to the departed dignitary, sevendays state mourning was observedthroughout India. Born on 15 October 1931 at
Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. AvulPakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam,specialized in Aeronautical Engineeringfrom Madras Institute of Technology.He was the Scientific Adviser to
Defence Minister and Secretary,Department of Defence Research &Development from July 1992 toDecember 1999. He also gave thrust toself-reliance in defence systems byprogressing multiple development tasksand mission projects such as LightCombat Aircraft.Dr. Kalam served as the Principal
Scientific Advisor to the Government of
India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister,from November 1999 to November2001 and was responsible for evolvingpolicies, strategies and missions formany development applications.
Dr. Kalam was one of the mostdistinguished scientists of India with theunique honour of receiving honorarydoctorates from 30 universities andinstitutions. He was awarded covetedIndian civilian awards - Padma Bhushan(1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) andthe highest civilian award BharatRatna (1997).
Dr. Kalam served as the 11th Presidentof India from 25th July 2002 to 25th July2007. His focus was on transforming Indiainto a developed nation by 2020.
He took up academic pursuit asProfessor, Technology & SocietalTransformation at Anna University,Chennai from November 2001 and wasinvolved in teaching and research tasks.Above all he took up a mission to ignite theyoung minds for national development bymeeting high school students acrossthe country.
In his literary pursuit, four of Dr. Kalam's
books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - AVision for the New Millennium", "Myjourney" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashingthe power within India" became householdnames in India and among Indian nationalsabroad. These books have been translatedin many Indian languages.
Former President Dr. A .P.J. Abdul Kalam passes away
In his condolence message, PresidentMukherjee said, "The passing away offormer President of India, Bharat RatnaDr. APJ Abdul Kalam is a deep personalloss for me. I will always cherish mylong association with him. As Presidentof India, Dr. Kalam was immenselypopular and greatly admired. Hiswarmth, humility and simple waysendeared him to one and all. He had aspecial love for children and sought toconstantly inspire the youth of ourcountry through motivational speeches
and personal interaction".Condoling the sudden and untimely
demise of former President, VicePresident of India Shri M. HamidAnsari said that Dr. Kalam was a trueson of India and his contributions to thenation, in his capacity as a man oftechnology, a teacher and a leader willbe deeply cherished by a gratefulnation. "The guide of India's space andmissile programs, Dr. Kalam's effortssaw India become a front rankingpower in these spheres."
President and Vice President expressed theircondolences over the sad demise of former
President Abdul Kalam
Tributes from theworld leaders onKalam's death
U.S. President Barack Obamasaid while condoling the death,"Ascientist and statesman, Kalamrose from humble beginnings tobecome one of India's mostaccomplished leaders, earningesteem at home and abroad."
Russian President VladimirPutin in a message said "In Russia,Abdul Kalam will be rememberedas a consistent exponent of closerfriendly relations between ournations who has done a lot forcementing mutually beneficialRussian-Indian cooperation."Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong in a signed tweetsaid: "Saddened to learn of Dr APJAbdul Kalam's passing. Mycondolences to his family and thepeople of India."Also messages poured in from
Afghanistan President AshrafGhani, Bhutanese Prime Minister,Tshering Tobgay, Malaysian PrimeMinister Mohd. NajibTunRazak,Pakistani Prime Minister NawazSharif and Sri Lankan PrimeMinister Maithripala Sirisena.
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam receiving King Charles IIMedal from Lord Martin Rees, then President ofRoyal Society in 2007 ( Image courtesy: The Hindu)
Continued on Pg-2
2 IInd Issue of July 2015
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal paying floral tributes toRabindranath Tagore at Gordon Square, London
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal after paying floral tributes toMahatma Gandhiji at Parliament Square, London.
in the state, assuring them that"backlogs and red tape are gone."During the event, over 20Memorandums of Understanding(MoUs) signed between the UK andWest Bengal Governments at theFICCI-UKIBC business event heldearlier in the fields of industry, health,education and urban developmentwere highlighted. Prior to the reception,the Chief Minister had a bilateralmeeting with Rt Hon Priti Patel, whereissues of mutual interest were discussed.The Chief Minister attended a Round
table Discussion over dinner hosted byRt Hon Patricia Hewitt, Chair, UK IndiaBusiness Council (UKIBC), duringwhich she interacted with high levelrepresentatives of UK corporates keenon investing in West Bengal.The Chief Minister participated in a
Roundtable Discussion with Asia Housecorporate members, hosted by AsiaHouse and KPMG, during which shehighlighted the opportunities availablefor UK companies to invest in WestBengal.During the visit, the Chief Minister
paid floral tributes at the MahatmaGandhi statue at Parliament Square andthe statue of Rabindranath Tagore atGordon Square in London.The Prime Minister of the UK David
Cameron could not meet with the ChiefMinister as he was not in the UK. ThePM wrote a letter to the Chief Minister,saying "I wish you a successful andrewarding visit which will help to forgethe close ties between the UK and WestBengal. Our relationship with India is apriority for the UK, and we look forwardto welcoming your Prime Minister to theUK later this year. The proposedsignature of over 20 Memorandums ofUnderstanding between the UK andWest Bengal during your visit is a clearreflection of our positive relationshipin a number of areas."
The Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal with the business community in London
Visit of Hon'ble Chief Minister of WestBengal Mamata Banerjee to the UnitedKingdom from July 27-30, 2015
Continued from Pg-1
The Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal at the Asia House roundtable on 29 July 2015.
The Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal meeting with Rt Hon Priti Patel, MP,Minister of State for Employment of UKThe Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal at a meeting with HRH Prince Andrew, The Duke of York at Buckingham Palace
IInd Issue of July 2015 3
The Hon'ble Maharashtra Chief Minister presenting a book to Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Chancellor of theDuchy of Lancaster and Minister in charge of the Cabinet Office
The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister in charge of the CabinetOffice met with Hon’ble Minister for Railways of India Shri Suresh Prabhu in Delhi
The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister in charge of theCabinet Office met with Hon’ble Finance Minister of India, Shri Arun Jaitley in Delhi
Minister (Coordination), S.S.Sidhu at annual "Prakash" event on 17 July 2015.
The Nanaksar Thath Isher Darbar Trust and Guru Nanak Sikh Academy School organised the annualPrakash event
An Indian delegation led Mr. N.K. Sharma, Chief ParliamentSecretary, Industry Commerce and Investment Promotion,
Government of Punjab visited the UK from 23 to 25 July, 2015.
Punjab delegation with the community leaders to discuss the problems of NRIs in Punjab at IndiaHouse On 24 July, 2015.
Roundtable Discussion at India House
Roundtable Discussion on India-Nottingham collaboration held at India House on July 17, 2015
The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Chancellor of the Duchy ofLancaster and Minister in charge of the Cabinet Office,visited India from 27-29 July 2015.
4 IInd Issue of July 2015
BHARAT has lost a Ratna, but the lightfrom this jewel will guide us towards APJAbdul Kalam's dream-destination: Indiaas a knowledge superpower, in the firstrank of nations. Our scientist-President -and one who was genuinely loved andadmired across the masses - nevermeasured success by materialpossessions. For him, the counterpoint topoverty was the wealth of knowledge, inboth its scientific and spiritualmanifestations. As a hero of our defenceprogramme, he shifted horizons; and as aseer of the spirit, he sought to liberatedoctrine from the narrow confines ofpartisan tension to the transcendentalspace of harmony.Every great life is a prism, and we
bathe in those rays that find their way tous. His profound idealism was securebecause it rested on a foundation ofrealism. Every child of deprivation is arealist. Poverty does not encourageillusions. Poverty is a terrible inheritance;a child can be defeated even before he orshe has begun to dream. But Kalamjirefused to be defeated by circumstances.As a boy, he had to support his studies byearning money as a newspaper vendor;today, page after page of the samenewspapers are filled with his obituary
notices. He said that he would not bepresumptuous enough to say that his lifecould be a role model for anybody; but ifsome poor child living in an obscure andunderprivileged social setting found somesolace in the way his destiny had beenshaped, it could perhaps help suchchildren liberate themselves from the
bondage of illusory backwardness andhelplessness. He is my marg darshak, aswell as that of every such child.His character, commitment and
inspirational vision shine through hislife. He was unencumbered by ego;flattery left him cold. He was equally atease before an audience of suave,
globe-trotting ministers and a class ofyoung students. The first thing thatstruck one about him was that,uniquely, he combined the honesty of achild with the energy of a teenager andthe maturity of an adult. He took littlefrom the world, and gave all he could tosociety. A man of deep faith, heepitomised the three great virtues of ourcivilization: dama, self-restraint; dana,sacrifice; and daya, compassion.But this persona was powered by the
fire of endeavour. His vision for thenation was anchored in freedom,development and strength. Given ourhistory, freedom had a political contextof course; but it also included freedom ofthe mind and expansion of intellectualspace. He wanted India to leap out of theunder-developed trough, and eliminatethe curse of poverty through inclusiveeconomic growth. Wisely, he suggestedthat politicians spend only 30% of theirtime on politics, and 70% ondevelopment; a suggestion which heoften followed up by calling in MPs froma state and discussing the socio-economic issues of their regionwith them. For the full text, please visit:https://www.hcilondon.in/event.php?id=189
Bharat has lost a Ratna: PM Modi writes on APJ Abdul Kalam's death
Without any doubt, President Abdul Kalam was modernIndia’s most popular President and aptly called the People’sPresident. I had the privilege to know President Kalam andhe was a truly inspirational individual who charmed youinstantly with his wonderful smile, his humility, kindness andfriendliness. He was a completely down to earth individualand, although a rocket scientist, he was truly grounded!
Every time I heard him speak I came away utterlyinspired by his positivity and optimism. He was at theforefront of the internet era, regularly making PowerPointpresentations which ended with him saying that you couldcontact him on his “presidentofindia.com” email address!!
I often relay the story when President Kalam was at theRoyal Society in London in 2007 being hosted by my friendand Independent Crossbench colleague in the House ofLords, Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, who at thattime was President of the Royal Society. The Royal Societyis the pre-eminent institution for scientists, with the lettersFRS (Fellow of the Royal Society) being one of the pinnaclesof achievement for any scientist. The Royal Society’s most
prestigious prize is the King Charles II Medal, which is onlyawarded to Heads of State who have made a significantscientific contribution to their countries – there haveonly been five recipients ever and President Abdul
Kalam was the second.On the day of the award ceremony, I accompanied Lord
Rees around a special exhibition laid out in the Royal SocietyLibrary for President Kalam, including Isaac Newton’s (aformer President of the Royal Society) handwritten papers.While we were walking around, I asked President Kalam thequestion: “Mr President, where did it all start for you?” Weall stopped as he told us how he had grown up as a poor boyin Rameswaram, the island off the tip of southern India, andhe had attended the local school where he had one amazingteacher – when he was 11 years old, the teacher drew a birdon the blackboard and explained the concept of flight; theyoung Abdul Kalam was mesmerised and wanted to learnmore, about flight, about physics, and about science.
Fast forward and he became an aerospace scientist, ChiefScientific Adviser to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of theDefence Research and Development Organisation, and thenthe 11th President of India. It all started with oneinspirational teacher!
The stories of his interactions with school children,where he inspired them from a young age, the story of himarriving at the Presidential Palace, Rashtrapati Bhavan, withone suitcase and leaving with one suitcase - these stories arelegendary and President Abdul Kalam was a true legend.
There is no taking away the sadness the whole of Indiafeels at this time. However, President Abdul Kalam’sinspiration will live on forever.
President Abdul Kalam Remembered by Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, DL
APJ Abdul Kalam was a greatPresident and a very distinguishedworld-renowned scientist whomade an immense contribution toIndia. All of us Indians are veryproud of the achievements forwhich he was responsible.In addition to being one of the
most popular Presidents of India, hewas also a very approachable manand a great personal friend.I met him just three months ago
when I was in India in April and hewas his usual warm and hospitableself. I had the pleasure of presenting
him with an honorary doctorate
from the University ofWolverhampton in 2007. It was anhonour for me and for theUniversity and everyone at theUniversity of Wolverhamptonsends their condolences.I fondly remember when we had
organised a reception in Delhi tocelebrate my son's marriage in2004, he had graciously acceptedour invitation to attend. However,when I saw him that morning hesaid that he wouldn't be able to joinus because he was hosting a dinnerin honour of the President of Burmawho was paying a state visit toIndia at the same time. I told him
that I understood and that hisacceptance alone was a greatprivilege. To which he replied:"No Swraj Paul, that is not what Iam saying. I want to give areception to your family in honourof the newlyweds and all of youmust come to Rashtrapati Bhavan."We joined him there the next dayand after the tea he took us out intothe gardens for a group photograph.That picture is a treasured mementoand occupies a very special place inour house. May he live in the memory of
the country forever. Our heartfeltcondolences.
Lord Paul’s tribute to Dr. Kalam
University of Edinburgh conferred on Dr. Kalam Doctor of Science on 15 May 2014
Dr. Kalam visited Brain Research Development Centre during his visitto the UK in May 2014
Dr. Kalam gave a lecture at University of Edinburgh during his visit tothe UK in May 2014.
IInd Issue of July 2015 5
The Indian Air Force contingenttouched the skies of the UK withglory during the two week-longExercise Indradhanush. The title ofthe Exercise signifies display ofglorious power in the sky. ThisExercise was fourth in the series andis held alternately in the UK andIndia. The last was held in India inthe year 2010. The IAF contingentdemonstrated strategic deploymentcapability, flying in 4 x Su-30MKIaircraft along with 01 x IL-78 Tankerac, 01 x C-17 and 01 x C-130 aircraftproviding transport support. Thedeployment was completed within 54hrs, travelling across threecontinents, covering a distance ofover 8000 miles. The 190 strongcontingent was led by Group CaptainA Srivastva. The first aircraft landedin the UK on 17 July 2015 and the
last aircraft departed the UK airspaceon 31 Jul 2015. The IAF team flewcombat training missions along withRAF involving contemporary tactics.The combat support aircraft crew arealso associating/interacting with theRAF Globemaster Sqn, HerculesSqn, Voyager (Air to Air Refueling)Sqn and gaining from the RAFexperience.The IAF Garud regiment of
Special Forces operated with theRAF Regiment in various aspects of
training. The troops practiced variousmissions in urban warfare which alsoincluded combat insertion missionsin a near-realistic scenario. The IAFaircrew performed exceptionally welland demonstrated their high standardof training, op preparedness,flexibility and adaptability whileflying outside Indian nationalborders. Full cooperation was evidentbetween RAF and IAF in meeting alloperational, maintenance andadministrative requirements.
Exercise Indradhanush
A delegation from Ministry ofAyurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy,Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy(AYUSH) led by Shri Nilanjan Sanyal,Secretary, AYUSH visited London from30th July to 1st August, 2015. The aimof the visit was to promote and developcooperation in the field of traditional
systems of medicine between India andthe UK. During the visit the delegationexplored the possibilities to enhancethe use of traditional systems ofmedicine and in this regard thedelegation had meetings with DrMichael Dixon, Chair - College ofMedicine, London, Medicines and
Healthcare Products RegulatoryAgency (MHRA), Dr Peter Fisher,Director of Research, Royal LondonHospital of Integrated Medicine, All-
Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) –Indian Traditional Sciences andrepresentatives from UK industryBritish Homeopathic Association.
Visit of AYUSH Delegation to the UK
6 IInd Issue of July 2015
News from the Nehru Centre03 July: 'Kundalini' by Ono MasakaA very interesting dance concerttitled 'Kundalini' was presented onJuly 3rd by Ono Masaka who is aJapanese practitioner of Odissidance. According to her, the humanbeing is a miniature universe. Oneaspect is masculine, retains a staticquality and remains identified, whilethe other aspect is feminine,dynamic, energetic and creative.The feminine aspect is calledKundalini, which rests at the base ofthe spinal cord, then unites at thecrown. The description of theCaduceus of Hermes is that theserpents represent positive and
negative charges of Kundalini as itmoves through the chakras andaround the spine to the head whereconscious perception occurs. It isthis common concept between Eastand West that this Japanesepractitioner of Odissi portrayedthrough her performance at TheNehru Centre. Her performance waswell appreciated by our guests.
06 July: Musical performance &exhibition- The Benaras BaajStory: Journey of a musicaltradition, touring exhibition 2015
On July 6, The Nehru Centreshowcased The Benaras Baaj Story:Journey of a musical tradition, touringexhibition 2015. PRSSV celebratesthe life and legacy of virtuoso PanditSharda Sahai, experience the richhistory of the Benares tabla traditionfrom the 18th century courts of Indiato 21st century modern Britain. Aninteractive audio-visual experience, ofone of the India's rich musicaltradition, an opportunity to view rarefootage of some of India's greatartists; restored and digitised. Thisproject is being led by PRSSV andmarks the culmination of a grandvision of international tabla artist, thelate Pandit Sharda Sahai; who madeWest London his home for the last 25years of his life. The archive andexhibition document his journey fromIndia to London and his major
international impact as a performerand teacher. The inauguration of thisbeautiful and very informativeexhibition was followed by a musicalevent 'Raga Blues'- Cross-collaboration performance withleading musicians, Robert Hokum onBlues guitar, Shawn Mativetsky ontabla, Liran Donin on double bass andAnjan Saha on spoken word,.There was also be a short Tabla
recital by Shawn Mativetsky whoappears courtesy of a grant from theCanada Council for the Arts. Theevent was well appreciated.
08 July: Film Screening- 'Margaritawith a Straw' by ELSA UK
Lady Shri Ram college for Women'salumni association's UK chapter calledELSA UK is proudly presented thefilm 'Margarita with a Straw' at TheNehru Centre on July 8. This followedby Q&A via skype with Shonali Bose.
10 July: 'Prateeka'- An evening ofBharatnatyam with KiranmayeeMThe Nehru Centre hosted aBharatnatyam performance titled'Prateeka' by Kiranmayee M.Kiranmayee is a sort after artistefrom Hyderabad, India who hails
from the Balasaraswati School ofAbhinaya and Vazhuvoor style ofNritta in the Indian Classical Danceform called Bharatanatyam. Shepresented a 60 Min longpresentation showcasing atraditional Repertoire under the title'Prateeka'. Prateeka (translates to'Symbol') is a presentation that aimsto bring forth the mysterious andmagnificent underlyingconnotations of various symbolicrepresentations in the HinduPhilosophy. 'Prateeka' renderedmyriads of emotions, colours andideas to its audience.
The e-Tourist visa facility would beextended to the nationals of the UnitedKingdom from 15 August 2015. The e-TV facility would only be
extended to nationals of “United Kingdom”and it shall not be applicable to nationalsholding the following passports, which arealso issued by United Kingdom :-
The above nationalities will not bedisplayed in the visa online website.“The e-Tourist Visa facility is only
applicable to nationals of UnitedKingdom and is not available to BritishSubject, British Protected Person,British Overseas Citizen, BritishNational (Overseas) and BritishOverseas Territories Citizen. Yourapplication would be rejected if yournationality is other than UnitedKingdom.” Further details on how to apply for e-
tourist visas may be checked onthe e-Tourist Visa websitehttps://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html
Eligibilityn International Travellers whose soleobjective of visiting India is recreation,sightseeing , casual visit to meet friends orrelatives, short duration medical treatment orcasual business visit.n Passport should have at least six monthsvalidity from the date of arrival in India. Thepassport should have at least two blank pagesfor stamping by the Immigration Officer.n International Travellers should have returnticket or onward journey ticket, withsufficient money to spend during his/her stayin India.n International Travellers having PakistaniPassport or Pakistani origin may please applyfor regular Visa at Indian Mission.n Not available to Diplomatic/OfficialPassport Holders.n Not available to individuals endorsed onParent’s/Spouse’s Passport i.e. eachindividual should have a separate passport.n Not available to International TravelDocument Holders.
Instructions for e-Tourist Visan Applicants of the eligible countries may applyonline minimum 4 days in advance of the date ofarrival with a window of 30 days. Example : Ifyou are applying on 1st Sept then applicant can
select arrival date from 5th Sept to 4th Oct.n Recent front facing photograph with whitebackground and photo page of Passportcontaining personal details like name,date ofbirth, nationality , expiry date etc. to beuploaded by the applicant. The application isliable to be rejected if the uploaded documentand photograph are not clear / as perspecification.n e-Tourist Visa (eTV) fee is US$ 60/- perpassenger excluding interchange charge forcredit/debit cards. The fee must be paid atleast 4 days before the expected date of travelfilled by you otherwise application will not beprocessed.n eTV fee once submitted is non-refundableas the fee is for processing of the applicationand is not dependent on either Grant orRejection of VISA.nApplicant should carry a copy of eTV alongwith him/her at the time of travel.n Biometric details of the applicant will bemandatorily captured at Immigration on arrival inIndia.n The validity of visa will be 30 days from thedate of arrival in India.n eTV is valid for entry through 9 designatedAirports i.e. Bengaluru,Chennai,Cochin,Delhi ,Goa, Hyderabad,Kolkata,Mumbai & Trivandrum.n From 15th August 2015, 7 more Indianairports are designated for entry on e-touristvisas. These are Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Gaya,Jaipur, Lucknow, Trichy and Varanasi.However, the foreigner can take exit from anyof the authorized Immigration Check Posts(ICPs) in India.
n This facility is in addition to theexisting visa services.n e-Tourist Visa (eTV) is allowed for amaximum of two visits in a calendar year.n e-Tourist Visa (eTV) once issued onarrival is Only single entry , non-extendable , non-convertible & not validfor visiting Protected/Restricted andCantonment Areas.nApplicants can track the status of theirapplication online by clicking visastatus.n Please be careful while makingpayment of the eTV fee. If the numberof unsuccessful attempts is more thanthree (03), then the application id wouldbe blocked and the applicant would berequired to apply afresh by filling theapplication form again and regeneratinga new application id.n Before re-applying, the applicants arerequested to wait for 4 hours for paymentstatus updating, after final submission ofthe application form and payment of thefee. The payment status updating may takeup to 4 hours.n Nationals of Yellow Fever affectedcountries must carry YELLOW FEVERVACCINATION CARD at the time ofarrival in India, otherwise they may bequarantined for 6 days upon arrival inIndia. Please visit Ministry Of Health &Family Welfare latest guidelinesregarding yellow fever countries.n For any assistance call 24*7 Visasupport centre at +91-11-24300666 orsend email to [email protected]
e-Tourist Visa facility extended to the UK with effect from 15 August 2015
Kumbh Mela is one of the hallowed festivals ofIndia and is organized at a big scale.According to the scholars, it is believed thatwhen Gods and demons were having fight
over the nectar then Lord Vishnu flew away with the potof nectar spilling drops of nectar at four different places;where we celebrate Kumbh melas, those places wereHardwar, Nasik, Ujjain and Prayag.
The Kumbh Mela in NasikTrimbakeshwar is a holy town that houses one of the
twelve Jyotirlingas in India. It also is the origin of theriver Godavari and is situated 38 kms away from Nasik.The Sinhasta Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years inNashik and Trimbakeshwar.According to historical records, Nasik is one of four
places where the elixir of immortality, the 'amrit', fell toearth from a pitcher as gods and demons were engaged inthe tussle to gain the ownership of the jar full of 'amrit'.The Kumbh Mela rotates among the four holy sites everythree years.The Kumbh Mela is marked by millions of devotees'
plunge into the river Godavari that is believed wouldcleanse their souls leading to salvation. A ritual bath at apredetermined time and place is the major event of thefestival. The annual festival of Shivratri is also celebratedwith great pomp and show inviting thousands ofpilgrims.Nasik is one the major city in Maharashtra, located
200 kms from Mumbai and Pune. The city has gainedimmense popularity owing to its pleasant climaticconditions, beautiful architecture, temples and caves.The famous temples of Nashik are: Sundranarayan
temple, Kampaleshwar temple, Balaji temple, KalaramMandir, the Goraram Mandir and the Rameshwar or Belltemple. Nasik has thus, rightfully been called the Benaresof South India and the Godavari, the Ganges of theSouth.
Sights to SeeAnjneri: Anjneri'sclaim to fame lies in being the birthplace ofLord Hanuman, according to legend. Presence of a number ofJain temples goes on to prove that the area was once under theinfluence of Jainism Muktidham: It is a unique temple depicting all the importantHindu pilgrim centres in India including 12 Jyotirlingas. Made
of pink marble from Makrana in Rajastan, the temple is a primeattraction in Nashik.Kalaram Mandir: Kalaram Mandir is another religioushighlight of Nashik. Located in the Panchavati area of the city,the shrine is extremely important regarding Hinduism and keepson being an important place for pilgrims.Gangapur Dam : This dam on Godavari River is visited for itsserene environs. Tapovan: A picturesque place, the place is associated with LordRama who used to spend his time during his exile. Ramkund : It is believed that Lord Ram used to bathe here.Someshwar Temple : Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it's one of theoldest temples in the city and situated on the banks of the holyriver Godavari. Bhagur : Located 3 km away from Deolali Camp and 17 kmfrom Nashik road, Bhagur is the birth place of the renownednationalist and freedom fighterSwatantrya Veer Savarkar.Abeautiful temple dedicated to Bhagur Devi attracts devotees in asubstantial number. Bhakti Dham: Located nearDindori Naka, at a distance of 2kmfrom Central Bus Stand, the place isfamous for several templesbuilt in the premises. Ved Temple: Located 1.5km from Central Bus Stand, thisinstitute was founded to impart Vedic studies and learning tostudents from across all over India. Coin Museum: The museum is a treasure trove of researchedand well-documented history of Indian currency. Also includedin the collections are photographs, articles, line drawings,replica, real coins and also a detailed analysis of the variouscurrency systems that existed in the India from centuriestogether. Gargoti Museum : Founded by K. C.Pandey, this museum inNashik is famous for zeolites. A zeolite is an ethereal creation ofbreath-taking colour and fragile structure formed as the result ofa process in which a group of silicate minerals expel water whenheated. This rare museum is a worth visiting place of the state.
Naroshankar Temple, Panchavati, the SitaGumpha andPandavLeni are the other places of interest in Nashik.
AIR: Mumbai is the nearest airportconnected by flights from major cities ofIndia and the world.RAIL: Nashik Road is the nearest railheadconnecting several important cities in India.ROAD: Nashik is connected by goodmotorable roads to all important places inIndia.
Situated on the banks of Godavari,Nashik is used by the visitors as a startingpoint to the pilgrim destinations of Trimbakand Shirdi, famous for their associationwith the renowned Saint Shri Sai Baba.