Indo-American News: January 8, 2020

Friday, January 08, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 02

Indo American News

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January 8, 2021

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Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

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Wake Up to an Indo-American Problem

Saratoga Gir Cow Farm

P3 E-Ballots for NRIs

P4 ‘Kaagaz’: Bygone Era

P5 P8

Indo-American News • Friday January 8, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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COMMUNITY

January 8, 2021

How Seniors Can Register for the Corona Vaccine in Houston Area

By Aaron Barker

Houston: As more doses of the coronavirus vaccine arrive in the Houston area, officials are ramping up the process of administering those shots.

Vaccines are only available to people who are eligible under phases 1A and 1B of the state’s distribution plan.

No matter where you live or which group you are in, officials are urging people to practice patience. The demand for the vaccine is outpacing the available supply, and appointments are also quickly filling up. More appointments will become available as supply increases, officials said.

If you are eligible to receive the vaccine, here’s the information provided by government officials about how to register to receive it. Eligible people can also contact

their health care provider directly for information about how to receive the vaccine.

Harris County The Houston Health Department

India Needs 66.6 cr Vaccine Doses

By Yamini Sharma New Delhi: According to the recent calculation performed by the Union Health Ministry, the total number of Covid-19 vaccines required in India is 66.6 crore. Keeping the latest calculation in mind, the government of India needs to invest in the purchase of 111 doses to perform for every 50 patient.

In other words, to perform vaccination of two doses to 30 crore people, the government should have 66.6 crore vaccines against the novel coronavirus. It is to be noted that earlier 60 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were planned for purchase.

All the state governments have been issued guidelines that feature the formula used for estimating vaccine needs at block, state and district levels. It is to be noted that while the wastage percentage varies for different vaccines under the Universal Immunisation Programme, 10% has been fixed for “allowable wastage” for the Covid-19 vaccine. Determination of the wastage multiplication factor (WMF), which determines the estimated number of doses to be purchased, is done using the same.

As per the ministers and experts, the WMF for Covid-19 vaccines is 1.1. If, for instance, the Indian government is purchasing doses for 100 people, it should be first multiplied by 2 (since every person needs to be administered 2 doses). Then, the number, i.e., 200 is multiplied by 1.1, to calculate wastage and finally, reach a total number of doses to be needed. The

said formula is believed to avoid coronavirus disease dosage shortage, even if there is a wastage of doses due to any reason. The formula will only work effectively if logistic, storage, management and administration of Covid-19 vaccines is done efficiently.

The Indian company Bharat Biotech partnered with the National Institute of Virology and the Indian Council of Medical Research to develop an inactivated coronavirus vaccine called Covaxin. India authorized the vaccine for emergency use on Jan. 3, despite a lack of published Phase 3 data showing the vaccine is safe and effective.

Covaxin works by teaching the immune system to make antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The antibodies attach to viral proteins, such as the so-called spike proteins that stud its surface.

To create Covaxin, Bharat Biotech used a sample of the coronavirus isolated by India’s National Institute of Virology.

Once the researchers produced large stocks of the coronaviruses, they doused them with a chemical called beta-propiolactone. The compound disabled the coronaviruses by bonding to their genes.

The inactivated coronaviruses could no longer replicate. But their proteins, including spike, remained intact The researchers then drew off the inactivated viruses and mixed them with a tiny amount of an aluminum-based compound called an adjuvant.

has launched an online registration portal and phone line where people can register for appointments.

Demand has been high and long hold times have been reported for the phone line.

On Jan. 4, the Health Department announced that its Covid-19 vaccine clinic appointments are booked for the rest of the month of January and additional appointments are not being taken at this time. Officials said that as the city’s allocation of doses increases, more appointments will be available.

Online: houstonemergency.org/ covid-19-vaccines Phone: 832-393-4220 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Fort Bend County Fort Bend Health and Human Services has launched an online registration portal where people can register for appointments when they receive shipments of the vaccine.

On Jan. 4, county health officials said that all appointments had been booked and that more appointments would become available as shipments of the vaccine arrive.

Online: fbchealth.org Galveston County Galveston County Health District officials said they will begin administering doses of the vaccine to people who are over the page of 65 by appointment only. Officials said appointments can be made by phone, but supply is limited. For more information about Galveston County’s vaccine supply and required forms, go to gchd.org/ covidvaccine.

Phone: 409-547-4015 (Opens 9 a.m. Jan. 6).

Montgomery County Officials said they do plan to

vaccinate some members of the general public when the vaccine is made available to the county.

Information about how to make an appointment will be posted at mcphd-tx.org when the doses are available.

Brazoria County Officials said vaccine distributions will take place at Brazoria County health clinics once the county receives its shipments of the vaccine. In the meantime, officials are encouraging residents who are eligible to receive the vaccine to check with pharmacies, physicians and urgent care facilities on the availability of the vaccine at those locations.

Residents should follow the latest updates at brazoriacountytx. gov.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has created a map of health care providers that have been provided doses of the vaccine. You can click here (https:// txdshs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ webappviewer/index.html?id=9 1ac7fb5e5fd47e7ada4acfe4a059 20a)to view it. Officials said patients should contact the provider directly to determine the availability of the vaccine. This map is maintained by DSHS. -- Click 2 Houston

Tamils Host Nationalist Thinker Sri Anand Sahu

HTSC Honoring Sri Anand Sahu on December 26th. Left to Right: Attendee, S. Narayanan, Perumal Annamalai, Sri Anand Sahu, Sam Kannappan, Dr. S.G. Appan, Dr. N. Ganesan, Dr. P. Vaduganathan. Not in photo: Tupil Narasiman & Caldwell Velnambi.

Pearland: Houston Tamil Studies Chair (HTSC) hosted the visit of Sri Anand Sahu, from New Delhi, who spent two days in Houston as a part of his USA program. He is a Nationalist visionary thinker and Board member: Ministry of Finance & Labor & Employment, Government of India.

His Houston program, coordinated by HTSC President Sam Kannappan & Board members, included visit to Sri Meenakshi Temple where he was received by Temple Chairman Dhani Kannan, Secretary Partha and Treasurer Bhargavi Golla. HTSC Board made a presentation to Sri Anand

Sahu about the mission of HTSC. Sri Sahu speaks Tamil well and we had good discussions with him seeking his guidance for HTSC mission.

Sam Kannappan presented an appeal letter to Hon. PM Modi ji requesting funds from Govt. of India to establish the endowed Chair at the University of Houston. We were honored that Sri Sahu said he will personally convey this appeal to PM Modi ji. Sri Sahu was conferred with title by HTSC Ambassador – Liaison to New Delhi.

HTSC has received $610,000 in pledges so far, towards the One Million the Phase-1 goal. Tamil

Indo-American News • Friday, january 8, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

Nadu Govt. has honored HTSC with an endorsement and a grant of Rs. One Crore. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister contributed $10,000 from his own personal funds. Now, HTSC is requesting the honor of an endorsement and support from Govt. of India.

Sri Sahu was honored by Mayor of Pearland Hon. Kevin Cole at the event at Kannappan Art Museums. He visited with the Consul General of India Honorable Aseem Mahajan, and had dinner at Indian Summer.

We appeal for support for HTSC. Please contact Sam Kannappan sam.kannappan@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

January 8, 2021

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Saratoga Serendipity: A New Gir Cow Farm & Retreat in East Texas

By Vikas Moharir Houston: When COVID erupted back in February, everything shut down and everyone stayed indoors. We spent endless hours completing Indo-American News’ Sudoku puzzles, and Sharmila Moharir was consistently a Sudoku winner in the March-April-May timeframe.

After completing Sudoku and a 5,000 piece puzzle which was featured in Indo American News, our family looked at each other and said we need to find ways to beat COVID by going outdoors and create a Retreat where people could enjoy the outdoors in a socially distanced setting.

Throughout the summer, we spent every weekend looking for the perfect place to carry out our vision of creating our own Gir Cow Farm and Retreat - a place that fosters wellness where families could spend a peaceful time surrounded by nature in a stress-free, sociallydistanced environment.

We ditched life in a highrise condo in Houston, and acquired an 85-year-old 5-acre farmhouse near the Big Thicket of South East Texas. We gave the property a healthy dose of TLC, cleared the brush, and installed a cattle fence to corral two highly sought after Gir cows.

Our longer term goals include creating a fully-sustainable eco-

system with organically grown produce made with natural fertilizers. Down the road we aim to milk the Gir cows and create pure A2 milk dairy products like ghee, butter, and ice cream.

What’s so special about Gir cows? Girs, indigineous to India, are known around the world to be highly resistant to disease and hot,

stressful conditions- perfect for a quarantine in Texas!. While it does contain lactose, A2 milk is known to be easier to digest than A1 milk and even suitable for some with lactose intolerance.

A2 beta-casein found in the milk Gir cows produce has been linked to less incidence of cardiovascular disease and Type 1 Diabetes. An-

cient Vedic text suggests that the distinct hump found in Zebu breeds like the Gir cow makes the quality of the milk superior.

Cow dung and urine are also a valuable source of natural fuel and fertilizer. Dung patties are used in many Hindu purification rituals involving fire. A burger patty from McDonald’s is less valued than a cow dung patty by some ! Don’t believe me? Check Amazon.

Later we plan to create cottages made with natural materials for couples and small groups to enjoy life’s simple pleasures away from it all.

A visit to the farm now promises a warm reception from the hosts, an encounter with the Gir cow and calf where families can cuddle, pet and feed them, in a safe, secure environment.

Saratoga Serendipity plans to host events on every fourth Saturday of the month for the public to meet our cows, enjoy the farm life in a comfortable, sociallydistanced environment, and take a break from the daily COVID routine. Our Refreshment Stall

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is serving home-made Vada Pav Sandwiches, Chicken Kathi Rolls, and Chai (cash only!)

If some people prefer, they can schedule a private session on the farm for your getaway and encounter with the animals. According to TripAdvisor, we are the #1 attraction in all of Saratoga, Texa Activities: We have swings, lawn chairs, and field game equipment like frisbee, soccer, football, golf, slackline, archery, and you can even try your hand at chopping wood using an Axe !

You are welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and your own field game equipment - let us know what you have in mind!

Discover our growing collection of plant life from bamboo, to flowers, to fruits, herbs, and more - let us know if you have a unique sprout you would like to add to our collection!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Saratoga Serendipity or on SaratogaSerendipity.com for updates on events and new offerings!

Safety: We strongly recommend and endorse safety measures while on the farm including wearing weather appropriate attire, fullsleeves, close-toed shoes, and masks while on the farm.

However there is space to remain socially distanced and relax with your families and trusted circles.

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January 8, 2021

India’s MEA Ministry OKs e-Ballots for NRIs

COMMUNITY

By Bharti Jain New Delhi: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has written to the Election Commission favouring its recent proposal to allow non-resident Indians (NRIs) to vote remotely through electronically-transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS) from their country of residence. However, it has suggested that the poll body hold consultations with all stakeholders before rolling out the facility.

NRIs, as per the current election laws, must cast their vote in person at their respective constituencies in India.

Sources in EC indicated that the poll panel will, as indicated

by MEA, start consultations soon with NRI associations and various ministries and departments that will be involved in the exercise.

The ETPBS facility is already extended to service voters that include members of the Armed forces and para-military forces as well as government employees serving abroad.

EC had, in its November 27 letter addressed to the law secretary, proposed that necessary amendments be made in the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, “at the earliest” to enable the Indian diaspora to vote through postal ballot, adding that it is “technically and administratively ready to extend this facility in general elections to legislative assemblies of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry” due in April-May. There are around 1.17 lakh NRIs registered as voters in the electoral rolls. EC in its letter stated that it has been receiving several representations from the Indian diaspora to facilitate voting through postal ballot since such overseas

electors are not in a position to be present in their polling area as travelling to India for this purpose is a costly affair and otherwise too, they cannot leave their country of residence owing to compulsions like employment, education or other engagements. The protocols associated with Covid-19, have further compounded the problem, it added.

As per EC proposal, an NRI may be issued a postal ballot electronically after he intimates his wish to vote through Form 12 to the returning officer, which must be received at least five days after notification of election. The duly filled up postal ballot – attested by an officer to be appointed by the diplomatic or consular representative of India in the country where the overseas elector is resident -- must be returned by post to the returning officer of the NRI’s constituency in India such that it is received latest by 8 am on the counting day. The Ministry of External Affairs wrote to the EC favouring its proposal.

However the MEA wants the EC to hold consultations with stakeholders before coming to a final conclusion. This would mean that the EC would now hold consultations with NRI associations, the various ministries and departments that would be involved in the process. MEA favours EC’s proposal to give NRIs e-ballots Last month the Election Commission of India approached the government to permit Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to cast their votes through postal ballots. Election Commission tweaks postal ballot procedure for upcoming polls The EC told the Law Ministry that it is technically and administratively ready to extend the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System to NRI voters for the next elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. Currently the NRIs can only cast their votes in their respective constituencies. Rough estimates suggest that there are around 1 crore Indians settled abroad of which 60 lakh are of an eligible voting age.

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COMMUNITY

January 8, 2021

Dr. Arun Gupta: Wake Up to Opioid Addiction Among Indians

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By Manu Shah On 5th July 2020, Ikonkar Manmohan Singh Sandhu, a young 23 year old boy, died from an opioid overdose in Michigan just months before he was to be married. He is by no means an isolated case in the Indian American community.

A small group of doctors are sounding the alarm on the nation’s opioid crisis. Dr. Arun Gupta is one of those who is urging health authorities to wake up to this catastrophe, which is ripping through communities with scant regard for race, gender, educational level or financial standing.

To be fair, before COVID-19 ravaged the country, the growing opioid addiction was giving the nation’s health officials sleepless nights. The pandemic put this issue on the back burner and while more Americans are dying from the virus, it can be just as deadly if left unchecked.

Opioid overdoses have killed more than 70,000 young people annually between the ages of 18-54 for the past five years. In 2011, the CDC reported that overdose deaths superseded auto accident deaths for the first time in 32 states This is now virtually true for all 50 states. The organization also reported that more than 700,000 young Americans have died between 1999- 2017 from poly drug overdose. That number is expected to be as high as one million by the end of 2020. The report further states that, “preventable disease & retroactive analysis show that most of these deaths were unintentional.” Isolation, stress and the depression, that came in the wake of the pandemic is shooting cases through the roof. “Parents are burying their children and children are burying their parents,” says Dr. Gupta.

Dr. Gupta is quick to rid you of the rosy view that Indo American families have been unaffected by this affliction. It is a growing trend in the community, he says, largely due to parents’ unrealistic expectations for their children or the ABCD generation that faces conflicting cultures. What worsens it, is that many are either in denial or wary of seeking professional help for fear of being stigmatized or shunned. These are lives that could have easily been saved, he laments, much like the case of a distant relative who died because the family hesitated to reach out for help or were unaware of the problem.

A physician for 34 years, of which 14 are as a doctor of addiction management, Dr. Gupta has seen enough to be worried. He has been charting the surge in cases throughout the nation for the past decade and is seeing it played out at his doorstep – the rural region of Monroe, Michigan where he runs his private practice.

For 11 years, Dr Gupta was the local prison doctor where he saw

the interplay of drugs and death up close and the ineffectiveness of the administration’s efforts to curb it. This pushed him to change tracks from being a general physician to addiction management.

Rural communities, he observes, are more prone to opioid addiction than urban areas where the population is better educated and have higher paying jobs. The problem is compounded when there is family instability, lack of education, poverty, physical, mental and sexual abuse in childhood, mental illness or addiction both in the family and the patient.

So why are addictive opioids prescribed in the first place and how do they hook us? About 25 years ago, pharma company Purdue, manufacturers of the painkiller Oxycodone, pushed the government to sanction prescribing painkillers for non-cancer related pain. The American Pain Society also classified pain as the fifth vital sign after blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and weight. Statistically, 40% of the country’s population is in chronic pain and many require pain medication to carry out their daily activities or even go in to work.

Addiction starts innocuously enough with a prescription for a painkiller to treat post-surgery or chronic pain as in instances of back pain. Consuming these painkillers diminishes the pain but also brings on a euphoric feeling as it raises dopamine - the brain’s pleasure hormone. Celebrities like Michael Jackson were known to use them before a performance, a term referred to as, “spotlight euphoria.” Additionally, it changes the perception of reality for those dealing with psychological issues such as an inferiority complex or anxiety, these people now start “liking themselves and feeling good.” This altered reality quickly spirals into an emotional and social need followed by dependence and cravings for the painkiller.

The signs of addiction are evident in drastic mood changes, leth-

argy or impaired decision-making, among others. Discontinuing the painkillers could lead to a host of withdrawal symptoms such as chills, tremors, body aches, bone pain, vomiting, diarrhea or irregular respiration. However, Dr. Gupta clarifies that not everyone gets addicted to painkillers and the risk of addiction is only about 10%.

Soon, Oxycodone grew so popular that it began to have, “street value.” When prescriptions ran out, users turned to the streets where it could be obtained illegally. Hustlers began faking health issues to procure and sell these painkillers giving rise to the term “pill-mill.” The cost of one milligram of Oxycontin is one dollar so someone using 1000mg was spending $1000 a day. While insurance took care of legitimate prescriptions, those who were addicted were shelling out their own money. This, of course, was done in connivance with “some doctors who played the game.” Dr. Gupta estimates that about 1000 doctors have been apprehended so far for violating this practice and have “tarnished the image of doctors.”

There is an obvious connection between mental disorders and addictive disorders and its consequences can sometimes be life threatening. Doctors, however, are required by law to treat pain with painkillers even if there is a sense/awareness that this medication could become addictive to the patient. On the other hand, if doctors practice caution in prescribing pain medication, they risk a bad review on their practice, something every doctor understandably wants to avoid.

In 1999, the Center for Disease Control went on record for the first time and shared its report of 4000 young Americans who died from drugs. The government scrutinized the problem and rolled out the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000. For the first time, this law allowed practicing doctors to learn and treat addiction with an FDA approved drug. The law also

stipulated that any practicing doctor could complete an addiction program and receive a X DEA license which would allow them to treat 30 patients per month for a year. If the doctor’s records are found in order, they could treat 100 patients per month. Past President Barack Obama signed a law that would allow some doctors with specific credentials to treat 275 patients a month. This number was controlled to prevent its misuse but sometimes the bestintentioned laws have unintended consequences.

This one did.

Only 4300 doctors in the US can treat 275 patients a month and Dr. Gupta is one of them. It’s a drop in the ocean for the estimated 2040 million people who need help overcoming their addiction. There are more than 100,000 healthcare providers in the country that include doctors, nurses and physician assistants who have the necessary X- DEA credentials to treat opioid use disorders. But less than 20,000 are actively involved in dealing with the growing opioid epidemic in the country. This lack of access to a healthcare provider aggravates the problem leading to more deaths than recoveries.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has not made things easier. There is excessive stress and limited counselling due to the shutdowns and prescriptions cannot be given on the phone without the necessary drug testing.

This explains the rise in overdose deaths and addiction cases in the past nine months.

Apart from flawed policy, the American Society of Addiction states that every doctor who graduates from medical school is required to study addiction management. There are 179 medical schools and approximately 9000 residency programs in the country and not one of them teaches this course. Moreover, addiction management is not considered on par with other areas of medical specialization and neither do insurance companies view addiction

Indo-American News • Friday January 8, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

like other chronic diseases such as blood pressure or diabetes.

In 2002, a drug Buprenorphine was approved for addiction treatment and ten years later another drug Zubsolv made it to treatment plans. These drugs block the opioid receptors in the brain and reduce a person’s craving for the painkiller. Another ingredient in the drug, naloxone, reverses the effects of opioids. Together, they prevent withdrawal symptoms and deter the abuser from snorting or injecting it. Dr. Gupta pairs medication with counselling, and non-addictive medication in cases of insomnia or anxiety. Recovery takes anywhere from six weeks to six months depending on the severity of the addiction, but the struggle to remain clean continues for the rest of their lives.

With death rates from opioid misuse surging, more than 500 laws were enacted in the last 10 years against doctors, pill mills and pharmaceutical companies to curb the problem but this has only exacerbated the issue. Addicts are now forced to go to the streets instead of visiting a doctor for treatment. Dr. Gupta notes that national autopsy results over the last 5 years consistently show that fentanyl, heroin and cocaine are the first three drugs in more than 55% of the people with drug overdose deaths as opposed to prescription medication.

Over the past few years, Dr. Gupta has presented more than 150 talks to schools, doctors, healthcare systems and social organizations like Rotary clubs and the Kiwanis Club to highlight the gravity of the problem and his message that addiction can be cured. He is talking to elected officials to leverage their influence and galvanize the government to rethink the limit of patients and allow greater access to people who want to overcome their addiction.

Addiction, he warns, has become synonymous with a death sentence in this country.

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COMMUNITY

January 8, 2021

Biden Administration Lobbied on H-1B Suspension

Washington DC: A top Indiacentric American business advocacy group has urged the incoming Biden administration to ease the restrictions on H-1B visas and provide green cards to higher education students with science and mathematics degrees to meet the increasing demand for IT professionals in the country.

On December 31, outgoing US President Donald Trump extended a freeze on the most sought-after H-1B visas along with other types of foreign work visas by three months to March 31, affecting a large number of Indian IT professionals who were issued visas by the US government for the fiscal year 2021.

President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, has promised to lift the suspension on H-1B visas, saying Trump’s immigration policies are cruel. “It is more of a legislative issue.

We have basically recommended to the Biden administration, one, is ease up the H-1B (visa), but at the same time, every STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) PhD graduating, should be given a Green Card, so that they stay and contribute from day one as a taxpayer and also to the growth of the economy,� Mukesh Aghi, president of US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum told PTI in an interview. “That’s the position, we still are very supportive of. And I think the sentiment seems to be the same with the Biden administration,� said Aghi, based on the interactions

he has had with members of the Biden Transition Team.

Biden is scheduled to be inaugurated as the 46th US President on January 20.

Responding to a question, Aghi said the number of H-1B visas issued every year should be driven by the market demands.

At this point of time, the current figure of 65,000 H-1B visas in addition to another 20,000 to those foreign nationals with graduation from a US university is quite inadequate to meet the huge demand of IT professionals in the US, he noted.

Currently there is a shortage of 1 million IT professionals in the US. At the same time, he asserted, there is a need to ensure that the local job environment continues.

Supporting the farm laws in India, Aghi said the three new legislations recently enacted are “the right thing to do.�

Today the farmer in India gets

24 cents to a dollar for his produce, he said.

In the era of technology, farmers need to have choices to be able to sell their produce to ‘mandis’ or to be able to sell to other geographies as well.

The farm bill provides farmers with such an option, he explained. “It is just providing choices and in any economy choices are healthy.

At the same time, if somebody is protesting diverse choices, in a peaceful manner, then we support it,� he said.

But at the end of the day, in an agriculture-based economy, one has to figure out how to double the farmers’ income, expand job creation and improve productivity. “We strongly believe the farm bill supports that vision. People will object to it, but that’s normal in a good democracy,� he said.

Aghi said the Covid-19 crisis and the current change in administration in the US provides India an opportunity to look at the Biden

administration in a positive manner. “The crisis with China has brought to India the message that ‘we will not treat you as an equal partner’; sends a message to the leadership in India to look at the Biden Administration in a very, very positive manner,� he said. “It also sends a message to the Biden Administration that with the current scenario, which is a geopolitical one, India can be a reliable partner; India can stand up to the threat of aggressive China, which no other country has stood up to.

Both countries have a common factor here,� Aghi said. “So, I think the current Covid-19 crisis where India can play a strong role in the vaccine production on producing cheaper generic drugs, not only for the US, but worldwide provides an equal partnership. I think India and the Biden administration will reach out to each other and come with some kind of an understanding early on, rather than waiting on and making sure that there is a win-win partnership here,� Aghi said.

US lawmakers on Thursday formally certified Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election -- clearing the way for his inauguration on January 20. Republican Vice President Mike Pence certified the Electoral College count of 306 electors in favour of the Democrat against 232 in favour of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump. The tally followed the disruption of Congress.

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Vinita Gupta: DOJ

Washington DC: Presidentelect Joe Biden is planning to name civil rights activist Vanita Gupta to be the associate attorney general, according to several media reports quoting unnamed sources close to him.

The reports on Wednesday also said that he will name Merrick Garland, a federal appeals court judge, as the attorney general.

Gupta had served as the principal deputy assistant attorney general and head of the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department in former President Barack Obama’s administration when Biden was the Vice President.

She gained fame when straight out of law school she won the release of 38 people, most of them African Americans, who had been wrongly convicted on drug charges in a Texas town by all-White juries. She also got them $6 million on compensation.

She was then working for the Legal Defence Fund of NAACP (National Association of Coloured People).

January 8, 2021

Indo-American News • Friday January 8, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

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8 January 8, 2021 ENTERTAINMENT ‘Kaagaz’: Pankaj Tripathi Shines in Movie of a Bygone Era

By Pallabi Dey Purkayastha Story: In order to keep his bandbaja business afloat, Bharat Lal (Pankaj Tripathi) approaches a local bank in Uttar Pradesh for a loan. Soon after, he realises that his uncle and his sons have declared him legally dead and snatched his share of the piece of land that the family had jointly owned.

Review: When they joke about nasbandi (vasectomy) and the Emergency losing steam, it dawns on you that the setting is late 70s.

And during that remarkable period in the history of India, there lived a man – in a small hamlet in the northern part of the country – who was stripped off his family inheritance by fraudulent means. And the worst aspect of this unfortunate occurrence is that it was his own kin who had declared him legally dead over the tiny fraction of a land he co-inherited with them.

“Aaj se tu humara rishtedaar nahin, hum tere kuch nahin,” warns the aunt, after disclosing the elaborate scam they had subjected him to. Bharat Lal could be jolly, but he is not juvenile. The otherwise unsuspecting man then vouches to fight the estranged family, and the ‘tarik-pe-tarik’ culture that the Indian administrative system had gotten used to. One letter, one hooligan, one police personnel at a time.

In a world where people are grappling with intolerance of all kinds – from religious freedom to the freedom of speech, which

cuts at the root of democracy – the bold and unabashed ‘Kaagaz’ seems to have dropped on Zee5 (and limited single-screen theatres in and around North India) at the right moment. This story, which is loosely based on the life of a man who had met a similar fate back in the day, is one that is sure to evoke a sense of confidence and self-esteem amongst its target audience.

However, the pace of the narrative and its one-dimensional story-telling technique makes it a tedious watch (even at 1 hour, 47 minutes!). And the fact that two

narrators were employed (Salman Khan and Satish Kaushik) to push the diegesis forward, doesn’t help either. For one, the songs and the general treatment mollifies the seriousness of the plot and the audience doesn’t get a sneak-peek into the psyche of a man who’s the laughing stock of his peers, a proverbial loser, who has truly lost it all. An inspiring tale of this magnitude would have flourished under the genre of drama; lacing biography with comedy sure went kaput.

Having said that, all is not grey

about this ambitious film project, and headlining the list of things that are praiseworthy is Pankaj Tripathi. As a musician, he is naïve yet jocund, and of course, a thorough natural at that. As is the case with the rest of his repertoire, Tripathi skates through his transition from a harmless family man to a ruthless rebel who wouldn’t stop at nothing and both the extreme facets of his persona draw you in like a magnet. Such is his grip over the character of Bharat, and that elusive phenomenon called acting. Satish Kaushik dons

two hats for this one – one of an actor and the other, of the director.

While he is his usual amusing self as a morally lose lawyer, it is his direction that disappoints: too lopsided and unimaginative, especially when its coming from a filmmaker of his stature. The parallel characters are feeble compared to the stellar lead that is Pankaj Tripathi and this stark contrast is one of the many reasons ‘Kaagaz’ blows up in smoke.

The essence of the Indian heartland and the era that’s far bygone has been aptly captured by costume designer Sujata Rajain, and Arkodeb Mukherjee’s cinematography is rustic and relevant.

To sum it up, ‘Kaagaz’ could have been the go-to movie for those seeking a burst of inspiration, but it ends up being a unidimensional masterclass on one man’s acting prowess. Not that we are complaining, but the film had the potential to tug at the heart strings. Alas! It was not to be. -Times of India

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OBITUARY

January 8, 2021

Mariam Issa: Compassionate & Generous Houston: With loving memories, Mariam Issa, a Houstonian for more than four decades, passed away on January 3, 2021.

“When you give to others, it is important to give more than what is expected.” These are words that Mariam repeatedly conveyed to her children and grandchildren – words that she learned from her father and passed down as a reflection of her own actions of compassion and generosity.

Mariam was born in Bombay, India in 1940 and migrated to Karachi, Pakistan in 1947.

Her passion for humanitarian efforts began in Pakistan. At a young age, she learned braille so that she could tutor two blind students, who later earned degrees in English.

Mariam’s desire to serve the less fortunate moved with her when she immigrated to the United States. Taking root in the Houston community, Mariam founded many nonprofit organizations and served on numerous non-profit boards – all of which allowed her to continue her unrelenting and unlimited passion for helping those in need. Her tireless and selfless contributions within her community are countless – from assisting refugees in acclimating to their new homes,

to mentoring women entrepreneurs, to organizing a team of Houston health professionals to help burn victims in Pakistan, to delivering hand water pumps, lanterns, and sewing machines to remote Pakistani villages, and many more. Mariam’s compassion and generosity had a significant impact on many lives around the world and will be remembered forever.

Mariam spent the last days of her life surrounded by individuals who cherished caring for her as well as spending time with family and close friends and winning many rounds of Rummikub. Mariam is survived by her daughter Fazila, son-in-law Harindra, grandchildren Mikail and Mischa, as well as many other relatives. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends who take comfort in the fact that she will be joining her loving departed son, Faisal.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Mariam Issa Scholarship Fund. Please make a check payable to APAHA and mail to P.O. Box 1408, Bellaire, Texas 77402 In the memo field, please write The Mariam Issa Scholarship Fund.

Best wishes to the Houston Sikh Sangat on the 354th Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Licensed Agent

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OPINION

January 8, 2021

Atmanirbhar or Atmahatya?

With Biden, Delhi Can Enhance Ties

By Arun Kumar

This was to be a declaration of freedom, telling Covid to Quit India, and declaring ‘Swavaccine is my birthright and I shall have it.’ But just when PM-ji proudly proclaimed that the world will look up to us for winning this war against the foreign virus with Made in Bharat doses, Atmanirbhar began to sound like atmahatya.

An unseemly battle has broken out over the unseemly haste in coopting the 100% desi Covaxin. Call it ‘vaccine hyper-nationalism’. A for Adar is pitted against B for Biotech; storied scientists clash by night, with TV anchors spurring them on to breach the line of all control.

Of course, politicians are living up to their professional messpertise, and are playing politics. This time, they have so much in common with vaccines as well as the controversy.

Trials. In Phase 1, safety against political shenanigans is always a concern. In fact, adverse effects following election are guaranteed regardless of which party’s dose has been administered. Phase 2 is about efficacy. We’d be lucky to get 50% of it from our MPs and MLAs, no matter how many promises they manufactured when telling us to go for them.

As for Phase 3’s scalability, only BJP has injected itself into the required mass levels. But, as in the current vaccine controversy, opponents say that the numbers have been fudged.

Much of the present vax war is over whether immunogenicity can be equated with efficacy. No big data is needed to prove that whatever the shortfall in the latter, politicians display a robust immune response to all allegations.

Mutant strain. The stress caused by dissenters displaying spikes of their own.

Transparency. This is as essential for vaccine data as it is for a sexy blouse. But the powers-that-be seem to have skirted it in the rush to prove Bharatiya prowess. Critics see through this.

Emergency use authorisation. The 1975 Emergency is still a hot potato, and no neta who knows his onions will officially authorise its use. However, all data proves that it is de facto in operation. Emergency use of the vaccine is to save a critical patient; administering unofficial emergency kills the most patient democracy.-- Bachi Karkaria in Times of India

When Joe Biden takes the oath of office as the US’s 46th president later this month, he would be taking charge of a nation embroiled in a health crisis, economic crisis and race crisis. The priorities induced by these crises will dictate that the new administration’s initial focus be on domestic matters. Foreign policy will have to play second fiddle, and this could inform the Biden administration’s stance on India in the economic and commercial domain.

A major geopolitical reality that will shape the Biden administration’s approach to India will be its position towards China. There is a bipartisan change in the US’s attitude to China. The Biden administration’s tone of engagement may be different from that of the Trump regime, but one must expect continuity in major trade goals — reducing the trade deficit, ensuring a level-playing field, reducing market distortions created by the dominance of state-owned enterprises and keeping a keen eye on technology rivalry.

One can thus see immediate parallels in the concerns of the two countries — invigorating the domestic economy and dealing with a rising rival. These concerns can translate into opportunities for both countries.

Domestically in the US, and in India, healthcare and job creation need to be priorities. Healthcare is clearly an area that India can play up in bilateral relations, with its vaccine and pharma manufacturing capacity. The COVID-19 pandemic offers significant opportunities for the new administration to strengthen global health leadership. The two countries can also work with multilateral agencies across the spectrum of vaccine development, logistics and distribution.

India produces around 20 per cent of the global requirement for generic drugs by volume and every third tablet of generics consumed in the US. The President-elect has indicated his commitment to providing better and affordable healthcare. This could be an opportunity for the Indian pharma sector to

play a role in reducing health costs of the American consumer. And, India can benefit from advancements in medical technologies, devices, new medicines and R&D capabilities, presenting opportunities for American companies.

Trade and exports are critical for the expansion of job creation.

Biden has set an ambitious target for US-India trade and there’s quite a distance to go in this respect. Some sectors could be natural focus areas. Businesses in both countries are also aligned to diversify their manufacturing supply chains. This portends well for the creation of employment in manufacturing. An area where strategic considerations and imperatives of job creation converge is defence, especially since India has been designated a Major Defence Partner of the US. Infrastructure will need to become an increased area of focus in both countries. For the US, this can mean opportunities in India in transportation, power and other urban amenities. The US’s renewed focus on climate change should lead to greater cooperation with India in energy-related areas, from more efficient energy dissemination and management (such as smart grids) to renewable energy technologies. There is potential to enhance mutual

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opportunities in the 5G tech sector. Increased partnership between the two nations can accelerate the development of technology solutions, promote vendors in the 5G open ecosystem and drive economic growth. The two countries should engage in shaping the rules of a new order in this space. This also has an important strategic element related to infrastructure and connectivity, when seen in the light of developments in the IndoPacific as well as China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

We should expect a return to multilateralism once the Biden administration assumes office. The Trans-Pacific Partnership aimed to create a rules-based order that all parties could subscribe to. With the ascendancy of the Indo-Pacific paradigm and the Quad and Quad Plus, a successor to the TPP could include a wider canvas. For India, this could mean cooperation beyond defence and security, including economics, technology and developments pertaining to the regional order.

Finally, I would hope that the economic and commercial dimension is treated with as much priority as the strategic dimension. Both governments should embrace the prosperity-creating potential of such an approach-- Indian Express

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Send us the correct answer before January 13, 2021 Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

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January 8, 2021

11

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Hari Mirch De Pakore

(FRIED GREEN CHILLI FRITTERS) What could be more tempting for the typical Indian palate than fried food and hot, hot chilli pakoras? One thing is for sure, so many Indians love hot, spicy food that there are contests even for the hottest chilllies in the country. Chillies come in many colors – green, purple, yellow, orange - depending on the variety.

When dried almost all will turn to red, and have more concentrated sugars and lose their fresh, grassy scent, especially the green ones.

Chillies originated in the West Indies and quickly spread elsewhere.

There are about 300 known species of chillies, and they all contain the active ingredient capsaicin which affects the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart. Capsaicin causes the heat that stimulates the palate and increases blood circulation which makes the body sweat, which in turn has a cooling effect. This is why chillies are so dominant in tropical areas.

The flavor and heat levels (indicating the concentration of capsaicin) of different types of chillies is addictive as endorphins are released to deal with the heat. Some chillies produce rapid, sharp sensations at the back of the throat while others ignite a lingering, low-intensity burning on the tongue and middle palate.

Generally, the smaller the chilli or thinner the skin, the more intense it will probably be.

The seeds and membranes contain the most capsaicin, a peppery compound produced by ripening chillies to ward off insects that attack the fruit and bush. Capsaicins can spread very easily through casual contact and can burn sensitive skin areas and damage your eyes, so gloves should be worn when cutting chillies.

Drinking water will only intensify the burning sensation in your mouth; instead, breathe through your nose and take some salt, milk, yoghurt, cucumber or mint leaves.

Chickpea flour is also called besan and come from dry roasted garbanzos (or chickpeas) which is then ground.

Besan is high in carbohydrates, but contains no gluten and has a higher protein content than other flours.

To most people, pakoras (or pakore) are an inexpensive fried snack that combines the flavor of a vegetable, fish or chicken with a spicy batter and is eaten with some chutney, and served mostly as an appetizer. In many Indian cities, it is eaten as a snack, often from a hawker stand on the street corner or from the neighborhood halwai (pastry cook),

mirch (red pepper) coming hot, straight from the boiling cauldron, Ingredients: • 1.5 cups besan (chickpea flour) • 1 1/2 cups pani (water), enough to make running paste • 1 dozen hari mirchi (green chillies) • 1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder • ½ tsp namak (salt) • ½ tsp lal mirch (red pepper) • 1 tsp amchoor (mango powder) • Spices to taste: namak (salt), lal Directions: 1. Wash the chillies and then towel dry them. You can leave the stems on.

2. Combine the spice ingredients in a small bowl.

3. Cut a sit lengthwise in each chilli and stuff a small amount of the spices in them and set aside.

4. Mix in namak and mirch into 1.5 cups of besan and water till it becomes a soft, running paste.

5. Heat the oil in a karahi (wok).

Throw in a small dab of batter to make sure the oil is very hot. Take a chilli, dip it into the batter to coat it then release it into the hot oil.

Keep doing this till the surface of the oil is covered with battered pieces.

6. When one side is slightly brown, turn it over using a sieved spatula and turn over a few times to make sure both sides are cooked. Be careful that they do not become dark brown. Take them out and place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.

7. Mirchi pakoras are best when served hot with some tomato ketchup or mint chutney.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the oldfashioned 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 DON’T MAKE PAK O R A S IN VERY HOT OIL For most Indians who were brough t up of

the favorite activiti in the Old Country es on a damp, cool , on have a cup of tea ra iny Monsoon day e (some prefer mas is to ala chai) with strai cauldron hot pako ght off the ras and samosas.

What starts out as soon turns into a fu a llover some delight fledged, stomach filling and satisfy snack ful conversation wi ing meal th friends and fam But when making ily. of the oil in the ka the pakoras, be sure to moderate the heat dai (or wok). If yo u etables in very ho t oil, then the pa slide in the battered vegkoras will immed dark brown and iately turn will sure the oil is mod lose their appeal. For best resu lts, erately hot by testi ng with a few drop make ter before. s of bat-

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January 8, 2021

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