Friday, June 27 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 26
$1
Indo American erican News
www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX
7457 Harwin Dr, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 713.789.NEWS (6397) • Fax: 713.789.6399 • indoamericannews@yahoo.com
Partnered & Syndicated with Times of India, Sulekha.com, Google, Yahoo & Bing
Tragedy Hits Houston
P3
Jayantibhai Bhatt
Devendrabhai Patel
Ansuyaben Patel
Kokilaben Patel
Punjabi Mela
Puzzles/Recipe
Summertime fun!! P5
P24
MITRA / CAMDEN TRAVEL Consolidators for Turkish Airlines and Asiana Airlines
We have completed 20 successful years 12375 Bissonnet, Ste. B Houston, TX 77099
We have special low fares on Emirates Indo-American News © 2014
WHOLESALER FOR S MAJOR AIR CARRIER • Emirates • Gulf Airways • Kingfisher • Singapore Airlines • Jet Airways • Sahara Airlines • Indian Airlines • Eva Airlines • Asiana Airlines • Qatar Airways • PIA • Air India • Royal Jordanian • China Airlines
281-530-3000, 1-888-811-LESS Please call us to get these special fares
WHOLESALE CONSOLIDATOR OF QATAR & EMIRATES AIRLINES Call us for competitive and confirmed seats on all major cities in Texas to any city in India.Call us for Summer and December seats now
Last minute fares to Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore,
Calcutta and many more...
For December fares please call us now.
Special Student and Teacher discounts www.faregurus.com/ camdentravel@aol.com
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
June 27, 2014
SERVICE
YEARS OF
2
save the date 15th annual Gala Keynote speaKeR
us senator John Cornyn when wheRe
For sponsorship information please contact:
INDO-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF GREATER HOUSTON
yeaR in Review
saturday, september 27 at 6:00 pm hilton americas hotel, 1600 lamar st., houston, tX 77010
sanJay RamabhadRan
JaGdip ahluwalia
president mail@sanjay-ram.com
executive director jagdip@iaccgh.com
CominG up poweR bReaKFast Keynote speaKeR
Jeff moseley
JanuaRy 8—Felicitation of dr. durga agrawal on his appointment to the board of Regents at 2014 Inaugural IACCGH Networking Reception
FebRuaRy 3—Reception for the Ambassador of India to the United States, his excellency dr. s. Jaishankar
texas transportation Commissioner when wheRe
tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 7:00 am the hess Club, 5430 westheimer, houston, tX 77056
Contact mail@sanjay-ram.com for details.
CominG up iaCCGh women mean business “the business of Caring: healthcare today”
FebRuaRy 22—American Tax Laws Seminar
speaKeR
speaKeR
sonal bhuchar
malisha patel
Former president, Fort bend isd, board of trustees
Coo, memorial hermann, sugar land
when wheRe
maRCh 5— IACCGH Distinguished Lecture — Keynote speaker: dr. Renu Khator
wed., July 9, 2014; Register: 4 – 5pm; program: 5 – 6:30pm memorial hermann sugar land hospital 17500 w Grand pkwy s, sugar land, tX 77479
exclusive to women members and supporters. Register at iaccgh.com by monday, June 30, 2014. sponsoR
maRCh 27—Seminar on Alternative Investments
CominG up 2nd iaCCGh distinGuished leCtuRe Keynote speaKeR
nandita berry texas secretary of state
may 22—Long Term Care 101 & Investment Workshop
when wheRe
thursday august 28,2014 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm the hess Club, 5430 westheimer, houston, tX 77056
media sponsoR
event free for members who Rsvp by august 8 to jagdip@iaccgh.com. non-members $50 by check, payable to iaCCGh. Call 832.746.8372 for details.
June 3—Power Dialogue with Congressman ted poe
the 2014 iaCCGh boaRd thanKs you FoR youR suppoRt June 18—Mapping Your Future by dean latha Ramchand
June 19—“How to Get SBA Guaranteed Loans” speaker: manuel Gonzalez, district director, sba
seated: Swapan Dhairyawan (Treasurer), Pankaj Dhume (Immediate Past President), Sanjay Ramabhadran (President), Ashok Garg (President Elect), Jagdip Ahluwalia (Executive Director), Allen Richards (Director). standing: Karen Francis, C. Aku Patel , Joya Shukla (Directors). Camera shy: Rajiv Bhavsar (Director).
indo-ameRiCan ChambeR oF CommeRCe oF GReateR houston
1535 west loop south | suite 200 | houston, tX 77027 | t: 713-624-7131 | e: info@iaccgh.com | iaccgh.com
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
3
Wisdom, Devotion and Life Taken Away by Drunk Driving
BY MALAY VYAS AND VANSHIKA VIPIN HOUSTON: Drunken driving was responsible for another tragedy on the streets of Houston this week. This time the loss hit close to home as Houston’s south Asian community lost four senior citizens in this accident on June 23. A minivan driver ran a red light and t-boned a sedan on the intersection of Bissonnet Street and Synott road resulting in the instant demise of four of the five passengers in the sedan. These were no ordinary souls, amongst the dead were some of the most noble and magnanimous citizens of Houston. Devendrabhai Patel was 61 years young when we lost him on Sunday. He was an active member of the ISSO Swaminarayan Mandir since the days of its inception. He served as the president of the temple for five long years from 2002 to 2007. He was always supportive of youth activities at the temple often participating in volleyball games with the youngsters. In the recent past, he was also involved in the temple’s kitchen. His life was dedicated to the temple and his motto was ‘my bhagwan’s mandir first’. At 60 years young, Kokilaben Patel believed that no seva was too small for her – whether it be cooking or washing pots and pans. She was always jovial and happy. As a true satsangi, she was always ready to help in any activities at the temple. She used to stay late on Sundays to help clean up the temple. Ansuyaben Patel at the age of 63 was always dedicated to the satsang community especially after losing her son a few years ago. If there was anything to be done in the mandir, she was first in line to help. She would always show up early afternoon every Sunday with her brother Devendrabhai and Sister in law Kokilaben Patel to help with cutting vegetables and cooking meals for the temple devotees. Jayantibhai Bhatt served as Mandir’s Gor Maharaj for many years. Even at the age of 86 he was very active in helping devotees to conduct worship ceremonies for numerous occasions – at the temple or at other locations. He respected all satsangi irrespective of age. He was always helpful to swamis in every utsav and mahapooja. He is survived by his
shop was setup for the show, she always welcomed everyone with open arms and smile on her face and be ready to serve a hearty meal in no time. Kokilaben Patel and Devendra bhai were also very devoted to serve the community. I can never forget Kokila Ben’s compassionate nature. Houston Indian community has indeed lost sincere and honest souls and everyone who had an opportunity to know them will miss them. It’s a huge loss for Houston”.
Article contributors Nisha Mirani, Ajit Patel and Parikshit Patel
The scene of the accident on June 23. A minivan driver ran a red light and t-boned a sedan on the intersection of Bissonnet Street and Synott.
wife, Bhanu Bhatt, the lone survivor of the accident. She is in the hospital and in a stable condition. All four departed souls were an integral part of the Mandir’s Satsang community and will be missed dearly. They were also very active in the Indian Senior Citizen’s group. Looking beyond the grief wont be easy but drunken driving is a major issue affecting our society. In support, family member Anand Patel has set a fundraiser to support MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) in his hour of grief. To contribute visit www.gofundme. com/anq5ck Community Mourns We were honored and blessed to have known Davendra uncle, Kokila Aunty, Ansuya aunty and Jyantidada. Our souls are hardened of pain on hearing of the premature and unfair disappearance of those who were our mentors. We knew, appreciated and admired! They will remain forever in our memory! Sincere condolences! said Nisha Mirani, ICC director and past GSH President. Jyantidada was truly a blessing in our lives and we will miss him. Davendrabhai face remains forever in our image. His vision of life was truly remarkable. He was
indeed an inspiration to us all. He is a great loss to all the people who knew him, mentioned Ajit Patel, GSH Vice President. May fond memories of davendra uncle, Kokila aunty, Ansuyaben and Jyantidada bring all comfort during this hard time. We look back on all the good memories we were able to have and smile at the fact that we were able to share these before they passed away. Our hearts and prayers go out to all four and every member of their family, said another person
in grief. Kusum Sharma of Shri Natraj School of Dance said in memorium “I have known Ansuyaben Patel for over 10 years, she will be remembered by Houstonian as a pious and devoted lady to her community, family and friends. Always eager to help people in need whichever way she could. During Ramleela preparation last year, Ramleela team volunteers would arrive at her house many times with very short notice which is where the set construction work-
Indo-American News prays for the almighty to give strength and courage to the families of Devendrabhai Patel, Kokilaben Patel, Anusuyaben Patel and Jayantibhai Bhatt to bear this insurmountable loss. For Shradhanjali, see page 15
Friends and family pay their last tribute to the departed souls at the Funeral held at Winford Funeral Homes, 8514 Tybor Drive, Houston, Tx 77074 on Thursday June 26, at 9.00 AM.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
4
June 27, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
5
Desi Crowds Flock to New Houston First: a Punjabi Mela for Summertime Fun
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Summer in the city can be hard on people who try to find wholesome entertainment in between family vacations, pool parties and running to see blockbuster movie releases. Our desi community’s calendar is booked solid most weekends during the Spring and Fall seasons with events that range the gamut from religious to charitable galas but apart from the Bollywood flavored shows that promoters bring during the hot months, community activities usually dwindle down to smaller venues and scope. Until this past weekend when the Punjabi Sports and Culture Club of Houston, a new organization led by Manohar Singh Mann, a key activist in the Bayou City’s Sikh community, stepped out with its first event, an ambitious Punjabi themed Sabhiacharak Mela this past weekend on Saturday, June 21. Equally ambitious was the venue – the Sam Houston Race Track, which is across the Beltway from the community’s Sikh National Center site on which a gurudwara is being built and is nearing completion with other buildings planned. With the tireless efforts of Aman Sidhu, Gurbir Singh Boparai and Bhupinder Singh, Mann with other volunteers Gurminder Singh Padda, Hitpaul Singh Sandhar, Satbir Singh Rana, Raghbir Singh Pancal and Harbhajan Singh envisioned an event which would be completely Punjabi, focusing on the songs, music, dance and food as well as the businesses which are
Photo: Najam Ali
run by Punjabis. They sought out sponsors for the event and most quickly agreed to do so to varying levels of support. The end result was a Punjabi mela on a scale which had not been tried before. The turnout was so heavy – over 4,500 people came to the event which had free entry that it both stunned and delighted the organizers. Said one volunteer, “I have never seen such a fine program focused on our community,” after the event had ended. Another added that the mela brought in
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 addres changes to
people from across the desi community – Pakistani and North and South Indians – who enjoyed Punjabi culture. It was not without its share of challenges though. Even after all the equipment and stage had been set up outside, it had to be quickly protected twice when brief but heavy rain passed over the race track. This forced the program to start a couple of hours later than the original 6pm schedule and continued on till past midnight. Many people enjoyed the outdoor affair under the bright lights of the race track and from which they could see the Beltway traffic. Five different local restaurants provided food and another half a dozen service vendors lined up around the mela area. Special seating was set aside for all of the sponsors and their families and
friends, while general seating was available for the rest of the public, all of whom were served by roving volunteers and serving staff. Some compared the food, service and dining experience to being in the gardens of a sumptuous hotel. But what made the evening so special was the entertainment that was provided by three local talented artists - Priya Nijjar, Kulwinder Kally and Gurlez Akhtar all of whom are well known Punjabi singers and have CDs and music videos of their music, many posted on Youtube – and the two artists who flew in: Sarabjit Cheema and Surinder Shinda. Kally hails from Houston where his parents – his father is the much respected Bhai Amar Singh – and extended family live and left for India almost eight years ago to make his mark in the recording
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
industry there. He is well known for his hit Shamm Di Gaddi and has also released a new CD Singh Saviors which was available at the event. Akhtar has been widely popular in Punjabi music circles in India – her video Main Nachdi Aa Tere Karke is a Youtube hit - and she has also been featured in several movies. With their connections in the music business, Kally and Akhtar were able to bring in Priya Nijjar – one of her famous songs and video is Dil Nahio Lagda – and also the seasoned singer and comedian Surinder Shinda who has been an entertainer for many years. Shinda is considered “legendary” and “the grandfather of moc” and has numerous hit Punjabi songs like Putt Jattan De, Truck Billiya, Balbiro Bhabhi and Khar Singh Di Mout and has appeared in many Punjabi films, including Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da. His song Badia Le layeen Sohneya is considered one of the greatest hits of Punjabi music ever. Also appearing onstage was Sarabjit Cheema, the Canadian-Indian singer known only as “Cheema” who can rivet audiences with his voice and get them on the dance floor. Cheema’s has a smash hit in Rangla Punjab but also has sung many Boliyan and has 2 religious albums and 12 studio CDs. These five artistes kept a nonstop musical show going throughout the evening, mesmerizing the audience and pausing only for a 30-minute awards ceremony which recognized the singers, sponsors and organizers for putting the unique Punjabi Nite together for the community to enjoy.
For photo collage, see page 10
6
June 27, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
M
June 27, 2014
Tue-Fri 11:00am to 3:00pm and 5:00pm to 10:00pm Sat-Sun 11:00am to 10:00pm Monday Closed
MADRAS N PAVILIO T & DAAWA CATERING
CPA DEV PATHAK NCE BEMA INSURA
| Vol. 30, r 28 2011 Octobe Friday,
.com -news erican www.indoam
INDIA JUGAL & NI RAJ MALA
C.
AN
Diwigahlits
IALD IONNTOPD OF THE WOR
Del
GUJARATI SAMAJ
DWAJ
page 34
ESS PRINC CUISINE
MCC II PCC STYXCC
www.htbc.net
on We Jewelry setting done d and Gold e Diamon Jewelry repairs and TX 77036 Exclusiv Houston,
ALI HAPPY DIW elers aja Jew Mahar lry Store ond Jewe
INDIAN
ft, 5821 Hillcro
73 713-784-56 s North Deliciou • Serving Indian DishesSizes: & South of All g Events • Caterin ate | Weddings saries Corpor | Anniver Birthdays
r at a time
Diam relationships one custome Building
a ! Great s! rounds
s
RA. Onse Break Barriers
Story on with nds Fripages 3,9 & 14 ate Diwali ily and Frie into Cash Fam Story on ians Celebr / Platinum metal above Houston Feasts, Fireworks, Gold / Silver for all the le prices Turn your at affordab pay top $ site Festivities,
USTON
1 OF HO 01 ament
at
No. 43
ndo can IIn Ameri News
sh Sati
Subscribe to
s Rao’
ARIAN INDIAN PURE VEGET
sa.com udipicafeu
d • Adjudge Restaurant ian Indian Best Vegetar 2002, 2003, 2001, 2010 2008, 2009,Press – Houston
CUISINE
ing: • Cater
16 281-914-27
www.
Indo-American News Today
We cover your world!
Name: ____________________________________ Phone: ____________________________________ Address:___________________________________ __________________________________________ Number of Years: (Circle One)
1 $40
3 $100
Credit Card: Master Card / Visa (Circle One) _________________________________________
Your Signature:
Exp Date: ___/___ 3 digit code:______
_______________
Do cut and mail to: 7457 Harwin Dr, Ste 262, Houston, TX 77036 (OR) Scan and E-mail to: Indoamericannews@yahoo.com • Call us at 713-789-6397 • Call us to sign up for E-mail Blast Indo-American News is community oriented. We thank you for your subscription & support. INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
7
8
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
2014 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee Reaches Texas Dallas and Houston Winners Announced
Houston Winners
LAW OFFICES OF ZAINAB K. RIZVI DEDICATED DEPENDABLE & PERSONAL ATTENTION IMMIGRATION LAW Non Immigration and Immigrant Visa, Family & Employment Immigration. Citizenship/Naturalization, Asylum,VAWA
WILLS/TRUSTS
Power of Attorney, Estate Planning
BUSINESS FORMATION Partnerships, LLC, LLP
WE ALSO SPEAK URDU & HINDI CALL TODAY FOR FREE CONSULTATION
713-297-9131 www.zkrlaw.com
2425 WEST LOOP SOUTH SUITE 200, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77027 Principal office located in Houston, Texas
Dallas Winners
HOUSTON: The 2014 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee (www.SouthAsianSpellingBee.com) continued its 12-city tour this past weekend with events in Dallas and Houston. With a huge turnout this year as well, the Bee attracted some top talent as well as young and new spellers that competed for the coveted prizes and titles. “It is very heartening to see that each year we get fresh faces and new talent which is a continuing testimony to our community’s strength in this craft,” said Rahul Walia, Founder - South Asian Spelling Bee. In Dallas, Vanya Shivashankar from Olathe, KS was the regional champ and Ananya Kodali from Highland Village, TX was the first runner up while Ansun Sujoe from Forth Worth, TX was second runner up. In Houston, Shourav Dasari from Spring, TX was the regional champ and Shobha Dasari from Spring, TX was first runner up while Tanya Roysam from Friendswood, TX was second runner up. “MetLife congratulates all the spellers who participated in this year’s events,” said Laurel Daring, assistant vice president, Diverse Markets, MetLife. “We’re proud to serve as the Bee’s title sponsor as part of our commitment to the South Asian communities we serve across the country and as a fun, educational contest for the hundreds of students that compete each year.” Along with MetLife, food brand Kawan and education company C2Education have also come on board as sponsors for this event. As always, SONY Entertainment Television Asia is the exclusive broadcast partner for the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee and will be airing the series across 120 countries.
“Kawan is proud to support this platform that helps in the overall growth of the child. We look forward to seeing this year’s talent and are happy to be part of the process to find the best speller from the South Asian community,” said Tim Tan, Director - International Business, Kawan Food, makers of the world’s most popular Roti Paratha Brand in the world - Kawan Paratha. “C2 Education is very honored to be associated with the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee for the third consecutive year. Seeing the children’s enthusiasm and dedication to succeed is truly inspiring”, said Steve Helgeson, Director of School and Community Partnerships, C2Education. “Once again, we are proud to be associated with the Bee and are looking forward to showcasing the journey in the quest for the best speller. We look forward to yet another successful year,” said Jaideep Janakiram, Head of North America, Sony Entertainment Television-Asia. The winners received cash prizes of $500, $300 and $200 respectively. Children up to 14 years of age are eligible to participate and the contest saw spellers of even 6 years of age compete and make it past a few rounds. There are 10 more cities on the anvil and for more information and to register your child, please visit www. SouthAsianSpellingBee.com. The top two winners plus one parent each from every city will be given an all expenses paid trip to NJ on August 15 for the FINALS. SONY Entertainment Television Asia is the exclusive broadcast partner for the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee and will be airing the series across 120 countries.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
9
Shalini’s Rangapravesh A Shining Exhibition of Grace and Dedication Next, Shalini performed Dasavatar – ten incranations of the Lord Vishnu. Her graceful blend from one avatar to the next along with her unwavering balance in poses made for an enthralling composition. In Mokshya Mangalam, Shalini performed this lively and fitting finale to her performance – a dance abounding in various intricate patterns of foot movements and hand gestures. There were many honorable guests who attended the performance and were greatly impressed by Shalini’s dance. Among them were Dr. Rathna Kumar, Pt. Suman Ghosh, and Smt. Indrani Parthasarathi. Dr. Kumar spoke at the ceremony highly of her poise, natural grace, and sublime expressions. Guru Supradipta Datta showcased the superlative quality of a dance teacher of the absolute top grade. Smt. Datta, one of Smt. Aloka Kanungo’s senior most students, herself earned the rare distinction of completing her Sangeet Kriya Visharad in both Oddisi and Bharatnatyam with top honors. Beyond this she has won many
awards and is the founder of the first Odissi dance school in Houston, Kalaangan. Her patience, her guidance and her words of encouragement have no doubt brought the best out of Shalini. The transformation she has helped engineer was highlighted for everyone to see. What really shone throughout te evening was the dedication and commitment Shalini had and the outstanding talent she nurtured, at such a young age. Shalini’s performance and most importantly, the years of training behind the performance exemplified the fantastic human being she is. Each of her dances were breath-taking; her expressions very emotive; her footwork nimble and synchronized with the music and finally, each of the dance forms and subtlest of traits was classic. The evening’s performance was emceed by Rukmini Das with much grace and poise. Shalini serves as a beacon of light for other Indian-American children to follow – where they not only learn the Indian arts and
Shalini Das
BY PARTHA S CHATTERJEE HOUSTON: June 14, was an evening to remember, where Shalini Das, daughter of Tapan and Mou Das and disciple of Smt. Supradipta Datta performed her Odissi Ranga Pravesh. It was the sheer repertoire of top class dance presented after nine years of training that impressed the audience to no end. Shalini is only fourteen, yet her performance was befitting of much older exponents. Shalini started with Ganesh Vandana, where she offered salutations to Lord Ganesha, seeking His blessings. Then, she moved onto Mangalacharan. Here she exhibited a wide array of complex footwork pattern in Odissi style. In Aravi Pallavi, she demonstrated her agility through complex pat-
terns of diverse and intense rhythmic variations. Her expressions in Srita Kamala along with her finely balanced poses and lyrical dancing in Nritya Bilas left the audience speechless. It was a fascinating combination of sculpturesque postures with swift and precise footwork resulting in a spectacular feast for the eyes. She followed it with Mahavidya – incarnations of Shakti, in which she stunned the audience by transforming from a girl to the powerful goddess Kali. Shalini then reverted to the famous Tagore song “Mor Bhabonare” which describes the longing of a lonely heart, swayed to a delightful thrill by dark dense clouds. What an energetic presentation by Shalini, electrifying the crowd!
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
culture but most importantly, they become global citizens, tethered to strong moral values and tradition while growing up in America. Through her performance that evening, Shalini made not only her family and Guru, but also the entire community very proud.
10 June 27, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
11
“Raise, Rise, Rule!” – A Three-City Conference Tour for South Asian Women Entrepreneurs
“Making Dollars & Sense” Panelists (from left): Katrina Lava - Wells Fargo; Ruby Bhandari - Silk Threads Designs; Anisa Chandavong - Wells Fargo; Chef Kiran Verma - Kiran’s Restaurant; Nancy Wong Wells Fargo; Apurva Sanghavi - START Houston; Tanaz Choudhury - TanChes & MABY; Reema Rasool - SAY WE Founder.
“Tricks of the Trade” Panelists (from left): Jitin Hingorani - JINGO Media; Reema Rasool - SAY WE Founder; Abbas Hahsmi - Green Card Capital Founder; Sarah Ali - Chamak; Zeb Mamsa - Bibi Magazine; Atiya Hasan - Brown Girl Magazine Editor-in-Chief.
HOUSTON: South Asian Young Women Entrepreneurs (SAY WE), a national network of businessminded executives in the fields of technology, finance, entertainment, and fashion, built on its 2013 six city-tour of financial education panels, “Making Dollars & Sense,” by hosting a full-day conferences aimed to educate women business owners about finance, marketing, public relations and social media. Called “Raise, Rise, Rule!,” the conference, sponsored by Founding Partner Wells Fargo, took place on Saturday, June 14 at the Sugar Creek Country Club. Sugar Land city councilman Himesh Gandhi welcomed the group of women entrepreneurs by stressing the importance of small businesses to the local economy and applauding SAY WE for its regional efforts. “We are so grateful for the support of Wells Fargo,” said SAY WE founder Reema Rasool. “Without their sponsorship of this type of
financial education for small business owners, we would not be able to offer these conferences completely free of charge. Our goal is create a space for South Asian women to learn, grow and be inspired by each other.” Subject-matter experts and entrepreneurs discussed topics including: building your business credit, reinvesting in your business, protecting your credit score, creating relationships with business bankers, marketing your new business, reaching out to the media and implementing a social media strategy. The first of these conferences took place in New York City in May, also known as Small Business Appreciation Month. The next conference will take place in the Bay Area on August 9. Registration is completely FREE for women entrepreneurs, and participants can secure their spot by visiting www.saywe.us About SAY WE: SAY WE is a
registered non-profit organization aimed to cultivate and foster strong relationships among South Asian women who have entrepreneurial interests. South Asian women are making great strides in the world of business, fashion, media, and the arts, and SAY WE recognizes these achievements to inspire and ensure future generations of ambitious and savvy South Asian women. SAY WE creates a positive and collegial forum in which South Asian women, regardless of political and religious affiliations, can network, support each other, and applaud one another’s major accomplishments. SAY WE also aspires to raise awareness and funds for causes and organizations that work toward the advancement of women in South Asia, as well as South Asian women in the United States. For further information, visit www.saywe.us About Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, communitybased financial services company with $1.5 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 locations, 12,000 ATMs, and the internet (http:// wellsfargo.com), and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 264,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at https://blogs. wellsfargo.com
ART directly on your walls! Hand-painted MURALS for your home or office by
s���T 713-806-7490 www.carolinasart.com
For Advertising Call 713-789-6397 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
12 June 27, 2014
COMMUNITY
Prominent Women Share Ideas on Fundraising and Giving to Charities BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It was the perfect opportunity for the audience to become an involved participant to the discussion, posing questions to the panel of three women who figure prominently in the worlds of business (Dr. Latha Ramchand), health care (Mary Ann Craig) and high society (Carolyn Farb) in the Bayou City and gladly took time out from their Saturday morning to share their ideas and thoughts on fundraising and support of charities. The audience of mostly women who came to the Indo American Charity Foundation’s “Women, Charity’s Champions” brunch on Saturday, June 21 found that the three featured female chief guests Farb, Ramchand and Craig were remarkably approachable and willing to respond to their questions – like in a talk show format - rather than deliver a prepared talk on the subject, which is the way that many of these meetings are usually conducted. Instead, the IACF’s first community outreach event (the IACF started the year with a golf tournament in April) mixed several items into one program held in the richly decorated ambiance of the Nirvana restaurant on Memorial which had been closed off for this private function, with general manager Mansour on hand during the whole program. Along with the chief guests, the venue featured a cooking demonstration by international chef Kiran Bheemarao who travels worldwide working on different concept restaurants; and colorful, creative handbags by the new designer label Earthredz, whose two founders – Kalpana Peck
The speakers with some of the IACF Board of Directors. Standing from left, Chef Kiran Bheemarao, President Ramesh Cherivirala, Abhijit Gadgil, Rathna Kumar, Alpa Shah, Vanitha Pothuri, Prem Cholia, President-Elect Kamala Raghavan and Past-President Murthy Divakaruni. Seated, from left: Mary Ann Craig, CEO, Kindred Hospital Northwest; Carolyn Farb, philanthropist, author and art collector and Dr. Latha Ramchand, Dean, Bauer College of Business, University of Houston. Photos: Bijay Dixit
and Mercedes Ortiz Monasterio (the third, Vandana Prakash was unable to come) were on hand to display and talk about their products. After a brief welcome by IACF President Ramesh Cherivirala, the featured women, chef and designers were introduced by IACF President-elect Kamala Raghavan and followed along by the organization’s
Secretary Vanitha Pothuri who gave background information on each. Several other IACF Board members were present, including Past-President Murthy Divakaruni, though many others could not attend due to scheduling conflicts. The event was coordinated by this reporter, who is also a director on the IACF Board. The program began with a demonstration
right in the main dining area by Bheemarao of three dishes and a summertime fruit drink. By random draw, he chose three guests – who just happened to include Democratic candidate for Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg – to sample his creations, all the while explaining the cooking process. The dishes he created were a kaffir limeginger Fresca drink, a watermelon salad, spice crusted wild Alaskan salmon, petit gateau au chocolat desert and pave glace bon bons, all of which were later available for sampling. Bheemarao gave a gift set of bon bons to each of the chief guests. Bheemarao has been a well-respected chef for 20 years and received part of his training in French pastry from the Chocolatiers at Valrhona in Tain l’Hermitahe and Bernachon, Lyon, both in France. He recently relocated to the Houston area. Next came the discussions and a series of question and answers with the three main guests. Carolyn Farb, a native Houstonian who is internationally recognized for her work raising funds for non-profit groups and for major local landmarks like the Menil Collection and the Museum of Fine Arts. She is also a lover of art and has a large personal collection of works by major artists and has also written a children’s book, “Lucas Comes to America” which she brought to the brunch and gave away autographed copies of to the attendees. Farb gave her perspective on effective and zero-cost ways to do fundraising and offered suggestions for causes that needed help.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
CONTINUED ON PAGE
16
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
Houstonians Felicitate Durgabari Head Priest Dr. Bishnupada Goswami
RICHMOND: On June 22, evening, more than 500 Houstonians gathered at Safari Texas Ranch at 11627 FM 1464 in Richmond, Texas to commemorate Houston Durgabari Society’s Head Priest Dr. Bishnupada Goswami. According to the sources, Dr. Goswami has received three outstanding awards from Indian Institute of Oriental Heritage Kolkata. These awards are Mahamahopadhyay, Doctor of Literature in Karmakand, and Meghnath Saha. Drawing versatile genius scholars and with many dignitaries like the Governors and union Ministers, Supreme Court Judges, Vice-Chancellors, and famous personalities, Indian Institute of Oriental Heritage holds Annual International Conference annually. The prestigious awards were given to Goswamiji on March 7, 2014 in Delhi at 37th annual felicitation of the institute by emissary of President of India in the presence of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati ji. Subsequent to this event, Houston Durgabari Society honored Dr. Goswami at a function in the society in Houston. Known also as Purohit Moshay, Dr. Bishnupada Goswami was born to father Pandit Hrishikesh Goswami and mother Kamala Devi in rajahati, in West Bengal state in India. He grew up amid Vedic chanting. Highly acclaimed Mr. Goswami had been instrumental in social and religious service in Kalibari, Delhi and since the year 2003, is serving the indo-American community in Houston. In a beautifully choreographed entry scene at 6 PM, June 22 at Safari Texas Ranch ballroom, Dr. Goswami was accompanied by his wife Aparna Goswami. Walking on red carpet, Goswami couple was greeted with standing ovation while young girls’ showering flower petals. This high profile event was also attended by the Consul General of India, P. Harish, as chief guest along with Pete Olson, the US Congressman, Dr. Bhaskar Roy, Chairman, Council of Trustee, HDBS, Ed Thompson, State Representative, Tom Reid, Mayor Pearland, Michael Gibson, Chairman Fort Bend County, Tina Gibson, Member State Senate, Himesh Gandhi, the councilman, city of Sugarland, and head priests of Arya Samaj of Houston, Goudiya Math, and Hindu Temple of Woodlands. Lauding Dr. Goswami’s contribution to the society, Speakers stressed for young children to take inspiration from head priest’s life and
Dr. Bishnupada Goswami
appreciated the service and knowledge of the priest. Gauranga Mookerjee welcomed the guests and coordinated the speeches while Mridula and Vinay Karna lead the presentation of Dr. Goswami’s life event. The sequence of life events were beautifully mingled with Indian cultural programs amid slokas chanted by Priest of Hindu temple of Woodlands. Pandit Shanti Lal Shah along with his son Anurag and nephew Jason, performed Tabla jugalbandi which mesmerized the audience. Rajnita Bandyopadhyay, a professional Bengali singer, was the star performer of the event. Young dancers. Shikha, Isha, Veda and Sarmishtha of Anjali Center of Performing Arts performed Bharatnatyam dance, Swati of (IICPD performed Odissi dance and Ishita, Dhara, Shilpita, and Deepsikha of kalaangan performed Odissi dance. Harish and Olson along with other dignitaries released the book “Marriage Knot” in English, written by Dr. Goswami in English and bengali. Sailaja and Jayanta Bandyopadhyay had created a booklet of collection of good wishes and ran a slide show of Goswamiji’s full life events. Gauranga Mookerjee says, “we have celebrated similar events many times but organizing this event for our loved priest has given us most happiness and satisfaction.” Dr. Gouri and Amrit Achari, senior members of the society who Dr. Goswami treats as parent-figures, were very delighted to see the priest honored for his achievements. Mridula Karna, a member of the felicitation team, congratulates and thanks many volunteers, sponsors, and hosts who contributed to the success of the event.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
13
14 June 27, 2014 FOOD STAMP CARDS ACCEPTED ON BOTH LOCATIONS
Laxmi
Ramadan Sale
06/27/14 to 07/27/14
Vishala Grocery #1
Vishala Grocery #2
9410 HWY6 South Houston,Tx 77083 Phone: 281-498-0220 • 281-498-6074 Open 7 days 10:00am to 9:30pm
Toor Dal Plain & OilyLaxmi - Swad
4lb
4lb
$2.
Laxmi - Swad
4lb
$2.99
Swad
$1.49
$2.49
Laxmi
$1. 99
400gm
$9.99
20lb
Tajmahal Tea Bag
Tajmahal Tea
Laxmi
$2.99
Sona Masoori
Swad
each
Dates Medjool Choice
$39.99
$15.99
$1.99
Laziza Vemicelli
$1.
$3.99
$6.99
$3.99
Maggi Masala Noodles
560gm
Garvi Gujarat Snacks
$5.
00
Sharbati Chapati Atta
Jaggery
3 for
100gm
$6.99
5kg
Asian Kitchen 20lb
Canola Oil
$2.99
450gm
99C
1lb
Swad
$7.99
$3.99
30 oz
$0.59
Supreme Chick Peas Boiled 2.55kg
Yellow Lable Tea 99 900gm
1lb
$7.
Corn Oil
Laxmi
32.5lb
Supreme Chick Peas Boiled 400gm
$3.
$11.99
1800gm
99
Karela
99C
32.5lb
$2.
99
Laxmi - Swad
4lb
$3.99
Garam Masala Swad
$1. 99
400gm
Soji Swad
$2.29
4lb
Cardamum Seeds Laxmi
$1. 99
100gm
99C
Indian Eggplant 1lb
99C
99
$3.99
4lb
Shan Masala
$0.79
100gm
Fresh Vegetable 06/25/2014 to 07/02/2013
Baby mango 1lb
Laxmi
$23.
$22.99
$23.99
99C
Golden Dates
$1. 99
Canola Oil
Swad
32.5lb
Green Mango
Gur in Bucket
$2.99
Swad
4lb
900gm
Corn Oil
Swad
$0. 99
Rice Flour
$ 5.99
$3.29
$22.99
Anarkali Besan
5kg
450gm
$10.99
32.5lb
$5.99
$1.49
Swad
400gm
Whole Urad Gota
peas Red Lable Tea Red Lable Tea Red Lable Tea Black Eye Laxmi
Sona Masoori
Dosakai 1lb
10oz
Laxmi
Swad
4lb
Swad
Yellow Lable Yellow Lable Tea Bag Tea
Swad Snacks
$0.
$3.99 $8.99
280gm
No Chakri,Fafda Banana Chps
99
$3.49
20lb
Coriander Powder
$1.79
10lb
4lb
Maggi Masala Noodles
$1. 99
400gm
Laxmi
Swad
4lb
4lb
Coriander Seed
Swad
Laxmi - Swad
$3.99
4lb
Besan
Besan
Tajmahal Tea 900gm
00
Rooh Afza
Laxmi
20lb
450gm
Falooda Sev Yellow or White
$6.99
20lb
$12.99
20lb
$3.49
3 for
Export
$6.99
Sona Masoori
11lb
$2.99
400gm
Urad Dal
Laxmi - Swad
$1. 99
$2.49
$0.99
Ashirwad Atta
Swad
6 can
Moong Dal
Laxmi - Swad
4lb
99
400gm
Laxmi - Swad
400gm
Swad
Cardamum Green Jumbo
Swad
Mustard Seed
Golden Temple Bhalia & Chaki Atta Atta White
$0.69
$2. 4lb
99
4lb
Chilli powder
Laxmi
100gm
Laxmi - Swad
$9.99
t Buy1 ge 1free
Kala Chana
Masoor Dal
$3.
99
$1. 99
Turmeric Powder
20lb
Laxmi - Swad
$2.99
500ml
Vatana Yellow Vatana Green Cumin Seeds Cumin Powder
Kabuli Chana
400gm
Moong Whole
Laxmi - Swad
99
4lb
$0.99
1 ltr
Chana Dal
$3.
4lb
5205 South Mason Rd. #220, Katy,Tx 77450 Phone: 281-492-2020 Open 7 days 9:30am to 8:30pm chup Swad Mango Pulp t e K o t a m Ta
Pakola Btl
go
Maaza Man
2 for $3
WE HONOR ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS
Tindora 1lb
99C
Long Eggplant 1lb
99C
Turia 1lb
99C
Parval 1lb
99C
•Sale Items are subject to availability •We reserve the right to limit the quantity of sale items • Vishala is not responsible for any kind of typographical error in this advertisement • No refund, no exchange, no credit, no rain checks • Sale price valid till supply last INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
June 27, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
15
16 June 27, 2014 Prominent Women Share Ideas on Fundraising and Giving to Charities CONTINUED FROM PAGE
12
COMMUNITY
Connoisseurs Club Members Say Slainte in Style
International Chef Kiran Bheemarao gave a demonstration of Continental and French cooking, preparing three dishes and two deserts for the audience.
Dr. Latha Ramchand, the Dean of the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston took the perspective on the financial aspects of fundraising and what methods charities used. She answered questions from the audience on the areas of education and the work that charities could do in supporting young children’s development. Mary Ann Craig is the CEO of the Kindred Hospital, NW and was previously with the Memorial Hospital system. She focused
on the needs of seniors in geriatric healthcare and how best to serve them through different programs. The three speakers were able to illuminate the issues that require earnest funding and support within the general community and keyed in directly with the areas that the IACF has focused in on since its inception. As a token of appreciation, the IACF presented Bheemarao with given a gift bag and each of the ladies an original handbag, courtesy of Earthredz.
Members who attended the Connoisseurs club meeting on Friday, June 20, at the home of Abhijit and Anjali Gadgil (Fourth and fifth from left).
BY IRFAN KARIM HOUSTON: The Connoisseurs Club (CC) is a social soiree where various persuasions of the excellent delicacies and liquid gold are paired together under engrossing themes. Members dream of eating exotic cuisines and drinking whiskey all the time. The group has already met twice; the inaugural event was held on April 25. The June 20, meeting took place at Anjali and Abhijit Gadgil’s
beautiful residence. On the menu were five different whiskey drinks and wines. Some of the obiter dictum which members shared, “We try to experiment with differnet types of whiskeys, sometimes a little subtle so you can taste the whiskey at its base and then play around with the flavor profiles, sometimes it is a little dark, sometimes it is a little creamy and sometimes it has a bright bubbly flavor,” said Karim.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Atul vir recalled, “CC members had a delightful evening at the memorial area home of Abhijit and Anjali Gadjil.” Ajay Sarpeshkar, said “It’s all about sharing experience, wisdom, food and most importantly good scotch.” In addition, Atul Vir and Mayur Patel shared about their involvemnets with varoius philanthropic projects. The evening ended with excellent Mediterranean regal dinner arranged by the host.
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
17
Chandrababu Naidu Urges Swami Ramdev to Establish Yoga Centre in Tirupati this year as Swami ji is expected to visit USA in the next three or four months.” Swami has been compared to Shivaji’s guru Swami Ramdas, even with King Chandragupta Maurya teacher, philosopher, and royal advisor Chanakya. This modern-day monk saw the rot that had set in in the administration of the Congress-led UPA government and took up the task of cleansing the system. Swami Ramdev’s contribution in India’s recent epochal election, which brought Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party to power, cannot be minimized. In 2009, he established the Bharat Swabhiman Trust with a view to instilling pride in India’s rich heritage and a commitment to work for a better India. Swamiji started a road journey to awaken the masses with goal of liberating the nation from UPA rule. The Congress government tried everything to discredit him, filing several cases of fraud and
arresting his trusted assistant. The worst and most draconian action against Ramdev came on the night of June 3/4, 2011 when the government unleashed a baton-wielding police force to evict Ramdev and 100,000 followers who were participating in a peaceful protest against corruption in the Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi. Ramdev also was the first to suggest Narendra Modi for Prime Minister at a rally in Haridwar on April 26, 2013 and later in August of the same year he said he had no doubt that Modi would tackle India’s problems earnestly and decisively. On January 5, 2014, Modi joined Swami Ramdev in celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Bharat Swabhiman Trust. Modi, along with several high ranking BJP leaders, like Arun Jaitley and BJP President Rajnath Singh have publicly acknowledged his contribution in making the elections a national movement.
Swami Ramdev and Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD, INDIA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has offered all possible assistance to Baba Ramdev in establishing a world class herbal park in Tirumala and a spiritual center in Tirupati for yoga, herbal medicine, naturopathy and ayurved. It is only fitting that the center is opened in Tirumala, the abode of Kaliyuga Venkateshwara, which attracts Hindus from all over the world, Naidu said. Naidu paid rich compliments to Baba Ramdev, for not only spreading yoga, but for serving the cause of the nation, for a corruption free India, and for striving to make the country number one in the world. Because of Baba Ramdev’s relentless campaign, the Congress Party disappeared without an address in recent elections, Naidu said. Ramdev called on the chief minister in Hyderabad on June 10 to congratulate him on his election and becoming the chief minister. During their meeting, Naidu asked Baba Ramdev to set up a major yoga centre in the temple town of Tirupati along with a nursery of medicinal plants at Tirumala. Naidu wanted it to be the “world’s best herbal park.” “We will consider his proposal to set up the yoga center through our Patanjali Trust,” Ramdev said. “I respect Chandrababu Naidu as my elder brother. He has kept the country’s interests first. He has the ability to combine both prosperity and spirituality. People of Andhra have given him a massive mandate. Hence I came here to congratulate him on his victory,” said Ramdev. “Whether it is making India a world power or bringing back black money he stood behind us. We want to use yoga for character building. In Tirupati, which is a heaven on earth, a program is in the pipeline, which if initiated by Chandrababu Naidu, will find our support. It will make Andhra Pradesh a famous place in yoga, naturopathy with a herbal garden of world standard,” he added. Ramdev also posted on the Twitter, that he has asked Naidu to include “Yog and Spiritual knowledge in the education curriculum in Andhra Pradesh and he agreed to the same.” Shekhar Agrawal of Patanjali Yogpeeth (USA) Trust in Houston said “I am extremely happy that Chandrababu Naidu has asked Yogrishi Swami Ramdevji to build a world class Yoga Center in the temple town of Tirupati. We also hope to make faster progress in spreading the message of Yoga and Naturopathy in USA INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
18 June 27, 2014 A Ban Against Bans Shortly after BJP leader Gopinath Munde was killed in a road accident in Delhi — allegedly because his official car was being driven at high speed by his chauffeur — a correspondent wrote in to say that in order to avoid such tragic incidents the government should impose a ban on all vehicles being driven at more than 50 kmph. How such a blanket ban was to be implemented, at all times and all places, and whether such a drastic proscription was really necessary or even desirable, was not taken into consideration. There was a problem as there are too frequent road accidents in which people were being killed or injured. How to solve the problem? By adopting a process of educating drivers in particular and the public in general about road safety rules, and enforcing such rules with strict policing? No. Such a programme of public education was far too long-drawn-out. What was needed was a quick-fix solution. A ban. We in India love banning things. A book, or a film, or a painting, might hurt someone or other’s religious/cultural/ social sensibilities? Ban the book, the film, the painting or whatever the objectionable thing in question was. Rape and other violent crimes against women becoming an everyday event? Ban women from going out alone, particularly after dark. Ban women from wearing clothes which someone or other might find ‘provocative’. Why is it that as a society we are so quick to jump on the banned wagon? Why is it that our first response to any problem is the simplistic ‘solution’ to ban something or other? Perhaps the reason is that we take our cue from sarkari policy by and large. In a democratic society the government tries to empower people. In India, our successive governments have sought only to empower themselves, to assert their authority, at the expense of people. The process of public empowerment is a long and tedious business, involving among many other things the spread of grassroots education and the raising of social awareness. An extremely wearisome task. So much simple for the sarkar to use its power of veto and tell us what we can’t do — through a ban — than to enlarge the scope of what we can do. The ‘can’t do’ approach of bans is a symptom of a negative government, the polar opposite of positive governance. The head of the new government, Narendra Modi, spelt out this problem when, soon after assuming office, he said that he believed in ‘less government and more governance’. In other words, a government which instead of telling people ‘you can’t do this’, not only tells people ‘you can do this’, but helps them to do it. This would be a sea change for India. And if it takes place it might help us jump off the banned wagon and onto the band wagon. Jug Suraiya in Times of India
EDITORIAL/ LETTERS
Competent Sycophants with Swiss Accounts This refers to the opinion piece ‘Reality Hurts Hard’ by Tavleen Singh (Indo American news, June 4). While Ms. Singh might have touched upon correctly why Congress lost, I think she has missed one important point. She ascribes the Congress election defeat mainly to incompetency. I think this is only half true, The people who lost are not all that incompetent. Look at the wealth they amassed in a short time at the expense of people and how they stashed it away in Swiss (and probably Italian) banks, so several generations after their election defeat can live in luxury. Even if any of us want to amass wealth that way, we would prove ourselves incapable in no time, but would be caught and jailed. They correctly calculated that if they are sycophants of the ‘madam’ and her family and pass on part of their loot to the family’s banks and vaults, they will be cleared of any wrong-doing, which has happened time and again.. The people who lost are very
competent, but they used their competence for the wrong end. They tried to cover up their criminal activity by the so-called ‘secular’ veneer. They played votebank politics, putting one religion against another and one caste against another at the expense of the people and security of the country. They succeeded so far in winning elections and amassing even more wealt
Tell me one criminal in India who does not invoke the ‘secular’ card! Let me guess, if any of these politicians are caught and prosecuted, their defense will be that they are persecuted by the ‘Hindu government’ for their ‘secular’ beliefs! Prabhu Narumanchi Houston Texas
Persecution of Religious Minorities in Pakistan
I would like to highlight the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan. On Sunday May 26th, Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar a cardiologist from Columbus, Ohio was shot and killed in Pakistan in front of his wife and young son. He had traveled to Pakistan to serve as a volunteer doctor at the Tahir Heart Institute, a medical facility located in Chanab Nagar, Pakistan. After visiting a cemetery where family members and members of his religious community are buried, Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar was shot by two gunman on motorcycles. They shot the doctor 10 times and he died within a short time. In addition to his wife and youngest child, he leaves behind two more sons, aged 5 and 17. Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar’s reason
for becoming a doctor stemmed from his belief in Islam. The Holy Quran states that, “Whoso gave life to a person, it shall be as if he gave life to all mankind” (5:33). As such, he became dedicated to saving lives and offered his skills at the Tahir Heart Institute Dr. Qamar is now part of the 137 Ahmadi Muslims who have been killed in Pakistan for no reason other than their faith in the past four years. The cemetery he was paying his respects to before his death included 86 other Ahmadi Muslims who were martyred in an attack on Ahmadi Mosques in Pakistan in 2010. Despite the obscene amounts of unjustifiable bloodshed, Pakistan’s government does nothing to prevent the killing of the Ahmadi
Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN GRAPHIC DESIGN: AMITHA DEVIKRUPA CORRESPONDENTS
HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, INDIA: RAJ KANWAR ®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, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Muslims. In fact, it sponsors attacks on Ahmadis due to their beliefs. The second amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan takes from Ahmadis the right to call themselves Muslims, and severely restricts their fundamental right to practice their religion. An ordinance of the constitution also adds punishments for the association of Ahmadis with Islam, allowing for Ahmadis to be imprisoned and even executed for their religious associations. Unfortunately, Dr. Qamar’s murder is one of many when it comes to religious minorities in Pakistan. The persecution and senseless violence against other religious groups exists, and people must be informed. Nusrat Dawood Houston, Texas
HEALTH / INFORMATION The Healthy Dose: Free Radicals Part 1
BY PARTH DWIVEDI HOUSTON: Welcome to the first installment of The Healthy Dose, where I will illustrate some of the principles that drive the human body. Understanding some of the processes behind illness is important. I want to show my readers that a spectrum of conditions exists between health and sickness; there is not always one point at which you become sick. I also feel that many confuse interpretations with facts. I trust American physicians with my life and do not advocate straying from professional medical advice at all. I merely hope to give people a framework to think inside of in order to intelligently guide their questions and decisions. Knowledge is everywhere in the Information Age. You can see this with a quick Google search of almost anything. Finding the facts is not hard—sorting through them is hard. For this reason I do not want to emphasize facts as much as concepts. With that, we can get started. Free radicals show up in many popular health and diet trends but it can be difficult to understand what they are and what they do. This is a broad topic so it will be split into two installments. In order to learn a little bit more about free radicals we must realize that nature, and our bodies, operate under many sets of rules. These rules are what make free radicals what they are. We are made of atoms, which are essentially a nucleus surrounded by electrons. The way these electrons jump around between atoms is what creates the study of chemistry, and this is what we will focus on to understand what a free radical is. The most important rule to keep in mind is that
June 27, 2014
19
How Do You Know Which Credit Card is Right for You?
There are hundreds of credit cards available to consumers. From rewards card to secure cards, credit card companies design cards that fit the consumer’s specific need. Just recently, Wells Fargo and American Express launched two new credit cards Wells Fargo Propel World American Express® Card and the Wells Fargo Propel 365 American Express® Card. The new cards are designed to give customers the ability to maximize everyday spending and earn rewards faster. The cards also provide rich benefits like enhanced protection for shopping and traveling. These two cards were designed to help customers succeed financially with compelling offerings such as receiving additional bonuses for a Wells Fargo relationship. This means that Wells Fargo customers can earn an extra 10, 25 or 50 percent in reward points for maintaining a qualified Wells Fargo checking or savings account or a PMA® package. Like Propel 365 and Propel World, there are may be other credit cards that offer great rewards to fit the consumer needs. However,
out of those hundreds of cards, how do you know which one is right for you? Beverly Anderson, head of Wells Fargo’s Consumer Financial Services group, points that the first step is to know your credit goals and what you want the credit card to do for you. For example, are you looking to earn more rewards points for the money you spend or just looking to establish or build credit? “Credit cards, when used responsibly, can be a useful tool to build and manage credit,” explained Anderson. “They can also maximize
an individual’s everyday spending through rewards programs as well as offering additional services and protections To make the most out of a credit card, it’s important to find a card that matches your lifestyle as well as your spending habits. If you’re among those who use a credit card for everyday purchases such as gas, meals and groceries, choose a card that rewards you for the purchases you’re already making. Similarly, consumers who travel often may benefit most from a card with travel-oriented perks. Some travel cards may offer great benefits for people who love to explore the world such as no foreign conversion fees, chip technology for additional protection against fraud, and accelerated rewards points on travel related purchases. “Sometimes what makes a great credit card is not just one thing, but the combination of many factors,” shared Anderson. “As such, consumers should always look for a card that matches their financial goals and needs.”
Free radicals lack proper electron configuation
electrons like to come in pairs. Nature does not like an atom with an odd number of electrons. This rule needs to be followed so strongly that an atom with the wrong number of electrons will take them from another atom, in turn leaving that one with the wrong number of electrons. This process continues until eventually two atoms with an odd number of electrons meet and combine their electrons to share between them, creating a permanent attachment in the process. New molecules can be formed in this way, and free radicals are simply the atoms or molecules that have the wrong number of electrons. Now that we know what a free radical is, we can talk more about why they are such a big deal next week. Parth Dwivedi has a B.A. in Neuroscience and an M.S. in Biomedical Sciences. He likes reading non-fiction and still watches I Love Lucy. INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
20 June 27, 2014 LEARN TO DRIVE TODAY!
Ganesh Anand Catering Services Pure Vegetarian South & North Indian Dishes. Chaat & Snacks Contact Babulbhai: 832-891-1421 13180 West Park Dr. @ Synott Houston, TX 77082
COMMUNITY/ INDIA
Jagannath Rath Yatra in Houston
HOUSTON: On Saturday, June 28, Jagannath Rath Yatra or “Festival of Chariots,” which originated thousands of years ago in Puri, India, will be celebrated at Discovery Green beginning at 6:00 p.m. The festival begins with bhajans, classical Indian dance performances by various renowned artists from Odisha and dance schools in the Greater Houston area, followed by a traditional East Indian chariot parade and finally riveting open air dandia raas. Co-sponsored by Char Dham Hindu Temple of the Woodlands, ISKCON and organized by Masala
Radio, the parade will spotlight three authentic hand-pulled wooden chariots that were crafted in India under the direction of Dr. Surya Sahoo of SKAI Foundation. After the grand success of the event last year, the festival will again be celebrated on a grand scale in Houston as it is traditionally done in India with three chariots. The event is sponsored by Tara Energy, Zee TV, and Mercredez Benz of Sugar Land. Festival-goers can help pull the chariots, get henna designs, enjoy cultural programs, free prasad, vegetarian food booths, and dance in open air Dandia Raas with
free Dandias provided by sponsor Zee TV / Zee Dil Se. The event is free and open to the public. Schedule •Stage Bhajans & Cultural Dances 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM. •Chariots Parade – 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM •Open Air Dandia Raas 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM. Highlights •FREE EVENT •Chariot Procession - we welcome everyone to receive blessdins by pulling the chariots by hand •Cultural Program including live bhajans by Karnamrita Devi Dasi, Odissi dance by renowned artist from Odisha, and Bhajans & Dandia by Nishi Munshi •Open Air Dandia Raas •Dhol and Bollywood Music by DJ Nish •Indian Bazaar and Food Booths •Park Play Areas for Kids For further information, visit http://www.greaterhoustonrathyatra.org/ or call Masala Radio at 281-277-6874.
Preity Records Statement, Says Ness Abused, Demeaned My Character BY MATEEN HAFEEZ & SWATI DESHPANDE MUMBAI: Actor Preity Zinta gave a statement to the police over two hours on Tuesday evening, reiterating that she had been abused and threatened by her former boyfriend, industrialist Ness Wadia, at an IPL match on May 30. Zinta had earlier alleged in her June 13 FIR that Wadia, her co-owner of IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab, had humiliated, abused and threatened her during the match. Though Zinta wanted to give her statement at her residence on Tuesday, cops insisted that she come down to Wankhede stadium for site inspection and clarification. The media was in full strength both outside Zinta’s residence as well as Wankhede stadium where she arrived around 6.30pm and met personnel from Marine Drive police station. “She had given a statement earlier, but we wanted clarifications. We asked her to come down to the stadium so that it would be easier for her to explain and for the cops to understand the circumstances,” said a senior IPS officer. Zinta had alleged that Wadia abused her during the match, which they were watching from the seats allocated to them as team owners. “She told us that 35 AC seats and 50 general seats had been reserved for her in the pavilion. She narrated what exactly happened that day. We had some queries and Zinta replied to them. Now, we have the entire state-
ment,” the officer added She showed the police team the seats occupied by her and her friends during the match. Police recorded her statement, sought clarifications and did a spot panchnama. Her statement was recorded at one of the offices in the club complex at Wankhede. Zinta’s lawyer Hitesh Jain reached the stadium a little before she arrived and left along with her around 8.30pm. The police said she recounted the allegations mentioned in the FIR. The actor had come along with her brother. The thrust of Zinta’s allegations was that Ness shouted abuses at her, which demeaned and insulted her as a woman, and attacked her character publicly despite several reminders she had given him earlier to check his language. “We have Danish Merchant as a direct witness. Now, we will corrobo-
rate Zinta’s statement with those of the witnesses,” said an officer. When asked whether the police would summon the accused, Wadia, the officer added, “We will examine the statements and see the evidence. Later, we will decide the future course of action.” Police had earlier recorded statements of eight witnesses in the case. Sources close to the IPL said on that day, Ness was upset on arriving after 8.30pm to find he and his mother had no seat as the reserved seats were all occupied. That’s when he shouted at the staff, which Zinta refers to in the FIR without explaining the reason. Zinta has said Ness had behaved badly with her in the past, too, and she had even sent him a personal email asking him to stop behaving in a manner that degraded her and put her to shame. -Times of India
Read us online at www.indoamerican-news.com INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
21
World Refugee Day in Houston
Rahman Moton (left) with Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee
HOUSTON: On June 21, World Refugee Day, was celebrated in Houston at Raindrop Turkish House with more than 2500 people. Houston is home to over 70,000 refugees from nearly 80 different countries. It was attended by Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee, Gene Wu (State Representative), Mike Laster (City Council), Richard Nguyen (City Council),
Afzaal Mahmood (Consul General of Pakistan), Rahman Moton (President MACC) and organizers from The Alliance, Catholic Charity, HCC, Interfaith and YMCA. In the event Congresswoman, State Representative and council members gave their valuable message and presented awards to the organizers and the refugees. Rahman Moton along
with his speech was honored to lead raffle drawings for refugee families. Many priceless gifts in raffles were distributed to the refugee children . As Houston being number one destination for the refugee resettlement, the day filled with cultural entertainment, cultural food, children activities and education exhibits.
Ruhika Roy Recognized by ISA for her Outstanding Science Project
Ruhika Roy
HOUSTON: Ruhika Roy, a senior at Elkins High School was invited to a Scholarships Awards Night on June 4. at the HESS Club, Houston by Instrument Society of America (ISA) to present her spectacular science project “A novel sensor & microcontroller for vibration detection” in front of professional engineers and students. Instrument Society of America (ISA) gave her first place in the engineering category in SEFH for this year. Her presentation, oratory, and cognitive skills were enjoyed and appreciated by all the professionals and students present. Ruhika was given a lifetime ISA membership for her spectacular performance. “It was a lot of hard work to accomplish this project, but it paid off and felt great when ISA, a big giant in the automation industry recognize my work.” said Ruhika. It was not the end of story however. Mary Cannon, Chair, ISA Council of Student Affairs was so impressed on her research work and requested Ruhika to submit her abstract and technical paper for the October 2014 or January 2015 ISA Instrumentation Symposium and she submitted accordingly. “I don’t know how to participate on either October or January as I would be very busy at school. Still I hope I can and am very excited “said Ruhika. For further information visit: http://houstonisa.org/events/scholarship-awards-night-june-4th
ALEXANDER P. MATHEWS, CPA For Services In:
INDIVIDUAL & BUSINESS TAXES • BUSINESS TAX CONSULTATION INCORPORATION, FORMATION OF LLC CERTIFIED QUICK BOOK ADVISOR AVAILABLE
25 Years in Public Accounting 11104 West Airport, Ste 114, Stafford, TX 77477
(281) 564-9500
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
22 June 27, 2014 BOOK REVIEW
LITERATURE
Life and Times of An Indiaphile, Whose Legacy Endures in Mumbai BY PRAMOD KULKARNI The British empire was built by English adventurers, aided by the spoils of their conquests in India and the other colonies. Many of the progressive technologies the British introduced in India, such as the railway and telegraph, were intended primarily to strengthen their military and economic control. Furthermore, most of the British administrators exhibited racist attitudes and looked upon their service in India as lifting the “white man’s burden.” Nevertheless, there were a few enlightened individuals, who took a genuine interest in India and Indians. Among these were Mountstuart Elphinstone, who introduced the system of state education in the Bombay Presidency. And now, through a scholarly book written by Dr. Vijaya Gupchup, we are
Sir George Birdwood kept up his interest in India even after returning to England in 1868 due to ill health.
reminded of the vital role of Sir George Birdwood (1832-1917) in promoting goodwill between the East and the West. Sir Birdwood was born in the small town of Belgaum (now in
First Ever
24 Hour
Telugu Radio in Houston
Online at www.radiohungama.net & Every Sunday 12 PM to 3 PM CST On
KCHN AM 1050 Contact: Sridhar Dadi at
281-217-9736
houstonradio@yahoo.com
D r. V i j a y a G u p c h u p w a s encourage to write about Sir Birdwood by Dr. Aroon Tikekar, then President of the Asiatic Society of Bombay.
Karnatak state). His father was General George Christopher Birdwood. He was educated at Plymouth Grammar School in England and Edinburgh University in Scotland, where he took his MD degree. He returned to India in 1854 to enter the Bombay Medical Service. After serving in the Persian War from 1856-57, he went on to perform a series of distinguished services in Bombay. First, Birdwood worked as a surgeon and professor at Grant Medical College. Next, he became Registrar of the University of Bombay, secretary of the Bombay branch of the Royal Asiatic Society; secretary of the Agri-Horticultural Society; curator, Government Museum; and Sheriff of the City of Bombay. At the University of Bombay, his physical legacy remains in the form of the Gothic styled buildings of the Senate Hall and the Clock Tower Library. Through his work at the Asiatic Society and the Government Museum, Sir Birdwood was largely responsible for creation of the Victoria & Albert museum. His interest in the horticultural society led to the development of the Victoria Gardens. Due to the recent trend of renaming British institutions, these are now known as the Bhau Daji Lad museum and Rani bagh. As Dr. Gupchup explains, Sir George Birdwood’s exceptional talent was his ability to raise funds for his major projects through government grants as well as his friendhip with Indian well-to-do merchants and community leaders such as Dr. Bhau Daji Lad, Juggonath Sunkersett and Cowasjee Jehangier. After returning to England, Sir Birdwood arranged several exhibitions on India and was even appointed to a post at the India Office to publish works on its historical records. According to Dr. Gupchup, if Sir Birdwood had a blind spot, it was about Indian art. Birdwood admired Indian crafts, but did not recognize the existence of Indian fine arts and was horrified by the depiction of Puranic dieties asa
The book is published by Popular Prakashan in India. Other books by Dr. Vijaya Gupchup include Bombay: Social change, 1813-1857; Festivals in regions and seasons of India, and Indian Toys Come Alive.
Sir Birdwood’s helped set up the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad museum (top) and Rani bagh. He was also the first registrar of the University of Bombay and organized exhibitions about India in Europe.
“eight armed monsters.” Dr. Gupchup conducted her research at the University of Bombay and Asiatic Society of Bombay, Oriental & African Studies section of the British Library as well as several university libraries in the US. Dr. Gupchup is now conducting research for a book on a more controversial British administra-
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
tor: Arthur Crawford (1835-1911), who was the first Municipal Commissioner and is famous as an able administrator as well as for his underhand financial dealings. Sir George Birdwood is published by Popular Prakashan and can be purchased for delivery in the US via popularprakashan. com.
COMMUNITY
June 27, 2014
23
Diwali at Times Square to be Held on September 20
NEWYORK: Event date officially announced at a prestigious press conference held at Consulate General of India, New York. Diwali, the Festival of Lights is the most significant festival for Asian Indians. Last year, thousands of people gathered from far and wide to celebrate Diwali in the heart of Times Square. The festive spirit radiated around Times Square with people in traditional attire lined up to showcase Indian cuisine, fashion and live performances from a wide array of celebrities. After the success of this landmark event last September, this year once again, Event Guru brings you Diwali at Times Square 2014 on September 20. A prestigious press conference was held at the Indian Consulate in NY, hosted by the Honorable Consul General of India in New York, Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, to announce the launch of this exciting festival. “It is wonderful to see this event come back to Times Square this year again. It’s a glimpse into India’s largest festival and we are going to
2014”. “We are pleased to be back again to be part of this festival. This year Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation will showcase to the world Maharashtra’s rich culture, cuisine, pristine beaches, historical and natural heritage preserved for thousands of years” Managing Director of MTDC Dr. Jagdish Patil stated. Diwali festivities will begin at noon and will include a wide variety of Indian food, dance classes, Indian arts and crafts, a fashion show, photo booths with ethnic outfits, celebrities and much much more. In the evening, Event Guru will be bringing a “Light up Times Square” Concert. Event Guru and ASB Communications, the masterminds behind “Diwali at Times Square”, are organizing and managing the event. Neeta Bhasin, President and CEO of Event Guru and ASB Communications, said “We want to show the world how rich Indian culture and heritage is and how diversified India is. We couldn’t think of a better place than the center of
co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. Neeta was recognized for her efforts and dedication to further the Asian Indian community in the United States as well as her invaluable contributions to the South Asian community in greater New York City. Event Guru is an event management and PR agency servicing clients around the world. We specialize in delivering unique and modern experiences through various types of concerts, banquets, press conferences, and much more. Using our experience and relationship in the market, we are able to provide our clients with superior service at an affordable price. ASB Communications is a fullservice international multicultural advertising and marketing organization. ASB provides integrated marketing solutions to companies looking to target the ethnic market, including the Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and African markets in USA, UK and Canada. Since its inception in 1997, ASB has nurtured deep roots in the ethnic communities in North America. The company has taken part in over 3,000 events on behalf of its clients. For further Information about Diwali at Times Square visit: http://www.diwalitimessquare. com”http://www.diwalitimessquare. com. For sponsorship or volunteer inquiries email at mailto:info@diwalitimessquare. com”info@diwalitimessquare.com.
celebrate it with the world right here in New York City!” said Mr. Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay. Once again, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation is the title sponsor of “Diwali at Times Square
the Universe - Times Square!” Mrs. Bhasin was also honored last night with a proclamation from the House of Representatives from New York’s 14th Congressional District by Congressman Joseph Crowley who also
Media Contact: Simmy Grewal Event Guru Inc. Phone: 212-216-9305 ext. 106 info@event-gurus.com 247 West 35th St. Suite 16F, New York, NY 10001 T: (212) 216 9305 F: (212) 214 0437 W: www.eventguru.com
Cook Available Name: Palani Chidambaram Experience: Ex Chief Cook In Meenakshi Temple Able To Cook:Veg&Nonveg Contact No:713-933-4329
13100 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 77478
www.testmasters.com
281-564-7700
For advertising Call 713-789-6397
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
24 June 27, 2014
PUZZLES/ RECIPE
SUDOKU
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 JULY 02, 2014. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your picture and we will publish it if you are a winner (for first three entrees only).
Solution Next Week
L��� W���’� SUDOKU S�������
L��� W���’� SUDOKU W������
Open 7 days a week
1) Prabha Chittal 2) Pravina Avinash 3) Bina Vyas
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Sarson ka Saag (Mashed Mustard Greens) Due to popular request by several readers, this recipeisbeingre-printed. Sarson ka saag (mashed mustard greens) is a dish that even those not from the Punjab know very well for its wonderful slightly bitter taste and the wonderful, thick makki di roti (corn flour bread) that it is devoured with. If you add a slice or two of homemade mango pickles (made in mustard seed oil and with fennel seeds) the enjoyment of the dish is complete! Mustard greens are commonly harvested only in the winter months, so this dish has a special significance during the cold months, along with all the halwas and gajaks (sesame seed crackle). Sarson ka saag is not to be confused with the more common saag paneer which is made with spinach leaves, is found in all the North Indian restaurants in the world and is immensely popular with the young and old alike. Sarson ka saag is more rustic, but there are a few secrets to make it taste authentic at home. Since mustard greens are normally bitter, it is important to add a little sugar to cut the taste so that the dish does not irritate the back of the throat. Also, to add some body and consistency, it is important to add a little corn flour. I will give the recipe for the makki di roti next week. Since Fall is fast approaching, these two recipes will bring the taste of the Punjab to your house on a cold day! Ingredients: • 1 kilo sarson (mustard greens) • 2 medium shalgum (turnips) • 2 cups pani (water) • 2 tbsp makki ka atta (corn flour) or gyon ka atta (wheat flour) • 1tbsp gur (crystallized molas ses) or chinni (sugar) • 1 medium payaaz (onion) – peeled and finely chopped • 1 medium adrak (ginger root) – peeled and finely chopped • 3 mirchen (green chillies) – stems removed and finely chopped
• 1 cup tael (olive oil or sun flower seed oil) • Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper)
the bitterness of the mustard greens. Keep stirring till you no longer see the water and saag is separate, then remove from the heat and keep to the side.
Directions: 1. Cut the mustard green leaves finely and then place in a sieve and wash thoroughly, since these are generally full of loose dirt. Wash twice to ensure that all the dirt has been rinsed out.
7. In a small frying pan, warm up the oil and throw in the onions, ginger and chillies till they are brown. Throw them into the saag and mix well. Add salt and red pepper to taste. Some people like to add a tablespoon or two of butter for taste.
2. Peel the turnips and cut into small pieces.
8. This dish is best served with makki di roti (corn flour chappatis) in a typical Punjabi fashion. I will write that recipe next week.
3. Place the cut mustard greens and turnips in a large pot with 2 cups of cold water and bring to a boil for 30 minutes over medium heat. Do not use high heat otherwise the water will quickly evaporate. 4. Test the leaves to make sure they are soft. Then drain over a sieve and collect the water for use later. 5. Mash the leaves and turnips well. Then mix 2 tbsp of corn flour into a ½ cup of the saved water and add to the saag, stirring well all the time. Let the saag come to a slight boil but keep stirring so that it does not stick to the pot and start to burn. 6. Add the gur or sugar to cut
BOMBAY SWEETS & Pure Vegetarian Restaurant Mouth watering Indian dishes & Chats Catering available for all occasions 100+ varities of sweets
Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.
Help Wanted for Cash Register The Only Branch in Houston
r Buffet e n in D & h c Lun eet items w S & ld o C 31 Hot, t a All you can e k 7 days a wee
Dosas & Snacks PH:713-780-4453 Samosas & Chats 5827 Hillcroft, Houston Texas 77036
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
ENTERTAINMENT
BY SHUBHRA GUPTA Clearly, Sajid Khan doesn’t believe in less being more. In `Humshakals’, he ups his game three-fold. From ‘Hum Do Hamara Ek’, he goes full tilt for `Hum Do Hamaare Teen’, so we get everything multiplied by three. The more the merrier? Nope. Just `teen tigaada, kaam bigaada’. From past experience, you have to go into a Sajid Khan film wondering just how much of a dip there can be. This one is beyond. Idiocy is a gentle term for what is unleashed upon us. You can also call it a two-and-a- half hour showreel of plot-less, witless, joyless offensiveness. I am all for political incorrectness. Silliness can be great fun. Brainless doesn’t have to translate to braindead, when it is done with smarts. `Humshakals’ has zero. Even in his really terrible moments, Sajid has managed to come up with one laugh out loud moment. Or two. Here there are none. Instead, there’s Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Ram Kapoor in a threesome.Actually, if only. What we get is three Saifs, three Riteshes, and three Rams, in various stages of derangement. And three women ( Bipasha, Esha, Tamannah), who stand around in various stages of wispy short-skirted dressage, squealing and giggling. There are some scenes in London and Mauritius, but the film is shot mostly within what is repeatedly called a `paagalkhana’, studded with lots of `goras’ behaving like Bolly-
June 27, 2014
Movie Review: Humshakals
25
‘Singham Returns’ Action Packed Journey, Says Ajay Devgn
Ajay Devgn currently shooting for ‘Singham Returns’ in Hyderabad.
wood’s idea of ‘mental patients’. But that’s only for scenery. Mostly the film is stuffed with Saif ( looking jaded and tired) and Riteish ( trying to keep his head above water) waving their hands, making faces, sticking their tongues out. Or being tied up and `tortured’by a Satish Shah who thinks he is Hitler and Gaddafi and Idi Amin, all rolled into one. Or stuffing tennis balls, no footballs, down their shirt-fronts, and dashing about in lipstick and high heels and waxed legs. If there is a scarier sight than the jovial Ram Kapoor in drag, hit me with it, and I will hand you a
lollipop. Because that’s what Kapoor the Third uses as a pacifier, when he is not pacing about his cell in an underground cage. Where am I going with this, did you say? Relax, dear viewers, this is not a spoiler, it’s just a little detail in this jaw-droppingly, numbingly awful plot. If you can call it one. When the director is not taxing our brains with his story, he is taking pot-shots at his favourite targets. The seriously ill, the disabled, the mentally challenged, the gay people, the black people, the short people, are all
on his radar. And us, the poor saps, who are sitting in the dark, hoping to be lead to light. And laughter. Actually, let me correct myself. There IS one good joke in here. It’s when Sajid holds out his own version of a 80s potboiler as a weapon. His victims go cross-eyed and shout ‘nahiiiiin’, we crack a smile. This is a flash of the old Sajid, willing to take a joke, and stretch for one. Where has that Sajid gone? Or is this his` humshakal’ in the director’s chair? Zero star -Indian Express
Specializing in Small Business Commercial Loans
Commercial Real Estate Loans, Construction Loans, Equipment Loans, Working Capital Loans, International Trade Finance and more... Jack Kuo Lending Officer, V.P. 713-995-3201
Winston Nguyen Lending Officer, V.P. 713-995-3226
Sally Li Lending Officer, V.P. 713-272-5027
Catherine Liang Lending Officer, V.P. 713-995-3210
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
BY DIVYA GOHIL Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, who is nearing completion of his action drama film ‘Singham Returns’, says that the film has been an actionpacked journey. The film, a sequel to 2011 hit film ‘Singham’, also stars actress Kareena Kapoor Khan in a pivotal role. The cast and crew have shot a majority portion of the film in Goa and have now shifted their base to Hyderabad, presumably the Ramoji Film city. Ramoji is one of India’s biggest film city and ideal for action sequences. Director Rohit Shetty has previously shot for action sequences of ‘Singham, Golmaal’ and his other films in the area. ‘Singham Returns’ is a continuation of the story of an honest police officer played by Ajay Devgn in 2011. ‘Singham Returns’ is slated to release in August next year. -Indian Express
26 June 27, 2014
T:6”
LEGAL NOTICE
“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”
Stay tuned every Sunday,
HIREN JOSHI
to from 2.30pm to 3.30pm
These Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games will be closing soon: Game Name / Odds
$
Official Close of Game
End Validations Date
1520
$20
7/18/14
1/14/15
SHOBA JOSHI
$1,000,000 Jackpot Overall Odds are 1 in 2.88
1624
Scoop the Cash Overall Odds are 1 in 4.52
$1
8/27/14
2/23/15
Geetanjali Radio AM 1320
1614
On the Money Overall Odds are 1 in 4.38
$2
8/27/14
2/23/15
1579
Hearts on Fire Overall Odds are 1 in 3.70
$5
8/27/14
2/23/15
832-646-2116
hjoshi7@hotmail.com
www.shobajoshi.com
OWNER, PROMOTER AND HOST OF
Sat & Sun 2-6 PM For your business ads
Tel:281-909-0825 - 713-545-4749 Cell:832-878-4338 shobajoshi999@gmail.com
T:4”
Game #
For detailed odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-37LOTTO. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texas education. © 2014 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved.
Become a fan! Keywords: Indo American News
Follow us on facebook! 1
TX8106_IANS_EOG_ASIA_0627.indd
saved at job info
6-16-2014 11:22 AM
from
by
tsalazar-MB15R
Tommy Salazar / Tommy
approvals
job # client headline/tag trim bleed live color setup vendor/pub media type die cut
Welcome
TX8106 TEXAS LOTTERY JULY EOG AD 6” x 4” None None BW INDO-AMERICAN NEWS NEWSPAPER None
creative dir art director copywriter account mgr proofreader
None None None SAM KRAFT None
notes
DUE: 06/20 PUB: 06/27
printed at
None
fonts & images Fonts Helvetica Neue LT Std (95 Black, 77 Bold Condensed, 65 Medium, 85 Heavy, 57 Condensed), Arial (Regular) Images None Inks Black
206 east ninth street • austin, tx 78701 t 512.479.6200 f 512.479.6024
Prepared by LatinWorks Marketing, Inc. 2012. All rights reserved.
Explore the world in comfort with...
TO YOUR FUTURE PROMOTION.
Explore the world in comfort with...
ExploreExplore the world theinworld comfort infor comfort with... with... register today
d in comfort with...
OLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR
W HOLESALERS / C ONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR hccs.edu
AIRLINES Explore the world in comfort with...
the world in comfort with... Explore the world in comfort with... W Explore HOLESALERS ONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR W HOLESALERS W / C ONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR / C ONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR Welcome_IndoAmericanNews Summer 2014.indd 1 Explore the world/ C inHOLESALERS comfort with...
summer/fall classes.
5/21/14 11:43 AM
AIRLINES AIRLINES AIRLINES WHOLESA L EHOLESALERS R S / C O N S O L I D A/ C T O R SONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL F O R A L L M A J O R W MAJOR
W HOLESALERS / C ONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR W HOLESALERS / C ONSOLIDATORS FOR ALL MAJOR AIRLINES AIRLINES AIRLINES
A I R L I N E S
Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pakistan / Cochin, Delhi, Cochin, Hyderabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Chennai,Pakistan Kolkata, /Pakistan / Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Africa Bombay / Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pakistan /
Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Sri / Chennai, Africa Lanka / Africa Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Bangalore, Africa Bangalore, Cochin, Chennai,Delhi, Kolkata, Pakistan / Ahmedabad, Colombo / Bangladesh Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pakistan / Instant Reservation/Ticketing Vacation Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel Bookings - Instant - Vacation Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel BookingsBookings ri Lanka / Africa - Reservation/Ticketing Instant Reservation/Ticketing - Instant Reservation/Ticketing - Vacation Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel - Vacation Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel Bookings Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Africa
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pakistan / 713-493-8981 / Bangalore, 713-271-1000 Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pakistan / 713-271-1000 713-271-1000 / 713-493-8981 / 713-493-8981 TOLL FREE: TOLLKolkata, 1-888-468-8786 FREE:Pakistan 1-888-468-8786 713-271-1000 / 713-493-8981 TOLL FREE: 1-888-468-8786 Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Africa Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, / 713-271-1000 / 713-493-8981
Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, ackages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel Bookings -
Instant Reservation/Ticketing
TOLL FREE: 1-888-468-8786
- Vacation Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel Bookings
Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Africa INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM TOLL FREE: 1-888-468-8786 Bangladesh / Sri Lanka / Africa
- Instant Reservation/Ticketing Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel Bookings 713-271-1000 / 713-493-8981--Vacation TOLL FREE: 1-888-468-8786 - Instant Reservation/Ticketing Vacation Packages/Leisure/Escorted/Cruise/Car/Hotel Bookings
Friday, June 014 2011 m 7, 210, June 2 ws.co Friday an-ne c i r e m indoa www.
www.indoamerican-news.com
27
June 27, 2014
IndoAmerican News
Business IndoAmerican News
STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY
US Supreme Court Denies Rajat Gupta’s Last Bid to Avoid Jail NEW YORK: India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta will have to report to jail next week to begin his two-year sentence on insider trading charges after the US Supreme Court rejected his bid to remain free on bail till his appeal for rehearing his conviction is decided on. Gupta, convicted in 2012 of passing confidential board room information to his friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam, is scheduled to begin his prison term on June 17. US district judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over his trial, would recommend that 65-year-old Gupta be assigned to a medium-security prison in Otisville, about 70 miles northwest of New York City. Gupta had submitted an 118-page submission to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on June 10, requesting to remain free on bail and saying that if an appeals court rules in
his favour, he will “likely” be entitled to a new trial. The former Mckinsey head, who has so far remained free on bail, said he presents no risk of flight or danger to the community, and he has abided by all conditions of release set by the district court. Ginsburg, who oversees emergency applications, denied Gupta’s request in an order passed yesterday. Ginsburg made no comment on denying Gupta’s request. A spokesperson at the office of Gupta’s lawyer Seth Waxman, a former US solicitor general, said Waxman does not usually comment on pending matters but added that “unfortunately Gupta’s application was denied.” The Harvard-educated Gupta is one of the most high- profile Wall Street executives to be convicted of insider trading, charges that were brought against him by Manhattan’s
Gupta, convicted in 2012 of passing confidential board room information to his friend and business associate Raj Rajaratnam, is scheduled to begin his prison term on June 17.
India-born top federal prosecutor Preet Bharara. Apart from the two-year prison term, Gupta has been ordered to pay $5 million in fine and a separate $6 million in restitution to Goldman Sachs. Gupta’s submission to the US Supreme Court was his last-ditch effort to avoid going to prison. He had last month filed a motion in the court of appeals to stay his surrender date and for bail pending the disposition of his rehearing petition but the court had denied that motion. In his application to the Supreme Court, Gupta had requested the “continuation of his release on bail pending the disposition of his petition for rehearing and rehearing en banc to the Second Circuit...and, if necessary, this Court’s disposition of his petition for a writ of certiorari.” -Times of India
India Became Home to 1.56 Lakh Millionaires in 2013
India has been ranked 16th in the list of countries with highest number of HNWI population.
LONDON: India became home to 1.56 lakh millionaires with 3,000 more joining the elite club in 2013, making the country 16th most populous in terms of population of su-
per-rich people worldwide, says a report. According to the World Wealth Report 2014, released by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management, there
were 1,56,000 high net worth individuals in India in 2013, while in 2012 the figure stood at 1,53,000. India has been ranked 16th in the list of countries with highest number of HNWI population, the US topped the chart with 40,06,000 millionaires, followed by Japan (23,27,000), Germany (11,30,000) and China (7,58,000) in the second, third and fourth position, respectively. The top four countries account for more than half (59.9 per cent) of the total worldwide HNWI population. The world is home to 1.76 million millionaires with collective net worth of $52.62 trillions, registering a 15 per cent increase in HNWI population over last year. “Overall, 2013 was another strong year for the High Net Worth market,
with surging equity markets and improving economies contributing to double digit growth in both population and wealth levels,” RBC Wealth Management and RBC Insurance Group Head M George Lewis said. “Looking at longer term growth trends, nearly 40 per cent of the current level of high net worth wealth has been created in the past five years alone,” Lewis said. Going forward, wealth growth expected to accelerate with an additional $12 trillion generated by 2016. “Global HNWI wealth is forecast to reach a new high of $64.3 trillion by 2016, representing 22 per cent growth from 2013 levels and around $12 trillion in new wealth,” the report said. The report further added that robust growth is expected in most regions,
127
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
with Asia-Pacific at the forefront with an anticipated 9.8 per cent annual growth rate, positioning the region to be the largest HNWI market by population in 2014 and by wealth by 2015. North America and Asia-Pacific remained in a close race for the world’s largest HNWI market by population in 2013. North America’s HNWI population expanded by 16 per cent to 4.33 million, while Asia-Pacific’s grew by 17 per cent to reach 4.32 million. North America maintained its position as the wealthiest region, as its HNWI wealth reached $14.88 trillion, while Asia-Pacific, HNWI wealth reached $14.20 trillion. -Times of India
28 June 27, 2014 Captain Dhoni: We Know Our Challenges in England They have the talent. BY AMOL KARHADKAR It’s just that they have MUMBAI (ESPN to get used to the condiCricinfo): India coach tions, apply themselves Duncan Fletcher expects and give respect to the an interesting series for opposition and read the India in England, termconditions.” ing the home team as a Besides the lack of side that is “rebuilding”. experience in the batWhile captain MS Dhoni ting unit, India will preferred to focus on Inalso be without veteran dia’s strengths, Fletcher new-ball bowler Zaheer assessed the England Khan, who has been side in comparison to the sidelined with an injury, one that whitewashed Inand Dhoni hoped that dia in a four-Test series in India would not suffer 2011. “I think they [England] Duncan Fletcher and MS Dhoni at a pre-departure press conference before India’s tour in his absence. “Zak is someone who have lost some crucial to England. reads the game really players,” Fletcher told sults in an advantage,” Fletcher way I will score more runs rather reporters during the team’s pre- said. “You go out there and play than playing for time. That can be well and I always felt that left-arm departure media conference in some good cricket - as we did in the job of other batsmen but I feel fast bowlers really have the advanMumbai. “[The loss of Kevin] South Africa and New Zealand that it’s important I should go for tage. They can bring the ball back in and add variation of the ball Pietersen has been a huge blow to - and you learn from there and I the shots.” them. And looking at them, they hope we can do that. I think it’s “Quite a few of the players will going away from the batsmen. I are in a rebuilding phase as well, important to win a match early be playing their first series in Eng- felt from the first game he played so that’s going to make the series on in the series. It will give us the land. But most of the players in the in South Africa till the last game, quite interesting. confidence that we can win the se- squad have got exposure in South there was a considerable amount “I do believe though that they ries. And you never know what the Africa and New Zealand, so they of improvement. “Zak is someone who loves to have got some quality batters who end result will be after that.” have got a few games behind them play games. The more games he have got a lot of experience at Test After the forgettable outing and they know what the challenges level. [Alastair] Cook and [Ian] three years ago, the India line-up will be,” Dhoni said, adding that plays, the better he gets. As far Bell have scored some big runs has seen drastic changes. Sachin the team’s early departure - two as missing Zaheer is concerned, up the order. The focus will be to Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS weeks prior to the start of the first I can’t really say much because with the kind of experience he get them out as cheaply as we can. Laxman have all retired, while Test on July 9 - will benefit them. The bowling side is fairly well- Viredner Sehwag has lost his place “The good thing will be we are has, the fast bowling unit doesn’t balanced. in the side. Dhoni said the series going a bit early, so we can take our really have that kind of experi“They have got [James] Ander- will provide yet another opportu- time to get into the groove, play a ence. Hopefully we won’t miss son and [Stuart] Broad who have nity to the youngsters who fared few practice games and prepare him, but as I said, I can’t really say been bowling well and picking well in South Africa and New Zea- ourselves,” he said. “Besides, it’s a anything.” Dwelling on the disastrous 2011 up wickets. We will focus on go- land to showcase their talent five-match series and I don’t think series, Dhoni said the team had ing there and producing as good MS Dhoni, speaking about his any of us have played a five-Test cricket as we can. We have done batting, said he felt he should not series. Overall, it should be good, learned its lessons from the twin that in India and we will look for- be conservative during the five- the reason being we have enough tours of England and Australia. “You can call it 7-0 [8-0] because ward to adapt to the conditions as Test series against England. time to prepare ourselves.” quickly as possible and will look “For me, what’s important is that Dhoni said comparisons should after that we went to Australia and to put them under pressure.” I have to be far more aggressive. not be drawn between the famed that was also a tough series for us. Fletcher termed the 2011 series That’s something that I have ob- batting line-up of the last two de- As I said, it’s a constant process. I think those were very difficult pewhitewashes in England and Aus- served. When I play freely, I tend cades, and the young lot of 2014. tralia “not easy to take”, but added to fare much better than when I “It will be very difficult to fill riods for us. “We were not winning games. that the recent performance during try to play like a proper batsman. the shoes of Sehwag as an opener the two Test series in South Africa I think it’s something important to and Rahul at No.3, Sachin coming We were behind in the games and and New Zealand has given the back your instinct and not think in and then Laxman and Sourav. were not able to compete. So the team much-needed confidence. too much about the situation,” I think we shouldn’t compare, focus will be initially to get into The key, according to the coach, Dhoni said. but think more about the current the groove and to create compewill be to take the lead in the seIn his seven Tests in England, generation,” Dhoni said. “They tition. Once we are in a position ries. Dhoni has scored 429 runs at 39, have come in and are going to when the game is kind of 50-50, “Obviously it was disappoint- which is slightly better than his serve Indian cricket. It will be a that’s the time when we want to ing. The 4-0 losses to England and career average of 38.77. “In a set big challenge for them. The good capitalise, so that’s what it’s all Australia were not easy to take. It of six to seven batsmen, it’s im- thing is they have had good expo- about and we are looking forward is difficult to tour England with a portant that I back my instincts sure, playing a few games abroad Amol Karhadkar is a corresponyoung side, but sometimes it re- and try and score boundaries. That and having played a lot at home. dent at ESPNcricinfo.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
SPORTS
SL Snatches Series HEADINGLEY: Sri Lanka 257 (Sangakkara 79, Plunkett 5-64) and 457 (Mathews 160, Jayawardene 79, Sangakkara 55, 4-112) and England 365 (Robson 127, Ballance 74, Bell 64, Mathews 4-44, Eranga 4-93) and 249 (Moeen 108*, Prasad 5-50) by 100 runs Sri Lanka won when they had almost abandoned hope. From the penultimate ball of a gripping final day, Shaminda Eranga found a hostile delivery to bring their first series win in England. James Anderson, who could only fend it to the leg side in self-preservation, dropped to his haunches in despair. Moeen Ali’s immense maiden Test century was briefly forgotten, submerged beneath an ecstatic Sri Lankan celebration. An indomitable backs-to-thewall display by Moeen had come so close to sparing England: an unbeaten 108, unblemished even, made from 281 balls. England’s last five wickets had clung on for all but two balls of the final day. Pride had been salvaged, perhaps a captain had been spared too, but it is Sri Lanka who can celebrate a special moment in their Test history. Sri Lanka’s last pair held out for five balls in the first Test at Lord’s. This time the task was much harder for Moeen and Anderson: 20.2 overs. Even in Cardiff, when Anderson and Monty Panesar famously held off Australia in 2009, they only saw out 11.3. This time Anderson summoned a heroic 55ball nought, all signifying nothing.
Sri Lanka celebrates series win
June 27, 2014
29
Black Money: India to Get its Nationals’ Swiss Bank Details, SIT Readies Further Action
Switzerland’s central bank, SNB, has shown that Indian money in various Swiss banks rose by 43 per cent during 2013 to close to Rs 14,000 crore.
ZURICH/NEW DELHI: India’s efforts to crackdown on black money stashed abroad on Sunday got a major boost with Switzerland readying a list of Indians suspected to have un-taxed money in Swiss banks, while special investigation team constituted by Indian government promised action if any illegality is found. The names of certain Indian individuals and entities came under the scanner of the Swiss authorities during an ongoing exercise to identify the real beneficiary owners of funds held in various banks operating in
Switzerland, a senior Swiss government official told PTI. The list of such people and entities is being shared with India, while further details would also be provided in due course and all necessary administrative assistance would be made available as well, he said. Reacting to the development, Justice MB Shah, who is heading the SIT on black money in India, said that the list would be verified and action would be taken against those found to have kept unaccountable money. The Swiss government official refused to divulge the identity of the concerned entities as also the quantum of funds involved, citing the confidentiality clause of the information exchange framework between India and Switzerland. He, however, said that they are suspected to have held untaxed money in Swiss banks through structures like trusts, domiciliary companies and other legal entities based out of countries other than India. The Indian link of these entities came to the fore after enquiries by the banks and regulatory authorities about the source of the funds and the beneficiary ownership of such accounts.
The development comes at a time when the official data published by Switzerland’s central bank, SNB, has shown that Indian money in various Swiss banks rose by 43 per cent during 2013 to close to Rs 14,000 crore, while including the money held directly by Indian clients and those through fiduciaries or wealth managers. The Swiss official said that these funds might not necessarily be illicit funds as these clients have themselves declared to be Indians. He also dismissed claims about Indians having trillions of dollars of black money in Swiss banks, saying that the total size of foreign money from across the world in all 283 banks operating in Switzerland stands at just about $1.6 trillion. Justice Shah also said, “... It is not a list of only black money. It is a list of those persons who are also legally vested. It is a combined list. We are asking for the list of the said persons. Then we will verify. Then action is taken.” “If it is legal we cannot do anything, If it is illegal or unaccounted money then we take action. It depends on which manner the amount is deposited,” he added.
The Swiss government official also said that Switzerland is looking forward to working with the new government in India and it will also extend all possible support to the SIT on black money. Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who has been a petitioner in Supreme Court in the black money case, said from London, “I am very happy and feeling relaxed today and I am hopeful that the NDA government will take the fullest possible advantage of this information. “So much of wealth is stolen from India and they will be punished. The money will be used to eradicate poverty and all other ills of the society.” AAP leader and senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that SIT was formed on the orders of the Supreme Court, so government need not take credit for this. “And if Swiss government will share any formation that is a welcome step. But government must stop illicit flow of money into such instruments such as p-notes and the money into the companies which are registered in tax havens,” he told reporters in Delhi. While declining to be named, as he is not authorized to speak to media,
the Swiss official further said the details are being shared with India on a “spontaneous” basis and are different from the information sought earlier by the Indian authorities on the basis of “leaked” or “stolen” lists of certain banks, including the so-called “ HSBC list”. Swiss government has been refusing to share details about the Indians named in this “HSBC list”, which was stolen by a bank employee and later found its way to tax authorities in various countries including India. Despite repeated requests from India, Switzerland has said its local laws prohibit administrative assistance in matters where information has been sourced illegally, including through stolen lists. The said ‘HSBC list’ allegedly contains names of Indians and other foreign nationals having ill-gotten wealth in Swiss unit of the global banking major. India is one of the 36 countries with which Switzerland has signed treaties to provide administrative assistance in tax matters in accordance with international standards. -Times of India
Over 200 Punjabis Stranded in Iraq
Punjabis in Iraq are safe but the central government should arrange for their safe exit as soon as possible because conditions in Iraq are worsening day by day.
Job Opportunity
Capricorn Travel Requires Full Time Experienced Travel Agent. For Appointment: Please Call: 713-339-2222
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government submitted a detailed report on Friday that more than 200 Punjabis stranded in strife torn Iraq to the external affairs ministry. Till Friday evening, more than 200 families had contacted the control room for giving details about their relatives. On Thursday, around 50 Punjabi families had approached the control room, NRI affairs minister Tota Singh said in a statement here. Punjabis in Iraq are safe but the central government should arrange for their safe exit as soon as possible because conditions in Iraq are worsening day by day, he added. Singh said that Punjabis who con-
tacted control room from Iraq informed that they are safe there but want to return to India. Therefore, the Union government should speed up the efforts for their safe evacuation from Iraq. The minister said that some Punjabis from Iraq have also provided information about their whereabouts in Iraq which is being sent to the union external affairs ministry. Control room numbers are regularly being flashed on various TV channels and social media and internet sites are also helpful in spreading the information of control room numbers, he added. Meanwhile, senior officials from
the Punjab government are coordinating with the external affairs ministry and chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is in regular touch with Sushma Swaraj for the safe return of Punjabis from Iraq. He said that total information collected by the control room includes; 22 people from Gurdaspur, 7 from SBS Nagar, 29 from Jalandhar, 6 from Patiala, 13 from Hoshiarpur, 28 from Kapurthala, 9 from Ludhiana, 3 from Barnala, 34 from Ropar, 5 from Pathankot, 12 from Fatehgarh Sahib, 23 from Amritsar, 1 from Bathinda, 1 from Moga, 5 from SAS Nagar, and 1 from Tarn Taran district. -Times of India
Award Winning Customer Service & Best Rates in Town Proudly Serving For Best Rates to: India, Europe, Cruises & Vacation Packages South Asian Community Toll Free: 1-866-956-0758 - Tel:713-339-2222 for Past 3939 Hillcroft Ave, Suite# 110, Houston, TX 77057 30 Years
CAPRICORN TRAVEL
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
30 June 27, 2014
T:10”
MAKE A WINNING IMPRESSION! We invite you to attend:
Texas Lottery Commission Annual
Historically Underutilized Business Forum T:6.5”
Location: Texas Lottery Commission | 611 East 6th Street | Austin, Texas
The forum will provide a brief overview of the TLC’s HUB program, procurement processes, and Mentor Protégé initiatives. The highlight of this event will be roundtable networking sessions with Lottery Commission staff and a number of our key contractor representatives. Roundtable assignments will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day of the forum. The TLC HUB Forum is FREE of charge! Register on-line on or before 7/11/14 at: www.txlottery.org/hub For more information contact: Joyce Bertolacini, HUB Coordinator: (512) 344-5293 or joyce.bertolacini@lottery.state.tx.us
1
TX8122_IANS_HUB_ASIA_0627.indd
saved at
6-16-2014 1:09 PM
job info
from
by
tsalazar-MB15R approvals
job # client headline/tag trim bleed live color setup vendor/pub media type die cut
TX8122 TX LOTTERY JULY HUB AD 10” x 6.5” None None BW INDO-AMERICAN NEWS NEWSPAPER None
printed at
Tommy Salazar / Tommy
None
fonts & images creative dir art director copywriter account mgr proofreader
notes DUE: 06/20 PUB: 06/27
None None None SAM KRAFT None
Fonts Helvetica Neue LT Std (57 Condensed), Rockwell (Regular, Bold), Memphis LT Std (Extra Bold) Images background_012913.2.tif (Gray; 283 ppi; 53%) Inks Black
206 east ninth street • austin, tx 78701 t 512.479.6200 f 512.479.6024
Prepared by LatinWorks Marketing, Inc. 2012. All rights reserved.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
© 2014 Texas Lottery Commission. All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 | 1:00 pm – 4:30pm
June 27, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
31 3
32 June 27, 2014
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM