Issuu

Friday, December 06 2013 | Vol. 32, No. 49

Indo American erican News

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Gopura Sthupi: Sri. Kalyana Sundara Bhattar preparing to pour sanctiﬁed holy water over the Kumbam.

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COMMUNITY

December 06, 2013

Families Unite to Celebrate Diversity at Chinmaya Prabha

The proud Marathi region presented a graceful folk dance “Dindi” to the background of talented Marathi singers with the Lord of Pandharapur as the reigning deity.

Acaryas Gaurangbhai and Darshanaben Nanavaty, the temple priest, Sri Ganeshji, performed the arati to the Batkukammas representing Goddess Gauri. Later, all the members carried lighted lanterns and followed the beautiful Bathukamma procession Telugu dance taking pradaksina around Saumyakasi Sivalaya. Photos by Nilesh Shah

BY PADMASHREE RAO HOUSTON. On a humid Saturday night of November 16 a cheerful crowd of 1200 members of the Chinmaya Prabha family came together in the beautiful courtyard of Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya to showcase diversity, and unite in a special celebration of the Dipavali spirit. While the traditional Dipavali puja was already conducted earlier during the actual occasion of Dipavali itself, the families of Chinmaya Prabha wanted to highlight the cultural variations of Mother India that make Dipavali a festival of unity with diverse folk flavors. This new concept was welcomed by all, and the theme selected for this year was the Andhra region folk variation of the festival

called the “Bathukamma Panduga (Bathukamma festival).” Bathukamma, meaning the “mother goddess of livelihood,” represents the village deity who is invoked in the form of an auspicious floral arrangement and then floated in the waters around the Telugu region during Navaratri festival. Excitement paved way for enthusiastic planning by the festival team at CMH, and soon, young and old members joined hands to prepare special dances featuring a few different regions of India. In the weeks preceding the event, Chinmaya Prabha looked like a unique village. After the weekly Sunday satsanga and Bala Vihar, there were joyful groups, singing, practicing the local dances; every member felt welcome to join any

group and learn the dance of that region. Then, on the night of November 16, all the members, dressed in their cultural best, assembled in the Sivalaya courtyard. The longstemmed flowers they had brought lovingly adorned the two beautiful floral “Bathukamma” forms that stood four feet tall and looked majestic center stage. In the presence of the Acaryas of Houston, Gaurangbhai and Darshanaben Nanavaty, the temple priest, Sri Ganeshji, performed the arati to the Batkukammas representing Goddess Gauri. Later, all the members carried lighted lanterns and followed the beautiful Bathukamma procession Telugu dance taking pradaksina around Saumyakasi Sivalaya. As Bathukamma cer-

emoniously floated in the waters below the Sivalaya, the hundreds of glowing lanterns added a sacred glow which radiated through the courtyard. With Bathukamma blessing the festivities, the regional, cultural dances began with Jaya Chitale, the festivals coordinator, introducing each of them. The proud Marathi region presented a graceful folk dance to the background of talented Marathi singers with the Lord of Pandharapur as the reigning deity. Northern India’s specialty came alive when the Hindi live music and spirited dancing made it another cultural treat. Then, a group of energetic children and adults brought out the authentic folk flavor of Karnataka in their performance. With Nov. 17 being Karthigai Dipam in Tamil Nadu, the Tamil group performed the Kavadi Chindu dance with Lord Muruga and the earthern dipams as focus. The Punjabi group made feet and heart dance with the Punjabi villeage folk dance, Bhangra and the vibrant Dhol. The Telugu dancers and finally the Gujarati Raas performers gave a delightful finale to the event. As the cultural dances ended, the spirit of unity was felt by all. The cultural extravaganza was

followed by a great feast where all the members savored the regional delicacies, cooked with great care and offered at stalls around the courtyard. People had trouble choosing between Misal Paav, Chole Bhature, Idli-Sambhar, PavBhaji, Pani Puri, Puliyodhere and Pakoda, besides many regional sweets. When everyone sat together and ate with relish that night under the stars, it truly felt like a huge family celebration. The sparkling finale to the wonderful evening of togetherness was an amazing fireworks show that lit the sky behind Saumyakasi Sivalaya. The vibrant fiery bouquets of light reflected on the massive Sivalinga atop the Sivalaya, almost like an iridescent arcana of the great Lord. The special night of Bathukamma in Chinmaya Prabha brought to light the joyful variety in Indian culture while uniting everyone in a memorable event. Everyone was grateful for the meticulous arrangements made possible by the great volunteering spirit of Chinmaya Houston. For further information on Chinmaya Mission Houston and its activities visit www.chinmayahouston.org

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Sri Meenakshi Temple God Ganesha Resumes Life in his New Abode, The Granite Garbagriha

Sri Kalyana Sundara Bhattar performing Homam.

BY DR. VENUGOPAL MENON Certain reflective experiences in life are destined merely for the blessed few. Sri Meenakshi Temple concluded the weeklong festivities of Jeernodharana Ashtabandhana Maha Kumbabhishekam of its new granite Prasanna Ganapathy

temple. The event involved the restoration and renovation of the temple, reinstalling the Vigraha using eight special ingredients and embedded with Yantras (geometric representations of spiritual energy on metal) and Navaratnas (nine gems) and anointment with sanctified water from pitchers. Kumbabhishekam, is the consecration ceremony of invoking spiritual essentials of divinity into a newly i n stalled Murthi and periodically of reinvoking the same with exist-

Flower Petals being showered from a helicopter at the time of Kumba Sthupi

Consul General of India, P. Harish and MTS devotees having the ﬁrst glimpse of Prasanna Ganapathy in His new Sanctum in the Garnaite Garbagriha.

ing Sannidhis. The procedure entails austere and elaborate Poojas of dedicated observance, presided by erudite priests, using a myriad of auspicious requisites. The stunningly unique, granite temple was sanctified through the sophisticated ritualistic observation on Friday, November 29. Adhering to the stringent guidelines of the Sastras, as instructed in the divined Vedas, the meticulously conducted rites generated a gradual crescendo of sacred tranquility. Commencing with several Purvanga Poojas and following through four Kala Poojas, the stage was prepared for the ‘Maha’ event of Friday. The spiritual energy of the deity temporarily sheltered at the Balalaya was infused into the water of the Kalasas through chanting of spiritually charged Mantras and Mudras of the Yagnas in front of the sacred fire, the ‘Homakundams’ in the Yagasala. Three lines made of silver, grass

and silk, linked the water pot to the statue in the new granite Garbagriha. The priests made three trips between the Yagasala and Gargbagriha, embodying Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, and sequentially establishing the nervous, muscular and the heart with circulatory system of the Murthi, thus symbolically harnessing cosmic energy and connecting the mundane with the divine. The celebrated final day began with the Yagasala Pooja, Homam, and Maha Purnahuthi with Kumbha Procession leading to the sublimely conclusive offering of Gopura Sthupi when the sanctified water was taken up to the top and poured from the Kumbhams on to the Vimanams and then on to the Murthy in the sanctum sanctorum. It was followed by a procession of all the deities on their designated chariots around the temple to the accompaniment of the divine musical band of Nadaswaram and

Thavil. As the huge assembly of Bhakthas felt immensely blessed, the graciously divine ceremony came to an awe-inspiring conclusion. And integrally enhancing the grand celebrations, there were exquisite cultural entertainments on several days, offered by the abundantly endowed artists of Houston. If the divine instrumental ensemble on Thursday took the audience to sublime heights of contentment, the extravagant performance on Friday from several Houston dance schools was blissfully ecstatic to them. The Ganesh temple, originally created in 1979 and needing renovation was reconstructed as per ancient Agamic requirements into a new granite edifice, the first of its kind in Texas. As unanimously decided by the Board and Council, and with the religious guidance from Padmasree Muthiah Stapa-

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December 06, 2013

IIT 2013 Global Conference Ready to Leave a Mark in Houston

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BY PARTHA SARATHI CHATTERJEE HOUSTON: IIT 2013 Global Conference will take place for the first time in the southern U.S. in Houston. IIT Alumni of Greater Houston (IITAGH) will be the host. Over 15 months of detailed planning and organization will finally culminate in an exciting event this weekend – December 6-8, in Hilton Americas. Eyes of the Indian Diaspora will be on Houston. Conference, with a theme “Inspiring Innovation for Tomorrow”, has surpassed their projected numbers – over 1200 online registrants, 1500 total attendees, over 90 speakers, over 50 sponsors, over 50 hours of programming. From Nobel Prize winner to Miss America, the conference will have many highlights. Final numbers reflect the tremendous excitement around a conference, designed to inspire innovation for the future. How do we build a better world for current and future

generations? Witty Bindra, conference chair, said, “It has been an enthusiastic team effort, where everyone pitched in and went beyond their calling. Last few weeks have been truly hectic – but we are ready for the show” A dedicated group of volunteers have been working for more than 15 months on every aspect of the conference – program, outreach, sponsorship, operations, exhibits, marketing, and business plan competition. Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, marketing and media chair, said, “Buzz is spreading; we have been inundated with requests from all corners and it points to the great job the entire conference team has done till now. We will await the final results after the conference.” Mayor Annise Parker and P. Harish, Consul General of India, will inaugurate the conference. Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri will be part of the closing ceremony. Over 70 international, national and local speakers and thought-leaders will participate throughout the weekend, including: Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate Professor, Harvard University Vicente Fox, Former President of Mexico Renu Khator, President and Chancellor, University of Houston Andrew Gould, Chairman, BG Group Gene Krantz, Apollo 13 Mission Director(NASA) Blake Irving, CEO, GoDaddy.com Andrew Ng, Co-founder, Coursera; Professor of Computer Science, Stanford University Anant Agarwal, President, edX Ever-green entertainer - Usha Uthup will be the lead the entertainer. It will be a great opportunity to have fun and funda with friends. IIT 2013 conference is all set to leave an indelible mark and make all of us Houston proud.

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COMMUNITY

Sri Meenakshi Temple

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December 06, 2013

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thy, architect Ashok Mungara laid out the plans and supervised the construction with unprecedented alacrity. The crucially cohesive chemistry of the various groups, the executive, administrative, fund-raising, construction, religious, cultural and public relations committees along with the supportive sections worked in harmony accomplishing the goal. From concept stage to completion, from July 19, 2012 to November 29, 2013, from paper drawings to granite creations, the seventeen months of transformation was inspiringly impressive. About quarter of a million pounds of red and black granite from near Nagercoil were creatively carved, etched, polished and transformed into majestic masterpieces near Madurai and were transported in eight shipments over seas and land, to Pearland, Texas. The monumental accomplishment involved mobilizing multitude of resources, offered by the mercy of the Almighty. The support from devotees was unparalleled as funds poured in record time that the project remained debt-free. Nearly a million dollars were raised in just about 18 months. Almost a thousand donor-devotee families of MTS, nearly half of them from younger generation pitched in their support signifying the encouraging transformation of our devotee base. The new granite temple is elaborate, and bordered by sixteen Sho-

dasha pillars each embellishing a different expression of God Ganesha. The sacred sanctum is in the elevated Garba Griha where the Murthi is adorned on the divine throne, the Peetam. The imposing Vimanam is also visible from inside through the spacious skylights, majestically rising above the sanctum and sheltering the divine dwelling. For several weeks before the unique event of the decade, through the rains and cold, the local workers, the temple artisans and the Silpis from India worked overtime, assembling the massive granite pieces, precisely aligning them with their masterly craftsmanship and legendary artistry etching out the delicate details of the celestial abode. The wintry weather and soaking rains were threatening and posing a nuisance in the beginning of the festivities, but the final day turned out to be serenely balmy when it mattered, the enthralled attendees witnessing the sacred spectacle as helicopters showered petals from the heavens. A delicious, sumptuous feast was served on banana leaves as the fitting finale of such auspicious events. A devotee’s sentiments succinctly surmised the event. “There is no doubt that generation upon generation of devotees in the years to come, will enjoy ”…….. this grand, granite, Ganesh temple!”

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December 06, 2013

COMMUNITY

Maheshwari Southwest Chapter Celebrated Diwali in India House

HOUSTON: Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (MMNA) southwest chapter celebrated Diwali festival with a get-together on Sunday evening, November 17. More than 100 members gathered at the “India House”. MMNA is a nonprofit organization representing the Maheshwari community in North America. The southwest is one of the chapters consisting of Houston, Austin, Dallas and Oklahoma. There are other chapters that represent various different regions. The program started with ‘Ramayan’ performed by kids aging from 2 to 15 years. Committee wanted kids to understand Ramayan Epic, importance of Diwali and reason for celebrating this festival. All kids were dressed up as different personalities of Ramayan. Followed to Ramayan performance was Laxmi pooja. Society welcomed all newly wed couples and newcomers. MMNA southwest committee recognizes the “extra ordinary services” of ‘Maheshwari people’ in surrounding societies even services outside Maheshwari Society. This year Bhagwanji Bhutada was recognized for his “outstanding work in the South West

community” and his commitment towards the social work. Bhagwanji was awarded by Dharma Arya representing Agrawal Samaj. Maheshwari Society had cultural events with ‘MMNA got talent’ and ‘Mithai competition’. Community members participated in these events and made it a big success. MMNA got talent winner was Mahek Maheshwari. Mithai competition winners were Mayuri Sarda (Pan Ice cream) and Kavitha Pallod (Rabri-Kachori). President of Southwest chapter, Sharad Mantri, expressed thanks to the families for their participation. Efforts from MMNA southwest members and core committee consisting of Sharad Mantri, Arun Mundra, Rakhee Sarada and Shradha Bhutada made this event a success. Arun Mundra NRI-ABMM updated Maheshwari society activities at international level. Sushma Pallod “director chair-MMNA” briefed national updates and especially invited all for next years celebrations, “International Maheshwari Rajasthani Convention 2014” at Detroit.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMENTARY

December 06, 2013

Narendra Modi: Decisive Leader with a Clear Vision

HOUSTON: India is at crossroads today. Until recently, the world was looking up to India as the next economic powerhouse with a robust, functional and diverse democracy. However, the high hopes of the 90’s and euphoria of the early 2000’s have now been replaced by gloom and uncertainty. Under two successive Congressled UPA governments at the Center, India has lagged badly due to weak governance, rampant corruption, a lack of strategic think-

ing and a general lack of a vision of the future. Today India needs decisive, honest leadership, a clear vision of where it wants to be in the next decade. Such leadership can be provided only by a person with an impeccable record of development and progress. Will India get out economic turmoil and rampant corruption? The answer is a resounding YES! AN emphatic YES. And who is the Man behind the YES? Narendra Modi or “NaMo” as he

is now branded by media, has been defying conventional political wisdom ever since he became chief minister of an earthquake-devastated state of Gujarat. The past 12 years that he has been at the helm, all existing parameters of growth, sustenance and prosperity have been breached due to his brand of Good Governance and Inclusive All Round Development. After being announced as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the principal opposition party in India, Shri Modi has been traveling the length and breadth of India over the past few months espousing his ideas and speaking about changes that are required at the Systemic Level in India. It is now the turn of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), People of Indian Origin (PIOs) and wellwishers of India to VOLUNTEER and become harbingers of change in India. Global Indians for Bharat Vikas (www.gibv.org) urges every Indian American in Greater Houston and Texas to participate in a MEET AND GREET event on Sunday, Dec 8, from 4.30-6.30 p.m. at India House in Houston at 8888 West Bellfort, Houston, TX 77031. For further details about the program or GIBV (www.gibv.org) in general, please call the program coordinators Achalesh Amar 713-357-8216 or Pramod Kumar 832-795-9495.

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COMMUNITY

December 06, 2013

FIS Interviews Neurosurgeon, Dr. Randhir P. Sinha of Clear Lake

Dr. Randhir P. Sinha, a neurosurgeon of Clear Lake was interviewed by Anjaly Thakkar, a Berkeley educated teacher at the Kinkaid School.

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HOUSTON: Dr. Randhir P. Sinha, a prominent Indian Neurosurgeon from the Clear Lake area was interviewed for the Indo-American Oral History Project by Foundation for Indian Studies (FIS). Dr. Sinha has been a Resident of Clear Lake since 1975 and became a prominent member of the Indian American community in Houston. He was one of the founding members of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston during Consul General, Wangdi’s time and later became its President in 2004-2005. “Until the formation of the Chamber of Commerce, it was difficult for In-

INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCER

KTRK-TV, the ABC owned station located in Houston, TX, is looking for an Investigative Producer to make our strong unit – stronger. We are looking for someone to work with our teams; researching, reporting, and helping craft ﬁnished pieces. We are looking for someone comfortable researching, writing and shooting when necessary. The ideal candidate will also have undercover newsgathering experience. We recognize the TV world is changing and are especially looking for candidates with strong ideas to move traditional television investigations on to our website and social media. We want the next step to successfully grow our connection with users on our website, digital platforms and social media. Take a look at some of our pieces at http://abc13.co/InvestigativeProducer and let us know what you could add to the body of work. 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 samples of your news related work to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Please Reference Job ID: 152794BR on all materials submitted. No phone calls please, and no third parties. KTRK-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.

dians to even get an appointment with a CEO of a major corporation in town” he said. Dr. Sinha was also a founding member of the Indo-American Political Action Committee. He entertained several Congressmen at his home and tried to promote friendship between America and India. He takes pride in his attempts to influence the public policy of America towards India, particularly in the successfully concluded Nuclear agreement under Bush administration. Dr. Sinha, describes himself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. He does not approve America’s current fiscal deficit which runs into several trillions of dollars. He questions: how can anyone spend more than their income? Even though he is a staunch Republican, he has friends on both sides of the aisle. He was a fundraiser for both Democrats and Republicans. He fondly remembers his friendship with former Congressman, Nik Lampson, a Democrat and the late Bob Perry, owner of Perry Homes, a die-hard

Republican and a great fund raiser for Republican party. Being members of the South Shore Harbour Country Club, both Dr. Sinha and his wife Meena have many astronaut friends in the Clear Lake area. They both are avid tennis players and routinely interact with main stream Americans. Having retired after 37 years of medical practice, Dr. Sinha has now more time to play golf and Bridge, in addition to spending quality time with his son Samir and daughter Anjaly and his grandchildren Lakshmi, Vaishal, Sahasra, Revati, and Anisa. Dr. Sinha and his wife Meena support many community organizations like Pratham and Meenakshi Temple etc. Dr. Sinha’s daughter, Anjaly Thakkar learnt both ballet and Bharat Natyam and later co-founded the “Urban India Beat” an IndoAmerican fusion dance company. Dr. Sinha and wife, Meena had not experienced any sort of discrimination in all these years in America. Asked for his advice to next generation Indians, his message is to get a good education and get involved in main stream politics. Dr.Sinha’s video interview will be digitized and permanently archived along with its transcription in the Indo-American Oral History collection of the Houston Public Library. The Indo-American Oral History project, a Legacy Project for Houston’s Indo-American community is an undertaking of the Foundation for India Studies. For participation in the project, contact the Founder-Chairman, Krishna Vavilala by email: kvavilala1@gmail.com

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December 06, 2013

Rishi Jajoo – Zeba Wunderlich Wedding

Zeba Wunderlich and Rishi Jajoo

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: Rishi Jajoo, 29, a native of this city and the son of local City Councilman Harish Jajoo and his wife Shashi was married on Saturday, October 12, 2013 in New Brunswick, New Jersey to Zeba Wunderlich, also 29. Two weddings reflecting the Hindu and Baha’i faiths of the couple were conducted in front of family and friends. Zeba and her family hail from the region. Both Rishi and Zeba have doctoral degrees in Systems Biology from Harvard University and intend to pursue research and teaching careers. They will continue to live in Cambridge, Massachusetts after the wedding. A wedding reception for the friends and

family of the Jajoos was held on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel in Town Center and 620 people attended, including all the Sugar Land City Council. Harish has been on the Council since 2011 and was re-elected in November for another two year term. Various Jajoo family members - all told about 40 people - from New York, Boston, Detroit, Canada, New Jersey, Calcutta and other parts of Texas attended the reception. The bride’s father Eberhard came to this country from Germany as an infant and recently retired after 32 years as a VP at ATT. Her mother Shahla immigrated from Iran as a student and is a professor of Dietary Science at St. Montclair University, New Jersey. Zeba has one brother, Roland.

The newly weds with Shashi and Harish Jajoo.

Rishi’s father Harish retired after 29 years as a civil engineer with the City of Houston and besides serving on the City Council is also a Principal at Isani Consultants. His

mother Shashi is the manager of the Pathology lab at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Sugar Land. Rishi has one brother, Sid.

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COMMENTARY

December 06, 2013

Justice Over a Vexatious Litigant HOUSTON: Annamalai Selvam has over hundreds of cases on money laundering and harassing his clients in Atlanta, Ohio and Arizona. Motion filed by Ashirwad A Blessing Temple and Sri Ravula listed the overwhelming evidence on his money laundering cases. Geetha Ravula, the founder of Ashirwad A Blessing Temple and Chair for Vedic Fair, an event to showcase India and its heritage said she is glad that justice is finally served by Judge Mike Engelhart in the 151st District Court of Harris County on October 29. Honorable Judge has found Annamalai Annamalai a/k/a Commander Selvam a/k/a Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar (Annamalai Selvam) as

a vexatious litigant. The District Judge Engelhart also found that Annamalai Selvam meets or exceeds the criteria for a vexatious litigant. Accordingly, the court ordered that “Annamalai Selvam” is prohibited from filing in propria persona (that is, without an attorney) any new litigation in the State of Texas without first being granted permission to file by the local administrative judge”. The local administrative judge shall grant permission only if the litigation appears to have merit and is not filed for purposes of harassment or delay. Furthermore, such permission may be conditioned upon Annamalai’s furnishing of security. The court relied on the

case law that the plaintiff had a history of filing or repeatedly relitigating unsuccessful or frivolous lawsuits. Some of the cases listed in the Temple’s motion to declare plaintiff as a vexatious litigant read as below, The undisputed evidence shows that in 2008, the Gwinnett County Police Department began receiving numerous complaints from individuals throughout the country against the Hindu Temple and Annamalai (the Temple’s founder), alleging that they were victims of credit-card fraud. Specifically, the victims claimed that they contacted the Hindu Temple in order to purchase “religious services,” only to later discover that their credit cards had been o d n IIn can charged up to ten Ameri News times more than li a Diwights IONS DIA CONGRATULAT Del the agreed upon TEAM IN e n RA. O s E WORLD Break s ON TOP OF TH amount. There er ri ar B were also reports 2011 that Annamalai had CUP been misrepresenting himself to these purchasers of religious services as a medical doctor. Annamalai then filed suit against We cover your world! three of the people who had filed police reports against Name: ____________________________________ him, alleging that their report to the Phone: ____________________________________ police had led to his arrest in an unAddress:___________________________________ related case. Troubled by what the __________________________________________ trial court believed to be “almost crimNumber of Years: 1 3 inal behavior” by (Circle One) $40 $100 Annamalai in filing his suit to suppress Credit Card: Master Card / Visa (Circle One) public participation and to continue Your Signature: _________________________________________ credit card fraud, the trial court disExp Date: ___/___ 3 digit code:______ _______________ missed the lawsuit based upon GeorDo cut and mail to: 7457 Harwin Dr, Ste 262, gia’s Anti-SLAPP Houston, TX 77036 (OR) Scan and E-mail to: statute. The trial Indoamericannews@yahoo.com • Call us at 713-789-6397 court also found • Call us to sign up for E-mail Blast that Annamalai’s Indo-American News is community oriented. verification was We thank you for your subscription & support. false and that his suit was not wellMADRAS N PAVILIO T & DAAWA CATERING

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Indo-American News Today

grounded in fact or warranted by existing law. The Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling, noting Annamalai’s “substantially documented victimization of individuals throughout the country”. Annamalai then moved to Dayton, Ohio, leaving behind a wake of lawsuits and criminal allegations in Georgia. Andrea Simmons, Hindu temple moves to Ohio, while guru sues Gwinnett authorities, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sept. 15, 2010. He left Ohio after just two years, leaving in his wake nearly a dozen lawsuits, $125,000 in delinquent property taxes, and a vacant downtown landmark that he had purchased. After leaving Ohio, he arrived in Texas, where he will presumably stay until his negative public exposure requires that he relocate again. In Texas, he is operating as Shiva Vishnu Temple of Texas. Predictably, he has now filed 18 lawsuits in Harris County District Courts, most of which under the name “Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar” within a span of three months, most of which are based upon unpaid balances for his holistic services. Apart from the above cases listed in the motion, Annamalai Selvam was arrested on an indictment from Arizona State on sexual abuse (Case # J-0301-CR2003000783) and was arrested on October 30, 2008 on 2 felony counts and was bailed after posting a bond for $122,440. Charges were dropped later. On Thursday November 14, 2013 Annamalai Annmalai a/k/a Dr Commander Selvam a/k/a Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar a/k/a Kumar Chinnathambi has been arrested in Houston. United State District Court has ordered the defendant Annamalai be detained in the Custody of United States Marshal. Hindus of Greater Houston released a statement that reads, “It is the responsibility of the Hindu community to protect our spiritual and religious tenets and anyone who threatens the doctrines and exhibits improper conduct has to be reprimanded. One such corrupt

influence was spreading in the Houston community in the name of Hindu magazine “Karma’ as well as threatening to bring lawsuits on ignorant victims. The verdict given on October 29, by 151st District Judge of Harris County Mike Engelhart, that Commander Selvam was a vexatious litigant and that he no longer is allowed any new litigation. This puts an end to his harassment of the ignorant victims from whom he gets their credit card and charges several thousand dollars under the pretext fortune telling by astrology, Black magic and Vedic Hawans. Sridhar and Geetha Ravula have bravely fought the unethical behavior of Commander Selvam when he sued them for not giving a booth at Vedic Fair 2013. Hindus of greater Houston recognizes the efforts Geetha Ravula and Sridhar Ravula and the Newspaper India Herald that made investigative reporting alerting the public about this detrimental exploit. Commander Selvam is in the process of building Siva Vishnu Temple of Texas in Baytown. We earnestly hope that the community be beware of such unscrupulous elements proliferating in our society. Hindus of Greater Houston strives hard not only to keep the Hindu community together but also protect it against any manipulation by imposters.” The Ravulas said it is through advertisements and booths at events individuals or organizations are able to solicit to the community at large. In order to protect the community at large, Ashirwad A Blessing Temple policies do not allow any vexatious litigants that have a repeated record of money laundering to participate in their events or advertise with them. If all local community media and places of businesses double check the material that is being solicited, it will automatically help any citizen of the community from being harassed. It’s time we as a community stand up in solidarity and courage and condemn such acts of harassment on our brothers and sisters of our society.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

December 06, 2013

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

December 06, 2013

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CLEAR LAKE: At its annual Diwali Program celebrating the Indian New Year, ICCL had grand program spanning over 4 hours with numerous cultural items representing the diverse culture of India. It was attended by more than 500 plus community members. The program ended with a sumptuous dinner. The highlight of the program was the India Culture Center of Clear Lake (ICCL) Youth Committee Officers’ hard work in raising funds for nonprofit outreach programs both in the USA and abroad. ICCL Youth Committee (YC) members, supported by both the ICCL Executive committee (EC) lead by President Sonal Singh, Vice President Yasmin Udawala – who was also a youth committee liaison, and the parents of those Youth, worked really hard to raise and donate funds to its two preferred charities. The ICCL Youth Committee, comprised of 10 high school students, set a goal at the beginning of the year to raise $1,000 for charity. The team worked together all year coordinating various fundraisers and helping to plan numerous cultural festivals. Fundraising events included the youth car wash, social, and t-shirt sales. As a result of all of their hard work, the Youth Committee considerably exceeded their goal, having raised a total of $1,850 for charity. This money was donated to two charities – Bay Area Turning Point and the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation. Bay Area Turning Point is a local organiza-

tion dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence and facilitating change within local communities. The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is an organization dedicated to education assistance and village development in rural communities of India. Representative Ashley Woodard from Bay Area Turning Point and Nikhil Mehta from Ekal Vidyalaya were there to receive the checks on behalf of their respective organizations. Local Congressman Steve Stockman of District 36 was also present along with his wife and the principal of Clear View High School Michael Houston to support the local community. When asked why the ICCL YC chose these two non-profit outreach organizations, the president of Youth Club of ICCL, Kushal Kadakia, responded on behalf of the committee and said that “they wanted to give back to their community on a local level as well as on a cultural level. Both organizations are aimed towards the kids & youth themselves - Bay Area Turning Point helps children recover from abusive families, and puts them back on the right track to avoid violence and focus on education and change. Ekal Vidyalaya assists in educational outreach in rural Indian communities, and provides opportunities to underdeveloped areas to really ameliorate their quality of life.” He further said “We often take it for granted the education we receive and the opportunities we have; thus, when we decided to raise money for

charity, we wanted to be able to make a difference for the kids in our community, as well as abroad (our homeland), and subsequently selected these two organizations as our preferred charities. We strongly believe in the approaches which both organizations take regarding their missions, and it’s our hope that more youth will become aware of the problems in both their local communities as well as back in India and take action to try to improve the lives of others.” ICCL is a nonprofit organization with nearly a thousand member families in the Greater Houston Area. ICCL organizes at least four major events per year, Holi with Sports day, High School Senior Graduation, Navaratri, and Diwali. This year each event was a huge success due to the hard work and dedication of executive committee members and support of the Clear Lake Indian community. In addition to the fundraising efforts, the Youth Committee also led a canned food drive, collecting a quarter ton of food for the Clear Lake Food Pantry, and participated in a community outreach program at Park Manor Nursing Home. Their work this year in putting together multiple fundraisers and Youth Committee led community events was unprecedented, and has set the stage for future generations to take part in wider community engagement. For further deatils on ICCL visit their website at www.iccclearlake. org.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ADVICE

BY S. N. GOENKA The Buddha said: “I see four types of people in this world. The ﬁrst type is running from darkness towards darkness. The second is running from brightness towards darkness. The third is running from darkness towards brightness. And the fourth is running from brightness towards brightness.” The Buddha did not speak in riddles. His teaching is clear and wellexplained. Whenever he said something that people might not understand properly, he explained it immediately. What is darkness? What is brightness? How does one keep on running from one to the other? 1. From darkness to darkness: All around there is darkness, a life of darkness, a life of misery. One is suffering in different ways— physically, mentally, materially because of problems in the family or society. There is no happiness at all. And yet, there is no trace of wisdom within. So every moment, this person is generating nothing but anger, hatred and ill will, “I am suffering because of this person, because of this incident, because of this cause.” One generates aversion towards that person or cause. There is already so much darkness in one’s life and one is planting more seeds of darkness. These seeds of anger, hatred, ill-will bring nothing but misery in the future. So the future will also be full of misery. The present is misery, the future is misery. The

December 06, 2013

Four Types of People present is darkness, the future is darkness. So such a person is running from darkness to darkness. 2. From brightness towards darkness: There is brightness all around in one’s life. There is happiness today because of material wealth, good health and prestige in society. But there is no wisdom within. So one becomes arrogant because of all this wealth, power and status and feels contempt for others, “These poor people are all useless. I am so smart; I have got so much money, position, power, status.” There is brightness all around now. Sooner or later, this will come to an end. But every moment, one is planting seeds of egotism, seeds of aversion, seeds of misery, seeds of darkness. These seeds of negativity will result in darkness in the future, misery in the future. Thus this person is running from brightness towards darkness. 3. From darkness towards brightness: The third type of person is in exactly the same position as the one in the ﬁrst group. There is hardship all around, darkness all around in the present but there is wisdom inside. One keeps on smiling. “Oh, this hardship has come because of some past bad seeds of mine. Somebody seems to be the apparent cause of my misery.

Certainly, this person is not the real cause of my misery. This person has just become a vehicle. This hardship was bound to come through this person or through some other person because of my own past seeds. Now I will not plant new seeds of misery.” So one generates only love and compassion towards such people. One is planting seeds of love, of compassion. Now there is darkness, but the future is full of brightness. Sooner or later this darkness will go and then there will be only brightness. One is planting seeds of brightness, which will bring brightness in the future, happiness in the future. 4. From brightness towards brightness: At present, one’s life is filled with brightness, filled with happiness. One enjoys the happiness of material wealth, all worldly comforts, and prestige in society. But there is wisdom and one keeps on understanding, “All this success is not eternal, their fruit is not eternal, sooner or later it will come to an end. So, I must make best use of all this money, position, power, status that I have now for the good of others. As a householder, it is my duty to use my wealth for the maintenance of my family and those who depend on me. Whatever remains, I must use for the good of others, for the benefit of others.”

So one generates love, compassion, and goodwill all the time. All actions—vocal, physical, and mental—are for the good of others. One plants seeds of brightness. From happiness one is running towards happiness; from brightness, one is running towards brightness. We should not be like the people in the ﬁrst or the second group. We must be like the people in the third or the fourth group. Whether third or fourth, this is not in our control. Sometimes, life may be full of darkness, full of suffering because of our past seeds. At other times, life may be full of brightness because of the past seeds. There is happiness or unhappiness in life because of the results of past good and bad seeds. Irrespective of whether there is happiness or sorrow,

brightness or darkness, we will develop brightness within. We will not take any new actions that will produce suffering in the future, darkness in the future. The present is nothing but the child of the past. Whatever you have done in the past is done. But you are the master of the present. Try not to generate a single action that will bring misery for you. The future is the child of the present. Be master of the present. Let your present be full of brightness. Then, the future will automatically be full of brightness. There will be no darkness in the future. Develop this mastery of the present moment. This is Vipassana. To ﬁnd out more information on Vipassana Meditation or to get a schedule of 10 day Courses at the meditation center at Kaufman, visit www.siri.Dhamma.org. Adapted from http://www.vridhamma.org/en2006-01.aspx

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 December 06, 2013

Spoiler Alert

Though it has been projecting Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister-designate who would “cleanse the system”, the Aam Aadmi Party looks set to end up a mere “spoiler” in Delhi, one that can at best bring about a change of guard. Apart from Seemapuri, Bawana, Patparganj, New Delhi and a couple of other constituencies, the AAP seems to have emerged the “swing factor” in most seats. And it is among the Congress’s traditional voters — jhuggi-dwellers and Valmikis — where it appears to have created an impression. The Sheila Dikshit government’s decision to regularise 895 unauthorised colonies with the promise of adding more to the list after the polls was meant to strengthen the Congress’s hold on its traditional vote banks. But the AAP’s populist, if tall, promises such as halving electricity bills and making water supply free up to 700 litres seem to have caught the fancy of jhuggi-dwellers. At Sundarnagari in Seemapuri, where Kejriwal’s NGO “Parivartan” has been active for years, everybody from Shankarlal ‘Reriwalla’ to tailor Inder Mohan has a grievance against the Congress regime — food inflation, corruption, open sewers, power outages, inflated bills. Even Valmikis appear to be shifting their traditional loyalty from the Congress and the BSP to the AAP. Leanings do not always convert into votes but if they do, it would be advantage BJP because the AAP, in the absence of popular faces in candidates-centric elections, can only make a dent in the Congress bank. While the extent of the AAP’s impact on the Congress’s fortunes will be key, the BJP cannot revel in its principal rival’s discomfort either, for the AAP’s presence is growing among the middle classes too. At Vinodnagar in Patparganj, from where the AAP’s Manish Sisodia is contesting, stationery shop owner R B Singh and retired government officials H S Negi Bhagat Singh are all rooting for the AAP because of the contempt they have for the “corrupt system”. For all its damage potential, the AAP hasn’t much to show in terms of its potential presence in the next Delhi assembly. Sample some of its candidates: a former Delhi police constable in Krishna Nagar who quit his job during Anna Hazare movement; a TV journalist in Mangolpuri whose father left the Congress during the Anna movement; an RTI activist in Rohini; Bheem of the serial Mahabharat in Wazeerpur; a sportsman and sweetshop owner in Matiala. While they do bring freshness to the fray, as individuals they are overshadowed by better-known rivals in a localised contest in which people are known not to bet on dark horses. In Bawana, while people have diverse views about Guggan Singh (BJP) and MLA Kumar, till Monday they were talking about Gajanand as the AAP candidate in the area, unaware that the AAP had replaced him with Manoj five days ago following the rejection of Gajanand’s papers by the returning officer. But for Modi, Shanti would have won easily.” He adds threeterm Congress MLA Narendra Nath too has “done a good job”. And he could not remember the name of the AAP candidate — Balbir Singh, a shift-in-charge with BSES Yamuna Power Ltd. Indian Express

EDITORIAL

Promise of Paradise BY DILIP BOBB Election time is all about dreaming big, for the voter, that is. Free TVs, laptops, washing machines, pledges to make everyone a millionaire, make India a superpower, transform the country and the countryside into a land of milk and honey, change slums into a paradise, a roof over every head, a ceiling on taxes, water in taps, electricity to light up lives and food in every distended belly. India will look, as the Micromax tagline says, nothing like anything. Here’s how, and where. Madhya Pradesh: Lush green fields stretching to the horizon, smooth, wide roads, shiny happy people. That’s the vision in Madhya Pradesh in poll advertisements put out by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. It looks like a country in Europe, mainly because it is a country in Europe, downloaded from the Web. Actually, it could have something to do with Chouhan’s poll promise to send farmers on a foreign trip to learn farming, to give students smartphones to make them smarter, a veterinary ambulance to treat sick animals, a Middle Classes Commission for, well, the middle classes, and that the state will pay the rent of students staying in private hostels or shared accommodation. For MP’s voters, Utopia is an EVM button away. Delhi: If Sheila Dikshit retains power, Delhi will be a world-class city (sounds familiar?), with double- decker flyovers to accommodate double-decker buses. There will be automatic vending machines in every colony dispensing food grains and pulses along with milk and ice-cream for the poor (just insert your Aadhar Card), a Central Business District for hawkers to conduct their business centrally and toilets in every street for citizens to conduct their business privately. Alternatively, if the AAP comes to power, nirvana will be even closer. Power bills will be halved; everyone will get free water homedelivered; the sand mafia, land mafia, band mafia, crooked cops

and corrupt politicians will be thrown in jail; local mohallas will have power to fix or build roads, collect garbage, maintain drainage and parks, eliminating the need for MLAs; and, for women’s safety, a force of 25 commandos in each ward will use the Gujarat model to protect single women from stalkers and snoopers. Also, all stings will be banned. If the BJP regains power, here’s what we get — the green capital of the world (unclear if the city will be painted green a la Mamata, or grass will grow greener), also every house will be a “power house” courtesy solar power and gobar gas and everyone can make extra money by selling excess power to their neighbours. It could be all gas. Rajasthan: The BJP manifesto pledges establishment of a separate Ministry for Cow Rearing, which presumably means breeding cows and not their rears. There will be 24-hour bijli, paani and total elimination of corruption. The two, however, are not connected. The Congress spreads the electoral net wider, with a free Scooty for SC/ ST, OBC, SBC girls to give them greater social mobility, and quotas for Gujjars, the Raika, Rabari, Dewasi, Banjara, Baldia, Labana, Gadia Luhar and Gadoliya castes. Anyone left out can appeal if the party wins. Chhattisgarh: The BJP and Congress are in dead heat over freebies for everyone, with cava-

lier disregard for where the money will come from.

Tidbits

BY COOMI KAPOOR Election Aches. Narendra Modi referred to Sonia Gandhi’s ill health in one of his public rallies, but the 63-year-old Gujarat Chief Minister has some health issues of his own. He has serious dental problems, and doctors believe that Modi may eventually need dentures. However, Modi has postponed all major procedures till after the polls. He has also developed backache due to his hectic campaign schedule. Intellectuals Galore. After several years, the prestigious India International Centre is opening its doors to new members. The club, meant for scholars and foreign policy experts, is charging Rs 500 per application form. There is a mad scramble to apply though there are only a few hundred vacancies. Already over 20,000 forms have been sold, which means that the IIC will earn more than Rs 1 crore on forms alone. Considering the VIPs in the queue include judges, secretaries to the government of India, ambassadors and prominent scribes, ordinary applicants don’t have much chance. Nevertheless, thousands are applying. Some old-timers are already grumbling about the “nonintellectual”, “non-professional” background of some members admitted in recent years. Indian Express

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HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, INDIA: RAJ KANWAR ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ART/HEALTH

December 06, 2013

The Greatness of Traditional Music and Dance

BY DAVID COURTNEY HOUSTON: India is a land of great diversity and this diversity is reflected in the traditional arts. Yet for many years performers, connoisseurs, and art critics have muddle even the most basic definitions of traditionalism. People tend to be confused as to what is traditional as opposed to what is classical. Many people erroneously believe that classicism is defined by age. But traditional arts may be just as old. For example the bura katha theatrical tradition of Andhra Pradesh is as old, if not older, than many classi-

cal forms. The distinction between classicism and traditionalism is to a great extent cultural. Traditional art-forms are tied to particular ethnic groups while classical artforms have the ability to cross ethnic lines. However this transethnicity must not be construed as implying any universality, for these arts are often associated only with the upper socio-economic groups. (If one is looking for a good academic model for these social relationships, Robert Redfield’s work on “Great” and “Little” traditions is very applicable.) Traditional art-forms meet with a mixed acceptance in India. They are the first topics used to describe the cultural richness of the country. But sometimes they do not receive the respect they deserve due to fundamental suspicions concerning regionalism. But appreciating the art of a people is very different from applying negative stereotypes. Sometimes people try to avoid these problems by applying a false label of “classical” to what ever is being discussed. I have heard people innocently refer to topics such as “Gujarati classical music” without understanding that if it were truly clas-

sical, it could not be in the domain of any particular ethnic group. So what is classical and what is traditional. Hindustani sangeet and carnatic sangeet are truly classical. This is partly from their social connotations, but more importantly from their ability to span disparate ethnic groups. Rabindra Sangeet is clearly traditional because it is inextricably tied to the artistic soul of the Bengali people. Dance is a bit problematic. Although the acknowledged “classical” dance forms are Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Kathakali, Odissi and Manipuri; there are serious questions as to their ability to transcend any particular ethnic group. But this brings me to the heart of this whole argument. Would any art-form be diminished if it were to be considered traditional rather than classical. I must soundly say that the answer is no. The brilliance of the arts stand on their own, and are totally unconnected with any particular label.

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David Courtney is a writer, scholar, and teacher of Indian music. He and his wife Chandrakantha reside in Houston and have a number of students of the tabla, dilruba and voice.

The Buzz on Caffeine - Health Beneﬁts and Risks of Caffeine Consumption BY BECKY HAND Caffeine: Most of us can’t get through the day without it. Whether brewing a fresh pot of coffee in the morning, enjoying lunch with a refreshing can of cola, or recharging in the afternoon with an energy drink, we have many routines and food rituals revolving around this energizing substance. Found naturally in the leaves, seeds and fruits of more than 60 plants (including cocoa beans, kola nuts, guarana, yerba mate, green tea extract and tea leaves) and added to many other foods and beverages, caffeine is the world’s most popular stimulant. In the US alone, more than 80% of adults consume it. Like many commonly enjoyed foods and ingredients, we get mixed information about caffeine. Sometimes we hear it does a body good. Other times, we hear it’s bad for us. Keep reading to uncover the truth about caffeine: how it works— and how it affects your health. Why Caffeine Keeps You Charged The brain produces a natural sedative called adenosine, which binds to the appropriate receptor sites in the brain, resulting in a drowsy feeling. Adenosine levels rise during daytime/waking hours, encouraging sleep in the evening. While sleeping, adenosine levels drop, so you awaken refreshed and raring to go. Caffeine is similar in structure to adenosine. It temporarily binds to adenosine receptor sites in the brain. This prevents adenosine

from attaching itself to the sites and thus, wards off fatigue. If you regularly consume caffeine, you might also discover that you build up a tolerance because the brain makes more receptor sites as a result. Therefore, you need more caffeine to attach to these new sites and get the same results. While caffeine is one of the most studied ingredients in food supply, there is still great confusion regarding its effects on health. For years caffeine has been included on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s list of substances that are “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) list. Extensive research has been conducted on numerous health aspects of caffeine consumption. Here is a synopsis of the findings regarding caffeine and health. 5 Health Benefits of Caffeine Dementia Risk: While it is too soon to tell about caffeine’s role in the prevention of dementia in humans, there are some preliminary animal studies showing that it might help to protect against dementia. Headache Treatment: The blood vessels in the brain dilate (enlarge) during a headache. Caffeine constricts the blood vessels,

which lessens the pain. It is also a mild pain reliever. This is why caffeine is found in headache medications like Excedrin Migraine (130 mg per 2 tablets), Midol Complete (120 mg per 2 tablets) and Anacin (64 mg per 2 tablets). Mental Stimulation and Problem Solving: Caffeine has been shown to speed up reaction time and improve processing skills, such as paying attention, solving arithmetic problems, typing and proofreading. Parkinson’s Disease: Several preliminary studies have shown that higher caffeine intake can reduce one’s risk for developing Parkinson’s Disease. In fact, caffeine might help improve tremors and motor skills in people who already have the disease. However, the benefits could lessen as a person develops a tolerance to caffeine. Physical Performance: Low to moderate doses of caffeine (200-300 mg) have been shown to improve athletic performance in well-trained athletes, especially in endurance events like running. However, in sports that require short bursts of movement like weight lifting or sprints, caffeine is less effective. Caffeine might help with the burning of fat for energy after exhausting the carbohydrates stored in the muscles. Caffeine also helps reduce the feeling of muscle pain and tiredness, so one feels better while exercising. -Sparkpeople.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

20 December 06, 2013

HEALTH

10 Weight Loss Foods in Every Indian kitchen

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BY SOBIYA N. MOGHUL Weight loss diets or weight loss foods do not require a ‘special ingredient’, they constitute foods that you see every day in your Indian kitchens. These weight loss foods can be eaten directly or consumed in combination meals that you eat daily. Some health enthusiasts avoid typical Indian dishes that are creamy and submerged in ghee or butter, but you can opt for healthy cooking methods using these same India-centric ingredients found in every Indian kitchen. These are weight loss foods common to Indian grocery markets and kitchens that can actually help you lose weight and gain health, using proper cooking methods. 1. Moong dal It is every Indian’s favourite which ever class he/she comes from. This dal is full of Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is often advised by dieticians to replace fatty foods with Moon dal as it is a weight loss food that is rich in proteins and fibre, so one feels fuller after having a bowl of dal for a long time and curbs your cravings. Along with weight loss, moon dal it also benefits the metabolism, immune system and protects against fatal diseases. Enjoy this weight loss food with chapattis or you can also have them as sprouts with a tbsp of chilli powder, chat masala, a tbsp of lemon juice and salt to taste 2. Walnuts As quoted by sciencedaily.com , according to U.S researcher, Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton, “Walnuts rank above peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and other nuts. A handful of walnuts contains almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut” This weight loss food tastes delicious and low in cholesterol. While consuming this weight loss food one needs to remember that these are high calorie food that needs to be eaten in moderation. Just when you are sitting for you meal add this weight loss foods to your salads, they will add crunch and taste to your boring veggie! 3. Spinach This green veggie is rich in fiber, water, antioxidants, vitamins K and A, and minerals like magnesium, potassium, and iron. All this just in 10 calories per cup of this amazing weight loss food! One bowl of spinach will make you feel fuller and stab your food craving in your stomach itself. Spinach also helps in curing constipation, being a good source of fibre. It cleanses the digestive tract. Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion Calories ( kcal): 26 Proteins (gms): 2 Carbohydrates(gms): 2.9 Fat( gms): 0.7 Iron( mg): 1.14 If you aren’t a big fan of

this weight loss food, you can try innovative spinach recipes to fall in love with spinach. 4. Bitter gourd No don’t make that face, if you cook in the right way this bitter veggie can taste yummy too. This weight loss food is effective to reduce the total calorie you intake while having a meal so that you are eating fewer calories than you burn. Bitter gourd is believed to contain hypoglycaemic or insulin like properties designated as plant insulin which helps in lowering blood sugar levels, this weight loss food is also beneficial in treating blood disorders like boils, itching, psoriasis and other fungal disorders Use bitter gourd in low-calorie, filling recipes, such as vegetable soups or stews. Another option is to eat it as a side dish with lean protein, such as chicken breast, fish or a soy-based vegetarian burger. When cooking bitter gourd, chop them and keep them in salted water for 5 mins, this will reduce the bitterness in the veggie. Then go ahead and use thme in stew and soups. You can also keep this weight loss food as a side dish with other lean protein Indian dishes. 5. Beetroot According to Livestrong, Andrew Jones and other researchers at the University of Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences, discovered that drinking beet juice gives your body a stamina boost allowing you to exercise longer and burn more calories. Beets are a blood-building herb that detoxifies blood and renews it with minerals and natural sugars. They are high in potassium, folic acid, and fiber, yet low in calories. This weight loss food also aids in eliminating toxins from your body. Their edible leaves offer protein, calcium, fiber, beta carotene, vitamins A and C, and some B vitamins. We always restrict them to salads, but did you know there are more ways to adding this beautiful vegetable to your palate. Beetroot Juice 2 medium sized beetroots 2 oranges 5 slice of fresh pineapple Lemon Juice Mint - 1 small sprig Method Peel the beetroot, and the oranges. Peel and core the pineapple. Cut all the above into chunks, then add the lemon juice, and place in the blender.Blend for 45 seconds or until smooth. Strain and serve, garnished with mint. 6. Almonds A study from the University of Toronto found that people who ate almonds with white bread didn’t experience the same blood sugar surges as those who ate just the slice. And the higher blood sugar levels rise, the lower they fall; that dip leads to hunger, causing people to overeat. Plus, blood sugar changes cause the body to make insulin, which can increase abdominal fats. This weight loss food is rich with

important nutrients like monosaturated fats, vitamin E, folic acid, protein and dietary fibre. Almonds works best as a quick healthy snack when you are travelling or at your office desk, or the moment when you want to hog to something unhealthy. This weight loss food also keeps your blood sugar steady. 7. Apples According to self.com, a study from Penn State University at University Park revealed that people who chomped an apple before a pasta meal ate fewer calories overall than those who had a different snack. Apple is one of the best weight loss foods, having this great fruit a day not only keeps the doctor away but also makes you skinnier. With 4 gms of fiber in a medium apple, they can make you feel fuller for a longer time as the fiber take time to break down. Apples are a sweet and crunchy snack full of all sorts of nutritional goodness, and they taste good on their own and in salads, desserts, and savory dishes, too. 8. Black Beans Beans stay in your digestive system longer and add to the feeling of fullness and a satisfied feeling, aiding weight loss. They contain soluble and insoluble fiber, protein, and a type of fat-burning carb called resistant starch. Black beans are really one of the greatest weight loss foods. According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, bean eaters weigh less and have slimmer middles.They are a ‘heart healthy’ addition to any diet as they contain an abundance of soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. 9. Cauliflower However beautiful this veggie looks it is as strong enough to fight toxic compounds in your body. This weight loss food is rich is indoles, glucosinolates and thiocyanates that bumps off all the toxic waste in your body. Cauliflower is low in calories while still offering filling fiber. This veggie is also super versatile and can make a great replacement for heavier foods. 10. Cinnamon Everything is nice about this weight loss food. Just 1/2 teaspoon each day can help control your blood sugar and prevent the post meal insulin spike that can trigger your body to store fat rather than burn it. This nutty flavor spice is also know for its diabetes fighting properties, cinnamon can work wonders for your sweet tooth while keeping you at a safe distance from fatty sugars and desserts. Cinnamon promotes effective blood circulation, which helps your body get fitter faster. Add ground cinnamon as a replacement for sugar in cake dough or in your tea and coffee to get the most out of this wonderful spice every day. -Timesofindia.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

December 06, 2013

Movie Review : Bullet Raja

MUMBAI: Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia’s latest offering Bullett Raja may have missed the target at the box office, but it did decent business by earning approximately Rs. 12 crore to Rs. 13 crore in two days of its release, say trade pundits. The Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha-starrer came out on Friday. Rajesh Thadani of Multimedia Combines told IANS: “Bullett Raja is doing a decent business at the box office, but nothing great. The film has approximately collected Rs.12 crore to Rs.13 crore on Friday and Saturday.” Based in a small town in

Uttar Pradesh, Bullett Raja is described as a fest of guns, grime, and glory and it has just a week to utilise its potential. “The film will go steady just for a week because next Friday R... Rajkumar will release. It looks very impressive and considering the fact that it’s a Prabhudheva film, there is a lot of hope from the film. His record has been very strong so far,” said Thadani. Shahid Kapoor-starrer R...Raajkumar too is a crime thriller and another common thread between the two films is Sonakshi, who is playing the female lead in this one too. However, in Rajast-

han, Bullett Raja has got an encouraging response. Sunil Bansal of Yash Raj Jai Pictures Pvt Ltd in Rajasthan said the film collected “around Rs. 52 lakh on Friday and around Rs. 50 lakh on Saturday”. “So the film has garnered over Rs.1 crore in Rajasthan, which is great,” he said and added that they are now looking forward to Aamir Khanstarrer action thriller Dhoom 3. Coming out on December 20, it will see Aamir in a negative role. “But now we are looking forward to Dhoom 3, which will certainly do great business,” said Bansal. -Hindustantimes

Koffee with Karan: Salman Khan Breaks his Silence on Shah Rukh MUMBAI: Karan Johar, who waited for long to have Salman Khan on board ‘Koffee with Karan’ had a candid chat with the superstar in the opening episode of the fourth season of the celebrity talk show. Salman initially appeared quite shy and apprehensive but eventually opened up and spoke his heart out. The hunk of an actor spoke about his girlfriends, marriage plans, his exes, Shah Rukh Khan and his professional life on the show. Out of all the segments, the one where he spoke of SRK was most interesting. He admitted that he may not have Shah Rukh in his best friend’s list any longer but that certainly doesn’t mean he doesn’t care for him. Salman said that he cherishes every moment and good times spent with SRK and wouldn’t appreciate if anyone badmouths the latter in front of him. T h e ‘ D a bangg’ superstar asserted that his current equa-

tion with SRK doesn’t give anyone the authority to speak against his “once dear friend” as he respects him for what he is today. Though the actor believes that Shah Rukh could have reconciled long back, Salman doesn’t hold grudges against him. Moreover, on being asked by Karan that who he thinks is his professional rival, Salman said that he is a below average actor and that his contemporaries are way ahead of him. He also said that none can beat Shah Rukh when it comes to enacting romantic scenes. -Zeenews.india.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

22 December 06, 2013

PUZZLES / RECIPES

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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

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 December 11, 2013 Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your picture and we will publish it if you are a winner (for ﬁrst three entrees only).

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Shimla Mirch Bharvi (Stuffed Green Bell Pepper) You can find stuffed green bell peppers in many parts of the world: in Greece and other Mediterranean countries often farci stuffed with rice, herbs and raisins - or with minced meat. In many parts of India, Shimla mirch is often stuffed with potatoes, which is a typical Punjabi dish. But to make it taste good, the potatoes should not be mashed and should have some other ingredients too. Because Shimla mirch bharvi has several steps, in the old days, the women folk in the extended family would help in making it and in the kitchen many family stories would be shared. We used to tie the top lid of the bell peppers with a few twists of cotton string so that the stuffing would stay inside when they were cooked inside a kadai (wok). These days there are many short cuts in making dishes, but the way of preparing the food can be satisfying when you can add some special touches and then see the difference it makes in the taste. The secret of this dish is to make sure that the potatoes are not mushy but maintain some soft crunchiness. The bell peppers, on the other hand, should be soft and easy to bite through with the skin crumpled and nicely brown. The other main ingredient that adds flavor for the Punjabi style dish is usually peas – fresh, shelled ones are the best because they come out hard and crunchy. For finer tastebuds, some people add paneer (homemade cheese) to the stuffing. Ingredients: • 4 medium Shimla mirch (green bell peppers) • 4 medium aaloo (potatoes) • 50gm mutter (peas) – frozen or fresh • 1 large piyaaz (onion) – peeled and sliced • 3 tbsp tael (olive oil or veg etable oil) • ½ tsp haldi (turmeric powder) • Spices to taste: namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), lasan (gar lic powder), garam masala, amchoor (mango powder)

Directions: 1. Wash the potatoes, peel them and chop them into small pieces. 2. Put a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and lightly brown the potatoes. Throw in the turmeric, salt and pepper and peas and cover for five minutes. 3. Remove the cover and with a wooden spatula, slightly smash the potatoes and peas. Add more spices if desired. Remove from the stove and set aside to cool down. 4. Wash the bell peppers and cut off the top including the stalk and keep aside. Clean out the inside seeds and bulb. 5. Fill the hollow peppers with the potatoes and peas mixture, cover with the cutoff top and keep them aside. 6. Pour two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

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Place the stuffed bell peppers in and when one side turns light brown, gently turn to the other side till the peppers are browned all over. Do not cover the pan and let it cook for a few minutes. 7. Serve hot with roti or rice. Enjoy! Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

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STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY

Astrologers Make Hay in Choppy Stock Market

Though Sebi warns against being guided by astrology, it has always been popular with Indian investors. Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Mint

BY SUNIL B.S, In recent years, political and economic uncertainty has encouraged some traders to lean heavily on astrology Mumbai: Dharmesh Joshi and Afah Khan aren’t your everyday stock analysts poring over spreadsheets and crunching numbers. Instead, the former actually prepares a horoscope of companies and the latter uses numerology— to assess the prospects of stocks. On India’s most popular investing website moneycontrol.com, Satish Gupta of the aptly named astrostocktips.in is an expert columnist. The most famous of their tribe is Bejan Daruwalla, an Ahmedabad-based astrologer who says the number of people visiting

him for guidance on investing has risen by almost 45% this year. Daruwalla, who endorses ganeshaspeaks.com, a website run by SiddhiVinayak Astrology Services Pvt. Ltd, also uses the horoscope method. Joshi is a senior astrologer at ganeshaspeaks.com. Astrology doesn’t have the blessings of India’s stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). “Do not be guided by astrological predictions on share prices and market movements,” the Sebi website advises—but it has always been popular with India’s home-grown investors (and investment firms and brokerages). In recent years, political and economic uncertainty has encouraged at least some to lean even more

heavily on a discipline that its advocates and followers see as a rational science—and which rationalists dismiss as a lot of mumbo-jumbo. Akshay Maradi, head of marketing at Askganesha.com, another popular astrology website, says the site has around 1,400 clients this year, up from 900 last year. “Astrology and the stock market go hand-in-hand,” says Arun Kejriwal, founder of Kejriwal Research and Investment Services Pvt. Ltd, a BSE member. He points to the Elliott Wave technique used in technical analysis and refers to how this is similar to mapping waves and tides in a choppy sea, and how tides are affected by the moon, a key influence in astrology as well. The Elliott Wave theory is based on investor psychology

that it argues moves in waves. These movements cause stock prices to move, the theory goes. It is a subjective technical analysis method, but very popular with some technical analysts. Indeed the strength of the moon is a good measure for “short term investments”, says Joshi. For longterm, “we need to look to the sun”. And individually and in conjunction, these heavenly bodies affect individual sectors, he claims. Jupiter and Saturn influence metal stocks; the moon and Saturn, oil stocks; Venus, media stocks; and the sun, pharma stocks, he adds. It isn’t just stocks, astrologers would have us believe, the stars (and planets) can even shed light on gold prices and the direction of the rupee. In three years, gold prices will rise by Rs.10,000-15,000 per 10gm, claims Daruwalla. The metal’s prices are driven by the positions of Mars and Venus, he says. And the rupee will move up in the next six months because of “the favourable position of Mercury and Jupiter”. Daruwalla uses the horoscope of India and its Prime Minister and finance minister along with techniques of Tarot cards to make predictions for the currency. He adds that he uses extrasensory perception, which he has “gained out of years of experience”, to make accurate predictions. Daruwalla also predicts that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Narendra Modi will be the next Prime minister of the country, saying “Rahul Gandhi’s horoscope is passing through Saturn...so his chances of becoming Prime Minister are slim”. Interestingly, many brokers, including several non-believers, see nothing strange in the trust some investors place on astrology.

Alok Churiwala, vice-chairman of BSE Brokers’ Forum, a lobby group, and managing director of Churiwala Securities Pvt. Ltd, said there “is no sure shot way of making money in stock markets”. “Different people use various methods to differentiate themselves, based on their trading strategies. Most people also resort to astrology to guide their investments,” he said, adding “there is nothing good or bad in it as it is just a matter of individual choice”. Ashok Mittal, co-head, retail broking, at Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd, explained that making predictions based on astrology was similar to some individuals choosing to make investments based on fundamental analysis while others resort to technical analysis, despite the fact that many investors do not believe in technical analysis. Still, the market has a fair share of rationalists such as Amar Ambani, head of research at domestic brokerage India Infoline Finance Ltd, who says he steers clear of astrologers for “any sort of advice”. “...For stock markets, there are many more events which determine the movement of prices...I don’t understand why people need to look at stars to get a sense of market,” he says. Not when “your screen has much more information that can guide you”. -Livemint.com

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24 December 06, 2013 Test Batting on Dhoni’s Mind Ahead of ODIs

SPORTS

Stars of Kathiawar BY RAMACHANDRA GUHA

MS Dhoni’s half hour against the red ball in the nets, two days ahead of the South Africa ODI series, suggests he is JAMNAGAR (ESPN Cricinfo): When, in September 1888, thinking hard about his Test-match technique and team combination. BY SIDHARTH MONGA stance to keep it new. India are usually short It seemed to be an exon practice and preparaercise in moving forward tion time in international to cover some of the late cricket. MS Dhoni is movement, and after the usually philosophical end of the session you about it. There are only could hear Fletcher tellso many days in a year, ing Dhoni, “You can also he seems to often sugride the swing and play it gest, and that he and his late.” Dhoni’s batting was players have to make critical to India’s success the most of what they in the home Tests earlier get. India have landed this year, but he has had in South Africa on Mona weakness against the day, and are due to play moving quick ball when their first international he plays with hard hands on Thursday, with only outside off and edges one two-day tour game through. He has in the to follow between the past said that that is the ODIs and Tests. way he plays and can’t do “I don’t know if it much about it. [preparation time] is Not on this net session’s enough or not but this is evidence. At the very the only time we have,” least, Dhoni is looking Dhoni said before leavat his batting with much ing for South Africa. more responsibility now “We will try to have that he is the more experilong practice sessions in enced batsman in the side. the first one or two days He is possibly looking at that we have with us. We himself as more than the will have one light sesdeclaration batsman or sion before the match, the saviour on the odd ocand that is how we will casion that has been. get ready for the ODIs. However, this early Test That is how much we preparation of Dhoni’s have got, and we have to could have a bigger imget the best out of what plication. It was not just we’ve got.” Dhoni’s batting in India During the second of that worked, but it was those long practice sesalso the balance his move sions, which India have up to No. 6 provided, to get the best out of, MS Dhoni seems to be preparing for the extra with the extra spinner Dhoni seemed to have responsibility that goes with being the more experienced drafted in. There were no batted to his heart’s con- batsman in the Test side. tired bowlers around, no tent, properly against the soft overs when the ball India quicks, spinners to stay in the present - spent half an would become old and and throwdowns from fielding hour doing exclusive Test-match take slow turn. Three years ago, coach Trevor Penney, and rashly practice, even as others around in Cape Town, when India had the against the low-quality net bowl- him played the big hits. With no upper hand in the second innings, ers India had at their disposal. Just change of ends and other such de- their bowlers - playing a third when you thought he was leaving, lays, you can face a good 10 overs back-to-back Test - lost their sting Dhoni padded up again. Behind in those 30 minutes. Fletcher re- on day four, although you can’t his net at the Wanderers stood mained in constant conversation take away from Jacques Kallis’ coach Duncan Fletcher, and CM with Dhoni from behind the net. genius that day. Dhananjay, the team’s analyst, Dhananjay, who is a decent bowler You wondered, though, what if was asked to bring a camera. himself if allowed to bowl from 18 India had an allrounder, like KalThe surprise came when the red yards, and Penney’s throwdowns lis himself, who could bowl a few Kookaburras were brought out. tested Dhoni. At one point, as the fresh overs then. Like the limited Two days before the first ODI of ball began to lose some shine, preparation time, Dhoni knows the tour, Dhoni - a man who loves Dhananjay applied a foreign sub- there is no proper allrounder in

the country. So he combined with Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin to kind of contrive one. The natural question was, if he would be able to do the same outside Asia. If he would be confident enough to do so outside Asia. Before leaving Asia, Dhoni kept his cards close to his chest, but didn’t rule out a move up to No. 6. “Well it’s something that we have to go there and decide,” Dhoni said. “We have to see the strength of our batting line-up. And at the same time whether four bowlers are good enough to get the opposition out. It’s something that we have to weigh out. “In the last Test match also we played with four bowlers, and Rohit [Sharma] was the one who batted at No. 6. If you see at times five batsmen are not enough, even six are not enough. And if you see the last two Test matches, the No. 6 batsman has had a lot of impact on the game. We will weigh how it is and then decide as to whether 3-1 [bowling] combination is good enough or we have to play with 3-2.” A lot, of course, was going to depend on how Dhoni feels about his batting in the ODIs and in the nets. If he is thinking of not letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”, unlike the cat i’ the adage, he is at least spending as much time preparing as he can. Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Tour Fixtures

1st ODI: South Africa v India at Johannesburg Dec 5, 2013 (13:30 local | 11:30 GMT | 06:30 EST | 05:30 CST | 03:30 PST) 2nd ODI: South Africa v India at Durban Dec 8, 2013 (10:00 local | 08:00 GMT | 03:00 EST | 02:00 CST | 00:00 PST) 3rd ODI: South Africa v India at Centurion Dec 11, 2013 (13:30 local | 11:30 GMT | 06:30 EST | 05:30 CST | 03:30 PST) SAf Invit XI v Indians at Benoni Dec 14-15, 2013 (10:00 local | 08:00 GMT | 03:00 EST | 02:00 CST | 00:00 PST) 1st Test: South Africa v India at Johannesburg Dec 18-22, 2013 (10:30 local | 08:30 GMT | 03:30 EST | 02:30 CST | 00:30 PST)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi travelled to London to study law, he was carrying letters of introduction to four people. One was Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, who also hailed from Kathiawar. Gandhi did not meet Ranji then, nor did the two come across each another in subsequent decades, when one became a major political leader and the other a famous cricketer and ruler of a princely state. So far as I can tell, these two Kathiawaris did not meet face-to-face. Late last year I was with my daughter in Kathiawar, visiting sites associated with the early life of the Mahatma. Driving through the Saurashtra countryside, I spotted a sign that said “Jamnagar: 100 kilometres”. When I saw the sign, the Gandhi scholar in me receded and the cricket nut called. That night, in our hotel in Morbi, we went into Google and came out with a booking at the splendidly named Hotel Aram in Jamnagar. The next morning we were in the town that once served as the capital of the state Ranji erratically and indifferently ruled over, Nawanagar. In Jamnagar we drove around the palaces, and then went in search of cricketing memorabilia. I remembered reading a piece by Dilip D’Souza that mentioned a statue of Vinoo Mankad in the town. We asked as to its whereabouts. It was, we were told, near a place called Cricket Bungalow. This was a pavilion built by Ranji when he was Jam Saheb, overlooking a ground where matches were still played and where young boys still regularly practised. On the roundabout adjacent to the ground was the statue of the great allrounder, a cricket ball poised in a raised left-arm. Meanwhile two youngsters on a motorbike came up, looking at the statue with affectionate respect. “Vinoo bhai Mankad,” said one, to himself, reflectively. I asked who his own favourite cricketer was. “Ravindra bhai Jadeja,” he answered, naming the Jamnagar boy then cementing his place in the Indian team.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2013 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

TO BE CONTINUED

December 06, 2013

India Less Corrupt than Pakistan, Ranks 94th in World Survey

India has been ranked lower in corruption than neighbouring Pakistan but higher than China by graft watchdog Transparency International in a survey released on Tuesday. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia have been ranked as the world’s most corrupt countries while Denmark and New Zealand are nearly squeaky-clean. India ranked 94 on the index, above Pakistan at rank 127 but below China which took the 80th position. India was ranked at 95th position last year, but Transparency said it has started making evaluations through a different formula beginning this year. India has slipped 22 ranks down since 2007, an evident outcome of the country’s economy having been battered by major scams — biggest of them being the 2G scam. Transparency International’s annual list is the most widely used indicator of sleaze in political parties, police, justice systems and civil services, a scourge which undermines development and the fight against poverty. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory’s score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption

on a scale of 0 — 100, where 0 means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 means it is perceived as very clean. India has a score of 36 out of 100. Worldwide, almost 70% of nations are thought to have a “serious problem” with public servants on the take, and none of the 177 countries surveyed this year got a perfect score, said the Berlin-based non-profit group. “Corruption hurts the poor most,” lead researcher Finn Heinrich said. “That’s what you see when you look at the countries at the bottom. Within those countries, it’s also poor people who get hurt the most. These countries will never get out of the poverty trap if they don’t tackle corruption.” Among countries that have slipped the most on the group’s 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index are war-torn Syria as well as Libya and Mali, which have also faced major military conflict in recent years. “Corruption is very much linked to countries that fall apart, as you see in Libya, Syria, two of the countries that deteriorated the most,” said Heinrich. “If you look at the bottom of the list, we also have Somalia there. These are not countries where the government is functioning effectively, and people have to take

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all means in order to get by, to get services, to get food, to survive.” Heinrich said Afghanistan, where most NATO-led Western forces are pulling out next year after a more than decade long deployment, is “a sobering story. We have not seen tangible improvements”. “The West has not only invested in security but also in trying to establish the rule of law. But there have been surveys in the last couple of years showing the share of people paying bribes is still one of the highest in the world.” Also at the bottom of the list is North Korea, “an absolutely closed totalitarian society”, said Heinrich, where defectors report that famine is worsening corruption “because you have to know someone in the party who is corrupt in order to even survive”. Among the “most improved” countries, although from a low base, was Myanmar, where a former military junta has opened the door to the democratic process and, facing an investment boom, has formally committed to transparency and accountability rules. “That’s the only way countries can avoid the ‘resource curse’, where the resources are only available to a very small elite,” said Heinrich. “Nigeria and other oil-rich countries are obviously

very good examples.” Huguette Labelle, chair of Transparency, said “all countries still face the threat of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations”. The group says that because corruption is illegal and secretive, it cannot be meaningfully measured. Instead Transparency collates expert views on the problem from bodies such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, Economist Intelligence Unit, Bertelsmann Foundation, Freedom House and other groups. It then ranks countries on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means a country’s public sector is considered highly corrupt and 100 means it’s is regarded as very clean. The latest survey “paints a worrying picture”, said Transparency. “While a handful perform well, not one single country gets a perfect score. More than two-thirds score less than 50.” The bottom-ranked countries, scoring 10 to 19, included Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan and South Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Yemen. At the top, between 80 and 89, aside from Denmark and New Zealand, were Luxembourg, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore, Norway, Sweden and Finland. “The top performers clearly reveal how transparency supports accountability and can stop corruption,” said Labelle. “Still, the better performers face issues like state capture, campaign finance and the oversight of big public contracts which remain major corruption risks.”

-Hindustantimes

Pakistan PM Meets Army Chief, Discusses Country’s Security

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday met with the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif in Islamabad and discussed issues related to national security as well as professional matters pertaining to the military, DawnNews reported. The premier met the newly-appointed army chief for the first time and congratulated him on his appointment. During the meeting, the prime minister and the COAS discussed issues relating to the country’s national security and the military’s functioning. Nawaz meets defence minister Earlier in the day, Sharif also held a meeting with the Defence Minister Khawaja Asif at the Prime Minister’s House and discussed the issue of missing persons. During the meeting, the premier advised the defence minister on the issue of missing persons. Khawaja Asif was given the portfolio of the defence ministry after Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry summoned the defence minister (portfolio then held by the prime minister) during the Supreme Court’s hearing of the missing persons case. -Dawn.com

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