Issuu

Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent

Saathee.com

September 2026

IN THIS ISSUE Upcoming Movies: pg 34 Data Centers in the Ocean?: pg 40 Recipe: Gujarati Kadhi: pg 74

Hello Readers Welcome to the September edition. We would like to dedicate this issue to “Pop” or “Pappa” - Kirit Shukla (6.18.39 - 8.21.2026). In Memoriam: He was not only our (Samir and Divakar’s) father, but a regular contributor to Saathee. Our section, Pop’s Puzzles, is named after him as he created the puzzles section early in Saathee’s history. He personally created all original puzzles every month until a few years ago. For many years, he also wrote a music column ranging in topics from hit songs, classical music, and Ragas. Thanks Pappa! We will miss you and will always hold you close to our hearts! Maybe there will be reprieve from this summer‘s heat this month. September is typically gorgeous in the Carolinas. First half is still holding on to summer while in the second half lovely temperatures emerge. Enjoy the cooling days and peruse through this issue. It is packed with original writing and essays. Some highlights in this issue:

“Bridging America and the Indian Subcontinent.”

September 2026

Issue # 340

Editor Samir Shukla (Samir@Saathee.com)

Publisher & Advertising Divakar Shukla 704-527-7570 or saatheemag@hotmail.com

♦ 2000-year-old Tamil etchings found in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Read about it on page 24. ♦ Read the new column “Everyday Yoga” on page 30. ♦ Looking for a job or new business? See latest Classifieds on page 108.

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Contributors for this issue: Mithi Shukla, Urvashi Swami, Anuj Kasera Dipika Kohli, Ketu Desai, Taige Shukla, Sainha Sivaram, Balaji Prasad, Hiren Deliwala, Dhruv Pathak, Dr. Maha Gingrich, Kristen Moon, 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.

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Saathee Magazine P.O. Box 11468 Charlotte, NC 28220

Cover: Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka Dambulla is the largest cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Much of the temple complex is spread over five caves, which contain statues and paintings related to Gautama Buddha and his life. The temple complex dates back to the first century BCE.

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September 2026

In This Issue

Page 14 Editor’s Desk: Carbon Commons

Page 18 Upcoming Events

Page 26 The Through Line: Off the Sidelines

Page 74 Recipe: Gujarati Kadhi

Content The Editor’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 14

Community Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 42

Recipe: Gujarati Kadhi . . . . . . . . . .pg. 74

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 18

Dances of India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 46

Spot the Differences . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 96

Mirror, Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 24

This America: Monument Valley .pg. 48

Cartoon Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 98

The Through Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 26

Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 52

Tune Your Brain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 100

Kismuth and the Way . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 28

Overanalyzing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 54

Pop’s Puzzles & Toons . . . . . . . . .pg. 102

Everyday Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 30

NASA: Aerospace Show . . . . . . . . .pg. 56

Festivals and Holidays . . . . . . . . .pg. 104

Upcoming Movie Releases . . . . . . .pg. 34

Mindful Masala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 58

Puzzle Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 104

Film Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 36

College Admissions Insider . . . . . .pg. 60

AstroScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 106

Thinking About Thinking . . . . . . .pg. 38

News Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 62

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 108

Data Centers in the Ocean? . . . . . .pg. 40

Eye on the Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 68

Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 112

Saathee.com

September 2026

Editor’s Desk

by Samir Shukla

Carbon Commons Let’s all collectively enter the commons. These green fields of fruits, flowers, trees, veggie patches and swaying crops. Farm animals are scattered about. There are varieties of humans sauntering about. Some begin chatting, others stay in their groups, while some prefer solo strolls. Now take a deep breath and admit this. There are bits of preconceptions and prejudice in all of us. Everyone. No exceptions. Posit this self-examining query to your companions and strangers. Some will walk away, others will engage. These self-defeating ailments are usually suppressed by most people most of the time while they try to project their better nature. Ah, but how these afflictions rear their ugly heads in moments of our fears. It is when we hear of crimes or violence committed against someone in our community, we want culprits, and for a moment at least, we want collective revenge against members of the offending community. It is when you watch a news clip about a violent or criminal act, and you ascribe the guilt of some of those participants to all their ethnic or heritage kin via association. These afflictions are practically written into our genes. We pass them on to our progeny through our actions or mannerisms, sometimes via substantial indoctrination, other times via subtle, repeated behavior. Awareness is a tough ask. When wandering among the commons, an acknowledgement of personal and individual follies is a start. It is the beginning of this awareness. Such a simple yet powerful word. This slow awakening can be empowering. I fear as Artificial Intelligence embeds further into our technology and lives, ready to reduce humanness of humans, these dark hidden afflictions will emerge more often to unravel our bonds of commonality, our beneficial sameness, the carbon commons. These are stressful times. Dissonance and disharmony peck away at our peace of mind. We all need and seek clarity. But when you really think about it, pick any period in human history, was there ever a perfectly happy and peaceful time? Editor’s Desk continued on page 86

Saathee.com

September 2026

Upcoming Events New Goloka Janmashtami: Hillsborough, NC (September 4, 2026) ISKCON New Goloka celebrates Sri Krishna Janmashtami on Friday, September 4, 2026, from 4pm – midnight at 1032 Dimmocks Mill Road in Hillsborough, NC. Enjoy cultural programs, boat festival, food court, children’s activities, kirtans and more. For more details, visit Newgoloka.com.

Chanakya Youth Festival: Morrisville, NC (September 5, 2026) A youth writing, art, and debating contest. Organized by AABAJ (American Association of Bihar and Jharkhand), top performers will receive prizes. It takes place on September 5, 2026, at 9am, HSNC, 309 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC. Info: aabaj.org.

Prana Prathishtapana: Greensboro, NC (September 10 – 13, 2026) The Triad Hindu Temple presents Prana Prathishtapana, a once-in-a-generation spiritual event. Experience the sacred rituals performed by esteemed priests as they invoke divine grace and energize the spiritual power of their temple. This celebration will take place between September 10 & 13, 2026 at 7751 Alcorn Road in Greensboro, NC. To learn more, visit their Facebook page.

Ramam Bhaje Musical Celebration: Charlotte, NC (September 11, 2026) AIM for Seva USA presents Ramam Bhaje, a musical donor appreciation event celebrating Lord Rama and featuring renowned vocalist Kumari Sooryagayathri, accompanied by a talented ensemble of musicians on Friday, September 11, 2026, starting at 6pm at the Parr Center in Charlotte, NC. For more info, call 704-620-2775, 704-904-3676 or Aimforsevausa.org.

Saathee.com

Jaipur Literature Festival: Raleigh, NC (September 11 – 13, 2026) The third edition of JLF North Carolina, an international edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival, will take place in Raleigh, NC from September 11 to 13, 2026. This year, the festival celebrates literature and culture across sessions taking place at Meredith College and NC State Centennial Campus. More info: Jlflitfest.org/north-carolina.

Atul Purohit Garba: Greensboro, NC (September 12, 2026) The legendary Garba singer Atul Purohit will perform live with his band on September 12, 2026, with food and shopping starting at 7pm and Garba at 8pm at the Greensboro Complex’s Special Events Center East Wing. Enjoy music, dancing, garba, and food. Info, call 704-754-1607 or 336-509-5875. Tickets are available now at Universe.com. Search for Purohit.

India Day: Wilmington, NC (September 12, 2026) Enjoy cultural performances, henna, Indian cuisine, classical dances, music, yoga sessions, fashion show, vendors and more at India Day, taking place on September 12, 2026, 11am – 5pm, The Harrelson Center, 20 N 4th St., Wilmington, NC. Admission is free. For details, visit 910790-9448 or visit Cfcai.org.

Kiran Poker Tournament: Weddington, NC (September 13, 2026) Kiran, Inc invites you to their first ever Poker Tournament to support a great cause! The tournament will use the Texas Hold-em poker style and be limited to 100 entries. It will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 1-5pm at the Weddington Swim & Racquet Club. Learn more at kiraninc.org/.

HSNC Ganesh Festival: Morrisville, NC (September 14 – 25, 2026) Celebrate the annual Ganesh Festival and embrace the blessings from September 14 – 25, 2026. It takes place at HSNC, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. For more details, visit Hsnctemple.org.

Learn Sanskrit: Charlotte, NC (September 15, 2026) Samskrita Bharati will be conducting Sanskrit classes beginning September 15, 2026, Tuesdays 6:30 – 8pm, Gandhi Bhavan, Hindu Center, 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte, NC. In person classes for adults and kids. One registration and one fee per family. For info, call 704-4499021 or write to Charlotte@sbusa.org.

Kirtidan Gadhvi Garba: Charlotte, NC (September 18, 2026) Enjoy a night of garba fun with Kirtidan Gadhvi and live band on Friday, September 18, 2026, with doors open at 6pm and Garba beginning at 8pm at the Park Expo in Charlotte, NC. For more details, call 980-9901118. Tickets are available at Sulekha.com.

September 2026

Upcoming Events Festival of India: Charlotte, NC (September 19 – 20, 2026) The India Association of Charlotte presents the 30th annual Festival of India, taking place on September 19– 20, 2026 in Uptown Charlotte. Celebrating three decades of culture, community, and diversity, this milestone edition will expand into a two-day “FolkFest” showcasing India’s rich heritage. Uptown Charlotte, including Tryon Street and the Belk Theater, will be transformed into a vibrant cultural celebration featuring music, dance, art, food, and fashion. There will be a Fusion Symphony on Sunday, September 20, 7pm, featuring Charlotte Symphony bringing Bollywood inspired music of A. R. Rahman featuring a live vocalist on Belk stage. See details on Indiafestival.iacofcarolinas.org.

Kiran Annual Gala: Chapel Hill, NC (September 20, 2026) The organization’s annual gala will take place on September 20, 2026, 6 – 10pm, at Whistling Woods Farm, 2676 Farrington Point Rd., Chapel Hill, NC. Eric Benjamin will be the lead performer for the night. Kiran works to support South Asian survivors of domestic violence. For more details, visit Kiraninc.org.

Violin Duo Concert: Charlotte, NC (September 20, 2026) CMAC presents a concert featuring Mysore Nagaraj and Dr. Mysore Manjunath, accompanied by Sai Giridhar (Mridangam) and Giridhar Udupa (Ghatam). It takes place at Gandhi Bhavan, Hindu Center, 7400 City View Dr., Charlotte, NC. For more info, call 704-904-9454, 704-840-5949.

Hindi Play: Jaane Pehchaane Anjane: Raleigh, NC (October 2, 2026) Arvind Mahajan presents a Hindi play featuring Anupam Kher and Swaroop Sampat with a full ensemble and music by Anu Malik. See it on October 2, 2026, at 8:15pm, at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. For info, text 347-205-7276. Tickets via Ticketmaster.com.

Bhoomi Trivedi Concert: Concord, NC (October 3, 2026) Friends of Charlotte presents Bollywood Garba singer Bhoomi Trivedi in concert as part of her “Bol Mari Ambe” World Tour. For the first time in the Charlotte metro area, Trivedi will be performing for Garba with proceeds going to support local community initiatives. The concert will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center in Concord, NC. Tickets are available now at Sulekha.com.

Taste of Asia NC: Raleigh, NC (October 3, 2026)

Taste of Asia NC will celebrate Asian food, culture, music, dance, and community in North Carolina. It brings together local restaurants, food vendors, cultural organizations, artists, performers, families, and community partners for Festival in the Park: a full-day celebration of Asian culture and Charlotte, NC (September 25 – 27, 2026) community. It happens on October 3, 2026, 11am The 62nd annual festival featuring artists, vendors, food, music and – 6pm, at Moore Square, Raleigh NC. Info: kids’ activities returns on September 25 – 25, 2026 at Freedom Park, Tasteofasia-nc.org. Charlotte, NC. Admission is free. Info: Festivalinthepark.org.

TGA Festive Bazaar: Charlotte, NC (October 4, 2026)

Bhoomi Trivedi Concert: Raleigh, NC (September 26, 2026) The Triangle Gujarati Association presents Bollywood Garba singer Bhoomi Trivedi in concert as part of her “Bol Mari Ambe” World Tour. The concert will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the NC Expo Center in Raleigh, NC with doors opening at 7pm and Garba starting at 8pm. For more info, contact 919-353-0550 or 859-312-9641.

Get ready for a vibrant Navratri and Diwali Shopping Mela. Discover beautiful ethnic wear, jewelry, accessories, home décor, traditional items and festive goodies. October 4, 2026, noon – 7pm, at HSNC Main Hall, 309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC. Info Nctga.org.

Forum Featuring Vijay Gupta: Charlotte, NC (September 29, 2026) Enjoy an evening with Vijay Gupta, acclaimed violinist and founder of Street Symphony. Through his work as a performer, educator, and social innovator, he invites audiences to reconsider the role of art not simply as entertainment, but as an essential force for healing, connection, and hope. He blends personal stories, insights from neuroscience, and reflections on leadership, resilience, and compassion to explore how creativity can help us navigate uncertainty. The forum will take place on September 29, 2026, 6 -7:30pm at Imaginon. Info: Thecharlottecenter.org. Saathee.com

Keep up with all the events happening in our region with Saathee. The best way to find them is in these pages or online at our regularly updated events section:

Saathee.com/events September 2026

Saathee.com

September 2026

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The Curious Case of Cikai Korran Photo by Ingo Stauch

hidden details among various burial sites. One of the most recent was found by Ingo Strauch, a scholar at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, and Charlotte Schmid, a scholar at the French School of Asian Studies. It seems they discovered various etchings in these tombs, dated at around 2000 years-old, were in ancient Indian languages including Old Tamil, Sanskrit, Prakrit and Gandhari-Kharoshi. Eight of these, written in Old Tamil, were done by a man known as Cikai Korran. “Cikai Korran Came Here and Saw” Visitors from various parts of the world have left “I was here” notes on famous landmarks across history. What makes Korran’s inscriptions so unique is their placement. Somehow, he managed to scratch this phrase into some of the most diﬃcult tombs to traverse at the time, including those of Ramsses IX and Tutankhamun. How he managed to find and eventually climb into these spaces remains a mystery. The concept of South Asian citizens visiting North Africa as early as the first century AD is not as far fetched as one would think. Egypt was part of the Roman Empire at the time, and the Valley of the Kings

Mirror, Mirror by Jennifer Allen

Leaving one’s mark on history can emerge through various means. Some learn through tales passed down through the generations. Others find various pieces of art depicting scenes and subjects frozen in time for future admirers to ponder. Often the medium will spark just as much curiosity as the subject, leading to a story within a story, so to speak. Even graﬃti can be a time capsule to help us understand various opinionated mindsets within our history, and it was just as prolific in the ancient world as it is now. Some wellpreserved Greek and Roman artifacts still exhibit brightly hued figures and writing (often of a less than savory nature); a complete contrast to the stark white and brown buildings which remain standing to this day. These artistically archaic opinions aren’t too dissimilar from colorful tags we find on various city structures today. The method may have changed, but the innate desire to immortalize oneself remains constant. The Valley of the Kings in Egypt has become a boundless reservoir of history as Archaeologists are still discovering Saathee.com

Mirror Mirror continued on page 90 24

September 2026

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September 2026

Off the Sidelines: Why South Asians Rarely Go Pro The Through Line by Dhruv Pathak At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA, which fielded 600 athletes, had one, and only one, athlete of South Asian descent–Sri Lankan Tiana Sumanasekera. She won a gold medal, but as an alternate, non-traveling competitor on the historic Women’s Gymnastics team led by Simone Biles. The following year, she won gold at the 2025 Pan American Championships, and in 2026 she decided to switch federations to compete for Sri Lanka. She stated that “gymnastics is so underrepresented in Sri Lanka and South Asia as a whole,” and that she felt honored to help bring representation to this region. Before sitting down to write this essay, I didn’t expect to see many South Asian professional athletes in the US, but the number is even lower than I imagined. According to recent studies conducted by AP, the overwhelming conclusion is that wealth and education levels are the principal determinants behind who compete in organized youth sports.

What surprised me then was that, based on the estimates I could find, around 60% of our South Asian youth have participated in some form of organized sport. The real gap appears the higher you go up the ladder. We, as the South Asian community, are among the wealthiest, most educated subgroups in the US, yet South Asians are almost invisible as professional athletes; our participation in organized youth sports is comparable to our peers, but professional success is rare, with a quick search yielding only two pro South Asians, both in the PGA. The messy part about this research was that it’s clear that we’re either missing from data sets or lumped in with the broader Asian category, matching how we are usually seen by mainstream society, and that is our labor, academic, and business success is legible; our people as a whole not so much. Sidelines continued on page 72

Saathee.com

September 2026

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September 2026

All the People

Counting Kismuth and the Way by Dipika Kohli

We, this odd mix of writer type folks and me, are in Raleigh. And we’re typing away, just as we do when we get together. Or to be more clear, when we used to; me and an old writing friend from back in the day are here together and at it again, for fun. I have not been here for a time, and I’d forgotten this kind of experience. A few others that I don’t know are here, too. Each of us have staked out a spot in my friend’s acquaintance’s house, that feels cozy the way cats sometimes do. Taking it in, I am jazzed. It really feels good to be back in a place where the light is the same quality of color that I remember from growing up in eastern North Carolina. Summertime light. You go outside and you hear the season. It’s nice. Strange, though, since the time’s gone by and I haven’t been here for the changes. Thirteen years away is a long time. As I’ve hardly exchanged any correspondence with most people back home and so much stuﬀ has gone on for them, it’s... not like visiting home so much as touring yet another foreign country. Of course there are the natural changes like getting older and growing up, moving on from past lives and into new ones. But there’s more. Here in the United States, there’ve been so many more kinds of changes. Things that seem ‘surreal’ as some of the new people today said when we did our introductions. They said they imagine it must be like that for me, walking out of a time warp, as I have. I go, ‘Yeah, you could say that. Surreal. You could say that, for sure.’ We try our best to make small talk between bursts of typing or scribbling. But as you know when you Kismuth continued on page 82

Saathee.com

September 2026

Everyday Yoga by Urvashi Swami

Veerbhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1) Asana that Teaches You to Rise by Being Rooted Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) is a foundational pose (asana) that grounds your lower body, strengthens and stabilizes your core, and gently encourages your spine to lengthen and lift. It holds the quiet wisdom of: you rise by staying rooted. The two simultaneous opposite forces of pressing down into the earth and reaching up toward the sky are working together. And isn’t that so much like life? Philosophically, it encourages you to fight your inner battles like self-doubt, pride, and ignorance, and build focus and inner confidence. Every time in your daily life you begin to doubt yourself and feel that fear is taking over, root yourself like a warrior. You can practice the pose for 5 breaths and feel the shift within you. Feel the ground beneath your feet, stand tall, and remind yourself: I’ve got this. To get into the asana: Stand with your feet wide Turn your right toes to your right side and your left foot inwards at a 45-degree angle You can keep both feet in one line. Or if your hips feel tight, you can place your feet diagonally. Now bend your right knee at 90 degrees. Be careful not to let the knee cross the ankle Turn your upper body to the right side. Press firmly on both feet Inhale and engage the core, and sweep your arms overhead If your shoulders hurt, you can keep your hands on your chest Hold the pose for 5 breaths, then repeat on the left side.

Urvashi Swami is a 200-hour certified yoga facilitator specializing in postpartum and functional yoga. She works independently and can be reached at yogawithu24@gmail.com or IG: @urvashi_yoga.

Saathee.com

September 2026

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September 2026

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September 2026

Upcoming Movie Releases Haiwaan (Director: Priyadarshan) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, and Saiyami Kher

September 4

The Fix (Director: Guy Moshe) Cast: Liam Neeson, Annet Mahendru, and Zachary Levi

September 18 Resident Evil (Director: Zach Cregger) Cast: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser Vibe (Director: Kunal Khemu) Cast: Kunal Khemu, Preity Zinta, and Vanshika Dhir

How to Rob a Bank (Director: David Leitch) Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, and Christian Slater

Best of the Best (Director: Lena Khan) Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hasan Minhaj, and Lilly Singh

By Any Means (Director: Elegance Bratton) Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Josh Lucas

Daayra (Director: Meghna Gulzar) Cast: Kareena Kapoor and Prithviraj Sukumaran

Mirzapur (Director: Gurmmeet Singh) Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, and Abhishek Banerjee

The Weight (Director: Padraic McKinley) Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, and Russell Crowe

Onslaught (Director: Adam Wingard) Cast: Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, and Michael Biehn

Love Lottery (Director: Arvind Pandey) Cast: Akshay Oberoi, Heli Daruwala, and Vijayant Kohli

Ramba Urvasi Menaka (Director: Chandra Mohan Chintada) Cast: Allari Naresh, Vennela Kishore, Srinivas Reddy, and Muralidhar Goud

September 25 Buddy (Director: Casper Kelly) Cast: Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace, and Keegan-Michael Key

The Vvaan – Force of the Forrest (Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra) Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Sunil Grover

September 11 Practical Magic 2 (Director: Susanne Bier) Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and Dianne Wiest

Forgotten Island (Director: Joel Crawford) Cast: Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, Dave Franco, and Lea Salonga Heart of the Beast (Director: David Ayer) Cast: Brad Pitt, Anna Lambe, and J K Simmons

Ranabaali (Director: Casper Kelly) Cast: Vijay Devarakonda and Rashmika Mandanna

Primetime (Director: Lance Oppenheim) Cast: Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, and Bokeem Woodbine

The Uprising (Director: Paul Greengrass) Cast: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, and Tom Hollander Udta Teer (Director: Aakash Kaushik) Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (Director: Bassam Tariq) Cast: Mahershala Ali, John Cho, and Laith Nakli

Runner (Director: Rahul Sankrityan) Cast: Alan Ritchson, Rodrigo Santoro, and Owen Wilson

Upcoming Movies continued on page 92

Saathee.com/movies has the latest info on where the movies are showing or streaming. Release dates subject to change. Saathee.com

September 2026

p s m i l C l F i Mirzapur Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, and Ravi Kishan star in the film directed by Gurmmeet Singh. A shocking incident at a wedding procession ignites a series of events entangling the lives of two families in the lawless city of Mirzapur. September 4, 2026.

The Fix Disillusioned by the end of the war in Afghanistan, a group of disgraced, war-torn exCIA operators set out to Tehran to take down a life changing score. Guy Moshe directs Liam Neeson, Annet Mahendru, and Zachary Levi. September 11, 2026.

Ranabaali The story follows a rebellious warrior in 1870s South India during the great famine who confronts a British commissioner while protecting his region and people. Directed by Casper Kelly, the movie features Vijay Devarakonda and Rashmika Mandanna. September 11, 2026.

Daayra Director Meghna Gulzar’s investigative narrative explores how a diabolical act creates polarizing reactions throughout society, fracturing opinions and challenging viewers to seek truth beyond easy answers. The film stars Kareena Kapoor and Prithviraj Sukumaran. September 18, 2026.

The Uprising

Haiwaan

Andrew Garfield is legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II. As war burns across England, he forms an army to face the King in a fight for justice. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the film also stars Tom Hollander, and Cosmo Jarvis. September 11, 2026.

Veteran director Priyadarshan guides the story of a blind martial artist protects a young girl from a psychopath killer. The movie stars Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Saiyami Kher. September 11, 2026.

Heart of the Bea

h, a ing plane cras After a harrow his d an r oﬃce Special Forces es lv se em th find combat dog an in the Alask stranded deep are gether, they wilderness. To ad Br . ht for survival forced into a fig d te ec ir D mons star. Pitt and J K Sim . 26 20 , 25 r Septembe by David Ayer. Movie release dates subject to change.

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September 2026

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September 2026

Re-mind Me Again

Thinking About Thinking Then … the sun. The bright, resplendent glowing sun! The bestower of life and nourishment. The trees wouldn’t be there without the sun. Maybe, I too wouldn’t.

by Balaji Prasad

“Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? The cycles of heaven in twenty centuries Bring us farther from God and nearer to the Dust.” ~ T.S. Eliot, Choruses from the Rock

Me, eternity, and maternity And, as I stand there among the green and white, blue and red giants that tower over me, I take in big and greedy gulps of what the kind forestry breathes into me. Oxygen. The thing that makes me be. They give me life. As does the sun to the both of us — the trees and me. My mind flits again, back to the air-circle that I drew with my hand, in the midst of all this grandeur. The thing on the inside of this little circle is me! Everything else is outside it. At a scale that is hard to grasp by the little speck within the little circle that I drew. Am I really that small and that insignificant!? Aren’t humans supposed to be a highly evolved and intelligent species, whatever that means? Or am I shortchanging myself? My body, after all, performs some extraordinary feats that are hard to replicate even by the most admired specimens of the human race.

I sketch a small circle in the air with my hand, as expansive as my stretched arm will let me. Then I look up at the trees around and notice how much bigger than me they are. As I ponder this, I hear the sweet chirps of the birds, unaware that I am experiencing a deep sense of calmness from all this. There is a punctuation too, of a bit of a cacophony from what appear to be the cicadas that descend every once in a while, from somewhere, who knows from where and for what. My eyes and my ears catch the gentle rustling of the leaves as they sway to an errant breeze that ebbs and flows with a mind of its own that I realize I can’t quite fathom or predict. I cast my eyes upward, further. Blue as far as the eye can see. An infinity. And white fluﬀy puﬀy forms that are the amorphous clouds that punctuate this divine composition — surely from the harps of the gods? Saathee.com

Thinking continued on page 88 38

September 2026

AI Companies Look to the Ocean as a Place to Put More Data Centers

By Nir Kshetri

But moving servers into the ocean does not make other underlying environmental challenges such as energy consumption and carbon emissions disappear. And it creates new concerns about harm to the marine environment, as well as questions about how these data centers can be regulated – and how companies can maintain and expand them if needed. Whether underwater data centers can become sustainable alternatives to traditional data centers depends on solving these economic, technical and environmental problems.

The artificial intelligence boom is driving unprecedented demand for data centers, raising concerns about their growing energy consumption, water use and carbon footprint. These challenges are making companies look beyond traditional land-based data centers. Some developers are now exploring the ocean as a new location for AI infrastructure in the hopes that underwater data centers could improve energy use and cooling eﬃciency while using less fresh water and land area than onshore buildings. My research focuses on the societal, organizational and environmental implications of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and the digital infrastructure – including data centers – that supports its development and deployment. I see underwater data centers as a promising new approach for supporting the growth of AI.

The rise of ocean-based AI infrastructure In 2015, Microsoft launched a research project to explore the feasibility, benefits and challenges of underwater data centers. Part of that eﬀort included setting up a waterproof data center on the seafloor near Scotland’s Orkney Islands in 2018. It contained 864 servers and was connected to shore by an underwater cable.

AI Data Centers continued on page 80 Saathee.com

September 2026

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September 2026

Community Focus Hindu Center Charlotte - Vedic Mandir Grand Opening

Photos courtesy of Hindu Center

The Vedic Mandir at Hindu Center was inaugurated with a grand opening celebration on July 25, 2026. This historic milestone was made memorable by the divine presence and blessings of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, along with the attendance of U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, the heartfelt blessings and kind words of Shri Bhaishri, and the warm congratulations from North Carolina Governor Josh Stein. The inauguration of the new Vedic Mandir also marked a significant milestone in the journey as it coincided with the 44th Anniversary of the Hindu Center, whose original Vedant Mandir was established in 1982. This achievement reflects decades of faith, devotion, and unwavering support from the community. The mandir extends gratitude to all our dignitaries, sponsors, donors, volunteers, priests, staﬀ, and devotees whose dedication and generosity made this dream a reality. The Mandir is now open for darshan while the sacred journey of Prana Pratishtha ceremonies for the remaining deities continues. The Hindu Center Vedic Mandir is a place of faith, devotion, learning, and community for generations to come. For more information visit, Hcclt.org.

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September 2026

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Dance A Meditative Experience Dances of India by Dr. Maha Gingrich

When I was little, early in the morning before each dance performance, my father would take me to the temple to do Shiva Linga abhishekam. This past month, I had the opportunity of going to the Trimurty Temple in Charlotte, NC for the Shiva Sannidhanam Reopening. After a long time, I have seen such pure Vedic prayers. That took me back in time into a meditative stage and it totally reenergized my inner being. My students and I are blessed with the gift of dancing to balance our inner and outer selves. We thank our parents for this gift. I usually have a very busy schedule between family, job, dance classes, arangetrams (dance graduations), serving on the boards, community work, regular cooking Saathee.com

and cleaning and so on. Many of you probably can relate to these schedule challenges where we put ourselves last on the list. As most of you know, when we have negative stress, or when we sit in one place for extended periods of time, whether it is at work, at home or in a meeting, we all experience the same side effects such as tight shoulders, stiff neck, headaches, and tight back. These are early signs of compiling bigger problems. Taking a pain killer is not an answer. Without dancing and yoga, I would not be able to maintain my sanity and good health. I taught Yoga for several years and enjoyed every bit of it. Due to my busy lifestyle, I had to let go of teaching Yoga. I still practice Yoga, when my body and mind call for it. This is a treasure that you can own for life and utilize as needed. This inspired me to write about the influence of dance on different aspects of life, including Yoga. Dances of India continued on page 88 46

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This America:

Monument Valley, AZ Photos by Mithi Shukla Text by Samir Shukla

Desert Spirits We knew it was going to be hot. Traveling through the American Southwest in July guarantees that. We navigated the heat dome while driving through otherworldly landscapes through four states during our weeklong excursion.

Continued on page 50

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Continued from page 48

The landscape is diﬀerent. The sky seems diﬀerent, out there in the Southwest. Arid scrublands are angled with buttes and mesas, giant rocks jutting out of the earth, and there are impossibly green bushes dotting the arid dirt. Tall distant rock walls look like desert fortresses. Sand is plentiful.

Dust devils emerge and quickly die out. This is where desert spirits dwell. Moument Valley is a park in the Navajo Nation. The beauty of this land where classic American westerns have been filmed exudes a spiritual vibe. It is like exploring a sister planet. No spacesuit is needed, but in the high arc of summer, a large bottle of water is a must. A popular hike exposes desert life while a drive on the rugged 17-mile loop showcases odd formations at every turn. Driving on this loop is not for low riding cars. The road gashes, loose rubble and sand dunes will test even a most outdoorsy vehicle. Linger for a bit. The desert spirits will reveal themselves.

Monument Valley spans nearly 92,000 acres across Utah & Arizona. The valley’s sandstone towers can reach heights of 1,000 feet.

Umbrella Insurance

This is where your umbrella insurance will be deployed to protect you – of course, limited by the umbrella policy amount.

by Anuj Kasera

Your auto or home policy will cover you up to the limits mentioned in the policy. But what happens if you are held liable for an amount that exceeds those limits? This is where umbrella insurance steps in. What exactly is umbrella insurance and what does it cover? And more importantly, do you need one? Let’s find out.

What does it cover and what is excluded? Umbrella insurance provides liability coverage where you are held liable to pay for damage suﬀered by others. It will never pay for damages to your property. Umbrella usually covers these three areas: ● Personal injury – Example: Your dog bites your neighbor’s kid and leaves him paralyzed. ● Property damage – You are at fault in a major multi-car accident and will be held liable for damage to all cars. ● Slander – You write a negative review for a business online and they sue you.

What is Umbrella Insurance? Simply put, umbrella insurance is a form of personal insurance that is designed to provide additional coverage on top of what is oﬀered by your homeowners or auto insurance. So, while your homeowner and auto policies provide coverage for the regular liability risk per your policy limits, umbrella insurance will be the extra cushion to cover you for that catastrophic event where the liability assigned to you exceeds your policy limits. Example, your neighbor falls on your property and becomes paralyzed. The few hundred thousand liability coverage from your home insurance will not be suﬃcient to cover his lawsuit which will most likely be in millions.

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Let us take a real-life example: Your auto insurance provides liability coverage of $500K and umbrella insurance has a limit of $3 million. Your teenage child causes a multi-car accident resulting in $2 million total liability from property and medical claims. Insurance continued on page 82

September 2026

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Why Mistake Being Seen for Being Known

Overanalyzing by Sainha Sivaram

Think about the people you know. Chances are that you could describe them in just a few words. The funny one. The quiet one. The athlete. The overachiever. We become so comfortable placing people into categories that we start believing those categories tell the whole story. The truth is that they rarely do. Today, it’s easier than ever to be seen. We share photos, celebrate achievements, and post updates about our lives for hundreds of people to see. Friends know our favorite artists, our hobbies, our accomplishments, and maybe even what we had for lunch. We are constantly surrounded by information about one another. Yet so many people still feel misunderstood. That’s because being seen and being known are two very diﬀerent things. Being seen means people recognize you. They know your name, your interests, your accomplishments, and perhaps even your reputation. Being known means someone understands who you are beneath all of that. They know why certain comments stick with you long after everyone else has forgotten them. They know the dreams you hesitate to say out loud and the fears you try your best to hide. They know the version of you that doesn’t always make it into conversations, photos, or introductions. Overanalyzing continued on page 94

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Photo Courtesy of NASA

MAX POWER: America’s Newest Aerospace Expo and Airshow In honor of America’s historic 250th anniversary, NASA announced recently MAX POWER, a public exposition of American air and space innovation, November 7 – 8, 2026 on and near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The multi-day, family-friendly event will showcase the next-generation aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous vehicles, and technologies that will help define the future of transportation in air and space, bringing together the public, innovators, investors, pilots, astronauts, engineers, and companies helping open this new frontier. “This November, we are opening Kennedy Space Center’s historic Shuttle Landing Facility to the public for America’s newest and most exciting aerospace technology expo and airshow, and we are calling it MAX POWER,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “For 250 years, America has advanced by building what did not exist, flying higher, moving faster, and reaching toward the nearimpossible. There is no better place to celebrate that spirit than at NASA Kennedy, America’s gateway to the stars and the place where so many of our nation’s greatest achievements began.” Saathee.com

By bringing together the legacy of NASA with the companies and technologies shaping what comes next, MAX POWER aims to ignite the spirit of exploration and inspire the next generation of explorers, builders, and dreamers. Some activities will take place at NASA Kennedy, including the Apollo Saturn V facility, and the Launch and Landing Facility currently leased by Space Florida. Others will take place at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex adjacent to the center leading up to, and during, the festival. Events include: An air show featuring NASA aircraft, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and aerial demonstrations by multiple branches of the Department of War Guest speaker series featuring NASA experts and Apollo and Artemis astronauts NASA continued on page 90 56

September 2026

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Hey Friend! Don’t Let Me Complain!

Mindful Masala

news rarely does. If someone says their flight was wonderful and they got upgraded, people smile politely and move on. If someone says the airline lost their bag, six people immediately have a story. And the language gets bigger as the pile grows. Yeh log to chor hai. The worst airline ever. They don’t care about customers at all. Big sweeping verdicts from people who couldn’t tell you the first thing about that airline five minutes earlier. Including me. What’s strange is how we feel after. Not better, exactly. Like we ate something that looked like a meal but left us emptier than before. I’ve been thinking about why we do it and I think the honest answer is that it’s easy. Complaining requires nothing. You don’t have to be vulnerable. You don’t have to share anything real. You just have to agree that the traﬃc is terrible and the insurance companies are thieves and the customs line at the airport is designed to break the human spirit. Everyone nods. Nobody is wrong. Nobody is challenged. It feels like conversation, but it costs nothing.

by Hiren Deliwala

A few months ago, a close friend came back from an international trip. A group of us got together for dinner to hear about it. How was the food? The people? Did the trip live up to the hype? For about four minutes we actually talked about his trip. Then someone mentioned their bag didn’t arrive on time on their last flight, and that was it. For the next forty minutes, every person at that table had a horror story. Wrong terminals. Lost luggage. A delay that cost someone a connection. The friend who just returned from his trip barely said another word. I participated fully. Of course I did. And naturally, in my head, I wasn’t the one complaining. Everyone else was. There is something contagious about group complaining. One person starts, someone else matches it, and within minutes the whole room has piled on. Nobody planned it. Nobody wanted the evening to go that way. But complaining spreads in a way that good

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Mindful Masala continued on page 94

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September 2026

AI Vs Real Essays AI AI is is aa Tool Tool Not Not aa Substitute Substitute

College Admissions Insider A student’s essay should sound like the same person represented by their activities, recommendations, and academic record. When the voice in an essay feels inconsistent with the rest of the application, it can raise Artificial intelligence has quickly become part of questions. students’ daily lives, and college admissions is no exception. With tools capable of generating essays in seconds, many Can Colleges Detect AI? students are asking the same question: Can colleges tell the Many colleges are cautious about using AI-detection diﬀerence between an AI-generated essay and a genuine software because these tools are not always accurate. student essay? The answer is more nuanced than many Instead, admissions oﬃcers often focus on whether an essay people realize. feels authentic and aligns with the student’s overall

by Kristen Moon

AI is a Tool Not a Substitute Artificial intelligence can be helpful during the brainstorming and editing process. Students may use AI to generate topic ideas, organize thoughts, or identify areas for improvement in a draft. The problems arise when students rely on AI to write the entire essay. Admissions essays are designed to help colleges understand the person behind the application. When an essay is heavily AI-generated, it often loses the personal details, emotions, and reflections that make an applicant memorable. The Hallmarks of an Authentic Essay The strongest essays share several common characteristics: ● Specific personal experiences ● Genuine reflection and self-awareness ● A unique voice ● Meaningful growth or learning ● Details that could only belong to that student

application. Rather than trying to “beat” AI detection systems, students should focus on creating essays that genuinely represent who they are. Using AI Responsibly There are appropriate ways to use AI throughout the writing process: ● Brainstorming potential topics ● Generating outlines ● Receiving feedback on clarity and organization ● Identifying grammatical errors ● Exploring diﬀerent ways to structure ideas

The student’s experiences, reflections, and final voice, however, should remain their own. The Bottom Line, college essays are not writing contests. They are opportunities for students to introduce themselves beyond grades and test scores. The goal is not to produce the most sophisticated essay possible. The goal is to produce the most authentic essay These qualities are diﬃcult for artificial intelligence to possible. replicate because AI does not have personal experiences or emotions. It can imitate strong writing, but it cannot recreate Kristen Moon a student’s authentic journey. is the founder of Moon Prep, an education consultancy brand with a focus on U.S. Medical programs. Contact:

Why Admissions Oﬃcers Value Authenticity kristen@moonprep.com. Admissions oﬃcers read thousands of essays every year. Over time, they become skilled at recognizing writing that feels overly polished, generic, or disconnected from the rest of an application.

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September 2026

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News Notes Elementary, Middle, and High School students. Enrollment is now open for children ages 5 and up. “Prajna is the ability to translate good knowledge into action.” This is an eﬀort to preserve and share the timeless treasures of the Vedas and help children experience their benefits through guided learning and practice. Prajna Charlotte classes have been conducted in the Charlotte metro area since 2010, serving families through our Ballantyne and Concord centers. Over the years, Prajna has helped hundreds of children connect with their cultural roots while developing confidence and discipline. For more details on the new academic year, call 248-495-4590 or visit Prajna4me.org, JET Charlotte Chapter: Charlotte.jetusa.org

Jaipur Literature Festival NC

The third edition of JLF North Carolina, an international edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival, will take place in Raleigh, NC from September 11 to 13, 2026. This year, the festival celebrates the many arts and histories of the City of Oaks, across sessions taking place at Meredith College and NC State Centennial Campus. The festival is a celebration of books and stories. JLF North Carolina 2026 will feature two days of thoughtprovoking conversations, compelling performances, and cultural experiences, making it an essential chapter of the JLF USA series. Speakers this year include Shashi Tharoor, Cheetie Kumar, Jaki Shelton Green, Karan Mahajan, Manil Suri, Pria Anand, Sanjoy K. Roy, Sree Sreenivasan, Vijay Seshadri, Vishwesh Bhatt and others. The Jaipur Literature Festival, held annually in the historic Pink City of Jaipur in India’s vibrant state of Rajasthan, is hailed worldwide as the ‘greatest literary show on Earth’. In January 2026, the 19th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival reaﬃrmed the power of books and ideas through a line-up of speakers and sessions. The festival’s energy and spirit travel across the world, in its international JLF edition. JLF International is a series of global festivals, travelling across continents, carrying with it the spirit of the Jaipur Literature Festival. Its editions span several countries including Australia, Europe, Middle East, Ireland, UK and US, merging the rich multilingual literary traditions of South Asia with the unique essence of the host regions. Other dates for JLF USA 2026: Seattle: September 18-20; Colorado: September 22-23; Toronto: September 25-26; New York: September 29-30; Houston: October 2-4. More info at Jlflitfest.org/north-carolina.

Among the most important holidays on the Hindu calendar, the annual autumn festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Diwali is usually observed over five days and this year Diwali will be observed on November 8, 2026. This second Diwali stamp issued by USPS features a rangoli, a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as colored rice powder, chalk and flower petals and believed to bring good luck. Photographed by Bijay Dixit, the rangoli was created by artist Sangita Bhutada, a native of India and longtime resident of the Houston area who has been a practitioner of this ancient folk art for nearly 30 years. The stamp was designed by Jennifer Arnold, and William J. Gicker was the art director. The Diwali stamp will be released in October 2026.

DNC Announces Proposed Early States for 2028 Democratic Presidential Calendar

Prajna Enrollment for the 2026–27 Academic Year Is Now Open Prajna gives children the opportunity to develop strong values, leadership skills, cultural awareness and essential life skills through Prajna’s structured curriculum designed for Pre-K,

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USPS to Issue New Diwali Stamp

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced on July 24, 2026 that its Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) had voted to select the September 2026

first six states for the 2028 Democratic presidential nominating calendar. Those states and their proposed primary dates are as follows: South Carolina: Jan. 22, 2028; Nevada: Feb. 1, 2028; New Hampshire: Feb. 8, 2028; New Mexico: Feb. 15, 2028; Michigan: Feb. 22, 2028; Virginia: Feb. 29, 2028. Six states applied for early positions but were not selected: Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The full DNC will vote on the proposed 2028 calendar at its summer meeting in mid-August. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has not yet announced primary dates for 2028.

fireside conversations, and curated discussions focused on the future of philanthropy, strategic giving, and crossborder impact. Keynote speakers will be Satish Gupta and Anurag Jain for the welcome dinner and summit, respectively. They will be joined by other distinguished leaders from philanthropy, business, academia, and civil society to explore how philanthropy can address pressing challenges, strengthen communities, and drive lasting impact at scale. Info: Indiaspora.org.

Vimal Kolappa Appointed to North Carolina-India Trade Commission US Student Visas for Indians Plunge as America Tightens F-1 Approvals

Vimal Kolappa, a Chocowinity, NC resident and chief executive of East Coast Hospitality, has been appointed to the North Carolina-India Trade Commission by NC Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger. His three-year term begins Oct. 1, 2026, and runs through Sept. 30, 2029. Originally from India, Kolappa brings decades of experience in hospitality, economic development and public service to the statewide body. Kolappa has built a hospitality enterprise spanning 22 properties under brands including Hilton, Marriott, IHG and Choice Hotels, with operations in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Ohio, plus restaurant holdings in Virginia. As a member of the Trade Commission, Kolappa is expected to help strengthen commercial, cultural and institutional ties between North Carolina and India, drawing on his experience as an immigrant entrepreneur.

The number of US student visas issued to Indian nationals during the peak admission season dropped 62% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. The decline comes as the Trump administration has tightened screening for international students and introduced stricter immigration measures aﬀecting F-1 visa applicants. Students from India and China remain the largest international student groups in the United States. During the 2024-25 academic year, India had 363,019 students in US higher education institutions, while China had 265,919. Together, they accounted for 53% of the country’s international student population of 1.17 million, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).

India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group Advances Civil and Commercial Space Cooperation

Idiaspora-IPA Philanthropy Summit 2026

The 9th meeting of the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG) was hosted by India on August 5 – 6, 2026 at the headquarters of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru. Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO/ Secretary, Department of Space and Sergio Gor, the U.S. Ambassador to India addressed the opening segment and highlighted the significance of further strengthening the bilateral space cooperation. The meeting was co-chaired on the Indian side by M. Sankaran, Director, UR Rao Satellite Centre, ISRO and on the U.S. side by Dr. Wesley Brooks, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Aﬀairs and Kathleen Karika, NASA Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations.

The India Philanthropy Summit 2026, co-hosted by Indiaspora and the India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), will take place September 28– 29, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. Over two days, the Summit will bring together leading philanthropists, foundation heads, nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers working across initiatives. The program will begin on September 28 with a symposium at the University of Texas at Dallas from 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm, followed by a dinner designed to foster meaningful connections among participants. The main Summit will take place on September 29 at the Communities Foundation of Texas and will feature plenary sessions, Saathee.com

News Notes continued on page 90 64

September 2026

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September 2026

Margin Call Eye on the Markets

Many AI infrastructure names were down 20-40% in just a couple of weeks. This caused a massive de-grossing / deleveraging event for certain levered hedge funds, podshops, quant funds, retail investors, and CTAs. The current market structure allows for quick gains, as we have seen with AI infrastructure names, but will take away gains just as quickly. What kind of investor you are is incredibly important so that emotional decisions are avoided during these periods of extreme volatility. Understanding what these investors are long and short is also critical. Creating a balanced portfolio will help ride out volatility. Fixed income won’t hedge a 20-40% downturn in a couple of weeks. Understanding why they are short and going to cover in a de-grossing event will help mitigate losses in the long run. Position sizing will also be critical. Finally, having conviction in fundamentals can go a long way and let you play oﬀence during these periods. This de-grossing / de-leveraging event is an opportunity for long-term investors in AI infrastructure names. Positioning has been cleaned up with the largest selling on record according to Goldman Sachs.

by Ketu Desai Margin calls, positioning, de-grossing, options, rebalancing, and technicals dominated the market action in July. The epicenter of the action was Korea. Before the last day of the month, the KOSPI was on pace for its biggest monthly drop ever, larger than in 2008. Korean investors entered the month highly levered both Korean stocks and US tech stocks. According to Goldman Sachs, 1.2 million Korean brokerage accounts were hit with margin calls. Approximately 320,000-360,000 accounts were fully liquidated. Approximately 3.4% of the Korean population got margin called compared to 1-5% of US retail accounts during the 2008 crisis. July was a reminder of how important understanding market structure is for investors. Much of the volatility was exacerbated by market structure. Multi-manager platforms (pod-shops), levered hedge funds, quant funds, options traders, and retail now dominate. Coming into the month this cohort involved very long AI infrastructure stocks and short certain large cap tech, software, and equal-weight S&P names. The Korean margin call created volatility in AI infrastructure names. Saathee.com

Eye on Markets continued on page 92 68

September 2026

Spelling bees, winning a chess tournament, and studying extra hard for the SAT are easily measured: you either did well because you studied or practiced hard enough, or you didn’t, but that is just not real life. Organized sports require teamwork, require you to be bad, get incrementally better, build lasting connections with friends, and learn to regulate your emotions after a tough loss; in essence, they are the perfect place for children to practice being a person without real consequences. A spelling bee can teach discipline. It can’t teach you what to do when you lose in front of your friends and have to show up again next week anyway. When you are 25, you don’t have an SAT to ace; you have to subjectively decide where you want to live, who you want to date, what job is the right fit for you, and plenty of South Asian kids have figured this out well without ever playing an organized sport. But many of us struggle with the soft skills sports teach, making real-life situations like working on a team at work or dating more challenging than they ought to be. The stakes are that these early gaps can make adult choices feel heavier. It’s not black or white; it’s just one side of the coin worth holding together. Now there is also the pernicious discussion around representation. Going back to viable pathways into organized sports, our parents avoid putting us in situations they might be unfamiliar with, which means we don’t have other athletes who look like us. Would it have made a huge diﬀerence if I had had a South Asian in the US who grew up like me and played baseball to serve as a role model? Maybe, but kids need to see what is possible. Without that possibility, many of us may never step into the game at all, creating an endless loop of underrepresentation. I played baseball, but I know my parents were nervous when I approached them about playing in middle school. My dad is a cricket fanatic; he played all his life and loves the game to this day, but he knows nothing about “boring” baseball. I wanted to play because my best friend pressured me. Once again, kids, especially, and humans overall are mimetic. I didn’t want to be left out or seen as a loser, so I asked my dad for $200 for the registration fee, which only covered the 12 games and the uniform. My dad also had to buy practice pants, cleats, and baseball bats, which at the Little League level come in diﬀerent weights. So, there was an upsell built in. Until I got strong enough to use the real bat at that level, I had to use a lighter one, which wouldn’t hit the ball as far as a heavier one. A baseball mitt, a cup, and all this came before even setting foot on the field. It goes without saying I was, of course, the only Indian kid there. I was the only one who had just started playing, and all the coaches were seemingly nice enough, but my parents were not in their social circle. I am certain that, outside of my best friend’s dad, who assisted and lived in our neighborhood, the others didn’t even know my parents’ names.

Sidelines

continued from page 26

So the question is: what’s at the root of why South Asians, who are fanatical about sports and also make up the fastest growing, remain the wealthiest and most educated immigrant group in the US, have so few athletic accomplishments outside of cricket? There isn’t one clear answer. From my research, I’ve learned that it’s not a massive problem but rather a unique reality shaped by how our community invests in raising our children and how we choose to define success. Our community here is a product of the 1965 Immigration Act. Previous articles in Saathee explain this history in greater detail. The key detail to remember is that if you are in your 30s or younger, most of our parents came to the US as highly skilled workers to fill labor gaps, and that the 1965 Act opened the door for family reunification as an incentive to attract more of our labor. For example, my aunt sponsored my dad to come to the US in 94, after my uncle brought her over following the completion of his university degree and becoming an engineer. This was, and is, our formula for success, and it brings a replicable legibility. Meaning we emulate what we can see and feel from people who look like us, so we trace their beaten path since it is easier to follow a well-traveled path than blaze a new trail; we refer to this as being mimetic. As immigrants, everything in this country is new: new lifestyles, new culture, new expectations, and the fact that just because we were allowed in doesn’t mean we were immediately welcomed with open arms. So naturally, our parents steered their kids toward activities where the outcome felt legible. These included dominating the Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking over the family business, or becoming a doctor, an engineer, or a lawyer. Sports became a résumé line for college admission, with the payoﬀ being repayment of the family’s sacrifice rather than our expected life outcome. This isn’t meant as a criticism of our parents. In fact, they’ve been right to focus on studies and helpful extracurriculars like chess, extra tutoring, or playing instruments. When we did play sports, it was often tennis, golf, swimming, or badminton, usually chosen because there were noticeably more South Asians in these communities, along with the fact that we could avoid tricky team dynamics and focus on our individual work ethic to succeed, rather than be subject to biased coaching and having to deal with racist stereotypes. Our community tends to overemphasize legible outcomes our parents can see because they provide hard data proving that the incredible time and cost investment could be worthwhile. One thing about my people is that we do not invest lightly. Try getting your uncle to invest in your startup without a business plan and exact numbers, and you’ll probably leave with your tail tucked between your legs. But the stakes of this tunnel-vision focus on extracurriculars that don’t create résumé results are that kids may miss chances to build resilience, independence, and comfort with uncertainty. Those gaps can make later-life choices feel heavier when a marriage, a mortgage, or money is at stake. Saathee.com

Sidelines continued on page 86

September 2026

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September 2026

Saathee RECIPES

by Taige Shukla IG: @whatsthe_chai

Amma’s Gujarati Kadhi

Ways to Use Greek Yogurt (or Dahi) in Indian Dishes

Hi Saathee family! I recently thought while trying to hit my protein goals: there are so many “high protein” recipes out there that have started incorporating Greek yogurt, but what about all the Indian classics that have been incorporating it for generations? Homemade yogurt, or dahi, is an Indian household staple. It’s used in curries and main dishes, marinades, rice dishes, breads like naan, chaats, desserts,and sides. While Greek yogurt and dahi aren’t exactly the same, it can be a great substitute when you don’t have homemade yogurt on hand. I thought it would be fun to do a three-part series of recipes using Greek yogurt. Maybe think about some of your go-to Indian dishes when you’re trying to hit those protein goals. This month I bring you Gujarati Kadhi. Special thanks to Amma (grandma).

Servings: About 6 - 8 Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups Greek yogurt or Dahi (homemade if possible) 1/4 cup gram ﬂour (besan) 1/4 tsp turmeric 2 tsp ginger green chili paste (1 tbsp of ginger + 1 tbsp green chili blended) 1 tsp sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cumin Salt to taste 2-2 ½ cups water

Start by combining Greek yogurt, sifted gram ﬂour, turmeric, ginger green chili paste, sugar, cinnamon, cumin and a pinch of salt to a bowl. Add 1 cup of water and whisk (or use a wooden hand blender) until smooth. Continue to add water until desired consistency, should be similar to soup. Add additional salt to taste if needed.

Vaghar (for tempering): 1 tbsp ghee 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai) 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) Pinch of hing 8-10 curry leaves

Stir in the yogurt mixture and bring to a low boil at medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Continue to stir to avoid lumps and burning. The kadhi is ready when there is no obvious taste of the gram ﬂour, it should be well combined at this point.

Saathee.com

In a medium saucepan start the vaghar. Heat the ghee on low heat, add in all seeds, pinch of hing and curry leaves. Fry for 1 min until fragrant and the seeds begin to pop.

Serve hot as a side, over rice, with sukhi dal (thick dal) or khichadi.

September 2026

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AI Data Centers

The promise of ocean-based data centers These various approaches oﬀer ways to reduce demand for grid-supplied electricity for powering data centers’ computers and cooling equipment, as well as using less fresh water. The distance from people’s homes could also be an advantage for data centers in or on the ocean. A Gallup poll in March 2026 found that 70% of Americans oppose building AI data centers in their communities. However, more than half of the world’s population lives within 120 miles of a coast. Underwater could be another way to keep data centers physically close to users for speedy service. Maintenance, though, is a major challenge. If a computer fails underwater, it cannot be repaired or replaced on site. The entire sealed data center module may need to be brought to the surface, even if just one computer needs work.

continued from page 40

After two years, Microsoft reported that the servers in the underwater data center failed at about one-eighth the rate of servers in comparable land-based data centers. The company is still studying the possible reasons but hypothesizes that in a sealed underwater environment the equipment is less exposed to oxygen, humidity and temperature fluctuations – as well as less jostling from people working to replace broken components. However, Microsoft ended the project in 2024 and chose not to build more underwater data centers. The company didn’t say why, but others’ analyses suggest the reasons could include regulatory concerns, including the need for environmental permits, as well as a desire for faster upgrades and replacements for the computer equipment inside. Instead, the company has focused on land-based data centers, which can be larger and easier to expand, and also easier to access to repair or replace equipment. Others have moved ahead, though. China built what may be the world’s first wind-powered underwater data center in Shanghai. The facility was launched in June 2025 and began full commercial operations in May 2026. The US$226 million project uses seawater as a coolant rather than having to refrigerate fresh water, reducing the electricity required to cool the computers. It uses at least 30% less electricity than traditional data centers, and offshore wind turbines reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut the data center’s carbon emissions. Japan is testing a different approach: Data centers housed in containers on floating platforms at sea can use seawater for cooling, have unobstructed conditions for solar panels and wind turbines, and reduce demand for land. In 2025, a data center in shipping containers opened on a floating platform near Yokohama. Its power comes from solar panels installed on the same floating platform, with batteries providing energy storage. The test will continue through March 2027. Singapore is also moving toward commercial-scale floating data centers. In 2026, infrastructure company Keppel began building a four-story floating data center, scheduled to open in 2028. The project will use seawater for cooling, reducing reliance on treated water and improving cooling efficiency. And the fact that it floats means it won’t take up any of Singapore’s limited land availability. In 2025, Ulsan, South Korea, began planning an underwater data center that could house more than 100,000 servers and use 30% less power than land-based centers by using seawater for cooling. In Maine, DeepGreen Western Passage has proposed a submersible AI data center in the Bay of Fundy, powered by tidal turbines designed to harness the area’s strong tidal currents. Land-based data centers could also take advantage of seawater cooling. In Portugal, the SIN01 AI data center in Sines uses seawater from the Atlantic to cool its servers before returning it to the ocean.

Saathee.com

Can the ocean sustain AI? The main environmental concern about ocean-based data centers involves the seawater used for cooling. Discharging warm or hot water can potentially aﬀect oxygen levels, pH and marine life in the surrounding waters. That heat is already apparent at the few seaborne data centers now operating. HiCloud, the engineering contractor for China’s Hainan underwater data center, has reported a temperature increase of less than 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in the seawater near the facility. SIN01 in Sines, Portugal, also returns seawater about 1 C warmer. Many marine species depend on stable water temperatures for breeding, feeding and migration, raising concerns that heat released by multiple underwater data centers could create localized thermal pollution and alter marine ecosystems. And the ocean is already under pressure. UNESCO, the United Nations agency for international cooperation, including in conservation, estimates that about 60% of marine ecosystems are already degraded or used unsustainably. The ocean is already warming along with the atmosphere, without additional waste heat from data centers. That additional heat is already threatening coral reef and mangrove ecosystems, seagrasses and other aspects of the marine food web. As that warming continues, ocean waters will be less useful for cooling electronic equipment in some regions. Underwater data centers could help AI grow while easing some of the pressure on land, energy and water. But the real test is whether the ocean can become AI’s next computing frontier without becoming its next environmental problem.

Article courtesy of theconversation.com Nir Kshetri is Professor of Management, University of North Carolina – Greensboro

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Insurance

Kismuth

continued from page 52

continued from page 28

The first $500K will be paid by the auto insurance while the remaining $1.5 million will be paid by the umbrella insurance. In absence of the umbrella insurance, you will be responsible for the $1.5 million which may be recovered by selling your personal assets. This situation could lead to bankruptcy for some people. As a general rule, umbrella insurance will not cover damages from intentional actions or liabilities from business activity.

leave and return, such a task is not simple. There’s the temporal axis, but also the physical one. I live in Cambodia. A hemisphere away. Despite technology it’s been hard to ‘keep in touch.’ Besides time and geography, though, miniscule ‘deltas’ over all this time culturally have led to a wide gulf between me and them, too. So let me focus on what I know. Today, for me, it’s about sharing writing experiences, like this one. Setting up places and ways for people to explore through making is my ‘work’ these days, where I am. I think of it as ‘writing as experience.’ I try to see how others do it. I join other people’s stuﬀ. A book club the other day, a writing meet. These were curious. I like this. Making, co-making, drawing, writing, and designing zines... that’s what I do. Here and there. Virtually, too. I’m trying my best to interlink us. We are making time and being together to talk about whatever we want. We talk, talk together, and talk together over time. This is how I have learned is the very best way of feeling like you’re part of something, like you belong. Places like this are ‘third places’. Where you are welcome, can show up as you like, and just be yourself. That’s valuable. That matters. The things that truly count, well, you can’t quite see them all the time, but you can notice them. When they come back in moments that surprise you—this light, for example, here on a late summer’s day that brings me back to my teen years and sitting on a screened-in porch, somewhere east of Raleigh, watching sunset, a neighbor’s cat, a field, a red kite in the distance. Summer. There’s something comforting about being here in this season. And in being able to talk the way you talk with others who talk the same way, for instance. I tried a few jokes, but they were more Irish style and didn’t fly. I used to live there, too. I kid around the way I did in Viet Nam when we made light of everything with gestures or absurd songs. That place, thanks to the pandemic’s keeping me there for a while, is also a familiar one, now. In some ways. Not all, of course not all. But when I see things that remind me of places, of moments: a menu in Vietnamese, a bracelet I got in Cork City, I’m brought right back to those points in time. That makes me feel connected. Here it’s this light, hitting my notebook, one that has notes from 2013. ‘Time’s up,’ says the new person who is in charge of keeping up with it. We break. We talk. We ask the same questions as always. How did it all go? What did you write about? Care to share with the group? And: Did you enjoy your time? Silently, I answer. Good. ‘Counting.’ No, thanks. Always.

Who needs umbrella insurance? While everyone is at risk of a large catastrophic event, some people have a higher exposure based on their lifestyle or circumstances: Below are some examples:

● You have significant assets: If you are a high net worth individual, you should certainly consider this policy. One of my clients who owns multiple rental properties inquired whether he needed this policy as his tenants already have tenant insurance. My response was that if something were to happen, the attorney is going to come after you, someone who has assets vs. the tenant who will have limited resources. The main objective here is to protect your assets, regardless of whether you were at fault or not. ● You own pets, especially aggressive dogs, snakes etc. ● High exposure through activities like transporting hazardous materials or commuting long distances, thereby increasing the chances of accidents and losses. ● Inexperienced driver in your household: Chances of accidents rise dramatically with younger or inexperienced drivers. One of our client’s son was involved in an accident with a high-end car. Client’s son jumped the signal and hit another car. Fortunately, for him, the other car was driving at a higher speed. Insurance determined that both were at fault and so my client’s policy had to pay only for his car and not the other car. But if this were not the case, my client would have had to pay out of his pocket to cover the expensive car. Cost: Umbrella policy may cost between $150 to $400 per year depending on the amount of coverage. Compared to the benefits provided, this policy is inexpensive and should be seriously considered. Note though that umbrella policy usually requires that you must buy high basic limits on your car or home insurance. The hope is that you do not have to file umbrella insurance claim, or any insurance claim for that matter; but if you do, this will be one of your best financial decisions.

Anuj Kasera

Dipika Kohli writes Kismuth Books. kismuth.com/counting

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.

Saathee.com

Dipika Kohli is an author who is based in Phnom Penh. Discover her books at kismuth.com and her projects at dipikakohli.com. 82

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September 2026

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September 2026

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Editor’s Desk

continued from page 72

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In contrast, my sister studied Kathak, graduating with an arangetram that was cathartic and awe-inspiring, a tangible investment that compounded into a result predicted by following the legible pathway that was familiar to us, and, like I said, it worked, so who are we to say one way is right or wrong? The point is choice and intention. On the opposite end, I ended up cut from the team by my sophomore year of high school, two years after I started playing baseball. I never told my parents, not because they would be embarrassed or feel like it was a waste of money, but because I knew I was at a disadvantage in a sport not suited to me and my environment; it just didn’t fit. Finally, we do have to discuss the genetic argument that we’re too short or too slow to compete, which doesn’t hold up. If South Asian kids want to be professional athletes, our genetics don’t stop us; it all comes back to what we, as a community, are willing to invest time, money, and energy into–practice is the distinguishing factor, not genetics. Yes, while most pro athletes are in the 1% of the genetic lottery, it’s just a lottery; we can’t control that at all, so why even factor it in. That is equal among us–white and black kids alike–the vast majority of us are never going to be monsters on the court like Julius Peppers or LeBron James, so it’s a moot point better left for eugenicists to debate. So where do we land? I argue that the lack of South Asian athletes stems from our community’s focus on providing our children with the opportunities that are inherently tied to the successes we have seen from others and felt ourselves. We are not opposed to trying our hands at professional athletics; it is just not worth it for what matters to us as community and culture. Sure, that choice has consequences but also significant upside: it shapes which paths feel possible, and, more often than not, our parents prove themselves correct. As someone with no kids, the only recommendation I have is that we don’t need to be so rigid about what we allow our youth to do; not everything needs to have a result ready-made for a résumé. The stakes are bigger than a line on paper: let kids explore before we decide for them what counts, because that is where agency starts. Kids need to play; they need to be bad at a skill; they need to be in environments where adults aren’t the only ones making the rules. It should be unique based on what matters for each individual because it is just amazing if we raise the next generation of Tiana Sumanasekera, Mindy Kalings, or just Maya, who ends up a product manager, or Yash, who ends up running a gas station; really, it’s about teaching kids from a young age that their agency matters, whether or not it lives up to some predestined outcome.

Someone is having a very bad day today, while someone else is having a lovely day. Pick any day in any decade in any century and this notion holds true. The warmth of human connections is becoming more important in this world of social media isolation and AI manipulation. Just oﬀering help to someone in need, when possible, no strings attached, can go a long way into reconnecting the fibers. You see these simple acts daily in the commons. Strangers lending a hand to strangers. Rekindling that goodness tucked away in their inner selves. This is what I’m interested in. People becoming more aware of the better angels and demons lurking within them and channeling this awareness into daily living. What can you do? I follow these meditative steps for myself. Unclench the fists when angry, unless that clenched fist is needed for physical self-defense. Purse your lips in moments of heated arguments, lest a few angry words destroy a lifelong bond. Another day will arrive when sober minds and cooler winds can smooth out old arguments. Most importantly, I work to recognize whether my thinking is rooted in fact, or self-delusion birthed by the hidden preconceptions and prejudice. Recognizing that smug self-delusion is basically selfdeception, while acknowledging truth and facts, can be the most bridge building moves people can make, especially in these heaving times of rampant misinformation, disinformation, and AI created fakeness. This is very tough to do. Finding and holding on to this awareness. Ah, but back to the commons. Part the curtains and look out the window. Open the door and take a stroll. I can show you the sun shining on the trees. I can even walk you to the sunshine. I can’t make you feel the sunshine. That’s on you and up to you. That is a journey you must take. If you’d like I can go along on this ride with you. We can walk this path together, but somewhere along the way, the paths will diverge. It’s natural. Some connections are bonded for life, some are temporary and made for need or necessity, while others are abandoned after a friendly hello, never to cross paths again. But we must attempt and make connections. We need to travel together even for a short distance. All humans are connected at the DNA level, which basically means we are from the same commons. In all our actions, eventually we must take our uniqueness, which is stitched with abilities, limitations, egos, emotions, anxieties, dreams, narcissism, preconceptions, prejudices – go ahead add bunch more markers – and find our finer threads to weave into the greater fabric. It’s not going to save the world but sure does help it function. This is the continuing work of us, to connect, walk together for a spell, linger, and prosper in the carbon commons.

Dhruv Pathak

Samir Shukla

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.

is the Editor of Saathee Magazine Contact: Samir@Saathee.com X: @ShuklaWrites Newsletter: ShuklaWrites.Substack.com

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September 2026

Thinking

Dances of India

continued from page 38

continued from page 46

I read that Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra was inspired by an encounter with Lord Nataraja. If that is true, I can easily see the connection. Lord Shiva is considered the Adi Yogi, the father and founder of Yoga. He is the foremost among the yogis and the first teacher of the science of Yoga. Lord Shiva is also the founder or king of Dances. Therefore, the sources of these two artforms intertwine and influence each other. Yoga means Union. Yoga and dance both begin with union of the body and mind. Both are approached in sequence through logical steps. Both are universal sciences, suited to all students who seek strength of body and mind. We begin dance with Namaste (Salutation) just like (Surya Namaskar) sun salutations in Yoga. Using the Anjali or prayer hand gesture, we touch our forehead which represents the Ajna Chakra in Yoga. It is the focal point of concentration during meditation and dance practices. And then we bring our hands down to our chest which represents Anahata Chakra, means “unstruck” or “unbeaten”. Even the hand gesture (mudra) for meditation is Arala in both yoga and dance. When I was teaching yoga, I taught these dance hand gestures (Hasthas) to people suﬀering from arthritis. I also taught the Vrikshasana, the tree pose (Standing on one foot), among others, with dance movements to gain holistic balance. Many of the advanced poses in dance require flexibility of body and a systematic way to control the body movements through mind. Out of 108 poses (Karanas), very few can be performed without training in Yoga and dance for flexibility. Even the word Hatha Yoga mean the balance of Ha (Sun) and Tha (Moon) that are part of classical dance ornaments that we place as part of our head dress. Dancers need to balance these two forms representing masculine and feminine energies, while having the strength in our footsteps and depicting the graceful movements with our hands. Dance is now being used as a therapeutic tool for children with disabilities. I have taught some movements to seniors to help balance themselves and prevent falls which is the most dangerous downfall for many. Many specialized therapists, through dance, provide the structure for developing body sense and to learn to express the nine emotions (Nava Rasas) such as disgust, anger, wonder, fear, valor, love, compassion, laughter, and peace. Every child and adult responds to music and dance naturally. This method and approach is beneficial in raising their interest level for participation. I know personally that dancing has influenced all aspects of my life. B.K.S. Iyengar, the famous Yoga teacher has once said that “the body is my temple and asanas are my prayers”. Very true! I can easily say the same about dance, “the body is my temple and dance is my prayer”. This meditation in motion is a gift given to our culture and many other cultures around the world. Neither the yogi nor the dancer is distracted by the world around them. Both have the power of quieting the turmoil of chitta and bringing us closer to moksha (salvation).

For example, if I cut my hand, there’s some kind of electrical wiring that comes out of the box that makes the thing called “me” to be aware that something undesirable is going on, which, in turn, causes something else to pull my hand back, rather rapidly. In an instance of this kind that I recall, a little blotch of blood appeared on my finger. Miraculously, in a little while, something inside my body caused some patching to occur that eventually made my hand whole again, and as good as it was when it shipped from the manufacturer. And, talking about “shipping”, that is an extraordinarily miraculous thing too. There is a complex choreography that an associative-memory comparison to a UPS or FedEx would be a desecration of a sanctum sanctorum. Hormones, enzymes, blood flotillas of various shapes and sizes, various coatings, shields and secretions, all kicking into gear in a complex cadence of rhythms and flows that move like clockwork in a mother-to-be-woman’s body. And then the package delivery happens. But no UPS truck outside. No obvious driver standing there to thank or to give a tip to. So maybe … maybe the speck in the circle is not so insignificant after all! It is another one of nature’s numerous miracles, except that it is in a smaller bottle within the smaller circle that I drew with my hand. There is an infinity outside. And, there is an infinity inside. So, I am indeed “intelligent” but not in the way that I have been taught. It is a deep and innate intelligence shaped and sculpted by the hand of nature – the same nature that sculpted the sun and the skies, and their infinite intelligence.

Dr. Maha Gingrich

is an IIT/IIM graduate, a published author, SAT/ACT Online and in-person Coach, and K-12 Math Tutor at NewCranium. balaji.prasad@newcranium.com.

An I for an AI, a truth for untruth A universe in the infinite circle. And one in the speck. Is it possible to see this, live in it, and abide with implicit trust in all this? Or have the words and numbers and all the gobbledygook stuﬀ called “intelligence” gotten in the way? Is man’s self-aggrandizing notion of “intelligence” something that blocks him from recognizing his true gifts of innate intelligence and the intelligence of everything around him? Does the conscious mind have the unfortunate potential to make the human so so unconscious of the real world – the beautiful universe – that he has been, thanklessly, gifted with? Can this “artificial intelligence” mind be reoriented and realigned so that there is a new dawn: the dawn of true human intelligence. It would seem all the more desirable in a world where AI’s like ChatGPT, Claude and others are aggregating and consolidating the AI that is displayed by billions of human heads and that the expert human AIs are starting to call “superintelligence”. Are we going to bloat the AIs’ “heads” to be as bloated as ours? Should we? Do we need to re-mind ourselves not to be AIs before it is too late?

Balaji Prasad

For questions or comments, contact via email at GingrichMaha@gmail.com. Saathee.com

September 2026

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September 2026

NASA

Mirror, Mirror

continued from page 24

functioned much like a tourist destination and travel hub. Korran may have been part of several caravans travelling between South India and Rome. The frequency of his inscriptions suggests he eagerly enjoyed these visits… much like travelers today who take photos along their trips and post them on social media. Trade routes across the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea connected India with the Roman Empire. Ships regularly transported spices, textiles, dyes, gems and other goods between the regions. Ports such as Berenike and Myos Hormos were key entry points for merchants and travelers arriving from India. The South Asian graﬃti left in the Valley of the Kings provides new evidence of these journeys. Rather than simply appearing in trade records or historical texts, travelers like Korran decided to carve their presence into stone walls and become a part of history. We may never know the full story of Cikai Korran, however. Was he a merchant? A mercenary? A diplomat? A thief? He was most certainly an adventurous sort due to accomplishing the equivalent of a “selfie” in some rather unusual locations. Regardless, we will never forget that he visited and enjoyed the many splendors present in the Valley of the Kings. We see you, Cikai. We now know you came and saw and fully commend your boisterous enthusiasm.

Special exhibits and displays showcasing technology demonstrations, historic and current NASA hardware aircraft, commercial aviation displays, next-generation air mobility, and more Behind-the-gates bus tours of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, including the Gantry, Apollo Saturn V Center, and Vehicle Assembly Building MAX POWER will give the public a front-row seat to the future of American aerospace, including advanced aircraft, autonomous systems, commercial space, NASA’s work to return Americans to the lunar surface, plans for a Moon Base, and the technologies strengthening America’s aerospace industrial base. Teams will highlight work in aviation, exploration, and innovation for the benefit of humanity. “For a decade, UP.Summit has convened the companies, investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers building the future of how the world moves,” said Cyrus Sigari, UP.Summit founder and mission commander. “This November we bring that community to Kennedy Space Center as part of MAX POWER. The public will stand next to the aircraft, spacecraft, and autonomous systems that will define the next 250 years and meet the people building them. MAX POWER is about lighting that spark in thousands of Americans and showing the world what this country builds when it aims high.” “It is an honor to collaborate with NASA and bring an aviation spectacle to the skies over Kennedy Space Center as part of MAX POWER,” said Bryan Lilley, CEO of Air Dot Show. “There could not be a more iconic place to celebrate the past, showcase the present, and preview the future of American aviation and space exploration as our nation marks its 250th anniversary.” “Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is where America’s history of aerospace innovation comes to life, from the aircraft that helped launch the space program to the spacecraft that carried us to the Moon and the technologies shaping what comes next,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating oﬃcer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “MAX POWER brings that entire story together in one place, giving the public an up-close look at the past, present and future of American aerospace.” “Florida has been part of some of the most historic moments in American space exploration, and we’re proud to welcome the nation to this storied site for MAX POWER this fall,” said Col. Rob Long (Ret.), president and CEO, Space Florida. “Together with NASA, we have spent generations building the infrastructure, talent, and spirit of innovation that make moments like this possible, and this event oﬀers a front-row seat to that ongoing story.” There are multiple “parks” and experiences planned, each of which require separate tickets to attend. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit: Nasa.gov/maxpower.

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.

News Notes

continued from page 24

The meeting advanced civil and commercial space cooperation under the U.S.-India Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) Initiative, in line with the February 2025 Joint Leaders’ Statement issued by Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. Both sides discussed expanding cooperation following the successful launch of the joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission last year, as well as pursuing future science and human space flight technology collaborations. They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, as well as reviewed ongoing multilateral efforts for ensuring the Committee’s effectiveness. NASA invited ISRO to join its Moon Base program, building on the two countries’ partnership under the Artemis Accords. The two sides also agreed to advance discussions for cooperation on open scientific data sharing under the Accords. Saathee.com

September 2026

Upcoming Movies

Eye on Markets

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October 2

We are going through a generational value transfer from hyperscalers and software to AI infrastructure and hardware. CapEx estimates for 2027 continue to move up, now expected to be north of $1 trillion. The software companies are now confirming the transfer of value to AI infrastructure and hardware. IBM preannounced earnings saying, “In the last few weeks of June, we saw clients shift their quarterly CapEx spend toward servers, storage, and memory purchases to secure supply-constrained infrastructure ahead of expected price increases. This dynamic impacted client buying patterns. While we anticipated some supply chain related impact in our expectations, we did not anticipate the magnitude of the capex reprioritization.” The fundamentals for AI infrastructure remain excellent. South Korea’s semiconductor exports climbed by 181% YoY in July. Taiwan’s June export orders from the US rose nearly 84% year-on-year, the fastest pace on record. DRAM prices continue to accelerate upward as there is essentially no GPU availability. Taiwan Semiconductor also raised CapEx and prices. SK Hynix’s Chairman said that the memory shortage will worsen next year and could last past 2030. King Slide, an Nvidia AI server rail supplier, posted accelerating revenue growth of 220.5% year-over-year for June. Foxconn, a large maker of AI servers, reported its biggest year-over-year revenue growth (+52.11%) for the month of June. GE Vernova’s order growth hit 88%. ASML said on its earnings call, “ASML’s 2Q reinforces our view that the AI-driven semi investment cycle remains in its early stages, with demand strength across both advanced logic and memory, and meaningful 2027 and 2028 orders already in hand.” The release of Chinese open-source model Kimi K3 will likely accelerate the AI war between both the US and China and frontier models and open source. That leads to even more demand for compute and AI infrastructure. This is not a boom-and-bust cycle driven by PC upgrades or consumer electronics. This demand for compute is driven by digital agents that are working 24/7, 365. We’re just at the beginning of recursive self-improvement, despite not reaching the point of autonomous vehicles in mass or robotics, which will require more than 10x the compute power. With the correction this month, you’re able to buy infrastructure names below both their historical average and market multiple.

Digger (Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu) Cast: Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, Jesse Plemons, and John Goodman Drishyam 3 (Director: Abhishek Pathak) Cast: Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat, Tabu, and Shriya Saran Verity (Director: Michael Showalter) Cast: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett Aadarsha Kutumbam House No: 47 (Director: Trivikram Srinivas) Cast: Venkatesh and Srinidhi Shetty California Schemin’ (Director: James McAvoy) Cast: Séamus McLean Ross, Samuel Bottomley, and James McAvoy Rolling Loud (Director: Jeremy Garelick) Cast: Owen Wilson, Christine Ko, and Travis Scott Journey (Director: Cristopher Rodriguez) Cast: Meghan Martin and Mario Zaragoza

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September 2026

Mindful Masala

Overanalyzing

continued from page 58

continued from page 54

The problem is it also produces nothing. There’s no action at the end of it. No one walks away from the flight delay pile-on and files a complaint or switches airlines or does anything at all. We just go home slightly more convinced that things are bad and there’s nothing to be done about it. My kids won’t have it from me though. Not long ago I was going on about something in the house — some decoration or setup that had been bothering me for a while. I had opinions. Strong ones. My daughter looked at me and said, “Dad, don’t complain if you’re not going to do anything about it. Are you willing to do something? Why don’t you come up with ideas and share them?” My son nodded. They were right and I knew it immediately, which made it worse. I had been playing the victim of my own living room. Unless I am part of the solution, or at least willing to get involved, I have no business complaining and calling it communication. Here is the part I find harder to admit. My friends are good to me. They listen when I go on about traffic, about work, about whatever is bothering me that week. The guys’ group hears me complain about my wife sometimes — sorry honey, you are almost perfect. And we give each other a pass on all of it. We either join in or offer sympathy. We never push back. We never say, okay but what are you going to do about it? I have never asked them to. Partly because it’s comfortable the way it is. Partly because I’m not sure how it would land. But honestly? I think I would love it. The friendships where someone occasionally says, “Wait, are you sure about that?” or “Have you thought about it from the other side?” are the ones that feel most real to me. My daughter and son do it and yes, in the moment it stings a little. But I always feel better after. I haven’t worked up the courage to ask my friends for that yet. Maybe I will. Maybe I’ll send them this essay and see what happens. I’m not saying we should stop complaining. Some of the most important changes in the world started because someone refused to accept something that everyone else had learned to live with. Complaining with purpose is how things get fixed. But there’s a difference between that and what happens at most dinner parties. The same complaints, the same outrage, same table, different dinner. I want to try and catch myself more. Not every time. But sometimes, when I’m about to launch into the airport customs story for the fourth time, maybe I’ll ask myself: am I saying something or just making noise? Usually, it’s the second one.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve started confusing familiarity with understanding. Knowing facts about a person doesn’t mean knowing the person. We often assume that because we’ve spent years in the same classrooms or attended the same events, we’ve figured each other out. But people are far more complicated than the labels we give them. The student known for getting perfect grades may secretly wonder if they’ll ever be enough. The person who makes everyone laugh might be carrying struggles no one notices. Even the quietest person in the room has thoughts, opinions, and stories that most people will never hear. People are easiest to recognize when they fit into a category. They’re hard to know because of it. In many South Asian families and communities, people often know the details of our lives. They know what classes we’re taking, which colleges we’re considering, or what career path we’re expected to pursue. Those things matter, but they don’t tell the whole story. We sometimes forget what we’re really looking for A transcript can’t measure curiosity. A résumé can’t explain resilience. A list of accomplishments can’t capture someone’s kindness, humor, or quiet determination. We spend so much time trying to be noticed that we sometimes forget what we’re really looking for. Most people don’t want more attention. They want to be understood. Understanding requires something that recognition never will: curiosity. It means asking questions instead of making assumptions. It means listening without immediately deciding who someone is. It means recognizing that every person is carrying experiences we can’t see from the outside. Perhaps that’s why the people who know us best aren’t always the ones who’ve known us the longest. They’re the people who stayed curious. The people who listened instead of assuming. The people who looked beyond the labels everyone else accepted. Maybe that’s something worth remembering. Instead of trying so hard to be seen, we could spend a little more time trying to get to know the people around us. Allowing ourselves to be known in return. Because while being seen might earn us recognition, being known is what creates genuine connection. In a world where everyone is visible, the rarest thing of all is being truly understood.

Sainha Sivaram is a sophomore at Panther Creek High School and passionate about exploring culture, identity, and the stories that bring people together. She enjoys debating, cooking, and finding the perfect song for every moment. Contact: sainhawriter@outlook.com.

Saathee.com

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 94

September 2026

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Spot the Differences

Photo by Divakar Shukla

Spot the 15 diﬀerences between original photo on top & modified photo below. (Solution on page 104)

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September 2026

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September 2026

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Tune Your Brain Solve these brain teasers - Solutions on Page 110

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100

September 2026

PUZZLES

Dedicated to Kirit Shukla (Pop) 6.18.1939 - 8.21.2026

Puzzles 4 Kids Answers on page 110

Answers on page 104 Saathee.com

Magic Maze Answers on page 110 102

September 2026

Key Word Search Fill in blanks of these clues, then take the ﬁrst letter of each word and unscramble them to ﬁnd this month’s Key Word. Canada, USA, and Mexico are part of _____ America. Capital city of Maryland _____. Capital city of North Carolina _____. Capital city of Colorado _____. Cairo is a city in this country _____. First American President _____ Washington.

Go Figure! Answers on page 104

Answers on page 104

Chess Puzzles Difficulty:

Puzzle provided by the Charlotte Chess Center

Visit: charlottechesscenter.org

Game reference: Bachmann v Galakhov, 2003

Saathee.com

Directions: White to play, checkmate in 2 Answer: 1. Rh8+ Kxh8 2. Qg8#

Difficulty: Game reference: Azarov v Bryzgalin, 2006 Directions: White to move, Checkmate in 3 Answer: 1. Qg7+ Bxg7 2. Re8+ Bf8 3. Rxf8#

Difficulty: Game reference: Candelario v Bauer, 2019

Hello Readers We welcome comments and suggestions about our puzzles and cartoons pages. Send your thoughts to Samir@Saathee.com

Directions: Black to move, checkmate in 4 Answer: 1…Nf2+ 2. Qxf2 Qg2+ 3. Rxg2 hxg2+ 4. Kg1 Rh1#

103

September 2026

Festivals & Holidays

Puzzle Solutions Spot the Diﬀerences Solutions from page 96

SEPTEMBER 2026 Sep. 2 - Randhan Chhath Sep. 4 - Krishna Janmashtami Sep. 4 - Kali Jayanti Sep. 5 - Teacher’s Day Sep. 5 - International Day of Charity Sep. 6 - Aja Ekadashi Sep. 7 - Labor Day Sep. 8 - Paryushana Sep. 10 - Darsh Amas (No Moon) Sep. 11 - Patriot Day Sep. 12 - Rosh Hashana Sep. 13 - Grandparents Day Sep. 14 - Ganesh Chaturthi Sep. 15 - Visvesvaraya Jayanti Sep. 16 - Balram Jayanti Sep. 17 - Citizenship Day Sep. 21 - Yom Kippur Sep. 21 - International Day of Peace Sep. 22 - Parsva Ekadashi Sep. 23 - Bhuvaneshwari Jayanti Sep. 23 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon Sep. 25 - Anant Chaturdashi Sep. 26 - Bhadrapada Purnima (Full Moon)

1. Mumbai Police Anagram 2. Sign Removed 3. Gargoyle added 4. Light turned to the left 5. Entrance filled with bricks 6. Another tower added 7. Flowers added 8. Man opposite direction

9. Cannon added 10. Eagle’s nest 11. Storm clouds 12. Openings added 13. Dress is diﬀerent color 14. Scaﬀolding added 15. Sained glass added

Key Word Search Answers from page 103 Puzzle Solutions from page 102

North Annapolis Raleigh Denver Egypt George Key Word of the Month: GARDEN

Go Figure! answers from page 103

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September 2026

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eFax: 704-973-7935

abhay@desaillp.com

Abhay Gandhi

www.desaillp.com 2423-B Plantation Center Drive Matthews, NC 28105 105

September 2026

Astroscope

SEPTEMBER 2026

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

You will be very busy this month and could gain success through business-related travel. Friends and family will offer whatever assistance you need. Relief from ﬁnancial worries due to an increase in savings is clearly indicated. A happy family life is also possible.

Unexpected health problems may become main events this month. Maintain cordial relations with relatives otherwise you may end up breaking ties. Many opportunities may come your way, but you won’t be able to fully utilize them. Financial losses are also possible, due to a potentially serious legal problem. Your family should be there to help.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

A heavy workload may keep you occupied and you may even feel hardship and stress because of it. Your productivity can lead to enjoyable success. In fact, the second half of the month will be excellent for making many social and business-related decisions. You could ﬁnd love this month. Just be sure to control your ego to avoid unexpected problems.

A balanced state of mind is indicated, and overall happiness should be there. Upon meeting higher ofﬁcials and authorities, an unexpected rise in fame and reputation is also possible. You might be inclined to follow religion and visit sacred places. Your family will also be content this month.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

This should be a comfortable month with a pleasant environment all around. You will be favorably inclined towards another gender. If you put in a little more effort, your income can increase above expectations. You may want to celebrate with a party to enjoy some music and poetry. Family should extend their full support to whatever choices you pursue.

You will experience mixed results this month. There would be many opportunities coming your way, but you won’t be able to utilize them. Timely decisions can help you earn additional income. A positive change is possible by the last few days of the month. This is a good time to seek real estate investments but stay away from the stock market or any other ﬁnancial speculations.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Your income and expenses should balance each other out this month. You may experience delays in pursuits and difficulties in education or business, but wise decisions can shelter you from wastefully spending money. An investment in long term savings will prove beneficial. This is also suitable time to change jobs or field of study. Disputes with your family are possible but listening to your parents is still advisable.

You may not notice any major changes in your day-to-day life this month. Overall, things will be happy and comfortable, but a heavy workload will keep you busy. A minor increase in income is possible. You should also enjoy support from your partner and friends. You could see an opportunity on horizon but may have to wait on any decisions ‘til the end of next month.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

There seems to be no reason for distress, but a sense of unrest will be ever present this month. Your income, job and health will be in order, but peace of mind just won’t be there. Try to be noble and help those in need to feel satisﬁed and happy. Long-distance journeys during the last week of the month will prove rewarding. Meditation may also help to restore self-conﬁdence.

After a positive start, this month will end with negative results. Unexpected expenses can severely affect your budget. Avoid the urge to help others for now as business partners can take advantage of your kindness. This is a favorable time to invest in real estate. Minor health ailments could be there. Avoid parties and/or social gatherings this month.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Due to your considerable aptitudes, all of your activities should achieve excellent results. Involving additional learned people with any projects should further boost the outcome. Strenuous efforts could be made to satisfy your aspirations; yet even aggressive acts will pay dividends. Although, a family related problem will also need attention. Your health will remain satisfactory.

You will be of amicable disposition and avoid friction this month. You may be inclined toward religious or social activities and develop a taste for high philosophy or literature. Your trade or business will survive due to prompt and concise decisions. A pleasant journey is quite possible, though be prepared to drive carefully.

Jalendu Vaidya (973-223-5047) Saathee.com

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September 2026

CLASSIFIEDS

Submit a Classified at: saathee.com/classifieds or email: saathee@saathee.com or call 704-527-7570

Business Opportunities Start your Business Agency No investment. Start earning serious passive income and license for your state regulated business journey in the finance domain. Free coaching and mentorship. Join, learn, grow and earn. Contact Sam at 201-496-8733 or sohumfinancialsolution@gmail.com.

Aura Salon: Suites Available close to Ballantyne, Waxhaw and Fort Mill. Move-in ready, fully furnished hair suites are available including a double suite and a window suite. Call 704-606-7887 for summer special or visit www.myaurasalons.com

Employment Opportunities Hotel Help Wanted

Indian Wedding Business in Raleigh Area for Sale Inventory can be sold individually if desired. If interested, please text/email/call Mandapbizforsale@gmail.com 919-348-9553. Asheville Sub Shop for Sale Established 2009. Gross revenue $235k– $250k. Loyal base, catering and delivery. Fully turnkey with full equipment. Owner relocating for family. Asking $235k (negotiable). Email oldschoolsubsasheville@gmail.com or text 304-237-4359. Premium 5-Star Childcare Business for Sale – RTP Area Exceptional investment opportunity in a highgrowth, family-focused market with significant upside potential. Established operation and attractive facility. Asking $1.395M. Serious, financially qualified investors only. Confidential inquiries. Call 571-214-7344. Help Families Build a Business Independent Life Insurance Advisor & Financial Services Opportunity. Part-time or full-time. 1099 Compensation Income. Working From Home. Minimum Investment. Call/Text Krunal Joshi 908-590-4210.

Front Desk/Manager, Night Auditor & Housekeeper (Single or Couple) for franchise hotels in Charlotte / Gastonia / High Point, NC and Columbia / Gaffney, SC. Accommodations provided. Call 704460-0379 between 6 to 9pm. 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.

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. Full-Time Help Wanted Employees for all positions at UPS store in Hickory, NC. 8am to 6pm hours (No nights or early mornings). Contact Hardy Patel at 843-226-8899. Manager / Front Desk Needed for Franchise Hotel in Rock Hill, SC. With Accommodations. Please call 803-517-4662.

Housekeeping Couple Wanted

Hotel Help Wanted

for Franchise Motel (ABVI) in Goldsboro, NC. Green card holder or US citizen only. Accommodations provided. Contact Ketan 919-394-6224.

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.

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 Manager & Housekeeping Couple Wanted for franchise hotel in Columbia, SC. Accommodations provided. Fluent English required. Text / Call 704-701-9975.

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.

at Gas Station in Charlotte metro area. Evening shifts only. Legal status required. Please contact 704-241-4499 for details.

Swim School Franchise for Sale

Hotel Help Needed

in Durham, NC with reputed international 40 year-old company. Asking $55k with another $25-35k required working capital. Franchise owner retiring. Serious buyers only. Contact vedaaquatics@outlook.com or 919-590-0768.

Front Desk, Housekeeping, & Laundry for Franchise Hotel . Accommodations provided. Concord, NC. Call 704-772-5554.

Saathee.com

Immediately Hiring Full-time or part-time Store Associate and Utility Presser for Dry Cleaner Pick-Up stores in Charlotte area. Duties include assisting customers, tagging & sorting clothes, and store upkeep. Must speak English. Call 606-467-8910.

Full-Time Cashier Wanted

Babysitter / Nanny Needed in Raleigh / Wake Forest area to take care of baby. Live-in / live-out. Please call 901-289-5437

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Elderly Help Wanted In-home (live in or full time with some nights) help for 90-year-old female in Charlotte, near Hindu Center. Requires some support with mobility, light housekeeping, cooking. Hindi or English speaking. Call 980-267-7476. Front Desk Manager & Housekeeper for Franchise Hotel in Concord / Kannapolis, NC. Accommodations provided. Call 980-454-9093. 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. AGH Hospitality Supplies is Hiring a Hospitality Sales Representative. Must be willing to live in Columbia, SC and speak English & Gujarati. Hospitality sales experience preferred. Travel as needed. Contact via WhatsApp text only: 803-665-0508. September 2026

HELP WANTED

Immediately Hiring for Beauty Salon

Wilmington, NC ►

Salon Manager

Salary Position and must have Cosmetology License OR Esthetician License of NC Minimum 2-years of experience ►

2 Eyebrow Threaders

Must have 1-year Minimum of Threading experience Great Salary + Tips & Commission

Call : 773-507-8848

Hotel Help Wanted Front Desk, Night Auditor & Housekeeper (Single / Couple) for a franchise hotel in Raleigh, NC. Perform duties according to franchise brand standards. Accommodations can be provided. Please call/text WhatsApp at 919-348-7950.

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. 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 415-2658686. Cashier Wanted for Convenience Store near Kannapolis, NC. Accommodations provided. Very attractive salary! Text / Call 704-701-9482. 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. Hotel Help Wanted for Front Desk & Housekeeping for hotel in Orangeburg, SC. Legal status required. Accommodations available. Call 980-226-3095. Saathee.com

For Sale or Lease 0.62 acres of commercial land right off exit ramp in Elkin, NC. Call Harsh Patel 540-514-0315. Condo for Rent

Help Wanted for Convenience Store in Mooresville, NC. Responsibilities include assisting customers, handling transactions, & maintaining a clean/organized store. Part-time, weekend availability preferred. Please contact 919951-8924 / lalsenj@gmail.com

Two Full-Time Positions Available at Gas Station in Charlotte, NC. Legal status required. Good pay! Call 704-299-8535.

For Sale / Rent

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. Gas Station/C-Store Help Needed in Greensboro, NC. Must have previous experience and legal status. Great salary with benefits. Call 336-509-4054.

Matrimonial / Seeking Companion Seeking Bride 41 year-old groom looking for Bride. Medical Doctor. US Citizen in North Carolina. Contact 919-437-1202 or bpraja1985@gmail.com. Seeking a suitable bride for US-born and raised, 27-year-old. 5’6”, pharmacist manager, Gujarati, Hindu man. Text/call 336-501-3566. US citizen, Hindu, business graduate, 35 currently working in a federal position in Raleigh, NC. Looking for educated bride. Contact 336-683-7631, +91 96246 87260, or cstore1947@yahoo.com. Seeking alliance for 43 year-old brother. Well established Physical Therapist in North Carolina. Contact 919-437-1202 or dharmessh57@gmail.com. Saathee Classified ads: Sell your business, or property. Find the perfect job, hire the perfect employee. Get more customers. Get great adversting results with Saathee Magazine, weekly email newsletter and Saathee.com. Call 704-527-7570 or email saathee@saathee.com. 109

near UNCC in Charlotte. Walk to light rail station. 2 br, 1.5 bath. Available now. Send text to 704-534-5931.

LearnAboutLand.com RARE FIND!!! Franklinton with 5 acre Pond on 10 acres

$650,000 Call Bob! Atkinson Properties Group 919-362-6999

Services One Stop Immigration Services OCI-Us citizenship interview, Indian passport renewal, Indian visa, Emergency certificate, apostille, notary, and more. We are not a law firm. Call or WhatsApp Jignesh Mehta 980349-9843. 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.

Contact for all of your Medical Insurance needs

Minal Patel: 704-299-7145 momsgifts@gmail.com

Your Trusted Medicare Insurance Broker

Services Classifieds continued on the next page September 2026

Services Classifieds Continued 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.

Tabla Lessons for all age groups. In person or online from professional tabla player. Call 803-348-7294. 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.

Need a NC Driver's License? Skip the long DMV lines; A2Z Driving School offers DMV road test for teens and adults in the charlotte area as well as driving lessons. Call 704-269-0929. Neeta's Beauty Parlor Full service. Near Hindu Center of Charlotte. For details on our services or to make an appointment please call 704-968-0270. 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.

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.

Indian Vedic Astrologer Expert in reading past, present & future. Specialist in bringing loved ones back. All religions welcome. Master solves all problems. Call 980-403-5492.

To Submit a Classified visit: saathee.com/classifieds email: saathee@saathee.com call 704-527-7570 or scan the QR code

Business ads are $25 Personal ads are $15 RED text: additional $10 or a BOX for $15 Ads up to 25 words. Deadline for print is the 20th. Saathee.com ads posted daily

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.

Tune Your Brain Solutionss from pg 100

Magic Maze & Puzzles4Kids solutions from pgs 102 -103

Saathee.com

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September 2026

Desai & Mehta CPAs PLLC Our Commitment

Our Services: ♦ Monthly Bookkeeping ♦ Payroll ♦ Tax Planning ♦ Corporate & Partnership Tax Return ♦ Personal Tax Return ♦ Consulting & Tax Planning ♦ Merger & Acquisition ♦ Business Evaluation ♦ Audit Representation with federal/state tax authorities Rajarshi Desai, CPA rd@desaimehtacpa.com 917-612-1489

Saathee.com

We are committed to providing close, personal attention to our clients. We take pride in giving you personalized assistance. We are an extension of your business team. ♦ Big 4 firm experience ♦ Serving all 50 states ♦ Experience with international tax matters ♦ Your active partner in business decisions 7301 Carmel Executive Park Drive Suite # 320 Charlotte, NC 28226 Phone: 704-541-9966 Fax: 877-294-7979

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Ronak Mehta, CPA rm@desaimehtacpa.com 803-295-1801

September 2026

Advertisers Index for Charlotte, South Carolina & Atlanta Region A 2 Z Driving School...........................................31 AGH Hospitality Supplies (Help Wanted)..............41 Aim for Seva (Raman Bhaje with Sooryagayathri)..13 AmeriFab International.......................................37 Anand, Versha (Real Estate) .................................97 Anjappar (Now Open in Durham) ........................61 Atul Purohit Garba (Greensboro)...........................3 Aura Salons (Salon Suites for Rent).......................67 BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Charlotte)..16-17 Bashyam Global LLP - Immigration Law..............44 Bhindi Jewelers ...............................................116 Bhoomi Trivedi (Navratri Garba - Friends of Char.) .5 Blooming Buds ...................................................92 Brijal Shah (Keller Williams - Real Estate).............99 British International School of Charlotte................9 Brown Immigration Law (Rishi Oza, Partner)......101 Carolina Law Group ...........................................91 Carolina Medical Partners ...................................89 Charlotte Chess Center ........................................10 Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat .........................87 CMAC - Violin Duo (Charlotte)............................21 Color Master Collision Center ..............................81 Concha, David (Immigration Attorney).................83 Concord Children's Clinic ..................................33 Copper Restaurant (Charlotte) .............................73 Countywide Commercial (Pavement Solutions) ......45 Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services) ....105 Desai & Mehta CPAs PLLC ...............................111 Dhira Hapani (Realtor) .......................................61 DJ Lalit (Lalit Hemnani) .....................................53 Eesha Realty, LLC...............................................39 Ekal Vidyalaya ...................................................21 Elite Motors .......................................................23 Festival Of India (India Association of Charlotte) ..11 Geological Resources, Inc. ....................................45 Glo Dentistry (Ankit M. Amin, DMD)..................75 Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ...............................115 H2 Laser & Skin..................................................33 Harish Bhasin (Independent Insurance Agent)........75 Health Markets (Medicare, Health, Life, Supplemental)113 Heaven Properties LLC (Rohit Patel) ....................97 Hetas Patel (Real Estate, Mortgage, Prop Management).69 Hindu Center of Charlotte (Events) .................76-79 HRA C-Store Connect Trade Show .....................114 i Care Med Clinic (Pineville).................................63 Insurance - Tushar Barot, Supreme Insurance Serv...99 Insurance Shopping (Sonal Patel - IndependentAgent)47 JLF (The Jaipur Literature Festival) .....................22 JVC Realty (Balaji Tatineni Realtor / Broker).........32 KB Zaveree (Atlanta) ...........................................19 Khanna & Sons Jewelers.........................................6 Kirtidan Gadhvi - Garba (J. C. F.)...........................7 Krunal Joshi (Life Insurance Advisor)....................49 Kumar, Kokila (Real Estate - Allen Tate) ................75 Lead Designs LLC...............................................37 Malak Jewelers....................................................35 Malaya Kitchen...................................................59 Malleswar Varikuti Realtor (Realty One Group).....31 Mass Mutual (Sunil Nagpal & Karl Stuppnig)......107 Master Sakthi (Astrologer & Psychic Spritual Healer)25 Mathur, Gitanjali (Howard Hanna Allen Tate)........27 Meenakshi Creations LLC....................................27 Mehta & McConnell, PLLC (Injury Lawyers).........95 Mint MedSpa & Laser Studio ...............................89 Monaco Insurance Agency (Anuj Kasera)...............55 Saathee.com

Neeta's Beauty Parlor ..........................................83 New York Life Insurance (Rasheed Ulhaq) .............31 Nexus Capital & Venture Group............................43 Nitro Realty Group (Nitin Aggarwal)...................59 North American Bancard ....................................15 NRS PAY Credit Card Processing .........................51 NSD Tax & Accounting Services............................57 One 2 Entertainment ...........................................25 One-Stop Immigration Solutions..........................41 Partner Business LLC (Immigration Advice) ........111 Patel & Samatova, Law........................................57 Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)................................53 PKT Tours USA..................................................55 Pramukh Mandapam.........................................105 Queen City Smiles (Dr. Kanupriya Tewari).............81 Raja Reslan - Financial Advisor (Edward Jones) .....67 Ruby Realty LLC (Neil Pathak)............................85 Rug & Home.........................................................2 Ryan Shah (Tabla Lessons) ...................................41 Sankalp Restaurant Charlotte ..............................31 Shah & Associates, CPA, PLLC.............................99 Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC ..................................55 Shah, Anish (Real Estate) ....................................66 Sharma Insurance Agency LLC.............................25 SM Green Oasis Pro ............................................65 Sona Realty (Venkat Suryadevara) ........................93 SP Orthodontics (Matthews)................................83 Swadhyay Pariwar ................................................4 Taaza Fresh Indian Bistro.....................................49 Technone LLC (Securtiy Systems) .........................49 The Blue Taj........................................................73 TMSA (Public Charter Schools) ...........................29 Travel Passion .....................................................25 Union Family Eye Associates (Dr. Keshav Bhat)......61 Uniworld Travel ..................................................53 Vema Mortgage LLC (Chirag Rachhadia)......59 & 81 Vimal Realty (Vimal Patel Realtor / Broker in Charge)70-71 Worldwide Travels ...............................................57

Index for Raleigh (Triangle), Greensboro (Triad) & Virginia AGH Hospitality Supplies (Help Wanted)..............41 AmeriFab International.......................................37 Anjappar (Durham) ............................................31 Apna Bazar (Morrisville) .....................................89 Arvind Mahajan Presents: Anupam Kher - Hindi Play 5 Atul Purohit Garba (Greensboro)...........................3 Aura Skin & Laser (Dipan Patel) ..........................67 Bashyam Global LLP - Immigration Law..............44 Bhindi Jewelers ...............................................116 Bhoomi Trivedi (Navratri Garba - Friends of Char)73 Blooming Buds ...................................................92 Bombay Central (Grocery & Take Out Food)..........66 Brown Immigration Law (Rishi Oza, Partner)......101 Cary Internal Medicine & Diabetes Center, PA........63 Cary Medical Clinic.............................................21 Chandni's Beauty Salon .......................................81 Cone Health (Triad Foot & Ankle Center - Dr. K Patel)33 Crescent Dental (Dr. Kavita Ghai) ........................63 Desai & Desai LLP (CPA & Financial Services) ....105 Desai & Mehta CPAs PLLC ...............................111 DJ Lalit (Lalit Hemnani) .....................................53 Eesha Realty, LLC...............................................39 Ekal Vidyalaya ...................................................21 Euroclassics LTD (Auto Sales & Service)................75 Festival Of India (India Association of Charlotte) ..65 GCAP (Events) ...................................................11 Geological Resources, Inc. ....................................45 Global Mall / Legacy Jewels ...............................115 112

Hashtag India Restaurant - Cary, NC ....................69 Health Bloom (Anoon Sheth, MD, MMCI)............71 Health Markets (Medicare, Health, Life, Supplemental)113 Heaven Properties LLC (Rohit Patel) ....................97 HRA C-Store Connect Trade Show .....................114 Huntington Learning Center ...............................59 Inchin's Bamboo Garden......................................29 Insurance - Tushar Barot, Supreme Insurance Serv...99 Insurance Shopping (Sonal Patel - Independent Agent)47 International Community Church.........................77 International Community Church (Fall Festival) ....16 JLF (The Jaipur Literature Festival) .....................22 KB Zaveree (Atlanta) ...........................................19 Khanna & Sons Jewelers.........................................7 Kirtidan Gadhvi - Garba (J. C. F.)...........................6 Krunal Joshi (Life Insurance Advisor)....................49 Lead Designs LLC...............................................37 Madan Khatri (Vema Mortgage) ..........................27 Malak Jewelers....................................................35 Mansi Gowin (Real Estate Advisor).......................33 Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley..........................32 Mass Mutual (Sunil Nagpal & Karl Stuppnig)......107 Master Sakthi (Astrologer & Psychic Spritual Healer)25 Master Surya Tej..................................................83 Max Psychiatry ...................................................31 Mehta & McConnell, PLLC (Injury Lawyers).........95 Monaco Insurance Agency (Anuj Kasera)...............55 Morgan & Allen Insurance (Hitesh Patel)...............67 Myriad Enterprises (Nitika Prajapati)...................27 NC Dermatology Associates..................................87 Neuro Bloom (Nidhi Seth, Doctor of PhysicalTherapy)71 New Goloka Temple ISKCON (Janmastami) ..........10 Nexus Capital & Venture Group............................43 North American Bancard ....................................15 Nritya MāyāNanda Aug 2026 Seema Viswanath....17 NRS PAY Credit Card Processing .........................51 NSD Tax & Accounting Services............................57 One 2 Entertainment ...........................................25 One-Stop Immigration Solutions..........................41 Partner Business LLC (Immigration Advice) ........111 Patel & Samatova, Law........................................57 Patel Brothers (Cary)...........................................85 Patel, Mrugesh (Law Offices)................................53 PKT Tours USA..................................................55 Pramukh Mandapam.........................................105 PreJuve Medspa & Wellness (Neelu Agarwal MD) ...27 Rajeev Devgon, CPA ...........................................77 RB Realty Group (Ravi Bheemarao) .....................76 Real Triangle Properties (Joe Mathews) .................79 Rug & Home.........................................................2 Ryan Shah (Tabla Lessons) ...................................41 Shah & Associates, CPA, PLLC.............................99 Shah & Trivedi CPA, PLLC ..................................55 Sharma Insurance Agency LLC.............................25 Singh, Manny (Real Estate)..................................23 Spectrum Family Medicine (Sujatha Sajeevan, MD)29 Spices Hut .........................................................78 Stylish Me ..........................................................23 Swadhyay Pariwar ................................................4 Taaza Fresh Indian Bistro.....................................49 Teamwork Health................................................81 Technone LLC (Securtiy Systems) .........................49 TGA - Garba - Bhoomi Trivedi ...............................9 TMSA (Public Charter Schools) ...........................61 Travel Passion .....................................................25 Triad Hindu Temple (Prana Prathishtapana)..........13 Tutoring (Nirmala Koripella - A+ Tutoring)..........70 Uniworld Travel ..................................................53 Vema Mortgage LLC (Vipul Hapani) ...............29/75 Wake Spine & Pain..............................................79 West Cary Medicine (Dr. Kareem M.D.).................75 Worldwide Travels ...............................................57 September 2026

Call me at 704-769-5595 for personalized service today!

704-769-5595 hsampat@healthmarkets.com