The Beast, FCC Newsletter, October 2023 The Governing Committee of FCC South Asia for 2023-25 is looking forward to meet and greet you, and also implement wonderful plans to make the Club a vibrant and happening place. We are now again organising events at the FCC's well-equipped auditorium and the lawns. This is the October 2023 issue of our newsletter The Beast with a story on the interaction with Sri Lanka High Commissioner, a movie screening and a Quiz contest. You may kindly share interesting stories/experiences during your reporting assignments, and news about journalists who arrive in India or depart after completing their assignment, with The Beast's Editor Simran Sodhi. Contact her at simraj68@yahoo.com

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS   JOURNALIST ASSOCIATES Pranav Ashwin Mukul The Economic Times Smriti Rastogi Jagran New Media     CORPORATE ASSOCIATE Satish Kumar Kataria - Municipal Corporation of Delhi   Sumit Mohan - SM Estate ABOUT FCC SOUTH ASIA   The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia is a group of more than 700 journalists and photographers covering India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Afghanistan and Tibet. New members are always welcome: The club was started by “Foreign” correspondents, or those who work for news outlets outside of the region. However, we welcome journalists from Indian newspapers, magazines, television channels and news portals. In addition to journalists, we also admit diplomats, lawyers, and people dealing with the media from non-governmental organizations and companies as Associate Members. As India’s economy has boomed in recent years, and tensions continued to grip Afghanistan and other neighboring areas, the FCC has become an important meeting point for far-flung travelling journalists to reconnect and recharge. The club has also substantially expanded what it offers to members, to include more press conferences, sports match screenings, book launches and other cultural events.   OCTOBER 2023 EVENTS   A discussion with Author Bhuvan Ribhu 6:30pm, OCTOBER 11, 2023 A Special Talk by on his thought-provoking book SEPTEMBER 2023 EVENTS   RUSSIA-INDIA RELATIONS TODAY 6:30pm, September 1, 2023 A Special Talk by DENIS ALIPOV, Russian Ambassador to India A FAREWELL RECEPTION 6:30pm, September 25, 2023 For MILINDA MORAGODA the departing Sri Lankan High Commissioner FCC Observes World Alzheimer's Month 6:30pm, September 28, 2023 FCC QUIZ 6.30pm, September 30, 2023

FCC hosts the Sri Lanka High Commissioner, a movie screening and a Quiz contest On Sept 25, the FCC hosted the outgoing Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda. The envoy interacted with members of the press and answered a vast range of questions. In response to questions on the ongoing tensions between India and Canada, the HC said, “I think India’s response has been inequitable and also firm and direct. And I think as far as we are concerned, we support India on that. Having said that, also, in my lifetime, now I’m 60 years old, 40 years of my life, we have spent facing various forms of terrorism in Sri Lanka. I have lost many friends, and colleagues to terrorism. “Many Sri Lankans have died due to terrorism. So, therefore, our position on these matters, I think, is very clear because we have endured and we have suffered. And as a country that has gone through that, tolerance for terrorism is zero tolerance,” he added. The envoy said that he plans to return to Sri Lanka and for the next three months live as a private citizen as he decides on his future endeavours. It was a packed house and the interaction went on for over an hour. The FCC wished the outgoing envoy success in his future endeavours. On Sept 28, the FCC hosted the screening of a movie titled ‘Life Flows On’, directed by Vishaal Nityanand. The movie is an attempt to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and how it impacts the person suffering from it but also those around him. The movie stars late actor Tom Alter and a number of actors from India and abroad, making it an international endeavour. The movie depicts the stories of three people living with Alzheimer’s and makes an effort to educate the audience about how this disease can slowly take away a person’s memories. This in turn then affects the family and care-givers around them and their lives, too. A movie made in a touching manner, and it also highlights how society today is not ready to provide care to such people. The screening was followed by a lively Q and A session with the director, Vishaal Nityanand. September is also observed as World Alzheimer’s Month. On Sept 30, the FCC re-started the monthly Quiz. It was a fun filled evening where many participated in the quiz which had questions from the world of arts to sports to science. The audience members were also active participants. The quiz master was senior journalist Srinjoy Choudhary, a veteran of about a thousand quiz competitions either as quiz master or participant, and author of four quiz books, too. The Danish Ambassador to India Freddy Svane was the Chief Guest, and handed out prizes to the two top teams at the end of the quiz. Members of the audience who got questions right also got tee shirts as prizes. All in all, a great start to the FCC monthly quiz which will be held on the last Saturday of every month. The next quiz will be held on October 28. The quiz was sponsored by Ocean Blue Beverages and Greater Than London Dry Gin, who provided gift hampers to the top two winning teams and the Quiz Master. --Simran Sodhi Design: Anil Yadav