India Herald 031319

Web: www.india-herald.com • Editor@india-herald.com • Tel: 281-980-6746

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India Herald

VOL. 25 • NO. 11 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

Best of show auction winner at the Houston Rodeo

Friendswood High School freshman Shriya Alli’s watercolor painting, “What Happens in the Coop, Stays in the Coop” (pictured above presenting her painting to the Auction Bidders) won the Best of Show Auction Winner at the 2019 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo School Art Contest. Among 72 finalists,with 30,000+ participants the paiting sold at a bid of $18,000. Shriya Alli is the daughter of Shrini and Dr. Chaitanya Alli . See Story on Page 6.

Zoroastrians build Fire Temple in Houston

Neil Mallon Bush helped celebrate the life and work of his late father George H. W. Bush, the 41st President (1989-1993) at a meeting of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston on Feb. 18, while delivering the Shell Distinguished Lecture. Neil Bush, an international businessman, serves as Chairman of the Points of Light Board of Directors and chairs the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, dedicated to helping all Houstonians realize their fullest potential through literacy. Above, India’s Deputy Consul-General in Houston, Surendra Adhana, left, presents a memento to Neil Bush, with IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan, Ana Kopf from Shell Corp. and Executive Director of IACCGH Jagdip Ahluwalia. Story on Page 4.

Photo Credit: Biyani Photography

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PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 3

NEWS

Indian Music Society hosts annual showcase of local talent

The Indian Music Society of Houston (IMS) held its annual “Ghar Baithak” – for members and their families to showcase their musical talents. It was an afternoon filled with melodious music where an informal gathering of amateur musicians of all ages enthralled the audience with an intoxicating mix of classical and semi-classical music.

The 2019 Ghar Baithak is a continuation of what is now an IMS tradition that is 21 years young. This year’s performance generated a phenomenal

interest that resulted in a record 29 performers, each of whom held the audience captive with their outstanding performances. Keeping with the tradition of IMS Ghar Baithaks, the first half of the program was skewed heavily towards young artistes, whose renditions ranged from classical to bhajans to semiclassical tunes such as “Tere Bin” from the movie Wazir and “Satyam Shivam Sundaram”, set to a mixed Keherwa. The second half of the program saw enthusiastic performances by evergreen adults, who held the

audiences’ attention with a mix of tunes from Bandishs in Raag Hindole set to Teen Taal, to a mesmerizing Ghazal “Mein khayal hoon” set to Rupak Taal.

It was indeed amazing to see the sustained tempo and interest, from both the performers as well as the audience, until the end of the program which featured instruments.

This section started with some scintillating Sitar performances by two amazing Sitar players in raag Kafi and Puriya Dhrut. This was followed by a precision onslaught on percus-

sion instruments – a couple of Tabla duos followed by a jugalbandi of the Mrudangam and Tabla, which ended the program on a brilliant and lively note. The Vocalists and Sitarists were ably accompanied on the Tabla by Arun Sabapathy, Govind Shetty and Raja Banga, with Tej Ganju, Shruti Sample and Shekar Phatak on the Harmonium.

If the magnificent musical performances helped satiate the senses, a delicious dinner by Udipi satiated the stomachs of the artistes and audiences alike.

Indian Music Society opens its 2019 season of classical music concerts on Saturday, April 6, with a performance by renowned vocalist of the Jaipur Gharana – Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande. She will be accompanied by Pandit Ramdas Palsule on the Tabla and Sri Sidesh Bicholkar on the Harmonium. We hope you will join us for this and all of our upcoming concerts for the year. The annual membership is $200 that allows you to bring your family for all of the 8 concerts scheduled in 2019.

Indian Music Society of Houston presents season opening concert by

Ashwini Bhide Deshpande of Jaipur Atrauli Gharana (Disciple of Pandit Smt Manik Bhide, Winner of Prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademy Award)

Pandit Ramdas Palsule on Tabla Disciple of Pt. Suresh Talwalkar

Ashwini Bhide Despande

DATE: SATURDAY, April 6 TIME: 5 P.M. VENUE: Chinmaya Mission Auditorium 10353 Synott Road

Siddhesh Bicholar on Harmonium Disciple of Late Pt.. Tulsidas Borkar

www.IMSHOUSTON.Net For Information, Call Govind Shetty @ 713-922-2501

PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

COMMUNITY Neil Bush delivers distinguished lecture

Renowned Houston artist Gopaal “Neal� Sen, right, presented Neil Bush with a special portrait he had created when he had heard of the passing of the President.

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On Monday February 18, Neil Bush helped celebrate the life and work of his late father George H. W. Bush, the 41st President (1989-1993) who he said brought to the White House a dedication to traditional American values and a determination to direct them towards making the United States â&#x20AC;&#x153;a kinder and gentler nationâ&#x20AC;? in the face of a dramatically changing world.

Addressing the packed gathering at the IACCGH Distinguished lecture Neil Bush, in an emotional speech, shared personal insights of his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and his experience of the late Presidentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; funeral.

Neil reminded us that in the Inaugural Address, President Bush had pledged in â&#x20AC;&#x153;a moment rich with promiseâ&#x20AC;? to use American strength as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a force for good.â&#x20AC;? A sense of responsibility to make his contribution, both in times of war and peace, led President Bush to enlist in the armed forces on his 18th birthday. The youngest pilot in the Navy, he ďŹ&#x201A;ew 58 combat missions during World War II. He was shot down by Japanese antiaircraft ďŹ re and was rescued by a U.S. submarine and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action.

The President next turned his energies towards completing his education and raising a family. In January 1945, he married Barbara Pierce. Excelling in both studies and sports, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and captain of his sports team at Yale, he went on to pursue a career in the Oil Industry in Texas.

Interested in public service, he served two terms as a Representative to Congress from Texas, as Ambassador to the United Nations, Chief of the U. S. Liaison OďŹ&#x192;ce in the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of China and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In 1988, he was elected President of the United States and saw the end of the cold war, the breakdown of the communist empire and the fall of the Berlin Wall. His greatest test was during the Iraq invasion of Kuwait.

Neil Bush, an international businessman, serves as Chairman of the Points of Light Board of Directors, where he expands his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision of inspiring, equipping and mobilizing volunteers to increase capacity for vital social services and ďŹ nding innovative solutions that lift individuals, strengthen families and renew communities. Neil chairs the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, dedicated to helping all Houstonians realize their fullest potential through literacy. In his professional life, Neil develops international business opportunities.

Renowned Houston artist Gopaal â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nealâ&#x20AC;? Sen presented Neil Bush with a special portrait he had created when he had heard of the passing of the President.

IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan presented Neil Bush and Acting Consul General Surendra Adhana with mementos.

The series sponsor Shellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representative Ana Kopf proposed the vote of thanks.

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Established in 1995

by Rajeev Gadgil, Seshadri Kumar & Salim Sindhi India Herald (USPS Periodical 017-699) is published every Wednesday by India Herald, Inc. for a subscription rate of $25 per year. Periodical postage paid at Houston and Sugar Land, Texas. POST MASTER: Send address changes to India Herald, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Texas 77487 Publisher & Editor: Seshadri Kumar www.india-herald.com; email:editor@india-herald.com India Herald assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on information included herein. ŠIndia Herald. All rights reserved.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 5

PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

COMMUNITY High school freshman Shriya Alli’s painting fetches $18,000 at the Houston Rodeo

“What Happens in the Coop, Stays in the Coop” by Shriya Alli

“What Happens in the Coop, Stays in the Coop” award-winning painting by Shriya Alli.

Shriya Alli’s watercolor painting, “What Happens in the Coop, Stays in the Coop” won the Best of Show Auction Winner among 72 finalists (with 30,000+ participants) selling at an auction bid of an amazing $18,000! Indeed, an outstanding and remarkable achievement for this budding artist.

A cultural mainstay of Houston is the 88-year old annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLS&R) with an attendance of about 2.5 million.

This is what Friendswood High School freshman Shriya Alli accomplished at the 2019 HLS&R School Art Contest with its crown jewel award as its Auction Winner.

She is the daughter of Shirin and Dr. Chaitanya Alli.

Shriya’s winning is no accident. She already has a track record at HLS&R winning the 2016 and 2018 Best of Show for painting, “Bull Rider” and color pencil drawing “Summer Love” respectively. She also won a 2017 1st Place Award of Excellence for her watercolor painting, “Billy Goat”. Shriya has shown an amazing talent and maturity in an array of multimedia painting/ drawing life-like artwork at a young age.

Here is Ms. Alli’s artistic journey … in her own words – “I was interested in art for as long as I can remember, from coloring on walls with crayons when I was two, to painting large-scale realistic paintings at 14. As a child I used to draw my inspiration from my mom who would always be creating something amazing. While her brush flowed throughout the paper and her hand moved a mile a minute, I sat there watching her in awe and waiting for my turn to use the paintbrush. My mom taught me most of the techniques and knowledge I know about painting, as well as my incredibly helpful school art teachers during my elementary and junior high education. Because of them I strive to be a better artist every day and soak up all the inspiration around me. Although my true talent lies in watercolor painting, I love experimenting in other mediums like color pencil, acrylics, charcoal, pastel, and clay. I feel that my interest in the diversity of several art mediums, my artistic talents, and my determination to be a better artist allows me to accomplish many artistic achievements.”

“Most of the HLS&R auction money will go to the Houston Rodeo for education and scholarships so the organization can continue to host more fantastic programs. I am proud to be able to give back to the organization that sparked an interest in me to pursue art and has done so much for me. The auction was an unbelievable experience and I am so thankful for this honor.

This event was a memorable one as I was able to meet numerous other artists and be inspired by others’ immense talent and great accomplishments. My success was made possible by my parents, and my high school art teachers, Ms. Amanda Harris and Ms. Mary Wise as they helped me every step of the way. This achievement is a stepping-stone for many more to come!”

Besides her passion for art, Shriya’s other fine arts interests include pursuit of Indian Classical Dance and Music. Her dream of becoming a Physician led her to being an active High School member of HOSA (an international organization for future Health Professionals) winning awards in its area competition.

Shriya says, “I am still determined to pursue art passion as a hobby, continue spreading my talent, getting inspired, and hopefully inspiring others as well. I hope to continue my achievements in hopes for a bright and successful future.”

What a remarkable inspiration by Shriya for others in pursuit of her passion and goals – very commendable indeed!

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 7

COMMUNITY

HARDIK VYAS

“Ekal Foundation” gets ‘Gandhi Peace Prize’

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.

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On behalf of ‘Ekal’ M.L. Jain, a senior trustee of ‘Ekal Abhiyan’ receives the award from President of India Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center.

By PRAKASH WAGHMARE Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, the largest global organization dedicated to integrated village development in rural India was recently honored with the prestigious National Award in India for social work.

On February 26, “Ekal Abhiyan Trust” (Ekal’s umbrella Organization) was bestowed with the ‘Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prize’ for 2017 for its contributions in providing edu-

cation to rural and tribal children and empowering gender social equality in remote parts of India.

This prize is conferred by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, leader of the largest opposition par-

ty and others.

The ceremony took place at the ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan’ See EKAL, Page 10

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 8

INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;¢ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ PAGE 9

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PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

NEWS

Southwestern National Bank invites applications for 2019 scholarship awards Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Program is funded by Southwestern National Bank (Member FDIC) to recognize and assist outstanding high school graduates reduce the financial burden for college.

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in New Delhi and was graced by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On behalf of ‘Ekal’ M.L. Jain, a senior trustee of ‘Ekal Abhiyan’ received the award. This unique honor carries a grant of one crore rupees, a Citation and a Plaque to commemorate the distinction.

This prize was instituted in 1995 on the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi to highlight his concept of ‘Gram Swaraj Model’. In his laudatory message, Modi commended Ekal’s efforts in providing educational opportunities to children in tribal areas and empowering rural women.

Currently, “EVF” has been supporting 82,000 Ekalschools across rural-tribal pockets of India and grooming almost 2.2 million children, more than half of them are girls.

“Ekal” is empowering people in villages, not only through adult education classes related to healthcare and environmental issues, but also by preparing them for cottage-industries with skill-development training.

At this year’s “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas” in Varanasi (India), Ekal Founder in Australia - Nihal Singh Agar was honored with the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Sanman’ Award by President Ram Nath Kovind.

Nihal Singh has also been a recipient of the prestigious

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“Order of Australia Award” in 2015.

During ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’, Ekal’s Renu Gupta, who had been a Board Member & Chairperson of “Ekal-USA” and Dr. Sudha Parikh, ardent supporter of “Ekal Foundation” received the ‘She The Change Nari Udhyami Award’ for their exemplary service to the community. The honor was given by ‘Beti Shiksha Foundation’ at an event presided over by the Governor of Uttarakhand.

On March 1, EVF ‘Founding Member’, Shyam Gupta was felicitated by “Kurukshetra University” with the ‘Goyal Peace Prize’ for spreading education in remote areas of India. It must be noted that Ekal serves people without any credence to caste, creed, religion and regions and has a presence even in conflict-ridden patches.

In the past, Ekal had been the recipient of several distinguished awards for its transparency of administration and innovativeness in its operations. One outstanding among them is the ‘Hewlett Packard & India Today’ “Trailblazer Award” for its digital initiative for the villages. Last year, Prime Minister Modi gave a goal to “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation” to establish 100,000 schools by the year 2022 – the 75th year celebration of India’s Independence. The way Ekal is rapidly marching, it is likely to reach that target way ahead of time in 2020.

For more information and to support EVF, please reach out to www.ekal.org

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INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 11

COMMUNITY North South Foundation helps bring the best in rural children in India The North South Foundation works with Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools to bring out the best in children mostly from rural India by providing them tools to become creative learners.

The Foundation is a US 501(c) non-proďŹ t organization well known for its focused interventions in English, Math, Science, Geography, etc. to help students reach their full potential.

The services of North-South in India are extended to over 200,000 high school students, a giant step forward.

JNVs are fully residential and co-educational schools with classes from VI to XII standard. There are over 600 JNV schools throughout the country. Students are selected through an entrance exam.

A.N. Ramchandra, Joint Commissioner of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, is very appreciative of the contributions of North-South both in India as well as the USA during his recent visit as chief guest at the 2018 Finals contests.

The close interaction with the school authorities allowed North-South to explore more ways to help the children. NorthSouth devised tests in English vocabulary, math, and science are administered on a paperless tech platform.

The test scores with the full analysis are provided to the teachers on individual dashboards empowering them to service the students individually.

North-South believes that Bee competitions help children improve their communication, leadership skills, and selfconďŹ dence, and empower them to become better citizens of tomorrow.

North-South is a non-proďŹ t, volunteer-run organization founded in 1989 by Dr. Ratnam Chitturi to promote excellence in the human endeavor by providing scholarships to meritorious but ďŹ nancially disadvantaged students.

To realize these goals, North-South has instituted a scholarship program in India in more than 25 centers to select the students interested in pursuing higher education and careers in engineering, medical or polytechnic schools.

So far cumulatively North-South has given more than 20,000 scholarships.

North-South operates 92 Regional Chapters in the United States.

The Foundation has been conducting workshops, contests, and coaching for more than 27 years powered by well-educated volunteers.

Monetization of volunteer sweat is the primary source for NorthSouth funding including scholarship awards. It is encouraging to note that for the past 11 years, the Scripps National Spelling Bee Champions are trained and grew up through the North South Foundation.

Similarly, children trained by North-South have excelled in other national competitions including National Geography Bee, Math Olympiad, MathCounts, Science Bowl, and History Bee. The Houston area has a large chapter with the participation of more than 300 children each year in the regional contests.

In 2017, Houston chapter conducted the Finals contests at the University of Houston premises where more than 1,250 children from various parts of the country participated.

This year, the Regional contests will be held on 27/28-Apr2019 at the University of Houston.

The contests are sponsored by Biomedical Engineering department of U of H. Parents who are interested in registering their children can do so by visiting the website northsouth.org.

For any questions, please send an email to sai.rachakonda@ northsouth.org.

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My experiences with North South and JNV Schools in India have been part of North South for almost 10 years after a chance introduction to the organization at a competition.

As a young child, I was motivated to participate in the competitions the organization conducted just to win a trophy.

Over the years I have come to appreciate the bigger purpose and volunteer regularly in various North South activities like conducting workshops, organizing events, mentoring and teaching STEM to young students.

I had a great opportunity recently to visit JNV schools to see ďŹ rsthand how the contests are conducted. I visited two JNV schools on two diďŹ&#x20AC;erent days. My ďŹ rst visit was to JNV Warangal. I was greeted by the idyllic surroundings, warm and friendly faculty, and enthusiastic students. Students were given mock exams prior to the actual contests to do a trial run of the process and to familiarize them with the exam content. Until now, the contests were conducted on paper and this year North South decided to make them online. There was a lot of preparation and eďŹ&#x20AC;ort from both North South volunteers and JNV teachers to make sure the contests are conducted smoothly.

My second visit was to JNV Rangareddy, where I had the opportunity to witness and support the actual contests.

The contests were conducted during a weekend to avoid impacting their regular schedule. JNV campuses have impressive technology in smart class rooms. These classes are equipped with laptops and a smartboard which helps in conducting the exams online.

The contests were conducted in Vocabulary, Math and Science. There were two levels of exams: Junior level for 7th and 8th grades, and Senior level for 9th and 10th grades.

The contests were conducted on two diďŹ&#x20AC;erent days, Junior on the ďŹ rst day and Senior the next day.

Besides helping conduct and observe the contests, I had a chance to interact with students and get feedback. The kids are very talented, curious and enthusiastic which made me feel JNVs were a perfect match for what North South is trying to do. Girls and boys were equally represented in the contests, and they really appreciated the opportunity.

After the contests, we had an interactive session where some of the students demonstrated their mathematical abilities using smartboard technology.

They had engaging questions on the contest content, future contests, career opportunities and more general questions on the educational diďŹ&#x20AC;erences and similarities with US. I ďŹ nished my visit feeling relieved that the contests

could be conducted without much of an incidence, but more importantly with a deep satisfaction knowing that North South has found a great partner in JNV schools and is making a fundamental contribution to the education of an underserved population.

I volunteered at North South 2018 National Finals at the University of Maryland, College Park where A.N. Ramchandra, JNV Joint Commissioner was the chief guest. I had the opportunity to meet with him and listen to his talk about the North SouthJNV partnership. It turned out that there were several JNV alumni in the audience who appreciated the work being

done and pledged their support to the cause. Many of them are leaders in academia and industry and it was a testimony to the excellent education and environment JNV schools are providing.

My visit to JNVs in India and the National Finals in Maryland left me deeply convinced that the North SouthJNV partnership will ďŹ&#x201A;ourish in the coming years to greatly beneďŹ t the deserving talent in rural India. I look forward to continuing my participation in this shared journey.

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PAGE 12 â&#x20AC;˘ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

NEWS

Veteran Indian American USINPAC Urges U.S. to say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Noâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journalist gets State Award to IMF aid for Pakistan to Ananda Vikatan Group as ex-

Dr Prakash M Swamy, a veteran journalist of 40 years and currently a diplomatic correspondent at United Nations headquarters in New York, who gave a media scoop on Rajiv Gandhi assassination that he was killed by a human bomb, has been chosen for the Tamil Nadu Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest state award - Kalai Mamani (meaning connoisseur of arts) Dr Swamy started his career at The Hindu as a staďŹ&#x20AC; reporter in the year 1978 and was sent to University of Florida, Gainesville, for masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in journalism under Rotary International scholarship and subsequently was made principal correspondent and in charge of the international edition. He later joined India Today as bureau chief in 1991 and moved

ecutive editor in 1993. He took the circulation of Junior Vikatan to new heights and was praised by The New York Times for his fearless writings.

Swamy moved to the US in 1997 and worked in senior editorial positions in several IndianAmerican publications such as India Abroad, The News India Times, The South Asian Insider, The Urban Indian and The Indian Express North American edition.

He also served as New York and UN Correspondent for Press Trust of India. He was made a judge of Emmy Awards in New York and also serves as President of America Tamil Sangam.

He was recognized by the US Congress with special proclamations for his contribution to IndianAmerican ties and understanding.

He was also honored in the New York and New Jersey State Assemblies for his achievements. In India, he won â&#x20AC;&#x153;For The Sake ofâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lifetime Achievementâ&#x20AC;? awards of the Rotary International.

Recently America Tamil Sangam and his nonproďŹ t organization Shri Vari Foundation Trust adopted two corporation schools in Mylapore, Chennai and built ten toilets for girl students besides improving the environment of the school premises. Other awardees include actors Prabhu Deva, Vijay Sethupathi, Santhanam, Karthik, Suri and Priya Mani.

Washington DC: In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, USINPAC urged assistance in opposing any International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans to Pakistan until Pakistan ends state-sponsored terrorism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;USINPAC is not against the people of Pakistan, or aid for education, economic development, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowerment, etc.,â&#x20AC;? Sanjay Puri, Chairman of USINPAC, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But we are against statesponsored terrorism.â&#x20AC;?

On Feb. 14, 2019, Jaish-eMohammed (JeM), a Pakistanbased and supported terrorist organization, carried out a terrorist attack in Pulwama in which more than 40 Indian paramilitary oďŹ&#x192;cers lost their lives.

The attack happened due to cover provided by JeM

by Pakistan. India rightfully responded because it had to defend its sovereignty.

This attack was no isolated incident.

Cross-border terrorism

disputes over Jammu and Kashmir have been ongoing since 1947. Between 300,000500,000 Kashmiri Hindus have migrated due to persecution.

In 2001, tensions escalated when terrorists from Pakistan attacked Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parliament in New Delhi. In response, the two countries amassed nearly a million troops along their common border. U.S. response has been generally apathetic, amounting to little more than encouraging India and Pakistan to sit down and resolve their diďŹ&#x20AC;erences.

USINPAC is calling for action â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no IMF bailout for Pakistan until Pakistan bans and arrests its terrorist groups and militants.

As Congressman Brad Sherman reportedly said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any loan to Pakistan cannot be just a convenient way for cashstrapped Pakistan to repay its debt to China.â&#x20AC;?

Last year, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned against the IMF using American dollars to bail out

Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bondholders. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make no mistake,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be watching what the IMF does.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;USINPAC will be watching, too,â&#x20AC;? Puri stated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When it comes to Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s track record of terrorism, IMFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tool of economic surveillance is not enough. This is why USINPAC commends the Trump Administration for cutting oďŹ&#x20AC; aid to Pakistan, and why we encourage the U.S. Treasury to weigh in with the IMF. The U.S. is the largest cumulative contributor to the IMF and should say no more bail-outs, loans or Stand-By Agreements until Pakistan changes course.â&#x20AC;?

USINPAC is a bi-partisan organization â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the voice of over 3.2 million Indian Americans.

We connect our members to candidates of their choice.

During the 2020 election cycle, it will be hosting events across the country to make sure Indian Americans are heard.

Visit www.usinpac.com.for more information.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 13

NEWS

YLDP members learn about entrepreneurship, small business

Students of the Youth Leadership Development Program Houston recently visited CHR Solutions to learn more about entrepreneurship and see what the real world of entrepreneurs looked and felt like.

In addition to being one of the largest telecommunication service companies in the Houston area, CHR solutions also provides their services to a diverse range of customers ranging from individuals to large organizations and companies.

Dr. Pasrija began his talk by posing a simple question – “What percent of businesses are small businesses?”

The answers around the room varied from students answering from anywhere between 20% - 75%.

Dr. Pasrija proceeded to tell the students that around 75% of all businesses are small businesses; although common perceptions often mistake this for large businesses.

The majority of idea starters are entrepreneurs that take risks to create and implement their ideas in the

world.

And while not all entrepreneurs create businesses that result in successful ideas, entrepreneurs create valuable learning experiences by taking risks.

Dr. Pasrija continued his talk with a personal story of his experiences and entry into entrepreneurship. After working as a researcher at AT&T Bell Labs for a few years, Dr. Pasrija realized that he wanted to take a risk and create something of his own.

This came in the form of Global 1 Solutions Group, the company that later merged with another organization to become the CHR Solutions we know today.

He talked to us about the quintessential qualities of a leader, all while keeping the discussion open to the students who could contribute to the discussion.

The discussion was a meaningful learning experience for me, as I had walked in with the conception of “entrepreneurship” as a zero-sum game where it’s all or nothing but walked out having learned that every risk is a learning experience and that while not

all entrepreneurship ventures turn into large organizations like Google, Apple, or HP, they can become small businesses which often are the cornerstone of local economies.

The session concluded with a tour of the CHR facility and its main workstation, the service center, and data center where we got a glimpse of some of the major activities carried out on a daily basis.

We were informed that in addition to providing telecommunications services to local businesses, CHR also serviced individuals, other small businesses, and even worked with big groups.

We also learned of some of the larger responsibilities CHR managed, such as providing data storage and backups, and monitoring cybersecurity threats 24/7.

In the end, the session was insightful about what it means to be an entrepreneur, the role a small business plays in an economy and the tour of a real world local business.

— Aryan Parikh

“49 “44Years Years Visit www. India-herald.com.

and Counting, Providing Services Email: 1970-2019 1970 - 2014 To Generations editor@india-herald.com of Businesses and Professionals Around The World”

PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

Hari Venkatachalam Hindu Students Association, Board of Directors

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rid TX of–your staffi ng problems and spend more April 6, 2017Get – AUSTIN, The Hindu Students Association (HSA) would like to regretfully announce that itNumbers will be Good = Good Decisions cancelling its annual Gateway Retreat for the 2017 year. HSA prides itself in building a strong network of young Hindu Americans, and it looks forward to organizing other events in the future that will link students from its various branches.

HSA has been reorienting itself in recent months to doing more grassroots work. “We have been focusing more on accomplishing work on the local and branch level,” said Mrinalini Vijalapuram, National President of the Hindu Students Association. “We have been doing this through many different activities including interfaith events with other religious organizations, building community partnerships, and expanding into other campuses that don’t already have HSA branches.”

While the cancellation of Gateway may come as a disappointment for many prospective attendees, HSA hopes to get feedback from students on other projects and events that interest its branch members. Currently, several projects, including developing HSA’s podcast series and releasing monthly articles that highlight the accomplishments of members from the various campuses have been the focus of the organization’s efforts. HSA welcomes student and community members to get involved in these activities to help further the goals of the organization. “It is important that we meet the needs of the campuses and communities we serve,” reiterated Ms. Vijalapuram. “We want to make sure that we are putting our attention on projects that will truly benefit them.”

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PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

NEWS

World within a country: The size of India’s electorate

File photo of people queueing up to cast their vote at a polling booth in Khammam | Photo Credit: G.N. Rao . —The Hindu The size of the electorate, which will vote in April and May this year to elect representatives to the 17th Lok Sabha, is as big as the combined electorates of 36 democracies in the world.

The electorate increased at an average rate of 11.2% every year since 1952. The gender ratio has remained constantly skewed -- for every 52 voters who were men, there were 48 women.

Note: If you cannot view the visualisations below, click here Even as the size of the electorate increased by 16.3% from 2009, the 2014 polls registered the highest ever turnout.

The overall number of candidates dropped significantly after the security deposit was increased from Rs. 500 to Rs, 10,000 in 1998. The share of women candidates improved slightly.

Another interesting pattern is the number of Lok Sabha constituencies and polling stations. The number of constituencies has increased from 401 in 1952 to 543 in 2014 (an increase of 35%). With an increase in the number of seats, the number of polling stations too have gone up from 1.96 lakh in 1952 to 9.28 lakh in 2014 (a five-fold increase).

Testing the biggest democracy The latest electoral rolls released in January 2019 show that 89.78 crore people are registered to vote in the upcoming election.

The map below shows a comparison of State-wise electorates with those of other democracies around the world in their latest elections.

For instance, Tamil Nadu’s electorate, which is 5.89 crore, is comparable to that of Turkey’s 5.93 crore. Uttar Pradesh’s (14.43 crore) is nearly as big as Brazil’s (14.73 crore).

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 and the votes will be counted on May 23, announced the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Sunday.

Calling the Indian parliamentary battle the “largest festival of democracy”, CEC Sunil Arora on Sunday said 91 constituencies (spread across 20 States) will see polling on April 11, followed by 97 constituencies spreading across 13 States on April 18, 115 Lok Sabha constituencies in 14 States on April 23, while 71 in 9 States/UTs on April 29, 51 Parliamentary constituencies in seven States on May 6, 59 constituencies (also 7 States) on May 12 and 59 constituencies (8 States) on May 19.

With nearly 90 crore voters across 10 lakh booths in 543 constituencies as against about nine lakh in 2014, India is set to hold its 17th Lok Sabha elections over the next few weeks. Arora announced that the ‘voter verifiable paper audit trail’ (VVPAT) will be used in all polling stations this time.

“With the announcement of the polls, the model code of conduct would come into immediate effect from Sunday,” Arora said.

The tenure of the current Lok Sabha ends on June 3. Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal, Odisha and Sikkim will also be held simultaneously. However, elections for the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly, which was dissolved after the ruling coalition between the BJP and the PDP fell apart, will not be held along with the Lok Sabha polls.

Both the National Conference and PDP have criticised the decision not to hold Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election along with the Lok Sabha polls.

Questioning Election Commission’s decision, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said, “First time since 1996 Assembly elections in J&K are not being held on time. Remember this the next time you are praising PM Modi for his strong leadership,” he tweeted.

In another tweet Omar said, “In 2014 we had Lok Sabha elections on time & Assembly elections on schedule even after the most devastating floods.

Shows how badly the BJP & earlier the BJP-PDP mishandled J&K,” Omar wrote on Twitter.

Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also opposed the decision taken by the ECI of not holding Assembly and parliament elections simultaneously in Jammu & Kashmir.

In a statement, Mehbooba said, “Postponement of Assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir is tantamount to denying basic rights of the people of the State to have a popular Government”. “It is very dangerous

to keep the State in the hands of unelected representatives of the Centre. It will further complicate the problems in the State and the decision taken by Election Commission needs an immediate review,” Mehbooba said in a statement.

As per EC schedule, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal will see staggered Lok Sabha elections spread over all seven phases starting from April 11 to May 19. The nomination for the first phase of polls will begin March 18.

The phase I of the Lok Sabha election will take place on April 11, 2019. The phase I polls will be held in 91 Lok Sabha constituencies in a total of 20 States including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Lakshadweep.

The polling in the phase II of Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 18, 2019 in 97 Lok Sabha constituencies of 13 States including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Puducherry.

The third phase of polling will be held on April 23 in a total of 115 constituencies spread across 14 States. The States are: Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu. The fourth phase of polling will on April 29 in 71 constituencies spread across nine States.

The States are: Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The fifth phase of polling will be held on May 6 in 51 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across seven States including Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The polling in the phase VI will be held on May 12, in 59 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Polls in Delhi-NCR will be held in phase VI. The polls in phase VII will be held on May 19. The election will be held in 59 constituencies of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Chandigarh (UT), Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

The CEC said 22 States and Union Territories will see single-phase election, Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan and Tripura will see polling in two phases, Assam and Chhattisgarh See POLL, Page 17

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 • PAGE 17

NEWS Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chooses Gujarat Election Commission tightens rules on political to deliver first speech as general secretary After being appointed as advertising in social media general secretary of the ConWith the social media becoming a crucial tool for poll campaign to drum up support, the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday announced strict guidelines for the digital media giants and brought them under the umbrella of model code of conduct.

Political parties, Governments, administrations and individuals who use Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram and other digital platforms for posting poll related materials will have to adhere to poll watchdog’s laid down ethics.

Announcing the Lok Sabha elections schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced that social media platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have said all political advertisements will be certified by them before releasing.

He also said that Twitter, Facebook and Google will also highlight political advertisements on their platforms specifically.

Facebook and Google have already deputed a dedicated a grievance officer to receive complaints of any violation of EC guidelines.

The CEC informed that IT giants have promised to take action against hate speech.

Stringent monitoring of all events on election days will be done using information technology, he said. Arora also said that a social media expert is also going to be part of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee.

According to the EC, the candidates will have to furnish the details of their social media accounts at the time of filing their nominations. In order to fight the scourge of fake news, all candidates standing for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will have to declare their social media accounts to the Election Commission as part of their affidavit.

All advertisement on social media will also require pre-certification. All expenditure on campaigning advertisement in social media is to be included in the election expenditure account, said Sunil Arora.

He also mentioned the C-Vigil app which was launched last year by the election commission. The app will help citizens to confidentially report any violation of the election code of conduct and any malpractices.

In a decision taken earlier, EC had also asked political parties to “desist from displaying photographs of defence personnel” against the backdrop of a picture showing a hoarding with images of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as well as leaders of a party.

The instructions came after the photograph of a hoarding displaying pictures of the IAF pilot as well as senior BJP leaders were circulated on social media and came to the EC’s notice.

However, it was not known where the hoarding had been put up.

Poll From Page 16 will have three-phase polling, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha will see four-phase polling & Jammu and Kashmir will have five-phase elections.

The places where elections will take place in a single phase are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep, Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry.

To conduct the polls in a safe and secure atmosphere, Arora said a large number of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be deployed.

He said a sufficient number of video cameras and CCTVs besides web-casting will be

used during the electoral battle.

“There will be extensive web-casting of sensitive voting booths. All critical events will be videographed.”

CEC Arora said that a total electorate in this Lok Sabha elections will be 900 million, of which 15 million voters are in the 18-19 age group.

In 2014, when the BJP swept to power, the Lok Sabha elections were held across nine phases beginning April 7 and ending May 9.

The counting of votes had taken place on May 16. The total contestants in fray were 8,251, with an average of 15 candidates in each constituency.

However, deposit was forfeited in case of 7,000 contestants.

A total of over 55 crore voters (66.3 per cent) exercised their vote, while there were 9.27 lakh polling stations.

There were nearly 60 lakh ‘NOTA’ votes.

gress party, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chose Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat to deliver her maiden speech targeting the NDA government asking “Where are two crore jobs and ₹15 lakh?”

In a brief speech at a rally after the crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in Ahmedabad, she appealed to the audience saying “awareness is your weapon, vote is your weapon” and said that the upcoming elections are “nothing less than independence movement.”

“This nation is based on love and brotherhood. It is sad at what is happening in the country these days. There is no bigger patriotism than awareness.

Your awareness is a weapon; your vote is a weapon. It is a weapon that will not hurt or harm anyone. It is a weapon that will strengthen you and the country.

“Think and decide — those who talk big in front of you, where are two crore jobs they promised? What about the ₹15 lakh in every bank account that they talked about? What about women’s safety?” asked the 47-year-old newly-appointed general secretary, addressing a

Priyanka Gandhi, General Secretary of AICC in-charge of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, addressing a rally in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Tuesday March 12, 2019. Without naming the Prime Minister or any other BJP leader, she targeted the BJP-led government for destroying institutions and spreading hatred in the country. —The Hindu huge rally of Congress work- country and moving ahead together.” ers from across the state.

“Those who talk about fitrat Without naming the Prime Minister or any other BJP (nature), the fitrat of this nation leader, she targeted the BJP- is to seek the truth, the fitrat of led government for destroy- this nation is to blow away the ing institutions and spreading winds of hate with love,” she hatred in the country. “Its sad said, referring to a remark by to see what is happening in the Mr. Modi in Ahmedabad while country. Institutions are be- addressing a rally a few days ing demolished, hatred is be- back. The Prime Minister had ing spread. This is as good as said that it was his “fitrat to a second freedom movement,” avenge every wrongdoing and she said, appealing to party hunt down terrorists in their workers that “there can be no own backyard.” bigger thing than guarding the

As soon as the Election Commission of India announced dates for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged fellow Indians, especially first-time voters, to ensure a historic turnout, and sought their “blessings” to get elected again.

He pitched the performance of the NDA government against the record of the previous UPA government, which, he tweeted, had led to “India’s self-confidence” being “at an all-time low”.

“In 2014, the people comprehensively rejected the UPA. There was an unprecedented anger over the UPA’s corruption, nepotism and policy paralysis,” he said, adding that his government had spent the last five years fulfilling basic necessities. “Now the time has come to build on that and create a strong, prosperous and secure India.”

Mr. Modi is undoubtedly the central focus of the BJP’s campaign. The strong focus on issues related to nationalism and national security in the last month or so will also be a huge part of the party’s campaign, but the speed and deftness with which the BJP has sewn up multiple alliances across States, points to the fact that it is as concerned about basic electoral arithmetic rather than just the chemistry of Mr. Modi’s image or the rhetoric on nationalism.

On Friday, party president Amit Shah met Sudesh Mahto of the All Jharkhand Student’s Union and gave up claims on the Giridih Lok Sabha seat, in exchange for support from the AJSU in the 13 other seats in the State.

The tie-up, making the AJSU the 29th ally in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), outstrips the number of alliances that the Congress has managed to put together.

By giving up Giridih, a seat that has been held by the BJP for multiple terms, the party has sent a significant message.

The generous terms negotiated by the Janata Dal(U) in Bihar, the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the AIADMK and the PMK in Tamil Nadu with the BJP point to the fact that while the party’s campaign rhetoric is “Modi vs All”, it has been consolidating alliances wherever it can.

The main spur for the alliance-signing spree seems to be not just the formidable Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh, but also the fact that the BJP has peaked in its areas of strength, namely the 226 Lok Sabha seats of the Hindi belt.

The feeling that it needs to keep not just its old friends close like in Bihar and Maharashtra, but also needs a strong alliance in states like Tamil Nadu, and keep some regional

Narendra Modi urges voters to ensure a historic turnout

powers neutral towards it, like the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.

Wedding card urges guests to vote for Modi

A marriage invitation card urging guests to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the general elections as a wedding gift has become the talk of the town in Bihar’s Siwan district.

Ashok Singh, a resident of Siwan Kala village, printed the message on the envelope of his daughter’s marriage invitation card, sources said.

“To bless my daughter and in the interest of the country, please cast your votes in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls,” the message on the card read.

Asked about the reason behind his appeal, Singh said: “There is no other objective except for the nation’s interest.”

“People should vote in favour of Modi ji because there is no other leader better than him. He thinks about the country while others think about themselves,” added Singh, who has been staying in Kuwait for the last 15 years where he works in a private company.

His son Ravindra Singh too echoed similar sentiments.

“Narendra Modi is the only one who can take the country forward and no other leader can do that,” he said.

PAGE 18 â&#x20AC;˘ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Art Museum Kannappan Art Museum will be open for public Tuesday 5.30 PM to 7.30 PM, Saturday 10AM to 2 PM, Sunday 12 noon to 4 PM. Address: 2341 N. Galveston Ave, Pearland, TX 77581.

Ashirwad Classes for Kids in Katy Enrollments are open for Indian Heritage classes for Kids and Teens from 4 to 16 yrs. Class curriculum includes Yoga, Meditation, Sloka, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Bhagwad Githa, Sports Day, VEDIC Fair Presentations, Dance, Drama, Hindi & more. Contact : 281-995-0930 or AshirwadABlessing@gmail.com.

Durga Bari Temple Durga Bari temple is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Sandhya aarti at 6:30 p.m. Temple closes at 7 p.m. Sunday special from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Temple is located at 13944 Schiller Rd (oďŹ&#x20AC; Hwy 6 bet. Bellaire & Westpark). Call Ganesh Mandal at 713-797-9057 / 832-423-8541.

Arya Samaj Satsang Weekly Havan Satsang every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. DAV Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. to 12 noon. - Havan, Hindi and Naitik Shiksha classes. DAV Montessori School for ages 2 to 7 years. Call Arti Khanna 281-759-3286. Free Yoga classes on Sat. Sanskrit & Upanishad classes Tue. 6-8 p.m. At 14375 Schiller Rd. (bet Westpark & Bellaire oďŹ&#x20AC; Hwy 6). 281-752-0100.

Brahma Kumaris The Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Meditation Center is open 7 days a week. The center oďŹ&#x20AC;ers free Raja Yoga Meditation classes: MonFri @ 6:00-6:45am and 7-8 pm, BUY

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Sat-Sun @ 7:00-8:30am, 10 am-2 pm. Visiting hours are Sat-Sun @ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact us at (832) 379-8888, houston@bktexas. com, or bktexas.com to sign-up for classes. All Raja Yoga Meditation teachers at the Houston center are samarpit and have 15+ years of teaching experience.

Chinmaya Mission Sunday satsangs for adults, youth, and children. A unique Bala Vihar program for each grade, from PreK to Grade 12. Satsangs in two sessions between 8:35 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. - 1p.m. Bala Vihar students can take shloka, bhajan and orchestra classes or language classes for Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, and Gujarati. Chinmaya Mission is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77498. New members may visit the welcome desk between 8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. or 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Please visit www. chinmayahouston.org or contact Bharati Sutaria 281.933.0233 for more information.

Jeeyar Educational Trust Translate knowledge into action classes every Sunday at 10:15 a.m to 12 p.m. at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, 10098 Synott Road, Sugar Land, Tx 77498. Call 785 550 3621 or 832-334-9163. Visit www. ashtalakshmi.org for registration.

Vedanta Society Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, VSGH (oďŹ&#x192;cial Branch Center of Ramakrishna Math, Belur), 14809 Lindita Dr. (77083), has lectures & talks on every Sunday 11 am - 12 pm, followed by Arati & Prasad; Bhagwad Gita Class on Tuesdays, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm; OLD

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and Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna on Thursdays, 11 am - 12 pm. Rev. Sw. Atmarupanandaji, the Resident Monk, gives all classes, lectures & talks. Ramnaam Sankirtan is on 1st Saturdays 6 pm - 7 pm.

Please visit www.houstonvedanta. org or call 281- 988-7211.

Jain Society Jain Society of Houston, JSH, is located at 3905 Arc Street Houston Texas 77063. Key tenets of Jainism are: Non-violence - Ahimsa, Philanthropy with multicity in views â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Anekantvad, No possessiveness - Aparigrah, Right Knowledge -- Samyak Gyan, Right Path â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Samyak Darshan, and Right Conduct â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Samyak Charitrya. JSH has Jain Pathshala Classed for students of all ages each Sunday starting at 10:15 AM. The center is open M-F from 7:30 AM to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 PM, and Sat, and Sun from 8 AM to 6 PM. Call Jain Center at 713 789 2338 or visit www.jainsocietyhouston.org for calendar of events and other detailed information.

Shiv Shakti Mandir Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Harwin. Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies.

Heartfulness Meditation Heartfulness Meditation is a practical technique of tuning inwards to experience our higher selves. Meditation with someone who has the capacity of yogic transmission can help you explore the Heartfulness practice more deeply.

There are no charges for this, and we invite you to experience the unique beneďŹ ts of this transmission. Workshops on Heartfulness relaxation and meditation are held weekly throughout Houston. Web: www.heartfulness.org; Email: houston.heartfulness@gmail.com.

Cell: 713-929-0040.

Hare Krishna Dham Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original Vedic temple, ISKCON of Houston. At 1320 W 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & Arati Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 a.m, 8.30 a.m, 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, 7 p.m, 9 p.m. Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to 7.30 p.m. Weekly Gita classes for adults; call 281-433-1635 or harekrishnadham @gmail.com Houston Namadwaar A prayer house where the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is continuously chanted. Weekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gopa Kuteeramâ&#x20AC;? childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes. Call 281-402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity).

Saumyakasi Sivalaya Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478.

Temple timings: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon and 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM. For more information Contact 281-568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh at 832-541-0059 or visit www.saumyakasi.org Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. All major festivals as well as birthdays, naam karan, engage-

ment and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-4669868 for puja and other ceremonies. At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Houston, TX 77036.

Veerashaiva Samaja VSNA Houston is a group of families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma).

Monthly Mahamane program for prayer and discussion on Vachana Sahitya followed by Prasada. Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832-744-4166.

Mar Thoma Church Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday. Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m. English service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday. Call 713-991-1557 or 281261-4603.

Telugu Christian Fellowship Telugu Christian Fellowship meets every third Saturday of the month at Triumph Church, 10555 W. Airport Blvd., StaďŹ&#x20AC;ord TX 77477 at 6:30 p.m. Join us for a time of praise, worship and fellowship. Worship is in English.

For information call Chris Gantela 281-344-0707, or Rev. Vijay Gurrala 281-997-0757.

Sri Guruvayurappan Temple 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 Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara. Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St. (77035) Tel: 713-7298994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us Preksha Meditation JVB Preksha Meditation Center conducts weekly Meditation, Yoga and Swadhyay sessions inside its unique Pyramid hall under the auspicious guidance of Samani Kanchan Pragyaji and Samani Pranav Pragyaji who are stationed at Houston Center this year. It also runs special events and programs like I-Choose, Meditation Camps and Gyanshala program for children ages 4-14 yrs. JVB is located at 14102 Schiller Rd. Houston 77082. Every Tuesday, 9:30am11:30am, Samaniji has pravachan for all adults interested in learning about Jainism. Every Wednesday there is Swadhyay class from 7-8pm and meditation from 8-9pm.

Every Thursday from 9:30-11am there is special Yoga class for Ladies only. Every Saturday, there is Yoga Class from 9-10am and Meditation from 10-10.30am. Ist & 3rd Sundays, there is Gyanshala Classes for Kids ages 4-14yrs. from 10-12:15pm followed by Lunch.

Visit www.jvbhouston.org or send email at info@jvbhouston.org for more details.

Patanjali Yogpeeth Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433. For other free classes, call Indra 281537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. www.pyptusa.org; www.DivyaProducts.com.

Hindu Temple of The Woodlands 7601 S. Forest Gate Dr,

The Woodlands, TX 77382 Temple Hours, Weekdays: 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM 5:30 PM - 8.30 PM Aarti @ 7:30 PM Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM Aarti at 12:00 PM 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM Aarti @ 7:30 PM; Contact 832-585--0001 or temple@myhtw.net Sathya Sai centers Sunday program held at two locations (North Houston: 12127 Malcomson Road, Houston; South Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Drive, Sugar Land) from 3:00 to 5:30 pm) - Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) classes for children; Study Circle for adults & Devotional singing for all. Service programs - food distribution, canned food drives, nursing home visits, tutoring at schools, etc. Contact Venkat Rao (North) - 602-503-2249 or Ranji Raghavan (South) 281-451-8238.

Visit www.sairegion10.org Sadhu Vaswani Center Sadhu Vaswani Center of Houston holds regular Satsang on 3rd Thursday of the month and daily Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call 281-4630379 or e.mail ramolaj@aol.com Gaudiya Math Shri Govindji Gaudiya Matha is a Hindu Vaishnava temple of Sanatan Dharam and worshipping place of Shri Shri Radha Krishna, Shri Gaur Nitai & Shri Ram Darbar.

Mandir is open daily from 5.30 AM until 8.30 PM. The services are held from 5.30PM to 7.30PM followed by prashad. Daily Aarti times : Mangala Aarti- 5:30 am.

Bhog Aarti - 12:30 pm. Evening Aarti - 7:00 pm. Enroll your child in Sri Govindaji Vedic School. We oďŹ&#x20AC;er Hindi classes for all ages. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha is located in Northwest Houston at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd Houston TX 77084. For more information, call at 832-464-4686 or visit our website: http://sggm.org.

Swaminarayan Temple Hindu Satsang at Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple, under Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi kalupur.

Opens daily from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Daily aarti at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Saturday sabha from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. followed by aarti at 7 p.m. and Maha-Prasad (free dinner). www.issotx.org. (281) 530-2565.

Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha West Indian Religious Organization called Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha Branch # 377 is located at 26100 Tina Lane, Katy, TX 77494.

Durga Mata Pooja is held every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 pm.

Contact Ram Sharma @ 713-4129985.

Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Rd. Join the discussion of the great manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s autobiography â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.

Sant Nirankari Mission Sant Nirankari Mission holds its weekly spiritual congregation on every Sunday at India House 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by community meals. All are welcome. For further information, call Raj Bhala at (281) 980-2825.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 • PAGE 19

NEWS EC nips in bud squabble over polls during Ramzan The Election Commission (EC) on Monday acted swiftly to nip in the bud a controversy generated by leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over scheduling of poll dates during Ramzan.

The EC clarified that the main festival (June 4) and Fridays (falling in the holy month) have been excluded from the polling dates. The Commission also said the Lok Sabha polls are being conducted during the Ramzan because a full month cannot be excluded.

The BJP accused Opposition parties of creating a deliberate controversy over voting during Ramzan saying Hindus too would be observing “Navratra” fast when poll process would be underway next month.

Earlier, leaders of TMC and AAP alleged that the polling schedule was designed in a way that most of the constituencies go to polls during Ramzan so that Muslims cannot go out and exercise their franchise.

They claimed that during Ramzan, it will be inconvenient for Muslims and help the BJP as the community is largely seen to be backing the Opposition parties against the ruling alliance.

The Ramzan, which is a month of rigorous fasting for the Muslims, will begin on May 5 which coincides with the polling schedule in States. Ramzan will end on June 4.

After the announcement of poll schedule by the EC, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan tweeted on Sunday that elections will be held in Delhi on May 12, when Muslims will be observing Ramzan.

“There will be less polling among Muslims, and it will directly benefit the BJP,” he had said. Some leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal had spoken on the similar lines.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the seven-phase election will be highly inconvenient for the minority population in the States of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal as the election dates coincide with the month of Ramzan.

“Election Commission is a Constitutional body and we respect them. We don’t want to say anything against them. But sevenphase election will be tough for people in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal,” Hakim said, while expressing his displeasure over the EC’s decision.

Criticising the Opposition, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain pointed out that Navratas, when many Hindus observe fast, will also fall during the elections. “Muslims do not observe roza by not doing their work. Islam also does not ask us to stop our work for worship. It is not that people who have jobs do not attend them during Ramzan. They keep roza and do their work as well. Creating such a controversy is unfortunate,” he said.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that he welcomes the conduct of the election during Ramzan.

“As a Muslim I welcome the election in Ramzan. Muslims are more devotional in that month,” he said. Owaisi, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief, also said those who are making a controversy around the polls dates don’t understand Islam.

According to EC, Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases.

The last three phases of polling — on May 6, 12, and 19 — would take place during Ramzan.

Polling for a total of 169 Lok Sabha seats (i.e. 31.12% of the 543 seats) will take place. The polling for 41 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh; 21 seats in Bihar; 24 seats in West Bengal; seven in Delhi will be held during Ramzan. As per census, Muslim population in Bihar is 17 per cent; 20 per cent in Uttar Pradesh and 27 per cent in West Bengal.

We cannot kill jobs in firecracker industry, says Supreme Court

Women make crackers at a unit in Sivakasi. Fewer orders last year led to a production slump.

File photo . The Hindu.

In an u-turn from its 2018 crackers while allowing only stringent safeguards, Justice Bobde said firecrackers are not October 23 order banning man- green and improved crackers.

However, there has been no loved there as much as we do ufacture, sale and use of loud and toxic firecrackers while consensus so far on what com- in India. allowing only green and im- poses green crackers despite all Throughout the hearing, proved crackers, the Supreme these months after the October Justice Bobde categorically reCourt on Tuesday said they order of the apex court. The peated that “we do not wish to cannot killed the jobs of poor factories have remained shut, generate unemployment”. people working in the fire- especially in Sivakasi district in Firecracker manufacturers cracker industry, driving them Tamil Nadu, which is the hub had contended that there was for cracker manufacturing. to starvation. no definite study to show that The October ban was based bursting of crackers made the “We cannot give money or jobs or support people who will on petitions filed by a six- air quality worse during feslose their jobs if we shut down month-old and a 14-month-old, tivals like Diwali. The fundafirecrackers manufacturing through their fathers in 2015. mental right to occupation of units... We do not want to gen- They had said the air pollution the cracker industry cannot be erate unemployment,” Justice caused by various factors, es- put in peril on the basis of unBobde Justice S.A. Bobde said pecially firecrackers, has made substantiated allegations that Delhi a gas chamber. They crackers pollute. The court on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court cannot pleaded for their right to life. should wait for a “complete “People are gunning for fire- study”. kill the jobs of thousands of poor people working in the fire- crackers, but the bigger pollutThe industry has argued that cracker industry, driving them ant is vehicles... Had the normal the revenue generated from the to starvation. If the court cannot pollution level been low, then manufacturing and sale of firegenerate jobs, its orders should we could have managed bet- works is to the tune of ₹6,000 not extinguish their livelihood, ter,” Justice Bobde observed. crore per annum. Further, the This is the first time the case industry employs five lakh Justice Bobde observed.

The court asked how it can came up before the Bench led families. possibly feel empowered to put by Justice Bobde. The case was “Such a revenue to the State the shutters down on an occu- previously heard by another as well as employment to large pation which is both legal and Bench led by Justice A.K. Sikri, number of workers on which who retired recently. Justice five lakh families sustain canlicensed.

This is a veritable u-turn Bobde is in line to be the next not be put in jeopardy by imfrom the apex court’s October Chief Justice of India. posing a total ban. It was emTo a lawyer who said other phasised that there is a necessity 23 ban on the manufacture, sale and use of loud and toxic fire- countries also use crackers with to adopt a balanced approach,”

Foreign Secretary Gokhale discusses terror, trade and strategic partnership with Pompeo and other U.S. Officials Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale arrived in Washington DC on Sunday for discussions with his U.S. State Department Counterparts and others in the administration and the U.S. Congress.

Mr. Gokhale’s trip was prescheduled and part of the Foreign Office Consultation and Strategic Security Dialogue and is not specifically linked to the Pulwama attack and its fallout, an Indian Embassy official in Washington told The Hindu.

“These are regular high-level dialogue mechanisms to review bilateral relations, exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments and coordinate respective

positions on issues of common interest.”

In addition to meetings scheduled with his counterparts, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson, Mr. Gokhale met with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Monday morning. “[The] Foreign Secretary conveyed appreciation to the US Government and to Secretary Pompeo personally for the firm support that India received from the US in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Pulwama, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. He apprised Secretary Pompeo about recent developments in this re-

gard,” the statement said.

The visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan and as the listing of Masood Azhar, leader of Pakistan-based terror group Jaishe-Mohammad (JeM), is underway at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Committee. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 40 CRPF jawans in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 14.

The listing process, initiated

by France, the U.K. and the U.S., is slated to conclude at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and would result in sanctions on Azhar, including an arms and travel ban and an asset freeze, but whether it goes through remains to be seen. China’s com-

ments on Monday indicate that Beijing may stand in the way of the process as it has done the last three times a listing of Azhar was underway.

“China’s position on the designation of a terrorist by the 1267 Sanctions Committee is consistent and clear. China adopted a responsible attitude, follows the rules of the procedure of the committee and participated in the discussions in a responsible manner.

Only through discussions can we come up with a responsible solution,” the media had reported Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang as saying.

“Secretary Pompeo expressed his understanding of India’s concerns regarding cross -border ter-

rorism. They agreed that Pakistan needs to take concerted action to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and to deny safe haven to all terrorist groups in its territory.

They also agreed that those who support or abet terrorism in any form should be held accountable,” Mr. Gokhale’s visit also comes at a time when trade talks between India and the U.S. are floundering. U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated intent last week to withdraw preferential trade terms for India under the GSP program and a renewal of India’s exemption from U.S. sanctions for purchasing Iranian oil are expected to be discussed during Mr Gokhale’s visit.

PAGE 20 â&#x20AC;¢ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;¢ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

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