India Herald 112316

India Herald

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VOL. 22 NO. 47 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • P.O. BOX 623 • SUGAR LAND,TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 CENTS

President-elect Donald Trump meets Indian real-estate investors

US president-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday Nov. 15 took time out from planning the transition to his presidency to meet with his Indian business partners. Atul Chordia, left, Donald Trump, Sagar Chordia and Kalpesh Mehta. See story on Page 3.

ASIE honors engineers and architects

The American Society of Indian Engineers and Architects (ASIE) of Houston celebrated the professional careers of five individuals with their induction into the ASIE Class of 2016 at a gala at India House in Houston on Nov. 11. The inductees are front, Umesh Baliga, left, Danny Shah, Divyakant Parikh, seated, Jatin Desai, and Dinesh Patel. Rear, Gaju Patel, left, ASIE secretary, Sai Gowthami Asam, treasurer, Dinesh Shah, vice-president, Naresh Kohli, president, Mahendra Vaishnav, Randhir Sinha, Harendra Bhat and Ben Bansal, chairman of the selection committee.

Also honored at the award ceremony was ASIE 2017 Young Engineer/Architect of the Year, Ms. Poolkeshi Patel. ASIE received 27 applications for student scholarships. The selection committee under the Chairmanship of Ravi Arora chose to award scholarships in different amounts to 7 students from U of H, UT and Rice University. See Story on page 3.

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PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

COMMUNITY

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 3

ASIE holds annual gala

By DINESH SHAH American Society of Indian Engineers and Architects of Houston was established in 1994 with a vision of “Building the Future” of young engineers and architects of Indian Origin.

Under the leadership of young engineer and current President Naresh Kolli, ASIE completed a successfyl year and the organization rose to a higher level. The year with a long list of successful technical seminars and tours, concluded in the presence of 250 people on Nov. 11 at India House with a spectacular annual event of holiday spirit, family gathering and social cheer including a consideration of giving back to the community.

The event started with networking and social hour, followed by welcome remarks from ASIE President Naresh Kolli.

He then introduced Raj Basavaraju, ASIE 2015 President as the Emcee for the evening.

The evening kicked off with a wonderful classical invocation dance by a group of talented young girls under the direction of Archana Sharma with Anjali Center of Performing Arts. Then followed the award ceremony.

The first award ceremony was to honor the ASIE 2017 Young Engineer/Architect of the Year.

The selection committee Chair and ASIE Vice President Dinesh Shah announced Ms. Poolkeshi Patel.

Poolkeshi has earned a Master’s degree in year 2011 in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from University of Texas at Austin. She is cur-

rently working as an Engineer at KIT Professionals. She has experience in drinking water and wastewater planning and design and has worked on several highprofile projects with municipal and industrial clients. She has been actively involved with ASIE since 2014 as a Board Member and Membership Chair.

Under her leadership the membership of ASIE increased from 197 in 2015 to 249 in 2016.

Every year ASIE awards Scholarships to students pursuing degrees in Engineering or Architecture programs within the Greater Houston Area.

This year, with an overwhelming response, ASIE received 27 applications. The selection committee under the Chairmanship of Ravi Arora has unanimously concluded to award scholarships in different amount to 7 students from U of H, UT and Rice University.

Starting with $750 scholarship awards were given to each of below four students •Nitesh Kumar Mishra from Mumbai is pursuing his Masters in Electrical Engineering at U of H. •Kalyani Bhatt born and raised in USA is working for her Masters in Architecture at Rice University.

•Nitya Mohan from Mumbai is working towards her Masters in Petroleum Engineering at U of H. •Bharat Thakur, an Indian native of Chandigarh is also from U of H pursuing his Masters in Petroleum Engineering.

For three students, the com-

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work when he took time out from planning the transition to his presidency in January to meet with his Indian business partners.

“He (Donald Trump) was praising Modiji as always and added that he is doing a great job,” Sagar Chordia, director of Panchshil Realty, told the Economic Times by phone from New York. Trump, he added, expects to strengthen and expand US’ relationship with India.

Trump met Atul Chordia, Sagar Chordia and Kalpesh Mehta at Trump Tower, New York on Tuesday noon (US time). The discussion revolved around Indian economy and Modi. Trump’s family, including daughter Ivanka and sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr, was also present. Mehta is managing partner of Tribeca Developers, Trump’s India representative responsible for supporting the brand in the country.

Trump currently has five luxury projects in India including a Trump Tower, a 46-apartment block with Panchshil Realty in

Pune, and an under-construction 300-apartment project in Mumbai’s Lower Parel with the Lodha Group. These are not equity joint ventures. Trump has lent his name to the projects in return for payment.

A spokeswoman for Trump said it was a routine courtesy call and the three flew from India to congratulate Trump on his victory. “It was not a formal meeting of any kind,” Breanna Butler, a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, told Washington Post.

The meeting has now raised doubts over Trump’s ability to separate his business interests from the White House. Trump’s spokesperson refused to comment when asked whether he discussed plans on expanding his businesses in India during the meeting, the New York Times reported.

The Economic Times, however, quoted the businessmen as saying they had discussed about expanding operations under the Trump brand.

The report also stated that Washington ethics lawyer said Trump’s meeting with Indian businessmen raised conflict of interest.

Trump meets Indian business partners

mittee decided to award $1,000 to each due to their higher qualifications.

•Vikhyath Gattu, U of H student, MS in Civil Engineering, a resident of Hyderabad, India.

•Ashesh Srivastava also from U of H is pursuing Masters in Subsea Engineering. He is an Indian native from Jhansi •Anika Tanwani, from Bayou City of Greater Houston is pursuing Bachelors in Bio-Medical Engineering from U of T. After entertaining song and dance sequences, Raj invited the current Board Member, Chetan Vyas with KIT Professionals, to give a glimpse of ASIE events during the year 2016.

Just to mention a few topics in various disciplines – Leadership for engineers and architects, Field trip for Green Building design, Sugar Land Ice Rink for MEP engineering, High Speed Rail Project between Houston and Dallas, Structural Health monitoring seminar, “Fun to be an Engineer” and Legal and Ethics seminar.

Chetan also touched upon ASIE’s outreach efforts including MathCounts Science and Engineering Fair of Houston, and Eweek Celebration.

ASIE also participated in Community activities such as Radio event for Rice University students, Farewell to Consul General of India P. Harish and welcome event for Cosul General of India Dr. Anupam Ray. The best above all, ASIE organizes one significant event every year, which is a fundraising event for ASIE. This year ASIE invited the newly elected Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to share his perspectives on an important issue of Houston Infrastructure.

With the outpouring support from main stream engineering, architectural and construction firms, it was a remarkably successful event and ASIE received countless compliments. In an additional effort to give back to the community, ASIE donated $ 10,000 to the Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund to benefit flood victims.

The Emcee kept the audience engaged with live entertainment items and continued the program with the “best” of the evening.

He said, “For the last several years, ASIE has started to recognize Indo-American senior professionals in the Greater Houston Area who contributed significantly to the various discipline of Engineering and Architecture professions. Tonight, we are celebrating professional careers of such 5 individuals with their induction into ASIE Class of 2016.”

The committee Chair Ben Bansal led the selection of five inductees. These professionals deserved the honor for their illustrious careers, accomplishments, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and contributions to the Indo-American Society and the community as a whole.

Naresh Kohli, president, left, Dinesh Shah, vice president, Sai Gowthami Asam, treasurer, Young Engineer of the Year Poolkeshi Patel, and Madhu Kilambi, director.

Jatin Desai, a Registered Pro- Schools. He has developed professional Civil Engineer with totype designs to be used as a 40 plus years of varied experi- model for innovative design, and ence on multiple projects. He earned the status of preferred is licensed as registered Profes- vendor Architect in the Hospitalsional Engineer in 24 states. De- ity industry.

Dinesh Patel, the fourth insai is the President of Maverick Engineering, a multi-discipline ductee in the ASIE Class of 2016 civil Engineering Consulting is from the Mechanical /Elecfirm. Range of projects include, trical /Chemical Category. He but not limited to, Medical Plaza has been a registered Electrical buildings , select Hotel /Motel Engineer in Texas and several Complexes and retainer consul- other states with 40 plus years of tant for Burger King fast food experience in the design of Elecrestaurants and windstorm in- trical System for Onshore Oil & spections of 75 buildings of the Gas Production and Gathering Freeport LNG Plant complex. facility projects in USA & RusHe has been a trustee of Gujarati sia including Offshore Platforms Samaj, active in Chinmaya Mis- for BP & Enron. Currently Mr. sion and President of Shantam- Patel is Senior Technical Advisor at Worley Parsons. He has boo Charity Inc. Divyakant Parikh, a Profes- authored the chapter on Electrisional Structural Engineer with cal Motors in the Society of Peover 50 years of experience has troleum Engineering Handbook designed many iconic high- and Electrical Systems Chapter rise buildings in Greater Hous- in the Surface Production and ton, different parts of USA and Operations Book.

Umesh Baliga, an inductee in around the world. His professional contribution has created the Construction/Project Mana legacy in the world of unique agement Category, is a Chemistructural design. Many of his cal Engineer and currently the prestigious projects of distinc- Chief Technology Engineer and tion include Wortham Theatre a senior member of Process C Center and Four Leaf Towers of Global Discipline Leadership Houston, 50 story circular steel Team at KBR, Houston. He has structure in San Francisco, Usha 40 years plus experience in ProKiran the first high rise project in cess Engineering, design, startMumbai, and 85 story Tower in up, design of grassroots, restart/ Dubai. Parikh is a well-respect- revamp /debottlenecking of faed Indo-American and served on cilities for Oil & Gas processing, several committees of Gujarati refining, ammonia plants, EthylSamaj of Greater Houston, and ene, LNG, specialty chemicals and polymers. Umesh is the sole Chinmaya Mission.

Dinesh Shah also known as KBR representative on the PIP Danny Shah, is a registered li- Executive Committee, Steercensed Architect in Texas. He is ing Team, a Sponsor for the a President of D. R. Associates Civil/Structural and ArchitecArchitects since 1993 and has tural team, and a member of the been in the field of Architec- American Institute of Chemical ture for over 50 years. He has a Engineers for over 20 years. long established history to de- With music as his hobby, he also sign more than hundred popular gives back to the community via Brand Name Motels/Hotels and service and activities.

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PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

ANALYSIS

When will life be normal after the rush for currency exchange?

By BADRI SUNDERARAJAN Many people are waiting for 30th December, when all the demonetization rush dies down and life returns to normal. But did you know that it’s actually going to take a lot longer than that?

The last time notes were demonetized in this country was in 1978, when the ₹1000, ₹5000, and ₹10,000 notes were announced to be invalid. At this time, the reactions of most people would have been “What?

Those notes exist‽”. Most people had never even seen these notes — except for the people who were actually using them to hoard money. But now, the situation is different. ₹500 and ₹1000 notes account for about 83% of the cash in circulation, and almost everybody has at least one of them.

Exchanging those notes is going to be a big operation. Let’s try to find out just how big.

Looking at this RBI annual report, we can calculate that there are just over 22 billion ₹500 and ₹1000 notes in circulation. And statistics from the Ministry of Finance and the Postal Department say that there are about 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh bank branches and post-offices respectively.

The bank data is 3 years old, but let’s bump that up to 1.2 lakh and we should be safe.

So we have a grand total of 2.7 lakh outlets in the country to deposit cash, and 22 billion notes to deposit. (For comparison: the 2014 Lok Sabha elections had about 9.3 lakh polling stations, and the election was held in stages over a period of nine days.) That’s about 81,480 notes per deposit-point, with 50 days to deposit them. Assuming a 5-day work-week and working hours of 9 AM to 5 PM, this amounts to 291 notes an hour, or about 1 note every 12 seconds.

To summarize: each of the 2.7 lakh banks and post-offices in the country has to be taking in 1 note every 12 seconds for all the cash to be taken in by 30th December!

Of course, there are many things that could change this estimate. The Postal Department is deploying currency disbursement vans that set up camp in different places and allow people to exchange their notes. A few people seem to be throwing their money into the river rather than handing it in and coming under the scanner of the Income Tax Department. Many

$25

notes are in custody of courts as they are a part of disputes that haven’t been settled yet. People in neighboring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh have some rupee-notes as well, and they won’t be able to access these banks very easily. There may also be some people who only exchange their notes after the 30th December deadline, as they can still change them at special RBI offices until March 2017. And finally, don’t forget the notes which are already in the banks.

So the estimate may be a bit off, but also don’t forget all the people queuing up at the banks to take out money rather that put more in, and the people who came to the banks and post-offices on regular business not related to the demonetization. (And don’t forget my local postmaster who’s more likely to open his office at nine to five rather than from nine to five). The main point is that the banks have a lot of work ahead for them.

Actually, wait. That’s a point, but it’s not the main one. Depositing is only part of the problem. And the other part of the problem is going to last much, much longer.

Many people are wondering why the government decided to print ₹2000 notes, after demonetizing the other ones.

The rationale for demonetizing large notes was that it’s easy for people to use them to store cash illegally. A huge stack of 100-rupee notes would be much more noticeable than a small bundle of 1000-rupee ones. So wouldn’t the ₹2000 notes make it even easier for people to hide and hoard cash?

While that may be true, the ₹2000 notes probably still had to be created for practical reasons. Now that the old notes are no longer valid, new ones have to be created to replace them.

This is going to take a long time, and if it wasn’t for the ₹2000s it would take even longer.

The RBI record, which I mentioned earlier, shows that the total value of the demonetized notes in circulation is about ₹14,179,430,000,000, or 14,179 billion. If all these are to be replaced with ₹2000 notes, then they would have to print (14,179 billion÷2000) = 7.09 billion notes. How long will it take to print all these notes?

Everyone’s reporting that the printing presses are working at

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full capacity to print the notes.

But nobody’s mentioning exactly how fast that “full capacity” is. So let’s check it ourselves….

The RBI document says that they have printed 21.2 billion notes in the last session (April 2015—March 2016). Now, they have planned for 24.5 billion notes, but let’s say 24 billion since they’ve usually been getting a bit less than they asked for.

24 billion notes a year means 2 billion notes a month. So they’ll take over three and a half months to print 7.09 billion notes, assuming every single one of them is a ₹2000.

The thing is that the notes cannot be all ₹2000s, because that would make them unusable.

There are already many people who have ₹2000 notes, but find them useless because nobody has change to give them.

If someone buys something for ₹200 and pays with a ₹500 note, the shop can usually give them three ₹100s back. But if that same person tried to pay with a ₹2000 note instead, the shop would have to pay back with eighteen ₹100 notes. Clearly, the change would soon run out!

The government has already thought of that. That’s why they’re also releasing the new ₹500 note. So let’s revise our calculations.

There are currently about 7,854 billion rupees in ₹500 notes, and 6,326 billion in ₹1000s. If all the ₹500s were replaced by new ₹500s and all the ₹1000s by ₹2000s, that would be about 18.9 billion new notes to print. That’s nine and a half months.

If we also count the 10 billion or so soiled notes discarded each year, which will have to be replaced, it may take well over a year before all the demonetized notes are replaced. Until then, there’s going to be a shortage of cash, simply because that much cash will not even exist, let alone be in circulation.

Some people have been asking the question: surely the government would have thought of this before? Surely they must have started printing notes in advance, before the demonetization was announced? They probably have. But if you look at any of the new notes with

you, take a look at the governor’s signature. They are signed

by Dr. Urjit Patel, who only became the governor of RBI in September 2016—about two months before the announcement. While a head-start of two months is good, we’ll still need many more months before we catch up.

But is there really going to be a cash shortage? Now that people have put their money in the bank, won’t they be able to just leave it there?

The answer is that no, that would be impossible. Everyone in this country depends on cash, except perhaps if they happen to live in a major city or something.

Most of the country’s workforce is employed in India’s “informal sector”, which means they usually depend on cash for their income. If you want numbers, you can use this report from the Indian Economic Service to figure out that this is over 91% of the workforce. And of course, the children, parents and grandparents, who are not employed at all, will be dependent on that cash, too.

It’s true that many people still keep their life savings at home, in cash. But a large part of the cash is circulating only because it is actually in use.

Don’t discount the life savings, either. There is a rule that you need to have a PAN card to make deposits of over ₹50,000.

But a lot of the people depositing their savings are farmers, who, being tax-exempt, don’t have PAN cards. The quick-fix solution is to “borrow” the account of someone else who has a PAN card, and naturally, they will want to get the money back into their own hands as soon as possible. But that is a side issue.

Let us return to the in-use cash.

People use cash for their dayto-day transactions, such as buying food and supplies. If cash goes, it will have a cascading effect. My grocer is still willing to give me things on credit, for a while. But if I don’t have cash to pay my grocer, how will he be able to pay his dealer? If the grocer doesn’t have enough cash to pay his dealer, how will the dealer get money to pay his supplier? And how will the suppliers get the cash to pay the farmers they buy the supplies

from?

Problems like this are already happening on a large scale, with the largest fish market in the country shutting down along with the the second-largest jaggery market. The crisis has also made it impossible for newspapers to come out in Manipur, because the distributors were not able to procure notes to pay the newspaper offices. Small businesses pay their daily or monthly wages using cash. Now, they have no way to pay, which means they have no choice but to shut down. Hundreds of daily workers in places like the bangle factories of Firozabad are now out of work. Suddenly, they won’t know where their money’s going to come from the next day, and perhaps find themselves slipping below the poverty line in what is called welfare shock.

It’s not just small businesses that are hit: the whole Tamil movie industry is now struggling.

Things are working out for now, using a combination of trust and credit. But as we near 30th December, and people realize the money’s not going to come any time soon, more things will begin to shut down.

Things may become kind of like the cash crisis in Greece a year or so ago. Kind of, but not quite.

It could be that all the buses in your city stop running due to lack of change. Or it could be the food supply, or the newspaper, or the cellphone recharge counter. Whatever it is, be prepared.

30th December is not going to be the end of the crisis. In fact, it’ll be just the beginning.

Correction [21 Nov 2016]: The percentage share of the unemployed sector was described as being “a third of the population”. This statement is misleading, as the unemployed sector actually compromises about 91% of the workforce. This in turn is about 35–45% of the total population, because the rest are either retired, too young to work, or unemployed.

(https://medium.com/@ badrihippo) (The writer has completed high school and will shortly enter college. He lives near Salem in Tamilnadu.)

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 5

NEWS

Pulling back Indo-US ties not in interest of anyone: Biswal COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

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India- U.S. relations will have to move beyond government to government. India-U.S. relations are global, but it should also be local,” said Nisha Biswal.

Amos J Hochstein, Special Envoy in the State Department’s Bureau of Energy Resources, said India and the US are working together on addressing regulatory issues.

“The issues are plenty.

Steady goals are extremely important to set the direction of where the country is going.

But beyond setting the goals, there have to be follow ups.

You can’t simply say that I am going to create 175 GW of renewable energy if you cannot solve some of the fundamental problems that do not allow that to happen,” he said.

“India is the best place in the world to invest in renewable energy. But the regulatory environment and all the issues related to financing will have to be resolved for that to happen,” he asserted.

“Just like the US where the regulatory authority of the federal government is rather limited...The states in the US have all the power. They will decide the future of their own state. The same is true in India. In addition to what central government is doing, what is happening at the state and local levels are also very important,” Hochstein said.

The change in the United States administration will not have any impact on India-U.S. cooperation in the field of renewable energy, Hochstein, said.

Coal is being discarded by power manufacturers not because of government regulations but due to the changes in technology. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to revive coal mining in the U.S. and leave the Paris climate agreement. “Very little will change. Coal is not coming back in the U.S. regardless of what Republicans say,” Hoch-

stein said.

“Coal will remain a major part of India’s energy mix, which is true when Obama is President, which will be true when Donald Trump will be President. But it was not President Obama who set the target of 175 GW of renewable energy for India, it was PM Modi.

I don’t see that changing,” he said.

“People are not using coal not only because they are concerned about climate change, but also because of the same reason why they don’t use VCRs any longer,” he said, speaking at the launch of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies-led U.S.-India State and Urban Initiative that aims at coordinating interactions between the two countries.

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Nisha Desai Biswal,left, assistant secretary of state, speaks on the future of Indo-U.S. relations during reception hosted by the Indian Consul-General in Houston Dr. Anupam Ray, second from left, at his residence on Nov. 3, five days ahead of the U.S. Presidential election.

WASHINGTON, D.C. Indo-US ties are so broad and dynamic that pulling back on any aspect will not be in the interest of anyone, a top American official has said while observing that the next administration may want to add their own new areas of focus in the bilateral relationship.

“India-US relations will have to move beyond government to government. India-US relations are global, but they should also be local,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal told a Washington audience.

Speaking on the occasion of launch of “US-India State and Urban Initiative” by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a top American think-tank, Biswal stressed on building state to state relationships.

“Every successive administration is going to add some new areas of cooperation.

The US-India relations are so broad, so complex, and so dynamic that pulling back on any aspect will not be in the interest of anyone,” Biswal said.

“The next administration will understand that, and might want to build on, and might want to add their own new areas of focus. That doesn’t mean that they will move away from what has already been built,” Biswal said in response to a question.

“The demand in India for new technologies and capital is high, and the desire in many places in the US to seek new areas of partnership with India is also high,” she said pointing out that India-US economic ties are responding to demands that already exist.

“There is tremendous demand but no natural way of accessing them. Because there is not one India, there are many States and other regional factors.

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PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

BOOK Love and life through the eyes of a widowed Indian woman living as an immigrant in America

Born and raised in India, Sudha Balagopal weaves her multicultural experiences into her debut novel, A New Dawn.

The story centers around Usha Param, a recently widowed, middle-aged, Indian immigrant who lived in Phoenix her entire married life.

“Usha typifies many Indian women, particularly those of her age group,” says Balagopal about her character. “She is educated, loyal, capable, somewhat conservative yet adaptable. Her family is her anchor.”

After Usha’s husband dies, leaving her alone, she bundles the pieces of her life and decides to remedy her aloneness.

At forty-eight, she dates for the very first time in her life.

“While Usha is Indian American with a specific cultural background, she is also every woman,” Balagopal says. Her sense of isolation and her trials and tribulations navigating the world of dating are universal.

Balagopal explains that, “our world of increasing technology allows us to connect instantly and easily with one another.

Yet, conversely, people find

At forty-eight, Usha has never dated. Like all good Indian girls, she married the man whom her family chose. Twenty-three years after success-driven Raja brought her to Phoenix, he leaves her a widow. Alone and aching, she does the unthinkable—registers on a dating website. Through pitfalls and blunders, Usha navigates new territory, discovering what she wants from life and love. themselves more alone than ever, unable to make real connections. From that premise, a story grew—of hope and of relationships.”

Although A New Dawn is Balagopal’s first novel, she has always written and has two short story collections published in India.

“My first submission went out at age eleven. I still remember a few lines of the simple poem I submitted. However, I didn’t pursue creative writing after that tiny attempt.

I went on to use words in different ways. They filled my

life in other avatars for many years. I entered the realm of creative writing much later in life, only to understand that I had so much to learn. Still, something from within impelled me towards fiction; perhaps the time was right, or perhaps I was ready.”

A New Dawn, Balagopal says, “Usha allowed me to explore her strengths through her uncertainties and her apprehensions. She showed me how she evolved from a shy newly-wed to an able administrator. More than that, she let me into her mind as she bungled through to discover and sort out what she really wanted from life and love.”

Sudha Balagopal’s fiction straddles continents, melding cultures and blending thoughts, representing ideas and desires from the east and the west. Her work delves into the everyday lives of ordinary people to reveal larger, universal truths. She is the author of two short story collections, There are Seven Notes and Missing and Other Stories.

When she’s not writing, Sudha teaches yoga. Connect with Sudha at SudhaBalagopal.com and on Facebook.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 7

INDIANS ABROAD Patel : Most common Indian surname in UK

Telengana leaders

Telengana Rashtra Samithi MLA Ravindra Reddy Yenugu, left, and former Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Congress leader Damodar Raja Narasimha on a recent visit to Houston, met with Sugar Land resident, LONDON: entrepreneur and Telengana Patel has emerged as the community member Santosh most common Indian surname Cividi, right. in the UK, according to a new Oxford dictionary released today.

The ‘Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland’ has put together the origins of nearly 50,000 surnames in one of the UK’s largest studies of its kind.

The four-year study of British and Irish records dating back to the 11th century to analyse family names was conducted by linguists and historians.

About half of the 20,000 most common names are locative, meaning they come from places and a fifth are nicknames.

About 8 per cent are occupational, including less familiar ones such as Beadle (church official), Rutter (musician), and Baxter (baker).

The study concludes that nearly 40,000 family names are native to Britain and Ireland, while the remainder reflect the diverse languages and cultures of immigrants who have settled since the 16th century, including Indian, French Huguenot, Dutch, Jewish Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and African arrivals.

Each entry includes the frequencies of the name at the time of the 1881 and 2011 censuses, its main location in Britain and Ireland, its language or culture of origin, and, wherever possible, an explanation supported by historical evidence for the name.

Much of this evidence is new, drawn from previously untapped medieval and modern sources such as tax records, church registers and census returns.

The research for the four volume dictionary was funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council, led by a team at UWE and published

by Oxford University Press (OUP).

—Times of India

Visit www.

India-herald. com. email: editor@ india-herald. com

Sewa International Family Services Hot Line 832-900-9354

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

INDIANS ABROAD Miracle Foundation partners with Global Citizen Festival to raise funds for India’s orphaned children The Miracle Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Austin, TX and New Delhi, announces its partnership with the first-ever Global Citizen Festival in India, to raise awareness and funds for orphans across India.

The event mirrorred the annual Global Citizen Festival held in New York’s Central Park, where free tickets are earned by performing various social tasks.

The Miracle Foundation served as an official non-profit partner of Global Citizen India, a movement and a community of like-minded individuals working collectively towards global change, for the next 15 years.

Renowned musical acts such as the British rock band Coldplay and American performers Demi Lovato and Jay Z perform edfor the first time in India, at the Global Citizen Festival on Saturday, November 19, 2016, in Mumbai.

They appeared alongside a host of Bollywood celebrities and artists, including: Aamir Khan, AR Rahman, Arjun Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Kareena KapoorKhan, Katrina Kaif, Malaika Arora-Khan, Ranveer Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Vijender Singh.

According to UNICEF, there are 153 million orphans in the world; 20% of those children live in India.

Miracle Foundation is a nonprofit organization that brings life changing care to parentless children across India.

The foundation is currently supporting 25 children’s homes, supporting thousands of children across India from the hinterlands of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh to the far-flung areas of Tripura.

Aimed toward improving the lives of children without parents, Global Citizen India will promote Miracle Foundation, enabling the organization to raise funds for education and scholarships through the Global Citizen India Festival .

To further this initiative, the organizers of Global Citizen India and Miracle Foundation will work with Ketto, an online crowd-funding platform, to help raise funds for children without parents.

The funds raised from this initiative will go as proceeds toward providing educational opportunities for the children.

Speaking on the association with Global Citizen India, Ms. Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of Miracle Foundation, said, “We are excited about this partnership and would like to thank Global Citizen India for their amazing support. Togeth-

er we look forward to making a huge impact on some of the most vulnerable children in our society today. We know how to break the cycle of poverty and are looking for people who are interested in joining us on this journey.”

Arnav Sahni – Spokesperson, Global Citizen India, is also enthused about this association. “Our festival combines music with social causes that have an impact and Miracle Foundation has had a huge impact on vulnerable children.

Fueled by Ketto’s remarkable crowd-funding platform, we hope to raise money and awareness so the Miracle Foundation can continue to do their inspirational work.”

Varun Sheth – Co-Founder & CEO, Ketto, added, “We look forward to helping the Miracle Foundation funds for such a noteworthy cause. We will work closely with them to ensure that the necessary crowdfunding takes place – and what better way to kickstart it than with the Global Citizen Festival! Let’s all join in and make a real difference in our country and give children the life they deserve.”

In addition to this association, the Miracle Foundation will also be launching a social media campaign, requesting donors to #ShowUp for children without parental care and to help tell the world that #OrangeIsForOrphans.

The other NGO partners associated with Global Citizen Festival are Oxfam India (Gender Equality), and WaterAid (Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - WASH) Miracle Foundation India is an NGO bringing life-changing care to the world’s children without parental care. Started in 2011, the organization is dedicated to empowering vulnerable children to reach their full potential. Today, the Indian NGO is supporting 25 children’s homes, and thousands of children from the hinterlands of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh to the farflung areas of Tripura.

Global Citizen is a social action platform for the global generation who are passionate about learning and taking action on the world’s biggest issues. Global Citizen works in partnership with and supports some of the most effective organizations working to achieve the Global Goals and end extreme poverty. Committed to providing the most interesting stories, effective actions and powerful campaigns, Global Citizen aims to reach and recruit the largest possible number of people who care about global issues.

Ketto is a crowdfunding website that strives to make it easy for individuals and

Miracle Foundation Founder & Orphan Kids from Jeff Salzgeber (Backstage)

NGOs to reach out and help themselves financially for any cause through crowdfunding.

In addition to this, Ketto offers

tips and other resources to help make the most of their efforts.

Ketto’s goal is to spread awareness of the power of crowd-

funding and help people help themselves by harnessing the power of the crowd.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 9

NEWS

Legendary Carnatic musician Balamuralikrishna passes away

Carnatic vocalist, playback singer and composer Mangalamapalli Balamuralikrishna, who burst into the music world as a child prodigy, died on Tuesday. He was 86 and is survived by his wife, three sons and three daughters.

His music appealed to both the connoisseurs and the laymen alike. In classical music, he was able to give “play acting” to the essence of the lyrics in his song. In the film world, ‘Oru Naal Pothuma’, a ragamalika in Thiruvilayadal, ‘Chinna Kannan Azhaikiran’, a Reetigowla-based song in the film Kavikuil, ‘Mounathil Vilayadum Manasatichye’ from the film Noolveli and the Abhogi song ‘Thanga Ratham Vanthathu’ from the film Kalai Koil continue to enchant a generation of music lovers.

A native of East Godavari district of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, his father Pattabiramaiah was a musician and his mother Sooryakanthamma was a veena player. He gave his first concert when he

was nine and the quality of his music is explained by the fact that All India Radio (AIR), Chennai, included him, a child artist, in the list of A-grade artists.

He was also an accomplished violinist and once accompanied Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, the pioneer of the modern-day Carnatic concert format.

Balamuralikrishna learnt violin by listening to his father playing the instrument.

“Since my father was against me playing violin, I created my own instrument. Once I summoned courage and played his instrument in his absence.

When questioned by my father I admitted and played Bhairavi ata thala varnam. My father was impressed and allowed me to play the instrument,” he had recalled in his biography Sangita Perunkadal, penned by Ranimynthan.

Violin playing came in handy when his voice underwent changes in his teens and could not sing.

“He had a magic voice. He

is to Telugu keerthanas what M.M. Dhandapani Desikar was to Tamil music. Since Telugu was his mother tongue, he knew the meaning of Thiyagaraja’s keerthanas and would not maul them,” said clarinet maestro A.K.C. Natarajan, who also learnt many keerthana’s from him.

India crush England by 246 runs to go 1-0 up in 5-match series

India on Monday scripted a resounding 246-run win over England in the second cricket Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series riding on a superlative effort from the spin troika, here.

Chasing an improbable 405, England were bowled out for paltry 158 shortly after the lunch break to give the hosts their second biggest victory in terms of runs against the visitors.

Having defended doggedly on the fourth evening, the visitors caved in without much resistance losing eight wickets for an addition of 71 runs with Ravichandran Ashwin (3/52) and debutant Jayant Yadav (3/30) being the wreckersin-chief at the Dr YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium which

hosted its first ever Test match.

Having showed some tenacity yesterday to bat out 59.2 overs with 87/2, England were blown away this morning and lost five wickets in 33.4 overs in the first session before India bowled them out for 158.

It took India 24 balls and 22 minutes passed lunch to cruise victory and take a 1-0 lead with more than a session to spare.

While skipper Virat Kohli’s aggregate of 248 runs (167 and 81) laid the cornerstone of victory, the contribution of India’s premier all-rounder Ashwin (52 runs and match figures of 8/119) was equally significant.

Ashwin now has 231 wickets from 41 Tests apart from 1670 runs that includes 4 tons and 7 half-centuries.

Ashwin also became leading

wicket-taker of 2016 with 55 wickets surpassing Sri Lankan Rangana Herath (54 scalps).

Not to forget young Jayant, who bowled a ripper to get Ben Stokes and played a couple of gritty knocks down the order.

He first trapped Stuart Broad (5) LBW, and then dismissed James Anderson for a golden duck in similar manner as England went for reviews but in vain.

Mohammed Shami (2/30) was menacing when the ball reversed and Ravindra Jadeja did his bit in the second innings providing important breakthroughs.

When the final wicket fell, the celebrations were muted as Kohli just picked up a souvenir stump and shook hands with rival players.

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It was a study contrast as the top three batsmen of Alastair Cook (54), Haseeb Hameed (25) and Joe Root (25) consumed 439 balls -- 73.1 overs -- but the rest have fallen in a heap what can be termed as a meek surrender.

Earlier, Root had some lucky escape with Virat Kohli dropping the English No 3 on nine at leg slip and a decision was also overturned.

Finally, the first opening came after 15 minutes into the day with Ashwin removing a tense-looking Duckett, who perished trying to play the sweep.

There was extra bounce but Duckett’s shot selection did him in as the ball hit his gloves and hit the pad before looping into Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves.

In a tense and tight situation, Root was adjudged caught behind by Rod Tucker but England successfully used the DRS as the decision was overturned after review.

Root, who was floored by Virat Kohli at leg slip on 9, again survived on with an ad-

dition of two runs as the snicko registered a faint mark and the third umpire was not convinced to dismiss Tucker’s call.

Persisting with a tidy line and aiming the roughs, leftarm spinner Jadeja got his first wicket this morning dismissing Ali as his forward defensive prod saw him get an inside edge which was taken by Kohli at backward short leg.

The ball seemed to have bounced more than normal after hitting the edge of a widening crack.

Maintaining a fine over rate, Indian spinners ran through the opening hour bowling 20.4 overs and were quick to get the second new ball in 80 overs and get their exhausted reviews quota renewed.

Having made an impressive debut, Jayant Yadav struck with the new ball as he bowled a beauty to clean up Ben Stokes (6).

The delivery had a nice drift as it pitched on the middle stump with Stokes going for a backfoot defence. It spun enough to clip the off-bail in what was a tweaker’s delight.

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Actually Balamuralikrishna’s career in film industry began as an actor. He played the role of Narada in the film Bhakta Prahalada on the request of A.V. Meyappa Chettiar. It was a Telugu film and was dubbed in Tamil, Hindu and Kannada and he played the role in other languages also. His first song is

also for a Telugu film Sati Savitri.

“S. Varalakshmi was the heroine of the film and she learnt music from Balamuralikrishna. She requested him to render at least one sloka in the movie. But he ended up singing all the songs for the hero A. Nageswara Rao,” recalled Ranimynthan, the biographer of Balamuralikrishna.

When K. Balachander directed Apoorva Ragangal, he approached Balamuralikrisha to suggest a rare raga to justify the title of the film. The song Athisaya Ragam is based on raga Mahathi. His other creations are raga Sarvashri, Lavangi, and Sumukham.

He also scored music for the first Sanskrit film Adi Sankarar . He won the national award for best playback singer, music director and classical singer.

He was awarded the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy. He is also a recipient of France’s Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

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PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

ECONOMY President-elect Donald Trump and the economy Donald Trump has completed his landmark quest and will become the nation’s 45th President after a contentious and often divisive campaign. In addition, the Republican Party has retained control of both houses of Congress. This outcome marks a significant reversal from just a few weeks ago when a Hillary Clinton presidency was highly probable and even a Democratic party sweep of Congress was possible.

While this outcome is certainly a shock to many, it is important to remember that the result isn’t a surprise to the plurality of American voters that spoke their collective will at the ballot boxes yesterday.

The strength of a democracy is not in whether we like the outcome, but rather in how we accept the result as the voice and will of our republic.

While many things are promised on the campaign trail, all newly elected Presidents enter with a constrained ability to enact their agenda unilaterally. As a result, immediate and sweeping political changes are a process, which give markets and the American public time to digest and react.

Although often derided by partisans, the inability of a President to swiftly change policies is a strength of our political system, not a weakness of it.

Moreover, the current market volatility is not because Trump was elected President, as markets do not have political affiliations. Rather, it reflects the market’s adjustment to a surprise presidential winner and the market’s tentativeness regarding the vast uncertainty over which of President-elect Trump’s stated policies he will be able to enact. The first major step towards clarity will come with Trump’s choices for key administration officials; his selections will give a better sense of the priorities for the Trump administration. This should provide some path to further understanding and calm markets.

For the first time in 10 years, the Republican party will have control of the Presidency and both houses of Congress. As in all things, this may solve some problems, and perhaps exacerbate others. For example, potentially divisive upcoming issues, such as the necessary expansion of the debt ceiling

and reforms to the corporate tax code, could be easier to navigate. There is a common perception that the markets like divided government. While that may often be correct, it is not necessarily true at every point in time.

Most importantly, however, over time we have witnessed corporations and financial markets adapting smoothly to new political environments.

The uncertainty surrounding the Trump presidency could be greater than a typical transition; therefore, the markets may take additional time to process any changes. However, the uncertainty itself is not unusual.

Separating political views and emotions from investment decisions is difficult. Whether this election result was your favored outcome or not, what we have learned over the years is that although Presidents can set an overall tone for the markets, over the long term, it is the underlying fundamentals of the economy and the strength of corporate profits that matter more. Overall, we continue to be encouraged by the underlying fundamentals in the economy and the related resilience of the stock market.

Recently, encouraging economic data, including a record 73 consecutive months of private sector jobs growth, high consumer confidence, and an increase in manufacturing activity, all suggest a recession in the next year is unlikely.* And, although the stock market has been essentially flat over the past three months, the S&P 500 has returned 5.2% year to date (through market close on November 8, 2016).

As this historic election cycle comes to a close, I suggest casting a “vote of confidence” for the U.S. economy and markets. While uncertainty will certainly be prevalent over the short-run, our political and economic systems are resilient and can, after a period of adjustment, adapt to new realities. As investors, we all need to try and put this election into perspective, as our investment horizons extend far beyond yesterday’s votes or any political cycle. And, the keys to your investment success of relying on independent investment advice and sticking to your longterm investment strategies

should not change, regardless of who is in office.

As always, if you have questions, I encourage you to contact me. *According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ISM Manufacturing Index, and Consumer Confidence Index data as of 11/7/16 The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual security. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. Indexes are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.

Economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted.

The S&P 500 Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries.

Investing in stock includes numerous specific risks including: the fluctuation of dividend, loss of principal and potential illiquidity of the investment in a falling market.

This research material has been prepared by LPL Financial LLC. Securities offered through LPL Financial LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Boeing to invest in new factory in India

By Murali N. Krishnaswamy Aerospace major Boeing will invest in a brand new factory in India and create an entire aviation ecosystem as far as its ‘Make in India’ plans for its fighter aircraft the F/A-18 Super Hornet are concerned, said the company’s F/A-18 Program vice-president Dan Gillian. He was speaking to a visiting Indian media team now in the U.S. Make in India The multirole, dual seat aircraft is reported to be of interest to India, and now features in “Make in India” offers. He said that in the India plan, huge opportunities exist in the supply and manufacture of avionics, engine parts and landing gear components. Further, with improvements in displays, which now worked like an iPad, there were prospects in the fields of graphics too.

Adding to his remarks, Boeing India’s president Pratyush Kumar called it a “crown jewel project” which includes indigenisation and tapping into a supplier chain of vendors.

This will attempt to mirror the system around the Super Hornet production line at St. Louis, U.S., which is now supported by 800 vendors in 44 states and employs 60,000 people. Mr. Kumar added that with this plant, India could not only look forward to manufacturing the Block II Super Hornet and even an Advanced Super Hornet but also help it design and build an Indianmade ‘next generation’ fighter.

According to him, this would also help advance the country’s aerospace capabilities Tier I manufacturing The top officials said apart from the company’s manufacturing and supply experience in India so far, what gave it the additional confidence to come up with a plan of this size was “the fact that it had the DNA and scale to do this.”

“What we have proposed has been discussed with the U.S. government,” they clarified.

They said the company continues to be holding a series of discussions with its Tier I manufacturing partners in this connection and that both large and small partners have a role to play here.

The officials said the plane would be the U.S.’s front line fighter and would be in service till the 2040s, with several key technological upgrades being planned along the way.

Vendor chain Indian companies are a part of the vendor chain in the current Super Hornet programme.

While Rossell Techsys and SasMos HET Technologies Limited supply wire and electrical bundles respectively, India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) builds wire bundles and gun door bays and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) makes the electrical panels.

(The writer is in the United States. at the invitation of the Boeing Company.)

—The Hindu

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That cash rules the rural economy is well known. The bank branch and ATM network is skewed in favour of urban India, and they are more concentrated in the metros. Private and government banks have flooded metros with ATMs — one out of every four ATMs is located in a metro. Similarly, the spread of bank branches is lopsided. One rural and semi-urban branch serves 12,863 persons, more than double the number of persons served by an urban and metropolitan. The demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes — which account for 86 per cent of the total value of currency in circulation — has adversely impacted economic activities in villages and rural districts. Existing notes have disappeared, new notes are slow in coming in, and there are not enough Rs 100 notes. Banks’ effort to ease the discomfort is also targeted more at metros and urban centres. It is shocking, then, that the RBI or the government did not direct banks to provide sufficient cash to urban cooperative banks (UCBs). These UCBs account for 4 per cent of the banking business and their 10,000 branches and 3,000 ATMs wear a deserted look since their requests for cash were spurned by scheduled private and government banks. The next blow to rural business activity came when the RBI barred district central cooperative banks (DCCBs) and primary agricultural credit societies (PACS) from exchanging old notes, and also accepting deposits of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. DCCBs serve self-help groups and their lakhs of customers include micro-entrepreneurs such as auto-rickshaw drivers, vegetable and fruit vendors, paan shops and roadside kirana. If one looks at micro and small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as a segment, even this is spread mostly in rural India.

RBI estimates put the number of MSMEs at 4.8 crore, employing over 11 crore people, and contributing 45 per cent to the manufacturing sector and 40 per cent to exports. The government estimates their number at 383 lakh, half of which are rural units. Most often, SMEs, that too rural ones, are credit-starved. Many do not come to banks fearing harassment by tax officers and the petty bureaucracy.

They have been the hardest hit. Cumulatively, the impact of such neglect has started resulting in potentially permanent destruction of business. It takes 50 days to kill a business, but much longer to revive it.—Indian Express

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 11

FILM

2.0: Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar starrer

Amid huge fanfare and a cine extravaganza, the filmmakers of 2.0 starring superstar Akshay Kumar and Indian film legend Rajinikanth, finally launched the first look of the film at an event in Mumbai. Sunday in Mumbai.

The sequel to Enthiran (Robo in Telugu and Robot in Hindi) is touted to be the costliest project in Indian cinema clinching the rank from Baahubali. The film is said to be made at a whopping budget of Rs. 350 crore.

The first look launch is one of its kind as the looks of Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar will be launched in 3D by Lyca Productions. The event hosted by Karan Johar would also see popular stars Kamal Hassan and Shah Rukh Khan sharing the stage with Rajini and Akshay. Huge LCD screens have been put in place to set the tone of the mega launch.

Akshay Kumar took to his Twitter handle to unveil the poster with his character in the film simply tweting: “Evil has a new face!”

The superstar is playing an antagonist called Richard, who turns into a Crow Man after an experiment goes wrong. The make-up for his role reportedly took 6 hours every day – ferocious!

Speaking about Akshay’s hard work and dedication, Rajinikanth said “In this film I am the villain. The truth is the hero of ‘2.0’ is not Rajinikanth but Akshay Kumar. I would have taken that character. Hats off to

Akshay, he has worked so hard.

Salman Khan who made an impromptu appearance at the event also spoke eloquently about the superstar saying “Akshay Kumar is the only actor who has had growth in our industry. Rest of us are stagnant.”

Directed by Shankar, the science-fiction sequel to Robot is set to release in 3D during Diwali 2017 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Meanwhile, fans of Rajini have lined up outside Yashraj Films to welcome him for the event. The superstar arrived at YRF in a white Porsche and staying true to himself, he stepped out wearing a simple white Kurta. Soon enough Akshay arrived followed by leading lady Amy Jackson in their respective cars. Salman Khan has come for the launch, he said he was not invited but he came because he knew Rajini is here for the launch.

“I just wanted to see Rajinikanth. Most amazing man. I have a lot of respect for him. I wasn’t invited. I got to know the was launch here. So came here. Akshay Kumar is the only actor who has had growth in our industry. Rest of us are stagnant,” said Salman Khan.

Amy Jackson who is working with Rajinikanth for the first time was euphoric for being a part of this project. “I had no idea that I would be a part of this film with these legends. I was intimidated initially but on sets, everyone was like my family,” she said.

Akshay Kumar had hours before shared his avatar from 2.0 on Twitter. Well, he looks no less than Nolan’s Joker or Bane. No wonder the makeup for his role took him 6 hours every day to get into the character!

However, A R Rahman feels that composing music for this film is a tough nut to crack.

“It’s the toughest film I am doing. He is not happy with anything I am doing.

I am trying to create something unique for India and the world,” the music director said Even Thalaivaa himself expressed similar sentiments saying how tough it is a job to work with the director.

“To work with Shankar is difficult. He is a perfectionist. That is why he is one of the biggest directors. This picture as 3D is a different experience. But the truth is Akshay Kumar is the hero,” said Rajinikanth.

Director Shankar, who gave great visual heavy films like Robo and Vikram strarrer I, feels that this film has been a tremendous task for him.

“The film 2.0 was like having Everest on my shoulder and climbing another Everest,” said the director.

V Srinivas Mohan who is the VFX designer for 2.0 said that this film has effects much grander than his earlier works — Robot and Baahubali. Director Shankar says that audience need films like Baahubali and 2.0 more.

Lyricist Mahdan Karkry was also all praise for Shankar’s direction style. “Director Shankar doesn’t like cliches. He wants something new and that is why he is successful. A R Rahman also sang my first song. I am very honoured,” he said.

Dialogue writer Jeyamohan, who was bragging about how he sketched Akshay’s character, said, “Usually we make movies. This time we made history.”

The film features Rajinikanth and Amy Jackson playing the lead roles and Akshay Kumar playing the villain as a crazy doctor. The film also has Oscar-winning music director A R Rahman scoring tracks and BGM. The makers of 2.0 had roped in Hollywood stunt

choreographer Kenny Bates.

He is famous for his work in action-heavy flicks including Pearl Harbour, Transformers and Die Hard.

Rajinikanth and Shankar’s magnum opus 2.0 is driving the fandom crazy as the new project will be “Hollywoodlevel” with VFX, music, cast and direction being top notch. With popular director Shankar Shanmugam working with biggest stars of Indian film industry such as Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson, the film is said to showcase sophisticated technology like its prequel Enthiran, but on a grander scale. Competing with the likes of Baahubali 2 for the title of biggest Indian film in recent times, 2.0 has a lot going for it. Here is why we think 2.0, and not Baahubali, may win the tag finally.

It was thought that the historical epic film Baahubali, said to be made on a budget of Rs 250 crore, was the costliest film that an Indian filmmaker has ever made.

However, 2.0 is breaking all the records and is touted to be made on a humungous budget of over Rs 350 crore.

PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

www.Desifaremakers.com

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 13

COMMUNITY

IAF celebrates Spirit of the Holidays

The Indo American Forum of Fort Bend hosted The Spirit of the Holidays, a glittering evening of giving and celebration on Nov. 11, at the Safari Texas Ranch.

Attendees from diverse backgrounds joined hands to raise funds for earnest causes that meet the needs of the disadvantaged. Over the last 12 years, Indo American Forum of Fort Bend is engaged in promoting proactive citizenry by providing a platform for community service.

In a true Indo American spirit, the scintillating ambiance paved a way for an evening of Boots, Bangles & Bindis. Over 300 participants dressed and exhibited genuine spirit of the Holiday Season. Underwriter of the event was Zion Strategic Financial Services Group headed by Mr. Omar Saeed.

Other major supporters of the event were Memorial Herman Sugar Land Hospital, Pioneer research Solutions APAAR/ Munday Architects.

Commissioner James Patterson, City of Sugar Land Council Members Amy Mitchell and Harish Jajoo attended the event. Sonal Bhuchar fabulously emceed the event.

The program included

wonderful dances – Diya Dance

by The Layaa School of Dance, Flamenco Dance by Ritmo and Fuego, Philippino Tinikling Dance by the Filipino Young Professionals,These Boots Were Meant for Dancing by the Original 300 group and Dhamaaka Bhangra Dance by University of Houston Students. The variety of dances reflected the rich cultural celebration of diversity in the Fort Bend community.

The Chairman of IAF Dr. Subodh Bhuchar applauded the support of all attendees and their

organizations. Dr. Bhuchar reflected on the mission of IAF and invited youth to get engaged in community service.

On behalf of Indo American community, select charities that serve the local community were recognized and supported with a donation. Child Advocates of Fort Bend, Fort Bend Education

Foundation, Literacy Council of Fort Bend, Fort Bend Seniors – Meals on Wheels, Behind the Badge, Lunches of Love, Fort Bend Women’s Center and Youth in Philanthropy. Event Chair and Incoming Chair Minal Shah extended a vote of thanks and appreciation to all who made the event possible.

A sumptuous dinner catered

by Bombay Brasserie tickled the palates of all the guests . DJ Deep thrilled the attendees with head spinning Bollywood and Bhangra music and no one wanted to leave the dance floor,which was packed.

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PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

CHILDREN’S BOOK

Ten Gulab Jamuns

Sandhya Acharya grew up in Mumbai, India and now lives in the Bay Area. She previously worked in corporate finance and is now a writer. She is mother to two young boys, a dance and running enthusiast.

She self-published her first book on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. The book is titled “Big Red Firetruck!”

Her second children’s book is titled “Ten Gulab Jamuns”. It is a delightful story with two adorable brothers, ten Gulab Jamuns and one hearty misadventure.

“I grew up in Mumbai, In-

dia and Bay Area my home.

I previously worked in corporate finance until I recently gave myself the time and permission to pursue writing full time. I have two young boys. I am a dance enthusiast – I learn Bharat Natyam a indian classical dance form and also like to Zumba and U-Jam. I have recently taken up running. You can learn more about me on my website www.sandhyaacarya. com,” says Sandhya.

“I was very fond of Gulab Jamuns when I was a child.

There is a funny story my mother always told me of

how she couldn’t keep me away from the Gulab Jamuns she had made for some guests. I took that story and adapted it to my context with my two sons. “ I had a sweet tooth growing up and my mother is always telling me tales of how it was hard to keep me away from the sweets she would make for guests. I took one favorite childhood story of mine and adapted it to my current context with my two sons. The two characters in the story, Idu (Ee-doo) and Adu (Aa-doo) are inspired by my own two sons. Idu and Adu also mean “This” and That” in Kannada which is my mother tongue. It is a personal story I am putting out there and I hope everyone is able to relate to those childhood memories or the antics of their young chil-

dren through this.”

Idu and Adu are very excited. They have friends coming for dinner. Mamma has prepared a lot of dishes.

She is about to make Gulab Jamuns next. Idu and Adu wonder what Gulab Jamuns are. So Mamma explains that they are yummy, gooey, golden balls that look like tiny donuts dipped and soaked in sugar syrup. You bite into one and it melts in your mouth. Then Mamma makes the Gulab Jamuns.

They look irresistible, but Mamma has asked them to wait till the guests arrive.

Can they? You will have to read the book to find out.

This is a lighthearted, fun story that children and parents will love. The story also includes basic lessons on counting as well as important values of responsibility,

team-work and family.

“Ten Gulab Jamuns” is an attempt to merge diversity and global apsects into one fun experience. The author tries to share some nuggets of South Asian culture in this book. They have a hearty misadventure with Gulab Jamuns – a sweet delicacy from India.

Gulab Jamuns themselves are a beautiful product of different cultures and cuisines mixed in a harmonious and delicious way. Gulab Jamuns are said to have come to India from Persia.

Its name is derived from the Persian words gol (flower) and āb (water), referring to the rose water-scented syrup. “Jamun” or “jaman” is the Hindi-Urdu word for Syzygium jambolanum, an Indian fruit with a similar size and shape.

HARDIK VYAS

Youngest Astrologer in North America Vaastu & Gem Stone Consultant; Hindu Priest for all Pujas & Marriages Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Gujarati & Marathi Astrologer Hardik Vyas, a famous young face in Vedic Astrology from India is in Houston. Call for guidance on Health, Wealth, Education, Career, Business, Property, Love & Passion, Marriage & Compatibility, Horoscope-Making, Child Problem, Luck & Fortune, Peace & Prosperity, Karma & Economic success.

Vaastu Shastra is an ancient science. Fix an appointment for personal visit to your home, plot, business/office, shop, factory, or hotel. Gain peace of mind and prosperity by doing little changes as per Vaastu Shastra. Simple, Easy, Scientific & Affordable solutions/remedies to overcome problems in your Horoscope and Vaastu.

Sandhya, with her two children. Her role models: “My mother first and foremost. She is a simple homemaker, but her grit, her determination, her talents are what kept our family together and happy.

She always knows how to uplift someone who is feeling low and is quietly pushing and encouraging you to fulfill your dreams. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, an acclaimed writer, is another person who I admire and hope to emulate. I love her style of writing, enjoy her books and really identify and relate to the characters she creates.

Astrology & Vaastu Shastra are Science of Nature, and are not related with any religion, caste, or community. It is an Occult Science and gift of nature for the welfare of the people.

Listen to Hardik Vyas live on 1320 AM Shoba Joshi’s Geetanajali Radio

E-mail: askfuture@hotmail.com Ph: 832-298-9950 www.toaskfuture.com

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 • PAGE 19

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PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

INDIA

146 killed in train accident

PUKHRAYAN, India/NEW DELHI Indian rescuers on Monday called off a search of the mangled carriages of a derailed train after pulling more bodies from the wreckage, taking to at least 146 the number of passengers killed in the disaster.

Sunday’s derailment in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh was India’s deadliest train tragedy since 2010 and has renewed concern about poor safety on the state-run network. A lifeline for millions, the railways suffer from chronic underinvestment, which has left it with aging tracks and outdated rolling stock.

Rescue teams worked through the night with cranes and cutters to disentangle the train before police halted the search of the 14 carriages that derailed in the early hours while most passengers slept.

“The rescue operations are over. We don’t expect to find any more bodies,” said Zaki Ahmed, the police inspector general in the city of Kanpur, about 65 km (40 miles) from Pukhrayan, the crash site.

All of the carriages, some crumpled beyond recognition, have since been removed from the tracks.

The crash came during India’s busy wedding season and media said blood-stained bags of saris and wedding cards carried by at least one wedding party on board were scattered beside the wreckage.

The derailment injured close to 200 people, scores of them seriously, officials said. After the tragedy, relatives thronged hospitals in a search for survivors.

A railways spokesman said the train carried 1,000 people traveling on reservations, but 700 more were estimated to have squeezed into the unreserved carriages.

In the early hours of Nov. 20, 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express train derailed near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, killing over 120 people and injuring over 200, according to the Press Trust of India. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha has said that a fracture in the rails and jamming of wheels is suspected to have caused the accident. Search and rescue operations are underway.

The largely colonial-era railway system, the world’s fourth largest, carries a saturation-level total of about 23 million people daily. Aging badly, its average speeds top just 50 kph (30 mph) and train accidents are common.

The crash is a stark reminder of the obstacles facing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in delivering on his promise to turn the railways into a more efficient, safer network befitting India’s economic power.

Modi this year pledged record levels of investment and has announced a new high-speed line funded by Japan, but the main network has made little progress on upgrading tracks or signaling equipment.

He has also shied away from raising the highly subsidized fares that leave the railways with next to nothing for investment. By some analysts’ estimates, they need 20 trillion rupees ($293.34 billion) of investment by 2020.

Modi held a political rally on Sunday about 210 km (130 miles) from the crash site in Uttar Pradesh, which heads to the polls early next year in an election his Bharatiya Janata Party is vying to win.

Mayawati, the state’s former chief minister who uses only one name and is a Modi critic, said the government should have “invested in mending tracks instead of spending billions and trillions of rupees on bullet trains,” media reported.

Junior railway minister Manoj Sinha said a fractured track might have caused the train to roll off the rails on its journey between the central Indian city of Indore and the eastern city of Patna. The government has ordered an inquiry to determine the precise cause.

Sunday’s crash is India’s worst rail tragedy since the collision of a passenger and a goods train in 2010, which the government blamed on sabotage by Maoist rebels.

In 2005, a train was crushed by a rock and another plunged into a river, each disaster killing more than 100 people. In what was probably India’s worst rail disaster, a train fell into a river in the eastern state of Bihar of 1981, killing an estimated 500 to 800 people.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday ordered an enquiry into the Patna-Indore Express derailment. Commissioner Railway Safety (Northern region) will carry out the probe. “Enquiry team will start investigation into cause of accident immediately. All necessary assistance provided to the affected, we are taking care,” Prabhu said after visiting the accident site along with the top Railway Board officials, including the Chairman Railway Board AK Mital.

Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha, who also visited the accident site, said that it seemed the cause of the accident was rail fracture. “Member (Engineering) of the Railway Board will find out the cause of the accident and action will be taken against those responsible,” he said.

According to technical experts in the railways, though the exact cause of the rail tragedy will be known after the enquiry, the possibility of rail fracture could not be ruled out.

Rescue workers search for survivors at the site of Sunday’s train derailment in Pukhrayan, south of Kanpur city, India November 21, 2016.

Indore Patna Express derails: From a photo of the dead, a 4-year-old tries to pick father . Among those trying to help police identify the dead at the Pukhrayan Community Health Centre (CHC) on Sunday, where 50 of those injured in the train accident were brought, was a four-year-old.

As he lay on the bed with his fractured right leg in a cast, his right hand covered in bandages, and his left hand tightly clutching a toy car, a policeman held a phone close to Adarsh Pandey so that he could look at photos of some dead victims to identify if any of them was his father.

A sobbing Adarsh shook his head. Doctors said he was too traumatised to talk. The boy has been able to convey that he was travelling with father Ravindra Pandey and mother Pooja to Kanpur.

“Kanpur ja rahe the, mausi ke yahan ja rahe the (We were going to Kanpur, to my aunt’s place),” he says softly, when asked.

However, CHC Superintendent Dr Sanjiv Kumar said, Adarsh hasn’t been able to say where he is from. He gave a school’s name that they are now trying to trace.

“We think that school is in Bhopal. We have sent his photos to the Bhopal district magistrate. We hope to find someone who knows him,” said Kumar.

Ninety-seven injured passengers of the IndorePatna Express accident

were brought to the CHC, of whom 27 were referred to Kanpur, while 27 left hospital after treatment.

Eight were declared brought dead while two died during treatment.

Adarsh was brought along with three other children separated from their parents, early on Sunday morning. Families of two of them traced them to the hospital later and took them away.

Adarsh and Aarohi Soni, less than 2 years old, remained.

Early Sunday evening, Aarohi’s cousin Ravi came to the hospital to get her. She was identified by her uncles in Kanpur through photos circulated on WhatsApp by authorities.

Ravi said the family was going for the wedding of Aarohi’s uncle Rakesh in Varanasi. Rakesh died in the accident. Doctors say Aarohi, who had been crying, quietened down on seeing Ravi.

Ravi said the girl was close to him. “The rest of the family was all travelling in S1. My ticket was not confirmed so I went to S11 to sleep.”

While Ravi’s mother and sister are dead, his grandmother is missing.

Around 9 pm, Adarsh too finally got a visitor. Uncle Manoj Kumar Pandey came to the CHC after family members in their village, Maniarepur, Jaunpur district, saw the child’s photo on TV. Pandey said he rushed over from Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, after coming to know of the accident.

Adarsh identified him immediately.

“Ravindra was coming from Bhopal to Varanasi to attend a marriage. His wife and elder son Rishabh were with him. They are still missing. We have searched in Kanpur and Mati, but they are not there. His phone and luggage are with police,” said Pandey.

The doctors said they couldn’t discharge Adarsh or Aarohi without the district administration’s confirmation, and asked their relatives to come Monday morning.

Late on Sunday night, Aarohi and Adarsh finally fell asleep on adjoining beds, a nurse by their side.

PHILOSOPHY

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 17

Introduction to Vedāntic view on Consciousness

One should not ignore the study of “soul” just because it is unobservable by empirical means. The idea of soul should be deduced from an understanding of concepts and necessity.

According to Sańkhya philosophy, there are two types of bodies: (1) Sthūla-deha: The gross body–the body that can be sensed by hearing, smelling, tasting, seeing, and touching, and (2) Sūkṣma-deha: The subtle body (within the gross body) – mind (manasā), intelligence (buddhi) and false ego (ahańkāra).

In general, in western philosophy they seem to assume soul (ātman) and subtle body (sūkṣma-deha) as one and the same thing – psyche.

On the other hand, according to Sańkhya philosophy the subtle body (sūkṣma-deha: mind (manasā), intelligence (buddhi) and false ego (ahańkāra)) acts as a connecting link between soul (ātman) and gross body (sthūla-deha). The subtle body (sūkṣma-deha) is the major difference between western philosophy and Vedāntic view.

Therefore, in Vedāntic philosophy every soul has the same psychic power in the potential form, but due to its conditioned state of consciousness it cannot express it.

Different men can go at different speeds by using different vehicles: bicycle, high speed car, airplane and so on. It is improper to classify men based on those speeds, because the speed differences are not coming from men. The speed difference is due to the different abilities that are available in those vehicles.

Similarly, according to Vedāntic philosophy different souls may be present in different bodies and due to the limitations as result of conditioning of those bodies the souls (despite having same abilities in potential form) cannot manifest their full potentials.

In Vedāntic view there are five different levels of consciousness: (1) ācchādita: Covered consciousness manifested in living entities like trees, (2) saṅkucita: Shrunken consciousness manifested in animals (mainly focused on immediate biological needs: eating, sleeping, mating and defending), (3) mukulita: The beginning of human consciousness (without a sense of absolute truth), (4) vikachita: When men start developing a sense of absolute truth and (5) pūrṇa-vikachita: When a person had developed pure love towards the absolute truth.

In Vedāntic concept different species represent different developmental stages of consciousness. Unlike modern dualistic western philosophy, in the Vedāntic view, the mind and body of the living entity forms an inseparable unity.

To study life we have to also

study death. At the time of death consciousness is lost and that is called the death of living entity.

Consciousness always means consciousness of something. The living entity can be conscious of objects in the environment and at the same time when it becomes the object of its own consciousness, it is called self consciousness.

Trees, plants, creepers and grass are examples of living entities having covered consciousness (ācchādita).

These living entities have almost no sense of their own conscious existence, yet their identity as living entities can be inferred from the six transformations of life as observed in living entities: (1) birth, (2) sustenance, (3) growth, (4) maturity, (5) declination and (6) death.

According to Manu-saṁhitā the trees have feelings of pain and pleasure similar to ours and their souls are not of a lower standard. However, their consciousness is not yet developed to the extent of animals and the still higher category of human beings. Terewavas has argued that plants display sentient qualities like sensory perception, information processing, learning, memory, choice, foresight and predictive capacity.

Animals, birds, crawling and creeping entities like reptiles, snakes, insects and fishes living in water are all examples of different degrees of shrunken consciousness (saṅkucita).

These organisms have a more developed sense of their conscious existence. They distinctly display the characteristics towards satisfying their immediate biological needs like eating, sleep, fear, willful migration and travel, fighting with others due to a sense of self, display of anger when they see injustice, and so on.

But they have no sense of self inquiry (athāto brahma jijñāsā – Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.1) and they are fully engrossed only in immediate existence.

Sometimes it is observed in monkeys that they have a small sense of learning or gaining practical knowledge and realization within their restless activities. In certain situations they also display feelings about the consequences to a certain degree and even we can find symptoms of gratefulness in them. Sometimes animals also possess a sense of knowledge about different substances. It has also been documented in recent times that sometimes even wild animals like lions apart from monkeys, dogs, and other animals develop some sense of empathy when they come in human contact. De Waal, a renowned biologist and primatologist with expertise in studies of behavior and social intelligence of primates explains:

“There is increasing evidence, mostly in mammals but also in birds that animals are sensitive to the emotions of others and react to distress in others by attempts to ameliorate their situation or rescue them. There are experiments showing the same, so these videos are to be taken seriously as illustrations of this tendency.”

Animals do not normally enquire after real self (beyond body) and God. Therefore, their consciousness is categorized as shrunken consciousness (saṅkucita).

The consciousness in human stage is very broad and is categorized in three stages. The human stage covers different aesthetic categories like morality and ethics.

The human stage can be moral-less, moral, moral with a developing sense of absolute truth, working for the absolute truth and those with a developed dedication with developed love towards the absolute truth.

The moral-less and moral without a sense of absolute truth are budding consciousness (mukulita). Moral with a developing sense of absolute truth and those working for the absolute truth are the stage of blossoming consciousness (vikachita). Those humans who have developed dedication with developed love towards the absolute truth are called completely developed stage of consciousness (pūrṇavikachita).

The pañca-kos’a concept has been elaborated in the Brahmānanda-vallī of Taittirīya Upaniṣad, where different living entities are categorized into five inter penetrating concepts: (1) anna-maya, (2) prāṇa-maya, (3) mano-maya (jñāna-maya), (4) vijñānamaya and (5) ānanda-maya.

The anna-maya stage is the feeding stage or the stage of food consciousness and it is implied by the Sanskrit term anna, which means food. All living entities subsist on food and therefore anna-maya stage is common to all life forms.

After the anna-maya layer, comes the prāṇa-maya layer of consciousness. The living entity wants to preserve his consciousness of being alive.

The living entity becomes conscious of protecting itself from being attacked or destroyed. In this way the living entity feels some happiness in being alive.

After the prāṇa-maya layer comes the mano-maya layer of consciousness. Plants, animals and humans have the potential for self-recognition to different degrees.

All living entities contain in degrees some mental or cognitive quality and thus manomaya stage is the mental stage.

But the human stage is more advanced than plants and animals.

The whole of materialistic

civilization is in this way primarily based on these three stages known as anna-maya, prāṇa-maya and mano-maya.

After the mano-maya layer of consciousness, there is the vijñāna-maya stage of consciousness. The pure soul lives in the vijñāna-maya stage. By reaching the rational and the intellectual phase of life when a person understands that he is a spiritual soul (ātman), he becomes situated in the vijñānamaya stage.

After the vijñāna-maya layer there is yet another higher layer called the ānanda-maya stage.

The living entity or the soul is meant to gradually evolve its consciousness up to the highest state called ānanda-maya stage.

In this stage one attains perfect happiness and fulfilment by fully engaging oneself in loving devotional services of the Supreme Absolute.

These five stages are hierarchical, interpenetrating and nested. All living entities, from the simplest on up, are covered by this enjoying tendency or the tendency to be fulfilled.

In Vedāntic view all the aforementioned stages of consciousness can be broadly categorized as exploitation (bhogā), renunciation (tyāga) and dedication (bhakti) The two lower stages of consciousness, covered (ācchādita) and shrunken (saṅkucita) stages come under exploiting consciousness (bhogā).

Living entities in this consciousness do not go beyond the bodily identity of self (recognizing oneself as young, old, male, female and so on). In human form those who are ignorant about their true constitutional position, exercise their freedom to choose a position against their real nature.

The world of matter is dominated by the consciousness of exploitation (bhogā – ‘freedom for the senses’/‘endless sense gratification’) and thus the activities of living entities are driven by ‘laws of karma – laws of action and reaction’, which is an unnatural position for the living entities because spontaneous activity is the true nature of life.

When the living entities are tired or feel distressed due to endless entanglement of karmic cycle, they try to find some short of relief/liberation from that suffering position by making the attempts to eliminate the consciousness itself – renunciation (tyāga – attempt to block sensual and mental temptations). However, renunciation (tyāga – withdrawal) cannot be a true remedy, as we all know retirement is hell.

There are a few liberationists who think that renunciation (tyāga) is the solution for overcoming the suffering condition from the reactionary plane of exploitation (bhogā) and thus they externally try to leave

everything and advise others to do so. However, stopping all the activities (returning to zero) is undesirable and is against the real nature of the living entity.

Darwinian objective evolution theory of bodies using the laws of physics and chemistry cannot explain why species like bacterium, fish, frog, banyan tree, lion and so on appeared. On the other hand, the conception of Vedānta holds that different gross and subtle bodies (species) are original archetypes that accommodate different varieties of consciousness through which the transmigration of the soul (ātman) takes place on the basis of the subjective evolution of consciousness.

For example, Viṣṇu Purāṇa states: jala‐jā nava‐lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa‐viḿśati kṛmayo rudra‐sańkhyakāḥ pakṣiṇāḿ daśa‐lakṣaṇam

triḿśal‐lakṣāṇi paśavaḥ catur‐lakṣāṇi mānuṣāḥ Translation: There are 900,000 species living in the water. There are also 2,000,000 nonmoving living entities (sthāvara), such as trees and plants. There are also 1,100,000 species of insects and reptiles, and there are 1,000,000 species of birds. As far as quadrupeds are concerned, there are 3,000,000 varieties, and there are 400,000 human species.

According to Vedānta, species identification and classification are based on a cognitive paradigm, where the body is a biological illusion of the consciousness of the soul (ātman).

The different species described in the above verse are representations of different varieties of consciousness which in turn are represented in different subtle bodies (sūkṣma-deha).

The transmigration of the soul (ātman) is described in Bhagavad‐gītā 8.6: yaḿ yaḿ vāpi smaran bhāvaḿ tyajanty ante kalevaram taḿ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad bhāva‐ bhāvitaḥ – “The soul (ātman) obtains a body in next life based on the consciousness in which it left the previous body.”

According to Vedāntic philosophy animals and lower species of life do not have enough intelligence to understand these descriptions of ancient wisdom. However, a sober human being may easily understand his/her entanglement in the dangerous cycle of endless transmigration and thus inquire about true identity of self as the immortal soul under an expert spiritual guide. ‑­ Bhakti Niskama Shanta, Bhakti Vijnana Muni Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Institute, Govinda Shetty Palya, Konappana Agrahara, Electronic City, Bengaluru, India

PAGE 18 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

NEWS

The princess of Sanskrit

It was a moment of cultural amalgamation for Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess of Thailand, who received the maiden Indian Council for Cultural Relations World Sanskirt award on Monday.

NEW DELHI The princess of Thailand, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, was humility personified at the ceremony where she was presented with the maiden World Sanskirt award, for the year 2015 by Vice President M Hamid Ansari at the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in the capital city on Monday.

“Honoured and humbled”, she said with a gracious smile.

Her speech, though brief, conveyed in its essence on the importance of cultural exchange between countries through further opening up of the borders.

“Honoured and humbled to receive the first award instituted by ICCR. It’s a great honour to receive it from the Vice President of the country.

The Thai language is very different from Sanskrit.

But culturally its very similar,” she said after receiving the award that comprises US$ 20,000 (Twenty Thousand US Dollars), a Citation and a Lapel Pin. An eminent scholar of Sanskrit, Pali, cultural and historical studies, the princess is keenly interested in epigraphy

and has been a patron of Sanskrit studies in Thailand and propagation of Sanskrit. “Sanskrit is important, and the corpus of scientific, philosophical, sacral, and poetic texts produced in this language is surely one of the richest, contributions to global textual culture ever,” said the Vice President.

He further said that the shaping of Indian genius owes much to Sanskrit, not only in the fields of spirituality and religion but also in the fields of art, poetry, and literature as also of science, ethics, and systems of philosophy and knowledge. “Sanskrit encompasses one of the largest literatures of any language, and incorporates the sacred literature of three of the world’s major religions,” he added.

He added that the transition from an oral to a written form saw Sanskrit spread with breathtaking rapidity across southern and eastern Asia.

“Thai and other Southeast Asian languages have strong roots in Sanskrit, which reflects their remote past relationship with Sanskrit. In Eu-

It was a moment of cultural amalgamation for Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Princess of Thailand, who received the maiden Indian Council for Cultural Relations World Sanskirt award on Monday. rope and in the United States also there has been a long and valuable tradition of scholarship in Sanskrit,” he said.

“Sanskrit literature embodies a comprehensive mapping of the human experience in its spiritual, emotional, mental and physical dimensions.

The extensive literature offers an expansive view of human nature and its role in creation.

It includes epics, profound scripture, subtle philosophy, voluminous mythology and exquisite poetry. Playwrights and poets have skillfully used the language to offer timeless insights into the human mind.

The grandeur of epics like Ma-

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habharata and Ramayana testify to it; so does the beauty of Kalidasa’s poetic genius, said the Vice President.

“Sanskrit has had an existence of 7000 years. It came into being between 4000-5000 BC,” said Professor Lokesh Chandra, president ICCR. Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said that Sanskrit didn’t travel with

arms and is the first true evidence of what we today call soft power.

Professor George Cardona from the University of Pennsylvania received the award for the year 2016.

She has singularly been responsible for making the University of Pennsylvania a centre of Sanskrit learning in North America.

Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry on Tuesday alleged that Ratan Tata once tried to sell the TCS to IBM and his “ego” led to business decisions like the acquisition of Corus.

“It is important to set the record straight since insinuations and leaks are being made explicitly to create an illusion that Mistry was a ‘hands off’ chairman and TCS/JLR were on ‘auto-pilot’ during his leadership,” Mr. Mistry’s office said in a five-page letter on Tuesday.

Listing out the details of his efforts as a non-executive chairman at both the companies, the letter said the saltto-software conglomerate is “busy apportioning credit” for the stellar performances.

The letter said Mr. Ratan Tata, who took over as the interim chairman following Mr. Mistry’s controversial dismissal from the group on October 24, had once tried to sell the group’s crown jewel TCS to global giant IBM. Without giving the timelines, the letter claimed the then chief F.C. Kohli’s illness had prevented JRD Tata from going ahead with Ratan Tata’s

proposal. “ R a t a n Tata was then heading Tata Industries’ joint venture with IBM and had approached JRD Tata with a proposal from IBM to buyout TCS. JRD refused to discuss the deal because Kohli was still recovering in the hospital,” it said.

It claimed that Mr. Kohli flatly refused the proposal, saying “TCS has a bright future and the group should not sell the company.”

“JRD turned down the offer, demonstrating true vision. But it was also a near-death experience for TCS at the hands of Ratan Tata,” the letter claimed.

The letter, which is third in a series of clarifications issued by Mr. Mistry’s office, also blamed Ratan Tata’s “ego” for bad business decisions, including the buyout of British steelmaker Corus at a high cost and also sticking to the CDMA technology for its telecom business imperiling thousands of jobs.

A section of the letter headlined ‘One man’s ego versus an institution’ claimed that Mr. Ratan Tata’s ego resulted in the Corus deal worth USD 12 billion — twice the cost of what it was available for one year prior to the transaction — despite opposition from some board members and senior executives. ×

Ratan Tata tried to sell TCS to IBM, says Mistry

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 19

INDIA

Breaking the nuclear silence

By ARUN PRAKASH Raksha Mantri (RM) Manohar Parrikar’s seemingly wayward remarks about India’s nuclear posture may have stirred a hornet’s nest in the media, but if they are indicative of a newfound interest in security matters amongst decision-makers, this occurrence needs to be lauded. Given their preoccupation with electoral politics, it is worrying to see how little time and mental space our political leaders devote to national security. Nowhere is this neglect more worrisome than in the area of higher defence management and the existential complexities of our nuclear deterrent. Even if he was expressing personal views, which may or may not be in consonance with state policy or media perceptions, Parrikar has broken a tradition of sphinx-like silence, wherein his two UPA predecessors rarely acknowledged the existence of India’s nuclear deterrent or even mentioned the ‘N’ word. The RM’s off-the-cuff remarks will serve a useful purpose if they trigger a debate on nuclear issues that include India’s hastily made commitments to no-first-use (NFU), a “minimal” arsenal and the self-imposed moratorium on testing. After all, the BJP’s 2014 election manifesto had promised to”study in detail India’s nuclear doctrine, and revise and update it, to make it relevant to challenges of current times”.

Defence Minister Parrikar bats for ‘be unpredictable’ policy in nuclear strategy India’s hesitant journey to nuclear weaponisation was shaped, on the one hand, by a utopian vision of a nuclearfree world and, on the other, by the persistent urging of scientists like Homi Bhabha. Janusfaced, India embarked on this programme in which the task of charting the nation’s path in the fields of nuclear and missile technology was entrusted, in entirety, to the country’s scientific enclave. While enabling “plausible deniability” on the part of the politician, this paradigm perpetuated two flaws which persist till today: The omission of any independent oversight for evaluation of, often unrealistic, scientific plans and claims; and the exclusion of the armed forces from all aspects of our strategic programmes.

Come Pokharan II, in which the only military involvement related to site excavation work, a draft nuclear doctrine was released in mid-1999, which promised “punitive” retaliation against a nuclear attack, and made a pledge of “no-firstuse”, in respect of states which were non-nuclear and had no nuclear umbrella. Four years later, in the finalised nuclear doctrine, the term “punitive retaliation” was replaced by the somewhat implausible “massive retaliation” and the principle of NFU applied to

all nations except those posing chemical or biological weapon threats. India’s espousal of a credible “minimum” deterrent conveyed the impression that it would be content with a small number of nuclear devices, and politicians, unfamiliar with the subject, spoke of “a few” nuclear weapons as sufficient to deter a nuclear adversary.

However, a simple calculation would have revealed such beliefs to be delusional and even dangerous. The restraint imposed by NFU would require India to suffer the loss of a substantive number of its warheads to an enemy firststrike and then be in a position to retaliate (using the surviving warheads) with a strike that would inflict “unacceptable damage”. This clearly shows that a state pledged to NFU must always have more warheads than our enemies can launch in a first strike. Given that China has a large stockpile and Pakistan is racing ahead with production of plutonium warheads, the concept of “minimum” becomes irrelevant.

If the enemy comes to believe that India cannot launch a massive retaliatory strike — for want of enough warheads or other reasons — our deterrent will lose its credibility.

But “deterrence breakdown” is a scenario never contemplated by our strategists. Pakistan is now brandishing low-yield short-range missiles — termed tactical nuclear weapons

Parrikar (TNW) — with the intention of lowering the nuclear threshold and, thus, deterring India’s putative “Cold Start” doctrine.

So far, India’s stance has been that no matter what label Pakistan puts on its nukes, India will persist with its doctrine of massive retaliation. This posture should provoke thought firstly, because the destruction of a densely populated Pakistani metropolis in response to a TNW attack on a small Indian military unit (possibly on Pakistani soil or even at sea) will flout the principle of proportional response as well international opinion. Secondly, a nuclear first-strike will not only inflict casualties and mayhem, but the accompanying electromagnetic pulse would also “fry” computer systems and jam communications. Given the entropy in our cities, political authorisation and launching of a retaliatory strike may become problematic.

So, when Parrikar asks rhetorically, “Why should I bind myself to NFU. Why say that I am not going to use it?”, he is implying that ambiguity may

have a role in deterrence. India has a well-deserved reputation for responsible conduct in the nuclear domain. Do we need to provide a cast-iron guarantee to potential adversaries that they are immune from attack, even if seen to be preparing for a first strike? The NFU option is best left open-ended or unstated.

Two other observations of the RM call for brief comments. Firstly, while doctrinal “unpredictability” may be a virtue as far as adversaries are concerned, the total absence of white papers, defence reviews and, above all, a security doctrine, constitutes a huge void in India’s strategic domain.

Secondly, the one factor that detracts from the credibility of India’s deterrent posture is the stark absence of a chief of defence staff. India’s adversaries, no doubt, reason that a country that permits a part-time rotational military functionary to preside over its nuclear arsenal could not be serious about nuclear deterrence. There is absolutely no need for the PM or RM to seek a consensus from the service chiefs to install a CDS. If the government considers it necessary in the national interest, they must appoint a CDS by fiat without further delay.

The author is a former Indian Navy chief and chairman, chiefs of staff.

—Indian Express

“46 Years

1970-2016

PAGE 20 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

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Goswami 281-597-8100 Temple is located at 13944 Schiller Rd (off ties.

Sant Nirankari Mission its Puja Vedanta Society Hwy 6 bet Westpark 7:30 his AMcolorful - 9:30 AM Adult meditation classes. manism, his notations on official files, language and his Mathur doodling”. on Friday April 08, 2016 startlowship.

Worship is in English.

(North) 832-687-6766 Sondip Goswami 281-597-8100 Temple isCall located at 13944 Rd (off Register Heritage Classes Vedanta Society Hwy 6 bet.

Bellairecongregation & Westpark).

Ganesh Mandal at 713-797Vedanta Society ofSchiller Greater Housweekly spiritual - doodling”.

77082). Tel 281-596-9642.

5:30 PM -dedicated 8.30 PM to the or at www.ashirwadaSaumyakasi Sivalaya This book, with over 200 photographs, is men in ing 07:30PM onwards.

Akhand For information call Chris Gantela Hwy 6 bet.

Bellaire & Westpark).

Call Ganesh Mandal at 713-797(South) 832-215-8675 www.sairegion10. ton, 14809 LinditaofDrive (77083) Ashirwad’sor Heritage Classes in Patanjali Yogpeeth Society Greater Hous- blessing.org on9057 every/ 832-423-8541.

Sunday at India House Vedanta Aartidefending @ 7:30 PM Saumyakasi Sivalaya SriSivalaya Ravula 281This book, with over 200 photographs, is dedicated to the men in Sri Saumyakasi is louniform who have laid down their lives their country and to Ramayan Path starting Saturday ton, 281-344-0707, or Rev. Vijay Gur9057 / 832-423-8541. every Sunday from 995-0930. org.and Sunday Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land foruniform 14809 Lindita Drive (77083) Yogawho Classes every Sat/Sun 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed has classes Saturday SriatSaumyakasi Sivalaya10353 is lo- Free have laid down their lives defending their country and to Chinmaya Prabha, theirrala widows who have also sacrificed so much.

The book will be on April 09, 2016 at 5:00PM on- 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on cated 281-997-0757.

Sadhu Vaswani Center attheir Aryawidows Samaj fromhave 8 amalso to 9:30 kids 4Road, toKrishna 18 yrs - Prabha, meditation, Yoga, has classes every Sunday from Synott bywards community AllApril areShakti wel8:30autographed AM - 1:30 PM Hare Dham Shiv Mandir cated at Chinmaya 10353 who sacrificed so much.

The book will be on Sugar Land, TX sale at the discounted price of $35, and by the authors.

A until meals.

Sunday 10, Gospel Sri Guruvayurappan Temple of to Sri12:30 Ramakrishna, 1st Houston’s a.m.

Anil 281-579-9433.

Sadhu Vaswani Center of Houston holds slokas, stories from scriptures, a.m. p.m. on Gospel Aarti at 12:00 PM Shiv Shakti Mandir come.

For 7:00 further information, call664010:30 original Vedic temple, Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX saleHours: atCall the discounted of $35, and autographed byWar the authors.

Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, Harwin.

Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 77478.

Temple timings: Monday to major portion oftothe royalty will be donated to the WoundedA 2016 PM. Prasad Will Mon Friprice 6 a.m.

-8 a.m. & 3rd Sunday; Bhagavad Gita, For other free classes, call Indra regular Satsang on 3rd Thursday of the Vishnu Sahasranam, bhajans, of Sri Ramakrishna, 1st & 3rd Sun5:30 PM 8:30 PM ISKCON of Houston.

At 1320 W Rajserved Bhala at (281) 980-2825.

Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Harwin.

Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 77478. 9:00 Temple to Foundation major of the royalty be donated to theAssn.

War Wounded p.m. Allafter major festivals, as well birthdays, naam karan,ofengageFriday: AMtimings: - 12:00Monday Noon and India and the will War Widows Welfare of India. andportion 5:00 of p.m. toYoga/Herbal 8:30 p.m.

WeekRamayan Path.

For as 2nd Sunday; on Gita, works Swami 281-537-0018.

For month and daily Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call Aarti @ 7:30 PM; competitions and fun activities. day; Bhagavad 2nd Sunday; 34th St. (77018).

Daily Darshan Arya Samaj Satsang p.m.

All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engageFriday: 9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and Foundation of India and the War Widows Welfare Assn. of India. ment and other ceremonies.

Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or ends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon further information please call Vivekananda, 4th Sunday; Holy 5:00 - 8:00 PM Saturday and Sun- products, call Shekhar 281-242- Contact281-463-0379 832-585--0001 or e.mail ramolaj@aol. & Arati Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 a.m, Adult meditation classes.

Register on works of Swami Vivekananda, Weekly Havan Satsang every Sunment and other ceremonies.

Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or 5:00 8:00 PM Saturday and SunHardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhaday: 8:30-2:00 PM and 5:00 8:00 temple at 281-933-8100 or visit Mother Sarada’s Gospel, 5th familiesWeb: who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma). Monthly 5000. www.pyptusa.org ordiscussion temple@myhtw.net 8.30 a.m,Bharti 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, 7 or com at Call www.ashirwada-blessing.org 4thorSunday; Holy Mother Sarada’s PM. Hardik Raval for other ceremonies. daywww.SRKT.Org. from 10 a.m.361-243-6539 to 12 noon. isDAV day: 8:30-2:00 PM and 5:00 8:00 jans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sutaria 281-568families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma).

Monthly Temple lo-puja Mahamane program for prayer and on Vachana Sahitya Sunday. Swamis of Ramakrishna p.m, 9 p.m. Sunday Festival: and www.DivyaProducts.com.

Math SriCall Ravula 281-995-0930.

5th Sunday. Swamis of PM. Sundays 9 a.m. Contact: tofor1 prayer a.m.vsnahous Special Bharti Sutaria832-541281-568- followed Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. Gospel, or Jay Deshmukh ‘The Universe Within’ Mahamane program andSwaminarayan discussion on Gaudiya Vachana Sahitya cated 11625 Beechnut Street.

by Prasada. ton@gmail.com orTemple Jagadeesh Order visit to conduct retreats 1690 Sathya Sai centers 5.30 pm to Deshmukh 7.30 p.m.

Weekly Halyal Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha at 16628 poojas (weekends and holidays) Hindu Satsang at Shree Swami1690 or Jay 832-541Universe Within’ Hare Krishna Dham Order visit to con0059 or visit www.saum followed by Prasada.

Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh to 12Sant noon.

- Havan, Hindi 832-744-4166.

Sahaj Marg is a ‘The natural andand simpleRamakrishna system of heart-centered mediNirankari Mission and lectures. www.houstonve- Gita classes for adults; call 281- Sunday program held at two loChoroon (Annaprasam) for kids, narayan Hindu Temple, under 77084.

0059 or visit www.saum Kieth Harrow Blvd., Houston yakasi.org.

Houston’s original Vedic temple, retreats and lectures. www.

Halyal 832-744-4166.

Naitik Shiksha classes.

DAV MonSahaj is a practice natural and simple system of heart-centered meditation andMarg spiritual thatits helpsduct one realize the utimate potential Sant Nirankari Mission holds danta. org or 281-584-0488. cations (North Houston: 12127 433-1635 or of harekrishnadham @ W Thulabharam, VahanaThoma Pooja, Shree Ni-Church NarNarayan Satsang SundaysDev 5 toGadi 7 pm. kaMantra mediISKCON Houston. At 1320 houstonvedanta. org orwishes 281-584tation and spiritual thatis helps one realize the utimate potential tessori School for The agespractice 2 to 7 years.

Mar within oneself. meditation available to anyone who to yakasi.org. weekly spiritual congregation Durga Bari Temple Louetta Rd, Houston; South gmail.com rapara.

Temple is located at 11620 lupur.

Opens daily from 7Dharma a.m. classes. tation, kirtan, Sanatan Gandhi Library Mar Thoma Church 34th St. (77018).

Daily Darshan & 0488. within meditation is available to anyone wishes to practice.

Weekly meditation sessions heldBari throughout theopen Houston on everyoneself.

SundayThe at India House Call Arti Khanna 281-759-3286.

Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Durga templewho is from Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Tel: Dr, 713Houston Namadwaar Ormandy St. (77035) to Sunday 12:30 p.m. andAlmeda from 4Genoa p.m.

Gandhi Library Vedic and practice.

Weekly sessions throughout Houston Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 Book a.m, 8.30 Jain area. www.sahajmarg.org Email: meditate_ houston@yahoo.com.

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 folMahatma Gandhi Library Free Yoga classes onmeditation Sat.p.m.

Sanskrit Mar Thoma Church every atEducation 5810 Rd.Trinity Sunday School at3:00 9:15 a.m.toMalayalam service at 9:30 a.m.Hindi on 1stclasses for 9 toheld 11 a.m. and Society 4 to the 7 p.m.

Mon. A Arati Suga Land, from pm prayer house where the Hare 729-8994 email: temple@ guruto 8:30 p.m.

Daily aarti at 7 a.m. area. www.sahajmarg.org Email: meditate_ houston@yahoo.com. kids.

Gita classes 1:30 Mahatma Gandhi Library by community All Jain a.m, 12 noon, p.m, 7each p.m, & 9Rd. of Houston Meets 2nd 4.30 Sunday of Book Sunday 9:15 a.m. Malayalam service atservice 9:30noon a.m. on 1stpm Wed. & lowed Upanishad classes Tue.meals.

6-8 p.m.

3rd Sunday.

AdultatBible class at 9:30 a.m.

English at -10:30 thru Society Sat. Sandhya aarti (JSH) at 6:30lo- Club: pm.

SaiSchool Spiritual Education vayur.us Rama Hare Krishna Maha- 5:30 and 7 p.m.

Saturday sabha from Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each are welcome.

For further inforHanuman Chalisa and Ramcharit 12:30 PM at Arya5.30 Samaj & 3rd Sunday.

Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m.

English service at 10:30 p.m.

Sunday Festival: pm to cated at 3905 Arc Street a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday.

Call 713-991-1557 or 281-261-4603. p.m. Temple closes at 7Houston p.m. month; At 14375 Schiller Rd. Heritage (bet West- Classes classes for children; study circle Preksha Meditation 5p.m to 7 p.m. followed by aarti Manas mantra is continuously chanted. month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj mation, call Raj Bhala at (281) Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday.

Call -713-991-1557 or7:30–8:30 281-261-4603. on Tue. p.m. info@sggm.org 7.30 p.m.

Weekly Gita classes Texas 77063 is open M-F from Sunday special from 9 a.m. to 7 park & Bellaire off Hwy 6).

281for adults.

Service programs Heritage Classes JVB Preksha Meditation Center 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes in Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land for Weekends: at 7 p.m. Temple and Maha-Prasad (free Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Sri Guruvayurappan 980-2825.

Rd. Join the discussion of the great or or 281-499-3347. p.m.

Puja services Priest Bishfor adults; call 281-433-1635 7:30 AM to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 food distribution & food drives; 752-0100. conducts weekly Meditation, Yoga Ashirwad’s Heritage Classes in Katy, Cypress and Sugar Land for Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. dinner). Temple Website www.issotx.

Sri Guruvayurappan Rd. Join the discussion theStory great Arya Samaj Satsang autobiography –of The nupada 281-597-8100 Hours: Mon tovisits, Frisessions 6 a.m.

-8inside a.m. and p.m. to 8:30 p.m. WeekSwaminarayan Temple harekrishnadham @gmail.com PM, andGoswami Sat, and Sun from 8 AM man’s home tutoring Brahma Kumaris and Swadhyay its 5:00 Weekly “Gopa Kuteeram” chil- nursing org, phone (281) 530-2565. man’s – The Story Weekly Havan Satsang every Temple is located at 13944 Schil- of My autobiography Experiments with Truth.

Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m.

-8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bhajans at Shree SwaminaContact Sanjay the Hindu Satsang Houstonclasses Namadwaar unique etc.

Pyramid hall under dren’s heritage and Sri- at schools Sanatan Dharm ofAMy Experiments with Truth.

Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. ler Rd (off Hwy 6 bet. Bellaire & Call Manish Wani endsauspicious &(North) Holidays: toofnoon p.m.

8:30 p.m. Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to6 8a.m. p.m.; Sundays a.m. to 1to a.m.

Special poojas Gupta 832-687-6766 or and95:00 rayan Hindu Temple, under Shree guidance Samaniprayer house713-829-6979. where the mad Bhagavatam classes.

CallHare DAV Sanskriti School Sundays Westpark). Call Ganesh Mandal Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979. Sondip Maha Sabha Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays to 1 a.m.

Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) forGadi kids,kalupur.

Mathur (South) 832-215jis, and runs special events and9 a.m.

NarNarayan Dev Rama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra 281-402-6585; visit www.godi10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Havan, West Indian Religious Organiza(weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids,to 12:30 at 713-797-9057 / 832-423-8541.

Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara.

Temple is located at 11620 programs like I-Choose, Medita8675 www.sairegion10.org.

LotNew for Sale off of Kalyani Hwy in Sodhpur, Gauri Siddhivinayak Opens daily from 7 a.m. vinity.org (Global Organization is continuously chanted. Weekclasses will start in January, 2017.

HindiLot and Naitik Shiksha classes. tion email: called Sanatan Dharm Maha Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara.

Temple is located at 11620 Shiv Shakti Mandir Ormandy St (77035) Tel: 713-729-8994 temple@ guruvayur.us tion Camps and Gyanshala profor Sale off of Kalyani Hwy in Sodhpur, Gauri Siddhivinayak Sadhu Vaswani Center forends: Divinity). p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, WeekWest Bengal.

1 bhiga or 20 KathasShiv with 2300Mandir, Sq. DAV Montessori School forseats, ages Sabha Branch # 377guruvayur.us is located Temple Ormandy St Tel: 713-729-8994 email: temple@ Sanatan Shakti Limited Register now’ gram for(77035) children ages 4-14 yrs.

Sadhu Vaswani Center of HousSaumyakasi Sivalaya Daily aarti at 7Katy, a.m. TX and 7 p.m.

West Bengal.

1 bhiga or 20 Kathas with 2300 Sq. days: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly bungalow built.6640 Architectural plans Temple 2 to ft.

7 years.

Call Artihalf Khanna at 26100 Tina Lane, Harwin. Open daily 7 SriDarshan JVB is located at 14102 Schiller from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Preksha Meditation ton holds regular Satsang on 3rd Saumyakasi Sivalaya is lo-heriSaturday sabha from 5p.m to 7 “Gopa Kuteeram” children’s ft. bungalow half built.

Architectural plans 281-759-3286. Freeavailable.

Yoga classesRs.a.m.

77494. Durga Mata PoojaforisYoga held to 8 p.m. All major festi- daily.

Rd. facilities Houston Every TuesDarshan fromfestivals 7Prabha, a.m. toas 8 well p.m. Thursday Preksha Meditation major 90 lakhs.

New of77082.

JVB Preksha Center.

Classes of the month and daily Meditation cated atAll Chinmaya 10353 p.m. followed by aarti at 7 p.m. tage classes and Srimad Bhagaon Sat. Sanskrit & Upanishad every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 day, 9:30am-11:30am, Samaniji well asatbirthdays, naam as daily.

All major festivals as well available.

Rs.vals, 90 as lakhs. birthdays, naam karan, engagefacilities ofCall JVB Preksha Center.

ClassesAt for14102 Yogadinner). andNew Meditation under guidance

by Meditation Samani jis discourses. at 7.30 p.m.

281-463Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX Arti Please contact Saha andand Maha-Prasad (free vatam classes.

Call 281-402-6585; classes Tue. 6-8 p.m. At 14375 Shilpi pm.

Contact Ram Sharma @ has pravachan for all adults interkaran, engagement and other ceras birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies.

Call and Meditation under guidance by Samani jis and discourses.

At 14102 Schiller Road (off Hwy 6 bet Bellaire and Westpark 77082).

Tel 0379 or e.mail ramolaj@aol.com Please contact Shilpi Saha at 77478.

Temple timings: Monday Website www.issotx.org.

Shilpi@yourblvd.com or 832-647-9433 visit www.godivinity.org (Global Schiller Rd. (bet Westpark & Bel- emonies.

713-412-9985 ested in learning about Jainism.

Call Pandit Virat Mehta Pandit ment and ceremonies.

Call Pradip Pandya 832-466Schiller Road (off Hwy 6 bet Bellaire and Westpark - 77082). Tel to Friday: 9other a.m.Noon and 5 281-596-9642.

Shilpi@yourblvd.com or 832-647-9433 Organization for12 Divinity). laire off Hwy 6). 281-752-0100.

Every Wednesday there is Swad- Phone (281) 530-2565.

713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 9868 Pandit Pandya 832-466puja Saturday and other ceremop.m.

-for 8Pradip p.m. and Sun- 281-596-9642.

Sanatan Dharm Saumyakasi Sivalaya hyay class fromPatanjali 7-9pm and every 9868 for puja and other ceremonies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, day: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Yogpeeth Exciting Summer Camp Maha Sabha Thursday from Patanjali 9:30-11am there Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is located nies.

At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Houston, TX 77036.

Yogpeeth - 8 p.m. Call Bharti Sutaria 281Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 is special Yoga class for Ladies West Indian Religious Organizaat Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 SynHouston, TX 77036.

568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832- a.m.Free Classes every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8Indra am to2819:30 CallYoga Anil 281-579-9433.

For other free classes, call Where Your Opinion Counts only.

Upcoming events include tion called Sanatan Dharm Maha ott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478.

Veerashaiva Samaja 541-0059 or visit www.saum 537-0018. a.m.Nov.12th, Call Anil 281-579-9433.

For other free classes, call IndraWeb: 281For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000.

Where Your Opinion Counts Monthly Preksha MediSabha Branch # 377 is located at Veerashaiva Samaja Temple timings: Monday to FriVSNA Houston is a group of 537-0018.

For Yoga/Herbal products,uncall Shekhar 281-242-5000. Web: KGOL 1480 AM • Saturdays 4 to 6 p.m. www.pyptusa.org and 9am-12pm www.DivyaProducts.com. yakasi.org. tation Camp from 26100 Tina Lane, Katy, TX 77494. day: 9 a.m.12 Noon and 5 p.m.

VSNA Houston is a group of Listen to Open Forum on KGOL 1480 AMprograms • Saturdays to 6 p.m. www.pyptusa.org www.DivyaProducts.com. der Samanijis and guidance followed Gauri Informative with4 doctors, 8 p.m.Siddhivinayak Saturday and Temple Sunday: 8:30 by potluck lunch. Call Seema Jain Durga Mata Pooja is held every in Houston.

Darshan a.m. to 8 -p.m.

Informative programs with doctors, WANT TO HOST YOUR SUMMER Friday CAMP? from 7 pm to 9.30 pm. a.m.-2 from p.m. 7and 5 p.m.

8 p.m. at 281-575-0575 lawyers, politicians and other further infordaily. All major festivals as well PARTNER WITH US for & HOST YOUR SUMMERContact CAMP ATRam INDIASharma HOUSE @ 713-412Every Saturday 4.00 PM to 6.00 PM. Call Bharti Sutaria 281-568-1690 mation. Visit www.jvbhouston. lawyers,newsmakers. politicians and other as birthdays, naam karan, en9985.amazing space or Jay Deshmukh or Instructors Studio line 800-444-1061 org or sendoremail at info@jvbagencies looking gagement other 832-541-0059 ceremonies. newsmakers.

TheseandTexas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games willforbeanclosing soon: Call 713-784-1480 Call These Pandit Pradip 832to conduct their summer activities TexasPandya Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games camp will be closingmay soon: Call 713-784-1480 Hosts: Dinkar Chheda, Jagat Kamdar & Subodh Bhuchar Official Close End Validations 466-9868 Game #for puja and other cerGame Name / Odds collaborate with us $ to provide fun, safe and of Game Date Hosts: Dinkar Chheda, Jagat Kamdar & Subodh Bhuchar emonies.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 21

INDIA Need a code based on equality and justice

By Shehnaaz Sheikh In 1983, I filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging Muslim Personal Law as being discriminatory to Muslim women. I was divorced by the utterance of triple talaq and thrown out at midnight by my ex-husband.

Life was difficult.

I worked as an office assistant on a salary of Rs 600 per month and lived as a paying guest. My husband found me out and threatened me. I said, “You have divorced me. I can live and work wherever I want to.’’

He said, “You are my wife.

I will file a case for restitution of conjugal rights.’’ It was his word against mine. I consulted five qazis, each of whom gave me a different version of my divorce.

I did not know what my legal marital status was. Was I married or divorced? That was when I decided to hire a law-

yer and challenge this form of divorce and Muslim Personal Law in the SC on grounds of equality guaranteed by the Constitution.

This was the first case of its kind in the Court. My petition provoked harsh criticism not only from the conservatives in the community but also from those I had expected to support me — the liberal sections.

Some were disgusted at the way internal affairs of the community were being made public. Others felt I lacked the knowledge of Islam necessary to challenge its laws. Yet others felt that I was just frustrated in my personal life.

The Mumbai-based feminist organisation, Forum Against Oppression of Women, and Indira Jaising’s Lawyers’ Collective came to my rescue and decided to fight my case free of cost.

The forum and others who supported me were not Mus-

lims. Muslim intellectuals felt that the change should come from within the community.

Muslim men associated Muslim Personal Law with their religious identity and did not want it to be changed.

I began to think of organising Muslim women. It wasn’t as easy as I had thought. Most progressive Muslims, I realised, didn’t want to take a stand against the ulema publicly, though they believed in my cause in private. Shabana Azmi, Kamila Tayabji, Asia Siddique and Anis Sayyed supported me publicly.

I studied Islamic law, wrote articles and gave talks on it. I completed my graduation and started studying law, joining Lawyers’ Collective as an intern. We started handling Muslim women’s cases.

I kept in touch with these women and helped in rehabilitating them. Sometime in 1987, we called all these

All India Muslim Personal Board forms women’s wing, supports triple Talaq

women to the house of Anwari, whose case we were handling, and showed them Jaddo-jehad (struggle), a documentary in which I and other Muslim divorcees had been interviewed.

This documentary helped the women to open up and we started discussing issues such as triple talaq.

When I asked them, “Shall we meet again?’’, the answer was a unanimous “Yes”. So we continued to meet at Anwari’s place. We decided to call ourselves Aawaz-e-Niswaan (voice of women).

Aawaz-e- Niswaan had to contend with unusual teething problems: Intimidation by goondas in the Muslim areas of Dongri and Nagpada, and the perception the area’s women had of me — that I was an outcast. However, in time, I integrated with the local population so successfully that women began to turn to me for help and men actually discussed issues across the table.

All this seems like it happened yesterday but it’s actually been 33 years. The big difference is that we were a

handful then and today it is heartening to see so many Muslim women approaching the SC and amazing that so many Muslim men — ordinary citizens, artists, and intellectuals — support them. However, since the issue of triple talaq has been deliberately mixed up with the Uniform Civil Code, I must state that I reject a Uniform Civil Code, as it is being used as a stick to beat the Muslim community.

Does anyone have a blueprint of this so-called code?

We need a code that is based on the principles of equality and justice.

As for my learned brothers of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, I would like to tell them: Most Islamic countries have abolished triple talaq and modified the Sharia to suit the present. They should agree that the same be done in India.

Sheikh is a freelance writer and language instructor. She won the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Bravery Award, 1993, for her work with women.

—Indian Express

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In a first, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Sunday decided to form a women’s wing to look into burning issues such as talaq, even as it passed a resolution in favour of triple talaq. The resolution passed at the AIMPLB’s three-day convention, which concluded on Sunday, stated that the government was infringing into the personal laws of Muslims.

The women’s wing would also deal with other issues like family disputes and education, AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jellani told a press conference here after the convention.

It decided to launch an all-India Muslim women helpline, a toll free call centre in Urdu, English and eight regional languages to counsel and guide Muslim women on family disputes to go to the Darul-Qaza.

“It has been decided for the first time that we will form a women’s wing to go into issues concerning Muslim women and an all-India Muslim women helpline, a tollfree call centre in Urdu English and 8 regional language,” Kamal Farooqi, a member of AIMPLB said.

“It seems that the government

is bringing up this isssue of Triple Talaq and Uniform Civil Code ahead of UP polls in order to communally polarise people and reap political dividends,” he said.

The AIMPLB said it wanted to be the part of a discussion with the government, though the government did not bother to hear their views.

“It is the opinion of the AIMPLB that the Shariah laws have their origin in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. These Shariah laws are divine laws and cannot be modified changed or altered by any person or authority,” Farooqi said.

The point of view of AIMPLB has been explained in detail through the affidavit filed before the honourable Supreme Court, he said.

“The moment we came to know that the Central government is going to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court, we approached the Prime Minister and five cabinet ministers through a registered post to get the point of view of the board, which represents all schools of thought in the country, heard.

Unfortunately, the predeter-

mined mind of the government did not think it fit to know the AIMPLB’s point of view,” he added.

Farooqi alleged that the questionnaire prepared by the Law Commission fell short of professionalism.

“The questionnaire prepared by the Law Commission not only falls short of professionalism regarding such a sensitive issue, but smacks of the intention of the presentday government to meddle with professional laws and bringing in the uniform civil code through the back door,” he said.

He, however, hoped that that good sense would prevail in the government and it would withdraw its affidavit filed in the apex court. The board has now prepared its own questionnaire and circulated it among Muslims for signatures in support of triple talaq.

“Lakhs of Muslim women have supported AIMPLB on its stand on triple talaq and the issue is a tool used by the government to interfere in AIMPLB’s affairs.

The government is trying to project Muslim women as suppressed and oppressed, which is wrong,” Asma Zahra, executive member of AIMPLB, said.

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INDIA

Ideas of India: A BJP-RSS intellectuals’ conclave spoke to — and heard out — diverse thinkers

By JYOTI MALHOTRA Tarek Fatah, Canadian author of Pakistani origin, who loves an anti-Muslim rant — clearly, there’s nothing like self-loathing to excite the basest instincts of your audience — wanted to speak last at his session at the Ideas India conclave, organised by the BJP-RSS thinktank, the India Foundation, in Goa over the weekend. But the organisers realised he couldn’t have the last word — certainly not after Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind leader, the mild-mannered Mahmood Madani, had had his say. So they insisted Fatah go first.

Unsurprisingly, he brought the house down. BJP general secretary and India Foundation director Ram Madhav could be seen discreetly motioning to the moderator to quickly end the session.

Soon, it was Madani’s turn to speak — and the crowd began to taunt him over his refusal to roundly condemn triple talaq.

Madani’s attempts to warm the crowd (“Indian Muslims are Indian by choice, not by chance,” he said, pointing out that his ancestors were against Partition) were received with pointed silence or muted catcalls.

Only the day before, BJP

president Amit Shah had again reminded the audience of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s determination to protect the rights of Muslim women. To its credit, the BJP has picked up the modernising strain in the Muslim community and decided to run with it — happily, the marathon coincides with upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. As for the Congress, the blindside on this matter remains fully in place since Rajiv Gandhi bailed on the 61-year-old Shah Bano in 1986.

But the hardest clapping during Amit Shah’s address was reserved for his comment that it was alright to criticise politicians (“I cannot count the times Narendra bhai has been criticised and it’s fine”), but any criticism of the nation would not be acceptable.

Sweekaar nahin hoga. So when I asked what Shah meant by his conception of nationhood, and whether it had changed from the time of Ashoka, Buddha, Akbar, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru upto today — including a ban on NDTV, for example, which has since been put on hold — a distinct murmur ran through the crowd.

The NDTV question pushed Rajya Sabha MP and session

moderator Swapan Dasgupta to say, with some alacrity, that in the wake of the media coverage of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, national security would not be compromised. So when the NDTV reporter pointed to the ammunition dumps and the manner in which the terrorists had scaled the wall at the Pathankot base, Dasgupta said, it was but natural the network had to pay for the reporter’s extraordinary enthusiasm.

Except that Dasgupta’s alacrity contradicted two senior RSS and BJP leaders’ views who, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me they disagreed with the ban. Curtailing the guaranteed right of freedom of speech and expression was certainly not the way to deal with a critical media, both leaders said.

Several others at the conference, from RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale to India Foundation director Shaurya Doval (son of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval), were clearly keen to send out the message that the RSS and BJP in power were much more inclusive organisations. Hosabale practically disavowed Tarek Fatah’s anti-Muslim rants, pointing out that the essence of democracy is dialogue. “On the battlefield

of Kurukshetra, the disagreement between Krishna and Arjun is called the ‘KrishnaArjun samvad’. If there is dialogue, dissent should be acceptable,” Hosabale said.

Doval remarked, “It doesn’t matter if we disagree. But at least let us respect each other’s views. After all, we are all Indians.”

Certainly, the Conclave was an opportunity for the converted to assert their ideologically right-wing point of view.

Doval pointed out that when he and Ram Madhav inaugurated its first edition three years ago, the audience was simply grateful, “they had got a chance to speak out after years of being suffocated under the Congress regime.”

Certainly, economist and best-selling author Sanjiv Sanyal, whose number Amit Shah is said to have on speed dial, believed Tarek Fatah had been successful in calling out the hypocrisies of upper middleclass India.

And even though Ashok Malik of the Observer Research Foundation said he’d like the party to abandon its victimhood and get down to the task of ruling India and Rathin Roy, director of the finance ministry thinktank, National Institute

for Public Finance and Policy, warned the audience not to fall into the trap of the unidimensional “Macaulay-putras”, the clapping for Arnab Goswami (“I believe the left liberal is an oxymoron”) rivaled that for the BJP party president.

This is the kind of conference it was. Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar cast much heat and light on the despairing state of Indian education, but didn’t make a single comment on the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb.

And in response to a remark

by Shekhar Gupta, editor of the online portal The Print, who pointed out that six undertrials had been killed in cold blood after they escaped from Bhopal prison, BJP member Nupur Sharma asked him why he hadn’t also spoken about the policeman those undertrials had It certainly escaped her that in a democratic nation, the state simply cannot employ the same gruesome tactics as murderers.

The writer is a journalist and was a guest of the India Foundation at the Ideas India Conclave.

—Indian Express

Sharia banking: RBI proposes ‘Islamic window’ in banks The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed opening of “Islamic window” in conventional banks for “gradual” introduction of Sharia-compliant or interest-free banking in the country.

Both the Centre and RBI are exploring the possibility of introduction of Islamic banking for long to ensure financial inclusion of those sections of the society that remain excluded due to religious reasons.

“In our considered opinion, given the complexities of Islamic finance and various regulatory and supervisory challenges involved in the matter and also due to the fact that Indian banks have no experience in this field, Islamic banking may be introduced in India in a gradual manner.

“Initially, a few simple products which are similar to conventional banking products may be considered for introduction through Islamic window of the conventional banks after necessary notification by the government.

“Introduction of full-fledged Islamic banking with profitloss sharing complex products may be considered at a later stage on the basis of experience gained in course of time,” the RBI has told Finance Ministry

in a letter, a copy of which was received in response to an RTI query filed by PTI. Islamic or Sharia banking is a finance system based on the principles of not charging interest, which is prohibited under Islam.

“It is also our understanding that interest-free banking for financial inclusion will require a proper process of the product being certified as Sharia compliant will be required both on the asset and liability side and the funds received under the interest-free banking could not be mingled with other funds and therefore, this banking will have to be conducted under a separate window,” it said.

The central bank’s proposal is based on examination of legal, technical and regulatory issues regarding feasibility of introducing Islamic banking in India on the basis of recommendation of the Inter Departmental Group (IDG).

RBI has also prepared a technical analysis report which has been sent to the Finance Ministry.

“In case it is decided to introduce Islamic banking product in India as suggested, RBI would require to undertake further work to put in place the operational and regulatory

framework to facilitate introduction of such products by banks in India,” the letter said.

The work areas include operationalisation of Sharia boards and committees, feasibility of extending deposit insurance to Islamic banking deposits, identifying the financial risk and suggesting appropriate accounting framework for these products, the central bank had said in the letter written in December last year.

The RBI had in February

this year also sent a copy of the IDG to the Finance Ministry.

It said the RBI also needs to work on formulating suitability and appropriate criteria for Islamic products in addition to what would be determined under Sharia.

In its annual report for 201516, the central bank had said that some sections of Indian society have remained financially excluded for religious reasons that preclude them from using banking products with an ele-

ment of interest.

“Towards mainstreaming these excluded sections, it is proposed to explore the modalities of introducing interest- free banking products in the country in consultation with the government,” it had said.

The plan for Sharia bank was opposed by certain political and non-political groups.

In late 2008, a committee on Financial Sector Reforms, headed by former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, had opined the need for a closer look at the issue of interestfree banking in the country.

The committee had said, “Certain faiths prohibit the use of financial instruments that pay interest. The nonavailability of interest-free banking products results in some Indians, including those in the economically disadvantaged strata of society, not being able to access banking products and services due to reasons of faith.”

“This non-availability also denies the country access to substantial sources of savings from other countries in the region,” the panel had said.

—The Hindu

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 • PAGE 23

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