Author: admin_fijitimes

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Australia’s Steve Smith has indicated he is open to batting in the middle order this summer, should the national selectors decide to move him from his current opening position. The 35-year-old, who took on the role of opening batter following David Warner’s retirement in January, has expressed his flexibility regarding his position in the lineup. Smith’s stint as an opener saw him score an unbeaten 91 in the day-night Test at the Gabba, but his overall performance was mixed, with 171 runs at an average of 28.50 across eight innings. He was dismissed LBW three…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS)  Hockey India has announced the retirement of the No. 16 jersey worn by legendary goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh. This decision follows Sreejesh’s retirement after playing a pivotal role in securing India’s second consecutive Olympic bronze at the recently concluded Paris Games. During a ceremony held in his honour, Hockey India’s Secretary General, Bhola Nath Singh announced the retirement of Sreejesh’s jersey. The 36-year-old Sreejesh has been appointed as the coach for the junior national team, where he will take on the responsibility of nurturing the next generation of Indian goalkeepers. “The No. 16 jersey will remain…

THE HON PETER DUTTON MP LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION Today is the 77th anniversary of the birth of the modern Indian nation. On behalf of the Coalition, I wish the people of India, and Australians of Indian ancestry, a happy Indian Independence Day. At the stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947, the Indian Independence Act came into force establishing a sovereign and democratic India.   The road to a free and independent India had been one of many struggles, much suffering and immense sacrifice. Mahatma Gandhi said only five years earlier, “Freedom is not for the coward or the…

India’s Neighbourhood First Policy is a reflection of the truism thatneighbours are a primary foreign policy priority for any country. India has historically committed its largest and best resources to its neighbourhood,be it economic, political ordiplomatic. Today, India’sNeighbourhood First Policy is the foundation of its global outreach. Within the country, the Policy has helped to raise awareness about the importance of the neighbourhood, above all in the Government of India.Given the diverse nature of the country and cross-border linkages rooted in history and culture the Policy is paying dividends by promoting regional integration and advancing peace and stability. The decision…

India is the world’s largest country in terms of population, comprising around 17% of the global population. It is also the fifth largest economy in the world, on its way to becoming the third largest economy by 2030. Yet, its contribution to cumulative carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution are a mere 3.4% of the world total and at 2 tons its current per-capita emissions are less than half of the global average of 4.7 tons. India’s per-capita carbon footprint is also the lowest among the G-20 countries with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) acknowledging India as the only…

By Prof. Benoy K Behl Art Historian, Filmmaker and Photographer At the ancient university of Nalanda, there was a spirit of vibrant intellectual thought, a climate of discussion and debate. The many ‘acharyas’, or learned professors, at Nalanda authored hundreds of works on philosophy, metaphysics, psychology, logic, medicine, astrology, arts, literature and other subjects. The study at Nalanda was of life itself and what is reality. It was based not upon faith but on unshakable logic and pursuit of the truth. The study was of our minds, our perceptions and what is knowledge itself. The intellectuals here analysed the qualities which…

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mr Jack Passaris OAM Multiculturalism in Australia has lost one of its stalwarts, as Jack was one of those few people who was ‘there’ during pivotal moments in Australian history, particularly its multicultural history. Jack was a founding member of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW. An organisation that he loved and continued to serve from its foundation until his passing. He was also a revered leader in the Greek community, Marrickville Council, Multicultural Care and presided over the committee for Justice for Cyprus for over 20 years. At…

www.arakucoffee.in www.arakucoffee.com The opening of Araku café in Paris in 2017, marked India’s arrival on the world map of speciality coffee. It was the tribal farmers of Araku Valley, a rich biodiverse region on the borders of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha that have placed India there. The story of Araku Coffee dates back to the year 2000, when the Naandi Foundation started interacting with the local community there. Conscious of the unique cultural and historical heritage of adivasi (tribal) communities, Naandi Foundation focused on developing a deeper understanding of their culture and the environment they lived in. The tribal farmers…

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is scheduled to convene for a “Summit of the Future” in New York on 22-23 September 2024. The outcome of this meeting of world leaders will be the adoption of a “Pact for the Future”. During the past year, the details of the Pact have been discussed among the 193 UN member-states under the co-facilitation of Germany (representing the developed countries of the North) and Namibia (representing the developing countries of the South). The objective of the Pact is “to safeguard the future for present and coming generations”. India’s approach towards the UN’s Summit…

The Governmnent of India implemented a major financial sector reform by establishing the country’s maiden International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City, Gujarat. The IFSC has been developed as a unique international financial jurisdiction within onshore India, which has been designated as a non-resident zone under the Foreign Exchange Management (FEM) Act. This special status enables financial transactions to be carried out in any of the notified fifteen foreign currencies, including USD, GBP, Euro and Yen. The IFSC has been set up with two primary objectives namely: a) Onshoring India-centric international financial services business, and, b) Serve as a…