Issuu

Friday, January 08 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 02

Indo American erican News

www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX

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January 08, 2016

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 08, 2016

Sri Meenakshi Temple Celebrates the Arrival of New Year 2016

(Transfer of Board at Sri Meenakshi Temple Society with Puja and Key handover from left: P. Vaduganathan (outgoing Chairman), Srikanth Venugopalan (outgoing Secretary) and Padma Golla (outgoing Treasurer, not in the photo) to Murali Ravoori (Secretary), S. Narayanan (Chairman) and GN Prasad (Treasurer).

Devotees packed inside the newly renovated Main Temple on New Years day

BY AAKASH SRIKANTH & ADHI GOPAL

PEARLAND: Long before the

dawn of the New Year, devotees were gathered at Sri Meenakshi Temple Society (MTS) to bid farewell to 2015 and to welcome 2016. The special midnight pooja has become a regular feature at MTS with many devotees braving the winter cold for the occasion. The auspicious Dhanur Masa (Marghazhi) which falls from mid-December to mid-January is significant for the early morning Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai recitations that reverberate at the

dawn hours to awaken the Gods, and set the scene for the New Year on January 1. It was a Grand New Year’s Day celebration at Sri Meenakshi Temple. From the early morning to the late night the main temple was filled with devotees. In spite of the cold weather more than 8,000 devotees visited Meenakshi temple, Pearland, Texas. The Ganapathi Homam, Meenakshi Laksharchana, Pallakku procession for Meenakshi, Special Archana for Mahalakshmi at her new sannidhi, and the Pallakku procession for Venkateswara all went remarkably

seamlessly, with the large number of devotees participating. The Priests did an excellent job with the throngs of devotees coming to pray and seek blessings from the God. The decor and the ambience of the inside main temple greatly complemented the expanded precincts of the main temple that now accommodates nearly double the previous gathering prior to the Main temple renovation project. This year with the change of MTS board, a special pooja was done to ask blessings for the passing of the torch between the old and new board members as the board membership was transitioned. In addressing the audience the new Chairman S. Narayanan enumerated his vision for the MTS over the next two years, highlighting the focus in enhancing and excelling serving the devotees, and talked briefly about the plan to launch the next construction phase of the MTS with the Corner Mandapam Renovation Project (CMRP). As the year 2015 comes to a halt, the Meenakshi temple hosted a New Year cultural event with the theme of “Mahalakshmi Vaibhavam” to honor the new extension of the temple. After a delicious lunch served by various Indian Cuisines, the show began. We were so blessed to invite Anantha

to open the program with a prayer as Mala Gopal coordinated the cultural event. As the program moved on, we experienced delightful classical performances from Sreepadham School of Arts, Dharshi School of Arts, Abhinaya School of Arts and Sunandha School of Performing Arts, as well as students from Katy and Sugarland. Following the classical dances, many children came up to the stage to perform mini concerts as they left the audience in awe while giving their musical offerings to god. After a wonderful program, the cultural event was concluded with an arthi bhajan lead by a few teenagers as we were all blessed for the new 2016 year. The Kalyana Mandapam was packed with audience in the afternoon to watch our children perform. Food booths were always crowded, and the vendors did an awesome job serving all the devotees. Thanks to Consul General P. Harish for his presence with his family. MTS thanks coordinator Secretary Murali Ravoori, Treasurer GN Prasad, all the volunteers, board members, council members, and staff for their hard work and dedication in putting on such a wonderful New Year’s Day experience at our Temple.

Exceptional Talent with concert by MTS children

Dance performance by young children from various Schools gather at MTS Kalyana Mandapam

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 08, 2016

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COMMUNITY

January 08, 2016

Toast: New Year Eve 2016 Bash

HOUSTON:

Houston party scene has witnessed some amazing parties throughout 2015 thanks to the collaboration between Houston’s finest DJ Dholi Deep, who has been making headlines internationally as his remix for Mahi Aaja was showcased as the official remix in the recent Bollywood hit Sing is Bling and ABCD Houston’s Sunny Taj who is also considered one of the Top 5 promoters in the nation based on his presence in the industry for over 16 yrs. The duo, which collaborated for the first time last year for NYE 2015 did it again this year with TOAST – NYE BASH @

URPOA. Only this time, it got bigger and better as the online media streaming app giant, SAAVN was the official music partner showcasing TOAST as the only party for NYE in Houston. The weather was just about right for Houstonians to start off the night showing up at UROPA in large numbers to take advantage of the hosted reception. The venue was elegantly decorated with party favors laid out for the patrons as they walked and were greeted by the host, Sunny Taj himself. DJ Dholi Deep, who started off the night with some of his mellow remixes, while the crowd settled down cranked up

the beat as people made their way to the dance floor. By midnight, UROPA was packed with people enjoying the night as if there was no tomorrow as more made their way in just in time for the countdown. As the clock struck 12, complimentary champagne was passed out in the entire room as the crowd welcomed 2016 by cheering and hugging everyone around them. They say love was in the air, and that was literally the case as an individual decided to kickoff 2016 by proposing to his significant other. Sunny and Dholi Deep planned an entire spot for them in order to make this a memorable one. Dholi Deep started off 2016 with his unreleased mix of 2016 and played the best of hip hop and Bollywood keeping the dance floor packed throughout the night with peoples’ feet hurting for days after from dancing all night craving for more. Meedu, perfectly captured glimpses of the night with his photography skill, which can be seen on Facebook. Although Hostonians had multiple options where they would like to celebrate NYE, but UROPA definitely made it to the top of their list. While speaking with Sunny Taj, he mentioned “When Sandeep and I host events, we don’t look at how many people walked in that night, It’s how many walked out with a smile on their faces saying: See you soon at

Photos: Meedu’s fotografy

your next event! That’s a big compliment for us. NYE is one of the toughest nights to promote, since that’s one night you have to cater to those who are not out at your regular events. It’s all about mak-

ing people happy that night because you are starting off a New Year with them and as a host, you can’t have them start off the New Year with a bad taste in their mouth.”

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 08, 2016

Sugar Land Ballroom New Year Extravaganza 2016 : A Huge Success

BY NEERJA AGGARWAL

STAFFORD: Sugar Land Ballroom held

its first ever New Year Extravaganza on December 31. Over 200 people attended the festivities from 8 pm all the way until 1:30 am. This event was organized by Gopal Aggarwal, partner with Muhammad Anis at the Sugar Land Ballroom located in Stafford, TX. “I have been to many parties over the years, but was often disappointed by some aspect of the event arrangement, whether it was the food, entertainment, lack of air conditioning, and many more. And so, this year I wanted to organize a party that would exceed guests’ expectations. A night where everyone could truly enjoy and dance into 2016,” shares Gopal Aggarwal. And Gopal definitely did not disappoint. From food to entertainment to decorations, this was one of the best parties of the year. As guests walked into the beautifully decorated Sugar Land Ballroom, they were welcomed by a Photo Booth by MetLife. The party kicked off at 8 pm with live orchestra by Houston’s own Masti Entertainers featuring Ajay Chunchu and Kashmira Naik.

Ajay won over the guests with his charm, interspersing musical numbers with jokes and audience interaction. Kashmira mesmerized the room with her voice, which was also featured on SaReGaMaPa. Kids entertainment was also a highlight of this party. Chelsea, the Texas Twister, performed a magic show, face painting, and gave out balloon animals to kids under 13 in a separate room. This allowed both adults and kids to have plenty of fun at this family-friendly event. The food was specially catered by Lazeeza Restaurants offering Indian/Pakistani vegetarian and non-veg options for guests. Guests enjoyed the free alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks included with the ticket price. The night was filled with competitions and prizes from adult hula-hooping to raffles. By the stroke of midnight, the dance floor was already in full swing. A complimentary champagne toast and balloon drop of over 100 balloons welcomed guests into the New Year. Guests continued dancing the night away and gave the highest praises. “Everything from the food to entertainment to experience was top notch!” shared one of the guests, “I can’t wait to come back next year!”

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 08, 2016

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COMMUNITY

January 08, 2016

Mind Over Matter Explained at Connoisseurs New Year’s Gala

The Connoisseurs Club held its ﬁrst ever black-tie affair New Year’s Gala at the Nirvana Restaurant on Memorial.

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HOUSTON: In what must be the opposite

of most other galas held within the Indian community, the Connoisseurs Club held its first ever New Year’s Gala with the usual flair for gusto and panache that has marked its previous meetings. The mini-Gala attracted about 15 couples to a black-tie dinner at the Nirvana restaurant on Memorial and Diary Ashford, a place which saw the beginnings of the four year old group. The Connoisseurs creed is to share the wealth of information that each member has with others – whether in travel, watches, fountain pens, musical instruments or other entertainment and recreational pursuits – on a rotational basis, with no formal requirements of dues, organizing events or the like. It originally started in 2012 (see IAN dated August 17, 2012) as the Whisky Enthusiasts Club with the intention to share exceptional bottles of Scotch from across the world, but has morphed into the CC to herald the finer things in life. Members can

be invited in, and over the past 18 months the list has grown, besides the founding members. The Gala this past week on December 30, 2015 once again included samples from some of the fine whiskies and spirits that each member couple brought to sip from, one of the few requirements of the Club. After dinner and over some fine single malts like an 18 year-old Glenlivet, the members retired to the outdoor covered patio under the warmth of a tall gas heater to smoke cigars and converse. The Gala was informative too, per CC’s own rules, as founding member Dr. Vashisht Patel, an eminent neurologist in practice in Humble, explained his theory of the relationship between single malts, relaxation of the mind and reliving tension in a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Mind, Medicine, Meditation and Malts”. In addition, his daughter Anjali and her husband Andrew Marok shared their experiences from their recent trip to Scotland, which has many CC members planning a trip to the land of Malts next year!

ICC Responds to India House Partnership Article Dear Editor: This letter is in respect to the article “ICC and India House Partnership: A Vision and a Hope” by Mr. Lachhman Das printed in Indo American News dated January 1, 2016. Though he has indicated that he is an ICC Trustee and India House Board Member, I wish to make it known to one and all that his views do NOT represent

the official position or views of the Board of Directors or the Board of Trustees of the India Culture Center Houston (ICC). These are solely the personal thoughts, opinions and views of Mr. Lachhman Das. You are requested to make this Disclaimer and Clarification in your paper. Charlie Patel PRESIDENT, ICC

WRITERS ... TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week. For more information, Call 713-789- NEWS (6397) or email

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 08, 2016

Ringing in the 2016 at India House!

HOUSTON: It was like a Friday

first-day-first show House full, when you don’t get the super-starrer movie tickets! Having to refuse last minute guests was the toughest part for India House Team. India House proudly announces their fully-sold out New Year’s Eve Party a success! India House General Manager, Vipin Kumar welcomed all the guests on behalf of India House Trustees, Board and Council Members. India House Trustee Virendra Mathur and his spouse Nalini Mathur, India House President Manish Rungta and his spouse Manju Rungta enjoyed the event along with their families. First winning raffle ticket was drawn by

Nalini Mathur and the surprise gift was given by Saroj Rungta. The entertainment started with the live singing by Deepayan and Payel Mitra who were later joined by the audiences in chorus singing. There were many Bollywood and regional songs requested by the audience, truly showcasing India’s cultural diversity. Mousumi Banerjee conducted two interesting and entertaining games giving out gifts to the winners. With many raffle tickets given at regular interval during the event, many guests received surprise raffle gifts! A separate guest room was kept aside for

children, instead they preferred to enjoy fun-times with everyone in the Ballroom. It was now time for the dance floor to open up. The audience were waiting for this moment and a vibrant-rhythmic energy filled the room with foot tapping Bollywood and Punjabi music by DJ Masti taking over the final moments towards 2016! Dancing into Cinderella time, everyone was served with complimentary Champagne to ring in the New Year! Party continued till wee hours till the last guests left. A fun-filled and energetic evening, just what one needed to bid

farewell to 2015 and welcome in 2016! The event’ dinner was catered by Dawat of Madras Pavilion; evening’s music by DJ Masti; sound and lights by AD Sounds.

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10 January 08, 2016

COMMUNITY

Bollywood Shake Rings In The New Year With A Bang!

HOUSTON: Bollywood Shake

hosted its 2rd Annual New Year’s Eve Gala 2016 at Safari Texas Ranch Grand Ballroom in association with Just Chic Events on December 31st. The guest list included the cream of Houston crowd who rang in the New Year with style, glamour and excitement! After a sold out event last year, there was a lot of anticipation and excitement about this year’s event. Ruchika Dias, Founder & CEO of Bollywood Shake raised the bar this year and delivered a superbly executed elegant event. The event was coordinated and managed by Gayathri Kumar of Just Chic Events! The upscale and grand venue was beautifully decorated and exuded glitz and glamour. There was an abundance of music, food and drinks keeping the guests entertained all night! DJ Sajan from Chicago and Houston’s own DJ AV kept people on the dance floor all night with their foot tapping music including Bollywood and Top 40 hits. Mrs. Bollywood 2015, Shruthi Bekal was the MC for the evening and conducted the show beautifully. The entertainment began with the Bollywood Shake dance troupe performed to the latest Bollywood hits including Chittiyan Kalaiyan, Baby Doll, Nachan Farrate & Lovely. Then came a sur-

prise live musical performance by Punjabi sensation Pinky Paras from Chicago and J.S. Paras who entertained the crowd with their lively music and dhol. This was followed by a fun interactive session led by the Bollywood Shake dance instructors. It was a delightful spectacle to watch hundreds of attendees dance along with the Bollywood Shake team and shake up the dance floor! There was an abundant spread of delicious Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine including Gobhi Manchurian, Vegetable Delight, Chicken Tikka and Goat Biryani catered by Bombay to Beijing and mouthwatering desserts prepared by Red Berries Bakeshop including pineapple cake, chocolate mousse and

gulab jamuns. Kids had a wonderful time in the adjacent Magnolia ballroom with balloon twisting, face painting and a magic show! The highlight of the evening was the midnight countdown accompanied by a champagne toast and a spectacular balloon drop of over 1000 balloons! Excitement filled the air and reached a fever pitch as the large gathering rang in the New Year together! Special thanks to our sponsors – Malti Kumar, Rukshana and Abha Dwivedi of AIG and Media Partners - TV Asia, Bollywood Shake Radio and NNN-Nik Nikam Network. Bollywood Shake’s New Year’s Eve Gala 2016 was a grand success with a full house including

Photos: Dr. Nik Nikam

guests from all over Texas who attended the event at the exquisite Safari Texas Grand Ballroom.

Guests had a delightful time celebrating the New Year at this one-

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

CONTINUED ON PAGE

COMMUNITY

January 08, 2016

Sankara Eye Foundation’s Successful Fundraising Campaign

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Sankara Eye Foundation marks

a successful year end fundraising campaign for hospitals in Hyderabad and Indore and surpasses the anonymous matching challenge!! Sankara Eye Foundation, USA (SEF, USA), a non-profit organization established in the Bay Area, has been working for the past fifteen years with Sankara Eye Foundation, India (SEF, India) to eradicate curable blindness in India. SEF, USA devices multiple strategies to reach out to its donors and supporters. The 2015 year-end campaign was invigorated by a matching challenge from an anonymous donor who was willing to match do-

nations up to $1M for each of the hospitals in Hyderabad and Indore. SEF teams sprang into action to do what SEF volunteers usually do and deliver amazing results. The year-end campaign brought a lot of enthusiasm among the SEF volunteers, donors, and patrons alike. The goal through this campaign was to raise $1,000,000 each for hospitals in Hyderabad and Indore. With everyone's effort, SEF successful crossed the $1M mark in cash donations, including company matching grants from various companies. SEF’s motto is to take free eye care services to the doorsteps of the poor who are least likely to seek out help. SEF’s efforts have enabled

over a million people to receive the gift of vision, utterly free of cost. The gift of vision is a gift to not only the person but also the family and community. Preventive eye care for a child provides a promising future; restoring vision to the bread-winner promotes financial empowerment of a family and providing vision to the elderly makes them independent and restores their dignity. This multifold benefit to the rural poor can be done with donations as little as $30. SEF’s impact to the society delivered with compassion can be credited to its award-winning rural outreach program, solid management and leadership team, highly efficient systems and processes, and best doctors and paramedics. It performs 500 eye surgeries a day across its network of state-of-the-art hospitals across India and is able to perform more than 150,000 surgeries per year. This would have not been possible without the generosity and support of SEF’s donors in the US. Join our cause and share in the joy of bringing light to someone’s eyes.

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12 January 08, 2016

COMMUNITY

Annual Namadwaar Madhura Utsav and Srimad Bhagavata Katha

MANVEL:The

said about how much sweet rasa the katha was filled with. The final two days’ katha of Krishna leela were the icing on the cake and left the listeners wanting for more. Other special events during the week-long utsav at Namadwaar included celebration of Nandotsavam (with devotees dancing around baby Krishna), Govinda Pattabhishekam and Anna Koototsav, soul-stirring bhajans at night, USA-wide sloka contest presentations, youth cultural programs with several children from Houston and other cities performing Hari Kathas, plays and music programs, and Nikunjotsavam with a

Performance by children from across USA.

eighth annual Namadwaar Madhura Utsav and Srimad Bhagavata Katha was celebrated joyfully by devotees from Houston and all around the USA from December 18 to 27. Organized by Global Organization for Divinity, the unique celebration drew over 250 devotees from Houston and across the USA including Boston, Virginia, Atlanta, Minneapolis, California, Dallas, and other cities. Under the guidance of Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, the 10-day celebration had one focus point – love for Lord Krishna-Sri Radha Devi. This year was special too because it was the first celebration

at Namadwaar for the newly-arrived utsav murthis of Sri Premika Varadan-Sri Madhuri Sakhi (Sri Krishna-Radha) who have been sent lovingly by HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji to make Houston Namadwaar their home and shower Their grace on all devotees here. The uniqueness about this annual celebration is that, as it is based on the devotees’ bhavam or mood towards the Lord, no two years’ events are exactly alike and always has new and fresh elements every year. Highlight events this year were Madhurasmriti, a sharing of sweet memories and teachings of the Guru by Sri Ramanujamji; special Pada puja to Sri Radha

Rukmini haranam Kudirai vahanam

Bhagavata Katha

Devi; special abhishekam to Sri Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi on Vaikunta Ekadasi followed by a moving Bhagavad Gita parayanam for Gita Jayanti celebration that culminated in a number of ‘sharanagati’ kirtans signifying Sri Krishna’s command to Arjuna of “sarva dharmAn parityajya mAm ekam sharaNam vraja” (give up all dharma and surrender unto Me!). Another special, impromptu celebration was the truly unique depiction of Rukmini haranam episode for the janavasam. Rukmini pined for the Lord, and a brahmana (the Guru) took her message to Lord Krishna and read it out to Him. He immediately rode His horse and came with the Guru to Rukmini’s city. As suggested by her, He then took her away just as she was coming out after her pooja to Kaathyayani Devi. The devotees then joyfully ran fast with Sri

Krishna and Sri Rukmini Devi on the horse (kudirai) vahanam and sang numerous kirtans celebrating the Divine Couple. This was done the day before the grand Radha Kalyanam, which was celebrated on Dec 26, to the singing of Ashtapadis and other kirtans. Every evening there was wonderful Srimad Bhagavata Katha by Sri Ramanujamji. Bhagavatam is a rasika granta (a text to be ‘enjoyed’, more than anything else) and it is said that it should be narrated as well as heard by those who are rasikas. The listeners could tell that Ramanujamji himself was totally enjoying the narration of the nuances of Srimad Bhagavatam, taking his time to expound on various significant slokas and incidents in the text and explaining them through the wonderful commentaries by various mahatmas on those slokas – what more can be

special, melodious vocal concert of Sri Oothukkadu Venkatakavi krithis by young Nandini Sridhar, disciple of Sri Chitravina Ravikiran, from Minneapolis. She was accompanied by Houston’s Smt. Manjula Rao on the violin and Sri Rajesh Salem on the mridangam. It was an exhilarating week that rejuvenated everyone and inspired all to do more service, kirtanam, katha shravanam and celebrate Bhagavan in their own lives! Global Organization for Divinity expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the numerous devotees who came forward to bring a dish or a meal on various days during the weeklong event, and also to stores that generously donated groceries and food dishes including Parivar Grocers, Shubhlaxmi Grocers, Swadeshi Grocers, Satya Grocers, Touch of India, East West Grocers and Shiv Sagar restaurant.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

13 Saif Kazim Weds Nermeen Khan January 08, 2016

last June. The rukhsati or bidayee ceremony was set for January and two receptions were held in the past few days. In some parts of India, they call this the gauna when the bride goes to the groom’s house months after the formal wedding. The bride’s parents held the first reception, a colorful ceremony, on Friday, January 1 at the Doubletree Hilton. This was followed a couple of days later, on Sunday afternoon, January 3 with a traditional Muslim Valima reception hosted by Saif’s parents at the Texas Safari Ranch in Sugar Land. Saif’s friends and sister delighted in ribbing him one last time as a newlywed, much to his consternation. His college professor, Dr. Akbar Hyder who teaches Comparative Literature at UT Austin read a long poem in Urdu (giving English translations in between) as he gave some words of advice to the young couple who sat nervously on stage in tall armchairs. Saif Kazim, 24, graduated in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin and is now finishing his law degree at the University of Chicago,

from where he will graduate in June 2016. He is the son of Haider Kazim, a veteran journalist who has worked in several newspapers in India, the Middle East and the United States, including this newspaper. His mother Asra is a former school-teacher who currently owns and operates a daycare, Little Scholars Learning Center, on Westheimer. Saif has an older sister, Hiba, who was married last June to Hadi Mirza. Nermeen Khan, also 24, majored in chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin and is now working at Brown and Caldwell, an environmental engineering firm, in Houston. Her father Irfan Khan, an engineer by profession, runs a postal business and her mother, Saadia, is also an engineer by profession and works for FMC Technologies in Houston Both receptions were attended by a large number of people, including many guests from India, the Middle East and Canada as well as friends and relatives from across the US. After a honeymoon in Belize, the couple intends to make their home, for the time being, in Houston until Saif graduates and chooses the next step in his career.

The newlyweds, Saif Kazim and Narmeen Khan, with the groom’s parents; Haider (left) and Asra at the wedding reception on Sunday, January 3. Photo: Jawahar Malhotra

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: They were almost neighbors living in the northwest part of the city and certainly went to the same school district but different high schools: he went to Cy-Falls and she went to Cy-Fairs but their paths didn’t cross then. Call it Fate or one of those happy coincidences in Life; they finally met through some common friends while going to the University of Texas in Austin. And then, slowly, they became inseparable. And then the paced picked up. Soon, before his sister Hiba got married, Saif Ali Kazim and Nermeen Simone Khan were married according to Muslim traditional rites with the nikah ceremony taking place

For advertising contact: Vanshika Vipin at 713.789.6397 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

14 January 08, 2016

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

ontinuing the tradition of an Annual Season of quality cultural arts events at prestigious venues, Indo-American Association (IAA) announces its 2016 Season of ten events, beginning with the first concert “Bollywood and Hollywood Brass Extravaganza” on February 19. True to the organization’s mission of promoting cultural arts of India in the American context, the events represent a spectrum of cross-cultural performances in music, dance, and drama. In the mix are Bollywood, Hollywood, Shakespeare, and Gypsies. For the Indo-American Association in 2016 all the world is stage! As in previous years, IAA offers Patron Subscription ($1,000 gets 2 VIP tickets for each event, value $2,500) and Season Subscription ($250 gets one ticket in next to VIP category for each event, value $600). There is no better way to enjoy an entire Season with best seats in the house at such unbelievable savings. To subscribe, call 281.648.0422 or visit www. iaahouston.com The IAA 2016 Season offers: Friday February 19, 8pm, Cullen Theater at Wortham: Bollywood & Hollywood Brass Extravaganza. The twenty-two member River City Brass spectacularly performs musical hits of Bollywood and Hollywood that will have you dancing in your seats! Specially

January 08, 2016

IAA Announces 2016 Season of Ten Events

Feb 19th: Hollywood and Bollywood Brass Extravaganza by River City Brass

commissioned by IAA for its 2016 Season opener. Friday April 15, 8pm, Cullen Theater at Wortham: The Flowering Tree- a Dance Drama with English narration by Natya Dance Theater Company, Chicago. Saturday May 14, 8:30pm, Brown Theater at Wortham: Hariharan-Zakir Hussain in HAZIR, a GHAZAL concert like you have never experienced before! Sunday June 5, 6pm, Asia Society Auditorium: Ustad Shahid Parvez (Sitar)- Lalgudi Krishnan (Violin), a Carnatic-Hindustani instrumental Jugalbandi with cor-

responding percussions. Friday July 1, 8pm, Brown Theater at Wortham: SHANKAREHSAN-LOY bring taare zameen par. The trio led by highly acclaimed singer Shankar Mahadevan is a darling of Bollywood. With an ensemble of more than thirty musicians and singers, they perform their popular hits and pay special tribute to “Taare Zameen Par (Every Child is Special)”. A Bollywood musical can’t get any better! Friday July 22, 8pm, Brown Theater at Wortham: Ballet Romeo & Juliet in Kathak. A troupe of fifty

April 15th: The Flowering Tree Dance Drama

dancers from Padamavibhushan Birju Maharaj’s Kalashram presents the classic Shakespearian play as a ballet in Kathak- a first time ever in USA. Friday September 16, 8pm, Cullen Theater at Wortham: The Gypsy Caravan. In a colorful extravaganza, a troupe of 35 musicians and dancers trace the cultural and musical migration of Gypsies from Rajasthan to Eastern Europe and Spain. Sunday October 2, 7pm, Cullen Theater at Wortham. Zakir Hussain-Niladri Kumar- a classical Sitar concert to commemorate

Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. Saturday October 8, 8pm, Kaplan Theater, Jewish Community Center: English play ‘CHAOS THEORY’ by EnActe Theater Company of Bay Area, California. A funny, witty, and contemporary tragicomedy of a love story between two professors! Saturday November 5, 8pm, Cullen Theater at Wortham. IAA will conclude the 2016 Season with a concert by an icon of North-Indian vocal classical music known for mesmerizing audiences with Khyal, Thumri, and Bhajan. Details to be finalized soon.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

16 January 08, 2016

COMMUNITY

ICC Nomination

SARA Group Brings in Experienced Marketing Team for Oilﬁeld Sales

Nomination Form

India Culture Center, Houston (ICC) will

TJ Sinha, the new Vice President of Sales and Marketing for American Flow Iron, at the firm’s new offices in Conroe. He is flanked by his son Dev and wife Rebecca, who will also work for the firm.

ONROE: After a long career in the oil patch, Tapan J. Sinha (better known as TJ) has joined the SARA Group in Conroe as a Vice President of its subsidiary American Flow Iron. His son Dev and wife Rebecca, who have also worked with him as a team in the industry for many years, also joined him at the firm. American Flow Iron is a new venture for the SARA Group which has other subsidiaries in the US, including STS Products, a major stocking distributor of SARA products, with major purchasing contracts with other large OEM; and Consolidated Products Inc, a large manufacturer of blowout controls. Sinha has worked for a combined total of 42 years in the oil and gas industry starting

with Texas Instruments, Worldwide Oilfield Machine, American Block Manufacturing and most recently with American Completion Tools. During his tenure with WOM he was instrumental in expanding its business and sales worldwide. With ABM, Sinha’s efforts landed the firm the Jesse Jones award for exports and in his tenure with ACT, the firm qualified for the President’s Export Award which was presented at the White House. In his present position with the SARA group Sinha has been entrusted with developing oilfield product sales worldwide for AFI. His team will work to bring the SARA Group to its maximum potential in today’s challenging oil industry.

be recognizing one Sportsperson of Indian American Heritage, between the ages of 14 to 25 years in the following sports, with a prestigious award at their forthcoming India Fair to celebrate India’s 67th Republic Day on Sunday, January 24, 2016 from 3 PM to 5 PM at Stafford Center, 10505 Cash Road, Stafford, Texas 77477; Sports category to be awarded: Cricket, Basket Ball, Swimming and Chess. Please return the following Nomination Form along with letters of recommendations and the Nominee’s resume by email to Parul Fernandes at parulfernandes1@ gmail.com For further details, you may contact Parul Fernandes at 713 662 3506

Bollywood Shake New Year CONTINUED FROM PAGE

of-a-kind family friendly New Year’s Eve event in Houston which both adults and kids enjoyed equally! In addition to running a very successful Bollywood dance school and hosting their own radio show (Bollywood Shake Radio Online & On the App 24x7), Bollywood Shake hosts several events throughout the year including Bollywood Pageants, Fashion Shows, Dance Competitions and Galas.

Name: Address: Phone: Email: Nominee’s Background with achievements/Recognitions in the Past: Recommendations & Comments in no more than 100 words. Important: The nominations must be received by Parul Fernandes by January 17th 2016, complete with a letter of approval from the Nominee to submit this form. Disclaimer: Nomination form & recommendation letters should be received in complete by the ICC Awards Committee before the due date. The decision of the Awards Committee will be final & binding. The Immediate Family members of Current ICC Directors & Trustees are ineligible for nomination. Ruchika Singh Dias, Founder and CEO of Bollywood Shake has been featured in various mainstream media outlets such as NBC Channel 2 KPRC, ABC 13 Houston, Fox 26 Houston, KEYE CBS Austin, News 8 Austin and Houston Chronicle. Bollywood Shake wishes you a Happy New Year and would like to thank all the people who came out to celebrate and ring in the New Year at their event! Bollywood Shake hopes to see you at their 2016 events including the Bollywood Pageant and the next New Year’s Eve Gala!

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ADVICE

January 08, 2016

How to Help Your Partner with Depression

iving with a partner who is often unhappy, critical and negative isn't easy, and at the same time, it may also be hard to convince them to get help. If you notice your spouse feeling mentally down and out, here are tips that could come handy. The secret to a happy marriage really is to marry someone happy. No one is born depressed, but life has a way of happening to you -situations bog us down and the mind has its own way of dealing with it (not always discerningly). When one's spouse is going through a low phase or is diagnosed as clinically depressed, it can put a strain on a marriage. Depression varies tremendously in severity, but it has many behavioural impacts that can profoundly affect all signiﬁcant relationships. Living with a partner who is often unhappy, critical and negative isn't easy, and at the same time, it may also be hard to convince them to get help. The shifts in brain chemistry that inﬂuence mood, thoughts, sex drive, sleep, appetite and energy levels -are all factors that could affect a marriage. If you notice your spouse feeling

mentally down and out, here are tips that could come handy. Tackle it together: It's okay, if they're not feeling as bright as the sun rays. It's okay that he/she isn't as excited about your new job, as you are. Don't get mad. Understand, the prob lem is the illness, and not the spouse with depression. If you let this affect you, you'll allow the depression to drive the marriage apart. Actively work together to help your spouse get better, whether it's taking a daily walk together, providing a ride to the doctor's or ensuring that medication is taken on time. Don't get upset: Dealing with a partner's depression can provoke anger and resentment, especially if one spouse is always making excuses for their better-half's absence at social events, or if some household responsibilities might need to shift. Besides, when a spouse acts withdrawn and unaffectionate, the couple's level of intimacy suffers. Be calm as a saint. Understand it's an episodic illness. When a spouse has depression, that person goes through bad periods and good ones. You may have work to do as a couple to improve your relationship, but this should be done at a separate time, when your spouse is feeling better. Meanwhile, the non-depressed spouse might need to turn to a trusted friend or therapist for emotional support when feeling overwhelmed or aggravated. Reach out for help: Besides, there

is a sense of shame attached to having a mental health disorder, which can prevent a depressed spouse from seeking help for a treatable illness. Thus, compounding the problem. In that case, be calm and politely explain to him/her why it is necessary to seek help. The illness might prevent a depressed person from recognising they need help or seeking it out, so it's often the non depressed spouse who will express concern and suggest an action plan. f Tell them, 'I love you but I hate watching you suffer'. Depression is a common problem and you shouldn't be ashamed of suffering from it, so let's find out more about this illness together. It's incredibly helpful to see a depressed patient along with their significant other, because the spouse is often a wealth of information and observation. A nondepressed spouse may be the first to notice behaviour changes in a loved one and these insights are valuable during treatment. Be patient with meds: There is no instant cure to depression. A certain trial and error in treatment is to be expected. However, over time, the doctors can help people with depression function better with a combination of medication and therapy. With time and treatment, depression can be cured. Be open: If someone is in depression, you might hear things that could freak you out. For example, a depressed spouse might question their

love for their partner or interest in staying together. Therefore, it is very important to encourage a depressed spouse to talk about the way he or she is feeling, thinking or acting, and listen without passing judgment. Let the kids know: Depression affects not only a marriage, but it also impacts the entire family. Kids often sense when something is wrong. In a sensitive manner, talk about the

illness with kids so they don't feel afraid or worried. Some depressed parents say that feeling an obligation to their children, like dropping them to school every morning, helps them to function better. Keep the depressed spouse occupied with day-to-day happenings, so that they don't feel neglected in family matters. -TimesofIndia

5 Ways to Detox Your Relationship BY SHREYA IYER

Have you ever wondered that just

like going on a detox diet one tends to ward off harmful toxins from your body and stay healthy, in the same manner detoxing relationship can also be equally good for your emotional and physical wellbeing. No good comes from relationship that pulls you down, keeps you sad and is always making you cranky and grumpy. So if you have been wondering how to get that person and that very dreadful relationship, then here are few steps that will help you to start the detoxiﬁcation. 1. The ﬁrst step is to recognize who that person is. However, even before that you have to see whether is there something that you need to work on, or is it really that person that needs to be taken out of your life. 2. With so many social media avenues available, make sure to use them wisely. Stalking your ex-lover or partner should be stopped immediately. This is one of the easiest yet the toughest methods to start the

detoxification. 3. Let go of your past relationships and the mistakes you made then. The trick here is to learn from your mistakes and remember them, so that you don't make them. Trust your instincts and never be clinged to the ones who don't love you the way you did. 4. Forgive and move on: It may take time to understand why certain things never worked, but keeping a grudge and not forgiving is ruining your won happiness. However, it is equally important to forgive yourself first. Make peace with yourself first and then things will sort out easily. 5. It is okay to take a step back, reassess, think and then take action. -TimesofIndia

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 January 08, 2016 Sharif in a Spot

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is familiar with the tri-

umphs and setbacks of political life. He had two tumultuous stints as prime minister in the 1990s, weathered a long exile in Saudi Arabia after attempting to depose General Pervez Musharraf as army chief before returning to power in 2013 Mr Sharif’s India policy has also never proceeded as planned. For long a proponent of good bilateral ties he saw the landmark Lahore Declaration undermined — or so he claims — by Gen Musharraf’s misadventure in Kargil. In recent months, he has seen New Delhi call off talks twice after being invited for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in. It is a measure of his longstanding links with the Indian establishment that such disruptions were worked out and Mr Modi was able to drop by for an unannounced visit to Lahore last month. The attack at Pathankot, however, puts Mr Sharif in a difficult spot much as it enrages the public and his interlocutors in India. Not only does the attack potentially jeopardise the prospect of quickly enhancing economic ties that Pakistan is keen on, it is a blow to Mr Sharif’s authority that has both domestic and bilateral ramifications. The attack suggests that non-State actors and elements in the Pakistani military establishment can, at any time, unravel his diplomatic initiatives should they choose. Not long ago, Mr Sharif had to deal with domestic instability and political gridlock through the protests staged by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, which many alleged were supported by the military. Now Mr Sharif’s outreach to India is being threatened by machinations staged either by his opponents or those implacably opposed to bilateral rapprochement. India cannot expect forward movement under these conditions. Notwithstanding his keenness for better ties and his domestic constraints, Mr Sharif now needs to demonstrate to Mr Modi — who has taken risks of his own and rallied the BJP and the RSS to support engagement — that he is capable of taking action against the perpetrators of Pathankot and 26/11 Mumbai. A large part of the India-focused terror networks are in his home province of the Punjab. Rather than merely attempting to contain terrorists through political means, which is clearly not an airtight strategy, Mr Sharif has to be seen as taking on the LeT and the JeM more directly. He has done the right thing by calling Modi to reassure him of support while investigating the Pathankot assault. Sharif called Modi as soon as the Indian government announced that all six terrorists, who had attacked the airbase and used “Pakistanmade” equipment had been killed by security forces There has to be a certain measure of urgency in meeting that commitment and punishing the perpetrators. Else, India will soon question the point of bilateral contact. Hindustan Times

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

How to Solve a Problem Called India BY AAKAR PATEL

he prime minister has asked his top bureaucrats for breakthrough ideas that will help citizens get better service and help India progress. The officers are to think about this for a couple of weeks and then report to him. I think that if by breakthrough ideas something entirely fresh is being thought of, that will be difficult to come by. Modern democracy is 250 years old (and its essential concepts go back to Athens of the fifth century before Christ). The modern civic government is probably 500 years old. So it is unlikely that something totally new is still waiting to be discovered. However, it is true that there is the scope for innovations. The prime minister himself introduced one of these in Gujarat. He split the supply of electricity to rural homes and rural farms so that homes would continue to get power while farm pumps would get it only for a few hours of the day. This simple innovation made a big difference in a part of the world where unusual problems like line losses (meaning theft) and consumer refusal to pay mean that electricity is always in short supply. Writing about the subject of the PM’s instructions in Business Standard, TN Ninan said that it would not be easy for the bureaucrats to come up with good fresh ideas for another reason. He said bureaucrats “are trained to follow rules and precedents; most of them are administrators, not problemsolving managers. That is why new ideas usually come from politicians, technocrats and civil society activists.” He listed the subsidised rice scheme, the mid-day meal and the right to information as among the innovations that came in from the outside. I think that the big things have all been done in terms of legislation. One could argue that a unified tax scheme or a more efficient land acquisition law would dramatically improve India’s eco-

The state has collapsed or it is dysfunctional. And this is true whether you observe the police station or the ﬁnish of the footpath. The only question is: should we see this as a problem of government, where New Delhi will offer genius solutions? Or should we see it as a problem of society? nomic performance, but I disagree. These are small things and address efficiency rather than dramatic change. There is only one major thing left to do in India. It is now down to implementation, what Modi calls governance. Here I should repeat what I have written about before. That it is not the domain of government to bring about a change in the individual’s behaviour and morality. For example, let us take Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which Modi has promoted by himself sweeping the streets. It is noble to get Indians to be more clean, but is it the job of government? I do not think so. This is social reform, which has to be conducted from within society and by its institutions, like religious bodies, not by public officials and ministers. That is why I think the big change Modi seeks is actually not in his power to bring about. Ninan writes that one of the books Modi should read is Poor Economics by two MIT professors who have worked on India. In one of their tests, the two academics (Esther Duflo and Abhijeet Banerjee) sent actors to government doctors with classic symptoms of five major diseases. The doctors did not diagnose the

patients correctly an astonishing 97% of the time because they weren’t bothered. They did not spend more than 60 seconds with patients on average. If you are going to be diagnosed by government doctors correctly only three per cent of the time, you may as well stay home and not be treated. A Harvard academic who also works on India, Lant Pritchett uses two more examples to show the problems of government in India. First, that in a test group it was learnt that unless you paid a tout, you would likely fail your driver’s test in Delhi. But if you paid, you didn’t have to take the test at all and were given a license. Meaning that if you chose to follow the law, you would be penalised. And you would be free to drive even if you couldn’t, if you paid up. So organised was this bribery that none of the Road Transport Office’s staff were paid directly. So efficient was it, that almost without exception potential drivers were compelled to submit. Pritchett’s other example was about research that found Rajasthan’s nurses don’t turn up for work. Half of them collected salaries for staying at home or doing something else. A well meaning NGO ried to change this through a system of attendance monitoring. It failed. Nurses continued to stay away from their work, but this time they were equipped, each time they were checked, with an official excuse for their absence. None of this surprises those who are familiar with things in India. The state has collapsed or it is dysfunctional. And this is true whether you observe the police station or the finish of the footpath. The only question is: should we see this as a problem of government, where New Delhi will offer genius solutions? Or should we see it as a problem of society? I would say the latter, and that is why it is not possible for the government, however well meaning, and its bureaucrats, to change it. Outlook India

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

HEALTH

January 08, 2016

TEXAS ONCOLOGY CANCER PREVENTION SERIES

Colonoscopy: It’s Worth It!

e often hear that American medicine is more focused on treatment rather than prevention. That may be a fair criticism at times but one important factor in prevention is patient participation. This month’s article discusses very effective cancer prevention and screening tool that, unfortunately, is one of the least utilized: colonoscopy. Starting at age 50, both men and women need to be screened for colorectal cancer. Dr. Dhatri Kodali describes the importance of this in this cancer education series. - Vivek S. Kavadi, M.D. BY DR. DHATRI KODALI There are several things on my “to do” list that I’m really good at putting off. They need to be done, but I don’t like disrupting my routine or taking time away from other activities to make them happen. However, when it comes to cancer screenings, it’s worth a little disruption. It can give you peace of mind. Or if cancer is detected, the earlier we find it, the more treatment options we have. A colonoscopy is a great exam-

ple of something many would prefer not to do and often delay. Colonoscopies get the worst rap of all the cancer screenings, and it’s not hard to see why. We generally don’t discuss it at the dinner table, and it might be a bit embarrassing. Between the prep and the procedure, you have to invest a bit of time. But at the end of the day, it is worth it. Detecting cancer early through colonoscopy can be a lifesaver, which is the best reason to get one. Typically, colorectal cancer doesn’t have symptoms in its earliest stages – when treatment is more likely to produce the best outcomes. Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly occurring type, accounting for about 8% of all cancer cases nationally. The American Cancer Society estimates 10,050 Texans will be diagnosed, and 3,470 people will die from the disease this year. Colonoscopies are a great investment of your time. We spend a lot of time protecting our health by staying active and eating right, and it only makes sense to protect our health in this way, too. Unlike

monthly self-exams, most people only need a colonoscopy once a decade, unless your doctor advises you otherwise. As an added bonus, a colonoscopy can be both a screening and prevention exam, since precancerous polyps can be removed during the procedure. A colonoscopy simply isn’t as bad as its reputation. Yes, you have to prep, which is probably the worst part. Yes, you’ll definitely want to be home the afternoon before your procedure. However, I’ am confident that if you asked my patients, most would tell you even the prep wasn’t as bad as they had heard; the procedure itself was a piece of cake – after all, you are asleep; and the peace of mind they have now made it all worthwhile. A colonoscopy every 10 years, starting at age 50, is the gold standard of colon cancer screenings. If you’re still reluctant to have a colonoscopy, please don’t give up on screenings altogether. There are other, less-invasive methods, but they need to be conducted more often, and may not be the best option for you. Talk to your doctor about which screening is most appropriate for you. If you’re due for a colonoscopy, stop putting it on your “to-do” list and move it to your “done” list. You won’t regret the decision. Dr. Dhatri Kodali is a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology– Deke Slayton Cancer Center, 501 Medical Center Blvd., Webster, Texas; and Texas Oncology– Texas City, 1125 North Highway 3, Suite 150, Texas City, Texas.

Eat 14g of Almonds Daily to Boost Your Health

Almonds are a good source of plant protein essential fatty acids, vitamin E and magnesium

NEW YORK: Eating a mod-

erate amount of almonds daily can enrich the diets of adults and young children, says a new study. “Almonds are a good source of plant protein essential fatty acids, vitamin E and magnesium,” said one of the researchers Alyssa Burns from University of Florida in the US. For the 14-week study, the scientists gave almonds daily to 29 pairs of parents and children. Most of the adults were mothers with an average age of 35, while their children were between three and six years of age. The children were encouraged to consume 14g of almond butter daily and parents were given 14g of al-

monds per day. An online dietary recall was used to ﬁnd out what adults had eaten and how much. That way, researchers could measure diet quality. The scientists based their conclusions about improved dietary intake on participants’ scores on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a tool used to

measure diet quality and adherence to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The results indicated that when parents and children were eating almonds, their HEI increased for total protein foods, seafood and plant proteins and fatty acids, while they ate fewer empty calories. For all components, a higher score indicates higher diet quality. When parents and children ate almonds, their HEI score increased from 53.7 to 61.4. Parents and children consumed more vitamin E and magnesium when eating almonds, Burns noted. The study was published in the journal Nutrition Research. -The Indian Express

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20 January 08, 2016

HOROSCOPE

2016: Intense Efforts, Shining Success

There will be strength in numbers, and you can be the strongest member of any team. You naturally work hard, and thus will beneﬁt big this year. Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) get their share of cosmic attention in 2016. There are four Mercury retrogrades, mostly in Earth signs. Work with greater care and then you should experience few - if any - mistakes or misunderstandings. Things will go so smoothly that it may seem too good to be true. It’s not! Jupiter and the Lunar North Node occupy Virgo through the ﬁrst half of the year, bringing more magical good fortune to you. After August a bit of that sparkle may start to fade, so plan accordingly. A September Solar Eclipse in Virgo gives you an edge this year when taking care of daily life and business. Taking care of one another are emphasized.

First Ever

24 Hour

Telugu Radio in Houston

ell, isn't this refreshing: every effort you make this year will be rewarded in due time. We all know that making a living, relationships, and just the little things in everyday life take a lot of work. Well, this year you'll be up and running, and appreciated. Yes, the Universe might actually cooperate more often than not! Shocking, I know. The catch: you still need to work hard. It isn't all about luck and fate. That needs your push and collected good karma. So, what realm needs the biggest boost? You decide, and then focus your efforts and attention there and watch things happen. Why should you take on the world on alone when you can be more intense and effective with those who share your vision of the future? That future is yours (along with your chosen few teammates) to create now. 2016 is a year of teamwork, and of shared efforts with partners and loved ones. And that includes celebrating your wins, too!

If you start to feel overwhelmed or frustrated, shift your focus to fewer or more minor things. No effort is small if done with passion. Then let some of this year's good luck go to work for you. A small dose of faith and luck will go far at crucial times. In numerology, 2016 is a 9 year, and 9 is pure magic. It creates what it intensely visualizes, and then it vanishes and leaves room for the next new wonderful thing! Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) have plenty of room and time to work on their personal passions this year. Uranus is still in the heart of Aries, so there may be times when you need to remind yourself to not wander off too far on your own. Passions and preferences, especially in social activities, may sometimes clash with the desires of others, but 2016 brings you more patience and willingness to go with the ﬂow and see what happens. Discover a few new passions this year.

Air Signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) may feel more comfortable in 2016 than they did in 2015. Teamwork, communication, and mutual understanding are highlighted, so this year will feel natural to you. The Moon begins this year in the ﬁrst degree of Libra and that helps you all year long. There may be times when you need to take charge and lead your team. Mars begins 2016 in Libra. This offers extra inﬂuence and administrative powers, should you need them. The Lunar Eclipse in Libra in March sets the tone for progress in relationships. You may not see results instantly, but you will. And you may be more intuitive all year long. Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) are always sensitive, and this can be an advantage for you in 2016. You can keenly spot when complications are developing, and from whom/where. If feeling out of touch, the Solar Eclipse in Pisces in March will reconnect you. A Lunar Eclipse in Pisces in September is another boost to your instincts and intuition. Mars is retrograde during the majority of Spring in the sign of Scorpio. If you feel hesitant to act or make a judgment call, you have cosmic permission to go slowly. -Horoscope.com

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INDIA

January 08, 2016

Swami Vivekananda’s Birthday

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Dut-

ta, was an Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Wikipedia Born: January 12, 1863, Kolkata, India. He was a key ﬁgure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century. He was a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India, and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India. Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission

Swami Vivekananda/Quotes: You have to grow from the inside out. MADRAS PAVILION AT & DAAW G CATERIN

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None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself. The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong. We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far. Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way. Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true. Arise,awake and donot stop until the goal is reached. The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be puriﬁed, and God will be in them. If money help a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better. The will is not free - it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect - but there is something behind the will which is free.

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22 January 08, 2016

PUZZLES/RECIPES

SUDOKU

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Ghar da Makhan (Homemade Butter)

Send us the correct answer before January 13, 2016. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for ﬁrst three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

Solution Next Week

L�� W��’� SUDOKU S��

L�� W��’� SUDOKU W�� 1) Mohan Mehra 2) Kumud Athavale 3) Sujata Krishna

ong before it became fashionable to eat Amul butter that you bought in tiny slabs from the corner store; long before sliced bread became so widely available and eaten and long before different types of breakfast cereals became popular there was a simple way to start your day in the mornings in North India: get a crispy roti, heat it up and spread a little homemade butter on it. As it melted, you could dab a piece of roti in it and chew it down with a steel glass full of hot milk or tea. Butter as we know it now is homogenized and pasteurized, sold in sticks or plastic bowls. But many homes in India, and virtually all in the rural areas, still take pride in the butter they make at home. Some women spin long yarns about how can make so much butter that they turn the surplus into ghee (clarified butter) to use in cooking! But in the cities, making your own makhan is now a dying art, Homemade makhan is made from the malai (film of cooled cream) that is collected over several days from the top of boiled milk. It is scooped off and carefully stored in a bowl left in the fridge. Some people actually prefer to eat the malai itself spread on a crispy roti or toast and sprinkled with fine ground sugar. When it is being made, the by-product is plain lassi (buttermilk), a soothing drink on hot days. The final product, makhan, is white, unsalted and sweet, with a little graininess to it. It is collected and packed tightly in a bowl and has a low melting point when taken out of the fridge. A dollop of makhan tastes good, especially melting on a gobi parantha or spread generously over a piece of crispy, fire-toasted Indian bread, which has a taste unlike those breads you find in the West. Ingredients : ½ gallon saada doodh (whole milk) 2 tbsp dahinn (plain yogurt) – for the starter 2 cups thanda pani (cold water)

Directions:

place like inside the oven.

1. Pour two tablespoons of water in a pot, preferably one with a heavy base, to coat it, then pour the milk in.

9. It is best to start this overnight. If you start in the daytime, then let the pot sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.

2. Place it over low heat and let the milk slowly come to a boil. As it does, a soft skin will form over the top and it will start to puff up and rise. Turn off the heat and let the milk cool down.

10. Take off the blanket and the cream should be hardened and wellformed. Using a large ladle or handmixer, vigorously beat the cream for 10 minutes. The butter will clump together and separate out from the liquid, which is the buttermilk.

3. When sufﬁciently cool, do not stir the milk, cover the pot and place it in the fridge overnight. A thick ﬁlm of coagulated cream will form over the top of the milk. 4. In the morning, take the milk out of the fridge and carefully remove the cream, collecting it in a bowl. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge. 5. Repeat the procedure each night for a week, collecting the cream in the same bowl. 6. On the eighth day, take the 2 tbsp of yogurt out of the fridge and warm up it over low heat. Don’t use it cold as the fermentation will not take hold easily. 7. Place the collected cream in a pot and make it lukewarm over low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour in the warm yogurt and mix well. 8. Now cover the pot, wrap it with a thick blanket and place it in a warm

11. Slowly pour the cold water over the ladle or mixee to clean it and help to separate the butter. Drain the water into a bowl to drink the buttermilk or keep it to make kaddi later. Collect the clumps of butter together in a bowl, cover and keep in the fridge to use when desired. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK FOR LONG SHELF LIFE, DON’T ADD SALT TO YOGURT

Yogurt or raita goes well with most Indian food as it helps to soothe the palate and take the bite of extra spiciness out of the meal. Often, people will eat a meal only with yogurt, like when eating a hot parantha or biryani or khichiddi and maybe with a slice of pickle. But if you want to use the yogurt again later, it is best not to mix in any salt once it is opened up and used as the salt will make the yogurt separate and shed water.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 08, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

Biggest Box-Ofﬁce Grossers of 2015

ajrangi Bhaijaan Expectations were high from this Salman Khan-starrer which was helmed by Kabir Khan. Bajrangi Bhaijaan became a case of gaining more than expected, box-office wise. The very positive word-ofmouth, Salman’s fine performance and, of course, Harshaali Malhotra’s super cute act made sure the film amassed 320 crore in India. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is also Salman’s biggest hit till date. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Salman Khan and Sooraj Barjatya’s reunion after 16 long years fetched impressive numbers at the ticket-window. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, which starred Sonam opposite the superstar, surpassed the 200 crore mark, making it Salman’s second big hit of the year and Barjatya’s first film to cross the threefigure mark. Tanu Weds Manu Returns DirectorAnand LRai’s Tanu Weds Manu Returns, sequel to the 2011 hit Tanu Weds Manu, was expected to do well. But the Kangana Ranaut and R Madhavan starrer surprised many by reaching 152 crores at the box office. Bajirao Mastani Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s dream project was pitted against a starstudded heavyweight like Dilwale. But the film has managed to pass the acid test by tasting success at the ticket window. Starring Ranveer

Deepika Padukone Meets Rafael Nadal, Leaves Him Starstruck

NEW DELHI: Bollywood’s ‘MasSingh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, Bajirao Mastani has reached 136 crore and is still running in theatres. Dilwale When you have Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol returning as a pair in a commercial caper by Rohit Shetty, it is obvious to expect the ﬁlm to earn huge at the box ofﬁce. But, despite Dilwale going past 132 crore and still playing in theatres, it hasn’t lived up to the expectations. The not-so-positive response is the reason attributed to this. -TimesofIndia

Deepika Padukone

5th January, 1986

tani’ Deepika Padukone met tennis star Rafael Nadal in the national capital this weekend and both had “incredibe” things to say for each other. Deepika used to be a sportsperson in her teenage years and is daughter of Indian badminton player, Prakash Padukone. The Spanish tennis icon was the ﬁrst to go as he shared an image of both of them together and wrote, “Con la increíble @DeepikaPadukone en #Delhi :) With the incredible Deepika Padukone in #Delhi! #Bollywood.” Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 12, 2015 Deepika, who was

in Delhi to promote her upcoming ﬁlm Bajirao Mastani, also took to Twitter. “Thank you Rafa for some wonderful memories... @RafaelNadal,” Deepika tweeted along with a photograph which showed the two striking a happy pose. Thank you Rafa for some wonderful memories... @RafaelNadal — Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) December 12, 2015 Deepika looks every bit a professional as well as elegant in striped pants and a classy black blazer, while Rafa looks casual in a pair of denims and a black jacket. She also shared the picture on her Facebook account. -Hindustan Times

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 January 08, 2016

Dhoni Raring to Resume International Grind BY ARUN VENUGOPAL

Lodha Panel Recommends Reform Package for BCCI BY SHARDA UGRA

MUMBAI (ESPN Cricinfo): It

has been some time since you last saw MS Dhoni with jet-black hair. While the greying of hairs around the temples can be masked by cosmetic methods, the more striking sighting is a visibly trimmer, fresher Dhoni. It was the Dhoni you saw during the seven matches he turned out for Jharkhand in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy. Dhoni has relished the minibreaks he has earned in the past, often speaking of how they have helped heal niggles which would have otherwise developed into more serious injuries. But 2015 was the only year in recent memory where he had a substantial break without any cricket in between. “Ideally I should lie so much that I should just talk about how much hard work I have been putting in to look a bit slimmer,” Dhoni began with a Dhoni-esque wisecrack before letting on what he had been up to. “Now with no more Test cricket, it gives me that extra time because what happens is when you are continuously playing cricket what you do is mostly top up your fitness and keep working, but now you can actually look to extend your fitness level.” By “top up”, Dhoni refers to the pastiche of quick fixes and not a comprehensive overhaul, which is what the chunky break afforded him. “You get that break, you know five, 10 or 15 days you can take completely off and slowly you can get into a mould, a routine. I feel that the break has helped me.” Dhoni, by his own admission in the past, has never been big on gym work. That side of him, he said, had changed over time, and that was part of a concerted fitness plan. “You have to do a few changes as you spend more and more time in international cricket,” he said. “I have been doing a bit of planning when it comes to my body and my fitness, but I look slimmer I am not lightweight. I have been 86, 87, 88 [kilograms] for the last 15 years. I have not lost weight. It’s just that I have tried to tone down myself, and I have enjoyed doing it.”

SPORTS

NEW DELHI (ESPN Cricinfo):

He later told ESPNcricinfo that he had spent a lot of time playing “alternate sports”, including badminton, a sport he has always fancied playing. Dhoni said the break had helped him mentally as well when it came to detaching himself from the grind and revisiting his plans. “I feel switching on and switching off is very important in cricket and this break actually gives me ample time to do that. No point switching off for two days and straight away getting back. This break helped me get back into the groove with the one-day domestic tournament.” Looking ahead to the Australia series, Dhoni revisited one of his favourite themes - the need for quality seam-bowling all-rounders. “When it comes to performances at the international level they [other teams] have got good seam-bowling allrounders,” he said. “That is something we are lacking to some extent.” He was, however, happy with the competition in the spin-bowling department between the recalled Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. He reckoned that their batting abilities would eventually determine which one would feature in the playing XI. “You will have different criteria for judging performance when it comes to the players performing

outside the subcontinent, and in India because the spinners will get a lot more assistance here. “I think Jadeja has been bowling really well, Ashwin has been our premier spinner irrespective of where we have played. We have two spinning allrounders who are competing for a spot which I feel will be good for the team. It’s an opportunity for both of them.” Dhoni typically played down speculations surrounding his retirement, opting to channel his energies towards the immediate challenges of the Australian series and the World T20. “I am somebody who has always believed in the present,” he said. “You won’t get answers regarding the future that’s too far ahead. As of now the Australia series is important and after that once we get in T20 groove we need to move in one direction as to what we need to do as a team so as to have the best chance of winning the WC. So those are the primary concerns as of now. “There are a lot of things you need to think about, and I don’t think this is the right time. All the energy needs to go there. It’s a very important three months and after that we will see what happens.” Arun Venugopal is a correspondent at ESPNcricinfo.

The 150-odd pages of the Justice Lodha committee recommendations to the Supreme Court about the governing of the BCCI form an astonishing document. It runs through 10 chapters and then more, playing sledgehammer across some sections and comfort pillow in others. Sledgehammer to entrenched administrators and comfort pillow to Indian fans who believe they are entitled to dream. The report offers an earth-shaking raft of recommendations. To what extent they are implemented is now dependent on the Supreme Court’s next instructions, and the BCCI’s lawyers. The report offers no new revelations, and contains no previously unspotted fault-lines. What it deals with was always known and in the public domain, even if some of it - like the BCCI’s constitution and accounts - tended to be kept secret until four months ago. The good judges have acknowledged, with fulsome praise, the BCCI’s scale of operations, the logistical efficiency of staff, and its financial self-sufficiency. They have said that none of the recommendations will challenge the board’s autonomy or “interfere [with] or limit” its work. What the Lodha report does instead is duly detail - and very thoroughly - the rather large loopholes in the BCCI’s essential governance framework and functioning and their unprofessional consequences. At the end of their year-long exercise, the Lodha panel has asked the BCCI to self-regulate and helpfully given them a detailed pathway to do so. Through their dissection, examination and inspection of the BCCI’s functioning, the venerable judges have put a question to those in the highest offices of cricket administration, and indeed of all sports administration in India: why are you here? The Lodha panel recommen-

Justice R.M. Lodha at the press conference to announce the committee report.

dations are so wide-ranging and thorough that the BCCI can neither miss the wood nor the trees While every official’s earliest intentions might have been to drive change in a sport they truly cared about, as time went on, the trappings of the position led to the development of an organisation with a “general apathy towards wrongdoing”. The radical solutions have been arrived at by applying two simple tests: “Whether this [measure] will benefit the game of cricket” and “What does the Indian cricket fan want?” The ecosystem - of tournaments, games, players, schedules - has been kept intact, but the BCCI’s power and management structures have been taken apart and governance has been separated from the game’s daily management. The Lodha panel report reaches deep into the BCCI’s essential building blocks - the state associations and demands that the BCCI ensures its members replicate changes at the top down the order. It suggests scrapping many fundamental BCCI quirks that are centred around voting rights, and has shaken the tree so hard that any aspiring young official must wonder whether there is any fruit left on it at all. This report, ordered by the highest court in India, one that contains mind-altering stuff for the BCCI. It is full of words and phrases like “independent” and “professional” and “external consultant”. Bring them on, it says. Sharda Ugra is a senior editor at ESPN Cricinfo.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 08, 2016

he general consensus among analysts is that the Indian equity markets will reverse the underperformance of 2015. This view is based on the expectation that earnings growth will make a comeback, foreign investors will return and domestic investors will stay on. FII inflows Foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows to emerging markets turned negative in the second half of 2015. Falling oil prices, a change in direction from the US Federal Reserve and domestic concerns in many emerging markets led to this. India, say most analysts, is relatively better placed. Still, FII inflows have been thin in 2015. Analysts believe this could change this year as investors once again start to look for high-yielding markets. Domestic fund action One of the big trends of 2015 was the return of domestic investors to equity markets. Poor returns in real estate and gold appear to have pushed investors back to equities. Inflows to

What Equities Will Look Like in 2016

equity mutual funds have been strong all year and retail trading activity has been on the rise. With gold and real estate looking weak, equity markets may continue to benefit from domestic flows. Primary markets Primary markets look set to remain active in 2016. More than 30 firms filed their initial public offering (IPO) papers with the capital markets regulator in 2015. Many of them will come to the market now. Investors have been selective with IPOs in

2015 and that sentiment will remain. Pricing, as always, is key. Foreign MF exits Quite a few foreign fund houses have exited the Indian mutual fund (MF) industry, where the bulk of the business is concentrated in the hands of a few domestic players. While the inﬂows are picking up, the interest is skewed in favour of a few ﬁrms and margins are wafer-thin. Consolidation in the sector could move up a notch, with the top three fund houses looking to strengthen their position.

Railways Fast-tracks Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project, Sets Up Separate Company BY MAHENDRA SINGH

NEW DELHI: The railways

ministry has fast-tracked the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor by setting up a separate company, on the lines of the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC), which will build and operate the NDA government's ambitious project. The company will be registered in January. The process has already being initiated by Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), reﬂecting the state-run transporter's intent to accelerate the actual work on the Modi government's dream

project expected to put the country's railway sector in the big league. To begin with, the company would be registered in the name of Indian Railways. At a later stage, the company would be made into a joint venture (JV) with equity participation

of the Maharashtra and Gujarat governments. In the JV, the equity contribution of Railways is likely to be 50% while Maharashtra and Gujarat would have a stake of 25% each. The public sector company is expected to build and also carry out train operations. It would provide access to private operators after ﬁve years of operation of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor with a suitable revenue sharing arrangement. The company, which will own the assets created on the corridor, would have effective independence in decision-making and would be run as a professional entity. -TimesofIndia

National Stock Exchange of India Ltd: The exchange has faced immense pressure to list so that existing investors can get the option to exit. Now, capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), too, has made it easier for exchanges to list. The exchange maintains that it will do so, but has given no timeline. 2016 could be the year that NSE ﬁnally relents and starts its listing process. BSE Ltd: In the case of BSE, IPO papers have been pending with the regulator for years. The new rules may ﬁnally allow the country’s oldest exchange to get clearance and proceed with listing. Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd: The commodity derivatives exchange will be in focus as Sebi is likely to set strict compliance norms for investors looking to purchase or trade in shares of exchanges, as Mint reported on 11 December.

Since MCX is already listed, this could be a cumbersome process for the exchange. Domestic broking firms: These firms will be in focus after a surge in interest from foreign investors in the growing domestic stock-broking business. In July, France’s BNP Paribas SA agreed to buy Sharekhan Ltd, the retail-focused brokerage firm. Canadian investor Prem Watsa’s Fairfax India Holdings Corp. now holds about 30.65% in IIFL Holdings. It is expected that foreign investors will push their newly acquired businesses to expand faster. Discount brokerages: With retail investor interest in the markets rising, discount broking firms are gaining traction, as they enable investors to trade for much lower costs compared with traditional advisory-based brokerages. Zerodha, RKSV and Trade Smart Online are some of the key players in this space that will try and take advantage of the increased investor interest. -Livemint.com

India Takes Up Issue of Students’ Deportation with US Authorities BY MAYANK AGGARWAL

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday

said it has “strongly taken up” with US authorities the matter of deportation of Indian students from San Francisco. “We have seen reports regarding deportation of Indian students from San Francisco. As per information available with us, the deportations have taken place due to denial of entry to these students by US immigration authorities. Air India has acted as per the advice of US authorities,” said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson of the foreign ministry. “We have strongly taken up the

matter with the US government both in the US and in Delhi. We are closely following up the matter with the aim of resolving it at the earliest,” said Swarup. As per a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, Air India on Sunday night stopped 19 Indian students from boarding its ﬂight to San Francisco at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after being informed by US authorities that the two universities to which they had been admitted were under scrutiny. The airline has decided not to accept students headed to those universities till it gets a clearance from Air India’s US ofﬁce for their travel. -Livemint.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

26 January 08, 2016

Pathankot Attack Fallout? India May Reschedule Pak Talks

NEW DELHI: India may resched-

ule proposed foreign-secretary level talks, tentatively slated for later this month, to give Pakistan time to crack down on banned terror outﬁt Jaish-eMohammed (JeM) that is believed to be behind the Pathankot air base

ambush, sources said on Sunday. They said the national security advisers of the two countries may meet soon to explore how Pakistan could act against the JeM and reafﬁrm its commitment to the peace process before their foreign secretaries sit

down for formal negotiations. The revelation came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a brainstorming session with his key foreign policy advisers even as the terrorists allegedly based out of Bahawalpur in Pakistan -- exchanged gun ﬁre with security forces, over 36 hours after the operation began. Security forces will resume the operation on Monday morning as the guns of the remaining terrorists fell silent towards Sunday evening. The prime minister’s ofﬁce remained tight-lipped over the meeting attended by the national security adviser Ajit Doval and foreign secretary S Jaishankar, but sources said the Indian NSA was likely to discuss the attack with his Pakistani counterpart, Lt General Naseer Janjua, and seek

Afghanistan: Terrorists Attack Indian Consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif BY PRAVEEN SWAMI

action against JeM leader Maulana Masood Azhar. He is also expected to demand that Islamabad deliver on its commitment to take action against terrorists targeting India as discussed in the NSA-level dialogue on terrorism in Bangkok. “ThePMtookstockofthePathankot situation and the possible steps to be taken diplomatically with Pakistan,” said a senior ofﬁcial. The Narendra Modi government was all for dialogue with the Nawaz Sharif government but rescheduling the talks was necessary to give time to Islamabad to take action against Azhar’s troopers, the sources said. “Since terror and dialogue cannot go together, Pakistan will have to show its commitment to the peace

Pathankot Attack: NSG Commando Lt Col Niranjan Killed, Rajnath Singh says ‘Nation Salutes His Sacriﬁce’

NEW DELHI: EXPLOSIONS

AND gunfire erupted just meters from India’s consulate in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif late on Sunday night, as four heavily-armed terrorists attempted to storm the building. Muneer Farhad, a spokesman forAtta Mohammad Noor, the Governor of Balkh province, said two gunmen had been killed, while two more were still exchanging fire with security forces when reports last came in. Residents living in the Kart-e Zoaruddin area said they heard two loud explosions, followed by several bursts of automatic gunfire, a little after 10 pm Indian time. “We are under fire,” Brajabashi Sarkar, India’s Consul General in Mazar-i-Sharif said. The attack came even as Indian security forces continued to battle Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorists who struck at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot early on Saturday, just a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore in a surprise peace bid. Afghan security sources said the attackers retreated into a building

owned by local Uzbek politician, Sayed Noorullah Sadat, which is rented out to a United States governmentfunded aid programme. The building, sources said, had been surrounded by Afghan security forces. Earlier in the day, Afghans among them President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai and National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar had cheered their team as it played India in the South Asia Football Federation cup, in a show of goodwill between the two countries. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said no Indian casualties had been reported.

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The attack is the latest in a series of strikes on Indian diplomatic facilities, stretching back to 2008. In 2014, three suicide bombers sought to overrun the Indian consulate in Herat, and take its staff hostage, in an assault timed to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in. Afghanistan’s intelligence services, and the US, blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba for the attack. In August 2013, nine residents, including seven schoolchildren, were killed when suicide bombers sought to strike the Indian consulate in the city of Jalalabad. -IndianExpress

process so that FS level dialogue take place this month,” said a South Block ofﬁcial. It is understood that New Delhi will prepare a case study of the Pathankot attack, containing evidence nailing the JeM and their ISI handlers, on the basis of which Pakistan will be pressed to take action against the proscribed group. The South Block is clear the JeM was used by the Inter-Services Intelligence in the Pathankot attack as the group has been virulently antiIndia and opposed to any peace talks. “There is deliberate signature left in the attack so that message is understood by both sides,” said a senior ofﬁcial. -HindustanTimes

fresh grenade blast ripped through the air force base here this morning claiming the life of an NSG commando, as three other security men succumbed to injuries in a hospital after yesterday’s terror attack taking the toll of Indian security personnel to seven. Lt Col Niranjan, a member of the NSG’s Bomb Disposal Squad, was killed while he was defusing the grenade at the scene of the terror attack as part of the combing operations that continued through the night. Four

other security men were also injured in the blast. “Pained to know about demise of Lt. Col. Niranjan of NSG during mopping out ops at Pathankot, nation salutes his sacriﬁce,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly said. Defence sources said Niranjan, a resident of Kerala, was killed while trying to retrieve the grenade from the body of a dead terrorist. The 35-year-old NSG commando was survived by wife Radhika and 2-year-old daughter Vismaya. He was deputed to NSG (Delhi) 3 years ago. “I last spoke to him in October when he called to inform me about his promotion. He was very happy. He sent me pictures of his daughter through WhatsApp,” his uncle Harikrishnan said. Niranjan’s body will be brought to Bangalore, where his family currently resides, and it will be kept for public to pay their respects. Later it will be brought to his native village of Elumbulassery in Kerala where the cremation will take place. -IndianExpress

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January 08, 2016

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 08, 2016

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 08, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM