Friday, August 15 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 33
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Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish handing out the Community Award to Basheer Mohammed as, from left, Mrs. Mohammed, presenter Maqbool Haq, Col. Raj Bhalla (in red turban) and IMAGH Pre si di e n t L atafath Hussainenjoythemoment.
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COMMUNITY
BY IAN CORRESPONDENT HOUSTON: I get goosebumps thinking of the “Experience of the Divine”! Shri Guruji’s(Acharya Mridul Krishna Goswamiji) melodious bhajans, the musicians’ heart quenching music and the devotee’s trance-like devotional dancing definitely elevates one to a place where one can experience the presence of the Divine energy. Twenty four hours a day, for seven days straight, breathing God’s name, singing his glory, dancing with the almighty and receiving his Prasad - how can you not experience the Divine! On the first day of the kathha when Shri Bhagwat Bhagwanji came in the Pushpak Viman, holding his favorite devotee, Shri Guruji’s hand, covered with flowers, was a scene to be seen. It was as if we were all present in Shri Bhagwanji’s dham. I have been listening to Shri Guruji’s kathha every year since 1998, but it never feels repetitious. Every year I feel new experiences, learn new things and get even more intoxicated with the kathha “Amrit” rus. Guruji’s kathha never seems to be regurgitated. It always feels as if we are listening to his own, personal experiences. During the week of July 18 to July 24, Bhagwat kathha by Gu-
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Experience of the Divine
ruji, once again affirmed the experience of the Divine! The exhilarating feelings of God’s presence overwhelmed every heart in kalash yatra. Beautiful VPSS haveli’s path of kalash yatra, covered with “lata pata” (vines) transported one into Vrandavan’s Nidhivan with yougal sarkar. The power with which Shri Guruji kept our feelings glued to Shri Radhaji’s Prakatya Kathha is unexplainable! Gaoo Maata ornately decorated and standing next to God gave us assurance of Divine protection. Shri Narsingh Bhagwan’s avatar emerging from the pillar seemed so real that it did not seem like a role was being played at all! I think God
himself was there in disguise. Finally the long awaited Lord Krishna’s janamdin arrived. Baby Krishna in the basket, hanging his feet out for “ Darshan” with Shri Sheshnaag’s Chaya was heavenly! The celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth and the scene of Shri Nandbaba’s request to show her “Lala’s” face to Maa Yashoda was exhilarating. There are no words that can do justice to those experiences. The Shri Giriraaj Pujan took place on the fifth day of the kathha. It was a grand event! Chappan
Bhog seemed like chappan hazaar bhog (56000). The appearance of Shri Giriraaj ji (Shri Krishna) was absolutely breathtaking. And wow, What can I say about my Lord Krishna’s wedding with Shri Rukmini ji. The gorgeous couple mesmerized everyone. Shri Krishna’s arrival – the sound of his horse’s footsteps raised everyone’s heartbeat to the extreme. Shri Rukminiji’s pooja, the dancing and Shri Krishna’s presence took the devotees beyond this world where there is only his bliss and nothing else! Shri Sudaamaji’s charitra was
played with such a conviction that it was not far from truth. Shri Sudaamaji and Shri Krishna’s milan was the sangam of the soul and the supreme. The devotees were blissfully crazed when they saw their true love Shri Krishna and Shri Radha Raani completely covered with petals of roses. The devotees “Dandia Raas” with yougal jodi gave teary eyes to many. The beautifully decorated poster of Shri Bhagwanji milking the Gaoo Maata.Yashoda ma holding “Bachara” was very pleasing to the eyes. Pujya Guruji’s powerful voice, magnetic personality, style of kathha and beautiful bhajans kept us intensely connected to the kathha. Shri Bihariji’s marvelous swroop is embedded in every soul. The stage upon which Shrimad Bhagwat Kathha took place was grand, elegant and illuminated by Bihariji’s breath taking presence. The stage was admired and adored by all. Shri Banke Bihari Pariwar would like to thank Guruji, each and every supporter, volunteer and participant from the bottom of their hearts.
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5 August 15, 2014 COMMUNITY Annual Youth Explosion at India House
HOUSTON: On Saturday August 9, India House conducted its Annual Summer Camp Youth Explosion!!!! It was a day filled with fun, community fellow-ship, cultural diversity, and education. The day started off with the India House summer camp children presenting what they learned throughout the summer in an interactive way that got the crowd involved. Then educational and empowerment breakout sessions were provided for the youth as well as parents attending the event. Everyone present thoroughly enjoyed talent presentations by the children. Dr. Virendra Mathur, one of the Trustees of India House and a major sponsor of the event, spoke few words to encourage the children. Vipin Kumar, General Manager of India House welcomed the
guests and acknowledged Virinder Bansal and his wife for their generous support and sponsorship. He also thanked everyone present for attending the event and expressed special thanks to all the sponsors as this event would not have been possible without their kind donation and support. The event brought in dignitaries such as Ninth District Congressman Al Green and Eighteenth District Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Both House Representatives interacted with the children and attendees. They called all children, volunteers and staff up to the stage to take photographs and spoke encouraging words. In Congressman Al Green’s own words, “If Barack Obama can become President of USA, he sees no reason why one of the kids
present here could not emulate his example”. Additionally, Council Member Richard Nguyen from District F attended and gave kind words. The youth explosion also presented numerous cultural acts and performances from various cultures and backgrounds. The children and the rest of the community were provided with fun jumps, water slides, food, popcorn, snow cones, basketball, entertainment, and school supplies. Overall the Youth Explosion was a very successful and well appreciated event. Apart from two major sponsors, Dr. Virendra and Nalini Mathur, and Virinder and Neena Bansal, the event was also sponsored by Sathish Rao of Udipi Restaurant, Walmart, Chick Fil-A, Fiesta, Target, PF Chang’s, and Fresh Market.
Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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IACF Pays Courtesy Call on Indian CG Harish
Like Us! Follow us on facebook! The Indo American Charity Foundation Executive Committee and Board Directors paid a courtesy visit on Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish on Friday, August 1 at his office. Flanking Harish (third from right) are, from left, Abhijit Gadgil, Vanitha Reddy Pothuri, President-Elect Kamala Raghavan, President Ramesh Cherivirala and Jawahar Malhotra.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The Executive Committee of the Indo American Charity Foundation , accompanied by this reporter who is a Board Director, recently paid a courtesy visit to Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish at his office near Allen Parkway and Waugh Drive on Friday, August 1. IACF President Ramesh Cherivirala explained that the purpose was to see what areas of communalities existed between the IACF’s work in the Greater Metropolitan area and the Consulate’s own efforts to build bridges and foster better ties with India. The IACF also formally requested Harish to attend its upcoming 24th Annual Gala on September 20 at the Hilton Americas. During the hour long visit, the two sides exchanged points of
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view and areas where the local Indian community had grown, its strengths and its needs. Harish expressed his admiration for the vigor and diversity within the local Indian community’s programs, saying it was one of the most active and vibrant that he had encountered in his experience in his foreign postings. He also elaborated on a pet topic of his: the benefit to this country of the highly educated professionals who immigrated here and how their contributions have boosted the economic GDP of the nation. He suggested ways for these immigrants to pay their Motherland back in service, if not in money. The IACF outlined the charities it had supported over the past 27 years and how it had made inroads to the mainstream community to show that Indo American’s contributed to their adopted home.
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COMMUNITY
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COMMUNITY
IMAGH Spreads Eid Cheer Amid a Festive and Upscale Celebration
Abezer Tayebji, the Chairman of the Board of Advisors made welcome comments at the event Indian Consul General Harish and his wife Nandita with IMAGH members Maqbool Haq (left) and Shahid Bilal. Photos: SMB Media Productions
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: In a marked departure from the venues that it has used in previous years since it was founded, the Indian Muslim Association of Greater Houston made quite a splash this past Sunday, August 10 with a flashy, fun oriented celebration to mark this year’s Eid at the Westchase Marriott Hotel. Over 400 people attended the long
program that started with appetizers at 5:30 in the evening and ended close to midnight with a long set of live entertainment. For IMAGH President Latafath Hussain, this celebration represented the culmination of years of building up an organization that, for all practical purposes, was not visible among the other community groups in the Houston area. Hussain remembered the group’s
humble beginnings and the first two Eid Milan functions with the encouragement of former ICC President Col. Raj Bhalla, who was once again a presenter of the community awards given during the event. “You all know how hard it is to start an organization---- we had no money, no backing, and nobody would believe that we would feed 200+ people for free,” Hussain ex-
plained after the event. “So when Bhalla Sahib says ‘heartiest congratulations’, he is saying it from his heart, because he knows how hard we have worked to get here.” A registration island manned by local young people from IMAGH’s youth wing SAYA delivered badges to all the guests in the lobby of the main ballroom. Off to one side a photo booth allowed guests to have fun posing for pictures using a table full of props like hats, glasses, moustaches and frames. Appetizers were served on the
other end before the main event started. The emcees for the evening were Lubna Jumshyd, a former radio show host who has recently jumped over to the nationally telecast TV One, and Arif Memon who continues to reach people with his deep, husky voice on the local Hum Tum Radio. The program started with the traditional recital by memory of the Tilawat from the Quran by Irfan Choudhary.
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COMMUNITY
August 15, 2014
IMAGH Spreads Eid Cheer Amid a Festive and Upscale Celebration
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The venue at the Westchase Marriott Hotel was tastefully and elegantly decorated for the 400 guests that attended.
This was followed by a welcome speech, started for several minutes in Shudh (pure) Hindi by Abeezar Tyebji, Chairman of the IMAGH Board of Advisors, in which he explained that he was from Bombay and had been in the US for 30 years. He then switched to English and recalled an anecdote when he and his wife were travelling by train from Poona and were switching back and forth between EnglishTelegu-Gujarati-Urdu and “a poor confused eavesdropper finally asked ‘where are you from’ and we said ‘America’,” giggled Tyebji, to illustrate the diversity that exists in this country. “There is unity in diversity,” he declared, “and the IMAGH fosters this co-operation between cultures,” as he pointed out different people in the audience. He also announced two initiatives for IMAGH: monthly meetings for fun and friendship and regular outings for members. The program gave exposure to SAYA, a group founded and established in April this year. Its youthful leadership committee, Joel Kurein, Hafeezah Shaik, Irfana Hussain and Mohammed A. Khan gave to the stage and gave a video presentation of interviews with IMAGH supporters and SAYA’s own goals. Dr. Aaminah Durrani, a young convert to Islam from Colorado, who has multiple college degrees, spoke about the rising number of Muslims in America – about 5 to 7 million – and gave a historical perspective and how each wave of immigrants added their own twist of culture on how to celebrate Eid and forged a new identity of American Muslims. “With their core values, this represents a mosaic of cultures,” she declared. Mulik Sayeedi, a retired, 82
year-old structural engineer who ambled on to the stage using his walking cane, added a tone of hilarity with several jokes told in his strong, booming voice in English and Urdu. He got his degree from the University of Minnesota in 1959, retired in 1994 and is a selfdescribed poet and wit. Also in attendance at the event were a group of ladies from the Red Hat Society, which has members worldwide, all of whom wear red hats – hence the name – when they go out ensemble. They were invited by an IMAGH member, Rahat Kalle, who is also a member of the Red Hat Society. Nancy King and Rose Mixon explained the purpose of the society and the meetings that they hold. Community service awards were presented by Dr. Raj Bhalla and Dr. Maqbool Haq to Basheer Khumawala and his wife who, in her brief speech of acceptance, denied that hers was a major role and dedicated it to all to her husband and their son. The charity they have founded, Pennies for Education and Health in 2001 has grown to serve thousands of people in India. She said that they were supported by accounting students from the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. The main guest of the event was Indian Consul General Parvathaneni Harish who greeted the guests in Arabic, which he speaks well from his previous posting in Cairo. Known for his thoughtful deliveries, he recounted an incidence when the 10th century ruler of Cordoba, Spain, Abdul Rahim took measure of his life and declared that, inspite of his immense wealth, he had had only 14 days of happiness. “In the USA, the pursuit of happiness is an idea,” he declared and then expanded on how simple things like exchanging Eid gifts was a way to for people to exchange happy tidings.
The main feature of the evening was the presentation by the Gold Sponsor of the event, Dr. Salman Mirza Baig, a neurosurgeon who described his experience in setting up a charity, the Firdous Foundation, that works with providing children with some fun in their otherwise unremarkable and dreary lives. He asked his professional colleague, Jeremy Andrews to relate his experience from his recent trip to India, from which he had returned just the day before. Evans was recovering from a fever and when describing his trip, he was moved to tears onstage, showing the powerful emotional tug the trip had on him and his wife. As the event ended and people broke for namaz and dinner (Hyderabadi style, catered by Mezban restaurant), the stage was set for the songs by Houston’s own singer – who incidentally is from Hyderabad – Uma Mantravadi and the Dubaibased, multi-talented singer Abbas Ali Mirza, who was visiting for the occasion. They sang and entertained till midnight.
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Artistic Director Dr. Rathna Kumar presents
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August 15, 2014
Tue-Fri 11:00am to 3:00pm and 5:00pm to 10:00pm Sat-Sun 11:00am to 10:00pm Monday Closed
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COMMUNITY
25 Years of Hindus Working Together in Houston BY BETH KULKARNI HOUSTON: Twenty-five years is a very short time in the history of Hindu Dharma but for Houston area Hindus, the last twenty-five years has been a long time during which much has been accomplished in the history of Hindu activities in Houston,Texas. Prior to 1989 there were few Hindu Temples in Houston. Many area Hindus did not participate in the activities of any of those temples. One of those Hindus who did participate in temple activities was Raj Syal. He had a vision which he shared with some of his friends, convincing them to join him. His wish was to bring Houston area Hindus together, no matter what their temple affiliation or even if they did not worship in any temple. He wanted to create an opportunity for all Hindus to celebrate Krishna Janmastami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, one of the most beloved avatars of Lord Vishnu, together under one roof. Additionally, he wanted the celebration to be free due to generous contributions of a few sponsors and smaller donations from attendees. Amazingly, this policy of free admission for all has continued for the past twenty-five years! And so beginning with the cooperation of a number of devotees from Hindu Worship Society and Sri Meenakshi Temple, and much hard work, Hindus of Greater Houston was established and held the first Community-Wide Janmashtami Celebration in 1989. From the beginning, it was hoped that the celebration would grow year by year, involving more Hindus and broadening the scope of the celebration. All these have occurred,
Beth Kulkarni, the founding member of Hindus of Greater Houston, ties rakhi to Sharad Amin, HGH President.
but with somewhat varying attendance from year to year. In addition, the Hindus of Greater Houston celebrations have included a Divali celebration, several Ram Navami celebrations, a number of traveling exhibitions and special honored guests. Each year for the Janmashtami celebration, various temples and Hindu organizations have prepared temples and exhibits showcasing various Houston area activities
of interest to the Hindu community. Cultural organizations such as dance schools and temple musical groups have performed. Costume contests in which young children have dressed up as Krishna, Radha, and gopis have been a popular feature of the Janmashtami programs. For the young and the young at heart the folk dance Raas Garba has been an important part of the celebration. And,of course, no Hindu celebration is
complete without food. A variety of freshly prepared snacks, sweets, and beverages are provided. As the number of Hindus in the Greater Houston area has grown,along with the number of temples and Hindu organization, the scope of the activities of the Hindus of Greater Houston has increased. HGH has worked to increase the communication between various temples so the major events can, to the extent possible, be held on onconflicting dates. HGH has also facilitated the volunteer efforts in which members of various temples can help at major celebrations of other temples. HGH has also made an effort to participate in activities which will benefit all Hindus, including educating non-Hindus about Hindu traditions. As one of the founding members and founding Advisory Board member I am pleased to see the progress of Hindus of Greater Houston in bringing Hindus together in celebrations and other activities benefitting the members of the local Hindu community. With me, hundreds of others expect and hope that the younger generation of Houston Hindus will work together to make the same progress the next twentyfive years.
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Dr. Manu Vora, Recipient of 2014 Harrington/Ishikawa Medal at business schools in the USA and India. He is affiliated with over 33 educational institutions around the globe. He has taught well over 7,500 people globally through academic teaching and executive training. On April 7, 2013, he gave a TEDx Talk - “Leveraging Social Responsibility to Unite the World” at TEDxIITBHU, Varanasi, India (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=94kXi9WTl04). For over 44 years Dr Vora has dedicated his life to community service. In 1989, under his leadership, the Blind Foundation for India (BFI) was established to serve over 15 million visually impaired people in India which accounts for one third of the world’s blind population. BFI team has raised over
$3.5 million to support 110,000 free Cataract operations, distributed over 10,000 Braille Kits to blind children for their education, donated 110 mobile vans for transporting eye doctors and patients, and examined over 500,000 school-going children for their eye sight and provided necessary interventions. So far, over one million people in India have their eye sight checked through BFI. On April 13, 2013, he gave a TEDx Talk - “Exponential Power of the Gift of Giving” at TEDxIIT Chicago, USA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfmkivYcVg&feature=share). Since 1970, Dr. Vora has raised over $8 million for a variety of charitable and professional causes.
Dr. Manu Vora
NAPERVILLE, IL: The Asia Pacific Quality Organization (APQO) has selected Dr. Manu K. Vora as a recipient of the 2014 Harrington/ Ishikawa Medal. The Medal will be presented at the 20th Asia Pacific Quality Conference from November 23-25, 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This award is given annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of quality in the Asia Pacific region. Over the last 39 years, Dr. Vora has contributed to Global Management Thinking. He is Chairman and President of Business Excellence, Inc., a global quality management consulting service firm. He has guided Fortune 500 companies with Baldrige Performance Excellence Award assessment in the areas of leadership excellence, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and process improvement. He is a Past Vice President from the American Society for Quality (ASQ) National Board of Directors. He also served as a Chairperson for ASQ Chicago Section. He is an ASQ Fellow and Certified Quality Engineer (CQE). Manu served as a Chief Judge at the Illinois Team Excellence Award Program from 1993-1999. He is a member of Board of Examiners of the Asia Pacific Global Performance Excellence Award (GPEA) Program since 2004. Dr. Vora holds an MBA with Marketing Management from the Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago, M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, and B.S.in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi in India. He is a sought after speaker on business excellence and quality management topics for local, regional, national, and international audiences. He has over 385 presentations around the world in Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States. He has published over 50 articles in professional journals and conference proceedings. In 2005, he authored “Managing Human Capital” chapter in the Six Sigma for Transactions and Service book published by McGraw-Hill. In 2012, Dr. Vora was invited to be an ASQ Influential Voice and he has written 31 blog posts. His posts are at http://voraonquality.blogspot.com. Dr. Vora has made significant contributions to Social Responsibility and Community Service areas. For over 21 years, Dr. Vora as an Adjunct Professor has taught Operations Management, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management, Project Management, Human Resource Management, Sustainable Change Management, and Risk Management courses
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18 August 15, 2014 Story of the Clean Energy Fund The finance minister announced in his budget speech that he would enhance the resources of the “clean energy fund” by doubling the cess on coal production from Rs 50 per tonne to Rs 100 per tonne. This fund was set up in 2000 to incubate, encourage and develop innovation in clean energy. A few days after his speech, I read that a significant percentage of the funds would be allocated to cleaning River Ganga. I asked a senior finance ministry official at an “on the record” gathering of CEOs whether this report had substance. The answer was honest and revealing. The official said the “clean energy” fund covered more than just clean energy. It supported all projects related to the environment. He implied that “environment” is a capacious term under whose umbrella many seemingly unrelated projects can take shelter. He agreed that the finance ministry did not have domain expertise, but said that a specialist was always invited to the meeting. I found the answer to be revealing in two respects. It threw into relief two avoidable inefficiencies of bureaucratic governance — the disjunct between captioned intent and actual practice, and the skew in leadership on technical matters towards generalists over specialists. The clean energy fund has never been constrained for money. In 2001, it had Rs 1,066 crore. This grew to Rs 3,350 crore in 2012 and Rs 8,648 crore in 2013 because of the increase in domestic coal production and imports. With this level of resources, India should have been at the forefront of clean energy research. That it is not is due to the money not being deployed for the purpose intended. It was not allocated to universities, laboratories and companies engaged in researching clean energy technologies. Instead, it was diverted to the consolidated fund and/ or used to support projects that were long past their technical due date. There were three reasons for this disconnect between intent and practice. One, the government was not really serious about clean energy research. It wanted simply to generate additional revenues. A tax on a polluting industry for the purpose of cleansing the environment got it what it wanted and at the same time affirmed its green credentials. Two, there was institutional confusion. Five ministries were engaged in clean energy research — the ministries of power, coal, petroleum, non-conventional and renewables, and heavy industry. Each had some domain expertise but none had exclusive charge. The result — and this is the third reason — there was a lack of specialist leadership. The chairman of the fund was a finance ministry official with limited, if any, knowledge or understanding of the clean energy sector. As a result, there was no cutting-edge initiative. The PM has talked of maximum governance. The touchstone by which I would judge the FM is what he does to improve the management of resources. This requires him to bridge the gap between intent and usage. It requires the placement of the right people in the right job at the right time. It requires him to ensure that the mistakes that have been made in the management of the clean energy fund are not repeated. Vikram Mehta in Indian Express.
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Renewal with Modi on Aug. 15
BY TAVLEEN SINGH This August 15, for the first time in years, a real leader with a real mandate will speak to us from the ramparts of the Red Fort. When Narendra Modi stands up to make his Independence Day address from those historic ramparts, let him remember that he won a full majority because he promised change. Not continuity. Many in his circle of advisors will advise continuity. They will urge him to read from a written text. They will advise him to read out a meaningless balance sheet of supposed political and economic achievements that only those who write such speeches know of. Please remember, Prime Minister, that the officials who write these speeches have no idea how desperate Indians are for real change. They are written by people who constitute that small group of privileged Indians who have no idea of the everyday horrors of being an average Indian. They are people who have safe jobs, fine homes with running water and electricity, and their privileged progeny go to fine schools. They have no idea what it is to be an ordinary Indian, but you do because for most of your life you were an ordinary Indian. This is why during the campaign you touched so many hearts with your words. You, Prime Minister, know that these officials lie when they tell you that all is well in India. All is well only in their India. It is not well at all in the India in which most Indians live. Most of India’s citizens live without essential public services. Those who have jobs and live in urban India struggle to get to work on crowded trains and buses that travel through cities and towns that have become vast shanties. Those forced by poverty to rely on state schools struggle to find a school that will teach their children to at least count and read. If they have a roof that they call their own, it is usually atop a one-room tenement. Those who live in rural India live without that most fundamental of human needs: clean drinking water. They also often live without electric-
So, instead of lying about the past, let the Prime Minister tell us what his government will do to make India a better country. Let him revive the dream of renewal and change that won him the election. ity, sanitation or municipal services. They struggle to find jobs to supplement their meagre income from marginal farming. And, because of filthy living conditions, far too many children die of preventable diseases long before they get to school. On her 67th birthday as a modern nation, India is a mess. Half her children are officially malnourished. More than 600 million Indians live without basic sanitation. Most Indians struggle all their lives just to own a home they can call their own. Most Indian children leave school without being able to read a story. Every year, 15 million young Indians come into the job market in search of jobs that the government can no longer create. So when we speak of continuity, as many ministers have already started doing, then this is the continuity we speak of. Continuity is the last thing the average Indian wants because continuity means his children have no hope. They will continue to live in squalour and eke out an existence on jobs that
pay them only enough to keep them from destitution. They will continue to live in an India that offers so little to her citizens that they flee to foreign shores even if it means living as our nurses did in Iraq with a threat to their very existence hanging over them. This year we have a Prime Minister who cannot be blamed for any of this. So he has no reason to lie about India’s ‘achievements’. He is not to blame for policies that in the name of the poor have kept the poor in hopeless poverty for decades. He is not to blame for India’s broken healthcare system, her useless state schools, her squalid cities and filthy villages. He is not to blame for our sacred rivers having become sewers. Or for agricultural policies that in the name of helping our poorest farmers keep them mired in poverty and allow millions of tonnes of food grain to rot in the rain. So instead of lying about the past, let the Prime Minister tell us what his government will do to make India a better country. Let him revive the dream of renewal and change that won him the election. While he has been busy in foreign lands, his ministers have shown us that they do not understand what needs to change. Most seem to be in the toils of cunning officials who advise continuity, and ministers inexperienced in the ways of government and the wiles of high officials believe them. On August 15, the Prime Minister needs to reassure us that the dream of ‘parivartan’ was not a false dream. He could be making the most important speech he has ever made. IE
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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
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OPINION
August 15, 2014
19
Varalakshmi Vritham and Aavani Avittam Celebrated at Sri Meenakshi Temple
Puja for Sri Lakshmi during Varalakshmi Vritham at the Meenakshi temple with Priests Sri Sridharan Raghavan and Sri Pawan Kumar.
Aavani Avittam at Sri MTS with many youngsters doing Upakarma. Photos : S. Narayanan and M.K. Sriram
PEARLAND: Varalakshmi Vritham is an important pooja performed by many women in the states of Andhra and Tamilnadu. At Sri Meenakshi Temple, Varalakshmi Pooja was celebrated on the Friday, August 8, before the full moon day, in the month of Sravana (JulyAugust). Varalakshmi is yet another form of Lord Vishnu’s consort, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Varalakshmi is believed to be the one who grants boons (Varam). The legend of Varalakshmi Vratham is that Goddess Varalakshmi appeared in a woman devotee named Charumathi’s dream and expressed her satisfaction in the woman’s devotion towards the Goddess. Priests Sridhar Raghavan and Pavan Kumar led the Puja witnessed by a hundred devotees on a pleasant Friday evening. The atmosphere was serene inside the main temple with the slokas and puja mantras providing the perfect ambience. The devotees that participated felt a complete sense of peace and happiness in the knowledge that they had received the divine mother’s blessing. On a beautiful Sunday morning (August 10) devotees had started arriving early at 6:30 am onwards for an important occasion on the Hindu calendar – the Upakarma (the sacred thread changing) ceremony. More than 200 people including 20 or more young first timers did upakarmam. Batches of devotees participated in the ceremony, and the finale was the “Thalai Avani Avittam” (first one after Upanayanam) for the young brahmacharis. It was indeed such a remarkable sight to see 20 or so of these eager young children sitting alongside their father performing the upakarma with utmost devotion under the direction of Sri Manicka Bhattar. Thanks to the RAC team led by Narayanan, Sriram and Sasi for organizing these events so well and to our priests who did a remarkable job. Special thanks to Sheila and Sriram who arrived very early on the morning on Sunday to help ensure the Aavni Avittam went smooth. Thanks to Jeyam Thyagarajan (food committee lead) and to the Temple Staff for their hard work.
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COMMUNTIY
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The World Financial Group team at their grand opening celebration on Saturday, August 9. At extreme left is Andrae Evans; in front row center in red is Jyoti Evans and flanking her are agency mentors Alex Nguyen and Stephanie Bui.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: This past Saturday morning, August 9, well-wishers and guests had a chance to meet with the members of the newly opened World Financial Group, an independent broker-dealer under Transamerica Financial Group umbrella at their grand opening celebration. Guests learned about the WFG’s capabilities and ate from a buffet lunch of Chinese and Vietnamese food. The agency staff has been mentored by Alex Nguyen and Stephanie Bui who have also opened and operated offices in several other states. The local WFG office on Richmond Ave. near Rogerdale features Jyoti Evans who comes from a public and corporate accounting background and her husband Andrae who has an economics background. Transamerica/WFG is the fastest growing financial services company
in North America and has been rated number 1 in Canada for last 5 years in a row. Since most financial advice is geared towards the affluent market, Transamerica aims to provide solutions for the mid-income market starting with education and strategies to help struggling Americans get out of debt, lower their taxes and retire early. Transamerica/WFG has helped professionals from different backgrounds to train for a second career as financial consultants and advisors and build their own agencies. Many of them are first educated on financial independence, apply their new knowledge and then gain business skills to replicate it in the marketplace. It is this opportunity which attracted Jyoti Evans, a native of Mumbai who came to the Bayou City in 2004 to get a second degree from the
Bauer College of Business, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2008. Her husband Andrae is from Trinidad. Jyoti worked for corporations in India for 8 years and even ran a vocational school - Dr. Reddy’s Foundation for Human and Social Development for low-income family children. She worked for 9 years in the US before embarking on a future in financial planning. “I have a passion to someday fund a program in mental health care to build a supportive, compassionate network which will respond to people in distress in a timely manner,” Jyoti said in between meeting guests at the opening. “A supportive, embracing community can make a world of difference to those who have psychiatric illnesses.” She hopes to open her own office soon in the Sugar Land area so as to help the growing Indian and Asian community there.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
August 15, 2014
Little Champs to Perform at Independence Day Celebrations
Little Champs (5-13 years) at the India House on Sunday August 10. There was a great participation from the community kids who sang in various languages. The kids did a phenomenal job and the Judges had a difficult time in selecting the winners. The winners of the Little Champs would be performing on the ICC stage on August 16. All the participants would be recognized and appreciated at the event. The Judges for this event were Veena Kaul, Mahalakshmi Krishnan, Alpa Shah and Sanjiv Kumar. The auditions were coordinated by Ajit Patel with assistance from Sangeeta Pasrija and Swapan Dhairyawan. For further information call Rajiv 281-2177330 or visit www. icchouston.org HOUSTON: India Culture Center Houston (ICC) is celebrating the 68th Independence Day Celebrations with major Indo American Associations of Greater Houston on August 16, Saturday at the Stafford Center. The Signature event has been planned with lots of activities. The day long celebrations commence with the Parade, Awards, Cultural program, Fashion show, Little Champs contest and the grand finale is the Musical Concert with group from India. The Dance India Dance (DID) fame star Kamlesh will also be performing at
the event. The event is already sold out on the booths and there would be plenty of food, shopping and community outreach information too. The organizers of the India Fest have tirelessly worked for almost 8 weeks under the leadership of President Charlie Patel. The event chair Rajiv Bhavsar requests the community to come out in large numbers and enjoy the event. The musical program would have patriotic songs as also evergreen Hindi songs. ICC held the auditions for the
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
21
22 August 15, 2014
CELEBRATION India’s Independence Day “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new...India discovers herself again.” - Jawaharlal Nehru After more than two hundred years of British rule, India finally won back its freedom on 15th August, 1947. All the patriotic hearts rejoiced at seeing India becoming a sovereign nation and the triumph of hundreds and thousands of martyred souls. It was a birth of a new nation and a new beginning. The only fact that marred the happiness of the fruits by the blood of martyrs was the fact that the country was divided into India and Pakistan and the violent communal riots took away a number of lives. It was on the eve of 15th of August, 1947 that India tricolor flag was unfurled by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on the ramparts the Red Fort, Delhi.
History
In 1947, after the World War II, Britain could see that it no longer could hold its power over India. It was becoming increasingly difficult and Indian freedom fighters were in no mood to give up. With the international support also coming to an end, Britain decided to relive In-
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d i a from their power but not before June 1948. However, the impending independence more so enhanced the violence between Hindus and Muslims in the provinces of Punjab and Bengal. The communal violence grew so large that it became impossible for n e w vicer o y L o r d Mountbatten to
control it and as such, he advanced the date for the transfer of power, allowing less than six months for a mutually agreed plan for independence. Thus, India gained its independence on August 15, 1947 but not without paying a heavy price. Partition was done and a separate state for the Muslims was formed, with Muhammad Ali Jinnah being sworn in as Pakistan’s first Governor General in Karachi. On the midnight of August 15, 1947 India was sworn in as an independent country with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the prime minister and viceroy then as Lord Mountbatten. The official ceremony took place in Delhi. Great leaders and freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Abul Kalam Azad Jinnah, B. R. Ambedkar and Master Tara Singh are few of the many to whom India owes its freedom.
Celebrations
The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the world’s biggest democracy as a national holiday. All the schools and colleges across nation hoist the national flag on the rooftops and the buildings to symbolize the stature of the national flag as na-
tion’s pride. Not only the educational institutions but also offices and business areas celebrate this day. Since it is declared a national holiday by the government of India, all the institutions, government or otherwise, have holiday. People only go to offices to attend the flag hoisting ceremony. The Prime Minister addresses the Nation after the flag has been unfurled recounting the country’s achievements of the year, discussing current major issues and future plans for the progress of the country. Kite-flying has also become a tradition on this day and people can be seen flying numerous kites of all colors, sizes and shapes symbolizing the freedom. Independence Day is celebrated throughout India and every corner of the country on 15th August every year. Independence Day is celebrated by every citizen of India irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It is amazing to see how apart from the normal government offices and educational institutions the day is celebrated even in small colonies and associations. There are costume parties and people, old or young, men or women, dress up in a nationalistic way. There are many documentaries aired and grave of martyrs are paid respect. Every citizen does something or the other to mark this day of freedom. Media is not far behind as most of the channels telecast latest or classic films based on the independence theme. Also, there are patriotic programs that are organized and broadcasted. In short, every person in the country revels in the nationalistic pride. -www.indobase. com
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
ADVICE
August 15, 2014
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instruction from individual tutors, increasing their opportunity to be well prepared for the USMLE. Infrastructure: The classrooms and labs at TAU Campus are fully equipped for the preparation of Basic Sciences and Premedical subjects. Affiliation with 600+ bedded affiliated hospital located locally in Guyana provides a unique integrated learning experience to the students, where they get exposed to the clinical setting right from the beginning of their Doctor of Medicine program. Intakes and Admissions: TAU has two intakes in a year and the upcoming intakes would be in Sep 2014, Jan 2015 and May 2015. The admissions are currently open and the interested students can visit www.texila.us or call 1-866-7800079. You can also visit the admission services office of TAU located at 517 US Highway 1 S, Suite 1190, Iselin, New Jersey to get a one to one counseling and advice on the admissions process. See ad on Page 7
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Channe Di Dal Te Ghia (Split Channa Lentils & Squash)
There are only a few vegetables that can be combined with dal (lentils) that bring together a good balance of the two ingredients, but the trick is in finding them and making the dish appealing and tasty. In this manner, sag (spinach) can be made with a small handful of split moong dal but nowadays, it has become fashionable to throw in some sag into a pot full of whole moong dal. In Peshawar (Northwest Pakistan), they throw in carrots into the moong dal. Hyderabadi dal dishes may include some meat that cooks while it simmers. Punjabis usually only mix one vegetable with dal to make a dish that is unusually delicious, but only if prepared right, otherwise it can become a thick broth that loses most of its taste and allure. This dish combines the long, curved, pale green Indian squash (also called cucuzza or Italian squash or bottle gourd) with a mildly-sweet taste with slightly nutty taste of the yellow split channa dal. When done right, the result is delightful, and has to be eaten with warm, crispy whole wheat roti or paranthas. Part of the process is in choosing the right ghia (squash). It must not be hard but be tender when squeezed. Also, the outer skin should be easily pierced when poked with the thumbnail. This means that the ghia does not have much seeds and will cook fast and take on the taste of the dal easily. Care must be taken that, while cooking, the ghia does not blend too much into the dal. It should be tender but the small pieces should be clearly obvious, mixed in with the dal. Ingredients: • 2 cup channa dal (split channa lentil) • 1 Ghia (Squash) • 4 cups pani (water) • 2 tbspn olive oil • 1 medium adrak (ginger) – peeled and chopped, or use powdered ginger • 1 medium piyazz (onion) – peeled and chopped • 1 tspn garam masala • 5 stalktops fresh dhania (coriander) – pinch off the leaves and cut into pieces • Spices: lal mirch (red pepper); namak (salt); haldi (turmeric) – to your taste.
Directions: 1. Place the channa dal in a bowl and wash it thoroughly in cold water, then rinse it out. 2. Place the dal with 4 cups of water, salt, ginger, pepper and haldi in a pressure cooker and bring to a boil over high heat. After two or three whistles, turn the heat off and after it has cooled down a bit open the cooker up. For those who aren’t used to pressure cookers, boil the dal in a pot for 15 to 30 minute over medium heat. 3. While the dal is cooking, peel the squash and then chop it into ½ inch pieces. Soak in water till it is ready to be put into the dal. 4. Put the heat on medium and let the dal simmer till the grains are tender. Stir occasionally to make sure the dal is not sticking to the bottom of the cooker. If the water boils off before the dal becomes tender, add some more water and let the dal simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. 5. Now throw in the chopped ghia into the dal and let them boil for 15 minutes. Check to make sure that there is still water in the pot; if needed add some more, stirring gently to make sure the dal does
6. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 more minutes, then turn the heat off. 7. Heat the oil in a small karai or wok and add piyazz (onions) and lal mirch and brown it a little. When roasted and the smell of the spice starts to come through, take off the heat and drop the masala into the pot of cooked dal and stir to mix well. 8. Sprinkle the top of the dal with garam masala and the cut coriander leaves above. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK HOW TO KEEP YOGURT SO IT DOESN’T SHED WATER If you buy the big tubs of yogurt from the store or even make some yogurt at home, you may have noticed that when someone takes a spoonful of the yogurt and leaves the rest, then after awhile, the remainder of the yogurt will start to shed some water which will rise to the top. This actually makes the remaining yogurt a little drier. To avoid this, simply take a tablespoon and stir the yogurt up. The water will become mixed in and will not shed or rise to the top and the yogurt will keep its consistency.
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ENTERTAINMENT
August 15, 2014
Movie Review: Entertainment
BY MEENA IYER
Story: Akhil Lokhande, the illegitimate son of a Bangkok billionaire, finds out that his inheritance has been willed to a dog, Entertainment. And there are also other baddies playing dogs-in-the-manger. Review: Entertainment tells you the story of how one Daddy’s Najayaz Aulad (illegitimate child), abbreviated in the film as DNA, stumbles upon the fact that he is actually a poor Mumbai boy born to a billionaire from Bangkok. His father, Pannalal Johri (Dalip Tahil in a garlanded photo-frame on the wall), has bequeathed his wealth to his pet dog Entertainment (Junior), because he could not in his life-time locate his real son, Akhil Lokhande (Akshay Kumar). After a romantic interlude with h i s girlfriend Saak- shi
But the canine is nobody’s fool. Man and beast find ways to outsmart each other and when they can’t kill each other, they join forces. Here, a fresh set of villains, Prakash Raj and Sonu Sood, named Karan-Arjun (there are many stereotypes), are introduced. They, too, are eyeing the same pile of wealth. So now, Akhil and Entertainment have to get the better of the baddies. Debutant-directors Sajid-Farhad, who have the dubious distinction of having written very successful Bollywood no-brainers like the Golmaal series, Dhamaal, and Housefull 2, and who have salvaged themselves to a degree by writing the Singham
(Tamannaah) in Mumbai, Akhil flies to Bangkok. His best friend Jugnu (Krushna, good comic-tuning) and he make grand plans to get rid of the dog, who stands between him and his billions.
films, could have salvaged their first directorial venture by keeping it tight, despite the stereotypes. However, because the jokes are repetitive by nature, the
LOL (laugh-out-loud) moments are few and far between. The dialogue, which uses Bollywood actor-director names like, “I so Rajani-can’t”, does get guffaws. But for the most part, the humour is for the child in you. Akshay Kumar is in top form. Having done a multitude of masala movies, he’s become a khiladi. His bonding with the dog (especially in comic scenes) has those ‘oh-so-cute’ moments. The golden retriever is not a wonderful actor; but his eyes can melt your heart. -Times Of India
‘Singham’ Series is Like Superhero Films: Ajay Devgn
Ajay Devgn, who is back as a tough cop with “Singham Returns”, has said that his character Bajirao Singham is nothing less than a superhero. “He is like a real superhero. Our culture is such that we don’t need a lot of back up to become superheros. The character is already larger than life,” Devgn told in an interview during a visit to the city. He was asked to compare his character Singham, who fights against evil forces in his own fiery style, with other superhero films like Superman and Spiderman. “Singham is more real than them. Now in the sequel the challenge is bigger,” the 45-year-old actor said adding that in the sequel to the 2011
blockbuster they have kept everything new except the lead character. “It has got more drama, action, romance and humour. The stunts are also bigger and better,” the actor said. Interestingly, Devgn, who describes himself as a spontaneous actor, went to act in the sequel without any preparation. “I didn’t research at all because I was following the characteristics of one man and how would he react under a given situation. When that situation changes, everything else changes. But his style of working is the same,” he said. -Times od India
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India Faces Daily Power Outage of 30,000 MW BY UTPAL BHASKAR NEW DELHI: Even as large parts of the country face a power shortage, around 30,000 MW—nearly enough to meet the combined demand of all south Indian states—is lying idle because of breakdowns and repair and maintenance work on power plants. With India facing a peak electricity shortage of 3.7% in June, daily power outages have become a cause of concern for the government and been flagged in the internal meetings of the power ministry. “There is a daily outage of more than 30,000 MW,” said a government official, requesting anonymity. The southern region, which includes the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the Union territories of Puducherry and Lakshadweep, had a peak demand of 36,181 MW in June, of which 33,698 MW was met, according to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), India’s apex power sector planning body. India’s per capita power sector consumption, around 940 kilo watthour (kWh), is among the lowest in the world. In comparison, China has a per capita consumption of 4,000
India’s per capita power sector consumption, around 940 kilo watthour (kWh), is among the lowest in the world. Photo: Mint
kWh, with the developed countries averaging around 15,000 kWh of per capita consumption. “The generation outage is primarily due to repair and maintenance of power generation projects and breakdown of old units. There are two types of outages— planned outages and breakdowns. It is a cause of concern,” said a second government official, who also didn’t want to be identified. There have been instances when soaring electricity
demand and lower output from hydro power plants have delayed annual repair and maintenance work on thermal power plants during the monsoon season, exposing the coal-fired generation units to the risk of breakdown. Queries e-mailed to a power ministry spokesperson remained unanswered. While India has installed power generation capacity of 249,488.31 MW, daily generation is only to the tune of 135,000 MW. Analysts say the data
doesn’t capture the real demand, ascribing the lower deficit to the unwillingness of state electricity boards (SEBs) to buy enough power because they cannot afford to do so. Power distribution companies owned by state governments owe Rs.2 trillion to lenders. This has reduced their ability to buy power. This is exacerbated by India’s aggregate transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses, which are at 26% of generation. “This inefficiency is the main cause of high power tariff which ultimately leads to lower demand from SEBs,” UBS Global Equity Research said in a 31 July report. Analysts also expressed concerns about the outages. “Electricity power systems have to maintain certain margins to maintain certain level of reliability taking into account planned and unplanned shutdowns—this explains the difference between installed capacity and met demand,” said Debasish Mishra, senior director, consulting, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. “We now have almost 250 GW (giga watts) of capacity, while the catered demand is only around 135 GW. Typically, for a supply mix like that of ours, 30% is a reasonable system mar-
gin. Right now, we are having more than 45% margin. This effectively means there is lots of unplanned shutdowns in the system because of older generating assets, hydro power not catering to peak because of bad operation planning and possibly fuel shortage,” Mishra added. The issue assumes significance given India’s worst blackout that left nearly 620 million people without electricity in 2012. On 31 July, the northern grid collapsed, and on 1 August, in a wider blackout, the northern, eastern and north-eastern grids broke down. It was the largest known blackout in world history, Piyush Goyal, minister in charge of power, coal, and new and renewable energy, informed Parliament on 6August. “Loss of load probability (LOLP) is an important element in electricity system planning. India follows a 0.2% LOLP, while advanced countries follow 0.1%, which effectively means that our system is designed to have maximum disruption of 16-18 hours in a year while in advanced countries it is less than 10 hours. To maintain higher reliability, system has to maintain higher margin,” Mishra said. -Livemint.com
Vegetable Price Inflation Becomes Chronic BY KRISHNA MERCHANT
past month. While high vegetable prices have not had a spillover effect on food or core inflation yet, it will push the headline Consumer Price Index to 8.1% in July, compared with 7.3% in June, according to Nomura. photo What is worrying is that vegetable prices have remained elevated in the first week of August as well, and if the trend continues then the expected moderation in consumerprice inflation in the second half of 2014 on account of a favourable base effect may disappear. In its recent policy statement, the Reserve Bank
Vegetable prices skyrocketed in July due to deficient rains and other seasonal factors; but this time around, the shock was worse than during the onion crisis in FY14 and the drought year of FY10, as you can see from the chart by Nomura Global Market Research. Vegetable prices increased 37% in July from June—much higher than the average month-on-month increase of 20% between FY11 and FY13. Prices of key vegetables such as tomatoes have shot up 80% in the
of India (RBI) said it was premature to conclude that future food inflation, and its spillover to broader inflation, can be discounted. Rising vegetable prices have had an effect on inflation expectations. According to RBI’s quarterly survey, the mean of shortterm inflation expectations for the current period has increased by 0.4 basis point to 12.6%, compared with the March quarter, and for the coming three months it remains elevated at 12.5%. -Livemint.com
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28 August 15, 2014 Mahela Jayawardene Retires from Test Cricket
He was all about 21st century aggression filtered through age-old method; here was an artiste who crafted the most technically-demanding of shots to perfection, but lived for the pure adrenaline of the battle BY ANDREW FIDEL FERNANDO COLOMBO (ESPN Cricinfo): Mahela Jayawardene was all about 21st century aggression filtered through age-old method; here was an artiste who crafted the most technically-demanding of shots to perfection, but lived for the pure adrenaline of the battle Was there a more compelling force Every Mahela Jayawardene innings had its own persona. Every Jayawardene stroke was selfexpression. This was true when he played a rasping square cut against the turn to fetch his first Test boundary in 1997. It was true when he hit a searing reversesweep off Saeed Ajmal at Galle, on Sunday. His batting had filled grounds since he was 15. He has won Tests off his own blade, and saved a few as well. He has taken more international catches than any other cricketer, many while captaining Sri Lanka with a creativity that has not been seen elsewhere in international cricket this century. From Nalanda College to Lord’s, from softball cricket on Colombo streets to the dustbowls that he alone could tame, he has never ceased to be himself. Across every format, in every capacity, Jayawardene has never ceased to be among cricket’s most elemental pleasures. Most will remember his artistry. Other batsmen are often products of hard work and clear thinking, of processes that have been hammered in, with shots that have been honed, along with the muscles that power them. Jayawardene does all the work, but at the crease he is a free spirit. That liquid cover drive that sent balls in almost any direction on the off side was more dependent on his mood than the physics of the delivery that came to him. The sweep that could go anywhere from deep midwicket to the finest fine leg, in any combination of power and elevation, was decided in an instant, on a whim. Among Sri Lankan batsmen, his technique has been uniquely resistant to change. The trigger
movement is almost the same. The grip is a little lower since he started out, but the hands still feel for the ball when the feet are not quite there. That is not to say he has not innovated with the times. But, although new strokes have been learnt in his later years, the essence of his cricket remains as lovingly refined as it has always been. Twenty-first century aggression filtered through ageold method, yielding savagery that seems fashioned from silk. Was there a more compelling force than Mahela Jayawardene in full flow? The uppercut off Morne Morkel durwas at the cricket for the same it had all been planned, racing to ing his most recent Test hundred reason as the spectator. Helplessly greet the bowler like they had just was played late, beneath the eyes, instinctive, craving attack, he went pulled off a prank together. Under over the fielders for four. to the crease for the taste of the his guidance, the men around the That Jayawardene was so of- battle; for the smell of adventure. bat for Muttiah Muralitharan were ten a victim of his own ambition Among Sri Lankan batsmen, not just vultures hovering above only made his success sweeter. he has played the biggest share a prospective meal, they were coHe would open his face to deflect of great innings, giving each one instigators of the action; a living, the ball to third man on seaming a different texture and a different breathing, sharpened phalanx, decks. He played the hook and the hue. The 374 was the monster that almost as central to Sri Lanka’s pull when leg-side traps had been grew out of a counterattack. The threat as the man whirring the ball set. Bowlers always had a chance, fourth-innings 123 at the P Sara in. Jayawardene averages 50.02 so every late cut past a full cordon Oval little more than a week later felt like an escape. Every trip down was a masterclass in control. The before his final Test. If he is disthe pitch to loft spinners against 105 against Australia, on a Galle missed twice, he needs 94 runs to the turn was a shot of adrenaline. surface that looked like a cluster- keep that figure above 50. His less Was there a more compelling bomb had attacked it, was pure flattering returns outside Asia are force at full flow? When he was survival. Even within the same known. That edginess against the at the crease, sometimes even dot innings, he would transition like seaming ball in the channel has balls were electric. Singles were an orchestra through a symphony. been well laid out. But those who watched Jayawarscored off paddle sweeps dragged Staccato singles and twos gave from way outside off. Twos were way to long slow notes, then in a dene play will not forget how he chipped just over the circle, inches surge of inspiration, the exhilarat- made them feel - the way his infrom the fielder’s reach. A drive ing crescendo came. Bowlers rare- nings grabbed you by the collar down the ground when the ball ly knew what was next. Fans had and took you on a ride. They will was pitched up, moving miles; no idea. Jayawardene often didn’t not forget the late cuts or the drives, the sinking despair or the dizzying a flick through midwicket when either. reverse-swing was being had. You He could never let a game drift elation. Or the way Jayawardene wondered why he played this way in his first stint as captain. Almost lived and died, on the edge, for the - why someone so tactically astute every field gave the batsman a trap thrill. Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESwould not recognise the benefits to think about. Often they would of staying safe. But Jayawardene fall, hitting to somewhere else, but PNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka corresponlived on a precipice because he Jayawardene would celebrate like dent.
SPORTS
Batting Failure Hurts LONDON: MS Dhoni, India’s captain, conceded that the failure of his specialist batsmen had been the biggest reason for England taking a 2-1 series lead with one Test left in the five-match series. Dhoni said that India lost the Old Trafford Test virtually in the first hour of the match, when India were reduced to an abysmal 8 for 4 after Dhoni had elected to bat. Shortly after lunch, they were six down, and even though Dhoni, in the company of R Ashwin, put up a brave fight India could just manage a paltry 152. On Saturday, India once again folded easily in less than two sessions, to give Alastair Cook’s team the advantage going into the final Test at The Oval, which starts on Friday. Importantly, after their thrilling victory at Lord’s, India have failed to win a session convincingly. “What is important is to put runs on the board,” Dhoni said. “To some extent, Lord’s and the performance of the eight, nine, ten and eleven so far in the series camouflaged the question of the top order not performing. But when you are playing with five bowlers, the fifth bowler actually has scored more runs for us. That actually puts pressure on, whatever the reason may be. May be a few of the batsmen are having a lean period at the same time. But overall we will have to put more runs on the board so that the bowlers can get the opposition out.” According to Dhoni, the failure of his batsmen in this Test was more exposed because the lower order, which had rallied in the first three Tests, also failed in Manchester. “First few Test matches, the performance of our batters got camouflaged,” Dhoni said. “Stuart [Binny] got runs in the first Test match along with [Mohammed] Shami, Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and others. No one really asked the question, we are playing with one batter less so is it up to the batsmen to take the responsibility. That trend continued forward with the batting department. It is just that the lower order did not contribute in this Test match so it seems we have not scored runs.”
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‘Tsunami’ to Hit Capital on Aug 14 as Planned BY KHAWAR GHUMMAN ISLAMABAD: This Independence Day may be the most eventful in recent memory, as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) resolved on Sunday to proceed with its Azadi March as planned, party insiders told Dawn. During a meeting of the party’s core committee held in the capital, Imran Khan painstakingly dispelled an impression that his party was pursuing back-channel talks with the government and that the march may be called off. He stuck to his stance of ‘no negotiations’ and declared that the August 14 demonstration was the only thing on his mind. APTI member who was present at the meeting told Dawn that the meeting, held at Mr Khan’s Bani Gala residence, focused on the preparation for the upcoming march on the capital. Imran assures party leaders Azadi March will not be called off, holds core committee meeting to allay fears “As long as I am alive, I am prepared to even walk to Islamabad on August 14, come what may,” Mr Khan was quoted as saying during the meeting. He has consistently referred to this march as a turning point in the history of the country and alleges that he has damning evidence of widespread rigging in the 2013 general elections, which he has promised to share with demonstrators on Independence Day. Ahead of the meeting, PTI office-bearers, particularly those from other cities, were quite concerned about the party’s own lack of clarity and had been anxiously awaiting details of the
plan for the Azadi March. They were concerned by reports of political manoeuvring that indicated that the party might have struck a deal with the government and the long march was simply going to be an opportunity to announce the party’s gains. According to a member of the core committee, these concerns were passed on to Mr Khan, who spent a good deal of time during the twohour meeting explaining to party leaders that they should not heed reports of any mediation between the party and the government and concentrate on the march instead. A statement released after the meeting carried a similar message, saying: “The core committee sent its workers a clear message — that they must make it to Islamabad at all costs and should come prepared with all essential supplies (such as food and fuel). The core committee
resolved that PTI workers and leaders would come to Islamabad even if they had to walk the distance.” Talking about the demands that the PTI chief was expected to announce in his speech on August 14, another party leader said they had broadly decided that they wanted sweeping electoral reforms, including the reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a re-election across the country. However, he said, a set of detailed demands would be included in the chairman’s speech, to be finalised later. In the statement, the party warned the government to be careful in their handling of the Azadi March and reiterated that if anything were to happen the government of the day would be held responsible. The committee called on the ruling PML-N
to remove all roadblocks and containers immediately and reopen petrol stations. It demanded that the Punjab government immediately implement a Lahore High Court order asking for the release of all impounded motorcycles. Fearing the possibility that their leader might be arrested, the committee declared that any attempt to take Imran Khan into custody, even if for “his own safekeeping”, would be met with the full strength of party workers and leaders. To a question, the core committee member told Dawn that the party had a ‘Plan B’ in place as well, in case the government did not allow marchers to enter the capital or tried to keep party leaders from leading the demonstration. “We hope the government will not stop us from exercising our democratic right because in doing so, it will only create problems for itself. Reaching Islamabad on August 14 is a do-or-die matter for the party now,” the source said. Separately, the PTI core committee said it would demand compensation from the Sharifs for all those whose livelihood was affected by the roadblocks put in place by the government. Talking to reporters after the meeting, PTI President Javed Hashmi said the party would not support the imposition of martial law and warned the government against resorting to high-handed tactics. PTI chief Imran Khan is expected to address a press conference on Monday at his Bani Gala residence.According to the party, he will expose “a grand conspiracy to rig the 2013 general elections in favour of the PML-N”. -Dawn.com
Speculation Rife Over Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee NEW DELHI: There was intense speculation on Sunday that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose may be awarded the country’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, triggering a controversy. The Congress said if the government was taking a “historic route” in deciding the recipients, there were many suitable candidates. Netaji’s family argued that the government should first solve the mystery of his disappearance. The names started doing the rounds after media reports claimed that the government had ordered minting of five Bharat Ratna medallions. “I hope this is a baseless speculation,” Sugato Bose, a grandnephew of Netaji, said in Kolkata. “Netaji and Gandhi (Mahatma) should
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always be kept above Bharat Ratna,” said the Trianmool Congress MP, a former professor of history at the Harvard University. “Keep Netaji out of partisan politics… How can Netaji be given Bharat Ratna after Rajiv Gandhi? Anyone with a sense of history will agree with me,” Bose, who has written a biography of the leader, said. Chandra Kumar Bose, another grandnephew of Netaji, too, expressed his reservations. “Mystery still prevails over his death. Before awarding him with a posthumous Bharat Ratna, the government must declare in clear terms what happened to him and declassify all the Netaji files.” Netaji was awarded the Bharat Ratna “posthumously” in 1992 but it was withdrawn in response to a Supreme Court directive. The
court’s order came on a public interest litigation against the posthumous honour, as the award committee could not give conclusive evidence of Bose’s death. Put under house arrest by the British, Netaji escaped from India in 1941 to seek international support for the freedom struggle. He went missing in 1945. Congress’Manish Tewari suggested names of a number of freedom fighters for the honour. He tweeted that if the “govt [is] going the historical route on Bharat Ratnas, it should also consider the names of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukdev, Lala Laj Pat Rai…” Party colleague Rashid Alvi pushed for BSP founder Kanshi Ram and Aligarh Muslim University founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Four days ago, the government ordered five
medallions from the RBI mint. “But ordering five medallions doesn’t mean that five persons will be bestowed Bharat Ratna,” a home ministry official said. A maximum of three Bharat Ratna can be cleared by the government in a year. The recommendation is made by the prime minister himself to the president and no formal names are called for. Earlier this year, the previous UPA government conferred the prestigious award on cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and scientist CNR Rao. Instituted on January 2, 1954, Bharat Ratna has been conferred on 43 individuals. Eleven recipients were awarded posthumously. -Hindustantimes.com
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