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India Herald

VOL. 24 • NO. 48 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

Grand consecration celebration held at Meenakshi Temple

HOUSTON More than 4,000 people witnessed the Maha Kumbhabhishekam (grand consecration ceremony) at Sri Meenakshi Temple in Pearland on Thanksgiving Day. The weather was picture perfect and the priests did a

wonderful job in creating a devotional atmosphere for everyone.

Devotees happily carried the Silver plated Kalasam with holy water for the consecration ceremony.

The celestial wedding of Sri Subramania and Sri Sita

Rama Kalyana Utsavam was witnessed by thousands of devotees. The Utsav Murthies procession was a sight to watch. Adding a modern touch, a helicopter showered flowers on the temple towers during the consecration.

Installation of the 63 Nayanmargal, 12 Alwargal, 3 Acharyars, 18 Holy Steps for Ayyappa, all new projects, made this ceremony very unique and memorable.

The Yagasala puja and chanting by 30 priests was appreciated by all the devotees.

The access road stood magnificently with 16 feet granite pillars, which gave a new grand entrance for the temple.

Devotees felt as if they were in India attending a Kumbhabhishekam.

The new Nayanmargal and Alwargal Mandapams with 8 feet granite pillars created an

ambiance typical of an ancient South Indian Temple .

This Corner Temple Renovation Project completes the vision of the MTS founders.

This project expanded the Corner Mandapams and connected all four Corner Mandapams and the Main Temple with the Raja Veedi or Regal Route that has a magnificent sixteen feet ceiling See TEMPLE, Page 2

Newly constructed 18 steps leading up to the Ayyappa Temple.

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PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

NEWS Temple from Page 1

and ornamental granite pillars.

Now the devotees can enter the main temple complex and visit all the deities by walking underneath the covered structure. This will be very useful to all and specifically for children and senior citizens during inclement weather.

The Temple architect Sri Padma Sri Muthiah Sthapathi, has been giving continuous guidance from the beginning of this project. He was the Sthapathi for the original construction of the temple in 1982 and has continued to guide on all the expansions and improvements, including this CTRP project.

The temple is thankful to Sthapathi for sending 16 sculptors from India to complete this project and thanked architect Ashok Mungara for his drive towards excellence in the construction of the CTRP. The cultural program during the Kumbhabhisekam festivities were extremely good.

Devotees chanted Adi Shankaracharya Storams, Divya Prabhandham and Thiruvasakam.

The audience was so involved with the music concert by Veeramani Raju and the whole auditorium felt the divine songs.

Dr. Shoba Raju’s concert and the release of the new album will be remembered by everyone.

The speech about Nayanmargal and Alwargal by Dr. Gnanasambandan was so inspiring that no one wanted him to finish the speech.

A sit down banana leaf lunch with delicious food was provided to all and everyone enjoyed the meal with gratitude.

Newly installed idols of 12 Alwars, the Vaishnavaite saints.

The parking arrangements were flawless for the many visitors.

Chairman Narayanan thanked everyone who helped make this project a reality, in particular secretary G.N. Prasad, treasurer Sasi Pillai, construction committee Chair AVN Reddy, Vinod Kaila, Ravi Vasu, Fundraising committee S. G. Appan, Venugopal Menon, Sam Kannappan, Kumar Bashyam, Tupil Narasiman, Dhani Kannan, T.A. Dorairajan, Muthuraman Solayappan, Kumbhabhishekam committee Padmini Nathan, Sheila Sriram, Nachal Sethuraman, Sundar Arun, C. Vijayarajan, Chandrakala Gupta, Kamala Raghavan, Ramachandra Reddy, Ramamurthy Ramsundar, Bhargavi Golla, Mala Gopal, Malar Narayanan, Prema Prasad, Senthil Devaraj, and Muthukumar.

The great religious ceremony, the wonderful cultural programs and the delicious food at the 11th Kumbhabhisekam of the temple will be remembered for a long time.

—S. NARAYANAN

Nayanmargal, 63 Saivite saints.

Holy water for the consecration being taken in a procession.

—PHOTOS by LAXMINARYANAN SETTY & SRINI SUNDARRAJAN.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • PAGE 3

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FEB 27—IACCGH reception honoring Asif Dakri on his appointment to the FDIC

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PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

COMMUNITY

BKM sponsors “Pranamya” fundraiser for Anjali Center HOUSTON In a gesture of great generosity, Bharathi Kalai Manram presented the Anjali Dance Company in a fundraising program for the rebuilding of the Harvey-damaged Anjali Center.

Pranamya: Obeisance to the Gods, as the program was called, was very well conceived and beautifully choreographed by Rathna Kumar, the Center’s Director. In deference to the organization, most of the dances were in the Tamil language.

The show began with a soulfully rendered prayer by the young sisters, Pavithra and Bhargavi Chandrasekhar, students of Rathna Kumar and Vidushi Rajarajeshwary Bhat.

Following tradition, the dance segment commenced with a vibrant group rendering of Madurai R. Muralidaran’s Thunga Karimugam, in praise of the joyful dancing Ganapathy, performed

by Ananya Gokhale, Divya Koothan, Keerthana Verma, Lakshmi Subramania, Nethra Subramanian, Radhika Daru, and Shriya Fruitwala.

That was followed by an unusual Mandooka Sabdam, which, according to Rathna Kumar, is an original Kuchipudi song that was converted

Photos by AMITAVA SARKAR, Insight Photography. into a Bharatanatyam Sabdam by her Guru’s Guru, the iconoclastic Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai.

This solo, with episodes from the Ramayana, was beautifully presented by Jvalanti Prasad, whose posture, grace and technique were enviably perfect.

Agastya Mahamuni’s Sri Chakra Raja Simhasaneswari, choreographed and sung by Guru Narasimhachari, and performed with feeling and dignity by his student Venugopal Josyula, the Center’s Assistant Director, drew loud applause from the audience.

The central piece of the show, a dynamic Varnam,, Aadum Mayilmel Varuvaan, also by Madurai Muralidaran, described the peacock-

riding Lord Muruga and his various exploits.

The rhythmic sequences were choreographed imaginatively, as for instance the first one, which was done entirely using the mudra or hand gesture representing the peacock.

The stories were acted out in a very interesting manner by the group, each dancer playing a different character, making it easy for the audience to understand.

Three more solos were presented before the unusual finale, performed by a quartet.

Amulya Peri, with her big, expressive eyes, was the very personification of fury as she became Durga, the destroyer of Mahishasura, in Padma Vibhushan M. Balamuralikrishna’s unforgettable Om-

karakarini.

Samyukta Hari’s intense Neene Anaadha Bandhu (Purandaradasa) clearly proved her maturity as a dancer, considering the ease with which she changed roles from the wily Duryodhana to the wavering Yudhishtir, and from the evil Dusshasana to the helpless Draupadi.

A powerful and high energy Sambhu Natanam by Isha Parupudi left the audience breathless as Isha alternately leaped, spun in circles, and froze in sculpturesque poses.

Patanjali’s paean to Nataraja was followed by Nrittaarpanam, a lively composition by veena maestro Rajesh Vaidhya, choreographed with many off beat formations and juxtapositions by Rathna Kumar and performed with élan by Di-

vya, Lakshmi Shriya and Isha. The ensemble offered its final salutations through a Mangalam on Sri Rama.

BKM President Thiruvengdam Arumugam expressed his appreciation for Rathna Kumar’s work in the community and the four decade old bond between her and BKM. He hoped that BKM’s gesture will be one small step in helping the Anjali Center get back on its feet.

Vijaya Ramachandran, Vice President Mani Subramanian, and Treasurer Priya Chandru were on hand to felicitate Rathna Kumar and the Anjali Dance Company.

As a member of the audience commented at the end of the show - “it was a very classy performance”.

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HEART HEALTH SYMPOSIUM December 3, 2017 | 3:00 - 5:00 pm India House, 8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX Are Asian Indians, men & women, at a higher risk of heart attacks ?

If so, how can we reduce it.

India House in assoication with IDA and IACCGH presents Heart Health Symposium at India House.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Demographic data indicate that the heart disease rate among Indians / South Asians is double that of the national averages of the western world.

For this reason, early detection of this disease and its contributing conditions are critical to health and longevity. Whether you have been diagnosed with a heart or vascular condition or simply want to learn more about heart health and prevention, our symposium will provide information on the care you may need.

Panelists

Sheila K. Heinle, MD Cardiologist

Virendra S. Mathur, MD Cardiologist

Prasun K. Jalal, MD Gastroenterologist

Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine

Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine

Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

Event is Free Refreshment will be served after the event

For registration: www.indiahouseinc.org/heart-health-symposium

For more information: 713-929-1900 | vipin@indiahouseinc.org | www.indiahouseinc.org 8888 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

COMMUNITY

Houston Maharashtra Mandal celebrates Diwali with Marathi play The Houston Maharashtra Mandal (HMM) celebrated its annual Diwali event on Sunday, Nov. 12 at the University of Houston Student Center.

This year’s Diwali celebration included the traditional Faral, an Art gallery, a magic show for children and a Marathi play. It was a day of entertainment, camaraderie and joy for the whole family.

Guests were welcomed with the traditional “Faral� (snacks) comprising delicious food items like Chiwda, Ladu, Chakli and Karanji without which a Diwali celebration is not complete for a Maharashtrian.

As the taste buds were being satisďŹ ed, the Art Gallery was a treat for the eyes. Selected ďŹ ne art exhibits by several local artists were on display and the artists were present to chat with the viewers. There were quite a few interesting conversations about the medium used, style of paintings, nature photography etc.

HMM volunteers organized the event by separating the Diwali drama program from the snacks/dinner hall and children’s entertainment.

The children enjoyed a great Magic show and movie screening.

With babysitting services for the kids being available, the adults watched the drama with a greater peace of mind.

The on-stage events commenced with the publication of the Diwali e-magazine “eSneh�.

The contents of this magazine are contributed

by HMM members through articles and poems in Marathi, the language spoken by most of the members. The variety and the depth of topics was proof that the diaspora retains a strong connection with their roots even today.

Members of the editorial board, Arundhati Joshi and Pooja Gokhale shared the experience and challenges faced by them.The main attraction of the Diwali program this year was the popular Marathi drama named “Chhoo Mantar�, written by the very famous writer Vasant Kanetkar.

This comedy drama was performed by local artists under the direction of Mrs. Chaitrali Thote.

The artists worked hard for the last 3-4 months to attain this level of perfection. Shirish Khandekar, Sadhana Kamat, Veena Watwe, Ram Watwe, Kshipra Kulkarni, Abhishek Bhat, Akshay Deshpande, Samir Karandikar and Viju Bhadkamkar kept the audience on the edge of their seats with the chuckle some plot of “magic gone wrong.�

The audience went riotously hysterical with the climax when a spiritual character got transformed into an aggravated bandit.

The sets were designed and built by the art direction team of Samit Gokhale, Swapnil Saraf and Ashish Chougule.

Even the events related to Harvey could not waver the determination of this team. It is creditable that Marathi theatre is alive in America at this

HMM oďŹƒcers

Release of Marathi publication “e-Sneha.� professional level.

The students from the Graduate Indian Student Organization (GISO) were very involved in volunteering for the show and HMM

thanked them for that. Mrs. Anjou Sathe Keller, HMM President also appreciated her current year team members for their dedication and devotion and introduced the 2018 HMM

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The cherry on the cake was the full course authentic Indian dinner served by many volunteers without any chaos and hassle.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • PAGE 9

PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

NEWS

HYMA presents mesmerizing concerts by NextGen artists HYMA- Houston Youth Music Association recently presenyted concerts by NextGen Stars Ashwath Narayanan and Vignesh Ishwar.

With the blessings of Vidushi Smt Krishnaveni Hebbar and the able guidance of Vidushi Smt. RajaRajeshwary Bhat, the beloved guru of Sri Krishna Gana Sudha Music academy, the Houston Youth Music Association presented a vibrant carnatic concert on October 1, 2017, by the young and talented team - Vidwan Sri Vignesh Ishwar on the vocal, Vidwan L. Ramakrishnan on the violin, Vidwan Akshay Anantapadmanabhan on the mridangam and Vidwan K. V. Gopalakrishnan on the kanjira.

The concert was a fitting finale to the energy packed annual day presentations by the students of KGSMA at Stafford Civic Center.

Sri Vignesh Ishwar, one of the leading young musicians in the current Carnatic arena was the apt choice for the KGSMA annual day culmination as his music was energetic and vivacious and proved to be a musical illustration of the outcome of years of disciplined training and rigorous practice.

Endowed with a resounding voice, and commanding presHouston Youth Music Association (HYMA) presented its second concert of 2017-18 year on Sunday, November 12 at Sri Krishna ence on stage, his music was Vrundavana with the mellifluous young voice of Sri R. Ashwath Narayanan from Chennai, disciple of Smt. Padma Narayanaswamy studded with effortless brigas, and Sangeetha Kalanidhi Late Sri K.V. Narayanaswamy. He was accompanied ably by artists Sri M. Rajeev on the violin and Sri impeccable shruthi and effu- Sumesh Narayanan on the mridangam. sive creativity.

Hari Venkatachalam Hindu Students Association, Board of Directors

Succeed In Your Business

PRESS RELEASE

April 6, 2017Get – AUSTIN, TX –your The Hindu Students rid of staffi ngAssociaproblems and spend more tion (HSA) would like to regretfully announce that it will be Good = Good Decisions cancelling its annual Gateway Retreat for the 2017 Numbers 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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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • PAGE 11

INDIANS ABROAD

Indian American Republicans are Delta Force of GOP: Cox

By PRAKASH SWAMY NEW YORK Indian-American Republicans are now being recognized as the powerful Delta Force in the GOP with their dedication and hard work in electing Donald Trump as President of the United States, said Edward Cox, Chairman of the New York State Republican Party.

Addressing the annual get together of Indian-American Republican Committee in White Plains, NY on Thursday, he praised the commitment of the Desi Republicans who smashed the image that IndianAmericans are always supporters of Democratic Party.

The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta commonly referred to as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), The Unit, Army Compartmented Element (ACE), or within JSOC as Task Force Green is an elite special mission unit of the United States Army.

He said GOP oer freedom, opportunity, lower taxes, ďŹ scal responsibility and local control that were the hallmark of the success of Indians in the US. Indian-Americans are seeking public oďŹƒce like never before all in the past one year of Republican national leadership, he said.

No President in the past had signed legislation and executive orders in the last one year like Donald Trump ďŹ ghting all odds against regulations. Stock markets are shooting in the sky and citizens are feeling safe under this presidency.

Shalab “Shally� Kumar, Chairman of Republican Hindu Coalition, said Trump would usher in Ram Rajya in the US. Many of the so-called IndianAmerican leaders worked tirelessly against the Hindu rally held in NJ last year to endorse Trump as President by arranging gharba and other events on the same day to dissipate the crowd. It’s a myth that IndianAmericans are always Democrats and tides are changing, he said.

Kumar who coined the slogan “Aap ki bath, Trump sarkarâ€? that caught the social media like a wildďŹ re, said all the Modi followers among the 4.2 Million Hindus in the US voted for Trump as they see a

similarity in both the leaders.

Ven Parameswaran, senior most Indian-American Republican in the US and Senior Vice Chairman of Indian-American Republican Committee, said the Indian Americans have been building political clout, slowly but steadily since the days of Pratab Singh Saund elected as Congressman from California in 1956.

Republican Bobby Jindal was ďŹ rst elected to the Congress and later elected as Governor of Louisiana and Republican Nikki Haley was elected Governor of South Carolina and now she is our Ambassador to the UN the most important diplomatic post. Ambassador to the UN was the stepping stone for George H W Bush, before he was elected President. Indian Americans are attracted to Republican Party because their ideas of family values, religion, hard work, entrepreneurship, fewer taxes, less government are common to them, he said.

Within the next two weeks, The Committee is starting chapters in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Queens. Before the midterm elections, chapters will be in all states with a sizeable Indian American population, he added.

Doug Colety, Chairman of Westchester County Republican Committee, Terrence Murphy, New York State Senator, Lawrence Garvey, Chairman of Rockland County Republican Committee, Thomas Koshy, national chairman of IndianAmerican Republican Committee, Paul Karukkupalli, covice chairman and Dr. Priscilla Parameswaran, founder of the committee spoke on the contribution of Indian-Americans to the growth of Republican Party.

Edward Cox and other Republican leaders honored Dr. Sampath Shivangi, Chairman of Mississippi Board of Mental Health with the award of “Person of the Year�; Dr. A.D Amar, Professor of Seton Hall University, NJ with “Professor of the Year� award; Anand Ahuja, attorney with “Attorney of the Year� award and Charles Kannankeril R &D engineer with “Special Recognition� award.

Sharma Tilal Senanayake, CPA Certified Public Accountant

Edward Cox presents the “Person of the year� award to Dr. Sampath Shivangi.

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PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

NEWS

U.S.-India relations at decisively upward trajectory

The North Jersey chapter of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-North Jersey) on the timely topic of “Where India US Relations are Heading” on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at Jyoti Restaurant in Wayne, NJ. The event was attended by over 60 people and even though was two days before the crucial Gubernatorial and State Senate and Assembly elections, the attendance included the Deputy Speaker of the NJ State Assembly, a Senator, an Assemblyman and numerous other elected New Jersey officials.

Rajul Shah, President of GOPIO North Jersey Chapter welcomed the guests and attendees and spoke about strengthening US India Relations and the importance of a meaningful dialogue that the seminar represents.

Thomas Abraham, Founder and Current Chairman of GOPIO International moderated the seminar and introduced the speakers as experts in their fields. The seminar focused on two key aspects.

Professor Maya Chadda talked about Geopolitical and Economic Relations while the second speaker David Nachman, a leading Immigration Attorney with NPZ Law firm talked about the Immigration issues in which India US Relations have been caught up in the recent cross currents.

Ram Gadhavi, GOPIO Intl VP, also conveyed greetings from GOPIO International and spoke about a number of activities undertaken by the North Jersey Chapter of the GOPIO. Prakash Shah, Co-Chair of GOPIO International Chamber of Commerce (GICC) and one of the original founders of GOPIO, introduced the political leaders and remembered the Indian Flag hoisting ceremony co-sponsored by GOPIO North Jersey Chapter in Clifton NJ on August 13, 2017. This was attended by over 300 people.

Addressing the Geopolitical and Economic Issues, Dr. Maya Chadda, Professor pf Political Science at William Patterson University asserted that the policy shifts under president Trump has strengthened India’s trust in a supportive United States, especially on the issues of terrorism and Pakistan’s role in it but that still doesn’t solve the basic dilemma for the US which needs Pakistan to stabilize Afghanistan and rid South Asia of terrorist safe havens.

Similarly, the economic codependence between China and the US not to mention the US goal to contain North Korea will make the US hedge its bets between India and China.

“It is only in securing the Indo-Pacific where India’s naval contribution is clear and can be substantial, that the Indo-Us convergence is unquestionably beneficial to both. Notwithstanding these caveats, Indo-Us relations have again resumed a decisively upward trajectory,” Dr. Chadda added.

Attorney David Nachman addressed the issues of current hiatus in the issuance of H1B visas and the severe impact it is having on both the India and US High Technology Industries.

According to Nachman, the US immigration and nationality law Arena is changing on a daily basis and presenting new challenges to immigration practitioners as well as for visa applicants.

“The immigration and nationality enforcement authorities nowadays are seeking to enhance information technology applications as well as security methodologies through a process called “extreme vetting“ to ensure the safety of individuals in the United States,” said Nachman.

“The silver-lining to the new and restrictive immigration law policies and procedures that have been implemented is that individuals are visiting our immigration law offices and making inquiries about potential options to enable them to obtain legal immigration status in the United States,” Nachman added.

Nachman suggested a partial solution if India were to focus on EB2 visas. He said for some reasons, the Indian Government side has not pursued an agreement with US on EB2 Visas whereas her neighbors including Bangladesh and Pakistan have been taking a full advantage of this category. He suggested EB2 as a good solution in absence of H1B Visas.

The seminar was concluded with a vote of thanks by Dhananjay Desai, VP, GOPIO North Jersey Chapter, He particularly thanked David Nachman and NPZ Law firm for sponsoring this event.

GOPIO International with 100 chapters in 30 countries is a non-profit, IRS tax-exempt (501 c (3)) community service organization. GOPIO-North Jersey chapter was formed in early 2016 a civic and service organization for the benefit NRIs and PIOs living in North Jersey.

Sewa International Family Services Hot Line 832-900-9354

Panelists at the seminar, Attorney David Nachman, GOPIO Chairman Dr, Thomas Abraham, William Patterson Univ. Professor Maya Chadda and GOPIO-North Jersey President Rajul Shah

Seminar speakers with GOPIO officials

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INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 13

COMMUNITY

Sewa responds to Indian communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing needs in Houston

By SACHIN DABIR Hospitalization, death and bereavement in the family, medical emergencies, family counselling are the increasing but sparsely met needs of our growing community in USA. Recognizing this, Sewa International initiated a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Family Case Management Servicesâ&#x20AC;? program in 2013 and has helped many families since then. However, the demand for these services has been growing steadily and Sewa wanted to step up its eďŹ&#x20AC;orts to be able to help more families. With this in mind, the Houston chapter of Sewa International organized a 2 day conference cum workshop on November 18-19th at Keshav Smruti to create awareness and impart a ďŹ rst level of training to new volunteers. The Indian community in Houston responded overwhelmingly to this call and over 30 volunteers attended this workshop to get initiated to support fellow community members.

Through Sewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Family Services program, the Indian community will receive access to help during crises and diďŹ&#x192;cult times such as death and bereavement, family emergencies, medical and home care and accidental situations. Sewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experienced volunteers can help families ďŹ nd the right resources, accompany them to face diďŹ&#x192;cult and delicate situations, connect them with professionals to understand complex problems in simple language, arrange for help in transportation, meal supply and translation. All this help is summed up beauti-

fully by experienced volunteer Madan Luthra â&#x20AC;&#x153;We try to be one of the family members of the affected family but with a lot more calm and composure so that affected members feel comfortable and reassured.â&#x20AC;?

In this workshop, new volunteers received training and insight on how to address these situations by Girish Mehta, founder of Indian Circle of Caring (ICC) of Boston, MA, and a member of the National Advisory Board of Sewa International. In the spirit of collaboration with like-minded people and organizations, Sewa works closely with ICC to leverage its experience in the similar ďŹ eld. Girish Mehta graciously extends all the help and shares his experience of over 10 years in Family services in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Girish Mehta was very impressed with the volunteers and stated â&#x20AC;&#x153;The intense desire to give back to the community combined with high energy and active participation is remarkable. It is not easy to reach the conference venue at eight in the morning on Saturday

and Sunday. Only a great sense of self-motivation and conďŹ dence in Sewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities can drive over 30 volunteers to spend 2 days in training.â&#x20AC;?

Commitment and seriousness in providing services to the community was exempliďŹ ed by the full-time presence of Sewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Executive Vice President Arun Kankani and Houston Chapter President Gitesh Desai. Arun Kankani guided the volunteers in working together as teams and creating a scalable model for serving the community while Gitesh Desai provided insight into the needs of the Houston community and how to partner with other organizations. In Giteshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our community has great expectations from Sewa and especially after the massive work done by Sewa volunteers during Harvey relief and rehabilitation, the community has developed a lot of trust and admiration towards Sewa. Over 30 volunteers giving their precious time to get trained on Saturday and Sunday is a testimony of their commitmentâ&#x20AC;?.

Arun Kankani added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;providing services to families in need is in line with Sewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s belief â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nar Sewa is Narayan Sewa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Serving Humanity is Serving Divinityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Sewa is scaling up its eďŹ&#x20AC;orts to meet the needs of the community and it is heartening to note such an overwhelming response.

We will continue to partner with other community organizations to spread the word and make our services available to the families

du faith-based non-proďŹ t, charitable organization. All donations (cash, cars, clothes, securities, etc.) are tax-deductible. (Tax Id# 20-0638718).

Sewa serves humanity regardless of race, religion, color, gender or nationality.

in needâ&#x20AC;?.

Sewa will conduct more training sessions in the coming months. Interested volunteers can write to fs@sewausa.org Sewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family services helpline number is 832-900-9354.

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PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

COMMUNITY

Chinmaya youth celebrate true friendship

By KHUSHBOO KAMNANI On the evening of November 22, 2017, the Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (CHYK) group in Houston rejoiced at the annual event of Chyksgiving.

Traditionally, Chyksgiving involves discussions based on verses from texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and Sadhana Panchakam. However, to make this year unique, CHYK’s very own Brahmacarini Shweta Chaitanya and Chinmaya Houston’s Acarya, Pujya Gaurang Uncle, joined the gathering to make the evening memorable and special for all.

Brahmacarini Shwetaji elevated the evening by explaining the true essence of friendship, an aspect that everyone in life has to be thankful for. She emphasized the three types of friendship one can have: the first type that is derived from being in proximity to someone; the second that stems from sharing similar interests as another person; and, the third type in which a Chyk can totally identify himself or herself with another person.

The Brahmacarini elaborated on the three categories with striking examples.

Siblings were an example of the first category; can growing up with a brother or sister mean that he or she is your best friend?

Not necessarily. There is no guarantee that the sibling will behave as a friend later in life or be one to count on just because of growing up in a shared space.

The second category focused on being friends with someone who came with an entourage. Two friends in the group may share a special bond, but one invariably finds nothing else in common with the rest of the group.

After reflecting upon those two common categories, the Chyks recognized that few were the true friends in their virtual and real lives.

Brahmacarini Shwetaji then beautifully spelled out the qualities of a third category of selfless friendship from the viewpoint of sacrifice and love.

Could there be such a friend who would love and uplift you no matter what the circumstances? Yes, that friend is no other than Ishvara.

Shwetaji gave an example of Sudama’s unweathering devotion and love to Sri Krishna Bhagavan. Sudamaji was Sri Krishna’s dear friend during their years of studies at Sandeepany ashram.

Eventually, they parted ways and led their own lives.

After many years of financial hardship, coaxed by his wife, Sudamaji undertakes a journey to Dwaraka to seek not just the help of Sri Krishna Bhagavan, but truly more to share his great love for the friend he revered all along.

When Sudamaji arrived at his palace, Bhagavan becomes so overcome with emotion at the sight of his dearest friend that the Lord Himself does a Pada Puja of Sudamaji with his own tears.

Shri Krishna Bhagavan then proceeded to bless Sudamaji with all that the latter needed. Such is the result of love and devotion to everyone’s best friend, Ishvara.

After that satsang which was great food for thought, the Chyks feast enjoyed a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal made with love and friendship.

Pujya Gaurang Uncle joined to meet all the Chyks and encourage their progress. As the evening concluded with gurudakshina offered to Chinmaya Guru Parampara, the Chyks carried home the special message of God as their best friend.

For more information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and its activities visit www.chinmayahouston.org or call Jay Deshmukh 832-541-0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.

Visit www.India-herald.com Download free Indiaherald App from the Playstore.

CHYK members with Bramcarini Shwetaji, front row, left.

—Photo by YUTHIKA GUNDAMARAJU

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.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • PAGE 15

COMMUNITY Tatvam School of Dance presents annual day performances

On November 5, 2017, I was privileged to attend the annual day performance of the Tatvam School of Bharata Natyam, founded by Srimathi Lavanya Prabu.

The colorful and riveting performances highlighted the elegance and beauty of Bharata Natyam, demonstrated the progress of many students at various stages of training, and engaged the audience in a learning experience like no other before it. But for me, the experience struck me on a deeper and more emotional level as well.

This performance inspired me with hope and confidence that our beloved Indian heritage will certainly be preserved for future generations, under the knowledgeable and loving guidance of dance teachers such as Lavanya Prabu.

Over the past 40 years, since I moved to Houston, Texas, from

India, I have been a keen observer and supporter of Indian traditional arts. Through the decades, we have grown from a few dozen community members to an exponentially growing population. When we first moved to America, we brought with us the love of our motherland, rich with cultural heritage, tradition, and the appreciation for the arts. We preserved these cultural traditions to the best of our ability, shared our knowledge and love of the arts, and in so doing, created a tight-knit community with a collective spirit.

This spirit led us on a path of artistic growth, preserving the traditions that strengthened our identity, and also led each of us on a journey of progress, self-discovery, and artistic achievement.

But on this evening, as a member of the audience, I felt that I had

been transported to a new place of artistic achievement – a place of commitment to the highest standards of quality, where the relationship between teacher and student became so beautifully clear, as Lavanya guided each of her students with a loving hand, supporting them in their artistic progress. Let me enumerate the unique aspects of this performance that in my mind made it stand apart from others.

Rudiments are the foundation upon which all artistic endeavor is established. From the beginner student to the most advanced, all dancers must maintain technical proficiency in the rudiments of dance.

Lavanya gathered her students in an ensemble performance to demonstrate the very basic steps or adavus that are essential to Bharata Natyam. Theadavus were performed

to beautifully arranged music, and highlighted the dancer’s unique challenge of performing theadavus at three speeds. I appreciated how challenging these adavus are to execute, as the dancer must maintain thearaimandi, or half-sit position, throughout the steps in a controlled manner. This demonstration opened my eyes to the importance of a solid foundation in the basics without which the dancer cannot progress to more complex pieces.

The theory recitation demonstrated the dancer’s foundation of knowledge as they recited several verses from the Natya Shashtra, an encyclopedic treatise on classical dance, music, composition, performance, and literary traditions of India. The students, again in an ensemble performance, stood together uniformly positioned, and confidently recited these essential verses. I was amazed by this presentation, imagining how Lavanya must have invested the time needed to teach these youngsters, most who have been born and raised here in America, to recite these complicated verses with excellent and clear pronunciation and with all voices raised together in unison.

The video presentation was elegantly orchestrated and a welcome introduction to the essence of the Tatvam School of Dance. We got a glimpse of what these young dancers experience every week in their respective classes and how much attention to detail is given to each and every dancer by Lavanya.

One can certainly appreciate Lavanya’s utmost respect for the pure and essential traditions of classical Indian dance.

The second half of the program was a visual treat for the audience as we saw the culmination of each student’s efforts. The choreography to the Ashtalakshmi Slokam, recording by S. Sowmya, a musically uplifting and rhythmically

engaging piece, was effortlessly coordinated among all students.

The Annamarchya krithi Dolayam, a familiar and beloved keerthanam, moved me especially, as these young dancers showed grace and skill, while working together as a team. The padam on Lord Srinivasa performed by the senior students, highlighted the well-known story of Gajendra, and revealed maturity in the dancers’ expression as well as stylistic flourishes. The Kavadi chinddhu brought to life a familiar and memorable tune, with simple yet graceful movements.

And finally, the Thillana concluded the dance items, with vibrant steps, elaborate formations, clean and brisk movements, grace and elegance emanating from each dancer. These performances symbolize for me the tremendous impact that Indian classical dance has to transport the dancer and the audience to a deeper level of spiritual understanding.

Finally, the evening’s master of ceremonies, Madhuri M. Vasudevan, provided insight into the history of Bharata Natyam, including details regarding the origin of the Vazhuvoor style of dance, and its unique, elegant and stylistic characteristics. The presentations were educational, informative, engaging and delightful.

In conclusion, I am delighted to see our grandchildren performing Bharata Natyam, representing our rich culture, and upholding the highest standards of quality with respect for our history and tradition.

This can only occur thanks to the few people, like Srimathi Lavanya Prabu, who bear the torch of educating and spreading our beloved traditions and give us peace in knowing that our legacy and heritage will continue for generations to come.

— Arun and Mukhopadhyay

Nalini

From left to right, Madhuri Vasudevan, Subhashree Gokul, Meera Srikanth, Kirthika Kumrouth, Shyamala Ramalingam, Sarika Krishnan, Lavanya Prabu, Indrani Rao Beedu, Chitra Sivasankaran, Veena Nagarajan, Arthi Subramani, Rinku Desai, Annapoorani Arunachalam.

PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

NEWS

US-India Strategic Partnership Forum lauds Mahindra Automotive North America’s manufacturing facility in Michigan USISPF President Mukesh Aghi Attends Opening Ceremony and Commends the First New Manufacturing Facility Established in the Detroit Area in Over 25 years The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) commends the opening of Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA)’s new manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan – the first new manufacturing facility to be established in the Detroit area in at least 25 years.

USISPF’s mission is to work closely with both business and government entities in both countries in order to foster economic growth, job creation, innovation, and entrepreneurship in both markets.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, serves as a Board Member of the new organization, which was formed in 2017 to strengthen the existing partnership between the United States and India. Mahindra’s investment into the United States is exactly the type of action that USISPF views as a true win-win for the bilateral relationship between the United States and India.

Not only will this new facility accelerate job creation and economic growth in the United States, but it will also promote Indian companies’ interests in the United States.

Dr. Mukesh Aghi, President of USISPF, attended the news conference around the center today, saying, “Trade is a twoway street. Today’s opening of the MANA center in Auburn Hills illustrates how Indian companies are creating valuable jobs right here in the U.S., much like what U.S. companies are doing in India. I have no doubt this trend will only become stronger as the U.S. and India are natural partners.

USISPF’s job is to strengthen this partnership and to facilitate more of this bilateral trade.”

MANA’s commitment to the U.S. market was echoed by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at a press conference during his visit to India last month, when he said, “U.S. companies and products have an everyday presence in the lives of Indians and we see increasing investments by Indian companies in America, including a Mahindra vehicle plant that will open this month in Detroit, the first ever Indian automotive manufacturing plant in the U.S.” MANA, an American company headquartered in Michigan, is pleased to establish an even stronger presence in the Detroit region.

In 2013, Mahindra North

American Technical Center was established in Troy, MI to lay the groundwork for the expanding MANA operation, with the objective of leveraging the first-in-class automotive expertise and talent in the Detroit area.

In 2017, Mahindra North American Technical Center was transformed into Mahindra Automotive North America, which will be set up as a full service automotive OEM, demonstrating Mahindra’s increased investment in the U.S. Over the past four years, MANA has tripled their workforce, and today it opens a new

North American headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan and will shortly open another facility in Pontiac, Michigan.

These new facilities will provide a production capacity of 10,000 units per year. In addition, MANA anticipates adding an additional 400 jobs to their workforce by 2020, and will partner with local officials in this effort.

MANA is preparing to manufacture an off-road vehicle for the U.S. market at the facility, with full production scheduled

by Q1 of 2018.

The Mahindra Group is a $19

billion enterprise that delivers innovative mobility solutions through driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities.

It is considered a global leader in utility vehicles, information technology, and financial services and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume.

It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, commercial vehicles, and aerospace.

Mahindra employs over 200,000 people across 100 countries.

Formed in 2017 by U.S. business leaders, USISPF has care-

fully selected the most powerful and strategically positioned Board of Directors for U.S.India related matters.

These members serve as both prominent business leaders and global influencers with an ability to impact international relations and corporate affairs worldwide.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., USISPF has offices in New York, Silicon Valley, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

For more details, please visit http://usispf.org/. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • PAGE 17

INDIA

Tongue in cheek : The Padmavati effect

By G. SAMPATH What’s life without a few wild threats?

Most Indians are not cows.

But they feel the pain of the cow. That’s why they oppose cow slaughter. Likewise, I am not, personally speaking, a Rajput. But I feel as bad as any outraged Rajput that the film Padmavati hasn’t been properly banned. Its release has only been postponed, not cancelled for all time to come.

My biggest fear is that it will be released eventually, perhaps after the Gujarat elections.

By then it would have remained in suspended animation for too long, and the damage would have been done. Yes, I am referring to the enormous damage this film is doing to civil discourse.

As always, the culprits are the insensitive left-liberals, who have again taken to blaming the victims — in this case, Rajput protesters — for creating the controversy. Not only did they not get offended by the film, they even took offence at these Rajputs taking offence at the film.

Incredible as it sounds, the reason given by them for not getting offended is that they haven’t seen the film yet. Hello! Can someone please explain to me why you need to see a film in order to be offended by it? How can you ask me to see a film before calling for it to be banned if the point of my asking for the ban is to ensure that neither I nor anyone else gets to see it in the first place? And if you continue to ignore my offended sentiments, what choice do I have but to ask for the offending actor and director to be beheaded?

In fact, more offensive than even the film’s intrinsic offen-

siveness is the all-round degeneration in public discourse that it has triggered. Now this degeneration is taking over private discourse also.

Just the other day I was quietly having my dinner, and simultaneously composing a befitting riposte to a vaguely offensive personal comment on Facebook when my wife said, “Put away your phone right now or I’ll chop off your fingers.”

“Chop-chop-chop!

Chop Papa!” chimed my son Kattabomman, barely 17 months old but already showing precocious signs of ingratitude. It was I who had bought the high chair he was perched on so he could join us at mealtimes. Now the brat was asking for me to be chopped up.

Since we do have a house rule of no mobiles at the dining table, I put away my phone.

I had barely resumed eating when I heard a terrified scream, “NO!!!” I looked up to find that Kattabomman had reached out and tipped over a bowl, spilling half a litre of sambar on the table. My wife was in tears.

“It’s alright,” I said. “Don’t worry about the sambar. I’ll manage with curd rice.”

She stared at me as if I had suddenly turned into Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

“Do you even realise,” she said, her voice hoarse with emotion, “that the life of this table cloth is practically over?

Either you get me a new Chantilly table cover by next Sunday or I’ll offer ₹10 lakh reward to anyone who breaks all your 32 teeth.”

“Didi, if all his teeth are gone, how will he eat,” asked my sister-in-law. She was having her meal standing three feet from the dining table, so she could continue WhatsApping

while eating.

“You stay out of this,” my wife hissed. “As it is, I’m tempted to break your legs so that you have no option but to sit and eat like a normal human being.”

Just then my mobile rang.

I picked up my phone and retreated to the balcony. It was a marketing call from a bank.

“No, I don’t want a personal loan,” I said.

“What about a home loan, sir?”

‘Nope. Why don’t you help your bank with its NPAs instead of wasting my time?”

“A car loan, sir?”

“You also live in Delhi,” I said, my patience wearing thin.

“Already the air is bad and you want to make it worse by helping more people buy cars?

Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Sorry for the inconvenience, sir. Can you refer me to any of your colleagues who may need a personal loan?”

“You idiot!” I exploded. “If you ever call me again I will have your nose cut off, teeth broken, ears chopped off, and both legs surgically amputated.”

“Please mind your language, sir, or we’ll send someone over to pluck out your tongue and feed it the dogs.”

“Fine,” I said. “I do want a loan.”

“Thank you, sir. May I know which one: home loan, car loan or personal loan?”

“A personal loan of ₹1,000 crore,” I said. “I want to offer ₹5 crore to anyone who will behead you.”

“What about the remaining ₹995 crore, sir?” “That’s to ensure I don’t have to repay the loan, you fool! Hang up right now or I’ll arrange a cardiac arrest for you!”—The Hindu

‘Padmavati’ row: No shooting for 15 minutes As a mark of solidarity with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversy-hit Padmavati, hundreds of industry persons — from filmmakers to workers — across the country have announced a 15-minute blackout on Sunday.

The Indian Films and TV Directors’ Association (IFTDA), along with 19 other bodies of the film and television industry from across the country will stop shooting for 15 minutes as a mark of protecting the right to freedom of expression of those in the creative field.

Organisations such as Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA), Western India Cinematographers Association, Screen Writers Association, The Film and Television Producers Guild of India Limited, Association of Voice Artistes, Cine Costume & Make-up Artiste and Hair Dressers Association, Cine Singer Association, Movie Stunt Artistes Association, among others, will participate in the protest called “Main Azaad Hoon?”

(Am I free?) at Film City here, starting at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday.

“Over 600-700 people from the entire film industry in India from filmmakers to writers, workers, make-up men will come together in support of Padmavati. All shoots across India will be halted from 4.15 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Through this protest we are trying to say ‘Let us know — Are we free people? Are we living in a democratic country?’” filmmaker and IFTDA convenor, Ashoke Pandit said.

Padmavati has been facing the ire of various Rajput groups and political leaders, who have accused the director of “distorting historical facts”.

Referring to the country-wide agitation against the film, Mr. Pandit said if a “great filmmaker” like Mr. Bhansali can be threatened for exercising creative freedom, it can happen with anyone in the fraternity.

“We are creators of cinema... art. We are educators, we contribute towards the betterment of the country. There are stars supporting various causes (of the government). We stand by them, whenever there is a need. We are hurt with what is happening with Padmavati, we are (being) ill-treated, we feel we are living like orphans in this country,” he says.

Last week, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the release of Padmavati, with Delhi High Court following suit on Friday. Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States such as Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have called for a ban against the movie.

Commenting on the same, Mr. Pandit said: “We are not fighting against any particular person. The judiciary has passed some orders but nothing has been done. How can a Chief Minister ban a film without even watching it?”

He added everyone present at the venue will pay tributes to the martyrs in 26/11 terror attacks, before the protest begins. Featuring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, Padmavati was set to be released on December 1. The makers of the film will announce a revised date after clearance from the CBFC.

Padmavati victim of monopoly on ‘truth’

By SWAPAN DASGUPTA There have been a great many hurtful and ugly comments that have been made in the wake of the controversy over the film Padmavati. Some of these, particularly the threats to the actors, are completely unacceptable and there is a strong argument for initiating criminal action against those responsible for issuing such vile threats. No sensible discussion of any subject, however contentious, can even begin if it is preceded by threats of violence and even murder. The ground rules of discourse must be firmly stated, reiterated and not be compromised by shortterm political expediency.

The law and order aspect apart, the controversy over Padmavati can be viewed in three ways.

First, there is the aesthetic and artistic dimension of the film. Alas, not having been privileged to preview the film, I can’t say whether the fuss was really worth it or whether it would have been added to the

list of truly unmemorable celluloid ventures.

Secondly, there is a larger question centred on the approach of the Central Board of Film Certification and the State Governments who have the right to veto public exhibitions of a film. This is an issue that deserves to be debated in both Parliament and civil society. An open society like India should, ideally, have the capacity to digest the comfortable and the uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the bar on tolerance is rather low in India. India is a very vibrant democracy but it is also a society that is rather prickly and takes offence too easily. This is not necessarily the doing of any Government or political party — though they may have swum with the tide — but a collective failure to imbibe diversity in some departments. India otherwise is committed to diversity in social conduct, political preferences and so much else. Yet occasionally a controversy erupts unexpectedly that disturbs the

equilibrium, particularly when a group feels that the offence has crossed a Lakshman Rekha.

It is impossible to define where the boundaries are located and a general idea of ‘common decencies’ doesn’t seem to suffice. Governments can’t always afford to impose enlightenment, if the tide of public opinion is strongly in favour of a momentary expression of intolerance. Consequently, by default, the courts have intervened to ensure that unpopular or contrarian expressions are not forced underground.

The CBFC operates within these constraints. The Shyam Benegal Committee recommended a system whereby discretionary powers are reduced to a bare minimum and limited only to whether a film should be for Universal release or limited to Adults only. However, it is easy to see why such a system will inevitably encounter obstacles. Padmavati, for example, appears to have offended the Rajputs and some other groups.

These sections have taken their

opposition to dizzying heights and pressured Governments into peremptorily banning the film in various States. Tinkering with the CBFC may reduce other irritations to film-makers but the real problem of artistic freedom will not go away until the very idea of someone having an exclusive monopoly of the truth is broken.

Finally, there is the troubling issue of history. In the case of India, history is also intimately linked to mythology with no defined wall of separation. As things go, Indian film-makers are not very good at historical films. Accuracy and subtlety are invariably sacrificed at the altar of melodrama and populism.

But far more than that, there are other facets of the popular perception of history that completely disfigure the past. There is, first, a strong inclination to view the past through the prism of the present. Secondly, there is often a tendency to right the wrongs of the past by tailoring

the story of the past to reach a desired conclusion. Thirdly, bizarre conspiracy theories exercise a bizarre hold over the popular imagination. What seems incredulous or even funny to some is seen as the gospel truth by others. Finally, while it is true that there cannot be just one history, there has been little attempt to create anything resembling a national history that broadly takes into account most concerns, without succumbing to inaccuracy. It is a challenging task but one that is worth persevering with.

Maybe it is impossible to arrive at any honourable settlement of conflicts that doesn’t leave any one group totally dissatisfied. That is the rather depressing view I have come to. However, it is always worth persevering for the sake of the small victories that may still be won. India, after all, is still a remarkably free place for everyone.

—The Pioneer

PAGE 18 â&#x20AC;˘ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

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.

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, 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.

Sri Meenakshi Temple 30-Nov Thu 7:00 PM Kaishika Dwadasi 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.

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.

Vipassana Meditation

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Register for Houston area Vipassana Meditation course as taught by S. N. Goenka. July 8 to 19,2017, November 4 to 15,2017.

All courses are FREE. Donations are accepted from those who upon completing the training wish to contribute for future students. Instruction in Vipassana meditation is given in ten-day retreats Visit www.siri.dhamma.org 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 281759-3286. Free Yoga classes on Sat. Sanskrit & Upanishad classes

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day; Bhagavad Gita, 2nd Sunday; on works of Swami Vivekananda, 4th Sunday; Holy Mother Saradaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gospel, 5th Sunday. Swamis of Ramakrishna Order visit to conduct retreats and lectures. www. houstonvedanta. org or 281-5840488.

Jain Society Jain Society of Houston (JSH) located at 3905 Arc Street Houston Texas 77063 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. Jain Society of Houston invites Jain scholars all year round.

Please call Urvashi Jain 713 789 2338. 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, including Saturdays at 11 am at India House. 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

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.

ucts, 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

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: 713729-8994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us

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

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 progra for children ages 4-14 yrs. JVB is located at 14102 Schiller Rd. Houston 77082. Every Tuesday, 9:30am-11:30am, 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 1010.30am. 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.

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 @ 713412-9985.

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.

Patanjali Yogpeeth Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433. For daily. All major festivals as well other free classes, call Indra 281as birthdays, naam karan, engage- 537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal prod-

Gaudiya Math Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd., Houston 77084. Satsang Sundays 5 to 7 pm. Mantra meditation, kirtan, Sanatan Dharma classes. info@ sggm.org or 281-499-3347.

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, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 • PAGE 19

NEWS Hyderabad welcomes Ivanka Trump at business summit

President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump arrived in Hyderabad, India. in the early hours of Tuesday (Monday night in United States) to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017, which is being co-hosted

by India for the first time.

Ivanka will also address the inaugural session of the annual summit alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi later Tuesday.

Speaking about her first visit as a senior White House adviser to the country, Trump, in an exclusive interview with Indian newspaper the Times of India, said, “As the world’s largest democracies... there is much we can and should do together. We share common priorities, including promoting economic growth and reform, fighting terrorism, and expanding security cooperation.”

She added, “In September, I had the honor of meeting with foreign minister Swaraj in New York City during the U.N. General Assembly. I shared with her that I have long admired India’s history and culture, and my hope for continued progress, particularly as it relates to women. I look forward to continuing this conversation with Prime Minister Modi. I’m excited for my visit and hope to be back soon to see more of India.”

The theme for the three-day summit is “Women First, Prosperity for All.” Ivanka was invited for the summit earlier this year by Modi during his visit to the United States. After reaching Hyderabad in southern India, Ivanka tweeted thanking the people for the warm welcome and added she was excited to be a part of the summit.

In her keynote address, she

was expected to mainly focus on fueling the growth of women-led businesses. It would also stress on closing the gender entrepreneurship gap world-wide, which in turn, could help in the growth of the global gross domestic product by as much as 2 percent, according to News 18, a local news channel. The country hopes GES, which serves as a link between governments and the private sector, will offer India new opportunities to attract investments.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also said in a statement Tuesday that GES 2017 will be an important opportunity for India and the U.S. to showcase the entrepreneurship of people, help in the advancement of women’s economic empowerment, and harness the power of young innovators in both the countries, the channel reported.

The event is scheduled to begin around 2 p.m. local time Tuesday (3:30 a.m. EST).

Ivanka’s 350-member delegation is said to include top administration officials and a large number of Indian-Americans. The summit will also feature 1,200 young entrepreneurs, who are mostly women.

The youngest person attending the meet is 13 years old, the organizers told NDTV India.

On Tuesday evening, the Indian prime minister will also host a dinner for the president’s daughter at Hyderabad’s Falaknuma Palace — a 125-yearold building.

During her visit, the first daughter is also expected to visit the old city of Hyderabad as well as the “Charminar,” the iconic symbol of the city. She is also likely to shop at “Laad Bazaar” or “Choodi Bazaar,” famous for its bangles, semiprecious stones, pearls, jewelry

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Ivanka Trump in Hyderabad, India. and silverware.

India rolled out the red carpet on Tuesday for Ivanka Trump, in the southern tech hub of Hyderabad, where thousands of policemen stood on guard.

As political and economic ties expand, India has become a major market for the United States, with two-way trade of about $115 billion last year.

Military and strategic ties are also improving as China’s influence rises in Asia and beyond.

Billboards with pictures of Ivanka dotted many parts of the city home to major U.S. firms such as Microsoft. Authorities took beggars off city streets in a clean-up drive before the meeting, media said.

Red carpet treatment “Global eyes are on Hyderabad today,” said Jayesh Ranjan, a government official helping to organize the event. “We are representing India.”

Television broadcast images of the arrival of Ivanka, the leader of the U.S. delegation, who is also an informal adviser to President Donald Trump.

Later in the day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

will inaugurate the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), an event conceived by former U.S. President Barack Obama that is being jointly hosted by India and the United States. The prime minister is expected host Ivanka for dinner at the city’s highend Falaknuma Palace Hotel.

Preparations included about 10,000 police deployed to provide security, while some schools closed because of traffic restrictions, a senior police officer told Reuters. Authorities also beefed up the numbers of closed-circuit cameras.

On standby were sniffer dogs as well as “spotters,” or men trained to detect any suspicious activity or people, the officer said, reflecting the trappings of a visit by a state leader. The organizers of the summit, to be attended by 1,500 entrepreneurs and investors from 150 countries, had been overwhelmed with thousands of applications, state officials said.

Atif Bin Arif, a bus tour operator who traveled from neighboring Pakistan, said he wanted to explore collaboration opportunities on tourism

in India, and was keen to hear Ivanka.

“I am interested in what Ivanka Trump has to say,” Arif said. “I also want to know her reason for coming to Asia for this summit. Does she see this as a land of opportunities?”

In an interview with the Times of India newspaper, Ivanka pitched for better ties between the two countries.

“We share common priorities, including promoting economic growth and reform, fighting terrorism and expanding security cooperation,” she said in the interview, published on Tuesday. The first daughter commemorated her arrival in Hyderabad on Instagram.

This year, women are the theme of the gathering, held in prior years in countries such as the United States and Turkey.

More than half the participants will be women, and allfemale delegations will represent several countries, among them Afghanistan, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“I aim for GES 2017 to be a global celebration that elevates the importance of empowering and investing in women entrepreneurs,” Ivanka said.

whether her message of empowering poor women matches her actions.

Critics have faulted her for failing to use her leadership role to call out labour and human rights abuses and her refusal take a public stand on alleged abuses in her brand’s own supply chain.

The Associated Press in a news report today said a September investigation by it “showed that Trump’s supply chain has become more opaque than ever since she took on her White House role, making it impossible to know who her company is doing business with around the world. The brand has said supply chains are the responsibility of its licensees”.

In her speech at the GES, Ivanka highlighted what the US is doing to reverse the trend. “The US Small Business Administration, for example, increased its lending to women by over 500 million dollars this year alone,” she emphasised.

The US administration is fos-

tering mentorship through programmes such as SCORE -- a nation-wide initiative where successful men and women coach those who want to become their own CEOs. “Our Administration is striving to promote greater opportunity for women around the world, both through our domestic reforms and our international initiatives,” she said.

women -- and men -- have more opportunities to master the skills that drive progress in the 21st century,” she stated.

The US has dramatically reduced job-crushing regulations which disproportionately hurt entrepreneurs and small business owners.

“And we are laser-focused on passing long overdue tax cuts.

This will provide the much-needed relief to working families and businesses of all sizes,” she said, adding that this year, the President’s Budget included a proposal to establish a nation-wide programme for paid family leave.

“We are committed to supporting women, and men, who work, inside and outside of the home,” Ivanka added. In the last decade, the USAID has promoted women entrepreneurship through a number of programmes, including providing micro-finance loans to women in Afghanistan, and bringing Internet access to women in Nigeria and Kenya.

Ivanka stresses on fuelling women-led business growth Ivanka Trump, daughter of and advisor to US President Donald Trump, today pitched for access to capital and equitable laws for women entrepreneurs, saying closing the gender entrepreneurship gap could grow global GDP by up to 2 per cent.

In her keynote address at the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), she said that despite the soaring rate of female entrepreneurs, women still face steep obstacles to starting, owning, and growing their businesses.

“Fuelling the growth of women-led businesses isn’t simply good for our society -- it’s good for our economy. One study estimates that closing the gender entrepreneurship gap worldwide could grow our global GDP by as much as 2 per cent,” she said.

Ivanka, 36, a businesswoman, fashion designer and the eldest daughter of the US President, was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the White House in June to speak at

the Summit. She is leading the US contingent at the Summit themed ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’.

She opened her speech by stressing how all over the world entrepreneurs are “revolutionising our economies, and improving our societies”.

“You are rewriting the rules,” she said and went on to talk about this year’s GES theme. “This year’s Summit is focussed on a theme that is key to our future: Women First, Prosperity For All. I am proud that for the first time ever, women make up the majority of the 1,500 entrepreneurs selected to attend.”

Women, according to Ivanka, can help lead the way in closing this gap and ushering in a new age of greater prosperity. “We must ensure women entrepreneurs have access to capital, access to networks and mentors, and access to equitable laws,” she added.

While her trip to India has been hogging media limelight, questions have been raised about

At the G20 conference, the United States was a founding member of a bold, new initiative with the World Bank – the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, or WeFi. This facility provides access to capital, networks, and mentorship for women in developing countries.

“At home, our administration is committed to empowering women entrepreneurs through domestic reforms. In the past 11 months, we have expanded apprenticeship programmes and prioritised STEM education to ensure that

PAGE 20 â&#x20AC;¢ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;¢ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

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