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Nayani Enchants at AIM for Seva Fundraiser The All India Movement for Seva held its fourth annual fundraiser on Saturday, September 22 at the Stafford Centre with “Nayani,” a stellar dance drama presented by renowned Indian American dancer, model and actress Rukmini Vijayakumar’s Raadha Kalpa group.
P6 IITAGH Hosts Naveen Jain
Clockwise from left: Surabhi Bharadwaj, Rukmini Vijayakumar, Pavitra Bhat,Pars hwanath Upadhye, Suhail Bhan and Shruti Gopal.
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COMMUNITY
September 28, 2012
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Arya Samaj Expands Facilities to Teach Hindu Traditions to Young Minds
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: The Arya Samaj facility on Schiller Road off Highway 6 has been a very busy place these past few months as work steadily progressed on the expansion plans that had been discussed and fine-tuned over the past year. Now, while some finishing touches were still being done, the Board of Directors of the 21 year-old organization dedicated the new school expansion this past Saturday, September 22 with a ceremony that brought out many of its core supporters and past and present students. The majority of the work centered on the expansion of the school by adding a 7,200 sq ft wing with six classrooms, two multi-purpose rooms and supporting offices to accommodate another 120 kids, connected to the old school building by a corridor. But there were other significant changes too, according to Charanjiv Roye, the structural engineer behind the project. “We also enlarged the dining area by 1,200 sq ft and opened it up with more windows, a new tiled floor (with two mosaics) and access to the courtyard,” Roye said as he gave a tour. “But we also expanded the parking lot by adding 132 spaces.” Construction started on April 12 and soon after the concrete slab was poured followed by a metal-frame building and red brick veneer on three sides. The
DAVSS Children sang “Hum DAV ke bal hain” entirely in Hindi. Photos: Jawahar Malhotra
Charanjiv Roye, the structural engineer behind the project.
building was completed by August 15, just in time for classes to begin on August 22, almost 15 years after the mandir was originally built. Just beyond the east black wrought-iron fence, an additional 60 parking spaces became available in the utility easement by making a hardened stone road.
Arya Samaj expanded the school by adding a 7,200 sq ft wing with six classrooms, two multi-purpose rooms and supporting offices to accommodate another 120 kids, connected to the old school building by a corridor.
An additional two acres has been cleared in the back for future expansion, which could quite possibly place the Arya Samaj property by the edge of the huge Harris County water retention area, with its man-made lake and hills. And so the mood was certainly upbeat and celebratory with nearly all seats taken in the main assembly hall where many of the children, young and old, gave performances, much to the delight of their elders. Smriti Srinivasan on the harmonium sang some bhajans accompanied by Prakash Naik on the tabla and also played along
Meera Borle, a young 10 yearold winner of the DAVSS student shloka competition.
DAVSS essay winner, 13 yearold Gaurav Garg.
as 30 small 5 and 6 year-old boys and girls sang “Hum DAV ke bal hain” entirely in Hindi, a feat accomplished by much coaching, coaxing and dedication by Acharya Praveen ji. Radio show host Meena Datt was the emcee for the evening and added her charm and much appreciated one-liner jokes as she went through the items that were performed. Meera Borle, a young 10 year-old winner of the DAVSS student shloka competition recited her verses while the DAVSS essay winner, 13 year-old Gaurav Garg boldly spoke his piece. Acharya Surya Narayan Nanda conveyed his blessings in a message and a video compiled by Shuchi and Ankur Rastogi was presented. Dev Mahajan and Shekhar Agrawal, key founding members of the Arya Samaj gave their vote of thanks and the celebrations ended with a dance by the students. The official ribbon-cutting and
dedication of the new school building took place in front of the side entrance with the wooden trellises, a dripping fountain and giant brass flower pots. After an Open House and meeting with the Sunday School teachers, the guests were treated to a buffet dinner, catered by Café India, and set out under the mandap between the mandir and the school. To watch a video, visit www. indoamerican-news.com Indo American News (ISSN 8875936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036, tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo. com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Indo American News,7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036
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COMMUNITY
September 28, 2012
Nayani Enchants on Stage at Fundraiser for AIM For Seva
BY CHITTOOR RAMACHANDRAN STAFFORD: The Fourth annual fundraiser for All India Movement for Seva was held on Saturday, September 22 at the Stafford Centre on Cash Road. For the Indian community, AIM For Seva, the ambitious world renowned organization instituted by Poojya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswathi is more familiar than the IRS thanks to the dedicated and persistent efforts by the volunteers who were successful in attracting a large crowd of 800 to the event. The event began with a melodious invocation keerthanam by Krithi Bhat which set the tune for the rest of the evening. Guests watched a brief video message from Swamiji that showed the noble purpose for which AIM For Seva funds are used. This was further elaborated on by Dr. Lata Ramachand and Dr. Jayakumar Ammangudi. Ashwin, a young man who had visited one of the villages in India and witnessed the grave situation, enlightened the audience by describing the needs of the needy. His words were powerful enough to make people open their wallets to support the chhatralaya project that has impacted over 10 million people. AIM for Seva concentrates its efforts on making education accessible to every child in the tribal, rural, and urban areas through the concept of a Student Home (chhatralaya). Its goal is to ensure that value based education in a nurturing environment, reaches every home of the less privileged sections of the Indian society. Operating from the current 94 chhatralayas in 15 states of India, 34,000 students are benefitted. Swamiji aims at transforming Indian society through
The Raadha Kalpa group performing the dance drama ‘Nayani’ as part of a fundraising initiative for AIM for Seva at the Stafford Centre on September 22. Photos: Pavan Kumar
a network of seva, of caring, to help each child contribute to the progress of the nation. Worldwide, AIM for Seva has ardent support from people who passionately believe in its mission goal and the results. The center at Houston has been taking a lead attracting new supporters year after year. “We are small by design and this enables us to give individual attention. We believe this leads to tangible benefits” said Krishna Mudan, who is on the Board of AIM for Seva. “The dropout rates have been reduced from an astounding 84% in rural India to less than 15% at AIM Chatralayas. The success rate of AIM students at Board exams has been an impressive 100%”, Mudan added. The 95-minute evening’s entertainment was performed by six performers, including the choreographer and director Rukmini Vijayakumar, who danced to previously recorded music. Although predominantly in Bharathanatyam style, the innovative dance drama was presented with every dance’s
movements poised and precise. Rukmani’s extensive training and expertise in Bharathanatyam, and exposure to acting, mat power pilates, kalari payattu and theatrical production have allowed her to explore new avenues way beyond a traditional dancer could dare. She was supported by the other impressively talented performers Parshwanath Upadhye, Shruti Gopal, Pavitra Bhat, Suhail Bhan, and Surabhi Bharadhwaj. The whole performance was fluid with flowing but untraditional exits and entrances.. The setting of the theme is as ancient as in a puranic story, taking place at Amarkantak, the place where numerous Shivalingas had emerged but were hidden in the thick forest. A peaceful tribe came to live in the forest. They killed the animals in the forest for food, and lived harmoniously. One day the tribal chief found an abandoned child in the forest and took her home to bring her up as his own. They named her Nayani. She was strange in many ways, but the tribe attrib-
uted it to the fact that she was adopted. As time passed Nayani began to hear and see things that others did not understand. She heard the sound of “Aum” in the wind and in the water. She would offer flowers to an oddly shaped rock in the ground and would wander off with her own thoughts for many hours. Finally her parents thought that she has become more of a nuisance and decide to punish her. However, the tribe realized that she has some supernatural intelligence to search for Lord Shiva. At the end, the tribe joined her to worship the Lord. Unlike many traditional dance dramas, this production was innovative in many ways; at the same time the director kept the technical traditions intact. Rukmini took upon herself an incredible challenge to tell the entire story in minimum words and came out successfully. The music and the rhythmic syllables were the thread that supported the 90-minute long garland which looked magnificent all through its length. Some of the tribal scenes where kalaripayattu adavus ( martial art) were used were phenomenal. A few noteworthy scenes like the lullaby, deer hunt, the pure duet dance, playful time in the river were portrayed impressively and were intellectually inspiring and charming. The music direction was splendid. The attractively dynamic images and designs projected on the background to enhance and create a pleasant ambience throughout the performance, as well as the audio-visual effects were ably managed by Arun Murthy. For more information about AIM for Seva, visit www. AIM for seva.org. To watch a video, visit www.indoamerican-news.com
Plain Talk on Education and Social Entrepreneurism from One with Humble Beginnings
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: As he paced back and forth across the stage, Naveen Jain spoke confidently about the future societies that he envisioned and the evolution and processes that would take us there. As a successful business executive– in 2000, Forbes ranked Jain’s net worth at $2.1 billion – he expected risk takers to also be social entrepreneurs who would herald in this vision. He was in Houston at the invitation of the Indian Institute of Technology Alumni of Greater Houston in its continuing efforts to foster education initiatives. According to Jain, the future hinged on thinking outside the box and an education system that would engage students as they learnt rather than by filling schools with expensive gadgets and new large buildings. Jain knew all too well that the recipe for enlightening minds and upward mobility lay in motivating students, not in surrounding them with the staid teaching methods and ideas that would stifle them. His own childhood was testimony to having to do without and still having a desire to excel. “I grew up very, very poor,” Jain said without any hesitation as he addressed the audience
added. Jain grew up in many villages in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and even in New Delhi as his father moved from one position to another as a civil engineer in the Indian Government. “You see, he wouldn’t accept any bribes, which constituted 90% of the income that most government employees received, as he was an IITAGH President Witty Bindra (left); Asia Society, Houston honest man. For this Director of Development, John Bradshaw Jr.; an Asia Society he became labeled Houston staffer; Naveen Jain; Roopa Gir and Shantanu Agar- as an outcast,” Jain wal at the talk by Jain at the Asia Society’s auditorium in the explained, “and was Museum district. Photo: Jawahar Malhotra transferred many times since contracat the Asia Society’s auditorium last Friday tors couldn’t get around his scrutiny of the night, September 21. “Most of my young materials they used - like substituting sand life, I didn’t have trousers that fit and I had for cement.” to wait for my father’s hand me downs,” he Inspite of the intense poverty and hurdles to get through school, Jain preserved and went to on to earn an engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 1979, and then moved to Jamshedpur, where in 1982 he earned his MBA at XLRI School of Business and Human Resources. His brother and sister also excelled by earning advanced degrees and the entire extended family eventually settled in the US. Jain joined Microsoft in 1989 in Redmond, leaving it in 1996 to form Infospace, a metasearch and Internet search service
company for consumers and businesses. He left the company in 2003 to form Intelius, a Belleuve, Washington based web security firm. In 2010, he co-founded Moon Express a private company that aims to build and launch a robotic spacecraft to the moon. Jain’s experiences as a child and then later as a successful business man and entrepreneur formed the nucleus of his observations on how to reform education and the learning process in this, his adopted country. He believes in the power of communicating with the growing child and native bilingualism in developing the concept of abstraction and to think outside the box. “The education system is designed for the industrial era, but in today’s world, everything becomes obsolete so quickly,” explained Jain. “Fifty percent of today’s jobs didn’t exist 20 years ago. So we have to teach the children how to use facts to learn better.” He added that what is required is software that adapts to the way the child learns. Jain also has personally moved far away from his core engineering discipline to other areas of science, especially molecular biology and genetics, as he explores avenues for his social entrepreneurism and philanthropy. “I think that more creative ideas come from the disruptive efforts of people who are outside the field,” stated Jain as he gave the story of the mechanic, tattoo artist and dentist (“sounds like the beginning of a dirty story, huh?”, Jain chuckled) who came up with an idea for collecting the oil spill from the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Jain concluded his talk by speaking of his wide array of interests in medicine, health care, energy, clean water and offered some
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September 28, 2012
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COMMUNITY
September 28, 2012
HCC-ASPIRE Kick-Off Event Held on Sept. 19 HOUSTON: September 19, 2012 marked the exciting launch of a new initiative, HCCASPIRE, Asian Scholarship Program Inspiring Results & Excellence, with a mission to honor educational pursuits and scholastic achievements of Asian students and faculty of Houston Community College, and to support activities that highlight Asian culture. The event held at HCC Main was a very successful gathering of more than 80 attendees including several community leaders, corporate executives, sponsors and elected officials. HCC Trustee Neeta Sane, President of
excellence in education and making college education possible for many at HCC. She then announced that HCC-ASPIRE has already received over $40,000 in pledges and contributions and that HCC-ASPIRE is seeking additional sponsorships for the Inaugural Scholarship Breakfast Event to be held on May 9, 2013. Approximately 14% of HCC’s student population of around 75,000 is of Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) origin. In 2012, HCC has become eligible to be listed as one of the AAPI-serving institutions as defined by the U.S. Department of
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HCC Trustee Richard Schechter (left); Dr. Fay Lee, Asian Chamber of Commerce Board Member; Mehmet Okumus, Raindrop Turkish House President; HCC Trustee Neeta Sane- HCC-ASPIRE President and Sunny Sharma-Fort Bend Rotary President, Former Rotary District Governor.
HCC-ASPIRE, welcomed the attendees and unveiled the mission and goals of HCC-ASPIRE initiative. Speakers who emphasized the importance of HCC-ASPIRE at the meeting were HCC Chancellor Dr. Spangler, Alief ISD Trustee Nghi Ho, APAHA Board member Munir Ibrahim and Cynthia Cisneros of KTRK-TV. One of the major sponsors, Dr. Marjaneh Azad, shared her experiences as an immigrant from Iran who attended HCC and how HCC education led to her very successful career as a dentist. Her desire to give back to HCC was manifested by her $10,000 contribution to HCC-ASPIRE. Neeta thanked all the speakers and sponsors for their commitment to
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COMMUNITY
Daya Holds Seminar on Anger Management
HOUSTON: Daya, a non-profit organization serving South Asian families in crisis, held its 15th annual seminar on Saturday, September 15 at the Hilton Southwest. Titled “Don’t Cry Foul, Learn to Dodge Life’s Curve Balls: A seminar to help men and women play fair in the face of anger,” the seminar featured Newton Hightower, Founder and Director of the Center for Anger Resolution, and Dr. Anjali Pinjala, Senior Director of Psychotherapy at Legacy
In the final panel for all, attendees brought up feelings of shame, isolation, guilt, and confusion regarding how to deal with an angry spouse, meddling in-laws and marital tension. Seeking counseling help from professionals is still viewed as a taboo by South Asians who believe that family problems are private matters, to be sorted out within each family unit. Comments from attendees indicated that South Asian men would not sit down and discuss personal
More than 170 participants attended the seminar on Anger Management held at the Hilton Southwest
Community Health Services. Panelists included Dr. Ravi Mani, an internist who discussed the connection between emotional stress and physical symptoms, Lakshmy Parameswaran, a co-founder of Daya, and Shaun Igo, a personal trainer from 24-Hour Fitness, Rice Village who demonstrated physical exercises to vent anger. The 170 participants ranged from licensed therapists to members of the greater Houston community. Sessions varied from traditional lecture format to interactive discussions. Many attended as couples and one session separated attendees by gender to facilitate open dialogue. Hightower led the male participants in discussions of different approaches to anger, how to minimize marital disagreements, and when to seek professional help. Pinjala focused on helping female attendees understand the cognitive pattern of anger and recognize the resources available to them.
problems. There were women reaching out because they felt trapped in abusive marriages due to isolation and financial dependency. Seminar participant, Sarla, found this eye-opening. She said, “I assumed that all participants were like me, attending the seminar to learn to fight less about trivial things, and to get along with our spouses. Daya is a life raft for many members of our community.” The general consensus of the seminar was that South Asians should not ignore their problems as “Western problems” but discuss them openly. And women in need of help, ranging from a sympathetic ear to legal counsel, should call Daya. All Daya seminars are free and open to the public, and deal with topics that are of relevance to our community.
September 28, 2012
Yet Another Feather in the Cap
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Aisha Salon & Spa Inaugurates Its Newest Establishment in The Woodlands WOODLANDS, TX: This past weekend, on September 23, Aisha’s newest salon opened on 25701 I-45N # 2. Eyebrow threading was offered free of cost only for the grand opening day and a huge turnout of women visited the salon and took advantage of this offer. 50% off on all other skincare and hair services was offered only for that day. The Music Masala Radio crew entertained the gatherees in Masala Style. The guests enjoyed the refreshments and cake served at the event. Aisha has numerous locations of her salons in Houston, which are achieving a very high level of customer satisfaction. Aisha also has her own line of skin care and cosmetics which are exclusively sold and used at all of their locations. Aisha’s offers premium skincare, haircuts, make-ups, make-overs, threading, waxing, and facial services. For more information, call 281292-6400, or visit Aisha’s Salon and Spa at 25701 I-45N # 2, The Woodlands, TX 77380.
For more information about Daya, visit www.dayahouston.org
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From Vedas and Upanishads to Jai Ho
A Melodious and Rhythmic Journey Through Time tained its inspiration and ingredients from generations of inherited popular and classical music. Today, as cultural exchange has become much easier with new technologies and globalizationj, the opportunity for Indian music to promulgate widely has become an inevitable reality. Indian music and dance now have undeniable world wide popularity and by being popular gives its creators experimental bandwidth. Indian music has a great deal to offer to the music of the wWorld because of its inherent depth, dignity, and beauty of mood and expression.
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HOUSTON: On Saturday September 22, the Tagore Society of Houston presented an outstanding and ambitious music and dance celebration, Rendezvous with Raage O Chhande at the auditorium of the Durga Bari Temple on Schiller Road on the Westside, off Highway 6 . The ambitious program was outstanding in concept and design as it explored the history and evolution of melody and rhythm in Indian music. It will not come as a surprise to those familiar with Indian music that the history and progression of music and dance in India is too enormously vast, varied, rich, and in-depth; both in content and style to be explored in a few hours time. TSH’s objective was to touch the surface in an interesting, informative and entertaining way for those who are interested in Indian melody and rhythm and appreciate its rich heritage. The program was a synthesis of multiple mediums – narration, video, instrumental and vocal music and dance. The narration guided the audience through the historical journey, from the beginning of the concept of music, its evolution through the Vedas, Upanishads and mythology, into the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th and 21st centuries. Simultaneously and equally fascinating was the stage
backdrop which was a whole-wall slide-show synchronized with the narration, embedded video and audio clips and highly effective animation which depicted this historical journey through the eras. The program was divided into segments, based on times, styles, influences and diverse cultures of India.The first half of the program was devoted to North and South Indian classical music and the undeniable influence of religion and spiritualism in music and dance of India. The second half of the program introduced all Regional, Modern Classical and Fusion Music. The resounding conclusion was a reflection of the past, presT:6”to the future. ent and the trend In the past, Indian music ob-
LEGAL NOTICE
Because of this Indian music will infuse life, by inspiring a reflection of the soul and send messages of peace and tolerance. In 2010 the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” received an Oscar and the popularity and acclaim of AR Rahman’s song “Jai Ho” clearly positioned Indian music on a worldwide context. The evening’s program ended with this song and accompanying dance number. The program was conceptualized by Ruma Acharya DeSarkar; script and direction was by Chandana Guha; narratoion by Sanchali Basu; background video created by Sailaja Bandyopadhay and 45 performers contributed their talents in instrumental, vocal music and dance.
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COMMUNITY
September 28, 2012
Huge Turnouts for Shree Siddhivinayak Dev Celebration
BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: It was a Monday night and there was a constant stream of people coming into the small Shiv Shakti Temple, almost behind the long row of Indian shops on Hillcroft in Little India. They came for the 6:30 aarti and then, after taking some prasad, made their way back, through the fence and down the ramp to the backdoor entrance to the new, larger and as of yet, not completely finished Shiv Shakti Temple on Harwin Drive. Some older people had a hard time navigating the short walk, but most came anyway to attend the continuation of Ganeshotsav celebrations of Shree Siddivinayak Dev by sitting in the grand hall and listening to the bhajans
that were performed by the internationally known artist, Acharya Mridul Krishan Goswami. The night before, they had heard bhajans sung by local artist Uma Mantravadi. The Acharya was seated on a raised dais adorned with flowers and an artist’s rendition of Radha and Krishna, and was surrounded by devotees as he sang the melodious bhajans for which he has become famous and also performs on television. On his visit to the Bayou City, Goswamiji also performed through September 23 at the Shrinathji Haveli Hall on 11715 Bellfort Vil-
IITAGH Hosts Naveen Jain CONTINUED FROM PAGE
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advice on the excitement and challenges facing entrepreneurs, answering questions from the 200 plus people who attended the talk. For a person with such drive and success, he was remarkably chatty and approachable, often lapsing into jokes and bits of humor that betrayed his still effervescent boyish energy and inquisitiveness. The event for the IITAGH was organized by Shantanu Agarwal, a young member and Jain’s trip was coordinated by Roopa Gir, another member. The group’s President, Witty Bindra thanked them for their efforts and presented Jain with a plaque on his visit, handed to him by Asia Society, Houston Director of Development, John Bradshaw Jr.
Acharya Mridul Krishan Goswami performed bhajans at the Ganeshotsav celebration at Shiv Shakti Temple. Photos: Jawahar Malhotra
lage Drive. The Ganeshotsav visarjan (ceremonial immersion) will occur on Saturday, September 29 between noon and 4pm, with a procession emerging from the Shiv Shakti Mandir, commencing onto the Plaza at Hillcroft and Harwin and then continuing to Madras Pavilion in Sugar Land where the small clay effigy of Ganesh will be immersed in the lake behind the restaurant.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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12 September 28, 2012
Pravrajika Saradeshaprana Visits Houston
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spiritual aspirant. Speaking on ritualistic worship Pravrajika explained the significance of the different mudras, postures and hand gestures in Hinduism. She emphasized that all ritualistic worship is meant to keep the mind focused and in this way connect to the Divine. One moves from gross, to the subtle and Swami Vivekananda’s idea of service ties into this. Pravrajika’s talk on Death and Dying explained the Hindu view of life and how to prepare for death, emotionally and spiritually. She also provided some insight as to how to approach and provide service to someone whose death is imminent. Vedanta Society of Greater Houston in collaboration with
the Tagore Society had organized a panel discussion on Swami Vivekananda’s and Rabindranath Tagore’s concept of Universal Divinity. This is one of the many activities that the Vedanta Society has organized to celebrate Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary. Pravrajika spoke on Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts and ideas on the topic and answered questions at the discussion. Pravrajika Saradeshaprana spoke on spiritual topics but emphasized the practical aspect of it, in dedicating oneself to the service of others. Selfless service leads to purification of the mind, the key ingredient for spiritual progress. For more information about Vedanta Society, visit houstonvedanta.org
HOUSTON: (MSN) IndianAmerican astronaut Sunita Williams has taken over the command of the International Space Station, becoming the second woman in history to do so, even as a three-member crew of the Expedition 32 returned safely to earth, wrapping up a mission lasting more than four months. The three-man crew onboard a Russian-made Soyuz capsule touched down successfully in central Kazakhstan steppe on Monday morning after spending 123 days at the Space Station. Just after the Soyuz spacecraft separated from the space station on Sunday, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams took over command of Expedition 33 at the station from Commander Gennady Padalka, becoming the second woman in history to do so. Williams will be sharing the Space Station with veteran Russia cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide until mid-October, when three more astronauts, including NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, will arrive and round out the full crew of Expedition 33. ‘I would like to thank our (Expedition) 32 crew mates here who have taught us how to live and
work in space, and of course to have a lot of fun up in space,’ Williams told Padalka during a change of command ceremony. Flight engineer Joe Acaba of NASA, Padalka and flight engineer Sergei Revin of the Russian Federal Space Agency, landed north of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Monday morning. They arrived at the station on May 17 and spent 125 days in space, 123 of which were aboard the orbiting laboratory. The trio are expected to have a difficult time readjusting to life on earth, especially Revin and Acaba, who are coming off their first
long-term stay aboard the orbiting international space lab, NASA sources said. ‘The goal is to get their strength and all their function back to their preflight baseline,’ said NASA flight medical officer Steve Gilmore of the rehabilitation programs the three will undergo. ‘In 45 days, with folks working hard, typically we get people to where they were before they launched.’ Acaba, Padalka and Revin orbited earth 2,000 times and traveled 52,906,428 miles. Padalka now ranks fourth for the most days spent in space, a total of 711 days during four flights.
Pravrajika Saradeshaprana is an ordained monastic of the Vedanta Society, Southern California.
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HOUSTON: The Vedanta Society of Greater Houston was fortunate to have Pravrajika Saradeshaprana vist and deliver talks on a variety of spiritual topics this past weekend. She is an ordained monastic of the Vedanta Society of Southern California where women are accepted and follow spiritual discipline under the supervision of the Ramakrishna Order of India. Born in an Anglican Christian family her quest in resolving some basic spiritual queries led her to reading the Bhagavad Gita and finding Hinduism that upholds the belief that all religious traditions are but different ways of accessing the all-pervading Divine Reality and which proposes pragmatic methods of spiritual discipline. Pravrajika has worked mostly in the publication department of the Vedanta Society and is active in interfaith work. She has written papers on counseling victims of domestic abuse and has organized conferences to educate the clergy on such matters. During her visit to Houston her talks were on Holy Mother Sarada Devi, Ritualistic Worship as practiced by Swami Vivekananda and Death and Dying. Pravrajika spoke of the Holy Mother’s teachings and gave several examples where the extraordinary divine nature shone through her apparently mundane life. The way Holy Mother skillfully managed her household while keeping her mind on a higher plane is to be learnt. Hence she is the ideal, for any
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NIA Completes 60 Glorious Years
September 28, 2012
The Netherlands Has Second Largest Indian Community in Europe
BY RAJ KANWAR Not many amongst the Indian Americans here are perhaps aware that their compatriots in the Netherlands constitute a very large and vibrant community, and that they occupy a special niche in the Dutch socio-culturaleducation milieu . Further, not many would possibly recall today that the trade and commercial ties between India and Holland go way back to the 17th century when the Dutch East Indies Company had set up its shop across the Indian coastal belt, and in the process it perhaps became the world’s first multi-national company. The Dutch pioneers had then built numerous forts, factories , settlements, churches and even cemeteries in the areas of their operations which were then virtually under their administrative control; in the process the left behind many a footprint of their legacy .
journey spanning 60 years. The volume has been jointly edited by Drs. Badri Madan and Vasant Moharir and Mr. R.L.Lakhina, three of the many stalwarts of the Indian community. Interestingly, NIA was founded in 1951 by a few prominent Dutch nationals who were interested in learning more about India and its diverse culture; at that time the number of Indians in the Netherlands was very small, and it was but natural that its membership in those early years was predominantly Dutch and its Presidents eminent Dutch citizens. As the number of Indian expats gradually grew in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and thereafter, NIA’s activities too became wider and embraced within its purview almost every aspect of IndoDutch partnership. In the course of the following two decades, a large number of Indians got actively involved in its affairs with R.L.Lakhina becoming its first In-
Netherlands-India Association Executive Board: (Sitting from left) Dr. A.G. Menon (Joint Secretary), R.D.D. Gurnani (Secretary), Drs. Badri Madan (President), Drs. Marianne Oort (Treasurer). (Standing from left) Suman Korenhof (Member), Pramod Sharma (Member), Rajiv Mehra (Member), A.L. Chr. Oomen (Member), Satender Kumar (First Secretary, Indian Embassy).
Even much before the advent of the Dutch East Indies Company, Jan Huyghen van Linschoten had become the first adventurer in recorded history to have visited India. He had arrived in Goa on 21 September 1583 after a turbulent voyage lasting 162 days. In fact, he was instrumental in copying the Portuguese nautical maps that later enabled both the British East India Company and the Dutch East Indies Company to break the 16th century monopoly that the Portuguese had enjoyed with India and East Indies. That was a small piece from the pages of history. Today, the relationship between the Indian community and the Dutch have come a long, long way and the Indians have come to enjoy an enviable position in the cosmopolitan Dutch crucible that has assumed multi-faceted dimensions. Today The Netherlands-Indian Association (NIA) has become a very vocal force in promoting Indo-Dutch cultural and economic relations and taking these to newer heights; in fact, it has become a bridge of sorts between the Indian and Dutch governments, and is duly consulted on important issues. It has just completed 60 years of its glorious and eventful existence. And to celebrate and to commemorate its Diamond Jubilee, NIA has brought out an outstanding volume. Through 21 in-depth articles written by the pillars of the Indian community in the Netherlands, the volume touches upon almost every aspect of its
dian secretary and Dr. Badri Madan the first president. Today, The Netherlands-India Association encompasses a wide range of activities including the study of the respective cultures, histories, philosophies, religions, education and even the Indian auyurvedic system of medicine. However, it needs to be underscored here that the Indian community in the Netherlands adequately reflected the proverbial Indian unity in its all-glorious diversity. But the added dimension to its diversity was provided by the larger Indian community which had started migrating to the Netherlands from their erstwhile colony of Dutch Guiana, now called Surinam . Its population largely comprised Indian migrants from Bihar and adjoining areas of eastern UP. Floodgates for migration of Indians from Surinam were opened when it became independent in 1975 and nearly half of the younger generation of “Hindustanis” migrated to the greener pastures of the Netherlands. These Surinam “Hindustanis”, in fact, were IndoDutch of sorts, epitomizing the synthesis of the two cultures. Fluent in Dutch language and educated, they instantly felt at home in that melting pot of the different cultures, thereby providing much greater exposure to the Indian community . The Netherlands today boast of the second larger Indian community, next to United Kingdom. Raj Kanwar, our correspondent in India was visiting the United States of America.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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14 September 28, 2012
The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi
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Gandhi Goes to England to Study Law
Gandhiji’s Story Thus Far… Last week, we read about the birth and youth of the young boy Mohandas who would grow up to be universally revered as the Mahatma. He had an ordinary childhood, went to school, made friends, and got a rude awakening into the dreaded social specter of the caste system. This week, we continue the story of Gandhi ji as journeys to England to study law. Upon completion of high school, Mohandas enrolled at Samaldas College at Bhavnagar. He was discontent with the classes; they did not stimulate or engage him, so he returned home after the first ten days. At home a huge surprise awaited him. His eldest brother and a family friend suggested that Mohandas should go to England to study and become a barrister. Mohandas was thrilled. It was a great opportunity to see the world. His mother, however, disapproved. She did not like the idea of her son being so far away from her. There were also the financial implications. And she was fearful that he would lose his caste if he crossed the oceans, an age-old taboo against overseas travel among the high caste Hindus. The family friend assured her that there would be no such difficulty and all would
sure that Indian attire was more suitable. A glance in the mirror made him feel proud of himself. He thought he looked very impressive. Mohandas was shy. He rarely left his cabin. He even ate by himself. He was not sure of all those unknown foods served on the ship. He thought they might contain meat and did not wish to break his vow to his mother never to eat meat. So he lived mainly on the snacks and sweets he had Gandhi as a law student in London
be well. She had reservations and talked to him about it. She worried that he would eat meat, imbibe alcohol, and fall victim to bad influences. Mohandas vowed to do none of those, and pled with her to be permitted to go. Putlibai at last gave in and allowed him to go to England. Mohandas was sorrowful when he left Rajkot for Bombay, because he had to leave behind his mother, his wife, and son Harilal, who was only a few months old. On September 4, 1888, Mohandas left Bombay to set sail for England. Dressed in western style, he stood on the deck as the ship slowly steamed out of the harbor. Mohandas never forgot his first morning on board. He felt uncomfortable in his black suit and shirt and tie. He was quite
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The Extraordinary Life and Times of Mahatma Gandhi is brought to you courtesy Mahatma Gandhi Library. www.gandhilibrary.org brought from home. On landing at Southampton he looked around and saw that all the people were in dark clothes, wearing bowler hats and carrying overcoats. Mohandas was embarrassed to find that he was the only one wearing white flannels. In London, he stayed at first at the Victoria Hotel. Dr. P. J. Mehta, a friend of the Gandhi family, was the first to meet him. Mohandas was impressed with Dr. Mehta’s silk top hat. Out of curiosity, he reached out and touched the pile of the silk. Dr. Mehta then gave him his first lesson in European manners cautioning him not to touch other peoples’ things. He advised Mohandas to never ask too many probing questions, and not to talk loudly. Young Gandhi found everything around him strange. He was homesick. He almost starved until
he discovered a vegetarian restaurant. Struggling to learn western manners and customs, he rented a suite of rooms. He bought welltailored clothes and a top hat. He spent a lot of time before the mirror, parting his straight hair and fixing his tie. He took lessons in dancing, but soon gave it up as he had no sense of rhythm. He tried his hand at playing the violin, but failed. He took lessons in French and elocution, but went to sleep. His attempt to be an Englishman lasted about three months. Then he gave up the idea. He converted himself into a serious student. “I have changed my way of life,” he told a friend. “All this foolishness is at an end. I am living in one room and cooking my own food. Hereafter I shall devote all my time to study,” he said. His meals were simple. He avoided expenditure on transport and went on foot everywhere in London. He started to keep an account of every penny he spent. Mohandas joined the London Vegetarian Society and soon found himself in its executive council. He wrote articles for the magazine, Vegetarian. The bar examination did not require much study and Gandhi had ample time to spare. Oxford or Cambridge was not possible as study at those institutions would entail long course work and much financial resources. He therefore decided to appear for the London matriculation examination. It meant hard work and sacrifice, but he enjoyed hard work. He passed in French, English, and chemistry but failed in Latin. He tried again,
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and this time passed in Latin too. Meanwhile, he progressed in his study of law and in November 1888 was admitted to the Inner Temple. It was the tradition of the Inns of Court for the students to dine together at least six times each year. The first time Gandhi dined with his fellow students, he was nervous. He was sure the boys would tease him for refusing meat and alcohol. When wine was offered, he refused to have any. He did not touch the meat either, and sat there, quite content with his bread, boiled potatoes and cabbage. He was pleasantly surprised to find that his strange habits did not make him unpopular. The next time he went for the dinner, he had a pile of law books with him. He was taking the books to his room to study. The other students were amazed by his dedication to learning and very surprised to find him reading Roman law in Latin. Some friends suggested he read abbreviated versions of the law instead of bothering unduly over such tomes. Gandhi explained to his lighthearted friends that he worked so hard for sheer interest in the subject, and that he wanted to acquire knowledge for its own sake. After a short trip to France, he prepared for the final law examination. The results were soon declared. He had passed with high marks. On June 10, 1891, Gandhi was called to the bar. He was admitted as a barrister and the next day was formally enrolled in the High Court. The following day, June 12, he sailed for India. Gandhi’s three-year stay in England was eventful. Those were days of great intellectual activity, and there was tolerance for every school of thought. The country as a whole was a living university. As Gandhi sailed for home on the S.S. Assam, he felt that, next to India, he would rather live in England than any other place in the world.
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16 September 28, 2012 BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT The 94th birthday of Lt. Col. Om Julka, the doyen of the Indian Diaspora in Cleveland, Ohio, was celebrated last week with much gaiety. The luncheon gathering at an upscale Indian restaurant was marked by light-hearted banter, mutual back-slapping and innocent leg-pulling, reminiscent of an old school boys’ reunion. Dr. Vinod Joshi, who acted as the master of ceremonies, was in a playful mood that soon became infectious. There were two guests from India Mr. RS Sharma and this writer visiting their children there. “What were the secrets of his longevity?”, he was asked. Julka became somewhat emotional and thanked the God Almighty for his long life. He attributed all this to “the grace of God, good medical care and the abundant affection given to me by my four children, seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.” Julka added that he had never felt that he was ageing; he did not smoke and even shunned alcoholic drinks except for an occasional red wine. He enjoyed simple food such as daal, roti, vegetables or even meat of chicken, birds or lamb; he did not eat beef or pork. He is fond of fruits and nuts, albeit in moderate quantities. He has had many pas-
COMMUNITY Meeting Senior Indian Americans in Cleveland
Col. Om Julka is a Sprightly 94-Year Old Citing the example of Khushwant Singh, who is four years his senior, Julka said that he too believed in massage besides regular and moderate eating and drinking habits. “Genes are though important but not always. His father died in 1931 at age 61 and mother at age 72,” Julka said with some pride of achievement. The remarkable thing about this ‘young’ group of senior Indian Americans is that each one drove himself to the rendezvous even when most of them were in their 70s and 80s. They have had good and fulfilling life with no regrets. Many have cultivated the reading habit and also regularly use computer and internet. They are not a burden on their children and are
mostly financially independent. If anything, their presence in the house is a great boon for their grandchildren who greatly enjoy the company of their grandfathers. All in all, it was a learning experience and somewhat satisfying that many of the Indian American ‘retirees’ have been able to live life independently, without being dependent in any way on their children. It was a jovial group, happily sans a sad face. Raj Kanwar, India Correspondent of Indo American News spent 10 weeks in the USA visiting his family and friends in Cleveland, Houston and California. He will contribute a few articles on his impressions and experiences of life in the US.
Minister of External Affairs of India, S.M. Krishna to Visit Dallas on October 3 Col. Om Julka (center) flanked by Raj Kanwar, Surender Kampani, Kumar Bhatia and Satyendra Gupta.
times that keep him engaged. He has an uncanny knack of learning languages and his repertoire includes English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sanskrit and German. Even at this age, he often uses internet and is also learning computer programs. He has great interest in genealogy and has been
working diligently for years on compiling his ‘Julka family tree’, and has been able to trace his family lineage up to 400 years. He believes in the ‘early to bed, early to rise’ ritual. “Body massage and exercise or walking also helped me. Fortunately, I am not required to take any medicines.”
The Honorable Minister of External Affairs of India, S.M. Krishna would be undertaking an official visit to Dallas on Wednesday, October 3, 2012. He would be delivering a lecture titled “INDIA NOW” as part of the Carrington Endowed Lecture Series hosted by Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) Dedman School of Law at Umphrey Lee Center / Mack Grand Ballroom – SMU Campus during 6:00pm - 7:15pm. For free tickets and online reservation, visit www.law.smu.edu
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
ENTERTAINMENT
September 28, 2012
17
There are OMG Moments Everyday in Our Lives: Akshay Kumar
Bollywood screen legend Akshay Kumar has played many roles in his illustrious film career, from police officer to gangster to wholesome family man. Now, in his newest incarnation Akshay takes on his greatest role to date – that of playing a modern, philosophical and witty version of the reverred Indian God, Lord Krishna. Well scripted and cleverly observed, OMG Oh My God is an intelligent and thoughtprovoking piece of film making from Akshay Kumar and Ashvini Yardi’s new production company Grazing Goat Pictures, and sees Akshay don the cap of producer as well as actor. OMG Oh My God is a comedy-drama film based on the hit Gujarati play, Kanji Virrudh Kanji and the Hindi play Kishen vs Kanhaiya. It takes a simple concept and intelligently examines and ultimately redefines the boundaries of faith, worship and belief in God. Speaking about the film, Akshay says: “What grabbed my interest is the story, which was an eye opener for me. It was also the same time that we were launching my new production house Grazing Goat Pictures and were looking for a subject which was different and not the usual run of the mill concepts. I got my business partner Ashvini [Yardi] to hear the narration and we both decided that this will be the first movie from the Grazing Goat stable.” The story centres around antique shop owner and atheist Kanjibhai, played magnificently by comedy kingpin Paresh Rawal (Hera Pheri, Golmaal), whose livelihood is literally swept away when an earthquake hits and destroys his shop in Mumbai. OMG Oh My God also stars the talented Mithun Chakraborty (Housefull 2) and features item songs by Akshay’s block-
buster Rowdy Rathore team mates Sonakshi Sinha and Prabhu Deva. The film is directed by Umesh Shukla who also directed the play the film is based on. IAN conducted an email interview with Akshay Kumar. Below are the excerpts from the interview: Tell us something about the character of Lord Krishna you play in the film. This is my first film under my new production company ‘Grazing Goat’, so the meaning behind this film is more than most can imagine. Probably because this is one film I would be so proud to show my father. Despite the fact that the script is extremely close to both mine and Pareshji’s heart, it truly is a beautiful, once in ‘my life time’, screenplay. Everyone involved wanted me to play this role, to be honest I would never dream of portraying a ‘God’ of any kind, anyone that knows me understands my humble shyness to play such an almighty character or in this case, India’s almighty Lord Krishna. But when you have a vision (and a good shove from Pareshji himself) you just can’t turn your
Heroine: Kareena’s Dirty Picture
BY MEENA IYER (TOI) Story: Mahi Arora has all the trappings of a Bollywood superstar-name, fame and fortune. Unfortunately she’s also a manic depressive and constantly courts a death wish. Will Mahi succumb to her weakness or will she manage to stay afloat? Movie Review: Multiple National-Award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar takes vicarious pleasure in giving his audience a ring-side view of various walks of life. His Chandni Bar (2001) dealt with Mumbai dance-bars; Page-3 (2005) showed the shallow side of the media and celebrity circus; Fashion(2008) dealt with the seamier side of the fashion industry. And one must say here that in each of his previous works Madhur was far more in control of proceedings than he is in Heroine; a film that superficially traces Bollywood’s underbelly. The protagonist is Mahi Arora ( Kareena Kapoor), a superstar, who has the world at her feet for a bit in the beginning of this film. Unfortunately she is also fashionably diagnosed with the bipolar syndrome and is happy to destroy herself in her various relationships. If you are wondering why Sunshine Girl Mahi is on a constant emotional roller-coaster; the narrative tells you that she has had a messed up childhood and hence she has developed this masochistic streak. So on the one hand, Mahi is cutting ribbons, and shooting for a dozen endorsements. But quickly enough she is also threatened by the arrival of the younger actresses and awards that go missing. To add to her woes, she’s drawn like a moth to a flame to her married costar Aryan Khanna( Arjun Rampal); a cad.
Very clearly the written material at hand draws from unflattering accounts of various real and reel Hindi film heroines of the 80s (unfair to name them because a couple of them are not even around to defend themselves); who were in messy situations with their married co-stars. In a bid to pack in every piece of studio gossip ever heard; Heroine makes Mahi swing from a relationship with a married actor to another with a successful cricketer ( Randeep Hooda). Cloning stereotypes of what the middle-class call a liberated; Mahi is also shown smoking, drinking and popping pills so frequently; she seems more like a social hazard than a free-thinking girl. The film is made enjoyable by some pithy dialogue credited to Niranjan Iyengar. Sample this: aap media waalon ko toh script likhna chahiye. Heroine ne gaadi le li-toh businessman PHONE# ne gift kardi; diamond khareeda, toh engagement ho gayi; 718-395-8065 hospital gayi check up ke liye, toh abortion ho gaya, LA gayi toh plastic surgery karva liya, aur Dubai gayi toh, uska rate card ban jata hai. And Heroine would have been crisper had it not digressed to cover every Bollywood insider account. When the maker attempts to show mainstream cinema’s condescending attitude towards art-house films, precious screen time is lost. Mahi’s attempt to play a prostitute and say scandalous lines are clearly attempted to woo the front-benchers but the gig lacks conviction. The music is a complete let down and even the item song Halkat Jaawani fails to give the required `rise’ to proceedings. Of course the saving grace of the film is Kareena who not only looks drop-dead gorgeous but is also adept as the girl interrupted.
back on such an opportunity out of fear of being judged by ‘some’ negative parties in this world. This film has opened my eyes and my heart more than I thought possible, as an actor and as a devotee to God. What is so special about this movie? It’s a people’s film - it’s educational, spiritual, eyeopening and it will be life changing for some people. It’s a film with a message, but the message will be different for different people. You will walk out of the theatre either enlightened, confused, or opinionated. I can imagine many coming out wanting to have a full-blown discussion about how the film made them feel. It’s an intriguing journey into the life of religion and how people use religion in India. But it’s all in good faith. Do you believe in God? What is God according to you? My equation with God like many is purely on a respectful and extremely humble level. I respect all decisions made under God’s roof, I do not argue with God, I only argue with some people that mistreat Gods’ creation and existence on this planet. For example: When did God ever say you had to pay to believe? After making this film, in all honesty I have changed my perception of how I worship God. For me ‘God’ is everywhere, why am I paying Lakhs for me and my family to fly to India’s most prestigious religious places in the hope God will acknowledge my love and devotion more. If God really is who I believe he is, then why am I paying to worship him when I can
give that money to helpless children? I would feel 10 times closer to his heart than I would by spending the money on him, hopelessly! Remember, what does Mandir in Hindi really mean? ‘Man’ means inside, ‘Dir’ means heart, God is inside me always, my heart is where my temple is. Please remember this is just my views, I’m not preaching, it’s just an example of the characteristics you will find in this beautiful comedy I call ‘OMG’. What was the toughest part about playing Krishna? The toughest part is living up to the nation’s expectations and perceptions. What my vision might be is someone else’s opinion, so to be true to my vision and respectful to the rest of the world’s lifetime of worshipping, is not an easy task. But really all I had to do was release myself from all negative and impure thoughts and actions, and just be the very being of what I have been praying to for all my years. Was it easy?! No! Was it extraordinary? Very much so! Have there been Oh My God moments in your life? If yes, please explain some. Many. Passing exams, never having my nose broken when I took up karate, completing seven Khiladi movies (about to be 8) with my life intact, marrying the woman of my dreams ‘OMG’, being a father when I still see myself trying to be the best son, making a film on ‘man vs God, Oh My God. I can see my father’s face now, he would love it with all his heart. There are ‘OMG’ moments everyday in all of our lives – it’s whether you acknowledge them, that is the beauty. OMG Oh My God releases worldwide on 28th September 2012.
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EDITORIAL
September 28, 2012
We Haven’t Got the Picture
While it is true that technology can empower people, the truth is it is a double-edged sword. This is because there are many young people in this country who lack the maturity to deal with technological advances and they often fall prey to the designs of sexual predators. For example, take the state of Bihar where there is a new trend in sexual assaults: vulnerable girls are often befriended by men on the internet and then sexually exploited. Such acts are then recorded on DVDs and then circulated/sold. Recently, a schoolgirl was gangraped in Patna and CDs and MMS of the incident were circulated to blackmail the victim. We must not trivialize this problem by saying that the state government is not responsible for the safety of girls because the persons who commit such crimes are often known to the victim. I commend the Bihar State Commission for Women for its timely action in the Patna gangrape case, but I condemn the view that such acts of violence against women are acceptable because the girl knew the aggressors. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, in 2011, 10.6% of rape victims were under 14 years, while 19% were teenagers. Offenders were known to the victims in about 94.2% cases. Rape cases are often not reported because of threats from rapists, family pressures and a sense of shame. Unfortunately, many blame women and cite their behaviour or sartorial choices as reasons for being raped. Such views are ludicrous. In another case, this time in Rohtas, women alleged that they had been photographed with mobile cameras, their faces then morphed on naked bodies and the MMSs circulated. In this case too, the response of the local police was lukewarm and so it was left to the victims, NGOs, civil society and political parties to flag the case. Thankfully due to their efforts and the National Commission for Women (NCW), raids were conducted and the accused arrested. A senior police official assured that he would move court for the cancellation of bail of the accused. But the question, however, remains: why did the police not take any action before the NCW’s intervention? Our laws are inadequate to deal with cyber-stalking, cyber pornography, morphing, and no specific mention is made in our laws of ‘cyber’abuse of women. The NCW is proposing to initiate regional and national consultations on cyber crime and its impact on women, beginning with Bihar. But I want to pose a few questions: what is the role of the State in curbing this illness before it devours our society? What is the role of the law enforcement agencies in such cases? What kind of value education is the State imparting to its children that instead of being responsible citizens they are turning into depraved minds, sadists and paedophiles? I might appear a bit judgmental, but I am not trying to prove anything here. Instead, I hope that by expressing my own fears and concerns, states will assume responsibility for the present generation, in order to protect the future generations. Charu WaliKhanna is member, National Commission for Women
Coalition Management
BY GAUTAM ADHIKARI When I was growing up in the 1960s, a young man had to aim to be an engineer or a doctor. A few years on, the ideal son-in-law had to be a chartered accountant. That too had a relatively brief shelf life. Today, an aspiring young man or woman must be a management graduate to be taken seriously by in-laws or by society at large. Yes, even an engineer or an accountant these days should snag an IIM degree if he or she wants to belong to the elite. Indian managers have proven their worth around the globe. Some are CEOs of multinationals, some are innovators in Silicon Valley, while others blaze trails across the world as entrepreneurs. Many belong to the global elite’s Davos club. Yet, India the nation seems almost unmanageable. The latest stunt of Mamata Banerjee to pull support from the UPA coalition is one more instance of how incredibly difficult it has become to manage the nation from New Delhi. Make no mistake, today it’s a Congress-led government pushed into a minority position in Parliament, tomorrow it could well be a BJP-led one. We should ask: Is the very design of our political-administrative system now defunct? To recap briefly how that system evolved over the past six decades, we could outline Indian politics in three acts. The first was an era of Nehruvian consensus, fired by bold aspirations of a new nation in thrall of a towering leader who commanded huge majorities in Parliament and faced only mild opposition. Nehru launched India, many would say mistakenly, on a path of centrally planned and controlled economic growth without serious hindrance while the Congress barely faced any challenge. Its end began with a disastrous border war with China in 1962 followed soon by the death of Nehru in 1964. A period of turbulence followed until Indira Gandhi came out as the Empress of India after humiliating Pakistan in the Bangladesh war; she assumed total
Coalitions and their unpredictability are not just the order of the day in Indian politics. They seem to be here to stay and in fact reflect India’s reality starkly. control of the Congress party by hollowing out its power structure, ending internal party democracy and subjugating all regional leaders. That was the second act of political evolution in India. Indira Gandhi ruled with authority, in a good and bad sense of the word, from 1969 till her assassination in 1984, barring a short post-Emergency period when others tried to hold power with patchwork coalitions. Her son, Rajiv, had good intentions but couldn’t really deal with opposition from vested interests within the Congress during his five years in power till 1989. That’s when a third era of politics began and became the pattern. The point to note is that this third era of politics that we are living through now needs a type of management skill that is fundamentally different from what was necessary in the first two eras. Both Nehru and Indira Gandhi could, with a few important exceptions in the 1969-70 period, force through decisions on public policy without having to worry about parliamentary support. No longer is it so in this era of coalitions. As prime ministers and party leaders have come to realise, from V P Singh through Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Manmohan Singh - and a few minor sentries in between -consensus can no longer
flow from charismatic leadership or the power of brute parliamentary majorities. Managing coalitions is a different game altogether. It requires a vastly complex set of skills. Coalitions and their unpredictability are not just the order of the day in Indian politics. They seem to be here to stay and in fact reflect India’s reality starkly. India, as I have argued before, is a coalition of sub-nations, each with its different linguistic and cultural tradition, to say nothing of myriad caste and religious divisions. This reality was accepted in the early years when India became organised into linguistically distinct states. Today, the regional sub-nationalistic distinctions are reflected in India’s political picture through the increasing influence of regional parties and the weakened weight of all-India parties, be it the Congress or the BJP. In short, India is what Europe is trying hard to be and hasn’t succeeded so far. But now that we have to live with this reality, we might look carefully once again into the design of national management that was spelled out in our Constitution and implemented through a centralised administrative and fiscal system. Why not ask a team of experts, public and private, to take a look? Maybe we could suggest a few questions for them. For example: Is the fiscal system far too centralised? Should we let states have more powers of taxation, including raising income tax, so that they can manage their finances as best they can by depending less on the central government’s goodwill? Should we privatise much more than we have managed to so far so that the federal government can manage what it ought to instead of running airlines and coalmines? Should we re-examine the viability of a central administrative service in changed circumstances? And should we reassess the efficacy of our parliamentary system? The writer is a former executive editor of Times of India.
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COMMUNITY
September 28, 2012
Youth Leadership and Adult Inner Transformation Workshops by M.K.Ramanujam
MANVEL, TX: M. K. Ramanujam, a world-class speaker and trainer with immense experience in conducting programs for corporates and schools, will conduct two unique workshops in the Pearland area this November. Organized by “Joy of Sharing”, an initiative of Global Organization for Divinity, the Youth Leadership Workshop for youngsters aged 12 to 19 years will be held on Saturday, November 17 from 9am to 3pm, and the Inner Transformation Workshop for adults will be held on Sunday, November 18 from 9am to 3pm. Both workshops will be conducted at New Life Plaza, 3945 CR 58 (Croix Road), Manvel, TX 77578 which is located close to SH 288, just 20 minutes south of Houston Downtown. The cost for each of these workshops is $100 and includes course material and lunch. Early registration price for those registering before Oct 7 is just $75. The proceeds from these non-profit programs will benefit Joy of Sharing charity projects in the USA. The Youth Leadership program presents an invaluable opportunity for youngsters. It has been conceived to bring out the leader hidden in every young person, and to prepare and mould them positively for their life ahead. The meticulously planned workshop will introduce the young minds to what leadership really means, and infuse in them the key traits of a good leader such as listening, influencing, understanding one’s own self, responsibility, being
M. K. Ramanujam, an Electrical Engineering gold-medalist from Delhi University, has conducted corporate and school workshops in numerous worldwide organizations including Microsoft, Intel, GE, IBM, Harvard University, among many others.
open, and more. Key tools like Time management, Conflict management and Exam preparation skills are also discussed in detail for them to be best prepared to face challenges head-on and come out victorious. The Inner Transformation workshop is a rare opportunity for adults to get away from the grind of everyday stress and anxiety, and take time to reflect internally on the depths of Ramanujam’s greatest personal learning: that Happiness is a choice and not a result, regardless of the situation we are in. The program will focus on understanding our inner nature, balancing life’s priorities, acceptance vs. agreement, gratitude, resolving inner conflicts, and more. It
will aim to broaden the participants’ understanding of life and attempt to open their eyes to higher truths and consequently better living. M. K. Ramanujam, an Electrical Engineering gold-medalist from Delhi University, a former General Manager at Visteon (Ford Motor Co.) and a Six-Sigma Black Belt in Quality Management, gave up his promising career in the quest for superior quality of a different kind: the quality of inner life. He now devotes his time entirely for an organization that promotes promulgation of life skills through Inner Transformation, Effectiveness and Happiness at the workplace and beyond. He has given several lectures in countries across the world including India, USA, Australia, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the MiddleEast. He has conducted corporate and school workshops in numerous worldwide organizations including Microsoft, Intel, GE, IBM, Harvard University, among many others. He has visited Houston before, in 2007 and in 2009-10, and enthralled many audiences with his scintillating and insightful talks. To read a detailed profile of Ramanujam, visit www.thejoyofsharing. org. To register for the Inner Transformation Workshop, visit http://it2012. eventbrite.com. To register for the Youth Leadership Workshop, visit http://ylw2012.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Sriram at 832-515-1251 or email info@ thejoyofsharing.org.
Houston Habitat for Humanity Celebrates 25th Anniversary HOUSTON: Habitat supporters have merged forces to annunciate the 25th Anniversary of Houston Habitat for Humanity! Co-Chairs Martin and Kelli Cohen Fein, Leela and Nat Krishnamurthy, Trini MendenhallSosa and Frank Sosa and Anita and Gerald Smith have joined in a collaboration to celebrate the occasion and to raise much needed funding to continue the programs of Houston Habitat which build stronger families and thereby a stronger community for us all. In terms of “opening the doors to opportunity”, the evening will include an exhibit and silent auction of actual doors transformed into art by an impressive list of fifteen artists, (all of whom have roots to Houston) including: Spencer Anderson, Salli Babbitt, Kermit Eisenhut, Jackie Gendel, Angelbert Motoyer, Tra Slaughter and several others. There will be a live auction of premier doors as well as a two-year lease of a 2012 3-Series BMW generously donated by Momentum BMW Southwest. Famed
auctioneer, Vicki Vines, will conduct the auction and host of “Great Day Houston”, Deborah Duncan, will emcee the program. The Richard Brown Orchestra will provide entertainment. The evening calls for cocktail attire and Red Shoes because after all, There’s No Place Like Home! Esteemed Honorees include: CHEVRON (Humanitarian Award),
The Houston Bar Association (Carl Ulmand Lifetime Achievement Award), Wells Fargo Bank (Corporate Partner Award), InnerChange Freedom Initiative (Open Doors Award), Irene and Brian Binash (Builder’s Award) and The Kinkaid School (Future Builder’s Award). Honorary Chairs include: Pastors Kirbyjon and Suzette Caldwell, Anthony Chase, Andrew Echols and
Sonceria and Jodie Jiles. The evening promises to be a true celebration of the great strides Houston Habitat for Humanity has made in providing affordable housing for lowincome residents of Houston. Houston Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by building affordable housing suitable for hardworking families. From thousands of applications, qualified family partners receive no-interest mortgages and may be eligible for down payment assistance – obstacles for many working class families. So it’s not a hand out, but rather a hand up to improve the life for every member of the family, emboldening collaboration and community every step of the way. Houston Habitat for Humanity will celebrate it’s 25th Anniversary at the “There’s No Place Like Home” Red Shoes Gala on Wednesday, November 7 at the at Hilton AmericasHouston. For more information, visit http:// www.houstonhabitatgala.org
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INDIA Arch rivals Mayawati and Mulayam to Support
Despite Mamata’s Bombshell, Manmohan Singh Stays in Saddle
BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT The political tremors set off by the expected announcement last Friday by West Bengal’s mercurial supremo, Mamata Banerjee withdrawing her party’s support to Congress-led UPAII government failed to cause any immediate damage. The withdrawal and resignation of six of her party’s nominees from the Union ministry, in fact, came as a great relief to the beleaguered government which had found itself hamstrung and suffocated during past three years by continuous tantrums by Mamata and her minions in the government. All this hullaballoo though initially created much excitement not only in the BJP, the principal opposition party, but also amongst the sundry political outfits raising ‘visions’ of imminent collapse of the Manmohan Singh government but all that eventually turned out to be a damp squib. The latest crisis came when Manmohan Singh’s government made a major policy announcement “permitting 51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail together with raising prices of both diesel and cooking gas that had been heavily subsidized. This announcement, though almost universally supported and welcomed by mainstream English newspapers, commentators and political analysts, had evoked strong and strident protests from every other party, small or big, cutting across political spectrum. BJP leaders were at their raucous best or worst in denouncing the Congress, describing the opening of multi-brand retail sector to foreign companies as a ‘sell out’ that would jeopardize the businesses of nearly 50 million retailers, adversely affect the farmers and the ‘aam aadmi’. Other parties were equally, if not more, vociferous in their criticism. All the assorted parties observed a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on 20th September to protest against, what they called, ‘anti-people policies’ of the government. Ironically, even the parties in the UPA-II alliance such as DMK and those supporting it from outside too had joined this bandh. The industry associations put the total loss caused by the bandh including closer of industries and trade at several thousand crores of rupees. Unfortunately, such ‘bandhs’ in India have become a convenient tool in the hands of political parties and even smaller regional outfits which make use of it oftener to grind their individual or combined axe. It was ironical indeed that arch political foes such like CPM and BJP rubbed shoulders on a single platform on the 20th September bandh, forgetting their inherent ideological dissonance. No one knows if the bandh served any political purpose, but it did manage to cause much disruption in the daily life in most parts of the country barring states like Maharashtra and Delhi where life was normal. Tens
Manmohan Singh
Mayawati
Mulayam Singh Yadav
of thousands of daily wage earners too lost their livelihood for no fault of theirs. In his address to the Nation last Friday, Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh diligently explained like a school teacher as to why it had become absolutely unavoidable to increase the prices of diesel and cooking gas. He explained that these prices had been heavily subsidized to the extent of rupees one hundred thousands crore and unless these subsidies were withdrawn, the country would be confronted with bigger crisis much like that facing many European countries. Using an Indian proverb, he said that “money does not grow on trees”. The entire government revenue essentially comes from the people by way of taxes, levies et al and such huge subsidies would ultimately have to be covered by additional taxation.
He was very clear about the benefits of opening up the retail sector in the country to FDI and said that it would help all the stakeholders including the consumers, farmers and small, medium and big industrialists. He also pooh poohed the propaganda that the existing retailers in India -- the ‘Mom and Pop’ outlets -- would disappear if the multinational retailers were allowed in the country. Manmohan Singh pointed out that several large Indian retailers had been operating in India for the past few years and added that the number of private retail outlets had increased instead of being wiped out. BJP leaders were licking their lips anticipating the fall of the Manmohan Singh government following the withdrawal of support to it by Mamata’s Trinamool Congress. Some of their stalwarts even demanded that the President should summon a special session of the Parliament and that the UPA should prove its majority. Some political commentators wondered how the BJP now want a Lok Sabha session when it had made it impossible for the earlier session to function even for a single day. They described as ‘nothing but a gimmick’. The speeches and the statements by BJP and some other Opposition parties were stridently vituperative, very much like the ongoing Presidential campaign in the USA. Blatant lies and falsehood are being regularly uttered without batting an eye. A former BJP chief minister even said that opening of the retail sector to Foreign Direct Investment was very much like inviting the East India Company of the yore which had gradually conquered. Even Mamata had anticipated that the Central government would fall once she withdrew her support. But nothing of the sort happened. Samajwadi Party’s Mulayam Singh, despite his hobnobbing with other opposition parties on the issue of FDI and price increase in petroleum products, announced that his party would continue to support the UPA government at the Center. Strangely, the Manmohan Singh government is now being supported from outside both by Mulayam Singh and his bête noire Mayawati of BSP. Even though Mulayam Singh is unpredictable and could take an about-turn anytime, the support from Mayawati would continue. Politics indeed makes strange bed-fellows.
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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
INDIA
September 28, 2012
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Sikh Business Community: “Make Money, Not War”
BY CHANDER SUTA DOGRA (Outllook India) When Neil Armstrong reached the moon, he saw some friendly-looking people there, with strange headgear. His conversation with them went something like this: Armstrong: “Who are you and what are you doing up on the moon?” Aliens: “We are Sikhs. Assi te Partition de baad hi aithe aa gaye (We came here after the Partition)!” This is one of the many jokes about the ubiquitous Sikhs, found today in almost all parts of the world, running a variety of businesses, from small food joints to massive manufacturing industries. Nine out of ten businesses run by the Punjabis today are by the Khatri Punjabis (found both among Sikhs and Hindus because of their common ancestry) who really landed on the business map of India after Partition. Arriving as penniless migrants from what was then called West Punjab, their enterprising nature and legendary capacity of hard work, fuelled by adversity, made them the formidable component they are today of the India growth story. The Khatri Sikhs are the sweettalking, non-confrontationist businessmen hailing from clans like Bedi, Bhalla, Arora, Ahluwalia, Pahwa and so on—many of whom trace their ancestry to the 10 Sikh gurus. The industrial hubs of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Yamunanagar and Delhi, of course, grew on the back of Khatri enterprise. The Pahwas of Avon cycles, Kapurs of Atlas cycles and Munjals of Hero Honda pioneered the bicycle industry in Ludhiana; just as the Sondhis, Chadhas and Wassans established the Rs 2,000-crore Jalandhar sports goods industry, which grew around the hundreds of sports goods craftsmen and traders fleeing Sialkot in Pakistan in 1947. Most of them still speak the sweet, west Pakistani dialect of Punjabi that differentiates them from their loud and somewhat brash Jat Sikh brethren. Though the post-Partition years saw several Khatri families growing from small-time traders to big business interests, every decade has spawned absolutely new success stories. Like the Rs 300-crore Doraha (near Ludhiana)-based Kashmir Apiaries, started by Jagjit Singh Kapoor, son of an impoverished school teacher from Mirpur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “When my father came here,” Jagjit tells Outlook, “he began inviting other fleeing Punjabis to Doraha, and soon all of us were into small businesses. After graduating in 1971, I also tried my hand at several small ventures, but most failed. In the early ’80s, I did a course in beekeeping, began selling boxes for beehives and soon began buying honey from people who had bee colonies.” Kashmir Apiaries is today the largest Indian exporter of honey, selling a variety of honey products to 48 countries, and Jagjit is proud of being able to adhere to stringent international standards. Displaying the quintessential Khatri trait for hard work and risk-taking, he says, “I used
Akshay Bector, Cremica Group
Industry, not aggression, is the trademark of Sikh community to travel third-class to find buyers for my honey and saved on hotel bills by sleeping on night trains, and bathing at railway station waiting rooms.” Unlike the ever-cautious Jains and Banias of north India, taking risks comes naturally to the Khatris, an instinct honed possibly by centuries of survival in the invader-prone northwest. So, in 1953, when nascent Chandigarh was just a cluster of a few houses and government offices, Darshan Singh, originally from Rawalpindi in Pakistan, started Aroma hotel, the city’s first commercial property. “It didn’t make much money initially,” says his son Manmohan, “and the Punjab government made it into a resthouse to enable us to get by.” Over the years, though, Aroma’s become a Chandigarh landmark, and the family has recently added a four-star property, besides interests in the hospitality business in the US and video distribution. In the same mould is Gautam Kapur, who established Radisson hotel in Jalandhar some eight years ago, at a time when opening a five-star property in the city was considered foolhardy. But the 57-year-old had started his hugely successful hand tools manufacturing business also in adverse conditions, in 1985, when militancy was at its peak. “It was a time,” he recalls, “when businessmen were moving out of Punjab, but my father who was a leading motion picture distributor of north India said we should not leave a town which had given us so many good decades.” Among the Punjabi Khatri enterprises which have ‘arrived’ in recent years is the Rs 700-crore Cremica group of companies started by Ludhiana housewife Rajni Bector in 1989. From making ice-cream and bakery products for friends, the group’s become a household name in confectionery, condiments and sauces in north India, with an annual growth of almost 30 per cent. Bector, as her son Akshay informs us, is probably a distortion of the subcaste Bakhtiars, hailing from a few villages around Ludhiana. In 1996, when McDonald’s was entering India, the Bectors beat several established players like Britannia and Bakeman’s to get a contract to exclusively supply buns
Anand Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra
to the American chain’s restaurants in India. The family has been in business since 1880, mainly as commission agents in the mandi town of Ludhiana. But Akshay attributes much of their present success to the opening up of the Indian economy, as their enterprise coincided with the increase in consumption and their products found acceptability in newer geographical areas and rural markets. Though the Khatris believe they are warrior Kshatriyas who took to trading, there is some ambiguity about their place in the varna system, as they have for centuries been in mercantile occupations. Their children received solid education; many found their way into the army, banking and judiciary. In recent decades, though, many Khatris from service backgrounds have given in to their merchant genes and entered business. Deepak Pahwa of Bryair Asia, for instance, is a first-time entrepreneur. His grandfather was a renowned eye surgeon of Punjab, his father was in insurance while numerous uncles and cousins of his were in the army. Deepak himself began with a small air-conditioning unit some three decades ago to grow into a Rs 500-crore engineering giant with a presence in 40 countries. “Yes, we are a docile community,” he observes, “who will never be found protesting and sitting on dharnas, though we may talk a lot.” Avinash Chopra of the Rs 500-crore Hind Samachar group of newspapers, first established in 1948, is more direct about typical Khatri traits. “We are basically ‘darpok’, not given to taking strong stands, and get a high from making money. Other communities are jealous of our success and influence, but do not see the hard work behind it.” Kishie Singh, a Jat Sikh journalist and keen observer of Punjabi culture, sees Khatris as “the politest people I know, great networkers, though not necessarily very honest in business”. Despite their financial clout and proximity to New Delhi, the Khatris, oddly, have not made it big in politics. Traditionally landless, the community has always survived on trade and business, due to which they got marginalised in the agrarian-based politics of north India after Partition. “There is a feeling,” says Avinash, “that it is better to fund political parties and use the influence to prosper rather than join them.” Unlike other media barons, his father Vijay Chopra has refused offers from mainstream parties to join politics. Even those who do join—like Gautam Kapur who flirted
Sharp hotelier Gautam Kapur in Jalandhar
Jagjit Singh Kapoor of Doraha (Ludhiana)-based Kashmir Apiaries, with his wife and daughter. Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
with theAmarinder Singh camp in the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections this year—beat a hasty retreat because, as he says, “Politics put me off. We Khatris have never had a helping hand from the polity because of our minimal presence there, but we have still made it.” Everyone is hugely proud of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, their best known political face, but free-
ly acknowledge he is not a typical politician who can be counted on for “favours”. The Punjabi Jat Sikh, it’s often said, is known for agriculture and litigation (from never-ending disputes over land). The Khatri Sikhs, on the other hand, are not hobbled by either. Their business philosophy is best illustrated by the phrase, ‘sanoo ke lena ji (how does it concern me)’. It means minding one’s business.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
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September 28, 2012
BY KRISHAN GUPTA History of Brahman cattle between India and America is more than 140 years old. During British Raj Indian cattle were imported to USA and Brazil for milk and other products and according to their needs. Texas became the main hub to import cattle during that time. City of Hungerford, TX has one of the ten largest purebred producers in USA. A Brahman cow is an extremely good mother, offering protection and an abundance of milk for her calves. Brahman calves tend to measure high weights at weaning because of the outstanding milk given by Brahman cows. They are known for their extreme tolerance to heat conditions, and resistance to insects due to their thick layer of skin. They live longer than many other breeds, often still producing calves at ages 15 and older. These cows have a greater ability to withstand heat than European cattle, and have more sweat glands, big hump, also an oily skin, thought to help repel pest insects along with a smooth coat and a short hair coat. They are also more resistant to parasites and disease in some countries, especially in South America. In South America, Brahman cattles are also used for milk, and other products. The Brahma is a breed of Zebu cattle (Bos indicus), later exported from India to the rest of the world. The main breeds used were Kankrej, Gujarat, Nellore or Ongole and the Gir cattle. It is named for the Sacred Cow of Hindus. Nellore cattle originated from Ongole (Bos Iindicus) cattle originally brought from India to Brazil. The Nellore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder, neck, and long legs, which help them to walk in water and when grazing. The Nellore can adapt to all except very cold climates. They are very resistant to high temperatures and have natural resistance to various parasites and diseases. Ongole city is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India and famous for its Ongolu Gitta cattle (Ongole breed of oxen). This is one of the major Zebu cattle breeds in the world. Zebu cattle was originally called as Bos Indicus, sometimes known as humped cattle, Indicus cattle, Cebu or Brahmin cattle originating in
COMMUNITY HOROSCOPE
Brahman Cows Thrive in USA and Brazil
ana, was presented with two bulls by the Government of Great Britain, for his services in teaching cotton and sugar cane production to British officials establishing these crops in the deltas of India. In 1915, J.D. Hudgins and his son, Walter, began putting together all Brahman cattle after a rain near Perch Creek of the Indian cattles they Road near College Station, TX could find and afford to purchase. In that year, South Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent. They are characterized they bought a group of females which by a fatty hump on their shoulders, were direct descendants of a 1906 drooping ears and a large dewlap. importation from India. In 1924, they Zebu are used as draught oxen, as were able to purchase a group of bulls dairy cattle and as beef cattle, as well which had been imported from Braas for byproducts such as hides and zil. These, and other humped cattle, formed the basis of the first breed to be dung for fuel and manure. Gir cattle are famous milk cattle developed in the United States “The breed of India. The native tract of American Brahman”. The registry the breed is Gir hills and forests for the American Brahman breed of Kathiawar including Junagadh, was organized in that same year. Bhavnagar, Rajkot and Amreli Dis- The J.D. Hudgins ranch is located at Hungerford, Texas, 50 miles southtrict of Gujarat. Kankrej cattle are a breed of Zebu west of Houston on U.S. Highway cattle from the district of Kankrej in 59. The Hudgins Ranch acquired the the state of Gujarat, India, They are gray Brahman bull Monso in 1933. also known by the names Bannai, Manso’s descendants are the cornerNagar, Talabda, Vaghiyar, Waged, stone stock from which the ranch’s Wadhiar, Guzerat cattle are a breed American Gray Brahman herd was developed in Brazil from Kankrej developed, now one of the largest cattle imported from India. The name registered American Gray Brahman Gurezat is a Portuguese spelling of herds in the world. Originating from a nucleus of apGujarat. They are, of course, very similar, both being tall draft/beef proximately 266 bulls and 22 females breeds with high horns. On the aver- of several Bos indicus (cattle of India) age, Guzerat are darker, bigger and types imported into the United States have longer horns than Kankrej. The between 1854 and 1926. Today the bulls usually are quite dark on the Brahman breed has achieved accephead and forequarters, lighter else- tance for their environmental adapwhere. Guzerat and Kankrej are the tively, longevity, mothering ability principal breeds used in the forma- and efficient beef production In 1933 the Hudgins Ranch purtion of the American Brahman, along chased the gray Brahman bull Manwith the Gir and the Nellore. However there has never existed so, a descendant of a pure blood Brain India a breed called Nellore. This zilian Brahma bred by the Sartwelle name corresponds to a District of Brothers of Palacios, Texas. Manso the old Presidency of Chennai, now proved to be an excellent sire and belonging to the new State of Andhra very prolific. His first calves were Pradesh by the Bengal Sea. It was in born in the fall of 1934. At the time Brazil that some authors started to of his death in 1943 at the age of use the name Nellore as a synonym 17 years, Manso had produced 316 to Ongole, the Indian breed that offspring for the ranch. It has been contributed most to the creation of estimated that over 75% of all cattle registered by the American Brahman the Nellore. The first importation of Indian Breeders Association carry Manso cattle of any notoriety came in 1854, breeding. The Manso cattle breed when sugar and cotton farmer, Rich- have captured over 1500 championard Barrow of St. Franksville, Louisi- ships including numerous National
and International Champions V8 Ranch was also established in 1944 by Howard Parker of Center, Texas and purchased by Sloan Williams in 1971. Because of these early roots he said that was proud to be one of the oldest continually operating Brahman herds in the United States. The American Brahman Breeders Association was organized in 1924. J.W. Sartwelle of Houston was the first recording secretary of the Association and it was he who proposed the word “Brahman” and so it was
adopted as the name of the new beef breed. American Brahman cattle, the first beef breed developed in the United States, are proven to be the top most rank in hybrid vigor, heat tolerance, and efficiency compared to all other beef breeds. With improved growth and performance, Brahman cattle increased profitability and play an important role in crossbreeding programs throughout the United States, Brazil, Australia and many other parts of the world.
Discourse on Shridi Baba on Sat., October 6 HOUSTON: The Shirdi Sai Baba has become a phenomenon that has swept India and other parts of the world, changing the fortunes of men and women who throng to him, seeking HIS blessings. Very few have understood HIM as an Avatar who looks after the lives of devotees’ lives, and solving many of their mundane problems. S. Vishwanathan of Irving,TX will present a discourse on the Shirdi Sai Baba on October 6 at the Shridi Sai Baba Temple on Hillcroft. S. Vishwanathan has a very unique and exceptional way of in disseminating the philosophy of the Baba. Vishwanathan’s innate nature is to be immersed in total devotion to Shirdi Baba, whose grace can be seen and felt in all the activities in S. Vishwanathan’s daily life; in all of the lectures he delivers globally on the Baba and the many works he has written on the subject. His unique style in explaining the Shirdi Sai philosophy and dharma and the ebullient and effervescent manner in which he guides the devotees, sharing the enormous grace he receives from Shirdi Baba with them, are examples of his devotion to the Sadguru. It is no exaggeration to say that his contribution to the Shirdi SaiBaba movement in the world is exemplary. Once you come into contact with S. Vishwanathan you begin to understand the numerous examples or events in the devotees’ lives that show how Shirdi Baba offers solutions to problems in lives. S. Vishwanathan’s philosophy is to surrender your will to His Will and merge with Sai Consciousness. He continuously works with devotees to elevate their
Bhakti a n d Consciousness, imbibing in them a pristine love for Shirdi S. Vishwanathan Baba. He tirelessly instills a sense of Shraddha and Saburi in devotees’ minds, insisting that these two very essential qualities are demanded by Shirdi Baba Himself from the devotees, to enable them to bear the vicissitudes of live that directly result from our past actions (karma) S. Vishwanathan is one of the very few - probably the only one - to have seen and been personally blessed by Shirdi Baba Himself on several occasions in his Life. He has this unique “Rinanubandha” with Shirdi Baba, developed through several births. S. Vishwanathan possesses a deeply personal understanding of Shirdi Baba and is aware of the fact that this truth very often evades us in our lives. In his continuous quest to bring thousands of devotees under one Global Shirdi Sai umbrella, S. Vishwanathan will be here in Houston on Saturday, October 6, at Shirdi Sai Jalaram Mandir West Bellfort, SugarLand, to present a lecture on Shirdi Baba and HIS Leelas. In his “GSS” (“Global Shirdi Sai”) lectures, S. Vishwanathan explores and refines our most basic way of understanding the world -through Shirdi Baba - which is also a plea for attention, an invitation to share your experience of Shirdi Baba, an expression of urgency, an exclamation of wonder and one of our first, most important and most enduring requests of each other: Look! There’s Shirdi Baba!
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
OPINION COMMUNITY
September 28, 2012
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ISKCON Celebrates Earthdance Global Festival for Peace
HOUSTON: On the auspicious day of Radhastami, the Earthdance Global Festival for Peace was held on Saturday, September 22, at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple’s Gauranga Hall. Traditionally, ISKCON has been a major sponsor of Earthdance for the past four years. This year, the theme was ‘Year of the Woman’ and five women: Shobana Muratee (Editor, Voice of Asia); Lorie Garrick, the mother of two distinguished sons, His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, the founder of the temple community, and Dr. Carl Herzig, Chairman of the English department at St. Ambrose University in Iowa; Syamavallabhi Devi das (Hare Krishna Dham); Sydney “SunShine” Strahan (Organizer of Earthdance Houston) and Joyce Long (Founder, The Wellness Institute) were honored as role models in the community. Dr. Hansa Medley, ISKCON Director for Outreach, presented a certificate of appreciation to the honorees.
The event began with everyone joining in a circle to offer a prayer. Gradually, the circle began to move as the enchanting music played on.As the music grew louder, the pace grew faster and magically everyone was drawn into a ‘spiral dance’ lead by the group Ecstatic Dance. This was followed by Chenda Melam, a traditional rhythmic drumming presented by Panjadi School of Kerala Drums.
A ballet titled ‘Madana-Mohana Mohini’ was presented by the Natya Sakhi’s in collaboration with the Jiv Jago Youth Band portraying the love of Srimati Radharani, consort of the Supreme Lord Krishna. Other attractions were henna, face painting, ‘Try A Saree’, books on meditation and yoga, and captivating fire-spinners. A variety of vegan preparations were served as Prasadam to all attendees.
SUDOKU Shobana Muratee (left), Lorrie Garrick, Syamavallabhi Devi dasi, Dr. Hansa Medley, Joyce Long and Sydney Strahan. Photo: Thejas Rajaram
Nearly, 500 guests gathered at the opportune time of the equinox and offered “Global Prayers for Peace’ simultaneously with the rest of the world. In tune with this year’s theme, Earthdance events around the globe pledged to focus on causes that work
to promote gender equality and empower women, while fostering peace and harmony with each other and Mother Gaia (personification of the Earth). 50% of the profit from this year’s gathering will go to the Food for Life - Kids Meal Project.
Complete the grid so that every row, column and every three-by-three row contains the digits 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle by logic and reasoning alone, there is no maths involved. Email or mail us the correct answer before October 3 to win two complimentary tickets ($50 value) to Texas Renaissance Festival. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or send it to 7457 Harwin Drive, Ste. 262, Houston, TX 77036.
Dr. Kshama Metre Nominated for 2012 Guardian International Achievement Award
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BY VINOD SHARMA Dr. Kshama Metre, pediatrician, and National Director of the Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD) is one of five finalists nominated for the 2012 Guardian International Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Dr. Metre, or Dr. Didi as she is more affectionately known as, was so inspired by Swami Chinmayananda’s call to service that as a young doctor she decided to dedicate her life to serving the poor in rural India. Through 30 years of faith, love and relentless hard work her small clinic has grown into CORD, an organization for the empowerment of women. Today CORD and its holistic programs of self-upliftment for the rural and impoverished of India have crossed social, economic, and political boundaries, offering exceptional service to over 600 villages, 45,000 participating villagers and 250,000 beneficiaries. Plans are underway to replicate this winning recipe to communities across the country.
This summer, 25 teenagers from Chinmaya Mission Centers from across the United States got to meet Dr. Didi and experience results of her life’s Mission in Sidhbari, Northern India and its surrounding villages. They were inspired to see the results of Dr. Didi’s relentless battle with the harsh realities of rural India’s poverty, illiteracy, and gender discrimination to harness human resources to enable the poor to transform their lives through programs driven by them. Ingredients of Dr. Didi’s recipe for loving service include: empowering without sliding into self-esteem
draining welfare, focusing on the ability within the disability, socializing not institutionalizing the disabled, self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship, pragmatic goal setting, innovation, all offered with an unwavering commitment to the core values of honesty, parity, patience, faith and love. The young American visitors saw firsthand how CORD field workers’ lovingly yet dispassionately reached out to beneficiaries who are easily forgotten, understood their unique circumstances, advised them of available options based on an honest acceptance of their personal situations, and guided them through their personal journey toward selfsufficiency and fulfillment.
Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution
To support Dr. Kshama Metre win the Guardian International Development Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people, register your vote at www.chinmayahouston.org Voting lines open from September 7 to October 8. For more information about CORD or to make donations to CORD Sidhbari, visit www.cordusa.org or call Rupa Makecha at 281-804-0408
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Ganesh Anand Catering Services Pure Vegetarian South & North Indian Dishes. Chaat & Snacks Contact Babulbhai: 832-891-1421 13180 West Park Dr. @ Synott Houston, TX 77082
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Bernanke’s New Plan to Fix the Economy BY JACOB DAVID “Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke is sick of sitting on the sidelines and on Thursday, September 13, announced an aggressive new plan to boost the economic recovery by pushing down longer-term interest rates.” (John Hudson, The Atlantic Wire). In my opinion, thisx is pure smoke. Sitting on the sidelines as Bernanke Claims, and doing nothing, has now become falling into a ditch. Does he think that keeping long term interests low will proverbially let loose the money horses out of the stable - help banks loan out money for attractive interest rates? Banks are still going to be cautious, the scenario of the market can become healthy only if the Real Estate market is taken care of first. And the Real Estate market is crumbling due to an increase of foreclosures. Stop the foreclosures. Give the people facing foreclosures a way to save their homes. For those families whose members have lost jobs or income due to layoffs or health reasons, I suggest a 2 year moratorium (dead stand still) a complete stop on their monthly loan payments and interest rates owed on their individual homes. This will allow families to save their homes from foreclosing and stop putting many more empty, uncared for homes on the market that is already glutted with homes. Now in today’s market, millions in tax dollars are being spent by the banks to mow the unkempt lawns, and to repair the empty homes that they have on their hands. It’s the same thing. Why not allow American citizens to take matters into their own hands, give them the freedom to continue living in their homes and not interfere for 2 years to allow them to get their jobs and lives back on track? Once these families do that, they can notify the lenders and resume monthly payments again. Whether the two year period should accumulate interest at a subsidized rate or the original rate, or no interest at all for the entire 2 years can be decided by the individual banks. It is money and banks cannot loan money for no interest and survive, on a mort-
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Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference in Washington. Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
gage payment moratorium of 2 years to help American families get back on their feet, financially speaking. Second - Provide financial assistance for small businesses without holding back. The banks have to loosen up if this economy has to get going again. I passed on this suggestion of putting a stop on home monthly payments to help families out for a period of 2 years to President Obama via his White house website back
in 2008. So far no one has responded, because they did not think the idea was good enough. However, a ton of neglected homes have been sitting vacant on the market, losing this nation millions if not billions of dollars for the last 2 - 3 years. If the families who have been now displaced, their lives turned topsy-turvy, were still living in those homes, the nation would now be far better off economically, have much fewer foreclosures to handle, clean, repair, mow and take care off. It would also have helped cap off the overflow of foreclosures hitting the banks on the market daily. Ask any banker,
they are sick of handling foreclosures. It’s like being at a giant buffet where someone is stuffing food (that you don’t like or are allergic to) down your throat. I know this is a blunt way of putting it. But it’s the honest truth and I really do not want to sugar coat it. That’s the feeling exactly bankers are having. Banks are now allergic to seeing or getting anymore foreclosures. They have had enough. Banks are now learning fast and speeding up paperwork and response time to curb the excess overflow of foreclosures on the market. Now thankfully, Bank of America is cutting down interest rates but still keeping payments alive for families which is a right step and much needed relief for many hurting families. Other banks like Chase are working to re-work the existing loan to minimize hardship on families. Banks are also helping families exit their homes by doing a quick, time condensed short sale. With the Feds promising to hold off on raising interest rates, the sentiment has to be shared by the banks equally and passed along to small businesses, people who own homes and those who want to buy new or existing homes to make this work. Otherwise, it is just pure smoke. Jacob David has been a Realtor Agent since 2003 is now with Champions Real Estate Group. He serves the Fortbend, Harris and Brazoria counties. For more information, visit www. har.com/jdhomes and www.trulia. com/profile/jdhomes/ or email him at jackdave72@yahoo.com.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES Shri Kripalu Kunj Ashram 713-344-1321
Shri Kripalu kunj Ashram, 2710 Ashford Trail Drive, Houston TX 77082, 713-344-1321 , 713-775-6588, established by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, is an exclusive place to learn practical aspects of selfless devotion to Shri Radha Krishna. All aspirants of true devotion are cordially invited to attend weekly satsang every Sunday 11am – 1pm followed by Aarti and Maha Prasad. email: skkasecretary@gmail.com or call 817-528-5027
JAI SRIMANNARAYANA!
Sri Ashtalakashmi Temple, JET USA Houston Chapter invites you to the Grand Celebrations of Deepavali, Acharya Thirunakshatram, Sri Rama Kratuvu, and Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam from October 26th to October 31st, 2011. Please join us in celebrating this Historic 6-day Event in the Divine presence of His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.
281-498-2344 COMMUNITY LISTING
For more information, please visit: www.ashtalakshmi.org Ph: (281) 498-2344
Sargam school of music, is offering classes in teaching Hindustani Vocal, Classical music, light music, Harmonium , keyboard lessons for Adults and Children. Please call: Mangala Sane at 281--498-6126. Email : mangalamusic@gmail.com Website : http://mangala1.cloud.prohosting.com
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Tata Capital to Bring Insurance, AMC Firms Under Its Fold
BY MALVIKA JOSHI & ZAHRA KHAN MUMBAI (Livemint): Tata Sons Ltd, the holding company of the Rs.4.5 trillion Tata group, has restructured its non-banking financial company Tata Capital Ltd to be able to apply for a banking licence as and when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) finalizes the entry norms. It has converted Tata Capital into a non-operative holding company (NOHC) and transferred its loan book to a subsidiary, Tata Capital Financial Services Ltd. In February 2010, the then finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, announced opening the doors to a new set of private banks to expand banking services. RBI in August came out with a discussion paper and, a year later, in August 2011, released the draft licensing norms seeking public comments. The public comments were released in December 2011. A private sector company seeking a banking licence needs to float an NOHC to own the bank and other financial services companies. This is to ring-fence the financial services activities of an industrial group from its other activities. An NOHC holds investments in all regulated financial sector entities on behalf of the promoter group. The Tata group’s plan is to convert Tata Capital Financial Services into a bank. Its loan book is now at least Rs.21,000 crore, according to a person familiar with the company. IndiaBulls Financial Services Ltd has a loan book of Rs.27,521 crore and Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd, Rs.13,594 crore. “Tata Capital became a core investment company in the financial year ended 31 March 2012, and all restructuring required to achieve the same was completed,” a spokeswoman for Tata Capital said, adding that the
Praveen Kadle, managing director of Tata Capital. Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Mint
company had “organized itself and its subsidiaries to ensure optimal use of its resources, and ensure transparent regulatory compliance and supervision”. On seeking a banking licence from RBI, she said, “It is too premature to comment on this. We are awaiting the final guidelines by the regulator.” Tata Sons held 90.22% in Tata Capital in September 2011, according to data available with the Registrar of Companies. The balance 9.78% was owned mainly by Tata Investment Corp. Ltd, the Jamsetji Tata Trust, the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust, and Ishaat Hussain, Praveen Purushottam Kadle and Farrokh Kaikhushru Kavarana, and its employees. Tata Capital Financial Services apart, the NOHC has eight subsidiaries: Tata Capital Housing Finance Ltd, Tata Securities Ltd, Tata Capital Pte Ltd (Singapore), TT Holdings and Services Ltd, TC Travels and Services Ltd, Tata Cleantech Capital Ltd, Tata Infrastructure Capital Ltd and T-Sec Commodities Broking Ltd. Once the restructuring is complete,
other financial services companies such as the group’s asset management and insurance firms will come under its fold, according to the unnamed official cited earlier. “All decisions relating to these companies are entirely under the purview of Tata Sons Ltd,” the spokeswoman said. TataAssetManagementLtd’sassets under management were Rs.20,753 crore in June, 11th among 44 asset management companies (AMCs) in the Rs.7.5 trillion industry. The general and life insurance subsidiaries feature among the top five in their industry in terms of business, according to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority’s website. Tata Sons will infuse money into Tata Capital, which in turn will acquire the stakes of the asset management and the insurance companies. In due course, the holding company may approach the capital market to raise funds. Since the banking regulator does not allow any financial services entity
held by NOHC to engage in activities that can be undertaken by the bank, Tata Capital Housing Finance will be merged with the non-banking company. RBI’s draft norms suggest that the promoters of banks should bring down their shareholding below 40% within two years of the banks being operational. The banks will also have to be listed within this period. Analysts said this will be a challenge for private sector companies that are keen to float a bank as the time frame to offload stake seems short. “Parent groups with high promoter holding may not be given licence. At the moment, among large corporate groups with deep pockets, only Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd and L&T Finance Ltd have low promoter holding,” said Vaibhav Agrawal, vice-president (research) and sector analyst (banking) at Angel Broking Ltd. Promoters of Mahindra Finance and L&T Finance hold about 56% and 82.6%, respectively, in the com-
panies. “It is too early to talk about banking licence as there is very little clarity now, and when it happens is anybody’s guess,” said Akeel Master, a partner at KPMG. “Also, the question is no longer whether RBI will give licences to the corporations, but the question is to which company?” Banking sector analysts said companies that are keen on promoting a bank should restructure their businesses, keeping in mind not only RBI’s draft guidelines, but also the efficiency of the restructured model. It is possible that firms may be looking at restructuring in a way that their business model is optimized and, at the same time, they are broadly in readiness for compliance to apply for bank licences, said Shinjini Kumar, director (tax and regulatory services) at PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt. Ltd. There is convergence between what the draft guidelines require companies to do to seek a banking licence and good corporate governance, she added.
NEW DELHI (IE): Spreading its wings across the country’s border, the city’s pride Delhi Metro has bagged the work of Management Consulting Services for building the Phase- I of Jakarta Mass Rapid System in Indonesia. This is the first time that Delhi Metro has got a project outside the country since its inception in 1997. Delhi Metro has been awarded the work in a joint venture with eight other international companies. “The main responsibilities of DMRC in this joint venture will be the finalisation of the organisational structure of the Jakarta Metro, recruitment of personnel, development of training facilities and the
training of the employees for various categories required for commencing the operations,” DMRC spokesman Anuj Dayal said. The DMRC had also prepared the Special Assistance on Project Implementation (SAPI) study for the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit system. Besides, DMRC is also trying to bag similar projects in various upcoming Metro projects of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Israel. Delhi Metro is also acting as the consultant for all major Metro projects in the country including Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. It is also carrying out the construction work of a 9.25 kilometre long Metro corridor in Jaipur.
Delhi Metro Bags Contract in Indonesia
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World T20: Spinners Demolish England Pakistan Puts Down Kiwis
BY GEORGE DOBELL COLOMBO (ESPN Cricinfo): India 170 for 4 (Sharma 55*) beat England 80 (Harbhajan 4-12, Chawla 2-13) by 90 runs The result may not have great significance in this World Twenty20 but India could take heart, confidence and bragging rights after an overwhelming victory over England in their Group A game in Colombo. England’s confidence, meanwhile, must have been crushed after a defeat that can only be described as humiliating. Both teams had already qualified for the Super Eight stage of the tournament and this result made no difference to the opposition they will face in those games. But, by inflicting such a resounding defeat on the reigning champions and No. 1-rated T20I side, India underlined the impression they have the personnel to challenge anyone in this competition. India, despite resting three members of their first choice side, won by 90 runs with England’s enduring fallibility against spin bowling exposed in brutal fashion once again. Bear in mind that these two teams face each other in a fourTest series in India in the coming months and alarm bells will surely be ringing at Lord’s. England’s first error was to misread the pitch. While India included two specialist spinners, England dropped Samit Patel to make way for the extra seam option of Tim Bresnan. Their ploy of testing the India batsmen with short deliveries was met with a series of cut and pulls that suggested either that England’s bowlers - Steven Finn apart - lack the pace for such a ploy, or that, in these conditions anyway, the reputation of Indian batsmen as flat-track bullies has been greatly exaggerated. The truth probably lies somewhere between the two conclusions. But the defining feature of this match was England’s inability to combat spin bowling. India’s two frontline spinners claimed six wickets for 25 runs in eight overs as England collapsed from 39 for 2 to 60 for 9. At that stage, England were in danger of being dismissed for the lowest T20I score - beating the 67
Sweet comback for the Turbanator.
by Kenya against Ireland - before a last-wicket stand of 20 prevented that one indignity. Still, England’s final total of 80 was their lowest in T20Is, surpassing the 88 they managed against West Indies at The Oval in 2011. The margin of defeat is also the largest, in terms of runs, England have suffered in T20Is and the largest victory inflicted by India. England were struggling even before the introduction of spin. Set 171 to win, a total some way above par on a pitch that was just a little slower than anticipated and did not allow England any time to settle in, they lost Alex Hales in the first over, bowled by inswing as he attempted to heave one over the leg side, before Luke Wright fell in the third over, attempting to pull a delivery too full for the stroke. It was MS Dhoni’s decision to introduce the spin of Harbhajan Singh in the Powerplay that precipitated England’s decline. Harbhajan, playing his first international game for more than a year, produced a wicket maiden to start - Eoin Morgan was bowled by a quicker arm-ball as he made room to cut - before Bresnan topedged a sweep, Jos Buttler gave himself room but missed and Graeme Swann skipped down the wicket and missed a doosra. Harbhajan finished with 4 for 12, the best figures by an Indian bowler in T20Is. Piyush Chawla also enjoyed England’s clueless batting. Jonny Bairstow, reading the googly as if it were in Greek, missed a slog-
sweep, while Craig Kieswetter, his foot nowhere near the pitch of the ball, was undone by a legbreak and edged to slip. Earlier Rohit Sharma helped India plunder 51 from the final four overs of the innings after it appeared they had squandered a decent start. Sharma, who has endured some miserable form in recent times, produced a powerful innings of 55 in 33 balls to lead India to 170 for 4 in their 20 overs. While a partnership of 57 in 7.5 overs between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir had built India a strong platform of 80 for 1 after 10 overs, a tight spell of bowling from Swann arrested their progress. Kohli, in particular, looked in sparkling form. He got off the mark with consecutive boundaries through the covers: the first a gorgeous, front-foot drive off Finn; the second a punch off the back foot off Stuart Broad. Bresnan’s attempts to intimidate him with the short ball were met by an upper cut and then a pull for boundaries. Gambhir lost little by comparison. He took successive boundaries off Jade Dernbach in the second over of the innings, first pulling a long-hop through midwicket before guiding a wider ball to point, while throwing his hands whenever offered any width and crashing boundaries through point off Finn and Broad. Swann was the one man to apply sThe final four overs of the India innings brought 51 runs, however. First Rohit Sharma gave himself some room and dabbed a short ball from Broad over the vacant first slip area to the boundary before, next delivery, he took advantage of the short fine leg to pull another short delivery behind square to the boundary. In all the over cost 13. While Dhoni was brilliantly caught in the final over - Buttler, on the boundary, took the catch but, feeling himself falling over the boundary, threw the ball to Hales who completed the dismissal - the damage had been done. England’s bowlers, who contributed eight wides and a plethora of full tosses and short balls, might not attract the criticism of their batting colleagues, but they were little more impressive.
BY SIDDHARTHA TALYA PALLLEKE (ESPN Cricinfo): Pakistan 177 for 6 (Jamshed 56, Hafeez 43, Southee 2-31) beat New Zealand 164 for 9 (Nicol 33, Ajmal 4-30) by 13 runs. Pakistan’s batting line-up is their weak link this tournament but its top order dominated New Zealand’s bowling, leaving its own superior attack with a relatively easier task of defending a formidable total one that was achieved successfully, albeit not without a scare. There was consolation for New Zealand: having brought down the margin of defeat to 13 runs, they ensured they reached a net run-rate high enough to take them through to the Super Eights. Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed cashed in on a below-par performance from New Zealand in the field, putting together an impressive partnership during which their timing and apparent effortlessness in building on an aggressive opening stand stood out. The depth and variety in Pakistan’s bowling, Hafeez’s miserly spell and New Zealand’s questionable tactics in the chase combined to put a target of 178 beyond reach, producing a winning start to Pakistan’s tournament. New Zealand had their chances. Hafeez decided to give his inconsistent batting the first go under sunny skies but in conditions where bowlers had assistance. Kyle Mills found early swing and should have had an initially-tentative Hafeez third ball, but Ross Taylor fluffed a straightforward chance at slip. Having dropped his Pakistan counterpart, the New Zealand captain was left flapping his lips when Hafeez launched Daniel Vettori for a six over long-on the next over. Imran Nazir looked the more assured of the openers, using the depth of the crease well to dispatch Mills’ two short deliveries for boundaries on either side of the ground, and continuing the treatment against Jacob Oram’s half-trackers. Nazir fell in the last over of the Powerplay, caught and bowled by Tim Southee, but by then Hafeez had got into his groove with a couple of flowing drives and
was about to be joined by a partner who wasted no time in keeping the momentum intact. Tall, well-built and powerful, Jamshed was nowhere near brutal in his style of play. He didn’t have to rely on sheer power to achieve what timing, placement and a sound technique did. Against Nathan McCullum’s round-the-wicket line, he drove inside out, lofting the ball in the vacant space behind extra cover and clearing the ropes twice. He was equally wristy, clipping the ball square and through midwicket and slicing Mills over point for four. Mills was again unlucky, as a perfectly-positioned Rob Nicol at deep square leg spilled a chance off Jamshed, making matters worse by palming the ball for six when the batsman was on 42. As Jamshed attacked at one end, Hafeez was content to rotate the strike, collecting runs down the ground, jabbing, steering and nudging the ball around for singles and even bludgeoning Nathan McCullum for six over midwicket. He was bowled trying to pull James Franklin in his first over but the 76run stand with Jamshed had set an excellent launching pad. New Zealand, though, pulled things back, dismissing Kamran Akmal and Jamshed in successive overs that yielded just 10. But Umar Akmal and the rest counterattacked in the last four. Even though Southee conceded just three in the 18th over, with third man and fine leg inside the circle, a generous dose of length, and misdirected, deliveries helped Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik score 42 in the last four. Afridi mixed it up well and even found turn but Nicol was dislodged while attempting to cut one that went on straight. It was too much to get in the end, despite Oram and Franklin’s quick cameos and Taylor’s assault of three fours in a row against Gul that brought down the equation to 22 off 9 balls. He was run-out brilliantly, courtesy a flat throw to the striker’s end from the deep from Umar Akmal next ball, and the biggest threat in Pakistan’s way, at that point, was eliminated.
INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM
September 28, 2012
Coca-Cola Raises India Spend by $3bn Till 2020 NEW DELHI (TOI): Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola will raise its investment in India by an additional $3 billion in the next eight years up to 2020, betting on the country’s growth potential and demographics, its chief executive officer Muhtar Kent said on Tuesday. This is in addition to the $2-billion investment already announced and, with Tuesday’s announcement, the company plans to invest $5 billion between 2012 and 2020. “We are very bullish on the opportunity India offers,” Kent, who is on a whistle-stop tour to India, told a news conference. He is scheduled to meet commerce, industry and textiles minister Anand Sharma on Wednesday. “We see the potential as big. We see a very great, bright future for India and for Indian business and I think we believe many others will follow like us and see that there is potential here,” Kent, who has lived in India, said. The investment announcement by Coca-Cola comes close on the heels of Swedish furniture maker IKEA’s plans to invest nearly 1.5 billion euros to enter the country’s single-brand retail sector. These announcements come as a breather for the government, which has been battling criticism over its handling of the economy. Critics say the lack of economic reforms and the taxation policies have scared foreign investors to the sidelines. Two international ratings agencies Standard & Poor’s and Fitch have revised India’s rating outlook to negative from stable citing lack of reforms, weak public finances and slowing growth. “Our India story is one of a remarkable turnaround. Today, our India business aspires to be among the top
Soft drinks giant CocaCola will raise its investment in India by an additional $3 billion in the next eight years up to 2020, betting on the country’s growth potential and demographics, its chief executive officer Muhtar Kent said. five countries by volume in the entire Coca-Cola system,” Kent said, adding that it was number 16-17 in 2005-06. The firm has already invested more than $2 billion in India since it re-entered the country in 1993. Tuesday’s announcement takes the total investment to $7 billion since the company’s return to India. The company and its bottling partners have drawn up plans to tap into the opportunities in India and has lined up investments in innovations, expansion of distribution network, cold drink placement and augmentation of manufacturing capacity. G l o b a l l y, the company and its bottling partners are investing more than $30 billion over the next five years for expansion. These investments range from new manufacturing facilities to new distribution systems and new marketing systems in emerging economies.
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Lahore-Born Entrepreneur Among US Richest People BY AHSAN RAZA LAHORE (Dawn): Born into a middle class family of Lahore in 1950, today Shahid Khan, now a US national, stands among Forbes’ 2012 list of America’s billionaires. Now he lives in Southwest Florida’s posh beach town of Naples. Khan owns auto parts supplier Flex-N-Gate and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He ranks 179th on the 2012 Forbes 400 with an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion. Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates remains the richest man in the US by far, as the tech and philanthropy giant took the top spot on the Forbes 400 list for the 19th year running, with a net worth of $66 billion. Though not much information is available about Khan’s life and education in Lahore, according to Forbes magazine his family was in construction business in Lahore when he moved to the United States at the age of 16 to study at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. About his early days in the US, the magazine quoted khan as saying that he spent his first night in a $2 per night room at the Champaign YMCA. His first job in the US was washing dishes for $1.20 an hour. He graduated from the UIUC School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering with a BSc in 1971. He proved to be a successful entrepreneur when after his university education, Khan invented a new truck bumper design that shaved weight
Shahid Khan lives in Southwest Florida’s posh beach town of Naples.
off for fuel efficiency considerations. He never looked back and soon built his company with his $16,000 saving and a bank loan. Soon he developed the company into a $3.4 billion manufacturing juggernaut that supplied the biggest automakers in the world. Nine months ago, he bought the Jaguars, fulfilling a longtime dream to own an NFL franchise. Now, Khan is focusing on giving back to his adopted country. He donated $10 million in 2011 to the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. Back in Lahore, a very few people are aware of Khan’s place on the Forbes list of the 400 billionaires. “I only know that he is a Pakistani and he has purchased a football team in the US,” said Fawad Asghar, a sports journalist.
According to Muhammad Ian, a business graduate, Khan is a perfect example of brain drain for Pakistanis, and a proof of American dream. He said Khan was giving back to the Americans since the US gave him a lot. “Pakistan offers opportunities to a few; scores of intelligent people with potential entrepreneur skills on Lahore streets can make to the Forbes list if they are given a chance,” he said. “Well done, Shahid Khan,” said Shahid Bhatti, also an auto parts dealer on Guru Mangat Road. He said though he too wanted to manufacture fuel efficient bumpers, the big companies and his financial constraints would never let him fulfill his dream. “That’s why I am just called Sheeda. I need a chance to be Shahid Khan,” he said.
Real Development of Gujarat to Happen After State Polls: Narendra Modi RAJKOT (IE): Expressing confidence that the BJP would win the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said real development of the state would begin after the elections. “During my ten-year long tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat, I had been busy filling the ditches created by Congress in its 45 years of rule. The real development of the state would begin from 2013,” Modi said. He was addressing a gathering in
Limbdi town of Surendra Nagar district as part of his ‘Swami Vivekanand Yuva Vikas Yatra’. “Congress believes in divide-andrule policy and has done nothing, not only at the state-level, but also at the national level,” Modi alleged. “Congress has misused country’s riches. However, Gujarat was saved as the people of the state had kept Congress away from power,” he said. He also criticised the UPA government’s decision to ban export of cotton, which he said made farmers in
the state suffer heavy losses. Modi announced setting up a textile park in Surendranagar district. “The district is leading in cotton production and the state government has decided to set up a textile park here, which will create large numbers of jobs for youths.” He announced Rs 256 crore for irrigation projects in the state, of which Rs 200 crore would be spent in Halvad and Lakhtar towns and the remaining amount for the projects in Vadhvan and Chuda towns.
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Naveen Jindal Tops Executive Pay Chart with Rs.73.4 Crore Package
Pakistan Disowns Minister’s Offer of $100,000 Bounty on Anti-Islam Film Maker
BY ASIF SHAHZAD NEW DELHI (IE): Naveen Jindal has topped ISLAMABAD (Washington Post): The Pakithe executive pay charts for listed companies in stani government distanced itself from an offer the country with a package of Rs 73.42 crore by one of its Cabinet ministers to pay $100,000 for the last fiscal 2011-12, which grew by over for anyone who kills the maker of an anti-Islam Rs six crore from previous year. Jindal, Chairfilm, saying the offer does not represent official man and Managing Director of Jindal Steel and government policy. Power Ltd (JSPL), was followed by Sun TV The offer by Railways Minister Ghulam AhNetwork’s Kalanithi and Kavery Maran (Rs mad Bilour has drawn criticism in Pakistan even 57.01 crore each), Hero MotoCorp’s Pawan though anMunjal (Rs 34.47 crore) and Brijmohan Lall ger against Munjal (Rs 34.44 crore) among the five top- Naveen Jindal got compensation of the film paid executives. These pay packages include `73.4 crore in fiscal 2011-2012. Photo: runs high salary, perquisites, profit- linked incentives Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg. in this preor commissions and other benefits. Jindal has remained top-paid executive for the second now. Those ranked higher than Ambani include dominantly consecutive year now, after he dislodged Ka- Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal (Rs 21.3 crore), Hin- M u s l i m lanithi Maran from the pole position in the year dalco’s D Bhattacharya (Rs 19.5 crore), JSW country. Bilour Steel’s Sajjan Jindal (Rs 18.18 crore) and Amara 2010-11. The collective pay of the 10 top-paid execu- Raja Batteries’ Jayadev Galla (Rs 17.23 crore). said that he tives rose by Rs 43 crore (over 12 per cent) to Among these, Mittal and Sajjan Jindal saw their would pay the reward Rs 387 crore in fiscal ended March 31, 2012, packages decline during the year 2011-12. The collective remuneration of 15 highest- money out of his own pocket. He also appealed as per the data available with the companies that have so far published their respective an- paid executives rose by about Rs 38 crore to to al-Qaida and Taliban militants to contribute to nual reports. Interestingly, the pay packages Rs 478 crore. Interestingly, there are only four “a noble cause” of eliminating the filmmaker. The film, made in the United States and declined for only two – Kalanithi and Kavery Sensex companies, whose top executives figure Maran -- among these ten in 2011-12, while all among the ten top-paid persons. However, a entitled “Innocence of Muslims,” has enraged others saw their remunerations fatten in the year. majority of the Sensex companies, which are many Muslims around the world for its porMadras Cements’ P R R Rajha was ranked 6th considered as the country’s top-30 blue chip trayal of the Prophet Muhammad as a fraud, (Rs 29.34 crore), followed by Maruti Suzuki’s firms, saw their top executives’ packages rise a womanizer and a child molester. At least Shinzo Nakanishi (Rs 28.14 crore), BGR En- 2011-12, even as industry titans like Mukesh 51 people, including the U.S. ambassador to Birla, Azim Premji Libya, have been killed in violence linked to ergy’s BG Raghupaty (Rs 25.98 crore), Result-Based Tata Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Ayurvedic Therapy Motors’ former chief Carl-Peter Forster (Rs and Sunil Mittal either took a pay cut or capped protests over the film, which also has renewed for Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain 23.97 crore) and Divi’s Labs’Murali K Divi (Rs their salaries. Mukesh’s younger brother Anil debate over freedom of expression in the U.S. Now available in Houston also saw his total remuneration from and in Europe. 23.15 crore). Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani In Islamabad, the Foreign Office said in a Ambani, once the country’s highest-paid execu- the four main companies of Reliance Group fall Also Therapies to Alleviate statement Monday that the bounty put on the tive, was not in the top-ten and was ranked 15th by nearly two-third during the year, although fi lmmaker’s head reflected Bilour’s personal Arthritis Slip Disc of his group Joint Pains Migraine Sinusitis none fi rms are currently part of with a remuneration of Rs 15 crore, which has Frozen Shoulder Depression Obesity Insomnia Diabetes Now Houston view and wasavailable not Pakistan’sin official policy. Psoriasis the Sensex. Hypertension etc. remained unchanged for four consecutive years Eczema
The minister belongs to the secular Awami National Party, an ally in the government of President Asif Ali Zardari. The ANP is also the ruling party in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Bilour’s comments appealing to al-Qaida and the Taliban also struck a nerve within his own party, which is considered anti-Taliban and has lost several leaders in the fight against the insurgency. His colleague in parliament Bushra Gohar demanded the party force Bilour to explain himself. A party spokesman Haji Adeel said the statement was Bilour’s personal view, and that the party had sought an explanation from him. “We are a secular party,” he said. “We consider al-Qaida and Taliban as our enemy.” On Friday, September 21, Pakistan observed a national holiday, which it termed the “Day of Love for the Prophet,” and called on people to go out on the streets to protest against the anti-Islam film peacefully. But the protests turned violent, and at least 21 people were killed. Rioters set fire to government and public property including a church and several cinemas. A number of Pakistani militant groups that are officially banned took part in the demonstrations. Analysts and columnists have criticized the Pakistani government’s decision to call a national holiday, saying it was appeasing radical Islamists. Others have said by calling a national holiday the government managed to keep thousands of potential demonstrators outside of the capital since all businesses were closed.
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