At the time when most immigrant doctors from India are struggling to get their degrees recognized by Canada in one of the most popular Canadian cities, Toronto, here is the news that would make all Indians feel proud, as well as inspire medicos to make it big in foreign land. The founder of BSA Diagnostic Medical Imaging Center, who hails from Amritsar, Punjab in India has made it big in the Canadian land. The center happens to be one of the largest medical facilities in Canada. A graduate from the Amritsar Medical College, Birinder Ahluwalia is a famous figure in Canada, thanks to not only his professional achievements, but also for his contributions to the cultural aspect.

Physician Ahluwalia immigrated to Toronto in the year 1985. He started off his career in the Canadian city as a courier boy. However, he did not wait much time, as soon after he joined the chief of the RDS Diagnostics as his assistant. Alongside, he was training as a diagnostic imaging specialist. He just took the right move at the time. Diagnostic imaging was just taking off, where there were lots of opportunities in the field at that time.

He then opened the BSA Diagnostic Imaging Center in the year 1989- the vehicle for his successful journey! In 2009, the center handled a total of seventy thousand cases. According to Mr. Ahluwalia, his center expects to treat even more patients this year. It was his achievement which earned him the one of the top 25 slots for the immigrant achievers in Canada. He accompanied the Canadian PM Stephen Harper to India in 2009.

Birinder Ahluwalia’s achievements are not restricted to only his profession. He is one of the founders of the Toronto’s Spinning Wheel Film Festival. Mr. Ahluwalia is the perfect example of a promising immigrant who holds the determination to make something remarkable in foreign land. He, especially, is a role model to immigrant doctors in Toronto, where one can find the highest number of immigrant physicians who are earning their livelihood as taxi drivers, due to the non-recognition of their degrees.

China has denied Northern Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal to visit the nation just because he has come from the core area of J&K. India has also reacted strongly in this direction. They have put on the visits expected from the Chinese military officers until the time this matter is not taken care of.

The sources have confirmed that the time of travel for General-rank officer who was scheduled to visit China was decided somewhere in the month of January and it was decided that he would visit the nation in the month of July.

When the final word to send its delegate to the country was provided to China, the latter said Lt Gen Jaswal comes from J&K (India). In addition to that, people coming from this piece of the globe are required to have different visas. Hence, the country made suggestions that India should not bar the visit, rather send some other official from some other part of the country.

Vishnu Prakashm who is the spokes person from the External Affairs Ministry has confirmed that the travel has been cancelled due to some reasons, although he didn’t give any elaboration on it.

Also, annoyed with this act of China, India too has suspended the visit of two Chinese defence officials who were due to visit the country for the purpose of taking a course at the National Defence College.

This case would further hamper the bilateral relationships between the two countries.

With immigration becoming a major issue of debate in the United Kingdom, the government of the nation has finally reviewed its immigration policy. The new policies have brought about a strict on immigration especially from the non-European nations. Till the policies are implemented, a temporary limit would be set up for the time being.

As of now, the temporary limit is 24,100 for the non-European migrants. This number would be enforced till April 2011 when the revised policies would be implemented. With the aim of lowering the levels to those of the 1990s, strict measures are being put in place.

As promised by the Government during its election campaigns to reduce the rate of immigration in the UK, the government is fulfilling its promise made to its public. At the same time, this cap might have dire effects on the economy of the nation. This has been warned by many people which including both the employers in the nation as well as the Education Secretary.

For instance, the Indian food industry in the UK is booming far and wide in the nation. For this industry to boom in the nation, cooks and chefs from India are a must who could contribute to this industry. It was seen that despite recession, this industry continued to boom with many people developing a taste for the Indian cuisine.

With India being one of the major sources of potential skilled migrants to the United Kingdom and with one industry more or less dependent on the Indians, the question is whether right measures are being taken by the government?

It is agreed that a cut has to be made on the level of immigration. At the same time, it cannot be imposed at such a cost where in the development of the nation’s economy is at stake.

More so, with the policies being changed, this would obviously mean delays in the timelines for processing. With stricter policies in place, all that one could do is simply speculate over the issue.

Hey, monsoon is here! Well, well, well, dear readers if you belong to the Northern part of India, you should be glad that you are experiencing what monsoon meant to be! But, what about the states in the Eastern and far-flung North-eastern regions? Yes, these states are almost in contrast with the states in the North. It seems that the rain God’s not been kind to them, whereas India’s Northern states like Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi have been experiencing the wettest monsoon over the last half decade.

Not only Northern states, Western and Southern regions of India have also been receiving enough of rainfall this monsoon. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the few states that have been lucky to get the pretty much sufficient annual rainfall. On the other hand, various districts of West Bengal are in a situation that the next thing we could imagine there is ‘famine’. Is not it quite disappointing on part of the Eastern states to be cursed with less than necessary rainfall, while the Northern and Western states are witnessing one of the best monsoon in the last five years?

The deficiency in rainfall is of course going to have a greater impact on the economy of these states. Or, better to say they have already been facing drought-like situation, which definitely spells into famine. Take the example of West Bengal. The state comprises of eighteen districts and out of that eleven have already been hit by drought. Being a major rice producing state of India, West Bengal requires a lot of rainfall, but the cursed monsoon (for the state) is quite an irony! This year, the state has received about thirty percent less downpours, making districts like Bankura and ten other districts drought-affected. Reports say that the Central Government of India has announced more than forty-five crores to aid the farmers in the drought-affected districts of West Bengal.

The situation is no better in the neighboring state of West Bengal. As per the reports, the state of Orissa has been witnessing rainfall deficit of more than fifty percent. Apparently, the state fears a drought-like situation and would probably seek the Central Government’s aid. Bihar and Jharkhand can also be counted as some of the drought-affected states.

It is quite unlikely that the Northeaster region of India has received more than normal rainfall before the monsoon hit. It was almost a flood-stuck situation, but at the time when the states need rainfall the most, it is lacking it badly! It is also unlikely that there is such a great disparity of rainfall in the same country. Certain regions have been blessed with more than normal downpours, while on the other hand, people at some parts of the country are in a desperate need of the heavenly drops.

We just hope that the rain God be kind and pour some drops where they are needed the most!

These days, people, especially professionals are on a go, thanks to their busy schedules and professional commitments! Well, you are one of them too! Good, in a way! You live your life out of a suitcase and this does not mean that you sacrifice your luxury that you use to enjoy being at home. In fact, you should be glad that your work has introduced you to a completely new realm- a world of exploration! Your official trips should not be limited to visits to your clients.

Some people may find their trips pertaining to the work commitments bit tiresome and tedious. But, once you start enjoying your work, which obviously comes with the kind of activities you engage in apart from the official work, you would no longer find your job tiring. And new places offer a lot of things that you can explore or enjoy on your trips. The list is just endless….why don’t you start with one of the most exciting ingredients of our lives??

Yes, I’m talking about food. Let me help you out in finding some of the excellent places in India where you can eat and at the same time enjoy your time. Better known as the places to ‘break your fast’, these places are located in some of the popular cities of India. Those who are anticipating trips to these cities or who have never been on a mood to explore these places, please take a note of them. Next time when you are there, make sure, you give them a visit for a hearty breakfast!

Smoke House Deli in Delhi: Well, we all know that DLF Promenade Mall, which is located in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi is one of the amazing places to be in. But, did you know about Smoke House Deli? This Italian eatery is one of the best places to have your breakfast whenever you are in the Indian capital city. Its ambience is enough to attract people and have a cup of coffee in the morning. But, once you are there you cannot afford to give a miss to Italian specialties, like pastas; and pancetta.

Flurys in Kolkata: The tea room, specialized for European, especially Swiss food, Flurys has been a landmark in city with old charm, Kolkata. Dates back to the early 1990s, it has been a popular eat-out attraction for generations. A few specialties include pastries; puddings; cakes, and of course, famous Swiss chocolates!

Moshe’s Cafe in Mumbai: Known for exotic desserts, as well as bakeries, Moshe’s Cafe in the most gorgeous Indian city, Mumbai is a hang-out place for young and old people alike. Located in Colaba, this eatery deserves your visit.

These are just a few of the most famous eateries. India is such a big country, which leaves a lot of scopes for you to indulge in exploration. So, next time when you are on your trip, try to make out some time and have fun on your own!

The British government is finally implementing a cap on its annual intake of skilled migrants from next April. This would definitely pose difficulties for many applicants especially the highly-skilled professionals from India, specifically those working in the field of services and healthcare.

According to Damian Green, the Immigration Minister for Britain, there would be an annual quota. The first of these quotas would begin in April next year which would be executed for Tier I and tier II. Tier I caters to the highly skilled professionals where as Tier II caters to those applicants who already have a job offer in prior. He also said that Britain is not attempting anything strange in its annual quota.

An interim quota has already been implemented in the meantime which has started from July 2010 till March 2011 before the final cap is set. This involves a limit of 5,100 for tier – I and around 20,000 for the Tier II category. As of now, this can be considered as a short respite for the IT professionals from India. The Indian IT industry is completely dependent on Intra Company Transfer or the ICT route to send professionals to Britain. This has not been included in the interim quota with talks being on with the associations from the industry regarding the use of ICT after April next year.

On the issue, Mr. Som Mittal, President for Nasscom said that the industry of technology feels that these quotas should not be executed on the ICT professionals. According to the data, these professionals reside in the nation for less than two years, so it is not related to immigration but instead is about trade. Mr. Mittal would also be meeting the Migration Advisory Committee to discuss this matter in London.

With the recent reports on racial attacks on Indian students which had taken the nation aback, there was a significant decrease in the number of students going to Australia to pursue their higher education. According to a recent report from CNBC – TV18, when compared to the previous year, there has been a drop by about forty percent in the number of student visa applications from India.

With the above figures in place, the Department of Immigration in Australia is taking steps in order to assure the Indian students (the young students who are prospective candidates for studying in Australia) that the nation is safe.

According to Peter N Varghese, the Australian High Commissioner, several measures are being taken to ease the issue. As of now, the authorities are working on making the policies pertaining to immigration, a bit more relaxed. This is being done by conducting seminars across the world. Also, a special immigration policy is also being introduced for the students from India. More so, other factors that are catering to this problem are the global economy which is unstable along with the fluctuations in currency.

Apart from the measures being taken by the government, there are many institutions which are providing sponsorship in order to attract to students from India. This is because these students are the ones who cater to the higher education and lead to significant contribution to the economy of the nation. The High Commission has mentioned that it is sure of the increased number of visa applications from Indian students in the near future.

Class distinction has been entrenched in India from times unknown. With many civilizations walking in and out of the nation, there have been many alterations in how the societal classes are perceived in this country.

In the ancient times, the society and its people were divided on the basis of caste. Each caste had a purpose to achieve based on which they led their lives. The society was then governed by certain rules which were more or less equivalent to laws. As per the ancient scriptures of the Hindus, there are four classes known as the “Varnas”. These Varnas consisted of the Brahmins who were the scholars, teachers and priests; Kshatriyas which consisted of the kings and warriors, the Vaishyas including the tradesmen and lastly, the Sudras who comprised of laborers and workers.

Each caste then had a particular duty to be fulfilled in the society. This also decided on the way of life that was led by them. For instance, Brahmins being the scholarly led a very simple life which was based on what was given to them in alms. In other words, the Brahmins were the keepers as well as the interpreters of Dharma. This led them to enjoy the highest social stature in the society. Similarly, Kshatriyas were bestowed with all the political power.

When the era of the kings and emperors was slowly being taken over by the British, a new set of class system walked into the nation with it. The British society was thoroughly based on class. However, this class system was somewhat different from what was existent in the Indian society. For the English, caste was a symbol of social standing, occupation as well as the intellectual ability of an individual. This interpretation was completely different from what it was for the Indians. With new rules being formed, the caste system became more rigid in the Indian society.

In the modern era when the rules of the society are changing, a new form of societal distinction emerged. People are now classified based on their incomes. We commonly classify people belonging to the lower, middle or the elite classes. Apart from this, they are also based on what is known as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

Keeping the above aside, the more money people have, the higher they stand in the societal classification. In times of today, money, political meddling and networking with the important plays a big deal for a hassle free living. And so, puts one on a better standing on the social scale.

The only difference between the ancient and the current distinction is that, in the ancient era, people from the lower strata never looked down upon till the time of the British. Instead, each profession was respected and obeyed as a law which led to a peaceful living.

Now, the question that arises very often is why people are looked down based on their class or caste? Instead, why cannot they be accepted as people or residents living in a particular society? These two aspects are somewhat difficult to accept in a culture where caste system has dominated throughout. Hence, it cannot be said that it could be removed in the future. However, perspectives might change. But then, some form of class is bound to exist for this society to function.

According to Corporate America, the biggest brands in technology would not have made it to their current position without the much needed skilled migrants from overseas. Big brands such Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Google to name a few, could not have made it to the top spot otherwise.

According to a report which has been made for the US Chamber of Commerce (USCC) and the American Council of International Personnel (ACIP), a strong defense is seen especially towards India. Such terms have been mentioned 43 times followed by China and Chinese with nine references.

When it comes to the ACIP, their objective is to cater to the relevant resources as well as the support which is required for the development of placement, mobility as well as the training of the highly academically qualified professionals throughout the world.

This report has come about when many measures have been taken recently to curb immigration. All the major high tech firms see it as the role of the highly qualified immigrants for their success. Many examples have been cited with reference to immigrants in the report. The H1-B program has been the key to all these developments which took place in the realm of technology. For instance, Orkut which was created by Orkut Buyukkokten is from Turkey. He received his PhD from Stanford University and later on joined Google as a software engineer.

A research by William Kerr from the Harvard Business School and William F. Lincoln from the University of Michigan has also been referred to in the report. This research projects a connection between the increased patent filings and the H-1B admissions. This has been found for both the companies as well as the cities.

The report also has a special section known as the “Hyperbole about Indian Company Use of H1-B Visas”. This part caters to the H1-B visas granted to the Indian professionals who come and work in the United States.

It has been said by British government that the nation has gained from immigration from India. At the same time, now the nation wants this rate to be controlled in order to increase the gains as well as reduce the total number of migrants walking into the nation. This is when compared to the level of immigration in 1990s.

Damian Green, the Immigration Minister for Britain on his visit to India said that the nation is also assessing the provisions for the student visas. This is being done to bring about aid to those who are the best and the brightest and could pursue their higher education. At the same time, it could also prevent those who pretend to have an intention to study in order to get a job. He also said that he is in the nation to explain the amends brought about in the UK immigration policies as well as the reasons behind them. At this point of time, the government of UK is working on limited economic immigration.

The Immigration Minister also mentioned that it has been decided to bring about a zero limit when it comes to unskilled migration. At the same time, the government wants to attract the best and the brightest of the entrepreneurs and investors who could aid in the economic growth of Britain. This does not mean there is a contradiction in reduction of immigration levels and at the same time, wanting to bring about more investment and skilled migrants to the nation. Both are possible together.

Answering questions he also said that about hundred illegal migrants on an average are being deported from UK each month. With this, about two hundred more Indians have been detained in various prisons in the nation. The Minister also met with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal as well as the DGP to seek cooperation with regard to illegal migration to Britain from Punjab.