Bhutan’s  superb concept that a country’s national health should be measured in terms of Gross National Happiness (GNH) instead of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to draw international attention.

Its most recent destination is Brazil, one of the largest and most populous countries in South America.  GNH seeds are planted in Brazil.

Dr. Susan Andrews, founder of Brazil’s Future Vision Ecological Park,  says :” More and more people in the world are material-oriented, but there is also a yearning of the human soul beyond material possession, that’s why GNH  has touched so many hearts.”

The Antar-Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in January 2009. On this occasion, we are bringing out a souvenir containing up-to-date information of the activities of the Parishad and also about the situation and activites of Indian Diaspora in different parts of the world plus India's relations with friendly countries.

This souvenir will be distributed in a big way to the participants in this celebration. It will be sent to different parts of the world through Indian Embassies and our overseas members and the GOPIO International network. It will be a collector's item.

Those individuals, organizations and business house who want to be associated with this memorable publicastion my immediatly contact : Shri Manohar Puri, (M) 9810395223

Romila Thapar, 77, one of India’s topmost historians, known worldwide, has been awarded the Library of Congress, 2008 Kluge Prize for study of humanity. This was announced in Washington last month.

Thapar becomes the first Indian to receive this prize in History, since its inception in 2003. She shares the $ one million award with Peter Lemonte Brown. She gets about Rs. 2.5 crores.

These two persons were selected from 286 nominations from 90 countries in a global search project that began a year ago.

Under the general permission, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin(PIOs) can freely purchase immovable property--such as residential and commercial property in India. There are no restrictions on the numbers of residential/commercial properties that an NRI/PIO can purchase. No document for the property is required to be filed with the Reserve Bank of India.

The general permission does not cover the purchase of agricultural land, plantation property or farm houses in India. A proposal to acquire agricultural land, plantation property or farm houses in India will require specific approval of the Reserve Bank and such proposal is considered in consultation with the Government of India.

Australia has acute shortage of trained doctors and is looking to hire foreign trained doctors. In order to recruit doctors from India, Australia is setting up five examination centre in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai where the applicants for migration to Australia, can take a multiple-choice exam that will test their medical knowledge. The first examination was scheduled on Nov17-19 (last month).

The Australian health system heavily on foreign doctors and India is perhaps the biggest source of foreign trained migrating to Australia. In the past, Indian doctors had to go to testing centre in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai or London to take the exam for migration to Australia. The opening of testing centre in India from about 15 percent of overseas trained doctors in Australia are recruited, would make it a easier for the candidates.

The 19th century marble bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh(1780-1839) often referred to as ‘Sher-e-Punjab’, was auctioned in London last month by an international art house for £110,400. (About Rupees One Crore)

Clare Penhalluric, the head of auction house named “Indian and Islamic Art” at Bonhams said : Last year we sold a bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s son for £1.7 million.”

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art.

PIO RANBIR SODHI WINS PROVINCIAL ELECTION

Punjab-born people have been the first to win elections in the US, Britain and Canada but in a first of its kind, a Punjabi has won a provincial election in Finland.

Ranbir Sodhi has achieved the distinction of being the first and only member of Indian origin to make it to the council of governors during the recently concluded election. He has been elected for a four-year term to the 67 member council of governors. Sodhi is a member of Social Democratic Party(SDP) which is a leading party in Finland. His election victory is hailed as a matter of pride for the entire Indian population in the country.

Sodhi lives in Hiekkaharju city in Vantaa State, the fourth most populated city of Finland with over 190,000. Vantaa has the biggest international airport in Finland and caters to Helsinki city. Sodhi is a night-club owner in Vantaa State and hails from Dhuri town in Sangrur district. The Punjabi community in Finland comprises of only about 200 families.

Shri R.D. Gupta member of ARSP executive and a former Additional Director General, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), was conferred the Delhi State Intellectuals Honour 'DELHI RATAN' by ALL INDIA CONFERENCE OF INTELLECTUALS (A.I.C.O.I.) on 23rd Nov. 2008, for recognition of his talents & distinguished services rendered by him to the Nation and the Society at large. The award was presented to him by the Governor of Bihar, Shri R.L Bhatia.

The Haridwar-Rishikesh-Roorkee chapter of A.R.S.P. organised a picnic- cum-get-together of its members at Crystal World-Amusement & Water
Park on Sunday, 16th Nov, 2008. After meeting and the get-together the members enjoyed delicious lunch at the park restaurant.
It was also proposed to organise a foreign tour of members and their families to Mauritius or some other destination in the near future. (R.C. Agrawal)

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