NMPs

Parliament is in session. And if you think you have the right to clink glasses and piss and diss politics, do at least know what the issues at hand are. For a list of all questions and topics to be discussed in seatings, click HERE.

On our part, other than the usual Yindian dudes we see in the papers giving their 20 paisa worth on whatever is rocking their boat, we focus today on 2 Nominated Members of Parliament of Yindian ancestry and see what they bring to the table.


Mr Gautam Banerjee, Executive Chairman of Pricewaterhouse Coopers [CV]

On 1 July 2005, Gautam Banerjee was appointed as the Chairman of the Asia 7 Leadership Team and continues to be the Executive Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore.

Prior to this, Gautam was a member of the firm's executive committee since January 1996 and had experience leading various business units in the firm, including most recently, the firm's largest business unit, the Assurance practice. He has had partner responsibility for some of the firm's largest clients including Temasek and Singapore Telecom.

During his 22 years with the firm, he has contributed significantly to the development of PwC Singapore from a predominantly audit and tax practice to a multi-disciplinary professional services firm with capabilities in Risk Management, Corporate Finance and other business advisory services in Banking and Capital Markets, Telecommunications and Technology.

Gautam graduated from the University of Warwick and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Singapore.


Dr Kalyani K Mehta, a social worker and NUS Associate Professor [CV]

Dr Mehta enjoys teaching at the Department of Social Work and Psychology, National University of Singapore. She is also Managing Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work, a journal produced by the department. Currently, she is Chair of the Department Research Ethics Committee and member of the University Senate.

She has conducted research on women, families and elderly. Her Master's thesis was on Attempted Suicide by Indian women in Singapore (1984) Her doctoral dissertation was on "The Dynamics of Adjustment of the very old in Singapore" (1994). Her research interests include Elder Care Policies and Services, Carers' Stress, Retirement, Widowhood, Gerontological Counselling Models, and Long Term Care. The cross-cultural aspects and experiences of the respondents are often highlighted in her research.

Dr Mehta has published three books, and a fourth co-edited book is in press. The last is entitled "Long Term Care in the 21st Century: Perspectives from around the Pacific Rim. " She has published more than 20 articles in international peer reviewed journals such as Ageing and Society, Journal of Aging Studies, International Journal of Aging and Human Development and Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. She has also contributed chapters in highly reputed books on Gerontology and Care for the elderly.

Kalyani Mehta is a member of the Gerontological Society of America, British Society of Gerontology and Gerontological Society, Singapore. She served as President of the Gerontological Society, Singapore and represents Singapore in the International Association of Gerontology. She is also a Council member of the Asia Pacific Association of Social Work Education (APASWE).

She has been invited to present papers at numerous conferences such as the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Regional Workshop on Preparations for the International Year of Older Persons (1998) held in Beijing; the Joint Conference of APASWE,International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW, Asia Pacific) and Australian Association of Social Workers held in Brisbane in 1999.

Kalyani Mehta has served as consultant to several international and regional organisations such as U.N. ESCAP (Bangkok) and Asia Development Research Forum, a programme sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (Canada). In Singapore, she is consultant to Samaritans of Singapore and Marine Parade Family Service Centre. In the arena of policy development she has made significant contributions as a member of the Advisory Council of Family and Aged. She is an active member of the Feedback Group on Elderly Development, Ministry of Community Development and Sports. On occasions she has been advisor to the National Council of Social Services.

Got it? Now watch out for them and let's see what pertinent views they provide on national concerns as pseudo-Yindian community representatives.