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Friday, January 15 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 03

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Indo American erican News Happy Gurpurab www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX

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January 15, 2016

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COMMUNITY

January 15, 2016

Partha Krishnaswamy: New President of Hindus of Greater Houston

HOUSTON:

Partha Krishnaswamy is the new President of Hindus of Greater Houston An outstanding community organizer, Parthasarathy Krishnaswamy, literally lives up to his name and preserves the reputation the name enjoys among Hindus. Lord Krishna is known as Parthasarathy, as the charioteer for the warrior Arjun in the epic Mahabharat. The board of directors of Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) unanimously named Parthasarathy Krishnaswamy to take the reins of the organization as its president commencing January 2016. In

the last seven years, as the lead organizer of the communitywide Janmashtami, the signature event of the HGH, Partha-ji's face has become synonymous with Janmashtami at George R. Brown Convention Center. Rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty, he dos not lead from behind, but jumps into the fray head-on to accomplish the mission. His contributions are not confined to the HGH alone. His active participation in Bharathi Kalai Manram of Houston, Tamil Nadu Foundation and Katy Indian Cultural Association and several others are well known. Born in a very religious and historic place of Srirangam (Trichy in the South of India), brought up and schooled in the metropolitan city of Bombay, graduating in engineering from Baroda, Parthaji has spent nearly 20 years in Dubai, before settling in Houston in 2001. Partha-ji has imbibed and understood various cultures, languages and religions. His fluency in Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati is commendable. With an ever smil-

ing face and ease of communication, never displaying any frustration in public, Partha-ji has won over the entire Hindu-American community. Eight years ago when HGH decided to formalize its Board of Directors, Partha-ji was interviewed by founder members Raj Syal, Vijay Pallod, the late Padmakant Khambatti, and the late Hari Kewalramani. With his spontaneous response to strengthen the organization, the board selected him as the vice president. Partha Krishnaswamy has been the Vice President since then under three presidents of HGH: Girish Naik, Sharad Amin and Anshuman Desai, making him very familiar with the workings of the organization. Partha-ji is also a founder member of the Katy Indian Cultural Association, an organization formed in 2004 to promote Indian culture and businesses in Katy. He is a part of the organizing committee that has been celebrating its Navrathri Garbha every year. The event became so popular that the Garbha was organized for a second day last year.

He also served as the President of Bharathi Kalai Manram, a Tamil cultural organization in Houston, during its 40th year anniversary in 2014. He was instrumental in obtaining a special grant from the City of Houston and also bagging a proclamation from the Mayor of Houston declaring 28 August 2014 as BKM day. His focused efforts to stage the Broadway style historical dance drama of a novel by a renowned Indian writer, with 78 talented individuals from Houston set the bar high for future productions in the Houston Indian community. Partha-ji also was seen managing the stage at several events of charitable organizations such as "Udavum Karangal", "Tamil Nadu foundation" and the "International Yoga Day." Professionally, Partha-ji is the Vice President of FloaTEC, a company engaged in deepwater offshore technology in the Oil and Gas sector. He is married to Indrani Parthasarathy, director of a classical dance institute and who has continuously contributed to-

ward the cultural program section of Janmashtami. They are blessed with two sons who are graduates from Texas A&M University and are currently working in Houston. "In the past eight years as Vice President of HGH, I had the opportunity to learn from community leaders, and be supported by a great team of cheerful and enthusiastic volunteers. I am fortunate to have such wonderful support and I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as the president of HGH," Partha-ji says. Highly energetic and willing to volunteer, he believes in "making a difference" in whatever project he undertakes. His focus now is to make HGH a thread or a chain that connects all other like-minded organizations and temples forming a beautiful garland representing a strong and united Hindu community. With strong support from the Advisory board and fellow committee members, Parthasarathy Krishnaswamy hopes and expects to continue the good work by HGH and expand the outreach of HGH a notch further.

New Leadership at ICC Rings in the New Year BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON: Just over a month

after the election of new Board members and Trustees, the India Culture Center held elections for the Executive Committee at India House this past Sunday, January 11. A large number of ICC board members and Trustees were on hand for the brief elections in which none of the nominees was opposed and all were elected unanimously. The ICC is the oldest community-wide organization in Houston, having started in 1973 and has been the organizer of the two events most emblematic of India - Republic Day and Independence Day – for the past four decades. The new Executive Committee is-- Rajiv Bhavsar, President; Falguni Gandhi, Vice President; Ajit Patel, Treasurer and Sanjay Sohoni, Secretary and Charlie Patel who will continue as Immediate Past President. The Election Committee was made up of this

The new Executive Committee of the ICC, from left, seated: President Rajiv Bhavsar; Vice President Falguni Gandhi and Treasurer Ajit Patel; standing from left: Secretary Sanjay Sohoni and Past President Charlie Patel. Photo: Jawahar Malhotra

reporter, Girish Pandya and Sam Merchant. Two unopposed Trustees were also confimed: Sangeeta

Pasrija and Parul Fernandes. The rest of the Board of Directors are Col. Raj Bhalla; Veena Kaul;

Nirmala Patel; Sapna Shah; Harshad Patel; Nisha Mirani; Keka Kar; Dilip Dadhich; Pramod Ben-

gani; Manisha Gandhi and Sangita Dua. Two The rest of the Trustees for ICC are Swapan Dhairyawan, Meera Kapur, Vijay Pallod, Hasu Patel and Lachhman Das. The next signature event for the ICC is the day-long 67th Republic Day celebrations, themed Vibrant India, at Stafford Centre on Cash Road and has activities planned for one and all. The essay competition "What is it like growing up as Indian American in Greater Houston?" will be for ages 10-15 years on. The ICC quiz will be for kids ages 10-15 years covering the topics of:geography, history, culture, sports, music, Bollywood. The event will have 45+ booths and the cultural program will be showcasing a versatile local talent of over 250+ participants and a “The Mom and Me” talent contest will also be first of its kind. For more information about the event visit www.icchouston. org or call 832-423-7979/; 713557-2536 or 281-382-0348

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 15, 2016

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January 15, 2016 5 COMMUNITY The Saints Within Us Seek Harmony in Oneness

Rajneesh Bala

Guru Bhakti

Dev Bilol Pokhrel

Mr. Prasad

Anil Sadan

Deepak Verma

President of the Sant Nirankari Mission, USA, Dr. Iqbaljit Rai

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

HOUSTON: The message from

each speaker who was asked to present to the congregation echoed very similar concepts, even as a few had allegiances to different religious institutions and may have been born into different faiths. In the tradition and custom of the Sant Nirankari Mission which had invited them to speak, they were all called out as Reverend, in honor of their belief that there is a Saint that lives within each of us. It was a message of harmony and oneness; hence the theme – Harmony in Oneness - of this special Sunday afternoon’s meeting, on January 10, of the congregation which normally meets every month at India House. About 150 people, including a few guests, came together for a special Spiritual Congregation to honor and welcome the President of the Sant Nirankari Mission, USA, Dr. Iqbaljit Rai, who made a short trip through the Bayou City. The Houston branch of the SNM had organized the Spiritual Congregation which opened with display models made by the children of congregation families and books on the Mission available for distribution. Central to the tenets of the SNM, which is also known as the Universal Brotherhood Mission, are the concepts of oneness, discipline, duty and cleanli-

ness, all of which were evident in the way the guests were greeted. Women and girls in sky blue kameezes, white salwars and duppatas and men and boys in blue blazers, grey pants, white shirts and red ties welcomed arriving guests with folded hands and escorted them to the central hall. On the raised stage sat Dr. Iqbaljit Rai in an armchair, his legs and feet covered in a white sheet, again a custom of the SNM to have an elder preside over the meeting. Those entering the hall prostrated in front of him and made donations in a white box to the side. In front, white sheets marked the area where some women and the children sat cross-legged and behind them were rows of chairs. On the two side walls and stage banners proclaimed Universal Brotherhood, Blessed are the Peace Makers and Peace, Not Pieces. The group of children and teens came together to deliver a song, “I Believe In You” to the tune of “How Deep Is Your Love” by the Bee Gees. (A video clip of the performance is on our YouTube channel; visit our website www.indoamerican-news.com) The audience heard from congregation members Rajneesh Bala, Anil Sadan, Dev Bilol Pokhrel (from Dallas), Deepak Verma and Dr. Raj Bhalla about the message of oneness for all humanity that is central to the SNM. Bala said, “I am a drop that fills the bucket”; Sadan sang a Punjabi bhajan and Ver-

Exler Bob

Dr. Rai welcoming Maaji Laxmi Thakkar of the Jalaram Sai Baba Temple

ma spoke of the God Knowledge that is given without hesitation to the members and the SNM’s five principles. Presenting a bouquet of flowers to Rai, Bhalla spoke last of his own lifetime spent on acting on the path of the SNM. Speakers from other organizations echoed similar traits and principles in their followings. Exler Bob gave a speech on communism and democracy acknowledging the universal peace federation as the path to God’s ul-

timate purpose. Guru Bhakti from ISKCON said we are all spiritual beings and spoke about unity in diversity. And Kusum Vyas who works with the United Nations on Green Environmental projects explained her passion for saving the planet. At the end of the two-hour program, Dr. Rai spoke softly, but with tender guidance, of the world’s differences being transitory but being avoided if we all come to work together. “Every living thing

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Dr. Raj Bhalla CONTINUED ON PAGE

January 15, 2016

COMMUNITY

A Longing Expression for Music Shared Freely and Often BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

SUGAR LAND: Upma Shah was in her

element: the mistress of the stage; conducting the show, pointing out key community people in the crowd to come and say a few words; putting the final touches to their needs before asking the audience to be back in their seats “in ten minutes, no more than 15” as they made a bee line for the appetizer; even admonishing them to “please recycle the plates and plasticware”. She leaves nothing to chance to disturb the joy she feels when she listens to the performers produce the music that she longs for. And everyone who has been coming to the

Participants at the musical recital at Upma Shah’s residence included from left: Varsha Halabe, emcee and singer; Nitish Kulkarni, tabla; Veena Watwe, singer; and Mandar Phadke, harmonium. Photo: Jawahar Malhotra

gatherings in which she opens up her house and rearranges the living room with rows of plastic armchairs knows that she is an endearing but demanding hostess who expects complete silence so that the musicians and singers can be best appreciated. The passion to enjoy music blazed in Shah’s heart as a young girl in her family’s home in Mumbai “but my father wanted nothing to deter us from our studies” she recalled. “He didn’t want music and songs to distract us.” When she finally joined her future husband Mukulesh in America, she worked hard to settle into a comfortable life and then on her fiftieth birthday, she made her declaration. “I said ‘I have spent 25 years with my parents and another 25 years working hard, now I needed to give vent to my expression’,” she remembered. And express she did. From 2005 onwards, Shah has taken her passion into her home, quite literally, holding musical evenings in her living room, upto six times a year, exploring the community for singers and musicians and giving them a venue to display their talents. Most of them likewise have careers or businesses of their own but have an avocation in the performing arts that they have fine-tuned and welcome an appreciative venue to make their artistry known to the public. The list of performers that Shah has featured is fairly long, but over the past two years in her new spacious house in Sugar Land – she moved her in 2008 – she has featured singers Bharat and Meena Contractor; Dr. Anil and Dr. Rucha Sheth; Vivek Chitale; Soumya Rege; Anjali Pandit; Prakash Majumdar; Surendra Talwar; Varsha Halabe; Suchita Karandikar; Preyna Shah; Smita Vasavada and Udayan Shah. They have been accompanied by musicans on tabla Nitish Kulkarni, Jayendra Prabhukot, Chidanand and Prakash Shah and on the harmonium Ambrish Prabhukot, Altaf and Kamal Haji. Nothing can make Shah happier than to feature more talent. And every two months or so she makes the arrangements to call in upto 90 people – who all get a chance to eat dinner even after the two to three hour performances. And Shah is always happiest when she has the music around her to share with others.

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COMMUNITY

January 15, 2016

The Saints Within Us Seek Harmony in Oneness CONTINUED FROM PAGE

The children’s group sang a song “I Believe in You”

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has something to share,” he said, “and a disturbance in one place can disturb the whole Cosmos.” He talked about the convergence of science and religion and said that Einstein, Tagore, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha all spoke of Oneness. “We must illuminate the darkness of the mind,” he added, saying “Global Oneness cannot be achieved unless we have Cultural Oneness, which is how SNM has spread to all the continents.” He concluded that self-realization through God realization must make connection with our soul. Two brief video clips were also shown about the Social Welfare Activates of the

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SNM, focusing on the cleanliness campaign organized by SNM with hundreds of volunteers cleaning the railways stations in Mumbai and New Delhi as well as the Run for Oneness campaign. The meeting ended with a hymn in Punjabi “Tu Ek Nirankari” and the SNM prayer, with a langar of dishes prepared by a few different households served in the lobby. The SNM will hold its "NIS2-Nirankari International Samagam-2" in Toronto from Jun 28 2016 -July 3 2016 focusing on a "World Without Walls" and nearly 10,000 people are expected to attend. Visit www.nirankari.org for more details.

India Culture Center, Houston (ICC) will be recognizing one Sportsman of Indian American heritage between the ages of 14 to 25 years in the following sports category: Cricket, Basketball, Swimming and Chess. This prestigious award will be presented at the forthcoming VIBRANT INDIA FAIR to celebrate India’s 67th Republic Day on Sunday, January 24, 2016 between 3PM and 5 PM at Stafford Center, 10505 Cash Road, Stafford, Texas 77477. Please return this NOMINATION FORM along with letters of recommendations and nominee’s resume or achievements by email to Parul Fernandes at parulfernandes1@gmail.com. For further details you may contact Parul Fernandes at 713-662-3506, or 713-447-3705

Please attach 1.Your background with achievements and past recognitions ( Please see that your name appears on the right-hand side on all papers. 2. Two letters of references or recommendations. IMPORTANT: This Nomination form complete with resume and recommendations should be received BY PARUL FERNANDES, no later than JANUARY 17TH 2016. Disclaimer: This Nomination form and recommendation letters should be received in complete by the ICC Awards Committee before the due date. The decision of the Awards Committee will be final and binding. Immediate family members of current ICC Directors and Trustees are ineligible for nomination.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 15, 2016

Record Setting Fund-Raising By “ Ekal Vidyalaya” in 2015

Jhunjhunwalas Paying Respect to Ekal Founder - Shri Madanlalji

BY PRAKASH WAGHMARE “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation - USA” (known as ‘Ekal-USA’) had record setting fund-raising in 2015. It raised over $6 million in USA alone and it has satellite Organizations in 10 different countries. Moreover, Ekal has just received a generous donation of $500,000 from Prabha Jhunjhunwala, daughter of Shri Madanlal Agarwala, who started Ekal Movement in late 1988 in India. Considering the way it has kick started this New Year, and it is poised to establish a new record for 2016. "My father is my inspira-

tion. He was a very compassionate soul and strongly believed that the Ekal movement would transform India. Were he alive, he surely would have been delighted to see strong Global support reaching into 53,000 villages," says Prabhaji. “When Prabha decided to make a donation in the name of her father, I couldn’t be happier” says Vinod Jhunjhunwala, her husband and President of Ekal-USA. He further elaborated that,” the seed-money will help us build an endowment that will ensure strong financial footing for Ekal USA".

Ekal raises funds through series of concerts all over USA and through direct appeals to generous philanthropists. Braham Aggarwal, Avadesh Agarwal, Himanshu Shah, Mohan Wancho have been some of the most generous and valuable benefactors of Ekal. According to Dilip Kothekar, Chairman of Ekal’s Event Committee, two famous musical groups from ‘Bollywood’ would be performing in series of 60-65 concerts all across USA, starting from February 26’ 2016. For past 27 years, ‘Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF)’, has been rigorously

involved in total transformation of villages, giving sustainability to its people and empowering them. For basic donation of just $365, Ekal has been providing functional literacy and health care training for the whole year to an ‘Ekal-school’, consisting of 35-40 children. For one-time generous donation of $5,000, one can sponsor a whole village for its perpetual development. To make women-folks self-reliant in villages, multiple cottageindustries have been introduced by training them in tailoring, food-processing, weaving etc. "EVF" is a duly registered as tax-exempt, charitable organization, not only in USA, but also, in several other countries, making it globally the largest grassroots village-development movement undertaken by Indians and NRIs. As of this moment, it is operating all over India, including in Jammu & Kashmir region benefiting over 1.50 million children (half of whom are girls). “Health Foundation for Rural India (HFRI)”, under the leadership of Dr. Veena Gandhi is committed to eradicate Anemia also in Ekal villages. New water conservation techniques, and use of solar-power for domestic use etc. have been adopted in several villages. In addition, an innovative ‘Ekal-on-Wheels’ digital pilot-project has been launched in some states to make villages

computer-literate.. According to Bajrang Bagra, CEO of Ekal-India, this year, Ekal took a giant leap forward in 2015 by establishing 10 village development centers, each catering to the needs of 100 villages, thereby directly impacting at least one million people, and exposing 10 million villagers to innovative techniques. Villagers are trained in multiple cropping, Vermicomposting, based on local conditions. Pradeep Goyal, Chairman of Ekal-India recently confirmed that retraining villagers for agro-farm based products has given them income ranging from Rs.50,000 to Rs.8 Lakhs. Because of Ekal’s extensive rural network, many Organizations that were engaged on their own in divine rural projects have now forged alliance with Ekal. Dr. Subhash Chandra, CEO of ZEETV Network, has recently joined as the ‘Chairman of Ekal-Global’ and plans to take this ‘Literacy’ movement’ to the upper zenith of worldwide conscientious global organizations. According to Subhash Gupta, recent Chairman of Board of Advisers, Ekal derives its strength from its 300,000 global volunteers. As PM Modi said, “When you invest in village, you are investing in India’s future; let’s develop one village, one school at-a-time. For more information please visit www.ekal.org Kindly donate generously.

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COMMUNITY Club 65 Ended 2015 with a Bang

January 15, 2016

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From left: Noorjahan U, Asghar A - Club 65 Queen and King 2016

HOUSTON:

A grand New Year’s eve party—a first for Club 65---was held at the Savoy banquet hall on the December 29, with a large attendance of members and some guests. The atmosphere was very festive and colorful with live music. There was enough place to dance and be comfortable without feeling crowded. Everyone was ready to have a good time---- “Ring out the old and Ring in the new” . The evening started with a welcome speech by Paru McGuire (President of Club 65). She went on to acknowledge the Executive committee consisting of President (IMAGH) Latafath Husain, Chairman Fatehali Chatur, VP Rahat Sultana Kalle and Hatim Kanorwala, Secretary Noorjahan

Upadhya, Treasurer Farida Jinnah, Farida Bandali, Asghar and Yasmin Alibhoy and thanked the hardworking team of dedicated volunteers who give so much of their time to this organization. A special mention and thanks went to the Entertainment committee—Rosina Jafferali, Parvin Saeed. This recognition gave an opportunity for the members to applaud the selfless efforts of the volunteers who make each meeting a huge success. A special mention goes out to Paru who has done a great job putting in a lot of time and energy to keep Club 65 interesting and fun with the membership increasing to over 190 members. Formal and yet relaxed, the attendees enjoyed the hors d’oeuvres, fine food, music, dancing and each other’s company. There was ‘Ras

Garba’ for those in the mood to swing to the traditional Indian dance, which did bring many of the ladies and gents to the dance floor. There were several raffle drawings which brought about a lot of excitement to the winners but the grand finale of the evening was a surprise! It was the crowning of the “King” and “Queen” of Club 65. The selection was made by three judges on the merit of attire and how well they carried themselves. Each one was ‘crowned’ with a sash and a special balloon. It was all fun and joy through the evening. The memorable affair ended with a touching and heartwarming toast to the New Year by Latafath Husain (Pres. IMAGH). Club 65 had a good year. We count our blessings and look forward to making 2016 a better one.

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HAPPY GURPURAB

Happy Gurpurab : Guru Gobind Singh Ji

January 15, 2016

GURPURAB RECIPES: SHAHI PANEER& KARAH PRASHAD SHAHI PANEER

mixture until it turns to thick gravy. At the time of serving, heat the gravy. Add milk and paneer cubes and allow it to boil for about 3 to 4 minutes.Garnish it with chopped coriander and grated paneer. Your yummy shahi paneer is ready to be served.

KARAH PRASHAD Ingredients:

‘Guru Gobind Singh’, the tenth Guru,

was born at Patna Sahib in Bihar, India on December 22, 1666. He is the last of the Tenth Gurus of Sikhism. He was the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who gave his life to protect religious freedom. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was nominated as the Guru by the ninth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur who was also his father. After Guru Tegh Bahadur’s death, Guru Gobind Singh became Guru on November 11, 1675. He lost his father, mother, and all four of his sons to a religious war, being waged by the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb was keen to see Islamization of Hindus an Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh established the ‘Khalsa’, a military force of saint-soldiers

which he baptized. Guru Gobind Singh is highly regarded by the Sikhs his monumental role in the development of the Sikh faith. He was a learned man. He compiled a number of books and poetry collections in his life. Before his death in 1708, he declared the Guru Granth Sahib, which is Sikhism’s Holy Scripture to be the permanent Sikh Guru. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is celebrated by the Sikhs as the birthday of their tenth and last guru Guru Gobind Singh. It is a religious celebration in which prayers for prosperity are offered. This day witnesses large processions and special prayer gatherings at all Gurudwaras. -all-essay.blogspot.com

250 gm Paneer 1/4 cup Beaten curd 1/2 cup Milk 1 1/2 cup Tomatoes, finely chopped 1/2 cup Onion, chopped into strips 1/2" piece Ginger, finely chopped 2-3 Green Chilies, finely chopped 2-3 Cardamoms, crushed 1/2 tsp Garam Masala 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder 2 tsp Tomato Sauce 3 tsp Ghee or butter 1/2 cup Water Salt to taste For Garnishing: 2 tsp Grated Paneer 1 tsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

Procedure:

Cut the paneer block to make 2" cubes. In a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 tsp of ghee. Add onion, ginger, green chili and cardamom and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Now, add tomatoes and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the beaten curd and cook further for 5 minutes. Now, add water and allow it to cool.Once cool, blend the mixture in the mixer until it turns smooth. Now, take the frying pan and heat the remaining ghee. Now, add the churned gravy and the spices and tomato ketchup. Boil the

Ingredients:

1 cup ghee or 1/2 lb unsalted butter (2 cubes) 1 cup whole grain flour (atta) 1 cup sugar 3 cups water

Procedure:

Add sugar to water and set in pot to boil. Melt ghee or unsalted butter in a pan. To clarify unsalted butter heat and skim off foamy curds and spoon out solids from bottom of pan.Add whole grain flour (atta) to melted butter. Karta Purkh. Stir mixture continuously to lightly toast flour.Continue stirring flour and butter mixture while sugar boils to make light syrup. Butter separates from toasted flour turning a deep golden color with a nutty aroma. Pour boiling sugar syrup into toasted flour and butter mixture.Mixture will sputter. Take care not to be scalded. Stir rapidly until all water is absorbed. Keep stirring prashad as it thickens into a firm pudding. -zeenews.india.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

16 January 15, 2016

HAPPY GURPURAB

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

January 15, 2016

Mumbai Suburb Rotary District Governor Elect Dr. Chandrashekhar Kolvekar Visits Houston

HOUSTON: Houston city saw a reunion of

two active Rotarians 9000+ miles away from their hometown in Houston on December 30. Dr. Chandrashekhar Kolvekar, an Anesthesiologist by profession and District Governor Elect of Rotary International Dist. 3142 (comprising of 68 clubs around Mumbai) have been active in Rotary and Community Service circles for past 30 + years…. Dr. Kolvekar is on the way to San Diego For Rotary International Assembly in January for training to all elected District Governors and stopped in Houston for few days. An active community social worker, Dr. Kolvekar presided over a suburb Rotary club near Mumbai About 27 years ago and initiated some milestone projects including Jaipur Foot Project, Bicycles for Rural girl students and Literacy projects. Dr. Chandrashekhar was also involved in Conducting Artiﬁcial Limb camps for amputees and calipers for the polio affected, corrective surgeries, giving services for the earthquake victims at Bhuj in Gujarat, e-learning kits for village schools. In his own words, “I belong to an organization of inspired individuals who translate their passions into relevant social causes to change lives in communities - Rotary! Rotary offered me a platform to 'Do good in the world'. Bringing tribal as well as other rural children on par with international education methods, skills development centers for youth of India, Diabetes control, dedicated toilets for girl students & hand wash for all school students, Water for all, Subsidized Cancer & Pediatric Heart Surgeries for the less privileged are some of the areas I plan to focus on as I take over as Rotary Governor of Rotary International District 3142 in India..”. Dr. Chandu had a reunion in Houston with an active Past Rotaractor of his home club and an active Rotarian Sanjay Bhatia who lives in Katy now and is supporting the home club in Some unique ways. He has been saving money by using shared ride to commute to work every day (thus avoiding driving and helping environment) and use the saved dollars to sponsor poor children education. He calls this initiative "Educating Children by Saving Environment". Besides sponsoring kids in US thru NGO’s, he and Rotary Club of Ulhasnagar arranged Teachers and few essential things to a children orphan home in Ulhasnagar town near Mumbai. Sanjay is also supporting a unique project “RApp – Make My App” initiated by home club in Thane District – wherein they provide youth a platform to share their Software Application Development ideas in a competition and guide the winners to copyrighting, patenting and starting their own IT company. Sanjay has developed his own ERP App software products which have been copyrighted in US and therefore is on panel of judges of competition and monitoring it thru video conferencing. The two are actively exploring some local Rotary clubs in Houston/Katy to do some future international projects together and leverage the effort to the betterment of communities in both the suburbs. Hope the reunion and creative projects will beneﬁt the society as a whole. Dr. Chandrashekhar Kolvekar, Governor 2016-17, India can be contacted on ckolvekar@rediffmail.com. Sanjay can be contacted at email bhts6@yahoo.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

18 January 15, 2016 Byomkesh & Mamata Rate of Growth

Byomkesh Bakshi and Satyavati were sitting on the verandah

of their home in Kolkata, enjoying their morning tea, when Ajit rushed in, frantically waving a newspaper. Ajit: Have you seen the full front page ads by the West Bengal government? It says the state’s economy grew at 10.5% in 201415, compared to a mere 7.5% for India as a whole. And increase in income per head in West Bengal was 12.8%, more than double all-India growth of 6.1%. We’re living in paradise. Byomkesh (shouting): Putiram, bring some salt. Satyavati: You want salt with tea? Byomkesh: No. But I take whatever Mamata di says with large doses of salt. Ajit: Oh, be positive. Satyavati: I knew it. Everybody said cousins Poltu and Bubli can’t find jobs here because there aren’t any jobs. They are total idiots, unable to get work even when the state’s economy is booming. Byomkesh: But does it really feel like 10.5% growth? Are people rushing here for jobs? Are businessmen pushing and shoving to set up industries? It’s a conundrum. Ajit: A what? Byomkesh: A conundrum is a con and a drum. He returns with some papers. Byomkesh: The state government says economic growth has been well above the all-India average since 2012-13. Satyavati: Wow. You think all those bomb-manufacturing units boosted industrial growth? Ajit: Maybe our core competence in chit funds did the trick? Or perhaps folks tried to drown their sorrows and that revived the liquor industry? Byomkesh: This document says the state’s own tax revenues grew by 11.8% in 2014-15, when the economy grew at 10.5%. But that is at constant prices. If you take economic growth at current prices, which is what you should take because taxes are collected at current prices, then growth should be around 6 percentage points more, say, 16.5%. So why should growth in tax collections be so low? Ajit: Umm … because people don’t pay taxes? Satyavati: And can income per head rise 12.8% if the entire economy grows at 10.5%? Shouldn’t growth in income per head be lower, since the population is increasing? Byomkesh: Maybe income per head is rising faster because the population is declining. Ajit: Yes, lots of people I know have left the state. Satyavati: And they’re probably inept people like Poltu and Bubli, who can’t find work here. Also political cadres bumping off each other every day must have helped reduce the population. Byomkesh: Oh, well done. And the super-productive geniuses like us left in the state have pushed up economic growth, while the lower population has boosted growth in income per head. Excellent, the mystery of the Mamata rate of growth has been solved. That was when Putiram spoke. Putiram: Byomkesh babu, if growth in income per head at constant prices is 12.8% plus say inflation is 6%, shouldn’t I get a raise of at least 18.8%? Manas Chakravarty, Consulting Editor, Mint

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Visualizing India in 2025

BY GOPALKRISHNA GANDHI

One decade is not a giant span

of time. It is possible to visualise developments in that duration, the progress of people’s ages being of course only a matter of calculation. In 2025, 10 years from now, Atalji will be a 101. His associate of many a long year, Advaniji, will be 98. Dr Manmohan Singh will be 92 and by then a ‘former President’, Pranab Mukherjee, will be 89. I do not want to ‘do’ the ages, 10 years from now, of our active politicians because that would appear to place some in a relative advantage over others although mortality, we know, is independent of chronology. What I want to do is imagine the status of some institutions 10 years from now. First, our Parliament. Between now and 2025, two general elections—in 2019 and 2024—would have taken place. Will we have that year a Lok Sabha of which at least one-third are women? I believe we will. Will we have a Lok Sabha that has a Jarawa, an Agariya, a transgender? Will we have Dalit MPs elected from nonreserved seats? Very probably, yes. A Lok Sabha in which MPs have spent only that much campaign money as is allowed by the Election Commission? Unlikely. A Lok Sabha that has no member with a criminal record? Alas, no. A Lok Sabha that is not adjourned many times a day because of MPs’ unruly behaviour? Definitely not. And this is about a Lok Sabha that will be, in 2025, 73 years old. Next, our higher judiciary. Between now and 2025, will we have a credible procedure in place for the appointment of judges? I believe we will. And if, to borrow the words of senior counsel Sriram Panchu, the appointment of judges follows “the triple tenets of governance — transparency, participation and accountability — virtues which the court frequently propounds”, that procedure will give to the people an important reas-

surance. Will by 2025 our judges have been insulated from the lure of post-retirement appointments by the government of the day? I am afraid not. And our Supreme Court will be, in 2025, 75 years old. Then, our executive. Between now and 2025, will the president and vice-president be persons of independent stature, women or men of some learning and much empathy, a little grace and much scholarship? I fear not. Will governors be appointed for their judicious bent and personal eminence? No. Will, by 2025, a Lokpal have been added to the edifice of our nation State? Very likely, yes. But will she or he enjoy the nation’s confidence for impartiality, probity and guts? Unlikely. Will senior appointments in the bureaucracy be guided by ability rather than loyalty? Finally, the public domain. Will we, by 2025, have a uniform civil code? We could. If yes, it will be for the wrong reason that majoritarianism will have prevailed. If not, it will again be for the wrong reason that purblind status quoism would have been conflated with minority rights. Will communalism be reined in? It will not be. Would the death penalty have been abolished? No way! Medievalism will not let go of that toehold. Will there be a modicum of reform in vehicular traffic’s insane behaviour on our roads? Certainly not. First-time vehicle owners and licence holders will continue to treat driving as a form of selfassertion, and older men at the wheel will continue to give them fight. Our roads will be a greater nightmare than they are now. Will pollution levels come down, atmospheric, decibel, visible? One would have to be a humourist to say yes to that. Will Swachh Bharat make a dent? It might, in some parts of major cities but not all-India. The reason? The plastic, tetrapak and gutka lobbies can never be defeated in India. They are their own Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Shiva? Yes, because they

will always allow a calibrated part of their product to be ‘banned’, resting assured that the fountainhead is not touched. Will the Indian woman feel and be safer? Yes, in our cities and bigger towns, post-Nirbhaya. But in our villages, the macho Indian male will continue to exploit, mistreat and be violent with the Indian woman. India will, according to projections, overtake China’s population in 2025. It will be a land of chaos, myriad tensions, of which the yawning divide between the rich and the poor will see unthoughtof consequences. Migrations of the rural dispossessed looking for work in the cities will have created a world record of sorts. India 2025 will be the theatre of pandemics, a trapezium of zoonotic ogres caused by the leviathan of callous living. And almost certainly, the refusal of the State and society to heed seismic warnings and not adjust habitations to those, will see the most horrendous earthquake disasters of the Kathmandu type. And thanks to IS, the nightmare of our times, terror will scar us deep and red. And yet. Yes, and yet 2025 will also see that most wonderful accomplishment of India, her Republican spirit soar and make every passing political heavyweight swing like a leaf against the counterweight of public awareness. It will also see to it that the global war on terror does not hurl India into a local war within itself, communities pitted against one another, in a bizarre home version of that world war. It is that republicanism, not the number of spaceships flying India’s colours in the sky, not its missiles or its nuclear submarines, not its giant malls, smart cities that will despite all its woes make us say in 2025 as before, sarey jahan se achchha Hindoostan hamara. And that Hindoostan will be ageless. Gopalkrishna Gandhi is distinguished professor in history and politics, Ashoka University.

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HEALTH

January 15, 2016

7 Steps to Health and Happiness: Delay Lifestyle Diseases by a Decade 5. Don’t worry, be happy. Depression does more

than make you moody, it makes you battle listlessness, guilt, low self-worth, sleeplessness, appetite loss (or gain), and difﬁculty concentrating each day. It affects your ability to work, form relationships and function optimally, often leading to self-destructive behaviours such as substance abuse and self-harm. People who are depressed after a surgery, heart attack, stroke or after being diagnosed a chronic disease such as cancer don’t do as well as those who aren’t depressed.

BY SANCHITA SHARMA

NEW DELHI: Health is a prereq-

uisite for happiness, here’s a sevenpoint checklist to prevent and delay lifestyle diseases by at least a decade, maybe two.

above 125 is classiﬁed as diabetes. The gold standard for diabetes tests is the oral glucose tolerance test done after having 75 gm of glucose in 200 ml of water two hours after the fasting test. A healthy reading is below 140. A reading above 200 indicates diabetes; and between 140-199 pre-diabetes.

1.Keepbloodpressure 4. Lose weight and under 130/90 mmHg. tummy fat. Extra weight High blood pressure (hypertension) is deﬁned as a systolic (higher reading) blood pressure above 140 mmHg and a diastolic (lower reading) pressure of more than 90 mmHg. Results of a meta-analysis of 123 studies with more than 600,000 participants showed that every 10 mmHg fall in systolic pressure lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, which, in the populations studied, led to a 13% reduction in deaths, reported The Lancet this week. Losing tummy fat can go a long way in keeping you healthy.

2. Lower bad cholesterol, but don’t neglect the good. There’s good choles-

terol and bad cholesterol, and while your low density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) should be below 100 mg/dl, high density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) should be well over 45 mg/dl for men and over 55 mg/dl for women. An HDL reading of 60 mg/dl or more cancels out one heart disease risk factors, which include family history, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity or inactivity, among others.

3. Keep fasting blood sugars under 100. About

65 million people have diabetes in India and an equal number have insulin resistance that is a precursor to developing the disease in the near future. Healthy blood sugar levels after eight hours of fasting are below 100. A 100125 range indicates impaired fasting glucose (pre-diabetes), and a reading

means that the heart has to work harder to supply blood to the body. A weight loss of 10% or more lowers blood pressure and the levels of triglycerides in the blood. Exercising — where your heart beats fast enough for you to feel it — for at least 30 to 40 minutes each day helps. The routine must include a combination of aerobic exercises such as brisk walks (speed of at least 4 km/hour), yoga and weight training. Belly fat is bad news. A waist-size larger than 38 inches for men and 35 inches for women raises the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and a proinflammatory state (elevated levels of C-reactive protein in the blood), so you must burn away the fat by being physically active and eating healthy. Opt for a high-fibre diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit, whole grains, low-fat and fat-free products, fish, pulses and legumes, and unsaturated oils such as mustard, olive, sunflower, corn, and rapeseed (canola).

6. De-stress. Constant work stress, ﬁnancial worries, relationship problems, being bullied, or taking care of an ailing parent, child or partner all lead to early death. Stress does not cause any single disease, not even ulcers. Australian researchers Barry J. Marshall and Robin Warren won the 2005 Nobel Prize in medicine for showing that the bacterium H. pylori, and not stress, caused ulcers. What stress does is make several diseases worse by suppressing the immune system and raising risk of infections. From headaches and colds to the more debilitating diabetes, heart attacks, depression and impotence, stress has been linked to almost everything that can mess up our lives. And more than the physical stress of long working hours, night-shifts or threats of downsizing, personal conﬂicts– annoying colleagues, nagging spouses and tiresome bosses — add to stress. 7. Quit tobacco. Smoking causes more than 90% of lung cancers and 80% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other lung disorders that progressively make it harder to breathe. Smoking triggers trouble by hardening, blocking and narrowing arteries, which makes it the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke in young people. Quitting smoking halves risk of a heart attack and stroke. Chewing tobacco, including gutkha, khaini and paan masala, causes cancers of the mouth and oral cavity. -HindustanTimes

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20 January 15, 2016

BEAUTY

Beauty Ingredients Lying in Your Kitchen

We're often in search of those

elusive beauty products that promise to enhance our looks and we're even ready to spend a few extra bucks on those products. But beauty may not always have to come at a price. Some of the best kept beauty secrets can be found in our kitchens. Honey: Honey is a natural antiseptic and humectant, which retains moisture in the skin. Apply plain honey on your face and rinse it off in 15 minutes, to get a clear, glowing complexion. Gram ﬂour: Gram ﬂour is a tradi-

tional beauty ingredient that can be used to deep cleanse and exfoliate the skin. It can also be used in face packs to get rid of tan and to lighten the skin. Eggs: You can apply an egg directly to your face to get rid of wrinkles and tighten your skin. Brown Sugar: Many professional spas use this as an effective scrub ingredient. The granules when rubbed against the skin, leaves it feeling smooth and soft. You can mix brown sugar with essential oils to give yourself a spa like experience at home.

Coconut oil: You can use coconut oil as an eye make-up remover. It is a natural ingredient and will not cause any kind of eye irritation even if you wear contact lenses. Simply heat the oil in the palm of your hand and apply it on your eyelid. Then take a cotton bud and gently rub off the make-up. Lemon juice: Since lemon is an acidic fruit, it works well to ﬁght acne and to dry out oily skin. You could rub lemon juice on your acne to get rid of it and you could also use it to banish blackheads by leaving it on your nose overnight. -TimesofIndia

Ways to Undo the Effects of Party Make-up

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After wearing make-up for outings

and parties, your skin tends to lose its shine. Try a cream-based moisturising facewash, and a day after the party spend some time reviving your skin by exfoliating it with a mild scrub to get back the natural glow, says an expert. Manoj Khanna, chairman and managing director, head of cosmetic surgeon at city-based Enhance Clinics, has shared tips to make your skin glow: Get an extra dose of moisture Make-up removers and harsh facewashes can destroy skin’s natu-

ral moisture. Post the party season, switch to a cream-based moisturising facewash. Let it stay on for a few seconds so it permeates deeper into the skin, before washing it off. End your day with a thick night cream and be sure to greet the next morning with a fresh face. Opt for an instant eye cooler Cucumber slices work the best. They cool, have a lightening effect and help counter pufﬁness. If not cucumbers, try the next best remedy -- green tea bags. Once they come to room temperature, squeeze out the excess water and keep them on your eyes for 20 minutes to ﬁnd respite

from stubborn dark circles. Don’t forget to scrub A day after the party, spend some time reviving your skin by ﬁrst opening the clogged pores with a steam session and then exfoliating it with a mild scrub. The steam will open up the pores and the abrasive action of the scrub will force all the grime, make-up residue and impurities out. Follow up with a moisturising face pack Treat yourself to a nourishing doit-yourself face packs. Papaya and honey together are a winning combination to hydrate the skin and combat dryness or grind soaked almonds with milk and use it as a paste to make the skin look and feel smooth. Milk is rich in antioxidants, vitamin B and essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and selenium whereas almonds are full of proteins, antioxidants and vitamin E. Declare a no make-up day After a few days of partying and wearing heavy make-up, make sure the next few days keep cosmetics at bay. This will allow your skin to breathe and get its original glow back, naturally. -TimesofIndia

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22 January 15, 2016

PUZZLES/RECIPES

SUDOKU

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.

Rotiyan da Atta (Dough For Flatbread)

Send us the correct answer before January 20, 2016. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for ﬁrst three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

Solution Next Week

L�� W��’� SUDOKU S��

L�� W��’� SUDOKU W�� 1) Shravika Pendyala 2) Kamini Jain 3) Pathik Nisher

or a Punjabi, a meal without roti (flatbread), or some sort of bread, is like a day without sunshine! It’s practically impossible for most Punjabis to eat their daily meal without rotis, paranthas, naan, kulche, bathure or puris – all different types of flatbread (generally referred to as “rotiyan” or breads) made of wheat or white flour. Just as a person from South India, Nepal or Bengal must have white rice to finish off their meal, a Punjabi does not feel content until he or she can scoop up a dish with some roti. So central to the day’s meals is roti that for there are corner tandoors (clay ovens) or dhabas (roadside food stalls) which make and sell rotis - some make them with the atta that you bring you – and the lines can be long. A few decades ago, the tandoors were pits dug into the ground and the tandoorwalas would sit under a thatched roof, even offering different curried dishes and daals which cooked on vent holes around the main opening. To make roti, you have to start with good wheat flour. Growing up in Lyallpur, my nana’s (maternal grandfather) extended joint family of 20 would receive jute bags filled with wheat that was grown in our fields in Jhung. My mother and the other women would grind have them taken to the stone grinder in the bazaar and then store the flour in large pippas (tall tin cans with hinged tops). I still try to find flour that use rotis good wheat, not a blended grain, and does not become too stringy and sticky when the dough is formed. Usually you make dough that can last for two or three days in the fridge. In the old days, we would make dough fresh each day as it would not keep in the hot weather and turn sour overnight. Good dough should stay a slightly dark creamy-colored the next day; but if the dough turns

camel-color dark then the wheat is not good for rotis, which will also turn out dark. In India, it is expected that the women of the household would know how to make rotis. But in America, I am amazed at how many Indian women – especially those who have been born and brought up here – do not have any idea how to make the atta dough, let alone make the rotis. And of those women who came from the Old Country, I am equally amazed at how many choose not to make rotis at home! They choose instead to buy them in frozen packets or order them by the dozens from some enterprising lady who runs a home kitchen. The best way to make atta dough is kneading the flour with your hands in a wide brimmed bowl. As this is a relatively simple process, again I am surprised that even middle-aged Indian women in the US use a mixer to make the dough. It takes more time to clean the mixer than it takes to make the dough by hand! And also, hand kneading lets you estimate if the dough is too wet or dry. So, this is not a recipe but a guide for those women who are interested in cooking fresh rotis at home. It is the first step in making a good Indian meal!! But the best guide is to get a demonstration and if some people want, I can do so. Just send a request to indoamerican@yahoo.com Ingredients : 4 cups atta (unbleached wheat flour). Makes 12 rotis 2 cups tanda pani (cold water)

Directions: 1. Choose a brand of atta that has good wheat content and is not too finely ground. There are many on the market and you can only tell which you prefer by trial and error. 2. At home, open the bag of flour and pour it into a large bucket or tin with a tight lid to keep moisture and insects out. This makes it easier to reach the atta and get it out when you are ready to cook. Also, the atta can stay for a long time. 3. When ready to cook, pour the flour in a wide mouthed bowl. Form a small crater and slowly pour the water in while kneading the dough with your hand till it becomes a nice, tender but firm ball, but make sure it is not thin or stingy to when pulled. 4. Dab the surface of the ball with a little water to keep it moist, cover the bowl and set aside for an hour. You can then place it in the fridge for longer duration. If the dough is too hard, the roti will also be hard. Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK MAKING THE ATTA DOUGH FOR TASTY ROTIS Making atta for rotis seems like an easy task, and it is. But there are a few small steps that will make sure that the rotis come out soft but firm enough that you can scoop the curries and daals easily and yet are not hard, like you sometimes find in restaurants. First, make sure the water used for kneading the flour is cold: warm water will make the dough thinner. Also, too much water will make the dough hard to make into balls and roll out. And, if the dough is too hard, the rotis will come out hard too. Of course, if you are used to making paper thin rotis that can’t be torn off into scoops, no amount of tips will help you!!

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 15, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS BY SWETA KAUSHAL

NEW DELHI: The ﬁlm narrates

the story of a cop (Farhan), a disabled man (Amitabh) and the unusual circumstances that lead to a friendship between the two. Wazir opens on a disengaging

note - a slow, romantic song (Tere Bin) plays in the background as the love story of Danish (Farhan) and Ruhana (Aditi) comes to the fore. By the time the song ends, a tragic turn of events leaves the couple grieving and depressed. The movie then traces Pandit Omkarnath Dhar (Amitabh), his entry in Danish’s life and their friendship. But within moments of the slow song, a well-written script ensures you are on the edge of your seats. From a well shot and perfectly

Wazir

edited shoot-out to the build up to an innocent friendship, the director keeps us on the tenterhooks as the story unfolds. Danish, the protagonist, is not your regular Bollywood hero. He is a police ofﬁcer who you’d want to slap for his stupidity: The moment he turns his car around for the ﬁrst chase of the movie, his naiveté is annoying and predictably dangerous. Also, a brilliant actor like Manav Kaul is disappointingly underused. Kaul plays a conniving politician but

there is little meat in his character to showcase his acting prowess. And, the worst of it all comes at the end, in the dumbing down of all the scheming and devious plans, once the story is hurtling towards the end. Revealing the twists is great for the audience but why do most Hindi thrillers end up with one character telling the audience, “You know what? You saw A but it was actually B.” A smartly-edited rush of what actually happened behind the suspense should be convincing enough; there is no need for a character saying it all in as many words. Wazir uses chess metaphors to talk about life, a move that could have been irritating were it not for the subtle way Bejoy inserts these into lighter conversations. For example when Danish says, “Galat chaal wapas nahi le sakta,” and Panditji retorts, “Yahi to farak hai shatranj aur zindagi mein, yaha dusra mauka milta hai,” a smiling Danish and some smart moves on the chess board ensure the scene is not bogged down by the heaviness of the dramatic dialogues. Apart from the smart storyline, powerful performances are the backbone of Wazir. While Farhan and Amitabh are the clear winners, the supporting actors too showcase their skills. Neil Nitin Mukesh is convincing as the character edging with psychopath bend. Manav Kaul and John Abraham, too, perfectly ﬁt into their characters and bring the narration alive. -HindustanTimes

Shah Rukh Khan Disappointed with Dilwale’s Box Ofﬁce Performance

As ‘Dilwale’ has

failed to create a big mark at the box ofﬁce dampening expectation arising out of the return of his pairing with Kajol, Shah Rukh Khan today admitted his disappointment. “I don’t think the ﬁlm has done as well as it should have. I am personally disappointed with that,” Shah Rukh told reporters here. “To be honest, it has perhaps not

done as well in India as I would like it to do. But overseas it has done very well in a lot of countries like Germany,Austria. It is quite thrilling that Indian films are reaching far and wide. There is a lot of business opportunities,” Khan said adding that he did not have the exact numbers. ‘Dilwale’ was released ahead of the festive season on December 18. The romantic comedy had marked the return of SRK-Kajol pairing after a long time. Produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Rohit Shetty Productions, the film has so far crossed the Rs 350 crore mark at the box office. -Indian Express

Javed Akhtar 17, January 1945

Siddharth Malhotra 16, January 1985

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 January 15, 2016

1st ODI Perth: Smith and Bailey Brush Off India’s 309

SPORTS

Dhanawade Scores 652, Breaks 116-Year Record

BY DANIEL BRETTIG

a drink driving offence while playing Twenty20 matches ERTH (ESPN for Lancashire in the Cricinfo): Australia 5 northern summer for 310 (Smith 149, last year. But there Bailey 112, Sran was a certain lack of 3-55) beat India 3 speed to Australia’s for 309 (Rohit 171*, bowling line-up that Kohli 91, Faulkner allowed Rohit and 2-60) by five wickKohli to get comfortets able. If this is summer’s The hosts had lost main course, then Michael Clarke, Steven Smith and Shane Watson, Brad George Bailey wastHaddin, Mitchell ed no time at all tuckJohnson and Mitchell ing in. A batsmen’s Starc from the team battle unfolded bethat faced India in the tween Australia and World Cup semi-final India at the WACA, in March last year, with the hosts seeing and much was exa 207-run stand bepected of Paris in his tween Rohit Sharma first match. His first and Virat Kohli beball swerved dangerfore raising it through the match-defining Rohit Sharma lines up to play a sweep during his 171*, Australia v India, 1st ODI, Perth, January ously into Rohit, but the batsman manunion between Smith 12, 2016. aged to get the toe of and Bailey, worth his bat onto it, and thereafter was 242. Things could have been very dif- his mastery of a format where if he taken with Ashwin and Jadeja. This able to find his rhythm. This was not the case for Shikhar ferent had Bailey been given out gets through the first few overs he reached a crescendo in the 26th caught behind when, sporting a is able to hit through the line of the over when Bailey then Smith sal- Dhawan, who struggled to pierce new closed batting stance, he swiv- ball with something like impunity. lied forth to dump Ashwin into the the field before hooking at Hazleelled to pull the debutant Barinder Kohli provided ideal support after stands; the over cost 19 and forced wood and finding the allrounder Sran and gloved to MS Dhoni in the early loss of Shikhar Dhawan. a double change from Dhoni. From Mitchell Marsh at deep-backward India heaped together 61 from that point the chase always looked square leg. Kohli was quickly the fifth over. India’s appeal was not altogether convincing, Richard the final five overs of the innings, well in hand, as Bailey and Smith moving the scoreboard along, and his ease at the crease rather obKettleborough gave the benefit of as Rohit cleared the fence three posted their hundreds. scured the fact that this was his While Bailey fell for 112, Glenn times. Up to that point the hosts the doubt, and as Bailey said afterwards: “Would’ve been interesting appeared to be reasonably happy Maxwell was perhaps too hasty in first 50 in an ODI against Austrato see on DRS, but we’re not the with events, but as Rohit punished swinging for the fences and even lia in Australia. Rohit and Kohli pushed on withteam that doesn’t want it.” Already debutant Scott Boland for a trio Smith was pouched at cover with out offering chances, content to two runs still required from the of missed yorkers, by depositing the series has some spice. From that point, Bailey and him in the arc between midwicket final over. However, the stand be- score at around five per over until Smith took impressive control to and mid-on, they were forced to tween two of the Australian ODI the start of the final bracket of 10. counter the early losses of Aaron re-evaluate the dimensions of the team’s most recent captains was Rohit’s hundred duly arrived, and the decisive episode in the match. Kohli’s only eluded him when he Finch and David Warner, both vic- chase that confronted them. Joel Paris, who lacks the pace was well caught by Finch. Certainly Finch and Warner aptims of the tall left-armer Sran’s Dhoni promoted himself for a decidedly useful opening spell. peared to be in something of a of his left-arm forebears, Mitchell Bailey, and then Smith, chose to hurry, both perishing to Sran when Johnson and Mitchell Starc, had brief, and briefly explosive, camtarget the spin of R Ashwin and trying to force the pace. Finch was found some new-ball swing in his eo of 18, while Boland’s desire to Ravi Jadeja, hitting cleanly and the victim of a superb, reflex return first two overs as an international bowl at the death was tested by straight, before the captain put on catch, before Warner shovelled to cricketer. But that was the extent Rohit’s ability to clear the boundafterburners, rarely seen previous- mid-off. After Bailey’s first-ball of the questions asked of India’s ary - seven times in all in his 163ly, to take Australia comfortably escape, he and Smith did not pan- batsmen, before Smith’s bowlers ball knock. Combined figures of ic, using their knowledge of how were reduced more or less to bat- 0 for 127 from 18 overs made it home. Rohit’s unbeaten 171 - which WACA tallies can be gobbled up tening down the hatches and hop- a harsh initiation for Boland and Paris, but they were then able to sit surpassed Viv Richards’ 153* in later overs provided that at first ing for the best. back and watch Bailey and Smith Josh Hazlewood bowled tidily a partnership is established. as the highest ODI score against They sat calmly behind the prog- for the hosts, and James Faulkner gorge themselves. Australia in Australia - added to Daniel Brettig is an assistant a growing library of monumental ress India had made until the 18th was a welcome recall to the team limited-overs innings, confirming over, when greater liberties were after his suspension last year for editor at ESPNcricinfo.

15-year-old record-holder for the highest ever individual score recorded in cricket – Pranav Dhanawade.

MUMBAI: Pranav Dhanawade

on Monday hit an unbelievable 652 not out (in just 199 balls) against Arya Gurukul School, Kalyan, to break 116-year-old batting record on the opening day of the U-16 HT Bhandari Trophy InterSchool Cricket Tournament. Representing KC Gandhi School, Kalyan, Dhanawade smashed all over the park to surpass Arthur Collins’ score of 628 not out in 1899 in a Junior House Match in England in June 1899. Dhanawade’s majestic knock was studded with 78 fours and 30 sixes as it broke all batting world records in minor cricket to guide his team 956 for one at the close of play on Day 1. Australian Charles Eady scored 566 in 1901 which was challenged by Mumbai’s Prithvi Shaw (546 in 2013) who held the Indian record when he bettered his compatriot Armaan Jaffer’s 473, scored in a Harris Shield match in 2013. Armaan also had slammed 498 in the Under-14 Giles Shield (in 2010) to break the record held by another compatriot Sarfaraz Khan (439 in 2009-10). Dhanawade’s innings also refreshed memories of the mammoth 664-run partnership between Mumbaikars Vinod Kambli (349) and Sachin Tendulkar (326) for Shardashram Vidyamandir in February 1988 during the Harris Shield tournament. Pranav said he was motivated to break the records of India U-19 stars Sarfaraz Khan, Armaan Jaffer and Mumbai U-19 opener Prithvi Shaw.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 15, 2016

As Yuan Slides, India’s Trade Gap with China May Bloat Further BY PALLAVI PENGONDA & KRISHNA MERCHANT

he sharp decline in the yuan could have far-reaching consequences on India’s trade. Already, as the chart shows, India’s trade deficit with China as a percentage of its economic output is at a decadal high of 2.4%. That means India’s trade deficit with China is 1.5 times the current account deficit, calculates Ambit Capital Pvt. Ltd. “Any country with whom you trade, if the trade is lopsided, it is worrying,” says Sunil Sinha, economist at India Ratings and Research Pvt. Ltd. The recent fixing of the yuan at progressively lower levels raises fears of further devaluation in the coming months. The yuan slide may lead to currency wars as other Asian coun-

tries rush to devalue to protect their exports and improve their competitive advantage vis-à-vis goods manufactured in China. Additionally, the yuan devaluation could have serious implications for the Make in India campaign, pitching India as a manufacturing destination. Saurabh Mukherjea, head of institutional equities at Ambit Capital, ex-

pects India’s trade deﬁcit with China to increase further from 2.4% if the yuan depreciates around 10-11% in the next two years. Macquarie Capital Securities (India) Pvt. Ltd expects the yuan to depreciate by around 3-5% in 2016. India’s imports from China were around $60 billion in FY15, while exports were around $11-12 billion, leaving a trade deﬁcit of $48 billion.

The trade gap has widened at a time when the rupee has weakened by around 55% against the yuan in the past decade. In FY16, from April-November, the trade deficit with China stood at $36 billion. Around one fifth of India’s non-oil imports are from China. India sources products ranging from toys to highand low-end consumer electronics and industrial goods from China. “India does not have its own manufacturing base, China is our workshop,” said Ambit’s Mukherjea. The weakening of the yuan may hurt Indian manufacturing, which has a 16% share in India’s GDP, as it faces a competitive challenge from China. What can be done? Mainly two things. One, allow the rupee to depreciate to 74-75 against the dollar; this will boost India’s export competitiveness and prevent the trade deficit from

bloating further. On Thursday, the rupee closed at 66.93 a dollar, However, a weakening rupee could destabilize financial markets as foreign investors pull out money from India, said Mukherjea. And that’s not taking into account its impact on inflation. The second solution is imposing punitive tariffs on Chinese imports. The Indian government has already imposed tariffs on steel products, tiles and tyres. However, this will create a risk of the Chinese imposing retaliatory tariffs, which could hurt India’s exports to China. It will also affect companies that import products from China, making it expensive for them to manufacture the final or the end product, said Mukherjea. Clearly, dealing with this dilemma is not going to be easy. -Livemint.com

Govt Considering Aadhaar Card for NRIs: Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: The government is

considering giving Aadhaar cards to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and a decision on it will be taken soon, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday while inviting the diaspora community to actively participate in India’s growth story. In her address to the first limited edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, Swaraj said it has been decided that women workers will be allowed to go to Gulf countries for employment only through government agencies to ensure they are not duped by recruiting agents or firms. The PBD, webcast by almost all Indian Missions and Posts, was organised for the first time by the external affairs ministry (MEA) after the government’s decision to merge ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA) with it. Earlier MOIA used to host the event. 9 January was cho-

sen as the day for PBD as it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the “greatest Pravasi”, returned home from South Africa to lead India’s freedom struggle. Asking the diaspora to participate in the government’s various ﬂagship programmes including ‘Skill India’, ‘Digital India’ and ‘Clean Ganga’, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the Aadhaar card scheme to be extended to NRIs. “So far Aadhar card has been given to those Indians who live in India. It is not for non-resident Indians. But you will be happy to know that the Prime Minister wants the card to be given to the NRIs the way it is issued to people living in India. “He even wants it for OCI (Overseas Citizens of India card) holders. The matter is under our consideration. No decision has been taken as discussions on it are underway. I hope

soon you will hear about it,” Swaraj said during an interaction following her address. The government has so far issued Aadhaar cards to over 92 crore citizens. Under the programme, ev-

ery citizen is to be provided with a 12-digit unique identiﬁcation number for which biometric information is collected. On restricting women from going to Gulf countries through the recruiting agencies, she said the deci-

sion has been taken to stop them from getting duped. “We will send women only through government agencies,” Swaraj said during an interactive session with Indian missions abroad. Calling upon the diaspora to be part of the India growth story, she said “It is time for you to come back to India.” Effusive in praise of the Prime Minister, Swaraj said India’s engagement with the overseas Indians has increased manifold because of his constant endeavour to reach out to the community. Swaraj also mentioned Modi’s Madison Square address in the US and at the Wembley in London. “Your achievements in the countries of your adoption are a matter of pride... It is our responsibility to protect you and take care of you. Indeed, we are you and you are us,” she said. -Livemint.com

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

26 January 15, 2016

MI5 Tried to Recruit Indian-Origin ‘New Jihadi John’

ONDON: Britain’s intelligence services had tried to recruit Indianorigin IS terror suspect Siddhartha Dhar as a double agent before he managed to flee to Syria, a media report claimed on Sunday. Dhar, who was dubbed the “new Jihadi John” after he emerged as the key suspect as the masked terrorist seen in a recent Islamic State (IS) video threatening an attack on Britain, was allegedly contacted twice by MI5 officers before he was arrested for terrorist offences, the ‘Sunday Times’ reported. Quoting a security source the paper said that Dhar, who goes by the name of Abu Rumaysah, had earlier been tracked and stopped in the street by MI5 officers in what is known as a

“bump” operation. The 32-year-old Dhar was warned he was on MI5’s “radar” and his activities were being monitored. Dhar was contacted by MI5 for a second time and was offered the chance to work for the agency. It is not known how he responded, the newspaper claims. Dhar, a Hindu-born Muslim convert and former bouncy castle salesman from London, was allegedly warned that he was likely to end up in jail or dead unless he agreed to become a double agent gathering intelligence on terrorist suspects for the security service. A few days after the second contact was made, in September 2014, Dhar was arrested alongside extremist preacher Anjem Choudary on suspicion of links to the banned Al Muhajiroun. The security source told the newspaper, “MI5 had a lot of intelligence on Dhar. He was regarded as a militant Islamist and although he was a potential threat, he was also a potential asset to MI5”. “It is a tried and tested tactic to try to recruit those who may pose a threat to the security of the state...Dhar was bumped and told he was on MI5’s

radar. They basically said: ‘We know who you are, what you are up to, who you have been meeting with and what you are planning’. “They are basically saying: ‘We’ve got you. For the person on the end of that, it’s quite terrifying. They think they are part of some covert conspiracy, and then someone comes up to you in the street and says we know all about you. “Dhar was told that his life in the UK as a would-be jihadist was over. If he went to Syria, MI5 warned, he would in all likelihood be killed in battle or in a drone strike. His only option was to become an agent,” the source said. Last week, it had emerged that Scotland Yard wrote to Dhar asking him to surrender his passport, weeks after he had already ﬂed to Syria. The latest revelations will raise new questions about the UK authorities’ failure to prevent his escape with Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham saying “something has clearly gone very seriously wrong”. -HindustanTimes

9 Combat Teams Placed in J-K as Intel Warns of Possible Strikes BY RAHUL SINGH

NEW DELHI: Nine combat teams

comprising India’s best fighting men have been placed at the highest alert level in Jammu and Kashmir following the Pathankot fidayeen attack and fresh intelligence inputs warning of strikes against high-value military targets ahead of Republic Day, a top army official has said. Scattered across terrorism hotspots in the state, three Special Forces (SF) teams are based in the Kashmir valley, two in the Jammu region and three reserve teams are stationed in Udhampur to mount a swift response to terror strikes. “Security measures have been tightened and response plans to military-style terror strikes have been worked out by the teams following the Pathankot attack,” northern army

commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda said. “We have carried out a comprehensive security audit of vital installations such as airbases, ammunition dumps and key administrative facilities.” Each team consists of close to 100 elite commandos. The state is home to two battle-hardened commando battalions -- the 4 Para (SF) and 9 Para (SF). Hooda said the reserve SF elements located at Udhampur could be ﬂown out for any anti-terror mission on short notice. “Intelligence warnings are not 100% speciﬁc but we are leaving nothing to chance,” he added.The Udhampur-based Northern Command is the nerve centre for counterterrorism operations in the state where military bases and soldiers have been regularly targeted by terrorists.

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The security of soft targets such as schools and hospitals, tightened after the 2014 Peshawar army school massacre, has also been reviewed. The SF units are better trained and equipped than regular infantry battalions to respond to Pathankotstyle attacks. The SF specialises in covert operations, warfare in jungles, mountains and deserts, low-intensity conflict and hostage rescue. The SF is armed with Israeli TAR21 assault rifles, US-made Colt M4 carbines and a mix of Israeli Galil and Russian Dragunov sniper rifles. It was an SF unit that carried out a rare cross-border assault into Myanmar last June after 18 Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush in Manipur and the insurgents escaped to the neighbouring country. -HindustanTimes

Netaji’s Clothes ‘Were on Fire’: Survivor on Taipei Plane Crash BY PRASUN SONWALKAR

ONDON(HT): Habib-ur-Rehman Khan, the ADC and co-passenger of Subhas Chandra Bose, told a committee that the leader’s clothes “were on fire” when their plane crashed in Taipei on August18, 1945, and burst into flames. Khan, who survived and went on to become Pakistan’s additional defence secretary after Partition, recalled the crash during his testimony to the three-member Netaji Inquiry Committee instituted by the Indian government in 1956. The panel was headed by Maj Gen Shah Nawaz Khan of Bose’s Indian National Army. His testimony was mentioned in the committee’s little-known report, now released by Ashis Ray, a senior London-based journalist who has been posting archival and other documents on a website to substantiate reports that Bose did not survive the plane crash.Bose’s relatives recently launched a fresh drive to pressure the Indian government to declassify all secret documents on Netaji so that the question of whether he survived the plane crash could be settled once and for all. The report includes several testimonies but Khan’s is significant and includes Bose’s quotes immediately after the crash. No sooner the plane was airborne than there was a loud explosion, according to Khan, who described it as “a noise like a cannon shot”. Khan, who died in 1978, recounted: “Netaji turned towards me. I said ‘Aagey se nikaleay, pichey se rasta nahin hai (Please get out through the front; there is no way through the rear).’ We could not get through the entrance door as it was all blocked and jammed by packages and other things. So Netaji got out through the fire; actually he rushed through the fire. I followed him through the same flames.”He continued: “The moment I got out, I saw him about 10 yards ahead of me, standing, looking in the opposite direction to mine towards the west. His clothes were on fire. I

rushed and I experienced great difficulty in unfastening his bush-shirt belt. His trousers were not so much on fire and it was not necessary to take them off.” Khan was in woollen uniform, while Bose was in cotton khakis, which, it was assessed, caught fire more easily.Khan went on: “I laid him down on the ground and noticed a very deep cut on his head, probably on the left side. His face had been scorched by heat and his hair had also caught fire and singed.” He further narrated: “Netaji enquired from me in Hindustani: ‘Aap ko zyada to nahin lagi? (I hope you have not been hurt badly).’ I replied, ‘I feel that I will be all right’. About himself, he said that he felt that he would not survive.” Bose added: “Jab apney mulk wapas jaye to mulk-ki bhaiyon ko batana ki mein akhri dam tak mulk-ki azadi ke liye larta raha hoon; woh jangi azadi ko jari rakhen. Hindustan zaroor azad hoga, Oos ko koi ghulam nahin rakh sakta. (When you go back to the country, tell the people that till the last moment, I fought for the liberation of my country; they should continue to struggle, and I am sure India will be free before long. Nobody can keep India in bondage now.) Bose was then rushed to the nearby Nanmon Military Hospital in a critical condition. A post of Ray’s website said further revelations about what happened after Bose was admitted to the hospital will be made on January 16.

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