Indo-American News: March 30, 2021

Friday, April 30, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 18

Indo American News

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April 30, 2021

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Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

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Covid Calamity Underway in India

‘Alma Matters’ on IIT

P6 Acid Attack in NY

P2

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INDIA

April 30, 2021

Sewa Leads Local Efforts to Defeat India’s Second Covid-19 Wave

Houston: A severe second wave of COVID-19 is sweeping across India and the country’s healthcare system is overwhelmed. The number of new cases are crossing 300,000 every day and the death toll is increasing which touched 2761 on Saturday, April 24. With more than 2.6 million active cases in the country, hospitals are struggling to accommodate new patients and an acute shortage of hospital beds, ventilators and oxygen is causing serious stress all over the nation.

India needs help right away and many people around the world are asking how can we help! Hundreds of volunteers from Sewa International and Sewa’s partner organizations are serving across India in different ways. Right now our top priority is to quickly acquire oxygen concentrators and ship them to India as it can save lives. Sewa is also providing support to hospitals run by Sewa’s partner organizations to extend their capacity to treat more Coronavirus infected patients.

Sewa volunteers are working on building a digital Helpdesk to provide critical information such as ambulance service, hospital bed availability and blood and medicinal supplies to people. As the pandemic is causing economic hardships by forcing partial lockdowns, we are planning to distrib-

ute over 10,000 essential item kits to families and assist more than 1000 orphanages and senior care centers. Working closely with our partner organizations, we are also distributing food and medicine to the needy in multiple places.

You can donate: - * $51 for each family essential items kit (grocery, basic medicines, masks, soaps and sanitizers, etc). * $201 to support about 20-30 people in a community home such as orphanages and senior centers (essential items and oximeter). * $501 for oxygen concentrator.

This is a collective effort that can save lives, defeat hunger, assure distressed people, and help India in its decisive fight against COVID-19.

A PTI story originating in Houston from Seema Haku Kachru reports that Sewa International is aiming to raise $5 million dollars -- has already raised over 1.5 million dollars -- within less than two days. It is sending an initial shipment of 400 oxygen concentrators along with other emergency medical devices and supplies to India immediately, the organisa-

tion said.

Sewa is working on procuring more from multiple suppliers around the world to ease oxygen shortage caused by the surging numbers of COVID-19 cases in India. The organisation said it has started the ‘Help India Defeat COVID-19’ campaign to ship oxygen concentrators to Indian hospitals.

Sewa is also providing food and medicines to about 10,000 families and more than 1,000 orphanages, and senior citizen centers across the country, it said.

Gitesh Desai, Sewa’s spokesperson in Houston, told PTI, “Sewa International is humbled by outpouring of donations and support from Indian-American community across the United States.

Sewa raised more than USD 1.5 million indicating Indian-Americans feel the pain and suffering of their brothers and sisters in India, and are concerned for their wellbeing during the catastrophic crisis created by COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Sewa is getting a great response from thousands of donors and expressing a deep desire to help India overcome this crisis. We thank them for their generous and timely contribution,” said Arun Kankani, president of Sewa International.

Swadesh Katoch, Sewa’s vice president for Disaster Recovery, said, “Sewa volunteers are working on building a Digital Helpdesk to provide critical information on ambulance services, hospital bed availability, and blood and medicinal supplies to people. We need not despair as India has many resources, but we can still help people win their fight against COVID-19. I request all to stay positive and do the needful.”

Leading associations including AAPI, IITAGH (IIT Alumni of Greater Houston), Pan IIT are partnering with Sewa International in this endeavor.

A Little Late, US Joins Worldwide Effort to Supply India with Covid Aid New Delhi: From supplying oxygen concentrators to vaccines, ventilators to masks — the global community has now come out to help India at this health crisis due to the second surge of the Covid-19 pandemic.

So far, at least 17 countries have come forward to help India, and they range from the neighbours to the major powers in the world.

While Bhutan is going to supply oxygen, the US might be able to share AstraZeneca vaccines next month.

Among the countries that are sending support are the US, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden, Australia, Bhutan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong , Thailand and UAE among others.

While these are countries that have offered help, a large number of multinational companies — Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft among others — have also offered to pitch in.

The US expects that there are approximately 10 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that could be released if and when FDA gives its concurrence in the coming weeks.

An estimated additional 50 million doses that are in various stages of production, and these could be completed in stages across May and June. So, in sum, about 60 million doses of AstraZeneca that the US could share with other

countries as they become available over the next two months. As these doses become available, the plans will be finalised as to where they would be sent.

Meanwhile, sources said that a high-level inter-ministerial group has established procedures for immediate clearance of these materials. The material would be dispatched promptly to the recipient institutions in various parts of the country in coordination with various government agencies, sources said.

The UK made an announcement that 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators, will be sent to India this week. Out of these, 100 ventilators and 95 oxygen concentrators already arrived on 27 April, 2021.

France would send relief material in two phases. Phase I: (Arriving this week) Eight large oxygen generating plants that can be installed quickly.

Liquid Oxygen Respiratory material – 28 respirators and their consumables and 200 electric syringe pushers.

Phase II: (Arriving next week) 5 liquid oxygen containers Germany Mobile oxygen production plant (will be made available for 3 months), 120 ventilators. More than 80 million KN95 masks.

Australia Australian Prime Minister Scott

countries as they become available Morrison announced on 27 April, ferred to India immediately.

Facilitating India’s own access over the next two months. As these 2021 that Australia will send 500 ventilators, 1 million surgi- to those supplies through US- doses become available, the plans will be finalised as to where they cal masks, 500,000 P2 and N95 based sources. would be sent.

The US will approve supply of masks, 100,000 goggles, 100,000 Technical expertise pairs of gloves and 20,000 face filters required for manufacture of USAID will work with CDC to Covishield vaccines. shields. support and fast-track mobilisation The US expects that there are Kuwait, Russia: Covid-19 mediof emergency resources available approximately 10 million doses of cal supplies secured through private and other channels as on April AstraZeneca vaccine that could be to India through the Global Fund.

Under the Quad Vaccine Initiareleased if and when FDA gives its 27, 2021: tive, US Development Finance Proposed US assistance to India: concurrence in the coming weeks.

Corporation (DFC) is funding a An estimated additional 50 million Oxygen generation and related supplies: Pursuing options to pro- doses that are in various stages of substantial expansion of manuvide oxygen generation systems, production, and these could be facturing capability for BioE, the finalising options for contract- completed in stages across May vaccine manufacturer in India, ening oxygen, including cylinders, and June. So, in sum, about 60 abling BioE to ramp up to produce working on oxygen generation million doses of AstraZeneca that at least 1 billion doses of Covid-19 systems, including larger-scale as the US could share with other vaccines by the end of 2022. well as smallerscale units. o Life Insurance They are exploring the provio Long-­‐Term Care Insurance sion of field oxyo Variable+ and FiUed AnnuiVes gen generation o Disability Insurance* systems, which the US has used o Health Insurance* in its own field For More InformaVon Contact Me hospitals to proServices: Divyendu Singh, Ph.D. vide oxygen for • Life Insurance 50 to 100 beds.

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April 30, 2021

Pichai and Nadella Vow Support for India

San Jose: : Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft Chief Satya Nadella on Monday vowed their support to India as it battles a debilitating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, that has crippled the country’s healthcare system and left thousands without hospital beds, oxygen and other critical medical infrastructure.

In a tweet, Pichai announced that Google will be providing Rs 135 crore in funding to the non-profit Give India and UNESCO to aid India’s fight against the deadly infection. In addition, Pichai will be donating Rs 5 crore over and above Google’s contribution to relief efforts, a company spokesperson said.

“This funding also includes increased Ad Grant support for public health information campaigns.

Since last year, we’ve helped MyGov and the World Health Organization reach audiences with messages focused on how to stay safe and facts about vaccines,” Sanjay Gupta, Country Head & VP, India, said in a blog post.

“We’re increasing our support today with an additional 112 Crore INR ($15 million) in Ad Grants to local health authorities and nonprofits for more language coverage options.”

Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said he was “heartbroken” by the situation in India and promised that his company would support Covid relief efforts. “I am heartbroken by the current situation in India. I’m grateful the U.S. government is mobilizing to help.

Microsoft will continue to use its voice, resources, and technology to aid relief efforts, and support the purchase of critical oxygen concentration devices,” Nadella tweeted earlier today.

IMMIGRATION

Google’s Sundar Pichai and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella are rushing aid to India as the country battles an onslaught of coronavirus cases.

Pichai was born in Tamil Nadu.

He famously didn’t have a computer growing up until moving to the United States to study at Stanford University, and joined Google in 2004. Pichai was named CEO of the firm in 2015, and later assumed the mantle at parent company Alphabet in 2019.

Nadella, who is originally from the southern city of Hyderabad, has worked at Microsoft since 1992 and became chief executive in 2014.

The executives’ commitments come as India’s second wave, which began in mid-March, devastates communities and hospitals across the country. Everything is in short supply — intensive care unit beds, medicine, oxygen and ventilators. Bodies are piling up in morgues and crematoriums.

“Right now India is going through our most difficult moment in the pandemic thus far,” Sanjay Gupta, Google’s head of India, wrote in the company’s blog post.

Gupta said that the company was working to improve how people found information about “where to get testing and vaccines” across

the company’s platforms, including its search engine, Google Maps and YouTube.

“We’re asking ourselves what more we can do as a company to ensure people get the support they need to keep their families and communities healthy and safe,” he added. “Our Google community and their families are feeling the devastating impact, too.”

On Monday, US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris assured India that they would support relief efforts by urgently sending necessary medical life-saving supplies and equipment. “Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need,” Biden said in a tweet.

From vaccines to its ingredients, oxygen tankers to oxygen concentrators — US, UK and EU pledged help to India. This comes the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Mann ki Baat radio address, said that the Covid storm had “shaken” the country and was “testing our patience.”

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COMMUNITY

April 30, 2021

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Over 1,100 Chicago Residents Benefit from BAPS Charities Vaccination Drive

Chicago: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on communities across the globe.

Thanks to the effort put forth by scientists, researchers, doctors, among many others, vaccines have been developed that have shown evidence of generating strong immune responses against the COVID-19 virus. As the scientific community and public officials have emphasized, widespread vaccination is an essential pillar of battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

BAPS Charities organized a COVID-19 Vaccination Drive in

Bartlett, Illinois on April 01, 2021, in collaboration with Prism Health Lab. A total of 1,111 vaccine doses were administered to essential workers and adults with underlying health conditions in just one day.

Volunteers from BAPS Charities ensured that all participants’ vaccination experience was orderly and safe by providing social distancing, sanitization, and translation services. Medical staff from Prism Health Lab also carried out the vaccination registration, delivery of vaccines and offered post-vaccination care.

“It is a passion for our volunteers to

give back, and we’re grateful to have Prism Health as a partner in this vaccine drive,” said Yagnesh Patel, a BAPS Charities volunteer.

The recipients of the vaccine appreciated the seamless organization of the vaccination process.

Dr. Mehbub Kapadia, Medical Director of Prism Health Lab, said, “I am so thankful to the BAPS Charities volunteers for putting this event together in only two days. This event is one of the best events we have done, among the over 100 drives we

have done so far.”

Rachel L, a local resident stated, “I am getting vaccinated for the loved ones in my family, for those that I am encountering, just to save a life, to protect those who I love.”

BAPS Charities has supported local communities during these trying times by battling the misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and providing vaccination infrastructure. Similar Vaccination Drives have been planned at over 30 cities throughout North America wherein thousands of

community residents will get easy access to vaccines.

BAPS Charities has actively served the community, particularly frontline workers, first responders, community support organizations, medical centers and the underserved since the onset of the pandemic. BAPS Charities has provided over 110,000 pieces of personal protective equipment, donated $180,000 in financial assistance and prepared and delivered over 80,000 meals to those battling the Coronavirus for all.

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April 30, 2021

‘Alma Matters’: What it is to be an IITian

ENTERTAINMENT

Kathmandu Connection

By Arushi Jain

By Priyanka Sharma The shining, aspirational exterior of IIT Kharagpur hardly ever shares its light with the despair, self-doubt and other mental challenges that the engineering aspirants face inside the campus. But that’s what Netflix’s upcoming series Alma Matters: Inside the IIT dream is intended to explore.

The streamer on Saturday unveiled the trailer of the docuseries, and the almost three-minute-long clip has its students giving a sense of what it means to be an IITian.

Directed by Pratik Patra and

Prashant Raj and produced by Dopamine Media & Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Alma Matters aims to delve into the world of IIT Kharagpur, which is dominated by overwhelming competitiveness, inherent sexism, a fight to “preserve identity”, and also an undying spirit to overcome challenges.

One of the highlights of the trailer is the evident isolation that one might feel in an environment such as IIT Kharagpur’s, where you are detached from the realities of the outer world as the harshness of the place itself looms large on one’s mind.

It’s, however, also the same place that gives a sense of bonhomie to its inhabitants, as they find companionship and comfort in shared joys and sorrows. A big surprise in the trailer comes towards the end, as maverick comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath, who is an IIT Kharagpur alumnus. Biswa has delivered several pieces of comedy about his time at IIT and also what constitutes a typical engineer.

Alma Matters: Inside the IIT Dream, which is a three-part series, will begin streaming on Netflix from May 14. -- Indian Express

Kathmandu Connection tries hard but falls short of being entertaining. The SonyLiv show fails to strike that perfect balance that makes the show special, particularly when the story starts to look like a mix of Manoj Bajpayee’s The Family Man and Kay Kay Menon’s Special Ops. The comparisons are unfair, but inevitable.

An overzealous police officer Samarth Kaushik, played by Amit Sial, along with his associate Mishra (Anuraag Arora) is out to nab the gangsters responsible for a hotelier’s kidnapping. In another part of the country, a CBI officer Ritesh Agarwal (Gopal Dutt) is investigating the murder of a colleague. Also, a primetime news anchor, Shivani Bhatnagar is being stalked and getting blank calls.

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The web series blends all three events as we are told that there is a common connection in a casino in Kathmandu, which is run by Sunny, who is the aide of Dawood Ibrahim’s henchman and politician Mirza Baig. But the time writer Siddharth Mishra takes to place all the characters and connections together gets tedious.

A shorter introduction to the lead characters and their family life might have helped maintain intrigue. Instead, it consumes three-and-a-half episodes in a sixepisode series, leaving the show grasping for life. However, when it does get to point, it soon digresses into attention-grabbing. The unexpected turns in the narrative change not only changes the pace, but also the genre of the web series — from a spy thriller to a revenge thriller. -- Indian Express

INDIA

April 30, 2021

Muslim Brothers Cremate Hindu Covid Victims

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Have you planned for your future?

Saddam Qurashi & Danish Siddiqui from Bhopal have cremated nearly 60 bodies of Hindus who died of Covid.

Bhopal: It is said that humanity is the biggest religion and it is at full display these days at the cremation grounds of Bhopal where two Muslim men have been cremating Hindu COVID victims without worrying about their own lives.

Danish Siddiqui and Saddam Qurashi, both residents of Bhopal, have been performing last rites of coronavirus victims ever since the new surge hit the country.

So far, they have cremated around 60 Hindu covid victims whose families missed the funerals in the fear of getting infected. Some families couldn’t perform the last rites due to rules regarding Covid dead bodies and cremation ground.

In such testing times, Danish and Saddam have been able to break the barriers of caste and religion that have clutched the Indian society for many years. Despite fasting during the time of Ramadan, both of them regularly visit hospitals and ferry dead bodies to the cremation ground.

The act of kindness by the duo has garnered praises from across the country on social me-

dia.

Saddam Qurashi & Danish Siddiqui from Bhopal have cremated nearly 60 bodies of #Hindus who died of #Covid.

When kin refused to touch bodies, duo cremate it. “Dharm se uper insaniyay aur desh hai,” they said.

This comes a day after BJP leaders in Vadodra objected to the presence of Muslim volunteers at the Khaswadi crematorium in the city - where bodies of COVID patients were piling up in the second wave of coronavirus.

According to The Indian Express, the incident came to light on April 16, when “some BJP leaders of the party’s Vadodara unit, including its president Dr Vijay Shah, had reached the crematorium to participate in the last rites of a party leader.”

The leaders had objected to the presence of a Muslim man who had been preparing the pyre with the wood and cow dung cakes for the burial. Shah told The Indian Express that Muslims should not get into religious rituals when they have no knowledge of it. -- Times of India

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COMMUNITY

April 30, 2021

NY Student from Pakistan Nearly Blinded, Disfigured by Acid Attack

New York: The Long Island college student who was doused with acid in her own driveway felt like her face was “going to melt” — and believed she was going to die — after the startling attack that left her nearly blind and with severe burns.

Nafiah Ikram, 21, had just arrived at her Elmont home after her work shift at CVS on March 17 when she spotted a man watching from the corner — who charged at her and tossed a cup of liquid in her face, she told The Post on Thursday.

“I remember thinking in my head, ‘God please, I’m 21 years old. This is not how I want to die.’

It was horrible,” Ikram said.

In the immediate aftermath, Ikram said she didn’t fully understand what had happened, but a few seconds later “my face started burning.”

She ran inside her house and told her dad that somebody had thrown something in her face.

Nafiah Ikram seen in the hospital after surviving the attack.Nafiah Ikram seen in the hospital after surviving the attack.

“He said ‘Oh my God, Nafiah it’s acid, call 911,” Ikram recalled.

“When my dad said it was acid I was like ‘Oh my God my face,’” she continued. “In my head I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, my face is going to melt.’”

Hearing the commotion, mom Sherina Mohamed, a nurse practitioner, hurried over and began washing her daughter’s face, eyes

Nafia Ikram before the attack and in the hospital after the attack.

and mouth with water.

“By the time she started washing my face off in the bathroom, I kept telling her not to throw water in my face because I couldn’t breathe,” Ikram said.

“The acid got in my throat.” The following moments were excruciating. “My nerves went on fire,” Ikram said. “At that point I wasn’t thinking. Then I couldn’t breathe … after that it was just pain, constant.”

Nafiah Ikram was attacked outside her home by a person who threw a cup of sulfuric acid in her face. She thought for weeks that she was blind, but then slowly began to improve.

“Right now they’re saying the skin on my face will heal so that’s a good thing,” Ikram said. “I’m

going to have a scar of course but that’s fine.”

Doctors are unsure whether she will regain her vision.

Ikram and her family believe she was targeted, but the reason is a mystery. “I just want to understand why someone would do something this brutal to a person,” she said “The main concern right now is my eye, because they’ve seen burns similar to mine but because of the fact it’s acid, they’ll never know if I’ll get my vision back 100 percent.”

Her father, Sheikh Ikram, 50, called the incident “a planned attack.”

“If it was a random attack, why did … they waited for her to come home,” he told The Post Wednesday night, adding that if the sus-

pect had struck a few minutes earlier, his wife — who was outside at that time — could have been the victim.

Nafiah Ikram shows her inured arm after the attack.Nafiah Ikram shows her inured arm after the attack.

“They come very closely to her and it was so much acid, like almost … you can say one pound,” the distraught father said.

Nafiah, who is studying medicine at Hofstra University and plans to become a doctor, was rushed to the hospital by her mother, who also works there.

“If I was not home, if my wife was not home … it would be maybe too late for her to even survive,” Sheikh Ikram added.

Nassau County Police confirmed that the suspect is a tall, slim man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves.

He was seen carrying a white cup containing a dark substance.

Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder on Thursday said police believe the attacker fled in a 20132015 red Nissan Altima with New York plates. He urged anyone with information to come forward. A $20,000 reward is being offered

by CrimeStoppers.

“For that person that’s listening that did the act, my advice is surrender yourself now because we’re coming for you. We’re going to get you,” Ryder said.

Even with the intense pain she suffered, the brave young woman expressed concern about what her parents went through.

“My parents had to watch me almost die right in front of their face…,” Ikram said. “Forget the pain that I went through, I’m their only child so it’s like times ten.”

-- New York Post

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TECHNOLOGY

April 30, 2021

IIT-Mandi Develops Novel Face Mask with ‘Nanoknife’ Fabric

Mandi: Governments across the world have made it mandatory for people to wear facial masks in public and work spaces. It’s considered the first line of defense against the spread of the novel coronavirus, designed to act as a physical bar.

And now researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi have developed a novel virusfiltering, self-cleaning and antibacterial material that can be used to make and reuse face masks and other PPE equipment.

This is especially important in the case of reusable masks, which are a necessary alternative to single use masks that add to littering and pollution issues, as well as secondary infections.

The new masks can kill microbes, and are solar light-cleanable. They can also filter more than 96 per cent of particles that are in the size range of the Covid-19 virus (120 nanometres), without

compromising on the breathability of the fabric, and could thus be a powerful tool to prevent the spread of coronavirus and other microbial infections.

The study was led by Dr Amit Jaiswal, Assistant Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi, along with his research scholars, Praveen Kumar, Shounak Roy, and Ankita Sarkar. The paper was published in the American Chemical Society’s journal

Applied Materials and Interfaces.

The researchers have developed prototypes of a 4-layered face mask using the molybdenum sulphide (MoS2) modified fabric.

The sharp edges and corners of the nanometre-sized sheets--a hundred thousand times smaller than the width of the human hair--act as tiny knives that pierce bacterial and viral membranes, thus killing them.

“The ‘nanoknife’-modified fabrics demonstrated excellent antibacterial activity even after 60 cycles of washing,” said lead researcher Amit Jaiswal, which makes this an excellent way to reuse masks and reduce biological waste generation.

In addition to puncturing the microbial membranes, the nanosheets of molybdenum sulfide enable disinfection when exposed

to light. It absorbs solar light and converts it into heat, which kills the microbes.

“Within 5 minutes of solar irradiation, all the MoS2-modified fabrics showed 100% killing of both E. coli and S. aureus,” wrote the authors in their recently published paper. So, users just got to hang out the mask in bright sunlight and wear it again without a worry.

“We expect that the impact of

this innovation on society will be immense and immediate, considering the current situation of global Covid-19 pandemic,” Jaiswal concluded.

The proposed materials can also be used to fabricate screens or sheets to create makeshift isolation wards, containment cells and quarantine centres for holding individuals who come in contact with the novel coronavirus. -- ToI

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SUDOKU/COMMUNITY

April 30, 2021

11

Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) Walkathon 2021: “I Walk-We Care” Houston: Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) will host its annual Walkathon “I WALK-I CARE” at 7:30 am on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at Lost Creek Park in Sugar Land. Participants are required to wear masks and safe distancing should be practiced.

For the past 32 years, IACF has appealed to the philanthropic spirit of Indian Americans to address needs in the areas of Education, Family, Healthcare and General welfare in the Greater Houston

area. Our motto is “We live here, we give here”, and our mission is to foster the local community whose basic needs are met and where everyone can lead enriched lives.

IACF has been providing scholarships to high potential college bound students with financial needs, supporting local charities engaged in improving the STEM education for students in inner city schools, assisting abused women and children, feeding the homeless and needy, and Place a number in the empty p r o v i d i n g boxes in such a way that each free medical row across, each column and down and each 9-box square clinics contains all of the numbers vaccinations. from one to nine.

IACF is run fully by dedicated volunteers with all the funds supporting charitable activities. Three other organizations will join IACF in sponsoing the walkathon: Indian Doctors Charity Clinic: The IDC Charity clinic, a nonprofit (501c3) organization, was established in 1999, for the sole purpose of serving the Houston community people, who are in dire need of medical services that they could not afford.

The Indian American Nurses Association of Greater Houston (IANAGH ) is a 501c3 organization. Its primary goal is to unite all Indian Nurses and nursing students of Indian origin and heritage as a professional body.

IDA Houston is a non-profit, networking forum for physicians of Indian origin to provide mentorship in academic excellence, patient care & promote health education for the Greater Houston community. IDA is one of the largest chapters of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. It has been recognized by the Harris County Medical Society as a member of the Council of International and Affiliated Societies.

The IDC Charity Clinic provides medical screening and testing for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, anemia, thyroid, osteoporosis, urinalysis, vision screen, dental screen, colon and prostate cancer screens. All the services are com-

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pletely free to anyone who walks in and cannot afford general medical care in Houston area. For the past 16 years, the clinic has made valuable contributions to the Houstonians, thanks to the very generous support from the community, and a number of Indian American physicians who have contributed time, expertise, and resources.

“IACF, IDA Houston and IANAGH are jointly hosting the ‘I WALK - I CARE’ to raise funds to support this charity clinic.”

Your generous donations and support will help the charity clinic to continue to serve and expand their FREE MEDICAL services to the Greater Houston Community.

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April 30, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, APRIL 30, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com