Friday, April 29 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 18
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Bollywood in Broadway P11
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From left: Asha Dhume, Vice President, Pratham Houston, Dr. Madhav Chavan, Founder, Pratham, Designer Manish Malhotra, Ash Shah, President, Pratham Houston
Designer Manish Malhotra with models at the finale of the fashion show
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Rama-Lord of 16
Geetha and Sri Ravula, Vedic Fair organizers with their team at Ashirwad’s 5th Vedic Fair on Saturday, April 23, at Cinco Ranch High School in Katy.
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Beckoned by Charity in their Hearts, Couture Captivates Fashionistas BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HOUSTON: It was the prom-
ise of a high-end couture catwalk show that kept most of the guests glued to their seats, even though, given half a chance, like between the auction and dinner, they eagerly weaved their way through the sea of tables to find an acquaintance, friend or colleague to exchange a few words, look around the hall and pose for a few pictures that would eventually find their way onto their Facebook page! This was, after all, Pratham Houston’s 21st Annual Gala, the premier Houston event that other lesser endowed Indian charities aspire to be like and the society ticket of the year for those wanting to see and be seen. Between Pratham Houston’s annual Christmas Luncheon and this event, the charity has certainly captured a large following of the fashionable modern Indian woman’s heart for soaking up the latest trends. And in its wake, a deep vein of creative flair has pushed the organizers for more original items to present. Four years ago this burst came from the techno-savvy interior lighting and stage show wizardry of Brij Kathuria (helped by Nalini Kannan), who was still very much in charge this time around too, with no expense spared for lighting, sound and video. This year, the spark was Pratham Houston President Ash Shah who has developed numerous connections in Bollywood and brought to town the designer to the rich and famous and movie stars, Manish Malhotra, to show off rich, one-of fabrics crafted into Indian fashions. The Gala was held once again at the Hilton Americas Hotel, across from the Convention Center, which has become Pratham Houston’s preferred venue and a record breaking 900 to 950 people attended the over five-hour long event which started at 5:45pm on Saturday, April 23. As the guests crowded around the second-floor lobby, a young woman dressed and painted silver like a statue posed for pictures alongside surprised admirers. Two dhol players broke the buzzing conversations with a jolt as they became the Pied Pipers leading the people inside to their tables. Once inside, the four women Rasika Dance Troupe from Rice University performed classical
Pratham Houston Advisory Board and Houston Board of Directors with spouses
From left: Ash Shah, President, Pratham Houston, Ajay Khurana & Dr. Sippi Khurana, Co-Chairs, Pratham Houston Gala 2016, Asha Dhume, Vice President, Pratham Houston
dance movements to very modern, heavy drumbeat and vocal music from celebrated composer A.R. Rahman, as they did once again after the auction and dinner. Emcees for the evening Rekha Muddaraj, weekend anchor on KHOU 11 News (a former emcee in previous years) and Michael Pierce, Senior Counsel, Schlumberger and Society Blogger for the Houston Chronicle guided the program through its steps. Amiya and Apurva Ghosh, daughters of noted Houston vocalist Pandit Suman Ghosh, sang the national anthems of the US and India. In his welcome speech, Ash Shah marveled at how far Pratham had come in the last two decades and how this Gala was the largest in attendance and fundraising. He quoted the poet Maya Angelou on the measure of life “… by the mo-
ments that take our breath away” and how the pioneering work of Pratham in education struck a deep chord in his heart. He recalled the moment years ago in India when he saw a young boy risking his life chasing after a car in traffic to sell something and realizing that education was the only key out for those who are stuck in poverty to get a better chance in life. “Pratham’s low cost innovative model teaches a child for only $25 a year,” he went on, “and has impacted the lives of 40 million people.” He disclosed later that the Houston Gala (co-chairs were Ajay and Dr. Sippi Khurana and Bashar and Brigitte Kalai) brought in $1.8 million that evening for the charity. Reflecting two days later, a tired by gratified Shah only said that Pratham Houston’s 2017 would be
even better. “It will be bigger, better and grander as we would like to raise the bar of gala experience for our generous supporters.” After a video that showed the progress of Pratham in India through the years, Dr. Rukmini Banerji, the CEO of Pratham Education Foundation, based in New Delhi spoke of how over the past 20 years she has been impressed by the big heart the Houston has is its support for the organization. She explained the result of the work done with pre-school kids and how they quickly assimilate information they learn to address issues that they are not familiar with. She touched on Pratham’s Read India program that taught reading and basic arithmetic and her future vision to use electronic tablets with preloaded videos and facts to help kids learn English. Teasingly, she challenged the designer Manish Malhotra “to design a Pratham dupatta”, recalling the moments some years ago when founder Vijay Goradia’s tie was auctioned off at a Gala. Other galas are planned for later in the year by Pratham chapters in nine other cities in the US and Banerji will attend some of them. An impressive part of the program was when 11 year-old Isha Patel, the articulate grand-daughter of Pratham Director Yogi Patel of Dallas, spoke convincingly of how she had raised awareness for Pratham and urged everyone to donate even as she would pledge $100. She began by playing “My name is ….. I am an iPAD” in several voices recorded on her iPhone and explaining that, for her, iPAD stood for India Proud American Desi and that ABCD really stood for American Born Compassionate Desi, to the delight of the audi-
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Photos: Bijay Dixit
ence! The pledge drive was kicked off by last year’s president Marie Goradia as cards were collected from tables, following which the live auction began in earnest as Dr. Subodh Bhuchar and John Heffernan both strode onstage and the catwalk to prod people on to bid for eight items, of which the giant brass Nataraja displayed in the foyer (and donated by Zarposh India) drew the highest bid at $13,500. Over the years, a oncehesitant Bhuchar has turned into an adept, practiced auctioneer sought out for many Indian galas. He displayed his growing skills by drawing on Banerji’s remark, and persuading Vijay Goradia and Dr. Vashishta Patel to once again donate their ties, which together went for $4,000! Dinner, as well as the appetizers early in the foyer, was provided by Dawat Catering whose Mahesh Shah was all over managing the service. And right after dinner, the night belonged to Manish Malhotra’s Royal Collection, introduced by Pratham’s Vice President Asha Dhume. To a booming soundtrack of folk music, cymbals and dhols, the models – nearly 30 of them – strode out in the elegant and brilliant fabrics that comprise the fashions that Malhotra has become famous for across the world. He had only been in the city that afternoon, but managed to brief his models and cue them for a poised and well executed runway show that was not the usual jilted version. At the end, with the models arrayed behind him, the 50 yearold maestro strode out in a basic black suit to acknowledge the models and take a bow, without a word.
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Vedic Hymns Reverberate a Quiet Saturday Afternoon
BY VANSHIKA VIPIN
KATY:
Saturday, April 23, was not the usual quiet afternoon at Cinco Ranch High School in Katy. It was reverberated due to the high energy experience, or as we call it ‘Vedic Hymns’, being wafted out at Ashirwad’s 5th Vedic Fair. After the grand success of the earlier Vedic Fair’s, Ashirwad once again helped translate the age-old Spiritual knowledge into blessings, being imparted in form of a complete family experience that covered the length and breadth of India. Preparations for this nonpareil fair started since December 2015, and one could judge the tremendous amount of efforts put in as they walked in from the car parking area. As people started moving into the entrance, they were greeted by a divine Dio-Rama Saket Lok, a gorgeously decorated set with a huge backdrop of Lord Ram in Saket Lok, depicting the abode of Lord Sri Rama. People who had taken a pause were seen noticing the backdrop, which enlisted the 16 qualities (Gunas as mentioned in Sanskrit) translated to English. The heavenly journey of this Vedic Fair began with a supreme divine recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, by members of Shri. Lakshmi Narayan Mandir. This was followed by a hallowing instrumental performance by Katy Orchestra, a young band that lifted audiences’ spirits with their devotional numbers attuned to modern karaoke music. Abhinaya School of Dance, Katy, performed a coronation dance that pepped up the event. A cute little treat was to see tiny kids in avatars of their favorite Gods and Goddesses in a show called ‘Kids Vedic Walk’, that presented Ikshwaku Dynasty, the lineage of Lord Ram. The honest and genuine feedback of some of the kids is stated at the end of this article. The brightly talented Ashirwad students presented a variety of items ranging from historic temples to modern sports. It was so fascinating to see some lovely kids who had put in a lot of efforts that exhibited not only their love and passion for this subject but also their deep knowledge.
Excitement is impossible where there is no contest. From the 27 plus ‘Celebrate India Exhibit’ booths, Ashirwad students contested to present topics on INDIA. The winners of this contest were, Jahnabi Deka who beautifully presented “Mahabharath in North Eastern States”, first runner up Saanika Halapeti on “Shiva Puran” and second runner up Laalsa Kella on “Taj Mahal”. The Vedic Bazaar also witnessed 20 plus booths that displayed varied faiths across the Indian culture including ISCKON, Govinda Gaudiya, and booths on Islam, Buddhism and Jainism. This marvelous event was attended by 2500 plus Houstonians. The signature event was Sloka-Thon contest, which displayed a rare and unique talent of chanting 108 slokas of Vishnu Sahasra Namam, memorized by the kids who could also chant these slokas in a reverse order. The contestants who proudly made it to the Top 5 were Aishani Sakalabaktula, Rhea Bhat, Saanika Halapeti, Sai Pardhu Aki and Srinidhi Srikalyani. As they say, the best showcase is usually kept for the last.
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And this could be judged with the outcome of the Grand Finale play, “Rama – Lord of 16”. This play was so well received by the wonderful audiences that lovingly and emotionally stayed back till the grand coronation of Lord Ram. The play showcased some snippets from Lord Ram’s life and highlighted a few of the 16 great qualities that he practiced. The event was so pepped up with life in a grand way, with a perfect mix of props, modern soothing music, bright costumes and back screen videos that complimented the scenes in addition to dazzling the stage. The first and foremost that Geetha Ravula, the founder of ‘Ashirwad, A Blessing Temple’ did was to thank her GURU HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji for initiating and gracing her with knowledge that she is now able to share with her students. If a team moves forward together with a common vision, success is taken care of by itself. Geetha and Sri Ravula, Vedic Fair organizers do believe in this and hence they individually called out the names of Ashirwad’s Teachers and Team members and thanked them for their continued commitment and dedication towards Indian Heritage. The names of these brilliant team members were: - Priya and Ravi Sethuraman, Priya Muralidharan, Deepika Maharaj, Sailesh and Radhika Kaparaju, Ashutosh and Sonali Sapru, Anish Kumar and Rajeshwari Ganeshan, Mahima Bhat, Bindu Bhonsley, Man-
isha and Mahesh Halapeti, Kavita and Prasad Kella and Vedic Fair 5 Team including Ashirwad Young Wings. A successful event cannot be complete without the support of its members and partners. Ravulas therefore thanked organizations that supported Vedic Fair 5 - Shri Sitaram Foundation, Mandap Creations, ISKCON, Sanatan Hindu Center, Abhinaya School of Dance and participating organization in Inter Faith presentations, Islamic Society of Greater Houston, JVB Preksha Meditation Center, Universal Door Meditation Center, Vedic Bazaar Vendors and Media friends Vanshika Vipin, Shobna Muratee, Seshadri Kumar, Manisha Gandhi, Voice of Sanatan Hinduism and Masala Radio. The tag line of Vedic Fair was truly justified in stating ‘ Fun, Festive & Flamboyant Fair’. The Vedic Fair is a unique event on the Houston Calendar – it is an independent event that has seen success because of the participants and the organization. The Ashirwad Temple firmly believes in enriching the community by spreading the knowledge of Hindu Spirituality. The belief of Ashirwad Temple is “One-ness of God” and the Vedic Fair shows us how. Houston now looks forward to the next year’s theme “Lakshmi, The Divine 8”, which is Vedic Fair’s 6th edition. For more updates on this visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/VedicFair or the website www.AshirwadABlessing. org.
Photos: Sujay Ramagoni
Feedback from kids and parents:Saanika : “Vedic Fair and Ashirwad have influenced my life in many ways. In general, slokas and the presentations have helped me breakthrough the shyness I had years ago and to learn about my heritage. I have been in Ashirwad for about 7 years now. When I was younger, I had pretty good memory but after pursuing slokhas, I feel my memory has been enhanced so much that I can digest knowledge rapidly. At debate competitions, we have to memorize points, plans, and citations in thirty minutes to give a 7-minute speech and I can memorize them in no time at all. I can truly and genuinely say that slokhas have proved beneficial to me as well as my extra-curricular activities. Thank you Ashirwad!” Ayushi : “My experience from Vedic Fair really helped me understand our culture and religion. After learning about my religion I think that I can benefit in many ways”. Ms Sapru’s topic this year was “If GOD is everywhere, why do we worship idols?” Mahima : “It was very nice to hear kind words of appreciation for Ashirwad for organizing a beautiful event promoting Indian culture and heritage. My work at front desk proved to be very rewarding when I heard all positive comments”.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
For photo collage, see pages 14-15
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COMMUNITY
April 29, 2016
Rhythm India’s Workshop with Shakti Mohan
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This past weekend on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24, Rhythm India Bollywood Dance Company hosted a 2-day workshop with the one and only Shakti Mohan, a celebrity dancer from India. She was the winner of Dance India Dance Season 2. In addition, she was a finalist on the show Jhalak Dikhla Ja, the lead dancer in the song Aa re Pritam Pyaare from Rowdy Rathore and is currently a judge on the famous reality dance show called Dance Plus with Remo D’souza. Shakti began her Nritya Shakti Tour 2016 with Houston as the first city. Coincidentally on Saturday, April 23, it marked the sixth anniversary of her Dance India Dance winning title. Arzan Gonda, the Artisitic Director of Rhythm India organized a cake cutting ceremony for the celebration, which was highly appreciated by Shakti. Needless to say the workshop was a huge hit with all those who signed up for it. Some die hard Shakti Mohan fans drove down from Dallas and Austin for the workshop. There were two batches on both days for Juniors (8 - 12 yrs) in Batch 1 and Youth & Adults in batch 2. On Day one they learned a Bollywood style dance on the song Malhari from the movie Bajirao Mastani and on Day two they learned a new style called Waacking to the song Dola Re Dola from Devdas. Shakti was very impressed with the caliber of the students, and stated that she was very surprised at the speed the stu-
dents picked up both routines. Rhythm India holds dance workshops for its students and for the public year round. The goal is to expose their students to the best choreographers and dancers in the business. They have workshops planned all summer this year. The next big workshop is with the Bollywood legend Saroj Khan on Friday, May 20. There will be two batches on the same day. Batch 1, 4:00 - 6:00 pm and Batch 2, 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Batch 2 is completely booked with few spots still available in Batch 1. Reserve your spots now before Batch 1 gets filled. To sign up for the workshop go to www.rhythm-india.com or call 281 968 9479. Feed back from students Tanisha Hirani: “The workshop was amazing such an enriching experience. We learned a lot, my favorite was the Waacking because it was something we had never done before. Shakti was amazing!!” Sneha Dama: “This workshop was simply amazing and unforgettable. My favorite part of this workshop was Waacking. We’ve never learned anything like this. We definitely want her back to teach us more styles and especially contemporary next time.” Rama Janamanchi: “My favorite part was the Bollywood Dance. It was a little more complicated than usual but Shakti made the complicated steps very easy to learn. She is a great teacher.”
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COMMUNITY
Hindi Poetry in Motion ….. and Laughter Commotion!
HOUSTON: So what if it was a
late Sunday evening and you had to get to work the next morning? You couldn’t help but linger on as those Hindi poets on stage kept you in stitches with their witty delivery of couplets. Some made it out to the lobby to eat a light dinner of pav-bhaji and vegetable rice and raita only to devour it quickly and rush back in so as not to miss the ending wrap up. Others stayed glued to their seats, already for over three hours, and hated to let it go. And the last Hindi comic poet standing was Aashkaran Atal, who, with his cherubic cheeks, glasses, prominent chin and pursed mouth resembles Peter, the dad in the hit tv-animated series The Family Guy. He had a quick wit about him and a knack for turning a quick observation into a witticism in craftily composed Hindi pankthiyan or verses. As in when Suryakumar Pandey, the lead poet for the evening, made a sly remark when Atal walked off stage and disappeared for a few moments. Atal came back with a retort that he was “in the restroom doing something you (pointing to Pandey) couldn’t do: comb my hair” while a bald Pandey looked on bemused! These two formed the bulwark of the 9th Annual Hasya Kavi Sammelan (Comic Poet’s Gathering) while the other two poets
– Ramesh Sharma and Archana Panda – rounded out the quartet with impassioned poems in song on emotions and relationships. The event was held this past Sunday, April 24 at India House and began with chai and snacks at 4pm and ended with a light dinner at 9pm, both catered by Madras Pavilion restaurant. An audience of nearly 300 people came to hear poetry in Hindi and roar with delight and laughter as each verse tumbled out. Guests and poets were welcomed by India Culture Center President Rajiv Bhavsar and International Hindi Association Houston chapter President Dr. K.D. Upadhyaya, while Suman Uppal and Saroj Upadhyaya marked the start of the event by lighting the ceremonial diyas (lamps) onstage. Talented local kavis (poets) who have performed in previous IHA programs were recognized with an award certificate and group picture. The IHA and ICC gave an award to a very surprised Swapan Dhairyawan for his many years of community work and for the propagation of Hindi through the Hindi Kary Vistaar (work to spread Hindi) and connecting with non-Hindi speakers so that prachar (propagate) and prasar (expansion) happens with all. Recognizing his dedication, he was selected as the IHA President for a two year term
The poets who performed at the IHA Kavi Sammelan, from left, Aashkaran Atal, Archana Panda, Suryakumar Pandey and Ramesh Sharma Photos: Jawahar Malhotra
starting this year; which is significant as it is the first time in 36 ears of the organization that a person whose mother tongue is not Hindi (Dhairyawan’s is Marathi) has risen to this post. Dr. Upadhyaya and Bhavsar both stressed the need for Hindi outreach within the community and the strong IHA/ICC team that will work to make that happen; with Upadhyaya delivering the slogan sabko saath le jao (take everyone along) in spreading Hindi. Sangeeta Pasrija, Trustee of IHA and ICC introduced all the poets in her chaste Hindi. The vote of thanks was delivered by ICC Secretary Saundarya Sohoni and IHA Joint
Secretary Mahesh Derashri. None of the poets are strangers to Hindi lovers as they are well known in India. The Bayou City was the 5th stop on an eight week, 22-city tour for them of the US at different IHA chapters. Suryakumar Pandey, from Lucknow, is a leading satirist in India whose poetry is mixed with engaging humor. He has written 21 books, he writes for several national Hindi newspapers and appears on Hindi radio and TV channels. It is his first visit to Canada and the US. Bombayite Aashkaran Atal is well known for his unique style of humor and satire, a film lyricist, writer and director; an 11th grade teacher in
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Chattisgarh state; the author of four books and has performed in Europe, the Far East, Middle East, Canada and the US. By contrast, the other two poets are more reflective and masters at expressing emotions. Ramesh Sharma of Chittorgarh (north east of Udaipur), Rajasthan also writes for several national Hindi newspapers and appears on Hindi radio and TV channels. It is also his first visit to Canada and the US though he has performed in the UK and Oman too. Archana Panda is a native of Orissa who lives in the Bay area in California. She is a software engineer but is passionate about Hindi poetry, having performed at many Kavi Semmelans. She has written two books, is a singer and dancer and anchors the radio show, Zindagi (Life), every Sunday. She is also a close friend of IHA Director Sangeeta Pasrija. Pandey, the informal emcee for the poets, started the program with a vow to “take you to another world – of Hindi poetry” and broke into the levity that he is known for. Archana Panda started off with poetry sung in praise of love and asked that “you listen not with your ears but with your heart”. Pandey then returned to poke fun at common things (“In CONTINUED ON PAGE
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April 29, 2016
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A Bollywood Rainbow Over Miller BY MALAY VYAS
HOUSTON:
Naach Houston painted a rainbow of Bollywood in Broadway colors over the Miller Outdoor Theatre on night of Sunday, April 24. The rains had just left the Houston area and Naach stole the thunder with ‘Bollywood Broadway’, produced in collaboration with India House. Col. Vipin Kumar, the executive director of India House warmed up the audience with a welcome speech and the art of Bollywood was once again on display at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Naach Style. Directed & Conceptualized by Naach Houston’s founder and Artistic Director Mahesh Mahbubani. The title Bollywood Broadway, Both Bollywood and Broadway share their roots in the genre of musical theatre using global dance forms. Broadway is located in the Western world whereas Bollywood is a global melting pot of the world, with its essence being truly Indian, a reflection of Mahesh whose professional background and dance experience is international and yet truly Bollywood in essence. The Larger than life dance production was lavish and elegant with breathtaking Visuals, an eclectic mix of sound design, with complex choreography created by Mahesh Mahbubani into a magical theatrical experience, transporting the viewer into another realm of being. Mahesh and The Naach Faculty comprised of 6 talented choreographers and instructors, Anita Vyas, Shah Ahmed, Star Gilani, Zohair Alam, Nirju Tailor and Disha Sapna Thadani worked with over 70 performers of diverse age groups, culminated into a visual treat for the eyes, synchronized perfectly with acoustics pleasing to the ears, while carrying an emotional appeal to the viewers’ hearts at all times. The Overture - the curtain raised to feature a court scene with the King and Queen played by Anil Rana & Marcela Bodeya, symbolizing a new empire of Naach to Azeem O shah Shahenshah followed by foot thumping ‘Malhari’ from the movie ‘Bajirao Mastani’, setting the entire stage ablaze with electric energy. Act 1 -The Juke Box, showcasing diversity in Bollywood. This act included three sections displaying various dance styles from Disco to Latin, Folk, Indo Jazz and Hip Hop. Christopher Rangel stole the audiences’ heart by a very vibrant performance to ‘Tharki Chhokro’ from the movie PK accompanied by the Naach Performers. Act 2 - An Ode To Romance, depicted the 4 stages of loveFriendship, Romance, Yearning and Union. This section opened
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with Shah Ahmed in a bicycle across the stage to woo Disha Thadani in the flirty ‘Tukur Tukur’, followed by a mischievous group piece led by Zohair Alam and Prita Kapoor. Ode to romance featured our very own King of Romance at Naach - Zohair Alam, his Duet with Nirju Tailor was one of the highlights of this act. The Aerial Act in this duet was sponsored by Fenyx Arts performed elegantly by Nirju Tailor to the music of Gerua, Zohair’s end pose elicited shouts of ‘Shah Rukh’ from the audience. Maestro Mahesh Mahbubani himself featuring in the heart-rending song ‘Aayat’ epitomized Naach’s rich repertoire of Contemporary dances. Mahesh’s dance inspired by the whirling dervishes and Kathak in a spell bound performance, moving the audience to tears. He danced gracefully with such effortlessness, gliding like an ethereal being through space. The finale of ode to romance was a beautiful dance work called Sufi mix symbolizing love as devotion performed by the Naach Instructors. The third act titled ‘Apsara Lounge’ was dedicated to the goddesses of Bollywood featuring the classical style in contemporary India, ‘Deewani Mastani’ led by beautiful performer Star Gilani, a heavenly vista of celestial dancers in a five layered gold costume and intricate dance formations, this breathtaking number was followed by ‘Ang Lagaa De’ a highly sensual and poetic ren-
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dition of the goddess in human form. Zoya Gilani wowed the audiences with her mesmerizing performance of the Kathak special ‘Mohe Rang Do Laal’ to conclude this act. The final act Utsav, a celebration of dances from the festivals of India. Naach performers got the audience going with ‘Mast Kalandar’ building the excitement with ‘Nagada Sang Dhol’ from Ram Leela and the BhangraHip Hop track Nache Farhate to bring the house down. The audience was treated to an epic finale with all the Naach dancers on stage, led by Mahesh Mahbubani dancing to the popular
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COMMUNITY
Hundreds of Families Get First-Hand Look at New State-of-the-Art Children’s Clinic
Registration tables. Ibn Sina Foundation is a non-profit organization providing Free and Low-Cost Medical and Dental Services for Uninsured and UnderInsured Patients at six clinics throughout the Houston area. Our new state-of-theart Children’s Clinic accepts CHIP, Medicaid, and Major Insurance PPOs. Services for children under age 21 include Free Annual Visits, Free Sick Visits, Free Sports Physicals, Free School Physicals, Free Immunizations, Free Medical Labs, and Free X-Rays.
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that kept temperatures in the comfortable range, hundreds of families made up of a diverse group of nationalities enjoyed Ibn Sina Foundation’s Fun and Fit Children’s Health Fair at the new Stateof-the-Art Children’s clinic located at 11220 South Wilcrest Drive in Houston. Members of the Ibn Sina Foundation’s Board of Directors also attended the festive event, with large banners, flags, signs and balloons attracting the attention of motorists as they drove along South Wilcrest Drive and Stancliff. The large crowd gathered from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm as children were provided with free medical services in a fun atmosphere. Children laughed and screamed with delight as they petted the baby goats and other animals at the Petting Zoo, brightened their mood with face painting, fought imaginary foes with balloons twisted into the shape of swords, posed for gleeful selfies with a Police Officer after racing to get a first-hand look at a real police car, delighted in the big red Fire Truck and firefighters dressed in full gear, took
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off their shoes to bound through an enormous obstacle course/ bounce house, leaped up on the carousel rides, waited patiently for popcorn, cotton candy, cookies, apples, bananas and juice, and bounced along to the beat of radio stations entertainment and Zumba demonstrations. In addition, many families took advantage of an opportunity to tour the new, State-of-the-Art Children’s Clinic, which officially opened to the public on Monday, April 25. Families lined up to register for the new Children’s Clinic’s many free and low-cost services, and visited Vendor Booths set up by a myriad of organizations, including Aflac, Texans Together Education Fund, Houston Health and Human Services’ Women’s Infants and Children (WIC) Program, Alief Community Center, CHIP, Change Happens, Lab Test Diagnostics, New York Life Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Enroll America and Voter
Our mission is to ensure the health of the community by providing preventive and primary care to enhance the quality of life for the entire community that includes the tireless efforts of many highly qualified doctors, nurses, medical assistants, dentists and dental assistants, some of whom generously donate their time to the Ibn Sina Foundation’s work. The goal of the Ibn Sina Foundation is to help eliminate or significantly reduce health issues in the local communities of its area of service. If patients are unable to pay the very low minimal fee for medical services, special arrangements and exceptions can be made to serve them. By building valued customer relations, Ibn Sina Foundation works diligently to educate its patients about the importance of Medical and Dental care. The nonprofit organization provides educational sessions on topics ranging from respiratory diseases to proper diet and nutrition.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
April 29, 2016
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Meenakshi Chithirai Thiruvizha Mahotsavam ing. The devotees were coming in continuously at one point Kalyana Mandapam was full. MTS priests followed all the steps for a beautiful celestial wedding of Sri Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, Devotees were involved in performing rakshabandanam and kanyadhanam. More than 1,500 devotees witnessed the festival and got the blessings. After the wedding, utsava murthis procession with BY SASIDHARAN PILLAI
PEARLAND:
The festival of Meenakshi Chithirai Thiruvizha is one of the most important annual festivals held at the famous Meenakshi Temple at Madurai. Here in Pearland we follow the same tradition. This year it began on April 15, with several special attractions within the festival, such as Meenakshi Pattabhishekam, Thirukalyanam of Lord Sundareswarar with Goddess Meenakshi, and the Ratham festival. Many Houston residents who are regular visitors of MTS, carry the memories of Chithirai Thiruvizha fondly. The Mahotsavam began with dhwaja-arohanam (flag hoisting) on April 15 and concluded on April 24, with dhwaja-avarohanam. The purpose of such festivals is believed to shower all of God’s creations with health, wealth, happiness and prosperity. It is interesting to know the sequence of rituals that comprise this festival. A decorated podium will be set up inside the main temple at the center where the utsavamurthys of Meenakshi and Sundareswaran to indicate the gruhasta ashrama (married life) of Lord Shiva with his consort Parvathi, and their son Ganesh and Karthikeya. Sri Meenakshi has a special place as the female energy (Shakti) during the Utsavam. In order to preserve the sanctity of a temple as a place of worship, certain rituals are also performed everyday of the festival. This will be held outside in a tent for convenience in accordance with the basic guidelines established by the
Photos: Srini Sundarrajan
Shastras. “Since the temple has been designed according to the principle of Vaastu Shastra, rituals are followed that recognize that periodic (annual) worship ceremonies are needed to please the deva paarshadas (attendants of the deities). Deva Paarshadas safeguard the temple premises and devotees kinetics of the earth. Rituals to please these powers (to remain favorable towards us) were carried out during the 10 days of mahotsavam. Sri Meenakshi –Sundareswarar (Thirukalyana Utsavam) on Sunday, April 24: The celebration started with a seervarisai procession from Ganesh temple accompanied by Nadaswaram. Malai matruthal (garland exchange), pidi sutruthal and oonjal seva was done perfectly by the priests with so many ladies participat-
Ratham and all the vahanas was a beautiful sight to watch. The Nathaswaram and the Chenda Melam music brought Indian Temple festive mood to all the devotees. It was indeed an amazing and blessed day. It looked like Meenakshi holding the rainfall to complete the procession and other rituals of dhwaja-avarohanam and take all the utsava murthis inside the main temple for the final arthi. Everyone enjoyed the grand banana leaf sit down lunch with the traditional wedding menu served by many volunteers. After the lunch the cultural program was a visual treat for the devotees. Amazing dance performances by five graduating seniors was a wonderful conclusion to perfect celebration. Chairman thanked all the staff and volunteers.
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
14 April 29, 2016
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
April 29, 2016
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See article on page 5 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
16 April 29, 2016 Hindi Poetry in Motion CONTINUED FROM PAGE
10
COMMUNITY
A Bollywood Rainbow Over Miller CONTINUED FROM PAGE
The visiting poets posed after the show with the boards of the IHA and ICC and volunteers. Not pictured is ICC Director Ajit Patel who was busy at the CD sales table.
India it takes 20 people to change a light bulb: one to put it in and 19 to say “Wah, wah! What a light bulb!”); Indian politicians, corruption, education, youth among others. Ramesh Sharma followed with poetry sung in his deep voice, singing “Kya Likhte rehte ho yuhin?” (What do you keep writing always?) an ode to marriage and “Yaad Aati Hai Ma” (I remember mother) both of which were well received. Aashkaran Atal easily stole the night away with his non-stop humorous observations and short skits in poetry, taking stabs at his fellow poet Pandey, at actors, renting a flat in Bombay, love, Indian political
parties and even a barb aimed at Dhairyawan and the media in the audience, looking straight at this reporter! They kept the pace up for nearly four hours, much to the audience’s delight. The sponsors for the event were Madras Pavilion; Deep Foods; Discount Power; Wallis State Bank; MD & Associates LLP; Paradise Gifts; Dr. Ashima and Anand Chauhan; Sarita Singhal; Parul Fernandes; Keka Kar; Pallavi Dhairyawan; Saroj Upadhyaya; Deepty Patel and Bela Bhavsar. Additional support came from the Indian Senior Citizens Association and Banke Bihari Parivar.
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high-energy track ‘Gallan Goodiyan’ inspiring the audience to dance as well. Arif Memon of DMMS designed the light with Mahesh Mahbubani to create stunning visuals transforming the Miller Outdoor Theatre. Back Stage Manager Shefali Jhaveri and Malay Vyas did an amazing job cueing the performers, and stage properties creating a seamless flow to the performance. Naach would like to thank their sponsors, Manish Rungta, Larrissa and Ajay Sharma and St Luke’s Hospital for their generous support in investing in local Talent. The rainbow over Miller eventually faded leaving the colors of Naach imprinted on in the minds of the audiences. Naach had once again enthralled the audiences for 90 minutes nonstop, raising the bar of Bollywood Performances in Houston. There will be more shows to come and more rain storms as well, but a unique combination of a visually moving show with a range of global dance styles will be remembered and cherished for a long time. As someone in the audience pointed out… “Whenever there is rain, bring on Naach”.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY Raas All - Stars 8
April 29, 2016
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H
OUSTON: Raas All-Stars, the National Championship of Raas/ Garba Circuit,, was this past Saturday, April 23, and it was an event our executive board has been anticipating since September! We were fortunate enough to have eighth powerful teams that were a treat to watch. CMU Raasta and RU RAGA took home the title of National Champion and Runner Up respectively. For the performers, the big weekend started on Friday at the mixer, where all the teams met and played games to get to know each other better. Also at the mixer, the teams met to choreograph and practice the annual collaborative dance, a RAS tradition where the eight teams are all mixed up and divided into eight new “teams” and perform a song prior to the show on Saturday. It was truly amazing to see all the performers put together a well choreographed and fun dance in such a short amount of time! Saturday was a busy day for both the board and the performers as we approached the day we’ve all been preparing for. We had a great venue, Cullen Performance Hall at the University of Houston. Two of our amazing sponsors, Edible Arrangements and Kalakriti Performing Arts stopped by and gave delicious treats as well as told the audience a little about who they were.
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For the show itself, two of our very own board members, Raul Larsen and Samyu Rao sang the American and Indian national anthems. After that, we had our teams perform the collab dance they choreographed the night before. After they finished the collab dance, it was time for the teams to compete. All the teams danced flawlessly and powerfully. It was extremely difficult to find a clear winner. However, after much deliberation, the judges awarded CMU Raasta as
the champions! Our board was lucky to have a team of helpful liaisons, volunteers, and sponsors. Without them we would not have been able to have the kind of show we did. We would like to give them a shout out for all their hard work and dedication to this weekend! We hope all the teams received the National Championship and audience that they deserve, until next time.
(281) 564-9500
This Walkathon Will Heal Many People for Months!
The Boards of the IACF and IDCC , volunteers and Sugar Land Mayor hopeful Harish Jajoo pose at the ribbon cutting to mark the start of the IACF Walkathon at Lost Creek Park in Sugar Land
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
SUGAR LAND: If it had been held
the previous weekend, the walkathon could have been a wash because of the heavy rains that deluged the city and flooded many areas. The organizers heaved a sigh of relief as the skies turned a marvelous blue and sunshine warmed the people who had gathered
in Lost Creek Park this past Saturday, April 23 for an early morning 5K I Walk, I Care walkathon, organized after a two year absence, by the Indo American Charity Clinic. The walkathon was a joint promotion with the Indian Doctors Charity Clinic so that others could show their support for two organizations which have been helping the needy in the
Metroplex for the past three decades, instead of spending lavishly of programs that help the downtrodden in India. Over 250 people attended the event, and 160 of them – from 7 to 70 years-old - walked the trail in the park after a breakfast of hot South Indian food and fruits. There were medical booths set up CONTINUED ON PAGE
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
18 April 29, 2016 Choking the Voices of Dissent
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Assam at the Crossroads
BY HIREN SARMA
This is Part 1 of a 4-part series on the
S
outh Asia is not a safe space for diversity or independent thought, anymore. A region that showed the world how nonviolent struggle can challenge colonialism now has a high incidence of settling political and ideological differences through egregious violence. Christians and Shias are subject to brutal terrorist violence periodically in Pakistan, while India has seen a rise in everyday coercion of liberals who do not adhere to Rightwing agendas. Bangladesh is also seeing the kind of extremism and savagery that makes the world shudder. Xulhaz Mannan, the editor of Roopbaan, Bangladesh’s only LGBT magazine, was hacked to death along with his friend, Tonoy Mehbub, a USAID worker, by five or six men in Dhaka on April 25. Last weekend saw the murder of English professor Rezaul Karim Siddique at Rajshahi. These are among several attacks on secular, atheist independent thinkers and bloggers that have happened over the last year. In most cases, the victims have been attacked with machetes and left dying to evoke public horror and provoke fear among the intelligentsia. The reasons why the killings are not stopping are all too familiar. The Sheikh Hasina government, known to be more tolerant than the Opposition Bangladesh National Party of Khaleda Zia has pursued the trials against those who had participated in the atrocities during the country’s liberation in 1971. But Hasina is however wary of offending religious conservatives and her government has not tracked down and prosecuted the criminals who have committed these acts. Instead, her government has on occasion arrested bloggers for allegedly offending religious sentiments or corrupting readers. Extremism in Bangladesh has been a global security concern for a while now and the State has likely acquired some capacity to be able to deal with high-profile crimes. Not acting in this regard is a political choice that the Hasina government has made, to its country’s detriment. Those in India must not presume that Bangladesh’s reality is worlds away. We see hate speech deployed on Twitter against liberals daily and have seen the killings of activists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and scholar MM Kalburgi, without anyone prosecuted yet. Protecting liberty and establishing the rule of law are in the final analysis national security issues.
current situation in Assam through the lens of a non-resident Assamese. Prologue Last October, following my retirement, I spent two months in Assam, crisscrossing the state through various towns and the cities and a number of villages. As always, it was fulfilling to see people trying to make a difference in society through their individual efforts, however small they may be. What bothered me during this visit was the overall situation in the state, particularly among the indigenous people of Assam, many of whom are questioning today – are we going to survive as an entity, is there any future for the Assamese people, and the language? The definition of the “Assamese people” has changed over the years and it is important to take note of this, as explained in the discussion below. Before going further, it is important to clarify two points; one about myself and the other about the definition of “Assamese”. Although I was born Hindu, my thought process has always been driven more by “spirituality” rather than any religious compulsions. This is not to say that I feel shy about pronouncing myself as a Hindu, unlike many so called pseudo secularists of the present day, particularly to fulfill their personal goals. I can say this openly, because I respect the common humanity shared by all of us, irrespective of caste or creed. The second point is about the definition of “Assamese”. For me, the latest definition of “the indigenous tribes of Assam and the indigenous Assamese people” is the most appropriate definition for all practical purposes. The indigenous Assamese includes all Hindus, Muslims and other religious factions. The article is based on this definition of “Assamese”. Background To understand the current situation in Assam, we have to go back a long way. The greater Assam, divided into seven sisters (see map) in the 70s and 80s based on ethnic and linguistic lines, covers an area of approximately 100,000 square miles or about 7% of
Greater Assam was divided into seven sisters in the 70s and 80s.
India’s total area. The current population is estimated at approximately 50 million, about 3.7% of India’s total. This article addresses the current dire situation in Assam, which is primarily two fold; one based on rapid demographic change and the second based on linguistic shift over the years. Both these issues stem from the same source, e.g., massive unabated flow of illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh, although, to lesser extents, there are some other contributing factors as well. Currently, Assam has the second largest followers of the Islamic faith among the Indian states. See table for a description of the growth disparity over the years. According to the latest census, the rate of increase in Islamic population in Bangladesh is 14%, in Pakistan 20%, in overall India 24.6%, and in Assam 29.6%. It is important to note that out of this Islamic population, only 15-20% are indigenous Muslims and the rate of growth among this group is within the average population growth in India. We will discuss about the definition of “indigenous” population later. One other important aspect to note is that the immigrants from Bangladesh speak Bengali, and the rapid growth in their population increases the number of Bengali speaking people in Assam, which already has a sizeable indigenous Bengali speaking popula-
tion from the British days. With the decline of Ahom kingdom and following the infamous aggression of Assam by Burma, British rule started in greater Assam in 1826 through Yandaboo treaty between Burmah and British India. When the British government recognized the potential of Assam with its natural resources and minerals, the migration of workers started from rest of undivided India, including East Bengal with 85% Muslim population. This migration not only continued, but actually increased after partition of India and Pakistan, and then the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, which is what is termed as “infiltration”. This infiltration never stopped either due to a lack of political will or due to exploitation of the situation by certain political parties, considering this as a massive vote bank to remain in power. After the Government of India Act in 1935, a legislative Assembly was established in Assam in 1937 and the Muslim League, led by Md. Saddulah formed a minority government. It is believed that this government opened the flood gate of Muslim immigration to Assam, particularly from East Bengal (later East Pakistan and then Bangladesh). The author is a retired Oil & Gas Project Development Manager in Houston, and also a fiction writer in Assamese language.
Faith-based growth disparity in Assam.
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: AKASH MISHRA 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
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
April 29, 2016
19
Sewa International & VYASA Conduct Stop Diabetes Mellitus (SDM) Yoga Camp
BY NOOPUR SAPATNEKAR
HOUSTON: Sewa International
and VYASA organized a 10 day yoga camp fromApril 15 to 24 at 3 Houston area locations, simultaneously (Sugar Land, Katy & Cypress). The camp was specially designed for diabetic and pre diabetic people to help them manage and control diabetes with Yoga routine and holistic approach. With this, Sewa International, Houston has done 8 camps in Houston so far. SDM camps are being conducted all across the country with one currently going on in Phoenix also. The camp ended with a perfectly inspiring and educational presentation by Shri Raghuramji about yoga being recognized universally as a science. He also told the participants how yoga has been banqueted across the world and has been established as a valuable practice. Raghuramji is a senior authority on Yoga and Indian scriptures. He is the founder of Yoga
It is with great sadness we inform
you that Meena Agrawal, Treasurer and Board Member of IACAN passed away on Saturday, April 23, 2016 around 8 PM. On Wednesday, April 13, 2016 evening she experienced respiratory and heart failure. She was rushed to The Methodist Hospital, Sugar Land. She was in coma and never recovered. We will inform all as soon as the funeral arrangements are finalized. She is survived by her husband, Suresh Agrawal, daughters Komal and Sheetal, son-in-law and 2 grand daughters. A bhajan session was scheduled for Monday, April 25 between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM at Chinmaya Mission, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar
Bharati Movement since 2003. “You are the litmus test of all things that will suit you, if by practicing yoga you are realizing the peaceful state of mind then it’s working for you!” said Raghuramji. Participants also shared about the transformation the yoga camp brought in their lifestyle and in managing diabetes. They also shared their experiences about the noticeable changes in the sugar levels. The program concluded with the camp lead coordinator, Nikhil Jain, offering vote of thanks to all the participants, doctors (Dr Sudha Rajan, Dr Neeta Shukla, Dr Satyanarayan Chilukuri, Dr Sejal Desai), yoga therapists (Sarika Phalak, Meena Kankani, Parul Thanki, Minal & Hasita Kartick), SDM core organizing team (Vishwarup Nanjundappa, Arvind Thekdi, Vibhuti Shah, Anuja Deshpande, Naina Patel & Noopur Saptnekar), Location providers (Swasth Yoga Studio, Shri Krishna Vrundavana,
Meena Agrawal
Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha and Keshav Smruti) and to all the volunteers. The April SDM yoga camp was successful and the participants are now looking forward to the ten weeks follow up sessions. We also have another camp coming up in the month of May (from 13 to 22 ) at the Jain Center (near Hillcroft area), for registrations please email us at info-sdm@sewausa.org or contact 713-834-4909/832517-5866. More information available at https://sewausa.org/chapter/ houston/event/sewa-houston-yogafor-diabetes-may-2016-camp Sewa USA is 501 (c) (3) Hindu faith-based non-profit, charitable organization. All donations (cash, cars, clothes, securities, etc.) are tax-deductible. (Tax Id# 20-0638718). Sewa serves humanity regardless of race, religion, color, gender or nationality.
Land, TX. The family requested all attendees to the bhajan session or for the funeral to wear colorful dress (no whites) in celebration of Meena’s life. Meena was a devoted wife, devoted mother and grandmother, and loving sister/daughter to her family. She was a dedicated volunteer of IACAN and other organizations and above all a good friend to all. We will miss her enthusiasm, her commitment to help others, her charming smile and her hospitality. May the Almighty give her family the strength and the courage to bear this great loss. May her Soul Rest in Peace
Now Hiring Weekend workers needed for DEMO MARKETING (6-8
weekends) & FLIER DISTRIBUTION in Sugarland & Hillcroft in Houston, Plano & Irving in Dallas and several more cities in USA. Young women & men Must be personable, wellmannered and able to work on their own. Demonstrate top Indian brands ranging from instant tea to cookies. Excellent ‘inyour-face opportunity with customers’ to learn and earn. Must have own transport. Call 917-331-4924 - Hiring immediately.
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
20 April 29, 2016 BY SEEMA JAIN
HOUSTON: As part of commu-
nity outreach, JVB Houston Center organized its second workshop of I-Choose for year 2016, a program for young professionals on Dealing with Uncertainty with Certainty. The event was held on Sunday, April 17 from 1PM - 2:30 PM inside JVB’s Pyramid Hall and was conducted by distinguished speaker Alok Jain, Chairman of society of Petroleum Engineer’s Global Training Committee with over 40+ years of experience and an active member of JVB Board of Directors from past 12+ years. The seminar was targeted for professionals of all ages. 25+ people attended this informative and interactive workshop. The objective of this workshop was to give a general information on how to deal with chaos, confusion, anxiety of uncertain situations in the same way we cope with certain situations. JVB President, Seema Jain welcomed the community members. She opened up the session with sharing the vision of I-Choose program, its need in today’s world. She highlighted that Increasing numbers of young professionals are entering the sandwich generation, trying to maintain a balance between their personal and professional lives. choose program fills the gap with an aim to guide, educate, and help young people to address these challenges by providing a venue to talk to the “experts “and networking with each other so that they can succeed in their professional, social, family, and personal lives.
COMMUNITY
“Dealing with Uncertainty with Certainty” Workshop at JVB Preksha Meditation Center
She invited Alok Jain to share his wisdom on the current Topic of the session. At the outset, he gave several examples from our daily life and emphasized that although there is
uncertainty in all cases, our comfort/ confidence level varies a lot from one situation to the other depending on the perceived impactT:10” of that situation on our life. He further pointed out that as
we broaden this observation to cover different stages in our lives, a clearer picture emerges between our comfort level and the perceived impact of the situation at hand. Normally, we deal with such situations by worrying and taking stimulants to suppress the anxiety without realizing that we are making the problem more difficult rather than solving it. The real solution lies in probing the source of real anxiety and recognizing that the only thing we can control is preparation on a proactive basis. Once that has been done, we need to learn to roll with the punches. In terms of proactive planning, several ideas were offered such as replacing expectations with plans to living in the moment and taking
things as they come. In conclusion, He emphasized that the best way to face uncertainty was approach them with deep rooted selfconfidence in one’s own abilities. After all that is what we can glean from the lives of successful people who appear poised, relaxed, and positive about life no matter what comes in their way. The entire presentation was extremely informational, educational and audience was very engaged and interested throughout. During Q & A round, several Young professionals shared their anxiety and emotional stress of Dealing with Uncertainty of certain situations and how this session was a perfect reminder & reassurance of creating more certainty to the possible uncertainty that life will bring their way. In closing, Seema Jain did the vote of thanks. JVB Preksha Meditation Center envisions a blissful and peaceful society through Preksha Meditation, Yoga and Education of Non-violence. It conducts weekly Mediation, Yoga and Swadhyay sessions and runs special events and programs like iChoose and Meditation Camps. Its open to all and every session or event is free of charge to its attendees. For more information visit www. jvbhouston.org or call 281.596.9642. You can also reach Seema Jain @ 281-575-0575.
The Texas Lottery Commission Invites You to Attend:
“Doing Business Texas Style” Spot Bid Fair
In conjunction with: DFW Minority Supplier Development Council’s ACCESS 2016 T:6.5”
Location: Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas | 500 West Las Colinas Blvd. | Irving, TX
Monday, May 9, 2016 | 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm Tuesday, May 10, 2016 | 9:15 am - 11:30 am & 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Small, minority-owned, and Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) will have a unique opportunity to compete for bid awards and network with state agencies and institutions of higher education. Bids must be submitted to agency staff on-site. Bid opportunities available for view and download at: https://data.texas.gov/Business/Bid-Book-Spreadsheet-2016/daek-f7x4 For more information contact: Lisa Maldonado: (512) 463-5662 or lisa.maldonado@dir.texas.gov Lynn Sanchez at (512) 463-9813 or lynn.sanchez@dir.texas.gov Tiffany Dockery at (512) 471-2863 or tiffany.dockery@austin.utexas.edu
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
© 2016 Texas Lottery Commission. All Rights Reserved.
The Spot Bid Fair is FREE of charge!
COMMUNITY
Chaitra Sud Purnima: Hanuman Jayanti HOUSTON: The temple celebrat-
ed Hanuman Jayanti on Friday, April 22. The pooja started around 2:00 pm, which was followed by havan and aarti. Mahaprasad was served after aarti and was sponsored by Shiv Sagar. The temple is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm and everyday aarti is performed at 7:30 pm. The Gauri Siddhivinayak temple is a non-profit 501(C) 3 organization and all donations are tax deductible. Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple of Houston is located at 5645 Hillcroft Ave Suite: 701 Houston, TX 77036 For further information or to participate in pooja, sponsorship or volunteering call Pradip Pandya at 832-466-9868 or visit www.siddhivinayakhouston.com for details.
April 29, 2016
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Dr. Arvind Patel Honored with a Prestigious “Hall of Fame”Award BY DINESH SHAH
HOUSTON: American Associa-
tion of Drilling Engineers - AADE recently honored Dr. Arvind Patel with a prestigious “Hall of Fame” award for his extensive research in oil drilling fluid industry of more than fifty worldwide companies. In 1973, he earned his PH.D. degree from University of North Texas and worked in the academic field till 1981. Then he worked till 2015 as a Global Scientific Advisor for M-I / Schlumberger before he retired. His tireless work with M-I in research, contributed to the technical growth and made M-I a leading industry in fluid technology. He also assisted in start-up joint venture plants in India (HMCL) and SIV. During his 40 years of carrier in research, he was a recipient of several other awards. He has developed many products and have patent for 70 with 12 still pending for approval. He has published more than 70 scientific papers and publications with his expertise on drilling fluids, organic chemistry, Polymer synthesis, structure-performance relationship-Emulsion and solution polymers and medicinal organic chemistry.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Arvind Patel also known as “Bana” in Indian Community, is a long time Houstonian serving the community actively. He was the President and Treasurer for HNV Houston Natya Kala Vrund. He has performed and directed over fifteen stage dramas for this non-profit organization to help raising fund for Gujarati Samaj of Houston, Indian Senior Citizen of Houston, Earthquake relief fund for San Francisco and Maharashtra State in India. As a hobby, he has played drums and rhythms at Indian Cultural event, social and religious festivals including Navratri Raas-Garba. He also plays rhythms at BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, where he attends regular Sunday Satsang. He is married to Niru and they have two sons and a grandson.
22 April 29, 2016
SUDOKU
PUZZLES / COMMUNITY
How to Prepare for Testing in the Springtime
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. Send us the correct answer before May 04, 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
Spring may signal the home stretch of the school year, but it also marks the beginning of state exams. Many states will be administering statewide testing during this time to assess how students will perform in college and in future jobs, so it’s important for kids to start getting prepared. Best in Class has a few tips to get students ready for state exams: Encourage Reading with a Purpose Reading comprehension will be an integral part of state exams. It will test their critical thinking skills and their ability to analyze the text. To prepare for this, encourage your child to read during down time, whether for enjoyment or to learn about a particular subject. Encourage your child to break
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the reading into sections. Have your child take notes while reading, and at the end of each section, write a brief summary of the important points. This will encourage good reading habits and will aid in comprehension. After reading, ask your child to write down the main message. This is a great way to practice analyzing text. Create a Study Schedule Scheduling a time to study means more than picking a random time to cram each day. Create a schedule with your kids with time devoted to each subject they will be tested on. For example, you may practice English on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and reserve Mondays and Wednesdays for math. Take a Practice Test Many state exam sites will offer
practice tests for students. While looking at these tests, practice how to approach each section. For example, try having your child read the questions beforehand. Then, while reading the passage, underline any words or sentences that may be helpful in answering the questions they have already looked at. Get Plenty of Rest No matter if they are in elementary school or high school, a student needs sleep in order to recharge. Plan for your children to get at least eight hours of sleep per night, as the rest will help them feel refreshed in the morning and will better allow them to retain the information they learned. To help your student exceed his or her academics goals, a local resource, Best in Class, offers a variety of customized, supplemental enrichment courses and tutoring options to ensure your students are equipped with the tools they need this school year. For more information about Best in Class services for your student, or about current franchising opportunities, visit www.bestinclasseducation.com or call toll free at 1.888.683.8108. Best in Class is targeting the addition of 20 more units in 2016. The state of Texas has been identified as a key state for growth. The current team behind Best in Class is looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join this premier franchise family and ensure our youth will excel academically.
Walkathon
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for free checkups for hypertension and diabetes, courtesy of Southside Pharmacy and Kelsey Seybold Clinics. Each of the participants received t-shirts, an award of completion and congratulations from Nanda Vura, President of IACF; Dr. Subodh Chauhan, President of the Indian Doctors Association which has supported the IDCC since its inception and Dr.
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K.T. Shah who had played a vital in providing medical care at the clinic for many years until last year. Now confined to a wheelchair, the still active Dr. Shah did the ribbon cutting for the walkathon which was also attended by Sugar Land Mayoral candidate Harish Jajoo who addressed the crowd before the starting gun. Dr. Ashok Jain was the IDCC Foundeing member Dr. Sunita first to finish the walk and Moonat (right) with the clinic’s first got a chance to share his patient, Bhagwati Parekh who came experience, and the others for cancer treatment after moving here from California trickled in over the next 30
Check Presentation
minutes. All told, the Walkathon netted $25,000, a check for which was presented to the IDCC. IACF President Vura was extremely pleased with the event, noting that it allowed the two organizations to partner up to raise awareness and funds and expected more such liaisons to form the IACF’s future efforts. Dr. Shah likewise was happy that the event allowed the IDCC to continue to provide free of charge care to those who cannot afford private medical treatment.
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April 29, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS
Laal Rang BY MOHAR BASU
Story: Shankar (Randeep Hooda)
is the kingpin of the thriving business of blood-theft in Karnal (Haryana). To get better access to blood-banks, he enrolls himself in a government college where he meets Rajesh. The latter is enamored by Shankar’s aura. They become thick friends and partners-in-crime. But greed and ego changes their equation. Review: The best thing about Laal Rang is its novel idea. It is dark, murky and lays the perfect plinth for an enchanting film. The bad news here is that it is an opportunity lost. Director Syed Ahmad Afzal fails to lap up the chance to deliver something memorable. His approach lacks clarity. The convoluted screenplay is unsure about where it is headed. Despite having all the makings of a macabre thriller, Syed goes for drama. There is romance, bromance, tears, heartbreak and enough material to make ‘fifty shades of sappy’. Randeep is the only one holding forte. He plays the brooding, elusive, sinister Shankar with elan. In the romantic scenes, he is effectively charming. At one point when he flashes a shy, dimpled smile at his girlfriend, you can’t miss that he has all the makings of rustic romantic hero. Alas,
the moment passes too quickly. His co-actor Akshay Oberoi is affable and the two share a warm on-screen camaraderie, but their act cannot cover up for the glitches in the plot. It is unforgivable that Syed steers clear of the nitty-gritties of the bloodtheft mafia, reducing it to a mere prop in the larger scheme of things. The drama runs out of steam soon enough and unnecessary melodrama takes over. What could’ve been a shocking expose about the lucrative business of blood-theft, ends up as a dull film. The revelations about the dark underbelly of metropolitan cities never make it to the big screen. There is a fleeting scene in which rickshaw-pullers sell their blood for money, but once the movie ends, it is long forgotten. Laal Rang is half-baked and unconvincing. Despite the grit, it never becomes a riveting film. Here’s a lesson to learn: Ideas don’t make good films, execution does. -indiatimes.com
BY MOHAR BASU
Story: Two Punjabi men, who
pride themselves for being inconsequential to the world, are sent off on a vital undercover mission. The Indian ambassador of Fiji get kidnapped and mistaking them for secret agents, RAW head sends them to bring back the bureaucrat. Review: This film gives annoying a new meaning. It takes special kind of talent to make something as boring, ridiculous, vain and unfunny as this. It will be blasphemous to call it a comedy. And the fact that it stars the funny guy Vir Das and the witty Boman Irani, is a shame. The lethargic writing and amateurish humour doesn’t have a hint of vibrancy. It is as dull as dull gets and even triple strength Americano can’t help you stay awake while watching this muddled mess. So what goes wrong? The story is implausible. Evidently, the writers took it for granted that the audience leaves behind their brains at home when they go to watch a film. What’s worse is that the screenplay doesn’t have an ounce of effervescence. They are flat lines, fashioned as jokes, strung together as screenplay and passed off as a film. The writers
haven’t wasted a single drop their ink or an iota of their grey matter in the script. Besides the leads, who are blank and caricaturish, a horde of talented artistes have been wasted. Be it Sanjay Mishra, Ram Kapoor, Neha Dhupia or Lisa Haydon, their disinterest shows on them. They deliver lines with a straight face and look perpetually bored. God bless Vijay Raaz for doing his best to salvage the damp show. Watching the legendary Johnny Lever as the Nepali don is heartbreaking. There is a long running joke about Nepalis being watchmen, which will infuriate you.The makers also thought it is a good idea to add shoddily animated Santa and Banta for the recall value. It was a revelation that the colour-filled, turbaned blobs, could emote better than the actors. Statutory warning : If you watch this film, the joke is on you. indiatimes.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
23
Happy Birthday
Anushka Sharma May 1, 1988
24 April 29, 2016 Kolkata Knight Riders Batting Depth Delivers Last-Over Win BY KARTHIK KRISHNASWAMY
PUNE (ESPN Cricinfo): Kolkata
Knight Riders 162 for 8 (Suryakumar 60, Yusuf 36, Bhatia 2-19) beat Rising Pune Supergiants 160 for 5 (Rahane 67, Smith 31) by two wickets Before Sunday, Kolkata Knight Riders had won three games out of three while bowling first. On Sunday, they chased again, won again, and went top of the table in a tournament where chasing teams had won 17 out of 20 matches. Chasing 161, they were coasting at 111 for 3 before they slumped dramatically, losing five wickets in 30 balls, and only sealed victory when Umesh Yadav struck a meaty straight six with five runs needed off the last four balls. Knight Riders’ slump began in the 15th over, when Rajat Bhatia’s stump-to-stump line, and Yusuf Pathan’s across-the-line response, ended a 51-run stand for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar Yadav. That partnership, coming on the back of Suryakumar’s stands of 31 and 29 with Gautam Gambhir and Shakib Al Hasan, had taken Knight Riders to a position where they needed 50 off the last 34 balls, with six wickets in hand. But when M Ashwin struck in the next over, defeating Suryakumar with
Suryakumar’s stands of 31 and 29 wad taken Knight Riders to a position where they needed 50 off the last 34 balls, with six wickets in hand.
a ripping googly, and particularly when Andre Russell - who struck two big sixes off Ankit Sharma in the 17th over - holed out to a slower ball from Thisara Perera, a one-sided contest turned into a thriller. Knight Riders kept in touch with the required rate with a boundary whenever they needed it, but they also kept losing wickets. In the end, they had Nos. 9 and 10 at the crease when Umesh slogged Perera high over long-on.
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In his post-match interview, MS Dhoni said he was happy with Supergiants’ total of 160, and thought his spinners had given the match away by bowling too full on a slow pitch offering plenty of turn. There were six sixes hit off the Supergiants spinners, and all six came off balls that were in the slot for lofted hits. It was a definite contrast to the way the Knight Riders spinners had operated, largely bowling just short of a good length, and extracting generous turn that made it hard to hit down the ground or against the break. Ajinkya Rahane came into the match with two half-centuries in his last four innings, and demonstrated his silky form with an effortless flicked six off Morne Morkel in the third over of the Supergiants innings, and two fours off the next six balls he faced. The introduction of Shakib Al Hasan, in the fourth over, revealed the extent of turn available, as he straightened one from wide of the crease to clip Faf du Plessis’ off stump. With Shakib bowling three overs by the end of the eighth over, and Gambhir introducing Piyush Chawla early as well, Rahane and Steven Smith spent a fair amount of time negotiating balls turning away from them, and sharply at that. They were busy in this period, working the ball into gaps and running frantically, and had put on 56 in 8.2 overs when Smith was needlessly
run out, backing up too far down the pitch. Dhoni sent in the left-handed Perera and Albie Morkel ahead of him, and they both made cameos, hitting three sixes between them to lift the run rate alongside Rahane, who hit a couple of sixes as well, off Chawla and Umesh in the 16th and 17th over. Rahane’s dismissal at the start of the 18th over brought in Dhoni, and the Supergiants captain punished a wayward Morne Morkel in the final over, pulling him for six and four either side of a whipped boundary manufactured off a leg-stump yorker. Supergiants had taken 17 off the last over, and 70 off the last six. Albie, playing his first match for Supergiants, showed he had a fair idea of how to bowl on this pitch when he struck with his first ball, a slower offcutter that clanged into Robin Uthappa’s front pad in front of off stump. But his brother Morne’s tendency to bowl short also rubbed off on him, and Gambhir and Suryakumar hit him for three fours over the remainder of an eventful first over. When Albie overcompensated and fed Suryakumar two overpitched balls in the third over, Knight Riders were racing along at 29 for 1. But they lost Gambhir against the run of play, when he turned for a non-existent second run, and Supergiants were back in the contest. With M Ashwin and Ankit forming an inexperienced two-thirds of Supergiants’ spin attack, Dhoni needed R Ashwin to be at his best. But it wasn’t his day. Introduced in the fourth over, he struggled to find the right line, length and pace to bowl on this pitch. He bowled three leg-side wides that spun from outside off stump, fed two balls in Suryakumar’s six-hitting slot, went around the wicket to try and change his luck, and did all of this in the space of two overs. Two overs was all he would bowl. Dhoni ignored opportunities to use him outside the Powerplay, perhaps unwilling to use him against a succession of right-handed Knight Riders batsmen, but it showed, not for the first time in recent months, a lack of trust in a proven, experienced spinner. Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
SPORTS
Show-Cause Issued Against Younis Khan
Younis is accused of numerous contract violations.
ISLAMABAD:The PCB has served
Younis Khan with a show cause notice for breaching various clauses in his central contract after he deserted his domestic team during the ongoing Pakistan Cup in Faisalabad. He has also been barred from rejoining Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite his willingness to return. “Younis has been a great servant of Pakistan cricket and a true role model for youngsters,” Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, said in a statement. “I feel pained making this decision as we have to demonstrate that no one is bigger than the game. We will wait for Younis to respond before we proceed further in this matter.” Younis was found to have breached article 2.2.8 of the code. He was charged with questioning an umpiring decision, showing dissent and threatening an umpire - for which he was fined 50% of his match fee. Following the match against Punjab, he refused to face a disciplinary hearing and left the tournament in protest. The PCB also found that Younis had breached various clauses in his category A central contract with Pakistan. Younis called Shaharyar on Monday to apologise for his actions but the PCB determined that the charges against him remained intact. “The chairman clarified that while we have all regards for Younis, who has served the country with honour, he would follow the process dealing with such situation as stipulated in the relevant rules,” the PCB said in a statement.
April 29, 2016
China Keen to Invest More in India BY MANASH PRATIM BHUYAN
MOSCOW: China has compli-
mented India for “doing a good job” in maintaining an impressive growth rate despite a global slowdown and is keen on working together to push for reforms in the international financial system to offset the inherent weaknesses. Stating that his country was keen to ramp up investments in India, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi
ing a positive role in improving the global economic and financial governance because that will help protect the interests of the developing countries. It will also help the world economy to embark on a path of strong recovery,” Wang said. He said China was “optimistic” about the prospect of deeper relationship between the two countries. “Of course, we will be happy to invest more in India. There is no doubt about it,” he added.
A file photo of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, who said that reform of global financial system is key to protect the interest of developing countries.
said the two major emerging economies can contribute significantly in helping the world economy by keeping up their growth momentum. “First of all, we both need to grow our own national economies. On this front, we want to commend India for doing a good job in promoting economic growth,” Wang told PTI here. Wang, who was here to attend foreign ministers’ meeting of RIC (Russia, India, China) grouping, further said reform of global financial system is key to protect the interest of developing countries and for recovery of the world economy. “We need to join hands in play-
After witnessing nearly three decades of close to double-digit growth, China has seen a decline in its growth rate, making room for India to replace it as the fastest-growing major economy of the world. However, Chinese economy remains much bigger than that of India in terms of the overall size. China clocked 6.9% growth in 2015 when India is estimated to have grown by 7.3%. The IMF has projected Indian economy to grow at 7.5% in 2016 and 2017. The Chinese foreign minister also said his government was “looking forward” to President Pranab Mukherjee’s upcoming visit to China. -livemint.com
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SunEdison Looks to Woo Investors in India Business after US Bankruptcy BY SHAILAJA SHARMA
MUMBAI: SunEdison Inc. is in
talks with several investors to attract investment in its India business and would not do a distress sale in the fastest growing renewable energy market, said the company’s Asia Pacific president Pashupathy Gopalan in a phone interview, hours after the USbased renewable energy firm filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. SunEdison, known to be the world’s largest renewable energy firm, on Thursday filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US, after facing liquidity constraints and amassing close to $12 billion in debt from series of big ticket acquisitions. A chapter 11 bankruptcy allows a firm to restructure its business and debt to remerge to normal operations. SunEdison’s India business, which has built 700 megawatt (MW) of solar capacity till date and has about 1.7 gigawatt (GW) of yet-to-be-constructed projects, is unaffected by the chapter 11 filing in the US, Gopalan said over the phone from New York, where he spent several hours with the firm’s legal team discussing the course of action for the Indian business. In addition to looking for equity partners at project-level, the company is in talks to bring in equity partners “at a full India business platform level”, Gopalan said. “We have provided information about specific projects to various interested parties and now they’re going to do their analysis followed by due diligence, so we will take probably about a month or so to select some partners to proceed to the next level after signing a definitive agreement.” Gopalan said the company’s Indian assets are at good locations won at
India accounts for a fifth of SunEdison’s total business and is its largest market outside its home base.
good tariffs with no “distress per se”. “In the last couple of weeks, as we have started to talk to people, there is tremendous amount of interest in SunEdision’s India projects… And we have 1.7 GW to build so it becomes an interesting readymade platform for somebody to come in and participate,” he said. Struggling SunEdison has put all its India assets on the block, Mint reported on 4 April, citing people familiar with the matter. The clean energy company had in a November reverse auction, won a 500 MW solar project tender at record-low tariff of Rs.4.63 per kWh (kilowatt-hour), setting an example for other companies to bid aggressively. In the past year, some Indian renewable energy firms have been able to do what SunEdison is now aiming by selling stake at their overall platform level. Aditya Birla Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd was able to sell 49% stake in its subsidiary Aditya Birla
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Renewables Ltd to a unit of international private equity firm Abraaj Group. Another renewable energy firm, ReNew Power Ventures Pvt. Ltd, backed by Goldman Sachs, sold a significant minority stake to a unit of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) for $200 million. India’s renewable energy sector has attracted strong interest from foreign funds after the government sharpened its focus on clean energy. PrimeMinister Narendra Modi is banking on renewable energy sources to fight climate change and has set an ambitious target of creating capacities to generate 175GW by 2022. The country currently has 22GW of wind energy capacity and over 5GW of solar capacity. Recent months have seen other renewable energy companies either putting their assets on block or bringing in a financial investor for funding their pipeline of projects. -livemint.com
26 April 29, 2016
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April 29, 2016
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