News Letter for the Month of September - 2009

News Letter for the Month of September - 2009

Editor’s Note


Hi Everyone…

“No exercise is better for the human heart than reaching down and lifting another up”.
- John Andrew Holmes


Pondering on these words of wisdom, I am touched by the similarity of the spirit that is behind the formation of the WAIA – online and this quote. Reading over the interview featured below with Chris, you will feel the essence of it too I’m sure.

We are 2000 strong already…no simple feat!! Awesome I would say and reiterate again that I have never seen such growth in my 5 yr tenure online! And we will continue to grow more with the passing of time, thanks to modern day technology that has shrunk the world and we can reach out and touch each others lives like never before!!

With this our 2nd edition, we are trying to bring you all that we can cover in this format…and are still working out at bringing out the newsletter in a much more sophisticated form and I am sure in time that too will be achieved.

Thank you for all the feedback we received at the newsletter forum, it was encouraging for us as a team even though we had our share of hiccups LOL but you were so gracious to come in and give us pats on the back for doing what we did. Pray for us to do better n better till it’s the BEST 'cause we want you to have the best of this community we call ANGLO-INDIANS!!!! Proud to be one myself…..are you???

Signing off for now….talk to you again next month, same time same place! Have a blessed month

Pauline


In conversation with Chris Rose
Founder-WAIA-online
www.world-angloindians.com



PR: So good to be able to do this interview with you
Chris....................Thanks for your time.
CHRIS: Not at all, the pleasure is mine; this is the least I can do for my community.

PR: Tell us a little about yourself & family where you from in India and how did you get to settle in Canada?
CHRIS: Well, I was born in Bandikui (Rajasthan) a well known AI hub in those years, studied in Barnes & then St Mary’s Mt Abu. Since Dad was in the Railways & was transferred to Baroda, I completed my collage there. Worked in Dubai for a bit in the early 80's and then moved on to join the Cruise Liners in Miami. Sailed for almost 12 years, until one day our ship got stuck in the thick of ice & had to anchor. Inspired by Christopher Columbus, we all thought we had reached India & called it home, not knowing we were in Canada.

PR: What inspired you to create WAIA?
CHRIS: My dream was always to help the less fortunate & the under privileged families in our community & consider them part of us. In order to make this happen, my first step was to get the entire community together & work together in wiping out poverty. This comes as a great challenge, but never the less, I am here to do it with the support of everybody.

PR: Do you realize the impact of what you are doing with WAIA..?
CHRIS: Yes I do, I get 300 emails a day from all the AI sites I handle, and not all are from my Rose garden. I have members who consider me a good fit to be the next Frank Anthony, but others feel I’m a threat & must be wiped out.

The negative impression of people always inspires me to take that step forward bringing me closer to my dream.

PR: What is your vision for WAIA?
CHRIS: Its all cut & dry,
Bringing the community together,
• Wiping out poverty,
• Amendment of the Constitution of India,
• Educating our younger generation to be Political Leaders,
• Keeping what we have & fighting for what we have lost.
• Most of all, finishing what Mr. Frank Anthony left incomplete.

PR: What can members do to help you take WAIA to the next level?
CHRIS: Like I have always mentioned, the WAIA is not here to put their hands into the pockets of anyone, yes we do need the support and intend to get it through mutual involvement. The WAIA has planned on opening a Trust, as many of our members have stepped forward to contribute on their own free will. We also plan to open a page for members to post their advertisements, and if you feel that a certain percent must be donated to the WAIA Fund, you will be blessed. This whole project will be handled by myself & will be transparent for everybody to see how the funds are being handled.

PR: Where do you see WAIA say 5 yrs from now?
CHRIS: Since we are on the right track, if everybody steps in to do their bit, and if the AIAIA joins hands with the WAIA, believe me, I promise everyone MISSION AI would be a success, wiping out poverty within the community.

PR: Is there anything else you would like to add...?
CHRIS: The World Anglo Indian Day 2010, this event is in the making, we have a year to plan. Let’s get going, the page is listed under events, and we need everybody’s input to make this a success, just like the other AI Reunions. I have already got members who have come forward to contribute to the occasion, but we need more, Lets Do it.

Well Chris...we sure got to know you & your heart better, as I am sure many members don't know you that closely but now we do...thank you once again for sparing the time to do this for us.


SPOTLIGHT ARTIST FOR THE MONTH
SABRINA M. ABINESH

I have been painting since I was a child. I have never taken any professional course in painting. My paintings are mostly focused on human figures; abstract and old Indian culture like the Mogul paintings.

Sometimes, these artifacts make us wistful and help us go back in time. They free us, however momentarily, from the shackles of postmodern relativity and enable us to endure a transcendental experience, an experience that lends meaning to existence. Painting for me is just a hobby and I want to stick to that. I do it just to satisfy myself and never expect anything out of it.

My primary medium is acrylic on canvas but I also love painting with oils. They are rich and luminous when at their best, and they can produce fabulous texture and depth of colour. I've always been interested in good abstract work, It doesn't really have techniques of application that are any different to conventional paintings though.

All thanks to my dear husband Abinesh who has been my pillar of support and it is he who has inspired me to kick-start my painting after a break of almost 15 years.

Please visit Sabrina’s blog to see more of her awesome paintings click SABI’S ART
http://www.world-angloindians.com/profiles/blogs/sabis-art




Our Vision

• Our vision is to achieve an organized, network of members who belong to the Anglo Indian community.

• To support, develop, and retain talents of individuals, something that we, the mid older generation suffered from the lack thereof.

• As part of providing a stepping stone into the future for the youth of our community, we extend this invitation of opportunity to our folks in the workforce, keeping in mind our priorities, the Under Privileged Anglo Indians, which complete the other half of our community.

• The WAIA also welcomes other Anglo Indian Community Leaders around the world, to join us and enjoy, quality time, bonding and a moving forward towards the road of success & achievement!!



THE WORLD ANGLO INDIAN HISTORY
PART TWO
Barbara Thyab Ali


Since Britain was no longer a great power, economically and militarily-the Brightest Jewel in the British Crown got it’s independence in 1947 15th August. However, the class of landed aristocracy that the British had created through the permanent settlement stood by its master in that moment of trial. They began to shun the Anglo Indians out of revenge and disgust of the British.

The rebellion in 1857 saw the end of the company’s rule in India. Power was transferred to the British crown in 1857 by the Act of British Parliament. The Crown’s Viceroy in India was t o be the chief executive. The army was reorganized with a far greater number of British officer’s than had been the case hither to. No Indian was allowed to rise to an officer’s position until the second decade of the 20th century. The higher posts in most administrative departments were reserved for the British subjects of the Crown. Yet they had forsaken all “The Anglo Indians” before they left and ran off when the Congress gave a call to all Indians right from 1942-to ensure that the British ”Quit India”-which they did in 1947 when India Our Mother Land too, got it’s “Independence” leaving many an Anglo Indian Orphaned till date. This is the fate of all our needy Anglos in India till date.

Britain certainly was no longer a great power, economically and militarily. The new great powers, the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R, were both in favors of seeing India a free nation. There was growing support for India’s demand for independence even in Britain; many sections of the Labour Party were in sympathy with the demand. “The brightest jewel in the British Crown” got its independence in 1947 15th August. However, class of landed aristocracy that the British had created through the permanent settlement stood by its master in that moment of trial.

The Rebellion in 1857 pursued discriminatory policies against the Muslims; they were denied opportunities of employment in the governments well as modern education to ensure that they remained backward compared to the Hindus and thus for ever in contention with them. The Rebellion saw the end of the Company’s rule in India. Power was transferred to the British Crown in 1858 by an Act of British Parliament. The Crown’s Viceroy in India was to be the Chief Executive. The army was reorganized with a far greater number of British Officers than had been the case hither to.

No Indian was allowed to rise to an officer’s position until the second decade of the 20th century. The higher posts in most administrative departments were reserved for the British subjects of the Crown. The British were also better armed and had more efficient and quicker means of communications, the railways and telegraph among them. Enthusiasm for imparting modern education to Indians too began to ware and university education remained confined for a long time to three cities – Kolkata – Mumbai & Madras where universities had been established in 1857.

We have to take note of the fact that long before the European wars came to an end, Europeans had visited most parts of the globe. The first almanac of navigation tables was published in 1478, the Portuguese seized Goa in 1510, by 1542 they’d reached Japan and by 1511 – 1513 they’d conquered as far a field as the Malaccas and Moluccas besides setting up slave bases around Mozambique. The Dutch were on their tails shortly after and a little known fact is that the majority of their sailors were German and Spanish, besides a variety of European renegades.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Dear Chris,
You and your team deserve appreciation for putting together WAIA. Maybe in times past we considered ourselves to small to start thinking big. I am amazed why no one ever thought on these lines all these many years. Anyhow the community has come a long long way and if WAIA and the larger family move at the present momentum the community at large can expect, to say the least, great developments. Not overlooking the fact that many in our community established themselves in so many ways there remained many who regretfully did not make it, for some reason or the other and others because they lacked opportunity and a genuine helping hand.
I am encouraged when I see so many well positioned and well intentioned among our community stepping forward to extend that helping, giving hope to those among us who have what it takes to make the grade and a better life for ourselves, & our dear ones and in time to come help others in the community.
I am especially touched by the prayer cell which occupies a special place .It is a recognition that we need the presence and blessings of God in our lives always and the only way we can reach Him is through prayer. All we are and ever will be in the future is purely reliant on the ever abiding Grace of God….Amen!!
I pray that God will look kindly on the WAIA family and give it strength, courage; help guidance and determination to do what it possibly can and leave God to do His will.
Eric John Aikin.
New Delhi


Hi Chris
The Newsletter sure made interesting reading. Kudos to you and your Team for all the time and effort put in to bringing out this super piece of work. Keep up the fantastic work and may God bless and guide each one of you ..........and AI’s the world over to come forward with articles, poems, whatever to help make the Newsletter a "must-read”!!!
Bye for now, am already looking forward to the next edition - till then
Take care
Linda Allen


Chris, Pauline,
Congratulations on this website and all that it is and can be. You have combined hard work, brilliant ideas and technology to come up with a way of shrinking the distance between Anglo Indians scattered around the globe. I hope that all of us members prove worthy of our membership and one of the best outcomes would be to help the less fortunate of our community.
WELL DONE!!
Stephen Edwards

HI Chris,
Thanks for caring enough to get this site off and running. My kids say that we are the pioneering generation - making new lives overseas. I think it goes far beyond this. Our parents and those before them had to forge ahead too. We have integrated the best way we can, holding on to all that is good from our heritage and absorbing the best from our ' second homes' wherever that may be. I took my adult kids to India and they want to know more about their heritage. I shall direct them to your website. Thanks again, you have done yourself and community very proud.
Very appreciative
Colleen Wood


“HELP US HELP YOU”

Last but not least, it is the administrations heart to keep the community clean and free of such elements that cause nothing but discord and disrespect within the community. The admin has put into place a watchdog group to sniff out any such individuals who will be harassment to members and a hazard to the smooth running of the community as a whole. It is our earnest request that you help us maintain a cordial and peaceful atmosphere here in the community so that all joining might feel right at home on seeing the community spirit that will be displayed all over the site. All members are requested to maintain a strict code of conduct in the chat rooms and other postings at blogs, forums etc; your co operation in this regard will be highly appreciated, and we thank all those who are already working hard and helping us maintain such an atmosphere & community spirit.

THE NEWSLETTER TEAM


Editor in Chief:
CHRIS ROSE

Editor:
PAULINE RAINA

Asst Editor:
BARBARA THYAB ALI
& Monthly Guest contributors