Indo-American News: July 17, 2020

Friday, July 17, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 29

Indo American News

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July 17, 2020

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Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

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Record Turnout: No Help for Desi Candidates

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Democrats produced record turnout in Tuesday’s primary runoff election, easily outpacing prior election cycles even amid a recent escalation of the Covid-19 crisis. But all the South Asian runoff candidates lost. See Page 2 for details.

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COMMUNITY

July 17, 2020

South Asian Political Candidates in Local Runoff Election: All Lose

By Pramod Kulkarni

Houston: South Asian political candidates have been running for various political offices with great enusiasm lately. There have been some notable successes.

In 2018, K.P. George rode on a Democratic blue wave in Fort Bend County to become the County Judge. That election also saw Juli Matthew win a judgeship and Sri Preston Kulkarni come within 5% of winning the 22nd Congressional District race.

The recent 2020 runoff election had four Indo-American candidates: Pritesh Gandhi, Suleman Lalani, Surendran Pattel and Sonia Rash. All three lost, however.

In the U.S. Rep. District 10 Democratic Primary, Pritesh Gandhi lost to Mike Siegel by 9%, but that works out to a margin of only 4,109 votes. Runoff elections are not known for high percentage of voting and success depends on whether you can get your supporters to the voting booth.

The margin was even less in the Texas State Rep. District 26 Democratic Primary with Suleman

to Kali Morgan. Sonia Rash lost the Fort Bend County Attorney Democratic Primary to Bridgette Smith-Lawson by 29%.

In a noteworthy race, Troy Nehls won his U.S. Rep. District 22 - Republic Primary against Kathaleen Wall by a whopping 41% and will face Sri Preston Kulkarni in the general election. Kulkarni received more than 50% majority in the Democratic primary, so did not require a runoff.

In the statewide race, Mary “M.J.” Hegar defeated Royce West in the U.S. Senator - Democratic Primary and will face incumbent Senator John Cornyn.

ISouth Asian runoff candidates: Surendran Pattel, Suleman Lalani and Pritesh Gandhi.

Lalani losing to L. ‘Sarah’ DeMerchant by 5% or 409 votes.

For Fort Bend County Judge, 505th District, Democratic Primary, Surendran K. Pattel lost by 21%

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COMMUNITY

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July 17, 2020

Fareed Zakaria, Anil Kapoor to Headline First-ever Pratham National Gala Houston: On Saturday, July 18, 2020, Pratham, one of the largest and most successful educationfocused charitable organizations in India, will host its first-ever national gala. The virtual fundraiser will feature CNN Host and Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria, Actor and Producer Anil Kapoor and Singer, Lyricist and Composer Shaan.

For the last 25 years, Pratham has developed low-cost solutions that have enabled 75 million underprivileged children and youth in India to learn more effectively.

With roots in Houston, Pratham has worked at scale to address India’s education crisis, which leaves nearly 50% of the nation’s fifth-graders unable to read a basic second-grade text The current COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education systems globally and is jeopardizing the learning, particularly for children in India’s rural and slum communities. Moreover, a lack of infrastructure, internet access, and digital content makes it nearly impossible for Indian government schools to reach children through remote learning.

In response to this crisis, Pratham has been offering daily lessons and homeschooling support for parents through a variety of low-tech mediums—Zoom, WhatsApp, text messages, radio, even old-fashioned phone calls—to ensure that children in 12,000 Indian communities remained focused on learning. The organization has also lent its expertise to 14 state governments and 225 NGOs, who have adopted Pratham’s vast digital repository to support millions more children.

Pratham’s first-ever national gala will feature CNN host Fareed Zakaria (left) and Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor.

Saturday’s virtual event will continue the twenty-year tradition of bringing the Houston community together to support Pratham’s work. “Especially during these times, it is imperative that we do not lose sight of the importance of education and its role in lifting generations out of poverty,” explained Dhiren Shethia, President of Pratham Houston. “Unlike here in the US, these families do not have any safety net and they rely on Pratham for support. These interventions are very cost-effective and as little as $500 can fund learning for 100 children.”

With all in-person gatherings and galas on hold, Pratham has curated a virtual evening of entertainment featuring an impressive line-up of celebrities to help raise funds in support of Pratham’s mission of “every child in school and learning well.” A donation of $5,000 will fund the establishment of a digital library in ten communities in India, enabling 1,000 children to access digital learning, while $10,000 will provide 25 fe-

Reading to children in Lakhimpur, India.

male dropouts a second chance to earn their high school diplomas The event will be broadcast simultaneously around the US and is open and free to attend, but registration is required at prathamusa. link/gala2020.

Pursuing its mission of “every child in school and learning well,” Pratham promotes basic literacy as a means to establish a secure foundation for learning, both in and out of school. Pratham collaborates with governments, communities, educators, and industry to focus on innovative ways to address gaps in India’s education system.

By bridging the divide between stakeholders, Pratham raises standards and increases accountability, thereby transforming the lives of children, families and entire communities.

Pratham’s vast network spans 21 Indian states and has reached 75 million children and youth since its inception. Pratham’s work has been recognized through major International awards, including the Asia Game Changer Award,

the BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award, the WISE Prize for Education, the Henry R. Kravis

Leadership Prize, the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and most recently the 2018 LUI Che Woo Prize in the Positive Energy category.

Founded in Houston, Pratham USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with 14 chapters across the United States that raise awareness and mobilize financial resources. The volunteer-driven organization ranks among the top 2% of all nonprofits in America, consistently achieving a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for “sound fiscal management” and “commitment to accountability and transparency.”

For more information, visit prathamusa.org.

Listen to Nick’s Call-In “Cleantime Economic Forecast” on Indo American News Radio, each Saturday, 4-6pm on FM 98.7

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July 17, 2020

Student’s Art Campaign During the Pandemic

COMMUNITY

By Melanie Feuk Klein: Klein High School junior Sneha Shenoy began a campaign to promote social distancing in mid-April. Less than two weeks after launching the official “Pledge To Distance” website April 23, the campaign already had 900 supporters pledge to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The Pledge To Distance campaign asks people to sign a pledge promising to practice social distancing and follow stay-at-home orders issued by government officials.

Shenoy decided to use her love of art and drawing to supplement the campaign. Pledgers will receive a free personalized piece of art depicting their face with the letters of their name arranged to look like a mask. People are encouraged to share their custom art piece on social media to inspire others to take the pledge.

In a “Take 5 with Klein” Facebook video interview, Shenoy told Klein ISD Assistant Director of Communications Justin Elbert that she created the campaign to grow awareness about the unfamiliar topic of social distancing.

“It’s such a new concept, but it’s something that I think it’s very important that we take seriously right now,” Shenoy said. “It’s not anything that we would have thought we’d have to do, but we have to be able to adapt and do what’s best for society.”

She began the campaign on her own in April, not sure what to expect in terms of the attention it might garner. As of May 5, in addition to the 900-plus pledges, the campaign had more than 850 Instagram followers.

Sneha Shenoy decided to use her love of art and drawing to supplement the Pledge to Distance campaign. Pledgers will receive a free personalized piece of art depicting their face with the letters of their name arranged to look like a mask.

“We actually have a few more people helping…with the logistics of the campaign and the artwork itself and because of how fast it’s still growing, we are thinking about adding some more artists,” Shenoy said.

Shenoy founded Pledge To Distance, but several others have jumped onboard the campaign team including students Kwisha Patel, Emily Tran, Christy Vu, Jeanie Ho, Kristin Dinh, Grace Pham, Coleman Hall-Brown, and their teacher advisor Kristen Haggard.

The #PledgeToDistance campaign is on social media @ PledgeToDistance on Instagram, @PledgeDistance on Twitter, and Pledge To Distance on Facebook.

The pledge and more information can also be found at www.pledgetodistance.com.

Since launching the campaign,

Pledge To Distance has collected some high-profile supporters in the Klein ISD community.

“For one, my amazing principal Ms. Jessica Haddox from Klein High School,” Shenoy said. “Our incredible superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown has also been a part of this, as well as numerous teachers and counselors from not just Klein High School, but across the district. So, we’ve been very, very fortunate to have those people support this campaign and help promote it.”

“It’s a difficult concept to grasp at first, but we can learn how to adapt,” Shenoy said. “We can still form connections and keep our friendships through technology and social media. We just have to adapt in this time and it’s important to stay home, stay safe, and pledge to distance.” -- Houston Chronicle

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INDIA

July 17, 2020

A Long, Perilous Route Thousands of Sikhs Risk for Life in U.S.

By Lauren Frayer

Chandigarh: A poster-size photo of a little girl in a frilly pink tutu has pride of place on the wall of her grandparents’ stately home on the fertile plains of northern India. An album of baby photos is propped on a side table, alongside a gigantic plush pink teddy bear.

They’re all that Gurmeet Singh and his wife, Surinder Kaur, have left of their 6-year-old granddaughter. She died on June 12, 2019, of heatstroke in the desert near Lukeville, Ariz., some 8,000 miles from home.

It was 108 degrees Fahrenheit.

The girl, Gurupreet Kaur, and her mother had just crossed illegally into Arizona from Mexico, part of a group of Indian migrants. Gurupreet’s father had gone ahead to the U.S. in 2013, a few months after his daughter was born, and was waiting for them. Mother and daughter left home in early 2019.

“I cry now when I look at her picture. I keep remembering how I used to hoist her up onto my shoulders,” says Singh, a sinewy farmer in his 70s with a long white beard and wearing an orange turban.

“I tried to stop them from leaving. We have a big house. We could provide for them here,” recalls Singh, speaking with NPR at his home in the village of Hasanpur, in northern India’s Haryana state, in late January. “They didn’t need to go abroad.”

But Singh says his son didn’t want to be a wheat and rice farmer like him. His son and daughter-inlaw kept their emigration plans a secret, he says, and left without warning.

In a statement issued last year from New York City, where the couple now lives and has applied for asylum, they said they left India because they were “desperate” and wanted “a safer and better life” for their daughter. But they have never explained why they felt unsafe in India and made what they called an “extremely difficult decision” to embark on such a risky journey.

“No mother or father ever puts their child in harm’s way unless they are desperate,” the statement said. “We will carry the burden of the loss of our beloved Gurupreet for a lifetime, but we will also continue to hold onto the hope that America remains a compassionate nation grounded in the immigrant ideals that make diversity this nation’s greatest strength.”

Their lawyer tells NPR that they are preparing for trial in U.S. immigration court.

The vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of migrants trying to cross from Mexico into the U.S. each year come from Latin America. But Gurupreet and her parents were among a growing number of Indians risking their lives to cross that border too.

A long and risky journey The flow of migrants toward the U.S.-Mexico border has dwindled

Gurmeet Singh holds a photo of his granddaughter, Gurupreet Kaur, who died of heatstroke in Arizona in June 2019. The 6-year-old and her mother had just crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. Credit: Lauren Frayer/NPR

during the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. authorities have deported many who were in custody when the virus broke out, including 167 Indians in May. Of those still being detained for trying to cross that frontier illegally, the first to test positive for the coronavirus, in late April, was an Indian, U.S. authorities say.

For Indian migrants, the journey to Mexico’s border with the U.S. begins on the plains of northern India and can zigzag to Russia, the Mideast, the Caribbean and Central America. U.S. Border Patrol figures show that the number of Indians detained on the U.S.-Mexico border spiked from just 76 in 2007 to more than 7,600 last year.

U.S. and Indian officials have been trying to figure out why.

What they’re finding is that — unlike many migrants fleeing violence, persecution or economic hardship — most Indian migrants trying to enter the U.S. via Mexico are not the poorest of the poor.

Indian authorities say they’re from Punjab, one of the country’s wealthiest states. (Gurupreet Kaur and her parents were from the neighboring state of Haryana.)

The migrants are heading to the U.S. amid a spike in Punjab’s land prices that has simultaneously exacerbated economic inequality and been a boon to landowners, allowing them or their children to afford the cost of such journeys.

They’re also getting help, Indian police and migrants say, from a burgeoning crop of unregulated travel agents — human smugglers. The agents may be local tea sellers, for example, with criminal contacts abroad. They charge migrants tens of thousands of dollars per person and route them through

as many as a dozen countries to the U.S.-Mexico border. They often supply the migrants with fake backstories to help them try to win asylum.

According to NPR interviews with U.S. and Indian government officials, police, licensed immigration agents, lawyers and Indian deportees, most of the would-be migrants face no credible threats to their safety or livelihoods.

They’re simply leaving India for better job opportunities abroad and to reunite with relatives who’ve already emigrated. Rejected for visas by going through the proper channels, they’ve gone about trying to reach the U.S. in the riskiest possible ways.

“I had no other option” Amandeep Singh, the 19-yearold son of farmers, and of no relation to any of the other Singhs in this story, grew up in the tiny village of Miani, Punjab, population 692. He dreams of working in a restaurant or grocery store in America. But he’s a high school dropout with none of the qualifications he’d need to apply for a U.S. work or education visa and move there legally. So in the spring of 2019, when he was 18, he paid a smuggler $22,000, which he borrowed from friends and family, to send him to the U.S. illegally.

Amandeep Singh, 19, at his family’s farm in rural Punjab, India. Singh paid a smuggler about $22,000 to help him cross the U.S.-Mexico border, but he was deported from Mexico in October.

First, he traveled by bus to New Delhi — his first time visiting the Indian capital. Then he flew to Russia, Cuba, Ecuador, Colombia.

Then he moved northward through Central America on foot — Pana-

ma, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico. It took four months.

“I had no other option. I don’t want to be a farmer, and in rural Punjab, there’s nothing else,” he explains. “I left home on this big adventure, but what I didn’t know was that I would end up right back here again.”

Singh never even reached the U.S. border. Mexican authorities deported him in October 2019, along with more than 300 other Indians — most of them fellow Punjabis.

A “billion-dollar industry” In large families, farmland is often inherited by the eldest son, leaving multiple siblings idle.

Even if they split the land among descendants, mechanization increasingly means fewer hands are needed.

Meanwhile, in recent years, Punjab has become an entry point for illicit drugs from Afghanistan and home to India’s worst drug abuse epidemic, further fueling the desire of many to get out.

The streets of Punjab’s cities — Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar — are plastered with billboards for immigration agents. For a fee, they help Indians apply for education or work visas abroad.

Only about 1,400 such agents are registered with the Indian government to process employment visas abroad. Many more are education consultants, accredited by foreign universities and governments. The most popular destinations for Punjabis seeking to migrate traditionally have been the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Satish Bhargava, director of Crown Immigration Consultancy Services, a licensed immigration

Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 17, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

5

agency with branches across India, says he believes the real number of immigration agents operating in India is close to 100,000. Most are unregulated.

No matter the destination, “immigration is a billion-dollar industry. It’s an international global business — especially in Punjab,” Bhargava told NPR in a late January interview in his company’s Jalandhar office, where clients waited in the lobby for appointments with immigration agents at kiosks.

Many Punjabis are already settled in foreign countries, he says. Most have gone legally over the years.

“Their relatives and friends are all looking to go there, join them and make good money,” he says.

The U.S. was once Indian Punjabis’ first choice for a new life, agents say. But as the Trump administration tightened restrictions, their clients turned toward Canada, Australia and European countries like France and Germany instead.

Bhargava’s once-bustling office has temporarily shut because of the pandemic. According to government data, Punjab has had more than 5,600 COVID-19 cases and 149 deaths. But Bhargava says his phone is still ringing constantly with calls from clients who still want to get to the U.S., the U.K., Italy — places devastated by the virus.

“Even in spite of the coronavirus, still they are sending me emails and WhatsApp messages. They’re still searching for options,” he told NPR by phone in May. He says he tries to dissuade them. The Trump administration has halted most immigration anyway, because of the pandemic.

But they are desperate to go to foreign countries due to [their perception of] good lifestyles,” he says. “They just keep thinking like that.”

Bhargava’s brother and co-director, D.S. Saini, says that even before the pandemic, their agency had to turn away many clients whose hearts were set on living in America but who didn’t meet the requirements for U.S. visas. Many would then turn to a growing crop of unlicensed agents willing to forge documents — fake passports and visas — to fulfill those dreams for a price.

“Someone comes to us and we decline, saying, ‘You’re not eligible.’ So he finds someone else.

There are a lot of frauds out there,” Saini says. “It has a bad effect on the whole immigration industry.

Once some people start committing fraud, suddenly everyone is seen as having bad intentions.”

Last year, more than 900 immigration agents were arrested on fraud charges in Punjab alone, a senior police intelligence official, Hardial Singh Mann, based in Chandigarh, Punjab, tells NPR. To be Continued Next Week NPR producer Sushmita Pathak contributed to this report.

6

INDIA

July 17, 2020

Bachchans Stable, 26 Locality Staffers Test Negative for the Coronavirus

Mumbai Actor Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek, who were admitted to Nanavati Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, are stable, hospital authorities said on Monday. Abhishek will be discharged soon, they added.

Twenty-six staffers working across four bungalows of the Bachchans tested negative for coronavirus on Monday.

In all, 54 close contacts of the family were traced. While most were staffers, BMC officials said they also traced people who had come in contact with Abhishek Bachchan, as he had travelled recently for film-related work. Of the 54 contacts, while 26 were tested, 28 low-risk contacts have been sent to home quarantine.

Abhishek Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan were admitted to Nanavati Hospital on Saturday night. Following this, Amitabh’s daughter-in-law and actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and eightyear-old granddaughter Aaradhya tested positive on Sunday.

The four bungalows of the family in Juhu-Vile Parle have been sealed and declared containment zones.

Actor-politician and Amitabh’s wife Jaya Bachchan has tested negative.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus infections across the world hit 13 million on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, climbing by a million in just five days.

Here are the top COVID-19 developments from across the country:

Abhishek Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan were admitted to Nanavati Hospital on Saturday night.

HRD announces guidelines for online classes by schools The HRD Ministry on Tuesday announced guidelines for online classes by schools and recommended a cap on duration and the number of sessions in a day for students. The guidelines have been framed by the ministry, following concerns raised by parents about schools conducting online classes like regular schools, which has increased children’s screen time after the COVID-19 pandemic mandated a shift from classroom teaching to online learning as schools continue to remain shut for over four months.

HRD announces guidelines for online classes The duration for

online classes for pre-primary students should not be for more than 30 minutes, HRD guidelines recommended. (Representational image) In the guideline called “Pragyata”, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has recommended that the duration for online classes for pre-primary students should not be for more than 30 minutes. For classes 1 to 8, the HRD Ministry has recommended two online sessions of up to 45 minutes each while for classes to 9 to 12, four sessions of 30-45 minutes duration have been recommended.

BJP J&K chief Ravinder Raina tests positive for coronavirus

BJP Jammu and Kashmir chief and former Nowshera MLA, Ravinder Raina, on Tuesday tested positive for coronavirus.

Party sources said that his sample was taken at the airport here on Monday, after he returned to Jammu by air from Srinagar.

Raina had gone to Kashmir following the killing of senior BJP leader Wasim Bari, his father and younger brother by militants last week. Sources said that he had stayed in the Valley for nearly a week, attending the deceased’s nimaz-e-Janaza.

Six states have more Covid-19 recoveries than active cases Even as India’s Covid-19 tally

crossed nine lakh on Tuesday, just three days after it crossed the eight-lakh mark, there is a silver lining — the total recovered cases are about 1.8 times the number of active cases, the Health Ministry said. coronavirus, coronavirus news, india coronavirus, coronavirus news, coronavirus india, coronavirus cases in india, india coronavirus cases, coronavirus latest news, coronavirus update, india coronavirus update, covid 19, covid 19 india, india covid 19, covid 19 tracker, india covid 19 tracker A doctor checks the temperature of a woman during a free medical camp in Dharavi. (File) The numbers provided by the Health Ministry reveals that 29 states/Union Territories have more recovered patients than active cases. Six states — mostly in the south and northeast — have a higher number of active cases than recovered patients. The states are Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim.

On a day Bihar recorded the worst single-day spike of 1,432 Covid-19 cases, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi Tuesday announced that a complete lockdown would be enforced in the state from July 16 to July 31 to break the chain of transmission.

In a tweet, Sushil Modi informed that the lockdown would remain in force at all municipal, district, subdivisional and block headquarters level.

-- Indian Express

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INDIA

July 17, 2020

7

Explained: What the $10 Billion Investment Means for Google and India Mountain View, CA: Tech-giant Google Monday announced plans to invest $10 billion in India over the next 5-7 years by way of equity investments, partnerships and other arrangements to “accelerate digitisation” in the country.

The announcement assumes particular significance given the impending gap in the country’s tech investment ecosystem following the Centre’s clampdown on Chinese technology firms.

How will Google invest from the $10-billion fund?

Google said its $10-billion fund would focus on areas such as enabling affordable access to the Internet and to information for every Indian in their own language; building new products and services in segments like consumer tech, education, health and agriculture; empowering businesses, especially small and medium ones, to transform digitally; leveraging technology and artificial intelligence for digital literacy, outbreak predictions, and support for rural economies.

These investments will be made through a mix of equity investments, partnerships, operations, infrastructure and ecosystem investments. These include Google’s existing projects such as Internet Saathi for spreading awareness of the Internet in rural villages and an artificial intelligence-based flood forecasting system, among others.

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Google CEO Sunder Pichai

the works since before the clampdown on Chinese companies, the development did present an opportunity for tech majors like Google to grow their share in India’s internet pie.

Big technology companies like Google, Facebook, Netflix and Twitter are, in any case, prohibited from doing business in China. Potential hurdles for Chinese companies investing in India could provide better prospects for American giants to strengthen their position in a market which has the secondmost Internet users in the world.

What are Google’s top investments in India so far?

Google has invested in various startups and ventures in India through several of its investment vehicles. On November 1, 2013, the company invested Rs 3.13 crore in Sana Ventures in the seed funding round, and Rs 3 crore in Agastya International Foundation.

Since then, it has invested in $45,000,000 in Dunzo and Rs 39 crore in the online education portal CueMath.

In its latest investment on June 24, Google put $27,500,000 in the Series E funding of a Gurugrambased company Aye Finance.

How does this compare with

Google’s global investments in tech ventures?

Compared with its global investments, investment in India dwarves, but the $10 billion as part of the ‘Google for India Digitization Fund’ will boost Indian

companies in Google’s portfolio.

Between January 1, 2010 and July 13 this year, Google and its venture capital arms have invested in more than 900 companies globally. Among these, it has the maximum investments of $1.5 billion in Indonesian multi-service startup Gojek, $1 billion in ride-sharing firm Lyft, $1.4 billion in its rival Uber, and $1 billion in Elon Musk’s SpaceX. How does this announcement figure in big-tech’s outlook on India?

Google’s investment plan is in line with big-tech’s bullish outlook on India. Earlier this year, Amazon said it would invest an additional $1 billion in India. This was followed by a marquee investment announcement of $5.7 billion by Facebook in the country’s largest telecom company Reliance Jio. Last month, Microsoft’s venture fund M12 said it would open an office in India to pursue investment opportunities focusing on B2B software startups -- Indian Express

Chemical Co. in Baytown Looking for

Chemical Engineer

Candidates should have an engineering degree and some chemical plant experience Great pay w/ benefits. EOE/AAP Send resume to apply@chemicalsinc.com

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8

INDIA

July 17, 2020

“Shakuntala Devi�: It is Mathematics vs. Motherhood for Vidya Balan

By Anvita Singh

The trailer of Vidya Balan starrer Shakuntala Devi is out. The film is a biopic of the mathematical genius Shakuntala Devi, who earned the nickname of ‘human computer’ for her dazzling skill with numbers.

In the nearly three-minute video, we see Vidya aka Shakuntala Devi solving difficult problems with an ease that baffles onlookers. From going to London to pursue her ambition to finally marrying the man of her dreams, everything looks like a cakewalk for Shakuntala Devi until she becomes a mother.

Sanya Malhotra plays the role of Shakuntala Devi’s daughter in the biopic. The two are seen at loggerheads as Shakuntala Devi blames motherhood for upending her desires, while Sanya’s character wishes for a ‘normal’ mother.

The fact that Shakuntala Devi is not a perfect woman, and most likely not the perfect mother, is quite evident in the film’s trailer.

This element of grey to Shakuntala’s character might work in its favour as the audience has been served the quintessential goodytwo-shoes biopic multiple times in the recent past.

A genius mind can do no wrong is a myth that we have held on to for far too long, and perhaps the Amazon Prime Video film will help establish the fact that we are all as fallible as the other person in the room.

Speaking about playing Shakuntala Devi in the biopic, Vidya Bal-

an said in a statement, “Stepping into the world of Shakuntala Devi was as intimidating as it was exhilarating. Her story is inspirational and makes you see how if we believe in ourselves, the world is our oyster. A direct release on Prime Video will bring Shakuntala Devi one step closer to audiences across the globe where they can watch the movie at their convenience.�

Apart from Vidya Balan and Sanya Malhotra, Shakuntala Devi also features Amit Sadh and Jisshu Sengupta in pivotal parts. “Stepping into the world of Shakuntala Devi was as intimidating as it was exhilarating,� said Vidya Balan. “Her story is inspirational and makes you see how if we believe in ourselves, the world

is our oyster. A direct release on Prime Video will bring Shakuntala Devi one step closer to audiences across the globe where they can watch the movie at their conve-

nience.� “I’ve always been fascinated by Shakuntala Devi and felt hers is an incredible story that resonates with today’s world,� said director Anu

Menon. “While most of us will be familiar with her natural ability for math, the film also explores the lesser-known personal story of Shakuntala Devi – a brilliant but vulnerable woman and mother who lived life ahead of her times and on her own terms. I am certain the global audiences will enjoy the film as much as we enjoyed creating it for them.� “This is a story of triumph against all odds, of family, of relationships and above all the story of an Indian woman who held her own against the world. I am confident that this incredible story has the power to cut across geographic boundaries when it reaches audiences across 200 countries and territories,� said Vikram Malhotra, Producer and CEO - Abundantia Entertainment Pvt Ltd. Directed and co-written by Anu Menon, Shakuntala Devi will premiere on Amazon Prime on July 31 -- Indian Express

Intl Flights to Resume between India, U.S. & France New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said India had established individual bilateral bubbles with France and the US that would allow airlines of these countries to operate flights. Puri said air bridges or air bubbles would be the way to resume international air travel amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-COVID numbers, I think answer will lie

through bilateral air bubbles which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions incl India,� he said.

The concept of air bridges is based on reciprocity with the said countries allowing Indian citizens to fly into their borders and India allowing their citizens to fly into its borders.

Puri said Air France would be

KNOW PREDICT PREVENT

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H a r r i s Co u n t y D A . C O M Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 17, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris from July 18 to August 1 while American carrier United Airlines would be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to July 31. “They (United) are flying a daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco,� Puri said. Flights to UK should also resume soon.

July 17, 2020

Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 17, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

9

10

July 17, 2020

Perfect 100

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Congratulations, You Are A Terrorist!

By G. Sampath

The topper in this year’s Class 12 examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has scored 100 per cent. Her achievement is even more notable given that not all the subjects she opted for are the traditionally high scoring ones — History, English, Geography, Insurance, Economics and Sanskrit. She is amongst the 1,57,934 students who have secured more than 90 per cent. In fact, the number of those who scored in excess of 90 per cent has increased by more than 65 per cent this year. And the number of students who have scored more than 95 per cent has doubled. The personal accomplishments of these students should, no doubt, be celebrated — especially since several of them have, reportedly, overcome difficult odds. But also spare a thought for those who have not got such high marks. Does a system based on “perfect” marks offer fair opportunities to students from diverse learning environments? Does scoring well in board exams necessarily mean learning well?

Principals of Delhi University colleges have indicated that the high marks will lead to increases in cut-offs for undergraduate courses. This is nothing new. The cut-offs have been increasing virtually every year for the past 30 years in most parts of the country, leading to a situation where every decimal point scored in the senior secondary examination becomes critical for college admissions. But there is something terribly wrong with an educational system when a student with 95 per cent marks gets admission to an institution, while the one who secured 94.5 per cent is left in the lurch. It speaks of a system designed to exclude while fostering an illusion of merit. The problem becomes graver given that good institutions of higher learning are so few in the country. The frantic competition to get into a good college — where every mark counts — make parents enrol their students into tutorial “institutes”, which have mushroomed all over the country. This bizarre state of affairs, when even a bright student does not feel assured about getting admission to a good institution, is also the cause of mounting anxiety amongst children.

In 2008, less than 500 students got more than 95 per cent marks in the Class 12 examinations conducted by the CBSE. In 10 years, this number increased to more than 15,000. And this year, this number has gone up to 38,686. But all this does not necessarily signify an improvement in the learning environment. There are enough studies to show that the evaluation criteria of the board examinations do not encourage students to go beyond a rudimentary understanding of the subject, at best.

This system needs to be reevaluated.-- Indian Express

I’ve spent the last few weeks reading about life in prison. I must say it’s time well spent. Advance preparation always helps. Tomorrow I could be carted off to jail. So could you. In case you’ve been too busy stealing hotel towels in Bali to get what I’m talking about, let me bring you up to speed. According to a proposed new amendment to the UAPA, the government can unilaterally declare you a terrorist. The onus will then be on you to prove that you aren’t one. The best part is you don’t even have to do any actual terrorism — such as shooting, exploding bombs etc.

All that’s needed is for the government to think the thought.

It’s like how God created the universe: let there be light, and there was light. One fine morning, Chota Voldemort wakes up and says, “Let Sharma-ji be a terrorist”, and lo and behold, from that day on, Sharma-ji is Kasab-ji. The logical next step is to pick up Sharma-ji and throw him in jail, which is what’s in store for you and me and every other non-cow in India – no matter how garishly patriotic you are or how loudly you proclaim on Twitter that you’re privileged to be followed by our beloved leader.

So what’s your plan? I have a Plan A and a Plan B. Plan A My Plan A is simple: to be the one person in India who will NEVER EVER be designated a terrorist. Come what may. Even if it means in the entire country I’m the only non-terrorist left standing, my sexy Aadhaar and handsome PAN linked majestically in glorious digital matrimony. Even if it means I have to vote again and again for rapists, serial murderers, street thugs and certified fraudsters. Even if it means turning a blind eye to the fact that at this precise historical moment, Rwanda is superior to India as a democracy.

Plan B But there’s a good chance that Plan A may fail, on account of factors beyond my control. Hence Plan B, whose first part involves acknowledging the inevitable: if you are an ordinary citizen of India and not an MP from Bhopal, it’s just a matter of time before you’re

“According to a proposed new amendment to the UAPA, the government can unilaterally declare you a terrorist. The onus will then be on you to prove that you aren’t one. The best part is you don’t even have to do any actual terrorism — such as shooting, exploding bombs etc. All that’s needed is for the government to think the thought.” declared a terrorist. Why? Because you really are a terrorist, you fool!

Think about it: if tomorrow you are deemed a terrorist, and you respond by telling the government, “No, I’m not,” you are finished.

First, you will be speaking as a terrorist, which means your words mean nothing. Second, by trying to prove the government wrong, you are, ipso facto, questioning the government’s wisdom — in other words, you are dissenting, and voila, you are a terrorist!

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that any form of non-violent dissent is a potential act of terrorism because it could, in the future, inspire disaffection against the government, leading to an actual act of terrorist violence. Every non-violent dissenter is, therefore, a terrorist in spirit if not in act. The government is right in holding that the traditional method of declaring a person a terrorist — through a conviction in a court of law after a trial — is outdated. In this day and age, anyone the government considers a threat to its interests is a terrorist. So why shouldn’t it have the right to declare you or me a terrorist?

Pure desi penance This brings me to the second part of Plan B. I encourage you to memorise this section as it’s certain to come in handy. As soon as

Indo American News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Publisher: Jawahar Malhotra Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Correspondent: Sanchali Basu ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. Deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, Texas 77036.Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: www. indoamerican-news.com

Indo-American News • Friday, JUly 17, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

you are declared a terrorist, don’t make the mistake of proclaiming your innocence. Acknowledge right away that the government is right.

If you publicly accept your guilt, do penance by feeding 10,000 cows (pure desi ones, not foreign or mixed breeds) and beg Chota Voldemort for mercy, you may (there is no guarantee) get a prison cell with Wi-Fi that actually works.

Speaking for myself, my only prayer is that I should be permitted to take lumbar cushions and allowed to go for physiotherapy thrice a week. Ideally I would’ve liked to start a campaign for better living conditions in Indian jails — but I don’t want to end up in jail earlier than I have to. Anyway, you don’t have to be influenced by my personal aversion to imprisonment.

If you think about it, you’ll realise it may actually be a blessing in prison uniform. Haven’t you always complained about not getting the time to write your novel? As you probably know, some of the greatest works of literature were written in prison. Write yours in Tihar Jail and a Booker is guaranteed. When you collect the prize, don’t forget to thank me in your acceptance speech.

-- The Hindu

SUDOKU/RECIPE Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Send us the correct answer before July 22, 2020. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution

Last Week’s SUDOKU Winners Sharmila Moharir

July 17, 2020

11

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Sabat Moong te Palak di Daal

(SPINACH & WHOLE MOONG LENTILS) Daals are the mainstay of the Indian diet, whether you are in the north or south, east or west - providing much needed protein, especially for the multitude of vegetarians in the country - and each region has its own way of making them. So central are they to Indian life, there is even a phrase to express daily life: “daalroti toh khani hai” (we have to eat our daily bread). But nowhere will you find the heartiness and flavorful taste of daals as you would in the Punjab.

Punjabi daals are known for their smooth, thick texture and the perfect blend of spices. They are not supposed to be runny or thin and the hot tardka or blending in of spices, onions, garlic and sometimes hing (asafoetida) is a sizzling experience that fills the air with the aroma of the dish.

To this day, in the majority of rural communities and in many traditional recipes, daal is cooked in a large patila (pot) simmered over a slow to medium flame. Daal should be cooked so that you can spot the grain and have a little turri (curry). Too thick or too thin a daal and you can’t scoop it with roti (flat bread).

The dish is made with leafy, dark green spinach, which is rich in vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium and potassium. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper as well as selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach and methi (fenugreek) are sometimes added selectively to some daals to enhance their flavor and appeal.

Sabat (whole) moong daal is leaf green in color and the dark spinach and soya leaves give the dish a nice dual look and added flavor. This dish cooks fairly fast and goes especially well with hot rotis.

Ingredients: • 1 cup sabat moong daal (whole moong lentils) • 500 gm palak (spinach) • 2 cups pani (water) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves of lasan (garlic) – peeled and chopped • 1 medium adrak (ginger) – peeled and chopped • 2 hari mirch (green chillies) – medium and chopped • 1/2 cup soya patta (soya leaves) (optional)

• 5 stalktops fresh dhania (coriander) – pinch off the leaves and cut into pieces • 1 tsp garam masala • Spices (to taste): lal mirch (red pepper); namak (salt); haldi (turmeric) Directions:

1. Carefully wash the spinach leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt, drip to dry then cut the leaves into half inch pieces.

2. Place the moong daal in a bowl and wash it thoroughly in cold water, then rinse it out.

3. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Pour in the moong daal into the pot, cover, and add the cut spinach, soya patta, haldi, ginger, green chilies and salt and let it come to a second boil then reduce the heat to medium.

4. If the water boils off before the daal becomes tender, then add some more and let it continue to boil for about 30 minutes till the daal is tender but not soft. Keep a frequent eye on the daal to make sure it does not become soupy.

5. Heat the oil in a small karai or wok and add the garlic and brown it a little. When roasted and the smell of the pieces starts to come through, take off the heat and drop the masala into the pot of cooked daal and stir to mix well.

6. Sprinkle the top of the daal with garam masala and the cut coriander leaves above.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947.

People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her early-nineties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

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July 17, 2020

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