Friday, October 02 2015 | Vol. 34, No. 40
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
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IACCGH Gala: Celebrating 15+ Years of ‘Overwhelming’ Successes
From left: President Ashok Garg, Mahindra USA President Mani Iyer, Blue Lance CEO Umesh Verma, Keynote Speaker Ambassador Richard Verma, India House President Dr. Manish Rungta, Wallis State Bank CEO Asif Dakri and Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia. Photos: Kaushlesh Biyani
BY PRAMOD KULKARNI HOUSTON: Founded in 1999, the Indo-American Chamber of Greater Houston (IACCGH) has experienced tremendous growth in size and influence during the last 15+ years, as the chamber built bridges between India, the Indo-American business community and the mainstream Texas institutions and enterprises. As he welcomed the audience at the sold-out Hilton Americas Hotel banquet hall, Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia declared he was “overwhelmed” by the organization’s successes. More than 650 ICCGH members and their guests attended the chamber’s 16th gala on Saturday, Sept. 19. Emcee for the evening’s program was KHOU Channel 11 anchor Rekha Muddaraj. The US
and Indian national anthems were sung by Keerthana and Kruthi Bhat. The banquet cuisine was catered by Daawat. After a welcome address by Asif Dakri, CEO, Wallis State Bank and gala underwriter, India’s Consul General P.. Harish addressed the gathering. In his remarks, CG Harish recalled that this was his fourth gala attendance, having assumed his post in Houston in 2012. Commenting on the growth of trade between India and the United States, CG Harish said, “The first liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from the Gulf Coast will begin in 2017. The US is scheduled to supply up to one-third of India’s natural gas imports.” Pointing out the Indian government’s “Make in India” initiative, CG Harish said, “The government is committed to grow manufactur-
ing in India. For companies planning to invest in the manufacturing sector, there will be no red tape, only a red carpet.” IACCGH President Ashok Garg then provided highlights of the chamber’s activity during the year, including a trade delegation to India, organized by the chamber, and led by Houston Mayor Anise Parker. Garg recalled that it was during the trip to India that he had the opportunity to meet US Ambassador to India Richard Verma and invite him to be the chief guest and keynote speaker at the gala. The 25th US Ambassador to India, Verma is an Indo-American, who grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Verma’s father immigrated to the US as a professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and his late mother, Savitri, was a special needs school teacher. Verma began his career in the US Air Force as an judge advocate. Verma subsequently worked as a lawyer at the Steptoe & Johnson law firm until he became a senior adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from 2002 to 2007. He joined the State Department in 2007 as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.
2015 Award Winners Entrepreneur of the Year: Umesh Verma, CEO, Blue Lance— cybersecurity governance solutions Inbound Investment & Job Creator: Mani Aiyer, CEO, Mahindra USA Tractor Business Advocate of the Year: Asif Dakri, Wallis State Bank Community Service: Manish Rungta, President, India House
Praising the chamber’s efforts to increase trade relations with India, Verma said, “Texas is the leading US state in providing direct investment in India and the state is also the largest recipient of investments by Indian companies in the US. Texas also leads the nation in joint partnerships for innovation.” Verma teased the audience with Indian trait of finding a connection with anyone they meet by telling a personal story. “My dad, no matter which Indian person we meet, would find some connection with that person, whether it is that they came from the same town or same college, or a cousin brother of a best friend.
“In 2009, I was assigned to a receiving line to greet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a state dinner at the White House,” Verma recalled. “My father told me to tell the prime minister that we’re from the same place, but I steadfastedly refused. When we actually met, the Prime Minister looked me over from head to toe and said, ‘You’re Indian.’ I said yes, and the PM asked where’s your father from? I said ‘Jalandher’, The PM then turned to the President and said, ‘His father and I are from the same place in India.” On a serious note, Verma said relations between India and the US are in a good position. “The real credit for this goes to you. At some point in their lives, your parents or your uncle or aunt took a chance on creating a new life in a new country, leaving loved ones and close friends behind, but in return, this state and city welcomed you. You worked in the space program, you developed advanced in medicine, and you became critical leaders of this state, while retaining your culture and your heritage. “You, without perhaps realizing it, kept our two democracies together,” continued Verma. “You did this through the toughest times, through your vast networks, personal ties and through your commitment to shared values of hard work, education, commitment to family and the rule of law. For that I want to thank you personally.” Speaking about his current role, Verma explained, “During my days as ambassador, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many different regions of India. I’ve seen, first hand, the great excitement about US-India relations, and the promise of our strategic partnership for the 21st century. I was able to accompany a group of Indian naval personnel to CONTINUED ON PAGE
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For photo collage, see page 14-15
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
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Houston Cha Raja: Shiv Shakti Mandir Celebrates 5th Ganesh Utsav with Grand Mumbai Style Parade at Hillcroft
Photos: Carlos Pena
BY PREANKA DESAI HOUSTON: “Ganpati Bappa!” shouted Virat Maharaj, Hardik Rawal, and Temple Trustees from 2 Ganesh Moorti-filled trucks and Sunil T from atop the Ganesh orange Masala Hummer, and in unison, a crowd of over a thousand marching down a bustling Hillcroft responded “Morya!” – the mantra repeated frequently – as the Ganpati Visarjan Yatra (immersion procession) commenced. Leading with prayers, Virat Maharaj and Prakash Maharaj, Shiv Shakti Mandir’s chief priest, carefully guarded the ten-foot statue of Lord Ganesh and a smaller but more intricate Visarajan-ready clay idol symbolizing Lord Ganesh’s return to Mount Kailas. Vigilant devotees who had kept the Lord in their homes for one-, three-, five or all ten days of the Ganesh Utsav brought over a hundred person statues to include in the parade, and later the Visar-
jan at 8 PM at Madras Pavilion on the Lake in Sugar Land. Temple Trustees Dhirubhai Khotak led the Parade, followed by a crowd-amusing little Masala Rickshaw, Ganesh Trucks led by Ashok Bhambhani and Rajan Bhatia and Ninad Gupte-driven Masala Hummer with Radio Jockeys Dilip, Rajoo, Preanka, next gen Sahil, Priyanshi and Harshin, and Sandhya T. The procession ignited shoppers throughout Houston’s famous Mahatma Gandhi District (also known as Little India), stopping at shopping centers to receive salutations from business owners and pass out laddos and whole fruit prasad to devotees before returning to the Shiv Shakti Mandir. DJ Zee spun popular music on turntables positioned inside the Hummer as devotees danced along to the music blaring through mobile loudspeakers. The periodic showers of confetti and gulaal (red colored powder), seemed as if from the heavens
and excited the crowds into random dancing, even garba! Masala Event Managers danced and kept the event organized headed by Sandhya Thakkar and Munira Vejlani, along with a tireless team of staff and volunteers including Devangi, Rinku, Ruchir, Rohit, Shah and Chris. A mini-cultural program began when the procession returned to the Mandir. Young performers in
traditional costumes from Sunandas Performing Arts paid tribute to Lord Ganesh in dance form. Then members of Infused Performing Arts, dressed in snazzy outfits, performed a vibrant and skillful dance to Lord Ganesha from the film ABCD. Local singer and Masala RJ, Malika Ghei sang the current track Radha Nachegi. Upon the return to the Mandir, Devotees were refreshed with a variety of Ganpathi
themed Prasad included Guava, Mango and Lychee juice cartons from Umang Mehta (Deep Foods), Fried Rice and Aloo Chholey from Kaiser (Himalaya Restaurant), Dabelis from Abhay (Shiv Sagar Restaurant), Halwa from Rajdeep (Bombay Sweets), Idlis/Sambhar/ Chutney from Sathish Rao (Udipi Cafe), Motichoor Laddoos from Faisal (Aga’s Juice), Samosas from Nirman Shah (Chowpatty Chaat-Hillcroft), fresh Nimbu Paani from Chandrika Masala, Samosa from Bhagwan Taparia (Maharaja Bhog) and water bottles from Animesh Patel (Subh Laxmi Grocers) and Khurram Virani (Tara Energy). Once the cultural program was complete, the ten-foot statue was returned to the Mandir while the beautiful Symoblic Visarjan moortis were transported to Madras Pavilion (MP), Sugar Land. Alpa and Mahesh Shah, and Rajan Radhakrishnan of MP, welcomed devotees and distributed amazing Chana and Sheera Prasad. Virat Maharaj once again led the audience in a final prayer, seeking blessings from Lord Ganesh and forgiveness for any transgressions. As devotees carried the statues to the adjacent lake’s banks, Sunil T, Dilip and Ninad braved the rockfilled lake, carefully immersing each statue three times as per tradition. amidst chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” and with all the pomp and circumstance befitting a true king, the Fifth Annual Ganesh Utsav culminated ten days of celebrations of our very own Houston Cha Raja. “Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Yaa” or “Come Early Next Year” devotees urged Lord Ganesh.
Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 02, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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October 02, 2015
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
Gasp! Costs of College Funding Takes the Wind Out of First Genners
At the College Funding seminar held by Ramesh Cherivirala (right) were Devi Sirigiri with the Telegu Cultural Association (left) and Kishore Ramaraju of the Houston Desi Friends group.
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HOUSTON: “You mean they should get a part-time job before college? An internship? Or a paid job?” It was a puzzling thought for the man seated on the back table trying to understand the intricacies of funding his son’s college education. “It’s a first time experience for us,” chimed in another person newly arrived to the US from India. “Why do you need to go on a campus visit? What do you do there?” another asked as he too was puzzled by the concept of college admission that was so different from the one that he endured for his college admission back in India. There was a general sense of bewilderment, amusement and confusion at the rituals that many kids in the US go through on their first encounter with college as the 30 or so people, all men save for two women, came to experience at the College Funding seminar that Ramesh Cherivirala of New York Life conducted last Saturday, September 26 at the Sri Banquet Hall just one shop down from Vishala Grocery on Highway 6 near Bissonnet. And Cherivirala explained patiently, walking them through the steps of college applications and how to raise the money, but he started with statistics that were startling and disturbing to many in the room. For the most recent data available, in 2014, the national average for one year of cost of college education for a 4-year public university was $16,943 (in-state) and $32,762 (out-of-state) and $42,419 (in-state) for a 4-year private university. Many jaws dropped and a discussion ensued as Cherivirala explained that the costs of higher ed-
ucation had gone up two to three times over that of other costs, rising 72% from 2006 to 2013. Cherivirala conducted the seminar for the people pulled together by the Whats App group Houston Desi Friends, organized by Kishore Ramaraju, over snacks and drinks in the late afternoon. He explained the precollege costs (standardized test fees, test prep courses, campus visits, application fees and moving expenses) and how to go about raising the money, if you didn’t have the amounted socked away. Apart from the “free money” that was available for those who qualified (Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, Scholarships); there are government loans, 529 plans, Coverdell Savings Accounts and Texas Tuition Funds; but usually they ask for a CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile which is used when in conjunction with a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form to report the family’s income and takes into account all forms of assets to decide on how much to loan. “However, you do not need to mention your house, 401K or cash value of your life insurance policy,” explained Cherivirala who then elaborated on the last and most favorable option, Whole Life Insurance which comes with cash value guarantees and a death benefit. As the crowd of people saw the benefits of this approach, many questions arose, each for an individual case, as well as some general humor. “We didn’t realize that it was so complicated,” said one, as he tried to figure a way around the high costs, wondering where their child might go in a few years.
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
Daya Seminar 2015: Right on the Money
A panel of financial experts at the Daya seminar consisted of Anasuya Kabad, Financial Advisor from Jaykay Wealth Advisors (left)); Sheila Soukup, District Director and National Spokeswoman for Allianz Life Financial Services; Kristi N. Elsom, board certified Estate Planning Attorney with Fizer, Beck, Webster, Bentley and Scroggins; and Kelley Heng, CPA from Briggs and Veselka.
HOUSTON: Money is the essential ingredient of everyday life. Yet, far too few women are financial experts and far too many leave the task of financial management to either their a male member of their family. Daya Houston took a step toward improving this financial knowledge gap with its free, annual seminar that was focused this year on empowering South Asian women to take charge of their finances. About 85 women attended the seminar at the Sugar Creek Country Club in Sugar Land. Titled “Women and Money: Taking Charge of Your Financial Future,” Daya collaborated with Jaykay Wealth Advisors Inc, a financial planning and wealth management firm, to organize the event. In an effort to promote economic independence, the purpose of the event was to show the audience how to come up with a comprehensive financial plan for themselves and their family, and how these financial plans may be adjusted over one’s lifetime. Anasuya Kabad, financial advisor with Jaykay served as the moderator for a panel of financial experts. Kabad discussed five areas she looks at when coming up with a financial plan for clients. These areas are Retirement Income Planning, Investment Management, Risk Management, Tax Planning and Estate Planning. Sheila Soukup, District Director and National Spokeswoman for Allianz Life Financial Services, discussed factors to consider when managing investments. Kristi N. Elsom, board-certified Estate Planning Attorney discussed the importance of estate planning and what important legal documents are needed. Last, Kelley Heng, CPA and Tax Supervisor at accounting firm, Briggs and Veselka, shared information on proper tax filing, especially regarding foreign accounts and property. The program covered a variety of topics through a discussion of 4 examples of hypothetical women who were going through different stages in their life. The illustrations allowed for a lively discussion between the four panelists on what these hypothetical women might consider to prepare financially. For example, when sharing the example of the young woman starting a family, the panelists discussed life insurance, setting up a guardian for the child, tax deductions for home
Daya President Jyoti Kulkarni (left) welcomed the seminar attendees and Daya board member Fatima Mohiuddin provided an overview of Daya’s services to assist domestic violence victims.
ownership, and possible investment options for college education. With the speakers’ help, the audience was able to understand different ways to coordinate their savings, investing, estate planning and tax planning to create a holistic financial plan. The program ended with a question and answer session during lunch. The audience asked many different questions to the panelists such as, “What type of insurance is right for me?” “What are the tax reporting requirements for foreign property?”, “How can I prepare financially to take care of aging parents?”, “What should we consider when setting up a guardian or an executor in my will?”, and “What is the value of working with a financial advisor?” In four hours, a wealth of information was shared by expert panelists on financial planning, investing, estate planning and taxes. The take away from the event was the importance of coming up with a plan to help women accomplish their financial and personal goals. As one speaker mentioned, “A goal without a plan is a wish.” By the end of Daya’s outreach program, the women in the audience were more inspired to come up with their financial plans and take charge of their financial future Daya provides direct services to victims of violence through
counseling, emotional support, legal clinic & advocacy, housing support, and limited financial support among other help The annual seminar is conducted as part of Daya’s Community Outreach program, which promotes healthy, and happy relationships amongst South Asian families. For more information, please call their helpline: 713981-7645.
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
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HMM’s Ganapati Festival: A Cinematic Salute to Maharashtra
GAURI SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE
For Any Ceremony Contact Pradip Pandya 832 466 9868 Email: pradippandya2000@yahoo.com
Photos: Rajesh Thatte
BY NEETA BHATE PATWARDHAN HOUSTON: This year’s HMM Ganapati festival was a proud tribute to culture that has survived the dual threats of time and a new homeland. Each generation re-imagines festivals altering ever so slightly the original flavor, till one no longer even remembers why they take place. It was refreshing therefore to experience in all its authenticity, a festival made public by Lokmanya Tilak in 1894. The reverberations of Dhol, Taasha, Lezim led by Swapnil Saraf, Sangeeta Panse and Sharmila Moharir gave the evening a resounding start. The main program, a reenergized performance of “Ganapati Gauri Pandhari” (GGP) that Houston had so loved 10 years ago captivated an audience of more than 800 at the VPSS hall on Saturday September 26th. The show, a multimedia collaboration intertwined several
magical elements: music, the visual poetry of dance and storytelling to deliver its message. Conceptualized by Vivek Chitale and co-directed by Madhura Swadi the grand production took us on an evocative journey into the remote reaches of Maharashtra through the artistry of 120 Houstonians, both adults and children. In Samir Karandikar’s intelligently crafted skit, young boys visited the Ashta Vinayak circuit. Color and exuberant movements exploded through transcendent dances choreographed with emotional depth by Madhura Swadi, Rupa Aranke, Sheetal Hengle and Manjusha Jadhav. Raw energy and simple joy swirled together as dancers paid homage to Ganapati, Gauri and Vitthal, the three deities associated with many festivals of Maharashtra. Seamless integration of music and dance is no easy task. Vivek Chitale and Ravi Kolhatkar led a team of musicians, the heart of the production that delivered with finesse. Excellent food (including steamed
modaks) and logistics by HMM made for a memorable evening. In the tango between music and dance, novice and seasoned performers, storytelling and acting, between the past and future, somewhere in the juxtaposition of these contrasts, lies the elemental truth. The triumphant power of community coming together will surely be the lasting legacy of GGP. The great mystery of immigration is an even stronger need to keep home alive. Immigrants constantly flirt with the romantic notion that home is elusive, perhaps as ethereal as the glow of a distant horizon. This year’s Ganapati was a testament to all we’ve held onto and hope that our children will too. It reminds us that home is an intangible concept, a figment of where our imagination chooses to anchor us. It is neither here nor there but rooted everywhere within our communities, the heritage we keep alive and the freedom that makes it possible for us to celebrate with pride.
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Open Forum will have a special show on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PM Modi at the Indian Community reception at SAP Centre and California visit from 5.00 pm to 6.00 pm on Saturday, October 3. On the panel Ramesh Shah, Vijay Pallod & Gitesh Desai Call 713-784-1480 to join the program. INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 02, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
832-539-1589
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See article on page 3 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 02, 2015 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
16 October 02, 2015 Raja Krishnamoorthi Visits Houston to Muster Support for his Congressional Run
COMMUNITY
BY SANCHALI BASU HOUSTON: Who would have thought that this unassuming, down to earth, practical, pleasant person with no airs about him would be running for Congress in the 8th district of Illinois? The democrat, the son of Indian immigrants to the US, graduated with honors from Harvard Law School and earned his bachelor's degree summa cum laude in mechanical engineering from Princeton University. In a small private gathering at Mayuri Indian restaurant, arranged by IAPAC on September 18, Raja thanked the attendees and gave a brief background about himself. He alluded to his humble beginnings, when his father had lost his job. The fact that he was a product of public housing, welfare and food stamps struck a chord with the audience. It is but natural that he is representing the district which has the highest concentration of Indian Americans in Illinois. He jokingly remarked that, “There are too many chiefs but not enough Indians in Congress.” He is clearly the front runner among 3 candidates and his seat favors the democrats by 8 points. He has the support of several influential political figures namely David Axelrod, Ami Bera and half of Illinois has endorsed him. He has all the structural tools in place to win and has done an excellent job of raising funds so far. He has been to new Jersey (AAPI meeting), Washington DC, Atlanta, Silicon Valley etc on his campaign tour and is expecting to raise the money needed to win the election soon. Raja, during his term as the Deputy Treasurer of Illinois helped increase the amount
of property returned to taxpayers and cut the cost of the unclaimed property program. He helped run Illinois's technology venture capital fund which created hundreds of good paying jobs. He also served as Special Assistant Attorney General and chairman of the audit committee of the Illinois Housing Development Authority. He was the policy director and a senior advisor for Barack Obama's 2004 US senate campaign. On being asked why he was running the race, he quipped that it was because of us. The population demographic of his district is 44% minority of which 13% is Asian American. The district has been very economically challenged lately, with industries downsizing and mass layovers. He plans on eliminating the student loan burden by making college education free, implementing combined education and child care programs and creating jobs in the renewable energy sector. He himself is a living example of the latter since he is the President of the small business, Sivanathan Labs and Episolar, Inc. which develops and sells products
in national security and solar panels. Last, but not the least he wants to strengthen India US relations. On addressing the issue of the 500 billion dollar debt that the country currently incurs, he stated that as a businessman, his first initiative will be to cut costs and reallocate resources to programs that do work and cut programs that don't. He wants to keep the economy strong and also help the underdogs. He believes in building relationships of trust and get to know as many people as possible With his very impressive resume and vast professional experience and background, Raja knows how to get things done. With the backing and support of the very successful Indian American population, it will definitely be possible for him to get elected to Congress. Friendswood and downtown Houston were his next stops in the Houston campaign trip and he promised to come back to Houston before the elections. Register at www.rajaforcongress.com to show your support and for financial contributions.
IACCGH Gala:
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our aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson off the coast of Kerala on a joint exercise. With US funding of solar panels, a company in Karnataka is using renewable energy to make cricket bats. I saw in West Bengal, young people from the American midwest helping women rescued from sex trafficking to weave handbags from donated saris that are now being sold in European department stores.” Ambassador Verma also described his meeting with industrialist Ratan Tata and acting legend Amitabh Bachchan to begin a collaborative effort to end tuberculosis. The ambassador concluded his eloquent address with a few data points of the growth in India-US relationships. “In 2005, our bilateral trade was at $30 billion. In 2014, the trade had increased to $105 billion. In 2005, 30,000 Indian students were studying in US colleges. Today, there are 105,000. The growth of Indian visitors has grown from 400,000 in 2005 to 1.2 million in 2014. US defense sales to India have from grown from 0 to $12 billion.” Presenting the vote of thanks was President-elect Joya Shukla, P&T Export Controls Manager at Shell’s Westhollow Technology Center. Outlining her goals for the IACCGH during the upcoming year, Mrs. Shukla said, “In 2016, we’ll continue to explore opportunities for energy, education, and healthcare by continuing the corporate sponsored programs, and furthering the opportunities for student internships in India.” The evening concluded with entertainment by Moodafaruka and a special effected desert catered by Frost 3.2.1.
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COMMUNITY / OBITUARY
October 02, 2015
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Mahatma Gandhi Week 2015 Speech Contest
HOUSTON: Many know him as Mahatma and many more know him as father of Bharat, India. But the world knows him as an apostle of peace and non-violence. Anyone ever wanted to know more about Gandhi ji and his values should have listened to the mesmerizing speeches delivered by about 40 children at Arya Samaj Greater Houston on Saturday September 26, during Mahatma Gandhi Library Speech Contest 2015 as part of annual ‘1000 Lights for Peace’ celebration. The speech contests now in its 10th year and has seen a steady increase in the interest and number of children participating. About 40 children took part in the contest divided in to two categories. The age group 10 and below delivered a speech on the topic “Bullying: My Perspective”, whereas the age group 11 and up delivered a speech on the topic “Does War Lead to Peace?”. Those who had a chance to listen to these young participants were simply hypnotized by the confidence and composure of the contestants. ‘They were simply brilliant’ as Karam Gupta – the coordinator of this
year’s contest said while commenting on the speeches delivered by children. All the participants did an excellent job in presenting their thoughts about Gandhian values often relating their own personal experiences with the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Rajan Chawla – the co-coordinator for this year’s contest started the program with a brief orientation and extended a warm welcome to the participants. He noted how encouraging it has been to see the enthusiasm of children and growing interest in the speech contest. He also provided the rules and guidelines to ensure that the entire contest is conducted in an organized and timely manner. The audience was treated to a fascinating experience with children as young as five years speaking about their perception and experiences of bullying. It was amazing to see how much these kids are aware of as well as prepared to handle this prevalent social issue. Elder age group presented a lot of diverse opinion about a complex topic “Does War Lead to Peace?”. Many children quoted
Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Ashoka and other great leaders. They also quoted examples and verses from ancient scriptures that impressed the audience. The topic seemed aptly suitable for the current days and time when the world is facing conflicts in many parts and when terrorism has become a new tool for some to inflict pain on humanity. Children drawing examples and references from their own lives to illustrate points about peace, non-violence, truth and values was very impressive. Vijay Singh, the board member of Mahatma Gandhi Library applauded the kids for their efforts and parents for their support. He thanked the judges and volunteers for their selfless service towards spreading Gandhian values. He also invited all the participants and parents to join the grand finale ‘1000 Lights for Peace’ - an international cultural program to be organized as part of Gandhi Jayanti week at 05:00pm on Sunday October 4 at Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park Houston.
Dr Harish Chander Khera 1939-2015 Dr. Harish Chander Khera passed away on September 26, 2015 in Houston, Texas at the age of 76. He was born in Dera Ismail Khan, India on June 22, 1939. He was a highly regarded General Surgeon whose abilities were only matched by his work ethic and character. Dr. Khera will best be remembered for his kind heart, love of life, and unforgettable laugh. Harish is survived by his wife Indu, sons Mohit and Amit Khera, daughters-in-law
Diana and Susan, and grandchildren Dalia, Nadia, Shiv, Dillon and Ethan. The funeral was held 10:30am on Wednesday, September 30, at Sugar Land Mortuary , 1818 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, TX. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Association, Inc. 1525 Lakeville Drive, Suite 101; Kingwood, Texas 77339 (http://www.pfassociation.org)
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18 October 02, 2015 Digital India vs. Make in India Last week marked the completion of a year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his ambitious “Make in India” initiative to boost manufacturing in India -- and by most accounts, its success so far is at best mixed. Everything from land acquisition to infrastructure and global economic conditions seem to suggest that it won’t be easy to sustain the momentum. China recently devalued its yuan -- which makes it more competitive -- and is sitting on huge capacities in manufacturing. On the other hand, as Modi flew into the Silicon Valley at the weekend after meeting Fortune 500 CEOs on the East Coast of the US, it was clear that the rockstar reception he got in California-- and the speech he made -- showed that his other big gambits, “Digital India” and its accompaniment, “Startup India,” are on stronger ground. Here’s why. In manufacturing, China jumped ahead with all the right moves in the 1980s, and India is a late starter. On the other hand, India’s IT revolution started by software service companies and government establishments such as the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing and Centre for the Development of Telematics in the same period gave a special digital advantage for India. It is a happy coincidence that high-tech CEOs such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Google’s Sundar Pichai are Indians. But more important, fields such as cloud computing, e-governance, the Internet of Things (in which even machines will have Internet addresses and talk to each other) are emerging areas for innovation. The smartphone boom in India is giving natural traction to social media and knowledge-driven services. The significance of all this is that it is easier for India to push ahead and create millions of jobs in emerging areas where it can lead the competition than play catch-up in oldworld manufacturing based mostly on wages -- and involving higher costs. The strange blessing is that Digital India can create jobs that in turn force manufacturers to look to India -- as a market where it will manufacture for local consumption more than an export hub. This is already happening with mobile phones, and this is where the action is more likely to be. One only has to look at the mushrooming venture funds and startups in India that stand in stark contrast to smokestack industries beseeching the Reserve Bank for interest rate cuts to get the drift: Digital India will pip Make In India. In Modi’s favoured Facebook idiom, the Digital India initiative is one fit for a “Like” while “Make in India” is more of a “Poke”. Hindustan Times.
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY A New India Century? BY SREERAM SUNDAR CHAULIA Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-anticipated speech at the Shark Tank in Silicon Valley contained one bold, standout claim, viz “the 21st century will be an Indian century”. Recounting that the rest of the Brics countries are reeling while India stands tall in economic growth and future potential, Modi thundered that the time when India was an also-ran is over. Cynics would retort that the Indian century is easier declared than achieved and that there are far too many structural hurdles for our country to ever become the defining power in the world. Yet, the prime minister’s chutzpah and confidence in India’s destiny are departures from diffident political leadership of the past and a riposte to the self-flagellation and excessive problematisation in sections of our intelligentsia. Economic historian Alexander Gerschenkron argued that ideology separates backward nations from advanced ones. A less developed country can progress only if “mountains of routine and prejudice” are miracle (which was copied by Deng Xiaoping in authoritarian China) be replicated scaled by entrepreneurial instinct and hope. His prescription to overcome “negative social attitudes” towards innovation and change rings true today for India as much as it did for late industrialisers in Europe. By raising the bar of expectations to the level of an Indian century, Modi is trying to engineer a Gerschenkronstyle mindset transformation. Only if we believe can we realise. Modi admires Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, who remade what used to be a divided and impoverished colonial outpost into an economic powerhouse in three decades. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam credits Lee for “ingraining a forward-looking attitude in our system” wherein it “keeps looking ahead” for new opportunities, business openings, job creation and career advancement. Modi is cut from the same cloth and is asking the nation to look ahead and shake off the slough.
But can the authoritarian Singapore in a democratic society like India where power is widely dispersed and feistily contested by varied organised interest groups? This is Modi’s central challenge. On crucial reforms to speed up economic growth, he has baulked and accommodated naysayers instead of relentlessly ploughing through with conviction in his priorities. Perhaps this is the democracy cost that has to be paid and India will therefore be slower than Singapore changing India and the world” is an acknowledgement of this effect and a verdict or China were during their journeys of rapid economic ascent. Our revolution may be a fast evolution. Whatever India’s relative pace of GDP growth and systemic obstacles, Modi exemplifies that leadership holds a key to altering a nation’s fate. In foreign policy, military modernisation and energy security, his distinct personal effect is making the world sit up and take notice of India. Media entrepreneur Mike Bloomberg’s tweet changing India and the world” is an acknowledgement of this effect and a verdict that we are headed upwards. But India’s image makeover has to be institutionalised to last throughout this long century. A new cadre of change agents has to be nurtured at different levels of Indian society to take forward the notion that we have it in us to make it big in the world. Our demographic bulge needs not only a sustained dose of practical skills for employability and productivity but also training to drive the global agenda. One needs to look no further than Silicon Valley for Indians to find inspirational lessons to be
international leaders. There, Indian immigrants with professional education excelled in networked and group environments to invent avant-garde products and services that redid the world. In Chidanand Rajghatta’s memorable words, our IT pioneers in Silicon Valley were like “horses that flew” thanks to a cooperative ethic where individual brilliance (of which Indians never had dearth) intersected with team work. Political scientist Francis Fukuyama has posited that “social principles of economic life” will determine the “coming struggle for world dominance”. Only those societies with “a high degree of social trust will be able to compete in the new global economy”. How can India surge in the 21st century if it is saddled by distrustful workplaces where dogin-the-manger habits trample interpersonal trust and ruin the sense of higher purpose? The culture of mediocrity in our institutions and the absence of meritocratic values of spotting and enabling talented people to bloom have held back our potential. Modi has donned the role of a preacher by appealing to our nobler instincts and attacking narrow self-centred behaviour that militates against public good. But with no sudden crisis or imminent threat to our existence as a nation, patriotism that is eventspecific or tied to special occasions alone cannot arouse society to a higher stage of civic consciousness and collective action. What is required is a continuous,everyday nationalism that imbues value into work so that Indians are aware and appreciate that each one of us is making a contribution to the larger project. Former president A P J Abdul Kalam’s life reminded us that India has a date with posterity if it keeps its eye on the big picture. Modi himself will not be around if and when the Indian century finally actualises and is universally acknowledged. But by setting herculean goals, the PM has parked us on the highway to greatness. It is for our youth to rev up the engine with what Gerschenkron called the “spirit” or “intellectual climate” to prosper and lead. ToI
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COMMUNITY
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
Festival Season Starts at Sri Meenakshi Temple
Sri Venkateswara Kalyanam at MTS
PEARLAND: As the summer ends and the fall season begins in September the season of Hindu festivals commences each year in full swing. Ganesh Chathurthi traditionally marks as one of the events that heralds the very early start of the thanksgiving in the year for the Indian community here in the United States, as early as August sometimes; and the focus is giving thanks to the gods, starting with Lord Ganesha followed by Navarathri, Deepavali through to Sankaranthi. Sri Meenakshi Temple celebrated Lord Ganesha’s birthday on September 17t with a grand Ganesh Chathurthi. Lord Ganesha is celebrated with great devotion for the blessings He unconditionally bestows us. Homam and Kalasa Puja invoking the Lord Ganesha were conducted in the magnificent Ganesh temple where hundreds of devotees had gathered to witness the offering and to have a glimpse of the remover of obstacles, Sri Ganesha’s blessings. Following the Puja, the deity was taken in a procession around the Temple followed by Prasadam. A popular fixture in the Ganesh Chathurthi is the 2nd day of celebration conducted on September 20 that involved in addition to the Pujas, Rathotsavam and Visarjan (immersion of the clay Ganesha by devotees in the lake). As hundreds of devotees gathered to witness this popular day MTS was transported to Western and South India. The auspicious month of Purattasi (6th month in Tamil calendar) is considered very important for Lord Venkateswara. On September 26 Sri Meenakshi temple celebrated the Maha Kalyanam (celestial wedding) of Sri Venkateswara in the main temple. As the lord of the seven hills was awaken with the chanting of the Suprabhadam on this Holy Saturday, the seervarisai and the Vishvakshena Puja (for Lord Ganesha) heralded the auspicious start of the ceremony. Despite the peak activities in the MTS construction the Temple Priests and staff had worked hard to prepare the precincts for this day and the hunders of gathered devotees were to witness the celestial wedding in combination with the special Purattasi Saturday Abhishekam simultaneously performed for the Moolavar and Utsavar. Devotees were enthralled with the blessings received in witnessing the holy ceremony with the Navakalasa abhishekam, alankaram, followed by Maha Kalyanam with the Homam. Rathotsavam followed by Keertanam (songs in praise of the Lord) reverberated through the afternoon followed by Prasadam. The day turned out to be fulfilling for the Spirit and mind. We thank all the Priests, staff and volunteers of Sri Meenakshi temple for the start of the fall season’s twin festivals.
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Air India to Connect Delhi and San Francisco with a Non-Stop Flight
BY P.R.SANJAI MUMBAI: Air India Ltd announced that the airline will fly non-stop between Delhi and San Francisco starting 2 December on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Silicon Valley, home to many of the world’s largest technology compa-
nies. India’s national carrier will connect the capital to the Silicon Valley hub with Boeing Co.’s B777-200LR long-range wide-body jet three days a week. San Francisco will become Air India’s fourth destination in the US. The state-run airline already operates daily non-stop flights to New York,
Newark and Chicago. It will also be the first non-stop flight to operate on the sector. “The flight will be a boon to the Indian diaspora on the US West coast. It will make travel easy and convenient for students and parents of NRIs (nonresident Indians),” Air India said in a statement. Air India said passengers from seven cities, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Pune will have seamless connections to the flight from Delhi. Likewise, the return flight from San Francisco will provide onward connections to nine cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Pune and Bhubaneswar. The flight to and from San Francisco will operate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The flight will offer a three-cabin configuration, with eight seats in first class, 35 seats in business class and 195 seats in economy class.
This will be one of the longest flights in the world with 16.5 hours of flight duration. The record for the longest flight from India is now jointly held by Air India’s Mumbai to New York (Newark) service at 12,540km and United Airlines on the same route. Mahesh Sharma, minister of state for civil aviation, said in November that flights on only three international routes and six domestic routes are profitable for Air India, which operates a total of 370 flights a day. However, in December a senior Air India executive said that till December out of the 60 international routes, 54 covered variable costs of operations while total costs were covered by 10 of this 54. A top Air India executive on Sunday said the San Francisco-Delhi flight was conceived 10 years ago. “It is a dream come true for Air India. We have already incurred fixed cost by acquiring LR aircraft. This route will not only help us to absorb the fixed cost but also help in boosting
profitability considering the demand for a non-stop product,” he said, requesting anonymity. The debt-laden airline is surviving on a Rs.30,000-crore government bailout. The airline, with a total debt of Rs.40,000-crore as on 31 March, is expected to turn around only by 2018-19. In June, the aviation ministry asked SBI Capital Markets Ltd to review the turnaround plan of the loss-making airline in the backdrop of changes in the operating environment and increased competition. Air India is expected to post a loss of Rs.3,900 crore for the year ended 31 March 2014, numbers for which have not been disclosed. It posted a loss of Rs.5,100 crore in 2012-13 and a loss of Rs.7,100 crore in the preceding fiscal year. Air India flies to an international network of 34 destinations across the US, Europe, Far East and Southeast Asia and the Gulf. -Livemint.com
Google to Collaborate with Indian Railways, Announces Narendra Modi Sunder Pichai says Google will provide high speed Internet services at 100 railway stations in India initially and then expand it to 500 by next year BY LALIT K. JHA SAN JOSE: Google will collaborate with the Indian Railways to provide wi-fi services at 500 stations by next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday as he visited the headquarters of the search engine giant in San Jose. Modi, who took a tour of the Google campus seeing the latest products and forward-looking researches, was given a presentation of Google Earth in which the ghats of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi were shown.
He appreciated and encouraged Google to develop apps which could benefit the common man as he participated in Hackathon under which its employees sat for 15 hours straight to devise such apps for use in India. Making brief remarks to the Google employees, most of whom are Indians, Modi announced that “Indian Railways and Google will collaborate to provide wi-fi at 500 railway stations in India.” Earlier, India-born Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the search engine giant will provide high speed Internet services at 100 railway
stations in India initially and then expand it by 400 more by next year. Recalling his young days when he used to travel by train from Chennai to Kharagpur, Pichai noted that 25 million people daily ride the Indian Railways which has 7500 stations. He also pointed out that the length of Indian Railways is twice the distance between Earth and Moon. Modi pointed out that the network of Indian Railways is equivalent to a country in Europe. -Livemint.com
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PUZZLES/RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Bhature wale Chole (Chickpeas for Deep Fried Bread) If ever there was a Punjabi dish that took off all over India, it probably has to be chole bhature (chick peas and deep fried bread). It is a dish that is at once spicy, eaten with plenty of garnishes like raw onions, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves, achaar (pickles) and with those long, spicy green Indian mirchen (chilli peppers). It is a favorite for a heavy breakfast, served with salty lassi (buttermilk). There are different varieties of bhature: filled with aloo (potatoes) or paneer (Indian cottage cheese). In some parts of India, the dish is sometimes called chole poori. A non-fried variation is the kulcha, which is baked or cooked on a tava (flat skillet) using the same dough. It is easier for those who can’t eat fried foods and want less calories but still want the flavor of this tasty dish. In Delhi, one of the most famous shops serving chole bhature is Roshan di Hatti in the busy Karol Bagh bazaar on the west side of the city, where people follow it up with a sweet kulfi falooda. In Amritsar, there is a whole bazaar near the Golden Temple devoted to serving chloe bhature in the city’s own style. Though now available all year long in shops, this dish is most popular when the weather is a bit cooler or during the rainy monsoon season. India is the world’s largest producer of chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans by the Spanish and arvanco in Portugese. There are two common varieties: desi, grown mostly in South Asia, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran and kabuli grown in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Chile. In the Middle East, chickpeas are used to make the popular hummus spread. Chickpeas are high in protein, polyunsaturated fat, zinc, folate, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Bhaturas are made of finely milled, refined and bleached wheat maida (white flour) which is low in dietary fibre. Pastry flours available in United States may be used as a substitute for maida. Bhature are made with white flour, yogurt, oil and yeast, but I will give that recipe separately. Once kneaded well, the dough is left to rise, and then small balls of it are either hand-rolled or flattened using a rolling pin. Then the bread pieces are deep fried until they puff up into a lightly browned, soft, fluffy bread, which is elastic and chewy. Ingredients : 500 gm chole (chickpeas) 2 medium pyaaz (onion) – peeled and finely chopped 2 medium tamater (tomato) – soft ones are best, chopped 5 cloves of lasan (garlic) – peeled and finely chopped 1 medium sized adrak (ginger) – peeled and finely chopped 4 tablespoons of vegetable or olive
oil 1 tablespoon amchoor (dry green mango powder) 1 teaspoon loung (powdered cloves, see directions) 1 teaspoon garam masala Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), dhania (coriander)
Directions: 1. Wash the chickpeas well and then soak them overnight in a large pot. 2. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker and bring it to a boil, turning it off after 10 or 15 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, bring the contents to boil in the pot till the chickpeas are tender. 3. Heat the oil in a medium sized pot and throw in the onion, ginger and garlic. Stir till they are brown, then add the salt, pepper and coriander. This dish does not use any turmeric. 4. Drain the water from the boiled chickpeas and keep to the side. Some people keep the water, add a little salt and drink it as a broth for its nutrients. 5. Add the chickpeas to the masala and stir well for 10 minutes, adding
the amchoor, clove powder and garam masala to bring in the authentic medium brown color and spicy tanginess. Continue to mix the ingredients well. 6. Add some of the drained water to the pot to make a thick sauce but do not make it too watery. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the pot. 7. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off, cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add more salt, pepper and amchoor to your taste. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK USE THE LEFT OVER WATER FROM MAKING PANEER AGAIN
When you make paneer (Indian homemade cheese) out of whole milk, then the water that is left over can be collected and kept for use later. If you use low-fat or fat-free milk to make the paneer, then the water is not suitable for reuse and can be thrown away. You can also reuse this water to make paneer again without using more vinegar or lemon. The left over water has a higher fat content and also a little sour flavor (like whey) due to the lemon juice or vinegar that is used to make the milk split and curdle it. You can use this water to make other types of food taste slightly tangier and more flavorful. The water is best used when making curried dishes, like potatoes and peas curry, or karri or use a small amount with any sabzi (sauted vegetables).
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October 02, 2015
ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
Movie Review: Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon BY SWETA KAUSHAL NEW DELHI: All the pre-release hype around TV star Kapil Sharma’s debut on the big screen, Abbas Mustan’s Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon comes crashing down in the first half hour after the credits have rolled out. Because, however hard you try to think of him as the man who made us all laugh non-stop in COLORS’ Comedy Nights With Kapil, what sticks out as a sore thumb is this: KKPK is a sad imitation of an already eminently forgettable film, Sandwich (2006), starring Govinda, Mahima Choudhary and Raveena Tandon! Cut to 2015, and we have to deal with two extra heroines. So we have Kapil Sharma playing Shiv Ram Kishan Kumar: He has three wives, and wants to marry a fourth one. Why? Because all the three marriages were mere ‘accidents’, and the fourth girl is the love of his life. Yes, Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon is high on real-life logic. Yes, it’s also full of misogynist dialogues and clichéd ‘wife’ jokes! The three better halves (played by Sheena Bajaj, Simran Kaur Mundi and Manjari Phadnis) do nothing for much of the film except coming across as horny and forever ready for action. Much like Tabu and Karishma Kapoor in another Govinda-starrer, Sajan Chale Sasural. Salman Khan’s
favourite Bigg Boss contestant Eli Avram plays Deepika, Kapil’s ‘real love’. (Incidentally, the TV star has also said many times that he loves Deepika Padukone) Much like his TV show, KKPK is generously splattered with misogynist wife jokes. Clearly, the film has everything Kapil wanted and he seems to have had a great time working on it. It’s also evident from his
performance:He does a good job. That is, only if we are ready to ignore his lame and oft-repeated jokes. To be fair to him,whereverhe gets a chance to diversify, Kapil fares pretty well. Like the climax scene where he proves to be a good match for veteran actor Supriya Pathak, who plays his mother in the film. In another scene, Kapil is seen discussing his messed up life with his only friend Karan (Varun Sharma) and the comedian-turned-actor aces it. KKPK establishes Kapil Sharma’s acting skills beyond doubt, but he couldn’t have made a worse choice. Watch the film only if you are a hopeless fan of the comedian. For us, even his talent was not enough to save the regressive and non-original film. -HindustanTimes
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Prem’s Back: Salman Khan Unveils First Look of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo
MUMBAI: He might be busy with the most-awaited reality show on Indian TV, Bigg Boss, but that does not stop him from promoting his next, starring Sonam Kapoor. Salman Khan shared the first teaser poster of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo on Tuesday. PremIsBack and PremRatanDhanPayo were top trends on Twitter for hours but when Salman Khan finally
shared the first poster, his back is all you get to see! Disappointed much? Clad in a blue kurta and dhoti, the 49-year-old actor who is working with Sooraj Bharjatiya after a gap of 16 years, tweeted: “Good afternoon. Welcoming Sooraj Bharjatiya’s Prem again.” -HindustanTimes
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OBITUARY
October 02, 2015
Dr. Vasanta Lakshmi Putcha, PhD 1946-2015
Vasanta Lakshmi Putcha, a long time resident of Houston, a role model, a respected NASA scientist, an intellectual and lover of Indian fine arts and a woman of many talents, passed away on Monday, September 28, 2015 after a tragic car accident the Wednesday before, September 23. Reportedly she suffered a stroke while driving and then crashed, sustaining massive injuries. Though she was Life Flighted to Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, she had severe damage to the brain stem and could not be saved. Putcha, 69, was the Chief Pharmacolo-
gist at NASA-Johnson Space Center, having started her career as a post-doctoral fellow in 1982 and went on to develop cutting-edge applications for astronaut health care operations in space and on Earth. Over the course of her career, Putcha was awarded grants by the National Institutes of Health and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, to name just a few. Her contributions to the field of Pharmacotherapeutics include significantly expanding our knowledge of the wide-ranging effects of space flight on humans, as well as resolving critical human health and safety issues for future exploratory missions, including ones to Mars. Putcha was driven by an insatiable curiosity and an uncompromising pursuit for excellence. In her own words, the guiding principle of her life was, “if you can dream it, you can achieve it.” This passion infused all aspects of her personality—she was a rasika in the truest sense of the word; a gardener and botanist extraordinaire; a gifted writer; and a fount of wisdom and experience. In short, she was a force of nature–her energy and capacity for love were essentially unbounded. Although her life was unexpectedly cut short, her spirit will endure through the many lives she touched. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, September 30 from noon till 2pm at the John Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 West Broadway, Pearland, Texas.
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SA Series: Agrawal, Vohra Help India A Gun Down 190
NEW DELHI (ESPN Cricinfo): India A 193 for 2 (Agarwal 87, Vohra 56) beat South Africa189 for 3 (Duminy 68*, du Plessis 42) by 8 wickets with two balls to spare The South Africans began their tour of India by amassing a tall score in their their T20 game against India A, but couldn’t convert that into a win as fifties from Mayank Agarwal (87 off 49 balls) and Manan Vohra (56 off 42) helped the home side prevail. Chasing 190, India A began on a strong footing, courtesy a 119run opening stand in 12.4 overs between Agarwal and Vohra. After Vohra was dismissed by JP Duminy, Agarwal and Sanju Samson, who scored an unbeaten 31 off 22 balls, went on to add 52 in 4.4 overs. Despite Agarwal’s dismissal in the 18th over, India A were hardly troubled, eventually finishing the game in the last over. Four of the visitors’ bowlers conceded more than 10 runs an over. Electing to bat in the morning, the South Africans lost Quinton
Mayank Agarwal made 87 off 49 deliveries.
de Kock, who was run-out, to the fourth ball of the match. AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis then
added 87 runs in 9.2 overs, and after de Villiers was removed by Kuldeep Yadav, Duminy took
over. He smashed an unbeaten 68 off 32 balls as the South Africans amassed 83 off their last 46 balls.
Pakistan Defend 136 Again to Win Series vs. Zimbabwe The second T20I between Pakistan and Zimbabwe more or less followed the same script as the first. Having chosen to bat, Pakistan scraped to 136 again, and the Zimbabwe batsmen were never on course during the chase. Umar Akmal struck a busy 38 to lend the visitors late boost after a regular fall of wickets, and the target was made to look bigger with the Pakistan bowlers dismantling the Zimbabwe top order inside five overs. The asking rate continued to rise and the hosts eventually fell short by 15 runs. Chamu Chibhabha was given out lbw in the third over of the chase despite the ball pitching outside leg stump, Hamilton Masakadza made room and carved Mohammad Irfan to third man, while some sharp fielding from the tag team of Shahid Afridi and Sohaib Maqsood ran out Craig Ervine. Imad Wasim then struck in his second over when Richmond Mutumbami, scoreless for seven balls, was bowled through the gate. The Pakistan fielders cranked up the
intensity, cut down runs and ably backed their bowlers up. Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza offered some resistance with a 60-run partnership, using nudges and bunts while occasionally attempting reverse-sweeps and slogs. Just as Zimbabwe looked to find a higher gear, Raza was dismissed by a canny slower ball from Imran Khan for his maiden international wicket. At that point, the equation read 53 runs from 23 balls. Elton Chigumbura, though, gave Zimbabwe an outside chance when he hit two sixes off Imran over long-off in the 17th over. The first one was palmed over the fence by Ahmed Shehzad, and the second cleared him comfortably. The returning Irfan, coming in for Wahab Riaz, snuffed out Zimbabwe’s slender chance by having Chigumbura caught at long-on for 17 off 8 balls. Williams and Luke Jongwe fought it out but could only reduce the margin of defeat. While Irfan generated typical extra bounce even on a slow pitch, Imran was impressive with his as-
Umar Akmal top scored for Pakistan with 38.
sortment of slower cutters. They finished with combined figures of 8-0-60-4 as Pakistan claimed their third straight T20 series win. The match-winning target was set up by Akmal, who came in at 72 for 4, and boosted Pakistan’s innings. He began with a brace of fours before he launched the first six of the game off the penultimate ball of the innings. Akmal was also adept in finding gaps and Wasim
managed a couple of fours as Pakistan took 14 runs off the last over. The start too had been bright before the middle order botched it up. Mohammad Hafeez, the other change in Pakistan’s XI, did not take much time to find his bearings, playing a handsome drive and two pulls. However, Tinashe Panyangara dismissed Shehzad for seven in the fourth over, and two overs later Hafeez was undone by the slowness of the pitch when he tamely chipped Jongwe to short midwicket. The Shoaibs - Malik and Maqsood - threatened to mount a recovery but were foiled by the spinners. Their 30-run stand ended when Malik dragged Graeme Cremer to long-on. Instead of going back to rebuilding, Maqsood advanced down the track the following over and played an injudicious shot: skewing one into the lap of backward point. Rizwan and Afridi also failed, but Akmal lifted Pakistan, despite good variations from Panyangara at death.
SPORTS
India to Play Argentina
LAUSANNE: Hosts India will play Argentina in the opening match of the Hockey World League Final (HWL)to be held in Raipur from November 27 to December 6 this year. According to the schedule of the tournament, which was confirmed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday, besides the Pool B match between India and Argentina, the opening day will also witness the highprofile clash between defending champions Netherlands and Olympic champions Germany. This year’ HWL Final schedule will see a slight change to previous editions, whereby two matches per day will be showcased to maximise the opportunity for spectators to attend games in the evenings. As a result, only one day, November 28 November, will stage four matches in one day. After locking horns against Argentina, India will play Germany on November 28 followed by their last pool match against Netherlands on November 30. The pool matches will take place from November 27 until December 1 followed by the quarter-finals which will be held on December 2 and 3. The semi-finals will take place on December 4 and 5, while the bronze medal game and the final will be played December 6. India are placed in a tough Pool B alongside Argentina (6), Netherlands (2) and Germany (3), while Pool A consists of Australia (1), Belgium (4), Great Britain (5) and Canada (13). This will be the first international hockey event to be staged not only in the newly built Raipur International Hockey Stadium, but also in the city of Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh.
India are placed in a tough Pool B alongside Argentina (6), Netherlands (2) and Germany (3).
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COMMUNITY
October 02, 2015
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Magical Bows and Strings of Ganesh Kumaresh bring Musical Downpour in Greater Houston
Photos : Navin Mediwala and Anil Adoni
BY NALINI SADAGOPAN WOODLANDS:On September 5, we entered the beautifully decorated Berry Center Auditorium of Greater Houston for an unforgettable evening of music by world-renowned violin virtuosos Ganesh and Kumaresh. The brothers, dressed in deep blue and dark attires, appeared to be impregnated musical clouds that drenched the packed audience with a brilliant musical downpour. The Hindu Temple of The Woodlands had impeccably organized this fundraising event, in transforming their “Vision to Reality” project. The
program was emceed eloquently by Sudha Ravi Mani. Kruthi Bhat sonorously rendered the invocatory Meera Bhajan. The forty-year veterans in violin performance, considered child prodigies, Ganesh and Kumaresh were initiated and trained by their father, Rajagopalan Iyer. They have found a new expression targeted towards instrumental music called Ragapravaham, which is based only on the raga (melodic scale) and thala (the rhythmic scale). The thematic concert in celebrating Krishna Janmashtami depicted five facets of Lord Krishna – mag-
num opus, romantic, philosophic, superhero and compassionate. The brothers were accompanied by Papanasam Sankaranarayanan on the mridangam and Krishnaswamy on the ghatam. Samyuktha Hari and Kruthi Bhat provided tambura support. The concert opened with a brisk pancharagamalika varnam. The brothers followed the varnam with ragam Mayamalavagowla showcasing resonance and agility. The main piece of the concert was painted with Kamboji. The soulful composition of Elara SriKrishna was soothingly played at a pace where one could imagine the Lord in our midst.
The kalpanaswarams and korappu were like pearls strung to adorn the beautiful Lord Krishna. The percussion duet was unbelievably riveting and won a thunderous applause from the audience. The philosophical and compassionate Krishna was presented through vocal renditions of Tamil compositions by Ganesh in the ragams Nayaki and Kalyanavasantham. The superhero Krishna, rather a superhero side of the brothers, came out when they engaged the audience to choose the ragam to be performed. The brothers astoundingly expounded on Dhavalambari which resulted
from the trivia. The concluding pieces included a Kannada composition in Pahadi and a Dwijavanthi thillana. HTW board members S.R. Pinnapureddy, Praveen Gottipati, and Krishna Hari helped with welcoming, felicitation and rendering a vote of thanks respectively. Venki Chandrasekar summarized the fundraising efforts of HTW. Madras Pavilion and Dhakshin catered sumptuous dinner. Thanks to the cultural committee of HTW and the leadership of Rajee Hari for bringing such remarkable programs to the Houston audience.
Bala Vihar Houston Pledges, “Unto Him Our Best” BY PADMASHREE RAO HOUSTON: They said it with words and music. They showed it with symbols. Spoken or symbolic, the essence was that of pure love. With happy faces, bright colors, beautiful flowers, glowing lamps, a poetic pledge, and a spirited presentation, the members of Chinmaya Mission Houston welcomed another new year of Bala Vihar on Sep.13. It was a day for a memorable celebration – the birth centenary of an ageless spiritual Master, Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. Shobha Ravishankar, a lead teacher of Bala Vihar, welcomed all Bala Vihar families. She spoke of a rare gift that could fill our hearts even when opened a hundred years after it first came wrapped! It was a precious gift that still held the key to timeless happiness. When children and adults saw the majestic image of Gurudev emerge on the PowerPoint presentation, the thrill felt was unmistakable. Just seeing the many images of Gurudev during his quest to bring true happiness to all could capture the imagination of both young and
An enthusiastic team of more than 70 Chinmaya Mission Balavihar teachers. Photo: Jayesh Mistry
old and bring alive the wonder of his unconditional love. Gurudev’s magic of touching hearts revealed that the path to happiness is always paved with the universal spirit of caring and giving. It is human instinct to reciprocate love that has no strings attached. So, when it was time for all the Bala Vihar children, their teachers, and their families to celebrate the love that Gurudev has personified, they pledged to give their best. Echoing the worldwide motto of the Chinmaya
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Birth Centenary, “Unto Him Our Best,” everyone recited the lines of a poem written by Uma Aggarwal, a Bala Vihar teacher. Each Bala Vihar child held close a symbol of a hand that had the words, “Unto Him My Best.” Then, the entire congregation followed Acarya Gaurang Nanavaty and Acarya Darshana Nanavaty to seek the blessings of Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda, before beginning studies for this year. In his opening pravacana, Acarya Gaurang Uncle talked about our
universal quest for happiness. With examples drawn from many facets of life, the Acarya pointed out how our search has the keywords of “endless wanting,” which seems to drone on in the background of every action of ours. Calling for a careful introspection on what really happens in this pursuit of happiness, he set the background for the upcoming studies that the adults will undertake as their children attend Bala Vihar. So, in this Chinmaya centenary year, the best has been promised to
Gurudev with grateful love for the spiritual secret he shared in his divine mission. It has been promised in the presence of the Lord of Saumyakasi. In Chinmaya Prabha Houston, the dedicated resolve was easily seen on the opening day – in every detail that was offered with such love and care by the entire team of Chinmaya Mission Houston. It was also a day for one more celebration – Chinmaya family celebrated a special birthday of their beloved Acarya Darshana Nanavaty, who is the guiding force for Bala Vihar Houston. It was significant for Bala Vihar teachers and Chinmaya family to welcome Darshanaauntie to Chinmaya Smrti and to wish her all the best with flowers and singing of the Chinmaya birthday song. For more information about Chinmaya Mission Houston, please visit www.chinmayahouston.org or contact Bharati Sutaria at 281-9330233.
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