Although I used to read Gujarat Samachar in mid-eighties, well before I started contributing earnestly in early nineties, when Asian Voice was known as New Life. AV became the main Asian weekly in English with largest circulation among ethnic publications, when it gained an independent status, with pages of news, views, comments and editorial column like “As I See It”.
With passage of time, Asian Voice became mouth-peace of Asian community, especially British Indian community, taking up the fight when our interests are threatened. The leading example is the struggle and in the end grand victory when Hare Krishna Temple was threatened with closure. Instead it has become the most attended Krishna temple near Watford outside India, attracting well over one hundred thousand devotees during Janmastami festival, Lord Krishna’s birthday, celebrated with panache, indeed a joyous occasions for everyone, irrespective of our cultural or religious affiliation.
It does not matter whether you are Krishna devotee, Lord Rama, Hanuman, Shiva or even an atheist, a non-believer; everyone is welcome at Hare Krishna, with open arms and a smile on Lord Krishna’s face that would lift your gloom, guide you to Lord Krishna’s Virandran, Garden of Eden. This is the greatness of Hinduism, the most liberal and flexible religion in the world, when religion is the cause of so many conflicts. No wonder secular India is the only nation in the area where minority population is on the rise when neighbouring nations are ethnically cleansed!
Both weeklies are so priced that everyone can afford it, costing less than the postage. So many people, including me, solely rely on these weeklies for news, especially the fast occurring events in our motherland India and here in the UK.
Just like its editor, C. B. Patel, a former Tanzanian resident, most elderly readers come from East Africa when these countries became independent and we were given the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea, to give up our cherished British passport and become local citizen. Most chose to retain British passport and were obliged to leave.
After a life threatening incident in our cherished NHS when a two hour stay in a Day Ward became a twenty two night struggle, undergoing a major surgery, I decided to give up my accountancy profession and solely concentrated on journalism. At one time I had a “Travel Column” in AV and used to write articles, short stories, interviews and covering Narendra Modi’s visit to London in 2003 when he was CM of Gujarat.
Since publication of my first letter in AV, I have never looked back, published four books, three novels, including Ivory Tower and Olive Grove, exceeding half a million words and the latest “Cry For Help” a collection of some eighty poems. I also have my own column “From Far & Near” in India Link magazine and occasionally contribute to national papers as well.
I must admit this success would not have been possible without opportunity and the encouragement I received from CB whom I have known since back in Dar when he used to visit our shop “Sunrise Stores” established by my father way back in 1947 and is credited with the introduction of bread, butter, jam and cheese amongst Indian community, a favourite Sunday evening meal when ladies had a free evening, visiting beautiful Oyster bay beach, in their best Sunday attire!
One incident I remember well is the call I received from CB on Monday afternoon, when he was having a meeting with late Anil Pota, General Secretary of OFBJP, giving me four hours to write a 750 word piece on the function held the previous evening in honour of visiting BJP stalwart Shri Advani.
As I had not taken any notes, I was somewhat reluctant to take the responsibility. I remember CB’s words, “Bhupendrabhai, if I feel you could not do it, I would not have asked you.” In the end I submitted 1500 words piece well before deadline. This increased my confidence to no end, feeling I could write on any subject, even novels and I did!
Since those early days, AV/GS has now conquered hearts and minds of our community; CB’s name is in the forefront when our community’s interests are threatened. The latest example is our fight against Labour Party, taken over by leftist, anachronistic and supported by “Vote Bank” politicians with short-sighted policy that will put the party in hibernation for decades to come.
Without the support of British Indians, that include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Indian Christians and Indian Muslims and Jewish community, the most progressive, articulate and well educated ethnic minorities, who now see Conservative Party as their natural home; feckless Labour will remain in the doldrums, in opposition for some time, until there is a change in the eccentric leadership, someone like Neil Kinnock and Tony Blair to emerge and save the party, lead it to occupy Central ground rather than being obsessed with outdated Left Wing tendency! It is a pity; as I like and admire many Labour’s encapsulate policies, including renationalisation of some of our popular services that has detreated beyond belief since privatizing! Moreover there are many excellent Labour MPs, devoted to their constituents beyond call of durt.
The reason why Asian Voice is my favourite weekly is that it has attained such a high quality that there are so many interesting articles, news and comments to please every reader, young, old and intellectuals. My favourite pages are Comments, Alpesh’s Political Sketchbook, Readers Voice, CB’s “As I See It”, Rupanjana’s in-depth articles on current issues and many more, although I do miss columns such as House Trained and Kapil’s Khichdi. For younger readers there is Bollywood with beautiful, eye-catching photos of actors and actresses, as well as film reviews.
I feel AV/GS can diversify, add few more columns that would become instant success and that is Q & A on medical problems, chaired by an experienced doctor, as well as “Agony Aunt” answering readers’ social and family letters, as is the norm in most of our national papers.
Let us hope that AV/GS will climb even more height, sit on the top of Mount Everest in literary sense, in the coming decade and be the mouth-peace of our peace loving, law abiding, highly educated community, the envy of the rest of the ethnic minorities.
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