Australia says ‘sorry’ to Aboriginals for `Stolen Generations’

13/02/2008 0 Comments read Indigenous

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 13.02.2008 (IANS): In a symbolic yet significant act to undo the wrongs of the past, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Wednesday offered an unconditional apology to indigenous Australians for the wrongs committed by the state in the past.

Amidst tears and cheers in the Federal Parliament in Canberra, Rudd said the long awaited “sorry” three times to members of the `Stolen Generations’ comprising tens and thousands of children who were forcibly removed from their families between 1900 and 1970 under the Government Assimilation Policies to “breed out” their Aborigine blood and supposedly give them a better life.

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New Zealand is latest destination for Indian tourists

10/02/2008 0 Comments read Travel

By Neena Bhandari

Auckland (New Zealand), 10.02.2008 (IANS): An increasing number of Indian tourists are visiting New Zealand, known as the land of the long white cloud. In 2006-2007, as many as 20,946 Indians spent an average of 13.8 days in New Zealand, showing a growth of 8.3 percent over the previous year.

Most visitors are choosing to stay in 4- or 5-star hotels, luxury lodges and boutique accommodation on an average spending NZ$3,425 (Rs.105,782), excluding airfare, per person per trip – higher than the average of NZ$3,115 (Rs.96,304) spent by tourists from other countries. Continue reading →

Remembering uncle – the man behind Jaipur Foot

31/01/2008 3 Comments read Health & Science, Poliomyelitis

By Neena Bhandari

Jaipur, 31.01.2008 (Indo Asian News Service): Each year, when I returned home from Australia for our winter sojourn, spending an evening with “uncle” – as I had come to address Dr Pramod Karan Sethi after our four-decade long association – had become a ritual. Sadly, this year I was too late. A recipient of the Padma Shri and Magasaysay awards, Sethi, who provided new hope to many an amputee with the development of an artificial limb (Jaipur Foot) in association with master artisan Ram Chander Sharma (Masterji), and improved callipers for polio patients, passed away Jan 5, 2008, at the age of 80.

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