Indo-American News: March 27, 2020

Friday, March 27, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 13

Indo American News

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March 27, 2020

Published weekly from Houston, TX

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Sewa International Houston Chapter’s Achalesh Amar shipping 8000 masks to San Mateo County Emergency Department in CA.

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COMMUNITY

March 27, 2020

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Hindu Leaders Host Second Conference Call to Step Up Covid-19 Response Manu Shah

Houston: Gripped by a sense of greater urgency as Covid-19 raged unabated across the world, Board members and Trustees of Hindus of Greater Houston sought to step up their efforts to help the community during this unprecedented crisis.

In a conference call on March 22nd, Sewa International, the organization leading the relief efforts, shared an update of their activities. About 400 Sewa volunteers are on the ground across the nation coordinating the relief endeavors from providing food to doctors and first responders to procuring masks and gowns for hospitals. Sewa has put together a teamofattorneyswhoarevolunteering their time to help with immigration issues along with a team of doctors who have been helping people with their medical concerns. Sewa’s helpline 281-909-7392 is manned by volunteers round the clock. Stranded students are being placed in volunteer homes. Several more organizations, Sewa leader Nikhil Jain noted, have joined Sewa in their efforts.

Star Pipes CEO Ramesh Bhutada urged Sewa to ensure that the vulnerable sections of society – senior citizens and international students were also helped. He also advised people to review their stocks and 401k plans.

Sewa leaders Vasudev Singh and Gitesh Desai highlighted the dire need for funds to support their work and are working to raise $450,000. Advisor Rasesh Dalal urged all the leaders to

Conference of HGH leaders (Filephoto)

communicate this to their members and help in raising funds. Ramesh Bhutada immediately pledged $25,000, PatanjaliYogpeeth President Shekhar Agrawal contributed $5000 while Ravi Goel, President of Hindu Worship Society, donated another $5,000 on behalf of the Society.

Hindu American Foundation Houston Chapter Coordinator Rishi Bhutada was pressed to start an email campaign immediately to include faith-based houses of worship in the Governments’ relief package.

Advisor Parthasarthy Krishnaswamy highlighted the dilemma of Hindu temples who need to cover the costs of running the temple but are no longer

receiving donations as members have stopped visiting the temple.

Board of Director and IACCGH Past President Swapan Dhairyawan spoke of the Chamber’s efforts to organize several webinars to provide small businesses with relevant information on how to tackle the financial fallout.

An Employment Law webinar is being held on 25 March by Nehal Anand, Shareholder with Littler Mendelson PC. Other webinars will deal with how to get a loan from the SBA and Tax deferments. To attend the webinars, visit www.iaccgh.com The call concluded with a sobering warning by one of Houston’s top cardiologists – Dr. Randeep Suneja

who described these trying times as being “the tip of the iceberg” and warned that the situation would get worse. He urged everyone to act like they are infected, practice personal hygiene and social distancing and go to the hospital only if the symptoms such as fever, dry cough and breathlessness worsen. Testing

facilities are available at Methodist Hospital in Katy, the Legacy stadium as well as multiple mobile testing centers.

A glimmer of hope comes in the form of hydroxychloroquine, a medicine that is showing promise in treating the virus. Pharmaceutical company Novartis is working to make 300 million doses of this medicine available and there are 6 to 7 ongoing trials on a possible vaccine. The test is normally covered by insurance, is free at government hospitals and is $150 at a private lab. Dr. Suneja also cautioned people to stock up on 3 months of medication as there could be possible shortages.

Earlier in the call, participants heard a somber and timely reminder of how we need to live our lives in a more mindful manner from Vedanta teacher Joseph Emmett. Speaking on the Hindu approach to this crisis, Joseph spoke of how the human race has been living irresponsibly and is now facing the consequences. This, he cautioned, should serve as a wakeup call for all of us to live a peaceful and balanced life both internally and externally.

The call concluded with a peace prayer.

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4 March 27, 2020 COMMUNITY Sewa Houston Chapter Responds on Crisis Footing vs. Covid-19 need of $500,000 in Houston and $3.5 million nationally to continue these efforts and to support our community at every level during this pandemic. You may donate

directly at the Sewa International USA website (https://www.sewausa.org/Donate) or on our Facebook (https://bit.ly/FBDonateSewa),” Gitesh Desai said.

In pursuit of this it is offering free daily webinars and Facebook Live streaming which is accessible at the following link: http://bit. ly/3bfuas5.

“All these efforts require support from our community both in terms of a large number of volunteers, and through financial assistance. If you are interested in volunteering with Sewa, please join us directly by contacting a Sewa International USA member or through a partnering temple or organization. We also have an immediate financial

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medical facilities all over the country including in Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, the Bay Area, and New Jersey. In fact, San Mateo County in California offered to send an airplane to pick up a few thousand masks which highlights how dire the situation is. Sewa International is now in the process of procuring three million additional masks and is actively seeking funds to support this important purchase.

Sewa services a wide range of issues on non-medical helplines, including aiding individuals reporting Covid-19 symptoms, checking in on family members, purchasing food and groceries, and assisting students living in university dorms. “In this interconnected world, we get calls from all over the world from Mumbai, Sydney, Canada, and all over the US. For example, one call we received was from a family in Sugarland, Texas who wanted to request help for their parents living in Mumbai, India,” Desai said. The Indian Consulate in Houston and the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC are also forwarding calls to Sewa about international students who are stranded in the US, as well as senior citizens at risk who require assistance.

Sewa International is also coordinating the delivery of 200 meals a day to first responders and those who are working at drive-through testing facilities in Southwest Houston. Sewa International is also committed to helping the most susceptible demographic of this pandemic -- the elderly -- and is in the process of setting up a system of regularly checking on 1000 senior citizens in a safe and hygienic way. Working with doctors and medical professionals, Sewa is conveying up-to-date information about Covid-19, addressing how to combat and manage the disease, as well as providing advice on supporting mental health during this time of crisis. These web-streams are hosted by professionals and experts from the community including doctors, lawyers, Chartered Public Accountants (CPAs), family therapists, and yoga/meditation experts.

Furthermore, Sewa is committed to delivering accurate and useful information to the Indian American community in particular and the broader community in general.

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Houston: The Indian American community of Houston has joined together to respond to the coronavirus pandemic on a war-footing, with community leaders holding econferences/meetings for the past several weeks, and putting together a carefully calibrated plan to help those affected as well as mitigate the effects of the virus on the community. Ramesh Bhutada, Chairman of the Board of Sewa International USA, has pledged to donate $25,000 and the community leaders raised over $50,000 for the cause during their meeting last week. Patanjali Yogpeeth, Hindus of Greater Houston, and Hindu Worship Society were also among the early supporters of the fundraising campaign.

Rasesh Dalal of Vallabh Priti Seva Samaj (VPSS) is the coordinator of the community leaders meeting. “As we know, Hindus / Indians are a successful community in the US, and we come together both in times of celebration and in times of crises. With community leaders eager and anxious to put their best foot forward, we have had e-meetings and good plans of action have evolved to fight Covid-19. We intend to make our march speedier, and get more mileage, and our next meeting, on March 29, will be via video conferencing.”

Devendra Mahajan of Arya Samaj said, “I cannot say enough about the quality of service Sewa International provided during the Harvey Floods in Houston and adjoining areas. They made us very proud as Indian Americans. I have no doubt that they would equally provide excellent service to the needy during the Coronavirus epidemic. They deserve all the help and support in their fund-raising campaign.”

“This is a dire situation, people are dying, and we need to do everything that we can,” said Gitesh Desai, President of Sewa International, Houston Chapter, who gave an overview of the response plan at the meeting. He told the group that “Sewa has set up four regional non-medical helplines for a coordinated national response, where people can call in for assistance.

Regional hubs include Houston, the Bay Area, Atlanta, and New Jersey. We currently have 500+ volunteers working on these helplines and on case management teams to help resolve any issues that come up.”

In response to calls by state governors, including New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, who said New York state has a shortfall of about 50 million masks for medical professionals, Sewa International, which had access to about 20,000 masks as part of its disaster preparedness plan, immediately began distributing those masks to

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COMMUNITY

March 27, 2020

World Struggling with Corona Pandemic

Houston: Despite lockdowns throughout the world, the Coronavirus pandemic is continuing to cause diseease, deaths and economic havoc.

Worldwide, the Coronavirus caseload reached 492,056 on Thursday morning with 22,185 deaths. While the pandemic rate has reduced in China, the infection rate is climbing exponentially in Europe and the United States. The caseload in Italy stands at 68,905 in the US with New York becoming the epicenter with 33,013 cases.

A record 3.3 million Americans have filed for unemployment as the pandemic has shutdown much of the US economy.

President Donald Trump has expressed hope that much of the country could get back to work with reduced emphasis on social distancing, but health authorities in his administration, such as Dr. Anthony Fauci have expressed reservations about such optimism,

Police have marked 1-m social distancing circles for grocery shoppers in Kolkota

stating that the “pandemic has its own timeline.”

To help reduce the virus impact on the economy, the US Senate passed a $2 trillion Coronavirus stimulus package. The massic legislation includes direct payments to US taxpayers, an expansion of unemployment insurance, and loans for corporations and small businesses. The bill now goes to

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the US House of Representatives and signing of the bill by President Trump by Friday. The direct payments to taxpayers may take as many as three weeks.

As the total number of novel coronavirus cases in India mounted to 694, including 16 deaths, the Health Ministry on Thursday said that the rate at which the numbers are increasing appears to be relatively stablising. “However, this is only the initial trend,” said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.

With India undergoing a 21-day lockdown till April 14, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a economic package worth Rs. 1.7 lakh crore to help those who have been affected directly due to the nationwide lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is part of the virtual summit of G-20 leaders, chaired by Saudi King Salman, to discuss the coronavirus pandemic

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Mother, 36, Charged with Killing Her 4-Year Child in Sugar Land

Sugar Land: A local Indo-American woman has been charged after her young son was found dead Saturday morning at the family’s home in Sugar Land.

Sugar Land officers responded at 10:40 a.m. Saturday to a house in the 5200 block of Weatherstone Circle after the woman’s husband came home.

Ritika Rohatgi Agrawal, 36, is charged with capital murder of a person under 10 years old. Her bond is set at $950,000.

Investigators said Agrawal was found by her husband walking

around the house with wounds to her body. Meanwhile, her 4-yearold child was upstairs. He had died from a knife wound to the throat, police said.

The woman was taken to the hospital, and police said she’s expected to survive. Investigators said her wounds appear to be selfinflicted.

Further legal proceedings against Agrawal may be hindered by court closures due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Response by the IndoAmerican community has also been muted.

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Indo-American News • Friday, March 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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HOUSTON

March 27, 2020

Golden Bank Sets Covid-19 Response

Houston: With recent development and the increasing concerns of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the safety and health of our customers and employees are our top priority. Golden Bank wants to reassure you that we have taken several measures to protect you and our employees as well as maintain an uninterrupted level of service that you can rely upon. To help prevent the spread of the viruses and other illnesses, Golden Bank will temporary adjust the services hours effective from Monday, March 23, 2020.

Lobby Services: Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 4:00pm Saturday: Normal Hours (9:00am to 1:00pm or 2:00pm, please check individual branch hours) Drive-Thru Services: Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:30pm Saturday: Normal Hours (9:00am to 1:00pm or 2:00pm, please check individual branch hours) At this time, you can bank with us in other ways: • You can transfer funds and pay bills through Online Banking at www.goldenbank-na.com.

• You can deposit checks and transfer funds through our Mobile app.

• You can withdraw cash with your ATM/Debit card at any ATM terminal with no fees* (Golden Bank reimburses up to $100 ATM service fees per month).

• You can deposit checks and cash through our night box services.

• You can also call and speak to one of our customer service representatives at 1-888-320-3838 for new accounts opening, loan interest payments, loan repayment and other more.

•Or you can email us at OnlineBanking@goldenbank-na.com.

As this situation is evolving every day, Golden Bank will continue to monitor the development and follow the recommendations of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local agencies. Please rest assure that Golden Bank is taking the necessary steps to continue to service your banking needs. If you have any questions and/or would like to sign up for Online/ Mobile Banking and Cash Management services, please feel free to call us at (888) 320-3838, Monday – Friday 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday 9 am to 3 pm CST.

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COMMUNITY

March 27, 2020

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Desire to Help Families Immigrate Drives Attorney Zainab Kayani Rizvi

By Jawahar Malhotra Houston: On the credenza behind her, there are picture frames of her children and family and on the side table near her laptop, a colored pencil drawing from one of her kids. In her Galleria-area office, Zainab Kayani Rizvi describes her love of dealing with people as the reason she works as an immigration attorney and some of the intricacies and challenges she and her clients face when discussing their immigration options.

“I always wanted to help people,” she sums up of her work of 13 years, the last eleven in her own practice. “I specifically handle employment and family-based immigration cases, as well as asylum and naturalization cases.”

It’s a field that has also seen the greatest changes in immigration law in the last three years as the Trump administration has clamped down on the rules to allow people into the country, especially from India, China, Philippines and Mexico, which have formed the bulk of the new immigrants to the US in recent years. With these new restrictions, visa bulletins and quotas from these countries have been lumped together.

In addition, higher fees - approaching $2,000 - have been imposed for applying for a Green Card, causing greater hardship on the applicants. Asylum based ad-

Attorney Zainab Kayani Rizvi

justments are becoming extremely difficult to obtain and depends on the asylum office and officer where the initial application is made. Under recent rules from the Trump administration, the FIFO (First In First Out) rules has been changed to LIFO (Last In First Out).

Even the familiar process for

many people who have come here to study to get a university degree has become harder. Converting from a student F1 visa to a training visa (previously for 24 months and now for only 12) and then into an employmentbased H1B visa has become harder as many employers do not want to go through the expense and hassle of the process. Rizvi works with several companies throughout the United States who want to hire H1B workers and process their Green Cards.

After receiving her law degree from the private Texas Wesleyan University (now known as Texas A&M School of Law) in Fort Worth, Texas in 2006, Rizvi worked for two years with a few immigration law firms in the Houston area and realized that she had found her passion. She was born in New York City after her parents, both physicians, emigrated there from Pakistan in the 70’s. “They couldn’t stand the cold and snow,” laughed

Rizvi, “and moved to Beaumont, Texas.” She completed her schooling there and attended Lamar University, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance.

Rizvi smiles and gestures often with her hands as she explains the nuances of immigration law.

“There is a constant backlog now for adjustment status in the Houston Field Office, which used to average 3 to 4 months now easily dragging on to 12 to 18 months,” she explained. Houston is the third busiest field office due to the number of immigrants and applications. At times, residing in smaller cities may be beneficial, such as Austin and San Antonio, as wait times for interviews are significantly less. All processing times for each type of case is listed on the USICS website.

The situation continues to become harder as the quota for applicants from India and Pakistan, as well as other countries, are subject

to the visa bulletin issued monthly by the Department of State. Furthermore, with current US policies and the COVID-19 pandemic, these numbers and wait times will drastically change and be subject to more backlogs.

Although most of her clients are South Asian, Rizvi (who is fluent in Urdu) has handled others from the UK, Dubai, Yemen, Iran, China, Mexico, Peru, Morocco and Australia too. Her most memorable case was she was able to re-unite a family after several decades apart. “The gratitude these clients feel once their case is completed is something worth fighting for and is always the ultimate goal on any given case,” she smiles, adding “it’s very important to seek proper immigration advice from a competent legal professional as policies keep changing.”

Contact Attorney Zainab Rizvi at 713-297-9131 or visit her website at www.zkrlaw.com

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Indo-American News • Friday, March 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

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ENTERTAINMENT

March 27, 2020

“Panga” Review: Kangana Ranaut’s Pic is a Panga Worth Taking

With Bollywood in hiatus due to the Coronavirus, Indo-American News will publish reviews of movies on streaming sites such as Netflix, Sling and Hotstar.

By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Richa Chadha, Neena Gupta Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari Rating: 3 stars Women trying to get back to work after becoming wives and mums is an issue Bollywood hasn’t bothered to explore in any detail. Panga’s protagonist is a former kabaddi player whose life has been subsumed by the tedium of everyday domesticity and jobbery.

That Jaya Nigam, played with absolute conviction by Kangana Ranuat, dares to dream of a past life where she was in the spotlight, is a straight-off win, subject-wise.

But just how tough is it for a

mainstream Bollywood movie to focus on a woman like Jaya, is evident in the long build-up to the point where she can say to her husband: when I think of you, I feel happy. When I think of Adi (her son), I feel happy.

But when I think of myself, I am not so happy. Or words to that effect.

By that point we are fully primed to support Jaya, because we’ve seen her do the stuff middle-class, working mothers do every day of their life: wake up early, get the tiffins packed, see off the child to school, make sure the home runs smoothly, and get herself to office only to have to deal with a tetchy boss.

Fine, we say, she’s done all this smilingly, now she can go off and do her thing, if she wants to. And we say this only because the pushand-shove comes from the son

(Bhasin), and the husband (Gill).

Phew. What if Jaya’s bosom buddy and kabaddi mate Meenu (Chadha), who is still so married to the sport that she doesn’t have the time for a proper ‘shaadi’, were

the ‘heroine’? And the having-plumped-for-gharand-grihasti-Jaya was the one in a supporting role?

What if Jaya had ditched her family, not having found enough fulfillment, and merrily gone her way?

We are still far away from that kind of film.

Till such time, we will make do with Panga, which gives us an array of wonderful women walking the talk. Ranaut has the courage to go plain-faced, minus pancake: her surefootedness right through the film, on and off the mat, is spot-on. Chadha, armed with a bouncy pony-tail and buoyant back-chat, is a lot of fun, as is Neena Gupta’s bracing mother. The two current kabaddi players, whom Jaya spends time with, in the second half, both leave a mark. And it’s

nice that Jaya is made to work hard for her climactic triumph ; the victory is then even sweeter.

My interest flagged a little postinterval, when the film becomes repetitive and flat, and Chadha is used to explain a scene which has just got done, or about to come, like an old-fashioned ‘sutradhar’.

But Gill, as the supportive husband, who learns how to function minus his loving wife, is solid, and keeps us going. As does Tailang, in a brief kabaddi official role. Young Bhasin as Adi is a charmer, but is given too much talk-time, and the dialogues he mouths sometimes sound like they are there strictly to be played for laughs.

I will take this, if it comes with a film that celebrates a woman trying to reclaim her dream, even if it comes sanctioned by family.

The film springs to life when Jaya raises her fist, and slaps her thigh: it is a ‘panga’ worth taking. -- Indian Express

Ten Shows Worth Binge Streaming While You’re in Self Isolation

By Manoj Kumar R Are you staying at home? Good.

You are making a significant contribution to the effort to break the spread of coronavirus. But, your period of social distancing necessarily doesn’t have to be an exercise in boredom. You can think of it as an opportunity to cultivate your knowledge of popular culture. You can spend your isolation period by watching the shows that everyone at your office had been talking about. So when you return to the office, you can give your two cents on what you make of Carrie Mathison (from Homeland) partnering with a Russian agent?

1) Homeland Homeland is streaming on Hotstar.

The Family Man is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

If you are a sucker for a thriller, this series is for you. The hit spy sode, with a run time of little more show, Jeff learns to acknowledge show is now in its eighth and final than 20-minutes, packs a lot of in- negative feelings growing inside season. That means you have sev- formation on physics, chemistry, him. (Available on Hotstar) en seasons of the edge of the seat biology and geology. By the time 6) Fleabag thriller at your disposal. (Available you finish 12 seasons, you will noFleabag is streaming on Amazon on Hotstar) tice that your scientific knowledge Prime Video.

2) Money Heist This is the best comedy series has grown markedly. (All seasons Money Heist is streaming on are available on Netflix). ever created about a single woman Netflix. living in a metropolis. Fleabag is 4) The Handmaid’s Tale The Netflix Spanish series is The Handmaid’s Tale is stream- also the name of the protagonist of about the classic fight between the ing on Amazon Prime Video. the series, who is a single woman haves and have-nots set in modThe United States of America living in London. We are never told ern times. A bunch of small-time becomes illiberal and falls under why she is called Fleabag, but we thieves and their handler who goes the control of men who nurture ex- can assume that it is society’s genby the name The Professor rob treme prejudices against women. eral perception of a single girl who banks and they call themselves Re- The imaginary tale shows the hor- lives and loves on her terms. The sistance. There is more to this heist rors of depriving women of free- best part of the show is an amazdrama than well-planned robbery. dom and punishing them for their ing Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who Season four is due in April, and lifestyle choices. But, remember, frequently breaks the fourth wall that means you need to start now hell hath no fury like a woman to drop some wisecracks on the to catch up on previous three sea- scorned. (Three seasons are avail- audience. (Two seasons are availsons. (Available on Netflix) able on Amazon Prime Video). able on Amazon Prime Video).

3) The Big Bang Theory 7) Chernobyl 5) Kidding The Big Bang Theory is streamChernobyl is streaming on HotThe series follows the struggles ing on Netflix. of a famous fictional children en- star.

This is a show about a bunch of tertainer Jeff Piccirillo, played If you are looking for a show that dorks learning new social skills by Jim Carrey. After 30 years of is equivalent to watching director like talking to common people practically raising children across Sergio Leone’s original 6-hourwho are not scientists. Each epi- the world through his TV puppet long version of Once Upon A Time

in America, then this miniseries fits the bill. Based on the real-life nuclear disaster in Soviet Russia in 1989, it shows the human cost of hubris. (Available on Hotstar) 8) When They See Us This is another limited series that you don’t want to miss. Co-written and directed by Ava DuVernay, it follows the events in the aftermath

of the rape and assault of Central Park jogger in 1989. When They See Us chronicles the struggles of five young boys, who lose the best period of their lives in jail due to a botched up investigation. (Available on Netflix).

9) Made in Heaven Made in Heaven is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

This is one of the best made Indian web series. Nobody can tell the struggles of high-class people trying to live an envious life for the sake of others like Zoya Akhtar.

The series follows the lives of two high-end wedding planners, who inevitably end up fixing problems in the marriages of others, while their own lives are falling apart.

(Season 1 is available on Amazon Prime Video) 10) The Family Man If you are a sucker for a thriller with desi flavour, this is where you will find solace. Unlike James Bond, the life of Manoj Bajpayee’s Srikanth Tiwari life is not full of margaritas and glamour.

When he’s not being India’s top spy stopping terror attacks, he is a mundane middle-class family man with relationship issues. (Season 1 is available on Amazon Prime).

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Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Editorial Corona’s Other Contagions

As India inches towards a possibly more intense phase of the coronavirus pandemic, a related and sadly predictable phase of a disease of another sort may be kicking in — there have been reports that people from the Northeast are being scapegoated, and professionals at the frontline of the battle are being discriminated against, or are being given empty accolades instead of material help. How disturbingly easy it can be to define people from the Northeast as the Other was demonstrated in 2012, when a whisper campaign threatening violence against them spooked migrant workers from the region into an exodus from the cities. It succeeded in causing a crisis of confidence that stretched across half the nation. Now, apprehensions are gaining ground that amid a crisis that underlines inter-dependence, some people, led by a toxic mix of anxiety and prejudice, could be turning on each other.

The trigger may be new but the faultlines, and the intolerance that they frame, are old. The popularity of whitening creams exposes the racism that underpins large sections of society, for instance, and in several cities, perceptions of purity have always decided who gets to rent property, and who is disbarred. Now, some Air India staffers have been urged to vacate their homes because they crewed flights of mercy to evacuate Indians from hot zones. They put their lives on the line for the sake of fellow citizens, flying into the heart of a poorly understood danger.

Yet while they are applauded as heroes in the public domain, their neighbours are striving to maintain the most extreme social distances from them. Some doctors working against the coronavirus have also suffered a similar fate — even as they continue to work gruelling hours with insufficient facilities, unable to screen populations to the required extent, and thanked ritually by a public display of gratitude on Sunday.

Dealing with pandemics does not only consist of isolating and treating the sick. That is the job of specialists. The pain of social disruption often surpasses the effect of the disease itself, as families lose loved ones, breadwinners lose livelihoods, structural relations collapse and general insecurity sets in. These scars can only be healed by a society that holds together, instead of seeking scapegoats to vent its anxieties on Here in the United States, racism and hate crimes have targeted

Asian Americans across New York amid an outbreak of the new coronavirus, authorities said.

This month, a man spat at a Long Island commuter in a Penn Station bathroom, called the commuter a “Chinese f---.” A police officer then told the commuter not to file a report.

Two incidents were reported in New York City on a single day. A 59-year-old man said a group of teens kicked him, spit at him and told him to go back to his country in Harlem, and a man punched an Asian American woman, demanding to know, “where is your corona mask?”

On Friday, Attorney General Letitia James said a hotline had been created for New Yorkers to report hate crimes and discriminationbased incidents. The hotline will be available for the foreseeable future and stemmed from increasing reports of harassment and attacks against Asian Americans.-- Indian Express and Yahoo News

March 27, 2020

“Flatten the Curve” Flattens the Economy...

What Next?

9

By Raj G. Asava

There is no question, flattening the curve is the need of the day. It is a critically important action on the part of every individual, inside and outside the medical system, to slowdown the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of flattening the curve is to ensure that we can deal with this outbreak within the current medical system capacity we have in place.

Flattening the curve, however, has flattened the economy by shutting down businesses, industries, mobility, education institutions and, extremely concerning, taken the ability from people to make a living. It is relatively easy for a small percentage of privileged folks to go in a lock down mode and work from home… but not for the first responders, the healthcare community, grocers and folks required for critical systems and industries. COVID-19 has created a crisis scenario for a vast majority of Americans who were already living paycheck to paycheck – many of whom would find themselves in a crisis mode should they run into an emergency requiring mere $400/-.

COVID-19 has exposed not just our unpreparedness in handling a pandemic, but more importantly, has brought to surface the dark ages our medical and other social support systems are still in – hence the need for flattening the curve.

That, despite the significant technology advancements made by (wo)mankind over the last four decades. It is hard to imagine that just a few weeks ago, we were boasting about Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Augmented Reality, and a myriad of breakthrough technologies; had set sights on deep space exploration, to get back to the Moon, even land a person on Mars; and our biggest worry was how life and world would be when AI-driven robots would run the world.

Despite these technological advancements, one thing we failed to do is overhaul our outdated, burdensome and archaic healthcare, education and other social-support systems. We could not transform

these systems primarily because of vested interests, outdated regulations and, frankly, because of our comfort with status-quo.

Remember, it is that comfort with status-quo that held back leading data center management organizations like IBM, EDS, HP from proactively shifting their business model of dedicated data centers and server cages management, to the emerging pay-as-you-use, virtualized, scalable, on-demand cloud computing environment. An industry they should have dominated in now ruled by cloud computing leaders Amazon, Microsoft and Google.

Left to our devices, humans would never change, let alone transform. Change is only possible when there is a Significant Emotional Event. COVID-19 is proving to be such an event. The urgent call to socially distance and self-quarantine to flatten the curve, with little to no notice, has resulted in most, if not all of us locked in our own homes. Children are out of schools, knowledge workers are not going in to work, and most of the retail outlets are all but shut down. Those who are going to work to ensure law & order, provide critical health care, and to keep the supply chain of necessities moving along, are doing it with great danger to their personal health – we salute these frontline heroes.

During these uncertain times, the US government is leaving no stone

un-turned to ensure that those affected and displaced from work (it is estimated that 2 million people could file for unemployment benefits this week alone, according to Goldman Sachs) get the support needed to survive through this unprecedented disruption to our economy.

That is, economy, as we knew it. While we hunker down in our homes, non-traditional ways are slowly becoming mainstream in the way we access education, health care and other goods and services. Even basic necessities such as food being delivered right to our homes is becoming the new norm.

In this new norm, we are becoming increasingly comfortable with online grocery shopping, distance learning, tele-medicine, and unprecedented ways of tele-working.

News reporters don’t need to be in a studio to report any more, and a teacher does not need to physically be in a classroom to teach. We are beginning to benefit from and getting accustomed to a growing list of free online resources such as libraries, museums, yoga/exercise offered by government agencies and private enterprises. Many activities considered high touch and hence safe from disruption are being disrupted – this time not through an entrepreneurial move, but by a pandemic. It is a tele-ing time we find ourselves in.

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 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, Texas 77036.Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website: www. indoamerican-news.com

Indo-American News • Friday, March 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

Continued to Page 10

10

BUSINESS SUDOKU/RECIPE

March 27, 2020

SUDOKU

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 before April 1, 2020.

Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com or mail to 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, TX 77036. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published

Solution Next Week

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

In the cold, rainy weather that we’ve been having lately, nothing tastes better than some warm breakfast full of wonderful aroma to brighten up the morning! And this super-easy recipe can do just that as it enhances plain bread into a cross between a French toast and a donut. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Mitthi Bread or Shahi Tukdre recipe, which is a favorite treat made and eaten in the winter months. It is reprinted with some

Mitthi Bread or Shahi Tukdre (SWEETENED FRIED BREAD)

Most people think that Punjabis enjoy their paranthas the most of all types of breads, but the truth is that they enjoy breads cooked in many ways. And when they can’t get any kind of cooked roti, they will just as easily turn to regular bread with sabzi, toast with butter and jam or the crispy ready-made husks eaten dipped in a cup of milky tea.

Sometimes when there isn’t enough time to make a delicious sweet dish, an imaginative Punjabi will turn to this easy recipe, which uses bread and is not only simple but also greatly appreciated by guests. If you happen to have some left over chasni (sugar syrup), then this dish is even faster to make.

Last Week’s SUDOKU Solution

Mitthi bread, better known as shahi tukde, is also popular in Rajasthan and Hyderabad, but some say it is best connected to a region called Awadh in Uttar Pradesh. This region was sometimes referred to as Oudh (derived from the Hindi name Ayodhya) whose capital was Lucknow.

The other ingredient in this dish is rabdi or thickened, evaporated milk that is poured all over the bread which soaks it up. When served chilled sprinkled with chopped almonds, pistachios and saffron, the taste is just fantastic.

Last Week’s SUDOKU Winners

Kumud Athavale Kanubhai Patel

Ingredients: • 6 slices of bread - (bleached white and sliced) • 1 ½ cups chinni (sugar) • 1 cup pani (water) • ½ gallon doodh (milk) – whole milk is best • Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying • Condiments to your taste: kishmish (raisins); saunf (fennel seed) • Dry fruits to your taste: badam (almonds – peeled and slivered); piste (pistachios – halved or pieces) Directions: 1. To make the chasni, pour sugar into a bowl and slowly add warm water while mixing thoroughly with a spoon.

2. Meanwhile, pour the milk into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to medium and

keep stirring to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom otherwise it will give a burnt smell. Keep stirring till the milk is thickened and only ¼ remains, take off the heat and set aside.

7. Sprinkle the top with slivered almonds, pistachios, raisins and fennel seeds. Place in the fridge to chill before serving.

3. Cut the slices of bread into four squares, then fry in the oil till each side is golden brown.

4. Dip the hot pieces into the chasni and take them out with a strainer to drip.

5. Spread the pieces in a large flat pyrex baking dish and arrange in two layers.

6. Pour the rabdi, covering the layer of fried bread.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India (since renamed Faisalabad) before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947.

People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her early-nineties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share her delectable Punjabi recipes for future generations.

MAMA’S TIP O F THE

WEEK

REUSE EXTRA CH ASNI FOR ANOTH ER

DISH

Several Indian which is water basweet dishes are made with chasni handy makes it ea sed. Though it is not hard to make,(sugar syrup), hurry or get caug sy to make another sweet dish shou having some ht by surprise gues ld you be in a ts.

Usually when co sugar syrup is left oking gulab jamun or jalebis so container in the fri over. Take this chasni and store me chasni or turn to another re dge. If you are short on time, yo it in a plastic dish in no time at cipe, like shahi tukde, and make a deu can quickly all. licious sweet

For Advertising in Indo-American News call:

Jawahar Malhotra

713-789-6397 Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMENTARY

“Flatten the Curve” Flattens the Economy...

Continued from Page 9

Before the COVID-19 pandemic peaks and is behind us, the telemethod way of accessing, consuming and distributing of not just services but goods will become a more natural way for us to learn, earn and access health care.

Flattening the curve is the reality and need of the day which we must comply with in order to ‘live to see another day’. Let us, however, learn from this and vow to never be caught flat-footed in the future. This would also require us to revisit the capitalistic system of our democracy. The government, today, is beginning to act in a caring way, ready to dole out trillions of dollars to help the small businesses and individuals that are facing the brunt of economic

shutdown. Maybe we will learn from this and transition to a new system of government. A hybrid government system that continues to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, while stepping up to ensure that basic necessities (including health care) is in reach of all.

In a way, this virus has ushered us into a transformation which we, on our own, would not have shifted to. It will be a shame if after this pandemic blows over, we go back to the same old…

Raj G. Asava is an executive coach, professional mentor and strategy consultant.

Chef Floyd Cardoz Dies of Coronavirus in New Jersey

Newark: Chef Floyd Cardoz, who tested positive for Covid-19, died of the infection in a hospital in New Jersey on Wednesday, his family confirmed. He was the coowner of two popular restaurants in Mumbai – the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. He had recently launched his third venture, the Bombay Sweet Shop.

The Mumbai-raised chef had been in Mumbai until March 8. In an Instagram post on March 18, he said that had admitted himself to hospital in New Jersey, where he lived, since he was feeling feverish.

The Hunger Inc, the company that runs the restaurants, later put

out a statement confirming that the restaurateur-chef had tested positive for the virus in New York, Mid-Day reported. “As a precautionary measure we have informed the Health Department in Mumbai about the same,” it said. “We are also reaching out personally to people who have interacted with him during his visit to India, so they can take necessary medical advice.”

Cardoz had shot to prominence in the mid-1990s when he ran a restaurant called Tabla in New York. In 2011, he won the Top Chef Masters Season 3 reality show challenge, creating a variation of upma.

March 27, 2020

11

Yoga and Surrender

By Vidula Joshi Everyone is not made equal.

Some are more flexible than others. But Yoga teaches that if you practice surrender on the mat you will attain flexibility.

The very first dictionary definition of surrender reads, “Cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to authority.” On the yoga mat that opponent is only you.

When I first joined class I came with so many barriers- age, a stiff body, fear, and, relentless comparison with others who were better, limber, more graceful than I. I had stepped on the mat alright, but I was beating myself down from the get go. Little did I know that I needed to not fight my perceived weakness, in fact not fight at all, but believe that I had strength inside. Where was this strength in me? Only Yoga would lead to an answer over time.

So surrender. Engage with your body in kindness especially when the going gets tough. For example if you have tight hamstrings, like I do, loosen your resistance to them and fold forward. Bend your knees and stay there. Tune in to your breath. Slowly but surely find that you can rejoice doing “less.” That which is harder does not have to be won over like a fight. So don’t be stuck on winning. Instead, soften your mental response.

Pause rather than force. While your hamstrings may not be your best buddy today, your shoulders may feel soft, giving you a release from pain such that you hadn’t expected. And why not? Your body is one from head to toe. And your muscles know way more than you are aware of. So trust them.

Practice trust. Give in to each inhale and each exhale. Then find that you have stretched. It may not look like much from the outside but inside you feel the depth of your extension. That is all that matters.

Less is more. This was revolutionary to me. I had such dire need for this new thought pathway that I simply kept returning to yoga and kept practicing giving in to the pose. I was lucky that way. “I was not built for this” and hence, got

committed.

This is opposite to what I was conditioned to believe. I was taught to fight and overcome whatever I needed to overcome. Fraught with anxiety I fought it and fought it desperately. Maybe I was trying to be a different person when, in fact, it is embracing your true nature and its flaws that will iron out the creases life leaves us.

One of the basic poses in yoga is the easy cross legged position called “Sukhasana.” As kids we could easily drop to the floor to join a game or share a meal. There was nothing to it, right? Today we can still sit in Sukhasana during a music concert or a puja if only for a few minutes.

Let me instruct.

Sit on your mat. Cross your legs, with your most intuitive right over

left/ left over right leg positions. Breathe in and breathe out. Your hands are lightly placed on the knees. Knees may / may not open flat into the ground. Tell yourself it’s okay. Your elbows are bent.

Your neck is relaxed. Eyes are closed. You are constantly breathing. Remember to breathe. Attend to your body with your mind. Bring awareness. Feel the ground underneath. Tuck in the abdomen. Chin looks in. Lift your spine up. Eyes remain closed.

Pay attention to your right shoulder and your left shoulder. Open them out and away from each other. If you feel tightness in the shoulders relax your effort. Regroup, and engage as deeply or lightly as your shoulders will allow.

Tune in to the sensation of opening and expanding like you have no fear nor resistance and no ones watching. Only you can feel the pose inside and that is your true reward.

In short there is little to do, but so much mindfulness! So try it.

Try again. Then come back to it.

Like golf, or music it takes practice. And it is not without its reward which comes at the end of class. The reward might be a softened approach to the world and that, my friends, may not be a bad way to live.

It is simple. By submitting to the power of your own breath and by bringing mind to your movement you just experienced surrender and, through surrender, a better You. Vidula Joshi is a Houston-based writer and Yoga proponent.

Chemical Co. in Baytown Looking for

Chemical Engineer

Candidates should have an engineering degree and some chemical plant experience Great pay w/ benefits. EOE/AAP Send resume to apply@chemicalsinc.com Room Available in West Houston For responsible female student or young professional.

Beautiful, furnished room with own refrig. Access to kitchen, tv room, washer dryer, free wifi, own parking, utilities included. Asking $500/mo. Immediate availability

Call or text 713-962-5555

Indo-American News • Friday, March 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com

12

March 27, 2020

Dear Customers, As the global effect of coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, World Food Store is firmly committed to the health and safety of our customers and employees, and serving our communities. We are closely monitoring the changing situation, and complying with public health guidance.

As many of you have noticed, we’ve experienced a surge of business during this time. As a result, we’ve taken steps to control the number of customers in our warehouses and asked that customers and employees practice social distancing.

We’ve increased our protocols in sanitizing surfaces, including shopping cart handles, merchandise shelves, front-end belts and registers.

Limits have been implemented on certain items to help ensure more customers are able to access the merchandise they want and need.

Our buyers and suppliers are working to ensure in-demand merchandise as well as everyday favorites are available in our store. We are working round the clock to restock our shelves. We have re-stocked 90% of our shelves. Though other stores are out of merchandise, we have been able to procure them for our customers.

We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this hard times. As new developments occur, be assured we are committed to taking care of our customers and employees by providing quality merchandise and exceptional service.

We extend our sincere thanks to customers and employees for their ongoing support and loyal dedication during this challenging time.

Thank you.

Mansur Kaiser Indo-American News • Friday, MARCH 27, 2020 • Online Edition: www.indoamerican-news.com