Friday, August 03, 2018 • Vol. 37, No. 30
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Wrap-2 August 03, 2018
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From left: Sanjay Ramabhadran, Karen Francis, Alyssa Holmes Henderson, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Ashok Garg, Jagdip Ahluwalia, Swapan Dhairyawan at the TranStar facility on July 24.
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August 03, 2018
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COMMUNITY
August 03, 2018
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Local Alumni Laud Prof Subbarao, a Founding Pillar of the IITs
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
SUGAR LAND: When he left
India in 1951 to come to the US, “before some of you were even born”, he chuckled, Professor E.C. Subbarao reminisced that “the IITs were not yet born.” The Indian Institute of Technology (a name inaugurated by Mualana Abul Kalam Azad) wasn’t launched, in fact, until 1956 through an act of Parliament of India, though the idea was conceptualized by Sir Ardeshir Dalal in 1946, even before India’s independence. Subbarao, now 90 years-old, spoke before a room full of IIT alumni, young and old, at a luncheon at the Madras Pavilion restaurant this past Saturday, July 28 afternoon. Now unofficially retired, he had come to visit his two children who live in the US as well as his younger brother Nagraj Eleswarapu who had arranged the reception in his honor. A few of the attendees fondly remembered Dr. Subbarao as their former teacher or as the Dean of IIT Kanpur for 18 years until 1981. Subbarao was born in Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, in 1928 and educated in a village without electricity or running water. He walked two miles to school and studied with a kerosene lamp, He excelled in studies and received his BSc. Tech degree from Banaras Hindu University, He had come to the US to earn a Master’s degree from the Univer-
sity of Washington, Seattle and a PhD. from the Pennsylvania State University. He stayed on to work as a research engineer at the Westinghouse Research Laboratories, Pittsburgh, PA from 1956 to September 1963, a date set by his wife to return to India “so that our two young kids (then 3 and 4) could be raised there and adjust without difficulties,” he explained. It wasn’t till after he returned to India in 1963 that he learned of the newly created IIT Kanpur and joined the faulty as a professor. He became the first Department Head of Metallurgical Engineering, the first Dean of Faculties, and established the Interdisciplinary Centre for Materials Science. He helped the IIT-Kanpur transform into a world class institution. His work was recognized by Fellowships from the three academies of science and engineering in India, and IIT Kanpur’s First Honorary Fellowship in 2006. Recognizing his skills at institution building, in 1981 Tata Consultancy Services made Subbarao the Founder-Director of the first institution of its kind in India, the Tata Research Development and Design Centre, Pune, a division set up to apply science and technology for the benefit of Indian industry and people. In the ensuing years, the IITs have grown to ten with another 6 proposed in 2016 by the Indian Parliament. But Subbarao lamented that the growth was hampered
Professor E.C. Subbarao, the former Dean of IITKanpur spoke about his experience at Madras Pavilion restaurant on Saturday, July 28.
Subbarao’s younger brother, Houston resident Nagraj Eleswarapu, arranged the reception in his honor
Dean Sidney Burrus of Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering briefly lauded IIT’s educational prowess.
by a shortage of land, buildings and teachers. He outlined several ways that India NRIs could help, including taking time off to for a sabbatical to teach at an IIT; invite teachers to spend a summer there, make an endowment to recognize good teachers, encourage faculty to do more research, help faculty to have contact with industry and most importantly, increase the number of faculty. Asked about the lack of patents by Indian technology schools, Subbarao acknowledged that the country’s academia and industry were not on the same wavelength. “None of the IITs have produced
a Nobel Laureate,” he went on, adding that “a committee has been set up to promote the Institutes of Excellence.” He has even written a book, “Eye on Excellence”, on the subject and the IIT’s history, available on Amazon, said Eleswarapu, holding up a copy. Among the attendees was Abhijit Gadgil, the current President of Pan-IITAGH, Mallik Putcha a retired IITian and education activist; and Dean Sidney Burrus of Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering who briefly lauded IIT’s educational prowess, noting that it needed to expand its graduate programs.
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August 03, 2018
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COMMUNITY
August 03, 2018
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Shirdi Sai Baba Utsava Vigraha and Simhasana Prathistha at Char Dham (icon) around the temple at the prathisththa, Temple sunset hours of 27th. Approxi- Ya g a s a l a THE WOODLANDS: Sai Baba
of Shirdi in Maharastra, India, popularly known as “Shirdi Sai Baba” is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva and Dattatreya. An “Utsava Vigraha” or a proxy icon of the Baba was installed at the Char Dham Hindu Temple, The Woodlands on the 26 and 27 of July 2018 as per the instructions laid down in the Hindu scriptures. The two day grand ceremony that began on the evening of 26th culminated with the Pallaki Seva (procession) of Baba’s Vigraha
mately 500 volunteers and devotees participated in the event. As per the Hindu tradition, hymns and mantras are recited to invite the original deity to be a resident guest at the temple through a special ceremony called the “Prana Prathistha”. The eyes of the deity is opened for the first time during the event. At Chardham, Bhagadvadanugna, Vishwaksenapooja, Punyahavachanam, Ritvikvaranam, Rakshbandhanam, Panchgavyaprasanam, Mrutsangrahanam, Ajasradeeparadhana, Panchagavyaprasanam, Mrutsangrahanam, Ankuraropanam, Agni-
vastuhomam, KumbhaAavahanam, Kumbha Aradhanam, Vukta homam, Poornahuti, Netronmeelanam etc were some of the rituals that marked the occasion. All ceremonies were conducted by a team of three qualified priests under the leadership of the
head priest, Pandit Srikiran Narayanam. A complete face lift of the existing Vigraha also marked the event. The seat of the existing icon was fitted with a gold plated cov-
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett Revisits Hurricane Harvey BY MANU SHAH
HOUSTON: On July 24, leaders
and representatives from over 20 Chambers of Commerce and Indo American organizations listened attentively as Harris County Judge Ed Emmett revisited Hurricane Harvey, its management and the lessons learned. The visit was arranged by IACCGH at the “epicenter of emergency management” – the state-of-the-art TranStar facility in Houston that allows city officials to manage traffic, evacuation if needed, and emergencies from one central location. Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed the wide spectrum of community leaders and stated that the whole purpose of this “exercise was to understand the preparatory efforts by the city in the event of the next hurricane
Leaders of community organizations and area Chambers with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and IACCGH leadership. Photos: Bijay Dixit
and help spread awareness in their respective organizations.” President Swapan Dhairyawan thanked Shell for their sponsorship of the event and lauded the “leadership, calmness and positivity” displayed by Judge Ed Emmett and Mayor Sylvester Turner in their handling of Hurricane
Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036
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Harvey’s devastation. Introducing Judge Ed Emmett, Past President Sanjay Ramabhadran described him as “a household name” and referred to him as “Mr. Hunker Down” – a title earned during Hurricane Ike. As County Judge, he also led multiple trade missions to India in collaboration with the Chamber and it was due to his efforts that the world’s largest tractor company, Mahindra, located and expanded its facility in Harris County. As County Judge, Judge Emmett is the Director of Harris County’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management and is responsible
for 4.7 million people. In a riveting address, he shed light on how the city handled Hurricane Harvey’s rainfall triggered flooding crisis. Hurricanes are never easy but Hurricane Harvey, he stated, “was a completely different sort of activity.” Meteorologists had predicted 20 inches of rain but Houston was pounded with 50 inches. Predesignated shelters were opened for those who had to flee their homes and NRG and George Brown Convention Center filled up within hours. A personal appeal on television to boat owners to rescue those who were stranded in their
ering and a new crown installed. Besides the crown, the existing deity was also fitted with a new umbrella and a Malai (garland). Photos: Vijay, Char Dham Temple
homes turned out to be a lifesaver for hundreds of people. Unanticipated snags surfaced, but the key to emergency management, the Judge emphasized was “having the right people, the right assets” and working closely with Mayor Sylvester Turner “because people want one clear voice.” The “real heroes” the Judge declared, were the ordinary day people who voluntarily waded knee deep in water to rescue people. On a drive home, the sight of the heaped piles of debris on both sides of the streets struck him that this was “not just debris but people’s lives.” He’s determined to protect Harris County residents from being put “in the same situation again” and is pushing for support for a 2.5 billion bond proposal that would fund flood protection projects in Houston. Hurricane Harvey also exposed all the natural water flow paths across the county that need to be corrected. 160,000 homes were flooded and of those 105,000 had no flood insurance because they were unaware that they were in the flood line. The inflicted damages are estimated at $125 billion. The Judge anticipated the process of rebuilding Houston to be completed by 2020 - 21.
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August 03, 2018
A Summer of Cricket
SUGAR LAND: Sugar Land
Youth Cricket Community (SLYCC) recently completed a very successful Summer of Cricket on all fronts. Established in 2013, SLYCC is a non profit (501c3) charity organization that is involved in building a Community of Youth Cricket in the Greater Southwest Houston area including Sugar Land, Richmond, Rosenberg, Missouri City, Stafford and Southwest Harris County. SLYCC offers Cricket coaching programs for girls and boys from the age of 6 through 17 in Taped Tennis ball and Cricket Ball divisions.
This summer the tape ball division took to the flood lit fields at New Territory Sports Complex for a unique open session every Friday night where players could drop in and learn cricket. Coach Owais led this effort, besides teaching – the kids got to enjoy the special night cricket atmosphere and got free snacks as a reward for their performance. The leather ball divisions took their work a bit more seriously working with Internationally renowned Coach Peter Wellings (Cricket Coaching Americas) at Duhacsek Park
participating in various developmental games involving players from all over the USA. The SLYCC 16U Suns team led by Coach Javed Panjwani won the Spring TCCL Youth Championship and the players came of age as they entered the Div III of Houston Cricket League to play with Adults. The summer of boys turning into men! SLYCC Coaches and Parents are proud of these young men. The 11U Comets and the 13U Stars continued their development of individual and team skills in pursuit of becoming better cricketers.
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Even SLYCC coaches were busy in the Summer – they were invited to conduct training sessions for Fort Bend ISD’s PE teachers during teacher development sessions. We have hope that we will see Cricket in FBISD soon. Enrollment at SLYCC is ALWAYS open and we are accepting new players for the fall season. With a firm belief that we WIN or LEARN, SLYCC provides a fun, informative and disciplinarian way for kids (and Parents) to enjoy Cricket. Being a charity organization, we are always thankful to our sponsors – MED MAVINS (Ajay Bhora), New York Life (Amiralli Dodhiya), Dr Amir & Fatima Khan of Houston Ani-
mal Hospital, Sanjiv Khanna of Bombay Pizza, Uzair Ahmed of Al Rayyan Travels, Abdul Rehman of Regency Auto Repair and Indo American News as media partners. SLYCC can be contacted at slycc1@gmail. com or 713 884 6864.
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August 03, 2018
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COMMUNITY
August 03, 2018
HOUSTON: Minutes ago, they were sit-
ting in a quiet environment practicing yoga, but now, they are running around the room in a fierce game of tag with an Indian spin on it, called Kabbadi. It might seem like a normal, lazy Sunday in June, but the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp (HHYC) counselors gathered at Keshav Smruti are far from bumming around. This fast-paced, ever changing environment is a normal occurrence every Sunday as they come together to prepare to lead activities and games for camp.
life through lessons, crafts, games, yoga, and a variety of other activities that can be implemented into daily life. All of these activities not only teach the children but connect them with other Hindus, together learning more about their culture. In recent years, the demand for camp has grown immensely, despite it splitting into two camps to increase its capacity. This year, registration for some grades filled up in a mere 15 minutes. The five-day camp in Montgomery, Texas
To fourth year counselor, Shamal Shah, the general atmosphere is “enthusiastic as we are getting ready for camp and evolving as counselors throughout the summer, all happy to be together to attend camp.” Founded in 1984, HHYC has strived to teach children around greater Houston the positive impact Hinduism makes on one’s
is jam-packed with various activities that appeal to all of our different campers. This year, Junior Camp, the camp for 3rd to 7th graders, is focusing on The Ramayana while Senior Camp, for campers in grades 8 through 12, are centered around The Mahabharata. Most activities at camp will be oriented around these overlying themes, as
Hindu Heritage Youth Camp 2018 counselors prepare all summer to become well versed in each text. These college students and recent graduates who volunteer to be counselors are the heart of the camp. When asking Priya Patel, second year counselor, about what motivates her to keep counseling she said it “introduced me to a community of Hindus, taught me knowledge of Hinduism, and inspired me to want to know more. My goal is to have
Camp directors Vivek Shukla (left) and Namita Pallod.
HHYC affect every camper the way it has for me.” “Counseling introduced me to a community of Hindus, taught me knowledge of Hinduism, and inspired me to want to know more,” second year counselor Priya Patel said. “My goal is to have HHYC affect every camper in a positive manner the way it has for me.” The directors for HHYC this year are Vevek Shukla and Namita Pallod. Vevek Shukla is a Texas A&M graduate, and it is
his first year directing, although he has been involved with camp for a few years now. His sister-in-law (former director Nikita Shukla) originally inspired him to volunteer as a counselor, which ignited a newfound passion for camp and Hinduism. “My main responsibility is to ensure that all counselors are trained and focused to give campers the best possible experience,” Shukla said. “Our coordinators and counselors do a phenomenal job of preparing thorough education topics that teach campers about their Hindu religion and cultural identity.” “I’m very lucky for camp to have been such a pivotal experience in my life as I grew up, and even more blessed to be able to give back to the same camp by volunteering and helping formulate the best experience possible for our campers today,” second-year director and UT Austin graduate Namita Pallod said. Along with the traditions of Sunday meetings and counselor game nights, counselors started a new tradition this year, by teaming up with Sewa International to volunteer in Rosharon, a Cambodian farming community destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. They spent the morning and afternoon helping to rebuild their homes and greenhouses. “It made me realize how much I take for granted and how a little help can go a long way for others in need,” second year counselor Sar At HHYC, the counselors work towards making the camper’s experience the best five days of summer. Attending weekly meetings and researching about Hinduism has been just a small part of preparation. “HHYC has taken the core value of Hinduism and made it so that our generation can relate to and understand the significance of this faith,” second year counselor Shreya Kulkarni said. Junior Camp will begin on July 31, and then Senior Camp will start on August 7. In the meantime, the 51 HHYC counselors will ramp up preparations for camp as they hope to help make the week at camp the best week of the year for all of their campers. In the future, HHYC hopes to have its own campsite so that is can expand its capacity. For now, please reach out houstonhhyc@gmail.com to become involved by donating time or resources. By Neha Afzalpurkar , Sophomore UT student , Middle school coordinator.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 03, 2018 9 COMMUNITY Hiren Joshi – Casey Espinosa Wedding
HOUSTON:
Both are huge Houston sports fans and they mostly followed each other on Twitter. One evening 5 years ago, they both were at a Houston Rockets game and Casey messaged Hiren and he suggested they meet up. There was instant chemistry and they decided to meet the following week at Discovery Green, a park close to the Toyota Center. They walked around, ordered food and sat down to talk and before they knew it 5 hours had flown by and a security guard let them know that the park was closed for the night! In those 5 hours it was realized just how much they had in common. They shared respect for their parents, love for their families and dedication to their friends. Fast forward to July 2017, and Hiren told Casey that he had a special date night planned for them that weekend. He asked her was to dress nicely for dinner and to pack an overnight bag to stay the night somewhere. Casey suspected he was going to pop the question at dinner, but they ended up at the Marriott Marquis. From their window, below they could see Toyota Center where they first met and Discovery Green where they had their first date. When Casey turned around, Hiren was on one knee asking her to be his wife! The next
The newlyweds Hiren and Casey Joshi with their parents Richard and Merrilee Espinosa (on the left) and Rakesh and Shoba Joshi on the right.
day, their parents met them at the hotel and they confirmed their engagement in a traditional Hindu ceremony. A year later, on July 22, Hiren Joshi and Casey Espinosa were married at the Azalea Ballroom at The Westin Houston, Memorial City first in a Hindu wedding with the baraat arriving at 8:30 am, the ceremony at 10am conducted in Sanskrit by Pandit Niten Shukla
dia but came to the US when he was a year old. He graduated with a bachelor’s in media and Communications from the University of Houston and has worked for the past five years as the Digital and Social Manager for the Houston Rockets. He father Rakesh Joshi has been in the granite business for many years and his mother Shoba is the host of the popular 25-yearold Gitanjali radio show. Hiren also has also had his own hourlong segment on Gitanjali for the past seven years. Casey Espinosa, 27, is a native Houstonian who graduated with a degree in Political Science from St. Thomas University and spends most of her time volunteering with special needs children. She is the daughter of Richard and Merrilee Espinosa. Following Hindu customs, Casey has also taken on the name Nandika, which she herself chose. The couple will make their home in Houston.
and translated in English by his son Vishwesh and followed by a Gujarati thali lunch. The Catholic wedding was held later that evening at 5:30pm. Cocktails and a reception followed afterwards. The wedding planner was Therese Cole-Hubbs of Electric Karma International. Almost 60 members of the Joshi family who all live in the US attended the wedding. Hiren Joshi, 29, was born in In-
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
10 August 03, 2018
PAKISTAN
PM-Elect Imran Khan Set to Invite PM Modi for Oath-Taking Ceremony
L
AHORE (NEWS 18): Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is considering inviting the leaders of the SAARC countries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his oath taking ceremony as the premier next month, a party official said on Tuesday. The PTI, led by 65-year-old Khan, has emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly after the July 25 elections, but it is still short of numbers to form the government on its own. Confident of his party’s ability to form a coalition, Khan on Monday said that he would
take oath as prime minister on August 11. Khan opened coalition talks with at least one smaller party and independent politicians on Saturday, a spokesman said, following the announcement of full results of elections. The 116 seats won by Khan’s lawmakers were not enough to give him a majority in the 272-seat National Assembly without coalition partners, and he has ruled out both of the other two major parties. Khan was expected to take oath around August 11-14. Former Pakistan cricket star Imran Khan raised his hands in victory during a rally of his Tehreek-i-Insaf party.
“The core committee of Tehreek-i-Insaf is considering inviting the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) heads including Mr Modi and a decision on this is expected shortly,” a leader of Khan’s party told PTI. He also termed Modi’s telephone call to Khan on his victory in the 2018 polls a welcoming sign to begin a new chapter in relations between the two countries. Spokesperson for Khan’s party Fawad Chaudhry also did not rule out inviting Modi to the swearing in ceremony. “A decision about it will be taken by the party in consultation with the foreign ministry in coming days,” he said. Modi on Monday telephoned Khan to congratulate him on his party’s victory in the general elections and hoped that “Pakistan and India will work to open a new chapter in bilateral ties”. Khan thanked Modi for his wishes and emphasised that disputes should be resolved through dialogue. “Wars and bloodshed instead of resolving disputes lead to tragedies,” Khan had said. Khan in his victory speech had also said that better relations between Pakistan and India would be “good for all of us”. “If India’s leadership is ready, we are ready to improve ties with India. If you take on step forward we will take two steps forward,” he had said. The relations between India and Pakistan remained tense since 2014. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had travelled to Delhi to attend Modi’s oath taking ceremony and the Indian premier had in December 2015 made a stopover in Lahore to greet his counterpart on his birthday. The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India’s surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April last year further deteriorated bilateral ties. The two sides often accuse each other of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, resulting in civilian casualties. INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
August 03, 2018
Sri Nava Chandi Maha Homam
11
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BY PRIEST SRI MANICKA BHATTAR & M.K.SRIRAM
PEARLAND: It is said that
in the Kali Yuga, worshipping Goddess Chandi and Lord Vinayaka are of great importance. Goddess Chandi is the most powerful Universal Mother. She is the combination of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswathy. Like the God Rudra, she has two forms. In Her fierce form, she destroys the evil demons, whereas in Her resplendent and benevolent form she is most compassionate. Mother Rajamathangi, who has a special place in our temple, is a form of Sri Chandi. It is interesting to note that Rajamathangi herself assumes different forms at different times of daily puja – MahaShodasi and Bala at dawn and early morning, Bhuvana and Gowri in mid-morning, Shyamala at noon, Mathangi in evening and Panchadashi and Shodashi at night. The Board members, Priests, Artisans, staff and volunteers of Sri Meenakshi Temple are very busy preparing for the
Nava Chandi Maha Homam scheduled from Thursday Aug 16 till Sunday Aug 19. This is indeed a very rare event as the last time it was performed was over fifteen years ago. This gives a unique opportunity for the Houston area devotees to partake and experience the power and love of the Divine Mother. Among the sacred texts that laud the glory of the Mother, Devi Mahatmyam is considered extremely auspicious and powerful. Devi Mahatmyam, or the Glory of the Goddess, describes the victory of the Chandi over the asuras Madhu-Kaitabha, Mahishasura and Shumbha-Nishumbha. It comprises of 700 mantras and hence is called Saptashati. Though the Devi Mahatmyam consisting of 13 chapters is part of Markandeya Purana, it is not merely treated as a purana, but is considered a full-fledged scripture by itself. The place where the slokas are recited becomes flooded with waves of vibration, purifying the entire place, and invoking the presence of the Supreme Devi.
vShri Lakshmi Puja vHindu Wedding vMarkand Puja vEngagement vShri Ganpati Puja vSimant vLaghu Rudra vVastu Shanti vMundan Sanskar vNavchandi Puja vShanti Havan vShri Gayatri Havan vShri Satyanarayan Puja
The Nava Chandi Maha Homam is a very elaborate puja that includes many rituals requiring priests with special skills and knowledge. With the temples own highly knowledgeable 5645 Hillcroft Ave. Suite 701 Houston, TX 77036 | TIMINGS 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM priests as well as a few visiting priests, MTS is proud to conduct this great puja and homam. The highlight of the event is the recital of the 700 mantras from the 13 chapters of Devi Mahatmyam (Saptashati Parayanam) and the Homam. Other important pujas included in the program are Kalasa Puja, Vilakku Puja, Lalitha Saharanama Archana, Bhairavar Puja, Kanyaka Puja and Sumangali Puja by Dhampathis. All monetary contributions will benefit the Kalyana Have you planned for your future? Mandapam Renovation People don’t plan to Fail, project, which is dedicated They Fail to Plan to Saraswathy Devi, one of the prime aspects of mother Chandi, the Goddess of learning, knowledge, arts and music.
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12 August 03, 2018
COMMUNITY/OBITUARY
Gurudev Dada J.P. Vaswani’s Birthday
HOUSTON: SADHU VASWANI MIS-
SION was founded by T.L Vaswani, and the light was then passed to J.P. Vaswani. Dear Dada has many accolades, which derived from his continuous efforts to empower women and establish the mission’s St. Mira school. St Mira was Vaswani’s gateway to promote education and ensure that education was accessible to all. Dada made an impact on humanity by always ensuring efforts were made to feed, medicate, and ensure the well-being of the poor. His purity of love is like nectar in flower, extended to animals, as he believed animals should have rights not to be slaughtered in vain. If you met a person with “a heavy load, did you help them
lighten the load.” I can picture him saying this with a radiant smile that spread like the shade of sun. He was like the sun, as the sun gives throughout the year. Dear Dada’s arms were always giving and guiding his flock to higher enlightenment with the Dear Lord. August 2, is Gurudev Dada J.P. Vaswani’s Birthday, which would’ve been a jubilation to celebrate his centurion birthday. Unfortunately, he left his physical body on July 12, 2018. Nevertheless, his presence is amongst us on this auspicious day. He is embedded in our DNA and our daily lives. One just has to close their eyes and follow his principles in life. What more is there to say about our Dear
Beloved Dada, which has not been said. As to some, he was a beacon of hope. To us, he was a Friend, which could be summarized, in one word, “LOVE.” We were fortunate in Houston, to witness his wit, laughter and compassion for all, at several of his yatras. He created an ecstatic environment and touched many lives in our city. Several of us, became vegetarian and saw miracles in our daily lives. Yes, my Dear Friends, this Pilgrim was a true disciple of the Dear Lord. He was a Guru, which led people from darkness to light, if you can remember, a few key things would be, Love the world around you and establish a link to the Dear Lord. Accomplish this task, by developing your inner self that, your “ATMAN (Soul),” creates a bond with the Almighty. After that, all will be well, Dada Shyam. “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, so loved, so missed, so very Dear.” For details visit Sadhu Vaswani Center, Houston, Texas, ramolaj@aol.com, 832656-6973
Rasikbhai R Patel December 8, 1928 – July 21, 2018
HOUSTON: Rasikbhai R Patel, a lov-
ing and caring individual known for spreading laughter and happiness, passed away on Saturday, July 21 in Houston, Texas. He was Born in India and migrated to USA in 1981. He resided in Houston since 1982. He is survived by a loving family and was the father of Kalpana, Yagnesh, Jyoti, Ajit & Prerana, grandfather of Hemangi, Mansi, Manisha, Neel & Sahil, and great grandfather of Arman & Ishan. He showered his wisdom and experience with everyone in good and bad times. He will be remembered for his generous, loving heart and joyful nature. He was a genuine soul that radiated happiness to everyone around him. He motivated all to live a happy and simple life. May the Almighty give his family the strength and the courage to bear this loss. The last rites and funeral were held on Friday, July 27 at the Garden Oak Funeral Home. May his Soul Rest in Peace!
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY BY THARA NARASIMHAN
HOUSTON: Hindus of Greater
Houston (HGH) primary role is mainly to bring together all Hindu organizations and hold a Leaders meeting of all Heads and Representation of Temples and Organizations at least once a year. HGH brings together the various organizations under one roof and celebrates one popular Hindu festival, the birth of Lord KrishnaJanmashtami this year on August 25. Notable Bollywood Actor and Kashmiri Pandit Anupam Kher will be the star attraction at the event. At the meeting of this year Hindu Leaders Meet, held at Keshav Smrithi Houston on July 21, Hindus of Greater presented the members of Hindu Youth Council (HSC) a youth wing that will represent all local area Youth forum from all Hindu Temples and Organizations in the Greater Houston Area. The HYC will comprise of young professionals and students who will work together to bring about a forum for all in one umbrella. HGH vision is to promote Youth activities and we were fortunate to initiate two other interests besides presenting the Hindu youth Awards every year. The Hindu Youth Council has been established by a group of interested Hindu youth spearheaded by Komal Luthra who was the first to intern and work with the HGH through summer of 2018. The Chairman of the Advi-
August 03, 2018
13
Hindu Leaders Meet Organized by HGH
From left, Neha Srivastava , Komal Luthra , and Siddharth Prasad.
sory Board of HGH, Dev Mahajan and Vijay Pallod, Board Member of HGH first conceived the idea of HYC two years ago and Komal Luthra carried the idea to form the HYC. Neha Srivastava and Siddharth Prasad joined Luthra in the presentation about the HYC and informed that Raj Salhotra is the chosen president. The mission of HYC is to Promote Youth leadership, community service and professional networking besides participating in major Hindu festivals. The council membership is open to Hindu youth between 18 and 35, irrespective of their affiliations with any temple or institution or none. Sharad Amin, HGH board member spoke about HGH taking up the responsibility from this year onwards and Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America started it in 1985.
The first camp began with 40 students has grown with phenomenal success to accommodate over 200 campers and 50 counselors. Sharad Amin also appealed to the Hindu community to help establishing a permanent campsite for the annual Hindu Heritage Camp. Namita Pallod, and Vivek Shukla, directors of the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp 2018 informed that within about 30 minutes of opening the registration, the camp attendance was filled up. This year there are about 435 students who will attend the camp at Camp Lantern Creek, 4045 N FM 1486 Rd. Montgomery, Texas. The Junior Camp starts on July 31st to August 5th and the Senior Camp wil be held from August 7th to August 12th Rishi Bhutada of Hindu American Foundation shared that Voter registration is a non-partisan ac-
tivity and it is legal to have voter registration in religious organizations. HAF will hold voter registration drive in all Hindu Temples. “If our community members don’t vote, lawmakers won’t care about us,” he said. Padma Srinivasan, gave the importance of civic duty and It takes only two minutes to fill the form. Tupil Narasiman one of the coordinators of HLM and HGH board member, welcomed the Hindu leaders and guests and explained the purpose of the Hindu leaders’ meet as a opportunity to network as the event provided a platform for sharing their activities with others. Partha Krishnaswamy, President of HGH gave a brief history of HGH and its growth in the last 29 years. Besides the Annual Janmashtami celebration, HGH has instituted Hindu Youth Awards and
every year helps to organize the International Day of Yoga. Girish Naik, the Janmashtami event chair said the goal is to attract a record number of people to the event. He also announced that “The best decorated Temple Award” would be presented with a special prize award and recognition this year. Joseph Emmett, Advisory board of HGH, briefly highlighted the upcoming World Hindu Congress to be held in Chicago. Various temples and organizations were introduced to make brief remarks or their respective organizations. HGH board member Hemant Jadhav, who also coordinated the meeting, proposed a vote of thanks. Jadhav emphasized that Hindu leaders meet has become a great forum to share and network with all Hindu leaders in the greater Houston area.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
14 August 03, 2018
COMMUNITY
Yoga Gurus Under Siege in the Western Media, The Assault on Swami Ramdev Today G
BY DAVID FRAWLEY
urus from India since Swami Vivekananda in 1893 have gained a phenomenal and unexpected influence and prestige not only in the United States but also worldwide that remains extraordinary. Yet they have also invariably been subject to extensive criticism, if not attempts at outright personal defamation. Such media denigration occurred in the case of Paramahansa Yogananda in the nineteen thirties and later to most of the gurus from India in the late twentieth century, starting with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. That it persists today not surprising given the prejudices that remain against India in general and Hinduism in particular. Sadly, the older colonial prejudices that existed against Blacks and Native Americans, which are now being questioned, continue relative to India with little scrutiny. India is still portrayed as a country that is backward, superstitious and violent, in spite of the fact that India is the worlds’ fastest growing economy today and the world’s largest democracy! And the exaggerated dismal condition of India so promoted is blamed upon India’s Yoga gurus like Baba Ramdev today, who the New York Times portrays as a dangerous political figure because of the extent
Swami Ramdev
of his influence. Mahatma Gandhi himself was subject to extensive criticism by the British and at times by the Americans. Gandhi responded to Katherine Mayo’s book Mother India that portrayed India as a land of squalor and oppression, calling it a “drain inspector’s” view of India. Such drain inspectors views can still be found among journalists today, perhaps strangely in what is supposed to be the liberal American media. The successful Hindu diaspora in the West, now the most affluent and educated religious minority in America along with the Jews, and their beautiful temples like those of the Swaminarayan order, have put a dent in these prejudicial views but not removed them altogether. Patanjali Ayurveda While previous gurus were more threats to religious and cul-
tural prejudices in America, Baba Ramdev – the latest major guru from India to come under an organized media assault – has also challenged the power of American businesses and their efforts to control the India market. His Patanjali Ayurveda is now the largest corporation in India covering not just natural medicines and daily health care items like soaps and toothpastes, but extending now to foods and clothing. You would think that Ramdev’s story would receive accolades in the West, with Ramdev and his colleague Acharya Balakrishna, beginning as two young spiritual seekers promoting Ayurveda door to door in Rishikesh, building a massive health care empire that has brought good quality and affordable natural health care products to the poor person in India, many jobs to its farmers and has supported a number of schools and charities. Had this occurred in the United States it would be lauded as the realization of the American dream. The Battle for Yoga Yoga today is also a multibillion-dollar business. Not surprisingly various groups in the West are working to control what Yoga is, often for their personal benefit, though Yoga is originally a spiritual and healing tradition from India.
Some groups want to create their own modern forms of Yoga and don’t like to recognize Yoga gurus from India as defining Yoga. The fight for the Yoga market is another part of the attack on Swami Ramdev. Swami Ramdev has been the main modern Yoga guru to bring Yoga to the poor in India. His Yoga camps, often free of charge, have hundreds of thousands attending even a single camp, with millions taught Yoga over the years, mainly people from the villages of India. Now his influence is extending worldwide. To gain control of Yoga, some groups today are claiming that Yoga asanas derive from modern western exercise systems and so really don’t belong to India. They ignore the role of asana in traditional Indian Yoga or the fact that Lord Shiva is said to be the originator of 84 lakhs of asanas (a lakh being 100,000). Yet the same groups, who claim that Yoga asanas are not originally Hindu or even Indian, still want to use the term Yoga for its powerful name recognition in the marketplace. Many of them use the spiritual image of the Yogi to promote their own Yoga approaches that reject India’s Yoga gurus. With Swami Ramdev as the main Yoga guru from India today, he easily becomes a target by those seeking to remove Yoga from its associations with India.
Such groups may not appreciate the government of India’s promotion of International Yoga Day, but see it as an attempt by India to control Yoga, as if Yoga was not a gift of India to the world but something invented in the West. It is time for the Western media to mature in its coverage of India, India’s culture and its Yoga gurus and spiritual masters. Until then we must challenge such media prejudices that, while perhaps understandable in the colonial era, have no place in the twenty first century when not only Yoga asanas but yogic pranayama, mantra and meditation, along with related teachings of Ayurveda and Vedanta are being followed and honored by millions throughout the world. Dr. David Frawley is a western teacher of Yoga and Ayurveda and the author of several books on these subjects. He has a Padma Bhushan award from the govt. of India for his work promoting Vedic education.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Dr. David Frawley
INDIA
August 03, 2018
15
Mumbai’s St. Thomas’ Cathedral to Celebrate 300-Year Anniversary
BY VIJAYA GUPCHUP
In June 1820 the church was lighted
with lamps for the evening service. Chandeliers were fitted with glass shades, glass tumblers and burners, while iron chains were installed in 1822. The first mention of punkahs used in the Church was found in Mrs Elwood’s Narrative of a Journey Overland from England to India in 1826. Punkahs were monstrous fans, ten to thirty feet long and suspended from the ceiling and moved to and fro by men outside by ropes and pulleys. To go back to the roots of the establishment of the Church, it was Gerald Aungier, the second Governor of the East India Company who conceived the idea of putting up a church for the small English community then residing in the Fort area. In 1672 and again in 1674 Aungier wrote to the Court of Directors proposing a scheme for building a garrison church. The foundations of the Church were laid in 1676. Unfortunately, Aungier died in 1677; but the building work continued during the governorship of his successor, Sir John Child (1681- 1690). The walls were raised to a height of 15 feet. But soon the work was suspended and the English community lost interest. It was now left to Richard Cobbe, who was appointed chaplain in 1715 to the factory of Bombay for the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies (later called The East India Company), to continue the work on the Church. Rev Richard Cobbe was an enthusiastic person and he set about writing letters to important persons in order to collect funds for the Church. Cobbe’s words were transformed into action when Stephen Strutt, the Deputy Governor of Bombay, laid the foundation stone once again on the same site as the old Church on 18th November 1715. Charles Boone, Governor of Bombay, chose Christmas Day 1718 for the inauguration of the Church. The inauguration ceremony was indeed a colourful event. The procession started at about 10am when the Governor-in-Council ‘attended by free merchants, military and other inhabitants of the place proceeding from the Fort in great order to the church and approaching the great western door at the west end were met by the chaplain …….’ In June 1817, the Bombay Government sanctioned Rs 7,700 for providing 172 additional seats. The plan for the new pews would accommodate a congregation of persons “independent of soldiers” and these pews would be rented to private families and individuals. With a steady stream of worshippers, a fact that one finds even today, many additions were made to the church. First the Church became a Cathedral, after the Archdeaconry
ler and Bayne from the designs and cartoons of Henry George Alexander Holiday and were shipped to Bombay in 1869. Henry Holiday was the most respected artist of the nineteenth century; stained-glass researchers believe that the St Thomas depicted in this window is a stylized self-portrait of Henry Holiday, an unusual and highly original work. Many renowned dignitaries have visited and prayed in this Cathedral. To the south of the central aisle one observes two chairs, in the first row to the right of the chancel which bear the inscription “Here sat St. Thomas’ Cathedral was built at the geographic center Stained Glass windows on the East side of the chancel. King George V” and of Bombay three hundred years ago. “Here sat Queen Mary of Bombay became a Bishop’s See with the Church being the dominant Chaplain Rev W K Fletcher from on 3rd November 1911 during Even Song”. This no doubt was during the and Rev Thomas Carr, the then nerve-centre. Using the Church as 1861 to 1867. Archdeacon was elevated to the a pivotal point, the Bombay GovTrubshawe had ambitious plans historic visit of the King and Queen Bishop of the Diocese. He was in- ernment planned and structured the but these could not be executed to to India that was commemorated by stalled on 25th February 1838. St whole Fort Area. their entirety. Nevertheless, James the construction of the Gateway of Thomas’ Church was notified in the If we go back in time and picture Trubshawe cleverly put in some India. At right angles to these chairs is Bombay Government Gazette to be the early British troops landing in Gothic features which elevated the the Cathedral Church of the See. Bombay, there is no doubt that at Cathedral to be almost on par with placed a well-polished pew which bears witness to a historic moment The Public Works Department at some time, if only for a short time, the Gothic structures at the time. Bombay felt the need to improve they must have visited the Church Thus, Trubshawe put in the Goth- in the 20th century; for the inscripthe dignity of the Cathedral-to-be, and found solace. ic wrought iron gates at the west- tion reads, “Mother Teresa used this by raising the tower and completing Following in the footsteps of Rich- ern entranceway, the chancel with pew on 8-1-1983”. After the Indian Independence in it in 1839. ard Cobbe was the Senior Chaplain its stained glass-windows, and the But the urge for change was a Rev W K Fletcher. He along with Fountain at the entrance, executed 1947, the management of the Catheconstant factor, for new buildings the other trustees consisting of im- by Gilbert Scott. He also used Fly- dral has moved into the hands of wellwere coming up in the surrounding portant persons on the social lad- ing Buttresses at the Eastern end, to known Indians. They have maintained area in the Neo-Gothic style. This der, recognized the importance of support the dome over the chancel. the grand status of the Cathedral by can be clearly perceived if we look keeping the Cathedral in tune with The chancel was extended in length keeping it renovated from time to at an early map of the Fort and the the new Neo-Gothic wave. Accord- to 40 feet while the width remained time. This is indeed a unique Cathedral, Esplanade of 1827. Here we can see ingly, in the 1860s they appointed the same at 23 feet. The 1860s thus that the Church was the Geographi- James Trubshawe as the architect, saw the chancel with its stained- a Grade I Heritage Structure with its rare and exquisite monuments sculptcal centre, with the Bombay Castle, to renovate the Church to be con- glass windows. the Town Hall, the Bombay Green, sistent with the great buildings that The other set of stained-glass ed in England and shipped to India, the Church and Churchgate Station were being planned in the city. windows are seen in the south west which besides being 300 years old being actually on one axis. This During the period of the 1860s, corner. These represent St Thomas, (25/12/1718 - 2018 ) has its own story formed the east-west axis with the repairs to the Cathedral were funded St Gabriel and St Michael. This is to tell as no other building can! Reference: St. Thomas’s Cathedral Bombay Castle and Churchgate sta- partly by the congregation and part- known as the Chapel of St Thomas. Bombay: A Witness to History, Dr. Vition at the eastern and western ends ly by the Government. The project These stained glass windows were jaya Gupchup, Emincence Designs Pvt. and the others forming punctuations was spearheaded by the then Senior executed by Messrs Heaton, But- Ltd., Mumbai 2005
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16 August 03, 2018
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18 August 03, 2018 Who’s Left Out? Fear in Assam
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY How Will Imran Captain Pakistan?
BY JAWED NAQVI
With the publication of the final draft of Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) around 2.9 crore out of 3.3 crore applicants have found their names in the list. It will be recalled that the NRC is an Assam specific exercise to identify illegal migrants and determine genuine Indian citizens. This is the first time that the NRC in Assam is being updated since 1951. The exercise received fresh momentum when the current BJP-led government came to power in the state in 2016. Those residing in Assam before March 25, 1971 and their descendants are eligible for inclusion in NRC, congruent with provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord. To underline, the final draft has left out around 40 lakh applicants. True, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has urged calm saying that those who haven’t been included won’t yet be treated as foreigners and will have ample chances to have their applications reviewed. But allegations have already risen that the exercise is biased against Bengalispeaking residents of Assam. Add to this the fact that 40 year old legacy documents required for NRC inclusion may not be handy with genuine citizens in a country with a weak documentation culture. Centre has added another layer of complication by proposing a bill to modify the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant citizenship to religious minorities – specifically Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians – from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have been residing in India for at least six years and entered the country before December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution. This is in contravention to the Assam Accord and conflicts with the NRC exercise. Protests have apparently forced a rethink on the bill. Assam has long borne the brunt of migration from neighboring Bangladesh but NRC isn’t the best way to address the issue. Massive resources deployed for the exercise could arguably have been better ploughed into beefing up border security or developing the state. After all, Assam suffers poor human development indices and widespread joblessness. With insurgency in the state at a decade’s low, a governance focus could be very fruitful. The state should also capitalize on being at the heart of India’s Act East policy. Legacy issues are important. But they shouldn’t cost the present and future progress of Assam. -- Times of India
A Photoshopped picture of Imran Khan has adorned my Facebook page for the last few weeks, which I am planning to remove. The frame is an election-time caricature shared by an irate friend. It shows Imran’s beaming face donning a general’s cap, which is placed over a judge’s wig. The message endorses the claim by his Indian and Pakistani critics that certain institutions somehow colluded to put the former cricket star at an advantage against his rivals. Not privy to any evidence to back the allegations let me limit my comment to what I feel less uncertain about. Now that the battle’s lost and won, to quote the witches in Macbeth, it’s perhaps time to start grappling with the business of governing a deeply troubled nation. That business includes improving relations with India among other foreign policy challenges. Will Imran Khan’s pursuit of the dream turn out to be any different? He deserves a chance to triumph or lose the plot, hopefully the former. A good reason I would remove the errant picture of Imran from my page lies in a re-reading of his 2011 memoirs: Pakistan, a Personal History. It cuts through the decibels surrounding the persona of Imran Khan. I looked hard to find traces of Imran’s alleged truck with the military but managed to get evidence to the contrary. Imran tells us furiously how Zia ul Haq had wrecked democracy, a factor in his turning down the dictator’s move to induct him in his government. Imran also claims to have been approached by Pervez Musharraf. The fact that Musharraf has denied offering the former cricketer the prime minister’s job shows what, collusion or chasm with the military? He lists a catalogue of Musharraf’s major indiscretions, critical for Indian and Pakistani scribes to understand Imran’s priorities. The nub of the issue facing Pakistan under Imran Khan’s watch would seem to revolve around key assertions he has made. The first is he wants to recast Pakistan after Quaidi-Azam’s dream. Which liberal friend of Pakistan could quibble with that? The most resolutely secular prom-
ise made for Pakistan had come from Jinnah in 1947, and a diehard critic like L.K. Advani has lauded it, staking his political career for holding the unusual view. The problem with this dreaming business is pervasive, however. Like rival claimants to the legacy of Marx, Mao, Gandhi or Mandela, there have been different and opposite interpretations of what Jinnah would have liked his country to be. The Quaid’s self-proclaimed followers have shunned his own testament in the process. Will Imran Khan’s pursuit of the dream turn out to be any different? In either case, he deserves a chance to triumph or lose the plot, hopefully the former. Musharraf in his cavalier political style left behind the debris of the Lal Masjid tragedy and a deeply alienated Balochistan. Imran says it proves that Musharraf was a wannabe Shah of Iran and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk rolled into one. By seeming to disapprove of Ataturk, Imran is perhaps unknowingly challenging Jinnah’s hero and his dream. A calm discussion should stave off panic attacks among Pakistan’s liberal lobbies when Imran makes such assertions. What he appears to be saying is that the zeal for modernisation in Pakistan should not come swaddled in Western idioms. By ignoring this caution, the Shah of Iran created grounds for the rise of the Muslim clergy because the poorest Iranians were religious. And the poor were not on the Shah’s radar when he held a landmark carnival amid the ruins of Persepolis to showcase the legacy of the Persian Empire and its mingling with Western modernity. Imran frowns at the fetes with alien
motifs Musharraf held at his residence. He also feels that programmes such as Blind Date emulated on TV in Pakistan were offensive to the orthodox Muslims. Religion and the culture it spawns have emerged as a major challenge for impatient liberals across South Asia. They should look at the most popular poem of Faiz that is sung across India and Pakistan by leftist groups. It is Hum dekhenge, a leftist song that invokes Divine help. Here, a greater dilemma has dogged India’s communists, which may be of interest to Pakistan’s Imran-baiters. Far from promoting dialectical materialism in 70 years, their cadres are borrowing Hindu symbols to canvass support for their socialist ideals. And what did Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the overarching liberal do with religion? And when did Nawaz Sharif give up the idea, if he ever did, of becoming ameerul momineen, a religious title he borrowed from the Afghan Taliban? Imran has been accused of being anti-women. A woman critic also berated him for marrying a woman half his age. In her reference to Jemima she accused her of being a Zionist. This is like the calumny heaped on Sonia Gandhi in India. As for the age disparity, who is being a moralist here? A more serious charge is that Imran sees Western feminism as degrading motherhood. I’ve heard his interview and it shows Imran as neither antiwomen nor anti-feminist. Western feminist mothers are themselves sharply divided whether they should be compelled to breastfeed their babies. According to Unicef they must, as other than women’s rights, a child’s rights are also at stake. The debate about motherhood and feminism is a healthy debate, as simple as that. Imran has expressed concern for democracy on two fronts: a free media and horse-trading of elected deputies. He is short by a few deputies in the National Assembly. And the media has been getting the short end of the stick. It’s just the right time to hold the future prime minister’s feet to the fire. -- The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Delhi.
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LIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI
19
August 03, 2018
The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 8
First Victory for the Satyagraha Experiment
T
he story thus far… a recent court decision in South Africa held that the law did not recognize Indian marriages. The women were suitably offended by this and found it an attack on their basic family values. They openly broke the law and were imprisoned in large numbers. In the coal-mines at Newcastle, in Natal, Indian workers went on strike protesting against the repression. The arrests, the deportation of passive resisters, and the untold sufferings of Indian families angered the people of India. A large amount of money was collected for the relief of the victims. Many protesters were beaten and flogged, and some were beaten to death. Gandhi, who felt intensely the humiliation his people suffered, took a triple vow of self-suffering. He changed his mode of dressing, opting for the look of a poor laborer, walked barefoot, and decided to have only one meal a day, till the poll-tax and other injustices were abolished. But Gandhi found the Government to be a relentless and merciless opponent. There seemed no solution in sight. He had to take further drastic measures. In October 1913, Gandhi organized a march of over 6,000 Indian workers from the Natal mining area into the Transvaal, although the law did not allow non-whites the freedom of crossing into the Transvaal without a permit. Gandhi advised his followers, “We are going to march peacefully together across the border into the Transvaal. The Government will arrest us and put us in prison. We are to remain peaceful. This is the nonviolent way of protesting against the poll-tax, against the Government’s decision not to recognize our marriages, and against all the laws that are made against us. We are fighting for just causes, we will not harm anyone.” He then asked the people, “Are you ready to face arrest and harsh treatment, remaining always nonviolent?” Roars of assent assured him of everyone’s support. They were ready to follow Gandhi anywhere. And so the march into the Transvaal began. Late in the evening Gandhi was roused from sleep by several uniformed men, who arrested him. Gandhi and many other Indians were jailed. The mines were cordoned off by barbed wire and converted into temporary
jails. The satyagrahis or protesters were beaten to force them to go back to work, but without success. The authorities could not make them return to work. Gandhi had inspired in them the spirit of quiet, dignified resistance. The movement of passive resistance, or satyagraha, spread all through Natal and the Transvaal like wildfire. The Government had no idea how to handle this phenomenon unlike any they had ever encountered before, because none yielded to their cruel treatment. The prisons were overflowing. At last General Smuts was obliged to act. He appointed a Commission to study the situation. In December 1913 Gandhi was released, but he would not give up the struggle. Gandhi threatened Smuts that he would start another march if his demands were not met. That march, however, never took place. The European employees of the railways in the Union went on strike, and this made the Government’s position extremely difficult. Gandhi decided to drop the idea of the march at such a crucial time as he did not wish to embarrass the Government further. Gandhi ordered every Indian to go back to work, at least for the time being. His decision created a good impression on the Government and even General Smuts recognized this courtesy. The Inquiry Commission reported in favor of all the essential reforms demanded by the Indian leaders. The Indians’ Relief Bill was at last passed and signed by the Governor. It abolished the poll-tax on indentured workers, declared absolutely legal all Indian marriages, and removed penalties for crossing from one State to another. It was a huge victory for Gandhi and the satyagraha movement. Gandhi had been active in South Africa for 21 years and had contributed so much to the welfare of the Indians in South Africa. Gandhi now felt that his mission in South Africa was over and he wanted to return to India. At that time Gokhale was in England. He wanted Gandhi to meet him in London before returning to India. Gandhi promised to do so. Gandhi announced his decision to Kasturbai. “You are going to London with me,” he said. “From England we will go back to India.” Gandhi, with Kasturbai and Her-
mann Kallenbach, a white South African farmer sailed for England on July 18, 1914. On August 4, two days before he reached London, the 1st World War was declared. Upon arrival in London, Gandhi heard that Gokhale had gone to Paris for reasons of health. Communications were cut off between London and Paris because of the war. Gandhi was disappointed. He did not want to return to India without seeing Gokhale, so he stayed on in London. Gandhi had no idea what to do during the war. At the suggestion of some Indian friends, a meeting was called of the Indians in England. Gandhi expressed the view that Indians residing in England ought to do their bit in the war. English students had volunteered to serve in the army and Indians should do no less. This brought forth many objections from many Indians who were of the opinion that the war provided an opportunity to get freedom for India and that Indians should assert themselves and claim their rights. Gandhi felt that England’s difficulty should not be turned into India’s opportunity. He insisted on rendering all possible help to England. He organized an ambulance corps which, in spite of many difficulties, helped the British in their time of need. After some time Gokhale returned to England. Gandhi and Kallenbach went to see him often and they talked together about the war and other matters. Then Gandhi had an attack of pleurisy and Gokhale and his friends were worried. Dr. Jivraj Mehta treated Gandhi but there was little relief. Gandhi was still ill when Gokhale returned to India. As the pleurisy still persisted, Gandhi was advised to go back to India as soon as possible. He accepted the advice and returned to his homeland. After 12 long and eventful years, Gandhi was back in India. He was welcomed with a great reception in Bombay. Gandhi was overwhelmed by the great love and wealth of kindness shown to him by the people. Gokhale was in Poona and was in poor health, so Gandhi went to see him. Gandhi told Gokhale that his plan was to have an ashram where he could settle down with his Phoenix family. They had followed him to India and already were settled at Santiniketan. Gokhale approved of the idea and promised whatever help he could. Meanwhile Gandhi went to Rajkot and Porbandar to meet his relatives and then went on to Santiniketan. There Gandhi met poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore for the first time, as well as C. F. Andrews who was also present. During his short stay at Santiniketan Gandhi heard the sad news that Gokhale had passed away. He immediately left for Poona, with C. F. Andrews accompanying him up to Burdwan. — To be Continued next week
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PUZZLES / RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
This is a recipe that is as British as it is Indian and has become ingrained in the landscape of Indian cuisine. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Custard recipe, which is a tasty sweet seldom found in Indian restaurants overseas but on the menu of many Indian restaurants in the Old Country? It is reprinted with some additional information and directions.
Custard (Custard)
India has been a destination for
foreigners for many centuries, and especially Northwestern India which has been the place of many battles with invading hoards from ancient empires like the Greeks, Persians and Mongols and later by the Europeans: the British, French, Portuguese and Dutch. Each foreign culture left its mark on Indian cuisine, and they remain popular even today in India. So, it is not surprising that some of the foods – and tastes – of the last colonizers, the British - have found a comfortable corner in the Indian hearts and stomachs. Among these is the British sweet custard, a favorite milk based pudding that North Indians have adopted as their own, adding blanched, slivered almonds, crunched cardamom and pistachios on the top crust, and even soaked raisins. It is a variation of flan or crème caramel that is so popular around the world.
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It is a sweet dish that my family grew to love when we were living in London in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s as it had become a standard item at many a weekend party. My two young boys enjoyed it immensely, especially when it was a little thick and had a nice, soft but thick congealed layer on top which they would fight for. The popular brand of custard powder then was Bird’s, invented by Alfred Bird in 1837 and still going strong now 181 years later. There are many other English manufacturers now and many Indian ones too which make a fine product like Aziza, Golden Caramel, Henrik and Pruthvi’s. Custard is nothing more than a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. When it is thin, it becomes a sauce called crème anglaise and if it’s a thicker cream (crème patissiere), it is used to fill eclairs. Most common custards use sugar and vanilla and sometimes flour, corn starch or gelatin. Though it’s not as popular in India as it once was, it is still a crowd pleaser, especially after adding the nuts, which no Indian can resist!
Ingredients: • ½ gal - doodh (whole milk) • ½ cup chinni (sugar) • 1 pouch custard powder (about 2 tbsp) • Toppings: cut slivers of apples, bananas, blanched almonds, pistachios, cardamom, raisins (to your taste)
mix in the bananas, grapes and apples or sprinkle the top with the almonds, pistachios, cardamom and place in a the fridge to chill for 2 or 3 hours. 7. Serve chilled in small bowls.
Directions: 1. Take a half cup of the milk. Pour in the custard powder, mix well and put it to the side. 2. Bring the rest of the milk to a gentle boil over low heat. 3. After it has come to a boil, mix in the sugar and let the milk continue to boil. 4. Pour in the custard mixture into the boiling milk and stir well. Turn the heat down to low and let the milk thicken up, stirring often so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn. 5. When thick (per your taste), turn the heat off 6. Pour into a serving bowl and
Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the oldfashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) 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 late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.
MAMA’S TIP O F THE
WEEK
HOW TO BROWN ONIONS QUICKL Y FOR FAST COOKING Piyaaz or onions
of all sorts are as es sential to Indian co is to pasta, for very oking as sauce few dishes are mad e without them. Th varieties of onions ere are three (other than green on markets: yellow, w hite and red, and ea es) normally available in the ch they add to the dish . In North India, the has its own taste and the color most available are th although these are e re not as large as the on es found in the US. d onions, Now, you can easil y find cut, browne d, fried onions in a supermarket, but if you prefer to make bag in the your own, there is a to quickly saute the simple trick onions till they are golden brown. Just pinch of salt and to take ss it will get brown faste on the onions while they are in the pa a good n and they r.
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21
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3
is Royally Unpredictable
An incarcerated saheb. A politi-
cally powerful biwi and a London based gangster, who makes a killing playing the dangerous game of Russian roulette. Director and co-writer Tigmanshu Dhulia wastes no time in setting the stage for a confrontational drama of power-hungry
men and women who will stop at nothing to get what they want. The narrative of this edition begins on a fresh note, and takes an unpredictable route to unravelling newer facets of its multi-layered characters. Leading them all is Queen Madhavi Devi (Mahie Gill), who pulls off a complex character with such ease and congeniality, leaving you wanting for more, despite her having the lion’s share of the script. Coming in a close second is his highness Aditya Pratap Singh (Jimmy Sheirgill) who does a fine job of balancing the dream of capturing his lost love and glory. As Kabir aka Baba, Sanjay Dutt is not quite the gangster but
more of a sophisticated outlaw, who has a heart and a temper that always spells trouble. He is apt for the role, although he looks a tad bit tired and less royal. But while these three have their tasks cut out, the same cannot be said for the other two ladies in the film. Chitrangada Singh as Suhani looks breathtakingly beautiful but barring her introduction scene, does little more than slowing down the pace. Soha Ali Khan as Saheb’s biwi no.2 Ranjana is wasted, literally and figuratively. Rest of the supporting cast - Kabir Bedi, Nafisa Ali and Deepak Tijori are adequately cast as the royal family of Boondigarh. With so many characters there is often a problem of plenty, but with taut writing and an unpredictable narrative, writers Sanjay Chouhan and Tigmanshu Dhulia manage to stay ahead of the curve. Of course, Dhulia falls prey to usual pitfalls of a forgettable item number and a totally avoidable love
song, but what redeems him are the crisp punch-packed dialogues, which are less dramatic and more effective. Overall, with a screenplay that surprises and performances to match, SBG3 successfully takes the legacy forward with minor bumps on the way. ~TimesofIndia. com
Ranveer Singh “I don’t want to play dark
characters like Alauddin Khilji often as it takes you to least in my process. A lot of people a place that’s uncomfortable” can create such characters by means
In a recent interview with BT, Ran-
veer Singh revealed how enacting characters that are deep, disturbing or even dark, can affect an actor sometimes. Talking about why he took up the role of the evil Alauddin Khilji in ‘Padmaavat’, the actor said, “I feel the need to challenge myself and see how far I can go
into a character. Alauddin was fulfilling in that sense, as there are times when I completely lost myself in the character. Yes, it’s very scary too. The struggle was very internal. I am glad Bhansali came in and tempered my vision, as I was making some very extreme choices. I was prepared to go to lengths from where I probably wouldn’t be able to come back easily. In the process of being Khilji from morning to evening, I had started losing my bearings. Also, I thought that this is perhaps, the first and last time I will play an antagonist. I don’t want to play such dark characters often, as it takes you to a place that is uncomfortable, at
of projection, I can’t do that. For me, each prep process is unique. For ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ (2010), I had infiltrated a college campus, introduced myself as Bittu Sharma and lived with students for a week without them being aware of it. For ‘Lootera’ (2013) which was a period film, I did intensive workshops. For ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela - Ram Leela’ (2013), I did a lot of prep work in Gujarat. For ‘Bajirao Mastani’(2015) and ‘Padmaavat’ (2018), I lived in isolation for days. For the upcoming, Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Gully Boy’, I spent a lot of time with the rapper boys. This is the only way I know to work. Karo toh…go all out. I want to be the best at what I do, and by that I don’t mean the best in comparison to others, but I want to outdo my best.” ~TimesofIndia.com
Arbaaz Khan Aug 4, 1967
Manish Paul Aug 3, 1981
Kajol Aug 4, 1974
Genelia D’Souza Aug 5, 1987
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Aditya Narayan Aug 6, 1987
22 August 03, 2018 Shastri: ‘We can be One of the Best Travelling Teams’ BY NAGRAJ GOLLUPUDI EDGBASTON (ESPN Crickinfo): Ravi Shastri rarely minces his words. His message to the Indian players on the eve of their five-match Test series in England is to once again play “fearless” cricket. And play to win. That mantra is no different to the past series, including in South Africa, where India won the final Test, in Johannesburg, having lost the series after losing the first two matches. Shastri now wants India to become consistent as well as better travelers. In this exclusive interview, he spells out the reason behind his belief that India can win overseas and the men who can be the catalysts in these matches. You and Virat Kohli addressed the squad at Chelmsford on the first morning of the warm-up game. It was a long chat - what was the message you two delivered? I cannot divulge the details, but the focus of the chat was to carry on the good work we have done overseas. We have done exceptionally well in white-ball cricket. We showed some very good signs in South Africa as far as the red ball is concerned. We want to carry that forward. The challenge for us is to be consistent in the red-ball format overseas. We believe we have the potential to be one of the best travelling teams. At the moment, there is no side in the world that travels properly. You can see what is happening to South Africa in Sri Lanka. We know our scorelines in England before this tour: 4-0 [2011], 3-1 [2014]. We want to do much better than that. What gives you the hope that India are equal contenders in the Test series? We have a bowling attack that can take 20 wickets. We are not bothered by what conditions we play in. We have the variety but we need to execute our plans in the best possible manner. And bat well, which is important. Our batting let us down in South Africa. Compared to any other overseas tour in the past decade, this tour has players who have spent enough time in the UK playing limited-overs cricket, or, in a few cases, county cricket. Is that a clear advantage for you? A lot of players have been to Eng-
“Four years down the line, Kohli is the best player in the world. He would like to show the British public why he is the best” -- Ravi Shastri
land before.Alot of them have learned a lot in the last few years, playing as a unit. I see that as a big advantage, as opposed to coming with a brand new side. The conditions look like they are actually as good as in India. That must help? Not really. The square will be different, the outfield will be different, and the weather conditions will be different to back in India. But whatever the conditions, the balls moves in England. In South Africa we played on some spicy tracks. We have to adapt to those 22 yards. We adapted better than South Africa in Johannesburg and we won that Test. They won a couple of sessions more than us in the first two Tests and won two Tests. Nonetheless is it fair to say that this is as good an opportunity that India’s batsmen will get, keeping in mind the prevailing hot weather? Depends on the surface. What I would like to see is whether we have learned from South Africa. A start of 25 or 30 should be converted into a big partnership. “We will have some fun. We are aggressive. We play to win. We are not here to draw games or fill in the numbers. And if in trying to win we lose a game, tough luck Is the openers playing out the first spells of James Anderson and Stuart
Broad a big step in your planning? That is a must anywhere you go overseas, especially England, Australia, SouthAfrica and New Zealand. The first 20-25 overs are extremely crucial. If you can come through that period [unscathed] then you can set a good platform. Understanding your role, understanding what the team needs in those 20 overs, the discipline needed to see off those 20 overs and make sure you lose as few wickets as possible. Then you set up the game because we have enough ammunition in the middle order and lower order to take the game forward. You once said that this team will play an aggressive brand of cricket. Always will. However we saw in the warm-up match against Essex that the top order remains vulnerable. What is your assessment of India’s openers? They have experience. What you want is [that] when they get in, they have got the experience to make it count. If they do that it will be a brilliant platform for the middle order, which, like I said, has the goods to convert that into a good score. Are the openers well equipped in terms of technique? Yesterday morning [the first day of the warm-up match against Essex], if you get those conditions [fresh green pitch, new ball seaming and swinging], I don’t care who the open-
ing batsman is - it is tough. On such mornings you need your slice of luck, but you have to be prepared to go through the grind, like M Vijay did in that period of play. You could nick one anytime, but you have to get that mental discipline that, yes, the pitch will ease out after lunch and that will make the job for the other players in the team easier. So my role is that even if I get 20-25 runs, if I have seen the team through that early period to make it easier for someone else, I have done a lot. It is about playing the conditions. It is very important you see the tough period through. What is KL Rahul’s role? He has been picked as the third opener. But our batting order will always be flexible. The third opener can play anywhere in the top four. We are a very, very flexible outfit. Be prepared for that. We will surprise you guys at times. Then there is Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3. Questions about his position never cease. And his form at the moment is lean. He’s an extremely experienced player. I feel he is one innings away [from a big score]. He needs to spend time at the crease. If he gets one 60-70 under his belt, he will be a different player altogether. My job is to make sure he is thinking in that fashion.
SPORTS
Saina, Srikanth Win at BWF Championships NANJING, CHINA: Top Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth notched up comfortable victories over their respective opponents to make an impressive start at the BWF World Championships on Tuesday. Saina, who won a silver and bronze in the earlier editions of the championship, defeated Turkey’s Aliye Demirbag 21-17 21-8 in the second round to set up a pre-quarterfinal clash with 2013 champion Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand. The Olympic medallist Indian had received a bye in the first round. Fifth seed Srikanth dispatched Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen 21-15 21-16 in his campaign opener to join compatriots HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and B Sai Praneeth, who received a walkover after his opponent, Korea’s Son Wan Ho, pulled out in the second round. Srikanth, who won four titles last season, will face Spain’s Pablo Abian next, while Praneeth will meet another spaniard, Luís Enrique Penalver. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa staved off a challenge from 15th seeded German pair of Mark Lamsfuss and Isabel Herttrich, registering a 10-21 21-17 21-18 win to enter the pre-quarterfinals. Satwik and Ashwini will face seventh seeded Malaysian pair of Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai. However, Russian Open silver medallists Rohan Kapoor and Kuhoo Garg went down 12-21 12-21 against the sixth seeded husband-wife English combination of Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock in another mixed doubles second-round match. The promising men’s doubles pair of Arjun MR and Ramchandran Shlok also couldn’t cross the opening hurdle, losing 14-21 15-21 to the Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi. The top mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy also gave a poor account of themselves as they lost.
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August 03, 2018
Reliance Eyes $2.7B in Forex Loans to Refinance High-Cost Debt MUMBAI: The cash-rich Reliance Industries, which also is one of the biggest forex loan borrowers in the country, is set to tap the foreign debt market to raise USD 2.7 billion to refinance its existing high-cost debt. As of the June 2018 quarter, the Mukesh Ambani-led company had an outstanding debt of Rs 2,42,116 crore, which rose from Rs 2,18,763 crore from March 2018, while cash in hand marginally rose to Rs 79,492 crore. The company had spent around Rs 22,000 crore in capex during the quarter mostly into the still cashburning telecom venture and reported a net income of Rs 9,459 crore. Its outstanding debt has been rising as its fledgeling telecom business continues to drain cash. “We are planning to raise USD 2.7 billion in forex debt through the course of fiscal 2019. The money will be raised in multiple tranches and will be used to refinance some of
Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani speaking at the AGM.
our existing high-cost forex debt,” a senior company official told PTI over the weekend refusing to reveal more information. Reliance vs PSUs: Battle for ATF pipelines in Mumbai hots up Reliance is the only private sector company in the country that has issued perpetual bonds to foreign investors. (File) More than half of Reliances around USD 34 billion debt is due for repayment by 2022, while around USD 13
billion is maturing from 2018 through 2020. Most of the outstanding debt is denominated in foreign currencies. Reliance has sought shareholders approval to issue redeemable nonconvertible debentures at its July 5 AGM, it said in its annual report. Due to the high rating at BBB+ (by S&P Global Ratings) which is two notches higher than the sovereign rating, Reliance can raise cheaper funds. Moodys has a Baa2 rating
on the company, a notch above the governments rating. Reliance is the only private sector company in the country that has issued perpetual bonds to foreign investors a few years back. The only other domestic entity to tap the perpetual bond market is the state-run State Bank of India. According to investment bankers, Reliances repayments from 2018 through 2020 will be its biggest for any three-year period in the past and include about USD 8.14 billion term loans, USD 3.52 billion bonds and a USD 300 million revolver loan. It also has about USD 1.65 billion in interest payments. In the June 2018 quarter its finance cost jumped more than threefold to Rs 3555 crore on an annualised basis. The retail-to-refining giant debt has trebled over the past five years as it invested a whopping USD 37 billion in a telecom venture and to bolster its petrochemicals business.
Harley-Davidson Gears Up to Take On Royal Enfield NEW DELHI: Harley-Davidson, Inc. plans to launch motorcycles in the small and mid-sized segment as it unveiled a major change in its strategy to target young buyers in emerging markets such as India and China. The US-based company, famed for its big bikes, also plans to forge a strategic alliance with another motorcycle maker to develop and sell these motorcycles in these markets, Harley-Davidson said on Monday. Harley’s planned entry into the market for small and mid-capacity motorcycles is aimed at expanding its customer base and to drive growth in India, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets, as well as other Asian markets. “The bold actions we are announcing today leverage HarleyDavidson’s vast capabilities and competitive firepower—our ex-
cellence in product development and manufacturing, the global appeal of the brand and of course, our great dealer network,” said Matt Levatich, president and chief executive officer, Harley-Davidson. “Alongside our existing loyal riders, we will lead the next revolution of two-wheeled freedom to inspire future riders who have yet to even think about the thrill
of riding,” he said. Harley-Davidson’s plans are expected to intensify competition for Eicher Motors Ltd’s Royal Enfield, which is a segment leader and has almost no competition as yet in the domestic market. Last year, Bajaj Auto and British motorcycle maker Triumph Motorcycles announced their plans to make
mid-capacity motorcycles. Earlier this month, BMW introduced two 313cc motorcycles—its smallest bikes ever-built—under a technology partnership with TVS Motor Co to develop sub-500cc bikes in India. Royal Enfield meanwhile continues to hold market dominance, fuelled by rising disposable incomes. In 2016, Bajaj introduced Dominar to take on Royal Enfield but it could not make any major impact. “Our plan will redefine existing boundaries of our brand—reaching more customers in a way that reinforces all we stand for as a brand and as a company and we can’t wait to kick it into gear,” said Levatich. Harley-Davidson President Matt Levatich said: “We expect this plan will result in an engaged, expanded Harley-Davidson community with a more diverse rider base, along with industry-leading margins and cash flow.” -- Live Mint
23
US Eases Export Controls for High-Tech Products to India NEW DELHI: In a major boost to India, the US on Monday eased export controls for high-technology product sales to it by designating it as a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) country, the only South Asian nation to be on the list. The granting of STA-1 status to India comes after the US recognised India as a “Major Defence Partner” in 2016, a designation that allows India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from America at par with that of the US’ closest allies and partners, and ensures enduring cooperation into the future. “We have granted to India Strategic Trade Authorization STA-1,” US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced today, adding that this is “a very important change” in India’s status in the export control regime. Responding to a question at the first Indo-Pacific Business Forum organised by the US Chambers of Commerce, Ross said the STA-1 designation “acknowledges” the India-US security and economic relationship. The designation authorises the export, re-export and transfer (incountry) of specified items on the Commerce Control List (CCL) to destinations posing a low risk of unauthorised or impermissible uses. Currently there are 36 countries on STA-1 list. India is the only South Asian country to be on the list. Other Asian countries designated as STA-1 are Japan and South Korea. Till recently India was designated as STA-2 countries along with seven others. Ross said that India has partnered with the US to improve its own export control regimes and has met most of the export control rules which the US thinks is useful.
STA-1 status provides India with greater supply chain conditions.
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Digital Producer
Are you a digital content guru? Are you obsessed with major news and top trending stories of the day? Do you have a knack for producing creative digital content that generates high engagement? KTRK TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, Texas is looking for a full-time digital producer to be part of the team leading the charge to take our digital efforts to the next level. Ideal candidate must have: • Gift for recognizing and creating impactful, innovative and distinctive digital content • Extensive newsroom digital background (supervisory skills a plus) • Unerring news judgement • Ability to shoot and edit video • Knack for writing powerful and accurate copy and headlines • Ability to manage multiple projects at one time • Proven social media expertise in both content creation and strategic optimization • Working knowledge of digital publishing tools and analytics • Ability to excel in fast-paced news station environment and willing to work under deadlines • Strong leadership, organizational and communication skills • Flexibility with work schedule depending on station needs and projects We are a 24/7 news operation, so digital producers must be willing to work any day or shift, as needed. To be considered all interested candidates must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Ref job # 579956BR. Please upload a resume file, cover letter and list of references. No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Job Posting:
call 713-789-6397 Web Producer – Part Time
KTRK-TV is looking for a part time digital producer who can do it all to be part of the team leading the charge to take our digital efforts to the next level. The ideal candidate will have three years’ experience working in major market television or print news internet operation, the ability to shoot and edit video and working experience of Photoshop. Additionally have proven social media expertise and must be flexible with work schedule which may vary depending on station needs and projects. Candidate must be able to handle many projects simultaneously. Candidate must be a self-starter and have a ‘Do It Now’ mentality to excel in our fastpaced environment. We are a 24/7 news operation, so digital producers must be willing to work any day or shift, as needed. To be considered all interested candidates must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Ref job # 579957BR. Please upload a resume file, cover letter and list of references. No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 03 2018 Wrap-3
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 03, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY,AUGUST 03, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM