Austin south asian june 2015

Monthly Community Paper | www.austinsouthasian.com | 512-828-6709 | Vol. 5 No. 06

Ramadan Dinner Harveen Kaur - Top 7

By Sumaiya Malik The Muslim community of NAMCC (North Austin Muslim

Community Center) is organizing the 5th annual Ramadan Open House Dinner at the North Austin Muslim Community Center on

DONATE

FOR NEPAL EARTHQUAKE RELIFE

Wednesday, June 10, 2015 from 6:30 to 9:30pm at 11900 North Lamar Blvd, Austin TX 78753.

The dinner will begin with a presentation about what Ramadan is and what Muslims do when they fast. (Continued On Page 05)

By Paramjeet Singh Harveen Kaur, an Austinite recently, was judged as the Top7 singing talents in North America by Zee TV - Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs North America.

She was invited to compete in Mumbai, India along with other finalists from USA. The competition was (Continued On Page 12)

Compiled by: Preya Sundaram What a great way to bring in the

communal living or retirement homes.

July 2015

Art & Culture Special

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Make A Difference In...04 Ramadan....................05 Growing Tomatoes..07,12 Pakistani Clothing.......08 IACT Organizes...........08 Bilingual Revolution.....10 Indian American Teen.11 Pooja To Learn............11 Excellence Gap...........12 Harveen Kaur.........12,13 Agents Of Change.......14

IACT Senior Living

By Ashwin Ghatalia May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

This is a month when Asian –

inside

June 2015

American Pacific Islander communities celebrate their cultural, social, societal value system, intellectual heritage and contribution and achievements.

(Continued On Page 08)

community intact!! It all started last September when a few of the people got together to discuss the need for the seniors to have a peaceful communal type living.

The discussion ranged from nursing homes, assisted living and

Father’s Day................15 Nepal Quake Relief Drive At RMD......................17 Communal Living........17 Austin Non Profits.......18 This address the needs of seniors Predictions.................19 who migrated to US in 1960s and Community Calendar...20 1970s, people who had moved Three Steps To Get Your to US to join their kids and third Home’s Outdoor..........21 category is from both these buckEntertainment........24,25 ets. (Continued On Page 17)

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

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Austin South Asian | May 201

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

How To Make A Difference In A Community That Matters To You

You may not realize it, but you have the power to make a big difference in your community. There are so many ways to help a cause and you’ll be more fired up to devote your time, energy and talents when your efforts will benefit a community that matters to you, say experts.

Abdullah Sharif knows that better than anyone. Upon returning from the United States to his home country Afghanistan for a brief visit in 2007, Sharif was horrified to see the peaceful, progressive nation he left in 1976 laid to ruins, war-torn and economically devastated after decades of conflict.

The heartbreaking sight inspired him to do all he could to help restore his country.

After joining the U.S. State Department in 2009, Sharif returned to Afghanistan to serve both his adoptive and native countries as a peace diplomat. In his new memoir, “Return to Kabul: An Afghan American’s Odyssey in Afghanistan,” which is the second book in a series of reminiscences, he recounts the past several years that he spent helping to rebuild his homeland working both for the State Department and the Department of Defense.

Austin South Asian Editor: Bala Kumar Marketing: Jayachitra Vijay -512-8286709 / 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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You don’t have to participate in a big initiative to make a difference to your community, however. Anyone looking to make a meaningful impact need only discover where their passion lies and apply that to doing good, Sharif points out.

Here are some ideas for those looking to make a difference: • Make a visit: Return to the places that matter to you -- your former neighborhood, schools you attended, your old hometown.

If it’s been long since your last visit, you may discover that these locations and institutions now need your help. Pay attention to small details. Engage with others and

learn how you can be of service.

• Expand your community: Do your hobbies improve your life? Bring those benefits to a wider scope of people. For example, perhaps you’re a runner. Consider starting a youth running program in an underserved neighborhood. Or maybe you play music locally at night. Plan a daytime block party so families can enjoy the local music scene. It’s easy to get inspired when you’re working within a community based on shared interests.

many online sites that let you explore the work of different charities, so you can onestop shop for a cause that speaks to you, and wisely donate your charitable dollars. There also are volunteerism sites that match would-be volunteers to programs and initiatives in need of help.

• Go online: In the connected world we live in today, the term “global community” is now more a reality than ever. There are

“Every individual is born with unique opportunities to serve the world as best he or she can,” emphasizes two-time U.S. diplomat to Afghanistan, Sharif.

More information about Sharif’s memoirs can be found at www.AbdullahSharif.com.

To make a difference, look for those opportunities in the communities that matter to you most. (StatePoint)

endeavour, be humble forever.

gift!

Poems By Arun

A FATHER’S ADVICE While you are keeping the first infant step in your career The following words do always remember.

Be grateful to those who teach you, however trivial it may appear.

Irrespective of their designations, respect seniors and elders.

ICECREAM CHOCOLATE

Smart work rather than hard work and sincerity ensures better future Grab the opportunities available, honestly, to climb up the ladder.

It was an exceptional day for the tiny tots.

One of the happiest schooling days - the day of sports.

Dad went to his office to meet his commitments, But mom went to witness her son in the running race!

Health, take care with good diet and make it a point to walk a lot.

Keep away from bad company and bad habits never cultivate.

The whistle blew, each started through with all the care.

But standing for a while there, Her son started to run like a hare.

Smile, it costs nothing, but value of the same is great For the receiver, the other end at.

Mom started to clap and shout for him to run fast and faster!

Save, for of the future comforts, but not at the cost of Sacrificing the necessities of the present.

Borrow, only when you must and if you can make provision to meet The commitments on time to repay it.

Lend, when you have to, only if you are confident of getting the same back With some consideration, even if it is the least.

Learn to strike a balance between work and family life to enjoy together.

Though you achieve the very best in your

Leaving all others behind, To reach his mom- much concerned, He ran and ran to that end And the mark of race he crossed, not knowing what he did!

Hugging him his mom carried.

On his face profusely kissed As her joy knew no bound.

Dad was too glad and promised a precious gift to his lad!

Before the next day, on the night throughout, While others were asleep fast, As if the world was at his feet He spent the night dreaming of the special

Neatly dressed in his best In between, as if in a nest Holding hands of mum and dad apart Swinging and jumping he walked to reach the favourite market spot!

Dad was taking money from pocket Mom for him was choosing the best.

But his attention was focused at The tiny train moving on the track in a shop of other part!

When came to senses, he was horrified to find There was with him, no mom or dad.

Here, there and everywhere he searched from where he stood To realize that he was lost and might not be found!

To shout he tried, his throat was choked To come out, his voice too failed He felt dull, week and exhausted All his words were in tears, on his cheeks that flowed!

In hide and out of sight Mom and dad were watching his plight.

No more could they wait They ran and hugged him tight, For fun or for joke, on no account to part!

With his tiny hands, both of them he firmly hugged To never ever be separated As they were, the best gifts in his world The special gift was out of his mind!

Dad not only got him the best gift But also ice-cream chocolate.

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Ramadan Open House At NAMCC With Free Dinner

(Continued From Page 01) Questions about Islam will also be answered and this event will actua l l y happen a week before Ramadan.

T h e community center considers it an opportunity to build bridges and to learn about Islam and the month of Ramadan.

This event will include dinner and is entirely FREE. RSVP is requested because of limited seating. Muslims and non-Muslims are encouraged to attend. Students will also be given commu-

nity service hours in case they want to help in the setup or clean up. The link is below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/

namccs-5th-annual-ramadanopen-house-tickets-16528395877

List of Mosques In Austin With Addresses And Links For Ramadan preparations

By Sumaiya Malik North Austin Muslim Community Center www.namcc.org 11900 N Lamar Blvd Austin, TX (512) 491-7148 Nueces Mosque nuecesmosque.com 1906 Nueces St Austin, TX Islamic Center of Greater Austin austinmosque.org 5110 Manor Rd Austin, TX

(512) 926-9221 Masjid Ibrahim www.masjidibrahim.org 1701 W Ben White Blvd Austin, TX (512) 693-2924 Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association www.iaba-austin.org 12460 Los Indios Trail Austin, TX (512) 291-9855 Islamic Center of Brushy Creek www.icbrushycreek.org 1950 Brushy Creek Rd Cedar Park, TX (512) 850-4786

Ramadan Preparations In The Pakistani Community

By Sumaiya Malik This year the month of Ramadan is supposed to begin on June 16 depending upon the moon sight-

ing.

Elaborate preparations are already underway in Muslim homes and days are being blocked for community Iftaars on weekends.

Groups have been formed similar to temporary clubs where 28 families have come together and divided four Saturdays of Ramadan as community Iftaar days.

Each group of 7 families is hosting the rest of the 28 on their cho-

sen Saturday. Restaurants are being contacted and booked for the occasion.

This idea of community Iftaars has taken shape over the years as the number of Muslim families and friends in Austin grew to a number much larger than what homes could accommodate.

together when it was the call for prayer.

The assigned group would also clean up the hall after the event was over. Students would get community service hours as well.

Husna Lari, the lady who organized the first temporary club for Ramadan Iftaars in South Austin said it is the best way to not only socialize with friends and kids of similar ages, but is also a lesson of collaboration and good will in the community.

The restaurant will be closed for a private party. Children are preparing presentations about the importance of Ramadan.

While organizing such a large group of people is difficult, Uzma finds it rewarding.

The group would always invite elderly and send food to people who were ill.

Teens would be encouraged to participate in Iqaama and Adan and all the Muslims would pray

The idea was a success and soon people in North Austin and Round Rock also formed their groups.

Uzma Khan is the chief organizer of a similar club this year.

Her group includes people of Round Rock and Austin. The first Iftaar is in Bombay Bistro.

She says, “Our children get to take active part and get to bond with each other by preparing and presenting small verses of the Quran with their meaning and other fun facts and trivia about Islam”.

(Continued On Page 06)

Austin South Asian | June 2015

UT Students Invite Pakistani Activist Mohammad Jibran Nasir

By Sumaiya Malik On Tuesday, May 5, the students of UT Austin hosted a talk

by Jibran Nasir, a 28 year old Pakistani lawyer, political activist, civil rights activist, blogger

about which party they support in Pakistan. He urged the people to understand the politics behind the scenes.

He showed pictures of favorite political leaders with groups, the leaders claim they don’t identify with.

Jibran Nasir asked the Pakistani Americans to learn from Indian Americans who have successfully urged the US government to ban certain militant groups in India.

and independent politician, who shared his experience of activism against religious intolerance and sectarian violence in Pakistan.

The students at UT, professors and members of the Austin Pakistani American community attended the talk.

Clad in Pakistani Shalwar Kameez, Jibran Nasir, compared the political struggle of the United States during the time of Martin Luther King with that of Pakistan right now. He said that Dr. King had a dream and Obama realized it.

He compared that to the situation in Pakistan and said that the struggles of the people will bear fruit decades later, but each step is important.

He suggested that Pakistanis abroad must reach out to the US government as well to call out actions that are detrimental to Pakistan.

Jibran Nasir condemned the assassination of Sabeen Masud, a social activist who ran T2F, a café that regularly hosted talks in Karachi.

The Pakistani American community was greatly saddened by the loss.

The talk was followed by a brief Q/A. For Jibran, finding solutions in Pakistan could lead the way for a global citizen’s movement against violent extremist narrative for the 21st century.

He said that the Pakistani people have no choice but to be hopeful of the future.

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He urged overseas Pakistani Americans to pay heed to the situation in Pakistan so that if they are allowed to vote in Pakistani elections in 2018, they are in a better picture.

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Sahar Ali, an Austinite of Pakistani origin found Jibran Nasir inspiring.

She said Nasir urged the Pakistani Americans to be vigilant

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

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Ramadan Preparations In The Pakistani Community

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(Continued From Page 05) She agrees that it is hard to organize the groups and “the hardest part is the limitation of space… even though we would love to do this on a bigger scale, space and financial limitations prevent us from doing so.”

She adds that, “We try to accommodate as many families as possible.”

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U.S. Retains India On Priority Watch List

Ravi, the manager at the bistro makes sure plenty of food is available at the buffet for dinner. Namaz is inside for women and outside for men.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (PTI)

Ramadan brings together people of different backgrounds.

The U.S. has retained India on its Priority Watch List for nations on intellectual property concerns even as it softened its stand on the country’s improved IP environment.

It is the month of sharing and forgiving and amid prayers and eating together we see lots of good will and brotherhood.

FREE CLASSIFIED

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India will remain on the Priority Watch List in 2015, but with the full expectation that the new channels for engagement created in the past year will bring about substantive and measurable improvements in India’s IPR regime for the benefit of a broad range of innovative and creative industries, said the 2015 Special 301 Report.

The annual report draws attention to the increased bilateral engagement in 2015 between the U.S. and India on IPR concerns, following the 2014 Out-of-Cycle Review of India on this issue.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

GROWING TOMATOES IN CENTRAL TEXAS

ORIGIN: Tomato has long history. Aztec Indians in South & Central America were growing tomatoes long before other countries.

Spanish explorers travelled through many countries who had

many countries with beneficial health effects.

It was considered toxic to eat and people were reluctant to taste as this belongs to nightshade family.

According to some historians, President Thomas Jefferson after eating tomato in Paris sent seeds to USA. Jefferson grew tomatoes in Monticello Gardens. Presently China, India and north America are largest tomato producers in the world.

GROWING: Tomatoes need sunny space for 6-8 hours and temperature below 90 degree and cooler

spread tomato as red berry and found berries are non toxic but stem and leaves are toxic. Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) rich in lycopene being grown in

nights.

These can be grown in alkaline or clay soils amended with organic material or compost with well drained conditions.

WASHINGTON -- An 18-yearold Indian-American boy has won the prestigious Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award in the US for inventing a device that quickly shuts down undersea oil spills.

on the seafloor.

These are heavy feeders with nutrients. Frequent watering during growing time.

Spacing is important need at least 3-4 ft apart in a cage or with stakes based on the variety.

VARIETIES: Determinant which produces fruits in burst once and finished with it. This is small size and good for commercial growers for harvesting at one time using picking machine.

Indeterminant, which keeps on producing until cold kills the plant. This is good for home gardeners who can harvest fruit as they become ripe.

In tropical climate it is a perennial for 2-3 years. This is large in size needs cages or trellis to support as a vine.

Heirloom/: Heirloom are original variety carried over without any modification or breeding. They are becoming popular with organic gardeners.

Hybrids: there many different types by breeding and modified

to create pest resistant, drought resistant.

CULTIVARS: Color: Red color is popular one besides Red Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, Green, Black, Multi colored, Striped fruit Fruit Sizes: Small or bite size Cherry, Oval and Big, medium sizes Tomatoes are one of the most common garden fruits in USA. DISEASES: Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Handling cigarettes & other infected tobacco products can transmit this virus to tomato plants.

Mildew, Blight and Curly Top is disease caused by beet leafhopper.

PESTS: Stink bugs, Cutworms, Tomato Hornworms, Tobacco hornworm, Aphids, Cabbage Loopers, Whiteflies, fruitworms, Flea Beetles, Red spider mites, Slugs, Colorado potato beetles Growing Tomatoes in Austin: After we moved to Austin because of warm weather found out it is hot weather reaching 100 degrees

for months and freezing cold weather some years.

Soil wise bed of lime rock which is hard or clay soil both need soil amendment for gardening.

Regarding rains droughts are common during years and heavy down pours. Summer stays hot during day and stays hot during night.

All these conditions are not favourable for growing tomatoes.

For growing tomatoes you have to amend soil with lots of organic materials (compost) select the variety of tomato suitable for this climate.

I have been experimenting with various types of tomatoes even with making my own seeds after successful crop.

Because of the hot weather it is good to start raising plants indoor in January and plant them in early spring by protecting for cold.

I have grown Cherry tomatoes as well as Big tomatoes and early varieties.

(Continued On Page 12)

Indian American Teen Wins ‘Young Scientist’ Award For Inventing Device That Shuts Down Undersea Oil Spil s

Karan Jerath of Friendswood, Texas, claimed the USD 50,000 top prize yesterday at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (IISEF).

Jerath was also one of the five students selected for the Intel and Indo-US Science and Technology Forum Visit to India Award.

Jerath designed a sturdy device that can collect the oil, gas and water spewing from a broken well

“Sensors inside the 350-ton device would measure the temperature, pressure and density of the

mix of gases and fluids erupting from a well,” Karan said. “A computer would then calculate how valves in the gadget should be adjusted so that the gas and oil can

be collected.

That should stop a spill in its tracks. The device could help prevent an ecological catastrophe. It also would reduce cleanup costs.”

The top position was shared by two other teen researchers.

One developed a technique to more quickly diagnose infections

by HIV. The other used sophisticated software to improve the flow of air inside aircraft cabins that could reduce the transmission of disease among passengers.

Maya Ajmera, an Indian descent who heads the Society for Sci-

ence and the Public that conducts the IISEF, congratulated the winners and said, “These talented young students are the problem solvers and innovators of their generation.”

Scores of Indian-American students won awards in various categories, five of them getting the first award in their specialisations, biochemistry, behavioural sciences, environmental engineering, mathematics and energy physics.

The IISEF honours the world’s most promising high school student scientists, inventors and engineers selected through rigorous competitions held around the world.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

Fashionable Pakistani Clothing Exhibitions In Austin Before Eid

By Sumaiya Malik

$350.

Two exhibitions of stylish Pakistani clothing will be held right before Eid-ul-Fitr in Austin.

Sameen Abubakr organizes the second exhibition. Sameen is a designer who carries the simplest of fashions with elegance

Every year right before Eid people are looking for fashionable clothing to wear on the Eid weekend as a number of social gatherings take place.

These exhibitions will be the perfect opportunity for women looking for traditional clothing of quality and style.

Her focus will be cotton since it Eid is in mid summer. The prices will range from $40 to $120.

I asked Aisha how her exhibitions are sold out every year. She said the demand is high for trendy clothes.

The first exhibition is organized by fashion diva, Aisha Syed, an Austinite of Pakistani origin.

Aisha has collaborated with Glitterati Boutique of Houston.

People also want quality and are willing to pay for it. She said, “Pakistani designers of-

Aisha will have an array of latest and most stylish Pakistani outfits available in various sizes at her home starting May 21.

This will be her third successful exhibition. She carries designers like Aisha Farooq Hashwani, Saniya Maskatiya, Threads and Motifs, Agha Noor and others.

Her prices range from $100 to

Pakistan, and shipped to Sameen.

For this year, Sameen is planning lots of capes, raw silk skirts, and embroidered kurtas.

and grace. She designs the outfits herself with her business partner in Pakistan.

The outfits are made in Lahore,

New Technology Can Help Schools Save Money And Reduce Energy Use (StatePoint) Classrooms nationwide are switching to new technologies that are helping them reduce their carbon footprints. Whether they are going paperless, installing compact fluorescent lightbulbs, or using new energy efficient projectors in classrooms, there are many ways schools are becoming greener while saving money in the process.

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fer lots of creativity and I want to keep the community in Austin in tune with the fashion scene.”

Her clientele are working women and housewives. Her exhibition carries jewellery and clutches too. She creates an event on facebook once the clothes arrive.

Social media and word of mouth spread the word and people start calling and bring friends.

Aisha is known for her hospitality and welcomes those who either come on the set day or make appointments. She responds immediately through email on her facebook page.

Sameen Abubakr has a clientele in Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi community of Austin. Sameen realized that people were aware of the latest trends but were unable to get the kind of outfits they saw on her or on the social media.

That is why she decided to take the plunge and make her own label called Sameens’. Over the years her clientele has increased.

She is known for modern stitched cuts and edgy designs that people can wear in Desi or American gatherings. She also carries unstitched traditional clothes that people can get stitched on their own.

Sameen added, “People in Austin are more aware of the evolving trends now and are not afraid to try something new.

The slightly modern and daring silhouettes that were taking over the runway and the red carpet in Pakistan are beginning to reflect in Austin too.”

Sameen Abubakr can also be reached through facebook. Many of her designs are in the photos and she also takes custom orders.

IACT Organizes Day Of Civic Engagement For Asian Community (Continued From Page 01) State of Texas is now home to the third largest Asian community in the nation.

When it comes to economic, intellectual, educational , charitable, entrepreneurial and cultural contributions to the betterment of the state the Asian-American community needs no introduction.

As the time has progressed the community has become more and more engaged in public affairs and public policy discourse. The Indian-American community is at the forefront of this engagement.

Aug. 15th 2014 was declared as the day of civic engagement for

Indian-American community based on what state senator Kirk Watson saw as community’s commitment to the state.

The leadership in IACT felt that this honor should be extended to entire Asian community of Texas hence its drive to create one for entire Asian community.

Based in this IACT initiative State representative Elliott Naishtat - a great friend of IndianAmerican community agreed to sponsor the event of “Day of Civic Engagement” for Asian – American living in our great state of Texas.

State representative Paul Workman, another great friend of Indian community co-sponsored

the eevent.

On May 13th Representatives Elliott Naishtat (dist 49) and Paul Workman ( Dist 47) along with Rep. Donna Howard (dist. 48), rep. Celia Israel(Dist 50), rep.

Gene Wu (dist 137 Houston), and rep.

Angie Chan Button (Dist. 112 Dallas) proclaimed the day as the day of Civic Engagement for Asian-American community at Texas House of Representatives.

This acknowledgement by the state legislature is an honor for our entire community and of course it brings with it increasing responsibility for the community to work harder for the state’s betterment.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

Sundarkand Pravachan by

His Holiness Swami Tejomayanada Discourse on Sundarkand Chapter of Ramayana

July 14th - July 19th, 2015 6:30pm to 9pm

Chinmaya Mission Austin 12825 Burnet Rd, Austin TX 78727 (Next to Fry’s Electronics)

“Sundar” means beautiful, and in Sundarkand all that is beautiful is explained. Swami Tejomayanandaji’s simplicity will disarm you. His bhajans will uplift you.

Discourse is Free. Open to all.

For further details: www.chinmayaaustin.org/jnana_yagna/ email: events@chinmayaaustin.org

10

Austin South Asian | June 2015

Group Promoting French Immersion Invites To “Join Bilingual Revolution”

By Cécile Fandos A bilingual revolution is taking shape in the Austin area public schools. Bilingual education is not only for English language learners anymore. It is for all students, via the new dual languages programs in which all children are taught in English and another language, that they might -or not- speak at home.

munication across different ethnic groups of French-speaking African countries”.

Through its website AustinFrenchPublicSchoolProject.wordpress.com, the group identified 92 families representing 149 kids across Travis and Williamson counties willing to enroll their children in a FrenchEnglish bilingual program over the last few months.

Austin ISD just finished transitioning its one-way Vietnamese bilingual program (for Vietnamese-speaking students only) to a two-way dual language program for both English and Vietnamese-speaking students, while creating several Spanish two-way dual language programs, and implementing a Mandarin bilingual program in 2013.

In 2012, Pflugerville ISD started Spanish and Vietnamese bilingual programs. It is still the smallest district in Texas to offer such programs.

But now Leander ISD is also about to start a Spanish dual language program. And twoway bilingual education began as soon as 2008 in Round Rock ISD. After Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin, is French next?

Although Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese are the most spoken foreign languages in the Austin-Round Rock metro, a group of French-speaking and francophile parents of different nationalities also organized this year in order to promote the creation of a French English dual language program.

Named the Austin French Public School Project, the group recently held a public information session at the Asian-American Resource Center. “French is the only language other than English spoken across five continents,” it’s “the language of the arts,” and “other than English, French and Mandarin are the most useful languages for conducting business”, pleaded volunteer Christophe Daguet.

“French is also one the main languages spoken by refugees resettling in Texas. There are now more than 7,000 a year, and the Democratic Republic of Congo is the top 5 country of origin,” adds volunteer Codou Diop-Siba.

From Senegal, Diop-Siba explains French is used as “a lingua franca facilitating com-

Hong Tran’s family is one of them. A French of Vietnamese origin living in Austin since 2007, Hong had three children with her Vietnamese-American husband, and they learn Vietnamese at home and at church, but only English at school. “Other Vietnamese families think Spanish is more useful in Texas, but French is also used for business, at tech companies and for trading with Canada.

And if they speak French at an early age, I think they could easily learn other Roman languages like Spanish or Italian.

When I spoke French with my oldest children, they seemed overwhelmed at the beginning, but now I hear them use French words.”

“Join the bilingual revolution!” Despite fast growing interest for French bilingual education in the Austin area, “Texas is lagging behind the rest of the US when it comes to French immersion,” said Daguet at the AARC. Most French bilingual programs are on the East coast, in Louisiana, and Utah, where the State created 118 dual languages programs since 2008. So “Austin musn’t fall behind. It has to join the bilingual revolution,” invites volunteer Astrid MardonPrevost.

Show your interest by filing the survey at AustinFrenchPublicSchoolProject.wordpress.com.

11

Austin South Asian | June 2015

Indian American Teenager Shubham Banerjee Working With Microsoft To Launch Low Cost Braille Printer

By Raif KareratWASHINGTON, DC:

break seven different models” — he eventually constructed a

The Braigo 2.0 was the first lowcost, IoT (Internet of Things)-

When Shubham Banerjee, then 12-years-old, created a prototype Braille printer out of nothing more than a Lego Mindstorm kit and a few items from Home Depot, he began to dream of a future where versions of his low-cost device could become ubiquitous enough to aid the 285 million visually impaired people around the world on an unprecedented scale.

Now one year wiser, Banerjee is on the cusp of making his ambition a reality after revealing that he is working with Microsoft to integrate his Braille-printer, called the Braigo, with Windows operating system to make it easily accessible to the visually impaired and plans to launch it in November.

“Our relationship with Microsoft will help Braigo achieve a seamless experience for a visually-impaired person who wants to use a computer at home or at the office to print documents for offline reading,” he said in Microsoft blog post.Microsoft also invited the Santa Clara, Calif. eighthgrader to showcase his Braigo printer at a tech fair organized by the company.

The Belgian-born Indian American, who moved to San Jose when he was 3-years-old, is targeting a price point of about $500 for public consumption — significantly more affordable than any Braille printers that currently occupy the market space.

“I discovered that typical Braille printers cost about $2,000 or even more, and I felt that was unnecessarily expensive for someone already at a disadvantage,” Banerjee stated.

“So I put my brain to work, and the first thing that came to mind was to create an alternative using my favorite toy.”After much trial and error — “I had to build and

working Braille printer which he named the Braigo 1.0, a portmanteau of Braille and Lego.

enabled, silent, and lightweight Braille printer, according to Microsoft.

It cost $350 and Banerjee made DIY instructions available online to anyone who wants to build their own.

After the Braigo 2.0’s success, Banerjee, who was still 12 at the time, became the youngest entrepreneur ever to receive

venture capital funding when Intel Capital invested in Braigo Labs.“I achieved an 82 percent reduction in cost and have been overwhelmed by the encouraging feedback from both the sighted and the blind,” he told the Microsoft blog.

services to their visually impaired customers,” Banerjee marveled.

The consumer-viable iteration of the Braigo will house an Intel Edison chipset and will be entirely silent.Current Braille printers, generally referred to as embossers — aside from being limited by their high cost and lack of widespread support — are rather noisy.

The Lego Corporation commended Banerjee for the Braigo via their Twitter account, and Banerjee also received a Recognition Award from the California State Assembly.Banerjee completed his elementary schooling at Don Callejon School.

The current crop of embossers also requires special paper which is more expensive than the standard fare.“… think about the banks, the government institutions or even the libraries where Windows-based computers are widely used.

They will all benefit from having a Braigo to provide accessibility

11-Year-Old Pooja Mehta Inspired To Learn Robotics When Pooja Mehta entered her first robotics competition, in February, the Indian American youth saw a familiar sight: a room packed mostly with boys.

According to CNet, Mehta and her sixth-grade teammate were the only all-girl duo in the 18team regional Science Olympiad Robo Cross competition. They placed tenth.

Mehta had always watched her father, Ash, CEO of PatientClick, a company focused on electronic medical records.

“My dad used to work on the computer all day, and I’d be, like, ‘Hey dad, can you teach me all that?’” she said.

Yet even with the support of her

family, she didn’t feel she could tackle something as complex as robotics or programming, she told

CNet. That changed after Mehta attended Qcamp, a twoweek program for girls hosted

by San Diegobased chipmaker Qualcomm that taught coding, app design and robotics.

“Qcamp was the one place that I found other girls like me,” said Mehta. “Now I know there are other girls that are just as much interested as me.”

The Braigo has attracted widespread acclaim from around the world, and been recognized by several organizations on both the domestic and international fronts.

He joined Magnolia Science Academy in Santa Clara in middle school for a couple of months before moving to Champion School in San Jose.

He lives in Santa Clara with his father, Neil, who serves as director of integration and validation at Intel Corp., and his mother, Malini, who is president of Braigo Labs.

He also has a sister, Anoushka.

ICC NEEDS VOLUNTEERS India Community Center Of Austin needs VOLUNTEERS.

iccaustin @gmail. com

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

The “Excellence Gap” Is Growing, The Need To Focus On Gifted Students Is Great

By Hao Lam, CEO At the federal level in the United States, policy makers have focused on implementing state standards to ensure students are reaching proficiency levels, particularly in reading and math.

going to be necessary to supplement their education with a program designed to help them

as possible if your child should be tested for admission into a gifted program, or if he or she should

Over the past several years, proficiencies have improved across the nation, but the focus on this category has yielded the unintentional neglect of gifted students –those who are already beyond proficiency and have the capacity to further their studies.

A recent study released by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation assigned grades to each state rating their policies for academically talented children, and the results are nothing short of dismal. Not a single state received an A, while the majority received a D. Clearly this is an area where schools are lacking; if you have a child who is academically gifted, it’s likely

At Best in Class Education Center, we specialize in helping to evaluate your students’ strengths and weaknesses through individualized assessments.

If your child’s school offers a gifted program, we offer services to help your child prepare for the reach their full potential.

Not properly challenging a gifted student can be just as detrimental to the education process as neglecting a child who needs help in one area or another.

It’s important to identify as early

be working on coursework at a higher grade level to match their current learning capacity. Here are some common signs that your child may be academically gifted: ● Began writing and reading very early ● Appears to have what

GROWING TOMATOES IN CENTRAL TEXAS (Continued From Page 07)

round red uniform fruits.

the healthy plant.

Last year I had grown “EARLY GIRL” Austin Garden Club culti-

This year another early variety “EARLY DOLL” also Garden Club cultivar planted first week in March in soil prepared with lots of fall leaves as compost without digging the soil. Plant made it through mild winter.

Other picture show the height of plant above the fence measuring almost 8 feet. This plant grown so big and tall looks like a tree.

I have to prune some branches to make room for air circulation and sunlight required for ripening the fruits. I am basically running out of space.

I am growing other various varieties of tomatoes like Celebrity, BeefSteak, Juliet, Sweet Cherry etc

I was away for a month on vacation but plants had grown and healthy and with blooms and about 3 feet tall by April 15, 2015.

var which one the award in 2014 Fruits & Flower show. These are early producers with medium size

most people would refer to as a photographic memory ● Is highly critical of oneself; shows early signs of perfectionism ● Has a keen eye for small details other children at the same grade level tend to miss ● Is musically or artistically talented

Picked one red ripe tomato on May 15 by this time plant had grown out of cage reaching fence height. See two pictures taken on May 24, 2015 with plenty of green tomatoes starting from bottom of the plant throughout

I am proud and pleased to grow this early variety. This years rains in May helped for all plants. I have not watered my garden for the last two months. My rainwater harvesting tanks are overflowing every day.

This is blessing for gardeners.

Happy Gardening Venkappa Gani

gifted program acceptance exams at select locations. All of our locations can provide you with a custom, supplemental curriculum for your student that adheres to his or her current learning capacity.

Where students may not be receiving an adequate challenge through their daily coursework, we are able to supplement their education with assignments and practical exercises so that they can be prompted to reach their full potential.

For more information visit www. bestinclasseducation.com or call toll-free at 1.888.683.8108.

CHILDREN ARTICLES

Children email us your articles to see it in print info@austinsouthasian.com

Harveen Kaur - Top 7 (Continued From Page 01) conducted by Zee TV and ecord ed in the Famous Studios in Mumbai, India.

More than 20000 audition entries were received for this competition.

The 14 top finalists, all talented Indian American youngsters, were chosen after viewer votings, number of video views and judges selections.

The program was aired on Zee TV, USA on April 26, 2015. The segment is available to view on youtube as “SaReGaMaPa Li’l Champs North America - Grand Finale” Bollywood star Ali Zafar, model and actress Lauren Gottlieb and actor Jackky Bhagnani showed up as celebrity guests at North America Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs finale.

She has won numerous awards in Northern Indian Classical singing and Bollywood singing performances.

(Continued On Page 13)

5” X 1” Ad COSTS $29 512-828-6709

Harveen Kaur - Top 7

13

(Continued From Page 12)

She has been invited to sing national Anthems for USA and India at various events including Austin American Resource Center inaugurations and TX State Capital.

Back in 2009, she was judged 2nd in USA in a singing completion held in New Jersey, judged by Sonu Nigam and Suresh Wadekar.

Her passion for singing also showed up when she went up on stage with Shreya Ghoshal last year during her concert in Austin.

Harveen is a 7th grader and dreams to continue her passion for singing for life.

She studies at Harmony School of political Science and communication and is the student of Ustad Ghulam Farid Nizami in Austin TX. To Learn more, check her out on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HarveenKMusic

Austin South Asian | June 2015

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

Agents Of Change: SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival Announces Theme For 2015 May 11, 2015 - Espanola, New Mexico, USA – ESPANOLA, NEW MEXICO (TIP):

gone on to create careers for themselves in media and film.

These winners include well-

es. However, viewers will have a chance to cast their vote for their favorite films in the Intermediate division.

SikhNet Webmaster, Gurumustuk Singh, “Tapping into the creativity of Sikh youth worldwide has been one of SikhNet’s primary goals.

During this time, the SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival has become one of the premier online events for the world-wide Sikh community.

In 2006, when we initiated the online film festival, we could not envision what beautiful films we would receive.

For more information about the SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival, visit http://www.sikhnet.com/ filmfestival/.

Nor could we have imagined the groundswell of support from the Sikh community worldwide.”

SikhNet’s mission is to serve by educating and communicating on all Sikh-related matters of interest to both Sikhs and non-Sikhs around the world at www.sikhnet. com.

This is the 10th year that SikhNet. com has hosted its annual film competition.

The SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival (www.sikhnet.com/filmfestival/) is pleased to announce the theme for this year’s festival: Sikhs - Agents of Change. With this theme, SikhNet hopes that young Sikh film-makers will create original films exploring how putting Sikh values and practices into action locally can positively impact and heal the world as a whole.

known Sikh film-maker Satdeep Singh.

Film-makers can focus on the universal teachings of the Sikh Masters, including: Vandh Chakna (Sharing); Kirat Karna (Hard Work); Naam Japna (Chanting); Seva (Selfless Service); Simran (Spiritual Reflection) and Sarbat Da Bhalla (Good Will To All).

Films are shown in colleges, at Gurdwaras, in city theaters, and even in small villages.

Other examples for movie ideas include: highlighting specific Sikh figures, historical or modern, who created change through their example.

Highlighting environmental issues and how Sikhs can help heal the planet, and telling stories about Sikh values in action.

Additionally, a grassroots movement in India has developed over the years in response to the SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival.

Sikh groups select their favorite films from the festival and organize community events that feature the films.

This year, the film festival will award prizes based on three categories: Junior (11-17), Intermediate (18-28) and Senior (29 and above).

The first place winner of the Junior category will receive a cash prize of $500.

There will be three $1000 prizes for the best three movies in the Intermediate division.

Documentaries, dramas and animation are all welcome.

The Senior category (ages 29 and above) will not receive a cash prize but will receive recognition for the best film.

Previous winners of the SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival have

This year’s winners will be selected by a panel of expert judg-

MEN CAN COOK!

While the popular vote will not determine the winners of the film festival, they will be a factor in the judge’s final decisions.

SikhNet considers every film submitted a winner in its own unique way.

The deadline for submissions to the film festival is August 31, 2015.

Sikh youth can submit their films at: http:// www.sikhnet. com/filmfestival/submit/ The SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival began in 2006, when SikhNet recognized the need for youth to get involved in online media in order to better communicate the Sikh identity.

According

to

Email your recipe with your photos and see in print

Info@AustinSouth Asian.com

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Choose from several of our ONE-DAY workshops.

Conveniently offered on Saturdays here in AUSTIN! Check out our SUMMER PROGRAMS for YOUTH!

Learn more at https://www.lstrat.org/ Shaping leaders of tomorrow!

Or Call us at 512-535-4977

15

Austin South Asian | June 2015

Show Dad He’s Your Hero this Father’s Day This Father’s Day Think Beyond The Tie

(StatePoint) If Dad is your hero, Father’s Day is the perfect time to let him know. Luckily, there are plenty of fun ways to shine a light on Dad’s valor -- from cool new gifts to handmade creations.

Athletic Gear Maybe it’s been a month since Dad laced up his sneakers -- but you can change that.Whether it’s a new set of weights, a mountain bike repair kit, or reflective run-

Dad in super hero shape while promoting his athletic interests.

Cool Tools Adults view many everyday tasks as mundane, parenting moments -- whether it’s changing a flat tire, pitching the tent on a camping trip, or checking for monsters under the bed.

But to a child, these tasks can seem heroic, especially with the

cessories to perform these tasks with the ease of a hero. Wearable headlights are not only comfortable and compact, but they can also help dads complete projects that require two hands.

A new range of water-resistant, drop-tested headlights from Energizer feature powerful LEDs, a patented digital focus, dimming technology, shatter-proof lenses and a handy pivoting function, giving users the ability to control the beam direction.

The Energizer Vision HD+ Focus, the most innovative headlight in the collection, allows for a beam of up to 80 meters. More information can be found at www.Energizer.com/fathersdaysavings.

Write a Story

ning apparel, you can help keep

right tools. Give Dad the right ac-

Celebrate all of Dad’s heroic accomplishments with a comic strip or short story. Whether your Super Dad fixed a flat tire in an emergency, helped you finish your science project at the 11th hour or turned a boring day of errands into an adventure, you can show your appreciation by making him the protagonist of your own literary creation. This Father’s Day, go beyond the standard tie. With a bit of thoughtful creativity, you can let Dad know just how much he means to you.

(StatePoint) The tie has been a traditional Father’s Day gift since the holiday was first celebrated.

But this year, men’s fashion experts say think beyond this staid accessory while Father’s Day shopping.

“The modern man is expressing himself in much broader ways and rounding out his wardrobe with more creativity than he has in the past,” says Denis Daly Wood, founder of Dalys 1895, fourth-generation luxury men’s designer and online retailer.

To give Dad the gift of contemporary style, Wood offers some great Father’s Day shopping tips: • Get inspired by Dad’s favorite hobbies. For example, if he’s an outdoor enthusiast, perhaps he would like a new sturdy backpack, hiking boots or gloves to wear during his next adventure.

If he’s a writer, a leather-bound journal or engraved fountain pen are great gift ideas that could prove useful and personal. Search for items that could help Dad better enjoy doing the things he loves.

• Dad may have his favorite suits, but buying him an accessory to accent his outfit can make him look and feel his best when he’s at the office or out to dinner. A pock-

et square, like a limited edition Caravaggio silk pocket square, can add a level of sophistication to Dad’s look.

• Has your father been carrying the same wallet for years? Upgrade his style with a wallet of a different color or texture or select a sterling silver alternative, like the Dalys 1895 Sterling Silver 16 Gauge Money Clip, with his hand-engraved monogram for a personal touch.

• Does Dad have a favorite watch that he loves to wear? Buy Dad a watch winder or watch box where he can keep his treasure. A bracelet that complements his watch can also add a great touch to his outfit all year round.

• For the traveling dad, consider a sleek, stylish weekender bag or briefcase to amp up his style even while he’s on the go. If Dad always travels with his tablet or laptop, be sure to find a bag with tech pockets that will protect his gadgets even during takeoff.

For even more Father’s Day gift ideas, visit www.dalys1895.com.

Don’t resort to a tacky “Number One Dad” t-shirt or boring, tired tie. Take this holiday as an opportunity to elevate Dad’s style.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

A Communal Living Initiative For The Seniors In Austin Area!

(Continued From Page 01)

together and discussed the possibility of having a communal type living and did a survey of the

tiniketan-us.com/common/index. php) which caters to South Asian community.

We had a meeting attended by some 50+ people and Gibby Parackal a realtor came and we explored the possibility of the building the units in Austin and the surrounding areas like Manor, Leander, George Town.

They want to have a peaceful living closer to their children, preserving their independence without being a burden to their children.

They want to combat loneliness in their golden age, keeping up a fit and an active lifestyle.

A group of likeminded people got

people who might be interested in something like that with common multipurpose hall, kitchen facility, recreational amenities within the proximity of the shopping, medical, entertainment and transportation facilities.

The model is something similar to retirement community, Shanti Nekatan in Florida (http://shan-

An experienced builder and developer in Austin Sam Kumar also talked about the development cost of $150,000 to $200,000 per unit and reiterated that the land cost in Austin right now is very expensive.

A feasibility of Shanthin Niketan facility for the Dallas is found below: http://shantiniketan-us.com/ downloads/DFW_20150327_ Presentation.pdf.

A committee was formed to do due diligence and conduct focus groups.

The next plans of action are as follows:

Jayathakkar62@gmail.com, 512.614.1255

The committee will meet in June.

If more information and to get involved, please contact: Harish Kotecha, Kotecha@yahoo.com, 512.994.4678 Jayaben Thakkar,

MEN CAN COOK! Email your recipe with your photos and see yourself in print

Info@Austin SouthAsian.com

Nepal Quake Relief Drive And Fundraiser At Radha Madhav Dham This weekend, in partnership with NRN USA (Non Resident Nepali Association), Radha Madhav Dham hosted a donation drive and fundraiser in their temple grounds.

Several hundred members of the

and sisters in Nepal who have lost everything in the devastating 7.8 earthquake of last week.

All day Saturday and Sunday, the Nepali community came to help sort and organize the items so donations can urgently be shipped to

lemonade to every one present.

At 7:00pm, Saturday May 2, the community gathered to hold a candlelight vigil and offer two minutes of silent prayers in remembrance of the victims.

Nepal via containers.

The youth contributed in their own way, making and serving

“We feel blessed and thankful for being a part of the Radha Madhav Dham’s community and for the

A collection center has been set up at Radha Madhav Dham and will remain open every day for the next few weeks, for anyone interested in donating basic supplies.

On Sunday May 3, during the Community Worship, Ashay Ajgaonkar, a managing member of Radha Madhav Dham presented a check of $11,000, representing last week’s collection, to Krishna GC of NRN USA. On behalf of NRN, Krishna shared stories of devastation and informed community of the urgent needs facing the villagers living in the outlying rural areas of Kathmandu.

Austin Indian Community came forward to help with monetary donations, medical supplies and clothing to assist their brothers

Australia to provide the handson assistance where it is most needed.

He also shared the relief steps being taken by NRN who have already sent teams of doctors, nurses and volunteers from US,

show of support we have received from all our brothers and sisters here in Austin who have come forward to help the Nepalese people”, said Krishna in conclusion of his heartfelt speech.

If you would like to donate money, please visit: http://radhamadhavdham.org/make-a-pledgenow/or send a check made out to: JKP Radha Madhav Dham. 400 Barsana Road, Austin, TX 78737.

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Name

Austin South Asian | June 2015

AUSTIN INDIAN NON PROFITS

Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Austin Bollywood Cultural Association ABHN (Asian Behavioral Health Network) AFSSA /SAHELI AKS (Austin Kannada Sangha) AMM (Austin Marathi Mandal) Art of Living Arya Samaj Asha ATS Austin Bengali Association Austin Dance India / Anu Dance Austin Gurdwara Sahib Austin Hindu Temple Austin Indian Austin Intercultural Network BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Austin Bollywood Shake BTC CAAAD Chinmaya Mission of Austin CTBA Cutting Chai Productions Dining for Women - Chapter 1 Dining for Women - Chapter 2 Ekal Vidyalaya GAACC GAMA GSA HC4A IACT IASCA ICC ICMCA IDEAYA IFA Indian Syrian Orthodox Church IndieMeme Jain Sangh of Greater Austin Monsoon Dance NAAO Naga Valli Natyalaya School of Dance NetIP Oliver Rajamani’s music group Om Shanti Place for Change Pratham Radha Madhav Dham RangaMancha (Play group) SAADA SAALT Circle SABA Sai Baba Group SAIVA School of Social Work - Former Dean Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Austin TCA TIE Austin Tiru Gallery TV Asia UT Center for Asian American Studies UT ICA UT ISA Vadtal Swaminarayan Temple Vibha

Contact Person Email Lesley Varghese Jignesh Patel Esther Chung Linda Phan Veena Rao Sukumar Smita Kulkarni, Prasad Bimal Choudhary/Anoop Swarn Mahendru Gaurav Agarwal Mahendran Nagarajan Ashan “Hero” Chaudry Anuradha Naimpally Harnek S. Bains UmaKant Gupta Nimish Pathak Shalini Komarla Kamal Dhanani Ruchika Dias Sonia Kotecha Ramey Ko Srinath Iyengar Niloy Deb Sushma Parmar Jaya Thakkar Seema Mehta Talsi Gadhia Marina Bhargava Jose Animon / PG R Satyajeet Dodia Harish Kotecha Shahin Alvi Jagdish Kothari Mary Matthew Prashant Manikal Kumari Samineni Mrs. Janaki Nagarajan Alka Bhanot Pankil Matalia Shruti Anand Sumit Dasgupta Naga Valli Vinita Subramanian Ganesh Dasika / Sumina Oliver Rajamani Prakash Mohandas Mark Henson Vandana Kumar Chirag Patel /Braj Rani Amit Apte Samip Mallick Shamim Shahi Arpana Parikh / Sujata Mahesh Mahadevan Shubhada Saxena Shanti Khinduka Craig & Jill Edwards G. Narsi Reddy Mayur Mehta Rama Tiru Seema Govil Sona Shah Aishavaraya Sonawane Kushal Patel Dushyant Desai Angela Sohan

lesleyvarghese@gmail.com soundimaging.medical@gmail.com abhn.austin@gmail.com lphan@saheli-austin.org sukumarveena@hotmail.com spanvalkar@hotmail.com bimalenduc@gmail.com” mahendrus@yahoo.com austin@ashanet.org vijaysan@gmail.com zareefc@yahoo.com anu@anudance.com hbains@austin.rr.com guptaji1949@yahoo.com nimish_pathak@yahoo.com shalini.komalra@gmail.com kamalswami@gmail.com info@bollywoodshakeaustin.com s_kotecha@yahoo.com ramey.ko@gmail.com info@chinmayaaustin.org niloyjdeb@hotmail.com sush@cuttingchaiproductions.com jayathakkar62@gmail.com mehta_seema@hotmail.com gadhiat@yahoo.com mbhargava@AustinAsianChamber.org animon.jose@gmail.com sdodia09@gmail.com kotecha@yahoo.com salvi@iactaustin.org jagdishkot@yahoo.com marylm@aol.com icmca.committee@gmail.com kumari.samineni@gmail.com raj38@hotmail.com stgregorios.online@gmail.com alka_bhanot@yahoo.com pankil@hotmail.com shrutinanand@gmail.com dasgupta1974@gmail.com booking@nagavalli.com suminabhatti@gmail.com booking@oliverrajamani.com prakash.mohandas@gmail.com mark@placeforchange.com info@prathamusa.org chirag@radhamadhavdham.org apteamit@gmail.com samip@saadigitalarchive.org shahishamim@hotmail.com sujata.ajmera@gmail.com info.austin@sairegion10.org saivamembership@gmail.com khinduka@wustl.edu info@saiaustin.org s_shamapant@yahoo.com mayur@ieee.org tirugallery@gmail.com govilseema@gmail.com sona.shah@austin.utexas.edu aishwaryasonawane@yahoo.com kushalp8493@gmail.com rdesai2001@hotmail.com coordinator@austin.vibha.org

Celebration Of Immigrant Heritage Month (IHM)

By Ashwin Ghatalia

ers.

Month of June is Immigration Heritage Month. Ours is a nation of immigrants ( it almost sounds like a cliché), the celebrations in June would remind us all where we all came from.

While this celebrations are being spearheaded by Forward US( FWD.US), IACT is partnering with it on behalf of Indian-American community – our group consists of immigrants or children or grandchildren of immigrants.

In our nation we are perhaps the youngest of the migrant group.

This is a nationwide effort to gather and share inspirational stories of immigration in America .

These then will be the stories of individuals, families and communities who have contributed to the unique social fabric of a country whose greatness is fueled by its diversity.

The universal American ethos of entrepreneurship, inclusion, strength , resilience and above all the respect for individuals and ideas unifies us.

During this second annual celebration in June 2015 we highlight each unique immigrant experience and illuminate how each individual journey has been instrumental to the formation, foundation and ongoing strength of the USA. IHM 2015 is an inclusive affaire of community organizations, elected officials, media outlets, athletes, artist and thought lead-

During this month we will remember and celebrate the richness of nation’s immigration history highlighting immigrant contributions to American culture and economy throughout its history from pioneers of centuries past to tech innovators of today.

We will also celebrate today’s immigrant who will lay the foundation for brighter tomorrow.

The first of the series of events will take pace on June 3rd when award winning documentary La Americana will be screened at Alamo Draft House on South Lamar at 6:30pm. The attendance is free.

Please RSVP to FWD.US immigrant Heritage Month. For this event , city commission on immigrant affairs, define American, and welcome US are also partnering. Other events will be announced later.

APPEAL TO NON PROFITS Please help us in updating the contact information.

Please email correct information if you think the published information needs update. We appreciate if you can also provide a contact number so that your members / community can reach you.

We will also carry this on our website and keep it updated for the benefit of community. email: info@austinsouthasian.com 512-828-6709

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

June Predictions - 2015

ARIES (March 21 to April 20): First half of the month is good for all career related matters.

Take your chance and it will pay off.

Money wise you will stay very comfortable the whole month.

You will be spending lots of money on children in second half of June and may even go on a business trip.

TAURUS (April 21 to May 20): First half of this month will be very expensive.

Some unexpected expenses will shake up your budget. Things will improve a lot in career in June. Some of you will start new relationship this month. You will be offered a great business deal towards the end of the month.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Partnership matters will keep getting better.

You will enjoy first half with family and friends. Business will improve and there is a good chance of you

moving to a better position at work. In second half you will overcome your opponents. Month favorable for all money matters.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): You will stay little anxious and restless in first half of thiss month. You can make lots of money through speculation or lottery in this month. Divine protection will save you from many obstacles.

You will plan and go on a short trip with family in second half of June.

LEO (July 23 to August 22): You will be tired of stale life and may take few very bold initiatives in first half. Gamble will pay off and you will hit the bulls eye. A big property deal may also materialize in second half of the month. You will be signing many legal documents during the month.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22): You will stay under lots of financial pressure in first half and may have to pay penalty or some

kind of fine to Government. A big decision will come in your favor after 15th and you will get the big refund also.

And of course there is no escape from hard work this month.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22): First half will make you more popular and famous.

Mind will be cheerful and you will have many reasons to celebrate. Second half is financially rewarding and you could really hit some kind of financial jackpot. You will spend lots of money on family and home.

SCORPIO November

(October 23 to 22): Change will come with lots of uncertainty in first half but everything will settle down after 15th in career.

You will be a very calculated move and reach your goals this month. You may also dispose of some asset and pocket the money.

You will help many people.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 to December 22): You may win some favors from a government agency in first half. You will make few very important clients or contacts also. Some of you will be leaving on an important trip overseas towards the end of month. Chances of contract coming through good towards the end.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19): First half very good to make career related moves or start a new venture.

Your bank balance will grow this month as you will recover some money towards the end of this month. A major law suit could be decided in your favor. You will visit a nice place with family.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18): Partnership matters will become permanent this month.

Some one going bald and maybe honey color eyes will help you. Spouse will not be sure

about your plans. There will be some interesting developments in career in second half and you may have to travel too.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20): It will be wise to make peace with trouble maker rather than acting wild.

Money wise the whole month is good. Change of strategy in early this month will quickly reduce your liability and expenses by the end of month.

You may not be sure whether to extend lease here or to move to another place. You will meet an interesting person around 25th of June.

Pandit Parashar parashar@parashar.com www.parashar.com 925-833-7170

Switzerland Names 7 Indians Being Probed

Berne, Switzerland: Switzerland has in an official gazette published the names of scores of foreign nationals, including at least seven Indians, being probed in their respective countries for holding Swiss bank accounts.

According to the New Indian Express and PTI, the Indians named on the list, along with birth dates of some, are: Gurjit Singh Kochar, born June 5, 1980, identified by PTI as the son-in-law of the late realty baron Ponty Chadha Syed Mohamed Masood, born October 24, 1956; identified as chairman of Mumbai-based City Limousine

Chaud Kauser Mohamed Masood, Born May 5, 1957; Sneh Lata Sawhney, born October 3, 1942; identified as the wife of Bhushan Lal Sawhney, managing director of Sawhney Tyres.

Sangita Sawhney, born August 15, 1958; Yash Birla, an industrialist; and Ritika Sharma, a Delhi businesswoman

The New Indian Express said Syed Mohamed Masood was being investigated by India’s Enforcement Directorate, among other agencies, for alleged money laundering. Bhushan Lal Sawhney was first named in the socalled HSBC list released by a

whistleblower.

Making public these names, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration asked the Indians to file an appeal within 30 days before the Federal Administrative Court if they do not want their details to be shared with Indian authorities under a “mutual assistance” treaty on tax matters. Similar is the case for other foreign nationals including the British, Spanish and Russians. However, in case of American and Israeli citizens, their full names have been withheld and they have been identified only by their initials and dates of birth.

The alleged stashing of wealth by Indians in Swiss banks has been

a matter of great debate in India.

The Indian government has been pushing the Swiss authorities for a long time to share information on suspected tax evaders.

Switzerland has shared some details only in cases where India has been able to provide independent evidence of suspected tax evasion. In a report, the Sonntagszeitung weekly said the Swiss government has been flooded with requests for assistance from many countries including India. Also, the banks do not have much interest in contacting such customers being prosecuted in their home countries because many no longer are account holders, it said.

Switzerland last week said its parliament would soon consider changes in laws to consider sharing information on cases being probed on the basis of stolen data of Swiss bank accounts. “Switzerland has decided to follow international standards, including those framed by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), in sharing information and providing assistance to foreign countries probing such cases, but we have to ask our parliament to make changes in our laws,” Switzerland’s Economic Affairs Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann said during a visit to India earlier this month.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

June 2015 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.

June 04, Thursday, 08:00 AM, Jbl Presents A.R.Rahman The Intimate Concert is at Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr Austin, TX 78712. For more information, contact 207-401-9800,

Engaging in unsanctioned and often makeshift operations, they waged a desperate effort to evacuate as many South Vietnamese as possible. “Last Days in Vietnam” is currently nominated for a 2015 Academy Award® for Documentary Feature. FREE. AARC Ballroom

June 06, Saturday, 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM, “Last Days in Vietnam” Film Screening - During the chaotic final days of the American involvement in the Vietnam War, South Vietnamese resistance crumbled.

With the lives of thousands of South Vietnamese hanging in the balance, those in control faced an impossible decision—who would go and who would be left behind.

June 06, Saturday, 08:00 AM, AMM Annual Sports Day 2015 is at South Austin Recreation Center, 1100 Cumberland Rd, Austin, TX 78704. For more information, contact Austin Marathi Mandal at 512-695-2658.

Tickets: AMM Member - Indoor Sport Badminton $ 5.00 AMM Member - Indoor Sport -

SCHEDULE:

Table Tennis $ 5.00 AMM Member - Indoor Sport Carrom $ 5.00 AMM Member - Indoor Sport Chess $ 5.00 AMM Member - Outdoor Sport Tennis $ 5.00 AMM Member - Outdoor Sport - Running (100/200/400 mtrs)$ 5.00 AMM Member - Outdoor Sport Cricket $ 5.00 AMM Non-Member - Indoor Sport - Badminton $ 8.00 AMM Non-Member - Indoor Sport - Table Tennis $ 8.00 AMM Non-Member - Indoor Sport - Carrom $ 8.00 AMM Non-Member - Indoor Sport - Chess $ 8.00 AMM Non-Member - Outdoor Sport - Tennis $ 8.00

AMM Non-Member - Outdoor Sport - Running (100/200/400 mtrs) $ 8.00 AMM Non-Member - Outdoor Sport - Cricket $ 8.00 June 13, Saturday, 04 PM - 08:00 PM, PISTA SA NAYON 2015 - The Philippines and Pacific Island Festival will feature a fashion show, cultural dancing, games, music and more. Presented by Austin Filipino-American Association. FREE. AARC Ballroom June 27, Saturady, 11:00 AM - 01:45 PM, Dhamma Talk with Venerable Dr. Giac Hanh - The Hand of Compassion Charity presents “How do we follow the peaceful way of

the Buddha?” with Venerable Dr. Giac Hanh. Each session beings with a loving-kindness meditation practice followed by Dhamma lecture. 11am to 1:45pm – Vietnamese session, 12:30 to 1:45pm – English session. Silent auction. FREE. AARC Ballroom.

June 28, Sunday, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM, Planet Music Concert: Middle Eastern Music - 1001 Nights Orchestra presents this buffet of colorful music showcasing the Middle Eastern cultures’ diversity and unity. This show will focus on Southwest Asian, Middle Eastern and the Caucuses regional repertoire and include songs from the regions. FREE. AARC Ballroom

Tips to Set Up a Great Home Theater These days, home theaters are particularly popular rooms in many houses, and are even viewed as selling points. In fact, this trend has become so popular that eight in ten builders now offer home theater pre-wire, according to a study from the Consumer Electronics Association.

weighing in at just five pounds, Casio’s SLIM projectors are thin

com.

By following some tricks of the trade, you can add excitement to your living room or create a superior home theater space.

Immersive Visuals To capture the stunning visuals you see in the theater, consider a projector that can create a more immersive experience for gaming, movies, concerts, and sports.

Be sure to select one with a fully connectable interface, including three types of video and audio inputs, as well as HDMI, RGB and RS-232C terminals.

A projector lets you replace an ordinary TV with a larger screen, and if you choose a light one, it can even be moved around from room to room. For example,

woofer. And don’t just place speakers on either side of your screen. Create an equilateral triangle, with the right and left front speakers as two points and your primary seat as the third point.

Meaning, if you are seated seven feet away from the screen, your speakers should be seven feet apart from each other and angled toward you. Place them at the same height as ear level.

Easy Comfort

and compact, require little setup time and provide maximum brightness in as few as five seconds to put you into the action in no time. The SLIM series of LampFree projectors offers an estimated 20,000-hour lifespan with minimal brightness degradation and continuous operation, outshining conventional projectors requiring mercury lamp replacements. More information is available at www.CasioProjector.

And experts also stress that projectors can be economical, as the cost per image area is less than with traditional televisions.

Powerful Sound You want powerful sound that can move you, but not so loud it moves your home’s foundation.

Most experts agree surround sound is best. You will need at least four speakers and a sub-

Seating is just as important as incredible visuals and powerful sound to create the perfect home theater atmosphere.

Think of seats as primary and secondary. Primary seating is for family or friends who use the space regularly. Secondary seating is used when you have that huge party for the big game, a new movie or an awards show.

Some prefer dramatic theaterstyle seating with classic flip-up chairs and built-in cup holders.

Others like recliners or sofas on which they can lean. Just make sure every seat has an unobstructed view and no seat is too close to speakers.

Above all, when the remodeling is done, remember to take time to enjoy your set-up! (State Point)

CHILDREN ARTICLES

Children email us your articles to see it in print info@austinsouthasian.com

21

Austin South Asian | June 2015

Three Steps To Get Your Home’s Outdoor Spaces Summer-Ready

You may not think a lot about your home’s outdoor spaces during the off-season, but in warm weather, your porch, deck, yard and patio are extensions of your living space -- and it’s important to maintain these areas to be in tip-top shape.

It’s a tough world out there.

Things get dirty, messy and stained, and sometimes a garden hose, soap and elbow grease just aren’t enough -- especially after

furniture, sidewalks and fencing with a light-duty pressure washer. For decks, patios, garage floors, siding and driveways, a medium-duty pressure washer can help save you time and en-

purchase one, be sure to get the right machine for your needs.

Factors like how often you plan to use it and the type of projects you will use it for are key elements in the decision making process.

Briggs & Stratton, a pressure washer manufacturer known for machines that start easily, run quietly and offer fuel efficiency, makes the selection process easy with a buying guide selector tool available online at www. briggsandstratton.com.

Here are some helpful tips to get these spaces summer-ready.

Organize Set yourself up for a season of better gardening, yardwork, tinkering and auto repair by organizing your shed or garage.

Friendly Spaces

You’ll be more inclined to do these necessary tasks when you know exactly where your tools are and you don’t have to search around in order to get started.

Reduce mosquitos by eliminating standing water from the yard.

Do an inventory of your tools.

Throw out rusty or broken items that are irreparable. Perform routine maintenance on equipment and tools.

months of neglect.

ergy on clean-up jobs.

Then organize your equipment in a systematic way that makes the most sense for you, making use of vertical storage systems that take the best advantage of the space you have.

Enter the pressure washer, which can aggressively blast things clean with water jets pressurized up to75 times that of a garden hose; or gently spray with lower pressures for delicate cleaning.

Just be sure to wear googles and closed-toed shoes when using a pressure washer, and never operate the machine in an enclosed area.

Deep Clean

Step up your cleaning of patio

If you don’t already own a pressure washer and you’re looking to

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)

For more comfortable cookouts, you may also want to add plants to your yard that repel these pests, such as citronella and marigolds.

Plant trees so you can look forward to shady spaces for future seasons. However, for the current season, use awnings or shade arbors to create a place where you can safely and happily spend the sunniest portion of your afternoons.

By performing a few key tasks, you can prime home’s outdoor spaces for a season of gardening, entertaining, relaxing and summer living. (StatePoint)

5” X 2” Ad COSTS $29 512-828-6709 To Advertise in ASA call 512-828-6709

22

THEME: ON THE FARM ACROSS 1. Staples Center, e.g.

6. *Some tractors have an enclosed one 9. French cabaret legend Edith 13. Hogwarts professor and part werewolf 14. Female gametes 15. “A ____ ate my baby” 16. Through this and thin 17. Aquatic shocker 18. Happen 19. *Fruit trees 21. *Traditional “mower” 23. E in BCE 24. 1950s pin-up 25. Accounting degree 28. Month of Purim 30. Stream of revenue 35. *Barbecued pig or cow anatomy 37. Away from wind 39. Swamp plant 40. Elliptical 41. *Livestock farm 43. Pineapple producer 44. Some are cuckoo for these puffs 46. “Why not?”

47. Rushed 48. *Animal house 50. Juicing byproduct 52. They often pop up 53. Beer spouts 55. Lake in France 57. *Used on sheep 60. *Pullets and drakes, e.g.

64. To bake an egg in its shell 65. It’s sometimes high or low 67. Sound of pinched nose 68. One who ____ around 69. Hammurabi’s code, e.g.

70. “It’s the latest ____” 71. Edible root of taro plant 72. Wife’s title 73. Wives of one man

Austin South Asian | June 2015

DOWN 1. Choir member 2. German industrial valley 3. Larger-than-life 4. A position well suited to person occupying it 5. Turkish capital 6. For boys and girls 7. As opposed to St. or Blvd.

8. Crafter’s wood 9. Ancient Briton 10. Give some this and they take a mile 11. Malaria symptom 12. Hemingway’s “___ Whom the Bell Tolls” 15. A man who is senior member of group, pl.

20. Kind of police gun 22. Computer-generated imagery, acr.

24. Engaged couple’s contracts 25. The Nile is famous for these 26. Turning point 27. Manila hemp 29. “Oh, my!”

31. U.S. law-enforcement agents 32. Used to treat Parkinson’s disease 33. Amorously checked out 34. *Pesky farm intruders 36. Like Oscar in “The Odd Couple” 38. Very light brown 42. Conversation starter 45. Communion tables 49. *Corn piece 51. Protruding belly 54. Sacred song 56. “The Nutcracker” protagonist 57. Food fish 58. *A quadruped’s ____quarters 59. Consequently 60. Seats for a flock 61. One of the Romanovs 62. Level to the ground 63. Original matter 64. Female 66. Hot Wheel

SOLUTION

Sudoku

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

Name and photo of the inviduvidual with first correct answer will be published in July 2015 issue.

To Advertise in ASA call 512828-6709

23

Austin South Asian | June 2015

Indian American Kids Sweep 2015 National Geographic Bee Titles

WASHINGTON — Indian American contestants swept to victory in the 2015 National Geographic Bee, taking the top three titles in this year’s prestigious and challenging competition May 13.

graphic Bee aren’t instructed on challenging what they’re told is a wrong answer.

The question: “The Mesabi Range contains a large deposit of what metal-bearing mineral?”

He cruised from there, getting every championship-round question right to become the 27th National Geographic Bee champion May 13.

Karan Menon, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, placed first in the competition, winning a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime National Geographic Society membership and a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

Runner-up Shriya Yarlagadda, 11, of Grand Blanc, Michigan, received a $25,000 scholarship, and third-place finisher Sojas Wagle, 13, of Springdale, Arkansas, got a $10,000 scholarship.

According to a report in the Associated Press, Karan knew his answer was right but wasn’t sure how to argue his case.

Contestants in the National Geo-

That point was just enough for Karan to avoid elimination and make the top three.

“I knew this question,” he said.

“I was 100 percent sure. I didn’t know why I had been marked wrong, so I decided to speak up for myself and challenge the question.

Karan studied for eight hours a day after winning the New Jersey state bee.

He raised his hand and hoped host Soledad O’Brien would notice.

O’Brien called on him. Karan— from Edison, New Jersey — explained that his answer was correct.

O’Brien was looking for “iron ore.” Karan said “taconite,” which is a form of iron ore.

He also sought out a coach, Kumar Nandur, who worked with winners last year and in 2010.

After conferring for about five minutes, the judges gave him credit.

But knowledge and memorization weren’t the keys to victory — Karan said it was about focus. He took deep breaths and meditated

May 2015 Sudoku Answer: Correct Answer: Shanti Rao

between questions.

“Everyone here is equal,” Karan said. “When it comes to the competition, you have to control your mind.

You have to adapt to all this, like, millions of tons of pressure that’s coming on you.”

Indian American children have dominated both the National Geographic Bee and the Scripps National Spelling Bee in recent years.

All three top winners are of Indian descent, and there was a laugh among parents and contestants when they got a question about a new state in India that was formed last year.

— Ben Nuckols of AP contributed to this report

ICC NEEDS VOLUNTEERS India Community Center of Austin needs

Yudhveer Bagga

VOLUNTEERS.

iccaustin @gmail.com

24

Austin South Asian | June 2015

History lessons For ‘Gour Hari Dastaan’ Cast National Award winning director Ananth Mahadevan’s upcoming biopic “Gour Hari Dastaan - The Freedom File”, which depicts the 32-year-long struggle of Gour Hari Das with the bureaucracy to

dance for the need to make sure certain historical events and their representation in the movie was aptly and factually correct.

Also, two of the scholars were

“This research was rarely done in Indian biopics and this was the right way to go about recreating a not so recent past,” Konkona said in a statement.

TANU WEDS MANU

At the opening of Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) says of her husband of four years: “I think I love him,

The minute detailing that the research threw up, took the 35-year-old into a different space and time, helping her immensely with elements that could enhance her character study.

The film, which encompasses the past in a stinging modern day satire on free India through the eyes of the freedom fighter Gour Hari Das is scheduled to release on August 14.

but I’ve stopped liking him. I like him like a mammal.”

It’s a sentiment that’s surely rec-

Tabu Replaces Rekha In Fitoor

prove that he is a freedom fighter, has been made under the guidance of the subject and an entire team of historian scholars.

The research was done in accor-

specially appointed to teach and educate the cast, which includes Vinay Pathak, Konkona Sen Sharma and Ranvir Shorey, about the history represented in the film.

Amitabh Bachchan Shares Throwback Father-Son Moment Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, whose film ‘Piku’ - on the fatherdaughter bond - has garnered plaudits galore, has shared an

old photograph featuring himself with his late father Harivanshrai Bachchan and son Abhishek in

Abhishek Kapoor’s next Fitoor, has been in the news since the film commenced shooting earlier this year.

However now we hear that the cast of the film has undergone a major change. In fact we hear

into tizzy. However, the day was saved when the Haider actress, Tabu accepted to play the role.

The problem however now is that Rekha’s sequences will have to be reshot with Tabu, Aditya and Katrina and getting the dates of

the same frame.

Reminiscing the moments, the 72-year-old took to micro-blogging website Twitter to share the image, which was taken on the sets of his the 1979 film Kaala Pathar.

“Three generations, one frame ...(on the sets of ‘Kaala Pathar’ in Pune, at Raj ji’s farm),” the Paa actor tweeted alongside the picture perfect capture.

Kaala Patthar is a 1979 Bollywood action drama film produced and directed by Yash Chopra.

(Image Courtesy: Amitabh Bachchan Twitter Account)

that Rekha, who was to play the character of Miss Havisham in Kapoor’s adaptation of Charles Dicken’s novel Great Expectations, has walked out of the film.

Apparently, Rekha chose to walk out of the film since she was unhappy with the rushes of the film shown to her.

When she approached the production house regarding her decision, the makers of the film went

the lead actors isn’t going to be easy.

Fitoor that features Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif in the lead, also has Aditi Rao Hydari, Akshay Oberoi, Talat Aziz and Lara Dutta playing prominent roles.

Directed by Abhishek Kapoor and produced by UTV-Disney, Fitoor is also slated to release on February 12, 2016.

ognisable to couples the world over, and a nice starting point for a sequel to a romcom that ended with the promise of happily ever after. The story picks up again with two people who want to slit each other’s throats in a way that can only be inspired by the grating annoyance, drudgery, and pentup resentment of cohabitation.

For me, Kathleen Turner said it best in War of the Roses, “When I watch you eat. When I see you asleep. When I look at you lately, I just want to smash your face in.”

But Tanu makes a pretty good go of expressing herself, too. She leaves her husband Manu (Madhavan) in London and heads to her family home in India, where she rebuffs all attempts at reconciliation and tells anyone who’ll listen, quite rightly, that marriage for the sake of making something happen in one’s life is a terrible idea.

It’s only when her husband develops a new love interest (also played by Kangana Ranaut, sporting a fantastic crop this time) that the film veers away from the heady joy of a woman escaping a stale relationship to something more conventional. But even within this conventional setup, there are glimpses of something new and interesting taking place here.

Both Tanus are formidable (as they say “strong women”) and infinitely human. Tanu Weds Manu Returns doesn’t seek to overthrow patriarchy with its desire for a tidy ending, but it still shows up some of its ugly hues, with one of Tanu’s suitors feeling he’s entitled to try to destroy her for not returning his advances. It takes a swipe at elitism with Tanu mocking Manu’s girlfriend’s social status, only to have her confidently inform Tanu that she helps run her house and has got into college on a scholarship while Tanu has never worked a day in her life and considers it an achievement.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

‘Lakshmi’ Screening & Director Nagesh Kukunoor in Austin!

By Birjis Adeni Rashed Photography by Animon Jose On May 14, 2015, we saw an extremely well made, disturbingly traumatic movie Lakshmi (2014 film) with director/writer/actor of this movie ‎Nagesh Kukunoor in attendance. The movie presented

by INDIE MEME was screened at the Southwest theatre in Austin. The event was partly sponsored by South Asia Institute, UT and Humanities Texas and supported by Safe Place, Children at Risk and the Institute of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. INDIE MEME has been bringing to viewers abroad, award-winning & compelling indie films and documentaries. The screening of Lakshmi was their effort to bring cinema with a social message and lead to dialogue, discussion and awareness.

Disturbing, traumatic, inhumane, sensitive, graphic, realistic… many such words describe this movie Lakshmi. A story about child trafficking and prostitution and a portrait of a 14 year old

who after enduring the brutality of the societies underbelly, resiliently stands up to this ruthless exploitation and overcomes the perpetrators.

and heroism of characters like Lakshmi are applaudable to bring perpetrators of such exploitation to justice and give hope that this system of sex trafficking can stop.

The film based on true life story of 14 year old Lakshmi, chronicles her life from her childhood to getting sold by her family, her kidnapping, rape, prostitution, inhumane torture, her escapes and her captures, police indifference, and her unbroken spirit to stand up in court against her sex traffickers.

The movie shows such realistic incidents and graphic details which makes you cringe and rattles you with sad and sordid realities. Yet the depiction of courage

Though the original story happened in a town in AndhraPradesh, this movie is set in Hyderabad, and weaves its cultural milieu with the locations, narrow lanes, language dialects of Hyderabadi Urdu and Telegu language mixed with vulgar and brazen language of the social strata of prostitutes and pimps. The story is served with true to life approach while exposing the compelling realities of many such women.

All performances were ‘phenomenal’ (quoted by Kukunoor ).

The doe eyed Monali Thakur as ‘Lakshmi’, coerces our sympathies with her naivety, innocence, depiction of pain and display of resilience and strength. Actress Shefali Shah as ‘madam Jyoti’ with a painfully bold and sympathetic role carries out her acting exceptionally. While Nagesh Kukunoor, and Satish Kaushik bring out the creepiness of their characters very well with gut –wrenching performances. The Director Kukunoor definitely deserves applause for his execution and realistic depiction of the harsh realities without embellishment.

The movie though excellently made is not an easy watch, but movies like these are required to sensitize us of the harsh realities

which need to be exposed and stopped.

Keeping up their record, INDIE MEME brings National Award winning film – COURT, June 20th. With raving reviews of “intelligent, superbly understated script”- VARIETY; Director Chaitanya Tamhane, called “one of the world’s most accomplished and promising film-makers under 30”-Hollywood-reporter.

Check out indiememe.com for more details, membership or sign up for their newsletter. For LAKSHMI review and excerpts of Conversation with Kuknoor check out my blog - http://www.

Bollywoodfilmcritic.blogspot. com/ a Critique of Bollywood Movies, Film making, Film Industry and Bollywood Blah!

CHILDREN ARTICLES

Email us your articles info@austinsouthasian.com

Big Multi Starrer From Maniratnam? Could Bollywood’s Aamir Khan Be China’s Next Big

After bouncing back to sublime form with ‘OK Kanmani’, director Maniratnam has kick-started pre production work of his next film, which is said to be a multi starrer bilingual in Tamil and Telugu.

The new film will have Telugu

Super Star Magesh Babu as hero with Shruti Haasan playing his lady love and Nagarjuna and Aishwarya Rai Bachan as the parallel pair.

A host of Frontline actors from both Tamil and Telugu cinema will join the cast.

A.R Rahman will score the music to Va i r a m u t h u ’s lines and the rest of the cast and crew details of this Madras Talkies production will be out soon.

Movie Star?

He may not be up there yet with Hollywood actors Tom Cruise or Vin Diesel, and he’s no threat at

the moment to the status of China’s Huang Bo or Fan Bingbing.

But as far as non-Hollywood foreign stars in China go, he’s right at the top of the heap The record-setting PRC release of his Bollywood satirical com-

edy PK has now cemented Aamir Khan’s standing as the highest grossing foreign star of nonEnglish language films in China. As of this past weekend his current release there, PK, owns the record for the most successful Indian film in Chinese history, and if it can continue to perform well for another week or so it could even become the mainland’s highest grossing non-English language foreign film ever.

Lest that seem like only a modest achievement, consider this: for his next film Khan is paired with no less a Chinese luminary than mega-star Jackie Chan in a China-India co-production film that’s scheduled to release in 2016.

With their action-comedy vehicle

Kung Fu Yoga, Khan and Chan aim to set a high bar for movies being made under the India-China film treaty. Each country stands to benefit by opening up more revenue opportunities in the other’s territory, and there’s no better way for them to do that than by putting their top film emissaries up to the task.

Khan’s trajectory as a box office magnet in China began in 2011 with the release of his hugely successful buddy comedy 3 Idiots.

While it grossed only a modest $2 million in theaters, the film found great popularity on TV and online and made Khan a household name. His next film to be released there, Dhoom 3, earned 56 percent more than 3 Idiots, and now PK looks set to more than triple the revenue that Dhoom 3 took in.

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

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Austin South Asian | June 2015

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Austin South Asian | June 2015