Friday, August 12, 2016 | Vol. 35, No. 33
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Indo American erican News
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COMMUNITY
August 12, 2016
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TCC Taped Ball Premier Tournament Spring 2016, R2CC Winners, ECC Runners up HOUSTON:
R2CC won the TCC Taped Ball Premier League Spring 2016 tournament defeating ECC by three wickets in a thrilling encounter between two time winner ECC playing against the first time finalist R2CC. Both teams had an excellent run to the final, losing only two games each, in the process. The Premier League tournament was a highly competitive one featuring 14 participating teams from Division 1. On a beautiful Saturday morning, R2CC won the toss and opted to field first as they had done throughout the knockout games. R2CC bowlers started off well with a good first couple of overs, but without any wickets. ECC openers then started to open up and scored quickly in the next few overs. R2CC picked up wickets at regular intervals and kept a check on the momentum. After 10 overs the score was 67 with the loss of 3 wickets. ECC batsmen picked up the tempo with Sandeep scoring a blistering 58. R2CC got a big break through Saif who picked up the wicket of Sandeep. ECC kept scoring freely thru Ashok (20), Kiran (18) and Avinash (14) and were 127 at the end of 17th over ready for the big charge. Excellent death bowling by R2CC restricted
Winners R2CC with Chief Guest Roshan Ngangom.
ECC to 143 which was still competitive score to chase in a final. For R2CC, Saif and Deep took two wickets each and were supported by Vineet and Gurpreet with one wicket each. The game was in the balance at
the inning break with both teams having a chance to win. R2CC openers, Kushal (28), Rajiv (17) started confidently scoring 32 of the first four overs without the loss of any wickets. In the next 6 overs, ECC gave 31 runs and picked up
3 wickets. At the end of 10 overs, R2CC were 63/3 requiring 8 runs an over in the last ten. ECC picked up three quick wickets (Kiran taking two of them) and were in control of the game with an asking rate of more than 8 with 7 overs to go and with two new batsmen Saif and Deep at the crease. But the duo of Saif with a calm head and Deep with an attacking game changed the course of the game. It came down to 27 runs from the last four overs. Deep (23) was picked up by Kiran giving a last of hope to ECC. Pranav joined Saif and played sensible cricket to take R2CC to victory. Saif started sen-
sibly and played aggressively later to finish unbeaten on a winning score of 35. Pranav was not out on 14. For ECC, Shankar and Kiran picket up 3 wickets each while Vishal ended with one wicket. This game was truly worthy of a final with fortunes swinging back and forth multiple times in the game. R2CC overcame a tough opposition in ECC, in a keenly contested encounter to lift their first TCC championship trophy. The game had high quality umpiring by Houston Titans. The game was followed by a well-organized prize distribution ceremony arranged by TCC. TCC Senior member Roshan Ngangom graced the occasion as chief guest. He was presented with a bouquet by TCC and was lauded for his contribution and support to cricket in Houston. Jagadish Biradar, the organizer of the tournament coordinated the presentation ceremony. Rajdeep Das, the captain of Right to Cricket Club (R2CC) was presented with the championship trophy and Ashok, the captain of ECC was presented with the runners up trophy. Man of the match for the finals was Saif Thobhani from R2CC for his excellent bowling spell and match-winning performance with the bat. Ashwin Tandon from Cougars won the Best Batsman trophy with 302 runs. Avinash Peteraj from ECC team won the Best Bowler trophy with 18 wickets. Gihan Fernando from SLCC team won the Best All-rounder trophy with 159 runs and 9 wickets. Anurag from R2CC and Kiran from ECC were presented with Man of the Match for semifinals.
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Runners up ECC with Chief Guest Roshan Ngangom.
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COMMUNITY
August 12, 2016
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Chinmaya Mission Houston Bala Vihar : Where Families Grow Together
BY YUTHIKA GUNDAMARAJU & VINOD SHARMA
talents and express their devotion through music and chanting. Between shared memories made in the Indian-American melting pot of Sunday school, class lock-ins and picnics, celebrations of various festivals like Navaratri, Holi, Dipavali, students form lifelong friendships that last well into adulthood. In the words of one student who grew up at the Mission Balvihar, “I couldn’t understand why my parents put so much stock into the old stories and traditions that they had grown up with, which seemed so illogical and confusing to me. I enjoyed the bedtime stories about Krishna that my mother would tell me, or the Amar Chitra Katha comics I read as a child, but outside of that I didn’t see much use in Hinduism in daily life.” Now as a well-balanced and accomplished young woman attending a prestigious National University she writes, “Chinmaya Mission has made an enormous impact on my life, by inspiring me to always strive to greater heights and follow my dharma, and find happiness in doing so. I know for a fact that it affects the lives of every student and seeker who comes looking for answers to life’s unknowable questions. I am so grateful to be a part of the Chinmaya Mission family. Anyone who gets to be a part of it is truly blessed.”
HOUSTON:
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Chinmaya Mission Houston embodies this ideology completely, through the medium of teaching Hindu culture. Chinmaya Mission Bala Vihar is a Sunday school in which children are gradually introduced to Hindu scriptures and Hindu culture in an age appropriate manner in a nurturing environment. Surrounded by 500 other students in each of two sessions, they share their bicultural experiences with peers, watch older students model core values and help guide younger students through various fun and learning activities and learn life lessons from trained teachers.. This Bala Vihar provides a structured and consistent Sunday activity that binds a family towards a common cause of all round spiritual growth for the entire family. It provides families a common frame of reference founded on the Vedanta’s millennia tested principles, to discuss and navigate the world that children face every day. It allows parents to convey to their children their respect and love for the culture of India and strengthen their children’s spiritual foundation. In a true tradition of guru-sisya parampara – children get to observe the results of hundreds of volunteers at Mission working in a Karmayoga spirit of dedication to Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. What makes Chinmaya Mission especially successful is its founding Archaryas Sri Gaurang Nanavaty, who conducts a satsanga for adults, and Srimati Darshana Nanavaty, who as the bedrock has led Houston’s Bala Vihar center since 1982 and has developed its curriculum. Here children begin to understand the true significance of the stories they heard from their parents and grandparents, and the practical applications of those morals in their
lives. Chjildren learn to be brave and fearless like Hanuman, the meaning behind the symbolism of Hindu deities. participate in performing pujas at Sri Saumaya Kasi Sivalaya, and how to live life with an attitude of gratitude. As they enter high school and begin to transition into young adulthood they have a forum and a foundation to understand the nuances of Hindu philosophy and through a discussion of the Bhagavad Gita understand how
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
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it pertains to their daily lives. In addition to these Bala Vihar classes, there are extracurricular activities outside of class that help to further children’s interest and knowledge in Hinduism and Hindu culture. Students can learn a variety of Indian languages including Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi,
Telugu where they learn to read, write, and speak their mother tongues better, and which help them connect with their extended families in India and share cultural experiences with their parents. Bhajana and slokathon classes, for those who are musically inclined, allow children to develop their
Houstonions who would like to join Chinmaya Mission Bala Vihar: • CMH Bala Vihar new year will start on September 11, 2016. Classes are held in two sessions each Sunday. First session from 8:35 to 10:15 AM and the second session from 11:20 AM to 1:00 PM • Bala Vihar New Registration will be open for new members at Chinmaya Smrti Hall, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 AM on Sundays Aug. 14 and Aug. 21 only. • Registration will be open for all grades for both the sessions on above two dates only, i.e. Aug. 14 and Aug. 21. No Registrations on the Opening day Sun. Sep. 11 • For more information visit CMH website at www. chinmayahouston.org or contact Bharati Sutaria at 281-933-0233 or Jay Deshmukh at 281-5651108
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COMMUNITY / INDIA
August 12, 2016
Shravan Maas: August 3 to 31
HOUSTON: 1st Monday vegetable shringar Dharshan at Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir of Houston located at 6640 Harwin Dr., Houston, TX 77036. For further details call 713-278-9099.
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MUMBAI: The prestigious Hiranandani
hospital in Mumbai has been ordered to stop organ transplants for now. Its licence for such operations has been suspended after five doctors, including the CEO and Medical Director of the hospital, were arrested yesterday in connection with kidney selling scandal. Hospital CEO Sujit Chatterjee, Medical Director Anurag Naik, Prakash Shetty, Mukesh Shah and Mukesh Shetye have been arrested over their alleged role in the illegal trade and sale of kidneys. An official spokesperson for Hiranandani Group told IANS that an internal probe is on. Around 10 others have been arrested in the case that surfaced last month. The police are investigating 30 organ transplants in the hospital in the past one year. A team of medical experts found irregularities in at least four kidney transplant cases at the hospital. Based on the probe report of the committee, the police arrested the five medicos of the 12 years old, 240-bed prestigious hospital, sending shockwaves in the state
medical fraternity. The lid was blown off the racket on July 14 when a social worker, some political activists and members of a trade union stopped a kidney transplant midway here in which the donor and recipient were found to be fake husband and wife. Delving deeper, the police identified Brijendra Bisen, who created the false documents with the help of two other external agents. Incidentally, Bisen had been earlier arrested in 2007 when one of the biggest kidney saletransplant rackets was busted nine years ago. In the current scam, the police had earlier arrested a total of 10 persons, including Bisen, the fake couple comprising recipient Brijkishore Jaiswal, a textile businessman from Surat, and donor Shobha Thakur who was promised Rs. 10 lakh for her kidney, hospital official Nilesh Brijkishore Jaiswal, and others. The accused have been charged under Section 12 and 21 of the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, and the Indian Penal Code sections, said the police. -www.ndtv.com
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August 12, 2016
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A Double-Eights Celebration for Mama GAURI SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE
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Mama gets ready to blow out the candles on her 88th birthday cake as her caring friends and admirers surround her on Sunday, August 7 at Nirvana Restaurant on Memorial Drive.
At mama’s birthday party, her sons Jawahar (left) and Jayant (second from right) with grandson Sanjay and his girlfriend Alexendra.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
HOUSTON:
The passage of another year has not dimmed her mind, nor has it diminished the ardor of her admirers who have grown accustomed to calling her mama. Even if her step is a little lighter, and her gait a little slower, mama still remembers each person by their name and with a smile, and she astonishes with her ability to reconnect events and recall the associations in memory. But perhaps it’s her smile that wins people over and the trusting way she willingly gives out a hug, even to a person she has just met. For many she is simply “mama”; for her grandkids “mamaji” and for the reading public of this newspaper she is Shakuntla Malhotra – my mother – the writer of Mama’s Punjabi Recipes.
For many more, she is an inspiring figure who will attend many a community function where they flock to touch her feet and gain her blessings, in our traditional, ancient way of revering the wisdom of elders and seeking their benediction for a long, happy life. She offers it willingly; with grace, serenity, a warm touch and a gentle utterance of “jinda raho” in Punjabi (or jeeta raho in Hindi: live long). Mama has lived a remarkable life; escaping the violence of Partition in Punjab as a teenager, with the clothes on her back and with her family to Delhi; then 25 years in other countries as her husband worked in the Indian Foreign Services; then back to Delhi till my father passed away in 2003. At 76 she moved to Houston and has made it her home, gaining many friends who care about her, as she cares
about them. For nearly 9 years, each year, she is tricked into coming to a restaurant and then surprised to see so many well-wishers there shouting out a Happy Birthday! This past Sunday, August 7 was no different when she got a surprise for her 88th birthday as a packed Nirvana restaurant greeted her and she was serenaded by her sons and friends alike. She took it in her usual good natured way and delighted in mingling with all those who came to visit with her for the afternoon. Her only regret? “I could have dressed a little for colorfully,” she told a friend, “but they never tell me”, referring to her two sons.
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COMMUNITY
Gurmat Sangeet Sammelan at SW Gurudwara, August 19-21 HOUSTON:
The Gurudwara Sahib of Southwest Houston (Sugar Land) is proud to host Dr. Gurnam Singh and Bhai Nirmal Singh along with Resident Raagi, Bhai Bhupinder Singh Paras for three days during the Gurmat Sangeet Sammelan 2016, on August 19, 20, and 21. They will perform traditional kirtan according to the parampara set by the Sikh Gurus. Gurmat Sangeet or Shabad Kirtan is the singing of hymns or shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib, the central text of Sikhism. Traditionally the Shabads are sung in the Raagas as prescribed in the Guru Granth Sahib. The Kirtan of the Lord’s praise is a priceless diamond. It is the ocean of bliss and virtue. In the Word of Guru’s Bani is the wealth of the unstruck sound current. The Saints hold the key to it in their hands II2II. Sri Guru Granth Sahib – Ang 893
Shabad Kirtan began in the 16th century as the musical expression of mystical poetry conceived by the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. He initiated the tradition of communicating the spiritual message through his utterances, acting as humanity’s channel to the divine: “As the Word of God descends upon me so do I make it known to people, O Lalo.” (Guru Granth Sahib,page:722)”.
Following Guru Nanak, all the Sikh gurus sang in the ten prevalent classical and folk music styles, accompanied by stringed and percussion instruments. The style was where the text was of prime significance and music played a supporting, albeit important, role. The gurus specified the Raaga in which
they sang each hymn in the sacred Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. Thirty one main raagas and same number of variants were named and several are unique to the Sikh music tradition. Hindustani music underwent significant changes in the setting of Mughal courts, and a separate variety of melodic forms and a well-developed percussion system. In the 20th century, the devotional Gurmat Sangeet sung in Dhrupad style was overtaken by Darbari Khayal style. The harmonium took the place of stringed instruments, and the tabla replaced the pakhavaj and Jori. The absence of a written tradition and the lack of consistent framework for the documentation and preservation of Gurmat Sangeet has had a devastating effect, as the centuries-old system for the transmission of the tradition has broken down under the pressures of the modern world. Bhai Mardana (1459-1534), a Rabab player and the follower and longtime companion of Guru Nanak Dev was the first Sikh musician. Sikh musicians were later developed into three types: Rabais, Raagis and Dhadhis. Thirty One Raagas mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib are: Soohi, Bi-
lawal, Gaund, Sri, Maajh, Gauri, Aasa, Gujri, Devgandhari, Bihagra, Sorath, Dhanasri, Jaitsri, Todi, Bhairagi, Tilang, Raamkali, Nat Narayan, Maali Gaura, Maaru, Tukhari, Kedara, Bharav, Basant, Sarang Malhaar, Jaijawanti, Kalyaan, Vadhans, Prabhati and Kanara. These Raagas have a direct relationship to human moods and feelings at different times of the day seasons. Fortunately, there still exist today Kirtaniyas (Raagis) who have invested significant effort and energy into the practice, preservation and teaching of traditional. Among the noted Raagis/teachers are Dr. Gurnam Singh and Padamshri Bhai Nirmal Singh Gurmat Sangeet Khalsa. Dr. Gurnam Singh is Chairman of the Gurmat Sangeet Department, Punjabi University at Patiala, Punjab. He has authored several books on Gurmat Sangeet and currently several masters and doctoral students are studying under him. He is a practicing Raagi of utmost caliber. Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa has captivated Sikh sangats all over the world and is Hazoori raagi of Sri Harimandar Sahib (The Golden Temple), Amritsar.
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COMMUNITY
August 12, 2016
Indian Consulate Joins Samskriti to Present INCREDIBLE INDIA
HOUSTON: There is a reason
for the peacock being the national bird of India. It symbolizes India’s extraordinary and harmonious diversity, in languages, cultural traditions, religions, costumes, songs, dances, and much more. It is this rich and colorful diversity that Samskriti brings to the stage year after year, through its numerous performances. For the 12th consecutive year Samskriti will be presenting one of its two signature events, INCREDIBLE INDIA (the other being BOLLYWOOD BLAST) on Saturday, August 13, 8.30 PM, at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. What brings greater credibility to this year’s INCREDIBLE INDIA is the collaboration by the Consulate of India in Houston, with the Consul General Anupam Ray at the helm, making this a special celebration of India’s 70th Independence Day. This is the first of its kind, and paves the way for more such harmonious collaborations in the future. Showcasing not only India’s cultural and artistic diversity but also its inclusivity, INCREDIBLE INDIA will present an interesting array of items to satisfy people with diverse artistic tastes. This year’s roster features Pandit Suman Ghosh’s students from the Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston, Supradipta Datta’s Kalangan School of Odissi, Rathna Kumar’s Anjali Center for Performing Arts, the University of Houston’s winning Roarin’ Raas
team, Piyal Sengupta’s Bengali Folk Dance ensemble, and a special appearance by New York’s Battery Dance Company in “The Durga Project”, exemplifying the dualities of destruction and creation and the all-powerful force of creativity. Steeped in both traditions of Western and Indian dance and music, Battery’s artistic director Jonathan Hollander has chosen the theme, music and designers for this ground-breaking produc-
laced together by the tabla solos of Samir Chatterjee. Each of the items reiterates the theme of the show - that India is indeed incredible in so many ways, and we in Houston are fortunate to have a very large pool of local talent that we can share with the community at large. The Miller Outdoor Theatre is the perfect venue for INCREDIBLE INDIA, attracting viewers from all over the city, and Samskriti is the cultural conduit between the East and the West, informing, educating and entertaining audiences through its wide variety of high caliber programs. INCREDIBLE INDIA takes place on SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 8.30 PM, at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030, and is funded in part by grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board, and the Consulate of India in Houston. Humtumdesi.com is the media partner. The event and parking are FREE. For tickets and information, visit www.milleroutdoortheatre.com / www.samskritihouston.org / www.humtumdesi.com , or call 832 275 9658.
tion. Guest artist Unnath H.R., a leading classical dancer of his generation in India, has collaborated with Battery Dance’s brilliant ensemble of dancers, engaging in a symbiotic process. Raga Durga, as interpreted by the esteemed musicians Rajan & Sajan Mishra, and Garuda’s Dream, produced by Sangita Sounds, form the musical underpinning of the work,
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Apocalypse Cow
he cow, both as symbol and provider, has managed to thrive in the economics and iconography of modern India. Recently, however, the benevolence associated with the provider of milk and manure has taken an aggressive turn. And even for a creature accustomed to being appropriated by politicians, being used as a potential excuse to start the next world war must irk a little. A functionary of the animal husbandry department of the Madhya Pradesh government has stated that “the next world war will start over a cow”. Mahamandleshwar Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri, chairman of the executive council of the Madhya Pradesh Gaupalan Evam Pashudhan Samvardhan Board, is tasked with protecting cows in the state. Along with his conjectures about the causes of the next global conflict, he believes that the milk and excreta of cows can cure cancer. There is certainly an economic aspect to bovine products and it is not limited to agriculture. Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali sells at least five products which contain cow urine. Other companies selling Ayurvedic cures have also extensively marketed products containing cow urine. A prominent RSS functionary puts cow dung on his cellphone cover as protection against “harmful radiations”. The lack of scientific evidence for their efficacy notwithstanding, the market for these products is growing. In politics, too, the cow and bull have played an important part. Nehru’s Congress had a pair of matched bullocks as its election symbol. When Indira Gandhi first split the Congress party, her Congress(R) used a cow nursing a calf as its symbol. It was abandoned after people began making unflattering comparisons between the symbol and her and Sanjay Gandhi after the Emergency. So far, there has been a common thread to the way the cow has been deployed in the public imagination: It has always been provider and nurturer, mother and healer. Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri is entitled to his apocalyptic prophecies about the next world war since it is unlikely anyone is taking him seriously. But, perhaps, he should let the cow maintain its symbolic gentility. -Indianexpress.com
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY To Rio, Without A Plan
BY SANDEEP DWIVEDI
For years now, India’s women
athletes have marched in the breathtaking Olympics opening ceremonies wearing blazers over sarees. They don’t like it, but they don’t have a choice. As Rio-bound shuttler Jwala Gutta told Indian Express, “By wearing a blazer, we are covering the look. I probably wouldn’t wear it on top. Probably I will be carrying it in my hand this time. I love sarees, and I really can do justice to them. But the blazer…” Officials give their own justification for the apparent sartorial mismatch. It’s being made Westernised and formal, and at the same time, everyday Indian, they say. For the billions who tune in on day one of the Olympics, what kneelength shorts are to Bermuda, the blazer-saree combination is to India’s women’s teams. The “blazer-saree” symbolises the mix-and-match of a sporting system where the twain have finally met. Over the last decade or so, corporates in suits have been seen in Sports Authority of India corridors and sports federation offices. This new ecosystem, flush with corporate funding and government grants, has athletes who are genuine medal contenders and know their worth. With a cast like that, turf wars are expected and petty ego battles. What was feared did happen in what wasn’t a pretty countdown to this year’s Olympics. Like in the past, even this time around, much before our athletes reluctantly dress up for D-Day, India has managed to look ridiculous. Once again, officials and athletes were busy debating issues that should have been addressed much before the Olympic year commences. It’s been the case so often that there is a predictable pattern to this four-year ritual. You know the Olympics are round the corner when Indian sports’ problem child, tennis, starts making noises, throws its usual tantrum. “Who will play doubles this time?” is the question that makes fans cringe.
It’s that same excruciatingly boring soap opera with layers of intrigue. Four years ago, Paes wanted Rohan Bopanna as his partner, not Mahesh Bhupathi. After days of drama, Bopanna preferred Bhupathi over Paes. This time around Bopanna again didn’t want Paes but he has been forced to play with him. Meanwhile, Sania Mirza continues to avoid Paes. After Bhupathi at London 2012, she will be with Bopanna at Rio 2016. Those with their ear to the ground say Paes-Bopanna are India’s best bet. But they add a rider: “They don’t get along”. On the other hand, Bopanna-Sania are seen as close friends. Rider No.2: It is being said that Paes and Sania had a better chance to win a medal. It’s this complex relationship between this set of friends/foes and their choice of partners which is responsible for India’s mysterious Olympic record. Paes, Bhupathi, Sania between them have won 36 Grand Slam doubles titles but no Indian pair has even been seen on the Olympic podium. The other news staple in the months before the Olympics concerns the “dope tests”. So far three Rio-bound Indians have tested positive. The use of performanceenhancing drugs is a global problem. On the international list of dope cheats, India ranks third. It’s a statistic which proves that there is rampant use of drugs by our athletes. But see it alongside the fact that India finished 55th on the medals tally at London 2012, and a scandalous thought comes to mind: Neither our athletes nor the drugs they use are world class. So, can’t they be policed or monitored? With athletes staying away from national camps and frequently going on corporate-sponsored exposure jaunts abroad, it’s a difficult ask. Even the camps aren’t safe, something proved convincingly by the Narsingh Yadav doping episode. Despite the grainy sting operation done on SAI hostel cooks, forensics of the spiked daal and the FIR naming a junior wrestler, it is
still not clear who masterminded the conspiracy against India’s big medal hope at Rio. This was a new low for Indian sports. There is collateral damage too. The country’s greatest-ever OIympian was painted as a sneaky manipulator, who, they tweeted, was heartlessly settling an old score. The wrestling federation officials and government’s top sports administrators were openly taking sides. This isn’t how a professional sporting set-up should react when faced with a grave crisis. But after those manic days, there is sudden silence now. Narsingh is in the clear but there is a thick smoke blanket around wrestling. Considering the sudden truce between the warring camps, it is clear that dirt is being brushed under the carpet. At the root of this unwanted controversy is the arbitrary way in which federations work and how they succumb to the pressures of factions. When Sushil asked for a trial and Narsingh refused, the federation didn’t have a convincing answer. There were no rules set in stone, no firm voice of reason. Wrestling has a professional league and big corporate funding but its officials were acting like organisers of a village dangal. When faced with a difficult decision to decide a winner, they were getting influenced by the powerful front row voices. In days to come, it will be clear whether or not India made the right choice in picking its Olympians. We will know if India picked the right doubles pair and the best wrestler in the 74 kg category. In case there is a drop in the medal count from last time, and if wrestling and tennis are responsible for that, India will need to seriously reevaluate priorities. If you want to excel in modern sports, you need comprehensive plans with everyone on the same page. For that you need to get rid of many things from the amateur days. You could start by letting the women decide if they want to wear the blazer over the saree. -indianexpress.com
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
August 12, 2016
19
The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi - Part 11
The story thus far…For two years
Gandhi traveled extensively in India and had talked at different places. His interest first centered on the problem of indentured labor where poor, ignorant laborers were enticed away from India to work in the British colonies. He disapproved of this system in South Africa, fought it there, and he wanted to see it abolished. Gandhi started a great agitation on this issue. As a result, the Government announced that the system of indentured labor would be stopped before July 31,1917. In Ahmedabad at textile mills, prices had gone up and the mill workers were demanding higher wages. The mill owners would not agree. Gandhi sympathized with the workers and launched a struggle and resorted to peaceful resistance. The workers proudly followed Gandhi and paraded the streets saying they would not go back to work until a settlement had been reached. Days passed. The mill owners wouldn’t budge. The strikers were getting impatient for they were faced with starvation. Their discipline became weak. Gandhi feared that some workers would break their pledge and go back to work. That would be a great moral defeat. One morning he called the workers and told them that unless the mill workers held to their pledge, and reached a settlement, he would not eat. The workers were shocked. “Not you, but we shall fast,” they said. “Please forgive us for our lapse; we shall remain faithful to our pledge.” Gandhi did not want anybody else to fast. His fast was not against the mill owners, but against the lack of coordination and unity among the workers. The fast lasted only three days. It was powerful enough to influence the mill owners that they came to an agreement with the workers. Hardly was the mill workers’ strike over, when Gandhi had to plunge into the Kheda satyagraha struggle. The Kheda district of Gujarat was on the verge of a severe famine. Crop yield had been so low that the cultivators, especially the poor farmers, were unable to pay the revenue. But the government insisted that the yield had not been so bad and that the cultivators should pay the tax. Gandhi saw the injustice advised the farmers to offer satyagraha by not paying their taxes. Leaders, like Vallabhbhai Patel, Shankarlal Banker, Mahadev Desai and others took an active part in this struggle. There had been signs that the campaign might fizzle out, but after four months of struggle there was an honorable settlement. The government asked rich farmers to pay and granted relief to poor farmers. The Kheda satyagraha marked the beginning of an awakening among the peasants of Gujarat, the beginning of their true political education. It gave to the educated public workers the chance to establish contact with the actual life of the peasants. During this time the war had entered a critical phase. Britain and France were in a difficult position. In
the spring of 1917 Germany had inflicted crushing defeats on both the British and French troops in France. Russia’s war effort had broken down and the Revolution was threatening its Government. Though America had entered the war, no American troops had yet reached the battlefront. The Viceroy of India, Lord Chelmsford, invited various Indian leaders to attend a War Conference. Gandhi was also invited. He accepted the invitation and went to Delhi. Gandhi was not happy that leaders like Tilak or the Ali brothers had not been invited to the conference, so he was un- willing to attend. After meeting the Viceroy, however, he went to the conference. The Viceroy was keen to get Gandhi’s support on military recruiting. Gandhi spoke only one sentence. “With a full sense of my responsibility I beg to support the resolution.” Gandhi had supported going to war! Many of his friends were taken aback. Some said, “You are a votary of ahimsa, how can you ask us to take up arms?” Others said, “What good has the government done to India to deserve our cooperation?” Even some of his best friends could not understand how he could reconcile his war effort with his campaign for ahimsa. But Gandhi stuck to the belief he held at that time that “absolutely unconditional and wholehearted cooperation with the government by the educated Indians will bring India within sight of our goal of Swaraj as nothing else will.” Gandhi had made his decision and he now set out to implement it. The response to recruit went was not in any way encouraging, but Gandhi was determined to carry out his mission. He held meetings. He issued leaflets asking people to enlist in the forces. His steady work began to bear fruit. Many men were recruited and he hoped to get a bigger response as soon as the first batch had been sent. Gandhi nearly ruined his health during the recruiting campaign. He
worked very hard. He could not take his food at regular times, nor could he take enough nourishment to keep up his energy. He had an attack of dysentery. He refused to take medicine and his condition worsened. Friends tried their best to advise him but he was beyond all advice. He passed restless days and nights and he himself felt at times that he was near death’s door. It took him a long time to regain his health, but before then news came that World War I was over. Germany had been completely defeated. Friends and doctors advised him to go away for a change and recover his health. He went to Matheran, but the place did not suit him. He went to Poona, where a doctor was consulted. He advised him to take milk to rebuild his body, and prescribed some medicine. Gandhi took the medicine but he would not agree to take milk, for he had given up cow’s milk and buffalo’s milk. He was finally convinced to take goat’s milk. Gandhi returned to Ahmedabad. He was recouping his health there when he read in the papers the Rowlatt Committee’s report had just been published. The committee recommended that for the maintenance of peace, the government could arrest any person without a warrant and detain him for any length of time without any trial or right to appeal. Thus, the law was a direct attack on the ordinary civil liberties of the people and a clear indication of the autocratic and barbarous tendencies of the British rule in India. These recommendations startled Gandhi. He described them as “unjust, subversive of the principles of liberty and justice, and destructive of the elementary rights of individuals.” Friends approached him for guidance. “Something must be done,” he said to them. “If the proposed measures are passed into law, we ought to offer satyagraha.” Gandhi lamented the fact that he was in poor health. From his sickbed he wrote articles for the Indian papers explaining that the proposed bill was an act of tyranny which no self-respecting people could submit to it. The only possible step against the government’s proposal, Gandhi thought, would be to launch a satyagraha movement in right earnest. A meeting of some of the leaders was called at the ashram and a satyagraha pledge was drafted. It was unanimously signed by everybody present. Gandhi did not believe that the existing institutions could handle such a noble weapon, so a separate institution named Satyagraha Sabha was formed with headquarters in Bombay. There were agitations everywhere against the Rowlatt Committee’s report. But the government was determined to implement the Rowlatt recommendations and in 1919, the Rowlatt Bill was introduced. When the bill was debated in India’s Legislative Chamber, Gandhi attended as a visitor. — To be continued next week.
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HEALTH
August 12, 2016
Surya Namaskar for Weight Loss
What Causes Lower Back Pain?
There can be many different causes to back pain. It could be a medical condition like Slip Disc or a simple postural problem. Instead of popping pills or applying balms just for pain relief, it is important to find out the actual cause and nip it in the bud. Some of the possible causes could be: Incorrect Posture: Our posture while standing or sitting should be correct. If there is too much of a curvature in the lower back, it can lead to pain over time. So make sure you sit or stand erect, with your abdomen tucked in and spine elongated. Weight: This could mean two things. If you are overweight, it puts excess pressure on your spine, leading to pain. So exercise, walk, watch your diet and try to reduce your
21
weight. On the other hand, lifting something heavy can also lead to muscle spasm and back pain. Mattress: One of the main and silent causes of back pain and damage can be your bed’s mattress. A mattress which is too spongy or soft can curve your back too much and lead to pain. Replace your mattress with a thin, slightly firm cotton stuffed mattress. -indusladies.com
Surya Namaskar is one of the ancient and
powerful exercises to keep the body fit and flexible. Since the moves of this exercise offer a complete body workout, it is beneficial in toning the muscles and stimulates body metabolism. Each pose or posture is in essence offering salutation to the Sun God – Surya, also known as the keeper of good health. This has been adapted into our modern way of life as a natural way to derive the many benefits of this exercise. One of the most popular approaches is practicing Surya Namaskar for weight loss. Some Important Tips: •Do warm up stretches before you start the series of asanas in Surya Namaskar. This prepares the body for the upcoming postures. •Perform each pose with awareness. Since various postures in Surya Namaskar activates a number of muscles and releases energy, it is important to do sun salutations with awareness. •Do each pose gracefully and slowly. It is essential that you breathe normally when doing each posture. The body and the breath must be in harmony. •Yoga experts opine that twelve rounds (six sets) of Surya Namaskar is sufficient to keep a body fit and flexible. You can do up to a hundred and eight rounds (nine sets) or more for weight loss. Get comfortable with a smaller number of rounds before you can start practicing more sets. •Relaxation is also important aspect of Surya Namaskar. Do not skip this step since Surya Namaskar is not complete without shavasana. Few people do not realize the importance and skip this step due to lack of time. Shavasana lets the body to recuperate and gives you energy to face the rest of the day. You must spend at least five minutes in this pose before you can resume other activities. •The best time for you to perform Surya Namaskar is the time of the dawn or the dusk. Your stomach must be empty for at least four to five hours before you start the routine. •Each round of Surya Namaskar burns about ten calories. You can easily aim burning about four hundred and fifty calories for a forty-five round routine. •Start practicing this routine at least five times a week. Gradually aim for all the days of the week for faster weight loss. •This routine is best done listening or chanting the Surya Namaskar Mantra, which makes you do the postures slowly and gracefully. Fast music is a strict no-no. Surya Namaskar Mantra Chant the following verse before the start of the routine. Dhyeya sada savitra mandala madhyavarti narayana sarasija sanasanni vistah | Keyuravana makarakundalavana kiriti hari hiranmaya vapura dhrtasamkha cakrah || -indusladies.com INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
22 August 12, 2016 Government’s Decision Expands Retirement Flexibility
SUGAR LAND: It’s not often the
federal government makes a decision that nearly everyone is happy with, but that’s what happened with a regulation that was recently finalized by the U.S. Treasury Department. Changes to the regulations under Internal Revenue Code section 401(a) (9) allow individuals the ability to defer the distribution of their qualified assets beyond age 70 ½ through the purchase of a Qualifying Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC). Generally, the new rules provide an exception to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) by allowing a QLAC to start making payments as late as age 85, meaning people can defer paying taxes on money that they may not need in early retirement. This is big news for those people who have been taking RMDs because they have to, not because they want to. A QLAC can provide more flexibility for your retirement planning by allowing you to better match your retirement income to your needs, and the ability to control when taxes can be paid on your qualified assets. A QLAC will also ensure that you will not outlive your money, because as an annuity it provides guaranteed income for life. There are some limitations to QLACs that you should know. Most importantly, there is a cap on how
Ramesh Cherivirala much of your qualified money you can put into a QLAC. Contributions are limited to the lesser of $125,000 or 25% of the owner’s qualified account balances, less previous QLAC contributions. The 25% limit applies on a plan by plan basis and to IRAs on an aggregate basis. Also, QLACs can only be established through a deferred income annuity with no liquidity features. Other important rules you should be aware of include: • •
Eligible accounts include 401(a), 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b) or IRA, Income payments must begin no later than the first day of the
month following the owner’s attained age 85. • The contract must state from inception that it is intended to be a QLAC. • Once income starts, the payments must satisfy RMD rules. • The contract cannot have any cash surrender value or commutation benefit A QLAC can be a powerful tool for those who want more control of how and when they start taking money out of their qualified retirement accounts. With people living longer than ever before, the government has taken an important step in allowing people to have more flexibility with regard to their retirement assets. This is an opportunity that should be a serious consideration for many people nearing, or even in, retirement. Contact your tax/legal advisor for implications to your specific situation. This educational third-party article is being provided as a courtesy by Ramesh Cherivirala. For additional information on the information or topic(s) discussed, please contact Ramesh Cherivirala at New York Life Insurance Company, 13135 Dairy Ashford Rd, # 550, Sugar Land, TX 77478; Cell: 713-875-4336.
COMMUNITY
2016 Southwestern National Bank Scholarship Award
H
OUSTON: Southwestern National Bank proudly sponsors its 11th Annual Scholarship Awards to facilitate the education of deserving high school graduates in our community who would like to further their education. We are sure that this scholarship will help young talented students achieve their educational goals. SNB received many applications for these scholarships but is limited to only three winners as
listed below. The Directors, Officers and Employees of Southwestern National Bank wish our winners the best as they continue in their endeavors! (Member FDIC) 1) Dana Shay: Bellaire High School 2) Chian-Hen Tam: Morton Ranch High School 3) Kim Le: DeBakey High School for Health Professions
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 12, 2016
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24 August 12, 2016 BY KAMALA RAGHAVAN
PEARLAND: Guru Peyarchi Homam and
Abhishekam were conducted at MTS on Tuesday August 2 with Navagraha Abhishekam at 7:00pm, followed by a more elaborate event on Sunday, August 7 in a grand manner. Guru Peyarchi symbolizes the transit of Jupiter or Guru from Simha Rasi to Kani Rasi where he will rule for the next 14 months. The event on Sunday saw more than 150 devotees participating in the Sankalpam and Homam with 108 kalasas for Lord Dakshinamurthy performed at the tent outside the Navagraha Sannidhi. The Homam was performed by priests Sri Manicka Sundaram Bhattar, Sri Kalyana Sundaram, Sri Balaji Sethuraman, Sri Pawankumar Sri Bhashyam and Sri Parameswaran. After performing the Purnahuthi (below), the devotees got the opportunity to carry the beautifully decorated 108 kalasas with the sacred water to the main temple in a procession, which was truly a sight to behold. Inside the main temple, the devotees were thrilled to see the majestic idol of Lord Dakshinamurthy decorated by priest Sri Manicka Sundaram Bhattar (below). Dakshinamurthy is a form of Lord Shiva who is the Adi Guru (teacher) of all types of awareness, understanding and knowledge. He is worshipped as the god of wisdom, complete and rewarding meditation. He is regarded as the ultimate Guru - the embodiment of knowledge and the destroyer of ignorance. He shows the Jnana Mudra with the thumb denoting God, the index finger denoting man, and the other three fingers showing the three impurities of man: arrogance, illusion and bad deeds of the past births. When man detaches himself from these impurities, he reaches God. The Abhaya Mudra with the hand lifted above thigh with palm facing out and fingers pointing is interpreted as His grace
COMMUNITY
Sri Meenakshi Temple Society Celebrates Guru Peyarchi Homam and Abhishekam
upon His students. The snake signifies tantric knowledge and the fire represents illumination, removing the darkness of ignorance. The fifth day of the week, Thursday, also referred to as Guruvar or Guru vaaram, is associated with the planet Jupiter, and are considered auspicious to start any educational efforts. Special worship services are offered to Dakshinamurthy on that day of the week. Once the devotees gave the kalasas with sacred water to the priests, the event continued with Abhishekam, Alankaram, and Archana to Lord Dakshinamurthy in the outside praharam. The devotees got a chance to pray to the lord and
get prasadams brought by the devotees. The devotees sat in the main temple in front of the Utsava Murthy, and recited the mantras as guided by Sri Manicka Sundaram Bhattar. Priests Sri Kalyana Sundaram, Sri Sridharan, Sri Pawan kumar, Sri Parameswaran, and Sri Balaji Sethuraman made the event very meaningful to the devotees, and the MTS staff provided able support to the volunteers. The event ended with an extensive Deeparadhana to Lord Dakshinamurthy. The MTS priests, staff, and Board deserve our thanks for the tireless effort in the set up and arranging this auspicious event.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 12, 2016
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Job Position: Business Development Manager, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Important: Only those who have either been working & living in Saudi Arabia or have worked in Saudi Arabia and have an interest to re-locate will be considered. RJ Engineering Systems, Inc., (RJES) specializes in offering engineered packages, custom fabrication involving special alloys, bulk piping components including valves & fittings and variety of other industrial products. We have an immediate opening for a Business Development Manager for our operation in Dammam, Saudi Arabia - to support our growing business needs. The successful candidate will have the following profile: Responsibilities: ❋ Market domain: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Kuwait. ❋ Required to work with major end users and operators, their organization structures, Projects groups and the ones responsible for Assets - Operation and Maintenance. ❋ Required to work with local EPC companies of the region and the outside EPC companies conducting business in the region. ❋ Help expand existing customer base and develop new potential customers. ❋ Must understand how to conduct direct business with National Oil Companies, their procedures and legalities. ❋ Should be able to establish close networking with decision makers and key operators. ❋ Collect market intelligence on current and ongoing projects, future and upcoming projects and competition. ❋ Inquiry generation. ❋ Work on End user approvals, the process and procedures. ❋ Technical meetings with customers. ❋ Commercial meetings and negotiations with customers. Skill Set: ❋ Preferably a degree in Mechanical or Process Engineering with minimum 10 years experience encompassing packaged equipment design, engineering materials and fabri cation of process equipment supporting Oil and Gas Industry. ❋ Understanding of design principles and practices in process & mechanical engineering with basic knowledge of electrical and controls engineering. ❋ Excellent communications skills. ❋ Public relations and ability to connect with people.
Candidates meeting these requirements may please respond to: HR Department, RJ Engineering Systems, Inc. 13805 West Road, Suite 350, Houston, TX - 77041, USA, Tel: +1-281-897-0350, E-mail:careers@rjesusa.com, Web: www.rjesusa.com
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26 August 12, 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. Send us the correct answer before August 16, 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).
Gobi da Omelette (Cauliflower Omelette)
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hul gobi (cauliflower) - or simply gobi - is a favorite vegetable in the Punjabi kitchen as it is so versatile. It can be sautéed, fried in batter as pakoras, pickled in achaar or grated and cooked as a stuffing for paranthas or omelettes. Cauliflower is a very beneficial vegetable, rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus as well as vitamin C. Interestingly, there are four major groups of cauliflower: the Italian, Northwest European biennial, Northern European annuals and Asian (which was developed in India in the 19th century) and hundreds of varieties. There is only one secret to making gobi that is firm, not mushy, and still is loaded with the flavor of spices and has that slight nutty taste, and that is to let it cook in its own steam and not to add any water. Many desi restaurants take the easy way out and cook frozen florets of cauliflower with other frozen vegetables with a little sauce, but that really does not do justice to gobi. Delicious gobi ki sabzi must be soft but firm, and especially not watery and adding potatoes or other vegetables only adds mass to the sabzi, not more the taste. You can get the same great taste, enhanced with the wholeness of panroasted wheat flour, when cooking the grated gobi in paranthas which are always a big hit. And in case you don’t want to go to the trouble of making dough, a gobi omelette is much easier to make and gives the same satisfying taste.
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Ingredients: • • • • •
1 cup grated phul gobi (grated cauliflower) 4 badde ande (large eggs) – makes two omelettes 4 cup tael (olive oil or vegetable oil) ¼ tsp sarson til (mustard seeds) Spices (to taste): namak (salt), mirch (red pepper).
3 or 4 minutes. Do not open the cover as the gobi will cook in its own steam, stirring gently occasionally to make sure it does not stick or start to burn. 5. Check to see the gobi is cooked and slightly brown, and when the water is dried out, then turn the heat off, take the cover off and let it cool down. 6. This recipe if for two omelettes. Beat the eggs well in a bowl and then pour half of the mixture into a heated skillet over low heat. Spread the mixture around and when the sides are cooked, scoop in half of the cooked gobi onto a half side. 7. When the batter looks semicooked, fold the other half over and press down on the gobi to flatten it. 8. Flip the omelette over with a spatula and let the other side cook. Take off and serve in a plate. Use the remaining ingredients to cook the other omelette.
Directions: 1. Remove the outer stalks of the gobi and then cut off the florets. Wipe them clean with a damp cloth. If you wash them, you must let them dry completely as gobi doesn’t need extra water to cook. 2. Take the dry florets and run them over a large hole grater so that it some out in medium-large crumbs. 3. Heat the oil in a karai or wok over medium. Throw in the mustard seed and let it roast for 30 seconds. 4. Now add in the salt and pepper, stir and add the grated gobi. Mix well and cover over medium high heat for
Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the oldfashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur (since renamed Faisalabad), India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her late-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable recipes.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WE EK
GET THE FULL FLAVOR WHEN MAKING GOBI To get the full fl
avor and nutty tas te of go basic things to rem ember so that you do bi, there are some n’t get a soggy, mus mess. Make sure th hy at the gobi is dry: if you peel and cu then it is better to t it, wipe it with a dam p cloth. If you was let it dry off compl h it, ete and you do not have ly as it should cook in its own steam to add any water. A add too much hald lso, be careful not to i (turmeric) as it w ill make the dish bi And finally, do no tter. t add onions to the gobi as they make dish sweet: you m the ay add some adra k (ginger) but defi no amchoor (green nitely mango powder).
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 12, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS
Budhia Singh Born to Run
A film that every Indian must watch
The film is based on Budhia Singh’s life, a child prodigy who ran a host of marathons as a five-year-old and got ready acclaim.
B
udhia Singh (Mayur Patole) is a young boy who is ready to run because that can fetch him a bicycle. Biranchi Das (Manoj Bajpayee) is a coach who is obsessed enough with this boy wonder to give up his family and career to train him. Together, the duo will make history till politics rips their lives apart. Budhia Singh Born to Run is that rare film, which is a must-watch if you want to understand India and its abject deprivation minus the poverty porn that usually accompanies such depiction. Budhia Singh Born to Run is based on Budhia Singh’s life, a child prodigy who ran a host of marathons as a five-year-old and got ready acclaim. Under the supervision of his coach Biranchi Das, he ran a 70km marathon from
Bhubaneswar to Puri in his native Odisha to break records. But before he can put India on the world sports map, a tussle begins between his coach and the child welfare department. The film is in a run-up to this face-off which will change Budhia’s life and end in his coach’s murder. Manoj plays Biranchi with elan and poise. As the coach who is self-obsessed and politically savvy, he plays Biranchi as essentially human. Mayur as Budhia is a find and his innocence and raw performance add value to the film. The real applause goes to debutant director Soumendra Padhi who shows the reality of India, warts and all. This is as real as it gets and you need to watch it. -indianexpress.com
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Shivaay Trailer: Ajay Devgn’s Intense Turn as Mountaineer is Applauded by Bollywood
Ajay Devgn starrer Shivaay trailer
has finally released after much anticipation. Shivaay is a Himalayan mountaineer who is an innocent everyman and yet is capable of transforming into a mean destroyer when he needs to protect his family. Ajay shared the trailer on his Twitter account with caption: It doesn’t have a beginning and it doesn’t have an end, it doesn’t belong to anybody. It is emptiness and it is everything that has Shivaay nesting in it. Ajay emerges as the main force in the entire trailer. His narrative praising Lord Shiva and his expressions seem to match step by step. Ajay is quintessentially intense in most scenes. But there are also snatches of distraught, brooding expressions that Ajay carries off well. Ajay’s monologue about Shiva has seeped into almost every frame of the trailer. The use of allusions to Shiva while exploring his various aspects is interesting and intriguing. It will be interesting to see how the movie connects the different layers of Lord Shiva to that of a common man. As Ajay said, “There is no beginning and no end. He is indivisible, equally to all. He is nothing yet everything. Shiva is in all of us,” in his deep baritone, every scene seems to come alive on screen. The trailer doesn’t give away much but seems to be a story about a man with a mission and how he goes
Ajay Devgn emerges as the main force in the entire trailer. Amitabh Bachchan was impressed much with the trailer.
about facing challenges in the face of circumstances. Ajay’s scenes with child actor Abigail Eames also seem to be a common thread all along the trailer. And it also seems to the only real bond between two people in the trailer. We can’t see much of both female leads, Erika Kaar and Sayyeshaa Saigal in the trailer. The cinematography of the trailer stands out. The whole trailer shifts between a swanky town and a long range of mountains. The scenes of snow-clad mountains and glaciers are simply breathtaking. At times, we are even reminded of the ‘wall’ and ‘winters’ from Game of Thrones. Other supporting cast seem to just linger in the background. All in all, the trailer is filled with some fascinating action sequences, suspense, and
drama. And leaves one anticipating to watch the movie. Shivaay will have a worldwide release on October 28th this year on Diwali. -indianexpress.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Happy Birthday
Sunil Shetty August 11, 1961
28 August 12, 2016
3rd Test: Ashwin, Saha RescueSPORTS India on Testing Day BY SIDHARTH MONGA
S .L
T UCIA: India 231 for 5 (Ashwin 23*, Rahul 50, Joseph 2-38) v West Indies On a day that India made questionable selections, one of the management’s moves, promotion of R Ashwin as an allrounder, rescued them from 126 for 5. In testing conditions India left out Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay in favour of Rohit Sharma, to accommodate whom the batting order had to be rejigged. While this apparent push for quick runs resulted in a batting failure, West Indies were not behind in making unusual moves. There was more purpose to their attack, after putting India in, than in the first two Tests, but when the moment arrived to look to finish the innings off, they opted for the patience route, which cut down the runs thanks to a slow outfield but the wickets came only through the batsmen’s impatience. KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane threw away starts with impatient shots, but Ashwin - dropped on 26 and caught off a no-ball on 35 - and Wriddhiman Saha soldiered on to keep India from imploding. Ashwin and Saha, 46 off 122, added an unbeaten 108 for the fifth wicket. Another lower-order contribution was a continuation of a trend for India: on tough pitches in the home season, they recovered from 139 for 6 in Delhi, 125 for 6 in Nagpur, and 102 for 5 in Mohali. The big comeback, though, was that of West Indies in the series. For the first eight days of the series they were pretty much outplayed. Moral victories and psychology can be terms abused in cricket, but the Jamaica draw might have caused damage in Indian heads that might have played a part in leaving them in tatters at tea in St Lucia. West Indies won the toss and utilised the conditions efficiently without being sensational, but India helped them out with their selections. Having survived the Jamaica Test, West Indies mounted a fresh challenge against this unsteady
R Ashwin whips one to the leg side, West Indies v India, 3rd Test, Gros Islet, 1st day, August 9, 2016.
Indian batting line-up - a different top three in each Test - by taking wickets when the pitch was fresh and then choking India out with disciplined bowling. KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, the only specialist batsmen to reach double figures, helped India recover from 19 for 2 but fell in soft manner just before the two session breaks, Rahane to a full toss to end his slowest Test innings of 10 or more. The second of the wickets was the highlight. Debutant Alzarri Joseph, who impressed with his pace and his bowling mechanics in only his ninth first-class match, nicked out Virat Kohli with the new ball, a promotion in the order because of the selection of Rohit. West Indies’ resistance and the resultant draw in Jamaica led to three changes for India, two of them expected, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in for Amit Mishra. The batting selections were instructive. At the toss, Kohli, who would have batted if he had won the toss anyway, emphasised that Rohit can change a match in a session. Both Vijay, who was fit after missing the Jamaica Test, and Pujara are reputed to be slower scorers. Turns out India might have misread the pitch or underestimated the attack: the situation asked for the patience of Vijay and Pujara. Moreover, Kohli and Ra-
hane had to give up their familiar batting positions. West Indies were more aggressive to begin with. They added Joseph to the attack, and peppered India with short deliveries at the start. The moisture in the pitch gave them spongy bounce when they pitched short, and some seam movement when they pitched it up. Shikhar Dhawan wasted little time in falling to a short ball, tickling Shannon Gabriel down the leg side. Kohli walked in at No. 3, which was a positive sign given some of the past batsmen’s reluctance to change their batting order for the team’s sake. However, the fresh pitch with the new seaming ball was not suited for his style of play: soon he shaped up to cut a Joseph delivery that was neither short nor wide, nor full or close enough to him. Kohli was eventually done in by the extra bounce, but playing such deliveries you get away on pitches like the one in Antigua or against the old ball. A bit of a repeat of his England dismissals brought in India’s most reliable batsman, Rahane. It was Rahul who weathered most of the initial storm. After an ordinary start - missing five of the first 11 balls he played at - he punished every error in length. Every time West Indies overpitched,
Rahul drove hard, even in the air. Short and wide deliveries were cut away. It didn’t matter that in between the good ones kept beating him. On a day that the rest of the team scored 184 runs, Rahul took 50 off just 65 balls. Having done the hard work, Rahul fell 18 minutes before lunch, trying to whip a shortish delivery from Roston Chase straight to the man who had just moved to short fine leg. West Indies came back attacking in the second session. Soon Rohit fell in typical manner, pushing defensively at a Joseph outswinger a set of stumps outside off. After that wicket, though, perhaps because the pitch had settled down, West Indies began to test India’s patience. It worked: minutes before tea, Rahane, seeing release in a Chase full toss, swept down the wrong line and was bowled for 35 off 153. That didn’t result in taking off the part-time spin of Kraigg Brathwaite. India dropped solid batsmen for quick runs when they should have been weathering the new ball out, then they were forced to bat slowly when they should have been capitalizing on the older ball and tired fielders. The lesson of building long Test innings was delivered by the lower order. Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
SPORTS
Misbah: “We Could Not Handle Swing Bowling”
E
DGBASTON: Misbah-ul-Haq has admitted his batsmen did not have “any clue” how to handle the reverse swing generated by the England bowlers on the final day at Edgbaston. Pakistan lost four wickets for one run in mid-afternoon as England’s seamers transformed conditions that Misbah described as “easy” before lunch to those which they “could not handle”. It lead Misbah to suggest, with tongue in cheek, that Pakistan might have to think about sending their young bowlers to England to learn how to master the art of reverse swinging the ball; an irony considering it was Pakistan bowlers who perfected the art and England, for many years, were tortured by it. “Until lunch it was easy,” Misbah said. “But after lunch they got it reversing and we were not having any clue. We were trying to cope with it, but we could not handle it. “Anderson and Broad are used to these conditions. They are really experienced. Full credit to England for the way they fought back after we had a lead of more than 100.
Younis Khan had a lengthy, solo net ahead of the final Test, Kia Oval, August 9, 2016.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
August 12, 2016
Vedanta Aims to Close Merger with Cairn India in Early 2017
29
NTPC Said to Seek End to Imported-Gas Supply Deal
NEW DELHI: State-run NTPC
Vedanta is among the resource firms hit by a collapse in commodity prices and it is also facing legal action and activist protests over its operations in Zambia.
L
ONDON: Mining and energy group Vedanta Resources expects to complete its merger with Cairn India early next year, a move that would boost the firm’s financial strength, Vedanta’s CEO said on Friday. Vedanta is among the resource firms hit by a collapse in commodity prices and it is also facing legal action and activist protests over its operations in Zambia. In a speech to a London shareholders’ meeting, CEO Tom Albanese said the rationale for the merger was compelling, which was why Vedanta announced improved terms in July. “The merger ... will contribute significantly to our overall financial strength, not least through a potential re-rating, which will lower our overall cost of capital,” Albanese said, according to a copy of his speech. “We expect to close the transaction in the first quarter of 2017.” The deal, which will give Vedanta access to oil and gas explorer Cairn India’s $3.5 billion cash pile, has faced opposition from some big minority shareholders, including British-based Cairn Energy, but Albanese said he did not foresee obstacles. Vedanta’s debt to EBITDA ratio is 5.7 for 2016 compared with the level of around 3 analysts view as comfortable. Albanese told that Vedanta had repaid close to $1.2 billion of bonds in the first quarter and had no further
Vedanta Resources debt maturing until 2018. “We are committed to deleveraging the balance sheet,” he said, citing a share price rally — the stock has almost doubled since the end of last year — as proof of market confidence. Albanese also predicted the commodity price slump has ended. “My own personal view is that for the first time in more than five years, most commodities will end this calendar year higher than they began the year,” he said in his speech. To Reuters, he declined to comment on a case involving Vedanta’s copper mining in Zambia because it is being litigated. Protesters, under the banner of the activist organisation Foil Vedanta, demonstrated at the shareholder meeting, chanting “shame, shame” and “looters, polluters” as executives walked in. In May, a high court judge decided that a claim could proceed in the English courts on behalf of 1,826 Zambian villagers seeking compensation following what they say is damage to their health and land caused by Konkola Copper Mines. Vedanta, which has a majority stake in Konkola, has appealed that decision and said Zambia is the appropriate jurisdiction. It expects to know the outcome of the appeal next year. -livemint.com
Ltd., India’s biggest power producer, is seeking to terminate a long-term supply contract for imported natural gas as it says the fuel is too expensive to be used in power generation, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The New Delhi-based electricity generator has written to state-run GAIL India Ltd., which supplies the fuel sourced overseas by its affiliate Petronet LNG Ltd., saying it’s become impossible to execute the contract as the company is unable to sell the power it generates from the fuel, officials from all three companies said who asked not to be identified, citing policy. NTPC signed a 20-year contract with GAIL in 2009 to buy 2 million metric standard cubic meters a day of gas, the people said. The contract dispute highlights the country’s difficulty switching from coal to natural gas for power generation, undermining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to cut carbon emissions and promote clean energy. The country’s gas-fired plants, with nearly 25 gigawatts of generation capacity, are running at less than a quarter of their potential. Transportation costs and taxes have countered the 27% decline in spot LNG prices in the past year. “In India’s power sector, gas will find it difficult to weaken the dominance of coal in the next few years,” said Abhishek Kumar, an analyst at Interfax Energy’s Global Gas Analytics in London. “Regasified LNG is still not cost-competitive with coal, after local transportation costs and taxes are taken into account. India needs to improve its gas-pipeline infrastructure substantially to boost the popularity of gas in the power
NTPC signed a 20-year contract with GAIL in 2009 to buy 2 million metric standard cubic meters a day of gas.
sector.” NTPC has been taking less than 10% of the contracted volume, forcing GAIL to levy so-called take-orpay penalty charges, the officials said. NTPC and GAIL declined to comment. Petronet didn’t respond to requests for comment. The cost of power generated from GAIL’s gas is about Rs7 per kilowatt hour, according to an NTPC official. That’s more than double Rs3.18 average price at which NTPC sold power in the year to 31 March, and more than three times the current national average spot price. Indian regulations require electricity retailers to buy power from the cheapest sources available, which makes it difficult for a generator to sell more-expensive electricity. NTPC’s combined 4 gigawatts of gas-fired generation account for about 9% of its total capacity. Its seven gas plants ran at 25% of their capacity in the year ended 31 March, compared with 33% in the prior year, the company said in May. Additional costs:
Petronet LNG, India’s biggest gas importer, renegotiated a contract with Qatar’s RasGas Co. for 8.5 million tons of LNG annually through 2025. Petronet sells the fuel to companies including GAIL and Indian Oil Corp., which have their own deals to sell it on to end consumers, such as NTPC. The landed price of Qatari LNG at Petronet’s Dahej terminal in Gujarat was about $5 per million British thermal units, the company said in May. About $2 per million Btu is added to the price by the time the gas reaches the northern part of the country, where NTPC has three of its biggest gas-fired plants, said the official from the power utility. India’s 16,300 kilometer (10,130 mile) gas-pipeline network transmitted 148.39 million cubic meters of natural gas in the year ended 31 March, using only about 38% of the system’s capacity, according to the website of oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell. -livemint.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2016 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
30 August 12, 2016
COMMUNITY
Gujarat: Vijay Rupani to be Sworn in as Chief Minister
Fresh Charges Pressed Against Khaleda Zia in Arson Incidents
DHAKA: Fresh charges were pressed
While Vijay Rupani is touted to be Amit Shah loyalist, Deputy CM designate Nitin Patel was Anandiben Patel’s choice for the chief ministerial position.
GANDHINAGAR: Vijay Rupani was sworn
in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where
BJP is grappling with unrest due to the Patel quota stir and attacks on Dalits ahead of the high-stake Assembly elections scheduled next
year. Rupani met Governor O P Kohli and staked claim to form the government, a day after he was elected by BJP legislators to succeed Anandiben Patel, with the central leadership playing a vital role in the choice. After the meeting with the Governor, BJP state in-charge Dinesh Sharma said 60-year-old Rupani took oath on August 7, at 12.40 PM. While Rupani was accompanied by Deputy CM designate Nitin Patel and other state leaders, outgoing Chief Minister Anandiben Patel was conspicuous by her absence. “We have told the Governor that the BJP Legislature party has endorsed the names of Vijay Rupani as new Chief Minister and Nitin Patel as Deputy Chief Minister,” Sharma said after the meeting. He, however, evaded a direct reply to a question on Anandiben’s absence, saying, “She was present when she resigned, those who have been chosen are present.” In a dramatic turnaround the BJP central leadership decided on Rupani, an Amit Shah loyalist and state party chief, to replace Anandiben as the chief minister, instead of Nitin Patel who was the front-runner till the last moment. Anandiben had insisted on Nitin Patel as her successor, while Shah stood firm by Rupani. As a compromise formula, Patel was elevated to be Deputy Chief Minister after intervention of the central leadership, including Modi. Selection of Rupani, who belongs to Jain Baniya community, is being seen as a deft move by the party to avoid the impression of favouring any major segment of the society over others. While the Patel community has been on a warpath with their demand for OBC quota, the state has witnessed Dalit unrest over the widely condemned Una flogging incident which seems to have dented the image of the government. Rupani, who came up through the RSS, is being assigned the task of leading BJP in the polls at a time when BJP is struggling to retain its political base. The party has also been affected by the absence of leaders of Modi’s calibre in the state. -indianexpress.com
against Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia and 26 others in two arson cases that took place in Dhaka in February and March last year. In both cases, Zia was named perpetrator of the crimes, even though her name was not mentioned in the First Information Reports (FIR) relating to the cases, the Daily Star reported. The cases were filed on Sunday accusing a total of 27 leaders and activists of BNPled 20-party alliance for arson attacks on passenger buses in February and March last year in the capital’s Darussalam and Gabtoli areas during the party’s non-stop anti-government movement. Of the 27 accused, the charge sheet showed Khaleda and 19 others as fugitives as they did not secure bail in the cases. The investigation officers of the cases appealed to the court to issue arrest warrants for them. In the first case on February 14, it was alleged that as per directives from Zia, a group of BNP leaders and activists set ablaze a minibus with a petrol bomb. In the second case on March 3, it was alleged that on Zia’s instructions, some BNP-led 20-party combine activists set fire to a minibus at the bypass road of Darussalam. Metropolitan Magistrate Imdadul Haque set May 31 and June 1 for the approval and signing of the charge sheets, court police official Mirash Uddin said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised justice for the victims of violence, saying that the BNP and its ally Jamaat-eIslami unleashed the violence in the name of protests to destabilise the country. BNP leaders, on the other hand, have been alleging that the cases against Khaleda were aimed at keeping her away from politics. -hindustantimes.com
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August 12, 2016
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