Welcoming the initiative taken by the Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) to run free capsule courses in self-defence in Australia for all 11 victims of the racist attacks and their friends,Ajay Shinde,president of Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena,the students wing of Shiv Sena,said such courses should be a must for immigrants and students who wish to study in foreign countries. Shinde said,However,these efforts should not stop once the issue settles down. Amit Menghani,president,FISA,said the federation has been meeting various student groups in Australia to come up with ways to instill confidence in the Indian community. We are planning to conduct various courses for Indian students. We have decided to begin with self defence and Sri Sri Ravishankars Art of Living classes, Menghani said. Ira Jambhulkar,a student who returned from Australia last year after completing her studies,said,Although it is a good initiative,it must be coupled with important safety tips customised to each country. For instance,when I was in Australia,I was told not to show off expensive Indian jewellery at public functions. Fisa,a non-profit association,is a nodal point of contact for Indian students Down Under. Menghani said most of these classes will be run free of cost initially. If the response is good,we will expand them, he added. Meanwhile,other Indian organisations in Australia have volunteered to start pick-up services in sensitive areas for students and professionals who travel late nights.
