Indo-American News: January 29, 2021

Friday, January 29, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 05

Indo American News

January 29, 2021

$1

Published weekly from Houston, TX

www.indoamerican-news.com

Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

NEW: 2470 Dairy Ashford, Houston, TX 77077 • 713.789.NEWS (6397) • indoamericannews@yahoo.com

Celebration of India’s 72nd Republic Day In New Delhi

In Houston

Kisan Tractor Parade Off India’s Vaccine Diplomacy

P3

P4, P10

Indo-American News • Friday January 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

1

2

INDIA, US

January 29, 2021

India’s 72nd Republic Day Celebrated in India, DC and Houston

Tableaux of Uttar Pradesh state, showing Lord Ram’s temple, moves through the ceremonial Rajpath boulevard.

New Delhi: The annual Republic Day celebrations began in the national capital under the shadow of Covid-19 and farmers protests.

The protesting farmers who are seeking repeal of the contentious farm bills passed last year breached the Delhi borders and entered the capital.

The National Flag was unfurled at Rajpath in the presence of President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. The Republic Day parade saw a total of 32 tableaux — 17 of various states and UTs, nine of ministries and six from the defence arm — at Rajpath.

The attendance to the Republic Day parade was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those below 15 years of age and above 65 were not allowed.

The parade also witnessed several major changes. The contingents only marched a distance of 3.5 km instead of the usual 8.5 km, and for the first time in 55 years, no foreign dignitary attended the January 26 parade.

Washington DC: The 72nd Republic Day of India was celebrated in Washington D.C. with a flag-hoisting ceremony on 26th January, 2021 at the India House.

Members of the Indian community joined the celebrations in large numbers virtually, in view of the local public health guidelines due to COVID 19.

Ambassador of India, H.E.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, unfurled the tricolor, which was followed by singing of the National Anthem. In his remarks to the community, Ambassador complimented them for their work during the pandemic and their role in bringing India and the US closer. He said that the Indian Government “looks forward to working with the new Administration, led by President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. From outer space to nanotechnology, from the Indo-Pacific to climate change, from healthcare to education & IT, there is a recognition, that our partnership can benefit, not just our two nations, but the entire world.”

The address by the Hon’ble President of India on the eve of Republic Day was played. This was followed by a short cultural program involving local artist and rendition of patriotic songs by students of Gandharva School of Music, Richmond and a violin recital by Mr. Kamalakiran Vinjamuru.

Houston: Consul General Aseem Mahajan unfurled the Indian flag at the Consulate on Scotland Street at 9 am in front of the staff and a small gathering of community leaders due to Covid-19 restrictions.

CG Mahajan read President’s Kovind Republic Day address.

This was followed by a short cultural program featuring Pandit Suman Ghosh, the Bhatt sisters and

Houston Consulate staff gather with CG Mahajan after the flag hoisting. Proviiding a patriotic musical fare after the flag hoisting included Pandit Suman Ghosh (top left), Bhatt sisters (top right), UH & Rice students.

Vir Chakra Award Winners for Bravery

Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu unfurled the tricolor.

students from the University of Houston and Rice University.

Later in the day, CG Mahajan presided over flag hoistings at Indian House and the Gujarati Samaj of Houston.

In the evening, CG Mahajan hosted a reception at his residence with special guests Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Fort Bend County Judge KP George. TV personality Manisha Gandhi served as the emcee.

New Delhi: Colonel B Santosh Babu, who was killed fighting Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June last year, will be awarded the Maha Vir Chakra on the occasion of the 72nd Republic Day on January 26.

Col. Babu, the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar regi- Indian Army officer Colonel Santosh Babu ment, was among 20 was killed in a violent clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.

Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the fierce hand-to-hand com- (Posthumously) Sub Sanjiv Kumar (4 PARA bat on June 15 in the Galwan Valley, an incident that marked (SF): Kirti Chakra (Posthuone of the most serious military mously) Nb Sub Nuduram Soren (16 conflicts between the two sides in BIHAR) : Vir Chakra (Posthudecades.

Another Galwan martyr, Sepoy mously) Hav K Palani (81 Field): Vir Gurtej Singh of 3 Punjab, is also Chakra (Posthumously) among the awardees.

Hav Tejinder Singh (3 MediSoldiers who have performed outstanding deeds of bravery and um): Vir Chakra Nk Deepak Singh (16 Bihar): selfless sacrifice are awarded the bravery medals, such as Param Vir Chakra (Posthumously) Sep Gurtej Singh (3 Punjab): Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Vir Chakra (Posthumously) Maj Anuj Sood (21 RR): ShauKirti Chakra and Ashok Chakra rya Chakra (Posthumously) on Republic Day. Rfn Pranab Jyoti Das (6 AsHere’s the full list of the other sam Rifles): Shaurya Chakra Chakra awardees.

PTR Sonam Tshering Tamang Col Bikumalla Santosh Babu (16 BIHAR): Maha Vir Chakra (4 Para (SF)): Shaurya Chakra

Together we can reach your career goals.

o Life Insurance o Long-­‐Term Care Insurance o Variable+ and FiUed AnnuiVes o Disability Insurance* o Health Insurance* For More InformaVon Contact Me

Competitive compensation, benefits and mutual support. To apply, contact: Lalit Jallan, CLTC, LUTCF Sales Manager 713-545-9269 LalitJallan@financialguide.com www.advisors.massmutual.com/lalit-jallan

Services:

Divyendu Singh, Ph.D. Financial Services Professional# and Licensed Agent CA Insurance License # 0M30399

New York Life Insurance Company 3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1900 Houston TX 77027 Insurance Representative of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 011110001, and its affiliated US Insurance companies. Local firms are sales offices of MassMutual, and are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. Insurance products issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111, and its affiliated US insurance companies. Securities and investment advisory services offered through MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC® and a MassMutual subsidiary. Supervisory Office: 3 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1800, Houston, TX 77046. 713-402-3800. Financial Services Representatives are independent contractors and are not employees of MassMutual, its subsidiaries, or of General Agents with whom they contract. CRN202106-232418

Cell: 812-­‐272-­‐2911 Office: 712-­‐499-­‐7638 dsingh06NO.newyorQlife.com

www.dsinghnyl.com

• Life Insurance • College funding • YeVrement Planning • Estate Planning • Planning for Business owners

#Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), A Licensed Insurance Agency and a New York Life Company. *Product available through one or more carriers not affiliated with New York Life Insurance Company, dependent on carrier authorization and product availability in your state or locality.

+Securities products and services offered through NYLIFE Securities LLC

Indo-American News • Friday, january 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

SMRU 1759568

3 Kisan Morcha Calls Off Tractor Parade after Violence at Red Fort

INDIA

New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha called off the tractor parade by farmers Tuesday and appealed to particiants to immediately return to their respective protest sites. The tractor parade, which began much ahead of the scheduled time, turned violent with farmers opposing the Centre’s new agri laws and police clashing at several areas of the national capital.

“We have called off the farmers’ Republic Day parade with immediate effect and appealed to all participants to immediately return back to their respective protest sites. The movement will continue peacefully and further steps will be discussed and decided soon,” the farmers’ union body said in a statement.

The Samkyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 41 farmer unions, is leading the protest against the three central farm laws at several border points of Delhi.

Chaos prevailed at several places in the national capital earlier today after stick-wielding farmers clashed with police and entered the iconic Red Fort and ITO on Republic Day. In unprecedented scenes, after entering the Red Fort complex, protesters attempted to climb the domes and the ramparts, some clambering up the flagpole to hoist a flag from the same place the prime minister unfurls the tricolour from on Independence

January 29, 2021

Day. Police later removed protesting farmers from Red Fort premises.

ITO, particularly, witnessed chaotic scenes as protesters could be seen chasing police personnel with sticks and ramming their tractors into the buses parked by police. Amid all this, a protesting farmer also died after his tractor overturned at be seen chasing police personnel with sticks and ramming their tractors into the buses parked by police. Amid all this, a protesting farmer also died after his tractor overturned at ITO,

police told PTI. While the Delhi Police had given permission to farmers protesting against Centre’s three farm laws to conduct their parade on pre-selected routes only, chaos ensued as farmers were adamant on heading towards central Delhi. Security personnel then resorted to lathicharge and tear gas on protesters after hundreds of farmers deviated from their pre-determined routes.

Earlier in the day, groups of protesting farmers camping at Singhu and Tikri border points of the national capital broke police barri-

cades to force their way into the city.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.

Mobile internet services were suspended in three Haryana districts of Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal until 5 pm Wednesday, the state government said Tuesday evening, as violent protests by farmers rocked neighbouring Delhi.

Haryana’s Home Secretary Rajeev Arora said the order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the districts.

86 police personnel injured in violence during tractor parade The Delhi Police on Tuesday said protesting farmers violated the conditions pre-agreed for their tractor parade and indulge in violence and vandalism, leaving 86 of its personnel injured.

Indo-American News • Friday January 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

In a statement, the police also claimed it did all due diligence in following the conditions for the rally, but the protesters began their march much ahead of the scheduled time and extensive damage to public property was caused during the violence by them.

“The protesters violated conditions fixed for the rally. The farmers began tractor rally before the scheduled time, they also resorted to violence and vandalism,” Delhi Police PRO Eish Singhal said.

“We followed all conditions as promised and did our due diligence but the protest led to extensive damage to public property.

Many policemen were also injured during the protest,” Singhal said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas shells on farmers at Nangloi Chowk in West Delhi after they attempted to deviate from the pre-agreed route to enter the national capital. The agitating farmers broke cement barricades at Nangloi Chowk and Mukarba Chowk following which the police used heavy tear gas shells to disperse the unruly crowd, PTI quoted an official as saying.

The official said that police personnel used tear gas to disperse groups of farmers coming from the Singhu border point as they tried to take out a march on the Outer Ring Road -- Indian Express

4

January 29, 2021

Rupa Vyas, Founder of Jay Store, Passes Away

Rupa Vyas founded the first desi grocery store in Houston.

Rupa (left) with Kanak Vyas, long-time employee of Jay Store, and Madri (Rupa’s sister) at Jay Store.

Houston: Rupa Vyas, the founder of Jay Store, Houston’s first Indian grocery store, died on January 16, 2021 after developing Covid-19 infection. She was 82 years old. Born in Bhavnagar, India, and the eldest daughter of the Balakrishna Trivedi and Shanta Trivedi. After completing her studies in India, she and her husband, Mahesh Vyas, and their two young children- Jatin and Sanjay moved to Houston in 1969 from Montreal Canada as Mahesh landed his first job in geophysics in a local company.

Back then, there were only 3040 Indian families in Houston and easy method to stay connected with other Indian communities. Soon, their desire to have Indian food as one meaningful way to connect back to their culture led mom to get groceries shipped from Chicago to their house. One-by-one other families asked if they could place an order with her. Soon, she kept a small inventory in her garage for the other families.

The Indian community grew and as a pioneer she saw the importance of starting a grocery store to serve her community. So, a few years later, Jay Store was born.

Quickly, word spread that if you want to get hard-to-find Indian spices, warm samosas, fresh In-

dian vegetables or hot jelibi-- go to Jay Store. Families from Dallas/ Fort Worth, Oklahoma, Louisiana travelled all day to Houston just to come to Jay Store.

But Jay Store was not just a grocery store. It was a place to be reminded of home. For so many, it was 2500 square feet of India. The aroma, the people, the colors… this was a slice of home. She was a leading businesswoman in the Indian grocery industry typically run by men. She knew that the only way to move forward was to work harder and persevere. She spent time thinking where to re-locate her store as the current footprint on Westheimer no longer met her customers’ needs. She chose the Hwy 59 and Hillcroft area. Many people questioned her decision. There was nothing there. No other Indian stores. Why go there? Despite these concerns, she persevered.

She moved Jay Store to the Hillcroft/Hwy 59 area in 1983. Soon, other stores joined her and then more stores and then more stores.

Today, this area is called the Mahatma Gandhi District. It is a place where the Indian community can celebrate its culture and come together to connect. The Gandhi district is the cultural hub for so many Indians locally, regionally, and nationally. The former Mayor of

Houston, Annise Parker, designated January 16, 2010 as “Mahatma Gandhi District Day”. It is poetic that she died on the 11th anniversary of this great day.

She eventually sold the store and retired. But these idle hands could not sit still. She immersed herself into teaching, like her mother and became a substitute elementary school teacher. She enjoyed the company of so many friends, especially those in her Canasta group.

What gave her the greatest joy were her grandchildren. She was blessed with four amazing grandsons-- all young men now: Austin, Ryan, Amar and Ishan. One only need to spend a few minutes with any of them to see Rupa’s kindness and sense of humor in them. They share her smile and her incredible work ethic.

She is survived by her sons, Jain and Sanjay Vyas, her daughters-inlaw, Tammy and Neha Vyas, her sister, Madri Thaker, her nieces: Kala Lansberg, Premal Thaker and Ami Buckner, Ami’s husband, Nate Buckner and their children, Devin and Uma, her sister in law Daxa Vyas and her husband Jayesh Vyas, her sisters in law—Mridu Vyas and Vandana Khatodia and a legion of Trivedi’s across the country and around the world.

COMMUNITY

Pradeep Sulhan, P.C.

Certified Public Accountant 14340 Torrey Chase Blvd. | Suite 110 | Houston, Texas 77014

281-583-2993 | 281-580-8700

office@pspccpa.com| pradeep@pspccpa.com

Call Sid or Pradeep Over 25 years of experience For Advertising in Indo-American News call

Jawahar Malhotra @

713-789-6397

Indo-American News • Friday, january 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

SOUTH ASIA

January 29, 2021

5

PM Modi ‘Honored’ after Brazil Thanks India for 2 MM Covid Vaccine

Santa Clara, CA: After receiving 2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine from India, Brazil President Jair M Bolsonaro thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for vaccine export saying he feels honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle by joining efforts.

India, which began exporting the Astrazeneca and Oxford coronavirus vaccine doses last Wednesday, has also sent supplies to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles.

“Namaskar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Brazil feels honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle by joining efforts. Thank you for assisting us with the vaccines exports from India to Brazil. Dhanyavaad,” Bolsonaro said.

In his tweet, Bolsonaro shared an illustration that shows Lord Hanuman carrying a mountain with vaccines from India to Brazil. In Ramayana, there is a tale in which Hanuman carries the entire mountain to deliver Sanjeevani Booti, a magical life-saving herb, to save wounded Lakshman, Lord Ram’s brother.

Replying to Bolsonaro’s tweet, PM Modi said both countries will continue to strengthen our cooperation on healthcare. “The honour is ours, President Jair M. Bolsonaro to be a trusted partner of Brazil in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic

together. We will be needed will continue to cover priorito strengthen ty groups in the our coopnation of 210 eration on million people. healthcare, “Counting the Prime doses from BuMinister tantan (a Sao tweeted.

Paulo state reThe honsearch institute) our is ours, and those from President @ India, there isn’t jairbolsonenough vacaro to be a cine and there trusted partis no certainty ner of Brazil about when in fighting Brazil will have the Covid-19 more, or how pandemic much,” said together. We Brazil President Jair M Bolsonaro thanked Prime Minister Narendra M’rio Schefwill continue Modi for vaccine export. (AP/File) fer, professor to strengthen of preventive get such a consignment. PM Modi our cooperation on healthcare. medicine at the University of Sao said we’ll make vaccine available https://t.co/0iHTO05PoM Paulo. to all countries & we’ll continue — Narendra Modi (@narendraBrazil has recorded 2,14,000 to work towards that & I wish you modi) January 23, 2021 deaths related to COVID-19, the good luck in your efforts.”

External Affairs Minister Dr second-highest total in the world According to Brazil’s Health Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also after the United States, and infecMinistry, the vaccine, developed took to Twitter to say, “Made in tions and deaths surging aga

by AstraZeneca and the University India vaccines arrive in Brazil.”

Several neighbouring countries of Oxford, landed in Sao Paulo beTrust the Pharmacy of the World. praised India as the country starts fore being flown to Rio de Janeiro, Made in India vaccines arrive in giving millions of coronavirus where Brazil’s state-run Fiocruz Brazil. #VaccineMaitri pic.twitter. vaccines to South Asian nations, Institute is based. Fiocruz has an com/5bt602LFXZ a move that also counters China’s agreement to produce and distrib— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaisdominance in the region. ute the vaccine. hankar) January 22, 2021Also, In Maldives, Bhutan, BanglaAccording to Brazilian public calling the day historic, India’s desh and Nepal, free shipments health experts, the 2 million doses Ambassador to Brazil said, “Today of Covid-19 vaccines of Oxfordfrom India only scratch the surface is a historic day in India-Brazil reAstraZeneca, manufactured by of the shortfall and far more doses lations. Brazil is the first country to the Serum Institute of India, the

world’s biggest producer of vaccines, have started arriving.

“The government of India has shown goodwill by providing the vaccine in grant. This is at the people’s level, it is the public who are suffering the most from COVID-19,” Nepal’s Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.

India has started providing vaccines to its Himalayan neighbour Nepal despite strained ties that have worsened post-Nepal’s inclusion of Indian territories in its map.

New Delhi on Thursday officially handed over 2 million doses of Covid-19 jabs to Bangladesh as a gift.

“India had stood by Bangladesh during the (1971) Liberation War, and today, when the pandemic is rattling the world, India again came with gifts of vaccines,” Bangladesh foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen was reported as saying by news agency PTI. A government source told Reuters that India is mulling over providing about 12 million to 20 million shots to its neighbours in the first wave of assistance in the next three to four weeks.

India is also helping some of these countries by providing them training to administer vaccines and setting up facilities to help in the rollout, the source added.

IS nOw HIRIng In BaYTOwn Chemical Engineers: Req. BS Chemical Engineering w/3 years specialty chemical mfg. exp.

Food Chemist: Food Chemist: Req. BS Chemistry, Biology, or another related field w/3yrs exp. in flavor ingredient, as well as product development in Food Science Batch Batch Process Process Req. 3 years. Chemical batch process exp.

Operators: Process Tech Cert not required.

IT Desktop Support IT Desktop Support Junior knowledge of Microsoft Active DIR, Technician: Cisco IOS. exp. troubleshooting enterprise networks. Exposure to video conference suites.

Buyer: Buyer: Req. 5 yrs. purchasing exp. computer aptitude, negotiating skills, QB exp. a plus Email resume to: apply@chemicalsinc.com Great pay and benefits. EOE/AAP Indo-American News • Friday January 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

6

NEWS

January 29, 2021

Huge Relief for H1-B Spouses from Joe Biden Washington DC: US President Joe Biden has permitted dependents of H-1B visa holders to continue working in the country.

The measure had been brought in during the Barack Obama presidency in 2015.

The previous Donald Trump administration had proposed to revoke it as part of his antiimmigration policy. The latest move is expected to provide relief to more than 100,000 Indian nationals who had moved to the United States along with their spouses for work.

The rule allows qualied spouses of H-1B visa holders to contribute to the US economy.

Over 90% of the 100,000-odd H-4 EAD holders are Indians, and over 93% of them are women.

Advocacy groups had pointed out that if the work authorisation had been rescinded, it would have led to several thousand people moving back to India. “There have been multiple attempts over the last four years to rescind or overturn the regulations that grant work authorization or EADs to individuals on H-4 visas,� said Poorvi Chothani, managing partner at immigration law firm LawQuest.

The previous administration had introduced a regulation in 2019 -‘Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses from the Class of Aliens Eligible for Employment Authorization’ -- and that was withdrawn on Tuesday, Chothani said.

Several of the spouses who are in

the United States because their husbands are working on an H-1B visa are highly skilled professionals who would have had to give up their careers if this rule had been implemented. “After four years of needless anxiety for H-4 EAD holders, this is welcome news. The Biden administration is moving fast on reversing or pulling back immigration regulations implemented during the Trump administration.

It gives us all hope that maybe we will be able to see the reform needed in the immigration system, even if it is done piecemeal,� said Nandini Nair, partner at law firm Greenspoon Marder.

In the financial year 2020, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services received 67,690 applications for H4-EAD, of On text messages, chat groups an which 52,470 were approved and 2,538 were rejected.

This also includes renewals, although country-wise data is not available.

As of March 2019, Indian nationals had led 110,649 out of 120, 514 applications for employment authorisation.

There are, however, some clouds hanging over the H4-EAD programme. “There is still the risk of a negative court ruling in the Save Jobs USA case that is pending on this very issue,� Chothani said.

In 2019, a US Court of appeals denied the abolition of the H4EAD and sent it back to a lower court for further assessment. “In view of the withdrawal of January 25, 2021 it is very likely that the court case will be decided in favour of the H-4 EADs or there would be a settlement to this eect.

However, until the case is decided there is still some risk to the H-4 EAD program,� she said.-Economic Times

What is Causing Delhi Smog?

New Delhi: Plastic burning is the main reason behind visibility reduction over Delhi: IIT Madras study The new study found that chloride-rich particles were the highest inorganic fraction in particulate matter, primarily responsible for haze and fog formation in the region.

The study explained that complex chemical reactions involving HCl, which is directly emitted in the atmosphere from plastic contained waste burning and few industrial processes, is primarily responsible for high PM2.5 chloride and subsequent haze and fog formation over Delhi during chilly winter nights. (file) Chloride-rich particles resulting from plastic burning may be primarily responsible for haze and fog formation in Northern India, including Delhi, during the winter months, according to an international study led by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.

The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, may help develop better policies to improve the air quality and visibility in North India.

Many studies in the past have identified particulate matter or aerosol particles with diameter less than 2.5 micrometre (PM2.5) as a major pollutant, responsible for haze and fog formation over Indo-Gangetic plain, including Delhi.

However, the role of PM2.5 and detailed chemistry of haze and fog

KNOW PREDICT PREVENT

 � �  � �

Â?

Offi c e of Di s t r i c t At tor n e y h a r r i s c o un t y, T X

Kim Ogg

H a r r i s Co u n t y D A . C O M Indo-American News • Friday, january 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

formation over national capital was poorly understood.

The new study found that chloride-rich particles were the highest inorganic fraction in particulate matter, primarily responsible for haze and fog formation in the region. “We realised that despite absolute PM2.5 mass burden over Delhi being much less than other polluted megacities around the world, including Beijing, the pollution and atmospheric chemistry of Delhi is much more complex to understand,� said Sachin S Gunthe, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, who led the study. “This work put forward importance of measurements and modelling approaches to scientifically conclude that half of the water uptake and visibility reduction by aerosol particles around Delhi is caused by the hydrochloric acid (HCl) emissions, which is locally emitted in Delhi potentially due to plastic contained waste burning and other industrial processes,�

Gunthe said.

The latest study greatly enhances our understanding about the precise role of PM2.5 in chemistry of fog formation, which will help policy makers to frame the better policies for improving the air quality and visibility over the national capital. The researchers noted that during winter season, most of the Indo Gangetic Plain invariably is engulfed in a dense fog and haze, particularly during the months of December and January.

INDIA

January 29, 2021

Archaeologist B B Lal Led Excavations at Ayodhya, Mahabharat Sites New Delhi: Archaeolcontroversial and ogist Braj Basi Lal who has attracted a lot of led an excavation at the criticism from histoRamjanmabhoomi site in rians. the mid-1970s in among Between 1950 those honoured with the and 1952, Lal excaPadma Vibhushan this vated a number of Republic Day. Lal was sites associated with the director general of the Mahabharata. the Archaeological SurConsequently, he vey of India between discovered a num1968 and 1972, and has ber of Painted Grey worked extensively on Ware sites in the Inarchaeological sites asdo-Gangetic divide sociated with the Harapand upper Yamunapan civilisation and the Ganga Doab. In a Hindu epic Mahabharapaper he wrote about ta. He has also served on twenty years later several UNESCO comin 1975 titled, ‘In mittees and was awarded Archaeologist BB Lal was awarded the Padma search of India’s trathe Padma Bhushan by Vibhushan. ditional past: Light the president of India in from the excava2000. He is best known 50 books and 150 research papers tions at Hastinapura for his theory of a temple-like published in national and interna- and Ayodhya’, he summarised his structure underneath the now de- tional journals. Some of his most findings as “the available archaeomolished Babri mosque. notable books include, ‘The Sara- logical evidence tends to indicate Lal was born in 1921 at Jhansi swati flows on: The continuity of there did exist a basis for the Main Uttar Pradesh and is currently a Indian culture’ published in 2002 habharata story which no doubt resident of New Delhi. He devel- and ‘Rama, his historicity, mandir got immensely inflated during the oped an interest in archaeology and setu: Evidence of Literature, course of time.” after completion of his Masters Archaeology and other Sciences’ On the lines of the investigations degree in Sanskrit from Allahabad published in 2008. carried out in the Mahabharata University.

In his book, ‘The Saraswati flows sites, Lal commenced on another In 1943, he served as a trainee on’, Lal criticised the argument project in 1975 titled, ‘Archaeolin the excavation under the re- held by historian of ancient India ogy of the Ramayana sites’. The nowned British archaeologist R S Sharma of the Aryan invasion project was funded by the ASI, Mortimer Wheeler and began his or immigration theory. Lal’s view Jiwaji University, Gwalior and the career as an archaeologist from that the Rig Vedic people were the Department of Archaeology in the the site of Taxila. In the course of same as those who were part of the government of Uttar Pradesh. The over 50 years, Lal worked on over Harappan civilisation is largely project was inaugurated at Ayod-

hya on March 31, 1975. It excavated five Ramayana related sites including, Ayodhya, Bharadwaj Ashram, Nandigram, Chitrakoot and Shringaverapura.

In his 1975 paper, Lal wrote about the ongoing excavation at Ayodhya: “the excavations so far conducted at Ayodhya do not indicate the beginning of the site before 8th century BC.” While he mentioned the discovery of coins and pottery at Ayodhya in this paper, no mention was made of the temple remains then.

However, in 1990, Lal wrote of the ‘pillar-base theory’ on the basis of his excavations. He claimed to have found temple-like pillars which would have formed the foundation of the Babri Masjid.

Lal’s findings were carried in the BJP-affiliated magazine, Manthan.

In his 2008 book titled, ‘Rāma, His Historicity, Mandir and Setu: Evidence of Literature, Archaeology and Other Sciences,’ he wrote, “attached to the piers of the Babri Masjid, there were twelve stone pillars, which carried not only typical Hindu motifs and mouldings, but also figures of Hindu deities.

It was self-evident that these pillars were not an integral part of the Masjid, but were foreign to it.”

His theory of the temple-like pillars was recognised as the interpretive framework of the court appointed excavation team in 2002.

-- Indian Express

Scientific Study Set for Ram Setu Link

Chennai: Indian scientists will undertake a scientific expedition to date the chain of corals and sediments forming the Ram Setu.

Also known as Adam’s bridge, this 48-km long bridge-like structure between India and Sri Lanka finds mention in the Ramayana but little about its formation is known or proven, scientifically.

A central advisory board on archaeology approved the project proposal submitted by CSIR – National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa to study the sediments and determine its origin.

CSIR-NIO will undertake a three-year scientific project. “The idea is to see whether Ram Setu is a man-made structure. An important aspect of the project is to establish its age, scientifically. This information can be co-related with its mention in the Ramayana,” said Prof Sunil Kumar Singh, director, NIO. Broadly, the explorers will apply a number of scientific techniques while attempting to date the Ram Setu and study its itsface structure along with attempting to excavate remnants or artifacts.

is now HirinG In BAy CITy Chemical Chemical Engineers: Engineers: Req. BS Chemical Engineering w/3 years specialty chemical mfg. experience Process Req. 3 yrs. Chemical batch process exp.

BatchBatch Process Operators: Operators: Process Tech Certification not required.

AnalyticalChemist: Chemist: Req. BS Chemistry, w/3 years basic Analytical knowledge, exp w/ analytical equip. (GC, GC/ MS, HPLC, FTIR, AA) Bench Top Chemist: Req. BS Chemistry w/3 years exp. bench formulations & analytical techniques w/3 yrs. specialty chemical mfg. exp.

Email resume to: baycityapply@chemicalsinc.com Great pay and benefits. EOE/AAP Indo-American News • Friday January 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

7

8

ENTERTAINMENT

January 29, 2021

‘White Tiger’ Review: It is Truly Adarsh Gourav’s Movie

By Shubhra Gupta

Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, Vijay Maurya, Mahesh Manjrekar, Swaroop Sampat Director: Ramin Bahrani Rating: 3 stars ‘The days of the White man are over. It is now the time of the Brown man and the Yellow man’. Ramin Bahrani’s savage, darkly comic adaptation of Arvind Adiga’s prize-winning The White Tiger is full of these brushstrokes which teeter on the verge of being either banal or profound, but which could only come from a man who has clawed his way up the caste-class ladder. A man who comes once in a generation, an impossibility, just like a white tiger.

And that man is Balram Halwai, a ‘servant’ who believes that his future lies in serving his ‘master’, with everything he possesses. He knows that the only way he can get into the good books of his rich landlord (Manjrekar) and his older son (Maurya) is by diving at their feet, and that bowing and scraping will be his lot, until he gets to his real target, the younger USreturned son Ashok (Rao).

When Adiga’s 2008 novel came out, Bangalore (now Bengaluru) was the mecca of those who wanted to ‘do something’. Watching Ashok’s eagerness to get there in order to start his start-up already feels dated: the spread of information technology, and its multimillion dollar spinoffs, has created

Adarsh Gourav (left) with Priyanka Ghopra and Rajkumar Rao.

many similar hubs in India. But the crucial element which has the same bite still is the cavernous gap between ‘men with big bellies’ and ‘men with small bellies’, between men like Ashok and Balram, and how hard it is to bridge that gap.

Ambition comes easily to men like Ashok, who has acquired speedily those accoutrements many ‘desis’ do when they get to the US: an accent which slips, a foreign wife, and a skin-deep distaste for the way things are done back home.

The way he becomes that guy who believes in the equality of all men when he is with Pinky (Chopra), and the way he goes right back to his feudal roots in the company of his father and brother is one of the sharpest parts of the film, and Rao delivers an on-point performance

as the neither here-nor-there kind of guy, seen as a soft touch by both his family, as well as by his ‘servant’. Both feel that he is not man enough to keep Pinky in control, and both have contempt for him.

The family comes as thinly veiled irritation. And Balram’s is in the way he smiles. It’s more a rictus actually, from behind his paanstained teeth, and it never reaches his eyes.

The constant voice-over becomes annoying after a point. We don’t really need to be told what’s going on in Balram’s head if we can see it play out on screen. The more tell-less show syndrome takes away from the experience, which is also a bit marred from the village sequences which feel like they were sets. Balram and

his family speak in Purabiya, but his ‘dadi’ sounds Punjabi. Huh? And that mixing of tongues travels from the village to the city, as we see Balram the newbie learning the ropes via the seasoned drivers who spend their time in dark, dank basements, waiting for the summons from the ‘sahibs and memsahibs’. There is also the nexus between the politician and the businessman, and the bags of cash that are exchanged for mutual benefit: many-storied sarkari buildings become the site for bribery and corruption. Manjrekar and Maurya are suitably hardened, foul-mouthed, bigoted feudalists who know their place in the world, and their unease with the female

‘low-caste’ neta (great to see Sampat back, even if briefly) who has them by the short and curlies, is evident. Their interactions didn’t need to be as underlined, or was it for the international audience?

These are stand-out acts. Chopra does her bit, too, though her American-desi rebellious ‘bahu’ is a bit fuzzily dealt with. But the film belongs to Gourav, who channels that very specific, razor-sharp mixture of obsequiousness and rage, to come up with a stellar performance. Never deride those who serve you, and never, ever turn your back on them, or the white tiger with the brown skin, will swallow you whole. -- Indian Express

Consulate General of India Houston NOTICE INVITING QUOTATIONS The Consulate General of India, Houston invites sealed quotations from approved and eligible contractors or experienced firms to install Roller Shades with Remote Control at the Chancery building, 4300 Scotland Street, Houston, TX 77007.

For complete details, log on to website: http://www.cgihouston.gov.in or https://eprocure.gov.in/epublish/app Last date for submission of quotations is 2nd February, 2021 at 1200 hrs Address: Consulate General of India, 4300 Scotland Street, Houston, Texas 77007

SONY KOHLI YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT 832-766-6662

Indo-American News • Friday, january 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

January 29, 2021

26th January

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY

Indo-American News • Friday January 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

9

10

OPINION

January 29, 2021

India’s Vaccine Diplomacy

Peace Was Their Strength, Violence Undoing

By Rahul Shivshankar

As vaccination against Covid-19 gains steam across the world – around 61.11million vaccine doses have been administered globally – the battle for soft power in the form of vaccine diplomacy too is gaining pace. This mirrors the mask diplomacy seen in an earlier phase of the pandemic.

China, which may have unleashed Covid-19 on the world due to its opacity, is trying hard to salvage its image and project itself as a health saviour by supplying Chinese vaccines to developing countries. It makes no secret of using the strategy to expand its global influence as part of its ‘Health Silk Road Initiative’.

India is already known as pharmacy of the world. It is the largest producer of generic medicines, accounting for 20 percent of their global production. It meets 62% of the global demand for vaccines. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the country has been at the forefront of supplying medicines and generic drugs to others. India received requests from more than 100 countries for hydroxychloroquine (once thought to help treat COVID-19) and paracetamol (a painkiller), and sent supplies to Brazil, the United States, and Israel.

But vaccine diplomacy is where India has a clear edge.

After all, even before the pandemic hit, India was meeting 62% of the global demand for vaccines. Therefore, with its own vaccination drive kicking off this month, New Delhi’s decision to give millions of doses of Covid vaccine to South Asian neighbours is smart strategy. India has already initiated vaccine grants with 2 million doses for Bangladesh, a million for Nepal and 150,000 and 100,000 respectively for Bhutan and the Maldives. Plus, early commercial supplies of the Serum Institute produced Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been cleared for Brazil and Morocco.

Meanwhile, the US just joined the multilateral COVAX facility that aims to distribute vaccines equitably to the poorest nations. US’s participation will be a huge resource boost for COVAX, which in turn will free up many developing countries – particularly in Africa — from making Faustian deals with China to secure vaccines. In that sense, the US and India should team up to provide safe and affordable Covid vaccines to the world to counter China’s cynical vaccine diplomacy. -- Times of India

It’s hard to make up one’s mind about which image is most disturbing. The one in which two alleged peasants scaled the iconic flagpole at the Red Fort to unfurl the ‘Nishan Sahib’ but not the tri-colour or the one depicting police jumping off the ramparts of the Red Fort in the face of a rampaging blood thirsty horde. Perhaps its futile to make a choice. Both images capture equally the desecration of the spirit of Republic Day that celebrates civilizational values written into the Constitution.

One of those civilizational values is ahimsa secured by the rule of law. Great Indic philosophers have eloquently expanded upon the symbolic potency of proverbially ‘submitting the other cheek’.

Lessons from these philosophers were internalized by the greatest crusader of our times, the Mahatma..

The farmer’s greatest strength was always their passivity. There is something arresting about a tableau of bucolic innocence holding a vigil against the allegedly intruding state. You can fault the simple minded “annadata” for knowing no better in seeking to preserve a socialist ideal, however dysfunctional. But ignorance or expressing fear of change is not a crime.

But now by taking a detour from the path of peace and inflicting

grievous injuries upon the body politic not to mention the national psyche the ‘Singhu’ protests have lost credibility. It will be difficult to supply convincing enough answers to questions that inevitably arise: Was the “annadata” always an unwitting instrument in the hands of an Opposition that has been reduced to waging war by proxy against the Modi government? Or more disturbingly are they the sword arm of anti-nationals looking to relight the fires of sub-nationalism?

This protest mottled by the stain of violence must now end. There is no shame in ending the stir on principle. Great passivist souls in history have called a halt to agitations when they have lost con-

trol. The farmers, if they are at all committed to ‘Gandhian’ values as they claim, must give-up the incendiaries amidst their ranks and return to their villages. Their representatives on the left must return to the talks table where they must atone by signaling a willingness to accept a reasonable settlement.

Their supporters in the media must introspect. Can they honestly deny that they let their biases prevent them from diligently probing all possible motives behind the ‘Singhu’ stir? And what of their lordships? Isn’t their supreme faith in the inherent goodness of the rustic looking like silver screen sentimentality?

-- The author is Chief Editor of India Times

Farmers at Red Fort: Machiavelli Redux

By Sadhana Kala If we knew Machiavelli was reborn in the 20th century and is now a top politician in India and were searching to identify him, then one thing that we know for sure is that it can’t be Rahul Gandhi. He is too simple. In fact, he is a simpleton.

That de facto leads us to ModiShah duo as Machiavelli reincarnated. Though they have never been seen in a janeu, everyone knows that they appear to be religionist even if they are not. And appearance is more important than reality.

Take the Farmers’ rally in Delhi on 26 January, Republic day.

Surely the central govt had the intelligence that a section of farmers, or baddies to be more precise, planned to detour from the specified route of the rally and march to the Lal Qila and climb the rampart and hoist a Kesri flag. That Kesri flag fluttered a few inches higher than the Tiranga. That was sacrilege to every Indian irrespective of his political affiliations.

The govt had the wherewithal to stop that from happening. But let it happen. Why? Because that episode discredited the 41 so called farmer leaders who had guaranteed that the rally will be peaceful. It showed them up as pseudo leaders with little or no hold on farmers. More than

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.

Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: www.indoamericannews.com

Indo-American News • Friday, january 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

just showing up the pseudo farmer leaders, the episode dealt a body blow to farmers’ protest. Even if the protest survives the blow, it has lost a huge amount of public sympathy and support. By allowing the hoisting of the Kesri atop the Lal Qila, the Modi-Shah duo has discredited the farmer leaders, and the farmers’ protest, to a degree that the protest may be all but dead. A truly Machiavellian stratagem, won’t you say. Let me end with this reminder to the citizens: “governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society” – Niccolò Machiavelli.

-- Dr Sadhana Kala is a USAtrained robotic & laparoscopic surgeon, Uppsala University, Sweden.

SUDOKU/RECREATION 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 February 3, 2021. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com and send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

Last Week’s Solution

Last Week’s Winners Kirit Suthar Sanchali Basu

January 29, 2021

11

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Besan da Halwa

(GRAM FLOUR PUDDING) Besan da halwa (gram flour pudding) is as Punjabi as you can get as this is one of the favorite sweets eaten during the cold winter months and especially during the festivals.

The aroma of chickpea flour roasting in ghee fills the whole house and this is an important indication that the chef knows what he or she are doing: if the besan is left undercooked, it will give a raw, gritty taste.

Besan (roasted gram flour or garbanzo flour or chickpea flour) is a flour that is commonly used all over India to make pakoras or fried fritters, a common Indian comfort food. Besan is also used to make kadhi, boondi (besan fried drops), laddus (sweet balls), besan ki barfi (sweetened flat cake) or poode (salty pancakes). After wheat, besan is the second most often used flour in Indian cuisine, though it is used only in a few dishes which are made sweet.

Besan is high in carbohydrates and somewhat high in protein and has no gluten, which makes it not suitable for those trying to lose weight (especially when it is fried). Besan is rich in folate, iron, magnesium and phosphorous as well as thiamin and vitamin B6. Besides these attributes, besan also makes an excellent scrub and mask for skin care and can also help in fighting seasonal allergies during the cold months.

Both besan and sooji (semolina) need a lot more water than atta (wheat flour) when being prepared as the grains soak it up. This is why, if you prefer a thinner halwa, just increase the water by one cup.

Ingredients: • 1 cup besan (coarse gram flour) • 1 cup peessi hui chinni (powdered sugar) • 1 cup tael (vegetable oil) or ghee (clarified butter) • 3 cup pani (water) • ½ tsp illachi (cardamom) powder • Mewah (dried fruit) to taste: 1 cup badam (almond) and piste (pistachios) pieces or blanched Directions: 1. To make the chasni (syrup), bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour in the sugar and illachi powder, stirring till they are completely dissolved.

Keep the mixture to the side for later use.

split almonds

add 4 cups of water instead of 3.

2. Pour the oil or ghee in a wok or kadai and warm for a few minutes over low heat.

percolate up along the edges and to the top then turn the heat off.

3. Pour the besan in and stir continuously for about 10 minutes over medium heat so that it does not start to burn.

4. Add the almonds and pistachios, mix well and continue to stir over low heat to roast the mixture and it is turns slightly brown.

5. Slowly pour in the syrup into the besan, stirring continuously as you don’t want to have the besan to get too brown as it may give a burnt smell. Don’t brown over high heat as the besan.

6. When the oil or ghee starts to

7. When the halwa cools down it will thicken. If you want it thinner, 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 TO CALM YOUR N E R V ES, TRY SOME HOT SU ANF (FENNEL) C Dried saunf (fenn HAI el seeds) are m

often used as a di outh freshener gestive and Indian sweet dishafter a meal but are also often used es when mixed in Fennel seeds have the dough of somein cooking puddings. gestion and stom many benefits ranging from lieving conpowerful phytonutach gas to asthma and diabetes.reTh rients and antioxi ey contain dants especially an ethole.

In addition, fennel se ed s ha ve a calming effect w a hot drink instea hen taken as which can stimuld of tea or coffee which contain lo at ts e yo ur bo dy your kidneys wor and, as a diuretic of caffeine , can make let the mixture sitk. Simply boil some fennel seeds in fo r a fe w m in utes before drinki water, then to add sugar or m ng it. No need ilk.

For Advertising in Indo-American News call: Jawahar Malhorta at

713-789-6397 Indo-American News • Friday January 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

12

January 29, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, january 29, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com