SINGAPORE, WEEKEND OF FRIDAY,
SEPTEMBER
29,
20
2
3
MCI (P)
079/
10/2022
LITTLE INDIA
GEARS UP FOR
DEEPAVALI
PAGE 7
CREATE JOY
IN LEARNING
MOTHER TONGUE
PAGE 5
ADDITIONAL CASH
PAYOUT FOR
SINGAPOREANS
PAGE 6
REPORT ON PAGE 3
Stranger who found her on the
streets helped put her on Instagram
Chennai
beggar
teaches
English to
millions
Ms Merlin, once a teacher in Myanmar, with her former landlord’s son Logu Padmanabhan, who has now placed her in an
old-age home.
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/MOHAMED ASHIK
Page 2
September 29, 2023
tabla
!
INDIA
Members of the Pakistan cricket
team arriving at Hyderabad’s
Rajiv Gandhi International Air-
port for the World Cup.
It is the Pakistan cricket
team’s first visit to India since
2016.
Excited crowds, held back by
security officers, cheered and
called out Pakistan captain Babar
Azam’s name.
Pakistan are slated to play two
warm-up matches – against New
Zealand on Sept 29 and Austra-
lia on Oct 3 – before the World
Cup, which opens on Oct 5.
Just a month ago, Pakistan
were riding high as the world’s
top-ranked team and one of the
favourites to win the World Cup.
But a crushing 228-run defeat by
arch-rivals India and a two-wick-
et loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia
Cup have cast a shadow over
their prospects.
Tight security as Pakistan arrive for World Cup
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Editor-in-Chief
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India will look into Canada’s intel
on separatist’s murder
Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam
Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India
has told Canada that it is open to
looking into any information that
Canada provides on the killing of Sikh
separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said
last week that Canada had credible
intelligence linking Indian agents to
the murder, prompting an angry initial
reaction from New Delhi, which
denies the allegation.
“We told the Canadians, look, if
you have something specific, if you
have something relevant, let us know.
We are open to looking at it,” said
Mr Jaishankar.
India last week suspended new
visas for Canadians and asked Canada
to reduce its diplomatic presence in
the country, citing “a deteriorating
security environment”.
Pegatron fire traced to workers’
failure to turn off switch
A factory fire at iPhone assembler
Pegatron India was sparked by a
short-circuit after an electrical switch
was left on, following testing of the
devices as they were being put
together, two sources briefed on the
matter told Reuters.
The lapse at key Apple supplier
Pegatron’s factory in Chengalpattu,
Tamil Nadu, has cost three straight
days of lost production, with no clarity
on when operations might resume.
There were no injuries in the fire.
States with upcoming elections
report more anti-Muslim incidents
Anti-Muslim hate speech incidents in
India averaged more than one a day in
2023 Q1 and were seen mostly in
states with upcoming elections,
according to a report by Hindutva
Watch, a Washington-based group
monitoring attacks on minorities.
There were 255 documented
incidents of hate speech gatherings
targeting Muslims with about 70 per
cent of the incidents taking place in
states scheduled to hold elections in
2023 and 2024.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat
witnessed the highest number of hate
speech gatherings. Most of the hate
speech mentioned conspiracy theories
and calls for violence and
socio-economic boycotts against
Muslims.
India says Aadhaar reliable after
Moody’s cites concerns
The Indian government on Monday
reiterated its confidence in the
country’s digital identification system,
Aadhaar, after a Moody’s report last
week highlighted concerns about it,
including its biometric reliability.
The Aadhaar card, which is issued
by the Unique Identification Authority
of India, has a unique number tied to
an individual’s fingerprints, face and
eye scan.
Moody’s in its report had said that
the Aadhaar’s system often results in
service denials, and questioned the
reliability of biometric technologies,
especially for manual labourers in hot,
humid climates.
Delhi government frustrated over
senior bureaucrats’ disobedience
The Delhi government on Wednesday
told the Supreme Court that senior
bureaucrats were not carrying out
orders, while seeking an urgent
hearing on its plea against the
contentious law giving the Lieutenant
Governor an upper hand in matters
related to transfers and postings of
senior officials.
“I cannot express the agony of the
administration. Civil servants are not
listening or carrying out orders. There
is an extreme urgency,” submitted
senior advocate Abhishek Manu
Singhvi, who appeared for the Delhi
government.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of
India D.Y. Chandrachud declined to
pass any order directing urgent listing
of the petition.
Central government considering
housing subsidy scheme
The Central government is considering
spending Rs600 billion ($9.9 billion)
to provide subsidised loans for small
urban housing over the next five years,
two government sources told Reuters.
Banks are likely to roll out the
scheme in a couple of months, ahead
of key state elections later this year
and general elections due in mid-2024.
The scheme will offer an annual
interest subsidy of 3-6.5 per cent on
up to Rs900,000 of the loan amount.
Housing loans below Rs5 million
taken for a tenure of 20 years will be
eligible for the proposed scheme.
Jammu,Kashmir to auction lithium
reserves
India’s federally administered region
of Jammu and Kashmir will auction its
lithium reserves over the next few
weeks, a government source with close
knowledge of the matter told Reuters
on Monday.
India, which has been exploring
ways to secure supplies of lithium, a
critical raw material used to make
electric vehicle batteries, in February
found its first lithium deposits in
Jammu and Kashmir with estimated
reserves of 5.9 million tonnes.
Kerala farm owner arrested after
burying the bodies of 2 youths
A couple of days after they went
missing, the bodies of two youths were
dug out from a farm near Palakkad in
Kerala, a police officer said on
Wednesday.
Shijith and Satheesh were part of a
group of youths who were running
away from a police patrol, after they
committed some mischief. The duo ran
into the farm to hide but got trapped
in an electric fence and were later
found dead by the owner, Ananthan.
“The owner said he had set up the
electric fence to ward off wild animals.
On seeing two bodies, he panicked
and dug a pit on his land and buried
them,” said the officer.
“He has been arrested, charged
with destroying evidence, and the
probe will continue.”
Bihar removes 332,000 students
for extended absence
The education department in Bihar
has struck off the names of 332,000
students from government schools,
after they were found to be absent for
more than 15 days without
permission.
The education department warned
that students should have 75 per cent
attendance to be eligible for the board
examination.
Special CBI team in Manipur to
probe students’ killing
A special Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) team reached
Manipur’s capital Imphal on
Wednesday to expedite a probe into
the murder of two young students.
The Manipur government had
earlier said that the case has been
handed over to the CBI, while the
security forces have initiated a search
operation to nab the killers.
Photos of the bodies of the victims,
identified as Phijam Hemjit, 20, and
Hijam Linthoingambi, 17, who were
missing since July, surfaced on social
media on Monday.
Patna police nab accused in
kidnapping and urinating incident
Police in Patna, Bihar, on Tuesday
arrested the main accused in an
incident where a woman was brutally
assaulted and urinated upon.
Superintendent of Police (Patna
Rural) Syed Imran Masood said that
while Pramod Singh was arrested, five
others including his son Anshu Singh
were still at large.
“Investigations have found that
they kidnapped and brutally assaulted
the woman,” said Supt Imran.
INDIA
tabla
!
September 29, 2023
Page 3
On the bustling streets of Chennai, a
chance encounter between content cre-
ator Mohamed Ashik and an elderly
beggar has touched hearts and illustrat-
ed the profound impact of compassion
and generosity.
Ms Merlin, an 81-year-old from
Myanmar, once led a very different life.
She married an Indian man and moved
to Chennai, but fate dealt her a series of
heartbreaking blows.Most of her family
members died, leaving her alone, strug-
gling to make ends meet.
But a heartwarming story unfolded
when she met Mr Ashik.
What began as a casual conversation
soon revealed Ms Merlin’s remarkable
fluency in English, a skill honed during
her earlier years as a school teacher in
Myanmar.
Mr Ashik was moved by Ms Merlin’s
story and decided to make a difference
in her life, reported India Today.
He gave her a sari and, more impor-
tantly, asked her to start providing En-
glish tuition,offering to pay her to make
content in English. True to his word, Mr
Ashik started the Instagram page En-
glish With Merlin.
Ms Merlin’s story struck a chord with
netizens and the video starring Merlin
paati (grandmother) has reached almost
30 million views on Instagram,reported
NDTV.
Not only did millions of people start
tofollowheraccount@englishwithmer-
lin, but some also helped her reconnect
with her former landlord’s family who
saw to it that Ms Merlin had a spot at an
old-age home.
“I spotted Merlin paati near Besant
Nagar beach on Sept 9. I recognised her
from a previous video in which she had
asked the content creator for a blouse
because the one she was wearing was
torn. So, I gave her a sari and a blouse,
but I couldn’t leave it at that,” Mr Ashik
told The News Minute.
“During our conversation, she cor-
rected my pronunciation and said that
she was an English teacher.I didn’t want
herto beg.SoI thoughtofcreating anIn-
stagram page where she could teach.”
Since then, Mr Ashik has uploaded
reelsofMsMerlinteachingbasicconver-
sationalEnglishandnarratingstoriesfor
children.
Ms Merlin said she migrated to India
in 1996 after her marriage and was
forcedtoliveonthestreetsfollowingthe
death of her husband, son and mother-
in-law.
“Since 2018, I have struggled on the
streets for day-to-day activities like
bathing or using a public toilet. I have
been sleepless on several nights,” she
told The News Minute.
Ms Merlin said she was also featured
in the videos of other content creators
who offered help. “Some gave money,
others helped with old clothes,food and
medicine, while some even offered to
get me mango juice.”
Ms Ashik’s viral video helped Ms
Merlinreconnectwithheroldlandlord’s
family.
Mr Logu Padmanabhan alias Shyam,
the landlord’s son who used to attend
hertuitionclassesasachild,reachedout
to her after seeing the video.
“With the help of my friend Dinesh
Kumar from (leading Tamil entertain-
ment website) Behindwoods, I went
searching for Gama (short for grand-
mother). When we found her, I spoke to
her and helped her recollect who I was.
Dinesh recorded it on his phone and
eventually published it,” Mr Shyam told
The News Minute.
Ms Merlin said she was shocked to see
Mr Shyam. “I was surprised that he still
remembered me and came all the way to
see me. He was more than a student to
me, he is like my grandson,” she said.
While Ms Merlin’s daughter lives in
the city, she is not in a position to extend
support, according to Mr Shyam.
“We located some of her other rela-
tives but Gama preferred to go to an old-
age home,” he said.
With the help of Uravugal Trust’s
Khaalid Ahamed and Mr Dinesh, Ms
Merlinwasmovedintotheold-agehome,
in Royapettah in central Chennai. “I am
happy and peaceful here,” she said.
MrShyam’smedicalofficerwifemon-
itors Ms Merlin’s health and their family
is looking to take Ms Merlin to live with
them once their house construction is
complete.
“From 1996 to 2003, Gama’s family
and mine lived as one. That was eight
whole years. It is unfortunate that she
was living on the roads.Once we move to
our new house, we will take her in,” said
Mr Shyam.
Mr Ashik said he will continue with
theEnglishWithMerlinpageandpublish
educationalvideostosupportMsMerlin,
who was in disbelief when she was told
that she has millions of followers on In-
stagram.
“Really? Promise me, don’t lie,” she
exclaimed.
“If that is so, sure, I will make more
videos. I am always a teacher and that is
what I will do.”
Indo-Asian News Service
Magical turnaround for grandma Merlin
Content creator Mohamed Ashik with Ms Merlin, who moved to India from Myanmar and ended up on the streets.
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/MOHAMED ASHIK
“Really?
Promise me,
don’t lie. If that
is so, sure, I will
make more
videos. I am
always a
teacher and
that is what I
will do.”
– Ms Merlin when told
that she has millions of
followers on Instagram
