Indo-American News: September 3, 2021

Friday, September 3, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 36

Indo American News

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September 3, 2021

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Desis in US : Best Educated, Richest, and Growing

‘Chehre’ : Stodgy

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Indians in America, dubbed the “model minority,” continue their march to greater learning and prosperity, with the latest US Census data showing them surpassing national metrics in college graduation and wealth by a wide margin.

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2 September 3, 2021 COMMUNITY March of the Desis in US: Best Educated, Richest, and Growing

By Chidanand Rajghatta Washington DC: Indians in America, dubbed the “model minority,” continue their march to greater learning and prosperity, with the latest US Census data showing them surpassing national metrics in college graduation and wealth by a wide margin.

The median household income of Indians in the US is now $ 123,700, almost double the national figure of $ 63,922. A remarkable 79 per cent of Indians are college graduates, compared to the national figure of 34 per cent, attesting to the emphasis on education in Indian families.

Such is the progress made by Indians that they comfortably outstrip even other Asian cohorts in US in median household income levels, with the next best communities, Taiwanese and Filipinos, coming in at $97,000 and $95,000 respectively. Median household income of Chinese in the US is $ 85,229 and that of Japanese is $ 84,068.

Indians also have the least poor people with only 14 per cent reporting median family income below $ 40,000 compared to a 33 per cent nationally. A healthy 25 per cent of Indian households reported an income of over $ 200,000 com-

pared to the national figure of 8 per cent.

The census data shows that Indian immigrants on visas and US born citizens of Indian origin have approximately the same median family income of about $ 115,000.

But naturalized US citizens from India report a higher median income $ 140,000.

Of the nearly four million Indians in the US, roughly 1.6 million are visa holders, 1.4 million are naturalized US citizens, and one million are US born citizens.

This gap is wider among other Asian groups, suggesting that India sends its best and brightest to

America, or that India’s so-called creamy layer is decamping or emigrating to the US, compared to less educated immigrants from other countries. For instance, among Korean households, those headed by a person born in US have a median income of $95,000, but ones headed by Koreans who are not citizens have a median income of $54,000.

“People of Indian descent hold a significant share of jobs in several high-paying fields, including computer science, financial management and medicine. Nine percent of doctors in the US are of Indian descent, and more than half

of them are immigrants,” a New York Times analysis of the data

noted.

The report said the number of people who identify as Asian in the US has nearly tripled in the past three decades, and Asians are now the fastest-growing of the nation’s four largest racial and ethnic groups. The number of counties where people of Asian descent represent more than 5 percent of the population has risen from 39 in 1990 to 176 in 2020.

A Pew Research Center analysis of the data said the Asian population in the US, which currently stands at 23 million, is projected to reach 46 million by 2060. In 1990, the country’s Asian population numbered 6.6 million. -- Times of India

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 2470 Dairy Ashford, Houston, Texas 77077.

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BUSINESS

September 3, 2021

Bob Patel to Join W.R. Grace as CEO Houston: LyondellBasell CEO Bob Patel will join WR Grace as CEO, effective January 2022, the US-based catalyst company said on Tuesday.

Patel announced his retirement at the end of 2021 from the US major producer of chemicals and polymers. He will take over from Hudson La Force, who has served as CEO of WR Grace since 2018.

WR Grace is in the process of completing its sale to conglomerate Standard Industries, which manages activist investment firm 40 North.

The deal should close in the fourth quarter. The company should then become a private company and its shares would no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Bob to the Standard family as CEO of WR Grace,” said David Winter and David Millstone, Co-CEOs of Standard Industries. “Bob has for decades been a visionary leader in the industry, with a record of transforming businesses to achieve robust, sustainable growth.”

“He has proven himself to be the right person to lead Grace’s exceptional team and help architect Standard’s investment in the advanced materials space. He will be instrumental in taking Grace into its next chapter as we ensure a seamless transition post-close and embark on an ambitious growth strategy,” they added.

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Patel joined LyondellBasell in 2010 and was initially appointed CEO in January 2015.

During his tenure, he oversaw the acquisition of A Schulman, the construction of worldscale plants in the US Gulf Coast and new or expanded joint ventures in the US, China, South Korea and Thailand.

LyondellBasell said it is considering internal and external candidates to fill Patel’s role.

“It’s a privilege to join Standard Industries and to be asked to lead WR Grace through its next chapter,” Patel said. “Grace is an iconic company and a fundamentally strong business driven by its exceptionally talented employees. I look forward to working with the leadership team at Grace to take the company to new heights.”

Settlement Reached in Karya Case

Houston: After a $62.5 million judgment, two of the litigants have reached a settlement in a high-stakes suit involving property management software, diverting the prospect of protracted appeals.

After a jury found last spring that a Houston property manager and information technology company had improperly accessed a Plano-based property management software company’s product to develop a rival software, a federal judge earlier this month awarded the Plano company, ResMan, $62.5 million.

The judgment also permanently banned the Houston-based defendants, Karya Property Management and Expedien, from accessing or using ResMan’s confidential information.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston property management firm hit with $62 million judgment Karya, now operating as KPM, and ResMan have reached a settlement in the case. In it, all claims for monetary dam- Swapnil Agarwal, CEO Karya Property Manaages were resolved for an undisclosed gement, now operating as KPM. amount, while the permanent injunction Raffi Melkonian, an appellate lawyer at the regarding ResMan’s software remains in place. Expedien was not part of the settle- firm Wright, Close & Barger LLP, said though he couldn’t speak to the specifics of the Resment.

“We are pleased to put this litigation Man case, it’s not uncommon for parties to behind us so we can focus exclusively settle after a judgment instead of escalating on what we do best — providing excep- the case to the court of appeals.

“Parties often reach post-judgment settletional property management services to our apartment communities and improv- ments that are to the benefits of both sides,” ing the quality of life of our residents,” he said. “The winning party gets immedisaid Swapnil Agarwal, chief executive of ate payment and doesn’t have to expend any more attorney’s fees, and the losing party gets KPM in a statement.

Maria Boyce, a partner at Hogan Lovells, certainty and perhaps get a discount from the the law firm that represented ResMan, judgment.” -- R.A. Scheutz in The Houston Chronicle confirmed the settlement.

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INDIA

September 3, 2021

India’s Largest Floating Solar Plant in Andhra

NTPC’s 25 MW floating solar plant at Simhadri thermal power station.

Vishakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh can now boast of India’s largest floating solar power plant after state-run NTPC commissioned a 25 MW project on the reservoir at its Simhadri coal-fired power station in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Floating solar power projects are seen as a gamechanger in India’s quest for building 450 GW (gigawatts) renewable energy capacity because of their inherent advantages over onland projects, which require large contiguous tracts of non-farming, non-forest land. Floating solar reduces temperature related losses due to the cooling effect of water they float on, reduce evaporation rate of water bodies and have lower maintenance costs.

NTPC’s floating solar installation covers 75 acres of the Simhadri reservoir’s surface. It will produce power from more than a lakh of solar PV modules for lighting 7,000 households. The project will annually save 46,000 tonnes of CO2 emission and 1,364 million litres of water, which is ad-

equate to meet the requirement of 6,700 households in a year.

The project was inaugurated by regional ED (western and southern) Sanjay Madan in the presence of Mohit Bhargava, ED of the company’s renewable energy arm RE NTPC and Simhadri chief GM Diwakar Kaushik.

The floating solar plant is part of the coal-burning behemoth’s plan to turn green by adding a 60 gigawatts renewable energy capacity by 2032. It is also the first solar project to be set up under the power ministry’s 2018 ‘flexibilisation’ scheme allowing generators to supply power from any of their sources, based on plant efficiency, to reduce discoms’ cost.

NTPC is also building a 100 MW floating solar power plant on the reservoir of its Ramagundam thermal power station in Tamil Nadu. Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Ltd has tied up with NHPC to explore, plan and develop commercially feasible floating solar power projects with a total capacity of 500 MW in a phased manner on the state’s

reservoirs.

NTPC has 66.9 GW of power generation capacity across 71 power stations, including 29 renewable energy projects. The group says it also has more than 17 GW of power plant capacity under construction, including 5 GW of renewables. NTPC is aiming to install 60 GW of renewables capacity by 2032.

In a related development, NTPC Renewable Energy ltd, a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, has received the go-ahead from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to set up 4750 MW renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat. This will be India’s largest solar park to be built by the largest power producer of the country.

As a part of its green energy portfolio augmentation, NTPC Ltd, India’s largest energy integrated company aims to build 60 GW Renewable Energy Capacity by 2032. Currently, the state owned power major has an installed capacity of 66 GW across 70 power projects.

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COMMUNITY

September 3, 2021

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BAPS ‘In the Joy of Other Walk/Run’ Donates $50K to Eradicate Breast Cancer Los Angeles: In June 2021, BAPS Charities held its annual walk/run across 70 communities. This year, unlike the past, the event was primarily a virtual one out of concern for the safety of the participants and volunteers due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19.

Building from 2020 and continuing its tradition of supporting global and community causes, this year’s walk/run supported Susan G. Komen and its efforts to address breast cancer on multiple fronts, including advocacy, research and patient support. In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.

Communities that have a sense of shared responsibility have a greater power to provide help and assist those in need. Year after year, BAPS Charities’ walks and events remind us that by uniting in the spirit of service to others, we can all go further. In alignment with this mission, participants in this year’s In The Joy Of Others Walk | Run collectively pledged to walk 100 million steps. People of all ages took part, from 5-yearold first-time walkers to senior citizens. The event format allowed participants to achieve their steps in a manner they felt comfortable and safe. It gave families a noteworthy reason to get out and do

Participants at the BAPS Charities ‘In the Joy of Other Walk/Run’ in Los Angeles, CA.

something together, all the while bringing attention to a good cause.

Over 11,000 registered participants logged over 200 million steps, far exceeding the initial goal.

Dhruval Amin, a BAPS Charities volunteer, said, “Breast cancer affects communities, their families and their friends. The partnership between BAPS Charities and Susan G. Komen is an opportunity for us to work together to further reduce deaths from breast cancer

and increase awareness about this disease.”

Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a participant, echoed this sentiment and said, “It’s such a great opportunity to bring the family out and be able to do something together while helping a good cause. I was also inspired to see so many teenagers participating, not just in the walk but also sharing their personal stories on social media. Engaging the next generation is essential, and I

am glad BAPS Charities shares that commitment.”

The virtual event concluded with the organization’s only in-person walk of this year’s event. Organized in conjunction with Susan G. Komen, participants, volunteers, and supporters gathered at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA, to recognize the commendable works of both organizations.

During the pre-walk ceremony, which included brief speeches by

State Senator Maria Elena Durazo along with many other public officials, BAPS Charities presented Susan G. Koman representatives with a $50,000 donation. The gift was leveraged months earlier as part of a matching gift campaign to raise an additional $50,000 for the cause. All matched contributions will go towards supporting Susan G. Komen’s mission in saving lives and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer.

Speaking at the event, Mark Pilon, Executive Director of Susan G. Komen’s efforts in Los Angeles, said, “We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of BAPS Charities. Thanks to your support, we will be able to help more women and men get the care they need to live a longer, healthier life.”

“It’s astonishing to see everyone get together in new, innovative ways, despite such a tough year with the pandemic. The way young and old adapted to the virtual format and spread the word was fantastic,” said Nilkanth Patel, President, BAPS Charities. “This year, over 11,000 walkers joined the virtual event to take over 200 million steps, together. The collective actions of the community have helped support Susan G. Komen as well as the numerous local and global charitable and humanitarian services conducted by BAPS Charities.”

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INDIA

September 3, 2021

India’s Newest Billionaire is Turnaround Specialist-Owner of Hospital Chain

By Anu Raghunathan

New Delhi: First-generation healthcare entrepreneur Abhay Soi, 48, chairman and managing director of Max Healthcare Institute, which has been at the forefront of Covid-19 treatment, testing and vaccination, is India’s newest billionaire. Shares of Max surged 163% in the past year, propelling the value of Soi’s 23% stake to over $1.1 billion.

New Delhi-headquartered Max, which employs more than 3,000 doctors at 17 healthcare facilities including 14 hospitals across Delhi, Mumbai, Mohali, Bathinda and Dehradun, is India’s secondlargest listed hospital chain, after Chennai’s Apollo Hospitals, founded by the billionaire doctor Prathap Reddy.

“I believe the healthcare sector has entered its golden period and given the near debt-free status and strong cash flows of Max Healthcare, we are particularly well-positioned to take advantage of the same,” says Soi. “I foresee multifold growth in years to come.”

A recent report from Mumbai financial services firm HDFC Securities projects a compounded annual Ebitda growth of 29% over the next five years for Max, buoyed by its strong balance sheet and cash flows.

In the latest quarter, Max reported its highest-ever operating margin of 27.2% driven by

higher occupancy and an increase in Covid-19 vaccinations. For the full year, it had a 12% drop in gross revenues to Rs. 38,610 million ($528 million).

In August, Max won the exclusive rights from ET Planners Pvt Ltd. to develop a 500-bed, 3.5 acre hospital in Saket in South Delhi, which is located between two large Max hospitals. This paves the way for creating a 23-acre, 2,300-bed contiguous medical hub.

The hospital chain, which also

has a home healthcare division and a diagnostics unit, has treated 35,000 Covid-19 patients; conducted 650,000 RT PCR tests and administered 1.5 million vaccines across 15 cities and towns in India.

Soi, who has a bachelor’s degree from the elite St Stephens’ College and an MBA from European University in Belgium, started his career as a restructuring professional with erstwhile consulting firm Arthur Andersen in Mumbai.

Munesh Khanna, partner, Backbay Advisors in Mumbai, Soi’s first boss at Andersen says, “Abhay is one of the most focused individuals that I’ve worked with.”

Soi then moved to restructuring teams in EY and KPMG. In 2010, his career took a propitious turn.

He was working on the restructuring of BL Kapur Hospital in Delhi when the client expressed the desire to exit. While Soi was looking for a buyer for him he decided to jump in the fray himself. And he

bought the hospital’s operating company in an outright purchase after raising funds from JP Morgan.

Leveraging his restructuring expertise, he was able to rebuild the hospital and eventually pay off his debt. In 2014, Soi took control of the struggling Nanavati Hospital in suburban Mumbai, which he again successfully turned around.

Last year, in the throes of the pandemic, Soi cemented a milestone merger between Radiant and Max Healthcare–in a multi-tier deal—with the backing of private equity firm KKR. The newlycreated Max Healthcare Institute was listed in August 2020. (KKR holds a 49% stake in the company through Kayak Investments.)

The merger was part of the Delhi-based Max Group’s 2018 plan to merge its hospital business with that of Radiant Life Care. Max Healthcare was founded in 2001 by billionaire Analjit Singh, who eventually decided to get out of that business.

Soi is unfazed by his newly acquired billionaire status, saying that it “provides me the opportunity and freedom to use my resources for betterment of society and contributing to the underprivileged.

He’s set up the Soi family foundation with his wife Taruna to focus on healthcare and education for the underprivileged. -- Forbes

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COMMUNITY

September 3, 2021

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Punjabi Truckers in US Remain Upbeat Despite Many Challenges

Indianapolis: Two weeks after the death of 37-year-old Nirmal Singh, an Indian truck driver, his Sikh friends from the trucking industry launched a fund raising campaign to support his family.

Singh, a resident of Karnal district in Haryana, was the sole bread earner of his family.

While he was a resident of Indiana, which is one of the hubs for Sikh truck drivers, his wife and 11-year-old daughter live in Karnal.

Singh was driving a truck, carrying a consignment, from the south eastern US state of Georgia to California in the west coast, when his vehicle skidded off a busy highway in the US state of Arizona.

Truck accidents have become very common these days on US highways and that’s a cause of concern for the Punjabi Indian truckers, says Amrinder Singh Dhillon, who runs a transportation company Longway Truckline Inc in Houston, Texas.

Sleep deprivation from spending too much time on social media and sometimes using smart phones while driving or not getting enough rest during weekends are some of the causes for truck accidents on the highways, says Dhillon.

“There are strict rules that truckers in the US have to follow including not driving more than 11 hours at a stretch and maintaining electronic logs. However, some drivers, including some from India, don’t follow the rules. Some of them use drugs and in some

the organisation. cases there’s the “There are many problem of lack of Punjabis and proper maintenance Sikhs who immiof equipment,” he grate from India adds. and become truck Dhillon, who ran drivers.

They a limousine renting make good money company earlier, but there are lot started transportaof challenges that tion operations in they face including 2018 with one truck. language issues; He now owns a fleet; cultural problems; buying and selling strict regulations trucks depending on both federal and demand for services.

“I keep trackers and Gurinder Singh Khalsa of Indianapolis based Sikhs Political state and racial Action Committee (right) with Paramjit Singh Sidhu of Sidhu discrimination,” dash cams on my Transport, Greenwood, Indiana. says Dhillon who vehicles which are an Indiana-based advocacy group, immigrated to on the road so that According to its estimate there California from Jalandhar in 2002 I’m alerted about any over-speeding incidents and can contact my were about 30,000 Sikhs in the and became an owner-driver with four trucks. drivers immediately,” says Dhillon trucking industry in 2018.

The North American Punjabi He has, however, now moved on who started in the business driving his own truck and knows all the Trucking Association (NAPTA) from being a truck owner to other is, in fact, a California, based non- transport related businesses inAmerican highway routes well.

“Having been a truck driver profit organisation that promotes cluding mortgage broking, insurmyself for two years and some- professional growth, education, ance and drug testing. “One of the times doing over 14000 miles per training and highway and driver problems that the industry faces month, I understand the vehicles safety among members of the is of undocumented immigrants and routes and the problems that community in the commercial ve- from Punjab becoming truck drivers. There’s a severe shortage of one faces on the highway. It’s hicles industry.

The group advises member-driv- drivers and members of the Indian easier for me to talk to the drivers from our community and mentor ers on regulations, legal issues and Sikh community are filling in the government policy and also offers gap. them.”

We have been lobbying with the While more and more Punjabi insurance, tyre discounts and trade immigrants are becoming truck show bookings and even runs a immigration authorities in America to consider creating an immigradrivers in the US over the past few Punjabi trucking magazine.

Started in 2018, by just six mem- tion programme allowing skilled years, so far there are no studies available of the actual numbers. ber companies, NAPTA now has drivers from India to legally come There has been a trend of Sikh an estimated membership of 1400 here,” says Dhillon, who as a truck immigrants from India taking up owning over 9000 trucks, says Ra- driver himself has clocked over driving commercial vehicles, with man Dhillon, who himself started 750,000 miles across the length Sikhs Political Action Committee, as a driver but is now the CEO of and breadth of America.

Indo-American News • Friday, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

Many of the owners of logistics businesses feel that like IT and healthcare, Indian Americans have carved out a niche in the transportation sector too.

“Along with Indian doctors and IT professionals, we have also been frontline workers during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and helped move essential supplies across America,” says Gurmit Malhi, owner of Primelink Express with truck terminals in Fresno and Stockton in California.

He moved to the US in 2005 after getting a masters of computer applications degree from Mohali, Punjab. “I got my truck license in 2007 and started acquiring my own assets in 2014. Today I have 120 drivers on the road with the size of the fleet going up and down depending on demand and supply and other fundamentals of the business,” he says.

Besides building his own company, he also considers advising and mentoring other members of the community, who have set up small transport and logistics companies, as part of his duty. “When I first started out, there were many senior members of the Indian community who supported me and taught me how to manage the business and deal with the different aspects of it. Now I consider it my duty to help smaller players, many of whom have recently immigrated from Punjab, to fix any problems that they have,” he says.

-- Times of India

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ENTERTAINMENT

September 3, 2021

‘Chehre’: An Undercooked, Stodgy Plot Catch IAN Radio on FM98.7

By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Amitabh Bachchan, Annu Kapoor, Raghubir Yadav, Dhritimaan Chatterjee, Rhea Chakrabarty, Krystle D’Souza, Sidhant Kapoor, Samir Soni Looking at this dream cast, stalwarts with a sprinkling of newbies comprising so many interesting ‘chehre’, you go in with more than zero expectations. But ‘Chehre’ dashes all those comprehensively, because an undercooked, stodgy plot doesn’t a good film make, even with the best ensemble.

Take the beginning, if you will.

It is about 200 odd kms away from Delhi, according to a milestone.

On a snowy mountain bend, a swanky BMW being driven by the swankily-dressed Sameer Mehra (Emraan Hashmi) comes to a screeching halt. First off, the kind of icy terrain the film would have us believe in exists only at double the distance or more from the national capital. Don’t be like that, you tell yourself, maybe the film is

making some kind of surreal point, but alas, there isn’t much of a one to this whole pointless exercise filled with empty theatrics. Which includes a deserted house and an assorted bunch of elderly men (Amitabh Bachchan, Annu Kapoor, Raghubir Yadav, Dhritimaan Chatterjee) clomping about, talking of law and justice and handing out a sentence to a man who believes that he is innocent.

Thought and expense has been spent on creating the right atmospherics. The house has wood panels decorated with antlers, long ceilings, large fireplace, and a pretty helper (Rhea Chakraborty) who looks straight out of a mysterious Alpine resort. Clearly, these men–old friends and colleagues at the bar– have been expecting the stranger who thinks he is here by happenstance, and the scene looks set for an engaging crime-andpunishment tale, but there’s never a sense of the rising menace and tension that should have been an integral part of this kind of story.

The veterans sit around and ex-

change lines which don’t land: Bachchan, who is given a ‘friendly appearance’ in the credits, delivers a thunderous, never-ending speech which touches upon the Nirbhaya case and other heinous crimes against women, which sounds impressive but feels fully extraneous. What a waste of Bachchan’s presence who reminds us just how fantastic it is to hear an actor speak with such command over the language, with such fluidity.

Annu Kapoor gets a moment or two, but neither Raghubir Yadav, in a strange wig and a hangman’s rope, nor the urbane Dhritimaan Chatterjee with his gavel, are given their due. Rhea Chakrabarty is handed a high-pitched giggle, and Sidhant Kapoor, who plays a mute with a sharp axe, has a grin meant to be shiver-inducing.

Hashmi, togged out in fancy fur coats and Louis Vuitton bags, is given a backstory which gets the film into Delhi’s nightclubs, farmhouses and golf-course, in which his ‘crime’ is laid out, involving an overbearing boss (Soni), his attractive wife (Krystle D’Souza), and a murder disguised as a natural death.

His is the case of lots of screen time for a talented actor, with nothing new in the way he comes at his part.

Arrayed in front of judge, jury and executioner, a deluded man being confronted with his real self should have been a rivetting experience. But I have to sympathise with a character who says: main thak gaya hoon, pak gaya hoon, jaane do mujhe. Or words to that effect. We hear you, Bud. -- Indian Express

Here was the guest line-up for Sat, Aug 28, 2021 from 4 to 6pm CST on Indo American News Radio (www.IndoAmerican-news. com) on 98.7 FM and available also on the masalaradio app (www. masalaradio.com) You can also hear the Podcast of the recorded show uploaded by Monday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Radio Public and Breaker.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL. IT’S FREE AND LETS YOU LISTEN WITH JUST ONE CLICK!!

4:20 pm Even though Covid was hitting businesses hard last year, Kanwar Suri, the founder and President of One World Bank had enough faith that the economy would come back strong that he opened his bank’s Houston branch.

We talked with him to learn what lee him to do so and how the bank in the heart of a Chinatown is doing.

4:50 pm Suhag Shukla is cofounder and Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation which focuses on correcting misinterpretations about Hinduism. She

is currently seeking to discredit the “Dismantaling Global Hindutva” conference slated for Sep 10-12, convened by anti-Hindu crusaders who seek to portray Hinduism as a fanatical ideology.

5:20 pm The current upsurge in Covid cases has shown that the virus is now attacking the more vulnerable and much younger kids. Moushumi Sur, an Associate professor of pediatric critical care explained how she has taken care of many Covid-affected, severely ill children 5:40 pm Electric cars maybe on the horizon but where will we charge them and how quickly?

Will houses have to be outfitted with recharging plugs? Anup Parikh is a young entrepreneur who has a start up business that addresses these needs and joined us to explain what to expect in the future.

Also news roundup, views, sports and movie reviews.

IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE FEATURED ON THE SHOW, OR TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 713-789-6397 or at indoamericannews@yahoo.com

Entrepreneur Anup Parikh (center) with IANR hosts Jawahar Malhotra (left), Sanchali Basu and Pramod Kulkarni.

Indo-American News • Friday, September 3, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

BUSINESS

September 3, 2021

One World Bank Inaugural in Houston

Houston: One World Bank is a Texas State Charter, FDIC Insured Bank headquartered at 2449 Walnut Hill Lane., Dallas, Texas. The Bank is minority owned formed in 2005. Our second location was opened in September’2020 at 10080 Bellaire Blvd Suite 101 just west of Beltway 8 across from Home Depot.

We are $145 million in assets considered Well Capitalized. One World Bank is an SBA “Preferred Lender”. We specialize in C-Store Loans; Commercial Projects; SBA Loans.

On the Lobby services side we offer Free Checking Both Personal and Business. We have a program for Money Services Business (Check Cashers). Competitive Deposit Rates Offered.

On September 18, 2020, in the Covid Pandemic One World Bank received approval from Texas Department of Banking and FDIC to open Houston location. We had “Soft Opening” from 10 Am to 4 PM with community coming in and out during this

time… Nourriture (finger food) and refreshment served.

Back in 2004 a Group of Indo-Pak Businessmen here in Dallas and Houston lead

by Kanwar Suri made a decision to open a bank that would not only serve the Indo-Pak Community but all people. After months of planning and complying with Regulatory issues, raising of Capital April 4th, 2005. One World Bank was born. Under Chairman Suri’s Leadership One World Bank is still serving the Minority Communities in Dallas and Houston with plans of opening 3 more location over next 3 years in various “Hand Picked Communities”.

We are deeply thankful to our Employees, Officers, Directors and Shareholders. But a most appreciative thank you to our customers.

Please check our website www.oneworldbank.com for services and up coming events or contact Dallas phone # 972-243-7775/ Houston phone # 832-802-0900.

Chairman Suri (center) presents “Customer Appreciation” Awards to the Houston branch’s first deposit and loan customers: Andrea and Tony La, owners of Kim Son restaurant. Left hand side is OWB John Nguyen Senior Lending Officer. On the right is Ralph Kerr OWB – CEO, at the soft opening on September 18, 2020,

Supporters of Houston One World Bank at “Soft Opening” September 18, 2021, along with Chairman Suri second from right then third from right Bank CEO Ralph Kerr.

One World Bank Chairman Suri (in Sport coat) with Houston Bank Staff…Ready to Service. Left to right: Becky Nguyen, AVP Lobby Services, Anila Mehdi New Accounts…

Anh Nguyen, VP - Loan Officer…Chairman Suri and Khadim Kandji, AVP – Loan Officer.

Indo-American News • Friday, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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10 September 3, 2021 Tokyo Paralympics: India’s Medal Tally Rises to 10 Tokyo: Shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history on Monday as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event here.

The 19-year-old from Jaipur, who sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012, finished with a world record equalling total of 249.6, which is also a new Paralympic record. She is only the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold after swimmer Murlikant Petkar (1972), javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (2004 and 2016) and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu (2016).

Javelin thrower Sumit Antil clinched India’s second gold at the ongoing Paralympics, shattering the men’s F64 category world record multiple times in a stunning Games debut performance on Monday. The 23-year-old from Sonepat in Haryana, who lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015, sent the spear to 68.55m in his fifth attempt, which was the best of the day by quite a distance and a new world record. In fact, he bettered the previous world record of 62.88m, also set by him, five times on the day. His last throw was a foul. His series read 66.95, 68.08, 65.27, 66.71, 68.55 and foul. Australian Michal Burian

Shooter Avani Lekhara is India’s first gold medal winner in paralympics.

(66.29m) and Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku (65.61m) took the silver and bronze respectively. The F64 category is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position.

A student of Delhi’s Ramjas College, Antil was an able-bodied wrestler before his accident which led to the amputation of his leg below the knee. A para athlete in his village initiated him to the sport in 2018. (Source: PTI) Indian shuttlers Suhas Yathiraj, Tarun Dhillon and Krishna Nagar opened their men’s singles campaign on an impressive note in the badminton competition of the Tokyo Paralympics here on Thursday.

While Suhas and Tarun notched up easy victories over Germany’s Jan Niklas Pott and Thailand’s Siripong Teamarrom in SL4 class respectively, second seed Krishna outwitted Malaysia’s Taresoh Didin in SH6 class.

Young Palak Kohli also overcame Turkey’s Zehra Baglar in her second women’s singles match of group A. The 38-year-old Suhas took just 19 minutes to see off Pott 21-9 21-3 in a lopsided group A clash, while Tarun, 27, too didn’t break a sweat, beating Teamarrom 21-7 21-13 in a group B match that lasted 23 minutes.

Krishna then prevailed 22-20 21-10 over Didin in a 33-minute

group B match.

While Suhas will face Indonesia’s Hary Susanto and then France’s top seed Lucas Mazur on Friday, second seeded Tarun will be up against Korea’s Shin Kyung Hwan and Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan.

The 22-year-old Krishna will take on Brazil’s Vitor Goncalves Tavares on Friday.

Suhas, who has an impairment in one of his ankles, has been at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 menace as the district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Tarun, on the other hand, had sustained a severe knee injury while playing football at the age of eight, which resulted in restricted knee movement. He is the current world no.2 and a former two-time world champion.

Krishna, who has a short-stature impairment, is the world no 2 in SH6. He has won bronze and silver at 2019 World Championships in singles and doubles.

In SL classification, persons with standing/lower limb impairment/severe are allowed to compete, while SU refers to athletes with upper limb impairment.

In women’s singles class SU5 class, Kohli beat Zehra 21-12 2118 in 27 minutes. She had lost her opening match to Japan’s Ayako Suzuki. -- Indian Express

SPORTS

Test 4: England vs.

India Poised at 1-1 The Oval: India vs England 4th Test Live Scorecard, Day 1 The five-match Test series between India and England hangs at 1-1 after the high of an inspirational Indian triumph at the Lord’s was followed by back-to-back batting debacles at Headingley. The penultimate game at The Oval would certainly have an impact on both sides as the series heads towards its business end.

Joe Root smashed three centuries in as many Tests and is comfortably the leading scorer in the series. The England skipper has looked in the form of his life, racking up six Test centuries this year and becoming the top-ranked Test batsman.

At tea on Day 1, India was already reeling at 122-6. Captain Virat Kohli managed to score 50, but was caught at the slips by Joe Root on a pace delivery from Chris Woakes. Openers: Rohit Sharma (11) and KL Rahul (17).

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj England (Playing XI): Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root(c), Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow(w), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson

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SUDOKU/CUISINE 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 September 1. 2021 Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

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Last Week’s Winners Sanchali Basu, Krishna R. Vuddagiri

September 3, 2021

11

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

If you go to any South Asian party, chances are that you’ll be served samosas for snacks. These pyramid shaped appetizers are even available in the frozen food sections in large, medium and cocktail sizes, have crossed over into the mainstream stores and the name has become part of the vernacular. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Samose recipe, which is perfect with chutney and hot tea. It is reprinted with some additional

Samose (FRIED STUFFED PASTRIES)

Here is another North Indian snack that has migrated not just to the rest of India but around the world. It is perhaps the most popular Indian snack due to its neat triangular appearance, variety of stuffings and flaky texture when cooked right. The closest Western snack to it is probably the empananda which is a baked, long, shell-shaped which originated in Spain and Portugal in the Moorish period of the 8th century and has made its way to Latin America.

In India, the corner store halweis (confectioners) generally make samosas for an afternoon tea snack, but in larger stores they are available all day. Some people will sometimes eat a whole meal of samosas rolled up in a roti, with a little chutney or with semi-dry chole (garbanzos) as a heavy appetizer. Samosas are usually made with maida (finely milled, refined and bleached wheat flour), like puff-pastries.

Although most people associate samosas with India, it may come as a surprise to learn that, just like sone halwa which came from Turkey, samosas originated before the 10th century in the Middle East where they are known as sambosa. They were introduced to India in the 13th or 14th century by Arab traders and are mentioned in the Mughal courts as sambusak.

Samosas are generally served hot and eaten with mint or imbli (tamarind) chutney. They now come in small bite size to serve with cocktails and of course, the large Punjabi style, usually stuffed with potatoes and peas.

Ingredients: • 1 cup maida (fine bleached wheat flour) • ½ cup pani (water) – enough to make the dough • ¼ cup tael (vegetable oil) • 1 lb aloo (potatoes) – avoid russet as the mash easily • ¼ cup mutter (peas) - if frozen, then defrost first • Spices to taste: namak (salt), mirch (red pepper), garam masala, dhania (coriander) Directions: 1. Place the aloo in a medium pot full of water and bring them to a boil. When tender (but not mushy), remove the aloo, discard the water and let the aloo cool down.

2. Peel the aloo and chop into small pieces. Pour a tablespoon

of oil into a skillet over medium heat and stir fry the potatoes till they are a little brown. Stir in the namak, mirch, dhania and garam masala to taste.

3. For the samosas shells, in a bowl, pour in the maida then add the oil and sprinkle in some warm water, mixing well to make the dough. Judge the amount of water needed so that the dough is semihard and not too soft otherwise the samosa shell will fall apart. Cover the dough and leave it covered for at least 30 minutes.

4. Take an inch round piece of dough and make a ball out of it.

Now roll it out like a 1/8 inch thick roti and cut into half.

5. With your hand, form a holder between your fingers and your thumb. Place the half-cut dough in this cavity and then close the straight ends by pinching them off to make a cone.

6. Take a spoonful of the aloomutter mixture and place it in the cone. Now pinch off the open top end. Repeat till all the dough is finished and place the filled cones on a tray. Sprinkle the bottom of the tray with some dry maida so that the filled cones do not stick.

7. Heat frying oil in a karahi (wok) over high heat. Throw in a small dab of dough to make sure the oil is very hot, and then turn the heat to medium. Take a filled cone and release it into the hot oil. Keep doing this till the oil is covered with filled cones.

8. When one side is slightly brown, turn it over to make sure both sides are cooked. Place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.

9. Samosas are best when served hot with some tomato ketchup or mint chutney.

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

WEEK GREASE THE PAL M S W H E N MAKING SAMOSAS, PINNIS AND OTHER PAST One of the things RIES many young and is that

inexperien d cook when they s ask nis or laddus, themake the dough balls, cones for ce samosas, pinat use a little water ta (flour) sticks to their hands. this usually makeson their palms to make the atta st Some try to pinnis and laddus matters worse. Also, it is recomick less, but refrigeration, but which can be kept for long peri mended for will begin to spoil.the moment some water is added ods without to them they The best thing to do da b yo ur pa keep replenishing lms with a little the time, and as th as often as you need to. This wbit of oil and ey get your hands oi say, “if you want to cook well,orks most of ly”!! you have to

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September 3, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, September 3, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com