Indo-American News: August 4, 2023

Members of the

Executive Committee (from left) K.C. Mehta, Dr. Sangeeta Sakia, Dr. Arusha Bavare, Shephali Kadia and Harish Katharani (Dr. Prasant Gajwani was absent)

Indian Doctors Charity Clinic Finds a Modern, New Home at GSH

By Jawahar Malhotra

houston: It’s a dream that became a reality through the perseverance and devotion of a few people who believed in helping those in medical distress.

As such projects go, it started with a vision to help others who couldn’t afford simple medical treatment. It touched the hearts of the husband and wife doctor team of Dr. Suresh and Sunita Moonat who started the embryonic Indian Doctors Charity Clinic in March 1999 in a leased space in a building on Bintliff Dr off Bellaire Blvd. behind Fire Station 51.

For 7 years, the Moonats traveled every weekend from their home in The Woodlands to volunteer at the small clinic and encouraged others from the Indian Doctors Association to spend a few hours there too. Word spread of the free clinic that served as a lifeline for many from the Gulfton area and other Desis who had no insurance or resources for first line diagnostics.

To help guide it along, Gopal Rana became its treasurer from 2005 through 2009 and K.C. Mehta joined as the Secretary in 2006. Mehta, an IT specialist with his own company, has stayed on since then and has later become its President and chief guide for the ensuing years.

From 2007 through 2010, Dr. Rakesh Mangal was the President, and later from 2008 to 2016, Dr.

K.T. Shah took over. In 2012 the clinic moved to a small second floor space Mehta found in an office building across from Bellaire General Hospital near South Rice in Bellaire. Long lines of patients usually snaked through the corridors every Saturday as there was only a tiny waiting room.

Dr. Shah retired in 2017 due to health reasons but not before convincing Dr. Kiran Gandhi to become the new Medical Director. As Dr. Gandhi was only interested in volunteering at the clinic, all other non-medical tasks were taken care by K.C. Mehta.

The IDCC stayed in Bellaire till October 2022 when it lost its lease and Mehta once again scouted for another location. He was able to negotiate a lease with the Gujarati Samaj Houston Center on West Bellfort and the Beltway. Construction of the 1,800 sf secondfloor space finished in April this year, with a soft opening on May

6.

The new clinic is a far cry from the simple, small space that it started in. Now it boasts five exam rooms, including the Eye Clinic and a spacious 1,000 sf waiting room for the anticipated patient demand. The furniture was donated by Sugar Land Methodist Hospital through the efforts of Dr. Sangeeta Sakia. The clinic has new computers with Electronic Medical Records Software for paperless transactions, online appointments and volunteer registrations.

To run the day-to-day clinic operation, in January, a Medical Executive Committee was formed composed of Dr. Arusha Bavare, Dr. Sangeeta Sakia, Dr. Prashant Gajwani, K.C. Mehta and Treasurer Harish Katharani. The annual operating budget for the IDCC is $50K to $60K.

“In order to recover the investment made in the new clinic, I contacted many community members

to sponsor the exam rooms in the loving memory of Dr. K.T. Shah”, explained K.C. Mehta. He was able to get the generous support from 8 sponsors: Dr. Ragini Lakhia, Dr. Samir & Swati Joglekar, Dr. Nilesh and Dr. Dipti Bavishi, Ramesh and Sudha Parikh, Dr. Arusha Bavare,Dr. Sangeeta Sakia (Tripathy Family), Dr. Suresh and Dr. Sunita Moonat and the Indo American Forum of Fort bend, each of whom pledged $10,000.

Mehta also got a generous donation of $20,000 from Panna Bhatia representing the now closed nonprofit, Friends Helping Friends.

IDCC also receives regular support from the Indian Doctors Association, the Indo American Charity Foundation and the Rotary Club of Spring Branch. Generous donations were also received from the family of the late Gopal Savjani and from Col Raj and Kanwal Bhalla.

To show its appreciation for all

its donors, supporters and sponsors, the IDCC held an event in the large foyer of the GSH Center on Saturday, July 15 over a delicious lunch catered by Indian Summer restaurant for 150 guests.

They all got a tour of the new clinic and heard from K.C. Mehta, and other Committee members about the history of the IDCC and the plans for the future. Dr. Bavare presented the path going forward for the clinic and explained how to use the website to get appointments and to volunteer. Dr. Vasvani Malineni explained the eye clinic operation and future projects. Dr. Gandhi was honored with a making a difference community Award for her tireless services to IDCC.

In closing, they heard a touching tribute to Dr. K.T. Shah, from his daughter Gopi Shah, for whom the clinic was the final chapter of devotion in his life.

EGGMANIA! -- Masala Grand Opening of Eggcentric Restaurant

houston: Houston’s newest mania is EGGMANIA! The EggCentric restaurant franchise originating from New Jersey finally hit the Mahatmi Gandhi District with a trendy boutique restaurant at the corner of Hilcroft & 59. Last Sunday July 30th, the four partners Ilesh Patel, Buland Patel, Hemal Patel, and chef Ankit Patel opened EGGMANIA with a bang Masala Style Grand Opening with music, confetti, tents, balloons, and a surprise Egg Hunt! Franchise Owner Anup Sharma said “I have opened many stores, but none with this level of energy & excitement – the Masala Crew Rocks, must have Sunil Thakkar and the Crazy Masala Crew for my next Irving Store Opening in 6 months!”.

All four partners and their glowing wives were on site to welcome the officials of the Ribbon Cutting, Houston City Council Member Edward Pollard and Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers. Pollard spoke passionately that “ small businesses were the foundation of the City especially Eggmania with its modern design and ethnic flavors

to enhance Houston’s diverse scene. They both tried several dishes and beemed “two thumbs up!! Eggmania indeed has a vast menu that has numerous menu items for Vegetarians (Paneercentric), Eggetarians, and Chickentarians in the form of burji’s, wraps, sandwiches, biryani’s & curries. Customers only had raving reviews, especially for the most popular dishes Egg Burji, Surti Gotala, and the rich Cold Coco – a chocolate drink brewed for 3 hours and chilled for 24 hours before serving. Buland Patel added “We were overwhelmed by the positive response from our Houston community, we are happy to have created a modern family friendly restaurant with the authentic flavors we all grew up with!”

Sharma – although originally Rajasthani – grew up in Surat, Gujarat’s epicenter for spicy, tasty Gujarati food. He first opened Eggmania in Jersey in 2013 and Edison in 2015, and then took a 6 year sabbatical to painstakingly perfect his franchise model. The spices & curry mixes are all made from the same factory in Surat to

maintain 100% consistency across the country. Locally sources fresh eggs, paneer, chicken, chilis and cilantro give the dishes their freshness. Any dish can be made Mild, Medium, Spicy, or “Surti Spicy! Eggmania is open 7 days a week 11:30 AM – 9:30 PM, and until 10:30 PM THU-SAT at 6688 Southwest Fwy @ Hilcroft. Call (832) 251-7200 or see their awesome menu at eggmania.com.

Swami Mukundananda Lecture Series: Aug 5-18

houston: Swami Mukundananda, a world-renowned teacher of Spirituality, Yoga & Meditation, will conduct two different programs from August 5 (Sat.) – August 18 (Fri.) in Houston.

Swami Mukundananda received his degrees in Engineering and Management from two world famous institutes in India- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) respectively. However, the call of God was so strong that after a short while on a successful corporate executive career path, he renounced his professional career to take Sanyas at age 23 in quest for God-realization and

has subsequently dedicated his life for the last 40 years for the welfare of humanity. Details of the Event:

From August 5 - 11 (Sat to Fri) -

daily discourse at India House at 8888 W Belfort Ave, Houston, TX 77031 from 6:45pm9pm. Topic: Golden Rules for Living your Best Life

From Aug 12 – 18 (Sat to Fri)

- daily discourse at Durgabari Auditorium, 13944 Schiller Road, Houston, TX 77082 from 6:45 pm - 9 pm. Topic: Bhagavad Gita – The Song of God.

Admission to program is Free and Dinner Prasadam will be served after discourses. Free Registration at https://www. jkyog.org/Houston

Contact 281-630-5982, 281780-4877, 832-377-6070

Please Join and enhance your life’s journey.

75 Days of Hope: BAPS Hosts Blood Drive in NJ

roBBinsville, nJ: BAPS Charities, in collaboration with local hospitals and organizations, proudly announces the commencement of a blood donation drive at the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey. This extraordinary event will last for over ten weeks, making it one of the largest blood drives in the state. With an ambitious target of collecting no less than 6,000 pints of blood, the drive has the potential to impact and save up to 18,000 lives.

The blood drive welcomes all eligible donors and invites participation from the local Robbinsville community and those living across North America. Anticipating a substantial turnout, organizers expect thousands of donors to come from nearly every corner of the USA and Canada. The donated blood will be distributed to hospitals and organizations within the region. Notable partners supporting this noble cause include the MillerKeystone Blood Center, New Jersey Blood Services, RWJBarnabas Health, Vitalant, and The American Red Cross, who have joined hands with BAPS Charities to ensure the sustainability and success of this life-saving initiative.

For more information about how you can participate in the blood donation drive, please visit the BAPS Charities website at bapscharities.org

September 8, 2023

Akshaya Patra announces famous celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor to Houston at Kiran’s Restaurant

Akshaya Patra to host celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor with renowned Houston chef Kiran Verma for a superb afternoon of delicious food, fun and fundraising.

Akshaya Patra provides 2+ Million hot mid day lunches at 20,000+ government schools in 15 states and 2 territories across India. Join us in helping raise the funds for this noble and worthy cause.

Venue: Kiran’s Restaurant, 2925 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77098

For Tickets & Donations: www.tinyurl.com/ chefkapoor, www.apusa.org/events

Houston Contact: Ashok Shah 832-518-9938, Janardan Thakkar: 713-249-4256

Southwest National Bank Presents Scholarships for High School Seniors

houston: Southwestern National Bank congratulates the 2023 Southwestern National Bank Scholars for their outstanding achievements and dedication to their communities. This scholarship program has been running for the 18th consecutive year and is a testament to the bank’s unwavering commitment to empowering young minds who will lead us toward a brighter future tomorrow.

Each of the five scholars selected for the $1,000 scholarship has demonstrated academic excellence, participated in extracurricular activities and community services, and has financial needs,

highlighting the bank’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals worthy of this recognition and support.

Below are the 2023 SWNB Scholars:

1. Andrew Chen – University of Florida – Public Health / Pre Heath

2. Efeomo Ehimuh - University of Texas at Austin – Business Finance / Accounting

3. Lauren Chen- Texas A&M University – Genetics

4. Nicholas Ng-University of Texas at Austin - Biochemistry

5. Nitya Kodali -Vanderbilt University – Neuroscience and MHS

Consulate General of India

JOB VACANCY

The Consulate General of India, Houston invites application for the post of Chauffeur cum Messenger from the applicants who are either US citizens or permanent residents, residents with valid appropriate visa or valid work permit.

Interested candidates may send their application and resume along with all supporting documents (for educational qualification/passports/visa/work permit etc.) latest by 11 August, 2023:

• by email to: hoc.houston@mea.gov.in

• or by post to:

Head of Chancery Consulate General of India

4300 Scotland Street, Houston, Texas 77007

For further details visit the Consulate website: www.cgihouston.gov.in

832-766-6662

An award ceremony was held

American Bank Opening New Location in Frisco

Frisco, texas: American Bank of Dallas continues to expand with the opening of a new branch in Frisco on Monday, August 7. This becomes the bank’s third location, joining the main office on West Northwest Highway in Dallas and its branch in Irving’s Valley Ranch Neighborhood.

plained Chairman Patel. “That’s very important for small business owners who need to move at the speed of business rather than the speed of bureaucracy.”

Dallas suburb of Grapevine that consists of six prominent Asian American business leaders – Chirag Patel, Daxesh Patel, Mehul Patel, Mital Patel, Sanjay Patel, and Yogi Patel.

“Since being acquired by Bright Force Holding in 2019, we have grown from $55 million in assets to more than $400 million in assets by focusing on ‘boutique banking’ that delivers personalized service and innovative solutions for both business and consumer customers,” said Jeff Weaver, President and CEO of American Bank.

Chairman of the Board Chirag “Chuck” Patel added, “As one of the country’s fastest-growing community banks, it’s very appropriate for American Bank to now bring our convenient and competitive style of banking to Frisco, one of the country’s fastest-growing communities.”

To celebrate its new branch location, American Bank is offering a special “grand opening” interest rate of 6% APY on new six-month Certificates of Deposit (CDs) opened at any of its locations during the month of August.

American Bank offers a full range of commercial and consumer services, including SBA and commercial real estate loans, auto loans, business financing, as well as business and personal deposit account options.

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“Many people feel disconnected with the routine impersonal service they receive at large banks, so we’ve changed that by creating a community bank that’s big on service -- where customers are known by their names, not their account number,” explained Weaver.

Located at 3382 Preston Road in Frisco, the new branch will be managed by Stephanie San Miguel, who has almost 25 years of banking experience in management positions with community banks as well as regional and national banking institutions.

“We’re locallyowned and managed, which allows us to make faster loan decisions, avoiding the rigid policies and delays typically associated with larger banks,” ex-

The bank was established in May of 1974 as Pan American National Bank of Dallas, changing its name to American Bank in May of 1987. It was acquired in March of 2019 by Bright Force Holding, an investment group based in the

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Kaushika Shah Licensed Sales Agent 832-282-3515, TT Y 711

These six investors are partners in NewcrestImage, a privatelyheld investment firm that currently owns an extensive portfolio of diversified real estate and alternate assets, including approximately 70 hotels across 26 states.

American Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). For more information, visit www.abdallas. bank

American Bank – Board of Directors: (L to R) Mehul Patel, Mital Patel, Chirag Patel, Jeff Deaver, Daxesh Patel, Sanjay Patel, Yogi Patel.