Indo-American News: August 14, 2020

Friday, August 14, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 33

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August 14, 2020

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COMMUNITY

August 14, 2020

Indian Tricolor to be Hoisted at Iconic Times Square in New York

Ayodhya: A leading diaspora group in the US will hoist India’s National Flag at the Times Square this week, the first time the Indian tricolour will be unfurled at the iconic New York City destination.

The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut said in a statement that it “will be creating history” on August 15, 2020 by “hosting the first ever flag hoisting ceremony at Times Square” to commemorate India’s Independence Day. The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut said in a statement that it “will be creating history” on August 15, 2020 by “hosting the first ever flag hoisting ceremony at Times Square” to commemorate India’s Independence Day. “It will be the first time ever that India’s tricolour will be unfurled at the iconic venue in all its glory,” the organisation said, adding that Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal will be the guest of honour at the event.

The FIA said this year’s Independence Day celebrations will include the flag-hoisting ceremony at Times Square and the annual tradition of illuminating the Empire State Building in hues of the tricolour - orange, white and green.

The Empire State lighting ceremony will be held on August 14.

“The Times Square flag hoisting ceremony is a testament to the Indian-American community’s grow-

vited “members of the Indian community and friends of India” for the commemoration that will be live streamed.

The FIA annually organises its flagship event - the India Day Parade to mark India’s Independence Day in August.

Top US political leaders, lawmakers as well as prominent members of the Indian-American community and celebrities from India have participated in the annual parade that draws a crowd of thousands in the heart of Manhattan each year.

This year, however, the parade will not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic ing patriotism and is a fitting tribute to the FIA which is celebrating its golden jubilee year,” the organisation said.

Established in 1970, the FIA is among the largest umbrella diaspora organisations.

The Consulate General of India in New York will host a virtual Independence Day celebration on August 15 in which it has in-

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COMMUNITY

August 14, 2020

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Desi Brothers Farmers Market: Highest Quality Groceries, Fresh Produce

Desi Brothers Vipul and Kaushal Patel

Houston: Armed with 30 years of Indian Grocery retail experience, an arsenal of the highest quality dry, frozen and fresh produce groceries, and 20,000 sq.ft of a social distance haven, Desi Brothers Farmers Market is ready to open with a big bang on Indian Independence Day, Saturday August 15th, 10AM. CEO Vipul Patel, exclaimed, “we started in Memphis, perfected in Austin, and plan to excel in Sugar Land.

Our store will carry the finest and most popular brands, to be sure, but we have personally researched our own Desi Brothers and Geeta brand’s exclusive products so

much that we guarantee them unconditionally. You will love it, but if not fully satisfied, return it even opened and without receipt for your full money back! We have added ‘Farmers Market’ to out name, because our 4000 square feet of produce is so fresh, it’s like buying straight off the farm, including the rarest, hardest-tofind-in-the-US Indian vegetables & fruits. At our Grand Opening, what you normally expect to pay, you will be paying half. It’s the biggest sale in Desi Brothers history, and we have been known for our sales.” General Manager Kaushal Patel has stocked the store

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inside capacity is reached, security will give out numbers to hold guests people’s place in line, with only 14 wait spots, all spaced 8 ft apart; others can safely wait in their cars. Only 50% of the store’s 476 capacity will be utilized, with a one direction flow, leaving ample spaced aisles to maintain 6ft distances. Umang Mehta of Deep Foods will be giving away a thousand Quick Tea packs.

Of course face masks will be required, and provided if forgotten, sanitizers everywhere, and barriers separating people from entering & exiting, as well as shopping vs. checking out. “People are so excited to get out, see others, enjoy complimentary snacks & water, and get fantastic deals on their favorites groceries, but we will make sure it is safe as per CDC guidelines,” said Kaushal Patel.

from floor to ceiling in anticipation of Dhamaal but from a distance. of the blockbuster sale’s below Masala Radio has planned hyped wholesale prices, with no limit on entertainment while you shop quantities and an almost endless with Bollywood DJ NISH, Insupply. “On this joyous Grand fused Dancers, Belly Dancer, and Opening, we want to give the first Singers, all with a theme of a safe 500 guests an auspicious Laxmi Social Distance Grand Opening.

Silver Coin to seek their blessing, Instead of the usual wrap around and we will feed everyone with the center lines and crowds, once our famous Vipul’s Kitchen Idli Sambhar all weekend.”

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COMMUNITY

August 14, 2020

FIS Presents Webinar on India-China Competition Houston: India and China, the world’s two largest countries by population, have recently been embroiled in a series of clashes and border disputes. For example, throughout June, Indian and Chinese forces on the border of the Ladakh region of India engaged in a series of increasingly violent skirmishes. In an escalation of the tensions, on June 15, 2020, at least twenty Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese perished in a deadly struggle. And, while the nations have recently taken an official stance of de-escalation since that deadly conflict, throughout July, China has been slow to move back from positions on the Line of Actual Control that separates the two nations. With tensions seemingly on the rise again, the future of Indo-Chinese relations appears growingly uncertain.

While the most recent iteration of India and China’s competition has come over the last year, the two nations have had centuries of connection. For example, the countries fought a brief but bloody war in the 1960s. In addition, China and India have a shared culture of trade dating back millennia to the Silk Road.

Seeking to explore that connection and history, Dr. Constantino Xavier of the Brookings Institute Delhi will be giving a lecture on the past, present and future of Indo-Chinese Competition. Dr. Xavier, who is an expert on border disputes and Indian geopolitics, will be providing the free online lecture in partnership with Foundation for India Studies, a 501c(3) registered non-profit organization as part of its Fifteenth Anniversary lecture series.

Dr. Xavier’s lecture is the latest

Dr. Constantino Xavier of the Brookings Institute, New Delhi. Source: Twitter

in a number of insightful lectures regarding Indian politics and geopolitics. Prior speakers on FIS’s platform have included the consul general of India and consul general of Israel, anti-corruption activist and former Supreme Court of India Justice, Santosh Hegde, and Dr. Milan Vaishnav a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Dr. Xavier is right at home among these distinguished lecturers. Dr. Xavier, who is a fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at Brookings India in New Delhi and the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, previously worked as a media correspondent in South Asia and as an adviser to the Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi. In addition to his rich experiential background, Dr. Xavier holds a Ph.D. in South Asian studies from the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, and has held fellowships at the Institute for Defence Studies and

Analyses and the Observer Research Foundation, in New Delhi, and has received research awards from the United States Fulbright program and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Dr. Xavier’s online lecture will take place on August 23, 2020 at 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM CST, is unique in that it tells not only the current state of India and China’s relationship, but also explores the historical underpinning. The lecture will be delivered through the online video platform Zoom, live from New Delhi, India.

Immediately following the lecture, participants will be able to engage in an interactive Q&A session with Dr. Xavier.

Participants can register for the lecture by visiting: https://foundationforindiastudies.org/events/ xavier.

For more information, please contact Krishna Vavilala (713795-5169) and Nish Bhan (832474-8561).

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COMMUNITY

August 14, 2020

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ENTERTAINMENT

August 14, 2020

“Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl” Review: A Deeply Moving Tale

By Renuka Vyavahare

Story: The film chronicles the incredible real life story, struggles and gender-based discrimination faced by former Indian Air Force pilot Gunjan Saxena (played by Janhvi Kapoor). Known as the ‘Kargil Girl’, Gunjan was honoured with the Shaurya Vir award for displaying exemplary courage during the Kargil war in 1999.

Review: Gender stereotypes are as old as the hills. While men are preordained to excel at something, women stepping into that territory continue to ruffle a few feathers.

It’s not uncommon for women to face blatant, casual or concealed sexism, no matter how accomplished. Female athletes are asked who their favourite male athlete is.

Are women smart enough to analyse science fiction films or sports?

If this is what we face today, Lucknow girl Gunjan Saxena shattered the glass ceiling in the 90s when she became an IAF pilot. She did it at a time when feminism wasn’t in vogue. It was only in 2016, that India saw its first ever women fighter pilots to be commissioned into the Indian Air Force. Women were not inducted in the fighter stream before. Flight Lieutenants Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajan paved the way for others to follow. In 1999, Gunjan, the former helicopter pilot at 24, became India’s first woman combat aviator to fly Cheetah helicopters in the Kargil war zone.

She was tasked with medical evacuations, supply drops, and

mapping enemy position duties.

Hailing from an army family, raised by a remarkable father (Pankaj Tripathi at his best), what makes Gunjan’s journey unique and a film on her much deserving was, her mental conditioning. Her dreams were never defined by gender because it wasn’t imbibed in her as a child.

She wasn’t told what she can or cannot have because she is a woman. She desired to fly a plane since her childhood and that is what she did. She never set out to make a statement or inspire people. She merely followed her dream. But it was looked upon as an act of defiance by those who felt dwarfed by her unrelenting ambition. While some men tried to curtail her growth, the wind beneath her wings were also men — be it her father, a retired army man who raised his son and daughter as equals, or the shrewd but supportive Group Captain at the Udhampur Air Force Station.

Sharan Sharma, who makes a compelling directorial debut with this film, captures the gender dynamics with honesty and poise.

It’s rare for an Indian biographical film to show people just the way they are. Sharma calls out the sexism faced by Gunjan in the Armed Forces not to exploit her story but to begin a conversation. His gaze towards his characters is realistic, yet, humane and heartfelt. While the film compels you to redefine

patriotism and battle patriarchy, at heart, it is a poignant ode to a father-daughter relationship. Two people who never give up on each other. Their respective roles fit Pankaj Tripathi and Janhvi like a glove. They convince you that there couldn’t have been a better pair to essay these roles. While Tripathi brings in his famous effortless brilliance (he is to Gunjan, what Shabana Azmi was for Neerja), Janhvi Kapoor is a revelation. Not only is she age appropriate for her role, her eyes mirror Gunjan’s childlike exuberance as well as shades of sorrow and anger at being conveniently side-lined by her sexist superior (Vineet Kumar Singh as the Wing Commander). The actress is impeccable as Gunjan Saxena.

Vineet and Angad Bedi get one-dimensional characters with limited scope, yet, they aren’t forgettable.

Reminiscent of a heart-warming father-daughter conversation in Ram Madhvani’s Neerja (Bahadur baccha kaun), the strongest point

of this film is a scene where Gunjan confides in her father. “Air Force needs cadets jinmey desh bhakti ho. Mujhe toh bas plane udaana hai”, she confesses her guilt. In order to fulfil her dream, is she being disloyal to her country, she wonders. Her father explains to her that desh bhakti is not about shouting slogans or jingoism but to do your job with utmost sincerity. “Tum behter pilot ban jao, desh bhakti apney aap ho jayegi.” The writing complements the mood, sentiment and pace of the film perfectly.

Provocative and gripping, Sharma may not have extensive source material at hand but within two hours, he shows you exactly what he sets out to. He admires the grit and quiet determination of Gunjan, a national hero, without necessarily worshipping her. He retains what makes her human and that is this biographical drama’s biggest achievement. Given that Kargil war is a crucial backdrop and the film centres on pilot training, the helicopter sorties, and aerial combat scenes are executed well, courtesy, renowned American aerial coordinator Marc Wolff, known for his work in Hollywood blockbusters like Mission Impossible, Jason Bourne and Star Wars series.

More than anything else, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is a deeply moving tale of a feminist father and his feisty daughter. It wages war against patriarchal mind-set and discrimination, and identifies it as a bigger threat to progress than the one we perhaps tackled in 1999.

-- Times of India

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COMMUNITY

August 14, 2020

IITAGH Covid-19 Donation Goes to Sewa Intl

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Praise for Biden’s Choice of Kamala Harris

By Surupa Shaw Houston: The world is reeling from the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Severe dislocation of lifestyles, social isolation, job losses, social distancing and work from home have become the norm. We are all striving to adapt to the new reality. Those of us that can need to find ways to help people most affected by the pandemic. The IIT Alumni of Greater Houston has joined the fight with their initiative; “Unite to Fight COVID-19”.

One of the pillars of IITAGH is to ‘give back to the community’.

IITAGH raised funds and contributed towards the efforts for mitigating the effects of the pandemic on our local community. IITAGH matched the total amount raised to a cumulative cap of $5,000. It truly reflected in the solidarity of the IITAGH community to serve in the areas of greatest needs, while giving back to the local community.

Previously, the IITAGH community had raised relief funds for the last major disaster to hit Houston, Hurricane Harvey.

IITAGH selected Sewa International, Houston, and channeled their raised funds through them to help the folks affected by COVID. SIH has been working on the front-lines by aiding the potentially affected population in the Greater Houston area. Sewa provides personal protection equipment to medical professionals and

ITAGH President Abhijit Gadgil (left) presented a check of $10,124 to Sewa International Houston represented by President Gitesh Desai.

first responders, food and comfort for families affected by the virus and a host of other COVID related initiatives.

IITAGH had carefully vetted Sewa out and determined that it met the criteria that the IITAGH board felt most strongly about.

Sewa had the volunteers, scale and infrastructure to be truly effective.

IITAGH has requested the Sewa management team to specifically target the funds to mainstream Houstonians.

On Wednesday, July 29, IITAGH Board President Abhijit Gadgil along with Members Huzefa Shakir, Surupa Shaw, Akansha Garg and Gagan Srivasatava met the SIH President Gitesh Desai and

Board Members Arun Kankani and Achalesh Kumar to present the check at the SIH office, located inside West Oaks Mall. Gadgil presented the check of $10,124 to Desai who said that SIH was very appreciative of the trust placed in them and would use the funds to continue procuring goods and services for their COVID relief efforts.

IITAGH is extremely thankful to the community which generously contributed towards the fundraising efforts and made its “Unite to Fight COVID-19” initiative a huge success. To read more about the IITAGH Initiative, visit: https:// iitagh.org/index.php/fight-againstcovid-19_2020/

Washington DC: Leading Indian-American groups across the US have lauded the selection of Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris as the Vice Presidential candidate

by Democratic party presidential nominee Joe Biden, saying it was a moment of pride and celebration for the entire community in America.

Biden on Tuesday named Harris as his Vice-Presidential running mate, making history by selecting the first black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket.

Harris, 55, whose father is an African from Jamaica and mother an

Indian, is currently the US Senator from California.

“What an electric moment for the Indian-American community!

IndianAmericans are now truly a mainstream community in the national fabric,” M R Rangaswami, an eminent Indian-American and the founder of Indiaspora, told PTI. “On a personal note, it’s great to have a woman on the ticket whose mother hails from my hometown of Chennai in India,” Rangaswami said. Her candidacy is historic and inspiring, not only for Black Americans, but for millions of Asian American voters.

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August 14, 2020 8COMMUNITY

August 14, 2020

Give Her The Sky, She Can Fly: Smile Foundation launches US Chapter HOUSTON: With its commitment

to work towards ‘Civic Driven Change’, on Saturday, August 8, Smile Foundation, an India based NGO hosted ‘Sing for Smile’ a virtual talk show and live concert with playback singerAmit Kumar to mark the launch of its US chapter.

Sonu Sood, actor and philanthropist; Nawazuddin Siddiqui, actor; Arbaaz Khan, actor; Deepak Chaurasia, journalist and Remo D’Souza, choreographer and director also shared special messages supporting Smile Foundation “#IndiaShares “ campaign during the online event.

The US chapter of Smile Foundation will help spread awareness about Smile’s work in India among the Indian American community.

‘She Can Fly’ is a flagship initiative

by Smile Foundation to enable, equip and empower girl children with quality education, proper nutrition, good health, adequate skills, and above all a lot of self-confidence to help them live their lives to their fullest potential.

This is also a step towards sensitizing civil society at large and helping create a girl child/women friendly society to help her thrive.

Smile Foundation works to empower girls and women, innovative healthcare programs to

the families who cannot afford it, education and skills based programs to underprivileged youth and marketfocused livelihood programs. The NGO also works towards sensitizing privileged children, youth, and citizens in general to promote an ideology of Civic Driven Change.

Smile Foundation reaches out to 1.5 million beneficiaries a year through its 450+ projects in 23 states in India located in 2000+ villages and slums.

Sonu Sood, arbaaz khan, actor, philanthropiSt actor

nawazuddin Siddiqui, actor

remo d’Souza,

choreographer/ director

deepak chauraSia, journaliSt

amit kumar,

playback Singer

With the coronavirus pandemic setting in, the direct beneficiaries thr ough cur ative s ervices (primary healthcare only) during COVID-19 were 28,408. Direct beneficiaries through awareness activities/counseling were 29,408 including tele-counseling and direct beneficiaries through thermal and oximeter screening were 11,889.

Additionally Smile also provided 15.76 million meals to 180,000 individuals across 23 states through from April to June 2020.

“The burden of poverty weighs down heavier on girls and women in India than it does on the males,” said Hari Agrawal, President of Smile Foundation USA Chapter.

“Girl children from the lower strata of society are lucky to see a classroom at all. In India, girls belonging to families in the top 20% get nine years of education on average, while girls from families in the bottom 20% get none at all.”

“We are happy to support Smile Foundation’s efforts in India to provide

end-to-end support on healthcare, education, and empowerment to girls and women,” he continued.

“The US chapter launch of the Smile Foundation is a beginning to assist hundreds of thousands of underprivileged families in India.”

During the event, Agrawal also recalled his journey to New Delhi and how for the first time he interacted with Smile’s beneficiaries in an urban slum. The gratitude he saw in women and children, moved him so much that he visited Smile’s office

in Delhi and meet Smile India team, where he realized that their drive to serve the society was similar.

“We have been observing Smile Foundation activities in India for the last few years. The foundation does tremendous work for thousands of underprivileged and unprivileged people in India, whether it is to provide healthcare or education or girl’s and women’s empowerment.

We are launching the US chapter of Smile Foundation so that many Indian Americans in the USA get an opportunity to serve the humanity by associating with a nonprofit committed to give a chance to the people who never had it,” said Jiten Agarwal, Board Member of USA chapter of Smile Foundation.

He also had visited Smile’s centers in India and captured his experience as a momentous one, wherein he saw the changes that Smile is bringing in the country. He encouraged the viewers to visit Smile centers in India and offered his assistance to people visiting as a point of contact.

Speaking on the occasion, Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder, and Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation said, “It is our immense pleasure to announce the beginning of Smile’s US chapter.

After completing 18 successful years in India, we have decided to open our first office in the USA primarily

looking at the philanthropic ventures that take place from the country. Smile has partnered with multiple esteemed international organizations from around the globe, it was our future vision to set up a global presence so that we can further strengthen our collaborations. Smile has been taking strides in combating hunger and healthcare, and the current challenges we are facing in education and livelihood are being tackled through reoriented program structures”.

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August 14, 2020

Happy Janamashtami !!

HINDU WORSHIP SOCIETY of Houston For General Information contact HWS Management Committee: RAVI GOEL, President 713-690-3335 ASHIMA PATEL, Secretary 832-563-6689 NISHA BHATIA, Member 713-306-9725 RANJAN LASHKARI, Member 281-798-8064 PRAMOD BARNWAL, Member 832-512-6393 For Puja information, contact HWS Priest Pandit Bhawani Shankar Shastri ji 832-278-0100 HWS Pujas are performed LIVE on Facebook at the following times: Monday-Saturday: 7:30 pm to 8:30pm Sunday: 12:30pm to 1pm TEMPLE: 713-957-4608 www.hwstemple.org www.facebook.com/ hwstemple • @hwstemple Indo-American News • Friday, AUGUT 14, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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