E newspaper 08112017 by Indo American News

Friday, August 11, 2017 | Vol. 36, No. 32

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Some of the ladies who attended the high tea. Seated at left is IAN recipe author Shakuntla Malhotra (fondly known as “mama”) and to her left is Paru McGuire, President of Club 65.

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August 11, 2017

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COMMUNITY

August 11, 2017

Sisters Anoushka, Ananya Gokhale Show Tremendous Poise, Symmetry in Their Bharatnatyam Arrangetram B P G Y

RADEEP

OKHALE

pathway for a dancer to then perform alone or be able to give training to other aspiring dancers of the art. Once a dancer has completed training he or she should have an understanding of classical music and the many aspects of dancing. The audience was guided through the Performance by a descriptive narration of the meanings of each dance by one of Rathna Kumar’s youngest disciples to complete an

CLEAR

LAKE: The Clear Lake campus of the University of Houston is a peaceful setting; it was especially so in the late afternoon following the rainfall last Saturday, August 5. The air was sullen and humid but the green lush lawns along the banks of the bayou brought out the deer and its fawn to graze by the roadside. Though quite a trek from the city’s predominant Indian community on the city’s west side, close to 400 people made the journey to witness what was a marvelous Bharatnatyam dance arrangetram by the two sisters Anoushka and Ananya Gokhale. And they performed in the aptly named Bayou Theater in the Bayou Building. Amidst the flags hung from the second floor handrails of the many countries where the university students hail from, large easel-mounted posters of each dancer adorned a stage set up in the landscaped first floor foyer. Hung along the mid-landing of the stairs was a giant canvas of a colorful Ganesh and below it a large bronze Natraj, adorned with a white flower garland. Snacks and tea (by Annam Indian bistro, which also catered the dinner after the program) was setup in the area just outside the second floor entrance to the auditorium and on a side table were program souvenirs and a photo album of the girls performance setup. Inside the Bayou Theater, on a dais set on one side sat the talented artistes who accompanied the dancers - Shraddha Mohan and Srisanvitha Sridhar on vocals, N.K. Kesavan on Mridangam and B. Muthukumar on the flute – and keeping taal and the cymbal was Dr. Rathna Kumar, - known to her students as Rathna Aunty - the Executive Director of the Anjali Center for Performing Arts.

Anoushka, 18, and Ananya, 16, have studied under Rathna’s guidance and their other guru Venugopal Joysula since 2007 and have performed at numerous festivals and cultural events over the years, in and around Houston. Anoushka will be attending the University of Houston, majoring in Biomedical sciences, while Ananya will

be a junior at Hightower High School Medical Academy. B h a r a tanatyam is one of the oldest forms of Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This form of dance is known for its grace, purity, tenderness, expression and sculpturesque poses. Lord Shiva is considered the God of this dance form which has origins believed to be about 3,000 years old. The Tamil word arangetram means ascending the stage by a dancer on the completion of formal training. To perform an arangetram is an old tradition, which marks the

arangetram, Samyukta Hari. The emcee for the evening was Dr. Rupa Iyer, Associate Dean of the College of Technology, University of Houston. Lighting was conducted by Seetha Ratnakar, Rathna’s sister and event photography by Navin Mediwala while videography was by Murali Santnam. Anoushka and Ananya began their set of seven dances by seeking the blessings of the God of auspicious beginnings, Lord Ganesha, at a small altar by the podium. They opened with a duet by standing onstage, Ananya lined behind Anoushka with her hands posed out front like a Goddess with four hands giving blessings. This was followed by the solo by Anoushka, “Jatiswaram” which are “Jatis” or dance sequences set to varying lines of musical notes or “swaras” and later the solo “Jaya Durge”, a representation of Mother Goddess “Durga”, by Ananya. Anoushka and Ananya presented

the long 45-minute duet “Varnam” the highlight of the evening, to the lyrical composition of the most important episodes from the Ramayan as often portrayed in the Ram Leela. Other dances performed by Anoushka and Ananya included “Vrindavani Venu” in honor of Lord Krishna and “Shankar Srigirinadha” to honor the Lord of Dance, Shiva Nataraja. The recital rose to a crescendo and ended on

Photos: Navin Mediwala

an exciting note with a vibrant duet dance known as “Tillana” replete with complex footwork patterns. Midway through the second half, after the intermission, Anoushka and Ananya were presented with a Certificate of Graduation by their Guru Rathna Kumar. Their friends; grandparents Ashok and Surekha Gokhale who arrived from India for the program, and parents, Madhavi and Pradeep spoke about their accomplishments and years of dedication under the guidance of their Guru. After the program, Anoushka and Ananya posed for pictures with the guests who stayed on for a buffet dinner in the first floor banquet hall. A special thank you to friends from Sienna Plantation and Riverstone without whom this would not have been possible! Jawahar Malhotra contributed to this report

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

August 11, 2017

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

August 11, 2017 5 COMMUNITY Telfair Spices Adds a New Flavor to Sugar Land! BY PREANKA S. DESAI

SUGAR LAND: Over one thou-

sand in the Telfair community in Sugar Land welcomed Telfair Spices - a brand-new grocery store and snack center serving authentic, Mumbai-style vegetarian classics like pani puri and vada-pao during a Masala Radio-style Grand Opening event on Sunday July 23 from 10am to 2pm. Owner Mehran Ali personally greeted all customers and was especially delighted with those who strolled in on foot from nearby residences! The first 100 customers were gifted with a bag of rice and the first 50 were presented special gift baskets courtesy of Deep Foods. Shoppers filled their carts to the brim with amazing salepriced items, and stood in long check-out lines extending to the back of the store. Just in time, Sunil Thakkar, Masala Radio’s lead RJ, arrived on the scene in his antique white Bajaj side car scooter and the party was on! Sunil T challenged young and old alike to participate in impromptu dance classes and contests by Nithya Hari, principal choreographer of the Bollywood Dancing Stars. Soon the sidewalk was converted into a mini-stage with performances by Vinanti Mistry and Bollywood beats by ace DJ Nish. Best dancers in the crowd were rewarded with future free dance lessons with Nithya Hari and snacks at Telfair Spices. Umang and Dakshina Mehta of Deep Foods graciously doled out bowls of the famous Deep instant bhel, hot instant masala chai and naturally cool coconut water. Mehran almost ran out of complimentary snacks at 1pm after serving close to 12,000 pani puris, and 3000 samosas. On the spot they made an additional 500 samosas to meet the commitment to serve until 2PM. Mehran thanks all well wishers who flooded the store all day to congratulate him, his wife

and father-in-law. While Mehran comes from an IT background, the team opened the store to fulfill an opportunity to serve the close-knit, densely South Asian populated Telfair community.

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Rolling out two carts chockfull of groceries, Jyoti, a long-time resident of Telfair, remarked “The prices are so affordable, I simply had to stock up and yet it’s so close that I don’t mind going every day for fresh produce and snacks”. Telfair Spices is located at 1219 Museum Square Dr Suite 100, Sugar Land, TX 77479 and is open Sunday through Thursday from 9am to 9:30pm and 9am-10pm on Friday and Saturday. You can reach them at (281) 207-9678 or Facebook.com/Telfair-Spices.

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August 11, 2017

COMMUNITY

Six Tips for Making the Most of the End of Summer & Preparing for School to Start HOUSTON: It’s natural to cherish the

summer months; the weather is nice, the days are longer and your child is on vacation. With the season starting to wind down, it is important to seize any opportunity you can to prepare for the return of the school year. Best in Class Education Center helps K-12 students achieve academic success through personalized educational programs. The company is dedicated to seeking out new learning opportunities for both students and their parents. Best in Class put together six tips to help you enjoy the end of your summer while still getting back-to-school ready:

A Change of Scenery Once the school year begins, you may find yourself in a routine that doesn’t allow for much time to travel. Take advantage of the final weeks of summer vacation with a small trip away from home. Spend a weekend exploring a new environment even if it’s as simple as a new park or a museum. Make a List Everyone loves a good bucket list. Chances are, there are a few things your child would love to do before school resumes. Rather than just guessing what those might be, take an afternoon to brainstorm a list of possible activities with your child’s input. Then, decide which ideas are the most realistic for your family. It may be extra exciting if you let the winning ideas be a surprise. Shop the Sales August is the prime month for back-toschool shopping deals. Take advantage of this opportunity to find the supplies your child needs for the new year. See if your school has provided a list of required materials, and if not, do a little research into what the grade level typically requires. Create a Calendar If you have more than one child, chances are you have multiple schedules to keep track of. With the coming of the school year, it can be a challenge to organize them all. Create a master calendar for your family’s week and be sure to include time for yourself and your spouse. This will make it easier to coordinate who will be taking which child to which event. Color coding can help to streamline this process. Establish a Sleep Schedule Bedtime routines tend to become more relaxed in the summer months. With longer days and no early morning commitment for your child, it is easy to fall out of your routine. To prevent a rude awakening the week classes resume, begin easing your child back into school bedtime a few weeks before. Research Tutors It’s never too early to begin considering additional learning opportunities for your child. Look into programs in your area for after school homework help now as it may be more challenging to make time for this research once school resumes. To help your student exceed his or her academics goals, a local resource, Best in Class Education Center, offers a variety of customized, supplemental enrichment courses and tutoring options to ensure your students are equipped with the tools they need this school year. To learn more about Best in Class or for franchising opportunities, visit https://www.bestinclasseducation.com/ or call toll free at 1-888-683-8108.

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August 11, 2017

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August 11, 2017

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COMMUNITY

August 11, 2017

3 Community Organizations Partner to Present Workshop on Diabetes & Yoga BY SACHIN DABIR

HOUSTON: Sewa International

along with Houston Durgabari Society & VYASA organized a free community workshop – “Manging Diabetes – How Yoga is better than exercise” on Augsugt 5th. It was attended by over 60 people and was conducted by Dr. Ulupi Choksi who has been practicing for the past 30 years along with Vijay Jilledimudi of Vyasa. The workshop started with Mr. Jaideva Goswami of Durgabari welcoming the participants and informing them about Houston Durgabari Society. Thereafter Sachin Dabir of Sewa & Vijay Jilledimudi of VYASA talked briefly about the activities of their respective organizations. Nikhil Jain introduced Dr. Choksi. It was heartfelt to see three of the active community organizations joining hands to bring this program and the community members responding so well. Dr. Ulupi Choksi gave a presentation on yoga therapy as a treatment protocol for diabetes, a global pandemic. She outlined eight major causative defects in the human system—and how yoga therapy addresses each of these defects. Dr. Choksi stressed that lifestyle changes in diet, exercise and the deep relaxation of major organs through yoga can arrest pre-diabetes or even reverse

diabetes. Chronic stress, she said, from the demands of modern life causes serious, has deleterious effects on the human body. However, yoga therapy is an effective treatment for stress whether you have diabetes or not. Vijay Jilledimudi showed various Asanas that are useful in managing lifestyl. Audience was thrilled to practice few Asnanas along with Vijay. On the related topic, Nikhil Jain of Sewa shared about the upcoming Stop Diabetes Movement (SDM) Yoga camps being conducted by the certified therapist and medical doctors. These camps provide holistic approach to managing Diabetes through Yoga and diet control. Several participants registered for the upcoming SDM camps on site itself. A big thank you to Dr. Choksi,

Vijay and all the volunteers of these 3 organizations starting with Nirmalya Roy, Jaideva Goswami, Nikhil Jain, Anuja Deshpande, Amita Dabir, Sripriya Jyosula, Padma Reddy for putting things together. The workshop ended with nutritious snacks & tea served to everyone. About the upcoming SDM Yoga camp : The SDM yoga camps have been extremely successful with over 150+ participants already have attended these in Houston during the past 1 year. The ten-day camp includes daily yoga routine, lectures from doctors and specialist on diabetes, stress, food habits, and how to manage demanding lifestyle in a better way. Sewa & VYASA are conducting the next set of camps in Katy, Sugarland

& West Houston simultaneously, from Sep 8th to Sep 17th. These camps are free of charge, they have a deposit which is refunded once participants complete all the sessions. For more information and to register please contact info-sdm@sewausa.org or (713)834-4909 / (281) 546-8202. The last day to register for the

camp is August 28th, 2017. Sewa USA is 501 (c) (3) Hindu faith-based non-profit, charitable organization. All donations (cash, cars, clothes, securities, etc.) are tax-deductible. (Tax Id# 20-0638718). Sewa serves humanity regardless of race, religion, color, gender or nationality.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

10 August 11, 2017

Literary Lingering

COMMUNITY

BY VARSHA HALABE

HOUSTON: It was yet another hot after-

noon in Houston as more than two scores of literary fans headed to the George Memorial Library in Richmond for another event hosted by the Houston Maharashtra Mandal (HMM). Everything was grand that afternoon; the library, its setting, the book to be discussed, its setting and story-line. For many days, this reading and discussion of the book “Vishwasta” written by an IIT Alumni, Vasant Vasant Limaye was being publicized on Facebook, among other sources, and the curiosity factor was high. Jyotsna Phadke welcomed everyone on behalf of HMM and Mr. Limaye was introduced by Mandar Phadke, who would be asking him questions about his book in an informal fashion. Ashish Chougule obliged by being in-charge of the computer operations for the book trailer and summary. The presentation began with an impressive video portraying the setting and overall plot of “Vishwasta,” followed by another video giving the background of the author as an avid trekker and an unconventional Engineering Alumni from IIT, Powaii. The book trailer was a new and unique element for a book reading. Thereafter, the author Vasant Vasant Limaye talked about his background briefly and then about his book. Since the book, a Marathi thriller, spanned a time period from the pre-historic era to current day, Mandar’s questions provided good markers along the way. Mr. Limaye, this being his second novel, answered all questions in a professional yet intriguing manner. He was very passionate about his creation, naturally so and proud of the fact that this book is on its way to its third edition. More so, “Vishwasta” has been made into an audio book and is soon to be published in Hindi and English. Mr. Limaye is open to the idea of it being converted into a movie, if the opportunity comes along. The presentation ended with the audience asking him questions about the attitude of the publishing world and how the plot came to him. This endeavor and creation by Vasant Vasant Limaye is a very good example of what a person coming from a humble background can do based solely on his passion, hard-work, clarity of objective and application of his current profession to his vocation. He does give credit to inputs from experts in many fields like Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande in Indian Classical Music context, as an example. But he also owes it to his inclination of knowing whom to tap for what and when. HMM honored Mr. Limaye with a small token of appreciation and the audience bought signed copies of “Vishwasta” in all eagerness as they left with “Vishwata’s” plot on their mind.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

August 11, 2017

The 2017 MoneyGram Cricket Bee Toronto Announced

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Toronto: Rahul Walia, Founder of MoneyGram Cricket Bee, Param Desai, 2nd Runner Up, Vidyasagar Sethu, Champion, Sandeep Singh, 1st Runner Up, and Kenji Remulla, Aaaza Inc.

New Jersey: Senthilkumar Sethuraman (First Runner Up), Shyamsundar Soundararajan (Regional Champion), Ashwin Iyer (Second Runner Up), and Rahul Walia, Founder of MoneyGram Cricket Bee

Chicago: Rahul Walia, Founder of MoneyGram Cricket Bee, Kevin Paul (First Runner Up), Alpesh Gohil (Regional Champion), Sohail Malik (Second Runner Up), and Julian Callachor, Chicago Quizmaster

METUCHEN, NJ: The 3 re-

maining champions have been crowned in Toronto with two of them heading to the Cricket Bee Finals in New Jersey later this month. Param Desai of Brampton, ON was declared second runner up, Sandeep Singh of Brampton, ON was first runner up and the Regional champion was Vidyasagar Sethu of Scarborough, ON. The competition allows cricket fans to compete for prizes while sharing their knowledge of the game to win a cash prize of $10,000. Opened to those 18 and older, the MoneyGram Cricket Bee continued the search of the brightest Cricket fan with regional rounds in San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New Jersey and concluded in Toronto, each testing participants’ general cricket knowledge. The regional contest had two compo-

nents, a written test and an oral test. In the written qualifier, contestants were asked 35 questions. They had to get at least 25 correct to advance to the oral round. In the oral round, the contest was held on a miss and out basis; simply if a contestant missed the right answer, they were eliminated. Unlike quiz shows, the Cricket Bee is conducted so that contestants are competing with themselves and the question posed to them as opposed to their peers. “We are thrilled to sponsor the 2017 Cricket Bee and as always, we enjoy being a part of an initiative that our customers are passionate about,” says Wendi Schlarb, MoneyGram’s head of marketing for the Americas. “Cricket is a sport that brings friends and loved ones around the world closer together, much like MoneyGram’s

services. It’s always exciting to be a part of activities that support our South Asian communities.” Kawan Foods serves as the powered by sponsor for the innovative event and has been deeply involved with the South Asian community through various initiatives and hopes to connect with the entire Cricketing community here in the US and Canada. “We want to congratulate the winners of the regional contest and wish them continued success in their endeavor to win $10,000,” said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods. “There was a lot of excitement and immense talent at the regional which goes to show how passionate people are about the game. Participants had an opportunity to network and interact with other cricket players and enthusiasts from various cities and I am very happy to have our first set of finalists.” said Rahul Walia, Founder of the Cricket Bee. In Canada Zee TV served as the media partner and helped spread the word to Cricket enthusiasts across the country. The finals are slated for August 12th and are open for the public to watch. You can reserve seats by calling 848248-4199.

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12 August 11, 2017

COMMUNITY

A Visionary University Empowers Contemporary Culture with Ancient Knowledge

BY PADMASHREE RAO

HOUSTON: Where is that horizon where

the present will prize the past, where science will seek spirituality, where technology will tweet tradition, and where the West will welcome the East? The vision unfolds at Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, a unique University for Sanskrit

and Indic Traditions, which opened its doors on the auspicious day of July 9, 2017 (http:// chinmayauniversity.ac.in/). Born from the deep insight of Swami Chinmayananda, the spiritual founder of Chinmaya Mission, and nurtured to unfold its potential by his successor, Swami Tejomayananda, it is a de novo deemed university that dares to unlock the secrets of the ancient Indian Knowledge

Traditions (IKT) and uplift the contemporary culture with an education for life, not just a degree for a living. In a thought-provoking presentation at Chinmaya Prabha Houston, Sri Suresh Subramanian, the Registrar and Principal Director, shared the journey of this one-of-a kind university that operates presently from two campuses, the Chinmaya Eswar Gurukula at Kochi, Kerala, and Chinmaya Naada Bindu at Pune, Maharashtra. The university will need to expand both its grounds and its reach to a global generation united in search for holistic excellence. He pointed out, “Indian Knowledge Traditions, culled out from the caturdasa vidya sthanam (the fourteen abodes of knowledge) but locked in Sanskrit language need to be unravelled and their application potential needs to be disseminated through unique higher education programs that can innovatively offer solutions for the majority of issues confronting current day society. If we are able to combine them with modern knowledge and make them innovatively applicable, this repository which touches every aspect of our life will transform young and aspiring graduates to become confident and cultured contributors in this world.” Built on the core values of spirituality – which inspires a larger vision, purity – which sources the original texts, practicality – which makes knowledge applicable, relevant, and employable, and innovation – which challenges the intellect to greater heights, this university calls out for the brightest and boldest minds to redefine education. In the words of Prof. B. Mahadevan, Vice Chancellor, “It has been a practice for us to “junk” ancestral knowledge in the first place. When some western University reinvents the wheel after a series of experimentation and reiterates the ideas contained in the ancestral scriptures, we suddenly develop some respect for that piece of newly rehashed knowledge and at times end up paying dearly for acquiring it. All this could be avoided if we ourselves can introduce this knowledge in the curriculum. The knowledge repository is vast and it needs the key called Sanskrit, to open this vast treasure house. Several Universities in the West have opened up to this reality and have seriously begun teaching Sanskrit, whereas we in India are left behind in the journey.” “Chemical and metallurgical engineers and doctors must have some understanding of the ancestral knowledge, so that they can relate them to modern day issues; similarly a student of Political History, Management, Psychology or Commerce must also benefit from this awareness. All that we need will be a decade of serious reforms and well thought out implementation strategies for this.” The time has arrived for a full-fledged renaissance bridging the old and the new. Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth is set to revolutionize learning and welcomes the world to participate. Establishing and operating the university requires considerable financial resources. We look forward to your generous donation in making this a successful endeavour that will serve future generations for years to come. For further details and to support this much-needed initiative, please visit www.chinmayahouston.org or call Jay Deshmukh 832-541-0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

Open Arms at the Matins for The IMAGH ki Chai Series of Appreciation!

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON: In the time honored

tradition of showing your gratitude to those who have stood by and helped to illuminate your path ahead, the feeling must come from the heart … and must be accepted in like manner. It creates a bond that stands the test of time and forges ahead with common ideals and inspiration. When you are a fledgling group, as the five-year old Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston is, you need to create all the bonds to bind that you can. Four years ago, they held their stepping out with the first large scale Eid Milind function at the Chateau Crystale. The next year it was at the Westchase Marriott, where it has been held ever since, even as attendance and pomp have grown. But, in the mind of its first President, the publicity savvy and forever cheerful and unperturbed Latafath Hussain - who served till early this year and has been credited with the IMAGH’s growth - it was important to follow through with thanks. And so, in 2014 after the Eid Milind, Hussain and his supporting Board came up with the idea to personally and collectively thank the year’s largest benefactor with an intimate gathering but with a twist: by coming to their house for high tea and light snacks. Four years ago, the first high tea was at the home of the prominent lo-

August 11, 2017

IMAGH President Munir Ibrahim (left) and pastpresident Latafath Hussain (right) thanked the high tea hostess Shazma Matin

Shazma and Arshad Matin opened up their River Oaks house for the IMAGH high tea this past Sunday, August 6 Photos: Jawahar Malhotra

Amin. It has become an event by itself. This year the high tea was held this past Sunday, August 6 at the River Oaks home of Shazma and Arshad Matin and close to 30 people The Matins have renovated their River Oaks came to share a house and added on a whole wing in the back. couple of hours of togetherness. As Arshad pointed cal immigration attorney Charles Foster and his wife Lily. This was out, “we are not only Indian, but followed the next year by a high Texans, Houstonians, professiontea at Nirvana restaurant hosted by als, business people and also MusSunny Sharma and wife Rashmi. lims. We have many identities,” he Last year, the high tea was held emphasized, “and by being around at the Memorial area home of Dr. one another, we learn to appreciate Fatima Mawji and her husband each other,”

IMAGH President Munir Ibrahim said he heard nothing but praise for the broadminded Eid Milind gala that featured speakers from all major religions including from Swami Vedaswarupananda of the Vedanta Society. It was echoed by others like Ijaz Warsi, Dr. Maqbal Haq, and Hussain. Tasim Vadva was introduced as the chair of the 2018 Eid Milind organizing committee And, in a poignant moment, IMAGH’s first life member, Shakuntla Malhotra (who writes Mama’s Punjabi Recipes for IAN) recalled how life was harmonious in her native Lyallpur before The Partition. She delighted the audience with her recollection of when neighboring housewives would

remove a brick between their homes to pass through a tasty dish to share. This prompted Arshad to say that “we all should remove bricks and not build walls between communities.” But, with a little urging, Shazma revealed some of the history of the house that was originally built in 1935, which the Matins moved into three and a half years ago. The American-Austrian bombshell actress Hedy Lamarr lived in this house till she separated from her husband, Houston oilman W. Howard Lee in 1958. She was the vixen who starred in Sampson and Delilah, Algiers, White Cargo and Ziegfeld Girl and was married six times, dying at the age of 85 in 2000. Shazma also described how she and Arshad had expanded the house in the back by removing the swimming pool adding a wing the entire width of the house and removed the horse stable to build a garage. She was particularly proud of her mother’s wedding dupatta (long scarf) which is displayed under a glass frame and her pardadiji’s (great-grandmother’s) white metal, dome-shaped, ornate large pan box which has place of honor in the front foyer. “We have many get togethers here,” she exclaimed, “with many of our extended family, sometimes as many as 20 people!”

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14 August 11, 2017

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Many Facets of a Unique Mission in Hindustani Classical Music

HOUSTON: The disciples and

followers of the celebrated Hindustani Classical Music Gurukul, Saadhana Pariwar are privileged in many ways. They experience the richest possible level of handson training from a Guru of world repute. They see their beloved Guruji, Pandit Suman Ghosh, effortlessly switching his role between that of a sought-after maestro performing internationally, and a pathfinding celebrated Guru who even stages each of his disciples’ solo on various platforms, while actively conducting each performance himself. Besides the above, the Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston (CICMH), founded by Pandit Ghosh, introduces various other aspects of this art form by staging different thematically intriguing events involving stalwarts from this field. Pandit Suman Ghosh is perhaps only such visionary Indian Classical musician in this part of the world who is cultivating and popularizing the purest form of this art in the most holistic manner, by virtue of his own impeccable multifarious skills, as also the dedication and

commitment of his followers. As a snapshot of the above, on July 22nd, the disciples celebrated Guru Purnima in Saadhana Pariwar by performing the traditional Guru-Pujan to their Grand-Gurus, their beloved Guruji Pandit Suman Ghosh and Guruma Smt. Shashikala Ghosh. Pandit Ghosh, strives to bring out the hidden musicality and potential in each one of his disciples, all over the world. Guruji guides his disciples to attain self-realization through musical and spiritual exploration, and treats every member of the Pariwar as his own family. The evening began with a heartfelt offering of Bhajans, filled with devotion and gratitude for all the inspiration and support that Guruji and Guruma provide throughout this musical journey. This was followed by Guruji’s traditional Taalim: an epitome of spiritual experience, as always. As the disciples were still reveling in the music, as a divine coincidence, their Bade Guruji, Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj-ji himself called his beloved disciple, Pandit Ghosh, and blessed his grand disciples.

A ceremonial Guru-Pujan was conducted by Dr. Jaidev Goswami who beautifully explained the significance of the puja. The disciples then performed the puja in the most traditional way by washing their Guruji and Guruma’s feet and offering the most gorgeous handmade garlands and flowers. The very next weekend, on July 29th, Pandit Ghosh performed for the Houston audiences at a concert organized by the Indian Music Society of Houston (IMS), along with two of his young disciples, Apurva Ghosh and Prasun Kolhe, and supported by Pandit Shantilal Shah on Tabla and Shri Sameer Kotasthane on Harmonium. Pandit Ji’s performance was complete in every respect; technical perfection bolstering the impeccable aesthetics, moving the audience to a spiritual trance. Another aspect of the Guru-shishya parampara established by Pandit Suman Ghosh, was apparent in the way the two youngsters ably provided the most challenging vocal support to their Guru, receiving the applause and appreciation of the audience and rave reviews in the media. This concert and the Guru Purnima celebration bore testimony to the fact that, despite being a coveted performing artist himself, Pandit Ghosh manages to carve out a large part of his time to cultivate and spread the age-old tradition of Hindustani music in the purest form. Now, Houston eagerly awaits yet another effort by CICMH, Saadhana Sur Sang 2 – an evening of two interactive Concerts featuring the Santoor Maestro Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya and Pandit Suman Ghosh - to be held on Friday, September 29th (7.30pm) at the Stafford Civic Center.

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EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Dodo in Silicon Valley BY MAHIR ALI

The 70-Year Itch

ON the outskirts of Barcelona a

here are ideas whose time has long since passed. Yet they resurface, using inconsistent arguments and manufactured facts to defend bigotry and discrimination. A leaked 10-page internal memo by an employee at Google, titled “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber”, attempts to justify gender imbalance and systemic discrimination in the workplace by stating “men and women biologically differ in many ways” and that “Women, on average, have more Neuroticism (higher anxiety, lower stress tolerance)”. Google, which was accused of gender pay discrimination by the US labor department earlier this year, has distanced itself from the memo. While it is tempting to dismiss the pseudo-science and bigotry of the memo as the rant of a single individual, its underlying assumptions are commonly deployed by the guardians of the status quo. The idea is simple: Social and economic discrimination is “naturalized” as is the privilege of those that gain from it. Using this basic format, injustices, from the caste system to slavery as well as colonialism and gender discrimination, have been justiﬁed. At the same time, this tendency has been constantly brought into question, even when the intellectual tools to do so were unavailable. Plato, for example, while subscribing to the patriarchal beliefs of his time and place, nevertheless argued for women to be soldiers and leaders in The Republic. And Friedrich Engels in The Origin of Family, Private Property and State, managed, as early as in 1884, to establish the underlying relationship between property and gender relations. Why then, after all this time and multiple waves of feminism, are arguments which ought to have gone the way of the dodo appearing in Silicon Valley? In 2016, the Elephant in the Valley survey found that 60 % of the women working in Silicon Valley received unwanted sexual advances and 87% witnessed demeaning comments from colleagues. Earlier this year, Uber’s CEO Travis Kalanick resigned after stories of harassment and discrimination in the company came to light. Ideas like those in the Google document are a poor attempt to turn the clock back to when patriarchal privilege could display itself with impunity. And they use the oldest trick in the book: Blaming the victim. -- Indian Express

couple of years ago, my wife and I popped into a corner store to purchase a bottle of water and a couple of other things. The shopkeeper spoke no English. He clearly wasn’t a local, but he visibly brightened up when we inquired whether he might be familiar with Hindi or Urdu, immediately asking whether conversing in Punjabi might be an option. As soon as he discovered I was a native of Lahore, he embraced me as a long-lost brother. His Hindu family belonged to Gurdaspur, and although neither of us was old enough to have witnessed the events of 1947, much of the ensuing conversation was dedicated to lamenting the wund — the divide — of that fateful year. Before we left, he insisted on a toast — consumed from teacups — to the unexpected ‘reunion’, and it took a great deal of persuasion for him to accept the few euros we owed him. I walked out of the shop with moist eyes, wondering, by no means for the ﬁrst time, what on earth Partition was all about. It isn’t particularly surprising that many of the comments in the run-up to next week’s 70th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independence likewise consist of laments. They can broadly be divided into two categories: those that revisit the horrendous toll that Partition entailed, and those that mourn India’s descent into a communal mindset spearheaded by the spiritual heirs of those who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi for being too soft on Muslims. If Pakistan’s trajectory does not ﬁgure quite as prominently in the discourse, it’s largely because it was delineated long ago, with the secularist ideals that its pre-eminent founding father unequivocally espoused on the eve of independence buried beneath the articles of faith that were crucial to the struggle for separatism. For whatever it was worth, one of the consequences of the two-nation theory was to divide the subcontinent’s Muslims roughly equally between three nations. That is not the only example, though, of a lack of foresight. One

It isn’t particularly surprising that many of the comments in the run-up to next week’s 70th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independence likewise consist of laments.

can only wonder whether the Indian leaders who sat down with the last viceroy on June 3, 1947 to agree on, and then announce, the accelerated split would have proceeded with their compromise had they any inkling of the holocaust that would ensue. Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammad Ali Jinnah were very different personalities, yet they also had much in common — and neither of them was an enthusiast for genocide. Foreknowledge of the bloodbath that lay ahead would have concentrated their minds, possibly persuading them to revisit the options that had been available just a year earlier. Of course, the British role cannot be overlooked, although it is questionable whether a slower path to independence and Partition — by mid-1948, as originally envisaged — would have substantially reduced the bloodletting. On the other hand, heeding the demand for Indian independence a decade or so earlier may have led to very different consequences. In the event, Cyril Radcliffe — “Having never set eyes on the land he was to partition,” as the poet W.H. Auden put it — was invited to sketch the borders. The haphazard process no doubt deserves to be lampooned. Gurdaspur was among the leading bones of contention that were allocated on the basis of politics rather than population. “… The maps at his disposal were out of date,” Auden points out, “And the Census Returns almost certainly incorrect,/ But there was no time to check them, no time to

inspect/ Contested areas. The weather was frightfully hot,/ And a bout of dysentery kept him constantly on the trot,/ But in seven weeks it was done, the frontiers decided,/ A continent for better or worse divided.” On the other hand, what are the chances any boundaries could have been drawn that would have satisfied everyone, or even most people? Even though India had rarely, if ever, been a completely united country before the advent of the British Raj, its veins extended throughout the subcontinent, and any divide would inevitably have entailed slashing those veins — and contending with the blood that was bound to flow, even though its quantity might have come as a shock to many. For several decades thereafter, it was possible for more enlightened Pakistanis to look upon India not by any means as an ideal, but at least as a neighbor that had broadly marched ahead as a secular democracy. The inexorable ascendancy of Hindutva, however, is a reminder that some Indians remained envious of Pakistan’s deadly romance with religious fanaticism, and have finally succeeded in projecting a mirror image, reflected in lynchings and increasing curbs on the freedom of expression. India, unlike Pakistan and Bangladesh, has never come close to military rule, but is militant rule much better? Sure, Pakistan got there first, but at least it was through a coup rather than the popular vote. -- Dawn

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THE STORY OF GANDHI

August 11, 2017

The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 11

The story thus far…For two years

Gandhi traveled extensively in India and had talked at different places. His interest first centered on the problem of indentured labor where poor, ignorant laborers were enticed away from India to work in the British colonies. He disapproved of this system in South Africa, fought it there, and he wanted to see it abolished. Gandhi started a great agitation on this issue. As a result, the Government announced that the system of indentured labor would be stopped before July 31,1917. In Ahmedabad at textile mills, prices had gone up and the mill workers were demanding higher wages. The mill owners would not agree. Gandhi sympathized with the workers and launched a struggle and resorted to peaceful resistance. The workers proudly followed Gandhi and paraded the streets saying they would not go back to work until a settlement had been reached. Days passed. The mill owners wouldn’t budge. The strikers were getting impatient for they were faced with starvation. Their discipline became weak. Gandhi feared that some workers would break their pledge and go back to work. That would be a great moral defeat. One morning he called the workers and told them that unless the mill workers held to their pledge, and reached a settlement, he would not eat. The workers were shocked. “Not you, but we shall fast,” they said. “Please forgive us for our lapse; we shall remain faithful to our pledge.” Gandhi did not want anybody else to fast. His fast was not against the mill owners, but against the lack of coordination and unity among the workers. The fast lasted only three days. It was powerful enough to influence the mill owners that they came to an agreement with the workers. Hardly was the mill workers’ strike over, when Gandhi had to plunge into the Kheda satyagraha struggle. The Kheda district of Gujarat was on the verge of a severe famine. Crop yield had been so low that the cultivators, especially the poor farmers, were unable to pay the revenue. But the government insisted that the yield had not been so bad and that the cultivators should pay the tax. Gandhi saw the injustice advised the farmers to offer satyagraha by not paying their taxes. Leaders, like Vallabhbhai Patel, Shankarlal Banker, Mahadev Desai and others took an active part in this struggle. There had been signs that the campaign might fizzle out, but after four months of struggle there was an honorable settlement. The government asked rich farmers to pay and granted relief to poor farmers. The Kheda satyagraha marked the beginning of an awakening among the peasants of Gujarat, the beginning of their true political education. It gave to the educated public workers the chance to establish contact with the actual life of the peasants. During this time the war had entered a critical phase. Britain and France were in a difficult position.

In the spring of 1917 Germany had inflicted crushing defeats on both the British and French troops in France. Russia’s war effort had broken down and the Revolution was threatening its Government. Though America had entered the war, no American troops had yet reached the battlefront. The Viceroy of India, Lord Chelmsford, invited various Indian leaders to attend a War Conference. Gandhi was also invited. He accepted the invitation and went to Delhi. Gandhi was not happy that leaders like Tilak or the Ali brothers had not been invited to the conference, so he was un- willing to attend. After meeting the Viceroy, however, he went to the conference. The Viceroy was keen to get Gandhi’s support on military recruiting. Gandhi spoke only one sentence. “With a full sense of my responsibility I beg to support the resolution.” Gandhi had supported going to war! Many of his friends were taken aback. Some said, “You are a votary of ahimsa, how can you ask us to take up arms?” Others said, “What good has the government done to India to deserve our cooperation?” Even some of his best friends could not understand how he could reconcile his war effort with his campaign for ahimsa. But Gandhi stuck to the belief he held at that time that “absolutely unconditional and wholehearted cooperation with the government by the educated Indians will bring India within sight of our goal of Swaraj as nothing else will.” Gandhi had made his decision and he now set out to implementit. The response to recruit went was not in any way encouraging, but Gandhi was determined to carry out his mission. He held meetings. He issued leaflets asking people to enlist in the forces. His steady work began to bear fruit. Many men were recruited and he hoped to get a bigger response as soon as the first batch had been

sent. Gandhi nearly ruined his health during the recruiting campaign. He worked very hard. He could not take his food at regular times, nor could he take enough nourishment to keep up his energy. He had an attack of dysentery. He refused to take medicine and his condition worsened. Friends tried their best to advise him but he was beyond all advice. He passed restless days and nights and he himself felt at times that he was near death’s door. It took him a long time to regain his health, but before then news came that World War I was over. Germany had been completely defeated. Friends and doctors advised him to go away for a change and recover his health. He went to Matheran, but the place did not suit him. He went to Poona, where a doctor was consulted. He advised him to take milk to rebuild his body, and prescribed some medicine. Gandhi took the medicine but he would not agree to take milk, for he had given up cow’s milk and buffalo’s milk. He was ﬁnally convinced to take goat’s milk. Gandhi returned to Ahmedabad. He was recouping his health there when he read in the papers the Rowlatt Committee’s report had just been published. The committee recommended that for the maintenance of peace, the government could arrest any person without a warrant and detain him for any length of time without any trial or right to appeal. Thus, the law was a direct attack on the ordinary civil liberties of the people and a clear indication of the autocratic and barbarous tendencies of the British rule in India. These recommendations startled Gandhi. He described them as “unjust, subversive of the principles of liberty and justice, and destructive of the elementary rights of individuals.” Friends approached him for guidance. “Something must be done,” he said to them. “If the proposed measures are passed into law, we ought to offer satyagraha.” Gandhi lamented the fact that he was in poor health. From his sick-bed he wrote articles for the Indian papers explaining that the proposed bill was an act of tyranny which no self-respecting people could submit to it. The only possible step against the government’s proposal, Gandhi thought, would be to launch a satyagraha movement in right earnest. A meeting of some of the leaders was called at the ashram and a satyagraha pledge was drafted. It was unanimously signed by everybody present. Gandhi did not believe that the existing institutions could handle such a noble weapon, so a separate institution named Satyagraha Sabha was formed with headquarters in Bombay. There were agitations everywhere against the Rowlatt Committee’s report. But the government was determined to implement the Rowlatt recommendations and in 1919, the Rowlatt Bill was introduced. When the bill was debated in India’s Legislative Chamber, Gandhi attended as a visitor. — To be continued next week

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Coloring Poster Speech iTribute Essay The contest are open to all children in the greater Houston Area. The winners of these contests will be recognized at the 1000 Lights for Peace, a celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, on Sunday, October 1, 2017. For more information and registration visit www.gandhilibrary.org

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

20 August 11, 2017 HOUSTON: VYASA Houston

organized a ten-day Summer Yoga Camp for children between the ages 5-14 from July 14th to July 23rd. The camp was held at Keshav Smriti in West Houston area and 11 kids participated. The camp is specially designed for children with intermediate and advanced Asanas. VYASA directors Viswarupa Nanjundappa and Smitha Mallaiah are the inspiration for the conception and execution of the summer Yoga camp. The children’s classes were taught by enthusiastic instructors Jay Chandrasekharan, Vijay Jilledimudi and adult classes were taught by Satya Pappu. The camp was a holistic mix of Yoga practices like asana, pranayama, meditation with yoga philosophy of Yama-Niyama, healthy eating with a bit of fun for children. Every day, the camp started with Krida Yoga, where Seetalikarana (stretching and warming-up) techniques are incorporated into fun games. The children and their parents participated in Krida Yoga enthusiastically. After Krida Yoga, the children’s class and adults’ class would commence separately. A starting prayer is chanted, followed by Warming up. Surya Namaskara, Asanas, Pranayama, and Relaxation techniques were taught and practiced in both children’s and adults’ classes. On the first day, each child is given a space on the whiteboard, where they can write their thoughts, reflections, ideas about the camp and generally express themselves. The kids filled

COMMUNITY

Summer Yoga Camp for Children by VYASA Houston

their spaces with interesting information about themselves, their favorite Asana, the Asana they want to master, their aspirations, their strengths and their areas of improvement. Every day, one child who performed well is identified and encouraged with a prize. There were educational lectures on every other day delivered by Pediatricians and Yoga teachers on varied topics. On first day, Vijay Jilledimudi delivered a lecture called “A beautiful life starts with a beautiful mind”, based on the first two tenets of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga - Yama and Niyama. A personality-development questionnaire is designed based on the principles of Yama & Niyama, and was given to all the children to rate themselves every day to assess their

own progress. 60% of the children ﬁlled out the questionnaire on daily basis and tracked their progress. Jay Chandrasekharan delivered the second lecture on “Mindfulness in daily activities and Mindful Eating”, with the help of an animated video that children could easily relate to, followed by a question and answer session. Pediatrician, Dr. Meghana Samant delivered the third lecture on “Nutrition”, and used food materials like grains, lentils, etc. to identify the major food groups, and a plate that shows the portions of each food group in a meal. She delivered a fourth lecture on “The Effects of Sugar Consumption” with interesting props that made great impact on children’s mind. Pediatrician, Dr. Anjana Dhingra

delivered the fifth lecture on “Power of Positive Attitude and Team Spirit” with a game designed with energy ball, which captivated children’s attention and conveyed the message of cooperation and one-ness. Children enjoyed playing the game while understanding the importance of unity. Satya Pappu delivered the last lecture on “Calming the mind and Slowing down” using a TED talk by Kimi Werner followed by group discussion, separately in the children’s class, and the adults’ class. On the last day of the camp, the assistant director of VYASA Houston, Smitha Mallaiah addressed the parents of the children who participated in the camp. She talked about the significance of Yoga practice in children and teens, how beneficial it is for their body and mind, and how to continue the learning and practice. After

that, each child demonstrated to the audience, his/her favorite Asana synchronized with breathing, and talked about what they learnt and liked in the camp, and how they are planning to apply the learning in their life. The parents also shared their feedback and ideas about the camp and expressed their interest in future camps, and continuing classes for the children and themselves. The camp graduates shared the benefits of the yoga camp in improved flexibility, ability to manage stress etc. Smitha Mallaiah addressed the children, with an inspiring story from Swami Vivekananda’s life. The program concluded with certificate presentation to all the participants. For more yoga courses and other yoga educational activities from VYASA-Houston visit www. vyasahouston.org or email vyasahouston@gmail.com.

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August 11, 2017

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22 August 11, 2017

COMMUNITY

Iyer at UH Biotech Program Gets $2.1M Grant to Expand Nationally BY JEANNIE KEVER

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grating classroom instruction and research at the University of Houston will be spread to five colleges and universities around the country with a $2.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Rupa Iyer, principal investigator on the grant and founding director of the biotechnology program in the UH College of Technology, will implement the key components of the UH biotech program, including an environmental sampling research module, at five institutions: Rochester Institute of Technology, Southern Utah University, Louisiana Tech University, Prairie View A&M University and Alvin Community College. She said the goal is to demonstrate that it works across the spectrum of higher education – two-year and four-year programs, private and public. The grant is the largest research grant ever awarded to a College of Technology faculty member. Iyer, who also is associate dean of research and graduate studies at the College of Technology, started the biotech program at UH after realizing universities weren’t adequately preparing biology students for a field that had become far more interdisciplinary. “We were not training our students to be the future scientists and innovators,” she said. The program incorporates an intense focus on undergraduate research and an understanding of industry needs with traditional academic instruction. It officially began with fewer than 10 students in 2009; it will have more than 600 students this fall. The UH biotechnology program was the first in the country to be accredited, earning accreditation from the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering in 2015. The research component, which includes a unit on environmental sampling, testing and the creation of a crowdsourced soil microbiome database, has been recognized for its commercial potential. Iyer said she approached creating the program “like a startup,” raising funding from the National Science Foundation and the Texas Workforce Commission and collaborating with

Job Posting:

Rupa Iyer is principal investigator on a $2.1 million National Science Foundation grant and founding director of the biotechnology program in the UH College of Technology,

industry to develop the degree. Ultimately, it may lead to an actual startup, as she and other project advisors consider commercializing the database and collected bacteria samples. Students collect soil samples and process them for bacterial strains, logging the results on a map. So far, Iyer said, more than 60 bacterial strains have been identiﬁed from locations around Houston, including 12 never before identiﬁed; those are now part of a database compiled by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The map and soil sample collection will be expanded as the new programs come online in New York, Utah, Louisiana and elsewhere in Texas. Students will contribute and mine the data they collect to enhance their STEM skills; the expanded database will provide a platform for national and global research collaborations between students, faculty, governmental agencies and biotech companies. While the research component is important in enhancing academic skills, “the research is valuable in itself,” Iyer said. “The students have found bacteria that degrade toxins, hydrocarbons and antibiotics, and that could be potential solutions to cleaning up toxic waste, for enhanced oil recovery and remediation. This has applications in health, energy and the environment.”

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER TRAINEE

KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER TRAINEE. This is a one-year training position. The AP Trainee will gain valuable experience in writing, graphic development and other aspects of producing a television newscast. Candidates must be willing to work overnights and weekends. College degree preferred. Preference will be given to those with previous television news experience and those with a strong desire to pursue a career as a television newscast producer. Being a journalist is not just a job, it is a way of life. Only serious candidates should apply. This is a one year training position. There is no guarantee that the trainee will be promoted to a full time staff position at the end of the training program. For consideration all interested applicants must apply on-line at: HYPERLINK “http://www.disneycareers.com” www.disneycareers.com. Applicants must upload cover letter, resume and references. In addition, please send writing samples to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Please Reference Job ID: 478475BR on ALL materials submitted. No telephone calls please.

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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY Independence Day is an annual observance

celebrated every year on 15th of August. India’s Independence Day is a day of great significance for the people of India. At this day India got freedom from the British rule after long years of slavery. It has been declared as the National and Gazetted Holiday all across the India in order to independently commemorate the independence of country from British Empire on 15th of August in 1947. It was not so easy for the India to get freedom from the Britishers however; various great people and freedom fighters of India made it a truth. They had sacrificed their lives in attaining the freedom for their future generations without worrying about their comfort, rest and freedom. They planned and acted upon various Independence Movements including violent and nonviolent resistance to get complete freedom. However, later independence Pakistan was partitioned from India which was accompanied by violent riots. That horrible riot was the reason of mass casualties and dislocation of people (more than 15 million) from their homes. At this day, all the national, states and local government’s offices, banks, post offices, markets, stores, businesses, organizations, etc become closed. However, public transport is totally unaffected. It is celebrated in the capital of India with big enthusiasm however it is also celebrated in all the schools, colleges and other educational institutions by the students and teachers including public community and society. History of Independence Day of India: Indian subcontinent was outpost by some European traders during 17th century. It was again slaved by British East India Company because of his big military strength. They established their local kingdoms and effective forces all through the India during 18th century. A great independence revolution was started by the people of India against the British rule in 1857. That Indian Rebellion is called as Great Rebellion, the Revolt of 1857, the Indian Mutiny, the Uprising of 1857 and the Sepoy Mutiny. It was started against British East India Company’s army at Bengal Presidency on 10th of May in 1857. Through that Rebellion (Government of India Act 1858), Indian freedom fighters made British Crown realized to free the control over India. The Revolt of 1857 was effective rebellion after which various civic society were emerged all across the India. One of them was the Indian National Congress Party which formed in the year 1885. The period of dissatisfaction and unhappiness has raised non-violent movements (non-cooperation and civil disobedience) all through the nation which was led by the Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. In the meeting of Indian National Congress in 1929 at Lahore, India was declared as Purna Swaraj. Earlier, 26th of January was declared as the Indian Independence Day between 1930 and 1947. Indian citizens were requested by the Indian National Congress to civil disobedience as well as follow the timely instructions issued until complete independence of India. After World War II, in 1947 British government get ensured that it no longer could show its power on the India. Indian freedom fighter were continued fighting and then Britain decided to free India from the rule however Hindu Muslim violence took place after the independence of India (on August 15, 1947) which separated India and Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the first Governor General in Karachi Pakistan. However, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became the first prime minister of independent India.An official ceremony was held in the capital of country, Delhi where all the great leaders and freedom fighters (Abul Kalam Azad, B. R. Ambedkar, Master Tara Singh, etc) took part to

India’s 71st Independence Day celebrate freedom. During violence of partition mass of people from both sides were died while people in other regions were celebrating Independence Day. The ﬁfth meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held at 11 pm on 14th of August at Constitution Hall, New Delhi under the leadership of president, Rajendra Prasad where Jawaharlal

Nehru proclaimed his speech. In the midnight of 15 August 1947, India was proclaimed as independent country by the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru where he gave his speech over “Tryst with destiny”. He said during his speech that “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full

August 11, 2017

measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.” Speech on 15 August 1947 by Nehru. After that, all the Assembly members took pledge of being loyal in offering their services to the country. National flag was officially presented to the assembly by a group of Indian women. Finally India became an independent country officially, and Nehru and the viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, became the first prime minister and first governor general respectively. Mahatma Gandhi was not involved in the celebration. He stayed in the Calcutta and marked the Independence Day with his 24 hours fast in order to encourage the peace between Hindu and Muslim. -indiacelebrating.com

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 August 11, 2017

COMMUNITY

Judge Ravi Sandill Announces Bid for Texas Supreme Court BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON: In a post made yester-

day on his Facebook page, Judge Ravi “R.K.” Sandill, who presides over a civil docket in the 127th District Court in Harris County, announced his candidacy for the Supreme Court of Texas, Place 4. Sandill is the only South Asian on the Bar in Harris County having first been elected in 2008 and was re-elected this past November for a third term. He has held that office for almost 9 years and does not have to resign to rum for this election. His candidacy marks the first time that an Asian has run for the Texas Supreme Court or any office higher than Mayor of a Texas city, as former Sugar Land Councilman Harish Jajoo unsuccessfully did last year. In

the past 20 years, many Asians have sought out, and have successfully been elected to, many public positions in Texas, notably in large metropolitan areas. According to the latest census information, Texas has a population os 25,145,561 of which 70% are White, 37% Hispanic, 11% Black and 3% or 964,596 are Asian. The Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for civil matters in the State of Texas. The Court was established in 1840 and is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The Court meets in downtown Austin, in a building located on the state Capitol grounds, behind the Texas State Capitol. Currently the Chief Justice is Nathan Hecht and each judge is elected for a 5 year renewable term. Of the nine judges, 6 were appointed by former governor Rick Perry, two are women

(one White and the other Hispanic), the rest are White males and all are Republicans. The Place 4 position that Sandill is contesting is currently held by John

P. Devine, 59, of Harris County, who won in the election in 2012 without a Democratic opponent and assumed ofﬁce on January 1, 2013. He is married to a former Venezuelan, Nubia

Piedad Gomez Devine and they have 7 children. The last Democrat to hold this position was R. Gonzales who left ofﬁce in 1998. Sandill’s parents immigrated from India and his father Brij retired as a Lt. Col. from the US Army and the US Air Force after serving 28 years. Ravi spent most of his childhood in Texas and received his bachelor’s in government from the University of Texas in Austin and has been a member of the State Bar of Texas since 2001. He later attended the University of Houston Law Center to receive his Jurisprudence degree. He fought Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the blood, in 2002, and has been in remission since 2003. He is married to a fellow lawyer, Kelly, and the two have a son, Asher. In his Facebook post, Sandill said it was time for a change and that he was running “to restore an independent voice to our state’s highest judicial body and to focus on the rule of law, rather than a fringe ideological agenda.” “The Supreme Court of Texas is elected to serve all of the nearly 28 million residents of our great state,” he continued. “Yet, after more than two decades of one-party rule, today’s Court is increasingly out of touch with the needs of everyday Texans.” “On issues from public school ﬁnance to equal protection under the law, our state Supreme Court is ignoring its duties and instead catering to an extreme, special interest agenda.” Sandill concluded that he is “a Texan -- the proud son of immigrants -who grew up in a military family that knows the meaning of service. And I am running to serve all Texans.” To contribute to his campaign or volunteer, visit www.sandillfortexas. com.

Mala Sharma: Nominated and Accepted as a 2017 AIOPIA’S 10 Best in Texas for Client Satisfaction HOUSTON: The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys has recognized the exceptional performance of Texas’s Personal InjuryAttorney Mala Sharma as 2017 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys for Client Satisfaction. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys is a thirdparty attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Personal Injury attorneys in each state. Attorneys who are selected to the “10 Best” list must pass AIOPIA’s rigorous selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nominations, thorough research, and AIOPIA’s independent evaluation. AIOPIA’s annual list was created to be used as a resource for clients during the attorney selection process. One of the most signiﬁcant aspects of the selection process involves attorneys’ relationships and

reputation among his or her clients. As clients should be an attorney’s top priority, AIOPIA places the utmost emphasis on selecting lawyers who have achieved significant success in the field of Personal Injury law without sacrificing the service and support they provide. Selection criteria therefore focus on attorneys who

demonstrate the highest standards of Client Satisfaction. We congratulate Mala Sharma on this achievement and we are honored to have her as a 2017 AIOPIA Member. For further details contact Mala Sharma directly at 713-294-2813 or visit www.sharmalaws.com.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

HAPPY JANMASHTAMI

August 11, 2017

Nand Gher Anand Bhayo... Jai Kahnaiya Laal ki... J

anmashtami commemorates the and begins a fresh one. earthly appearance of Krishna, who But why Janmashtami, you may is described in India’s ask? What’s so special about Krishna, sacred writings as God as opposed to any other form of Himself. One of the bigGod? It’s His personablegest religious festivals in ness. He reciprocates in the world, it is celebratunique, personal ways ed by nine hundred with every devotee who and thirty million offers Him love—He is people around the most adorable, misthe world--and chievous son, the most two million in romantic lover, the most the US alone. compassionate friend. To devotees, And on Janmashtami, it’s Christdevotees celebrate mas and New Krishna in all of these Year’s in one, aspects. For just as a day of deep Krishna reciprocates spiritual individually with His renewal relatives and conﬁand celdantes, he responds ebration to the distinct feelthat efings and desires fectively held most deeply ﬁnishes an in the heart of old year every single worshipper. So remember that whatever way you worship Krishna on Janmashtami, He will

reciprocate with you accordingly. It’s a meditation that makes for an extremely rewarding devotional experience. How is Janmashtami Celebrated? Where Vaishnava temples exist, festivities begin before dawn and extend all day until midnight, the exact moment of the anniversary of Krishna’s appearance. Events include kirtan, singing the Lord’s name along with other devotees; and japa, private, more intimate prayer. Some devotees cook a feast of over one hundred dishes, while others perform drama and dance. Some clothe and decorate the deity of Krishna while others string enormous ﬂower garlands and other decorations for the temple. Incense burns, scriptures are read, and all but the young and the inﬁrm fast all day. The deities are also bathed with a variety of auspicious liquids in a kind of ablution ceremony called abhisheka. Sometimes taking over two hours, this is performed with great pomp. Finally, at midnight, priests pull apart the curtains to reveal the freshly dressed deity of Krishna on a creatively festooned and colored altar. The excitement builds, and a rousing kirtan ensues. How to Celebrate Janmashtami at Home? But what if you don’t live near a temple? What if you can’t make it to

a major celebration Does that mean you can’t observe Janmashtami? Of course not. It is our sincere devotion that pleases Krishna most, and this can be offered anywhere. So to help you feel more connected to the Lord and His devotees on this special day, here are Krishna.com’s tips on how to celebrate Janmashtami at home: 1. Decorating your home for Krishna can be fun, particularly for children. Encourage them in helping to make garlands, hanging balloons and festoons of leaves, and generally making the house beautiful for Krishna’s appearance. 2. Get a copy of the Vaishnava Songbook and choose some of your favorite bhajanas(devotional songs in praise of God) to sing. Krishna, also known as Murlidhara, or “one who holds the ﬂute,” loves music. And so will your friends and family, as you take turns singing and playing instruments. Alternatively, play bhajan CDs and heighten the spiritual atmosphere. 4. Read the story of Krishna’s advent and other exciting pastimes from Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead or Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto Ten. Pass the book around, and try dramatic readings to bring the story to life. Janmashtami is all about completely immersing yourself in

thoughts of Krishna in a festive way. 5. Recreate the temple program and hold an abhisheka bathing ceremony for your deities. Simply buy different liquids like yogurt, honey, ghee and fruit juices and bathe the deity with them while singing devotional songs. 9. Have a midnight arati (worship ceremony) with a kirtan. -krishna.com

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

26 August 11, 2017

SUDOKU

Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before August 16, 2017. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for ﬁrst three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Milk Cake (Milk Fudge)

5. When the mixture has cooled and the pufﬁness is reduced, then close the microwave and start up for 2 minutes again on high. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 again and heat in the microwave a third time. 7. After the third time, repeat step 4.

Solution Next Week

8. Now let the mixture cool down uncovered for an hour.

Though this dish is called Milk

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Cake, the label is only half true. It is, of course, made with lots of milk, but it is not made like a cake. That part of the name refers to the way the sweet dish is set for upto 24 hours before being ﬁnally presented and sliced. The texture of milk cake is dense, grainy and hard, which is not found in any other Indian confectionary and this explains why it is widely popular in north India, where it originated in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. This dish is sometimes called malai burﬁ (creamy fudge) and sometimes is confused with kalakand which is creamier, less dense and white. Milk cake is normally slightly brown and the traditional recipe is made with milk, sugar and butter or ghee (each of which gives it a different taste). It is often made and served at festivals and special occasions but these days is available all year round at the confectioner’s shops where the cut pieces – sometimes embellished with cut nuts - are displayed on silver platters. The traditional recipes start with a pot full of milk that is slowly evaporated over the stove, while it is stirred constantly so that the milk does not get brown at the base. This method requires a lot of patience and stamina to stand beside a hot stove for 60 to 90 minutes and stir the milk till it is curdled. As less people have such spare time, the recipe I am presenting is a much simpler and faster one to make since it is made in a microwave, not on the stove. Naturally, as with other Indian sweet dishes, milk cake is very rich in calories and is very heavy to digest, so it is best not to eat too much of it at one sitting. You could make it with lowfat cream or milk, but there will be a difference in the taste too.

Ingredients: • 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk • 1 1/2 cup Powdered milk • 1 stick Unsalted butter

9. When it is cool to touch and hardened, cut the milk cake into rectangular pieces. 10. Place the pieces on a plate and serve.

Directions: 1. Open the can of condensed milk and pour it a microwaveable medium-sized ﬂat-bottom cake dish. 2. Pour in the powdered milk and butter and mix well with a wisk. Spread the mixture across the dish. 3. Place the dish in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes on high. 4.As the dish will be hot, leave it in the microwave, but mix the ingredients well with a fork so that they do not puff up and boil over.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the oldfashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur (since renamed Faisalabad), 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

EEK FOR HOT AND C RISPIER LEFTO VER PIZZA, USE THE TAVA!

One of the most fa vorite meals for m an pizza of any type. It is a dish that is now y people, young and old, is in so many styles, available all around ingr th of the city and coun edients and ﬂavors, many with distinc e world try they are in. In H tiv e tastes awaii you can get pi ingredient, in India, neapple as an tandoori chicken an d in China tofu with chicken. Schezwan But there is alway s leftover pizza w hi terwards. Usually people take a slice ch is stored in the fridge afor two out and heat microwave, but th is makes the pizza them in the lim and crispier pizza, just place the pieces p and not as tasty. For tastier on for a few minutes. You’ll love the diffe a hot tava (ﬂatplate) and heat rence!

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August 11, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS REVIEWS/NEWS

JAB HARRY MET SEJAL:

fter a month-long tour of Europe, Sejal (Anushka) is just about to board her flight to India, when she realises that her engagement ring is lost. In quest of the object, she hires the same tour-guide Harry (Shah Rukh) and together they set off visiting the exact same spots that she and her family visited—in the hope of finding the heirloom. Of course the journey proves to be much more… The plot is wafer-thin and it’s been done to death by none other than Imtiaz Ali in each of his earlier films—be it Jab We Met, Cocktail (writer) and Tamasha. It’s the routine girl is engaged elsewhere story but she discovers half-way through that her soulmate is someone other. In this case, Sejal is engaged to Rupen but actually ends up falling for Harry. Let’s give the devil his due, Imtiaz’s films do coax and cajole you to take a journey inwards instead of just doing the

SRK Seals it with a Kiss!!!

peripheral one. But in this film, the soul-searching bits between the leads don’t quite add up. What makes this film watchable though is the presence of Shah Rukh and Anushka both of who are in top-form in their Punjabi and Gujarati ìmpersonations’. In fact, SRK is like old wine, the more he matures, the better he romances. Boy, when he seals it with a kiss, he’s irresistible! The music is average but Radha will definitely get you to attempt a bhangra-garba mix at your

next house party. However, sound advice would be that you actually buy yourself a tour ticket to Europe and soak in the sights for real. Of course, if you’re in the mood for a cheaper option of touring the continent, buy yourself a JHMS ticket and get transported to foreign destinations captured efﬁciently by cinematographer K U Mohanan, In this case, there’s the added advantage of a Punjabi `munda’ playing your friend, philosopher, lover and guide.

Happy

Sunil Shetty August 11, 1961

Jacqueline Fernandez August 11, 1985

The journey from Netherlands to Nur Mahal treats you to an opera, pole-dancing and SRK in every frame. Despite it all, you’re tempted to tell the ﬁlmmaker that the script of this travelogue that seems to have gone missing, could perhaps be languishing in his own backyard. Go search… Shah Rukh Khan gets our hopes high in the beginning when we witness dimensions of his character, but that eventful moment doesn’t last long and he gets back to playing to the gallery. He makes sure nobody misses those folded hands and slightly slanted forehead. Talk about the burden of being a superstar! Anushka Sharma, on the other hand, is even more clueless. She desperately tries to look cutely silly whenever she is not mouthing dialogues like “Main waisi ladki nahi hoon jo apni engagement tod degi.” -Timesoﬁndia & Hindustan Times

Birthday

Sridevi Kapoor August 13, 1963

Sunidhi Chauhan August 14, 1983

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Saif Ali Khan August 16, 1970

28 August 11, 2017 India vs SL 2nd Test: India’s Biggest Win, SL’s Biggest Loss BY CRICKBUZZ STAFF

OLOMBO (Crickbuzz): A fine all-round show in the second Test against Sri Lanka has helped India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja leapfrog Shakib Al Hasan to occupy the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for allrounders. Jadeja also occupies the top spot for Test bowlers in the latest player rankings released on Tuesday (August 8). Jadeja scored an unbeaten 70 in the only innings that India batted before picking up seven wickets across two innings, including a fifer in the second to star in his team’s victory by an innings and 53 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who both scored centuries in the Colombo Test, also moved up in the ICC Test Player Rankings for batsmen. Pujara climbed up one spot to occupy the No. 3 position for the first time in his career while Rahane entered the top 10, climbing five spots to reach number 6. For Sri Lanka, who have lost a Test series at home against India for the second in succession, there were a couple of positives. Kusal Mendis’s 110 in the second innings helped him

climb 10 spots to slot in at the 19th position, while Dimuth Karunaratne jumped 13 places to be ranked 24th following his knock of 141. Meanwhile, Moeen Ali’s splendid all-round performance in the ﬁnal Test of the four-match series against South Africa has propelled the England all-rounder to a career-best spot in the rankings for batsmen. Moeen essayed a vital hand of 75 in the second innings and picked up seven wickets for the match to secure England’s 3-1 series win. The 30-yearold’s ﬁne show with the bat helped him to vault three places to slot in at the 21st position in the rankings for batsmen. Moeen also maintained his 18th position in the bowlers’ rankings. Meanwhile, he is ranked at fourth place in the all-rounders’ list. At the start of the four-match series, the allrounder was ranked No. 27 among the batsmen and 30th in relation to bowlers’ rankings. James Anderson, the veteran England seamer, bagged seven scalps in the fourth Test to overtake R Ashwin and grab the second spot in the bowlers’ rankings. Jonny Bairstow, the England wicketkeeper-batsman, also

Ravindra Jadeja is now the top-ranked bowler and all-rounder in Test cricket © Getty. Ironically, Jadeja as been suspended from the third and ﬁnal Test of the series against Sri Lanka after accumulating six demerit points inside a 24-month period.

shone brightly in the Old Trafford Test, compiling a crucial knock of 99 in the ﬁrst innings. On the back of his noteworthy show in the ﬁrst essay, Bairstow now sits at No. 7 on the batting charts. Among the South African bats-

men, Hashim Amla compiled a ﬂuent hand of 83 in the second innings to move one place to ninth in the rankings. Duanne Olivier, who snared ﬁve scalps in the fourth Test, was rewarded with a career-best ranking of 51.

Iyer, Shankar Power India A to Series Title in South Africa

RETORIA: (ESPN Cricinfo): India A 270 for 3 (Iyer 140*, Shankar 72, Dala 2-49) beat South Africa A 267 for 7 (Behardien 101*, Pretorius 58, Thakur 3-52, Kaul 2-55) by seven wickets Shreyas Iyer plays a cut shot during his 41 Cricket Australia/Getty Images A quickfire unbeaten century from Shreyas Iyer and a half-century from Vijay Shankar steered India A to a seven-wicket win against South Africa A to seal the tri-series final in Pretoria. Iyer and Shankar put on 141 for the third wicket to eclipse Farhaan Behardien’s century earlier in the day, when five wickets between Shardul Thakur and Siddarth Kaul had restricted the hosts to 267 for 7 in 50 overs. India A were jolted early when Junior Dala removed openers Sanju Samson and Karun Nair in the first six overs, leaving them in trouble

Shreyas Iyer plays a cut shot during his 41 Cricket Australia/Getty Images

at 20 for 2. But Iyer, who had not scored a ﬁfty earlier in the series, and Shankar, who had scored a duck in his previous match, joined forces to deny

South Africa another wicket for more than 28 overs, while lifting India’s run rate towards ﬁve an over. Shankar fell for 72 off 86 after striking nine fours,

before Manish Pandey joined Iyer, who went on to register his highest List A score of 140 off 131 balls, with 11 fours and four sixes. The fourthwicket pair put on an unbroken 109 in only 12.3 overs to seal the win with 19 balls to spare. Pandey, with scores of 55, 41*, 86*, 93* and 32*, was named Man of the Series. India A had capitalised on their decision to bowl when Kaul and Thakur cut through the top order and left South Africa A 32 for 3 in the ninth over. Khaya Zondo and Behardien steered them past 100 before No. 7 Dwaine Pretorius scored a quick 58 off 61 balls, which featured ﬁve fours and two sixes, to help them past 200. Behardien remained unbeaten on 101, having helped set India A a challenging target, but it wouldn’t prove enough against their middle order. Thakur ended with 3 for 52 and Kaul with 2 for 55.

SPORTS

Moeen Hat-Trick Seals Crushing England Win

RENT BRIDGE: England 353 (Stokes 112, Cook 88) and 313 for 8 dec (Bairstow 63, Westley 59, Root 50) beat South Africa 175 (Bavuma 52, Roland-Jones 5-57) and 205 for 7 (Elgar 136, Moeen 4-45) by 239 runs The 100th Test match at The Oval concluded with a wonderful piece of theatre when Moeen Ali completed England’s victory in the third Test against South Africa with a hat-trick. It was the first hat-trick in a Test at The Oval and, even more remarkably, the first by an England spinner for 79 years. Quite a way to complete a 239-run win. England might not have the most illustrious list of spin bowlers in the history of Test cricket, but they have had a number of highly regarded operators since Tom Goddard briefly brought a bore draw in Johannesburg to life on Boxing Day 1938, less than nine months before the outbreak of World War 2. Moeen, whose talents are often underplayed, even by himself, achieved that accolade in the 12th over of the afternoon session, having Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada caught at slip and then, with the first ball of his next over, Morne Morkel lbw - this, to add to the drama, after an England review. There are a few nitpickers who claim, of course, that hat-tricks split over two overs are somehow not pure: they should be waved aside peremptorily. Remarkably, Moeen was the third England bowler on a hat-trick in the innings, following Toby RolandJones and Stokes, the latter then bowling an over in a failed attempt to take the final wicket.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

August 11, 2017

Dilip Shanghvi’s Sun Oil & Gas Firm May Buy GSPC’s Hazira Field (bopd) and 7-9 million standard cubic M : Billionaire Dilip Shanghfeet of gas per day. Gas production

IIT Guwahati Develops Silk Mats for Arthritis Treatment

UMBAI

vi’s Sun Oil and Natural Gas is close to acquiring state-run Gujarat State Petroleum Corp.’s (GSPC) 66.67% stake in the Hazira gas field located in the Cambay basin in Gujarat, two people aware of the development said. The deal is expected to close by September, the people said on condition of anonymity, without disclosing the deal value. The purchase would give Sun Oil and Natural Gas full control of the gas field, in which it bought a 33.3% stake from Canada’s Niko Resources Ltd in December for an undisclosed sum. Also in December, state-owned explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC) said it had decided to purchase an 80% stake and development rights in GSPC’s Deen Dayal West field in the Krishna -Godavari offshore block OSN-2001/3 for $995.26 million.

Dilip Shanghvi’s Sun Oil and Natural Gas had bought a 33.3% stake from Canada’s Niko Resources Ltd in December.

The Hazira ﬁeld is part of 16 hydrocarbon assets in Gujarat’s Cambay basin in which GSPC holds stakes. Niko has operated the ﬁeld for the past 22 years. Sun Oil and Natural Gas is a unit of Shanghvi’s Sun Petrochemicals Pvt. Ltd. GSPC is 87% owned by the Gujarat government. “With the Deen Dayal deal with Oil

and Natural Gas Corp. done, GSPC is looking at monetizing other assets. GSPC is in talks with Sun Oil and Natural Gas to sell its entire stake in the ﬁeld,” said one of the two persons cited earlier. GSPC did not reply to an email sent on Monday. Currently, the Hazira ﬁeld produces 1,300-1,400 barrels of oil per day

began from the field in 1996 and oil production commenced in March 2006. “The field has neared the end of its life and post September, GSPC may have to abandon the block. However, selling it to Sun Oil and Natural Gas would be a better way to monetize the field than abandoning it as abandoning a field costs nearly $30 million (to adhere to the safety norms of abandonment like dismantling the offshore platforms, maintenance of the pipelines etc),” added the first official mentioned above. A banker aware of the deal said it would be a good purchase for Sun, which has studied the field and wants to explore it further unlike Niko and GSPC, which have other commitments. -- Live Mint

Amazon Takes Made-in-India Innovations to Teams Across World R&D divisions in India -one for B - Amazon’s innovaits global research, which is based ENGALURU

tions in India are being adopted by the company’s other teams from across the globe including its European and US e-commerce arms, Terry Hanold, vice-president of international consumer technology in Amazon told TOI.Some of these innovations are around mobile, sellers’ initiatives and enabling customers to sell used items on Amazon. “Indian customers are holding us to what this team has accomplished in such a short time. I want the rest of Amazon to be modelled on this. I cannot imagine that we will look back in time when we would think we had invested too much in India,” Hanold said. The retail giant has been pouring billions of dollars into the Indian market, and is seen to have signiﬁcantly narrowed the revenue gap with ecommerce leader Flipkart.

One of the successful innovations, called seller ﬂex, allows a seller to make their location available for Amazon to store inventory and help them receive an additional stream of revenue. Dale Vaz, director of software development at Amazon India, said, “We saw customers beneﬁt and that idea has been scaled out to other Amazon marketplaces, allowing us to expand our footprint without hav-

ing to invest a lot in physical infrastructure.” While the US has long been a do-ityourself market, in India, Amazon’s seller app had tools and features that helped sellers do the inventory man agement and logistics better.”These are India-speciﬁc tools that we built for sellers to help manage business more effectively. Now, we are rolling this out to other markets including the US,” said Hanold. Amazon has two

mostly in Hyderabad, and the second is part of Ama zon’s India division and works exclusively for the India ecommerce portal. Together, India is the second-largest development centre for the company , globally. India, Hanold said, was a leader in dealing with internet and connectivity and low-end mobile devices for the company, given that the country has to deal with challenges around these. The Seattle-based retail giant had to shift focus fromApple toAndroid devices, which were fragmented in terms of devices and speciﬁcations, to win India. Vaz added, “We looked backward, we went into the app and stripped down large portions of it that we believed weren’t useful to the customers. From 17MB, it came down to 2MB.” -- Times of India

EW DELHI: Scientists from IIT Guwahati have synthesized mats made of silk-proteins and bioactive glass fibres that they believe can assist the growth of bone cells and repair wornout joints in arthritis patients. “Current clinical treatment methods are limited by lack of viable tissue substitutes to aid the repair process,” Biman B Mandal from Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) told PTI. To develop a suitable tissue substitute, scientists, including those from the University College London in the UK, looked into the natural bone-cartilage interface and tried to mimic it synthetically in lab conditions. However, Mandal pointed out that the available clinical grafts were expensive. “We used silk, a natural protein to fabricate electrospun mats to mimic the cartilage portion and bioactive glass to develop a composite material, similar to the natural tissue,” said Mandal. For the mat, scientists used a kind of silk easily available in North-East India. “Muga (Assam) silk is endowed with properties that enhance the healing process,” he said. The researchers adopted a green fabrication approach for developing the silk composite mats—electrospinning. “It is similar to knitting, except that it utilizes electric high voltage force to draw ultrafine fibres,” Mandal said. A layer-by-layer approach was followed, where the bone layer was first formed, on top of which the cartilage layer was developed. The resulting composite mat resembled the architecture of the bone-cartilage interface. To assist the regenerative process, the mats would be grafted in the defected joint with cells harvested from the patient.

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