Community

P7
Community
Serbian
performance
artist Marina
Abramović was in Qatar
recently to participate
in the ‘Art for Tomorrow’
conference.
Community
Tariq Tafu
enthralled
the Doha
audience
with scintillating
numbers and his super
hit tribute to Lahore.
P20
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Jumada II 25, 1437 AH
DOHA
17°C—28°C TODAY
PUZZLES 14 & 15
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 16
At home,
under water
COVER
STORY
Award-winning Egyptian expat
underwater photographer Khaled
Zaki freewheels on his passion,
marine life and more. P4-5
2
GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
PRAYER TIME
Fajr
Shorooq (sunrise)
Zuhr (noon)
Asr (afternoon)
Maghreb (sunset)
Isha (night)
4.07am
5.24am
11.37am
3.06pm
5.53pm
7.23pm
USEFUL NUMBERS
Emergency
999
Worldwide Emergency Number
112
Kahramaa – Electricity and Water
991
Ooredoo Telephone Assistance
111
Local Directory
180
International Calls Enquires
150
Time
141, 140
Doha International Airport
40106666
Labor Department
44508111, 44406537
Medical Commission
44679111
Mowasalat Taxi
44588888
Qatar Airways
44496000
Weather Forecast
44656590
Hamad Medical Corporation
44392222
44393333
Qatar General Electricity and
Water Corporation
44845555
44845464
Primary Health Care Corporation
44593333
44593363
Qatar Assistive Technology
Centre
44594050
Qatar News Agency
44450205
44450333
Q-Post – General Postal
Corporation
44464444
Qatar University
44033333
ote Unquote
u
Q To flatter
and follow others,
without being flattered and
followed in turn, is but a state
of half enjoyment.
— Jane Austen
Community Editor
Kamran Rehmat
e-mail: community@gulf-times.com
Telephone: 44466405
Fax: 44350474
Ki and Ka
GENRE: Comedy, Romance
CAST: Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh
Bachchan, Arjun Kapoor
DIRECTION: R Balki
SYNOPSIS: The film is about
a young, married couple whose
relationship challenges the gender
roles placed upon women and men in
Indian society. The woman (Kareena
Kapoor) focuses on her career, while
her husband (Arjun Kapoor) looks to
Oopiri (Telugu)
GENRE: Comedy, Drama
CAST: Nagarjuna Akkineni, Karthi, Tamannaah Bhatia
DIRECTION: Vamsi Paidipally
SYNOPSIS: A tale of a quadriplegic millionaire
(Nagarjuna) and the bond he shares with his caretaker
Mall Cinema (1): 10 Cloverfield
Lane (2D) 2.30pm; Eddie The
Eagle (2D) 4.30pm; Batman Vs.
Superman (2D) 6.30pm; Batman
Vs. Superman (2D) 9pm; Eddie The
Eagle (2D) 11.30pm.
Mall Cinema (2): Kung Fu Panda
3 (2D) 2pm; South Bound (2D)
3.30pm; Kung Fu Panda 3 (2D)
5pm; Ki & Ka (Hindi) 6.45pm; Vettah
(Malayalam) 9.15pm; Queen Of The
Desert (2D) 11.15pm.
Mall Cinema (3): Oopiri (Telugu)
2pm; Degrade (Arabic) 4.45pm;
build a home. Arjun plays a laid-back
house husband and his wife Kareena
is a talented and successful working
lady.
THEATRES: The Mall, Royal Plaza
(Karthi). The film also stars Tamannah who plays the role
of Nagarjunas sister. It is an emotional celebration of life
focusing on the relationship between a physically challenged
billionaire and a socially challenged protagonist.
THEATRE: The Mall
(Hindi) 4.30pm; Eddie The Eagle
(2D) 7pm; High Rise (2D) 9pm; Ki &
Ka (HIndi) 11.15pm.
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace(3):
High Rise (2D) 6.30pm; Queen Of
South Bound (2D) 2.30pm; 10
The Desert (2D) 8.45pm; Thozha
Cloverfield Lane (2D) 4.30pm;
(Tamil) 11pm.
Queen Of The Desert (2D) 6.30pm;
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace(1):
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2D) 2.15pm; Kung Eddie The Eagle (2D) 9pm; Queen
Of The Desert (2D) 11pm.
Fu Panda 3 (2D) 4pm; Batman Vs.
Superman (2D) 5.45pm; Batman Vs. Asian Town Cinema: Vettah
Superman (2D) 8.30pm; Batman Vs. (Malayalam) 4.45, 7, 8.15, 9.15, 10.30
& 11.30pm; Thozha (Tamil) 5.30 &
Superman (2D) 11pm.
9.15pm; Ki & Ka (Hindi) 3.15, 5.45 &
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace(2):
10.30pm; Oopiri (Telugu) 6.30pm.
Degrade (Arabic) 3pm; Ki & Ka
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES
3
COMMUNITY
collaboration with Qatar Museums is being
presented at the Katara Hall 19 – Gallery
2 until April 6. The collective exhibition
features artwork created by students from
various schools participating in the Shams
Generation Programme using a solar power
kit and recycled materials. Over 20 schools
incorporated the programme, with more than
1,500 students contributing to the artwork
being showcased.
EVENTS
Beach Volleyball World Tour
DATE: April 8
TIME: 4:30pm -9pm
VENUE: Gharafa Sports Complex
Catch this event live in The Beach
Volleyball Arena, at the Al Gharafa Sports
Complex! April 4-8. Free Entrance!
Yamativo Salsa Classes
DATE: Every Monday
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Radisson Blu
It’s always fun and always challenging.
Let’s meet and learn some moves every
Monday night. You don’t need to do
anything, just join us. Level 1 (intermediate
level) 7pm and for beginner level 8pm. Be
there are Raddison Blu Hotel Cabana Club.
Music of Dana AlFardan
DATE: April 4
TIME: 7:30pm
VENUE: Anima Gallery at The Pearl
Please join us for a live music performance
of Dana AlFardan’s new album with Doha
String Quartet & Friends featuring Maias
Alyamani.
The Tainted Veil (film screening)
DATE: April 7-8
TIME: 7:30pm
VENUE: Museum of Islamic Art
Whether a veil of the soul, the mind or the
body, the layers of the veil in history and the
many meanings behind it will be revealed.
The hijab is a head covering, and ‘women
are either judged for wearing the hijab or
for not wearing it’. In The Tainted Veil, the
challenges surrounding these ideas are
exposed in a debate featuring diverse guests
and extraordinary stories. For more info, visit
http://www.dohafilminstitute.com
Solar Art Exhibition
DATE: Until April 6
VENUE: Katara Hall 19
A Solar Art Exhibition initiated by Shams
Generation, an educational initiative
by Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) in
Cultural Diversity festival
DATE: Until May 31
TIME: 7:30-9pm
VENUE: Katara Beach
Over 20 countries from all over the
world are showcasing their traditions and
heritage.
Al Gannas
DATE: Until Oct 30
TIME: 9am - 11:30 am
VENUE: Al Gannas Society
Al Gannas Association is participating in
the ‘Our culture is a school’ programme by
organising many activities for the students
every Monday and Wednesday of the week.
These activities include explanations on
hunting and related tools, kinds of falcons
and preys, in addition to workshop on
how to carry a falcon, set a traditional
tent (made of goat & camel hair), prepare
traditional Arabic coffee, etc.
Art Exhibition
DATE: Until April 18
VENUE: Porto Arabia, Pearl
Diffusion by Peter Zimmermann — A
Cirque Le Noir
DATE: April 7-9
TIME: 4pm-10pm
Le Noir, the dark side of the cirque,
features over 20 of the greatest acts on
earth including spinning metal wheels,
acrobatic stunts 30 ft. high, jaw-dropping
spins on roller-skates and the Columbian
Wheel of Death, performed in a spectacular
360-degree custom-built stage setting,
bringing the audience closer to performers
like never before.
Let’s Celebrate Womanhood
DATE: April 8
TIME: 9am
VENUE: FCC
FCC Vanithavedi has been organising
various programmes for Malayalee women
in Qatar as part of the World Women’s
Day celebrations since January. The
programme, ‘Let’s celebrate womanhood’
will be held at FCC from 9am. Oottupura,
presentation and sale of regional food
items and various cuisines from Kerala;
exhibition and sale of bags, dresses and
ornaments paintings and crochet made by
women are all being organised as part of the
celebration. There will be competitions for
children of class 1- 8. For more details, call
30956695,30018879,7321436.
Chinese Silk Art
DATE: Until May 9
VENUE: QM Gallery in Katara
The second major exhibition of the
Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture, ‘Silks
from the Silk Road – Chinese Art of Silk’,
presents silk as a theme, and as a special
local product of Zhejiang that played an
important role in trade along the Silk Road.
The exhibition highlights ancient and
modern Chinese silk works, with around
100 pieces due to be showcased at the QM
Gallery in Katara over a period of 6 weeks.
Senyar Championship
DATE: Until April 16
TIME: 8am-10pm
VENUE: Katara
As part of its strategy and in celebration
of our glorious heritage, Cultural Village
Foundation – Katara is organising for the
fifth consecutive year Senyar Championship.
This annual marine competition comprises
fishing and pearl-diving contests for Qatari
nationals with valuable prizes allocated to
the winning contestants. The championship
aims to revive ancestral heritage whilst
highlighting the traditions, customs and
values associated with Qatari marine life.
Spring Exhibition MIA
DATE: Until July 16
TIME: 10:30am- 5pm
VENUE: QM Gallery Al Riwaq
An exhibition of 15 contemporary Chinese
artists, curated by internationally acclaimed
New York-based Chinese artist Cai GuoQiang, will be on view at the QM Gallery
Al Riwaq. The exhibition will be the major
highlight presented in the context of the
Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture. Artworks
exemplifying each and every artist’s unique
artistic language and methodology will be
displayed in individual galleries.
Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: gtlisting@gmail.com, Events and timings subject to change
mesmerising solo exhibition of colourful,
futuristic works. Anima Gallery, Parcel 17,
Porto Arabia, The Pearl-Qatar. Contact:
40027437
Qatari Agricultural Product Yards
DATE: Until June 30
VENUE: Al Mazrooa, Al Zakheera, Al
Khor, Al Wakrah
The Ministry of Environment has opened
the 4th season of Qatari agricultural
product yards for selling locally produced
fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and
livestock. Work in these yards will continue
for seven months. The yards will operate
three days a week on Thursdays, Fridays
and Saturdays from 7am to 5pm, with
livestock vendors in Al Mazrooa operating
at the same times throughout the week.
Join in our Walk-in Weekends
DATE: Every Saturday
VENUE: MIA Atrium
MIA art education and calligraphy teams
offer walk-in workshops in MIA’s atrium
every Saturday. These walk-in workshops
are for open for all family members.
FOODIE CHOICE
RESTAURANT: Flying Carpet Restaurant
LOCATION: The Doha Torch
As you walk into the restaurant you
immediately see the carpets on the ceiling
— giving the impression they are floating in
mid-air. The food is an open buffet — with
a fresh salad bar serving seafood and all sorts
of international salads. The quality of the
ingredients and the flavours of the salads are
simply outstanding.
4
GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
“I caught (the prized
catch) eating Jackfish”
— Khaled Zaki, underwater photographer, master dive instructor
On each dive,
I shoot around 200
pictures. I delete 170,
retain 30. Of these, I
might get a couple
of good ones
SUNDAY
CONVERSATION
READY, STEADY: Zaki, all suited up.
By Anand Holla
U
nlike most
photographers, Khaled
Zaki must glide his way
deep into the sea to shoot
portraits of fascinating
faces and admirable bodies. Armed
to the teeth, quite literally, Zaki, in
water, chases his reluctant subjects
that are a lot fussier than the biggest
supermodels on land.
With around 25 years of diving
experience behind him and nearly
as many years photographing and
filming an ecosystem we know
little about, Zaki is an underwater
globetrotter.
“On each dive I dive, I shoot
around 200 pictures. I delete
170, retain 30. Of these, I might
get a couple of good ones,” the
40-something Egyptian expat, who
frequently travels across the world
in search of aquatic superstars,
tells Community, “It might take me
around 15 minutes to complete that
one round of pictures. I move very
slowly and I move with the fishes,
while factoring in the angle of the
sunlight and choosing the right lens
for the right shot.”
All the passion and hard work has
paid off. The Master Instructor with
Professional Association of Diving
Instructors (PADI) won the first prize
in the recent 4thUnderwater Photo
Marathon, under the DSLR Ambient
With or Without Model category.
The prestigious competition featured
380 competitors from 37 countries
and Zaki, Qatar’s lone entry, brought
home the big prize. “There were huge
stalwarts in the competition. I got
lucky with this nice shot I got,” he
says, referring to his award-winning
frame.
While floating about in Thailand’s
picturesque waters, earlier this year,
Zaki spotted a Grouper fish and
followed it to the depths. “I slowly
trailed it and set up my camera.
Eventually, I caught it eating a
Jackfish,” he says, pointing to the
picture on his laptop brimming with
photos and videos, “I was thrilled.”
An ardent marine enthusiast,
Zaki has been living in Qatar for 16
years, teaching diving for more than
two decades and also working as a
marine consultant for underwater
photography and videography.
“When you build something like
The Pearl Qatar or Lusail, you need
to discover what’s at the bottom.
In 2004, I filmed at those locations
to take samples of almost every
centimetre underneath,” he says,
“Likewise, I have worked on projects
at Messaied, Al-Wakrah beach and
Sealine Beach, apart from filming
for pearl diving ventures and studies
related to turtles. I have also worked
on several marine documentary films
with BBC network, Qatar TV, and
AJ+ among others.”
Zaki believes an extensive
knowledge of marine life is a prerequisite to successful underwater
photography. “That’s how you can
predict the behaviour of each of
the fishes. When I dive, I need to
know the season of the fishes, their
location, and what species can I
expect to shoot. If I am exploring
sandy bottom, for instance, then I
will encounter more of sandy bottom
creatures such as snails, manta rays
and crabs,” Zaki says, pointing to his
stunning close-up shot of a Sting
Ray, “They are all very peaceful as
long as you don’t disturb them.”
Suited up in his snorkel, goggles,
flippers and MKVI rebreather, Zaki
routinely sets off on his photography
excursions with a fully-loaded Canon
5D Mark-III, couched in a high-end
Nauticam housing to protect it, and
a couple of big bright lights that he
plays around with.
Obviously, good light under water
is as critical as it is on land to create a
most compelling image. While Zaki
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES
5
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
The Master
Instructor with
PADI won the
first prize in
the recent 4th
Underwater
Photo Marathon,
under the DSLR
Ambient With
or Without
Model category.
It featured 380
competitors
from 37
countries and
Zaki, Qatar’s
lone entry,
brought home
the big prize
PRIZED CATCH: Zaki’s work that won the first prize at the UWP Marathon 4 2016.
prefers optimising ambient light as
much as possible, he uses his lights to
illuminate his subject such that the
details are masterfully highlighted as
if they are shot in a deep sea studio.
“The deeper you go, the more light
and colours you lose,” Zaki explains,
“It’s not just that the light must be
cast on the subject, but that the light
must bounce back and return to my
lens so that I’m able to capture it in
the frame. So I keep experimenting
by putting the lights at the back or
the side of the subject, until I achieve
the desired effect. All this comes
after I adjust the white balance of my
camera according to the amount of
sunlight pouring in.”
While teaching, Zaki always
advises his students to be calm,
comfortable and relaxed under water.
Often, underwater photography
requires us to move so slowly that we
Sea Star
may film only a few dozen cms in 20
minutes. “Good buoyancy control is
crucial so that you don’t disturb the
marine life which is rather shy,” he
says, “When you spot an interesting
sea creature, the key is to behave as if
you are not impressed. Pretend like
you didn’t see it but keep an eye on
it. Allow it to develop the curiosity to
come close to you. If you even breathe
excitedly or move an inch suddenly,
the fish will disappear in a flash.”
With measured movements in
gentle increments, Zaki allows his
subject to become as much at ease as
he is. “The shape of the creature you
are expecting will grab your eye. And
suddenly, you might have a dolphin
passing you by. So you need to be
quick yet very cautious with your
moves to capture the finest that the
wonderful underwater world has to
offer,” says Zaki, who usually shoots
Batfish
under water for about two hours.
Though Zaki can go 120 metres
below, Qatar’s waters are shallow,
limiting his journey to 50 or 60
metres below. “Qatar has amazing
marine life and diving in North Qatar
and the inland sea will surprise you
with the wonders you will discover.”
Apart from describing how safe
and serene the water world is and
persuading both the curious and the
apprehensive to try diving, Zaki likes
to talk a lot about corals and our need
to protect them.
“Some estimates put the total
diversity of life found in, on, and
around all coral reefs at up to 2
million species. Coral reefs are home
to 25 per cent of all marine life, and
form the nurseries for about a quarter
of the ocean’s fishes, including
commercially important species that
could end up on your dinner plate
any night of the week,” Zaki explains,
“Coral reefs have survived tens of
thousands of years of natural change,
but many of them may not be able
to survive the havoc wrought by
mankind.”
With roughly a quarter of coral
reefs worldwide already considered
damaged beyond repair, and
with another two-thirds under
serious threat, Zaki’s frustration
with people’s lack of awareness
about these nature’s angels is
understandable. “More than 80 per
cent of the world’s shallow reefs are
severely over-fished. If we don’t act
now, 60 per cent of the world’s coral
reefs will be destroyed in the next 30
years,” Zaki explains.
The major threats for corals, Zaki
says, are destructive fishing practices,
overfishing, callous boat anchoring,
pollution, and climate change. “It
Lyretall Anthias
breaks my heart to see how the corals
are being damaged here in Qatar,”
Zaki says, “What I notice is that the
Qatari government is spending a lot
of time, money and effort to protect
marine life, but something needs to
be done with the people.”
The seasoned vet then offers an
analogy: “It’s like your father is
asking you to study for the exams
and he is offering you every possible
facility to help you score well, but
if you are not fully convinced how
important it is for you to study and
get good marks, you won’t do it.”
Awareness, therefore, is key, feels
Zaki. “The fishermen, for instance,
aren’t aware of how vital corals are.
If they have five or six boats, they
drop the nets on or around the reefs,
sometimes as many as 30 or 40, and
when the time comes to pull the
nets out, they will drop an anchor
and yank out the nets that are stuck
in corals, breaking huge amounts of
corals in the process,” he laments, “In
fact, a similar phenomenon occurs
when people go for fishing, cruising,
or diving — they use the GPS to locate
where the corals are, drop an anchor
there, then drag it through the corals,
destroying a chunk as big as this
room.”
The solution is simple, says Zaki.
“We need to be aware of what our
callousness is causing. We need to
save corals and thereby save the
underwater world,” he says.
6
GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
WEATHER ADDICT
DOWNPOUR: March’s rain didn’t just fall on one day, and we saw far more rainy days than we do in most years.
Photo by Shaji
March this year wetter than usual
By Steff Gaulter
W
elcome to April, the month
when the temperature really
begins to soar in Doha. A
few hardy souls may have
managed to make it to
the end of March without using their air
conditioning units yet, but I bet that not
many people will be able to say that by the
end of this month.
Exactly what weather April will bring to
Qatar, we cannot be sure, but if March is
anything to go by, it may be fairly unexpected!
The weather last month was a bit strange in
Qatar. It’s usually my favourite month, with
mild weather that is ideal for outdoor dining
and trips to the park. However, this year a
number of those outdoor activities had to be
postponed due to what is usually a rare sight
in Doha, namely rain.
This March was wetter than usual.
Remember the storms of March 9? They
brought heavy rain to Doha, but also
battered the United Arab Emirates with
winds of up to 126 kilometres per hour and
as much as 294 millimetres (nearly 12 inches)
of rain. However, March’s rain didn’t just
fall on one day, and we saw far more rainy
days than we do in most years. At the time
of writing this, on March 30, rain had been
spotted falling from the skies above Doha
on 11 different days of the month and more
rain is forecast over the next few days. If the
forecast is right (and when have forecasters
ever been known to be wrong?) then we
can expect that number to rise to 12. That
means, on average, rain has fallen more than
once every three days in March, which isn’t
bad for a desert.
Not only was this March greyer than usual,
it was also less hot. This will probably have
been helped by the rain, cooling down the
air, but it has been quite noticeable. The
temperature in Doha has only risen above
30C three times this month, a far cry from the
March heat that we baked in just three years
ago, when temperatures soared to over 30C
on ten different days.
Our wet, cool month has mercifully spared
us from an onslaught of dust storms. Dust
storms can be particularly relentless at this
time of year. In March 2012, dust reduced
the visibility to 3 kilometres or lower on ten
different days. This year it was a much more
manageable four days. I, for one, am very
happy about this; I’d gladly take rain over a
dust storm any day of the week.
Now we are in April, don’t assume that the
rain has finished with us just yet. We usually
see a good few days of rain in April and it
can last for almost a week. Last year was an
exception, because the rains were a little late
and arrived at the beginning of May. Every
year when it rains in April, people tell me that
it never rains this late in the spring. I guess
that just goes to show that people have short
memories and the long, hot summers seem
longer than they really are.
Whether we see rain this April or not, one
thing is a near certainty, and that is that the
weather is going to get increasingly hot over
the coming weeks. The average temperature
in April is 31.9C, but in May that soars to a
sticky 38.2C. Phew!
At least the weather at this time of year
isn’t usually too humid. Dry air is always
easier to cope with than humid air, because
our bodies find it easier to regulate their
temperature. Our bodies attempt to stay
cool by sweating, or in the case of a lady,
by glowing! As the sweat evaporates from
your skin, it turns from liquid to gas, and
this takes a lot of energy. The energy needed
for this is taken from our bodies, using the
heat from our skin. Therefore as the sweat
evaporates, we feel cooler. Sweating is less
efficient if there is already a lot of moisture
in the air, because the sweat will evaporate
slower. This means there is a greater chance
of overheating and heat exhaustion in humid
weather.
Fortunately, in Qatar the prevailing wind is
from the northwest. This brings us air which
has travelled across the deserts of Iraq, then
down the Gulf. The air does pick up a little
moisture from the waters of the Gulf, but it’s
still very dry when it reaches Qatar. It’s only
when the wind swings round and comes in
from the east that things in Doha get sticky. It
is this easterly wind that brings in the humid
air which will make your sunglasses instantly
steam-up when you step outside, or when
condensation forms on the outside of your
window.
The humidity doesn’t normally kick in
until July. So although it will get much hotter
in the coming weeks, hopefully it will be a few
more months before the humidity arrives.
(The author is Senior Weather Presenter
at Al Jazeera English channel. She can be
contacted on steff.gaulter@yahoo.co.uk
or on Twitter at @WeatherSteff)
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES
7
COMMUNITY
On The Abramovic Method
Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic was in Qatar
recently to participate in the ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference
INSIGHTFUL: Abramovic gives her presentation at the ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference in Doha.
By Anand Holla
N
ew York-based Serbian
performance artist
Marina Abramovic is
one of the finest and
the most pioneering
artists of our time. Stretching
the limits of the body and the
possibilities of the mind to their
very limits, Abramovic has
devoted more than 40 years of her
inspiring career to demystifying
the relationship between performer
and audience.
Down in Doha recently to give
a talk ‘Performance as Art, Art
as Performance’ at the The New
York Times’ ‘Art for Tomorrow’
conference, Abramovic swept the
audience away with her fascinating
insights into people, art and
performance. Community takes you
through the highlights.
About what performance art
means to her, Abramovic said, “I
am not about objects. I am all about
people, communities, cities and
performance art. My definition of
performance is that it is a mental
and physical construction which is
designed to be in an exact place and
time where the public enters and
then, the energy dialogue between
the performer and the public has to
happen.
“I would like for my work to
function as a constant mirror, so
that the public does not see me in
their work, but rather themselves.
That’s the fundamental thing.”
In 1974, Abramovic delivered one
of her best-known performances
‘Rhythm 0, 1974’. In the six-hour
performance at Galleria Studio
Morra in Naples, Abramovic
allowed herself to be manipulated
by the public in any way they chose,
using 72 objects laid on a table.
While some of those objects were
for pleasure, some were for pain;
the dangerous ones included a
loaded gun, pocket knife, scalpel,
hammer, saw, metal pipe, metal
spear, and axe.
Abramovic said, “It was an
experiment and I was young and
foolish. But this was an experiment
to see what if I gave to the public
the complete opportunity to do
whatever they want – how far could
they go? I ended this experiment
with the knowledge that the public
can actually kill you. I understood
that you can take something
best out of the public, or you can
completely transform them into
something else and leave the spirit,
which took me almost 40 years of
my career to do.”
For Abramovic, it was an
extremely challenging piece of
performance art to pull off because
she wasn’t in control, the audience
was. The performance had ended
with she holding a loaded gun
against her own head, tears in her
eyes, her blouse ripped open, and
her head bleeding from a wound.
“In the beginning, the public would
give me a rose, but later on they
would stick pins in my body, use
the pistol, or carry me around. It
was a very violent experience,”
Abramovic explained.
Explaining how artists must
be servants of the society, and
not just servants, but must bear
responsibility, Abramovic referred
to a statement by German museum
director Alexander Dorner that she
said inspires her: The new type of
art institute cannot merely be an art
museum as it has been until now,
but no museum at all. The new type
will be more like a power station, a
producer of new energy. “And that’s
where I am actually right now,” she
said.
Elaborating on The Abramovic
Method, a series of exercises she
designed over the course of 40
years to explore boundaries of
body and mind, she said, “It’s
very simple. When you go to the
museum or the art gallery, you enter
into a space that has lockers. In
these lockers, you have to keep your
telephone, computer and watch.
This is the moment when you give
yourselves a special freedom of
being all alone without technology.
Don’t get me wrong – I am not
against technology. Technology
is not wrong but our approach
towards technology is wrong.”
“So as you enter this new
place, you get headphones. These
(noise-cancelling) headphones are
incredible important,” Abramovic
continued, “The moment you
block sound, you are together with
everybody else in the room but at
the same time, you are alone. You
can hear your heart beating. You
can actually be in this space which
you, all the other times, avoid.”
Exercises that feature in The
Abramovic Method are very simple
such as slow walk, counting rice,
standing on a platform with eyes
closed, looking at colours, mutual
gaze, etc.
“I don’t think we need art in
nature. Nature is so perfect already,
without us. We need art in cities
where human beings don’t have any
time. In the cities that are polluted,
in the cities that have too much
noise. We have to take experience
from the nature and translate it
into the cities. I always believe that
the function of art is a function of
bridge; to bridge different people
from different social backgrounds,
religious beliefs, and races. But it’s
also about communication between
the physical world and the spiritual
world, or simply between two
human beings,” she says in a video
that she presented as part of her talk.
Abramovic says she eventually
understood that she must “give
tools to the public to experience
their own selves.” She explained,
“I have to be like a conductor
because I am always performing in
front of the public, engaging with
them. The public is my mirror and
I am the mirror of the public, too.
Everybody has trauma, loneliness,
fear of death, and pain. I am giving
a part of myself and they give me a
part of their selves. The only thing
they can understand on a much
profound level what performance
is, is they make their own personal
journey.”
8
GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
Match Day success for
WCM-Q’s future doctors
M
edical students
at Weill Cornell
Medicine-Qatar
(WCM-Q) have
‘matched’ at some
of the world’s leading healthcare
institutions, securing places in
residency programmes to continue
their clinical training after they
graduate in May.
The annual Match Day event,
which pairs soon-to-graduate
medical students with US residency
training programmes, saw WCM-Q
students gain positions at elite
hospitals such as Cleveland Clinic,
NewYork-Presbyterian Weill
Cornell Medical Center, University
of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center, and Vanderbilt University
Medical Center.
Match Day is highly competitive,
with more than 42,000 students
across the world vying for
30,000 residency positions at
US hospitals. Nineteen out of 21
WCM-Q students who applied
and interviewed for residency
secured a place in a programme,
giving a match rate of more than 90
percent.
Students and their families of
the Class of 2016 attended the
Match Day ceremony held at
WCM-Q to hear the results of
their applications soon after they
were announced by the National
Resident Matching Program
(NRMP) in Washington, DC.
Student Perola Lamba matched
at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP)
Weill Cornell Medical Centre
where she will join the Internal
Medicine Residency Program. “I
am absolutely delighted to be doing
my residency at NYP,” she said.
“It was my first choice because
it is a wonderful institution but
also because I have felt so at
home as a member of the Cornell
GROUP PHOTO: Class of 2016 after hearing match results.
family for the past four years, and
I want to continue to be a part
of that family. I hope to one day
give something back by teaching
the next generation of Cornell
students, and I also want to help
generate new medical knowledge
for our community by undertaking
research.”
Match Day marks the
culmination of four years of
medical training for WCM-Q
students, who are awarded the
same US-accredited MD degree as
graduates of Weill Cornell Medicine
in New York.
Student Mohamed al-Hajjaji
matched at Hamad Medical
Corporation and will join the
Pediatrics residency programme
there after graduation. He said: “I
Student Muhammad Panhwar during the
Match Day event.
am very happy and excited to have
completed the Medical Program
and to be continuing my training
in the specialty that I love. I am
also very happy to be able to stay
here in Qatar to be with my family
and to make a contribution to our
community.
“My time at Weill Cornell has
been wonderful and challenging.
It was very hard work but with
patience, support and careful
time management I managed to
complete the programme, which
I am very happy about. I am now
looking forward to moving to the
next stage of my career.”
Student Vignesh Shanmugam
matched at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital in Boston where he will
join the Pathology Residency
Student Perola Lamba during the Match Day
event.
Program. Shanmugam is the first
WCM-Q student to match at
Brigham and Women’s, which is
affiliated with Harvard University
and is regarded as one of the
world’s best hospitals.
Shanmugam said: “I am
absolutely thrilled about starting
a pathology residency training at
the Brigham and Women’s Hospital
in Boston. During medical school,
I always enjoyed understanding
the mechanisms of disease and
using these insights to generate
meaningful information in a
clinical laboratory to guide patient
care. No other speciality career
option was nearly as intellectually
stimulating and satisfying for me as
pathology. The training programme
at the Brigham historically takes
Student Mohamed al-Hajjaji with his daughter during Match
Day event.
great pride in training the next
generation of ‘physician-scientists’
and, given my strong passion for
research, it was a perfect fit for me.”
Dr Javaid Sheikh, Dean of
WCM-Q, warmly congratulated
the students.
“Every member of the Class of
2016 has shown great dedication
to learning their craft, and they
have been justly rewarded for their
efforts by securing places on some
of the very best residency training
programmes in the world,” he said.
“All of us at WCM-Q are
immensely proud of their efforts
and achievements, and we look
forward to seeing them continue to
excel as they move on to the next
phase in their careers. Well done to
all of you.”
Student Vignesh Shanmugam during
Match Day event.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES
9
COMMUNITY
Students during one of their activities as part of UCQ’s initiative to enhance community health.
Enhancing understanding
of mental health
A
chieving good mental
and emotional health
is being highlighted
by students at the
University of Calgary
in Qatar (UCQ) who are deepening
public understanding of mental
health and wellbeing through a
range of community projects.
These initiatives are part of the
university’s strategy to enhance
community health, reflecting its
vision to offer an environment of
mutual care which allows effective
learning to take place and in which
there is an understanding about
mental health and wellness.
“The mental and physical health
among our students, faculty and
staff is a priority, both on our
campus here in Qatar and our
main campus in Canada,” said Dr
Kim Critchley, Dean and CEO of
UCQ. “As Qatar transitions toward
a knowledge-based economy,
human capital will be a critical
factor. Building communities whose
members support and care for each
other, a crucial component of our
approach to healthcare wellness,
promises to enable citizens and
residents of Qatar to contribute to
national development.”
Promoting open dialogue about
psychological health in Qatar,
UCQ students have launched
Copacabana team loses in futsal tourny final
The Qatar Futsal Tournament came to a grand finish with
Copacabana and Ezdan fighting it out for the title in the
final. Ezdan won the keenly contested battle 3-1 to claim this
year’s title. The match was held amid a lot of fanfare at the
Qatar Sports Club grounds.
Copacabana team scored the first goal in the first 10
minutes, but the Ezdan team was able to bounce back
quickly and turned around the match.
It was a great performance from Copacabana team who
were the underdogs to begin with. But they showed great
fighting spirit and teamwork to go on a seven-match
unbeaten run, which saw them reach the final.
The tournament featured 40 teams from all over the
country. The idea was to give amateur players a chance
and so professional players were not allowed to enter.
Teams from schools, banks, companies, ministries and
sports clubs participated in the tournament.
Although the Copacabana team lost in the final match,
they were the recipients of key prizes — Best Player in the
Tournament and the Best Coach in the Tournament.
Copacabana team sponsor and managing director of
Lifestyle Group of Restaurants, Yoonus Salim Vappattu
said, “Qatar is known for promoting sports culture and
entertainment, especially when Qatar is preparing for the
Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, the world’s most prestigious
event. We are proud to associate with Qatar futsal
tournament.” Based in Al Wakrah Souq, Brazilian restaurant
Copacabana opened three months ago and is looking
forward to promote and support many more such events
in Qatar, said Vappattu.
Futsal is different from football in that each team has five
players and the ball has less bounce, is a little heavier, and
smaller in size. The ball is thus easier to control, but harder
to keep because of the extra pressure it puts on the foot.
This year’s tournament was a huge success for the
Copacabana team but they are hoping to return next year
and do even better. Qatar also has a professional futsal
league.
various evidence-based awareness
campaigns, sharing information,
and highlighting means of support.
UCQ students initiated two video
projects: one assessing Qatar
residents’ awareness and knowledge
of mental illness; the other
separating myth from reality when
it comes to suicide, designed to
ensure those at risk are encouraged
to seek care. In the course of their
projects, UCQ students took to the
local community at Villaggio Mall
by providing residents with vital
information about mental illness.
In addition, students also held
sessions at Qatar University and
Qatar Secondary Independent
School for Girls featuring roleplaying activities to encourage
empathy for the mentally-ill,
introducing participants to
headsets that simulate auditory
hallucinations, and providing
students with critical information,
focusing particularly on adolescents,
who are among those especially
at risk. These sessions enabled
UCQ to strengthen its ties with the
community, and build awareness
about the important topic of mental
health.
Through their projects, UCQ
students are countering the stigmas
afflicting those suffering from
mental illness, and demonstrate the
importance of the compassion that
is at the heart of nursing. Promoting
mental health and wellbeing builds
both the long-term content and
productivity that is conducive to
achieving the development goals
of Qatar National Vision 2030
where human development lies in
preventive and curative health care,
both physical and mental, taking
into account the differing needs of
men, women and children.
Aisha Almarri, a second year
Qatari nursing student at UCQ, said:
“Our projects allow community
members to acquire basic knowledge
about the mental illnesses that are
prevalent in Qatar, and experience
firsthand some of the symptoms
with which the mentally ill cope.
This initiative has shown that
knowledge and empathy can
overcome harmful stereotypes,
and foster the kind of inclusive
development that remains at the
heart of the long-term vision Qatar
pursues.”
In their outreach, students
utilised an array of social media
platforms to reach a broad and
diverse audience. Students turned to
Instagram launching an account that
provides useful information about
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD), a mental illness
often diagnosed in children that has
long been prevalent in Qatar. They
also created a Facebook page, titled
“Say No to Stigma,” prompting a
dialogue about mental health.
BFIS student becomes Qatar
Brain Bee Champion
Raya Makarim, a student of AS Level
at Bright Future International School
(BFIS), has clinched the top position
at the Qatar Brain Bee Competition
organised recently by Hamad Bin
Khalifa University in collaboration
with the Ministry of Education
through its Qatar Institute for
Biomedical Researches. She won the
title of “Qatar Brain Bee Champion,”
competing against 170 students from
36 schools. Raya also won a cash
prize of QR7,000 and will represent
Qatar in the International Brain
Bee Competition in Copenhagen,
Denmark.
10 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
Nurturing young mind
Maersk Oil Qatar and Qatar’s General Traffic Directorate’s booth attracted more than
3,000 people at GCC Traffic Week exhibition in Darb Al Saai. By Anand Holla
A student learns more about road signs as part of SFRS programme.
S
taying true to its rather
reassuring name, the
Students for Road Safety
(SFRS) programme
has been successful in
spreading awareness and instilling
a sense of responsibility in the
motorists of tomorrow. Nearly three
years since its launch in 2013, the
initiative shows just how much of
a positive influence it has been on
young minds.
At the recently held GCC Traffic
Week, Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ), in
partnership with Qatar’s General
Traffic Directorate, welcomed more
than 3,000 people to their exhibition
tent in Darb Al Saai. A milestone
annual event in the calendar
of activities to support Qatar’s
National Road Safety Strategy 20132022, the GCC Traffic Week seeks
to build road safety awareness and
encourage safe driving behaviour
across the region.
And what better way to propagate
safe driving habits among the people
of Qatar than to focus on the young?
In 2013, MOQ, in partnership
with the Qatar General Traffic
Directorate, within the Ministry
of Interior, as part of the national
One Second road safety brand,
launched SFRS. Last year alone,
more than 5,000 students aged
between 12 and 18 have benefited
from the programme, and the results
of this initiative at this year’s GCC
Traffic Week have been even more
heartening.
An MOQ spokesperson told
Community, “The success of any
road safety initiative should be
measured in the lives it touches and
ultimately saves. Since the launch
of the SFRS programme in 2013,
we have so far engaged with 6,000
young people through more than
50 school events targeting private,
independent and community
schools, to educate them about safe
road behaviours.”
The gains made by the initiative
are not vague or unsubstantial as
campaigns towards such causes
often suffer from. The robust
partnership between MOQ and
the Traffic Department at the
Ministry of Interior has brought
tangible benefits to Qatar by seeding
behaviour change and moulding
students into conscientious road
safety ambassadors at school and at
home.
“We constantly hear positive
feedback from teachers involved
in these events who tell us how
students walk away from the
initiative with an improved sense
of how drivers should behave on
the road and why it’s everyone’s
responsibility to improve driving
standards,” the spokesperson
explained, “Students, in their own
right, tell us that going through the
state-of-the-art road simulator
with the programme’s experienced
instructors and seeing, with their
own eyes, why it is so important
to be vigilant while on the road,
motivates them to encourage their
families and friends to practice safe
driving behaviours.”
The aim of SFRS, which
targets all students aged 12 to
18, is to educate children about
the importance of focusing and
being attentive while on the
road. SFRS travels from school
to school, focusing on educating
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES
11
COMMUNITY
ds for safer roads
An instructor helps a student navigate through the simulated road at a previous event in 2014.
Optional — A lecture at a previous One Second road safety class, also by MOQ.
and preparing the country’s future
drivers to usher in a much safer
road environment.
“Road conditions can change
in one second, which is why
it’s important to instil safety
precautions, like not being on
your phone and always wearing a
seat belt, from a young age so they
become a habit. The ultimate goal
is for students to act as road safety
ambassadors amongst family and
friends,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier, at the event, Brigadier
Mohammed Saad al-Kharji, Director
of Qatar’s Traffic Department,
said, “I congratulate MOQ on
its sponsorship and the range of
activities which proved popular and
effective, particularly among the
younger generation, in encouraging
positive road behaviours.” Everybody
would agree that it’s encouraging
to witness the size and scope of
nationally-significant events like
the GCC Traffic Week increase year
on year.
At the recent 32nd GCC Traffic
Week, the educational facilities
being organised and offered to the
public have surpassed expectations.
MOQ, for instance, had a more
prominent presence at the venue,
thereby allowing for more space
to hold a variety of educational
activities focused on raising road
safety awareness.
Of all the various fun and
educational activities that were
being offered in the MOQ tent such
as a 3D exhibition of the history
of Qatar’s traffic department and
interactive presentations, the road
simulator was understandably
a popular feature with visitors.
“The driving simulator used in the
Inside the MOQ tent at the recent 32nd GCC Traffic Week.
The MOQ tent at the GCC Traffic Week.
programme features cutting-edge
technology, including a complete
car cockpit and an advanced display
system with a wrap-around screen.
In this, a custom-made artificial
intelligence engine reflects common
traffic behaviours on Qatar’s
roads like tail-gating, failure to
indicate, flashing lights and cutting
across cars at roundabouts,” the
spokesperson said.
If one wishes to know the positive
impact of this initiative, the
testimonies come from everywhere.
Mohammad Taymour, Academic
Vice President at Al Yarmouk
Preparatory School, said, “The SFRS
visit to our school has changed the
way our students, and teachers, view
the issue of road safety. Being able
to sit in the simulator with expert
guidance and see the effect of bad
behaviours was a stark reminder of
how we all have a responsibility to
each other to show care and exercise
caution while driving.”
Paul Williamson, Principal at
Newton International Academy
(Barwa City), which hosted SFRS
last year, said, “We were delighted
that SFRS came to our school.
The children walked away with
an improved sense of how drivers
should behave on the road and
why it’s everyone’s responsibility
to improve driving standards. The
instructor, Peter John Marsh, made
our students feel comfortable yet
ensured they all were conscious of
this very important message.”
With around 75 per cent of all road
deaths in Qatar, every year, known
to be of young men aged between
10 and 29, educating the young is
the proverbial need of the hour,
and SFRS, arguably Qatar’s biggest
and longest-lasting road safety
campaign, is one of many such
emerging programmes. “MOQ has
supported a number of road safety
programmes under the One Second
national brand including a child car
seat campaign which focused on
education and awareness about the
importance of using seats belts and
child seats for children in vehicles;
this was included in the Maersk
GCC Traffic Week tent,” the MOQ
spokesperson pointed out.
In the past, the baby programme
provided 7,000 baby car seats and
was accompanied by a nationwide
educational and awareness
campaign. It also involved the
training of nurses at Hamad
Women’s Hospital in the importance
of using car seats and on distributing
them to the families of new born
babies.
12 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
Playing golf a lot like managing
a construction project
By Jon Sanderson and Matthew Schofield of Quantum Global Solutions Qatar
I
n January, Jon and I wrote
about how playing a tennis
match can relate to a
construction contract and
how certain aspects of the
match mirrors the commercial
aspects of a construction project.
Over the coming months Jon and
I will continue with a sporting
theme for our articles based on
the multiple sporting events held
in Qatar.
Qatar recently played host to the
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Golf Tournament at the Doha Golf
Club and being golf fans, it was a
pleasure to watch the tournament,
especially to take in first-hand
how immaculate and manicured
the course was. Unfortunately, this
year the weather wasn’t too kind
and the weekend was very windy
and colder than usual; however,
the golf played was at an excellent
standard.
Now, you might ask how golf
relates to a construction project?
In reflection, it is actually
amazing how most sports and
day-to-day activities mirror one
another — golf is no different.
Whenever a Project Manager
starts a construction project,
you make sure you have the
right foundations of your team
in place, a Contracts Manager, a
Planner, a Safety Manager and an
Engineer. The same can be said
about golf — a professional golfer
needs a team around him, a coach,
a caddie and an agent. A trusted
and empowered team enables the
golfer to concentrate purely on the
golf and the not-so-small task of
achieving a successful outcome.
A construction project needs a
Project Manager but that person
cannot do everything and relies on
his team. Watching the golfers in
the tournament, communicating
with their caddies and showing
trust in what they say, shows how
a good aligned team works.
Understanding the
course layout is the same as
understanding the scope of a
project. If the fairway is tight and
has obstacles, caution is needed,
club selection is important. Do
you go for a big drive and risk
going out of bounds or take a
smaller club and keep the ball
in play? If the project involves
various risks, do you throw
caution to the wind and just
go for it, or analyse the risks,
quantify them and put controls
in place to eliminate or at least
reduce the risk. Risk management
plays a key role in both sport and
construction and shouldn’t be
underestimated.
Each hole needs to be
completed in sequence, using a
planned approach, the same for
sequence of works in a project;
you don’t use a putter to tee off
with, which is the same as you
not putting the roof on without
building the walls first. Having a
plan and preparing is one of the
most important phases of any
project, the old saying goes, “Fail
to Plan, Plan to Fail.”
Similarly teams follow the
Six P’s, “Proper Preparation
and Planning Prevents Poor
Performance.” Watching a golfer
play: they plant their feet, look
at their stance, set themselves
up, align themselves with the
ball that is teed precisely; the
golfer is preparing for every shot,
whether it is a putt or a drive —
preparation is key.
It can be viewed as repetitive
but it is the planned, methodical
approach that generally sees
the best rewards in golf and in
construction. That being said
sometimes a wild shot now and
then never hurts anyone, but you
do need to be careful with this in
any walk of life and career.
Throughout a project there are
milestones, some have monetary
value for payment and some
are tied to delays for liquidated
damages — so throughout the
course of the project various
milestones need to be completed
on time and on budget. In golf,
each hole has to be completed
just like a milestone, towards an
outcome where the golfer puts the
ball into the hole in as few shots as
possible — unless we are playing
where we like to get our money’s
worth and take a lot of shots. But
seriously the higher the shots
the worse the score is and even
though there are no liquidated
damages in golf, there is the
shame of carding an eight on a par
three, as we well know.
At the end of the day, golf is
just a game, whether you swing
and miss or go out of bounds, it
doesn’t really matter. It is always a
fantastic feeling to get a birdie and
in our case a scarce par, but it’s
fun and as both our wives tell us,
it’s a long walk spoilt.
However, every time you play
you always want to do better
next time and learn from your
mistakes. The same thinking is
in construction projects were
lessons learnt should be adopted
every time, so the same mistakes
don’t happen again and again, and
if the mistakes stopped I wouldn’t
have to shout ‘fore’ as often when
I take my shot.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
INFOGRAPHIC
GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY
13
14 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
Wordsearch
Adam
Pooch Cafe
Many Moons
ANANKE
ARIEL
ATLAS
BIANCA
CARME
CHARON
DIONE
ELARA
EUROPA
HELENE
JANUS
JULIET
LEDA
METIS
MIMAS
NEREID
OBERON
PHOEBE
PORTIA
PUCK
RHEA
SINOPE
TETHYS
THEBE
TITAN
TRITON
Codeword
Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com
Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once.
Squares with the same number in have the same letter
in. Work out which number represents which letter.
Garfield
Sudoku
Bound And Gagged
Sudoku is a puzzle based
on a 9x9 grid. The grid is
also divided into nine (3x3)
boxes. You are given a
selection of values and to
complete the puzzle, you
must fill the grid so that
every column, every anone
is repeated.
PUZZLES/CARTOONS
Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
PUZZLES
Quick Clues
ACROSS
1. Wooing (9)
8. Pen-point (3)
9. Right (11)
11. Candidate (7)
12. Mistake (5)
13. Masticated (6)
15. Tenant (6)
17. Pointed (5)
18. Trouble (7)
20. Grudgingly (11)
22. Sailor (3)
23. Hit back (9)
GULF TIMES
Colouring
DOWN
2. Possess (3)
3. Giant (5)
4. Obeyed (6)
5. Go before (7)
6. Engrossing (11)
7. Detestable (9)
10. Heat (11)
11. Need (9)
14. Authorise (7)
16. Note-case (6)
19. Ruff (5)
21. Illuminated (3)
Cryptic Clues
Answers
Wordsearch
ACROSS
1. Inactivity in sails, pray for movement (9)
8. Exclamation made by pop at the hotel
(3)
9. Reads it once and turns over, being
unselfish (11)
11. Former soap mystery left on display (7)
12. Colourful music? (5)
13. Country girl to preserve (6)
15. Had a venture back to discover state
secret (6)
17. Head off drug peddler and see him in
court (5)
18. Ian’s ego will suffer as a result of
character change (7)
20. The one who brings home the dough?
(11)
22. Animal unused to sound (3)
23. Tight Rome schedule for a flier (5,4)
DOWN
2. Make a fuss at a party (3)
3. Body of roaming lions (5)
4. She tells a different version (6)
5. Unsteady walk to place of disorder? (7)
6. Lout in space sent up as a gamble (11)
7. Orderly craft seen at the Oval, for
instance (9)
10. Stop din in the pub causing mayhem
(3,2,3,3)
11. Worked out a cure: gone for help (9)
14. River in which a wader went to fish (7)
16. Barker doing the rounds? (6)
19. Eros possibly holds one in a basket (5)
21. Little creature left out at the start (3)
Codeword
Yesterday’s Solutions
QUICK
Across: 7 Wanton; 8 Medium; 10 Derange; 11
Flail; 12 Laud; 13 Roomy; 17 Lucid; 18 Dawn; 22
Aloof; 23 Turning; 24 Censor; 25 Signal.
Down: 1 Swaddle; 2 Onerous; 3 Joint; 4
Perfume; 5 Rival; 6 Small; 9 Negotiate; 14
Buffoon; 15 Valiant; 16 Snuggle; 19 Fancy; 20
Mound; 21 Broil.
CRYPTIC
Across: 7 Rouble; 8 Hearth; 10 Creeper; 11
Ravel; 12 Loud; 13 Spate; 17 Slave; 18 Sari; 22
Prism; 23 Nailing; 24 Dry run; 25 Sponge.
Down: 1 Trickle; 2 Humerus; 3 Slope; 4
Secrete; 5 Crave; 6 Shell; 9 Grapevine; 14
Clamour; 15 Salient; 16 Singlet; 19 Spode; 20
Sibyl; 21 Hippo.
15
16 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE
6 kitchen and bath upgrades
that are ‘the whole package’
L
et’s face it — once you
get past high school, the
people who go farthest
in life are the ones who
are the “whole package,”
those who balance style, good looks
and brains. The same can be said
of kitchen and bath upgrades. The
ones that will stand the test of time
— the ones you’ll love as much in
five years as you do the day they’re
installed — are the improvements
that blend style and intelligence.
Great bathrooms and kitchens
really do sell homes, so it makes
sense to invest in upgrades that
are the whole package. They look
great, are stylish, functional and
enjoyable, and will give you a
decent return on your investment
when it comes time to sell.
Here are six kitchen and
bathroom improvements that really
are the total package:
Granite countertops
Countertops are both a major
design feature and a vital necessity
in both kitchens and baths. New,
quality countertops improve the
appearance and function of either
room. Of course, granite is still a
top choice for kitchen counters but
it also goes well in the bathroom,
giving vanities a high-end look.
Skylights
Whether in a kitchen or
bathroom, adding solar-powered,
fresh-air skylights will brighten
the space with abundant daylight
and freshen the air with natural
ventilation that exhausts heat,
humidity and odours. In baths, they
also provide privacy.
Quality lighting
Lighting is both a practical and
design consideration for kitchens
and bathrooms. In addition to
natural light sources, such as
skylights and windows, it’s a good
investment to install upgraded light
fixtures. You should have multiple
ARIES
March 21 — April 19
Today’s Moon shines on your eleventh house of hopes, wishes and
friendship, making it a great day for you to spend quality time with
the people you love and enjoy hanging out with.
CANCER
June 21 — July 22
Don’t allow someone to steal your joy and or your thunder today,
Cancers. If it means something to you, then that’s all that really
matters.
LIBRA
September 23 — October 22
There is nothing worse than feeling as if people are laughing at you
and your achievements behind your back. You would rather they
criticise you in front of you than behind your back, right? Tell them
that.
CAPRICORN
December 22 — January 19
All at once something is very clear and it’s like a light bulb went off
in your brain. Which is just as well because you really hate feeling
confused, don’t you?
layers of light, including overhead
for both rooms, task lighting or
under-the-cabinet lighting in
kitchens, and vanity lighting in the
bathroom. Your design options are
vast, and upgrading your lighting
can be both a design statement and
an improvement that enhances
liveability.
Eco-friendly fixtures and
appliances
Of course you know new
appliances and fixtures can make
kitchens and baths look more
appealing to buyers, and more
enjoyable for you while you live in
your home. But their value will be
even greater if you choose options
that can also help reduce your
water, sewer and utility bills.
Tile
Tile is a big win for both kitchens
and baths. Replacing worn or dated
tile in showers or bathroom floors
improves the look and function of
the room. In kitchens, adding a tile
backsplash is an affordable way
to make a design statement while
protecting walls from cooking
spatters. Tile can also serve as a
countertop material in kitchens and
baths, where design flexibility and
durability are essential.
Organisation and storage
solutions
From dishes, pots, pans and
foodstuff in the kitchen, to towels
TAURUS
April 20 — May 20
Don’t let something minor turn into something major today bulls.
It’s all in the way you approach things and deal with people. If it’s not
that big of a deal, then it’s not that big of a deal.
LEO
July 23 — August 22
If you let your guard down today — even for a minute — you might
regret it Leos. People might be trying to get under your skin and
turn you off doing something you think would be very good for you
indeed.
SCORPIO
October 23 — November 21
Avoid confusion today by simply not allowing yourself to get caught
up in something that is going absolutely nowhere. You don’t do well
with changing plans and opinions so steer clear.
AQUARIUS
January 20 — February 18
The Moon in your sign today could have some of you feeling more
emotional and needy than usual. While this feeling is very unlike you,
it could mean that you are open to suggestion and help from others
today.
and personal care items in the
bathroom, you probably have a
lot of stuff that needs to be stored
in both rooms. So will future
buyers! Adding cabinet and drawer
organisers, as well as extra storage
solutions, can make it easier for
you to use both rooms. Plus, it will
help reduce clutter, giving your
kitchen and bath a more open,
clean look.
©Brandpoint
GEMINI
May 21 — June 20
Your ruler Mercury and the Sun together in your third house of short
trips and conversations suggests that today is a great day for a road
trip. Get the crew together!
VIRGO
August 23 — September 22
You’re not usually one for mischief making Virgos, but today you
could feel like playing a long overdue practical joke on someone.
Maybe someone who played an April fool’s joke on you?
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 — December 21
If you’re not open to doing something today, speak up and say so
Sagittarius. While you are usually a ball of energy and say “yes” to
basically anything and everything, don’t be too quick to do so today.
PISCES
February 19 — March 20
Venus the lover and planet of friendships and money spends her
last few days in your sign Pisces before jetting off for fiery Aries on
Wednesday. Make the most of her presence. Luxuriate in a bath or
pool if you can today.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES
17
COMMUNITY
BOLLYWOOD
I was always comfortable
in front of camera:
Jacqueline Fernandez
Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline
Fernandez, who shot to fame in
India through performances in
films like Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai
and Kick, says though acting was
not her childhood dream, she was
“always comfortable in front of the
camera”.
“I did a bunch of things from
the age of 14. I hosted TV shows
on local channels in Bahrain and
did some modelling. I was always
comfortable in front of the camera,”
Jacqueline said in the April issue of
Jabong’s The Juice magazine in its
April issue.
“I knew I’d be doing something
in the entertainment industry,
something that required me to be
on television or required me to be a
journalist or a broadcaster. I wanted
to intern with CNN or BBC. Their
investigative reporting inspired me.
“I even thought I’d be a
documentary filmmaker, because I
loved travelling,” she added.
She was such a travel junkie that
when Jacqueline turned 16, she
went to London on her personal
investments that she had made
through modelling and TV shows.
“I travelled on my own for 10
days. It was a crazy experience. On
the second day, I ended up spending
all my money and I still had eight
more days to go — my first time
there and I had no cash and was
lost. There were no mobile phones
then. One really sweet Indian lady
helped me out,” she recollected.
Among her favourite destinations
are Japan and Antarctica.
Asked about things she hates
about travel, Jacqueline said:
“Sometimes, I dislike airports,
the immigration and the security
process. It’s a big mess and is
irritating.” — IANS
COMFORT FIRST: Radhika Apte
Radhika Apte makes
fashion runway debut
A
ctress Radhika Apte has
impressed moviegoers
with variations in
many of her films
but says walking the
runway for the first time made her
nervous.
“It was the first time I walked
for ramp so I was very nervous
and I hope it’s just the beginning,”
Radhika told reporters post walking
for label The Meraki Project By
designer Sonali Pamnani. Calling
herself a cotton lover, the ManjhiThe Mountain Man fame actress
says that she is grateful for being
the part of fashion show and
loved the designs for being so
comfortable.
“I am very grateful that I am the
part of this show as I really love this
MAKING A COMEBACK:
Arvind Swamy
collection. I personally wear cotton
a lot and of course loose clothes and
I think comfort is the first thing for
me. I am not a flashy person at all
so this collection really suited me,”
said the actress who was wearing a
blue cotton Ikat knee length dress,
with shoulder cut-outs. The pink
bib detailing on the front added a
playful touch to the ensemble.
The Meraki Project by Pamnani’s
collection ‘All Work and No Play’
delivered a message of pursuing
passion for a living, and find true
happiness in life.
The essence of the collection
was portrayed through an eclectic
mix of clothing, which reflected
the heart and soul of the people
who worked hard to create it.
Classic silhouettes were creatively
manipulated to present clean,
minimalistic, anti-fit designs with
a contemporary feel to them.
Soaked in natural, hand-woven
textiles such as silk organza,
pure cotton and hand-woven
cotton Ikat, the collection was
accessorised with sunglasses
and gladiator sandals, rendered a
modern appeal to the traditional
Indian handloom.
Radhika also says that she is
happy to use lot of traditional
textiles grabbing spotlights
nowadays. “I am happy that these
textiles are coming in . I feel these
are the things that are celebrated
most outside the country and
sometimes we don’t celebrate
ourselves... so its good to see such
textiles,” she said. — IANS
TRAVEL JUNKIE: Jacqueline Fernandez
Meri Pyaari Bindu shoot
to begin earlier than
scheduled
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana,
who will be seen sharing screen
space with actress Parineeti
Chopra for the first time in Meri
Pyaari Bindu, says the shooting for
the film has been preponed.
“My next film Meri Pyaari Bindu
has got preponed. We will be
shooting in April now instead of
May,” Ayushmann told IANS.
Parineeti is returning to the
silver screen after two years with
the upcoming film. She will be
seen essaying the character of an
aspiring singer, and will also be
seen crooning a number for Meri
Pyaari Bindu, in which Ayushmann
plays a Bengali man.
The film is directed by debutant
Akshay Roy and is produced by
Maneesh Sharma. — IANS
Arvind Swamy returns to Bollywood after 15 years
Ranveer Singh to star in Rohit Shetty’s next
Actor Arvind Swamy, who made his Bollywood debut with
Mani Ratnam’s 1992 film Roja, is returning to the Hindi film world
with debutant director Tanuj Bhramar’s upcoming film Dear Dad.
Arvind is said to have chosen this film to return to Bollywood
because he found the subject intriguing. Dear Dad is a bittersweet coming of age story involving a father-son duo — 14 year
old Shivam and his 45-year-old father Nitin Swaminathan, a
statement said.
A description for the film read: “The father-son duo embark
on an impromptu road trip from their home, in Delhi, to
Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), where Shivam attends boarding school.
Unexpected confessions, weird strangers, accidental meetings, a
drunken escapade and singing in the rain — all these add up to a
complicated tale.”
According to Arvind, who plays the father in the film, such
concepts don’t get made very often and needs to be told, a source
close to the actor said. — IANS
Actor Ranveer Singh, who was last seen on screen in
filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Bajirao
Mastani, has landed a film by director Rohit Shetty.
Ranveer will soon be working with Shetty, who is
known for his snazzy car wreck stunts, action sequences
and cool comedies, read a statement from the actor’s
representative. The details of Shetty’s directorial have
been kept under wraps.
Meanwhile, Ranveer is busy shooting for his next film
Befikre, which is helmed by Aditya Chopra, who is making
a comeback after a hiatus of seven years.
Actress Vaani Kapoor, who made her acting debut in
2013 with the film Shuddh Desi Romance, will be seen
starring with the Bajirao Mastani star. Ranveer was
launched in 2010 by Chopra’s home production company
— Yash Raj Films — in Band Baaja Baarat.
The film is set to release on December 9. — IANS
ROPED IN: Ranveer Singh
18 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
HOLLYWOOD
‘There will certainly be
more fights on Empire’
HIGH DRAMA: The second half of the season is really about the family coming back together.
By Yvonne Villarreal
T
he first family of music
— at least in TV land —
is back. It’s been several
long months since we
last saw the Lyon family
at the center of Fox’s hit hip-hop
family soap opera Empire. The
midseason finale in December
saw Lucious (Terrance Howard)
losing control of his company to
son Hakeem (Bryshere Y Gray).
And who could forget that crazy
fall Rhonda (Kaitlyn Doubleday)
suffered down that flight of
stairs?
While Empire’s ratings haven’t
been as impressive as they were
in its debut season — when
viewership grew week to week
until hitting an all-time high of
16.7mn for its season finale — the
filmed-in-Chicago drama remains
a high note for Fox.
Empire headed into its
three-month hiatus with some
power, averaging 11.2mn total
viewers and nabbing a 4.4 rating
among the advertiser-favoured
demographic of adults ages 18
to 49 with its midseason finale,
and that’s not even factoring-in
delayed viewing over seven days.
And industry watchers will no
doubt keep watch on how Empire
fares in the ratings with its second
leg of its sophomore season,
which kicked off last week.
We spoke to Empire executive
producer and showrunner Ilene
Chaiken about how Season 2
is shaking out. The following
is an edited transcript of our
conversation.
This break has been so
long. Do you think this hiatus
was a little much, any worry
that fans will forget what
happened?
For me, it just flew by. We’ve
been in production throughout
the hiatus, so it didn’t feel like a
hiatus to me. I know we’ve been
off the air for a while. I hope that
it works. I hope we haven’t been
gone too long. I don’t think it was.
I’m really excited by what we’re
coming back with, so hopefully
the folks that love the show will
feel that it was worth the wait.
How would you describe the
second half of the season?
The second half of the season
is really about the family coming
back together. I think that’s the
big headline: The Lyons family
comes back together initially to
vanquish their enemies, to take
their company back while always
and forever competing with one
another for all the same things.
So, there are shifting allegiances
in the context of all that, but it’s
very much about the love and the
treachery among these wild and
crazy people.
What were some of the
narrative arc concerns you had
this season?
We’ve started a couple of
stories that we’ve been looking
forward to playing through.
The story of Lucius losing his
company and coming back
hard and reconnecting with his
gangster past in the course of that
has been a big story for us and the
repercussions that it has on his
children and on Cookie. The way
that Cookie and Lucius reconnect
in the course of that is one of the
loveliest and most exciting things
to me. I think you saw it in our
midseason finale — that last
scene between Lucius and Cookie
just brings back the connection
between them, that connection
that never goes away. That’s
going to be something that we’ll
explore much more deeply in the
remainder of the season.
Was there a story line in the
first half of the season that
drew a lot of debate in the
writers room?
Every single arc and story draws
a lot of debate in the room. But
certainly the Anika story line —
where we were going with Anika,
how far we were going with her,
and whether or not she is indeed
the person who pushed Rhonda.
And I would not ask anybody to
assume that ... . In the latter half
of the season, I think audiences
will come to see that Anika’s
behaviour, although it might have
gone a little far, was all in some
Sunday, April 3, 2016
GULF TIMES 19
COMMUNITY
HOLLYWOOD
Emma Watson’s
representative responds
to ‘whitening’ ad row
A representative of actress
Emma Watson, who was earlier
accused of glamorising a skin
“whitening” product, has
commented on a three-year-old
ad for cosmetics brand Lancome
after an online magazine brought
up the subject for attention.
Watson appeared as the face
of the brand’s Blanc Expert line
in Asia from 2011 to 2013. The
product is actually focussed on
eliminating dark spots instead of
bleaching skin, but the arguments
exist somehow.
Online magazine Gal-Dem’s
Naomi Mabita pointed out that
the actress supported the product
“designed to make us feel like
our skin is a problem that we can
pay for them to solve”. However,
Watson’s representative wants
to keep her image clean. “Many
artists often have limited control
of how their image is used once an
endorsement contract is signed,”
the representative said.
“I cannot comment on my
client’s previous contractual
arrangements with Lancome.
However, my client no longer
participates in advertising beauty
products, which do not always
reflect the diverse beauty of all
women,” the statement added.
Earlier, social media users
also slammed Watson, who is
known as a women empowerment
and equal rights advocate. —
IANS
Executive Producer of Empire Ilene Chaiken.
ways justifiable and motivated
by how badly she was treated by
the Lyons. She’s going to have a
chance to recapitulate and make
right the things that went wrong
for her.
Is this going to lead to some
GIF-worthy moments?
I hope so. I hope that it is
always GIF-worthy.
Hakeem is the head of
Empire Entertainment now
that Camilla has taken over.
This can’t last long. How is
this going to affect the future
of Lyon Dynasty?
Hakeem is going to have some
big choices to make. He made an
impetuous move, he made a power
grab that miraculously worked.
But it’s not clear that he’s ready
for it and he’s going to have to
choose between power and family
and that’s going to be a tough
choice for Hakeem. And he’s also
going to have to choose between
power and love because although
when Camilla left in Season 1, he
was heartbroken, he’s fallen in
love with someone else. And he’s
being offered the opportunity
to have all of the power that he
thought he was seeking, but at the
expense of his heart.
One of last season’s most
talked about moments was
the fight between Anika and
Cookie …
There will certainly be more
conflicts on Empire, physical
and psychological. I don’t like to
call them catfights, even though
sometimes the women do fight
in that way. I like to think our
women are every bit as able as
men and that their martial skills
compare and compete.
How detailed do you get in
the script when writing those
scenes?
Sometimes we get very detailed.
I’ve learned over the years that
those scenes really emerge on set
and the actors have a lot to do
with them, and the directors, and
the stunt co-ordinators. I prefer
not to say, “then she pulled her
ear,” because it never happens that
way. You spend all your energy as
a writer writing and imagining the
moments and then the actor will
say, “I’m not pulling her ear.” But
I will say that fight in Episode 10,
it didn’t all wind up in the cut. Lee
Daniels came into the room while
we were breaking that scene and
he was like, “Oh, I know exactly
how this fight is going to play
out.” He pitched out every single
second of it. “She spits! And
then the spit hits her! And then
it drips down her face.” It never
made the show but he had a really
vivid fight in his mind. I think
we should put all 25 of those spit
shots on the DVD or something.
You guys have the next
Empire Artist Contest
happening. How did that
process go?
We selected the Empire artist.
We finished shooting the season.
That artist was selected by our
executive producers. The artist
that was chosen gets a very big
feature spot on Empire in our
second-to-the-last episode. It
was surprisingly successful. It
didn’t take a lot of our time and
effort. And because music is
such a big part of our show, our
obligation was simply to make
sure that the artist that won was
featured in some small way. But
we wound up really liking the
work and they felt like Empire and
we gave them a much bigger spot
than we were obliged to give them.
The show definitely knows
how to get heads turning
with its guest spots. This
season saw Alicia Keys, Rosie
O’Donnell and Vivica Fox. Any
exciting ones for the second
half? Will we finally see Oprah
stroll through?
I don’t know when we’re
going to get Oprah. But the last
half of the season is much more
about the family. Frankly, we’re
not having as many guest stars.
We’re concentrating on telling
our stories. That’s not to say
there aren’t some amazing actors
coming to the second half of the
season, but they’re all there in
service of the story. There wasn’t
a single instance in which I was
told, “Hey, so-and-so wants to
be on the show, find a way to
get them in,” and I had to jump
through hoops and break my back
trying to accommodate a story
line. We simply cast all of the
characters that we wrote with
amazing actors. I’m not going tell
you who all of them are because it
would amount to spoilers.
The show got very political
with a number of nods to the
Black Lives Matter movement.
In what ways will that
continue, if at all? Any chances
of digs at Donald Trump or
other presidential candidates?
I don’t think we reference any
of the presidential candidates in
the latter half of the season. The
show is political by its nature. Our
characters have political points
of view. Their lives are political.
They know people in high places
and there’s no question the show
will continue to traffic in those
themes because it’s natural to the
show and fun and it’s what gets us
all on fire.
The show has spawned a
number of Empire-branded
ventures — clothing lines,
soundtracks, etc. What’s the
status of an Empire tour?
We’re talking about it. I’m not
sure exactly what form it will
take because there’s some really
exciting ideas in the mix. We
want them to always be ideas that
firstly don’t get in the way of our
making the show because that’s
our first priority. And also we
want to do something that feels
like of the world. But, yes, there
are definitely conversations going
on about what that’s going to look
like for Empire. — Los Angeles
Times/TNS
COMING CLEAN: Emma Watson
Ben Affleck has written a standalone Batman film
Actor-filmmaker Ben Affleck, who stars as Batman in superhero film
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, has written a script for a solo
Batman movie. William Morris Endeavor co-CEO Patrick Whitesell,
whose agency represents Affleck, confirmed the project, reports
aceshowbiz.com.
Asked about how many movies Affleck had signed up to now,
Whitesell said: “He’s contracted to do at least Justice League (Part) One
and Two, so at least three times wearing the cape.”
Whitesell added: “There’s a script that he’s written that is a really
cool (Batman) idea, so that’s out there as an option.”
Last year there were reports that Affleck was working on a standalone
Dark Knight movie as director, star and co-writer. — IANS
WRITE STUFF: Ben Affleck
20 GULF TIMES Sunday, April 3, 2016
COMMUNITY
MEMORABLE EVENING: Singer Tariq Tafu made the audience sway to his songs.
Photos by Umer Nangiana
Pakistani folk singer regales
music lovers at PMG concert
Tariq Tafu enthralled the Doha audience with scintillating numbers
and his super hit tribute to Lahore. By Umer Nangiana
H
e made them dance to the tunes
of his Punjabi songs. Promising
to make them take a virtual
tour of Lahore, the provincial
capital of Pakistan, through his
super hit song Lahore Lahore Aye (Lahore
is Lahore), Pakistani folk singer Tariq Tafu
enthralled the Doha audience.
Tafu was performing alongside a number
of Pakistani and local singers in a concert
organised here at Sheraton Hotel Doha by
Punjab Music Group (PMG) to celebrate the
National Day of Pakistan.
A giant cake in the colours of Pakistani
flag was cut before the start of the concert.
Tafu is the son of legendary tabla player
and musician Ustad Altaf Tafu and he is the
son-in-law of acclaimed Pakistani ghazal
maestro Ghulam Ali. Besides singing songs
from his latest and old collections, Tafu
also touched upon some of the greatest
melodies from past such as Sun way balori
akh waliya, one of the evergreen Punjabi
songs.
“My father has provided music for some
evergreen songs sung by some of the great
singers of Pakistan. Those were great
artists. I, however, try to create my own
songs, in my own style and you would tell
me tonight if I have been successful in my
effort,” Tafu told the excited audience.
Besides his hit songs, Tafu also sang
his tribute song to mothers. Like his
father, who is known for his unmatched
contribution to Pakistan’s music industry,
Tafu has quickly emerged as a crowd-puller
and a great entertainer on Pakistan’s folk
music scene. Coming from the capital city
of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Lahore, Tafu
is best known for his popular Punjabi song,
Lahore Lahore Aey.
Tafu started his music career at the age of
seven. With a typical voice of a folk singer
and great command over traditional music,
he was quickly attracted attention and a
great fan base in Pakistan. He has composed
music for and sang alongside legendary
singers such as the late Madam Noor Jehan.
He has a melodious voice and inherited the
knack for playing different kinds of musical
instruments from his father.
Tafu has toured different countries of
the world with his music concerts. Besides
singing, Tariq is also active in discovering
and developing the raw talent through his
music school, Tafu Khan Music College.
At the college, his team comprises music
industry’s top professionals who guide and
mentor rising singers.
His father Ustad Tafu is also teaching
music and vocals to young singers at the
college. Tafu is also known for his catchy
music videos that accompany his songs.
For lyrics, he says, he approaches the top
lyricist and poets of the country such as
Ali Kashmiri, Amjad Islam Amjad, Khawaja
Pervez and Saghar Ahmad.
He says he tries to do justice to every
song and some of his songs were written
by the famous poet late Qateel Shifai. The
secret of success, Tafu believes, lies in the
giving respect to seniors so that you can
learn from them.
He does not sing classical music, but
believes that it is the base. Besides music,
the singer is also actively involved in relief
and welfare work with Sahara Foundation
of singer-turned-politician Abrar-ul-Haq.
Razwan Bobby Sarwar, a Qatar-based
UK expatriate, was the prominent feature
among the musicians at the event. He is a
pianist, a music composer and the head of
Music at Pre-Prep Sherborne.
Sarwar recently composed a song Mere
ho Tum (You are mine) which is being heard
and played all over the world. Sarwar
brought his own distinct style the event.
The music fest also featured young singer
Danish Asif Ali. He has appeared in popular
Sa Re Ga Ma Chote Ustad TV show as a
young singer and nowadays performs on
Pakistan Television (PTV).
Singer Hina Ali presented a famous
Singer Hina Ali Khan performing at the show.
patriotic song on the theme of National Day
before singing a song written by famous
poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz that was originally
sung by Madam Noor Jehan. Starting her
journey into music at a very early age, Ali
has already performed at different venues
across South Asia.
The event also featured local artists
from Doha and the members of the Punjab
Music Group such as Raza Hussain Gullu,
Rama, Javed Iqbal Bajwa and others. The
chief organiser of the music fest, Nazakat
Ali Khan, thanked the audience for
their participation to make the event an
“unforgettable night of music with singers
coming from India, Pakistan and Nepal.”
Punjab Music Group has been organising
musical events and cultural shows for South
Asian communities in Doha for the past 10
years and has established a name for itself.