Friday, August 17, 2018 | Vol. 37, No. 32
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Indo American erican News
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IACCGH 19 Gala Attracts th
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Win Free Tickets Jagdip Ahluwalia (left) and Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray present a copy of the Houston Business Journal special IACCGH supplement to Governor Greg Abbott. Swapan Dhairyawan and Sanjay Ramabhadran look on at the 19th annual IACCGH gala held on August 11, at the Hilton Americas downtown.
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COMMUNITY
August 17, 2018
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A Performance of Authenticity by Meera Vashisht on her Arangetram BY JVALANTI PRASAD
HOUSTON: On the
evening of August 4, Meera Vashisht, a rising sophomore at Awty International
School, delighted the audience of The Kaplan Theater during her Bharatanatyam Arangetram under her Guru, Dr. Rathna Kumar of The Anjali Center for Performing Arts. Meera began learning this traditional art form at the young age of four. She then joined the Anjali Centerlearning under Dr. Rathna Kumar, whose artistic genius was evident throughout the performance. Meera commenced the program with praise to Lord Ganesha, the
elephant-headed God, in Gajanana Gajamukham in admiration of the grace in his movements as he dances as skillfully as his father, Lord Shiva. The next piece illustrated Meera’s sense of rhythm, or talam. Woven in beat cycles of five, the elaborate pulse demanded mastery over footwork and choreography from both the Guru and the Shishya in the Jatiswaram in ragam Chandrakauns. Jatiswaram was followed by the most strenuous piece of the performance, the Varnam, which was homage to Sri Rama. Meera depicted numerous stories from the Ramayana showcasing her ability to emote and connect with the audience with the killing of the demons Tadaka and Subhau, the saving of Ahalya, and the destruction of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king. In a more playful aspect, the next piece, Madhav Madan Murari, portrayed not only Krishna as mischievous child who steals butter from the houses of the Gopikas, but also the supreme Lord Krishna who rescues Draupadi from humiliation and disgrace. In the next item, Meera embodies Lord Shiva in Gale Bhujang as she describes the Lord whose body is smeared with ash, who is blue from the snake coiled around his neck, and whose mat-
ted hair moves as he dances. Following the obeisance to the Lord of Dance, Meera began the next piece, Jaya Durge, with the thrilling story of the destruction of Rakthabeeja, the demon whose every drop of blood created duplicates of himself, by Goddess Durga.
In conclusion, Meera performed the Tillana in ragam Dhanasri and the Mangalam with vibrancy i n which she danced as Krishna with
the Gopis in the exquisite gardens of Brindavan. Accompanied by a world class, live orchestra consisting of N.N. Sivaprasad on vocal, N.K Kesavan on Mridangam, B. Muthukumar on Flute, and, Meera’s Guru, Dr. Rathna Kumar on Nattuvangam, the stage was filled with extra ordinary talent and euphoria. With an emotional speech given by her Guru, Meera was given her wellearned diploma. The impeccable décor of the event by talented duo of Vasundhara Kambhampati and Sheela Kovuri added to the authenticity and purity of the event. The evening was graced by Congressman Pete Olson and the Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray. Renowned Hindustani Vocalist Pandit Suman Ghosh and founder of Ekal Vidyalaya, Ramesh Shah were also present in the audience. Meera’s talent and dedication as a talented young dancer was on full display with incredible Abhinaya, footwork, and stamina. It is a, “movement of culture and civilization” as Dr. Anupam Ray rightly said. An exceptional dancer does not only perfect every movement and pose, but they also bring the true culture and authenticity of the art form wherever they are in the world. Meera’s display of passion and honesty in everything she does sets the path to her continued success in the future.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Photos: Murali Santhana
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COMMUNITY
August 17, 2018
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IACCGH 19th Gala Leverages Trade Opportunities for India, Texas & Houston
Swapan Dhairyawan (left), Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, Aku Patel (Entrepreneur of the Year award, Karat 22), Judge Ed Emmett and Jagdip Ahluwalia. Photos: Bijay Dixit Chamber Board and their spouses with Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
From left: Standing: Dr. Alan Lumsden, Michael Hess, Carlecia Wright, Amar Naga, Rustom Mody. Sitting: Jewel Smith, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Aruna Viswanathan.
Pumps and Pipes Society Award recipients: IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan (left), Michael Hess, Rustom Mody, Dr. Anupam Ray, Dr. William Kline, Dr. Alan Lumsden, Judge Ed Emmett and IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia
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HOUSTON:
“Think India, Think Texas – Leverage Houston,” IACCGH’s theme for the year was spotlighted at their 19th annual gala held on August 11, at the Hilton Americas downtown. The event saw a cross section of
over 800 plus business leaders, top tier professionals and elected officials. The Keynote Speaker was Texas Governor Greg Abbott while Guests of Honor were Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, Judge Ed Emmett and Mayor Sylvester Turner. Megha Chandna, Serene Kaggal and Ishya Kachru rendered the American, Indian National Anthems and the State Song of Texas respectively. Past President and Director Sanjay Ramabhadran, who served as Emcee, set the tone for the evening by highlighting Governor Greg Abbott’s recent trade mission
to India. He stated that the visit, which was covered by abc13, not only brought “Incredible India” to living rooms of Texans but went a long way in deepening economic and cultural ties between Texas and India. Describing the Chamber as a “community dream in 1999 and now a significant reality” – Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia emphasized the Chamber’s efforts in collaborating with over 30 Chambers of Commerce and economic agencies in promoting eco-
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COMMUNITY
August 17, 2018
IACCGH 19th Gala Leverages Trade Opportunities for India, Texas & Houston CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 nomic activity in Houston, many of whom were present in the room. He thanked the City of Hempstead for choosing IACCGH to introduce itself to the Indo American community in its drive to attract investment in Hempstead. A “household name” in Harris County, Judge Ed Emmett lauded the “ordinary people who did extraordinary things” during Hurricane Harvey and stated that the evening was celebrating not just the achievements of the Chamber but also those individuals who
are “truly making a difference.” Mayor Turner referred to his upcoming delegation in October to build a stronger relationship between Houston and India and the $12 billion trade that currently exists between the two. The diversity of its people, he stressed, has helped Houston overcome many challenges and pledged to build a city that will be “a shining example of diversity and inclusion.” President Swapan Dhairyawan offered an update on the year’s events and highlighted the Chamber’s Outreach efforts to help small businesses affected by Hurricane Harvey rebuild. A recent decision by the Chamber Board to make the Presidency a two-year term was put into effect this year making him the first President to continue serving the Chamber in 2019. He expressed his willingness and stated that this decision would “allow for greater continuity” in initiatives and programs. “India brings everyone together” was Consul General Dr. Anupam’s Ray’s opening remark. India, he noted, is on an upward trajectory, an emerging power, the fastest growing economy in the world and the fastest growing market for companies like Amazon, Walmart and Netflix. Dr. Ray also did the honors of introducing Keynote Speaker Governor Greg Abbott who he described as “a remarkable man on an extraordinary journey.” In a nod to the Chamber’s mission of impacting economic advancement in Houston, Governor Abbott appreciated the vital role of the Chamber in the economic success of not only Houston but for “elevating the Texas economy.” He also spoke at length about his successful trade mission to India in March this year. The first Governor in the country to do so, he described India’s economy as “dynamic” and the “tremendous sense in aligning economically” with India. Governor Abbott held meetings with business leaders like Anand Mahindra of Mahindra and Mahindra, Sajjan Jindal of JSW Steel and Azim Premji of Wipro who all have sizable investments in Texas. He also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a rare honor, for over an hour to discuss future possibilities between India and Texas. The evening also recognized accomplishments in innovation, economic impact and entrepreneurship. The award for Innovation was presented to the Pumps and Pipes Society, technology giant Wipro was awarded the Inbound Investment award and the Entrepreneur of the Year award went to President of Karat 22, Chitranjan Aku Patel. The Women in Business: Making a Difference award was presented to Carlecia Wright, Director of the City of Houston – Office of Business Opportunity, Jewel Smith, Supplier Diversity Manager at CenterPoint Energy and Aruna Viswanathan, Chief Operating Manager at Alphax Decision Sciences. A special supplement highlighting the Chamber achievements over the past 19 years was released by Houston Business Journal’s publisher Bob Charlet. A fusion dance performance from Frank Sinatra, Beatles to Bollywood by Infused Performing Arts provided the entertainment for the evening. The program ended with many accolades from the attendees. For more information visit www.iaccgh. com
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COMMUNITY STAFFORD: It was 25th year
anniversary for Masterji Trivedi in the field of stage production here in the US. After the grand success of Har Mahadev (2016) and Ganesh Leela (2017). Masterji presented yet another masterpiece grand epic drama based on the Mahabharat on Saturday, August 11 at the Stafford Civic Center. In the past, the Mahabharat has been shown countless times, expanded upon, and retold, but Masterji’s story takes you beyond Mahabharat to Naag Lok and Manipur. The Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic where the main story revolves around two branches of a family—Pandavas and Kauravas—who, in the Kurukshetra War, battled for the throne of Hastinapura. Arjuna is one of the central characters and plays a key role in the Bhagavad Gita alongside Krishna. Drut-Krida, the dice game, and dance sequences were the highlights of the show. The show started with a brief introduction of Writer-Director Masterji by Anand Trivedi. Masterji then gave information regarding the event and introduced Assistant Director Bud Patel, who thanked sponsors, artists, volunteers, and the print and radio media. Masterji’s creativity, unique production team, powerful theatrical presentation and performances brings new changes and innovative styles each year to attract the Houston audience. Mahabharata is a result of months of preparations
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Houstonians Relish Epic Drama: Beyond Mahabharat
The dance sequences by Khusboo Group and Mukta Saxena was very well choreographed. Everyone appreciated the acting power of our local talent, especially Arjun, Duryodhan, Chandak, and the audience was left spellbound by acting of Bud Patel as Shakuni Mama. The music was by Rakeshbhai and lights by Anilbhai. The stage coordinator were Fateh
and dedicated practice by team of around 65 performers and volunteers. The event was graced by our guest of honor Sri Preston Kulkar-
Ali, Sailesh Desai, and Yogina Patel. The use of sparkling costumes, glittering jewelry, dazzling lights, soulful music and melodious song sequences, captivating dances, impactful dialogues, and creative props made the show a memorable experience for all. Sri Shubhas Gupta gave vote of thanks to Masterji. Sarojini Gupta appreciated the artist and drama team members.
ni, and special guests Shubhas Gupta, Sarojini Gupta, Umang Mehta, Amiralli Dodhiya, Amit Mishra, Ashok Danda, and Madanmohanji (Vadtal Dham Mandir).
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
10 August 17, 2018 BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HOUSTON: If there were hun-
dreds sweating it out and running (or walking) the 5K path around Pavilion 8 in Bear Creek Park, there were probably a dozen grown men in shorts and caps in two teams of 6 each who were sweating the small stuff made of rice powder batter over portable gas-fired big flatirons. Each team had their own secret sauce of dosas and masala filling and pretty soon, they were in for a competition on the best dosa: thin and crispy or the smaller, softer one, each made adoringly with a layer of butter. “Only one dosa a piece, please, until 10am when the rest of the runners get back,” shouted Shivamurthy Keelara into the microphone which was being monopolized by two young teens who were imploring eaters to donate $2 per dosa. “Let them get a chance at a dosa too,” Keelara added. The din of the mega-speaker system added to the congestion of people under the pavilion and others loitered around to the grassy space, still wet with the morning dew. The Houston Kannada Vrinda organized the Association of Kannada Kootas of America or AKKA 5K charity Run/Walk for Cancer Awareness this past Sunday, August 12 at Bear Creek Park in association with Shri Krishna Vrundavana and the Indian American Cancer Network. The proceeds
COMMUNITY Walk 5K, Eat a Dosa, Save a Life in India
At the 5K Run/Walk for a Cancer Cure were from right, Kanchan Kabad from IACAN, Pooja Prasad and her mother Mangala Prasad, President of HKV and a participant.
from this event will be used to purchase a “Mobile Mammography Bus” that will travel to the rural areas of Karnataka and provide early diagnosis of cancer in women. This event is a lead-in to the 10th AKKA World Conference to be held in Dallas from August 31 to Sept 2. The event was attended by over 300 people and the runners each got registered and had their official times kept by the start/stop archway. Adults and kids of all age groups were given a Certification of Participation. The top three boy and girl runners in each of the three different age groups (under 10, 11 to14 and15 to19 years) and the top three male and female runners in the adults’ categories were
presented with medals. AKKA President Shivamurthy Keelara attended the event and encouraged people to participate in the Dallas Conference. Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Pete Olson for the Congressional District 22 seat also came by to meet everyone and share his ideas for the election which will be held this November. Dr. Anish Meerashib, an oncologist spoke about early detection of cancer and the importance of supporting research for a cure. The event was sponsored by many local businesses and HKV members and all in all, the fun filled family event raised over $8,000 towards buying the mobile van.
One of the dosa making teams working feverishly to perfect their art before a competition with the other team.
The organizers of the AKKA 5K charity run/walk for Cancer Awareness at Bear Creek Park pose under their start-stop archway last Sunday, August 12. AKKA President Shivamurthy Keelara is kneeling, second from left.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
August 17, 2018
First Monday, Shravan Maas at Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir HOUSTON: Out of all months in the Hindu calendar, the Shra-
van Maas (month) is revered as the holiest as the cosmos is filled with Shiv Tattvas or the elements of Lord Shiva. Shravan is the most special month to win the divine grace. This year the month falls from August 11 to September 9. Every year, Sharavn Maas is celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir of Houston located at 6640 Harwin Drive. This year for the first time in Houston, and for the first Monday of the month, August 13, 1111 Keri Shringar (Mango) on Shivji was done. Thousands of devotee’s visited the temple for Darshan and Blessings. The head priest of the temple Pandit Virat Mehta as always welcomed all who came to the temple. During this month on every Monday, Mahapuja will be performed at 5:00 pm, Aarti at 7:00 pm, followed by MahaPrasad. For details on Shiv Shakti Temple visit www.shivshaktimandir.org
BITSians of Houston Gather at Axelrad to Celebrate the Annual BITSians Day
BY NIKHITA PUNNA
HOUSTON: On the first Friday
of August every year BITSians (students and alumni from Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani) around the world gather to celebrate BITSians’ Day -a global gathering of BITS Alumni to reflect, recognize and share those priceless experiences that shaped them into what they are today. Year-after-year, this event enables BITSians to bond and positively enhance each other’s professional and personal lives. This year on August 3, BITSians in Houston chapter gathered together to celebrate BITSians’ Day at Axelrad, a gathering place in downtown Houston, to hang out outdoors with live music, food and drinks. Alumni from class of 1960 through 2016 enjoyed the evening recollecting and exchanging fond memories of those four to five years of fun-filled life spent at BITS campuses. Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS) Pilani, Rajasthan has evolved from the Birla College of Engineering, which was established in 1946. The institute was under the private man-
agement of Birla Education Trust, headed by late G.D. Birla, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Since then, BITS campuses expanded to other locations including Goa, Hyderabad and Dubai. During the early years of its inception, in 1964 -70, the Institute, with the support of Ford Foundation had collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2018, the government of India declared BITS as one of the six Indian “Institutes of Eminence (IoE)” which is a recognition of its admission standards and academic performance. BITSian’s Day is a unique initiative taken up by BITSAA International- a 501(c3) non-profit organization registered in USA that represents all BITSians with chapters in Asia, Africa, Australia, Americas, Middle East and Europe. Besides providing a number of communication channels for Alumni members to stay connected with each other, it engages in charitable and educational activities by raising funds for setting up endowments, creating scholarships, rewarding teaching and research and promoting the development of resources at all of
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its four campuses at Pilani, Dubai, Goa and Hyderabad. The Houston chapter was initiated by Krishna Vavilala (class of 1955-60) and was formally inaugurated in August 2013, by the Consul General of India, Parvathaneni Harish and his wife Nandita. The Chapter continues to play a role in bringing all members of the group together. The Chapter is open to connecting with similar professional groups in the Houston community. To join the group visit, https://www. facebook.com/ g r o u p s / B I TSAAHouston/
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12 August 17, 2018 Aadi Sukravara Deepa Pooja at Sri Meenakshi Temple
COMMUNITY
IAF Night @ Skeeters
BY NACHAL SETHURAMAN
PEARLAND: Aadi Sukravara
Deepa Pooja was celebrated with great divinity on August 10, Friday at Sri Meenakshi Temple. The Fridays of Aadi, the tamil month is considered very sacred for Shakthi and Lakshmi worship. Symbollically the Deepam (oil lamps) are considered to be the place where Lakshmi resides. Ladies invoke Goddess Lakshmi in the lamps and do Pooja to the lamp, following Preist’s instructions. Preists Sri Sridharan Raghavan, Sri Pawan Kumar, Sri Sriman Narayana and Sri Satish conducted a wonderful Deepa Pooja by decorating the Altar with Urchava murthis of Sri Venkateshwara, Bhoodevi and Sree Devi along with a Kalasam and 8 lamps considered to be the Ashtalakshmi Devata . Many ladies took part in the pooja and simple Dinner and Prasadam was served after the Pooja. The event was co ordinated by Nachal Sethuraman and Saro Alagappan.
DIVORCE
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ican Forum (IAF) is hosting a Family and a very Fun night at Constellation field on August 24, as Skeeters play against New Britain Bees from 6:30-10pm. The night is full of fantastic promises; Private pool for the kids to swim in, Private dinner buffet, Fireworks, and PreGame dance performance by Infused Performing Arts. Infused recently performed at Rockets half-time as well. IAF is subsidizing the event significantly to promote the Indo-American community in a very IndoAmerican way. IAF has been in existence since the last 14 years. It is very active in the community and can be seen out and about in recent
events such as Sugar Land Kite Festival, and 4th of July celebrations dispersing free water and refreshments. Main objective of IAF is to represent and create awareness of the Indo-American community, contribute to the community positively, promote secularism, and support humanitarian causes. It has supported multiple charities and worthy causes in the past such as Arc of fort Bend, Child Advocates of Fort Bend, and others. IAF members and their spouse are FREE. They need to RSVP to NarenRPatel@gmail. com for complimentary tickets. Tickets are only $15/adult and $10/child. Kids under 3 are free. Tickets are available for purchase at Sulekha.com
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COMMUNITY L
OS ANGELES, (GLOBE NEWSWIRE): Hanmi Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: HAFC) (“Hanmi”), the holding company for Hanmi Bank, announced that it has received regulatory approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to complete its pending merger with SWNB Bancorp, Inc. (“SWNB”) and the merger of their subsidiary banks. Hanmi expects to receive the final regulatory approval from the California Department of Business Oversight in the near future. The merger of Hanmi and SWNB remains subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including SWNB stockholder approval. SWNB is scheduled to hold a special stockholders’ meeting on August 16, 2018 to vote on the transaction. We expect to close the transaction in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter of 2018. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about (1) the benefits of the merger between Hanmi and SWNB, including anticipated future results, cost savings and accretion to reported earnings that may be realized from the merger; (2) Hanmi and SWNB’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are
August 17, 2018
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Hanmi Financial Corporation Announces FDIC Approval to Complete Pending Merger with SWNB Bancorp
not historical facts; and (3) other statements identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” or words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements: the businesses of Hanmi and SWNB may not be combined successfully, or such combination may take longer than expected; the cost savings from the merger may not be fully realized or may take longer than expected; operating costs, customer loss and business disruption following the merger may be greater than expected; governmental approvals of the merger may not be obtained, or adverse regulatory conditions may be imposed in connection with governmental approvals of the merger or otherwise; the stockholders of SWNB may fail to approve the merger; credit and interest rate risks associated with Hanmi’s and SWNB’s respective businesses; and difficulties associated with achieving
expected future financial results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are discussed in Hanmi’s reports (such as the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s Internet website (www. sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed transaction or other matters attributable to Hanmi or SWNB or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Except as required by law, Hanmi and SWNB do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forwardlooking statement is made. Important Additional Information This communication is being made in respect of the proposed merger between Hanmi and SWNB. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, Hanmi filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC on June 22, 2018, that includes a proxy statement of SWNB and a prospectus of Hanmi (the “Proxy Statement/ Prospectus”), as well as other relevant documents regarding the proposed transaction. The registration statement on Form S-4 has been declared effective and the Proxy Statement/Prospectus was first mailed to stockholders of SWNB on or about July 18, 2018. Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of SWNB are urged to carefully read the entire registration statement and Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents, because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction. The documents filed by Hanmi with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by Hanmi
may be obtained free of charge at its website at www.hanmi.com or by contacting Hanmi Financial Corporation, 3660 Wilshire Boulevard, Penthouse Suite A, Los Angeles, California 90010, Attention: Richard Pimentel, Corporate Finance Officer, telephone (213) 427-3191. Hanmi and SWNB and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of SWNB’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Hanmi and their ownership of Hanmi common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for Hanmi’s 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on April 13, 2018. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the Proxy Statement/Prospectus regarding the proposed merger. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
14 August 17, 2018 Incredible India: Cultural Connections
Anuj and Kantika Mishra and Neha Singh
HOUSTON: Samskriti, in col-
laboration with the Consulate General of India in Houston, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Government of India, and the Battery Dance Company, New York, will be presenting INCREDIBLE INDIA: CULTURAL CONNECTIONS at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive, on Saturday, August 18, to mark the 72nd Anniversary of India’s Independence. The unique feature of this year’s program is the Houston debut of a group of brilliant Kathak dancers and musicians from Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata. Dancers par excelence Sandip Mallick, Anuj Mishra, Piyush Chauhan, Preeti Sharma, Neha Singh and Kantika Mishra will be joined by musicians Subhasis Acharya (vocals), Biplab Bhattacharya (Tabla) and Sunando Mukherjee (Sarod). The cultural connections will be provided by Egyptian Tanoura dancer Sal Maktoub, Flamenco dancer Ana Maria Barcelo and the Anjali
Sal Maktoub
Dance Company. This program not only shows the dynamism and virtuosity of the Kathak dance form but also proves, beyond any doubt, that it shares common features with dance forms from other parts of the world, such as the spinning and turning movements of the Whirling Dervishes of Egypt and the rhythmic footwork of Flamenco from Spain. A stunning finale will feature a dance ‘debate’ between Flamenco and Kathak dancers and musicians. You will not want to miss this unique opportunity to witness such an extraordinary coming together of East and West in dance. INCREDIBLE INDIA is FREE to the public and will take place at 8.15 pm. It has been funded in part by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Consulate General of India in Houston.
COMMUNITY
IACF Annual Gala, Saturday, October 6
HOUSTON:
Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) will hold its annual gala featuring Bhavesh V. ‘Bob’ Patel, CEO of LyndollBasell as the Keynote Speaker on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at Stafford Centre on Cash Road. Themed as, ‘Thirty in Charity’, the event will commemorate its 30 years of philanthropic, health, education and general welfare service supporting charities, individuals and organizations that share its mission to serve communities in the Greater Houston areas. For the last 30 years, IACF has been raising funds to help support local organizations that are new and/or in need of aid to provide services to thousands of Houstonians. IACF’s motto: “We live here, we give here” embodies its initiatives in the areas Education, Healthcare, Family welfare and Charity. The gala funds raised will support IACF’s 2018 programs and services and will support thousands of Houstonians. IACF gave $200,000 to Mayor’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund to support hurricane Harvey victims last year. Our sponsors will be joined by other supporters in recognizing individuals and groups as “Angles of Charity’ and “Friends of Charity” on the occasion. EVENT: IACF Annual Gala 2018
IACF Presents a Check of $200,000 to the Mayor of Houston. From left: Dr. Purvi Parikh, Alpa Shah, Shobana Muratee, Zenith Ellankil, Mahesh Wadhwa, Prem Cholia, Dr. Vanitha Pothuri, Sreeni Nakirekanti, Venkat Iyer, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Nanda Vura, Swatantra Jain, Bela Thacker, Dr. Ratna Kumar, Hasu Patel, and Dr. Ramesh Cherivirala.
WHEN: Saturday, October 6, 2018, 6:00 p.m. Sharp 5:30 Pm Registration begins WHERE: Stafford Center 10505 Cash Road, Stafford, TX 77477 LINK: http://iacfhouston.com/ ABOUT IACF Indo-American Charity Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization that helps the underprivileged and needy with monetary and volunteer work contributions through established and emerging organizations [501(c)3]
in the Greater Houston Area. Indo-American Charity Foundation was founded in 1988 by a group of Houstonians of Indian origin (Indo- American) compelled by an altruistic desire to give back to their local community. Their mission to help the underprivileged originated with the effort to fight hunger, and has now developed into a multi-faceted philanthropic endeavor to help those in need of health, education and human services in the Greater Houston Area.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 17, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
15
16 August 17, 2018
ADVICE
Should I get a Prenup?
HOUSTON: Texas Law allows
parties to have a premarital agreement, or prenup, between both people so they may enter into a contractual agreement regarding property issues and other matters prior to marriage. This contract remains in effect during marriage and in the event there is a divorce, the prenuptial agreement will govern how property will be divided as separate or community property at the divorce or death of a spouse. The prenup may also address issues such as spousal support or alimony. That is, a prenup may include that one spouse will pay alimony to the other spouse if that spouse did not attend marital counseling before filing for divorce. A prenup can also ensure financial stability if one spouse enters the marriage with debt and the other spouse does not have debt and would like to protect their income as separate property. A prenup may also protect separate property upon death of a spouse. However, a prenup may not include terms that violate public policy or impose criminal penalties. A prenup cannot waive a spouse’s 401k or other defined benefit plan. This may only be waived by agreement after the divorce. Further, a prenup is not designed to protect against creditors. That is, you cannot make your separate property your spouse’s separate property to avoid paying your debts. Also, a prenup may not waive one parent from child support which would be court ordered. However, a higher
amount of child support than the Texas Family Code requires may be agreed to. Visitation and conservatorship may be included but a Family Court will review those terms in light of what is in the child[ren]’s best interest. If there is no prenup, then any property, not separate property, including property acquired during marriage, income obtained during marriage, income from separate property, will be characterized as community property. Community property will be divided in a ‘just and right’ manner and not always equally. This includes salary, 401K benefits, and pensions. Income from separate property, such as distributions from separate property, investment growths in stocks or mutual funds, rental property income, is considered community property. Separate property prior to marriage or property received by gift, devise, or descent will remain separate property. A prenup is enforceable only if is made properly and meets the requirements outlined in the Texas Family Code. To be enforceable, a prenup must be (1) in writing, (2) signed by both parties, (3) both spouses disclosed assets and liabilities prior to signing the agreement, and (4) both spouses waived the right to further disclosure. An oral agreement is not acceptable. A prenup may be rejected by a court, for example, if some evidence supports the finding that one party signed involuntarily or any clause in the agreement was unconscio-
nable at the time it was signed. An unconscionable term is when one spouse fails to inform the other spouse of property, other assets, and debts if the other spouse did not waive their right to this information. Also, a prenup may not be pressured the night before or day of the wedding, especially without any notice. Both spouses should have separate counsel to review the agreement and ensure it is fair and equitable to both parties. Thus, as Kanye West might say in Texas, “We want prenup! We want prenup!”
Mala Sharma
About the Author: Mala Sharma has been practicing family law and personal injury with her family at the Law Offices of Sharma & Associates, founded in 1997. Mala is Board member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, President Emeritus of the Houston Northwest Bar Association, and prior board member of the South Asian Bar Association. She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association. This material is available for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. If you require advice or assistance, you may contact her at telephone number 281-893-8644 or by email at mala@sharmalaws.net to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
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at 713.789.6397 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
EDUCATION
August 17, 2018
17
Five Tips on How to Best Prepare for a New School Year them off and picking them up at the end of the day. See if you can also go inside the school to show your child where their classroom is. Make an Emergency Plan No parent wants to encounter an emergency, but sometimes they happen. As most parents know by now, not every day goes as planned. Find a couple of people you rely on that can pick up your children if you are unavailable. Notify the school of your emergency contacts so they are aware of who
HOUSTON: After months away
from school, it can be hard to transition back into the routine. Because this transition can be trying on a student, sometimes the transition needs to be made ahead of the first day. Best in Class Education Center, a leading supplemental education provider, is here to make the transition smooth with five tips that can help you get your students set up for a successful school year. Get Back on a Schedule With summertime comes late nights, pool parties, and vacations. Often times, summertime schedules are very different from the usual school week routine. To get kids back on track, it is important to introduce an earlier bedtime be-
fore school starts. A week before the first day of school, have your children go to bed at an earlier time and wake up at a set time. It can also help to create a meal routine before the start of school and eat at the same time you will be during the school week. Schedule a Checkup Make sure your kids are healthy before going back to school. Set up a time to visit your doctor before the start of school to do a yearly physical. This is also a great time to get vision and hearing tested. Most schools require up-to-date immunization records, so make sure your child has all of the necessary vaccines before the first day of school.
can pick up your children. Talk to your children about who the individuals are that have permission to pick them up from school so they are not alarmed or worried. Best in Class Education Centers offer math and English enrichment summer programs. For more information about Best in Class services for your child or about current franchising opportunities, visit www. bestinclasseducation.com or call toll free at 1-888-683-8108.
Also, get a copy of their immunization records to keep at home. Buy All School Supplies Ahead of Time Most schools will provide a list of school supplies that you will need to buy. Check this list ahead of time to see if any local stores are having sales or if there are any tax-free weekends coming up. Setting aside a day to buy and organize supplies ahead of time will help eliminate stress leading up to the first day of school. Visit the School Before the First Day Walk or drive the route to school with your children before the first day. Show them how to get to the bus or where you will be dropping
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
18 August 17, 2018 VS Naipaul: A Man Divided
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
Freedom and Prosperity Can Travel Together BY MJ AKBAR
O
H
istory ran through the life and work of VS Naipaul, one of the greatest writers of English, who died on Sunday. It is for that reason that his legacy will remain as deeply divided as the man himself. One might choose to memorialise the Naipaul of his early magical works, whose sentences turned the streets of Trinidad into a world of tragicomic possibility. Or, one might flinch from and rail at — and how can one not — the man who caricatured whole civilisations and cultures as “half-made” places, which could never achieve the perfection of the West. What one cannot do, however, is choose not to engage with his work. Born in 1932 in Trinidad, Naipaul’s grandparents were indentured labour swept into the Caribbean by the brute-wave of colonialism. It was the primal trauma that forever defined his relationship with his origins. “The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it,” he wrote. He strove to escape that fate of placelessness — and it is no coincidence that the theme of his greatest work, A House for Mr Biswas, is this search for a home. His brilliance and ambitions ensured him a passage to England, where he created a trailblazing literary career — with more than a little help from the women in his life. In that respect, he was the arch-male novelist from a feminist dystopia, whose work cannibalised the physical, intellectual and emotional labour of the women he professed to love. He not only dismissed women’s writing as insignificant and predictable, but his relations with women were characterised by disturbing violence. The line that divided Naipaul the man from the writer was blurry — he was the prime example of the self-loathing, colonised subject he wrote about with so much perspicacity. Similarly, the violence and misogyny of his life seeped into his works, forever tinging any literary reckoning of his work. And then, there was the irascible celebrity himself, whose list of blood feuds kept literary circles abuzz. As a writer on India, he offered the outsider’s bewildered, shocked perspective on the “million mutinies” that raged within. But his gaze was not of empathy. His description of “Ayodhya as a passion” was complicit in demonising an entire community. In the end, however, his work will continue to speak to the many cleavages in the life of the post-colonial people. -indianexpress.com
n 15 August 1947, at the stroke of the midnight hour, while half the world slept and the other half lay chained by colonialism, the epochal question before the Indian people switched. Till then, it was: “When shall we get freedom?” After 15 August it became: “What shall we do with freedom?” Mahatma Gandhi had answered the first question. When he launched his phase of our freedom struggle in 1919, a notable Indian sceptic famously scoffed: “What does this man in a dhoti think he is doing? The British empire will last 400 years.” Once Gandhi lit the long-dormant spark within Indians, the British were out in less than 30 years. India’s liberation signalled the end of Europe’s colonial project. Within another 30 years, colonial rule had vanished. But the question it left in its wake — “What shall we do with freedom?” — is still searching for answers across the world. The first part of the answer was easy. India had not won freedom from Britain in order to deny freedom to its own people. Democracy, equality and their attendant rights became the first and fundamental principles of India’s Constitution. It is often suggested, by apologists of Empire, that the British gave us democracy. Gandhi did not need anyone’s advice on the meaning of freedom. He believed in the people and their rights. His programme was anchored in mass action. He rejected both the class elitism of Lords and Ladies and the class conflicts of Karl Marx. The British did not give us democracy. What they gave us was the Westminster model, which is quite another story. There is no perfect polity. As political architecture, the Westminster model has much to commend it. Its racehorse simplicity (“first past the post”) finesses the fractures in proportional representation. Such fractures can easily become fissures under the pressure of power politics, with dangerous unintended consequences. But while Westminster offers confidence at the electoral base, it begins to wobble at its upper stories. The absence of fixed terms for Parliament, for instance,
For over five decades, India could not grow at the true potential of Indians.
makes any government vulnerable to destabilisation. A president of America, in contrast, can only be removed from office through a fixed-date election (barring impeachment). The people elect, the people reject. Other democracies have taken steps to protect the democratic edifice from structural flaws. France ended serial instability with President Charles de Gaulle’s reforms. Italy could not, and the consequences are the substance of daily news. Political stability in India has always required a prime minister who can command both the confidence of Parliament and the trust of the people. We witnessed this level of stability only for a decade after the first general election in 1952. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru retained the confidence of Parliament after the war with China in 1962, but trust in his government was shattered by traumatic defeat. Nehru had to resort to anxious measures like the Kamaraj Plan in October 1963 to allay the seismic tremors. But it was too late and never enough. Nehru and his friend, Egypt’s Gamal Nasser, suffered the same fate. Nasser’s popularity survived defeat in the 1976 war with Israel, but not his credibility. In the 1967 elections, Congress, now led by Indira Gandhi, lost all state governments from Punjab to Bengal, and survived in Delhi by a narrow margin. What was implicit became explicit. In 1969, her government lapsed into a minority when the Congress split. Mrs Gandhi veered steeply towards the left in her economic policies, in
order to woo Communist support to survive. Instability turned the 1960s into a decade of hunger, violence and skewered policy. Near famine conditions forced Mrs Gandhi to swallow her pro-left rhetoric and turn to America for wheat to stave off nationwide hunger, paying America in rupees that Washington did not know how to spend. Naxalite and communal violence spread across the country. The young felt helpless and hopeless. Worse, the nonCongress parties that took office in the states, proved, mostly, to be as jittery as the Congress. There was “collaborative instability”. The 1970s paid the economic price for the pseudo-leftism of the 1960s. Mrs Gandhi blamed democracy instead of herself and imposed a draconian Emergency, snatching their precious freedom away from Indians. There was economic chaos, spiked by growing corruption. The only bright spot was the courage and capacity of our armed forces, which protected India’s integrity in the 1965 war and decisively helped Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971. But all the glory of victory in 1971 could neither hide nor postpone a crisis that was turning endemic. For over five decades, India could not grow at the true potential of Indians. India’s economy became a victim of its politics. Chronic instability can turn government into a bazaar, trading at deep discount, filling fat cat pockets, and hiding failure with vote-bank rhetoric. The poor, inevitably, were the worst victims of this failure. -indianexpress.com
Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA OFFICE MANAGER: MANSI THAKKAR GRAPHICS: PIYAL SEN GUPTA WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: NEHA PATEL CORRESPONDENTS
INDIA: ASEEM KULKARNI ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-6397 email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: www.indoamerican-news.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
LIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI
19
August 17, 2018
The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 10
Gandhi Invites Untouchable Family to Ashram
The story thus far….
Gandhi permitted a lower caste family to reside at the ashram that he established at Ahmedabad. He met with much opposition. He also amazed and angered the British officers, upper-class Indians, and friends gathered at a foundation stone laying ceremony at Banaras University by speaking out against usage of the English language on the university premises that he deemed “sacred”. The annual meeting of the Congress was held in December 1916 in Lucknow. The Congress was divided as there were the moderates and there were the extremists, but at Lucknow the Congress met without tension between the two wings. The President, Ambika Charan Mazumdar, spoke in terms of Swaraj, which previous leaders had demanded. A resolution was passed appealing to His Majesty’s Government and demanding that a definite step should be taken towards Indian self-government by granting the reforms contained in a referendum prepared by the AllIndia Congress Committee and adopted by the All-India Muslim League. In Lucknow the Congress and the Muslim League came to an agreement. This was later known as the Lucknow Pact. For the sake of the unity of India the Congress conceded many points demanded by the Muslims. For two years Gandhi had traveled extensively in India and had talked at different places. He now wanted to start some work connected with labor. His interest first centered on the problem of indentured labor, the system under which poor, ignorant laborers were enticed away from India to work in the British colonies. He disapproved of this system in South Africa, fought it there, and he wanted to see it abolished. The Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, announced that His Majesty’s Government had agreed to abolish the system in due course. Gandhi, however, wanted a definite date before which the system would go. Gandhi started a great agitation on this issue. He went to Bombay and consulted all the Indian leaders there. They fixed May 31, 1917 as the last date for the abolition of indentured labor. He then went around the country to get support for this view. Meetings were held in important places. Everywhere there was a great response. Even Gandhi admitted that he had not expected so much public support. As a result of the agitation, the Government announced that the system of indentured labor would be stopped before July 31,1917. Then Gandhi had heard about an obnoxious system of agricultural labor prevailing in the Champaran district of Bihar, where
the cultivators were forced by Europeans to grow indigo, a blue dye. This imposed on them great discomfort. They could not grow the food they needed, nor did they receive adequate payment for the indigo. Gandhi was told of this by an agriculturist from Bihar, Rajkumar Shukla. He requested Gandhi to go to the place and see the state of affairs there. Gandhi was then attending the Congress meeting at Lucknow and he did not have time to go there. Rajkumar Shukla followed him about, begging him to come and help the hapless villagers in Champaran. Gandhi at last promised to visit the place after he had visitedCalcutta. Gandhi went to Champaran with Rajkumar in early 1917. On his arrival the District Magistrate served him with a notice saying that he was not to remain in the district of Champaran but must leave the place by the first available train. Gandhi disobeyed the order. He was summoned to appear before the court. The magistrate said that if Gandhi left immediately the charges would be dropped. “This cannot be,” said Gandhi. “I came here to render humanitarian and national service. I shall make Champaran my home and work for the suffering people,” added Gandhi. A large crowd of peasants gathered outside the court shouting slogans. The magistrate and the police looked nervous. Then Gandhi said, “I shall help you and calm these people if you let me speak to them.” Gandhi appeared before the crowd and said, “You must show your faith in me and in my work by remaining quiet. The magistrate had the right to arrest me, because I disobeyed his order. If I am sent to jail, you must accept that as just. We must work peacefully. Any violent act will harm our cause.” The crowd dispersed peacefully. The police stared at Gandhi in admiration as he went inside the court. Gandhi wrote about the incident later. “That day in Champaran was an unforgettable event in my life ..... It is no exaggeration, but the literal truth, to say that in this meeting with the peasants, I was face to face with
God, ahimsa and truth.” The Government withdrew the case against Gandhi and allowed him to remain in the district. Gandhi stayed and studied the grievances of the peasants. He visited many villages. He cross-examined about 8,000 cultivators and recorded their statements. In this way he arrived at an exact understanding of their plight and the causes. He came to the conclusion that the ignorance of the cultivators was one of the main reasons why the European planters could exploit them. Gandhi set up voluntary organizations to improve the economic and educational conditions of the people. They opened schools and taught the people how to improve sanitation. The Government recognized Gandhi’s strength and devotion to just causes. They themselves then set up a committee to enquire into the grievances of the cultivators. They invited Gandhi to serve on that committee, and he agreed. The result was that within a few months the Champaran Agrarian Bill was passed. It gave great relief to the cultivators and land tenants. Gandhi could not stay longer in Bihar. There were calls from other places. Labor unrest was brewing in Ahmedabad and Gandhi was requested to help settle the dispute. Gandhi hurried back to Ahmedabad. Before taking up the labor dispute Gandhi wanted to move his ashram. The Satyagraha Ashram was in a village near Ahmedabad, but the surrounding was not clean and plague had broken out. It had spread there from Ahmedabad. A rich merchant of Ahmedabad, wanted to buy alternative land for the ashram. Gandhi went about with him looking for land and they chose a place on the bank of the Sabarmati river, near the Sabarmati Central Jail. The land was purchased and the famous Sabarmati Ashram was established. In Ahmedabad there were many textile mills. Prices had gone up and the mill workers were demanding higher wages. The mill owners would not agree. Gandhi sympathized with the workers and took up their cause. He launched a struggle and resorted to peaceful resistance. The workers proudly followed Gandhi and pledged their full support to him. They paraded the streets with large banners, and said they would not go back to work until a settlement had been reached. -To be Continued next week
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CITY-WIDE CONTESTS
Poster
Coloring
iTribute
Speech
The contest are open to all children in the greater Houston Area. The winners of these contests will be recognized at the 1000 Lights for Peace, a celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, on Sunday, October 14, 2017. For more information and registration visit www.gandhilibrary.org
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
20 August 17, 2018 Muslims celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr
after religiously fasting for 30days during Ramzan with much fervour and excitement. The air of celebrations and festivities takes over the country again, as they prepare to celebrate - Eid-al-Adha or Eid-ul-Zuha, also popularly known as Bakrid or Bakra Eid. As per the Hijri calendar or the Islamic calendar, this festival is celebrated with much grandeur and excitement on the 10th or 12th month of Dhul Hijjah. The festival honours the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son upon the command of God. Significance and History of the Festival It is believed that God challenged Prophet Ibrahim, a friend of the
FESTIVAL
Happy Bakri Eid / Eid - Al - Adha
God and father of Prophets. He challenged the Prophet to prove his faith in God and asked him to sacrifice something dearest to him. Prophet Ibrahim decided to give away his 13 year-old son Ismail as a gratitude to God on his command. However, looking at this gesture, God intervened by sending his angel Jibra’il (Gabriel), who then put a sheep in his son’s place. From that day onwards, people commemorate this festival by sacrificing an animal, which is then divided into three parts. These three parts are then distributed - one part is given to the relatives, friends and neighbours; second part to the poor and needy; and the third kept with
themselves. Celebrations and Feast Eid-ul-Adha or Bakra Eid lasts for about three days. Muslims across the world celebrate it by sacrificing an animal and feast on it to celebrate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim towards God and God’s compassion towards him. Bakra Eid is celebrated with much
fervour amongst Muslims. People visit mosques and offer special prayers for peace and prosperity. After the prayers, sacrifices begin, which are then distributed among others. People meet and greet their loved ones, exchange gifts and feast together. Feast A festival cannot be complete
without delicious food; after all different delicacies are the essence of any occasion. Bakra Eid has some special feasts that make it even more exciting. Some of the delicacies that are prepared during this festival may include Mutton Biryani, Bhuni Kaleji, Mutton Korma, Mutton Keema, Chapli Kebab, Ghosht Haleem and Kheer. -ndtv.com
Festival Recipe: Mutton Biryani
A hearty mutton biryani that will
amaze your guests! Layers of mutton and saffron-milk infused rice cooked ‘dum’ style. Ingredients of Mutton Biryani For the rice: • 1 Star anise • 500 Gram Basmati rice, blanched • 2 Bay leaves • 2 Black cardamom • 2 tsp Black cumin seeds • 6 Black peppercorn • 6 Green cardamom • 2 Cinnamon sticks • 6 Cloves • 1 tsp Fennel • 1/4 Jaiphal • 1 Javitri • 3 tsp Salt
For mutton marination: • 1 Kg Mutton (cut in 2 inches pieces, preferably front leg part and avoid shoulder cut) • 1 Tbsp Garam masala • 1 Tbsp Garlic paste • 1 Tbsp Ginger paste
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
• 3 Tbsp Raw papaya paste • 4 Tbsp Hung curd • 1 Lemon (juiced) • Coriander powder • Cumin powder CONTINUED ON PAGE 21
FESTIVAL - RECIPE Recipe: Mutton Biryani
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 • 1 Tbsp Red chilli powder • 1 tsp Salt Other ingredients: • 4 Onions, sliced • 2 Tomatoes, chopped • 1/4 Cup Milk (warm) • Ghee • Saffron strands • Oil • Rose water • Kewra essence • 4 green chillies
August 17, 2018
2. Add 2tbsp ghee to the pan. Melt the ghee on low heat. Turn and rotate the pan carefully so the ghee can coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Switch off the heat. 3. Add a layer of cooked rice, then cooked meat pieces, sprinkle saffron water, add fried onion slices and ghee. 4. Again add a layer of rice, then meat...go on
like this till you are done. Top and bottom layer will be of rice. 5. Cover with chopped pudina and coriander, fried onion and slit green chillies and juice of half a lemon. 6. Put the lid on. Seal the pan with flour dough or aluminium foil, then put the lid. Keep the heat to lowest. And cook the Biryani in this ‘Dum’
21
process for 40 minutes. 7. Make sure your pan is heavy-bottomed or the rice will burn. Or you can place a flat tawa then keep the pan on that tawa. 8. After 40 minutes switch off the heat and let the biryani stand for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl. 9. Serve with raita and salad. -food.ndtv.com
Marinating the mutton: 1. To the mutton add the beaten curd, gingergarlic paste, raw papaya paste, chilli powder, salt, lemon juice, garam masala. 2. Allow the mutton to marinate for 3 hours. Preparing fried onions or Barista: 1. Slice 2 onions very thinly. Separate the slices. 2. In a pan or kadai add oil and fry the onion slices till nicely brown. 3. Take care not to burn them. Fry in small batches. Do not put all the slices at a time, that will lead to lumpy messy onions. 4. Make sure all the onion slices frying are dipped in oil, if needed add more oil. Keep stirring continuously but gently for an even brown color. 5. Take the fried onions out with a slotted spoon or ladle. 6. Keep them on a paper-towel lined plate. This crispy brown fried onion slices are called Barista. Cooking the mutton: 1. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. 2. Add remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook, stirring continuously, till onions are light golden brown. 3. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and mix well. 4. Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat for seven to eight minutes. 5. Add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix thoroughly. 6. Stir in three cups of water, bring it to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till mutton is almost cooked. 7. Add tomatoes, salt, garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves. 8. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. The ghee would be separated from the spices and there should not be any watery gravy to the meat. Preparing the rice: 1. Use only good quality long grain Basmati rice. Soak the rice for 20 minutes in water. Wash well till the water runs clear. Drain all the water. 2. In a small piece of cloth take cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, javitri, jaiphal, black peppercorn, shahi jeera, star anise and tie a knot to make a bag (potli). 3. Bring 750 ml water to boil, add rice, bay leaf, salt and potli, cover and cook till rice is done 1/3rd. 4. Drain the water & remove the whole masala potli. Preparing the saffron-milk: 1. Take 1/4th cup warm milk in a cup and dissolve saffron strands in the milk. 2. Cover and wait for 20 minutes. Add rose water and kewra essence in the milk. Mix well and cover. Keep aside. Layering the biryani: 1. Take a large heavy bottom pan with tight fitting lid.
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PUZZLES / RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Here is another simple Punjabi recipe that that comes in handy when suddenly lots of people pop in or you are in a bind for time. It is quite tasty and goes well with hot roti. So, by popular demand for those looking for an easy recipe, below is a reprint of Mama’s Torde Ande di Turri recipe, with some additional comments and directions.
Torde Ande di Turri
(Cracked Egg Curry)
A
nde (eggs) are very popular all over India, but especially so in the north during winter time. It is common to find cart vendors selling quick, hot boiled eggs, peeled and sliced if you want, with spices, to warm people up. During warm months, these vendors sell eggs any style for those who have to eat quickly. Eggs are also very popular at home, especially for the nashta (breakfast) which usually comes an hour or two after morning chai (tea), and the most popular way is an omelet with onions eaten with a crispy, hot parantha! Eggs are, of course, popular all around the world. In India, which is a predominantly vegetarian country, some vegetarians do eat eggs (mostly on doctor’s orders) to supplement their protein intake. Egg production has grown tremendously through large scale hen raising methods in huge chicken farms. So more and larger eggs are now sold on the streets in cardboard crates, even though they are not usually refrigerated and you can’t always trust the vendor who says “Bus, doh din purane hain” (Oh, they’re only two days old). But the real reason, I think, is that eggs (as with most vegetables too) sold in India just taste better! Here is a quick, easy recipe to make for those unannounced guests or for when you don’t have anything else in the fridge and everyone is inpatient and hungry. It goes well with rice or roti. Ingredients: • 4 large ande (eggs) • 1 large pyaaz (onion) • 1 medium tamater (tomato) – soft ones are best • Spices: namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), haldi (turmeric) and sukha dhania powder (dried coriander seed powder) • 1 medium clump of adrak (ginger root) • 1 medium kernel of lasan (garlic) • 3 cups of water • 2 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil • Tomato paste to taste
Directions: 1. Chop the ginger, onions and garlic and brown them in the oil in a saucepan . 2. Chop the tomato in chunks and add to the mixture and stir till the masala is soft and thick. Add the spices to your taste – if you have others you wish to use, add them too. Add half a tablespoon of tomato paste, to enhance the taste, texture and color. 3. Now add the water and let the gravy thicken up a bit and bring to a rapid boil. 4. Crack the eggs open over the gravy and drop them in and throw away the shells. Be careful no pieces of the shell fall in! It is best to drop the eggs in open gravy and not on top of each other. Wait till each egg sets a little before dropping the next one in. 5. Let the curry boil for 10 minutes
and set for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavor to seep through the egg yolk. 6. Serve with hot roti or rice. 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
FOR WELL-COO
WEEK
KED AND TASTY DISHES, LEARN TO CONTROL TH E H E AT How often have
I look paranthas quickly ov ed on as someone cooks a dish or m akes roti or er heat down”?! They high heat and had to admonish them to “turn the ’ll argue with me th at they’re trying to “not to worry, it’ll cook be fi enough time to sim ne”. Often the result is that the dish do fast and mer and soak in th esn’t have efl has dark brown ov erheated spots on th avor or the roti or parantha em. For a better tasting dish – and better lo oking roti or parant turn the heat down ha to medium or even medium low once th – always to heat the utensil is e initial time over. Then there is enough residual he rest of the way throug at to cook the h won’t have the dark at an even temperature and the roti and paranthas spots. You’ll also ha stirring or turning ve less stress of co the food! ntinuously
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Vishwaroopam 2: The Kamal Haasan and Andrea Jeremiah Film is an Incoherent Mess
he derring-do doings of RAW agent Major Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri aka Vis were mostly entertaining in a comic-book way in Vishwaroopam part one. Part 2, sadly, is an incoherent mess. It opens with a battered, stitched-up Vis (Kamal) being transported in an airplane with two familiar lovelies Nirupama (Kumar) and Ashmita (Jeremiah) on either side. The former is his wife; the latter is a clear case of wishful thinking, always coming on heavily flirtatious, making you wonder just what this threesome is up to. The plot is choppy, carelessly hopping continents (India, US, Afghanistan) and time zones. When the characters—spooks and traitors, forgetful mothers and sentimental sons, and pretty women making up to the great spymaster— are not killing each other, either via handto-hand combat, knives and guns, they are busy flitting about in all manner of transport, and deploying weapons. Helicopters are whirring away, missiles are being launched, grenades are being flung, and Vis,
armed and dangerous, is on top of everything, saving India’s capital from being bombed out of existence. The best spy thrillers give us plenty of high-octane action, colourful characters who blur the linebetween heroes and villains, and athleticmale and female leads equally capable of kicking serious butt. No such luck with Vis and gang, most of whom are back, reprising their roles. Jeremiah is made to high-step archly around hotel rooms, looking for bugs (in one of the several unintentionally hilari-
ous scenes which feature her) and has only one sequence in which she shows off her martial skills; Kumar, who is described several times as a ‘nuclear oncologist’, is all coy and coquettish. Also read | Vishwaroopam 2 box office
collection prediction None of the others fare much better. Shekhar Kapur and Anant Mahadevan, both playing senior backroom boys who give orders to the guys in the field, add to the hilarity quotient. Rahul Bose re-appears as the man
from Al Qaeda, who gets to scowl and throw about such dialogue as ‘yahaan gadaaron ko takht nahin taaboot diya jaata hai’. Jaideep Ahlawat, as the guy with the hand on the trigger, is here too: all these parts are sloppy. About the only one who has a few good moments is Waheeda Rahman as an elderly woman struggling with Alzheimer’s disease: her grace is immense, and lights up her scenes. That leaves Kamal Haasan, who has co-written, directed and produced the film, as the patriotic RAW agent, to do all the heavy lifting. In the first edition, the veteran staractor led from the front: here the ‘dirty soldier turned bloody espionage agent’ is all thundery lines like ‘main mazhab nahin mulk ke liye khoon bahaata hoon’. But even he can’t rise above the shockingly inept script, which he rescues only in a few places, when his trademark intelligent, wry self-awareness manages to kick in. The rest can be safely ignored. -indianexpress.com
Akshay Kumar Celebrates 70 Years of Free India’s First Gold Medal with a Special Video Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film
Gold is a fictionalised version of the Indian hockey team’s historic win at 1948 Olympics. Now, paying a tribute to the first gold medal ever won by the country, Akshay shared a video on his Twitter account celebrating 70 years of the iconic moment. He wrote, “Celebrate 70 years of free India’s first Gold by knowing how it feels by the history makers themselves.” The video features legendary sports personalities, from the likes of Kapil Dev to Abhinav Bindra, Sunil Chhetri to Sachin Tendulkar; everyone makes an appearance. In the video, they are seen talking about the overwhelming emotion they felt when they won a gold for representing their country. The makers of Akshay’s film have made sure to celebrate the occasion
in an elaborate fashion. On Saturday, the makers shared a small note in which they mentioned some spots at various cities of the nation where people will unite to educate the audience about the historic event of the 1948 Olympics. Gold, directed by Reema Kagti, traces the journey of Tapan Das (played by Akshay) an assistant manager, who
tially unaware about the story of Gold but was bowled over when Kagti narrated the film. Since the release of the trailer, Gold has been compared to Shah Rukh Khan’s Chak De! Commenting on the same, Akshay in an interview to PTI said, “Everything will be a competition. For me, it is all about doing a good film. Chak De… was a different story, Gold is different. It is frivolous to even think like that or compete with that film. Don’t compare it, it is all different.” Also starring Mouni Roy, Kunal Kapoor, Vineet Kumar Singh, Amit Sadh and Sunny Kaushal, Gold releases on August 15. dreams to get a gold medal for his country. The actor said he was ini-
-indianexpress.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
23
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Ranvir Shorey Aug 18, 1972
Randeep Hooda Aug 20, 1976
Bhumika Chawla Aug 21, 1978
Malaika Arora Aug 23, 1973
KK Aug 23, 1970
Gauhar Khan Aug 23, 1983
Vaani Kapoor Aug 23, 1988
24 August 17, 2018 to bat at his usual station - he had to serve 37 minutes for not taking the field in the morning. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara struggled for more than 12 overs before Broad got on a roll. After threatening Rahane’s edge regularly with movement against the slope off length balls, he ended an over with a full and wide sucker ball, drawing the edge. Pujara fought on for 87 balls, but he got a lovely inswinger - late movement its feature - to be bowled once again after getting in in tough conditions. Since making his debut, no Indian batsman has been bowled as many times as he has. Kohli struggled with the back, took painkillers, but kept batting James Anderson was in menacing form, England v India, 2nd Test, out of his crease and lunging forLord’s, 4th day, August 12, 2018. ward. Curran tried to counter it by Once again there was no respite from but his wicket brought an end to the getting the keeper up, while Broad the four-pronged England seam at- innings. Immediately, Anderson got got a short leg in. Broad’s method tack, with Stuart Broad joining the down to the business of scything worked and he followed it with party with one of his spells from through India’s batting. These were another lethal inswinger to remove hell: 7-4-7-4 leading to tea, including tough batting conditions, but Eng- Dinesh Karthik. With the second of the wicket of Kohli as the final nail. land had a better bowling attack for his wickets, Broad entered the top 10 James Anderson was already there, the conditions, they selected a better wicket-takers of all time. He couldn’t eventually add to his seven five-fors securing his 100th wicket at Lord’s, XI and they won the crucial toss. M Vijay secured a pair with an in a single spell, though. 550 in all, and ending up with a nineMohammed Shami beforeWoakes inside edge, and KL Rahul fell to one for for the match. Given England’s choke hold on that seamed back in. India’s openers made sure India didn’t go past his inIndian batsmen and the weather fore- now average below 13 in overseas dividual score of 137. -espncricinfo.com cast, it was a surprise they even batted Tests this year. The openers didn’t last on. Sam Curran added quick runs, long enough for Kohli to be allowed
Broad, Anderson and Woakes Batter India BY SIDHARTH MONGA
England 396 for 7 decl (Woakes 137*, Bairstow 93, Pandya 3-66, Shami 3-96) beat India 107 (Ashwin 29, Anderson 5-20) and 130 (Ashwin 33*, Anderson 4-23, Broad 4-44) by an innings and 159 runs England completed their total and utter domination of India in the Lord’s Test with a win in just 170.3 overs making it the third-shortest Test in the country over the last 100 years. On officially the fourth day of the Test, with the threat of weather around, England added 39 to their overnight lead of 250 before bowling India out for 130, their seventh score under 200 in their last eight innings in England. As had been the case throughout the Test, the weather was with the hosts: overcast enough to aid swing but not wet enough to save India. Injury was added to insult, quite literally, with Virat Kohli struggling with a back issue and R Ashwin and Hardik Pandya taking nasty blows on their fingers. Kohli didn’t take the field on the day, and batted with apparent discomfort. Once again,Ashwin was India’s top scorer.
Mathews, Akila Dananjaya Hand South Africa a Drubbing
A dominant all-round performance
from Sri Lanka took them to a second consolation win in the series against a South African side whose depth proved shallower than comfortable. Angelo Mathews’ run-a-ball 97 propelled Sri Lanka to 299 on a slow surface before Akila Dananjaya’s career-best figures of 6 for 29 had South Africa’s line-up in a spin, again. They were dismissed inside 25 overs for their lowest total in, and against, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s innings had its foundation rooted in four fifty partnerships and its fireworks in the last ten overs. Mathews, with help from Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka, ensured Sri Lanka plundered 93 runs between overs 40 and 50 to ask South Africa to pull off the highest successful chase at the Premadasa Stadium and they did not even get close. Quinton de Kock’s second half-century of the series saved some blushes but no other batsman made more than 20.
reflected in their inconsistency. Rabada and Dala started with five boundary-free overs to put early pressure on the hosts. As though to make up for lost opportunity, Niroshan Dickwella took three fours off Dala’s third over as he lost his lengths. Dala did have something to celebrate in his second ODI. He claimed his maiden wicket in the format when he held his length back and Upul Tharanga edged to de Kock. The short ball also brought Mulder a wicket, when Kusal Perera slashed at one and sent a catch to cover. The 3-2 series scoreline will suggest it was a tight contest. It wasn’t. Hashim Amla walked back for a duck, Sri Lanka v South Africa, Only The result of this match is a more T20I, Colombo, August 14, 2018 accurate reflection of the tour as a At the other end, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, brought into the XI whole. It was one-sided but for the bowling effort was an unusual mix of in place of the leading wicket-taker fourth ODI and only showed both attack and leak with Keshav Maharaj in the series Lungi Ngidi, was the sides there is plenty to be done before their standout performer. Maharaj put best of the quicks while Junior Dala, the 2019 World Cup. in the most economical performance Wiaan Mulder and Andile Phehlukof his short ODI career as he found wayo shared five wickets between -espncricinfo.com turn and proved difficult to get away. them. Their inexperience, however,
SPORTS
India’s bridge team at Asian Games: IITians, industrialist, art collector
Kiran Nadar (seated) and her partner at the Asian Games, B Satyanarayan (standing, second from left), with other members of the Indian team that won gold at the Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championships in Gold Coast, Brisbane, in February.
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he Managing Director of a steel company, a chartered accountant, a maths teacher, top industrialists, Railways employees, IITians and the country’s foremost art collector who is on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Together, they form an eclectic pack set to represent India at the Asian Games starting August 18 in Indonesia, where the card game will make its debut. Raju Tolani hasn’t taken his family on a “proper holiday” since the time he can remember. Being the MD of the India arm of Switzerland-based steel company Schmolz + Bickenbach, Tolani says he works seven days a week. At the Asian Games, the IIT-(BHU) Varanasi graduate will partner with Ajay Khare, an IITBombay alumni. Since the early 1990s, Kiran Nadar and Bachiraju Satyanarayana, an IITDelhi alumni, have been bridge partners. Kiran, the wife of HCLTechnologies founder-billionaire Shiv Nadar, is a well-known art collector who has spend a small fortune to acquire 5,000 paintings and installations which are on display for public viewing at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. At the Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championships held in February at Gold Coast, Australia, she and Satyanarayana were members of the Indian team that won gold. Another member of the Asiad team is Hema Deora, wife of the late Union minister and MP Murli Deora. Hema, a bridge aficionado writes newspaper and magazine columns on the game. The team also includes the husbandwife pair, industrialists Rajeev and Himani Khandelwal. -indianexpress.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 17, 2018
Rupee Crashes to All-time Low of 70.08 Against US Dollar The rupee hit the 70-per dollar
mark for the first time, tumbling to a record low, as a Turkey-led rout in emerging-market currencies intensified losses. The rupee slipped as much as 0.2 percent to 70.08 per dollar in Mumbai and is down almost 9 percent this year in Asia’s worst performance. The rupee has been among the hardest hit in Asia from the recent Turkey-led sell-off in emerging assets, thanks to a wide current-account deficit that’s already strained by higher oil prices. A weaker rupee could complicate the Reserve Bank of India’s job of keeping inflation in check. Markets LIVE Updates: Sensex rebounds after Rupee crash The RBI’s monetary policy committee led by Governor Urjit Patel has increased interest rates twice since June to curb price pressures, while
Rupee breached the 70 mark for the first time in history. It has fallen 10 per cent in 2018.
also using foreign reserves to check currency volatility. The central bank doesn’t target the exchange rate and attributes any rate moves to its goal of containing rising prices. “Broader emerging-market currency movement, dollar strength,
and the trend in crude oil prices will drive the outlook for the rupee in the immediate term,” Aditi Nayar, principal economist at ICRA Ltd. in Gurugram, near New Delhi, wrote in a note Monday. “The RBI is likely to assess the trend in the rupee vis-
a-vis the EM currency pack. If all EM currencies are depreciating, the rupee must weaken to protect export competitiveness.” On Monday, the rupee had plunged by Rs 1.08, or 1.57 per cent, to a record low of 69.91 against the US currency. In a ray of hope for domestic economy, latest data showed that retail inflation fell to 9-month low of 4.17 per cent in July on declining vegetable prices which may prompt the Reserve Bank to pause interest rate hike in its next monetary policy review. In the last two reviews, the RBI had raised the key repo rate by 0.25 per cent each on inflationary concerns. The next bi-monthly policy is to be unveiled on October 5. -indianexpress.com
Amazon Invests Another Rs 2,700 Crore in India Business
BENGALURU: Amazon,
the world’s largest online retailer, has invested an additional Rs. 2,700 crore ($386 million) in its Indian unit, bringing its total investment in India to roughly $4 billion in the five years that it has operated in the country, even as it continues to battle local rival and market leader Flipkart. Amazon, which has committed to invest at least $5 billion in India and also separately allocated an additional $500 million to build out its food retail business in India, simultaneously pumped in about Rs.100 crore ($14 million) into the business (Amazon Retail India Pvt. Ltd). Amazon Seller Services, the marketplace arm of Amazon India, received the funds earlier this month, according to regulatory documents filed with the Registrar of Companies that were sourced from Paper. VC. So far, Amazon has been spending all its cash on building massive warehouses, a large logistics unit, marketing, discounts and increasing product assortment. In June 2016, Amazon had said it
would invest an additional $3 billion in India after the company exhausted its earlier investment pledge of $2 billion made in 2014. Amazon is currently the No. 2 player in India’s online retail market. The latest investment from Amazon does not come as a surprise, given that the online retailer is going all-out in its attempts to overtake Flipkart, which has stubbornly held on to its lead under chief executive officer Kalyan Krishnamurthy. Both Amazon and Flipkart are expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars towards expansion over
the next few years. For both companies, sales growth is a much bigger priority than cutting losses and analysts say that they are nowhere near profitability. On 22 May, Mint reported that Flipkart is likely to burn through as much as $2 billion in cash over the next 18 months, with growth being a clear priority for India’s largest online retailer after its $16-billion takeover by Walmart in May. Flipkart, which owns fashion retailers Myntra and Jabong and the mobile payment app PhonePe, currently has a burn rate of $70-80 million per month. Since it started out in 2007, and prior to its takeover by Walmart, Flipkart has raised over $6 billion in funds from a wide range of the world’s biggest investors such as Tiger Global Management and Japan’s SoftBank. In recent interviews with Mint,
Amazon India chief Amit Agarwal has repeatedly indicated that the online retailer will spare no expense and invest as much as necessary to conquer India. For Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, India is the company’s most important international market and winning the market share battle in India is its topmost priority, after Amazon lost out to Alibaba in China. That commitment towards investing in India clearly shows in its regulatory filings over the past few years. Amazon’s authorized capital was just Rs.1,500 crore in July 2014, when Bezos made the $2-billion commitment. Amazon’s authorized capital currently is well over 10 times that amount. For Amazon, it will have to keep up its aggressive pace of investments in India in the near term, given that it is now up against Walmart, which boasts of equally deep pockets and views Flipkart as a long-term investment. -livemint.com
25
Industrial output expands 7% in June
Industrial output recorded a growth
of 7 per cent in June on account of higher output in mining, manufacturing, power generation segments and a low base growth, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Friday. Industrial output, measured by Index of Industrial Production (IIP), contracted by 0.3 per cent in June 2017. The cumulative growth for April-June 2018 stands at 5.2 per cent over the year-ago period when it was 1.9 per cent, the data showed. The manufacturing sector, which constitutes 77.63 per cent of the index, grew by 6.9 per cent in June, against 0.7 per cent decline in the year-ago month. Analysts said the growth rate is higher than expectations but it does not indicate a broadbased recovery. Power generation segment grew 8.5 per cent in June against 2.1 per cent growth a year ago. “June 2018 IIP growth was much higher than consensus estimates. All sectors contributed to industrial recovery. While mining and manufacturing growth was more in line with the growth observed in core infrastructure industries, June 2018, IIP electricity growth at 8.5 per cent was more than twice of electricity sector growth as per core industries data (4 per cent). Strong growth was supported by base effect, in run-up to GST rollout, IIP manufacturing growth contracted by 0.7 per cent in June 2017 and overall IIP growth contracted by 0.3 per cent,” said DK Pant, Chief Economist, India Ratings. Consumer durables growth at 13.1 per cent was a 32-month high and was supported by 3.5 per cent contraction in consumer durable output in June 2017. -indianexpress.com
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