Friday, October 19, 2018 • Vol. 37, No. 41
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Wrap-2 October 19, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Friday, October 19, 2018 | Vol. 37, No. 41
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October 19, 2018
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COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
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1000 Lights for Peace, 149th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi
HOUSTON: Let the lighting of
lamps for peace be not an empty gesture, but light the lamp in your heart with courage and oil of love, said Dr. Sita Kapadia, a Gandhian, at the “1000 lights for peace” event celebrating Gandhi Jayanthi at Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park, Houston on Sunday. Dr. Kapadia, emeritus professor at the City University of New York, who had met Mahatma Gandhi when she was 9 years old, was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the Gandhi Week, hosted annually by Mahatma Gandhi Library, Houston. Gandhi knew that there won’t be peace in the world all the time and proposed a solution, namely start it with children. That is what Mahatma Gandhi Library has been doing as the children who participated in Gandhi speech contest demonstrated earlier, Kapadia said. “These children do make us proud; they give us hope,” she said and urged the community to help Mahatma Gandhi Library in its movement of lighting the lamps of peace. Mahatma Gandhi Library presented the spectacular 1000 Lights for Peace, a celebration of the
Award Winners of Mahatma Gandhi Week-2018 contests with Dr. Anupam Ray. Photo: Kumaresh Tahkku
Dr. Anupam Ray encouraging and posing with the children at the 1000 Lights for Peace. Photo: Rajan Chawla
149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, on Sunday, October
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14th at Miller Outdoor Theater. The spirit of Houstonians attending the program was truly visible during this auspicious celebration. The gorgeous day started with 3K Walk for Peace, coordinated by Mr. Prem Cholia. The participants walked around Hermann Park voting for peace with their feet, many proudly displaying signs depicting peace. They visited the life size statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Houston Garden Center to pay homage to the apostle of peace by garlanding. Two Gandhi jis were sighted, one was Vinod Arora and the other was Suresh Shah. The had dressed up as Gandhi ji and led the Walk For Peace.The walk culminated on stage at Miller Outdoor Theater to kick off the 1000 Lights for Peace program. The 1000 lights for Peace program started at 6pm with an invocation by Dr. Kashan Ishaq recited from Quran, Dr. Sushma Mahajan of Arya Samaj of Houston with a
Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray along with Devinder Mahajan of Arya Samaj Greater Houston participating in candle lighting. Photo: Kumaresh Tahkku.
Sanskrit shloka. This was followed by Rev Mindy Lawrence of Unity Houston from The Bible and Dr. Hansa Raval from Brahma Kumaris of Houston spoke about need to keep the flame alive. Neeraj Salhotra was the MC and kept the evening flowing with historical perspectives on not only Mahatma Gandhi, but also social reformers including Cesar Chavez, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, and Desmond Tutu. The Gandhi Darshan (Glimpses of Gandhi) Exhibition from National Gandhi Museum commemorating Mahatma Gandhi Sesquicentennial portraying the chronological lifetime of Gandhiji with actual photographs from that era was on display for the visitors. There were booths for arts and crafts and henna painting, which the children lined up for. The Vegan Society for Peace
also had a table and was active participant throughout the day. The evening started with a beautiful butterflies dance by the group Dance of Asian America, directed by Ms Janie Yao. Next was a highenergy, dynamic performance by the Ambassadors International Ballet Folklorico from Mexico, directed by Nelly Fraga. Khushi Kawedia, winner of the younger speech contest, inspired the crowd by reciting her winning speech “Honesty is the best policy.” Next was a fabulous performance by the adorable children from Arya Samaj, directed by Smriti Srivastava, reciting a melodious rendition of one of Gandhiji’s favorite hymn, Vaishnavo Janato. Anusha Sathya then treated the crowd to her brilliant winning speech in the older category discussing “If I met Gandhi today.” Students of the group Swar Sangam, directed by Smriti
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October 19, 2018
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
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India House-SOS Hold Third “Life After” Series on Demystifying Estate Planning
Sharing the podium at the “Life After: Demystifying Estate Planning” seminar were AJ John, who served as the emcee; estate planning and probate lawyers Russell Hall and Steven Mendel, SOS founder Biki Mohindra, and Anasuya Kabad, a certified financial planner with JayKay Wealth Advisors, who managed the Q&A session.
BY PRAMOD KULKARNI
HOUSTON: After emigrating to
the United States, many of us are so focused on getting a graduate education and building a career that we often lose sight of what comes after retirement and life after the loss of a spouse. To address these concerns, SOS (Share Our Secrets) Outreach, in a strategic partnership with India House, have collaborated to present a series of seminars grouped under the theme, “Life After”. Behind the scenes, the SOS Outreach Team consists of Mani Subramanian and Atma Ram with Amit Patil as the volunteer coordinator.. Two seminars were presented on the how to handle the emotional, physical and financial impacts after the loss of a spouse. During these previous seminars, the attendees had identified Estate Planning as a topic that has vexed the seniors. Acting upon this suggestion, the third “Life After” seminar was presented on Sunday, October 7 afternoon at India House. The seminar covered estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate. Eager to learn about such complex financial instruments, seniors attended in record numbers (over 300) to hear presentations on the subject of estate planning and probate from two expert lawyers, followed by a talk on the challenges
Estate Planning lawyer Russell Hall speaking before a record audience of more than 300 people at India House.
of retirement and the legacy aspects of selling properties outside the US, particularly in India. The presentations were followed by a panel discussion and a Q&A session. The attendees enjoyed hot tea and samosas in the hallway and settled in to hear India House Executive Director Col. (retired) Vipin Kumar describe the extensive range of community services available at India House from charity clinics to yoga classes, after-school care and free food distribution to needy families (to learn more, visit). Insurance Executive A.J. John, Principal, Wheatstone, served as the emcee for the seminar. John
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thanked India House and introduced the speakers. The first expert speaker was Russell Hall, who is the principal partner of Russell W. Hall & Associates PC, from Bellaire, Texas. Hall presented a checklist of “what estate planning should look like from your perspective.” “Estate planning is not a form,” Hall explained. “I look at my assets, fiduciaries, etc. every year and update the information as needed. It is also important to discuss these matters with your children. Know your capabilities and listen to your CPA and financial planner. Make a will and then, can you find it and can your family find it? Medical directives and medical power of
attorney are also important before disability occurs. When my wife opens up the safe deposit box after me, she will find a balance sheet, a cash flow statement, and all of my passwords.” The second expert was Stephen Mendel, principal of The Mendel Law Firm LP, based in west Houston. Mr. Mendel discussed probate planning. “Are you going to be a champ or chump?” asked Mendel. “Champs plan. For chumps of the world, the state of Texas has a probate plan, but you won’t like it.” “A quality estate plan is easy to probate,” Mendel continued. “The court needs the original will with an application to designate the heirs, followed by a hearing, to
admit the will for probate and appoint the executor. We then work with the executor to pay off the listed liabilities, including taxes, and distribute net assets according to your will. It’s your responsibility to do it right and take care of your family now and beyond.” SOS Founder Biki Mohindra discussed the major challenges faced by retirees and described the topics for future seminars. He discussed the intricacies of sale of an asset in India and the legal requirements due to reciprocal tax treaty between India and the U.S. He also elaborated on how this can be leveraged to get tax refund in the U.S. when selling inherited real estate property in India. The expert presentations were followed by a Q&A session that was managed by JayKay Wealth Advisors’ Anasuya Kabad. Anasuya did an admirable job of organizing the many questions from the audience succinctly for the three panelists. The seminar concluded with small group huddle sessions with the panelist and Mr. A. J. John that allowed the attendees to ask specific qustions.. For further information, please contact SOS at sosoutreachteam@ gmail.com. For additional information on India House programs, visit www.indiahouseinc. org/programs-services.
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COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
Ekal Houston Gala Raises $1.5 Million
SUGAR LAND: Ekal Vidyalaya’s Hous-
ton Chapter held its fundraising Gala at Sugarland Marriott, Saturday, October 6, 2018. This Gala was our first crack at it and the volunteers, charitable donors, and especially the young generation made it a roaring success, in terms of the attendance, donations and commitments made. The event was attended by over 650 people; 150 from the younger generation. Guests enjoyed dressing up for a fine evening of good food, social interaction and learning about Ekal Abhiyan. They opened their wallets and pledged over $1.5 million to support holistic development of villages and tribal areas of India. The evening began with a networking hour. The formal program started with the American and Indian National Anthems,
sung by Ms. Karuna Antani. Ms. Pooja Lodhia, from Channel 13 KTRK, event emcee, carried the evening forward expressing her curiosity to learn more about Ekal where more than 50% of the students are young girls. She invited Houston Chapter President Pankaj Desai to welcome the guests and introduce Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General of India. Dr. Ray expressed how Ekal movement, through education, has been transforming curious yet education deprived young children into healthy and productive citizens. Each educated child is one less for the Devil’s workshop! The Gala Chair, Ramesh Shah, extended specific welcome to Dr. Kiran Patel, keynote speaker from Tampa, Florida, and to the Ekal India leadership team: Bajrag Bagra (CEO - Ekal India), Naresh Kumar (President – Ekal Global) and Hema Malini Kumar (VP – Ekal Arogya). He introduced a video about Ekal Abhiyan, a program that evolved beyond child education into special projects: Digital Literacy (using tablets), Ekal-on-Wheels (mobile computer lab), Skills Development Centers (vocational education), Tailoring Centers (for women), Telemedicine, and Integrated Village Development (covers 30 villages). The contribution from Ekal USA now supports nearly 25% of the 75,000 schools in India. Ekal USA President, Suresh Iyer, then introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Kiran Patel, who delivered a very powerful message on how selfless giving comes back to you in greater multiples - quoting Sir Alexander Fleming, inventor of penicillin, anecdote. Swapnil Agarwal, young entrepreneur from Houston, expressed his passion for education and shared his success story from humble beginnings. His vision of providing for his consumers, employees, and investors made him a very credible and empathetic speaker - commented a young professional in the hall. Vibhore Jain, entrepreneur from the young generation, narrated how they celebrated their son’s first birthday by donating to Ekal since education and children are so dear to Anvi and him. He invited Sonal Shah, an accomplished economist and educationist, who launched Indicorps to work on issues of healthcare, farming, women empowerment, etc. in India, similar to Ekal’s mission. She inspired her peers to realize their potential and make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. The evenings fund raising was coordinated by Wayne Wheat, ex-Army Airborne Captain and motivational speaker. Donations poured in from the hearts of philanthropists from Houston and as far as East and West coasts. Dancers from Bollywood Shake and the Roarin’ Raas group from the University of Houston entertained the guests with their artistic and energetic performances. After the dinner the guests danced to Bollywood and Hollywood tunes from DJ Yogi G. Gala director Yogi Patel delivered a vote of thanks to all who made this gala possible – vendors, event planner Therese, dance groups, volunteers, and the guests.
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October 19, 2018
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October 19, 2018
IACF’s 30 Years of Benevolence & Still Counting!
COMMUNITY
BY VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA
STAFFORD: For the past 30 years IACF
(Indo-American Charity Foundation) has appealed to the philanthropic spirit of the Indo American community in Houston to address needs in the areas of Education, Family, General Welfare and Healthcare in the metro Houston area. “We live here, We give here” is their motto, and they have a strongly driven and focused mission to foster the local community whose basic needs are met and where everyone can lead enriched lives. Saturday, October 6 saw yet another altruistic event, ‘Thirty in Charity’, IACF’s Annual Gala, at Stafford Centre on Cash Road, attended by around 400 guests and it raised over $165,000. So far, 2018 has been quite an eventful year for IACF, the year beginning with a notable donation of $200,000 to Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Harvey Relief Fund, out of the funds raised at the gala last year. The fundraiser series began with a social walking event Walk-a-Thon: “I Walk- I Care” in April, which was a call for Houstonians to walk, get fit and raise funds. Other events were Annual Scholarship Awards reception in May and Grants Night in August. The jamboree, commenced with registration and cocktail, and the ever-charming Rashi Vats, News Anchor & Reporter FOX 26 News, was the emcee for the evening. As a mark of respect to both nations, rendition of National Anthems of United States and India were beautifully presented by Chloe Choudhury and Milinda Nutalapati respectively. It’s always a reflex in every Indian to feel ecstatic and joyful upon hearing the national anthem. And these emotions were
From left: IACF President Elect, Shobana Muratee, Chief Guest Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Photos: Roy Photography Ray, Keynote Speaker Bob Patel, CEO of LyondellBasell, and IACF President, Mahesh Wadhwa.
Angels of Charity
Welcome dance by students of Rathna Kumar’s Anjali School of Performing Arts
Bhangra performance by Punjabi Bhangra
all across the hall. The ceremonious lamp was lit, marking an auspicious beginning to the event. Then followed a welcome dance, gracefully performed by students of Rathna Kumar’s Anjali School of Performing Arts. IACF President, Mahesh Wadhwa then
welcomed the audience and thanked them for extending a helping hand and being a part of the prestigious IACF gala. He got the audiences acquainted with the IACF board. He also rolled out the red carpet for Chief Guest Consul General of India, Dr.
From left: Emcee Rashi Vats, News Anchor & Reporter FOX 26 News, Chloe Choudhury, and Milinda Nutalapati.
Anupam Ray, Keynote Speaker Bob Patel, CEO of LyondellBasell, Mayor Leonard Scarcella, Mayor Protem Ken Mathew and other personages present. His passion was evident as he spoke. He mentioned, “We have strengthened the partnerships with
fellow organizations– Indian Doctors Associations and the Indian Doctors Charity Clinic (IDA and IDCC), to raise funds through the ‘I WALK–I CARE’ walkathon, which supports health care projects by these partners and also provides health care facilities at no cost.” With excitement, he shared with the audiences the outstanding work IACF has accomplished in the likes of supporting 18 local charity organizations with grants and providing financial aid to 30 deserving high school seniors through scholarships. He stated that he was overwhelmed by the ongoing support they have been receiving and hoped to get such assistance in future as well. With a view to have the audiences acquainted with the noteworthy efforts of IACF in 2018, an introductory video was played. Keynote Speaker, Bhavesh V. ‘Bob’ Patel, CEO of LyndollBasell expressed his gratitude towards the IACF Board, IACF President Mahesh Wadhwa, with special thanks to his associate IACF Board Member Joseph El-
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COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
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Record Attendance at the Season’s First Durga Puja at Vedanta Society Anupam Ray, Pandit Suman Ghosh, and author, poet Chitra Divakaruni. They all commented that this is one event throughout the year that they would never miss. Swami Kripamayananda always comments, “This is the best Durga Puja held in the
BY SANCHALI BASU
H
OUSTON: The pleasant, breezy, sunny weather prompted devotees to come out in throngs to attend the Vedanta Society of Greater Houston (VSGH) Durga Puja on October 13. The weather was just picture perfect to usher in Maa Durga with her children to Houston. VSGH takes pride in celebrating Durga Puja with immense piety, dedication and sincerity. This was the first Durga Puja for our resident Swami Atmarupananda. Recovering from a recent hip replacement surgery, he could not assist with conducting the puja, but presided in organizing the event, ensuring all aspects of the program were well taken care of. Nabapatrika and the idol of Mother Durga were carried to the nicely decorated pandal outdoors to the auspicious beat of the Dhak and the blowing of the shankh early in the morning, creating a divine atmosphere. Mother Durga and kalabau were decorated in festive splendor and Mother was ready to welcome and bless all her devotees. As is the norm every year, VSGH was honored to have Swami Kripamayananda, head of the Toronto Vedanta Society conduct the puja, his 7th year in a row. Dr. Amrit Achari, assisted with the Chandipath, and
Buddhadeb who traveled from Toronto with Swami Kripamayanada assisted in conducting the puja. The puja commenced on time at 9:30 AM with great austerity and devotion. The melodious devotional songs sung by the VSGH choir made the environment reverberate with divinity. The puja ended with the beautiful arati performed by the Swami with the chandelier lamp, and pushpanjali, the offering of flowers, by devotees. Mother Durga seemed to have control over Mother Nature too, as the weather remained very pleasant throughout the day for the devotees. A record crowd of approximately 700 people attended the VSGH Durga Puja this year.
west,” and it gives him immense pleasure and fulfillment in conducting the Durga Puja in Houston. VSGH will celebrate Kali Puja at 7:30 p.m. on Novemver 6, 2018. Worship will be performed by Swami Nirakarananda of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis. All are invited. Please visit www. houstonvedanta.org for information on all VSGH activities.
Devotees were all enjoying the spiritual ambience. Being a very breezy day, ladies were trying to tend to their hair, which was flying out of control. The chandelier lamps were hard to keep lit and at one point Kalabau next to Lord Ganesh had to be retied down from falling. Fruit & lunch prasad were served in the adjacent tent to all attendees. The entire proceedings went very smoothly without a glitch. What was very inspiring to note was the increase in the number of devotees this year compared to last year probably signifying the increased popularity of VSGH and more interest in seeking Maa Durga’s blessings. Dignitaries in attendance were the Consul General of India Dr.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Photos: Jiten Patel
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October 19, 2018
COMMUNITY
Building a Stronger Relationship Between Houston & India
Delegation leader: Arvind Agarwal
Photos: Bijay Dixit
BY ANA ROJAS BASTIDAS
HOUSTON: A very special dinner was
held on September 28, at the Consulate General of India for a Vibrant Gujarat delegation. It was put together in partnership with TiE Houston and the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed a prestigious group of entrepreneurs and community leaders for an evening of networking, dining, and building a stronger relationship between Houston and India. President of TiE Houston Arun Pasrija spoke about the vibrancy of Gujarat decades back during his stay there. Chamber President Swapan Dhairyawan commended the role of this Delegation, which has been on a road show to 6 cities of achieving significant strides and being able to sign up MoUs in the field of Education, Health, Energy & Skilling. The evening began with a sumptuous dinner of food from the Gujarat region. The invitees had a chance to network with the special delegation team lead by Arvind Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance). This delegation is one of several touring the globe to promote their upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which will be taking place on January 18-20, 2019. Vibrant Gujarat Summit was conceptualized in 2003 by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and the then Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Narendra Modi, to re-establish Gujarat as a preferred investment destination within India. Today, the Summit has evolved into a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic development, in addition to being a facilitator for knowledge sharing and forging effective partnerships. Guests were given an opportunity to hear from Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General India, and the leadership of IACCGH and TiE Houston before diving into the presentation from Arvind Agarwal and the rest of the delegation. The question and answer session allowed the guests and delegates to engage in deeper conversations on how Houston and Gujarat can strengthen their relationship through bilateral trade and partnerships. For more information about the summit please visit https://vibrantgujarat.com/ Ana Rojas Bastidas is the Executive director of TiE Houston
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
Supremely Magnificent Suvasini Puja at the MTS Navarathri Celebrations
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BY MK SRIRAM
PEARLAND:
Sri Meenakshi Temple, reputed to be the most authentic temple in southern United States, is celebrating the Navarathri festival in a very grand manner. This is the nine-day festival that occurs twice a year, once in spring and the other in fall called the Sarada Navarathri, which this year is celebrated from October 10 till October 19. Each year, the decorations and the traditional Golu displays get more creative and grander, and surely this year most agreed that it reached a pinnacle never reached before. Nearly a thousand devotees had the most marvelous experience of their lives visiting the temple on the Suvasini Puja. Worshipping the Divine Mother in Her three magnificent forms, Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswathi is the main significance of Sarada Navarathri. It is a matter of great pride to the Hindus that Hinduism gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because the Hindus believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute. The temple bas been most beautifully decorated and special morning and evening pujas are being performed to Goddess Meenakshi. She is adorned with exquisite vasthrams and abharanams that leave indelible impressions on the devotees’ minds.
Lalitha Sahasranama stotras are recited everyday by many devotees which set such a divine vibration throughout the temple. Everyday, the priests decorate the utsava murthys amazingly and very creatively in different mythological forms. The Ambal deities’ alankarams include Sri Rajarajeswari, Sri Kadamba Vanavasini, Sri Kamakshi, Sri Mahishasara Mardhini, etc. while Lord Venkateswara’s utsava murthi was decorated as Vakunta Nathan, Lakshmi Narayanan, Navaneetha Krishnan, Kalinga Marthanam, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam etc. The highlight event of the festival was the Suvasini Puja celebrated on Friday Oct 12th. This is a very auspicious puja performed by married women (sumangalis) as well as young ladies for the welfare of their families. About 500 ladies, attended this puja with their families. It was one of the grandest events ever, conducted at the temple. It was a most unforgettable sight, to see the Main Temple completely filled with devotees, primarily the brilliantly clad ladies and children. Devi’s benign blessings were surely showered on the devotees as they chanted the Lalitha Sahasranamam, various slokas such as Harigiri Nandini and other devotional songs. The priests performed the pujas and abhishekam with great devotion. They did an exquisite decoration of Goddess Meenakshi with garlands of fruits and vegetables. This is the first time ever this special Shakambari Alan-
karam has been adorned on Goddess Meenakshi. The Supreme Goddess indeed gave her devotees a most divine darshan. The priests then performed the the sahasranama archana, followed by chantings from the four Vedas to Sri Meenakshi, who is indeed the Mother of all Vedas. A grand deeparadhana to all the deities including the utsava murthis was the finale of the puja. The temple was very pleased and honored to offer a gift to each of the lady participants who represent the Divine Mother – a lovely sari, shipped from India. This was greatly appreciated by the devotees. The devotees were treated to a sumptuous dinner after the event. This festival gets grander and grander every year at MTS. Chairman Padmini deserves a tremendous amount of credit for making this happen with the support of the Religious Activities Committee lead Sheila Sriram and committee members, the priests, temple artisans and administrative staff, the Food Committee, the Cultural Committee, various other committees, the Board and Council members and finally all the volunteers. The Golu (doll) display being such a phenomenal success attracting hundreds of visitors every day, the Temple has decided to keep it open beyond the traditional nine days, all the way up to Deepavali Bazaar on November 3rd. So, whoever has missed this visual and spiritual treat, have the opportunity to visit the temple on or before Deepavali. Sri Meenakshi Temple is celebrating Deepavali with a grand and spectacular Diwali Bazaar on Saturday, November 3rd from 9 AM to mid-night. The admission to Diwali Bazaar is free and all are welcome.
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COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
Navratri Celebrations @ The Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple
HOUSTON:
Navratri, (nine nights) is a major festival held in honor of the divine feminine. Navratri occurs over 9 days during the month of Ashvin, or Ashvina (in the Gregorian calendar, usually September–October). It often ends with the Dussehra (also called Vijayadashami) celebration on the 10th day. In some parts of India, Dussehra is considered a focal point of the festival, making it effectively span 10 days instead of 9. Additionally, as Navratri depends on the lunar calendar, in some years it may be celebrated for 8 days, with Dussehra on the 9th. There are four similar festivals, also called Navratri, which are held at various stages of the year; however, the early autumn festival, also called Sharad Navratri, is the most significant. The Gauri Siddhivinayak temple celebrated Ashvin Navaratri on Sunday, October 14, which was attended by over 300 devotees . The navaratri Durga pooja started around 4:30pm, which was followed by pooja, havan, Garba and Aarti. Mahaprasad was served after aarti. Pandit Pradip Pandya would like to thank all devotees & sponsors for their support that include Health & Happiness radio, Ravibhai & Sai Catering (Iswarbhai Bhakta) for mahaprasad & all Mataji Bhakta’s for attending the pooja.
The temple is open daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and everyday aarti is performed at 6:00pm. The Gauri Siddhivinayak temple is a non-profit 501(C) 3 organization
and all donations are tax deductible. Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple of Houston is located at 5645 Hillcroft Ave Suite: 701 Houston, TX 77036.
For further information or to participate in pooja, sponsorship or volunteering call Pandit Pradip Pandya at 832-466-9868.
Website: www.siddhivinayakhouston.org, Email: siddhivinayakhouston@gmail.com
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COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
1000 Lights for Peace CONTINUED FROM PAGE 03 Srivastava, performed Vande Matram. The Mahatma Gandhi Library of Houston is planning to build a new world-class cultural destination, the Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum, in southwest Houston and has launched a capital campaign. Dr. Manish Wani, a trustee of the Mahatma Gandhi Library, made a presentation on the proposed Eternal Gandhi Museum. The land has been acquired and architectural design is in progress. Of the $8.5 million required, $2 million has been raised so far. For more information, visit www.eternalgandhi.us. Dr. Wani said Mahatma Gandhi Library, under the leadership of its founder Atul Kothari, has kicked off the year-long celebrations marking the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Visit www.gandhi150.us for more information. U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-Tx Dist.9) in his remarks said Mahatma Gandhi was the torchbearer before Nelson Mandela in South Africa and Martin Luther King in the USA. Gandhi gave the world the paradigm of peace without force and today the world needs a Mahatma Gandhi, Green said. India’s consul-general in Houston, Dr. Anupam Ray, in his address pointed out that Gandhi was
a luminous character and he lived among us today, as evidenced by the large gathering at the event. Gandhi’s vision helped India achieve its growth after independence, Ray said. He won over the world with his message of love and peace, rather than saying he defeated the mighty British Empire with non-violence. “He opened up our minds to see the good in everyone. Seeing Truth is the objective of our existence,” Ray said. Dr. Ray and Mr. Atul Kothari presented the awards to the many winners of the city-wide contests held by Mahatma Gandhi Library. The last international performance of the evening was a dynamic performance called “Skirt Flirt and Tropical Rain” by Dance of Asian America, directed by Janie Yao. The spectacular evening concluded with the lighting of a candle by all as a symbolic pledge to observe peace in their own lives. The crowd reflected on how to emulate Mahatma Gandhi’s life listening to the soothing song “Imagine” by John Lennon. To learn more about 1000 Lights for Peace, please visit gandhilibrary.org or contact Dr. Manish Wani at 713-829-6979.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 08 lankil, Sr. Manager LyondellBasell for having him over at the gala. He paid his immense respect to IACF for 30 years of selfless giving to the community by raising funds and supporting local organizations. He stated, “the most impressive thing to me is that IACF is a 100% volunteer organization. This helps to keep costs low and maximizes the distribution of funding. So the money goes where it will have the most impact.” With a sense of satisfaction, he shared with the audiences, how funds are raised and put to use by IACF. With great pride, he mentioned that IACF is considered as one of the 4 pillars of the Indian community run charities here in Houston. He commented, “I love their motto, ‘We live here, We give here’, because it speaks to the core of what our community is about and all of the ways we can give back to help those in need.” He went on to share a few of his life experiences, “The thing that has been consistent in my life despite the different jobs and many moves around the world and amidst uncertainties and challenges the things that has made each step of my journey a little more certain are the values that I learnt in my childhood.” He mentioned an instance at a small doughnut shop, which helped him learn important lessons in life, left him nostalgic and overwhelmed. He also added, “Success is born
IACF’s 30 Years from simple lessons, from simple ways, they are working hard, running the business honestly, doing the right thing in the right way, and treating all people equally and with kindness and respect.” Like each year, ‘Friends of Charity’ title was honored to individuals for their service to the community and support to the foundation. IACF Director, Rathna Kumar moderated the awards. Recipients included Subbu Neti, Bangar Reddy Aloori, Amrik Singh Nijjar, Viral Amin, Dr. Barkat Charania, Munira Panjwani, Charanjiv Roye, Dr. Prasun K. Jalal, Mohammad Tariq and Haroon Shaikh. Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray was the next to express his views to the audience. He stated, “Listening to Mr. Patel’s moving story, I was reminded of the million narratives like Mr. Patel and his mother which make India.” This was followed by a pledge drive by Dr. Nik Nikam. The next segment had the audience’s spring, bellow, shout and gallop to the beats of a Bhangra performance by Punjabi Bhangra. The ‘Angels of Charity’ awards were conferred upon generous couples that are actively involved in charitable causes. Recipients of this award were Deepika and Swapnil Agarwal, Dr. Renu and Dr. Chary Tamarisa, Dr.Usha and Dr. Vijay Jha, Sarah and Mayank Sangdod, Pragna and Vinod Shah,
Anuradha and Mani Subramanium, Sridevi and Kumar Pappa, Dr. Srividhya and Sridhar, Anita and Dr. Kiran Nair, Sridevi Sridhar and Kanchana Kuntla. IACF President Elect, Shobana Muratee, delivered the vote of thanks. She politely expressed her gratitude to the IACF board and gala committees for their inspiring teamwork and dedication. She also thanked Mahesh Wadhwa and his family for extending their help and expertise. Event Chair Sajid Khan, CEO Curve Hospitality, Fuel Maxx, Wallis State Bank, NRG. Swapnil Agarwal and Bob Patel poured in open handed donations to support IACF. The event concluded with scrumptious dinner served by Bombay Brasserie. Live music kept the audiences engaged during and after dinner, all thanks to Deep Bhattacharya, Sharmistha Kolay and Lakshmi Peter. Mousumi Banerjee seamlessly coordinated the event. The well-coordinated sound and lighting was provided by Sage Productions, beautiful decor by Sheila Burki Designs, photos by Roy Photography, and graphics by Mahesh Malekar. An interesting addition was the silent auction run by Subha Venka and Pankaj Wadhwa. To learn more about IACF and to become a volunteer, visit www. iacfhouston.com.
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October 19, 2018
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October 19, 2018
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COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
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Pashupatinath Deities Make Dusserah Celebration Even More Special BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
Nepalese Association of Houston President Vishna Nepal and his board at the Dashain celebration on Saturday, October 13, at the Taj Party Hall.
R
ICHMOND, TX: The small but growing Nepalese community in the Metroplex marked an important milestone in its spiritual existence with the installation of three major deities in the newly expanded Pashupatinath Temple in far southwest Fort Bend County this past weekend. The event coincided with the celebration of Dashain, the longest and most auspicious festival for Nepalese on Saturday at an annual function held the day before, The fifteen day celebration of Dashain which ends with the day of the full moon coincides with Dusserah for Hindus worldwide. This past Sunday, October 14, idols of the three deities Krishna and Radha, Durga and Ganesh were unveiled in the temple main building with a large number of the community participating in the Pran Pratistha Pooja which began at 11am. Towards the conclusion of the religious services, special guest Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Democratic candidate for US Congressional District 22 was honored by the priest during the final aarti. Nestled along a curve in FM 562 about two miles south of the George Ranch historical park, a small stupa and wood frame building behind a brick fence marks the site of the full Pashupatinath temple complex that is slowly evolving on the 8.29 acre
The three deities Krishna and Radha, Durga and Ganesh were unveiled in the Pashupatinath Temple main building in the Pran Pratistha Pooja on Saturday, October 14.
property. Once inside the driveway, the ochre colored building set into a corner across from the stupa marks the temple where the deities were installed. “Each deity is especially carved by an artisan in Nepal from one piece a black stone,” explained Pashupatinath Temple President Dinkar Amatya who has been the pivotal force behind establishing the place of worship. The site was founded in 2003 by Guruji Shree 108 Tahal Kishorji Maharaaj with the help from his disciple Saroj Patel and was consecrated as the first Shri Krishna Pranami Mandir in North America. The stupa housing the shiv lingam was the first structure of the Pashupatinath
mandir there in 2005. After the SKPM vacated the site last October, it was acquired by the Pashupatinath Mandir organization and the main hall is the site for the new deities and the congregation to meet. The Pooja coincided with the celebration of Dashain the night before, on Saturday, October 13, at the Taj Party Hall on Savoy Drive off Harwin Drive, which has been the site for the large event for the past 8 years. Just as in past years, the celebration brought in around 350 people under the organizational skills of the Nepalese Association of Houston’s President Jyoti Ghimery. Ghimery said that the Nepalese Association holds cultural and philanthropic events throughout the year to benefit even the non-Nepalese living here in Houston. There are over 5,000 Nepalese living in the Houston area, many of them students but there are a large number of professionals
Congressman Al Green posed with many from the audience at the celebration. stay visa status for families which
and business people too. The NAH announced the results of the newly chosen president Vishnu Nepal and his board. Many talented individuals from the community presented songs and dances, including many from young kids. A special moment occurred when Congressman Al Green made an appearance and spoke to the audience. Green was instrumental in obtaining a special temporary
were visiting the US in 2015 at the time of the massive earthquake in Nepal, allowing them to linger in the US for two years. Green was given an award of appreciation from the NAH Board. The evening ended with most of the guests joining in harmonious group dancing. There were singers who sang folk songs along with some Bollywood movie numbers and the crowd chanted along.
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October 19, 2018 Vote Early!
The Midterm Election has energized voters throughout the United States. We hope you have registered to vote and will take the time to begin early voting on October 22. November 6 is the last day to cast your vote, but don’t wait. District 22, which covers significant portions of Sugar Land, Pearland and Katy, has an exciting candidate of South Asian origin -- Sri Preston Kulkarni. This is a great opportunity to elect one of our own to the U.S. Congress. He promises to work on behalf of all citizens and also make an effort to reduce the polarization, which has paralyzed the nation’s political willl. -- Pramod Kulkarni
#UsToo — India’s #MeToo Moment In what has been called India’s MeToo moment, the social media is thick with women coming forth with stories of sexual harassment. In the quick aftermath of actor Tanushree Dutta’s allegations of harassment at the hands of actor Nana Patekar on a film set a decade ago, women have been speaking of their experiences and the trauma, mostly on Twitter and Facebook. The testimonies so far have mostly concerned the film world and the mainstream media, and cover both the workplace and private spaces. They range from stories of assault to propositioning, suggestiveness to stalking. In the vast majority of cases, the naming is a result of the failure to receive a just response from the system, a signal that it is no longer possible for such behaviour to be breezily dismissed or excused because boys, after all, will be boys. The MeToo hashtag gained currency a year ago in the U.S. when women came out one after another to first corroborate allegations of sexual assault against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. In the outpourings in India too, a year on, a disturbing picture is emerging. What is perhaps of even greater disquiet is that for so very long an official silence was kept around what were, in many instances, open secrets. Now that women are speaking up — picking up the stories where others have left them, making public suppressed memories, breaking free from the helplessness or a false sense of humiliation that kept them quiet for so long — there can be no looking away. It is important to identify the exact transgression in the various cases that are being outed, and to ensure that action is taken with due process. But the larger issue perhaps is the message sent out by the outpouring — namely, that there has been a systemic disregard for making workplaces and common spaces free of harassment. It must disturb us that a thread that binds so many allegations now coming out is that many women thought that their words and feelings would be dismissed, their careers would suffer, or their families would pull them back into the safety of home. This fear of making a complaint needs to be overcome in all workspaces. All of society needs to internalise a new normal that protects a woman’s autonomy and her freedom from discrimination at the workplace. -- The Hindu
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Danger in Talking Past Each Other BY TABISH KHAIR Much of what exists on social media is not conversation or even argument. It is sheer gossip Gossip plays a crucial role in one of our greatest epics. I am talking of the Ramayana, and what Sita has to undergo as a consequence of, yes, gossip after she has been rescued by Rama. Of course, distrust of gossip is also stressed by other religions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Islam goes so far as to consider gossip to be the moral equivalent of sibling cannibalism. But, alas, we seem to have forgotten – and new technical developments have encouraged us to forget. Because if there is something that social media reminds me of most, it is not conversation, not discussion, not even argument; it is gossip. Conversations, discussions, even arguments are basically reciprocal. You know who is talking and who is listening. You know where the words are coming from, and hence you know what they are intended for, or can at least guess. Being reciprocal, they have limits, both temporal and spatial. But gossip is not reciprocal; it circulates endlessly. It mutates and infects like a virus; it is alive and dead at the same time. In this, again, it resembles social media. Gossip has no fixed source or end. There are no limits to gossip; the more outrageous it is, the more it tends to spread. In this again, it is like ‘information’ on social media. Actually, given the way in which Twitter and Facebook work, it pays to be outrageous and polemical. The more people you offend, the more visible your posts get — the more your ‘gossip’ circulates. So-called polarisation is inevitable in such a situation. Gossip is also embedded in polarisation of the sort that social media basically enables — because it can be faceless and highly mobile, two essential characteristics of gossip. There is a convincing argument, which I have made in my column earlier, that digitalised communication makes it easier to evade difference, and to stereotype and ridicule it. In other words, it is easier to avoid facing the other on computers. At its simplest, this can be explained with reference to an ordinary con-
versation: in a conversation (unlike in gossip), one faces the other, and this face-to-face interaction often modulates both the positions despite differences. Healthy politics depends on such conversations, which include but also absorb arguments. When polarised arguments end the conversation, we move from politics to war: one can argue that countries can exist in this state of war internally too. Disturbingly, in digitalised interactions one need not engage with the other; one can simply ‘unfriend’ a person one disagrees with (as Donald Trump regularly does) — or only accept Facebook friends one agrees with. Once again, this aids political polarisation, which is not really a serious and respectful engagement with differences but a kind of gossiping about it. More so because one does not really read social media postings much of the time, given the non-contemplative and distracting nature of the medium. Like gossip, one repeats it or ignores it depending on what one already believes. If reading was just a mechanical act — which is what it appears to be much of the time on social media — then perhaps political polarisation would be the inevitable state of human communication. But that is not so. Reading involves the kind of personal investment and deep attention that goes beyond the mechanical. It calls for time and effort. It forces the reader to enter other – different – spaces. Hence, Facebook, Twitter and other digital media posts (and responses to them) are not acts of reading: these are incredibly flat activities. They lack depth. They do not enable a conversation. At best, they resemble gossip: talking in a one-sided, flat manner about someone who is not present and, hence, cannot engage
you in a discussion. Real conversation requires depth, consideration and contemplation. It sets out to accomplish an understanding – and hence a change on both (all) sides. That is also what real reading does. Reading on social media — and much of digitalised reading – does not resemble a conversation. It resembles gossip — and is just as superficial, incidental and shallow. It is true that gossiping is considered to serve at least three crucial purposes. Scholars often define these in terms of social bonding, the creation of cooperative reputation, and indirect reciprocity. But here again, a degree of nuance is necessary. Gossip creates social bonding in terms of innuendo, prejudice, prejudgment (which is etymologically the source of ‘prejudice’), etc. Such ‘social bonding’ is negative – and definitely detrimental to democracy. Something similar can be said of ‘cooperative reputation’ – the words ‘cooperative’ can be replaced by ‘coercive’ in the context of gossiping. And ‘indirect reciprocity’ in the case of gossip is not an engagement with the other; it is a framing and dismissing of the other. Gossip, by its very nature, takes place behind the victim’s back. In all these respects, much of what exists on social media is not conversation or even argument. It is sheer gossip — in content, context and structure. We ignore this aspect of social media when it fits our prejudices, even though we know that gossip, especially when it is not recognised as gossip, can cause much damage. Or at least we Indians should know this: we have the latter part of the Ramayana. -- The Hindu Tabish Khair is a novelist and academic who works in Denmark.
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October 19, 2018
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Sanskar Hosts Superhit Marathi Natak “Welcome Jindagi” in Houston
BY RAVI OZARKER
HOUSTON: Life is beautiful.
It is not to be lived in tears. Laughter and joy is the medicine and this is what we need to give to others. You do not want to die when you live life but you have to welcome life hence the name “Welcome Jindagi”. Dr. Girish Oak, Bharat Jadhav and Shivani Rangole have given this great message through this comic Marathi Natak “Welcome Zindagi”. With Super star Bharat Jadhav in Houston for first time, the Natak was bound to be successful but Bharat has also won the “Zee Natya Gaurav 2018 Best Actor” Award for his fabu-
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lous role in this Natak. Along with Bharat, Dr. Girish Oak has also won the Best Supporting Actor Award and Shivani Rangole has won the “Best Supporting Actress” award in 2018. This Superhit show was organized by Sanskar, LLC on Oct 7, at Berry Center. The story was indeed very heartwarming with fantastic acting by Dr. Girish Oak, Bharat Jadhav and Shivani Rangole. Definitely a must watch for all centers in USA. They are definitely versatile actors and overall this drama does deserve all the appreciation that it has received in the form of audience response and awards. Director Rajan Tamhane has done a superb job of directing this drama and also helped with sound
and light. Sanskar thanked all attendees for their massive support and the artists commented that they loved the response from the Natak Premi Houstonkars. 350 hrs of hard work by Ozarker family of 3, 12 hrs of hard work by volunteer team of 12 all paid off after artists said that they felt like the arrangement was equivalent to what they had experienced in India. Sanskar thanked Houston “Natakpremi” community for all the support that they gave for this show. Sanskar also would like to thank all volunteers for helping out with the putting up the set and running the front desk (Aakash Ozarker, Supriya Sheth, Vidhula Bhadkamkar, Harpreet Chawla, Rashmi Joshi, Saurabh Joshi, Sandeep Bhalerao, Nimish Jagtap, Mitra Panchal, Mandar Shimpi, Mihir Kulkarni, Harshad Patil, Shrikant Wani, and Rakesh Naik). Megha Ozarker of Sanskar, LLC also thanked WOM (World Oilfield Machining) for sponsoring Welcome Jindagi. Without their support, all this success was not possible. Thanks to Five Dimensions Inc. for letting Sanskar, LLC host this event in Houston.
NEWS PRODUCER
Are you a Rockstar Producer ready to take on a next level challenge? We are looking for an aggressive, proven, passionate, cool-under-pressure News Producer who knows what it takes to put together a fast-paced, creative, highly-showcased newscast. Houston is a major market that is a magnet for stories that often make national headlines. KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned Television station in Houston, TX wants a vocal and confident producer who knows how to handle the big stories, dig for informative, interesting content, knows how to meet the needs of the ‘new’ news audience, and knows when it’s time to abandon everything for breaking news, weather, or traffic. You must have excellent news judgement and the ability to come up with and pitch unique story ideas every day. You will be required to command the control room and manage an ever-evolving rundown during live newscasts. Candidates must also have complete understanding of how to promote and utilize digital content, including live streaming. Knowledge of ENPS and desktop editing a plus. Will need to show examples of newscasts, and submit tease and headline writing samples. This is a high profile position that requires a high level of skill. Candidates must have at least three years line-producing experience in a medium or major market. To be considered interested applicants must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Ref Job# 600743BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please email writing samples or link to your latest newscast to: KTRK.HR@abc.com. No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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EDUCATION
October 19, 2018
Best in Class Education Shares Ways to Turn Halloween into a Learning Opportunity
Job Posting:
With Halloween right around the corner, parents can utilize this holiday as a fun learning opportunity with their children. Best in Class Education Center, which helps K-12 students succeed academically through customized educational programs, shared ways that parents can turn Halloween into a day that extends beyond candy by building valuable educational lessons into the holiday. Costume Creativity & Critical Thinking Help your child pick out their costume by asking them what they want to be when they grow up or who they admire as a role model. After they have picked their costume, ask what qualities and characteristics they like about the costume, and encourage them to use creative adjectives. using adjectives. You can also have your children pick a costume from their favorite children’s book. After reading a book, you and your children can discuss why they feel this character is someone they admire.
TEMPORARY NEWS REPORTER
KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX, has an opening for a full time temporary News Reporter. Candidates should have experience in general assignment reporting, including live breaking news. Applicants must be able to develop contacts, enterprise good, hard news stories, and respond well to spot news. Having the ability to shoot your own material is a plus. Candidates must have outstanding writing skills for both broadcast and digital platforms. Must be willing to work evenings and weekends. All interested applicants must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. Interested applicants should also send video tape samples of your news related work to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Please Reference Job ID: 597651BR on all materials submitted. No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Job Posting:
Hands-On Science Teach your kids how to make slime with some common household items. All you will need is some glue, liquid starch, food coloring, water, a mixing bowl, and spoon. In the mixing bowl, put together ¼ cup of white craft glue and ¼ cup of water. After mixing together the glue and water, add six drops of the food coloring of your choice. Now, add in ¼ cup of liquid starch. This should give the slime a stretchy and blobby texture. Math Lessons with Candy When you’re getting ready to put candy out for trick-or-treaters, have your child count the pieces of candy as they put them into the bowl. At the end of the day when your kid comes home with candy, work with them on addition and subtraction, using the candy as an incentive. If you have several options of candy, you can have your child start the night by figuring out not just how many pieces of candy you have, but how many pieces of each type of can-
dy- this can get them to practice with fractions and percentages. Halloween Poetry Writing Get children to share their favorite parts of Halloween in poetry. Candy, costumes, and pumpkins can all be the topic of a great Halloween poem. Teach your children the different types of poems you can write, such as a traditional rhyming poem, acrostic poem, free verse poem, or a haiku. Have your children write a Halloween poem and share it with your family to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Skeleton Anatomy Skeletons are a great way to teach children about human anatomy. You can easily make a skeleton out of black construction paper and cotton swabs that you have at home. Arrange the cotton swabs on the paper in the shape of a skeleton. Cut some of the cotton swabs to make smaller bones such as the fingers and ribs. Have your children go through and label each cotton swab with the corresponding bone structure.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Are you a newscast producer who’s ready to move up to a top 10 market? Here is your chance to work for one of the nation’s best broadcasting companies that is dedicated to covering local news. KTRK-TV, the ABC O&O station in Houston, TX is accepting applications for an Associate Producer. The person hired for this position will line produce a section of our weekend morning newscasts and have opportunity to fill in on other newscasts as well. Applicants must have experience working as a line producer. This is a newsroom that embraces new technology. ENPS /Aurora/Ignite experience a plus – as is good understanding of social media and how it can be used to reach viewers and create content. Candidates must be able and willing to learn both non-linear editing and writing for our digital platforms. Applicants must be willing to work overnights, weekends and holidays. To be considered interested applicants must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Ref job #600744BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please email writing samples or link to your latest newscast to: KTRK.HR@abc.com. No telephone calls please. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
NEWLYWEDS
October 19, 2018
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Sanjay Sharma, Maggie Budzien Tie the Knot
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HOUSTON: The summer of 2016
had been brutal as he trained for the Ironman competition and after all the workouts, one evening he was introduced through mutual friends to an attractive woman. They soon discovered that they had a common interest in the outdoors; she into baseball and photography and he into strength and endurance training. That casual meeting in June led to Maggie Budzien encouraging Sanjay Sharma on as he made it across the finish line of the Half Ironman competition in Conroe in November. They also found out that family togetherness was deeply important to both of them and this only made the bond stronger. Maggie showed her concern and tenderness for Sanjay’s 92 year-old grandmother Shanta Sharma and he met with her parents in their home in Scottsdale, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Though they both live in Houston, they were enchanted by the desert setting where Maggie grew up, and visited often. Sanjay realized that the natural beauty of the rugged West was the perfect place to pop the question, but he made it even more dramatic. “We went up 6,000 ft in a hot air balloon and I got down on one knee
Sanjay Sharma, 38, was born and raised in Houston and went to Baylor University in Waco to get a degree in Health Science in 2003. He went to medical school at Xavier University in Aruba, then trained in Atlanta before returning to Houston to work for 5 years with Dr. Randeep Suneja, a well-known cardiologist. He later went to work with pharmaceutical companies, and has recently joined Taiho Oncology as their Medical Science Liaison expert. Sanjay’s father Sunil Sharma, who is from Jaipur, Rajasthan, owns Sunbelt Medical Corp. and his mother Rashmi (from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh) operates a nonprofit organization. He has two younger brothers. After a honeymoon in Hawaii, the newlyweds live in Katy and Maggie has taken Sanjay Sharma and Maggie Budzien after their Hindu wedding on September 22, with their parents Jay and a keen interest in making the Mary Budzein on right and Sunil and Rashmi Sharma on left. Indian dishes that Sanjay likes. to propose at sunrise on Christmas wedding at the Hare Krishna Temple focus on International Business. She Meanwhile, after having completed Eve 2017,” he recalled. Surprised, and a reception at the St. Regis moved to Houston in 2011 and works 22 half marathons, one full marathon Maggie of course accepted. as a Branch Manager for Wells Fargo and 2 half Ironmans, Sanjay has Hotel. Nine months later, on September Maggie Budzien, 32, was born and Bank. Her father Jay retired from already started to train in earnest for 21, the two were married in Houston raised in Scottsdale, Arizona where Wells Fargo as a Technical adviser the Full Marathon in November 2019 first in a Christian ceremony at she finished high school, before going after 25 years and her mother Mary in Cozumel. Brenner’s on the Bayou, followed to Arizona State University to get a is a certified financial planner. She a day later by an elaborate Hindu degree in 2009 in Sociology, with a has an older sister.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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WORD SEARCH
October 19, 2018
Solve Word Search & Win 2 Free Tickets to Texas Renaissance Festival
Find 10 Words related to Vijayadashami: • • • • •
Demon Mahishasura Dussehra Goddess Durga Ram Ramayan
• • • • •
Ravana Shami Puja Ten Heads Tenth Day Victory
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, October 23, 2018 • For first 3 entrees only, 1 submission per month, 1 per Household INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
October 19, 2018
KPL 2018, 7th Anniversary Celebrations!
HOUSTON: KPL 2018 was on of
the largest sporting event in USA hosting 43 multi state teams, 420 players, 100+ volunteers, 1000+ spectators and 50 Corporate sponsors, conducted in Houston Sportsplex on Oct 5th and 6th. Friday evening kicked off with a KPL Inaugural Ceremony, which was truly a spectacular event and was conducted on par with most International SportInaugurals with 42 teams standing in multi-color uniforms with special drone coverage and live broadcast. Several dignitaries graced the Inaugural Ceremony including Sri Preston Kulkarni, Stafford council member Ken Mathews and Grand sponsor Raghuveer from Brick & Mortar. The event has raised around $85000 dollars so far and will be paid to beneficiaries Krishna Giri who suffered from cardiac arrest and Mayuri Giri who had a brain cancer, both have suffered traumatic life altering medical conditions and also to Kerala and Karnataka flood victims where KPL will adopt a village in Kudugu district and rebuild homes and lives of the affected. Family night on Saturday was truly a spectacular event with local performers from Swaramadhuri and Bollywood Dancing stars putting on a spectacular display of music and dance. All Kids had a wonderful time with entertaining games, Face Painting and Dancing. Everyone enjoyed the two days, with volleyball, throwball competitive sports, Kids entertainment, Friends and Family bonding and involving in giving back to the community. Houston Panthers were the winners of the Volleyball Advanced level and Shooting stars won the throwball game.
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October 19, 2018
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October 19, 2018
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October 19, 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 October 23, 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
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PUZZLES / RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
During the days of Navratri and just preceding Dusserah, the truly devout emulate the types of foods that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman ate while they were in exile. They had vowed to eat only foods grown in the forest, fruits, honey. Sabudana (large grain or pearl tapioca) is one such food and this recipe is repeated with a few additional tips, just in time for the Hindu holiday season.
Sabudana di Kheer (TAPIOCA PUDDING) Whereas chawal di kheer (rice pudding), along with ras malai (cheese in sweetened cream) and gulab jamun (syrup rose dumplings) have become some of the main desserts in many Indian restaurants, the sabudana kheer (tapioca pudding) has not. It is equally as easy, simple and inexpensive to make as kheer. I think the main reason is most restaurants don’t make it in the tasty way that it can be appreciated by the public. And just like chawal di kheer, the sabudana kheer shouldn’t have a thin milky syrup, but must be made properly: thick and sprinkled with iliachi for taste. Sabudana is a starchy substance extracted from the stems of sago palm trees, and then processed into small, circular pellets, which are Ingredients: sometimes called pearls. Tapioca pearls, on the other hand, are made • 4 cup doodh (milk) – whole is best, cardamom powder. 5. Thicker sabudana kheer tastes best. with the starch from cassava, a root but low-fat will do too It can be served hot, but most people crop. It is not a low-calorie food but is • 1 cup sabudana (sago or tapioca) prefer to eat it cold, so refrigerate for used to an energy-boosting ingredient • ¼ cup chinni (sugar) in soups, puddings, side dishes and • ¼ tsp iliachi powder (cardamom an hour or two before serving. main entrees. Sabudana is high in powder) . Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled carbohydrates, with 86 grams of carbs cook of Punjabi dishes made in the Directions: in each 100 gm serving. old-fashioned style that she learnt Sago balls are larger than tapioca 1. Pour the sabudana in a bowl full as a young woman in her ancespearls, and both are sold in different of water, cover and let it soak for two tral home in Lyallpur, India (since sizes, colors, and flavors. In most parts hours so that it swells up. renamed Faisof Southeast Asia, tapioca pearls can 2. Pour the milk in a saucepan or small alabad) before it be bought already cooked and ready pot and bring to a boil over medium became part of for use but elsewhere, these are sold in heat. Stir occasionally to make sure Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. dried form and require boiling before the milk does not stick to the pot, and People have often use. When dried, tapioca pearls are let it thicken up a little. admired her cookwhite and opaque, but after cooking, 3. Pour the sabudana through a straining for its simplicthey swell to almost twice its original er to drain the water, then pour it into ity and taste that the milk and stir continuously for 10 size and become translucent. comes with each mouthful. Even Sabudana kheer is easily made with minutes but not more so that the kheer in her early-nineties, she continues sugar and cardamom in thickened does not get too thick. to cook daily and agreed to share milk. It is prepared for festivals 4. Now, add the sugar and mix thorher delectable Punjabi recipes for and many special Hindu occasions oughly. Sprinkle with the crushed future generations. though it is especially popular during the navratri time (nine days prior to Dusserah or Ramanavami) because it SOAK SABUDANA TO is made with sago and not grains like NOT WHEN MAKIN MAKE KHEER, BUT rice or wheat, which are avoided by G COLD SWEETS Although sabuda devout people during those days. especially those in na is mostly used for making khee Sabudana kheer has become pearls to their frozeother South East Asian countries, add r, some people, popular as a chic dessert at weddings sweet toppings. Fo n ice cream, sherbets and iced coffee tapioca variety where the thickened variety is will lose their shapr this, the sabudana should not be soakalong with some presented in small earthen dishes of water for one cue. Just add them to plenty of boiling waed as the pearls p of ter and even with a small piece of sona come out nice and rounsabudana – till they are translucent – four cups and they will d. Bu t to make kheer, be ka varak (gold film). su re to so The secret to a tasty dish, prepared first as the starch will begin to ak the tapioca sabudana in cold wa dissolve the pearls immediately and thter much faster, is to soak the sabudana will lose their shape. Later when yo ey u bo sta il rt th to em co in ng the milk eal into much longer in the water, and to make tapioca starch: if a milky pudding. It’s the same when , the pearls will you add a teaspoo using powdered sure the milk is thicker when you starc n to ro h wi mix it in. If you use the large pellet will form ll mix into the water, but if you add om-temperature water, the a teaspoon into ho into a lump. t water, it sabudana, then you should soak the pellets in longer.
MAMA’S TIP O F THE
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WEEK
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October 19, 2018
ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS
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Aravindha Sametha : Jr NTR shines in Trivikram Srinivas’ film HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Nargis Fakhri October 20, 1979
Parineeti Chopra October 22, 1988
Perizaad Zorbian October 23, 1973
Malaika Arora October 23, 1973
Mallika Sherawat Oct 24, 1976
During a promotional event for Aravindha Sametha, actor Jr NTR said that he waited for 12 years to work with director Trivikram Srinivas. And finally the actordirector duo started working together on the film, and when it was still in production, Tarak lost his father Nandamuri Harikrishna in a road accident. “I so wish he were alive to watch Aravindha Sametha,” Jr NTR rued feeling emotionally overwhelmed. It is a tragic coincidence that this movie begins with the death of the hero’s father. We could only imagine how emotionally taxing it would be for Tarak watching certain scenes in his movie in the light of his unfortunate loss. A few minutes into the movie, Veera Raghava (Jr NTR) arrives in a train at his native, where violence has become a way of life. The train is stopped far away from the station anticipating an attack on him from the rival group-led by Obaa (Jagapati Babu). Obaa is consumed by blind rage and vengeance against Veera’s father Narappa Reddy (Naga Babu). The rivalry between
the two gangs began about 30 years ago over a gamble gone sour. The source of the bottomless vengeance that has cost lives for at least three generations is Rs 5. Obaa was short of Rs 5 to settle the money he lost in the gamble. His playmate runs his mouth and gets beheaded. The incident leads to a series of killings and the enmity grows stronger as Obaa and Narappa slaughter each other’s father. Veera’s convoy is waylaid by Obaa’s men, who begin to butcher Narappa’s gang. Before Veera could understand what’s happening, his father gets shot in the face and immediately dies. A shocked Veera comes back to senses when he gets stabbed in the back. In the heat of the moment, he takes a broken sickle and begins to slay his rivals. The place turns into a slaughterhouse with the pilling body count. Trivikram doubles down on the violence in the opening fight scene. Bombs explode, boulders fly, windshields shatter and blood spurts from wounded body parts. And the bloodbath ends with the death of a
significant character. ‘Now, what?’ is the question that first comes to the mind. Obviously, the film slips into a deep mourning. Veera goes away from his village in a personal quest to find answers for his questions. He could see that there is no point in violence, but he can’t help it. His first response to any problem is to roll up his sleeves and fight. He begins to change when Aravindha (Pooja Hegde) tells him that anybody can start a war but only a brave person can put an end to it. “Be humble, what will you lose?,” she asks him making him reevaluate his life. Aravindha is Pooja’s plum role that allows her to capitalize on her strengths. She is instantly likable, cheeky and repeatedly shows she is more than just a pretty face by helping Veera’s transformation. Jagapati Babu outshines others by bringing his own element to an unremorseful villain that loathes anyone that challenges the status-quo. Even his own son (played by Naveen Chandra) is not allowed to move forward. Even as he appears only in a few scenes, Naveen manages to make an impression, thanks to Trivikram’s efforts to
add more depth to each scene. Tarak plays his role with a notable maturity that is gained through many films over the course of 18 years. He gives a strong performance when he breaks down following the death of his father. The best stretch of Trivikram’s writing comes towards the climax. He strips Veera of his power to kill and puts him in a very difficult situation. The hero is rendered helpless as he is forced to choose between peace and violence in a life or death situation. The problem with Aravindha Sametha, however, is it gets too preachy and heavy-handed. Especially, before the film cuts to the end credits, where Trivikram explains a social experiment conducted by Veera to further stress on the value of life. Even as I have my reservations, I was happy with Trivikram’s ending for playing up the hero’s vulnerability and making him feel helpless. Veera, as a character puts it, is just a torchbearer of an idea. But, he alone cannot be the solution for all the problems. ~Indian Express.com
Helicopter Eela : Kajol starrer is saddled with banal story-telling A doting mum and her resigned-to-
it son are the focus of Helicopter Eela, in which said Eela helicopters around Vivaan to the extent of smothering him. Will they grow up and out of each other? This is a Bollywood movie, so that question is redundant. But the answer, which unravels over two and half excessively long hours, is so devoid of interest, that you feel like shutting down almost as soon as the film starts. That Indian mommies, especially those who have had to stand in for absent papas, are the kind who track their offspring at every physical step, and online post, literally counting every breath they take, and every tiffin box they lose, is a well-known fact. That Kajol is capable of singlehandedly lifting a movie, and lighting up the screen, is another. But Helicopter Eela is so saddled with banal
story-telling, stretched sub-plots and exaggerated performances, including and especially from the lead actress, that it never really takes off. Getting the mother to finish a degree in the same college, and worse, the same class, as her son, is reminiscent of Nil Battey Sannata, in which Swara Bhaskar’s character goes to school with her daughter. The difference here is that the initial bits of the film hark back to the 90s, because Eela’s desire to become a singer needed the background of an era when Indi-pop was at the top, and when director Sarkar was delighting us with sparkling music videos. But the need to show Kajol in a perky younger avatar, hanging out in studios with famous film directors and musician husband (Roy Chowdhury, completely at sea), makes the film meander. Sen, who won a National award
this year, is about the only one who stands out. The climax, featuring a rousing song, created under the baton of outspoken college teacher (Dhupia), wakes you up somewhat: why couldn’t the rest of the movie hit these high notes? ~IndianExress.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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SPORTS
October 19, 2018
Umesh Yadav Leads Another Rout of Windies in India BY SIDHARTH MONGA HYDERABAD: (ESPN Crickinfo): India 367 (Pant 92, Rahane 80, Shaw 70, Holder 5-56) and 75 for 0 beat West Indies 311 (Chase 106, Holder 52, Umesh 6-88) and 127 (Ambris 38, Hope 28, Umesh 4-45) by 10 wickets Another West Indies Test in India, another three-day finish. By the end of it, it seems scarcely believable that West Indies had at one point put India under such pressure that they risked a serious injury to Shardul Thakur for a few extra runs. That was when West Indies’ talismanic leader Jason Holder had dragged West Indies back into the contest, but India somehow managed to eke out a 56-run lead, which proved decisive thanks to another batting failure. Umesh Yadav was on a hat-trick twice; he didn’t get it, but became only the third Indian fast bowler to take a 10-for at home, paving the way for India’s 10th straight series win at home with only the fourth Man-ofthe-Match award for a fast bowler in India this decade. It is staggering the match ended when it did. Only 14 wickets had fallen in the first two days. West Indies had managed to stay competitive, and had at one point put India under pressure on the second afternoon with four wickets down for 162. Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane then bailed India out, and began the day only three behind West Indies’ 311. Personal centuries and a big lead were in sight, but Holder had other ideas. He took the new ball first thing
Umesh Yadav celebrates his maiden ten-for in Tests
in the morning, found some support from the other end, and West Indies took six wickets for 59 runs in 25.4 overs in the first session. Holder’s five-for, his third in last three innings, was the first for a West Indies quick in India since 1994. Holder attacked the stumps despite his height - 52% of his deliveries would have hit the stumps - and drew the benefits. The first of Holder’s three wickets on the third morning came thanks to extra bounce on a length ball outside off, which meant Rahane is still without a century since last August. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav fell lbw and bowled to his accurate bowling, and Shannon Gabriel peppered Pant with the short ball to dismiss him for a second successive 92. On the first Indian pitch in eight years to produce two five-fors
for fast bowlers, India’s were now without their second quick, Thakur, who only managed to bowl 10 balls in the first innings before re-injuring his groin. However, he made a big contribution by walking out to bat, risking severe damage to his groin, hobbling through for runs, and adding 28 crucial runs with R Ashwin for the last wicket. West Indies were two down by the time those 28 runs were scored again. In Thakur, Ashwin found support, although not always intelligent. This partnership was not expected to flourish much because Ashwin is not known as a big hitter, and neither batsman at this moment was a quick enough runner to be able to manipulate the strike. However, Ashwin played with patience, invested trust in Thakur, and managed to hit four boundaries. Eventually Gabriel burst through his defence, but the lead had doubled during that partnership. West Indies had given themselves a chance to put India under pressure batting last. They desperately needed their batsmen to capitalise. If somehow they could give West Indies a 75-run lead by the time the lower-middle-order engine room of Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich and Jason Holder came out to bat, they could have put India under tremendous pressure. Nothing of that sort happened. In the first over, Kraigg Brathwaite tickled Umesh down the leg side. Kieran Powell showed immense uncertainty as he kept leaving wide Ashwin offbreaks alone before poking at one
for no reason. All four balls in that over had ended on the same wide line: he left the first three alone, and edged the fourth. Shimron Hetmeyer got into his innings, but again played one attacking shot too many, holing out to point for the second time this series. Shai Hope scored another pretty 20 before playing a Jadeja delivery with an open face and offering Rahane a simple catch at slip. West Indies were still 11 runs from making India bat again. After a tight spell from spinners against Sunil Ambris and Chase, Umesh came back with a damaging spell of reverse swing, getting rid of first-innings centurion Chase and the injured Shane Dowrich in successive deliveries just before tea. Both men were bowled, making it six lbws or bowleds out of nine wickets for Umesh in this match. Having done all the hard work with the ball in the first session, Holder was back in the middle in the second, this time padded up and fighting to keep West Indies afloat. He could do so for a partnership that lasted 10 overs, but Jadeja now ran through the tail. With nine wickets down, Virat Kohli called Umesh back to give him a shot at a maiden 10-for, and he responded by shattering Gabriel’s stumps first ball: seven of his 10 victims were either lbw or bowled. The procession continued with trigger-happy batting, Paul finding longoff, Bisho gloving a sweep down the leg side and Lewis and Gabriel attempting big shots. Only six of the 20 wickets had fallen with batsmen playing a defensive shot.
Australia Seek Desert Test Glory; Fakhar Eyes Test Cap ABU DHABI: The first Test reinforced a few age-old lessons about cricket in the UAE: dead as the tracks may appear to be, do not jump the gun until both sides have batted once. It may all look dull and dreary halfway into the Test, but a blink and the game springs to life when you least expect it to. Pakistan would certainly vouch for it. Just when statisticians had begun to check for double-century opening stands, Australia collapsed dramatically. The collapse handed the advantage to Pakistan, but they weren’t in the mood to take it. A decision to bat on
Pakistan is expected to give Fakhar Zaman his test cap for the second test vs. Australia.
didn’t do them any favours. This has now added to the scrutiny around SarfrazAhmed’s captaincy, and nothing but a Test win in Abu Dhabi can sooth a bruised side that is yet to win a Test in UAE in over two years. There isn’t a better time to reverse that, for it would at least give their beleaguered captain some breathing space after a spate of ordinary results. Australia are just beginning to wriggle out of a crisis under a new leadership group. Justin Langer, the head coach, has been quite vocal about the need to not just be satisfied with what they’ve achieved so far.
This tour has been in the making for three months now, and has its roots in India, where they played a stream of matches against the A sides of South Africa and India. They’ve even managed to integrate two Indian domestic spinners into the set up to help prepare them for Tests on dry turners. Fakhar Zaman has played just two first-class games since the Quaid-eAzam Trophy final in 2016-17 that brought him into national reckoning. Since then, he’s built a reputation of white-ball destroyer. A finger injury to Imam-ul-Haq means he’s set to receive his maiden Test cap.
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Sindhu, Saina Lead Indian Challenge at Danish Open
ODENSE, DENMARK: Olympic medallists PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will lead a strong Indian challenge at the Denmark Open badminton tournament which gets underway on Tuesday. While Sindhu has been seeded third in the event, world no.11 Saina is unseeded. Sindhu will take on USA’s Beiwen Zhang in the opening round of the women’s singles. Saina, on the other hand, will be up against Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong. In men’s singles competition, world no.6 Kidambi Srikanth will be India’s best bet and has been seeded seventh in the tournament. Srikanth will face Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus of Denmark in the opening round, while B Sai Praneeth will play Huang Yuxiang of China. However, it will be a difficult opening encounter for another Indian, Sameer Verma, as he will square off against third seed Shi Yuqi of China. The other Indian in fray, HS Prannoy also faces a tough first round match as he will be up against sixth seed Son Wan Ho of Korea. Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap, who lost his passport at Amsterdam and sought the Indian government’s help on Friday, however doesn’t feature in the men’s singles draw. In men’s doubles, the Indian pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy will take on local hope Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the opening round. Ashwini Ponappa and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will face the Korean combination of Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yujung in the first round of the mixed doubles competition. Ponappa will pair up with N Sikki Reddy and play the American duo of Ariel Lee and Sydney Lee in the opening round of the women’s doubles event.
PV Sindhu is the third seed for Denmark Open.
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, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
October 19, 2018
India’s Wholesale Inflation Increases to 5.13% in September NEW DELHI: . Inflation-based on wholesale prices spiked to a twomonth high of 5.13 per cent in September, mainly due to hardening of food prices as well as rise in cost of petrol and diesel. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation stood at 4.53 per cent in August and 3.14 per cent in September last year. According to the government data released Monday, food articles witnessed hardening of prices with deflation at 0.21 per cent September as against 4.04 per cent in August. Deflation in vegetables was 3.83 per cent in September, compared to 20.18 per cent in the previous month, indicating relative rise in prices. Inflation in ‘fuel and power’ basket in September was 16.65 per cent. Individually, in petrol and diesel it was 17.21 per cent and 22.18 per cent, respectively, and for LPG it was 33.51 per cent. ICRA Principal Economist Aditi Nayar said while crude oil prices have
cooled in the recent sessions, and the excise duty and VAT cuts would provide some relief for fuel prices, the weaker rupee would continue to push up the WPI inflation in the current month. “This remains a crucial risk for the CPI inflation trajectory as well.
Moreover, the sharp narrowing in the disinflation for primary food items, led by cereals, fruits, vegetables, condiments and spices, and tea, may be a precursor to a rise in the retail food inflation in the ongoing month,” Nayar said.
Data released last week showed retail inflation rose to 3.77 per cent in September from 3.69 per cent in the previous month. The RBI mainly takes into account retail inflation data while formulating monetary policy. “The divergence in the extent of the uptick displayed by the WPI and the CPI inflation prints for September 2018 reflects the underlying difference in the composition of these two indices, with a smaller weight of food items and a larger weight of globally traded commodities in the WPI than the retail basket,” Nayar said. In its fourth monetary policy review for the fiscal, the Reserve Bank earlier this month maintained status quo on the benchmark interest rate but warned that volatile and rising oil prices, and tightening of global financial conditions pose substantial risks to the growth and inflation. For October-March, the RBI pegged CPIbased retail inflation to be between 3.9-4.5 per cent. -- Indian Express
Saudi Arabia, UAE Reiterate Oil Investment Plans in India NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia and UAE on Monday reiterated that the West Asian countries were looking to participate in India’s petroleum downstream segment, including petrochemicals, refinery and retail. In addition, Saudi Arabia is also looking to make investments in the fertilizer sector. Speaking at a two-day conference organized by IHS Markit here, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister and chairman of the country’s national oil firm Saudi Aramco, Khalid A Al-Falih, said while Sabic is looking to invest in India’s petrochemicals sector, Saudi Arabia’s mining and fertilizer firm Maaden is interested in investing in phosphate fertiliser sector in India and has signed a pact in this regard. “Aramco wants to invest in consumer-facing businesses such as retail, petrochemicals, and expects robust downstream presence,” added Al-Falih.
UAE’s minister of state and group chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber also said UAE companies are keen to find partnerships to invest across India. “We are exploring a pipeline of projects along with our partners,” Jaber added. The remarks come on a day when the ministers from the oil producing
nations along with chiefs of global oil companies such as BP met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who urged them to bring their investible surplus to India and deepen energy ties. Earlier this year, ADNOC signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Aramco to acquire 25 per cent of its stake in India’s $44-billion West Coast refinery in which the latter has
50 per cent stake. The other 50 per cent is held by Indian Oil, BPCL, and HPCL. Both the companies had then said they are looking to invest in the entire oil value chain, including fuel retailing, in India. The Aramco and ADNOC investment will be the highest for the country in the sector. Speakers at the India Energy Forum included Dharmendra Pradhan, minister of petroleum and natural gas, Government of India; Khalid Al-Falih, minister of energy, industry and mineral resources, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, secretary general of OPEC; Mark Menezes, undersecretary of energy, U.S. Department of Energy; Bob Dudley, group CEO, BP; Patrick Pouyanne, CEO, TOTAL; Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO, ADNOC; and Scott Sheffield, chairman of the board, Pioneer Natural Resources. -- Indian Express
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India Sees Steepest FII Outflow in Two Years MUMBAI: Selling of Indian shares by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) intensified in October as the markets plunged, weighed down by several macro concerns amid a global rout. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have sold local equities worth $2.35 billion so far in October, the most since November 2016 when they withdrew $2.6 billion. The selloff follows an FII outflow of $1.3 billion and $277 million in September and August, respectively. In 2018, FIIs have sold local equities worth $4.4 billion. Depreciation of the rupee against the dollar and high crude oil prices are key factors behind the FIIs move to dump India. “October has been coming together of multitude of factors leading to the high FII outflows. It started off with crude crossing $80 and then we had the US interest rates crossing 3% decisively. This led to the rupee fall, and as we have seen with every rupee depreciation, FII outflows see a significant pick up,” said Susmit Patodia, head of sales (institutional equities) at Motilal Oswal Financial Services. “Domestic factors, such as the IL&FS default, NBFC scare and liquidity drying up, also shook the confidence of the market,” he added. “India is still trading at a higher level than last year. So those FIIs who remained invested in India over the last three years or so are finding this as a profit-booking opportunity due to uncertainties both on the fundamental and macro levels, especially ahead of the state elections due next month. Overall, both fundamental and macros do not give confidence to foreign investors to remain invested in India rather they will scout for other options where there are more sustainability,” Srivastava said.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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October 19, 2018
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October 19, 2018 Wrap-3
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October 19, 2018
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