Friday, September 21, 2018 • Vol. 37, No. 37
Indo American News READ US ONLINE at www.indoamerican-news.com | Published weekly from Houston, Texas. USA 7457 Harwin Dr, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 • PH: 713 789 6397 • Fax: 713 789 6399 • indoamericannews@yahoo.com
Like Indo-American News on Facebook
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Wrap-2 September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Friday, September 21, 2018 | Vol. 37, No. 37
$1
Indo American erican News
www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX
7457 Harwin Dr, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 713.789.NEWS (6397) • Fax: 713.789.6399 indoamericannews@yahoo.com
Partnered & Syndicated with Times of India, Sulekha.com, Google, Yahoo & Bing
Rahman Mesmerizes Houston P5
Rajender Singh with AR Rahman
IACCGH Distinguished Lecture Series
P3
First Jaipur Literary Festival in Houston
MITRA / CAMDEN TRAVEL Consolidators for Turkish Airlines and Asiana Airlines
We have completed 25 successful years 12808 W Airport Blvd Suite 252 Sugar Land, TX 77478
We have special low fares on Emirates
P4
Dr. Renu Khator
Solve Word Search and Win Free Tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival
WHOLESALER FOR S MAJOR AIR CARRIER • Emirates • Gulf Airways • Kingfisher • Singapore Airlines • Jet Airways • Sahara Airlines • Indian Airlines • Eva Airlines • Asiana Airlines • Qatar Airways • PIA • Air India • Royal Jordanian • China Airlines
P8
281-530-3000, 1-888-811-LESS Emergency Contact 281-236-9475 Please call us to get these special fares
WHOLESALE CONSOLIDATOR OF QATAR & EMIRATES AIRLINES Call us for competitive and confirmed seats on all major cities in Texas to any city in India.Call us for Summer and December seats now
Last minute fares to Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore,
Calcutta and many more...
For Summer and December fares please call us now. www.faregurus.com/ camdentravel@aol.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
2
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
3
First Jaipur Literary Festival in Houston: Leading Authors Share Narratives BY PRAMOD KULKARNI
HOUSTON: Writing and read-
ing are solitary activities. When authors and readers are coaxed out of their cocoons, their interactions can be exhilarating for both. One of the grandest venue for author-reader interactions is the Jaipur Literary Festival (JLF). JLF was launched in 2006 by literary stalwarts Sanjoy Roy, Namita Gokhale and William Darlymple. The inaugural evens drew about 100 people, “some of whom appeared to be tourists, who might have been lost,” according to Darlymple. Since that modest beginning, JLF has become the place to see and to be seen by auhors and celebrities alike. In 2018, the Jaipur festival in January encompassed 300 venues and up to 300,000 attendees with free access. The Jaipur festival attracts leading Indian authors such as Chetan Bhagat and Shashi Tharoor, literary icons such as Urdu lyricist Javed Akhtar and international celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey. JLF has also attracted corporate investment through Zee and is staged by Teamwork Arts. The JLF brand has also been exported outside India, most recently in the British Library in London, New York, Adelaide and in Boulder, Colorado. It was in Boulder that Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray
Entrance to Asia Society Texas was festooned with colorful banners and arches, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Jaipur. Photo: Chris Dunn
Celebrated author and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor (left) with author and JLF Principal Namita Gokhale. Photo: Kaitlyn Ellison.
Other notable authors on stage at JLF Houston included Ambassador Navtej Sarna (left), Houston’s Chitra Divakaruni and Sonal Mansingh. Photo: Chris Dunn.
invited JLF to come to Houston. The JLF Houston took place on September 13-14 at the Asia Society Center Texas. In addition
to the Asia Society and Consul General’s office, JLF Houston received support from the Houston Arts Alliance and Inprint, Hous-
ton’s premier literary arts nonprofit organization. While the attendees had to purchase tickets for JLF Houston, the event could not have been possible without sponsorships of the sessions by individual patrons such as Sushila Agarwal, Marie Goradia, Shazma Matin, and Shashank and Medha Karve Between the sessions, the attendees had the opportunity to buy books onsite from Brazos Bookstore and have them signed by the authors and even take selfies. Recognized authors who participated in JLF Houston included visitors from India such as Shashi Tharoor, Classical dancer Sonal Mansingh, Shobha Rao, and Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna. Joining them on stage were Indo-American authors, including Houston’s own Chitra Divakaruni, Milan Vaishnav, Rajesh Parameshwaran and Australian Sharad Paul, JLF Houston also provided a platform for American authors such as Mimi Swartz, Roberto Tejada, and Kathy Reichs. Nigerian author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma and Pakistani-origin Anis Shivani were also featured in the interactive sessions. On the inaugural Friday evening, Shashi Tharoor shared the stage with Namita Gokhale. One of the topics of discussion related to his latest book: Why I
am a Hindu. In light of the Hindutva movement since the election of the Modi government, Tharoor said he wanted to highlight the tolerant aspects of Hinduism. In fact, quoting Swami Vivekananda, Tharoor said Hinduism favors acceptance over tolerance. “Tolerance means you believe you practice a superior religion, but tolerate other religions. Acceptance means you accept others practicing their religion as much as you accept your own,” Tharoor explained. On Saturday, Houston-based author Chitra Divakaruni explained her interpretation of India’s epics from the viewpoint of its female characters. Her recent book, Palace of Illusions, is an interpretation of the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s viewpoint. Chitra is now finishing her book. The Enchanted Forest, seeing the epic Ramayana from the viewpoint of Sita. Also of audience interest was the lively political interaction between Tharoor and author Milan Vaishnav on the topic of The Dance of Democracy, moderated by TSU Professor and NPR political commentator/analyst, Jai Aiyer. Much to the delight of the “sold out” Houston audience, JLF Producer Sanjoy Roy has promised that JLF will return to Houston in 2019, and thereafter, on an annual basis.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
4
September 21, 2018
A Decade of Transformation BY NAKUL GOENKA
HOUSTON:
IACCGH was privileged to host the first community luncheon for Dr. Renu Khator when she was invited by the University of Houston to lead the institution and was proud to host a Reception and dinner in her honor on September 12, as part of the Shell sponsored IACCGH Distinguished Lecture Series. In 2008, Dr. Renu Khator became the first Indian immigrant to head a comprehensive public research university and the first female chancellor of a Texas higher education system. To many, including some of the Board members at the University of Houston (“UH”), achieving Tier One status seemed like a far-fetched dream, but under Dr. Khator’s vision and leadership, UH was elevated to Tier One status within three years in 2011 and the designation was reconfirmed in 2016. IACCGH invited Dr. Khator as Keynote Speaker to share her insights on leadership and achieving the impossible. Honorable Dr. Anupam Ray was the Chief Guest. In his remarks, Dr. Ray applauded Dr. Khator for being an exemplary public figure and congratulated her for her numerous years of dedicated service. Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mr. Welcome Wilson Senior intro-
duced Dr. Khator. IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed the Chief Guest, India’s Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, Dr. Suresh Khator and several Deans and University leaders who joined students, community and business leaders at the sold-out event. IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan in his welcome spoke about the impeccable leadership and service provided by Dr. Khator to place Houston on the global map. Dr. Anupam Ray, on behalf of IACCGH, presented Dr. Khator with what she referred to as the largest trophy she has ever received. Dr. Khator started her presentation by providing some facts about UH’s achievements over the last ten years which include: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Research spend increased from $76m in 2007 to $169m in 2017 License revenues increased from $1.2m in 2007 to $33m in 2017 $1.3b spent in expanding UH facilities in and around Houston 2 programs in the US top ten ranking in 2007 to 20+ programs in top ten rankings in 2017
Dr. Khator then shared her wis-
COMMUNITY
dom on organizational transformation and summarized it in three points listed below. •
•
•
Dare to dream. You MUST have a dream and the confidence that there are better things for you ahead. Build your village. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Take ownership. Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt. No matter what you do, you have to take ownership.
Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General of India
Photos: Bijay Dixit
Dr. Khator also talked about her vision and immediate plans for UH and shared the following: 1.
2. 3.
UH Medical school coming in 2019. Fees for first year of the school already paid by an anonymous donor. Revitalize and uplift neighborhood communities and schools. Understand Gen X and establish relevant delivery models for higher education.
The audience provided a standing ovation to Dr. Khator after her presentation. After watching and listening to Dr. Khator, it is clear why and how UH has enjoyed so
much success in the last decade and will continue to do under her leadership. The next Distinguished lecture
is on October 18 and features HEB’s Scott McLelland. Visit www.iaccgh for details and to register.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
5
Sensational Performance by World Music Icon AR Rahman!
BY VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA
SUGAR LAND: Music has the
power to uplift people emotionally. World without music will be a much quieter place and it is indeed difficult to imagine life without music. As quoted by international musical and cultural icon Bob Marley, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”, holds so true especially when it comes to music by renowned artists like A. R. Rahman. Similar experience was felt when the legendary A. R. Rahman performed at a recent concert. Rajender Singh of Star Promotion organized yet another triumphant show - A. R. Rahman Live in Concert on Saturday, September 15 at the Smart Financial Center in Sugar Land. Rajender Singh is acclaimed for engaging Houstonians for decades but this year he had an enticing assortment of events to offer by personalities like Maestro Ilayaraaja, Stand Up comedian Atul Khatri, Shaan, and now the most preeminent artist and Legend, A. R. Rahman. Rajender Singh joined hands with 27th Investment, Glitzz Entertainment and Anand Entertainment to whip up the show in shape. At the conclusive event of the 10-city tour, Rahman held the completely packed Smart Financial Center spellbound with his enthralling performance. The legendary musician was accompanied by eminent artists including Udit Narayan, Mano, Ranjit Barot, Linda Lind, Neeti Mohan, Javed Ali, Jonita Gandhi, Haricharan and many others.
Organizers & Sponsors with AR Rahman & Rajender Singh in the center.
Nicknamed as ‘Mozart of Madras’, and winner of numerous awards, A. R. Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician, multiinstrumentalist and philanthropist. He was born in Madras (now Chennai, India) and is the son of Late R. K. Shekhar, a film-score composer and conductor for Tamil and Malayalam films. At a very young age, due to his keen interest in music, he assisted his father in his studio and his musical journey
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
R. SRINIVASAN AND COMPANY
15 Years of Solid and Trusted Experience Book Keeping & Tax Services Income Statements & Balance Sheets Filing of all individual Business Returns 1040, 1120, 1120S, 1065 Free Consultation
Photos: Dr. Nik Nikam & ROY Photography
began thereon. What made him the world’s most distinguished musicians is his skill of seamlessly blending Indian classical music with electronic
music, world music and traditional orchestral arrangements, thus integrating the best of the East and the West. Rahman’s keenness in music emanates from his inclina-
tion towards experimentation. He is multi-skilled in Carnatic, Western Classical and Hindustani music besides the Qawwali style of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Even more interesting is his calibre in which he beautifully amalgamates the various styles through his compositions. A. R. Rahman has not only earned accolades in the South Indian Film Industry and Bollywood, but is also a notable artist in International cinema and theatre and without doubt the world’s top selling artists and the highest paid composers of the motion picture industry. Rahman’s notable scores throughout his career spanning over two decades contributed towards the success of several films. Some of his outstanding contributions to the Hindi film industry include his compositions in Rangeela, Bombay, Guru, Taal, Dil Se and Lagaan. A.R. Rahman has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 2010 by the Government of India. He has secured in his kitty, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, four Na-
tional Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards and thirteen Filmfare Awards South, in addition to nu-
BOOK KEEPING | PAYROLL | INCOME TAX Incorporations: C and S Corporations, LLC’s Sales Tax and Franchise Tax Returns Income Tax and Sales Tax Representation Payroll and Payroll Tax Returns
Cell: 832-877-9625 | Fax: 713-977-2221 | Email: acct77036@yahoo.com | web: www.asu2020.com 6666 Harwin Dr, Suite 335, Houston, TX 77036 INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
6
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
Building Institutions to Serve: Two Successful Indian Social Entrepreneurs Share their Vision and Work
HOUSTON: Sewa International,
in collaboration with India Culture Center of Houston, organized an interactive session – “Public Policy and Public Health” on September 11, with two highly successful social entrepreneurs from India. The event held at the Consulate General of India was addressed by Dr. Anant Pandhare of Dr. Hedgewar Hospital, in Aurangabad, India and Shobhit Mathur of Vision India Foundation, New Delhi, India. Both of them shared highlights of their personal and professional journeys, and what it takes to create institutions that serve the needy, and develop leaders in public policy and good governance. Shobhit Mathur, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and the University of Washington, Seattle, gave up his job at Amazon, where he had worked for five years as he was called to serve a higher cause. He left for India where he saw that the many problems in the country could be addressed through systematic policy planning and through a proper governance model. “For those two things to happen there is an urgent need to develop leadership skills in these areas,” he said. Vision India Foundation has created a model for developing thought leadership, for which an
understanding of grass root level issues as well as the cultural and spiritual values of India is necessary. Mr. Mathur shared many success stories of alumni of Vision India Foundation being recruited
by various government agencies and entrusted with crucial jobs. He shared the Foundation’s vision of building a world-class institution in India dedicated to developing future leaders in public policy and good governance. Incidentally, Shobhit Mathur was Sewa International’s first Youth for Sewa (YFS) intern. Later, he also worked fulltime for YFS in India before joining Vision India Foundation. Dr. Anant Pandhare shared his experience as well as that of his seven colleagues’ journey of 29 years in building a hospital to provide high-class healthcare at affordable price to the middleclass and poor people in and around Aurangabad, Maharashtra in Cen-
tral India. The journey that started with a noble thought in mind – to serve the poor and middleclass population with high quality healthcare -- has today transformed into a 300-bed hospital. The hospital serves over 40,000 patients a year and caters to over 1000 people in their Out Patient Department each day. The doctors working at the hospital work on fixed salaries, just enough to lead a simple middleclass lifestyle. This unique model helps to keep the cost low but increases the level of dedication in providing high quality service. “The aim of Dr. Hedgewar Hospital is not just to address the physical ailments but for the overall uplifting of society,” Dr. Pandhare said. Hence, under the auspices of the larger foundation -– the “Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Pratish-
than” -– more than 40 social projects are undertaken. These projects address the variety of challenges faced by people coming to the hospital, and the projects range from skills development, women’s self-help groups, building entrepreneurship, and animal husbandry. Dr. Pandhare shared the positive impact of many of these projects, and said the hospital encourages the involvement of local people to make it a real social enterprise. Today, the hospital has 67 doctors in over 20 departments, with 400 volunteers assisting the doctors and professional staff. Nisha Mirani of the India Culture Center, and Gitesh Desai, Houston Chapter President of Sewa International welcomed the guests. Sachin Dabir, Founder/Director of Ashnik Pte Ltd, an information technology company, introduced the speakers. Swapan Dhairyawan, CPA, offered a vote of thanks. For further information: contact Sewa International 281909-7392 or email at houston@ sewausa.org
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
7
8
WORD SEARCH
September 21, 2018
Solve Word Search & Win 2 Free Tickets to Texas Renaissance Festival
Find 15 words related to FLORIDA: • • • • •
Alligators Busch Gardens Cape Canaveral Disney World Epcot Center
• • • • •
Freedom Tower Miami Beach Orange Trees Orlando Palm Trees
• • • • •
Pensacola Sea World Sunshine State Tallahassee Tampa Bay
R���� �� W��: • Like us on Facebook, Indo-American News
• Solve the Word Search puzzle • Email us the screenshot of our liked Facebook Page, and the solved puzzle at indoamericannews@yahoo.com • Email by Tuesday, September 25, 2018 • For first 3 entrees only, 1 submission per month, 1 per Household INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
9
Sri Meenakshi Temple Society’s Annual Banquet, “VIVAAH”
BY VIJAY NATHAN
PEARLAND: On Saturday, Sep-
tember 8, the Meenakshi Temple Kalyana Mandapam was transformed into a grand venue richly decorated in red & gold. A fabulous stage with extended runway centered the room and guests were able to take pictures with an elaborative, decorative backdrop. To emphasize the theme of “wedding,” an ornate seervarisai graced the entryway and included authentic bakshanams like large size murukku, athirasam, paruppu thengai, fruits, nuts much more. The complete decor to give an ambience of a grand wedding hall was creatively designed by Nalini Kannan. Along with this was a long line of numerous donated silent auction items of saris, framed art, silver Kalasam, jewelry, and a full set of kolu dolls. Guests dressed in grand festive wear were received with traditional kumkum, chandan, and jasmine flowers with an opportunity to decorate their hands with artistic mehendi, while being treated to unique snacks. The main focus of the night was to introduce a new initiative by the MTS Board to welcome youth donors with a handmade Kalpakavriksham [Wishing] Tree. Donors were able to hang their names on the gold tree and will be honored with their names on MTS Youth Wall upon the com-
pletion of the Kalyana Mandapam Renovation. Guests of Honor Congressman Pete Olson presented a Congressional proclamation and spoke on the importance of instilling family values and community in our youth. Mayor Tom Reid presented a certificate in celebration of the event and endorsed the need to renovate the Kalyana Mandapam to continue to be a center of family, community, and religious gatherings in Pearland. Consul Mr. Amit Khanna represented the Indian Consulate on Houston and spoke of the authenticity and warm feeling of visiting Meenakshi Temple. Three guests also presented 2018 MTS Scholarships.
Photos: Srini Sundarrajan, Setty Uncle
The MTS Scholarship recipients included: Keshav Srivaths, Shreya Thipireddy, Layaa Raja Amrithalingam, Varsha Vasu, Divya Ramamurthy, Tejna Dasari, Adith V. Ram, Advait Prakash, Sathwik Iyer, Tejas Medapalli, Vishaal
Vidyaprakash, Supritha Venkatesh. During the evening, guests were entertained to Sangeeth, a melodious vocal & instrumental ensemble by youth co-ordinated by Mahalakshmi Krishnan of Sreekrithi School of Music. A lighthearted comedy skit entitled “Love is Forever” by local talent scripted by Dr Vaduganathan was enjoyed by all and took us back in time. The grand finale was “Mangalayam Thadhunanena,” a showcase of traditional wedding outfits from
each region of India, co-ordinated & narrated by Vidvatha Sridhar. The evening culminated in a multi-course, wedding-style grand feast catered by Madras Pavilion served on banana leaves by temple staff & smiling volunteers. Guests left the event with favor bags for ladies & beeda pan handmade by volunteers. Vivaah was an event to remember, honoring the historic legacy of our Temple by recognizing its historic past, invigorating our active youth in the present, and looking ahead to the future we will build together.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
10
September 21, 2018 BY RADHIKA HARIHARAN
HOUSTON: The Classical Arts Society
of Houston presented the much-anticipated Carnatic vocalist Sri TM Krishna and his troupe at The Match, on September 8, as its annual Fall Recital. If there was any doubt to Sri Krishna’s stardom, one had only to look at the adoring eyes of the youngsters on stage and the impressive audience turnout, despite being a day filled with vying local events. The concert was in part, a tribute to noted vocalist Sri Ramnad Krishnan, whose birth centenary is being celebrated worldwide this year. Sri Ramnad Krishnan passed away in 1973. The event began with speeches, first a personal fond homage by seasoned local musician Smt Anuradha Subramanian who had part of her musical training under the great singer. She was then followed by Sri
COMMUNITY
A Carnatic Rock Star Comes to Town
TM Krishna who while praising the giant’s inimical style urged a more dispassionate look at the experiences of the gifted singer who was never truly embraced by the public during his lifetime. Sri TM Krishna began his concert with the beautiful composition ‘ O Rangasayee’ in Raga Kambhodhi by Sri Thygaraja. Known for his unorthodox style and presentation, the song started the concert with a slow tempo that built up gradually to showcase the majesty of his voice and sensitivity of his rendering. The second song in Tamil, ‘Jaadhi mada bedhangal Mooda vazhakkangal’a nod to the singer’s passion for a casteless society- was in Raga Kaanada and written by Bharathidasan. While the singing was rendered with touching nuance and melody, a lot of the latter lyrics could not be heard clearly and the message left incomplete. The rest of the concert continued with an expansive RTP (Ragam, tanam, pallavi). The Behag Raga Tanam was laced with several nuances reminiscent of Sri Ramnad Krishnan and delivered with impeccable technique. The viruttam ‘Kala beda kola beda’ in Ragamalika -Todi, Sahana, Begada and SriRanjani -again evoked the phrasings of Sri Ramnad Krishnan. This was followed by a brisk and delightful ‘Bhuvini Dhasudane’ by Sri Thyagaraja. The rare Raga Ramakali was beautifully handled next in a song by Dikshitar followed by a very touching ‘ChinnanchiruKiliye Kannanmma’ rendered in Sri Krishna’s inimitable style. Just when it felt like the audience was beginning to settle in, it was already time for the last few short pieces and the concert ended with an audience request, a Jaavali, ‘Jaanaro’ in Khamas Raga followed by Dikshiter’s notuswara kirithi , ‘Santhatham Pahimam’ as mangalam. Accompanying artists Shri R K Shriram on the violin and Arun Prakash on the mridungam, both musical stalwarts in their own right, were superb in consolidating the mood and effect of the evening’s performance and even at times helping to pull the pieces together. It was fun to see the artists obviously enjoying themselves while challenging each other. The long pauses in Sri Krishna’s alapanas gave ample opportunity for instrumental expression. Intermittently, Sri Krishna’s disciple on the tambura was also asked to accompany his vocals and though couldn’t be heard was obviously honored to be there. The evening ended almost as quickly as it began leaving the audience wanting so much more. In attendance at the concert were invited guests Mrs. Nancy Allen of Asia Society Texas Center and Dr. Bradley Bailey, Curator of Asian Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts. Also present were area dance and music teachers Pandit Suman Ghosh, Pandit Shantilal Shah, Smt Rajarajeshwary Bhatt, Smt Rathna Kumar and Smt Padmini Chari among others. This concert marked Sri TM Krishna’s first stop on his current USA tour marred by controversy over his personal opinions and philosophical differences in the Carnatic music arena. While promoting awareness and interest in Carnatic music to other communities, he has been a blistering critic of the brahmin community’s cultural influence on the genre. Ironically, his main audience is the very community he disparages. TMK’s opinions and social commentary notwithstanding, his music remains pure and exquisite, transcending all manner of differences. Houston was, indeed privileged to have hosted him.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
Southwestern National Bank, George Lee as Chief Executive Officer & Mohammed Younus as President!
11
Pradeep Sulhan, P.C.
Certified Public Accountant 14340 Torrey Chase Blvd. | Suite 110 | Houston, Texas 77014 (281) 583-2993 | (281) 580-8700 | Fax(281) 580-7550 www.sulhancpa.com | pradeep@sulhancpa.com
Over 25 years experience
GAURI SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE
For Any Ceremony Contact Pradip Pandya 832 466 9868 Email: pradippandya2000@yahoo.com Board Members
H
George Lee
OUSTON: The Board of Directors of Southwestern National Bank, a bank subsidiary of SWNB Bancorp, Inc., today announced that Mr. George Lee as Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Mohammed Younus as President effective September 10, 2018. Lee also will serve as the President and CEO of the Bank’s holding company. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to have Mr. Lee as the new CEO of Southwestern National Bank,” stated Chairman C.K. Lee. “He brings an array of skills and experience that will be a vital asset to the overall growth and success of our bank. We look forward to seeing him play a major role not only in the bank, but in the community as well.” Prior to his vast business executive experience at mainstream U.S. companies, Mr. Lee served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of MetroCorp Bancshares Inc. Since July 26, 2004 and has been its Co-chairman since February 2013. He served as a Senior Advisor of East West Bancorp, Inc. since January 2014. Mr. Lee holds a Bachelors of Science in Econometrics from the University of Wisconsin and MBA in Finance from University of Minnesota. “I have always respected and admired SWNB over the years as a fellow banker...stable and well operated under its board and management team...I was honored when I was invited to join the team,” said Mr. Lee. “Given the fact that I have been very familiar with the community and the common base of clients I could sense that the opportunity for growth for SWNB
is immense. As Metro Bank was about 4x the size of SWNB in terms of assets, we believe that with the solid organization base already in place, with some tweaking and additions our upside opportunity is optimistic.” Mr. Lee added, “In addition to that, during the past four years my understanding and network with the main stream market has also expanded. Over time, we will develop strategies to take advantage of some segments of the market. In short, without elaborating anymore, I am excited!” Chairman C.K. Lee continued, “Today, we are also pleased to announce that Mr. Younus has been appointed the President of Southwestern National Bank. “Mr. Younus has been a valuable asset to Southwestern National Bank. He will take on the added role of leading the Bank and work closely with Mr. Lee to make SWNB one of the best banks in Texas.” Mr. Younus has been in banking for 32 years of which about 25 years in the U.S. Prior to joining the SWNB team, he was with two other Asian banks. He has held positions of Chief Lending officer, Vice Chairman of the board, CEO and Regional President. Mr. Younus came to US at the age of 17 and earned his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. In addition he used to hold positions with nonprofit organizations serving the Asian communities. He was the Chair of DFW Asian American Chamber of Commerce 2008. He was also elected as President of Pakistan Society of North Texas in 2007. He is married and has two children and a beautiful granddaughter; son 29 and Daughter 22. Chairman C.K. Lee addressed to the press, “As you are aware, on May 18, 2018, SWNB entered into a business combination transaction with Hanmi
Financial Corporation which contemplated SWNB merging with and into Hanmi if certain conditions set forth in the Agreement and Plan of Merger were met. One of those conditions is the approval of the Transaction Agreement by SWNB stockholders. Because the proposal failed to receive the requisite affirmative votes for approval, the proposal was not approved. As a result, the Merger with Hanmi will not take place, SWNB and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Southwestern National Bank, will remain independent and each of you will remain as stockholders of SWNB. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Southwestern National Bank, a bank subsidiary of SWNB Bancorp, Inc. has been serving the Asian communities in Houston, Sugar Land, Austin, Plano, Richardson and Southern California since 1997. Bank employees are fluent in many languages including Chinese, Taiwanese and Cantonese as well as English. The Bank strives to say in touch with the local Asian community by participating in charity events and events that celebrate the cultural heritage of the area. Southwestern National Bank also provides monthly seminars to the community, free of charge, on a variety of valuable information. For information, contact Ling Chuang (713) 272-5045. (Member FDIC)
vShri Lakshmi Puja vHindu Wedding vMarkand Puja vEngagement vShri Ganpati Puja vSimant vLaghu Rudra vVastu Shanti vMundan Sanskar vNavchandi Puja vShanti Havan vShri Gayatri Havan vShri Satyanarayan Puja 5645 Hillcroft Ave. Suite 701 Houston, TX 77036 | TIMINGS 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Have you planned for your future? People don’t plan to Fail, They Fail to Plan
To plan your future, contact:
Jesal Patel ARPC, CLTC, LUTCF Financial Adviser*: Eagle Strategies LLC Life Member MDRT Ph: 281-221-5061/713-499-7670 Fax: 832-201-5394 Website: www.jesalzpatel.com *Financial Adviser offering investment advisory services though Eagle Strategies LLC, A Registered Investment Adviser. Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC-Member FINRA/SIPC, A Licensed insurance Agency. Agent with New York Life Insurance Company. 3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1900, Houston, TX 77027 (713) 9614545 California Insurance License # 0F53803
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
smru#1711530
12
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
10th Anniversary of the Indian Film Festival of Houston HOUSTON:
Celebrate the diverse films and filmmakers of India and the Diaspora at the 10th Anniversary of the Indian Film Festival of Houston. Voted “Best Film Festival of Houston” by Houston Press, the Indian Film Festival of Houston, Inc. (IFFH) has partnered with Asia Society Texas Center for the festival’s 10th anniversary. Thursday, October 4, 2018 4 p.m. | Cocktail Reception and Entertainment 5:15 p.m. | Once Again (Feature Film), followed by a Q&A Session Director: Kanwal Sethi | Duration: 99 minutes | Language: Hindi (English subtitles) Starring: Shefali Shah, Neeraj Kabi,
Bhagwan Tiwari, Rasika Dugal An aging actor gets involved with the widowed woman who caters his meals at home and how their social divide tells on their relationship. Once they meet, their relationship escalates, causing hardship for her and embarrassment for him. How they resolve their relationship is the question. 7:20 p.m. | Sound Proof (Short Film) Director: Aditya Kelgoankar | Duration: 30 minutes | Language: Hindi (English subtitles) Starring: Soha Ali Khan, Vinay Pathak A young divorced woman rents an apartment in Mumbai hoping for a new beginning in life. She soon finds herself caught up in a maze of peculiar neighbors, strange occurrences, and a loud blaring TV from a mysterious apartment. 7:50 p.m. | Shalom Bollywood: The Untold Story of Indian Cinema (Documentary Film) Director: Danny Ben-Moshe | Duration: 75 minutes | Language: English SHALOM BOLLYWOOD reveals the unlikely story of the 2,000-year-old Indian Jewish community and its formative place in shaping the world’s largest film industry. When Indian cinema began 100 years ago, it was taboo for Hindu and Islamic women to perform on screen, so Indian Jewish women took on female lead roles, which they dominated for decades. Infused with music and dancing, the film focuses on the lives of five of the great Jewish actors. Friday, October 5, 2018 4 p.m. | Cocktail Reception and Entertainment 5:15 p.m. | Shame (Short Film), followed by a Q&A Session Director: Anusha Bose | Duration: 24 minutes | Language: Hindi (English subtitles) Starring: Swara Bhaskar, Anusha Bhaskar, Ranvir Shorey, Sayani Gupta, Tara Sharma, Cyrus Sahukar, Seema Bhargava Pahwa SHAME is the twisted journey of a meek, vulnerable woman who emerges from the background to unapologetically reclaim her dignity, confidence, and her right to desire. A guest at a posh hotel fires a housekeeping staff whom he catches trying on his girlfriend’s lingerie. This dark comedy explores the thin line between the two worlds: the halves from the have-nots. 6 p.m. | The Music Teacher (Feature Film) Director: Sarthak Dasgupta | Duration: 109 minutes | Language: Hindi (English subtitles) Starring: Divya Dutta, Neena Gupta, Manav Kaul, Amrita Bagchi, Niharika Lyra Dutt Beni is a small-town teacher struggling to make ends meet by teaching music and singing in clubs. Jyotsna, his estranged student, has become a celebrity singer in Bollywood. When the town comes alive with the news of Jyotsna coming back for a day to sing in a big music concert, Beni has to come to terms with the pains of his past as well as the delusions of his present. 8 p.m. | Purdah (Documentary Film) Director: Jeremy Guy | Duration: 71 minutes | Language: Hindi (English subtitles) The inspiring story of a young Indian woman who trades her burka for dreams of playing on the Mumbai Senior Women’s Cricket Team and how the harsh realities for women in her country create an unexpected outcome for her own family, ultimately shattering and fueling aspirations. For details about IFFH visit https://iffhinc.org/, for tickets visit http://asi.as/ IFFH2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
13
14
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
15
16
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
Changing Immigration Policies & their Impact on Survivors of Abuse
HOUSTON:
On a Thursday evening, September 13, 2018 Daya held an event focusing on immigration policies and domestic violence at India House. Beyond the Headlines, Examining Today’s Immigration Landscape brought to attention that domestic violence survivors from immigrant communities face intersectional trauma from their abuser and the immigration system. Daya’s executive director, Rachna Khare welcomed the attendees by providing the background on the impact domestic violence has on the individual and society. She reiterated that domestic violence is not a private matter but a public health issue. Irfana Hussain, Director of Outreach at Daya provided a quick introduction to immigration abuse, showing how abusers manipulate immigration policies to keep their victims from seeking help. Jessica Howton, a managing attorney from Tahirih Justice Center, gave an informative understanding of the limitations and remedies available for survivors of domestic violence such as the Violence Against Women Act. The most powerful segment
of the evening was the survivor story. A former Daya client told her story of abuse and courage to fight back and reclaim her life for herself and her children. The client knew she could not go back to her home country after her husband went back as she feared for her life. He had threatened to kill her. She worked with Daya and Tahirih Justice Center to seek asylum. The client emphasized the lengthy process for seeking asylum and later in obtaining permanent residency for herself and her children. Due to recent travel bans and changes in immigration policies, she could not travel outside of the United States to visit her sick mother because she was afraid she would not be able to return. Her incredible,
emotional story brought the audience to tears and a standing ovation for her courage to speak out. The event concluded on a positive note by highlighting the work different organizations and coalitions are doing to address the systemic barriers and driving the community to take action. The take action panel of speakers provided specific ways individuals can make positive change through civic and political engagement. Nabila Mansoor, former Executive Director of Emgage, spoke passionately about the upcoming 2020 Census and the importance
of it for Asian Americans and all immigrants to participate. Accurate counting will benefit minority communities and help them wield political power. Debbie Chen, an immigrant attorney and activist with OCA Greater Houston, provided statistics to show that Asian Americans tend to have low political and civic engagement despite the growing population. She encouraged all to vote, help others to register to vote, and change the culture. Andrea Guttin, Legal Director of Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, focused on collaboration and how
individuals can support immigrants by volunteering with and giving to organizations working for social change. The event also featured a voter registration table organized by Hindu American Foundation. Attendees left with a program that featured resources on how to take action to help support their communities and survivors of abuse. For details contact: Rachna Khare, Executive Director (713) 842-7222 / rachna@dayahouston.org
Sensational Performance by World Music Icon AR Rahman! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 05 merous other awards and nominations. At the show, the overjoyed audience could not wait to welcome the Music Icon on stage. The three hour long concert had the audience cheering and singing along, irrespective of the language in which the songs were presented. Rahman, in his humble style, while addressing the audience said, “Music has no language and I want everyone to enjoy the music in all languages”. The performances were staged in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. There was an infectious esprit doing the rounds and it was a sight to watch. The arrangements like sound, lighting and backdrop were impeccable and the venue was as perfect, to honor such a phenomenal figure, kudos to Rajender Singh for bringing this concert to Houston and for selecting a perfect venue for this show. As the humble, soft spoken, yet extraordinary legend took to the stage following an introductory video, the audiences were euphoric at the first sight of their star. The venue was brightened with gaiety and glee as the audience cheered for Rahman. As soon as he began presenting some of the most loved songs like Loose control, Fanaa and the likes, the audiences lost control and were absolutely in trance. With finesse, he took to the piano and displayed his mastery with some of his most famous songs, one of them being Dil se re, from the movie Dil Se. He was accompanied by a musician on sitar and guitar, and the jugalbandi was a sight to watch. Performances by rest of the singers were splendid too. Performance by Neeti Mohan was commendable, as she sang beautifully, songs from before her era, like Muqabala, Jiya jale, Tanha tanha, Rangeela re, Dil hai chota sa. The icing on the cake was the LED screen displaying beautiful 3D backdrop images complementing each song. The audience was grooving to songs like Tu hi re, sung by Rahman in Tamil, Ae Ajnabi by Udit Narayan and some of the most
popular songs like Taal se taal mila, Mere paas hai tu, Bas tum tak, Jiya re. The trailer for the yetto-be released movie Robot 2, followed by its latest song was played as the music is composed by A. R. Rahman. Through a song from the movie Mom, Rahman paid tribute to the late actress Sridevi. It was an overwhelming moment for both, the audiences and Rahman himself. He then got the crowd pepped up through a medley, an amalgam of Hindi and Tamil songs sung by all the singers on stage. It was truly an enjoyable experience to listen to some of the most melodious songs like Ye tara, Ye hasi wadiya, Jashne bahara, Chanda re, Sass mei teri, O re chore, Sun mitwa, Mujhe rang de. Taking to the harmonium, Rahman seamlessly switched to Sufi music with songs like Faya Kun and Khwaja mere Khwaja, with Javed Ali and Haricharan accompanying him. It was a treat to the ears and the eyes as well, to watch the serene ambience that was created with the backdrop of a mosque, paying tribute to the sacred month of Muharram. Rahman elegantly ended the show with some of his memorable songs like Mutafa mustafa, Urvashi urvashi, Humma humma and lastly Jai ho. The audiences could stop themselves from capturing these moments on their cellphones. It was a show that every one hoped, could last forever. Rajender Singh thanked the organizers and Houston sponsors for their outstanding support. He was so delighted that he took to social media to express his gratitude and joy the following day. His Facebook page read, “I want to thank each and every one for your presence at the Concert and for making it a Sold Out event. It was a pleasure to witness such a beautiful and spectacular crowd. I am thankful to Mr. Rahman for giving me the opportunity to work with him. He is truly a legend. A special shout out to Pria Haider, Mehboob Haider, Kazim Kazi and all my partners Anil Damani, Bhavna Anand, and Mumtaz ji. A big round of applause to our
Houston Sponsors Karya Property Management - Swapnil Agarwal, New York Life - Amiralli Dodhiya, and Udipi Cafe - Sathish Rao. Also special thanks to our Consul General of India Dr. Anupam Ray and Deputy Consul Surendra Adhana for supporting the event.” The overwhelmed attendees of the concert also congratulated and thanked Rajender Singh through his post. Some of the posts read as follows: Asha Pai Dhume: “Congratulations on a very successful show! It was fantastic!” Devanshi Shah: “Kudos and a big congratulations to Rajender Singh. Thank you so very much for bringing such amazing concerts to H town. It was obvious that when AR Rahman, the music legend would perform in Houston, there would be magic. Arriving at the entrance of the venue, one could feel the excitement that is reserved solely for the most famous musician of India. The stage was amazingly put together. It was a concert that had a heavy dose of nostalgia. Hearing Rahman sing Khwaaja Mere Khwaaja was trance-inducing. The production and the concert was flawless, the Oscar-winner laced the three-hour show with a mesmerizing display of his keyboard mastery. The night came to a truly fitting end with the surreal “Jai Ho”... This is a real concert... U R the real Show man of Houston, god bless !!!!” Latafath Hussain: “Congratulations. It was a great entertaining event. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Great job Rajender.” Neeta Patel: “Perfection at its best ..AWESOME show ...Congrats” Nisha Mirami: “Congratulations for hosting an amazing show of Oscar winner A R Rehman. What a performance of all artist and back wall digital production was just mind blowing. Congratulations to Whole team of Star Promotions.” Upcoming events include Javed Akhtar on November 2, 2018 and also coming soon is MUGHAL-EAZAM: THE MUSICAL. For further information call Rajender Singh at 281-222-4500 or visit starpromotioninc.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
17
18
September 21, 2018 Rumble Over the Rupee
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Is 2+2 = 3 for India, 5 for US? BY M. K. NARAYANAN
Last Friday, the government announced five measures to arrest the sharp slide in rupee and also the deficit in the current account. These include relaxations in investment limits for foreign portfolio investors in the corporate debt market to attract dollars, and exemption from withholding tax to companies raising funds through rupee-denominated bonds abroad. The government also indicated curbs on non-essential imports and said measures to boost exports will follow, both aimed at containing the current account deficit. The next day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley provided assurance the government will be able to meet its revenue collection target as well as the fiscal deficit target set in the Budget for 2018-19 at 3.3% of the GDP. In calendar year 2018, the rupee has depreciated by almost 13%, which is seen by the government as too fast-paced a slide. It would have the rupee to fall about 4% a year. The Reserve Bank of India may not necessarily share this view for good reasons. The REER, or real effective exchange rate, based on 36-currency export and trade-based weights, of the rupee for August 2018 stood at 114.54, suggesting the rupee is intrinsically overvalued, and is depreciating only against the US dollar. The panic may thus be uncalled for. The concerns over current account deficit going out of control are valid, but the measures taken are unlikely to attract dollar inflows immediately, and also have been perceived as little to influence the markets. The markets expected the government to announce a foreign currency non-resident bank deposits, or an exclusive window for oil marketing companies to buy dollars from the RBI instead of knocking on the doors of banks. The government would do well to realise that easing capital controls should be part of a larger reform agenda, rather than a reaction to a crisis. India’s experience and academic research show that efforts to manage the trilemma — free capital mobility, rigid exchange rate and monetary policy autonomy — is not possible. A misconceived notion in some parts of the government is that speculators are playing truant and short-selling the rupee. The so-called speculators are mostly Indian exporters and importers taking positions on the rupee based on the clues they receive from the market. While senior finance ministry officials have been making statements — irresponsible at times — on the value of rupee, the RBI has desisted from giving any firm signal to the market about where it would draw a line. This suggests lack of coordination between the government and the regulators despite existing forums such as the Financial Stability and Development Council.. -- Indian Express
The much heralded 2+2 Dialogue between the U.S. and India finally fructified on September 6. The 2+2 format, involving the Defence and Foreign Ministers of the two countries, unconventional though it may be from an Indian standpoint, is a familiar tactic employed by the U.S., intended to align the military, strategic and diplomatic policies of the involved countries. It is often intended to signify a ‘special relationship’ between the U.S. and the concerned nation, even as it seeks to underscore the U.S. dictated ‘rules-based global order’. In the past, India was chary of endorsing the 2+2 formula, considering it alien to traditional diplomatic and strategic intercourse between nations. However, the U.S. has been persistent, and exploiting the current state of ‘special relations’ between the U.S. and India, it succeeded in overcoming the inhibitions of India’s political, diplomatic and strategic community. It went out of its way to assuage many of India’s concerns in the run-up to the talks and there was, hence, a great deal of expectation about possible outcomes. Some forward movement has taken place, but it would seem that the U.S. has been the main beneficiary. With this Dialogue, the U.S. also seems to have succeeded in co-opting India into the U.S. strategic framework aimed at the containment of China. The moot question for India is whether in the 21st century it wishes to play such a role, notwithstanding the obvious advantages stemming from access to state-of-the-art U.S. defence and security technologies. The principal takeaway from the 2+2 Dialogue was the signing of the Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) that is expected to facilitate India’s access to advanced U.S. defence systems, and “enable India to optimally utilise existing U.S. origin platforms”. It is also expected to help the armed forces of both countries to enhance interoperability. Far more than the other two foundational agreements, COMCASA entails greater integration with the U.S. military. The implications of this can be far-reaching. Having been earlier
accorded the status of a major defence partner, and with COMCASA now affording access to advanced defence systems and U.S. origin platforms — that involve obligations to share operational intelligence in real time — India risks going down the ‘slippery slope’ of becoming a U.S. acolyte in conflicts not of its choosing. As part of the exercise to integrate India with its objectives, the U.S. once again reiterated the importance and significance of India as a ‘strategic partner and a major and independent stakeholder in world affairs’. This is further sweetened by implicit references to the role of Pakistan as an incubator of terrorism. There is also a mention of further expansion of bilateral India-U.S. counter-terrorism cooperation. A new offer on display is of facilitating closer relations between the U.S.’s Defence Innovation Unit and India’s Defence Innovation Organisation, intended to progress joint projects for co-production and co-development under the aegis of the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative. It is not clear at this time whether all this would earn India a reprieve from U.S. sanctions directed at countries trading with Russia and Iran. India is interpreting U.S. affirmations that it would not be sanctioned for its ‘legacy platforms’, to mean that the purchase of the S-400 Missile Defence Systems from Russia would not be affected. New purchases would, however, come under the purview of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Vis-à-vis Iran, there are even less signs of a ‘give’ in the U.S. stance. Meanwhile, it is certain that India will come under further pressure from the U.S. to sign the fourth foundational agreement — Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for GeoSpatial Cooperation (BECA). What benefit does India derive from this 2+2 exercise? By its offer of a string of state-of-the-art defence items under ‘controlled conditions’, the U.S. is seeking to reinforce its claims to becoming the principal defence supplier to India, and in the process displace Russia from this perch. This is hardly an unmixed blessing. Russia has been steadfast in its defence commitments to India, and is not likely to take kindly to its
displacement as India’s No.1 defence supplier. Any counter moves by Russia, such as seeking out Pakistan as an outlet for its defence items, will not be to India’s benefit. Our tilt towards the U.S. is also taking place at a time when the world sees the U.S. as a ‘declining power’. This is not 1991, when the Soviet Union had collapsed, China was not a dominant economic power, the U.S. had just demonstrated its unassailable military strength in Iraq, etc. Exhausted by a succession of past interventions, the U.S. is currently seen, in Asia at least, as largely in retreat. At this time, for India to be tagged with the label of an U.S. acolyte is hardly the best, or the next best, option. India has struggled for long to maintain its strategic integrity, apart from its strategic autonomy and independence. There were several occasions in the past for it to be strategically aligned with the U.S., but India was not willing to accept the terms of such alignment. China is a matter of concern, but not an imminent threat as far as India is concerned. The entire 2+2 Dialogue, on the other hand, seemed to centre on the threat posed by China and the need to contain Chinese aggression through force, or display of force, under a U.S. umbrella. Pakistan is the more immediate threat for India, and not solely on account of incubating terrorism. We have real concerns about Pakistan’s emergence as a nuclear threat, engaged in increasing the numbers of its nuclear warheads, developing several new delivery systems, creating new plutonium production and uranium enrichment facilities, etc. Pakistan’s threat to build new short-range nuclear capable weapon systems is again a real danger. None of this seems to fall within U.S. purview at present. U.S. blandishments should not, hence, blind us to current realities. There has to be a limit to what we seek from other nations in terms of arms. In any case, there can never be any compromise with our strategic autonomy or the strategic direction that we have chosen to follow all these years. -- The Hindu M.K. Narayanan, is a former National Security Advisor and a former Governor of West Bengal.
Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA 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, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY / LEGAL
September 21, 2018
IAF Navaratri Celebrations at Stafford Centre
STAFFORD: It’s that time of
the year! It’s time to rock at the Navaratri celebrations. For over 10 years Indo American Forum of Fort Bend (IAF) celebrates Navaratri Rass Garba festival in Fort Bend County. Like before, this year the Navaratri Celebration is scheduled on eve of Saturday, September 29 at Stafford Centre, Stafford, Texas – a convenient and safe venue offering complimentary parking. Renowned singer group from the state of Gujarat, Bhanubhai Vora & Company will perform at this event. Over the years, Bhanubhai Vora has attained phenomenal track record in Dandiya Raas and Garba performances. There are special prizes for Best Dressed and Best Dancing performers. The Saturday, September 29 evening
is going to be scintillating and enthralling Navaratri affair at a proven venue. Tickets are only $15 for adult and can be secured from www.sulekha.com The traditional dances of Navaratri, known as garba and dandiya raas, are performed in concentric circles with dancers dressed up in colorful clothes. Small, decorated sticks called dandiyas are used in the dandiya raas. The most flamboyant and renowned Navaratri celebrations can be seen in western India, throughout the state of Gujarat, Rajasthan and in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Different parts of India celebrate Navaratri in different styles; the thing common is its grandeur and auspiciousness. The Indo American Forum of Fort Bend (IAF) focuses its efforts on supporting the un-
derprivileged, underserved and needy by contributing to the charitable organizations in the local area providing assistance through education, shelter, food, healthcare and familial and substance abuse. As a representative of the Indo American community, over the years IAF has supported many charities and engaged in direct support for needy causes. During the course
19
of year Indo American Forum (IAF) raises funds thru celebration like Navaratri and other to make a difference in society. Sponsorship opportunities are available starting at $1,000. Also, as an individual you may choose to sponsor an Aarati for $101 that offer four free tickets. Please contact IAF Navaratri Event Chair Shefali Jhaveri at 832-455-8624 or email shefujhaveri@gmail. com for further information.
Fatigue: A Dangerous Factor in Trucking Accidents HOUSTON: Commercial trucks can become dangerous weapons on the road to smaller vehicles and pedestrians, weighing up to 80,000 pounds. Thus, it is extremely important for all truck drivers to be properly trained and have the ability to drive these trucks for long periods of time on the road. Unfortunately, many truck drivers become fatigued, distracted, are inexperienced or reckless drivers, suffer from lack of sleep or sleep apnea, or fall asleep on the road causing serious or even fatal accidents. If you were involved in a trucking accident, you have a right to recover all your damages and more from the at-fault party! Even if you were a family member of one in a fatal accident, you
also have a right to be compensated. It is extremely important to begin the claims process immediately by an experienced attorney. All trucking companies and truckers must follow the regulations and policies controlled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). FMCSA states that any person with a medi-
cal condition that prevents them from driving safely is restricted from driving unless with proper medical treatment. Further, if a person has sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops or is irregular which may cause sleep deprivation, he/she should not
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Continued on Page 20
20
COMMUNITY
September 21, 2018
Sankara Eye Foundation Dandia Set for Oct. 6 at NRG Center while helping bring light in the lives of thousands needlessly blind each year. This upcoming dandia event is a fundraiser for Sankara’s brand new projects in Mumbai, Jaipur, Indore, and Hyderabad. With the festive theme of “ Dandia for a cause, Dandia with style” the SEF Dandia is being planned in Houston with generous support of its patrons. Come celebrate Navratri with us and help us eradicate curable blindness in India. SEF Dandia events are impeccably organized and are the most happening Dandia events in town. This year 12 SEF Dandia events are being planned across the US. These events are eagerly looked forward to each year by all age groups to support a noble cause. Truly Dandia for a Cause, Dandia with Style! SEF is looking to raise $3 Million USD within a year for its Mumbai project, of which the goal is to raise $1 Million USD by the end of this year. One can support this project
by donating, helping spread the word, or by volunteering. As a non-profit, Sankara Eye Foundation volunteers have been working tirelessly for two decades to eradicate curable blindness in India. Working on a model of 80:20 free to paid patients ratio, the funds raised through these events are used to further the cause. Over 1.6 million free eye surgeries have already been performed, making SEF the largest free eye care provider in the world. The Charity Navigator has consistently given the organization four-star rating for financial accountability and transparency. There are eight super specialty hospitals and four new hospitals are coming up in Mumbai, Jaipur, Indore, and Hyderabad. Pease Visit https://www.giftofvision.org/ or https://www.giftofvision.org/events/sefdandia-houston-2018 for details or contact Rajender Aparasu AT sef-houston@ giftofvision.org
Fatigue: A Dangerous Factor in Trucking Accidents Continued from Page 19
HOUSTON: For the first time in Hous-
ton, Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) is bringing a super successful and exceptional live band performance by Preetysha & Sameer – an internationally acclaimed duo who have performed for over 10 years for SEF Dandia in California. Come expe-
Photos: Hunaid Hussain
rience the magnificence and grandeur of the vibrant and family fun SEF Dandia at NRG Center Hall E on October 6 at 8 pm. Over the years, SEF Dandias have brought together people to celebrate the wonderful festive season of Navratri,
operate a vehicle, especially a commercial truck. This condition may cause the driver to not get a good night’s sleep, be over worked, or fatigued which can create the worst nightmare for all others on the road. Additionally, even if a driver does not have a medical condition, truck drivers may become fatigued or distracted while driving as commercial truck drivers are required to drive many hours at a time. Although, there are regulations, drivers still may also become distracted by a phone call, text, email, eating, drinking, trying to give commands through the smart phone or searching on smart phone or tablet, or even conversations in the vehicle. Of all these, the most dangerous one is texting and driving which is a leading cause of accidents. The best ways to prove distracted or fatigued driving is to get a written statement from the at fault driver at the scene, witness’ statements, police report, etc. Those injured from a trucking accident will have tremendous amounts of economic damages including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, emotional and mental distress, and more. In order to protect your or a significant other’s interest and recover all damages caused by a negligent, careless, reckless truck driver on the road, the claim must be filed immediately. Even if you lost a family member in a trucking accident, you are also entitled to recover damages for the loss. Do not delay! 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 chair of the American Bar Association GP Solo and GP Solo YLD division, 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 office number 281-893-8644 or by email at mala@ sharmalaws.net to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Mala Sharma
LIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI
September 21, 2018
21
Gandhi Fights British Attempt to Divide Hindus - Part 15 At home Gandhi found approved the pact; but still
that the Government had returned to the policy of repression. There were widespread arrests and the Government seized the properties and bank balances of people and organizations who were hostile to their interests. Early in 1932 Gandhi wanted to meet the new Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, but the Viceroy made it clear that the days of negotiation were over. Gandhi informed the authorities that he was again starting a civil disobedience campaign. The Viceroy thought it was a threat. He had Gandhi arrested and imprisoned in Yeravda Central Jail. Several other leaders and many of Gandhi’s followers were also arrested and sent to jail. In March the struggle entered a new phase. Gandhi had always insisted that the untouchables were a part of the Hindus and must be treated as Hindus. Now, however, it was announced that the British proposed to set up separate voting for the untouchables. That meant that untouchables could vote only for members of their own caste. Gandhi regarded the Hindu religion as one and indivisible. He saw the game the British were playing. It was an attempt to weaken Hindu society. “Separate treatment of untouchables cannot be allowed,” Gandhi declared. “Here is an attempt to make untouchability last forever. Unless untouchability is destroyed we shall never have self-government.” “But what can you do about this election law now?” asked a friend. “I can die,” was his prompt reply. “I will resist this evil provision with my life.” Gandhi announced that he would soon start a fast unto death unless the plan for separate electorates was changed. The public announcement of his intention threw the country into panic. The Indian leaders were shocked at Gandhi’s decision. Even Jawaharlal Nehru thought that Gandhi was taking a drastic step on a side issue. During the time between the announcement and the day when Gandhi’s fast was to begin, streams of visitors arrived at Yeravada jail. The authorities, anxious to avoid any tragedy, allowed everyone to have free access to Gandhi. But all efforts to dissuade him from fasting unto death were of no avail. The die was cast. Gandhi was going to fast.
Rabindranath Tagore sent a telegram: “It is worth sacrificing precious life for the sake of India’s unity and her social integrity. Our sorrowing hearts will follow your sublime penance with reverence and love.” Gandhi started his fast on September 20, 1932. The first day of the fast was observed all over India as a day of prayer and fasting. Many temples were opened to untouchables and meetings were held all over India urging the removal of untouchability. Outside the jail political activity came to a boil. Leaders of upper case Hindus and untouchables met and discussed various measures to try to arrive at a compromise that would satisfy Gandhi. Proposals and counterproposals were made and considered. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the most powerful leader of the untouchables, met Gandhi and assured him that he would try his best to find a just solution. On the third day of the fast, Gandhi’s condition caused anxiety to all his friends. He was very weak and had to be carried to bathroom on a stretcher. His voice was feeble, his blood pressure was rising. The authorities grew panicky. They sent for Kasturba and allowed all his friends and followers to be with him in jail. On the fifth day of the fast, Hindu leaders finally reached an agreement and signed a pact that would do away with the separate electorates. Gandhi, however, would not accept the pact unless it had been ratified by the British rulers. News came that the British had
Mahatma Gandhi Library, Inc. Essay
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
Gandhi would not break his fast until he had seen the text of the approval. The official document of the British government’s approval to the pact came and Gandhi accepted it. Gandhi was released from prison in early 1933. Shortly thereafter he suspended the mass civil disobedience movement but sanctioned individual civil resistance resistance to the government’s policy of repression. For the next seven years, Gandhi worked hard for the social and spiritual awakening of the people. Many leaders, including Nehru, did not approve of many of Gandhi’s activities. “But,” said Nehru, “how can I presume to advise a magician?” Sabarmati Ashram had been seized by the government during the salt satyagraha. So Gandhi established a little retreat at Sevagram near Wardha in Maharashtra. This became his headquarters. New reforms sponsored by the government got little support from the people. However, many people, including Congress workers, wanted to try them out as a means of furthering the Swaraj movement. In 1939, the Second World War broke out. England and France declared was on Nazi Germany. Without consulting Indian leaders, Britain declared India also to be at war on the side of the allies. Though Gandhi’s sympathies lay with the British, he believed that all violence was evil and therefore he would have nothing to do with the war effort. The Indian National Congress wanted to help Britain and fight on the side of the allies, but only as a free nation. But to grant India independence seemed ridiculous to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his government. They had no intention of letting India go by default. Britain refused to accept the cooperation offered by the Congress. As a protest, all the Congress ministries in the provinces resigned. The government took over the administration and they too all measures that would help the was effort. Acting on the goodwill and restraint taught by Gandhi, the Indian leaders showed no reaction. However, events in Europe were having repercussions in India. The Congress Working Committee found itself unable to accept in its entirety Gandhi’s attitude to the war. In particular, they would not accept his view that the defence of India should not depend on the armed forces. Congress leaders met several times in Gandhi’s room at Sevagram and talked of their desire to start some action. Finally a proposal was put forward that all provincial governments should join with the British authorities in the defence of India, but the British rejected the offer. -To be continued next week
“IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA”
Stay tuned every Sunday,
HIREN JOSHI
to from 2.30pm to 3.30pm
832-646-2116
hjoshi7@hotmail.com
www.shobajoshi.com
SHOBA JOSHI OWNER, PROMOTER AND HOST OF
Geetanjali Radio AM 1320 Sat & Sun 2-6 PM For your business ads
Cell: 832-878-4338 Tel: 713-545-4749 shobajoshi999@gmail.com
Vacant Medical Care Clinic Immediate Move In 4860 sq ft. Highly Visible & High Traffic Count 2660 Marina Bay dr League city, Tx 77573 PLEASE CALL:
832-202-9000
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
22
EDUCATION DIY Homework Chart and Organization at Home September 21, 2018
With school back in session,
homework assignments will begin shortly after. Parents can utilize this time at the beginning of the school year, before things get too hectic, to make sure their students know how to prepare for homework assignments and projects. Best in Class Education Center, which helps K-12
in homework. Some questions to include on the checklist are: 1. Did I put my name on the homework assignment? 2. Did I put the date on the assignment? 3. Did I answer all of the questions? 4. Did I follow all of the directions? 5. Did I try my best?
students succeed academically through customized educational programs, shared a few ideas for how to create homework charts and organize at home. Use a Dry Erase Calendar Create a monthly calendar with the assignments that are due in
First Ever
24 Hour
Telugu Radio in Houston
Online at www.radiohungama.net & Every Sunday 12 PM to 3 PM CST On
KCHN AM 1050 Contact: Sridhar Dadi at
281-217-9736
houstonradio@yahoo.com
the upcoming weeks. Color code each assignment by subject. For example, for science assignments use a green marker, and for math assignments use a blue marker. Place the calendar in a frequently visited area such as the refrigerator, living room, or playroom. Make sure to add time each week to work on larger projects such as science fair projects. Make Folders to Organize School Work In order to keep track of the different stages of school work, it is important to make different folders to store homework. Get three folders and label them as following: Graded Work, To Be
Completed by Parent, and Return to School. All of the completed and graded assignments should be organized into the Graded Work folder. In the Completed by Parent folder, store things like field trip permission forms, paperwork, and other documents that need to be completed by the parent and returned to school. And finally, in the Return to School folder, include completed documents and homework assignments that should be brought to school the next day. Make a Checklist for Going Over Finished Homework Create a checklist for the student to cross reference before turning
This checklist will give students a way to check their homework on their own before having a parent looking over it or turning the finished work in to the teacher. This will also help students be accountable for doing their work accurately and effectively. Create a Supply Station Organize all school supplies in a shower caddy filled with plastic cups or mason jars. Fill each cup or mason jar with necessary school supplies such as pencils, crayons, markers, highlighters, and glue sticks. For older students you can add a calculator, graph paper, and sticky notes. This is a great way to store all of those school supplies in one area and avoid losing certain items. You can also move the organizer around to different locations where kids do their school work.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
INDIAN HISTORY
September 21, 2018
23
Historic Battle of Saragarhi on 9/12; the Pride of Sikh Martyrs BY KRISHAN GUPTA
HOUSTON: Saragarhi Battle is
an incredible history of 21 brave men of the 36th Sikh Regiment, born in the Majha region of Punjab who gave up their lives in devotion to their duty on September 12, 1897. In keeping with the tradition of the Indian Army, they fought to death rather than surrender. The Battle of Saragarhi is one of eight stories of collective bravery published by UNESCO, and mentioned as one of the five most significant events of its kind in the world which includes the Saga of Thermopylae associated with the heroic stand of a small Greek force against the mighty Persian Army of Xerxes in 480 B.C. Most of the forts in the Northwest Region were initially built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and later on the British colonial rulers added more to provide security to troops against marauding tribesmen and their Lashkar’s. Saragarhi Post was located between Lockhart and Gulistan to provide heliographic communications between them. This picket had been fortified to provide safety and protection to the signalling detachment. In 1897 there was a general uprising in the NWFP engineered by Afghans as part of their policy, which came to be known as the “prickly heat
policy’to direct the wrath of the tribal against the British. The Commanding Officer of 36th Sikh Regiment, Lt. Col. Haughton, was at Fort Lockhart and was in communication with the Saragarhi post through helicograph. The defenders of Saragarhi under the indomitable and inspiring leadership of their detachment commander, Havildar Ishar Singh, resolved to defend their post in the best tradition of their race and regiment. He and his men knew well that the post would fall, because a handful of men in that make-shift fort of stones and mud walls with a wooden door could not stand the onslaught of thousands of
tribesmen. They fought back valiantly. For quite some time, the troops held their own against the determined and repeated attacks by the wild and ferocious hordes. The enemy suffered heavy casualties during this fight. Unmindful of his safety, Sepoy Gurmukh Singh kept signalling a minute-to-minute account of the battle from the signal tower in the post to Battalion HQs. When repeated attacks failed, the enemy set fire to the surrounding areas and managed to close in with the post’s boundary wall and rifle fire from the post holes and succeeded to breach in the wall.
One of Havildar Ishar Singh’s men who was seriously wounded and bleeding profusely, took charge of the guardroom. He shot four of the enemy as they tried to approach his charge. The battle had come too close for Gurmukh Singh’s comfort, so he asked Battalion HQs for permission to shut down the heliograph and take up his rifle. He dismounted his heliograph equipment, and joined the fight. He took 20 of the enemy with him before he died. The post was recaptured two days later by another British Indian contingent. This episode when narrated in the British Parliament drew from the members a standing ovation in the memory of the defenders. The story of the heroic deeds of these men was also placed before Queen Victoria.
The account was received all over the world with full admiration. All the 21 valiant men of this epic battle were awarded the Indian Order of Merit Class III (posthumously) which at the time was one of the highest gallantry awards (Vir Chakra) given to Indian troops. All dependants of the heroes were awarded land and money. It is indeed a singularly unique action in Indian military history. The Sikh Regiment celebrates the day of the Battle of Saragarhi each 12 September in their honor. Two Saragarhi Gurudwaras: one in Amritsar and one in Ferozepur Cantonment were built. In 2010, the British and Indian armies’ polo teams commemorated the battle by holding the Saragarhi Challenge and raising thousands of pounds for the British Asian Trust.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
24
September 21, 2018
SUDOKU Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.
Send us the correct answer before September 25, 2018. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).
Solution Next Week
L��� W���’� SUDOKU S�������
L��� W���’� SUDOKU W������ 1) Rohit Varma 2) Jitender Singh 3) Asha Priya
Job Opportunity
Capricorn Travel Requires Full Time Experienced Travel Agent. For Appointment: Please Call: 713-339-2222
PUZZLES / RECIPES Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Sabat Moong te Palak di Daal
(SPINACH & WHOLE MOONG LENTILS) Daals are the mainstay of the Indian diet, whether you are in the north or south, east or west - providing much needed protein, especially for the multitude of vegetarians in the country - and each region has its own way of making them. So central are they to Indian life, there is even a phrase to express daily life: “daalroti toh khani hai” (we have to eat our daily bread). But nowhere will you find the heartiness and flavorful taste of daals as you would in the Punjab. Punjabi daals are known for their smooth, thick texture and the perfect blend of spices. They are not supposed to be runny or thin and the hot tardka or blending in of spices, onions, garlic and sometimes hing (asafoetida) is a sizzling experience that fills the air with the aroma of the dish. To this day, in the majority of rural communities and in many traditional recipes, daal is cooked in a large patila (pot) simmered over a slow to medium flame. Daal should be cooked so that you can spot the grain and have a little turri (curry). Too thick or too thin a daal and you can’t scoop it with roti (flat bread). The dish is made with leafy, dark green spinach, which is rich in vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium and potassium. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper as well as selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach and methi (fenugreek) are sometimes added selectively to some daals to enhance their flavor and appeal. Sabat (whole) moong daal is leaf green in color and the dark spinach and soya leaves give the dish a nice dual look and added flavor. This dish cooks fairly fast and goes especially well with hot rotis. Ingredients: • 1 cup sabat moong daal (whole moong lentils) • 500 gm palak (spinach) • 2 cups pani (water) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves of lasan (garlic) – peeled and chopped • 1 medium adrak (ginger) – peeled and chopped • 2 hari mirch (green chillies) – medium and chopped • 1/2 cup soya patta (soya leaves) (optional)
• 5 stalktops fresh dhania (coriander) – pinch off the leaves and cut into pieces • 1 tsp garam masala • Spices (to taste): lal mirch (red pepper); namak (salt); haldi (turmeric) Directions: 1. Carefully wash the spinach leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt, drip to dry then cut the leaves into half inch pieces. 2. Place the moong daal in a bowl and wash it thoroughly in cold water, then rinse it out. 3. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Pour in the moong daal into the pot, cover, and add the cut spinach, soya patta, haldi, ginger, green chilies and salt and let it come to a second boil then reduce the heat to medium. 4. If the water boils off before the daal becomes tender, then add some more and let it continue to boil for about 30 minutes till the daal is tender but not soft. Keep a frequent eye on the daal to make sure it does not become soupy.
5. Heat the oil in a small karai or wok and add the garlic and brown it a little. When roasted and the smell of the pieces starts to come through, take off the heat and drop the masala into the pot of cooked daal and stir to mix well. 6. Sprinkle the top of the daal 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 (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 early-nineties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.
MAMA’S TIP O F THE
W
EEK IF ON A LOW SUG AR USE HONEY INST DIET, EAD
Many people on a restricted, low suga r di foods they love an d skip many deserts et cut back on many of the or types. Though they are mindful of what drinks and cookies of all th crave for carbohyd rate foods which ar ey eat, it is difficult not to e crunchy and satis fying. Honey is often used as a substitute for and also when used sugar, mixed in ho t drinks wi cold. But for those th lemon juice as a tonic against the common who want cookies, a few made with ho available. ney are
Award Winning Customer Service & Best Rates in Town Proudly Serving For Best Rates to: India, Europe, Cruises & Vacation Packages South Asian Community Toll Free: 1-866-956-0758 - Tel:713-339-2222 for Past 3939 Hillcroft Ave, Suite# 110, Houston, TX 77057 30 Years
CAPRICORN TRAVEL
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS
‘The Price of Free’ Will Debut
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
on YouTube November 27! LOS
ANGELES: YouTube announced its acquisition of the awardwinning documentary The Price of Free (formerly titled Kailash), a suspenseful yet intimate look at one man’s groundbreaking struggle to liberate every child possible. From rising director Derek Doneen and producer Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”, “He Named Me Malala”), the film follows Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and his team of leaders around the world through gripping secret raids and quests for missing children. Co-produced and co-financed by Participant Media and Concordia Studio, the 90minute YouTube Original feature length documentary will debut on YouTube channel SoulPancake Participant’s award-winning digital division - on November 27th, timed to coincide with #GivingTuesday. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize. As a young man, Kailash Satyarthi promised himself that he would end child slavery in his life-
time. He left a lucrative career as an electrical engineer and started Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement) to rescue children from the shackles of slavery. In the decades since, he has rescued more than 87,000 children and built a global movement including one of the largest civil society movements, the Global March Against Child Labor that demanded an international law on the worst forms of child labor, and the 100 Million Campaign, a youth-driven call to action ensuring every child in the world is free, safe and educated. A gripping story from start to finish, the film focuses on the spirited children who, released from a nightmare, latch onto a second chance for joy with all they’ve got. The Price of Free seeks to raise awareness on child labor and through the mission of Kailash and his team, build a better future for every child, everywhere. In combination with its award-winning content, Participant Media invests in social impact campaigns that raise awareness about global challenges and inspire positive change. The Price of Free presents an op-
portunity to amplify the voice of Kailash Satyarthi, a tireless global activist, and to accelerate the reach and impact of his efforts to end child labor. Working with partners YouTube, Participant, Concordia, the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, SoulPancake and the 100 Million Campaign’s Global Day of Action on Nov 14th will empower students, policymakers and business leaders to take action toward a future that is exploitation free. The campaign will provide audiences across the U.S. and worldwide with an opportunity to understand and reflect on why millions of children are trapped in child labor and will provide pathways for those audiences to invest, advocate and lead change in their community and around the world. “This film shows the real scourge of child trafficking, child labor, slavery and exploitation that is ruining the
25
Kareena Kapoor Sep 21, 1980
childhood of millions and ruthlessly crushing their dreams,” says Kailash Satyarthi. “It shares stories of the most marginalized and vulnerable children that I have been fighting for all my life and will continue to. I call on everyone to watch this film and work with us in creating a world where all children are free, healthy, safe and educated – a world where every child is free to be a child. For, if any child is not free then none of us are free.” ~Box Office Guru
Rimi Sen Sep 21, 1981
Divya Dutta Aug 25, 1977
Manmarziyaan The Vicky-Taapsee starrer is an exhausting romantic drama
Anurag Kashyap has created a new
word. For decades, Bollywood has been using ‘pyaar-vyaar’ in stories and songs, most often used along with ‘dil-vil’. If it is a love story, then it is a compendium of ‘dil-vil-pyaarvyaar’, most often used with ‘main kya jaanoo re’? In Manmarziyaan, his pair of young lovers are conflicted about ‘pyaar’, but there are no confusions when it comes to ‘fyaar’, a short-cut denoting a tumble-among-the-sheets. None of Bollywood’s hypocrisies about let’s-not-get-physical: Vicky (Kaushal) and Rumi (Pannu) are
hungry for each other, displaying vigor and giggles in bed, leaping across‘chajjas’ and ‘chhats’ in Amritsar to steal time together. Yes, this is ‘fyaar’, and Vicky and Rumi keep each other busy, the girl reaching out for the boy as much as the other way round. In other words, there is refreshing, welcome honesty about not being able to keep their hands off each other, or what’s young love for? This, being able to show lovers combusting, is Kashyap’s strength. What he is doing in Manmarziyaan (one girl, two boys) is inverting the triangle he had set up in Dev D (one boy, two girls), and for a while we are swept up in the whole Amritsar setting, the Golden temple scenes, the
authentic Punjabi tongue, the excellent supporting cast, and, at the heart of it, Kaushal and Pannu’s playing of lovers-who-can’t-live-with-and– without-each-other. What gets annoying too soon is the same pair’s going round and round in circles: I’m tired of Bollywood’s commitment-phobic young men, who are up for a bit of the downand-dirty, but cannot, or will not, ‘settle down’. Is there no other kind of male lover? The other problem is that both Vicky and Rumi are playing ‘types’. He is the hot-head-wannabe-rockerwith-a-rad-haircut who is constantly doing the finger-and-yo act. She is the head-strong-`haazir-jawaab’ young girl who is not afraid of anything and anyone. And the third angle of this triangle is Robbie (Bachchan), the steady, sober type, who has come to claim his ‘dulhaniya’.
Pannu stands out, trying to work past the clichéd role. This is the first time the excellent Kaushal is not able to make character his own: fresh off Sanju, this is a disappointment. And Bachchan’s Robbie, fashioned as an antidote to the mercurial Rumi, reminds you so strongly of Ajay Devgn’s part in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam that it’s hard to separate them. A couple of the songs are good too, perfectly matching the tone of the movie, but finally there are too many of them. Which is what one can say about the film. You want to shake these lovers and ask them to make up their mind, quick. You enjoy the initial exhilaration born out of breathless passion as the winsome boy and girl engage in the age-old dance of desire. And then they become exhausting. As does the film.us are free.” ~IndianExpress.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Archana Puran Singh Sep 26, 1962
Chunky Pandey Sep 26, 1962
Rahul Dev Sep 27, 1968
26
SPORTS
September 21, 2018
Chappell: Australia Should Concern India, England BY IAN CHAPPELL LONDON (ESPN Crickinfo): India should view their disappointing 4-1 series loss to England as a missed opportunity. They were highly competitive in the series - apart from a disastrous loss at Lord’s - but the squad had enough ability to do better than just compete. The batting was disappointing and especially the way they played spin bowling in Southampton. A great opportunity went begging when their failure to be more proactive against Moeen Ali meant a chance to level the series was squandered. Apart from Cheteshwar Pujara, no player was prepared to alter the offspinner’s flight path by leaving his crease. The series loss is even more of a wasted opportunity when you consider how well the Indian fast bowlers performed. India now have to look on rehabilitating their reputation in the highly anticipated series against Australia but the batting inadequacies have to be addressed. While Australia’s batting is questionable, with their two best players, Steven Smith and David Warner, missing through suspension, the bowling attack is still extremely strong. If Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Patrick Cummins and Nathan Lyon remain fit then the Indian batsmen will be in for a challenging time. In England it was movement through the air and off the seam that created regular problems for them - apart from Virat Kohli - but it will be the extra bounce in Australia that sorts the men from the boys. A confident and in-form Rohit Sharma would be an ideal player to bolster the batting in Australia. His authoritative horizontal bat shots are perfectly designed to cope with the testing extra bounce, but sadly Rohit has never really come to grips with batting in Test cricket. Selecting him for the tour would be a gamble. On the subject of facing Australia, the England selectors have done little in preparation for next year’s Ashes series. It is expected selectors will pick a team to win the current series, but they also have to have one eye on the future. The England selectors have been myopic when it comes to the next Ashes series.
Indian test cricket team will have to regroup prior to the Australia series.
It’s fine for all Englishmen to bask in the glory of Alastair Cook’s fairy-tale finish to his career but this shouldn’t blind everyone to the team’s shortcomings. Cook was more relaxed having made his decision to retire, and that helped concentrate his mind to provide one last grafting memory. However, those suggesting that Cook could have played on are completely ignoring the blindingly obvious evidence of the last 12 months - he was gone. If it hadn’t been for the paltry output from his opening partners, Cook could well have been omitted a number of times in that period. He was fortunate to survive but he made his luck count by going out on an extreme high, enjoying the heartfelt warmth that the English public bestowed upon him for his enormous contributions to the team. The selectors now need to uncover two opening batsmen as Keaton Jennings’ flimsy defence won’t survive against Australia’s premier pace attack. Adding to England’s problems, they still don’t have a viable No. 3. Against Australia’s pace attack, Moeen isn’t the answer to the firstdrop headache, and he also hasn’t had much success as an offspinner in Ashes series. Consequently England’s possible spin attack for the Ashes series is far from settled, as I don’t see Adil Rashid being the answer. While the England pace attack is good and performed brilliantly against India, it still lacks the option of a genuine speed merchant. In 2012, at the Under-19 level Jamie Overton appeared to be a possible answer to that need. Fast
and combative, he looked to have all the requirements, but a series of injuries and limited opportunities with the new ball at county level have hindered his progress. His selection would require bravery but it could reap big rewards. If either India or England underestimate Australia because of their recent travails, they could well be punished. I await the next few months with eager anticipation. In the last few years, India’s 50over success has been scripted by their top three. Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli are among the finest top-order batsmen in 50overs cricket. All of them have the ability to negate the new-ball threat (in all conditions) and bat deep into the innings, once set. Since 2016, in 51 matches they have made nearly 65% of the total
runs scored by India in ODI cricket. Pakistan’s top three are second best on this metric, with 54%. India’s top three also average 64 runs per match between them, while England’s top three, the second best in this regard, average 50 runs. When one or two of the top three scores 50-plus each for India, the team’s win percentage shoots up to over 70%. And when none of them do, India lose 57% of their matches (four out of seven). This underlines these batsmen’s influence on the outcome of India’s ODI matches. It amounts to an over-reliance on them that must be addressed before the World Cup starts next year. Very often India’s top three take the team total to 170 runs in the first 30 overs but still India seldom end with 325-plus after 50 overs. India’s batting moves at almost the same pace right through the course of 50 overs, and while they still manage to make enough runs to beat most opponents, it feels like they are underachieving, since the stage seemed set for them to score 20-30 runs more. While Kohli’s absence considerably weakens the team, it also provides one final opportunity to identify the players who can be persisted with to solve the middle-order question ahead of the World Cup. In order to fulfil this objective, the selectors must not try to fill Kohli’s spot with an opener, because that’s not the area of concern; ideally, they should pick someone who is in the running for the No. 4 spot in the XI.
Taniya Bhatia Shines with Bat and Gloves to Hand India Series vs. SL COLOMBO: India women 219 (Bhatia 68, Raj 52, Atapattu 3-42) beat Sri Lanka women 212 (Atapattu 57, Siriwardene 49) by 7 runs The score of 219 has been a monkey on India’s back since their botched chase of 229 in the 2017 World Cup final. During the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, the monkey came bounding from Lord’s to Galle this time, India were defending 219. At various points during the game, Sri Lanka looked like pulling off an impressive win and keeping the three-match series alive, but each time they ran into Taniya Bhatia. The wicketkeeper-batsman, playing
only her second ODI, lifted India to a respectable total with a 66-ball 68, her maiden international half-century. She then took two vital catches and pulled off a stumping during the end overs of Sri Lanka’s chase to hand India a seven-run win.
Jiwanjot, Pannu for Dronacharya Award
NEW DELHI: National archery compound coach Jiwanjot Singh Teja is set to become one of the youngest Dronacharya awardees after the 34year old’s name was recommended for the honour along with Asian Games gold medallist Arpinder Singh’s coach S S Pannu. The selection committee picked Teja, head coach of the national compound archery team since 2013, along with Pannu, who trained triple jumper Arpinder Singh, the gold medal winner at the recent Jakarta Games. Also recommended for the Dronacharya award are CA Kuttappa (boxing), Vijay Sharma (weightlifting) and A Srinivasa Rao (table tennis), according to the sources in the Sports Ministry. Teja was instrumental in reviving two-time Asian Games medallist Trisha Deb’s career. In 2010, a Korean coach had said Trisha was not fit to become an archer but under Teja she went on to win two bronze medals at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Under Teja, India’s women compound team achieved the world number one rank. “My son was born in 2010 and I have missed all his growing years because I was always away in the national camps. I really missed my son’s early years in childhood. I did not know when he started walking on his own but all this has paid now,” Teja told PTI from Patiala. “And getting this award at the age of 34 is very encouraging for me and the sport. I can easily serve another 20 years. Initially, I had also thought to become an engineer like my brother but then I chose to be an archer. I never became an international standard archer because there was no good training available. “I asked my family to help me become a coach and today we have produced excellent results in compound archery. Our team was ninth in the world in 2011 and in two years we took it to world number two rank,” Teja said, remembering his struggle and achievements. Four coaches have been recommended for the Dronacharya award in the life-time category. They are Clarence Lobo (hockey), Tarak Sinha (cricket), Jiwan Kumar Sharma (judo) and V R Beedu (athletics).
JOB AVAILABLE Positions available: 1) Full- time or part-time cashier / counter (must be able to speak English and understand Hindi) 2) Full-time kitchen help. 3) Full-time sales girl for Sari store (must be able to speak English and understand Hindi) Anyone interested in this opportunity, please contact Ramesh Lulla at 713-819-1820 after 2 pm or Aakash Lulla at 832-715-8328 after 2 pm INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
Foreign Funds Load Up Equity to Buy India’s Distressed Firms NEW DELHI: Initiation of insolvency resolution in Indian companies has opened up a lucrative investment window for specialised stressed assets funds, which have lined up more than Rs 15,000 crore of equity capital for investing in companies up for grabs under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, industry sources said. While a number of such funds have tied up with Indian companies to benefit from turning around stressed assets, many are investing alone. A total of more than Rs 4 lakh crore worth of assets are currently undergoing resolution under the IBC and this number is expected to rise to Rs 7 lakh crore in a few months when the next batch of companies are taken to National Company Law Tribunal benches for resolution. This presents an opportunity for distressed asset investors to buy good assets a haircut and on a clean slate. AION Capital, which is a joint venture between Apollo Global Man-
The Prayagraj Power plant is one of the distressed companies sought by foreign investment firms.
agement and ICICI Venture, tied up with Sajjan Jindal-promoted JSW Steel, and this JSW-AION combine recently acquired Monnet Ispat and Energy in an insolvency auction. Singapore-based Resurgent Power
Ventures, which is a joint venture Tata Power, ICICI Bank and other international investors, is in the fray to acquire Jaiprakash Associates’ Prayagraj Power Generation Company (PPGCL), a coal-based power
project based in UP. Resurgent Power Ventures faces competition from JSW Energy which has submitted a revised bid of Rs 6,200 crore for the debtladen PPGCL. While PPGCL is still outside the NCLT resolution, it could be pushed to the IBC in case lenders are unable to finalize a bidder. Similarly, Aditya Birla Capital last week announced formation of a joint venture with US firm Varde Partners to buy stressed assets. “We see a large opportunity in the distressed space, especially in the mid-corporate segment. One of the things that we bring to the table as a Group, is that we understand how to run many businesses. We are looking at leveraging this skill set as we enter this new business. Thus, our decision to enter into a joint venture with Varde Partners, who bring restructuring expertise to augment our core strength,” said Ajay Srinivasan, Chief Executive, of Aditya Birla Capital. -- Indian Express
Dena, Vijaya, Bank of Baroda to Merge to Form 3rd Largest Bank NEW DELHI: The government Monday proposed an amalgamation of three public sector banks — Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank — to create what would be India’s third largest bank in terms of total business at Rs 14.82 lakh crore. This step will particularly help Dena Bank, the weakest of the three, which is currently under the Reserve Bank of India’s Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework and has been barred from extending fresh loans. The first major banking sector consolidation during the tenure of the NDA government was the merger of the five associate banks of State Bank of India with itself. The government has also moved to offload its majority stake in IDBI Bank to state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India. Announcing the decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said
the government did not want a merger of weak banks, and has hence suggested the idea of amalgamating one weak bank and two strong banks, in order to create an entity which is able to increase banking operations. This also indicates the approach that the government may deploy in future consolidation. In contrast to net non performing
assets (NPA) ratio of 11.04 per cent for Dena Bank, 5.40 per cent for Bank of Baroda and 4.10 per cent for Vijaya Bank, the combined entity will have a net NPA ratio of 5.71 per cent, according to a presentation by Department of Financial Services Secretary Rajeev Kumar. Provision coverage ratio of the combined entity will be at 67.5 per cent, higher than the PSB
average of 63.7 per cent, and it will have a total of 9,489 branches. The idea of amalgamation was proposed by a Cabinet-approved Alternate Mechanism on bank mergers comprising Jaitley, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after a meeting Monday. The respective bank boards will now consider and approve this proposal and prepare a scheme of amalgamation. The combined entity is expected to retain the regional strength of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank. While Bank of Baroda (BoB) will get access to the regional reach and business of the other two banks, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will benefit from the global network strength of the former, Bank of Baroda’s MD and CEO PS Jayakumar said, outlining the beneficial synergies that will arise out of the amalgamation. -- Indian Express
27
Market Crash Wipes Out Over Rs 1 Trillion Wealth MUMBAI: Investor wealth eroded by over Rs. 1 trillion on Monday following a weak broader market where the BSE benchmark index tumbled more than 505 points to slip below the 38,000 mark. Following the sharp fall in stocks, the market capitalisation (m-cap) of BSE-listed companies dropped by Rs. 1,14,676.15 crore to Rs. 1,55,22,343 crore. The 30-share key index plunged 505.13 points or 1.33% to end at 37,585.51. Escalating trade war tensions between the US and China, as well as the rupee worries have dented the market sentiment, experts said. The Indian currency once again breached the 72-mark to hit a low of 72.69 (intra-day) against the US dollar. From the 30-share basket, 25 stocks ended with losses led by Sun Pharma, HDFC, Tata Motors and Reliance Industries Limited. At the BSE, 1,441 stocks declined, while 1,282 advanced and 191 remained unchanged. Also, more than 140 stocks hit their 52-week low levels Monday on BSE. Stocks were further beaten down as Goldman Sachs, over the weekend, changed its investment view on Indian equities from overweight to marketweight. The downgrade came on the back of stretched valuations, macro-economic concerns, a slow-down in domestic institutional inflows and political uncertainty due to impending general elections. “The decline (in equity markets) today is more to do with the currency behaviour and the resultant withdrawal. Weak Asian peers also impacted the sentiment,” said Deven Choksey, group managing director, KR Choksey Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
28
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018 Wrap-3
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 21, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM