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US witnesses solar eclipse
Vibhuti Pathak
Apr 09, 2024
Eclipse mania swept across North America on April 8, 2024, as millions of people eagerly anticipated the rare spectacle of a total solar eclipse. From Mexico to the United States and Canada, excitement filled the air as the moon began its journey across the face of the sun, ultimately casting a chilly midday darkness over the continent.
In Mesquite, Texas, where hundreds gathered downtown to witness the event, the anticipation was palpable. Clouds had blanketed most of Texas, threatening to obscure the view, but just moments before totality, they parted, allowing the crowd to witness the sun's corona in all its glory. The atmosphere was electric as spectators removed their eclipse glasses to take in the unforgettable sight.
Photographers capture the solar eclipse near the Washington Monument on the National Mall, a rare event until 2044. (Photo credit: Getty images)
For many, witnessing a total solar eclipse was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The rarity of the event was not lost on them; the last total solar eclipse in the region had occurred in the 1870s, making this one particularly special.
In Texas, a family gathered at Southwestern University in Georgetown to witness the eclipse. With blankets, lawn chairs, and country music, they settled in for the show. As darkness fell, Hussein remarked that he would never forget the experience. It was a sentiment shared by many across the continent as they gazed up at the celestial display.
Arkansas and northeast New England were among the best places to witness the eclipse in the United States. In Canada, New Brunswick and Newfoundland also offered promising viewing conditions. As the eclipse travelled across the continent, spectators marvelled at the sight, capturing photos and videos to commemorate the event.
In Niagara Falls State Park, tourists gathered under cloudy skies, hopeful for a break in the clouds that would allow them to witness the eclipse. Despite the overcast conditions, excitement filled the air as people eagerly awaited the moment when the moon would completely obscure the sun.
Solar eclipse observed above Washington, DC's National Mall on April 8, 2024, drawing crowds to the "path of totality." (Represenatative inmage: Getty images)
As the eclipse reached its peak, darkness descended, and the sun's corona became visible. Birds fell silent, and planets and stars emerged in the twilight sky. For over four minutes, spectators were treated to a sight that few would ever forget. It was a moment of awe and wonder, a reminder of the beauty and majesty of the universe.
The eclipse was not only a visual spectacle but also a scientific opportunity. Experts from NASA and universities across the continent were stationed along the eclipse's path, conducting research and launching weather balloons to study the phenomenon. The International Space Station's astronauts were also on hand to observe the eclipse from above.
In Martin, Ohio, on April 8, 2024, the moon eclipses the sun, drawing millions to the "path of totality" across North America. (Representative image: Getty images)
Despite the challenges posed by the weather and the uncertainty of the moment, the eclipse brought people together in celebration of the natural world. It was a reminder of the power and beauty of the cosmos and a testament to the awe-inspiring wonders that await us beyond the confines of our planet.
As the eclipse drew to a close and daylight returned, spectators emerged from their viewing spots, their hearts full of wonder and gratitude for witnessing such a rare and beautiful event. Though the eclipse may have lasted only a few minutes, its impact will be felt for years to come, serving as a reminder of the beauty and fragility of our planet and the vastness of the universe that surrounds us.
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Debt restructure deal imminent, says Colombo
Eastern Eye
Apr 05, 2024
SRI LANKA is optimistic about reaching an agreement soon with bondholders to restructure about $12 billion (£9.54bn) in debt, a top official said on Monday (1), a big step that will help the island nation emerge from its worst financial crisis in decades.
China, the world’s and Sri Lanka’s biggest sovereign creditor, pledged to support the island nation to take forward its debt restructuring plan during Sri Lankan prime minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s visit to Beijing last month.
Sri Lanka held talks with bondholders in London last week. “We are optimistic we will come out with a positive outcome,” state finance minister Shehan Semasinghe said, without elaborating.
Sri Lanka secured a $2.9bn (£2.3bn) bailout from the IMF in March last year, helping it temper inflation, increase state revenue and rebuild foreign exchange reserves.
Gunawardena said China would “assist” Sri Lanka’s restructuring of external debt, a key condition to maintaining the $2.9bn IMF bailout.
Beijing’s position on debt restructuring has not been made public, but Sri Lankan officials said China was reluctant to take a haircut on its loans, but could extend the tenure and adjust interest rates.
Gunawardena’s office said premier Li Qiang had promised China would “assist Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process continuously and help Sri Lanka to develop its economy”. Beijing offered “assistance to develop” Colombo International Airport and Hambantota port, a statement from Gunawardena added.
A Japanese-funded expansion of Colombo airport had been on hold since Sri Lanka’s sovereign debt default.
The southern sea port of Hambantota was handed to a Chinese state-owned company in 2017 on a 99-year lease for $1.12bn (£890 milion), sparking security concerns in India.
India and the US are both concerned a Chinese foothold at Hambantota could boost its naval advantage in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka insisted its ports will not be used for any military purposes, but New Delhi has objected to Chinese research vessels calling at Hambantota fearing that they could be used for espionage.
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'NHS waiting times can be slashed by getting surgeries done in India'
Amit Roy
Mar 28, 2024
NHS waiting times for operations could be slashed drastically if patients had their elective surgeries done at worldclass hospitals in India.
This was one of the radical ideas put forward last Tuesday (19) by senior Indian corporate leaders at a business conference in London.
Another was for undergraduates and postgraduates from Britain to study at Indian universities and afterwards gain work experience at successful companies in India – the reverse of what is happening now.
These and other proposals were put forward at the recommencement of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) UK India Business Forum (IBF), which seeks to promote the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The conference took placed at the Indian-owned Lalit Hotel overlooking the Thames by Tower Bridge.
It was addressed by Chandrajit Banerjee, the CII’s director general who had flown into London for a few hours.
“The CII is just about 128 years old,” he said. “And today in India, we have 70 odd offices. And we have been operating in the UK with an office for 43 years. And we have another 12 offices across the world.”
He described the gathering, which brings together the Indian and UK corporate worlds, as “IBF 2.0”. The CII UK IBF was first launched in 2009.
Banerjee, an old hand when it comes to bilateral UK-India relations, said the CII was involved in advising the Indian government over the Free Trade Agreement with Britain. “We work with the private sector to see how we can make Indian companies more competitive, both in India and overseas.
“The UK IBF is an exclusive group of corporate members, primarily Indian companies with existing or planned operations in the United Kingdom. With IBF 2.0, the platform provides an opportunity to raise shared concerns about policy and markets with relevant stakeholders. The CII UK IBF has undertaken some important initiatives in the past and some of its recommendations have been positively viewed by the UK government.”
The Indian high commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, spoke of student exchanges: “A lot of young Indians are coming here to study or to look at opportunities to get skills and maybe go on elsewhere in the world to create new businesses.”
He wondered: “Why are we not doing it the other way around?”
He set out the context: “Our universities have partnerships. The top universities in the UK and the top universities in India are already beating a path to each other. This is the obvious glue that will bring them together.”
The high commissioner added: “Imagine an opportunity in which young Britons travel for a semester (to India), facilitated by the university to university partnership. And then through the mechanism of the IBF are connected for a couple of months to do an internship, or a working opportunity at an Indian company that is invested in the UK, but also has production facilities in India. That offers a chance for young people to look at being part of not just the India growth story, but also in investing in being employees of Indian companies in the UK in future.”
Doraiswami said: “From the towels used in the centre court in Wimbledon, to the Jaguar Land Rover cars that ministers and royalty here drive, from hotels to technology companies, there is hardly any sphere in the UK that is not touched by the India relationship.”
He estimated that 80 per cent of the Covid jabs from the Serum Institute of India were finished off at the Indianowned Wockhardt plant in Wales.
The high commissioner was disappointed in one respect. The average person in Britain was unaware of the contributions made by 954 companies from India that has invested in the UK.
Doraiswami said more needed to be done to give these companies a higher profile: “Most of us coming from India are essentially convinced that there is one country outside our region that really, really knows India. It must be this one (UK). But sadly, that is not the reality of the UK today.”
Ravi Limaye, who has been CEO of Wockhardt since 2019, said the Indian pharma giant had built up a harmonious relationship with the people of Wales by recruiting its employees locally.
He took a more optimistic view: “I will say that there’s one country which understands India better than many other countries in the world. It is the UK.”
On the proposed UK-India Free Trade Agreement, he said: “I would imagine that this trade deal, wherever it happens, will be a tremendous opportunity for both countries. In particular, I would like to highlight a few areas where probably there could be a lot of benefits.
“I see IT because that’s the cornerstone of Indian economic growth for the last several years, followed by pharmaceuticals. One-third of all medicines prescribed by the NHS come from India. I will also add the healthcare sector, which has penetrated the generic space in the global markets, particularly so in the US.” He added: “In the UK, we have done well, but we can do a lot better.”
He suggested sending NHS patients to India: “We all hear about waiting times in the NHS. (In India) we have some worldclass healthcare facilities. Is there a possibility of synergy between India and UK where people could go to India and get treated for elective surgeries – and thereby help in reducing waiting times? It is a tremendous opportunity, both for the welfare of patients as well as driving business.”
The keynote address was delivered by Keshav Murugesh, the new chairman of the CII UK IBF and also group CEO of WNS, a multinational business process management company.
He spoke of advances in India: “To give you a sense of the progress of technology in India, by 2025, almost 50 per cent revenue generated from India will be digital. That’s a huge statement. The second thing is last year India filed the largest number of patents ever (in the world) – that’s 40,000 technology patents.”
He reckoned that in the next few years, “40 per cent of the UK workforce would have to either upskill or reskill”.
And in this effort, India could help. Murugesh made the same point as the high commissioner on students exchange. He said: “One of the things prime minister (Narendra) Modi has already been talking about recently is about India jumping to the third largest economy in the world. And what better way than have UK students starting to travel to India – not just to study – but actually to work in Indian companies and learn the ways of success. They would be making this huge leap forward.”
He also said: “This is a crucial time for both countries to extend cooperation in critical areas such as trade and investment, technology and innovation, climate action, the future of work, skills and education. By collaborating with the UK government, local businesses and academia, the UK IBF will strategically support Indian companies and champion ‘Brand India’ in the UK.
“Last, but definitely not the least, with 954 Indian companies operating in the UK, generating revenues of around £50.5 billion and employing over 105,000 people, and 635 British companies in India, employing nearly 667,000 individuals, it’s clear we are building not just businesses but a shared future. These figures are more than data — they are testimony to the efforts by both countries. Today, we stand on the cusp of a new dawn heralded by India’s remarkable growth story.”
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Dhamija urges diaspora to believe in ‘Indian century’
Amit Roy
Mar 28, 2024
ENTEPRENEUR Dinesh Dhamija has told Eastern Eye he wrote The Indian Century because he wants the 30 million-strong Indian diaspora across the world, but especially in the UK, to invest back in the mother country.
The interview about his new book, in which he gives an upbeat assessment of the Indian economy, takes place near his home in Virginia Water, described as “a commuter village in the Borough of Runnymede in northern Surrey”.
It is a scenic part of the world showing the first signs of spring. By the station is a sign indicating a riverside walk. Dhamija has arrived casually dressed, but chauffeur driven in one of his Tesla limousines with a personalised number plate.
He says he put in “a bit of money” into an Indian investment in October 2022, and “till the first of this month earned a return of 37 per cent. Where else can you get that?”
He is encouraging the 2.5 million people of Indian origin in the UK to follow his example.
To give Dhamija his due, when it comes to making money, what the entrepreneur says has to be treated with respect. He is, after all, the pioneer who had the foresight to develop online booking for travel. He put his story into his debut book, Book It! How Dinesh Dhamija sold travel agency ebookers for £247m.
He reiterates that he wrote The Indian Century “because I want the diaspora to start investing in India because the market is growing and everyone is going to make a lot of money.”
What about putting in, say, a few hundred pounds?
He nods.
It could be done through brokers or going direct to the companies in India. He mentions the BSE Sensex, “a free-float market-weighted stock market index of 30 well-established and financially sound companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange”, or the Nifty 50, “a benchmark Indian stock market index that represents the weighted average of 50 of the largest Indian companies listed on the National Stock Exchange”.
“So 30 plus 50, that’s 80 companies (where people can invest),” he says. “Say you put in £1,000, which becomes £3,000 by 2030, which isn’t bad.”
What made him think about the diaspora was the Chinese example. Investments b y overseas Chinese had helped transform the economy of China. He agreed with Narendra Modi when the Indian prime minister announced his “Make in India” policy.
Not that Dhamija is uncritical of the Indian system. He finds it totally unacceptable that in the Indian legal system, court cases routinely take 20 years to resolve. This, he implies, puts off potential investors.
“I am not saying India is a bed of roses. I am pointing out these problems need to be solved by Indians in India. Then, instead of $100 billion coming in in overseas investments, the figure would be closer to $500bn.”
At the moment, there is no sign that the UK and Indian governments are ready to conclude a Free Trade Agreement. Dhamija reckons progress has been slowed down by a clash of “egos”. But if an FTA were to be signed, “it would mean the creation of 300,000 new jobs in the UK and a million new jobs in India”.
He studied trade deals when he was head of the India desk during his brief spell as a Liberal Democrats Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in Strasbourg in 2019. “The experience of the European parliament is that exports double as the result of a trade deal.”
According to the World Bank, India’s economy, currently worth $3.7 trillion, will grow to $7tn by 2030. By that reckoning, the per capita income will go up from $2,200 to $4,000. But Dhamija calculates the true figure will be closer to $10tn when the ‘black’ economy is taken into account.
He talks about one of the chapters in his book, “Cricket as a Metaphor”, and says: “I am not here talking about the results of cricket matches but, financially, India controls the world of cricket. And if you excel in cricket, you can excel in other things – that’s my take.”
Dhamija was born in Australia (where his father was posted as a senior Indian diplomat) on March 28, 1950, attended Mayo College in Ajmer, Rajasthan, followed by St Xavier’s School in Delhi, and then went to the King’s School, Canterbury, before Cambridge.
He read Oriental Studies in Part 1 followed by Law in Part II when he was an undergraduate at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, from 1971-1974. He has been elected a “Benefactor Fellow” of Fitzwilliam, having gifted £1m to his alma mater “to increase the college’s capacity in teaching and research across disciplines of applied engineering and science”.
He is currently working with the Judge Business School at Cambridge on a programme under which the high flyers who belong to the Young Presidents’ Organisation pay £9,000 to hear insights into four areas – the human body, machines and robotics, AI and space.
Dhamija has now invested heavily in solar energy and green hydrogen plus real estate in Romania.
The Indian Century concludes by looking at what the country might be like in 2047. “As anniversaries go, 75 is all very well, but 100 is the big one,” writes Dhamija. “After a century of independence, India will really be in a position to assess its successes and failures.”“Everyone is acutely aware of this looming milestone from the prime minister downwards. Deloitte anticipates India growing to become a $17tn economy.
“India will be a $26tn economy,” forecasts consultancies PwC and EY, while the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) goes for an impressive $35tn-$45tn.
“Whatever the future, India in 2047 is likely to be a hugely different country from that in 2023, never mind that of 1947 when it had a population of 340 million, 20 per cent literacy and a life expectancy of 37. Today’s 1.4bn are 80 per cent literate and live to more than 70.”
Dhamija does not avoid risk factors.
“Among the general euphoria over the likely size and power of the Indian economy and national prestige in 2047, there are few voices of dissent,” he goes on. “It seems unpatriotic to disagree with uplifting visions of showering wealth, unending technological progress and relief from poverty. But we need to remember, a good friend is one who tells the truth, who warns of danger. Even in a scenario when India becomes a $20-plus trillion economy in the 2040s, how that giant pie is divided makes a difference. Oxfam recently found that 1 per cent of India’s population controls 40 per cent of its wealth and that the bottom half has just 3 per cent. If that disparity continues, or widens, the benefits to India as a whole will be marginal and its potential to become ‘developed’ will remain unfulfilled.”
Inspired by his late father-in-law, General Om Prakash Malhotra, who was chief of the armed forces of India, Dhamija helped set up two charities near Delhi. Chikitsa (meaning treatment in Hindi) provides free medicine to 120,000 people through 15 clinics in and around Gurgaon, where a great deal of construction works has been going on. Another charity, Shiksha (education), provides free schooling to children in three school buildings.
“They are given a good meal at lunch – probably the only meal they will get during the day,” he says. “We also have a blind class as my father-in-law was head of the Blind Association of India.”
The charities are now run day to day by his nephew, Uday. “I started off with putting $250,000 in each charity. But it’s not enough just to given money. You also need organisational talent.”
The Indian Century by Dinesh Dhamija. Finito Publishing. £19.99
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Diversity, inclusion central to company, says JTI UK
Pooja Shrivastava
Mar 22, 2024
DIVERSITY and inclusion “are central” to Japan Tobacco International (JTI), an organisation that cares about its people and is mindful about creating a workplace where everyone is encouraged to be their best self, a senior executive has said.
In a recent chat with Eastern Eye, Ruth Forbes, inclusion and office operations director at JTI UK, talked at length about the company’s beliefs and policies as well as thought process that drive its work culture.
“Diversity and inclusion are central to JTI as an organisation,” she said. “We firmly believe that it will make us stronger as a business in three keyways – enabling employees to be themselves, encouraging new ways of thinking and allowing us to lead inclusively.”
A leading firm in the tobacco and vaping industry, JTI operates in 130 countries with a workforce of 48,000 employees from 119 different nationalities.
In 2023, JTI’s ‘introductions programme’ was awarded the ED&I Initiative Award at the GG2 Leadership & Diversity Awards, hosted by the Asian Media Group, publishers of Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat. The trophy was collected by JTI’s then inclusion and wellbeing director, Natalie Richardson.
Forbes said, “Our ‘Introductions’ programme has continued since we won the GG2 ED&I Initiative Award in 2023. This continues to break down barriers and increase collaboration and productivity through introducing colleagues to each other.”
Among notable initiatives at JTI is ensuring that all employees have access to free mental health and wellbeing services.
From 2021, the company also rolled out mandatory training on how to support the wellbeing and positive mental health of their teams to line managers.
Forbes said, “We have been mindful to create an environment where employees are able to speak out about their mental health struggles and encourage colleagues to openly share concerns and seek help when they need it.”
JTI is in the process of refreshing its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy and action plan to ensure employees feedback is considered throughout the process. Forbes said, “Over 10 per cent of our UK employees are currently participating in DE&I focus groups to guarantee that their voices are heard within the strategy. We are looking forward to sharing more later this year.”
She added, “We also host regular awareness sessions for employees on various important issues, such as race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+allyship and disability awareness. On top of this, we run ‘unconscious bias’ training to support employees so that they can identify and manage their biases.
“Our most successful initiatives always have employees at the centre of them. For example, our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a pivotal role in fostering a sense of belonging.
“Our UK Pride Chapter ERG has been running since 2021, while our UK Enlighten and EmbRACE (ERG) will launch in May 2024. EmbRACE exists to help us on our journey to build a truly meritocratic and inclusive culture by ensuring all ethnic groups are treated equally.”
Forbes said the wellbeing culture in the company has resulted in a transformation in recent years.
“We are proud to be accredited with a gold award in Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index for best practice organisational support when it comes to mental health. We’ve also been named as a Top Employer for the 12th year in a row,” she said.
“This is a recognition of the positive and supportive workplace we have created and underlines our commitment to keep improving the lives for our employees, year after year.”
JTI’s “family leave” policy supports employees by helping them in the early stages of raising a family, while continuing to allow them to “thrive” at work. Introduced in 2021, it offers a minimum of 20 weeks fully paid leave for employees, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or whether they become parents by giving birth, or through adoption or surrogacy.
In addition, JTI UK takes part in industry-specific networks, alliances, and partnerships dedicated to discussing inclusion and diversity, Forbes said.
“By engaging with other organisations, attending conferences and collaborating on initiatives, we’re able to gain exposure to best practice and emerging trends in the broader business landscape.
“We also conduct regular exercises to compare our inclusion and diversity initiatives against industry benchmarks and leading practices. This involves research into global and regional trends, enabling us to identify areas for improvement.”
Empathy is key, so is open communication, she added. Employees imagine walking in the shoes of their colleagues, so they can empathise.
Forbes said, “This is driven by offering open communication and transparency at all stages of our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy.
“That’s why it is critical that we provide employees with the correct education and awareness around diversity and inclusion issues so that they are fully informed on the initiatives we implement.
“We provide feedback channels so employees can share their views and help us shape our strategy.”
JTI also ensures that inclusion and diversity considerations are integrated into its hiring and promotion processes.
Forbes said, “Our job descriptions are written in an inclusive manner, avoiding language that may unintentionally discourage individuals from diverse backgrounds. In addition to this, JTI implements a structured interview process to ensure consistency and fairness at all stages.”
The organisation also makes sure it examines the outcome of its diversity initiatives. The annual employee survey enables staff to score JTI on their sense of belonging, fairness and inclusion at the company, she explained.
JTI’s refreshed DE&I strategy will also include an actionable measurement plan, so that progress can be tracked.
“This gives us a clear and measurable way to view the effectiveness of our initiatives,” Forbes said.
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