Prasun Sonwalkar And H S Rao

Stories by Prasun Sonwalkar And H S Rao

UK more reliant on care workers from India

UK more reliant on care workers from India

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2009

According to the study, the proportion of foreign-born care workers overall has more than doubled over the last 10 years. Such workers care for the old and the infirm in old age homes and other nursing homes. Nationally there are 120,000 foreign-born workers in care homes or home care -- nearly a fifth of all care workers looking after the elderly. Recent migrants playing this key role have originated from India, Poland, the Philippines, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

Indians on biz trips to UK must get visas quickly

Indians on biz trips to UK must get visas quickly

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2009

Participating in a debate on 'British Opportunity in India and Indian Investments in the United Kingdom,' Lord Navnit Dholakia said, "Bilateral trade is impacted by our own visa regime." Drawing attention towards the difficulties faced by Indian businessmen in obtaining visas, Dholakia said, "We should make sure that business visitors and senior providers are facilitated to travel to the UK to explore business opportunities and business contracts.

Indian immigrants 'treated like criminals' in UK

Indian immigrants 'treated like criminals' in UK

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2009

Indian immigrants, with permanent residency rights in the United Kingdom, have complained of harassment and 'treatment like criminals' by British immigration officers on returning to the country from trips abroad, a forum representing highly-skilled workers has claimed.

Manmohan is a great World leader: UK PM

Manmohan is a great World leader: UK PM

Rediff.com   8 Jun 2009

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has described his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh as a great leader not only of India but of the world. "It is a great honour for any democratic country in the world to have a leader like Dr Manmohan Singh. He is a great leader not only of India but of the world," Brown was quoted as saying by leading NRI Labour MP Virender Sharma.

Vienna gurdwara attack suspect released

Vienna gurdwara attack suspect released

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2009

One of the six suspects, detained in connection with the attack on two visiting Indian Sikh preachers in Vienna in May, has been released due to lack of evidence. Three other suspects, including the alleged mastermind of the attack in which Dera Sacha Khand leader Guru Ramandand Dass was killed and Sant Niranjan Dass was severely injured, will remain in custody for the time being, while a decision on two other suspects would be taken next week, police said.

Mumbai, Bangalore next global hubs for FDI

Mumbai, Bangalore next global hubs for FDI

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2009

Despite recession, India emerged as the second largest investor in the United Kingdom in 2008, after the United States, according to a new study that sees Mumbai and Bangalore as the next top centres of global investment.

Indian trio sentenced in UK's biggest visa scam

Indian trio sentenced in UK's biggest visa scam

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2009

An Indian trio -- a solicitor and his two wives -- have been jailed in London for their alleged involvement in the biggest ever visa scam in the United Kingdom. A city court on Wednesday sentenced Jatinder Kumar Sharma, 44, and his second wife Rakhi Shahi, 31, for seven and eight years respectively for running a fraud firm called Univisas, where they helped hundreds of immigrants apply for visas using bogus documents and false identities.

Use Hindi, Tamil to buy London Tube tickets

Use Hindi, Tamil to buy London Tube tickets

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2009

Now, as part of Transport for London's investment programme, the upgrade means all touch screen machines in every station will also offer Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Polish, Punjabi, Tamil, Turkish and Urdu. More than 300 languages are spoken in London and LU is now one of the world's leaders in providing a large range of language translations.

World's most expensive curry for 2,000 pounds!

World's most expensive curry for 2,000 pounds!

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2009

Amidst recession and dwindling restaurant revenues, a prominent Indian restaurant in London has launched what is billed as the 'world's most expensive curry' priced at 2,000 pounds a portion.The upmarket Bombay Brasserie, owned by Taj Hotels, announced the new dish called 'Samundari Khazana' to coincide with the DVD launch of Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

Vienna gurdwara attack suspects identified

Vienna gurdwara attack suspects identified

Rediff.com   29 May 2009

All six accused in the violent attack on a gurdwara in Vienna that left one top leader of an India-based Sikh sect dead and another injured have been identified as illegal immigrants, police said on Friday, days after the incident sparked riots across Punjab and Haryana.

Canadian author wins Booker prize

Canadian author wins Booker prize

Rediff.com   29 May 2009

Canadian short story writer Alice Munro was on Wednesday announced as the winner of the third Man Booker International Prize. One of Canada's most popular writers, Munro said she was 'totally amazed and delighted' after receiving the news of her award.The judging panel for the Man Booker International Prize 2009 comprised writer Jane Smiley, writer, academic and musician Amit Chaudhuri and writer, film script writer and essayist Andrey Kurkov.

'Human rights situation has worsened in Asia'

'Human rights situation has worsened in Asia'

Rediff.com   28 May 2009

Human rights situation deteriorated in much of Asia and Pacific region in the first quarter of this year, with conflicts in Sri Lanka and Pakistan adversely affecting innocent civilians, global human rights body Amnesty International said on Thursday.

Sikh spiritual leader's killing 'planned': Cops

Sikh spiritual leader's killing 'planned': Cops

Rediff.com   25 May 2009

Takacs said the attackers who pulled out knives and fired from a gun on Sunday as the 'Sant' was preaching to about 200 disciples at a gurdwara near Vienna, were Indian nationals who were living in Austria for some time.

Sikhs clash in Vienna gurdwara; 11 hurt

Sikhs clash in Vienna gurdwara; 11 hurt

Rediff.com   24 May 2009

The fight erupted following a dispute over the sermon given by a priest from Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha.

Pak businessmen ran fake colleges in UK

Pak businessmen ran fake colleges in UK

Rediff.com   22 May 2009

Exploiting loopholes in Britain's immigration system, three young Pakistani businessmen set up a network of sham colleges in the UK where thousands of Pakistanis enrolled as students and earned millions from the scam, the media reported on Thursday.

India link to credit card fraud in UK

India link to credit card fraud in UK

Rediff.com   14 May 2009

In yet another case of international bank cards fraud, customers at a petrol pump in the city of Leicester last week found that their card details were used to withdraw money from various places across the world, including India.

When it took 7 days to fly from Britain to India

When it took 7 days to fly from Britain to India

Rediff.com   12 May 2009

According to records, the first flight took off for Karachi in colonial India on March 30, 1929. It had to make more than 20 stops, travelling through France, Italy, Greece, Libya, Gaza, Iraq and then on to India.

3 Indians accused of running UK visa fraud unit

3 Indians accused of running UK visa fraud unit

Rediff.com   7 May 2009

The scale of the fraud was such that one of them boasted how easy it was to cheat the Home Office and obtain visas for people who did not have the necessary documents for legal entry into Britain. A case on the visa fraud is currently being heard in the Isleworth Crown Court in west London.

Recession: UK cuts jobs for foreigners

Recession: UK cuts jobs for foreigners

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2009

The Migration Advisory Committee said 270,000 less posts should be on the 'shortage list' of jobs, which allows employers to bring in foreign workers without trying to fill them with British staff first. In the latest review published on Thursday, construction workers and quantity surveyors were suspended from the list because unemployment among workers in those professions has risen by 500 per cent as a result of the downturn.

Indian High Commission in UK attacked

Indian High Commission in UK attacked

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2009

Five Tamil protesters forced their way on Monday into the Indian High Commission and smashed bullet proof glasses while thousands agitated against the Sri Lankan military offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, prompting the mission to seek "adequate security" to protect its offices.