Friday, May 16 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 20
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Indo American erican News
Hindutva in Good Youthful Hands
www.indoamerican-news.com Published weekly from Houston, TX
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From left: Nupur Shah ,Suriya Sharma , Dr. Lata Ramchand, Elliot Gershenson, Ramesh Bhutada , Hejal Soni, Kavia Gupta, Shivang Shah and Advaith Ram
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11 Days Of Celebrations at Sri Meenakshi Temple Partnered & Syndicated with Times of India, Sulekha.com, Google, Yahoo & Bing
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The Priests at Sri MTS conducting the celestial wedding ceremony of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Thirukalyanam
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COMMUNITY
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They Sing Their Hearts Out for All the Moms
Three elders who enjoyed the musical program, from left, Bhagwati Parikh, Shakuntla Malhotra and Sudha Trivedi.
After the songs, on stage (from left) ISCA President Arvind Patel, Rajan Radhakrishnan, Sudha Trivedi, Alpa Shah and Neeta Mehta.
Past ISCA President Lalit Chinoy with his wife Chatur at the program. They are moving to Seattle in June to be close to their son.
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It’s a tradition that has grown over the past 17 years and even though he is preoccupied with the restaurant business, Rajan Radhakrishnan feels the tug at his heart every Mother’s Day to
sing and bring a smile of joy to his mother who is 9, but alas, she lives far away in India. Instead, he sees his “parents in the eyes of the seniors here”, as he looks at the audience, and “their smiles remind me of her”.
Rajan Radhakrishnan and Alpa Shah sang for the seniors on Saturday, May 10.
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So Rajan brings his crooning, melodious voice to the stage where the Indian Senior Citizens Association holds its meetings, whenever Mother’s Day or Father’s Day comes around (Rajan’s father passed away in 2012 at the grand old age of 94) and entertains them with songs from yesteryear that the older crowd can relate to and even sing along to those favorite lines. This Saturday afternoon May 10, right after the ISCA held its monthly meeting, the banquet hall of India House was filled to capacity with over 400 seniors – some with their sons and daughters, and even a occasional grandkid – as Rajan and his accompanist (and business partner at Madras Pavilion restaurant in Sugar Land) Alpa Shah got on stage to serenade the audience. It was the same setup as last year when the duo sang over a dozen songs. Alpa, a keen Bollywood movie watcher and lover of filmi music, gave a short introduction to each song – its music directors, lyricist and playback singer – before diving into the song. Alpa started the set of 16 songs with two odes to mothers and a nod to the classic songs. “Old songs are like friends, so we all like the”, she said. The seniors listened attentively, quietly. In their golden years, some were short of step, hard of hearing, and short of sight and with a cane or walker for help, they were full of patience and nothing but praise for Rajan and Alpa. Their restaurant, Madras Pavilion donated the catered the lunch that was served afterwards in the lobby. A satisfied Rajan packed up the sound equipment that afternoon. The following evening, Mother’s Day, not quite content with his performance, the effervescent Rajan sang again with Mahalaxmi at the Tamil Foundation dinner!
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COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
Sri Meenakshi Temple’s 11 Days of Mahotsavam: Cultural Festival
BY AKILAN GOPAL & PARTHASARATHY KRISHNAMURTHY PEARLAND: On May 2, the bells chimed auspiciously, as children dressed in traditional Indian clothes assembled in Houston’s Sri Meenakshi Temple for the inaugural day of the 11 day Chitrai Mahotsavam for Goddess Meenakshi. The event was grand and traditional just like in Madurai with festivities such as flag hoisting, adornments of flowers and silk clothes, various chanting, singing and dancing in Her praise. This year, the children of the Vedic Heritage School (VHS), run by Meenakshi Temple Director Smt. Meena Vairavan, were given the unique opportunity to inaugurate the event with shlokas and bhajans
they had learnt. Earlier, the Chairman of Meenakshi Temple Society, Dr. Vaduganathan addressed the gathering of the VHS children. The temple priest, Manicka Bhattar did an aarthi to the deities. Cultural Coordinator Mala Gopal, the person who unassumingly worked behind the scenes on this original idea of involving the youth in this Mahotsavam event, recognized the efforts of the VHS teachers, Kiran Parthasarathy and Bhavani Iyer. After this, the event shifted to a stage a few feet away from the Main Temple, specially laid out for singers and dancers, to perform in praise of the Goddess. Mahesh, Maya and Kishore Iyer and Adith Ram played the violin; Partha and Vaidya Krishnamurthy
sang, while Abhijit Venkat displayed his footwork (abhinaya) in classical dancing. Later the crowd in the courtyard stood silent as they listened to the powerful chanting of rudram by brothers Girishvar and Abhijit Venkat. All in all, the members of Meenakshi Temple Society felt fortunate to be given a chance to be rasikas of such good talent on this opening day. In the next 9 days following, several hours of various performances were held each day in the front of the goddess Meenakshi. These included individual solo singing and dancing, as well as group routine, all from a range of ages from as young as 4 years old. All of these performances led to the Grand Finale event on May 11, which was held after Meenakshi’s thirukalyanam. The Grand Finale event consisted of a Carnatic music concert by sisters Anahita and Apoorva Ravindran, Disciples of Chitravina Shri N Ravikiran. This was accompanied by Houston’s own Mahesh Iyer (violin), a disciple of Vidwan Sri. S. Easwara Varma and founder of Houston’s own
Pranavam School of Arts, and Murali Gopalan (mridangam), a wellknown devout artist in Houston area. Throughout the performance, the hall was fully packed as the sisters took over the audience with their awe-inspiring voice. Their hour-long powerful duet was then followed by a magical Pradosham dance drama, based on the origin of Natyashashtra. This beautifully directed and artistically executed classical dance story featured students from Houston-based Dance Schools, such as Anjali School for Performing Arts, Abhinaya School of Performing Arts, and Nrithya School of Dance. Lead dancer Vidvadha Sridhar wonderfully coordinated all the 17 artists, dressed in stunning costumes provided by Sreepadam School of Art. The legendary choreographer Padmabhusan Dr. Saroja Vaidhyanathan was the unifying force who conceived and directed this fabulous piece. Following the two Grand Finale performances, the Mahotsavam celebration was brought to a full circle ending with an address by Chairman Dr. Vaduganathan, who individually recognized of all the artists who performed throughout the last 11 days with a certificate of appreciation. In blessings of Goddess Meenakshi, the members of the temple community gathered on this auspicious day and made the Mahotsavam Opening and Grand Finale a brilliant success.
Meenakshi Weds Sundareswarar A Divine Wedding at Meenakshi Temple! BY NALINI SADAGOPAN PEARLAND: The grand finale of the eleven day Mahotsavam at the Pearland Meenakshi Temple culminated in the divine wedding ceremony of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar on May 11. The Kalyana Mandapam with nearly 1300 devotees, eagerly witnessing the auspicious ceremonies was an eye catching splendor. As in a traditional wedding the “seer varisai” with home-made delicious sweets, savories, fruits and decors were brought in procession with live nadhaswaram and thavil (clarinet and doubleheaded drum) by women dressed in beautiful silk sarees from the newly consecrated Ganesha temple premises. The MTS chairman, Dr. Vadugantahan with his wife Nach, led seer varisai after the invocatory puja. The procession of Goddess Meenakshi and Shiva as bride and groom on the way to the wedding hall included maalai maatral (garland exchange) and oonjal (swing). During this ritual the divine couple is celebrated with exchanges of fragrant and fresh flower garlands between each other followed by pleasant moments on a swing with customary songs rendered live by devotees; this is a component in every South Indian wedding. Main wedding event followed with the divine couple seated on the stage and accompanied by Lord Vishnu the brother of Goddess Meenakshi to her right. This age old tradition followed in the Madurai temple and the nearby Azhagar Malai, where God Vishnu known as Kal Azhagar steps into the Vaigai river before heading over to the wedding of his sister Meenakshi during the tamil CONTINUED ON PAGE
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COMMUNITY
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Meenakshi Weds Sundareswarar A Divine Wedding at Meenakshi Temple
The vast crowd at the Kalyana Mandapam sat
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Traditional Seer Varisai procession starts at Ganesha temple with MTS chair Dr. Vaduganathan family leading CONTINUED FROM PAGE
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month Chithirai. The vibrational aura from the divine chants of the priests reverberated throughout the hall. Devotees took vows through rakshabandhanam ritual by wearing a yellow thread on their wrists called kankanam. This was followed by kanyadhanam (giving away of the bride) homam. Several devotees including young girls dressed in traditional silk skirts/paavadais sang devotional hymns in praise of Goddess Meenakshi. The mangalya dharanam (tying of the sacred knot) followed with the vedic chants and live getti melam (auspicious musical notes) from the Nadhaswaram and Thavil. Devotees were moved to tears at the graceful and blissful ceremony which was celebrated in grandiose. Following the wedding, the divine couple and their family including Ganesha and Muruga (karthikeya) were carried on procession around the main sanctum. Meenakshi and Sundareswarar were seated majestically on the silver chariot, beautifully decorated with bells and colorful flags. Women did the traditional dance “Kummi” during the procession, followed by a dance of the tiny tots.
The newly wed divine couple was brought to the main sanctum where worshippers lined up throughout the day for blessings. A grand sit down lunch of traditional South Indian wedding menu on banana leaf was served to all the 1300 devotees attended by MTS staff led by Jeyam Thiagarajan. Feast for the stomach followed by feast for ears and eyes. Chennai sister duo Anahitha and Apoorva Ravindran – disciples of Chitravina Ravikiran rendered a crisp and sonorous concert including master pieces such as Mamava Meenakshi in ragam Varali by Dikshithar. The vocal concert followed by a brilliant dance drama “Pradosham” performed by Houston’s very own talented team of dancers. Mala Gopal coordinated the cultural events. C. Vijayarajan and S. Balakrishnan were the event coordinators with support from RAC chair S. Narayanan, with M. Sriram, V. Srikanth, Padma Golla and Sasidaran Pillai. Thanks to all our priests, silpis and administrative staff and the countless number of volunteers. We were all truly blessed to be part of this beautiful event which will be etched in our memories for years to come. Photos: Srini Sundararajan.
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COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
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Galson Auto & Body Wins 2014 BBB Pinnacle Award
Harjit and Seema Galhotra
BY MITAN SIDHU HOUSTON: It was a special day again last week for Galsons Auto & Body as it was recognized for being the best in its category, Automotive Service and Repair – winning the Pinnacle Award from the Better Business Bureau of Houston at its annual awards day luncheon this past Wednesday, May 7 at the Westin Galleria Hotel on West Alabama. Galsons has won the highest award twice before, in 2005 and 2007 and has received the Distinction Award –
meaning it was one of the five or six finalists in the category – in all the other years since 2006. The BBB of Houston, which was established 21 years ago, as a non-profit organization that is supported by local businesses, to promote honest business practices, from advertising to selling services and products. It also provides an array of services, including, but not limited to consumer education, mediation and arbitration; and also grades companies on a sliding
scale - A, B, C, D, or F - to facilitate selection by consumers. Galson Auto & Body is a family run business that is owned and run by Harjit, Seema and Ravi Galhotra. They have been in business for over two decades by Harjit after he was pondering his choices after being laid off from his engineering position. The company has been diligent about providing reliable and trustworthy service to their clients, thereby securing their trust. That approach has paid
off, and has created a ripple effect through referrals. According to Ravi Galhotra, some of their clientele are now “friends of friends of friends”. He said they want their clients to trust them with their vehicles “as though they were entrusting their babies to them”. Asked as to whether they would consider starting a franchise, Ravi’s immediate response was, “Absolutely not”. He said that theirs’ was a “hands-on approach, right from documents and invoices
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to repair and delivery”, and they do not want to compromise on the quality of their work in any way. Their company handles all aspects of automotive services, from mechanical to body-work; providing their clients with loaner cars if needed, and will even pick up and drop off the vehicle that is in need of repair. They aim for customer satisfaction, and as a testimony to that, they now have clients who live as far off as Clear Lake and Austin.
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1 BUSINESS & POLICY
Asia Society Texas Center in collaboration with McKinsey & Company Present All-Star Panel to Discuss Book
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Contributors to the book include Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Reliance Industries Limited CEO Mukesh Ambani, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Google chairman Eric Schmidt, The Coca-Cola Company chairman Muhtar Kent, and many more leading executives, entrepreneurs, economists, and foreign policy experts and more.
Featuring Leading Thinkers on India
Thursday, May 22 Asia Society Texas Center 5:30 PM Welcome and Networking 6:30 PM Panel Discussion
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COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
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4th Hindu Youth Awards in Houston
Arya Samaj children performing
Photos: Vageesh Shrivastava and Vijay Pallod
From left: Sanjay Jain, Ramesh Bhutada, Indian Consul General P. Harish, Sharad Amin, and Dr. Lata Ramchand.
HOUSTON: Seven Hindu youth received awards for their outstanding services at the 4th Hindu youth awards banquet in Houston on May 10 held by the Hindus of Greater Houston at the Arya Samaj premises. After the traditional opening ceremony the awards cum gala cochair Richa Dixit aptly said “the youth are the torchbearers of tradition in upholding our dharma and heritage� The two minute speech by the awardees on their achievements in promoting Hindu traditions was very inspiring. Advaith Ram from the Vedic Heritage School of Sri Meenakshi Temple Society, has devoted his volunteer activity in promoting organ donation. He found in the Hindu scripture, relevant passages which encouraged organ donation and initiated an organ donation drive among Houston’s South Asian community. Nupur Shah, a 22 year old graduate of UT Austin, founded the DC Scholars program which raises money to sponsor 30 low income students for a visit to Washington DC - “many who have never been to an airport before.� Suriya Sharma spent time at a Chinmaya village in India tutoring and educating low income children in math and English. Shivang Shah, representing the Vallabh Preeti Seva Samaj, attributed his accomplishments to his parents and said he was getting the award because of them. He wants to help people through public health and believes that his religious duty. Hejal Shah, said she learned to be leader from her association with the Hindu Swayamsevak
Sangh and also understood the spirit of service. She is mentoring underprivileged children to go to college. Nupur Shah, another awardee said “the Hindu community gave her a sense of belonging, identity and a sense of community� while Kavia Gupta learnt of seva or service as an “empowering force and as a lifestyle�. Shivam Dave representing the Sanatan Hindu Center, stressed the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita that service should be rendered with no expectation and it is not for awards and rewards. Do your duty without expecting any benefit for yourself, he said. India’s Consul General P. Harish, who was the chief guest, recalled his earlier one on one interaction with youth volunteers and said he was heartened by the interaction. “The youth gave me a different perspective,� he said. He appreciated the efforts made by the parents in “connecting� their US born children to Indian culture. When children visit India, they should be exposed to India’s heritage, economy, people, youth and so on and these interactions will make their visits more purposeful, Harish said. Latha Ramchand, Dean and professor of finance at the C.T. Bauer School of Business at the University of Houston who was the keynote speaker at the event said “What you have is not important. What you do with what you have is important. You are responsible for your actions and your actions are important.� Ramchand lauded the parents for inculcating the true tenets of
Hinduism in their children and to “continue doing whatever they were doing because it’s working.� Kids here may call it “outreach programs but it is simply seva and dharma.� Chairperson of Arya Samaj Dev Mahajan also Chairperson of HGH board of advisors welcomed the gathering of about 375 people which included HGH Grand Sponsor - Ramesh Bhutada. He said “Hindus of Greater Houston has demonstrated the successful model of working together under one umbrella organization and hoped other cities in the U.S. emulated the example�. It was his idea to start celebrating youth awards at various temples. Next year will celebrate at Chinmaya Mission. The evening’s speeches and awards were interspersed with spectacular dances and prayer songs by the children of D.A.V Montessori run by the Arya Samaj. Partha Krishnaswamy, the Vice President and coordinator of the Janmashtami celebrations had a short presentation on the plans for the upcoming 25th janmanshatami celebration which led to interesting conversations around the dinner tables. The event will be held at George R Brown convention center on the 23 August 2014 with an expected attendance of 10,000. HGH President Sharad Amin proposed the vote of thanks for the excellent program put together by the Arya Samaj and stated that these awards will inspire the younger generation to follow their role models – the evening’s awardees.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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COMMUNITY
Club 24 Philanthropy Directs Donations from the Hearts of its Members
PHOTOS: BIJAY DIXIT BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: “You never want to take publicity seriously as it will go away in a New York minute�, declared Rusty Hardin on the steps of the backyard brick patio to an adoring group of people who had gathered around the kidney-shaped pool and sat at the tables in the lawn beyond. “But I know what I want to be remembered for most, and that’s to have “He tried to make a
Chief Guest Attorney Rusty Hardin
difference� on my tombstone�, he wrapped up with the folksy charm of the successful Texas lawyer that he is. Hardin was the chief guest at the Philanthropy Night of Club 24 Plus, a social and
Holistic Inner Science and Integral Living Seminar
UNIQUE TOOLS FOR PURPOSEFUL, HAPPY, HARMONIOUS & RICH INNER LIVING SUNDAY, JUNE 15 TH, 2014 š J$;$ >7HC7D 9;DJ;H ((, CWbjW][ MWo" Ik]Wh BWdZ" JN --*-/ š /0&& Wc# +0&& fc Seminar/Workshop On Holistic Inner Science and Integral Living This session would introduce Holistic Inner Science and provide unique tools for happy, harmonious, positive and meaningful inner living. This session will cover the following topics. s 7HAT IS (OLISTIC 3CIENCE s@.EW 6ISION n .EW 7ORLD n (OW HOLISTIC SCIENCE VISIONS CAN CHANGE OUR INNER WORLD LEADING TO A RICH EXPERIENCE WITHIN AND WITHOUT s &IVE KEY ASPECTS THAT LEAD TO (APPINESS (ARMONY IN RELATIONSHIPS AT HOME AND AT WORK -EANINGFUL LIVING BY lNDING THE TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE @3ELF AND @3ELF INTEREST 0OSITIVITY IN ALL SITUATIONS &ORGIVENESS AND LOVE
Discovering The World Within For Rich Inner Living
This session will cover the following topics. s (OW DOES THE INNER SELF FUNCTION s ! NOVEL SCIENTIlC APPROACH FOR INNER TRANSFORMATION s +NOWING @0URE SELF s (OW CAN WE CONDUCT OUR LIFE WITH FULL AWARENESS MINDFULLY s 7HAT ARE CIRCUMSTANCES AND OBJECTS IN RELATION TO @SELF s 7HAT IS ULTIMATE HAPPINESS
HAPPINESS--A CHOICE, LIFESTYLE OR OUR DESTINY? )N THE MODERN WORLD PEOPLE WORK VERY HARD THEY STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE 3OMEHOW THEY WANT TO EXIST (OWEVER THEY ARE NOT HAPPY )S HAPPINESS SOMETHING WE CHOOSE OR DOES OUR DESTINY DETERMINE THAT STATE )S THE STATE OF HAPPINESS RELATED TO OUR EATING PATTERNS AND LIFESTYLE 4HIS SESSION WILL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY MANY WISE THINKERS AND SCIENTISTS
Practical Session/Workshop On Application Of Holistic Science Tools s -EDITATION s #LEARING MENTAL BAGGAGE OR INNER HURDLES s &ORGIVENESS n &ORGIVING ONESELF AND OTHER RESULTING IN LOVE s (OW A (OLISTIC SCIENTIST LIVES FROM WITHIN IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS s (OLISTIC VIEW OF 9OGA AND OTHER MEASURES s )NTEGRATION BETWEEN VARIOUS MODALITIES INNER FAITHS OR BELIEFS
Speakers
The seminar will feature presentations and interactive sessions with: s Dr. Shailesh Mehta, -$ %YE 3URGEON %XPERIENCED (OLISTIC )NNER 3CIENCE PRACTITIONER s Deepakanandji Mistry %LECTRICAL %NGINEER %XPERIENCED (OLISTIC )NNER 3CIENCE PRACTITIONER s Saroj M. Bahl, 0H $ 2 $ , $ AN !SSOCIATE 0ROFESSOR AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF 4EXAS
Advance Registration Required: HOLISTICINNERSCIENCE.ORG (3#2& IS A NON PROlT C ORGANIZATION AND DONATIONS TO (3#2& ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
.O REGISTRATION FEE FOR THE SEMINAR s ,UNCH AND TEA WILL BE SERVED s 3IGN IN BEGINS AM AT THE VENUE s #ONTENT WILL BE DELIVERED IN %NGLISH AND IS APPROPRIATE FOR AGES AND OLDER For further information contact: $R 'EETA $ESAI s $R 3AROJ "AHL s *AYSHREE 6AKHARIA s 0RAKASH $ESAI s 3URESH $ESAI s "HARAT $ESAI s +IRIT -EHTA s !MBICA 6IDWANS s (ARSHADA -ORAR s (ARSHAD 0ATEL
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia
recreational club that was founded eight years ago and is slowly redefining the way that many high-powered Indo Americans choose to give their money to charities. Organized under the 501 (c) (7) section of the IRS rules, Club 24 Plus allows its members – and about 130 were there last Saturday night, May 10 – to direct their contributions directly to the charity that they favor. And one of the nicer aspects of the Club’s activities has been, in the past three years, quite simply by coincidence, that it has held both of its annual check presentation and Diwali events in the sumptuous backyard gardens of its members. This year, the honor of the garden party for about 130 people went to Drs. Aparna and Ashish Kamat in their lovely West University home. Ashish spared no words when he introduced his neighbors, Rusty and his wife Tissy, for their generous spirit of philanthropy. “It’s not because he is one of the most influential lawyers in the state or that he has a list of high-profile clients�, remarked Ashish, “but he is an ardent Rockets fan�! As the chuckles subsided he added that “the Hardins had given of their time and heart to support many charities in the Houston area like St. Judes and the Linda Lorelle Scholarship�. Hardin is a former Harris County District Attorney who went into private practice and has earned fame when he represented the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen during the Enron scandal. He went on to defend and win favorable verdicts for many athletes like Rudy Tomjanovich, Calvin Murphy and Roger Clements as well as Victoria Osteen, wife of TV evangelist Joel Osteen and the estate of millionaire J. Howard Marshall. But inspite of his renown, Hardin, was very approachable as he mingled in his trademark cream suit (his wife Tissy was dressed in a matching cream outfit) with
the mostly Indo American guests and traded stories. At the mike, Hardin told the rapt audience that he loved and endorsed what Club 24 was doing. He related how he started as a DA making $13,000 a year in 1975 and worked for the government till he was 49 “so I had no extra money� but he gave of his time and worked with victims groups like battered women and the parents of murdered children. “Once in private practice and the kids were gone, we began to give to kids charities�, he said, citing the Rice School founded by John Duncan for children with Downs Syndrome and the Yellowstone Academy. He recommended that people pledge to give for three, four and five years together so that the funds could become cumulative and have greater impact. The other high-profile guest that night was Harris County Sherriff Adrian Garcia, who often attends Indo American functions and is a bonafide friend of the community. He remembered the years that he and Hardin worked together at the County and how he was now head of the largest jail in Texas, the third largest in the US. On the eve of Mother’s Day, he remembered how his mother would make cornbread and he and his siblings would eat it with honey. “We were dirt poor�, he confided, “and that sure kept us stuffed�! The highlight of the evening was the distribution of the checks to the nine charities that were honored. “Philanthropy is the love for humanity�, said Club 24 President Asha Dhume when she opened the evening with quotes from Confucius. “We Indo Americans came here as immigrants and succeeded beyond our wildest dreams�, she added, and quoted Andrew Carnegie that it was harder to give money away intelligently than to earn it. This year, Dhume reported, Club 24 has raised $123,780. Dr. Vivek Kavadi, a Past President of the Club and its first Chair in 2008 talked about the impetus to contribute and lead that resulted in the Club’s formation and then listed its three major goals- to channel efforts to strengthen local charities; to build social relationships and mentor the young, like founding the YLDP program and to make a mark in Houston and beyond. Madhavi Kavadi kicked off the evening by welcoming the entire group. The evening drew to a close with a raffle held by the young kids in the audience and was won by Kiran Verma. After closing remarks by Dr. Asra Oberoi, tokens of appreciation were presented to the hosts for a splendid night. Darshak Thakkar of Krishna Sounds provided the sound system and dinner was catered by Dawat Catering, whose owners Mahesh and Alpa Shah were also donors at the event.
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COMMUNITY
Infused with Wisdom of the Ages, SOS’ 2014 Graduates Celebrate BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA SUGAR LAND: the video that was shown towards the end of the evening, one of the new graduates in the room, Rishi Goswami, played the role of a frustrated, overworked young husband who comes home late one evening to his wife (Meher Patel) and she calls out to him, “Hi honey, did you get the things on the grocery list”? This sets him off in a rage and she responds in kind. As the tempers escalate, the young man stares at his wife with a look of anger that recalled the lines from Kenny Loggins famous song, “What a shot you could be if you could shoot at me with those angry eyes”! The moral of the video was the final lesson in role playing for the graduating class of 2014 of the
The 2014 SOS graduates took a bow at Madras Pavilion.
Share Our Secrets group, better known as SOS; that a calm, reflective person can handle the stresses that Life throws at you in a peaceful, collected way, deflecting the damage that may be wreaked oth-
erwise. And aptly, the whole theme of the evening of Friday, May 9 for the 16 graduating young men and women was about relationships. After cocktails and appetizers, the new graduates, some parents
/Lunch
Visiting Judge Carolyn Garcia was the keynote speaker at the SOS graduation on Friday, May 9.
SOS co-founder Farida Hasan Ali opened up the evening by reading the Serenity Prayer
and other members of the SOS retreated to the banquet room of the Madras Pavilion in Sugar Land to proceed with the evening’s program. Farida Hasan Ali, a co-founder of the SOS, explained how the group was started and functioned, adding “Once we start this process, we don’t leave”, and then she recited the Serenity Prayer. The other co-founder, Biki Mohindra, also attended but true to his style to nurture others, he took a backseat role that evening. The last co-founder, Kevin Kalra has since left the city pursuing his career. The SOS (www.shareoursecrets. org) is a five-year organization that was conceived as a vehicle to mentor and enlighten youthful minds through exposure to the ideas and concepts that other successful people and groups have encountered and grappled with before. Mohindra came across the idea when he applied for the MBA program at the University of Houston and instead came away with having lunches over a seven year period with three professors who taught him the ways of the world in a manner that he would never have been able to imbibe otherwise. “When I became successful in my career and met with them for the final time, they reminded me that I didn’t have to pay them back for the knowledge, but to just play it forward”, recalled Mohindra. “And so, all my life I have been sticking to that principle and this program – SOS – was formed”. He was so impressed by one of the professors (of Industrial Engineering) that the SOS has an award named after him, the Dr. Benjamin Ofstrofsky Award, and the first recipient in 2011 was Farida Hasan Ali herself (IAN dated August 20, 2012). “SOS is like a friendship between the generations”, said Mohindra, explaining how the SOS-1 and
SOS-2 courses work, spread over meetings two Saturdays a month from August to April and taking the students to upper crust experiences at the Houstonian and the River Oaks Country Club, among others, to meet with mainstream figures from the community, or to learn about comparative world history, relationship encounters and other facets of life. SOS has over 50 paid members and each student pays $250 per course. Mohindra introduced the keynote speaker for the evening, Visiting Judge Carolyn Garcia, Arbitrator and Mediator who is also an artist and has her own gallery. She has known Mohindra for 26 years and went to visit India with him and his family long ago, spending a great deal of time with Mohindra’s mother and learning how to do aarti. She spoke of her full life and noted that relationships are a big factor and unconditional love was the main ingredient. She has been married to Charlie for 46 years – he attended the event with her that night – and pointed out that “you can’t change anyone but yourself, so adjust to the other person”. Interestingly, she said she believed there was a philosophical link between William Shakespeare’s “to be true to yourself” and Michael Jackson’s “look yourself in the mirror”. The graduates introduced themselves and later were able to speak their appreciation for the SOS course and the impact it had on their lives through the latter half of the video. The entire room then proceeded to play a game listing the top three things that make or break a relationship, resulting, in the most part, in the expected answers, but a few offbeat ones elicited some good laughs. The current SOS President Dr. Swapan Dube gave a v0te of thanks and the President-Elect Quasi Mahesri closed out the evening.
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May 16, 2014
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18 May 16, 2014 Stable Govt for Shaky Economy Backed by the expectations fuelled by a string of exit poll results that a Narendra Modi-led BJP is likely form the next government at the Centre, India’s markets are scaling a new high every day and the benchmark Sensex is closing in on cantering past the fairytale level of 25,000. At the end of a gruelling six-week 2014 Lok Sabha elections, look who, apart from the politicians, have been glued to TV channels to catch the exit poll results: Investment bankers, fund managers, credit-rating number-crunchers and financial sector regulators. With billions of dollars at stake the outcome of the high-octane elections are critical to decide on investment decisions. For an economy hit by a toxic mix of rising prices, sliding economic growth and sagging political stock, the latest rally in equity markets should ideally give an occasion to rejoice in these strained times. The real economy’s recent record, however, has been anything but spectacular. Industrial output fell 0.5% in March. Capital goods output contracted 12.5% during the month, mirroring how companies aren’t adding capacity lines, hit by weak demand, high loan rates and costly raw material. A sluggish overall economy, high interest and fuel prices have stunted the growth story across the consumer goods industry. That consumer durables output fell 11.2% in March mirrors this trend. The inflation numbers also underline the fragility of the real economy. India’s retail inflation rose to a three-month high of 8.59% in April on high vegetable and food prices. High inflation will also likely dash hopes of a possible interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI has raised lending rates three times in the last eight months to tame inflation by cooling demand. RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has stated on which side of the fence the bank is on the inflation-versus-growth debate and its stated objective to bring down retail inflation to 6% by January 2016 leaves little room for rate cuts. The spectre of a failed monsoon looms large over the economy, which could push up food prices in the coming months. The obvious question, therefore, is: What are the stock markets celebrating? Investors want a stable government and a continued push to resolving execution bottlenecks remains key to reviving capital expenditure. A stable government, many global investment bankers believe, will be good for the economy. However, given the rather shaky conditions in the real economy currently, a downward correction in markets should not come as a surprise. There have been several instances in the past where equity and currency markets have reacted sharply to even incremental developments in the economy. Retail investors should trade with caution. Hindustan Times
EDITORIAL
US Ready to Engage Modi As the last round of polling closed in India on Monday, the Obama Administration became the first foreign government to signal its eagerness to work with Narendra Modi, widely expected to be sworn in as the prime minister of India in the next few days. In statements issued by the White House and the State Department, Washington offered fulsome praise for India’s general elections, underlined the shared democratic values between the two nations, and affirmed Washington’s political commitment to work with the new prime minister of India. Although the statements did not name Modi, their political intent is quite clear. Washington wants to put behind the controversy over the US denial of a visa for Modi since 2005. Having accused Modi of complicity in the anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002, declared that he is not welcome in the United States, and avoided all contact with him until recently, Washington is now scrambling to make up in quick time. When the US kept its distance from Modi, Asian powers like China and Japan had aggressively courted the Gujarat Chief Minister over the last decade. The British and West European governments which had joined the US in criticising Modi in 2002, smartly got off the high horse when they sensed that the political prospects of the Gujarat Chief Minister at the national level could not be ignored. It was only in February this year, well after Modi was declared the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, that the US asked its envoy in Delhi, Nancy Powell to call on the Gujarat CM. On his part, Modi has repeatedly stated in recent days that he
When the US kept its distance from Modi, Asian powers like China and Japan had aggressively courted the Gujarat Chief Minister over the last decade. is not going to allow any personal bitterness to come in the way of strengthening India’s relations with the United States. Modi also chose to recall the proposition that India and the United States are “natural allies” that was first articulated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and became the basis for the transformation of Indo-US relations since then. Although Modi has said all the right things, Washington is acutely aware of the accumulated political damage done and the need for some visible warmth towards the new PM. Monday’s statements from the White House and the State Department are only the first steps. Once Modi is sworn in, there will be further opportunities for the Obama Administration for official communication with the new PM. Beyond the formal statements, however, there is need for an early high level contact between Washington and the new government in Delhi that could help bury the
Indo American News FOUNDER: DR. K.L. SINDWANI PUBLISHER: JAWAHAR MALHOTRA EDITOR: PRAMOD KULKARNI BUSINESS & PRODUCTION MANAGER: VANSHIKA VIPIN GRAPHIC DESIGN: AMITHA DEVIKRUPA CORRESPONDENTS
HOUSTON: MALAY VYAS, MANU SHAH CHICAGO: NAND KAPOOR, INDIA: RAJ KANWAR ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 262, Houston, Texas 77036. Tel: 713-789-NEWS or 6397 Fax: 713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: indoamerican-news.com
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hatchet and set the stage for a rapid reinvigouration of bilateral partnership that stalled in the second term of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The writer is a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, Delhi and a contributing editor for The Indian Express.
Reader Feedback In my view, Modi should not accept the grant of visa from America. If America used the provision of the law for the first time under which visa was not granted, India also should show that Modi will never visit US. All official work will be done through delegations/ representatives of Modi/Government. This will be recorded in history as a great step. Will Modi bite the bullet? He should. Kashi Ki Kasam US being one of the biggest political opportunist in the world, this is neither surprise nor great. US the masters of appeasement politics, like the Indian congress party. Raveendra Reddy Modi may not antagonize US but should not favour the american corporations blindly....definitely, the business will bereduced but the outcomes will be benefecial for India... India can engagewith US on need basis...so that we can also engage other world powers liek japan, germany, china, israel and Russia... India on its own terms The success of India on the economic front would be if it’s the other way around- India engaging Washington, and it should have ... Hare Krishna
COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
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Community Expects a Larger Role for NRIs in Modi Government
Indo-Americans See Exit Polls as Beginning of a New Era in India
From left: Shekhar Aggarwal, Durga Aggarwal, Swami Ramdev, and Braham Aggarwal. BY HAIDER KAZIM HOUSTON: Exit polls showing a decisive victory for the NDA alliance led by Narendra
Modi in India’s parliamentary elections have cheered Houston’s Indian community which
sees a new beginning in India. “The new government led by Sri Narendra Modi will herald a new beginning,” said Houston businessman Ramesh Bhutada who has helped organize support for the campaign. “Going by the exit poll predictions, which have surpassed our expectations, I think India has done a much needed course correction.” Jugal Malani, businessman, and philanthropist, sees emergence of a economically strong, culturally vibrant and self-confident India under Modi’s governance by the end of this decade. “I am very confident that Modi’s vision, leadership and clean governance will propel India’s economic growth and development in all sectors - be it industries, infrastructure, jobs, education, healthcare and national security. His pragmatic outlook and positive attitude will vastly benefit India-US relations and increase the scale of foreign investments in India.” Dr. Durga Agrawal, another leading businessman, expects Modi to change India. “We are all hoping that our next PM, Narendra Modi will change India, promote business, improve foreign policy- improve relationship with United States, try to weed out corruption and create environment, jobs for the younger population. India’s small scale industries are disappearing because of increased imports from China.” The Indo-American community has actively supported the Modi campaign for nearly six months. Over 35 volunteers have travelled from Houston to various states in India to work for BJP candidates. Some of the volunteers are still in India. Swapan Dhairyawan, Prominent community
worker, sees the beginning of a ‘Navyug’ a strong and dynamic India under Modi. “The exit polls nor the election results is the end of the journey, but is the start of a Navyug in which the NDA led Government under the most able leadership of Modiji will bring a strong, stable, vital, emergent and dynamic India unto the global limelight.” Dr. Venugopal Menon sees the projected win as a historic victory. “As a nine year old, I felt intensely proud and patriotic when we gained independence from the British in 1947. Today we are creating history reclaiming that freedom, threatened from within, by graver adversaries than seven decades ago. India must prevail, and we will.” Saroj Gupta, a community activist, said, “exit polls have turned our wish that Modi should win, India should win into reality.” She is hoping for 300 plus seats when the results are announced. Community leaders are also expecting a Modi government to give a larger role to NRIs in shaping India’s destiny. “With a new vibrant India, I am pretty sure our future NRI generations in USAwould take pride in their association with India and look forward to an enhanced role in shaping the destiny of India,” Bhutada said. Dr. Agrawal, who is currently in India, said: “I know NRIs based in the US have played a pivotal role in guiding this campaign … I feel the new Modi Government should have at least some Ministerial level and several advisory level roles for NRIs .”
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
20 May 16, 2014
COMMUNITY
Handbags with a Designer’s Touch Celebrate the Rural Indian Woman
The handbags are made of natural fabrics which incorporate some novel touches, like the layers of silk sari patches as ornamentations. BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Indian fashion took a page from the latest trend in retailing, the Pop-Up Shop, to showcase the creative designs in handbags, featuring some handcrafted fabrics and unusual compositions with others. Open just for the day this past Saturday, May 10, the shop Earthredz was named for the company headed by three local women who hail from other parts of the world by way of the west side of town where they live with their families. All three met through their children, at the Village School near Diary Ashford, and started trading some ideas that could pool their talents. Kalapana Peck, from Bangalore, is the designer among the three who used her 20 years of experience as a clothing designer to come up with an imaginative line of handbags, purses and clutches made of a blend of natural fabrics, though for the past few years in Houston she has worked as a yoga instructor. Vandana Prakash, from Dehra Doon, used her skills in marketing to start building the sizzle for the 6 month old company, doing plenty of research with the other two women
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Mercedes Ortiz Monasterio is from Mexico and brought her IT skills to help create the website and market through the internet social media and other sites to promote the new venture. One strategy is to give 5 to 10 percent of the sale price of each purse towards “Project Loom” which will purchase more looms for the rural women in India who produce the banana fabric. Indeed, slides showing the village women working at their looms looped through on the wall throughout the day. The three women pooled their talents and resources to market the handbags, even showing at the Dallas Merchandise Mart at their first trade show. But when they opened the Pop-
The three women behind the Earthredz brand of handbags, from left, Vandana Prakash, Mercedes Ortiz Monasterio and Kalpana Peck at their Pop-Up Shop in the Kirby Center this past Saturday, May 10.
for the past 18 months prior to launching on this endeavor. The majority of their lines are manufactured by suppliers in New Delhi but a key ingredient comes from the village looms of South India. It is a banana fiber that is used to make the handloomed fabric and the material is soft but rustic in its finish.
Up shop in the Kirby Center between West Alabama and Westheimer (just down from Pondicheri restaurant) they were pleasantly surprised by the number of people who came. “Indian Consul General Harish came for the lamp lighting ceremony”, explained Vandana, “and then we were engulfed by people looking to shop”.
Girmit Day, Anniversary of Indentured Indian Laborers under the British is May 15
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Girmit Day is observed on May 15 each year to remember those thousands of Indented Indian Laborers who were send to far distant lands like Fijii, Kenya, South Africa, Trinidad, etc. by European colonialists like the Dutch, British, Portuguese, French and others. This anniversary is often only remembered by the Fiji Indians The British and other European colonial powers started the Indian indenture system in 1838, as a cheap source of labor to their
colonies after African slavery was abolished in 1833. Under this system some 1.2 million Indians were transported to the colonies between 1838 and 1916. Some 60,500 Indians were transported to Fiji between 1879 and 1916, when the transportation of indentured Indian laborers was stopped. Visit the following sites to learn more about this era which oppressed so many of our forefathers across the globe: http://girmitunited.org/girmit/?page_id=893 or
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
http://girmitunited.org/girmit/ “Women were forced to work on farms just days after birth and they had to leave their crying babies at the fringes of farms, not allowed to feed them…. Most suicides were by hanging, committed in early mornings. When the feet touched ground because the rope was too long, the victims folded their feet- so great was the desire to die and escape from a barbarous and inhumane system of girmit-the indenture.”
COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
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Akshaya Tritiya and Chandan Yatra Celebrated at the Gaudiya Matha Temple
cleaning the Lord’s temple is the most sacred, blissful and rewarding job! HOUSTON: Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha celebrated its first Akshay Tritiya and Chandan Yatra festival on May 1 and May 2, at its Temple in northwest Houston. The importance of this day is explained by Srila Narayana Maharaja, the founder of the temple, as follows - “Akshaya means ‘not perishable.’Any endeavor started on this day will be successful. If you sincerely take a spiritual vow today, your bhakti will be very successful. On Aksaya-tritiya the universe was created by Brahma, so today is the first day of Creation. Also, Brahma created barley, which is like a medicine, and which is the root of all the corn and other foodstuffs. Barley is given today to Krishna. Today the doors of Bhadri-narayana are opened, and a festival is observed in Puri to initiate the construction of Lord Jagannatha’s Ratha (chariot)”. The parent organization of the temple, Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was also established on this day in 1941. This day also marks the start of Chandan Yatra. As it starts getting very hot in India, the devotees apply chandan (sandalwood paste) to the Lord to keep Him cool. Temple devotees in Houston also worked tirelessly for hundreds of hours to make the sandalwood paste by rubbing the sandalwood sticks while chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra. On May 1, the Deity of Lord Krishna (Sri Govindaji) was completely embalmed with sandalwood paste and decorated with beautiful colors and flowers. Throughout the evening hundreds of people came to the temple and were mesmerized by this special darshan ) of Sri Govindaji.
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The presiding Deities at the temple are: Sri Radha Govindaji; Sri Gaura Nitai and Sri Sita Rama Laksmana Hanuman. There are six regular aaratis every day. Visitors are warmly welcomed and are especially invited to our Sunday services (5 – 7 PM). Gurukula classes for children in grades K-12 is at 5:45. You will find traditional Vedic teachings, worship and values in an American setting. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha temple is located at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd off Hwy 6 between I-10 and 290. For further information, visit www. sggm.org or call (832) 464-4686.
On May 2nd, Orissa Culture Center (OCC) along with Sri Sita Rama Foundation celebrated the Akshya Trititya with the Gaudiya Matha devotees at the temple. With the Vedic chanting and the blowing of the sacred conch shell, the temple room was filled with transcendental presence of Lord Jagannatha and Sri Radha Govindaji. OCC President and priest, Dr. Debananda Pati recited mantras to invoke heavenly permission of the Lord for the OCC Rath construction and passed the symbol to Madhab Maharana, the original builder of the Houston Rath in 2008. He then explained the importance of this day. After the conclusion of all the rituals, Sandhya Aarti was performed with great love and devotion by over 300 devotees gathered in the temple. After this everyone recited Sri Jagannatha Astakam and Sri Dasavatara Stotram as Pushpanjali was offered to Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi. On behalf of the temple, Tarun Krishna Prabhu thanked everyone and on behalf of OCC, Dr. Samal offered his gratitude and invited everybody for joining the 2014 Snana Purnima (June 14, 2014), and the Rath Yatra (June 29, 2014). The festival was concluded with a delicious vegetarian prasadam feast that was sponsored by OCC and prepared by the temple devotees. The devotees and guests pitched in to clean the temple room and the kitchen following in the footsteps of Puri Gajapati, who brooms the road in front of the Lord’s chariot. Undoubtedly,
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22 May 16, 2014 LEARN TO DRIVE TODAY!
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Houston Helps Eradicate Illiteracy in Rural India
Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation USA, Annual Fundraising Event Houston Chapter
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From left: Yogi Patel, Keynote Speaker, Ashok Danda, Past President Ekal USA and, Naren Chavda, President Ekal Houston Chapter.
Contact Babulbhai: 832-891-1421 13180 West Park Dr. @ Synott Houston, TX 77082
From left: Jugal Malani, President India House, Subhash Gupta, Chairman of the Ekal USA Board, Ashok Danda, Past President of Ekal USA
HOUSTON: The Ekal Vidyalaya Houston Chapter held its Annual Fundraising Event on May 4, at the Stafford Performing Arts
Center. The event was attended by over 1000 guests and raised over $400,000. The Houston community pledged their support to over
1100 schools across rural India. This annual event raises funds to help eradicate illiteracy from rural and tribal regions in India. The Ekal Foundation supports “one teacher schools” throughout rural India using the power of the largest grassroots organization within the country. The Ekal Foundation’s “one teacher school” model has had enormous success in rural India and is now used to promote village health, hygiene and socio-economic development. The Foundation was awarded the prestigious S. R. Jindal Prize – 2012 for Peace, Social Harmony and Social Development. Guests were entertained with Bollywood and Sufi songs by the Vibhavari Group led by Vibhavari Yadav, “the Nightingale of Gujarat” and Sunil Menon, finalist 2005 SaReGaMa contest. The evening was highlighted by speeches from prominent members of the Indo-American Community including Jugal Malani, President of India House, and Yogi Patel, cofounder and Ambassador of Pratham USA. Renu Khator, Chancellor of The University of Houston was among the distinguished guests. Patel made an inspiring appeal for donations citing how the giving spirit of the NRIs from East Africa facilitated his educational journey. He presented the vicious cycle of poverty that begins with the lack of education: “illiteracy – early marriage - population growth – poverty”. Ekal Vidyalaya is making a difference by removing the key link, illiteracy, from that cycle thus positively affecting the lives of 100’s of millions living in rural India.
Go to Your Room, Mother ! Memorial Weekend Fun …….. HOUSTON: Imagine that. The last of your brood is finally and firmly established in a college dorm. Ahh, the space and the quiet! Evenings a deux, candlelight and romance beckon again. Will it be Bali or Barcelona? But what if these back-toromance plans are nipped in the bud by two unexpected and unruly additions to the family? SAMSKRITI ….. presents an EnActe Arts production Go to Your Room, Mother! (GTYR,M!)a laughout-loud comedy about an empty-nester couple who find two new not-so-spring chickens in their coop just when they think their parenting job is done! GTYR,M! is written by Sanjiv Desai . The play is set in the familiar milieu of modern day Delhi, where he currently resides. It is a comedy that carries no moral, no meaning, and no message, save one – laugh till you drop! “Sometimes people should come to see theatre purely for fun,”
says Sanjiv, “I wanted to write a play about people just like me and you.” GTYRM! is a brand new play and one, perhaps, that pushes the boundaries of comic sensibilities in the Houston Area. “Everything we are doing at EnActe right now is new
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
material,” says Vinita Belani, Artistic Director and Founder of enActe Arts. “I am thrilled to be able to provide a platform not just for actors to explore their craft but also for contemporary South Asian and diaspora playwrights to showcase their works.” ‘ SAMSKRITI , now in its’ 20 th year of promoting and presenting the best of Indian Performing Arts in Houston area is very proud to host this fun filled theatrical piece’ said Rathna Kumar, Artistic Director of Samskriti. If one is looking for a side splitting evening out, that too during Memorial Weekend head on to Kaplan Thetre at Jewish Community Center, Sunday May25, 6-8pm. Tickets $25, $50 and $100. Visit Sulekha.com for on-line ticketing or call 832 275 9656. Become a member of SAMSKRITI and see the entire 2014 season of programs free – visit samskritihouston. org for further details.
COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
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Rabindra Jayanti Celebrations by TSH
BY SANCHALI BASU HOUSTON: It started with the garlanding ceremony of the Tagore statue in Tagore Grove at the Ray Miller Park on the evening of May 7 (Ponchishe Baishakh), Tagore’s 153rd birth anniversary. Chorus songs, “Hey Nuton, Jodi tor daak shune”, and recitation of poems, “Endless Time, Stream of Life” and planting of rose bushes made the evening memorable and reverential. The celebrations continued into the evening of May 10 at the HDBS Sur auditorium where the audience
was treated to enjoyable musical programs, dances, and shruti natok. Ruma Acharya, president of TSH (Tagore Society of Houston) welcomed the audience and emphasized Tagore’s borderless vision and its relevance to the modern times. Emcee Sanchali Basu took over and introduced the opening group of Kamalpriya Roy who presented a selected combination of solo and chorus songs from Tagore’s “Prem o Basanta” segments of the Gitabitan. The songs were soulfully rendered and touched the hearts of the audience.
The Bangladesh-American Society of Greater Houston (BASGH) then took the stage and their children’s choir did an excellent job with Momo chitte and Aamra shobai raaja. What was extremely commendable was the perfect pronounciation and diction of the language by second generation Bengalis. All credit goes to teacher Rupa Ghosh, who also led the adult choir who followed next and sang a couple of Rabindra Sangeet. Their dance number performed by 9 beautiful young dancers, choreographed by Shrabana Nath was well received by
the audience. The major attraction of the evening was an audio-drama “Phire Dekha” based on Tagore’s Shesher Kobita, by the Baithaki group from Dallas.. The adaptation was beautifully put together by Sambit Raha and exceptionally well executed by the actor couple Rajarshi and Sayanhika Bhattacharyya. They connected with every member of the audience and after the pin drop silence during the enactment were met with the loudest applause. The next invited artist was Koel Sen Bakshi, from Beaumont who is a Sangeet Visharad in Bharatnatyam and Rabindrik dance forms. Her presentation, “Aamar mukti aloy aloy”, was a beautiful audio visual ensemble of dance to poetry, letters and songs of Tagore that resonated different aspects of the poet’s life including
love, death, sorrow, protest, agony and liberation. The evening ended with another international popular artist from Bangladesh, Elora Ahmed Shukla who is famous in her own right, being proficient in three different genres Rabindra Sangeet, Dwijendra geeti and Atulprasadi songs. She kept the audience engaged with her soothing harmonious renditions of Rabindra Sangeet and an Atulprasadi song at the end on audience request. Raja Banga and Bidyut Ghosh provided able accompaniment on the tabla and mandira, respectively. Boxed dinners were sold and saree, jwelry and TSH stalls drew crowds to make the evening complete and worth remembering. Photos: Ananda Addy and Birendra Das Biswas
India House Strengthens its Commitment to Promote and Unite Cultures BY SHIKHA SINHA HOUSTON: Nurturing the soul of Indian culture, India House is thrilled to bring about many fun, fitness and learning events to its members and the residents of Houston and Greater Houston community. India House’s mission is to promote and unite cultures and serve human needs by bringing resources, education, services and Indian culture together in an optimal measure. To accomplish this India House is involved in weekly activities that advocate social, cultural, recreational and community programs, thereby showcasing the Indian community, and raising awareness about Indian culture in the local community. India House is hosting Spelling Bee competition on May 31 with a grand prize of $1000 to the winner, spelling aficionados register before the deadline for a chance to win many attractive prizes. The purpose of the Spelling Bee is to help students develop memorization proficiency, approaches to skill practice and mastery, collaboration, and poise in a public forum. Dance away those extra pounds in a fun way on the beats of Bollywood numbers. India House is bringing the Bollywood Zumba “Jhoom” - Shake and Shrink workshop on June 28. Have a blast and enhance your social life with a slew of alluring dance
moves. Attend Yoga for Positive Mind and Body on June 06 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. by Dr. H.R. Nagendra Vice Chancellor, SVYASA University, Bengaluru, India, a former space scientist at NASA. Make this summer vacation a fun learning holiday for your kids for as low as $20 a week– India House is organizing a summer camp starting June 02 to August 15. To improve the health of the medically underserved and uninsured Houstonians, India House provides quality, affordable healthcare starting at $20 admin fees, people can walk in to avail service. A team of dedicated volunteer doctors run the clinic every Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Sareen Clinic (Harris Health System) housed within India House is open on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. The clinic has become an instant success and has exceeded its target traffic, usually expected after 8 to 12 months of
operation. India House offers free Yoga Classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 am -12:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am – 11:00 am. The classes are conducted by Shri Vishwarupa Ji of VYASA. The class has gained lot of popularity in the last few months. India House provides an afterSchool Tutorial program. More than 50 children attend this community program every Monday to Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The children pay as low as $5 per week which goes toward refreshment & minimum school supplies. For religious and spiritual fulfillment, India House organizes Nirankari Satsang every Sunday from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm. India House also collaborates with Our Redeemers Church in organizing prayer meetings every Sunday from 10:30 am – 2:00 pm. For further details visit http:// www.indiahouseinc.org/programs
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24 May 16, 2014
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Mama’s Punjabi Recipes
Sugar Ki Dava (Sugar Control Home Remedy) (This recipe was first published in December 2012 and is being repeated by popular demand) Diabetes has become a worldwide epidemic among Indians, and especially gets manifested when they reach mid-life and beyond. Our Indian diet which is rich in foods that are fried, have triggered high triglycerides rates among Indians and since these are the rich in refined sugars contribute to stress on the liver, pancreas and kidneys. Traditional Punjabi home remedies to combat high blood sugar levels rely on herbs and vegetables which are bitter to taste and are considered effective in reducing these levels. These days, scientific studies have confirmed the hypoglycemic effect of the popular vegetable, kerela (bitter melon). Its juice can be drunk and its extract is also sold in capsule form. Methi (fenugreek) is another popular vegetable that is also thought to be able to control sugar levels and is eaten stuffed in paranthas or with aloo (potatoes) as a dish. For effective control of sugar, it is best eaten when its seeds are ground up as a powder. Another herb that is now being promoted as an antioxidant in the West is dal chinni (cinnamon). It has been used in Indian kitchens for centuries either in cooking (especially rice) or in teas or ground up and sprinkled as a flavoring. For the old traditional Punjabi methods of treating high blood sugar levels, I have found that this recipe is very convenient and has helped control my own sugar level. After taking it for a few months, you will notice a difference in the sugar levels, though you should continue to use your regular medicines too. In the olden days, we did not have a method to measure the blood sugar, but now the meters have made it more convenient, so it is important to take a sample reading every morning. Kalli jiri is often not easy to find, but some Indian grocery stores do carry it. In Houston, I have found it at Patel Brothers stores. Do try this easy home remedy to see if it works for you! Ingredients: • 50gm methra (fenugreek seeds) • 10gm ajawain (carom seeds)
•
20gm kalli jiri (black cumin seeds)
Directions: 1. Combine the three ingredients and warm them slightly over a tava (hotplate) 2. Crush the combined seed into a powder in a mixee or blender and save it in a glass jar with a tight lid. 3. Before going to bed at night, place half a teaspoon of the powder in your mouth and rinse it down with a glass of lukewarm water. After some weeks, you can increase it to one teaspoon if you like. 4. Drink the mixture every night for 6 months to a year for best results. Some people see a drop in blood sugar levels within a month.
Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.
MAMA’S TIP OF THE WEEK ORGANICALLY RISING KHAMIRA ATTA (SOUR DOUGH)
For those who make rotis at home – in my observation, this number is surely quite low in the US – often the atta (wheat flour dough) can be accidentally left out of the refrigerator, In India this happens quite often so people only knead as much as they can consume. Especially during the warm days and nights, the atta sitting outside, un-refrigerated, will start to ferment and will naturally rise, without any yeast in it. This dough is called khamira atta (sour dough) and is used to make rotis that fluff up almost like fried kulchas and has the taste of sourdough bread, These taste quite good with either dals or channe (chickpea curry) without the bother – and calories – of deep frying the bread.
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5. As you see a reduction in sugar levels, you can reduce the dose and then eventually reduce it to once every other day to maintain the reduction.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY
May 16, 2014
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Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center Names New Director
The Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPRC), located on the Harborview Medical Center campus, is a worldwide leader in injury research, education, outreach, and training. Founded in 1985, HIPRC is supported by the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. HIPRC faculty and staff are devoted to programs aimed at diminishing the personal impact of trauma and broadening the effectiveness of injury prevention and treatment programs regionally, nationally, and internationally. The Center, with its interdisciplinary faculty, has a clear focus on work in traumatic brain injury, safe transport, trauma care and violence, development and evaluation of prevention programs, and training of next generation leaders in the field. HIPRC directs its programs towards groups at greatest risk of injury: children, the elderly, the poor, underrepresented minorities, and residents of rural areas. HIPRC aims to reduce the rates of injury and death among these groups from unintentional events such as car crashes and drowning and from purposeful acts such as suicide and murder. Efforts span the continuum of medical care, from epidemiological research to determine injury causes, to acute care of trauma patients, to rehabilitation in the hospital and home. HIPRC works to: Translate injury research into pol-
Develop more effective ways to resuscitate and treat injury victims. Improve rehabilitation strategies. Train new investigators in injury research and educate health professionals, policy makers, and the public about trauma’s magnitude, costs, and prevention. Stakeholders in the University of Washington School of Medicine, School of Public Health, School of Nursing, School of Social Work and UW Medicine selected Monica S. Vavilala, MD director for HIPRC effective April 1, 2014. Dr. Vavilala is Professor of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics and Adjunct Professor of Neurological Surgery and Radiology at the University of Washington. She received her undergraduate education from the University of Houston and her medical degree from University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Texas. She completed two residencies, her first in pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School and the second in anesthesiology at the University
icy. Develop and evaluate new injury prevention programs using behavior change, education, government ac-
tion, and environmental modification. Use principles of biomechanics to study injury causes and treatment.
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of Washington. Dr. Vavilala is an expert in the care of injured patients, has authored over 150 peer reviewed publications related to injury, and is internationally known for her work in traumatic brain injury. As a 20 year faculty member in the UW School of Medicine, she has mentored over 27 fellows across UW, has current research support from the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke, and is the co-director of the NICHD sponsored UW Pediatric Injury Training Program. Dr. Vavilala is the first anesthesiologist in the nation to lead an injury research center and the only anesthesiologist on the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines working group pertaining to the acute care management of patients with severe traumatic brain injury. “Dr. Vavilala brings to the Center the energy and commitment to move it ahead and keep it at the forefront of injury research and prevention,” said Dr. Frederick P. Rivara, UW Professor of Pediatrics and founder of the Center.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
26 May 16, 2014 Sewa International
Sewa Houston presents
P.O.Box 820867, Houston, TX 77282-0867 events@sewausa.org | www.sewausa.org
Workshop on Planning for Life
Stop Diabetes Movement
Legal and Financial guidance Peace of mind for you and your family
Yoga for Diabetes: A program in collaboration with SVYASA, Bengaluru, India (deemed Yoga University)
Program Date & Time Contact May 23 - Jun 8 Ramakrishna Fri: 6:30-8:30 pm (832) 608-2519 Sat, Sun and Mon (long weekend): 5:30-7:30 pm Venue “Keshav Smruti” 4018 W.Hollow Pkwy, Houston , TX 77082 Register at http://www.sewausa.org/program-registration OR Email info-sdm@sewausa.org
Yuva for Sewa
Discover the world ….
- International Internships
Venue
George Memorial Library, Room 2C, 1001 Golfview Drive, Rossenberg, TX 77469
Register at http://www.sewausa.org/program-registration
Upcoming Programs 1. Internships
Spend a life changing summer in India thro’ our Annual International Summer Internship program Project locations: Bengaluru & Pune Duration: 10 weeks (June 9 - Aug 15, 2014)
Date &Time Sun, May 18, 1.30 - 4.00 pm Contact Raj Gupta: (281) 804- 6323 Rajeshree (281) 804-9759 Umesh (713) 591-2912 Email contacthouston@sewausa.org
- Inspire Houston for college students - Lead Houston for high school students
2. Save the date: Annual Fundraiser …..Discover yourself
For more information, visit
http://sewausa.org/yuva-sewa-appeal
- Date: Fri, Sept 5 2014 - Venue: VPSS temple Hall
Email contacthouston@sewausa.org
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
t for u o h Watc details er furth
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May 16, 2014
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STOCKS • FINANCE • SOUTH ASIAN MARKETS • TECHNOLOGY
Cipla to Buy 14.6% Stake in US Drug Research Firm Chase Pharmaceuticals
Rupee Rallies to More than 1-month High vs Dollar at 59.51
Cipla informed stock exchanges that it will invest another $4.5 million in the company upon achievement of a certain milestone in the drug’s development. Photo: Mint
BY C. H. UNNIKRISHNAN MUMBAI: Pharmaceutical company Cipla Ltd said on Monday that it plans to invest $1.5 million to buy a 14.6% stake in US-based drug research and development company Chase Pharmaceutical corp .The US company is developing drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Cipla informed stock exchanges that it will invest another $4.5 million in the company upon achievement of a certain milestone in the drug’s development. “This investment is consistent with Cipla New Ventures’ mission to build more innovation-led business streams for Cipla in the future,” said managing director and global chief executive officer Subhanu Saxena. “We want to bring affordable medicines, where we identify an unmet patient need, in a way that leverages Cipla’s formidable technology, device and development capabilities,” he added in a Monday statement.
In India, over 5 million people suffer from dementia; most of them are afflicted with Alzheimer’s. These numbers are expected to double by 2030. In North America, Alzheimer’s affects more than 7 million people and its impact is growing as the population ages. The disease costs the US alone $203 billion annually and, according to some estimates, the amount could reach $1.2 trillion by 2050. In addition to financing Chase, Cipla will collaborate with the company to develop the drug. If successful, Cipla may provide low-cost access to Chase’s lead drug in India and South Africa where the Indian drug maker sells cheap versions of essential and life-saving medications. Shares of Cipla fell 1.26% to Rs.387.60 apiece, while India’s benchmark S&P BSE Sensex Index rose 2.42% to a record 23,551. points. -Livemint.com
MUMBAI: In a volatile session, the rupee on Monday rose to nearly ten-month high of 59.51 against US dollar but frittered away all the gains to end one paise down at 60.05 per dollar on late demand of the American currency. At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) Market, the rupee resumed higher 59.98 per dollar as against the last weekend’s level of 60.04 per dollar. It firmed up further to 59.51 per dollar on initial selling of dollars by banks and exporters on the back of sustained foreign capital inflows into domestic equity market. There was buoyancy in the stock markets ahead of exit polls later on Monday that are anticipated to show a stable government coming to power at the Centre when counting ends on
May 16. The rupee had strengthened to 59.45 in intra-day trade on July 29, 2013. However, the rupee failed to maintain initial gains and closed marginally lower at 60.05 per dollar, registering a loss of one paise. It moved in a range of 59.51 per dollar and 60.12 per dollar during the day. Banks and exporters initially preferred to reduce their dollar position in view of persistent foreign capital inflows into the equity market. “The USD/INR pair, however, witnessed recovery with rumours that RBI was buying dollars,” saidAdmisi Forex India in a report. Meanwhile, the benchmark Sensex rose to all-time high of 23,572.88 before ending at 23,551.00, showing a sharp gain of 556.77 points or
127
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
2.42%. The dollex index was down by 0.04% against the major curreinces in the international market. However, in New York Market, the
euro slid against the dollar on last Friday, dropping through the $1.38 threshold to its lowest level in a month as traders continued to react to the dovish tone of the European Central Bank. -Hindustan Times
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28 May 16, 2014 Fantastic Yuvraj Keeps RCB in Race
SPORTS
Anirban Lahiri Rises to 67th Ranking After Win
Royal Challengers sneaked to a 16-run win against the bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils and kept their chances alive in the tournament. BY DEVASHISH FULORIA BANGALORE (ESPN Cricinfo): Royal Challengers Bangalore 186 for 4 (Yuvraj 68*) beat Delhi Daredevils 170 for 7 (Duminy 48, Jadhav 37, Muralitharan 2-25) by 16 runs For the second time in three days, Yuvraj Singh announced his return to form, this time with a violent six-laden unbeaten 68 off 29 balls, but unlike two days ago, Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to hold their composure. They sneaked to a 16-run win against the bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils and kept their chances alive in the tournament. The relief was writ large over their faces when Daredevils finally fell short after threatening the target, at least till the 18th over when JP Duminy was around. However, Yuvraj’s late assault this time did not go in vain. Yuvraj was on 10 off 10 balls and Royal Challengers on 115 for 4 at the start of the 17th over. With their other big-hitters already back in the dug-out the onus of providing that final thrust lay squarely on Yuvraj, especially after his batting exploits in the last match. A score of 156 - the lowest successfully defended on this ground across IPL seasons - was still a fair distance away and reaching even that would have been a good result on a slowish pitch. Imran Tahir, who had troubled Yuvraj in his earlier over, wasn’t going to have a happy ending to his spell though. Bowling the 17th over, he gave away 21 runs that included three consecutive hits over the boundary by Yuvraj. The Royal Challengers gravy train was on the move. In the next over, Yuvraj targetted Mohammed Shami, picking up a six over fine leg with that trademark flick that oozed of 2007. Next over, another six over midwicket. Forty-four runs came off three overs but the best was yet to come. The final over, bowled by Rahul Shukla, earned the distinction of being the most-expensive last over ever bowled in the IPL
overs, the first round of counter came through a busy 49-run thirdwicket stand between Parthiv Patel and AB de Villiers, but as the two batsmen left within two overs of each other, Royal Challengers’ innings appeared to be in danger of losing steam. However, from average beginnings, Royal Challengers were charged to 186 by an electric Yuvraj. Daredevils lost their openers early - M Vijay falling to Muralitharan in the first over and Quinton de Kock to Mitchell Starc in the second - but a 63-run stand between Mayank Agarwal and Kevin Pietersen kept the runs coming. The two didn’t let the required rate shoot up, collecting boundaries and sixes with relative ease in an association that lasted 7.2 overs. With Duminy and Jadhav in the middle when 64 were needed off the last four, Royal Challengers knew it was still not the time to encash the dividends on the Yuvraj investment - they had given that many in three overs two nights ago. However, once Starc bowled Duminy towards the end, the win was finally within grasp. Devashish Fuloria is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo.
Dhoni’s 6 Beats Royals
as Yuvraj smashed four sixes - the first of which brought him his second half-century in two games, off just 24 balls - to steal 27 runs. Earlier, ending speculation over his injury, Chris Gayle had walked
out to play a typically flickering 22 before being bowled by Shukla. Virat Kohli’s search for some runs ended in vain as he was run-out for just 10. With the run rate lingering below six after eight
RANCHI: In two of Chennai Super Kings’ last three games, they had been left with 11 to get from the last over with MS Dhoni at the crease. Against Rajasthan Royals, it came down to 12 from the last over. Dhoni was there, of course, batting on 15. It came off the second ball of the over, the first time he was on strike, when James Faulkner angled one across him but pitched it a touch too full. Down came that big batswing, and up went the ball, soaring for a flat six over wide long-on. A wide full-toss brought him two runs to deep cover the next ball, and with three needed off three, a push to the same fielder became the winning hit when Faulkner failed to collect Kevon Cooper’s throw and gave away an overthrow.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
Anirban Lahiri: Now at 65.
NEW DELHI: Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri’s incredible victory at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters catapulted him from 102 to a career-high of 67 in the Official World Golf Rankings on Monday. Lahiri, who is now also the Asian Tour No. 1, had achieved his previous best ranking of 99, in March this year. Anirban, the highest ranked Indian in the world at the moment, has also become the second-highest ranked Asian player after Thongchai Jaidee who is at 49. Besides Jeev Milkha Singh, no other Indian golfer has been ranked higher than 67. Jeev had achieved his career-best ranking of 29 back in 2009. Among the other two Indians who had previously broken into the top-100, Jyoti Randhawa went as high as 70 while Gaganjeet Bhullar reached a career-high of 85. At present, Shiv Kapur at 154 is next best ranked Indian in the world followed by Gaganjeet Bhullar at 173. Here’s a look at some of the other records established post Lahiri’s latest triumph: Lahiri’s 15th career title and fourth international win· Lahiri’s first international-level title triumph outside India· The 60th win by an Indian at the international level· It was the 46th title triumph by an Indian on the Asian circuit. Lahiri’s four international titles now place him fifth on the list of Indians with most international wins (Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Arjun Atwal and Gaganjeet Bhullar have won more international titles)· Lahiri became the 10th Indian to win a title outside India.
INDIA
May 16, 2014
29
Lord Bilimoria Becomes First Indian-origin Chancellor of University of Birmingham
BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT Lord Karan Bilimoria has been appointed as the new Chancellor of England’s prestigious University of Birmingham. He is the first incumbent of Indian origin to have been chosen for such a high-profile post in the United Kingdom. Karan is the older son of Yasmin and late Lt. Gen. FN Bilimoria. His mother and younger brother Nadir are prominent Doonites residing in their family home in the upscale neighborhood of Vasant Vihar in Dehra Dun. Incidentally, Nadir is the Associate Publisher and Director of LIQUID, an industry magazine published from Mumbai. The University has had six Chancellors since it received its Royal Charter way back in 1900. Among them were Right Honorable Joseph Chamberlain and the Right Honorable Anthony Eden, the Earl of Avon. Bilimoria will formally take over in July from Sir Dominic Cadbury who had stepped down last December after 11 years of distinguished tenure. An official announcement by the University noted that the appointment of Lord Bilimoria was reflective of the University’s position as a truly global educational institution that attracts the best and the brightest from across the world. In a statement, Prof David Eastwood, University’s vice chancellor said, “We are absolutely delighted that Lord Bilimoria will be our new Chancellor. He is a highly respected global businessman and Crossbench Peer with a clear passion for higher education and the value it brings to society and to the economy. He not only encapsulates the University’s commitment to internationalization but his appointment further underlines the importance we place on forging strong and mutually beneficial partnerships between busi-
First Ever
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ness and higher education.” In his acceptance statement, Lord Bilimoria said “I am honored and humbled to have been asked to be Chancellor of this internationally renowned University with its vibrant, global community. I am also delighted to have the opportunity to take on such a prominent role at the University where my mother, my uncle and my maternal grandfather had studied. It was the University that had instilled the value of higher education in them that in turn drove my own passion for learning and discovery.” Lord Bilimoria is a Commerce graduate from Osmania University in Hyderabad. Thereafter, he moved to London where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant and then went on to read Law at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge, graduating in 1988. Lord Bilimoria is the founder of
Cobra Beer, Chairman of the Cobra Beer Partnership Limited and of Molson Coors Cobra India, both joint ventures with the global brewing company, Molson Coors. He is also the founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council. In 2004 he was appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to business and entrepreneurship, and in 2006 he was appointed an Independent Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords and was made Baron Bilimoria of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, making him the first ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords. Raj Kanwar is a Dehra Dun-based author and freelance journalist.
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Britney Spears is wonderful, says Priyanka Chopra
BY PRASHANT SINGH All Bollywood stars know a thing or two about fanfare. Usually, they are the ones being placed on a pedestal, admired and showered with praise. The same applies, of course, for Priyanka ChopraBut, last week, when Priyanka met American pop singer Britney Spears in Las Vegas, she found herself on the other side of the table. Recounting the meeting, Priyanka says, ”I was in Vegas (to promote her new single) when I got to know that she (Britney) was doing a show nearby. When asked if ’d like to go for it, I immediately agreed. I met her family, including her dad. Later, they invited me backstage, where I met Britney. We spoke about different kinds of music and performances. She is wonderful.” Any chance we might see the actorturned-singer collaborating with the eBaby one more timef hit-maker? “No, we didn’t have any such conversation. Itna time bhi nahi tha (we didn’t have that much time).”Last month, Priyanka also met rapperactor Nick Cannon in New York. With her meeting famous people in USA, spending time promoting her music there, and being represented by a popular Los Angeles based talent agency, we wonder if she might attempt to do a Hollywood film. ”I love the kind of work I’m doing in Bollywood. But if I get a good part there, why not? I just don’t want to be cast in a stereotypical way. So I’d only take up a role that will do justice to us (Indians),” she says. -HIndustan Times
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