Friday, March 11, 2016 • Vol. 35, No. 11
Indo American News READ US ONLINE at www.indoamerican-news.com | Published weekly from Houston, Texas. USA 7457 Harwin Dr, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 • PH: 713 789 6397 • Fax: 713 789 6399 • indoamericannews@yahoo.com
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March 11, 2016
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Friday, March 11 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 11
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Indo American erican News Dance With Rhythm www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX
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March 11, 2016
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COMMUNITY
March 11, 2016
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Bridal Show: A Relaxed Atmosphere to Meet Great Wedding Professionals!
SUGAR LAND: As brides en-
tered the beautiful ballroom at the Sugar Land Marriott this past Sunday, they were greeted with a glass of champagne. It immediately took a bit of the stress off of them as they walked and talked to wedding professionals about their special day in a few months. DesiWeds.com reminded everyone why they are without equal when it comes to putting together an exclusive bridal show. This show did not disappoint, it was an amazing event. Guests previewed elaborate decor set ups by Blink Decor, Prashe and Sheila Burki Designs and saw the talented artists behind the amazing canvases of couples. The lovely wedding portfolios were by some of the top photographers in Houston such as Aventography, Biyani Photography, Blink Film & Images, and MnM Foto. The delectable samples provided by the caterers from Aling’s Hakka, Dawaat Catering and Udipi Cafe brought a round of applause. In addition to meeting some of our top wedding professionals, brides were able to win one-of-a kind door prizes. Master dhol players Gurkaran and Jupji showed off their skills as did the DJs of Desi Junction DJs and Dhol Beat International. There were makeup demos by Hilda & Co. Wedding planners from Design Wedding Consultants provided expert advice to all that asked and gave some great insight to how not to feel overwhelmed. Photo Booths are a must have! The teams at Joy Photo booth and Pixo Photo Booth showed a great way to give guests a nice photo to remember the event and how to have a ton of fun in the process. As we all know that desis have a tremendous sweet tooth, they were not disappointed by all the variety at the show from Deelish Cupcakes, It’s all in the Cake and Sondesh Boutique. Lotus Couture had Lenghas, Sarees and more, and brides could indulge their flashier side by embellishing their outfits with bling from MocoCulture and Jaipur Jewels. There was so much to see and do. One bride said, “I loved the show, it was a great way to really meet the vendors. I bumped into a few friends and we got to share our thoughts on what we are doing and overall made me feel so much better about the planning process.” Another bride told us, “…the
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March 11, 2016
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March 11, 2016 5 COMMUNITY Hollywood to Bollywood: The Bollywood Influence BY VANSHIKA VIPIN
STAFFORD: On March 5, the
curtains of Old Stafford Civic centre opened up to a troupe of extremely talented performers that pranced and pirouetted across the stage. Yes, this was the muchawaited “ Just Dance 2016 ” event presented by Rhythm India with the theme “Hollywood to Bollywood”. Between the two shows of this event (4 pm & 8pm), there were 270 performers that put together their love and passion for this grand show. Rhythm India was started by Arzan Gonda in 2005, with a mission to create awareness and spread the South Asian culture and heritage through the means of dance and theatre in Houston. Since then, Arzan, who is the Founder & Artistic Director of Rhythm India, and her troupe have captivated and mesmerized audiences throughout Houston with structured Bollywood dances. Rhythm India serves as a platform for the talented and hard working dancers to perform at a professional level. The entire format of the event is made lively and energetic with gorgeous costumes, perfect lighting and sound. Arzan, through Rhythm India, strives to promote Indo-American culture and Bollywood dance in the greater Houston area, and thereby she aims at creating cherishable memories for each of her dancers. She wants to take the audience on a journey, to be able to feel their passion, emotion and intention. This memorable event showcased talents in the various genres of dance forms. Some of the performers were as young as 4 years of age. Yaksha Bhatt and Sibin Chacko were the entertaining emcees for the event and they were successful in keeping the audiences amused. During the Latin section the Bharata Natyam & Flamenco Jugalbandhi blew the audiences away. It beautifully showcased a mash up of these two styles and how Indian dance had an influence on the Flamenco style of dance. For this breathtaking show, Arzan had collaborated with the talented Artistic director of Danmar Dance Studio, Maria Fernanda Urbaez, and her dancers. She later spoke spoke to the audience about the influence of Bharata Natyam on Latin dances. Not only did this event witness
Photos: Navin Mediwala & Murali Santhana
action from Arzan’s troupe but also from a sporting audience who was none other than dancer and actor Rishi Goswani. Rishi thrilled the audience with his hip-hop moves. The finale brought everyone to their feet as all the seniors, youth intermediate and youth advance groups opened it with “D Se Dance”, followed by the entire cast and crew of the show that came on stage for their final bows. The show ended with Arzan coming up on stage to express her heartfelt gratitude for the entire Rhythm India Staff and team who worked tirelessly to reach at the level they were in this 11th year. She thanked her mom for always helping her out with beau-
tiful costumes that make heads turn. It was a pleasant surprise for the audiences as Arzan Gonda announced the next performance of Rhythm India at Half time, on Sunday, April 10, at the Toyota Center, as the Houston Rockets take on the LA Lakers. “It’s a big game for us as it is Kobe Bryant’s last game at the Toyota Center”, she said. A lot of sweat goes into the back end management and operations and the credit would go to Rashna Oak who ensured the show was smooth and memorable for the audiences. The audience was so thrilled and impressed with the entire show that in spite of no
breaks during the 90-minute nonstop show they were glued onto their seats, throughout. Rhythm India’s “ Just Dance” show was so loved by the audience. Below are some of the comments that were received from the audience: •This was truly the BEST JUST Dance Performance of Rhythm India show in 5 years . Arzan , you and your entire Rhythm India team did an Awesome Job ! From Beautiful Costumes to Dynamic Dances with Fusion of The EAST And The WEST , the Journey from Bollywood to Hollywood was a perfect Title. Arzan, your energy and enthu-
siasm inspires your entire team and your students ! Thx to all of You and the Entire Rhythm India team - Dr Randeep Suneja •Last evenings performance was mind blowing. Nonstop dance performance. Stunned by the energy levels of your students. Hats off Arzan for putting up a wholesome entertainment. - Ramji Ramasubramanian •Was so proud and happy to be part of Just Dance 2016 ... the energy, the finesse, the set design, costumes..everything was insane ... Thanks Arzan Patel Gonda and Tanisha Hirani - Sandhya Kommuri Rhythm India will be hosting an exclusive two day intensive dance workshop with DID Winner / Dance Plus Judge and Celebrity Dancer Shakti Mohan in Houston on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24. This workshop is open to anyone over 8 years of age. To register for the workshop go to www.rhythm-india.com OR email: paro@rhythmindia.com OR call: 281 968 9479. The spots fill up soon, so sign up now to secure your spot. For more info call - 281 968 9479 or visit www.rhythm-india.com
For photo collage, see pages 12-13
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, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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COMMUNITY
March 11, 2016
Ragamalika
BY MAHESH IYER
HOUSTON: The Ragamalika musical
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dance/drama, presented by Bharathi Kalai Manram (BKM), evoked an enthusiastic response from Houston’s very talented and knowledgeable audience. Directed by Krishna Sankar of Kalalaya Productions, this one-of-a-kind event was a fundraiser for “Naomi’s House”, (http://www.thenaomishouse.global) a transitional home for victims of domestic violence and women that are incarcerated. The production was spearheaded by Mahalakshmi Krishnan who is a reputable playback singer and movie actress, based in Houston. The dance/drama was indeed unique because of its seamless integration of classical music, light music (cinematic music), magnificent backdrops, expert histrionics, and of course a thought provoking storyline. The lead singers Mahalakshmi Krishnan and Srikanth Balaji have vast experience in Carnatic genre of music in addition to a soothing timbre . Many people had tears of joy listening to the musical exchanges between them, particularly in the handling of eclectic ragas such as Pooriya Dhanasree. The storyline strongly
repudiates the commercialization of music, while true talents become a collateral casualty. Of course, it all ends well, when the talented musicians perpetuate the development of upcoming talents and encourage them to perform. Director Krishna who played a cameo role kept the audience in splits with his impeccable dialogue delivery and comic timing. In 2009, his short film “You Can” received the best positive vision documentary in New York Independent International Film Festival.
Arts Organizations at Houston Arts Alliance Reception
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From left: Krishna Mudan, Sesh Bala, Sheela Rao, Sanchali Basu, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Rathna Kumar, Roopa Gir and Vish Bhaskaran.
HOUSTON: Two of our Indo American
arts organizations were represented at a reception organized by the Houston Arts Alliance at the Wortham Center downtown on Monday, February 29. Several Board members of Samskriti and Classical Arts Society of Houston were on hand at the reception hosted by the five
arts districts of Houston to welcome the newly elected Mayor of the City of Houston and council members. The theme of the reception was “Five Districts, One City”. The Board members met Mayor Sylvester Turner and some of the councilmen present and made them aware of Indian arts organizations.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
March 11, 2016
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Enjoy Global Flavors Under One Roof!
BY VANSHIKA VIPIN
HOUSTON: What would you do
if you were in the mood for a French pastry, a croissant, a Mumbai chaat and a brownie, all accompanied by some lip-smacking South Indian coffee? Sounds like a gastronome’s dream? It’s very much a reality here at Hot Breads, a unique bakery and cafe right in the heart of Houston, on Westheimer near Dunvale. The Hot Breads legacy began in Chennai (South India) in 1989, and has now spread over 80 locations all over the world. From Paris to Nepal, and Bangladesh to the Middle East, Hot Breads is everywhere! The cafe is spread over four locations in New Jersey, four in Dallas, one in Austin with the latest and the only authentic Hot Breads franchise in Houston. They also have plans to expand to Sugar Land and Katy. In fact it was the success of Hot Breads in Dallas and Austin that lead to the birth of Hot Breads in Houston. Two food enthusiasts started Hot Breads in Houston in late 2014. Their passion for food drew them to this entrepreneurial adventure, and they now run the cafe with their spouses. Hot Breads now has a huge base of regular customers who further recommend the restaurant to their family and friends. In fact word-of-mouth recommendation has led to the restaurant’s steady rise! But why do customers recommended Hot Breads to their near-and-dear ones? Here’s why! Hugely popular with Indians worldover, Hot Breads serves only the very best and boasts of highly trained chefs who consider cooking as an art! No wonder then, that premium fresh cream is used instead of butter cream, the flavors are subtle, and cookies and breads are baked fresh every day, without nasty preservatives. Skilled in the art of baking and decorating, these confectioners have foodie fans ordering huge cakes, so there’s enough to be savored for later. Not only does Hot Breads serve cakes in ten flavors including vanilla, mix fruit and mango, they’re the only ones
in Houston serving butterscotch flavored goodies! Having tasted the heavenly butterscotch pastry (three layers of cake sponge filled with flavored cream), this writer is definitely going back for more! Especially since they also have eggless variants! Whether it’s tarts, cupcakes, brownies or savory delicacies like croissants, buns and puffs, no one does it better than Hot Breads! Everything is baked fresh and in limited quantities, so that fresh pieces keep rolling. How many restaurants take this kind of effort for their customers? The bursting-with-flavors Indian cuisine is also available in its full glory from popular treats like dosa, chaat and pav bhaji to full meals like the biryani. They also make fresh pav (an Indian street food delicacy) that has been a rage all over Houston. All the food has both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fillings,
with the dosa menu offering multiple levels of spiciness. The dosas come with the customer’s choice of filling, and it makes for a convenient and yummy snack for anyone, as it can be rolled up and eaten like a burrito! The biryani also has both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, and the restaurant uses small-grain rice to bring in the authentic Chennai flavor to the biryani. And to wash it all down is the lassi from North India and the delectable coffee from South India. Take your pick! Priding themselves on the cus-
tomer satisfaction (their reviews on social media are testament), Hot Breads has a 5-minute self-service with frequent table-touches and regular customer feedback. Fans of the restaurant also call on Hot Breads for catering services for their parties, and Hot Breads is all set to start live dosa counters for such events! So you can now share the wonderful food from Hot Breads with your friends and family as well, and be assured that your event is going to be a huge hit. After all, food is one of the most important aspects to making any party or event successful, and
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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COMMUNITY
Maha ShivRatri Celebrated with Devotion and Fervor in Houston
HOUSTON:
Thousands of devotee’s gathered on March 7, Monday to celebrate Shivratri at the Sanatan Shiv Shakti Temple located at 6640 Harwin. Maha Shivratri is celebrated around the world and has many symbolisms and stories attached to it. Among householders, it is considered the night when Shiva married Parvati. Among the ambitious, Shiva is said to have defeated all his enemies on this day. For spiritual seekers, this is the day when Shiva merged with Mount Kailash. These stories reflect the auspicious nature of this most significant of nights. In Houston, since early morning Monday the devotee started coming to the temple for Darshan and Blessings. The head priest of the temple Pandit Virat Mehta as always welcomed all who came to the temple. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva. The program culminated with enchanting dance drama performed by the local nonprofit Kalakriti Performing Arts (www. kalakritiusa.org), depicting the episode of Lord Shiva’s life where he marries Parvati. The 30 min episode was full of colorful costumes and charming choreography by artistic director Kusum Sharma. The Maha Arti was done at 7:45 pm and throughout the night Pooja’s were held by Pandit’s Virat Mehta, Prakash and Hardik. For more details on Shiv Shakti Temple please visit www.shivshaktimandir.org
Enjoy Global Flavors Under One Roof! CONTINUED FROM PAGE
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with Hot Breads taking care of the catering, you can rest assured your event will be a surefire winner! The two lovely couples running the café put in a lot of time in finalizing the location, finally bringing Hot Breads to Westheimer in Houston. Currently, the authentic Hot Breads franchise has only one location at Westheimer and does not have any other outlet in the Houston area. Apart from the scrumptious food, you can enjoy the tasteful interiors put together by a professional interior designer. Head to this unique bakery and café for experiencing a one-of-its-kind culture blend, a superb ambience and a smorgasbord of flavors! Visit Hot Breads, Houston at 8401 Westheimer Road, #165, Houston, TX 77063 (open all seven days). Phone: (281) 631 5555. You can know more on their website— www.hotbreadshouston.com. Also like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Hotbreadshoustontexas/ Hot Breads would love to hear from you. Give them feedback at info@hotbreadshouston.com! INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY Women & Finance
HOUSTON: In lieu of celebrating International Women’s Day 2016, an exclusive Seminar of WOMEN & FINANCE was held
for the ladies of the Bhakta Samaj of Houston. Ina C. Patel an agent from New York Life Insurance Company (Houston) conducted a 3 hour
Seminar at Mayuri Indian Restaurant on March 6. The Seminar focused on Women and Finance and it showcased points of interest to Women willing to learn about various financial products and goals. The main focus of the Seminar was to educate women in handling their finances better and being prepared for the future. The Seminar was conducted in Gujarati and English so as to appeal to the audience at large. Ina C. Patel captivated the audience with her presentation and her experiences. She discussed the needs of a will, estate planning, retirement, long term care, life insurance, health insurance among various other topics. The tremendous turnout of 75 + ladies at the Seminar was a proof to the changing times and how our Community women are now more interested and adept at making financial decisions for themselves and their families future. Besides talking about finance the women at the Seminar also played interactive games and feasted on a wonderful dinner. This Seminar was a wonderful example of women empowerment in our Community here in Houston and we are glad we have people like Ina C. Patel taking initiative and hosting such events.
March 11, 2016
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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12 March 11, 2016
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March 11, 2016
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See article on page 5 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
14 March 11, 2016 BY MANU SHAH
HOUTON:
On February 28, an informative tax seminar was organized by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston at India House. The speakers were renowned CPAs’ and tax consultants who touched on various topics that affect the tax payer including the significant IRS regulation that required US citizens or Green Card holders who had overseas assets to declare them to the IRS. The highlights of three presentations were published in last week’s issue dated March 4,2016. The remaining three presentations are published below. Maximize savings and Minimize Taxes by funding your Retirement Plan was the topic of presentation by CPA Rimple Mashruwala. Saving early can have a big impact on retirement funds. Experts recommend saving 10%-15% of our income for retirement but a study by LIMRA showed that people were actually saving less than 5% of their income. According to Rimple Mashruwala, compound interest and time are key to a good retirement fund. The money invested is tax deferred and Compound interest earns more money. Citing an example, she stated that just saving $30 a month could generate $75,000 after 30 years! She also touched upon different types of Retirement plans such as Traditional IRA, Roth IRA,
COMMUNITY
Tax Issues at IACCGH Seminar: Part II
Top row ( From left): Kershaw Khumbatta, Vikas Patel, Imtiaz Munshi, Swapan Dhairyawan, Rajiv Bhavsar. Bottom row: Rimple Mashruwala, Ajit Thakur, IACCGH President Joya Shukla, Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia, Mahesh Desai. Photos: Bijay Dixit
Simple IRA and SEP IRA. The Rollover IRA is useful for those who change jobs and leave their 401(K) behind for the Company to manage. At the time of retirement, the individual can consolidate multiple retirement accounts in the Rollover IRA. Chair of the event, CPA Swapan Dhairyawan spoke about the “Dirty Dozen” scam list that targets innocent taxpayers under the guise of the IRS. Identity theft, a growing nightmare, has increased by 400% since the past year with 1400 incidents in the month of January itself. Telephone scams continue to threaten tax payers with deportation and arrest if they don’t pay the scam artists. These calls can
be dismissed as the IRS never gets in touch through the telephone – they always send a letter as a prior contact. Phishing involves fake emails from the IRS sent by scam artists looking to steal personal information from your computer. Once again, these can be disregarded as the IRS never sends emails – always a letter. Some safeguards were suggested by the speaker. Return Preparer Fraud – involves dishonest tax preparers who perpetuate refund theft. One should also guard against those tax preparers who promise inflated refunds. Some of the other scams were Offshore Tax Avoidance and Fake Charities. Swapan also offered statistics on
those who get audited based on Tax year 2013 data. Those with no gross income had a 5% probability rate of getting audited, those in the income bracket of $100,000-200,000 had a 93% chance, $200,000-1 million had a 4% chance while those with more than $10 million AGI and above had a 16% chance of being audited. Nonprofit organizations are not exempt from the scrutiny of the IRS. The most common charitable organization is the 501 (C) (3). Most nonprofits are exempt from taxation but some are not. All nonprofits are required to file Form 990. Non filing could result in severe penalties and losing their status as a nonprofit. The last presentation was by CPA Vikas Patel on the different kinds of business entity structures and their pros and cons. They are: Sole Proprietorship which doesn’t have many regulations but can face difficulty raising additional capital and heavy burden administratively Partnership which includes General and Limited Partnership offers shared risk and responsibility but can result in disagreements and disruption of business Limited Liability Company or LLC’s offer limited liability for business debts and obligations Corporations which could be an
S Corporation or a C Corporation. The S Corporations are designed for small businesses, has Independent Entity Life, business expense write off are easier but its disadvantages are shareholder compensations requirements and operational hurdles. The C Corporations have limited liability, has its own identity, freedom to generate capital but has double taxation. By default, a new business is treated as a C Corporation. The non-tax issues that need to be considered while starting a business are Legal liability and Protection – to protect yourself from litigation, Capital Structure, Flexibility, Buy/ Sell Agreement, Nature of your business and State Laws. The tax issues to be considered are: Tax rates, Treatment of Losses, Liquidation/Selling of Business, Compensation, Distribution of Profits, and State Laws. In the Q & A session several clarifications were offered such as: Excess refund by the IRS must always be returned or face severe penalties. Money sent to parents in India with your signature authority must be reported to the IRS if the amount in the account is more than $10,000. It is advisable to obtain a PAN number in India. Mutual funds are a special category of foreign assets and subject to taxes on their appreciation even if not sold. Disclaimer: This seminar was for advisory purposes only.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
C@deFest 2.1
March 11, 2016
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810 Murphy Rd Ste G, Stafford, TX 77477
HOUSTON: High School Students. Hous-
ton Community College Students. Small Business Owners. They all came to the /C@deFest// 2.1 event hosted jointly by IIT Alumni of Greater Houston (IITAGH) and the Houston Community College (HCC) at the HCC Missouri City Campus on Feb. 27, from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Anand Chauhan, an IIT Madras graduate who taught the workshop, started with a brief introduction about computer science and talked about how programs have been affecting directly every endeavor that humans have accomplished. He then went straight to explaining how the html protocol work. Anand guided the participants to build their first simple website, which they then proceeded to connect to a server to experience their website up and running! “All of this was accomplished within a few hours which I think it’s pretty awesome! Thanks Professor Anand for helping people accomplish their goals!”, said Carrie Dumit, Senior Majoring in Computer Science at University of Houston Downtown Campus. Bobbie Porter, who holds a Master’s in Social Work, and is self-employed attended the event with the purpose of updating his company’s website. “The class was very productive and rewarding! “As a person with no skill-set for website language, the presenter made it as easy as coloring inside the lines. I look forward to other curriculum offering where he is presenting!”, said Bobbie. “IITAGH is very proud to be associated with the /C@deFest// which Anand and Ravi have been hosting successfully over the last few months,” said Shamanth Shankar, President of the IIT Alumni of Greater Houston. The next /C@deFest// event will be held at the HCC Alief – Hayes Campus on Saturday April 2, 2016. Anyone interested in attending can contact ravi.brahmbhatt@ hccs.edu (Ravi Brahmbhatt, Director of Student Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the HCC). We will be working with HCC Trustee Neeta Sane to host this event. IITAGH is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We help our members connect, develop, and give back to the local community. For more information, please visit www. iitagh.org. For more information on the IITAGH /C@deFest// please visit http:// code-fest.org.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
16 March 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
Masala Radio’s Houston Holi: Bura Na Mano, Holi Hai! BY PREANKA DESAI
HOUSTON: For eight years in
a row Masala Radio has brought this large-scale Festival of Colors to the Greater Houston area and this ninth year promises to be even more colorful and entertaining than ever. Arguably one the largest Holi festivals in the United States and possibly in the world, Houston Farm and Ranch will again be the venue for thousands of revelers on Saturday, March 26, 2016. Masala Radio teams up with &TV and Tara Energy to bring people of every race and religion in one kaleidoscopic affair. Chosen by Houston Chronicle as one of Houston’s 41 Most Fascinating People, Masala Radio’s Sunil Thakkar will host the Main Stage featuring Pop Singer Mickey Singh and packed with nonstop Bollywood Dances, Britannia Cookie Eating Contest, NYL
Most Colored Contest, Alings Foam Party, and the finale Exclusive Furniture Battle of the DJs. YouTube pop sensation, Mickey Singh, will be this year’s featured artist sponsored by Mercedes Benz of Sugar Land. Performing his tracks, Rooftop Party and Body, Singh is sure to Bling the stage. With his own inimitable style of blending Punjabi and
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English music, both the young and the not-so-young are sure to enjoy a unique experience. Local cultural organizations, India Culture Center, Gujarati Samaj of Houston (GSH), Hindus of Greater Houston, and SKAI Foundation join hands to co-organize this annual cultural event. GSH will be selling packets of bright & neon colors on site. Renowned local dance schools have been practicing for weeks to perform dances set to popular Bollywood and Hollywood themes and include Andra Mirchi, H-Town Divaz, Bollywood Shake, Taal, Bollywood Dancing Stars, Rhythm India, Rice CHOWL Bhangra, Jaz Creationz, Arya Dance Academy, US Desi Gals, Sunanda’s Performing Arts Centre and Infused Performing Arts. Miss India-Texas is set to make
an appearance with the Masala Radio Crew. Exclusive Furniture sponsors this year’s Battle of the DJs between DJ Geo and DJ Masti. Guest will enjoy a variety of freebies throughout the vendor booths: packets of Britannia’s newest cookies, Choco-Lush, water bottles from Tara Energy and Harish Jajoo for Sugar Land Mayor and keepsake sports water bottles from New York Life.
Local restaurants Great American Cookies, Hyderabad House, Madhuram Mirch Masala, Satya Indian Restaurant, Kurrywalah, Chowpatty Express, Vishala Restaurant, Kwality Ice Cream, Hot Breads, and Curry Leaf will be serving delicious Indian street foods and ice creams. Tickets for Masala Radio’s Houston Holi are available while supplies last at all locations of Keemat Grocers, Vishala Grocers, Patel Brothers, Parivar Grocers and Bombay Bazaar, as well as online at www.HoustonHoli.com. Every ticket features local restaurant coupons! Free shuttle & parking is organized at Metro’s Addicks Park & Ride. Typical dress code for Holi is white to ensure that the color powdered thrown on you shows up. Everyone is forewarned that at Holi spirits run high and wild, so while you are cordially invited to come join the celebration… Bura Na Mano, Holi Hai – “Don’t Take Offense, It’s Just Holi!”
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
March 11, 2016
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Interfaith Program Through Music for Sri Ramakrishna’s Birthday & New Resident Swami at VSGH
BY SANCHALI BASU
HOUSTON: Five years ago, with
great hope and sky – high dreams, Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, VSGH, sent a petition to the Headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math, to affiliate VSGH as a Belur Math Center. The prayers of the VSGH devotees have finally been heard and their dreams are about to be realized. VSGH is going to be affiliated with Ramakrishna Math and Swami Vedaswarupanandaji is being sent from Belur Math who will soon be taking over the helm of affairs at VSGH. He joined the Ramakrishna Order in 1986 and was first posted at the Editorial Office of the”Udbodhan” the Bengali journal started by Swami Vivekananda. He received his final vow of Sannyasa from Revered Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj in 1996. He served at the Ramakrishna Mission in Vrindavan & Hyderabad and was at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, Kolkata where he used to look after the Institute of Foreign Languages. He was
posted as the Assistant Minister at the Vedanta Society of Seattle in 2014. VSGH devotees are really looking forward to his arrival at the center. To celebrate Sri Ramakrishna’s birthday, VSGH has arranged an all-day event on Sunday, March 20, 2016. The day will begin with Sri Ramakrishna’s worship (puja) starting at 10 AM to be performed by Swami Sarvadevanandaji, Minister, Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hollywood. This will be followed by Arati, Pushpanjali and Homa at 12 noon. Bhog prasad will be served for lunch after the puja. This year VSGH resumes its Annual Interfaith program which will start at 4 p.m. and will be somewhat different and unique. In general, song is more easily recalled than any sermon, lecture, or class - no matter how powerful or profound the monologue may have been. Therefore, it should be no surprise that music is a vital part of worshipping God. Instead of a series of lectures and talks, the theme this year is, “Music as a Form of Worship.” Members of several faiths will be participating in this
program and they include Christianity, Sikhism, Judaism, Sufism and Hinduism. They will be presenting brief talks and devotional songs from their individual faiths. A light dinner will follow. VSGH will also be holding its General Body meeting, open to all members on Saturday, March 19 at 6 p.m. Swami Sarvadevanandaji, during his 3 day stay in Houston will be conducting a two- day retreat on the Rama Gita as well, the first session of which will be on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. after the vesper services (Sandhyarati) at 7 p.m. Potluck dinner arrangements have been made for Saturday night. The second session will be held on Monday, March 21 at 7:30 PM. Classes on “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna” will be held on Monday and Tuesday morning.
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Here’s to Healthy Travels Ahead…
By now, you’ve probably heard
the news about the recent Zika virus outbreak. Below we will give you some solid information about how the travel industry is responding and where you can go to get the best information. The best defense is the best information. Here’s a brief rundown
of what we know, where you can go to get the latest info, and how you can keep yourself healthy while traveling. What we know Zika is a virus that is contracted through Aedes mosquito bites, and it can be passed from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby. Much is unknown
at this time about all the ways Zika can potentially be spread, and epidemiologists are working to explain other possible modes of transmission. During the first week of being infected, the virus can be found in that person’s blood; if a mosquito bites the infected person, the mosquito can then spread it to another person via another bite. There currentCONTINUED ON PAGE
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
18 March 11, 2016
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Women & Women Together
Hangover for King of Good Times This is not the best of times for the “King of Good Times”: The
Vijay Mallya story doesn’t seem to be headed for a happy ending. Regulators, courts, banks and employees want him to pay up outstanding dues. The troubles of Mallya, the former chairman of United Breweries and the now-grounded Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), must serve as a wake-up call for authorities in India. In 2011, a year before it stopped flying, KFAimplemented a debt recast package after which loans from 13 banks were converted into share capital. Mallya said in a September 2011 letter to his shareholders that banks had converted 30% of their outstanding loans into preferential and equity capital. Lenders were allotted 116 million shares at a price of `64.48 a share on March 31, 2011, a huge premium to the closing price of `39.90 that day. Besides, lenders had slashed the rate of interest that KFA had to pay to 8% from 11%. This leads to two basic questions. What prompted the banks to convert nearly a third of their outstanding loans into preferential and equity capital, and that too at such a high price? And two, why did the banks cut the interest rates for KFA by three percentage points at a time when persistent high inflation had pushed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to raise interest rates repeatedly? Three years after KFA went belly-up the lenders are asking the right questions by demanding their money back. But one does get the unsettling feeling that the lenders may be raising these questions three years too late. India’s mounting bad loans suggest that the recovery processes for corporate loans are painfully slow. For instance, under strategic debt restructuring (SDR), the RBI allows banks to convert a part of their debt to majority equity in a defaulting firm. This is aimed at helping banks take control of the defaulting firm and effecting a change in management. While the defaulter loses control over the company, the onus of recovering the loan shifts to the bank. Banks are left holding a stake, as in the case of KFA, which is worth only a fraction of their collaterals. It is about time to plug the glaring regulatory holes that companies appear to routinely exploit. -Hindustan Times
BY MELINDA GATES
W
hen Neelam Bhengra’s husband wakes up before she does, he makes the tea. It wasn’t always this way, Neelam told me when I met her last year in Jharkhand. Things changed after she joined a self-help group and started getting better yields from her crops. With surpluses came more self-confidence and a better standard of living for her family, and Neelam earned more respect and authority in her home. Now, her teenage sons boast about her. Her husband sometimes goes to collect water. My work at the Gates Foundation is inspired by the conviction that empowered women transform societies. That’s why I spent time getting to know Neelam; I wanted to learn more about what empowerment looks like for poor women in India. And Neelam’s story helped reinforce an important truth. Women’s empowerment can’t be just about women; it also has to be about the men – the fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons – with whom they live their lives. In many cases, it’s men who uphold harmful social norms that stand in women’s way. For example, I speak to many women who want to space their pregnancies so their bodies can heal and their children have the best chance at a healthy future. But it’s not up to them. Their husbands determine how, or whether, they will plan their family. Women don’t have a say in so many aspects of their lives, and when women are silenced, it’s usually because their fathers or husbands speak for them. The irony is that when women are empowered, everyone benefits, including men. Consider Neelam’s family. She spends the extra money she’s earning now on their wellbeing. She told me that when her sons were young, she couldn’t even afford the sweets they’d ask for. Now, she’s saved almost enough to purchase a moped and save them hours and hours of travel time.
Women who have more power or more resources invest in their families and their communities. It’s that simple. When men try to limit their power or control their resources, they only hurt themselves in the long run. Women who have more power or more resources invest in their families and their communities. It’s that simple. When men try to limit their power or control their resources, they only hurt themselves in the long run. Neelam’s story is encouraging, though. Her husband and sons are proud of what she’s accomplished, and they’re changing old habits to help the entire family get ahead. I believe enlisting men into the work of women’s empowerment is necessary, and I know it’s possible for men to be allies because I’ve seen it. Some of the most interesting work on women’s empowerment focusses on reaching adolescent girls and boys in schools. Students are still forming their worldview, and in school they are able to distance themselves from the norms they may be seeing at home. The Gender Equity Movement in Schools (GEMS), launched almost a decade ago in Mumbai, is a great example of what can happen when boys and girls get together to confront the social norms that bind them both. Both girls and boys who participated in the two-year program changed their minds about everything from the age at which girls should be married to whether men and boys should help with housework. They also left the program expressing much stronger opposition to domestic violence, which is very important in a country where 43% of adolescents say there are times when women should be beaten. After the successful pilot test in
Mumbai, the government of Maharashtra expanded this program to 25,000 schools. We’ve also seen many successful examples of public awareness campaigns that use male role models to reshape people’s opinions. If you enjoy Hindi movies, you may know that Farhan Akhtar is outspoken on the crisis of violence against women. He recently spoke at the United Nations on behalf of a group called Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD). The more I learn about MARD, the more I like it. I don’t know Hindi, but I’m told that “mard” means “macho”. MARD’s logo is also exceedingly clever. The “a” is a moustache! Well over 80% of Indian men think “being a man” means “being tough”. MARD is helping men and women understand “toughness” in a different way. On top of these grassroots strategies that are chipping away at harmful social norms, India is also lucky to have political leaders who see that gender equality is part and parcel of the country’s future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the way with his commitment to the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme (save the girl child, educate the girl child). In his first Independence Day speech, the prime minister called on parents to teach their sons to respect women and girls, proving that he appreciates the complexity of women’s empowerment. In a few days, I will be back in India, and I am looking forward to meeting more women like Neelam, brave women fighting to escape the boundaries that society places around them. I am also looking forward to meeting more men like her husband and sons. They are doing a lot more than pouring tea in the mornings. They are helping India live up to its vast potential by helping Indian women live up to theirs. ToI. Melinda Ann Gates is the cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN GRAPHIC DESIGN: BHUMI PARMAR CORRESPONDENTS
HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR INDIA: RAJ KANWAR, ASEEM KULKARNI ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com
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March 11, 2016
Here’s to Healthy Travels Ahead… CONTINUED FROM PAGE
17
ly is concern about the effect of Zika on the fetuses of pregnant women. While much is still unknown about the possible effects of Zika on unborn babies, here is what the CDC is currently recommending for pregnant women in any trimester who in or are considering traveling to areas affected by Zika. If you are pregnant and have travel plans, be sure to talk to your physician. There currently is no vaccine for the Zika virus. Symptoms are usually flu-like - fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes) - and may last a week or more. Most people who are infected never even have symptoms. The virus stays active in the bloodstream for about a week, sometimes longer, before a person is
no longer contagious (via mosquito bite transmission). Hospitalizations and death are extremely rare. Where to get the best information about Zika and travel It’s common for news sources to create elevated levels of panic around outbreaks like these. Your best bet is to have reliable, medically-based sources to go to in order to get the most clear, scientifically-backed, and up-to-date information possible. For specific travel notices regarding areas of the world where Zika has been found, here are the latest CDC travel updates. In addition, you can check the U.S. State Department or the Public Health Agency of Canada for current information. As your travel consultants, we are
19
always here to advise you if you have any concerns about upcoming trips we are planning for you. I stay up to date on the most current information and can also reach out to your destination resort and ask what the plan is to avoid any incidents while on property. How to stay healthy while traveling abroad Before any trip you want to make sure you are up to date on any required vaccines. If you take medications, make sure you have enough for the duration of your trip. And if you need any special accommodations - wheelchair access, for example - be sure to let me know so I can alert the staff at your destination(s) to ensure you get the best care possible. In addition, if you want to have a resource in place to cover any emergencies or unexpected medical expenses, you might want to purchase travel insurance. Depending on the plan, insurance can pay for doctor’s visits and any necessary medications while traveling. I’m always happy to discuss the pros and cons of travel insurance and help you make the best decision for you. As always, look to level-headed sources for your information. Check the numbers. Often, the total infections pale in comparison to the millions of people that travel every day. Assess the real risk, and make an informed decision from there. For further details contact Ketki Shah & Hamid Lakhani at 713-8930649 or visit www.travelguzs.com
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ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS BY ROHIT VATS Poor villagers running around and opengypsiestrailingthemhasbecome a trademark of Prakash Jha’s filmmaking. So, it doesn’t come as a jolt when the Priyanka Chopra-starrer Jai Gangaajal opens on a similar note. In fact, it would have been surprising if Jai Gangaajal would have begun on a different track. And, of course, there would be a double-meaning song disguised as a folk song playing in the background. Well, this is what it takes to be Prakash Jha. You need to be commercial as well as niche in your approach. Isn’t this what he has been doing in Raajneeti, Aarakshan, Chakravyuh and Satyagrah? IPS Abha Mathur (Priyanka) has been given the independent charge of Bankipur after five years of serving at the secretariat on CM-in-waiting Chaudhary’s (Kiran Karmarkar) insistence. But, these lucrative postings don’t come easy to honest cops and thus Abha gets a readymade challenge in the form of local MLA Babloo Pandey (Manav Kaul). But, we know Jha and thus there has to be a social angle. Samanta Industries wants to buy land in order to inaugurate their new factory, but activists and some villagers are opposing the forceful acquisition. Now, the local administration has to take a stand, but that doesn’t seem possible in the current set-up where every cop
Jai Gangaajal
is on Babloo Pandey’s pay-roll. You must be remembering Gangaajal (2003) by now. And just to take all your doubts away, let me tell you that corrupt cops are led by circle officer Bhola Nath Singh (Prakash Jha) who still believes in the power of ‘khakee’. Did you just say Bachcha Yadav? Yes, it’s a complete throwback to Gangaajal except Abha Mathur replacing Amit Kumar (Ajay Devgn) from the original. It’s another version of Gangaajal with a different starcast. Seeing Ajay Devgn as the current police commissioner was quite a possibility. But, can’t a rehash be also a good film? Itimpresses in the beginning. We witness a ruthless ‘Chota Vidhayak’ Dabloo Pandey (Ninad Kamath) ruling the area with an iron feast. Wanted in many cases of extortion, rapes and murders, he sets the perfect stage for Priyanka’s arrival. She comes and
takes things under her control within minutes. Such is her charm that you give Prakash Jha some room to repeat the Gangaajal characters for a while. A fight sequence brings out her grit and respect for constitution-bound law. It feels like the arrival of a savior, a star, but there begins the unfolding of BN Singh’s character. Prakash Jha is the hero of Jai Gangaajal if screen time is our consideration. In any case, you need to spread wings to make a 158-minute film engaging. But, it has to be said that Jha has done justice to his role. He is restrained in dialogue delivery and really effective in emotional scenes. The narrative keeps dragging with strange terms such as ‘Madam Sir’ and ‘Suicide Murder’. It seems the idea is to create an isolated world which is uncertain about its future and the usage of words. The constant urge to back these terms up with scenes also hampers the flow of the narrative. As a result, a powerful scene comes up and then vanishes into oblivion without providing a build-up to the next one. In the process, we get individual sequences that work on their own, but couldn’t gel as a whole. Jai Gangaajal is just another attempt at making a blockbuster, but it lacks the depth of Gangaajal and Apharan. Still, there’s enough for the audience to keep whistling and clapping. Priyanka Chopra is the new ‘Dabangg’ -hindustantimes.com
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Don’t Think ‘Don 3’ will be on Floors Soon: Farhan Akhtar
Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar says there is still time for superstar Shah Rukh Khan-starrer actioner “Don 3” to go on the floors. Farhan directed the first two instalments of the “Don” franchise -- the first of which was a remake of the eponymous 1978 film. Both the movies starred superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
Asked about the film’s status, Farhan told IANS: “I don’t think it (‘Don 3’) will be on the floors soon. I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves... Probably get down to writing it (script).... But there is still a long way to go before we can talk about when it’s going to get on the floors,” Farhan told IANS over phone. There was speculation that actress Katrina Kaif will be seen starring opposite Shah Rukh in the third “Don” film. However, Farhan neither denied it nor accepted her presence in the movie. “These speculations are done by you (media) only. I haven’t spoken about this at all,” he added. On the acting front, Farhan was last seen in “Wazir”. -tellychakkar.com
Abhay Deol March 15, 1976
Aamir Khan March 14, 1965
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22 March 11, 2016
SPORTS
Stats Reveal All-Round India as World T20 Favorites BY S. RAJESH
M
MUMBAI (ESPN Cricinfo): The
Indian team has been on a roll in T20Is in 2016: in ten matches, they have won nine and lost one. That one defeat was on a seaming deck against a young Sri Lankan pace attack, but either side of that defeat they have notched up some impressive results, winning three on the trot in Australia, taking revenge for that lone loss in Pune, and then going undefeated in the Asia Cup league games. In a format whose vagaries present a huge challenge to teams seeking consistent wins, the results that India have produced makes then firm favourites for the World T20, especially given that they are playing on home turf. Since the beginning of 2014, India’s win-loss record versus the top ten teams in T20Is is 13-5, which is by far the best - no other team has won as many, or lost as few matches as India have. The next best are New Zealand with a 10-7 record, while South Africa, Australia, and West Indies have all won a game or two more than they have lost. India’s numbers have been solid with both bat and ball in the last couple of years. Their run rate hasn’t been the highest - in fact, five of the nine teams in the table below have done better - but India’s bowling stats have been exceptional. Their average and economy rate are the best among all teams. They have been the only team with a sub-20 bowling average and an economy rate of less than 7.50. With the bat, India have benefited from having two of the best in the format in their top three. Virat Kohli has been sensational, scoring 740 runs at an average of 82.22 and a strike rate of almost 135, while Rohit Sharma is the only other batsman to score 600-plus runs against the top ten teams in T20Is during this period. They are the two leading run scorers during this period, and their presence has given India’s top three an irresistible combination of flair and solidity. Thanks largely to those two, India have had 16 fifty-plus scores in 18 matches, and 26 scores of
Dhawan, Kohli Bring 6th Asia Cup to India
India’s T20 bowlers have averaged under 20 and conceded runs at less than 7.5 an over in the last two years © BCCI
30 or more. Kohli and Rohit have contributed 15 of the 16 fifty-plus scores, with the only other one coming from Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan has been fairly ordinary during this period, averaging 20 at a strike rate of 118, but Kohli and Rohit have more than compensated for his failures. While India have averaged almost one 50-plus score per game during this period, other teams have struggled to get one in two games. South Africa have ten from 20 games, Australia have nine from 17, West Indies nine from 18, Sri Lanka six from 19, and Pakistan three from 18. In terms of 30-plus scores, India have 26 from 18, again the most by any team. The prolific form of Kohli and Rohit also means India’s top three have the highest average among all teams; it’s often argued that average isn’t a relevant stat in 20-over cricket, but for top-order batsmen it indicates solidity and consistency at the top of the or-
der, and for India the high average means they usually have wickets in hand to make good use of the slog overs. Perhaps the bigger surprise than India’s batting has been the manner in which their bowlers have performed over the last couple of years. Their overall economy rate of 7.05 is the best, and while the spinners have led the way with 66 wickets at a superb average and economy rate, the quicker bowlers haven’t done badly either. Ashish Nehra has completely justified the selectors’ faith in him, taking 12 wickets against the top ten teams in nine games at 18.83 and an economy rate of 7.29, while Jasprit Bumrah has been a revelation, taking 13 wickets at 15.92 and an economy rate of 6.36. New Zealand average over 44 runs in the first six overs compared to India’s 34 © Getty Images The leader of the pack, though, has clearly been R Ashwin, with
31 wickets 13.12 and an economy rate of 5.88. With Ravindra Jadeja chipping in with 16 wickets as well, India have had most bases covered with the ball. Breaking it up into the three stages of a 20-over innings, the Indian bowlers have consistently come up with excellent numbers at every stage, leading the economy charts in the first six and middle overs, and coming next only to South Africa in the last five. They have also been among the wickets in the middle overs, taking 43 at 24.30. Only South Africa have a better average in the middle overs. With such complete numbers, it isn’t surprising that India have racked up the sort of results they have recently in 20-over cricket. The format is one that’s is most favourable for upsets, but even so, India’s recent record - and the venue for the tournament - makes them clear favourites for the World T20. S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPN Cricinfo.
IRPUR: India 122 for 2 (Dhawan 60, Kohli 41*) beat Bangladesh 120 for 5 (Mahmudullah 33*, Bumrah 1-13) by eight wickets Athunderstorm and a Mahmudullah squall came in India’s way, but a calm chase from Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli helped India make light work of their chase of 121 that brought them their sixth Asia Cup title. Dhawan and Kohli added 94 for the second wicket before MS Dhoni, who walked in to bat with India needing 22 off 14 balls, quite fittingly, polished off the chase with an unbeaten six-ball 20 as India won with seven balls to spare. Kohli’s credentials in run chases received another fillip as he finished unbeaten on 41. That the match took place was a miracle, given the amount of rain that lashed Dhaka 90 minutes before start of play. It was a typical spring-time thunderstorm that created puddles across the outfield, but the ground was readied in just over an hour after the rain stopped. Halfway through the protracted game, India were left with scoring at eight runs per over. They were dented in the second over as Rohit Sharma was snaffled by Soumya Sarkar at slip off Al-Amin Hossain as Bangladesh kept things tight upfront. Dhawan and Kohli took stock of the situation till the fourth over, before wading into newcomer Abu Hider for three fours to kickstart the chase. Shakib gave away 15 runs in the next over, as the pair effortlessly switched gears. Dhawan helped himself to a half-century, even as the Bangladesh bowlers at times tried to do too much, and paid the price. Only Taskin Ahmed stood out with figures of 1 for 14 off three overs. That Bangladesh got into a position from where they could entertain hopes of a win was largely due to Mahmudullah’s late blitz, an unbeaten 13-ball 33 that took the hosts to 120 after a sluggish start. He started with a straight drill off Ashish Nehra before going inside out against Hardik Pandya to start 14th over that was taken for 21.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
March 11, 2016
India No Longer Preferred Among Emerging Markets
Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint
BY AMI SHAH
MUMBAI: India is no longer
the preferred destination among emerging markets for the month, said Christopher Wood, managing director of CLSA Ltd, an Asia-based equity broker and investment group, on Thursday. “The reason the rupee is vulnerable is because India is no longer flavour of the month in emerging markets,” Wood said, in his newsletter titled, ‘Greed & Fear’. “Rather ‘overweight’ foreign investors have been selling Indian equities this year,” Wood said. Foreign institutional investors have been net sellers of $2.2 billion of Indian shares, and $1.1 billion of debt, year-to-date. Though they have been net buyers of Indian equities for the first three sessions of March, experts see more selling in the offing. “Still there is a lot more selling that could potentially occur since foreign investors’ aggregate holdings total $308 billion (including $257 billion in Indian equities and US$51 billion in debt), a substantial figure in the context of foreign exchange reserves totaling $350 billion,” Wood said. “Certainly more foreign selling cannot be ruled out given the continuing overweight stance and Greed
and Fear’s base case of renewed risk aversion globally sooner or later. It is also the case that there continues to be a lack of evidence of renewed cyclical momentum in India with credit growth still running only slightly above nominal GDP growth,” added Wood. According to him, the continui g subdued credit growth is proof that India remains in a deleveraging cycle. “Meanwhile, it is important to note recent anecdotal evidence that the long festering NPL (non-performing loans) issue in state-owned banks are starting to be addressed,” Wood pointed out. He also said that the Indian budget has come without the feared aggressive fiscal easing with the government cutting its fiscal deficit target to 3.5% of the gross domestic product or GDP in the fiscal year starting 1 April, down from an estimated 3.9% in the current fiscal year. The fiscal prudence demonstrated by the government in its budget, has been cheered by brokerages across the globe. According to Wood, the fiscal discipline suggests that the Narendra Modi government has listened to the cautious counsel provided by Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan since more aggressive fiscal easing would have risked destabilising the currency, most particularly if states’ deficits are included, the fiscal deficit is running at 6% of GDP this fiscal year, he added. -livemint.com
23
Ola, Uber Launch Bike Taxi Services in Bengaluru BY SAYAN CHAKRABORTY & SHARAN POOVANNA
B
ENGALURU: Ride hailing services Ola and Uber on Thursday announced the launch of their respective bike taxi services in Bengaluru, a move that will mark their presence in almost every possible land commute option. Uber Inc., the world’s most valuable start-up and Ola (ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd), now offer between themselves an array of services; point-topoint drop, ride sharing, carpooling, autorickshaws and now bike taxis, which is likely to establish their grip over short-distance trips at a lower price point. UberMOTO, the bike taxi service, will have a base fare of Rs.15, the company said in a statement. Uber will charge Rs.3 per km apart from Rs.1 for every minute of the ride time. Ola will charge Rs.2 for every km apart from Rs.1 per minute ride time charge, on a base fare of Rs.30. According to industry experts, bike taxis may help both Ola and Uber add significantly to their consumer base, by virtue of the cheaper price points. But, a new service at a cheaper rate will lead to additional cash burn for these companies, as they will have to spend more on incentives for the riders and consumers. According to multiple industry executives, both Ola and Uber are losing money on every booking, which implies that if demand for bike taxis surges, so do their expenses. “They will continue to work on their margins and financials but they can’t choose to not do this. For a very short distance, bike taxis are very efficient,” said Abhishek Goyal, founder of Tracxn, a start-up tracker. Ola and Uber’s entry into the segment might put a host of fledgling start-ups under pressure. Ola and Uber have a significantly big existing user base to cultivate, hence they may
not need to spend heavily to market the new service, unlike others, which might struggle to find a space in the consumer’s smartphone. According to data provided by Tracxn, a start-up tracker, there are at least 20 bike taxi start-ups in India. Only Noida-based Now, Gurgaonbased Bikxie and local rivals Baxi and M-Taxi have raised institutional funding. Bengaluru, where Ola and Uber have launched the bike taxi services, is home to at least seven such start-ups: Mu Ride, Pilot, Streetryderr, Rapido, HeadLYT, Hey Bob and Pillionaire. Industry experts say bike taxi service providers, including Ola and Uber, may face multiple challenges, right from creating demand to maintaining a steady supply of riders. For instance, companies may struggle to ensure a steady supply, because a multitude of riders are currently engaged as delivery personnel with ecommerce companies and hyperlocal delivery start-ups among others. Ola and Uber may have a better chance to woo a certain section of the riders with hefty incentives to begin with, but matching that spending may be a challenge for smaller start-ups. According to executives of several bike taxi start-ups, riders essentially come from delivery start-ups or even BPO employees looking for a quick buck on a part-time basis. Incidentally, both Ola and Uber had earlier added autorickshaws to expand their bouquet of offerings. While Uber discontinued uberAUTO in December last year, Ola continues to expand the category. However, Ola’s interest in autorickshaw’s had taken a toll on niche autorickshaw aggregators across the country, who were struggling to retain drivers in the wake of lucrative incentives offered by Ola, Mint reported on 23 July 2015. However, bike taxi start-ups are not deterred as they contend that bike taxi is a new category for which a market
has to be created. “The last mile or the shorter distance commute is going to be very different from point-to-point commute,” said Rana Vishal Singh, cofounder of HeadLYT. In India, bike taxis may face regulatory hurdles as none of the states, barring Haryana and Goa, acknowledge them as a commercial passenger transport service provider. Both Ola and Uber have claimed that they do not need any specific permit to run bike taxis. Ramegowda, commissioner for road transport Karnataka, however, said that any form of vehicle usage for commercial purposes requires a permit from the relevant authority. In Delhi and Gurgaon, bike taxis suffer from the lack of parking places. Mohit Sharma, co-founder of Bikxie said policemen in Gurgaon do not allow bike taxi riders to park, especially around the metro stations, a key pickup point. “Initially, we also had the issue of cops chasing us on the road. But, we have now taken a parking slot near IFFCO Chowk. Most of our fleet is operating out of here,” Sharma said. “Riders come back to this parking lot, which is used as a hub, while waiting for new rides.” Globally, bike taxis have found significant traction in Southeast Asia. Companies such as Singapore-headquartered GrabTaxi and Indonesia’s Go-Jek are a few big companies in this segment. -livemint.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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Wrap-3
March 11, 2016
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM