Speaking at a seminar titled 'NRI Abandoned Brides and Illegal Immigration' that was jointly organised by the Punjab Legal Services Authority in association with the Punjab State Commission for NRIs at Bajwara near Hoshiarpur, Chief Justice of India, Altamas Kabir asked parents to be wary and verify details of their prospective in-laws.

He said youths are attracted to greener pastures in foreign countries and consequently many of them are exploited by fake travel agents who indulge in illegal immigration that is responsible for the growing problem.

Justic Kabir said the government cannot be blamed for delays in disposal of the large number of pending cases.

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Bhanu Athaiya the renowned Bollywood costume designer who is the first Indian to win the Oscar has returned her Oscar statuette to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles because she fears it will be stolen just as Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel medal was stolen.

Athaiya, 85, who won the award for Gandhi (1982) said she does not trust anyone in India to keep it as no one values such things and India lacks a tradition of maintaining its heritage and objects pertaining to its culture.

She was to travel to LA in 2013 to hand over the trophy personally, but after she was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumour in June she decided to return it as soon as possible. The statuette was couriered in a special container and was received by the Academy. Athaiya has signed and handed over a Deed of Gift to the Academy to ensure the Oscar will forever remain in their hands.

The costume designer regrets the Indian government has never recognised her work.

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At the World Travel Awards held for the first time in Asia, India won three top tourism awards for being the world's best destination, for the world's leading tourist board for its "Incredible India" campaign and for the world's leading tourist attraction, the Taj Mahal, a world heritage site.

Tourism minister K Chiranjeevi accepted the award and said the ministry plans a multi-pronged strategy to increase India's share in tourist arrivals that includes the development of world class infrastructure and manpower, and undertaking aggressive promotional and marketing activities.

In 2011 6.29 million tourists visited India.

The World Travel Awards is considered the biggest awards presentation in the travel industry.

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The American Sikh Community members celebrated the 544th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in the White House on December 7.

President Obama conveyed his regards and remembered the victims of the Wisconsin Gurudwara shooting, calling for a spirit of pluralism, equality and compassion that define both the Sikh community and America.

Ami Bera the US NRI congressman from California expressed his gratitude to the president.

This is the third consecutive time the White House is commemorating Guru Nanak Jayanti.

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The inimitable sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar was admitted to the Scrips Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California, with breathing difficulties. He passed away on Tuesday 11 December at the age of 92.

The musical fraternity that included Pandit Birju Maharaj the king of Kathak recalled his days when Shankar encouraged him for his hard work and commitment, as did the vocalists Rajan and Sajan Mishra who called it a sad day for the music industry.

Tanusree Shankarji a dancer and choreographer of contemporary dance in India, who is also Shankar's brother's daughter-in-law, called Shankar's demise a personal loss and a huge loss for all the artists in the classical musicians coterie.

All over the world musicians remembered the great man, including the Beetles' contemporaries who remembered his influence on the then young boy band that changed the course of music mixes with cultures and instruments from East and West.

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