E newspaper 10132017

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Friday, October 13, 2017 • Vol. 36, No. 40

Indo American News READ US ONLINE at www.indoamerican-news.com | Published weekly from Houston, Texas. USA 7457 Harwin Dr, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 • PH: 713 789 6397 • Fax: 713 789 6399 • indoamericannews@yahoo.com

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October 13, 2017

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Friday, October 13, 2017 | Vol. 36, No. 40

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P25 IACF Steps Forward for Harvey Relief Fund

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Houston Vice Mayor Pro Tem Jerry V. Davis (District B) accepts a replica of the $251,000 check from Guests of Honor and chief benefactor Swatantra Jain and his wife Bimla. IACF President Vanitha Pothuri is on the extreme left, during the IACF Gala on Saturday, October 7 at the Stafford Centre.

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October 13, 2017

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COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

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IACF Steps Forward at Gala with $250K for the Harvey Relief Fund BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA

STAFFORD: It was an almost

surreal, deja-vu scenario that the Indo American Charity Foundation found itself in 7 weeks ago when Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast at Rockport and then dumped over 50 inches of rain on the five county Houston metropolitan area. Sixteen years earlier in 2001, Tropical Storm Allison flooded out the Texas Medical Center and many other areas of the Bayou City and southeast Texas for 15 days in June, dumping 40 inches of rain. Three months later, the World Trade Center attacks took place on September 11. “We were reeling from the effects of these two tragedies,” recalled then IACF President Paul Likhari, “and didn’t think we would raise much money with our Gala slated for September 22 especially since many other organizations were doing the same.” Still, the IACF Board persevered and was able to raise funds to support several relief funds, including for the Gujarat earthquake that had occurred in January earlier in the year. With Harvey, the wheels of progress stopped for two weeks as everyone’s efforts were focused on helping those in dire need. The IACF Board was at loggerheads and on the verge on cancelling the Gala slated for October 7. “The promotional ads for the “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” themed gala had been run, the invitations were ready to be mailed, all the vendors had been booked,” recalled IACF President Dr. Vanitha Pothuri. “We just didn’t think we could pull it off with donations going to all sorts of organizations.” She called the featured chief guest Swatantra Jain to tell him the board was considering cancelling the gala. “Instead, he convinced me that we should go ahead and

The fourteen Board of Directors of the IACF posed after the Gala.

The fifteen couples who formed the Angels of Charity and walked the runway in their finest attire at the conclusion of the Gala.

All fifteen of the Friends of Charity onstage after they received their awards.

IACF President-Elect Mahesh Wadhwa (left) and Houston City Councilman Steve Le (District F) present Gala Chair Swapnil Aggarwal with an award. Photos: Roy Photography

personally committed to raising funds and bringing in people to the event,” Pothuri said three days after the gala, exhausted from the hectic 30-day scramble to pull the

gala together, now re-themed as for the “Harvey Relief Fund”. It was so hectic, in fact, that she didn’t even get a chance to write her speech. “On the day of the Gala, I kept thinking ‘I need to write my speech’, but never got a minute to do so.” So she winged it, extemporaneously, and delivered it from her heart, remembering “my four pillars” - her parents, Jain and the two people who have counselled her over the years: past IACF president Murthy Divakaruni and past IACF Executive Director Surender Talwar - for guiding her on the art of giving.

Jain is been a well-known philanthropist among the Indian community, who has leveraged his successful career as a partner in Vinmar International, an over $5 billion petrochemical marketing and distributing company founded by Vijay Goradia, to help other charities. He is a principled man true to the values of his Jain religion and Punjabi heritage, serving as a founding member of the JVB Preksha Meditation Center on Schiller Road; a past president of Pratham USA’s Houston Chapter; and a board member of Magic Bus and the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. He and his wife Bimla have donated generously to many local charities and his son Dr. Ajay Jain was on the IACF Board for

several years. “I told Vanitha to go ahead with the gala and that I would personally donate $50,000 to the event,” said Jain about the meeting. Despite being the chief guest, Jain also volunteered to raise another $50,000 and bring in many of his friends. Encouraged, Pothuri committed to $25,000 of her own and the Board went to work to raise more towards a goal of $200,000 and bring in many more people. Jain drew in a newcomer to the Indian non-profit scene as a Gala Chair, Swapnil Agarwal, a young real estate developer and financier, who committed another $10,000. At press time, Pothuri said that the totals were still coming in, but she expected a total of close to $300,000 was collected. Eventually, all the hard work for the IACF Board paid off as the Gala was a sold-out event of 600 people at the Stafford Civic Centre on Cash Road last Saturday, October 7. It featured the US national anthem and the song “Hero” by 14 year-old Chloe Choudhury; the Indian national anthem and a Hindi song by University of Houston student Srisanvitha Sridhar; emceeing by Chau Nguyen, the Chief Marketing Officer for the Houston Area Women’s Center and presentation of wards by Amber Elliot, the society writer for the Houston Chronicle. After the start of the program, a check for $250,000 was delivered to Houston Vice-Mayor Pro Tem Jerry V. Davis (District B) and plaques of appreciation were handed out to Jain and Agarwal. Following an introduction of Indian Vice Consul General Surender Adhana, the Consul General Anupam Ray delivered a videotaped congratulatory message as he had to be in New Delhi for an emergency meeting. Well known

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October 13, 2017

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COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

5

Dhamaal Trump Bids Modi Halo re Halo at the Houston Diwali Mela

Photos: Stage: Meedu Photogrpahy; Promenade: G Photo & Asit Patel, Video: CreativeTecnik Photo. More photos coming soon to HoustonDiwali.com and www.facebook.com/HoustonDiwali.

SUGAR LAND: Neither Hur-

ricane Harvey nor unusual Heat Wave could keep the crowds away from enjoying another amazing Houston Diwali Mela graced by Dhamaal Trump & Narendra “Masala” Modi on Saturday, October 7, at the Skeeters Stadium. Masala Radio and STAR PLUS presented HOUSTON DIWALI MELA along with the all-new Texans Energy, featuring Neeraj Shridhar live in concert by Xfinity. Crowds flocked like bees to the Britannia grand bazaar booths and tables filled with the latest in Diwali goods, from hand-painted Henna Candles, to long gowns, choli sets and kurtis, to gorgeous purses and jewelry and everpopular sarees. Karya Properties presented opening acts of all-kid dances, and Kids Rides like the merry-go-round and giant castle

inflatables. Alings Indo Chinese presented the most talked about performance of the evening, an incredible fire-filled musical of Bahubali with LED-lit winged dancing apsaras, shapely bellydancers, toned male dancers fighting evil villains, adept lead Kiron Kumar, and the lovely princess Tina Bose appearing from a magical fire cage with an unscathed baby prince Surya Kumar. The incredibly cute smiling infant Surya placed his foot on the head of army captain,

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036 R. SRINIVASAN AND COMPANY

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all bowed acknowledging their allegiance and the audience erupted in a standing ovation. Emcee Sunil Thakkar echoed the sentiments of all present as he exclaimed it was the most incredible production he has seen on stage ever. Three hours of nonstop stage entertainment climaxed with Kohinoor fireworks that sparkled like their exclusive diamonds. Record giveaways included 3000 Happy Diwali t-shirts and 500 cricket bats by NYL Amir Dodhiya and $25000 gift cards and 1 Business Class Ticket to India by TravelGuzs. Guests were first welcomed by a dancing Ganesha, majestic against a backdrop of purple, rani pink and gold, then dazzled by glittering Ramji Rangoli contest entries cascading from 18’ above, and finally hit with WOW factor of Houston Maharashtra Mandal parade of drummers and dancers, including our Masala Radio Jock-

ey Rashmi Joshi. A living Statue of Laxmi along with beautiful chania-choli clad Apsaras offered traditional tilak greeting. For several years now, Chef Nirman presented freshly prepared Mumbai Street Foods – like his famous Raj Kachori – from Chowpatty Express and Nirmanz Food Boutique, along with freshly prepared mouthwatering dishes from Rice & Spice, Vishala Restaurant and Madhuram Mirch Masala. Newcomers were similarly besieged with their novelty items: Biryani Grill biryanis, Gayatri Bhavan dosas, Flying Idlis fiery idlis & incredible peanut sauce, and Bombay Pizza Express paneer kati rolls and vada pav. Xfinity by Comcast presented Neeraj Shridhar who doled out hit after hit including “Love Mera Hit Hit, Bhool Bhulaiya, Twist, Character Dheela, and Tum Hi Ho Bandu.” Henna Shah added back-

up vocals also along with Ashka Contractor dazzling dances on the Keemat sponsored Bharat Darsan dugout performances. Shridhar joked that he almost lost track of lyrics while mesmerized by the Bollywood Shake Beauty Pageant Contestants dancing around him. Demand was high to perform at Diwali Mela, and the scheduled maxed out with over a dozen performances representing the best of the best in Semi-Classical, Folk, and of course Bollywood, in order of appearance: Bollywood Lil Shakers, Htown Lil Pathakaz, Kathak Nritya Kala Kendra, Kajal Desai Dance & Wellness, Bollywood Shake, Bollywood Dancing Stars, Htown Divas, Houston Jannat, Arya Dance Academy Kids, Rhythm India, Dance with Dolly, Arya Dance Academy, and the Infused Performing Arts Magical Fire Extravaganza. Rangoli judges were challenged to pick just one or two winners from dozens of entries featuring Ramayan scenes, from Hanuman, son of the Wind God, to colored rice and mixed dals kaleidoscopes; ultimately judges split the $1001 Ramji Law Group prize money between 1st Place Winner Chetna Vyas (Hanuman), 12-year old Siddharth Wani, and 3rd place tied with Rupali Rane and Purvi Sheth. Hindus of Greater Houston led a soul-stirring Maha Arti of 5000

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October 13, 2017

COMMUNITY

A Last Diwali Party at an Iconic Jewelry Store

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA Picture on left: The Kamnani family at their store’s signature Diwali party, from left, Gobind, Chandini, Divya, Sneha and Narain

HOUSTON: For the last month, with an-

nouncements of a liquidation sale, India Jewelers has started a long goodbye, which is hard to take for many of those who have grown accustomed to the landmark store tucked away in the shopping center on Hillcroft and the Southwest Freeway. About a decade ago, it was the same feeling when the oldest Indian store in town – Jay Store, which was also in the same center - closed its doors as the gregarious and energetic owner Rupa Vyas announced her retirement. In the same sense, the impending closure of India Jewelers is a retirement for the Kamnani brothers who have been at the same location for 27 years. “We’ve chosen Life over making money,” said Gobind, 50, the younger of the two, one night after he closed up. “We’ve worked the late hours each day (except Tuesdays when they are closed) and missed going to events across town. The time has come for us to move onto another chapter in our lives.” It is a sentiment echoed by older brother Narain, 52, who is also always at the store, where his wife Sneha and Gobind’s wife Chandini also work. The brothers have worked in the jewelry business for 33 years, started while their father Bhagwan Kamnani still had his two stores - Best of India and Royal India Jewelers - in the Galleria till 1997. Until she passed away almost a year ago, the brothers’ mother Leela Devi would also occasionally drop by, and especially for the annual Diwali party at the store. So this past Friday, October 6 was especially poignant as India Jewelers held its last annual Diwali party with its customary flair. As usual, there were plenty of appetizers and drinks and many of the loyal customers and friends dropped in to mingle and admire the glittery jewels, ornaments and pieces of Indian art that the store carries. Everything is reduced to sell as the store winds down to closing on December 31. The Kamnani brothers have no definite plans after what they call their retirement. “We’re going to travel a bit in India, help other people and enjoy ourselves,” Gobind said, “but we don’t plan another business.” And he said they may have another Holiday party before they close. But at the Diwali party, it was business as usual, as the entire Kamnani clan helped eager customers looking for special piece of jewelry. And the constant stream of people kept the store with the iconic ivory centerpiece humming.

WRITERS ... TAKE NOTICE Writers are requested to limit their words to 500. The deadline for advertising and articles is 5 pm on Tuesday of each week. For more information, Call713-789-NEWS(6397)or email

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COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

Gujarati Samaj Navaratri Mahotsav: Tremendous Response Despite Harvey

Back row (from left): Girish Naik, Prakash Desai, Devandra Patel, Bharat Parikh, Mahendra Patel, Rakesh Shah, Yogesh Patel, Kishor Patel, and Akshay Shah. Front row (from left): Geeta Patel, Meena Patel, Amee Patel, Dhruvit Shah, and Vasant Patel.

Gujarati Samaj of Houston Executive Committee and Trustees present check to Gitesh Desai, President of Sewa International Houston Chapter, and Vivek Sharda, Young Volunteer of Sewa International.

BY GIRISH NAIK

HOUSTON:

Looking back in time, many of the Gujarati Samaj of Houston committee members could not believe that after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, we would have such a tremendous response to Navaratri Mahotsav from September 21-30, 2017. Just when everything was Enthusiastic crowds danced throughout the night at planned out, venues were se- the garba. lected for the weekday garba at Arabian Shrine Center and the weekend munity was very strong. Young and older garba at NRG Center, Hurricane Harvey generations dressed in colorful traditional hit Houston, flooding homes, displacing dresses, danced enthusiastically to the music. many people to be displaced from their It was an amazing sight to see the different homes, and losing whatever they had. variety and styles of Garba dances and the Navaratri preparations turned into relief amount of energy this young generation bring operations, helping friends and families to the floor. that were affected by the hurricane. NRG On the eighth day of Navaratri, which is Center, our weekend Navaratri venue, be- considered the most significant day in the came a shelter for victims of Harvey. ten-day celebration, we had a tremendous Gujarati Samaj Committee met and response to the Harvey donation appeal. We decided to that that Navaratri Mahotsav had 118 aartis to the Goddess Durga and all should be dedicated to Harvey victims with the aarti money will be donated to the Harvey 20% of ticket sales and all aarti collection Relief Fund. should go towards Harvey relief funds. On September 30, Gitesh Desai, President Friday/Saturday Garba venue were of Sewa International Houston Chapter, and switched to Marriott Westchase Ballroom young volunteer Vivek Sharda were invited. just a few days before Navaratri. Muzica Amee Patel, President of Gujarati Samaj band was on the way from India. There of Houston presented a check in amount of was still one more hurdle—lots of rain in $6,500 to Sewa International. Patel said, “It Mumbai, causing flights to be delayed or was a very fullfilling moment for us to do cancelled. Our artist traveled overnight to something for Harvey victims. At difficult Ahmedabad and got on the flight to Hous- times, we need to stand by our community ton, landing one day late. With the help of and do as much as we can. We have seen Krishna Sounds, we were able hire “Dar- Sewa International working day and night shak Thacker Live Band” with local artist for Harvey victims. We are very pleased that Hemant Dave/Shaivangi Gala as singers, we as Gujarati Samaj of Houston could also Atifbhai on keyboard and Darshak Thack- make a difference. It is the dedication and siner on drums to start the Navaratri celebra- cere hard work of all the executive committions. Krishna Sounds also provided high- tee, trustees and volunteers that makes a proquality sound for all ten days. gram successful and I am glad to have such a The response from our Houston com- wonderful team.”

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October 13, 2017

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COMMUNITY

11

October 13, 2017

Sultan of Santoor and Maestro of Melody Captivate Houston with their Soul Stirring Music

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Photos: Tanvir Mohammed and Mythri Pullela

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OUSTON: Saadhana Sur Sang- A concert series for Connoisseurs presented by Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston (CICMH) held its second concert of 2017 on September 29th at Stafford Civic Center. CICMH, spearheaded by renowned classical Vocalist and torchbearer of Mewati Gharana, Pandit Suman Ghosh, is synonymous with purity and authenticity in Hindustani Classical Music. Known to present maestros and artistes of high caliber, this time CICMH featured the inimitable Santoor Maestro, Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya and its founder Pandit Suman Ghosh. Pandit Ghosh, who performs under prestigious banners across the world, performed under the banner of his own organization for very first time since it was founded 14 years ago. It was an emotional moment for Pandit Ghosh, and perhaps also the right moment, to perform in a concert that sought to heal Houston after Harvey, through Hindustani Raags. The evening began with an eloquent speech by the chief Guest,

Honorable Mayor of Stafford, Leonard Scarcella. He awarded Pandit Ghosh a proclamation in recognition of his excellence and landmark efforts to popularize Hindustani Music in the USA, and declared September 29th as ‘Pandit Suman Ghosh Day’ in the City of Stafford. The concert began with the divine performance of Haveli Sangeet by Pandit Ghosh. Steeped in Bhakti Bhaav, this genre of Indian Classical music is believed to have originated in Uttar Pradesh’s Braj Region in late 15th century. Haveli Sangeet had declined with passage of time but was revived by Living Legend, Sangeet Martand, Pandit Jasraj Ji. It is the Sangeet Martand’s opinion that, his torch bearing disciple Pandit Suman Ghosh is one of the very few to ably carry forward this tradition. Pandit Ghosh’s soulful renditions of devotional compositions, some his own and others immortal shloks, left every heart filled with hope and optimism. The audience felt transported to 15th century Braj and there was not a dry eye in the audience. Pandit Ghosh was ably accompanied on Tabla by well-known Tabla maestro and

Guru, Pandit Shantilal Shah, and on vocals by his talented disciples Apurva Ghosh, Prasun Kolhe, Jaytirth Mahoorkar and Shashank Trivedi. Together they mesmerized and created a magical evening. In the second half Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya, disciple of legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar ji, took the stage. Pandit Bhattacharya played Raag Rageshree, unfolding its pristine glory to the discerning audience who lapped up every note coming from his santoor. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, detailed presentation of Raags in classical music concerts has become uncommon. However, Saadhaana Sur Sang, is a platform where Maestros feel comfortable to elaborately showcase their knowledge and capability, acquired over decades of saadhana. Like a master sculptor, Pandit-Ji chiseled each part of the Raag deftly. He was ably accompanied on Tabla by a very talented and well known Tabla exponent, Shri Subrata Bhattacharya. Together they cast a magical spell with their music. The Master of Ceremony, Shri Suresh Raghavan, adeptly held the entire musical evening together with his splendid articulation. As the concert ended and the audience gave a rousing standing ovation to both artistes, only question everyone was asking was – What is CICMH bringing to us next? Well, the answer is certainly worth the wait till the next Saadhana Sur Sang.

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12 October 13, 2017

Navratri & Diwali Sale 20 Vishala Grocery I

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October 13, 2017

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Sale Date: 09/21/2017 – 10/19/2017

FOOD STAMP CARDS ACCEPTED ON ALL LOCATIONS. WE HONOR ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS

Vishala Grocery III

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13314 Westheimer Road, Houston TX 77079 Phone: 281-496-7864 | vishala3tx@gmail.com Open 7 Days a week 10:00am- 8:30pm

Laxmi/ Swad Laxmi Laxmi Laxmi Khushboo Laxmi/ Swad Laxmi Swad

13

PAPAD, POHA & JAGGERY

Jaggary 11LB Desi Jaggary (Bucket) 11 LB Sabudana 4LB Poha Thick 4 LB Poha Thin 2 LB Basmati Mamra 400gm Lijjat Papad 200gm (Cumin & Plain) Maggie 70gm 6 For Salt1LB 2 For

2881 Dulles Ave, Missouri City, TX 77549 Phone: 281-969-8606 | vishala4tx@gmail.com Open 7 Days a week 10:00am- 8:30pm

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SNACKS, KHAKHRA & COOKIES

Garvi Gujarat Snacks 185gm -285gm Surti Snacks 200gm - 341gm Garvi Gujarat Khakra 200gm Shalini Khakra 180gm Crispy Tea Toast 200gm Crispy Cake Rusk 650 gm Parle Parle G 56.4gm Uttam Instant Mix 200gm

3 For 10 For 3 For

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DRY FRUITS Spanish Saffron 1oz (28gm) Laxmi/Sunrise Almonds 3LB Laxmi Cashew Whole 28oz Laxmi. Cashew pieces 28oz Laxmi Green Pista 14oz Laxmi Peanuts 56oz Laxmi Golden Raisin 28oz Meharban Pitted dates 28oz Sunrise Walnuts Half & Pcs 28oz Sunrise Coconut Powder 2LB Sunrise Peanut 4LB Sunrise Dates 28oz

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Laxmi Laxmi Laxmi Amul Laxmi Dabur

Canola Oil 32.5 LB Corn Oil 32.5 LB Vegetable Oil 32.5 LB Ghee 1 KG Gingelly Oil 5 Lt Mustard Oil 1 Lt

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DRINKS & FROZEN Laxmi/ Swad Kawan Kawan Deep Swad Nanak Nanak

Frooti Case 27x200 ml Maaza Mango (Plastic Btl) 1lt Kesar Mango Pulp 6 cans Parotha Family Pack (Plain) 25pcs Chappati family pack30 pcs Mathia & Fafda 200 gm Paneer 14 oz Rasmalai 20 ct Fresh & Malai Paneer 14 oz

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TEA & COFFEE Waghbakari Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Taj Mahal

Tea 2 LB Redlable Tea 450gm Tea 450 gm Tea 900gm Tea India 2 LB

FAAFDA & JALEBI Available at all Vishala stores on Dussehra

VISHALA WISHES YOU A VERY HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON

$17.99 Laxmi CANOLA OIL 32.5 lb $22.99 Laxmi CORN OIL 32.5 lb

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phical error in this advertisement •No refund, no exchange, no credit, no rain checks •Sale price valid till supply last •Sale items are not for any wholesalers or retailers INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


14 October 13, 2017

COMMUNITY

Hanmi Bank Donates $10K to Sewa International for Hurricane Harvey Relief

From left: Sarojini Gupta, Kavita Tewary, Sam Ruk, Gitesh Desai, Mohammed Tariq, India’s Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, Matt Furr, William Yeh, and Manju Gupta.

BY PRAMOD KULKARNI

HOUSTON: Hanmi Bank is one

of the stalwart businesses that has risen up to support its community during times of crises. On Tuesday, October 3 evening, Hanmi Bank held a reception at its Gessner branch to present a check of $10,000 to Sewa International as a show of support for its volunteer activities to help victims of Hurri-

cane Harvey with food, shelter and rebuilding. The donation check was presented by Mohammed Tariq, Hanmi Bank’s Executive Vice President & Regional President Texas, in the presence of India’s Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray. President Gitesh Desai accepted the check on behalf of Sewa International. Headquartered in South Korea, Hanmi Bank entered the Houston market in 2014 through an acqui-

sition. Hanmi currently has three locations in Houston: Gessner, Spring Branch and Hillcroft. Several South Asians, who represent Hanmi Bank, include Mustafa Rafique, Sam Rukh and Saleem Afrooz. “Hanmi Bank has a tradition of helping the communities it serves in times of crisis,” explained Tariq. “To help Hurricane Harvey victims, we have reached out to community leaders, such as Gitesh Desai, and have assigned two employees at each of our bank branches to help our customers with SBA disaster relief loans. We want to partners with relief agencies such as Sewa. Hopefully, other banks in the area can do the same.” Matt Fuhr, Executive Vice President with Hanmi in Los Angeles, echoed Tariq’s sentiments and promised to help disaster victims with all possible assistance. “I come from a poor country and I admired how international relief agencies came to India’s assistance when I was a young man,” said CG Ray. “I hoped that one day India could also become a first responder in international humanitarian relief. The first opportunity came when I was attending to the Sri Lanka desk in 2004 at the Indian Foreign Service in New Delhi. Within hours of the tsunami striking Sri Lanka, we were able to

Gitesh Desai and Kavita Tewary with India’s Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray Photos: Navin Mediwala

dispatch three Indian naval planes with relief supplies. By next morning, three Indian warships docked with additional supplies.” Dr. Ray also complimented Sewa International. “It is a matter of great pride for me that Sewa International has stepped up as an NGO to launch relief operations. There are small beginnings for every organization. CARE, Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch did not reach their status overnight. I can predict that one day Sewa International will have an international footprint.” “With all our humility, we accept Hanmi Bank’s generosity,” said Gitesh Desai. “Sewa International is one of the few relief organization, whose administrative cost is 7% or less. I assure you that the funds you have donated to Sewa

International will be used very wisely and very prudently. There is immense need and there is immediate need. Sewa shall remain in the forefront of Harvey relief efforts.” “Sewa International volunteers are working-class professionals and we’ve had the support of several community organizations and long-term donors,” Desai explained. “Four days into the relief efforts when we were spending money out of our own pockets, Dev Mahajan with Arya Samaj called me that Friday to ask what we need. I answered, ‘What do we not need? We need resources to buy food, resources to buy petrol and diesel.’ Mahajan said, ‘Don’t worry continue with your work. He called the Arya Samaj board of directors and arranged to wire transfer $15,000 on Tuesday, and another $35,000 on Friday. So, just in four days, Arya Samaj provided $50,000 to Sewa.” “From that point onwards,” Desai continued. “Many volunteers joined us. We’ve been working from Beaumont in the east to Brookshire in the west and from Woodlands in the north to Galveston in the south. Even the Red Cross has reached out to us to do some of their work. So has EPA also to spread their messages in communities where they could not go.” “Our volunteers are very passionate without care for their own flood troubles,” Desai explained. “Our inspiration comes from Hindu spirituality as we are Hindu faith-based organization. Hindu philosophy teaches us that the whole world is one family. We think serving humanity is serving divinity.”

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

15

IACF Steps Forward at Gala with $250K for the Harvey Relief Fund

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 classical dance exponent Ratna Kumar collaborated with author Chitra Divakaruni to perform a dance and poetry interpretation followed by four students from Kumar’s Anjali School of Performing Arts presenting a dance. Other community leaders who attended were Vijay Goradia, Founder and Emeritus Chairman, Pratham USA; Arpita and Amit Bhandari, President, Magic Bus Houston Chapter; Leena and Ash Shah, President, Pratham Houston; Jagdip Alhuwalia, Executive Director, IACCGH; Jiten Agarwal, India House Ambassador-at-large; Raj and Jugal Malani, Trustee, India House; Sushma and Dev Mahajan, founding member, Arya Samaj of Greater Houston; Gitesh Desai, President, Sewa International, Houston Chapter; Dr. Kiran Gandhi, Chairman, Indian Doctors Association; Dr. Prasun Jalal, President, Indian Doctors Association; Martin Cominsky, President and CEO, Interfaith Ministries of Houston The highlight of the program was the presentation of plaques for outstanding community work and support to the Friends of Charity, a staple item at the past two IACF Galas, to 15 individuals who walked across the stage to accept similarly inscribed plexiglass awards as Elliot read out their short biographies. The program concluded with a fashion walk down the runway, another IACF staple item, by 15 couples who also received plaques. A short Teddy Bear Pledge (another item from last year’s Gala) drive hosted by Dr. Subodh Bhuchar raised funds along with a silent auction set up on one side. Catering for the event was by Dawat Catering; photography by Roy Photography and music and sound by DJZee.

Friends of Charity

India Herald founders

• Aleen Arabit,

Chairman, Unique Industries

CEO, Kindred Hospital Houston

• Ravi Arora,

Engineer and community activist

• Aparna Asthana,

Women’s and children’s advocate

• Roopa Bala,

Owner of an IT firm in Houston and Chennai

• Manisha Gandhi,

TV Asia correspondent and community activist

• Ashok Garg,

Owner of Allied exports and IACCGH and India House Board

• Lutfi Hassan,

Founder Apex Group and civic leader

• Rajeev Gadgil & Seshadri Kumar,

• Jugal Malani,

Angels of Charity

• Jawahar Malhotra,

• Bela & Rajiv Bhavsar • Devina & Dilip Bhojwani • Dr. Ashima & Anand Chauhan • Rose Chen & David Webster • Pallavi & Swapan Dhairyawan • Rajee & Krishna Hari • Tracy & Harry Faulkner • Shyda & Sajid Khan • Dr. Kokila & Prakash Parikh • Dr. Disha & Sanjay Poonia • Dr. Supriya & Prem Ramanathan • Teresa & Dr. William Reading • Joya Chakrabati & Vikas Shukla • Kalpana & Arun Singh • Dr. Mythili & Upen Varanasi

Publisher, Indo American News & consulting engineer

• Hasu Patel,

President of SIMA and hotelier

• Viji Raman,

Former IACF Board Director and activist

• Bashisht Sharma,

Founder of Sharma & Associates law firm

• Connie Kwon-Wong,

Founder CKW Foundation

• Asheet Yagnik,

Sr. VP, Merrill Lynch & on Pratham Board

Dhamaal Trump Bids Modi Halo re Halo at the Houston Diwali Mela CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 LED lights, along with an equal number of cell phone lights, led by Title, Platinum (mentioned previously, and Gold Sponsors George Willy & Associates, Harvest Green, Keemat Grocers, One Step Diagnostic, and Silver Sponsors Brij & Sunita Agarwal, Govind & Renu Agarwal, Fiesta, Perry Homes, Deep Foods, Exclusive Furniture, India Jewelers, Jugal & Raj Malani, Medinet, My Tax Filer, and Tea India. Indeed, it took a village of Masala Event Managers, Sponsors, Volunteers and Vendors to put together one of the Indian community’s signature events. Masala Radio would like to thank its dream management Masala Crew: Office: Rinku, Devangi, Bhavisha, Carlos, Sonali & Jamila. Event: Dhaval, Mayur, Ninad, Nimi, (RJ) Ina, Lauhael, Ankit, Vinay, (RJ) Iman, Sahil & Harshin. Stage: (RJ) Preanka, (RJ) Dilip, (RJ) Rajoo, Mehran, Sunny, DJ Zee, Ashka & Krupa. Greeters: Nazakat, Simran & Priyanshi. Radio: Priya, Vinay K & Pankti. Organizers Sunil & Sandhya Thakkar request feedback at events@ masalaradio.com and look forward to new concepts for Diwali 2018. Halo Re Halo! INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


16 October 13, 2017

COMMUNITY

9th Indian Film Festival Captivates Movie Fans with Poignant Tales

HOUSTON: The 9th Indian Film

Festival of Houston (IFFH 2017) captivated audiences at the Asia Society Texas Center on October 6-7 with cinema for the soul and the mind. The IFFH 2017 showcased six films—documentaries, shorts, and feature films—in addition to Q&A sessions with the directors, actors and producers in Asia Society’s Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater. This year’s festival was especially fulfilling, coming after the events of Hurricane Harvey that brought out the best on Houston and stands testament to the city’s indefatigable spirit. IFFH 2017 captivated festivalgoers with emotional tales involving poignant tales of endurance, both mental and physical. The IFFH welcomed audiences with tastefully-decorated turquoise draperies at the venue entrance, matching table cloths and colorful floral rangolis. Both evenings featured cocktail receptions, sizzling Indian appetizers by Nirvana and entertainment by Moodafaruka. Indian film and television actor, Iqbal Khan, served as the Master of Ceremonies for both the evenings. Among the attendees were several members of Houston’s consular corps, city and state representatives, as well as, Houston’s art and culture community. Founder and Festival Director,

Sutapa Ghosh, welcomed festivalgoers to the opening day’s festivities and paid tribute to the spirit of the city, the volunteers, first responders, and agencies working tirelessly to get Houston open for business. A film professional in her own right, with a couple of award-winning movies with India’s famed director Rituparno Ghosh, Sutapa reminded the audience that she has enjoyed bringing IFFH to life for the past nine years and is planning a special tenth year celebration. Houston Councilman Michael Kubosh presented proclamation on behalf of Mayor Sylvester Turner, recognizing IFFH and Sutapa Ghosh for their contributions to the Houston community. The Indian Deputy Consul General Surendra Adhana thanked the IFFH team for sharing the deep roots of Indian culture in today’s cinema and bringing it to Houston. The opening night’s feature film “Mango Dreams” with firsttime director John Upchurch was a fan favorite and explored the unlikely bond formed between a Hindu doctor with dementia and a Muslim auto rickshaw driver as they travel across India in search of the doctor’s childhood home. The closing film “The Argumentative Indian” was a documentary about the life and work of India’s

IFFH Board Members with the winners of IFFH Awards 2017, Suman Ghosh and Navroz Prasla.

From left: Amey Prakash, President IFFH Board, Michael Kubosh, Houston City Council Men at large, Sutapa Ghosh, IFFH Festival Director From left: Director Suman Ghosh, Director John and The Honorable Philip A. Aronoff, Honorary Consul General of Hungary. Upchurch and Festival Director Sutapa Ghosh.

Renaissance Man and Nobel Laureate, Amartya Sen, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest living intellectuals of the world. All three of the IFFH 2017 winners dealt with the subject of education and showcased immense

personal struggles. Best Documentary Film: “The Argumentative Indian”, directed by Suman Ghosh; Best Short Film: “Azaad”, directed by Rahul Chittela and Best Feature Film: “Kshitij: A horizon”, directed by Manouj Kadaamah.

IFFH 2017 brought some soulstirring films, presented them in a beautiful ambience and provided rich memories, and left the audiences anticipating a decade of the Indian Film Festival in Houston next year.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

17

Houston Durga Bari Puja: Bringing Bengal to Space City – Puja 2017

BY PARTHA SARATHI CHATTERJEE

H

OUSTON: Houston’s Durga Bari’s Durga Puja is one of the largest Pujas in North America. It won the very first Best Puja in the international category from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Durga Bari has decided to donate $10,000 from Puja to Mayor’s Harvey Relief Fund. Consul General Of Houston, Dr. Anupam Ray attended the Puja, organized by Puja Chair Partha Ghosal and HDBS President Anindya Chakrabarty and team. Puja season started with Mahalaya and Anandamela celebration - there was remarkable turnaout with lots of activities including food fest, Mahishasuramardini and movie Chilekotha. Main Puja was celebrated September 28-October 1 with Kali Puja on October 20-21.

Photos: Saurabh Sengupta, Nirmalya Roy, and Abhijit Bhattacharyya

Puja was celebrated at our vast temple complex with Ashtadhatu deities right on a picturesque lake. Puja was conducted by our dedicated volunteer priests over four days led by our Head priest Buddhadeb Bhattachariya. We followed all rituals - from Bodhon to Bishorjan, from Hom to Chandi path to 108 lotuses during Sandhi Puja,. Dedicated volunteers prepared the elaborate Naibidya, Bhog and Dadhikarma. We had about 3500

independent footfalls from all over Houston, Texas and other states for our Puja. The entire complex became a funfilled festival – the milieu of people milling around with mikes blaring. From the entrance gate to Las Vegas style lighting, we converted the temple complex to a Vegas-Kolkata lighting wonderland. Houston’s stage brought together the most powerful lineup for 2017

with not two or three but eight famous artists rocking the Houston crowd. From Haimanti Shukla to the singer creating waves back home - Jimut to Chandrika to Aritro-Somchanda to Soumyojit-Sourendro to our domestic programs, this year’s programs were exciting, high-class and tremendously entertaining. Volunteers cooked delicious food and served it under a canopy. From lunches to bhog to snacks to din-

ner, you will have a gourmet food experience here. Tutored by the elders, dhaaks were played by secondgeneration kids, for every arati and bishorjan. For bishorjan, we took the Kala Bau and the pitchers three times around the temple in a procession and then, immersed them in the lake. In short, we created India and Puja festival in Space City right here in the heart of Texas.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


18 October 13, 2017 An Unfeasible Ban

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

U.S. & Pakistan: Ready for a Bargain? BY JIBY J KATTAKAYAM

As part of the effort to get Pakistan’s

T

he Supreme Court has banned the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) till November 1 to assess the impact on air quality and curb pollution. This means that firecrackers won’t be legally sold in Delhi and its surrounding areas during and after Diwali. The apex court’s decision is well-intentioned but hardly implementable. Given the popularity of bursting firecrackers on Diwali, people will find ways to obtain them. True, air pollution levels had dangerously spiked after Diwali last year and SC had imposed a ban on sale of firecrackers last November – the apex court has reinstated that order now. However, what’s needed are advocacy and long-term solutions to NCR’s air pollution problem. In fact, the two largest sources of PM 2.5 pollution in Delhi are road dust (38%) and vehicles (20%). Plans to tackle these have not proved effective. To control dust pollution, SC had previously directed the repairing and building of pavements and vacuuming of roads. Despite this Delhi’s three municipal corporations together have just 19 mechanised sweeping machines. Similarly, to boost public transport and reduce the number of new cars in the capital, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) needs new buses. But only 1,000 buses for DTC were cleared for procurement last month as against the demand for around 4,700. Then there is the annual problem of crop stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and UP. With no economically viable solutions worked out for removing paddy residue, fines have failed to deter farmers from taking to burning. In the same vein, trucks not destined for Delhi continue to transit through the capital due to lack of alternative routes. Hence, imposing bans and fines won’t improve NCR’s air quality – concomitant incentives to alter behaviour also need to be worked out. The need is for holistic solutions that address the root causes of the problem. -- Times of India

support for stabilising Afghanistan, Washington is sending senior US officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defence James Mattis, to the region this month. Reports from Washington say the administration wants to convey a “tough message” to Pakistan on ending its support to cross-border terrorism. Pessimists in India worry that Washington-Islamabad relations might return to the familiar story of America letting the Pakistan army off the hook in return for minor concessions. Optimists, however, bet that a significant change in US-Pakistan relations might be at hand and that Delhi should leverage President Donald Trump’s willingness to confront Rawalpindi on terrorism. Whether Washington can finally get Rawalpindi to discard its deliberate and long-standing policy of destabilising its neighbours or not, the current uncertainty in US-Pak relations is part of a larger churn in the Subcontinent’s geopolitics. Trump’s confrontation with the sources of terrorism in Pakistan and his call for a larger Indian role in Afghanistan form only one side of the new political equation emerging in the region. For a long time during the Cold War, US-Soviet hostility and Sino-Russian tensions, Pakistan’s alliances with America and China and India’s strategic partnership with Soviet Russia seemed immutable. The end of the Cold War 25 odd years ago began to loosen the Subcontinent’s balance of power system. The last few years have seen a new dynamic in the region marked by the breakdown of the US-Russian entente, the rise of China, the slower emergence of India as a major power, the transformation of US-India ties, the tightening embrace between Moscow and Beijing, and Russia’s new enthusiasm for Pakistan. For many in Delhi’s strategic community, these changes generate a cognitive dissonance. They like the Trump administration’s anti-terror rhetoric towards Pakistan. But they can’t really believe the US establishment could depart from decades of

strategic indulgence towards Pakistan. They also worry that Rawalpindi will inevitably drag India into the discourse and “internationalise” its disputes with Delhi. The policy question for Delhi is not really about the prospect of change, but making a judgement on its likely extent through a careful assessment of the imperatives of change and the weight of inertia in the American engagement with Pakistan. One important factor that suggests continuity is the enduring geopolitical importance of Pakistan. Its strategic location at the cross roads between the Subcontinent, inner Asia, and the Persian Gulf, the world’s sixth largest population (now standing at 210 million), a large and politically powerful army in possession of nuclear weapons and a traditionally leading role in the Islamic world make it hard for any great power to completely forego a relationship with Pakistan. Another factor is that Pakistan is part of both the problem and solution for peace in Afghanistan. Its long border with land-locked Afghanistan makes Pakistan’s cooperation critical for Washington’s strategy to stabilise the current government in Kabul. But the fact is that Pakistan’s agenda in Afghanistan has not converged with that of the United States. The Obama and Bush administrations were aware but unwilling to acknowledge that the Pakistan army had undermined America in Afghanistan. The Trump administration has stated the truth and wants to mount pressure on Pakistan to alter its course in Afghanistan. Breaking from the well-trodden path, the Trump administration is trying “one last time” to get the Pakistan army’s cooperation. It is opening up a negotiation this time with a variety of threats — new sanctions, withdrawing Pakistan’s status as a “major nonNATO ally”, declaring Islamabad

as a state sponsor of terrorism and urging India to play a larger role in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s initial reaction to Trump’s new regional policy — made in a speech at the end of August — was anger and outrage. It also rejected Trump’s demand that Pakistan should immediately shut down the terror sanctuaries on its soil. Islamabad also ostentatiously cancelled talks with US officials last month. After the bluster, comes the inevitable dialogue. Pakistan is now ready to talk to the Trump administration following high-level meetings in recent weeks. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met US Vice President Mike Pence on the margins of the UNGA last month and the foreign minister, Khawaja Asif, was in Washington last week. It is one thing for Pakistan to posture for the benefit of domestic audiences and entirely another to to deliberately choose confrontation with the United States. As the US and Pakistan begin negotiations, India will inevitably be part of the discussion — call it “re-hyphenation” or what you will. After all, India and Pakistan have multiple problems, and Islamabad has never stopped trying to mobilise the great powers to blunt India’s natural preponderance in the region. In its conversation with US officials, Pakistan is likely to insist on a big say in shaping the future political order in Kabul, object to any role for India in Afghanistan and would want the US to get Delhi to talk Kashmir to Islamabad. India, therefore, has a real interest in these talks, for they involve the future of the South Asian regional order — including Islamabad’s relations with Kabul and Delhi, the Pakistan army’s dominance over the domestic polity and Rawalpindi’s use of terror as an instrument of regional policy. Instead of worrying about “re-hyphenation”, India should focus on shaping the outcomes from the US-Pak negotiations. Whatever the eventual give and take between Washington and Rawalpindi, Delhi has enough room to respond with vigour and confidence to a potentially historic shift in the Subcontinent’s geopolitics. -- Times of India

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

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

19

Vibha Houston’s Garba Brings Together Over 650 People

HOUSTON: Every year fall ush-

ers in the festival of Navaratri, a millennia-old celebration of the victory of good over evil. The Indian community together celebrates this wonderful occasion by participating in Garba and Dandiya Raas. On September 30, Vibha Garba brought together over 650 people from varying backgrounds who are not just united by a love of dance and tradition but also by the importance of the social causes which Vibha works for. This was especially relevant this year with Houston still recovering from Hurricane Harvey. Vibha has already pledged $25,000 to aid the recovery efforts of Hurricane Harvey. Vibha action centers like Houston and Dallas swung into action and decided to raise more funds for disaster relief by redirecting proceeds from fundraising events to this cause. Vibha Houston partnered with GlobalDesis and USDesiGals to organize the Garba event at ISKCON of Houston on September 30. The Houston community responded to this call by descending into the ISKCON temple in full force and selling out the event completely. It was a spectacular evening full of fun, enthusiasm, and energy. Darshak Thacker and his team from Krishna Sound kept the dancers enthralled by his high energy drumbeats. The event was emceed by RJ “Dhinchak” Riva Thanki with her usual style and flair. The event was sponsored by BRC International, Splendora Pipe Services, JSW Steel, PFP Industries, Priserve Consulting Inc, Shri Sita Ram Foundation, United Real Estate, Sooner Pipes and Unique Flo. The event was also supported by Ameriprise Financial, New York Life (Munira Dhodiya), TransAmerica, Ethnic Rootz, Cru Day Spa, Amma’s Kitchen, Vishala Grocers, Bawarchi Biryani and Best Brains. Vibha would like to thank ISKCON of Houston for its immense support provided at every step. Vibha would also like to thank its partner GlobalDesis, which is a Houston based music group whose goal is to bring social change by using music as a medium. A big Thanks also goes to USDesiGals, which is a social media group consisting of 4000+ women members, whose goal is to bring together and empower the Indian women community in Houston.

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Vibha is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate, empower and enable every individual who wishes to make a positive difference in the life of the underprivileged child. Vibha’s volunteers from 25 action centers across the US and India are the organization’s cornerstone. They are the reason why Vibha is able to spend 90 cents

of every dollar raised on projects and work to raise awareness about key social issues. Vibha currently supports about 30 projects in India and the United States. A full list of the projects funded by Vibha can be viewed at http://projects.vibha.org/ projects/. For further details visit http:// www.vibha.org

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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


20 October 13, 2017

COMMUNITY

Bajagovindam and Sri Venkateswara Kalyanam Celebrated on October 8 BY KAMALA RAGHAVAN

PEARLAND: The celebration of

Sri Venkateswara Kalyanam appropriately titled” Bajagovindam” is one of the traditions at most South Indian temples during the month of “Purattasi”, and here in Sri Meenakshi Temple Society in Pearland we follow the same tradition The purpose of such festivals is believed to shower all of God’s creations with health, wealth, happiness and prosperity. The sequence of rituals that comprise this festival are interesting and meaningful. A decorated podium is created inside the Kalyana Mandapam where the beautiful utsavamurthys of Lord Venkateswara and Padmavathi are set up to indicate the happy gruhasta ashrama (married life) of the deities. The celebration started with a seervarisai procession from Ganesh temple accompanied by Nadaswaram. Malai Matruthal (garland exchange), pidi sutruthal and oonjal seva was done perfectly by the priests with over 300 devotees enjoying the divine wedding celebration replete

with music and chants. MTS priests Sri Narayana Charyalu, Sri Sridharan Raghavan Sri Pawan Kumar Sri Bashyam along with our retired priest Sri Doraiswamy Bhattar followed all the steps for a beautiful celestial wedding of Sri Venkateswara and Padmavathi. Devotees were involved in performing “rakshabandanam” and “kanyadhanam”, witnessed the festival, and got the blessings. After the wedding, utsava murthis procession with Ratham and all the vahanas was a beautiful sight to watch. The wedding music brought the South Indian Temple festive mood to all the devotees.

Photos: Srini Sundarrajan

It was indeed an amazing and blessed day with lots of bright sunshine. After the completion of the procession and other rituals of dhwajaavarohanam, the utsava murthis were taken by the “Ratham” or chariot to the main temple for “oonjal seva” and final Aarthi. Everyone enjoyed the sumptuous lunch with the traditional wedding menu served by many volunteers. Chairman Narayanan thanked all the staff and volunteers for their hard work which made the occasion a memorable one.

MTS Youth Raise $6000+ for Harvey Relief BY AN MTS DEVOTEE

P

ing to note that some of the most significant contributions came from our youngest devotees such as Sandra (8 years) donating the last of her piggy bank. Adhi Gopal (vocal), Kishore Iyer (violin) and Naga Srinidhi (mridangam) presented a 2 hour traditional Carnatic Music concert. The honorable Chairman S. Narayanan, kicked off the event offering generous appreciation for the youth effort. Temple board member Arun Sundar received the collected funds on behalf of MTS. Senior residents in the Indo American community such as Dr. Appan and Anantha Aiyer attended the event along with dozens of other well-wishers. The event started off

with Adhi Gopal enthralling the audience with a series of specially chosen songs for the occasion, culminating in the lilting Brindavani Thillana composed by the legendary Dr. Balamuralikrishna. Following this was a violin recital by Kishore Iyer where he highlighted Sooryakantham Ragam, seeking blessings of the sun god. Naga Srinidhi kept the audience spell bound with masterly thani-avarthanam in Khanda Triputa thalam. The proud parents of all three artists were overjoyed by the camaraderie and thanked everyone for attending and contributing. Such events definitely point out the importance of inculcating the next generation with the true spirit of giving.

EARLAND: Barely 3 weeks after the devastating flooding in Houston, three musically talented high schoolers rallied together to raise funds on behalf of Sri Meenakshi temple. Their efforts paid off handsomely with the community spontaneously coming together in support of this initiative and donated over $6000. It is indeed hearten-

Navratri Celebrations at the Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple

HOUSTON: Navratri is a nine

nights (ten days) Hindu festival, celebrated in the autumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of India. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, the Durga Puja is synonymous with Navratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon to help restore Dharma. In the northern and western states, the festival is synonymous with “Rama Leela” and Dussehra that celebrates the battle and victory of god Rama over the demon king Ravana. In southern states, the victory of different goddesses, of Rama or Saraswati is celebrated. In all cases, the common theme is the battle and victory of Good over Evil based on a regionally famous epic or legend such as the Ramayana or the Devi Mahatmya. The Gauri Siddhivinayak temple

celebrated Ashwin Navaratri on Friday, September 29, which was attended by over 300 devotees. The navami pooja started around 3:30 pm, which was followed by havan, and aarti. Mahaprasad was served after aarti. Pandit Pradip Pandya wants to thank all devotees for their support and for attending the pooja. The temple is open daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and everyday aarti is performed at 6:30pm. The Gauri Siddhivinayak temple is a non-profit 501(C) 3 organization and all donations are tax deductible. Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple of Houston is located at 5645 HillcroftAve Suite: 701 Hous-

ton, TX 77036 For further information or to participate in pooja, sponsorship or for volunteering at the temple call Pandit Pradip Pandya at 832-466-9868. Website: www.siddhivinayakhouston.org, Email: siddhivinayakhouston@gmail.com

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


October 13, 2017

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

21


22 October 13, 2017

COMMUNITY

Governor Abbott Appoints Draksharam And McGill to State Commission on Judicial Conduct AUSTIN, TEXAS: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Sujeeth Draksharam and Darrick McGill to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for terms set to expire November 19, 2021. The commission regulates the conduct of the state judiciary, including the power to recommend for retirement, censure, suspension or removal of a judge from office. Sujeeth Draksharam of Sugar Land is the President of Sirrus Engineers, Inc. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association of State Floodplain Managers. Additionally, he volunteers with various community groups including the Harris County Street Olympics and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Draksharam received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Nagrajuna University in India and a Master of Science in civil engineering from the University of Houston. Darrick McGill of Georgetown is the regional vice president with

Presentations: They’re Not Just About the Words

BY SATHVIK GUJJA Sujeeth Draksharam

Primerica, Inc. He is chairman of the Georgetown Health Foundation and a board member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Rotatory Club of Georgetown and St. David’s Foundation. He served in the United States Army as an Apache attack helicopter pilot, having separated from active service as a Captain, and continues to serve as a Warrant Officer in the United States Army Reserve. McGill received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Science from the College of Financial Planning.

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HOUSTON: This past weekend,

on September 23, Guaranga Hall was filled with emotion. A speaker, with the knowledge extensive enough to share his wisdom with thousands and manifesting the desire to help our youth raise their levels of achievement and abilities as effective communicators, enacted his discourse. During the first of many YLDP sessions, Chuck Hinkle, a presentations coach, facilitator, trainer, and database developer for Shell, eloquently and lucidly demonstrated his knowledge and experience acquired over thirty years about how to effectively deliver presentations. Throughout Chuck Hinkle’s presentation, the advice he offered the crowd of both young and old students and parents, was nothing short of remarkable. One of the main focuses of his presentation addressed how some of the most diminutive details, such

as professional attire or transitions, can affect the entire presentation, positively or negatively. Annoying transitions or sound effects, such as the typewriter sound effect, can lead to audience members being irritated at the least, and exit the presentation entirely at most. When discussing what we learned from the presentation with my group afterwards, many of us asserted that along with a professional appearance, presenting with clear authority and a strong delivery builds credibility for the speaker, a statement I’m sure I, along with the rest of my group, will keep in mind for our future presentations to aid in our communicational development. Another aspect of his presentation that stuck out to my entire group was his insistence on incorporating visuals into his presentations as a substitution for words. We learned that simply reading off of bullet points is one of the worst mistakes a new presenter can make as the presentation does not offer any audience engagement and is

Chuck Hinkle

quite redundant, useful to know for our future use and proving Hinkle’s mastery of his craft. In Chuck Hinkle’s, well-articulated presentation,hemasterfullyaddressed the tips and tricks to deliver an effective presentation. It truly reflected the same presentation skills he shared to the audience as it was both enthralling and captivating as it offered clear, distinctive ways for anybody to become a better presenter.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


COMMUNITY

October 13, 2017

Diwali Mela 2017 in The Woodlands

Family Enjoys Fireworks at HTW Diwali Mela 2016.

HTW Diwali Mela Volunteers during the 2016 celebrations.

BY BETH KULKARNI

T

HE WOODLANDS: The Hindu Temple of The Woodlands (HTW) is very busy preparing for its annual Diwali Mela to be held on the temple grounds on Saturday, October 14, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Each year the Mela gets bigger and better, attracting many of the area’s non-Hindu residents who enjoy the food, the cultural performances, fireworks, and the fun! The planning committee has been meeting weekly for the last two to three months, creating new attractions for the enjoyment of all. One of the goals this year is to welcome to the festival at least 1000 neighbors and friends. Some will come as early as 11 a.m. Others will be most interested in the evening hours when there will be fireworks especially for the children, but which all will enjoy. Since Diwali is the Festival of Lights, there will be a Diya Wall with candles placed on the wall by anyone or any family who chooses to do so. By nightfall, there will be hundreds of lights flickering, creating a beautiful view. Photo opportunities will be available with regional Indian clothing available for those who wish to try out a new identity. Printed large format photos will be provided to take home. Cultural performances, a fashion show, and regional “street-food” will also be featured. Various all-Indian snacks and sweets, which fair-goers always appreciate, will be prepared on the spot. Those who are in a shopping mood will find traditional and contemporary Indian clothing and colorful jewelry, including hand-crafted items, some of which will be made by younger members of the temple community. Various service providers will also have booths and be able to consult with those who may need their services. Preparing for the Diwali Mela and participating in all the offered activities is a welcome change for the events of the past few weeks. The Hindus of The Woodlands Hindu Temple look forward to seeing their Hindu friends from throughout the Greater Houston area, as well as their other neighbors and friends, at the temple grounds to celebrate the “Festival of Lights”. The Hindu Temple of The Woodlands is located at 7601 S Forestgate Drive, just off Woodlands Parkway, in The Woodlands (Spring), TX 77382. Established in 2005 and inaugurated in 2011, it serves the religious, cultural, educational, and social needs of the surrounding community. It also provides services, such as six free yoga classes per week open also to non-Hindu neighbors; and donations of food, clothing, and other items to the less fortunate through local non-profit agencies. More information is on the temple’s website, www. woodlandshindutemple.org. INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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24 October 13, 2017

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


October 13, 2017

HAPPY

The first day of Deepawali is called

Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi. It is al also known as Dhan Theras. Dhan means “wealth” and Trayodashi means “13th day”. In popular practice it is an auspicious day for shopping of utensils and gold. What is Dhanteras It is the first day celebration of the five days long Diwali festival celebrations throughout the India as well as outside the country. The Dhanteras Puja Vidhi Step 1: Light Earthen Lamp For Lord Yama (Yama deepak) 1. Take a small wooden slab with small legs . 2. Make a swastik with roli on it. 3. Now put an earthen lamp on it and light the earthen lamp. 4. Now take a cowry shell with hole and put it into earthen lamp. 5. Shower water (Gangajal or pure water) around lamp 3 times. 6. Put tilak of roli on lamp. Then put raw whole rice on tilak.

DHANTERAS

meaning of Dhanteras is puja of wealth at 13th day (in the Krishna paksha, dark fortnight) of the month of Ashvin according to the Hindu lunar calendar. Goddess Lakshmi puja is held at this day and there is a custom of purchasing precious things and bring it at home in the myth of Lakshmi came at home. It brings home a lot of destiny and prosperity. How Dhanteras is celebrated At this great occasion people generally repair their home, white washing, thorough cleaning, decorate house interiorly and exteriorly, make Rangolis, light clay diyas and many more traditions to follow.

They s t i c k readymade footprints of the Goddess Lakshmi to come wealth and prosperity to their home. After sunset, people offer puja to the Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh to prosperity, wisdom and well being by offering rose or marigold garland, sweets, ghee diyas, dhoop deep, agarbatti, camphor and etc. People chant mantras, bhakti songs and arti for Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh. People wear new clothes and jewellery and play the game of gambling.

Legends and stories of Dhanteras The legend behind celebrating the Dhanteras is the story of 16 years old son of the King Hima. He was forecasted his death by the snake biting at the 4th day of his marriage. His wife was very clever and searched the way to save the life of her husband. She had not allowed his husband to sleep on that special day. She had collected lots of her own ornaments and coins of gold and silver and made a heap at the doorway of his bed room and lit lamps everywhere in the room. She recited the stories in order to keep her husband awaken. The god of Death, Yama had arrived there in the form of Serpent.

7. Offer some sugar to it. (Just put some sugar in the lamp). 8. Put 1 rupee coin in it. 9. Now offer some flowers to lamp. 10. Do pranam to earthen lamp. 11. Offer tilak to family members. 12. Now place this lamp outside main gate of your house. Place it on right side of door. It’s flame must face towards south direction.

at your home. 2. Sit in your puja room. 3. Recite Dhanwantari Mantra at least 108 times. Dhanwantari mantra is : “Om Dhan Dhanvantaraye Namah”. 4. Say after the end of recitation, “O Lord Dhanwantari! I offer this recitation in your lotus feet. Please give us good health.”

1. Ganesh Panchopchar puja : First do puja of Ganesh ji. • Show earthen lamp to him. • Offer dhoop to him. • Offer scent to Lord Ganesha. • Offer flowers in his lotus feet. • Offer sweets (naivedya) to Lord Ganesh. 2. Lakshmi Panchopchar Puja : Do panchopchar puja of Goddess Lakshmi same as you did of Lord Ganesh. -ekunji.com

Dhanteras Puja Vidhi Step 2: How to Do Dhanwantari Puja 1. After lighting earthen lamp for Lord Yama do dhanwantari puja

25

Dhanteras Puja Vidhi Step 3: How to Do Ganesh Lakshmi Puja on Dhanteras 1. After Dhanwantari puja you must do panchopchar puja of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi.

Suddenly his eyes were started dazzling because of the lighting lamps and jewellery. He was unable to enter the room that’s why he tried to go through the climbing over the heap of coins. But after listening the song of prince’s wife he sat down there for whole night. And slowly it became morning and he went away without taking her husband. In this way she had saved the life of her husband, from then the day was started celebrating as Dhanteras. -indiacelebrating.com

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


26 October 13, 2017

MADRAS N PAVILIO T & DAAWA CATERING

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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


HAPPY KALI CHAUDAS

October 13, 2017

27

COMMUNITY T

he fourteenth day of the dark half of the month of Aso is called Kali Chaudas also known as Narak chaturdashi. There is a very interesting tale associated with this day. Narakaasura was a demon king ruling over Praagjyotishapura (the present day Assam). By virtue of his powers and boons secured from God, he became all conquering. Power made him big headed and he became a menace to the good and the holy men. He considered women as only an instrument of fulfilling his desires and had 16,000 ladies in captivity. The Gods headed by Davendra implored Sri Krishna to come to their rescue. Sri Krishna came from Dwarka and destroyed the huge army, which opposed him and finally beheaded Narakaasura himself. The population was freed from the oppressive tyranny and all heaved a sigh of relief. The 16,000 women kept in captivity by the demon king were freed. With a view to removing any stigma on them and according them social dignity, Sri Krishna gave all of them the status of his wives. The people

lighted Deepaks on this dark night and made it a bright, cheerful and joyous night by wearing bright and new clothes. Many people worship Goddess Maha Kali on this day. Maha Kali is a very powerful energy and is worshipped with a view that its use is made for the welfare of the general populace and for godly actions. In short this day is celebrated so that all the evil elements are removed and the good elements take their place in our lives Kali Chaudous is also attached to the legend of Lord Hanuman. Hanumanji as a baby was very hungry. Whilst lying down he saw the sun in the sky and thought it was a fruit and went to pick it. He flew into the sky and put the whole sun in his mouth causing darkness throughout the entire universe. Lord Indra requested that Hanumanji return the sun. When Hanumanji refused, Lord Indra unleashed his vajra and knocked Hanumanji down to earth releasing the Sun. On this day we offer poojan to Hanumanji as our Kuldev to protect us from Evil. The poojan is performed with oil, flowers, chandan and sindur. Coconuts

are also offered to Hanumanji and prashad of Sesame seed, ladoos and rice with ghee and sugar. The rituals of Kali Choudas is strongly suggestive of the origin of Deepavaali as an harvest festival is performed. On this day delicacies are prepared from pounded semi-cooked rice (called Poha or Pova). This rice is taken from the fresh harvest available at that time. This custom is prevalent both in rural and urban areas especially in Western India. On this day, a head wash and application of kajal in the eyes is believed to keep away the kali nazar (evil eye). Some say that those who are into tantra, learn their ‘mantras’ on this day. Alternatively, people offer Nived (food) to the goddess that is local to where they are originally from. This goddess is called their ‘Kul Devi’, in order to cast off evil spirits. Some families also offer food to their forefathers on this day. This reverence is called “Kali Chaudas or Kal Chaturdasi”. -jansarisevak.org & diwalifestival.org

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


28 October 13, 2017

IMMIGRATION

New Machine Readable PIO-OCI Cards Required WASHINGTON, DC: In a Sep-

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tember 28 press release, the Embassy of India has reported that Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders must obtain machine readable Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cards, in lieu of the existing hand-written PIO cards. The PIO Card is a form of identification that came into effect on September 15, 2002 and was issued to a Person of Indian Origin who held a passport in a country other than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. On January 9, 2015, the PIO scheme was withdrawn by the Government of India and was merged with the OCI card scheme. The OCI is a scheme that was introduced in response to demands for dual citizenship by the Indian diaspora, particularly in developed countries. It was introduced by The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005 in August 2005. It was launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention at Hyderabad in 2006. The Constitution of India prevents Indians holding dual citizenship and the OCI is not actual citizenship of India according to India, and other countries, though notably the Gov-

ernment of the United Kingdom argues differently. To apply for and utilize an OCI document, a holder must be a citizen of and hold a passport of another country, except that of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The International Civil Aviation Organization has informed the Government of India’s Ministry of External Affairs that it will accept only machine-readable travel documents from October 2018 onwards. Accordingly, the existing PIO cards, which are hand-written, will become invalid travel documents, unless the PIO card holders obtain machine-

readable OCI cards in lieu of their existing PIO cards before October 2018. In its notification dated January 1, 2015, the MEA had specified that existing PIO card holders, as of January 1, 2015, shall be deemed to be OCI card holders. Furthermore, applications for OCI cards in lieu of PIO cards may be made on a voluntary and gratis basis for the initial three months. Since then, this validity has been extended several times and presently such conversion, on gratis basis, is valid up to December 31, 2017.

Illegal Indian Immigrants in US: Many Overstayed their Tourist or Student Visas or are from Broken Marriages BY ZAHIR JANMOHAMED

C

hirayu Patel was filling out university applications when he found out that he was living illegally in the US. It made little sense to him — he remembers legally migrating from Ahmedabad to Chicago at the age of 11 when his father was granted a US work visa in 1994. However, when Patel applied to the universities, he needed a nine-digit social security number, a federal identification given only to US citizens and permanent residents. Without that number, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a

university scholarship or proper authorisation to work on campus. When Patel asked why he did not have such a number, his father confessed that they had overstayed their visa and were now living without any legal status in the US. “It felt like a wall. I did not know if I was going to make it,” Patel told ET Magazine. “For Indian parents, college is everything and to not attend would have crushed their hopes.” He decided to seek assistance from lawyers and eventually he obtained admission to the University of Illinois. Today Patel — and millions of others like him — face possible deportation because last month President Donald Trump ended the amnesty programme called DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) that allows Patel to remain in the US. “I am worried,” Patel said. “I haven’t been back to Ahmedabad since I left (in 1994). My Gujarati has gotten poor and I do not know what I would do there for work.” The Anti-immigrant Attitude Patel is not alone. There are over 11 million people in the US who have either entered the US illegally, overstayed their visas, or are waiting for their US immigration papers to arrive. Indians represent the fastest growing group of illegal residents from Asia in America today. Trump refers to these residents as “illegal”, a term considered by immigration

rights activists to be reductive and offensive as it implies that the individual — as opposed to the actions the person has taken — is unlawful. Patel prefers the term “undocumented”. The problem of anti-immigrant sentiment has spiraled out of control as of late. During last year’s US presidential elections, Trump frequently targeted immigrants, even making fun of the way Indians speak at call centers. As a result, hate crimes against immigrants and non-white Americans have skyrocketed. At the moment, about half of undocumented residents in the US are from Mexico but the fastest growing segment of undocumented Americans are those from Asia and from India in particular. According to CNN, there are 1.45 million undocumented Asians in the US. The Pew Research Center, which tracks this data, reports that there were 5,00,000 unauthorised immigrants from India living in the US in 2014, up from 3,50,000 in 2009 — a 43% increase. However, the Migration Policy Institute, a NGO based in Washington DC, estimates that the number of undocumented Indians in the US might be much lower, at around 2,67,000. -timesofindia.com

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


HEALTH/WORD SEARCH

October 13, 2017

29

Are You Taking Your Supplements All Wrong? What you should (and shouldn’t) be doing BY PRIYANKA GUPTA, ND

Popping all your supplements right before

bed sounds like a good idea, right? Here’s why it might not be. You take care in choosing the right supplements. But are you taking them at the right time—and with the right foods or other supplements? Toying with your supplement timing and learning how to play matchmaker could help you get a whole lot more out of these health helpers. At least, we hope you do. If you’re still hella confused about which supplements you absolutely need to take, check out our ultimate guide to supplements. Multivitamins Multis contain an array of vital nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Vitamins contained in your daily multi can be fat soluble (like vitamins D and E) or water soluble (like the B-complex vitamins and vitamin C). Fat-soluble vitamins are dissolved in fat, then delivered by your bloodstream. Excess vitamins are stored in your liver for future use. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and aren’t stored by your body. They have to be replenished every day. What to do Pop your multi within 30 minutes of a meal to help aid digestion and boost the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. What not to do Don’t take your multi too close to bedtime. Vitamins B12 and C, found in most multivitamins, can have stimulating, sleepdisrupting effects. Vitamin D Direct sun is one source of vitamin D; however, it’s easier for those with paler skin to produce vitamin D. A fair-skinned person can produce an adequate amount of vitamin D in 15 minutes of sunshine exposure, whereas a darkskinned person could take up to two hours—and that’s without sunscreen. Studies have shown that vitamin D3 decreases mortality. And, according to one study, vitamin D3 is about 87 percent more effective in raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations than vitamin D2. A recent study verified that vitamin D3 is more effective than vitamin D2 at maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D over the winter. What to do Although vitamin D can be taken with food or on an empty stomach, taking it with dinner rather than breakfast may increase your absorption. Take vitamin D in the form you prefer: capsule, tablet, drops or liquid. Calcium Calcium supplements have long been synonymous with bone health. They’re also important for strong muscles and a healthy heart. A low intake of calcium and vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis in both women and men. Another group that may be deficient in calcium is nine- to 18-year-old girls. What to do Spread out calcium intake, as the body can’t

absorb a large amount all at once. Take no more than 500 mg at a time. What not to do Don’t take calcium with any other mineral supplements or with a multivitamin. If you’re on any medication, consult your health care practitioner before taking calcium; many medications compete with calcium for absorption. Magnesium One of the most underrated minerals responsible for numerous cellular functions is—you guessed it—magnesium. Magnesium is required for vitamin D absorption, heartbeat and blood sugar regulation and healthy nerve and muscle functioning. Since intestinal absorption tends to decrease with age, magnesium is essential for older adults. Magnesium supplements that can be applied to the skin are an option for people who find oral magnesium supplements irritate their intestinal lining. Leg cramps often experienced by pregnant women or at nighttime can respond well to topical magnesium gel as well. Otherwise, choose from capsules, chewable tablets, sprays, liquids and oils. What to do Take magnesium with food and apart from other minerals. Probiotics Probiotics are all the rage because of their beneficial effects on the digestive and immune systems. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria are two popular strains of probiotic bacteria, but note that certain conditions respond better to certain probiotics. To help ensure probiotics survive stomach acid for delivery to the intestines, researchers have developed a coating that is both heat and acid stable. A benefit of liquid probiotics is that liquids distribute healthy bacteria all along the digestive tract. However, most liquid preparations require refrigeration; otherwise, the supplement will lose its potency. What to do Take probiotics with a meal containing healthy fats, or 30 minutes before the meal, for best absorption. Iron If you suspect you’re anemic, confirm you have an iron deficiency via a blood test by your health care practitioner. A blood test can determine the true level of iron in your blood and whether you need an iron supplement. Professional guidance is important, as excess iron intake can be harmful. Tablets and liquid are two go-to types of iron supplements. What to do Take iron with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, as vitamin C helps the body absorb iron in the gut and regulates iron uptake and metabolism. Take iron with food to reduce the risk of an upset stomach. What not to do Don’t take calcium supplements at the same time as iron supplements or iron-rich foods; calcium can decrease iron absorption. -Alive.com

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32 October 13, 2017

PUZZLES / RECIPES

SUDOKU

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes Upma (Spicy Sauteed Semolina)

Place a Number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Send us the correct answer before October 18, 2017. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036. Send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published (for first three entrees only & 1 submission per month).

Solution Next Week

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L��� W���’� SUDOKU W������ 1) Dharesh Batavia 2) Arpit Patole 3) Kirti Agrawal

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ith the passage of time, some South Indian dishes have become immensely popular in North India and among Punjabis to the point that they have become commonplace in many homes. Among the most popular are dosas (stuffed, rolled rice waffles), idlis (steamed rice flour buns) served with sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew) and upma (spicy sautéed semolina). Many Punjabi households know how to make these southern dishes and most eat them on weekends as a special breakfast or lunch treat. There are countless dosa shops in New Delhi and many other cities and towns all over the northwest part of the country. And upma has become a popular breakfast item due to its simplicity, quick cooking time and spicy taste. Upma is a thick porridge-like dish most common in South Indian, Maharashtran and Sri Lankan Tamil breakfast made of coarse sooji (semolina) to which various vegetables, seasonings and spices are added. In the South, it is called uppindi, uppumavu or uppittu from the words uppu meaning salt and pindi, mavu or hittu meaning flour, but in the North it is simply upma. Sooji upma, also called rava upma in Karnataka, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, is high in carbohydrates, potassium and sodium. Upma can also be made of coarse whole wheat (very popular in Tamil Nadu and in Coimbatore), coarse rice flour (popular in Tamil Nadu and southern parts of Karnataka). corn flour or even vermicelli which is served as a light evening snack.

Ingredients: • 1 cup sooji (semolina) – medium coarse • 2 or 3 cups pani (water) • 3 tbsp tael (olive oil or vegetable oil) • 1 small pyaaz (onion) – chopped • Green Seasonings: karri patta (curry leaves); hari mirch (green chillies); adrak (ginger) • Seasonings 1 tsp each: channa dal; urad dal; sarson til (mustard seeds) • Spices to taste: haldi (turmeric), dhania (chopped coriander leaves), lal mirch (red pepper), namak (salt)

3. Heat the oil in the same kadai or wok over medium heat. 4. Add in all the green seasonings and onions and stir till they are brown and the onions caramelized. 5.Add ½ cup of water and throw in the remaining seasonings and the spices. Stir the mixture and let it come to a boil for 1 minute. 6. Now add in the roasted sooji, and stir over medium heat. 7. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and cover the kadai to let the sooji fluff up and the seasonings and spices seep in. 8. Before serving, sprinkle with the dhania and squeeze some lemon juice over the top of the dish. 9. Serve hot with some pickles or dahin (yogurt). When it cools down, the sooji will swell up and can be thinned down by reheating and adding some warm water. 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 in 1947. 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 Punjabi recipes.

Directions: 1. Heat the sooji in a kadai or wok and roast till it is lightly brown. Do not add oil. Take out and place to the side. 2. Finely chop the onions and the green seasonings.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WE

EK CLEAN CALCIUM DEPOSITS IN CO FFEE PERCOLATOR W ITH WHITE VINE GAR If you love coffee an d prefer

to use a percolator, a while there is a wh you probably know ite that after and also on the botto film that starts to coat the inside of the m of the glass kettle . This usually leads water chamber the coffee to be ma de as the calcium co to longer times for nstri bottom of the glass jar so it doesn’t keep cts the water flow and insulates the the This white film is the co calcium and magn ffee as warm. it has been heated and is very common esium deposits from the water after where the water is pour one full glass hard. To remove it, of co Collect the spent vin mmon white vinegar into the perco lator egar in the bowl aft use it to repeat the er it has run through and turn it on. step the system, and the bottom of the bo another two times. The calcium de posit wl through the percolat and can be drained off. Later, run a cle s will settle to or three times to ge an bowl of water t rid of the vinegar taste.

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October 13, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS ENTERTAINMENT:REVIEWS/NEWS

Chef: Chef Works on Your Hunger For Emotion

Roshan Kalra(Saif) is a three-

star Michelin chef who gets fired from NewYork’s restaurant after he punches a customer. Forced to take a break, he flies to Kochi to spend time with his son, Armaan (Svar) and his estranged wife Radha Menon (Padmapriya). It’s a fruitful trip because he manages to mend broken family ties. In a bid to help him get his mojo back, his wife suggests he put up his own food truck and begin afresh. Taking inspiration from Hollywood’s delectable film of the same name made by Jon Favreau in 2014, director Raja Krishna Menon gives us a slice-of-life film that satiates the palette and tugs at your heartstrings. Chef works

on two levels. First, it takes you on a gastronomical adventure; one in which the protagonist’s culinary skills will have you reaching out for your apron, knives and heading to the kitchen in a bid to try making some of the finger-licking food shown on screen. But most importantly, the film is an emotional journey that ties up all the loose ends between fathers and sons, whose ideologies may differ but who still share a deep bond that is impossible to shake off. This is handled so deftly; it leaves you teary-eyed on occasion. Chef also throws up the merits of coparenting, which is a constant state in today’s urban society. Leading the performances is Saif Ali Khan. The actor is in bril-

liant form, both as the hot-headed ‘menopausal’ man and later as the caring father/husband who is keen to cement ties. Padmapriya is like luscious chocolate who leaves you with a craving. Sobhita Dhulipala (Vinnie), who shows up briefly as Roshan’s co-worker and friend is good. The film takes you on a fun-filled road trip with food and family as the focus. There are few dramatic confrontations but Ritesh Shah’s dialogues are smart and witty. The pace though is a bit slow; the feeling is similar to the one where you are sitting famished at the lunch table and the order arrives after a part of your hunger has dissipated. Well, though, Chef is predictable in parts, the journey is an enjoyable one. -timesofindia

Hrithik Roshan Breaks his Silence on the Infamous Spat with Kangana Ranaut

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he infamous spat between forlorn alleged lovers Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut sees no end. The controversy that stirred infinite debates and became the topic of discussion for every industry insider saw a remark from the horse’s mouth itself. Hrithik Roshan took to his Facebook page and poured his heart out. The actor shared that he has never met the “lady in question one on one” (Kangana) and also asserted on the fact that an alleged 7-year

long, passionate affair between two high profile celebrities had no trail left behind. “No evidence, no paparazzi pictures, no witnesses, not even a memento,” he wrote. Here’s what he wrote: “I choose to be on a path of creativity, productivity and constructive work. Anything that isn’t in alignment with that, I tend to ignore, sidestep and treat as a distraction. I believe that ignorance, non reaction and staying on the path of dignity is the best way to discourage any persistent unwanted intrusions.

But Just like a nagging health issue sometimes ignored can turn malignant, this situation for me has unfortunately turned malignant. In case of the matter at hand, it seems the media has no intention of letting go. I don’t see any grace in adding to this circus by testifying in defence of my character in a situation that I have no involvement in whatsoever. I have been dragged into a dirty perverse mess without a choice in the matter. This is something that is not of my making. -timesofindia.com

Happy Birthday

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

Hema Malini

October 16, 1948

Sunny Deol

October 19, 1956


34 October 13, 2017 Behrendorff Helps Australia End Losing Streak vs. India

SPORTS

India Loses a Heartbeak to Colombia in U-17 WC

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BYSIDHARTH MONGA

G

UWAHATI: (ESPN Cricinfo): Australia 122 for 2 (Henriques 62*, Head 47*) beat India 118 (Jadhav 27, Behrendroff 4-21, Zampa 2-19) by 8 wickets Like governments, Jason Behrendorff lured India with freebies up front before taxing them with four top-order wickets, a spell of play India never recovered from. Adam Zampa, who has not had the best of times on this trip, had his own back with two big middle-overs wickets to make sure Australia finally snapped their seven-match losing streak in T20Is against India. On a tacky pitch, with spin, seam and early swing on offer, India’s batting seemed to fail to reassess what a good total was and fell 22 short of the 140-mark that might well have made for a tight chase. The way the match started, though, you might have thought of a score much higher than 140. The first ball was a gentle full toss that Rohit Sharma caressed to the point boundary; the third was a long half-volley that was crashed straight of mid-off. Then came the swing against the angle from left-arm over. Like Mohammad Amir has done previously, Behrendorff trapped Rohit in front with the fourth ball. The late swing two balls later was slightly less perfect, but the inside edge lobbed off Virat Kohli’s pad for a return catch. Behrendorff had knocked over two of the most destructive limited-overs batsmen in the world in his first over. David Warner chose to bowl out Behrendorff, who has the best average and third-best strike rate in all T20 Powerplays since 2014. Behrendorff responded with the wickets of Manish Pandey and Shikhar Dhawan inside the Powerplay. With the threat of swing, Pandey fell poking at one, while Dhawan was victim of a sensational catch by Warner running back from mid-off. At 27 for 4, India were forced into rebuild mode, which has of late been the perfect situation for MS Dhoni. Kedar Jadhav kept playing the odd shot while Dhoni seemed to settle into a typical innings in such situations. But against the legspin of Zampa, Dhoni began to play uncharacteristi-

Jason Behrendorff’s opening burst was sensational, India v Australia, 2nd T20I, Guwahati, October 10, 2017

cally. Usually, Dhoni prefers to make sure he bats through the overs when India are in strife, but here, he started to look for the big hits as early as the 10th over. A full toss was put away, a wide earned as Dhoni mocked a charge down the pitch, but in the same over he was stumped as the ball kicked away after falling short of his reach. A couple of overs later, Jadhav failed to pick a wrong’un when looking for a boundary over extra cover, making for an ungainly sight as he was bowled. These wickets came at an unfortunate time for India because the dew made an appearance soon, but India didn’t have the muscle to make use of it as there was hardly any ac-

celeration in an innings with little deviation off the six-runs-an-over mark. The value of those extra 20 runs became apparent as soon as Australia began the chase. The ball continued to misbehave for the quicks: both Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah found seam movement and inconsistent bounce, which resulted in the early wickets of big guns Warner and Aaron Finch. The asking rate, though, didn’t climb, and Australia could afford to play a couple of calm overs. Australia chose a calm head to do so, promoting Moises Henriques to No. 3, a role Warner used him in at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL too. Henriques and Travis Head took their time be-

fore opening up against the spinners, who struggled with the slippery ball. Kuldeep Yadav, in particular, dished up a few long hops, which provided Australia with enough momentum in a small chase. Once the shots started coming off, the rest of the match was played in near silence as the capacity crowd on Barsapara Stadium’s international debut agonised over India’s defeat. A measure of the crowd’s enthusiasm was seen in how even Dhoni failed to appeal for a faint nick lost to all barring Kohli in the loud stadium. The ground, though, had its task cut out with a lot of rain leading into the game, which might have resulted in the damp pitch.

Dilruwan’s Five-for Seals Memorable Series Sweep A D : Sri Lanka 482 (Kar- dards. Though Sarfraz Ahmed and had mounted. BU

HABI

unaratne 196, Yasir 6-184) and 96 (Wahab 4-41, Haris 3-1) beat Pakistan 262 (Azhar 59, Haris 56, Dilruwan 3-72, Herath 3-84) and 248 (Shafiq 112, Dilruwan 5-98) by 68 runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Like waves breaking upon a cliff, Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept coming at Pakistan, until eventually, the hosts fractured and tumbled into the sea. So tantalisingly had the match been poised overnight, perhaps the ending was even a little anticlimactic. Sri Lanka’s margin of victory was 68 runs - a comfortable win by most stan-

Asad Shafiq had begun confidently, the visitors needed only 5.5 overs to break that partnership, and about 90 minutes in all to wipe out the lower half of the Pakistan innings. The series had been swept, completely unexpectedly, 2-0. Dilruwan Perera was Sri Lanka’s primary bowling figure on day five, as he had been throughout the innings, claiming two further wickets to complete a fourth career five-wicket haul. He also took that vital wicket of Sarfraz to break the mighty resistance Pakistan’s sixth-wicket partnership

Pakistan, meanwhile, have had a disappointing start to life post Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan. Sarfraz and Shafiq needed to see out seven overs before the second new ball became available, but Sarfraz’s wicket exposed the tail prematurely. That Shafiq progressed to an outstanding 11th Test hundred was almost forgotten in the final wash-up. He finished on 112 off 176 balls. The partnership with Sarfraz was worth 173. For the first time, Pakistan have lost a Test series since moving base to the UAE.

EW DELHI: A bright India provided hope for a brighter future but their dream ended in a heartbreak following a 1-2 defeat to Colombia in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, leaving the many heads totting the stands teary-eyed. When defensive midfielder Jeakson Thounaojam neutralized Colombia’s lead by scoring the country’s first-ever World Cup goal in the 82nd minute, India were moments away from securing their maiden draw in only the second attempt. But that was not to be as Juan Penaloza (83rd) scored his second of the night on the counter to leave the home players, as well as the crowd, crestfallen. Nonetheless, a charged up India produced one of their finest performances before going down in front of disappointed but proud group of spectators, who witnessed a historic first ever FIFA World Cup goal. India scored when Jeakson, the tallest player in the side, headed in a Sanjeev Stalin corner, sending the whole stadium into a state of delirium. The move to make four changes by coach Luis Norton de Matos proved to be a wise one as the taller Indian players ensured they were equal to the task, when it came to the aerial battle against the well-built Colombians. It was a very different India that turned up after the 0-3 loss to USA three nights ago. They were on the ball from the word go and even though the Colombians had more of possession, India very much managed to make their presence felt. There was heightened activity in the Colombian box, with Ninthoinganba Meetei initiating surging runs down the right flank, each steps raising hopes for the improbable. India’s hopes went up in smoke after coming agonizingly close to scoring their first ever World Cup goal.

INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM


October 13, 2017

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Sale of Chinese Goods to Decline 40% This Diwali

Saudi Aramco to Invest in World’s Largest Refinery in Maharashtra

EW DELHI -- State-owned energy firm Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Saudi Aramco) is exploring opportunities for investments and joint ventures in India, including in the 60 million tonne oil refinery that Indian staterun firms are setting up, president and chief executive officer Amin Nasser said. Nasser’s confirmation of intent to invest in India’s energy sector comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting of global energy industry executives earlier in the day in which oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar, and other senior officials were present. Nasser said at a conference in New Delhi that Saudi Aramco would hold discussions with Indian businesses for partnerships as demand for fuel was robust in India and its petrochemicals industry was booming. “India has all the signs of a prosperous economy. I

am very optimistic about our investments in India because India is a very important market. Investing in India is a priority, not a choice any more,” said Nasser. Later, at the sidelines of the conference, Nasser said Saudi Aramco’s investment interest included the 60 million tonnes oil refinery that Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd are setting up in Maharashtra, expected to be the world’s largest. The three Indian state-run firms already have signed an agreement to create a company that will execute the $35-40 billion project. Saudi Aramco’s commitment to invest in India’s energy sector comes in the wake of the complete removal of subsidy and administered pricing of auto fuel since October 2014, a reform accomplished with the help of prevailing subdued oil prices. Oil minister Pradhan, who was also

M

Saudi Aramco is exploring opportunities for investments and joint ventures in India, including in the 60 million tonne oil refinery in Maharashtra, president and chief executive officer Amin Nasser said.

present at the conference, later said that India’s engagement with global energy companies has evolved from one of buyer-seller relationship to a strategic relationship over the last few years. “Saudi Aramco has categorically spelt out its intention to invest in India. It will help in job creation and in improving energy access,” said Pradhan.

An official statement issued after the prime minister’s meeting with industry executives said that Modi emphasized India’s need to develop energy infrastructure. Modi said India’s efforts to be a cleaner, fuel-efficient economy has to benefit the poorest in the country as well, said the statement. -- Live Mint

Tata Group to Consider Buying Air India: CEO N. Chandrasekaran M : Tata Sons Ltd execu- with then aviation minister, Ratan UMBAI

tive chairman N. Chandrasekaran has said the group will look at Air India Ltd disinvestment being executed by the government currently. The group, however, needs more details from the government on the process, Chandrasekaran told CNBC-TV18 in an interview, excerpts of which were released on Monday morning. He said the group can’t remain with a fleet of just over a dozen planes, referring to their new startup Vistara in alliance with Singapore Airlines. This is the first formal statement by the Tata Group on Air India. Mint reported on 21 June that the group has sought details of the Air India disinvestment in meetings with government officials. In 2000, the Tata group and Singapore Airlines had expressed their interest in acquiring up to 40% of Air India. In 2013, after a meeting

Tata had said the Tata group would be interested in buying a stake in Air India if the government were to privatize the airline. Air India was launched in 1932 by J.R.D. Tata as Tata Airlines. Its name was changed to the current one in 1946. The government decided to take it over in 1953. In a related development, Tata Teleservices, the telecom arm of Tata Group, is planning to cease operations after mounting losses. Fate of around 5,000 employees presently engaged with the company hangs in the balance if the salt-tosoftware conglomerate decides to pull out of the telecom business. This will also be the first major unit under Tata Sons to shut shop in the group’s 149-year history. With things turning for the worse, reports state that Tata Teleservices is readying exit plans for its staff members. The company employs a staff of 5,101 as on March 31, 2017,

35

In 2000, the Tata group and Singapore Airlines had expressed their interest in acquiring up to 40% of Air India. Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint

according to its latest annual report. The employees are to be offered notice periods of six to three months, and severance packages for those who wish to leave earlier, said a report by The Economic Times. A voluntary retirement scheme will be rolled out in a few months for senior members of staff above a certain age limit. Only a small percentage of employees will be absorbed in other

companies of the Tata Group. “The Tata Group has always taken care of its people, but very few will get absorbed in other group companies. It is unfair to saddle other Tata companies with employees of TTSL,” an anonymous senior official was quoted by the ET. -- Live Mint

ANAGALURU: Be it decorative items like lights, gift items, lamps and wall hangings or other products, the sale of Chinese goods may decline by 40-45 per cent this Diwali as compared to last year, according to a survey by Assocham-Social Development Foundation (ASDF). The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India survey said, there seems to be a decline of about 40-45 per cent in consumption of Chinese products on this Diwali in comparison to last year. Chinese products had recorded a 30 per cent decline in sales last year on Diwali. Some of the Chinese items that are most bought on Diwali are: fancy lights, lampshades, Ganesha and Laxmi idols, rangolis and crackers etc. As per the findings, this Diwali, people are preferring Indian products over Chinese goods.+ There has been a 40-45 per cent impact on goods like decorative lights, which record huge sales during Diwali, whereas a slight impact has also been seen on China-made electronic goods like mobile phones, etc. As per the paper, the demand of electronic items like LCDs, mobile phones and others items ‘made in China’ has also declined by 15-20 per cent, said D S Rawat, the Secretary General of ASSOCHAM, while releasing the ASSOCHAM paper. According to shopkeepers, most of the customers are demanding Indian lights. People are not interested in purchasing Chinese products while showing interest in local products, including earthen diyas.

Some of the Chinese items that are most bought on Diwali are: fancy lights, lampshades, Ganesha and Laxmi idols, rangolis and crackers.

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Wrap-3


October 13, 2017

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