Friday, November 24, 2017 | Vol. 36, No. 46
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Indo American News
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Neha Kakkar live in concert November 17, 2017 at Arena Theatre.
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November 24, 2017
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COMMUNITY
November 24, 2017
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“Do Your Bit” Youth Group Leads Thanksgiving Lunch for Disabled BY PRAMOD KULKARNI
H
OUSTON: Thanksgiving is a time for us to be grateful for all the blessings that we have in life. Indo-Americans found a welcoming home, when they immigrated to American several years and decades ago. At Thanksgiving, many Indo-Americans participate with charitable organizations to help the disabled and other challenged groups to celebrate a holiday meal. On Friday, Nov. 17, the IndoAmerican community in Houston, led by second-generation IndoAmerican youth Rahul and Varun Agarwal, celebrated Thanksgiving with people with disabilities and thanked them for their openness and warmth at the Volunteers of America center in northwest Houston. “Seeing the leadership of youth like Rahul and Varun, I am assured of America’s bright future. Nothing can be better than it” said Kevin Roberts, Texas State Representative from Houston and now a U.S. Congressional candidate in 2018. “Indo American community of Greater Houston is very progressive and they know how to give back to the community. Giving is an
Rahul and Varun Agarwal (in yellow “Do Your Bit” shirts) serve a Thanksgiving meal to the disabled at the Volunteers of America center along with representatives of Indo-American and other charitable organizations.
Jiten Agarwal (left) and his sons Rahul and Varun Agarwal (far right) with CG Ray and Texas Rep. Kevin Parker.
essence of being an Indian. Young generation is setting examples for generations to come on how to be innovative, how to be compassionate and how to be so giving to the community,” said India’s Consul General in Houston, Dr. Anupam Ray. Many people with disabilities got very emotional, hugged and thanked members of Indo-American community for such a nice gesture. Lunch was sponsored by “Do Your Bit” foundation founded by Rahul and Varun Agarwal and hosted by Volunteers of America. Everyone enjoyed generous servings of traditional turkey, stuffing, green beans and pumpkin pie. There was also Indian staples of chole and bhature. Representatives from several Indo American organizations like Meenakshi Temple, Sewa International, India House, Indian Muslim League, BAPS, Gurudwara served lunch and thanked everyone. Prominent Indo American community leaders, Family-to-Family network, and Indian Consular staff. Lunch guests thanked their Indian hosts and everyone joined in prayer for Thanksgiving blessings.
Miss World 2017: Manushi Chhillar Showered with Praises for Her Win On Saturday, the entire nation waited with anticipation as the finals for the Miss World 2017 pageant took place. All hope was placed on the shoulders of 20-year-old Manushi Chhillar from India. And after seventeen years, the Indian girl managed to break India’s dry spell as she won the coveted Miss World 2017 pageant. Manushi competed against 108 contestants from various countries and left behind Miss Mexico Andrea Meza (first runner-up) and Miss England Stephanie Hill (second runner-up) to be declared as
Miss World at an event held at Sanya City Area, China. When Manushi was asked about her win, she said, “The feeling is still sinking in and very excited to make India proud
too. I’m also looking forward to the year ahead. My parents have always been my pillar of support and having them here tonight by my side has only brought me more strength and joy. My final answer also came to
Manushi Chillar
me by having them here with me in front of me.” Needless to say, people were ecstatic and took to
social media platforms to shower their praises on Manushi. Even Bollywood celebs and renowned personalities took to Twitter to congratulate her. PM Narendra Modi also congratulated Manushi Chhillar on winning the Miss World 2017 title. Even Ashok Tanwar, Priyanka Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan, Celina Jaitly, Virendra Sehwag and many more celebrities congratulated her.Well, Manushi has certainly made the entire nation proud. We’re super excited to see what awaits her, aren’t you? -misskyra.com
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November 24, 2017
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November 24, 2017 5 COMMUNITY Kakkar Trio Brings the House Down with Their Power-packed Performance in Houston! BY VANSHIKA VIPIN VARMA
HOUSTON: What is expected
when the reigning queen of playback singing in Bollywood is accompanied by her super-talented siblings on stage? Nothing less than a power-packed, sensational and unforgettable evening, filled with some foot-tapping and mesmerizing music. This is precisely what happened on Friday, November 17, at the Arena Theatre, when Neha Kakkar was flanked by Tony and Sonu Kakkar. Neha’s effervescent avatar and high-octane voice, is known to compliment the way she packs in a punch with each song. And that was quite enough. Enough to floor Houstonians with a performance that will be cherished for times to come. The scintillating Neha Kakkar live in concert was brought to Houston by Bollywood Shows 4 U & Radio Dabang 105.3 FM. Bollywood Shows 4 U has been the pioneer in bringing stars and celebrities from around the world to the United States. Moid Khan and Irfan Moosa from Bollywood Shows 4 U, which is an exclusive entertainment management company from Houston, have been organizing world-class entertainment with a super-commendable outcome. Fans and audiences eagerly await their shows and they are never ever disappointed. And one of the reasons the cool-duo are loved so much is because they bring to reality the dreams of these fans, by making them see their favorite stars and celebrities for real. The variety of colorful and vibrant shows that Bollywood Shows 4 U has hosted includes concerts and events with Bollywood’s most talented and loved artists such as Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherji, Sal-
The organizers and sponsors being recognized during the show.
Neha Kakkar at the Radio Dabang studio, chatting live with the listeners. Photos: Touch Of Color Studio & Meedu Fotografy
Organizers and the Radio Dabang team with Sonu & Neha Kakkar during the exclusive meet and greet at Mai Colachi restaurant on Thursday, November 16.
Neha, Sony & Tony Kakkar being felicitated by the Houston City officials.
man Khan, John Abraham, Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Nitin Mukesh, Amit Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Sonu Nigam, Kailash Kher, Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Pankaj Udhas, Jagjit Singh, Ankit Tiwari, Shaan and
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many more. Bollywood Shows 4 U has not only received the love of their supporters and fans, but has also been honored with several awards, proclamations and recognitions by the Former Mayor of Houston Annise Parker, Former Mayor of Houston Bill White, Congressman Al-Green, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Last year Moid Khan and Irfan Moosa launched their dream project, ‘Radio Dabang’, a 24/7 FM radio, on the waves of 105.3 FM. This project had consumed a lot of their focus and energies over the last two years, to set up content, RJ’s & teams, infrastructure and more. And these efforts have resulted in a positive outcome with Radio Da-
bang becoming one of the leading radio stations in Houston, in such a short span. With this feather in cap, the triumphant duo decided to make a comeback to their muchloved events, having fresh new talents of the entertainment industry, who would stun the tinsel town with their versatility. And thus was born the idea of bringing over the latest singing sensation Neha Kakkar, along with her brother Tony and sister Sonu. Khan and Moosa, the two stalwarts of the entertainment industry, presented a fierce combo of amusement loaded with glitz and glamour. The extravaganza began with an exclusive meet and greet, that was held a day prior to
the concert, on Thursday evening, November 16, at the Mai Colachi restaurant in Sugar Land. A press conference was held where the stars spoke candidly. The backdrop was magnanimous with the sound systems and LED managed by Sage Productions. Neha exclaimed that they hail from a small town, and that they never thought they would get so much love. She mentioned that they are overwhelmed with the response they have been receiving from their fans and supporters all across USA. She made a special mention about the restaurant, Nirmanz Food Boutique in Sugar Land, which she had visited a day prior and requested to go back that afternoon. She said, she has fallen in love with their food and hospitality. The D-day finally arrived and though the sun shone the same that day, the evening was truly very unique. It seemed that the entire Houston was eagerly waiting in anticipation for this jamboree, as their favorite Neha Kakkar was about to perform. The Kakkar’s were equally enthusiastic and delighted to rock their first ever concert in Houston. Abiya Malhotra from Sage Productions started off by welcoming everyone, along with the Radio Dabang RJ’s, RJ Dholi Deep and RJ Rashmi, the emcees. Sonu Kakkar first entered the stage, and performed with her melodious voice. Her lyrical and mellifluous waves hit the audience such that they too joined forces to sing along. Her choice of songs was simply incredible- Afreen Afreen, Mein tenu samjhava ki, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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COMMUNITY
November 24, 2017
Club 24 Celebrates Holiday Season with Galveston Bay Dinner Cruise BY PRAMOD KULKARNI
K
EMAH, TEXAS: One of the star attractions on the Texas coast is a Galveston Bay dinner cruise. Club 24 Plus has now made the threehour dinner cruise one of its annual events. Originally scheduled during the late fall, the event had to be postponed because of Hurricane Harvey. On Saturday, Nov. 18, more than 50 Club 24 Plus members gathered at the Kemah pier to board the American Princess II cruise liner While a cold front and a stiff breeze made it difficult to venture out on the open deck, most club members enjoyed themselves indoors through intimate conversations, good food, and karaoke. President Pradeep Gupta welcomed Club 24 Plus members and their guests and thanked Event Chair Manisha Gandhi and club members Alpa and Mahesh Shah for their role in organizing the dinner cruise. Thanks to Mahesh Shah’s personal attention, members enjoyed delectable hors d’euvers and full-course dinner from Madras Pavilion with a “Madhur Milan” desert spread.
Club 24 Plus members gathered on the upper deck of the dinner cruise vessel for a group photo.
Prabha Garg (left) with Event Chair Manisha Gandhi, Ashok Garg, Madhusudan Desai (left) singing “Nakhrewali” to the enjoyment of President Pradeep and Kiran Gupta. Manisha Gandhi and Jyoti Kulkarni.
American Princess II cruise liner at the Kemah pier.
The highlight of the cruise was the afterdinner karaoke. Singers included Manisha Gandhi, Alpa Shah, Savita Rao, Veena Kaul, Jyoti Kulkarni and Himanshu Upadhyay. Madhusudan charmed the audience with his rendition of “Nakhrevali” and kicked up the
tempo with “Apni to Aisi Jaisi” as the cruise liner returned to the pier. Club 24 is a by-invitation-only group with focus on charitable giving, outreach to the mainstream community, and networking. To carry out these strategic objectives, the club
hosts five events annually, including two networking events, Valentine’s Party and Holiday Brunch, two signature events, a philanthropy event where donations are presented to local charities, and the Diwali party.
Kakkar Trio Brings the House Down with Their Power-packed Performance in Houston! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Hame aur jeene ki chahat na hoti, Mere rashke kamar, along with a awe-inspiring tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Her last track had the audiences shake their leg, as it was none other than the peppy and energetic number O lal meri. Her sibling Tony came up next who is known for composing some vivacious numbers like Mile ho tum humko and Mausum aaya hai, he also performed on a track in salutation to parents. Finally, the bubbly, perky, dynamic and energetic Neha Kakkar made her grand entry. And it truly felt worth waiting for her all this while, and it was evident as the audience seemed to go berserk as Neha hit off with her distinguished Manali trance, before flowing into her other hit tracks, Tenu itna mein pyaar karaan, Tujhe chaha rab se bhai yada - Mahi ve, Kabira, Kuch to hai tujhse raabta and many more. Though her dimples and sways were enough to melt hearts, she ensured the audience spring up from their seats and twirl and whirl to her high voltage numbers like Jugni, Laung gavacha, Sayoni. Her other tracks Tu cheez badi hai mast, Tu mera boyfriend, Oonchi hai building, Ladki beautiful kar gayi chul, Badri ki dulhaniya and Blue hai pani continued to dazzle and captivate audiences. Neha went on to share that she draws her inspiration from her elder sister Sonu, and sang a couple of lovely duets with Sonu, the famous Babuji zara dheere chalo and London thumakta. Tony popped up on stage to duet with Neha on Jeene ke hai char din. The organizers Khan and Moosa were
then invited on stage along with the main sponsors, and felicitated for their dedication and support, while Radio Dabang and Bollywood shows 4 U got recognition by the city of Houston officials. Tony and Neha introduced each and every musician that accompanied them. And then, it was time for a finale, and what a choice of track it was. The hot favorite, Kala chashma, well complimented by Neha’s glorious dance moves, got the entire Arena Theater vibrating, as each and every member of the audience was frisking and swaying. This Indian Shakira, as she is fondly known as, truly created such a buzz with her mesmerizing performance. Her non-stop spree of stunning performance gave Houston such an enchanting treat of an unforgettable evening. All the back-end professionals who managed the show impressed everyone with their flawless execution. After the show, Moid Khan and Irfan Moosa mentioned, “We would like to thank all Houstonians, for keeping the faith in us. We have received tremendous response. We also want to thank our sponsors who were the backbone for this show. We could not have done this on our own. And a special thank to everyone at Radio Dabang for working hard day and night and making this show successful. We look forward to entertaining Houston more and more”. To know more or to share your feedback contact Moid Khan on 281-235-4711 or Irfan Moosa at 832-618-3333 or log on to www.bollywoodshows4u.com / www.radiodabang.com
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November 24, 2017
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November 24, 2017
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9 Mike & Rajni Jain Hold Fundraiser for Lt Gov Dan Patrick
COMMUNITY
Mike and Rajni Jain with Lt. Governor Dan Patrick at the private fundraiser at their Sugar Land home last Thursday, November 16.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
SUGAR
LAND: With statewide elections almost a year away, many candidates have been on the fundraising trail to bolster finances before the crucial reporting periods. There is keen interest in two of the most prominent races for Governor and Lt. Governor, and the incumbents are courting all groups across the state.
November 24, 2017
Key supporters of the Lt. Governor attended the private fundraiser and dinner. Dr. Renu Khator, the President and Chancellor of the University of Houston and her husband Dr. Suresh Khator (on extreme right) came to attend the dinner.
Towards that end, Mike and Rajni Jain of the Jain & Jain PC CPA firm held a private, invitation only fundraiser this past Thursday, November 16 at their home in Sugar Land for Lt. Governor Dan Patrick who is seeking re-election since he was first elected in 2014. Almost the 21 key Republican supporters who contributed to the campaign were Kim and Robert Marling, Shirley and Joe Swinbank, Sushila and Durga Agrawal and Dr. Randeep Suneja. Cindy and Don Porach were unable to at-
tend, though they made a sizeable contribution. Attending the intimate gathering and sit-down dinner were Dr. Renu Khator, the President and Chancellor of the University of Houston and her husband Dr. Suresh Khator. “We deeply appreciate the fine work that Lt Gov. Patrick is doing for the State and want to show him our full support,” said Mike Jain in his brief introduction. The event raised $170,000 for Patrick’s campaign.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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COMMUNITY
Sewa Responds to Indian Community’s Growing Needs in Houston .. Once Again! BY SACHIN DABIR
Indian Circle of Caring (ICC) of Boston, MA, and also member of National Advisory Board of Sewa International. In the spirit of collaboration with like-minded people and organizations, Sewa works closely with ICC to leverage its experience in the similar field. Shri Girish ji Mehta graciously extends all the help and share his experience of over 10 years in Family services in Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. Girish ji was very impressed with the volunteers “The intense desire to give back to community combined with high energy and active participa-
HOUSTON:
Hospitalization death and bereavement in the family, medical emergencies, family counselling are the increasing but sparsely met needs of our growing community in USA. Recognizing this, Sewa International initiated a “Family Case Management Services” program in 2013 and has helped many families since then. However, demands for these services have been growing steadily and Sewa wanted to step up its efforts to be able to help more families. Hence Houston chapter of Sewa International, organized a 2 days conference cum workshop on November 18-19th at Keshav Smruti to create awareness and impart first level of training to new volunteers. Indian community in Houston responded overwhelmingly to this call and over 30 volunteers attended this workshop to get initiated to support fellow community members. Through Sewa’s Family Services program Indian community would get access to help during crises and difficult times such as death and bereavement, family emergencies, medical and home care, accidental situations. Sewa’s experienced volunteers help families find right
resources, accompany them to face difficult and delicate situations, connect them with professionals to understand complex problems in simple language, arrange for help in transportation, meal sup-
ply and translation. All this help is summed beautifully by our experienced volunteer Shri Madan Ji Luthra “We try to be one of the family members of the affected family but with lot more calm and composure
so that affected members feel comfortable and re-assured.” In this workshop, new volunteers got training and insight into how to address these situations by Shri Girish Mehta, founder of
tion is remarkable. It is not easy to reach the conference venue at 8 in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. Only a great self-motivation
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
COMMUNITY
November 24, 2017
Southwestern National Bank Celebrates 20th Anniversary
14340 Torrey Chase Blvd. | Suite 110 | Houston, Texas 77014 (281) 583-2993 | (281) 580-8700 | Fax(281) 580-7550 www.sulhancpa.com | pradeep@sulhancpa.com
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Austin and Southern California markets. Southwestern National Bank reports approximately $400 million in total assets. Southwestern National Bank is also a proud supporter of numerous community events. The bank provides monthly seminars to the community, free of charge, on a variety of valuable financial top-
ics. Southwestern National Bank is also proud of its annual scholarship award program that provides deserving students in the community financial assistance for college. (Member FDIC)
Sewa Responds to Indian Community’s Growing Needs in Houston .. Once Again! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 and confidence in Sewa’s activities can drive over 30 volunteers to spend 2 days in training.” Commitment and seriousness in providing services to the community was exemplified by the full-time presence of Sewa’s National Executive Vice President Shri Arun ji Kankani and Houston Chapter President Shri Gitesh ji Desai. Shri Arun ji guided the volunteers in working together as teams and creating scalable model for serving the community. Shri Gitesh ji Desai provided insight into needs of Houston community and how to partner with other organizations. In Gitesh ji’s words “Our community has great expectations from Sewa and specially after the massive work done by Sewa volunteers during Harvey relief and rehabilitation, commu-
Pradeep Sulhan, P.C.
Certified Public Accountant
HOUSTON: Southwestern Na-
tional Bank celebrated its 20th year anniversary with a celebration on Nov, 9, 2017. The Board of Directors and President/CEO, Gary Owens, welcomed guests who attended the anniversary celebration. Special guests included State Representative Gene Wu; a representative from Congressman Al Green’s office; Dawn Lin, Director of Overseas Chinese Affairs from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China Houston Office; Zhenqun Fang, Counsel of Overseas Chinese Affairs; Tiehong Zhang, Harris County Civil Court; Theresa Chang, Culture Center of Taipei Economics, and Cultural Office Houston Office Director Sophia Chuang. Sugar Land Mayor Joe R. Zimmerman was unable to attend the celebration, but his office sent a proclamation to congratulate Southwestern National Bank’s 20 years of success. In his remarks, Owens said, Chairman C.K Lee and a group of Organizing Directors had a vision to create a bank that served the local community in 1997. The Bank started with a little over $10 million in total assets and 12 employees. Over the past 20 years, Southwestern National Bank has strived to reach every sector of the community it serves to provide the appropriate financial services to meet their customer needs and high-quality customer service. The Bank has grown steadily with branches in the Houston, Sugar Land, Richardson, Plano,
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nity has developed lot of trust and admiration towards Sewa. Over 30 volunteers giving their precious time to get trained on Saturday and Sunday is a testimony of their commitment”. Shri Arun Ji Kankani added “providing services to families in need is in line with Sewa’s belief ‘Nar Sewa is Narayan Sewa – Serving Humanity is Serving Divinity’. Sewa is scaling up its efforts to meet the need of our community and it is heartening to note such overwhelming response. We would continue to partner with other community organizations to spread the word and make our services available to the families in need”. Sewa would conduct more such training in the coming months. Interested volunteers can write to fs@sewausa.org Sewa’s family
services helpline number is 832-900-9354. Sewa USA is 501 (c) (3) Hindu faith-based non-profit, charitable organization. All donations (cash, cars, clothes, securities, etc.) are taxdeductible. (Tax Id# 200638718). Sewa serves humanity regardless of race, religion, color, gender or nationality.
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COMMUNITY
Determined to Climb Kilimanjaro, Texans Make the Summit! BY DR. KULDIP KAUL
HOUSTON: This is a very inspiring story
of a determined group of people of various professional backgrounds to climb Africa’s tallest peak; Kilimanjaro located in Tanzania, Africa. The real planning started about a year and a half ago with five people from the Clear Lake area who were later joined by three more, including a couple from Spring, Texas. The initial idea came from Ashok Moza, the captain of the group and others were myself, Nadir Ali, Rakesh Shah, Tej Kabra (who now resides in Denver), Ritesh Moza and Ross Baker and his wife Diana. We ranged in age from 37 to 69. Even though most had run marathons and also were big time bike riders and snow skiers, as preparation for this gruesome hike, some of us did about 6 to 8 Fourteeners in Colorado. At 19,340 feet, Kilimanjaro ranks fourth among the Seven Summits in the world. The success rate for reaching these summits is between 50-80% depending upon the route. We took the longer Lemosho route in order to get acclimatized to high altitude. Most of us flew directly to Kilimanjaro Airport after a stopover at Amsterdam. We stayed two nights at Moshi, a small town at the foothills of Kilimanjaro Mountain and we visited a local temple the night before our hike. Tusker Trails from Nevada assisted us in our climb and we had a team of three guides and over thirty porters to assist and carry our tents, food supplies, oxygen and other essentials including a portable hyperbaric
At the Summit, Uhuru peak of Kilimanjaro,19336 ft. From left: The group at the base of the National Park before going on Ritesh Moza and Rakesh Shah on top; sitting, Diana Baker, their trek to the summit. Kuldip Kaul, Tej Kabra and Nadir Ali
chamber. We had two medical checkups every day, including oximetry and all were on Diamox tablets. We started the hike at trailheads of Lemosho route at 7,392 feet on September 28 on a beautiful sunny day with some apprehension but a lot of excitement. This hike took us through the rainforest with tall trees and dense vegetation on the way to Mkubwa camp for our first night stay. Next day, the
hike to Shira plateau camp at 11,500 feet was more steep and crossed moorland. On these trails “jumbo jumbo” (which means “hello hello” in Swahili) started all conversations. Next morning, for six hours, we proceeded to Moir camp at 13,159 feet, passing spectacular scenery of volcanic rock with huge caves. At 15,400 feet, we had lunch at Lava Tower where it was extremely cold and windy, but coming down from Lava Tower was tough and risky, so we went “pole pole” or “slowly” in Swahili. To combat high altitude fatigue, we planned to “climb high and sleep low”, so the next morning we started early towards Barranco camp as the hike was very treacherous. At times we had to literally climb and crawl up Barranco wall with our hands and our guides and porters had to hold onto us at certain spots. The fifth night was spent at Karanga camp. It was extremely cold – around 28° F - and all of us slept in multiple layers in sleeping bags. It was a full moon and in front, you could see the breathtaking sight of Kilimanjaro peak. Next day, the hike was very challenging and slippery to Barafu camp, which is converging point of several trails, and is one of the busiest campsites. Our group proceeded further to around 16,000 plus feet altitude to Kossova camp which was the base camp before the summit and just for fun, we played frisbee! After routine medical checkups and an early dinner, we slept for a few hours. The final hike to the Summit started around 1 am. It was a full moon, extremely cold and of course, all of us were nervous and apprehensive. With our headlights on, we followed the h multiple zigzag switchbacks of Rocky Trail. There were multiple hikers one after the other in the darkness with headlights. Down the hill, it looked like the mountain was lit up with Diwali lights! There was light snow and I could feel a mild headache and nausea - the effects of high altitude. In spite of 5-6 layers on top and 3 layers on the bottom we were feeling cold. The water bottles and the tubing were frozen. The guides and porters were very attentive to our needs. Dawn started setting in and you could see some light and a spectacular view of the
Glacier along the top of Uhuru peak
Sun rising behind the horizon. I have never seen such a beautiful sunrise in my life. We reached Stella Point in about 5 hours, all pumped up. The hike from Stella Point to the summit was amazing past huge glaciers on either side. It took us another hour and half to reach Uhuru peak. It was a great spiritual experience, difficult to express in words. We were all thrilled with joy and humbled with this accomplishment being on the roof of Africa and the world’s fourth highest summit. We hugged and congratulated each other and profusely thanked our guides. After taking multiple pictures, we stayed around the summit for about 20 min. Coming down from the summit was fast but very hard on the knees. We descended almost 10,000 feet before he reached Millennium campsite. Some porters sang “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, a popular Bollywood song on seeing us. There was a hailstorm in the afternoon and the landscape was covered with snow. The next morning started early with a singing and dancing session with the porters and guides. Some of us particularly loved the beat of the Disney song “Hakuna Matata” which means “Don’t worry, be happy” in Swahili. Downhill Trail was icy and slippery and we reached the park around noon time where we were pleasantly surprised to see family (Veena Kaul and Madhu Moza) who joined us on the last few miles of the hike. This was our first exposure to the gorgeous, scenic, tropical paradise of East Africa. The people are very helpful, giving and humble, extremely helpful, polite and genuine. Our group bonded amazingly with no ego or competition on the trails, just 100% team effort and working for each other’s welfare. Some of us went on to a safari, which was like icing on the cake!
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16 November 24, 2017
COMMUNITY
HMM’s Diwali Celebrations
HOUSTON:
Houston Maharashtra Mandal popularly known as HMM, a non-profit organization celebrated their annual Diwali event on Sunday, November 12 at the University of Houston, Student Center. This year’s Diwali celebration comprised of Traditional Faral, Art gallery, Magic show for kids and a Marathi 2-act play. It was a day of entertainment, camaraderie and joy for the whole family. The guests were welcomed at 1:30 PM with traditional “Faral” (snacks) comprising delicious food items like Chiwda, Ladu, Chakli, Karanji without which Diwali celebration is not complete for a Maharashtrian. As the taste buds were being satisfied, the Art Gallery was a treat for the eyes. Art gallery displayed selected fine art exhibits by many local artists. The artists were available to converse with the viewers. There were quite a few interesting conversations about the medium used, style of paintings, nature photography etc. HMM volunteers had nicely organized the event by separating the Diwali drama program from the snacks/dinner hall and kid’s entertainment. The kids enjoyed a great Magic show and movie screening. With babysitting services for the kids being available, the adults watched the drama with a better peace of mind. This was a win-win situation for each family. The on-stage events commenced with the publication of the Diwali e-magazine “eSneh”. The contents of this magazine are contributed by HMM members through articles and poems in Marathi, the language spoken by most of the members. The variety and the depth of topics indicate that the diaspora retains the connection with their roots even today. Mrs. Arundhati Joshi and Mrs. Pooja Gokhale, members of the editorial board shared the experience and challenges faced by them. Main attraction for the Diwali program this year was popular Marathi drama named “Chhoo
Mantar”, written by very famous writer Vasant Kanetkar. Local artists under the direction of Chaitrali Thote performed this comedy. The artists worked hard for the last 3-4 months to attain this level of perfection. Shirish Khandekar, Sadhana Kamat, Veena Watwe, Ram Watwe, Kshipra Kulkarni, Abhishek Bhat, Akshay Deshpande, Samir Karandikar and Viju Bhadkamkar kept the audience on the edge of their seats with the chucklesome plot of “magic gone wrong”. The audience went riotously hysterical with the climax when a spiritual character got transformed into an aggravated bandit. The sets were designed and built by art direction team of Samit Gokhale, Swapnil Saraf and
Ashish Chougule. Even the events related to Harvey, could not waver the determination of this team. It is incredible to keep the Marathi theater alive in America at this professional level. The students from Graduate Indian Student Organization were closely involved in volunteering for the show and HMM thanked them for that. At the end Anjou Sathe Keller, HMM President, appreciated her current year team members for their dedication and devotion and introduced the 2018 HMM team. Cherry on the cake was the full course authentic Indian dinner served by many volunteers without any chaos and hassle. An awesome event to end the year.
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EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Where Imagination is Not Free
Why Moddy’s is Smiling on India
India looks more impressive from New York than New
Delhi. That explains the credit upgrade to India given by Moody’s, the top global rating firm. India’s rating is up from Baa3, just above “junk status”, to Baa2, and its outlook is up from “stable” to “positive”. This means Indian companies will be able to borrow more cheaply on the global market, aiding investment. Moody’s upgrade is a minor event. It means nothing to voters, and will not help Modi win any elections. It does not mean much even for big corporations, which have been able to borrow more cheaply for months, since the markets have anticipated the formal upgrade. But it does provide comfort to long-haul investors that India most needs. Readers may be puzzled by the good chit. GDP growth has fallen for five consecutive quarters, to just 5.7% in April-June 2017. Demonetisation badly hit, and often killed, India’s multitude of cash-based businesses, and may have depressed GDP by 1%. The goods and services tax (GST) will provide great long-term gains, but has started with glitches aplenty, and mountains of paperwork and loopholes. Investment is stagnant, industrial production is subdued, and exports fell in October after buoyancy in the previous two months. Why, amidst so much controversy and bad news, is Moody’s smiling? Because a rating agency cares little about one-off events like demonetisation and GST, or other shortterm phenomena. Moody’s assesses the ability of a country or company to service its debts in the medium to long run. This means focusing on fundamentals and sustainability. And here India looks good. The fiscal deficit has fallen, slowly but steadily, from 6.7% of GDP in 2009-10 to a projected 3.2% this year. The RBI, which once printed money merrily to accommodate reckless government spending, is now established as an independent body with a mind of its own. Monetary policy now focuses almost single-mindedly on keeping inflation around 4%, and has achieved that target. The current account deficit, which had soared to over 4% of GDP in 2013-14, declined to 1.1% in 2015-16 and 0.7% in 2016-17. Warning: the deficit jumped up to 2.4% in the first quarter, but Moody’s clearly sees this as a blip, not a trend. Foreign exchange reserves have soared to $400 billion, strengthening India’s ability to withstand future shocks. In sum, India’s macroeconomic indicators are looking strong and sustainable. Moody’s is right to say India can safely service its medium to long-run debts. But this does not guarantee a sustainable return to tiger economy status. That requires much greater reform. -- S.A. Aiyer in Times of India
BY SHUBHRA GUPTA
S
ome years back, on a touristy swing-about to Chittorgarh, after Jaipur and Udaipur, we found ourselves climbing the steps to the fort from where Rani Padmavati was said to have committed “jauhar”. The fort lay quietly in the sunlight. The steps were worn, the edges smoothened by tramplers down the ages. And then we reached the jharokha from where we could see the point from which this queen, along with many other Rajput women, was said to have flung herself into the deep water. Several hundred years later, on that crisp autumn day, looking down into the gently-rippling water, we could imagine the scene, and ask ourselves: What must she have felt as she climbed to her death? There was nothing to say she existed, but something about the place led us to close our eyes and conjure. This is what good stories lead us, and filmmakers are nothing but storytellers. That power of imagination is presumably what helped Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bollywood’s Bard of Baroque, create his multi-crore epic, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in the roles of Padmavati, Raja Ratan Sen, and Alauddin Khilji. In the last few weeks, as the outrage surrounding Padmavati has reached a bizarre crescendo, I’ve been thinking wistfully of what it is like to imagine freely because it seems like an impossibility in today’s India. In the absence of written records, we have only our imagination to colour the landscape, and conjure up a “queen”, all decked up in her wedding finery, about to leap to her death. Those who have been breaking the law, threatening to cut off body parts and behead those associated with the film if it releases, have not seen it. No one has, except for a couple of media persons; the rest — the swordbrandishers of the self-styled Karni Sena, the so-called descendants of Padmavati, the government functionaries turning a complicit eye to the rabble rousers, the producers who have agreed to defer the release — are just part of the depraved circus which
is increasingly replacing all civilised discourse in India. What’s worse, it could lead to stunted creativity in perpetuity. That is bound to happen if filmmakers and other people who create art, whether we like it or not, are constantly being held to ransom. It is not a cynical “marketing ploy”. How can it be if lives are at stake? It doesn’t matter if it is a myth, or real. It doesn’t matter if a Rajput princess and a Muslim ruler do share the same frame. We the people should have the freedom to decide what we can see. The same freedom applies to the filmmakers: Deepika should be more worried of the industrial strength nath causing damage to her nose rather than some sharp object wielded by a hoodlum. We have the right to embrace or reject a work of art on our thought-out metrics: Is it good, or lousy, or is it, like so much else, a bit of both? Given Bhansali’s propensity to go overboard, we could easily nix the movie. But those who like that sort of stuff should have the freedom to get their bottoms on the seat, with overpriced popcorn to go along. Bhansali’s Devdas (2002) has a song-and-dance featuring Paro and Chandramukhi, played by Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit .When the film came out, there was animated chatter about whether Paro and Chandramukhi ever met. Litterateurs said they didn’t. But did that artistic license cause people to threaten damage to
movie halls? No, we all vigorously swung to “Dola Re,” and for a time, it became the go-to Garba song. In 2008, Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodhaa Akbar, when the UPA was in office, caused much furore. Part of it was very similar. Was Jodhaa fictional? Was she really the Mughal emperor Akbar’s wife/consort? Historians gave varied opinions; the tamasha died down, and the film came out. The only thing I remember is a song in which dervishes whirled, and a scorcher of a scene in which Aishwarya Rai, as Jodhaa, looked longingly at Hrithik Roshan, as Akbar. I doubt whether the film would have made it to the screens today. Because someone, a victim of identity politics or rabid casteism, would have threatened to slice off Rai’s gorgeous nose. And no one in power, either at the state or the Centre, would have raised even a minatory eyebrow. Even as I write this, the 48th edition of the International Film Festival of India ( IFFI) is opening in Goa, where two films (S Durga and Nude) have been summarily dropped. I’ve watched the pertinent, powerful S Durga, and it needs to be seen widely. If our imaginations are bound by those who arrogate to themselves the power to tell us how to create or consume art, or perchance to dream, of what purchase is humanity? -- Indian Express
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY/DIASPORA
November 24, 2017
19
BAPS Temple Outside DC, in Chantilly, Serves Growing Devotees
The deities are located in the main hall which was still being finished off even as Diwali preparations were going on.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA
CHANTILLY, VA: The Indian
community is bustling in the environs of Washington, DC and nowhere more so than in the western suburbs of Fairfax, Chantilly, Centreville, Stone Ridge and Watson along an axis formed by the Lee Jackson Memorial Highway and then northward past Dulles International Airport in Sterling. In this quadrant have sprung up thirteen Hindu, Jain and Sikh houses of worship, catering to the needs of the growing faithful devotees and their families, not counting those that are still smaller congregations which meet at people’s homes. In the rapidly expanding town of Chantilly, some 25 miles to the west of Washington, DC, there are five temples within 15 minutes’ drive of each other and some, like the traditional Raj Mandir inaugurated in 2000 and the modern, two-story Chinmaya Somnath opened just recently which has a thriving Bala Vihar (Children’s House) weekend school program. But the newest addition is the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Mandir at
The front of the BAPS temple in Chantilly as it was decorated for Diwali
4160 Pleasant Valley Road which just had its murthi darshan (installation of deities) on October 17, just in time for this year’s Diwali festivities. When this reporter visited the temple one bright, sunny Thursday morning, the workers were still finishing painting one side of the large congregation hall even as festive streamers and decorations were being put up for the kid’s Diwali celebration. Temple volunteer were busy at work and showed us around. Every single room in the large building has been turned into a classroom or activity center, the volunteer said, and
the people were making last minute preparations. And in the midst of all these Hindu places of worship, there are those of other faiths. Just across from the BAPS temple is the South Korean All Nations Church, a short distance away is the Temple Beth Torah Jewish Synagogue and further up is the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as the Jain Temple of Virginia. Much further away, 30 minutes to the north, is the Raj Khalsa Gurdwara and the Hindu Temple of Virginia.
NRIs, PIOs Don’t Need to Link Bank Account, PAN with Aadhaar
NEW DELHI: NRIs and PIOs are
not required to link bank accounts and other services with Aadhaar, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said on Friday, while instructing various implementation agencies to work out a mechanism to verify the status of such individuals. It said the Prevention of Money laundering Rules 2017 and the Income Tax Act clearly stipulate that the linking of bank accounts and PAN respectively, “is for those persons who are eligible to enrol for Aadhaar”. It said all central ministries and departments, state governments and other implementation agencies should bear in mind that Aadhaar as an identity document can be sought only from those eligible for it under Aadhaar Act, and that most NRIs/
PIOs/ OCIs may not be eligible for its enrolment. The Aadhaar-issuing body said several representations had been received about problems faced by Non Resident Indians (NRIs), Person of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) where Aadhaar was being demanded with regard to various services and benefits.
It said that some Departments and implementing agencies were asking NRIs/OCIs/PIOs to submit or link their Aadhaar for availing services and benefits, despite the fact that they were not entitled for the 12-digit biometric identifier. “The laws regarding submitting/ linking of Aadhaar for availing the services/benefits applies to the residents as per the Aadhaar Act 2016... Most of the NRIs/PIOs/OCIs may not be eligible for Aadhaar enrolment as per Aadhaar Act...,” the UIDAI said in a note dated November 15 to central ministries and states. It has further instructed the implementing agency to device a mechanism “to ascertain the genuineness of status of such NRIs/PIOs/OCIs”. -timesofindia.com
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COMMUNITY
Thanksgiving Special Recipe Pumpkin Pie
Happy Thanksgiving T
Ingredients:
Directions:
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves • 2 large eggs • 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin • 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk • 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell • Whipped cream (optional)
1. MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugarspice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. 2. POUR into pie shell. 3. BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. -verybestbaking.com
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hanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks, of family gatherings and holiday meals. A time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. A time for Indian corn, holiday parades and giant balloons. So here for your entertainment are some fun Holiday things for you and your family. We’ve got stories of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving, turkeys to take home, holiday pictures for the kids to print and color, tasty holiday recipes and e-greeting cards to send your friends and family. We hope you find something you like! Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November. There are many ways to celebrate and express thanks at Thanksgiving. Even in difficult times, there are always things for which to be grateful. Some companies have adopted the practice of sending Thanksgiving Cards to express their gratitude to their customers and business associates. Thanksgiving cards may not have been part of history when the tradition first began but they do convey the original sentiment behind the holiday. The History of Thanksgiving and its Celebrations Throughout history mankind has
celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies. At these ceremonies, many exchange Thanksgiving gifts and are reminded of everything they have to be thankful for. Before the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits. Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians. The United States In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim’s fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter. The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them
alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians. The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During theAmerican Revolution (late 1770’s) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress. In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday. Canada Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the day began in 1879. -holiday.net
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INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
FACTS
November 24, 2017
How the Days of the Week Got Their Name
Why are there 7 days in a
week? While the movement of Earth and Sun give us natural concepts like days and years and the Moon’s phases give us the month, there is no such natural reason for a seven-day week. The ancient Babylonian’s are likely responsible for the concept of a seven day week. The number seven had a mystical significance to Babylonians. It was associated with the seven heavenly bodies; the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. For this reason, some believe, marking rituals every seventh-day became important. How the days of the week got their name The popularity of the seven-day week – and its prominence in modern calendars – can be traced to its adoption by the Romans. They named the days of the week after the pagan gods of Rome, the Sun and the Moon.. MONDAY Originates from the Old English “Monandaeg” (day of the Moon) and is the translation of the Latin name, “dies Lunae”. TUESDAY Derived from the Old English “Tyr’s day”. Tyr was the Nordic god of single combat and heroic glory in Norse mythology. The name is based on Latied “dies Martis” (day
of Mars). Mars was the Roman god of war. WEDNESDAY From the Old English “day of Woden”. Wodin, or Odin, was a powerful Norse god and a prominent god of the Anglo-Saxons in England. It is based on Latin “dies Mercurii” (day of Mercury). The Greek name was Hermes, who was the patron god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, communication, travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, and thieves. THURSDAY Originates from Old English, the day of Punor (Thor). Thor was the Germanic and Norse god of thunder. It is based on the Latin “dies Iovis” (day of Jupiter). The Greek name for this is Zeus, who was also king of the gods and the god of sky and thunder. FRIDAY Originates from the Old Eng-
lish Frigedaeg (day of Frige). Frige was the Germanic goddess of beauty, who is a later incarnation of the Norse goddess Frig, but also connected to the goddess Freyja. It is based on the Latin “dies Veneris (Day of Venus). The Greek name is Aphrodite. Venus was the Roman god of beauty, love, and sex. The term “TGIF” actually means, “Thank God It’s Frigedaeg“*. SATURDAY Named after the Roman god, Saturn (day of Saturn). The Greek name for this is Cronus or Kronos. According to Roman mythology, he was the first god of the Capital, known historically as Saturnius Mons, and was seen as a god of generation, dissolution, plenty, wealth, agriculture, periodical renewal, and liberation. In Greek mythology, he was the leader and youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the Earth, and Uranus, the sky. He overthrew his father and ruled during the mythological Golden Age, until he was overthrown by his own son, Zeus, and imprisoned in Tartanus. SUNDAY Comes from the Old English “Sunnandaeg” (day of the Sun). This is the translation of the Late phrase “dies solis”. -relativelyinteresting.com
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PUZZLES / RECIPES
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Dhuli Moong Di Daal Da Halwa (Yellow Moong Daal Halwa) Directions:
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ith the advent of cold weather, it is the season for sweets, nuts and wonderful aromas like this recipe which can fill any dining table for the Thanksgiving feast. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Dhuli Moong Di Daal Da Halwa recipe, which is a favorite sweet made and eaten in the winter months. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions. Halwa has existed for centuries in Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Jewish world. It refers to a dense, sweet confection that can be either slightly gelatinous or flour-based or typically made with suji (semolina) or the crumbling nutbutter kind usually made of tahini (sesame paste) which my kids used to eat very fondly when we lived in Teheran, Iran. Halwa can also be made with sunflower seeds, nuts, beans, lentils (like this recipe) or vegetables like carrots, pumpkins and squashes. Halwa can be kept for a few days at room temperature without risk of spoilage. In India, suji halwa is often eaten on special occasions or at religious ceremonies, and my family has a tradition of asking for suji halwa with blanched slivered almonds on someone’s birthday. Of course, the first morsel of the halwa had to go to the inhouse mandir (temple) to be blessed! In the Punjab, moong di daal da halwa has a unique appeal and is usually found everywhere the winter months since it is high in calories and is supposed to keep the body warm. It is considered auspicious for Holi and Diwali and these days it is considered chic to serve it even made for weddings. The halwa is usually made with split, dhuli peeli moong daal (skinless yellow moong lentils), and it takes a lot of patience to sauté and prepare the daal. There are three ways to make it: the original way, the faster way
and the short cut, all dealing with the preparation. In the original way, you must soak the daal for four or five hours, then place it in a grinder to make a coarse paste and then sauté it in ghee (clarified butter). The faster way is to boil the daal in just the right amount of water to let it become tender; drain the water through a sieve, sauté and then add the same water back. The shortcut is to use moong daal flour and prepare like suji halwa by sautéing but the taste is no way close to the other two methods. I know since I have tried all three ways and found the boiling method to be quite good. That’s what this recipe is based on. Ingredients: • 1 cup dhuli moong daal (split, skinless yellow daal) • 5 cups tanda pani (cold water) • 1 cup tael (olive oil; some may prefer ghee or clarified butter) • 1 cup chinni (sugar) • Mewa (dried fruits) to taste: dhule badam (blanched almonds), piste (pistachios), kishmish (raisins), kharod (walnuts)
1. Place the daal and 3 cups of water in a medium sized kadai (wok) and bring to a boil. When the daal is tender, drain the water through a sieve and keep it for the rest of the recipe. 2. Place the sugar in 2 cups of cold water in a small saucepan, let it come to a boil and then set aside. If you prefer a sweeter dish, then add ¼ cup more sugar. 3. Pour the olive oil in the kadai and warm it over medium heat. Put the daal back in and let it roast till it becomes slightly brown. 4. When you see traces of oil come to the sides of the kadai, then add the chasni (syrup water) and stir continuously till the water begins to dry up. 5. Turn the heat to low and when you see oil rise to the sides, then turn off the heat. 6. Sprinkle the dry fruit on top of the halwa before serving slightly warm. 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, India (since renamed Faisalabad) 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 her delectable Punjabi vegetarian recipes for future generations.
MAMA’S TIP O F THE
WEEK KEEP KITCHEN CLEAR OF OIL A ND FLOUR TO KEEP COCKROACHES A WAY In hot and humid
pl kitchen is insects an aces like Houston, a common nuisa d especially cockro nce in the ac reddish ones can gr ow to 1.5 inches an hes of all sizes. The really big d make a rustling no are scampering arou ise when they nd they even eat into lab on a counter or in the pantry. In sear ch of food, els on jars and wrapp ants can crawl up to ed bars of perfumed soap. And open oil containers and The best way to na turally get rid of co fall in and contaminate it. and pantry shelves ckroaches is to keep cle counters that emit a smell in an of all oil and flour spills. Also, ke ep all items tightly closed contain ers so that the cock not be attracted to ro them. Within a wee k, you’ll see the diffe aches will rence!
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Tumhari Sulu: Sulu’s Voice is Loud and Clear
suburban housewife Sulochana, fondly known as Sulu, lands the role of a night RJ, resulting in drastic changes to her routine life.There’s a been a recent spate of Bollywood movies devoid of its typical glamorous sheen with a focus on the lives of middle-class suburban Indian households. Ad director turned filmmaker
Suresh Triveni takes this into consideration in his big screen debut while writing the story around Vidya Balan as Sulochana or ‘Sulu’, a housewife whose achievements aren’t typically noteworthy, but that doesn’t stop her from dreaming big. When presented with a rare opportunity, her subsequent decisions & actions affect her husband, son and immediate
fuels the drama around Sulu’s new career. The sudden shift from being lighthearted to a serious drama is largely where the film falters. Until then, there are entire sequences, especially with her colleagues which are thoroughly entertaining but don’t eventually add up to much. We spend a lot of time looking through Sulu’s lens, and while there’s a lot to fun stuff to savour there, thanks to Vidya - this crucial conflict emerges well into the film’s runtime, at a point where her voice is just starting to be heard in the world. Fortunately, the tonal shifts are not too jarring to disconnect from the story which is easily accessible. A majority of the urban populace will relate to the challenges faced by Sulu and her
family, as we all struggle to live out our dreams of a better life. The essence of this story is ‘Main Kar Sakti Hai’, and with such a refined and affable actress as Vidya Balan in the lead, it is lovingly captured in ‘Tumhari Sulu’ making it an entertaining watch for the whole family. -timesofindia.com
Happy Birthday
A happy-go-lucky Mumbai
family. As a testament to Triveni’s ability as a writer, Sulu doesn’t lose her identity as she begins to experience the corporate media life as an RJ, walking the tightrope between her overnight fame and managing her domestic demands. Vidya Balan is completely in her element, infusing Sulu with an abundance of infectious optimism without being aggravating. She makes Sulu appealing by bringing out the various shades of a woman who has put her personal ambitions on hold because of her family. It also helps that she is surrounded by strong performances all around, in those playing her colleagues and loved ones. Manav Kaul, in particular, is perfectly cast as Sulu’s husband Ashok - a man trying his best to make his wife happy, but also faces work pressure that gets deflected into anger. Also, her family isn’t too thrilled about her sweet-talking potential creeps on a nighttime show which
Padmavati Release Delayed? Censor Board Hasn’t Seen Film Yet, Say Sources
NEW DELHI: Sanjay Leela Bhan-
sali’s upcoming film Padmavati that ran into trouble with Rajput Karni Sena and other fringe groups may be delayed beyond December 1 when it was expected to be released. The Censor Board of Film Certification, popularly called the censor board,
has told the film’s producers that its application had been found to be “incomplete”. Once the deficiency in the application is removed, it would be scrutinized again, said a censor board source, according to news agency Press Trust of India. The film was submitted for the censor board’s
approval last Friday. According to board’s norms, the censor board can take 61 days for a decision on a film’s certification. For now, there is no hint that the board intends to fast-track the formalities. “When it comes back to us we will put it in queue and see when the turn
Arjun Rampal November 26, 1972
Esha Gupta
November 28, 1985
comes, there will be no exception,” the censor board source said. --ndtv.com
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Yami Gautam
November 28, 1988
24 November 24, 2017 Sri Lanka Hang On for Draw after Brutal India Bowling BYNIKHIL KAIRO
K
OLKOTA: (ESPN Cricinfo): Sri Lanka 294 (Herath 67, Mathews 52, Thirimanne 51, Bhuvneshwar 4-88, Shami 4-100) and 75 for 7 (Bhuvneshwar 4-8) drew with India 172 (Pujara 52, Lakmal 4-26) and 352 for 8 dec. (Kohli 104*, Dhawan 94, Rahul 79, Shanaka 3-76, Lakmal 3-93) Aakash Chopra is all praise for India’s seamers and the side’s challenging declaration against Sri Lanka on the final day of the Kolkata Test Virat Kohli’s 50th international century set up a fascinating conclusion to the Kolkata Test. It helped India declare at 352 for 8 and set Sri Lanka 231 to win at Eden Gardens. India’s seamers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, then found conventional seam movement and reverse swing to leave Sri Lanka’s middle order battling for survival in rapidly-fading light in a dramatic fifth-day finish. Somehow, Sri Lanka huffed, puffed and prevented India from blowing their house down, with three wickets in hand. After hours lost to rain over the first two days, the match came down to the final few minutes, with Shami and Bhuvneshwar hurrying back to their mark and Sri Lanka trying to delay the game to force a draw. Eventually, the light was deemed unfit at 4.28pm local, around the same time play was called off on the fourth day. In seven tentative overs prior to tea, Sri Lanka lost their openers Sadeera Samarawickrama and Dimuth Karunaratne, both chopping on to wide deliveries they had no reason to play at. India’s quicks got the ball to move again, not prodigiously but sufficiently, up until that point. First-innings half-centurions Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne were dismissed soon after tea, opening up an out-ofform middle order. Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella stalled India’s momentum with a feisty 47-run stand. At one stage in that stand, India’s frustration with Dickwella backing away from facing Shami boiled over to a point where the umpires needed to intervene. It ate into time, but that didn’t deter India. Sri Lanka’s task was made sig-
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was in super form, India v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Kolkata, 5th day, November 20, 2017.
nificantly harder by Bhuvneshwar and Shami both producing varying degrees of movement. Shami went through Chandimal’s defenses with a sharp inswinger, while an indipper pitched a tad shorter beat Dilruwan Perera on the outside edge, and knocked into his off stump. Three middle-order wickets in 28 balls gave India a sniff, but in the end, bad light put an end to a riveting Test. That India were given a chance was down to Kohli’s 18th Test century. Batsmen treasure centuries in such challenging conditions and Kohli’s was a classy effort. Prior to lunch, he was in a battle of attrition. He survived a close call when he gloved a short delivery past the wicketkeeper to get off a pair, but left well thereafter. When Sri Lanka erred too full, he drove through the line, accumulating more than half of his runs - 22 of 41 - in the arc between cover and mid-on. India lost R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha to tame strokes after lunch, but Kohli remained watchful. It was only when Sri Lanka took the new ball that something changed. A half-lunge meant to help him play close to the body while defending gave way to a confident, long stride
and free-flowing shots. Sri Lanka’s seamers were looking for wickets, and rightly bowling full, but with hardly any swing, Kohli met the ball as early as possible as he drove and flicked merrily. He made 46 runs off 26 balls since the 80th over. In the 83rd though, Kohli was given out lbw off the bowling of Lakmal when he missed a routine flick. He reviewed immediately, and replays showed a thin inside edge. Back came the swagger: a jig with the 12th man, cheerful smiles with Bhuvneshwar and more importantly, the full range of attacking strokes. Sri Lanka, though, dominated the majority of the first two sessions. Suranga Lakmal was the only bowler to hit a high 130 kmph range and produce appreciable lateral movement. First, he set KL Rahul up with a few deliveries hung outside off. Rahul stayed patient, waiting for Lakmal to overpitch. Then came the big, booming inducker, attacking the pads and stumps. Rahul’s balance was thrown off by the change in line as he fell over a flick, and the ball found a considerable gap between bat and pad. He produced the ball of the morning to have Cheteshwar Pujara, who
became the ninth player to bat on all five days of a Test, caught at gully. A back of a length delivery kicked up off the pitch a lot higher than Pujara expected and it lobbed over to Dilruwan at gully, who took a sharp, low catch. Four balls later, Lakmal had another good-length delivery hooping back in to beat Ajinkya Rahane’s inside edge and trap him lbw for 0. With the ball moving both ways, Sri Lanka believed they had a fair chance on their own terms. India though, like they have done on several occasions in home Tests over the last few years, turned the tables drastically on the visitors. India are likely to play the final two Tests of the Sri Lanka series on pitches helpful for fast bowlers as preparation for the forthcoming South Africa tour, which starts on January 5 in Cape Town. The second Test of the Sri Lanka series will be played from November 24 in Nagpur, and the final Test in Delhi from December 2. The Indian team management, led by coach Ravi Shastri, spoke to concerned officials in the BCCI and stated that the pitches for the Sri Lanka Tests should act as preparation for the South Africa tour.
SPORTS
Sindhu Spearheads Indian Team at Hong Kong Open
H
ONG KONG: Playing her fifth successive tournament in little over a month, Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu will have to battle exhaustion when she leads India’s challenge at the $400,000 Hong Kong Open Super Series, starting on Tuesday. Left with little time to prepare after literally living out of a suitcase in the last month, Sindhu found the going tough last week as she was a tad slow in her movement on court and her strokes also lacked the trademark sharpness. The result was Sindhu suffered a listless loss against a young talent in China’s Gao Fangjie, who went on to reach the final at China Open Super Series premier last week. The Indian will have to recover quickly from that defeat and put her best foot forward against a qualifier in the opening round. The 22-year-old from Hyderabad is expected to meet Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the quarters if she crosses the first two rounds. World No. 2 K Srikanth, who has clinched four titles and reached five finals this season, will be missing in action for the second successive week after failing to completely recover from a muscle strain. Among other Indians, national champions Saina Nehwal and H S Prannoy have also been on the road like Sindhu. While World No. 10 Prannoy will face experienced Hong Kong’s Hu Yun in the opening round, Saina, ranked 11th, opens her campaign against Denmark’s Mette Poulsen in the women’s singles. An exciting battle would be on the cards if Saina crosses the opening hurdle as she is likely to clash with World No. 10 Chen Yufei, who had defeated Sindhu in the opening round at Denmark Open last month.
Sindhu will have to battle exhaustion when she leads India’s challenge at Hong Kong Open.
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November 24, 2017
25
Pakistani Remittances from
Boeing to Hire 800 Direct Employees in India Over Next Two Years Gulf Countries is Declining MUMBAI: American plane mak- beyond that (1,500 by year-end),” ISLAMABAD: The number of Paker Boeing Co. is looking at hiring Heidi Capozzi, Boeing’s senior vicearound 800 direct employees in India over the next two years, with a view to tap further into the country’s booming aerospace industry. Boeing plans to take new people on board for job functions ranging from core engineering to frontline factory workers, and also support functions such as human resources, top company executives said. The company currently has 1,200 direct employees and 7,000 of those who work on its projects at its partner firms in India. While Boeing’s India operations will likely have 1,500 direct employees by the end of this year, the company also expects its partner firms to increase the number of people working on its projects. “We have 144,000 employees worldwide approximately. The population here has grown very quickly and we have aspirations to add more
president for human resources globally, said in an interview. India’s booming aerospace industry represents a major opportunity for international firms operating in the space. The country is set to become the third-largest aviation market by 2025, a year earlier than expected, according to a report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) published in October. By 2036, India will have about 478 million air passengers, more than that of Japan (just under 225 million) and Germany (just over 200 million) combined, the IATA report added. “We’ve set aspirations to have 25% of our footprint outside the US. We’ve focused on key target markets and obviously India is a big one of those,” Capozzi said. To that effect, the company already has two consortia with the National
Centre for Aerospace Innovation and Research with IIT-Bombay and Aerospace Network Research Consortium with the IIS-Bangalore to help it with its hiring roadmap. There has been no dearth of good talent for Boeing in India, with Ben-
galuru alone being home to around 10,000 aerospace engineers, according to the company. And since the aerospace industry is growing rapidly, nearly every single state wants to develop that market. -- Live Mint
India Becomes the Fastest Growing Egg Producer in the World
HYDERABAD: India is already
the fastest growing egg producer in the world and has the potential to emerge as the largest producer of eggs, top officials of the International Egg Committee (IEC) and World Egg Organisation (WEO) said here on Monday. “In terms of production, globally 66% of the egg production is already coming from Asia. As we go forward, the projections are that by 2030, European Union and North America will witness a slight decline in production while Africa and Latin America will see a small increase. And all the egg production will be concentrated in Asia with India at number 1,” Julian Medeley, director general, WEO, told newspersons here on Monday on the sidelines of a seminar organised by IEC on `Increasing producvitity & profitability’. “India is the fastest growing egg producer in the world. We think it
may be already number 2 or 3...if it hasn’t already overtaken the United States. India is adding 3 billion eggs every year,” added Madeley. Currently, China is the numero uno egg producing country in the world accounting as it does 35% of the global production. According to IEC vice-chairman Suresh Chitturi, who is also the managing director of Srinivasa Farms, India, which had been lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of egg consumption is also fast catching up. “Nearly 25-30 years ago there was not much difference in egg consumption between India and China but today the per capita consumption stands at 67-68 eggs per year vis a vis China’s 280 eggs per year. But by 2040, we expect the Indian egg consumption to explode with three times the growth,” Chitturi said. Also with protein consumption being linked to GDP...eggs will be easy
to sell in India, which has tremendous future,” he added. Actually, egg prices have gone through the roof, so much so that at current retail rates of around Rs 7 per piece, it may be more worthwhile for people to eat chicken instead. Poultry farmers in the Pune region are now selling eggs at Rs 585 for
every 100 pieces, which translates into a price of Rs 6.5-7.5 a piece at the retail end. That works out to Rs 120-135 in per kg terms, taking an average egg weight of about 55 grams — which isn’t far too below the Rs 130-150 levels at which dressed chicken is retailing in Pune. -- Indian Express
istani workers going to the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is on the decline, fuelling fears of a consequent fall in remittances from there, particularly at a time when the entire region in general and Saudi Arabia in particular is undergoing dramatic political and economic changes. Pakistan’s remittances from the GCC — a regional union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — started growing rapidly from 2002, partly owing to post-9/11 developments and increased manpower export to that region. But from 2014, our manpower export to the UAE, the largest market of the Pakistani workforce, has been on the wane. And from 2015, the same has been the case with Saudi Arabia, the second largest market. Besides, as Saudi Arabia is now reshaping with its fiscal policies and expanding non-oil economy and as the UAE is fast emerging as a global business centre, the dynamics of manpower exports are also changing. As Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC nations are reshaping their economies, future inflows would depend on the quality of Pakistan’s manpower export. During the first nine months of this year, manpower export to Saudi plunged to less than 25% of what it was in 2016. Such a big decline is bound to affect the inflows from there. The monthly average of remittances from Saudi Arabia fell to $443 million in January-October this year from $484 million a year ago. The impact of an even larger decline this year would reflect accordingly in next year’s remittances. -- Dawn
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