Indo-American News: July 23, 2021

Friday, July 23, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 30

Indo American News

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July 23, 2021

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Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Houston’s Shirisha Bandla: Third Indian-origin in Space

ICC’s Ifest

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COMMUNITY

July 23, 2021

Houston’s Shirisha Bandla becomes Third Indian-origin Woman in Space

Las Cruces: Aeronautical engineer Sirisha Bandla on Sunday became the third Indian-origin woman to fly into space when she joined British billionaire Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic’s first fully crewed suborbital test flight from New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity, as the spaceplane is called, took off for the 1.5-hour mission above New Mexico following a 90-minute delay due to bad weather.

Bandla joined Branson and five others on board Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Unity to make a journey to the edge of space from New Mexico.

“I am so incredibly honored to be a part of the amazing crew of #Unity22, and to be a part of a company whose mission is to make space available to all,” 34year-old Bandla tweeted days before the flight.

“When I first heard that I was getting this opportunity, it was just... I was speechless. I think that that probably captured it very well.

This is an incredible opportunity to get people from different backgrounds, different geographies and different communities into space,” she said in a video posted on the Twitter handle of Virgin Galactic on July 6.

The primary objective for Unity was to serve as a test flight for fu-

liams. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma is the only Indian citizen to travel in space. The former Indian Air Force pilot flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.

Bandla moved to the US when she was 4-year-old and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University in 2011. She finished her Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University in 2015.

ture commercial passenger flights

by Virgin Galactic. 22 was to serve as a test flight for future commercial passenger flights by Virgin Galactic.

Bandla, who was born in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh and brought up in Houston, was astronaut No 004 and her flight role was Researcher Experience. The other crew members were two pilots and three other crewmates, including billionaire Branson, who turns 71 in a week.

She became the third Indian-origin woman to fly into space after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Wil-

Bandla wanted to be an astronaut for the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). However, her poor eyesight meant she could not meet the requirements to become a pilot or an astronaut.

When she was at Purdue University, a professor told her about an opportunity in the field of commercial space flights.

Virgin Galactic - the business Branson started in 2004 - aims to fly private citizens to the edge of space. The trips are designed to permit passengers to experience three to four minutes of weight-

lessness and observe the curvature of Earth.

Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations at Virgin Galactic, Bandla evaluated the human-tended research experience, using an experiment from the University of Florida that requires several handheld fixation tubes that will be activated at various points in the flight profile.

The crew fulfilled a number of test objectives related to the cabin and customer experience, includ-

ing evaluating the commercial customer cabin, the views of Earth from space, the conditions for conducting research and the effectiveness of the five-day pre-flight training program at Spaceport America.

VSS Unity achieved a speed of Mach 3 after being released from the mothership, VMS Eve. The vehicle reached space, at an altitude of 53.5 miles, before gliding smoothly to a runway landing at Spaceport America.

Houston’s Dr. Monica Vavilala Elected to Washington State Academy of Sciences Seattle: Washington State Academy of Sciences (WSAS) recognizes Dr. Monica Vavilala for outstanding leadership in pediatric anesthesiology and in the care of children with traumatic brain injury.

WSAS is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established by the Washington State Legislature to respond to scientific and technical questions to inform public policy.

Monica graduated from UT medical school, in Houston and was a recipient of Dr. Michael Debakey fellowship. In her academic career in Seattle, as a tenured Professor, her research papers were published in prestigious interna-

Indo-American News • Friday, July 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

tional journals such as Nature and Lancet. Her election to the Washington State Academy of Sciences is a proud moment for Houston’s Krishna Vavilala and his wife, Lakshmi.

COMMUNITY

July 23, 2021

India Culture Center’s Celebration of India’s 75th Independence Day

Houston: India Culture Center, a proactive community organization of 48 years, with goals to enhance the cultural, health and socio-political sectors of India in Houston is once again celebrating India’s 75th Independence Day in Houston.

On behalf of the India Culture Center Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, and with the support of our partnering organizations, it is my pleasure as the current President to invite you on August 15th, 2021, at the Stafford Center, 10505 Cash Rd, Stafford TX 77477 This celebration will be in person with booths, Awards, and an exclusive presentation of “Building Bridges” & “Weddings of India” by presenting the differences and similarities of ritual celebrations in different states of India.

And we are building bridges with other communities like Jewish, Indonesia, Nepali, and many more.

Our Diversity is our strength, and we wish to live by our motto that “The world is our family”.

Through our diversity, ICC recognizes the need to instill key aspects of our culture in our youth and aims to promote the richness and diversity of the Indian heritage, arts, cultures and foster goodwill, and harmony between different communities and cultures.

The theme of this year is ‘Vibrant India’, and we are going to exhibit

the talents of children from 7 years to seniors of 65yrs and above.

Unity in diversity is what vibrant India is today.

We would kindly request you to become a sponsor of the evening to support ICC. Your donation will be recognized at our event in several ways (the sponsorship package is attached). We hope that we can count on your support.

Date: August 15, 2021 Location: Stafford Center, 10505 Cash Road, 77477 Event and Booth Time: 1 pm

to 7 pm Karaoke: 1 pm to 2:30 pm for all ages ( The audition is every Sunday 10 am to 12 pm on RADIO ICC HOUSTON at 99.5 FM Radio Dabang- Number to call 713.974.4000) Patriotic and Wedding celebrations of India: 2:30 pm onwards *Attire*- Wedding formal in Orange, Green, and/white representing your state or region.

BOOTH- For Small businesses, there is a great opportunity to ad-

vertise your business on a large digital screen in the event. *Booth Registration* - https:// icchoustontx.org/booth/ ICC Vice President Kiran Shah 832.865.2105 Food Booth Event Co-chairDinesh Purohit- 732.593.9650 *Participation*https://form.jotform.com/211690843905156 Reach 713.858.8229 *Sponsorship and Advertisement* 1. If donating by checks?

Check- Payable to INDIA CUL-

In-person VFS Global Visa Services Available

Houston: With effect from 15th July, 2021 VFS Global, the Outsourcing Service Provider for consular services for the Embassy of India and the Consulates General of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York and San Francisco will start accepting in-person applications for Passport, OCI, Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) and Global Entry Program (GEP) services at its center with prior appointment only. (The current practice of accepting the applications

by Mail will also continue.)

An applicant is required to visit the VFS Global Website https:// services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ ind/for online submission of applications (at the Government of India portals) for respective services. Thereafter he/she can make an appointment for in-person submission of applications at the concerned VFS Global Center (Indian Consular Application Centre 1001 Texas Ave, Suite #550, Houston, TX 77002 in case of Houston).

At this stage, the applicant is required to pay the service charge of US$15.90 to VFS Global. Other charges, i.e., the Government of India fee and the ICWF charges and for optional services (e.g. for return courier), if any, will need to be paid at the VFS Center. The applicants are advised to carry all the required documentation to VFS Global as per the check-lists for the respective services at the scheduled time of appointment.

Indo-American News • Friday, july 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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TURE CENTER Mailing address- Mr. Hemant Patel, 15734 Springfield Drive, Sugar land, TX 77498 2. If you have a PayPal account.

Click here to pay.

PayPal.me/ICCHOUSTON 3. You can ZELLE to the email address icchoustontexas@gmail. com

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July 23, 2021

Pratham USA Appoints Manisha Bharti as CEO

Houston: Pratham is pleased to announce the appointment of Manisha Bharti as the first Chief Executive Officer of Pratham USA and Global Executive. Bharti brings more than 25 years of professional experience in global development, having held positions at leading organizations like FHI 360 and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

She is currently Chief of Strategy and Programs at GHR Foundation, one of Minnesota’s largest philanthropic organizations, where she oversees a grant portfolio within health, education and international development.

In recent years, Pratham has undergone tremendous growth, witnessing increased acclaim and demand for its expertise in India and internationally. “The position of Chief Executive Officer and Global Executive has been established to unify Pratham’s business development, strategy and communications,” says Deepak Raj, Chairman of Pratham USA. “Manisha’s appointment marks a significant commitment by the organization to strengthen our US chapters while enhancing our brand globally and improving alignment across regions.”

“Manisha is ideally suited for this role,” explains Madhav Chavan, Co-Founder and President of Pratham. “Throughout her career, she has driven change, scaled organizations and displayed a talent for bringing people together—invaluable assets for helping shape Pratham’s future.”

Pratham CEO Dr. Rukmini Banerji echoes the enthusiasm: “We are delighted to have someone of Manisha’s caliber joining us at this pivotal moment for our organization. Our India and US teams have always worked very closely

with one another, but this was particularly true during COVID. Together, we can go from strength to strength while at the same time supporting the growth of our international work. With her background and experience, Manisha will be an integral part of this next phase of Pratham.”

According to Manisha, Pratham’s work is especially relevant at this time: “There is such a need for the kind of grassroots,

high-quality education Pratham provides with its communitybased and digital platforms that are increasingly global in scope.

I’m excited and humbled by this opportunity to help shepherd and co-author Pratham’s next chapter.

I look forward to working with the global team to deepen Pratham’s impact in India and share its learnings to improve education around the world.”

Executive Director Bala Venkatachalam will remain in his position until the transition is complete, at which time he will assume a new global role within the organization. “Bala has done an outstanding job these past seven years,” says Deepak. “He has grown our US infrastructure, increased funding and built strong ties between our India and US teams.”

Manisha’s appointment is effective September 2021.

Youth Cricket Workshop at MTS

COMMUNITY

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office@pspccpa.com| pradeep@pspccpa.com Pearland cricket club (PCC) and Sri Meenakshi Temple arranged Youth cricket workshop introduction on July 4th 2021 at Sri Meenakshi Temple. Alok Singh, Volunteer Youth Coordinator of USA Cricket in Austin, conducted very informative workshop for youth. Number of youth answered questions posed by Alok Singh regarding history of cricket in India and the USA. Each youth who

answered correctly received a ball as gift. Alok’s wife Gulshan Singh and their cricket playing children also graced the occasion. PCC was represented by Dr. Sockalingam Sam Kannappan, President, Dr.Ganesh Rajamani, Secretary, Sargunan, Treasurer. Sri Meenakshi temple was represented by Secretary Partha and Treasurer Bhargavi Golla.

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SPORTS

July 23, 2021

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TCC Spring ‘21 Tournament: Champions CC Winners, SLCC II Runners Houston: Champions CC were crowned the Champions of TCC Taped Ball Spring 2021 Professional League for the 2nd consecutive year. On Jul 10th 2021, Champions CC defeated SLCC II playing their first TCC tournament by a margin of 75 runs to claim their second Professional Tournament title which is a once in a year championship for Division II teams.

It was a rainy week with speculations that the final might be rescheduled. SLCC II elected to bowl due to the skiddy pitch after the rains and heavy grassy outfield. Arslan had been in prolific form, starting with 6 off the first ball of the game and ended the first over with another 6. The aggressive batting continued despite Sisindu’s 2 quick wickets with Arslan scoring 2 fours and a six in the next 2 overs before getting out for 35 of 22. At 47/3 in 6 overs, SLCC II looked like they were back in the game. But Humza who started cautiously quickly changed the gear hitting 3 big sixes before he was caught off Thushara’s bowling for 34 of 26 . Waseem with all his experience guided the innings from thereon with 21 of 20 with useful partnerships with Azhar, ( playing with a broken finger), Khizar and Faraz. Sisindu got 2 wkts in the 18th over giving away just 2 runs and restricted but the last 2 over flourish of 23 runs got Champions CC to a safe score of 148.

Sisindu got 5 for 21 and was supported by Thushara with 2 for 20 and Thusitha and Tharindu with a wicket apiece.

This score on a normal trim outfield would have looked like 170.

Winners Champions CC (top) and runners up SLCC II of the TCC Spring 2021 Professional League.

Historically Champions CC bowling has defended very low totals, hence were confident with the target set. SLCC II were dependent on Lahiru, centurion from semis, the captain Sachith and Thushara to get them home.

Faraz & Gohar bowled near perfect lengths making it unplayable out there and finished their first spells with a wicket apiece.

Lahiru holed out to the lone man on square leg boundary in the 3rd over. The pressure of chasing a good score got to SLCC II who tried to run aggressively but lost 2 wkts to brilliant pieces of fielding from Arslan (direct hit) & Saqib.

Khizar, Arslan, Waseem and Saif hardly bowled a loose ball, always keeping it outside off stump and retaining the pressure. Sisindu

also got caught on the boundary trying to up the score to a good catch by Humza. Very soon SLCC II were 19 for 7 in 8 overs, pretty much out of the contest. Waseem continued his bowling form from earlier games troubled every batsman and was unplayable. Umesh showed some resistance scoring an unbeaten 31 while Humza got 2 quick wkts at the other end with

his steady outswingers. Syed kept well in slippery conditions and ended with 3 good catches and a stumping. Faraz came back and finished off what looked like a formality.

The game was followed by a well-organized presentation ceremony hosted by Jagadish Biradar of TCC. Dinesh from Gladiators was thanked for his voluntary contribution in scheduling the tournament. Umpires Swaroop and Adnan were presented with umpiring medals. Syed Mohiaddin, captain of Champions CC was awarded the championship trophy and Sachith, captain of SLCC II was awarded the runners up trophy. Humza was awarded the MVP of final for his 34 runs, 2 wkts and 1 catch.

Tournament awards were also presented during the presentation ceremony. Arslan from Champions CC won the award for the MVP of the tournament. Shirak from SLL was the best batsman with 239 runs, the best bowler with 12 wickets and the best All-rounder too. Ziju Sajan from Houston Arrows was the best wicketkeeper with 24 catches. Special award for centuries were presented to Arslan from Champions CC and Lahiru from SLCC II. Special award for Hat tricks were presented to Umar from Champions CC, Harsh from Martians, Umesh from SLCC II and Gopi Chand from Masters.

Special award was given to Shirak from SLL for 6 sixes in 6 balls Online score card is at h t t p s : / / w w w. c r i c c l u b s . com/3T/viewScorecard. do?matchId=776&clubId=8675 and You tube video is at https:// youtu.be/tgsupPD4-Q4

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July 23, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, July 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMUNITY

Southwestern National Bank Student Scholars

Southwestern National Bank Chairwoman Jody Lee and CEO Mark Simmons with scholarship winners Odanis Serrano and David-Michael Ross.

Houston: July 14, 2021, Thursday at 10 AM, Southwestern National Bank held its annual Scholarship Award for students from lowincome families at its headquarter in Houston, TX. Chairwoman Jody Lee, CEO Mark Simmons, Board of Directors Ed Malmgren, and Public Relations Ling Chuang awarded two outstanding students Odanis Serrano and David-Michael Ross on Southwestern National Bank Annual Scholarship, joining the ceremony were Their relatives, friends.

Bank CEO Mark Simmons encouraged each student to improve their future career planning without fear of difficulties and obstacles.

Chairperson Jody Lee shared her past university experience and shared her views regarding the major that they had chosen.

The targeting purpose of Southwestern National Bank’s Student Scholarship Award Program is to reduce the financial burden for these students, encourage them to continue their efforts, and learn not to forget to give

back to our community.

This year the 16th Southwestern National Bank’s Annual Scholarship Award was affected time-wise for the reasons that schools were temporarily closed and gathering the qualification evaluation was delayed. However, five outstanding scholarship winners have been approved by the scholarship selection committee. Each person will receive a scholarship of 1,000 dollars. The list of winners and their university information is as follows: Odanis Serrano: William B Travis High School Luis Cunemo : Ridge Point High School David- Michael Ross: William B Travis High School Allison Chen: Plano East Senior High School Mackenzie Gholson: William B Travis High School

Indo-American News • Friday, july 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

July 23, 2021

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OBITUARY

July 23, 2021

Houston: Dr. Gauri Rajani Varadhachary passed away peacefully at home on June 5th due to complications from lung cancer. Her husband, Atul, and her daughters, Tanvi and Riya, were by her side.

Varadhachary is also survived by her parents, Drs. Prem & Rekha Rajani, her mother-in-law, Ms. Jamna Varadhachary, her brother Rajeev Rajani and his family Sonia, Yash, and Niki, her in-laws Ajay and Anju Varadhachary, Anju’s family, Pratish and Maya Kanani, and a constellation of friends and relatives.

Gauri was born August 25, 1968 in Mumbai, India where she also attended medical school. She moved to Baltimore in 1991 for her Residency in Internal Medicine and to the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1994 for her Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology. Gauri joined Baylor College of Medicine in 2000 as an Assistant Professor in Hematology-Oncology. She moved in 2003 to the Department of GI Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where she served for almost twenty years, becoming an associate professor in 2006 and full professor in 2012. Throughout her career, she was known for her dedication to quality patient care and for her generosity with her time, energy and empathy.

Gauri was a leading expert in the diagnosis and treatment of unknown (occult) primary tumors,

In Memorium: Dr. Gauri Rajani Varadhachary and she served as the Vice Chair of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s Guidelines Subcommittee for Occult Primary tumors. Her active research portfolio in pancreatic cancer helped define borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and a multidisciplinary management strategy involving collaborators across the institution and nationally.

She played many different roles at MD Anderson and her influence on the institution will be felt for a long time. As center medical director of the GI Cancer Center, Gauri embraced the Goals of Care initiatives and served on the ICU Utilization Review Committee. In her role as special advisor to the Chief Medical Officer and then the Chief Medical Executive, she provided strategic guidance on building the physician leadership structure across the ambulatory and inpatient spheres, and collaborative leadership on several major initiatives that greatly and positively impacted both patients and the institution. In the months before her passing, she gave of her time to organizing MD Anderson’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts for patients, which have helped set the national standard for COVID vaccination among immunocompromised cancer patients. Gauri

has won numerous awards for her work and is an author on over two hundred academic publications.

Her colleagues remember her as dedicated to her patients, a selfless mentor, and a compassionate leader.

Gauri’s many professional achievements and attributes, though inspiring, were only a part of who she was and her broader impact.

An empathetic and caring woman, Gauri was passionate about social issues, giving generously of her time and money. An orga-

nization that was close to her heart was Pratham, India’s largest educational nonprofit. She and Atul worked for a year with Pratham in India starting in 1998, helping create Pratham health, a program that reached 65,000 pre-school children in Mumbai, providing them with iron and micronutrients.

Gauri continued her involvement with and contributions to Pratham, serving on the Pratham Houston Board for many years. She also generously supported many other organizations in Houston that are doing great work to support vulnerable populations including Daya and other organizations supporting food security, refugees and elder care.

Gauri always prioritized her family and friends along with her professional and philanthropic passions. After her eldest daughter was born, coincident with the completion of her fellowship, Varadhachary took a two-year break to spend time with her daughter, which included the year she spent working with Pratham in India. Over the years, she enjoyed spending time with her daughters, helping them with their homework, teaching them a multitude of skills and having dinner together as a family almost every night. Both her daughters are incredibly thankful to have such

an amazing role model as a mother - they grew up seeing that it is possible to balance an impactful career, a loving family, and fun.

Gauri loved traveling and the outdoors. She organized vacations with family and friends in exotic locations and loved hiking, exploring new cities, and immersing herself in different cultures. Some of her fondest memories included visiting amazing places around the world including, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and India. She also loved the mountains and felt very connected to them (sharing a birthday with the National Parks Service!) and took her family hiking whether they wanted to go or not. When she wasn’t traveling, she fulfilled her avid love of the outdoors by tending to her verdant garden. Despite her petite frame, she could lift gigantic bags of mulch and drag heavy trash bags of plants all over the yard. You could find her most Sunday evenings knee-deep in soil, planting new flowers in her garden or enthusiastically planning for the next season. Her daughters loved the dichotomy of the professional, well-dressed, successful career woman and the laughing gardener in an old t-shirt covered in dirt from head to toe.

Gauri was an amazing role model for many and will be remembered by her family, friends, and colleagues as a fountain of laughter, a nurturing friend/mother, and an empathic doctor.

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Indo-American News • Friday, July 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

ENTERTAINMENT

July 23, 2021

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‘Toofan’: Farhan Akhtar Movie Pops with Smart Jabs, Ends with a Satisfying Punch could well be the only thing true bigots may take away. And while it’s great to have leading men playing Muslim characters, I’m waiting for a brave Bollywood film that will break away from the poor-but-talented slumboy (Ranveer Singh in ‘Gully Boy’) type.

Still, an Aziz-and-Ananya is a job well begun.

It is Farhan as ‘Toofaan-thenew-Muhammad-Ali’ who is completely convincing, both as a novice who is a fast learner, and the dejected warhorse who comes up trumps. He’s worked with Mehra before, in ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’, and while he looked ev-

By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Paresh Rawal, Mrunal Thakur, Hussain Dalal, Mohan Agashe, Vijay Raaz, Supriya Pathak, Darshan Kumar Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Rating: 3.5 stars ‘Toofaan’ is your underprivileged-underdog-to-boxing-champion tale whose arc is utterly predictable, but what makes this film such an enjoyable watch is the way it has been written and performed.

You know exactly where it will go, but the journey pops with smart feints and jabs, and ends with a satisfying punch.

Given the utter banality of recent Bollywood outings, I’d given up hope of meeting a well-done mainstream film where each familiar element is marinated just so. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra doesn’t pull back from genre elements, but dresses them up with enough confidence and freshness for us to root for Aziz Ali aka Ajju Bhai, played with great brio by Farhan Akhtar.

Our Dongri-ka-small-timevasooli-bhai goes about doing ‘phoda-phodi’ (in regular Hindi, it would be ‘maar-peet’; basically, it amounts to beating up people unable to pay their rent or ‘hafta’, along with his loyal pal-cumroommate (Hussain Dalal, very good, giving an edge to the standard BFF role). Akhtar starts with a little extra swagger and mumble, but soon settles into it, tight pantsbelt-tee to the for From here on, you can see what’s

ery inch a runner, a few false notes were bound to creep in when you are trying to dramatize the life of a beloved sports icon (I still haven’t forgotten my dropped jaw at Farhan’s Milkha cavorting with an Australian blonde).

As Toofaan, Farhan’s footwork is bang on, whether it is in the stroppy romance with a girl far removed from his station, the impressive glistening-musclesstraining-in-training scenes, the skilful jousting, complete with the spray of blood, rattled teeth and swollen eye, during the bouts. It is his game, and he is on top. -- Indian Express

Lightscape @ Houston Botanic Garden

coming up a mile off. A meet-cute with pretty local doctor Ananya (Mrunal Thakur, perky, likeable) will lead to, yes, a flutter of hearts.

An encounter with tough, irascible coach Nana Prabhu (Paresh Rawal) will lead to Aziz being put through his paces, and reaching the ring, the hallowed place for all aspiring boxers.

This is where writers Anjum Rajabali and Vijay Maurya (props to the latter for the dialogues, especially the rat-a-tat ‘tapori’ lines) begin inserting twists. Prabhu is a proud Hindu who is convinced

that there’s no difference between ‘Dongri and Dubai’. Calling his uber-talented Musalmaan pupil an unstoppable ‘toofaan’ is one thing; embracing him as a person is unthinkable. The show-mehow-hard-you-can-work-andthen-we’ll-talk grouchy coach is such a tired trope, from ‘Rocky’ to ‘Million Dollar Baby’ to our own ‘Saala Khadoos’, but Paresh Rawal effortlessly freshens it and makes it his own. Mohan Agashe, as his constant companion and old friend who gently steers him towards another way of thinking, is a nice touch. The veteran actor can be a little underlined, but here he doesn’t put a foot wrong. A little girl shows up, and she is, thank the lord, not cutesy.

There are a few things that stick in your craw.

Here comes Aziz, beginning to learn the ropes, and here comes a primer: ‘boxing ek nasha hai; boxing mein six punches hotey hain’ etc and anon. Please, no.

And then there are the songs.

Too many songs, stuffed too close in the second half. Also, giving a character too much time to spew bigotry before he sees the light is a tricky business; actually, using the term ‘love jihad’ for Aziz and Ananya

Houston: Direct from soldout runs in London and Chicago, Lightscape is coming to the Houston Botanic Garden in November 2021 for the holiday season. Set along a beautifully illuminated one-mile trail winding through the Garden, this world-renowned light show features spectacular artistic installations that come to life after dark with color, imagination, and sound.

The enchanting Lightscape illuminations – including installations unique to Texas created by local and international artists – are sure to elicit wonder and joy as they dazzle the senses.

The immersive experience will blend new works with favorites from previous Lightscape installations around the world, including the impressive Cathedral of Light tunnel, a towering arch sparkling with 100,000 twinkling lights.

“Houston Botanic Garden looks forward to sharing with visitors the magic of Lightscape, a new

holiday lights show designed specifically around the natural beauty of Houston’s living museum for plants,” said Claudia Gee Vassar, president and general counsel of Houston Botanic Garden.

Houston Botanic Garden produces Lightscape in association with Sony Music, which amazes millions of people year after year with similar shows in multiple locations across the United Kingdom and internationally, and promoted in partnership with WAD Entertainment. Additionally, Lightscape is creatively produced

by Culture Creative.

Lightscape at the Houston Botanic Garden opens to the public on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, and runs during select dates through Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022.

Tickets went on sale last week.

Advanced tickets start at $23 for adults and $16 for children. Visit hbg.org/lightscape for more information and to purchase tickets.

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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July 23, 2021

COMMUNITY

Indo-American News • Friday, July 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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

Send us the correct answer before July 26, 2021.

Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com and send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

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July 23, 2021

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Natasha Mayekar Weds Rohan Reddy

in English, of various phases, before being proHouston: Natasha nounced man and wife.

Mayekar got married to And then we all adRohan Reddy on July journed for lunch, where 10, 2021. The wedding, it was time to meet and the reception and all the celebrate with friends preceding celebratory whom we hadn’t seen for and religious ceremowhat seemed like years. nies were conducted in Of course, all of this was the most joyful yet safe at safe distances. manner.

After a gap of a few And the happiness that hours, we were back the newlyweds, their in the lobby for hors parents, their families, d’oeuvres before the and friends experienced reception. A jazz trio— (in Houston and in InSaxophone, Guitar and dia) were multiplied Drums—entertained and several times over, as delighted us, while famiif we had discovered lies and friends mingled. that emotionally lush Again, the high spirits and green oasis, after a of having a breather from long trek through a dry the sixteen-month forced desert. isolation was obvious.

Natasha was a gorThis was substantially geous, beaming and enhanced by the blessed demure bride dressed in event that had brought all the finest of bridal dress- Natasha Mayekar weds Rohan Reddy. Photo credit: of us together. es matching the hand- Mir Anwar Studios.

And then came the resomely attired debonair and other ceremonies that have ception, with musical entrances Prince Charming, Rohan. been witnessed and enjoyed by so by the parents of the bride and the Together, side by side, they per- many—at least three generations groom, siblings, family members, sonified the charming couple that of friends and relatives. and then the Newlyweds—Mrs. we often imagine at the end of We experienced all that a joyful and Mr. Natasha and Rohan. stories about noble princesses and Marathi/Indian wedding could be, Family members and friends princes. with prudent practices and expec- hosted the proceedings with brief, Parents of the bridal couple are tations for these times. humorous introductions to speakBeena and Mukesh Mayekar, and Prior to the wedding ceremony ers, dances, songs, and streaming Jalaja and Harikrishna Reddy. there was the Bridal “Kelvan” cer- videos from India that featured They are residents of the same emony, a Bridal Wedding Shower, relatives who could not attend the neighborhood in Sugar Land, Tex- “Haldi” ceremony, followed by wedding in person but, nonetheas, and their children went to the “Mehendi”, and vibrant Sangeet. less, participated virtually! same high school.

And there was the wedding cerThen came cake-cutting and dinPerhaps, Natasha and Rohan’s emony in this splendorous, floral ner, which swiftly transformed romance had its roots in a school mandap that was at the end of into an exuberant dance party, that bus. Or perhaps later, when they a silken, flowery walkway that ended only during the early hours were attended the University of made every entry—Flower Girls, of the next morning.

Texas, Austin. Or perhaps, even family members, and the Bride When we retired for the night/ later, when, after their paths had with Parents—so gloriously gentle morning, we were in that exveered in different directions, and and graceful. Of course, there was hausted post-wedding tranquil they met in Silicon Valley. appropriate Indian music that en- and serene state that wished a Those roots have now grown hanced the atmosphere. continuous, infinite shower of deeper, and the plant has turned This was quickly followed by blessings and best wishes on into a tree, strengthened by the love the wedding ceremony and ritu- Natasha and Rohan, for a long they share and the joyful wedding als in Sanskrit, with explanations and happily married life.

By Pradeep Anand

Hindu Heritage Youth Camp (HHYC): August 3-8

Last Week’s Winners Sanchali Basu, Taranjit Singh, Ramana Vadrevu, Krishna R. Vuddagiri, Varsha Vaidya Last Saraiya, Week’sHemant Winners

Sanchali Basu

Camp Directors: Ranjan Veludandi and Shamal Shah. Camp Councilors: 1st Row (left to right): Medha Koniki, Ruhi Dalal, Khushi Desai, Eesha Patel, Isha Popat, Anaya Karsaliya, Esha Ashar, Riya Parikh, Karthik Reddy; 2nd Row: Keshav Shah, Rahil Dalal, Veda Javalagi, Anagha Patwari, Sara Joshi, Nithya Gehani, Prachi Shah, Shivangi Dixit, Srush’ Gaikaiwari; 3rd Row: Shamal Shah, Hiran Mano, Abhi Bha’a, Mehul Mi+al, Neer Jain, Jay Shah, Aesha Shah, Dylan Mody, Aman Patel, Sarthak Bansal, Prita Kapoor, Ranjan Veludandi; 4th Row: Ajay Ramsunder, Ishan Shah, Yesh Dhruva, Rishi Chandnani, Hemish Shah, Soham Jadhav, Abhishek Pratap, Mythreyan Ganesh, Shiv Mishra, Sahib Chandnani, Akul Bavare, Keya Shah,Shaan Patel.

Indo-American News • Friday, july 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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July 23, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday, July 23, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com