Friday, July 15, 2022 | Vol. 41, No. 28
July 15, 2022
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Indo American News
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Published weekly from Houston, TX
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Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News
2470 Dairy Ashford, Houston, TX 77077 • 713.789.NEWS (6397) • indoamericannews@yahoo.com
Auspicious Groundbreaking for Unique SDKKM Temple
India to Overtake China
P4 Houston Cricket Festival
P8 SEE ARTICLE ON PAGES 2-3, PHOTO COLLAGE ON PAGES 6-7.
WEDDINGS, SPECIAL EVENTS, TENTED EVENTS, OUTDOOR COURTYARD
3 3 3 0 F M 1 4 6 3 | K a t y, T X 7 7 4 9 4 | 8 3 2 . 8 5 5 . 5 5 2 0 | p a l m r o y a l v i l l a . c o m
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COMMUNITY
July 15, 2022
Auspicious Groundbreaking Ceremony for Unique SDKKM Temple
Beautiful lady volunteers in their gorgeous ceremonial sarees with Dr. Bishnupada Volunteers for Bipadtarini Puja preparation on July 1st. Goswami.
By Sanchali Basu Houston: It was an auspicious and glorious hot summer day in Houston, fourth largest city of United States, when the groundbreaking ceremony of the Shiv Durga Krishna Kali Mandir (SDKKM) was held on the hallowed grounds, adjacent and east of 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd home for Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha temple in Bear Creek, TX. This temple is the brainchild of Dr. Bishnupada Goswami who was the former priest of Houston Durgabari Temple. It has been his vision to open this temple for a long time and soon it will be coming to fruition. The ceremony started around 9:30 AM when emcee Ms. Sanchali Basu welcomed dignitaries and devotees in the makeshift canopy where all arrangements had been beautifully done for the Groundbreaking Ceremony (Bhoomi Puja). In Hindu tradition, Groundbreaking Ceremony or Bhoomi Puja is a ritual performed in honor of Goddess Bhoomi (Mother Earth) and Vastu Purush, the god for construction of structure and building fit for dwelling of gods, avatars and humans. The Puja is believed to eradicate all the ill effects and Vastu doshas in the land and pave the way for a smooth construction. This ceremony was followed by Bipadtarini Puja to dispel evils currently plaguing the World. The dignitaries in attendance included Dr. Arun Verma, Judge Lina Hidalgo representative Ms. Ashley San Miguel, Consul General Mr. Aseem Mahajan representative Mr. Girish Mehta, Pandit Suman Ghosh, Mr. Narinder Sehgal, and Mr. Bal Sareen. Beautiful lady volunteers in their gorgeous ceremonial saris with baran samagree plates welcomed them with ceremonious sacred chanting, tilak on the forehead, thread around the wrist, and an auspicious lamp to ward off all evil. Each distinguished guest was
presented with designer silver salver, uttariya (shawl), and a plaque as mementos of this auspicious celebration. In the Hindu tradition, all guests are considered to be divine: Atithi devo bhava. Ms. Ashley San Miguel, who was representing Judge Lina Hidalgo of Harris County, read the proclamation that highlighted the mission and vision of this unique temple SDKKM. The excerpts from the Proclamation included, “WHEREAS, the mission of SDKKM is to provide the best central facility for worship by devotees and a resource center to perform various Hindu religious rites and ceremonies, including 16 sacraments and SDKKM also sustains and expands roots of Hindu heritage and Hindu culture along with the understanding of true Indian history and Hindu philosophy, including assisting charitable organization across the globe during the times of need; and…..”. The Proclamation was handed over to Mr. Champak Sadhuone of the founders of this Organization. Pt Suman Ghosh created a divine ambience with his invocatory Bhajan. Chief Priest Dr. Bishnupada Goswami started the Bhoomi Puja while associate priest Dr. Debashis Bandhyopadhaya performed the Chandipath and Havan. Ms. Sanchali Basu introduced all the dignitaries. They were then requested to participate in the Bhoomi Puja activities. Continued on Page 3 Indo-American News • Friday, July 15, 2022 • www.indoamerican-news.com
COMMUNITY
July 15, 2022
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(L to R) : Dr. Debashis Bandhyopadhaya, Ms. Sanchali Basu, Mrs. Aparna Goswami, (L to R) : Mrs. Shashikala Ghosh, Pt. Suman Ghosh, Mrs. Ashley San Miguel, Mr. Champak Dr. Bishnupada Goswami, Dr. Arun Verma, Mr. Champak Sadhu, Mrs. Vinodini Verma, Smt. Vrnda_Didi of Vrindavan, Mrs. Ashley San Miguel Sadhu
Golden shovels used for the groundbreaking ceremony. Continued from Page 2
The intoxicating accompanying beat of the dhaak by Mr. Shyamal Bhattacharya, dhol by Mr. Arup Karmakar, and kansar ghanta by Mr. Smaran Das made the Puja complete. Offerings were made in the construction pit that was dug in the ground. It started with haldi, kumkum, kalash (small metal pots), flowers, milk, honey, incense, sweets, and water that were all offered in worship of Goddess Mother Earth along with the breaking of the coconut. All dignitaries were handed bricks to be laid in the ground to make the foundation of the temple, symbolizing the creation of a strong base for all members of the community to bond and come together to worship in a place that promotes harmony, peace, and tranquility. Finally, the dignitaries were handed a golden shovel to cover the pit with dirt as a marker for leveling the site. The puja concluded with the symbolic homa ceremony, also known as havan or votive ritual, where offerings are made to the sacred sacrificial fire in an open pyre. Mr. Champak Sadhu, the chief organizer, offered a vote of thanks expressing his heartfelt gratitude to all the dignitaries, contributors, donors, Gaudiya Matha for their collaboration, well-wishers, attendees, and most importantly, volunteers. Without their devotion, dedication, and commitment this ceremony wouldn’t have been a success. This was followed by the Bipadtarini (considered as one of the 108 Avatars of the goddess Durga, Bipadtarini is prayed to for help in overcoming troubles and dispelling the evils) Puja was performed in the main Gaudiya Matha temple. Arrangements had been made for breakfast and lunch on the temple grounds. The lunch was sponsored by Narin’s Bombay Brasserie. Approximately 300 people attended this auspicious celebration despite being the long July 4th weekend. All are excited and looking forward to the smooth successful completion of the temple design and construction soon. Should one need any additional information, Dr. Bishnupada Goswami 832-367-6646 is the contact person.
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INDIA
July 15, 2022
India to Overtake China’s Population New York: India is on track to overtake China as the planet’s most populous country next year, according to a U.N. report published on Monday. The report, from the population division of the U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said China and India were each home to over 1.4 billion people in 2022. “India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country during 2023,” the U.N. said. The Indian government’s census for 2011 put the country’s population at more than 1.2 billion. “The global human population will reach 8.0 billion in mid-November 2022 from an estimated 2.5 billion people in 1950,” according to the U.N.’s report. Looking further ahead, the U.N. said its latest projections showed the global population could reach roughly 8.5 billion in 2030 and 10.4 billion in 2100. Last year, the U.N. said that the “average fertility” of the planet’s population amounted to 2.3 births per woman across a lifetime. This compares to approximately 5 births per woman in 1950, according to Monday’s report. “Global fertility is projected to decline further to 2.1 births per woman by 2050,” it said. The U.N.’s report was released on World Population Day. In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the day represented “an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health
that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates.” “At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another,” Guterres said. With a huge population and a major economy, India’s need for resources in the years ahead will become increasingly pressing. On Monday, Reuters, citing information from Refinitiv and trade sources, said June saw the country’s coal imports reach “a record high.” The deal reached at the COP26 climate change summit in Nov. 2021 faced stumbling blocks related to the phasing out of coal, fossil fuel subsidies and financial support to low-income countries. India and China, both among the world’s biggest burners of coal, insisted on a lastminute change of fossil fuel language in the Glasgow Climate Pact — from a “phase out” of coal to a “phase down.” After initial objections, opposing countries ultimately conceded.
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July 15, 2022
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MiLC at Moosa’s Houston Cricket Festival
Pasadena, CA: Minor League Cricket (MiLC) announced today that the Houston area’s inaugural Cricket for the Community Festival will take place on Sunday, July 24 at Moosa Stadium, America’s newest accredited international cricket venue located in Pearland, TX. The event is free for all fans to attend. The community day of cricket will feature the Lone Star Athletics hosting local rivals the Houston Hurricanes in the Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship (MiLC) presented by Sunoco, with the game set to start at 2.30 PM CST. The Athletics feature two of the leading batters in MiLC from the 2021 season, Nitish Kumar and Jannisar Khan, while the Hurricanes’ roster includes USA National Team star Ali Khan and West Indian international Ashley Nurse. Prior to that, fans can enjoy seeing the Dallas Mustangs take on the St. Louis Americans in a morning matchup set to start at 10.30 AM CST. The Mustangs feature bighitting New Zealand star Corey Anderson, while the Americans’ attack is led by South Africa’s Jus-
tin Dill. Fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet with international star cricketers, enjoy food from local food trucks, music, giveaways and other entertainment including fan activations from Toyota and Sunoco. Young fans will have the opportunity to take part in a cricket clinic at 1.30 PM. New fans of the game will have the opportunity to learn about the world’s second most popular sport in a special “Cricket 101” fan zone. Registra-
tion for the event is encouraged at www.minorleaguecricket. com/Houston. Gates will open at 10 AM. Moosa Stadium, located at 5515 McKeever Rd #100, Pearland, TX 77584, officially became the second One Day International accredited ground in the United States this year, and hosted twelve One Day Internationals in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 in May and June. “The Houston Cricket for the Community Festival will be a fantastic opportunity for fans to come out to see rising local talent and established international stars take the field at Moosa Stadium,” said the founder and owner of Moosa Stadium, Sakhi Muhammad. “The day will be filled with fun activities for all the family, with the chance to meet-and-greet with star players, enjoy local food and music, and much more. We look forward to welcoming the area’s cricket community to Moosa!” The action at Moosa Stadium will take place on the fifth weekend of play for the Toyota Minor League
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SPORTS
July 15, 2022
Dallas-based Arun Agarwal on TxEDC
Austin:ArunAgarwal, CEO of Dallasbased, home textile company NEXTT, has been named to the Texas Economic Development Corporation’s (TxEDC) Board of Directors this week. Governor Greg Abott tapped Agarwal, along with eight other Texas execs, to market the state nationally and across the world as a place to relocate a business and create new jobs. “This is a tremendous honor for the Indian-American diaspora in the United States,” said Agarwal, who also serves as the chair of the India American CEO Council and president of the Dallas Parks and Recreation Board. “The Governor realizes the tremendous power our community holds in this country as the hardest-working, highest-earning ethnic minority, and, together, we hope to make Texas the most successful hub for small and large business owners in the world.” “Their efforts will be instrumental in amplifying the success of TxEDC in promoting Texas as a premier business destination,” Ab-
bott said. Arun Agarwal of Dallas has business interests in textiles, cotton trading and real estate. Additionally, he is a board member of the U.S. India Friendship Council, Executive Board UT Dallas, Texas Tech Innovation HUB at Research Park, Big Brothers Big Sisters International and MD Anderson Board of Visitors. He is also a volunteer for CHETNA and the Liv-
ing Dreams Foundation. Agarwal received a Master’s in Business Administration from IMT - Ghaziabad, a Master’s in Computer Information Systems from Southern New Hampshire University and an Advanced Certificate in International Business from Harvard University Governor Abbott has made nine appointments to the TxEDC Board of Directors for terms set to expire at the pleasure of the Governor. The corporation is the private side of a publicprivate partnership with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development & Tourism tasked with marketing Texas, domestically and globally, as the best state for business. “Even though the Lone Star State has enjoyed a strong track record of economic success for more than a decade, TxEDC and its board will be looking for new, cutting-edge ways to promote Texas as the premier location for business,” said Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Texas EDC.
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ENTERTAINMENT
July 15, 2022
ZEE5 Global: Exciting ‘Saas Bahu’ to ‘Rangbaaz’ ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest platform for South Asian content, has geared up to deliver an exciting range of shows and movies across languages and genres this month. With Sona Mohapatra’s unapologetic documentary Shut up Sona already streaming on the platform to Kangana Ranaut starrer actionpacked film Dhaakad and the original Series Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt. Ltd. starring Amruta Subhash, this month’s content slate is going to be exhilarating for the viewers. Diving deep into the coal mines of Bhopal, Agni essayed by Kangana Ranaut is set on a mission to eliminate human and arms trafficker Rudraveer played by Arjun Rampal. Produced by Deepak Mukut and directed by Razneesh Ghai, Dhaakad, mounted on a large scale, is backed by power-packed action sequences designed by Hollywood action directors and is already streaming on the platform. After the successful release of the first two seasons, ZEE5 brings its viewers the third season of the gangster drama Rangbaaz titled Rangbaaz – Darr Ki Rajneeti with Vineet Kumar Singh and Aakanksha Singh in the leading roles The 6-episode series also stars Geetanjali Kulkarni, Sudhanva Deshpande, Ashok Pathak, Soham Majumdar, Prashant Narayanan and others in pivotal roles. The series, directed by Navdeep
Yash Raj’s ‘Shamshera’ Yash Raj Films’ action spectacle Shamshera starring superstar Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and the gorgeous Vaani Kapoor is an adrenaline pumping entertainer which is set to release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu on July 22, 2022. Directed by Karan Malhotra of Agneepath fame, the film is highly anticipated because it marks Ranbir’s return to the cinemas after 4 years since Sanju’s release. Vaani and Ranbir is one of the freshest on-screen pairings in the recent years and Ranbir showers heaps of praise on his co-star for delivering a powerful performance in Shamshera in which she plays India’s most sought after travelling performer from the 1800’s. Ranbir says, “Vaani is a very fine actor. She is someone who works very hard. She is so focused that she is always wearing headphones, listening to music and trying be in character. Many times I’ve tried to distract her and just have stupid conversation. We really befriended each other.”
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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 19, 2022. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
Solution Next Week
Singh, is centred around Vineet’s character, Haroon Shah Ali Baig (also known as Saheb) and charts his rise from a small town in Bihar to becoming one of its most potent strongmen. In its partnership with TVF, the platform is set for yet another original series Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt. Ltd starring National award-winning actor Amruta Subhash along with Yamini Das, Anup Soni, Anjana Sukhani and Anandeshwar Dwivedi on July 8. The six-episode series, directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, tells the story of a housewife from a small town and how she embarks on an ambitious journey to become an entrepreneur and gain financial independence only to win her kids back from her ex-husband, Dilip. ZEE5 Global also has an exquisite line-up of regional digital releases bringing diversity this month. On July 1, the platform
launched a thrilling Malayalam story about cyber security in Rahul Riji Nair’s Keedam, starring Rajisha Vijayan and Sreenivasan in the leading roles. Promising a fun ride, Telugu actor Sushanth is making his OTT debut with Maa Neella Tank. With comic dialogues and cinematic visuals, the web series is directed by Lakshmi Sowjanya and will also feature Priya Anand, Sudarshan, Nirosha, Prem Sagar, Rama Raju, and Annapurnamma in key roles. This July, the viewers will also get to explore a Punjabi film Beautiful Billo starring Neeru Bajwa, Rubina Bajwa, Roshan Prince, and Raghveer Boli. Users can seamlessly download the ZEE5 app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store on Roku devices, Apple TVs, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire Stick. ZEE5 is also available on www.ZEE5.com
Last Week’s Solution
Recent Winners
Kumud Athavale, Ramana Vadrevu, Krishna R. Vuddagiri, Sanchali Basu, Usha Prakash, Taranjit Singh, Yudhveer Singh Bagga, Prabha Barvalia, Srihan Varanasi, Smayan Umesh Poojary, Ramesh Shah, Nirmala Devi Rajeshprabhu, Shubhnam Pratham Arora, Rithish Raakesh
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