NRI Pulse June 2018

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NRI Pulse

June 2018

Atlanta’s Premier South Asian Newspaper June 2018

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June 2018

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June 2018

Atlanta’s Premier South Asian Newspaper June 2018

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Dr Swati Kulkarni To Succeed Nagesh Singh As CGI

Atlanta, GA: Dr. Swati Vijay Kulkarni will replace Nagesh Singh as Consul General of India this summer, the first woman to be appointed to the post in Atlanta.

Dr. Kulkarni is a career diplomat who holds M.B.B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) degrees from the Government Medical College, Nagpur in India. She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1995.

Prior to her appointment as Consul General of India in Atlanta, she was the Regional Passport Officer of Mumbai Passport Office.

She has also served as Consul General in CGI, Cape Town- South Africa (2012-2014), and before Cape Town, she served as Deputy Head of Mission in Muscat, Oman (2008-2012).

Dr. Kulkarni’s previous overseas assignments were as First Secretary in the High Com-

mission of India, London (2005-2008), where she successfully worked as a nodal officer for preventing discrimination for Indian Medical Graduates after the implementation of new UK Immigration rules; First Secretary in the High Commission of India, Port Louis, Mauritius (2001-2003); and as

a Third Secretary (Language Trainee) in Embassy of India, Spain (1997-1998).

At Headquarters, Dr. Kulkarni worked as an Additional Private Secretary to the External Affairs Minister and later deputed as Regional Passport Officer, Pune, Maharashtra (1998-2001) and as Under Secretary looking after Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein & Holy See, Malta, Portugal, Ireland and Spain (2003-2005).

Dr. Kulkarni is married to Mr. Vijay Jayant Kulkarni who is a merchant mariner by profession.

The couple has two daughters.

Her interests include study of developmental issues, swimming, and tennis.

Dr Kulkarni will become the third person to head the consulate general in Atlanta after Ajit Kumar and Nagesh Singh.

Aisha Yaqoob Wins GA District 97 Democratic Primary

Atlanta, GA: Aisha Yaqoob, a woman of color, Muslim, activist and the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, defeated Wayne Slear (71.16% to 28.84%) in the Georgia House of Representatives District 97 Democratic primary election on Tuesday. She will face the winner of the June 24 run-off between Republicans Bonnie Rich and Kipper Tabb.

Dr Indran Indrakrishnan, noted gastroenterologist and Emory professor, lost to Rich and Tabb in the crowded Republican primary, that had a total of six contenders. The House seat is being vacated by retiring Republican State Rep. Brooks Coleman.

Aisha is a professional advocate for immigrant rights at the state Capitol, working with legislators on both sides of the aisle to push for civil rights for immigrants and people of color. As policy director for a nonprofit legal and advocacy center, Aisha monitors local, state, and federal policies that affect immigrants and

works to fight for their rights.

Aisha moved to Gwinnett County at the age of 6 from south Florida. Since then she has lived in the Collin Hills area, Suwanee and now Duluth. Aisha is the middle of five children.

Growing up in Georgia, she graduated with honors from North Gwinnett High School and earned the HOPE Scholarship to attend the University of Georgia where she earned her Bachelors of Arts in Journalism in 2013, and a Masters of Public Administration & Policy in 2016.

While in graduate school Aisha founded the Georgia Muslim Voter Project, an organization whose mission is to increase voter turnout in the American Muslim community. In 2016 she and her team helped to increase voter turnout across Georgia in a community that has historically rarely participated in the electoral process.

Aisha was a co-organizer of Atlanta March for Social Justice & Women (January 2017), which saw an estimated 60,000 people peacefully march in downtown Atlanta. She earned a 40 Under 40 Georgia Muslim Award from the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (October 2016) and the Rising Star Community Champion Award from Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta (October 2016).

Free Copy Delta To Restart Direct Flights To India In 2019

Atlanta, GA: Delta Air Lines will begin nonstop flights between the United States and Mumbai, India, next year, linking the U.S. with one of its strongest trading partners.

The announcement follows agreements between the U.S. and the governments of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to address the issue of government subsidies provided to state-owned carriers in those nations. The framework created by the agreement allows Delta to move forward with service to India, a market long impacted by government-subsidized Middle Eastern airlines.

This move will mark a return to India for Delta, which was forced to exit the market in 2015, leaving United Airlines as the only U.S. carrier flying there, to Mumbai and Delhi.

“It is exciting to be able to announce Delta’s return to India from the U.S. as part of our vision to expand Delta’s reach internationally,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “We are thankful to the president for taking real action to enforce our Open Skies trade deals, which made this new service possible. We are looking forward to providing customers in the U.S. and India with Delta’s famously reliable, customer-focused service operated by the best employees in the industry.”

The service is subject to government approval; full schedule details will be announced later this year.

Delta also intends to expand its existing codeshare relationship with partner Jet Airways to provide seamless connections to other destinations within India, subject to government approvals.

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June 2018

Alternative Cinema With Unique Subjects Showcased At GIACC’s Atlanta Indian Film Festival

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

Atlanta, GA: Producers, directors and members of the Indian film fraternity glittered at the Atlanta Indian Film Festival (AIFF2018) hosted by the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (GIACC), in collaboration with the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), Atlanta Film Festival, India China and America (ICA) Institute and the Consulate General of India in Atlanta on May 11-12, 2018 at the Historic Academy of Medicine at Georgia Tech. The festival featured five movies ranging in genres and themes.

A FilmL.A report ranks Georgia as the top location for feature film production, making it the number one filming location in the world. Backed with Georgia’s booming film and production industry, coupled with the growing Indian diaspora and sustained efforts of the GIACC, the AIFF2018 presented an opportunity to collaborate with one of the leading film festivals in Atlanta and the Indian movie industry, the largest in the world. The event opened doors for Indian film industry to explore the vast talent, production, studios and filming opportunities that Georgia has to offer.

“The festival focused on bringing alternative cinema that showcases relatively new directors who are tackling bold, unusual subjects in their films. We also tried to provide a diverse range of movies including regional language films and short films,” said Suneeta Mishra, festival host committee member.

In tune with its mission, AIFF2018 screened movies featuring myriad characters and subject matters including a floundering comedian who fails to see the funny side when her best friend gets a promotion in Tara Versus, the trials and tribunals of a nude model in an art school in Nude, a bald man’s journey of self-discovery in his search for a trophy wife in Ondu Motteya Kathe, a homebuyer’s secret revelation in House for Sale, An unexpected love story in the life of a girl with cerebral palsy in Margarita with a Straw.

Panel discussions were held with the directors, producers and some of the lead actors after the showings.

“One of GIACC's goals this year is to connect Bollywood and the larger Indian Film fraternity to Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment group to avail of tax credits (up to 30%), world class studio and hi-tech post-production facilities,” elaborated Mishra. “The idea also was to bring in producers and directors to Atlanta and showcase all that Georgia has to offer in terms of movie making. They were taken on guided tours to Pinewood Studios, The third Rail studios and some important landmarks in and around Atlanta to consider, for future movie shoots.”

Consul General Nagesh Singh introduced the delegates to actors, producers, directors and wellknown Bollywood film studios. Academicians, including Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstardt professor of marketing at Emory University and Dr. John R. McIntyre, a professor at Georgia Tech were active participants at the event.

The two-day festival had Natarajan Ramji, who likes being known as the “Location Guru” for the Indian film industry from “Bollywood to Tollywood, gauging Georgia as an entertainment location. As chairman of the Chennai based Travel Masters India firm, he finds exotic locations around the world for film producers across India. Producers, directors, screen writers Ravi Jhadav, Eisha Marjara, Ravi Kashyap, and Raj Shetty fervently interacted with Atlanta city officials,

Atlanta film representatives and attendees.

“With the right kind of connects, this is a tremendous, and yet untapped opportunity that could be a win-win for the Indian film industry as well as the state of Georgia,” said Mishra. Establishing connects with movie makers and location scouts with Georgia, familiarizing them with the state’s tax credits, and

showcasing and educating about alternative Indian cinema reflective of the country’s progress in terms of content, technology, themes to Indian and American audience in Georgia were the biggest takeaways of the festivals, she added.

“GIACC aims to build on the strong response to the AIFF 2018 and work towards closer collaboration between Indian movie makers and Georgia Film authority thereby paving the way for big production houses to move to Georgia. It is a good beginning and this being the first of its kind, it has been a great learning experience for us.

We hope to build on this and bring an ever better, bigger event next year, subject to, getting continuing support from the right kind of sponsors for the event,” concluded Mishra.

Raksha’s Aparna Bhattacharyya Receives Hope For Tomorrow Award

Atlanta, GA: Raksha’s Executive Director, Aparna Bhattacharyya was given the Hope for Tomorrow Award at International Women’s House’s 10th Annual Night of New Beginnings Gala in recognition of her work for women and children in the community.

The event was held at Le Fais do do on March 17, 2018.

Ms. Bhattacharyya represented Raksha on the steering committee to start International women’s house in the late 1990s and served on its Board of Directors.

Anna Z. Blau, the Executive Director of International Women’s House, introduced Ms Bhattacharyya. She said there was no one more deserving of this award given the dedication Ms. Bhattacharyya has given in her work for immigrant and refugee survivors.

Ms. Bhattacharyya went on to share her hopes for a new tomorrow which included her hope around

youth throughout the nation who have been taking stands to address gun violence and access to mental health in their schools, to ensure that survivors don’t have to to deal with anti immigrant sentiment, islamaphobia, homophobia or transphobia when seeking help and shelter after leaving abusive relationships, that schools and communities provide tools to create healthy relationships, that children witnessing and experiencing violence in their homes could have access to counseling and support without having to get their parent’s consent, that our legislators are not creating laws that make it harder for survivors to come forward, and that ultimately we will have collectively have found a solution to end violence in our homes, schools and communities.

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June 2018

Rama Vaidyanathan Presents Bharatanatyam At Its Transformational Best

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

up pace, dancers performing in perfect synchro- Gujarati by Narsihn Mehta with music composinization with the beats picked up speed, dancing tion by Dr. S Vasudevan, presenting Vaidyanathan Atlanta, GA: Delicate yet dramatic, subtle around the mridangam with Vaidyanathan joining as the poet who watches in awe, the Raas Leela, yet substantial, Rama Vaidyanathan’s VivarPhotos by Venkat Kuttua tana showcased the Bharatanatyam art form at its glorious best at Berkmar High School on May 25, 2018. Presented by Deeksha School of Arts, Vivartana – Dance Transforms is the brainchild of Bharatanatyam exponent Rama Vaidyanathan who was on a 12-city tour across the US, with Atlanta presenting the grand finale of the tour. The ninety-minute piece is Vaidyanathan’s first group choreography.

Vivartana was a production commissioned by the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai with the theme of transformation. Vaidyanathan naturaltowards the end. Vigorous, vivid moves offered a or dance of Lord Krishna and the Gopikas. Exly gravitated towards dance as the medium that powerful and poignant presentation of Vaidyana- pressive and energetic, she went on to enact how transforms incorporating her own transcendent than’s poem through the audio-visual medium.

Lord Krishna’s embellishes himself for the Leela experiences as a dancer.

A solo by Vaidyanathan, Samyoga – Dance with all the women around him.

As the title suggests, Vivartana signifies the Merges, featuring Tamil verses from Tirumular's Evoking Rasa in Rasa Bhava – Dance splendor and spell of dance that transforms not Tirumandiram and music composition by Dr. S Evokes, the final piece adopted Sanskrit verses just the dancer, but the entire space around the Vasudevan depicted the union of two dancers, from Nandikeswara's Abhinaya Darpana with dancer and eventually anyone who comes in conin this case, Vaidyanathan and Lord Shiva, the music composition by K. Venkateshwaran. Intertact with the artform. cosmic dancer. Tirumular's glowing portrayal of preting the complete Shloka Yatho hasta, Tatho Opening with an artiste drumming on the Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva, were drishti in the finale, the entrancing ensemble mridangam and presented in five parts, Vivarskillfully interpreted by Vaidyanathan who finally plunged into eternal bliss with rhythmic and rivtana began with Pratikriya – Dance Responds, a merges with the dancing deity through Thandava, eting beats and movements that refresh the soul. piece depictive of the dancer’s response to dance. deriving energy from within.

“I’m very glad the finale was in Atlanta,” Assimilating a poem in English by Vaidyanathan Compelling choreography in full display, said Vaidyanathan, thanking Anupa Thakurta for translated to Sanskrit by Divyanand Jha and music Nigama - Dance Immerses incorporated a poem her hospitality. In tears, Thakurta, thanked Rama composition by Ramya Sundareshan Kapadia, Prain Persian by Rumi with music composition by Vaidyanathan and her team with daughters Dakshitikriya captured the dancer’s response to the dance, Rajat Prasanna, a poem in Kashmiri by Lalleswari na Vaidyanathan Baghel, Sannidhi Vaidyanathan becoming one with rhythm as dance transforms with music composition by Rajat Prasanna, a (on the Mridangam), Rohini Dhananjaya, Kavya her pulse to pace, becoming one with her space poem in Braj Bhasha by Meera Bai, a poem by Ganesh, Sophia, Sushant Jadhav for the lighting and around as dance transforms her space, becomMuthuswamy Dikshitar. The dancers’ gracious her students Rati and Olivia for hosting the show. ing one with movements as her body transforms movements perfectly portrayed the grand procesThe adaptation, Yatho Hasta thatho Drishti, from stillness to motion, and eventually becoming sion of Lord Shiva in the palanquin.

Yatho Drishti thatho Manah, Yatho Manah thatho one with the world, as her soul transforms from Embracing theatrics in Pratibodhana – Bhaava, Yatho Bhaava thatho Rasa, roughly transsingular to plural. As the slow drumming picked Dance Awakens, the piece espoused a poem in lated to Where the hands are, go the eyes, where the

eyes are, goes the mind, where the mind goes, there is an expression of inner feeling, where there is bhaava, mood or sentiment is evoked, not only outlines the virtues of the dance and a dancer, but apply to life in general and Vaidyanathan’s intense interpretation through the art form only enhanced the perception.

With invigorating, intricate moves and inspired choreography, Vivartana encapsulated the essence of the Bharatanatyam dance form, elevating and enriching the experience with a wholesome, holistic approach.

Sri Krishna Vrundavana Celebrates Srinivasa Kalyanotsava

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

Atlanta, GA: Sri Srinivasa Kalyanotsava, the divine wedding of Lord Venkateshwara, organized by Sri Krishna Vrindavana (SKV) Temple of Atlanta, attracted well over 300 devotees from Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee on May 12, 2018 at the Gurukul in Duluth.

Orchestrated along the lines of a wedding ceremony, the Kalyanotsava was replete with vibrant decorations, varied offerings and buoyant devotees decked up as wedding guests from the bride and groom’s sides.

Millions of devotees in South India visit three significant Punya Kshetras (pilgrim places) – Tirumala to get the blessings of Kanchana (money and gold) Brahma Venkateshwara, Udupi to get the blessings of Anna (meal) Brahma Krishna and Pandarapura to get the blessings of Naada (music) Brahma Panduranga Vittala. Puttige Mata, through the Kalyanotsava, strives to create the heavenly experience of visiting all the three places at the same time on the auspicious occasion.

Priests Jayaprasad Acharya and Yogendra Bhat presided over the rituals, performing the ceremony to celestial perfection. “We were engrossed in the proceedings so deeply that the sev-

eral long hours felt like a short few minutes. The experience was mesmerizing. My eyes filled with tears of joy; ears filled with melodious music; heart filled with bliss and my mind was at peace, “said Kruti Srinivasa, devotee in charge of flowers and decorations for the event.

Rituals for the Kalyanotsava began the previous day with “Tarakari Shastra”, where vegetables were arranged in decorative patterns and chopped to required sizes after prayers. The

priests use plantain to assess an approximate count which generally turns out to be a very close approximation, as it did this time around too.

Devotees brought in fresh cooked sweets, fruits, and flowers for the Lord’s offering and actively participated in the procession of the bride Sri Devi, Bhoo Devi and the bride groom, Lord Srinivasa and then bringing back home the vigrahas (statues) to which they performed their pooja.

Ashtavadhana Seva (eight different kinds of

offerings) including Sangeetha (music), Nritya (dance), Naadya (instrumental), recital of Vedas ( such as Sama Veda) were offered as part of the proceedings. All traditional rituals of a wedding, including Mangala Sutra dhaarane followed by garlanding of Lord Venkateshwara and his consorts enriched the experience of the holy matrimony.

Consistent with the Udupi Anna Brahma tradition, all attending devotees were treated to a sumptuous lunch with dozens of menu items after the wedding procedures.

The Kalyanotsava, a culmination of dedicated efforts of volunteers planning the program through different streams of decoration, musical show, dance, cooking, resonated with its devotees. “We have a rejuvenated hope and enthusiasm that they now can continue to perform the spiritual, religious events and festivals that they used to perform in India while they were growing up under the guidance of their Mata Gurus and can pass on such customs to the future generations that call Atlanta their home,” said Srinivasa.

SKV Temple of Atlanta was recently established by the Puthige Matha in Udupi, Karnataka, for the devotees of South East region of USA. With several locations across the world, Atlanta is the fourth location in the US. You can find more details at https://skvatlanta.org/

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June 2018

“Hindu Economic Forum Will Benefit Generations To Come”

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

Atlanta, GA: Dharmasya Moolam Arthah (Economy is strength) - Rooting its philosophy in Chanakya's Kautilya Arthshastra, The Hindu Economic Forum, Georgia brought together prominent personalities to address Hindu entrepreneurs across the state and provide a networking platform for Hindu business professionals.

The event also highlighted the upcoming World Hindu Congress (WHC), chaired by lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, to be held in Chicago between September 7 – 9, 2018.

Speakers for the night included eminent leaders Swami Vigyananad, Founder and Chairman of World Hindu foundation, Shiv Aggarwal, real estate professional and owner of Global Mall, and Chandrakant Patel, Chairman of Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA).

Radhika Sudha passionately anchored the program, urging the audience to attend the World Hindu Congress and join the forum as members.

The well attended event had Consul D.V.Singh, Subhash Razdan, Dr. Sujatha Reddy and others in attendance.

Kicking off with the auspicious Shankhanadam (Blowing of the conch shell) and the traditional lighting of the lamp by the speakers, Pandit Gyanprakash Upadhyay recited a shloka in Sanskrit and talked about the glorious Hindu civilization and Sanatan Dharma.

Sudha directed the crowd to a presentation that traced the Indian economy through the ages starting with the times when Indian economy

was the ranked the highest in the world, its fall from grace during the colonial period and the current economy. The presentation summarized the mission and purpose of the WHC, highlighting its distinguished speakers and guests including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and Pranav Pandya from Gayatri Parivar.

The three-day event is also likely to see top corporate leaders from India and the United States, leaders from Fortune 500 companies, Bollywood and Hollywood stars.

"It is not just Hindu Economic Forum, but Hindu Economic Power and a movement in itself," said Chapter President and CEO, Shiv Aggarwal. Lauding Swamiji's efforts in creating surplus wealth to uplift society, Aggarwal noted

that economic power, as recognized by Swamiji is the key to prosperity. Citing examples from his own experience, Aggarwal said that it is important to understand everyone's strength and building a business around that strength at the right time leads to success. Quoting his father, "Time does not respect those who don’t respect time" he said, adding that the time is right for all Hindu businessman to join the Hindu Economic Forum to share and gain expertise from fellow Hindu leaders.

"The World Hindu Economic Forum is by the Hindus, for the Hindus and of the Hindus," quoted Treasurer and CFO Srinivas Koneti.

The World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) is a global platform for Hindu Economic Forum (HEF). The HEF is a unit of the WHEF. HEF connects local business personnel at the grassroot level through local to global connectivity.

"This is a movement, not just a forum as Shiv Aggarwal Ji rightly said. The benefits of the forum will be experienced by generations to come,” said Swami Vigyanand. “Centered around the theme “Sumantrite Suvikrante” — Think Collectively, Achieve Valiantly, seven parallel conferences - Economy, Political, Media, Education, Women, Youth and Organization, at the WHC will focus on an area of strategic importance to the Hindu civilization and humanity." Drawing from his experiences from Asia and Africa, he talked about the work done by WHEF in creating an ecosystem to help Hindu business flourish locally and globally by promoting a business networking platform.

Stressing on how a Hindu Sadhu, Swami Vivekananda, had galvanized ancient Indian traditions, Swami Vigyanand noted that commemorating 125 years of his Parliament of Religions address in Chicago was the source of inspiration for the venue of WHC 2018.

"That one speech changed the image of Hindu society in America forever," he said.

"We need to create market access across geographic zones and countries, spreading from Auckland to Alaska and Oslo to Johannesburg, cutting across the entire globe. Similar cooperation can be envisaged in the area of capital, enabling availability of appropriately priced capital.

Also, technologically savvy Hindus should be matched with those who can convert technical innovation into business with ideas, funds and market access," said Swami Vigyananad, adding that the Hindu Economic Forum at WHC would provide a perfect platform for the same.

"Twenty first century is the knowledge economy," Swami Vigyanand quoted author Tarun Khanna. He noted that China is leading in education system while India has taken a back seat. He said that the Hindu Education Forum had submit-

ted recommendations to the government, several of which have been accepted.

"He who controls the media, controls the mind of the people. Realizing the power of the media as the most potent force on the global stage is imperative to Hindu society," Swami Vigyanand noted. He said that most Hindus complain about the media but do nothing about it. "The Hindu Media Forum will devise strategies to encourage those advocating the interests of Hindu society to establish them in the existing media framework besides penetrating the entrenched media institutions," he said.

"This is a non-political political organization. We do not do any politics but think about politics. We observe politics," stated Swami Vigyanand. He talked about SFO which houses some of the most affluent Indian population and yet Chinese dominate politics.

"Hindu Democratic Forum aims to harness established and experienced members of the political profession to encourage aspiring young Hindus to become part of the political process, as well as share with them their experience and expertise," he said.

"You have to provide youth the right platforms that they can relate to, such as politics and economics. The youth is most motivated to challenge the status quo as well as to change it." He pointed out to history where the young are the first to protest against tyranny, injustice, suppression and exploitation, and declare that they will change the situation. The Hindu Students and Youth forum will fully harness their potential to work for the resurgence of Hindu society on a global basis, he said.

Lack of household savings was the main reason for collapse of European and American economies, he said, adding that one of the main reasons the economy of India remains steady is because Hindu women are careful with savings.

He said the Women’s Forum would develop strategies and initiatives for Hindu women to gain critical experience for their workplaces, in the social and political fabric of society, and in their communities and homes, so that they are prepared to take on leadership responsibilities and play a vital role in the overall progress of the Hindu society.

Swamiji pointed out that while hundreds of Hindu organizations are spread across the US and world, they are all divided by language and regions and divided further in their own factions. "Hindu organizations, temples and associations forum will provide a platform to discuss challenges and opportunities for organizations to better meet the needs of their constituencies, develop synergies across organizations, and coordinate with one another for local and global benefit," He said "Normally Swamijis come to collect money, but you are here to give us something much bigger," said Chandrakant Patel in his vote of thanks. He also thanked Sandeep Savla, Sushma Patel, Shiv Aggarval, Ashiana Restaurant, Srinivas Koneti, Raghava Tadavarti, Radhika Sudha, Pandit Gyanprakash Upadhyay, Sneha Mehta and Vasav Mehta for their efforts in putting the event together. The event concluded with Radhika Sudha announcing Shiv Aggarwal's donation of $5000 for the cause.

More information about the upcoming World Hindu Congress may be obtained at http://www. worldhinducongress.org/

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June 2018

Forsyth Indian-Americans Interact With Lawmakers

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

Atlanta, GA: Indian-American residents of Forsyth gathered in large numbers at the Brookwood Elementary School in Cumming on May 6 to interact with their county, state and federal representatives at the Meet Your Lawmakers event, presented by Ideology Media, sponsored

by Patel Brothers and Swad. U.S. Representative Rob Woodall, Commissioner Dennis Brown, GA Representative Todd Jones, Sheriff Ron Freeman, Commissioner Laura Semanson and Chairperson of Forsyth County Board of Education Kristin Morrissey communicated with the audience, addressing concerns and questions from members of the community.

"When we have problems, whether it is within or outside our home, we call our own fellow men. We never even think of calling our local representatives," said Viju Chiluveru. "The main purpose of this event is for you to know that can reach out to the authorities and they will help in any way they can.".

Sreeram Royyala extended a warm welcome and introduced the guests.

"My job is not to be the smartest but the best representative for the community," said Woodall, mixing his address with humor, as Royyala mentioned each of the other guests had IT experience.

Extending a partnership based on trust, Woodall lauded Narender Reddy in the audience.

“I have known Narender for the past 20 years and he is not a complainer, he is a problem-solver. We work together to make a difference in and around the community, that builds the foundation of trust and with that, there is no limit to what we can get done together."

“You all sitting here, have never been more powerful in the halls of congress than you are right now. The President or Vice-President of the US is sitting down with me to hear from you, once, sometimes twice a week. You and I have the opportunity to move ideas through," said Woodall, encouraging the community to get more involved by expressing concerns and sharing ideas

with the representatives.

"If we say yes to employment-based immigration today, we can always come back to get the family immigration later," he said about the green card backlog for H1 visas. H1 was only one aspect of immigration, noted Woodall, adding that a state such as Wyoming is more worried about H2a and H2b visas to get berry pickers. "If everyone's community looked like my community in

one another and I can try to regulate them all but we have a cultural problem of why it is the way we treat each other."

He admitted that issues such as bump stocks had slipped through the cracks and were being worked on. He noted that only 60% of the schools have School Resource Officers in school, even one day a week. He added that the Federal government has passed comprehensive mental health

terms of economic vibrancy, education, safety we would have a different conversation. I have to win that debate the same way you have to and that's one family at a time, one conversation at a time, " he said, with reference to clearing the backlog.

When a member of the audience got emotional about the issue of race, the Kuchibothla case in particular, Woodall pointed out that government cannot control people's thought process. "The government cannot outlaw a person's thoughts but law enforcement can and will outlaw their actions," he said.

Gun control is a matter of cultural challenge, opined Woodall. "Santa Claus got me my first gun. My relationship culturally with guns goes back to my childhood. My mom slept with a loaded 38 under her pillow. This is not a legal or constitutional problem. It is a cultural problem. These people hurting children in our schools are not old men like me, it’s children hurting children. There are unlimited number of tools we can use to hurt

legislation to deal with kids with mental health issues. "Focus in DC is not how we are hurting each other but why we are hurting each other and who's doing the hurting and what can we do to help," in argument that guns were not the problem but the reasons and certain people in particular were.

"The convergence of AI, 3d printing and autonomous vehicles present a lifetime opportunity.

That convergence can be led by Forsyth county and we need your help," said Rep. Jones urging the community to express their opinions share ideas. "We value diversity of background, we value diversity of opinion and frankly that where the best solutions come from" he said.

"I love Forsyth for the schools, parks, libraries, schools, safety and low taxes,” said Kristin Morrissey. Addressing school safety, she said, the Superintendent of Schools had formed a Task Force with law enforcement and medical professionals on board. The Task Force had suggested various measures that will soon be adopted by the

school system.

Addressing two main concerns of school safety and targeted burglaries, Sheriff Freeman listed measures including introducing double entry at schools, code red lockdown drills twice a year, increased security personnel, full time deputies at all schools. "The Task Force has identified mental health issues as a major concern, and schools will have six crisis consolers that work like case workers every day with children identified as high risk," he said.

"Most burglaries happen between 4 pm to 9 pm. We have an organized crime entity that is all over metro Atlanta targeting Indian and oriental community," Freeman said. He highlighted the dangers of posting vacation plans on social media, adding that the burglars were tech savvy and mined data from social media outlets.

He urged folks to call in if they find anything suspicious in the neighborhoods.

"We have seen more and more of citizen engagement and that is one of the great things about events such as these – is to bring together and have make ourselves accessible to citizens. said Laura Semanson "You live in the top 3% of the worlds' best quality of life, schools and I'm proud to represent you" said Dennis Brown. Addressing construction issues, he said Forsyth was a growing community and public must co-operate in building a better infrastructure.

Dance performances choreographed by Neelima Gaddamanugu of Nataraja Natyanjali Kuchipudi Dance Academy and Aparna Turaga of Sri Dutt Raga Fine Arts entertained the audience. Students Aadityasai Kalyankar, Akshay Pidaparthi, Anika Parihar, Jhanvi Patel, Kartteekeya Punyamurthy, Neel, Reddy, Nikita Tallapally, Samiksha Gaherwar, Srimayi Kukkadapu were recognized as Students of Excellence at the event.

Chivuleru and Praveen Puram thanked all volunteers and organizations for their support.

A commendable initiative by Idealogy Media, one can surely hope that this is the first of many more along the way, as Woodall commented.

AccessLife America Hosts Gold Ribbon Strides 5K Walk/Run

BY HARDEEP SINGH

Atlanta, GA: A fit body leads to a positive mind, which forms the basis of a serene soul and happiness.

On April 29th, The Youth chapter of AccessLife America hosted their first-ever Gold Ribbon Strides 5K Walk/Run event at Webb Bridge Park, Alpharetta, GA. The initiative was to promote a healthy lifestyle and to create awareness about AccessLife’s commitment to support little-souls impacted by cancer. The event was a collective and collaborative initiative and was selflessly supported by many folks from myriad walks of life.

The Youth chapter of AccessLife participated in the planning and execution of the event by designing the logo, flyer and encouraged friends and families to sign-up for this cause.

Over 190 health-conscious souls, ranging from 8 years to 73 years old, participated in the event. The run started at 8am. The logistics were very meticulously planned and executed. There was ample amount of nutritious supplements, wa-

ter, coffee, tea and energy bars. All the registered participants received excellent quality T-shirts with Gold Ribbon Logos.

AccessLife Assistance Foundation in Mumbai, is working to provide much needed support of safe and hygienic accommodation to child-patients and their families, who travel to Mumbai from remote towns and villages for cancer treat-

ment. AccessLife Assistance Foundation provides a loving and temporary home for the parent or care-taker and the child undergoing the treatment.

Presently there are 5 centers in Mumbai hosting 43 child-patients along with parents. In the past three years, 180 kids have stayed at ALA centers while undergoing treatment for cancer.

The average cost to support the stay of a

child-patient is approximately $287 per month. If you would like to support, please donate by clicking here.

Hexaware was the Platinum Sponsor of this event.

Other sponsors were CCMG (Cancer Center for Middle Georgia), Resolution Technologies, Paramount Software Solutions and Envoy Mortgage. Glad Clicks captured the exciting moments of the event. Part of the proceeds will go to Atlanta Ronald McDonald House of Charities as part of ALA’s Give Back initiative to local charities.

Are you getting ready for ALA’s next 5K walk/run?

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Shakti Mandir Gearing Up For 25th Anniversary Celebrations

Atlanta, GA: In 1990, Amba Maa's group of dedicated devotees started by renting a space

Georgia Civil War Commission Contest

Atlanta, GA: The Georgia Civil War Commission sponsored an art and essay contest pertaining to the American Civil War. All students residing in Georgia were encouraged to participate. This year’s essay topic was The Capture of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Irwinville, Georgia.

There were over 20 submissions to the essay contest and the judging was difficult at times, but the top winners in each category have been determined. It is exciting to announce that in the middle school category, Samiksha Gaherwar of Riverwatch School in Suwanee earned a 3rd place award. The Commission is proud of all this year’s winners.

The Georgia Civil War Commission was created by the 1993 Georgia General Assembly.

Its mandate, as spelled out in Senate Resolution 21, is to coordinate planning, preservation, and promotion of structures, buildings, sites, and battlefields associated with this significant period of our common heritage.

The Commission has developed a State of Georgia Civil War Sites Heritage plan that promotes heritage tourism. Additionally, The Commission encourages local landowners and local governments to preserve Civil War battlefields and historic sites. The focus on education of our future generations through many different venues in a viable part of the Commission’s mission as well.

to as a place of worship. As the community grew in south Atlanta, the group acquired land and resources to build Shree Shakti Mandir aka Ambaji USA in Lake City, Georgia. On June 6, 1993, the dream was realized when Pran Pratistha was performed.

Since its inception, Shree Shakti Mandir-Ambaji USA also known as Mandir has served the Hindu community by regularly performing poojas, religious services performed by priests and celebrating Hindu festivals such as Maha Shivratri, Holi, Janmasthmi, Navratri and Diwali.

Weekly Saturday Satsang and spiritual lectures on Hinduism as well as educational teachings for our youth with an emphasis on Seva are all part of the Mandir’s activities. Furthermore, Shree Shakti Mandir- Ambaji USA provides a daily prasad in the mandir prasadgurh for all devotees.

With the dedication of devotees, volunteers, management, and staff, Shree Shakti Mandir-Amin a small shopping complex to create a unique baji USA has developed into one of the most presarea where the local Hindu community could go tigious and most visited Mandirs in the southeast

region. Devotees travel from all over the United States to take part in various religious events such as Navratri and spiritual kathas by spiritual leaders such as Morari Bapu and Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza. The increasing growth in population within the Hindu community brought about a need to expand, renovate, modernize, meet the aspirations of the new Hindu generation and to be able to better serve the devotees. Through careful planning and input from numerous Hindu gurus in India, a renovation plan was conceived and implemented.

Starting June 20th, the Mandir will observe its 25th-anniversary celebration with a Bhagwat Katha orated by Sri Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza. The celebration will be consummated with Rajat Jayanti Mahotsav and Punha Pran Pratishta poojas from June 25th through July 1st.

With the continuing and generous support of all devotees, Shree Shakti Mandir-Ambaji USA will continue to serve the Hindu community in the US for all future generations.

Laughter & Emotions At Hasya Kavi Sammelan

BY SHILPA AGRAWAL

Atlanta, GA: Atlanta Hasya Kavi Sammelan, 2018 served yet another perfectly brewed concoction of laughter and emotions on Sunday, May 6th at Berkmar High School, Lilburn, Georgia. Like its earlier events, Atlanta Hindi Association (A group of Hindi speaking friends) and International Hindi Association, under the motivating leadership of its director Sanjeev Agarwal, meticulously worked on bringing India’s top-most poets of the genre to Atlanta’s front door.

Going by the logistics, this successful event was able to captivate about 500 people and was attended by over 100 children.

This time, the three poetic gems that were mined from India were famed humorist and laughter challenge winner Gaurav Sharma, melodious vocalist and ghazal singer Dr Sonroopa Vishal, brilliant satirist and Yash Bharati awardee, Smile Man Sarvesh Asthana ji. These poets of excellence kept the audience tucked in their seats enjoying a mélange of characters, anecdotes and reflections all the while bristling with contagious laughter and energy. It was an audio-visual treat to enjoy the resonance that lies within words. The glimmer of the poets was alike whether it was to accumulate depth of emotion or to create a laughter Tsunami. Nostalgia poured in as laughter bound people revisited antics and anecdotes from the past to bring that long forgotten smile or laughter back to them.

Event began with hors d oeuvres in the evening to satiate people’s taste buds before getting into the laughter phenomenon. The program was initiated with a beautiful devotional rendering by kids of ages 5-13, from HindiUSA Cumming Hindi school. Introduction of poets by little children was an achievement in itself as they confidently presented the poets to the audience.

Consul D.V. Singh and other guest invitees attended the event.

Sarvesh Asthana took the stage first to fill the venue with the fluidity of his laughter. He

ensured that all funny bones are tickled with his tongue-in-cheek humor and satires alike in the forthcoming hours. Gaurav Sharma was equally successful in engaging the audience with his frivolous and light-hearted humor. Sonroopa Vishal enthralled the audience with her nightingale voice and thought-provoking poetry. Her rendering of her father Urmilesh’s poem “Ladkiyaan” carried a tremendous body of philosophy. The poets were able to transport audiences from the state of “being” and “not being” to “being” and “becoming” with their subtle reminders of social causes tempered with laughter, satire and humor.

Each year, Atlanta Hindi Association recognizes motivating personalities from South East Asian Community in Atlanta area. This year, the spotlight was on the ever charming ‘camera girl’ of Atlanta, Anjali Chhabaria for her excellent service in the field of Art and entertainment.

The organizers of this event ensured that kids of all ages were creatively engaged while the parents enjoyed a relaxed evening. Art class, face painting, henna tattoos, and snacks were arranged to keep the kids entertained.

This event was made successful by the untiring efforts of a team of volunteers, including Abhinav Dehariya, Amit and Arika Agarwal, Amit and Ruchi Chaurasiya, Anand Verma, Alok Agrawal, Anuj K Jain, Ashu Rahar, Ashwani Srivastava, Gaurav Jain, Hemant Jerath, Karan Garg, Khushboo Modi, Manish and Richa Sinha, Manjari Agarwal, Manu and Mansi Agarwal, Mukesh Garg, Mustafa Ajmeri, Nishant and Richa Kansal, Pankaj Sharma, Pawandeep and Nidhi Pipal, Pradeep and Parul Gupta, Preeti Tiwari, Premal and Jinal Shah, Rajesh and Meera Agarwal, Rakesh Yadav, Ram Narayan Singh, Ram and Brish Upadhyaya, Ranjan and Reena Pathania, Sachid Shukla, Sandhya and Anil Bhagat, Sanjeev Agarwal and Dipti Gupta, Shree, Raj and Prachi Vohra, Siddhartha and Saloni Agarwal, Vineet Gupta, Vishal and Nidhi Agarwal and kid volunteers included Anish, Ansh, Arushi, Atharv, Ayan, Dhruv, , Divyansh, Eashan, Kalpana, Manya, Ojal, Pramiti, Pratyaksh, Samvar, Sanchay, Sanvi, Shivali, Shivam, Shreyansh, Tanvi Gujral, Tanvi Singhal and Vaidehi.

The event was sponsored and supported by Suvidha Groceries, MyOrlandostay.com, Sitar Indian Cuisine, Prime CPA, Café Bahar, ABC Renovations, Beauty Bar Salon, Peachtree Dental, Ruby Beauty Parlor, Shri Ram Imports, GA InfoTech, Anuj K Jain Photography, Om Arora (Tax and Insurance), Dr. Deepak and Shilpi Das, EIS Technology, Agarwal Samaj of Georgia, Shiv Mandir of Atlanta, BAJA Atlanta and Sovi Salon (Jones creek).

Atlanta Dunia, Wow Now, Khabar, TV Asia and NRI Pulse were the media partners of the event.

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Experts Discuss Culture & Identity At Nazeera’s Chai & Just Chat

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

Atlanta, GA: No one is culture free. While all human beings share similar biology and individuals across all cultures pass through the life cycle of birth and death, culture and identity are social constructs. In her monthly session of Chai and Just Chat on May 25, 2018 themed Coming Together Across Differences: The Cult in Culture or the Dent in Identity, Dr. Nazeera Dawood brought together a panel of subject matter experts who addressed the concept of culture, cross cutting factors in race, ethnicity and perspectives that allows to celebrate and influence a broader community.

The panel also discussed elements that strengthen identity and inclusion, their importance, engaging the youth along with the opportunities to shape and define who we are as individuals. Panelists discussed ways to maintain a pluralistic culture and sub-cultures and encountering new values through acculturation.

The panel included Dr. Allen Carter, Psychologist / AIB show producer, Dr. Uma Majmudar, Adjunct lecturer, Spelman College, Jay Lin, Johns Creek City Council, Javier Díaz de León, Consul General of Mexico, Milena Manzanilla Chang, German national, bilingual educator, Ferdows Yusuf , Women’s Rights Advocate, Joseph Bankoff, GA Tech Chair, School of International Affairs & Board Chair, FCAC, Santiago Marquez, CEO, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Nadia Theodore, Consul General of Canada, Takashi Shinozuka, Consul General of Japan in Atlanta with closing comments by Soon Mee Kim, Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Porter Novelli, Kim Scouller, Attorney and Geeta Mehrotra, Sadhu Vaswani Center of Atlanta.

At its core, cultural identity is the feeling of being included in a group or culture. “Who am I?” was defined by Dr. Carter as peeling back the onion of life to get to truth; the fundamental truth that we should seek to agree upon. “Whatever limits you, will confine you. And all cultures will eventually lead to the conclusion, “I am who I am” noted Dr. Carter discussing basis of human or personal identity. The shared American identity

Photos by Bytegraph.com that humanity is one family,” said Mehrotra.

being the core of our strength, its best to celebrate the diversity in our foods, arts, entrepreneurship, civil and political practices and faiths to appreciate the differences, the panel noted.

“Canada has officially adopted the policy of multiculturism. The idea is to use a single term – Canadian, but also allow immigrants to maintain their own culture,” said Theodore. Deliberations highlighted the fact that broader worldviews can be created through tolerance and acceptance and clearing misperceptions through understanding and interactive conversations. “We have to show the world the best we have to offer and then acceptance will come along” said Chang, drawing from her experiences.

“I’m happy to have a government that does not govern my every move. I’m free to practice my religion without fear. The challenge is the lack of

understanding of the global world around you” said Marquez, discussing the pros and cons of living in the US. “I tell my people this - You can wear Mexican on your sleeve, be proud of your culture, music but at the same time it is important to be American, too.

You need to be a Mexican-American,” said Diaz de león, discussing challenges confronted by Latino cultures. The panel agreed that, for a young person to know where they fit in, they need to comfortable in their own skin and proud of their heritage and cultural identity. “The key is to let children be part of the American society without losing sight of their own values,” noted Dr. Majumdar.

“Best thing about this country is that it is a land of opportunity and the worst thing is that it has not happened yet,” quoted Lin. Discussing the racial superiority issue that stems from factors including colonialism, histories, economics, power, and extent of knowledge, the panel deduced, can influence our understanding of and experience with cultural identities. ”Dada Vaswani teaches

“Arts combined with formal education can affect our collective senses of belonging to one culture,” said Bankoff. He elaborated the influence of arts using it as a medium through which we can envision a world that we would like to live in and serve as a blueprint in the times that we are working to increase inclusion and respect for diversity, and can make impactful political statements.

“Women have rights here. And I encourage them to use it, not just to empower themselves, but other women too,” said Yusuf, encouraging women to get involved and break stereotypes that originate from lack of knowledge of religious traditions and/ or spiritual beliefs and even the gender roles that often define cultural backgrounds.

“The Japanese fest showcases our culture to the rest of the cultures and our own younger generations. We very much like to be a mixture of traditional and pop culture,” said Shinozuka, speaking about ways to be assimilate cultures.

“This conversation is a radical act to come together and to listen to other’s experiences,” said Mee Kim, lauding Dr. Dawood’s effort to bring different cultures to the table. As a Diversity and Inclusion leader she emphasized the importance of reconciliation or relationship with each other.

She urged to learn from good and bad parts of history and take responsibilities for undesirable acts. “Be the family that knows other cultures,” she concluded.

Sneha Talika coordinated the cultural segment with Mihika Lanka rendering Lingashtakam on the Veena, Aparna Arul playing the Clarinet, Vyjayanthi Burma and Marina Ovtsynova playing the Violin, Olga Pikus playing the Piano, Archit Suresh on the Mridangam, Rupkatha Banerjee on the Sitar, and Karan Gill playing the Tabla.

I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the culture of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any ~ The Mahatma’s quote as read by Dr. Majumdar aptly summarizes the conversation about culture, identity and inclusion.

CAMAGA’s Musical Program At HTA- A Fund-Raiser For Haven House

Atlanta, GA: The Haven House is a shelter for victims of domestic violence (www.henryhavenhouse.org). It accepts women and children who are affected by domestic violence and who need a safe place to live until they resettle. Though the shelter is in McDonough, Henry County, it provides care to people from the entire metro Atlanta. During the year 2017, the shelter had accepted and provided care to 400 destitute women and 350 children. In addition to providing temporary shelter, the Haven House also provides the women and children with medical care, medical supplies, free transportation to work/school and needed school supplies. The shelter eventually helps the residents to relocate to a safer environment, by finding them affordable housing and by providing them with the initial requirements of furniture, clothes, and other household items.

One of the board members of the Haven House shelter is Dr. Manohar Nallathambi, a surgeon practicing in Henry and Clayton counties. He wanted the Indian community to help the shelter by donat-

ing money and by volunteering to support the shelDr. Ram Sriram, President of CAMAGA ter in other ways - several of the residents sheltered designed and produced an Indian classical muat the Haven House are women of Indian origin. sic program that was presented by the teachers With this objective, Dr. Nallathambi approached Dr. and students from the Atlanta Indian community.

Seshu Sarma, a long-time resident of Atlanta and an active member of the Hindu Temple of Atlanta. Dr. Seshu Sarma offered to help with the cause by holding a music event and raising money for the shelter. With the Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Riverdale and CAMAGA (The Carnatic Music Association of Georgia) offering to co-sponsor, a musical and fund-raising event was held at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta auditorium on Saturday, April 28th,2018.

Over fifty musicians (students and their teachers) participated in the musical event. The participants not only showed their musical talents but also highlighted the great contributions of Indian classical music composers for the last four hundred years. The highpoint of the program was the violin ensemble conducted by Ms. Jassotha, a well-known violin teacher and the percussion ensemble led by Mr. Santosh Chandru, a Mridan-

gam teacher. The audience gave a standing ovation after the conclusion of the two ensembles.

Dr. Kalpana Rengarajan, as master of ceremonies, managed the event and the time with meticulous care. Shiva Vaidyanathan and Vasudevan managed the audio support with perfection.

After the musical performances concluded, Dr. Manohar Nallathambi shared with the audience about the role and contributions of the Haven House shelter and how, over the years. After he concluded his speech, Dr. Seshu Sarma recognized the following members of board of directors who were present for the musical event and presented each of them with a shawl: Ms. Lucinda Wirt, Chair of the Board; Board members: Honorable Judge Wesley Shannon, Dr. Stephanie Gordon, Ms. Kristy Coughlin, Ms. Keli Hazel, and Executive Director of Haven House, Ms. Kathleen Tucker.

The fund-raising and the musical event both were very successful in bringing the Indian community to together and raising over $20,000 to support the Haven House Destitute shelter.

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Trailblazers Advocate Women’s Empowerment At Saris To Suits Gala

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

to be someone else. Harvard University, which she was afraid was too good for her to apply had invited her to teach there and at a time of one of nation’s worst economic crisis. She was younger than all the students in her class with literally no experience when compared to them. It is then that she transformed herself and found her groove by simply offering the best she had to offer, by being someone who would listen, empathize and help; and mostly, by being herself. And the rest is history.

“No one knows you better than you. You have to bet on yourself,” she said.

“I’m a product of the empowerment of both my parents,” said Hardeep Melamed, a 2017 calendar campaign role model. Her family fled Uganda’s Idi Amin’s regime for Canada, and has been running businesses since she was 16 – from an Indian restaurant, to women’s fashion boutique store to her latest venture, PurseN. “Everything is possible. Believe in yourself and have faith,” said Melamed. She added that, for her, FAITH meant being Fearless, Ag-

Atlanta, GA: The historic Wimbish House, affectionately known as the “Old Lady of Peachtree”, where fair ladies of Atlanta women’s clubs traditionally gathered in ornate Victorian bonnets, ribbons, flowers, feathers and jewels was shimmering with women sizzling in silk saris and tailored suits, along with men who serve as their ambassadors, on the evening of May 31, 2018. The saris and suits gathered together to celebrate the 6th year anniversary of the charity ‘Saris To Suits’. The charity was founded by in 2012 in Sarasota, Florida by Pratibha (Patti) Tripathi, who holds the distinction of being the first female reporter/anchor of Indian origin for the CNN News Group and reporter for CBS-Atlanta news. She is also the founder of TriPath Media.

Saris To Suits releases a signature calendar of inspirational and empowered women of South Asian origin. Profits from the calendar are donated to charities, some of which are chosen by the featured women.

Emcee for the night, Fox News anchor Kel-

L to R: Kelly Wright, Patti Tripathi and Ambassador Richard Verma. Photos by Suresh K. Volam. legacy of Rosa Parks,” said Rodney Bullard, narrating the story of the indomitable and invincible history-maker. Bullard is the author of Heroes Wanted and Vice President of Community Affairs at Chick-fil-A. “I encourage you to empower yourself and other women. We need to be seen. We need to be visible,” urged Dr. Erika James.

Her impressive path to success, narrated by the Dean herself, was invigorating and all-inspiring.

Born in Bermuda, James grew up in Texas and completed her undergraduate work at Pomona College, California.

She then pursued an M.A. and Ph.D. in organizational psychology at the University of Michigan.

“I was one among the five African-American students at CaliforL to R: Dean Dr Erika James and Patti Tripathi. nia,” said James, as she narrated mother set off to work for kids with special needs her unusual journey. And unusual, was somein the thick of the snow. “A lot of work remains to thing she was accustomed to, only she always be done,” he added, while pointing to the inequal- never thought of it that way. Being born to Afriities and under-representation of women. can-American parents but raised by step parents “Women get paid 20% less than men. Only of inter-culture and interfaith, James often strug20% of Congress is women,” he said, citing sta- gled with identity issues. It was during her sumtistics. “All of you can be role models. You don’t mer visits to Michigan that she truly discovered need to be a senator or in a position of authority,” herself, having met African-Americans who were he added, while urging women to get involved achievers. She identified herself with the group in a big way, even for small reasons or in small and felt she belonged. places.

Having graduated with a PhD at 25, James “Patti reminds me of Rosa Parks. In what modelled her teaching on fellow faculty, mostly she is trying to do, she is trying to continue the men, only to realize it didn’t pay off to pretend thi. Having drawn his own inspiration from his mother and grandmother who survived the trials and tribunals during partition in India and having worked with the likes of Hilary Clinton and Margret Albright, Ambassador Verma proved to be the perfect envoy to advance Tripathi’s advocacy to empower and inspire women and girls whose voices have systematically been silenced.

“My mom had a spine of steel,” said Ambassador Verma, recalling the times his sari clad

Hardeep Melamed. ly Wright, who has performed with Indian Disco King Bappi Lahiri was as ebullient as the legendary star and in his element- engaging, energizing, entertaining and even serenading the audience.

Titled Saris To Suits- East To West to South: “Women FIRST, Empowerment for All”, the event featured many firsts, including first US Ambassador to India of Indian origin, Ambassador Richard Verma as the charity’s Ambassador to impress upon ‘suit’ counterparts to support women’s ambitions and gender equality. The first female dean of Goizueta Business School, Dr. Erika H. James and Hardeep Melamed, The CEO of PurseN, (whose product made it to Oprah's 100 Favorite Things List) were among the distinguished speakers.

Emory’s marketing Guru Dr. Jag Sheth, the owner of Nair Industries, PwC and the maker of home accessories Surya were some of the prominent leaders at the event. Surya CEO Satya Tiwari donated a fine rug with retail value of $10K for live auction. Representatives of PwC, Nexus Clinical, Chick-Fil-A Foundation were among the sponsors who attended the event. The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce served as one of the partners.

“Pathbreaker, trailblazer are words that fit Patti. At the time I met her, she was doing something no other Indian-American was. She is role model,” said Ambassador Verma, lauding Tripa-

Rodney Bullard of Chick-fil-A. gressive, Inspired, Thinking outside the box, and finding Humor when possible.

Internationally renowned iconic women of South Asian origin such as the first female President of an academic institution Dr. Renu Khator of Houston University, and Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzi have been featured in the Saris To Suits calendar, along with many known Atlantans who have posed for a purpose such as classical vocalist eye surgeon Arti Pandya MD, US military officer/tabla player Lalita Balakrishnan, CNN digital writer Moni Basu, health policy expert Nazeera Dawood, computer scientist/weight lifter Dr. Kulsoom Abdullah and differently abled Cara Yar Khan.

Guests enjoyed a sumptuous spread of Indian fusion menu created by Taj Hotel-trained Chef Anish of Jai Ho. Chef Anish was auctioned to get ‘men in kitchen’ to learn to cook and host a dinner for their partners for a party of up to 30 people.

The anniversary, held at the Chateuesque, Victorian-era home synonymous with success and splendor stood testament to the tenacity, trials and triumphs of the many achievers in the room.

“The greatness of a nation begins with the homes of its people,” as Wright rightly quoted, was evident as stories were narrated, including the host, Patti Tripathi’s own claim to fame.

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Carnatic Vidyalaya Celebrates Third Annual Day

Atlanta, GA: Carnatic Vidyalaya, a Carnatic (south Indian classical) music school for children in Alpharetta, Georgia, celebrated its third annual day on May 13, 2018 at S Convention Centre, Cumming.

With varied compositions like Koovi Azhaikka of Papanasam Sivan in ragam (tune) Sindhu Bhairavi, Saraswathi Vidhiyuvathe of Muthuswamy Dikshitar in ragam Hindolam and the popular Brochevarevarura of Thyagaraja in ragam Khamas and Alaipayuthey of Oothukadu

Venkata Subbaiyer in ragam Kanada sung by the senior students of the school, the audience were treated to a delightful musical evening.

The intermediate students of the school performed Geethams, Swarajathi and Nottu Swaras Some of the advanced students sang Varnams.

The little tots of the school, all in their beautiful attires performed slokas and bhajans. Apart from the krithis, the bhajans and the slokas, there were also renditions of the famous Hanuman Chalisa, Mudakaratha Modakam, Krishnashtakam, and

the Lingashtakam by the kids.

As a token of appreciation, each participant was awarded a trophy by the founder and teacher of the school, Viji Murali.

Carnatic Vidyalaya, established in 2014, firmly believes in encouraging students to learn our core culture. Viji Murali teaches carnatic music and shlokas to children and helps bridge the 8000-mile gap between our homeland and US. Her school operates in Alpharetta/Johns Creek. For more information, please visit www.carnaticvidyalaya.com.

Tata Trusts’ $50mn Donation To Harvard Questioned

Washington: (IANS) The controversy surrounding the $50 million donation from not-forprofit Tata Trusts to the Harvard Business School in 2010 has now reached the American shores with a leading Conservative website questioning the globally prestigious institution for accepting “questionable funds” that should otherwise have been “used for the welfare of the poor.”

That was against “every tenet of good (corporate) governance”, Alex Beard, director of a Washington-based global financial advisory firm and a former professor from Georgetown University, said in a signed article.

Beard also questioned Harvard’s moral ob-

Trump Nominates Indian-American To Federal Judgeship

New York: (IANS) US President Donald Trump nominated Diane Gujarati, a prosecutor of Indian descent, to a federal judgeship in an unusual move as she had been former President Barack Obama’s choice for the position.

The White House announced that Trump is sending the nomination of Gujarati, who is the *Ran over a 17-year-old with a patrol vehi- Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division of the fedcle and then punched him several times eral prosecutor’s for the Southern District of New *Verbally abused detained children, calling York, to the Senate for confirmation as a District them dogs and “other ugly things” Judge on the Federal court for New York’s East*Denied detained children permission to ern District, which covers parts of the city as well stand or move freely for days and threatened chil- the suburbs on Long Island. dren who stood up with transfer to solitary conObama nominated her for the judgeship tofinement in a small, freezing room wards the end of his term in September 2016 but *Denied a pregnant minor medical attention she was not confirmed by the Senate requiring when she reported pain, which preceded a stillbirth Trump’s renomination. tion of San Diego & Imperial Counties and the *Subjected a 16-year-old girl to a search in Her father, Damodar Gujrarati, is an emeritus ACLU Foundation of Arizona through a Freedom which they “forcefully spread her legs and touched professor of economics at the US Military Acadeof Information Act lawsuit co-counseled with her private parts so hard that she screamed” my at West Point, which trains army officers.

Cooley LLP. The documents feature numerous *Left a 4-pound premature baby and her miHer renomination by Trump shows both her cases of shocking violence and abuse against mi- nor mother in an overcrowded and dirty cell full legal standing as well as the administration’s difgrant children, many of whom arrived in the Unit- of sick people, against medical advice ficulty in finding candidates within its ideological ed States fleeing violence in their home countries. *Threw out a child’s birth certificate and spectrum who will be able to win Senate support.

Examples of the documented abuses include threatened him with sexual abuse by an adult She is expected to have a smooth sailing in allegations that CBP officials: male detainee. the Senate because of the support of presidents *Punched a child’s head three times The report also shows evidence of CBP from both parties. *Kicked a child in the ribs holding migrant children in excess of the 72-hour A graduate of the Ivy League Yale Univer*Used a stun gun on a boy, causing him to maximum period permitted by law, as well as of- sity’s law school, she has also been an adjunct fall to the ground, shaking, with his eyes rolling ficials’ efforts to deport children without due pro- professor at New York University School of Law. back in his head cess and via coercion.

Federal New York Eastern District Court is located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.

The federal prosecutor’s office for Southern District of New York, where started in 1999, is ligation, asking if it would return the funds “or check misuse of tax exemptions in cases where one of the most high profile jurisdictions in the rectify it in some other way”. donations were made outside the country. The US as it includes Wall Street as well as the state’s The 2010 donation agreement — the largest committe recommended knowing the usefulness capital Albany.

Formerly headed by Preet Bharara, the offrom an international donor in the 102-year his- of such donation for the country. And if it was not tory of the Harvard — between HBS Dean Nitin useful (to the country) then the taxes should be lev- fice had prosecuted several important people in Nohria and business magnate Ratan Tata that re- ied. It was meant for all such trusts and charitable finance, including Rajat Gupta, Raj Rajaratnam sulted in the subsequent construction of Tata Hall institutions and not Tata Trusts alone,” former BJP and Mathew Martoma for insider trading on Wall in 2013 is under a parliamentary scrutiny in India. Rajya Sabha member Ajay Sancheti, who was part Street and also several important politicians like A sub-panel of the Public Accounts Com- of the panel when it prepared the report, told IANS. New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Gupta, one of the highest ranking Indimittee was looking into the $50 million donation He completed his term in April this year. In a reand other such gift pacts, suspecting the money port likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha, the panel an-American business leaders, was managing may have been donated in violation of tax rules, has observed that the “construction of Tata Hall (in director of consulting firm McKinsey and was according to a member of the panel.

Harvard) did not amount either to charity or inter- sentenced to two years in prison and fined millions of dollars.

“The committee’s major concern was to national welfare in which India was interested”.

ACLU: Documents Show Widespread Abuse Of Child Immigrants In US Custody

Atlanta, GA: Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union featured in a new report released recently show the pervasive abuse and neglect of unaccompanied immigrant children detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The report was produced in conjunction with the International Human Rights Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School.

“These documents provide a glimpse into a federal immigration enforcement system marked by brutality and lawlessness,” said Mitra Ebadolahi, ACLU Border Litigation Project staff attorney. “All human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their immigration status — and children, in particular, deserve special protection. The misconduct demonstrated in these records is breathtaking, as is the government’s complete failure to hold officials who abuse their power accountable. The abuse that takes place by government officials is reprehensible and un-American.”

The report is based on over 30,000 pages of documents dated between 2009 and 2014. The documents were obtained by the ACLU Founda-

June 2018

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NRI Pulse

June 2018

..... Tech Pulse .....

Decoded: Microsoft's War Room Taking On Global Cyber Crimes

New Delhi: (IANS) As cybercrime becomes the new battlefield, Microsoft at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, is working round-theclock to intercept, analyze and mitigate threats -- creating a road-map for various industry stakeholders to plan relevant actions.

The Global Cybercrime Centre is witnessing in real-time at least one billion end-point devices being infected from over three million unique IP addresses worldwide -- from Seattle to New Delhi.

The 100-member strong Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) at the center is using Next-Gen technology -- Cloud, Big Data, Machine Learning (ML) and Business Intelligence (BI) -- to improve the security of its products and services, protect vulnerable populations, fight malware and reduce digital risks.

According to Shilpa Bratt, Director (Shared Services) of Digital Crimes Unit, a team of 3,500 professionals is looking at security, built into Microsoft products and services, using frameworks such as the security development lifecycle and operational security assurance.

"We see cyber threats coming in real time.

We can look at top threats and the most infected countries. This is like reverse Olympics where you don't want to be on the top," Bratt told a select media delegation visiting the campus earlier this month.

Nearly 30 people sit at the DCU and the rest in around 30 offices globally, including in India.

Microsoft has set up a Cybersecurity Engagement Centre in New Delhi to empower organizations with information and techniques to secure critical information infrastructure and help reduce mal-

ware and digital risk.

The biggest threat, according to the Indian-origin Microsoft executive, is inside the Dark Web -- part of the World Wide Web (www) that requires special software to access websites and other services.

"Based on the research we've done, we've identified 20 markets in Dark Web that are selling over 12 million corporate credentials.

"Who is behind the crime? You've probably heard of the basement hacker or the hobbyist hacker but it has evolved over the years and has now switched to organized crime syndicates and nation-state attacks, that are out for financial and political gains," she emphasized.

According to her, $8 trillion will be the estimated cost of cybercrime to the global economy by 2022.

Today, about 90 per cent of successful cyber attacks start with a phishing email.

"And who are the victims? The victims are all of us -- individuals, businesses, governments and our families at the end of the day," she added.

The DCU has people from various walks of life -- investigators, attorneys, analysts, engineers and business professionals.

"We come from all walks of life but we are very passionate. We have this common thread that runs through us -- to protect customers, enforcement action against cybercriminals and bring those to justice," Bratt noted.

The DCU is housed in one of the 122 buildings at the sprawling Microsoft campus -- in the close vicinity of the company's legal department or CELA (Corporate External and Legal Affairs).

Cybercrime is constantly evolving and entering new areas like tech support fraud and online child exploitation, among others.

Back in 2009, Microsoft partnered with New Hampshire-based Dartmouth College to develop a technology called "PhotoDNA" that creates a

hash to uniquely identify an image, and store that hash at the back-end to match similar images online to prevent child pornography.

Today, over 130 organizations including Facebook and Twitter, are using "PhotoDNA".

The Indian government recently announced to collaborate with the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US to curb the circulation of rape videos and child porn.

"We offer 'PhotoDNA' for free to any company who can legitimately use it. It is a very robust technology. The amount of false positives is very minuscule. Because it has existed for some time and we've iterated on the technology, it is becoming better and better," Bratt informed.

Robots Won't Render People Jobless: Nadella

Even in a "runaway Artificial Intelligence (AI)" scenario, robots will not render people completely jobless, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told The Sunday Telegraph in an interview.

People will always want a job as it gives them "dignity", Nadella said, adding that the focus should instead be on applying AI technology ethically.

"What I think needs to be done in 2018 is more

dialogue around the ethics, the principles that we can use for the engineers and companies that are building AI, so that the choices we make don't cause us to create systems with bias ‌ that's the tangible thing we should be working on," he was quoted as saying.

Nadella also said that as Microsoft's business model was based on customers paying for services, he believed the company was on "the right side of history". "Our business model is based on our customers being successful, and if they are successful they will pay us. So we are not one of these transaction-driven or ad-driven or marketplace-driven economies.�

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NRI Pulse

EVENTS IFA Women’s Day JUNE 17 2018 When: Sunday, June 17 at 11 AM - 5 PM Where: S Convention Center, 540 Access Road, Cumming, Georgia 30041 Contact: 470-253-4432, http://ifaworld.org/ Paracha EntertainJUNE 22 ment & Prosperous Entertainment present Da-Bangg Reloaded Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sonakshi Sinha, Prabhudeva, Jacqueline Fernandez, Manish Paul & Daisy Shah When: Friday, June 22. Doors open 7:30pm, show 8:30 pm.

Where: Infinite Energy Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, Georgia 30097.

Tickets: $59-500, Tickets Office at Global Mall or Call 404-576-8909/ 470-485-7732, or go online to https://www.infiniteenergycenter.com/ events/detail/da-bangg-the-tour-reloaded Chai & Just Chat JUNE 23 "To Heal as in healthy or the Diet to die for" When: Sat June 23 at 4 pm Where: Nazeera LLC, 6475 East Johns Crossing, Johns Creek, GA 30097 Free Register: tinyurl/chaiandjustchatjune Contact: http://nazeera.net

CLASSFIEDS

..... Features .....

4th InternationJUNE 24 al Day of Yoga in 2018 hosted by the Consulate General of India with community organizations When: Sunday, June 24, 2018 Time: 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM Where: Heritage Sandy Springs Park, 6110 Blue Stone Rd, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328 Contact: https://www.facebook.com/ events/328976380944668/ Meet India’s most JUNE 30 celebrated author, writer and inspirational speaker, Chetan Bhagat.

When: Sat, June 30, 2018 Time: 9:45 AM – 1:00 PM (includes lunch) Please arrive on time at 9:45 am sharp as attendees will not be allowed in the banquet hall after 10:30 am.

9:45 am to 11:30 am- Chetan Bhagat’s speech 11:30 am to 12:00 pm- Q&A with Chetan Bhagat 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm- Lunch Where: Tadka Indian Restaurant, 11105 State Bridge Road, #Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30022 Tickets: Tickets: $50 per person VIP Tickets: $75 per person (includes signed book by Mr. Chetan Bhagat) Buy your tickets at: bit.ly/prathamatl Contact: Apurva Ghelani at 813-523-3377 or Aghelani@prathamusa.org Heart Notes: Hosted JUNE 30

by Heartfulness Meditation Atlanta and SwarGanga Join us for unique euphoric musical event featuring An inspirational keynote by Chetan Bhagat – renowned Author and Speaker Soul stirring music by Grammy nominated flutist – Shashank Subramanyam - Flute Maestro and The Legendary Pandit Jasraj Book launch of #1 Bestseller book - "The Heartfulness Way" including book signing by Co-Author Joshua Pollock When: Saturday, June 30, 2018 at 4 PM - 7 PM Where: Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, Georgia 30097 www.heartnotes.events Sadhu Vaswani JULY 15 Center: Centenary Year- A grand event to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Dada J. P. Vaswani When: July 15: Time: 4pm to 6pm, Free Event & Free Parking Where: Chapel Hall, Carter Center, 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta Register: belovelivelove.eventbrite.com Contact: 404-840-6662 or 678-462-7456

To advertise in our Classifieds section, call 404-664-2805.

June 2018

Why Is Modern Life So Incredibly Annoying?

BY NURY VITTACHI

Unfortunately no one told these machines that a) Koreans and Japanese people often sleep A man raised by wolves in a forest says on thin mattresses on the floor; and b) sucking he misses his old life. Living as a wolf cub in up hair on the floor is not a good thing to do if it a Spanish wilderness was much less stressful is still attached to a human's head. On one recent than modern life, Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja occasion, firefighters had to be called to remove told the BBC recently. a ravenous Roomba vacuum cleaner from its Journalists expressed surprise at his decla- Korean owner's head.

East Asian owners are junking their cleaning robots for superior technology: Broomsticks.

Police officers in the Indian state of Odisha recently demonstrated how they use pigeons to get messages across a vast portion of the state in just 20 minutes. During floods and power cuts the police pigeon service is the only functioning communications system. ration, but I totally get his point.

So, basically, if their conversations are Last week, my book ran out of batteries! anything like mine, you send a bird across the I know Socrates is looking state with your message, such as down at me from heaven and laughFUNNY SIDE "LOL" and 40 minutes later, you get ing, waving his "always on" scroll. the bird back with a message saying Meanwhile, at home, my child is outraged. "LMAO" (Laughing My Ass Off).

Why? "My snacks are so crunchy I can't hear Oh well, at least no one can complain the TV," she complains, furious. about information overload.

This is literally the worst thing that has A colleague showed me an angry text that ever happened to this child. I mean, how is she had been sent by a young person from an airgoing to cope with real life, during which mas- craft recently. "There's so much leg room in sively tragic things happen, like they forget to business class that I can barely reach the touch put mayo in your sandwich, a devastating in- screen TV," she complained. What suffering! cident that totally spoiled this columnist's day The odd thing is her inability to realise yesterday? I told her that in my day, the only TV how the rest of us, sitting in economy class seats was a window facing a brick wall and the only with our noses mere millimetres away from the snacks our fingers. She said brick walls were seat in front, will take her message. Where's her probably better than what was on TV these days brain? and she's probably right.

Uh-oh. I would canvass readers, contribBack at work, I was moaning about my utors and colleagues for more examples to fill dead e-book when a colleague told me about this column with, but the main functional secanother tech problem. The trend spreading tion of my own brain -- which is housed in a across Asia is to have a Roomba machine, a smartphone in my right hand -- is about to run wheeled disk that quietly vacuums your floors out of batteries. So I have to stop here. in the middle of the night.

Socrates! Stop laughing!

Millennials Going Overboard To Obtain Six-Pack: Survey

While it is healthy to adopt some lifestyle changes, millennials are much more likely than any age group to go to extremes, like using supplements and working out more than four days per week, to obtain six-pack abs or bigger muscles, show results of a new survey in the US. But doctors warn that supplements are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and could have unintended health consequences.

And while gym culture encourages men to push themselves to their limits, intense workout schedules often lead to burnout and an unhealthy rise and fall in weight and muscles mass.

The survey commissioned by Orlando Health, a network of hospitals based in Orlando, Florida, found that 90 per cent of men in the US have changed their daily habits to reach their fitness goals.

Instead of discussing the issue or seeking ad-

vice from their doctors, men often turn to supplements and extreme workout regimens to change their bodies, the findings showed.

"We often use the analogy that our bodies are a lot like our cars," Jamin Brahmbhatt, an urologist at Orlando Health South Lake Hospital, said in a statement.

"Men will take the time to do preventative maintenance on their cars, like getting tune ups and oil changes, but for whatever reason, we often don't take the same time and effort for our health. We need to change that mindset," Brahmbhatt added.

"The daily habits that they (men) think are improving their health could actually be putting it at risk," Brahmbhatt said. "A lot of claims on the labels of supplements and shakes are, at best, unresearched, and at worst, potentially dangerous.”

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NRI Pulse

..... Education Feature .....

June 2018

A Productive Way For High School Students To Spend Their Summer

BY KRISTEN MOON* As summer approaches, high school students (and their parents) are trying to find the best and most productive way to spend their time away from school. Many students are asking, "What can I do this summer that will be impressive to include in my college application?" or "How can I gain hands-on experience?"

Instead of applying for that job at Burger King, how about creating an experience that will supercharge your college application. Job shadowing is what I am referencing.

If you aspire to be a dentist, then shadow one. A pediatrician? Job shadowing will be a perfect way to get hands-on experience in a clinical setting. Many students, and their parents, wrongly believe that job shadowing is hard to come by.

That’s because most students approach it the wrong way.

The best opportunities will not be found on Monster or Indeed. They are created.

Contact your family dentist. Explain to her that you are an aspiring dentist.

Then explain the value you intend to add to her practice.

Remember, job shadowing must be mutually beneficial.

Start with the people you know, people your parents know, and family friends.

You’d be surprised how resourceful your inner circle is and just how far a referral goes.

Not only will job shadowing create a worthwhile summer, but it also looks amazing on those college applications. It shows the college that you are not just SAYING you want to be an architect – or doctor or whatever – you are SHOWING them you took the initiative to explore this passion.

When approaching job-shadowing opportunities, utilize LinkedIn to highlight your leadership skills. Think of LinkedIn as an online portfolio. Instead of emailing a boring resume, send your LinkedIn profile.

A LinkedIn page is more personal than a resume. Think of it as making your one-page resume come to life and highlighting who you are

Not only will job shadowing create a worthwhile summer, but it also looks amazing on those college applications.

It shows the college that you are not just SAYING you want to be an architect – or doctor or whatever – you are SHOWING them you took the initiative to explore this passion.

as an individual. Do you play the violin? Why not post a video of one of your performances? Are you a soccer player? Post a video of your winning goal. Take your time and make your LinkedIn page personal, and highlight your goals, accomplishments, and why a university would be happy to have you as one of their students.

Creating a LinkedIn page is a task that needs to be nurtured: a constant work-in-progress. It is a great use of time for students to build up their profile while on summer break. Make connections, get endorsements, and ask for recommendations.

This way, when you approach job-shadowing or internship opportunities, the employer can learn more about you and your leadership skills

through your LinkedIn profile.

Once you obtain that coveted job-shadowing opportunity, stay in touch with colleagues through LinkedIn. Build that relationship. One opportunity often leads to the next.

Perseverance is key when seeking a job-shadowing opportunity. If the first person you contact tells you 'no', keep calling other prospects.

Hands-on learning experiences are out there for ambitious students, but it often takes diligence and work to obtain them.

About the author: Kristen Moon is an independent college counselor and founder of MoonPrep. com. Moon Prep provides one-on-one tutoring services catered to university admissions. Their specialty lies in the Ivy League, direct medical programs (BS/MD), and highly competitive universities.

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NRI Pulse

..... Bollywood Pulse .....

June 2018

Abandoned By Children, Arjun Rampal, Meher Part Salman Decodes Trolling ‘Pakeezah’ Actress Geeta Ways After 20 Years Sal m an Khan has Mumbai: (IANS) Actor Arjun Rampal "We have always been solid when it Kapoor Dies Alone dismissed the and Mehr Jesia have called it quits after 20 has come to us, we will continue to be solMumbai: (IANS) Veteran Bollywood actress Geeta Kapoor, who shot into the limelight for her role in the classic “Pakeezah”, breathed her last in a Mumbai old age home on Saturday morning, a family friend said.

She was 67 and had been living in the old age home after she was reportedly abandoned by her son and daughter last year.

“Heartbreaking! ‘Pakeezah’ actress Geeta Kapoor passes away after waiting to see her children one last time,” tweeted her friend and film-personality Ashoke Pandit.

She had acted in around 100 films in supporting roles/characters, including prominent ones in Kamal Amrohi’s films “Pakeezah”,” “Razia Sultan”.

In a humanitarian gesture, film producer Ramesh Taurani and Pandit had been caring for the actress and paying her medical bills after her children turned their backs on her. Her son Raja is a choreographer and her daughter Pooja is an airhostess.

Kapoor, was deserted by her children in May 2017 at the SRV Hospital, Goregaon, and was later shifted by Pandit and Taurani, to the Jeevan Asha old age home run by the Society of Helpers of Mary in Andheri West.

She had once complained of ill-treatment meted out by her son, including assault and not giving her food regularly.

She longed very much to see her children since then, but they never came and she kept getting weaker with passing time, and finally passed away, said Pandit.

“Her body will be kept at Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle for two days hoping her children to come and at least do the last rites. Otherwise, we will do our best to bid her a dignified goodbye,” Pandit tweeted.

years of marriage. id for each other and our loved ones, as we There was speculation about the status embark upon a new journey." of their relationship for long. And the couThey added: "Both of us being extremely private people feel strange to be making this statement, but such are the circumstances of our lives.

Where the truth can get distorted and lost."

Arjun and Mehr got married in 1998 and have two daughters -- Mahikaa and Myra. They might have separated, but will always "be there for one another".

"We are a family, ple set the record straight by announcing our love for each other is forever intact and their decision to part ways through a joint we shall always be there for one another statement released on Monday. and most importantly for our children The statement read: "After a 20 year Mahikaa and Myra. We would therefore long beautiful journey filled with love and appreciate our privacy through this time. beautiful memories, we would like to share, Thank all for their support. Relationships that all journeys have different paths and can end but love lives on. we feel that it is time for us to move on to "We won't be commenting on this any different destinations hence forth. further."

Twitter backlash against the trailer of his next big ticket film "Race 3", saying comments by people with "one or two" followers do not qualify as "trolling".

At the launch of the new season of "Dus Ka Dum", Salman was asked about the buzz around "Race 3".

"I don't know what you're talking about," said the actor, urging the scribe to mention the trolling. Salman counter-questioned: "Are you trolling it? You know who is trolling it?"

When the scribe said "a lot of people", Salman said: "Those guys with one follower or two followers? That's trolling? Who's controlling that trolling, you know? No? How sad.”

"So, when guys with one, two, three, four followers troll, it's not trolling."

Salman was in a witty mood as he also remarked on the response to the "Race 3" song "Selfish", penned by him. He chose a musical way to respond to a reporter, and joked: "This song is also written by me.

It hasn't been released. It will be released soon and then get trolled."

Celebrity Life Is Not Easy: Ranveer Singh

New Delhi: (IANS) Bollywood heartthrob Ranveer Singh loves all the attention.

He admits being in spotlight is like living his dream. The actor, who is fondly called the Hindi film industry’s livewire, thanks to his infectious energy and smile, says being a celebrity comes with some responsibilities — which he is happy to embrace – but doesn’t let any of it take away his focus from his first love, acting.

“Celebrity life is not easy. There is a lot of scrutiny. This is compounded with the coming of mobile phones and smart phones which have a camera. There is constant attention, sometimes too much of it,” Ranveer told IANS in a recorded response from Mumbai.

“But this is something you take in your stride. If you decided to be an actor, then with that kind of territory comes a lot of attention and I am only too happy to receive attention,” he added.

The actor, who made his debut in 2010 with the film “Band Baaja Baaraat” as a raw Delhi boy, says he was “an attention seeking kid while growing up”.

“So, for me this is like living the dream. People aspire to be in the limelight, so if you have been blessed with an opportunity to be there, then you should look at it as a positive. I don’t feel any kind of pressure in any aspect of my life,” said the actor, who lent his voice to Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool in the Hindi version of Hollywood film “Deadpool 2″.

With celebrity status comes a certain

responsibility — and Ranveer is learning to handle that.

“There are many things which you can do as a person who is not famous that you cannot do when you are a public figure. I have started understanding that slowly. But in the midst of all of this attention and noise sometimes, you cannot lose the focus of what is the most import-

ant (thing) — which is the core of what you do — which is acting in films,” he says.

The 32-year-old asserted he does not work with any load of pressure.

“Pressure is only pressure if you take it as pressure. I think pressure stifles you.

It will restrict you. I take each day as it comes, each gig as it comes and try and do my best at everything… It is just a habit, or has become a habit to try and give my

best,” he said.

Ranveer is always looking to try out new things, and that is what prompted his decision to be part of the “Deadpool” universe.

Based on Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, “Deadpool” is the original story of a former Special Forces operative who turns into a mercenary and is now out to seek revenge against the man who nearly destroyed his life.

Brought to India by Fox Star India, the film released last week in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

“This is not something I have attempted before. But that was the large part of the attraction.

The fact that I was keen to do something new in the creative space (was also one of the reasons). This is something that presented itself out of nowhere and I really jumped at it because I saw ‘Deadpool’ and I really enjoyed it,” Ranveer said, adding that he is happy to be the face of irreverent humour.

Apart from “Deadpool 2″, Ranveer has films like Zoya Akhtar’s “Gully Boy”, Rohit Shetty’s “Simmba” and Kabir Khan’s “83″ in his account.

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NRI Pulse

June 2018

..... Books .....

The Heartfulness Way: Where The Heart Is Your Inner Guru

The Heartfulness Way: Heart-Based Meditations for Spiritual Transformation (New Harbinger Publications, June 1, 2018, Paperback, 232 pages, ISBN: 978-1-68403-134-4) Atlanta, GA, May 29, 2018: In our modern, fast-paced world we are often told that to find happiness we need to spend our time and energy chasing status, success, and accumulating as much as possible. This approach, naturally, leaves us feeling empty, and worse, unhappier than when we started.

But what if we could learn to be heartful instead? The Heartfulness Way: Heart-Based Meditations for Spiritual Transformation (Reveal Press, June 1, 2018) offers a unique and powerful, four-part proven method for meditation that allows the readers to have an immediate, tangible spiritual experience, irrespective to their faith. In this heart-centered book, Joshua Pollock is in conversation with his teacher, Kamlesh D. Patel – affectionately known as Daaji, the fourth and current spiritual guide of the century-old Heartfulness tradition.

Based on Daaji’s own combination of approaches and practices for the modern seeker— which draws from the teachings of Sahaj Marg, meaning “Natural Path”—Heartfulness is a contemporized version of the ancient Indian practice of Raja Yoga, a tradition that enables the practitioner to realize the higher Self within. While many books describe refined states of being, The Heartfulness Way goes further, providing a pragmatic course to experience those states for oneself, which, per the book’s guiding principle, is “greater than knowledge.”

“It all starts with the simple act of meditation,” Daaji, writes. “Nothing much is required

of us as we sit quietly, close our eyes, and focus within the Source of all existence in our hearts. If we can approach that act of meditation with child-

like wonder and innocence, our inner universe unfolds before us naturally.”

The Heartfulness Way presents a systematic, comprehensive, and detailed understanding of Heartfulness. Regular practice of Heartfulness can improve quality of life, relieve stress, allow practitioners to sleep better, have greater concentration, and can stimulate the immune system.

The method consists of four elements: relaxation, meditation, rejuvenation, and connection.

“So, listen to the heart carefully and follow it faithfully,” Pollock writes. “Let it be your inner guru. It will guide you at every step of the way and in every last detail of your life. That is heartfulness.”

Kamlesh D. Patel, also known as Daaji, is the fourth and current spiritual guide of the Heartfulness movement, which teaches a version of Raja Yoga that has been modified to suit the mod-

What People Are Saying:

“In this simple and elegant book, Daaji reveals the ancient secrets of Heartfulness meditation for a well-integrated life. A must read for anyone interested in incorporating meditation into their life style” - Dr. Sanjay Gupta, A prominent neurosurgeon and CNN’s Emmy award winning chief medical correspondent “The Heartfulness Way is an invaluable addition to the vast body of literature on meditation.

Its message is optimistic, pointing to the innate goodness that lies in each of our hearts, and showing us how to grow into our most authentic and best selves. As a mindfulness practitioner, I have long felt that the root of mindfulness is ‘heartfulness,’ so I am pleased to witness this concept taking hold, and I look forward to the day that everyone aspires toward ‘heartful’ living.” —Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative for Ohio “Over twenty years ago, when I was introduced to the Heartfulness meditation practice, I could not have anticipated how much it would come to mean to me with each passing day. Nor could I have anticipated the harmony and purpose that I would find in my life as a result. Whether you are ardent practitioner of meditation, just curious, or perhaps even skeptical, The Heartfulness Way is a must-read. Answers leap magically from its pages, making it simple to understand meditation and its purpose. To read this book is to be immersed in a symphony of revelations.” —Vani Kola, Managing Director, Kalaari Capital “An elegant and eloquent introduction to a profound meditative practice.” —Varun Soni, PhD., Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California ern era. Born in Gujarat, India, Daaji showed an early interest in meditation and spiritual growth.

In 1976, as a pharmacy student in Ahmedabad, he met his guide, Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, the second spiritual guide in the Heartfulness tradition and founder and first president of Shri Ram Chandra Mission. After graduating with honors in 1980, Daaji moved to the United States and practiced pharmacy in New York City, while continuing the practice of Heartfulness. After Ram Chandra’s passing, Daaji became a devoted disciple of his successor, Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari. In October 2011, Daaji was proclaimed

Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari’s successor. Following his guide’s passing on the December 20, 2014, Daaji became the global guide for Heartfulness practitioners.

Joshua Pollock is a student of Kamlesh D. Patel. After experimenting with various meditative practices, Pollock started practicing Heartfulness in the United States in 2002, and has taught it since 2007. He regularly teaches Heartfulness at universities, corporations, government institutions, and at public seminars. An accomplished violinist, Pollock has performed and taught all over the world.

All The Lives We Never Lived: Indian Novel At Its Best

BY SAKET SUMAN

In a shattered world of lovelorn characters, Anuradha Roy's recent novel yearns for "all the lives" it "never lived", gently unfolding a narrative whose heroes share traits of villains and villains of heroes -- all held together by "a fragile contentment". Traversing a family's melancholic journey through the trials of time, or perhaps callings of the heart, this is a novel that comes but rarely in our day and age.

And yet it is a story devoid of heroes and villains; the rights and the wrongs; liberties and prejudices -- it evokes a curiosity for everything but, in the end, leaves you pining for nothing. Anuradha's is a little universe, crafted with attention to minute details and progressed with an effortless narrative that floats in her rich prose and diction.

But this little universe inhabited by a lonely child Myshkin, who grows old as you navigate through its pages; his once subdued but always carefree mother Gayatri; his atheist, nationalist and often difficult to comprehend father Nek Chand, can also turn magnanimously large in its context.

Along the way are appearances by Tagore and Walter Spies; events of the second World War collide with the cutting down of trees many years later and aspirations of India's freedom movement are thrust against the backdrop of art and the everlasting pull that it has for artists. But

Book: All The Lives We Never Lived; Author: Anuradha Roy; Publisher: Hachette; Price: Rs 599; Pages: 335 The novel presents a work: matured in her view of the narrative, calm in her tone, rich in language, profound in the exmaster storyteller at work: perience she creates and yet so observant of the matured in her view of affairs of men.

The novel touches upon a range of piercing the narrative, calm in her societal issues -- women's rights, art, environtone, rich in language, ment and nationalism, to name a few -- but noprofound in the experi- where does it sound preachy in its narration. It is ence she creates and yet not a protest because Anuradha, as the writer, or Myshkin as the narrator, are not complaining. Inso observant of the affairs stead, it is a recollection where the story that Anuradha has written is actually being recalled and of men. above all, strange are the manners of the human heart and, like in real life, the characters are firm, albiet whimsical, when it comes to dealing with their emotions.

The most compelling aspect of the narrative is governed by the simple fact that it stays as true to the truth as a novel possibly can. The characters follow their hearts and do what anyone would do when placed in their shoes. Often, there is actually nothing else they can really do other than remembering the good old lullabies or writing letters in their remembrance. But it is neither nostalgia nor regret.

At the onset, the reader is on a constant quest

of finding where the past begins.

Setting the narrative straight in the very first sentence, the readers are told: "In my childhood, I was known as the boy whose mother had run off with an Englishman."

Even as one event leads to the next, the readers are aware of an upcoming destination -- when Myshkin's mother will "run off" -- thus the hitherto anticipation finds a greater push once Gayatri actually runs off with Walter Spies, leaving behind her husband and of course, young Myshkin.

Crafting the plot of an intriguing novel is the forte of a creative mind but presenting it in indisputably flawless sentences that soothe the reader's heart is an art that comes with maturity.

The novel presents a master storyteller at

reflected upon by Myshkin as we flick through its pages.

So, the story is being written inside the story and the readers become a part of this profound experience, woven together by little fragments that break the realms of time and geographical boundaries.

A novel that is global in its appeal and yet Indian at its heart, there is never a dull moment in "All the lives we never lived".

There is no anticipation of a sudden twist but it is the overall experience (of which the reader too becomes a part) that will win many prospective readers for this once-in-a-lifetime novel.

It is not a soothing balm on an aching heart, it is the ache and it is the relief.

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NRI Pulse

June 2018

..... What’s Cooking? .....

Mung Murukulu

1 Cup mung flour 2 1⁄2 Cups rice flour 2 Teaspoons salt or to taste 2 Teaspoons ground red pepP.S. LAKSHMI RAO per 1⁄2 Teaspoon crushed cumin powder 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 3 1⁄2 Cups boiling water Enough oil for deep frying (2 to three cups depending on the size of the frying pan)

hand.

Heat oil in a frying pan about one and half inches deep.

Fill a janthika press (having 1/8 inch holes) with the dough and press in to the hot oil.

Turn once or twice for crispiness.

Spread some newspapers away from the stove, and lay some paper towels on top.

Place the fried murukulu on top of paper towels in single layer to absorb oil from murukulu.

Bharwan Karela (Baked) 6 medium-sized Karela (bitter gourds) 3 onions finely chopped 1 tsp red chili powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp amchur (dry mango) powder 1 tsp saunf (fennel seeds) crushed 2 tbsp oil Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 180C/350 F. Prepare the karela by washing and drying them (I don't peel the skin, or apply salt to it, but you could if you feel it makes the dish too bitter).

Slice each karela in the center (without going all the way through) and scrape out the inside including the seeds using a teaspoon.

Place the karela on a baking tray and bake for 30-45 minutes (till it starts to shrink and brown a bit). If the karela is thick, it may require a bit longer, so keep checking.

In the meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and add the onions and fry until golden brown.

Add the spice powders and salt, mix well.

Fry for a few seconds and remove from the heat.

Mix first six ingredients together in a bowl.

Pour hot water and mix with a wooden spoon.

When the dough becomes cold enough, mix it with oily

Once cooled, use a spoon or your hands and stuff the karela with equal amounts of the mixture. Smear any extra stuffing or oil on the karela.

You can bake the karela again for a further 10-15 minutes or pan-fry the stuffed karela in a teaspoon of oil for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with rice and dal or with rotis and a sabzi.

Once cooked, the karela can be refrigerated for upto a week.

- By Manish Kusumwal, Corporate Chef at Keys Hotels

..... InVogue .....

Make Summer Stylish With Floral Prints for a contemporary take on florals. * Pastel contemporary florals on crepe and chiffon: Digital prints done in a contemporary colour palette on fabrics like chiffon and crepe are the best fit for summer wears. Floral designs reflecting the real-life flora, painted in abstract dual-tones look refreshing yet chic on a bright sunny day. * Muted minimal floral prints on muslin: Muted Coral floral designs on a loosely plain-woven fabric like Muslin, which comes with good Summer is here in full swing and with the durability, has a soft texture with a subtle shine. mercury level rising day-by-day, it gets little Perfect for causal summer evening outings, handtough to keep your fashion goals intact. Howevblock Mughal motifs or contemporary flowers in er, floral fabrics can add glamour to your look if pastel colors spread out a sophisticated vibe. opted wisely.

flower power, it is time to try pairing floral prints with each other to give that vibrant yet subtle look. Pair it with a nice floral print handbag to add on to your look. * Summer is a perfect time to carry pastel shades. Pastels are soothing to the eyes and have an inherent quality to make you look cool. To spike up the over all look, a trendy printed handbag is a must addition. * Dainty and bold floral prints should be properly paired with each other to reveal the

Sandeep Sharma, Director, Fabriclore.com suggests some tips: * Landscaped floral mughal motifs on cotton and chanderi silk: Perfectly landscaped Mughal twigs, buds, leaves, flowers and bouquets on cotton and chanderi silk fabrics look exquisite.

Ankle-length mughal cotton maxi dresses for instance, is a perfect fusion of ethnicity and modern style. * Abstract florals and vines on rayon: The flowy rayon fabric screen-printed with abstract floral designs like blooming flowers, sun-like buds, creepers, paper-cut flowers, and painted Sulagna Kapoor, Co-founder of Pursu too roses in bright colours can be shaped into kneehave some tips to share length skater dresses, long ankle-length dresses, straight kurtas and palazzos, crop tops and skirts, *Once an individual feels confident with the

best possible combination. For a summer party, pair your solid color dress with a floral patterned clutch or handbag. * Accessories like flower-inspired jewelry paired with a multicolored floral print handbag and coordinated footwear are all that an individual should flaunt, during any summer event. * Subtle floral print handbags can be combined with white / off-white dresses, to make a style statement. * Denims with gingham or solid shirts are an all time hit. Add a printed handbag to complete the look this summer.

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NRI Pulse

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NRI Pulse

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