Austin s

Monthly Community Paper | www.austinsouthasian.com | 512-828-6709 | Vol. 9 No. 04

Non Profit Of The Month

SAHELI

By Vijay Ganju One in three South Asian women in

This reality is aggravated because when women have to deal with the

1st Austin South Asian Film Festival- Apr 15-17

The very first AUSTIN South Asian Film festival is happening on April 15-17 and you finally have the opportunity to be part of it.

the United States will experience domestic violence during their lifetime, or so some studies suggest.

issue, they often do not know what to do or where to turn for help.

(Continued On Page 05)

Restaurant Review - MIRCH Page -11

Girls Impact The World

By Sumaiya Malik Connecther is a communication

and crowd funding platform working to (Continued On Page 04)

Dr. Vivek Murthy

This event is the result of young and energetic movie lovers who wish to add new cultural dimension to the South Asian community in Austin.

Sankara

Eye

Foundation

in Austin

South Asian 512-828-6709 AUSTIN Choosing A Hospital.....09 Barron’s Magazine Top 30 MOMS Global CEOs.................12

By Pooja Sethi, Esq. Austin, Texas--- South Asian Austin Moms Nonprofit is proud to announce that it will be receiving a proclamation from Mayor Adler and the City of Austin on March 31, 2016 for its Holi for Kids event taking place on April 3, 2016 at the Asian American Resource Center/ (Continued on page 6)

By Seema Govil Inspiring Conversations on Pre-

vention and the Transformation of Healthcare(Continued On Page 07)

Summer Special

Also see page 16 for more details.

Join

(SEF) and Balaji Entertainment to spend an evening with the Magnificent Trio Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, also featuring Siddharth Mahadevan Live.

(Continued On Page 07)

Holi.............................02 Malik’s Page...04,11,13,14 The Flowering Tree......04 Risk From Man Made Earthquakes..............6,27 USCIS..........................08 Upset Hindus Seek “Dairy Queen”........................08 Prepare N File Taxes.....09

May 2016

For information visit www. indiememe.com

Sankara Foundation Fund Raiser

inside April 2016

Indian Spices Are Jazzing Up Global Cuisine12,18,19 Cry America.................13 IMFF Schedule.............16 Austin ISD Board..........17 183 Austin ISD Students Earn Recognition..........17 Two Indian American UPenn Undergrads.......18 Predictions...................19 Carve Your Identity.......20 Community Calendar....21 Childrens Page........22,23 Scary Truth Of Whatsapp Floating In Phone.........24 Entertainment.........25,26

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

HOLI

Holi is a spring festival in India and Nepal, also known as the festival of colours or the festival of sharing love.

of Hindus or people of Indian origin and Nepalese diaspora. In recent years the festival has spread to

before Holi with a Holika bonfire where people gather, do religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and

Holi is a two-day festival which starts on the Purnima (Full Moon day) falling in the Bikram Sambat Hindu Calendar month of Falgun, which falls somewhere between the end of February and the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.

Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occurs in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings.

The first day is known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi and the second as Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti,Dhulandi or Dhulivandan.

It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia.

It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, and other regions of the world with significant populations

nival of colours, where participants play, chase and colour each other with dry powder and coloured water, with some carrying water guns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water fight.

Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. parts of Europe and North America as a spring celebration of love, frolic, and colours.

Holi celebrations start on the night

pray that their internal evil should be destroyed as the bonfire starts.

The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi - a free-for-all car-

People visit family, friends and foes to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and gossip, then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks. Some drinks are intoxicat-

ing.

For example, bhang, an intoxicating ingredient made from cannabis leaves, is mixed into drinks and sweets and consumed by many.

In the evening, after sobering up, people dress up and visit friends and family.

Holi is celebrated at the approach of the vernal equinox, on the Phalguna Purnima (Full Moon). The festival date, which is determined by the Hindu calendar, varies from year to year on the Gregorian calendar, typically coming in March, sometimes in February.

The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

Connecther Launches World Global Chapter Of Girls Impact The World On March 6

(Continued from page 1) Photo Credits: Connecther Facebook page.

Picture shows Lila Igram in black with Paul Mitchel in the center. At the right end is Dr. Zarmeena Vendal, the president of Connecther.

advance women and girls globally.

Founded by Lila Igram of Austin, Connecther has seen phenomenal growth in the last ten years thanks to the tireless effort of a group of dedicated women in its team.

Connecther provides a platform for non-profits to raise funds for their projects.

Non-profit organizations, that are providing services to women and children in their quest for self-reliance, register their organizations then add their projects to Connecther. You browse through projects by geographical area or type of project. All of our projects provide services to women and children in their quest for self-reliance!

Donors choose a project or projects to fund.

Donors can contribute as an individual, within a fundraising page or can pledge an amount to match at a later date. Amid many projects, there is one from Hyderabad, India. There is a shortage of trained teachers in low income localities of Hyderabad city in India.

SEED is dedicated to provide modern education to poor children by training teachers.

Connecther is collecting funds for this project on their website. $25 can provide books and supplies for the training program while $343 pays for one year training program for one teacher. Donations can be made at: http:// www.connecther.org/projects/view?id=20 Another project, Sughar – Giving Women Wings in Baluchistan, Pakistan, is empowering tribal women in Pakistan by establishing Women’s Learning and Skill Development

Centers in selected rural communities.

Sughar also provides basic education and literacy skills to rural women. $300 can provide money to start t w o small businesses while $ 3 0 w i l l b u y o n e month’s supplyu of raw material for embroidery creation. http://www.connecther.org/ projects/view?id=60 Connecther also provides a diverse communication platform, including the Girls Impact the World Film Festival, to spotlight critical issues

facing women and children throughout the world, and a robust, user-friendly process for fundraising and matching donors to high-impact partner projects.

3- to 5-minute film about such subjects as the education of girls, redefining “beauty,” sex trafficking, and women and the environment were shown.

The Global Chapter launch of GITW happened on March 6 at the Paramount.

The aim is to highlight the problems and raise funds to implement solutions. For more information, please visit connecther.org.

ENCHANTING BALLET THE FLOWERING TREE The Flowering Tree, to be presented on 16th April 2016 at 6 p.m. at Lanier High School, Austin is an original Natya Dance Theatre evening-length work performed with English narration.

The ballet is based on a folk tale from South

and enticing mixture of restraint and abundance” The Flowering Tree is the story of Kumudha and her sisters, who are shunned by their village for being poor. The gods send the girls a special mantra that turns

And until the people around her treat Kumudha’s tree form with the reverence nature deserves, she would be not be returned to her human form. an the villagers respect the blossoms of this flowering tree while reaping her rewards? Can the delicate balance between nature and human society be restored?

The Flowering Tree serve as a parable of conservation: if we greedily take from nature and exceed what is naturally given to us, the balance of nature is irrevocably harmed.

Without a holistic understanding of our environment and respect for nature’s capacity to provide for us, humans will destroy the environment and hasten our own downfall.

We must all respect nature and not overreach with our own desires.

Indian state of Karnataka, collected by McArthur fellow Prof. A.K. Ramanujan and choreographed by Emmy award winning dancer Hema Rajagopalan and Professor Wendy Doniger of University of Chicago.

New York Times hailed this as “Triumphant—

Kumudha into a tree that gives the most fragrant and beautiful flowers on earth.

As long as the sisters collect only the flowers that fell naturally from the tree, they could sell the blooms at the market.

This message of conservation and the preservation of nature unfolds through a spectacular combination of Bharata Natyam, live classical Indian and jazz music, and storytelling. Rich in costume, color, and sound, The Flowering Tree is a performance for all generations.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

COMBATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITIES: SAHELI Evolves Into Austin Asian Family Services (Continued From Page 01) In the early 1990s, a group of Indian women found out – almost by chance – that Indian women in Austin experiencing domestic violence were reaching out to organizations in Chicago and New York for help.

This was a call to action: spearheaded by Kalpana Sutaria and Veena Gondhalekar, tremendous effort was put into establishing the non-profit organization SAHELI, the mission being to help Asian families dealing with domestic violence and abuse.

Initially the focus was on women from South Asia, but over time, women from other Asian countries also turned to SAHELI. Since then, the organization evolved from an all-volunteer organization to the Asian Family Support Services of Austin (AFSSA), which was established in 2005. Currently AFSSA has a staff of 22 persons.

The contribution and added value provided by SAHELI and AFSSA is that the services are culturally grounded, addressing issues related to language access, the role of the family and community, and religious beliefs and practices.

Addressing these factors is critical because they sometimes trump concerns regarding safety and getting out of harm’s way.

While each Asian community has its own nuances, there are common denominators.

As Linda Phan, the current Executive Director of AFSSA put it, the commonality is that Asian communities are fundamentally patriarchal and that the needs of the family and the community as a whole often have priority over the needs of the individual.

This sometimes makes it difficult for an Asian woman to seek help because she does not want to be the creator of disharmony or the cause of family shame.

Also, there is an underlying fear that seeking help will result in being ostracized or isolated from the family or community.

In Asian communities, there is tremendous pressure to “stay in the marriage” despite the negative experiences.

There is misunderstanding that domestic violence means that there is just either physical or sexual abuse.

Mamata Misra, a former president of SAHELI, explained, “Besides physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence also includes emotional and financial abuse and control.

In the South Asian community, physical and sexual abuse account for only a small propor-

tion of domestic violence cases.

More often, domestic violence in the South Asian community is related to financial control, control through confiscation of passports and documents, belittling, access to children, and sometimes even abandonment.

Abandonment can be that the husband leaves, or that he takes the wife back to India or the country of origin, and leaves her there.”

When SAHELI was starting off, the denial within the community took many forms.

“First”, Kalpana Sutaria, one of the founder of SAHELI, said, “ Community leaders would talk about how Indian men treat women as goddesses, and that domestic violence was an aberration applying to a small number of misfits.

(Continued On Page 17)

Welcome to Heartfulness Meditation: A Simple Way to Relax, Meditate and find Inner Peace

Every Sunday morning a group of people softly stream into the meditation hall at the Heartfulness Institute and get ready for meditation.

meditation is a potent force that can bring diverse communities together, and create a

The Heartfulness Institute is a non-profit organization and offers training in meditation

In Austin, Heartfulness meditation workshops are offered at several companies, schools, community centers and places of worship.

As they gently close their eyes, the trainer provides simple instructions to begin the meditation session. Practitioners attest to how this simple meditation practice has brought a feeling of peace, harmony and joy in their lives.

Interested seekers are welcome to join the group meditation or regular workshops at the Heartfulness Institute, the Relaxation Center or at the University of Texas at Austin.

The Heartfulness Institute is nestled in the scenic hill country of Travis County in central Texas where one can remove themselves from their routine worldly lives and, for a brief period, immerse themselves in meditation and reflection in a beautiful atmosphere.

Experienced meditation trainers are available to provide individual training, or conduct workshops for your organization free of charge.

For more information on the Heartfulness centers and workshops in Austin please visit facebook.com/heartfulnessAustin.

According to recent estimates, there are over 20 million adults in the US practicing yoga.

While yoga’s popularity has soared with greater focus on flexibility, physical fitness and stress relief, people are increasingly seeking themes for personal enrichment, and many are beginning to integrate ancient meditation practices into their lives.

There is also an intuitive recognition that

more peaceful, harmonious and equitable society.

free of charge that participants can practice alongside their current faith, or practice.

Heartfulness comes from a rich tradition of Raja Yoga modified to suit modern life.

In a few months, seekers can learn how to relax and feel the lightness and joy of their true nature.

For more information on the Heartfulness centers and workshops in Austin, please contact austin@heartfulness.org, or visit facebook.com/heartfulnessAustin

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

USGS: Mil ions At Risk From Man-Made Earthquakes About 7 million Americans live in areas of the central and eastern United States that could experience a damaging earthquake in 2016 that was caused by human activity such as wastewater disposal from gas production.

For the first time, the U.S. Geological Survey has published an earthquake hazard map pinpointing potential sites of both man-made and naturally occurring earthquakes.

The map and an accompanying study were released Monday. “By including human-induced events, our assessment of earthquake hazards has significantly increased in parts of the U.S.,” Mark Petersen, chief of the USGS National Seismic Hazard Mapping Project, said in a press release.

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Holi is a colorful and happy Hindu holiday celebrated primarily in India on the last full moon of the lunar month of Phalguna at the end of the winter season. It falls in either late February or early March. It is also known as the Festival of Colors. The South Asian Austin Moms Holi event is different than other Holi events in town, because we use organic colors to safeguard our kids’ health; we consider and respect all children’s needs as Holi can be an very overwhelming festival to some kids; and as we do with every event, we donate a portion of our proceeds to a charity, more specifically Dell Children’s Medical Center. South Asian Austin Moms Nonprofit is a Texas registered nonprofit run by ten South Asian moms from very diverse backgrounds.

Our mission is twofold: (1) to create unique and safe events teaching the next generation of Austin children about the South Asian culture and; (2) to give the majority of our proceeds from each event to benefit kids all over the world from South Asia all the way back to locally in Austin.

In the past, we have given to organizations such as the Miracle Foundation benefiting foster children in India, a vandalized daycare center in South Austin, and to flood victims in Chennai. In addition to running our own events, South Asian

Austin Moms supports other Asian organizations in town such as Matwaala, the South Asian Poetry Festival in Austin. We partnered with the Asian American Resource Center at the Spring Holidays Fair to teach the public about

Oklahoma has the highest risk, and along with Texas has the largest population that could be exposed to the risk. On Tuesday morning, just hours after the report came out, Oklahoma experienced two more quakes with a magnitude of 4.1 and 4.2.

“In the past five years, the USGS has documented high shaking and damage in areas of these six states, mostly from induced earthquakes,” Petersen added.

“Furthermore, the USGS Did You Feel It? website has archived tens of thousands of reports from the public who experienced shaking in those states, including about 1,500 reports of strong shaking or damage.”

The USGS reported that almost all the risk of increasing man-made quakes is tied to “compa- (Continued On Page 27) nies that are injecting wastewater from gas and oil production down to porous rocks far below ground.”The study reveals that the most signifi-

South Asian Austin Moms (Continued From Page 01)

cant hazard areas for “induced” or manmake quakes are located in six states -- Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arkansas.

South Asian Culture and we joined other organizations to commemorate India’s Independence Day on the Capitol steps. For more information on South Asian Austin Moms, you can find us at www.southasianaustinmoms.com or email us at saaustinmoms@gmail.com.

Austin South Asian

Editor: Bala Kumar Marketing: Jayachitra Vijay -512-828-6709 info@austinsouthasian.com Production: Jyothi Mariswaran Admin: Sharada Dayanidhi Publisher: Vidya Kumar Circulation: Vasooda Kumar ©All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof be published without the wirtten consent of the publisher.

The deadline for advertisement and article is 20th of every month.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Addresses Students And Community In Austin

(Continued From Page 01) The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy visited Austin on Thursday, March 3, 2016. He gave a talk at the University of Texas, and also later met community leaders and healthcare professionals, at the Seton Healthcare Administrative Offices.

Dr. Murthy is regarded as a proven leader who can use 21st century approaches and technology to modernize the role of Surgeon General.

He awed audiences, and led inspirational conversations focusing on the issue of Prevention and Health Promotion as the backbone of our communities. The meet and greet was attended by 200+ attendees from Austin and neighboring cities, and was followed by dinner sponsored by Taj Palace.

Making Prevention an appealing idea and being able to communicate its significance in the pursuit of better health, he called for communication power brothers - trust-

worthy sources who can connect with and influence the community at large. He spoke of Key Prevention Behaviors as extending beyond vaccinations and checkups, in the form of cultural support and financial incentives that encourage people to stop considering health and fitness as a chore. He also mentioned a need for participation from the private sector, and Health being built into all our policies.

Other topics of conversation included the Zika virus, and various current day shortcomings and plans for a brighter future of healthcare.

He encouraged audiences to accept the role of a salesperson that connects and an entrepreneur that creates opportunities towards improved health.

The Q&A session had some interesting perspectives on the weakening relationships between doctors and patients, and how some path-breaking organizations like “Walk with a Doc” are trying to

Austin/Travis County Remains In Top Ten Of Healthiest Texas Counties Austin/Travis County continues to rank high on overall health (9 out of 241 reporting Texas counties) compared to all participating counties in the state for the annual County Health Rankings. The report released today by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) compares health differences on a broad range of measures among almost every county in the United States. The rankings allow each participating county to see how it compares on 30 factors that impact health including education, jobs, housing, exercise, smoking, obesity, child poverty and teen births.

This is the seventh annual rankings published online at www.countyhealthrankings.org. Communities use the rankings to drive improvements to eliminate health gaps and provide targeted resources to the

people and places in greatest need.

“We are pleased once again to be among the top ranked counties in Texas, said Shannon Jones, Director, Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services. A large portion of our population does the right things to maintain health.

However, we continue to address health inequities and conditions, with the support of city leadership and community partners, in order to expand the opportunity for all to be healthy.”

In Austin/Travis County: • 647,650 adults in are overweight or obese. That’s about half of our entire population.

• 91,320 residents have diabetes.

• 785 residents die annually due to a tobacco-related illness.

• On average, every 35 hours, someone is diagnosed with HIV. • 1000 residents are unaware they even have HIV.

work around the problem. The Indian American Coalition of Texas (IACT), Seton Healthcare, Asian American Resource Center Nonprofit, and Asian Family Support Service of Austin hosted a special meet and greet with the Indian American community at Seton.

Audiences lined up for pictures and personal interactions.

TV Asia covered both events of the day, and in his interview with Seema Govil, Dr. Murthy spoke of his recommendations for the everyday busy life of doctors and what steps could the general physi-

cian take to move forward on the path of supporting patients. Given the growing Indian American population in Central Texas, Dr. Murthy was eager to meet community members to encourage further civic engagement.

IACT is the premier organization in central Texas focused on educating, engaging and empowering the Indian American community about issues related to political and civic engagement, and it was one of the organizations that Dr. Murthy’s office reached out to in preparation for his Austin trip.

As America’s Doctor, Dr. Murthy is responsible for communicating the best available scientific information to the public, on ways to improve personal health and the health of the nation.

His efforts in office are focused on building cross-sector partnerships in communities to address the epidemics of obesity and tobacco-related disease, to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, to improve vaccination rates, and to make prevention and health promotion the backbone of our communities.

Sankara Eye Foundation & Balaji Entertainment Present The Magnificent Trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy!

(Continued From Page 01) Mark your calendars for this fabulous show on April 30th in San Jose CA, April 30th in Seattle WA, May 7th in Austin TX, and May 14th in Newark NJ. Shankar Ehsaan Loy will give a heartfelt tribute to R.D Burman and S.D Burman. This event will be extra special for those who cherish the music of yester years with a touch of fusion.

By the end of this evening, Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy will surely leave you singing to their tunes.

Shankar Mahadevan born March 6, 1987 in Maharashtra, Bombay is a famous singer and music composer. He left us speechless with his first album called breathless.

He has won the National award four times, three times for best playback singer and once for best music director. We can never forget his heart touching song “Meri Maa” from Taare Zameen Par for which he deservingly won an award for best playback singer.

Ehsaan Noorani born October 12, 1963 in Hydrabad India is a famous music composer and guitarist. He has lent his vocals to many Bollywood songs such as “Ek Junoon” from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and “Don The Theme” from Don.

Loy Mendonsa played guitar and piano for A.R Rehman before he became a music composer. Siddharth Mahadevan born April 16, 1993, is a playback singer and composer.

He is a promising new talent and the son of Shankar Mahadevan.

Siddharth is well known for his debut song “Zinda” from the film Bhaag Mika Bhaag and his most recent hit song “Malang Malang” from Dhoom 3. This incredible Trio has created magic together and won many national awards for best Music Direction with such hits as Kaal Ho Na Ho, Dil Chahta Hai, Bunty aur Babli and Rock on.

They also won awards for Two States (Best Music) and Mission Kashmir (Best Background Music). Here is your chance to witness their live performance in your town. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to watch Shankar Ehsaan Loy in concert brought to you by Sankara Eye Foundation. Buy your tickets today and choose your own seats!

Established in the Bay Area, SEF is a non-profit organization that has been working for the past fifteen years for the cause of eradicating curable blindness in India. Driven by the truly inspirational vision of

“Vision 20/20 by the year 2020,” SEF has currently established 9 community hospitals as well as 2 city hospitals and soon embarking on two new hospital projects.

By far the most unique and remarkable characteristic of SEF is that they provide free eye care for those unable to afford it, those members of the rural poor, and this accounts for 80 percent—which is approximately 150,000 people per year—of the surgeries performed at their hospitals. The tireless efforts by the SEF team since inception, has enabled over 1.35 million eyes to receive the gift of vision, utterly free of cost. Also, it has maintained the top rating from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management. SEF will focus its fundraising activities for 2 new projects, Focus Hyderabad and Focus Indore.

Become a Founding Donor and leave a legacy – get your name on the Wall of Founders. Double the impact of your gift with company matching. Join our cause, volunteer and share in the joy of bringing light to someone’s eyes. Please visit our website at www.giftofvision.org for more details.

Brajesh Upadhyay brajeshu@gmail.com 408-837-2725

8

Austin South Asian | April 2016

USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2017 Beginning April 1, 2016 USCIS Reminds Petitioners to Follow Regulatory Requirements WASHINGTON – On April 1, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2017 cap. U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming.

The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B visas for FY 2017 is 65,000. The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher are exempt from the 65,000 cap. USCIS expects to receive more than 65,000 petitions during the first five business days of this year’s

program. The agency will monitor the number of petitions received and notify the public when the H-1B cap has been met.

If USCIS receives an excess of petitions during the first five business days, the agency will use a computer-generated lottery system to randomly select the number of petitions required to meet the cap.

USCIS will reject all unselected petitions that are subject to the cap as well as any petitions received after the cap has closed.

Premium Processing for CapSubject Petitions H-1B petitioners may still continue to request premium processing together with their H-1B petition.

However, please note that USCIS has temporarily adjusted its current

premium processing practice based on historic premium processing receipt levels and the possibility that the H-1B cap will be met in the first five business days of the filing season. In order to prioritize data entry for cap-subject H-1B petitions, USCIS will begin premium processing for H-1B cap-subject petitions requesting premium processing no later than May 16, 2016.

Filing Petitions H-1B petitioners are reminded that when the temporary employment or training will be in different locations, the state where your company or organization’s primary office is located will determine where you should send your Form I-129 package, regardless of where in the United States the various worksites are located. Please ensure that

when temporary employment or training will be in different locations, the address on page 1, part 1 of Form I-129 is for your organization’s primary office.

Please note that when listing a “home office” as a work site location on Part 5, question 3, USCIS will consider this a separate and distinct work site location. H-1B petitioners must follow all statutory and regulatory requirements as they prepare petitions in order to avoid delays in processing and possible requests for evidence.

USCIS has developed detailed information, including an optional checklist, Form M-735, Optional Checklist for Form I-129 H-1B Filings, on how to complete and submit an FY 2017 H-1B petition. The optional checklist for FY 2017 will

be available within the next week.

Cases will be considered accepted on the date USCIS receives a properly filed petition with the appropriate fees. For more information on the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program and current Form I-129 processing times, visit the H-1B FY 2017 Cap Season Web page or call the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283 or 800767-1833 (TDD for the hearing impaired).

We encourage H-1B applicants to subscribe to the H-1B Cap Season email updates located on the H-1B FY 2017 Cap Season Web page.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis. gov or follow us on Facebook (/ uscis), Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

Upset Hindus Seek “Dairy Queen” Why Music Education Is Vital Apology For Anti-Hindu Displays In Texas At a time when budget cuts are reducing the quantity and quality of arts education, experts stress that

By Rajan Zed Hindus, upset by the reported antiHinduism display at a Dairy Queen (DQ) restaurant in Texas, are asking the International Dairy Queen Inc. CEO John P. Gainor Junior to issue a formal apology and arrange to remove the displays.

both listening to music and playing music stimulates the brain and can increase memory, problem-solving

that DQ should have shown some responsibility and already taken action regarding these signs posted at the Kemah restaurant reportedly for many months.

better in English and math than students with no music programs; and schools with music programs have higher graduation and attendance rates than those without.

Children given four months of piano lessons scored 27 percent higher on math and fraction tests than other students.

Rajan Zed pointed out that DQ seemed to have even failed to follow its own “Mission Statement:

If your school is not wellequipped to offer a quality musical education program, consider furnishing your home with a digital piano or other instrument to provide your child with these same benefits.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that DQ should not be in the business of disparaging religions.

To create positive memories for all who touch DQ” by allowing such derogatory signs at one of its restaurants.

Posters reportedly displayed at its Kemah store in Texas were highly inappropriate and trivialized the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a highly philosophical thought.

International Dairy Queen Inc.; based in Minneapolis; is a subsidiary of Omaha headquartered Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; serving treats and food in over 6,600 locations in USA, Canada and 28 other countries since 1940.

teaching music in school is still vital.

and language skills, as well as help develop social skills.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated

Warren E. Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Beyond the cultural value of music education, research has shown that

The numbers don’t lie. Students in top quality music programs score

More information about digital pianos can be found at casio.com. With encouragement, musical education can build pride, confidence and a strong foundation for overall academic success.

(Statepoint)

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

Tips To Efficiently Prepare And File Taxes Tax season can be one of the most, well, taxing times of year, especially for chronic procrastinators who make up about 20 percent of the American public, according to research conducted at DePaul University.

for qualifying individuals and families. More information and resources can be found at www.irs. gov.

viduals have relatively uncomplicated financial situations and can save a lot of money by preparing taxes on their own. However, the

Why drag out the stress? Here are some great ways to streamline the process of preparing and filing taxes: Review Forms As you receive your W-2, 1099s and other tax forms, review each document right away to ensure it’s accurate. Then, file these forms in one place so they will be ready for you when you’re ready to file.

E-File Consider filing taxes online. The IRS provides a free database of e-file providers, as well as information on free tax preparation

Get Ready For business owners, it may make sense to turn to professionals for tax filing services, but many indi-

right tools will make the process go more smoothly.

For quick calculations, make sure that you’re equipped with tools

like a desktop calculator with tax calculation functionality. For example, those from Casio are ideal for home or office use.

You can reduce your margin of error by keeping better documentation of your tax paperwork and better notations throughout the preparation and filing process. Consider a calculator with printing functionality, such as the HR-8TMPlus printing calculator, which has an easy-to-read big LCD display, prints 1.6 lines per second and includes an adapter.

Don’t Wait When it comes to filing your taxes, don’t procrastinate. Not only will the task loom over your head until you take care of it, but you may encounter filing issues that delay the process and cause you to miss the deadline and incur a hefty penalty fee.

If you’re due for a refund, you’ll especially want to file early so you can put that refund to good use right away (i.e. paying down debt, investing it in a retirement fund or college savings account).

Consider filing your taxes as soon as you have all your forms in hand and opting for direct deposit for an even faster refund (keep in mind you will need your bank information on hand to do so).

While tax season is only an annual headache, it can be a major headache if you are not prepared and organized. Take steps to reduce the stress. (Statepoint)

What To Consider When Choosing A Hospital Few experiences are more difficult than having to endure a hospital stay. But unlike in years past, you can now educate yourself on both healthcare providers and facilities, much like you would for any product or service.

president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Academy of Architecture for Health. “Good hospital design can reduce these risks. For example, installing a

ration of medications to help prevent drug administration errors.

Well-placed handrails, the space to limit clutter, and flooring materials that reduce slipperiness and un-

These days, free online resources allow you to compare hospitals across a wide range of criteria, as well as read patient reviews.

In addition to the capabilities of doctors and nurses, the actual space within a healthcare facility can influence patient healing rates, decrease the length of hospital stays, and even impact something as basic as a good night’s sleep.

That, along with federally-mandated healthcare quality report cards, have hospital administrators making great strides in the quality of care they provide.

This is where a hospital’s physical design becomes a crucial element of patient health, comfort and wellbeing.

“The biggest risks for patients during a hospital stay are exposure to possible infections, medical errors and falls,” says Joan Suchomel,

cifically address concepts for effective caregiving, reducing patient stress and pain levels, and creating safer and more hygienic rooms and healing spaces. For example, it has been proven through research that views of nature reduce stress -- and patients with less stress feel less pain and don’t need as much pain medication.

dedicated hand-washing sink near the entrance of patient rooms improves hygiene.

Proper lighting and layouts reduce potential distraction during prepa-

evenness, will help prevent patient falls.”

And now, hospitals are financially motivated to offer patients the best level care possible, as patients often make decisions based on a host of ratings and reviews that are now publicly available to them.

Others design considerations that architects employ are done to spe-

Suchomel suggests the following questions to consider when com-

paring hospitals: • How does an institution perform on quality measures like success rates and patient outcomes?

• Has the hospital been cited for lack of compliance in any areas?

• What do patients say about their care on ratings sites?

Being an educated consumer makes good financial sense if you are shopping for a car or life insurance, and the stakes are even higher when it comes to healthcare.

Fortunately, there are now a multitude of resources available to arm you with the information you need to make the best decision for your particular medical condition or issue. And there has never been a greater priority placed on ensuring hospital design results in a safe, clean and peaceful healing environment. (Statepoint)

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

At Mirchi, The Sunlight Filters Through Large Picture Windows Creating A Bright Atmosphere

Mirchi –ASA Critics’ Pick -Pakistani and Indian - 1212 W Parmer Lane - (512) 284-8298

ervations and also have a separate

Restaurant Review

By Sumaiya Malik

partner, Mr. Qurban Ali, know that whatever meal of the day, the food should be fresh.

Mirchi on Parmer Lane is a new restaurant serving Halal Pakistani and Indian cuisine. A spinoff from the usual Pakistani curries, the restaurant serves appetizers, wraps and rolls, grills and Tandoors and rice and curries.

Their hot tea is brewed just right to complete the visit. The china plates and metal cutlery add to the ambiance.

Lunchtime is a buffet with salads, appetizers and main dishes in hot buffet arrangements. Dinner is ala Carte.The restaurant is open all week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with extra one hour extending the closing time on Saturday and Sunday to 12 a.m.

Walk in guests and online booking are two options. They accept res-

The restaurant meat is Zabiha Halal locally purchased from World Food and Halal Market on Lamar. Vegetarian options are in plenty too. The Gobi Alu (Cauliflower-Potato Curry) and the Palak Paneer are a hit with the vege or non-vege

party room for up to sixty people.

eaters.

The chef, Noordin, is unmistakably trying to make his mark in Austin offering diverse cuisine. His hot bread (naan), chicken tikka, paya curry, alu gobi (potato-cauliflower bhujiya) are a must try on the first visit.

The restaurant’s popularity is obvious on Yelp. Jesse G, a yelper with a following said in January, “chicken tikka masala …might be the best I have ever had!”

Kashif Pathan and his business

Another yelper, Phuong C. gave five stars to the Mango Lassi.

Heather R. gave five stars to clean-

liness while Tejas 7 gave five stars to fresh food.

when the restaurant was under renovations.

One big draw is the streaming sunlight, which dances in and brightens the atmosphere; a rare treat in

There was ample parking with clear handicap access. Service is good and the owners bend back-

any Indian or Pakistani restaurant that looks dark and gloomy even during the day.

wards to make sure their customers are happy.

Qurban Bhai said making windows was a business decision that paid off. He asked the renovators to bleat the wall and added windows

Mirchi is off to a great start. If the owners remain as alert to customers needs, we should see people standing outside in line. * * * * * 5 Stars!

Lyari Notes - An Indo-Pakistani Documentary To Be Screened On April 15

By Sumaiya Malik

with the directors in attendance.

ies.

LYARI NOTES, a documentary made by filmmakers Maheen Zia from Pakistan and Mariam Mandy

The 69- minute documentary is an unusual collaboration between the filmmakers who never met each

Lyari Notes is about the musical scene in Karachi. Four girls, the children of clerks and small-scale traders from Lyari, enroll for music lessons in a dance school run by rock star Hamza Jafri and his wife Nida Butt. The girls study at a small school in Lyari and are transported in a van to the music school every week to learn music.

Menacherry from India will be screened for the first time in Austin at the Indie Meme Film Festival

other while making the movie but skyped and used social media to ‘melt away’ the political boundar-

They learn to handle guitars and it is visibly moving to see their journey from the time they had no idea about the instruments to three years later when they are well on their way to understand the language of music and use it to express themselves. Hamza Ali’s program of teaching music in the poor neighborhood is crowd-funded. Maheen Zia said that the idea of working together on the underground mu-

sic scene in Pakistan and India was Menacherry’s.

The two filmmakers had worked on parts of a National Geographic Documentary earlier on. The idea was to use music videos, but when they chanced upon Hamza Ali’s music school, they found their characters.

In a previously published interview in Scroll.in, a digital daily from India, Zia said, “Maheen would shoot and send me material and I would share with her edits and scenes that were working. We have more than 20 trailers, cuts and edits of the film. We had weekly and sometimes daily Skype sessions.”

The filmmakers never met in their hometowns. They did meet three times in Netherlands. And now they will meet again in Austin, the home of Indie Meme!

Lyari Notes, is one of ten films nominated for the AWFJ EDA Award for Best Female-Directed Documentary at IDFA 2015. It is the Winner of `best documentary project’ – Docedge, Asian pitch.

It was selected for the Sheffield International Meet Market 2015.

Lyari Notes is crowd funded by over 100 contributors worldwide and Cinecrowd.

When: Friday, April 15, 2016 @7:30pm Where: The Marchesa Hall and Theater, Austin, on the opening night of the Indie Meme Film Festival Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2524340 Opening Night Party follows the movie.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

Barron’s Magazine Top 30 Global CEOs Include Shantanu Narayen, Anand Mahindra, Aditya Puri Adobe Systems chief executive officer Shantanu Narayen has been named among the 10 new entries in the 2016 list of Barron’s Magazine’s “Top 30 CEOs of the World.”

Barron’s unveiled its list of top 30

the software maker’s expertise, moving beyond design products and into mainstream marketing applications.”

It added, “He has also provided a blueprint for software firms that

Indian CEO to be listed again on the 2016 list.

A graduate of Punjab University, Puri has been the head of HDFC Bank since 1994.

He is an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants

of India.

Prior to HDFC, Puri was the CEO of Citibank Malaysia and has nearly 40 years of banking experience in India and abroad.

The Barron’s annual list of top

CEOs is selected by the publication’s editors and writers.

While there are no specific criteria, Barron’s contributors focus on the individual’s history of strong leadership over a lengthy period of at least five years.

To Advertise In ASA Call 512-828-6709

Indian Spices Are Jazzing Up Global Cuisine Can you imagine Indian food without the aroma and taste of Indian spices? chief executives March 19, with a third of the list newcomers, joining the returning 20.

are dumping boxed software in favor of more profitable subscription-based products.”

Narayen joined the company nearly 20 years ago in 1998.

Narayen is a graduate of Osmania University in India, Bowling Green State University and the Haas School of Business, earning a bachelor’s, master’s and M.B.A., respectively.

In 2007, the Indian American executive took over as the CEO of the company.

How about adding a dash of these fragrant spices to a cuisine of your choice?

of spices in dishes also acted like preservatives.

When the Europeans came to the Indian subcontinent, they soon discovered the local spices and were impressed with the aromas and

Additionally, the San Jose, Calif.based software company head serves on the U.S. President’s Advisory Management Board, is on the board of Pfizer Inc. and the advisory board at the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley.

Mumbai-based Mahindra and Mahindra head Anand Mahindra was also a newcomer to the Barron’s list.

Previously, Narayen co-founded Pictra, Inc., an early pioneer of digital photo sharing over the Internet.

Mahindra, who has been affiliated with the auto manufacturing corporation since 1981, serves as the chairman of the Mahindra Group.

The use of Indian condiments, or ‘masalas’ as one would call them in Hindustani, is increasingly becoming popular in various world cuisines.

tastes.

He is a graduate of Harvard University, receiving a bachelor’s in the film studies program, and Harvard Business School, where he earned an M.B.A.

The ingredients used in Indian cuisine are unique, and their mixing is an art mastered in the subcontinent over centuries.

At one time, the cost of spices was more than that of gold and precious stones, and it was one of their most profitable trades.

Aditya Puri, head of Mumbaibased HDFC Bank, was the only

Back in the day, when there were no refrigeration techniques, the use

The use of Indian spices in the West gradually became popular but

Prior to that, he served as director of desktop and collaboration products at Silicon Graphics Inc. and held various senior management positions at Apple Computer Inc. Barron’s wrote of Narayen in the piece, “In his nine years at Adobe Systems, Narayen has expanded

not in the mainstream dishes.

Recently, with increasing globalization of trade and communications, Indian cuisine has penetrated the masses across the world.

He is among four new international CEOs honored.

They took them back home, and soon the demand in Europe skyrocketed.

The result is that people across the globe are becoming intrigued and willing to learn more about the ‘masala.’

The word ‘spice’ has been used as a misnomer to describe hot food.

In actual terms, spices provide different aromas and flavors.

(Continued On Page 18)

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

Adnan Sarwar And Shah In Austin On April 2

By Sumaiya Malik Adnan Sarwar does not come across as a star. The movie director/lead actor/composer/screen writer of Shah is a guy you are friends with as soon as you see him.

tin, his base in the US, while he is on tour for his movie, which has been shown in Cornell, Columbia, DC, LA Atlanta, Dallas, NYC and Houston.

Adnan travelled in busses and lived in lower middle class neighborhoods.

He remembers weathering storms

‘There was no place of conversation and Mikaal’s dad, Masud Uncle, was passionate about creativity.’ ‘Everyone was encouraged under that roof to express themselves, regardless of whether they made it big. They were individuals and they were important.

Tall, but lean, the actor put on a few pounds to wear the shoes of “ Shah”, the Olympian mid-weight boxer who won a bronze medal for Pakistan in the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Adnan was thirteen when he saw the boxing match live on television in his house garage in Lahore. The thrill and the excitement remain in his memory to this day.

Like Shah, Adnan struggled and achieved fame. But then where did Shah go? That is the question Adnan made his mission to answer.

He, who came from a lower middle class struggling background, connected with the boxer’s struggle.

When the time came to make a movie, Adnan chose the life of the boxer with whom he had connected in his childhood; a boxer who rose to fame from the streets and then went back to poverty. Shah, the movie, tells us what happened to the boxer.

Currently, Adnan Sarwar is in Aus-

As he got older, Shah spent a lot of time in the boxing gym in Lyari and Adnan went almost every day to Mikaal Hasan’s house, which was the center of creativity in Lahore.

The movie has been shown thrice in Dallas. Every time a standing ovation, the movie is set to screen in Austin on April 2nd, at the SW Theater at 2 p.m.

Adnan did not come from an affluent background. He remembers his parents struggling to give good education to him.

with buckets under leaking roofs.

But her persevered like Shah, the boxer.

While Shah found a savior in ‘Chacha’, Adnan came across a teacher in school who taught him and his friends how to carry themselves and emphasized the difference between good and bad.

At times emotional, Adnan connected his own journey with Shah.

When you walk through fire you feel it more.’

Shah, the boxer, won medals and Adnan studied hard to became a physician and worked in Australia for 1½ years.

But he gave it up to start a music band and then came into movies to make Shah. Adnan’s message is loud and clear. “Education is key.”

You have to strive towards a de-

gree, support yourself and then do whatever your heart desires.

Through Shah, Adnan wants people to understand that you cannot wait for a messiah to lift you from your problems. He insists, “You have to face them, solve them and work hard.”

Adnan is using Shah as a source of inspiration for street kids from low income. So far 2,500 kids from low income have seen Shah free with the message that if Shah can make it, so can you! Adnan gives educational scholarships to families with kids out of his own pocket.

This movie is a must watch for the whole family. It inspires every age to do the right thing.

What really happened to Shah the boxer after he fell back into poverty is a mystery Adnan solved and in the quest, highlighted a social issue. Unlike other movies, he also gives a solution to the problem.

Tickets are $12. q/a with the director follows the movie : http:// www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2529972

CRY AMERICA IN AUSTIN I dream of a world where children can have a happy, protected and healthy childhood. Forever.

Today we live in a world where children are pulled out of school just because the parents alone are unable to support their family. The girl child is not sent to school because it has no toilets, and because an outdated gender bias forces her to stay home and take care of the family,cook and clean,like her mother.

An entire generation of the family is born into bonded labor with no hope of breaking free.

Behind the colorful, soulful, vibrant and culturally rich country called India lie poverty, hunger, malnutrition.

Millions of children are denied their basic rights to education, healthcare, development and protection from exploitation.

Statistics claim that 11.8% children in India are engaged in some form of child labor (NFHS­III); every second child is malnourished; 50% of children in the age group of 6 to 14 do not attend school; 50% of girls fail to enroll in school; those that do are likely to drop out by the age of 12.

India is a country where 10,000 Indians die entirely from preventable causes. As I dare to dream of a world where children have a right to a home and family, education, healthcare, playtime and protection from being exploited and abused, including street children,

girl children; children bonded in labor, children of commercial sex workers, physically and mentally challenged children and children in institutions.

and realize their dreams. .

I dare you to join my dream to ensure that children have the right to be children.

Their situation provides the most stringent metric of a society’s health and a rallying point with the widest appeal across all parts of society.

A right they are denied, for no fault of theirs. I invite all Austinites to donate, help and volunteer for Austin CRY America and take a pledge to do whatever you can, in your own way, to fight for the right of each child to have a childhood.

CRY America in Austin is a 501c3 non­profit organization driven by its vision of a just world in which all children have equal opportunities to develop to their full potential

CRY America believes that children are the most vulnerable segment of any society.

Ensuring child rights is the most sustainable solution to the myriad social,economic and political issues confronting India.

With the support of generous donors and committed volunteers, CRY America has impacted the lives of 600,558 children across 2,726 villages and slums through support to 70 Projects in India and

USA. From putting children back in school, to ensuring that they finish,from activating health centers to ensuring that children get regular health check­ups, from empowering children’s groups, women’s groups and communities, CRY America is determined to fight for the underprivileged because they can’t do it alone.

To know more about Child Rights and You ,visit www.america.cry. org.

For volunteer opportunities, reach us at austin@cryamerica.org.

CRY America is a 501c3 registered organization in the USA and all donations to CRY America are tax exempt.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

March Madness! Too much Was Happening

By Sumaiya Malik Sameen’s Trunk Show Sameen Abu Bakr’s exhibition of Pakistani shirts was all about organza capes, bows and flowers.

With spring coming up we have the perfect pastel separates to celebrate the season.

The fashion diva had reasonable prices which attract a large group of stylish women to Pflugerville where Sameen lives.

The show was a huge success with women ringing the bell two hours before time!

Sameen also takes orders.

983-6369

512-

The Driskill Concert of Pakistani

Showcase at SXSW A stupendous success and a standing room only concert with people dancing non-stop and songs was held at the Driskill on March 18.

Mai Nimani, Wahid Allan Faqir, Dynoman, Overload and Imran Aziz Mian Qawaal entertained a mixed crowd that showered dollar bills on the artists.

Shadia Igram called Austin Muslims! From the north, south, east and west to join the walk, have some fun and all stand together and walk to honor those we’ve lost to domestic violence and empower those who have survived.

She and her friends raised $11,395 for the cause making her team raise the most for Safe Place! Way to go, Shadia!

DJ Khaled was seen in the lobby at the same time!

Illuminate Austin – Walk benefitting Safe Place

FREE CLASSIFIED

info@AustinSouthAsian.com

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

IMFF@austin Presented By DAMAN The 1st Indie Meme Film Festival Schedule Friday, April 15 6:30 PM - DOORS OPEN 7:30-9:30 PM - LYARI NOTES - Documentary (Directors: Miriam Chandy Menacherry; Maheed Zia- both filmmakers in attendance) A unique collaboration between Indian and Pakistani filmmakers about four girls in Karachi

Krish Chhabria, Hetal Gada, Vipin Sharma, Suresh Menon) Set in picturesque Rajasthan, a ten-year old girl takes her younger blind brother on a magical journey to see if Shah Rukh Khan can restore his sight. A must watch for the entire family.

5:45-8:00 PM - UTOPIA Narrative (Director: Hassan Nazer-- in attendance; Lead

artistic expression through dance, and offers classes, workshops and performances to the Austin community. ravaanpersiandance.com Sunday, April 17 2:00-4:00 PM - GOONGA PEHELWAN – Documentary (Directors: Mit Jaini, Prateek Gupta, Vivek Chaudhary- two filmmakers in attendance) This film raises questions about the sports bureaucracy in India as a deaf wrestler tries to fulfill his dream of making it to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Jainero.

4:45-7:15PM - KOTHANODI -– Narrative (Director: Bhaskar Hazarika - skype Q&A ; Lead Actors: Seema Biswas, Adil Hussain, Zerifa Wahid, Urmila Mahant) Based on haunting, supernatural Assamese folktales, this horror film follows four mothers as each woman faces demons of her own.

whose passion for music provides hope and options in the larger context of dislocation and violence.

9:30-11:30PM - OPENING PARTY With international, award winning filmmakers from South Asia! The party will kick-off with the eastern soulful music of Austin’s, Nagavalli & her band who have consistently been featured as the top 10 world music bands in the city. This year Nagavalli is among the top 10 female vocalists. Hors d’oeuvres served. Cash bar for drinks Saturday, April 16 11:30-1:30 PM - THE THRESHOLD -Narrative (Director: Pushan Kripalani-- in attendance; Lead Actors: Neena Gupta, Rajit Kapur) At a mountain retreat, an older couple confronts the reality of their lives together when the wife announces that she is leaving their decades-long marriage.

2:30-4:45 PM - DHANAK -Narrative (Director: Nagesh Kukunoor; Lead Actors:

Actor: Saahil Chadha)Individuals in different parts of the world affected by violence strive to make a more perfect world. (Hence the title!) The film was an entrant for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.

8:30-9:30 PM - FILMMAKER PANEL A panel discussion led by Shaku Selvakumar with the visiting filmmakers. The topic of discussion would range from filmmaking to social issues. The panel will touch upon experiences that have shaped the filmmakers to take on the projects they pick and how they changed in the process. What inspires their creativity, keeps them motivated & influences them? A discussion for the inquisitive minds.

9:30-10:30 PM - “MEET THE MAKERS” PARTY (INDIE MEME MEMBER MIXER) An intimate party with the visiting filmmakers who are each brilliant, vibrant & creative in their own unique way. The flavors they bring to Austin are sure to enrich your mind. It will be the time to kick off the shoes and eat drink & catch up!! Perhaps even indulge in some persian dance with the Ravaan performers.

Ravaan is the only Persian Dance Company dedicated to celebrating Persian (Iranian)

8:00-10:00 PM - - X: PAST IS PRESENT – Narrative (Directors: Abhinav Shiv Tiwari, Anu

Memon, Hemant Gaba, Nalan Kumaraswamy, Pratim Gupta, Qashik Mukherjee aka Q, Raja Den, Rajshree Ojha, Sandeep Mohan, Sudhish Kamath, Suparn Verma; Lead Actors: Richa Shukla, Rii Sen, Swara Bhaskar, Radhika Apte, Pia Bajpai, Parno Mitra, Anshuman Jha) Eleven filmmakers come together to make different parts of the same film about a filmmaker in mid-life crisis who meets a mysterious young girl who may or may not be everywoman in his life.

All-access Festival Badge - (Price $48-65) giving you 3 days of access to all 8 features & 4 short films/ the opening night party with 7 filmmakers in attendance / filmmakers panel & the meet-the maker mixer / Priority seating or The Film Festival Pass (Price $ 36-45) giving you access to all 12 films over 3 days or Individual Film tickets (Prices $10-15) prices vary for films check the schedule & book tickets online Indie Meme Members (meme-ers) get a 20% discounts on the regular price become a member online.Reserve your place at the 1st IMFF@austin TODAY - http://www.indiememe.com/attend.html

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

COMBATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITIES: SAHELI Evolves Into Austin Asian Family Services (Continued From Page 05) Second, there was sense that domestic violence applied only to the less educated, and that since most

The truth is that domestic violence cuts across all educational levels.

SAHELI served Hindu and Muslim women. We had women from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri

professional and family role was not a protective factor.

Regardless, a fundamental tenet in the approach of SAHELI and AFSSA to our interaction with women experiencing domestic violence is that we do not ever tell them what to do.

Our approach is to understand the woman’s situation and to provide options and choices for her to consider.” AFSSA provides therapeutic counseling, crisis intervention, shelter (up to 6 weeks), and transitional housing (6 months to a year).

AFSSA also has advocacy and economic empowerment programs.

Organizations can request speak-

South Asians were professionals – engineers, lawyers and doctors – this was not a very prevalent problem.

Lanka and Nepal. One of our earlier cases was that of a woman doctor, the breadwinner in the family, who was experiencing abuse. Her

Austin ISD Board Asks For Submissions To Rename Lee Elementary School

Austin ISD’s Board of Trustees invites community members to submit nominations for the renaming of Lee Elementary School, located at 3308 Hampton Road. Nominations may be submitted online at www.austinisd. org/naming or in person or by mail at Community Engagement Office, Facility Naming Team, 1111 W. Sixth St., A-230 Austin, TX 78703. The nomination process will open at 8 a.m. March 29 and close at 5 p.m. April 15. Staff will compile nominations and coordinate with the Campus Advisory Council in preparation for the board to take action May 23. To learn more about the process or to submit nominations for the school’s name, please visit www.austinisd.org/naming.

Background During the Nov. 2, 2015, board dialogue meeting, the Board discussed the possibility of name changes, including the process and current policy.

Following this meeting, the Board Policy Committee discussed policy changes to allow more flexibility in campus- or district-initiated name changes, and to clarify language on historical names.

At the Nov. 23, 2015, regular board meeting, the board adopted revisions to Policy CW(LOCAL), Naming Facilities. On Jan. 26, the Lee Elementary School Campus Advisory Council held a public meeting to discuss changing the name of the campus. The CAC voted unanimously to recommend that the board change the name of the school, subject to further input from the community regarding the choice of a new name.

On March 21, the trustees were notified and discussed the Lee CAC request. For more information about Lee Elementary School, please visit www.austinisd.org/schools/lee.

ers, individuals can volunteer in the various programs (call Leila Grace Pandy at 512-358-6318), and make donations.

If you need help or would like to discuss options, you can call the toll-free number: 1-877-281-8371 or the local Austin number: 512651-3743. Confidentiality is emphasized and respected. You don’t even have to come to the office.

How does one explain domestic violence? There are various causes: personal and professional frustrations that men experience, the isolation from natural family and community supports, dowry assumptions, the incompatibilities that sometimes arise in arranged

marriages where there are large age differences. According to Kalpana Sutaria, “A fundamental issue is the precedence and priority male children are given in South Asian culture.

This defines future roles and expectations, and eventually this is neither healthy for women nor for the men.”

The point is that domestic violence is not just the experience of a few women, but is a larger community concern.

There needs to be ongoing community dialogue if the issue of domestic violence is to be successfully resolved.

183 Austin ISD Students Earn Recognition For Academic Performance This year, 183 Austin ISD seniors earned recognition for outstanding academic performance from the U.S. Presidential Scholars, National Merit Finalists, National Merit Semifinalists, National Merit Commended scholars and College Board National Hispanic Scholars programs. Fourteen students received recognition in more than one program.

Students selected as candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program have scored exceptionally well on either the SAT or the ACT, or have been nominated by the state’s education commissioner.

Students selected as U.S. Presidential Scholars receive an expensepaid trip to Washington, D.C., and a U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion.

Students are selected for the National Merit Scholarship Program based on their scores on the preliminary SAT exam, which they take as juniors.

Because of their high scores on this assessment, the students are eligible for scholarship awards from grantors and institutions of higher

education.

The recognized seniors include: seven Presidential Scholar Candidates, 42 National Merit Finalists, three National Merit Semifinalists, 38 Scholars for the National Hispanic Recognition Program and 107 National Merit Commended students.

Akins High School, Principal Brandi Hosack National Merit Commended Dylan Gentry Anderson High School, Principal Donna Houser National Merit Finalists - William Bamberg, Clio Harralson, Evan Kim, William Lemens, Hannah Phillips, Vincent Searcy National Merit Semifinalist - Benjamin Reichert National Hispanic Recognition Olivia Crank, Benjamin Garcia, Georgina Garza, Emma Kehne, Teresa Lillis, Gabrielle Montemayor, Margot Rae, Marina Weikel National Merit Commended - Matthew Armour, Samuel Bradbury, Adam Brutocao, Olivia Crank,

Nicole Currens, Sarah Hollis, Dae Gun Jung, Olivia Land, Caleb Lang, Rachel Shapiro, Mary Teeler, Alyssa Trimble, Marina Weikel Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Principal Jeanne Goka National Merit Finalist - Emma Foster National Hispanic Recognition Kyleigh Lindholm, Alexis Segura, Julie Tapia, Cristina Trevino National Merit Commended Maya Messinger Austin High School, Principal Amy Taylor National Merit Commended - Aidan S. Alexander-Walker, Dylan M. Bradford, Joseph N. Estrada, Gabriel L. Hackworth, Khunal Parkash Bowie High School, Principal Stephen Kane Presidential Scholar Candidate Cameron Clark National Merit Finalists - Angela H. Kang, Bach T. Tran (Continued On Page 20)

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

Two Indian American UPenn Undergrads Named 2016 President’s Engagement Prize Winners

PHILADELHIA, Pa. — Seniors Vaishak Kumar, Melanie Mariano and Kriya Patel have been named recipients of the 2016 President’s Engagement Prizes at the Univer-

Patel, an Indian American senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, will help women about to be released from the all-female Riverside Correctional Facility in Phila-

Kumar, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, will utilize costefficient technology and novel research to help farmers in India boost their productivity.

The project will employ mobile

technology to improve farmer education in India, where the plight of farmers continues to be of great concern.

He will also set up a low-cost mobile laboratory to provide farmers

with timely, personalized information.

Kumar is being mentored by Devesh Kapur, director of Penn’s Center for the Advanced Study of India.

Indian Spices Are Jazzing Up Global Cuisine (Continued From Page 12) The hotness of the food comes from green, red and yellow chilies, and black peppers.

The surge in Indian restaurants across Europe and the U.S. has helped the spread of Indian aromas and tastes among the masses. sity of Pennsylvania.

The announcement was made March 23 by Penn president Amy Gutmann.

delphia apply for and secure health insurance and identification prior to release.

The health insurance will allow the women to stay on their much-

The culinary world is rapidly advancing in both techniques and different flavors.

Increasingly, chefs are mixing flavors and ingredients from different regions of the world.

This phenomenon has created fusion cuisine.

As the world discovers the flavors of spices, chefs are not inhibited in experimenting with the spices.

Thus, fusion food has taken on another dimension in the culinary world.

Indo-French, Indo-American and Indo-Chinese restaurants are sprouting up all over the world.

Each President’s Engagement Prize recipient will receive as much as $100,000 for project implementation expenses and $50,000 for living expenses.

The prizes, first awarded last year, are awarded annually to Penn seniors to design and undertake local, national or global engagement projects during the first year after they graduate.

needed medication, which will aid in the re-entry process.

Patel will keep track of the women for at least three years to monitor the effects of continued care on recidivism rates.

She is being mentored by Kathleen Brown, practice associate professor of nursing.

The ‘masala’ chai once exclusive to India is one such example of a popular drink in Europe and the U.S. A high-end chain in the U.S. named Teavana extensively sells spice chai, maharaja chai and Ayurvedic chai.

The spices used include cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and other garam masala ingredients.

Cinnamon is commonly used in tea, coffee and confectioneries across the world. Its use in meat dishes is popular now in the Western hemisphere.

I have seen its use in African cuisine along with cumin seeds and bay leaves.

Black pepper is ever so popular as a table top condiment, but its popularity in the dishes for cooking and marinating meat has increased significantly.

Clove oil and cloves are now used as flavoring agents in various South American cuisines as well.

turmeric is now available as capsules and is consumed raw for medicinal purposes.

Although this has been the practice in India for centuries and is a common ingredient in almost all dishes in India, turmeric and milk is now popularized in food shows across the U.S. as an exotic drink renamed “golden milk.”

Food shows on network channels are showing use of turmeric in various meat dishes in the West.

Marinating meat and poultry is commonly done with Indian spices.

As of late, there has been a surge in the use of turmeric across the Western world.

The traditional Indian’ garam masala’ is available extensively across supermarkets in both Europe and the U.S.

Once an exclusive Indian spice,

(Continued On Page 19)

CHILDREN ARTICLES

Children Email Us Your Articles To See It In Print

info@austinsouthasian.com

19

Austin South Asian | April 2016

April - 2016 Predictions

ARIES (March 21 to April 20): Strong Venus will improve revenues and you may lay your hands on some easy money.

Business trip will be beneficial as you will get the commitment quickly. You will be very aggressive on phone and resolve several small issues. It is a very favorable month for people out of job for quite some time. Long distance trip will be finalized.

TAURUS (April 21 to May 20): Expenses will not leave you alone and you may continue charging on cards. You will get your chance to speak your mind in front of boss and soon you will have the positive results. It will be very favorable time for people in high tech industry. You will visit a holy place with family. You may gather the courage and call an old friend for advice.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Changes will occur at very fast pace.

Control your excitement and try to take short breaks. You will lay your hands on some real easy money.

It will be easy to convince others

and settle the accounts. Chances of getting some money out of legal channels are very strong. It will not be that smooth to implement your plans, there will be opposition.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Planets in second gives you a big chance to make quick bucks.

You will sign an important contract, which will bring financial benefit for long. Some of you may initiate a law suit to prove your point and get what you really deserve. There will be some sudden changes at place of work; all you have to do is sit patiently.

Trip will be relaxing.

LEO (July 23 to August 22): Your projects will need more that budget. People in business will need to pour in more to stay ahead of competition. You will try to take time out of busy schedule to attend an important event. Do not make any impulsive move in career this month. You will devote more time towards prayers and may visit a holy place with family.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22): You will start to regain control over life. Hard work performed in the past should start to pay off now.

You will have many reasons to celebrate. Money will go on buying gifts for others.

You may spend extra hours in order to finish an important project before deadline.

You will spend quality time with a close older family member.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22): People prone to litigation should not let their guards down even for a minute.

Saturn’s transit in second can cause some financial loss through land or investment property you have been holding onto for quite some time. People in jobs may have to settle for an assignment away from home. You will call an expert for advice.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 22): Things will keep improving in career and you will start to enjoy company of a new colleague.

Savings account will keep growing steadily. You may be able to avert minor surgery with the help of a new over the counter medication. You will find yourself leaning more towards religion. Family will be working on a short vacation plan.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 to December 22): Spouse may feel irritated and loose temper frequently.

Money will come but run out quickly. You may be working on a future long distance trip. It will be a better time for people connected with financial world. Boss will listen to your argument but will take time to come up with solution.

Children will do well in school.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19): Saturn will bring an opportunity to improve revenues but at a price. Your concerns about an older family member will grow. You will become more health conscious and make big changes in food habits. Very favorable time for people looking to start a new relationship. You may miss to attend an important event because of last minute engagement.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18): You should be careful when making any long term financial commitment or starting a new venture. You will be working with a very smart and focused person. Observe carefully

and Try to learn something from him. An old friend will make a short stop at your place. A child will need more attention and some medication to overcome minor illness.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20): A Business relationship is on the verge of breaking. You will be invited to attend a political event. Be careful when it comes to money and avoid buying things which are rarely used. There will be an increase in religious activities and you may even visit a holy place. You will be seriously thinking of making an investment in properties. Pandit

Parashar parashar@parashar.com www.parashar.com 510-886-4370

Indian Spices Are Jazzing Up Global Cuisine (Continued From Page 18) During my stays in the U.S., I have seen the use of Indian condiments in Thai as well as Italian cuisines.

Ethiopian cuisine is heavily influenced by these spices, especially in kababs.

Indian spices have always influenced Middle Eastern cuisine.

The spice trade from the 16-18th century left a trace of spices all throughout the route.

The kababs in Middle Eastern cuisine have the same reflections.

Bay leaves, once an exotic addition to Indian recipes, is now being grown in households around the world and is used for aroma in African, English and French cuisines.

Recently, an Anthony Bourdain show revealed that Iranian cuisine was immensely influenced by Indian spices too.

Coriander leaves (cilantro) and seeds have their counterparts in other cuisines but are now used for garnishing entrees and appetizers.

There has been increasing evidence of the health benefits of herbs and spices as well.

Various spices have plant-derived chemical compounds that have disease-preventing and health-promoting properties.

Certain spices could provide antioxidants that are important in combating disease and improving immunity.

The anti-platelets and clot-prevention properties of some of the spices may explain the lower incidence of venous clotting of the legs in the

Indian subcontinent. Spices have been used since ancient times for their anti-inflammatory and antiflatulent properties.

Turmeric has been used on swollen wounds and painful joints, and is now proposed to reduce postmenopausal symptoms.

Its cholesterol lowering properties have been reported too.

Clove oil and dentistry is another example.

It has also been proposed that spices may reduce the incidence of cer-

tain cancers.

With the renewed interest in spices around the world and changing palates, I’m not surprised that Indian spices are increasingly used all over the world in various cuisines.

(Sunil Soni is a noted chef and author of “Jashn-e-Oudh” who romances the cuisine of Awadh.

The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at sunilsoni1964@yahoo.com)

20

Austin South Asian | April 2016

Why It’s Important To Carve Your Own Identity

As a society, we sometimes tend to put people in boxes and narrow an individual’s character to a single label -- especially if he or she is different from us.

you can set the tone for your own life, say experts. Here are a few things to consider:

While accepting the labels people

As early as kindergarten, labels are

Labels Start Early

Children label other students according to social status. At such a young age, children often internalize these general ideas about themselves; and overcoming the idea that one is a “slow learner” or a “dork” can be an uphill battle.

Without a bit of will, a label can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Descriptions vs. Labels Describing people, places and things is a big part of how we communicate. But there’s a difference between providing valuable or specific information about someone, and simply labeling them. Evaluate your words and see if you can stick to facts and insights. You can help others define themselves but not participating in labeling.

apply to us seems only natural at times; doing so can be limiting.

However, when you defy labels,

used at school to define children.

Teachers label students according to skills, abilities and behavior.

Defying Labels Most everyone has been labeled at some point. However, labels are not

only applied to people, but also to the cars we drive and the homes we live in. For example, ever since the first MINI car was built in 1959, it has been called many things.

“People have put labels on the MINI brand for years. We`ve been called the ‘small car’ or the ‘cute car,’” says Tom Noble, department head, MINI Brand communications. Noble says that while the brand has acknowledged those labels, they’ve also sought to innovate and have defied them in certain ways -- and this has led to product innovation.

In that spirit of self-definition, MINI has launched the Defy Labels contest. Anyone can nominate himself or others who have defied labels in a bold and powerful way. After the nomination period, there will be a series of votes to determine finalists and a winner.

The winner gets a two-year lease on the new MINI Clubman. “The contest isn’t about rebellion, but

rather about creating your own path regardless of the labels you’ve been given; a concept the MINI brand understands and embodies,” says Noble. To learn more about the contest, visit mini-defylabels. com or follow the conversation at #DefyLabels.

Shedding Labels Whether you’re with friends or foes, family or strangers, you’ll likely have to deal with being labeled by others.

And the longer you’ve known someone, the harder it can be to shed the one-word conceptions they have about you.

In the face of having others define you, being true to oneself isn’t always easy, but it can be done.

Consider the labels assigned to you. If you don’t agree with them, defy them. It may take others time to notice the change, but it can be worth the effort. (Statepoint)

183 Austin ISD Students Earn Recognition For Academic Performance (Continued From Page 17)

Hutchins

National Hispanic Recognition - Liliana Benitez, Eric Ingersoll, Alicia Morales, Riana Moreno, Raven Nelson, Angel Reyes

Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Principal Stacia Crescenzi

National Merit Commended Douglas Archibald, Eugene Choi, Cameron Clark, Kaylen Combs, Calvin Dao, Robert Hicks, Dain Kasprak, Annalie Krone, Nicole M. Moore, Trevor Oldham, Adam Roggenbauer, Courtney Simonetti, Kylie Dugan Crockett High School, Interim Principal Sissy Camacho National Merit Commended Keishaun Holt Garza Independence High School, Principal Linda Webb National Merit Commended - Isaiah Silaski Graduation Prep Academy at Lanier, Principal Ryan Hopkins National Merit Commended - Avy

Presidential Scholar Candidates - Rita Kalar, Brandon Lee, Ethan Russo, Jonathan Sadun, Jasmine Stone, Corin Wagen National Merit Finalists - Trevor Binford, Eliza Cain, Claire Cannatti, Mason Clark, Thomas Crain, Isaac Cui, Pia Deshpande, Cara Dewitt, Tam Do, Chloe Edminston, Samuel Gunn, Blake Hance, Ashley Hannah, Emily Heubaum, Bryson Hill, Katherine Jones, Alice Kemp, Brandon Lee, Mingyo Lee, Klaus-Ernst Linden Manzke, Lynnsey Martin, Isaac Metcalf, Wilson Nguyen, Neil Patil, Isaree Pitaktong, Teo Rogers, Ethan Russo, Travis Shivers, Jasmine Stone, Corin Wagen, Zennie Wey National Merit Semifinalists - Hank Comer, Jonathan Sadun

National Hispanic Recognition Odalis Cartagena, Isabela Contreras, Thomas Crain, Rachael Ellisor, Elizah Flores, Efrain Garduno, Luis Lopez, Santiago Lopez, Lesley Martinez, Michael E. Martinez, Michael N. Martinez, Victoria Mycue, Robert Pantalion, Milan Rivas, Gabriel Salgado, Arturo Torres Skillicorn National Merit Commended Emma Rose Ackerman, Rebekah Albach, Meagen Allgood, Sophia Amstutz, Ehsan Asdar, Krista Bangs, Michael Barre, Samuel Beckett, Robin Behrends, Ali Bergeron, Emma Blaw, Bridget Carolan, Jeong Choi, Ana Katherine Cooper, John Dicarlo, James Dubose, Caleb Ellington, Ifeoma Ezekoye, Clara Fancher, Elizah Flores, Elizabeth Frey, Derian Golden, William Goodwin, Fiona Graham, Ashwin Gupta, Gabriel Hart, Joshua Jesudass, Rita Kalar, Miles Kersten, Jonathan (Connor) Kordes, Niels Kornerup, Logan Kramer, Dylan Kreth, Elizabeth

Lim, Jack Liu, Samuel Lynaugh, Allyson Martin, Michael E. Martinez, Sesha McMinn, Claire Morrison, Carter Pace, Emily Pencis, Ella Pettichord, Fox Pfund Pulliam, Martin Primanis-Erickson, Raina Rahman, Milan Rivas, Maisie Sajbel, Gabriel Salgado, Sabina Savelyeva, Kyra Segraves, Ishan Shah, Harper Shapiro, Jonah Shaukat, August Stromberger, Sebastian Tanaka, Geoffrey Tian, Arianna Tolany, Gabriel Trevino, Ruther Craig Tumolac, Daniel Vega, Addison Walker, Ethan Williams, Phillip Woolley, Samantha Zern, Sihua Zhao McCallum High School, Principal Michael Garrison National Merit Finalists - Haley M. Hegefeld, Marisol J. Sobek National Hispanic Recognition Marisol J. Sobek, Sofia Currie, Alexandra Donovan National Merit Commended - June

H. Bendich, Clara E. Bishop, Elisabetta L. Diorio, Elizabeth J. Fierro, Ian A. Files The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished high school seniors.

Each year, up to 141 students are named Presidential Scholars.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is an independent, nonprofit organization.

Since 1955, the NMSC has recognized 3 million students and provided approximately 387,000 scholarships worth a total of more than $1.5 billion.

Scholarship winners will be announced through July 18.

21

Austin South Asian | April 2016

April 2016 Community Calendar We have compiled this event listing based on the information available on the web site (where ever possible) of the community/organization as of third Friday. Please check with the organizers to confirm its accuracy. We request all South Asian organizations to email us (info@austinsouthasian.com) their community calendar on or before 20th of every month, for the events happening next month. We will carry listing of all South Asian non-profit organizations in Austin. If the Name, Contact info is not correct or has changed email us (info@ austinsouthasian.com) the changes you want to see. E&OE.

SCHEDULE: April 02, Saturday, 08:00 AM, AMM Picnic and Cricket Matches is at Hill Country Cricket Association, 544 Borho Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681.

Tickets: Cricket Participants : $5 Picnic Attendees : $5 April 02, Saturday, 05:30 PM, RANJANI GAYATRI CARNATIC CONCERT is at Dell Fine Arts Center, 5901 Southwest Parkway, Austin, TX 78735.

Saturday, Apr. 2 and 16, 1 to 5pm | Chinese Music & Dance Austin Chinese Alliance Dance Group practices social dancing, including Latin dance. FREE. AARC Community Room 8 Saturday, Apr. 2, 6 to 8:30pm | “Ricky’s Promise” film screening and Q&A with Director Changfu Chang An 18-year-old adoptee returns to China to live with her birth family, to face her past and fears, and to reflect upon her identity and choices. Presented in collaboration with Families with Children from China. “The film is not just an adoption story. It’s a universal story that relates to all of us. The film helps us understand who we are, what our values are, and how our values impact our decisions,” Changfu Chang. FREE. AARC Ballroom AARC Collaboration Sunday, Apr. 3, 11am to 3pm | Holi for Kids South Asian Austin Moms hosts this celebration with food, colors and performances. Tickets sold out. AARC Great Lawn.

April 05, Tuesday,

09:00 AM - 11:00 AM, GAACC Member Breakfast & Orientation is at GAACC Office, 8001 Centre Park Dr #160, Austin, Texas 78754. The fee for non-members is $15 and for members it is free. For more information, please contact Jodie at 5124078240 or visit http:// www.austinasianchamber.org/ events/details/member-breakfastorientation-543 Wednesday, Apr. 6, 6:30 to 8 p.m. | IACT Education Group Community Meeting

tion Information: Call 512-9747800 or go online to http://www. austintexas.gov/smallbiz April 13, Wednesday, 01:30 PM - 05:00 PM, GAACC Connect Forum for Minority Business is at Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road, Austin Texas 78754. If you are an agency with a minority business program, or a prime contractor and want to be a vendor at this event, please contact Jodie at 512-407-8240.

The Indian American Coalition of Texas (IACT) Education Group is holding their first community meeting with special guest Dr. Jesus Chavez, former superintendent of Round Rock ISD, and Revathi Balakrishnan, Texas Teacher of the Year. Meet and Greet begins 6:30 p.m., Open Discussion beings at 7 p.m. FREE. AARC Community Room 8

Wednesday, Apr. 13 and 27, 6:30 to 7:30pm | Austin Project Management Toastmasters

Friday, Apr. 8, 1:30 to 3:30pm | Asian American Quality of Life Initiative meeting

Wednesday, Apr. 13, 1:30 to 5pm | GAACC Connect Forum for Minority Business

A debriefing meeting for AAQOL volunteers. FREE. AARC Conference Room

Learn more about government contracting and meet with contracting representatives. 1:30 to 3pm: SBA(8) and Small Business Certification workshop and 3 to 5pm: Roundtable Networking. FREE, but please RSVP online at www. austinasianchamber.org.

Ballroom AARC Collaboration

Saturday, Apr. 9, 10am to 12pm | Lupus Foundation of America Patient and support services to those affected by lupus. FREE. AARC Community Room 1 Saturday, Apr. 9 and 23, 1 to 5pm | Austin Go Club Play Go, the classic board game that originated in China. FREE. Apr. 9: Community Room 8; Apr. 23: AARC Community Room 1 April 12, Tuesday, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Small Business Program - Time Management is at 4029 South Capital of Texas Highway #110, Austin, TX 78704. For Registra-

Improve public speaking and leadership skills. No previous experience necessary. Meeting begins at 6:30pm, guests invited to come at 6pm. Please RSVP to vpm@apmtoastmasters.org. FREE. AARC Community Room 1

April 15, Friday, 09:00 AM, INDIE MEME FILM FESTIVALFIRST SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL - The Marchesa, 6226 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752.

Friday, Apr. 15, 6 to 8pm | AARC Community Art Exhibit Opening Reception Featuring the art of Vivian Burns, “Reticent Beauty,” Jieun Beth Kim, “I Am” and traditional handmade

Indian dolls by Pramila Viswanath.

Refreshments served. FREE. Ballroom, Hallways, Foyer AARC Produced Event Saturday, Apr. 16, 1 to 2:30pm | Wills and Trusts Seminar Mathew Jacob with The Jacob Law Firm, PLLC, will be presenting a seminar regarding the importance of an estate plan (Will/Trust/POA/ etc.) and specifically address issues relevant to members of the AsianAmerican community. Refreshments provided. FREE. AARC Conference Room Wednesday, Apr. 20, 6:30 to 8:30pm | VACAT “Success in School” Educational Seminar The Vietnamese American Community of Austin, Texas (VACAT) presents an education seminar to inform parents about the college application process, resources to help their children succeed in school and more. FREE. AARC Community Room 8 Thursday, Apr. 21, 7 to 8:30pm | North Austin Creatives Monthly Meeting Connect with others in the North Austin working in creative and arts field. FREE. AARC Community Room 8 Saturday, Apr. 23, 1 to 4pm | Austin Dance India Dance-aThon and Community Fair Austin Dance India celebrates its 25th anniversary as students show their skills and stamina in ADI’s first-ever dance-a-thon. Food Interactive crafts, Indian food and more. FREE. AARC Ballroom Wednesday, Apr. 27, 6 to 8pm | NAAO Board Meeting Monthly meeting of the Network of Asian American Organizations.

FREE. AARC Community Room 8 April 28, Wednesday,

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Small Business Program - The Power of Mobile Marketing is at 4029 South Capital of Texas Highway #110, Austin, TX 78704. For Registration Information: Call 512-974-7800 or go online to http://www.austintexas.gov/smallbiz. Ticket:$25.00 April 29, Thursday, 09:00 PM - 02:00 AM, RAAG Of Ages presents South Asian Rock n Roll at Flamingo Cantina. For more information, contact (512) 494-9336.

Saturday, Apr. 30, 9am to 12pm | World T’ai Chi and Qigong Day Annual worldwide event to send a wave of peaceful, healing Qi around the world. Beginning in New Zealand at 10am in each time zone, ending in Hawaii. All levels and ages welcome. FREE. Great Lawn (or Ballroom in case of rain.

ONGOING AARC Events Mon-Tues, 10am to 4pm, WedThurs, 10am to 8pm, Sat., 10am to 4pm | Foundation Communities: Community Tax Center and Cash for College Program at the AARC. Free tax preparation and filing and free one-on-one financial aid assistance for college through April 18.

Classroom 2 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 to 11:30am | RICE: Senior Tea & Coffee. FREE. Community Room 8 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 12 to 1pm | RICE: Senior Lunch Social. FREE. Community Room 8 Wednesday, Apr. 13 and 27, 10:30 to 11:30am | Gentle Yoga with Navaratri. FREE. Ballroom Wednesday, Apr. 20, 10:30 to 11:30am | RICE: Heartfulness Meditation for Seniors. FREE. Ballroom Thursday, Apr. 7 and 21, 10:30am to 12pm | RICE: Senior Tai Chi with Vince Cobalis. FREE. Ballroom

22

Austin South Asian | April 2016

THEME: NAME THE SPORT ACROSS 1. Something proclaimed true without proof 6. Trigonometry abbr.

9. *____surfing with no board 13. Shrek and Fiona, e.g.

14. “____ the Games Begin!”

15. Core of personnel 16. Motion picture 17. Baseball stat 18. Spock or Mork 19. *Mask and epee 21. *Pistes and moguls 23. Santa ___ winds 24. Attention grabber 25. *____-wrestling, like in “Over the Top” 28. Openmouthed astonishment 30. Hollywood’s lighting person 35. 1970s carpet 37. “Cheers” regular 39. a.k.a. Pleasant Island 40. Queen of Carthage 41. *____ racing, on a single-mast vessel 43. Slang for safecracker 44. Altogether 46. 1952 Olympics host 47. No neatnik 48. Candy containing fruit or nut 50. Spanish earthen pot 52. Porky’s home 53. Log splitter 55. A in IPA 57. *Scored with love 60. *Most popular sport in India 64. Battle royal 65. Color quality 67. Fill with happy spirit 68. “... for _____ waves of grain...”

69. Sixth sense 70. ____ Academy in Annapolis 71. Popular newspaper page 72. Hi ____ monitor 73. Market booth

DOWN 1. Remove, as a hat 2. Eye rakishly 3. Sheepish expression 4. Hajj destination 5. Inquiring 6. Horsefly 7. Old-fashioned “over” 8. Squirrel away 9. Island east of Java 10. Norse deity 11. Residue 12. Japanese monetary unit 15. Alligator’s cousin 20. Indian bread, pl.

22. Liquor store pony 24. Kind of can 25. Echo sounder 26. Prized for its horns 27. Address to a woman 29. *Played on horseback 31. Fairies 32. Diesel and natural gas, e.g.

33. Cereal killer 34. *____ union or _____ league 36. *Played by Rory 38. John Dillinger’s girlfriend, e.g.

42. “____ Express” movie 45. Portrait painter 49. It often precedes “chi” 51. Plural of #18 Across 54. Theater guide 56. “Bravo! Bravo!”, e.g.

57. Short-term employee 58. Major European river 59. Sometimes you get what you ____ 60. Porcinos 61. Pacific Islands’ ceremonial drink 62. And others 63. Rossini’s William ____ 64. Communist Zedong 66. Put to work

SUDOKU

Sudoku

Please email your sudoku answers to info@austinsouthasian.com.

Name and photo of the inviduvidual with first correct answer will be published in April 2016 issue.

To Advertise in ASA call 512828-6709

23

Austin South Asian | April 2016

Plant A Pollinator Garden And Enjoy The Many Benefits

By Melinda Myers Whether planting a garden, enjoying the beauty of your landscape or sitting down to a delicious meal, you have bees, butterflies and other pollinators to thank.

you; even a window box of flowers can help.

Keep your plants healthy and blooming with proper care. Match the plants to the growing condi-

These essential members of our ecosystem are responsible for much of the food and beauty we enjoy each day. Unfortunately pesticides and habitat loss are threatening their existence.

There is something you can do to help. Turn your garden, backyard or balcony into a pollinator’s habitat. Plant a variety of flowering plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the season.

ganite.com) when needed.

You’ll promote slow steady plant growth that is less susceptible to drought and pests.

Plus the slow release low nitrogen won’t interfere with flowering which is essential to the health and well being of our pollinators.

Planting masses of natives, herbs and other pollinator favorites like sedum, zinnias, alyssum, cosmos, and columbine will attract these beauties to your landscape.

Supplement pollinators’ diets with a bit of rotten fruit.

And be sure to provide trees, shrubs, parsley, dill and other plants that caterpillars, grubs and the immature stage of other pollinators prefer to feed upon.

Include a variety of day and night blooming flowers in a variety of colors and shapes to support the widest range of pollinators. But don’t let a lack of space dissuade

Put away the pesticides and tolerate a few holes in the leaves of their favorite plants. With a diversity of plants you can easily overlook the

tions, provide needed water and fertilize with an organic nitrogen fertilizer like Milorganite (milor-

temporary leaf damage.

Plus, this is a small price to pay for all the benefits they bring to the garden.

Provide pollinators with shelter from predators and the weather.

Include a variety of trees, shrubs and perennials.

Leave patches of open soil for ground nesting bees and some leaf litter to shelter some butterflies, bumblebees and other pollinating insects.

Supplement natural shelter with commercial or homemade nesting boxes. You’ll find do-it-yourself plans on the internet from various educational sources.

Puddles, fountains, birdbaths and even a damp sponge can provide needed water. Include water features with sloping sides or add a few stones to create easier access.

Or sink a shallow container of sand in the ground. Keep it damp and add a pinch of sea salt for the butterflies and bees.

Maximize your efforts by teaming up with your neighbors. Together you can create a larger more diverse habitat that provides pollinators with the resources they need to thrive.

Your efforts will be rewarded with greater harvests, beautiful flowers and colorful birds and butterflies visiting your garden.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening and the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook.

She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments.

Myers is also a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and spokesperson for Milorganite. Myers’ web site is www.melindamyers.com.

March 2016 Sudoku Answer Correct Answer: Mr. Yudhveer Bagga

Ms. Ketika Tyagi

24

Austin South Asian | April 2016

Scary Truth Of Whatsapp Floating In Smart Phone!

By Deepak Singh The bad guy’s not just at the bus stop anymore. He has entrance right into your kid’s bedroom and

app, which lets you send messages, images and videos. You can have one to one and group conversations.

In fact, several schools have now banned smart phones from campus because of this particular app.

Sexting is sending and receiving erotically explicit messages, primarily between mobile phones.

Kids can receive (or send) erotically inappropriate photos.

emotionally prepared for.

Parents need to maintain an open dialogue and encourage children to share both good and bad online experiences, and make sure they keep up with the latest social media crazes and work with their children

and checking their phone and privacy settings.

Many children do not realize just how much information they are putting out there and how dangerous it can be.

This app also makes kids feel like they can “sext” or send inappropriate pictures without consequences.

The truth is that nothing sent over the internet disappears. There are always ways to retrieve and capture those images.

hand-held cell phone device.

Erotic predators can target your children even when your child is in the room down the hall.

And erotic predators aren’t the only problem. Cyber-bullying and exposures to inappropriate content are additional concerns.

Whatsapp is an instant messaging

More than 900 million monthly active users worldwide as of September 2015 on whatsapp.

The top concerns are inappropriate content and talking to strangers.

This app is causing problems in schools, with students maliciously slandering teacher, staff, and other students.

While many of the videos are harmless, obscene videos are shared too, exposing your children to erotically explicit material.

rather than trying to control them.

You can also easily share obscene videos on this app.

As a parent, you aren’t being nosy by checking their cell phone on a regular basis; you are being responsible.

Predators utilize this app to search for teens and find their location.

Then they try to connect with them via other messaging apps.

Children are gaining access to obscene video and inappropriate content at a younger age, which could expose them to people or situations that are out of their depth and which they’re not

Bombay Express Authenitic Indian Cafe 100% Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly Tuesday - Sunday 11:00 am - 9:00 pm 1300 N IH35 Building #12, Unit # 216 Austin, Texas - 78753

512-491-5055

(Take-Away is possible on all items on the menu)

Remember, your child’s safety is more important than their privacy.

Perhaps your family could establish family media rules, such as having to check with a parent before downloading a new app or game.

Having a common charging area so you can easily check phones could also be a good system for your family.

Also, take the time to explain to them (at an age-appropriate level) why you are asking them questions

Internet safety is just like any other kind of safety. You don’t just teach your child how to cross the street one time; you repeat “look both ways” to them for years!

Similarly, we need to talk continually about internet/app safety.

How much information should you share? With whom should you communicate? What should you post?

Parental Control is to prevent kids from accessing unauthorized content should be introduced with such apps and inappropriate content should be filtered.

If you have questions or worries, you can email me at info@empoweringkids.in

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

‘Tum Bin 2’ To Go On Floors In April 15 years back, ‘Tum Bin’ which was the directorial debut of Anubhav Sinha, produced by T-Series was announced with new comers and had become a huge hit.

Anubhav Sinha is the writer, director and will jointly produce the film with Bhushan Kumar.The original ‘Tum Bin’ which was also a huge musical hit, and ‘Tum Bin 2’ will

Dhanush Receives ‘Triple the Joy’ As ‘Visaaranai’ Bags 3 National Film Awards CHENNAI — Actor Dhanush produced the Tamil drama “Visaaranai,” which bagged three National Films Awards March 28 and has

“When it comes to some films, you know they will be special right from the beginning. ‘Visaaranai’ was one such film.

National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran’s “Visaaranai” won the Best Tamil Film, Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing awards.

The film, based on writer M. Chandrakumar’s novel “Lock Up,” had already received international recognition when it had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.

The film is about the story of four migrant workers who get wrongly blamed for a crime they never committed.

This is the third time Dhanush’s collaboration with Vetrimaaran has resulted in National Award wins.

And now, Bhushan Kumar and Anubhav Sinha are set to come together once again for the sequel of ‘Tum Bin’, titled, ‘Tum Bin 2’.

‘Tum Bin 2’ has been announced with the young actors Neha Sharma, Aditya Seal and Aashim Gulati who will be make his debut with the film.

have the very talented Ankit Tiwari composing the entire music score and the lyrics are by Manoj Muntashir.

The film will be entirely shot in Scotland in the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. It will go on floors from April 4, 2016. ‘Tum Bin 2’ will hit the silver screen on 18th November 2016.

Karan Johar Buys Remake Rights Of Nagarjuna’s Oopiri

given the star triple the joy and encouragement to back more such films.

Three awards for it means triple the joy for me and encouragement to support more such efforts,” said Dhanush in a statement.

Deadpool Becomes HighestGrossing R-rated Film Of All Time The irreverent superhero movie Deadpool has become the highestgrossing R-rated movie of all time worldwide, with $745m (£522m) in box office receipts.

ceipts.

Deadpool’s remarkable success – especially given Tim Miller’s film was not handed a release slot in

Even as the latest Telugu blockbuster Oopiri, starring Nagarjuna, creates waves across Andhra Pradesh and beyond, news comes that Karan Johar has purchased the rights for the Hindi remake. Interestingly, Oopiri is a remake of the French film The Intouchables about the warm camaraderie that develops between a wheelchair bound billionaire and his male caretaker.

Nag says the film’s theme must be taken to Hindi audiences. “I am really happy Karan Johar has bought remake rights. Would I be in the Hindi film? I don’t know. That’s up to Mr Johar. I am just happy to have done the two versions in Telugu and Tamil. Our message has connected with the audience, and that’s important for me. After so many years of acting, I need to do work that the audience can take home from a movie theatre.”

Dawn of Justice will feature an Rrated (UK 15) cut.

There have been rumours that Hugh Jackman’s final turn as Wolverine will also follow the trend.

20th Century Fox owns the bigscreen rights to Wolverine and Deadpool.

A sequel to Miller’s film is also expected to go into production. The Hollywood Reporter reported last month that writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are expected to return for the followup.

“I am so glad that Oopiri and its Tamil version Thozha have been so warmly accepted,” Nagarjuna says. “We wanted the film to be seen as a celebration of life, and wanted the audience to appreciate the gift of life and to understand how valuable every moment is. We have achieved this.

I couldn’t ask for more.”

It was Nag’s lovely wife Amala who had seen The Intouchables first, and recommended it to her husband. “Like all good things in my life, Oopiri also happened because of my wife,” quips Nag.

Their earlier collaborations include “Aadukalam,” which bagged six National Awards, and “Kaaka Muttai,” which bagged three.

The Ryan Reynolds-led comic book romp, a surprise smash after strong reviews, overtook previous number one The Matrix Reloaded this weekend.

The Wachowskis’ 2003 sci-fi sequel had held the mantle for well over a decade, with $742m in re-

China, the world’s second-largest box office – has ushered in predictions of a new wave of comic book movies aimed at adults.

So far the only confirmed sign of a shift in the zeitgeist has been the announcement that the DVD release of Batman v Superman:

In other box office news, Oscarwinner The Revenant moved past the $500m mark globally thanks to strong returns in China. Star Leonardo DiCaprio was on hand to promote the film in China earlier this month.

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s harrowing western has pulled in $7.8m in China, though the UK remains the film’s most lucrative territory outside North America, with $32m in receipts.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

Shriya Saran Not To Be A Part Of Baahubali 2 Amitabh Bachchan Bargains At Kolkata’s Famous Fish Market

Social media was abuzz with news that Shriya Saran has been roped in to play a significant role in the sequel, Baahubali: The Conclusion.

The actress, however, confirmed that there was no truth in the rumours though she would have

Rana Daggubati, Sathyaraj, Tamannaah, Anushka Shetty and Ramya Krishnan.

been a false rumour.

SS Rajamouli’s epic drama Baahubali was one of the biggest blockbusters of 2015 starring Prabhas,

Shooting for the film commenced last December and the film is expected to hit theatres in 2017.

P.Susheela Gets A Guinness Entry

tigious and most popular Guinness Book of World Records.

“Susheela has been singing since the 1960s and she has recorded a whopping 17, 695 solo. duet and chorus backed songs in as many as six Indian languages since the 1960s” noted the Guinness World Record Certificate given to her

recently snapped at Kolkata’s famous fish market.

Rana played the antagonist Bhalladeva, the tyrant king in the first part and Shriya was to have played his wife, but this appears to have

liked to be a part of the film.

Veteran Singer P.Susheela has created a new world record and her name has been entered in the pres-

Iconic star Amitabh Bachchan was

Born in 1935, Susheela recorded her first film song for the 1952 Tamil film ‘Petra Thai’.

But what was he doing there is the question, fans we have a few pictures from the sets where Amitabh Bachchan is seen sporting a new looka french b e a r d , cropped hair, spec-

tacles and a loose check shirt.

Amitabh Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddhiqui and Vidya Balan are currently shooting for ‘Te3n’ in Kolkata from the past few months, and so Mr. Bachchan aka John Biswas (his name in the movie) was caught in Kolkata’s famous fish market.

This film is directed by Ribhu Dasgupta and produced by Sujoy Ghosh.

Amitabh has earlier shot in Kolkata for ‘Piku’ in 2010 and now ‘Te3n’.

Sources say that, Big B signed the project without even seeing the script, he agreed to do it instantly just on the basis of the thought.

Dulquer’s Kali Bags A Clean U The censor board has given a clean U certificate for ‘Kali’.

darth and he is someone who gets angry for the simplest of things.

The trailer is already out. The movie is set to release on March 26th.

Sai Pallavi plays Anjali, a level headed girl.

Directed by Samir Thair, the movie has Dulquer playing an angry young man. Joining him is Sai Pal-

Search was on for someone to dub for Sai Pallavi, but it did not work out. Sai herself has dubbed for her

lavi as his wife.

role.

Dulquer’s character is named Sid-

And the team made slight changes

in the script to suit her accent.

She plays a role with much scope to perform.

‘Kali’ is reportedly a serious movie. Shyju Khaleed handles the camera while Gopi Sunder helms the music department.

Since then she has sung thousands of songs in Tamil. Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and various other Indian languages.

This is a really a proud moment for every Indian and every movie buff.

Rajeesh Gopinathan has penned the movie.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016

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USGS: Millions At Risk From Man-Made Earthquakes (Continued From Page 06) The USGS reports that the central part of the country has experienced the most dramatic increase in seismic activity over the past six years.

Between 1973 and 2008, there was an average of 24 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher each year. The rate increased steadily in the relatively short amount of time between 2009 and 2015, averaging 318 earthquakes per year.

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Austin South Asian | April 2016