We bring you another action packed issue as we begin our 29th year of operation. Peruse through the magazine to read about nutrition, finances, immigration, films, recipe, an upcoming chess tournament, and lots of personal stories.
Remember that when you call or visit one of our advertisers, be sure to mention that you saw their ad in Saathee Magazine, Saathee.com or the weekly e-Newsletter. We can’t bring this resource to you without their continuing support. Visit Saathee.com for regularly updated content.
We welcome comments and suggestions. Just drop us a note.
Some highlights in this issue:
♦ Read about Prediabetes in our “Nutrition for Life” column on page 30.
♦ Find summer movies in our “Upcoming Movies” on page 34.
♦ Read about the “Anxiety of Travel” in the column on page 58.
♦ Looking for a job or new business? See latest Classifieds on page 108.
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"You pray for rain, you’ve gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it." - Denzel Washington
Cover: Bhutanatha Temples, Badami, Karnataka
The Bhutanatha temples are 7th to 12th century Hindu temples coonsisting of Bhutanatha main group (7th to 8th century mostly in the Dravida architecture style) and Mallikarjuna group (11th to 12th century mostly in the Nagara architecture).
Photo by lyashko, Adobe Stock
“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”
June 2026 Issue # 337
Editor Samir Shukla (Samir@Saathee.com)
Publisher & Advertising Divakar Shukla 704-527-7570 or saatheemag@hotmail.com
Digital Media & Marketing
Jennifer W. Allen
Ad Design / Layout
DSJ Graphics, Cooper’s Hive
Contributors for this issue:
Shikha Singh, Teju Lakkundi, Dipika Kohli, Sereena Kumar, Ketu Desai, Rishi P. Oza, Rupa Pereira, Hiren Deliwala, Malini Amaladoss, Dhruv Pathak, Payal Nanjiani, Anuj Kasera, Anuj Chakrapani, and Jalendu Vaidya.
Mission: Our goal is to be a valuable source of information for the South Asian community and to be a vital advertising tool for businesses. - F OUNDED 1998 -
Saathee
(USPS 021-116) (ISSN: 1543-8147) is published monthly by:
Shukla Entertainment Inc.
612 Heather Ln., Charlotte, NC 28209
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Opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily of the publisher or editor. Please contact us prior to submitting articles or photographs. Saathee is published monthly. Deadlines for advertisement, submissions and events information is 15th of the month.
I woke one morning scratching my head and wondering how that little alarm clock next to my bed had turned upside down. It happened sometime during the folds of the night. Who know what tricks time plays on us when we are asleep.
I think I know how that contraption flipped during the night. The Star Trek episode I watched before sleeping was still playing in my head. It was about time and its unrelenting machinations. I must have flipped the clock upside down just before crawling back into bed after my middle of the night bathroom run, induced by a sci-fi dream. Time the thief picks away at our life spans while we lay there like helpless babes in the night ether.
What is time but a specified marker and construct that emanated from human minds. A necessary stitch to mark the passage and segments of our lives. I’ve tried to slow time before. Why wouldn’t an upside-down little clock do the trick of maybe slowing time? Yeah, yeah, I know. But what’s wrong with trying something a child may wonder about? I can see my very younger, curious self, asking, “What if we unplugged a clock? Time would stop? What if we flip a table clock upside down to somehow slow time?”
I flicked away childhood wonderings and flipped the clock right side up in the morning and went about the incoming day.
I’ve had this clock since college. Yes, it is still working, approaching its fifth decade. I got it as a gift when I opened a checking account, back when such gifts were offered by banks when you opened an account. The amount of deposit dictated the size of the gift. This keeper of time is the longest one I have owned, and it still functions like it did when I first plugged it in oh so many years ago.
Humans have forever endeavored to slow things down, to just have some more time. This has been a conundrum going on for eons and will continue until the last human has left this planet.
Nothing works against time, but there is a sweet season where time can move slower, if we set aside some moments daily, say maybe an hour, just to ponder, and linger in the warm breezes. Stretch. Every. Minute. This lovely season is what we call summer. This year I was looking forward to starting it earlier.
We were slated to jet off to the tropics in mid-April to the warm island of Puerto Rico, a much-needed reconnection with sunny climes after a long winter. I set the alarm on that little clock the night before our morning flight. I had not used that alarm for many years; the cellphone has taken over that function. This night, though, I wanted to set the alarm on that old clock and hear its familiar chime in the morning. The clock that was flipped upside down in a dream state a few days earlier would help begin the day that kicks off an early summer. That sweet slow season.
Right on the set marker, the chime announced that it was morning and we headed to the airport.
Editor’s Desk continued on page 94
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Upcoming Events
SC
Festival of Flowers: Greenwood, SC (June 4 – 7, 2026)
The unique mix of events and attractions make the SC Festival of Flowers in Greenwood, SC a one-of-a-kind place to visit. There will be a wide variety of performances and exhibits along with a variety of vendors. Check out the foods and cuisines available. The festival will take place between June 4 & 7, 2026 along the 11,000-acre area of Lake Greenwood. Learn more at Scfestivalofflowers.org.
Taste of Charlotte (June 5 – 7, 2026)
Taste of Charlotte returns to uptown Tryon Street between June 5 & 7, 2026. Enjoy delicious food samples while strolling the festival experiencing 3 stages of entertainment, performances and interactive tours. Aside from that, a large variety of local, regional, and national partners will provide information, coupons, and various free goodies. Admission is free. Learn more at Tasteofcharlotte.com.
Raleigh International Food Festival
(June 6, 2026)
The Raleigh International Food Festival will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 11am – 9pm. Experience unique international food from around the world. Two stages with folkloric performances, bands & international music. There will be many food vendors. Celebrate culture, community, and cuisine at a festival that brings the world to Raleigh, all with free admission. It will be held at the City Plaza Downtown. Details: Visitraleigh.com.
P-Pod Conference:
Atlanta, GA (June 6 – 7, 2026)
The Plant-based Prevention of Disease organization is holding its conference Emory University, Atlanta between June 6 – 7, 2026. Continuing education conference and cancer survivorship summit. For more details, visit Register.P-pod.org.
High Country Jazz Festival: Boone, NC (June 10 – 14, 2026)
The fest, taking place from June 10 - 14, 2026, brings first-rate jazz experiences to Boone and Blowing Rock, NC. The headline events will take place in the Appalachian Theatre in Boone with a host of affiliated jazz venues featuring outdoor concerts, latenight jams, jazz lunches, films, and more. This year’s headliners include El Arte del Bolero: Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, and Spyro Gyra. Find out more at Hcjazzfest.org.
Bhajan Jamming: Charlotte, NC (June 12, 2026)
Experience peace through music with live bhajans, jugalbandhi, and interactive jamming. Dinner is included. It takes place on June 12, 2026, 7 - 9:30pm, at Hindu Center, 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte, NC. For more details, call 704-258-4876 or 732-586-6075.
Greenville Jazz Fest (June 12 – 13, 2026)
The 2026 Greenville Jazz Fest will bring jazz to the downtown area and local schools from Broad Street to Falls Park Drive for 2 days between June 12 & 13, 2026. The festival’s entertainment lineup spans multiple genres, including New Orleans Jazz, Swing, Funk, Smooth Jazz, Big Band, Latin Jazz, Jazz Vocals. Bites from local food trucks and drink tents will be available throughout the festival as well. Admission is free. Details: Visitgreenvillesc.com.
Swansboro Arts by the Sea Festival (June 13, 2026)
This arts and crafts festival will take place from 9am to 5pm on Saturday, June 13, 2026. This annual celebration showcases the region’s vibrant artistic talent and coastal charm. Over 80 art and craft vendors offering a diverse array of handmade treasures. Enjoy live music and dance performances from local favorites. Whether you’re a lover of the arts, a foodie, or simply seeking a memorable day by the sea, the fest has everything. Learn more at Swansborofestivals.com/arts-by-the-sea.
Rohan
Rajeev Foundation CPR Training: Charlotte, NC (June 13, 2026)
The Rohan Rajeev Foundation has dates for free bystander CPR sessions. In less than an hour you’ll walk away knowing exactly what to do in those first critical minutes when life hangs in the balance. The next session in the Charlotte area will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, beginning at 10am at 4425 Wilkinson Blvd. To register, you can visit Rohanrajeev.org.
Gujarati Natak: Morrisville, NC (June 20, 2026)
Triangle Gujarati Association will present the comedy natak “Kishor Kaka and Rj Harshil: on June 20, 2026, at 8pm. Together they promise an evening full of nonstop laughter and entertainment. Gates open at 7:30 pm. Food available for purchase from 6:30 pm. Venue: HSNC, Main Hall, 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville NC. Info: Nctga.org.
Upcoming Events
Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav:
Charlotte, NC (June 19 – 21, June 26 – 28, 2026)
Hindu Center of Charlotte presents new temple opening celebrations beginning with Lord Ganesha on June 19 – 21, 2026 and Radha Krishna June 26 –28, 2026. The Shiv Parivar Pratishtha will take place July 10 – 12, 2026. Be a part of this historic occasion. The temple is located at 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte, NC. For more details, call 704-5353440 or visit Hcclt.org.
The two-day Blueberry Festival will be held on June 19 & 20, 2026 with a plethora of events to enjoy. These events include a 5k run & 1 mile walk, car and truck show, non-competitive bicycling, model train show, blueberry recipe contest, bake sale, whole hog BBQ cook-off, craft beer, and food vendors. More details are available at Ncblueberryfestival.com.
Celebrate the holiday outside at the Whitewater Center. The festivities span over two days with live music, a Saturday trail race, multiple yoga practices and more. July 3 – 4, 2026. Info: Whitewater.org.
Indian Idol Musical Concert: Raleigh, NC (July 11, 2026)
Enjoy a live concert with Indian Idol winner and runner up Subhadeep and Manasi on Saturday, July 11, 2026, 6pm, at Stewart Theatre, Raleigh, NC. For details, text 919-868-9000 or 919-423-9426.
Vishal and Sheykhar Live: Raleigh, NC (July 19, 2026)
RTP Entertainment presents live in concert Vishal and Sheykhar on Sunday, July 19, 2026, 5:15pm and onwards at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com. For Info: call 901-244-6060 or 919-889-2782.
Celebrate the blooming of the rhododendron on Roan Mountain. The NC Rhododendron Festival draws hundreds of visitors from across the region and features the Rhododendron Festival Pageant, the craft fair with food vendors, children’s activities, and live music, as well as a classic car show, arts & crafts, a 10K run, ducky derby, street dances and a beauty pageant. The event will take place from June 19-20, 2026, in downtown Bakersville, NC. More info at Ncrhododendronfestival.org.
Cordusa
Charity Run: Cary, NC (June 20, 2026)
Cordusa is presenting its charity run event on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 101 Soccer Park Dr., Cary, NC. Proceeds will benefit two nonprofit organizations. Timed runs with medals in various age categories, bubble station, games, photo booth, local vendors and more. For more info, write to Raleigh@cordusa.org.
Beaufort Dragon Boat Race & Asian Festival: (June 27, 2026)
Beaufort Dragon Boat Race & Asian Festival happens on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at its new location of the Port Royal Waterfront near Shellring and Fishcamp. The festival celebrates Asian cultures, diversity, ethnicity, roots and history. Explore the cultural heritage showcase, vendors, music and dance performances, along with dragon boat races. Proceeds from the event will benefit Beaufort County neighbors battling cancer. See more details at Dragonboatbeaufort.org.
Red, White, and Belmont: (July
3, 2026)
Get ready to paint the town with patriotic hues at the Red, White, & Belmont celebration! Join for an evening filled with star-spangled excitement as it off with a concert with Too Much Sylvia. The fireworks show will be a dazzling addition to your Independence Day. Stowe Park, 24 S Main St, Belmont, NC. Info: Cityofbelmont.org.
The annual youth summer camp, featuring yoga, nature walks, arts, drama, Indian culture, sports, and cultural discussions, will take place from July 19 – 25, 2026 in Mebane, NC in an Ashram setting. For more details call 760-473-4811 or visit Lifemissionusa.org.
Hasya Kavi Sammelan:
Charlotte, NC (August 8, 2026)
International Hindi Samiti, Charlotte Chapter presents "Hasya Kavi Sammelan" on Saturday, August 8, 2026, 4:30pm, at Hindu Center, 7400 City View Dr. For details, call 704-535-3440.
Keep up with all the events happening in our region with Saathee Magazine. The best way to find them is in these pages or online at our regularly updated events section:
Breaking the Ice
A Teenage Story
by Sereena Kumar
Throughout my first year of college, I feel like I have been asked, “What is your year and major?” at least 10 times. It drained my energy having to think about matching the expression of the stranger standing in front of me. Nevertheless, I plastered on my sunniest smile and attempted to tentatively connect with my fellow freshmen classmates. Rather than melting the awkward tension that hung in the air, icebreakers tend to freeze up my natural, cheery disposition. I expected challenging classes to be one of my bigger hurdles. Instead, it turned out to be making new friends.
High school differed in that I had to be surrounded by people 7 hours a day. My greatest friendships were forged from partnering up with my assigned tablemates and catching a friendly eye at my lunch table. In college, I quickly noticed that the freedom of choice accompanied by adulthood is also a limitation. I had the ability to waste away my day in the dorm after classes rather than venture out into the unknown social landscape. By becoming invisible to my peers, I became invisible to myself. Ultimately, what broke me out of my shell was practicing talking to strangers in the elevator.
I would usually pretend to be on my phone and avert eye contact while waiting to escape the strangers in the tiny box.
A Teenage Story continued on page 96
Choosing Where to Grow Old
Arriving into Readiness: Part 5
In earlier reflections, I mentioned that we chose to spend three months in India, not as visitors but living independently. What I did not fully share is how that became possible. I could not have done it without my brother and his family.
The moment I shared a tentative timeframe for our arrival, my sister-in-law began searching for a rental apartment. She did not wait for instructions. Having visited us in the United States, she knew the kind of space that would make us feel settled.
Once the place was chosen, my brother and cousin quietly stepped in — selecting furniture, arranging appliances, stocking the kitchen, and preparing the home as though we had lived there for years. By the time we arrived, the effort was invisible, but also everywhere.
This was not a casual stay
My husband was still recovering from a stroke and required ongoing physical therapy. We were stepping out of months filled with hospital stays, insurance complications, and emotional exhaustion. I did not want to land and begin piecing life together. I wanted steadiness from the moment we arrived.
My priorities were clear: Close proximity to reputable hospitals; A secure apartment building; Enough space for recovery to feel unconfined.
When we landed in Bangalore, we walked into a space that was complete. Beds made. Kitchen functional. Groceries in place. Utilities running. Nothing half-done. Family does not always announce its love. Sometimes it prepares the room before you arrive.
My Voice by Malini Amaladoss
Cell:
Bus:
rulhaq@ft.newyorklife.com
Lala
Lala
The Through Line
by Dhruv Pathak
My father was and is a good father. It took me most of my life to say that, and I still sometimes wonder if I fully understand it. Not because it isn’t true, but because I needed time to understand what “good” even meant beyond my own angst and know-it-all disposition. He grew up in Amdavad, worked as an engineer, and lived in a walled house with servants, a puja room, and a strong sense of belonging. He moved to the United States in 1994. Two years later, my brother was born, and shortly after, my biological mother died from health complications. Just like that, it was my dad and his two young sons alone in a country none of us had chosen. None of us, least of all me, stopped to ask what he’d left behind. He drove cabs, managed gas stations and a drugstore, then became a real estate agent. No matter what, he made sure we had hot meals, my favorite being khichdi, a safe place to live, regular family vacations, money for extracurriculars, and countless rides wherever we needed to go. Like most kids, I wanted more. For me, it was Pokémon cards. But I knew, even as a child, that wasn’t the real problem.
Lala continued on page 88
All the People
Stay Curious
Kismuth and the Way by Dipika
Kohli
I started writing this three times, all of them on a Discord call with a small artist community in Manila I met a year ago, virtually.
It was my first time trying Discord, and I was all thumbs, being a Gen X’er and a Zoom voice-only person, usually, and also someone who never had a smartphone of my own. Sure, I am not very zippy and snappy with new-to-me communication channels, but they were quite forgiving of this technical backwardness, and I was grateful. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, as they say. Little by little, I got the hang of it. My equipment is quite rudimentary and falling apart, so there is that, but it still works. Mostly.
Reflecting later, I remembered how it feels to start a thing when you have no idea how, no experience with it, and you are diving in cold. Not a simple thing to do. After all, there were people who already knew each other. There was a very large chance I could be judged, or worse, shunned. It happens when people don’t know how to place you. Or you know, they just don’t like you very much. Or they’re bullies and stuff Social inclusion and wanting it is a huge deal when you are young or even not when you are young; but I’ve come to understand that the more times you try to break through these barriers of self-inhibition (‘What will people think?’) so as to cater to the moreof-the-moment, the more likely it’ll be that you’ll get closer to the you of you, the real you, who you truly are.
The curious people I’ve met in life on travels to different complex cultures and immersion in some of them for a year or ten, they’ve taught me this. I’m not sure how to put it, but I believe that the more you go, the more you find out, and through these exchanges with new others in the world, the more real you can become with yourself.
It has taken me a long time to put pen to paper and say this directly. But being liked is pointless if you don’t like yourself.
A husk of a self isn’t a self.
Kismuth continued on page 82
Prediabetes: The Whisper Before the Roar
Nutrition for Life
by Teju Lakkundi
Imagine going to see your doctor for a routine physical with lab results, feeling fine - no unusual symptoms and your doctor mentions, your blood sugar “is a bit high.” He says nothing to worry, lose 20 pounds and return after a year. You think it’ll go away, and go about your day, not realizing that your body just whispered the arrival of prediabetes.
What is prediabetes: Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough as Type 2 Diabetes. It is like a yellow traffic light, not red yet, but a clear signal to slow down.
With the right action, prediabetes can be reversed. That window of opportunity is the gift most people never realize they have been given.
South Asians’ high risk: Compared to Caucasian populations, South Asians can develop prediabetes at a lower body weight. We can develop insulin resistance and metabolic problems at a BMI as low as 21–23. A major cause for this is that most South Asians carry a disproportionately high amount of visceral fat, the dangerous fat stored around the organs.
Second, we have a strong genetic predisposition to insulin resistance, and this is not a matter of lifestyle alone. Research shows that South Asians have a naturally lower capacity for insulin secretion compared to other ethnic groups, meaning the pancreas must work harder to manage blood sugar even under normal conditions.
Third, genes that regulate how the body processes carbohydrates, stores fat, and responds to insulin behave differently in South Asian populations. This means that even a modest increase in caloric intake, a slight reduction in physical activity, or the natural metabolic slowdown that comes with aging can trigger blood sugar imbalances that might not affect someone of a different ethnic background in the same way.
Fourth, a diet rich in carbohydrates (rice, wheat, millets, maida, biscuits, fried namkeen, savory snacks, sugary sweets) with increasingly sedentary lifestyles, you have a community that is silently but rapidly developing prediabetes.
The silent whisper: Listen to your body whisper: Prediabetes is, for most people, completely asymptomatic. You will not feel it like a sore throat or a fever. You may forget your doctor even mentioned it. Some people notice subtle clues like feeling unusually tired after a meal,
VEMA MORTGAGE
Upcoming Movie Releases
June 5
Masters of the Universe (Director: Travis Knight)
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba
Power Ballad (Director: John Carney)
Cast: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, and Jack Reynor
Carolina Caroline (Director: Adam Carter Rehmeier)
Cast: Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, Kyra Sedgwick, and Jon Gries
O
ffi
Signal One (Jonathan Sobol)
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Isabelle Fuhrman, and David Thewlis
ce Romance (Director: Oliver Parker)
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Amy Sedaris, and Edward James Olmos
June 12
Main Vaapas Aaunga (Director: Imtiaz Ali)
Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina
Disclosure Day (Director: Steven Spielberg)
Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and Colin Firth
Stop! That! Train! (Director: Adam Shankman)
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rachel Bloom
June 19
Toy Story 5 (Director: Andrew Stanton)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, a nd Keanu Reeves
Cocktail 2 (Director: Homi Adajania)
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna
Saathee.com/movies
The Death of Robin Hood (Director: Michael Sarnoski)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, and Jodie Comer
June 26
Welcome to the Jungle (Director: Ahmed Khan)
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, and Raveena Tandon
Supergirl (Director: Craig Gillespie)
Cast: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Jason Momoa
Lenin (Director: Murali Kishor Abburu)
Cast: Akhil Akkineni and Bhagyashri Borse
The Get Out (Director: Derrick Borte)
Cast: Russell Crowe and Luke Evans
July 1-3
The Invite (Director: Olivia Wilde)
Cast: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton
Minions and Monsters (Director: Pierre Coffin)
Cast: Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, and Zoey Deutch
Dhamaal 4 (Director: Indra Kumar)
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, and Arshad Warsi
Enola Holmes 3 (Director: Philip Barantini)
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Himesh Patel, and Helena Bonham Carter
Nagabandham (Director: Abhishek Nama)
Cast: Virat Karrna, Nabha Natesh, Iswarya Menon, and Jagapathi Babu
Young Washington (Director: Jon Erwin)
Cast: William Franklyn-Miller, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Serkis, and Ben Kingsley
Other Films expected in July and August:
Moana, The Odyssey, Motor City, Spider Man: Brand New Day, Ice Cream Man, Late Fame, The End of Oak Street, and The Brink of War.
F i l m C l i p s
Hai Jawani Toh Ishq
Hona Hai
The cast of Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde promises a vibrant mix of romance, comedy, and highenergy entertainment. Directed by David Dhawan, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai tells the tale in his signature comic flair. June 5, 2026.
Main Vaapas Aaunga
A story of love and belonging rooted in Partition-era migration. The film examines memory and emotional ties to home and loved ones, how the past helps shape identity and sustains the human spirit across generations. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film stars Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina. June 12, 2026.
Cocktail 2
Exploring modern relationships amid emotional turmoil, this sequel features new characters facing current challenges while revisiting themes of love, friendship, and heartbreak. The cast in the Homi Adajania directed film includes Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna. June 19, 2026
Welcome to the Jungle
Police officers Jay Bakshi and Sandhya have been given task to track down notorious criminal Raj Solanki. Things take an unexpected turn when Jay finds out that Raj plays a significant role in his life. Ahmed Khan directs the huge cast that includes Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, and Raveena Tandon. June 26, 2026.
Dhamaal 4
Directed by Indra Kumar, the boys are back and ready to chase the “Treasure of Life,” facing crazy challenges along the way. What starts as a treasure hunt quickly turns into a rollercoaster of hilarious misadventures. The cast includes Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, and Arshad Warsi. July 3, 2026.
Nagabandham
An exploration of India’s ancient Vishnu temples, delving into the enigmatic ritual of Nagabandham. Hidden mysteries & traditions, offer a glimpse into the spiritual world of these revered sites. Virat Karrna and Jagapathi Babu star in the Abhishek Nama directed film. July 3, 2026.
Young Washington
Before he led the nation, George Washington was a young soldier thrown into a global conflict. With alliances crumbling and war closing in, he must choose who to trust and confront the leader he’s becoming. Jon Erwin directs William FranklynMiller, Andy Serkis, and Ben Kingsley. July 3, 2026.
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Looking for Permanence in the Tax Code in 2026
Financially Speaking by
Rupa Pereira
Writing is a form of expression, which, while swimming through numbers, formulas and percentages in a financial universe, expressing thoughts and ideas through writing is truly an art that I’ve grown to appreciate.
I had to pause my Saathee contributions due to a busier-than usual tax season and a flurry of clients keen on tax-planning as they explore greener pastures. Whether it was marketing of reputed tax software companies or a higher bonus or college bill, I sensed angst and uncertainty among my clients. Their angst wasn’t unwarranted.
Every tax season comes with its share of challenges, but what was unique about 2025-2026 was the permanence of certain tax provisions to bring stability. The United States Tax Code was founded on principles of simplicity, transparency, neutrality and stability. While the system is technically built on those original principles, the execution has become significantly more complex over the decades. The 2026 tax year is uniquely pivotal because it serves as the “great stabilizer.” For years, taxpayers were bracing for a massive “tax cliff” at the end of 2025, when the individual provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) were set to expire. In 2026, it’s estimated that Americans spend over 7 billion hours annually on tax compliance. The founding idea of simplicity didn’t account for a 75,000-page tax code. In 2026, this comparison is particularly stark due to recent legislative changes, such as the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which made many temporary tax provisions permanent. As a refresher, listed below are the key provisions that will be in full effect in 2026.
The
“Permanence”
of Lower Rates
Originally, 2026 was supposed to see income tax rates jump back up (the 37% top bracket was going to revert to 39.6%). Under the OBBB, the lower tax brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%) have been made permanent. For the first time in nearly a decade, taxpayers aren’t planning around a looming expiration of their core tax rates.
The Great SALT Expansion
One of the most significant shifts in 2026 is the overhaul of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction. What changed? The controversial $10,000 cap on SALT deductions (which had been in place since 2018) is replaced in 2026. The cap has been drastically increased to $40,400 for most taxpayers, though a new income-based phase-out applies to those in the highest (37%) tax bracket. This is a massive win for homeowners in high-tax states like New York, California, and New Jersey.
Lifestyle Deductions
2026 introduces several unique ‘lifestyle’ deductions that weren’t available in previous years.
Senior Deduction: A new temporary deduction of up to $6,000 for taxpayers aged 65 and older.
Car Loan Interest: Homeowners aren’t the only ones getting interest breaks; 2026 marks the ability to deduct up to $10,000 in car loan interest for new vehicles, provided they were assembled in the US.
Tip & Overtime Deductions: In a major shift for service and hourly workers, a portion of qualified tips (up to $25,000) and certain overtime pay are now eligible for federal tax deductions.
Financially Speaking continued on page 90
Video Game Review: Saros
Mirror, Mirror by Jennifer
Allen
“The Sun is forever…”
Life, death, and memory circle back and forth in the new sci-fi action game Saros from Finnish developer Housemarque. Like their previous outing, 2021’s Returnal, Saros combines bullet-dodging mechanics with a third-person shooter and roguelike level exploration for an experience that will need several playthroughs to fully comprehend and enjoy.
The plot begins on a distant yet forbidding planet known as Carcosa. The fictional Soltari corporation discovers that this planet contains a unique mineral known as Lucenite. The initial scroll of digital text explains that Soltari’s prime goal is to “Survey, Colonize, Mine, Extract” and has begun sending Echelon teams to the planet. Your protagonist Arjun Devraj, performed superbly by British Pakistani actor Rahul Kohli, is part of Echelon IV who’ve been sent as an emergency team to discover why the first 3 teams have gone silent.
Soon we are plunged onto an alien world with Devraj waking up and grasping a golden pendant with a blazing Sun symbol and whispering along with an unseen woman’s voice, “The Sun is forever…” before he clasps said pendant on a chain around his
neck. He then hears more of the woman’s voice calling out to him… seemingly begging for him to find her and runs forward in search of who and where she is.
Carcosa as a setting feels both familiar yet unusual as the overall environment shifts between rocky volcanic caverns to trap-filled metallic structures that would not seem out of place in HR Giger’s artwork. An almost gargantuan orange sun looms above if only to give the overall aesthetic an eerie black and copper tone. This choice actually works in the game’s favor, as it differentiates itself from the game’s primary mechanic of either dodging or absorbing blue, yellow, or red energy spheres.
After a quick tutorial and credits sequence, Arjun is suddenly transported back to the Echelon IV base with very little memory of the past few hours. As the game progresses, we learn that the planet experiences frequent solar eclipses which not only change the environment but also experiences a form of time dilation depending on where an inhabitant is when these eclipses occur. For one person, the next moment could be minutes from now while for another it could be months or even years shifted in a single instant.
Yet, the mission remains clear for Devraj and his team… find out what happened to the others and resume mining Lucenite for the corporation who sent them there. Devraj is then sent back out as an enforcer to repeatedly explore dangerous landscapes teeming with vicious lifeforms.
The Way to the Top in Corporate America
The Way to the Top in Corporate America
Executive & Career Coach by Payal Nanjiani
You have been rewarded for execution. This has been happening for years. You deliver. You meet expectations and exceed targets. Over time, you build a reputation for being reliable, disciplined, and consistent.
Suddenly, the rules change.
You keep performing, but you see less growth. Others, some just as capable and some less so, start to move ahead. They get invited into conversations you are left out of. They are trusted with decisions you feel ready to make. They are seen in ways you are not.
Confusion turns into frustration, and sometimes it even feels unfair. This is the wall many professionals hit. For many South Asians, beliefs that fuelled early success now hold them back.
There are many ways to succeed in Corporate America.
You can be exceptional at execution and deliver results year after year. Yet, you may not advance as quickly as expected. This is where many professionals get stuck: they rely only on execution instead of also building visibility and relationships.
The rulebook you grew up with, which focused only on delivering results, is not enough for today’s system.
I didn’t understand this early in my career.
When I worked in corporate America, I believed in keeping my head down, doing great work, and letting the results speak for themselves. I avoided what I saw as “office politics.” I thought relationships should happen naturally, not be planned.
And then I hit a wall.
I saw peers, some with less experience or ability, move ahead more quickly. They were invited into conversations I didn’t even know about. They were trusted with bigger roles, even if their performance was similar or lower.
Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament Charlotte
Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament Charlotte
As one of the most active chess affiliates in the United States, the Charlotte Chess Center (CCC) will bring prestige to both chess and the city of Charlotte by hosting the Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz over the Fourth of July weekend. This tournament, in memory of the Center’s Grandmaster-in-Residence Daniel Naroditsky, will bring together some of the world’s top players such as Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and Jovhokir Sindarov, in conjunction with top content creators like GothamChess, the Botez Sisters, Dina Belenkaya, and Sagar Shah.
A Vision Come to Life
In 2013, Charlotte Chess Center owner and founder, Peter Giannatos had a vision: to build a vibrant, professional chess community in his home of the Queen City. Now Charlotte is considered one of the largest and most active chess cities in the country. In 2025, the CCC held 375 rated tournaments, with over 2,700 unique players from all over the world attending them. With 60 school programs filled with 2,000 students, 400 students in the Academy Class program, and monthly adult meetups averaging 80-100 ttendees, the CCC has created an ecosystem that impacts thousands of chess players both near and far.
That growth didn’t occur on its own. Giannatos began by doing what many chess organizers do: running small tournaments in shared spaces. It wasn’t until 2014 that Giannatos decided to get a physical location that would become the first home of the Charlotte Chess Center, raising over $30,000 to do so. And with that, the Charlotte Chess Center was born.
Photos Courtesy of Charlotte Chess Center
Community Focus
Kiran Walkathon, Cary NC
Kiran’s 11th annual Walkathon was held on April 19, 2026 at Cary, NC’s Bond Park and was the organization’s largest Walkathon yet! Community members, staff, volunteers, clients, and families enjoyed samosas, chai, an interactive dance warmup, and a beautiful walk around the lake.
Following the walk, Board members, staff members, and elected officials gave short speeches about Kiran’s impact on local communities and there was an acapella performance. Community members could write notes of encouragement to survivors as part of Kiran’s partnership with Raj Mehta Day of Good.
Photos by Kruti Parekh of Storyland Photography
EB-5 Investor Creation Visas
Are They Worthwhile?
Are They Worthwhile?
Immigration Matters
by Rishi P. Oza
The EB-5 Investor Creation Visa is commonly known as the “million-dollar investor” has been part of the immigration framework for decades. Wealthy foreign investors seeking a non-sponsorship route to a green card could obtain such status provided that they meet two criteria:
Investment of the required threshold amount (either $1,050,000 or $800,000), and creation of 10 fulltime permanent jobs for US workers.
While the program has undergone some cosmetic changes over the years, the fundamental question for potential applicants is whether the EB-5 program, as it is currently constructed, is worth the time and money invested into the process.
The idea behind the EB-5 program was always job creation. While the public tends to focus on the high investment amount needed to qualify for the visa, the job creation element has always been the focus and main driver of the program. The statute that governs EB-5 visas is dubbed “Employment Creation” and, therefore, the government’s focus of adjudications always centers on whether the investment amount leads to the creation of 10 full-time jobs for US workers.
In determining what type of EB-5 to pursue, investors have a few decisions to make, starting with whether they want to be a hands-on business owner or are more interested in being a passive investor. A direct investment is more akin to being a traditional business owner, such as owning a franchise, restaurant or a tech start-up. Direct investors are involved in the day-to-day operations of a new business, such as hiring/firing decisions, investments and budgeting decisions.
Unlike the E-2 investor visa, which is only available for individuals from certain countries, the EB-5 direct investor can be a citizen of any country and does not need to be a majority owner in the business. As such, an EB-5 can have several additional investors into a single business venture, as long as the EB-5 investor can show that his/her investment directly lead to the creation of 10 full-time jobs for the company. Alternatively, an individual that is not interested in being a hands-on business owner can elect to pursue a more passive role in an EB-5 Regional Center. The
Regional Center approach is more common for larger projects requiring a multitude of investors whereupon the Regional Center leaders can “pool” investment dollars from many EB-5 applicants to build a largescale project (i.e. large hotel construction or downtown revitalization plan). The largest benefit is that the job creation element is presumed and Regional Centers can count indirect and induced jobs, such as jobs in the community resulting from the project’s economic impact) for meeting the job creation requirement. However, as a passive investor, the EB-5 applicant will likely be unable to have a say in day-to-day operational decisions or macro-level judgments, which again, may be attractive depending upon an EB-5 applicant’s desire for a hands-off approach.
The amount of investment for EB-5s is dictated by the type of investment that an applicant will be pursuing. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service requires an investment of $1,050,000 for standard filings but allows for a lower $800,000 investment amount for areas that are considered rural (locations with a population of 20,000 or less) or highunemployment zones (places that have 150% the national unemployment rate). Under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), USCIS set aside EB-5 visas for rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure projects, effectively fast-tracking these filings for approval compared to the traditional EB-5 investment project.
These “Set Asides” have been critical for Indian and Chinese investors that may have to wait years for the approval of a standard EB-5 compared to maybe months for a Set Aside filing. The set-aside visas do not come without risk, as rural and high unemployment areas often struggle with supporting new business ventures, given the lack of resources in these communities compared to more urban and developed areas.
Ultimately, the speed of the processing is often cited as a critical cog in the decision-making process with standard filings often taking years to be completely adjudicated, while Set Asides have the benefit of processing much, much faster. According to USCIS, the average processing time for a standard EB5 filing in the month of May is 32 months. When
by Anuj Kasera
If you have ever looked at an insurance policy and thought, “Why are there so many terms for who is covered?” you are not alone. Three phrases that often confuse people who are insured, named insured, and additional insured. They sound similar, but they do not mean the same thing. In simple terms, an insured is someone protected by the policy. A named insured is the main person or business listed on the policy. An additional insured is someone added to the policy for a more limited kind of protection. Knowing the difference can help you avoid surprises if you ever need to file a claim.
Here is an easy way to think about it. The named insured is the main owner of the policy. This is usually the person or business that bought the coverage, pays for it, and can make changes to it.
The word insured is broader and can include other people the policy protects, depending on the situation. For example, that could be a spouse in the home, a family member driving the car, or an employee doing work for the
business. An additional insured is different. This is usually a person or company added to a policy because of a contract or business relationship. They may get some protection under the policy, but they usually do not control it the way the named insured does.
Home insurance: With home insurance, the named insured should usually match the person or people who own the home and live there. That matters because the named insured is the one with the main rights under the policy. The word insured may also include other people in the household, depending on the policy. A simple example: imagine two sisters own a house together, but only one sister is listed on the policy. If there is a major claim, the sister who is not listed may run into complications because she is not clearly shown as the main policyholder. And the sister who is listed will likely get only 50% of the loss because that is the extent of her loss. The main lesson is easy to remember, making sure the policy names match the real-life ownership and living situation.
- Film Reviews -
by Anuj Chakrapani
Ithiri Neram
In the Malayalam film Ithiri Neram, the central characters Anish (Roshan Mathew) and Anjana (Zarin Shihab) were once deeply in love during their college years, with plans of building a life together. They had spent countless moments across the city of Thiruvananthapuram—memories that, interestingly, the film chooses not to show us. Instead, their shared past is reconstructed through present-day conversations when they meet again after eight years. This narrative choice lends an immediacy and authenticity to their relationship, allowing the audience to piece together their history much like the characters themselves do. It also gives the lead actors ample room to inhabit silences, pauses, and unspoken emotions.
Time, however, has altered their circumstances. Anish is now married, a father preparing for his daughter’s baptism the following day, while Anjana stands at the cusp of a new chapter, having completed her PhD and set to leave for the United States for postdoctoral research. Despite these forward-moving lives, their reunion reveals a more complicated truth.
They appear to have moved on, and yet, in subtle ways, they have not. Director Prasanth Vijay’s approach remains understated, shaping the film as a slice-of-life account of an evening that stretches into the next morning, quietly surfacing the spectrum of emotions that accompany unresolved relationships.
The film gently subverts familiar dynamics without drawing attention to its reversals. It is Anjana who initiates the meeting, choosing a dimly lit bar as their starting point, and it is she who seems to be more in control of the evening, emotionally and otherwise. There is no overt commentary on success, yet the contrast is evident: Anjana’s academic trajectory appears more defined, while Anish’s life is rooted in domestic stability. It is also Anjana who steers the conversation towards their abrupt breakup, forcing Anish— and by extension, the film—to confront what was left unsaid.
What unfolds is far from a nostalgia. Their conversations veer between warmth and friction, with the bar setting acting as a natural catalyst for honesty. As the narrative progresses, the film shifts into a more reflective space, with a significant portion set during a car journey heading south from Thiruvananthapuram. The journey itself functions as a quiet metaphor where two individuals move forward without a clear sense of destination, mirroring their emotional state. When the journey culminates at Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, it feels less like closure and more like an acknowledgment of limits, that is how far this relationship can travel in its present form.
The film is attentive to small details. When Anjana first meets Anish, she taps him from behind, a simple gesture that positions her as someone from his past. Moments like these are handled with a natural ease that avoids any sense of contrivance. Both Roshan Mathew and Zarin Shihab deliver performances that feel authentic rather than performed. Shihab captures the quiet familiarity of reconnecting with a former partner—the brief glances, the knowing smiles—without overstating any emotion.
Despite its emotionally loaded premise, Ithiri Neram resists becoming heavy-handed. It unfolds with restraint, never judging its characters or prescribing a moral stance. There are no dramatic twists or heightened revelations; instead, the film lingers on the idea that some relationships, regardless of how they end, demand closure. It is in this quiet acknowledgment that Ithiri Neram finds its voice, which is measured and affecting.
The Second Case of Seetharam
In the Kannada film The Second Case of Seetharam, a series of brutal murders in the semi-urban pockets of Shivamogga and its surrounding towns sends shockwaves through the community. The killings are savage, seemingly random, and point towards a disturbed mind at work. At the center of the investigation is inspector Seetharam (Vijay Raghavendra), a cop who soon realizes that the threat is far closer than he could have imagined.
Spot the Differences
See if you can spot the 15 differences between original photo on top & modified photo below. (Solution on page 104)
The Anxiety of Travel
(And Why We Still Go Anyway)
Mindful Masala
by Hiren Deliwala
Last month I wrote about travel FOMO, that weird pressure to have a good answer when someone asks where you’ve been. This month I want to talk about the part of travel nobody really talks about. Not the destinations, the chaos that starts before we even leave the house.
For many of us, travel is excitement with a checklist running in the background the whole time. Where is my charger? Did I pack the power bank? Is my passport in the bag or is it still on the counter? My bag is always stuffed, food, a jacket, cables, snacks, documents, and whatever else my brain decided was essential at eleven the night before.
My family has learned to ignore my “before we leave” drama. They have also learned that most of my alarms are false. “Where is my phone?” Right there, in the side pocket where I put it and immediately forgot.
The thing is, I have never actually missed a flight. Never shown up on the wrong day. And yet I still don’t trust myself. So, I put systems in place, timers, double checking everything, checking the gate twice, mentally running through what I’ll do if something goes wrong. Even when everything is fine, my brain still thinks something is going to go wrong.
Then there is the packing. I pack like I am preparing for a famine, not a vacation. Protein bars. So many protein bars. What if there’s nothing vegetarian on the flight? What if we get stuck somewhere? It’s ridiculous. I know it’s ridiculous. I pack them anyway. And yet somehow, I will show up to an outdoor trip without hiking boots.
I once spent a rainy day in the wrong shoes because I didn’t think I’d need a rain jacket either. The protein bars made it. The practical stuff did not.
Then there is the planning itself. My wife’s approach is straightforward, let’s just get it done. Mine is, too much work, let’s do it some other time. This works fine until some other time is two weeks before the trip and half the good hotels are gone.
Photo by Samir Shukla
Mindful Masala continued on page 110
Sai Kavuri (NC) 703-953-6169 spkavuri@gmail.com
Ankitkumar S. Desai (NC) 704-340-8004 ankitdesai127@gmail.com
NASA’s New Shock Detectives Project Invites Volunteers to Help Study Solar Wind
The Sun sprays an extremely fast stream of charged particles called the solar wind. At approximately 56,000 miles (90,000 kilometers) in front of the Earth toward the Sun, the solar wind collides with the Earth’s protective magnetic field, generating a long-lasting shock wave that stretches for hundreds of thousands of miles. Now, you can help scientists examine data about this “bow shock” to better understand how the solar wind affects the Earth by joining a new research project: Shock Detectives.
At this enormous shock wave boundary, the everchanging magnetic field can either make the solar wind messy and dynamic (“chaotic”) or leave it smooth and stable (“peaceful”).
When “chaotic” plasma dominates, more energy can reach Earth’s magnetosphere, possibly leading to disruptions in GPS signals, communications, and power grids. Scientists don’t yet fully understand when the plasma changes between “peaceful” and “chaotic” states or how those changes affect energy transfer to Earth.
You can help solve this mystery. NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission has collected more than ten years of data from this zone – more than scientists can analyze alone. As Shock Detectives, you’ll help sort the chaotic from peaceful regions of the data, giving researchers a crucial set of clues.
The value of this new knowledge doesn’t end at Earth – what scientists learn about the EarthSun bow shock will help them understand how the solar wind of other stars impacts their orbiting planets. Your contributions may help take Shock Detectives ‘out of this world’!
This project is closely connected to another NASA-supported project, Space Umbrella, which also relies on MMS data and imagery. While Space Umbrella focuses on the broad boundary between Earth’s magnetic shield and the surrounding solar wind, Shock Detectives zoom in just outside that boundary on the transition region, which can be upwards of 10 miles (17 kilometers) in thickness, to better understand how plasma behaves near the shock. Together, these efforts build a more complete picture of Earth’s space environment.
Join Shock Detectives and help crack the case here: Go.nasa.gov/4wILD6Y
News Notes
AAPI Convention and Scientific Assembly
The 44th Annual American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly will be held at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street and Tampa Marriott Water Street, set along Tampa’s beautiful waterfront, on July 2 – 5, 2026.
These venues will provide a dynamic setting to host scientific sessions, CME programs, product theaters, business networking events, and cultural showcases creating an enriching experience for all attendees.
Tampa is known for its thriving healthcare and life sciences community, rich cultural heritage, and diverse dining and entertainment options. The waterfront setting, vibrant cultural districts, and walkable downtown make it an ideal destination for both professional gatherings and leisure activities. With its proximity to leading universities, medical institutions, and research centers, many distinguished speakers and delegates from across the country and abroad will attend.
Exhibitors and Corporate Partners will be part of the convention. For details, visit Aapiconvention.org.
Commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces Visits India to Strengthen Bilateral Defense Cooperation
The Commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces General Kevin Schneider visited India April 19-25, 2026 emphasizing the United States’ commitment to deepening its strategic defense partnership with India and advancing a shared vision for a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
During the visit, General Schneider engaged with senior Indian defense leadership, including counterparts from the Indian Air Force, to reinforce longstanding military ties and explore opportunities to expand operational collaboration. The visit reflects the growing scope, complexity, and interoperability of
U.S.-India defense cooperation across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.
The United States and India continue to build a robust defense partnership rooted in shared democratic values and mutual interests in maintaining regional stability. Recent years have seen an expansion in joint exercises, training engagements, and high-level exchanges, enhancing both nations’ ability to operate together effectively in diverse scenarios.
A key focus of General Schneider’s visit was advancing logistics cooperation between the two countries. Strengthened logistics frameworks and agreements enable more seamless coordination, improving readiness and supporting rapid, coordinated responses to humanitarian crises and regional contingencies. This growing cooperation enhances both nations’ capacity to deliver timely assistance and maintain operational presence across the Indo-Pacific.
General Schneider also visited operational and training facilities, highlighting the increasing integration and trust between U.S. and Indian forces. These engagements reflect a shared commitment to modernizing capabilities and ensuring preparedness to address emerging security challenges.
USA sees India as a vital partner in promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. The visit reaffirms the strength of the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership and signals continued momentum in expanding defense collaboration to meet evolving regional and global challenges.
Anil Kochhar Shares LifeChanging News at NCSU Commencement
By Amy Rossi, NCSU News
Anil Kochhar, son of the late Wilson College of Textiles alumnus Prakash Chand Kochhar ’50, ’52, recently made a transformational investment in the college’s leadership, graduate students and faculty, announced in late March.
At the North Carolina State University’s Textile college’s May 8, 2026 commencement, while making a few remarks during the ceremony about how his father inspired these endowments, the younger Kochhar and his wife, Marilyn, shared additional, life-changing news for the May graduates who took out loans during their final year as students at NC State.
“It is my privilege to announce today that, in honor of my father Prakash Chand Kochhar, Marilyn and I are providing a graduation gift to cover all the final-year education loans incurred by Wilson College graduates during the 2025–26 academic year,” Kochhar said.
“Marilyn and I hope that all of you leave Reynolds Coliseum today not only with a degree but with greater freedom to pursue your goals, take risks and build the lives you’ve worked so hard to achieve.”
David Hinks, the inaugural Prakash Chand Kochhar Dean at Wilson College of Textiles, was thrilled when Kochhar shared this intention and asked if the plan was possible. Hinks and the college leadership quickly coordinated with NC State’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid to ensure the Kochhars’ vision could come to fruition.
“I could not be more grateful to Anil and Marilyn for this extraordinary investment in our newest Wilson for Life alumni,” Hinks said. “As the preeminent institution for textiles education, research and innovation, we are deeply committed to ensuring the Wilson College enables students from all walks of life to transform their own lives while graduating with zero or low debt. One of our primary goals is to make the Wilson College affordable for all, and Anil and Marilyn are helping us achieve it.
“The Kochhar family continues to build on Prakash Chand Kochhar’s inspiring legacy in ways that will forever impact our alumni and future students.”
The announcement generated enthusiasm, excitement and emotion as the newly minted graduates — and their families and loved ones in attendance — realized what having the senior year loans paid for would mean.
“As a daughter of immigrants, this money helps me and my family a lot, and I’m really fortunate to have an opportunity like this,” said Alyssa D’Costa, a fashion and textile management major. She received her bachelor’s degree on May 8 and will complete her master’s degree in the spring, as part of the college’s Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program.
“My father could not have imagined this moment. Not just me standing here, but all of you sitting here,” Kochhar said. “A new generation, shaped by a different world, but connected by the same spirit of possibility that brought him here decades ago. And that’s what today represents.”
“Eighty years ago, a young man traveled thousands of miles from India to Raleigh with little more than hope and determination. He could not have known where that journey would lead. He could not have imagined the life it would create, or that one day his son would stand here speaking to a graduating class at the very institution that welcomed him,” Anil Kochhar shared.
Born in Punjab, India, Prakash Chand Kochhar’s passion for textiles led him to pursue training and roles focused on cotton spinning, weaving and finishing. He arrived at NC State in 1946, earning his bachelor’s degree in textile manufacturing in 1950 and his master’s degree in the same program in 1952. His textile engineering career took him across several U.S. states and around the world, and these experiences helped him envision the legacy he hoped to leave behind.
City of Charlotte Recognizes “Prajna Day”
JET USA, a nonprofit organization founded by His Holiness Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, has been dedicated to promoting education, service, cultural awareness, and humanitarian values in society. As part of this vision, the Prajna Program under JET USA has been serving the metro Charlotte community for around 16 years through two active centers in Ballantyne and Concord, focusing on the holistic personality development of children and youth.
Around 1,500 students in the Charlotte area have benefited from and graduated through the Prajna program. The curriculum emphasizes value-based education, leadership development, cultural awareness, and community engagement. Students are encouraged to become responsible and compassionate future citizens by learning the importance of respecting elders, caring for Mother Nature, preserving cultural heritage, and giving back to society through volunteer and service activities.
In addition to cultural and ethical education, the program supports the physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of children through yoga, prayers, wellness practices, public speaking, and confidence-building activities. One of the most inspiring aspects of the program is seeing many Prajna alumni youth return to serve as volunteer teachers.
The Prajna Annual Day celebrations showcased students’ talents and learning through value-based skits, cultural presentations, and project exhibits prepared as part of the Prajna curriculum. Parents also shared testimonials describing the positive transformation, confidence, and discipline they observed in their children via the program.
In recognition of Prajna’s contributions toward youth development, the City of Charlotte officially recognized May 17, 2026, as “Prajna Day” during the Prajna Annual Day celebrations.
This recognition is a tribute to the volunteer teachers, coordinators, parents, students, alumni, and supporters who have contributed to the growth and success of the Prajna program. The chapter wishes to thank Guna Kommareddi for the continued encouragement and support.
JET Charlotte Chapter Coordinators: Anil Vupputuri, contact 248-495-4590 and Venkat Gottiparthi, contact: 919434-7505. For more information: charlotte.jetusa.org or prajna4me.org.
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Dark Patterns on the Web are Designed to Manipulate You Why Aren’t They All Illegal?
By Gregory M. Dickinson
You open a free app to do one simple thing. Before you even start, a full-screen message asks whether you want to try the paid version. The “Start free trial” button is large, bright and hard to miss. The option to keep using the free version is smaller, buried at the bottom. The same prompt appears again tomorrow. And the day after that.
A lot of people look at screens like that and think, “Surely this has to be illegal.” We even have a name for them, “dark patterns.” They feel pushy. They waste time. They seem designed to wear you down. But in most cases, they are perfectly lawful.
“Dark pattern” is not a legal term with a clear boundary. It is a broad label for digital designs that nudge, pressure, confuse or trap users. As a legal scholar who studies consumer protection and digital design, I think the most important thing for readers to understand is that the label “dark pattern” covers a broad spectrum.
Some of that spectrum is just annoying. Some of it is aggressive salesmanship. And some of it crosses the line into deception or coercion. Federal and state consumer protection laws are mostly aimed at that last category. They do not ban every design choice people dislike, only those that trick or coerce.
Annoying isn’t illegal
That reality may sound unsatisfying, but it is not unusual. Offline life is full of things that are irritating but not unlawful. Think of the cashier who asks whether you want to sign up for the store credit card, then points out the discount you are turning down, then asks again. Most people know exactly what is happening. They roll their eyes, say no and try to shop somewhere else next time.
The same is true online. A repeated pop-up can be obnoxious. A guilt-inducing button can be tacky. But consumers recognize ordinary annoyance for what it is. In many cases, the market answer is simple: Close the app, ignore the pitch or take your business elsewhere.
Similarly, law does not ban persuasive sales pitches just because they are effective. A car salesperson who keeps steering you toward the upgraded model is trying to influence your choice. So is the airline clerk who offers travel insurance. So is the restaurant server who asks whether you want dessert. Salesmanship is nothing new. Digital design often borrows from familiar techniques.
That helps explain why lawmakers cannot simply outlaw “manipulation.” And so many interfaces are built to persuade, openly and lawfully.
What crosses the line
What the federal FTC Act and analogous state consumerdeception statutes usually care about is not whether a design is annoying. They focus on whether the design is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer. That is the core idea in modern consumer protection law.
So a design is likelier to be unlawful when it hides key facts, makes an optional choice look mandatory or tricks people about the effect of the button they are pressing. A fake countdown timer, a disguised ad, a misleading oneclick purchase button or a cancellation path that looks finished when it is not are all different from ordinary hard selling. Those designs do not just pressure users; they can deceive them. Dark Patterns continued on page 86
AI Boom and Manufacturing Renaissance
AI Boom and Manufacturing Renaissance
Eye on the Markets
by Ketu Desai
We are back to the pre-war playbook of the AI datacenter boom and the manufacturing renaissance. While both fiscal and monetary stimulus are hitting the economy, the driver of growth remains the massive AI cap-ex boom. Large cap tech alone will spend over $700bn this year or nearly 2% of GDP. That’s a fairly good starting point for GDP. The risk to these numbers is to the upside. News of Anthropic’s Mythos marks an important milestone for AI’s progress (and raises significant concerns). It reinforces the point that AI agents are here to stay. It will force executives to spend money and to spend for longer period. Google’s Cloud CEO said, “I think for the next 10 years, there will always be more demand than supply...there’s always a shortage, there’s never enough.”
This spending is showing up by exploding demand for compute. OpenAI’s President sums it up well by saying, “I think we are heading to this compute-powered economy. There’s not going to be enough compute in the world to meet the demand.” Uber is a great example of this problem, the CFO said, “I’m back to the drawing board, because the budget I thought I would need is blown away already.” This was said in April, and they already blew their whole annual budget! Google’s token demand is up 60% over the last quarter. The hourly rental rate for one of Nvidia’s most advanced Blackwell chips is up 48% over the past two months. Meta is extending the useful life of servers due to the significant supply deficit.
The supply side remains constrained across the value chain from energy to compute. GE Vernova reported that its order book is up 71%. They are sold out through 2028. SK Hynix chairman said that the chip shortage is likely to persist into 2030 with the short fall exceeding 20%.
Corning’s earnings more than doubled. Teradyne reported 87% growth in its semiconductor business. Even Texas Instruments reported 90% growth in its datacenter business.
ASML’s (an early cycle indicator) CEO said, “both our Memory and Logic customers are responding to this unprecedented demand by increasing capital expenditures and accelerating capacity expansion plans this year and beyond. Those investments are supported by long-term agreements with their own customers... I think I mentioned before, we see our customers having a lot less hesitation to really accelerate their capital expenditure.”
The stimulative impacts of OBBB are starting to hit the economy beyond AI. The longer-term impact will come from immediate expensing of capital expenditure. There have been $5.1 trillion in investment commitments to bring manufacturing back. While not all of it will come through, immediate cap-ex expensing from OBBB will serve as an incentive this year. Business investment is expected to increase by 5.5% this year. Commercial and industrial loans are up 7.4%, the biggest jump in years. This is a sign confidence is increasing among executives.
United Rentals, which rents out various construction and industrial equipment, is a good bellwether for expanding manufacturing and industrial activity. United Rentals’ stock was up 20% post-earnings after beating earnings and raising guidance. Vulcan Materials, another early cycle indicator, reported 7.4% revenue growth. The manufacturing renaissance is starting to be reflected in the macro data too. Durable goods orders meaningfully accelerated last month. PMIs are now firmly in expansionary territory.
From Volunteer Hours to Research Breakthroughs A Short Guide for High School Medicine Explorers
College Admissions Insider
by Kristen Moon
If you’re a high school student curious about medicine, this quick guide blends two building blocks: Clinical Exposure and Service, and Research and Scholarly Activity. The aim is to help you choose high-impact volunteering, learn how to shadow effectively, and dip your toes into undergraduate research, laying a solid foundation for future BS/MD applications.
High-impact volunteering with measurable impact
Focus on roles you can commit to consistently and that offer clear outcomes. Hospital outreach and patient education programs are great for starting, with roughly 4–6 hours per month and minimal startup costs. You might help with health fairs, distribute educational materials, or assist families in understanding health concepts, keeping a brief activity log to capture your impact. Community clinics or school-based health programs are also valuable, often requiring 2–4 hours per week and little to no upfront cost. Document patient interactions (in a HIPAA-safe way) and note any improvements in access or understanding. If you’re drawn to health equity, consider advocacy or vaccination drives, tracking attendance, or resources connected to care. Youth mentoring in science and health offers a flexible schedule and tangible leadership outcomes, such as participant counts or feedback. Virtual health education and telehealth support provide modern outlets for impact with modest tech needs. Start with one steady commitment, then add another as time allows, and keep a simple log of date, setting, activity, learning, and impact.
Shadowing with purpose
Shadowing should combine observation with thoughtful reflection. Before you begin, set clear goals about what you want to learn—communication, decision-making, teamwork. Bring a reflective notebook or digital log and jot prompts such as what the clinician explained clearly, patient concerns, and how care was coordinated.
During the experience, watch the workflow and note how clinicians explain options with empathy and how teams collaborate. Afterward, write a 150–300 words reflection focusing on a key learning, a lingering question, and how it shapes your view of medicine. A simple S.A.R.R. (Situation, Action, Result, Reflection) format helps organize notes, and noting skills like clinical reasoning or bedside manner will guide your future aims.
Early research and scholarly activity
Even as a high school student, you can begin with ideas that connect to medicine. Seek mentors who can guide you from concept to abstract and look for patient-care relevance in projects. When choosing a project, prioritize potential clinical impact or questions that matter to patient outcomes. If you aim to present at student conferences later, start drafting a brief abstract or poster outline and seek feedback from teachers or mentors with research experience. Balance is key: as you gain research experience, learn how to frame your work alongside your clinical goals so admissions committees see a coherent path.
A simple starter plan
Begin by identifying 1–2 volunteering roles and 1 shadowing goal. Log reflections that connect experiences to your medical interests. Build a compact portfolio that records hours, outcomes, and leadership. When you’re ready for research, pursue opportunities aligned with your interests and your school’s resources, and practice presenting findings clearly. Remember: the journey from curiosity to a future medical career is long, but consistent, meaningful steps build a strong, cohesive story.
Starting early with purposeful volunteering, reflective shadowing, and introductory research can set you apart as you move toward BS/MD programs.
Kristen Moon is the founder of Moon Prep, an education consultancy brand with a focus on U.S. Medical programs. Contact: kristen@moonprep.com.
Chess continued from page 46
The Next Level: With physical space came room and need to grow. And it did: in 2018, US Chess declared Charlotte “Chess City of the Year.” In 2019, the CCC became US Chess’s “Chess Club of the Year.” A true grassroots effort, Giannatos began to see his vision come to life.
There was still room for improvement, particularly by providing greater support to higherrated players. The next step was the introduction of the CCC’s permanent Grandmaster-inResidence, GM Daniel Naroditsky.
Naroditsky’s Impact: He was a wunderkind. A WorldYouth Champion, the youngest published chess author at 14 years old, a Grandmaster at 17, and a Stanford graduate. He was sharp, quick-witted, and incredibly kind–the perfect sort of Coach for an organization full of fledgling chess players. Naroditsky, a California native, met Giannatos through Emory’s Castle Chess Camp, where they were both instructors. Giannatos saw something in Naroditsky that Charlotte needed, which is a constant, guiding force that would serve as an aspiration to students. Under Giannatos’s encouragement Naroditsky made the move to Charlotte.
Naroditsky marked the second phase in the CCC’s history, one where not only the number of players in Charlotte grew, but so did their ratings. Naroditsky and Giannatos created the CCC’s Elite Team, a subsidized program where students rated 1500 and above receive access to GM-level instruction at low-cost. It became the goal for many of the CCC’s students, and today there are over 100 CCC students who qualify for Elite Team, with an additional Super Elite team for students rated over 2000. Naroditsky also attended National and State tournaments, providing game analysis to all CCC students between rounds.
Local Coach, International Talent: When COVID happened, Naroditsky began what many others did–streaming and content creation. But unlike many others, he had an effortlessness and child-like enthusiasm when discussing chess, and his content exploded. It was rare to find such a well-spoken, elite player, who could simplify concepts to the masses. Naroditsky became popular, joining Chess.com as a commentator and becoming a columnist with the New York Times. His “speedrun” streams and videos became the pinnacle of what positive, educational content should look like, and even after COVID ended, he maintained his online platforms while continuing his work for the CCC.
Beyond being an unparalleled educator, he was an elitelevel player in his own right. He had been the number one bullet player in the world and was amongst the world’s best for blitz. In fact, he famously pulled all-nighters playing bullet. In 2022, while GM Alireza Firouzja was in the middle of the Candidates tournament, they played a whopping 337 bullet games. But despite all of this, Naroditsky had his detractors: some believed his talent was only online, some believed he was a cheater, and some believed that he
wouldn’t be able to replicate his results over the board and away from Charlotte. Driven to quell the rumors in late December 2024, Naroditsky played in the World Rapid and Blitz Championship, tying for first place.
A
Tragedy for the Charlotte Community
In early 2025, Naroditsky continued working with the CCC’s student population, attending the NC State Championship in March, SuperNationals in May, and teaching the Elite Team throughout.
However, on October 19, 2025, Naroditsky passed away alone in his home from complications related to sarcoidosis, a form of inflammation, leaving his friends, colleagues, and students in immeasurable grief. Less than a month before he was to turn 30, Naroditsky’s death came as a shock and triggered a global news cycle–with Charlotte at its center.
A Tribute to Greatness
Giannatos was not going to let Naroditsky’s name fall out of the annals of time. He was determined to support Naroditsky’s legacy. And so, he took the CCC’s dormant nonprofit, the Charlotte Chess Center Foundation (CCCF) and used it to house what would become known as the Naroditsky Fund.
The Naroditsky Fund was created to finance two initiatives that speak to the two sides of Naroditsky: education and blitz competition. And so the Naroditsky Memorial Fellowship and the Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz (NMRB) were born.
The Fellowship aims to support promising young chess players in their pursuit of a career in chess. This is, in part, inspired by the Samford Fellowship, a fellowship Naroditsky received in 2014. It also continues Naroditsky’s love of education and supporting young, gifted talent. Through this initiative, Naroditsky’s dream of cultivating the first Charlotte-born grandmaster may still come to fruition.
The NMRB is a tournament as unique and unprecedented as its namesake. An annual event bringing together the world’s top players and content creators, this open tournament will be the strongest open tournament in the United States. Despite its strength, it has lower rated sections so that the Charlotte–and global–community can come play chess alongside greats like Nakamura, Caruana, and Sindarov. Naroditsky provided education to all both inperson and online, and this tournament will similarly reach all players–from beginners to the world’s best.
The Naroditsky Fund started with $100,000 donations from Chess.com and the Charlotte Chess Center, as well as additional donations from popular streamers and elite players. Giannatos opened a Givebutter page with an ambitious goal: raise $4 million to create an endowment where he would not need to fundraise again. While falling short of the initial goal, the over 3,000 founding sponsors raised over $1.1 million!
On July 3 - 5, 2026, the Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz will be held at the Charlotte Marriott Center City. Whether you want to play, spectate, or volunteer, options are available for you to be a part of Naroditsky’s legacy.
To learn more about the Naroditsky Fund, Fellowship, and Tournament: Cltccf.org.
To learn more about the Charlotte Chess Center: Charlottechesscenter.org.
To donate to the Naroditsky Fund: Givebutter.com/Naroditsky
by Shikha Singh IG: @Spicymillenial
Dhokla Biscuits
These protein packed dhokla biscuits are where comfort meets convenience. Inspired by the classic flavors of dhokla, these savor y breakfast biscuits are fluffy, flavorful, and perfect for busy mornings, snack breaks, or toddler-friendly bites throughout the week. Pair them with a refreshing mint cilantro chutney for a traditional twist or go bold with blueberry jam for the ultimate sweet-and-savory combination. Want a little extra kick? Add chopped jalapeños or green chilies to bring the heat. Delicious, versatile, and packed with protein these biscuits prove that fusion flavors can be both nourishing and fun.
Ingredients Directions
6 large eggs
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup cottage cheese
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
Servings: About 6 - 8
Prep Time: One Hour / Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Whisk eggs with salt and curry powder. Then mix all ingredients in a bowl except for the sliced jalapeno and shredded cheese.
Step 3: Let the batter sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Scoop batter onto the baking sheet (about 1/4 cup per biscuit). Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and jalapenos.
Bake for 18 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch.
Dr. Henry E. Rice
Dr. Ferzaan A. Ali
Hindu Center Expansion
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HINDU CENTER OF CHARLOTTE
O F C HARLOTTE
H INDU C ENTER
Saturday, June 27, 2026 (4-7 pm) - Vihar Hall
Ratha Yatra
Saturday, July 18th, 2026
All are welcome. Mahaprasad will be served.
Hindu Center 44th Anniversary!
July 26, 2026 (Sun)
Lunch / Anand Bazaar
2 PM- 6 PM Vihar Hall Foyer
To sponsor a food stall or for more info contact: Sunder Mirchandani: 704-691-2974 Nilesh Chuadhry: 704-307-6979
Narain and Deepa: 704-307-0942
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General Body Meeting 1 PM - 2 PM
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2 PM - 6 PM Vihar Hall
Participate in the cultural program or come enjoy the show!!
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For donations / sponsors contact: Pujari, Vivek Vemunoori, or Hemant Amin.
To sponsor food for a stall or volunteer, contact: Jatin Patel, Hemant Amin, or anyone above.
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Sunday, July 26, 2026 2 PM - 6 PM
And in so doing he begins to experience strange time loops of enemy gauntlets which earn Arjun currency to purchase permanent upgrades back at base. When you venture once more unto the breach, you find the world’s levels shifted as cliffs and buildings are stitched together in different ways, but with the creatures revived.
Housemarque intensifies the gameplay experience with a wild array of adjustments that render Carcosa more terrifying and compelling. The battles feature such a magnificent display of inbound missiles that can be absorbed to feed the energy of either Arjun’s weapon or shields, and yet others which will damage him unless dodged with absolute precision.
Yet perhaps the most frightening and fascinating aspect of the planet’s exploration is when you occasionally encounter audio logs left by previous Echelon crews. Each message provides an ever-evolving understanding of how Carcosa manipulates everything and everyone. The voice performances across the board are superb in each of these logs, providing additional auditory tension to match the game’s visuals.
A special set of logs seemingly pique’s Devraj’s interest… as they are from his wife Nitya (portrayed by Shunori Ramanathan) who was part of Echelon I. She, as it turns out, is the ‘mysterious woman’ who we heard at the beginning of the game. The narrative then further evolves into a twisted mystery which will test Arjun’s physical, mental and emotional states repeatedly until reaching (in my opinion) a satisfying conclusion.
At the core of the story, however, is Arjun Devraj himself. While Rahul Kohli has delved into game performances before, Saros is his first lead role in one. His casting was intentional, as along Devraj’s journey as there are several references pertaining to South Asian culture and symbolism throughout the music, narrative and visuals including a multi-armed figure reminiscent of several Hindu Gods shown on much of the game’s promotional material. Kohli gives his all into the performance, which is refreshingly well written without devolving into a specific stereotype.
Saros is a breathtaking beautiful game, built on Unreal Engine 5 with incredible visuals and challengingly brisk gameplay. The boss fights are thrillingly intense and can seem like an endless toil at first, but that’s the beauty of the gameplay. You are meant to learn through these repeated scenarios right along with the protagonist. While this
process may deter some more eager players, I personally see it as a perk since you are able to permanently keep and utilize any accumulated upgrades within each loop.
The game is not without its flaws, however. A full (initial) playthrough is relatively short at just 9-10 hours whereas similar games in the genre tend to reach 20 hours or more. Obviously, this along with the bread crumb design of the story itself is meant to incentivize players to do multiple runs but not everyone has the time nor patience for such a task. Most of the music also tends to have very booming, overexaggerated bass, possibly to add an extra dose of uneasiness to the overall experience. I kept rolling my eyes as it reminded me of the loud ‘BWUAAAAH’ bass drop heard far too often in movie trailers as of late.
Regardless, Saros is a worthy follow-up to Housemarque’s predecessor Returnal by positively dialing up almost every facet. It’s a stunning visual spectacle with remarkable actor performances and gameplay that will no doubt permeate your every being each time Arjun jumps through each dazzling wall of colored missiles.
Saros is currently available exclusively for PlayStation 5 but hopefully will be playable on other platforms soon.
Jennifer Allen works at Saathee and is also a Podcaster, Blogger, Photographer, Graphic Artist, Gamer, Martial Arts Practitioner, and an all around Pop Culture Geek. You can reach her at Saathee@Saathee.com.
Immigration
continued from page 50
coupled with the fact that EB-5 approvals are only valid for a period of two years after which an applicant must apply for a removal of conditions, which itself takes an additional 20 months, getting a unencumbered 10-year green card can easily take seven years to complete. By comparison, a Set Aside may take almost half of that time but again comes with the challenges of a business venture in a rural or high unemployment area.
Ultimately, the decision each EB-5 applicant must make should be a business decision first and an immigration decision thereafter. A failed business will surely lead to the denial or termination of permanent residency status, an outcome that serves no one. However, a successful business venture can not only be a smart and profitable investment but may help to secure an applicant’s residency in the United States as a green card holder: an obvious win-win outcome in a time of overall immigration uncertainty.
Rishi P. Oza
is Partner at Brown Immigration Law, a firm that focuses solely on immigration law; he practices in Durham. roza@rbrownllc.com.
Opinions and analysis reflect those of the writer....
Auto insurance: With auto insurance, the named insured is usually the main person on the policy and often the person who owns the car or is responsible for the coverage.
The policy may also protect other insureds, such as a household member or someone using the car with permission, depending on the details of the policy. Here is an example: a parent has an auto policy, but a teenager in the home regularly drives the car and is never listed or disclosed.
If an accident happens, that can create problems because the insurer may say an important driver was left off the policy. In personal auto insurance, the most important thing is to make sure the policy reflects who owns the car, where it is kept, and who drives it regularly. Additional insured is more common in business-related auto situations than in everyday personal policies.
Business insurance: This is where additional insured comes up most often. In business insurance, the named insured is usually the company itself, such as an LLC or corporation. That business owns the policy and gets the main protection.
Other people connected to the business, like employees, may also be covered while doing their jobs. An additional insured is usually a different person or company that is added because of a contract.
For example, if a contractor is hired to do some type of work for a property owner, the property owner may ask to be added as an additional insured on the contractor’s liability policy.
That does not mean the property owner now owns the policy. It usually means they get some protection if a claim comes from the contractor’s work. This is why business owners should read contract insurance requirements carefully and make sure the coverage matches what was promised.
Final takeaway: Think of it this way: insured is the broad term for someone covered by a policy, named insured is the main person or business that owns the policy, and additional insured is someone added for limited protection, usually in a business setting. If you are reviewing home, auto, or business coverage, it is worth taking a few minutes to make sure the right people or entities are listed. That small check now can save a lot of stress later if you ever have to use the policy.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. .
Anuj Kasera
is a long term resident of Charlotte, NC and owns an insurance agency, focusing mostly on home, auto and business insurance. He can be reached at anujkasera@gmail.com.
Kismuth continued from page 28
Do your own thing. Please don’t pretend like you don’t care about what other people think if you actually do. It’s okay to care, we all go through that. But then, what’s important is working out what’s really something you want to keep about this way of living that you’ve been autopiloting for a time, and what’s not of value. According to you. That is discernment.
It kinda needs to happen at some point if you want to make great stuff, I feel. Art wants to be opinionated and state things, but the artist must also consider learning how to be sensitive to others, so as to invite them — viewers, readers, persons receiving expressions of emotion — to see in these works something of themselves. It works brilliantly when people can and do. There is sharing. This kind of relating feels, to me, like art. (Relational art, even. It’s a thing.)
When you want to fit in, so badly, with the wider world and with the aesthetics-as-approved-by-the-people-whodecide-that, something can get lost.
Something real, and something that’s your own. Mimicry and pandering get in the way of being honest. I say try not to fret about being ‘liked.’ Easier said than done, I know. But the ‘likes’ of your neighbors and ambient community of the people right around you whom you see every day are just as valuable. A smile, a wave, a hello. It matters.
An art of the moment, I think, starts with staying curious. Being open to new possibilities while freeing ourselves from trying to match ‘expectations,’ or mold ourselves into fake versions of ourselves simply out of fear of ‘what people will think’ if we don’t.
Could it be that this is my idea of what freedom is? Choosing our way, choosing our choices. (For a time, I had quit. I guess it was a ‘pause’.) We all need time to introspect, to figure out how we feel, what we think, and ultimately, who we are becoming next. Better versions of ourselves, hopefully.
That’s what I will bring up next time I call those artists on Discord. How we gotta stay open, keep learning, and be us. I like the standing invitation so much to show up, as I am, with what I’ve got, to participate as I choose. Younger people have taught me to enjoy this. I feel lucky.
Dipika Kohli
is an author who is based in Phnom Penh. Discover her books at kismuth.com and her projects at dipikakohli.com.
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Nutrition for Life
continued from page 30
increased thirst, occasional brain fog, or unexplained weight gain around the midsection, but these are easy to dismiss as stress or simply getting older. If prediabetes is not reversed, it will turn into Type 2 Diabetes.
With over 5.2 million Indian Americans now living in the United States, current estimates from the MASALA (The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America) study show that roughly 1 in 3 South Asians in the US has prediabetes, and 1 in 4 already has Type 2 diabetes. Applied to our community of 5.2 million, that potentially means over 1.7 million Indian Americans who could be one of our parents, a spouse, colleagues, friends or our neighbors.
Who should get checked: For the general Caucasian population, diabetes screening is typically recommended starting at age 45. But for South Asians, screening should begin earlier — ideally in your 30s — especially if you have a family history of diabetes, carry extra weight (BMI>23), have sedentary lifestyle, or experienced gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Ask your doctor for a fasting blood glucose test, A1C test and a fasting insulin test. You could have normal glucose while your insulin levels are elevated. This is because in the early stages of prediabetes, the pancreas compensates by producing more insulin to force blood sugar into normal range, masking the problem. Do not wait for symptoms. Symptoms can mean the whisper has become a roar.
How to reverse prediabetes: Here is the hopeful truth: Ask your doctor if you have prediabetes, and it is reversible. According to the DPP study, losing 7-10% of body weight (roughly 14-20 pounds for a 200-pound person) combined with modest lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of progressing to Type 2 Diabetes by more than 58%.
For South Asians, this means rethinking some familiar dietary habits like swapping white rice for smaller portions of brown rice, quinoa or millets. Cauliflower rice can supplement dishes like fried rice, puliogare, bissibelebhaat and helps significantly lower the glycemic load of a meal. Increase portions of dal, legumes, and raw vegetables. Cutting back on large portions of rotis, idlis, dosas, parathas, bhakris, sugary chai or coffee, juices, and fried snacks all make a measurable difference.
One of the most powerful and underutilized tools? A 15–20-minute walk after meals. This short walk can reduce blood sugar spikes for free!
But general nutrition advice is just that, it is general. I often hear patients praising millets as a superfood for diabetes, but this is a myth. What works brilliantly for one person may or not work for another so let’s not generalize. This is where working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), specifically a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), becomes truly transformative.
Choose the right expert: A CDCES is a healthcare professional with advanced, specialized training in diabetes prevention, management, and education. They do not simply hand you a generic meal plan. They meet you where you are — understanding your cultural preferences, likes
and dislikes, daily schedule, personal goals - and build a plan tailored to your real life.
What I witness, time and again, is that personalized guidance, not a sample menu plan, is what creates lasting, meaningful change. When someone truly understands why certain foods affect their blood sugar the way they do, and when they have a practical, culturally sensitive roadmap to follow, everything shifts.
In over a decade, I have heard many things from clients — fear, frustration, determination. What stuck with me was when a patient (with diabetes) said: “I have diabetes — diabetes DOES NOT have me.” That mindset is everything. If your blood sugar is high and you are reading this, you have heard the whisper early. Now don’t let it roar.
Teju Lakkundi
is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN), and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), and the owner of Nutrition for You. Visit her website: Nutriforu.com. Contact: Nutriforu@gmail.com.
Dark Patterns continued from page 66
That is also why the app maker’s intent is not always the key question. In many consumer protection cases, a company does not get a free pass just because no one said, “Let’s trick people.” The legal question is often about effect: What would a reasonable user likely understand from this screen?
Research on dark patterns reinforces that concern. Even relatively mild designs can push people into choices they would not otherwise make. And regulators have increasingly focused on subscription flows, hidden fees and cancellation obstacles for exactly that reason.
Why it feels like dark patterns are everywhere
One reason people might think there are no laws against dark patterns is that they see them so often. But that frequency reflects that the term covers a wide range of conduct, from lawful nagging to outright deception.
It also reflects enforcement limits. Regulators cannot chase every irritating screen on every app and website. They have to prioritize the worst cases. That leaves a lot of borderline conduct in the wild, which makes the whole problem feel bigger and murkier to ordinary users.
So when people ask why there is not a law against dark patterns, the best answer is that there already is, but the law does not prohibit every annoying or high-pressure design. It targets lies, misleading cues and coercive obstacles.
That line can be fuzzy. But the fuzziness is not a mistake. It is what you get when the law tries to separate persuasion from deception in a world full of both.
Article courtesy of TheConversation.com
Gregory M. Dickinson is Assistant Professor of Law, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Institute for Humane Studies
Lala continued from page 26
The real problem was the distance between us, one that neither of us had the language to cross. There were times he could have been more present in the ways I needed, and more often, times I could have reached toward him instead of pulling away. We’re both stubborn in similar ways. I shut down. He pushed forward. That created a silence between us that took me years to understand. All along, I only saw what he didn’t give, never what it cost him to give what he could.
If you’re from Charlotte, you know my dad. He’s a fixture. You’d recognize him: stoic, perpetually grouchy, with a throwback comb-over and his signature mustache. He stands just under six feet tall. He always looks angry, but he’s probably just got the song “Main Nikla Gaddi Leke” looping in his head. If you know me, you know I’m his son. The traces of the world he left behind are written all over me.
For the past twenty years, you may have seen him at the Mandir, or he may have helped you buy or sell a home. To me, he’s Pops, and he calls me “lala,” a Gujarati endearment I’ve never looked up but have always understood. We both love gas station donut sticks and keeping up with the news. Learning has always come easily to both of us, a blessing and a burden in equal measure. Our family says we look and act alike. We try to please others and put their needs first, not always out of pure selflessness, because we appreciate being liked. We’re generous and go the extra mile for the people we love.
Growing up, I unfairly compared him to my friends’ dads, the ones who showed up at games or took their kids to Carowinds. I wanted more than rides and money. I wanted him present in ways I thought mattered. But he gave what he could: league fees, drop-offs, quiet support. I remember him driving us every weekday from our Howard Johnson hotel room on the west side of Charlotte to our elementary school on the east side, thirty minutes each way, so we could stay at the school we knew while he held down two jobs.
At the time, I took it for granted. What I couldn’t see then was how much that quiet, unglamorous showing up held everything together. He was keeping the lights on so we’d never have to know what darkness felt like.
When I got married last July, he invested tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours of planning, and every ounce of his energy to make sure every guest felt honored, every Brahmin tradition was observed, and the legacy of my great-grandfather Hirashankar Dada and through every ancestor before him, was woven into the celebration. That’s a man who knows how to love. He just learned it in a language I had to grow up in before I could read.
James Baldwin wrote about his own father in 1955, at a funeral that fell on Baldwin’s birthday. The sickness of white supremacy, Baldwin argued, had worked its way through his father like an infection, hardening him, isolating him, wearing him down from the inside until there was nothing left to save. It wasn’t old age that killed him. It was the weight of a country that had decided what he was before he
ever opened his mouth. Being an Indian immigrant carries a different weight. The discrimination is quieter, the loneliness slower, but it works on you all the same: a coldness that gets in over the years, that you can’t name until one day you notice you’ve been bracing against it for so long you’ve forgotten how to stand any other way.
I used to wish my dad were more like the Indian men I knew who seemed at ease here: men who watched American TV, ate the food, helped their kids navigate school in ways mine couldn’t. But that was a child’s logic. Expecting him to fit easily into this country is like expecting me to move to Amdavad tomorrow and feel at home by the weekend.
My dad carried an India inside him that no longer exists outside him.
The Amdavad he left in 1994 kept changing without him: new streets, new faces, new prices on things he used to know by heart. What he preserved in memory were the sounds of merchants setting up in the early morning, calling out prices for produce and saris, the specific comfort of belonging to a place that knew him back. That place lives now only in him. He didn’t just leave a life behind. He left a version of himself with nowhere left to go.
In 2005, David Foster Wallace gave a commencement speech at Kenyon College. His central image was two young fish swimming along when an older fish passed by and said, “Morning, boys, how’s the water?” The two fish swim on, and eventually one looks over at the other and asks, “What’s water?” The point was simple and devastating: the most important realities are the ones so close, so constant, that we move through them without ever seeing them. They shape everything and go unnamed.
My dad’s water was India. The routines he built over forty years, the language, the neighbors, the rhythm of a life that knew him back. When he moved here, everything changed at once: cold weather, fewer close relationships, a culture that asked him to explain himself in ways he’d never had to before.
He couldn’t tell you what he’d lost because he’d never thought of it as something he possessed. It was just home, like Charlotte was for me, unremarkable and total, until the day it wasn’t, and I understood for the first time what leaving actually costs.
I never asked him about any of this. Maybe I’m wrong about some of it. But I don’t think I am, and there’s still time to find out.
What I know for certain is this: he reads everything I’ve published in these pages. Every piece. He shares it with our whole family, with anyone who will listen. I used to think that was just pride, and maybe it is. But I think it’s also something else. It’s his way of saying, “I see you.” I always did. I just didn’t always know how to say it while we were standing in the same room.
Neither did I, Pops. But now I’m learning.
Dhruv Pathak
is a salesman and writer based in St. Louis, originally from Charlotte, NC. He writes to better understand people and contribute to our shared humanity. Contact: pathak.d@icloud.com.
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Child Tax Credit (CTC): Set at $2,200 per child (up from $2,000). The refundable portion—the amount you can get back even if you owe no tax—is capped at $1,700.
Trump Accounts (TAs): A new tax-advantaged savings accounts for minors. Babies born in the US between 2025 and 2028 receive a one-time $1,000 deposit from the federal government.
Parents and relatives can contribute up to $5,000 per year toward these accounts.
K-12 Education: The limit for tax-free 529 plan withdrawals for K-12 tuition have doubled to $20,000 per year.
Expansion of the “Charitable Floor”
The 2026 tax year changes how we give. While nonitemizers can now claim a special deduction for donations (up to $1,000 for singles), there is a new “deduction floor” of 0.5% of AGI. This means your first few hundred (or thousand) dollars of donations won’t count toward your itemized deductions, only the amount above that floor is deductible.
If choosing to take the standard deduction, a cash or check gift can fetch a deduction of $1000 to $2000 depending on filing status.
Estate Tax Certainty
For high-net-worth individuals, the “cliff” was most terrifying in the realm of inheritance. Instead of the estate tax exemption dropping from $14 million to $7 million as originally feared, the OBBB permanently locked in the higher exemption, which rises to $15 million per person in 2026. You may be familiar with the stark reminder that ‘ Death and Taxes are inevitable’. In my 4-part series in 2025 on mortality, I touched on its intersection with financial planning and tax planning, particularly for families with cross-border ties.
Referring to my previous series on Estate planning, the US tax code doesn’t address this scenario when assets, income, trustees and beneficiaries are ex-US, i.e. overseas. This is where the rubber meets the road, i.e. highly subjective and contentious.
In summary, 2026 is the year the “temporary” perks of the last decade became the “new normal,” while adding a few extra layers of complexity to encourage American manufacturing and support seniors – campaign goals of the current administration. Whether we embark on another ‘normal’ and ‘permanent’ path in a different campaign trail in two years, time will tell. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to write about the changes, developments and areas of interest in the world of taxation and planning. Watch this space.
Rupa Pereira
is a CFP, EA, CSLP and an Advice-Only Planner and Tax Professional based in North Carolina. She specializes in cross-border matters and all things financial planning. Contact: info@fwjplanning.com
Growing Old continued from page 24
The Infrastructure of Relationships
I have written about investing in relationships over time. Childhood closeness between siblings and cousins is natural.
Sustaining that closeness into adulthood and extending it to spouses with respect and care requires maturity, patience, and humility from everyone involved.
We were fortunate. It makes me reflect on youth where sometimes pride occupies space where connection should grow. If there is one lesson I would gently offer, it is this: set aside ego early. Nurture your relationships. They are the quiet safety net you may one day rely upon.
Learning to Receive
Practical matters began immediately. My U.S. phone number did not function. Within hours, my brother arranged a local SIM card. That small act restored access — calls, banking, messaging — and with it, a sense of orientation.
I downloaded delivery apps — Swiggy, BigBasket, and others — and linked my bank account. Groceries, medicines, household supplies. Everything was available with remarkable speed and choice.
Within days, daily life felt structured. There was another adjustment that required more internal work. For decades in the United States, I managed every aspect of my home myself. I cooked, drove, cleaned, scheduled, and carried the quiet responsibility of keeping everything running.
Here, we had a cook, a driver, and a housekeeper. All trusted members of my brother’s extended team. At first, I did not know how to inhabit that arrangement. Receiving help feels different from earning independence through selfsufficiency.
So, I made one clear request: I would not entertain complaints about one another. I did not want to become the center of friction. My brother helped coordinate oversight when needed, and gradually I allowed myself to step back.
I did not fold clothes. I did not drive. I did not plan meals. I did not monitor every small task. For the first time in decades, I was not the engine behind the household.
When Effort Is Shared
Mornings became something I had not experienced in years. Coffee on the balcony. Soft light. Air carrying familiar sounds from childhood. No mental checklist running quietly in the background.
The first few days felt almost unreal. After months of intensity, there was space. Not indulgence. Not extravagance. Simply ease. And I began to recognize something quietly important:
Growing older is not only about medical access or financial planning. It is about how much of yourself you must pour into keeping everything running. In that first week, I felt the difference between carrying it all and being held by a structure around you. It was not dependence. It was shared weight.
And in that sharing, there was relief I had not anticipated. The journey continues.
When Reality Joins the Dream: Part 6
During the three months of our trial stay in India, not everything was as idyllic as we had imagined. While many moments felt familiar and comforting, the experience also brought a few honest realizations.
The energy and the exhaustion
The first thing I noticed was how easily one can become tired amidst the constant buzz around. The energy of India is undeniable—people moving everywhere, vehicles weaving through traffic, construction activity, and life happening at every corner. But along with that vibrant energy comes noise, congestion, and pollution that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
With concrete buildings and the rapid rise of apartment complexes, greenery is not always easy to find. If you want to see trees and open spaces, you often have to make a deliberate effort to visit a park or an area where nature still has room to breathe.
Coming from a place where greenery surrounds you naturally, I realized how much I missed simply seeing green landscapes. Breathing fresh air, something we often take for granted, began to feel almost heavenly during those three months.
At times, the sheer density of the population can also feel heavy. Even stepping outside the house brings small worries, including mosquitoes, general cleanliness, and the little things that occasionally add stress to daily life.
Having said that, I must acknowledge that India has become noticeably cleaner and more disciplined over the last few years. There is visible progress, and that is encouraging.
At some point, I made a conscious decision not to dwell too much on these inconveniences. Instead, I chose to focus on enjoying what was available around me. In any place we live, there will always be things that are slightly disturbing. Learning to overlook some of them and embrace what a place offers becomes part of adjusting to life there.
Food was another area where I had to be thoughtful. There were plenty of options to order from, but I found myself relying heavily on recommendations from friends and family. Food safety standards in the United States are carefully monitored, and I realized that in India it helps to know which places are dependable.
The traffic was another adjustment. Anyone familiar with Indian cities will understand this immediately. Commutes that should take minutes can easily stretch into hours. At times it felt exhausting.
My brother gave me a simple piece of advice: don’t think too much about the traffic while you are in it. Just go with the flow. Worrying about it only increases anxiety. Surprisingly, once I stopped mentally resisting it, it became easier to accept.
It also made me reflect on how difficult it must be for infrastructure to keep pace with such a large and growing population.
Social life is what we make it
During those three months, another realization slowly settled in my mind. Social life is what we make of it.
People are people wherever we go. They do not suddenly gather around us simply because we have returned to India. Everyone continues with their own lives, responsibilities, and routines.
As we grow older, we also become more selective about the friendships we nurture. Large social circles slowly give way to smaller, more meaningful connections. What we begin to value most are relationships that feel genuine, comfortable, and lasting.
One important lesson became clear to me: we should not place the responsibility for our happiness on others.
Family and friends add warmth to our lives, but they cannot be the center of our daily contentment. Each of us must find our own interests, passions, and activities that keep life engaging and fulfilling.
The question of children
Another thought that often crossed my mind during those three months was about my daughter. When you are thousands of miles away, it is natural to occasionally wonder whether she might need you nearby.
For those considering splitting time between two countries after retirement, this becomes a deeply personal decision. Some people strongly prefer to remain close to their children so they can be available whenever needed. Others feel comfortable allowing their children to build their own lives while they pursue the plans they have long imagined.
My own belief leans toward giving children the freedom to shape their own paths. We spent our years building our lives, making our mistakes, and learning from them. They should have the same opportunity. Every life lesson is unique, and growth often comes through experience.
No place is perfect
Our trial stay reminded me of something simple but important: choosing where to grow old is not about finding a perfect place.
No place is perfect. Every country, every city, and every community has its advantages as well as its challenges.
The real question is not where life will be flawless, but where we can live comfortably while continuing to remain curious, engaged, and content.
Perhaps the deeper lesson is this: wherever we choose to live, we must learn to build our own small world of meaning within it.
And so, the journey of deciding where to grow old continues.
Malini Amaladoss
is a software engineer and published author who writes about family, independence, and life transitions. Her work can be found at MaliniAmaladoss.com.
It was frustrating. To be honest, it felt unfair. At times, I even blamed discrimination.
Until I started paying attention. What I observed was that these people had built relationships across teams and departments. Senior leaders knew them, not just for their work, but for how they think. They made themselves visible in the right places. They built trust beyond their main duties. That changed everything.
When decisions were made, their names came up naturally. They weren’t just good at their jobs. They were known, trusted, and visible in the right circles.
Many South Asians are raised with a simple, powerful belief: Work hard, stay humble, let your results speak, communicate work-to-work, and show your work through your work.
That belief works well in school, in competitive exams, and even in many traditional organizations.
But in Corporate America, the equation shifts.
In the U.S. corporate world, decisions rarely happen just in formal meetings. Promotions, special projects, and highvisibility roles are often decided long before any meeting takes place. At senior levels, leaders work with incomplete information. They can’t rely only on performance numbers. They depend on judgment, trust, and input from people they know.
So, they turn to their networks. They ask:
Have you worked with this person?
How do they think?
Can they handle complexity?
Would you trust them in a critical situation?
If there is silence in response to your name, it is interpreted as risk. Work alone doesn’t speak for itself. People advocate, vouch, and carry your reputation forward.
For many South Asians, the word networking feels inauthentic. It can feel like self-promotion, superficial, or even worse, it can feel like manipulation.
But that’s a misunderstanding. In Corporate America, networking is not about charm. It’s about trust, familiarity, and access.
It means:
● People know how you think—not just what you deliver.
● Leaders have seen you in discussions—not just in execution.
● Your name comes up in rooms you’re not in.
● The management just knows that you have their back.
● They trust you and rely on you.
Most people believe that merit, visibility, discipline, transactional communication, and hierarchy are what matter most. But these beliefs often limit growth. At senior levels, decisions rely on incomplete data.
Growth depends on advocacy. Who has seen your thinking? Who feels confident putting their name forward. And those things come from consistent relationshipbuilding.
Some simple but powerful changes you can make:
● Build relationships before you need them.
● Engage beyond immediate work conversations.
● Share perspectives, not just updates.
● Follow up with insight, not just information.
● Be intentional about who knows your work and how they know it.
So today onwards, stop assuming your work alone will build your reputation. Start building relationships to strengthen your reputation. At senior levels, your success depends on trusted advocates, visibility, and relationships, not just on what you accomplish.
Payal Nanjiani
is an Indian-American executive coach, leadership expert and author. She is a trusted partner and advisor to leaders and organizations globally.
Info: Payalnanjiani.com.
Editor’s Desk continued from page 14
After arriving at our destination and settling in, the rest of the week just seemed to float away. This kind of time spent in the company of family or good friends has different vibes, we don’t complain about it except to say that, well, wish we had more time to spend together.
Now it was the last day of our trip. The waves were rough this morning on the beach. The bluer hues of the incoming surf added to the aura of the tropics. Instead of getting my toes wet in the rough surf, I decided to sit on the sand and just observe. I knew I had to walk to the beach, just couple blocks from where we were staying, one last time.
Anytime I visit the beach in summer, there’s this moment where I sit under a palm tree or a patch of soft sand and become one with the watery horizon. Relishing every minute. The world melts away while I’m in one of my happy spots, just sitting there, no agenda. In these moments, usually an hour or so, time slows as I linger there stretching the minutes out in my mind. I sat under that palm tree, reliving the past week and filing away the memories, a warm breeze keeping me company.
Summer kicked off early this year during our trip to the sunny island. Now the lovely summer months will last longer. I thought of my clock flipping time manipulation from a few weeks earlier. Along with that sci-fi tinged dream, my mind was awaiting the arrival of summer.
The days are getting longer. There is a way to slow time after all. Even add an extra hour. It’s possible in the mind, the ultimate timekeeper. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to lots of 25 hour days this summer.
Samir Shukla is the Editor of Saathee Magazine Contact: Samir@Saathee.com X: @ShuklaWrites Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com
Serial killer dramas are a crowded space, often running the risk of familiarity. What sets The Second Case of Seetharam apart almost immediately is its setting. Far removed from glossy urban backdrops, the film unfolds in a semi-rustic world that feels authentic. There are no technological crutches, no advanced surveillance, no sleek forensic tools. The police function within limitations; firearms are scarce, and even the lone gun seen in the film is stolen from a station in broad daylight. This grounded feeling extends beyond aesthetics into the very fabric of the investigation.
The stakes are deeply personal. The victims are not faceless strangers but rather individuals directly or indirectly connected to Seetharam. His colleagues, familiar faces, even someone from his own family. The proximity of the crimes lends the narrative a constant unease, as if the killer is operating not just within the town, but within the cop’s immediate world. It turns the investigation into more than a procedural, becoming a puzzle that steadily tightens around its protagonist.
To its credit, the film resists the easy route of convenient breakthroughs. Each suspect leads to a dead end, each revelation dissolves into uncertainty. The investigation moves in circles, pulling both Seetharam and the audience deeper into a maze where clarity remains elusive. While this approach adds to the unpredictability of the investigation, it also occasionally stretches the narrative, with the repeated false leads beginning to feel slightly cyclical. It is within this framework that the film delivers its most striking stretch.
The early encounter between Seetharam and the man who would become central to the case is nothing short of extraordinary. What begins as a seemingly routine complaint at a roadside tea stall quickly spirals into something far more unsettling. The sequence that follows where the suspect’s past, present, and inner voice appear to coexist within the same frame is staged with a rare intensity. It carries a surreal quality, almost dreamlike in its construction, yet remains firmly rooted in reality. The editing, staging, and performances combine to create a moment that is disorienting and immersive in equal measure. As the tension peaks and a bullet grazes Seetharam, the sequence leaves behind a lingering question, which is not about what happened, but about how we experienced it. It is easily the film’s standout passage, one that elevates the narrative beyond conventional genre boundaries.
Steeped in realism, the film does not shy away from the brutality of its subject. The depiction of violence is detailed and, at times, unsettling, yet it never feels gratuitous. Instead, it reinforces the rawness of the world the film inhabits. This commitment to authenticity extends to the smallest details where even minor characters and fleeting moments acquire significance over time. A woman casually serving sweets early in the film, a stranger briefly held in the camera’s gaze. These are not incidental inclusions, but carefully placed pieces in a larger design.
Technically, the film is solid. The production design captures the texture of a functioning police station, complete with its clutter of files and routine chaos. The action remains
grounded, relying more on physicality than spectacle. Vijay Raghavendra anchors the film with a performance that is restrained yet effective, embodying a man caught between professional duty and personal vulnerability. The film does lose a bit of its tautness towards the end, with the climactic face-off stretching longer than necessary, slightly diluting the tension it so carefully builds.
Beyond the mechanics of its investigation, The Second Case of Seetharam is also interested in the idea of choice. The film does not romanticize or justify the violence it portrays. In one of its more telling moments, Seetharam points out that a troubled past cannot excuse a path of destruction. The line resonates beyond the immediate context, reflecting on Seetharam himself, who is a man shaped by personal loss, yet choosing restraint over chaos. In many ways, he and the killer represent two ends of the same spectrum.
The Second Case of Seetharam is not a film that relies on shock or spectacle. Instead, it builds its impact through atmosphere, structure, and reality. In doing so, it offers a gripping investigation drama that is as much about the choices people make as it is about the crimes they commit.
Anuj Chakrapani loves music and cinema among all art forms. He believes their beauty lies in their interpretation, and that the parts are more than the sum.
Contact: anuj.chakrapani@gmail.com.
A Teenage Story
continued from page 22
I decided to challenge myself one day by putting away my headphones and complimenting a stranger. It was easier than I realized: starting a conversation with a person you don’t know in college is normalized. Although saying “I like your skirt” was hardly a full conversation, the smile that appeared on the elevator stranger’s face spoke more words than I imagined. That was when I realized that a friendship doesn’t have to bloom out of an interaction for the interaction to be meaningful. I might not see elevator stranger again or get the chance to ask where she got her skirt from (I regret not asking her), but this short interaction chipped away at my guarded layers. Every attempt to socialize is valuable.
The next challenge I had to conquer in the realm of socialization was actually going out of my way to strike up a conversation. Without the forced proximity that the elevator provided, it was up to me to initiate a hangout. Unfortunately, I am not in elementary school so I cannot rely on my mom to set up “playdates” for me. I have found that the best way to set up a college “playdate” is to use the excuse of studying for a class. Asking a classmate you only see twice a week to a boba hangout may seem intimidating. Taking smaller steps is more manageable; socializing doesn’t have to look like going to some gigantic party with a friend. I was amazed to see how easily a library study hangout could later morph into getting coffee and chatting about nonacademic topics. My classmate slowly but surely went from being an acquaintance I would barely see to someone I could plan a spontaneous weekend outing with.
One of my close friendships this school year proves that friendship can be forged from awkwardness. Now that my roommate and I have gotten more comfortable with each other, we can now reflect upon our initial meeting. I tried to maintain a perfect composure, vigorously nodding my head when asked if I was a morning person. My roommate and I now laugh at this because she knows this statement is far from the truth. It is jarring how far we have come from moments of silence to moments when we randomly break into song in our dorm. A stumbling, bumbling interaction proves its authenticity. In fact, psychology proves that showing signs of nervousness (blushing and stuttering) often makes a person more likeable and relatable. I don’t have to carve a flawless sculpture from the ice—pure friendship isn’t perfectly sophisticated or stiff.
Every time you feel tongue-tied during small talk with a stranger, remember this: The awkwardness you feel most likely stems from the awkwardness of the situation itself. Don’t pull yourself down if conversation doesn’t automatically flow smoothly. Summer break especially gives you the chance to text that friend you haven’t seen in a while and plan a hangout. There might be an initial icy layer as you both hesitate on what to say to each other. But remember this: In order to break the ice, you have to embrace the awkwardness and let it melt on its own.
Sereena Kumar is a Freshman at NC State and has a passion for writing. Contact: slkumar@mycomedical.com
Eye on Markets
continued from page 68
The latest PMI Manufacturing Index hit the highest level in years. Certain regional manufacturing data is exploding higher. For instance, the most recent Philadelphia Fed’s manufacturing index crushed expectations. Philadelphia, Richmond, and Dallas Fed’s index saw new orders hitting the highest level in years.
Industrials are at the intersection of the AI boom and manufacturing renaissance. They benefit from most major secular themes ranging from increased global defense spending, AI and infrastructure buildout, increased focus on domestic manufacturing, on shoring / regional supply chains, and a new aerospace cycle. Industrials will have the second highest earnings growth next year, growing in the high teens.
These names benefit both from the AI buildout and margin expansion from AI implementation. Industrials outperform when PMIs bottom and turn up. In particular, when PMIs are less than 47 and turn up, the 12M forward return has historically been 22%, with a 95%-win ratio. Within industrials, transport sectors are in a sweet spot. Capacity has been taken out of the system for years, while demand is growing with the manufacturing renaissance, leading to pricing power.
JB Hunt’s conference call sums it up well, “what we’re seeing is a freight market that has fundamentally less slack than it did in prior cycles. Capacity has been steadily exiting for an extended period, driven by regulatory enforcement, rising costs, and financial performance that does not support capital reinvestment. Even if spot rates increase, capacity continues to lead the industry.” CSX for instance, not only has pricing power to drive topline, but it is also seeing significant margin expansion through efficiency and technology.
They grew earnings 26%, expanded margins by 560 bps, guided to another nearly 300 bps of margin expansion and 60% free cash flow growth. Similarly, Union Pacific reported that free cash flow margin was up to 24.2% from 7.8%. Old Dominion reported revenue per shipment up 5.9%. They trade cheaper than a market multiple for double digit growth. Positioning is light, as most investors are focused on tech. Hedge funds have net-sold the group in 10 of the last 12 weeks. The net allocation is now in the first percentile. Norfolk Southern reported a mixed quarter, but the stock moved in the positive direction, an indication of the positioning within the group.
Technically, they broke out of a nearly 5-year base, retested during the March correction, and are now breaking out. Historically, when we have had similar returns for the transports sector, the forward return one year out is 17% on average with a 98%-win rate. Transports breaking out and hitting all-time highs is one of the best leading indicators of economic momentum.
Looking forward, the market will focus on geopolitics, earnings, the latest in AI, and the Fed.
Ketu Desai
is the principal of i-squared Wealth Management Inc. (www.isquaredwealth.com), an investment management firm based in New Jersey. ketu@isquaredwealth.com
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Solve these brain teasers - Solutions on Page 110
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Fill in blanks of these clues, then take the first letter of each word and unscramble them to find this month’s Key Word.
The capital of The Netherlands _____. D.C. stands for _____ of Columbia. Day before Sunday, _____ . Lincoln is the capital of this state _____. Anchorage is a city in _____. Winter, spring, _____, fall. New Orleans is a city in _____.
Chess Puzzles
Difficulty:
Game reference: Benko v KellerKermann 1947
Directions: White to play and win material.
Game reference: Berkes v Nemeth 1996
Directions: White to Move, Checkmate in 2
Difficulty:
Game reference: Bernstein v Kotov 1946
Directions: White to move, mate in 3
Festivals & Holidays Puzzle Solutions
June 2026
Jun. 4 - Corpus Christi
Jun. 5 - National Donut Day
Jun. 5 - World Environment Day
Jun. 8 - World Oceans Day
Jun. 11 - Parama Ekadashi
Jun. 12 - Loving Day
Jun. 14 - Darsh Amas (No Moon)
Jun. 14 - Flag Day
Jun. 15 - Mithuna Sankranti
Jun. 16 - Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib
Jun. 17 - Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)
Jun. 17 - Maharana Pratap Jayanti
Jun. 19 - Emancipation Day / Juneteenth
Jun. 20 - World Refugee Day
Jun. 21 - Father’s Day
Jun. 21 - Summer Solstice / Litha
Jun. 21 - International Yoga Day
Jun. 25 - Nirjala Ekadashi
Jun. 26 - Muharram / Ashura
Jun. 28 - Vat Purnima Vrat
Jun. 28 - Carolina Day
Jun. 29 - Jyeshtha Purnima (Full Moon)
Jun. 29 - Kabirdas Jayanti
Key Word Search Answers from page 103
Amsterdam District
Saturday
Nebraska
Alaska
Summer
Louisiana
Key Word of the Month: SANDALS
Go Figure! answers from page 103
Statue changed
Tree direction changed
Tower added
Plant added
Airplane added
Monkeys added
Tree lights added
Moon added
9. Men on steps added 10. Windows added
11. People removed 12. Tree removed 13. Groundhogs added 14. Flowers added 15. Bicyclist added
Puzzle Solutions from page 102
1.
Astroscope
Aries
(March 21 – April 19)
This will be an action-oriented period for you. You will gain success in your business or job and earn the favor of senior officers and authorities. Your income could also rise due to your team efforts. An unexpected positive turn in your love life will bring lots of luck, so don’t regret feeling delighted. A new addition to your family is also possible. This is a good time to invest in home or commercial real estate.
Taurus
(April 20 – May 20)
Multiple opportunities may knock at your door. A wrong decision during the third week of the month may damage your reputation, however. Don’t forget that hard work as part of a team will reward you with many more benefits. Also it’s best to control your pace of activities during the last week of the month. Both long-distance and short journeys are possible this month.
Gemini
(May 21 – June 20)
Love is in the air after the second week of the month. Try to have fun but with future commitment in mind. Don’t forget to ask for advice from a more experienced person, just to make sure you’ve made the right decision. Avoid confusion and work to establish self-confidence. Even if you are not sincere, your income with rise due to good luck. This is a time to plan for the future.
Cancer
(June 21 – July 22)
Be sure to grab the opportunity for a new venture during the middle of the month. Your business / trade will survive due to this prompt, positive action. You may be inclined toward religious and social activities or even develop a taste for high philosophy or literature. In fact, you will exhibit an amiable disposition for most of the month. A pleasant journey is also possible.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Unexpected responsibilities could be your main focus this month. Maintain cordial relations with family and avoid disputes with your partner at any cost. Many opportunities could come your way, but you may not be able to utilize them. Financial losses are also possible, if involved in a business partnership. A serious legal problem could financially hurt you, as well.
Virgo
(August 23 – September 22)
After a very positive start, you may experience a negative vacuum during the middle of the month. Unexpected expenses could badly affect your budget. Business partners can also take advantage of any good deeds you may pursue. However, this is a favorable time to invest in real estate. A minor health ailment could be there, but your family is willing to provide any help you may need.
JUNE 2026
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
During this month your confidence will be at par excellence by remaining fearless and fond of strife. With the help of polished language, any business prospects will land on the positive side. An unexpected business-related journey can prove very fruitful. You will be able to overcome competition and prevail over opponents. However, remain aware of your superiors just in case.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
A balanced state of mind and overall happiness are both indicated this month. An unexpected rise in status and reputation is also possible as a result of meeting higher authorities. Pleasant experiences with family are favorable. You might be inclined to more closely follow religion and could visit various sacred places to express your beliefs.
Sagittarius
(November 22 – December 21)
This will be a very comfortable month for you. If you exert just a little extra effort, your income can rise above expectations. Enjoy a pleasant environment and possibly throw a big party to enjoy music and poetry. You may even be favorably attracted to someone of a different gender. Be sure to practice meditation during the middle of the month.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
Your exceptional skills will produce excellent results for your business or trade. If you also include learned people in your project, the outcome will turn out even better. You will make strenuous efforts to satisfy these aspirations. Such aggressive actions will pay dividends, but a family-related problem will still need attention. Your health should remain satisfactory, as well.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
Avoid being impulsive and take the appropriate time to mull over any important decisions, particularly if you have any serious addictions. A stubborn attitude may even motivate you to make the right choice. Also maintain good relations with your associates and friends, as you could need help to solve your problems. This is a good time to travel and visit family.
Pisces
(February 19 – March 20)
There is no reason to be upset, but the influence of authority will remain vigilant in your thoughts. Your income, job and health will be in order, but general happiness won’t be there. Being charitable by helping the needy will be a great boost to your wellbeing. Any long-distance journeys during the third week of the month could prove rewarding. Keep working hard to achieve optimal results.
CLASSIFIEDS
Established Indian Store for Sale in Durham NC, $140k plus inventory. Deep Discount for cash buyer. Contact Hari 919225-2518 (text) / harig81us@gmail.com or agent Billy at website: southeasternbb.com.
Motel for Sale
Off market independent 10-room Motel in downtown Columbia, SC. 2bed/2bath house & mobile home included. Asking $950k. Call or text 803-546-6057.
Beauty Salon for Sale close to downtown Cary in busy shopping center. Established business with 25 years of successful operation. Includes all equipment, furnishings & client base. 919-649-1228.
C-store with Property for Sale / Lease in Denmark, SC. Gross income $40k plus Lotto commission - $3k per month and rental income of $1k for night club. Opportunity to add liquor store in same building. Call for details 904-307-4770.
Independent Financial / Insurance & Agent Development Opportunities
Work from home in the financial insurance industry with excellent income potential! Call / text 908-590-4210 to schedule an appointment.
Immediate Opening for Experienced Manager for independent motel in Charlotte, NC. Communication skills and legal status required. Complimentary accommodations provided. Excellent salary w/ bonus program. Please send resume to wmalone683@gmail.com.
Elder Care Needed for mother (95 years-old). She's selfsufficient but needs assistance w/ bathing & activities. Hindi or Gujarati speaking female preferred. Part-or Full-time in home near Charlotte. Please call 704-604-2133.
Help Wanted for Convenience Store in Mooresville, NC. Responsibilities include assisting customers, handling transactions, & maintaining a clean/organized store. Parttime, weekend availability preferred. Please contact 919-951-8924 / lalsenj@gmail.com.
Join the team at Manhattan Jewelers at Fourseasons Town Center Mall in Greensboro, NC. Should be honest and hard working. Must have basic computer skills. Training provided. Email info@manhattan-jewelers.com for more info or text 336-880-3698 with your resume.
Gas Station/C-Store Help Needed in Greensboro, NC. Must have previous experience and legal status. Great salary with benefits. Call 336-509-4054.
Seeking Furniture Salesperson to join a Hospitality supplier company team in High Point, NC. This B2B sales role focuses on developing new business opportunities, nurturing client relationships, & offering tailored furniture solutions to meet the needs of hotel environments. The ideal candidate must be self-motivated & goal-oriented with exceptional organizational skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required. Some understanding of commercial space planning and design principles preferred. Competitive base salary plus commission. Mon to Fri in High Point, NC (not remote). Email resume to rajm@amerifabintl.com.
Independent Motel Hiring
Looking for Passionate Salesperson for Men’s Clothing Store in Spartanburg, SC. Must be fluent in English. Accommodations provided. Call David at 704-267-6272.
Night Auditor Wanted for Hotel in Concord, NC is hiring a Night Auditor. Applicants must speak English and be legally authorized to work in the US or have valid work permit. Hotel experience preferred. Accommodations not provided. Please contact 704-786-9121.
Hotel Help Wanted
Front Desk / Manager, Night Auditor & Housekeeper (Single/Couple) for franchise hotels in Charlotte (Airport Area) & Winston-Salem (Near Hanes Mall). Accommodations provided. Call 704-626-4849 between 4-8pm.
Elder Care Needed in Charlotte
Looking for female to work 4 to 5 hours daily to assist active 84-year-old lady in daily chores, some cooking and companionship. Please call 980-339-5575.
Hotel Help Wanted
Looking for married couple who can work as Front Desk Attendee as well as run Breakfast for a hotel in Pineville, NC. Must speak and understand fluent English. Prior experience in hotel industry preferred. Accommodations will be provided. Please call 704-691-5061.
For Immediate Hire
Looking for General Manager at Motel 6 & Studio 6 (combo 101 rooms) in Charlotte, NC. Must have experience, good knowledge of the brand and be able to manage without supervision. Good pay! Email resume to abcone@abcinns.com or pritesh.nagarji@abcinns.com.
Full-Time Cashier Required for Gas Station / Subway Shop in Charlotte and Matthews area. Contact 704-241-4499
Front Desk Help Needed for Franchise Hotel Accommodations provided. Concord, NC. Call 704-772-5554.
Gas Station / C-store Help Needed
For stores near Huntersville & Northlake areas. Must speak English. Family friendly oriented people. Call 704-402-4661.
Front Desk, Laundry with optional Housekeeping in Fayetteville, NC. Couple preferred. Basic customer service & reliability required. Accommodations provided with steady pay. Call 910-964-5316 / 910-977-9510 or email monal.depani1@gmail.com.
Sales Associates Wanted for Mall Perfume Stores in Charlotte, NC, Pineville, NC, Hickory, NC, Memphis, TN & Knoxville, TN. Full-Time or Part-Time shifts available. Call Veer Singh at 415-265-8686.
Hotel Help Wanted
Looking for married couple who can work as Front Desk Attendee as well as run Breakfast for a hotel in Pineville, NC. Must speak and understand fluent English. Prior experience in hotel industry preferred. Accommodations will be provided. Please call 704-691-5061.
Gas Station Seeking Help
Single or couple. in Rock Hill, SC seeking help. Good pay for an experienced person! No accommodations. Call 803-659-3330.
Appetizer, Tandoori Chef & Server needed for New Restaurant in South Carolina. Accommodations included. Call 704-267-6272.
Front Desk Manager & Housekeeping Couple Wanted for franchise hotel in Columbia, SC. Accommodations provided. Fluent English required. Text / Call 704-701-9975.
Sewing & Cutting Supervisor Needed for curtain & window treatment manufacturing company in Triad area. Must have cutting and sewing knowledge and be able to work in a full-time production environment. Salary & benefits offered based on experience. Email resume to rajm@amerifabintl.com.
Hotel Help Wanted
Front Desk and General Manager for 30room Independent Motel in Fayetteville, NC. Accommodations available. Good salary. Fluent English a must. Lease options available. Contact Dev at 630-2538860 or devsuper8@gmail.com.
Part-Time / Full-Time Business Opportunity
Looking for licensed / unlicensed financial professionals for one of the fastest growing companies in North America. Maximize your income with highest compensation plan, ownership & legacy. Guaranteed support & professional training. Contact Bhavesh Patel (Executive Director) 704-3904747 or visit bpatel.experiorfinancial.com.
Cashier Wanted for Convenience Store near Kannapolis, NC. Accommodations provided. Very attractive salary! Text / Call 704-701-9482.
South Indian / Indo-Chinese Chef Needed
who matches the vibe of growing IndianFusion Food truck located in Charlotte, NC. QSR systems in place. Please call 704-477-4393.
MODEL CALL — NYFW 2026
Step into the Glam Fusiothreads Experience on September 12th at the iconic Edison Ballroom. This opportunity includes a NYFW runway walk, pro styling, photography, runway coaching, and potential Times Square billboard placement. All sizes and experience levels welcome. Confidence required — nothing else . Registration fees apply; limited availability. Contact Tina Gandhi at t_gandhi@hotmail.com or 919-272-8691.
Elder Care Needed
in Charlotte (Ballantyne) for 85-year-old wheelchair bound woman. Looking for attentive, reliable female to provide nonmedical supervision and companionship (play games, conversation, meals, etc). Flexible hours. Please call 980-272-1659.
Hotel Help Wanted
Looking for Manager, Front Desk, Driver, Maintenance & Housekeeping for properties in Charlotte, NC. Must have legal status. Contact Nita Shah at 704-5022630 or gm.nita.shah@gmail.com.
Manager / Associate / Helper Wanted for Indian grocery store in Durham NC. Part-time or full-time. Call 919-489-9084 or email harig81us@gmail.com.
Manager / Front Desk Needed for Franchise Hotel in Rock Hill, SC. With Accommodations. Please call 803-517-4662.
Help Needed
in Asheville, NC for C-Store/Gas Station with Deli. Accommodations available. Call 828-808-3360.
Matrimonial / Seeking Companion
Seeking Bride
US citizen, Hindu, business graduate, 33 currently working in a federal position in Raleigh, NC. Looking for educated bride. Contact 336-683-7631, +91 96246 87260, or cstore1947@yahoo.com.
41 year-old groom looking for Bride. Medical Doctor. US Citizen in North Carolina. Contact 919-437-1202 or bpraja1985@gmail.com.
Seeking suitable bride for a 35 year-old man employed at well-known US Bank in Charlotte, NC. Prospective bride must be a US citizen/green card holder. Please contact 336-529-1534.
Tabla Lessons for all age groups. In person or online from professional tabla player. Call 803-348-7294.
Pari Beauty in Matthews
Threading, Waxing, Facials, Postnatal & Newborn Massage, Home Cooking for Elderly & other services. 37 years of experience & great Service! Call 704-846-7912.
At Devotion
find Laddu Gopal, Radha Krishna, Maa Durga, and other Hindu deity idols, dresses, jewelry, and accessories. Contact Ria at 248205-9652 for traditional and customized devotional collections.
Priest Available for Shree Satya narayan katha, Shanti hawan, Vastu shanty, Weddings, Baby shower, Bhumi pujan, Mata ki chowki pujan, Funeral, all types of karmakand. Please call Viral Bhatt 704-438-6334.
Private Math Tutor
Professor Glen Dawson, founder of AoPS Academy, is now accepting a limited number of students for his private 1-1 math training program. Admission is competitive. Please visit HopMath.org or call 919-270-4232.
Numerology Services
Find your way with Vedic and Chaldean numerology! Discover your personality, strengths, career, health, and marriage. Get insights into your current Dasha, name, mobile number, personal month, year, and practical remedies for a successful life. Call Hitesha Joshi at 631-629-5955 / 848-565-4926.
Travel Passion
International & Domestic Air tickets. We process India Visa, OCI, Indian Passport Renewal, Hotel bookings & Tour packages. Call 509-550-9076 or 509-550-9034 or email travelpassion24@gmail.com.
Immigration Services
Interested in a Green Card, but have no employer-sponsor? We'll be your partner in a legal and reliable pathway to obtaining permanent residency status. Visit partnerbusinessllc.net or email partner.business.llc@gmail.com.
Kala Kreations Services for weddings, parties or any occasion. Catering for 25 to 150 people, Henna tattoo, fresh flowers garlands and more. Call Kashmira: 732-647-5527.
More at: saathee.com/classifieds
continued from page 58
We do plan together, eventually. But too many options have a way of wearing one person down until they just start making calls to move things along. Sometimes that person is me. Sometimes it is her. Either way, someone ends up owning the spreadsheet and carrying the stress for both of us. And when we leave things too late it shows.
I have booked hotels that looked fine online and turned out to be far from everything, more cabs, more time, more money spent fixing a decision we rushed. The trip still happened. It just had extra headaches built into it from the start.
Sometimes things go wrong in bigger ways. On a trip to Machu Picchu, my phone got pickpocketed on day one. First day. Crowded public transport, perfect situation for a pickpocket. My wife was kind about it. My friends were not. They had jokes for the rest of the trip. Things like, “We’d love to reach Hiren, but you know how that goes.” I earned it.
The following year my actual travel goal had nothing to do with sightseeing. It was to not get my phone stolen again. Every busy street, every market, every metro, I was tapping my pocket constantly, as if the phone might disappear if I stopped checking. My wife helped by reminding me several times a day, front pocket. It’s love. It’s also a daily inspection.
I briefly tried a lanyard. I lasted maybe twenty minutes before putting it away. There are limits. In the end, my phone had a great trip. I spent mine checking my pockets and developing a new respect for the front zip.
The point is, we figured it out. Wrong shoes, wrong hotel, a phone that went on its own adventure, we got through all of it. Because after all the checklist nonsense and protein bars and planning stress, the trip actually starts. Open water that makes you feel small, in a good way. A market where you have no idea what anyone is saying but somehow you figure it out.
A rooftop somewhere with a coffee or a drink in hand, no agenda, just watching a city go about its evening. That’s the part that makes you forget the planning headache. That’s the part you carry home. Travel is messy and stressful, and sometimes it’ll steal your phone on day one. But it also makes you feel alive.
You see things that remind you that life is bigger than whatever was on your to-do list last week. And for that, I’ll keep packing the protein bars, and maybe next time the hiking boots too.
Hiren Deliwala
is a Charlotte-based overthinker, closet philosopher, and avid board gamer. He writes about everyday life, Indian upbringing, and finding humor in the chaos. When not philosophizing over chai, he’s usually losing arguments to his wife and, shockingly, learning from them. Contact: hcdeliwala@gmail.com
Magic Maze & Puzzles4Kids answers pgs 102 -103
Mindful Masala
Advertisers
Index for Charlotte, South Carolina & Atlanta Region
RB Realty Group (Ravi Bheemarao).....................85
Real Triangle Properties (Joe Mathews).................67
& Home.........................................................3 Ryan Shah (Tabla Lessons)...................................37 Shah & Associates, CPA, PLLC.............................51 Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC.................................101
