Megha Rajdootam - December 2002

The following magazine, Megha Rajdootam - मेघ राजदूतम् - The Cloud Envoy, Vol. 1 No. 2, was published for the High Commission of India in New Zealand in December 2002.

Cover Page of Megha Rajdootam, December 2002

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Message from the High Commissioner

Opening Lines ... 'Runs' of Memories

If someone is asked, 'What is the connection between cricket and a High Commissioner?', the answer would be, 'Ambassadors are called High Commissioners in the countries where cricket is a popular sport.' A similarly intriguing question for an Indian cricket fan would be, 'Who was the English cricketer to be the High Commissioner of India to Australia and New Zealand in 1950-53?' Well, the gentleman was Prince K.S. Dilipsinhji, the nephew of legendary cricketer Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar, who had played for England against Australia.

Looking back to my early years at school, I vividly recall how the climbing of the Everest by Sherpa Tenzing and Edmund Hillary on 29^th May, 1953 had been one of the most impressionable event for me. Again, it was the visit of the New Zealand cricket team to India in 1955 which opened vistas of the great game for me. I can exactly recall the tall scores made by the legendary New Zealand opener Bert Sutcliffe and the brilliant all-rounder John Reid. The headlines in the sports columns of English and Hindi dailies flash before my eyes. I do remember how the young and old in my town used to be glued to the radio sets - the running commentary was almost inaudible due to the continuously disturbing sound similar to the thunders of the monsoon clouds! The interest in the game continued to multiply, thanks to the brilliant coverage of international cricket in the Indian press.

Cricket has been sought to be explained as a sport which is played much more intensely in the minds of the spectators and also its remarkable resemblance to human life. The five-day tests were indeed perceived to represent the whole range of agonies and ecstasies of a lifetime. There could always be a chance of a positive turn; one had to grab all the possible chances; the batsman had to treat every ball on its merit; the bowler had to be brave hearted and tactful enough to tempt the batsman to mistime a shot. Above all, it was always the team effort which brought victory. In the typical context in India, cricket proved a great social equalizer.

The one-day version of the game has imparted a new vigour, dynamism and an explosive character to cricket. The slogan, 'Hit out or get out!', by the fatigued and bored spectators of the five-day rituals has been finally accepted. Cricket has blossomed in the deserts of Dubai and more nations across the continents seem to be falling a prey to a game earlier described as, 'the British disease'.

It is indeed significant that India, with its formidable batting strength, arrives in New Zealand in time for the much needed practice before the World Cup championship in South Africa. The Indian 'tigers' have been notorious roaring more on the home turf - hope they maintain their recent form of displaying a highly competitive game. The two teams are expected to ensure the triumph of the game.

I and my family have decided to herald the New Year, 2003, watching the 3^rd ODI in Christchurch. Let us hope, pray and dream that this match would be the pre-play of the World Cup final!

I may confess that it was the interest in Cricket ignited by the visit of the first ever Kiwi team to India that put a shy lad from a tiny town of India on a path that has taken him to the position of the High Commissioner of India to New Zealand.

The list of those to be thanked for their generous support for this publication is a tall score - NZ Cricket Inc. and NZ Museum for providing rare photographs; contributors of special messages; Prof. R. Guha and the prestigious Indian weeklies - India Today and Outlook - for authorising utilisation of the invaluable material/photos published earlier. M/s Thames have indeed experienced the pressure of an ODI in timely bringing out this issue of Megha Rajdootam.

Bal Anand
High Commissioner of India to New Zealand
Concurrently accredited to Samoa, Nauru and Kiribati

Table of Contents

Contents
Opening Lines... 'Runs' of Memory		2
My Cricket 'Affairs' with India	John R. Reid, O.B.E.	3
Cricket Encounters of the Indian Kind	R. Guha	4-5
Maharajas of Cricket	R. Guha	6
J.L. Nehru - A 'Complete' Cricketer		7
The Spirit of Cricket	Martin Snedden	8
The Square Rectangle	Timeri N. Murari	9
Dev... Devil... Divinity	Syed Kirmani	10-11
India - New Zealand Cricket - An Overview		12-13
John Wright - A 'Kiwi Dronacharya'...	Don Neely, M.B.E.	14-15
Tales and Travails of a Cricketer's Wife	Sukhi Turner	16
An 'Indian-Kiwi' Remembers	Dipak Patel	17
A Famous Kiwi Victory	Amit Paliwal	18
India's Best of the Century		19
India in New Zealand, 2002-03		20

Bharat Sandesh - January 2002

The following magazine, भारत सन्देश - The Indian Herald - ԱԶԴԱՐԱՐ ՀՆԴԿԱՍՏԱՆԻ Vol. III No. 1, was published for the new Embassy of India in Armenia in January 2002.

Cover Page of Bharat Sandesh, January 2002

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Ambassador's Page

It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that the Embassy of India in Armenia releases the third issue of its Journal, Azdarar Handkastani, i.e. Bharat Sandesh. We have been immensely encouraged by the deep interest in and appreciative obervations on the contents and layout of the first two issues by the dignitaries and distinguished readers in Armenia and India. I may particularly quote H. H. Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of  All Armenians who, in his inspiring message of blessings for the last issue, pointed out that, "The word Azdarar transports us to the close of the 18th century when one of the devotees of the Armenian Church, Priest Harutiun Shmavonian, published the first ever Armenian journal with the same title in India from 1794 to 1796. We are confident that the magazine, 'Azdarar Handkastani' will become the herald of centuries-old friendship and cultural interaction between the people of two countries".

It may be stated that the first issue released in December, 2000 underlined the various parameters of the historical friendship between India and Armenia culminating in the new epoch with the establishment of the resident diplomatic Missions in Yerevan and New Delhi. The second issue celebrated the silver jubilee of the memorable visit of friendship to Armenia in June '76 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and also the release of Armenian edition of epic Mahabharat. The present issue, while further elaborating on the landmarks of historical relations of friendship between the two countries, particularly dwells upon the various significant events of the recent past.

As regards, various manifestations of India-Armenia relations, the second session of India-Armenia Inter-Governmental Commission Meeting/Foreign Office Consultations held in Yerevan on July 25-27, 2001 has been prominently covered. A comprehensive protocol identifying specific projects of various sectors of mutual interest including information technology, seismology, pharmaceuticals, micro-enterprises, health and biomedical research, etc. while signed during this institutionalised meeting. An Agreement on Standardisation and Metrology was also  concluded.

I am glad to mention that the scheme of Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) has proved a great success with 18 Armenian nominees attending various training courses in India during 2001. The Reception Function of the 10th anniversary of Independence of Armenia was celebrated was celebrated as an important event in New Delhi with the prescence of the Vice President of India and other high dignitaries. Armenian troupe of dance and music, 'Akounk' was in India in November and presented highly successful performances in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

Lastly, I would take this opportunity to mention that in March this year, the resident Embassy of India in Armenia will complete three years of its functioning. Looking back, the period has been full of such a satisfaction and pleasure for myself and the First team of my colleagues. Our tasks in Armenia have indeed been made so easier and pleasant by the deep feelings of friendship, warmth and admiration for India at all levels of the Government and people in Armenia.

Bal Anand

Ambassador of India to Armenia

Table of Contents

Contents
Message	H.E. Mr Vartan Oskanian	4
Ambassador's Page		5
Civilisations Never Clash	President K.R. Narayanan	6-7
A Vision for South Asia	P.M. A.B. Vajpayee	8-9
Sarmad - an Armenian Sufi Poet of India	S.S. Hameed	10-11
India-Armenia Relations: Milestones	Manish Prabhat	12
Events and Activities		14
Highest Astronomical Obervatory	R. Rao	15
Milk Miracle in India	Dr. V. Kurien	16-17
Nobel for Naipaul	Madhu R. Sekher	18
Land of Ancestors	V.S. Naipaul	19
Modern Indian Agriculture	T.M. Chishti	20-21
In Tune with Father's Melody	N.K. Sareen	22-23
Indian Review		24
Events and Activities		25
India-Armenia Meeting in Yerevan		26
India in 1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia		27
Events of Armenia in India		28
Armenian Section
Armenia celebrates in India; ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ՏՈՆԱԿԱՏԱՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐ ՀՆԴԿԱՍՏԱՆՈԷՄ		29
A Vision of Armenia in Madras; ԵՐԱԶԱՆՔՆԵՐՆ ԻՐԱԿԱՆԱՆՈՒՆ ԵՆ.	David Zenian	30-31
Armenians at Home in India; «ՀՆԴԿԱՍՏԱՆԸ ՄԻՇՏ ԷԼ ՀԱՅԵՐԻՍ ՀԱՄԱՐ ԲԱՐԵԿԱՄ ԵՎ ՀԱՐԱՁԱՏ ԵՐԿՒՐ Ւ»	Sergei Yeritsian, MP	32-33
Nutan - a Complete Actress; ՆՈԻՏԱՆԸ - ԱՆԶՈՒԳԱԿԱՆ ԴԵՐԱՍԱՆՈՒՀԻ	B.M. Malhotra	34-35
India-Armenia Meeting in Yerevan		36
When Dreams Dance; ԵՐԲ ՑԱՆԿՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆ ԻՐԱԿԱՆԱՆՈՒՄ Է...	Naira Shovgaryan	37
Centuries of Friendship; ԴԱՐԱՎՈՐ ԲԱՐԵԿԱՄՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ ՆՈՐ ՔԱՌՈՒՂԻՆԵՐՈՒՄ		38
Events and Activities		39
An Evening of India in Yerevan		40
Release of Mahabharat in Armenian; ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՄԷՋ ԼՈՅՍ ՏԵՍԱՒ «ՄԱՀԱՊՀԱՐԱՏԱ» ԷՊՈՍԸ		41
Women of India and Armenia; ԱՐԵՎԵԼՔԻ ԵՎ ԱՐԵՎՄՈՒՏՔԻ ԻԴԵԱԼԱԿԱՆ ՀԱՄԱԴՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ		42-43
Gauhar Jan - Armenian Legend in India; ԻՄ ԱՆՈՒՆՆ Է ԳՈՀԱՐ ՋԱՆ	Pran Neville	44
Hindi Section
Ambassador's Page; राजदूत का पृष्ठ		45
Gurudutt - A Talented Film Maker; गुरूदत्त - समर्पित और अतिसंवेदनशील फिल्मकार	B.M. Malhotra	46-47
Urdu - A Language of Love and Tolerance; उर्दू - प्रेम और सहिष्णुता की भाषा	K.K. Khullar	48
Gems of Urdu Poetry; उर्दू शायरी के रत्न		49
Review - A Remarkable Repository of Ancient Texts; समीक्षा - प्राचीन ग्रंथों का एक उल्लेखनीय कोश	Hargulaal	50

Megha Rajdootham - August 2003

The following magazine, Megha Rajdootam - मेघ राजदूतम् - The Cloud Envoy, Vol. 2 No. 1, was published for the High Commission of India in New Zealand in August 2003.

Cover Page of Megha Rajdootam, August 2003

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Message from the High Commissioner

On Anniversary of Megha Rajdootam (August 2003)

It was with so much of circumspection verging on trepidation that this High Commission had ventured, on the last Independence Day Function, to bring out its maiden publication, Megha Rajdootam. The appreciative responses of esteemed readers have convinced us that the effort was worth undertaking.

The issue in your hands further dwells on the 'high' theme of the Himalaya to mark the Golden Jubilee of the First Ascent to Everest. The official visit of friendship to India by Sir Edmund and Lady June Hillary from May 20-22, 2003 indeed occasioned a festival of Himalayas.

The First Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi on January 9-11, 2003 dealt with all aspects of the linkages of Indians abroad with Mother India. The material on this seminal subject would be of great interest to the Indian community, in the context of the institutionalization of the Divas as an annual event.

Recalling the activities of India-New Zealand friendship, I am glad to mention that Te Papa, National Museum of New Zealand, with fulsome involvement of the Indian Community, has put up a high quality exhibition, 'Indian Wedding'. We are privileged to devote a page in colour to this special event. Similarly, the Asia 2000 Foundation has adopted the festival of Diwali to be celebrated on a national scale. As if in a logical sequence, Ram Lila troupe of Shri Ram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, New Delhi is performing the epic drama in New Zealand this August/September.

A delegation of 23 members of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council/Assembly, led by Hon'ble K.N. Tripathi, Speaker visited New Zealand in October 2002. Admiral Madhavendra Singh, Chief of Indian Navy, was in New Zealand in November 2002. Hon'ble K.R. Rana, Minister of Textiles paid official visit to New Zealand in April 2003. There have been important visits from New Zealand also including that of Hon'ble Peter Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Forestry. Though the performance of the Indian cricket team in New Zealand turned out to be grossly below expectations, the Indian Tigers fought back and roared in the World Cup of this game of glorious uncertainties.

New Zealand has become a popular destination for location shooting by Bollywood film makers. Christchurch, Queenstown and the scenic places of South Island have become familiar to millions of Indian cine-goers. We are sure to hear soon about possible joint ventures among the global dream merchants like Peter Jackson and Sanjay Leela Bhansali!

To quote figures, India and New Zealand interestingly settled on a balanced trade figure for the first time ever at $192 million each between July 2001 and June 2002. India has emerged as an important resource country of skilled professionals for New Zealand. The sector of Information Technology holds promise for both sides. More Indian students are choosing New Zealand for quality education.

I have enjoyed my innings of 64 'over-weeks' to contribute to the scoreboard of India-New Zealand cooperation. I thank my colleagues for their valuable support towards realizing the goals of the High Commission.

Finally, in the context of this issue, I place on record my gratefulness to my distinguished friends - Judge Anand Satyanand, Prof. W.H. McLeod and Prof. Theo Roy - for their contribution of articles. The High Commission is grateful to the prestigious Indian weeklies 'India Today' and 'Outlook' for the permission to utilize their material and photographs. Similarly, thanks are due to the Hindi monthly 'Aajkal'. To Sir Edmund Hillary, words would not suffice to fathom our deepest gratitude, 'highest' inspiration and fullest access to photos from 'A View from the Summit'. I thank Indian Mountaineering Foundation for photos of Sir Edmund Hillary's latest visit to India. Thanks are, of course, due to M/s Thames Publications Ltd,. for quality and timely printing of this third issue of Megha Rajdootam, under the usual stresses and strains that go with the realization of such a creative endeavour.

Bal Anand

High Commissioner of India to New Zealand

Concurrently accredited to Samoa, Nauru and Kiribati

Megha Rajdootam, August 2003 - Table of Contents

Contents
More on Megha Rajdootam		2
Vision for 2020	Dr A.P.J. Kalam	3-4
Ever-Evolving Canvas of India	A.B. Vajpayee	6-7
India and the Diaspora	Yashwant Sinha	8-9
Kailash - the Ultimate Himalayan Pilgrimage	T.S. Tirumurti	10-11
First Ascent of Mt. Everest	A.B. Vajpayee	12
Welcome to India, Sir Edmund!		13
Celebrating Indian Marriage		14
At 'Home' among Friends		15
India, More I Seek, More I Find	Vinod Khanna	16-17
Truth - a Tangled Web	Shiv K. Kumar	18-19
Punjab - Discovering Faith in History	W.H. McLeod, D.Litt.	20-21
Garden of Delights - Lucknow	Prof. Theo Roy	22-23
Reflections on India's Independence	Anand Satyanand	24
Independence Day, 2002		25
Events in Pictures		26
Glimpses of Indian Cricket Stars		27
Meetings - Exploring more Co-operation with India		28
In the Shadow of a Superpower	Manu Joseph & Sandipan Deb	29-30
Devdas - Mystique of Tragic Love	B.M. Malhotra	31-33
Esteemed Readers Write		34-35
Books in a Nut-Shell		36-37
Twinning of Art	Hemant Sareen	38
The Pathfinders		39
Institutions of the Community		40
Export-Import Policy 2003-4	Arun Jaitley	41-42
New Zealand Seismic Technology for India		43
Tender Notes	Child Poets	44
Hindi Section
Indians Abroad; प्राक्कथन	J.C. Sharma; जे.सी. शर्मा	45
Everest - An Eternal Challenge; कई ग्लेशियरों से उभरता विशाल पिरामिडीय आकार एवरेस्ट को अव्दितीय भव्यता प्रदान करता है	Suman Dubey; सुमन दुबे	46
Let's Lit the Lamps Again; अटल जी की काव्य वानगी	A.B. Vajpayee; अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी	47
The Buddhist Heritage of Indian Art; भारतीय कला के प्रेरणा पुरुष	J. Chandrikesh; जगदीश चंद्रिकेश	48-49
Earth, How Beautiful! इतनी तो प्यारी लगती है धरती	R.S. Prajapati; रविंद्र स्वप्निल प्रजापति	50
Epitome of a Folk Song; एक लोकगीत का उपसंहार	Prakash Manu; प्रकाश मनु	51
A Distant Dawn - Poetry of Sahir Ludhianvi; सुबह का इंतजार कौन करे - साहिर लुधयानवी की शायरी	R.S. Tiwari; राधेश्याम तिवारी	52